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Chapter Text

Marinette could not be more thrilled about the class field trip. Finally she could show everyone she wasn’t always a klutz!

She looked in the mirror again and smiled. Her big scarf draped over her shoulders, her cute sweater was cozy and pink, and her skating skirt fit down over her hips and then flared out, perfect for twirling. Complete with thick wool tights and high socks, she couldn’t wait to hit the ice.

“Come on Tikki!” She grabbed her figure skates and twirled with happiness, before racing down the stairs. Her kwami zoomed after her, giggling at Marinette’s excitement.

……

Marinette hummed excitedly and bounced in her bus seat. Alya laughed at her.

“I’ve never seen you like this, Marinette! What’s so great about a stupid frozen lake? No cool movies, no scoops..” Alya sighed. She infinitely preferred museums.

Alya was not alone. They were a bunch of city kids, and they all knew that Alix and Kim were going to make it all about some dumb race. Almost no one had skates with them, and were going to have to rent them there.

Adrien climbed onto the bus, looking sheepish. He had a pair of gleaming new skates hanging over his shoulders, clearly never used.

“I bet daddy Agreste just couldn’t let him rent skates like us commoners,” whispered Alya.

“Bro, back here!” Nino waved from the seat across from Alya and Marinette. Adrien smiled and headed towards them, only to be stopped by a hand on his jacket.

“Sit with me, Adrichou,” whined Chloe. She was fully decked out in a new skating outfit, with similarly shiny, never-used skates hung jauntily around her neck.

Adrien looked down. “Thanks Chlo, but I’m just going to go hang with Nino…I don’t want to make Sabrina move.” Chloe frowned, not having considered anyone’s feelings but her own, as usual, even her best friend sitting right next to her. She turned her wrath towards the back of the bus, and her eyes settled on Marinette. Her eyes gleamed evilly.

“Can’t wait to see Mari the Klutz on ice! That’s sure to be a laugh!” Chloe cackled.

Adrien dropped into the seat with Nino, across the aisle from Alya and Marinette. He sighed wearily. “Don’t mind her, Marinette- I know for a fact Chloe can’t skate to save her life. I mean, can any of us skate? What a weird field trip.” Nino and Alya agreed heartily.

Marinette just nodded a little and hummed again, looking out the window. Mari the Klutz!? That doesn’t even have a good ring to it…

“What are you so happy about, Marinette?” She looked around to see the three of them staring at her.

“Oh! Me? ha ha I don’t know, I just, um.. like skating!” She flushed a little. Show, don’t tell, Marinette! She wore a secret little smile.

“Really? Can you teach me!?” Adrien sounded a little desperate.

“Of course she can!” Alya was delighted. She had a scoop!

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful day to skate, sunny and still. The lake was huge, and the ice was glassy and clear. Marinette’s heart soared. The rest of the class grumbled a bit and rented their skates, sitting around on benches to lace them up.

Marinette laced up her skates nice and tight and stood on the squishy mats, dancing around antsily as Alya and Nino struggled. Alix was the only other one ready, her hockey skates beat up from use. She sized Marinette up.

“You done this before or something, Marinette?” Alix didn’t share her interests very well.

“A little, yeah, I’m so excited to get out there!” Marinette bounced a little on her skates.

“Then just go already!” Alya said, exasperated. “We’ll never, ever catch up, I promise.” Nino and Adrien laughed at that, groaning as they stood up in their skates.

Marinette didn’t need to be told twice. She tip tapped her way over the little bridge and stepped carefully onto the ice. She was vaguely aware that everyone in her class was watching, but her excitement quickly overcame her. She gave a tentative push and glide, testing her weight, finding her edges, letting her body find the muscles it needed. She pushed again, and again, leaning into the whoosh, gaining speed. That old exhilaration came back to her, and she turned her shoulders, setting her feet into crossovers with her arms spread wide.

Her face split into a grin and she switched to skating backwards, enjoying that tummy swoop that came with the twist of her hips. She was one with the momentum of the ice, turning in tighter and tighter circles, pulling her arms in to cross her chest, finally twisting into the spin. Her eyes closed in concentration, everything tight and whirling, her mind totally focused on her body and skates.

She felt the spin slowing, and pressed her shoulders into the finish, leaping and twisting to land on her other foot, other leg stretched out behind her, arms out again. Her eyes fluttered open as she came out of the arabesque and then did another double turn in surprise. Her whole class was staring at her, mouths open. She had been so lost in the skating she forgot anyone was there.

Her face turned red, and she stood on the ice awkwardly, staring down at her skates.

Someone started clapping. She looked up, and saw that it was Adrien, looking at her like he was seeing her for the first time. Alya joined in, and Nino, and soon everyone was whooping.. well, except Chloe.

“Damn girl! Who are you?” Alya tripped over the bridge and struggled out towards Marinette, arms out crazily, legs wide. Marinette giggled and breezed over to grab her hand.

“Just Mari the Klutz!” she said, and they both laughed out loud. Marinette couldn’t remember feeling this good.

Nino had struggled out to them, and Alya lurched to hang on to his arm instead of Marinette’s. Nino wasn’t ready, and his feet slipped out from under him. He dragged Alya down with him, and she tripped Marinette, who landed face first. They all burst out laughing. Alya looked back towards the landing bridge, and her scoop was back on.

“Marinette, why don’t you go help Adrien? Like you promised?”

Marinette gave her a look, picking herself up from the ice. “You mean like you promised! Before you even knew if I could skate!”

“Don’t give me that, you have no excuse, you sneaky showoff supergirl!” Alya pushed at Mari’s legs and Marinette shrieked, almost falling over again.

She took a deep breath. I can do this! For once, she believed herself.

Adrien was clinging to the bridge railing, face full of skepticism and a touch of panic. He was not accustomed to being bad at things, but no amount of piano playing or speaking Chinese would get him out of this one. And he had begged his dad to let him go.

Marinette glided towards him. He felt guilty for sort of agreeing with Chloe on the bus. Mari was super clumsy on land, but clearly there was a lot more to her than meets the eye.

“D-do you want some help?” Marinette felt good on skates, but her crush was as serious as ever.

“Oh god, please!” He groaned. “I have no idea what I’m doing!”

She giggled. “I can see that.”

Adrien blushed. Is she teasing me?

Marinette offered her hands, and he gingerly shifted his wait from the railing, wobbling as he tried to come towards her.

“That’s it, easy now,” Marinette’s voice was soothing. He glanced up at her, but she was looking down at his feet.

“Ok, I’ve got you.” She was in teaching mode, yet another side of her he’d never seen before. His stomach felt a little funny, and not just from the skating.

She pulled him out further onto the ice, easily skating backwards. Adrien let her lead.

“Now, the most important thing is to bend your knees,” she demonstrated by bouncing a little, “and stick out your..b-butt.” Her cheeks flushed.

Adrien laughed. “I look ridiculous!” But he tried to do as she said. Thank god Ladybug can’t see me right now, he thought, cheeks as red as hers.

“That’s good! Now stay low, and… one foot forward, then the other..” His hands tightened on hers and Marinette’s heart squeezed. Thank you, field trip gods!!

I need to get this, thought Adrien. But please, sweet Jesus, please never make Chat Noir wear skates.

He kept low. He stuck his butt out. He pressed one foot forward, and then the other, letting Marinette guide him. He felt for his balance and let his inner cat come out to play. Pretty soon he was tugging a lot less on her hands, and the wobble was nearly gone.

“Very good!” Marinette laughed, delighted that he was learning so fast. She took her hands away.

“Wai—gahh!” Adrien lost his balance and lurched forward, grabbing her around her arms and waist. She struggled to stay upright, and then struggled not to swoon. Adrien’s face was pressed against her side, arms..around her….

She heard Alya laugh. Her friend gave her a double thumbs up from where she was ‘skating’ with Nino.

“I-I’m sorry, I wasn’t ready!” Adrien’s handsome face was pink with embarrassment.

“Y-you’re doing g-great! Y-you’re learning really f-fast!” Marinette stammered as he grabbed her by the shoulders, trying to straighten himself.

Adrien managed to get his balance and took her hands again, bending his knees again like she had taught him.

“So when did you learn to skate like that?” He was looking down at his skates when he felt her gloved hand lift his chin.

“Look up!” Her teacher confidence had returned. He tried. “Well..?” he asked, fixating on her scarf and trying to find his legs again.

“Uhhmm….” Ugh it sounds so braggy! Marinette heard Tikki’s voice in her head. “Be proud of yourself Marinette!” “I, uhh..I started when I was a kid and did competitions and stuff.” Her face was red.

“What competitions?” Adrien said with interest. He knew figure skating could be pretty intense. “Were you, y’know, good?” He looked at her in horror. “I mean! obviously you are really good but I don’t know anything about figure skating!!”

She giggled and blushed again, gripping his fingers lightly in her gloved hands.

“Yeahh.. I guess I was pretty good.” Ugh, I hate this, I shouldn’t have said anything!

Adrien could see she was being modest. He straightened a little and turned his head. “Hey! Alya!”

Marinette stared at him. He gave her a crooked grin, green eyes glinting. Alya and Nino lurched over like a four-legged monster. “What’s up?!”

“Marinette did skating competitions as a kid but she won’t talk about it. You ask her!” Adrien grinned back at Marinette, his hands now gripping onto hers so she couldn’t skate away in embarrassment.

“Come on, girl, spill. You’re not fooling anyone with this modesty act, not after what we just saw!” Alya gave her that look.

Marinette sighed, shaking her head. “Iwongoldinjuniorworldswheniwaseleven” she said in a tiny voice.

They all looked at her. “Uhmmm what? Can you speak up please!?” In spite of her skating difficulties, Alya had her hand on her hip in sassy impatience.

Marinette took a deep breath. “I won gold in junior worlds when I was eleven..” She smiled sheepishly, glancing up at them.

“Shit.”

They all turned to stare at Adrien, who never cursed. His face was blown wide open. Alya was already deep in her phone, searching for video.

“Ohmygod she’s serious! Look!” Adrien and Nino crowded around her to see her phone.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng enters the rink! She is the favorite to win, after that stunning short set in Lyons last week. Here it is, her long awaited long program set to Swan Lake!” The crowd cheered. The first bars of the music started.

Marinette was transported. She remembered the smell of the rink, the sound of the crowd. She remembered the butterflies in her stomach and the chill on her skin, and the flowy pale pink of her costume. Her legs tensed, and she placed one toe behind her at the thought. Alya turned up the volume on her phone.

The choreography came flooding back, and she smiled to herself. What a victory that was! Just little me against all those girls with the sponsors and the legacies…! Just me and the ice..

“Oh my god girl, you were too cute.” Nino agreed. “Dude, Marinette, this is amazing!”

Adrien looked up at her. “Do you still know the moves?” His face was questioning, eager.

Marinette felt flustered, but also full of that old love she felt for it all. “Uhhmm, some of it, I think..”

Kim, Alix, Rose, and Juleka had managed to get over to them, and were crowding around Alya’s phone to see. “Oh please skate some more for us, Marinette!” Rose pleaded, her eyes full of that joy she was always bursting with. The others joined in. “Yeah, Marinette, show us some more!” “Come on, Marinette!”

She looked up from her skates, where she had been kicking at the ice, and her eyes met Adrien’s. He wasn’t saying anything, but his eyes had a steady, familiar look in them, like she could do anything. Where have I seen that look before..? She mused, but in any case, it worked. Just for you, Adrien. She threw up her hands.

“Ok, ok, I’ll try!” Her classmates cheered. “But no videos, and I mean NO VIDEOS, ALYA!” She pointed at her best friend, who put on a ‘who, me?’ face.

Marinette couldn’t believe she was doing this, but inside she was bursting to try. Mari the Klutz my ass, Chloe Bourgois.

She skated away from them, stretching her arms and legs, bending her back, moving her head and neck, rolling her ankles. She checked for enough space and breathed deeply, letting everything fall away. She nodded to Alya, who pressed play. Of course Nino brought speakers! Marinette rolled her eyes but the smile on her face was fixed. The first bars of Swan Lake drifted over the ice towards her. She placed one foot behind her, and her arms draped gracefully out from her sides.

Adrien held his breath, watching her get into position. Who is this girl? His mind was a whir. Sure, Marinette was cute, but this was a whole side of her that no one had ever seen. She began to move, and he exhaled, totally enthralled.

She turned. She leapt. Her face and arms expressed such emotion and the curve of her back was sinuous and mesmerizing. She turned on one leg, then the other. She sped up with the music, stretching and reaching, skates flying and crossing. One moment she spun, the next she slowed. The music swelled, and she sped backwards, feet crossing over and over, gaining speed. Her mind was clear, intense, there were no words, no fears, just speed, just flight. The speed caught her and she leapt and twisted, triple lutz..! and her foot planted, left leg flying out behind her. The class gasped, but she wasn’t done. The music was all throughout her and the wind was in her hair, and she pressed and pressed forward. Her chest was burning but she ignored it, intent on the finale… and with just the right speed, she reached back and grabbed her skate, pulling it over her head, twisting into the spin and spinning round and round and round and round and round until the final chord. Marinette released her foot, skipped over onto it, turned once more, twice, chest and arms reaching to the sky before she dropped to her knee, one leg outstretched, face pulled in close to her chest.

Silence.

Marinette’s heart pounded in her ears. She felt her skate grind into the ice, and the sound went through her body. Slowly, she uncurled her head and looked up.

The class lost it. They cheered and clapped and stomped and whistled. Rose was crying. Alya and Nino were hugging with delight.

Marinette slowly stood, and then bowed low, in true skating star fashion. It felt good to relive her old dream, just one more time.

“Come here girl! You know I can’t get to you!” Marinette laughed and skated over to her best friend. She was engulfed in hugs and pats on the back.

“Wow, Marinette, you really are a champion.” Adrien had wonder in his eyes, and Marinette’s chest glowed with pride.

“Th-thanks, Adrien. It- it feels good to do it again..”

“Time for cocoa!” Nino yelled. Everyone cheered again, including Marinette. Her legs wobbled from the unexpected exercise. Adrien caught her around the waist. “Don’t make me help you, Mmm-Marinette,” he stammered. God, I almost just called her My Lady! What is it with you and powerful women, Agreste? Ugh, what a stupid question.. His brain was having problems.

Meanwhile, Marinette’s was doing cartwheels. I can die now. “Th-thanks! Ha ha, it’s been a while..” Her cheeks were just beautifully pink.

“Let me get you some cocoa.” Behind Adrien’s back, Alya was all smiles, like a cat with a canary. “You’re welcome!” she mouthed at Marinette.

Chapter Text

After some cocoa, and a lot of pats on the back, Marinette was suddenly the class’s skating teacher. Even Chloe was trying, though she was scowling.

Adrien was the best so far, now skating on his own going forwards, and working on backwards. Marinette skated up to him, and took his hands again, this time skating forwards while he skated backwards.

“You’re a natural!” She beamed at him. She was so high on confidence and sugar there was no holding back.

“Ha! Just my rigorous life training—no room for weakness in the Agreste household!” He laughed, but it sounded hollow. “I wish I could skate like you, Marinette. You make it look so easy!”

“Well, 4 hours a day every day for 8 years will do that…” She laughed, a little lost in her thoughts.

“What—if you don’t mind my asking—what made you stop?” Adrien was gliding comfortably now, but he held onto her fingertips anyway. Something about her…

Marinette’s face clouded. “Oh well.. I.. was.. scouted to do couples skating.” Her brow furrowed. “And my first partner was green, and..”

Adrien looked at her with concern. There was fear, and a bad memory in her eyes.

“You don’t have to tell me.” He had stopped skating, but was holding her hands, looking at her in concern.

She looked up at him, into those green eyes. That familiar feeling nagged at her brain again. It didn’t have form or words, but she felt safe, like she could tell him anything.

“Well, he nearly broke my back.”

She heard a sharp intake of breath, as he squeezed her hands.

Marinette chuckled drily. “After that, I guess you can say I had a hard time going out on the ice again, for a while.” She shook her pigtails, clearing her head.

“But then, since I wasn’t skating, I got really into the costumes, and that is when I started designing! So it’s not all bad.” She smiled brightly up at him, then pulled her hands away, skating away from him a little bit. Her arms spread wide. “And here I am, I can still enjoy it!” She twirled, loving the way her skirt flew out from her legs.

For the millionth time that afternoon, Adrien was dumbstruck. Who is this girl?!

…….

No one had noticed how miffed Alix was by all of this. She had been so excited to go skating, to show everyone how fast and tough she was. But then Marinette came out of nowhere, a real champion, a perfect girly girl who did all the pretty jumps. And everyone was cheering, even Kim, who was supposed to race her, but got all distracted.

A sinister black butterfly crashed into her hockey skate.

……..

Marinette was washing her hands in the bathroom of the skate rental building when she heard the commotion. Peering out the door, she saw a strange figure shooting…ice blasts..? at people, making them freeze solid. Uh oh.

“Who will race me!?” cried a loud, bitter voice. “Or are we all here to watch pretty little Marinette dance around!?”

Tikki had been snuggled down in the warmth of her purse, but quickly came to attention. “I know who can race her!!”

Marinette’s brow was furrowed in thought. “Tikki, can you modify the suit for me?”

“Sure, Marinette, what do you want?”

“Well, I need skates. But not just any skates. I think I need speed skates. Extra long blades.”

“No problem, Ladybug, just say the words.”

“Tikki, Spots On!”

…..

Adrien was not pleased. He and Plagg were behind the cocoa stand, hiding from the akuma villain.

“Plagg! What do I do?! I can’t skate that well…I don’t even know if Ladybug is here!”

“Figure it out, Adrien. I can give you moonboots if you want but you have to tell me. Is there any cheese in this godforsaken countryside?”

“Ok, I guess skates make the most sense…eurgghhh this is going to be ugly. Plagg, Claws Out!”

Is Ladybug about to see me on skates? Chat Noir shivered at the thought, then had a worse one. What if she doesn’t come? I really do have terrible luck!

……

Slash was advancing on Kim. “Race me or I’ll freeze you!”

“A-Alix!?” Kim was quaking with fear.

“I’m SLASH, you idiot! Race me!” Kim cowered behind his hands, falling to his knees on the ice.

“I’ll race you.”

Slash whirled around to face Ladybug, who stood coolly on her long skates, arms crossed.

An evil grin came to Slash’s face. “And if I win, I get your Miraculous!”

A stubborn glare shone from Ladybug’s eyes. “And if I win, I get your skates.”

Slash cackled. It was all going perfectly to plan!

A black shape came zooming across the ice, sliding to a stop at Ladybug’s feet. Chat Noir had slid over on his stomach, ice skates flailing behind him.

“Can I be of service, My Lady?” he wheezed.

Ladybug clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. “Oh chaton, can you even skate!?”

“What do you take me for!? Every cat can skate!” Chat Noir struggled to stand, much to Slash’s amusement.

“Wow, Ladybug, quite the useful sidekick you’ve got there!” Slash was doubled over in laughter. “I think I’ve as good as got both of your Miraculous!”

Ladybug growled. “Leave it on the ice, Slash!”

Chat Noir waved his baton authoritatively. “This is the starting line! Two circuits around the lake, first to put a toe over the line wins!”

Ladybug and Slash got into position. Ladybug’s mind was spinning for a solution. She knew the akuma was in the skates, but it was too risky to try to get them while they were racing. The race was just a distraction, of course, but her blood was boiling for the competition. I can do so much more than dance, Hawkmoth!

“3, 2, 1, GOOO!” Chat Noir dropped his baton and they were off. Ladybug would never offer our Miraculous if she didn’t have a plan.. But he wasn’t feeling that confident on the ice.

Ladybug was on fire. Her legs burned and her chest burned. Slash was fast. But Ladybug had competition coursing through her, as well as superpowers and excellent skates. She pumped her arms and stayed low, using her whole body to propel her forward. The speed was intense. They rounded the last curve of the lake and headed towards Chat Noir to complete the first lap. Ladybug saw him leaning on his staff and the lightbulb popped in her head. She gritted her teeth and pushed harder than ever, painfully gaining inches on Slash.

“Nnngghhhhhhh!” Slash was furious to see Ladybug gain on her. She focused on passing Chat Noir, intent on the ice in front of her.

Ladybug had just an instant. She used her 6 inch lead to shoot out her yoyo across Slash’s path, twirling around Chat Noir’s staff to make a tripwire.

Slash went flying, screaming with rage.

“Lucky Charm!” Ladybug’s body was screaming too, but she couldn’t rest. A polka dot sled fell into her hands, and she looked at Chat Noir, sprawled uselessly on the ice after the staff was pulled from his hands. He blinked up at her.

“Come here, my kitty cat. And get that claw ready!”

Ladybug grabbed Chat Noir by the middle and dumped him unceremoniously on the sled. His hand sparkled with black energy. “Hold on tight, minou! And grab for her right skate!”

Ladybug grabbed the sled and dug in, spinning around and around before letting go, sending Chat Noir flying off towards Slash, who was having a tantrum out on the ice.

She drew once more on her energy to take off after them. Please work please work! she pleaded, unhooking her yo-yo. Chat Noir’s hand grazed the skate, and the mean little butterfly fluttered up out of it. A red and black spotted yo-yo swung out and grabbed it before Chat Noir’s sled even stopped.

“Bye bye little butterfly!” gasped Ladybug. Chat Noir paddled over towards her on the sled.

“What a purrformance, My Lady!” He grinned as he stood and handed her the sled.

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

Ladybug sank down to her knees, panting from the effort. Chat Noir was there in an instant. “You ok?”

“Y-yeah, I just..” Ladybug tried to catch her breath. “I don’t speed skate that much.”

“Well, that makes one of us.” She looked at him and burst out laughing. He grinned goofily at her. “You are hopeless on skates! Why did you even wear them?”

“I’ll have you know I learned today, Princess!” He stuck his face in hers, eyebrows jumping. “From a girl almost as cute as you!”

Chapter Text

Adrien woke up and winced as he got out of bed. The ice battle had been particularly uncomfortable. He made his way to the bathroom and stripped down for the shower, noticing purple bruises on his shoulders, knees, and elbows. Goddamn ice skates.. he grumbled, standing under the steaming water.

His mind went back to the frozen lake, and to Marinette’s unbelievable talent. He smiled at the memory of her cool teaching attitude, and the nice grip of her gloved hands. He had started to like skating, under Marinette’s guidance, before that ridiculous fight.

And damn, Ladybug on ice! He was still astounded at how fast and skilled she was. She must actually be a speed skater in real life. Clearly that’s not something that comes with the suit. He blushed with embarrassment.

Plagg was in his usual spot, lording over his cheese collection. Adrien snorted.

“Plagg, you fiend.”

The kwami looked him over. “You look as black and blue as Roquefort!”

Adrien sighed. “Don’t rub it in.”

“You and Marinette were pretty cozy, hmm? That girl is super fit!”

