Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

"Hey guys, I'm Marinette!" She began the video. "And welcome back to my second channel. You may notice the person sitting next to me..." Marinette gestured. "Alya's back. Like she is in almost every video over here."

Alya smiled and waved. "Hey, guys! Guess what I convinced her to do today," Alya winked. "Well, you probably read the title. We're quizzing to see if we're more like Ladybug or Chat Noir."

"Which I don't totally understand because do we actually know them?" Marinette asked, hoping she wouldn't get Ladybug.

Alya rolled her eyes. "So, if you're from a different country, or have never seen the news, or never even watched a video without me in it, Ladybug and Chat Noir are the superheroes and protectors of Paris. They protect us from the villain Hawkmoth, trying to collect their powers and take over the world. Or something. We only know he wants their powers, we don't know why," Alya shrugged. "But forget about Hawkmoth! Let's take the quiz."

Marinette giggled at her excitement. "Alya runs a blog that follows all things Ladybug and Chat Noir. I'll leave a link on her face, and in the description," Marinette reminded. "First question?"

"When confronted with an Akuma, what do you do? Punch it without a second thought, run away screaming, come up with a plan, or make a pun?" Alya asked. "Wait, I can't tell which one would be Chat Noir?"

Marinette glared at the camera. "He would make a pun," She said, getting a confused look from Alya. "Remember when I had to work with him for the Evillistrator? And when he ran up to me after Puppeteer turned you back into Lady Wifi? Oh my god, the puns!" She groaned. "I would probably," Marinette stopped for a second. She didn't know if she should tell her initial instinct, or try to stay away from the Ladybug answers. "Probably run away screaming."

Alya cocked an eyebrow. "You'd probably come up with a plan to take the Akuma out, Mari, be honest here," Alya said and clicked the one she didn't choose.

"Now, if your best friend was in danger, would you: let someone else save them, find a way to save them yourself, record it for the internet- okay, that one would probably be me if it were anyone but you- call for help, or work with your partner to get them out," Alya asked. "Speaking of, where were you when the Pharaoh tried to sacrifice me to the Egyptian gods?"

Marinette's jaw dropped. "Hey! I told you, I got caught in a time slow bubble. It was terrible!" Marinette defended herself, but little did she know she actually did save her best friend. "Considering Nino would probably be there too, since you really only get in danger when tracking down Ladybug and Chat Noir, we would have to work together to save you,"

"That's fair."

The questions continued and Alya kept calling Marinette out whenever she answered incorrectly. "You got Ladybug; I knew you were more like her!" Alya said.

"Why do you say that? I'm clumsy, and stutter sometimes, and I'm just not like her," Marinette shrugged. "I'm not even like Chat Noir. His confidence is insane, and I'm nowhere near that."

Alya put the phone down. "Girl, you sell yourself short. You're the class president; you stand up for people, you're creative. Those all sound like Ladybug things, don't they?" She raised her eyebrow. "I think that's all we have for today, right, Mari?"

"Yeah, thanks for watching! Other social media and information in the description, see you in the next video!" Marinette ended the video.

She edited out the part where Alya gave her reasons why she was like Ladybug. She cut it off at "Girl; you sell yourself short." Marinette watched the video she was editing for what the hold have been the fiftieth time, to make everything was done right or wasn't dull, but she had to postpone the editing. She set her main channel video to upload, and transformed into her alter ego to meet Chat Noir.

Marinette had a small, contained YouTube channel for a few years. It was popular, thanks to her incredible talent and young age, people enjoyed watching!

"Hey, Chat," Ladybug called when she saw him on the roof, sitting down and laughing. Even though they had been partners for two years, and now older, she still got a little nervous when starting patrol.

"Hey, Bug!" Chat Noir said. "You know Marinette, right? That girl you had me watch over because of an Akuma about a year ago?"

Ladybug nodded. "Yeah...why?"

"She has the best YouTube channel."

Marinette was flattered, but also confused. Chat Noir watched her YouTube? "She's...pretty cool," Ladybug walked closer and sat next to him. "I didn't think you would be one to be interested in a designer."

"Oh yeah, she's so talented! And her videos are great. I love watching the sped up designs and watching them all come together," He gushed. "But her second channel is just as good. It's more relaxed, and I guess you could say her main channel is the more professional side, but the second channel is where she does a bunch of videos with her friends. And look at this one!" Chat Noir showed her his baton, which was somehow connected to YouTube. Marinette recognized the video, as it was one of her most popular. It was the video Nino suggested when he asked "What's in your sketchbook? I've never seen everything, and I'm really curious."

And of course, Alya thought it would make for a perfect video.

Alya was behind the camera when Marinette recorded it, making some comments that would add to the comedic point. "Look, she said this one was inspired by me!" He paused the video and pointed to the design Marinette spent way longer on than she'd admit.

"That's awesome, Chat!" Ladybug said, a smile plastered on her face. She only wished she could thank him formally for all this gratitude, but she couldn't reveal herself. "When I see her next, I'll relay your love."

A smile flashed across Chat Noir's face, and he closed his baton. "Don't worry, milady, my heart beats for only you."

"Charming," She smirked. "Let's go; I've got a thing to do after patrol!" She said and swung her yo-yo. Chat Noir chuckled, but followed anyway.

---

Marinette edited her video until she was sure it was perfect. Even if it was for her second, less popular channel, she wasn't going to put out less than quality content.

Since she got home at nearly midnight after patrol, and edited for an hour and a half, she was exhausted.

Marinette, about to fall asleep at her computer (which she has done before), clicked the YouTube shortcut and set her video to process (and hopefully upload) while she slept.

She was expecting to wake up to her alarm, or the sun hitting her eyes, or her mom yelling that she was late for school. Instead, Tikki was screaming and jumping in an attempt to get her up.

"Something's outside!" She said, pointing to the window. Marinette was hoping it would be morning, but it was still dark.

"Shh," She told the Kwami and slowly got out of bed. Marinette peaked out of the window, not seeing anything. Deciding it was safe, she walked up the ladder and opened the hatch. "Is someone out here?"

It was cold, and Marinette was only in her pajamas, so she wrapped her arms around herself to try to warm up. "I swear...if she woke me up because it was wind, or a bird-" Marinette stopped her mumbling when she heard something move. "Hello? Please, it's too late for this. I'm too tired to kick ass-"

"Please don't call the cops," The black figure landed in front of her.

"Chat Noir? It's the middle of the night! What are you doing here?" Marinette whisper yelled.

Chat Noir looked down at the ground. "I was patrolling with Ladybug about an hour ago, and I didn't want to go home, so I was just walking. I saw something strange in the window and decided to take a look. It was bright red and seemed to be glowing- I thought it was something that wanted to-"

"It was probably just my...cat," Marinette said. "Yeah, he heard something outside and nudged me. His collar is red and reflects some of the lights I have in my room so it wouldn't surprise me if that's what you saw," Marinette nodded, hoping her lie would go unnoticed.

Chat Noir nodded and stepped up to the ledge. "Well, as long as you're safe," He said. "I should be off," He got ready to jump away. "Oh, I don't know if Ladybug told you, Marinette, but I love your videos," He flashed a smile and jumped away.

"Thank you!" She called after him, unsure of if he heard her.

Chapter Text

ONE YEAR AGO

"Marinette!" She nearly fell out of bed when she heard the familiar scream of Alya opening her trap door to her room. "Holy shit! Marinette, I'm going to die," Alya squealed as she failed to keep herself calm.

"What's going on?" Marinette asked quickly. "Is there another Akuma out to get you?"

Alya shook her head with the biggest smile. "No! Look!" Alya said and shoved her phone into Marinette's face after she got out of bed.

JAGGED @JaggedStone
Do you rockers remember the little lady who made my album cover and usually helps me out in Paris? She's got an excellent Youtube channel with a bunch of creative videos. Marinette's a very talented girl and you'd be super uncool if you didn't check her out! www.youtube.com/user/MarinneteDesigns

JAGGED @JaggedStone
@MarinetteDC let's make a video next time I'm in Paris! We have some wacky stories. Keep up the rockin awesome work!

Marinette almost fainted when she read the tweets, but Alya caught her. "It gets better," She warned and clicked on the link to Marinette's channel. She turned it around again, and Marinette tripped over nothing, followed by a scream.

"There is no way that's real!" Marinette caught her breath. "You're pranking me, totally. Okay, show me the camera; you got me."

Alya shook her head slowly. "No, Marinette, this is real. You have 1.3 million subscribers."

Again, Marinette screamed and had to sit down so she wouldn't fall. It might have felt a little stupid or crazy, but tears began to well in her eyes. Views on every video skyrocketed and she got so many lovely comments about everything. Even her less used second channel grew and gave her much more motivation to post the other and funny videos more times a week.

Marinette pulled out her phone while tears slowly went down her face and went live on Instagram to her, now high, follower count. "Hi guys, Marinette here," She said, breathing slowly to control her emotions. "I just woke up about three minutes ago to Alya barging into my room. Oh my god, overnight I gained a million subscribers. This is unreal; I can't believe it. Jagged Stone, thank you so much for helping me get my designs out to more people. I love making the videos I make; whether it be designing or the silly videos I do with my friends, this is so awesome. I've been doing this for about two years now, and I can't believe that I went to bed just hitting two-hundred-thousand subscribers, and now I have 1.3 million. I have so much more motivation from all the support and love I'm recieving, so expect more videos coming out very soon!" Marinette smiled so wide her cheeks were beginning to hurt.

"I'm going to help crank those videos out!" Alya jumped in frame. "This is crazy," She pointed to how high the viewer count was.

"I'm sorry to make this so short, but I just woke up and I am still in shock and still believing this is a dream. I need to process everything, too. Oh my god, thank you to everyone and Jagged Stone so much! I'll see you in my next video!"

And Marinette got to work cranking out more and more videos each week. More went to her main design channel, only a few to her second channel with random videos. But in a matter of a few months, she had a system down when to upload to both channels and she worked every day. Balancing school, two youtube channels, and saving Paris, Marinette had a lot on her plate. But she made it work.

---

PRESENT DAY

Marinette was eating her lunch and had her computer out, editing a new video. She had her headphones on and didn't even notice her friends come up to the table she was at.

"Marinette!" Alya shouted, making her friend jump and her headphones fell off.

"Alya, those are expensive headphones!" Marinette screeched as she picked up the headphones she used to edit.

The group laughed a bit before Marinette set the headphones down and looked to the group. "What video are you working on now?" Nino asked.

"This one is a small tutorial on how to make a simple skirt. I'm trying to edit it then later I have to do a voice over," Marinette explained. "It's been requested for a while."

Alya raised her eyebrow. "Marinette, no," She slowly closed the laptop, even if Marinette was protesting. "You need to eat more than an apple. Give editing a break and eat lunch."

"But today's my upload day!"

Adrien laughed. "Don't you upload every day?"

"Technically, no," She said. "I upload three things onto my main channel weekly, and about two things to my second channel weekly," Marinette told him. "But as today is Tuesday, it's time to edit for my video for tomorrow on my main channel."

Alya pulled out her phone and showed Adrien the schedule. "See, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are main channel uploads. Tuesdays and sometimes Saturdays are second channel uploads," Alya said. "But she works every day."

"You do what you have to to get paid!" Marinette shrugged.

"Don't I know it," Adrien agreed, and put out his hand for a fist bump. And slowly, Marinette bumped his fist.

Marinette put her laptop into her bag and proceeded to eat her lunch. Alya started freaking out about Ladybug and talking about how awesome she is- while Nino was disagreeing.

The argument went on for two minutes before Marinette pulled out her camera and started to record. "I don't understand how you think Chat Noir is better than Ladybug! I mean, I love them both, a lot. But, Ladybug has the better powers. She is the one who saves the day! She turns everything back to normal! She fixes all the messes Hawkmoth puts Paris in," Alya argued.

"But look at Chat Noir. His power is awesome! Being able to destroy something with one touch, I would love that. And he can easily get rid of villains weapons to defeat them easier!" Nino argued.

Alya raised her eyebrow. "Ladybug is the reason why we don't have villains running around every second of the day. She can purify the Akuma and make them regular butterflies!"

Nino shrugged. "I'm sure my man Adrien is on my side, right, Adrien?" Nino turned to Adrien, who was amused by the whole conversation.

"Nino, sorry, but I'm a true Ladybug fan. You should really know this."

"I'm betrayed, Adrien. But you're right, you're completely in love with her- it makes sense," Nino sighed. "Marinette, are you with me?"

Alya scoffed. "No way she is! She's obviously on my side!"

Marinette giggled from behind the camera. "I'm with Nino, sorry Alya. Ladybug may cleanse the Akuma and turn Paris back to normal, but she would be nothing without Chat Noir. He gives her the motivation to keep going and they are a team, they both need each other," Marinette explained her choice. "I don't know why we still argue this, they've been out heroes for like, three years. Haven't we talked about this enough?"

Alya blinked at her. "I can't believe you would do this to me. Adrien knows where it's at," Alya smiled at Adrien. "But Nino, I don't think I can make it to our date tonight. And Marinette, I will never stop debating this. I must take my leave," Alya grabbed her lunch and stood up, walking away.

"Alya!" Nino rolled his eyes and chased after her.

Marinette and Adrien laughed as their friends left them alone. "Any last words?" You pointed the camera at Adrien, who smiled as soon as he realized it was focused on them.

"Ladybug for the win," Adrien smiled and Marinette shook her head, turning the camera off.

"That's going to be really fun to subtitle," Marinette giggled. As Marinette speaks French and English, she uses English in her videos to make it more accessible to other people outside of French speakers, and it definitely helps with all her international subscribers. But at school, they all typically talk French, and now she had more work ahead of her with her editing.

Chapter Text

Marinette...you know Adrien Agreste?? OMG

I can't believe you go to school with Adrien Agreste the model!! You HAVE to make a video with him!

I love the Agreste fashion lines! Adrien seems so sweet!

While I'm still confused Paris has actual supervillains and superheroes, I LOVE Adrien! I want to see him in a video!

You guys would be so cute together. Pleaseeee do a video. Give the fans what they want.

It was all Marinette's comment section was talking about. Adrien had never really been in a video of hers before, as most of her second channel videos were filmed in her room, or only with Alya in public. Marinette should not have been as shocked as she was about her fans freaking out about Adrien being her friend and in a video, but she didn't think it would get to the point where it was all people talked about.

Her Twitter feed was full of people talking about the recent video and how they wanted Marinette to do a video with Adrien. Instagram comments were all about Adrien, how she needed to post more pictures of her and her friends. People wondered about Adrien and his father, as they are typically private people, they wanted to see more about Adrien from the short, funny video.

It was Friday, and they had school off that day. So, naturally, Marinette called Adrien to ask if he had seen anything about the video. It only went up yesterday, so it was possible he had no idea. "Hey, Marinette! Just the person I was going to talk to!" Adrien answered.

She giggled. "Have you seen the video?"

"Of course I have! And all the comments on everything, wow," He awed. "Your fans are something."

"They seem to like you," She commented. "Do you want to join me for a video? I think it would satisfy everyone," She asked him.

"I would be honored. When do you want to get together?"

Marinette thought for a moment when she pulled out her schedule. "Alya and I have a scheduled time tomorrow for a recording, so she would be able to help us with it. If you're available tomorrow, I mean."

She could hear Adrien smile. "The sooner the better, right? I'm free all day tomorrow- father  tomorrow is out of town and Nathalie convinced him to let me keep the day off," Adrien answered.

"Great! Alya will be at my house at ten tomorrow, so see you around then?"

"You know it!"

---

Alya stood behind the camera and pointed to Marinette. "Okay, ready whenever you are," She said, making sure the lighting was good, the battery would not die, and it stayed in focus.

"You're sure it's not a problem that we speak in English?" Marinette asked Adrien for the third time before the video started.

Adrien shook his head. "Yes, I'm sure. All of us know English, we're good. Remember, I was homeschooled most of my life and had nothing better to do with my time?" He reminded Marinette. "I know multiple languages and English is not a problem."

"Alright." Marinette looked to Adrien and back to the camera. Taking a deep breath, she started the video. "Hi, guys! I'm Marinette!" She smiled. "And today I'm here with my friend Adrien! He was in my video over the debate if Ladybug or Chat Noir is better, and the number of people who wanted to see him in a video was insane. So, we did it."

Adrien smiled and waved. "Hi! I'm so excited. I can't believe you guys wanted this so badly."

"I can. You're a world-famous model, Adrien!" Marinette laughed. "It's no wonder people were surprised we know each other."

Adrien shrugged. "My dad is the famous one...I'm just your typical guy!"

Marinette nodded slowly. "Riiiight," She exaggerated.

"Hey Marinette, how come Adrien's never been in a video before? You trying to keep his gorgeous face hidden from the world?" Alya joked from behind the camera.

If Marinette we're still fifteen, she would have flipped out about Alya mentioning his gorgeous face. But the fact that they're all eighteen, she's learned to contain herself, mostly, around her crush. "Well, I try to keep my one channel separate from my personal life...and normally the second channel revolves around you and me. So again, keeping things separate from my life?" Marinette shrugged.

"That's a lie. It's because I'm always so busy, I barely have any free time. You'd think my schedule would have lightened up as I grew older, but no, it just meant more things for me to do. I blame no one but my schedule for never appearing on the channel," Adrien laughed. "Maybe we should start the video now?"

"Well, we're going to do a design competition. I found these," Marinette held up some booklets made for kids with pre-sketched models and stencils for clothing in the books. "And we are going to duel it out using the books. Stencils can be used, but extra points for no stencils. Now, it wouldn't be a challenge without a time limit. So, we have fifteen minutes to complete our design! Sound good, Adrien?" Marinette asked as she finished the rules.

"Sounds like you're going to kick my butt, but I'm ready," He concluded.

Marinette nodded with a smile. "Alya, what is the theme we are designing for?"

"Spring. Create a spring themed outfit, male or female, appropriate to wear in rain or shine. Professional, but ready for the warm weather," Alya read off the paper. Neither Adrien or Marinette knew the theme prior, and Marinette's mind was already bouncing from idea to idea. Alya held up a timer as she stood behind Marinette and Adrien and smiled as she saw both contestants get ready. "You have fifteen minutes...starting now!" Alya announced and they started to get to work when the stopwatch beeped.

Adrien stared at the paper for about a minute before his pencil even touched the paper, while Marinette was already working on a full design. Adrien kept looking up at Alya for help, resulting in laughter coming from behind the camera. "You are literally the son of a famous fashion designer...how are you not able to do this? You have fifteen minutes," Alya reminded him.

The fifteen minutes flew by quickly and Adrien only shook his head at his design when Alya asked the two of them how it went. "Well, let's take a lot at our results! Since Adrien is so confident in his design, let's see Marinette's first," Alya smirked.

Marinette held up her sketchbook to show a male model. He was wearing a business-casual outfit, but it was written off to the side what colors would be used. The suit was white and there was a light green tie with it, and black pants. The spring colors were tied in around the outfit, including the green tie and suspenders, as well as yellow lines on the white shirt. "I would have colored it if we had more time," Marinette said. "But really, it could be so much better."

"I would love to see how you make it better, that could be very awesome," Adrien complimented. "Mine is crap," Adrien said and showed his sketchbook. "I could not come up with anything, so I drew based on Ladybug? I don't know. Ladybugs are spring insects. So that is why there is a ladybug pattern. Plus, she's a fantastic hero," Adrien smiled.

Alya and Marinette looked to each other and burst out laughing. "Adrien," Marinette started, "I'm sure Ladybug will appreciate the compliment, but you should really stick to your day job as a model. Designing does not seem like it is your strong suit."

Adrien put his hands over his eyes and tried to keep himself from laughing. "Next time we do a video, can we not do anything around designing? I would much rather prefer showcasing literally anything else."

A big smile grew on Alya's face. "Yes! I have the best idea for a video for the two of you! For the other channel, no designing!" She said. "Marinette, finish the video so we can get working on the next one!"

"Everyone's a director these days," Marinette rolled her eyes. "Thank you guys so much for watching! Make sure to follow Adrien, Alya, and me with the links in the description to keep up on all our shenanigains, and I will see you in the next video. Bye!" Marinette said, and the video faded out. As Marinette turned off the camera, Adrien looked between the two girls.

"What's the other video idea?"

Chapter Text

"Chat, watch out!" Ladybug shouted as she jumped to kick him out of the Akuma's range.

Chat landed with a thump, but quickly got back on his feet. "Not wasting any time today, I see," He laughed and spun his baton to protect him from another hit from the Akuma.

"Nope! I've got a full list of things to do today, and an Akuma was not on the plan!" Ladybug yelled back and tried to catch the Akuma's leg in her yo-yo, but missed. "Lucky Charm!" She called, trying to get this over with before Alya and Adrien would be at her house.

With a laugh, Chat Noir stares at Ladybug. "What are you going to do with a towel?"

Ladybug looked around as she tried to come up with something. "You'd think after all these years your Lucky Charm would just come out and tell you what to do."

"I don't need that; I know what I'm going to do. Let's get closer," She directed, and they both started running down the street to get closer to the Akuma.

Chat Noir was busy distracting the Akuma while Ladybug set up her trap, getting everything into place. And as if on cue, the Aluma fell for it, and they were able to break the akumatized object.

"I think that's our record for fastest Akuma take out yet," Chat Noir nodded, standing before Ladybug as she cleansed the butterfly. "Pound it!" Chat Noir put his fist out to celebrate the win.

"Pound it," Ladybug smiles sweetly. "Now, like a said, I've got a really busy schedule today, so I've got to get going. Good job, Chat, I'll see you tomorrow!" She waved as she swung away.

Normally, Chat Noir would be a little upset about Ladybug leaving so quickly. But he had places to be, too, and almost freaked out when he checked the time. He had to get to Marinette's before Alya hunted him down. Somehow, he managed to free his schedule and sneak away from his father and Nathalie to make another video for Marinette's channel, and Alya was so excited she would kill him if he backed out. She was determined to make this happen...whatever it was.

Ladybug landed on her balcony and jumped through her trap door, de-transforming before she even fell on her bed. She looked at the clock, noting there were only ten minutes until Alya and Adrien were meant to arrive. "Perfect timing, huh Tikki?"

Tikki giggles. "Isn't Alya always early though?"

Marinette climbed down the ladder and shrugged. "She's probably talking to my parents in the bakery. She knows I'm never on time, you know she likes to give me a few extra minutes," Marinette reasoned. "I'll just finish setting up, and she'll be up in a few minutes."

"Marinette, are you ready?" Alya called only a few steps away from the trap door to her room. Tikki quickly flew to her hiding spot just as Alya threw the door open, a big smile on her face and her laptop in her hand. "Great! You're almost set up. Adrien texted the group chat that he's only a few minutes away, so everything will be right on time!" Alya smiled.

Marinette chuckled and shook her head. "Are you still going to keep the video a surprise?"

"Yep! Neither of you will know what it's about until we start recording!"

Rolling her eyes, there was a knock at Marinette's trap door and it opened a second later. "I hope I'm not late," Adrien smiled as he climbed into the room.

"Nope," Marinette said. "Glad the Akuma attack didn't slow either of you down!"

Adrien shook his head. "They're just getting worse and worse these days. But it seemed like Ladybug and Chat Noir took out this Akuma really fast," Adrien mentioned.

"Crazy fast!" Alya nodded. "I don't blame them, though. They've been fighting Hawkmoth for years; I'd be done with fighting these Akumas and just want to be over and done with it."

Marinette nodded as she set the camera to the correct settings. "Okay, I'm all set. You guys ready?"

Both Adrien and Alya nodded, and they all took a seat in front of the camera. With a deep breath, as she mentally changed languages, Marinette began the video. "Hi, guys! I'm Marinette. Today I'm with Adrien and Alya, yet again! And...I have no idea what this video is going to be about."

"Because I kept it a secret!" Alya giggled. "Now, I've read your comments, your tweets, your posts, I know what the people want. I know what I want, and today, I am doing my noble duty to serve the people of Marinette's channel."

"Just spit it out already," Marinette groaned, causing Adrien to burst out laughing.

With a sinister laugh, Alya smirked. "Today we are doing a tag. I'll read the questions, and Marinette and Adrien have to answer. The tag is called..." She paused for dramatic effect. "If we were dating."

Both Marinette and Adrien turned their heads to look at Alya as soon as she the words. "Alya, you can't just spring that on us!" Marinette squealed, obviously surprised as she defaulted back into French.

Adrien sat in silence, letting the girls dish out about it. "Hey! You both said I could choose the video since I was positive it was going to be a good one, and it would get the audience excited!" Alya crossed her arms, still speaking English. "You both agreed before even knowing what it was."

"Exactly!" Marinette sighed. "Isn't that, well, a little personal?"

Alya turned to Adrien with a sweet smile. "Adrien, dear friend, sunshine child, Adrien, would you be okay with doing this video?"

After a second, Adrien nodded. "Yeah, it's all in good fun, right? Just a game between friends. Are you okay with this video, Marinette?" Adrien peered around Alya.

Blocking his view, Alya smiled. "She doesn't get a vote. She knows how much the audience wants this. Besides," Alya looked between the two of them. "I had Nino make us a special track for this video. You know how busy he is; we can't let him down!"

Marinette crossed her arms and looked into the camera like she was on a TV show. "Fine," She grumbled. "Start us off, Alya."

Alya smiled widely. "If Marinette and Adrien were dating, where would the ideal date be?" Alya asked, starting strong. She could tell they were both a little nervous and shy about this video, which is why she forced Adrien to answer first.

"Well," He thought for a second. "I want to say a nice, fancy dinner, but with my schedule, I'm sure the forces of Gabriel Agreste would not allow that to happen and would schedule something right over it. So, naturally, I'd just bring her along, and we would annoy everyone working until they were so fed up that they made us leave!" Adrien smiled. "Then we would eat some of the best pastries from the best bakery in Pairs."

Alya chuckled a little. "Hasn't that happened before?"

"Yeah," Adrien clicked his tongue. "But you and Nino were there too, so that's different."

"You get a pass on that one, pretty boy," Alya narrowed her eyes at him, then turned to Marinette. "And you?"

Marinette sat up and took a deep breath. "Like Adrien, I'm swamped between school, and designing, and YouTube, and just trying to survive in general. Honestly, I'm also really awkward and chill, so I feel like a lot of "dates" would be just sitting around working. Like he would one hundred percent get roped into being a mannequin," Marinette shrugged. "I apologize to my future boyfriends and husband, but it's what you sign up for."

"That's true. I'm pretty sure our whole friend group has been used as a mannequin," Alya confirmed.

Adrien gasped. "How have I missed out on this? I need my own Marinette Dupain-Cheng design."

Marinette giggled. "I'm working on one right now that I'll need help with in the future, I'll check your references and keep you in mind," She joked.

"Wow," Alya interrupted. "Only one question in, but I think I've satisfied the fans for a whole year!" She smirked. "But I'm going to keep asking questions anyway. Next question, you guys always seem to be late to everything, what excuse do you give each other?" Alya smiled widely. "This is my revenge for the two of you never being on time."

This time, Marinette answered first. "Well, my reason is one-hundred-percent because I was stuck on the phone with a certain Alya Cesaire talking about Ladybug and Chat Noir and how she almost died from another Akuma," Marinette answered, looking Alya dead in the eyes. "Seriously, how many Akumas can one girl almost die from?"

Adrien tried to keep his laughter hidden and covered it up with a cough. "I got caught fake practicing piano again and had to start over. Honestly, that happens a lot. It might not even be a lie. It happens on like a monthly basis at this point," Adrien admitted. "Man, I'm so good at piano," He joked.

Alya, staring at Marinette with the same look she was given, asked the next question. "How would you guys get together?"

"Oh, I have a funny one!" Adrien tore the tension away from the girls after he thought for a moment. "Now, I don't know if this would actually happen, but I thought it would be a funny way to start dating someone," He drew out, then realized he was rambling. "Oh right! I have a feeling if Marinette and I were to start dating, we wouldn't even realize it. We're both way too busy. Between me working as a model and doing all the activities planned out for me, plus the last year of school and working to get into university, I've got a more packed schedule than usual. And Marinette mentioned her schedule earlier, but also with school and university, and hell, she's more busy than I am!" Adrien said.

Alya smiled and shook her head slowly as she looked to Marinette for her answer. "We would have gotten trapped in a panther cage to start dating," She confirmed.

"Ooh! That too. That's still my favorite story. Alya and Nino didn't even think they were going to be together, but when Ladybug shoved you guys in there-"

"She obviously knew you were meant to be together!" Marinette finished for Adrien as a blush grew on Alya's cheeks.

Alya covered her face with her clipboard. "This video is not about Nino and me! Now, if you had to choose one person for your partner to leave you for, who would it be?"

"Chat Noir, obviously. The only other man I would trust with my girlfriend, seems legit," Adrien shrugged.

Marinette laughed. "I was going to say Ladybug for you! They're superheroes; you can't go wrong with superheroes and entrusting someone to them," Marinette reasoned.

"You guys are having much more fun with this video than I thought you would," Alya said. "I should up the difficulty. Hmm," She thought for a moment. "My next question is, what would your ship name be?"

Adrien furrowed his eyebrows. "Ship name?"

"Yeah, like when your TV characters get together they have a combined name. What would your name be?" Alya clarified.

With a shrug, Marinette answered. "Madrien or Adrienette. But Madrien sounds like Mandarin, so I like Adrienette more."

Alya giggles slightly. "Have you thought about this before?"

"This is the first time I've thought about it. My comment section on the last video we did together had a lot of debates about our name. And I read...every...comment."

Alya and Adrien stared at Marinette. "What?" She asked, slightly offended by their looks. "I'm committed. A lot of the times, the comments are the best. But guys, that video we did with us designing, it was insane," Marinette said with wide eyes.

Nodding slowly with a sly smile, Alya looked back at her tablet to find more questions. "Ooh!" She squealed. "This one is fun. Where would you get married?"

Marinette shrugged. "Adrien's backyard," she said. "Think about it, his mansion is huge, so why not throw the wedding and the party there? Plus, it'd be private," she finished off.

"That's a good idea; I'll remember that for when I get married," Adrien pointed at her. "I agree with Marinette. That's where we would get married."

"I can see that happening. But I also think you guys would go big," Alya said. "Make sure it upstaged as many people as possible."

With a giggle, Marinette shook her head. "I don't think so."

Alya asked a few more, smaller sized questions to end off the video and satisfy all the viewer's needs. "I'll be honest, that wasn't as horrible as I was expecting it to be," Marinette commented. With agreeing nods from Adrien and Alya, a big smile wiped across Marinette's face. "Thank you all for watching! Make sure to leave a like and a comment, and subscribe for more. You can find my other channel and all our social media on the screen or linked below, as well as the Ladyblog for Alya! We will see you next time," Marinette said and stood up to turn the camera off. With a big sigh, she laid down on the floor. "I was not emotionally prepared for that," She said, already speaking French once again.

Alya burst into a fit of laughter, and Adrien just stared down at her. "What, you wouldn't want to date?" He joked.

Marinette's face turned red. "No! That isn't what I meant! I was just completely prepared for another video, and having to do that all of a sudden, and...um-"

"I'm just messing with you, Marinette," Adrien admitted. "Sometimes it's funny."

"This is why I like him," Alya pointed at Adrien, and Marinette covered her face and rolled over, groaning loudly.

Chapter Text

Alya was right, Marinette's fans loved seeing Adrien in her videos. Her comments blew up, and the video was high on the trending page, views growing by the second.

Marinette read s  the comments! She knows Adrienette- and I'm sure she supports it! They would make such a cute couple.

At first, I didn't think Adrien liked Marinette that way, but after seeing this video, it's so clear they're meant to be together!!

I still think Marinette doesn't need a man, but Adrien is very attractive and quite funny.

Alya is the hero we need but don't deserve! All hail Alya!

I've never shipped two people more. I don't care if it's a platonic or romantic ship, just do more videos together! You guys have such an awesome dynamic that just plays off one another, and I love it. And Alya's interfering comments are literally me, and I love her. Third wheel Alya for the win!

Yin and yang. They're so different but so alike. Maybe it's fate they're together. I just know it's perfect.

If you guys start dating, I demand a couple vs. couple video. Adrien and Marinette v. Nino and Alya!

Marinette snickered behind the screen as she scrolled through the comments. While her crush on Adrien was still very relevant, she has learned how to deal with it. Even if Adrien himself made it very hard to hide it, she thinks she hides it well enough. And she was sure the comments were mostly jokes, as people will ship any two people they see together in an instant. Frankly, Alya was just asking for it with this video. But luckily, the video turned out well, and her fans were loving it.

But she was exhausted. With pumping out videos almost every day, school, and helping a specific cat, she just wanted to sleep for a week straight. Of course, she loved everything she does, but at times it was a little much for one girl to handle.

Alas, she still had to meet up with Chat Noir tonight. She had spent all Sunday editing videos, and she had already rainchecked on Chat Noir last night, she couldn't do it again.

Against her sleepy self, she called out her transformation words and left her house, running around to check on Paris and the cat. Honestly, she was expecting to find him messing around like normal. He's mentioned before he doesn't get out much so when he gets the chance as Chat Noir, he goes a little overboard. But recently, he's been more reserved with his messing around.

Instead of finding Chat Noir pretending to right rope walk or jumping from roof to roof, she found him sitting on the Eiffel Tower, giggling to himself.

"Chat Noir?" Ladybug said, careful not to scare him as she approached.

"Ah, my lady!" Chat Noir smiled at her. "Come sit; I'm watching a video. It's so good," He complimented.

Ladybug's eyes widened as she peered over into his baton playing the video. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, again?"

"Yes!" He replied. "This one's still pretty new; I love it."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "It's about if she were dating a guy...?"

"Yeah, it's adorable. They seem like really good friends."

Ladybug chuckled and sat down next to him. "So, are we going to watch over Pairs tonight, or watch videos?"

Chat Noir shrugged. "Honestly, I'm perfectly fine just watching videos."

Nudging his shoulder, she rolled her eyes. "I don't think watching videos is in the description of superhero or protector of Paris."

"There's a description for that? Why didn't I read it before accepting the job?" He smirked.

Groaning, Ladybug was about to give up. "I'm still surprised you find her videos interesting. I've never taken you as someone interested in fashion."

"What, I can't be a casual fashion fan?" Chat Noir asked, a joking tone in his voice.

"Casual?" Ladybug asked. "I don't believe there's a casual way to be a fashion fan. You're either all in, or not at all," She played back with his joking.

"Then I'm all in!" Chat Noir stood up. "I could model for you someday, my lady,"

Standing up, she chuckled. "I'd love to see you be a model."

Chat Noir shrugged. "I could do it. I think I'd be the best out there."

"Yeah, right," Ladybug replied. "Should we, I don't know, maybe watch over Paris?"

With a groan, Chat Noir turned off the video on his baton. "That's so much less fun, but I guess you have a point. I'll be back here in just a few minutes!"

"It's not a race, Chat!" Ladybug yelled as he ran off in his direction, Ladybug going off in the opposite direction. They've been friends for a few years now, and they may be closer, but their dynamic is still the same. They would be considered best friends, yet they still barely know anything about each other.

Ladybug's yo-yo began to ring with Chat Noir's picture showing up. "What? We just saw each other."

"Just thought you missed me," Chat Noir joked. "No, I found something kinda...weird; wanna come take a look?" He asked.

"Be right there," Ladybug said and got to Chat Noir as fast as possible. She was expecting an Akuma, something Miraculous related, or just an ordinary citizen having issues.

She was wrong. Instead, she followed Chat Noir's tracker all the way back to the Eiffel Tower. "I won," He said with a smirk, sitting on the edge, and had the video playing again.

"We are not here to mess around!" Ladybug groaned. "Look, I'm so sleep deprived right now. If you're not going to take this seriously, then I'm going home to get some sleep. I have school tomorrow."

Chat Noir nodded. "I do, too," He closed his baton again. "Sorry, Ladybug, I've had a long week. It's been good, just long, and I was treating this as a break. You go home; I'll finish your route."

Her eyes widened at his sincerity. "Are you sure? I can finish my route, but-"

"I'm sure," He stood up with a smile. "If I hadn't played games, you'd be done by now. Go home and get some rest," Chat Noir shooed her, his smile growing.

"Thanks, Chat," She grinned. "I'll see you around."

Chapter Text

Her video with Adrien and Alya quickly became her second most viewed video on her channel, right behind one of her first design videos. It was all over the place, and it was all she heard people talking about online. People loved the video.

It was definitely good for her channel and her stress, she was a little worried about how people at school would take it. Everyone knew Marinette and Adrien had gotten closer since he started appearing in more videos.

Of course, she would love to do more videos with Adrien. However, she didn't know how to keep asking Adrien if he wanted to be in more videos, or if he wanted to stop after seeing all of the comments.

"There she is!" Nino smiled widely when he saw Marinette enter the room. "You actually look rested for once."

"Yeah, I got to go to sleep at a decent time last night," Marinette said. "What's up?"

"Your video blew up, Mari!" Nino jumped. "We were all talking about how awesome that is. And my song was in the video! We're all famous!"

With a giggle, Marinette shrugged. "It did kind of get a little crazy. Thanks for the help on that video, Adrien, and for the amazing idea, Alya."

Alya winked. "You know I know what the fans want."

"Marinette!" Adrien gasped. "I have the perfect idea for a video!"

Right as he was about to tell her, the bell rang. "We'll talk after class."

"It seems like we've all had busy weekends," The teacher began to talk. "Glad to hear, but let's get to work. We have some important projects coming up for your last few months of school."

—

Wednesday

Marinette was in her parent's cafe as she began to record her video. "Hi, guys! I'm Marinette!" She said, now it was just habit to speak in English when in front of a camera. "Today, I'm doing a vlog. Well, if I titled this correctly and came up with some cheesy title, then you're probably wondering why this is going on my main channel, when vlogs usually go on the second channel. Well, we have an exceptional kind of vlog today," She winked.

"I'm here!" Adrien jumped into the frame. "I came up with the perfect idea for a video for Marinette, so we're making it!"

"Adrien has a hectic schedule, so we need to finish eating our after-school snack, then we can head out to meet Adrien's bodyguard to go to our secret location," Marinette smiled.

Adrien grinned as he took another bite of his cookie. "The best pastries in Paris. No, in France. Wait," Adrien paused. "The best pastries in the world."

"No wonder my parents like you...you're a suck up!" Marinette joked and turned the camera to herself. "Stay tuned, if you like my fashion videos, then you are going to love this!" She said with a big smile and stopped recording. Only a few more minutes passed by before both of them weird in the car heading to the location of the secret vlog.

Both of them were happy; they were becoming closer. Sure, over the past few years they had become friends, but there was a lot of development between them since Adrien started appearing on Marinette's YouTube channel. He became more interested in her work, and it gave them excuses to hang out and become better friends.

The two of them talked non stop on the ride. Halfway through, Marinette turned the camera on as they continued their conversation, but now they were speaking English. "I think my viewers like you more than they like me," Marinette told him as she held the camera in front of them. "It's kind of obvious. They always want you in a video."

"Hey, I've read the comments. I know how much they like you, but they also like seeing you with your friends!" Adrien smiled. "I'm happy to be a reoccurring character on the Marinette show, instead of just being a cameo every once in a while," Adrien nodded, proud of himself.

A gasp and a smile formed on Marinette's face. "You should have a cameo. Like, you know, people pay celebrities to talk to them through a small video. It's kind of a cool concept. I heard people were campaigning to have Ladybug and Chat Noir get a cameo, but I don't know what came of that."

Adrien smiled as he listened to Marinette talk. "I haven't heard of that before; I'll have to look into it. Maybe it'd be something fun, you know, if people would want me to get one. Leave a comment, or tweet Marinette or me telling us what you think!" Adrien promoted, and as if on cue, the car stopped. "Oh! We're at our secret location."

Marinette rolled her eyes at Adrien, and the two of them got out of the car. "Guys, I don't think you're ready for this. If you're on this channel, you probably like fashion...or just Adrien Agreste. And either is perfect for this video, as Adrien brought me along to one of his shoots!" Marinette squealed as she turned the camera around to show how everything was set up. "This is very behind the scenes and the first time I've been to a photo shoot without Alya and Nino. Normally they get bored and try to distract me, and I just know this is going to be awesome!" She rambled on.

Adrien stood beside her, partially in the frame, staring at her with a small smile. Once she finished rambling, she looked to him, and Adrien was snapped back to reality. "We've got some things to take care of before it all starts. You have to get all the behind the scenes footage! I need to get my first outfit and some makeup on, so we've got a long afternoon ahead of us, Mari." He grabbed her wrist not holding the camera and led her to his dressing room, and when Marinette stepped inside, she squealed.

"This is literally my dream, Adrien. To walk into one of my model's dressing rooms and see a bunch of clothes that I designed, the model excited to do a photo shoot wearing said clothes, and just expand the brand," Marinette gushed.

With a chuckle, Adrien sifted through the rack of Gabriel clothes. "And I have no doubt that it will happen soon," He smiled. "Hey, speaking of that, when am I going to be forced to model an outfit you're working on? You said you had one and I was next up to the plate," Adrien smirked, with his arms crossed as he was now standing facing Marinette.

Marinette shook her head. "It's still a work in progress. But, here's a sneak peek for you, and for the viewers who are awaiting one of my biggest fashion videos...it's an outfit inspired by Chat Noir," She said in a hushed tone.

Adrien's smirk turned into a big smile. "Oh my gosh, I can't wait to see it!" He said, and turned back to his clothes.

Marinette continued to vlog as much as she could. She snuck in a few recordings when Adrien got his hair and makeup done, then recorded him walking around the dressing room showing off some clothes. Since all the clothes in this photoshoot have been released, there was no issue against Marinette recording- Adrien even made sure to get her special permission.

It was when the actual photo shoot came about there were problems. A dozen people were running around trying to make this perfect, and it was clearly stressing Adrien out. Marinette has been to a few of his shoots before, but never alone, and it was never this chaotic. She was able to get a little bit of footage of the actual photo shoot, and she was most excited about hearing the photographer say "think about your mama's spaghetti!" to get Adrien in the perfect pose. Of course, Adrien was used to it; he had been hearing that phrase for years.

Marinette was also reminded about the amount of footage she was going to have to subtitle, but she had such a great time she didn't care. After the first outfit, Adrien ran over to Marinette and the camera with a smug look on his face. "How do you think that went?"

"I'd say you handled all the stress and spaghetti talk perfectly, Monsieur Agreste," Marinette snickered from behind the camera.

Adrien picked up a napkin off the table near them and pulled a pen out of his pocket. "Please, my biggest fans call me Adrien," He winked and handed Marinette the now signed napkin.

"Oh, don't let me swoon!" Marinette joked as she took the napkin. "Also, stop letting me let your ego grow. You don't need anymore," she said. "Now go change and get on with the next outfit."

"Anything for my biggest fan!" Adrien ran off, and Marinette shook her head at the camera, closing it for the time being.

This was going to be one of her most favorite videos to edit.

—

The video caused an uproar. People loved watching Marinette and Adrien interact, and the video was only growing on the trending page. Her Twitter blew up with tweets about her and Adrien, and she couldn't believe how much people enjoyed the videos, especially their friendship.

It was no longer just about Adrien Agreste, the fashion model; it was about the friendship and development between Adrien and Marinette. And while they were not near being above friendship, people still loved to see them together.

Hell, #Adrienette was trending on Twitter for the hour once the video was posted. Marinette knew Adrien liked someone, and she had come to terms with it and learned to control her crush. That didn't stop the hope in her heart that one-day things would change, and her fans would be right. But right now, she was just happy that she and Adrien were becoming closer and closer every day. However, Alya would never let her hear the end of it.

Once Alya went to bed, though, Marinette opened up the video she titled HOW DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN? | Marinette Vlogs. As the video played at a low volume, Marinette scrolled to the comments and began reading some of them, like she usually does after a video is posted.

This was such an awesome video! I loved seeing the different type of content, yet it still revolved around fashion! Can't wait to see more, with or without Adrien.

I've always wanted to see how photo shoots go, and you are so lucky to be able to experience it! By the way, totally agree with Adrien, your photo shoots will be here before we know it.

If you're looking for models to show off your first, kick offline, I'm sure every one of your fans would be down to do it! How awesome would that be, a line where your fans and supporters are the models? I can't wait until you actually put out a line, I love your designs, and I can't wait to see the Chat Noir inspired outfit! Especially with Adrien modeling it!

A Chat Noir outfit? You spoil us! I just know it's going to be perfect and Adrien is going to fit that style so well. Before we know it, he'll quit modeling for his dad and start modeling for your line!

I loved the concept of this video and all, but I can't help but focus on the fact that Adrien called her MARI. That is the cutest nickname, and I've never really heard her friends call her that before. We've heard M, and Nette, but never Mari, and I love it. Sometimes you guys look so in love, and I'm honestly here for it.

Marinette!! You're on the trending page!! And Adrienette is trending on twitter!!

Oh my gosh, Marinette, you and Adrien have taken over Tumblr. There's fan art of you two- more fan art than you and Alya have gotten. And I'm sure there are fanfics- please do a video of you guys reading them. It would be hilarious!

Marinette really enjoyed reading the comments. She loved interacting with the fans- but reading fanfiction about her and Adrien might be a little much. After she got through a good amount of comments, she shut off the video and smiled to herself.

"People are going crazy for you and Adrien," Tikki giggled from over her shoulder. "Dreams do come true, huh?"

Marinette shook her head and laid down. "People love to ship any guy and girl they see together. Plus, as much as I wish he did, Adrien doesn't think of me like that. Maybe one day, Tikki," She sighed. "Let's get some sleep."

But Adrien was still up, reading every single comment and tweet he could find. This was by far his favorite video they have ever made, and he was beginning to realize how happy he was to be friends with Marinette. He loved having her around and creating things with her, and seeing the reaction from her fans about the two of them only made him smile more. However, he would never forget about Ladybug; she would always be his number one. Marinette was just a very, very close second.

Chapter Text

"Marinette! I saw Jagged Stone's tweet. Are you guys actually doing a video together?" Nino ran up and asked as soon as he saw Marinette.

Early in the morning, Marinette was not prepared to hear Nino screaming. But she still turned around from her conversation with Alya and smiled widely at Nino, nodding quickly. "Yeah! He gets in town tonight, then I'm going to his hotel tomorrow, and we're shooting a video. I haven't fully finished planning for it, but it's going to be an awesome video," Marinette promised.

"You guys have collaborated a lot, so I have no doubt this will be just as awesome," Alya intervened. "Now, can we talk about how your video is still trending three days later?"

Shaking her head, Marinette shrugged. "I've had videos trend before."

"But not like this! This one is on YouTube and Twitter!" Alya put her hands on Marinette's shoulders, shaking lightly. "Besides, the whole internet wants you and Adrien together."

Marinette took a deep breath. "Honestly, Alya, I'm trying to stay cool about the whole thing. These past few weeks have been some of the best for my channel- views, likes, and subscribers are up. Not only just on the videos with Adrien, though, but people also seem to find me from those trending videos and watch a bunch of my other stuff. That's not normal," Marinette said. "Most times, people watch what's recommended, then don't watch anymore," She shook her head.

"You're just so likable people want to come back for more!" Alya nudged Marinette's side. "People come for the Adrien content, stay for the marvelous Marinette."

The three of them stopped talking when they heard Chloe scoff at them. "I think you're only trending because the three of you bought more views," Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Chloe, if I did that, YouTube knows how to find out. I basically wouldn't have a job if I bought views. Besides, the views, likes, and comments match up," Marinette smirked. "I've studied the statistics of everything and spend way too much time on my videos to buy views- people will watch my videos if they want, I'm not going to fake it," Marinette defended herself.

