Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

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Marinette gets a few wires crossed often. There was that time she flirted with Adrien for like ten minutes thinking he was Chat, and the time she jumped right in front of an akuma without her suit on, and the time she threw Adrien at Chloe… 

For all of her slip ups, she didn’t expect Chat Noir to be the one to let his identity slip. Or Adrien. Technically Adrien. She’s still wrapping her head around that. 

Earlier…

Marinette sighed, adjusting her bag on her shoulder and heading for the library. This had to be just about the only time she wasn’t glad Mrs. Bustier was letting them have some free time before lunch. Why? 

Because Lila was waiting for her in the library. 

There wasn’t any way to avoid it. Lila would spin this badly no matter how she played it, so the best way to do this would be just to face her and take whatever she wanted to give. Maybe someone would overhear…

But no. The only other person in the library was Adrien, and he was packing up his bags as she walked in, shoving his phone into his pocket. For a moment she fantasized a world where she could put her crush aside and just walk up to him, ask if he was okay, what his dad had pulled him out for this time, if he was coming back to class…

But alas, that world was not the one she lived in. (It probably existed somewhere, right?). As he passed, the most she could manage was a “You good?” to which all she got in return was a shaky nod and a fake smile. He turned the corner. Marinette blew out a breath.

And then she was up against the wall. 

Lila stared into her eyes, analyzing her, searching her for any fear. She felt none. It was hard to feel fear over a high school girl when you stayed up until three in the morning fighting for your life with literal Zeus: read, a depressed mythology major. 

This was nothing. 

The threats she made, however? Those were much harder to take. 

“What did I do this time?” She managed past the pressure in her throat— it wasn’t just fear, she belatedly realized, but Lila’s arm pressed against her jugular. 

“Oh, you know what you did.” Lila sneered, pressing harder. It took everything in Marinette not to react. “I told you if you talked to Adrien again, I would make you regret it.”

This was starting to get painful. Marinette glanced around— surely the library wasn’t completely empty? “What lie did you tell everyone?” She gasped as the pressure shifted towards her windpipe. “How did you get them out of here this time? Let me guess–” She pressed against Lila’s force, ignoring the pain and getting one of her hands behind her. “You told them you needed the library all to yourself for an interview with some famous person? Or– oh, I know, Princess Anastasia is secretly an immortal goddess who wants to offer you goddesshood yourself for your helping her family so much!”

Lila scoffed. Any moment now… Marinette thought. She had to pull this off quickly, cleanly, and perfectly smooth if she wanted even the slightest chance of Lila being unable to turn this against her. It had worked the past three times. What was Lila waiting for?

Lila smirked. “I know what you’re thinking. You’re wondering why I’ve been waiting for so long to make a move.” 

Marinette blinked. 

“You’re too strong , sweet Mari.” Marinette bristled, shoving away from the wall and moving to duck under her arm, but Lila shoved her back, having apparently anticipated her move. Breathless seconds passed. Her throat burned. Both of Marinette’s arms now were wrapped around Lila’s, shoving in desperation. She wasn’t a hero now, was she? She didn’t have the superstrength that came with the suit. She couldn’t move. Every attempt was met with searing pain from her arm. What was Lila doing ? 

“Getting rid of you before you cause too many more issues.” 

Was her vision supposed to be getting spotty? How long had it been since she’d been able to take a full breath? Why wasn’t Lila saying anything?

Brown eyes, gleaming malice, bore into her mind. 

Wait. Brown? 

Who was Lila? 

Panic seeped through the calm Ladybug persona she hadn’t even realized she’d put on. 

Ladybug, great hero, rendered unconscious by a random bully. 

She pushed off the wall with what strength she could muster–

What? 

She’d been struggling this entire time… 

She was probably showing her fear…

…

When had they ended up on the ground?

…

She couldn’t scream for help. 

Where was her partner? 

…

Why couldn’t she get a grip ?

…

Where was he–

“MARINETTE!” 

A white and blue blur streaked past her, ripping the weight off her. For a moment, relief was the only thing she could process, but as blessed air filled her lungs breath after breath, no longer restricted, some semblance of reason (when had it left?) returned to her. 

Adrien. 

She sat up, peering desperately through the way the world was distorting itself around her like the planets about the sun, trying to see–

There. It was still blurry, but he was locked arm in arm with Lila, in full view of the security cameras now. She whispered something too low for Marinette to hear into his ear. 

