Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

            Adrien felt his heart pound as his limo rolled down the road towards the familiar bakery. He had been a nervous wreck all day so much so that the photographer at the shoot earlier that day said the line was supposed to be distressed, not him.

            Adrien had a very good reason to be a distressed kitty today. It had been a week since he and Marinette realized they had mutual feelings for one another, and Adrien then, on the following Monday, showed up to school with a bouquet of Marigolds and a card asking her for a date. That seemed like the best thing to do, at least that’s what his mind supplied, because all his romance advice came from teenage rom-com movies and his cousin, a self-proclaimed prince of whoo-ing women. His cousin even ran a club for whoo-ing the girls of his high-class school. Adrien trusted the advice.

            But now that he thought about it…

            Adrien gulped and, thank Brie, he’d closed the divider of his limo. Plagg freely floated around, wanting more cheese even though Adrien fed him a crap ton of cheese just ten minutes before. "Stop being nervous." Plagg threw from his place in the air as Adrien looked up.

            "What?" Adrien returned with a start.

            "You're practically radiating nerves." Plagg made a face. "It's just Marinette."

            "It's just Marinette." The boy repeated with a roll of his eyes. "Uh, this is the girl of my dreams love of my life Marinette. Marinette, the savior of the city and the cute designer who happens to be the light of my life..."

            "Humans are so dramatic. This is why I prefer cheese." Plagg rolled his eyes. "By the way, we're here." Adrien looked out with a start as they pulled up to the bakery, the bakery of warm bread and warm hugs and warm places to sleep.

           This was his citadel of warmth, and he was taking its princess on a date.

            No pressure.

            Adrien got out of the car just as the door of the bakery opened. His jaw dropped at the site. Marinette was in a beautiful red dress with a sweetheart neckline and black waistband. Thin black straps held the shimmery dress up while it tapered off around her knees. Tall black heels adorned her feet as her blue-black hair fell in waves around her face. Light make-up was dusted around her face. In one hand was a small black clutch. Adrien had to admit that her outfit put his black suit jacket and pants paired with a dark navy shirt to shame. Adrien ran some fingers through his hair, trying to fix it or something because he felt underdressed compared to her (and he had planned the date).

            Marinette's parents soon followed them out, Sabine bearing a digital camera with a smile. "Come on! I need a picture of my darlings' first date! Oh, get together!!!" The woman giggled as she pushed her daughter closer to her practically-son. Marinette and Adrien blushed red each as Marinette giggled.

            "Mama! Stop embarrassing us!" Oh wow did Adrien's heart thump at her giggle. Did it always do that?

            Before he knew it, Marinette has gripped his arm. Adrien went stiff and Marinette, of course, noticed. She looked up to the boy, now a mere inch height difference with the heels, casting him a concerned look. "Adrien, are you ok?"

Adrien nodded without answering.

            Kwami she was beautiful. "Uh, yeah." He forced himself to calm down. "Pictures?" He turned to the camera, drawing the brightest smile to his face. Marinette smiled as well, but she cast glances at Adrien between flashes.

            Eventually, Adrien reminded, gently, that they had reservations to make, and Marinette's parents not-so-gently reminded them. They were due home before midnight. If there was an attack, they also expected a call as soon as it was safe. Both kids nodded before Adrien, being a gentleman, offered his hand to Marinette as they got in the limo. They waved off the parents as the limo pulled away. Tikki jumped out from the clutch Marinette had brought with.

            Marinette was giggling at the Kwami’s antics before she turned to the boy whom had asked her out in the first place. However, he seemed so stiff, looking more worried than excited.

            What was bugging him?

            Was he… was he ok on going on this date? Marinette wondered as she gulped. “Adrien, are you alright? You didn’t answer my question.”

            “Oh, it’s nothing.” Adrien was a good actor. He had to be an actor to be a model.

            The model-perfect smile he gave her did not assure her worries.

             The restaurant they ended up in was way above and beyond anything Marinette had ever been in. It wasn’t for Adrien, though. As the two teenagers walked in, Marinette wide-eyed and Adrien steeled, arm-in-arm, they walked right up to the man at the podium. “May I help you?” He cast with a bit of snoot in his voice.

            “Yes, I have a reservation for two under Ageste?” At the pronunciation of the boy’s own name, the man at the counter stared down the blond with a quirked eyebrow. He checked his tablet before nodding his head.

            “Yes, sir, I have your reservation. Come right this way.” He brought with him two menus as the teens were led to the table. Marinette felt her heart pound at all the rich and famous around her, and Adrien was still acting too much like a model for her taste. She was used to hyper Adrien, cheesy Adrien, Adrien who cried at the end of Titanic with her and fought with her over the remote at sleepovers. Adrien, the boy who could get so flustered he’d clam up and have to communicate through this weird kind of body language and seemed to only ever be totally him in the presence of those he trusted most.

            This was not that Adrien.

            Even as they sat at the table, he did not make a joke about the view being better on the Eiffel Tower or claim she was the “cat’s meow” even if he was “im-paw-sibly dashing as well.” No, he had said that she was beautiful, but it was more stunned and, again, frightened.

            He still hadn’t truthfully answered her question as well.

            She was temporarily distracted, though, when she opened the menu and oh my gods everything sounded so expensive and there were no prices and gods that dessert had legit gold in it what? WHAT?

            “What do you think looks good?” Marinette looked over the menu to Adrien who, once again, looked totally in his element.

            “Ah… Ah…” She looked through the menu again. What looks like the least expensive thing??? She didn’t want to seem like a mooch, even though she knew damn well that Adrien could probably afford to hire the whole restaurant. She just wasn’t like that. “Ah… what are you thinking?”

            “The lobster is apparently fresh today, but I’ll ask about the specials first.” He smiled as he set his menu down. Marinette did the same, her stomach in further twists. “So, what’s new with you?”

            “Ah, well…” Marinette’s brain began to blank. What could she say? “Uh, well, Alya tried to interview me about our date tonight. She wanted to post it to her blog or something.” Marinette gave a tight giggle. “I think she just wanted to know, but can you imagine it landing on the Ladyblog?”

            Adrien gave his own laugh, small, controlled laugh. Marinette’s stomach was sinking deeper and deeper. “I mean, it wouldn’t be out of place.”

            “Y-yeah…” The girl returned as she began to play with her hair. The air was so stressed, and everything seemed tight between them. A dead silence fell on the table as Adrien gulped, looking at one of the forks next to his plate as Marinette tugged at her hair once more.

            “Hello. I am Marcel, and I will be taking your orders.” A waiter came up to them, pad at the ready. “Would you like the specials or are you ready to order?”

            “Specials please.” Adrien returned quickly.

            Marinette listened intently, not sure if the whole “dating” thing was going to work out after all.

            And, boy, did that send a spike of pain through her heart.

             Adrien was mentally beating himself up. They had received their dinners, and, whist Marinette seemed to enjoy it, they had barely said a few words to one another. None of his usual Chat Noir jokes seemed appropriate on a legitimate date, and any suave-ness ne pretended to have had long gone out the window. He dabbed his lips as he looked to the girl. “H-how is it?”

            “U-uh, it’s really good.” That was about the extent of their conversation. A few words in a few sentences and nothing felt right.

            Adrien cursed to himself. He was screwing this up he was screwing this up HE WAS SCREWING THIS UP! “Uh…”

            Marinette stood, as did Adrien at her sudden movement. She blushed slightly, looking down at her clutch. “Uh, restrooms.” She threw before taking off towards the front of the restaurant, no doubt going to ask the host where the restrooms were.

            Adrien buried his head in his hands. So much for a perfect date. He was already planning to take her home. He had reserved tickets at a show for them after this as well, an elegant trip to the opera, but it was obvious that Marinette probably hated him and would never want to see him again…

            Then there was screaming.

            Adrien jumped up, looking as an Akuma blew out through the kitchen into the main serving room. It was a man with red skin in a black chef’s outfit. “You hate my cooking? How about a little Just Desserts then!” He threw as, from his apron, thick streams of cream and pastries that attacked anything they touched, sticking people in place as they yelled and fought the monstrous treats.

            Adrien ducked under the tablecloth in the havoc. “Plagg, we gotta help.” He threw as he opened his jacket, the little Kwami flying out.

            “Don’t I get some cheese first?” The cat threw as Adrien rolled his eyes.

            “Claws ON!” He whispered with force as he shoved his hand out. To the watcher, which there was none because everyone was either scrambling or escaped, they would have seen a black light flash from under the table before Chat Noir leapt out, baton at the ready. “Hey ugly! You’re turning this purr-fect night into a cat-tastrophy! But if you go nicely, I won’t be too hard on you.”

            The chef turned to Chat Noir, but, before he could attack, a yo-yo wrapped around his arms and chest. “Starting without me, Chat?” Ladybug threw from the opposite side of the room, a grin on her face.

            “Never, my lady!” He greeted just before the chef threw a bon-bon-bomb at Ladybug. She released him and avoided the deadly dessert, joining Chat on the opposite side of the restaurant.

            “Ready to take him down? I cut past the kitchen on the way to the bathroom, and I think the akuma’s in his icing tool.” Ladybug gestured to the icing tool that peaked out from the man’s apron.

            Chat grinned. “Such a sweet thing, not unlike my lady.” Chat wiggled his eyebrows, and Ladybug rolled her eyes in return.

            With that, Marinette realized, everything was so natural all over again.

            They had ended up on the roof during the fight, then in the street, then half-way across Paris, but it all worked out when Ladybug’s yo-yo wrapped up that stupid butterfly. Chat released a breath as they landed in another alley, her earrings and his ring about to run out of energy.

            However, when he turned to her, her eyes were fierce. He took a gulp, a step back, but she grabbed his arm. “Chat – Adrien, we don’t have to continue the date if you don’t want to.” She said to him just before her transformation gave way. In a flash of pink, Marinette was before him as Tikki watched from the air in worry.

            “W-what?” Adrien stuttered as his transformation, too, gave way. Plagg floated over to Tikki, strangely quiet as he watched.

            “You’ve been acting weird all night. You’re usually so lively and excitable and… and…” Marinette gulped as she released his arm. “I mean, I get it. I’m really not the best date. I’m just a goof of a girl. We can go back to being friends.”

            Adrien’s heart pounded painfully, especially when he witnessed her eyes go glossy as they turned away from him. He had made her cry he was the worst ever. “No, no, Marinette, this is all my fault.” He threw back with a frown. She turned back to him. “I was trying to make this perfect, and you were obviously uncomfortable with me and I don’t deserve you…”

            “Wait, wait,” Marinette cut in, waving her hand between them. “I don’t want perfect if perfect means you acting like this is a photo shoot. I thought I said something wrong… But I want YOU, in all your cheesy, kitten glory.” She smiled as a tear spilled down her face.

            Adrien’s mouth moved with no words. “You… Are you, ah, ok with trying this again? Maybe next weekend? Because I know that, even if I can find a way to explain to my driver how we ended up here, there’s no way we can get to the theater in time for what I planned next…” He scratched the back of his head. “I’m terrible with first dates.”

            Marinette giggled as she reached forward with one hand, scrapping the loose tears away from her face. With it came some make-up, but Adrien thought that she couldn’t not look beautiful. “Well… We could catch a flick then. My treat, since you probably had to still pay for everything… NO BUTS!” She threw as she saw him try to defend. “I am buying tickets for The Good Dinosaur for the two of us, and you can’t stop me.”

            Adrien laughed, a real laugh, as he looked to the girl. “The Good Dinosaur? Really?”

            “I heard it got great reviews!” Tikki cheered as she joined on Marinette’s shoulder.

            “It’s also better than a lot of the other movies out now.” Marinette nodded.

            “I don’t care as long as someone buys me nachos!” Plagg threw as he flew into Adrien’s front pocket of his suit jacket, popping back out with the boy’s credit card. “How much can I get with this?”

            “You? None.” Adrien plucked the card out of the cat’s hand. “Me? I’ll get you some… if you’re nice.”

            “I’ll get you M&Ms, Tikki.” Marinette giggled to the tired Kwami.

            “See? Why can’t you be as nice as Marinette is to Tikki!” Plagg whined as the two heroes, hand in hand, were led out of the alley by Marinette. Tikki and Plagg were easily missable as they blended in with the colors of the clothing.

            “Because I’m not a gluton, unlike some Kwami.” Tikki tossed haughtily to the cat.

            “What are you talking about? I’m paw-sitively amazing.” Plagg returned with a huff.

            Marinette groaned. “I knew you had to get it from somewhere.”

            “What was that, my Lady? I was distracted by you’re im-paw-sibly amazing looks, the cat’s meow, putting my own looks to shame.”

            “I hate you. Why did I agree to this?”

            “Because you love me.”

            “No I don’t.”

            “Yes you do.”

            “Ok, maybe a little.”

            “Really?”

            “Only because you’re a cute kitten.”

            All the way to the theater, the two walked hand-in hand, feeling like all was right again in the world.

Chapter Text

            It had been weeks since the first disastrous date, the one dubbed “the summation of our lives” date of Adrien trying to be perfect and an akuma attacking and in their fancy dresses and slacks ending up in a movie theatre with nachos and popcorn and M&Ms crying over The Good Dinosaur. Since then, their relationship had grown. Dates were more private affairs, more friends hanging out with shy hand holding and cute kisses to the cheeks. At school, aside from Alya and Nino, they acted as they had before – as best friends and nothing more. Both were rather shy when it came to PDA, so only Alya and Nino knew of their relationship in full.

            Well, as full as two superhero teens could allow.

            But now, as snow fell over Paris, a new problem arose in the ever-crazy life and love story of Adrien Agreste.

            Adrien should have seen this coming. With his perpetual bad luck, he had somehow gotten multiple booked shoots back to back to back all month leading up to the holidays, and it was an absolute mad house. His dad wasn’t even there to, at the very least, coordinate things. In fact, his father had been in Hong Kong for the month working with one of the producers of his brand, trying to get out all the designs before the holidays and then having to stay longer for whatever reason he didn’t care to share with the boy.

            Therefore, it left Adrien alone, again, on the holidays.

            But he wasn’t.

            “Your dad is in Hong Kong over Christmas???” Marinette had gasped when they had been on patrol two weeks before Christmas as Ladybug and Chat Noir.

            Adrien hadn’t realized what he had said, but Mari had that effect on him. “Ah… Yeah…” They had been dating for a month and a half at that point, and while it was still new and crazy he loved every second of it.

            Marinette had this look on her face, and she just seemed heartbroken.

            Heartbroken over me? Adrien couldn’t believe it. He still couldn’t believe how caring Marinette was.

            Then again, it’s Marinette, and she’s so amazing.

            “It’s ok. I’m used to it. I usually get a package by mail from my father and one of the servants makes…”

            “Oh hell no.”

            Adrien nearly fell off the roof as he lost his footing on the run. If it wasn’t for Marinette suddenly grabbing his tail to stop him, he would have taken a six-floor dive. “Wow, thanks for that, My Lady.”