"Anyways, Marinette's not like that," Adrien said once he walked in the classroom. "It was a super fun video to make, and the reaction from fans is amazing, no wonder it's still trending. We had fun making it, and that shows, people like that," Adrien said as he stood next to Marinette. He may be childhood friends with Chloe, but he's seen how she can be, and he still has to put her in her place from time to time.

"Hhmph!" Chloe pouted and turned to her seat, clearly at a loss for words.

The attention steered away from Chloe and back to their small group. "I can't believe it's still trending!" Adrien whisper-shouted. "The video was awesome, but people like it a hundred times more than we projected!"

Alya giggled. "People do love seeing you guys together," She shrugged, dropping the slyest of hints.

Marinette rolled her eyes as everyone headed to their seats. "Hey, Adrien," Marinette called, and he turned around. "I'm almost finished with that design I teased. Will you be free Friday night or Saturday?"

Adrien thought for a second. "I'll find out as soon as I get home," He smiled. "I can't wait to see it!"

"Sounds like a plan," Marinette nodded and took out her books.

—

A thump sounded behind Ladybug, causing her to jump at the sudden noise. "Did I scare you, my lady?" Chat Noir asked. "I'm not used to seeing you sitting here, slumping," He commented and took a seat next to her.

"I'm fine," She replied. "Just a little stressed."

"How come? I know talking about it can be a way to destress sometimes," Chat Noir said. With a head shake no, Chat Noir sighed. "You don't have to; I just wanted to offer."

Ladybug laid back on the rooftop and put her hands over her eyes. "There's just so much going on, Chat, and everything is moving so fast. I graduate from school in just a few months, and we still haven't defeated Hawkmoth. What happens when we go to University? What if I go to another city...I can't imagine giving up my Miraculous, especially not when Hawkmoth is still out there. We know how to fight him, and we are so close to defeating him, if only we could find him," She groaned and took a deep breath.

Chat Noir listened in silence as she talked. "I've basically got two jobs, and I could quit one if I wanted, but I love both of them so much. Tomorrow, I have a big meeting with someone, and he won't tell me what it is about, and that's stressing me out. Last time he had a surprise for me, national television made fun of me for it. I'm sure tomorrow will go fine, and I've worked with him before, but he can work in mysterious ways," Ladybug continued, freaking out about her meeting as Marinette with Jagged Stone tomorrow. They were going to do a video, and he said he had the perfect idea for it, yet never mentioned what it was.

For a minute they sat in silence as Ladybug could feel stress tears come to her eyes. "Ladybug, you do so much," Chat Noir said.

Uncovering one of her eyes, she sniffled and looked at him. "What?"

"You go to school, work two jobs, have a social life, and still protect Paris. I may not know much about your life under the mask, but I know it's just as amazing as the one I've learned to know here," He said. "I'll never understand how you do it and never crash from exhaustion. I've done that before, and trust me, I'm not nearly as busy as you are," Chat Noir said. "You're, dare I say, miraculous."

Ladybug rubbed her eyes and sat up. "Thank you, Chat Noir. I really needed to hear that. I can talk to my friends about all this, but they don't know this side of my life and understand the stress I have from it," She told him. "Can I ask you one more question?"

"Of course."

Ladybug thought about how to phrase her question to ensure he wouldn't be able to figure out who she was going to talk about. "I've been friends with this guy for a while- probably as long as you and I have known each other, actually. We were technically friends for a while, though, I was always too nervous to actually say two words to him because we are in such different levels. He's best friends with my best friends boyfriend, too, so we've always had mutual connections," Ladybug rambled on, then took a big breath.

"Okay, to the point. Recently, we have grown closer. Like, really close. Close to the point where we now hang out without our other friends around and act like we've known each other like this for years," She said. "And I had a huge crush on him. I think it's still there, but I've learned how to hide and suppress it. But we spend so much time together; I'm afraid it's going to come out full force. Is it weird to like your close friend?"

Chat Noir shook his head once she finished, thinking of how he feels about Ladybug. "Not at all. It's kind of like skipping a step, I think. When dating, you have to get to know each other and if you'd be compatible. If you start dating from being friends, then you already know each other, and you've skipped the awkward stages of getting to know one another. You already have an idea of how the two of you would work out, and if dating would be better for the both of you," Chat Noir sighed once he realized he was giving his crush advice for her crush.

Ladybug nodded slowly. "Right, that's a good way to look at it. Thank you, again. I don't know if I'm going to act on it, though, we're both ways too busy for any kind of relationship. That would just add another thing for me to keep track of," She giggled a little. "Thank you for the talk; I don't know what I would do without you," Ladybug put her hand on his shoulder.

Chapter Text

"She's been on national television, Plagg," Adrien sighed. "How come I haven't noticed anyone on national television that reminds me of Ladybug?"

Plagg shrugged and took a bite of cheese. "She could look different."

"That's true, but I think I would know her just by looking at her," Adrien declared. He fell back on to his bed and groaned. "I helped her with her crush problem."

"What's wrong? She said she wasn't going to act on it; she's too busy. So she's not going to be with anyone, not even you!" Plagg said and ate the rest of his cheese in one bite.

Adrien rolled over and started scrolling the Ladyblog. "You're not helping." Adrien closed the app, and opened up YouTube to watch Marinette's newest video about making a jacket. He hoped it was for the outfit she was making based off Chat Noir, but the video shows her working on something that was entirely not Chat Noir.

—

Marinette took a deep breath as she knocked on Jagged Stone's hotel suite door. Only a few seconds later, the door opened wide. "Marinette! Good to see you!" Penny smiled and welcomed her in. "We've been so excited about this, and I really hope you'll agree to it."

"Agree to what?" Marinette asked, trying to get more information out of her before Jagged springs it on her.

Penny shook her head as she led Marinette to the couch. "Go ahead and set up, I'll let Jagged know you're here," She patted Marinette's shoulder and walked to the next room.

Marinette pulled out her tripod and camera, making sure it was in position in front of the couch. Only a minute later, Jagged and Fang walked in to greet Marinette. "If it isn't my favorite little creator!" Jagged cheered when he saw her. "Feels like forever since I last saw you, Miss Marinette," He said and quickly pulled her into a hug. "Fang doesn't know how to act without you."

"I've missed you guys!" Marinette told him. "But, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't having anxiety about this secret project you won't tell me about."

Jagged laughed lightly. "Nothing to be worried about my dear. Have I ever steered you wrong?" He asked. "Okay, besides that one time. This time, however, could be great! I've got this awesome idea, but it will be a lot of work...so we'll see if you agree to it," Jagged said. "I thought we could record your initial reaction, but if you decide not to do it, we can scrap that part and just get on with one of our classic videos," Jagged explained his thought process.

Marinette shrugged. "As long as it's not going to kill me, then I think that's a good idea. Let's get on with it, though. The anticipation is liking me." They both sat on the couch, Penny behind the camera, and Fang at their feet.

Penny pointed when she started recording, and Marinette took a deep breath to begin the video and switching into English mode. "Hi! I'm Marinette, and you guys obviously know who this is: Jagged Stone!" She clapped as she introduced Jagged. "We've done a few projects together before, and he was determined to keep this project a secret from me. So here we are, sitting in front of the camera, me still clueless," Marinette rolled her eyes and crossed her arms jokingly.

"I'm so excited about this that I can barely keep it in. Marinette, I've loved all the projects we've worked on together. Hard to believe it all began with some Eiffel Tower glasses!" He laughed. "Rockers, she's designed an album cover for me and some awesome merchandise, too."

"Please just tell me what this is about," Marinette begged.

Jagged laughed. "Okay, okay. So, I have a new album coming out in a few months. We're still working on recording it all, and it's really getting there. But I had this idea for this album, since I've had so many albums, this one needs to be different," He dragged on, and could tell Marinette was about to explode. "I came up with an idea to have different covers to represent each song on the album. There are currently twelve songs, and that would mean there would be twelve different album covers, each based on one song. It's a thing for collectors, you know? I know it would be a huge job and it's definitely going to take some time, but Marinette, I love your style, and you get my style, and I couldn't think of anyone better for the job."

Marinette's jaw dropped. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it sure wasn't this. It definitely was going to be a lot of work, but she was already in love with the project idea and was already visualizing how it would look in stores. Plus, Jagged has never been shy about sharing the spotlight with the designers he works with (hell, he's doing a video with her to potentially announce it!). To say the least, Marinette was beyond excited to hear about this project, no matter how much time it was going to take.

"This sounds like such an awesome project," Marinette marveled. "I would be honored."

"Yes!" Jagged jumped up and pumped his fist. "This is going to be so cool, Marinette. Can you imagine how it's going to look in stores? A whole end cap of my album with twelve different covers all designed by you? I can see it now: Jagged Stone, with designs by Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" He started talking very fast, and it showed how excited he was. "I'll send you all the demos and songs that are finished as soon as possible. This is going to be so awesome," Jagged kept saying. "Okay, okay, I'm good. Should we do the rest of the video idea I came up with?"

"If it's as good as the first part, yes!" Marinette nodded with a chuckle.

Jagged looked down at the crocodile at his feet. "I was thinking the video could show how well you and Fang get along."

Marinette pet Fang's head. "First I get another awesome job, and now I get to make a video with my favorite crocodile? How much luckier can a girl get?"

Chapter Text

Friday

Marinette was scrambling trying to get things done. Adrien was on his way to make the newest video of the Chat Noir inspired outfit, and Marinette was losing her mind.

"Tikki! This will never be perfect. If I can't finish something as simple as this, I'll never make it as a designer," She groaned.

"You need to calm down," Tikki said, calmly. She rushed over to the computer and hit the space bar to play Jagged Stone's new song he sent Marinette. It was a slower one that Marinette loved, about living life and how it hits you in unexpected ways. Marinette covered her eyes and fell back onto her chair.

"Why do I keep freaking out like this?" She sighed. "First, I freak out on patrol. Now I'm going to freak out right before Adrien gets here and ruin the whole mood of the night," She said. "I'm a mess."

Tikki floated next to Marinette's head. "You need to take some deep breaths and listen to the song. You said you like this song, and it's about what you're going through right now. Just listen to it and let yourself sit peacefully."

As Tikki talked Marinette through her freak out, her parents were caught talking to Adrien in the bakery. "We're so happy you and Marinette have become such good friends," Sabine told him. "I always knew you guys would be good together."

"I'm glad we've gotten closer, too!" Adrien smiled widely. "We only really hung out with Alya and Nino before, but now it's like we've known each other for years."

"The world works in mysterious ways," Sabine nodded and grabbed a tray of cookies from behind the counter. "Take these up with you, will you? Marinette has been beyond stressed since her meeting with Jagged Stone and has barely eaten. If you can get her to eat just one, you'll be even more amazing. And feel free to have as many as you want, too!" Sabine said as Adrien nodded and she pushed him towards the steps to their house.

Adrien knew where to go, and he really loved how quaint their home was. He could hear Marinette talking to herself, and started to walk up the stairs to her room. With a few knocks on the trap door, he waited until he was allowed to come in.

"Marinette? It's Adrien!" He yelled through the door.

Marinette wiped her eyes. "Hide, Tikki," She whispered as she sat up. "Come in," Marinette replied to Adrien, and the door opened a second later. She smiled weakly as she saw Adrien enter her room with a plate of cookies.

"Sorry I'm a little early, but your mom sent me with cookies! She wants you to eat at least one- were you crying?" Adrien asked, stopping quickly and staring at Marinette's puffy eyes.

She shook her head and took a deep breath. "I'm fine, do you want to get to work?" She asked and gestured towards the mannequin with a sheet over it.

"No," Adrien said and set the cookie tray down near her desk. "I want you to tell me what's wrong," He said warmly and took a seat next to her.

Marinette took a deep breath and laid back, just like she was with Tikki. "I'm just stressed, that's all. I'm way in over my head, and I'm freaking out, you know?"

"I do," Adrien nodded.

"There's just so much going on between school, my YouTube channel, working in the bakery, and now this big project I took on by Jagged Stone, I'm never going to survive," Marinette groaned. "I shouldn't be complaining. You're much busier than me."

The room was silent for a second. "You do so much, Marinette, I honestly don't know how you do it."

"What?" Marinette asked and turned her head to look at Adrien.

Adrien grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit up. "You do so much! I'd go crazy if I were you. You say I do a lot, but you do ten times more. You work in the bakery, run two YouTube channels with near-daily videos, you're in the last year of school, somehow you design new pieces almost weekly, and now you've taken up this huge project from Jagged Stone! I don't know how you maintain a social life," Adrien said. "You're, like, a superhero," He chuckled.

"Really, I don't know how you do it all. So many things stacked on top of one another, yet it all turns out amazing with everything you do!" Adrien smiled widely. "I know it can be stressful, and it's okay to cry. Crying is good for you, actually, but you're never going to let anyone down with everything you do," Adrien complimented.

Marinette took a deep breath. "Thank you," She said. "This is the second time this week I've freaked out like this, and I guess I really needed to hear it again. I had a major freak out the night before I met up with Jagged, and I don't know why it just hit me again. But thank you, Adrien, sometimes talking about it helps," She said. With a deep breath and a wipe of her eyes, she stood up. "Do you want to see the outfit?"

Adrien shook his head and stood up, too. "Not until you eat a cookie."

Marinette groaned and grabbed a cookie off the tray on her desk. After taking a bite, she gave a sarcastic smile. "There, happy?"

"Very!" Adrien nodded. "Now you can start the video and reveal the outfit to me."

With a deep breath, Marinette grabbed her camera and aimed it at Adrien. "Hi! I'm Marinette, behind the camera," She said and moved her hand around to the front of the camera to wave. "Your favorite is here, too. Today is finally the day! I have finished the outfit Adrien will model for us, and I think it's safe to say, Chat Noir would be proud."

"If it's black and green, then I think he would love it," Adrien said and grabbed the end of the sheet. "May I?" He asked, and Marinette nodded, resulting in Adrien yanking the sheet off the mannequin. He gasped loudly as he dropped the sheet. "Who cares if he approves- I approve! Guys, look at this beauty!"

Marinette moved the camera to show off the design that Adrien was gushing about. "I can't wait to wear it, it's so awesome," Adrien continued from behind the camera.

"Let me do an awesome montage moment, then you can wear it," Marinette chuckled and began moving her camera up and down to get all angles of the outfit, hyping it up as much as she could. A minute passed, and she shut the camera off. "Okay, it's all yours to try on." Adrien smiled widely as Marinette helped take it off the mannequin and handed it to him.

"This is going to be so awesome, Mari," He said. "You're so unbelievably talented. Chat Noir should be proud to have this outfit inspired by him," He commented.

She giggled. "One night, I was outside after a long time of editing, and he was jumping around and told me he liked my videos. I wonder if he'll see this one," Marinette said.

Adrien shrugged. "Your videos can be addicting. I'm sure if he has any idea something could be related to him, he'll watch the video," Adrien smiled and walked towards the bathroom to change into his new outfit.

Marinette shook her head and scrolled through her phone as she waited for Adrien to reappear. "Mari, get the camera ready. I have the best idea!" Adrien called from the bathroom. She did as told, and started recording, pointing the camera at the bathroom door.

"Ready!" She yelled back. The door opened a second later, and Adrien stuck his arm out of the door. It was just his hand to about halfway up his arm, and showed the gloves and the end of the leather jacket. Then, he extended his leg out to show the black jeans with green accents. A moment later, he walked out to show the full outfit with a smug look on his face. "Oh my god," Marinette gasped.

Adrien dropped the look, and a smile grew on his face. "Marinette, this is so badass!" He said and looked all over the outfit. "The pants are my favorite. Black jeans and green stitching? It all works so well together."

The two continued showing off the outfit, and Adrien even did a runway walk around Marinette's room to give the full effect. "If it wasn't clear before, it's clear now. Your future line is going to be the best damn thing the world will ever see. I can't wait to be your star model!" Adrien winked. "Well, if you'd have me."

Marinette shook her head with an eye-roll. "Silly kitty," She joked as she motioned towards the hood of the jacket with slight cat ears. "I'd actually have to have a line first before we can even think about models. Not to mention going through fashion school, and finding a fashion house..."

"Pish-posh," Adrien shrugged. "You'll soar through all of that. I mean, look at the stuff you're making now! Someone would be crazy to pass you up!"

Marinette giggled and turned the camera to face her. "I think it's time for the flattery to end, so this looks like a good place to end the video. Thank you all for watching. Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more! Keep updated on both mine and Adrien's social media, and I will see you next time! That is, if I can get that outfit off of him and back on the mannequin..." She looked to Adrien, who was now standing beside her.

A smirk appeared on Adrien's face. "Well, Mari, if you were trying to get me undressed, you should have just said so," He moved his eyebrows up and down.

Clearly, that wasn't what she meant, but it did come out sounding a bit weird. Marinette's face turned red, but she tried to suppress it. She groaned and looked at the camera. "Adrien, your Chat Noir is showing," She finished, and shut the camera off.

Chapter Text

I HAVE SO MANY FEELINGS ABOUT THIS VIDEO AND ALL OF THEM ARE GOOD. I ALMOST NEED TO MAKE A REACTION VIDEO ABOUT THIS VIDEO.

I love seeing the development of Marinette over the years. Starting as a shy designer who wouldn't even put her voice on camera, to now leaving in a joke about getting Adrien naked. Wow. That easily could have been edited out, but she chose TO LEAVE IT IN. And I am here for it! I'm all for more casual friendships and seeing Marinette's style, and friends continue to grow!

It's a good thing Alya wasn't there. She probably would have flipped her mind.

We don't appreciate Nino and his music enough. I listened to the song from the video all day. It had so many amazing things and then going back to watch the video with it again made me realize how perfect it works with the video. Nino better make an album. I will buy it on the spot.

Am I the only one who doesn't ship Marinette and Adrien?
> yes
>> I lowkey ship Alya and Marinette. But still, Adrien and Marinette are THE otp.

Guys!! You have to look at the Marinette Dupain-Cheng tag on Tumblr. Or the Adrienette tag! There's some really cool stuff on there, and I'd think you would get a really cool video.

TAKE THIS VIDEO TO. MY. GRAVE. PLAY THIS WHEN I AM BURIED.

Marinette loved reading her comments. She had gotten particularly good at skipping over the hate, and only focused on the love. Recently, her fan base has been obsessed with getting her and Adrien together, but she knew it was too much to hope for.

She loves seeing all the fan art appear on her social media though, and makes sure to look at and leave a like on everyone she can see. Marinette wasn't sure if Adrien had seen the video, and if it was a bad idea if she left in his joke. With a sigh, she made sure her second channel video was continuing to upload. It was a vlog she made with Alya after school one day, both of them going to the art store for more supplies for her next project.

When she assured it was halfway done uploading, she looked to the sleeping Tikki. She's been worried about the lack of akumas lately, and on-call nonstop. Finally, Tikki fell asleep, and Marinette was not going to bother her. She climbed out to her balcony to take a break and get some air. It was late, and the quiet outside pleased her. It was an excellent way to take a break.

She scrolled through her phone as she stood in the light breeze, enjoying the quiet. She looked through Alya, Nino, and Adrien's social media to catch up on all their recent updates. Also looking at celebrities and other YouTube stars, she threw her phone on the chair and took a deep breath in the fresh air.

"Marinette?" A voice asked from behind her.

She jumped and put her hand over her mouth so she wouldn't scream. "Chat Noir?" Marinette whispered when she realized who was on her balcony. "What are you doing here?"

Chat Noir shrugged and walked up to the end of the balcony, standing next to her. "I don't know. I was running around tonight, trying to clear my head, and I saw you. So I stopped," He confesses. "I saw the video you made about the outfit inspired by me," He smiled. "It was really awesome."

A small smile appeared on Marinette's face. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Your fans seem to like the best ones to have. I was reading some of the comments, they love you," He complimented.

Marinette shrugged slightly. "I just know how to block the hate. But yeah, I've got some really great fans. It really picked up once Adrien started appearing in videos, people love him," She giggled.

Chat Noir shook his head. "I've watched your videos for a long time. The people love you; you're just getting more comments about Adrien because everyone ships you guys. But the real reason they keep watching your videos is because they like you, you know?" He said. "Adrien's just another pretty face people like to look at."

Marinette laughed a little more this time. "Yeah, I guess that's a good point. Fandoms are full of shippers, but I don't think we'd get together anytime soon. We're both so busy," She said. "Plus, that'd be way too easy for the fans," Marinette jokes.

Chat Noir giggled as well. "Yes, you'd definitely make it too easy on the fans. If you guys started dating, you'd need to keep it a secret for a few months but hint at it every so often just to keep them wondering...it's so evil."

Marinette raised her eyebrow at him. "Good idea, I'll bring it up to Adrien if we ever start dating...somehow," She smirked and shook her head. "Thanks for the input, Chat Noir."

He smiled widely. "I'm here to help!" He saluted to Marinette.

Marinette's phone beeped three times in only a few seconds. She looked down to see Alya spamming about the video she just posted, saying something was wrong. "I have to go deal with this," She sighed. "Thanks for the little talk," Marinette told Chat Noir and walked over to her trap door.

Chat Noir nodded. "My pleasure. I'll see you later," He said and jumped to another rooftop.

Once Marinette got back inside, she sat in front of her computer to see the success message for uploading the video. "What's wrong with the video?" She asked when Alya picked up her phone call.

"Wrong thumbnail!" She said. "That's for your next fashion video!"

Marinette groaned and opened her thumbnail files on her computer. "Easy fix, don't worry," She told Alya. "I'm so exhausted from everything lately."

"You need to take a break, girl," Alya told her, to which Marinette only laughed. "I'm serious. You run yourself every single day between school, the bakery, and your videos. Not to mention this new project with Jagged Stone, I'm going to force you to take a break sooner than later," Alya told her. "I will personally sneak into your room and take your phone, camera, and computer if I have to. Don't make me do it."

As Marinette fixed the thumbnail for her newest vlog, a small smile grew on her face. "Thanks, Alya. But I'm fine. I promise. I get enough sleep most nights, and I'm good at balancing my time. I've just been extra stressed lately- maybe it's because all of the chaos around the many videos with Adrien popping up. My fans love him."

Alya snickered. "Yeah, they do. Which makes it even better for you!"

"Shush it," She told her. "I'm keeping things as friends. He's not interested, and I'm just glad we're getting closer. Honestly," Marinette promised. "I'm older now, and I don't need to have crazy moments around my friend. Besides, I need to go to bed if you don't want me to crash at school tomorrow."

"Whatever you say!" Alya giggled quietly. "That was a long description of how you're not dating someone, or I guess, how you don't want to date someone. Mhm," Alya hummed, making Marinette huff at her. "Fine, go to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. See you tomorrow!" Marinette said, and hung up the phone. With one last check on her video, she turned off her computer and climbed back up to her bed.

Chapter Text

Marinette was completely focused, sketching out an idea she had for one of the album covers. She had a bad case of art block, and now that she had some inspiration, she wasn't going to lose it. Jagged's song was playing in the background on repeat so she would get all aspects of the song, and Tikki was watching from her perch above Marinette.

Laying on the floor, she was sketching Jagged on a raised platform with lights pointing at him, creating a silhouette. His hands were pointed up towards the comers of the paper. As Marinette began to outline the background, she heard her name being called. "Just a second!" She shouted as she continued drawing.

A minute passed, and Marinette had already forgotten about her name being yelled. She jumped when her trap door opened, and she lost grip on her pencil, and it flew across the room. "Marinette?" Adrien's head popped into her room. "Throwing things?"

She sighed and laid her head down when she realized it wasn't an intruder, only Adrien. "You scared me."

"Couldn't tell," He smirked and picked up her pencil once he got into the room.  "What are you up to?"

"I'm working on one of the designs for Jagged's album project. I was inspired," She showed Adrien the sketch. "What are you doing here? Did we have something scheduled? Oh no, I'm so sorry!"

Adrien put his hands up and shook his head. "No, no, we didn't. Don't worry," He told her. "I sent you some texts and called, Alya was worried because she hadn't heard from you all day. So I called the bakery, and your mom said you were designing and probably would not pay attention to that stuff, so she recommended if I needed something from you to just come over," He shrugged. "But, I now realize you were in the zone, and I probably ruined that."

Marinette giggled. "It's okay; I needed to take a break. What's up?"

Adrien chuckled. "Oh...not much. Alya texted me to ask if I had heard from you, so I tried to get to you, and now we're here. My father and Nathalie are out of town, and the stuff they had planned for me fell through, so I feel like a free man!" Adrien replayed his day. "And I let Alya know you're alive, she was just worried. But that was such a tough adventure, now I'm starving," Adrien said.

"I would think so; you've had a busy day," Marinette smirked.

"Well, want to come with me? It seems as if you've had a busy day as well," Adrien motioned towards her sketches. "Reward yourself."

Marinette shook her head with a little laugh as she went to stand up. She grabbed her supplies off the floor and loved them to her desk. "Where are we going? Do I need to bring a camera?" She asked.

Adrien shrugged. "Who knows, weird things could happen at any time. We do have a Hawkmoth around, and maybe Alya needs a run for her money if you document it."

"I couldn't steal her brand!" Marinette gasped. "But I'll bring the camera just in case," Grabbing the camera, Adrien opened the trap door back up and started to head down with a smile on his face. Marinette grabbed her little purse and opened it just enough to let Tikki in. "Where are we headed?" She asked and followed Adrien down the steps.

Adrien shrugged. "I don't know; there's this little cafe near the park if you want to try that?"

"Perfect!" Marinette smiled. As they left the bakery, Marinette snapped a quick photo of the two of them and posted it on Instagram.

@MarinetteDupainCheng
Between bad art block and sudden bursts of inspiration for the album project, Adrien got hungry, and now I'm going to lunch. I need to find a reason to get him in a video again...even though it's only been a few days. How would you guys like to see us play our favorite video game?

Adrien chuckled at the post when Marinette let him read and approve it before posting. He clicked post for her and waited for the likes and comments to roll in. I'm only a few minutes of random conversations, they ended up at the cafe and waited for their water to be served. "So, Adrien," Marinette switched to English when pointed her camera at him as they waited. "I just posted that picture, and now there are a good couple hundred questions on it. Maybe I should make a question and answer vlog where we answer the questions on the picture, but not tell anyone, so people get the real questions answered."

"I think that is an amazing idea!" Adrien smiled widely. "I'll pull up the picture and find some comments, but first I'm going to figure out what I'm having for lunch. I don't know if I've mentioned it, but I'm starving."

Marinette's eyebrows raised. "Wow, you really are a free man today. Choosing your own food and everything!"

"Hush," Adrien put his finger up. "This is an important decision."

A few minutes passed, and they placed their order, and Marinette had the camera back out to answer questions. They were sat in a booth, so she jumped to the other side to be next to Adrien, and set the camera in front of them so they both would be in the frame. "Some of these questions are so good, I can't wait to talk about them," Adrien chuckled as he scrolled through the comments.

Marinette shook her head and clapped in front of the camera to sync everything up. She pressed record and waited a few seconds to start this segment. "I'm over here now!" She waved into the camera. "We have successfully ordered lunch, and now we're going to answer some questions for an impromptu q-and-a. For the record, I did edit the caption on my post so people would ask questions, but it was an hour after I posted it. So it's kinda a surprise," She winked at the camera. 

Marinette pointed to Adrien to have him ask the first question, and he smiled. "How did you two become friends?"

Rubbing her hands together, Marinette chuckled. "Buckle up, kiddos," She said. "It all started on our second day of school a few years ago. I walk in, and I see this blond boy putting gum on my seat. I yelled at him and put a tissue over it and sat out of the way of it. I hated him, he was brand new to school and already didn't like me! What a bully," Marinette rolled her eyes. "So, I was mad at this boy, right? Wouldn't even look his way, and when he tried to explain himself, I didn't listen," Marinette crossed her arms.

Adrien giggled as he listened to her dramatically tell the story of their friendship. "This also happened to be the day of the first Akuma France had witnessed, so everything was crazy, too. After the Akuma, we ended the day at school with rain, and I didn't have an umbrella. And of course, there comes blond boy with his umbrella to stroll by me. I didn't look at him, and he just sighed. Then, I let him explain himself. Partially because I was stuck standing there waiting to call my parents for help, but I hesitantly listened. Then he told me he was only trying to remove the gum another girl put there and only wanted to help, and then he gave me his umbrella. I stole it, and it's still at my house."

"To conclude, Adrien wasn't involved in this story at all. He sat behind me in class for three years before I even noticed him- hey!" Marinette chirped when Adrien nudged her with his elbow, a hurt look on his face.

Adrien rolled his eyes. "To conclude, it was my first day of school! I'd basically been stuck inside all my life; I had no idea how to interact with other people my age that wasn't Chloé. I was lucky I was even allowed to go to school," Adrien shrugged, then furrowed his eyebrows. "You still have my umbrella?"

"It's a nice umbrella. Probably going to be worth something someday," Marinette shrugged.

A smirk appeared on Adrien's face when he tried to hold in a laugh. "You forgot the best part! You opened the umbrella; then it closed on you! That was so funny, made my day!" Adrien continued laughing, while Marinette rolled her eyes.

"And that was only question one!" She announced. "Find me another one, my trusty assistant."

Adrien scrolled for a few seconds to find a good one. "How do you guys balance everything you do?" Adrien asked, then laughed. "Ha! I don't!" He said. "I barely get any sleep. Between school, and modeling, and all the countless activities, while also trying to maintain a social life...you think I balance it?" He joked. "I try to balance it, but it's hard. There's always so much going on."

Marinette nodded in agreement. "I'm the same way. I average very few hours of sleep every night with everything I do," She said and peered at the phone. "Ooh, this one next."

A second after Adrien read it, his facial expression was difficult to read. "What's something you wouldn't have expected to know about the other, but you do?" Adrien asked. "Hold on; I'm confused."

"Like something you wouldn't think the other person would do, or a personality trait I have you weren't expecting...kind of like that," Marinette tried to explain.

Adrien nodded and struggled to think. "See, everyone thinks I'm going to say I didn't expect you to be as passionate, or determined, but you are so passionate and determined that I knew that and everyone can tell. I'm never really surprised by things with you...I have to think on that," Adrien concluded.

Marinette's smile grew wide. "I didn't expect you to be such a rebel. I know you have a lot going on, and when we first met, you listened to nearly everything your father said. Now you're telling me you fake your piano classes and sneak off from time to time," Marinette said.

"Hey! What if he sees this? Shh!" Adrien jumped.

With raised eyebrows, Marinette gave him an annoyed look. "You think he watches my videos? Really? Adrien, come on," She said.

Adrien shrugged. "Who knows, he could be scoping out his up-and-coming competition. But maybe it's an excuse to check up on everything I'm doing," Adrien reasoned. "But he's got a real storm coming if he doesn't get you on his design team...you'd run him out of business!" Adrien told her.

Marinette scoffed and shook her head. "Next question?" She asked.

"Is Alya jealous that Adrien is taking her spot on the channel?" Adrien asked.

Quickly, Marinette shook her head. "Not at all! You guys may not know it, but Alya does so much work behind the scenes to help me with videos. More so for my main channel, but she helps me come up with ideas, shoot many videos, and runs my website. Not to mention, she's never shy giving me ideas for this channel as well and is always ready to help. I'm sure she enjoys the little break she gets when Adrien butts his way in, she's working really hard at her reporting internship and getting into the school she wants to. All while trying to maintain the Ladyblog, her social life, and her love life!" Marinette explained quickly. "She's like, a superhero."

"Say it louder for the people in the back!" Adrien cupped his hands around his mouth.

Marinette snatched the phone out of Adrien's hand to ask a question. "Who's your favorite superhero from the Avengers?" She asked and sighed. "I don't know about Adrien, but I love so many. Let's see-"

"Oh!" Adrien shouted. "I'm surprised you're such a big Chat Noir fan!" He interrupted.

"What?"

"From the question earlier! I'm surprised you like Chat Noir so much. I would have bet money on it that you liked Ladybug more, and I was shocked to find out!" Adrien gushed. "I'm sure he'd be flattered, by the way. Especially with that awesome outfit you made inspired by him. Still excited, I got to wear that."

Marinette chuckled. "I've met Chat Noir, and he seems really down to Earth. He protected me when an Akuma fell in love with me, and once I confessed that I was in love with him because I panicked over something? It was weird, but then my dad got akumatized, and I was basically Rapunzel, and he helped save me from that too. I haven't seen him in a while, but he was pretty awesome- minus all the puns."

Adrien gasped. "You don't like puns?" He put his hand over his heart and pretended to be hurt.

"I don't dislike them. He was just...very annoying when it came to puns. There were so many, Adrien," Marinette explained.

"I don't know if our friendship can survive this, Mari," Adrien said. As he crossed his arms and turned away from her, the waiter walked over with their food. "Perfect timing, now I have something to distract me from the traitor!" Adrien quietly shouted.

"I guess this is as good a time as any to end the video. Make sure to leave a like if you want more and subscribe to never miss an upload! You can check out all of mine and Adrien's social media around our faces or in the description below! See you guys next time!" Marinette made a peace sign and nudged Adrien with her arm. His arms were still crossed, and he tried not to giggle as he looked away from the camera.

The video ended with Adrien grumbling "traitor" as he made a peace sign as well.

Chapter Text

"They're just sketches, but I wanted your approval before I continued," Marinette said as she sat in front of her computer, on a video call with Jagged Stone.

Jagged scoffed. "Marinette, I'm sure they're perfect! But sure, I'll take a look at them."

Marinette grabbed her sketches and showed the first one to the camera. Since there are thirteen songs on his album, she needs thirteen designs. However, she only has six so far. As she started to explain them, she told him where the inspiration from each song came from, and Jagged was enamored at each sketch.

"Marinette, they look great! I can really see how much work you're putting into it, and you have no idea how much I love that. What's your favorite one?" He asked.

She flipped through the sketches as she thought about which song meant the most to her. She landed on the picture of Jagged kneeling with an ice cream in his hand, and dropped ice cream on the ground next to him. He was giving a little girl new ice cream, and looked excited. "Probably this one, it's a coming of age story and how someone picks themselves back up. I really related to it, and had the most inspiration for it. It was like the force picking the person back up needed a little push, and can do great things," Marinette said as she showed the picture to Jagged again.

"I can see you've spent a lot of time on that one, truly amazing. Maybe I should release that one as the first single, with your art accompanying it, people would go wild!" Jagged considered.

"Are...are you sure? It's one that's so sincere, I was sure one of your more dance-like ones would be released first," Marinette commented.

Jagged shook his head. "No, I think this song would be perfect to go out first. I'm sure a lot of people can relate to it like you, since it's kind of coming of age and getting back on your feet. It's a little different sound than what I usually make, but I think the young people would really enjoy it," Jagged talked himself through this idea. "Yes, perfect. Finish that piece first, and then we'll release it as soon as we can!" Jagged smiled widely. "I've gotta run, but keeping rocking the art, Marinette. I'll talk to you later!"

"Bye!" Marinette said as the call ended and slumped back in her chair. "What?" She whispered as she looked at the sketch. "I guess this is the one I have to finish first," She chuckled to herself.

"That's the one I liked, too. So I'm glad Jagged liked it," Tikki added when she flew out from behind the computer. "Since it sounds so much like you already."

With a nod, Marinette picked up her phone to call Alya back. Of course, Alya called while she was talking to Jagged, and she was probably angry she was ignored. "Hey Alya, sorry I missed your call. I know we were going to study today, but I just got off a call with Jagged and-"

"There's an Akuma headed towards your house!" Alya screamed as she was running. "You weren't picking up my calls, so I was just going to come to your house! Are you okay?" She asked, panting.

"An Akuma coming to my house?" Marinette looked out her window. "Why?"

"Rouge fan gone mad, I guess. Thinks you're taking Adrien all for yourself. I don't even know this girl!" Alya shouted over all the noise. "Do you want me to come to you?"

Marinette shook her head quickly, even though Alya couldn't see her. "No, no, keep yourself safe. I'll be fine," As soon as she said that, she heard a thump on her roof. "I think a cat just dropped in. I'll call you later!" Marinette said and hung up before Alya could get another word in.

"Marinette?" Chat Noir whisper yelled from the roof, standing above her trap door. Marinette opened it slowly, peering out carefully as Tikki was already in her bag. "Oh, you're still here, perfect!" He said. "We have an issue."

"Yeah, an Akuma is coming after me...because of Adrien?" She questioned. "Did Alya tell me that correctly?"

Chat Noir chuckled. "Yeah, the boy must be flattered. This...fan is not happy about you spending so much time with him. Not a shipper," He shrugged. "We have to get you to safety."

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" A loud yell was down the street. "I need to talk to you!"

"I have a feeling she wants to do more than just talk," Chat Noir offered Marinette his hand. "Come on, let's go."

Marinette hesitantly took Chat Noir's hand as he lifted her off her roof. He was running across rooftops with her, trying to find a place to hide her. "Where are you thinking?" She asked.

"I don't know, I'm waiting for Ladybug's reply," Chat Noir said as he continued running with her in his arms, checking his baton for any messages.

"I'll be okay wherever you put me, you guys always work it out," She told him.

Chat Noir was silent for a second. "Maybe Adrien's home? I know he has good security from the few times there have been akumas there," Chat Noir said.

"He's at a photo shoot with his bodyguard, and his father is at a business meeting with his secretary," Marinette recalled what Adrien had told her when they talked that morning.

With a shrug, Chat Noir still headed towards Agreste Mansion. "Even better," He concluded. "No one else there to get hurt."

Chat Noir pushes on a few windows to see if they would open, and then found one that did. "Oh good, I was worried I would have to cataclysm one of these," He said to himself as they landed on Adrien's floor. "Just...stay here? I'll go figure out how to turn on the lockdown system."

"Chat, that's okay, I'll be safe if I hide in the bathroom," Marinette said. "Just go take care of the Akuma before she hurts anyone."

A slow nod and another look at his baton, Chat Noir turned and leaped away. Marinette ran to the bathroom, away from the windows into some privacy. "Are you sure it's safe to be here?" Tikki flew out of her hiding spot. "What if Adrien comes home?"

"Trust me; I know how his photographers work. They're not letting him leave until they get what they want," Marinette said. "We need to get out there and stop my enraged fan," Marinette took a deep breath. "Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug snuck out of the bathroom to ensure no one was in Adrien's bedroom. When she realized it was empty, she ran to the window, pushed it open, and swung out to meet Chat Noir.

"How are you holding it down?" Ladybug called when she landed next to Chat Noir.

"You're a little late!" He told her, a smirk on his face. "This one is going after Marinette Dupain-Cheng...because of all the time she spends with Adrien Agreste?"

Ladybug nodded slowly as she listened. "Obsessed fans, they can be a bit much," She said. "Have you made contact?"

"No, I took Marinette to the Agreste Mansion to keep her safe. Then, I made sure her parents weren't home in case the Akuma ruined the bakery, and they weren't there. Then you showed up," Chat Noir shrugged. "Let's go in, then?"

Ladybug nodded, and they both made their ways to the flying Akuma. "Just who I wanted to see!" The Akuma boomed. She was normal-sized, but her voice was louder than any person or Akuma they had encountered. She had what looked like a transparent computer screen, in front of her glasses. There was code moving quickly on it, so fast Ladybug could barely recognize it as code. "I am Anti, and I know you know where Marinette is. I want to talk to her, bring her to me!" Anti shouted.

"I think you want to do more than just talk," Chat Noir replied. "They're friends, aren't they allowed to be friends?"

"No!" Anti shouted back. "I want Adrien for me, and only me! Marinette is overstepping her boundaries and takes advantage of him!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes lightly. "Does Adrien know you?"

"How dare you!" She pointed to Ladybug, shooting electricity out of her finger. "Of course he does, I am co-President of his fan club!" Ladybug could barely hear the last sentence as she was dodging the electricity.

Chat Noir chuckled. "I don't know if Adrien would like you harassing one of his friends," He said. "Heard the guy's a sap when it comes to that kind of stuff."

"Adrien has no flaws!" Anti shouted so loudly Chat Noir had to cover his ears.

"Then why is it such a big deal he's friends with Marinette?" Ladybug asked, but Anti was having none of it. Ignoring the bakery, Anti drove straight for Ladybug, only to have Ladybug propel herself off the rooftop to another, to call out "Lucky charm!"

As the item appeared, they saw Anti begin speaking to Hawkmoth. "I'll get the miraculous once I get Marinette!"

Ladybug stared down at the object in her hand, unsure of how to use it. "A megaphone?" A few seconds passed as Ladybug thought about how to defeat Anti. "I got it! Hand me your baton!" Ladybug told Chat Noir, and he quickly tossed it to her.

"Go pretend to talk to Marinette through her balcony, I'm going to play one of her videos over here, and get Anti to come this way. Then, you can use your cataclysm to destroy her glasses," Ladybug explained, and Chat Noir jumped over to the bakery rooftop, pretending to call Marinette in a hushed tone.

"Oooooh," The Akuma sing-songed. "Are you bringing her right to me?"

As Anti flew to the bakery, Ladybug had one of her videos playing. "Hi, I'm Marinette!" Her intro began. "A few years ago, I won a design contest for a bowler hat. I got some requests to see it, so let's go over it all!" The video started.

"Who is playing that?" Anti turned around when she heard Marinette's voice. "No!"

When Ladybug waved to Anti from her spot on a roof, she commented about how entertaining the video is. Chat Noir saw his opportunity and took it, calling out his power and jumping on Anti's back to shatter her glasses.

Anti and Chat Noir fell to the ground, Ladybug catching them with her yo-yo. She lowered them to the ground, and quickly cleansed the Akuma. Throwing Chat Noir his baton back, and then tossing the megaphone in the air, she called out "Lucky Charm!" and everything ruined was back to normal.

"Pound it!"

"Well, I must go, my lady. I've got to go tell Marinette she's safe and free to go home," Chat Noir bid his goodbye, and started heading towards the Agreste Mansion.

"See you around, Kitty!" Ladybug called, and also headed to the Agreste Mansion, moving as fast as possible to beat Chat Noir to Adrien's room.

She only beat him by a hair, and slammed the bathroom door shut just as her transformation disappeared. "Sorry about the wait, Tikki," She whispered and gave Tikki a cookie, and Tikki went to hide in the purse.

"Marinette!" Chat Noir called when he entered Adrien's bedroom. He walked over to the bathroom door. "Akuma's gone, you can come out now," He told her.

Marinette opened the door hesitantly, looking around in caution. "Thanks, Chat Noir," She smiled widely, Chat Noir's smile matching in just a few seconds.

Chapter Text

"Hi! I'm Marinette!" Marinette introduced herself in her newest video with a big smile on her face. "Today, I have the whole gang with me. Alya, Nino, and Adrien are here!" She turned the camera around to face her friends. They were walking to the park for a picnic, finally having a time where all four of them could make work.

"Finally!" Alya sighed with a smile. "And the weather is actually decent for once, what more could we ask for?"

"Don't jinx it," Nino said, shaking his head. "Let's just enjoy everything we have going for us right now," He chuckled.

Marinette put the camera down while they found a place to set up their picnic. "So, guys, I need your opinion on something," Marinette said and pulled out her notebook from the basket. "Some video ideas. Of course, Alya and I are celebrating our friendship anniversary in a few weeks, and we're having a party, and I've got some more videos about Jagged Stone as he's going to release one of the album jackets with his new song soon," Marinette's rambled. "But..."

"But what, girl?" Alya asked. "Spit it out."

She took a deep breath. "I kind of want to do a video with Chat Noir," Marinette spit out.

Adrien started coughing when he heard her idea, and covered it up by drinking his bottle of water. "That sounds like a cool idea," He gave a thumbs up.

Marinette nodded slowly. "I mean, he told me a few weeks ago he likes my channel, so I thought it would be interesting. I just...don't know how to contact him," Marinette sighed.

"If anyone were to know how to contact him, I'd say either you or Alya. Probably even more so you," Nino chuckled. "Alya can be scary. Besides, you've helped him out before, and he seems to like you as a backup," He said. "Maybe send a tweet or something and hope he sees it."

"Maybe. I'll probably send a tweet out," Marinette shrugged.

"Or, maybe he'll just show up on your balcony like he's done a few times. I think Chat Noir has a crush on you, Marinette," Alya smirked.

Marinette shoved Alya's arm, making her burst into a fit of giggles. "Yeah, right," She rolled her eyes and pulled her camera back out to continue making a vlog with her best friends. Adrien sat quietly as he heard them talk about Chat Noir, and finally snapped back into reality when Marinette went into video mode.

---

It was a beautiful night in Paris. Marinette was sat in the chair on her balcony, headphones on, and editing a video. The sun was almost done setting, so there was still some light.

She was upset. The akuma that attacked her for being friends with Adrien was getting a lot of hate online. And most of the hate came from fans who aren't from Paris and don't understand all the Hawkmoth and akuma nonsense that goes on. The people can't control what happens, Hawkmoth takes over, feeding on negative emotions. Going back and forth between editing a video and looking at social media, Marinette decided to pause editing and go live on Instagram to address the issue.

"Hey guys, I'm Marinette," She smiled, but it faded quickly. "We've got to discuss something. The person that attacked me for being friends with Adrien was not a person. She was an Akuma, and people from Paris are very familiar with it. Many people in Paris have been akumatized before, and they have very little control over it. Hawkmoth is a hidden villain in Paris who feeds on negative emotions, and because of the negative emotion, his deals are tough to resist. He gets in your head and makes you believe everyone else is wrong, and what he's doing is right," Marinette explained, entirely seriously.

"Do not hate on the girl who was akumatized and came after me. I'm safe, Chat Noir and Ladybug saved the day and restored Paris from all the damage caused. We may never truly know what struck her to have such negative emotions, but he fires them up past one-hundred when he gets to you. She had no control over what she was saying or doing, and had no idea what happened when the Akuma was released. She wrote a personal letter to my family and me the following day and delivered it to my parents at the bakery to show how sorry she was," Marinette said. "She wasn't trying to hurt me; she said she's a huge fan. I talked with her, and we sorted it out, and it comes down to just Hawkmoth catching her at the right time on a bad day," Marinette continued. She was very passionate about this, as she knows the ins and outs of how Hawkmoth and akumas work.

"You guys know we stay positive on my channel and social media. If I see anyone else say anything bad to or about the girl, you will be blocked. If there's anyone who needs a talking to, it's Hawkmoth," Marinette said. "I hope I made myself clear, and I expect no more comments like those hateful ones I've been seeing to be around my name again," Marinette finished, and shut off the stream.

She set her phone down in her lap and leaned back in the chair, hands over her eyes, followed by a big sigh.

"Even when you're assertive it doesn't come off as mean," The familiar voice of Chat Noir sat in front of her, sitting on the railing. "That's a good thing!" He said. "I respect it."

Marinette shrugged. "I'm tired of seeing people say so many hateful things to that girl. Sure, she was upset, but Hawkmoth just makes the emotions so much worse, and she had no control of it," Marinette said, "People don't understand how it all works, especially outside of Paris."

Chat Noir nodded. "Yeah, I heard she was really apologetic and upset that she let Hawkmoth take hold of her."

"She was nice. I felt bad for her," Marinette finished and took a deep breath. "Is that why you stopped by?"

"Only half the reason," Chat Noir said. "I heard you've been looking for me. What, did you miss me?" Chat Noir rested his chin on his hand, that was sitting on his knee, still sat on the railing of her balcony.

