Chapter Text
Red and black. Everywhere. It was almost like a weird horror movie, all this red. The black was scattered in spots, all over the crowd of screaming people. It was dizzying, and it made her feel sick, panic gripping her for a moment, until-
"Marinette!" Alya's voice sliced through the crowd as she raced to her best friend, effectively cutting short Marinette's line of thought.
"Ah! Alya! You startled me!" Marinette whined. Then she actually saw her friend and groaned. "You're dressed as her too?"
Just like literally every single other person in the school, her best friend was decked out in a full Ladybug suit. Everyone in the entire school was Ladybug, and either screaming in fury or joy at being dressed up just like their friends. Distantly, Marinette could hear Chloe shrieking something about forcing everyone to change. Even the teachers and staff. All of them. Ladybug. It was insane.
"So what? Just because everyone else is Ladybug doesn't mean I can't be, too! I do what I want!" Alya then dissolved into giggles. "Besides, Mari, you're not Ladybug. You actually make a really nice Chat Noir."
It was true. Marinette had been working for ages to make her very own replica of Chat Noir's leather outfit. She had it down to the leather belt/tail, the cute ears, and even a little ring! It was as exact as could be when compared to the original, despite fitting the girl's body type rather than the hero's.
From behind the girls, an appreciative whistle sounded. They turned to see Nino, clad in a red and black dotted shirt and a red snap back, casually approaching.
"Wow, Marinette-you really fill in that, ah, skin tight suit, man." The statement was said with such an awkwardly flirtatious air, it came across hilarious. To Marinette, at least. Alya, on the other hand, held back a smirk in order to put her hands on her(really well defined (like wow who didn't look good in that suit)) hips.
"What, are you saying I don't?" Alya's voice was laced with mock indignation.
"Ah, but babe, your sexiness goes without saying." Nino tried to be slick, but resulted in both girls erupting into laughter.
"God, Nino, if you weren't cute I don't know what we'd do with you." Alya laughed, talking over a giggling Marinette.
The bell rang, signaling five minutes before classes would begin for the day. The halls cleared rapidly, the trio moving with the crowd in order to make it to their class on time.
They walked into the classroom, still teasing and laughing, and went to their seats. Alert as ever, Marinette noticed Adrien's absence immediately. He would show up soon, she figured, so she shouldn't worry.
Instead, Chloe burst into the room, her own Ladybug suit even more immaculate than Alya's. Which was weird, since they wore the same exact thing. Though, judging by Chloe's attitude, it would be a 'Who Wore It Better' kind of event.
"Man, wasn't it enough when she was Antibug and, like, raising hell?" Nino complained with a sigh.
Alga rolled her eyes in silent agreement. Then she, after a glance at a distracted Marinette, asked "Hey, where's your boy at? I thought Adrien would be here by now?"
Marinette's attention immediately leapt to Alya, just as Nino turned around to face them properly. "Ah, my man Adrien should be here any minute!" Sheer glee split his face into a wide grin. "I can't wait to see his Ladybug getup!"
"A-A-Adrien's going as, uh, as Ladybug? Really?" Marinette stammered in shock. Adrien Agreste, wearing a replica of her very own costume?! She could hardly believe it.
Before Nino could confirm or deny such shocking information, in came the man himself. The whole class froze as Adrien walked in, casually whistling and looking happier than anyone had ever seen him.
He wore a perfect match to Ladybug's suit, and it hugged him in all of the right places. Not that many could tell, since he also wore a red and black hoodie that read 'I'm bugged out for Ladybug!' On his head sat a novelty headband with antennas sticking up. His whole face was painted red and dotted with black. He seemed to inhale the essence of Ladybug, and the result was amazing. The boy even had a Ladybug balloon tied to his wrist, and was absently swinging a yoyo around.
Marinette's head was spinning. Calm, cool, level headed Adrien, dressed to the nine in her-er, Ladybug's-merchandise? It was so goofy and silly and unexpected it brought a soft smile to her face.
"Oh. My. God." Alya gasped, her face slowly growing into a huge grin, just as Nino shouted "My Man! Nice!"
The entire class erupted into cheers and hoots, with Chloe muttering "I'm still her number one fan, though.." To Sabrina.
Adrien laughed in response to his friends' responses and went to his seat. He had been looking forward to today for ages. A whole day that he just knew people would dress up like his Lady. It was like heaven. Sure, not a single one compared to the real deal-no one could compare to his Lady-but it was wonderful to see her colors everywhere. Plus, he finally had somewhere to wear all-well, some-of his Ladybug merch. He turned around, but before he could actually greet the two girls behind him, the teacher walked in and class began.
T I M E J U M P
After the class ended, Adrien leapt up with Nino, his heart soaring from spending an entire class staring at his Bugaboo's colors. He was absolutely jubilant. He turned to look to Alya-and maybe see what Marinette had whipped up, since her costume would undoubtedly be handmade-when he froze.