            Marinette wasn’t done though, it seemed. She tugged on his tail, pulling him back as he came to her. He looked over as she grabbed his shoulder. She spun him around, grabbing his face and turning it to her. “You are going to be spending the holidays with me.”

            Adrien chocked on air. “Wha-what?”

            “I can’t believe I hadn’t told you this last year. I mean, last year we were just friends but I should have known you idiot cat.” She threw her hands up in the air and shook her head. “You know what? Making that up right now. Adrien, you are coming to my house, the 24^th of December, and you are staying with my family no matter what.”

            “Uh…” Adrien’s mind went blank. “Uh, but, uh, won’t my father…? Natalie…? Your parents?” Adrien didn’t know what else to say.

            Marinette rolled her eyes. “Please. My parents love you, if you haven’t noticed.” She blushed a little at that. “I mean not as much as me.” At this Adrien blushed as well. He loved when she said that. “They’d have you over no matter what, and I can say with 99.9% guarantee that they’ll only want a heads up to buy you gifts.” Not that Adrien knew, but even that was a lie. Marinette, along with her parents, already had several gifts under the tree for Adrien. “Your dad is out of country, and Natalie seems to support this.” Ok, also a lie, not that Adrien knew. Marinette had long ago stormed up to the assistant after one time she got mad at Adrien for being over at Marinette’s overnight, and she pulled all her Ladybug righteous rage and reminded the woman that Marinette had some certain dirt on a certain scarf for a certain boy. Marinette would never tell Adrien, she wasn’t cruel, but Natalie didn’t know that, and, in the angry girl, she could believe it. She was risking her job over a stupid scarf.

            So she kept Marinette happy by covering for Adrien, and Adrien had long ago not to look a gift horse in the mouth when it came to anything Agreste.

            That was how Adrien was cornered into joining the Dupain-Cheng family for the holidays.

            But here was where the conundrum came in.

            He hadn’t gotten his shopping done!!!

            So he had been smart enough, two weeks back, to get online and order a few things between photo shoots. From the time he’d spent with the Dupain-Cheng parents, he knew a few things about them. Marinette’s mother loved the smell of Lavender, so he had ordered her a bath and body set filled with Lavender scents, soaps, and moisturizers. The woman loved these kinds of things but barely spent money on herself, so he figured he could treat her a little.

            Marinette’s father had been a little harder. He loved baked goods, but Adrien had no time to make anything, even simple cheese rolls, and he refused to have anyone else make something he was going to present to the man who had become a pseudo father to him. Instead, he’d ended up on Etsy, and he’d commissioned an artist, double her normal rate, to make a apron and ship it on time. It was rightfully Christmas themed with a silly little Gingerbread man looking up in shock, the quote sewed around it being “The Gingerbread Man thought he couldn’t be caught… Until he met his baker.”

            Caught up in the spirit, he even ordered a custom mug from Redbubble for his father. He didn’t know what else to get the man, so he’d selected one that said “World’s Okayest Dad” because he loved his father and, to Adrien, he at least got a smile out of it. Knowing his dad, he’d probably get Adrien another pen this year.

            He even got mugs for Natalie, one that had a Christmas tree on it, and for his driver a to-go mug (that he’d filled with packets of instant coffee that he knew his driver loved) that had a smiling gorilla on it because the man, even of few words, commonly mentioned to Adrien that he was “built like a gorilla and just as protective.”

            Adrien knew he protected all of Adrien’s secrets, listened in those early days when Adrien had no one else to talk to, and he was indebted to the man of few words. They weren’t exactly friends, but Adrien wanted to show his appreciation any way he could.

            Then he’d ordered an advanced copy of a CD that Nino had been dying for but wouldn’t be out until New Year’s by an artist he loved. While normal people couldn’t get the album, let alone afford the advanced copy, Adrien was an Agreste. One e-mail from him from his official account, a few hours of texting, and the promise to send the manager an Agreste suit, and he had the CD in the mail, the digital copy on his drive, and his own note to Natalie to send a suit to the man.

            Chloe was easy. As weird as it sounded, he always knew exactly what to buy Chloe. He got her a giant poinsettia, a stuffed animal, and a pretty necklace. This year, he’d indulged in his Chat Noir side. Knowing Chloe was a fan of Ladybug, he’d gotten her a black-cat plushie with a red ribbon, wrapping a ladybug-shaped jeweled necklace under the red ribbon. Since they were children, when Adrien’s mother went shopping with him, he always got her the same combination – a flower, a plushie, and a piece of jewelry. He remembered, fondly, his first one was a paper-flower, a store-bought lion plush (because she was like a lion), and a bracelet made of colorful beads he and his mother had raided from his father’s crafting station hidden in the house. Even as they got older, even as she got more bratty and demanded higher of everyone around her, she still looked forward to a flower, a plush, and a little piece of jewelry.

            Then there was Marinette.

            What was he supposed to get the girl who made his life brighter, the light of his life, the girl who had stolen the city’s heart and his, and, strangely enough, could love an alley cat like him.

            He still couldn’t understand his own worth as Marinette saw in him, but she was working on it every day.

            Marinette loved Adrien to the moon and back, and now, during one of the most romantic parts of the year, he had no present.

            It was four o’clock on the 23^rd of December, and he was still scrambling around for the perfect gift.

            “AHG!” Adrien threw his hands up in the air as he walked out of another store. “Why isn’t there anything for Marinette?”

            Plagg peaked out from the confines of Adrien’s black jacket, wearing the little hat and jacket that Marinette had made for the Kwami the year before. In fact, Adrien was also sporting her gift from the year before – a black cap she had knitted little kitten ears into and warm, hand-sewn gloves that were black with green grips for whatever his needs may need, and a hand-knit sweater under his jacket that was a beautiful green color that matched his eyes. She’d even figured out how to rig the fingers of the gloves so they worked with his phone. It’d also come with Christmas Cookies courtesy of her parents and lots of spiced and cheesy bread (which, between his and Plagg, had been devoured by Christmas morning).

            In return he had gotten her every season of Project Runway on DVD, which was her guilty pleasure as he had overheard from Alya, and a gift card loaded with 50 euros to her favorite fabric store. Tikki had gotten a stack of cookies that Adrien had made for her, and the Dupain-Cheng parents got a gift basket filled with wine and fine cheeses and meats.

            Marinette had been in absolute tears and tried to deny that she wasn’t worth it, but Adrien had playfully pretended he had lost the receipts. She swore up and down that she would have to pay him back on his birthday. She had, getting him a movie collection of every cat movie she could (and man did she find a ton, and it had left him in stitches when he found “A Grumpy Cat Christmas” in the mix). For her birthday, he got an extra ticket to his father’s fashion show, a privileged event, and presented it to her while they were on patrol at the stroke of midnight on her birthday.

            She had nearly fainted right off the side of the Eiffel Tower, and it was totally Adrien’s fault.

            He caught her, though, so it was all ok.

            Now he had no idea how he was going to top them all. She wasn’t just his best friend anymore - she was his girlfriend. Marinette, the amazing Marinette, Ladybug, his partner in crime, was his girlfriend, and she was amazing, and he needed to do something because damnit he was spending Christmas with her and her family this wasn’t just a random crash at her house it was CHRISTMAS.

            “ADRIEN!” Adrien felt a small head smack into his check as he looked over. Belatedly, he realized he had wandered into an alley, slightly out of the way of the crowd, and he had gone into a panic attack. He was hyperventilating and shaking. I haven’t had one this bad since… Since…

            Since mom disappeared. Since I started school. Since I got the ring.

            “ADRIEN!” Plagg grabbed his nose and focused the boy’s face on his. Green eyes nearly crossed as they looked into the slit ones. “Man, SLOW YOUR BREATHING!”

            Adrien had had a Panic Disorder since he was young. This wasn’t something he wasn’t used to being told. It had just been so long since he had to deal with a full-blown panic attack that he had forgotten about everything the fancy therapists and psychiatrists his father had made him go to on the sly because no son of Gabriel Agreste could have a mental disorder.

            Plagg was different. Plagg, under that cheese-obsession and lazy tendencies, cared deeply for every one of his charges. Adrien was probably the most special of them all, but Plagg would never say. Adrien listened to the calming tone in the cat’s voice. Slowly, his breathing slowed, his heart still beating fast as he felt on the verge of tears for no apparent reason.

            Gods he hated attacks.

            Slowly, he leaned against the wall as he held his hands to the cat kwami, moving the cat to his chest as he held Plagg close, closing his eyes. The little cat continued to push against the boy’s chest until Adrien felt exhausted but calm again.

            “Listen.” Plagg said from his place smashed into Adrien’s chest. Adrien kept his eyes closed, not saying a word as he focused on keeping his breathing even. “Since you obviously have no sense for this girl, I am going to advise you on what to get her.”

            Then Adrien did something he didn’t think he would do.

            He laughed.

            He threw his head back as a bubble of laughter escaped his throat. “You? What are you going to suggest? Cheese?”

            “Not that it wouldn’t be the perfect present for ANYONE,” Plagg protested as he flew up, Adrien focusing on the Kwami as he did so, eyes watery but open again. “No, I have a few thoughts that would help. I think you should make her something.”

            “Uh…” Adrien thought as he looked at his wrist. “I mean I don’t have time to really bake what Mari deserves…” He hadn’t even had time to pick up ingredients and even then he’d already done baked goods so many times…

            “No, I mean something else, something she can keep like your gloves or my hat.” Plagg insisted as he adjusted his own little cap.

            Adrien’s throat went tight. “Plagg I may be a model, but I have no idea how to make anything and even then…”

            Plagg rolled his eyes again. “Humans. Come on, just… Just follow me.” Plagg dove into the crevices between Adrien’s neck and the jacket. “I have been to the craft store more than once in my long life, you and Mari counting for a handful. My last Chat had a thing where she’d pick up a new craft every few weeks. I picked up a few things from her, believe me.”

            “You? Craft?” Adrien angled his head oddly as he looked at the cat. Really, there was no stranger thought to Adrien then imagining the kwami spending hours crafting away with some Chat.

            Plagg pointed forward. “Just go. Go before I change my mind and decide to leave you to flounder. And I BETTER get a box FILLED with cheese under the tree for me.”

            Adrien decided to follow the cat’s directions. If all else failed, he was sure that he could still get flowers delivered by the next morning.

            Marinette deserved something special.

            Hopefully this wouldn’t be one of the times the cat led him astray.

Chapter Text

            Marinette was extremely concerned when Adrien showed up at five on the dot Christmas Eve at their back door. With him, he had an overnight bag (even though she knew he knew that there were always supplies for him there) and another bag FILLED with gifts. However, that’s not what drew her attention. No, she looked into the eyes of her partner, and saw excitement but also exhaustion and obvious nerves.

            What was going on in his head?

            “Hey Mari.” He greeted cheerily as he gave her a peck to the cheek. Even though they had been dating for a while, they still hadn’t had their first “real” kiss. Marinette didn’t mind. She was a little shy about PDA no matter what, and Adrien seemed content at the moment to stick with their small displays of affection. It was a slow-building relationship, and Marinette, for all her daydreaming of marriage and family, found herself really enjoying the pace.

            “Hey Adri.” She smiled back as she offered a hand. “You need help with anything? Also, since Christmas has overtaken the living room, you’re up on my lounge tonight.” She informed him with a grin. “Although my parents have insisted that we get up to ‘no funny business’ or they’d, and I quote, ‘skin us alive and bake us into the meat buns.’”

            Adrien gave a hearty laugh even as he gave nothing else up. “I wouldn’t, I swear, but if my Lady insists…”

            Marinette swatted at him, and she stole his overnight bag as he dodged. “I am carrying this, don’t argue.”

            “Aw… But I wanted to be all manly and do this myself.” He complained playfully as they entered, closing the door behind them. They cut up the stairs to the main level, where Adrien’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t been up there in the last two weeks thanks to his schedule, but in that time the place had transformed into a Christmas paradise. One wall was just filled with Christmas cards from various families to the Dupain-Chengs, displayed with pride. Santas filled every corner, and a tree that had a star scraping the ceiling was off to one corner. Adrien took a breath of the air. It smelled of great food and fresh pine and it was Christmas like he’d only ever seen in the movies. Beneath the tree was a good pile of gifts already, nothing to sneeze at, and Marinette helped him unload the gifts he had brought.

            He seemed hesitant with one rather large box.

            “Oh come on, what in the right mind needs that much space?” She questioned with a cocked eyebrow as she tried to sneak a look at the card.

            He gulped. “Now wouldn’t that be telling, Mari?” He teased back, but he was tense now.

            Marinette noticed and decided not to press. Whatever was with the box, Adrien was obviously nervous.

            She watched him set the gift down, wrapped in bright red with a green ribbon, and then spotted the tag turn.

            -ette.

            Welp that answered her question.

            The gift was hers.

            Admittedly, she was nervous as well, to see his reaction to her gift. She had spent a while on it, and she just hoped that he liked it. She’d spent all month on it. As a joke, she’d hid her real present under cat toys and yarn, but she’d ended up making him an “ugly” Christmas Sweater that was red and green with a sewn-in golden bell at the v-neckline (that resembled a certain Chat’s bell), and had “Have a Claw-some Holiday!” in black around a green paw print (like the one on his ring). She’s also made him a new shoulder bag because, as she noted, his old one didn’t have a ton of space, and it was starting to fray. She figured he was due for a new one, and this one was custom-made with his needs in mind: laptop sleeve, tablet pocket, water bottle holder, Plagg holder, and refrigerated pocket (as in he could slip an ice pack and some snacks – specifically cheese – in there for himself between Photo Shoots and Plagg for refuel) among the other pockets and spaces that made it a good fit for him. She’d made it black with silver stitching, adding his name in cursive blue on the inside flap along with white and green paw prints on the outside (anyone who talked to Adrien for five minutes knew how much he liked cats and Chat Noir – to almost the point of a crush if you didn’t know better i.e. knew how much he “had” been in love with Ladybug and now with Marinette).

            But then Adrien was light on his feet once more, racing Marinette up the stairs to her room, and them getting into a “fight” for the ladder at the trap door. This was around the time Sabine emerged from the parents’ room, greeting Adrien with a hug and reminding the two not to indulge before dinner. Apparently, Tom had run out for ice cream to go with dessert because someone (here she looked at Marinette) had forgotten. Adrien was snickering into his hand at the woman’s look and Marinette’s blush.

            They then killed an hour going back and forth on Unfair Mario (which had the one not playing in total stitches and probably pushed to the floor by the one playing because come on that’s totally not cool).

            The rest of the night, Adrien seemed like his old self, and Marinette had forgotten his earlier nerves. He was a gem at dinner, but he nearly snorted out ice cream when Tom had started spewing Dad jokes. Marinette couldn’t help but give him a peck on the cheek for trying to not be an alley cat, to which Adrien had stuck his tongue out at her. Honestly, the night seemed perfect.