“Yeah…” Adrien’s mind swam with the thought of her grace and power as she skated to Swan Lake. He grabbed his phone and found the video of her skating as a kid champion. She was so cute and tiny, but had a kind of ferocious focus that matched what he had seen at the lake.

He kept browsing through old videos of her, watching her as a younger and younger skater, always with those same pigtails. A video title caught his eye.

Tragic! Worst Couples Skating Blunders!

A terrible feeling nagged at him, and he tapped the link. He scrolled through, looking for her pigtails. She was at the very end, labelled #1: Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Michel Durond. Adrien’s heart was in his mouth. There she was, so young, and they were skating in unison. He had her by the hand and the waist and she was twisted up over his head but something- Adrien wasn’t versed enough to know what- something was wrong, and her face contorted in anguish. His legs collapsed and they crashed down to the ice. He got up, but she lay there, sprawled in pain. The video started to replay the fall in slow motion, but Adrien couldn’t bear to look.

He tossed his phone away and lay back on his bed. Anger flared in his stomach at her partner. “My partner was green..” she had said. No wonder she quit.

The intercom in his room buzzed. “Adrien, breakfast.”

He groaned and dragged his aching body to the dining room. His dad stood silently, as usual, staring at the family portrait on the wall. Nathalie waited quietly for command.

“Adrien, are you hurt.” It came out as a statement, rather than a question.

“No, father, I’m fine.”

Gabriel turned and looked him over. “I can’t let you go on any more field trips. The threat of the akuma attacks has become too great.”

“But, no! That’s not fair!” Adrien burst out, uncharacteristically. He was upset on a few levels, and his dad’s strict behavior was just too much. “I mean..” he lowered his voice. “Akuma attacks are just part of living in Paris, until Ladybug and Chat Noir can defeat Hawkmoth.”

Gabriel snorted with derision. No matter how many times Ladybug and Chat Noir saved the city or his own life, Adrien’s father never seemed to believe in them. It bothered Adrien to no end.

“Well. At least you’re not hurt.” Gabriel turned to go.

“Wait, father, I- I have a request.” Adrien had an idea, and he had to try. “Can I, uhh.. can I take ice skating lessons?” He blushed a little, but he had just realized how much he wanted to learn.

His father raised his eyebrows in surprise, then furrowed them. No doubt matching it up with my public image.. thought Adrien with disgust.

“Fine. Nathalie will add it to your schedule.” Without looking at his son, Gabriel left the room.
Adrien sat down in his breakfast chair, a little stunned. He put his head in his hands, and Marinette twirled through his mind. Here goes nothing..

………

Marinette immediately regretted getting to school on time. Her secret skating career had spread through school like wildfire, as well as it’s untimely end.

She wanted neither praise nor sympathy, but both followed her down the halls. Finally she got to class and dropped into her seat next to Alya.

“Hey girl.” Alya felt guilty, an uncomfortable symptom of her insatiable hunt for scoops. “I’m really sorry for pushing you to skate, if you didn’t want to. I was just so impressed and excited for you! And nobody found out about the, y’know.. fall, until later and..” she looked up at Marinette over her glasses.

“It’s ok, Alya,” sighed Marinette. “I was so excited about skating that I forgot all about the things on the internet.” She gave a dry laugh. “It doesn’t really matter anyway, I gave up skating a long time ago. Maybe I should have just left it alone.” Marinette’s forehead was down on her desk.

“Mari, I’m so glad I got to see you skate, don’t say that!” Alya was indignant. “And I think it will all blow over, it was just such a crazy secret!” She rubbed her friend’s back.

“Oohhh, look who it iiis!” came a shrill, mean voice. Chloe was in full form. Alya felt Marinette stiffen.

“It explains so much, don’t you think..” she paused for effect, “..knowing Marinette was dropped on her head!” She laughed and laughed, joined by Sabrina who bobbed at her elbow.

Marinette slowly raised her head from the desk, her face like stone. Chloe’s laughter subsided, and her smile froze a little. The classroom was deadly quiet.

Her eyes flashed with cold fury. Wordlessly, she moved towards Chloe, who flinched. Marinette paused to look her in the face, and then turned and walked out. Adrien blinked in astonishment as she brushed past him out to the hall.

……………

Marinette had no plan, she just walked. Her heart was beating hard, blood pumping in her ears.

Reaching a park, Marinette stopped abruptly and sat down on a bench. Tikki didn’t know what to say- she had never seen Marinette this way, full of a frightening determination.

Marinette pulled out her phone and searched through her contacts, taking a breath before tapping a name.

It rang. Tikki held her breath.

“Hi, Alain? It’s Marinette.”

Chapter Text

Adrien was nervous. A week had passed since the lake visit, and he was wearing his skates for the second time ever, standing around outside the rink with the other students. He had no idea what to expect- after asking for lessons, he had been too embarrassed to ask any questions of Nathalie. Guiltily, he expected quality. The other students seemed kind of nervous too, many of them in similarly shiny, unused skates, but with an air of excited expectation. No one made a move to go onto the ice, so Adrien just waited.

The overhead lights went down and all was dark. Slowly, show lights came up on the rink, illuminating a couple of skaters in the center. The man was tall, handsome, hair shot with grey at the temples. He was dressed all in black, from shirt to skates. The young woman wore a black costume, open all down the back, long sleeves hooked onto her middle fingers and a flowy skirt draping to a point in the back. Her dark hair was pulled back in a chignon, her face turned away from the spectators. They held each other at the waist and above their heads, opposite legs extended behind them.

Music swelled from the speakers, and they began to skate. He twirled her and they skated around each other, turning and intertwining across the ice, now in unison, now apart. They swooped and reconnected, hands meeting, circling, legs outstretched, framing each others bodies. It was sinuous and magical, and Adrien yearned to be able to do anything with such grace. Grasping her by one hand, he lowered her down as he spun around and around, her body just inches above the ice. The students gasped. The couple pulled up again and broke apart, spinning in unison in arabesques, only to crouch, still spinning, and come back up holding their own skates as the music reached its crescendo. As it fell again, they came together, arms outstretched, for a final spin, her legs splayed out as he turned backwards, finally setting her skates back on the ice for a twirl before she dropped over his bent leg, back arched, for the final pose as the music ended.

Adrien and the other students clapped vigorously, as the man pulled the young woman to her feet and they hugged intently, kissing cheeks, before presenting her to give a bow.

Adrien’s hands stopped clapping and his mouth dropped open. Marinette!?

The lights came back up in the rink.

The students shuffled out onto the ice, holding onto the rails, a little dumbstruck. The tall man skated forward a step.

“Welcome! My name is Alain Rousseau, and I will be your instructor for this class. And this,” he took her hand and spun her into his arms, “is the ravishing Marinette Dupain-Cheng, former champion and your assistant teacher.” She blushed prettily and gave a little curtsy. As she raised her head, she looked up and saw Adrien. She gave a little start, and her blush deepened.

“H-hello!” she stammered.

Alain released her with a chuckle. Adrien felt a stab of envy at the ease with which they interacted.

“Now, who has never been on ice before?” A few people raised their hands.

“And who has tried but can’t get anywhere fast?” Alain was warm and welcoming. Several more people raised their hands and laughed, including Adrien.

“Oh he’s being modest.” Marinette pointed right at him. Alain raised his eyebrows and looked Adrien over with interest. “Oh? You know each other?”

“A little.” Marinette’s cheeks were pink but she had a little smile on her face. “I’m not.. I don’t—“ Adrien blushed deeply and stared down at his feet.

Alain chuckled and spread his arms wide. “No matter! Everyone is welcome, and everyone will leave the ice tonight a better skater than they are right now.” He went sailing around them. “At the end of this lesson, you will be mentally and physically exhausted, but spiritually enlightened!” He spun dramatically.

Adrien looked up to see Marinette stifle a giggle, looking at Alain with delight. His face felt hot as another little rush of jealousy went through him.

He didn’t have time to dwell on this new feeling; Alain had them all line up, and was rigorous about technique from the first moment, punctuated with forceful wisdom. “Practice does not make perfect! Perfect practice makes perfect!” Marinette made her way down the line, adjusting posture and offering encouragement. Adrien tried to focus on his skating.

Then she was before him, and he was suddenly very aware of her short, tight skating dress. She took his hands as she had done at the lake, skating backwards.

“I’m surprised to see you here.” She was too immersed in teaching to stutter as she looked him over for mistakes.

“Likewise! I had no idea you would be teaching…”

Marinette laughed a little. “I didn’t either, actually, but then Chloe…well, anyway I was pretty mad so I called Alain and he offered me the job. Maybe that seems weird, but I just couldn’t stand to be scared away again.” Her face clouded a little, then cleared. “Relax your shoulders.”

He tried. “Honestly, I kind of hoped no one would know I was doing this..” Adrien said sheepishly, looking up at her.

“I won’t tell anyone if you don’t.” Their eyes met and she looked away again, cheeks pink.

“Now, what have we here?” Alain descended upon them.

“He’s a natural, Alain.” Marinette gave Adrien’s hands a little squeeze and released them, skating back a ways so Alain could look him up and down.

“Ahh how wonderful. And you are..?”

“Adrien.. Agreste, sir.”

Alain raised an eyebrow. “Indeed. Well you are very welcome, Adrien. There is just one thing you need to do for me.”

“Y-yes sir.”

“Smile!”

Chapter Text

By the end of the lesson, Adrien was exhausted, as promised, but he felt proud. The rush of it had gotten to him, and the cat within him loved playing with his own balance, in spite of some embarrassing tumbles and collisions. He was already impatient with the structure of the class.

“Free skate for 10 minutes!” Marinette called out. Everyone was clearly taken with her. She was a natural teacher and of course just beautiful on the ice. She glided to meet Alain, who gave her a twirl. They seemed to speak a secret language to each other, and Adrien couldn’t keep his eyes off them. Marinette spoke to him intently for a moment, and Alain smiled. He didn’t know what to expect as she skated towards him.

Marinette extended her hand, and Adrien immediately offered both of his, prepared for their forwards-backwards teaching arrangement.

Marinette smiled and shook her head. “You’re way past that, Adrien. J-just t-take my hand.” So the Marinette he knew was somewhere inside this ice goddess. “Let’s just skate around the rink a few times.”

Adrien felt like something was up, but he didn’t care. He was so eager to just go. He took her hand and a little sparkle ran up his arm. They began to skate, slowly. She matched his gait, and Adrien sped up a little. At the curve of the rink, he tested his crossovers, and she released his hand to spin before taking it again. This feels wonderful, he thought. They kept skating around, and Marinette kept making little changes- crossing in front of him to extend her other hand, skating backwards, adding twists and making it seem like he was involved, and he responded to her as gracefully as he could. She was much more skilled, of course, but there was a connection between them, a synchronicity that they could both feel. I’m dreaming, I must be, Marinette thought. After doing some math about it, Adrien tugged her hand across his body, bringing her next to him, and then gingerly placed his other hand on her back so they were promenading. She responded perfectly, extending her arm above her head, turning her face towards his. She gave a tiny nod, and slowly lifted her foot behind her as Adrien found the balance and tightened his grip on her waist.

They heard clapping. Marinette squeezed Adrien’s hand and brought her foot down, but he kept looking into her eyes for another moment. Her stomach trembled.

“Well, look what we have here!” Alain was beaming. “Another young man powerless against your charms, Marinette.”

She blushed scarlet, but looked up at him wickedly. “Are you still young, Alain?”

He clutched his heart in mock horror, but draped an arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple. Adrien’s hands twitched and he looked down at his skates.

“I’m only teasing. Marinette’s theory has been proven true, Adrien. You are meant to skate and I think meant to skate with her.” Marinette sputtered. “I never said--!” but Alain stopped her. “I think it’s very clear that you should move up a few class levels, and consider participating in our season’s end recital.”

This was all a bit much for Adrien. He glanced up and found Marinette looking at him steadily. There was reassurance in her looks, but also..hope?

“Um, ok.”

Marinette and Alain cheered and hugged each other, sending another pang through Adrien. Why are they so all over each other?! He’s so much older than her!

“Wonderful, Adrien, I’m just thrilled.” Alain extended a hand. In spite of being jealous, Adrien couldn’t help but like him. He gave Marinette’s waist one more squeeze and skated off to talk to the other students.

“He really likes you.” Marinette wrapped her arms around herself, as if she was cold.

“He really loves you.” Adrien said, a little too forcefully. Marinette looked taken aback.

“I’m sorry! I just mean..you two just skate really beautifully together, and it’s.. pretty, uhm.. different from how you act around guy-I mean, people at school.”

“I’ve known Alain since I was 7, and he’s married.” Marinette’s expression was unreadable. “But yeah, I guess I am different here than at school.” She had a secret smile. “Having a super alter-ego is pretty great, don’t you think!?”

Adrien’s mouth dropped open and his heart clutched. Does she know!? But she was laughing to herself. Adrien sighed in relief and tried to act cool. She just means the skating.

“But about Alain…” Marinette’s cheeks were pink again, and she was still hugging herself. “I can’t explain it very well, but it’s almost like, in couples skating..” she tried to find the right words, her gaze inward. “There has to be chemistry but its more than that.. like..like every time you skate together, you have to fall in love.”

“So you’ve fallen in love with him a hundred times.” Adrien’s throat was a little tight.

Marinette raised her eyes to his, and started skating gently away from him, a little smirk on her face.

“You have some catching up to do.”

Chat Noir purred with anticipation, as Adrien blushed.

Chapter Text

“You have some catching up to do.”

“God, Tikki, what was THAT!? Who even am I? Adrien must think I’m some kind of flirty ice freak who is obsessed with him… oh god that is what I am! Gahhhh!”

Marinette buried her face in her pillows. Tikki laughed.

“Marinette, this is a good thing! Usually you are so nervous around him, and instead you flirted with the boy you like.”

“Yeah but just because that’s how I always act on the ice…with Alain.” Marinette sighed.

“What is it, Marinette?” Tikki had been around a long time, but she had learned about Marinette’s skating the same time as everyone else, at the lake.

Marinette flopped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

“Oh it’s so confusing…when I was a kid he was just my coach and basically like one of my parents and I just lived to make him proud.” Her eyes were a little misty with remembering. “And when I was scouted to do couples skating he was my teacher and…” she blushed with embarrassment, “and I guess he was my first crush or first male figure or something.. we did all this skating and had this trust and everything and I didn’t know if I was a kid anymore.”

“And that’s when you… fell?” Tikki asked gently.

Marinette grimaced. “Yeah. Sometimes I think Alain was even more devastated than me. He was so angry at Michel, but Michel got to keep skating!” Hot angry tears popped out of her eyes, and Tikki rubbed her cheek gently.

“And Tikki, I missed Alain so much the last few years and now I’m older and skating with him is so easy and familiar and he’s.. well still really handsome…”

“He really loves you!” Adrien had said.

Marinette stiffened. Could Adrien be.. jealous? She gasped and sat up, sending Tikki flying. “But! that means..!?”

Tikki just giggled at the silly grin on Marinette’s face.

………..

“You have some catching up to do.”

“Plagg, have I been an idiot this whole time and not noticed how sexy Marinette is!?” Adrien was draped over a couch in his room. “You know what, don’t answer that.”

Plagg snorted and returned to his Camembert.

“But really, can you blame me for being surprised? She is so different at school, it’s like she’s a completely different person on the ice, so confident and graceful.. like.. I don’t know.. like….”

“Ladybug.”

Adrien stared at his kwami in shock.

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying you have a type, dummy. Super fit confident girls who are better than you at stuff. Just like me.”

“You only love cheese, Plagg.”

Plagg gave a long, suffering sigh.

“I only love graceful, confident cheese, Adrien. Camembert! She’s so.. challenging, but delicate. Uniquely poised to tempt me and fill me with—“

“Yes! Ok. I get it!” Adrien threw a pillow across the room and flopped back on the couch. “Anyway whatever, I just think she’s really attractive when she skates.”

“And you want to spin her around instead of that older guy?” Plagg snorted again.

Adrien’s hands clenched a little bit and his neck flushed with a combination of embarrassment and jealousy. “No! Well yes.. I mean yes, I want to skate really well.. with Marinette.” He felt very hot. “But it’s like, she’s so flirty with him! She looks at him like..” Adrien trailed off, thinking of Marinette and Alain goofing around in the class.

“Like she trusts him to spin her around over his head at high speeds over solid ice with blades attached to their feet,” Plagg said drily.

Adrien sighed again. Maybe if I could skate like him, she would look at me like that..

He sat up suddenly. “The recital…!” Adrien’s brain scrambled wildly. “I agreed…to skate with Marinette…in front of people..!”

Plagg patted his cheese filled stomach contentedly and yawned. “Finally something I can’t help you with. Goodnight.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and grabbed his phone.

Chapter Text

Marinette was mooning around, trying to do a little homework but mostly gazing at pictures of Adrien and dreaming about skating with him.

Her phone buzzed, and she squealed. Adrien is calling me!?

She danced around a bit before answering. “H-hello?”

“Uh hey, Marinette? This is Adrien, I hope I’m not bothering you.”

Marinette was pacing and spinning around weirdly as Tikki stifled her giggles. She wanted to hang up and call Alya to tell her that Adrien called her but of course that made no sense.

“N-no, you’re not me, I mean not mothering be, I mean n-not bothering!” Marinette smacked her head. Be Ladybug, come on!

Adrien chuckled a little and Marinette sank to her knees, forehead to the floor. “Ok good, I just um, wanted to talk to you about the um.. recital?”

Marinette sat up suddenly and smacked her head on her desk. “Gah!”

Adrien almost dropped his phone in surprise. “Uhh, Marinette? Are you ok?”

He heard muffled noises and some squeaking.

“Yes, sorry! I’m fine. I, uh..hit my head. Mari the Klutz, haha!”

“Says the perfect triple lutz.”

Marinette laughed in delight. “Somehow, that is simpler than talking on the phone, yeah.”

Adrien laughed again. They were both a little pink in the cheeks. He cleared his throat.

“Ok are you sitting down?”
“Yes.”

“Are you near any sharp objects?”

“Ha. ha.” Marinette was in her desk chair, looking at her Adrien themed computer desktop.

“So can we talk about the recital now?” Adrien was smiling.

“Yeah! So I was thinking we could do something from Les Miserables, like what Yuna Kim skated to in Sochi, you know? Ooh or maybe something more contemporary like Yuzuru Hanyu? Can you believe he set the world record to jazz!?” Marinette was spinning around in her chair and talking faster and faster.

“Uhh.. what? Kim who?” Adrien was bewildered.

“Yuna Kim! Olympic Gold Medalist from South Korea! Gosh I wanted to be her so bad…” Marinette had that wistful sound in her voice again.

“Uh, sorry, I don’t know, um, well anything about ice skating, yet.” Adrien said sheepishly. “That’s why I called, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do for the recital.”

“Oh!” Marinette was glad he couldn’t see her turn red. “O-of course, right. The Recital.” She coughed a little. “So it’s in a few months and its just so the skating students can put on a show for friends and family and stuff. So there are like cute little kid performances and then it goes up through the classes.”

“Ok, so what are, um, we doing?” Adrien’s neck felt all hot again as he thought about skating with Marinette, but also in front of other people.

“Well that kind of depends..” Marinette’s voice got small.

“On what?”

Marinette’s stomach lurched. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about with her biggest crush.

“Uhhmmm, well..” she squirmed in her seat. “So Alain is being super generous by letting me have ice time in exchange for teaching…”

“Ah.” Adrien understood. It’s about money…

“Yeahhhh… so I used to have sponsors, but now, well, you know..” Marinette was clearly uncomfortable. There was a pause.
“Marinette?”

“Yeah?”

“How much ice time do we need to do something really good? If I can match your ice time and we can practice during lessons then could we do what you are imagining?”

Adrien’s voice was eager, and Marinette couldn’t believe what was happening. She couldn’t ask him to the movies, but here he was giving her a chance to live her dream again.

She couldn’t speak, because her throat was tight and her eyes were moist. He is too amazing!

“Marinette? Did I say something? I’m sorry I don’t know anything about this! Marinette?” Adrien was beside himself. Oh god I just blew it!

Marinette swallowed and took a breath.

“No, I’m fine, I just.. thank you, Adrien. Really.” Her heart was hammering with excitement. “For understanding.”

Adrien exhaled with relief and blushed. “Oh, sure.” He smirked a little. “For a second there I thought you had another...mishap.”

Marinette squealed with indignation. “Hey! I’m sitting!”

Adrien was laughing, and Marinette felt so good, in spite of being a big mess of embarrassment.

“Uh, Marinette? I know this sounds really bad but, uh.. can we wait to tell people about this at school?” There was a pause. “I just want it to be, uhh, our thing for a while.”

Marinette leapt up from her chair and pirouetted with joy. “Of course!” Her foot got tangled in her rug and she crashed to the ground, sending her phone flying.

Adrien heard a lot of thumping and fumbling around, and had to bite back a laugh. Her clumsiness on land was pretty funny, and maybe a little cute.

She retrieved her phone, a little out of breath. “Hi sorry, dropped my phone…”

“Marinette can I ask you something?” Adrien’s voice got really serious. Marinette’s heart leapt to her throat.

“S-sure.”

“If you ever need some sitting lessons, I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”

Adrien was rewarded with another indignant squeal. He laughed, a warm, friendly laugh that made her feel all gooey, even as she blushed.

“You’re too kind,” she said sarcastically.

Adrien looked at the clock in his room. He felt like he could keep talking to her forever, but it was late.

“Well thanks for the talk Marinette.. I feel like I should hang up before you seriously hurt yourself.” Teasing her was too fun.

“You’re gonna pay at practice, Adrien.”

He had a cat like smile on his face. “It figures!”

He heard a facepalm and his smile widened.

“Goodbye forever.”

“See you tomorrow!”

Adrien hung up his phone and flopped back into his bed, smile wide.

Chapter Text

Patrols were uneventful. The city was quiet after the holidays, and akuma attacks always lessened as people went into the new year with hope. Chat Noir always thought privately that it was because difficult family time was over, too. And it was cold, so the heroic duo didn’t lounge long outdoors like they could in the summer. Both were often tired and preoccupied from their daily lives. Chat Noir missed the action, and his lady, but his mind was often on the ice with Marinette.

If someone had told Marinette that she would spend 3 nights a week holding hands with Adrien, she would have tried to call them crazy before fainting with happiness. Now, it was routine, but no less thrilling.

She was someone else on the ice, someone she had missed; singularly focused and powerful, the world crystallized into just the present moment of physical awareness. Marinette, the ice, and an invisible connection to Adrien skating beside her. It reminded her of fighting with Chat Noir, but she didn’t have to be selfless or protective, just free and filled with the artistry of their movements.

He worked hard. Fencing had taught him to respond to the slightest change in another person’s balance, and he too could feel a link between them. They didn’t have to say anything to each other, but could communicate volumes with a look, a hand, or a shift of weight.

And somehow, through not talking, they started talking. A familiarity grew between them on the ice, and from it a comradery that left the rink with them.