That was right. She, as Ladybug, did drop a hint that Marinette wanted to speak with him. Said she heard from the Ladyblog, which was not a lie. Alya did make a post in case Chat Noir saw it. "Right," Marinette nodded. "Would you like to make a video with me?"

Chat's smile grew wide. "You're serious?" He asked.

"Yeah, I think it would be really cool. People know I'm a fan of Chat Noir, and they know we've had some chance encounters, I think it would be awesome. It doesn't have to be super long or take too much of your time, and obviously, it wouldn't be anything personal, but just something fun," Marinette rambled. "Only if you want to, though."

Chat Noir smirked. "What's your idea for the video?"

Chapter Text

"Come on, Ladybug, you have to do this video with me!" Chat Noir pleaded and pleaded his partner as he told her about his conversation with Marinette the night before.

Ladybug shook her head. "No, Chat Noir. I can't. Besides, Marinette asked you, and I won't intrude, you're going to have fun doing this video. I'll be a stick in the mud," Ladybug replied, trying anything she could to get him to listen to her without outright saying "I'm Marinette, so I'm already doing a video with you!"

In retrospect, she should have seen this coming. Marinette knows they're a team and Chat Noir wouldn't do anything without Ladybug, but here she is, denying him of that.

"Ladybug-"

"Chat, really, you don't need me in the video. You and Marinette will have a great time making whatever she comes up with, okay? I'll be sure to watch it with you as soon as she releases it," Ladybug smiled.

After a very long time of convincing, Chat Noir finally listened and gave up on trying to get Ladybug to do the video with him. He kept thinking about Marinette and what she possibly could have planned, and she did warn him Alya would be there, so he knew whatever video they would be making, it would be good.

—

Alya still couldn't believe Marinette managed to make this happen. How did she do it? Alya knew Marinette wouldn't answer all her questions thoroughly, so she finally set it aside and was just happy the video was actually happening. Chat Noir was scheduled to be appearing in Marinette's room in a few minutes, and Alya was excited. Sure, she had met him before, but this would be completely different from any other time.

"You don't seem as excited as I thought you would be," Alya commented. "What's on your mind?"

"Don't get me wrong; this is going to be awesome. Ever since people found out I've had encounters with him, they've been asking for a video with him," Marinette answered. "But I'm afraid, like with Adrien, people will start to ship us. I don't want to bring Chat Noir into that; he already deals with that with Ladybug."

Alya shrugged. "I think if he were worried about that, he wouldn't have agreed to do this. I don't think you have to worry, and I'm sure your Adrienette shippers will not leave their beloved ship for Chat Noir," Alya winked.

Without time for Marinette to respond, there was a knock on her trap door. She climbed up and opened it with a warm smile at Chat Noir.

"Good to see you again, Marinette!" Chat Noir bowed once he entered the room. "And Miss Ladyblogger."

"I still can't believe you managed to make this happen," Alya's smile was the widest it has ever been. "The fans are going to freak."

Chat Noir nodded. "Should we get started?"

Alya gestured to the chairs for them to sit in and nodded. Following her unspoken instructions, she pressed record on the camera. "Hi, I'm Marinette!" She waved. "Look who I have with me!" She shouted.

Chat Noir put his hands up and had a massive smile on his face. "You have no idea how excited I am!" He squealed. "I don't even know what we're going to be doing...I'm just so excited to be in one of Marinette's videos. I've seen them all at least twice."

"You have a big fan!" Alya smirked from behind the camera. "And I used to think Adrien was your number one fan."

Marinette chuckled. "He's got some competition," She winked. "So, Chat Noir, are you curious about what we're doing today?"

"Curiosity does kill the cat," He shrugged. "But, first, let me say: I loved the outfit you made for Adrien Agreste to model. I may be a little biased, but it was practically perfect."

Marinette shook her head. "I would say I would get you it, but good luck trying to take it away from him. He's half holding onto it because he claims it to be awesome, but also that he wants a Marinette original for when I become rich and famous...personally, I think he's a little crazy," She rolled her eyes. "Anyway! Let's get into the video. Before you got here, I came up with a few designs for you to judge. You're going to choose your favorite, and we're going to make a complete outfit with both of our opinions and ideas."

Chat Noir's smile widened as he nodded to her idea. "Do you remember the first time we met?"

Marinette gave him a confused look. "Where did that come from?"

He shrugged. "I figured the people would want to know the backstory. They know all the other stories of how you met your friends- and I like to think mine is the most, well, exciting."

Alya pointed a finger at him. "Watch yourself. She's my best friend!" She joked.

Chat Noir put his hands up in surrender. "Besides the Alya and Marinette origin, of course," He admitted, then turned to Marinette. "But do you remember the first time we met?"

"It was a while ago, and I was like fourteen. It was within the first year you and Ladybug became heroes, I believe," Marinette recalled. "One of my friends was akumatized, and he only wanted to go on a date with me. Ladybug told you what she knew, and you came to work out a plan with me. Also, we would have never gotten out of that box he put us in if it weren't for my quick thinking!" Marinette smiled widely.

"That's right!" He nodded. "That was the first time an Akuma wanted to take a citizen on a date and not destroy them. So I, obviously, knew I had to help," Chat nodded heroically. "That was when fighting Hawkmoth was a bit easier..." He shook his head with a little laugh.

Marinette chuckled with him. "So I've seen on the news," She said. "Since we got our origin story out of the way...shall we start the video?"

"Oh, right!" Chat Noir jumped. "We're picking the base sketch and then completing an outfit, yes?"

With a nod, she opened her sketchbook to the pages bookmarked for this. "Since we know other Miraculous are possible with the extra help you and Ladybug have from time to time, I was inspired to make some more inspired designs with other animals," She introduced the pieces.

"The first one is based off a bunny, made for a female as I figured the style fit that more. I also have a kangaroo made for a male, and a cheetah that is gender-neutral," Marinette stated and flipped through the pages. "These are just base designs, as we do have much to add to any of them. Which one is your favorite?"

Chat Noir grabbed the sketchbook out of her hands slowly, jaw dropped. "These are base designs?" He asked. "These are all crazy good! Do you guys see these?" Chat Noir turned the sketchbook around to show the camera. "How am I ever going to choose?" He whispered, but still loud enough for the camera to pick up.

Marinette giggled as he flipped between the three pages, visibly having a hard time choosing. He took a deep breath and turned to Marinette again. "I love them all, as you can probably tell. But let's go with the cheetah, as it's gender-neutral, and everyone could enjoy it!" Chat Noir's smile grew, happy with his decision.

"Good thinking," Marinette said and took the sketchbook back from him. "The base design, like I said, could be fit for a female or a male Miraculous holder. It has the classic cheetah print design bodysuit, but there are quite a few things that make this a Miraculous suit."

Chat Noir nodded. "Do they have a special power, what's their item, and they need a catchphrase to activate their power," He asked, as well as confirmed.

"That's what we are going to find out as I continue to create the suit!" Marinette told him, flipping to a new page in her sketchbook and picking up her favorite pencil.

As Marinette drew the new design, Chat Noir began coming up with a story for their made-up Miraculous holder. He was having way too much fun creating a story for the Cheetah Miraculous, even giving them a character voice and a hero name. Marinette drew according to what he was saying, laughing along with him as he told his story.

Once he finished the story, Marinette turned the sketchbook around to show Chat Noir and the camera. It was the completed drawing, with the hero's name at the top, and the catchphrase next to them. The here's name being "CC," their miraculous object being a bracelet, and the powering being super speed. 

Chat Noir's jaw dropped as he dramatically gasped. "Oh...my gosh," He grabbed the sketchbook carefully. "Marinette, this is beautiful."

"Thank you. I bow," She said. "But it would not have been this good without the story of the character- that's what really made it!" 

"Look at what we made!" Chat Noir showed the camera, shaking the sketchbook to make it more intense. "Well, she made. I just talked the whole time. But it still looks awesome! Can I have a copy to frame?" Chat asked.

Marinette chuckled. "Sure," She said and turned to look at the camera directly. "But I think that's going to be the end of the video! Thank you so much for coming to make this video with me, Chat Noir, it means a lot, and I can't wait to see what the fans say! Make sure to leave a like if you want more, and subscribe to never miss an upload! You can check out mine and my lovely assistant Alya's social media on the screen or in the description to get even more of us!" She smiled widely, and Alya turned off the camera.

"That was so much fun. Thank you for having me join you!" Chat Noir told Marinette once the camera cut off.

"Of course. This was awesome," Marinette told him and saw out of the corner of her eye, Alya was making a weird face. "What's that look for?"

Alya clenched her teeth. "Remember what we talked about before Chat Noir got here? Yeah...I take it back. You're definitely going to have shippers."

Marinette rolled her eyes and groaned. "Sorry, Chat. You're already shipped with Ladybug so much; now you'll be associated with me. My fans are kind of obsessed with shipping."

Chat Noir laughed and stood up. "It's okay; I'm used to it. Besides, it's all in good fun," He shrugged. "But I should get going, I've got to meet up with Ladybug tonight and have to take a break before then," He said. "But I really do want a copy of the drawing, and I can't wait to see the video when it's finished!" He smiled and walked closer to the trap door. "It was nice to see both of you again, and hopefully we can make another video!"

Alya waved awkwardly as Marinette said 'goodbye,' and Chat Noir propelled himself out of the door. Once he was gone, Marinette looked to Alya. "Do you really think people are going to go crazy over this?"

"One hundred percent."

Chapter Text

Early Saturday morning, there was a knock on the bakery door. The bakery opened a little later on the weekends, but Marinette was up for a special occasion. Her parents would be waking shortly to help, as well.

Marinette went over to the door and quickly opened it, grabbing the wrist of the person outside and dragging him in. "I hope no one was watching because that entire thing looked...very weird from an outside perspective," Adrien commented.

"It's the weekend. Most of Paris isn't awake yet," She reasoned. "Thanks for coming so early. I let my parents sleep in because you were able to come over," She told him. "We have a lot to get together, and Nino will be calling me soon to reassure his side of the plan. This is going to be Alya's best birthday ever."

Adrien smiled as he followed Marinette into the kitchen. "How did your video with Chat Noir go?" He asked. It was only two days ago they recorded, and she has not released the video yet. In reality, Adrien was genuinely curious about how she thought it went, as he had so much fun with it.

Marinette shrugged. "It was awesome. We've come across each other every once in a while, and sometimes he stops by when I'm on my balcony, and he happens to be out, so we've talked. It was like just shooting a video with a friend. But..." Marinette sighed. "I'm debating if I should even release it."

"What? Why?" Adrien gasped. Was she really that disappointed with him and the video?

"Don't get me wrong; the video was amazing. I'm just worried about the fans," She told him. "You know what it was like when we became closer friends, and you started appearing in my videos. Every video, even if you aren't in it, has comments about how we should be together. I can't post a tweet or a photo on Instagram without people talking about Adrienette," Marinette said. "I don't want Chat Noir to have to go through that. He already deals with it with Ladybug, and I'm afraid the comments could get personal, trying to figure out who he is, and just never-ending shipping," Marinette rambled as she moved boxes around.

Adrien stared at her, trying to comprehend everything she said. "Do you...do you know who he is?"

She shook her head. "No, but I'd like to say we're friends. I don't want to put him through all the stress-"

"You've said yourself he's a fan. Alya said he was really excited to do the video and work with you, right? If he were so worried about the fans, he wouldn't do anything public. He wouldn't stop to talk to citizens, let alone do a video with you. But he does both; I don't think it's anything you should be worried about," Adrien put his hand on her shoulder, a comforting smile.

Marinette nodded slowly. "You're right. I'm just stressing with everything on my plate right now. Plus, I probably should post the video. I don't want to disappoint him! He said he was going to have a viewing with Ladybug," She giggled.

Adrien laughed along, opening a box Marinette handed him. Though he was hiding it on the inside, he couldn't remember telling Marinette or Alya he was going to watch the video with Ladybug as soon as it came out. He brushed it off, though, as he has also been super busy and had a lot on his mind. "Sounds like you've got your answer, then," Adrien told her.

"Thank you, Adrien," She said. "Now, we need to pull out every piece of party supplies and decorations we can find. We're decorating the whole bakery- inside and out," Marinette directed. "So let's get digging!" She said and started pulling out a few streamers and unopened packs of napkins.

Adrien started looking through the box and saw Marinette's camera sitting on the table a few feet away. "Hey, Mari, were you going to record today?" He called over to her.

She sighed in thought. "I was planning to, but I don't know. I keep going back and forth- maybe this is something we need to enjoy ourselves," She began rambling again. "What do you think?"

"I think you should. Maybe for your second channel, though," Adrien turned to her. "I mean, she does so much behind the camera for you, maybe this is a chance to celebrate her on camera," He suggested.

Marinette perked up. "You know, that's an excellent idea."

Adrien snatched the camera off the table. "I'll start!" He pressed the record button with a huge smile on his face, mentally switching into English. "Hey! I'm Adrien!" He copied Marinette's introduction as she rolled her eyes in the background. "Today is Alya's birthday. So, Marinette and I are awake before most of Paris to prepare for her day. She's turning 18, and this is our last big thing before we're back at school after the spring break," He explained. 

Marinette cleared her throat to remind him that she is also there. "Oh, yeah, Marinette's here," He pointed the camera to her.

Marinette shook her head. "I think you covered it all," She said, giving him a pat on the back. "Good job."

"So what I'm hearing is it's my channel now," Adrien winked.

"Yeah, right!" Marinette shouted, jumping up to grab the camera.

Adrien laughed and held the camera as high as he could. It was clear Marinette couldn't reach it, as Adrien is so much taller than Marinette. He was nonstop laughing as she continued to try to get her camera back. "Adrien, I could take you down right now," She told him. "Small, but mighty."

"I do not doubt that, Mari," Adrien stopped laughing and handed her back the camera, but there was still a big smile on her face.

"What are you two doing?" Sabine chuckled as she walked down the stairs behind them. "You're going to wake up the whole street."

Marinette cringed. "Sorry, mom. Guess we were just having too much fun getting things together."

Sabine nodded. "Well, your father is going to start the cake soon, and you know he needs the space if we're going to pull off what you want for Alya. So grab the boxes and head out front?" She told them. Marinette shut off the camera and her and Adrien picked up boxes and walked out of the kitchen.

"We do tend to get a little distracted when there's a camera around," Marinette told Adrien.

"It's instinct. A fashion model, and a Youtuber: we're natural camera addicts!" Adrien laughed. "Oh my gosh, you guys have Ladybug and Chat Noir party supplies?"

Marinette stood next to him as he pulled the supplies out of the box. "Of course. You remember who we're throwing the party for, right?"

Adrien nodded at the plates, napkins, and pack of balloons he pulled out. "I didn't realize they had party supplies for Ladybug and Chat Noir," He said. "But it's kind of awesome."

"Yeah, you know they're everywhere. I also got red and black banners, green and black cups, and cupcake toppers to stick in the cake with Ladybug on it. Like I said, best birthday ever," Marinette said with pride. It had always been a little weird to have her best friend idolize her superhero form, but she knew Alya was a genuine fan of the heroes of Paris. Marinette knew that, and it was proven even more when Alya gave up her temporary Miraculous, when she really didn't want to. But she couldn't let Ladybug down.

Adrien grabbed the camera again and started recording. "Did you guys know that they sell Ladybug and Chat Noir party decor? Crazy!" Adrien showed the camera. In the background, Marinette was standing on a chair to hang streamers and a banner- the words HAPPY BIRTHDAY sitting on the table next to her.

Her phone rang at full blast, and Marinette screamed in shock. "Mari!" Adrien shouted, setting down the camera and running over to her and she almost fell off the chair. She put her arms out to the side to try to catch her balance and the chair only wobbled. After being so clumsy, and learning the fast reflexes of a superhero, she had gotten good at catching herself. "Good catch," He complimented her.

Marinette nodded her head and pulled her phone out of her pocket. "Oh, it's Nino," She paused and answered it. "Hey, Nino. You heading to Alya's?"

"Yeah, what time do you want us to come to the bakery?" Nino asked, and Marinette put him on speaker.

"Everyone will be here around eleven, so maybe eleven-thirty? We'll have everything set up by then, and all the food and desserts will be ready," Marinette told him.

"Maybe!" Adrien added. "We keep getting distracted with vlogging," He told Nino.

They could almost hear Nino's eye roll. "Sounds like you guys. But let's make sure that everything actually gets done."

"We could never let Alya down!" Marinette told Nino. "We'll see you guys soon."

Chapter Text

As Nino was distracting Alya, all of her friends were showing up at the bakery. Marinette and Adrien had most of the decorations set up, no thanks to the vlogging, but it was looking good! The tables had red and black tablecloths, flower centerpieces, and hanging decorations were all over the room.

"This looks great, Marinette!" Rose told her, looking around the room.

Rose pulled her into a hug after a few seconds. "It would not have looked as good without Adrien's help!"

"Good thing he was there, then," She said. "Alya's going to love it!"

"I hope so," Marinette said. "Or else she'd have a pretty boring birthday."

Rose giggled and turned to talk to another person passing by. She admired the work in the bakery and looked around at all her friends chatting and already having fun. There were only a few minutes until the plan would go into action; Nino was going to text her once they started getting close, and everyone would hide. Though Marinette was a little anxious that the plan wouldn't work, she was still excited nonetheless.

"Here we have Mari, admiring all of my hard work," Adrien's voice approached Marinette from behind, startling her a little. He was holding her camera, yet again, with a wide smile on his face. She chuckled and shook her head at Adrien. "What, you don't like me vlogging for you?"

"I don't like that you're better at it than me," Marinette confessed, instinctively speaking in English.

Adrien giggled from behind the camera. "So what you're saying is I can have your channel?"

"No way!" She shouted, turning around quickly to grab the camera out of Adrien's hands. "Adrien! Give it back!" She screamed, back in French. She chased Adrien around until he realized he was taller, and could just hold it above him and Marinette wouldn't be able to get it from him. She jumped at it, saying slightly rude things in French. Once Adrien was laughing as hard as he could, Marinette stopped and stared at him, mentally switching back to English. "I will throw you across Paris, Adrien."

He shook his head and lowered the camera. "I don't think I want that to happen, Mari," He said, giving her back the camera. "You win."

Just as she got her camera back with a smirk, she got the text from Nino. "They're almost here!" She shouted to the group, and everyone ran to their pre-planned hiding spots. Some hid behind the counter, some next to the display case. She set the camera on the table, pointed towards the door to get Alya's reaction. Marinette was wrapped in one of the curtains for the windows, Adrien in the other one. The lights were dimmed, and the "open" sign was turned on for only these few minutes. 

Everyone had party hats on, and either had confetti poppers or one of the whistles to make noise when she would enter. Even her parents hid behind the door to the backroom, ready to surprise their daughter's best friend. Only a few minutes after they all got into position, the door opened slowly as Alya and Nino's voices were heard in the bakery. Before Alya even knew what was happening, all of her friends jumped out and screamed "Surprise!" while pulling the confetti poppers, or making various noises. Alya's hand covered her mouth, and tears were welling in her eyes before bursting into fits of laughter.

"You guys normally don't get me, but you did!" She called out. 

Marinette put her arm around Alya with a sly smile. "It's been a work in progress for months to get this to work," She said. "It's your eighteenth birthday, we had to go big," Marinette said. "We got lucky your birthday landed on a Saturday this year," She explained. Even though the camera was recording, she was speaking in French with her friends. It would just mean subtitles would come into play when editing. 

"How have you been planning this for months?" Alya chuckled. 

Adrien piped up. "Marinette told Nino and me about this plan a few months ago. We had to make sure you would have no idea we were planning a surprise party. We had to convince you so much so that I forgot that it was part of the plan- I was starting to think we weren't doing it!" He laughed. "We kept mentioning things about your birthday, dropping hints about what we were planning, and it was everything but a party. I'm happy to say Mari's plan worked!"

Marinette smiled at her best friend as Alya tried to figure it all out. Marinette waltzed over to grab her camera, and stuck it in Alya's face. "So, we did surprise you? Nino didn't spill the beans?" She asked.

"Yes, you did. I'm still confused about how Nino didn't somehow mention it to me," Alya glanced at Nino. "Normally, he's terrible at keeping secrets from me."

"This one was important," Nino justified. "Plus, as Adrien said, we did so much to convince you that we weren't having a party that I think I convinced myself until about yesterday," He confessed.

The group burst into laughter, and there were smiles all over the room. Marinette's parents brought out the food and the giant cake, and the rest of Alya's friends showed her to her pile of presents from everyone. After a few minutes of capturing this celebratory day, Marinette put the camera down and just enjoyed the time she had with her friends. Yet, something wasn't sitting right in her mind. 

It had been too peaceful these past few days.

---

As soon as Marinette pressed upload on her newest video, she knew people were going to freak out and lose their minds. She saved the video for a few days, and once it was finally ready, she listened to Adrien and Alya and got over it and posted the video.

Immediately, views were racking up, and people were commenting. Her fan base had no idea she was planning this, and she was ready to witness the craziness of the comments.

NO WAY THIS IS HAPPENING

play this video at my funeral

how...hoW DID MARINETTE KEEP THIS A SECRET?

Wowie look at those connections! Such fantastic art with such a fantastic duo!! LOVE IT

oh, no...my shipping heart...who do I ship now?

First.

Their dynamic is like they've known each other for years. I mean, I guess they kind of have. I wonder if Marinette knows him under the mask?

Chat Noir surprisingly speaks English really well. Honestly was not expecting it to be that good.

OH GOSH...ADRIEN OR CHAT? MARINETTE, WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO OUR HEARTS? btw loved the video

Marinette giggled at some of the comments that were already piling in. Without another thought, she called for Tikki. As soon as she transformed, she jumped off her balcony to run around the rooftops of Paris to find a certain kitty-cat that would want to watch the video. She did make a promise to him...

Chapter Text

Ladybug walked the rooftops as she waited for Chat Noir to appear. She knew he would, he was so excited about the video, and she knew he wanted her to see it.

It was only a few minutes of Ladybug walking around until she heard Chat Noir land behind her. "Ladybug! She posted the video!" He called out to her.

"Why else would I be out here? I want to see it," Ladybug replied.

"Perfect," Chat Noir nodded to the bag around his shoulder. "I brought a screen a little bigger than your yo-yo," He chuckled.

The two found a secluded spot so they could sit and watch the video, and Chat Noir was buzzing with excitement. He was grateful that Marinette decided to upload the video, despite all the people that would ship them together. He, as Adrien, knew she was unsure of posting it, and he was glad he could convince her to go through with it.

He pulled his computer out of the bag and quickly pulled up the video. "Hey! I'm Marinette!" The video started, a big smile on Chat's face. Marinette had already seen this video a hundred times through editing, but it was a whole different experience hearing Chat Noir talk about everything that went on and pause the video every few seconds.

Marinette had yet to look at many of the comments, since she had only posted it a few minutes before, but she was sure it was already flooded. She saw the few before she transformed, but she was sure more were produced by the second.

She was excited that Chat Noir was so happy with the video and she knew he would be talking to her about it for the next month.

---

Directly following Alya's birthday was her's and Marinette's friendship anniversary. They had a nice dinner together and watched all the movies they could get in on a school night, bringing it back to the times before life got crazy.

But now, a day after, it was the real-time for Marinette to give Alya her present. She told Alya a few weeks ago she could choose a video topic for them, and she was not going to veto it. Marinette got her a real gift as well, but this was a bonus. She regretted it immediately when she saw Alya's sinister smile.

For some reason, Adrien and Nino were also there for the video. This only worried Marinette more about what Alya picked to do.

"Hi! I'm Marinette!" She greeted the camera as her three friends sat around her. "And I have no clue what we are doing today. For our friendship anniversary, I let her choose a video, and I had to go through with it. All I know is that she has a sinister look, a bulky folder, and Nino and Adrien are here," She said as the boys waved and turned to Alya. "Would you care to explain?"

Alya rubbed her hands together and held the folder against her chest. "I've seen a lot of YouTuber's do this, and I have been dying to get you to do it, but I knew you would never agree," She set up the scene. "I love your fanbase; everyone is great. I scoured the internet for the best things for this video, and have selected five. We are reading fanfiction about us," Alya declared.

"What?" Marinette screamed as Adrien and Nino started giggling in the background.

"Trust me, boys, neither of you are safe," Alya confirmed to them. "And Nino, just because we're together doesn't mean you get it easy. There is only one Alya 'x' Nino, and it's in the background of an Adrienette story," Alya winked, then turned back to the camera. "Yes, I have read these to make sure they are suitable. And yes, I have a secret Marinette fan account."

Marinette sat in embarrassment with her head in her hands, not sure how this whole event would go. Alya opened the folder and passed around scripts. "We'll start easy," She said, and on the top of the paper, it read ALYANETTE. "The only ship in this is Marinette and me; you guys are just extra characters."

Nino sat back in his chair. "Oh, thank god."

"Just wait, Nino," Alya joked to her boyfriend. Adrien was quiet, not sure how to react to this whole situation. He was surprised Marinette was actually letting Alya go through with this.

"Let's just get this over with," Marinette said as she tried to hide her beet-red face. "Who's narrating?"

Adrien looked up. "I can," He volunteered. And with that, the story began.

Marinette felt like she was having an out of body experience reading the lines and acting out with her friends. She had ideas of what Alya could have chosen, but nothing prepared her for all that was to come. The one between her and Alya was adorable, and she wasn't too nervous, but it was when she brought out the one with ADRIENETTE written on the top. Marinette had mainly got over her crush on Adrien since they are such good friends now, but the butterflies in her stomach proved different.

Alya started narrating as the scene was being set up and she could tell they were getting nervous to read their parts. Luckily, it started out with Nino and Alya talking about getting the two together, so it gave them some time to prepare mentally. Alya was eating this up, because she would do this exact thing in the story if she could. Marinette knows her plans and can stop her before she even starts, trying to prove she doesn't like Adrien like that anymore.

Between the tomato colored faces and slight stuttering, Alya was sure this was going to cause never-ending stories about them, and she was perfectly happy with that. She did, however, let them finish the story a little earlier because it was becoming a bit much. "I'll let you guys off the hook this time, but that's become I'm about to pull out the big guns!" She pulled out her next story, with a big MARICHAT written on the top. "Of course, I will be playing the role of Chat Noir. I have figured out the Ladybug and Chat Noir fanfiction writers have come up with how they are outside of costume. And for some reason, they believe Chat Noir's name is Felix. So, I will be portraying Felix Noir," Alya winked at Marinette.

Adrien felt a sigh of relief wash over him when Alya said she would be reading for Chat Noir. Sure, she had no reason to make him read for Chat, but it was still freaking him out with the possibility. He's pretty sure he blacked out while that whole story was being read.

The team suffered through Alya's evil plans as they finished reading the stories. The second Adrienette story was more fluff, and it seemed like it was an all-around friends story, it didn't hit too much romance, which was a nice break. The last story came out of nowhere: A Nino and Marinette story. Some people really liked the idea that they've known each other the longest in the group and would write about that. There were only a few, but all of them were adorable. It was probably the most fun for the group to read.

"And...that was my last one," Alya announced and let the group breath. "For now. If the people like this though, maybe we'll do one of those Tumblr things where we look up our names and ships to see what people post! Right, Marinette?" She pleaded, making puppy-dog eyes.

Marinette sighed loudly. "If it's what the people want," She gave in. "Make sure to leave a comment if you'd like us to do something like this again in the future. And don't forget to like and subscribe for more! You can check out all our social media with the links on our faces, or all of our information in the description. Thank you guys for watching, and this was a lesson never to give Alya control over a video again!" Marinette ended, getting up to shut off the camera.

Switching back into French mode, she grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. "NEVER LET ALYA CONTROL THINGS AGAIN!"

"But it was so much fun!" Alya argued, also back in French.

"Interesting is the word," Adrien said.

Nino sat there, staring as he waited for this whole day to be over. He was scarred.

---

ALYA KNOWS WHAT WE WANT AND WE WANT FANFICTION i need them on tumblr next

i literally ship all of these this was the best video i have ever watched thank you Alya you are a god

im still stuck on the fact that Alya says she has a fan account for Marinette. She's among us. you can't trust anyone!!!

I have a feeling Marinette knows Chat Noir's true identity. When Alya starts talking about the fandom's names for them, she tensed up when she talked about Felix. Is this a hint that his name is actually felix? Or confirmation that it isnt? Either way, she knows

So marinette when are you gonna tell us you and chat noir are a thing

mariNETTE DO YOU KNOW WHO CHAT NOIR IS? ARE YOU GUYS TOGETHER?

i would literally do anything for her to tell us she knows who chat is and/or confirm the rumors of their relationship

You aren't even trying to hide it anymore that you and chat noir are dating, are you? First, the video with him. You always defend him to the end. Then we get some pictures of chat leaving your balcony. Now we get you reading a fanfic of you and him. give up the secret already!

Me: I love adrienette and would die for them
You: *indirectly makes it clear that you and chat noir are dating*
Me: I love adreinette and would die for them

To all you people saying marichat is a thing, don't you realize they only read one marichat fic but TWO adrienette fics? If anything, adrienette is more likely. that or alya is just pushing them lol

marinette please confirm or deny your relationship status. it's tearing the fandom apart with all the debates. please. also, the fandom is exploding bc people think you know who chat noir is. please confirm or deny before we all split!!!

Marinette sat back in shock as she read the sea of comments on the fanfiction video. Where was all of this coming from? What did she do to imply she knows Chat Noir under the mask, let alone make her fans think they are dating? She was freaking out, and as much as Tikki tried to calm her down, nothing was working. She needed to talk to someone, and knew Alya was stressed about school and probably sleeping. Scrolling back up past her name, she clicked the second "A" contact in her list. She just needed someone to talk to.

Chapter Text

Marinette knew she woke Adrien up, and she felt incredibly guilty. No matter how many times she insisted that she let him get back to sleep, he wouldn't listen to her and wanted to talk. "I'm fine, Marinette. You didn't even wake me up. What's wrong?" He asked.

"Really, Adrien, if you were asleep, I won't bother you. We can talk tomorrow," She tried once more.

"What's wrong?" Adrien asked, sitting at his computer.

She sighed, finally giving in. "Just the comments on the new video. People are bombarding me, saying I know his identity or that we're dating. People are even fighting about who I'm dating: you or Chat Noir," Marinette told him. She was still scrolling through the comments, reading the never-ending sloo of questions and demands. Tikki was sitting beside her, reading along, and trying to comfort.

"Do you know Chat Noir's identity?" Adrien asked.

"No!" She groaned. "Why would I know that? He's just a friend," She calmed down and took a deep breath.

Adrien chuckled. "Just checking. And unless I'm a terrible friend, I don't think you're dating Chat Noir or me, right?"

"Right..." She said, confused about where he was going with this.

Pulling up Twitter on his computer, she could hear Adrien beginning to type. "So then this should be easy. Make a post on Twitter and your Instagram story. Simply say you and Chat Noir are only friends and you don't know his identity, and that you and I are not dating. I'll even tweet something about us only being friends, okay?" Adrien said. "Simple as that, yeah?"

"Hopefully," Marinette responded quietly, also pulling up Twitter on her computer. "My fans are a little crazy about all this shipping stuff."

Adrien shook his head with a little laugh. "Very true. But maybe it will calm most of them down with this kind of stuff," He reasoned.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
I am not dating Adrien Agreste. I am not dating Chat Noir. I do not know Chat Noir's identity.

As Marinette pressed tweet, she let go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Thanks, Adrien. I don't know what I would do if you didn't pick up."

"You know I'm always here! Gotta help my best friend in her time of need," He said, and Marinette could hear the smile in his voice.

"I'll see you at school tomorrow. Thanks, again," Marinette told him, and by the second, she could feel her eyes getting heavier. "Get some sleep, too!"

"I'll try," He said. "Goodnight, Mari. Glad I could help." And with that, they ended the call, and Adrien went back to finish watching her newest video.

Plagg popped up from behind her. "You sure you don't have a crush on her?"

Adrien paused the video again. "Plagg, I don't. And even if I did, you heard her. We're just friends!"

"I happen to remember you calling her your best friend. She only said you guys weren't dating," Plagg tormented.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien held up a piece of camembert to shut him up.

---

Adrien walked into the classroom to see Marinette burying her head in her hands as Alya had a sinister smile on her face. "Come on, girl. I saw the comments; I can't not ask these questions."

"For the last time, no, I don't know who Chat Noir is. Why would you think that? If I did, you would know if I knew. You know when I'm hiding something," Marinette reasoned. "I mean, I wouldn't tell you who he is, but you would know I know," She said, never removing her head out of her hands.

Adrien chuckled as he took his seat next to Nino. "Give her a break, Alya," Adrien pleaded.

Alya sighed. "Fine. You're off the hook this time," She gave in.

Marinette finally lifted her head and mouthed thank you jokingly to Adrien. Only a few seconds later, Mme. Bustier walked in to begin class. She collected homework and began talking about the next area they would be studying. It started off with a small project due in three days, and she was explaining the group work. She put everyone in pairs, and began writing the list on the board that she prepared before class.

Luckily, she went with putting friends together. Nino and Alya were grouped, and Marinette and Adrien were excited to be together. Nino and Marinette switched seats, and they were pleased with their partners. It was the best-case scenario!

"So, do you want to come over after school to work on this?" Marinette asked.

Adrien cringed. "My father doesn't like how much time I've been out of the house. He wanted me home immediately today," Adrien warned. "But, you can come with me? He'll be working, and if it's for a project, Nathalie and Gorilla won't mind. It is school work."

Marinette nodded. "Sounds great."

After getting excited about their project together, the school day went by quick, and Marinette and Adrien were standing out front to be picked up by the bodyguard. They were cracking jokes with Alya and Nino before they departed to Alya's house to work on their own project. Chloé even came up and tried to pull Adrien away from Marinette- though she knew it wouldn't work. She was too far behind, and she had seen the videos of them, there was no breaking up their friendship anymore.

Once she gave up, Adrien's car pulled up, and the two walked up. Gorilla rolled down the window, and Adrien smiled wide. "You've met Marinette before, right? We have a project together, and since Father wants me to stop spending so much time out of the house, we will be doing the project at our house. It has to be done, we only have two days, and I have a photoshoot tomorrow," Adrien started pitching what needed to be done. "If Father has any questions, he can refer to my assignment sheet or call Mrs. Bustier," Adrien nodded to finish his statement, and opened the back door for Marinette to slid in.

Gorilla, as usual, did not say anything. Instead, he only nodded and started driving to the Agreste Mansion. Adrien knew his father would not be happy if he knew about this, but he also knew that Gorilla had a soft spot and wouldn't say anything.

---

Marinette followed Adrien around his room, MTV Cribs style, showing off his luxuries. They quickly got the project done and were now making a video. It was a new change of scenery, and Adrien loved having a friend over. Though they told Nathalie they were still working on the project; she wouldn't have even cared. They were just banking on Adrien's father to not come in.

As Adrien showed off his room, they both knew he wasn't bragging. They were making a fun video with Marinette's commentary behind the camera. Every few minutes, Adrien would grab a random accessory from his closet and put on a different character and continue taking Marinette around the room, acting as he felt that character would.

The video was filled with laughs, and the two were clearly having fun acting. As Adrien pulled a black tie and a pair of dark sunglasses on, the room tour was finished. "Well, let me show you the rest of the mansion," He pulled on a series voice, adjusting his tie. "I'm Adrien Agreste, ever heard of me?" He winked at the camera. He opened his room door, and Marinette followed Adrien out as he started rambling and naming random things.

They both knew Adrien had very little idea of what he was talking about. He was pointing at paintings on the wall, making up words in French, and in English as he explained it all. At the end of the hallway, Adrien threw the tie off and ran down the steps. "Hurry, Mari! We can't be late!" He shouted as Marinette followed in a pit of laughter.

They ran back and forth on the first floor, laughing loud as Marinette chased Adrien with her camera. In the foyer, they were stopped when they heard a loud cough.

Adrien stopped as quickly as he could, and Marinette ran into him as they turned to look at where the cough came from. Gabriel was standing at the top of the steps with Nathalie off to the side, both of them looking disappointed.

"Adrien, what is going on?" Gabriel asked, not acknowledging Marinette.

Adrien took a deep breath and removed the sunglasses. "Marinette and I were grouped for a school project. I know you wanted me to come home after school, so I brought her along so we could work on it, Father," Adrien responded.

Gabriel's emotion didn't change. "The project involves you running around the house while screaming, and you being chased by a camera?" He inquired.

Adrien dropped his head. "No, Father. We finished the project and decided to make a video for Marinette's YouTube channel. They're a lot of fun, and we got caught up in the moment," He explained. "I'm sorry we were running and being loud. I'm sorry we disturbed you."

"The project is finished?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes," Adrien nodded, looking back up at Gabriel.

Gabriel looked good Nathalie, then back to Adrien. "Good. You have some piano pieces to practice." Gabriel turned his gaze to Marinette. "Put the camera away when you are in my house. Adrien was foolish to let you bring it; he should know it is unsafe for our privacy."

The two stood there, waiting for Gabriel and Nathalie to leave again so they could walk back to Adrien's room without it being awkward. Gabriel glanced down at his watch, then back to Marinette. "It's getting late. You should be getting home, Miss Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel said. With that, he finally turned and left Marinette and Adrien alone in the foyer.

They turned to each other. "I'm sorry," They said at the same time, then giggled slightly.

As they started the walk back to Adrien's room, Marinette sighed. "I think your dad just kicked me out."

Adrien shook his head. "He doesn't want me having fun, as you can see," Adrien said. "He shouldn't have gotten angry with you. It was my fault. We shouldn't have even left my room, but it was having fun playing all those characters."

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm not worried that he was assertive with me. I think he treated you poorly, though. That situation totally could have been handled much better," She reasoned.

"That's my father for you," He smiled slowly. Back in Adrien's room, he helped Marinette father her things. "I'm glad the project was easy. And I did really have fun with the video. You could post the part of my bedroom, just cut it before we go out in the hallway," He told her.

Marinette nodded. "Maybe I'll wait a few days in case your father does see it," She said. "But I had fun, too. Somehow we always have a good time making videos together!" She smiled. "But next time, let's make sure we do the videos, not at your house."

"That's probably a good idea."

Chapter Text

Only a few days after the experience at the Agreste Mansion, Adrien finished a photoshoot early and managed to convince Gorilla to take him to Marinette's house. Gorilla, though he wouldn't admit it, was an enabler and loved to see Adrien having friends his own age and enjoying his extra time. It was a nice change from having Adrien cooped up in the mansion all day. Gabriel would never blame Gorilla either, if he ever found out.

Nathalie knew about his "extra free time" but pretended she had no clue what was going on with Adrien. She also enjoyed that Adrien had friends, and he was having fun outside of work and his clubs. Gabriel barely noticed anyway, and Adrien could usually pass an extra hour or two as his activity for the day running over.

Marinette, Alya, and Adrien were sitting on the floor in Marinette's bedroom, watching the uncut footage from Adrien's MTV Cribs joke video. Of course, Marinette did cut out the end, in case anyone were to find it. She was going to respect Adrien's and Gabriel's privacy and get rid of what they told her to. Though, she did keep the rest of the video on a hidden USB drive, in case she needed blackmail for anything. 

"Oh, you cut out the end already?" Adrien asked when the video ended.

"Just wanted to be safe," Marinette shrugged.

Alya raised an eyebrow. "What happened that you cut out?"

"His dad essentially threw me out," She said. "He didn't like that we were running around his house with a camera."

Alya's jaw dropped as she held back her laughs. "And I thought he liked you!"

"Not anymore," Marinette giggled.

Cutting off the conversation, Alya's phone alarm went off. "Oh my gosh! I completely forgot!" Alya gasped. "We posted that you would be doing an Instagram Live at four o'clock today!"

Marinette looked confused, but then she gasped as well once she remembered. "We did, didn't we? I don't even have anything prepared to talk about!"

"Don't fret, girl. I have emergency interview questions stored in my phone, and in my head. Give me your phone, and we'll pull this off," Alya calmed Marinette and took her phone. Alya hooked the phone up to the computer so Marinette could see the comments and see herself, and in only a few minutes, they would start the live stream. "Adrien, do you want to be in it, too? People always love it when you're doing things with us."

Adrien checked his phone for the time. He still had over an hour before he needed to be home, so his father would not be suspicious. "Sure, I'd love to," Adrien said as Alya pointed the camera at Marinette.

"Great," She smiled. "Going live in twenty seconds."

Alya counted down from five on her fingers, and Marinette smiled wide once the people started rolling into the stream. "Hi, I'm Marinette!" She greeted. "We're trying something new today, if you can't tell. We are doing our first prepared live stream!"

"And we say prepared as we kind of forgot about it," Alya turned the camera on herself. "But being the master journalist that I am, I am always prepared for things like this," She nodded, and turned the camera back around. 

Marinette giggled at Alya. "And, we have Adrien here!" She introduced. "I know how much you guys love him."

"While we let some comments and questions roll in, I'll start off," Alya said. "Marinette, what have you been working on design-wise?"

Marinette thought for a second. "A lot of Jagged Stone covers. They're non-stop. I've got a few in their final stages, so hopefully we can release one soon!" She said. "But other than Jagged, I'm working on some more simple pieces of clothes for the main channel, some just to watch, some for tutorials. It's going to be a fun-filled couple of months," Marinette smiled as she finished her answer.

"The covers are looking amazing. I can't wait for them to come out," Adrien added.

Alya asked a few more YouTube and work-based questions as the fan comments rolled in to ask more personal, juicer things. "First fan question: How's school going?" Alya asked.

With a shrug, Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. "It's school, it's boring, but we're getting through it. We start hearing back from universities soon, and that's exciting. We just had a project, and Adrien and I were paired together, and we will never do another project at his house again," She laughed, Adrien nodding along.

"Can I ask it?" Alya mouthed and pointed to a particular question. Marinette gave a small nod, knowing she needed to really address it. "Marinette, are you and Chat Noir dating?"

Marinette sighed. "I addressed this on Twitter, but I know a lot of you probably didn't see it. I am very single; Not dating Chat Noir, not dating Adrien, not dating anyone," She said. "They're both terrific friends, and I value having them in my life, but I really need you guys to stop harassing them about this," Marinette finished.

"And you don't know Chat Noir's identity, right?" Adrien added.

"Right. I have literally zero idea of who he is," She clarified. "We're friends, but I would never want to invade his privacy like that," She put on another smile as she wanted this question to end badly. "And with that, we are done talking about who I'm dating, or secret identities."

Alya looked for another comment that wasn't relating to Chat Noir. "Ooh, someone thanked me for the fanfiction video. You're welcome; I give the people what they want."

"That video was scarring," Adrien shivered. "I think I blacked out during a few of them."

"That's partially what made it so good!" Alya evilly laughed, and quickly deferred to another comment. "What was the project about that you two worked on?"

Adrien put his hand up to answer. "It was a classic history project. We researched a period of time and made a presentation on it. It wasn't too boring, and we finished it really quick- then we made a video that may forever stay in the archives," He winked. "And then we decided all future projects would be done at Marinette's house."

She nodded. "I think that was the most embarrassed I've been in a long time."

Alya groaned as she read more comments. "Guys, stop asking about Chat Noir," She dragged out the end of his name. "Marinette doesn't want me to give her those, but that's like eighty-percent of the questions," She laughed. "She doesn't know who he is- oh, here's one. What happened at the Agreste Mansion that you guys will never do another project there?"

They both burst out laughing. Adrien was laughing too much, so Marinette decided she would tell the story. "We did our project, totally normal. Then we started filming a video of Adrien showing me around his room, but he was using a bunch of different characters," She began the story. "We ran out of room to film, so we went into the hallway. Long story short, his dad was not too happy with me chasing his son around with a camera- let alone even have a camera in the house."

"Then he told me to go practice piano and that it was getting late, so Marinette needed to leave," Adrien finished. "Man, it was so embarrassing to have your father get upset with you...and your friend," He shook his head. "He did the same with Nino once, when Nino tried to throw me my first birthday party. And that was the same day Nino got akumatized!" Adrien shook his head. "Classic dad."

Though the three of them didn't think much of the story, the fans sure did. As Alya continued to ask questions, fans in the comments were getting riled up.

honestly fuck gabriel agreste

hold on...adrien's FIRST birthday party?? how did he never have a party? what??

cancel gabriel agreste for being mean to the two best people in the world

he...kicked marinette out...for having fun?

I mean I get the whole camera thing but seriously? cancel him

he got nINO AKUMATIZED?? RIOT

#LetAdrienHaveFriends

so does this mean i should return my gabriel clothes 

Marinette could see the comments coming through on her computer. "What are you guys talking about? Gabriel Agreste? I'm not mad about the whole situation; it's actually pretty funny. Don't take it so seriously," She chuckled, and they moved on.

After a few more questions, it was nearly impossible for them to find any that didn't relate to Gabriel Agreste or Chat Noir. "Maybe this is a good spot to end at," Marinette said. "I don't want you guys getting riled up, so I think it's time to stop the live stream for today," She concluded. "But! Thank you guys so much for watching, even if it got a little crazy at some points, but I appreciate all that could make it!" She began her outro- but was cut off by loud noises coming from outside. All three of them stood up to check the window, but before they could even get a glance, the roof of Marinette's room was pulled off and thrown across the town.

"What the-!" Adrien cut himself off, back in French.

"Oh my gosh, perfect for the Ladyblog!" Alya set Marinette's phone down and grabbed out her own. "You guys go hide, I've got to get this!" 

Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand and pulled her down the steps. They both rushed into the bakery to make sure Marinette's parents were okay. "What happened? Are you guys okay? We saw Alya sprint out of here with her phone," Tom asked as he pulled both of them into a hug.

"Akuma took off with my roof," Marinette said, trying to figure out how she would get out of this so she could transform. "We should probably evacuate...who knows what the Akuma is after."

Adrien pulled out his phone. "Looks like he's after my father," He sighed. "And me, if he can't get him. Well, I should head back to the mansion where I can be isolated- Father is currently at the airport for a business trip," Adrien explained. It was true that his father was at the airport outside of Paris, but Adrien would not be going home.

"You can't leave!" Sabine said. "It's not safe out there, Adrien. Maybe wait for Ladybug or Chat Noir to see if they can help you," She suggested.

Adrien didn't know how to respond, but he tried to think of anything he could. "No, no. I don't want to attract the Akuma here to you guys. I can run really fast, and I know how to get around without being seen. I used to evade my work a few years ago," He chuckled as he walked towards the door.

"I have to go use the bathroom!" Marinette announced, and before her family could protest, she took off through the door, right past Adrien. She found a secluded alleyway and called for Tikki, and in a second she was flying above the buildings. 

Adrien looked out the window. "Oh, look! There's Ladybug!" Adrien said, and rushed out the door as well.

"What are we dealing with?" Chat Noir asked as he landed behind Ladybug on a roof, watching the giant Akuma heading towards the Agreste Mansion.

"Akuma after Gabriel and Adrien Agreste. This guy really loves to cause Akumas, huh?" She said. "Haven't really figured out why he's after Mr. Agreste, but I guess we'll find out."

Chat Noir focused on the giant man. The way his face was shaped and the way he spoke was all too familiar to Adrien. "Looks like a photographer that works for the Gabriel brand," He said. "He was probably fired."

"A photographer?" Ladybug asked.

"We've been over this Ladybug; I keep up to date with the fashion industry. You aren't just casually into fashion," He laughed and started jumping towards the Akuma, Ladybug following close behind. 