            When the two fell asleep in Mari’s room around midnight, long after the parents went to bed and watching Home Alone and Grumpy Cat Christmas, Marinette remembered the look. She glanced over the edge of her bed to see the sprawled figure of her boyfriend, who had forgone whatever PJs he’s packed for some she’d made – deep blue draw-string pants made with fleece and a black long-sleeve shirt with Hot Stuff written in cursive across the chest in the same color as the pants. Plagg was curled up next to his head as the two were absolutely buried in blankets.

            She, herself, knew the feeling. It was always chilly up in her room, and, as part-bug (at least as a joke), she really didn’t like it. She had made a number of heavy sleepwear and blankets to combat it. Tikki had already hidden under the covers, somewhere warm but not at risk for Marinette to accidentally roll over on her. The girl went back to sleep, imagining her silly Chat with a Grumpy Face.

            Then Adrien was awake at five and couldn’t sleep.

            Adrien spent a solid three minutes awake, staring at the ceiling in the darkened room, and absolutely freaking the freak out where was he??? Until, slowly, in his panicked mind, he remembered that he was in Marinette’s room. Slowly, not to disturb Plagg, he sat up and looked up to the upper bed, where he could just see a body breathing in and out, safe and sound from whatever terrors had woken Adrien in the first place.

            He was used to this.

            Slowly, he crept out of the covers and made his way over to his bag. From it, he pulled out his laptop. He was already shivering against the cold of the room, but it couldn’t be helped. He then made his way over to the trap door, which they had left open the night before so “no funny business” could occur, and made his way down to the living room.

            All the lights were off when he got there, but he couldn’t help it. He followed the wall to where the Christmas tree was and plugged it in. Instantly, the fir lit up, golds and greens brought to life as the sparkly ornaments and handcrafted ones courtesy of a younger Marinette seemed to shine the brightest against the dark backdrop. Adrien backed up to the couch, using a blanket that always sat over a corner to pull over himself, as he spent a few minutes admiring the tree. He had a fake white one every year in the main foyer, set up by a design team. Even for how much it was shimmery in silver, this tree was what Christmas was meant to be.

            Adrien curled up under the blanket and opened his computer. Odd hours of sleep were his norm, so he began to surf the web and scroll through anything that caught his interest. It was only twenty minutes, though, before he heard steps. Startled, he looked up to see Marinette clomping down the stairs in an oversized grey sweatshirt, a yawn on her lips as she looked at the boy. “There you are.” She greeted as she sat on the couch next to him, head on his shoulder before he could react. “What’s up, kitty?”

            “Uh, Mari, what are you doing up so early?” Adrien returned, confusion all over his face. She turned her head towards him. Her eyes were unfocused as a sleep-deprived zombie would be, he imagined with a small smile. A very cute zombie. He added with an internal giggle.

            Marinette blinked once. “You weren’t in bed.” She replied simply. “I couldn’t sleep if my kitty cat was on the prowl. Who knows what kind of trouble he could get into?”

            Adrien giggled as she smiled, planting a small kiss on her forehead. She curled up to him, stealing some of the blanket. “You haven’t answered my question.”

            Adrien gulped. “Uh…” He looked to the laptop, currently displaying Buzzfeed’s ‘Which Jack Frost are You?’ quiz. Adrien had ended up with the Rise of the Guardians version, which was very him from the description. “I just… couldn’t, I guess.” He gulped again. “I don’t know. Nerves?”

            Marinette snuggled closer to him. “Anything you want to talk about?”

            Adrien shook his head. “Uh… not really.”

            “Ok.”

            Then the silence was broken once more when much heavier footsteps came down the stairs. Both teens looked up as Tom came down, followed closely by Sabine. “Merry Christmas, kids!” Tom greeted with a smile as the two tired kids grinned back. How that man always had so much energy they would never know.

            “Merry Christmas!” The two returned with smiles.

            Sabine giggled. “Were you two waiting up for Santa?”

            Marinette rolled her eyes. “No, mom, but we were waiting for you for PRESENTS!” Suddenly, Marinette had as much energy as her father, bounding up and grabbing Adrien as she went. The laptop was tossed to the side as Adrien got dragged along with Marinette towards the tree.

            Tom gave a hearty laugh as he entered the kitchen. “I’m going to whip up some coffee first.” He threw to the group.

            “Oh, honey, the coffee machine in there is broken, remember?” Sabine reminded her husband. “We have to use the one in the bakery.”

            “Uhg… but that one is so… overly complicated.” He whined to his wife.

            The teens were giggling at the scene as the parents bickered much like they themselves did. It only ended when Sabine popped her head back in. “Kids, Tom and I are going to run downstairs for treats and coffee. Why don’t you guys start on presents? Organize, but, Marinette, Adrien, don’t open them ALL yet.” She winked at the two.

            “Yes Ma’am!” Adrien saluted like a soldier just as Marinette added, “No promises.” The two looked at one another and laughed.

            Quickly, between the two, Adrien and Marinette had all the presents organized into five piles in no time – presents to Marinette, Adrien, Tom, Sabine, and a few random ones to family and friends that would be around later that day or the next. Adrien kind of seemed shell-shocked to see so many for him, but Marinette was just eyeing the biggest one she got.

            She couldn’t wait.

            “I’m gonna open it.” She said out of the blue and dove at the red wrapping paper that surrounded Adrien’s gift. Her mom and dad were taking way too long and gawd darn it she wanted whatever was in there. Adrien was the best gift giver.

            Adrien blanched.

            “What?” He turned to the girl, but it was too late. She tore through the red wrapping paper, her tongue poked out in concentration until she got to the brown box within. Adrien didn’t get in another word as she tore it open.

            Then she froze.

            Marinette, wide-eyed, was staring in his box as she hovered over the open area, and Adrien’s heart was literally pounding so fast.

            Did she like it? What if I screwed up? Oh gods I should have just bought her something I’m not good at this maybe I can make a jokeandhaveflowersand chocolatedeliveredstill… Adrien’s mind was spinning in terror as she didn’t move.

            But then she did.

            Carefully, from the box, came a very thick and beautiful blanket. It was simply made, two pieces of thick fleece connected around the edges by knots of fabric, but one side was a paisley print with pinks and oranges and greens on white while the other was red with black dots in little swirls and it didn’t make sense to anyone but Marinette – two sides, same thing.

            She sniffed it, and it smelled like it was freshly laundered.

            She set it down as her hands extracted the other two objects.

            One was a heart-shaped pillow, black on one side and the same red and black print on the other. It was a tad lopsided, but Marinette dragged a finger along the edge, realizing that the stitching was pretty good, like someone who had never sewed before put a lot of time and effort into it.

            The last made her gain little tears in her eyes. It was a little black cat, two pieces of black fabric sewn together, with two green buttons for eyes and a little jingly bell sewn right were the neck should be. The arms and legs were little stubs as a black piece of fabric looped around the middle section and fell off the back like a tail. It’s head had two little pointed ears that weren’t exactly the same size, and banana-shaped gold yellow patches fell every way.

            She looked to Adrien, the pillow fallen out of her hands as the cat boy was held right there. He looked wide eyed. “You… Did you… make these?” She stuttered out, which she hadn’t in a long time. Then again, it had been a very long time since anyone had made her something. She usually was the designer, the seamstress, the one to give the hand-made items.

            Then Adrien had gone and done this.

            “Y-yes,” Adrien returned nervously. “I mean, Plagg helped me pr-print out the-the designs b-ut I wasn’t sure and Igotyouagiftcardifyouhatethem…”

            Marinette moved. It was like a sudden jolt, but she couldn’t help it. She dove for the boy, cupped his cheeks, one hand pushing the little plushie in, and slammed her lips into his.

            She held him there, his eyes wide, because Oh my gods oh my gods oh my gods before she opened her eyes, backing away suddenly as she held the plushie to her chest.

            “Oh my gods. I mean, I’m sorry, I should have asked, but oh my gods no one’s done something like this for me in a long time and…” Marinette was soon cut off as she was grabbed by the shoulders.

            “Can we finish that?” Adrien asked, all shyness gone as an absolute Cheshire grin overtook his face.

            Marinette grinned, happy tears down her face as she kissed the boy. It was deep, beautiful, as they both tipped their heads and fell into the embrace of the other. After a minute, they broke, and Marinette began to giggle.

            “You’re a really good kisser, I gotta say.” She giggled, cheeks bright with her laughter and fluster, but everything just seemed perfect.

            “Same to you. You know, this was my first kiss, not counting that whole, you know, possessed by evil cupid thing.” He returned, his face alight and his eyes sparkling like an idiot.

            But he was her idiot.

            “Oh my gods, this blanket! I love it, and the pillow is perfect, and this… this!” She shoved the little plushie in his face. “Couldn’t help yourself, could you?”

            Adrien laughed. “Nope. Figured in the cold of night a little Chat Noir could protect you. I mean, you have the BIG one, too, but when I’m not around.” He winked at her.

            Marinette snorted and laughed into his chest, Adrien swiping away a few stray tears, some from the nerves but most happy tears. It was around now that heavy steps filled the stairs, and the parents re-emerged from below.

            “Sorry it took so long, kids!” Sabine called as she entered carrying a pot of coffee. Tom was behind her with a plate of steaming baked goods.

            “Admittedly, I wanted to make something fresh.” Tom laughed as he brought the plates in. Seeing the torn apart gift, he cocked an eyebrow at the two. “You got started without me?” He threw, a little hurt.

            Marinette laughed. “I couldn’t help it, dad. It was the big one.” She returned before turning the plushie around to her parents. “Look what Adrien made me!”

            The rest of the day was filled with laughter and cheers. Adrien was bouncing around the living room when he opened a number of gifts, especially the Harry Potter gear and Marvel Merch the parents had bought for him. He was such a Griffindor, and he had gotten a cloak/robe from them, along with lots of Marvel things like t-shirts and toys, things his father would never get him at that age as he was “too old” for them. Then he’d opened Mari’s gift and fallen over laughing at all the cat toys. While he loved all that she made him, he had way too much fun shaking around the feathered rod at Marinette and watching her try to fight back with the little fake mice. Everyone had loved the gifts he gotten them, and Tom was wearing his apron with pride the same way Adrien had put on his “ugly” Christmas sweater. The parents were in and out later in the day as some other couples came by, but it was beautiful and light and merry.

            The two had run back upstairs at some point loaded with treats to feed the Kwamis and give them gifts as well. Plagg was ecstatic at all the cheese he got and the little shoes to go with his hat and jacket. Tikki was rolling in sweets and more cute clothes. They had a blast before Marinette and Adrien were summoned back to the living room to watch movies.

            By the end, Adrien and Marinette, who had gotten up so early, were crashed out on the couch with A Christmas Story playing in the background. Marinette had a little cat plushie snuggled up to her chest as she lay against Adrien, Adrien’s head on her pillow as the thick blanket was rolled around them.

            Adrien woke up at the end of the movie, looked around the room, and smiled to himself.

            “Best Christmas ever.” He muttered to himself before falling back asleep, one hand to stroke Marinette’s head as he dozed back off.

Chapter Text

            All was quiet in the halls of the college, not a creature was stirring, not even a…

           Ok this was a total lie.

            The school day had started off as any other. Most kids were back from break, exchanging stories during breaks and listening to the instructors when they demanded the students’ attention. For Adrien, he was especially happy, wearing a thick sweater that Marinette had made for him paired with some of the Gabriel Line’s most comfiest black jeans. The black sweater had his favorite colors – dark blue, light blue, and green – stitched across the chest as the sleeves fell long over his hands and the sweater past his butt. Marinette admitted, honestly, that she was trying to design some clothes that weren’t purely for “male” or “female” models, and Adrien had been proud to be her “test dummy.”

            In fact, the girl was behind him in a sweater similar to his, though hers was red with three black dots not unlike an ellipses across her chest paired with black leggings. Marinette had gone red when Alya had teased them about “matching like the adorably goo-y couple they were,” unknowing that Adrien overheard.

            Both teens were blushing even as Nino teased Adrien for the gush-y couple that they were while also showing off his latest mix (including the music Adrien had gifted him for Christmas). The class was a flurry of noises, only ended when the teacher had entered. From there, they had all gone off to do their work and hand in their winter assignments.

            Chloe was glaring at Marinette throughout class, so Marinette was trying her hardest not to give into her need to slap Chloe. She’d, loudly, proclaimed that she had spent New Year’s Eve at a fancy event with Adrien. It was a lie, though, which Marinette knew. Adrien HATED that event, so he honestly stuck around long enough to say he was there and shake enough hands before he suited up and found his Lady waiting for him on the roof with baked goods (because these things NEVER had food as it seemed except for little, overpriced horderves and wine). Chat was a growing boy, so, of course, they crowded together under a blanket on one of the unused balconies and munched on food.

            They were caught once, but the guy had been so stunned that he couldn’t get more than five words out. Chat and Ladybug got him to “swear to secrecy” if he got a selfie, and Mari, bless her soul, shared a cookie with the obviously over-worked server. With the way the man looked as he went back in, there was a HIGH chance that there would be one less potential Akuma tonight.

            They’d finished off the night doing a patrol of Paris, watching the fireworks in the park with other people (well, hiding in a tree because they didn’t want to be mobbed), and got Adrien back to the event just as people were starting to clear out. Adrien would be there another hour, but Lady’s kiss kept him happy until he could collapse back home.

            Chloe knew none of this. No, she was regaling tales of elegance and Adrien and sparkles and Adrien and dancing and Adrien… The way she was talking, it was almost like she didn’t think Adrien and Marinette were dating.

            Oh, right, she was still in denial about it. And shooting Chloe Death Glare TM at Marinette.

            So Marinette had been distracted. Adrien was equally distracted. Plagg was riffling around in the new bag, trying to sneak cheese so Adrien was spending most of the class subtly keeping the cat at bay and quickly catching up on the notes. Neither was really paying attention until…

            The windows blew open as a strange purple smoke filled the room. People were screaming as a laugh resonated through the halls of the school.

            “YOU think my gender is a joke???” It was obviously an Akuma. “WELL THE JOKE’S ON YOU! I, the GENDER BENDER, WILL MAKE YOU ALL KNOW!!!”

            People ran out of the room and into the courtyard. As it was, many other students were running in as well, but it was out in the open air where the smoke disappeared.

            Then realization hit.

            Some people were screaming in shock, some quickly trying to cover parts of themselves that didn’t fit properly in the clothes they were wearing, but one couple had the perfect response…

            “NOT AGAIN!” Two voices, one feminine and one masculine. Alya, who was nearest and suddenly dealing with a flat chest and the addition of… something… to her pants turned as did Nino, who had a definite shrinkage of height that had somehow gone to his chest.

            Before them, where Marinette and Adrien would have been, stood a boy in Marinette’s sweater, fitting him much the same as it had the girl before – though he was taller than her with shorter hair and a more defined face. The girl, with her long hair, was in Adrien’s sweater which now fell to mid-thigh in lieu of the hight loss.