Alya and Nino could tell something was up. Marinette and Adrien seemed almost suddenly...comfortable with each other? And they were often humming the same tune, sometimes glancing at each other during certain parts and smiling a little bit.

Marinette still stared dreamily at the back of his head, but now he would turn around in his chair to steal her pencil or peek at her homework, or check her physics problems. And both of them were glued to their phones a lot more.

Marinette: have u watched this one yet!?

She was constantly sending him videos of her favorite skaters.

Adrien: can we try that leg thing at the end?

Marinette: I don’t kno if I like u enough yet..

Adrien had to stifle a laugh. Since that first class, they had been teasing each other about Marinette’s love comment.

Adrien: ready to fall for me again tonight?

Marinette: if you mean literally fall, then I’ll leave it to you :P

Adrien: that’s COLD…as ice

……………….

“That’s 6 times, Marinette.” Adrien teased, wiping his forehead with a towel after practice.

Marinette scoffed. “You spend a lot of time on your butt, Adrien.”

…………..

Marinette: two words. Harness Day.

Adrien: im a model mari I look cute in anything

Marinette burst out laughing.

Marinette: oooh this is gonna be good ;)

She was right. He finally landed the jump turn, but had to spend the evening icing his crotch. Figure skating was a lot less glamorous behind the scenes.
……………………..

Adrien: is Alain trying to kill me?

Marinette: yeah maybe >.<

Adrien: how will u love me if im dead?

Marinette: die gracefully instead of tackling me

Adrien: come on that was romantic ;)

…………………

Alya: OMG Marinette tell me what is happening!?!

Marinette: nope

Alya: i thought we were friends

Marinette: luv u

………………….

Marinette: this is the most beautiful thing ive ever seen {video link}

Adrien watched, and had to agree. Grand Prix Final, Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir. Their skating was pure love. He knew that Marinette should have been on that path, if everything had turned out differently.

Adrien: yes

Adrien: we are almost that good

Marinette: facepalm
………………….

Adrien arrived early at the rink and heard music. Marinette was practicing alone, out on the ice under the lights, oblivious in the way she got when skating. She wasn’t doing a routine, just practicing turns and arms, but it was infused with the energy of the Top 40 playing, rather than serious from the classical he was used to.

He could watch her skate forever. She turned, curved, twisted, expression all the way to her fingertips. With a burst of speed she knelt and slid across the ice on one skate, back and arms behind her, and he couldn’t help but join. She saw him as she rose and smiled, skating backward for him to join her.

The music was pulsing and loud and fun, and he grinned as he caught up to her. They tried out bits of their choreography, then separated to practice what they wanted, then came together again, in sync and aware and just enjoying the company. Marinette smiled at the way his hair swished when he turned, and the slight furrow of his eyebrows before practicing a new movement.

A slower song came on and they went through their choreography as well as they could to it, both knowing when they needed to go through something again. Underneath his focus, he loved when she twirled with his hands around her waist, loved every time they came back to each other. The song slowed and they skipped to their ending, a classic dancer dip with Marinette’s hand outstretched.

They stayed for a moment before Adrien pulled her back to her feet. His arms were around her waist, their torsos together, faces close, both breathing hard. Blue eyes gazed up at green, and he could smell her, a mix of sweat and shampoo that made him feel fuzzy.

“That’s 18 times, Mari,” he breathed, glancing at her lips.

“Wh-what?” Her heart hammered in her chest.

“That I’ve fallen for you.” Adrien wasn’t teasing. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to hers. Colors bloomed behind his eyelids at the kiss, sparkling with warmth against the chill. He pulled back and gazed down at her again, and she blinked up at him, lips parted, mind spinning.

“Th-thank you,” she whispered, before turning on her skates and fleeing the rink.

Chapter Text

Marinette’s heart was pounding as she stumbled from the rink, running straight into Alain.

“Marinette, what..?” He reached out to hold her but she pushed away and ran to the dressing rooms, sinking to the floor.

Alain looked at Adrien, standing on the ice looking bewildered and worried.

“Crossovers, lunges, and the stretch routine.” Alain looked at him pointedly. “Go.”

Adrien nodded blankly and started around the rink. What did I do? What do I do now?

Marinette heard a knock on the door. “Marinette? Can I come in?” It was Alain’s voice, full of concern.

“O-ok.”

Alain came in and knelt in front of her on the floor.

“Are you ok? What happened? Did you fall?” He struggled to stay composed, fearing for her.

Marinette stared at the ground. “N-no I’m fine, he..Adrien.. he kissed me.” She buried her face in her hands.

Alain relaxed and took Marinette’s shoulders.

“And you panicked?” His voice was gentle, and she looked up at him through her fingers. She nodded.

“I said..” she flushed with embarrassment. “I said thank you.”

Alain stifled a laugh. “That was very polite.”

“Alaaain!” Marinette whined, covering her face again. “What do I do?! I’m so embarrassed!”

Alain stood and held out a hand to help her up. He drew her into a hug, and kissed her on the head like he had always done after she performed.

“It can be confusing and scary to trust someone so completely out there, and it can feel like more than that, I know.”

He looked down into her worried face.

“Do you want to be with Adrien off the ice?”

She swallowed. “I’ve liked him forever, but it wasn’t until skating that I could even talk to him! And now what if I’ve ruined it or we can’t be friends too or he—what if he—“ she started breathing too fast, and he pulled her close again.

“He’s not Michel, Marinette, and you’re not competing,” Alain said gently. She relaxed and pressed into his hug, nodding into his shirt and taking deep breaths. “You two are beautiful together, and that can be enough.”

He pulled her away and looked into her eyes. “You are Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You are a champion and a delight, and it’s no surprise that boy wants to kiss you.”

Marinette gave him a weak smile. “You think?”

“I know so. And I know my opinion doesn’t matter, but I think he’s a good one. Now, can you skate?”

Marinette nodded, and then shook her head to clear it. “Thanks, Alain.”

“Go leave it on the ice, Mari.”

She smiled- he said that before all of her meets. She straightened up to her best posture, took off her warmup sweater, and walked back out to the rink to face Adrien, who was stretching half-heartedly. He straightened up when he saw her skating towards him, but before he could say anything, the lights on the rink went low.

Marinette’s heart was racing, but that old calm came back to her, as the world shrank to just the rink and the music. She gave Adrien a tiny nod of reassurance, and stepped into his arms for the first pose. Their music swelled, and they were off.

Chapter Text

Adrien kissed me.

Those words went around in Marinette’s mind as they skated, and she put everything she couldn’t yet say to him into their movements. Her fears, her frustrations at always stuttering in front of him, her leftover mistrust of skating—she burned it all and thrust it away. A smile crept onto her face as she moved with him, and crept onto his face too. He didn’t know yet if he would ever kiss her again, but they had this, this inexplicable, exhilarating connection. It was as familiar as fighting with Ladybug, but he wore no mask, and Marinette glided into his hands, Adrien’s hands, for nothing but the beauty of the moment they shared.

They spun in unison—he circled her, he twirled her, she made as if to leave him but—in Adrien’s favorite part—he grasped her hand and she snapped back like a rubber band, to drape into that final dip.

She felt their chests heaving, their bodies taught with that movement. His green eyes glowed down at her, full of feeling but with that steadiness that made her want to skate so long ago at the lake. The fear was gone; only fire and certainty burned in her chest. Marinette brought her hand to the nape of his neck, fingering his hair. Her stomach swooped as she pulled him to her kiss, trembling and soft.

Adrien wrapped his arms tight around her to keep from floating away.

When she drew back, he sighed as he watched her blue eyes flutter open and meet his, a smile playing on her lips. He smiled back.

“No, thank you.”

She laughed and he pulled her to her feet, as a slow, derisive clap echoed over the rink.

“Well isn’t this just precious.”

Marinette stiffened at the cold, mocking voice.

“Michel.”

Chapter Text

Adrien turned. A tall, lean boy in expensive black skating clothes leaned rakishly against the wall of the rink, dark hair perfectly coiffed, dark eyes glittering with malice.

“What are you doing here.” Marinette didn’t turn to face him. Her voice was tight but controlled.

Michel glanced idly at his fingernails, clearly enjoying the upset.

“Well it seems that Alain is having a little trouble keeping the rink in the black lately..” He smirked, drawing out the words. “So Henri called in a favor. It’s not every spring recital that has Euro Champ winners on the ticket. Sure to fill some seats. And when I saw that you were performing, Nettie, I just couldn’t say no.”

Marinette’s mouth twitched at her old nickname, but her face was like stone.

“Well, we’re done if you need to practice.” She turned and skated pointedly for the exit, and Adrien followed.

Michel blocked the exit as they approached, looking Adrien up and down.

“Well done, Nettie, very nice.” His voice was nasty. Adrien’s stomach churned with anger. “I didn’t know the Twinkle Toes practiced this late.”

“Move, Michel.”

“What, no kiss for me? You used to beg for them, Nettie.” He laughed cruelly as Marinette clenched her jaw.

After a gloating pause, Michel moved and let them pass, reaching out his hand to brush Marinette’s skating skirt as she went by. It took all of Adrien’s willpower not to punch him in the face.

Marinette stalked into the dressing room and Adrien followed, closing the door behind him. She whirled around, eyes hard.

“Marinette..” Adrien’s voice was gentle, his arms open for her.

Her stone face cracked and she collapsed into his arms, legs weak, her body heaving with furious sobs. Adrien held her close as she cried, arms clutching around his waist. Inside, a battle raged, as Adrien wanted to comfort and protect Marinette, but Chat Noir screamed to claw the smirk from Michel’s sneering face.

Marinette’s sobbing gradually subsided, replaced by silent, coursing tears as she tried to steady her ragged breath. She wanted to stay in the dark comfort of Adrien’s arms forever, but Ladybug threatened to tie Michel to the top of the Eiffel Tower, naked, in the dead of winter.

She tried to pull away, but her knees collapsed again. Adrien caught her and set her gently on a bench, then knelt down, placing her hands on his shoulders for support. He untied her skates and loosened them slowly, tugging at the crossed laces from ankle to toe. With steady hands, he held her calf and tugged off one skate, then the other, as tears spattered onto her knees. Marinette felt her feet tucked into boots, and glanced up to see Adrien on his phone as he wiped her skate blades dry with a towel.

“5 minutes, ok. Thanks Natalie.”

He handed her a clean t-shirt from his locker.

“Here.” His voice was low and comforting. “The car will be here soon, we’ll take you home.”

Marinette hiccupped and nodded, drying her eyes on the the shirt, holding up her arms as he helped her into her sweater before untying his skates. His face was creased with worry, and he quickly got his shoes on and gathered their bags.

Adrien took her hands and helped her to her feet. Thankfully, Michel was too busy skating to harass them again, and they left through the entrance room. A muffled shouting came from Alain’s office, as if he was yelling at someone on the phone. Adrien tightened his arm around Marinette’s shoulders, never so grateful to be chauffeured.

Sabine opened the door, and Marinette pressed into her arms. Behind her, Adrien stood patiently, holding her gym bag, concern on his face. Sabine beckoned him to come in and sit down, still hugging her daughter.

“Oh Mom.” Marinette started crying again. “H-he came b-back!”

Chapter Text

Adrien sat at the kitchen table with Tom as Marinette showered and changed upstairs. Sabine set a steaming mug of tea in front of him and sat next to her husband. Their faces were solemn.

“Thank you for taking care of her, Adrien.” Sabine touched his hand. “She’s been so happy lately, from skating with you.”

Adrien looked down into his mug miserably. “I’ve never seen her so upset, before. That guy is nasty.” His hands twitched.

“Michel is a lower than a worm.” Tom’s voice shook with anger. “Do you know what he did to her?”

Adrien shook his head.

“Marinette was twelve, and he was already fifteen, both of them stars. Everyone knew it.”

Sabine continued. “They were both champions already and the pressure for them to skate together was intense. Alain was against it, because they lacked that spark, but he was overruled.” She grimaced. “Michel had Marinette in his hand. She was in love with skating, but he convinced her she was in love with him, and they rushed training to compete in Junior Worlds together, and that’s when—“ her voice cracked, and she covered her eyes with her hands.

Tom put an arm around her. “He dropped her. They hadn’t practiced enough and he shorted out the turn and dropped her.” His voice was a growl. “She left in an ambulance, and he told the press that it was her fault.” He hugged Sabine closer.

“She was in the hospital for two weeks and when she came out he had ruined her, taken half her sponsors, and partnered up with Volkov. Mari spent a year in physical therapy and they placed the next season.”

Adrien’s hands were in fists. Michel’s words came back to him. “No kiss for me? You used to beg for them, Nettie.” His stomach clenched with fury.

“A-adrien? You’re still here?” Marinette stood on the stairs, hair damp, eyes puffy.

Adrien jumped to his feet. “I-I can go! I just wanted to make sure you were ok.” He started to go.

“No, s-stay.” She looked at her parents. “Can he stay for dinner?”

“Of course sweetie. Adrien, you are very welcome.” Sabine smiled at him. “You two go rest while we get things ready.”

Adrien didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded and followed Marinette up the stairs.

Chapter Text

Marinette felt warm arms engulf her from behind, and Adrien’s cheek against hers. Her eyes closed and she let herself be held as another tear snuck out from the corner of her eye, a tear of exhaustion and overwhelming feeling instead of the angry, nauseous surprise she had felt at the rink. Michel had meant to blindside her, and he had succeeded.

“I’m here for you, Mari,” he said softly as he released her. What can I do? he thought. As much as I’d like to rip Michel into tiny pieces and throw him in the Seine, this isn’t my fight.

She turned and looked up at him, her face drawn with tiredness, eyes heavy with feeling. Adrien drew her into another hug and she melted into it, grateful for the strength and comfort of him. A distant part of her mind registered what was happening- Adrien Agreste is hugging me in my bedroom..! but she suddenly felt years older than the girl who drooled over his pictures and stuttered in front of him.

“You’re parents told me what happened. I’m so sorry, Marinette.” Adrien spoke into her damp hair, the fresh scent of her shampoo strong in his nose.

She took a shaky deep breath, smelling the rink on his wool sweater and his smell underneath it, warm and comforting and familiar after so many practices. She said something into his shoulder.

“What?” he pulled back to hear her.

“Thank you for…everything.” She chewed her lip a little bit. “I’m sorry this is such a mess.” Her voice was bitter. “You didn’t sign up for this kind of drama.” She looked down.

Adrien lifted her chin gently to look at him. “Please don’t apologize, Mari. Skating with you has been so wonderful, and the more I learn about that.. that jackass,” he growled the word, “the more amazed I am that you set foot on the ice again. There are not many people brave or strong enough to do that.”

Marinette gazed up at him, and a flicker of warmth curled in her stomach.

“And I—if I, I mean..“ Adrien struggled to find the words. “I’m sorry if I crossed a line tonight..w-with the kiss.” His eyes were apologetic. “I wasn’t thinking and I don’t have an..” –his face blazed with anger-- “an agenda.”

Another unwelcome tear popped out onto Marinette’s cheek and she wiped it away angrily. She just wanted to stop crying, but the lump in her throat wouldn’t go away. She swallowed and tried to find her voice.

“I-I know. And I’m sorry I r-ran away!” she hiccupped, covering her face with her hands. Her shoulders jumped with sobs, and she swayed a little. Adrien caught her elbow as she sat abruptly on the floor.

“It’s ok, I understa--,” Adrien said, but Marinette raised her tear-stained face from her hands and cut him off, eyes blazing.

“No, you don’t understand!” she cried, full of hot, sickening anger. “He made me hold poses until I was shaking to see if I ‘loved him enough.’ He told me he would kiss me if we did well but then blamed me for all the technical losses. When he slacked off on practice he told me I was just mad that he was better than me. He told me I was crazy and overthinking it when I didn’t want to skimp 3 months of training to compete early.” She breathed hard, her face twisted with pain. “He said—“ she shuddered, gripping her ankles, “he said ‘all I do is love you and you don’t t-trust me!’” Marinette rocked forward and back, words spilling out. “And then he would be so nice, and give me f-flowers and make it impossible for me to tell anyone, especially Alain, because he said Alain was jealous of us and didn’t want us to w-win!” Her voice cracked again and she bent over her crossed legs, sobbing with her forehead pressed to the floor.

Adrien trembled with fury and disgust. He had never seen someone so wretched, nor known such an insidious evil. He didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing, trying to steady himself, resisting the urge to unleash Chat Noir upon Michel for the 100th time that night.

Marinette slowly quieted, finally run out of tears, finally honest about the real torture of the encounter, finally numb. She sat up, and her bloodshot eyes fluttered with tiredness, her shoulders slumped. Adrien reached out a hand to steady her, concern replacing some of his boiling anger.

“Do you want to just sleep, Mari?”

She nodded weakly. He knelt next to her and she let him put her arms around his neck and lift her to her feet, helping her to her day bed, pulling back the covers so she could climb in, just noticing that she was wearing the shirt he had given her to dry her eyes. His heart squeezed with an unfamiliar longing.

Marinette snuggled into the blankets and caught his hand as he tucked her in. She felt herself falling asleep, grateful to escape into warm darkness. Exhaustion was heavy in her bones, her eyes were too sore from crying to open, but her heart was full of gratitude for Adrien’s presence, and she had no more walls to hide behind. She clutched his hand and pulled the covers from her chin. A tiny, feeble smile curled her lips.

“19 times, Adrien…” she muttered sleepily.

He was kneeling by her bed, face level with hers.

“What?” The last thing he expected was a smile.

“I already…liked..you..” she was drifting away, but still gave a tiny giggle. “..you..pictures..so handsome..”

Adrien was puzzled, until he looked around and blushed. There he was, staring out of magazine pages stuck to her walls. His chest felt warm. Looking down again, he saw that she was sleeping, still holding his hand. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, moving his hand to touch her hair.

From somewhere far away, Marinette heard a soothing voice.

“Sweet dreams, Princess.”

……………………………………..

With a last look at her, Adrien turned off the light and let the trapdoor down gently on his way down the stairs.

When he saw the dinner table, his heart squeezed with longing once again. There were candles lit, plates and napkins and silverware all arranged, bread and wine and a pot of something steaming, like something from a picture book. Sabine and Tom looked up at him, faces questioning his wide-eyed silence.

He found his voice. “Mari went to sleep, she was so tired and upset.” Her parents nodded.

“That’s probably for the best.” Sabine looked at him looking at the table. “Won’t you join us for dinner? You must be starving.”

Adrien started a little, suddenly realizing how hungry he was, but too overwhelmed to know what to do. “I, uhm.. but Marinette..”

Tom came over and put an arm around his shoulders. “Mari needs sleep. You need food. Let us thank you for bringing her home and taking care of her, Adrien. The bread is fresh, and Sabine makes cassoulet that could make the pope cry.”

Adrien just nodded weakly and let Tom put him in a chair. A long ago memory of family dinner flickered through his mind, as his bowl was filled.

Chapter Text

Marinette awoke to sunlight streaming in her window. Tikki was zooming back and forth, quietly but energetically muttering to herself and gesticulating. Marinette giggled sleepily and Tikki rushed over, flying around and nuzzling her face.

“Oh Marinette! Good morning! Hello! How are you?! Oh gosh, oh Mari! Why if I could get ahold of that jerk I’d just…!” she trailed off, punching and slashing with her teeny tiny arms and legs. Marinette just giggled again.

“You’ll cute him to death? Thanks so much Tikki.” The kwami nuzzled Marinette’s face again.

“Oh, I’m just so worried about you! But Adrien, well, what a sweetheart, he took good care of you. And you kissed! Ooohhh it’s so romantic!” Tikki was rambling and zigzagging around crazily with feelings she had carefully repressed to let Marinette sleep.

Marinette stretched and yawned, limbs stiff and eyes sore from crying. She smiled, thinking of Adrien hugging her and listening, rolling her eyes at her own bedroom walls. Maybe I scared him off with my crazy mess of a life, she thought ruefully, but that warm flicker in her stomach didn’t let her quite believe it. Just then her phone pinged.

Adrien: good morning! how r u doing?

Tikki looked over her shoulder and chirped with happiness. The flicker grew to a flame as Marinette typed back.

Marinette: so much better, thank u so much for everything :)
Adrien: no problem of course and ur parents fed me so much!

Marinette: haha of course they did

Adrien: it was so good do u eat like that every day!?

Marinette: yep. #blessed LOL

Adrien: srsly
Adrien: so i wanted to warn u i think alya has found out about the skating
Adrien: flyers are out

Marinette: perfect
Marinette: i look like i cried for 5 hours straight o wait that’s right i did

A minute passed, and Marinette kicked herself. As if he doesn’t remember, ugh.

Adrien: you are beautiful Mari
Adrien: see you in school :)

Marinette squealed and nearly fell as she jumped out of bed.

“Did you see, Tikki!? Adrien called me beautiful!” She danced around for a moment then swayed, suddenly lightheaded from hunger.

“Whooooh ok Tikki, time for breakfast!” It was such a relief to feel good, and there was thankfully no skating practice tonight.

She bounced downstairs and her parents’ faces lit up to see her happy again.

“Good morning Mom, hello Papa! Breakfast!?”

Tom and Sabine chuckled and kissed her.

“I’m so glad to see you feeling better, my darling.” Sabine poured her a bowl of cocoa and sliced some bread.

“Me too, Mom. Did you two feed Adrien to within an inch of his life?” She raised her eyebrows at her parents.

“That boy ate like he was facing a famine!” Tom laughed, clearly pleased. “Have him over again!”

“He’s very sweet, Mari, we really like him.” Sabine smiled as Marinette blushed, making a noise of protest around her mouthful of bread.

……………………

Mari’s stomach fluttered a little as she walked to homeroom, excited to see Adrien but a little nervous after the strange combination of kissing and crying of the night before. She also had to brace herself- Alya’s excitement and indignation were sure to be powerful.

She walked into the classroom and was practically tackled by Alya.

“Girl! You are so sneaky! Omg I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this but, like, OMG you are skating with Adrien! I can’t wait to see and now you HAVE to tell me everything!” Marinette grinned and laughed and hugged her back. It was good to have a best friend.

Alya released her and she saw Adrien, leaning on his desk and smiling shyly at her. She was about to say something when Chloe stormed in, clutching a piece of paper.

“Adrikins, is this TRUE!?” she shrieked, pushing past Marinette and Alya and brandishing the show poster in his face. “You’re- you’re skating with, with her!?” she pointed angrily at Marinette.

Adrien stood up straight and stepped away from the desk, before gracefully bowing and offering a hand to Marinette in one of their skating postures. Everyone was watching, or someone might have noticed the steam coming from Chloe’s ears. Marinette giggled and took his hand, and he twirled her into his arms like he did on the ice. He squeezed her waist and they opened their arms into a bow, and all but Chloe clapped and cheered. Adrien held up a hand to quiet them and cleared his throat, addressing the class.

“It is true! Marinette, champion figure skater, has kindly agreed to be my partner at the Rousseau Skating School’s Spring Recital, and you should all come watch her literally skate circles around me.” He turned. “Does that answer your question, Chloe?”

