Chapter Text
The bluenette has found a number of extremely bothersome matters as she lived her LIFE as Lady Noire and as Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
One, she and Misterbug have yet to catch Hawkmoth. Two, the media have again picked up the trend where she and Misterbug are a power couple when they aren't.
Why else is Misterbug evading her inquiry?
Three, her parents are growing increasingly suspicious of her activities outside the house. Four, she's graduating from lycée and got accepted in ESMOD.
How is this bothersome? One might ask her. Well... Marinette can pretend Plagg ask-
"I didn't." Plagg, as if reading her mind, spoke as he took a bite of the strangest Croissant she has ever made - the Camembert Croissant. Really. It is utterly strange. Thank god her parents weren't at home or she'd get a lecture about the bread and cheese.
-ed. Anyways, the reason for this would be the fact Marinette got a message from her grandmother yesterday. A message where her elusive grandma Gina bought her an apartment in celebration for her success to getting into ESMOD. Now, most people would be ecstatic, but giving Marinette options makes her think her life plans over.
...
Living in her own apartment wouldn't be any different from her life in the bakery except for the resources.
However, that can easily be arranged by taking a trip to the grocery. For her, Plagg is like her over-sized cheese baby. He constantly wants cheese, chaos and affection.
She wasn't even bothered in the necessary miscellaneous fees because she's always dreamed of getting out of her house and living her life as a fashion designer.
This incoming eighteen-year-old female is ready to head out of her nest and spread her wings. Metaphorically of course since she's a cat-theme superhero and not a bird-themed
"So are you going to keep talking to yourself or are we really going to make the Bug wait?" Plagg yawned, carrying her phone as his kitten stood at the middle of the fancy apartment.
"Sorry Plagg. I'm just nervous.." Marinette sighed, placing her hands on the table.
"It happens to the best of us." Plagg shrugged and Marinette smiled at her confidant.
The incoming end days of lycée is looming over them. Another fine ending for her ordinary life and then comes a new chapter of her life: as a university student.
It was at this time when her kwami suggested they get out of the house. They both agreed it would be for the best before Marinette's parents find out about her identity. Either they learn of her identity or they start turning passive-aggressive over their own daughter's escapades. Not good considering Marinette's inability to lie.
Two weeks before graduation and an incoming week of non-stop parties (Chloé, et al.) is when Marinette found the time to visit the apartment and realize how advantageous it were to both her lives.
"So you gonna send this to her?" Plagg inquired as Marinette got her phone back from him.
"I guess so. She did want me to convince her to come live with me..." Marinette stuck her tongue out as she sent the video of her walking around the new place.
Albeit expensive to maintain, Marinette took note of every opening and found it effective for a quick getaway when an akuma comes. She doesn't mind the small outdoor space when the apartment has the rest of the necessary furniture and accessories for her to endure the seasons. Heater and AC are must haves.
The apartment reminds her home actually, spiraling stairs leading up to the rooftop. However, it has more room compared to the bakery. Also, this place is given to her so that makes this place Marinette's space. The architect and room designer gave a natural feel element in this apartment, the sea as his/her muse for the color theme.
With Plagg recording her as she explored the place, Marinette knows she got a TV which has channel, a coffee maker, a dishwasher and washing machine alongside a fancy fridge. There are neat racks, ceramic plates, silver utensils and a complete kitchen equipment set. The water wasn't hard which is weird because she heard some of her other classmates who moved out of their families (Kim and Alix) to having hard water from the sink water.
There's a second floor garden with a swimming pool (plus Jacuzzi) and a flower bed to set in the mood. Of course, that's outside the second floor so she took note of another convenient living space, free space (where she found the washing machine and the baskets) and another bathroom. Huh...?
Reaching the third floor, Marinette knows each floor has its own bathroom and at least two free spaces. Ground floor is the stereotypical apartment look. Second floor is for parties or a swim or a game place. Third floor is for rest or star-gazing. The third floor is similar to her bedroom space, but now split to two rooms.. So two bedroom places with its respective two bathrooms and a huge free space between the two bedrooms which is the communal space. The bedrooms are big because the owner decided to merge the supposed free space with the bedroom so it's a really big bedroom space. Two Marinette-sized space bedrooms.
