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Like any normal day, Marinette wasn’t in class yet and Chloé was flocking around Adrien in the classroom, blocking the steps that led to the other rows. And, peculiarly, their teacher hadn't shown up yet, despite it being the beginning of the first class. The absence of authority enabled the students to meander around the room; groups formed almost instantly when it dawned on the teens that they had time to spare.
“Adrikins, we should go to the beach one day. Daddy has Tahiti booked for the whole week,” Chloé said, bending her body at her waist to lean her shoulders on the desk.
She was in Adrien’s face, her minty breath whipping his eyes that he had to blink every time she exhaled. She was staring at Adrien, memorizing every twitch of his muscles and every bob of his Adam’s apple.
Adrien too was busy flicking through the Ladyblog to register her words, so he only nodded and grunted absently to her meaningless babble.
“Awesome! I’ll go tell Daddy that—”
The door slammed open and the pitter-patter of steps followed, effectively cutting Chloé off. “Excuse me,” a winded voice said.
Chloé turned her head, golden locks slapping Adrien’s cheek and neck. He flinched back, blanching when some of her bleached hair got caught between his lips.
“Oh? Did someone say something?” Chloé asked, looking past Marinette’s shoulders as she stood up. She extended her body more so that not even a sliver was available for Marinette to slip through.
The half-Asian glared at her, mentally incapable of dealing with the school-brat. She didn’t move as she patiently waited for Chloé to make room, but the blonde only scoffed as she stared at the sleep-deprived teen.
Obvious rings beneath her eyes shouted an extravagant hello to anyone who took the unfortunate time to glance at her. Her hair had been let down due to the limited time as a result of her nonexistent sleep schedule. It was unkempt and tangled as it dangled lifelessly by her collarbones, and she had to blow back her bangs away whenever the lost hairs found its way in her bleary, blue eyes. Marinette’s usual fashion sense had been dialed down, as she donned a simple t-shirt, workout pants, and old sneakers that lost its luster.
Marinette waved lifelessly, a facetious grin lasting for a split second.
“It's just you ,” Chloé sneered, crossing her arms, cocking a hip out, and rolling her blue eyes.
Marinette remained quiet, making Chloé feel awkward. Had her comment not aroused the inner, temperamental beast that usually awoke to Chloé’s voice?
“Can you please move so I can get through?” Marinette eventually repeated in a blank voice.
Chloé finally regained her sense of sadism. “Hmm, no,” she said with a beaming grin. “You can sit outside, if you'd like. That way I don't have to see your disgusting face for the next hour.”
“Chloé,” Adrien chided beneath his breath, his eyes planted on Marinette. The girl, however, closed her eyes and deeply inhaled through her nostrils.
Chloé smirked, waiting for the right moment to strike. Marinette would snap and be sent to Monsieur Damocles’ office where she'd explain her unrighteous attitude. And boom! Chloe’s empty brain cheered, no Marinette for another two weeks .
“Please move, Chloé,” she said instead, making the blonde frown in boredom.
Chloé flicked her ponytail once again, making sure to lean forward towards Marinette in order to whack her across the face. She felt the tips of her locks make contact with skin.
“Hmmph,” Chloé said, turning a shoulder to her as she stuck her nose up, eyes trained on her fingers as she cleaned her manicured nails. A light breeze fanned over her neck as she added, “Why don't you just go back home, Marin—LADYBUG!?”
Chloé had turned her head, the superhero of Paris appearing out of nowhere. She let her facial muscles contort in an awestruck expression as her mind replayed the fact that Ladybug is here! Ohmygod, LadyBUG is here in front of . . . Wait, Ladybug is . . . Marinette?
Simultaneous gasps filtered through the air.
To confirm her suspicions, Ladybug had her hair down and eye bags screamed to be noticed while a scowl was pinned to her lips. A familiar pink purse dangled from her left shoulder, fingers curled into a quivering fist beside it.
“ Move Chloé Bourgeois or I will cut you open and shove your gallbladder down your throat, ” Marinette growled, glaring at her.
“Marinette is Ladybug ?” Chloé gasped, too surprised to process the meaning of her threat.
A deadly smile curled on Marinette’s lips, making Adrien feel faint. His grip in his phone slackened, the device clacking loudly as it hit the desk. He jaw slowly dropped.
Then, tortuously slow, Ladybug dropped her belongings onto the floor, brought up her yo-yo, and pulled it; an ominous croak groaned as she tugged steadily. With one hand clutching the compact, the indestructible line cut across her chest from her left hip to her right shoulder as the other hand locked her fingers around the end string.
A step forward for Ladybug, one stagger back from Chloé.
“Do you want me to cut your throat?” Marinette asked in a sickly sweet voice. An innocent grin. Something glinted in her eye when she tilted her head.
Chloé backed away, fumbling for support as she tripped on an elevated step and fell on her back. “N-no,” she weakly answered, looking ashamedly down at her expensive shoes.
“Great!” she chirped with a grin. “I'd hate for things to get bloody.”
A zip penetrated the air as the yo-yo string retracted quickly. Marinette gave her one last threatening smile after maintaining a creepy stare at Chloé, who acquiescently wobbled aside. Marinette slipped into her seat, releasing her transformation.
And then she slumped forward, forehead banging against the desk as light snores echoed in the dead-silent room.
“Oh my God. My best friend is Ladybug,” Alya gasped, astonished. She clamped a hand over her mouth as she began squealing, viciously slapping NIno’s shoulder to repeat the news that holy tits, I’m friends with Ladybug!!
Adrien picked up his phone with a goofy grin as he read, “Akuma attack at 4AM.”
He snickered.
“Dude, Marinette is Ladybug !” Nino screamed over Alya’s shaking.
He nodded. “I know,” he said breathlessly, giddiness diffusing everywhere.
He turned around, stared at her for two seconds before sweeping her bangs back to press a light kiss on her hairline.
“Get some sleep, My Lady,” he whispered fondly.