Chloe stalked to her seat and sat down, ignoring the giggles, and smoothed the flyer in front of her. Her smirk was back.

“Well whatever. I’m going to the recital to see Michel Durond, who is gorgeous, and a real champion. My daddy is going to make sure I meet him.” She sneered at Marinette.

Adrien’s mouth opened in horror as he looked at Marinette, whose smile had frozen. But Marinette just shook her head a little, swallowed, and then suddenly laughed out loud.

With a wink at Adrien, she turned to Chloe. “You two are perfect for each other!”

Adrien exhaled with relief, and shook his head, laughing, amazed at Marinette’s resilience. Alya noticed the look in his eyes as he watched her take her seat.

…………………..

“Ok girl, I have been SOOOOOOO patient, now tell me everything!”

Alya and Marinette were sitting on Alya’s bedroom floor, painting each other’s toenails.

Marinette couldn’t hold it in anymore. “He kissed me!”

“WHAT!? Ohmygod what did you do, did you faint?” Alya almost knocked over the nail polish in shock.

“Well I didn’t faint, but I said ‘thank you’ and then ran away!” Marinette could laugh about it now. Alya facepalmed. “And then I came back out and—“

“Wait you were on the ice? He kissed you on skates? Wow..”

“And then I came back out and we did the routine and it was the best we ever did it, and.. then I kissed him back!” Marinette covered her face with a pillow at Alya’s exuberance. Nail polish forgotten, Alya engulfed her in a hug.

“Girl I’m so proud of you! And now what? Are you dating or what?”

Marinette’s face got serious. “Well, I don’t know…there’s actually a lot more to it than that..”

She told Alya everything. It was hard to rehash all the details about Michel, and Marinette cried again, but also squealed at how Adrien had tucked her in and charmed her parents, and texted her that morning, and it all felt easier than the night before. Alya was a shoulder to cry on and Marinette’s best cheerleader, and Marinette left her house feeling another thousand pounds lighter since the morning.

……………………..

Michel was looking at his phone as he left the rink and walked to his car.

He didn’t notice the angry glint of the green eyes watching from the rooftop.

…………………….

Chapter Text

Ladybug was jumping and jogging to stay warm when Chat Noir arrived at their usual meeting place.

“What kept you, chaton?” Ladybug was glad to see him, but it was too cold to be waiting long.

“Oh, just being a cat...hunting a rat.” He smirked at her. “Did you miss me, My Lady?” Chat Noir fluttered his eyelashes.

Ladybug rolled her eyes, but smiled at his cheekiness. It felt good to leave her own drama behind.

“I suppose I did, minou.”

Chat Noir was next to her at once, grin wide and crooked. “Mew-sic to my ears, milady!”

She pushed his face away and laughed. “Shall we?” She jumped up on a chimney, yoyo at the ready.

“After you, bugaboo.”

…………………….

The bell rang as class ended, and everyone started chatting and swapping out notebooks before next period.

Adrien immediately turned around in his seat to talk to Marinette. She was her bubbly self again, but he was still worried about her. The heart-tugging longing he had first felt at her house wouldn’t go away either, and he couldn’t help sneaking looks at her all day.

“Are you ready for practice tonight, Mari?” She could hear the tinge of concern in his voice.

“Yeah, I’m feeling much better. And I asked Alain for the new skating schedule, so we won’t be ambushed again.” She frowned a little. “Michel has the ice right before us tonight.”

Adrien grimaced. “God, I hate that guy. But I’m looking forward to…skating with you.” He looked up into her eyes, and the memory of her kiss made his stomach flop.

Marinette was about to speak when something caught her eye. She did a double take and her eyebrows furrowed. Adrien followed her gaze.

Chloe was lounging in her seat, making a big show of reading a tabloid magazine. She saw Adrien and Marinette looking and smiled imperiously.

“Oh, did you see? Michel Durond was at the hotel last night, and he was totally flirting with me. I mean, obviously, its the only place good enough for real skating royalty. He was soooo charming…” She pet the cover.

“Let me see that.”

Chloe looked at Marinette and smirked, mistaking her abruptness as jealousy. Chloe haughtily held out the magazine and Marinette got up and grabbed it, studying the picture of Michel with his arm draped over Chloe and some other big shot, a cigarette dangling from his fingers.

Marinette dumped the magazine into Chloe’s lap and grabbed her schoolbag.

“I—I have to go..check something. I’ll see you at practice!” And she was gone.

Adrien was bewildered. He looked at the magazine, trying to see what caught Marinette’s attention, but it was just Michel’s stupid sneering face and Chloe fangirling all over him.

Chloe tried to get his attention. “You should be careful Adrikins,” she said silkily, “according to Michel, Mari is still a klutz on ice.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about Chloe.” The disgust in his voice startled her. “Michel is scum.”

He left for the library, to replay the sweet moments before Michel ruined everything.

………………..

Tikki couldn’t get a straight answer out of Marinette, who was glued to her computer screen.

“Why are you watching Michel’s routines? I thought you wanted nothing to do with him!”

“I don’t, Tikki, I just have a….” she backtracked a video to watch a jump again.

“A what, a what?!” Tikki zoomed around impatiently. Much like Alya, she didn’t enjoy being out of the loop.

“A hunch, that’s all. But I can’t talk about it yet..” Marinette watched the jump again.

She stayed that way, opening a zillion tabs and comparing videos throughout Michel’s skating career, wincing at the ones of them skating together but determined to find something. Tikki finally gave up and sulked, nibbling at cookies and grumbling.

Eventually, her alarm went off, and Marinette jumped. She scrambled to get her skating stuff together and took off for the rink, mind churning, chewing on her lip.

Adrien found her in the dark bleachers, skates on, eyes burning a hole into Michel as he practiced under the show lights with his partner, a slight Russian blonde.

“Marinette, what--?” He whispered, but Marinette shushed him and grabbed his coat. He sat down next to her, looking from her face to the skaters.

Michel skated backwards, gained speed, and –Adrien gasped—pulled a quadruple lutz.

“There!” Marinette’s eyes blazed with recognition, but Adrien was lost. She’s seeing something I’m not, he told himself, and worry needled at him. I’ll never be that good. Even after everything he did, that jerkoff can skate.

She looked at Adrien with a start, and realized she was still clutching his jacket. Her face relaxed, and she suddenly smiled wide, eyes shining at him like spotlights. He was taken aback, but smiled questioningly in return.

“Time to skate!” She took his hand and they stepped down from the bleachers, just as Michel and Viktoriya left the rink. The Russian gave them a haughty look and continued on to the dressing rooms, but Michel lounged in the doorway, in their way, sneering as usual.

“You know, I thought you looked familiar, Twinkle Toes,” he said to Adrien, who’s jaw clenched. Michel’s tone was taunting. “Can models even talk? Can he read?”

“Go to hell.” Adrien was seething. Marinette put an arm on his shoulder.

Michel’s mouth was open with mock delight as he turned to Marinette. “Oooh a feisty one, Nettie! Is this how you got onto the program? Slumming for ice time with moneybags over here?”

“Are you done? It’s our turn to practice.” Marinette’s face was red but her eyes were steely.

Michel languidly stood from where he was leaning, his face poisonous with spite.

“Tell me Agreste,” he said, tasting the words, “did you get her on her back yet?”

Adrien’s blood turned cold, and he whirled on Michel, unable to control himself any longer. But he was too late.

Adrien watched as the smirk disintegrated from Michel’s face, his eyes popping as Marinette threw her full weight behind a punch to his gut.

Michel crumpled to the floor, retching.

Chapter Text

Marinette stood over him, fist still clenched.

“What did you say?” Her voice shook with fury, but her eyes were dry and flashing dangerously.

Michel was on all fours, dry heaving and gasping for breath, unable to speak.

Marinette knelt down and grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to look at her face.

“You don’t talk to us anymore.” His eyes were full of fear and shock. He tried to nod but she gripped his face again. “You don’t even look at us.” Her voice was low and deadly. “Got it?” She released him and he nodded frantically, eyes watering.

She stood, and saw Alain watching from a few meters away. His face was unreadable. A tense, silent moment passed, punctuated by Michel’s gasps. Finally, Alain uncrossed his arms and strode towards them. He roughly picked Michel up and placed him on his feet, supporting his shoulder.

Alain looked at Marinette, who slowly relaxed her shoulders and straightened, eyes defiant.

“You, go get a helmet and full joint pads. And you,” he looked at Adrien, “stretch well. We’re adding a Death Spiral to your routine.”

Without another word, Alain took Michel to the dressing rooms.

Adrien coughed. Marinette looked at him and her expression softened as she exhaled, grabbing the wall of the rink for support, suddenly aware of what she had done as the anger left her.

“I…” she started, but she was cut off as Adrien grabbed her in a bear hug, his mind tumbling with longing, pride, amazement, and a hot feeling just south of his stomach.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice throaty and a little muffled in her neck. “I’ve been wanting to do that for two days.” Marinette giggled a little, and felt skin flush where his breath tickled her.

“I really don’t approve of violence, but when he said that about…ugh, I just…snapped.” She shivered a little in the hug. With a squeeze, she released him.

“You should get warmed up.” Adrien nodded vaguely, eyes stuck on hers. Marinette pushed up on her toe picks and pressed a small kiss to his lips. She was smiling when she drew back, eyes dancing.

“You need to focus, Agreste,” she teased. “Or you will drop me on my head.”

Adrien inhaled sharply as she turned and left for the equipment closet. A tiny snort came from his sweater pocket.

“Oooohhh you got it bad, mister!” Plagg cackled.

……………………………

Michel stumbled from a bar later that night, too ragged with anger to see a red and black spotted figure crouched on a streetlight nearby. He looked up, hearing a whoosh, but saw nothing.

“Fuck you, Marinette. I’lllllfuckingshow you..” he slurred, hailing a cab.

Chapter Text

Adrien was at home, sprawled on his bed, looking up at his Ladybug poster but thinking of Marinette.

“She kissed me again, Plagg...” he smiled dreamily. “What do I do?”

Plagg rolled his sleepy green eyes.

“Yeesh, what do you want to do?”

“Kiss her forever..” Adrien sighed, and then cleared his throat.

“And then some, I think,” Plagg snorted.

Adrien sat up, clutched with panic. “When the recital is over, what happens?! When will I see her?!”

Plagg looked at him like he had lost his mind. “Uhhhh…..at school every day, genius?”

Adrien sighed again and flopped back down.

Plagg’s ears twitched, and he sneezed.

“Ok doofus, time to suit up.”

Adrien raised his head, puzzled. “What?”

“Ladybug needs you.”

“Ladybug…” Adrien sighed again, looking up at the poster.

Plagg zoomed over and pinched him, hard, making Adrien yelp and leap from the bed.

“Ok! Ok! Claws Out!”

…………………….

Ladybug frowned and used her yo-yo to Chat Noir again. Does this even work if he’s not transformed? she thought. Akumas usually bring us both out..

The call picked up, and Chat’s face appeared. “To what do I owe the pleasure, My Lady?” He was a little breathless.

“You remember that girl, Marinette, who Evillustrator was in love with?”

Chat Noir snapped to attention.

“Marinette! Is she in trouble?!”

Ladybug frowned. “I don’t know, that’s why I need your help. I’m worried that this guy—“ she sent a photo of Michel, “—might bother her tonight.”

Chat Noir’s face looked almost feral. Why didn’t I think of that!? God, that scum!”

“Chat? Can you check up on her tonight?” Ladybug couldn’t tell what he was thinking over the call. “I..can’t be there.”

Chat’s face relaxed back to it’s usual grin.

“No purr-oblem, bugaboo. The little lady is only in danger of falling for a handsome straynger.” His eyebrows jumped and Ladybug rolled her eyes.

“I wouldn’t get your hopes up, chaton. But be vigilant- this guy is a real creep. Thank you!”

“Anything fur you, Ladybug.”

Ladybug hung up and Marinette climbed back down to her bedroom.

“Why did you ask Chat to protect you Marinette? Ladybug could take care of Michel no problem!” Tikki fluttered questioningly.

Marinette sighed. “You’re probably right, Tikki, but after what I did as myself.. I don’t trust Ladybug to think clearly around Michel. I could really hurt him, and it scares me that I want to.”

Tikki nodded thoughtfully. “Well, Chat Noir will happy to help. I think he likes you!”

“Tikki, that’s ridiculous.” Marinette picked up her pin cushion and looked at her dressmaker’s dummy, chewing her lip. She was working on her skating costume.

A knock came from her balcony trapdoor. Marinette opened it to find Chat Noir, crouched and grinning at her.

“Chat Noir!” she faked surprise. “Why are you here?”

“A little bug told me you needed purrtection tonight, princess.” He bowed his head. “Cat your service, madame.”

“Well that is very thoughtful…of both of you..” said Marinette, trying not to be amused by the puns. “Won’t you come in?”

Chat Noir’s eyebrows jumped up in surprise, but then relaxed back into a crooked smile as he jumped down and closed the trapdoor. Marinette was already down the stairs, looking at her dress dummy again.

“What’s this, princess?” Chat Noir was behind her so quickly and quietly that Marinette jumped a little.

“Oh! It’s a skating costume…” she trailed off, studying what she had made so far. It was still a mock up, as Marinette used muslin to drape the pattern and block out the different pieces.

“Isn’t it a little…small? I mean isn’t it cold out there?” Chat cleared his throat. It was a little thick after picturing Marinette in the costume. And Adrien really was curious, but couldn’t ask.

“Oh, well, a little at first, but with all the exercise you warm up fast..” Marinette’s cheeks went a little pink. “It’s supposed to…show off the skater’s body after all...”

“Well, in my humble opinion, it’s paw-sitively beautiful…but what color will it be?” Adrien had been around fashion his whole life and knew a mockup when he saw one.

Marinette chewed her lip. “I’m not sure yet, actually. I was thinking red…but I don’t know if it goes with the music…or if Adrien will like it..” she was lost in her thoughts. Chat Noir’s ears pricked at his name and his heart fluttered. He was standing behind her and could smell her shampoo, which always seemed to be his undoing. Without thinking, he stepped closer to her.

Marinette felt him brush her shoulder and looked up at him, a little surprised. That look.. she shivered a little. “Wh-what do you think? Of the c-color?”

“What about..” he gently raised her chin with his gloved hand, tilting her face up to look into her eyes. “…blue?” His stomach was all melty. “I bet you look wonderful in blue…” he breathed.

The sound of breaking glass made them both jump with surprise, and the moment ended. Chat Noir’s ears twitched and he bounded up the stairs and out the balcony, Marinette hot on his heels. They both looked down over the railing. Michel was outside the bakery, clearly drunk and angry. Chat felt Marinette stiffen beside him.

“What an idiot,” she said in disgust, but he could hear a little fear in her voice, too.

Chat Noir squeezed Marinette’s shoulder and was over the balcony in flash.

“Marinette, you bitch!” Michel smashed another beer bottle on the cobblestones.

“What part of her fist in your gut did you not understand?”

Michel looked up to see a tall, masked figure leaning on the bakery window, tail twitching menacingly.

“Whoeryou?” he slurred.

“That depends.” Chat Noir’s voice was a low growl. He was in control, but conveyed the hot anger boiling just under the surface. “You can leave, or I can make you leave.” He flexed the claws on one hand.

“Oh yeah? Cuz you’re so tough in your kittycat costume? Do you know who I am?” Michel was leering. He leaned back and cupped his mouth with his hand. “Marinette! Come down here!” he yelled.

“You really have a way with women, Durond.” Chat Noir was suddenly next to him, leaning on his shoulder. “I’m pawsitive that drunken yelling will work in your favor.” He purred with sarcasm.

“Fuckyou!” Michel swung wildly at Chat Noir. In an instant, his arm was twisted behind him and he was facedown on the cobblestones.

Chat Noir leaned on the arm and Michel yelped with pain.

A soft, deadly voice whispered in Michel’s ear, and fear sliced through the boozy fog of his mind.

“Stay away, Michel. You deserve far worse than Marinette’s indifference.”

Chat Noir pinned Michel down with his knee and whistled for a cab. The driver saw Chat Noir and immediately rushed to open the back door to let Chat dump Michel in the back seat. He handed the cabbie all of the cash from Michel’s wallet.

“Take him to the police station to dry out.”

“Of course, Chat Noir, happy to be of service.”

The cab pulled away and Chat Noir sank to his knees, breathing hard, tail twitching. He had come so close to breaking Michel’s arm, but Ladybug and Marinette’s faces had blurred in his mind, their disappointment like ice water down his back. The hatred and malice in Michel’s eyes had shaken him, too, and he shivered at the damage he could have done. Chat kicked himself again for having to be asked to watch out for Michel. Maybe I would have thought of it if I wasn’t so busy mooning over Mari…Marinette! He leapt to his feet and sprung up to her balcony again.

She was sitting on a little bench, her head in her hands. He knelt before her.

“Marinette?” he said softly.

“Thank you, Chat.” She wasn’t crying, but her face was drawn with concern. “It’s my fault, I should never have hit him. What if he’s akumatized?”

“Ladybug and I will protect you, princess. And it’s not your fault. He deserves so much worse.” Chat Noir took her chin in his hand again, because he couldn’t resist the way she looked up at him in response. His breathing was soft and low. “You deserve so much better…” Even he didn’t know who exactly he was referring to. He looked at her lips.

Marinette shivered, and Chat started a little, remembering where he was and who he was. He dropped his hand from her face and helped her up, opening the trap door to her bedroom.

“Catastrophe averted, Princess!” His swagger was back, though a little forced. She looked at him curiously before stepping down through her trap door.

“Goodnight, Chat Noir, and thank you.” Her face was lit by moonlight as she looked back up at him. He swallowed.

“S-sleep tight, Marinette.”

Chapter Text

Marinette dropped onto her daybed, her mind in a muddle. Tikki hovered expectantly.

“What’s wrong, Marinette?”

“Hmm..? Oh..nothing..I just..” Marinette trailed off, not knowing what to say. Was Chat Noir trying to…kiss me? The thought felt ridiculous, but twice he had lifted her chin and looked at her lips. She shivered again at the thought.

“I guess Chat Noir just seemed kind of...”

“..enamored with you? I thought so too.” Tikki was trying to hide a smile.

“Tikki!” Marinette turned bright red, and flopped over. “Everything is so confusing! Adrien kissed me a few days ago and I kissed him back and it was so amazing,” she sighed, “then Michel shows up, then I punch him, for heaven’s sake, and then Chat Noir is all heroic and flirty…am I supposed to do something?”

“And your mysterious theory that you won’t tell me about…” Tikki pouted.

Marinette’s face flickered with suspicion, then cleared. “I’m not ready yet, Tikki, I need more proof.” She stood and crossed to her sewing dummy, fingering the fabric.

“Blue…” she mused. “That’s a nice idea…” But will Adrien like it? “Oh, Tikki, what about Adrien? Now I’m not just a dramatically damaged freaky skater girl with an evil ex-skating partner, but I’m violent, too!”

Tikki looked at Marinette reproachfully. “Oh, don’t wallow, Marinette. You saw how impressed Adrien was and you flirted with him about it, don’t give me that.” Tikki softened. “What do you want, Marinette?” she said gently.

Marinette looked a little surprised. She didn’t usually start with what she wanted. Her brow furrowed as she thought about it.

“I want..the recital to be perfect. And I want to kiss Adrien again…” A blush crept onto her face, followed by a smile. “Oh Tikki, all of the Michel stuff aside, can you believe that I can talk to him now? That we’re really f-friends!? And..he kissed me…” She smiled again, and hugged her knees.

Tikki rushed down to give Marinette a kiss on the cheek. “Oh Marinette it makes me so happy!”

………………

Marinette walked into homeroom the next day to see Adrien talking animatedly with Alya and Nino, whose eyes were wide with astonishment. They crowed when they saw her, thumping her on the back.

“Watch out for Marinette! Damn girl, brought him to his knees, hunh!”

Marinette looked at Adrien, who’s looked sheepish. “You told them!?”

“Sorry! It was just…so...great!” His face was apologetic, but he couldn’t help smiling.

“Well, don’t tell anyone else. ok!? I don’t want to get in trouble. I can’t believe Alain didn’t say anything.” Her face was red. She looked at Adrien and a grin crept back onto her face.

Nino coughed a little, and Marinette and Adrien started, realizing they were just standing there smiling at each other. They sank into their seats.

Alya leaned over to whisper in Marinette’s ear. “Girl, what’s going on with you two? You kissed, you punched that guy, what next?!” Alya was practically trembling with the scoop of it all.

“I don’t know!” Marinette whispered back. “It’s all so crazy. And get this.. Michel came to my house last night, super drunk! And then Chat Noir--“

“Chat Noir WHAT NOW!?” Alya almost shrieked, right next to Marinette’s ear.

Adrien and Nino whipped around. “Wh-what about Chat Noir, Mari?” Adrien asked, trying to be innocent.

Marinette glared at Alya. “So much for best friend confidentiality, Alya!” Marinette said accusingly.

“Sorry, but what happened with Chat Noir?!” Alya was unstoppable when it came to Paris’s favorite superheroes.

Marinette blinked at the three faces staring at her expectantly. She looked around and glared at the other student’s trying to listen, then leaned in, her voice low.

“Ok, so I punched Michel, as you know” she glanced at Adrien, who blushed, “and I guess Ladybug found out or something and told Chat Noir to come check on me.” Alya was staring at her like she had the greatest life in the world. “So Chat Noir comes to my house and- oh! Adrien, do you like blue?”

Adrien blushed even more furiously but tried to look as bewildered as Alya and Nino at this non sequiter. “Uhm, yeah, why?”

“Well I know this sounds really weird but anyway Chat Noir suggested it for my skating costume which I was working on, don’t look at me like that Alya!” Alya raised her eyebrows innocently.

“What? I’m not allowed to be surprised that my best friend is having weirdly intimate conversations with a hot superhero in her bedroom at night?”

Marinette blushed in embarrassment, but Adrien was sweating with mortification. Well done, Agreste! His heart hammered.

“Ugh Alya, it wasn’t like that! He was protecting me. And then, lo and behold, Michel showed up at my house super drunk, throwing beer bottles around and stuff, and Chat Noir had to take him down and send him to the police station!”

“Woahh dude, that’s like from the movies!” Nino looked impressed.

“So did the damsel in distress give her her rescuer a goodnight kiss..?” Alya poked Marinette in the arm.

Adrien choked on a sip of water, causing Nino to thump him on the back.

“NO! But..” Marinette glanced guiltily at Adrien, who went to drink some more water. “It kind of seemed like he wanted to..?”

Adrien choked again, coughing into his elbow while water streamed from his eyes. He gestured frantically and ran out of the room, just as the teacher walked in and the bell rang.

Alya just had to sit still with all of this news, as Marinette wondered if she shouldn’t have said anything.

…………………

Out in the hallway, Adrien slowly recovered, taking deep breaths, his mind spinning.