Once they were close enough to confront the Akuma, it was clear this Akuma was not going to be a simple takedown. Just by screaming their names, the two were blown off their feet and set across the ground until they crashed into a wall. Blinding flashes were coming out of his hands, and his voice was loud like being amplified by a microphone. It was going to be difficult to even get near him as he rampaged through Paris.

"I don't even know how we would approach him," Ladybug thought out loud.

"Maybe see what Lucky Charm gives?" Chat Noir suggested.

She thought about it, but was unsure. "I don't think we'll be able to defeat him in five minutes, though," Ladybug confessed.

"If you have to, you run off and recharge. Never hurts to try," Chat Noir reminded her.

He was wrong.

Chapter Text

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug yelled as she was running out of time. She only had less than a minute left, and Chat Noir was not far behind with his timing. She had already run off to recharge, and was running out of stamina as this fight ended. The second round of recharge was better, as they did finally defeat the Akuma, but she was still freaking out inside.

"My Lady," Chat Noir said. "We need to get out of here. Now. Or we will detransform in front of everyone," Chat held out his hand for Ladybug to take, and they started running. Racing the clock, they jumped into an alley.

Ladybug lost her balance when they jumped down and ended up on the ground. She had less than thirty seconds to get out of there, and as she struggled to get up, Chat was trying to tell her something. Of course, Ladybug didn't hear it, thanks to the loud noise of the flash from the detransformation. "Marinette?" Chat gasped when he saw Marinette Dupain-Cheng sitting before him.

Tears formed in Marinette's eyes when she realized what was happening, and before she could look away, Chat Noir lost his transformation too. "Adrien?!" Marinette yelled.

"Oh my god!" A teenager shouted from down the alley with his phone facing the two. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the YouTuber, is Ladybug? And Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir? No way!" The kid shouted, obviously having recorded the whole thing.

Adrien grabbed Marinette's hand. "We have to get out of here," He said as he helped her up. Instead of Marinette walking with Adrien, though, she took off running. "Marinette!" Adrien called after her, but was stopped by the teenager.

"Adrien, anything you have to say about this?" The kid shoved the phone in Adrien's face.

With a scowl on his face and squinted eyes, Adrien moved around the kid, pushing the phone slightly. "Get out of my face and leave us alone," He snarled and turned in the direction Marinette ran. "Marinette!" He yelled again, chasing down the street. But alas, he had lost sight of her, and he knew there was no way he was going to be able to find her.

Adrien ditched a crowd following him by hiding in a few random buildings, and his phone began to blow up as the video was posted and went immediately viral.

Marinette held her hands in her face as she bawled running down the sidewalks. There was no way she was going home to face her parents; she was too scared about what they would say. And she really just needed a shoulder to cry on now, and ended up knocking lightly on the door of her best friend.

"Marinette!" Alya sighed. "I was just about to call you. I just saw on TV...are you okay?" Alya said and pulled Marinette into a tight hug. Alya guided her inside and locked the door. "Nino is here, too, is that okay?"

Marinette sniffled and nodded. "I'm freaking out, Alya," She said through tears as she heard the radios, phones, and TVs playing the news. "I can't believe this is happening," Marinette cried as she collapsed on the couch, staring at the TV.

BREAKING NEWS flashed across the screen as Nadia Chamack began to speak.

"Don't be bemused; it's just the news! As the most recent Akuma was just defeated, a video has been released showing Ladybug and Chat Noir dropping their transformations. Ladybug is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, a successful YouTuber featured around designing and random videos. She has worked with Jagged Stone many times before, as well as working in her parent's bakery. Chat Noir, surprisingly, turns out to be Adrien Agreste. This was a real shocker! The son of fashion powerhouse Gabriel Agreste and famous fashion model is one of Paris' superheroes-" The TV continued on, and Marinette gasped.

"Adrien," She whispered. "I...I left him," Marinette began to cry again.

Nino nodded slowly. "Yeah, and he had some harsh words for the person recording you. Then it looked like he was chasing after you, but I guess he didn't find you," Nino said, and Marinette shook her head to confirm his assumption.

Alya clicked off the TV. "I'm going to call your parents and let them know you're here. I know they're freaking out right now, and I know you won't be able to say a word," Alya announced and moved to the other side of the room. "Hey- yes, she's here. She's okay. Very shaken up and crying, but she's okay," Marinette began to tune out the conversation and just let herself cry.

"Hey," Nino put his arm around Marinette for comfort. "If you don't mind me asking, did you and Adrien know about each other?"

She shook her head once again. "No, we swore to keep it a secret to keep everyone safe. If we knew about each other, it could get out easier. But I guess that didn't matter," Marinette cried into Nino's shoulder.

"Yes, of course. Nino and I are going to talk to her and try to calm her down, but I will bring her home tonight. What? No, sorry, he isn't here. I'm sure he will show up sooner than later, though. See you guys later," Alya finished the conversation with Marinette's parents and put her phone down. "Girl, this is crazy."

"You're telling me," Marinette sniffled. "This is everywhere. Hawkmoth's probably watched the video a million times. He could go after Adrien or me...Adrien lives in a big mansion, and I live in a popular bakery, not the hardest things to find."

Nino and Alya listened to Marinette freak out. "Did you guys have any ideas about who Hawkmoth is?" Nino asked.

Marinette wiped her tears and shrugged. "At the beginning of the year, I actually thought it was Gabriel Agreste. I had a pretty good lead, too, but then he got akumatized, and we were able to rule him out. Oh my god, that means there was a point where Adrien was convinced his father was Hawkmoth..." Marinette set in realization.

"Well, you can't keep him ruled out, now," Alya shrugged, only getting a confused look from Marinette. "Miraculous holders can get akumatized. Chloe got akumatized while she had her miraculous. I'm not saying Gabriel is Hawkmoth, but you guys should be careful and see if there is any way you can protect your miraculous. Who knows who could break into your houses now to get your stuff," Alya reasoned.

Nodding slowly, a million thoughts were circling her mind. "Hey, it's getting late. I should get you home so you can talk to your parents. I'm sure they're worried sick," Alya grabbed Marinette's hand and pulled her off the couch. "I'll walk you home. Nino, are you joining?"

"Sorry, dudettes, I think I'm going to try to track down Adrien. I want to make sure he's okay, too," He said.

"No, that's a good idea," Marinette said as she was being dragged out by Alya. "I'll talk to him, too," She paused, "Eventually."

Chapter Text

Alya knocked on the door to Marinette's home, and her parents answered within seconds. "Marinette!" Her mom gasped and pulled her into a tight hug. "Are you okay?"

Marinette thought she was going to be okay when talking to her parents, but feeling her mom and dad's arms wrap around her like they thought they lost her, Marinette lost it and began to bawl again. "I'll see you later, Marinette. Let me know if you need to talk," Alya told her calmly, and turned to walk away from the house.

Marinette cried in her parent's arms. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys," Marinette told them.

Her mother pulled away slowly as they dropped the group hug. "Marinette, we aren't mad at you, if that's what you're worried about," She chuckled. "If anything, we are beyond proud of you for all that you do."

"Of course, we are scared out of our minds knowing this is what you do in your free time, but you seem to know what you're doing," Her father comforted. "And you seem to have a good partner."

Marinette smiled lightly. "Yeah, we work well together."

"Have you seen him since then?" Sabine interjected. "I want to make sure he's doing well, too," She said.

Marinette shook her head. "I...I ran off after it happened. We didn't know each other's identities, and it came as a bit of a shock. Nino's looking for him right now," Marinette summarized. "Can...can I take tomorrow off school? I need to think through everything, and I don't think I can handle all the questions from people at school. Or from the world, for the matter," Marinette pulled out her phone, and she shut her eyes tight. "I'm going to have to make a video about this."

"You don't have to," Tom told her. "It's your business. You don't have to share anything with anyone about this."

"That's true," Marinette nodded. "But I'm afraid if I don't, people will just keep asking questions."

Her parents listened to her talk herself through it, but Sabine did cut her off after a few minutes went by. "I'll call you out of school tomorrow, but you need to get some sleep. You've had a long, emotional day," Sabine said. The three hugged once more before all saying goodnight, and Marinette headed up to her room.

Marinette saw her room, back to normal, and everything in place as she left it. She grabbed her phone to see the low battery sign- and the live stream still on and looking at her puffy red eyes. Marinette gasped and quickly shut off the live stream before anyone could say anything about how she looked. Had it really been on all night? And though her mind was saying not to look back at the comments after she ran out, she did anyway.

She skipped the video until she saw the chaos begin when the Akuma ran off with her roof. For people outside of Paris, it must have been crazy and nervewracking for them to see something like this. That was the main reason Marinette read the comments; she wanted to see what her fans were saying before her fans found out about her identity.

did...did something just take off with her roof?

WHATTHEUFCK WAS THAT THING OH MY GOD

is this what happens in paris? idk after this livestream i blame gabriel agreste for all the shit paris goes through cancel him

ok i know not the best time buuuuut hearing adrien and marinette's concern for each other was adorable i ship them so hard

ARE MARINETTE, ADRIEN, AND HER PARENTS OK? I CAN SEE ALYA ON THE LADYBLOG BUT WHAT HAPPENED

its crazy to see these people not from Paris and their reactions to akumas. well now they know we aren't making this up and editing videos. Hawkmoth is the worst.

OH MY GOD GUYS LOOK AT THE VIDEO THAT WAS JUST POSTED VIOERGNJWS MARINETTE WHAT

Marinette sighed when she got to the comments about the video leaking, and Tikki flew out. "Oh, Tikki. What are we going to do?"

---

"Hello, class!" Mrs. Busiter walked in. She noticed two people missing from the front of her room, but she figured that was going to be the case by what she saw on TV yesterday. "Please pull out your books, and we will get started in just a minute," She directed and walked to where Alya and Nino were seated. "I take it they won't be here today?" She asked.

Alya shook her head. "Marinette won't be. She's going through a lot," Alya explained.

"I talked to Adrien last night. He'll be back tomorrow. We can take them their work," Nino added.

Mrs. Bustier shook her head. "No, that's okay. They should relax. It seems like a lot to go through, and I don't want to stress them more. It's nothing they can't catch up on," She explained.

Adrien wasn't sure how everything worked out so well. Was it a coincidence his father flew out of town right before the whole thing happened? He wasn't sure. But Nathalie stayed behind, and knew to be careful around Adrien. She called him out of school and promised not to tell his father, then left him alone to deal with everything.

"Nathalie?" Adrien called when he walked around the mansion.

"Yes?" She responded immediately.

Adrien took a deep breath. "I need to go out. I've been thinking all morning, and I need some air."

It was lunchtime, but Adrien couldn't eat. He was far too nervous; even Plagg refused to eat his camembert until Adrien ate. "Okay, please be careful," Nathalie nodded. "Call if you need anything, and be sure to tell Miss Dupain-Cheng I hope she's doing all right," Nathalie nodded.

"How did you-"

"You can't not go see her, Adrien," Nathalie said. "Be careful, and make sure to eat something," She told him, and Adrien nodded, then walked out of the house.

Plagg looked at Adrien from his hiding spot. "You really want to go talk to her already?" Plagg scolded. "Isn't it a little soon? Needy?" He snickered.

"I have to go see her. She's probably freaking out! There are fans all over social media talking about this. I'm overwhelmed for her, of course we're going," Adrien said and was headed straight towards the bakery.

As he walked, he scrolled through Twitter, looking at everything mentioning Ladybug.

I can't believe she had to keep being  Ladybug  a secret, that's crazy. I could never do it.

WOW, who would have thought Marinette Dupain-Cheng is  Ladybug ? I get Adrien as Chat Noir...but I'll never understand how *she's* a superhero. I could never stand her.

Just another reason to love Marinette! A super talented designer, funny person, seems like the nicest person you'd ever meet, AND she's  Ladybug ! What an amazing person.

Marinette seems super annoying. Why did she get picked to be  Ladybug ? Should have given it up as soon as she found out.

JAGGED @JaggedStone
Guys! I love Marinette. She's fantastic, kind, and caring! It's so obvious that she's  Ladybug  that none of us noticed, because she's an everyday hero too! I can't believe some of the hate I'm seeing from you rockers, that's not cool. She and Adrien protect Paris every day!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
I know a lot has happened. I will be making one video about it. One video, and that's it. This is a very rough time for me. I'll be answering a few questions. Not every one sent in will be answered, but tweet me if you have any questions about  Ladybug,  and we'll see what gets answered.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
I never wanted my identity to be revealed. One video about  Ladybug  is all that I will release. I've had countless people/news stations/TV/radio reach out to me already, and I declined them all, as I will continue to do.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
We have no idea who Hawkmoth is, and this is a very dangerous time for everyone in Paris. I have declined interviews to keep everyone safe. Hawkmoth could dig deep and figure many things out, and that is why I will be making my own video. I know what I can answer safely and not put anyone in jeopardy. After that, no more talk of  Ladybug  from me <3

Adrien picked up his pace and was practically running to the bakery. He took a deep breath before walking in, and Marinette's mom dropped a loaf of bread on the floor when she saw him. "Adrien!" She smiled and rushed over to pull him into a tight hug. "I was worried about you. I know how Marinette is, and I was hoping you wouldn't be the same..." Sabine sighed. "How are you doing?"

"It's difficult," Adrien shrugged. "But I don't think I'm as bad as Marinette. I've had good and bad press my whole life, this is different. Can...can I go see her?" Adrien asked sheepishly.

"Of course," Sabine said. "Just up the stairs. The door should be unlocked. Try not to scare her; she's really jumpy right now," Sabine warned.

Adrien smiled lightly. "I'll make sure to knock, thank you so much," Adrien said and walked past Sabine to get up the stairs.

"Was that Adrien?" Tom peered out to his wife; she nodded in response. "I was wondering when he would show up."

Adrien walked up the stairs and knocked lightly before opening it. "M..Marinette?" He said quietly. "It's...Adrien?"

He opened the door fully and saw her sitting on the couch. "Hi," She turned to stand up. "I'm really sorry I ran away, I shouldn't have done that."

"No, it's okay. It was pretty shocking," Adrien confirmed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm okay. It's really rough, and I've never been this emotional before. There are so many mixed opinions going around on social media. Everyone seems to be so happy you're Chat Noir, but with me, people hate it," She sniffled.

Adrien stood across from her and shook his head. "No one's talking about Chat Noir because he's not as important as Ladybug. I mean, you are Ladybug in and out of the suit! You do stuff she would do all the time. I'm drastically different from Chat Noir," Adrien said. "Did you see Jagged Stone's tweet?"

"That's a lie. Chat Noir is so important...why do you think I take his side in arguments about who's better?" She smirked. "And yes, I did. He actually called me. Penny and Jagged called me to make sure I was doing okay. Apparently, he's known I've been Ladybug for a while...Kind of crazy," She chuckled. "But I appreciated being able to talk to someone that's not my family or friends," Marinette explained. "What did your father say?"

Adrien laughed. "I got lucky. He flew out yesterday before it all happened and won't be home for a few days. Nathalie and I talked for about a half-hour, and she told me she had a suspicion the whole time. Thankfully, she called me out of school today, which was nice, but I can't wait for my father's wrath when he gets back," Adrien sighed.

Marinette looked down. "Do you remember when I thought your dad was Hawkmoth? I'm really sorry about that. I didn't understand why you were so hurt, and I would have been the same way."

Shaking his head, Adrien sat down. "No, if I were you, I would have thought the same thing. I mean, I had his book! Master Fu said things about it, how could you not think it was him?"

"Alya doesn't want to rule him out," Marinette said quietly. "Since Miraculous holders can be akumatized..." She trailed off, getting more uncomfortable.

"We can talk about this later, too. Maybe talk to Master Fu about what he thinks. But Plagg said he has some ideas on protecting my ring, so we should be okay for a while," Adrien explained. "Now, I saw your tweets about making a video."

"You did?"

"Yeah," Adrien nodded. "Would you like some help making the video? I could answer questions with you if you want."

Marinette smiled and nodded. "You know, Adrien, I would love that."

Chapter Text

"Hi, I'm Marinette," She introduced the video. "And Adrien is here, too."

"Hi!" Adrien smiled.

With a sigh, she continued. "Today is a serious video, and the only time we will be talking about this," She said. "I tweeted out that I would be taking questions about Ladybug just this once. And now I guess we're also going to take some Chat Noir answers too, since Adrien decided to help with this video," Marinette explained. "Let's get started."

Adrien scrolled through his phone to find some good questions. "This one is in response to you saying you declined interviews. Why did you decline them, don't we deserve to know how our favorite hero thinks?"

Marinette took a deep breath to answer the first question. "I declined the interviews to keep everyone safe. To keep Adrien and me safe, our families and friends safe, and the entirety of Paris safe. Most interviews are live and will not be controlled by me- what if I said something jeopardizing? With my own video, I know what I can say, and if I decide it doesn't work right, I can edit it out and control what is being released. Heck, I never even intended for our identities to be revealed," She said. "That was a loaded one for the first question."

Adrien chuckled. "I'll lighten it up a bit," He said and continued to scroll. "Oh! I like this story. How did you become Ladybug?"

Marinette shook her head. "The Miraculous was given to me, and I found it the day the first Akuma showed up. I had no idea what was going on and was even more awkward than I am now."

"I was running away from home and helped a man while I was trying to run away to go to school. Then the Akuma showed up, and I found my Miraculous, and I have to say, I was ready to get superpowers," Adrien smiled. "Did you two know each other's identities?"

"No," She answered quickly. "We agreed to keep it a secret. As I said, it was to keep us safe. I'm sure once we won the final battle with Hawkmoth, we would talk about it." Sure, that one was only half true. Tikki was a huge reason not to tell the identities.

Adrien nodded. "I actually really wanted for us to know each other's identities, but I respected her opinion, and it probably was best to keep it a secret."

"Thanks for that," Marinette smiled. "Next?"

He was looking for the best questions he could find, without being too personal. "How perfect is that view from the tippy-top of the Eiffel Tower?" He asked.

A soft smile grew on Marinette's face as she thought about it. "It is perfect. Especially at night," She said. "Paris is beautiful, but it's even more beautiful from up there. Maybe I'll take a picture sometime, but photos will never do it justice," She awed.

"She's right. We would meet there a lot for night patrols, and it's the best. Sometimes I would go there when I just need some fresh air and a break, and it's the best spot in Paris to go," Adrien added on as he finished the question and began looking for another.

Scrolling for another few seconds, he showed it to Marinette before asking it. She nodded, but knew she had to be careful with some of these answers. "How do you turn into Ladybug?" He asked.

"Magic," Was her one-word answer, and all that she was going to give for it.

"How have we seen other superheroes appear in Pairs? Like Rena Rogue, Carapace, and Queen Bee?" Adrien continued reading.

Marinette shrugged. "More magic. Sometimes the Miraculous just show up when it's needed, then disappear after," She said. That one was more so to cover themselves, if they revealed there was a Guardian in Paris, who knows what Hawkmoth would do.

Adrien held back his laugh when he read the next one. "Mari, this person is telling me there's a girl online talking about how she was always your best friend, and now it's crumbling under her. Her name is Lila," Adrien said.

Marinette's eyes grew wide, but she contained herself. Marinette only shrugged. "The only Lila I know went to school with us every once in a while, and she is out to get me. So, maybe that person has been lying since I only know one Lila?" Marinette responded. She tried to keep it vague, but she knew exactly who this was about.

"Ew! This person proposed to you over Twitter," Adrien rolled his eyes.

Marinette giggled. "I'm flattered, but no thank you."

"Here's a fun one," Adrien said, trying to forget how he felt about reading the proposal. "What is your favorite part about being a superhero?"

It was silent for a minute. Marinette had so many good times with being a superhero, becoming friends with Tikki being her most favorite part. But, of course, she couldn't talk about that. "While you're thinking, I'll go!" Adrien smiled. "Mine is definitely working together. We make such a great team, and we've become such great friends, I love it. It's so nice to have the freedom and power to fly across Paris, that's awesome."

"Awe, that's so sweet," Marinette smiled. "I think that's my favorite, too. Even though you can be annoying, you're a great partner."

Adrien smiled wide as he looked back at his phone for another question. "Why do you only want to make one video about Ladybug?" He asked. Marinette got stiff and sighed as she thought about her answer.

She took a deep breath before beginning her answer. "This video wasn't even going to be made initially. But when I saw all the tweets, and comments, and posts, I knew I had to," Marinette said. "Our families and friends are in danger now that we have been revealed, and that scares me more than anything," Marinette said as tears began to well in her eyes. She took a few more deep breaths to try and stop her from crying, and Adrien put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, you don't have to answer this one. We can skip it if you want. Heck, we can end the video. We're going to protect them all, and I know we will win. We make a great team," Adrien smiled.

Marinette put her hand on his, and smiled lightly. "You're right," She said and turned back to the camera. "I bet Hawkmoth is ecstatic this happened. I'm sure he's rolling with how happy he is that he knows who we are. Well, guess what?" She started. "Now that Adrien and I know about each other, we can only become closer. This one experience can bring us closer than ever before, and we can break things down. We've been partners for three years, only growing and becoming more than when we started. So Hawkmoth, while you're out there thinking this is our lowest point, well, the only way to go is up. We will defeat you...together," Marinette smiled, the tears still in her eyes, but now because of her passion.

Adrien's smile grew even more. "You won't even know what hit you."

"And I think that's going to end this video. It's been an emotional rollercoaster, and I'm not sure how to feel about all of this. But it happened, and here we are. Closer than before, and a better team because of it. Look out Hawkmoth, we're coming for you," Marinette smiled. "I'll see you guys in the next video. Check out our social media, and be sure to subscribe for more, non-superhero content! See you in the next video!" Marinette said, and shut off the camera.

"Thank you so much," She started to cry again, hugging Adrien. "I couldn't have done this without you."

—

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
The video about Ladybug is done being filmed. It's emotional and kind of crazy. I'm editing it now, and then I'll have it posted tomorrow. Adrien is the best person ever, and I don't know how I would function without him.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
I know there are a lot more questions you guys will want answered after that video, too. Don't count on them getting answered, especially now that Hawkmoth knows about us. We have to keep everyone safe.

Gabriel Agreste Fashion @GabrielParis
Gabriel Agreste or anyone associated with Agreste Fashion will not be discussing the recent events with Adrien Agreste.

Adrien @AdrienAgreste
@GabrielParis except me!!!

Adrien @AdrienAgreste
Marinette is honestly one of the coolest people I know, and this video was one of the hardest things she's had to make for her career, but look at her go. She's protecting Paris and producing content. Genuinely inspiring and Hawkmoth should take a page out of her book.

Chapter Text

The day the reveal went viral. 

Alya brought Marinette home, and after a short conversation with her parents, Marinette went to her room. She needed to think through everything by herself and figure out what she needed to do. She was still sniffling from all her crying and emotions freaking out, and Tikki had no idea how to help her.

"Oh, Tikki. What are we going to do?" Marinette sighed.

Tikki flew up next to her. "There's no going back; now we just have to keep going. Don't let it bring you down," She told Marinette. It wasn't the best answer, but it was something.

Both of them jumped when her phone began to blare her ringtone. Marinette put her hand over her heart and sighed. "Hello?" She asked when she picked up.

"Marinette? I saw what happened. Are you okay?" Jagged Stone asked over the phone. "I wanted to check up on you."

Marinette nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "It's...it's a lot. I never imagined this would happen."

Jagged could tell she was freaking out. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

After thinking for a second, she sighed. "I've had my few minutes of fame, with my videos and working with you, but this...this is different. Is this what it's going to be like, with eyes on me at all times? My life is going to change, even more so now," Marinette started to freak out again. "I'm going to have to make a video about this, and answer questions I'm not at all prepared to answer. Even after I make the video, people will just keep asking questions that I don't want to answer, and I'm already getting hundreds of questions each minute and-"

"Did you and Adrien know about each other?" Jagged cut her off.

"No, we kept it secret from everyone. The only person who knew was the person who gave us our Miraculous," Marinette confessed.

She heard Penny giggle in the background, and she quickly realized she was on speakerphone. "Well, them and Jagged, I guess."

"Penny! Shh!" Jagged shushed her quickly.

"What? She...doesn't know you knew? You told me she told you she was Ladybug over a year ago!" Penny whisper yelled at him.

Jagged winched through his teeth and probably had his eyes shut, too, but Marinette was too concentrated on everything being said. "I may have told a little lie," He said.

Marinette's jaw dropped as she listened to them talk. "You...how did you know?" She asked. "You told Penny that I told you? What is going on?"

"Marinette, I think it's crazy no one figured out it was you two before this. When we first met with the glasses fiasco, I knew there was something special about you. And as we continued to work together and I watched your channel grow, I realized what that extra special thing was: determination and passion," Jagged told her. "Both Penny and I were akumatized, so I've seen Ladybug that way, as well as the chance meetings at parties and ceremonies. It was easy to put two and two together as I saw you grow as a creator and a person, then saw how much you resembled Ladybug and how Ladybug resembled you in more ways than one- it's not only the pigtails!" Jagged laughed.

"A few months ago, when Adrien started popping up in your videos, I noticed how close you guys were even though I had never really seen you guys together before, especially not alone. When I saw your dynamic with each other and knowing what I did about you, I took an educated guess about our favorite model boy," Jagged said. "The only people I talked to about it was Penny and Fang, and we would never tell a soul!" He swore. "I know how hard you work on protecting Paris and trying to live a normal life; it's hard stuff to balance. But now that your secret identity is out, the balance could get harder. People are going to pry and try to get you to talk about things you're not comfortable with, and it could be even more difficult because you are also so close with Adrien, people are going crazy about that. Don't let it get to you, the hate will never be worth it, and you're just going to keep doing the job you do so well at," She could hear his smile through the phone.

Marinette took a deep breath as she processed what she was told. "Thank you, Jagged," She said, simply. "I'm kind of surprised Alya didn't figure it out, but I guess that's what the magic is for."

He laughed, relieved Marinette wasn't angry with him. "Marinette, I hate to leave you, but I do have some business of our upcoming collaboration to attend to. I wanted to make sure you were okay. You think you'll make it through the day?" He asked.

"Yeah, I've just got to go think over everything. Thanks again, and I hope we'll get to release one of the singles soon."

"That's what this meeting is for!" Penny yelled in the background. "Be in touch, Marinette!"

The phone call ended, and Marinette fell into her chaise chair. She had a lot of stuff to think about.

---

Gabriel faced his large window as he heard the hidden elevator enter his room. "I assume you've seen the news?" Nathalie asked as she walked closer to him.

All he did was nod once and shut his eyes. "Did you have any idea?" Nathalie asked.

"No," Gabriel answered stoically. "My own son? Fighting against me?"

Nathalie sighed. "I can't believe it either. But, to be fair, he has no idea it's you."

"I could have taken that stupid ring off him a million times!" Gabriel shouted, turning around to face Nathalie. "And Miss Dupain-Cheng would do anything I'd say. I could have had their miraculous years ago," He grumbled, his fists clenched.

Nathalie didn't flinch when he screamed, only smiled. "Adrien is not home yet. I assume he is with Marinette," She said. "Extend your 'trip' to give Adrien a few days to process, and when you 'come back,' you have a civil conversation. From there, he'll trust you, and he will have no reason to suspect you. Making getting their miraculous' much easier," She explained.

Gabriel was confused at first, but then understood. "Brilliant. Tell Adrien I will be back to Paris in three days."

Though Adrien believed his father was really on a business trip, he was not. He needed time to develop a plan for his strongest Akuma without Adrien getting suspicious. And with the new information to his plan, he could easily extend the trip.

"I'll keep you updated," Nathalie nodded and turned to the elevator, leaving the darkroom and back into the mansion.

"Nooroo," Gabriel called.

"Yes, master?" Nooroo appeared a second later.

Gabriel had an evil smile on his face. "Good work with the latest Akuma."

Chapter Text

She just had to make it through one day. One day at school, then it's the weekend. Her Ladybug questions video is set to be posted right as school lets out so her friends could watch it, as she had no intention to talk to anyone today.

Marinette set her bag down and walked up to Mrs. Bustier's desk. "Hi, sorry I wasn't here yesterday. What did I miss? I couldn't find anything on the class website," Marinette said, quieter than usual.

Mrs. Bustier offered a warm smile. "Don't worry about it, Marinette. It was a simple assignment that we did in class, and we didn't have any homework. You and Adrien will be excused from the assignment," She told Marinette. "How are you doing?"

Marinette shrugged. "I'm dealing with it," She said. "Lots to process, and my online presence makes it harder, but Adrien and I made a video to post about it all," She explained quickly.

"That's good. If you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm a good listener," Mrs. Bustier offered, and Marinette nodded before heading back to her seat.

"Hey, girl," Alya greeted. "How are you holding up?"

Marinette didn't reply, only shrugged. Before Alya could say anything else, Adrien walked in. There were whispers as he walked past his desk and to Marinette, as she was sure there would be all day. "I saw your text. There's no need to worry today, everyone here is our friends. Don't worry about all the stuff online; it will calm down once the video goes out. We just have to make it through one day, and then we have the whole weekend!" Adrien reminded her, smiling at Alya, who watched closely.

"He's right," Alya added. "Just one day. And besides, they know now that if they mess with you, you'll throw them across Paris."

"And trust me, no one wants that," Adrien laughed as he rubbed his lower back.

"You're right, thanks, guys," Marinette nodded and got things out of her bag. "Just have to make it through the day," She sighed.

Every one of Marinette's teachers talked to her before or after class, trying to make sense of everything and letting her know that if she needed help in school not to hesitate to ask. She appreciated it, but it also felt weird that this was happening just because she was revealed as Ladybug. No matter how hard she tried, she could not shake the idea out of her head that her being revealed only put everyone around her in danger.

In science, a student brought a note to the teacher. Of course, it was a note for Marinette to go to Mr. Damocles's office. She should have seen this coming, but she was so focused on not attracting too much attention to her, that she didn't even think about the principal. As students murmured when she gathered her things, she tried her best to ignore it.

"Will you all be quiet about this?" Alya groaned. She sat at the opposite end of the room from Marinette, and frankly, she was tired of this. "We all know what happened, so be quiet. Watch Marinette's video that's coming out right after school and leave her alone," Alya said. Normally, the teacher would say something to her about how she addressed everyone, but she let it slide this time.

Marinette smiled weakly at Alya as she exited the room and started down the hallway.

"No, we are trying to keep the attention off of us," Marinette heard Adrien say as she approached the office. "Marinette and I made a video. One video is all she wants to do addressing this. We are not doing anytime more. Even if we did, Marinette and I would want to have control over it. We're not going to have our words twisted or put anyone in any more danger," Adrien argued.

Marinette knocked on the door, and the voices stopped. "Come in," Mr. Damocles called. She pushed the door open slowly with a confused look on her face. "Ah, Marinette, take a seat."

Quickly, Marinette noticed that Adrien looked rather annoyed but was trying to remain a respectful student. "Hey, Mari," Adrien greeted. "Making it through the day?"

Marinette shrugged and sat down in the other chair. "Alya had to address the class I just left," She chuckled. "But other than that, it's been okay. I can't wait for this video to go out, so people just be quiet."

"No one has really talked to me about it; I think they're scared I might cataclysm someone," Adrien sighed. "Like I would? Being cataclysm-ed sucks."

"Which is why I think we need to do an assembly," Mr. Damocles interrupted. "Students should know not to pester you two and to not go crazy over this, especially now that Hawkmoth knows who you are," He suggested.

Adrien groaned. "And I keep telling him no," He directed to Marinette.

"Yeah, it's not a good idea," Marinette shook her head. "My video goes out as soon as school ends today. People will see it, and they will know that it is the only time I'm going to talk about it," She explained. "I don't even want to be talking about it now."

Mr. Damocles tried to keep his cool. "You just said Alya had to address the class; we should do something, so the students aren't constantly thinking about this. Why not?"

"The same reason I have turned down countless interviews for TV, radio, and articles. I won't have control over it. If someone were to record something Adrien or I said, they could edit it to say something that isn't even true. It would only endanger us more," Marinette said, also trying to remain calm as she explained this to Mr. Damocles again. "I edit videos, it's easy to make someone say something they never did. I want to have control over what I release about Ladybug and Chat Noir."

Mr. Damocles blinked. "But-"

Marinette grabbed her bag and stood up. "If you don't mind, I was really enjoying what we were doing in science class today, and I would like to continue learning," Marinette said, staring at Mr. Damocles.

With a sigh, he gave in. "Of course. If you guys need anything or change your mind, let me know," He said. Marinette nodded once and walked out first, letting Adrien gather his things.

Right as the door was shutting, she heard Adrien chuckle and say something under his breath. "You don't fight Ladybug or Marinette."

---

Marinette and Alya walked out of school together as Alya asked about Marinette's day. As she was explaining the conversation with Mr. Damocles, Marinette felt her phone non-stop buzz. "Oh, the video is out. Can't wait to read the comments," She sighed.

"You don't have to," Alya reminded her. "But, you know I am going to watch it and post about it on the Ladyblog."

"I was counting on it. At least I know you won't trash me for being Ladybug," Marinette said.

Alya hugged Marinette. "Never!" She said. "But I've got to go do some homework and watch your video, and I'll text you later," She waved at Marinette as they split apart.

Marinette started her walk home, trying to avoid everyone she could. Now that she was revealed, all she wanted to do was turn into Ladybug and yo-yo her way home, but she held back. As she was getting lost in thought, she was pulled out by hearing her name called.

Swinging around, she was surprised to see Chloé walking towards her. "Chloé?" Marinette said suspiciously.

"Can we...can we talk? Privately?" Chloé asked, and though she looked confident, her words were definitely not.

"Sure?" Marinette said, but it sounded more like a question. Chloé nodded and led the way to her car. Marinette recognized her butler in the front seat, but it was like he wasn't even there with how quiet he was.

Marinette looked confused as Chloé opened the door for her. "I'll take you home, okay? This way we have a chance to talk, and I'm not holding you back."

Reluctantly, Marinette got in the car. Once Chloé got in as well, they started driving. "I'm honestly kind of shocked," Chloé started. "But I shouldn't be. I was thinking about it, about Pollen and Queen Bee- I've seen your Kwami," Chloé told Marinette.

Her eyes got big. "What?" Marinette said, her heart rate increasing.

"Yeah, it was like your first year of Ladybug. I found a red, bug thing on the road and took it. You told me it was a doll," She explained. "I didn't think about it until I saw the news, and realized that doll was your Kwami," Chloé admitted. "I should have put the pieces together after meeting Pollen, but it didn't even cross my mind."

"Did you want to talk just to tell me you should have realized it?" Marinette said in a quiet voice, getting more and more anxious as she felt her phone continue to get thousands of notifications.

Chloé shook her head. "No, I wanted to ask you...why did you let me continue to be Queen Bee?

Marinette was shocked that Chloé admitted to being mean to her, but was also confused that she finally did only when she found out about Marinette being Ladybug. "I don't know; it seemed to give you something good. You used it to help us fight Hawkmoth, and you were really serious about it all. Besides, once Adrien and I got to be closer friends, you toned it down a little bit. It was a few years back you were mean to me the most," Marinette explained. "I mean, sure there were those few months that you didn't get the Miraculous due to him knowing who you are...but I guess that doesn't matter much anymore."

"Really?" Chloé asked with hopeful eyes.

With a shrug, Marinette thought. "I mean, it won't be all the time. But like normal, when we need you. It all depends on what skill set we need; you know that," Marinette explained.

"Of course," Chloé nodded. She opened her mouth to say something else, but the car stopped in front of Marinette's home.

"Well," Marinette said. "I'll see you around."

"Bye, Marinette."

Chapter Text

For Friday night, Alya and Nino were over to have a movie night and help Marinette through the weekend. It had been a long few days, and it was no secret. Adrien would have been there as well, but he's waiting for his father to get home, and Nathalie advised against him going out so late. She was afraid crazed fans, of him or Chat Noir, would figure out what was going on.

Tom and Sabine gave the kids some time to themselves, so they went out for dinner. They knew Marinette was still dealing with a lot, and she needed to talk to her friends. The video has been out for a few hours, and it's racking up countless views, comments, and opinions. Marinette has yet to look at the comments, and she's not sure if she will.

"I posted my review of your video," Alya told her. "I may be a little biased, but I tried my best to stay unbiased. A lot of my fans are really excited; I haven't seen too much hate on the video."

Marinette shrugged. "I still haven't looked," She said. "But before we start our movie night, I need to tell you guys something."

"Yeah?" Nino piped up.

"Chloé talked to me after school, asked me some questions, and kind of thanked me? I'm not sure what suddenly made her do that-"

Alya laughed. "Ladybug is her role model."

"But," Marinette continued. "Since everyone knows about Adrien and me, and Chloé never made herself a secret... the only main miraculous holders Hawkmoth doesn't know is you two," Marinette began explaining. "Not including the ones that have used a Miraculous only once or twice."

Both their mouths dropped open. "You're so right, dude," Nino said after a few seconds.

"Wait, Chat Noir didn't know it was us?" Alya asked. "I thought that would have been a decision you guys made together."

"No, it's usually only me. We both know the protector of the Miraculous, but I'm the one who gives them out. Mostly because my Lucky Charm tells me when we need the help," Marinette explained. "But, I was thinking, maybe we should tell Adrien and Chloé?" She said, much quieter.

Alya and Nino looked at each other, and back to Marinette. "Really?" Alya asked. "What brought you to that idea?"

"Well, now that Adrien and I know it's, well, us, it's going to be a bit easier to communicate. Hawkmoth also knows Chloé's identity, so right now, there is really no reason not to let her help us if we need it. He doesn't know Rena Rouge or Carapace, but if we know in our group, communicating will be easier," Marinette explained her idea. "I have a bad feeling that now that Hawkmoth knows, the Akuma's are going to get harder and more intense so he can get our Miraculous easier or faster. He's going to start attacking us in our daily lives and homes."

They both nodded slowly as they thought about Marinette's take on what Hawkmoth is going to do. "Sure, I'm okay with telling them. I love being Rena Rouge, and I do think you guys will need our help. Hawkmoth is probably on a high right now that he knows, but in a few days, I won't be surprised if another Akuma rips your roof off," Alya said.

"I agree," Nino nodded. "I'm always down to help."

Marinette smiled, but was still worried behind her happy face. "Great, I'll see if we can all get together soon. Now we can begin the movie night," She said.

"Wait," Alya sat up quickly before Marinette pressed play. "Do I get to meet your Kwami?" Nino nodded along eagerly.

With a small sigh, Marinette giggled. "Um...Tikki?"

---

Marinette was a little nervous on Saturday morning. Alya, Nino, and she fell asleep while watching movies for an unplanned sleepover. She kept waking up throughout the night, due to nightmares and thinking Hawkmoth was going to send Akumas to her house, and her friends would get hurt. She had been up for a few hours, on her phone until it was acceptable to actually wake up. She texted Adrien and Chloé last night to see what they thought about a Miraculous meeting, and they were going to be at Marinette's house very soon.

She also knew her parents were home but never heard the door open. She shook Alya and Nino awake so they could clean up, and head up to her room for the "meeting." Alya was still a little shocked that Marinette wanted to tell Chloé, but she shouldn't be surprised about anything from Marinette anymore.

They knew the last few days had been some of Marinette's most stressful days. She rarely let the stress get to her, or let others see it, but this kind of stress has been hard to hide. "Marinette," Alya called to get her attention. "You go upstairs and clear your head; we'll finish cleaning up."

"Yeah, dude, give yourself a little break. We know you're stressed and freaking out about this, uh, meeting? Let us worry about cleaning up!" Nino added, a big smile on his face.

Marinette dropped the blanket she was holding and took a deep breath. "I'm okay, guys. Really."

Alya crossed her arms and gave a warning look. "Marinette."

They stared at each other in silence for thirty seconds. "Fine!" Marinette groaned when she finally gave up. She dropped the other pillow in her hand, and turned on her heels to walk to her room. "You win this time, Alya."

"I always win," Alya smirked as Marinette walked up the steps.

Marinette flopped onto her chaise, and Tikki snuck out. "You need some more rest," Tikki said.

"I don't have time for more rest. Hawkmoth knows who we are; being asleep is my most vulnerable position. We need to defeat him before he starts getting more daring and showing up to my house to take my earrings," Marinette groaned. "I've got so much going on I'm going to go crazy."

Tikki was now right in front of Marinette's face. "Marinette, take a nap. Nino and Alya are right downstairs, and Adrien and Chloé will be here soon so you won't be asleep long anyways."

Marinette shook her head and rolled on her side as she pulled her phone out. "I'll be fine. I don't need to sleep."

Back downstairs, Alya and Nino made the living room look like it had never been touched. "She's crazy," Alya told Nino once they finished.

"I know. I don't know how she handles all the stuff on her plate," Nino sighed. "She does, though, and I agree that she is crazy," Nino shook his head. "I wonder what the guardian of the Miraculous thinks of it all. Also, I had no idea there was a guardian of the Miraculous."

Alya threw her hands out. "I know, right? And I know everything about Miraculous!" Alya said. "I'll figure it out one day."

Before Nino could add to the conversation again, there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was Adrien, Alya and Nino rushed to the door. Chloé stood on the other side, not sure how to act when she saw Alya and Nino. "What are you guys here for? Marinette asked Adrien and me to come for a Miraculous meeting."

Alya shrugged. "She wanted us here so she could get some sleep without freaking out," She explained. "We had a movie night last night. But come in, she's upstairs," Alya welcomed and shut the door once Chloé was in the house.

The three of them walked up the steps to Marinette's room, and Alya knocked a few times to let her know she was coming in. To their surprise, Marinette was sitting on her chaise with Adrien next to her. "Um...when did Adrien get here?" Nino asked.

"Just a few minutes ago," Adrien said. "I came through the balcony. It was easier," He explained.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "You need to stop doing that, by the way. People could see you, as Adrien or Chat Noir, and start to think things."

"Mari, people have been thinking we were dating since we became superheroes," Adrien reminded her. "Even before I started appearing in videos."

The other three were standing in Marinette's room, watching them. Alya nodded. "That's true. There is a whole section on the Ladyblog for fan theories about how Ladybug and Chat Noir are dating," She pulled out her phone. "The multiple kisses during Akuma attacks a few years ago kind of swayed the fanbase."

Marinette's face went red. "Alya," She stared at her. "Those were Akuma-induced. We've discussed this."

"Don't worry, Mari. What did we need to talk about?" Adrien giggled and changed the subject to save Marinette.

"Well, right now, the only bigger heroes Hawkmoth doesn't know is Rena Rouge and Carapace..." Marinette said. "Maybe it would be easier if we all knew so contacting everyone would be easier. I'm afraid that now that Hawkmoth knows, he's going to go all out to get us. And probably quick, while we're still figuring things out," Marinette explained.

Chloé and Adrien nodded. "But why are they here?" Chloé gestured to Alya and Nino.

Marinette looked to the two of them, who smiled widely. "No way!" Adrien shouted. "This is the best group ever! Marinette, did you really choose your two best friends?"

With an eye roll, Marinette looked back to Adrien. "Who would you have chosen? Probably Nino, and Chloé already has one, so..." She dragged out.

"Good point," Adrien nodded. "Good choices."

Chloé didn't say anything, as she was trying hardest not to be mean in front of Ladybug. It was crazy how much she held back now that she knows. "So," Chloé started. "What do we do with this information? Do we get our Miraculous back?"

"We don't know," Marinette said. "I haven't talked to the guardian yet; I'm a little nervous about what he'll say."

Alya piped up. "Do you have any leads on Hawkmoth?"

Marinette shook her head. "No, it's hard to track him down because the only time he's active is when Akuma's are tearing apart France," She explained. "My only lead was actually Adrien's dad, but that fell through when he got Akumatized."

"Why did you think it was him?" Alya asked.

"I saw Adrien with a Miraculous book, then found out it belonged to his father. Why would he have that? But I think I jumped to conclusions," Marinette shrugged.

Chloé stood up to direct attention towards her. "I've been akumatized while carrying a Miraculous. Surely someone can be akumatized; I'm sure he could even akumatize himself," She said. "Not saying it is Gabriel, but just saying that we shouldn't rule out people who have been akumatized."

"That's a good idea," Adrien nodded. "I have no clue, though. We should really talk to the Guardian soon, Mari."

Marinette nodded. "I'm just worried about what he'll say. He'll probably be disappointed."

Adrien shook his head. "Nonsense. I wouldn't worry," He told her. "So, let's do a full brainstorm session about how the heck we are going to handle this."

---

The meeting lasted a few hours, and Marinette was still very stressed. They had some plans, but that relied on Fu thinking that giving Alya, Nino, and Chloé their Miraculous full time was a good idea. Hopefully, he agrees, especially since Hawkmoth won't hold back anymore.

Tikki had been comforting Marinette all day, and she was also exhausted. Once Tikki finally decided to rest, Marinette jumped on her computer. With a deep breath, she opened the most recent video she posted. She wanted to read the comments.

Ugh, this is so stupid. Just kill Hawkmoth.

I really thought we were about to get some inside info about being a superhero, but like 90% of these answers are vague as hell. I'm a clown.

how did no one notice it was them...marinette and looks exactly the same in and out of superhero form tf

You guys need to calm down! She didn't have to make this video, but she did! We should be respectful enough to give them space and be thankful because THEY'RE LITERALLY PROTECTING PARIS??? I love marinette and adrien and a bunch of people would probably be dead if they didn't do what they do

Of course they kept it a secret! That's the base rule of ALL MOVIES! The less people know about the heroes, the more upper hand the heroes have, and it's for safety! Which is also probably why some answers  are  vague. I'm just happy Marinette isn't quitting YouTube, she's my favorite creator.

im so happy for them and proud of them. they're gonna get through this and save paris once and for all

ok but, who are rena rouge and carapace? they're my goals

sooooooo...date

i wanna marry marinette

STAN MARINETTE DUPAIN CHENG we love a QUEEN

Marinette didn't have to make this video, and she did. It looked very hard and emotional for her, but she made it for her fans. I love how supportive her and adrien are of one another. I have nothing but support for her.

Though there were a few comments that upset her, the amount of support and love was overwhelming. She clicked to close the tab, shut off her computer, and went up to bed. Maybe she would finally sleep through the night after reading some sweet comments.

Chapter Text

Unlike Marinette, Adrien had been sleeping through the night. He's typically a light sleeper, so he usually wakes up to random noises in his room. He's been double-checking the locks on all his windows and even had Nathalie order new curtains that fully fit them in his room. Just in case Hawkmoth could see into his bedroom.

Plagg, on the other hand, was much more worried than Adrien. As a god, he didn't need as much sleep. He would only sleep in increments, though, concerned that someone could steal him away from Adrien.

The rare moment where both of them were asleep was when Adrien's bedroom door opened. It was dark in his room, but there was a little light coming in from the hallway.

Adrien heard the footsteps approach his bed, but thought it was only in his dream. A few moments passed before he realized no, that was real life. His eyes fluttered open, and he saw his father standing above him at the side of his bed, eyes fixated on Adrien's hand.

"Oh, father," Adrien sat up slowly, and Gabriel forced his eyes to look at Adrien's face. "You're home. Do you want to go talk now, or wait until morning?" As Adrien asked, he saw Nathalie peer around the open door to watch them.

Gabriel took a deep breath. "Let's go talk." Without another word, Gabriel turned around and walked out of Adrien's room.

"This should be interesting," Adrien said and got out of bed. "Come on, Plagg."

With Plagg in his pocket, Adrien found his father and Nathalie sitting at the long table. For once, he sat right next to his father and across from Nathalie at the same end. "You've been Chat Noir this whole time?" Gabriel asked, not looking at Adrien.

