Chapter Text
“You look amazing tonight, M’Lady!”
She took a second to look at him, dodging a burst of whatever ridiculous substance was being thrown her way. Shooting him a smirk, her eyes ran over his form covered in the neon green slime covering him and sticking to his hair. “You don’t look too bad yourself, Chaton!” she yelled back with a wink and flick of her yo-yo.
It couldn't be any later than 4 AM, Tikki allowing her enough time to glance at the clock before she hurried her to transform. Paris was eerily beautiful at that time of morning, odd lamps casting soft shadows on the pavement and illuminating the smallest insecurities of the city. Unfortunately, Marinette didn’t get much time to observe the plants sprouting from cracks in the concrete or small rippling puddles, due to the huge mound of goo currently terrorising the city.
“Fallback!” she called, beckoning him behind a pillar. He joined her a few moments later after successfully distracting the akuma with a quick dart away.
“What’s the plan?”
“I don’t think we need backup,” she said while tapping through her yo-yo. “It doesn’t look that bad, we’ve had way worse with just us both,” she briefed, a smile working a way into her face. Eyes constantly flicking between the akuma and her partner, she whispered, “Fifteen minutes.”
Chat scoffed. “Ten, tops.”
“You’re on,” she challenged with a grin.
Eight and a half minutes later, akuma released and a very distressed toy shop owner in front of them, Chat moved to help them up before eyeing her expectantly.
“You won the bet, Chat,” she sighed with an affectionate eye roll.
“Are you alright to get home by yourself? Or would you like to call someone?” her partner asked the victim, steadying them as they stood.
“I’m fine, thanks,” they confirmed, looking down at the ground. Marinette never quite got used to seeing the looks of shame on people's faces after they had become a victim of Hawkmoth.
After they had walked away, sheepishly calling someone, they shared a nod before vaulting and swinging up to “their” rooftop.
It had been started by Chat bringing up a spare blanket and a beanbag for a longer patrol when the attacks were at their peak. Then Marinette had taken to bringing up snacks and a complementary garden chair and pillow, and from there it had evolved into a den of sorts. When she had a four hour watch, and a three thousand word essay due the next day, it came in very handy.
As they sat, back to back with his blonde hair tickling the nape of her neck, the crowns of their heads met as they both lolled back to meet each other.
“Spots off.”
“Claws in.”
“Not much point going back home,” he mumbled, the noise of Plagg munching away on some cheese filling her ears.
“You could come to my place,” she sighed, the game starting up as it did night after night.
He took a second to think, the noise of his light breathing sedating her into a less fretful state. “That sounds nice. I could make breakfast in the morning. Your pick, of course.”
“My parents would like you,” she chuckled, the thought of Weredad causing an embarrassed blush to appear over her freckled cheeks. “You and my Dad have similar humour. And my maman, she would fret over you even more than I do.”
“You wouldn’t care for my Father. No one does.”
She fought the urge to turn around and gaze into those emerald eyes of his and hold him because she could feel the emotion in his voice and it wasn’t something any atom of her being wanted to endure for a moment longer.
“I doubt that. He has to have some redeeming qualities if he raised a dork.”
That got a laugh out of him, the slight rumble it cast through her as the action spread to her, both cackling like no one was watching (which Marinette supposed was true).
“Oh! Plagg! Happy 5000th cycle!” she congratulated, the small black kwami zipping in front of her face.
He didn’t respond, instead choosing to glare at Tikki, “We have to tell them.”
“Tell us what?” Chat questioned.
“Well,” Tikki began awkwardly, not looking Marinette in the eye from where she was rested in her hands, “Every cycle, we have the opportunity to get in touch with the rest of the Guardians and-“
“ What-?” they both shrieked, Chat going to turn before abruptly stopping and reminding himself that she wasn’t transformed. Marinette's eyes were wide as her mouth hung open, staring in disbelief. “How…? I didn’t even know there were other Guardians!”