What the hell was I thinking last night, being so intimate with Marinette? He thought back to holding her chin, those eyes looking up at him in her warm, pink room. She must think Chat Noir is some kind of creep. His heart twinged. And what about…us? It had been a few days since they kissed on ice, and in all of the ensuing drama he hadn’t known when or if he should talk to her about it.

Nino came out of class and found him in the hall.

“Dude, are you ok? Teacher sent me to check on you.”

“Yeah, I’m fine, thanks Nino.”

Nino put an arm around Adrien’s shoulders. “Dude, what is going on with you and Marinette? I mean, you kissed her, right, so now what?”

Adrien sighed. “Ugh I don’t know! I like her so much but..then all this mess with stupid Michel.. what if I just mess it all up? And the recital is so soon, that’s so important to her, and to me.”

“Well dude you better move fast. If Chat Noir is after her too…”

Adrien smacked his forehead with his hand. “What was I thinking?”

Nino looked confused. “When? What are you talking about?”

“Uhh, the kiss! Yeah, what if she just doesn’t want anymore skating drama!” He covered lamely.

“Dude! She kissed you back. And if you guys hadn’t started skating, she would probably still not be able to talk to you without falling over. She’s liked you forever!” Nino clapped his hand over his mouth. “Oh shoot, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”

Adrien looked surprised. “Wait, how long have you known? I mean, she told me herself..” he thought back to tucking her in, realizing there were pictures of him on her walls.

Nino sighed in relief. “OH phew. Oh! Wait she told you she likes you? And she kissed you back?” He shook his head. “Adrien, bro, this isn’t complicated at all. Just ask her out already.”

Adrien sighed, but his chest was warm with excitement. It actually is kind of complicated, Nino…but… “Maybe you’re right.”

They walked back into class. Adrien gave Marinette a glowing smile, which she returned, cheeks pink.

Chapter Text

Marinette yawned and huddled into her big scarf as she walked into the rink building for practice, early Saturday morning. Alain waved from his office, a cup of coffee steaming on his desk. She pushed through the heavy door to the rink on the way to the dressing rooms and stopped. Adrien was already on the ice, long since warmed up.

She stepped closer to watch. He was in long black pants and a tight, white long sleeved shirt, blonde hair swishing, skates flashing. Beautiful… she thought, as he practiced his turns and sweeps, totally immersed. He really was a natural, and it was astounding how far he had come in just a few months.

Marinette bit her lip as a weird longing washed over her, for what could be and what could have been. Adrien was skating backwards, gaining speed, brow furrowed in concentration. Marinette held her breath—and there! He landed his twist jump perfectly, and turned immediately into a spin. She exhaled, heart pounding with pride, excitement, and that wistful longing.

“Where was he 5 years ago?” Alain spoke her thoughts. He was beside her, also watching. Marinette sighed, and leaned into him as Alain brought an arm around her shoulders.

Adrien slowed and skated to get some water, finally noticing Marinette and Alain standing there watching him. They wore the same wistful expression, and he blushed and shivered, suddenly cool. Alain squeezed Marinette’s shoulder and said something into her ear. Adrien had mostly gotten used to their familiarity, but he still twinged with a little jealousy at their intimacies. Marinette smiled and shook her head a little before heading to the dressing rooms.

Alain came onto the ice as Adrien watched her go.

“You’re skating beautifully, Adrien. It’s quite remarkable how much progress you’ve made.”

Adrien rubbed his neck in embarrassment. “Th-thanks, Alain.”

Alain chuckled. “Neither of you can take a compliment, can you!” His eyes twinkled with amusement, and Adrien blushed a little more.

“Well. I’m very proud. Now stretch your legs well, we have to work the spiral so Marinette can perform without a helmet.” Alain set off to warm up, and Adrien obeyed.

Marinette smiled to herself as she finished lacing her skates. What a relief to be at practice! And Adrien...I didn’t think he could get more attractive… She hummed and pulled on a warmup sweater before heading to the equipment closet.

Adrien was in a low runners lunge when Marinette stepped onto the ice, bending to arrange the pads and helmet near the door. He felt heat crawl up his neck at the sight of her long legs, tiny pink skirt fluttering just so. She straightened and he quickly dropped his blushing face, hearing her take off around the rink to warm up. Adrien switched legs and watched her, feeling that melty feeling in his stomach that wouldn’t go away no matter how often he saw her skate.

He turned into a side lunge. He could see her shoulders relax as that ice-bound confidence grew to fill her movements. Her posture changed, her power surged, and a grin came onto her face. She pressed to go faster, chasing to catch up to Alain, twitching her hips to skate backwards just as she passed him. He grinned back and joined her, and they took off together, freestyling around the rink as Adrien obediently stretched. A wave of longing washed over him, too, for Marinette and for the beautiful ease she and Alain just oozed when they skated together. He wanted to bottle it and drink it, to somehow possess the artistry that gave him goosebumps.

After several rounds, Marinette nodded to Alain and they slowed, and Adrien was shaken from his reverie. It was hard to stop looking at Marinette’s legs. He flushed again as she came over and pulled off her warmup sweater, revealing a simple long-sleeve skating dress with that tiny skirt at the bottom, accentuating all the strong and graceful parts of her. She caught him looking and turned pink to match the dress. He swallowed and smiled a little apologetically.

“You look great.” Adrien said quietly.

“Thanks!” She was grinning again, full of skating joy and thrilled at him looking at her like that. She laughed. “Just wait until I accessorize with this giant helmet!” She grabbed it and pulled it on, and they both laughed at the popsicle effect. “Ready?” She looked at him brightly through the face cage.

Adrien’s heart squeezed and he swallowed again. She’s even cute in a helmet, he thought, but harder to kiss…

“Adrien? Anyone home?”

He shook his head. “Yes! Sorry… you’re just so ravishing in that helmet, Mari.” He was rewarded with a squeak of laughter.

Alain’s voice rang out. “Hey kids, lets flirt with danger, hmm? You can make eyes at each other later.”

Adrien grabbed Marinette’s hand and they skated to meet Alain in the center of the rink, focused but flying.

…………

“Ah! We did it!” Marinette jumped and twirled with excitement. Adrien grinned at her. They had done the full death spiral from beginning to end, Marinette’s body just inches off the ice as they turned a complete circle, before pulling her upright again to move into unison skating.

“Ok, twice more perfectly.” As the coach, Alain had to hide his excitement to demand consistency.

They did it, and Adrien swelled with pride, until Alain’s next words popped the balloon.

“Marinette, helmet off.”

Marinette nodded and skated off to deposit the helmet by the door. She was fixing her pigtails on the way back when she saw Adrien’s panic-stricken face.

“But! We only.. three times?!” His voice was suddenly tight and a little higher.

Marinette was in front of him at once. “Adrien..”
His eyes were wide with alarm. “But Marinette! What if..” he couldn’t say it, his face suddenly pale.

“Adrien.” Her voice was firm. “Look at me.”

He obeyed, as her hands found his shoulders. Her eyes searched his face, her expression serious.

“Do you trust me?”

He gaped. “Of course! But I –” She put a finger to his lips to shush him.

“I trust you, Adrien. I trust you completely.” Her hand cupped his face. He exhaled. “Take deep breaths.” Her other hand found his waist. Adrien pulled her into a hug, breathing in her comforting smell, breathing out the fear that had clutched him.

Marinette pulled back to look into his face again. “I’ll keep the helmet on for a few more times, ok?” Adrien nodded, relieved. “But we are going to do it without the helmet today.” Her tone was final. He nodded again and squared his shoulders.

“Ok.” Adrien set his jaw. “Let’s go again.”

………………

Marinette was elated. She was practically skipping as they left the rink and made their way to the dressing room after practice. Adrien was happy too, but drained. They had done the spiral without the helmet, perfectly, and now the movements were ingrained in Adrien’s body, and wordlessly spoken between them.

Marinette hummed as they took their skates off, the music from their routine stuck in her mind. Adrien carefully wiped his blades dry and was opening his locker when he felt arms around his waist. Marinette was emitting happiness like a lightbulb, unable to keep still or keep to herself. He laughed and turned into the hug, caught by her wide smile as she beamed up at him. Adrien’s stomach and chest blossomed with warmth, and he couldn’t help but grin back, tiredness forgotten.

Nino’s voice ran through his head. “Bro, this isn’t complicated at all…” Adrien pulled her into his kiss, and warmth burst through him. A deep laugh bubbled up from his chest as her mouth kept splitting into a smile. He gathered her in his arms and they lost track of everything else, the warmth of their lips a perfect exchange of feeling. Marinette’s mind was wonderfully blank, but for some sunlight.

*bzzzzzzzzzt!!* *bzzzzzzzzzt!!* *bzzzzzzzzzt!!*

A cold puddle seeped into Adrien’s sock just as his phone interrupted them. He groaned a little and pressed deep into the kiss before pulling away, rewarded with the slow, kiss-drunk flutter of Marinette’s eyelids as they opened to look up at him. His breath caught at her beauty and time fell away again.

*bzzzzzzzzzt!!* *bzzzzzzzzzt!!* *bzzzzzzzzzt!!*

His phone persisted. He fumbled for it in his locker and answered it, keeping an arm around Marinette’s waist. Sorry! he mouthed at her, and she nodded a little, still watching his face.

“Hello father. How was the trip?” Adrien fiddled with the fabric on Marinette’s arm. “Yes, I’m done with practice now.” A pause. “Yes, I know.” He listened, and his shoulders sagged. “Ok. Uh, father? The uhm—” he was cut off. Marinette narrowed her eyes and straightened up from where they had been leaning against the lockers. She held out her hand. Adrien looked confused. Her face was expectant.

“Uh, father, one second.” Warily, he handed the phone to Marinette.

“Hello, Mr. Agreste? This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng. You may not remember me but I won that bowler hat competition.” A pause. “Well, anyway, I’m skating with Adrien, and it would mean a lot to both of us if you came to see the recital on Saturday.” Adrien gaped in astonishment. Marinette went on, calmly. “Of course, sir, you’re very busy. But Adrien is a wonderful ice skater, and has been working very hard. Furthermore--” She listened for a moment. “I think you would be surprised, sir. And I’d like you to come as well. I’ve designed our recital outfits and want you to consider me for an internship at your label. Yes, and sewn them myself.” Another pause. “This Saturday at 1pm, sir. We’ll reserve you a box. Thank you, goodbye.”

She hung up and handed the phone back to a flabbergasted Adrien. He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him, landing kisses all over her face. She squealed and laughed, until he cut her off with a kiss on her lips, earnest and fierce. He buried his face in her neck, arms tight around her.

“Thank you, Marinette. Thank you, thank you.”

Chapter Text

“Hold still!” Marinette admonished, grinning through her exasperation. “I thought you would be better at this, considering you are a model.”

Adrien wiggled his eyebrows at her and leaned in again for a kiss. She rolled her eyes but smiled as his lips met hers, finally pulling away when he tried to get closer.

“Ok seriously Adrien! I wasn’t actually planning on making you a skating outfit but now I have to deliver, so hold still!” She swatted him with the measuring tape.

“Fine…I’ll hold still.” Adrien flexed dramatically, making Marinette laugh out loud.

“Kids, you need anything?” Sabine’s voice came up the stairs.

“No, Mom, thanks!” Marinette called back, giving Adrien a look.

Instantly, Adrien was all innocent cooperation. “Does it usually take so long for you to take measurements, Marinette?” She squealed with indignation and he laughed, enjoying her flushed face at his teasing.

“Ok, ok, I’ll behave.” Adrien chuckled again and held still, letting Marinette measure his neck, chest, shoulders, and arms. She wrapped the tape around his waist, and then blushed a little as she measured around his hips. He smelled her hair and sighed with happiness.

“Uhm..” Marinette was bright red. “Uh, can you…the inseam.”

Adrien looked at her innocently. “The what?”

Marinette glowered at him. “You know what it is.” She held the measuring tape out to him. He took pity on her and accepted the tape, looping it between his legs for the rise, and then holding it to his crotch. It was Adrien’s turn to blush as Marinette knelt in front of him, pulling the tape down his leg to measure crotch to ankle.

She exhaled and stood up, jotting the final numbers down and absent mindedly hanging the measuring tape over her neck, looking over her sketches.

Adrien came over and gently rested his hands on her shoulders.

“Thank you again, Mari.” He said softly. “I don’t know if you know how much it means to me that my dad is going to be there.”

Marinette took a deep breath and let it out. “It seems like the least I can do after you took care of me…after Michel showed up.” She turned to face him. “And then,” her voice was almost a whisper, “you came back.” She looked up into his eyes.

His eyes widened with surprised confusion. “Of course, Mari, I—I mean, there was no question. Skating with you, being with you, it’s the best thing that’s happened to me since I got—“ my miraculous, he thought, “to go to school!”

Marinette’s breath caught as she flushed dark red. “B-being with m-me?” she stammered, wildly hoping, heart hammering in her chest, suddenly a little dizzy from the smell of his shirt.

Adrien’s heart was beating fast too. “Marinette, do you…I mean, will you—“

He was interrupted by a commotion downstairs, and Sabine’s voice saying “Oh no, not again!” The volume on the TV was turned up and some words floated up to them. “…not in almost two months….akumatized…by the Musee d’Orsay…”

“Perfect timing.” Adrien muttered, but Marinette was suddenly stiff, eyes determined.

“Come on.” Marinette opened the trap door and headed downstairs, Adrien close behind. Her parents were in front of the TV.

Nadia Chamakh was on the news, showing footage outside the museum. “A new akuma victim is on the loose, an art restorer determined to put Paris back to how it was before 1880.”

Adrien had to get away. “I have to go home. Thank you for everything, Marinette, stay here and be safe ok?!”

Marinette grabbed his hand, internally conflicted. “What are you thinking? It’s not safe for you out there!”

Adrien looked at her and then at her parents, mind racing. “I’m sorry, but it’s my dad’s orders…and if the akuma is at the Musee d’Orsay, I should be ok, my house is in the other direction and just a few minutes away.”

He pulled Marinette into a hug. “I’ll call you,” he said softly, breathing her in, before grabbing his jacket and skating bag and running out the door.

Marinette’s heart was torn- she couldn’t protest because she had to be Ladybug, but she couldn’t bear to let him be so unsafe. “Mom, Dad, I’ll be upstairs, ok?” she said, already halfway to her room.

Ladybug was on the balcony in an instant, scanning for Adrien, but she couldn’t see him, just Chat Noir’s small form leaping toward the Orsay. Be safe, Adrien, she prayed, leaping towards the fight.

Chapter Text

Everything was in pandemonium at the museum. The akuma victim was decked out in a grand 19th century outfit, complete with a white wig, and pointing a golden cane at frightened patrons. With a blast of light, they were suddenly in period dress and totally obedient to him.

“Speaking of blast from the past, My Lady, long time no see.” Chat Noir grinned at Ladybug as she joined him to look down on the chaos, unseen by the villain. “Did you miss me, bugaboo?”

“Not as much as you missed me, chaton.”

“Meowch! May time heal my wounds, Ladybug.”

“Chat, we have to get him out of here. Look what they’re doing to this priceless art!” The minions were roughly pushing displays to the sides of the room, before the villain pointed his staff at the floor and blasted a giant crack down the center of the museum, shaking the building and knocking everyone over.

“All shall be Restored!!” He bellowed, as Ladybug and Chat Noir picked themselves up, coughing from the blast.

“Chat! The Musee d’Orsay- is he trying to…” Ladybug was too horrified to finish.

“..turn it back into a train station!? I think so!” Chat’s baton was out and ready.

“We have to get him out of here—back me up, kitty cat.” Ladybug shot out her yoyo and made a dramatic entrance in front of the Restorer, hands on her hips.

“And just who is going to restore all this art you are wrecking?”

The Restorer laughed and twirled his cane. “Ahhh, Ladybug and Chat Noir, disgusting aberrations regardless of the century. But your Miraculous will fit nicely into my collection.”

Ladybug dodged blast after blast from his cane, running up over walls and leaping over rubble. Chat Noir attacked with his baton but was blocked again and again. Ladybug finally found a safe distance up on a light fixture.

“Hey Chat Noir!” she yelled, “Let’s go protect a real symbol of Paris!”

Chat caught on. “A trip to the World’s Fair, My Lady? I thought you’d never ask.”

The Restorer screamed with fury. Ladybug had struck a nerve, as intended. “You think you can stop me? That fire poker was meant to be temporary, and SO IT SHALL BE!” With an ear-splitting blast, he burst through the glass ceiling of the museum and towards the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug and Chat Noir followed in hot pursuit.

“So you’re a hiss-tory buff, bugaboo? How meowvelous.” Chat Noir sprang over rooftops beside her.

“Just art history, really. I thought it would be easier to fight him in the open.” Ladybug’s mind was racing for solutions. Of course she wanted to defend the innocent bystanders of Paris, but something about targeting the cultural landmarks always made her particularly hate some villains.

“I’ll distract him.” Chat Noir sprang into action, baton twirling, trying to keep the Restorer from blasting everyone into the 19th century. People were running in every direction, but many tourists were standing around like dummies at a free show. Those who were transformed started crowding and climbing the Tower’s columns, as if they were going to rip it down with brute force.

Ladybug needed this to be over, now.

“Lucky Charm!”

Ladybug staggered a little as she caught the big black and red spotted boom box. A tape was already loaded, so she hit play, not knowing what to expect.

“Come on! Vogue!” Madonna blared out from the speakers, backed by heavy bass and synth. “Let your body mooove to the muuusic, hey hey hey!”

Ladybug leapt back in surprise, then laughed as she saw the effect it had on the Restorer and all of his transformed victims. They were cowering in fright and confusion, hands over their ears.

“Welcome to the 1980’s, everyone!” Chat Noir crowed in delight, cartwheeling forward to grab the Restorer’s cane. He threw it to Ladybug, who broke it over her knee.

“Bye bye, little butterfly,” she cooed, reaching for the boom box.

“Ladybug, wait! This is the best part!” Chat Noir was vogueing dramatically in the middle of the square as bewildered tourists and delighted Parisians looked on.

The next thing she knew, Chat Noir was dancing right in front of her, hips moving wildly, tugging on her arm to get her to dance. She was bright red and protesting, but Chat Noir wouldn’t give up. Alya is going to have a field day with this.. she thought.

“OOOOooooh you’ve got to… let your body, mooOOOoooOOve!”

Inside, Marinette was mortified, but Ladybug joined in, doing her best Madonna with Chat Noir until the song ended. Onlookers cheered as they struck a final superhero pose before collapsing into giggles.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” The magic swirled and Ladybug’s earrings beeped insistently.

“You got moves, silly kitty. See you around!”

Chat Noir grinned goofily, but his heart twinged.

Chapter Text

Alain was in his office, pacing and furious.

“He’s out of control, Henri, I can’t let him skate here anymore.” Michel had shown up unbelievably late to his practice time and went way over into the class following, leaving Alain to make excuses to kids about why they only had 20 minutes to practice for the recital. And Michel had just sneered and swaggered out, making snide comments and flipping his hair.

“Oh, he’s just a stupid young man, what do they know? And his performances haven’t suffered. He’s undeniably a champion, he and Viktoriya are technically fabulous.”

Alain could just picture Henri in his lush office, with golden rings on every finger and expensive shoes up on his mahogany desk.

“But he’s not serious! He goes out drinking, he’s obsessed with his own celebrity, and he keeps harassing Marinette!”

“Oh, she’s skating again, is she? Such a shame, what happened. If she was still a champion, Alain, I’d be worried, but how Michel treats...civilians at your rink is no concern of mine.”

Alain was outraged. “But Henri--!”

Henry cut him off. “Alain, you are in no position to give me ultimatums. Your rink is in financial straights, and despite your former glories, neither you nor your students are bringing prestige, trophies, or sponsors to the Association. Having Michel and Vicky perform at your little show is a gift, and don’t you forget it.”

Alain was seething, but silent.

Henri was smug. “Now, I’m sending Jacqueline Renard down to the recital. If any of your students have promise, she’ll sniff it out and report to me. If there is none, I may seriously consider offering the rink to Michel to practice full time. Training in Paris is good for publicity. He might be a little shit stain, but as long as he’s the best, he gets what he wants.”

With a click, Henri hung up and returned to his cigar. Alain sat heavily in his chair, defeated. The photos and trophies that adorned his office seemed old, tarnished, and faded. Maybe I am getting soft, he thought bitterly. But it had been a long time since a student with real promise had walked through his doors. Until Marinette came back, and brought Adrien..

The phone rang again, jarring Alain from his reverie.

“I wonder...is Marinette as good as she was?” It was Henri again.

Alain was emphatic. “She’s better. And she and Adrien are the real deal. Their chemistry is off the charts, Moir and Virtue levels, Henri. Crowdpleasers.”

“And who is this Adrien boy? I’ve certainly never heard of any skaters by that name, and they’re sixteen already.”

Alain’s stomach clenched with guilt. “You’ve heard of him.” He paused. “It’s Adrien Agreste.”

Alain could almost hear the schemes and numbers whirring in Henri’s mind.

“The supermodel? How long has he been skating!?”

“Just 3 months. Not long enough, Henri. I know what you’re thinking, no way are you going to push Marinette into competition before she’s ready, again, with someone so green.”

Henri wasn’t looking for limitations. “But he’s a natural, you say?”

“Yes. He’s not ready for competition by any means, but they worked in a death spiral in 3 days.”

Henri coughed a little and cleared his throat. “Well, Alain, maybe I’ve underestimated you after all. I’ll let Jacqueline decide. For now, I’ll give Michel a talking to, but they will remain the headliners. And the recital will be a battle of sorts. If Marinette and Adrien are as good as you say, maybe your rink is safe.”

Chapter Text

“Well, that’s Friday,” said Ladybug, brushing dust off her suit after returning the latest Lucky Charm. She stretched for a moment. “Gosh, I hope Hawkmoth takes the weekend off!”

There had been an akuma attack every day that week. Marinette didn’t know how she was doing it all, only that she had to. She was fighting akumas, sewing the skating costumes, blasting through homework, all to clear her schedule to practice at the rink.

“Are you feline ok, bugaboo?” Chat Noir asked, leaning in towards her on his staff. Adrien’s life was a blur lately, too. He hadn’t fully realized the freedoms that Nathalie had been granting him while his dad was gone. Now that Gabriel Agrest was back, Adrien had to be fitted and photographed in the latest collection every available minute.

She smirked and dinged his bell. “I have a big day, that’s all, I’d rather not be interrupted.”

“That makes two of us, Milady,” Chat purred.

Ladybug raised her eyebrows. “You have a date or something? You sound happy.”

“I’m always happy around you, cutie,” he grinned, “but if you must know, there’s another supergirl who has my attentions this weekend.” He was itchy to get to practice to see Marinette, despite Alain being unusually strict and attentive. It was the only time he got to touch her before she ran home to sew.

Ladybug was all astonishment. “Oh really? It’s not Volpina again, is it?”