"Yes, father. I was chosen a few years ago, and Ladybug and I make a great team," Adrien explained himself.

"Of course," He nodded. "The Dupain-Cheng girl. I always knew there was something off about her."

Adrien perked up. "What?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I can't believe you went behind my back, Adrien. Sneaking out and putting yourself in danger? After you begged me to go to school, how much of it have you missed due to these fights?" Gabriel said.

"To be fair, everyone misses school when there's an Akuma. They want everyone to be safe from Hawkmoth when an Akuma is attacking the city," Adrien explained.

"I see," Gabriel nodded. "You should have told me."

Adrien looked down at his lap. "I'm sorry, father. But I couldn't. I couldn't risk putting you in danger, and I was afraid if I told one person, it would spiral out of control. Ladybug got that idea of me telling people out of my head really quick," He said. "It was kind of like a pact."

Gabriel still didn't look at Adrien. "Do you know who Hawkmoth is?"

"No, we're working on it," Adrien said. "I'm exhausted, can we finish this conversation tomorrow? I want to get some sleep since I have that big interview-"

"Yes, of course. Goodnight, Adrien. We'll continue tomorrow," Gabriel dismissed and waited for Adrien to leave.

Adrien shut his door and sighed against it. "That was...weird," Adrien announced.

"You bet it. I know your dad is creepy, but that was the creepiest he's been!" Plagg said. "I need some cheese after dealing with that conversation," Plagg flew over to the mini-fridge and grabbed a big slice of camembert.

---

Marinette waited outside of the bakery with her camera, smiling wide when Adrien's car pulled up. She got in the back to sit with Adrien as his bodyguard began driving them to Adrien's interview. "How are you today?" Adrien greeted.

"I stood outside, and no one came up to me," Marinette said. "So that was nice. I was expecting to walk out and be swarmed."

"That happened to me a lot," Adrien laughed. "Just from being a model."

Marinette shrugged. "Yeah, a model. That makes sense," She justified. "How are you? Excited?"

"My dad got home last night. It was an...interesting conversation," Adrien sighed. "He was upset I kept it a secret, and asked about Hawkmoth. We finished talking this morning, but all it did was upset me. But yeah, this interview should be fun," Adrien shook his head to make himself smile again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Marinette offered.

Adrien shrugged. "Maybe later. I've got to keep myself happy for this interview. Do you want to start your video?"

"Oh, sure!" She smiled and turned the camera on. "Hi! I'm Marinette! I'm here again with Adrien-" She said and panned over to show him in the frame, a smile on his face, and he gave a wave, "And he invited me to get some behind-the-scenes of his interview."

Adrien nodded. "And it's going to be a fun one today! Some people from Buzzfeed are visiting Paris and asked me to do this interview, so I thought- why not? And I had to bring Mari, for obvious reasons," Adrien concluded. "I'm excited; we're almost there."

"I guess we'll tune back in when we get there!" Marinette said, and shut the camera off for the few minutes left in the car.

Only a few moments later, they arrived at the studio, and Gorilla waited to pull away until both of them were inside. He knew they didn't need the extra protection, but it was a habit, and he would always worry about them. Adrien and Marinette were greeted at the door with big smiles and welcoming faces.

"Adrien Agreste!" One of the men greeted in English. It was a good thing they both knew how to speak English...but Adrien wouldn't have agreed if he wasn't comfortable. "It's a pleasure to meet you, we're really excited to do this interview," He said, then realized Marinette was behind Adrien. "And Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Wow, a real treat to have both of you here!"

A woman appeared with wide eyes. "Wait...you guys are both here? This is amazing!"

Marinette shook her head. "I'm just here to get some behind the scenes for Adrien and to put on my YouTube channel after you guys upload the interview," She clarified. "Just act like I'm not even here."

"Also," Adrien interrupted. "I'm not sure what you guys have planned, but please don't bring up the Chat Noir thing. Marinette and I are really trying to keep it just to us who posts things, and I don't want it to-"

"No need to worry," The man cut him off. "We weren't planning on it, and honestly, we're still trying to figure out how this superhero thing even works."

Marinette chuckled. "Stick around for a few days, and you'll see," She said under her breath.

After a few more minutes of small talk conversation, they led Adrien and Marinette to where the interview would be recorded. It was a blue background, and they just told Adrien to stand because of "better posture." He understood, and stood on the small 'x' on the floor, looking right at the camera.

Marinette brought out her camera and started to record as they got everything set up. "Having fun, Adrien?" Marinette called for him to look at her.

"Oh yeah," He said, giving an enthusiastic thumbs up to the camera.

"Ready?" The man asked, and Adrien nodded as he looked back at the primary camera. At least she wouldn't have to subtitle this video. "Alright, first question: we know you're a model for your dad's company- what's your favorite part?" The man asked, and just as Adrien was about to answer, the door opened, and five puppies ran to him.

Both Marinette and Adrien gasped when the puppies came in. "It's a puppy interview?" Adrien squealed, sitting down to let the puppies jump all over him. "This is the best day of my life," He said, then looked back up as he held one of the puppies. "What was the question again?"

The crew chuckled as the man re-asked Adrien the question. "Oh! I love a lot of it. It's enjoyable to model, going to photoshoots, and just working, especially when my friends tag along. It's a lot of hard work, but definitely worth it," He clarified. "Oh my god, these puppies are the best ever."

"Do you get treated like a celebrity in school?"

With a puppy licking Adrien's face, he tried to answer. "No, not really. When I first came to school, people were excited, now we're all just normal friends and normal kids, we've just got a lot going on," He said in between giggles that came from the puppies. "I wish I could take one of these little guys home!"

"You do not need a puppy," Marinette scolded from the side, snickering behind her own camera. "Like you just said, you're too busy."

"Let me dream, Marinette!" He shouted back, holding the one puppy in front of him, and looking away from Marinette. "Plus, my dad wouldn't like a little trouble maker in the house."

The crew was loving seeing the interactions between Marinette and Adrien. "Maybe a hamster would be more suitable," Marinette smirked behind her camera.

Adrien shook his head, only slightly ignoring her. "Do we have another question?"

---

I just watched the BuzzFeed video and now marinette is posting behind the scenes?? i am not ok

they HAVE to be dating. the way they argue is so adorable, it's not normal??? ummmmmmmmm ship

adrien with puppies for an interview was too much for me to handle. You expect me to be better with a BONUS VIDEO? i mean i love it but i might be dead

i love that mari tags along to like all his events. friend goals. relationship goals.

I'm just so, so happy that she's still posting videos. I was really worried she was going to stop posting altogether after what happened.

They're really out here living their best lives. I stan

did the buzzfeed people freak out about ladybug and chat noir

Marinette was also happy she could continue posting, but the comments became less enjoyable to read when she would always find the comments about their superhero personas. She figured out that she just needed to stop reading when she read a few, and take a break from the internet.

She took a deep breath as she went to her bed. How hasn't an Akuma come after her yet?

Chapter Text

Marinette was freaking out. She sat at one of the tables by the window in the bakery, eating a croissant for breakfast and working on her computer. It was Saturday, so while some places were a dead zone, the bakery was still open, and Marinette had homework to get done. Jagged Stone told her they needed to talk later, and left it open-ended, and that did not help her stress.

As she continued typing answers for school, she looked up to see Adrien run into the bakery with a pant. He had a worried look on his face, maybe that he could even cry. Marinette stood up as soon as she registered his face, and Adrien saw her. "What's wrong?" Marinette asked.

Adrien came over to the seat across where Marinette was standing, collapsed into the chair, and breathed shaky breaths. "My father wants to pull me out of school," He said, close to tears.

"What?" Marinette asked, sitting down.

"He wants to pull me out of school," Adrien said, putting his hands over his eyes to stop himself from breaking down. "I won't see any of my friends, and I will be supervised the whole time...I might not even be able to be Chat Noir anymore!" He told Marinette, muffled behind his hands.

Marinette's face looked angry. "He can't do that. What did you say?"

Adrien shrugged. "I screamed no, then I pushed past him and Nathalie and ran here," He said. "I didn't want to hear anymore. If I got more upset, Hawkmoth could akumatize me."

"No, we don't want that. He can't take you out of school!" Marinette protested. "That's so unfair."

Adrien finally looked up from his hands, eyes red. "The other night he said that I'm missing class due to Chat Noir. But everyone misses when there's an Akuma! He just doesn't understand."

Marinette gave Adrien a sympathetic look. "We'll figure it out. You just have to plead your case and let me know if I can do anything to convince him," Marinette encouraged.

"So running out was not my best idea?" Adrien asked, only getting a shrug from Marinette. "Oh well, what are you doing?"

"Lots of homework. And waiting for a call from Jagged Stone. He said he had something to talk to me about," She said, trying to keep calm even though she was jumping to conclusions about what the conversation could be about. Before Adrien could reply, Marinette's phone rang. "And I guess it's time," She said, and answered the phone.

"Marinette! How are you?" Jagged asked, sounding very excited.

She looked at Adrien a little confused. "Doing great. What's up?" She responded.

"We are releasing the first single Friday!" He said. "I know you've had that one done for a while, there are a few revisions we have to have, but it's time! And I know you keep pushing away at all the other covers and you're almost done, so this is great! We might even have an album release date soon!" Jagged rambled, but now it was clear what his excitement was for.

Marinette's jaw dropped. "Seriously?" She smiled widely, almost unable to contain her excitement.

"Yes!" Jagged said, sounding like he jumped. "This is going to be great! Penny is going to send you the file, and the email has a few revisions, but it's not a lot. It's going to be amazing!"

Marinette could squeal and scream and do a hundred jumping jacks. She was beyond excited and wasn't sure how to react. "I'm so excited," She said, much quieter. "I'm at a loss for words!"

"Me too," Jagged replied. "And I'm sorry to go so quickly, meetings all day. But I had to tell you as soon as I could!"

"That's okay! We'll talk later," Marinette reassured him.

Jagged sighed, what sounded like a sigh of relief. "Of course. Catch you later!" He said, and the call ended.

Adrien looked at Marinette, worried that something was wrong considering the roller coaster of emotions he just witnessed. "What...happened?"

"The first single is being released Friday!" Marinette repeated. "This is going to be so awesome."

"That's awesome. I'm so happy for you," Adrien said. "We should get ice cream to celebrate. I'm already texting Alya and Nino," He told her before she could protest.

Marinette nodded. "Sounds great, Adrien. Then we can figure out how to persuade your dad to let you stay in school," She smirked. They stood up to get ready to meet their friends to get ice cream, but Marinette almost dropped her laptop when a large crash came from a car landing right outside of the bakery. "Guess we might have to postpone, though."

Marinette rushed to the counter to hand her mom her computer and waved as she and Adrien ran out of the bakery. "Be careful!" Sabine shouted as the door shut.

The two of them ran around the corner, hiding back up against the wall. They faced away from each other, still nervous about seeing the other transform, but also out of habit. At the same time, they both shouted their own words.

"Tikki, spots on!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

They smiled to each other after turning into their alter egos, and flung their weapons to get to the nearest rooftop. Before heading towards the Akuma, they looked to each other. Ladybug sighed. "This is Hawkmoth's first Akuma since he knows who we are," She told him. "This could be a tough one."

"Nothing we can't stop," Chat Noir smiled back. With one nod of encouragement, he started jumping towards the next building. "Besides, if it's as bad as we're feeling, we can always call Rena Rouge or the others for backup."

"Chat," She called after him, he quickly stopped and looked back. "I have to tell you something."

His face turned to look more concerned than before. "Is something wrong?"

"Fu has been calling. I've been too scared to answer and talk to him," She confessed.

Chat Noir nodded with a little sigh. "Okay, then I guess we've gotta beat this the old fashioned way."

The two of them offered small smiles to each other as they jumped off the roof to another one, going right in front of the Akuma. The girl was flying with rocket boots, and shooting blasts out of her hands. "Ah, Ladybug and Chat Noir, welcome to the party!" The Akuma cackled, flying up to them to only be a few feet away. "And you brought presents! What beautiful jewelry."

"Sorry, kid," Chat Noir said. The Akuma was clearly no older than thirteen, so she must not have gotten what she wanted. "These are ours. But I'm sure we could get you a replica."

"But, I want them!" She crossed her arms, a pout on her lips.

Ladybug chuckled. "You should learn to be grateful for what you have, uh-"

"My name is Birthday Girl," She announced. "And I always get what I want, so give me your jewelry!" She shouted at the superheroes. When they didn't react, she groaned and held her hands out in front of her, and shot at them.

She hit their legs, and it sent both of them propelling backward. Landing on their backs, Birthday Girl flew above them. "All of Paris will attend my birthday party, bringing me only the best gifts that I want. And right now, all I want is your Miraculous!" She shouted, and turned to the streets. She started hitting people with the blasts from her hands, and they started walking towards the building where Chat Noir and Ladybug were sat.

They both got up as quick as they could, their legs aching. Before the people could start coming up the building, Ladybug called out, "Lucky Charm!"

They still didn't know where the Akuma was, and the Birthday Girl was very determined. She was flying around, blasting as many people as she could into her army to get the Miraculous. The Lucky Charm item dropped into Ladybug's hand. "A mirror?" She asked when a mirror in the shape of a circle fell into her hands.

"Got any ideas?" Chat Noir asked.

"Not yet," Ladybug said as she looked around, trying to come up with a plan. "Just don't get hit," She told him, and put the mirror on her side, next to her yo-yo.

"Got it," Chat Noir replied. They both took off in opposite directions, trying to get away from the minions following Birthday Girl. Ladybug was still looking around for clues, when all of a sudden, Birthday Girl grew to twice her size. She was evilly laughing, and the mask on her face faded as she finished a conversation with Hawkmoth.

Birthday Girl stood in between the buildings where Ladybug and Chat Noir were. "Hawkmoth wants me to have everything I want for my birthday, so he agreed to help me. He made me even more powerful so we can share the jewelry you brought me!" She screeched, much louder now that she was bigger.

Her army continued to grow as she was now blasting people without a second thought. She was determined, and every time the heroes deny her, the angrier she would get, and the more people that would chase after Ladybug and Chat Noir. "Hawkmoth knows who you are. Do you really want to endanger everyone around you, Marinette?" Birthday Girl asked, trying to get inside Marinette's head.

And it was working. She didn't know what to do; she froze. "Just let it be over, give me your Miraculous, and you and your friends will be safe," Birthday Girl continued. It was now apparent to Chat Noir that she was granted another power: persuasion. It worked with her reasons; she wanted to make people give her what she wanted. "You wouldn't have to worry about your parents, your school, or Adrien," Birthday Girl said. "If you hand me your earrings, it will all be better."

Chat Noir jumped over to Ladybug's building, but he never landed. One of Birthday Girl's army members caught his tail, and pulled him down. He was stuck in the crowd, his arms held by many mind-controlled people. "Ladybug, don't listen to her!" Chat Noir yelled. "When Hawkmoth gave her more power, he also gave her persuasion!"

"Look at him. He could get hurt, poor Chat Noir. If you give me your Miraculous, I'll let him go," Birthday Girl told her.

Chat Noir watched as Ladybug raised her hand to her face. "You...you promise?" Ladybug asked.

"Of course, just give me the jewelry, and he'll be safe," Birthday Girl continued.

"Ladybug, don't do it!" Chat Noir shouted. "Ladybug, listen to me! If you give her the jewelry, no one will be safe!" He said. "Let go of me, cataclysm!" Chat Noir shouted, turning his hand down to hit the mountain of Birthday Girl's army. They collapsed below him, and Chat Noir was able to catch himself, and get up to the building he was on before.

"Ladybug," Chat Noir said, out of breath. "You're Paris' hero. If you give up your Miraculous, more people will get hurt."

She still wasn't listening. It was like she was in a trance to ignore Chat Noir, still contemplating giving her Miraculous up. Birthday Girl was continuously talking to her, keeping her stuck. "Ladybug!" Chat Noir yelled, as loud as he could, "We will work through this together. We will win!" He said. "More people will be safe if you keep your Miraculous, and all of your friends have told you they're not worried, because you'll protect them!" Chat Noir said. "Trust me, Marinette," He sighed as he did all he could to get her to listen.

Ladybug shook her head when she heard Chat Noir say her name. Quickly, she realized what was going on. Ladybug jumped back, and grabbed the mirror at her waist. She held it out in front of her, aiming the mirror right back at Birthday Girl. "Let's mirror that- you want to give me your Akuma."

---

Marinette and Adrien sat on top of a secluded rooftop, their Kwami's eating their food. Marinette was hugging her knees, head buried on them. Adrien sat next to her, much more relaxed.

"Marinette, why are you so upset at the Akuma?" Adrien asked.

She lifted her head slowly. "I'm not mad at the Akuma. I'm mad at myself. I let myself fall victim to Hawkmoth's persuasive ways, and I almost gave up my Miraculous," Marinette confessed. "My hands were on my earrings, Adrien."

"Don't beat yourself up over this. The important thing is that you didn't give them your Miraculous," He encouraged. "You were right; the Akumas were going to get harder."

Marinette didn't reply; she just looked out over Paris, quiet for a minute. "I almost failed them today."

Adrien shook his head. "You know better than anyone how persuasive Hawkmoth can be. He takes emotions and makes them so much worse. And now that he knows who you are, he was able to take your caring and emotional side and use it against you. It's a dirty way to play. And he tried, and he failed. He knows we're a force to be reckoned with, and as long as we're partners, he will never win."

Marinette nodded as she listened to Adrien talk. She released her legs and looked at him, a small smile on her face. "You're right. Ladybug is nothing without her Chat Noir, and we make a great team. We'll talk to your dad about school, because I can't lose my partner, and we'll make time to see Fu. We'll work through this."

"That's the Ladybug and Marinette I know," Adrien smiled. They locked eyes, staring at each other for a moment. Marinette had fully believed she had gotten over her crush on Adrien, but now, looking at him, she realized she was lying to herself.

And Adrien had never stopped loving Ladybug, even if he did push it to the back of his mind.

They both jumped when Adrien's phone rang loudly. "Agh," He sighed when he saw the message. "Gotta get home. I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Sounds good."

"Plagg, claws out!"

Chapter Text

Adrien: Mari are you awake??

Adrien: Please wake up.

Adrien: I'm in the bakery with Nathalie and I don't want to be alone

Adrien: Oh your mom is here

Adrien: But seriously please wake up

Adrien: MARINETTTTTTTTTTTTTEEEEEEEEEEE

Marinette finally shook herself awake, hearing the non-stop buzzes come from her phone.

Mari: Wait really?

Mari: be down in five

Marinette rushed to put on some clothes that weren't her pajamas, maybe taking longer than five minutes.

In the bakery, Adrien was eating a small muffin. Bread wasn't something he got often, so he savored every bite. Nathalie was talking to Tom and Sabine, and though they thought Adrien couldn't hear, he could.

"How are you two dealing with this?" Nathalie asked. "Gabriel and I feel Adrien is putting himself in too much danger, and we're worried."

Sabine shrugged. "It's like a new hobby. Marinette is stubborn; she's not going to give up until it's all taken care of."

"You saw the Akuma attack yesterday. Marinette almost gave her Miraculous to Hawkmoth, and all the Akuma-minions could have hurt Adrien. Gabriel wants to pull Adrien out of school," Nathalie explained.

Tom looked confused. "Pull Adrien out of school? That doesn't make any sense. The boy needs friends more than ever right now. Besides, we can't break up Marinette and Adrien; they're partners. The only reason they won yesterday was that they worked together," Tom defended.

"I suppose. But Gabriel thinks it's unsafe. Besides, he's missing classes when he has to go fight Akumas," Nathalie added.

"All the students miss classes when there's an Akuma. It's not just Ladybug and Chat Noir, Nathalie," Sabine said. "They have all the kids take cover because you never know what an Akuma is going to do. Also, Adrien and Marinette have been doing this for years now. They know how to handle it."

Before Adrien could hear any more of the conversation, Marinette ran into the bakery. "Good morning mama, papa. Hello Nathalie," Marinette stopped in her tracks. Once they all said hello, she took off toward Adrien again. "Hey, Adrien. Why such urgent texts?"

Adrien looked worried. Like he didn't want someone to see or hear him. "Can we go somewhere else?" He whispered.

"Sure," Marinette nodded and started walking towards the back of the bakery again. "We're going upstairs to play some video games," Marinette announced. "Can he stay, Nathalie?"

Nathalie nodded slowly. "For now. He has some work to do later, though."

The two rushed upstairs, and into Marinette's bedroom, just in case her parents came up. Adrien was worried about something; she wanted him to have his privacy. "What's wrong?"

"Okay, so, last night, I woke up to Nathalie grabbing my hand as lightly as she could. I'm a really light sleeper, so I woke up and opened my eyes a little. She was staring at my ring and almost touched it," Adrien said. "I don't think she knows I know she was in there. I turned in my bed, and my ring was under my pillow. She left after that," He continued. "And I wouldn't really think much of this, but the night my father got home, he was standing over my bed, staring at my ring, too. It's all weird when I piece it together."

"You think they want to take your ring? Why?" Marinette asked.

"I'm not completely sure. They're worried about how dangerous things are, so maybe it's because of that? Or maybe they want the power? I don't know. I wish I knew," Adrien sighed. "But I do know we need to figure out why, and get a way to stop people from taking our Miraculous while we sleep."

Marinette nodded. "I agree..."

Tikki popped up from Marinette's purse. "Anything else you want to tell him?"

Adrien was confused, and Marinette yawned as she thought about telling Adrien. "Uh," Marinette was silent for a moment. "I...haven't really been sleeping. Maybe two or three hours a night?" She confessed.

"That's why you've been so tired. You're worried about Hawkmoth or Akumas coming after you," Adrien put together.

"Of course I am," Marinette sighed, "Ever since we lost the secret part of our identities, I've been worried out of my mind."

Adrien knew Marinette was tired. He never said anything because he didn't want to make it worse, and knew if it were necessary, she would tell him when she was ready. "We should really meet with Fu. Maybe he has an idea of how to protect us."

"I'm just afraid that his solution is going to be to take our Miraculous," Marinette said quietly. She was exhausted, and her emotions these past few days were getting to her. Thinking about losing Ladybug, losing Tikki, was getting to her, and she had to hold back from crying.

Adrien instinctively wrapped his arms around Marinette to hug her. "At this point, I don't think Fu would do that," He comforted. "We'll figure it out."

They pulled apart, and Marinette wiped her eyes. "Thanks, Adrien. What were Nathalie and my parents talking about?"

"Oh, gosh, I barely even know. I was scared to even be near her," Adrien chuckled and started re-enacting the conversation.

---

"I don't know, we just don't think it's safe," Nathalie told the Dupain-Chengs.

Sabine shrugged. "Well, we can't stop them. If I take away what Marinette loves doing, she might never forgive me. Sure, it's difficult and stressful, but she won't quit until she succeeds. Besides, I know if she stops before she does succeed, she would beat herself up over it," Sabine explained. "The kids are young adults now; they make decisions for themselves."

"And at least they're using it for good instead of for Hawkmoth," Tom added. "We should just let them do their work and trust them."

Nathalie nodded. "You guys are really okay with Marinette staying in school?"

"Well, of course!" Sabine said. "As Tom said, we can't take them away from each other or their other friends."

"You guys should think about Adrien's feelings about school. What happened when you told him about the decision to home school him again?" Tom asked.

Nathalie thought for a moment. "Well, he ran out of the house, and I assume he came here."

"Then there's your answer," Tom smiled. "Adrien was clearly upset by it, and came to see his friend. Being a superhero is a stressful job, I'm sure, let him have a break at school."

"I'll talk to Mr. Agreste about it. Thank you both," Nathalie said and grabbed her to-go bag with a croissant, and smiled. "Have a nice day."

Nathalie would talk to him about it. Now that she knew Marinette's parents were determined to keep her in school, it gave them more information. Her parents didn't seem to care that she was running around and fighting Hawkmoth; they let her do whatever she wanted. At least they wouldn't have to worry about Tom and Sabine. It would have been a true shame.

Chapter Text

Tuesday

It was a good thing Marinette and Adrien were going to meet with Master Fu today. Marinette could barely keep her eyes open, but she was scared if she shut them for more than a few seconds, someone would grab her earrings. She knew it wouldn't be anyone in her class, but it's not a secret she's in school, and they could easily come after her for the power.

"Marinette," Alya whispered. "Adrien told me about your sleep schedule. Do you want me to come over tonight so you feel safer and can get some sleep?" She asked. 

"Huh?" Marinette said, taking a moment to process what Alya just asked. "Oh, no. Adrien and I are actually going to try to find a way to protect us. So, hopefully, with the help, I'll be able to sleep," Marinette explained. 

Alya nodded. "That's good. Do you think he'll have a solution?"

"I sure hope so. Adrien's father is acting really weird around him. He wants to pull Adrien out of school," Marinette said.

"What?" Alya screamed, making the whole class look at her.

The teacher chuckled. "Something you'd like to share with the class, Alya?"

Alya shook her head quickly. "No, no. Sorry," She turned to Marinette. "What?" She said, this time in a whisper.

Marinette shrugged. "I don't know. His father mentioned it, it upset Adrien, and they haven't really talked about it. Nathalie was talking to my parents the other day, so hopefully, they said something helpful."

"I will personally fight Gabriel Agreste if he thinks pulling Adrien out of school is a good idea," Alya promised.

With a small chuckle, Marinette agreed. "Me too," She said. "We're coming up with a plan to talk to him this week."

The teacher was staring at Marinette and Alya for the consistent talking, and they both apologized quickly. Alya turned one last time to Marinette. "I'm serious: If you need me to come over so you can get some sleep, you know I'll be there in a heartbeat."

---

Right after school, Adrien and Marinette met up at the front doors. He didn't have any commitments today, and Marinette didn't have any urgent work to take care of. They were a little nervous, but they knew it needed to be done.

They decided it would be smartest if they didn't take Gorilla with them, and stopped by the bakery to grab bikes. This way, even though Gorilla doesn't talk much, they wouldn't be putting him in a situation to lie for them. 

Barely speaking as they biked to the massage parlor, Marinette was coming up with every possible outcome of this meeting. They didn't tell Master Fu they were coming to see him together, just that Marinette asked if he was available today. They kept the conversation short, so she wasn't sure what he was thinking. But she was prepared for the worst; she was ready for him to be mad. She just hoped that he wouldn't take the Miraculous away.

They left their bikes outside the parlor, and each took a deep breath before they walked in. They ensured that the door shut before going further into the room. "Master Fu?" Marinette called. "It's Marinette and Adrien," She continued.

"Ah, Ladybug and Chat Noir," Master Fu came through one of the doors. "I'm glad you two are here," He said, bringing both of them in for a hug.  "How are you doing?"

Marinette took a deep breath. "As well as we can. Still fighting and adjusting to this added attention," She explained.

Adrien agreed. "We've been working together outside of superhero-ing. It's a lot to take in," He said. "Before we get too far in this conversation, I have to ask. Are you going to take the Miraculous from us?"

Master Fu chuckled. "I could not do that to you two. Normally, that is protocol. But seeing as how you have handled it, I think keeping you guys close and open may be worth trying," He explained. "As long as you can handle it."

"We can handle it," Marinette said. The Kwami's floated in the air without speaking, listening to the conversation, even if it was a little awkward. Master Fu nodded and led them over to a table for the three of them to sit, so they were more comfortable for this conversation.

"But that's not all you want to talk about, is it?" He initiated. 

Both Marinette and Adrien shook their heads, trying internally to figure out what they would ask first. "I have to confess that I have rarely been sleeping. My anxiety has been through the roof that someone is going to come in my room in the middle of my night, and take Tikki."

"Yes, that is an issue," Master Fu observed.

"Do you have any idea how to remedy that?" Adrien asked.

Master Fu stood up and walked over to his bookcase. "Well, having someone near you is always helpful. But I may have a solution that we can add to your Miraculous, as well as Plagg and Tikki," He started, flipping through the book. "It helps protect the Miraculous more. I think I can adjust the recipe to make it where if someone besides the holder touches your Miraculous, it will alert you. It won't necessarily stop the person, but it should be enough to wake you so you can fight them off," Master Fu explained as he started pulling ingredients out of cabinets. "It may take a few hours, if you want to come back tomorrow, that's okay."

"We actually had one other thing to ask you about," Adrien interjected, and Master Fu stopped working to face the two of them again.

"Yes?"

"Well, we were talking with our friends who are also the occasional Miraculous holders..." Adrien began. "And we were thinking it may be a good idea to give them their Miraculous full-time until we defeat Hawkmoth," He explained. "Alya and Nino are super supportive, and Hawkmoth doesn't know who Rena Rouge and Carapace are, and Chloé has been getting better after she learned out identities."

Master Fu nodded as he looked between the Kwami's and the teenagers. He took a deep breath, and looked to Wayzz once again. If he agreed, he would be putting more Miraculous out in the world, full-time. He would also be giving up his best friend for a while, but maybe it was what Marinette and Adrien needed.

"Let me think about it. You guys come back tomorrow and get the cure for Tikki and Plagg, and I'll make a decision," Master Fu said, and the two smiled with a nod.

After saying goodbye, Marinette, Adrien, Tikki, and Plagg left the parlor. Adrien and Marinette slowly biked back to the bakery, slow enough that they could talk. "We need to figure out what to say to your dad about school," Marinette started.

"I have no clue what to even say to him," Adrien said. "Once he makes a decision, he sticks to it."

"Adrien, I will do whatever I have to to get him to listen. You will stay in school," Marinette said. "And that's a promise."

Chapter Text

Thursday

Adrien walks around his house carefully. He can feel eyes on him at all times, and though his father and Nathalie say he's paranoid, he doesn't believe them. He thinks they're prepping to tell him the decision about school is final, and he was going to be stuck in his room until Hawkmoth is defeated.

He hoped Marinette and he could figure out a way to convince Gabriel he was fine being in school.

They got Fu's cure and used it for the first time last night. It was a little different than Fu had told them, instead of affecting the Miraculous directly, it was to make Adrien and Marinette more alert and aware of things around them. For it being only one night, Adrien didn't feel any different. But Fu had told them it would be a slight change, just enough to catch something strange, even in their sleep. Adrien wasn't so sure about it, but if it meant Marinette would be sleeping through the night, then he would believe it.

Nathalie and Gabriel have been asking more and more questions about him being Chat Noir. It's like that's all they have on their minds these days. He gets it, they're worried about him, but they're overdoing it a bit. He's been escaping the house a lot more often, and even going to school a little earlier. At least Gorilla didn't speak much; he didn't kill him with questions.

On the way to school that morning, Adrien kept thinking about all the times he's escaped this car. As they pulled up and Adrien was getting ready to get out, he leaned forward. "Hey, I'm pretty sure you knew a long time ago. Thanks for keeping my secret."

For the first time ever, Gorilla turned to Adrien and had a hint of a smile on his face. It was slight, but just enough to show emotion. What was even more shocking was when he opened his mouth. "It is my job to protect you," Gorilla said, very soft-spoken. Adrien has rarely heard him talk, but whenever he did, it was always heartfelt. Adrien's face glowed, and the biggest smile appeared.

"You're the best!" Adrien said as he got out of the car, running into the school. He was a little early, but he was okay with that. Dropping some things at his locker, he saw Alya and Nino sitting at a table, and they were also there early. When he approached the table, he noticed most of his class was surrounding it as well.

"She's probably the strongest out of all of us!" Alya said. "She could beat Kim in an arm-wrestling match."

Kim scoffed. "Yeah, right!"

"There's an eighty-nine percent chance she would win," Max backed up with facts. "Sorry, Kim."

Adrien chuckled as he walked up to his friends. "What are we talking about?"

"If Marinette is stronger than Kim," Nino filled in. "He's the only one who thinks he's stronger."

Adrien's eyes widened. "Trust me; she's stronger."

"Got any proof?" Kim crosses his arms.

Deadpanned, Adrien stared at Kim like he was crazy for asking that question. "I have personally been thrown across Paris by Marinette. Multiple times."

"He does have a point," Alix laughed, standing right next to Kim and punching his shoulder lightly. "If anyone would know, it would be Adrien."

"Ooh! I've got the best idea!" Alya jumped in her seat. "After school, we could record an arm-wrestling contest between anyone in the class that wants to take down Marinette, and post it to her channel!" Alya said. "Maybe then, haters would see that she is fit to be Ladybug, and she's not a fake."

Everyone nodded at her idea. "That's a great idea, Alya. The comments have really been getting to her, even though we all keep telling her not to look," Adrien sighed.

Kim took a deep breath, and everyone looked at him. "I have an eleven-percent chance to beat her, according to Max. But, if I am going to lose on those unlikely stats, then it'll be for a good reason," He said. "She needs some of that confidence back, especially after that weird Akuma last week."

"Glad we're all on board! All that's left is Marinette, and we can pass a sign up around the class for who would want to participate," Alya said, reaching for her bag to grab a piece of paper.

"I'll text her to bring her camera," Adrien said. "Hopefully, she's asleep. We got some help yesterday, and I don't think it helped me sleep any better, but I hope it worked for her," He confessed.

Nino patted Adrien's back. "You're also one of those people that when they go to sleep, they stay asleep."

"Not really. I've become a really light sleeper." After Adrien said that to Nino, he sent a quick text to Marinette, and she replied immediately. "Nope, she's not asleep. She's been awake for three hours. Ugh, I hope that's just because it was the first night."

"I offered to stay the night with her, but she wouldn't let me," Alya said.

Adrien nodded. "I know. She's pretty stubborn, and has been super paranoid. I don't blame her; my father and Nathalie keep prying so much that I'm doing everything I can to stay away from them."

Before the conversation about Adrien's father could get any more intense, Kim was yelling about sign-ups to arm wrestle Marinette, and it distracted everyone. Adrien definitely signed up; he would do anything to boost her confidence again. Right before the bell rang, Marinette was running up to her friends with her camera bag and backpack. "What's Kim yelling about?" She asked, and even though she was sprinting, she was barely out of breath.

"We came up with an idea..." Alya said as they started to walk to class.

---

The class was sat in the courtyard for the competition. "I still don't know if this is a good idea," Marinette told everyone.

"Of course, it is!" Nino said. "You get a video out of it, and you get to beat Kim's ass."

Almost all of the class had signed up to arm wrestle Marinette. Even if they didn't believe they could beat her, they wanted to aid in helping her self confidence and show the haters that she really was the best choice for Ladybug. Alya set up the camera, and Nino was monitoring the sound. Since it was such an impromptu video, it wasn't going to be perfect, but they were going to help as much as they could. Though Marinette didn't slow posts on her fashion channel, (except for that one week...), her second channel had lost out on a lot of videos.

Maybe after this video, it would get rid of some of the haters, and it would encourage her to post more fun videos again.

They started going down the list to go against Marinette. Rose giggled the whole time, Alix gave a good shot but knew she would lose, and Ivan had a good laugh at how quick he was taken down. Surprisingly, Chloé even showed up to support Ladybug, but there was no way she would go against her.

Nino was taken down much quicker than expected, and Alya held up a good fight. Finally, it was Kim's turn. He cracked his knuckles before he sat down, and had a smirk on his face. "Max said you had an eighty-nine percent chance of winning. That means I just have to be within that eleven percent to beat you," Kim said as they locked hands.

"Is this really that important to you?" Marinette chuckled.

"Extremely."

"It's not too late to back out!" Nino shouted from behind the camera.

"Three," Kim started.

"Two..." Alya continued. "One... go!"

At first, it looked like Kim was going to overpower Marinette, but it also looked like Marinette wasn't using her full force. "Ha, are you going to go down that easy?" Kim laughed loudly as he saw how close Marinette's hand was to the table.

"Oh, really?" She raised an eyebrow at Kim. Within a flash of a second, Marinette pushed as hard as she could, and Kim's hand hit the table. Marinette stood up with both hands up to celebrate. "Sorry, Kim. I don't do well with competitions. Ask anyone I've ever played video games with."

"It's true," Max and Adrien agreed at the same time.

Marinette stood up to take her victory and end her video, but before she could sign off, Alya jumped in front of the camera. "We have one last contestant! You know him, you love him, Adrien Agreste!" Alya called, making her friends laugh as Adrien sat down at the table.

"Are you sure?" Marinette giggled. They had arm-wrestled before. Every so often, they would get bored after a patrol, and stick around and talk. Chat Noir was always confident he could beat her, but never could.

"I must redeem myself, Mi'Ladybug," Adrien smiled.

Marinette shook her head and sat back down. "You know, if you didn't say anything, then people would not have known about the multiple times I've already beat you," She told him. "But too late." With that, she smirked and put her arm on the table, interlocking hands with Adrien.

"See, but they don't know if you're telling the truth. It could be a cover," Adrien shrugged.

"When have I ever lied about arm-wrestling?" Marinette said, and all their friends stared at them as their banter continued. Alya just looked at them, thinking that they really were made for each other.

"Whatever, let me just count down!" Alya finally interrupted. She counted down from three, and their hands had barely moved. It was clear that they both were trying, as hard as they could, but their strengths matched.

Their friends all cheered for one of them, and it was split about halfway for fairness. "Come on, Adrien, you know how this will end!" Marinette said through gritted teeth. "I'm not even using my full strength yet."

"Well, why not? Holding back?" Adrien asked, sounding just like Marinette.

"Fine, you don't want to give in?" She pushed on, and Adrien shook his head. "Okay, then," She said, and with a little more concentration, Adrien's hand was slowly making it's way closer to the table. Once it was only about two inches from the table, Adrien gave in.

He sighed. "You won. Legally," Adrien admitted, and Marinette's hand shot up in real victory. This time, Adrien walked up to the camera. "There you have it, folks, the superior superhero is Marinette! But we all knew that anyway," Adrien shrugged, and Marinette realized what he was doing and pushed him out of frame.

"Now, we're done!" She laughed. "That was a lot of fun, thanks to everyone for setting it up!" She called out to her friends. "And thank you guys for watching! I'll have everyone tagged below so you can follow all of my fantastic friends. I hope to get back to regularly uploading onto my second channel, but you know I've been busy. I really do love silly videos like this, so be on the lookout for more!" Marinette said with a big smile on her face. "See you in the next video!" She said, and with that, Alya shut off the camera.

She turned to her friends who were watching her finish off the video. "Really, thank you guys for doing this. It was a lot of fun, and I'm thrilled you guys aren't mad at me, too."

"Why would we be?" Kim's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You're still our Marinette."

Marinette walked over to Kim and hugged him. They had been really good friends for a long time, even if they don't hang out as much anymore. He still has the sappy moments, sometimes.

The day finished up, and all the students were dispersing, including Marinette. "Do you guys want to come over for some pastries? I feel like you deserve it," She offered Alya, Nino, and Adrien.

Unanimously, they agreed.

---

Alya and Nino were packing up their items in the bakery. Time had flown by, and they needed to get home for dinner. "You let me know if you need me to come over. I don't care what time it is; I will be over here within minutes. I want you to get the rest you need, Marinette," Alya told her.

"I'll be okay. I have the cure now, remember?"

"It's only a cure if it actually works, girl," She said. "And you said you didn't sleep well last night."

Marinette shrugged. "Probably just because it was the first night. I'll be fine. If not, I'll call you."

"Yeah, right," Alya winked. "Okay, we'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye, dudes," Nino waved as the two of them walked out of the bakery.

Marinette turned to Adrien, who seemed to be tuned out of the conversation. "When do you have to get home?" She asked.

Adrien shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. "Oh, I don't know. As late as possible? I'm trying to avoid the house as much as possible," He admitted.

"What? Why?"

He shrugged, taking a minute to figure out what he was going to say. "My father and Nathalie keep prying more and more, even when I ask them to stop. They know I'm not comfortable talking about it in detail, but they just keep asking. They keep trying to see my ring and asking me to take it off, and I'm afraid if I do that, they won't give it back and take Chat Noir away from me," Adrien word barfed. His thoughts had been circling in his mind all day, with no one to talk to it about. Once Marinette offered, he let it all out. He coughed once he realized what he said. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Marinette said, "It makes sense, I wouldn't want to risk it either. Especially with them thinking about pulling you out of school and keeping you contained. Maybe the next step is taking the ring from you, so you aren't endangering yourself. That isn't a good idea, but who knows what parents think is right," She chuckled, trying to bring some light to the situation. "I know! Want to go play some video games?"

Adrien sighed with a smile. "I always do."

The two grabbed their things and rushed to behind the bakery counter to run up the stairs and into the apartment. They threw their bags at the end of the couch, and while Adrien sat on the couch, Marinette turned the TV on and put the game on.

"You should record this," Adrien said, and Marinette replied with a confused look. "You did say you wanted to get back to uploading on your second channel. Why not record us playing our favorite game?"

"You want to have video proof of me kicking your butt, twice between two videos?" Marinette asked, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

Adrien shook his head. "No, this is my revenge. I'm going to win."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," She said. While the video game was loading, she pulled out her camera from her bag and started the video. "Hi again! I'm Marinette," She said. "And Adrien's here again, too. He decided he wants to record me kicking his butt again, but I'm not against it. We're playing our favorite video game, Mecha Strike III!"

Their banter throughout the video was like earlier in the day. Joking with each other, and having snarky replies to everything. And the same victory as earlier, as well. They played a few rounds, and the sun had long gone down. But neither of them cared, they were having fun, and they didn't have any homework that needed to get done. Finally, after a few hours of playing, they turned the camera off and turned on a movie.

They didn't even get through one movie before both of them were fast asleep on the couch.

Chapter Text

Friday

"Marinette," The soft, high-pitched voice said. "You need to get up and get ready for school."

"My alarm hasn't gone off yet, Tikki, I've got more time," Marinette mumbled back.

Tikki looked to Plagg, getting no empathy from him. "Marinette," She said. "You've slept through your alarm three times."

Marinette's eyes shot open. "What?" She almost yelled. "How did that happen? I've never slept through them! Turned them off, sure, but never slept through them!" She said.

Tikki shrugged. "I don't know. You and Adrien fell asleep really fast last night, must have been tired from the contest," Tikki said.

Marinette was confused by her statement; then her eyes drifted to the other side of the couch. "Oh yeah," She remembered. "I forgot he was here."

"Clearly," Plagg said. "Kid, get up!" Plagg said as he dropped onto Adrien's head. It was a much different awakening than how Tikki handled it. Adrien wasn't moving, so Marinette stood up and walked over to him.

She put her hand on his shoulder and shook lightly. "Adrien, get up. We have school soon."

Adrien's eyes slowly opened and smiled when he saw Marinette. "W...what? School?" He asked.

"Yeah. We fell asleep watching our movie. My parents probably turned the TV off and just left us alone," She shrugged. "But we have to get ready, or we'll be later, well, later than usual."

Adrien hopped up from the couch once he fully realized what happened. "Oh no," He searched for his phone. "I'm so dead."

"What?" Marinette asked.

Adrien found his phone and swore at himself. "I have eight missed calls from my father, and ten from Nathalie. And a text from Gorilla," Adrien said. "I didn't tell them what was going on; I didn't intend to fall asleep here. God, they probably filed a missing person's report and everything. How did I sleep through all of these? I normally wake up if Plagg breathes too loud," Adrien worried. His mind was moving so fast that he could barely keep up with his thoughts. He put the phone up to his ear to call Nathalie.

Marinette went to her room to grab a change of clothes, giving Adrien some privacy to explain to Nathalie what happened.

"Adrien?" Nathalie answered, sounding worried.

"Hey, I'm okay. I'm so sorry. I was watching a movie with Marinette last night, and we fell asleep. I didn't mean to, I'm sorry for not letting you guys know," Adrien said before she could ask questions.

Nathalie sighed of relief. "You had us so worried, Adrien. We thought something had happened."

"No, I was just with Marinette. I'm sorry, I was just worried about the school thing and being a superhero, and we were talking and lost track of time."

"The school thing?" Nathalie asked. "Didn't your father tell you? He's not pulling you out; he thinks it's better if you stay with your friends and have some freedom. Not that you shouldn't tell us where you are, but enough freedom to have school."

Adrien blinked once to process what she said. "Wait, really?"

---

Marinette and Adrien were...a little late to class. They walked in twenty minutes late and didn't say a word, trying not to cause a distraction.

"Where were you, girl?" Alya whispered.

"I slept through my alarm three times. Tikki had to wake me up," Marinette said.

Alya looked shocked. "You actually slept?"

"The best sleep I've had since the video," Marinette sighed. "Adrien and I fell asleep watching a movie. We must have been exhausted."

"Do you think it was from what the Guardian gave you?" Alya asked.

With a shrug, Marinette pretended to be looking at her book. "Not sure. He said it was supposed to make us more aware, but I slept through my alarm. I was probably just so exhausted from all the not sleeping that my body finally gave up," She said. "Adrien slept through like twenty phone calls."

"That's strange. He never does that," Alya said, and Marinette only replied with another shrug. "Don't tell me you forgot what today is."

Marinette turned her head to look at Alya, confused again. "Come on, girl! Jagged Stone!"

"Oh my god, you're right! His single comes out in a few hours," Marinette said. "And everyone's going to see my artwork. Oh, I'm so nervous," Marinette was going through different stages of emotions. Excitement and nervousness were the two most prominent.

"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about," Alya comforted, and they both went back to looking like they were paying attention.

In the front row, Adrien was still trying to figure out how he slept through all those phone calls. It was one of the best nights of sleep he has ever had, but he couldn't help being confused. He couldn't focus on what the teacher was saying; what changed his father's and Nathalie's minds?

The whole day, while Adrien and Marinette felt much more well-rested, they were distracted. Maybe if they figured out why this was the effect of the cure, it would ease them.

The day zoomed by because of the distractions, and as they were walking out of the school, Adrien and Marinette were telling Alya and Nino about their intense video game battle. Marinette was laughing, but stopped once she saw her name on a sign in front of a car. "Uh, guys?" She pointed at the car.

The door opened quickly. "Marinette!" The familiar voice shouted. "Only an hour until the song and your album art are released! We have to celebrate!" Jagged Stone shouted as he got out of the car. "With all your friends, of course."

Marinette was surprised. "Oh, Jagged, you don't have to-"

"Nonsense! This is a big day for both of us!" He insisted. "Plus, Fang loves ice cream."

Marinette looked at her friends to see if they would agree. "And you can make a video!" Alya suggested. "Get everyone even more excited about this collab by showing our two stars celebrating together. People will be so excited to see us all out together," Alya said.

"Perfect idea!" Jagged Stone pointed at her. "You all in? My treat."

Marinette's friend's all agreed and got into Jagged's limo. Fang sat across from them, next to Jagged, and Penny was making light conversation with the teens. Marinette pulled out her camera. "Do you want me to start now?"

"Go for it," Jagged said, giving her permission.

Marinette turned the camera, so she was in front of it. "Hi! I'm Marinette!" She smiled. "You may be wondering: Marinette, where are you? Well, I am in a limo," She said and started to turn her camera. "With Adrien, Nino, Alya, Penny Rolling, Jagged Stone, and Fang. Everyone say hi!"

All at once, everyone, save for Fang, waved to the camera with big smiles, and Marinette turned the camera back to her. "Today is a very important day. Jagged Stone's single, Lift Up, comes out! It's the first one of our album cover collab, and I'm so excited. I've heard the demos of the song to get inspiration for the cover, and I can't wait to hear the final version. He's even taking us out for ice cream!" Marinette said.

"We have forty-five minutes until it comes out. Why not play it now?" Jagged Stone said.

"Really?" Nino and Alya said at the same time, stoked to hear the song.

Jagged laughed. "She really didn't play the demo for you guys?" He asked. "I assumed she would have for her best friends."

