Chapter Text
B.1Mothers day, and mood swings.
Things Adrian hates include, but not limited too. Traffic jams, pushy fans, Lila, getting turned down by Ladybug, Christmas and Mother's day. The last two for obvious reasons.
"What's that?" Chat asks, looking up from his phone as Marinette opens a fat paper envelope. The paper is yellow from age.
"It's an old style pattern for a classic French apron. I'm going to make it for Mama for mothers day. I got this new fabric with macarons on it I want to use," she says, flattening out the patterns on her sewing table.
"Oh," Chat says, feeling suddenly empty inside.
"Are you getting your mother anything?" Marinette slaps her hand over her mouth but it's too late. She had asked without thinking.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" she says horrified she just asked if he was getting his dead mother a gift.
"It's fine," he says, waving it off, as if the question didn't knock the wind out of him.
"No it's not! I'm so sorry, Chat! I didn't think! That was a horrible thing for me to ask." she says going over to him.
"It's okay, really. I know it was an accident." he says genuinely understanding it was an accident.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" she says starting to cry.
"Hey! Hey! I said it's okay, I'm not mad at you. Marinette? Marinette? What's wrong?" he asks, now becoming concerned. Her face covered by her hands she sobs. Chat hugs her, rubbing her back and telling her it's alright, concerned at her actions.
"I'm sorry," she says again, finally pulling away from him.
"It's alright, it really is." he assures her again. Marinette wipes her face with her hands looking at them wet from tears. Chat uses the sleeves of his shirt to dry her face. Her cheeks flushed and eyes puffy from crying she blinks at him as if waking up from a daydream.
"Are you okay?" Chat asks, still very concerned.
"I'm okay. I just had a mood swing I think." she says.
"Is that normal?" he asks.
"It.. happens from time to time." Marinette says her cheeks are now going bright red.
"You look warm. You want me to get Papa? Maybe you're sick." he says, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"I'm not sick, Chat, I'm fine." she says, pushing his hand away.
"You're not acting fine."
"Don't worry about it," she says, getting up and going back to her table.
"You just freaked yourself out and cried in my arms for 20min! That is not normal!" he says, getting to his feet to chase her.
"Yes it is!" she growls. He can feel her anger coming off her in waves.
"No it isn't!"
"Yes it is!"
"How is that normal?!" he demands.
"Because I'm on my period you stupid cat!" she yells at him. The room is so quiet she thinks she can hear Tikki choke on her laughter.
"Oh.." he says quietly. His cheeks now creeping red as his brain finally puts her scent and behavior together.
"Ya.. so.. I'm sorry for asking, and sorry for crying... and sorry for getting mad at you. I'm just uncomfortable right now," she says, turning away from him.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" he asks.
She shakes her head, "just don't take anything I say for the next few days too personal okay?"
"Okay,"
.....
"It's nice." Chat says holding up the finished apron Marinette has just tossed him. It is the end of the week and Mother's Day is tomorrow.
"It could use some altering on the next one, but it gets the job done." she says stretching.
"You do good work Marinette, she'll love it." He says folding it carefully and handing it back for her to put in the decorative bag on the table. Next to it lies a card and envelope. Chat feels his guts twist inside. He never got his mother anything much for mother's day. His father usually had something picked out for her from him. Jewelry, clothes, things like that.
When he was really young he would make her cards from scrap paper and glitter. She would always make such a big fuss over them, displaying them on her office table for weeks after proudly. It wasn't until the last few years when he started to feel self-conscious about it for some reason. Even without his experience with others his age, hand made cards with glitter and craft paper didn't seem to fit in with anything else around her. High fashion, gold, sharp edges, clean lines.
So that year he got her a regular card. Noted the best one he could find, but not made by him. She had fussed over it like always, and displayed it on her desk for weeks after. It fits better with everything else around her. Adrian however was unprepared for the feeling of loss when she didn't show any signs of disappointment when not getting one he made himself. But his mother still seemed just as happy, so that was all that mattered.
He blinks when fingers snapping in front of his face bring him back to Marinette's room.
"I'm here, what?" he asks, blinking.
"I said, you can sign the card too." she repeats. "If you want to, that is, if you don't, that's okay too."
"I don't know." he answers.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks. Chat shakes his head no. He's not ready for that conversation yet.
Marinette changes the subject to Acuam attacks and school tests and he's grateful for the topic change, but his gut just won't stop turning as she packs up the gift with care and tissue paper. She signs the card and puts it inside, but he notices she doesn't seal it in case he changes his mind.
He wants to sign it. Voices in his head screaming to sign the damn thing. His heart breaks thinking about it. Every part of him wants to put his name at the bottom of that stupid pieces of paper with flowers printed on it but he can't.
She's not his mother.
Even if he wants her to be.
Just for a little while.
....
"So now what's the problem," Plagg asks as Adrian lays there staring at the ceiling. Everyone gone to bed around him. Gift on the kitchen table mocking him from across the room. Plagg sits next to him on a plate with small squares of cheese on it.
"It's nothing," he says.
"It's something, so what is it," Plagg pushes.