"Why do you have to convince her anyways?" Plagg sat on her shoulder, pawing her long pigtails because he can. "I thought all teens want to get out of their hellhole of a dwelling place?"
"You forget Alya has sisters she takes care of." Marinette stared at her phone as the message was seen. "Her older sister is also extra protective."
"Weird." Plagg yawned again and Marinette scratched his tiny head. Plagg moved his head so she can scratch his ear, purring. "Can't you just... move in by yourself?"
"Papa won't let me. He wants me to have a roommate that they know." Marinette kept scratching the easily complaint kitty, watching Alya text. "Knowing Papa, I can't have a guy as a roommate but a girl. What better than have Alya?"
"Hmmm" Plagg agreed, but it's probably more on her scratches.
*Ding
[HS! That's an amazing space M!] Alya messaged to her and Marinette looked up at the fancy clock pendulum. 'Few minutes before patrol.'
*Bzzz
"Hello?" Marinette answered Alya's call as Plagg flopped on her shoulder.
"I want to move with you." Alya confessed, but Marinette can sense a problem. "But my mom doesn't trust us in surviving on our own."
"What do you propose, A?" Marinette leaned her arms on the table, staring at the flower vase. "Coz I can't live here without a roomie."
"Ok. Listen and don't freak out." Alya starts and Marinette placed her phone on the table, setting it to speaker mode. "What if you video yourself living in that space with me?"
"How will that convince her you should move in with me?" Marinette raised an eyebrow.
"I'm getting there." Alya explained and Plagg fell off her shoulder like goo. "So you video yourself living there and pretending you're talking with me. You know, like an ASMR?"
"ASMR?" Marinette glanced at Plagg, reaching forward and scratching his chin. Plagg squirms, purring as she scratched him just right.
"ASMR videos make their audience relax. It's a different type of video which caters to stressed and lonely people." Alya told her and Marinette hummed at the thought. At least Alya didn't say NO to her idea. That must mean something. "What you'll do is pretend how our lives work in that place. You getting woken up by me and how I'll drag your feet off the bed. Us having a sleepover or even when I watch you cook us dinner!"
"So like the video I sent you?" Marinette asked, not sure why Alya wants that type of video to convince her mother but it sounds logical. Any loving parent would want how their child's life would be like outside their domain. Because Marinette and Alya have been to each other's house, the bluenette has a firm grasp how Alya would react to her playful banter. 'Except now it's all one-sided.'
"Yep. Videos of what we'll do once we live together. Make it short but meaningful. I doubt messenger would let you clip an hour long video here." Alya sounds more peppy than the norm. It must be the high the reporter got when the brunette got accepted to Sorbonne University. "Oh and you have a really nice voice, Marinette. You could start a Utube channel with how homey you are."
"I already have my online boutique thank you very much!" Marinette laughed, removing her finger before Plagg gets hyped up.
"I can edit them and give you credit. You don't mind if I post your videos, do you?" Alya requested with the voice matching her puppy eyes look. Marinette can't see her, but she can imagine it.
"No pictures. I don't want anyone knowing this place's lay-out and robbing us." Marinette warned. "Also, don't expect a video from me every day."
"I didn't say anything about that." Alya teased and Marinette bit her inner cheek. "I'll let you know when I uploaded it."
"Thanks, Alya. Love you." Marinette lets out an exaggerated air kiss and Alya laughs before hanging up. Marinette slowly looked down at Plagg.
"So...?" Marinette asked, smiling at the lazy black cat. She already locked the doors of this place. All she has to do is turn off the lights and use the rooftop for a quick getaway.
"Let's get this over with." Plagg squinted at Marinette, grumpy the scratches stop.
"Plagg! Claws out!" Marinette grinned as she posed for her transformation.