Chapter Text
Adrien sat across from his marketing team, desperately hoping they would not notice the blue bags that sat beneath his eyes due to the Akuma that had kept him up so late the previous night. He also hoped they would not notice he had been up even later reliving every moment of his and Ladybugs interactions.
In Adrien’s eyes, Ladybug was perfect. She was strong willed, intense, but never failed to be kind and honest when it mattered. It didn’t hurt that she was practically beautiful in every way he could imagine either.
“Mr. Agreste.” A voice cut into his thoughts, slashing at the image of Ladybug until she faded away, her smiling melting until he was face to face with his team. “Like I was saying,” One of his team members continued. “We think this is a perfect opportunity for you to put yourself in the public eye before the release of your next fragrance.”
Adrien sighed. The last thing he wanted to think about was business.
“Okay. I just…” He trailed off. His team was planning for him to auction himself off to a winner for a date. It felt wrong to him. Like he was cheating on Ladybug.
You’re not an item. He had to remind himself.
“…I don’t know. Doesn’t it feel wrong?” He finished and looked down at his seat.
A woman laughed. “Mr. Agreste. It’s not like you have to marry this person.”
Marinette awoke with her bangs sticking straight up from her forehead. Alya was asleep next to her, tossing and turning like she had been all night. Marinette dragged a hand over her forehead, pulling her face down with tiredness.
Yawning and stretching she reached for her phone. Turing it on, she looked at the time.
13:00.
“Holy shit.” She whispered. How on earth had they slept that late. She knew she had been up all night fighting an Akuma with Chat Noir while Alya was in the crowd taking photos for her blog.
She rolled over carefully, trying not to wake up her friend. She scrolled through her Instagram, tapping blindly on the page. She felt her eyes beginning to get heavy. As she scrolled in the haze, she passed a photo of Adrien. Her eyes opened wide.
Enter the contest to win a date with Adrien Agreste! All you must do is like this photo, tag three friends, and share this to your story!
Marinette sighed, thinking about the possibility of going on a date with Adrien. She had always had a crush on him, a fact she tried, and failed, to keep hidden from everyone. Strangely, he didn’t seem to notice.
She looked at the photo again, seeing all her friends commenting. She thought about commenting herself, but thought it would be weird. She didn’t want to seem like a crazy fan. She peered up at the image again and realized she had liked it on accident.
She let out a squeal and threw her phone across the room.
“What?! What?!” Alya cried, sitting up from her side of the bed, hair falling every possible way.
Marinette smiled sheepishly. “Oh, nothing. Sorry for waking you.”
Alya groaned and pulled out her phone too. She immediately saw it.
“Would your screams by any chance pertain to this?” She held up the image on her phone. Marinette just looked away. “Well you entered it, right?”
“God, no!” Marinette sighed. “That would be so creepy. We know him, Alya. He’s our friend. Not some celebrity on the internet.”
Alya laughed. “You are impossible.” She liked the photo and tagged Marinette in the comment. “Well, I’m entering. A free meal with a friend? Yes, please.”
Marinette went to grab her phone and unlike the photo. “You realize we slept all day. It’s one.”
Alya rolled over to face Marinette. “Good for us.” And then rolled over again.
Marinette climbed back into the bed and lounged on her friend. “When do the results come out?”
“I hate you.” Alya said, pushing her off of her. “I don’t care. That would be weird. When do the results come out? Make up your mind!” She paused, reading her phone. “Five PM tonight.”
Marinette tried to fake nonchalance. “Well, I hope it’s you.”
“Girl,” Alya said, sitting up in the bed. “Me too.”
“Dude, this is kinda epic.” Nino was saying through the phone lines. “You like, get to pick whoever you want.”
Adrien sighed, looking at his vast collection of CDs. “No, they randomly pick someone.”
“Oh, whatever.” Nino laughed. “You know you could convince them to pick whoever you wanted.”
Adrien thought about this for a moment but returned to the conversation at hand. “You entered, right?”
“Of course,” There was noise in the background of Nino’s call. “It would be the one time of year we’d actually get to hang out besides class.”
Adrien laughed. “Hey! You chose to be my friend.”
“Worst mistake of my life.” The noise in the background got louder. “Hey babe,” He was saying to someone else. “Yeah, just give me a second.”
Adrien put the phone off speaker and held it to his ear. “Alya?”
Nino laughed. “Yeah, man. I’ll call you later, okay? Hey—!!”
There was some shuffling on the other end of the line.