            The girl grabbed her hair and groaned. “NONONO! I WAS HOPING TO AVOID THIS! IT’S NOT FAIR!”

            The boy gulped before he tugged on his sweater sleeve. “Well, I mean, we can fix this. Like last time. Remember?”

            “Wait, Mari, Adri?” Alya, with a much huskier voice than before, noted to her friends. “This… THIS has happened before???”

            “Dude, no, NO!” Nino added with a shriek. “This is… UHG my body feels so weird! And my voice! Like how am I going to smooth DJ with a shrill voice???”

            Welp Nino never changes. Marinette thought mildly. “Remember that one Akuma that could flip things?”

            “Wasn’t it able to switch things?” Adrien returned as he seemed to calm down a tad.

            “No I think it was flip things.”

            “POINT!” Alya cut in, and, man, with her new voice she could demand attention (she could before, but now…).

            The two teen heroes looked at one another. “Long story short we got sucked into one and were too embarrassed at the… turn of events to return to class.” Marinette added.

            “You guys always seem to get the short end of the stick with these attacks.” Alya sighed as she shook her head, which was weird because her hair, which was normally loose, was now tied back tidily into a series of dreadlocks, giving her now-masculine face a clear view of the situation. In fact, she was now even the tallest of them (even towering over Adrien’s original height). “Getting stuck in closets during attacks, getting turned into things, seriously, like how many times?”

            “Well, Ladybug and Chat Noir will hopefully fix this soon.” Nino added with a nod of her head, which was now shrouded in long, curly locks that fell to his shoulders. His hat, still in place, held most of them back.

            Even as the heroes gulped, looking for an out, the principal came to save the day. The man – now turned into a short, plump woman – realized that this havoc and the damage was pretty much confirming that the school day was over. Everyone was dismissed to go home until the matter had been dealt with – aka Ladybug and Chat Noir could fix everything.

            Marinette and Adrien didn’t hesitate. Saying their own good-byes and good-lucks to their friends, they escaped to a private corner of the school with their bags, transformed, and took to the skies.

            Apparently, the school had been a later hit in the war-path of Gender Bender. She had been all over the city already, and at least a quarter of the citizens had been hit with the strange purple gas the Gender Bender left in their wake, turning all into the opposite genders of what they once were. Men were women, women were men, and all in the middle and outside of the gender binary were just experiencing discomforts they had hoped to avoid for the rest of their lives.

            In short, people were NOT happy.

            “At least this is giving people a chance to walk in another’s shoes.” Chat commented as they soared across Paris, looking for the trail of purple back to the Gender Bender.

            “I mean it worked out last time for us.” Lady added as she landed on another roof. Then, she shot her partner a grin. “I mean, almost. You didn’t get to experience the WONDERFUL feeling of…”

            Chat instantly grabbed his ears. “I know where this is going so LALALALA!!!” He cried out. “No, no, NO!” He added as he looked to the girl. “I will NOT be put through that torture you hear me? It was bad enough when YOU weren’t feeling well.”

            Well, that was true enough. Adrien, as Chat or himself, had accidentally visited on a number of bad Period days only to see Mari curled up under ten blankets with a heating pad to her stomach and whining about internal pain. Adrien could feel it must be bad because LADYBUG was curled up in torment. He had run out and gotten her whatever she wanted or needed, but it was dreadful to see his best friend, then girlfriend, in so much pain. She didn’t even react to his worst (best) puns because of discomfort. He had never been more thankful to have been without a uterus than when he saw her in such a disarray.

            Ladybug winced at that. “Ok, point, but that still gives me the right to tease.” She grinned back at the once-boy.

            “N- Hey! Look! Purple smoke and frantic people! We must always run towards the source of weirdness and chaos!” He threw before running on all fours across the roofs.

            He was suck a cat.

            Lady gave chase as they landed just above. “We gotta clear that smoke.” Lady mentioned as she grabbed her yo-yo. “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

            “That my Lady has a PURRfect plan as always?” He returned as he grabbed his baton.

            The two leapt down, spinning their respective weapons so fast it created to streams of air. The purple smoke disappeared into the air above as a figure was revealed. The Akuma… it looked like a purple-ish cloud in the vague form of a human. Across their chest was two sashes, gathering at their hips and held in place, at the center, with a large pin in the shape of a circle with two arrows an a cross, one arrow also a cross, on the center of where the two sashes overlapped.

            In short, it was like a bull’s-eye to where the Akuma was.

            “OH HO HO!” The akuma taunted with a voice that was deeper, like male, but had more feminine inflections. They held up a hand to their mouth – or where a mouth should have been – but the only thing on their face, as they hovered above the ground, were two eye slits, one in dark blue and the other in bright pink. “Looks like a kitty and bug have been caught in my trap! How does it feel to have your gender identity not match with your assignment? Do you find it funny? Something to laugh at?

            “Uh… to be perfectly honest, I never really found making fun of gender all that funny. It’s mean, and the person who did it to you should be ashamed of themselves.” He noted, which Ladybug nodded to. Maybe they could talk their way through this? Chat thought. It had happened once or twice. If nothing else, it could cause the akumized person to stumble.

            “Besides, isn’t it unfair to force this onto people? Wouldn’t it be better to educate them?” Ladybug added next to him.

            The Gender Bender’s eyes widened. They seemed to contemplate the words. “You might…” Then, the butterfly wings of Hawk Moth overtook their eyes.

            Chat gulped. “Crud.”

            “…be LYING TO ME! READY TO SET ME UP LIKE ALL THE BULLIES!” They snapped as the purple smoke flowed around them violently.

            “SCATTER!” Ladybug yelled as the smoke whipped out, smashing into things left and right. Everything it hit like a wrecking ball, and stones and streets and cars and anything within reach was destroyed.

            “I don’t like this anymore!” Chat yelped as he nearly avoided a car landing on him, thrown by one of the whips. “Ladybug!”

            Ladybug got clear as she threw her yo-yo at the akuma. It was a long-shot, but the akuma was right there. If she could just smash it…

            A wall of blue smoke shielded the Gender Bender, causing the yo-yo to bounce away. “Ha! I am greater than your silly attacks!”

            “How about one with more claws?” Chat yelled as he dove towards the ground. “CATACLYSM!”

            The street around them turned black as Chat grabbed Ladybug, taking them to higher ground. The street rubble shot up to hit Gender Bender hard and rough from bellow their shield. “AHHH!” They yelled as they were thrown back into the air and off to the opposite roof of where Ladybug and Chat Noir were. They looked up at the male-turned-female and female-turned-male heroes with a glare. “That’s it, NO MORE NICE GUY!” They yelled as they floated back up into the air. Suddenly, light blue balls of energy wrapped around them before shooting off at the heroes as Gender Bender threw them.

            “Rush them!” Ladybug threw as an idea formed in her mind. They were faster than this akuma victim, and they could grab a sash and tear the pin away. Chat, ever quick on his feet even in the body not normal to him, Chat dodged quickly.

            His ring blared a warning.

            “Better do it quickly, My Lady!” Chat called.

            Ladybug said no more as she threw her yo-yo into the air. “LUCKY CHARM!” The sky lit up before her eyes before a red and black-spotted tarp fell into her hands.

            “”What am I supposed to do with this?” She questioned, looking around for a clue.

            But her diverted attention was all it took. “LADYBUG!” Chat yelled as he dove for her. She looked to late as the smaller body of her partner dove into her, shielding her much larger one as a blue orb smashed into his back. The two were thrown into a neighboring wall with a CRACK!

            Ladybug felt the air rush out of her lungs as her partner groaned. “Chat? CHAT! Are you ok? You need to stop DOING that!” She threw to the boy turned girl as they slid to the ground.

            “I’m feline.” Chat joked as he pushed back his now-long hair. He coughed slightly. “Wind knocked out of me.”

            “Wind…” Ladybug looked around as, suddenly, a plan came to formulate in her head. “That’s IT! Chat, you’re a genius!” She kissed him on the forehead before turning to the villain. Chat grinned up as a flush overcame his face, but he took one step forward before he froze. Ladybug, meanwhile was threading her yo-yo string through the loops of the tarp. “I’m gonna need that alcove to anchor this. You ready?”

            “Y-Yeah.” Chat returned, clutching his lower abdomen.

            Ladybug looked at her partner with worried eyes. “Chat?”

            The cat waved her off as he straightened, still holding a hand to his belly. “I’m good. Let’s just get this akuma so I cam go back to my PURRfectly boyish body.” He grinned to the girl-turned-boy.

            She returned a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, still nervous about her partner, before they dove over the edge towards where Gender Bender awaited.

            Quick dives left and right were par as the last of the blue balls flew past them. Chat Nor, as Lady noticed, seemed to stall several times and nearly get hit. Thankfully, the cat pulled through, launching his baton at the Gender Bender, which Lady used to leap over the akuma, latch her yo-yo to a far-off statue, and pull it down with all her might. The tarp flowed over Gender Bender before trapping them in a bag they could not escape from.

            “WE GOT THEM!” Ladybug cheered, only to hear a grown from her partner. Ladybug looked back to see Chat on the ground, clutching his abdomen as tears leaked down his face through his mask. One claw remained on his ring. “Chat? CHAT! WHAT HAPPENED???”

            Her hesitation was all it took for the Gender Bender to wiggle their head out. The Akuma laughed at the scene as both Ladybug and Chat Noir glanced to them. “Looks like my Hormone Hurler did the job after all!” They cheered before taking off, most likely to regroup and cause more havoc before they returned for the Chat and the Lady.

            Ladybug dropped her yo-yo and tarp as she rushed over to her partner. Her earrings beeped at the loss of another dot, but she had three compared to his paw-only ring. “Chat, Chat! Tell me what hurts! Where did you get hit?” She brushed over him as the boy, now so much smaller than her, fell into her large, masculine arms and settled his mess of blonde long locks into her flat chest.

            “I… I didn’t.” He moaned as he curled into himself. “But everything hurts. My stomach, my back, I can’t…” He bit his lip as tears sprung out again. Suddenly (and thankfully on the privacy of a distant roof far from all civilians who had run and the retreating Akuma), Chat’s transformation released even as the boy-turned-girl didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he was still clutching his stomach – actually BELOW the stomach – as he curled tightly.

            It was at that moment that Mari was reminded, once again, that they had been completely flip-flopped gender AND biologically speaking. She groaned, because, for all her teasing, she had actually been in Adrien’s camp on hoping this didn’t happen.

            “Adrien…? I think I know what’s wrong.” She noted hesitantly as the teary eyes looked up.

            “W-what? What could cause this? I feel like I’m dying.” He cried softly.

            Mari bit her lip as she took him bridal style, easily fitting his small, feminine forms in her arms. She was going to have to take him home – which, since this had happened at school, meant that her parents knew what happened or would know soon. Things like this didn’t stay quiet for long. She, after all, knew that she had the medical supplies to fix – or at least help – this.

            “…Mari?” Adrien asked again as Ladybug took off towards the bakery, sticking to the shadows as much as she could to shield Adrien from any chance of being recognized. Once they were closer, she would power-down in an alley and head in through the door.

            Mari gulped. “Welp, you now know what period cramps are like.”

Chapter Text

            Adrien was curled into the tightest ball on not the sofa, for once, but on Marinette’s bed in Marinette’s biggest and comfiest PJs wrapped around an electric heating pad which never seemed to be hot enough. He had swallowed down some pain killers an hour ago, and they were just starting to kick in.

            “Are you alright. Sweetie? The first are always the worst.” Sabine noted as she came up from the trap door carrying a water bottle, some tea, and…

            “You brought me chocolate macrons you are my favorite person in the world.” Adrien smiled as the older woman laughed.

            It had been all of six hours since he had, once again, taken on the appearance of the opposite six inside and out, and it was a HELLA pain. He’d lucked out – he hadn’t ACTUALLY ended up with his period, but there was this weird white stuff in his underwear that Marinette explained was vaginal discharge and, at that point, Adrien had fainted straight there into his girlfriend’s-turned-boyfriend’s arms (he would swear up and down that it was the pain he did not faint at the sight of bodily fluids).

            When he woke up, the Dupain-Cheng family was doing all they could to help him with this disaster of a situation.

            Just as Sabine passed the plate up, Adrien tried to reach out before pain spiked up his abdomen. He curled back under the mess of sheets, his wild blond hair a mess as a feminine groan escaped his lips. “How do girls DO this every month???” He questioned with near tears in his eyes. The smell of the macrons made his mouth water and his stomach want to throw up all at once.

            Then, a petite yet firm hand came to stroke his hair. Adrien looked up from the covers to see Sabine giving him not pity – never pity – but an understanding smile. “Some girls seem to get it worse than others. Marinette gets bad cramps, too, before her period actually hits.”

            Adrien groaned as he curled closer to the heat – as if it was even possible. He had had enough with being a girl for a lifetime, and he just wanted his boy body back. The problem with this was he, Chat Noir, currently a girl, was trapped here under the pain of her own body while the Gender Bender was out there somewhere and his Lady was out there without her Chat.

            He hated it.

            “…while.” Adrien’s internal monologue caused him to miss whatever Sabine had said.

            “What was that?” He posed as he looked over to her.
            Sabine shook her head as she walked towards the trap door. “Oh, I was just wondering why it’s taking Marinette so long at the store.”

            Just as she said this, a certain bluenette came flying through the trap door, nearly sending her mother sprawling. “I GOT THE OJ!” She threw before she saw the scene. “Whoops, sorry mom.” Marinette added as she hoisted herself up. She had a small bottle of OJ in her hand for Adrien because in some weird way citrus always helped her.

            “No harm, honey. I’m sure this is all weird to you, too. Do you need me to grab your father?” Sabine questioned as she looked at her daughter. It was especially weird because of Marinette’s growth.

            “Uh… N-no mom. I’m getting the hang of it. I mean, I’m a LOT more clumsy now. I don’t know what to do with myself.” She muttered as there was a light laugh from the bed.

            “Welcome to my world.” Adrien stuck out.

            “Shut up you’re the most graceful person I know.” She threw with a hitch of her eyebrow.

            Adrien snorted. “You should see my cousin Felix. He could do circles around Ladybug and Chat Noir, let alone me.” He threw.

            Sabine rolled her eyes at the kids’ antics. “Well, dinner should be ready soon. Adrien, I don’t know if you feel like eating, but I want to make sure you’re comfortable with all of this going on. Have you called your father yet?”

            Both teens froze. “Uh…” Adrien muttered as he hid his head further in the blankets.

            Then, his oh-so-familiar ringtone sung through the air. Some time ago, Marinette had stolen Adrien’s phone and gotten in (how she knew his password he didn’t know) and changed his father’s ringtone to Never Gonna Give You Up, and Adrien had been too busy laughing to ever change it back. Now, the memed song sent the teen members of the room frozen.