He let out a yell, surging forward–

BAM!

Marinette rubbed her eyes. She was hallucinating. She was dead. Lila flippin Rossi had killed her, and this was hell, because–

There was no way she had just witnessed Adrien Agreste punch Lila Rossi. 

“ Stay away from my lady.” He hissed, nearly vibrating in anger. The way he was standing over her, hands clenched into–

Claws?

Marinette tried to speak, but her throat wouldn’t cooperate, sending up a flare of pain instead. She swallowed. Then, she tried again, managing a bit of a rasp– “...drien?” 

He turned instantly, that angry courage fading to fear, chest heaving. He rushed over, eyes flashing a million different ways and his hands out to help her up. She accepted them gratefully, leaning heavily against him as she stood. He didn’t move away quite yet, thank goodness. She would’ve fallen if he had.

“What… happened?” She whispered. 

He opened his mouth, turning in towards himself as he searched for an answer. Were his eyes always that glassy? Why was he shaking? 

“Adrien Agreste, please see me in the principal’s office.” 

The intercom beeped, and Adrien’s eyes went wider than ever. His chest heaved. His skin went about three shades paler than it had always been. Marinette tried to speak to him, but it was clear nothing she was saying was making it past his ears. And suddenly, trembling, he wrenched himself from her grasp, sending her sprawling to the floor, unable to catch herself. When she looked up, he was gone. 

Chapter Text

She found him in the boiler room. She was leaning heavily on the rail, still exhausted and mad at herself for it. Her legs were about to give out, and she was grateful to collapse next to him, letting out a rough cough that tore through her throat. He blinked, seemingly just realizing she was there. His water bottle was pressed into her hands. She accepted it, taking a swig and passing it back. 

“ ‘re you okay?” She whispered, wincing. 

Nothing. 

“Why are you in here?” 

He shrugged, finally, finally, turning to face her a little. Tear tracks shone on his flushed cheeks. “I… I didn’t want you to see me cry.” He whispered, letting out a little chuckle. Her heart went out to him. “Only now I can’t seem to stop, so…”

“Oh, poor–” She broke off, and after a moment he rest a hand on her back, rubbing little circles through her shirt as she coughed. “Poor Adrien.” She finally managed, blinking back the tears that had sprung into her eyes. “You’re allowed to cry.” 

“You should stop talking.” He whispered. “It sounds like it hurts.”

She was silent for a moment. 

“Does… does anything else hurt?” He whispered. “I…” He scoffed. “I’ve never been strangled , so…” 

“My ears–” She coughed again, and he winced. Good Lord, why did French words have to use so many back-of-throat sounds? “Won’t… stop ringing. So there’s that.” She shifted. 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. 

More silence. 

His hand hadn’t left her. Instead, it shifted, looping over her shoulders. Her leg stopped bouncing. Peace. 

Almost. 

“What… What did Lila say to you?” Marinette asked. 

Adrien heaved in a sharp breath, letting it out. She let him compose himself. Finally, he turned into her. “She… she threatened me…”

Join the club, Marinette thought, but that was probably not the right thing to say in this scenario. Right?

Another deep breath. “She threatened to get my Father to force me to date her. For publicity. She– she said some other things, too.”

Oh, God. Marinette moved on instinct, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. “That’s not going to happen. If I have to kill her first, I will.” 

Their eyes met. He managed a small smile. 

This is so much worse than I thought it was, Marinette whispered to herself. Lila really doesn’t have any standards, does she? 

She’ll tear us both apart. 

Adrien bumped her forehead against hers. “God,” he whispered, “My stomach won’t settle.” 

“No wonder.” Marinette muttered, feeling a pang of sympathy from her own stomach. This one experience had turned them from vague friends to victims of the same mastermind bully. “We have to take her down.” 

“No kidding.” 

“Adrien Agreste, repeat, Adrien Agreste to the principal’s office.” 

“M’be we wait a bit.” He whispered. 

She tucked him tighter. “Yeah.” 

For a moment, she entertained the idea of them falling asleep then and there, as Adrien’s little sobs died down. But alas, Adrien let out a little whimper not two minutes into their retreat. “Gosh…” he whispered, sounding more mad at himself than anything else. “My stomach really won’t settle.” 

