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All Adrien wanted was some croissants. And a friend.
Mostly a friend.
His room felt sufffocating and overwhelming, and after the akuma they had just defeated, he couldn't handle going home. He felt in the verge of breakdown as it was, and didn't want to be alone.
So he went to the one place he was always welcome, Marinette's balcony. She was usually awake pretty late, and always open to talking.
And he really could use some advice.
Adrien advice, but Marinette and Adrien weren't exactly on speaking terms. Marinette and Chat Noir were, so maybe he could figure out what he had done.
He knew he messed up, he just didn't understand how.
Lila and Marinette had been arguing and Adrien asked Lila to calm down and then she kissed him, out of nowhere, and Marinette started crying and practically ran out of the classroom.
Adrien tried to to after her, but Alya stopped him, saying, "trust me, you're the last person she wants to talk to right now."
He sent Marinette a text trying to explain, but she never responded.
And she ignored him when he tried to talk to her.
The only think she told him was, "If you're dating Lila, I don't think we can be friends."
Really, it was a miracle that she wasn't akumatized over it. She seemed pissed.
(Not a miracle, she was Marinette. She was just amazing like that. She had never been akukatized.)
The only problem was, he wasn't dating Lila. At all. After she kissed him, Adrien had pulled away and had some choice words. He switched seats to sit as far away from Lila as possible, after that uncomfortable interaction. He thought about sitting with Chloe, who offered Sabrina's seat, but Adrien didn't want to push Sabrina away from her best friend, and also, Chloe was a lot. He sat next to Nathaniel in the back, who probably wouldn't kiss him without asking.
(Actually, Nathaniel was dating Marc and would never cheat on them, so it was highly unlikely)
So Adrien (as Chat Noir) was headed towards Marinette's house for a friend, some croissants and advice. Not necessarily in that order. (Croissants came first).
Weirdly, she wasn't on the balcony when he arrived, although, to be fair, he had just finished fighting an Akuma with Ladybug. Luckily, he didn't have to use his powers, so he wasn't on a limit.
(On second thought it wasn't that weird. Hiding inside during an Akuma attack made perfect sense).
So, believing that Marinette was probably inside, hiding under a desk, Chat Noir lifted up the trapdoor and climbed down.
"Climbed" being a generous term. He made his way down the rungs, before slipping and falling onto the floor of Marinette's room, with an exaggerated "oof."
He sat up, rubbing his head, and checked the desk for Marinette. She wasn't there. She wasn't in her chair or in the closet, or-
He turned around, and made eye contact with the figure on the bed.
Both of them froze for a moment, before pointing at each other, like in that Spider-Man meme.
Ladybug spoke first. "Chat Noir?"
"Yes." He had several questions on his mind. What was she doing here? Why? How? "Ladybug," he started slowly, "why are you in Marinette's bed?"
Ladybug, who for the record, was an amazing actor (or he was just mesmerized by her beauty), looked down at the blankets she was wrapped up in, and looked back at Chat Noir in confusion, "Who's Marinette?"
"This is her room. She's cute. Pigtails. About this tall." He explained.
Ladybug's eyes narrowed. "She's definitely taller than that."
"Oh, so you do know her?"
"Somewhat."
"Cool, what are you doing in her bed?"
"Sleeping?" Ladybug responded. Reasonable, but the way she responded, sounded more like a question than an answer.
"Where is Marinette?"
"What are you doing in Marinette's bedroom?"
"Me?"
"Yeah, you."
"I asked you first."
"Yeah, but you're a guy, in her bedroom. Why?."
Adrien started sweating. "Who wants to know?"
"Me, clearly."
"What was the question again?" His heart pounded in his chest. He had no idea how Ladybug had caught onto him, but she did. Somehow she knew that he had a crush on Marinette and wanted to push him away.
"What are you doing in Marinette's room?"
"Uhh." Chat Noir scrambled for a response, before settling on one that seemed logical. "I am Marinette."
He delivered it with the confidence of an actor who had started in a film. (As himself). Any person that did not have extensive knowledge of the miraculous would've believed him.