            Sabine shook her head. “Just let me know if you want to stay or if you have a ride coming.” She shot the two before she left, leaving the door to the room ajar in case there was some sort of yelling – and that, sadly, was quite common for reasons that were quite ridiculous (Adrien losing miserably to Marinette in a game, Camberbat getting smeered all over Marinette’s dresses, just random screaming, it was never ending).

            Adrien reached over to the side of the bed where his phone was as Marinette rushed to his side. Of course, to add insult to injury, it was a video call. Adrien gulped, hiding his head under the blankets as much as he could as he answered with a timid “hello?”

            Gabriel Agreste was instantly less-than-pleased with the response from his son, especially given the state he was in. “Adrien, I was alerted by the head photographer that you failed to show up to the shoot this afternoon, the very important one that I had had Natalie stress to you. Care to explain?”

            In all the chaos, the shoot had been the last thing on Adrien’s mind.

            “Well, uh, you see Father… uh…”

            “Adrien, where are you? What is wrong with your voice?” Gabriel threw, growing increasingly testy for some reason. Adrien rarely acted so childish around his father, and the place he was in was not known to Gabriel, instantly setting off red alerts. However, his worry translated to anger instead.

            Adrien shrunk deeper into the covers as he shook, and Marinette, taking the shiver of her boyfriend as a bad sign, decided to leap in. She leaned over into the screen with her biggest smile. “Hello, Mr. Agreste? This is Marinette, Adrien’s girlfriend.” She began as Gabriel’s face contorted in confusion.

            “You are certainly not my son’s girlfriend. I have met the young lady and you, sir, are not that.” He threw with a scowl.

            Marinette held back an eye roll. SOMEONE needed to explain gender stereotypes to him, but she digressed. “Uh, actually, sir, I am. You see, earlier today, an akuma attacked the school. It was run off by Chat Noir and Ladybug, but there were some… side effects. Myself, Adrien, the staff, and all of our classmates were turned into the opposite of our initial genders.”

            It was at this moment that Adrien’s head emerged from the blankets. The confusion on Gabriel’s face contorted into pure shock as a near replica of his wife – only much younger – appeared. But, no, the girl, he vaguely noticed, had his nose and a slightly rounder chin.

            His mouth opened and closed a few times. “Adrien?”

            “Hello Father.” He waved slightly before cringing, rolling back into a ball.

            Gabriel’s stern façade returned. “Mr… Ms. Marinette, what is wrong with my son?” There was a pause. “Aside from the obvious.”

            Marinette sighed. “Adrien also got hit my some hormone thing and is going through… uh…” She wasn’t sure how to explain it.

            “Out with it.” Gabriel pushed. “I am a grown man and am married.”

            “He’s going through pre-menstral cramps.” Marinette answered bluntly. “Not full-on period, but we’ve got him all wrapped up here and in comfort. This was the closest place from school, and I as a girl had a load of supplies on hand.” She affirmed with a nod.

            Gabriel turned a little green, but he persisted. “Adrien, are you alright? Do you need a doctor?”

            Adrien shook his head and looked up. “No, no. Apparently, this is normal for girls. Mrs. Cheng and Marinette have been more than helpful, and I’m even feeling a little better.”

            The fashion mogul absorbed his son’s words and seemed to turn them over in his head. “Very well. Marinette, I hate to be a burden, but, as I am out of country and my staff is unprepared to care for a… female’s menstruation cycle, would it be possible for me to leave Adrien in the care of your family? I will, of course, need to speak to your parents.”

            Adrien and Marinette shared a look before Marinette took the phone from Adrien’s hands and took Gabriel Agreste to where Tom and Sabine had been making dinner.

            Adrien ate a chocolate macron before sinking further into the blankets. Somewhere in there, he could feel Plagg shift as another small body – Tikki – came to join him in the warmth and healing of Adrien’s hormone imbalance.

            Adrien was beginning to feel tired by the time Marinette returned, telling him that the cat boy was stuck with them for the night. Adrien vaguely remembered replying with some snappy cat pun before he dozed off. 

            Then, hours later, Marinette had swiped some of Adrien’s PJs that he left there, because APPARENTLY none of hers fit anymore, and threw herself onto her bed.

            She had completely forgotten about the kitten that was hidden under there.

            “ME-OUCH!” A voice complained as Marinette pulled up the covers to find a mess of a kitty cat there. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he focused on Marinette. “Whad ya do that for?”

            Marinette grinned helplessly. “Sorry. I forgot that you were up here. You’ve been out for a few hours.”

            Adrien’s stomach, now healed of the hormone mess, grumbled for sustenance, specifically that containing cheap sugars and fats. He turned wide eyes to Marinette and, in the most adorable and tiny voice, his hands in front of him like little paws, he whispered, “Feed me.”

            Marinette burst into laughter.

            After Marinette calmed down and Adrien pouted some more, Marinette pointed out that the plate of sweets from earlier were still on the plate next to the bed. Adrien dove like a starved street cat, and the whole mess of desserts was gone within seconds.

            Adrien curled up next to Marinette once full, but as Marinette began to stroke his long hair, he remembered what got them in this mess in the first place. “Did you manage to find Gender Bender?” He asked as he sat up, eyes serious as green bore into blue.

            The fashion designer sighed as she looked out over the balcony bed. “Nothing. After we scared them off earlier, it seems that they’ve gone quiet. As you know, villains usually don’t act up at night all that much, so we SHOULD be good until morning.”

            Adrien nodded as they sat in silence.

            It was Plagg who broke it.

            “I’m BORED!” The Cat Kwami threw as he flew out from somewhere, Adrien had no clue. “Feed me and entertain me, mortals.”

            “PLAGG!” Tikki chided just before her own stomach growled.

            The two teens laughed as they rose. In the end, it had been a late-night snack run and an anime marathon. When Sabine had come by around Marinette’s curfew, she found the two snuggled up at the bed, Adrien’s laptop playing the end of Snow White with Red Hair. Sabine didn’t have the heart to move them and, besides, she trusted the two to keep it safe (she’d had the talk with Marinette more times than she could count and had made sure Adrien knew it as well). She slipped the laptop from the bed and tucked her daughter-turned-son and her almost-son-turned-daughter in, missing completely the little creatures snuggled between the two. She set the laptop by the main computer before hitting off the lights, leaving the door ajar, and heading off to bed herself.

            Too bad things couldn’t always be this peaceful.

Chapter Text

            The night didn’t stay quiet as everyone had hoped.

            It was Marinette who woke up to the mess. She had been feeling hot and uncomfortable, her muscles whining at the growth that boys and girls went through, even though she thought she was almost done. No, it seemed, her boy body wanted to go through its own puberty.

            She’d snuck out from the mess of snuggles she and Adrien had ended up in, his head curled into her neck and a tight grip that was always hard to wiggle out of. Never the less, Marinette had enough practice. They often fell asleep on one another during daily naps, given their jobs that caused them to lose sleep, but Adrien needed more because he had so much more on his plate (Adrien also liked to joke that he was part cat so he needed more sleep). Therefore, Marinette was on her roof when her eyes adjusted to the scene before her.

            The streets were filled with purple smoke.

            Marinette was instantly alive as the smoke came higher and higher. Whatever was in it must have been both sedating the populace and whatever else Gender Bender could do because there was no screaming in the streets at the sight.

            Marinette turned back, tearing open her rooftop terrace to her bedroom and sufficiently startling awake her sleepy kitten and the kwamis hiding the covers. “Up! Sports on! Claws out!” Instantly, at both commands, the two found themselves transformed.

            Adrien blinked up suddenly. “I didn’t know that you could transform me.” He muttered as he looked up, his slit eyes boring into Marinette.

            Ladybug shrugged. “I didn’t know either, but it saves us from arguing with Plagg.”

            The boy turned girl grinned up. “There was a reason I liked you.” He hoped off the comforter with a single bound onto the roof and took in the scene. “Oh, I see why we’re up at…” He checked his baton. “1:16? What?”

            Ladybug groaned. “Let’s get this dude over and done so we can go back to sleep.”

            “Not even going to complain.” Chat added with a yawn. With that, Chat grabbed Ladybug by the waist and pulled out his baton. “I think we’re going to need a boost, don’t you?”

            Ladybug threw her arms around his neck. It was a little awkward with their new bodies and sizes, but, eventually, Chat extended his staff towards the street below. The two shot into the heavens as the dazzling lights of Paris descended below them. It was always something to see the city at night as they sored above it, but this wasn’t patrol. No, there was an akuma on the loose, and, if the city was to wake like this, there was bound to be chaos.

            It was obvious that the purple smoke spread out through the while of Paris proper, and the lights below on the streets illuminated in an ominous purple. When the staff reached it’s full length, they were about even with the Eiffel Tower.

            Which turned out to be the exactly right height.

            “It might just be me, but has the Eiffel Tower always looked like a volcano spewing mysterious black and purple smoke?” Chat threw as his eyes focused on the distant structure.

            “No, I don’t believe it does, usually.” Ladybug returned as gravity returned with Chat’s pitch forward.

            They avoided the streets in case there were other little secrets lurking in the smoke. They kept to the roofs, Chat giving an extra boost when Lady’s yoyo wouldn’t reach the next roof without her descending into the areas below. Together, they made it to the skirt of the Tower, just beyond the smoke as they looked up.

            “So, what’s the plan, My Lady?” Chat posed as the cat looked far up. “I doubt we can get through this purrfectly ridiculous slipover of magical clouds.”

            Ladybug felt the nargle at the back of her head. It was always the feeling as it seemed as if the odds were stacked against them.

            “Time for a little luck.” Ladybug grinned as she shot her yoyo into the air. “LUCKY CHARM!”

            There was a flash of red light as the item fell into her hands. It was a Ladybug-themed towel set, which sent Chat’s eyebrow cocked high.

            “What, are we decorating a bathroom?” The boy threw as Ladybug’s mind raced.

            Then, as her world went black, white, red, and spotted, she knew what to do.

            Gender Bender felt their cloud disturb as a large form shot up the center of the tower. They moved, swiftly, as Ladybug was launched through the cloud cover, her fist already going towards Gender Bender. Below, she saw the figure of Chat Noir within the clouds as the baton reeled back.

            Gender Bender paired Ladybug’s hand, seeing her mouth covered by a towel. Smart. The akuma thought. Makes it hard for my ambient smoke to get into their systems.

            Doesn’t stop my hurlers. Gender Bender crackled as Ladybug landed below them. Chat’s body moved through the clouds. Just as the baton shot up again, Gender Bender dodged down, grinning as another Hurler was already paired.

            “Not enough of pain earlier, Lady Chat? How about a little more!” The hurler launched, and, before the body can move, it was hit. From the clouds it emerged, dark with some spots – probably another mask – before falling to a lower tier of the tower.

            “Chat, NO!” Ladybug yelled as she – or was it he? – turned fierce eyes to Gender Bender. “You’re gonna pay for that!”

            Ladybug’s moves were erratic, angry, and ill placed. Gender Bender kept their height at Ladybug’s frantic flails. Gender Bender threw another cloud at the girl turned boy, laughing out loud as the teen hero was blinded.

            Gender Bender descended, like a fish in water moving through the clouds without fear. They found themselves before the gender bent hero, and, with a swift dive, grabbed the yoyo. Ladybug gasped, the little toy of a weapon still connected to the heroine’s hand, and Gender Bender flew fast, tying the hero to the nearby spire of the tower.

            Ladybug gasped as the yoyo came taught, tying the hero to the pole. She struggled to escape, but it was to no avail.

            Gender Bender leaned in, a grin on their face. “Well, it looks like I’m going to succeed in making EVERYONE feel how I feel. I’m gonna make sure no one can be themselves. They can all suffer with me.” Then the earrings, which Gender Bender had been reaching for, released a loud beep. It was at this moment that they noticed there was only one dot left. “And I get to see the identity of Ladybug.”

            “Meh… Not really.” Ladybug looked up with a grin.

            “CATACLYSM!” The pair were divided as a claw streaked through the clouds without fear or hesitation or pain. Gender Bender leapt back, but it was too later as the clawed hand caught the sashes at Gender Bender’s waist, disintegrating the belts and the pin with a satisfying crackle of magic in the air.

            With the pin destroyed, the tower of smoke dropped to the street below, the source now destroyed as Ladybug pulled her yoyo into her hand with a grin. “You didn’t think I’d just LET you tangle me in my own weapon, did you?”

            “PURR-lease, she only does that when she’s falling head over heals for me.” Chat threw before getting a playful punch to the shoulder. “Me-OUCH my Lady!”

            Ladybug rolled her eyes as the rotten butterfly emerged from the dust of pin and sashes. She rolled back her arm, throwing the yo-yo with vigor to catch the little devil of a creature. As it reeled back, she felt the rush of magic as the butterfly was cleansed. “Bye-Bye Pretty butterfly!” She called as the butterfly, now white, escaped her yoyo into the Parisian sky.

            Before them, the Gender Bender cleansed themselves, revealing a young person, probably a little older than the two, in a school uniform that they didn’t recognize. The person fell into a dead faint, as occasionally happened when Akuma’s sustained for longer than half a day.

            Chat was about to comment when there was another flash of light. He turned his eyes just as the male Marinette EEPed and dove behind the pole, pulling a tired Tikki with her. “Oh crap.” Chat muttered as he looked at his Lady, now detransformed.

            Marinette glanced back, somehow keeping her wits as she pulled the mask – still in existence – higher over her face. “Get Gender Bender down to street level and come back for me. Grab the dummy, too!” She denoted to her partner and boyfriend.

            Chat nodded as his ring gave off a small beep. He, however, still had four minutes. That was plenty of time to get this person to a safe place. There was a police stand at the base of the tower, and Chat grabbed the young person, securing them to his back before he used his baton like an elevator in reverse. He extended it all the way down, into the smoke he fell. Thanks to his night vision, he was able to see clearly where he was amongst the darkness. Once he’d reached the base, he found a police man passed out in a guard stand and set the de-evilized person against the stand. Pivoting on his heal, he shot back up to the top of the tower.

            Half way up, he found what his lady had instructed him to get. Using the towels and fastening ribbons, they had created a vaguely cat-shaped human figure. It had taken the hit for him, allowing Gender Bender to let down their defenses once they’d thought they’d disposed of both heroes.

            Once he’d returned to the top of the tower with two claws and a paw left, he returned to his Lady’s side. “I got it.” Chat noted as Marinette nodded. “But are you going to be able to use Miraculous Ladybug when you’re… eh, not Ladybug?”

            Tikki floated out. “She can’t do it now, but you can.”

            Chat’s eyes went wide. “Wait, I can?”

            Marinette shrugged. “Apparently, you just need an active Miraculous to give it a little power to do its job.”

            “We’ve had to do it a few times in the past with other Miraculous.” Tikki explained. “But you’re going to detransform as soon as you cast it, so we should get home first.”

