Chapter Text
“Miraculous Ladybug!”
Ladybug throws the shears she had conjured into the air. It bursts into a swarm of ladybugs and light, which sweeps across Paris, fixing everything that had been destroyed in the fight.
When she turns, Chat is there, offering an easy grin and a fist held out towards her.
Ladybug taps it as they both chant, “Bien joué!”
They’re interrupted by a dazed moan, and spin around to see a dark-skinned woman sitting on the ground, holding one hand to her head. Ladybug recognizes her shock of curly red hair; she was the chaperone assigned to Marinette’s class for their field trip to the Jardins des Plantes. She recalls Chloe ignoring the woman’s lectures about the history of the gardens and the types of plants the group was passing, and speaking rudely to her when she was repeatedly asked to stop whispering and giggling with Sabrina. Ladybug hadn’t connected it to the akuma that appeared half an hour later, laughing maniacally and trapping civilians in vines that seemed to shoot from her hands, but looking back it’s obvious what happened.
(She silently adds another tally mark to the list in her head of Akumas Caused By Chloe. At this rate, maybe they should just send Chloe into exile to effectively solve Paris’ akuma problem, Ladybug jokes to herself.)
Chat notices something on the ground and runs across the pavement toward it as Ladybug walks over to the woman.
“Miss Adeline,” she says, reading the nametag pinned to the woman’s green employee vest, “are you alright?”
“I think so,” replies Adeline, staring up at the girl in front of her. Ladybug would guess this woman has seen her plenty on the news, but never actually seen her face to face, let alone talked to her.
Adeline gasps suddenly, as her fingers touch a spot just above her ear. She combs her fingers through her frizzy hair with frantic movements, then checks the ground around her, as though searching for something. “Where is-”
“Looking for this?” Chat interrupts from behind Ladybug. As Adeline looks up, he holds out what he must have noticed on the ground earlier; a pink flower.
Adeline’s eyes widen as soon as she sees what Chat’s holding. “Oh, that’s it! Thank you so much!” She plucks it from Chat’s grasp and carefully pushes it back into her hair. She seems to relax a bit when it’s back in its place.
“It’s special to you, right?” Ladybug says as she and Chat help Adeline to her feet. The flower was the object she’d had to destroy to release the akuma; it must have meant a lot.
Adeline nods as she touches the flower gently with her fingertip. “It’s a chrysanthemum. Simon gave it to me this morning,” she murmurs, then clarifying, “My coworker.” Simon must be her boyfriend, then, or at least a close friend.
At that moment, the woman finally seems to take in her surroundings, noticing that they are not in the same place she was earlier, as well as the significance of the two heroes standing in front of her.
“...What happened?” she asks. “You’re Ladybug and Chat Noir, aren’t you? But you only appear when...was I…?”
“Yes, you were a victim of Hawkmoth,” Chat finishes for her. “It’s all right. Ladybug purified the akuma. We’re still in the botanical gardens, so you should be able to get back to work soon.”
“How did you know that I work here?” asks Adeline, peering at him with confused eyes.
A pause.
“Well, you’re wearing the vest, of course?” Chat says finally, gesturing to the words Jardins des Plantes emblazoned over the breast pocket.
Adeline looks down at it. “Hm.”
At that very moment, Ladybug’s earrings start beeping, having lasted a surprisingly long time after her use of Lucky Charm. After a few seconds, Chat’s ring beeps as well. His miraculous looks even more depleted than hers; it’s down to its last...paw? Cat finger? Toe bean?
“Well, would you look at that,” Chat says, sounding just a bit too excited. “It’s time for me to go!” Before Adeline can say anything more, he spins, preparing to leave.
He leans in close to whisper in Ladybug’s ear. “I’ll cover for us.” With that, he’s gone, running a few feet and launching himself with the aid of his baton.
Ladybug smiles apologetically at Adeline and points to her ear. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go too. I hope everything works out all right!”
She turns and runs in the same direction as Chat, swinging her yoyo and leaving the slightly bemused employee alone in the gardens.
~
When Marinette arrives at the food court fifteen minutes later, Adrien is already there, talking to Ms. Bustier with wide, innocent eyes and exaggerated movements of his hands. Nino and Alya stand behind him, both wearing dubious expressions. Whatever excuse Adrien is making for them must be especially wild.
Alya is the first to spot Marinette walking into the building and lights up, weaving her way through the crowded people to meet her.
“Marinette,” she sighs, wrapping the shorter girl in a hug. “They made us hole up in the food court for safety, and when you weren’t here I was worried about you, girl! You have got to stop disappearing like that!”
She casts a glance over her shoulder. “Adrien says you two were trapped by those vines and couldn’t get free. Although it’s a little hard to believe that the akuma just happened to get two out of fourteen students.”
Marinette’s heart skips a little as Alya’s eyes narrow.