"I would never! I can't make the hype for your music go down if I went around sharing the demo," Marinette defended. "Although, Adrien did hear some of it. He surprised me and walked in while I was working. But he doesn't count."

Jagged grabbed his phone that was already hooked up to his limo. He started the song, as loud as he could make it. It started out slow, but was leading up to the major rockstar that Jagged Stone is. Everyone loved it, a coming of age song about getting back up on your feet after life throws you down.

"That was...glorious," Nino said. "We really got to listen to Jagged Stone's new song...with Jagged Stone!" He said.

Jagged laughed loudly. They had been at the ice cream place for a few minutes now, but listening to the song was much more critical. As they walked into the parlor, Jagged turned to Marinette and her camera. "Do you want to know a secret about the song?"

"Even if she says no," Adrien intervened, "The answer is yes."

Marinette rolled her eyes at Adrien. "I would love to know the secret," She said and pointed the camera at his face.

"It's actually about you," Jagged Stone smiled, making Marinette do a double-take. "I wrote it a while ago, after I found out you were Ladybug and you were going through a rough time. No matter what happened, you always bounced back and were back on your feet. You never gave up," He said.

"Seriously?" She asked, still in shock. "There's no way."

"Way! I'll have to show you the original lyrics with my notes sometime," Jagged said. "Now, let's get some ice cream." Marinette panned the camera to the ice cream shop, showing her friends already getting ice cream and talking amongst themselves. After they all got ice cream, they brought it back to the limo so that Fang could enjoy a treat too, and they continued talking to Jagged and Penny about the album and Marinette's designs. Penny slipped her a bag with a few mockups of how they would look when released hardcopy, and Marinette would definitely be looking at them later.

---

Later that night, in between editing, Marinette took a look at Twitter to see the response to Jagged's song and her design for him.

oh my gosh, Marinette's design for this song fits it so well. I can't wait to see ALL of the covers!!

man yall are really gonna make me buy every version of the album. im gonna go broke because of you.

Lift Up is my new anthem. It's so good. And to know it's based off Marinette is so cool. This new album is going to rock!!

So i'm still a little confused how the covers work- do we really have to buy every album to get all the covers? Like, I'm sure they're gonna be amazing based just of Lift Up alone but like, I don't have enough money to buy twelve albums. Either way, great song!!

im so excited for the album you guys don't even know. when will we have a release date?

I can't wait for the video Marinette and Alya teased on twitter like i am SO HERE for this jagged x marinette collab i love seeing them work together

JAGGED @JaggedStone
Awesome feedback on the song and Marinette's design! Thanks all for listening, we are so excited to release the rest of the album. The release date will be out soon!

JAGGED @JaggedStone
I noticed some are confused about how the covers will work. There will be a few options. You can buy the album, with just one cover, like normal. Or, you can opt for the deluxe album with two extra songs and all of the covers that you can display or switch out as you please.

JAGGED @JaggedStone
We will also be selling merch! Shirts, posters, and maybe some other goodies, with all the covers on it. I've seen some mockups, and it looks incredible. Marinette is still putting final touches on everything, but trust me, you guys are going to love it.

JAGGED @JaggedStone
And make sure to follow @MarinetteDC to keep up with her!

Chapter Text

Alya, Nino, and Chloé were ecstatic. On Friday, Master Fu had left Miraculous boxes in their rooms for them. Clearly, he agreed it would be beneficial to have the extra backup against Hawkmoth and his newfound persuasiveness. Marinette knew it was hard for Master Fu to let other Kwamis out in the world, but it would really give Marinette and Adrien a hand.

And they had been helping out! Hawkmoth akumatized a kid over the weekend, and it was the perfect chance to give Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee a chance to get back out there. It's safe to say Hawkmoth wasn't expecting it, and he was probably going to up his game with there being more Miraculous holders against him. The team needed to be prepared.

After a week, Adrien and Marinette have been having as many sleepovers as they can get. Adrien keeps telling his father and Nathalie he has projects with her, and he kept calling or texting to say he was staying the night, it was safer than waiting around for a ride home. For some reason, Nathalie didn't argue it. 

"They asked me if I know who Rena Rouge and Carapce are," Adrien said as they raced in Mario Kart.

"What did you say?" Marinette asked. "Ha! Blue shell coming for you!" She cheered.

Adrien groaned when he dropped into fifth place. "I told them I had no clue. They and Chloé just showed up the other day, and we've been making do."

"Good idea," Marinette nodded. "We don't need anyone knowing their identities, us and Chloé are enough," She sighed. "Yes!" She jumped up as the screen showed he crossing the finish line in first place. "Told you I play too much Mario Kart."

With a defeated nod, Adrien laughed as Marinette went on to select the next course. "They also kind of mentioned they don't like how much I've been over here? They think it's weird."

"Well, are you going to stop?" Marinette turned her head to look at him.

"No way, I have to beat you at Mario Kart eventually!" He pushed her shoulder. "I told them I was at Nino's helping him catch up on school work."

Marinette chuckled when she selected Rainbow Road. "And they believed it because they don't like Nino and probably think he isn't good at school."

"Naturally," Adrien said. "God, I'm gonna fall off this map like seventeen times in the first lap. Why, Mari?"

Just as Adrien said that, he drove right off the course. He also drove off the course when he heard a crash. "What a shame! An Akuma attack!" Adrien called out. "Guess we can't finish the race."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "We'll be playing later," She said as the turned off the TV and stood up.

"Tikki."

"Plagg."

The two transformed into their superhero selves and saw a flash of light come from a few blocks away. Ladybug opened her yo-yo to call the others, but Rena Rouge and Carapace were already running towards her and Chat Noir, and Queen Bee was coming from behind. "Good, we all heard the crash," Ladybug announced and tucked her yo-yo back onto her waist. "Has anyone seen anything?"

"Not yet," Rena Rouge responded. "Just heard the Akuma come from that way," She pointed behind her. "And Carapace and I figured this is where we would find you."

Queen Bee furrowed her eyebrows. "What? No, the Akuma came from that way," She pointed in the opposite direction.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other. "Don't tell me there's two," Chat Noir said. "That's not...normal?" He sighed.

"Okay, I guess we have to split up. Carapace, you come with me. The three of you head towards the one Rena Rouge heard," She directed to the group. "Everyone, stay safe."

Ladybug and Carapace took off in the opposite direction. "Two akumas? Has he done that before?" Carapace asked Ladybug.

"Not to start with. We've had it where they can duplicate, but that doesn't normally happen until after a little while," She replied. "I'm not even sure if they're the same Akuma, or two different people."

Ladybug held her yo-yo up to her ear. "Chat, you guys see anything?" She asked.

"Yeah, over by the school. You?" He replied.

"Not yet," Just as she said that, there was a crash right around the corner. "Now we do."

Chat Noir grunted as he jumped out of the way. "All this Akuma has done is throw cars at us and grunt. He hasn't said anything."

"We're just encountering ours. Stay safe," She said and put the yo-yo back on her waist. She nodded to Carapace, and at the same time they began running towards the Akuma. It looked like Stoneheart, but three times his size and a lot more violent. Stoneheart was years ago, why did Hawkmoth decide to create this one now?

Carapace laughed. "The old man must be running out of ideas," He said. 

"Maybe we can beat him the same way we did years ago," Ladybug thought out loud. Just as she was about to call her lucky charm, Carapace yelled and grabbed her arm.

"Shell-ter!" He screamed, and a shield popped up around them. "What the hell is happening?" He asked as they stared at the Akuma.

The Akuma seemed to pixelate, and was shrinking down. The Akuma was now a copy of The Puppeteer, but again, three times the original size. "Manon?" Ladybug called out. She looked so different, but that was what she looked like when she was Akumatized. 

"I am not Manon!" The Akuma yelled. "I am Copy. And you will give me your Miraculous!" The Akuma demanded. Though they looked like the Puppeteer, they sounded nothing like Manon. The voice was distorted, switching from really deep to really high, and everything in between.

"Well, this should be...interesting," Ladybug signed and called Chat Noir on her yo-yo. "You figure out what your Akuma can do?"

Chat Noir was breathing heavily. "Oh yeah," He said as he was running. "Yours changing from Akuma to Akuma, too?"

"Yep. Twins, maybe?"

"That, or one is a fake," Chat Noir replied.

"I doubt it," Ladybug said. "He wouldn't want to risk not getting a Miraculous."

With a groan, Chat Noir hung up his baton. "What's she been saying?" Ladybug asked Carapace.

Carapace shrugged. "I think they're trying to persuade you again."

"I won't let that happen. I've got too many other things to worry about and won't be persuaded," Ladybug determined.

"And if it takes over, you now I got your back, dude," Carapace promised.

Ladybug smiled and nodded. "Okay, I have a plan."

As Ladybug explained the plan quickly and quietly to Carapace, Copy was shifting into any Akuma that could break through the forcefield. Nothing was working, but it sure was distracting. 

As Copy retreated back to switch Akumas again, the forcefield dropped to start the plan.

"Ah, I see you're finally deciding to join me," Copy, now Silencer with a twist, pointed out. They changed again, now as Lady Wifi, holding up the phone and ready to strike.

Copy started throwing the pause buttons at Ladybug and Carapace, both of them dodging flawlessly. Copy was clearly getting frustrated. "Come on, Marinette," Copy sing-songed. "Where's Adrien? Aren't you worried that since you guys are separated, he could be hurt?" Copy asked. "If you give me your Miraculous, you could go save him now."

Ladybug stopped moving and stared at Copy. "Ladybug! Don't!" Carapace yelled as he stood next to her.

She burst out laughing. "You think I'd fall for that again?" She directed at Copy. "No way! I know the rest of my team is safe, and they're just as strong. Hawkmoth really needs to learn some new tricks."

"Come on," Copy egged on. "Listen to me, your best friend," They continued. "Go ahead and hand it over."

Ladybug didn't move again, but saw Carapace sneak away while Copy was focused on Ladybug. She was staring at Copy, while Copy was slowly getting closer.

Marinette didn't realize how long the back and forth lasted, but it was a while. She continued to lead Copy to believe she almost was going to give up her earrings, but at the last second would back out. She couldn't imagine how annoyed Hawkmoth was, but she knew he wouldn't give up.

Finally, after Copy was almost going to give up, Carapace threw his shield from behind and hit Copy in the head. Copy fell forward, and at the perfect time, Carapace yelled, "Shell-ter!" And captured Ladybug and Copy into a green forcefield. 

Copy was nearly losing consciousness, which seemed to make it hard to focus on being Lady Wifi. Copy pixelated again, turning back into what Ladybug guessed was what Copy really looked like. She picked up the piece of paper in Copy's hand.

"Oops," She said when she ripped it in half, and the Akuma flew out. "Well, isn't that lucky! No more evildoing for you, little Akuma."

Ladybug captured the Akuma, and Carapace dropped the forcefield. They high-fived each other, and ran as fast as they could to find the other three heroes and capture the other Akuma. Just as Ladybug and Carapace arrived, they saw their Akuma pixelating just like the other one, and Rena Rouge snapped the paper out of Copy's hand. "Gotcha!" Ladybug yelled as she landed in front of Copy and the other heroes.

"Talk about perfect timing," Rena Rouge said as the purified Akuma flew away. 

"Where's Chat?" Ladybug asked, looking around.

Rena Rouge pointed to a building a few rooftops away. "He got hit and went to go recharge, but Queen Bee and I handled the rest of Copy. Speaking of, we should help them get home."

Ladybug nodded. "Yeah, of course. You and Carapace can take care of that, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's no problem," Rena Rouge said and started to walk towards her respectful twin.

Ladybug took off toward the rooftop Chat Nour was on. "Adrien, are you okay?" She said when she saw Chat Noir laying on the roof.

Chat Noir started to sit up. "Yeah, I'm good. Just a little hit."

Grabbing his hands, she helped Chat Noir stand up. "You had me worried," Ladybug said as she pulled him into a hug.

When they released, Chat Noir and Ladybug- no, Adrien and Marinette, were staring at each other. With very little thought, they looked at each other, and leaned in to share a kiss.

---

Alya Césaire @alyacesaire

WE'RE WINNING TODAY BOYS

Chapter Text

The next day, Friday

Tikki, like usual nowadays, woke Marinette up while Plagg just screamed at Adrien to get up. They were beat from the fight yesterday and barely talked when they got back to the bakery, falling right asleep. Master Fu's cure must be working if they've been sleeping so well. But when she woke up, she did not hear the endless Plagg nagging. Though confused, Marinette checked her phone to ask Adrien where he is.

But before she got the chance to ask him, he had already sent a text to her.

Adrien: Sorry, I had to meet Nino at school early! Helping him with a project and I forgot to tell you! I'll see you in class :)

Marinette shrugged it off and started to get ready. She was still a little tired from the day before, but she would tough it out, and things would go back to normal. Maybe now that Hawkmoth knows there are other heroes, he'll just give up. But that's wishful thinking.

Like normal, Marinette had taken too much time to get ready and was darting out the door to get to class on time. Alya told her to bring her camera because they had plans after school, and with that in one hand, she was juggling everything else.

"You'd think a girl with superpowers would learn to use them to be on time," Alya giggled when Marinette got in the classroom with only a minute to spare.

"I still made it here, didn't I?" Marinette smirked. "It's tough work getting all my stuff done, and to show up on time."

Alya leaned in closer to Marinette. "So," She started. "What's up with you and Adrien?"

Marinette's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Alya sighed. "I saw you guys kiss yesterday. Then you guys went back to your house? And you're going to tell me what do you mean?" Alya asked.

"Oh," She chuckled. "Nothing happened. We went home and fell asleep. We were tired. Then this morning he had to leave early to meet Nino."

"Are you kidding me?" Alya asked. "You guys are going to talk about it, right?"

"Probably. It's not my main priority, though. If it comes up, great. If we're too busy to talk about it first thing, that's fine, too."

Alya rolled her eyes. "You drive me crazy."

"It's what I'm best at," Marinette shrugged, and they opened up their books to actually pay attention in class.

---

Adrien: Are you busy tonight?

Mari: Alya and I are going fabric shopping and other shenanigans for a video. But after that I'm free.

Adrien: I need a rematch on rainbow road

Mari: you brought this upon yourself, Agreste, prepare to lose. AGAIN!

Adrien: Oh no, I'm ready. I shall prevail.

Mari: you better be ready to put your money where your mouth is

Mari: haha I'm with Alya right now and she says we should live stream our rematch

Adrien: I'm down. I need the world to see me finally win against Ladybug!!

Mari: we'll talk about it later ;)

Marinette looked up from her phone when here and Alya arrived at the fabric shop. Sometimes they go to regular craft stores that carry fabric, but they both know the best place to go to is the fabric specific shop — so many fabrics.

It's Marinette's heaven. Alya grabbed the camera from Marinette and started the video. "Hi! I'm Alya," She mimicked Marinette's introduction. "And today, we're bringing back the Alya and Marinette Paris shenanigans. I know you all have missed these vlogs, so today we're at Marinette's favorite place..." Alya dragged out. She turned the camera around to look at Marinette. She shot her hands up at the fabric store's sign with a big smile on her face.

"It's my favorite place in the world!" Marinette said, then spun around. "We're buying fabric yet again, and I have some ideas in mind for some projects."

The two headed inside the fabric store, Marinette touching every piece that looked appealing and freaking out as she looked at the endless rows. "It's been so long since we've been here. I need to stock up again," She said.

"Everyone say: thank you, Alya," Alya joked from behind the camera.

"Thank you, Alya, the most bestest friend ever," Marinette said. "Seriously. I haven't said thank you enough recently. You've done so much for me, and I have no idea how I would survive without you."

Alya gave Marinette puppy eyes. "Aw, girl, that was so sweet. I love you!"

They continued laughing and picking out piles of fabric for upcoming projects. It was a good thing Alya was there, because if it weren't for Alya telling her to stop spending money, she would have been in there for days.

Alya assisted carrying all the fabric back to Marinette's house. They were giggling as they dropped all the material in the doorway, and Alya was still trying to hold the camera. "Oh, good, the girls are home," Tom said. "Alya, will you be staying for dinner?"

As they picked up the fabric, Alya shrugged. "I'll give my mom a call, but probably."

They finally got the door closed and placed all the fabric on the couch. "You missed it," Sabine called to them. "Look who's helping make dinner!" She pointed to Adrien, who was so quiet that Alya and Marinette didn't even see him.

"It all smells amazing, so he's probably not doing too bad," Marinette said. "As long as there's no camembert in there, we're good."

Tom laughed. "It's already all gone! I had no idea someone could eat that much stinky cheese," He said. Though he probably didn't understand why it was all gone, they hadn't introduced Tom and Sabine to their Kwami's yet. But maybe they should.

"You know it's not Adrien eating the cheese, right?" Marinette asked.

"I figured you and Adrien ate it for late-night snacks," Tom shrugged.

With a laugh, Marinette shook her head. "Oh, no. Not us, at least. It's all for Adrien's Kwami," She said. "The little god that allows him to turn into Chat Noir."

"Mari!" Adrien sighed. "Don't summon him," He said.

"I think it's time to let them know," Marinette said. "My little god is Tikki," She opened up her purse where Tikki was listening. "She's the best."

Tikki flew out and stared at Marinette. "Really? What made you make this decision all of a sudden? You're getting more and more impulsive every day."

---

They decided against streaming the Rainbow Road rematch. Marinette assured Adrien they would live stream another one, but she wasn't in the mood to stream tonight. She was still kind of exhausted from the Akuma yesterday and just wanted to have a relaxing, intense game of Mario Kart.

Before they had the rematch of the century, they played some of the more tamer courses to get back into it. "Hey, thanks for helping my parents with dinner. They love having you around," Marinette told Adrien before they began yelling at each other over a banana.

"Oh, of course!" Adrien said. "How else can I show my thanks for them letting me stay here? I don't want to intrude, but I really don't want to go home. I feel like we're better if we're together," He said.

"You know they don't mind it. They know how stressed we've been, and they're just happy that now we're actually getting sleep," She reminded him. "And seriously, they love you."

"Yes! Take that!" Adrien shouted as he hit Marinette with a red shell and passed her right before finishing the race. "But yeah, they're the best. I want to do anything I can to help out and show them how thankful I am."

Marinette selected the aforementioned Rainbow Road to enact her revenge. Surprisingly, Adrien wasn't doing as bad as the other day, and he was confident. He was in third place while Marinette was in first, but they weren't too far away from each other. Marinette was extremely focused, especially in the third lap, she couldn't afford to let Adrien beat her at this.

Halfway through the last lap, Adrien was now in second, and tailing right behind Marinette. Adrien gasped, but Marinette didn't budge. "Oh! I forgot to ask. My father is hosting a charity gala in a few weeks, and a bunch of famous fashion people will be there. Want to be my plus one?" Adrien asked.

"What?" Marinette asked, turning her head to look at him, and driving off the side of the road. "Adrien!" She screamed when she realized she was bumped down to sixth place, and Adrien won.

"Yes!" He jumped up and shouted.

"That's cheating! You distracted me!" Marinette yelled back.

Adrien shook his head. "I was asking a serious question at the right time, Marinette," Adrien smirked. "So, should I take that as a yes...?"

"Of course, I wouldn't miss out on something like that. I'm still mad at you, but I'm not going to pass that up," Marinette said, and punched his arm. Adrien sat back down with a massive smile on his face. "Hey, I've been meaning to talk to you about something. You remember yesterday, and the Akuma, right?"

"Yeah. That Akuma's shots hurt like hell," Adrien chuckled. "They turned into Alya for a bit, and that really messed with my head."

Marinette sighed, realizing Adrien wasn't understanding what she was getting at. "No, I meant like, after the Akuma."

Adrien's eyes widened. "Oh."

Marinette opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get it out, her phone rang. "What, Alya?" She asked.

"There's an Akuma at the Bourgeois hotel. Can you guys make it here?"

---

The two stood in the dark lair filled with butterflies, not looking at each other.

"I don't understand how they beat my copies," Gabriel grumbled. "I need to figure out who Rena Rouge and Carapace are; then I can get in their heads and take all of their Miraculous."

Nathalie walked closer to him. "Sir, maybe we should use the-"

"No!" Gabriel shouted. "I'm getting close. This is a minor setback, them gathering their friends. An oversight by me, I admit, but I will succeed. They will give up their Miraculous in no time," Gabriel sighed. "Any updates on Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

Nathalie sighed and opened up her tablet. "Not much. Her parents have no issue with her being Ladybug, and continue to house Adrien because they feel safer together. I'm sure Adrien has invited her to the gala already."

Gabriel nodded. "Good, our plan will fall together, and soon," He said. "Ah, I feel anger. Nooroo, dark wings rise!"

Chapter Text

"This should be relatively easy to beat," Ladybug said as the band of heroes stood watching the Akuma.

"I promise this one wasn't me!" Queen Bee came running up to the group. "I saw it happen, actually. It was one of the receptionist girls," She started to explain. "They were talking about Jagged Stone coming back to Paris next week, and one of them brought up the collab Marinette is working on with him. It became this whole heated debate over nothing, because the Akuma thinks you're fake and not worth-while, and she was outraged."

Ladybug nodded. "Okay, I take it back. Not that easy," She said.

Queen Bee agreed. "Yeah, but at least we know what to expect?"

"She has a point," Rena Rouge said. "The Akuma is going to go after you, so we've got to play it smart."

"Do we have any idea what powers this Akuma has?" Chat Noir asked, all of them turned away from the hotel.

The girls shook their heads. "Uh, guys?" Carapace interrupted. "The Akuma's leaving without even acknowledging us...?" He pointed.

"Oh, no," Ladybug sighed. "She's heading to the bakery."

The team took off, jumping from roof to roof to get to the bakery as fast as they could. "Adrien and I were playing video games while my parents were cleaning up the kitchen. Hopefully, they got out of there when we left," Ladybug announced.

She was wrong. The five heroes stared in shock as the Akuma blasted the roof off their house, jumping out of the home holding Tom and Sabine in a giant bubble-like cage. "Oh, what perfect time for you all to show up!" The Akuma said, sickeningly sweet. "Who should I add to my collection next?"

"Split up!" Ladybug shouted, and they all ran in different directions. The Akuma followed Rena Rouge and Carapace first, and after an illusion failed to trick the Akuma, she caught Rena Rouge. Carapace stood protected by his shell-ter, but who knows how long that would hold. Queen Bee was out of sight, and Chat Noir and Ladybug were on opposite sides of the Akuma.

"Oh, Marinette. I know your name, but you don't know mine. I'm Organizer. I have a collection started, and your Miraculous would be a great addition."

Ladybug sighed. "Sorry, not for sale," She said. "Chat! Now!" Ladybug yelled.

Organizer turned around at light speed, and before Chat Noir could pounce, she shot a bubble-like cage at him, and caught him. The three cages floated around Organizer, and she seemed pleased. "Hawkmoth will be so happy to see you, Adrien. Now all I need is Marinette," Organizer admired Chat Noir trying to break out of the cage. He couldn't speak in the cage, so he couldn't call for his cataclysm, either.

Carapace knew if he let his shield down he would be captured immediately. "Lu-"

"I wouldn't do that, Marinette," Organizer sing-songed. "If you do, Chat Noir will be the first to go to Hawkmoth."

Ladybug sighed. "Okay, what do you want me to do, then?"

"Well," Organizer started. "Hand over your Miraculous, and I'll let your parents go right now. You have thirty seconds to decide before I send them to Hawkmoth."

Ladybug's jaw dropped. She could see her parents gesturing at her, but she knew she couldn't let Hawkmoth near her parents. Organizer was counting down, and once she hit ten seconds, Ladybug finally spoke.

"Fine. You can have my earrings," Ladybug said.

"Oh, goody!" Organizer smiled wide.

Ladybug slowly lifted her hands to her earrings. If she called spots off, she would have to see Tikki and admit what she was doing. By jus taking them off, she could get away without having to give a second thought.

Ladybug took one earring off, her mask and suit seeming to glitch out. "No!" Carapace yelled and dropped his shield. He ran for Ladybug, but was caught by Organizer before he could stop her.

Ladybug took off her other earring as her parents and friends watched in disbelief. Marinette looked at both the earrings in her hand as she started to walk closer to Organizer, slowly and sadly.

Just as Marinette was about to hand over the earrings and get her friends and family back, she saw bright yellow pop up from behind. "Venom!" Queen Bee yelled, and stung Organizer in the back. All the bubble-like cages popped, and the heroes adjusted to being back to normal. Rena Rouge rushed over to Marinette's parents while Carapace shielded himself and Marinette.

Chat Noir called his cataclysm, and Queen Bee showed Chat Noir where the Akuma was. Quickly, the Akuma was flying out, and Marinette quickly turned back into Ladybug, shielded by her friends, so no one saw how it all worked. She purified the Akuma, used the cure, and her and Rena Rouge took Marinette's parents home. The other three stayed to help the receptionist, and soon Adrien was also at the Dupain-Cheng home to make sure everyone was okay.

Once her parents got to bed, the three sat in the living room. "I can't believe I took off my Miraculous," She said. "But I couldn't bear the thought of my parents being with Hawkmoth."

"Girl, we understand. I would have done the same thing. It's just a good thing Chloé came back when she did," Alya said.

"She apologized for leaving," Adrien cut in. "She said she went back to the hotel to figure out where the Akuma was since this Akuma was going to be hard to beat. She didn't think all that would happen in the few minutes she was gone," Adrien explained.

Marinette sighed and slumped into the couch. "I feel like I'm so stupid. How could I let all of that fall apart so quickly?"

"Mari," Adrien started. "If she were targeting me the way she did you, I would have reacted the exact same way. Don't feel bad. None of this is your fault, and we still beat the Akuma. Another day closer to beating Hawkmoth, right?" Adrien comforted her.

Alya left soon after the conversation, having to get home to let her family know she wasn't near the attack. Adrien and Marinette talked for a bit longer, but she really wasn't feeling up to it. So, finally, they decided to go to bed.

For the first time since Adrien has been with her, she wasn't able to sleep. Her thoughts were all over the place, and she couldn't make sense of them. Like any other human, she gave up on sleep, and decided to browse Twitter.

wow...that akuma attack today was rough. now I really understand why secret identities are so important.

yo fuck that guy who posted the video of mari and adrien. if he didn't do that hawkmoth wouldn't have so much hanging over their heads. her parents could have been seriously hurt.

Marinette is so strong. I would have done the same thing, I couldn't imagine what that choice felt like. Good think Queen Bee was there!

hawkmoth really is insane huh? He's going harder and harder with each akuma. uuuuuugh can't this guy have a normal hobby like sports or cars or something why does he have to fight teenagers every day

ha, guess this proves even more marinette dupain cheng isn't fit to be ladybug, look how quick she was to give up her miraculous

i love this team. they all work well together and take it seriously. couldn't ask for better heroes to protect paris <3

How many more days do we have to go hearing about every little thing marinette dc does? I'm so tired of her just kill hawkmoth already so my timeline can go back to normal

I'm so so so glad everyone is all right from the akuma today. it was a close one. hope that the team can get to hawkmoth   soon!  @MarinetteDC  you know your fans have your back!!

Though there were plenty of hate comments, saying that she shouldn't be Ladybug or how annoying she is, the good and supportive people definitely overpowered them. She was thankful for such a sweet fanbase, even if there is a bad apple every so often.

Finally, after about an hour of scrolling, she fell asleep. Tikki was even sure she saw a small smile on her face...those supportive comments really do affect her, and Tikki was glad to see Marinette appreciated.

Chapter Text

Saturday

Marinette and Adrien were exhausted from two Akumas two days in a row. Usually, there's a break in between, but Hawkmoth is not holding back any longer. They were going to take the chance to relax on Saturday morning.

By playing their favorite past time, Mario Kart. And decided to live stream it for the fans.

Marinette got all the equipment set up, and everything was ready to go before Adrien could even blink. She counted down, and went live on YouTube. "Hi!" She started. "I'm Marinette, and of course, you all know Adrien. Today, we're doing something a little different, as you can tell: we're playing video games!" Marinette started.

"I've posted only a few videos of video games, and I think it was only Mecha Strike III, which we love," She said. "But recently, Adrien and I have been obsessed with Mario Kart. Plus, we get a little too intense to stream Mecha Strike. I'm not sure I want to risk that live," She chuckled.

"So, Mario Kart it is!" Adrien said. "I was awful, but I'm working on it to get better. The other day I beat Mari at Rainbow Road," He said, proud.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "You cheated by inviting me to that gala."

"I think that's your fault you got distracted," Adrien shrugged. "What are we starting with?"

Marinette scrolled through the choices. "Maybe we should start with a circuit. To get warmed up."

"I'm fired up!" Adrien said. "Let's do the track where you can do all the jump boosts. That one's fun," Adrien suggested, and Marinette agreed. Playing video games on a live stream was different for them, but they had a great time, and the fans love hearing their banter. As they continued getting into harder courses, the tone was becoming less conversational, and there was a lot more yelling at each other.

And Marinette beat his ass at Rainbow Road.

---

Marinette was sketching outfits with a camera overhead so she could get the shots for a video. Since it was going to be a voice-over, she was on the phone with Alya while she worked.

"You guys still haven't talked?" Alya asked.

"Not yet. I tried to last night, but the Akuma cut us off," Marinette sighed. "He went back to the mansion to grab some things, but I don't know if it's the right time to talk."

Alya groaned. "It is one-hundred percent the right time to talk. If you don't talk about it, it's going to get awkward between you guys."

Marinette sighed and set down her pencil to let her hands rest. "I'm afraid it was a spur of the moment thing, and he doesn't actually like me."

"Girl," Alya started. "He sleeps at your house every night."

"You and I have sleepovers and don't have to talk about it," Marinette reminded her. "Besides, it's also because his father and Nathalie are crazy about Chat Noir, and we sleep a lot better in each other's company," She explained.

"And you don't think that means anything?" Alya nearly yelled. "Marinette, you have to talk to him as soon as possible. I'm serious. You guys kissed on a rooftop. Someone is bound to find it soon, and we don't want a repeat of when Dark Cupid caused you guys to kiss, and they sprung it out of nowhere, and you guys didn't know how to react," Alya reasoned. "Just...please talk about it. You know I just want to look out for you."

Marinette nodded, even though Alya couldn't see her. "Yeah, I get what you're saying. I'll talk to him when he gets back to the bakery. I'm going to finish up this video now, and I'll let you know how it goes."

"Good, okay. I'll talk to you later."

---

Adrien hoped to get into the mansion, get his stuff, and get out as fast as he could. He just needed a few things, and he really didn't want to run into his father. He got home and didn't hear anyone, which was a good sign, but once he was in his room, he heard voices. He already had all his stuff in a bag, but did not get out quick enough.

Adrien stood with his ear pressed against the door to hear what they were saying. It was muffled, and he could only make out certain things. But he was shocked.

"I know, Gabriel, but you must remain calm. Adrien has been spending the nights with Marinette, so at least they're together," Nathalie said.

"That is not the issue, Nathalie. He's out from right under me, what am I meant to do now?" Gabriel replied.

Nathalie thought for a moment. "You could tell him that Marinette is welcome to stay here. There's far more room for the two of them."

Gabriel didn't change his face. "No, that would cause suspicion. He invited Miss Dupain-Chang to the gala here. That's a good start."

Adrien and Plagg stared at each other as they were trying to comprehend what they thought they were hearing. He had to plan his getaway. He knew they wouldn't be pleased with him eavesdropping.

"Maybe he left something in his room that could be...of use," Nathalie suggested, and Adrien had to stop himself from hyperventilating. He had to act quickly, so he ran to the corner of his room and hid behind the couch. Pulling out his phone, he texted the one person that could distract Nathalie and his father.

Almost immediately, he heard heavy footsteps run up the hall. Followed by a quick grunt, both Nathalie and Gabriel walked off behind the footsteps.

Adrien sighed in relief. He'd have to get Gorilla a gift to thank him, but now, he needed to get out of the mansion and back to the Dupain-Cheng's.

Adrien ran out the side door and was thankful Gorilla left the gate open just long enough for him to get out. He couldn't risk turning into Chat Noir; people would have seen him.

As fast as he could, he ran to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. He said a quick hello to Tom and Sabine before running up the stairs, making them a little confused, but they laughed it off. Adrien ran into their home and up the stairs to Marinette's room. But before barging in, he made sure to knock and waited for her to allow him, because he's a gentleman.

"Marinette!" Adrien said, out of breath. He threw his bag on the floor as Plagg was laughing at him.

"What happened to you?" Marinette giggled along with Plagg.

Adrien took some deep breaths. "I heard my father and Nathalie talking. They were talking about you and me and our Miraculous. It was weird. It sounded like they were...making a plan? I don't know. I'm so confused," Adrien said and collapsed onto Marinette's chaise.

Marinette pursed her lips. "That is weird. Hmm, I wonder if there's anything we could do to find out more."

Plagg took a bite of his cheese he found in Marinette's room. "Ha, imagine how lucky it would be if you guys caught something during one of Marinette's videos!"

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other, thinking. "No, I've edited our videos so much I would have noticed something," Marinette said.

"All except one," Tikki interjected, causing all three of them to look at her, waiting for her to continue. "What about the day you and Adrien worked on your project? When you followed Adrien around the mansion, and Mr. Agreste kicked you out? You only cut it before you left his room, and didn't look at any of the second part of the video," Tikki reminded him.

Marinette gasped. "Oh my gosh, you're right!"

"Do you still have that? I thought you deleted it," Adrien said, trying not to get his hopes up.

Marinette nodded, rushing over to the box that held her diary. "Yes. I saved it to look over some time because it was funny. It's on a flash drive all by itself, locked in my diary box," Marinette said, opening the box.

Marinette opened up her laptop, and they started watching the video, extremely focused. They skipped to when they were out of Adrien's room and going around the house. They were right outside of Gabriel's office near the end, when something unusual flashed in the corner of the screen.

"Pause it," Adrien said. "Go back, put it in slow motion. What is that?" He pointed at the white thing in the corner. "Is that...a butterfly?"

Chapter Text

The two watched the part in slow motion multiple times, both their jaws dropped, and not saying anything. They were really hoping what they were seeing isn't what they thought it was, but after zooming in and watching it over and over, there was no way they could deny it.

"I can't do this," Adrien sighed, stood up, and went up the ladder to get the balcony, Plagg following. Marinette heard him transform and jump off the roof.

"Oh, gosh, Tikki," Marinette said. "I can't believe this."

Tikki flew in front of Marinette's face. "We can dive into this later. You should follow him and make sure he doesn't do anything he'll regret."

"You're right," Marinette said. "Tikki, spots on!" She called, and jumped out of the trap door and off the balcony, looking around for Chat. It wasn't too long of a chase, as she found him sitting atop the Eiffel Tower, detransformed.

As Marinette dropped onto the tower, she called spots off and sat next to Adrien. "Hey, it's gonna be okay. We don't even really know what we saw, it could be nothing," She tried to comfort him.

"No, Mari. Something's going on. There's a picture of my mother near where we were. Behind that is where we found that book so long ago," He said, "I never even thought about why he had it. What else is back there?" Adrien sighed.

"Don't beat yourself up, kid," Plagg said, "Neither of us realized it."

Adrien sighed and put his head in his hands. "I really hope it was nothing. I don't want to be right with where my mind is heading."

Marinette nodded. She was thinking the same thing, but was afraid to say it. "I don't want it to be right, either."

With a slight groan, Adrien put his head back up. "I can't mope. We need a plan to get in there and look behind the picture."

"He'll never let us near his office. Especially after I got kicked out with my camera," Marinette reminded him.

"That's true," Adrien said. "But he has to let you in for the gala. You're my guest! Man, for once, my father not leaving the house has come in handy. We'll be able to sneak off," Adrien said, smiling slightly.

"Good idea, Adrien," Marinette complimented. "But that's two weeks away. Can we wait that long?"

Adrien stood up. "We're going to have to. We should let the others know our plan. I'll set up a meeting for tomorrow," He said. "Plagg, claws out!"

"Where are you going?" Marinette looked up at him.

"I just need to clear my head. Don't worry; I'll be okay, I promise," He smiled. "Oh, are we still doing that video later?"

"Yeah, if you're up for it. My fans really liked the idea of us baking," Marinette said.

Adrien, as Chat Noir, pulled out his baton. "Great. I'll make sure to be back in time."

---

The bakery was closed, and since it was Saturday night, Adrien and Marinette could stay up later without having to worry about getting enough sleep. Marinette was waiting for Adrien to show up, as he promised he would be back to shoot the video.

Marinette's head shot up when she saw a flash of green outside the window. The bakery door opened with Adrien smiling wide, and making sure to lock the door behind him. "Hey, Mari. I'm not late, am I?"

"No, I was just setting up," She responded. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," Adrien sighed and nodded. "I'm better. I took some walks and sat in the quiet to let myself think." He said. "And Plagg and I talked, which was nice."

Marinette smiled. "That's good. You know we'll get through this. Together."

"I know," Adrien said. "So, what are we making?"

"Just some cupcakes, shouldn't be too hard," Marinette told him. "I have all our ingredients out; we just have to put it all together."

Adrien walked over to the camera. "Seems easy enough. Hopefully. Want me to start recording and then jump in?" He asked, and Marinette nodded.

"Yeah, just count me in," She told him, and he started to countdown. "Hi! I'm Marinette, and today, we're in the bakery."

"And!" Adrien shouted from behind the camera. "I'm here, too! She can't make bakery goodies without me. Sweets are my weakness."

Marinette nodded. "Of course, we can't forget you, Adrien."

"Well, the people do love me," Adrien winked. It just wasn't clear if he was winking at Marinette or the camera.

Marinette could tell he was still a little overwhelmed and upset, but he was putting on a character. He knew he didn't have to do this video if he didn't want to, but he was sucking it up to help Marinette out and have a good time.

Marinette started reading off measurements that they needed for the cake, and Adrien was cheerfully grabbing it for her. He was most excited to mix, but ended up getting flower all over the counter, floor, and their clothing.

"You are never allowed to mix again," Marinette declared, after much laughter. "Too much of a mess. I don't even know if we have enough batter left for a full-size cake!" She sighed as she looked around at the mess.

Adrien shrugged. "What can I say? I was a little excited."

"A little?" Marinette screeched.

"Okay, fine, a lot. Hey, all that matters is that we had fun, right?" He winked.

With a roll of the eyes, Marinette took back control and continued the recipe with enough banter between the two of them to suffice for a year. They finally got the cake in the oven, and Marinette bossed around Adrien while cleaning up, and the truth was that the cake was definitely a little smaller than a full-size.

They still frosted it to perfection and took the honorary bite, and it was, surprisingly, delicious. "It could use a little more flour, but you live, and you learn," Marinette smirked as Adrien stared into the camera like on TV. "So, I think I might need to change the objective of this channel," She said, knocking Adrien out of his trance. "So far, we have learned that you could not be an artist or draw designs, and now we learn you cannot be a baker. Maybe we should make a series of finding jobs Adrien couldn't do," Marinette recommended. 

"Oh, my god," Adrien gasped. "I am so down," He said. "We could do so much with that. There are so many different jobs," Adrien smiled and turned to the camera. "Hmm, what would you guys like to see Marinette and I try out job-wise? That could be so fun!"

"Yeah! Leave a comment letting us know what you think, and maybe we'll look into it and see if we could make this series be a thing. Everyone wants to know what is Adrien Agreste not good at?" Marinette giggled. "Alright, that's it for today! Make sure to follow both Adrien and I for updates and make sure to subscribe to never miss a new video, and maybe keep an eye out for Adrien...versus...jobs?" She ended, a little unsure of what she would call it. 

Marinette and Adrien both headed upstairs soon after they finished the video and put on a movie to fall asleep to. It had been a long and emotional day that they had to keep behind closed doors, but at least they could get some sleep. The next few days, and even weeks leading up to the gala, were going to be interesting. 

But Marinette and Adrien are ready to face it head-on.

Chapter Text

Oh my gosh, a series of you and Adrien trying jobs would be amazing. I love seeing you guys work together and the adventures would be AMAZING! Think of the ideas!!

at this point, they should just call the channel Marinette and Adrien

I love Mari and Adrien so much you guys should just get married

I miss Alya :'(

Omg yes please do Adrien vs jobs. I wanna see him try to record a song with jagged stone or be a reporter with Alya or learn to play guitar in a band I want it ALL

we all know Adrien is great at fencing but what other sports is he good at #adrienvsjobs play on a professional soccer (I guess it's football for y'all though) team

I would say you guys should make another channel just for the Adrienette situations but then all your subs here wouldn't get to see all the beautiful content. please don't make a separate channel because it all works so well here

omg #AdrienVSJobs is trending on twitter mari

It was. People loved the idea of seeing Adrien "trying to find a job," and were giving thousands of suggestions. It was something they would definitely have to get on to make it happen. But that would have to happen later, Adrien and Marinette had already invited the rest of the team over for a meeting. They needed to tell them what they know.

Marinette pulled up the video on her computer as the group sat in a circle in her room. "So, Adrien and I found something," Marinette sighed. "This is the video I took the day his father kicked me out, and we just looked at it for the first time yesterday."

She played the section of the video for them a few times to get them to catch what they saw. "What was that?" Alya gasped. "Don't tell me it is what I think it is."

"No, I think you're right," Nino agreed.

"Are you kidding me?" Chloé groaned when she realized as well. "So, are we sending an ambush?"

"No," Adrien shook his head. "We need to be one-hundred percent sure. In about a week and a half, Marinette and I are attending the gala my father is hosting. We'll mingle for a while, and sneak away when we have the chance. We're going to double and triple check before we do anything," He explained. "But, you guys should be on call."

Chloé scoffed. "I'm not allowed to go to the gala, but I'll be around."

"I can try to get a press pass," Alya said, "But no promises."

Nino shrugged. "I won't be able to get in, but I'll be ready."

"Good," Marinette said and shut her computer. "We all need to be ready for the worst. I don't want Gabriel to be Hawkmoth, but if he is, then he's dangerous," Marinette said.

"Adrien," Chloé called his attention. "How are you holding up?"

Adrien shrugged. He hasn't said much during this meeting because he didn't want to freak out like he did yesterday. He had thoughts going in his head non-stop, and he was kind of confused about the whole situation. "I don't know. Plagg and I talked a bit yesterday after Mari, and I talked, but it's still a lot to think about," Adrien admitted. 

Speaking of the Kwamis, they were unusually very quiet. They were sitting on Marinette's desk, watching their owners talk about the video. They were silent, knowing how important and stressful this was for them. "Well," Marinette said. "We really just wanted to update you guys on what's going on. The Akuma's have been harder lately, and I appreciate everyone fighting in this fight. We will beat Hawkmoth, if he's Gabriel or not."

Adrien nodded. "Yes, we'll take him down and bring Paris back to normal," Adrien added.

"Pound it?" Marinette smirked and stuck her fist out.

The rest of the team chuckled and mimicked her actions. "Pound it."

---

Later that day, after the group went their separate ways, Alya was on the way to an interview. As she was walking, she called Marinette...mostly to yell at her.

Marinette, on the other hand, was beginning the design of her dress. She had it sketched out and was almost really to start cutting and sewing. But that didn't stop Alya from lecturing her.

"You need to talk to Adrien," She said to Marinette. "And before you say it, it will never be a good time. You just need to get it over with- he's not going to stop being friends with you, and I'm sure he's been thinking about it, too. Probably just too nervous to talk about it," Alya reasoned.

Marinette groaned. "I know, but I'm nervous, too," She said.

"I know, girl," Alya said. "But maybe this is the push you guys need. You tried to tell Adrien for two years about your crush, and it never worked. Now that you guys are friends and partners, it will probably be a lot easier. Plus, think about how happy the girls will be when they find out you finally made a move!" Alya joked.

The call was silent for a moment while Marinette thought about her argument. Finally, she gave in. "Fine, I'll talk to him when he gets back. He went to the store to get some snacks, and then we're going to start talking about the new Adrien vs. Jobs videos we want to do," She explained. "But I promise we'll talk tonight."

"Good," Alya said, and Marinette could hear her smile through the phone. "Well, I just made it to the place where I'm doing the interview, so I expect an update later."

"Of course," Marinette giggled. "I'll talk to you later."

As if on cue, there was a knock at Marinette's trap door with Adrien peering in right after. "I got the goods!" He said as he entered her room, a big smile on his face. Marinette was sat at her desk, so Adrien set all the stuff on the chaise as he sat next to it. "So, what are we thinking for Adrien vs. Jobs?" He asked.

Marinette shrugged and grabbed her notebook. "I got a lot of tweets and comments about it. People really want to see you work the register in the bakery, make a song with Jagged Stone, and have you learn the guitar. There's also a lot of people who want to see you play soccer," She said. "But I think the easiest one will be either the register or the guitar," Marinette read off.

"Honestly, I'd be excited to do any of those," Adrien said. "But maybe the register and bakery one will be the best way to feel out the waters," He nodded.

Marinette circled it on her page and set the notebook back on her desk. "Right, I'll talk to my parents about it," She said. "Can...can we talk?" She asked, much quieter.

"Of course?" Adrien said, but it came out more like a question.

With a deep breath, she knew there was no going back. "So, you remember the Akuma Copy?" She asked, and Adrien nodded in response. "And do you remember what happened...after I captured the Akuma? After you were hit?"

Adrien thought for a moment; then his eyes went wide when he realized what Marinette was hinting at. "Yes... Is something wrong?" He asked.

"No! Not at all," Marinette shook her head. "Alya saw it, so other people probably saw it. And, Adrien," Marinette took another pause. "I don't know about you, but I've loved becoming closer friends and being partners these past few years, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the kiss," She rambled a bit, trailing off at the end.

Adrien stared at Marinette, and slowly a smile crept onto his face. "No, I one-hundred percent agree."

"Are you really going to make me spell it out?"  She groaned.

Adrien knew what he was doing, and he was going to continue to play dumb. "Spell what out, my lady?"

"Ugh," She huffed. "Adrien, do you want to go out?"

Adrien stood up. "I would be honored," He said with a bow.

"But!" Marinette cut him off. "We probably shouldn't let it be too public. You know, for safety reasons."

Adrien walked closer to Marinette. "Whatever you wish," He said, and kissed her on the cheek.

Chapter Text

Marinette had a camera set up facing her mannequin, which was in front of her chaise lounge. On the chaise lounge were Alya and Adrien, so Marinette had backup while she worked on her dress for the gala. She needed backup, mainly for the reason that it was the first time she had ever live-streamed creating a design. 

Sure, she had posted so many design videos and tutorials she couldn't even keep track of it anymore. But she had never been live while working on anything, only the occasional one with Alya for a question and answer game.

Adrien and Alya were eating the snacks as Alya watched the comments on Marinette's YouTube live-stream. She was reading off comments, compliments, and most questions that came up to keep the commentary entertaining. Of course, the banter between the three of them was just as entertaining as well.

"This person asked what you're making this dress for," Alya asked. "I think you explained it at the beginning, but a lot more people have joined now."

"Oh!" Marinette said and turned to the camera. "Well, Adrien invited me to go to the Agreste Gala in about two weeks because he knows how much I love fashion. So, I have to make my own gown." She explained. "It's going to be a really fun event, and I'm excited."

Alya groaned. "I can't believe I couldn't get a press pass. It's unfair!"

"Yeah, but trust me, it wouldn't have been your scene," Adrien shrugged. 

"Are you kidding me?" Alya asked. "Any place I can get a good story is my scene. Besides, you do know who helps Marinette with her fashion channel, right?" Alya smirked.

