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Marinette knew she shouldn’t have hit snooze so many times. She’d practically flown from her house with barely a minute to spare because she was so late. She’d been in such a hurry she hadn’t gone to the bathroom and considered it a blessing that she’d fallen asleep in the previous day’s clothes.
Late nights, not enough sleep, superhero duties. It was all too much to have school on top of that.
Now she had no idea why everyone at school was looking at her like that. She was just in a hurry to get to class! Maybe it was the wrinkled clothes? But no, they looked as if a random celebrity had walked into their school unexpectedly.
Of course, with her luck she’d bump into Adrien in her half-asleep state. Yes, a real celebrity, right on cue.
“A-Аdrien, I’m sorry,” she mumbled, horrified. She was doing this all the time, poor guy.
“M’la-ahem, Ladybug?” He asked, looking very confused. What?
“L-ladybug? Me? I don’t know what you mean! I’m plain old Marinette.” She laughed nervously.
Something shifted in his eyes. To her surprise, he grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a corner.
“Marinette?” He asked, as if this wasn’t obvious.
“Yep, that’s me,” she said confidently. She couldn’t get this wrong, right?
“I’m sorry to break it to you, m’lady, but you are suited up right now.”
Feeling terror fill her heart, Marinette looked at her hand which was still in Adrien’s. Red gloves, leading up to a spotted suit. Oh damn. She really was transformed. When she’d been worried that things were bad, they got worse.
“Argh!” She cried out. Yes, that definitely explained the curious looks from everyone.
“Shhh, it’s fine!” Adrien said quickly. “Look on the bright side. You didn’t reach the classroom and claim your seat for everyone to see, right?”
He had a point. But wait. Something made its way into her mind despite her panicked state. He’d called her m’lady.
“Chat?” She whispered. He smiled a little too brightly.
“Always your trusted partner to save you from harm. Even when you don’t know you’re in trouble,” he declared proudly. This was too much.
“Meep.”
“Ok, I guess this is a bit much. We’ll talk about it but maybe detransform first?”
Oh, right.
“Tikki, spots off,” she said stiffly.
“Adrien, thank you,” her kwami said instantly. “She must have said the transformation phrase in her sleep. It has happened before but she never got as far as the school. She was lucky that it was you who found her.”
Well, Tikki didn’t need to expose her like that. But she was right. Adrien had saved her. Like always, she realised.
“Mhm,” Marinette mumbled numbly.
“Marinette, are you alright?” His eyes narrowed. No doubt he was taken aback by her strange reaction.
“That would be you. You have that effect on her, sorry,” Tikki said not so helpfully.
“Tikki!” Marinette squeaked.
“Sugarcube, I love it when you’re in a chaotic mood!” A black blob shot out of Adrien’s bag and made Marinette jump.
“Plagg, hide!” Adrien hissed at him. Oh dear. He had a kwami. Of course he does, silly you, he’s your partner after all.
“Why? I’m not missing this for the world!” Plagg said, something ominous in his voice. “Now, Marinette, repeat after me. “Adrien, I’m in love with you.”
Her mouth fell open. Both kwamis ganging up against her was too much.
“Plagg, stop it.” Adrien chided him.
“It’s the truth!”
Adrien looked questioningly at her but she couldn’t produce a sound, neither to confirm nor to deny. And she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do anyway.
“Tikki?” Adrien turned to her kwami for assistance while she was unresponsive.
“Yep, he’s right,” her kwami admitted, not helping her case at all.
Adrien waved his hand in front of her eyes.
“M’lady, you’re not going to faint, are you?”
Oh dear, she wasn’t ready for this. Adrien calling her m’lady would be the end of her.
“Ng,” she made a helpless sound.
“I’m sorry. They shouldn’t have done that. I’m sure you had your reasons not to tell me.” Always so understanding.
“She was scared,” Tikki said.
“Tikki!” Marinette exclaimed. Apparently, this was the only thing she could say now.
“He loves you, Marinette, you have nothing to worry about.” Well, the kwami had a point.
“You know she’s right. Take a deep breath, it’s alright,” Adrien said gently. His hand was still very warm in hers, never letting go.
She did just that, feeling the tight hold on her throat loosen. It was Adrien and it was Chat. She had no reason to be afraid of either of them, no matter what her uncooperative brain was trying to tell her.
“I’m… “ She tried to say, her voice rough. But he cut her off.
“Like I said, if you don’t feel like it, you don’t need to tell me anything. I can wait.” The same soft smile, the same encouragement in his eyes.
He’d always been like this. She wouldn’t be Ladybug if she hadn’t had Chat there with her to support her and believe in her from the first moment. He was so patient with her, both as Chat and as Adrien. Of course he’d never force her into anything, no matter how much he wanted it to happen. He’d always stepped back whenever she’d asked him to.
Adrien was Chat and he loved her. She felt her lips curve upwards and she gave the hand she was holding a squeeze.
“Thank you.” She rose on her tiptoes, aiming for his cheek. But she lost her balance, as if an unseen force (what felt like a kwami) had pushed her and she ended up kissing his lips.
“Ah.”
She pulled back, her face on fire.
“Plagg!” Adrien looked sternly at the culprit.
“I didn’t do a thing!” The kwami said too innocently.
“You can take it back, don’t worry,” Adrien turned to her, the same soft smile on his lips even though his cheeks looked a little rosier. She gulped. She had done this and she wanted to do it again, there was no way around that. She wanted to kiss him. So, so much.
“What if I don’t want to?” Marinette said in a small voice.
“I’m more than fine with it then.” He looked ridiculously happy and this made her feel giddy. “Now, ready for class?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll also think of an excuse as to why Ladybug was seen at the school so early.”
She was so thankful that she had him. They were going to talk about this after that. And there would be more kisses, she knew for sure. Maybe the day was not as bad as it had looked before.