“Hey, Adrien.” It was Alya. “Nino’s right. You could literally pick whoever you want. Why stress? You should just pick someone in the class, but a girl so your team will be happier.”
Adrien paused. “You really think so?”
Alya was quick. “Oh, I know so. You could have anyone. But you should go for someone sweet. Someone with charm. OMG! I just had the craziest idea. You should pick Marinette. Yes! And then we could all hang out afterwards too!”
Adrien thought about this. Marinette would not be the worst choice. She wouldn’t even be a bad one. He had been hoping she had entered.
“You’re right Alya. I’ll see what I can do.”
The scream from the other end of the line was loud. “Oh, how perfect! Love you, Adrien!”
Adrien laughed. “Love you too, Alya.” But she had hung up before he could finish his sentence.
Adrien sat on the edge of his bed, plotting. Marinette would not be a bad choice either in his father’s eyes. She was an aspiring designer, someone who could make a name for herself. Plus, she was one of the sweetest people Adrien had the pleasure of knowing.
It was decided. Adrien was going to make Marinette win.
There was one small problem.
Marinette hadn’t entered.
The revelation had hurt Adrien more than he had thought it would. Why hadn’t she entered. Maybe she hadn’t seen it? Adrien took a step back.
Hold on. Don’t be a dick. Maybe she just didn’t want to.
He called Alya.
“Yes?” She answered.
“Marinette didn’t enter.”
The line was dead.
Five minutes later, Alya called him back.
“Check now, Romeo!”
Adrien looked through the list and saw Marinette’s name at the bottom.
He smiled. Perfect.
Marinette was busy cutting fabric on the bottom of her floor, putting pieces together that she thought would be interesting. She was stuck between a sheer gold or a sheer bronze.
“I don’t know which one to pick.”
“They look the same to me.” Tikki was perched in the corner of her room, nibbling on a piece of cookie.
“That’s funny.” Marinette mumbled to herself, returning to her task at hand. “You know, for a powerful being, you have no sense in fashion.”
But when Marinette turned around, Tikki was gone. A second later, her door opened.
“Hey,” Alya said, dragging Nino in tow.
“Hey, Marinette.” He said, smiling as he sat on her chair.
“Um… Hey guys.” She stood up from her spot on the floor. “I thought today was date night.”
Alya smiled. “It is, but we wanted to be here when the results were released.”
Marinette tried to fake a smile. “Oh, fun. Did you enter too, Nino?”
“Duh, how else would I see the guy?”
They all laughed but Marinette felt uneasy. She was nervous.
“Well, for your sake, I hope you win.”
Marinette had thought, in the hours between the contest and the results, how she might enter the contest. She could submit through her Ladybug Instagram but she realized that would be a cheap way of trying to get to Adrien. She could also submit with her personal one but again, she just felt too nervous to do anything. She was hoping that it wouldn’t be Chloe. She would never hear the end of it.
She looked at her phone.
16:57.
Three minutes until the torture of wondering who would win would be over. She genuinely did hope that it would be Nino or Alya. Selfishly, so she wouldn’t have to worry about jealousy.
“Oh! They posted early!” Alya exclaimed.
Marinette unlocked her phone and hovered over the app, prolonging the pain.
“Marinette, why didn’t you enter?” Nino asked, a smile tucked between his lips. Nino knew about her crush on her best friend but Marinette also knew that he was a good friend to her and an even better boyfriend to Alya. He wouldn’t tell Adrien anything Marinette didn’t want him to know.
“Well,” She said while she opened the app. “I really wanted to. But I thought it might be weird. I didn’t want it to look like I was throwing myself at hi…”
She stopped.
Her face was on the screen. But it wasn’t Ladybug saving the day. It was her regular, civilian face. Smiling. With the words, WINNER written underneath.
“What the fuck.”
She dropped her phone and ran over the Alya’s to double check that her phone wasn’t playing a cruel prank on her.
“Marinette!” Alya exclaimed, throwing her hands around her. Nino was smiling as wide as possible as well.
Marinette pushed Alya away.
“I didn’t enter. What the hell? Is this some sick joke?” Marinette started to feel her heart begin the race. “Someone figured out I liked him and decided it would be funny to make fun of me. Is this even the real account?”
She grabbed for Alya’s phone but she pulled her hand away. “Woah, girl. Calm down. It wasn’t a mistake.”
Marinette started pacing around her room. “But. I. Didn’t. Enter.”
Nino stepped up from his seat. “Maybe not physically. But you technically did enter.” His sheepish grin traveled to Alya’s as Marinette looked between the two.