Ladybug didn't buy it. "Sure."
"You don't believe me? I could be anyone."
"And I could be Adrien Agreste."
Chat Noir held in a laugh. "No you couldn't."
"How do you know?"
"How do you know I'm not Marinette?" He countered.
"Touche."
"It would appear that we are at an impasse."
"Indeed."
"I guess we just have to wait for Marinette to get back."
"I'm not leaving." Ladybug crossed her arms.
"And I'm not leaving until you do."
"What was so important that you came here immediately after an akuma?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Chat Noir crossed his arms.
"I wanted to take a nap."
That checked out. Ladybug was lying in a bed.
And waiting for a response.
Chat decided to go with the truth. "I wanted some advice. I messed up with. A friend today, and-"
"I could help you with that."
"I really need to talk to Marinette. Trust me." He flashed one if his model smiles. "But thanks, Ladybug."
"Are you sure? I give advice."
"I need to talk to Marinette. I need to make things right with Marinette."
"If this is about croissants, she's not mad."
"No, its-" Chat blinked, "how did you know about the croissants."
"Lucky guess?"
"No, you knew."
"Did I?"
"Yes..you knew." He looked her up and down. "That can only mean one thing."
"What?"
"You're dating Marinette."
Ladybugs burst out laughing. "Where did you get that idea from?"
"You're literally in her bed."
"You're in her bedroom."
"I wish I was dating Marinette."
"What?"
"What?"
"Did you just say you wanted to date Marinette?"
"No, of course not." He was bluffing. His entire face was red, and he knew it. "I am Marinette."
"No, you're not."
"Yes I am."
"No, you're not." She repeated.
"I an Marinette." Chat Noir declared with great confidence. Too much confidence for something that was such a bold lie. At any moment now, Marinette could walk into her room and out Chat as a liar.
But Ladybug had no idea of knowing if Chat was lying.
Ladybugs roller her eyes. "No you're not, I'm literally Marinette."
wait what?
Chat blinked. "What?"
"I just want a nap, is that too much to ask?"
"You're Marinette?"
"Apparently it is too much-"
Chat Noir took a breath. "First of all, I want to say I'm sorry for the confusion. I was never dating, and will never date Lila."
"Why would you ever-"
"Second of all," Chat transformed into Adrien, "I'm Adrien."
Ladybug swore. "I knew it."
"You did?"
"No, but I suspected. No one could love croissants as much as you do, except for you."
"I almost outed myself over croissants?" He frowned. "Thats embarrassing."
"You tried to convince me that you were me, which the croissant obsession doesn't even compare to."
"Thats not helpful."
Lqdybug smirked. "I never said it was."
"I should explain." Adrien sighed. "Lila kissed me out of nowhere, I was going to ask you out and-"
"Ladybug?"
"No, you. Marinette. I like you."
"Oh."
"Yeah. Lila just grabbed me and I didn't have time to react."
"I'm sorry. I didn't even give you time to explain. You're the victim in this situation."
"Its not your fault, I see how it looked bad."
"Yeah."
"So are you free Friday?"
"Like for a date?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't know."
"I mean, we can hang out as just friends if you want to too.no pressure. Hahah." Adrien's hands were sweaty again.
"I just don't know if I can be in a relationship right now."
"So, can we hang out as friends on Friday?"
"Probably.... unless there's an akuma attack."
"Yeah."
"Being Ladybug complicates things."
"I get it."
"I know you do...."
"Friday?"
"Not sure, but I am free right now." Marinette yeeted herself out of bed and threw a wiimote at Adrien. "Mariokart?"
"Hell yeah!"
"Shhh. My parents are sleeping."
"Oh, right." Adrien lowered his voice to a whisper. "hell yeah."
Marinette was going to tease Adrien relentlessly for trying to convince her that he was her, but for now, they were two normal very good friends hanging out and having fun.
While their magical companions splurged on cheese-filled pastries.
After crime fighting.
Nope nothing weird about that.
Adrien never did get the croissants that he had hoped for, but he did regain a friend, so really it was a win.
Mostly.
He was really craving croissants.