Adrien awkwardly chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. "Ah, I guess you have a point there. Can...we go back to questions?"

"Sure, this one is for you!" Alya said. "Have you been modeling less lately?"

Adrien shrugged. "Well, I guess I should probably address it. I guess I've kind of taken a break. You know, I don't want to endanger anyone by being out and doing photoshoots. I still do some, sometimes, but I haven't been living at home recently, so planning them is kind of hard. I'm still doing fencing, though!" Adrien explained. "Hey, Mari, want me to model your dress?"

Marinette giggled. "I think I can handle this one."

"Next question is asking if you guys have planned anything for Adrien vs. Jobs?" Alya asked. "For the record, I better be invited to some of those. They'll be fun."

"Oh yeah!" Adrien started. "We're going to be doing the first one soon. I don't know if we should spoil anything, but I'm really excited," Adrien said. 

Marinette stepped back to look at her work in progress. "Yes, it's going to be so much fun!"

Adrien kept seeing his name appear in the chat, and he read as fast as he could to try to understand why the fans were freaking out.

Adrien you're not living at home?? are you ok?

what happened to adrien?

Adrien where are you staying if you're not staying at home

did gabriel do something because I will fly to paris right now and fight him myself

why aren't you living at home?

omg are you staying with marinette because i SHIP IT

adrien, are you okay? I get not modeling and stuff, but what happened at home?

Adrien pointed at the comments and Alya read along. "Guys, don't worry. I'm okay, and it's just better for Marinette and me to stay together. Plus, getting muffins for breakfast is the best part of it all," Adrien said.

"It's been fun. He's been helping my parents with dinners, and we play a lot of video games," Marinette smiled at the camera and stepped back to admire her piece. "It's getting there. What do you guys think?"

While the comments flooded with praise to Marinette, there were a few critiques and others demanding pictures of her and Adrien at the gala. Her fans loved seeing her work and also listen to her and her friend's bicker, but then all of a sudden, a link was being spammed in the comments.

"Hmm, what's this?" Alya asked and clicked on the link as all three of them gathered around the screen. Marinette gasped loudly when she saw the picture come on the screen with the headline "LADYBUG KISSES CHAT NOIR AFTER AKUMA ATTACK? WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?" from an American gossip blog. 

Marinette composed herself and took a deep breath. "You guys know how I feel about talking about my superhero side. Let's just get back to the dress and talking."

Adrien shared a concerned look with Alya as they reset and went back to normal. "Uh, Mari, the chat is kind of going crazy."

Marinette sighed and went over to the computer again to read what everyone was saying. Adrien knew it was best if he stayed quiet, he didn't want to say anything he would regret or make Alya or Marinette mad, or even make the whole situation worse. Being quiet was the best choice.

OMGRNJAWKDNWJ THE K I S S THEY'RE TOGETHER THEY'RE TOGETHER

THE SHIIIIIIIIPPPPPP 

OHMYGOSH THEY ARE SO TOGETHER? I MEAN, ADRIEN LIVING WITH MARINETTE, HER PARENTS LOVING HIM, HIM MAKING DINNER, THEM GOING ON DATES AS VIDEOS, ITS BEEN A THING FOREVER!

i love them so much im so happy theyre finally together

omg!!! couples tag!! with alya and nino!!

the picture is SO CUTE! when did you guys start dating??

Marinette stood back in front of the camera. "All right guys, we've got to get going. Thanks so much for tuning into the live stream to see me work on my gala dress! I'll be sure to show you guys the finished product, too. Make sure to check us all out on social media to keep updated, and I'll see you in the next video!" Marinette ended, and Alya shut off the live stream.

Marinette sighed loudly as she sat on the chaise lounge next to Adrien. "Well," Alya said, "At least you guys have talked about it, so it's not as awkward," She tried to help.

"She has a point," Adrien said, "People were bound to find it sooner or later. Might as well address it now," Adrien added.

"I guess so," Marinette shrugged. "So much for keeping it a secret," She giggled and grabbed her phone.

"What are you going to do?" Alya asked.

With a smirk, Marinette scrolled through her tweets until she found the one from a few months back.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng @MarinetteDC
I am dating Adrien Agreste. I am dating Chat Noir. I know Chat Noir's identity.

Alya Césaire @alyacesaire
@MarinetteDC WE STAN A CONSISTENT QUEEEEEEN

Adrien @AdrienAgreste retweeted @MarinetteDC

And the fans went crazy.

Chapter Text

Nine days until the gala.

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
I'm excited to finally announce the release date of my new album, Greener Grass! We released Lift Up a few weeks ago, and I'll admit it was a little premature of a release, but I was so excited to share new music!

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
That being said, get ready to rock out next Friday! Since I made you all wait so long since the single, we pushed it as close as I could get it! 

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
Pre-order merch bundles and album cover posters here: jaggedstonestore.com Don't forget to get your favorite @MarinetteDC cover in stores and collect them all in poster and merch form! I can't wait for you all to see them in person, they're AMAZING!

Every time Jagged Stone tweeted about Marinette, her follower count spiked. It was crazy that it happened every time he said something about her, but he does have a lot of fans, so it makes sense. She was also astonished at how fast he wanted to release the album, but ever since Marinette got all the covers finished, he was itching to just drop it all right away. His fans would surely be excited, just as she was.

It just so happened that Jagged's release date was the same day as the Agreste Gala, so that would be a busy day for sure. She sat at the lunch table with her headphones in as she waited for her friends, scrolling through Twitter and retweeting Jagged Stone's tweets. He also said to look out for another single drop at midnight to bring back the hype of the album, and she was excited.

Marinette may have heard the album already, or at least the demos, but she was still excited for the formal release of the songs. She heard her email ding, and switched tabs to see an email from Jagged (and Penny).

Hey Marinette! 

I hope you've seen the announcements I made on social media today. If not, the album is set to be out next Friday! We're all excited to show off the music and your artwork, and Penny and I had an idea about how to push marketing over the edge.

You know sometimes artists do an explanation of their songs? I've done one once but it was a while ago, maybe my second album, so I'm not sure if you've heard it. But I think it would be awesome if we could do one for this album! I explain the song process, and you talk about your process for the designs. A lot of fans really love you and your artwork, that I think it would be amazing.

We could record them for both an album and videos you could post on your channel if you'd like. Reminds me of like a podcast, which sounds like a lot of fun. Are you in? I'm thinking we record it Monday or Tuesday next week because it would have to be a pretty quick turn around.

Penny will send you more details if you're interested! Hope to see you soon.

Rock on,
Jagged Stone

"Hey, Mari," Adrien smiled wide as he sat across from Marinette at the table. She took her headphones out and smiled back before starting to type as fast as possible to respond.

"You guys see Jagged Stone's tweets?" Nino asked as he took a seat next to Adrien. "I'm sure Marinette has, but I'm so excited! His album comes out in like a week!" Nino said.

Both Marinette and Adrien nodded. "I'm sure it's gonna be amazing. And I can't wait to buy all the Marinette and Jagged merch!"

"What are you so interested in?" Alya asked, sneaking up behind Marinette and unknowingly cutting off Adrien.

Marinette took a break from typing and sat back. "An email from Jagged Stone. He wants to do one of those explaining the album podcasts, which would be so cool," Marinette explained. "So I'm replying. Hey, are you busy Monday or Tuesday after school?"

"Nope, you need me to come with you to run the camera?" Alya winked.

"You know it!" Marinette said and turned to the boys. "Sorry guys, I don't know if you'll be able to come with," She apologized.

Adrien and Nino looked at each other and back to Marinette. "I guess we'll just have to have guy time then," Nino shrugged and took a bite of his food. "But I expect we all get together and listen to it as soon as it comes out!" He smiled wide.

"Maybe the day after," Adrien added. "We have the gala on Friday, so if our investigation comes up dry, we'll listen on Saturday!" 

Marinette pressed send on the email and shut her laptop to eat lunch with friends. After a little bit of conversation, she was finally allowed to get into YouTube talk. "So, Adrien, are you excited to run the register at the bakery today?" She winked.

"Oh, it's going to be the best. Your parents are excited, too," Adrien smiled.

"Bleh," Alya chuckled. "You guys have been dating for like four days, tone it down."

Nino didn't say much, only laughed at the situation as the three went back and forth. "Oh yeah!" Marinette said. "I need your opinion on a video idea, you know, to confirm things to the fans."

---

The middle of the week meant that the bakery could be bustling, or only steady, which was perfect for the video. Marinette had introduced the video, and Sabine was teaching Adrien the basics already.

"So, I think we have officially decided to call this Adrien vs. Jobs, and my mother is getting ahead of schedule and already teaching Adrien! Marinette hinted for Sabine to wait, but she didn't listen.

"Oh yeah, disclaimer, most of this will be in French, but I will subtitle it in English," Marinette said, in English, and walked over to the register to show the camera how it looked.

Sabine was explaining the different buttons to Adrien, in French, and how to ring people up. "Most times, customers will tell you exactly what they want because they read the signs, but other times it's a guessing game. So if you need help, don't be afraid to ask."

"But don't forget this is a challenge, and I will be judging you," Marinette winked.

In response, Adrien stuck his tongue out jokingly. "I think I can do this; thank you. At least a little bit."

Luckily, it wasn't too busy in the bakery. There were just enough people to keep Adrien on his toes, but he wasn't overwhelmed, and it gave him a chance to figure out how to do everything. In the beginning, he had to ask Sabine for help, but with more patient and straightforward customers, it was much easier to understand, and he was able to figure it out.

He even made a few tips (which he gave right back to Sabine) and was having a lot of fun. He got to talk to Parisians, which he didn't get to do as a regular person as much, and wear an apron with fun pockets, and smell the delicious baked goods for a few hours. Tom was making the last of the goodies in the back, and it smelled as beautiful as they looked, and they could barely keep the goods on the shelves! 

Adrien loved learning all the different names od the food they carried and getting to box or bag it up for the customer, who was always happy with what the Dupain-Cheng bakery delivered.

He was quite surprised by how he was able to pick up on all the different things the bakery did. It probably helped that he was having fun talking to all customers and bantering with Marinette, as well as watching how much Sabine and Tom love their job.

They helped close up the shop, and Adrien got a celebratory macaroon. After heading upstairs, Marinette was able to finish up the video.

"Well, I definitely think that Adrien could get a job at the bakery if he needs it. My mom clearly loved having the extra hands, and she loves Adrien anyways. What do you think, Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"It was a lot of fun! I would say it was a successful beginning to the series. Which is good, because there will probably be some fails," He chuckled. "Do you want a rematch at Mario Kart?"

Marinette nodded, and Adrien ran to the TV to set it up. "Well, I guess that means I should end the video. Leave a comment on what job you think Adrien should try next! And don't forget to follow us on social media and subscribe to never miss a video!" Marinette said. "Thank you so much for watching, and I will see you next time!" And she set the camera down.

"Okay, I'm ready to beat your butt at Mario Kart...again!" Marinette grabbed the controller and sat down next to Adrien.

"That's what you think."

Chapter Text

7 days until the gala

The Akuma hadn't even broken anything yet. They were just chasing it across the city, keeping distance, and following. Typically, they liked to show off their powers and be as loud as they can. But this one was different, just flying throughout the sky and leading them through Paris.

Ladybug, Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee were following and have been for ten minutes now. They jumped on rooftops to follow the Akuma, and they aren't even sure if the Akuma knew they were following- or if they cared.

"Anyone see Chat?" Ladybug asked.

The other three didn't respond. "I thought he would be with you," Queen Bee replied.

Ladybug shook their head as they continued running and talking. "Not today, he had a mandatory photoshoot that he had to agree to. His photographer must not be letting him leave," Ladybug sighed and stopped running. "Since the Akuma hasn't done anything, you guys good with just following for now? I know where his photoshoot is, and I can grab him. Nowadays, we can't finish the job without a cataclysm."

"We should be okay," Rena Rouge told her. "The Akuma hasn't even done anything. It will give us time to figure it out, and you can go save your prince."

"Besides, if we get in any trouble, I've got my shell-ter!" Carapace winked.

"Okay, sounds good. I'll call when I'm on my way back," Ladybug said and yo-yoed back to where they came from. There were two places that Adrien would be, as they had two different settings for the shoot today. It was between a park and a studio, and Marinette was really hoping they would be at the park- it would be so much easier to snatch Adrien out of there.

She was right, and she got lucky that they were at the park for this part of the shoot. As Ladybug got closer, she could hear the photographer yelling at Adrien. "The Akuma is north of us, so north that they won't turn back here! We have to finish the photoshoot! Your father will be furious if you don't let us do our job."

"I'm sorry, Monsieur," Adrien sighed. "But I don't care how far away from us they are. I have to go help my team, or the Akuma will come back and ruin the whole photoshoot anyway!"

"No, no," The photographer fought back. "There are four other heroes that can take care of it. We must finish this photoshoot."

Adrien groaned loudly as the photographer kept arguing. "They need me. I have to go."

"Let me call Mr. Agreste to confirm your absence," The photographer said and went to grab his phone.

Just as the photographer turned his attention away, Ladybug swept in with a big smirk. She put her arm around Adrien and started swinging her yo-yo. "Sorry to steal your model, but we need him!" She called out and threw the yo-yo to get away.

"No!" The photographer yelled. "He can't leave!"

"It's for the safety of Paris!" Ladybug yelled back just as she was getting out of sight. "How's the photoshoot go?" She smiled at Adrien.

He shook his head with a small laugh. "I don't miss it as much as people think."

"I, for one, hate it. I'm stuck in his bag, starving!" Plagg complained loudly.

Ladybug laughed. "I'm sure you'll have tons of cheese later. Sorry for scooping you up, Adrien, but you know we can't do this without you. Plus, it was bizarre, the Akuma didn't even acknowledge us and just kept running away," She said with Adrien in her arms. After a few more seconds, they landed in a random alleyway so Adrien could transform.

"Well, even if there wasn't an Akuma, thank you for saving me from the crazy photographer. I don't understand why he didn't want me to leave; he knows I'm Chat Noir," Adrien shrugged. "Ah, whatever. Plagg, claws out!"

---

"Hi! I'm Marinette!" She introduced the new video as she sat at a table with her best friends and now boyfriend. "And today, we have a very special video for you guys. I'm sure you've seen the picture on social media of Ladybug and Chat Noir kissing, and well, yes, it's real. This video is to announce that Adrien and I are indeed dating!"

"Woo!" Alya screeched. "Took you guys long enough!"

Marinette rolled her eyes, and Adrien tried to hold back his laughter. "And to announce it, because we have to, we're making a video against Alya and Nino to find out who is the best couple. Even if we haven't been dating for a long time, Adrien and I have been friends for years."

"True! We probably know more about each other than we think," Adrien added.

"Yeah, but you guys won't be able to beat us. Alya and I are like one person," Nino retorted.

"Can I explain the video?" Marinette laughed.

Alya put her hand up. "No, I want to!" She said, and took charge. "You guys know the Newlywed game? That's what we're doing, but for dating. It's going to be a lot of fun. Marinette and I went through Google earlier today and picked out a few questions to ask the other couple, and there are going to be some doozies," Alya said. "So, basically, I'll ask Marinette a question, she'll write her answer on the board, and Adrien will guess. And vice versa," Alya explained.

Marinette sighed and nodded. "Okay, I guess that we can just...start?" She said, and everyone nodded. "Great! I'm going to ask the first question. If Alya won the lottery, what would be the first thing she would buy?" Marinette asked. They both thought for a minute, and Alya started writing.

"I know this one!" Nino shouted. "We've talked about this. She would have a whole bunch of things lined up, but she would definitely get an apartment first and foremost. She loves her family, but it's about time for her to move out, and she needs her space," Nino said.

"Okay, Alya, what did you say?" Marinette asked.

With a big smile, Alya turned the board around to show her answer. An apartment because I need my space. "He got it exactly! Beat that!" Alya shouted in excitement.

Adrien shook his head. "It's only the first question. Don't get too cocky just yet!"

"What is Marinette's biggest pet peeve?" Alya asked.

"You really picked that one?" Nino asked.

"Yes, it's a good question! It could go so many different ways," Alya scoffed. "I want to win."

The two were silent, and Marinette had already erased two answers because she came up with her perfect answer. "See, this could go a few different ways," Adrien said. "It could be something as simple as poking herself with a needle, or something like people getting in her way- no, I got it!" Adrien said. "Akumas."

All three looked at Marinette as she turned her board around. AKUMAS it read as she hid behind the board.

"Yes! I knew it!" Adrien cheered. "Okay, ask the next one! I love this; this is so much fun."

Marinette looked down at her sheet and asked the next question that Nino would write an answer for. "Okay, uh, what was Alya's first impression of Nino?"

A minute went by, and Alya was ready with her answer. "Well, we met on my first day of school a few years ago, but we weren't super close. So, I expect it to be something like: she seems cool, I want to get to know her," She guessed.

Nino flipped his board around and showed that it said not much, I just wanted to get to know her. And they both erupted into cheers again as Alya got ready to ask Adrien the next question.

"What is your favorite memory together?" Alya asked.

Again, another minute went by, and the two had to think really hard about it. "Okay, Marinette, what's your answer?" Alya asked.

"Honestly, we've had so many good times together. And I've told this story before, where Adrien gave me his umbrella in the rain after I was convinced I hated him. It gave me such a different perspective on everything, and I'm so glad I forgave him."

Adrien looked down and turned his board. "That's a good one, but I said something different. I know Mari doesn't like to talk about it that much, but this was a day I'll never forget. It was the day we got our Miraculous and became superheroes, the first time we met. It was really funny, because I had no clue what I was doing, and neither did she, but she tried to use her yo-yo and ran straight into me. Then, she told off Hawkmoth on her first day as a superhero- and I knew she was going to be amazing," Adrien rambled. 

"Aw, that's so sweet. I think I'll be okay not getting a point for that one. But we still have to win!" Marinette determined.

They went through about ten questions total, which ended up taking a while because the stories continued coming- but Marinette was sure the fans would not be mad about an extra-long video of their favorite ships. In the end, Alya and Nino ended up winning by two points, only getting two wrong. 

"So what, we missed four," Adrien rolled his eyes. "We just started dating, we've got plenty of time to keep learning obscure things about each other," He retorted and put his arm around Marinette. Pushing it off, she ended the video before Alya and Nino could get any bigger ego.

The fans went wild. They loved every second of the video, just as the group had predicted, and the comments blew up the video went live. Soon enough, Adrienette was trending on Twitter again, and Marinette had to shut off her phone to stop the notifications from distracting her from Mario Kart. She would read comments and Tweets in the morning.

I saw the announcement on twitter, but I still can't believe it's true. THE SHIP HAS SAILED???

I love them all so much. Their dynamic with each other is simply the best. Nino and Alya are ultimate goals and I'm so happy Adrien and Marinette are together

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES PINCH ME IS THIS REAL IM GONNA CRY

i love them i love them they are the cutest 

I mean, they already live together, we all saw this coming right? n knee ways, SHIP!!!

look at nino and alya being the best couple out there with adrienette right behind them

so whats nino and alyas ship name? I'm so happy we got to learn more about their relationship in this video I mean we already knew they've been together for a while but I love all their stories!

this was the absolute best way to announce the new hot couple. gossip sites are about to go crazy!

I'm so happy Mari is becoming more comfortable talking about lb and can. I know she chose not to for safety reasons and crazy people but now that it's kind of calmed down (a little) I'm glad she's able to talk about it. Look at that growth! we stan

---

Earlier that day

Nathalie arrived at the photoshoot an hour before Adrien was scheduled to be there. She had to speak to the photographer for an important reason and did not want Adrien to interfere.

"Are you sure, Miss Nathalie?" The photographer asked. "If there is an Akuma, you don't want me to let him go?"

"No. He is not allowed to leave.  No matter what. Mr. Agreste does not want him near the Akuma," Nathalie demanded.

"Why not? He is a superhero, correct?" The photographer was confused. "He will not want to be here if there is danger."

Nathalie shook her head. "He is not allowed to leave. And he is not allowed to know I was here. Gabr- Mr. Agreste is worried about him and does not want to risk anything more."

"Well, what am I meant to tell him when he tries to leave?"

"Simply tell him no and that you will call his father. This photoshoot is far too important."

"I'm sorry, but I think the priority is saving Paris," The photographer tried to reason.

Nathalie held up the briefcase she was holding. "This is double what you charge for the shoot. It's all yours. Just keep him at the photo shoot."

"Of course, I will do everything I can."

Chapter Text

5 days until the gala

ADRIEN AGRESTE OFF THE MARKET: WHO IS HIS GIRLFRIEND?

TEENAGE HEARTTHROB ADRIEN AGRESTE OFFICIALLY DATING YOUTUBE SENSATION MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG

AGRESTE MODEL ADRIEN AGRESTE DATES A FAN?

ADRIEN AGRESTE AND MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG ANNOUNCE RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUTUBE VIDEO

POLL: DO YOU THINK ADRIEN AGRESTE AND MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG WILL LAST?

Marinette saw all the countless articles come out right after the video went public. She expected it, these gossip sites just wanted to get clicks and would make headlines as wild as they could. She was a little upset with some of them, but she knew her's and Adrien's fans were already tearing them apart for bad headlines. 

She had a critical day ahead of her. She and Alya were scheduled to go to meet Jagged Stone at his hotel to record their podcast and video for the album in just a few days. Nino was a little upset he wasn't able to go, but at least it meant he got some bro-time with Adrien for the first time in a while. Not that he doesn't like hanging out with the girls, just sometimes it's nice to be alone. 

Marinette was finishing getting ready before Alya was going to meet her. "You look very nice, Marinette," Tikki commented, "But you look worried. What's wrong?"

Marinette shrugged in response. "I don't know, just nervous. Not for Jagged, that will be the easy part, but just the fact that everything is happening so fast. I mean, the gala is later this week, and I just finished my dress. I'm so scared for the night and trying to get into Mr. Agreste's office during the whole thing. It's all circling around my head and just driving me crazy. Plus, Jagged's album comes out that day, so there's going to be a lot going on, that's all," She sighed.

"Well, I know it's all going to turn out fine. You guys will record the video today, have some fun, and then you can relax until the gala," Tikki tried to comfort.

"Yeah, but what if we actually find something that proves Gabriel is...is Hawkmoth? You saw how Adrien reacted when we watched the video. I don't know how we're going to handle it, or take care of him, or what we're going to do. I know if we find something out, I will not be able to just stand there and talk to people for the rest of the night," Marinette explained. "I'd have to do something as soon as I find out."

Tikki shook her head and looked directly at Marinette. "And you know Adrien is the same way. When we look into it, the night could completely change. I mean, I hope Gabriel isn't Hawkmoth, but you should talk to Adrien about what you guys should do in the event that he is."

Marinette nodded. "You're right. I'll talk with him tonight," She said and grabbed her purse so Tikki could sit inside. "Thanks for the talk. Alya will be here any minute, so let's meet her downstairs."

Happily, Tikki sat in Marinette's purse so they could wait for Alya. Of course, as soon as she got there, Tikki did pop out and say hello, and then the three of them were off to the Bourgeois hotel to meet Jagged. They happened to run into Chloé as she was on her way out, and she quickly said her hellos and goodbyes, saying she would catch up with them soon (especially since the gala is coming up!). 

"Jagged! Marinette and Alya are here!" Penny called from the front of his suite, and Fang came running up to Marinette.

"Hi, Fang! I've missed you!" She bent down and pet Fang on her head, making Fang even more excited than she already was. Before Alya could even question their relationship, Jagged came around the corner with a big smile.

"Hello, girls!" Jagged greeted. "Come, let's take a seat. I'm so excited to do this!" He said. "I can't wait to talk about our creative process and hear what the fans think of it."

Marinette nodded, but Alya spoke. "This is going to be awesome! Plus, working with you on a video is going to be something added to my resumé."

Jagged laughed. "Ha! It will be! If the video looks amazing, and I'm sure it will, I'll even write you a recommendation letter!"

Alya perked up when she heard that, and her eyes went wide. "Really? That would be amazing."

"Course!" Jagged said and turned back to Marinette. "Oh, by the way, congrats on finally dating Adrien," Jagged said. "Penny and I had a bet as to when it would happen. Penny won."

The girls burst out laughing, and Penny held up the money she won from Jagged to prove the win. As Alya worked on setting up the camera, microphone, and lights, they were having casual conversations about what they were going to say during the video. But, mostly, they were going to wing it.

"Hi, guys! I'm Marinette!" Marinette began the video.

"And I'm Jagged Stone!" He added. "Boy, have we got something fun for you today."

"It's the release day of Jagged's new album, Greener Grass! And we decided to do a listening through and talk about each track. Of course, Jagged will talk about the music, and I will talk about the art for each one," Marinette explained.

Jagged nodded quickly and took over the next part of speaking. "That's right. And I can't wait for you guys to see all her art in person. It's going to be so cool, and all the merch that we have with her art is stunning. Marinette really can do anything."

Marinette shook her head at his compliment. "Thanks, Jagged. Should we start?"

They started playing the finalized music from Jagged's album, which he has already ready. "Ah, the title song! Here we have Greener Grass. Overall, with this album, I had some coming of age vibes on a few songs, and generally just looking on the bright side. We've had some ups and downs in the world, especially in Paris, and we all could use a little happiness."

"I really love this one. Paris really needs a look on the bright side, I should know, and this song reminds me to have hope and keep going. With the art for this one, I had Jagged standing in a field, with an angel and devil on his shoulders, batteling. The angel appears to be winning, because in the song, he talks about hard times and bouncing back, and how the grass is always greener,"  Marinette rambled. She put a lot of thought into these covers, and really resonated with the music Jagged Stone created, and knew the fans would appreciate the art just as much as she does.

Jagged put his arm around Marinette. "She's so talented. Guys, I don't think you know this, but I sent Marinette the demos without any description or guidelines. She listened to the songs and just drew- and was able to come up with these full-on masterpieces! We had a few meetings, but most of them were just for me to approve, she just knows, you know?" Jagged explained.

They went through a few songs more to explain, then ended up on the Marinette favorite. "Ah, the first single released: Lift Up!" Jagged celebrated. "Most people know this song is about Marinette from our release day video. But what they don't know is that I wrote it a long time ago, before the viral video. Marinette didn't even mention Ladybug around me, but I had it all figured out on my own. I guess I just know her too well," Jagged laughed. "But I wrote this because Marinette inspires me. She deals with so many things; I mean, there's school, her family's bakery, her videos, and now we all know she protects Paris on top of that!" Jagged threw his hands up in astonishment.

"Of course, you have Adrien to help you with some of that, but it still amazes me all the work you do. And if you get knocked down, you get right back up with a smile on your face," He continued praising.

Marinette could almost cry. She was flattered that Jagged thought this highly of her and everything she does, and she doesn't get nearly enough credit when due. With all the stress that has been sitting on her shoulders, this was a huge relief to hear, and was happy that someone appreciated it. With tears in her eyes, she hugged Jagged. "Thank you," She said. Wiping her tears away, she moved on to talk about the art for this one, featuring a melting ice cream cone and a balloon mid-pop, with Jagged standing behind with brand new ones.

All this praise from Jagged Stone, her idol and friend, was too much for her heart. How was she going to get through editing this without crying?

Chapter Text

3 Days until the gala

omg guys thREE DAYS UNTIL JAGGED STONE ALBUM !!!

THREE DAYS UNTIL JAG X MARI COLLAB RELEASE I CANT WAIT TO GET MY MERCH

we know its 3 days until the album release but yall are forgetting that it's also the day of the Agreste Gala!!! Can't wait to see my favorite couple all dressed up and rocking the place 

WE GET TO SEE MARI'S FINISHED DRESS SOON!!!!

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
Only a few more days until the album release! Can't wait for everyone to hear all the songs and see @MarinetteDC 's designs. Be on the lookout for a special surprise, too!

JAGGED @JaggedStone
I think I qualify to run Marinette's fan club. Is that a thing? It is now. I'm the founder of the @MarinetteDC fan club. Like this tweet and follow Marinette to join.

Adrien @AdrienAgreste 
@JaggedStone Can I be co-founder?

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
@AdrienAgreste you can be vice president only because you're her boyfriend. Actually you have to be co-vice presidents with @alyacesaire  because she's been in the unofficial Marinette fanclub since day 0

Adrien @AdrienAgreste
@JaggedStone that's fair, I accept. When is our first meeting?

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
@AdrienAgreste When we meet next for the Adrien vs. Jobs video!

Replies to @JaggedStone

THE WHAT?? VIDEO???

ADRIEN IS DOING AN ADRIEN VS JOBS WITH JAGGED YES YES YES WE GET TO HEAR ADRIEN SIIIIIIIIIING

HES GOING TO ROCK THIS JOB THANK YOU JAGGED THANK YOU MARINETTE THANK YOU ADRIEN I CAN'T WAIT

y'all are forgetting that Adrien is kinda meant to fail these jobs. What if he's a bad singer

JAGGED did you just spoil something

omg the next adrien vs jobs video confirmed???

JAGGED @JaggedStone 
oops I'm sorry @MarinetteDC @AdrienAgreste 

Normally, Marinette's notifications were full and active. But she always knew when Jagged Stone had tweeted about her, because it seemed like everything tripled in amount. And of course, Jagged slipped up out the Adrien vs. Jobs agreement- she hadn't even been able to tell Adrien yet! She was keeping it a surprise until they all could be together, because Nino was invited as well, and Alya was just as excited about it. 

Marinette's phone rang, not even two minutes after Jagged tweeted the spoiler. "Hi, Adrien."

"We're doing an Adrien vs. Jobs with Jagged Stone?" He asked, very loudly. "That is so awesome. How'd you manage to score that?"

Marinette chuckled. "Uh, I just...asked him? He was really excited about it. He's already coming up with ideas for what to do, but I think it might just be a cover of a song. Nino's invited too, to do some backtrack. But don't tell him," She said. "Are you on your way to get him? Alya said she's still waiting for you guys to come by," She asked. They were all getting together to make a video and show off her gala dress. 

"Yeah, I left the mansion a few minutes ago, and I'm almost to Nino's. Then we'll go pick Alya up; then we'll be back. Shouldn't be too long, now," Adrien promised. "I swear, we won't get lost this time."

"You better not! I expect you guys all here soon."

"Of course, Milady," Adrien said. "See you soon."

They hung up, and Adrien snickered at his phone. Marinette didn't know it, but during bro-time the other day, Nino and Adrien came up with a plan to make a funny video for Marinette. He saw it in his Twitter mentions recently, where a fan said that Adrien and Nino would be the kind of boyfriends to play music on a boombox and serenade their girlfriend's from outside their windows. That fan is very correct, and they are going to prove it. 

Nino dug out an old CD player and some CDs that they could play and sing along to. Adrien found a video camera (not as good as Marinette's, but it would work), and they were ready. He mostly went to the Agreste Mansion to talk to Nathalie about the gala, but also to get a camera, so he killed two birds with one stone!

After Adrien met up with Nino, the first stop was Alya's, and Nino had picked out a song that they listened to all the time to sing to her. It kind of backfired, though, because instead of Alya being the one to hear, her two little sisters did and opened the window to yell at Nino that they liked his song. He stopped halfway through and asked them to get Alya, but they told her she was waiting in the apartment lobby for them. Adrien put the camera in Nino's face and forced him to go inside the lobby and sing to her, which Alya will never let him live down.

They all rushed to Marinette's, and the three of them stood outside as Laura Nightingale's song about the Miraculous heroes played. They fast-forwarded to the part where the male sings to the female, obviously meant to be Chat Noir to Ladybug, and it was perfect. They texted Marinette when they were close and told her to wait on her balcony. That way, she would one-hundred percent be the one to hear the serenade. As they walked up, the song started, and Adrien sang along.

Marinette stood up and looked over the edge when she realized what was going on. "You guys are such dorks!" She laughed loudly, even harder when she noticed it was all being recorded. "Where in the world did you get that idea?"

"Twitter!" Both Adrien and Nino yelled back, then stopped the song soon after and headed inside the bakery.

"I was wondering when you bunch would arrive," Chloé turned to the three as they entered. "Didn't want to go up without you. I'm still not sure how cool Marinette and I are," She explained.

Sabine jokingly rolled her eyes. "I told her it would have been perfectly fine to go up, but she didn't believe me."

"Well, we're all here now," Adrien said and led the group upstairs to meet Marinette.

Marinette waited at the door with a smirk on her face. "Did you really go back to the mansion just to get a camera?"

"Oh, no, I wouldn't go back willingly," Adrien scoffed. "I had to talk top Nathalie about Friday. I just picked it up while I was there," He said and kissed her cheek. "But, we basically got you a free video!"

"You have some amazing footage of Nino, too," Alya winked. "Now, let me see the dress!"

"Me too," Chloé added from the back of the group. She was met with strange looks from the rest of the group. "What? You guys act like I wouldn't want to see it. Heck, I watched a bit of the stream. If you're going to run the Agreste fashion empire one day, I need to keep an eye on my mother's competition," She said. "Well, that and I really want to know what it looks like."

Marinette cocked her head, but brushed it off. "Thank you?" She said, but it came out as more of a question. Marinette already filmed the reveal video, but she wanted to get the reactions of her friends. It was a ballgown style dress, mostly pink, with flower accents and some lace throughout. They were excited to see her in it, and knew it was going to be the most eye-catching dress at the gala.

With it being only three days away, the stress and anxiety was growing throughout everyone. Marinette and Adrien reevaluated their plan with everyone, and they all agreed. Chloé would be on standby in the hotel with Pollen, since she was not allowed to go. Alya and Nino would be together and ready for action, and Alya was still upset she couldn't get a press pass. (It was probably for the best, it may have been suspicious for her to be there, as well.)

---

"Is everything ready for the gala, Nathalie?" 

"Yes, I even talked with Adrien today. Are you sure that the timing will be right?" She replied.

"From what I know, they have no idea. But we still have to play it safe. Chat Noir and Ladybug will be in my home, together, and hopefully unaware. I will find their Kwamis, forcing them to give me their Miraculous," Gabriel explained. "It would be even luckier to distract Adrien and Marinette with her fashion icons or interviews, and their jewelry just happens to go missing," He laughed.

Nathalie nodded. "I will test it all again tonight. I'm sure the plan will work perfectly."

Chapter Text

With the new Jagged Stone album playing in the limo, Adrien and Marinette were nervous for the night. Gorilla picked them up from the bakery after they were ready and was just as excited to hear Jagged's new music. They sang along to a few songs,, and Marinette told Adrien about the conversation with Jagged she had earlier. The podcast and video were to come out at midnight, so at least she had a few hours before her fanbase went even crazier.

Marinette debated vlogging the Gala, but she eventually decided against it. She was extremely nervous, for more reasons than one, and didn't want to distract herself with a camera. She was also afraid she would scare off others by recording the whole thing. Besides, there would be press there; there were bound to be videos and pictures of the entire night.

Arriving at the Agreste Mansion, the world's new favorite couple was met with dozens of cameras and a red carpet to walk. Adrien got out of the limo first, in his Gabriel brand tuxedo with a green tie, holding his hand out for Marinette. Her hair was pulled up into a bun with curls on the side, styled by Alya, and makeup help from Chloé. Some people had already seen her dress from the videos and pictures online, but it was stunning in person.

The ball gown style dress reached all the way down to her feet, sparkling light pink with flower and lace accents ombre-ing from the bottom up. The lace and flowers became more sparse as the dress continued up into the top, which was only the sparkle light pink fabric with a sweetheart neckline. She wore a silver necklace and bracelet from the Gabriel accessories line to compliment the dress. Marinette had a small purse, matching her accessories and also from Gabriel, which held Tikki inside easily.

"Adrien Agreste!" The press called as they walked down the red carpet, stopping to pose for photos. "Marinette, look here!"

Marinette had never attended an event like this. Sure, she's been to a few fashion shows, and award shows for Jagged Stone, but she never got to walk the red carpet. Adrien was used to it, and comfortable, which helped Marinette be comfortable, too. She was able to play off him, and posing together made everything easier, and calm the nerves.

"Give us a kiss!" One shouted as flashes continued to go off. Adrien looked to Marinette with a small smile, and she nodded. They leaned in for a quick kiss, but long enough for pictures to be taken. As they continued their way down the rest carpet, they had a blast posing for different photographers and slightly bantering with each other, then finally got to walk inside the mansion.

"That was fun," Marinette said only loud enough so Adrien could hear it.

Adrien nodded. "Trust me; it's a lot more fun when you have someone with you. That was the most fun I've ever had on a red carpet."

"Really?" Marinette asked.

"Oh, one-hundred percent. And that's good, because it could easily be our last one for a while, too," He sighed. "Let's do some mingling; then we can head upstairs."

Marinette nodded, and they turned to get into the crowd. Before they could get far, though, they were stopped. "Adrien," Gabriel Agreste looked at the two of them. "And Miss Dupain-Cheng. I do hope you'll enjoy yourselves tonight."

"I'm sure we will!" Marinette replied, trying to act like everything was normal. "Thanks for letting Adrien bring a plus-one, I'm super excited."

"Of course," He said with no emotion. "I'll see you both later."

Adrien was clearly not happy when he saw his father. "I can't wait until we figure out if we're right," He said, and Marinette noticed his fist was clenched.

She grabbed his hand and smiled. "We will, I promise. But for right now, let's try to enjoy ourselves and talk to some people. Anyone you recognize?"

Adrien took a deep breath to calm down. "You're right. And yes, there are a few designers Gabriel Brand has worked with for lines, and I know the designers. Want to meet some?"

"Of course, I do!" Marinette nearly screamed.

"Ow, ow," Adrien flinched when Marinette squeezed his hand. She let go quickly with a sheepish smile and apologetic eyes. "Okay, I'll introduce you to as many people as I can."

---

As soon as Gabriel's speech about the Gala was over, Adrien and Marinette snuck off. Adrien knew the best way to get around the house, and he knew how easy it would be to sneak around the back and go up the back stairs. Even though his father didn't know, Adrien also knew the code to get into Gabriel's office when he locked it when there were events like this going on. Which, obviously,  made things easier.

Adrien quickly typed the code in, and the two of them ran into the room. "Okay, Plagg, you can come out," Adrien said as he held his jacket.

"Finally! I'm starving!" Plagg complained, but was satisfied when Adrien handed Plagg some cheese.

"You too, Tikki," Marinette said as she opened her purse. "What do we do first, Adrien?"

Adrien looked around the office before answering. "We were right outside where the butterfly thing showed up on camera. And right behind this painting of my mom is where I found that book about Miraculous a while ago," Adrien said. "Plagg had to open it from the inside."

"And I can do it again!" Plagg said, flew into the painting, and it opened up like a cabinet. "Just as easy as before," He said with a wink.

"See, this is the book," Adrien bent down and pointed. Marinette grabbed it and started flipping through to skim it to make sure it was real.

Tikki gasped loudly, calling everyone's attention to her. "Marinette," She said, almost in disbelief. "This is...the missing peacock Miraculous."

Marinette took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, at least we know where it's been," She said and grabbed it, sticking it in her purse for safekeeping. "I don't know, he's got a lot of Miraculous related stuff, but where are the butterflies?"

Adrien didn't answer her question. Instead, he huffed and stepped back to look at the hidden bookcase as a whole. After a second, he almost fell over and yelped when he felt the floor move. "Adrien?" He heard Marinette shout, but he was no longer in the same room as her.

When the floor stopped moving, Adrien was crouched to the ground from the sudden change. When he stood up, he noticed it was much darker and there was a little light coming from a window...the main circular window from the mansion. He walked forward a bit to try to get a better look, but then he noticed there were random white things scattered on the ground. As he walked into the light, the white things began to fly. "Butterflies," Adrien sighed and held his hand out. One landed in the middle of his hand, and he felt his anger start to rise. Adrien walked back to the circle on the floor, and once he stepped on it, he was brought back to his father's office.

"Are you okay?" Marinette asked as soon as she saw him. "What happened?"

Adrien looked down at his hand. "You were right," He said quietly, and the butterfly flew off his hand towards the door.

"Ah, Ladybug and Chat Noir," The deep voice greeted at the door. The butterfly landed on Gabriel's shoulder. "I see I should have enacted my plan earlier. Well, I guess now is as good as time as ever," He shrugged and turned to walk away. Once Gabriel was out of the door, the security doors came down, locking the four of them in. It was a metal door that the heroes had encountered only once before when Adrien and Gabriel were being targeted a while ago. 

Marinette and Adrien banged on the door to open it. "We're stuck," Marinette said, defeated.

Adrien stepped back and grabbed Marinette's hand to pull her away from the door. He reached into his pocket and held up some cheese. "Plagg, bring it down," He said.

"Are you sure?" Plagg asked.

"Yes. Cataclysm the door," He said, and Plagg obliged. As soon as the door was down, Plagg took the cheese, and Marinette and Adrien ran out of the door.

"Gabriel!" Marinette shouted as loud as she could when they rounded the corner and stood at the top of the main staircase. He was making his way through the crowd, trying to be as invisible as possible. When she shouted, she caught everyone's attention. Gabriel stopped and looked back at them, an unreadable smirk on his face. "Gabriel. Hand over the butterfly Miraculous," Marinette demanded, pointing at him.

It took the crowd a moment to realize, but soon after, there were gasps and murmurs throughout as Gabriel was still silent. The people near him shuffled away, but people were shocked. All the cameras, recording and photography, were pointed at the heroes as everyone waited for Gabriel to give in.

Gabriel turned to face them and chuckled, looking down at his feet and holding his hands in front of him. "We have proof, Gabriel. Hand it over before you make it any worse for you than it has to be," Marinette tried to reason.

He looked up at Marinette and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I do not know what you are talking about, Miss Dupain-Cheng."

Adrien groaned. "Fine, father, you want to do this the hard way?" He asked, and he and Marinette looked at each other, nodding one before speaking again, at the same time.

"Tikki, spots on!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

In front of all the cameras and everyone in the room, Marinette and Adrien transformed from their formal wear to their superhero outfits. By now, videos of the Gala and what was going on now was being broadcasted all over France and even other parts of the world. The crowd was speechless as they saw the flashes of pink and green, but Gabriel only shook his head and turned around.

"I tried warning you both," Gabriel said, just loud enough to be heard.

"They have the peacock Miraculous!" Nathalie ran around the corner and shouted.

Gabriel smirked. "I'm sure I'll see you all very soon. Everything is coming together, Miss Ladybug," He said, and started to walk away. Ladybug and Chat Noir walked slowly down the steps, making sure Gabriel would not make any rash decisions. "Oh, and do tell Miss Césaire and Mister Lahiffe I said hello, it's a shame they couldn't make it here tonight," He frowned.

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked to each other quickly and then back at Gabriel. Chat Noir opened his mouth to speak. "What? How-"

"Can't I have a few secrets, too?" He asked. As if on cue, Nathalie pushed past Chat Noir and Ladybug and stood next to Gabriel. He held his hand up and the lights shut off, and a second later, when they turned back on, Nathalie and Gabriel vanished.

"Lock the house down," Ladybug told Chat Noir, and he did as they said. Once the mansion went into lockdown mode, they called their backup and checked every room they could find.

They were gone.

Chapter Text

@AdrienAgreste we are here for you. I'm sorry you guys have to go through this. 

I'm so upset that g*br*el agr*st* is fighting his own son, you gotta be really messed up to think that's okay

We should have seen this coming, but the real question is why is hawkmoth doing these things, he's already got so much?

lol if gabriel agreste thought he had a broken family before it's nonexistent now

I feel really bad for everything going on but I still can't figure out what he meant about Alya and Nino? Are they the other Miraculous holders??

I CALLED IT I KNEW HE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SHIT PARIS GOES THROUGH

adrien doesn't deserve this. clear his mentions with love and support. him and marinette. we know they will get through this, they're our heroes and we wouldn't want anyone else.

Three days of non-stop tweets, comments, videos, and reports. Three days of their transformation on every screen. Three days of no sign of Hawkmoth. Three days of investigating and searching. Three days of barely any sleep.

Marinette was worried about Adrien, as was most of the world, and she knew they had to act quickly before GabriMoth did anything he would regret. 

"Adrien," Marinette said and handed him a glass of water. "You need to take your eyes off the computer. Trust me, I know how much it can hurt after hours of nothing but screens," Marinette tried to persuade him to take a break.

Adrien sighed and took a sip of the water, only to please Marinette. "Mari, I can't. I can't let my father be out there, able to do whatever. We have to find him."

Marinette nodded. "And we will. Now that things have sort of calmed down around your house, let's go survey everything. See if they left anything behind that gives us a hint as to where they are, and maybe even see if we can find your bodyguard and ask him what he knew."

"I'm pretty sure he had no idea about my father," Adrien said. "But it never hurts to ask."

"Great," Marinette smiled. "I'm going to call the team and update them on our stations and plan; you go eat the snack my mom made," She pointed to the trap door to force Adrien to go.

"Marinette, I'll be fine-"

"Uh-uh," She shook her head. "I already ate the snack. Go eat so we can be at our top game for when we go back. Who knows how long we'll be out," She reasoned, and pushed him to make him go. Finally, he agreed with a slight smile and walked out of the room. Marinette had Alya, Nino, and Chloé on lookout around Paris as long as she could. They were to keep an eye out for suspicious activity so Marinette and Adrien could do remote work. They were a little worried about Hawkmoth knowing Rena Rouge and Carapace's identities, but in reality, it makes some sense.

Marinette explained what was going on to Alya and asked her to relay the message to the other two. As soon as she got off the phone, Marinette went downstairs to gather Adrien and the Kwamis, which were finally introduced to Sabine and Tom. 

"I'm impressed you got him to listen!" Sabine complimented when Marinette walked into the kitchen.

Marinette shrugged with a smile. "I think you knew you needed to eat, too," She reasoned with Adrien, who only nodded in response. "Deep down."

Adrien shook his head, ultimately agreeing with Marinette, and thanked Sabine for the snack. "We've got some work to do. We'll be back later," Marinette told her mother.

"Be safe," Sabine replied and sighed as soon as the door shut, as she will never stop being worried about them. 

---

The Agreste Mansion had police tape surrounding it, and it was locked up, tight. They wanted to keep tourists away, and make sure if Hawkmoth tried to get back in, it would be a lot harder than before. Thankfully, Marinette and Adrien still had access to the mansion, as well as Gorilla, because there had been no accusations against him. 

Ladybug and Chat Noir went through the gate and the front door, making to lock it back up when they got inside. "We need to go check his office and the lair first," Chat Noir directed. "Grab everything Miraculous related behind my mother's picture I'll see if there's anything else besides butterflies," He explained and started to lead the way back to the office.

The picture was still open from the gala the other day, so at least they didn't have to pry it open or detransform to get one t]of the Kwami's to open it. Marinette grabbed the bag she brought along and piled everything into it that even had a slight relation to the Miraculous or Hawkmoth- which was most of the things in the cabinet. 

Adrien was having a tough time finding the spot on the floor that took him to the lair, but he could have sworn it was right where he was standing. "Why is it not working?" He grumbled. "Oh, maybe- Plagg, claws off!" But no, that didn't work either. It was like it was turned off and not accessible anymore. 

"What's wrong with it?" Ladybug asked. Adrien groaned and turned back into Chat Noir, not explaining what happened. "Well, that's okay. We can come back later. Let's take this stuff to Master Fu and see what he knows about it all. Maybe we'll get some hints," She suggested.

Chat Noir nodded. "That's a good idea. Maybe he'll have an extra dose of that sleeping cure he made," He joked, barely a smile on his face.

"I'm sure we can ask him about that, too," Ladybug said.