Marinette felt like she was going to pass out, burn up, and explode at the very same time.
“What did you do?” She yelled towards the two sitting before her.
Alya threw her hands up. “You gave me your password for emergencies, remember?”
Marinette felt like steam was coming out of her ears. “Yeah! Like when I died!”
Nino stepped between the two girls. “Hey now, Alya was just trying to help. And it technically was my idea first.”
Marinette grabbed him by the shirt collar. “Who says I won’t yell at you either? What in the hell were the two of you thinking?”
Alya stood up, fixing her hair that Marinette had ruined. “Look, you just needed the extra push.”
Marinette felt tears in her eyes. Everything was completely out of her control. “He’s gonna think I’m a stalker.”
Alya’s face got softer at her friend’s tears. “I promise, he doesn’t.”
Marinette was crying now. “How would you know?”
“I promise, he doesn’t.” Nino said this time. “He’s the one who did it.”
Marinette looked up at her friends through her teared eyes. Everything felt like it was happening at a million miles. She felt like there was nothing in the world that was truly under her control. She wished she could call Tikki right now and transform.
“He…what?” Marinette turned away, hating not being in the know.
Alya sat by her friend, putting a hand on her leg. “Babe, if we had known you would be this upset we wouldn’t have done anything. But just so you know, it was Adrien’s idea. He picked you. We kinda got him to cheat.”
Again, nothing in the world made sense to Marinette.
“He picked me?” She was furiously wiping away the tears that streamed down her face.
Marinette was so confused. Adrien didn’t like her like that. So why would he pick her out of everyone to go on a date with. He cheated for her?
“He wanted to go with someone he knew. A friend that he loved.” Nino said but right as he did Alya shot him a look that said Shut the fuck up.
But it was too late. Friend. Marinette had been stupid for even thinking for a second there were other reasons Adrien could pick her. She would always be just that. A friend.
Alya stepped in again. “He picked you because he wanted to spend the day with you.”
Marinette was calming down. Her breath was no longer hitched and the room wasn’t spinning. She felt the smallest amount of control come back into her.
“Okay.” She said. That was all there was to say.
“Okay?” Nino asked.
“Okay, I’ll go.” Both Alya and Nino cheered for her, but she was still angry with them. She knew they had pure intentions but she hated the fact that they went behind her back.
As if Alya could read her mind, she spoke again. “Marinette, I’m really sorry we meddled.”
“It’s okay.” She said, trying to mean it. “I know you didn’t have any ill intent.”
Nino took her hand and squeezed it while Alya held her in a hug. They were good friends. Marinette told herself she would realize this once she calmed down. She just needed to breathe for a while. Be alone.
“We’ll leave you alone for a while.” Nino said, walking towards to door.
Marinette tried to smile, it was getting easier. “Have fun, guys.”
Alya blew her a kiss as she walked out the door.
“Oh, Marinette.” Tikki cooed when the coast was clear. “I’m sorry it happened like this.”
Marinette began to cry again. “I don’t know why I’m so upset.”
Tikki cuddled her human, wedging herself between her neck. “You wanted to be in control.”
Marinette and Tikki sat together for a while in complete silence. She couldn’t think of anything. She knew she wanted to go with Adrien. She also knew she was terrified of making a fool of herself.
“Tikki, spots on.” She needed to be in control again. Be the better version of herself.
When she got back that night, there was a message on her phone.
FROM: Adrien J
Hey, Marinette.
I’m glad it’s you.
Chat Noir flew towards the ground, the wind whipping against his face. He knew he would land on his feet, he always did.
“Watch out!” Ladybug’s voice came from behind him as she soared past him, attached to the end of her yoyo.
Before Adrien could process what she was saying, he landed face first into the Akuma. He looked up at the giant teddy bear in front of him.
These just keep getting more and more ridiculous. He thought to himself before plunging his stick towards the ground, pushing him high enough to be face to face with the monster.
He noticed a ribbon wrapped around the bears neck.
“Milady!” He cried, reaching for it. “The ribbon.”
She was hanging on for dear life to the bears lower arm while he slung her around. She flipped off him and landed on the ground.
“Take it!” Before the words had left her mouth, Chat had torn the ribbon apart, a little black butterfly lilting out.
Before he could truly appreciate the strange beauty of the creature, Ladybug flung her yoyo and captured the thing.
He said the words in his head before she did. “Bye-bye ma petit Papillion.”
Once the lucky charm had restored everything to its original status, Ladybug and Chat Noir celebrated their victory.