“Listen,” Alya says sternly. “We all know you and your boyfriend sneaked off to make out, but next time, let me know instead of letting me worry about you getting captured, okay?”
Marinette laughs, relieved.
Alya puts a hand on her shoulder. “I’m serious!” she protests, but she’s smiling anyway.
Marinette smiles back. “Okay, Alya.”
Adrien comes over to join them, Nino in tow. His cheeks are pink as he grins at the both of them.
“Think Ms. Bustier bought it?” he asks, tangling his fingers with Marinette’s.
“Dude,” says Nino, crossing his arms. “That was about as believable as the time you told me you accidentally got shut in your own locker for an hour."
“Ah, man, was it really that bad?” Adrien says ruefully.
“It was,” Alya replies.
“Dude, it’s okay, we all know you two were sucking face-”
“Nino!” Adrien gasps, face turning scarlet.
Nino just smirks and loops his arm through Alya’s.
Marinette glances at Adrien out of the corner of her eye. He glances back, and Marinette feels a smile tugging at the corner of her lips. Adrien squeezes her hand, just a little, as if to confirm the secret they’re sharing.
“What are you two conspiring about?” says Alya, ever the perceptive journalist.
“Nothing,” says Adrien quickly, and throws his free arm around Nino’s shoulders. “We’d better rejoin the rest of the class before Ms. Bustier gets mad!”
Alya raises an eyebrow, but allows Adrien to lead them back to their classmates.
~
“That was close,” Marinette says later, while she stands outside the school building to wait with Adrien. “A little too close for comfort.”
“I know,” he replies. “The akumas seem to be coming more and more lately, have you noticed?”
“Yeah,” Marinette admits. “We used to be able to go a week or two between attacks, but they’re starting to happen once a week or even every few days. Do you think something weird is going on?”
“It’s hard to say. We don’t know much at this point, so I think we just need to stay vigilant.”
Marinette squeezes his hand. “You know, I have to say... it’s been less stressful since I found out. I mean, now that I’ve had time to get used to it. Do you feel like that?”
Adrien looks over at her and smiles. It’s different that the one that shines from the billboards and magazine ads, a genuine smile. Marinette’s heart melts.
“Stop that,” she grumbles amiably.
“I can’t help it if being near you makes me smile, my Lady,” says Adrien, half-seriously.
“Oh, shush,” mutters Marinette, grasping the lapel of his shirt and pulling him in for a kiss.
When they part a few seconds later, she rests her forehead on his.
“I’m so glad it was you,” she murmurs, almost in a whisper.
Adrien’s eyes are soft. “Me too, Marinette.”
“Oi! Lovebirds!”
Marinette jolts, startled by Nino’s shout. She spins around to see him running out of the building and over to where they are by the sidewalk.
“What’s up, bro?” says Adrien, holding out his hand for a fist bump. Nino returns it, then rests his hands on his knees for a second to catch his breath.
“Wanted to catch you before the car gets here,” he explains. “Dude, Alya and I are planning a sleepover this Friday. We’re gonna hang out and play the new racing game that got released. You guys want to join us?”
“I’d love to,” Marinette says immediately, already thinking of some kind of pastry she could bring.
Adrien, however, looks regretful and scratches the back of his head. “Nino, I really don’t know…”
Nino holds up his hands. “I know, I know. Dadzilla and all that. It’s just a thought. You never know, he might decide to let you come just for one night?”
“And he might reveal himself as Hawkmoth and announce his takeover of Paris,” Adrien mutters. “But I’ll ask, Nino. You know I’d love to go.”
At that moment, the silver car pulls up behind Adrien and Marinette, the horn honking a short blast to announce its arrival.
“That’s my cue,” announces Adrien. He fistbumps with Nino again, then leans in to kiss Marinette goodbye.
He whispers, so quietly Marinette has to strain to hear. “See you tonight?”
She nods, almost imperceptibly, and Adrien smiles at the both of them and waves as he ducks into the car and closes the door.
“Man, you two have really got it bad,” Nino says as they both watch the car speed away. “If I ever get like that with Alya, just mercy kill me.”
“You’re just jealous you didn’t get him first,” jokes Marinette.
Nino shrugs. “Well, he is the hottest person in the entire school.”
“Don’t let Alya hear you say that.”
“Oh fuck, she’s not here, is she?” Nino spins around.
Marinette laughs, holding a hand to her mouth. “You’re not scared, are you?”
Nino turns back around. “Of course I am. It comes with loving her.”
Marinette smiles.
“But seriously, you two are almost sickening,” Nino continues. “It’s cute, though. But, like, man. It’s like you two just fell madly in love overnight.”
Almost right, Marinette thinks. “Is that so?”
“Yeah.” Nino folds his arms. “How did you do that? You perform witchcraft on him or something?”
Marinette smiles teasingly. “That’s for me to know and you to find out.”
~