“Lady, you wound me. Can’t a kitten learn from his mistakes?” He batted his lashes until she laughed. He smirked, though inside he was gnawed with guilt. How could he ask Marinette out if he kept thinking about Ladybug dance partying in front of the Eiffel Tower?

“Well, here’s hoping I don’t see you on Saturday, minou.”

Chat Noir stuck his nose in her face. “Don’t you mean.. Caturday?”

He found himself on his butt on the cobblestones, but could hear her laughing as she swung away.

Chapter Text

Friday afternoon was the full dress rehearsal for the recital, and the rink was total chaos. Marinette and Adrien showed up late as ordered, but everything was way behind schedule. The littles and beginner classes had just finished, and the intermediates were up, but there were constant fixes and costume mishaps and whatnot. Adrien smiled at the teeming family dramas, and he felt that twinge of longing after so many years of private tutoring.

Alain was pretty frazzled.

“Oh, there you are, thank goodness. Can I ask a favor? Would you mind suiting up and doing your routine in a little bit? Sometimes having the advanced groups go calms everyone down, gets them inspired. And you two—“ he paused, smiling wistfully. “You two are really something special.”

“Don’t go getting soft on us now, Alain. I’m sure the sound will go out the moment we step on the ice.”

Marinette poked Alain in the ribs and he laughed, pulling them both in for a fierce hug. Adrien was a little surprised, but sank into the fatherly embrace. When he released them, Marinette saw a little wetness in Alain’s eyes, and a flicker of…guilt? He squeezed their shoulders and took off to manage a crisis, and Marinette shook the thought from her mind. She looked at Adrien brightly.

“It’s perfect, actually, I brought our outfits. We can see about any adjustments they might need before the big night.”
……..

A tall woman in a chic grey suit found a place in the bleachers, unnoticed in the chaos of the rehearsal. Everything about her was sharp- her cheekbones, her crisp lapels, the slash of white in her straight grey bob. Her eyes glittered and assessed as she eyed every skater, took in their lines, estimated future body weight, studied their parents for sacrifice and dedication. Henri might be the money, but Jacqueline was the nose.

She had sat in this very spot 12 years ago, watching a little girl in pigtails skate with a determination not found every decade. Years later, she had watched that girl crash to the ice, skating in a pair she had advised against.

But Jacqueline was unemotional about the careers of those she singled out. The hunt for champions was never over.
………

“Wow, Marinette, it’s so beautiful!”

The shirt was deep, royal blue, a modern riff on the classic skating shirt; the high collar opened in a V in front, but fitted ¾ sleeves instead of those silly ballooning ones. The fabric shimmered subtly, and the front and back had long, diamond-like panels fanning upward from waist to shoulders.

“How is this so.. comfortable?” Adrien marveled, moving his arms around wildly.

Marinette sighed with relief.

“It’s not too tight in the armpits?” she worried, chewing her thumbnail and eyeballing her handiwork.

“No, its great!”

“And the pants?”

Adrien touched his toes and moved his legs to get a full range of motion. The pants were simple and black, no flair needed, but everything fit perfectly.

“Marinette, its amazing.”

“Are you sure its not tugging anywhere?” Her face was furrowed as she searched for mistakes.

Adrien took her hand. “Marinette, what’s the matter?”

“Well, its not just about skating anymore is it? Your dad is Gabriel Agreste!”

“Oh, I know.”

Marinette was flustered. “Ok, well, of course, I just mean..”

She drew up her shoulders and exhaled, trying to find the words.

“It’s just that.. you know I finally accepted that I wouldn’t be a pro figure skater,” she put up a hand when he started to protest. “No, really, it’s ok. And--and I love skating with you, and I’m so grateful you let me relive my dream. I also know that its just for the joy of it now.” Her brow furrowed further as she sorted through her anxieties. “But… then I chose designing, and I’m really serious about it, and I’m so worried that I put all my chances into this recital and maybe too soon! I mean, if your dad doesn’t like my designs then.. I’ll just feel like such an idiot and I can’t stand to have…” Her voice cracked a little. “What if my dreams are just smashed on the ice all over again? I –I think my heart might break forever.”

Adrien pulled her into a hug, and she let herself be comforted by the warm darkness of his embrace, smelling the spandex of the skating shirt and his smell underneath it. He buried his nose in her hair and closed his eyes, comforting her with deep breaths.

“Mari, first of all, you’ve outdone yourself. I think my dad will be very impressed, and an idiot not to take you on as an intern. But something else I’ve learned is that he is by no means the only worthy designer in Paris. In fact, there are many others that are apparently much more enjoyable to work for. And furthermore—” he pulled away, holding her shoulders and looking intently into her eyes. –“You’re still in high school! There are years of creating and internships ahead of you.”

His voice dropped a little, and his gaze softened, still holding her eyes.

“But Mari, even if the costume wasn’t so good, getting my dad to come to the recital is the greatest gift anyone has given me. And you lured him in with fashion! You’re so.. amazing, Mari.”

His throat was a little dry. Marinette had listened silently during this speech, chewing her lip. When she returned his gaze, her stomach flipped. They had kissed, yes, but she wasn’t always ready for the effect that steady gaze had on her, the gaze that made her feel like she could skate to Swan Lake way back on the field trip, or stand up to Chloe, or go after a supervillain… she shivered a little to clear her head. This is Adrien, remember…

“So… can I see yours?” Adrien asked shyly, watching Marinette wrestle with her thoughts.

“Wh-what?” she came out of her reverie, confused.

“Your skating dress?”

“Oh! Uhm..” she blushed prettily, a smile tugging at her lips. “Yes, just give me a moment—I’ll meet you out there.” With a final look at him in his costume, she grabbed her bag and slipped into a changing room. Her heart beat with excitement.

Chapter Text

The lights were being dimmed on the rink when Adrien stepped out of the dressing room. Alain addressed everyone over the loudspeakers.

“Hello skaters and families! If you would all find seats for a moment, I have a special treat.” Kids and parents stopped fussing and settled down into the bleachers, eager to put their own performance troubles aside for a moment, immediately caught up in the theatrics. Low lights and a bright spot came up on the ice, leaving everything else in darkness.

Adrien made his way to the rink entrance and waited, stomach fluttering with nerves as he suddenly realized that he was about to figure skate in front of people for the first time. Where is she?! He tried to channel Chat Noir, but mostly just longed for Marinette’s hand in his, longed to be in the light of her confidence.

The door to the dressing room creaked and Alain’s voice came back on the loudspeaker, just as Adrien’s wishes were granted. Marinette’s hand in his was warm and reassuring. He couldn’t see much, but the confident glint in her eye was unmistakable.

“Now, Ladies and Gentleman, skaters and parents, put your hands together to welcome our newest skating pair! First, a familiar face that has hidden a remarkable talent for too long, in his first ever skating performance, Adrien Agreste!”

Marinette squeezed his hand before letting go, and Adrien put a brave smile on his face before stepping onto the ice. The spotlight found him, and he waved as he glided in an arc, aware of the ice like velvet under him and the happy cheers of kids. He slowed to a graceful stop and looked towards the entrance.

Alain’s voice was warm with pride over the speaker.

“And skating with Adrien--some of you may have heard of her, or better yet, been taught by her. Former Junior Worlds Champion and our beloved teacher, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

Everyone cheered as Marinette skated out onto the ice, but Adrien stopped breathing as the spotlight found her.

Her skating dress was cobalt blue, striking against her fair skin and black hair. The long sleeves were sheer, hooked onto her fingers, elongating her arms, while the fluttering skirt was cut a little high on the sides to accentuate her legs. The opaque fabric of the dress tapered to a V in front, with straps echoing the V in the deep scoop of the back. The shape was accentuated all over again by a sparkling design of gems opening up from her tailbone, mirrored again by the downward point of the skirt. Tiny blue jewels caught the light along the neckline, twinkling as Marinette sailed around the rink, waving and beaming.

The butterflies in Adrien’s stomach had doubled, but not from nerves. She sailed by him and her face opened in delighted surprise, eyebrows raised. He came to, shaking his head and closing his mouth, realizing sheepishly that he had been gaping at her. Fixing a smile, he drank her in again.

Marinette was well loved at the rink, and her heart swelled with pride as she waved to what felt like her family. She was excited to perform for them, grateful to have the chance to really practice before the place filled with strangers.

Adrien vaguely heard the cheers, but he was focused on Marinette in the spotlight, slowing to join him. She smiled, her face radiant with pride and confidence as she took his hand.

He opened his mouth, but was too blinded by her beauty to make words. She grinned.

“Ready to fall in love?” she teased.

“Already falling,” he breathed, hand circling her waist for the starting pose. Their music swelled.

Marinette was filled with joy and fire. With the show lights on and the music loud, everything fell away except the ice and Adrien. Their movements were crisp but expressive, their bodies sinuous and in sync. Marinette soared and turned. They intertwined and twirled together. Adrien was in a heaven of focus and lightness, filling his movements with his need to hold her again, and she came back to him, again and again. They broke apart and showed each other off, him circling as Marinette did her triple lutz and toe loop combination, before sailing around him as he landed his jump turn and ducked down into a blindingly fast crouching spin.

As he rose, she twirled towards him and their eyes met. Her nod was imperceptible to all but him as they grasped arms and sank into the death spiral, Marinette’s long lines gorgeous in repose. The audience gasped and then applauded as they rose and turned into their next movements. The music and their pace quickened. Marinette’s chest was burning but she pressed into it, exhilarated. The feeling showed on her face, and Adrien returned her gaze intently as he dipped her into their final pose, watching a wide grin split across her face as she panted in his arms. The audience applauded and cheered, and he pulled her up into a hug before they opened up to wave and bow, hearts bursting with pride, hands clasped tight.

A woman in a grey suit stood abruptly and walked out of the rink, pulling out a cell phone on the way.

Chapter Text

Adrien felt a rush from the performance like he never had before, holding Marinette around the waist and waving again before taking her hand to leave the rink.

Alain’s voice came back on the loudspeaker.

“Thank you, Adrien and Marinette! What a wonderful performance! And now..” his voice lost a little warmth, “none other than the reigning European Champions, Michel Durond and Viktoriya Volkov!”

Adrien felt a hard shove as Michel deliberately pushed past them to skate out onto the ice. He and Volkov were in glittering, crystal studded costumes, all white chiffon and golden gems. They circled the ice like they were at the Olympics, blowing kisses and preening like swans. Marinette thought she heard a muffled scoff as Alain turned off the loudspeaker. She squeezed Adrien’s hand in the dark. “Let’s go find seats!”

Adrien was a little surprised. “You want to watch? But Michel is the worst!”

“You don’t have to tell me, Adrien, but when it comes to skating, Michel might just be the best. You should see what can be done out there.” She tugged him along to the bleachers, smiling gratefully as a family made room for them, the little girls’ faces lighting up when they saw her. Adrien could only shake his head. Marinette was unbelievable. The selflessness was second only to Ladybug, but he shook the hero out of his mind as Marinette looped her arm in his and held his hand, looking expectantly at the ice, just as Michel and Viktoriya started their routine.

Dazzling was the word. What Adrien had seen at practice was just a hint of what Michel could do. Resentment bubbled in Adrien’s stomach as his eyes boggled in envy. They were technically brilliant. The music was spicy and zippy, and they pulled stunt after stunt, lifts and sweeps and crazy twists. Their unison skating was mesmerizing and the lutzes impeccable.

“How is that even possible?!” Adrien whispered, incredulous.

“I’m not actually sure that it is…” Marinette muttered, mostly to herself. Adrien was puzzled by this, but had his own nagging suspicions to deal with.

Despite the wicked stunts, Adrien felt that something was..what was it? Not lack of skill, but something about it just isn’t that… engaging? Sabine’s words came back to him. “Alain was against it. They didn’t have that spark.” It fell into place. Michel and Viktoriya were dancing separately, somehow, showing themselves off rather than each other. They clearly didn’t have the feeling that he and Marinette felt when they skated together. There was no longing, only precision; there were jumps, but not from joy.

Pleased by this discovery, Adrien squeezed Marinette’s hand and took in the moment, the smell of the rink, the feel of her next to him, the families and young skaters all around, watching with rapt attention as their idols skated so close to them. His heart swelled, and he leaned over. She felt him squeeze her hand as his breath tickled her ear.

“Thank you for this, Mari.”

She looked at him, eyes bright with surprise. “Whatever for?”

“For bringing so much beauty into my life.”

The music ended and everyone stood to applaud except them. Marinette’s insides flushed with warmth as he kissed her softly, totally alone together amidst the crowd.

Chapter Text

Saturday morning dawned sunny and bright, and Marinette bounced out of bed on time, for once, excited for the recital. She twirled and floofed the skirt of her skating drees, hanging up on the mannequin. She hugged herself, thinking of Adrien’s expression when she came out onto the ice at the rehearsal. He gaped at her, like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. Marinette shivered with delight and something else, hoping for a celebratory makeout session later that night.

And not only the recital, but Gabriel Agreste was coming to see her designs! She allowed herself a blush of pride, fingering the dress, thinking about how handsome Adrien was in his deep blue shirt. She had done well.

“Oh Tikki, even stupid Michel can’t bring me down today!” The kwami laughed happily with her.

Neither of them knew how wrong she was.

……….

Adrien woke up early and restless. In a few hours, his dad and the world would see him skate, but that wasn’t the main source of his nervous energy.

He looked at himself in the mirror.

“Today, Agreste. Today you are going to ask Marinette out, after the performance, today.”

“What about Ladybug?” Plagg mused from across the room.

A flicker of doubt crossed Adrien’s face, but was quickly replaced by a steely resolve.

“I do love Ladybug.” He couldn’t deny it, or turn it off all at once. “But she’s not…real. Of course she’s a real person, but we can never give ourselves to each other. Marinette, she likes me, Adrien, and she skates into my arms and…we don’t wear masks around each other. And on ice, Marinette might as well be Ladybug, her confidence and joy and beauty are just.. wow.”

Plagg snorted. “I’d wish you luck, but it’s not worth much coming from me.”

Adrien smiled a little. “Thanks, Plagg.”

…………..

Adrien and Marinette clapped and cheered as the last kids act bowed and skated excitedly off the ice to be hugged by parents and given their first flowers. It got Marinette pretty good, and Adrien could see her eyes shining with happy memories.

“Come on, let’s get ready.” Adrien squeezed her elbow and they made their way to the advanced skaters dressing rooms, carefully picking through the excited people trying to talk and buy refreshments during intermission.

“Oooh, later we have to get you a recital cookie, they’re so good!” Marinette, giddy with familiarity.

“That’s actually what I came for, this whole skating thing is just extra,” Adrien joked, and Marinette laughed as she opened the dressing room door.

The laughter died on her lips and she froze. Adrien nearly crashed into her, catching himself on the door frame just in time.

A portly man in an expensive, gaudy maroon suit and snakeskin shoes stood next to a tall, thin woman in slate grey. Alain, Michel, and Viktoriya were there too, and the air was thick with tension.

“Alain, what..?” Marinette stammered, taking in the gathering.

Alain’s face was drawn and miserable, but he forced a warm tone.

“Ah, Marinette! And Adrien, allow me to introduce Monsieur Henri Dargent, top agent and owner of L’Association du Patinage Artistique Francais, and Madame Jacqueline Renard, head of scouting and recruitment.”

Adrien smiled politely and shook hands, maneuvering around Marinette who stood still as a statue.

“Why Marinette! It has been too long!” Henri approached with his arms wide, golden rings and tie pin gleaming as he kissed her cheeks. Jacqueline gave her a nod that barely concealed a full body once over. Jacqueline was single minded.

“Jacquie here tells me that you two are just marvelous together, and she insisted that I see the greatest figure skating comeback in history myself!”

Marinette’s heart and mind were racing with confusion and suspicion as she stared at Alain, who couldn’t look her in the eyes. She could feel Michel’s glare burning into her, and Adrien’s total bewilderment.

“So,” Henri began, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. Adrien turned to find himself face to face with his dad.

“F-father?” Adrien was shocked that he would seek them out.

“Ah, Mr. Agreste! Henri Dargent, a real pleasure to meet you. I was just about to make a very exciting announcement, considering the remarkable talents of your son and Marinette here.”

Gabriel shook his hand and stood silently, sharp eyes taking in the scene.

Henri blustered on, oblivious to everything. “Well, as I was saying! Since we have two such lovely and talented couples, I’ve decided to set up a little...friendly competition. And what’s competition without stakes! If Michel and Viky win, Alain turns over the rink to them and their coach to train, and if Marinette and Adrien win, then Alain gets to train the newest members of the French National Team!”

“What? WHAT!?” Michel shouted, absolutely livid. “You promised the rink to us, Henri! We are the reigning European champions!”

“Is outrage!” Adrien had never heard Viktoriya speak before, but the Russian was clearly pissed. “Is no acceptable! We are twice the best of them!” She gave Marinette and Adrien a hateful look.

Alain was incredulous. This was not what he had agreed to. “But Henri, that’s not fair! Michel and Viktoriya are skating at a much higher level!”

“Ahh, Alain, are you scared? No, no, this is what you have always been saying! That technique is not everything? Jacquie and you seem to believe in this…what do you call it? Spark? So today we let the audience choose between technique and emotion.”

“This is bullshit!” Michel nearly screamed, his face purple. “There’s no comparison! Agreste is in training wheels and Marinette is used goods.” He spat the words.

“How dare you..!” Alain turned on Michel, furious.

“STOP!”

Everyone looked at Marinette. She was flushed with feeling but her eyes flashed dangerously. Ladybug burned furiously within her, pushing her emotions down to focus on the task at hand. She pointed at Alain.

“You. Go get Theresa ready, and then check on Max and Clarisse. Today is a big day for them.”

She pointed at Jacqueline and Henri. “You. Go sit down and watch. I’ll be damned if Alain hasn’t trained any champions this season.”

“And you.” She finally turned to Michel and Viktoriya. Her voice was soft and deadly, and Michel flinched just a little, remembering the punch. “Training wheels and used goods should be no problem for the reigning European champions, right?”

The silence was thick as Michel and Marinette stared each other down. Finally, Viktoriya made a sound of disgust and pulled Michel from the room. Alain, Henri, and Jacqueline followed, leaving Marinette with a mortified Adrien and a stone-faced Gabriel Agreste.

Marinette exhaled and turned, coolly extending her hand.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Agreste.”

Chapter Text

Gabriel Agreste raised an eyebrow at Marinette and returned the handshake.

“Hello.”

Marinette swallowed and tried to maintain her calm demeanor. She had not imagined meeting him after telling off a roomful of figure skating elites.

“If you give us a few moments, Mr. Agreste, we can get into our skating costumes.”

Adrien’s stomach was in knots, and an acidic shame burned in his chest as he thought of the warm welcome he got from Marinette’s parents, despite showing up unannounced with their daughter in tears. Would it kill him to be polite? At the same time, though, he was here.

“Yes, fine.” He seemed distracted, eyebrows furrowed. Marinette almost ran to get changed, but Gabriel put a hand on Adrien’s shoulder. “Tell me. Does this Michel have a temper?”

Adrien was confused, but emphatic. “That’s an understatement. He’s awful.”

“Hm.” Gabriel released Adrien, who went to get dressed.

What the hell? Adrien was used to his dad being strict and unpleasant, but he never took an interest in anyone unconnected to his business if he didn’t have to. He pulled on the skating shirt and pants and looked in the mirror, admiring Marinette’s handiwork.

Meanwhile, Marinette tugged up her tights and slid into the skating dress, her mind in a thousand places. Henri’s voice rang through her mind. “If Adrien and Marinette win, Alain gets to train the newest members of the French National Team!” She couldn’t believe it, and didn’t know if she wanted to. She was furious with Henri for threatening Alain like this, and furious with Alain for letting it happen. Underneath it all, a tiny seedling of confused hope poked up from where she had buried it after the terrible fall. The fall that ended my skating career for good. A fantasy of skating with Adrien in competition briefly lit her mind, but was invaded by Chat Noir battling the Restorer. I have to defend Paris, she thought, heavily, and Adrien! This was never his dream. She looked at herself in the mirror and tied the blue ribbons into her pigtails. The dress was as perfect as she could have hoped, and now it was time to see if France’s foremost designer thought so too.

She took a deep breath and stepped back out.

Adrien saw her and grinned, holding his arms out with his back to his father as Gabriel looked over the costume. Marinette returned the smile shyly and quickly laced up her skates to complete the look, as it had been designed with the extra height in mind.

Marinette stood and stepped towards them. “4-way stretch cotton spandex, power net, invisible nylon and elastic threads, French and elastic seaming, internal structuring.”

Gabriel glanced up at her, his expression unreadable. “The collar has no interfacing.”

“Interfacing doesn’t stretch, so it isn’t compatible for skating costumes.”

Gabriel turned away from Adrien abruptly and towards her. Marinette stood straight and still, though her stomach trembled with fear and nerves. Adrien gave her an encouraging smile.

“Same materials?” Gabriel looked at the costume up and down, felt the cuffs, tugged on the skirt, as if Marinette really was a mannequin.

“Jersey underdress, sheer power net, elastic bias tape, light weight chiffon, acrylic gems.”

“Glue?”

Marinette gave a tiny scoff. “Hand embroidered.” She turned around to show the back, where the open V of gems worked up her back.

“Chiffon doesn’t stretch.”

“Gathered with elastic thread and attached to the outermost layer of the bodice.”

Gabriel straightened and stepped away. The inspection was over. Marinette and Adrien looked at him expectantly, but his face was still.

“Something has come to my attention and I must step out. You will hear from my assistant, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Adrien.” He glanced at his son, giving the barest of acknowledgments, and swiftly left the room.

Marinette stood there, stunned. Adrien took her hand. He was more embarrassed by his dad than he ever had been, even since he banished Nino from the house.

“You did great.” Marinette looked at him like he was crazy. “No, seriously! He doesn’t hold back criticism, so saying nothing was like giving you a compliment. Really.”

Marinette exhaled and the bravado that had been holding her together left her. Her knees collapsed a little and Adrien caught her, hugging her tight as she took deep, shuddering breaths. “Ohhh, Adrien..” she breathed, hugging him tight.

She pulled away and looked up at him, blue eyes full of a thousand worries. “What do we do? What if Alain loses the rink? What is Henri thinking? We can’t, I mean, I’m not..the National Team, it’s not p-possible…I, wh-what do we..?” She was frantic and stammering, her lip beginning to tremble. She bit it, hard, and Adrien’s heart squeezed.

He lifted her chin with his fingers. His heart leapt like it always did when she looked up at him. His gaze was steady and reassuring, glowing green and kind. “There’s only one thing to do right now.” Her eyes were questioning.

“We skate together, because we love to skate together. Nothing else matters.”

As if on cue, the stage manager popped her head through the door, letting in a swell of music. “5 minutes, you guys.”

“Ok.” Marinette shook her pigtails to clear her head, drawing deep for the last of her resolve.

“There’s one more thing, actually.” Adrien’s heart was beating fast, and his mind spun. Here goes everything, he thought, as she looked up at him again.