Adrian opens his mouth to answer, but closes it again when he can't find the words that don't sound stupid.
"Adrian?"
"I want to sign the card," he says quietly. There he said it.
"So then go sign it."
"I can't!"
"Why?!"
"Because she's not my mother!" he hisses.
"What's your point?" Plagg asks plainly.
"That is my point!" Adrian says waving his hands in the air.
"That's a pretty stupid point if you ask me." Plagg says, taking another bite of his cheese.
"No one is asking you." Adrian reminds him bitterly.
"Oh my god kid! Listen! Do you think your real mother would be upset if you gave Sabine a card?" Plagg says
"No," Adrian answers because that isn't something his mother would be upset about.
"Would it make you love your birth mother less?"
"No," Adrian answers because he will never stop loving his mother.
"Do you think Sabine will turn on you and say she doesn't want it because she never gave birth to you?" Plagg asks him.
"No," Adrian answers because she wouldn't.
"Do you think she will cross your name off the bottom of the card and leave only Marinette's?"
"No,"
"Then what is the problem?!"
Adrian doesn't answer.
"You're not going to replace your real mother, you know that. She knows that, everyone knows that. But I think if your real mom was here, she would tell you to do it."
"If she was here, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Adrian grumbles.
"..."
"Sorry, thanks Plagg." he says picking up his phone.
Chat: You still up?
Princess: what's up?
Chat: Can you help me make something?
Princess: Right now?
Chat: Ya
Princess: Okay come here.
....
Sabine enters the kitchen finding the gift bag on the counter, envelope next to it signed by Marinette, she smiles and puts it on the fridge, lifting up the bag she spots something under it as if it was hidden. It's another card. Hand drawn flowers decorated with glitter and sparkly tape. She knows her daughter's work and this isn't it. Her heart jumps in her throat when she sees Chat's name written on the bottom.
Going down to the bakeshop she spots him rolling out dough for cinnamon rolls.
"I love my card! It's beautiful! Thank you so much!" she says, wrapping him in a hug from behind. He's grateful she can't see his face.
"Is it okay?" he asks quietly. So many meanings in those three words.
"It's perfect, thank you!" she says, hugging him tighter.
...
"Are you okay?" Marinette asks a few minutes later when she comes down from her room.
"Just having a mood swing," he says, trying not to let the tears in his eyes fall. Marinette takes a moment to register what he just said before she bursts out laughing.
"You sure? Maybe you're sick. You want me to get papa?" she teases.
"NO!" he squeaks.
Both cards are on top of the fridge for the next few weeks.
.....
B.2Lady(bug) Advice
It had been a few months since Mothers day and all the new information Chat had received from it. The most used one being Marinette and her moods. Though most of the time she acted the same, there were times when her actions were out of character.
He had tried to read Ladybug's 'mood' from time to time but she never gave away any sign that anything was wrong. He suspected the suits had something to do with it and he was right when he asked Plagg later. The suit has the ability to suppress and numb pain and discomfort when worn, so Ladybug could just be herself and concentrate on catching the acuma. He should have known that from his hand.
"Soooooo, can I ask you something personal?" Chat asks.
"I'm not going to tell you who I am."
"No, no not that... never mind," he says, shaking his head and looking back out over Paris. It was getting into the late evening and they had both decided to take a rest from patrolling around to watch the city lights start to come on.
"What is it then?" Ladybug asks.
"Nope, it was a stupid idea. I didn't say anything." Chat Noir says.
"You brought it up, what is it?"
"Nope! Never mind!"
"I promise I won't laugh." she pushes.
"No but you might get pretty mad at me." he says, finding his feet rather interesting at the moment.
"Why?"
"It's about ... girls, and girly problems." he says, making a hand gesture southward.
"Ummmmm..." Ladybug doesn't know how to respond to the topic. She didn't think he would have questions about that, or be willing to ask her.
"Ya, so pretend I didn't ask." he says, stretching his arms over his head. They sit there for a while just watching the view.
"I shouldn't be, but now I'm curious," Ladybug says, scared and curious.
"Don't be."
"What do you want to ask me that you can't find online?" she asks.
"..... so when.... ummm.... Never mind."
"When?... Chat are you trying to ask about sex?" Ladybug asks, surprised.
"NO! I know how that works!" he says, turning red.
You had better after that talk from mama!! Ladybug thinks.
"Okay then what is it?"
"You know.. when you have that visit from... aunt flow? I think that is the slang." he says, turning his face from her again.
"Oh..." Ladybug understands why he's uncomfortable asking.
"Ya, it's one of those questions. I know the facts, and details, but like personal experience kinda stuff." he says.
"I see,"
"..."
"..."
"So what do you want to know?" she finds herself asking.
"Well I have this friend, and she gets uncomfortable, and I wanna help, but I don't know how." Chat Noir says turning to face her. His expression of concern replaced the one of embarrassment from before.
"There really isn't anything you can do. It's just nature." Ladybug says.
"I know, but still." he pushes. Ladybug thinks for a minute about her own experiences. How much detail does he want to know?