He was still crying, too, she realized, little sniffles that would’ve been inaudible had it not been for the quiet blanketing them. Some warning bell rang in the back of her mind, low and quiet but enough for her to brush the fringe away from his face so she could feel his forehead. 

Oh, shoot. He was running a fever. 

See, when people write stories about their favorite characters getting sick (there were several about Ladybug and Chat Noir, which Marinette had admittedly read– and written about a couple times) they forgot to mention how terrifying it was not knowing what was wrong. He wasn’t right . He was less lucid than usual. His eyes were glassy, not just with tears. He was way too warm. He was shaking. He’d been crying for far too long. He didn’t seem like him. 

But what was wrong with him?

Fighting Lila wouldn’t do this to him, Marinette’s mind whispered, unless she did something else to him. 

Nah, Lila couldn’t get away with something as crazy as poisoning, right?

“Adrien?” She whispered. He whined, leaning into her.

 “...eah?” 

“Did Lila give you anything to drink or eat today?” 

He blinked, letting the question sink in for a moment. It was far too long before his eyebrows creased, turning into himself as he tried to remember. Finally, he shook his head. 

She looked him over, searching for anything else wrong. “Did she do something to you?”

“No…” he whispered. How had he gotten this bad this fast? Had she just not noticed? Had he been like this all day? Was that why he hadn’t been in class the last two days? “ But she ‘ttacked you … s’ I st’pped h’r. B’t she’s g’nna tell dad…” 

Marinette cursed, wrinkling her nose at the surprised look on his face. “Does your stomach still hurt?”

He hummed, nodding. “F’l like I’m gonna thr’w up…”

“Well, that’s not good.” She breathed. He nodded. 

She forced her tired body up, swaying for a moment before offering him a hand. He hunched over himself a little, swaying as well. “We make a st’nning c’ple…” He mumbled, and she chuckled at the pure strangeness of their situation. What had they been doing again? 

Just get home. Mom’ll know what to do. 

Marinette groaned. Home was so far away…

At least it was lunch hour. They wouldn’t miss any classes. 

“W’t about Lie– la?” Adrien asked as Marinette forced them forward. 

“We’ll deal with her… soon…” Marinette promised, nearly collapsing at the top of the stairs. Adrien raised a lead arm and heaved the doorway open, letting out a little groan, and they made it out, leaning on each other still. The lights seemed to hurt both of their eyes– Marinette cringed, blinking, and she saw Adrien do the same. 

By the time they made it to the courtyard, both of them were mainly standing on their own, the adrenaline of being around so many people forcing them upright. They used each other as steadying posts, arms wrapped around the other’s shoulders, as they walked through the open doors and out onto the grass. Chatter filled the air around them, and no one bothered to look their way. No one until Alya, that was. 

She rushed up to them, a grin splitting her face. “Hey, guys! Have you seen Lila? She said–”

“She’s in the library.” Marinette rasped, coughing. 

“Unconscious.” Adrien added. He looked shell-shocked. 

Alya’s eyes went almost as wide as Adrien’s were. “I’m sorry, what ? Who did it? Did you see?”

“Sh’ tried to k’ll Marinette.” Adrien whispered. 

“He punched her.” Marinette finished, almost enjoying the look on Alya’s face. Almost. Key word. 

“But–”

Oh, man, today was the wrong day to mess with Marinette. Rage came at her so fast it took her breath away, leaving her grasping for the words to express it. “Are you kidding me?!” That one sentence took away what little breath she had left, and she doubled over. Adrien mainly supporting her as she hacked. 

Finally, she straightened, Alya looking on in horror. “You still think Lila’s a perfect angel, don’t you? This is ridiculous.” 

“I agree!” Chloe cried from across the courtyard. 

Am I sure I’m not dead? I’m still kind of wondering. 

“Anyone who makes Adrikins look that miserable deserves to be poor !” 

Ah. That made sense. It was kind of sweet… in the most roundabout, deeply wrong way possible.

“She choked me,” Marinette rasped, pulling down the collar of her shirt to reveal the ring of red that was beginning to show there. “I almost passed out.”