“What?” Concern flickered across her face as she picked nervously at the fabric of his shirt.

“Marinette…” he took a deep breath, and smiled nervously. “Will you be mine?”

Marinette blinked several times as the question sunk in. The worry on her face cleared, and a warm, wonderful feeling crawled up from her belly, spreading her lips into a wide smile, and delight filled her eyes. “Oh, Adrien..” she breathed, reaching up a hand to tangle in his hair. Her kiss was sweet and tender.

“I already am.”

Chapter Text

Hawkmoth closed the door of the equipment room and locked it before transforming. Instead of his multitudes of butterflies, he pulled a jar containing just one from his pocket.

The white butterfly fluttered frantically inside the jar as Hawkmoth lifted it to his face, grinning with evil anticipation.

“Two months of work, and now the perfect test run has dropped into my lap! Come, now, my little akuma…”

He opened the jar and caught the white butterfly in his hands. Black magic gathered, but just before the spell was complete, Hawkmoth tightened his hands, crushing and grasping at the transforming butterfly.

“Akuma Proliferato!” He cried, wrenching his hands apart, black sparks screeching and flying. The lights in the room flickered and buzzed, and Hawkmoth shuddered as energy charged through him. He gritted his teeth against the current, struggling to keep his hands closed as he bent the magic to his will.

The sparks subsided and the energy grounded out, and Hawkmoth staggered a little, panting, his heart hammering from the effort.

He straightened and looked down at his two hands, slowly opening them to reveal two black and purple butterflies with identical markings.

“Yes, YES!” Hawkmoth cried, jubilant. “And now, my little…akumas,” he said, enjoying the words, “fly away, and darken their hearts!”

…………………

“And now, Ladies and Gentlemen, I’m proud to introduce a truly miraculous new duo! If you choose these two to win today’s competition, not only will we have the freshest face in National Team history, but perhaps the most famous as well! And skating with him, a comeback story to rival them all. After a tragic fall that dashed her golden career, she’s back and better than ever. Please put your hands together for supermodel Adrien Agreste and former champion Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

Marinette’s teeth clenched at the announcer’s words, but a kiss to her temple brought the smile back to her face.

“Forget them all. Just skate with me.” Adrien’s warm breath tickled her ear, his voice soothing.

That old thrill and resolve of competition settled over her, while her heart burst with incredulous joy at the presence of Adrien beside her, belonging to each other at last. She squeezed his hand and they stepped out to soar around the rink together, waving and smiling as the crowd cheered in excitement.

Adrien couldn’t help but glance up to the box they had reserved for his father. His stomach clenched at the sight of the empty seat. He took a breath as a familiar but painful rush of disappointment swept through him. Just as Adrien was about to look away, though, there he was, sinking into his seat. Adrien’s heart swelled and his grin spread wide again as he waved to the crowd, turning to catch up with Marinette, whose face was shining with delight. From the distance, he didn’t notice that Gabriel Agreste had almost fallen into his seat, as if exhausted from a great effort.

The lights went down a little, and Adrien and Marinette came together for their starting pose. The crowd quieted, and the rink was still with anticipation. The two skaters let everything fall away, bursting with feeling to share with the world.

The first bars of music wafted over the ice, before the northern end of the rink was blasted apart by a deafening explosion.

Chapter Text

Marinette and Adrien clutched each other, staggering in surprise, ears ringing painfully from the blast.

Through a haze of ice crystals and dust, two figures stepped onto the rink. They wore shining skin-tight blue and white suits. His hair was coiffed and glittering, hers in an intricate updo of twists and swirls. Their skates sparkled, sharp and dangerous. Their faces were curled in spite, eyes cold with hatred.

Adrien’s face paled in shock. “Two akumas? That-that’s not..possible? Is it?”

The breath left Marinette’s body for an instant as the realization hit her. The man’s eyes had chilled her before. “It’s Michel and Viktoriya.”

The male figure threw back his head and laughed a malicious laugh, addressing the whole rink. The audience was terrified but transfixed, and the villains blocked the exit.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, you came to see champions, but were given children and has-beens instead!” His voice was piercing. “I am Malice, come to claim what is rightfully mine!” He brandished a whip that gleamed and twirled like a frozen stream.

The female figure leapt and spun in the air. Adrien gasped as an ice bomb appeared in her hands. “I am Sangfroid!” She cried, her voice scratchy with rage. “Victory is always mine! And you will not take from us!” She threw the bomb into the air, sending sharp ice shards raining down.

“You think you can punch me now, Nettie?” Malice screamed, cracking his whip.

A child’s wail carried through the rink and Marinette jolted to attention, just as Malice and Sangfroid launched themselves at her and Adrien. Her brain flashed back to playing tag after skating practice.

“Circles!” she cried, releasing Adrien’s hand to skate straight towards the oncoming villains. “Marinette!!” Adrien screamed, panicked as he saw them bearing down on her. Marinette felt the timing in her bones, and leaned hard into her edges to swerve around them. Malice and Sangfroid nearly collided, cursing, as Marinette sprinted around them in an arc, circling back towards Adrien who was standing still in shock.

“Adrien, move!” Marinette screamed, and he came to, gaining momentum so Marinette could grab his hand and whiplash them both forward to get off the ice.

“You have to hide!” Her heart squeezed with pain as she struggled to square becoming Ladybug with leaving him alone. She could hear ice bombs going off again and knew there wasn’t much time.

“You too, go!” Adrien was in a similar state of panic.

Marinette sprinted awkwardly down the padded hall towards the lobby and Adrien rushed to the dressing room, minds spinning with concern, blood boiling for a fight.

…………..

A scream tore from Alain’s throat as an ice bomb exploded in the coach’s box, blasting the bench apart.

“You never like us, hm?” Sangfroid cackled at his distress, casually tossing and catching an ice bomb. Malice flashed over and sprayed more ice into Alain’s face.

“Never thought I deserved to be a champion, did you?!” Malice cried. He cracked his whip across Alain, wrapping him up in the icy tail. “Always blamed me for Nettie falling on her head, didn’t you!?” He jerked the whip, cruelly jerking Alain onto the ice. The whip held him absolutely still, face frozen in fright, but his eyes glared fiercely out at what Michel had become.

Suddenly, the crowd cheered, and both Malice and Sangfroid looked up in angry confusion as Ladybug swung down from the ceiling, figure skates as red and spotted as the rest of her suit.

“Release him.” Her eyes flashed dangerously.

Malice smirked, raking his eyes up and down her figure. Marinette’s stomach turned, but Ladybug’s fury just grew hotter.

“Look, Sangfroid, she took the bait.” Sangfroid gave a nasty giggle, grasping an ice bomb in each hand.

“I am loving these odds,” she leered, languidly skating backwards in an arc, putting Ladybug between the two villains.

“And you know what’s best?” Malice drew out the words, and Marinette’s worst memories of Michel shone through him. “I have it on good authority….” he jerked his whip, flipping Alain painfully for emphasis, “…that Chat Noir can’t skate worth a damn.”

Ladybug’s blood ran cold as the severity of the situation sank over her.

Malice laughed and jerked his whip back, causing Alain to fall heavily to the ice. He launched himself at Ladybug, arm raised to bring the whip down on her. Ladybug tensed to dodge and block, maneuvering to keep both Malice and Sangfroid in her peripheral vision.

Suddenly, Malice’s eyes popped in surprise as a black figure whizzed by, a silver baton sweeping the legs out from under him.

“Ladybug, lookout!” Chat Noir cried, taking a baseball swing at the ice bomb aimed at Ladybug’s head. The bomb exploded back in Sangfroid’s face, making her sputter furiously. Chat Noir braked hard and came right back to an astonished Ladybug.

“But, you.. when?!” She spluttered in surprise, pointing at his black skates.

“Icy you are surpr-ice-d, My Lady,” Chat Noir cooed, circling her flirtatiously.

“Pleasantly, chaton!” Ladybug could sing she was so relieved. “Seems our double akumas are less chill about it, though.”

Chat Noir grinned in delight, but Malice and Sangfroid had recovered, beautiful features purple with rage and shock. They circled towards each other and whispered, darting looks at the two heroes, who circled as well, uneasy about what to expect.

With alarming speed, Sangfroid hurled an ice bomb at Ladybug and Chat Noir’s feet. It exploded on impact, sending shards of ice up at their faces. The heroes shielded their eyes and coughed, before a terrible blow sent them both flying into the wall, breathless.

“Whaathehell!?” gasped Chat Noir, back cracking.

“Body blow!” Ladybug watched the recoil of the move. Malice had spun Sangfroid’s legs into them.

“Lookout!” Ladybug cried, as another ice bomb came at them. They scrambled in different directions, continuing to leap and dodge the hail of ice bombs.

Now Malice had Sangfroid over his head in a lift, so she could pelt them with bombs. The professional ice skating was really coming in handy.

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir cried, dodging and feinting crazily, thanking his lucky stars he had learned to skate so well. “We’ve got to...ice-olate them!”

Ladybug couldn’t hide her smile, despite the serious situation. “Good idea, Chat! I’ll go low!”

Ladybug dove and slid, shooting out her yoyo to wrap around Malice’s legs and yanking them out from under him. Sangfroid got a gut full of baton on her way down, screaming as Chat Noir yanked her away from her partner.

Malice’s frozen whip flailed out, catching Ladybug across the chest. The cold burned deep, and she coughed painfully as she tried to get to her feet before Malice did. A hand gripped her ankle and pulled, sending her crashing down again.

“You can’t beat me, you nothing bug.” His voice was low with evil. “You’re worthless and weak.” With unbelievable strength he picked her up with one arm and threw her into the wall again.

Ladybug’s back slammed hard into the resin, and her chest still burned. Her elbows rang with vibrations, knees stiff with shock. She was vaguely aware of Chat Noir battling Sangfroid across the ice, explosions and clinks of the baton ringing out. Malice advanced on her, slowly, with poison in his gaze.

The smell in the air was metallic and cold. Far away, Marinette and Adrien’s skating music was still playing. Time slowed in Ladybug’s mind, and the music filled her, swirling up a tornado of feelings and memories deep inside. Michel’s face, sneering, putting her down. “You’re crazy, Nettie, it’s no big deal.” Adrien’s steady gaze at the lake. Tikki emerging from her Miraculous for the first time. The ice rushing up at her as Michel lost his grip. Chat Noir leaping to protect her, again and again. Her parent’s faces, devastated. Her classmates cheering. Alain greeting her. Adrien kissing her. Michel pulling a quadruple lutz. Michel retching on the floor. Malice throwing her into the wall with one arm. The swirl of her blue skirt, Adrien’s green eyes, a black tail, a red suit, show lights, crying, twirling, connecting…thoughts rushed and crashed over each other as Marinette’s old fears churned with Ladybug’s fury, competition confidence swirling with superhero certainty, mixing wildly with her heartbeats and the blood pumping in her ears.

Ladybug’s eyes snapped open.

This was the battle for her identities, and she intended to win.

Chapter Text

Ladybug remained motionless, pretending to be hurt as Malice advanced on her, but her hand tightened on her yo-yo.

“Not so cocky now, are you?” Malice leered, looming over her. “I think I’ll crush you like the bug you a—”

A red yo-yo bashed him in the nose as Ladybug pushed off from the wall, sliding through his legs towards open ice.

Chat Noir heard a sickening crunch and he whipped around to see blood spurting from Malice’s nose. He looked distinctly less beautiful now, and Chat Noir was internally thrilled by it.

“Ice shot, My Lady!” he crowed, only to be brought swiftly back to reality as an ice bomb blasted him off his feet.

Ladybug grabbed him by the hand as she whizzed by, his leather suit slipping easily along the ice. He managed to get to his feet and they zoomed around together, trying to catch their breath. Ladybug frowned a little at the familiarity of their hand grip, but shook it off, thanking her lucky stars again that Chat Noir had, miraculously, learned to skate.

Malice and Sangfroid took advantage of their distraction and split to circle them, attacking from each side. Back to back, Ladybug and Chat Noir spun yo-yo and baton to hold them off.

Ladybug gritted her teeth as sweat dripped into her eyes and stung. She didn’t like being on the defensive like this, and didn’t like to admit that two akumas were much harder than one.

Chat Noir slipped for an instant, and saw Malice’s whip lash out towards Ladybug, who was battling a volley of ice bombs from the other direction.

“Ladybug, watch out!” he cried, reaching out to tug her hand.

Ladybug’s body responded automatically, snapping towards him in a twirl, and like Marinette and Adrien had practiced hundreds of times, Chat Noir turned her back into a dip, the most obvious thing in the world.

They blinked at each other, and something deep in his chest clicked into place.

Ladybug’s eyes suddenly widened. “Spin out!” she said urgently, and he obeyed, barely twirling them out of the way as Sangfroid slammed down, landing where they had stood just a moment before.

Ladybug and Chat Noir sped away, arms connected in a promenade. Malice skated towards them, ready to strike. Ladybug nodded imperceptibly and Chat Noir tightened his grip on her waist. Her feet left the ground as he switched his hips, sending her knee into Malice’s stomach with a thump. Malice flipped over his head onto his back with a smack, the wind knocked out of him.

“Just-ice is served, you popsicle!” Chat Noir yelled, setting Ladybug down gently. He couldn’t resist celebrating with a spin.

“Chat, enough, help me find the akumas!” Fear and hope twisted madly in her stomach, but she didn’t have time or energy to articulate them, couldn’t let emotion guide her anywhere but to the end of this fight.

“The gems, Ladybug, her hip and his shoulder.”

“Let’s finish this then.” They were getting tired, and they both knew it.

“My thoughts, prec-ice-ly, LB.” She would never admit it, but the puns secretly kept her going.

“Lucky Charm!”

A tiny red and black spotted package fell into Ladybug’s hands.

“Chewing gum!? At a time like this?” Ladybug’s mind raced, looking around at the rink. She saw Alain, huddled painfully by the coach box, and a childhood memory swam up to the surface, Alain laughing and laughing at her as she slid and sprawled again and again. It was a lesson she never forgot.

“That’s it!” Ripping open the package, she reached for Chat Noir. “Be a good kitty, now, and chew!” She shoved two pieces of gum in his mouth, and another in her own, chomping furiously. Chat Noir had never looked so confused, but he obeyed, chewing away the sugar as they circled the rink, dodging ice bombs, Ladybug searching for openings to execute her plan.

Ladybug spat the gum into her hand and then held it out to Chat Noir, who grimaced.

“Cheer up chaton, we’re sharing spit like you’ve always wanted!” His mouth opened with indignation, and Ladybug delicately plucked the gum from his mouth. She giggled, then became serious.

Malice and Sangfroid gripped each other’s arms tight, free hands brandishing their weapons. They started towards Ladybug and Chat Noir, a human tripwire at terrifying speed.

“Get me under them.”

There was no time to question the coincidences, there was only a desperate assumption based on the absolute trust in her gut and bones. With grace and speed, Ladybug took Chat Noir’s hand and started circling. Their bodies became taught and their balance became one as they sank towards the ice together.

Malice and Sangfroid bore down on them, faces twisting from pure venom to surprise as Ladybug’s body swung out at their feet in a perfect death spiral, human trip wires at odds. The villains leapt over her one by one to avoid a crushing faceplant, as Ladybug’s hand darted out almost too quickly to be seen.

Chat Noir straightened, pulling Ladybug upright again, completing their circle just in time to see Malice and Sangfroid slip crazily instead of landing their leaps.

Malice snarled and tried to stand, but his skates swooped out from under him again, landing him hard on his butt. Sangfroid jumped up, only to crash down onto her face, screaming with rage. The stuck chewing gum rendered their skates useless, and the two villains floundered comically on the ice, faces purple, hair disheveled.

Ladybug laughed happily as the rink erupted in cheers. She swiftly wrapped the two villains up in her yo-yo, arms pinned and feet useless. Chat Noir kicked away their weapons and ripped the purple gems from their costumes, tossing them to Ladybug to crush under her skate blade.

Two black butterflies struggled out, and Ladybug quickly purified them, noting the identical markings amidst the crazy flurry of emotions and thoughts whirling inside her.

“Miraculous Ladybug!” She tossed the remains of the gum package into the air, and the crowd cheered again as the rink was restored, perfect strangers hugging each other with relief.

Chat Noir held out a fist to bump, but Ladybug held up a hand.

“This isn’t over yet.”

Michel and Viktoriya still lay on the ice, bewildered, but neither hero had much sympathy for them.

“Get up.” Ladybug stood over Michel, whose face faltered, trying to find his comfortable sneer. When he hesitated, she grabbed him by his collar and yanked him to his feet. A hush fell over the crowd as she dragged him swiftly across the ice, his skates scrabbling to keep up with her.

Alain, Henri, and Jacqueline stared in shock as the savior of Paris came towards them.

“Ah, Ladybug, thank y--” Henri began, charm turned as high as it could go. Ladybug gave him a look that shut him up fast.

With a pointed look at Alain, she released Michel, letting him crumple to his knees in front of them.

“I recommend you investigate this young man for doping.”

Chapter Text

Henri’s mouth opened and closed like a surprised goldfish. Jacqueline pulled out her cell phone, mouth a tight line. With a small exhale, Alain’s face went from bewildered to ‘of course.’

Michel looked nauseous.

“Come now, Ladybug, what’s this? Michel is—” Henri was pale and blustering.

“It’s just a suggestion. Have a pleasant evening.” She gave the crowd a wave and started towards the exit.

“Ladybug, wait!”

She turned back to see Alain looking at her carefully.

“Yes?”

He hesitated.

“Tell Marinette I’m sorry.” Alain held her gaze for a moment, eyes gentle but certain.

She fixed a smile, struggling to stay calm. “You’ll have to tell her yourself.”

Her earrings beeped loudly and she turned away, grateful for an excuse to leave. She scanned the rink, but Chat Noir was nowhere to be seen.

………………….

By the time Ladybug could find a safe place to land on skates and transform and not be out of place in her skating dress, Marinette was beside herself to make sure Adrien was ok.

She burst into the dressing room. Adrien sat with his head in his hands, skates in a pile next to him. He looked up as she came in.

They looked at each other, not saying anything. A hundred questions pressed at Adrien’s lips. A thousand feelings swirled behind Marinette’s eyes, joy and pain and confusion battling in her heart. She longed for the day that she had cried in his arms.

He broke the silence first.

“Are we still supposed to perform?” His voice was strained, tentative, and he wondered if it conveyed as many meanings as he intended.

“Adrien, we..” she too, was full of implications. “We can’t.” Her heart beat wildly. Alain already knows! She thought frantically, the whole world will know if they see us skate together after that fight!

He stood and abruptly closed the distance between them, holding her shoulders, mouth open to try to express the whirlwind within him, which he hardly dared to believe but couldn’t possibly discount. Marinette is My Lady… It seemed an impossible hope but every fiber of his physical being knew beyond a shadow of a doubt.

“Marinette, I—”

The dressing room door burst open. Marinette found herself engulfed by Alya’s arms, her friend talking a mile a minute about the greatest Ladybug battle of all time.

Nathalie stood in the doorway, and the look on her face was one Adrien knew not to argue with. It was time to go.

He picked up his wet skates and shouldered his bag. Nathalie coughed pointedly, and Adrien went to the door.

Looking back, his eyes met Marinette’s for a moment. He took her in- eyes brilliantly blue against the skating dress, an expression of longing on her face.

In that instant, he knew he loved her.

……………………………

Marinette had gone straight to bed when she got home.

Her body was wrecked, her mind and heart a twisted knot, her stomach acidic from repeated rushes of adrenaline. She had sunk into the sweet dark escape of sleep with a rush of gratitude.

She awoke to the early light of Sunday coming in her window, surrounded by every blanket, pillow, and stuffed animal she could find to snuggle into.

An image of Adrien looking at her from the dressing room door came back to her, and then the day before came back in a deluge. Adrien, the akumas, the fight, the fear, the skating, the vengeance, the certainty she had yet to put into words.

But sleep had dulled the sharp edges just a little, and she felt a heavy clarity as she got dressed, quickly pulling on her leggings and a few layers. Her heart ached a little as she shouldered her skating bag, the movement heavy with memories.

“Marinette?” Tikki’s voice was tender, tentative.

“Come on Tikki. I have to do something.”

Marinette left a note for her parents and slipped out of the house, snuggling deep into her scarf against the chill.

It was early, but the papers were already out. Familiar spots caught Marinette’s eye as she passed newsstands.

Ladybug on Skates, Euro Champ Disgrace!

DuRond Caught Doping

Blades of Glory: Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Most Epic Battle

Marinette allowed herself a small smile. Just-ice is served, Michel.

………………….

Marinette let herself into the rink, that same heavy familiarity settling over her as she, pushed through the heavy doors and took in the smell.

Light spilled from Alain’s office, where she heard scuffling and bumping. She padded over softly, looking in from the doorway.

Alain was packing the last of everything into boxes. He looked up to see Marinette, and his face softened. A warm silence stretched between them, heavy but comforting.

“This is for you.” He reached behind a pile of things and held out a picture frame. There she was, 11 years old, holding up her gold medal and beaming with pride. Her bouquet of flowers was practically as big as she was.

Marinette’s lip trembled and she stepped forward to be engulfed in a tight, comforting embrace.

“I’m going to Lyons,” he said, voice a little muffled by her hair. “There’s a training program that needs coaches.”

“But, Alain, your rink..?”

“Henri is right, I can’t manage it. But most importantly,” he squeezed and drew back to look into her eyes, trying to convey volumes in just a few words.

“Paris is yours.”

Marinette knew exactly what he meant, but couldn’t speak around lump in her throat.

“And Marinette.” He looked at her with all the pride of a beloved coach. “I couldn’t leave her in better hands. Your grace and strength and kindness reach far beyond the rink. I’ve—” his voice cracked a little, “—never been more proud of anyone.”

She dove in for another hug, desperate to express her gratitude.

He chuckled and held her tight. “It’s been an honor. Now go skate, while the rink is still mine, won’t you?”

…………………………..

Adrien was a wreck. He had spent the night pacing, turning every fight with Ladybug and every moment with Marinette over in his mind, confirming everything he knew, only to flop on his bed in frustration that they had been pulled apart at the crucial moment.

He had picked up his phone to call her six hundred times, but always tossed it aside again.

“I mean, what do I say, Plagg? ‘Hey, I think we’re superheroes together, not sure if you know too, I’m in love with you, call me?’”

“Sounds good to me, Adrien..” Plagg said drowsily.

“Aaaurgh! What if she doesn’t want to admit it? What if we can’t be together because it’s too dangerous? What if…” his chest was bursting with hope, “…what if everything is perfect, and we just need to talk about it, I mean she said yes, she said ‘I’m yours,’ and it was the greatest moment ever…” He sighed and sat heavily on his bed. Part of him wanted to transform and blow off steam, but suddenly he was sick of being Chat Noir, half of a secret puzzle instead of openly adoring of the girl he knew he loved.