            Chat grinned as he scooped up his Lady bridal style. Marinette gave another EEP, especially adorable and funny given her manly voice, as Tikki clung to the girl’s shirt just as Marinette grabbed the dummy and threw her arms over Chat’s shoulder’s tightly. The towels acted as a shield from anyone looking up. They’d just assume the spotted lump was Ladybug – which was true – but not that she had detransformed.

            The boy turned girl took FAR too much enjoyment in streaking across the skies as Marinette clung for dear life. She wasn’t even looking where they were going, her eyes slammed shut as she kept them shoved into the crook of Chat’s neck until the vertigo came to a stop.

            The boy turned girl cleared his throat. “We’re back.” He noted with a grin. Marinette didn’t have to even see it. She knew that smug grin was on his stupidly beautiful face. “I can let you down, unless you’re comfortable, because I’m PURRfectly comfort…” He was cut off as Marinette shoved off him, throwing all the towels and the one on her face at Chat.

            “Just use Miraculous Ladybug before I smack you. You gave me a HEART ATTACK!” Marinette threw as she stomped around the roof, taking a seat at her rooftop lounge. Chat looked over with eyes brimming with fear, but, once he saw his Lady’s look of annoyance even as her eyes twitched traitorously. He pulled down his mask as a small smile overtook his face.

            Adrien could tell she wasn’t really mad at him. Maybe going to tickle him to death later, but then a kiss would also make it up.

            In fact…

            Chat skipped over to his Lady, who looked up with contempt before a peck met her lips. Chat leaned back, grin even bigger. “You know, you are quite the CAT-ch as a boy or a girl, just so you know.” He smiled brightly.

            Marinette’s cheeks dusted brightly with red. “Ok I won’t kill you later for nearly killing me, but there better be more cuddles.”

            “Can do!” Chat danced off before he collected all the fabrics into his hands. “You know, I’ve always wanted to do this.” He threw before he tossed the ball into the air. “Miraculous Ladybug!”

            The ball came smashing back into his face, sending Chat Noir sprawling on the roof.

            By the time he got out from the mess, he heard the pearls of laughter from Tikki and Marinette. He blew a few strands of long blonde hair away from his face. He tilted his head back to see Marinette nearly falling off the chair, laughing in her chair as Tikki, in the air, looked much the same.

            “Di-did I for-get to mention that in order to p-power the charm y-you need to s-say YOUR name?” Tikki giggled out.

            “I-I thin-k we were g-gonna mention it o-on th-the ride here.” Marinette crackled out as tears streamed down her face.

            Chat rolled his eyes as he stood back up. He had one paw left, so it was now or never. He circled up all the towels once again. This time, tho, when he looked up, there was a pair of lips pecking his lips.

            He looked up with wide eyes as Marinette giggled. “Good first try, though.” Now it was Chat’s turn to have a blush of red.

            Chat smiled as he threw the ball of fabrics into the air. “Miraculous Chat Noir!” This time, the ball reached the pinnacle and dissolved into the beautiful Ladybugs that would cure the town. Marinette looked as there was a quick flash of green, replacing Chat Noir with a female Adrien, still dressed in a red blush on his face.

            Then the ladybugs wrapped around them.

            “AW FUCK THIS IS TOO TIGHT!”

            “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PUT SOME OF YOUR CLOTHES ON THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE PJ PANTS!”

            “STOP STARING AT MY PANTS!”

            “OH MY GODS PJS ARE FALLING OFF DON’T LOOK!”

            Plagg and Tikki laughed as Marinette and Adrien, back to their real genders, were both blushing messes, backs turned to one another. Adrien looked distinctly uncomfortable crammed into the PJs that weren’t his and had his hands over his… parts as Marinette held the too-large pants up as she hiked the too-large shirt to cover her chest area.

            “Best Akuma ever!” Plagg laughed as the two teenagers glared at the Kwamis enjoying this mess FAR too much.

            By the next morning, though, as Sabine came up to tell the kids that Chat Noir and Ladybug had fixed Paris overnight, she instead found the two in their onsies, looking distinctly tired, and decided that school could be forgone again today. She went back downstairs, leaving the door open just in case there was screaming when they realized they had changed back.

            Sabine went to ring up Natalie to call Adrien out as Tikki and Plagg, giggling from behind the doorway, munched on their breakfasts of cookies and cheese. They wondered how the parents had missed the screaming the night before.

            Adrien snorted in his sleep, curling around Marinette further as the girl drooled into his chest.

Chapter Text

            “MaAAARRRiiii I’m SOOOO HAWT….” Adrien whined as he threw himself across his girlfriend’s lap. The two of them were sprawled out at a patch of grass in one of the parks of Paris, sweating bullets as the sun beat down on them.

            Mari scratched him behind his ears, through his hair, eliciting a beautiful purr from her boyfriend. “Well, I’m open to suggestions.”

            “Sometimes you two remind me of a cat and owner more than a couple.” The two heroes looked up to see Kim and Alix standing over them.

            “Hi guys.” Came twin replies as Adrien sat up, his usually tame hair an absolute mess. Marinette’s own hair was pulled into a high pony rather than it’s usual pigtails. Both were in shorts and tank tops, Adrien’s a white shirt with a shimmery pineapple on it paired with blue boarder shorts and Marinette in a flowing blue top that fell past her butt over short black shorts. Their open toed shoes had been tossed off into a pile next to them at some point.

            “What are you two doing here?” Marinette inquired. Usually, when Kim and Alix were together, there was a contest underway.

            “Race. I won.” Alix posed with a grin.

            “Uh, hello, no, you didn’t.” Kim threw back. “I got first and there are pictures as proof.”

            “Uh, excuse me, but the judges were with me.”

            “You bribed them.”

            “Why you little…”

            Adrien cleared his throat before the two decided to throw down. Now, no one would ACTUALLY get hurt. No, this was just the two’s way of being friends, but he didn’t want to get pulled in just in case. “Race? What kind?”

            “Oh, it was a race for a charity event.” Alix looked away with a smug grin as Kim mimed strangling her. “My family donates every year. Jalil needs to go to the gym more often, the nerd, because he’s probably still a few miles back. Mom usually hangs back with him, and dad backed out this year because of ‘work.’” Here, she rolled her eyes.

            “How can you run when it’s so HOT???” Marinette questioned, astonished.

            “Uh… we’re in shape? It’s not that hot? They had drinks?” Kim offered with a shrug. “So how’s Collège Françoise Dupont’s favorite power couple doing today?”

            “Not so much in Collège anymore, Kim.” Marinette grinned as Adrien slumped back down.

            “HOOOOTTTT….” Adrien returned. Marinette continued to pet him.

            “Ok, cat boy, we get it.” Alix rolled her eyes at the two. They were just ridiculous, honestly. “Why not just hang out inside in the AC?”

            “My house is an oven. Literally.” Marinette noted as she flopped back into the grass.

            “If I go home, Natalie is going to try to schedule things for me.”

            “Welp, I’m out of ideas. I’m going to get ice cream.” Alix added. “And Kim’s buying.”

            Kim looked to the smaller girl. “Wait, what?”

            “Yeah, cuz’ you lost.”

            “I DID-“

            Both heroes shot up. “ICE CREAM!” They yelled in tangent, jumping up from their spots, throwing on their shoes, and sprinting off. In their path, they’d bowled over a couple of tourists.

            Kim and Alix approached the tourists, two girls who were talking in English. Kim’s English was better than Alix’s, so he asked in a thickly accented voice, “Are you alright?”

            One girl looked up with brown hair, fixing her high pony tail with a scrunchy. “Yeah, just… awe man, my M&Ms…”

            The other girl, taller than the first with long light brown locks, nodded, giving a thumbs up before asking, “What was THAT about?” This girl noted in another accent of English.

            Kim rolled his eyes, giving a shrug. “They want ice cream.”

            The two tourists looked at each other before nodding to the French teens in understanding. 

            Ice cream was soon in hand as Adrien, Marinette, and their kwami found a spot down by the river where no one would see them. Plagg was napping in what was a bowl once filled with cheesecake-flavored ice cream, now licked clean, and Tikki had nodded off as well after finishing her cookies and cream ice cream. The red kwami was tucked back into Marinette’s purse as now Marinette was sprawled out across Adrien’s lap.

            “Hot… Tired…” She muttered as she curled into his stomach.

            Adrien finished his chocolate, setting it into the pile of cups including Marinette’s peanut butter chocolate swirl. He sprawled back against the bench. “A nap sounds good.”

            “Too hot…”

            “But I don’t want to moooveee…”

            “Hot…”

            “You two complain a lot.” Adrien looked up as he could see Chloe, followed closely by Sabrina, looking down at them over the edge of the upper street.

            Marinette, too tired and hot to deal with Chloe, just buried her head in Adrien and let the boy do his thing. Adrien waved weakly. “Hi Chlo. Hey Sabrina.”

            “Yes, hello.” Chloe replied as Sabrina waved. Both were in summer dresses, Sabrina’s plain green to Chloe’s extravagant yellow. “What are you even doing down there, Adrikins?”

            “Hot. Ice cream. Princess. Can’t move.” Adrien replied in short replies as he closed his eyes, completely missing as Chloe glared at Marinette. The blonde was still not quite over how the bluenette had “stolen” her Adrikins from her, but, thanks to a few words from Adrien, she was willing to be civil, at least, when Adrien was around. It was that or risk losing his friendship as well, and she was FAR more tactical than that. No, she would work her magic.

            “Well, you could always let the pris- I mean, princess to sleep here and come with us, Adrien.” Chloe tried. Yes, if she could get Adrien to herself, then she could show him how much better of a girlfriend she could be, treat him better than this pathetic setting.

            He cracked his eyes open, ready to reply, when there was screaming.

            Suddenly, the two below bound up on reaction. Adrien grabbed the ice cream cups (discretely scooping Plagg into his pocket as he went) as the two bound up and towards the screaming. “Nice seeing you guys thanks but maybe next time bye!” Adrien threw as the two ran off.

            Chloe and Sabrina looked in confusion for a long time at where the two had been.

            Sabrina didn’t voice her thoughts, because Chloe, but maybe Adrien and Marinette were just meant for one another. They were too weird for anyone else. 

            What they had thought had been an Akuma yell had been, in fact, a small fender-bender between two people. By the time Adrien and Marinette arrived, about to transform, it was obvious the loud screams of terror had been courtesy of a man in an expensive Mercedes who was covered in coffee and had rear-ended the other person. There were already cops there, having seen the whole thing, and there was really no use for heroes here.

            “That was a waste.” Adrien grumbled as he slumped over on Marinette. “Carry me.”

            “No.” She tried to shake him off, but he just clung on. It wasn’t that she couldn’t carry him, no, but she just was too tired at the moment.

            “CaaAAArrrYYY MEEE.” He whined more as Marinette tried to trudge away back towards the river or the park or home – she couldn’t remember now.

            It was too hot.

            “Adrien OOOOoooffff.” Marinette tried to shake her boyfriend off, paying more attention to him than anything else.

            “Uhg… fine.” He released her as they found themselves at some junction of roads. Adrien seemed to stare intently at her.

            “What?” Marinette questioned to the boy.

            Adrien didn’t know what possessed him to do it – probably the heat frying his brain – but… “Boop.” He poked her on the nose and took off down an alley.

            Marinette, for all her brilliance as Ladybug, reacted without much thought and chased down her boyfriend.

            It was a mad dash down the alleyways, keeping his white shirt in sight as she slowly caught up. Before the two knew it, they were skidding down the walls to the river banks once more, racing along the blue waters of the Seine as other tourists and locals alike watched the two teenagers madly dash along the paths.

            Then, at one point, in a little less traveled part of the Seine, Marinette saw her opening. Adrien slowed slightly to avoid a bench, and that had been his fatal error. Marinette lunged with all her might, clamping onto her boyfriend. In one swift move, she reached around and “Booped” him in the nose.

            Then Adrien’s foot slipped on a wet spot.

            The world went sideways for the heroes before water rushed around them. Marinette released Adrien, opening her eyes as a black and red blobs shot up and out of their pockets. Seconds later, Marinette saw a larger hand grab hers as the two bodies surfaced.

            “MY FUR!!!” Plagg whined as he shook out to the best of his abilities. Tikki was doing much the same.

            “I was NAPPING!!!” She cried before flopping down on Plagg.

            “Off! Wet!” Plagg complained.

            “NO! I don’t want to float!”

            “WET!”

            The two soaked teens, now completely cooled and back to their senses, stared at the all-powerful Kwami, acting much as they had all day. Even Tikki had her limits, and she was whining away with Plagg as he tried to shake her off.

            It was a snort from Adrien that set the two off.

            Both Adrien and Marinette, still treading water in the Seine, were laughing their heads off at the scene before them. It was only when the two heard commotion overhead that they looked up, Kwami already back on land and under the bench Adrien had earlier been avoiding. A cop had come around at their laughing, asking what had happened. After he had helped fish the two teens out of the river, Marinette had explained that she and her boyfriend had tripped and fallen when goofing around. The cop had let them off with a warning, considering the river was a no-swim zone.

            Once he had left, the two plus their Kwami had dissolved back into giggles. Adrien and Marinette’s phones, both in life-proof cases (because, as superheroes, they’d broken more phones then they cared to admit), had been fine, so Adrien caved and called Gorilla for a lift to Marinette’s place. Now that the majority of the day had passed, it was beginning to cool down, and the two needed to clean up, change, and take those naps they had been wanting.

            With baked bodies and brains, the two snuggled in the back of the expensive car, curled under towels Gorilla had been brilliant enough to bring, and enjoyed the quiet ride home.

Chapter Text

            It was a beautiful September day in Paris, France on that Saturday afternoon. The half day of school had already let out and students, still with all of Sunday to do their homework, were out and about enjoying the nice weather while it lasted. Little children chased one another in the park, teenagers talked on their phones and browsed windows of stores, and couples…

            Well, many of the couples Chat Noir’s eyes zeroed in on seemed to be the picture-perfect couples.

            They held hands, kissed in the street with little chastity, talked and cuddled for all to see. One man bought his girlfriend a beautiful necklace from one of the store fronts, another girl treated her girl to ice cream, and two young men had yet to come up for air in a while (Adrien had diverted his eyes after a while, feeling like he was intruding with his stare).

            Above the scenes of love in the city that was known for it’s romance, Chat Noir and Ladybug lounged in the sun, on the beat in case an Akuma decided to ruin the day but also munching on the cookies Marinette had whipped up for them and sipping on the sodas Adrien had purchased. There was a foot of space between them, with the earlier garble of puns and talks degrading into peaceful silence as his Lady lounged against the sloped roof.

            In the quiet, though, Adrien’s mind had wandered to something that he had overheard earlier.

            Adrien had been wandering the hall between classes. It wasn’t his normal route, but he’d lost Plagg again and had guessed that the Kwami would either be with Marinette and Tikki or hiding in the café looking for food. He’d already talked to Mari, so he knew that the cat kwami wasn’t with her.

            That’s when he was about to walk around a corner when he caught the tail end of a conversation.