Ladybug and Chat Noir ran across rooftops to get to Master Fu's salon as fast as they could. They talked over the phone the day after the gala, but it was high time they caught him up to speed in person and get some expert advice.

After detransforming in the alley nearby, they walked around the corner and into the shop. "Master Fu?" Marinette called out as they walked into the shop. "It's Marinette and Adrien."

"Ah, welcome, you two!" Master Fu called out as he came out from the back. "Adrien, I am deeply sorry for everything that's happening. We will figure this out," Master Fu promised.

"Thank you," Adrien said. "We got a few things from the house, but we still have to go back to investigate a bit more, but hopefully we can get something from this," Adrien handed him the bag.

Marinette opened her mouth before they could start talking about the contents of the bag. "Oh, real quick," She interrupted. "Adrien hasn't been sleeping these past few days. Do you have any leftover of that cure you gave us a while ago? Maybe it wore off," She reasoned.

Master Fu laughed before realizing she was serious. "I'm sorry, but the cure was a placebo. It was fake! I guess you two just felt more comfortable together," Master Fu winked.

"A fake?" Both Marinette and Adrien exclaimed. Well, at least it proves that they really need each other for more than one reason. 

Chapter Text

The team of heroes had a lot going on, to say the least. Master Fu had a lot of insight on everything he had seen from Gabriel's stash, but it was only marginally helpful. Granted, it was more than they had before.

"There was some stuff, but not as much as we expected. There were a few untranslated books that the guardian is working on translating and a few ancient pieces that belonged to old heroes," Marinette explained. "Well, and the peacock miraculous. It was severely broken, and wearing it could be dangerous, but the guardian is working on fixing her so she can be usable again.

The team listened intently, hoping for something that would give them a hint as to where Gabriel and Nathalie were hiding out, but alas, there was nothing.

Adrien cleared his throat to talk. Out of everyone, this was the hardest on Adrien, but he was pushing through. "I still think there's stuff in his lair. For some reason, I wasn't able to get in last time. But there are more options than one on how to get in there," He pointed to his ring.

The group was silent once again, not sure where to go from here. This time, it was Nino who broke the silence. "So, what does the peacock miraculous do?" Nino asked, hopeful that it could be helpful in their hands, and not Hawkmoth's.

"Well, you know how the moth can transform humans? Originally, it's meant to be used for good, obviously, but the peacock can do that to objects," Marinette explained.

"Well, it sure is a good thing you guys got ahold of it," Chloé commented. "Who knows what they would have done with that," She sighed.

Alya perked up to switch topics. "Do we have any idea how Hawkmoth found out about Nino and me?" She asked.

Adrien and Marinette looked at each other to try to figure out the answer. Truthfully, they didn't know, but it made sense that he knew. "I think it was kind of obvious. Who else would Marinette trust enough to join our team after out identities got revealed to the whole world?" Adrien reasoned. "It had to be someone close to us, and your descriptions just kind of matched, I guess," He said.

Nino and Alya both shrugged, accepting the explanation. "So, what's our next move?" Nino asked.

"Adrien and I talked a little bit about that with the guardian. First and foremost, we have to figure out where Gabriel and Nathalie are hiding out, and what they really want with our Miraculous," Marinette said. "We have to do everything we can to stay away from them, if he takes them and makes a wish, something awful could happen," She continued. "But I have no clue where to start. There's nothing left at the mansion that gives us any clues, and without Adrien being able to get into the lair, I'm not sure where to even begin," She sighed at the end, feeling helpless.

"I'll go back to the mansion. I have to," Adrien deadpanned.

Marinette shook her head quickly. "No, you can't. We already risked it going back there once, but I'm afraid if we go back there again, Hawkmoth will know. You know your father, he has eyes and ears everywhere, he would know that we didn't get everything and he would have the advantage over us," She told him. Adrien agreed with a shrug, not wanting to argue about it. He knew he had to get back in there and get into the lair, but they didn't need to talk about it right now.

"So, we just wait around to find a hint, then?" Chloé asked.

"Sounds like it," Alya interjected.

It was almost like Hawkmoth knew they were all together. It was almost like he knew exactly what they were talking about. Three days of silence, and at this perfect coincidence of time, there was a crash outside.

Alya's phone started to blare with an update from the news, showing exclusive footage of an Akuma only a few blocks away. The whole team stood up and called for their kwamis, all transforming together. If it were under different circumstances, that would have been an impressive sight to see.

They all rushed out of Marinette's trap door to her balcony as Alya called out where the Akuma was and what they needed to expect. "It's a Ladybug fangirl. She's mad about something someone said about you!" Rena Rogue called out, still watching her phone and jumping across multiple roofs with her team.

"Well, at least he knows this one will hurt," Ladybug sighed. Once they found the Akuma, everyone stopped to hear what she was saying. She had on an identical outfit to Ladybug's, and her brown hair was in ponytails. It was pretty close to when Chloé was akumatized to be like Ladybug, but much scarier, because she was a heck of a lot sweeter than Chloé. 

"Ohmigosh!" The Ladybug look-alike squealed, and used her yo-yo to get up to the roof with the heroes on it. "Are you actually Ladybug? Who am I kidding, of course, you are, look at you! I'm so glad to finally meet you. We are going to be best friends forever!" She said, her voice getting much deeper and more serious at the end of the sentence.

Ladybug calmly laughed. "Oh, you're too sweet. What's your name?" Ladybug asked.

"Laylabug! We're going to be best friends, and no one will stop me. Not even your team," She said and grabbed Ladybug's hand, holding it so tight Ladybug thought it was going to bruise.

"Of course, we can be friends," Ladybug said. "But do you think you can let go of my hand? It hurts a bit, and friends wouldn't do that to each other, right?"

Laylabug contemplated it, but stopped when the purple mask showed up in front of her face, Hawkmoth communicating with her and trying to convince her of his ways. "Oh, I get it!" Laylabug said. "You're just worried that your friends will miss you and be lonely. Don't worry! Hawkmoth has best friends for them too!"

Right as she said that, four more teens appeared on the roof, looking like the heroes look-alikes. They all reached to grab their hands, and while Queen Bee and Carapace got grabbed, Chat Noir and Rena Rouge were able to dodge and hide away from their new friends.

This only made the look-alikes angry. As Ladybug, Queen Bee, and Carapaece's hands were held tightly; the look-alikes used their equipment to take the three heroes away from there. They were strong, and they were serious about never letting them go.

Rena Rogue and Chat Noir had to come up with their own plan to get their friends back, which meant luring them out. It was a good thing Rena Rouge was able to get away, because she's got the easiest power to lure villains out.

After talking it over with Chat Noir, Rena Rouge used her mirage power to make it look like she and Chat Noir were going after the look-alikes and the rest of their team. Since the look-alikes were just teens, it was easy to trick them, but there was a total of five that needed to be taken down.

When the look-alikes were distracted, the real Rena Rogue and Chat Noir snuck up from behind and easily kick their legs out from under them, taking all of the look-alikes (and their friends) to the ground. Again, since they were only teenagers, it was a lot easier than it would have been if it were adults. Hawkmoth did not think this one through.

With the look-alikes on the ground, they weren't focused on keeping ahold of Ladybug, Queen Bee, and Carapace. Carapace used his shield to keep the look-alikes trapped, and Ladybug called for her lucky charm and received a mirror. By making them look at themselves, and how silly they looked, they got even angrier.

"Hawkmoth!" Laylabug screamed, making the purple mask show up in front of her face again. "You promised me that Ladybug would be my best friend forever! I will come to that home you're staying in and take you down myself for lying! I know where you are!" She screamed. 

Before she could say anymore, Laylabug was turned back into a normal girl, and Ladybug used her Miraculous Ladybug to clean up the rest of the kids. 

Hopefully, someone got this whole battle on video, because there's a lot that could be helpful here.

Chapter Text

Adrien moved as quietly as he could to get out of Marinette's balcony. Luckily, he only had to get past Marinette, as the other three were asleep in the living room. But he and Marinette shared the room, and he knew she would kill him if she found Adrien leaving.

After a long night, they were nearly certain Hawkmoth (and his Kwami) were too tired to send out another Akuma, so they deemed it safe enough to sleep. That way, they could be fully rested and ready to get to work in the morning. Though everyone was exhausted, Adrien still had trouble sleeping. He wouldn't sleep until his father was defeated.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Plagg reasoned once they were on the balcony.

"Shh," Adrien hushed. "I have to do this, and you know that," Adrien said. Plagg didn't argue, knowing that Adrien was right. "Plagg, claws out," He said, as quiet as he could, and the bright green light flashed quickly. As soon as Adrien was Chat Noir, he took off toward the Agreste Mansion. He knew there was something else there, and he had to get into the area where the moths stay. His father is Hawkmoth for some reason, and Adrien is determined to figure it out.

Chat Noir ran across rooftops and practically flew to the mansion. He went through the back door to make sure no one would see or be alarmed, but that was the only logical side of his mind at this point. He knew it was going to be a lot of trouble getting into the secret room, but he would do whatever it takes to get in. 

As Chat Noir turned on the lights in his father's office, he could hear Plagg nagging to him how Marinette wouldn't approve of him doing this alone and that it's dangerous. What if Hawkmoth finds out?

"Hawkmoth won't be stupid enough to come back here," Chat Noir said out loud to no one, mainly trying to calm his mind and his Kwami. "I just need to get in," He huffed to himself.

He started walking around the office to make sure nothing else was hidden. He knew right where the spot was that brought him into the lair, but it still wasn't working. He transformed and tried that way, but no luck. He walked in and out of the office multiple times, trying to trigger it, but it was like it was shut off and not letting anyone in. Adrien was quickly getting frustrated, and he didn't know where to go from here.

"It's not working!" Adrien shouted and kicked the wall. He took a deep breath and turned around, his back now against the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor. 

"Adrien," Plagg flew in front of him. He knew he could make Adrien even more upset, but he had to try. "Maybe we should go back to the bakery, get you something to eat, go to sleep, and come back in the morning with Marinette. She can help us figure this out," Plagg tried to talk some sense into Adrien.

Adrien shook his head. "No," He deadpanned. "Marinette doesn't even want us to come back here, she won't understand," Adrien said and stood back up. "There's one more option. Plagg, claws out!" He shouted. Once back as Chat Noir, he stood in front of the spot on the floor. Raising his hand, he started to call for his power. "Cata-"

"Don't even think about doing that," A voice came from behind Chat Noir. He jumped and never finished saying his magic word, even more surprised to see Rena Rouge standing in the doorway. "What do you think you're doing, Adrien?"

Chat Noir took another deep breath and put his hand down. "How did you know I was here?" He asked, dodging Rena's question. 

"You know I'm observant," She said. "Plus, I got had trouble sleeping and got up to get some water. Just so happened to see a bright flash of green and knew you were up to something," Rena Rouge explained.

"I'm not going back now; you can't stop me. I have to do this," He argued.

Rena Rouge shook her head. "Oh, I'm not here to stop you. I'm here to help you," She said. "We're not going to do this where you damage your house, though. This is your house; there's got to be another way in," She reasoned.

"I've tried everything I can think of, it's not opening," He sighed.

"Okay, so what do you think Hawkmoth does when the power goes out? There's got to be an override around here somewhere," Rena Rouge said. "Behind a painting, a book, in a drawer?" They both started looking in every nook and cranny to find where an override would be.

Chat Noir gasped when he opened a normally locked drawer in his father's desk. "You were right!" He said when he saw a button hidden on the side of the drawer. A few seconds after he pushed it, there was a slight rumbling, and the circle in the floor disappeared.

Rena Rouge smirked. "See, sometimes I have good ideas. After you," She extended her hand and let Adrien jump down the hole. He used his baton to help him down slowly, and Rena Rouge was right behind him. They stepped into the dark room, and it was lit up by only the moon coming in from the skylight. White moths surrounded the room, and frankly, it was a bit creepy.

"Woah," Rena Rouge said, not really sure what else to do. What were they even looking for? "Where did he even get all of these moths?" She asked.

"No idea," Chat Noir sighed and started to walk around the room. 

Rena Rouge walked around, looking for anything that stuck out. "I can't believe he was right under our noses the whole time."

Chat Noir nodded in agreement. "This is weird. How is there nothing here?" He huffed. He walked to the front of the room, barely looking out the window, and turned around to face the moths. He watched as Rena Rouge looked at the walls, when he noticed something weird about the moths. "Wait, they're coming from somewhere," He concluded and walked to the opposite corner. There was a vent in the corner, which was mainly open, and moths were feeding out of it and going back in. "Where does this lead?" He pointed.

"That's weird," Rena Rouge commented. "I would think the elevator would go down all the way. There might be another room below," She said and walked back over to the spot in the floor. She stood on it and jumped, but it didn't budge. "Another button, maybe?" She walked over to the wall again and started running her hand down it.

"There's no time," Chat Noir said. "Cataclysm!" He shouted and put his hand on the elevator. Rena Rouge had no time to process it, and it was over before she even opened her mouth. She knew he was thinking rash, but this could have killed them and ruined everything below him. Luckily, it only destroyed the elevator, but that didn't stop Rena Rouge from scolding Chat Noir.

They propelled down the hole again and landed in what looked like a garden with a long bridge. It was crazy how Adrine lived in this house his whole life, and never once knew about either of these rooms. What else could his father be hiding from him?

The garden was filled with plants with white buds, and it was beautiful. The two heroes crossed the bridge and were confused when they saw something that wasn't a flower. "Huh, what is this?" Rena asked. "Looks like a fancy coffin."

"This is very strange," Chat Noir said. She put his hand on the coffin look-alike, and jumped back when it opened. Rena and Chat stared at it, neither of them saying a word.

What felt like an eternity of silence passed before someone spoke. Adrien had tears welling up in his eyes, and his knees collapsed on him. "Mom?" He cried.

Chapter Text

The next morning

Marinette consoled Adrien for hours after Alya called the rest of the team to the Mansion. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she knew it was serious. And finding Emilie Agreste in a garden full of moths was the last thing she ever expected to find. Emilie Agreste was supposed to be dead and resting peacefully...years ago. It took Adrien a long time to finally come to terms with it all, and his father ruined that for him, too.

Adrien cried a lot, not sure how to contain his emotions. He sobbed in front of her body with his friends surrounding him, also crying and confused, until some friendly people came to take her out of the Mansion. Once Marinette convinced him to go back to the bakery, she gave him (and the rest of the team) a snack and some medicine to help them all sleep. Though it took Adrien a few hours to fall asleep, he finally did, in Marinette's arms.

She was relieved when he fell asleep, because it gave him a chance to get it all off his mind. Marinette was worried about Adrien, even more now, and they had to act fast. She's sure Alya, Nino, and Chloé were already awake, but Marinette didn't want to leave Adrien at the risk of waking him up. He's barely gotten any sleep these past few days, and he needs the time to de-stress and rest up. A lot of traumatizing things have happened recently, and Marinette wants to be there for him just like he was for her when they went viral as superheroes.

Only a few more minutes passed before Adrien tossed and turned in his sleep, and he looked like he was having a nightmare. "Adrien," Marinette grabbed his shoulder. "You okay?"

Adrien stopped tossing and sighed, but his eyes were still closed. "No, but I will be," He said. 

"Do you want to go downstairs and talk to the others about our next step, or do you want to stay up here?" Marinette asked, trying to be as careful as she could with her words. 

Adrien was quiet for another moment, then shifted to sit up. "We should go talk about the plan. The quicker we work on this, the quicker he goes away," He said.

Marinette grabbed his hand, and they locked eyes. "We're going to do this, and I know it will all work out," She promised.

With no response from Adrien, the two of them climbed down the ladder and out of her room to meet with the other three in the living room. "Morning, guys," Alya called, not looking away from the TV where a computer was connected.

"How'd you sleep?" Chloé asked.

Adrien shrugged and sat on the couch. Marinette answered as she walked to the kitchen to grab them both a piece of fruit. "Once we finally fell asleep, I think it was okay," She said. "Took us a while to get to that point, though. How about you guys?" She asked.

"The same," Nino responded. "I woke up first because I couldn't stop thinking about looking at the news footage from the fight," He said. 

Marinette handed an apple to Adrien, who contemplated eating it. He didn't want to, but he knew it would make all of his friends a little relieved to make sure he was eating. They know he's going through some things and need to make sure his physical needs are met, even if he doesn't want them to be. "So, you find anything?" Marinette asked as she sat next to Adrien on the couch.

"Actually, yeah. I think we missed some of their conversation with Hawkmoth because I sure don't remember all that was said," Alya said and skimmed through the video. "The Akuma talks about Hawkmoth on vacation and being off the grid. It was some weird choice of words, so maybe they're hinting to where they're hiding," Alya explained.

"Adrien," Chloé turned to look at him. "You don't know anything about a vacation home, do you?" She asked.

Adrien shook his head. "Just the one we share with Felix and his mom. But...that's countries away," He said.

Marinette sat up straight when she came up with an idea. "So it's probably not that since he has to be nearby to Akumatize people. But if it is off the grid-like the Akuma hinted to, then that explains why Adrien wouldn't know about it. I think we have to go back to Gabriel's office and get on his computer," She said. "Just to check some locked files to see what we can find," Marinette explained. "And we can check to see if the bug Alya had me plant last time caught anything. Maybe they came back to check what was left behind," Marinette said.

"That's a good idea," Alya said. "I'll come with, so I can hack into the computer. Not that I don't think you can do it, Mari, but I can probably do it a lot faster," Alya shrugged.

"Great, we'll go in a few hours. Adrien, do you want to stay here with Nino and Chloé?" Marinette asked.

Adrien shook his head before Marinette could even finish her question. "No, I want to go. Since mom has been...moved...I want to scope out what else was in that basement. We didn't exactly get to check out everything since there were people there to take her," Adrien explained. "But, I do have one question that I can't get off my mind. Why did my father have my mom in a basement?"

Marinette frankly didn't want to know the answer to that question. Her only idea was terrible, and she didn't want to say it. "Maybe he was planning on trying to use our Miraculous to bring her back," She said, but didn't finish her thought.

"I thought to make the wish it would take something away after," Alya chimed in. That was exactly it, but Marinette still didn't want to say it.

"Ah, I don't know if Hawkmoth knows exactly how it works. But we don't have to worry; he won't get our Miraculous, and now Emilie is in safe hands," Marinette defended. It was a good thing they were so strong. She was afraid that if Hawkmoth did get the chance to bring his wife back, they would lose Adrien in exchange.

---

Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Rena Rogue walked in the front of the Agreste Mansion that was still surrounded by police tape. They all headed straight to the office to get to work as quickly as possible, as they wanted to be done before the sunset. Rena Rogue went right to the computer as Ladybug and Chat Noir ventured into the lair, then into the basement garden.

Chat Noir was looking intently at everything as he walked around the garden slowly. Ladybug was following behind him, not entirely sure what they were looking for. "I can't believe he held her down here," Chat Noir said. "I thought we had grieved her and finally come to terms that she was resting in peace, but no. My father ruined that," Chat Noir grumbled. "I miss my mom and wish I could have her back every day, but I know that's not possible, and I've accepted that. My father's a delusional coward," He said, holding back the tears as he looked and the empty spot where Emilie was the night before.

"Adrien," Ladybug put her hand on his shoulder. "Your mother will finally get her peace now, and your father will get what's coming to him. We just have to figure out where he and Nathalie are, and this will all be over," She reminded him.

Chat Noir sighed and pushed Ladybug's hand off of him, turning to face her. "How do we know this will all be over? He's clearly gotten stronger, and he has found ways to get around us. What if something happens?" He asked.

"You can't think like that," Ladybug said. "The five of us work well together; we're a good team. He can't beat us and our friendships. It's going to be one against five, and while your father is driven by greed and selfishness, we are driven by the need to protect and save. That's how I know we will win," Ladybug told him.

Chat Noir didn't respond, he was anxious and worried, and the only thing that he could picture were countless bad outcomes. "I just can't stop thinking of what could go wrong," He admitted.

Ladybug nodded and thought about how to respond. "Well, there is no need to worry. We're going to do this together to get justice. Justice for Paris, for us, and for your mother. And you know I will be right by your side through this whole thing, you don't have to face any of this alone. You don't have to face the fight, the emotions, or your father alone," Ladybug began to ramble on. "I will be right here with you. I love you, Adrien," Ladybug said without thinking, then gasped and covered her mouth in shock. "Sorry. I know you're going through a lot of different emotions right now, and that probably wasn't the best time to blurt that out," She stressed.

"No," Chat Noir said. "I needed that, and I love you. You're right, we're going to be here for each other, and we will get our justice that everyone deserves," Chat Noir agreed. 

The two leaned in for a hug. It was a very emotional day, and it was hard to hold their tears back. Hopefully, Alya found something, so this would all be over soon.

As if on cue, their hug was cut off by Alya's voice. "Guys, I got into the computer. Plus, the bugs got a hit that wasn't just us. Want to check them out?"

"You ready?" Ladybug asked and held out her hand.

"With you, yes," Chat Noir replied and grabbed her hand. They walked together to meet Alya to find what she found. 

Chapter Text

Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Rena Rouge found everything they needed at the mansion. Alya was able to download pretty much everything on Gabriel's computer, even the locked stuff. It would take her a little longer to crack it, but she would get into that soon enough. Plus, there was a hit on the bug. They all knew it wasn't them because it was planted as they were leaving last time, and it wasn't Gorilla because he has been staying at the Bourgeois hotel to accommodate him while he's out of a job. He wouldn't go back to the Mansion; it would put him at risk, and Adrien didn't think that was a possibility.

Since the bug had a hit, they got out of the Mansion as fast as they could. They don't know what would happen if they ran into Hawkmoth without the full team, and with their guard down, it was better to stick together. Luckily, getting back to the bakery was easy, and as Alya worked on her computer with Nino, the other three listened to the bug.

There was a lot of muffled noise, like walking and random buzzing, but once they heard a deep voice, they all perked up. It wasn't the easiest thing to understand, but they were still able to get something out of it.

"That Akuma was a mistake," The voice of Adrien's dad grumbled. "They needed to shut up."

"Well, it's too late for that," Nathalie's voice came through much quieter. "We shouldn't even be here. We should get back to the-"

It got quiet, and the team assumed there was a silent action that made them stop. "No, I need to check on something," Gabriel insisted. "We will go back to being off the gird soon. Just trust me," He said.

"Yes," Nathalie said. "You're sure Adrien doesn't know about the Etserga home?" She asked.

"Positive. His mother and I kept it a secret from him just in case. Sure, this wasn't its intended use, but it's working-" They paused again. "They've been here...recently. We have to go," He said quickly, and their footsteps followed, running.

Adrien looked confused. "The what home?" He said just above a whisper.

"I heard et-something," Chloé said.

"Alya," Marinette turned to her. "Anything about a home starting with e-t?" She asked. Alya nodded as she typed away, and a few seconds later, put her head in her hand.

She sighed loudly. "Well, we never did say Hawkmoth was the smartest. He's got something in here about Etserga, but it's a locked folder. I'll get into it, just give me a few minutes," Alya said. "But that's Agreste spelled backward," She laughed slightly and went back to typing.

Adrien turned back to the group and looked more confused than before. "I wonder why they kept it a secret from me," He said. "Seems like they were always planning to do something evil."

Marinette put her hand on Adrien's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Adrien," She said. "You know we're right here with you. He won't get away with this."

Adrien didn't respond, but a small smile grew on his face, and he shut his eyes, laying his head on Marinette's shoulder.

---

"I don't know how much time we'll have," Rena Rouge warned as she held her flute in one hand and her phone in the other. "I can hold the Mirage of us, but we don't want to take any risks," She said.

"We'll be quick," Carapace promised. "We just need to get confirmation that this is the right place," He reminded.

Queen Bee scoffed as she nearly tripped in the forest. "No wonder Adrien didn't know about this place, it's in the middle of nowhere!" She complained.

"Yeah, I think that's the point of a hideout," Carapace joked. "I still don't understand why they didn't tell him."

"Gabriel's weird, why would he?" Rena Rouge said. "Okay, stop, we're getting close," She said and put her phone down and bringing her flute to her mouth. Once she finished her song, the three blended in with the forest surrounding them. They didn't want to get too close, but this would protect them from even having the chance to be seen. "We have to be quiet, too, don't forget," She told them.

The three heroes were silent once they got closer, they had no idea what could be in this forest, and they don't want to be caught off guard. If Hawkmoth found them snooping around, they would lose everything they've been working towards.

"There's a house," Queen Bee whispered and pointed straight ahead.

"That's gotta be it," Rena Rouge nodded, looking down at her phone and back up at the house. It wasn't very big, and looked a bit run down. Probably to make it look like no one lived there, keep it out of any suspicion.

The group moved out of direct sight of the house and hid behind a few trees. "Just because he can't see us doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful," Rena Rouge said. "Let's do this quick and get back to Marinette and Adrien," She said.

"Got it," Both Carapace and Queen Bee responded at the same time.

"Shell off," Carapace called quietly. It took Wayzz a few seconds to adjust to being out of the bracelet, and Nino gave him a quick snack. Once Wayzz adjusted, he took his part in the plan. Wayzz sighed. "He's definitely in there; I can feel Nooroo. He's sad and nervous," He said. "I've felt Nooroo before, but this is much worse," He reported.

Rena Rouge nodded. "Great. I'll let Marinette know we're coming back. Suit up and let's get out of here," She said. "This ends soon."

---

Adrien and Marinette sat out the visit to the woods. They knew Alya, Nino, and Chloé could handle it alone, and it could have caused issues if all five went. Besides, Adrien was exhausted, and if they were right, this fight could happen sooner than expected, and Adrien needed to be rested.

He still couldn't believe that his mother was in a secret garden basement the whole time. It had been years, and he thought he and his father had finally gotten through all the pain...but no. Adrien needed a mental break, which is also why they stayed back.

Adrien and Marinette sat on the couch with a random movie playing. Adrien was focused on the movie, and it was nice to have a distraction. Marinette distracted herself with editing a fashion video she filmed a few weeks ago- she had a few as "in case" recordings if she was going to miss an upload day. Though her upload streak has majorly died recently, due to essential circumstances, editing videos always got her mind focused and off the superhero world.

She decided to take a break and look at some recent comments on her videos. She was a little afraid of what she would find, but she wanted to know what her fans thought.

I miss marinettes daily videos but i hope her and everyone is doing okay. I can't imagine the kind of mental and psycial stress the crew is under right now. Mari, we stand behind you!!

I love mari and her crew. I can't wait for them to kick hm's ass once and for all. You guys got this!

ugh i get why she cant upload but i miss her and adrien. they always make me so happy

Adrien idk if you read mari's comments but if you do: I love you and I hope you're doing okay, I can't imagine what you're going through and I wish you the best. Mari give Adrien a big hug from all of us!

I can't wait to see how the world changes after they get rid of hawkmoth, like that will be iconic. I hope they record his demise.

> I hope they don't, that will be traumatic for Adrien to see everywhere. For all of them really, please be considerate

>> yes taking him down will be iconic, but we need to remember they are actual people...TEENAGERS having to do this

mari adrien alya nino chloe thank you

Mari is a BOSS, you're doing amazing. I'll keep watching all your videos over and over and over again to keep supporting you in any way I can. I'm not from Paris but i know they love you!!

Marinette was pleasantly surprised by how kind most of her comments were. They were sensitive to her situation, but she wasn't sure what changed. She hasn't been on social media at all recently, so maybe some nationwide campaign about being kind to the heroes happened. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised at this point. Nothing really surprises her anymore.

"They're there!" Alya, Nino, and Chloé shouted as the burst through the door.

The sudden noise scared Marinette and Adrien, and they were both staring at the group with wide eyes, more awake than ever. "Wayzz could feel Nooroo. We found them," Alya clarified.

"Great," Marinette nodded, set her computer on the couch, and stood up. "Then we go through with the plan."

"If I may," Wayzz flew from behind Nino. "You all are a great team and I support the plan. But please remember that Hawkmoth has made it clear that he does not care that you are kids or his son. He is ruthless," Wayzz said. "And he's not holding back anymore."

Marinette looked from Adrien to Tikki, who was floating next to her. She looked back at the group as a whole. "Then neither are we."

Chapter Text

Adrien walked through the forest with Plagg flying nearby. He followed the directions Alya left on the table, a little scared of what he might find along the way.

As he walked towards the house, Adrien fiddled with his ring as he got closer, playing through what he was going to say in his head. He kept taking deep breaths as he took a step or heard a strange noise.

Finally, he approached the house. After knocking three times, Adrien was met with his father as Hawkmoth, looking down at him with a smile.

"What are you doing, Adrien?" Hawkmoth asked as he readied his staff.

Adrien tried to bring up his confidence. "I'm sorry I went against you, father," Adrien said. "I want to prove my loyalty to help you," He said.

Hawkmoth looked back at Nathalie, a little confused, but glad. "You know what I'm after."

"Right," Adrien said and pulled off his ring. "Sorry, Plagg," He apologized before he was sucked back into the ring. "I just want my friends to be safe."

Hawkmoth's smile grew sinister as he held the ring in his hand. "They will be; If they follow you. Everyone will be safe then," He promised.

Adrien nodded quickly. "Okay, I can help with that."

Hawkmoth welcomed Adrien into the secret home and gave him a place to sit in the main room. "I'm glad you came to me, Adrien," Hawkmoth said and began prepping things with Nathalie that Adrien didn't understand.

Instead of replying to his father, Adrien pulled out his phone and dialed Marinette's number.

"Adrien!" Marinette shrieked. "Where are you? We've been looking for you all morning!" She said.

"I'm at Hawkmoth's hideout. I went out for a walk, and he caught me and took my Miraculous. Marinette, I need you," He pleaded, and it was clear that Hawkmoth was satisfied with Adrien's cry.

"Oh...my gosh," Marinette sighed. "We'll be there as fast as we can, hang on, Adrien," She promised and hung up.

Adrien looked down at his phone after the call ended. "Perfect," Hawkmoth smirked. "Now, we just have to wait."

A few minutes passed as Adrien sat and fiddled with his thumbs while waiting for his friends. He. was nervous, nervous that they would be disappointed, but also nervous that Hawkmoth would hurt them. It seemed like hours passed while waiting for the heroes to show up, but it was only a matter of minutes.

The three jumped as Ladybug kicked down the door with Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee behind her. "Adrien!" She said and ran over to him. Just before she could get to him, Hawkmoth put his staff in between them, blocking Adrien from her. "Adrien, what's going on?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, Mari," Adrien sighed and showed his hand.

"Adrien, what did you-"

"He's with me now," Hawkmoth interrupted. "And if we don't want anyone to get hurt, I suggest you all do the sensible thing like Adrien," Hawkmoth advised.

Ladybug shook her head and stepped back, not believing what was happening. "No, never!" She shouted and grabbed her yo-yo. "I will not give up!" She shouted. Adrien remained in his chair, worried about what could happen, while the rest of the team stood strong, ready to face Hawkmoth.

As Ladybug began spinning her yo-yo, the rest of her team backed down so she could try to get through to Hawkmoth. "Gabriel," She said. "Do you really want to do this? We can just stop here and go on with our lives," She tried her hardest to talk to him.

"Oh, sure, I'll stop if you hand over your Miraculous," He said. "But I assume you won't do that, so we have to do this the hard way," He sighed.

Ladybug shook her head in disappointment. "Guess so," She said. The four heroes immediately pushed forward at Hawkmoth, not backing down.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had only faced Hawkmoth a few times before, but this was completely different. Hawkmoth hit his staff a few times and knocked back Rena Rogue, Carapace, and Queen Bee. The staff's power was so strong it sent the three flying to the floor, and it was clear that Hawkmoth only wanted to deal with Ladybug.

Ladybug dodged the hits and power from the staff until she started to run out of energy. Hawkmoth was not holding back, just like she expected, but she kept defending as much as possible.

After defending the hits Hawkmoth threw at her, she was running out of steam. Ladybug hadn't used the Lucky Charm yet, but she could feel Tikki was getting tired along with Marinette.

With one last blow, Ladybug fell to the ground. She breathed heavily as Hawkmoth walked closer to her.

"Well," He started. "It seems we have come to an impasse," Hawkmoth said. "Your only choice is to give me your Miraculous," He said and held out his hand, waiting for Ladybug to do as he says.

Ladybug nodded. "Yes, that does seem like the only choice," She stood up. "But it's not," Ladybug said, and Hawkmoth's face immediately dropped with confusion. "Tikki, Duusu, unify!"  Ladybug shouted, and with a red and blue flash, Ladybug transformed into Lady Peacock.

"W-what?" Hawkmoth stepped back. "That Miraculous was broken!"

"And we got it fixed," Lady Peacock shrugged while holding her yo-yo and reaching her hand over her shoulder while waiting for her team.

Hawkmoth calmed down and stood tall, not entirely sure what their plan was. He turned around to give them some distance while preparing to take down a bunch of naive teenagers who didn't understand what he was working towards.

Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Queen Bee got up and stood behind Lady Peacock. Out of the corner of his eye, Hawkmoth saw Adrien stand up from the chair. "Plagg!"

"Ah ah ah," Hawkmoth said. "Did you forget, Adrien? You already gave me your Miraculous," Hawkmoth smirked.

Adrien looked down and shook his head. "Look again, father," Adrien directed. Hawkmoth pulled the ring out of his pocket and heard the noise of a flute, and the ring in his hand disappeared. Adrien held up his hand, showing that his Miraculous never left his finger; it was all a mirage.

"Plagg! Claws out!" Adrien shouted and turned into Chat Noir, joining his team on the other side of the room. The plan had worked perfectly, and they were able to take Hawkmoth by surprise.

Lady Peacock stood in front, with Chat Noir and Queen Bee behind her, and Rena Rouge and Carapace behind them. They were stood in a V formation, making sure to let Hawkmoth knew they weren't here to play.

Hawkmoth was surprised at the mirage, but it also meant that Rena Rouge was weaker and would have to recharge soon. He shot his staff at her once to encourage her to get out of his way. He figured drawing out Carapace's and Queen Bee's special powers early on would make the fight against Ladybug- or Lady Peacock, and Chat Noir much easier. Hawkmoth sent one warning shot over to where Rena Rouge retreated to, causing Carapce to use his shell-ter to protect her while she recharged.

Queen Bee held up her spinning top, ready to sting Hawkmoth. "Miss Bourgeois, I wouldn't take another step if I were you," Hawkmoth warned, and Lady Peacock motioned that it was okay for her to back down. "You all have no idea how much I have been holding back. Quit now, and it will be much easier for everyone," He said.

Lady Peacock shook her head. "And you have no idea how much we've been holding back," She said and pulled a feather off her shoulder, blowing onto it to make it turn blue, then letting it fly out the door.

Hawkmoth knew what the peacock did, but he didn't have much hope for Marinette Dupain-Cheng to use it to their strongest advantage. Sure, she's strong as Ladybug, but can she really handle two Miraculouses at once?

Hawkmoth scoffed at her. "You're a child, I don't want to hurt you, but I will get everyone's Miraculous!" He shouted.

Lady Peacock, Chat Noir, and Queen Bee didn't think twice about what he said. They looked to each other, and all darted towards him. They followed Hawkmoth out the back of the house and into the woods, a much larger area for a fight that could end badly.

The amock flew through the air of the forest back into civilization. It flew over the Agreste Mansion, the school, and the bakery. It passed the Eiffel Tower and over baby's heads, but it had a set location.

It flew into the open window of Master Fu's shop and landed on a piece of rock next to where he hid the Miracle Box. Master Fu knew exactly what was going to happen, and was proud of the team for their plan working, as he was a little skeptical at first. He waited for the amock to transform the rock, and it burst through the roof fo his shop- but he wasn't worried; Ladybug would fix it later.

"Haven't changed a bit," Master Fu remarked to the amock that resembled the first Akuma that Ladybug and Chat Noir fought. "You will return to Lady Peacock and aid her in battle. Go now," Master Fu commanded, and the Stoneheart amock made his way to the forest.

Lady Peacock, Chat Noir, and Queen Bee were in battle with Hawkmoth. Everything thrown at him, he threw back with the staff, and he had no issues. Carapace and Rena Rouge were still recharging, but the rest of the team was holding their own.

Out of nowhere, the ground shook, distracting both sides. The amock of Stoneheart jumped in front of Lady Peacock, but facing Hawkmoth. "What is this?" He grumbled.

"I'm sure you remember Stoneheart, yes? The first Akuma we ever took on and beat, well, this stone is just like him. But he is here to help us this time," Lady Peacock said. "It's all coming full circle," She said.

Hawkmoth didn't respond, but instead only aimed for Stoneheart, who wasn't reacting one bit from the hits. Stoneheart was just enough of a distraction that Lady Peacock could call for her Lucky Charm without having to worry, and also enough that Rena Rouge and Carapace could make it back to the battle.

"What's your Lucky Charm?" Chat Noir asked.

Ladybug sighed. "It's a jewelry box," She said. "We have to get his Miraculous. Let's go!"

The five of them ran around Stoneheart and used all the energy they could towards Hawkmoth. He tried to use his staff to fend them off, but it was getting more apparent that he was running out of steam. The heroes have grown up since their first fight, and have become much stronger. Stronger than Hawkmoth would have ever assumed.

Rena Rouge used her mirage to make duplicates of them, so Hawkmoth wouldn't know which way they were coming from. Hawkmoth shot where most of the duplicates were rounded up, and Carapace used his shell-ter to protect himself and Queen Bee. Hawkmoth was able to use the trees Stoneheart was throwing to his advantage and made a hideout, which left Chat Noir to cataclysm the trees around him.

Hawkmoth was running out of ideas, and he was cornered. The duplicates were confusing him, and Stoneheart was getting more dangerous. Hawkmoth was not going to give up, though, he was going to get the Miraculous.

Just as Hawkmoth was about to speak, he opened his mouth, and instead of words, a scream came out, and he fell to the ground. Hawkmoth was hit with Queen Bee's venom in the back, then kicked down by Lady Peacock. Hawkmoth was stuck up against a few trees that were thrown earlier. All of the heroes besides Chat Noir stepped back, while Chat Noir walked up to Hawkmoth straight on.

Chat Noir reached for Hawkmoth's Miraculous, but before he could grab it, Hawkmoth spoke. "Adrien!" He said as loud as he could. Granted, it wasn't very loud from the venom he just took, but it did catch Chat Noir's attention. "If you do this, your mother will be gone forever."

With a sigh, Chat Noir stepped back. "She was supposed to be gone, resting peacefully, years ago. You kept her from that peace," He said.

"Don't you want her back?" Hawkmoth said, stalling as much time as he could.

“Of course I do, but not like this. If you use our miraculous to get her back, I will be the one to die," Chat Noir said, and Hawkmoth's eyes widened, like he hadn't thought of that. "As much as I would love to trade my life for hers, it’s not natural, and she’s probably in more pain in that secret basement. It’s been years father; we have to move on.”

Hawkmoth tried to shake his head, but Chat Noir resumed reaching for the Miraculous. "Adrien-"

Chat Noir grabbed the Miraculous on Hawkmoth's chest. "This is for mom," He said and ripped the brooch off, and with a flash of purple, Hawkmoth turned back into Gabriel Agreste.

Lady Peacock walked up from behind him and opened the jewelry box, and Chat Noir set Hawkmoth's brooch in it. It would be in there until they could get it back to the Miracle Box, and everything could return to normal. Lady Peacock left Stoneheart to guard Gabriel as they saw red and blue lights in the distance.

"Let's get out of here," Chat Noir said and led the team out. 

Chapter Text

One Month Later

"Don't be bemused, it's just the news," Nadja Chamack's voice rang through the TV, much less energetic than usual.

The five heroes sat on Marinette's couch, dressed in black, and emotionally exhausted. Everyone had tear-stained faces, and no one was saying anything, just sitting and coping.

"Just two hours after Emilie Agreste's proper burial, Gabriel Agreste has been found guilty for multiple counts of public endangerment, and multiple counts of kidnapping. We have reporters on the field seeing him being taken away," She reported, and the video turned to an overhead view of Gabriel Agreste in handcuffs, leaving the courthouse in the back of a police car. Adrien shut his eyes for a few seconds until the screen changed again.

Nadja continued. "His assistant, Nathalie Sancoeur, has also been charged with multiple counts of complicity but could be released early because she claims she was forced to help him. That is currently being investigated. We want to send a heartfelt message to our heroes to say thank you for keeping Paris safe and continuing to do so. The public will always support you, and we hope to see you at the statue ceremony in a few days."

Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand to remind him that she's there for him, and they would get through this together. All five of them were a mess, and just glad it was all over. 

"This broadcast is dedicated to Emilie Agreste, may she finally rest in peace," Nadja said, and the TV went to commercial.

Adrien started crying again, not sure how much more he could cry before he ran out of tears. They all looked down, and Marinette shut the TV off, still holding Adrien.

---

Marinette focused her camera on her friends and pressed record, then took her seat. They definitely weren't ready to be on camera all the time, but they knew this video had to be made.

"Hi, I'm Marinette," She began the video, less energetic than her videos were used to. "And I've got my team with me. Today we're doing a final Q&A about being superheroes," Marinette said. "Like before, we will choose the questions to answer, as we still have to protect some things. But most questions will come from Twitter and YouTube," She clarified.

The team was still going through a lot, emotionally and psychically. Initially, they weren't going to make any videos until they were back to normal, or as normal as they could be, but once they all agreed to take a step back, a final Miraculous video needed to be made.

"There are still some sensitive topics," Alya piped up. "So Marinette and I have already chosen the ones we will be answering, and not all of us may answer every question," She explained, hoping it would keep people from commenting anything rude.

"Are we all ready to begin?" Marinette asked the group with a soft smile, and with a round of yes, she asked the first question. "Thank you guys so much. How are you doing? We care about you and value you more than you know," She read. "I'll start. I think it's safe to say we're still kind of a mess, but we're getting better every day. It feels like one weight is off my shoulders, for now, at least," Marinette said.

There were a few nods around her, agreeing. "My head is still a mess from everything. But we've been working through it together," Alya added. "It helps that we're all together, definitely."

Adrien cleared his throat. "Marinette said it straight. I'm a mess, and I can't be any more clear than that. But having a new schedule and helping around The Bakery keeps my mind busy, but there is a new stress of starting school," He said, forcing a chuckle at the end.

"Very true!" Chloé echoed. "At least then we'll all be focusing on something to keep us busy!" She said.

Nino didn't answer as most of the emotions were covered. "Speaking of school," Alya said. "Our next question asks what's next for you guys now that the Akuma threat is gone?" Alya asked.

"I guess this is as good a time as any to announce some updates for all of us!" Marinette said and took a deep breath. I'm sure you've all noticed my lack of uploads, for obvious reasons, and they will not be going back to how they used to be. That's because I will be busy studying at my top school for design!" She said, excitedly. "I do want to get back into uploading more fashion videos, and I hope I'll be able to incorporate stuff from school into them, so keep an eye out," She winked. 

Marinette looked to Adrien to let him talk about his plans. "I am going to school to study business, so I can fully take over Agreste Fashion in a few years. Right now, it is being run by the CFO, and I will be working with him and his team to help me prepare for that responsibility. In a few years, the Agreste Fashion, you know now, will be completely different, and I hope the best designer out there will be willing to tag along," Adrien nudged Marinette with a smile.

She brushed it off with an eye roll and looked to Alya next. "The Ladyblog really took off with everything going on, and I have taken a job as a full-time reporter as well as going to school for writing!" Alya said. "It will be a change of pace, but I'm really excited. Chloé?" She directed.

"Plain and simple, I'm going to study politics," She said, not elaborating anymore.

"And possibly our most exciting one...Nino?" Marinette smiled wide and turned to him.

Nino jumped when he heard his name. "Oh yeah!" He said. "I'm going to be taking a year off because I'm going on tour with Jagged Stone!" Nino said and put his fist in the air in excitement.

Jagged Stone made the offer to Nino only a few days before, and everyone was excited for him, though sad he was going to be gone for so long. The questions continued on, asking about favorite things to do as heroes, what changes they would make to their costumes, if they could switch their Miraculous for another which one would it be, and some that weren't related to superheroes at all. 

They talked about how their relationships with each other have changed, and also what they wish they could have done in high school. 

"Now for what I'm sure you've all been wondering, why is this the last Miraculous superhero-related video?" Marinette said, and everyone's mood changed from having fun to being somber. "We, as a group, have decided to take a step back. At least for a little bit," She said. "Hawkmoth and the Akumas are over, and crime rates are very low. Plus, it gives us a chance to focus on something different," Marinette explained.

"We love being superheroes, but it's time," Adrien added, followed with nods form the team.

Marinette took a deep breath. "But! We do have an exciting announcement. This Saturday, we will be doing a stream with Jagged Stone to finally listen to his album and talk about all the work!" Marinette said, and everyone else murmured things about it. "Check the information below to be sure to listen with us!" She said. "But I think that's it for today. Thank you all so much for watching, and I hope you'll check out our social media," Marinette took a deep breath. "Bug out."

Marinette had the video out as fast as she could, and the comments flew in.

oh man, catch me crying right now i love you guys so much

i know this is an important step for them but im still sad that its the end of an era

BUG OUT BUG OUT BUG OUT 

she said BUG OUT this cant be the end of ladybug and chat noir

I hope you guys know how much we love and value you! I hope you guys are feeling better and keep getting better. Excited for everything in the future!!

OMG CONGRATS GUYS on all your achievements! Can't wait to see what you all do! ESPECIALLY YOU mari and i cant wait to see what adrien does with Agreste Fashion!!

ugh i love you guys SO MUCH

i love that mari would choose to be chat like,,, can i see that please?

I'm so buying tickets to Jagged mostly for Nino !!

thank you guys so much <3

To say they were pleasantly surprised with the comments was an understatement.

---

Right after the video was uploaded and the team read through the comments, they sat in Marinette's home, waiting for their visitor. There were mixed feelings, and no one knew what to say. When there was a knock on the door, the air in the room grew thick.

"Hello, Master," Marinette said as she welcomed Master Fu into the home. The Kwamis floated behind their holders, clearly sad to be leaving, and not saying anything.

"Are you all ready?" He asked.

No one spoke, just looked at each other. "Well, that's good, because I would like to say something," Master Fu said. "You five are the best Miraculous holders. I am very proud of all of you for what you've accomplished while also having the stress of life," He said, and grabbed the Miracle Box out of his bag. "Which is why I want to pass this onto you, Marinette."

All five gasped, and Marinette was shocked. "W-what?" She asked, her jaw on the floor.

“My time as guardian of the Miraculous is up. I have been guarding these since I was just a boy, and Marinette and Adrien, you two were easily the best Ladybug and Black Cat there has ever been. You work well together and are true leaders. All five of you have the best teamwork I could have ever imagined, and after all you have been through with Hawkmoth, it is clear that it is time for a change," Master Fu said and handed the Miracle Box to Marinette, which she hesitantly grabbed. "Marinette, you were made to be Ladybug. You were made to be a Guardian."

Her friends began celebrating with wide smiles, clearly excited for Marinette. The Kwamis were exchanging confused looks as to what this meant, and Pollen was the one to speak up.

“Does this mean we can stay with our owners?” Pollen asked.

Marinette turned around, holding onto the Miracle Box tight. She took a deep breath and formed a smile. “You know, it’s probably a better idea to not have them all in one place. Who knows, maybe the world will need us again," She said, and everyone joined in a group hug. After all this stress, emotional and physical pain, it was time for them to live their lives, with their best friends (humans and Kwamis alike) by their side.

THE END

(...but don't forget, mini-sequel coming soon!)