"Cravings can be bad. Chocolate, ice cream, chips, fast food. You get craving for things you don't normally eat a lot of because your body is trying to make up for everything that it's losing at that time." she tells him.
"Makes sense." Chat Noir nods.
"And then there is the pain. Like something is being ripped out of you.. because it is. And things just set you off. Things you usually find funny, or ignore, but are just magnified 100 times. Hot water bottles help."
"So, what should I do?" he asks.
"My advice would be to ask her. Sometimes she just might need some time alone, while other times she just wants food and to cry for an hour at a sappy movie.
Sometimes just food. Not everyone's periods are going to affect them the same every time."
"I don't quite feel comfortable asking her directly about it." Chat Noir admits.
"You just asked me." her heart stops the moment she realizes what she just said.
"Ya, but you're you, and techanlly I don't know you IRL so this is the next best thing to asking a stranger who I trust, but won't be seeing every day. I mean how
would you feel asking me about guy things like morning wood and then finding out I'm your brother?" Chat asks.
"I don't have a brother!" Ladybug says, shoving down the panic when she realizes she’s the only one who realized what she said.
"And I don't have a sister so I know I don't know you IRL."
"You stupid cat.." Ladybug sighs."So what's it like?" she asks.
"What's what like?" Chat asks confused.
"Morning wood." Ladybug says.
"Oh my GOD! It is SO ANNOYING!!!"
......
"Can I get you anything?" Chat asks, peeking over the edge of her bed. Marinette is still in bed curled around a hot water bottle. It's a Saturday afternoon in the bake shop. Chat had noticed something off about her when she walked into class the day before. Her mood is not as bright as normal. Just a word or two more quiet.
"A murder weapon." she says.
"Well you woke up in a pool of blood, I don't think you need one."
She glares death at him.
"That was inappropriate, and I'm sorry," he says, shrinking back.
"Next time it will be your blood." Marinette growls. Chat quickly(and smartly) excuses himself from her room.
"How is she?" Sabine asks when Chat enters the kitchen.
"She growled at me,"
"HAHAHA! Best to give her the day today." she says before leaving. Chat thinks it over, but stubbornness gets the better of him and he finds himself climbing the
steps to her room again an hour later.
Chat knocks softly at her door.
"Can I come in?"
He hears a growl and takes it as an invite. In her room he creeps up her ladder till he can see the lump that is Marinette. Carefully opening up the small box in his hand he pulls something out and tosses it at her. It bounces off her shoulder and rolls to the side. He picks up another and tries again, this time it bounces off her head and hits the back wall.
The bed explodes and Marinette sits bold upright.
"What the FUCK are you doing?!" she roars at him. Chat stumbles back off the ladder landing hard on the floor. The little box goes flying, scattering chocolates everywhere.
"I thought chocolate would help!"
"By throwing them at me?!"
"You were growling! The internet said too, 'keep a safe distance and throw chocolate!'" he says.
"Get out!! Get out! Get out! GET OUT!!" she practically screams, throwing a pillow at his retreating form. Back in the kitchen Chat takes a piece of paper out of his pocket and scratches off chocolate from the list. There is one more thing he dares to try before giving up and giving her space.
Chat knocks on her balcony door a half hour later.
"Go away!" she hollers.
Chat looks around the balcony before finally his eyes land on his own belt. Taking it off he clasps the paper bag onto the buckle, lifts the hatch door lowering the bag down. He waits one moment then two before suddenly his belt is nearly ripped from his grip. He holds on with both hands, feet braced against the edge of the frame as he struggles not to be pulled in. The ripping sound of paper sends him falling back against the floor. He just lays there looking up at the clouds as they drift by happly. Unaware of the battle that just took place. He should have just left her alone for the day till she felt better
"Cat?"
"Ya?"
"Get in here,"
Chat slips through the door landing next to her on the bed. The extra large double cheeseburger with fried onions is in one hand half eaten, while the other holds the soda she's currently slurping down like his life depends on it. Setting it down she takes another bite of the burger and holds up the half empty carton of fries to him. It's then he notices that the bed is scattered with fries.
"Thanks," he says, taking a few and munching them down.
"I'm sorry," she says, picking a few from the sheets and eating them.
"Don't be, I was being a pain in the butt." Chat admits.
"Yes you were."
"Greasy food helps though?" he asks.
"Yes it did."
"That’s good."
"Are you going to do anything today?" she asks.
"Just spend time with you if that's okay."
"Did something happen?"
"No, just a long week was all. Felt kinda lonely. Don't know why." he says with a shrug. Marinette takes another bite of her burger and washes it down with a drink from her soda.
"You want to watch sappy movies with me and cry?" she offers.
"Okay,"
This is how Sabine finds them later in Marinette's bed crying over Forrest Gump.
..............
The sound of someone walking by wakes Adrian up, but by the time he lifts his head to see who it is, they are gone. Down the steps to the bake shop.
Adrian wakes a grumpy Plagg up before transforming and going down to the bakery. He joins Tom who is making muffins.
"Morning Chat. sleep well?"
"I did, thanks. You?"
"Sabine snores, but don't tell her that." Tom whispers. Chat laughs promises and says he won't.
..............