“You know, Milady. We’d make pretty good parents.” He was joking as he handed the little boy back to his mother.
“With my luck, I’d kill it.” She deadpanned at him, although a smile was sneaking out from under her eyes.
He continued the joke. “Ah yes, the one girl in the whole world with the power of luck is unlucky. Explain that to me again?”
She punched him on the shoulder, laughing as she walked away from him.
Adrien could stare at her for hours, the way her lips parted when she laughed, or the feeling it gave him when she did. He wanted to spend his whole life making her laugh.
“Oh!” She said, turning back around. “I almost forgot.”
Before Adrien could make another bad joke, she had her arms wrapped around his chest. Slowly, Adrien wrapped his around her neck. He wanted to breathe every part of her in. She smelled like strawberries and smoke.
She pulled away too soon. “Thank you.”
As she walked away Adrien called after her. “For what?”
She answered without burning around. “For being my best friend. I have to go. Sorry!”
For once, Adrien wasn’t upset about being friend zoned. He had made her happy.
His miraculous beeped. And then he remembered his plans for today.
Shit. So do I.
“I don’t understand. You love Ladybug, but you’re going on a date with Marinette?” Plagg was sitting across from Adrien, stuffing his mouth with cheese.
“You heard Ladybug today, Plagg. I’ll always love her. And maybe one day she’ll change her mind. But right now, I’m just a friend. Her best friend. But nothing more.” Adrien had made peace with the statement. He wasn’t giving up on Ladybug but he also wasn’t going to put everything he had into him and Ladybug. She was in love with someone else.
“So, Marinette is your rebound?” Adrien knew Plagg couldn’t care less about Adrien’s love life. He wondered why he was so invested now.
“God, no. This is just a hang out with a friend. I love Marinette, but not in that way.” Adrien did love Marinette. She was the kindest, sweetest girl he had ever met. She never meant anyone any harm.
“Yet.” Plagg said.
“No. The last thing I need is another girl who doesn’t want me back. Alya had to beg Marinette to enter the contest in the first place.” Adrien recalled their text conversation the previous night.
FROM: Adrien
Hey Marinette,
I’m glad it’s you.
FROM: Marinette J
Would it be weird to say I’m nervous?
FROM: Adrien
No. I am too.
FROM: Marinette J
So
FROM: Marinette J
What are we even doing tomorrow?
FROM: Adrien
You’ll just have to wait and find out.
“Wait and find out?” Marinette cried, falling back onto her bed. “Is he trying to kill me?”
Tikki laughed. “I believe the thing that was trying to kill you was that giant teddy bear. This morning. Not Adrien’s text.”
Marinette rummaged through her closet again. “What am I even going to wear. What screams I’m not crazy but I have had this crushonyouforalongtimeandIthinkit’dbecoolifwedated?”
Tikki sighed, coming forward to help her human. “Marinette, you’re talking too fast. I can’t understand you.”
Marinette pulled a random piece of clothing out of her drawer and threw it on the bed.
“I’m not going.”
Tikki floated towards Marinette with a dress. “I really do not have time for this again, Marinette. He’ll be here in 30 minutes. Put this on or go naked.”
Marinette sighed. She looked at the dress. It was pink with small white flowers peppering the dress throughout. It came in at her waist and had tiny puff sleeves to match with drawer strings. It was quite dainty.
“Perfect.” The kwami said before she could refuse. “Here, this too.” She handed her a pink eyeshadow pallet.
“Sometimes, I know you’re the best thing that had ever happened to me. But right now, I want to stuff your tiny little body into a suitcase and fly you off to America.” Marinette took the makeup anyway.
Tikki made a face. “Ew! Not there.”
Adrien stood at his father’s feet. Pleading.
“Please, father. It would be good for press too.”
Adrien’s father looked at him, up and down. “Well, you are 18.”
Adrien perked up, throwing his hands outwards. “Exactly! I can drive myself and everyone will eat it up!”
Gabriel Agreste frowned again. “You’re not going to get her pregnant, right?”
Adrien’s mouth almost hit the ground. The worst part was that Adrien knew his father and knew that he was not one to joke.
“God, Father. No! She’s just a friend.” Adrien was horrified. How could his father think such a thing? Although, without willing it, he imagined tiny Marinette’s running around a bakery with flour all over them.
Gabriel smiled, as if he could see what was playing out in Adrien’s mind. “Fine.” And then he left.