“Well we didn’t think there were any left!” Plagg replied.
“But wait,” Marinette mumbled, searching in the depths of her mind for a particular akuma attack. “Sand something,” she thought aloud, clicking her fingers as the memory came to her. “Sandboy! That was Nooroos 3500th cycle and he couldn’t contact the other Guardians, he could only talk to you!”
“In case you haven’t noticed,” Plagg drawled, “Sugarcube and I are special.”
“What Plagg means to say is that we’re the original Kwamis! Creation and destruction are the fundamentals of the universe, so we have a special connection of sorts.”
“Okay, but what does this have to do with the Guardians?” her partner questioned.
“They gave us a message!” Tikki answered excitedly.
“They what?”
*.*.*.*
“I can't believe I’m doing this,” Marinette groaned, her head falling into her hands.
“You can do it!” Tikki cheered, “You sort of have to,” she muttered.
“What was that?” Marinette questioned, head shooting up.
“Nothing!” she quickly replied.
Marinette stood up from her chair at her desk, taking a moment to close her eyes and breathe. “You can do this, Marinette. You’re eighteen! They can't stop you!” she sighed, more to convince herself than anything else. She checked the burner phone tucked into her desk drawer, opening the messaging app to the text Chat had sent her a half hour ago.
idiot <3
5:37 PM
if you need motivation for
asking your parents just
remember that i will not
be going on this trip alone!
you are morally obligated
to come! thank u and
goodnight 😽
this reeeeally helped
ur welcome 😸
She chuckled at the use of emojis, the words forcing her to duck down through her trapdoor and enter the kitchen.
“Marinette! Dinner is almost ready,” her mother recalled with a kind smile, gaze going back to the pot on the stove.
“I made crème brûlée for after,” he father told her as he leant down to kiss her cheek.
She missed moments like these: her parents doting and caring without knowing that she had so many secrets she would never tell. To them, she was Marinette, their Mari. The girl who would go off to university and become a designer like she had sworn since she was five, the child who embarrassedly blushed any time they brought up antics from her childhood. She wasn’t Ladybug, the hero who protected Paris beside a boy who they only saw as someone who broke their little girl's heart.
Get a grip! she scolded herself, sighing heavily before sitting down at the table where her maman was setting down bowls of soup and homemade bread. There were better times to be sentimental.
“Maman, Papa, I have something to say,” she announced. Watching them exchange weary glances, she continued, “Before I go to university in the autumn, I want to get out and explore the world! And I was thinking about a road trip!”
They seemed to relax at that. “Mari, I don’t think that would be too bad. Where were you thinking? Nice, Cannes, maybe Madrid?”
“...Yeah!” she agreed hesitantly. She felt horribly guilty for lying to them, but she and Chat knew that it was necessary in order to figure out whatever the Guardians needed.
“I don’t see why not, I was making visits between Shanghai and Paris when I was your age,” her maman added with a nostalgic edge.
“My question is with who,” her Papa asked with a steely gaze.
“...Just me? Or maybe one of my online friends will come-”
“Marinette-”
“Papa! I’m going to ESMOD in a couple of months and I’ve got to be independent!” she retorted before he had a chance to get a word in edgeways. She really wanted to pull the “I’m Ladybug! I’ll be fine!” card.
“Tom,” her maman chastised.
“Sabine!” he replied, offended and accusatory.
“Do you promise to be safe and keep your lo-!” He was cut off by his daughter pouncing on him with a hug, kissing her maman on both cheeks, promptly squealing and sprinting back up to her room without touching any of the broth.
*.*.*.*
“Alya!”
The blogger turned around from her conversation with Nino, eyes widening when she spotted her. “Ladybug?”
“Hi! I need to talk to you and Nino if that's okay?”
She took a second, shooting her a look before hurriedly whispering, “Is there an akuma attack?”
“No, you just need to meet Chat and I tonight at midnight at the Eiffel Tower, okay?”