“I saw.” Adrien added, straightening somewhat. “If I hadn’t gotten there in time, she would’ve…”

“Why were you guys in the library?” Alya asked. “Lila said–”

Just then, Adrien swayed, and even that slight extra bit of weight was almost too much for Marinette to handle. She stumbled. Nino, the sweetheart that he was, came flying forward from who-knew-where to steady her. “Nette!” He exclaimed. “What happened to you two? Wait–” Unceremoniously, he tugged at her shirt, Adrien letting out a little squawk. His eyes went round when he saw the marks around her collarbone. “Why is there– who did that ?”

“Lila, supposedly. ” Alya returned. 

“How do you not believe Marinette?” Adrien retorted. 

Nino’s eyes hardened. “Alya, you’re a journalist. If Marinette says Lila did this, shouldn’t you at least check it out?” 

“How?”

“Use the cameras, idiot.” Marinette managed. It was coarse, she knew, but she didn’t have the energy for much else. 

Adrien nudged her, careful not to let her stumble. “Mari… I really think I’m gonna throw up now…” 

“Wait, what did she do to you ?”

“We don’t know she did anything–”

“Great, the principal’s coming this way–”

“Marinette–”

Marinette snapped into reality at the sight of Professor Damocles, stomping his way across the grounds towards them. She turned to Alya, tucking Adrien against her with a newfound surge of determination. “Alya, you have a choice and I need you to make it now. I know it doesn’t make sense. Either trust me now or let me go. I can’t–” Her legs were shaking already. “I need help …” She admitted, staring up at the person she hoped was still her best friend. 

A moment passed. 

“Adrien Agreste!” The professor demanded. 

“Fine.” Alya tugged Marinette towards the road. “Nino, you get them to the bakery. I’m going to go check that security footage.” 

“ Thank you…” Marinette whispered, relief sweeping her so strongly she almost collapsed then and there. Nino slipped an arm under her armpit, sliding between her and Adrien in an attempt to help both of them along. “Let’s get you two out of here.” 

“ADRIEN AGRESTE! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU’RE GOING?!” 

“We need to go.” Marinette breathed, catching Alya’s arm. “But thank you . You didn’t have to trust me.”

Nino snorted. Alya just gazed at her. She seemed to be saying, I hope I’m not wrong about you. 

And then she was gone, and Nino was ushering them around the building. 

Chapter Text

The school bell rang before they got quite to Marinette’s house, so they sent Nino back to the school. At least he could be a little tardy instead of thirty minutes late like he was trying to insist on being. 

That left Marinette and Adrien to fend for themselves. 

“Thankfully,” Adrien groaned, when they were stopping for a moment to catch their breath. “All the paparazzi are at dad’s new showing today.”

“You… don’t have to be there?” 

“Apparently I lost–” he winced. “--enough of my school hours being sick the past few days. He–” a slight gag. “He wants me in school today.”

“But you’re still sick!” Marinette cried, biting back a cough. 

“I know …” 

She moved to start walking again and he stumbled, wrapping an arm around his stomach. There was a strange stiffness in his gait that hadn’t been there before. 

“Adrien?”

He didn’t respond for a moment, breathing heavy and fast. Then: “Okay I actually think I’m about to throw–”

The word ‘up’ was lost in a loud gag, and panic took over as Marinette barrelled him into an alleyway, settling him on the ground with her hand on his back. “Are you– no, you’re not okay.” She coughed. “Dumb question.” 

He chuckled, leaning forward again. “I’ll… I’ll be–”

He heaved, but nothing came up.

“Fine.” 

“Sure.” If she didn’t sound convinced, it was because she wasn’t. 

“Maybe… maybe ‘m still sick.” 

“Mhm.” 

“M’be I shouldn’t’ve c’me in’t school t’day…”

“Mhm.” 

“Oh, g– ” Adrien lurched forward, a wet burp forcing its way out of him. “Look away–” He gasped, and Marinette did, out of respect if not the fact that her own stomach was roiling. Still, her hand rubbed tentative circles on his back as he’d done for her not ten minutes ago. 

He retched, and the sickening smell (and sound) that reached her made her squeeze her eyes shut. 

Again. 

Again. 

He cursed, heaving for breath. “Gah… sorry.” 

“Shush.” 

“Okay.” 

A few moments later he moved to stand, jolting Marinette out of her reverie. She’d been wondering if it was possible to want to stop existing for a few weeks. She offered him a hand up, almost falling herself, and felt him shaking. Terror flashed through her. This was deeply wrong.

He hadn’t been that sick in their morning classes! 

Right?

Or had she just not noticed? Had she been too busy plotting?