Finally, in the wee hours of the morning, he slept, restlessly, dreams of skating with Ladybug as himself, of Malice stealing Marinette away, of Chat Noir slipping and scrabbling at the ice, unable to stop them.

After standing in the shower, motionless, for 40 minutes, Adrien made up his mind. He had to see her. He knew the uncertainty would kill him otherwise.

“Come on, Plagg.” He ran a hand through his hair, noticed the circles under his eyes. “Maybe I don’t need to worry about a thing.”

………………………

Sabine was setting up the coffee pot when the doorbell rang.

“Tom, can you get that?”

He put down the paper and opened the door to find a disheveled Adrien shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

“Adrien! What a nice surprise, come on in, son.”

Sabine came out, wiping her hands on a towel.

“Adrien honey, are you ok?”

He nodded, face drawn, trying not to break down in the face of such kindness.

“Is, um…” he struggled, “is Marinette here? I…I need to talk to her.”

Tom and Sabine exchanged glances.

“She’s not, actually, she left a note saying she went to the rink.”

Adrien just nodded, his shoulders sagging. “Thank you, sorry to bother,” he said softly, turning to go.

“Now wait just a moment there, son. Sit down and eat something, we insist. Coffee? You look like you haven’t slept a wink.”

Despite his feeble protests, Adrien found himself in a chair with a steaming bowl of café au lait in front of him. The warmth of it all was overwhelming, and he buried his face in his hand, trying not to cry.

The next thing he knew, he was engulfed by four arms in a hug. No demands, no questions, just comforting support. Adrien couldn’t hold it back anymore and he cried, tears running down his face as exhaustion and worry rushed over him, mixed with the ache of a long ago memory.

When he quieted, Sabine and Tom pulled away, handing him a hanky and patting his back. He smiled a little and blew his nose, leaning forward to put his elbows on the table.

“Drink up, it’ll do you good,” Sabine said, buttering a piece of bread for him. “Then you can go find Marinette.”

Adrien nodded and cupped the warm bowl in his hands. The milk was rich and the drink warmed him all the way to his toes. The bread was fresh and warm, with butter and jam.

He looked up at them and smiled shakily. “Thank you.”

Sabine passed him another piece of bread. “Have you seen the paper? Apparently Michel was using steroids! I knew he was a snake, but a cheat, as well?”

“Yeah, I heard that Ladybug tipped them off,” Adrien said quietly, looking down into his bowl.

“I wonder how she knew…but then, she’s the superhero!” Tom laughed.

Feeling restored and unwilling to delay his mission any longer, Adrien drained his coffee.

“Thank you so much, both of you.. I can’t.. I mean I don’t…” he stumbled. Tom put a big hand on his shoulder.

“Of course, son. You are welcome here anytime. We’re sorry we didn’t get to see you skate yesterday, but we’re glad you’re safe.”

“Bring Marinette home for lunch, won’t you?” Sabine said, smiling.

“I’ll try,” he said, pulling on his coat. He headed to the rink, feeling a hundred times lighter.

Chapter Text

Adrien came in through the dark lobby, as he had so many times. He bumped into a box outside of Alain’s door and looked in, taking in the bare walls.

His thoughts were too scattered to wonder about the state of the office. Strains of music came to him and he moved towards the rink as though pulled.

The music greeted him as he pushed through the doors to the rink. Adrien’s breath caught in his throat.

Alain and Marinette were out on the ice, almost floating together through the sad, sweet melody. There was a lingering quality to their movements, as though they were reluctant to release each other. They swept along and turned and intertwined across the ice, and it was both exquisite and painful to watch. Like liquid, Marinette swirled around and up into a lift above Alain’s head, and Adrien gasped at the aching beauty of it, and again when she melted back down. Alain’s skill was such that he could be nearly invisible to display her and then emerge again, with unique feeling.

The piece ended with a low spin, her body curled around his, heads nestled together. Silence stretched after the final note. Gently, Alain stood and Marinette’s feet touched down, but they held each other tightly. Adrien had a lump in his throat from the piece, and could feel a bittersweet finality permeating the rink, undoubtedly connected to those boxes in Alain’s office.

Alain kissed the top of Marinette’s head and said something, too softly for Adrien to hear. Marinette nodded a little and swiped at her face with her sleeve as they broke apart. Alain lifted her hand and kissed it, then turned to go.

“Adrien.”

Adrien started a little, realizing that Alain was approaching him, a wistful smile on his face.

“You’re leaving?”

Alain nodded. “I must.” He surveyed Adrien for a moment, head tilted just a little. “If you had walked into class five years ago...” he mused, almost to himself. “But no,” he said, more forcefully, “you have more important things to do now. It has been a pleasure, though, Adrien.” Alain held out his hand.

Adrien took it, but found himself pulled in for a tight hug. He had come to like and admire Alain, and the feeling of finality in the air had now settled fully upon Adrien’s shoulders.

“Thank you, Alain,” he said, hoping to convey how much he meant it.

“Thank you. But enough,” Alain said, glancing back towards the ice, “I’m keeping you from your partner.”

Adrien nodded, his mind tugging at the way Alain said partner. Suddenly a wave of feeling rose up from his feet and he swayed, his vision doubling weirdly. A strong hand gripped his elbow.

“Easy now.” Adrien took deep breaths and steadied himself, digging down for his resolve. Alain’s voice was kind. “She chose well, Adrien. Show her that.”

With a final squeeze of Adrien’s arm, Alain returned to his boxes.

Adrien straightened and glanced up to find Marinette looking at him from the middle of the ice, arms tightly hugging herself like that first day of skating class. Adrien walked to the gate, eyes never leaving hers.

He didn’t have skates on. A chasm of silence was between them, both looking and knowing, but not knowing what to say or what not to say, both hopeful and scared and excited and exhausted and nervous.

Marinette is my Ladybug, Adrien thought, and I’m Chat Noir. Suddenly the silence was too silent, the seriousness too serious. Adrien stepped onto the ice and started shuffling towards her as fast as he could in his shoes, flailing wildly. Marinette’s mouth opened in shock as he inevitably pitched forward and dove towards her, sliding on his belly.

Chat Noir’s first time on skate’s flashed to Marinette’s mind and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud, a little warmth returning to her stomach and fingertips.

Adrien flopped over onto his back and looked up at her mischievously.

“Don’t you dare…” Marinette said, but to no avail. He rolled into her legs and caught her as she pitched over on top of him with a shriek. Their faces were inches apart, and that crooked grin was inescapable.

“Ice of you to drop by, Princess!”

Chapter Text

“Ice of you to drop by, Princess!”

Chat Noir’s cheeky adoration shone like a light from Adrien’s green eyes.

Ladybug rolled her eyes with practiced resignation, but a giggle bubbled up from deep down in Marinette’s belly, and it was like a spring being uncorked. Giggles turned to gales of laughter, and Adrien joined in, both of them lying sprawled on top of each other on the ice, cracking up.

The knot of worry in Marinette’s stomach was shaken loose as she laughed, rolling off of Adrien onto her back, clutching her sides. Her smiling face eased the tension aching in his shoulders. The absurdity of their own lives had hit them like a train, and laughing was the only rational response after so much pent up anxiety and fear.

Marinette sighed, only to be set off again. Adrien struggled to sit up, only to collapse into giggles once more.

Finally, they quieted, wiping the tears from their faces, taking deep breaths, staring up at the ceiling of the rink. Her hand found his.

“When did you know?” The clarity that Marinette felt was wonderful.
“When we did the dip during the fight with Malice and Sangfroid.” Adrien felt wonderful too. “But I think it just confirmed something I already felt.”

“I know what you mean. I didn’t let myself put it into words but then when we did the death spiral I had to accept that I had known for a while, on some level.” She laced her fingers into his and squeezed.

There was a small silence as Adrien struggled to find words. Questions were starting to pile up again.

“Is it.. I mean, do you…” He took a nervous breath. “Are you disappointed? That its…me?” His heart fluttered like a butterfly.

Marinette sat up abruptly and stared at him. “Are you kidding!?” she spluttered, “of course not, I mean, its all unbelievable, its too good to be true, I think…” She bit her lip, brow furrowed. “Is it too good to be true?”

Adrien sat up and looked intently into her eyes, taking both her hands in his. His heart beat wildly with all the ways he wanted to say how much he felt for her.

“Its way too good, but it is true. The truth, Marinette, is that I asked you to be mine, but what I meant is that I’m yours. Totally, completely, head over heels, for ever and always yours, no matter what you’re wearing or doing or what your name is. I’m only embarrassed that it took ice skating to make me see you for all that you are.”

Marinette’s blue eyes were wide and searching. Her lip slipped from her teeth and she swallowed. “Y-you meant that?” A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Adrien felt a smile tugging at his too. “I was a little blinded by Ladybug, I admit, but skating with you showed me that Marinette is the strong one, the kind one, the one who can do anything she sets her mind to, and just as I chose you I found out I didn’t have to choose at all.” He felt warm despite the hard ice underneath them. “I’m yours, My Lady.”

Marinette felt that flicker in her belly and took in his beautiful, smiling face. The small smile split into a grin, and the weight of her worries and the grief of uncertainty lifted off her. Their faces drew closer as though pulled, and the flicker became a flame.

“And I’m yours, chaton.” Their lips met softly, sweetly, as they marveled at the newness and completeness of the moment, the weight and weightlessness of finding each other whole.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and he circled her waist, pressing into each other and kissing around big smiles, giggling and searching. Adrien leaned back and pulled her onto him, paying no mind to the giant empty rink or the cold pressing against his back.

Marinette’s mind wandered away as they kissed, warmth and gladness permeating her body, deliciously incredulous at her ladybug luck.

Adrien pulled away a few inches to take her in, panting a little and unable to keep a smile from his swollen lips.

“That’s twenty-five thousand times, Marinette.”

Her eyebrows shot up and she threw her head back to laugh, a deep, happy laugh at the realizations rolling in. She landed a kiss on his nose.

“Twenty-five thousand and one, Adrien.”

With a final smooch she pushed herself off of him and got to her feet, offering him a hand. There was a truly Ladybug look on her face, warning him not to knock her over again. Grinning, Adrien took the hand and stood up carefully.

“Shall we find some common ground, bugaboo?” Adrien teased, noting Marinette’s 4-inch advantage on skates.

A wistful expression came over her face as she looked around the rink, and Adrien realized his mistake.

“I’m so sorry, Marinette, I didn’t mean—of course you can stay, I—” She shook her head to cut him off.

“No, no, we can go..” she said, shrugging a little. “Did Alain tell you? He’s going to Lyons to coach.” She took Adrien’s hands. “He…well, he knows. He saw it. And we can’t.. I mean, it’s too risky..” She trailed off, scuffing her toe pick against the ice.

Adrien didn’t know what to say. “I’m so sorry, Marinette.” His voice was soft. “I know how important skating is to you.”

Her eyes were wet but she smiled at him and squeezed his hands. “Oh Adrien, don’t apologize. I’ll miss it, yeah, but honestly…the best thing I got out of skating was you.” She blushed a little. “Well…us.” She went to duck her head but a hand caught her chin, and a kiss landed on her mouth.

Adrien’s voice was warm. “Good thing a cute girl taught me how.”

“Good thing Alya set us up.” Marinette laughed and swiped her eyes with her sleeve. “She’s going to love this-- what we can tell her, anyway.”

A thought that had been nagging Adrien couldn’t be held back anymore. “How did you know Michel was doping?” He blurted out.

“Oh!” Marinette chuckled drily, barely skating beside him as he started shuffling towards the gate. “It was Chloe, actually, with that magazine. Michel had a cigarette and something just sort of clicked. He’s always been arrogant but smoking? For a pro athlete, that’s a red flag. So I went home and went through footage, especially since he teamed up with Volkov. Russians, you know? Doping isn’t just common, its often state funded! So I watched him in practice and it just didn’t fit, what he was capable of paired up with his habits and his age level. But I knew nobody would listen to me, so I.. took advantage of the opportunity and let Ladybug do it.”

“Is that why he was so…angry, too?” Adrien asked, remembering a distant detail from health class.

Marinette scoffed. “No, that was all natural.” She glanced at Adrien, her own question pressing at her lips. “Were you following him? You know, as Chat Noir?”

Adrien looked down guiltily. “Yeah…it was hard not to…I mean he was so terrible to you! But I think you served him pretty well. That punch! That was incredible!” He opened the gate and gratefully set his feet on solid ground.

Marinette stepped down off the ice. “Really? I’m kind of embarrassed about it. Ladybug should know better.”

“It was sexy.”

She blushed bright red and stared at him in surprise. “I- what!?”

“It was! Can’t I tell you that?” Adrien stepped close to her and kissed her jaw. “Plagg says I have a type, you know.”

“Plagg? Is that your k-kwami?” Marinette was flushed and flustered.

Adrien kissed her earlobe, smelling her hair, enjoying her blush. He felt warm too. “Yep.” He kissed her neck, hands on her waist. “He says I like strong,” kiss, “confident,” kiss, “women” kiss, “who are better at things,” kiss, “than me.” With a final kiss to her lips he drew back, surveying the damage.

Her eyes were a little glassy against brilliantly pink cheeks. She shook her pigtails and coughed a little, trying to compose herself. She laughed a little.

“You know, when Tikki said Chat Noir wanted to kiss me, I thought she was crazy,” Marinette mused, hands reaching up to tangle in Adrien’s hair, scratching lightly behind his ears. His face immediately relaxed and he pressed into her hands. She laughed and took advantage, kissing up his neck and under his chin, and he inhaled sharply, shuddering a little and stepping away from her abruptly, face a deep red.

Marinette laughed and sauntered away to the dressing room, smirking back at him. He grinned and followed, devising ways to get back at her. His phone rang in his pocket and he grimaced, answering as he pushed through the door.

“Hi Nathalie. Yes, I’m at the rink with Marinette, I swear I told—”

His face froze in surprise. Marinette looked up from where she was untying her skates.

“Wait, really?! Can I tell---” He was grinning. “Thank you Nathalie! Tell him thanks from me, ok!? Ok, yes.” A pause. “Ok bye! Thank you!”

He turned to Marinette, face in a huge grin. She raised her eyebrows.

“You got the internship!”

“WHAT!?” Marinette shrieked and leapt into his open arms. “Oh my god!”

He lifted her off her feet and spun around, jubilant.

“You deserve it! My dad did something right for once!” He hugged her fiercely.

An insistent buzzing came from her skating bag. She squeezed him again, grinning, and went to grab her phone. She grimaced a little at the number before answering on speaker phone.

“Henri, hello.” Adrien looked at her in surprise.

“Marinette! My darling! How are you?” She rolled her eyes.

“I’m very well, Henri, thank you.” Her voice was polite but wary.

“Wonderful, I have wonderful news for you and that handsome Adrien of yours.”

“Ok.” Marinette had a sinking feeling. Adrien took her hand.

“You’ll never guess so I’ll tell you.” Henri paused for dramatic effect. “Now I know I didn’t see you skate because of that horrid interruption.” Marinette and Adrien smirked at each other. “But Jacqueline tells me I would be crazy not to, so I have picked you two for the open spot on the French National Team!”

Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Adrien gaped at the phone.

Henri blustered on. “We’re so excited to have such wonderful young skaters, and of course your story is so inspiring! And you can train right there in Paris, and I’ve already found some wonderful sponsors and—”

“Henri.” Marinette cut him off. She was looking hard at Adrien, who closed his mouth and shook his head, face serious. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m afraid we have to turn it down.”

There was a silence. Marinette could picture his speechless goldfish face.

“But, Marinette, this- this opportunity is unheard of! I mean, you’re so talented, and you two have that- that spark, and you can.. stay in Paris and, I mean, what about what Adrien wants?” Henri didn’t take rejection well.

“I’m in agreement with Marinette,” Adrien said coolly.

“Oh! Adrien, hello, but, but…why not?” Henri was seriously flustered.

Marinette’s smile was so cat-like, Adrien was a little taken aback. She winked at him.

“Believe it or not, Henri, we have…more important things to do.”

“Have a good day,” Adrien said, hanging up the phone and dropping it back onto Marinette’s bag on his way in for a kiss.

A laugh bubbled from Marinette’s lips as she kissed back, hard, losing all sense of time. She protested when he pulled away, trying to close the gap between their lips again and again.

“Mari!” he laughed, giving in to another kiss before holding her at arms length. “Mari, are you sure you don’t want to skate, like really skate, like you were supposed to?” His face was earnest, determined to make anything work for the girl in his arms.

She smiled brilliantly at him. “Who says this is my last chance?” She leaned in again, blue eyes dancing, looking deep into green. A lifetime of excitement and joy spread before her like a glittering ocean, and she kissed the corner of his mouth with delight.

“We’re superheroes, after all.”

Chapter Text

“And here they come, exquisitely dressed as always, and you can hear the crowd.” The female announcers voice was warm. “They are such fan favorites, John, I think that no matter what they come away with today we can safely say this will be the most talked about performance at the Grand Prix this year.”

“I have to agree with you there, Kelly, but let’s not forget that they are favored to win gold, just to top off the most remarkable comeback in skating history, not to mention on top of their other accomplishments. I mean, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste have just brought a whole new meaning to the term ‘power couple.’”

“That’s true John, it’s almost like they have super powers or something! They are just beautiful together, and no matter what happens here tonight, the best day of their lives was just last week when they got married in downtown Paris.”

Two figures in matching purple costumes breezed around the rink, waving and smiling to the crowd. The camera panned in on their faces as they came together for their starting pose.

A little girl with her black hair in pigtails leaned closer to the screen as the music started.

“And they’re off, Kelly, can you believe that synchronicity. Excellent technique, of course, but the emotion is what people are really here to see with these two, the way they move together. Ok here we go…” The crowd cheered. “And you can hear the response to that lift, so smooth and beautiful.”

“And coming up, their signature move, watch how close she gets to the ice on this one, John. They are the ones to beat with this move, doing more rotations in the death spiral than anyone else, the power and grace here is just unrivaled.”

A tall man looked into the darkened room. “Emma, sweetie, what are you doing? It’s dinner time!” He came over and knelt down, kissing the girl’s head.

“Just let me finish, please Daddy? You and Mommy are so beautiful!”

He chuckled and gave her a squeeze, taking a deep sniff of her soft hair. “Ok, but as soon as we win you have to turn that off and wash your hands ok?”

“Ok, Daddy.” She was totally absorbed.

Adrien walked back to the kitchen, smiling. He kissed the chubby baby in the high chair, who was waving a wooden spoon around in delight.

“She’s watching our old skating videos again,” he said, wrapping his arms around his wife, who was washing dishes in the sink.

Marinette smiled as he nuzzled into her neck, her arms soapy. “Which one?”

“The Grand Prix. Appropriate, since I think she came into existence that very night...” Adrien nibbled her ear suggestively. Marinette squealed and bumped him with her butt.

“You’re probably right about that. I mean, we were practicing a lot.” She turned around and leaned back against the sink, smirking a little bit. The baby gurgled happily as they kissed, Adrien wrapping her up in his arms.

“Ewwww!” Emma ran over to them and pushed herself between their legs, determined to be part of the hug. They laughed and Adrien scooped her up.

“So, munchkin, did we win at the end?”

“Of course, Daddy! You and Mommy were so pretty!”

“Were?! I’m still pretty, don’t you think, bugaboo?” He leaned in, rubbing his scratchy face on hers to make her squeal. Marinette smiled at the nickname transferal. She fingered the ruby studs Adrien had given her after a new Ladybug was chosen. She shook aside the memory and flipped her daughter’s pigtails.

“Go wash up, Emmy, and I’ll let you feed Hugo.” The little girl scampered off and they leaned against each other, warm and happy.

“We’re pretty good, aren’t we, kitty?” She snuggled his shoulder.

He lifted her chin. After all these years, it still killed him when she looked up at him like that.

“I think you mean pretty miraculous, My Lady.”

Chapter Text

“I have - something - for you!” Marinette said between kisses, giggling as Adrien smothered her with affection in the foyer. He’d just come home from the gym, and she’d leapt into his arms before he’d even put his bag down.

“For me?” he murmured, kissing down her neck, “right now?”

Marinette laughed and tried to extract herself. “Not that, you mangy cat,” she squealed. “Let me go!”

With another smooch, Adrien released her and hung up his coat, revealing comfy joggers and a soft long sleeve shirt. He took off his running shoes and tucked them away in their cubby.

Marinette was fidgeting and bubbly, impatient and excited in a way she usually got about skating. They’d won the Grand Prix just a few weeks ago, though, and after the press swell was over, they’d spent all of their free time settling into their new townhouse.

Adrien was happier than he’d ever been, coming home to her, cooking together, picking out furniture, and cuddling on the couch after dinner.

“Come, chaton, sit down,” Marinette grabbed his hand and pulled him to the living room.

“Impatient, aren’t we, m’lady,” Adrien smiled, curious and teasing.

“Why yes I am, kitty, so if you’ll just sit down, I’ll go…” and she disappeared into her studio for a moment, coming back with a small, gift-wrapped box.

“Is it a special occasion?” he asked, sitting down in an armchair. Marinette handed him the box and perched on the ottoman facing him, her face bright pink with feeling.

“Why don’t you just open it?” she huffed, and he smirked at her fluster. He hadn’t seen his wife this full of nervous excitement in a long time.

Adrien slowly untied the ribbon and cut the tape with a fingernail, unwrapping the paper with a precision that was clearly making Marinette crazy, her hands bunching at the leggings on her knees.

“You didn’t get me another original Ladybug action figure, did you?” he joked, “Because I —”

The words died on his lips.

Inside the box was a pair of the tiniest skates he’d ever seen, bright white leather with shining blades, nestled in tissue paper.

His Chat brain started another joke automatically (these are much too small for me, my Lady), but then something clicked and he looked up at Marinette as his heart stuck in his throat and swelled to twice it’s normal size.

“M-Mari, you’re- we—?”

He looked down at the skates again, and then back at her. She nodded, her eyes bright with emotion.

With a whoop, Adrien tossed the box aside and stood, scooping her up into his arms and twirling around. She laughed out loud, her big, joyous laugh, and Adrien’s throat swelled as the news crashed down on him. He put her down but held on tight, and Marinette clung to him as his shoulders began to shake. Adrien sobbed into her neck, completely overcome with feeling.

Marinette chuckled and held on as he quieted, her own cheeks wet with tears, too. “You big softy cat,” she crooned.

After a long hug, Adrien finally loosened his grip and raised his tear stained face, smiling and sniffling. Marinette swiped at his cheeks with her sleeve, and then kissed him, hard.

After a long moment, she pulled away and they looked at each other, blue eyes into green, as a swell of love washed over them.

“Say it,” blurted Adrien, an earnest grin on his face.

“Say..? Oh!” Marinette giggled, and kissed him again.

“I’m pregnant!”

She smiled, and then saw the smirk on his face. Her eyes went wide in horror.

“Oh no, don’t —!”

But he couldn’t be stopped.

“Hi, Pregnant,” Adrien beamed. “I’m Dad.”