Chat Noir's costume-Adrien's costume-was right there. But he wasn't in it. Instead, a small girl stood, her dark hair in pig tails, and the cutest smile he had ever seen on her face. Her face...her face even had his mask on...and the effect was instantaneous.
"Marinette!" Adrien cried, struggling to keep his voice even, hiding just how touched he was that someone was actually Chat Noir. "You're.. You're him! You're Chat! Wow, you look, uh, the costume looks amazing! Is it handmade? You have all the details right, you even have his tail-uh, belt thing!"
Marinette had leapt into the air in alarm at her name being shouted, and turned from her conversation with Alya, and was blown away. Adrien's entire being seemed to glow with pride and affection, along with ignorance of how loudly he had cheered her name. He looked so excited, his smile the most beautiful thing she's ever seen. She was staring at him with eyes widened by shock, and stammered out a response thanks to the elbow thrown at her from Alya.
"I-uh, ah, yeah it's made hand-uh, I mean hand made haha.." She trailed off with an awkward laugh, scratching at the back of her neck shyly.
"That's so cool!" Adrien seemed genuine in his excitement, and Nino and Alya were too blown away by his enthusiasm to interrupt. "You chose Chat Noir! Why?" Now, Adrien seemed to pause, his excitement dimming. "Did you just want to look different? That's a smart idea."
His smile was perfect still, but the kind of perfect that he was paid for-his Model Smile. In his head, he silently berated himself. 'Of course she wanted to look different! Everyone knows Chat's just there! Plus, Marinette's smart enough to want to branch out she just-'
"What? No!" Marinette's voice broke his stream of self scolding. "I don't care about that! I chose Chat Noir because he's an amazing hero too!"
Gone was the shy, stuttering Marinette. The girl in front of Adrien had a defiant gleam in her fiery blue eyes, and she stood firm, hands on her hips. Adrien was shocked by the sudden change in demeanor, and stood silently while Marinette-Marinette, of all people!-lectured him on his own importance.
"Ladybug is nothing without Chat Noir! He's always been by her side, and always willing to do anything for her! His loyalty is unwavering, and he's reliable to a fault. He's saved my life a few times, and even helped me when I was captured by the Evillustrator-Chat Noir is a true hero! Sure he can be way too goofy and flirty, but so what?! It's part of his charm, and he still is awesome at kicking butt!" Marinette wasn't even aware of who she was talking too, but this was something she'd wanted to say for a while. So the next part came out a bit too loud and with maybe just a smidge too much aggression. "And I'll kick anyone's ass that says Char Noir isn't a damn good hero! I'll do it! I'll fight them! Anyone, I'll take them on! Bring it!"
The entire class-none of them had even made it out the door yet-was gaping. Nobody moved. Not even Chloe opened her obnoxious mouth. Adrien had never been more terrified in his life.
Marinette was so small, and clumsy, but here she stood, more threatening than he had ever seen anyone, except maybe Ladybug. Her eyes were an inferno, she was poised for a fight, and she seemed all too willing to make good on her promise.
Suddenly she seemed to remember where she was and blanched. "Oh my gosh, Adrien, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to shout at you, I uh I'm sorry I-"
Adrien beamed at her. He was brighter than the sun. He put gold to shame. He stole away Marinette's breath even more than that time she ran into a wall. He was... Woah.
"That's, actually, really cool Marinette." His voice was surprisingly soft. "You really think highly of Chat Noir, huh? That's... Awesome. Especially since you care enough to stick up for him like that."
"Oh I.. Oh! Yeah, I mean, he deserves it, you're amazing-I mean he's amazing! I, uh, yeah." Marinette couldn't seem to find any words anymore, so she just settled with a nervous smile. Adrien beamed back, before saying his farewell to her and Nino and Alya as he set off for his next class.
A N O T H E R T I M E J U M P
That night, as Chat Noir leapt from roof to roof, he couldn't stop grinning. He had spent all day staring at red and black, but it still didn't compare to the adrenaline he got from seeing the real deal-Ladybug. She ran ahead of him on their patrol, graceful and flawless as ever.
But, perhaps it was because he had spent all day staring at red and black that he found his mind being dragged back to a girl, usually in pink, with some of the most gorgeous blue eyes he'd ever seen....
It was nice to feel needed by more than just one person. Or, perhaps, it was nice to feel needed by those two girls? After all, he only ever really needed his Lady and his Princess to make him feel even remotely necessary.
With thoughts of the two most important girls in his life, whether said girls knew of their importance or not, he sprang in the air with a yowel of delight that echoed through the sleepy city of Paris.
The joy he felt was totally worth the yoyo to the head and the hissed scolding he received.