The car pulled up to the side of the road and as Adrien opened his door, he could smell the fresh pastries being baked inside the Dupain-Cheng house. He smiled to himself. The house, without even stepping foot into it radiated happiness.
Adrien recalled the last time he had been here, playing video games with Marinette. Her family was so warm and welcoming. He let himself hope for a moment he would give his children the family Marinette had.
He pushed open the door to the bakery and a tiny bell rang, attached to the door.
“Bonjour, Adrien.” Mr. Dupain greeted him as he stepped through the threshold. He was holding a tray of tarts, finished with a strawberry on top.
“Bonjour, Mr. Dupain. Those smell delicious.” Mr. Dupain glanced down at what he was holding and let out a mischievous grin.
“Want one?” He whispered, gesturing him to move closer. “Don’t tell Mme. Cheng. She wanted the first bite.”
Adrien stepped back. “Oh, I would never.”
Mr. Dupain put his hand on the back of Adrien’s. “I won’t tell. I insist.”
Giving in, and trying to be as polite as possible, Adrien took a bite. He couldn’t contain the moan that left his mouth. “Oh wow, these are spectacular.”
Mr. Dupain shot up. “Quick! Put it away!”
Adrien panicked, shoving the rest into his mouth, while Mme. Cheng entered the bakery through the back.
“Bonjour, Adrien!” She said sweetly, coming to look at the newest creation.
Adrien tried to answer but Mr. Dupain was quick. “I was just letting Adrien try some of our newest croissants.” The man slipped a quick wink to Adrien and strangely he felt immense joy from being a part of a secret. Well, one that didn’t involve the entire safety of Paris.
“Oh, well don’t feel like you have to rush. Savor it.” She laughed and plopped a tart into her mouth. “Oh, Tom. These are incredible.”
They were all quiet for a moment, finishing their baked goods. So quiet that Adrien could hear the stairs creaking as another body materialized in the bakery. Marinette.
“Why are you all so… oh. The tarts are done.” There was something about her voice that Adrien liked so much. As his eyes lifted to her, he realized there was something else he liked about her so much.
“Bon…jour.” He stumbled on his words. Marinette was dressed in a long pink dress that went to her calves. It made her look stunning. As his eyes traveled to her face, he was even more dazed. Her eyes were lit by pink sparkles, covering her eyelid and underneath. She looked like she had just stepped out of a fairytale.
Before Adrien could think of more things that enchanted him, Mr. Dupain slapped him on the back. He choked on his remaining tart.
“Finally, someone who appreciates my daughters hard work!”
Marinette looked mortified. “Pere, stop.” She looked at him in the eyes. “Please.”
As if her voice worked like magic on everyone, the old man did stop talking.
“Are you ready, Adrien?” She asked, walking towards him.
All he could do was nod.
“See you two later!” Mme. Cheng called after them as they walked away.
Adrien walked her to her side of the car, opening it. He let his eyes travel her while she got in but his eyes stayed focused on her wrist and the little bracelet that hung there. It was a golden bracelet with little ladybugs all over it, pressed into the metal.
She thanked him and he closed the door, trying to gain composure.
“You look really nice, Marinette.” But before he could finish his sentence, she interrupted.
“I’m sorry!” She sighed. “I used all my confidence for the last five minutes. You’re going to have to give me time to build up some more.” She looked at him sheepishly, smiling.
Adrien laughed. “No, this is perfect. Here I was thinking I was going to be the only awkward one.”
Marinette laughed. “Don’t worry, I will beat you in that.”
Adrien felt more relaxed. This was just Marinette. His friend Marinette. Nothing to freak out about. So what if she looked absolutely beautiful. So what?
Adrien started the car.
“I didn’t know you could drive,” Marinette observed, getting comfortable in her seat.
“I’m not just the face, you know. I do know how to work a car.” He made the first turn. It wasn’t really true. He wasn’t great at driving. But he was begging to every Kwami out there he didn’t crash today.
“Stick shift? Or Automatic?” Marinette looked at him while she asked her question.
Adrien sighed. “What do you think?”
Marinette let out a loud laugh. “Ah! You softy! It’s okay, though. I didn’t learn stick until I turned 18.”
Adrien teased her. “So that gives me plenty of time to catch up.”
The car was filled with no awkwardness whatsoever. Adrien talked and while he did Marinette listened. And when Marinette talked, Adrien listened. He found it amazing how interested he actually was.
After a while, Marinette asked a question. “Where exactly are you taking me?”
Adrien couldn’t suppress his Chat Noir grin. “Nowhere special. Just Versailles.”