“We’ll be there,” Nino reassured.
*.*.*.*
“M’Lady?”
“Yeah, Chat?”
“I’m really glad we're doing this together.” She blinked, the weight of his words settling over her and entrapping her in a warm blanket of contentment.
“I am too, Chaton.”
“You know, Bug-“
An indignant cry of “Excuse me?!” cut him off, Alya and Nino’s silhouettes illuminated by the soft glow of golden light. He rolled his eyes, sighing and looking down upon them with a barely present glare. “I’ll get Nino?”
“Yup,” she responded, revelling in his exasperation.
“So, you’re probably wondering why I asked you here,” she introduced, “Chat and I… we have to do something major in regards to the miraculous. You may not like this-“
“You’re choosing new holders?” Alya cried, over dramatically gasping.
“What? No! You guys are paw some holders!”
“Then stop being so damn tense!” she deadpanned, expression changing from heartbreak to annoyance.
She’s a damn good actor.
“This might be a big ask, but we trust you both. Chat and I need to take a… a trip, of sorts. You both would stay here in case of akuma attacks and would temporarily keep the akumas before I get back to purify them.”
Chat moved to stand closer beside her, looking at Alya and Nino with an excited grin, “And you would get to be permanent holders!”
“ What?”
Okay, maybe this is a very big ask.
“We understand that you have things going on-“ Chat started with an awkward air.
“We would love to!”
“-and we don- excuse me, what?”
Alya was alive with excitement, eyes shining in a way Marinette hadn’t witnessed since she was fourteen and had just secured an exclusive interview with Ladybug for her blog. Nino seemed less sure, shifting from one foot to the other as he took a moment to deliberate. “You’re sure we can handle it?”
“ Paw sitive!”
Exhaling deeply in relief, Marinette looked between the two. Alya was spontaneous but was balanced out with calculated attacks and thinking on her feet, while Nino was more cautious but was the epitome of an excellent turtle Miraculous holder.
“A hundred percent certain,” she affirmed with a soft smile.
The blogger's expression changed from one of awe to that of suspicion as she surveyed them both. “What exactly is this trip about?”
“Work stuff-”
She scoffed, expression morphing to one of incredible doubt, “As if. Probably a freaking honeymoon-”
Chat choked on his own saliva, coughing and spluttering as Ladybug went to smack him on the back while staring Alya down in disbelief that she could ask such a question. “What? No! How-?!”
“Okay! Okay, it isn't a honeymoon!” she replied quickly, feigning to cower under her glare.
“C’mon Chat, these two losers can get down by themselves!”
“I- I didn't do anything!” Nino yelled as they both propelled them out of sight, leaving the two on the utmost floor of the Eiffel Tower.
*.*.*.*
“Do you all promise to keep quiet and stay in the Miracle Box?”
“Yes master!”
“Hopefully we won’t need to use any Miraculouses, but if we do we’ll use Plagg and Tikki, okay?”
“Yes master!”
“And no coming out of the Miracle Box unless I say so, right?”
“Yes master!”
Looking down at the kwamis scattering into the Miracle Box, she picked it up and carefully slid it into her suitcase, cautiously sliding it down the staircase before opening the front door. Her parents had already bade her goodbye this morning, making her promise any number of things. Anxiety pooled in her stomach, adjusting the mask and sunglasses she wore as she crossed the road to the lush green park.
Alya had texted her an hour or so ago, she realised as she reached for the burner phone beside her regular one.
alya :D
10:48 AM
good luck in milan girl!
nino n i both know youre
gonna do great!
aw thanks alys :)
ill text when i get
there x
The cover story of going to Milan for three weeks had worked out well, Alya constantly texting her reassurance of how well the whole trip would go. The thought of her calling it a “honeymoon” still brought an embarrassing redness to her cheeks.
idiot <3
11:27
im ready whenever you are,
mlady :)
im ready kitty :)