            “I can’t even believe that those two are a couple.” Adrien knew that voice. It was Lila. “I mean, Adrien and Marinette don’t even act romantic at all.”

            “I know, right?” Another girl, one whose voice Adrien couldn’t place, spoke next. He hid in the shadows of the doorway, staying out of sight as he listened in. “I mean, cool, suave Adrien Agreste? I would expect him to have whisked her away to some destination date or something. Romantic dinners. Jewelry.”

            “You know what I think?” Lila went on. “I don’t even know if they’re really dating. I mean, friends hold hands all the time, and I’ve seen Marinette kiss Adrien, like, once.”

            “Do you even think they have a sex life?”

            Lila laughed. “Those two? Who knows. Have you ever talked to them together? They act like best friends, not a romantic couple. I know for a fact that Marinette is the biggest romantic there is. She had her kids and life rolled out in college.”

            “OMG really?”

            “Yeah. She’s so not right for Adrien, either. She’s just so… Uhg, I don’t even know. Not plain, but, you know?”

            “Oh I know. She’s super clumsy and is either always loud or super quiet. Like, no middle ground on that girl.”

            “And so RUDE.” Lila added with a huff.

            It was then that Adrien made himself known. “You know, it’s rather rude yourself to be talking about people so cruelly behind their backs.” Adrien shot with a glare.

            “Oh, ah, Adrien!” Lila tried to cover. “What are you talking about?”

            Adrien caught sight of a black blob shoot past behind the two girls who were looking at him. As expected, it was coming from the café but going the completely wrong way of his classroom. It was the only saving grace from the two feeling the full anger of Adrien Agreste, a side so rarely seen that it was more destructive then even his Cataclysm.

            “Just to let you know.” He stated lowly, a dangerous growl in his tone, “Marinette and I have been dating, and we lo- like each other very much.” As he strode past the girls, to where he had seen Plagg disappear, he heard a whisper.

            “See? He doesn’t even really love her. Love is romantic, after all.”

            Chat was snapped from his dark musings as there was a playful poke at his midsection. The cat yelped, nearly falling off the ledge as his Lady laughed loudly next to him. “You know, I should do that more often. It’s so much fun.”

            “Har har, you are so PURRfectly hilarious, My Lady.” He rolled his eyes with a playful grin before he tried to get her back. He went for a jab, but missed completely. Ladybug would have made the most graceful escape, but she’d twisted her foot in Chat’s tail, causing the two to be thrown into one another by the elastic force.

            Ladybug was on his chest, laughing at their predicament, but Chat’s smile soon dwindled. His mind drifted back again.

            Ladybug didn’t like that her partner wasn’t laughing with her.

            “Chat? Are you alright? Really?” She noted with worry as she detangled herself from his tail. She offered him a hand, and he took it, righting himself in another sitting position.

            Chat glanced away, his clawed hands pawing nervously at one another. “I’m fine, my Lady.”

            He felt a gentle hand settle on his shoulder. He looked to see Ladybug’s blue eyes blown wide with worry. “Liar. You’re tail is twitching and messing with your hands. You’re hiding something.” Adrien turned to glare at his tail, which stopped twitching at his look. She continued. “Chat, Adrien, I’m your friend, partner, and girlfriend. You can talk to me about anything, right?”

            Chat looked back at his hands, now tightly grasped together. “It’s just… Uhg, I overheard something today. Lila said…”

            “Lila should be avoided at all costs.” Ladybug threw. “You know how much she hates that I’m dating you.”

            His hands came together tighter. “I know, I know, and I know you tried to be her friend but the girl holds a grudge. It’s just… she DID say some things that… that…”

            Chat sighed, releasing his hands only to place his head in them. Ladybug’s hand went to rub his back soothingly, not saying anything.

            The cat boy took a deep breathe. He was Chat Noir. He had to get to the point. “Do you ever wish we were more romantic? Are we a weird couple? Do we even act like a couple? Because, I mean, we’ve never talked about it, but I know Nino asked me a few weeks ago if I ever needed a condom and we don’t talk about sex and I panicked and I’m ace and…” Chat’s hands went to his mouth.

            Ladybug’s hand stilled for a second. “You’re… Ace?”

            “Demiromantic Asexual. Demisexual is sometimes less of a mouthful.” Adrien heard himself say in a small voice. “I just… I never got the big deal about sex. It seems messy and needless unless you want kids, and… I just… I never told you because I… I don’t know. It never came up.” He looked up, eyes wide in worry. “I’m just… Am I doing something wrong in this relationship? Shouldn’t we be more mushy? Spend too much time together? Make out in public?”

            Now it was Marinette’s turn to make a face. “Uh, Adrien, I’m just going to be… Uh, straight with you.” She giggled. “Considering neither of us is.”

            “What?”

            “I’m Bi.” She noted with a light blush. “And I can tell you right now that I was never a fan of public displays of affection like… like I HATE when people think bi people just want threesomes and sex and… uhg.” She scrubbed her face. “Can I be honest? Like, I would love kids some day, but am I ready for that? Hell no. Would I like to have sex some day? Well, yeah, but with the right partner, the right mood, all of that. My mom has sat me down more than once to talk about sex, and she always made me sure that it had to be something I wanted.” She sighed. “I think because she kept seeing all those ads and things about how sex sells and things. She apparently took some courses in advertisement while studying economics.”

            “Have I ever mentioned how much your mom is awesome?”

            “Yes, but point.” Marinette cut in. “I’m not all that into PDA. Like, I like it in concept but… I don’t know you seemed nervous and… like, I don’t know, I really like how our relation is right now. I mean, I can rely on you for anything. You’re my wall of cat puns and hugs and cuddles.”

            Adrien laughed. “Well, yes, I am a very good cuddler.”

            “The best, especially when we’re watching anime, and you get so excited it’s like you're purring.” Marinette giggled at Adrien’s blush. “And, let’s be honest, we are the ODDEST couple ever. What girl has to give her BOYfriend advice on periods?”

            Adrien somehow laughed and groaned at the same time. “And what girlfriends shove their boyfriends into the Seine because they’re bored? Hm?”

            “I’ve thrown you off of taller things, and shouldn’t cats always land on their feet?” She threw with a cocked eyebrow.

            “You were hot and bored and then you USED me for a ride and warmth through cuddles.” He pouted and crossed his arms.

            Marinette rolled her eyes. “Yeah? Well YOU have used me to get to all my designs early. Your dad is a designer. For all I know, you’re a spy out for my designs. In fact, you’re even a model! Who sent you? Mugatu? Are you going to try to kill me to music?”

            “No you are not referencing that horrible movie. They make models out to be even STUPIDER than some of the dumbest ones I’ve met, and that is saying something.” He threw with a grin. “Though the outfits were on point.”

            Marinette laughed at the boy. “So, just to say it out loud so you and your stupid puns can understand, I am PURRfectly happy in this relationship as it is. I mean, we’re not even seventeen yet. We got PLENTY of time to be mushy and talk about sex and things when we get older. You find it messy, I’m not ready, and, if a day comes where we both want it, then we can discuss things then.”

            Adrien stared at her for a long moment. His perfectly imperfect Ladybug had just soothed all his fears that had been bubbling up all day about their relationship. He had been so worried that he wasn’t being the boyfriend he could be, should be, and yet here she was perfectly content with their ways. So they didn’t do romantic dinners all the time and hang off of one another’s arms? They still loved each other.

            They loved each other.

            “Je t'aime.”

            Marinette’s head shot up. “W-what did you say?”

            Adrien felt like swallowing his tongue. It just got away from him. “N-Nothing.”

            Before he could start up another conversation, though, he looked to see his Lady’s face closing in. Then, as his eyes were trained on her, she whispered, “Je t'aime.”

            “Je t'aime.” He replied, louder this time.

            “Je t'aime.” She threw, louder, with laughter as her smile became infectious.

            “Je t'aime!” Chat yelled as he threw his arms over her. They smushed their noses together in this ridiculous kiss that lasted mere seconds but was no less thrilling, loving, or romantic. They needed not the expectations of everyone else. They just needed each other.

            Then the mood was broken.

            “HOLY SHIT LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR JUST KISSED!”

            “DID SOMEONE GET THAT ON CAMERA???”

            “DUDE YOU OWE ME TWENTY EUROS!!!”

            Chat snorted as he helped clean up. “I guess we forgot about keeping the whole dating thing on the DL as heroes.”

            “Meh, things are never dull, I’ll say that.” Ladybug grinned as she grabbed her yoyo. “Race you to my house? First one there gets to pick what we marathon.” Without waiting for a reaction, Ladybug was off.

            “CHEATER!” Chat Noir yelled playfully, leaping to the ground as he tossed his garbage before taking off after her. Behind him, the crowds cheered.

            Chat grinned to himself. They were definitely the odd couple, and he wouldn’t, he found, have it any other way.

Chapter Text

            Adrien curled around himself under his duvet as the shudder ran up his body. It physically pained him to do just about anything at this point, and his depressive mood had degraded his health even further.

            It had started the day before. His father had pulled him from school that day for some “big important” photo shoot, and the man had just… made Adrien feel bad about it. It was the first time in a while when his father had come to one of his shoots, and the way Gabriel talked to him had unsettled him. It was nothing that Adrien hadn’t heard before, everything that was supposed to be “for his own good” and such, but today it had gotten under his skin and unnerved him. Adrien had held it together through the morning until his father left for another meeting, but after the boy had degraded. His smiles were tighter, his head began to hurt, and, as soon as he could escape, he did. He ended up walking home as the skies greyed over, Plagg tucked in his bag casting worried glances to the boy but not knowing what to say.

            Once he’d returned home, though, the jittery sadness as it was seemed all-consuming.

            “Kid, are you ok?” Plagg questioned as Adrien looked up. The moment they had walked into his room, the kwami had flown out.

            “Yeah, I’m just… shower.” Adrien returned as he tossed off his over shirt, entering the bathroom. As he closed the door, he missed how Plagg floated close, eyes wide with concern for his charge.

            Adrien sighed as he entered the bathroom. Tossing off the rest of his things and starting up the shower, he ended up just sitting under the hot spray as his head pressed into the tiled wall. His eyes lolled slowly, taking in the air filling with steam without really thinking. His head hurt.

            Adrien didn’t know how long he had been in there, but it had been long enough that his eyes had closed. He wasn’t asleep, no, but he was just… out of it.

            He was so tired.

            He felt the hot spray stop as his eyes lolled open. Through the blurriness of his exhausted view, he watched as a small, black blob dragged a huge, fluffy white towel over him. “Come on, Kid. You need to sleep.”

            Adrien didn’t move for a while. He let the cold seep in until he was aware enough to adjust the towel. He dragged himself up from the floor, draping the towel around his shoulders to cover the upper half of his body. The hairs of his legs stood on end as the cold of the bathroom hit him, but he was barely aware.

            He went through the motions, feeling as Plagg pushed the toothbrush into his hand, as the little Kwami rested on his shoulder to watch Adrien carefully as the boy brushed his teeth before bed. Once Adrien was done, the Kwami opened the door.

            Adrien bumped into the doorframe as he staggered out. He felt sick with himself, tired, too tired to cry yet wanting to do so for no particular reason.

            In the end, Adrien had managed to pull out some underwear and a too-big shirt. He remembered, vaguely, that he’d bought it because it reminded him of comfort as it draped to almost completely cover his boxers.

            He fell into the bed, only made because the house hands had always maintained his room. He dug himself under the covers that night as Plagg hit the lights. The cat Kwami remained close as Adrien curled under the sheets.

            The next morning, Adrien had made it to breakfast in much the same frame of thought. It was Saturday, and that Saturday he had no classes. Yet, the boy had things on his schedule anyway. Without waking Plagg (considering that the Kwami was, well, a cat, it was a hard thing to do anyway), the boy had somehow gotten up. In the back of his mind, he just tried to keep his thoughts straight. He had to turn up to a meeting with that photographer this morning, going over the photos. Well, he was just to show up while Natalie talked over things. He had packed Plagg without waking the cat, and the two plus Natalie had been carted over to the studio.

            The photographer had offered Adrien food, and, considering that Adrien had skipped breakfast thanks to his defunct mood, he took some while Natalie talked to the man. It had been the wrong choice, as it turned out, because he had instantly gotten sick once he’d eaten a little.

            Or maybe he had been sick all along?

            That was how he wound up here. As soon as he’d gotten off, he’d scrapped all his plans, telling Natalie that he was going to nap in his room. He’d somehow managed to hide his sickness from her. His quiet afternoon in, maybe online gaming with Marinette or going to lie in the sun was all scrapped. He’d thrown up upon arriving home, head over the toilet as Plagg fluttered around, never handling sick people well. Eventually, Adrien had flushed the toilet and washed his face. His red-lined eyes and pale complexion shown brightly against the mirror and white light. He’d gotten back into his oversized shirt and crawled back under the covers, still unmade as the maids had yet to come around.

            And that was how Adrien was, curled up as his laptop played some show he barely paid attention to. His throat hurt, and he felt so tired.

            Then there was a gentle knock at his window. Adrien tried to look up, but Plagg’s cries of joy caused him to wince. “Oh thank kwami you’re here!” He yelped as he flew for the windows.

            Finally, Adrien looked up just as Plagg opened the window. Ladybug stepped in, a backpack over her shoulder and concern in her big blue eyes. “Adrien? Are you ok? Tikki got a 112 from Plagg.”

            Adrien buried his head under the covers.

            “Adrien is sick, and I don’t do sick. He’s been all groggy and tired and depressed, and he ate this thing with cheese and threw up. If cheese doesn’t fix it, I don’t know what will!”

            “It’s ok, Plagg. I’ve got it from here.” Ladybug replied as she stepped into the room further. Adrien could hear her steps come closer before he felt his bed compress.

            “Sick. Go ‘way.” Adrien tried to say even as his voice was scratchy. “You’re gonna get ‘ick.”

            “Not if I stay in Ladybug form. I’m impervious, remember? Even to germs.” She replied softly. “Can I help with anything?”

            Adrien wanted to say no. He wanted to get her to leave so he could be alone, alone in his depression and sickness.

            Another little voice told him that he wanted acceptance.

            “Can you… sit next to me? Rub my back?” He pleaded as he felt his Lady get up. He almost thought that she was going to leave, that she was done with his sickness.

            With him.

            Then the other side of the bed settled as a hand came to rub his back through the covers. “What are we watching?” She added softly.

            Adrien peaked up, his eyes red with unshed tears, from the combination of sickness and depression. She gave him a small, accepting smile. “I don’t… even know.”

            Ladybug giggled as she set the backpack down. “Mom sent me over with some soup, and dad threw in fresh bread.” She waved Plagg over. “Plagg, there’s a few mini cheese buns in there for you, too.”

            Adrien giggled at the reaction of the cat, which was to nuzzle Ladybug on the cheek before he dove into the bag. Ladybug giggled at the cat’s response herself, but, once Plagg had been fed, he burrowed into the boy’s hair. The soft purring of Plagg seemed to sooth the headache Adrien had coming on the whole morning.