“ ‘m sorry I didn’t n’tice ‘ou were sick…” Marinette mumbled. God, she hated winter. It wasn’t even cold yet! Why was the sun setting at, like, four o’clock?

Adrien hummed, wiping the sweat off his forehead and taking a swig of water. Marinette realized they’d both left their bags in the boiler room. They’d have to go back for them. Probably tomorrow. 

“ ‘m sorry it took’m so long t’ realize ‘ou were in tr’ble…” He whispered. 

“It’s okay.” 

“N’ m’re high r’d…”

“ ‘kay.”

“ ‘kay.” 

And with that, blessedly, they were at the entrance to the bakery. 

Marinette groaned. 

They were gonna have to make it up three flights of steps. 

Oh, wait. Mom and Dad’ll help. 

The doorbell chimed and Mrs. Collins walked out, sporting a bag full of pastries. The chatter inside could be heard across the street. The bakery was packed. 

“ ‘re p’rents seem b’sy…” Adrien mumbled. 

They took the side stairs up. Marinette fumbled with the spare key to her apartment for far too long before Adrien took it from her with shaking fingers and managed to get the door open. They stumbled inside. Halfway to the couch Marinette’s foot caught on something– the ottoman, she realized– and they went tumbling, her formless legs unable to keep her standing any longer. 

Adrien gagged. 

Marinette heaved herself back up. She supported him into the toilet, then dragged her aching body through the house, getting them both cups of tea and blankets and a lined bucket for Adrien. She thought (or tried to think) about what she could do to make herself feel better, but other than her throat committing murder and her head spinning and her legs begging her to find somewhere soft so they could give out– yeah, she just wanted to stop for a minute. 

So she took everything back, and sat down on the couch–

And heard heaving still coming from the bathroom. 

She sat with Adrien for another fifteen minutes, pulling out her phone and texting both Alya and Nino to bring their bags and homework if they could. She also asked Alya what she’d found in the principal’s office, and how mad he was on a scale of 1-10. 

8. Great. Heh, that rhymed. 

Marinette pocketed her phone, rising on shaking legs– 

oh crap– 

her legs gave out and she hung onto the counter until she could get them back under her, Adrien motioning as if to help her but not being quite sure what to do. She rewet the washcloth she’d gotten and put it back on the back of his neck. That worked, right? To bring down fevers? It was just making him shake more. 

Adrien leaned his head back against the wall. He’d long since ceased throwing up anything of substance, and now it was mostly water and barely even that. It turned Marinette’s stomach– from worry and the stench. Still, she handed him a paper towel so he could wipe his face, and then flushed the toilet for him when it looked as if he would lose his balance. 

“Sorry, Mar’.” He whispered, leaning his head against the cool tile wall behind him. The rag fell off. She put it on his forehead. “I’m s’possed t’ be taking care o’ you …”

“It’s fine.” She whispered, although nothing sounded better right now than his warm, strong arms carrying her off to bed where she could stop existing for a while. 

Dang it. Now she was blushing. 

He blinked, looking for all the world as if he wanted to fight her claim, but didn’t seem to have the words for it. 

A moment later: “ ‘Mar…”

“Yeah?”

“We’re g’nna h’v t’ deal w’th Lila eventually.” 

“Yep.” She sighed (good God, the needles in her throat–) dragging herself up. “You think you’re done?” 

“Mhm. M’be.” He heaved himself to his feet, and would’ve fallen if it hadn’t been for Marinette shoving him towards the wall. As it was, she couldn’t support him herself, no matter how badly she wanted to. They tottered towards the couch. 

And promptly tripped over the ottoman again. 

Moments passed– it could have been minutes, or hours, or maybe days. Marinette felt like she was in a whole new plane of existence. 

“Mari?” Adrien whispered. He was half on top of her. 

She hummed. 

“Are we… gonna get up?”

“Nope.” She popped the p. 

“Good…” 

They laid there for a moment longer, and then Marinette whispered: “I think… Lila’s probably talking crap about us righ’ now.” 

“Pr’bly.” 

“D’we care?”

“Nah.”

Marinette thought about propping herself up on her elbows, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to move. “We should jus’ disprove all’er lies. Later.”

Adrien groaned, rolling over to face her, his head on her stomach. She played with his hair. “Why haven’ we done th’t yet?”