            “Food… no, not now.” Adrien tried. “Can we just… be here? Quietly?”

            “Yeah.” Ladybug shifted as Adrien found his head tucked against her side, one hand on his back still as the other reached over to stop whatever was playing on the screen. “How about I pick something? I can think of a few good cartoons. Or do you want a movie?”

            Adrien felt a hum ring through his throat, and Ladybug had ended up playing Spirited Away. The beautifully animated movie with the lovely, soft film score rolled through his head and body. However, he continued to not pay attention. Instead, he tucked himself right up against Ladybug and fell asleep, completely content for the first time in the last 36 hours.

            When Adrien woke up, he found that the end of another movie was playing. He’d been out for three-some hours, and Ladybug hadn’t moved much. She had, at some point, gotten up to get him another blanket. Unfortunately, he’d felt sick when he got up, so it was another trip to the bathroom. Ladybug waited outside patiently when Adrien had thrown the door shut, and she’d respected his need for privacy.

            When he had re-emerged, face still a little wet, her face looked up as he slumped over, hands crossed over his belly. In what felt like an instant, the blanket from the bed had come to wrap itself around his shoulders. He was led back into bed, propped up before a cup was pushed into his hands.

            “It’s milk. Drink.” She told him, and he sipped the cool drink. In his brain somewhere, it noted how basic milk would help neutralize the acids in his stomach and help his teeth in order to strengthen the enamel.

            He told his science brain to shut up as the milk soothed his throat and settled his stomach a little. They’d started another movie – Ferris Buller’s Day Off – and he found himself rolled in a blanket burrito and tucked against Ladybug’s chest, her arms wrapped around him in comfort for him.

            Somewhere along the way, more giggles had escaped his throat in time with the reverberations through Ladybug’s chest. Between her heartbeat and Plagg’s renewed purring, he was in utter relaxed bliss.

            Towards the end of the movie, Adrien felt his stomach rumble and be soothed by some still-warm bread that Ladybug had brought over. One small loaf had been enough for him, and it helped his stomach immensely. More milk and plenty of water, and Adrien felt that need to puke go away.

            It was around nine when Ladybug’s yoyo began to buzz. The two looked at the device before she, hesitantly, held the device up to her ear once she’d discerned that it was a call. “Hello? Oh, hey mom.” At Adrien’s look, Ladybug whispered, “Tikki call forwarded.”

            “Oh, what mom? Oh, wow, it IS that late uh… yeah, I’m gonna be a sec. Yeah, I know I promised to help with deliveries. I know, they’re early. I’ll be home soon. Yes, I’ll tell Adrien you said hi and to feel better. Love you, too. Later mom.” With that, she flicked the yoyo shut. She looked down at the boy nuzzled against her. “Are you ok if I go? I promised my parents to help with deliveries tomorrow morning, and the guys are always early.”

            Adrien hummed before sitting up, scooting over let her up. “Yeah, and… thank you, so much for the wonderful day.” He pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you so much.”

            He could feel her smile as she pulled him into an even stronger hug. They lasted there for a few minutes before they leaned back, Ladybug sitting up and kissing Adrien on his forehead. She unpacked her bag, revealing several thermoses and packs of bread. At Adrien’s stare, she smiled. “I DID say mom and dad sent me with some things. The silver ones are the soup, the black ones are milk, and the water bottles are, well, water. Those should keep them warm or cold all night, by the way. The bread is fresh, too.”

            Adrien was reminded, again, why he loved this family so much. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”

            “Yes, but I still love it and love you.” She pecked him on the lips as she shuffled off the bed. “If you need me over, I’ll be up by four, and I’ll gladly take a sick boyfriend over flour sacks.”

            Adrien laughed as he shuffled up to walk her out. Plagg whined as he was taken off his spot on the blanket burrito. Adrien kept the blanket wrapped around him as he walked Ladybug to his window. With one last hug, she yoyo-ed away from his home as he closed the window.

            Adrien let off a sigh of happiness as he watched her go. He shuffled back to the bed, turning off the lights and snatching a water bottle as he sucked half of it down. He curled back up into a ball as Plagg lounged on the bed. Adrien finished watching his movie before he closed the lid, slipping it off the bed. He fell asleep with the water bottle close to his chest and the distinct shampoo of Ladybug still lingering on the pillow.

            He fell to sleep much more easily than the night before.

Chapter Text

            Marinette couldn’t quite comprehend what Alya had said.

            “Come… Come again?”

            As opposed to the seventeen-year-old super heroine’s confusion, Alya was bouncing up and down with a huge smile on her face. “Rose told me, who overheard from Julianne, who heard from someone who overheard Adrien in the hall saying that he was going to pop Marinette, that’s you, the ‘Big Question.’” Alya squealed as she grabbed Marinette’s prone arms and shook the two up and down. “He’s going to ask you to MARRY him!”

Marinette was still not processing. She waited until her best friend stopped shaking her before responding, “Alya, Adrien and I, we’re not, we’re not getting MARRIED!” Marinette whipped back. “We’ve never even discussed it! Hell, we just got our university acceptance letters! We graduated Lycee in six months!”

            “Just in time for a summer wedding! Can you imagine? Flowers, fresh trees, a band, birds flying – ”

            “Adrien’s allergic.”

            “Fine, no birds.” It occurred to Marinette that Alya had the Dupain-Cheng-Agreste wedding planned out.

            Marinette shook herself. “Alya, again, we’re so YOUNG! I don’t know who heard what but Adrien and I aren’t…”

            Marinette was cut off by an explosion and screaming.

            “Holy shit!” Alya yelped as people scrambled every which way in the street. Overhead, Marinette caught sight of Chat Noir, whom had left class before them, take off towards the explosion.

            Apparently, Alya did, too. “Dude! Chat Noir!” Within seconds, she had her phone her phone in hand. Before she took off towards the action, however, she looked back at Marinette. “This isn’t over, gurl, btws. We gotta discuss wedding dress next.” Alya was off before Marinette could protest.

            Marinette, instead, growled at the retreating back of her best friend. “Alya is crazy. This is crazy. GAH! I need to punch something.”

            “Wish granted!” Tikki bound up out of Marinette’s purse. “Just say the magic words!”

            Marinette grinned in a way that would make Chat Noir proud. “Tikki, Spots ON!” In a flash of swirling pink light, the teen Parisian girl was replaced by the heroine of Paris, Ladybug. Without pause, her yoyo spun through the air, wrapping around a distant flag pole and into the air.

            However, one thought seemed to wiggle around at the back of her mind. 

            The Akuma was fairly difficult. It had been in the form of a dark, huminoid ghost – it reminded Ladybug a lot of the Dementors from the Harry Potter Storyline. Chat had avoided it’s direct touch, but Ladybug hadn’t. Without a word, the Akuma didn’t talk at all – Ladybug had been drained of all energy and most emotion until Chat had managed to steal her away. Chat was left with a completely apathetic Ladybug.

            Thankfully, Chat had been able to identify the akumized piece – a silver wristband – when the Akuma had drained his Lady. It had taken pure determination and support of Chat Noir in order to get Ladybug the energy to cast Lucky Charm, and the two had been able to defeat the Dementor thanks to it.

            Only when Lucky Charm was cast was the spell broken, returning Ladybug to her normal state. However, it was the pure relief and adoration for her partner that had driven her to kiss Chat.

            When the two broke, Ladybug grinned up at her partner. “Thanks for not giving up on me, mon minou.”

            Chat set his forehead against hers, gently cupping her face. “Never, my Lady. I will always believe in you.” Then, he paused. “Also, ah, I have to ask you something.”

            Ladybug backed up, her eyes wide with confusion. “What?”

            “Not here. This… this is important, ok?” He asked nervously. “It’s kinda… big…”

            Suddenly, what Alya had said earlier rushed back to Marinette. “A-Chat, what are you – ” She was cut off by the frantic beeping of her ears.

            He took her hand gently her hand gently, afraid she might disappear almost. “How about we talk tonight? Le Meurice, 19:00, my treat.”

            Marinette chocked on nothing. Le Meurice was one of the most expensive restaurants in Paris! “Chat – ”

            “Just say yes.” He begged, another frantic beep to follow.

            Instead, not trusting herself, she nodded before bounding off (not running away).

            When her transformation undid itself on the roof of the school, Marinette looked to her Kwami with wide eyes. “Tikki, Adrien is going to ask me to marry him!” And, with that, the girl passed out.

            Marinette had shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She’d arrived before Adrien, and, apparently, he’d called ahead to tell the hostess to seat her should he be late. She’d been offered her choice of (incredibly expensive) wine, but she’d chosen to have water instead. Thankfully, after the Gala event, Marinette had crafted a dress incase another occasion came up. Her dress now fell to her knees, ruffled just above her knees to her waist while the top was a sweet-heart neckline and thin black straps over her shoulders. A thick black satin sash wrapped around her waist where ruffled met smooth. She’d paired it with long black gloves that trailed up to her mid-bicep. Her legs were clad in black nylons that disappeared into knee-high black fabric boots with a high heel. She played with the charm on her purse, designed in a half-moon form with ruffled red satin and a black clasp connected to a black strap that could cross her chest and over her shoulder. Inside was a turned-off phone with Tikki after Alya had bombarded her with texts throughout the afternoon and evening until Marinette couldn’t take it.

            It wasn’t that Marinette NEVER wanted to marry Adrien – no, she would gladly tie the knot with him – but not NOW. Marinette wanted to make her way in the world, get her degree, start her designing career. Adrien had seemed to understand her and, in many ways, do the same himself. They hadn’t even talked about moving in together or anything of the marrying sort. They were so… so young!

            Marinette was snapped from her thoughts as the chair in front of her was pulled out. She looked up as her jaw dropped. Adrien looked like he had just walked off the runway from Paris Fashion week, in a suit more dapper than anything Marinette could imagine designing. Posh black satin paired with a black shirt, deep blue bow at his neck. His hair was perfectly tamed, and his smile would make any girl faint on sight.

            Marinette felt a little woozy as she smiled up at him. She was starting to regret turning down the wine as she sipped the water and, tensely, tried to cover her nerves. “Fashionably late much?”

            “On time much?” He threw back as he sat down. “But sorry I am late. Father wanted me in a last-minute fitting. You know, that big show in Rome is coming up.”

            “Oh yeah, that’s the one you go to every summer, right?” Marinette returned as the golden boy nodded.

            “Yeah, it’s… yeah.” Adrien nodded as he looked down at the table. Heavy silence befell the two.

            Thankfully, a waitress took this moment to come around and introduce herself to the pair. “Good evening. I am Jun, and I will be taking care of you this evening. Is there anything I can start you two off with?”

            Marinette strode forward and took the chance to order herself a drink. She considered wine, but her words of the gala haunted her. On the off chance an Akuma struck (which she was kind of hoping now), then she would need to be on high alert. Adrien himself did the same and added an appetizer to the mix. It was no secret that the heroes ate a lot and never seemed to gain weight. He also added a fancy cheese platter for Tikki and Plagg to split. Mindless chatter over meal choices filled the void, followed by several bad puns and gossip as the meals were being waited for.

            Once everything was eaten and only dessert was left and on it’s way, Adrien got nervous once more. Marinette could see him fiddling with something in his jacket pocket, and the girl got even more nervous. Awkward silence filled the air until… “Uh, Marinette, there was something important that I needed to ask you.”

            “Uh… alright.” Marinette returned with shakiness to her tone.

            Adrien fiddled with something in his coat pocket again. “Well, we’ve known each other for a long time and been dating since the beginning of Lycee…” He tugged something out of his pocket, but Marinette couldn’t see it. “And, uh, well, this is kind of… I don’t know how to ask this.” He groaned and set his head into the table.

            “Uh, Adrien?” He looked up at his girlfriend. “Uh, I think I know what you want to ask.”

            “You… you do?” He asked, eyebrow raised.

            “Yeah, uh… Alya heard something over the gossip chain and told me.” Marinette played with the loose strands of her hair, glad that she had left it down tonight. “And, uh, I want to say yes but not yet. I feel like we’re just… too young for this, you know? And we have all of university still!”

            Adrien blinked a few times before he sat up. “Uh, wait…”

            Marinette continued. “Just to let you know, maybe in the future we could consider… uh… marriage.” She finished as she looked down at her plate.

            Adrien chocked and sat straight up. “Marriage? What? NO!” Marinette leapt up, and they drew a few eyes from the tables around them. “I mean, uh, Mari, we kind of… I mean… yeah, in the future but not now. I mean… Uhg I should have said earlier, but I was… just… here!” He shoved something in Marinette’s face.

            Marinette blinked a few times herself before she took the item and held it out to actually read it. It was, of all things, a single sheet of paper inviting her to… “The Roman Fashion Exposition?”

            “Yeah. I was hoping to ask you to this to come with me. You’re tough and strong and my girlfriend and my dad respects your fashion input.” He explained. “I was hoping you could bat away all the girls that throw themselves at me when I’m too polite to do myself, and I was hoping you would also stop my dad from going overboard on me. I mean, it’s a big thing because we’d be traveling for two or three weeks in Rome. Natalie has already gotten the tickets and room together, and it’s kind of a big deal to invite my girlfriend so… yeah.”

            Marinette sat the item in her hands down on the table. She stared at her boyfriend for a long time before… She started laughing her head off.

            “Hey! It’s not that funny!” Adrien protested.

            “I thought you were going to propose to me!” She defended. “Instead your asking me to ANOTHER fashion week!” She set her head down on the invite as her back visibly shook.

            When she sat up, laughter still in her tone, Adrien burst out in laughter. Sure enough, the letter had stuck itself to her forehead. This reignited Marinette’s own laughter as she peeled off the card. They lasted like that, annoying a few older couples around (who had come out for fine dining and wondered what sort of restaurant would let in these riffraff of kids, not knowing that was Adrien Agreste and his girlfriend slash the future protégé of Gabriel Agreste). The laughter had settled, and Jun, who had been bearing desserts nearby, brought the young couple their sweets. Actually, Marinette added an extra order, knowing from just the look that Tikki would want her own of what Marinette had ordered.

            When Marinette had a scoop of her dessert, a chocolate soufflé with house-made ice cream, she hummed with pleasure. Adrien was munching on his molten lava cake, a bright smile on his face at his silly girlfriend.

            “To answer your question,” Marinette noted as she and he met eyes. “I will ask my parents about attending. As long as your dad can get me some college credit for all the work I have to do, I’m sure I can make some arrangements.” She smirked as Adrien’s eyes lit up.

            “Have I ever mentioned that you are the best, most badass girlfriend ever?” He questioned.

            “Have I ever told you that you are the sweetest, silliest boyfriend a girl could ever have?” She returned. There were more giggles as Adrien leaned over. Marinette met him in the middle as the two heroes shared a little, and very sweet, kiss.

            By the end of the week, she had confirmed her “yes.”