Marinette almost laughed at how ridiculous they had to look and sound. She felt ridiculous. But also… happy?” “ ‘ou said high road, ‘member?” 

“P’st me was stupid.” 

Marinette hummed. 

“N’more high road.” 

“ ‘Kay.” 

She tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. He leaned into the touch. 

“We should pr’bly go t’ the couch…”

Adrien huffed. 

They stayed put. 

Marinette was just about to drift off to sleep when something like a vibration intrigued her enough to drag her back to consciousness. It wasn’t coming from Adrien– or, at least, she thought it wasn’t at first. It wasn’t coming from his mouth, or in his throat, it was… deeper? This is a weird thing to be dissecting, brain, she thought, but it didn’t stop. Is that… his chest? 

He was still shaking, just a little. 

Was he… purring ?

Could it be?

But nah, that would be insane, right? Just because this felt remarkably weirdly similar to how it felt when Chat was purring while she played with his hair didn’t mean it was the same person just because–

How’d he know to come back for me? 

“Adrien?” She barely whispered, at the exact same time as he took a breath and rolled a little to look up at her and asked “Mar’?”

“What?” They both returned. 

“You go first.” 

“No, you.”

In the end, Adrien went first. He sucked in a deep breath, hand finding hers, and as shock flashed through her in a wave so strong it almost knocked her out right then and there, and as hope and fear and a million other unexplainable things flashed in his eyes, he asked–

“Marinette? I heard you come in, are you home?”

“Ye–” She cut herself off, feeling as if needles had stabbed into her throat and were being hammered deeper. Don’t cough don’t cough don’t cough–

Oh god Adrien was so close and he was getting closer and he was just trying to help and it was so sweet and–

She managed to swallow, tears springing to her eyes, and finished: “Yeah, mom, I’m up here.” 

Her mom must’ve detected the pain in her voice, or at least thought something was wrong, for she was there in about two seconds flat, flinging open the door and barging in. “Marinette, honey, are you–”

Her eyes scanned the room. “Mari? Where are you?”

“We’re down here, Mrs. Cheng.” Adrien whispered out an answer for her, cheeks flushed and a smile pulling at his lips. 

Mrs. Cheng jumped so high she almost hit the top of the doorpost (an impressive feat for her) and when she recovered the look on her face was so ridiculous Marinette and Adrien had scarcely to look at each other before bursting into laughter. And once they started, it seemed, they couldn’t stop, until both of them were crying again, Adrien clutching his stomach and Marinette clutching her throat, bodies far worse for wear but spirits much higher. 

“What on earth– are you two okay ? Why aren’t you at school? Are you hurt?”

“No, maman, we just–” Marinette didn’t know why her instinct was to lie– maybe because it was a custom to hide the aches and pains from her secret identity, or maybe because she didn’t want to worry her mother over something her and Adrien could surely control, but–

Adrien interrupted, real anger finding its way into his tone. “Lila tried to attack her. I jumped in.” 

“What?”

“He knocked Lila out. The principal’s probably got an arrest warrant out for him at this point, knowing him .” 

“What?”

“And then she insisted on dragging me all the way home even though she probably feels horrible–”

“You have a killer fever, I couldn’t just–”

“And she told Alya to break into the principal’s office–”

“To find the security camera footage !” 

“So we can expose Lila–”

“And get that sausage-haired liar out of our school for a while.”

“The only problem is–”

“She’s probably already going to the school–”

“To get us in trouble–”

“Even though we were just defending ourselves!”

“Or worse, she’ll go to my father–”

“And try to force Adrien to date her!”

“Which makes Marinette think murder is okay.” Adrien finished, a very strange look on his face that Marinette quickly recognized as one of her own. 

“It is.” She returned. 

Mrs. Cheng just blinked.

“Okay, but why are you on the floor ?”

Marinette looked at Adrien. 

Adrien looked at Marinette. 

They burst into laughter for the second time that evening. (Which ended in both of them throwing up, one at the toilet and one at the bathtub.) 

In the end, Mrs. Cheng’s motherly instinct overwhelmed her need for explanation, and she got them all tucked in, Marinette in her bed and Adrien on the chaise just below. Their tea was sitting in steaming cups next to them, and Adrien was nicely drugged up, and they were both wrapped in an indecent amount of blankets. Downstairs, Mrs. Cheng seemed to be calling Professor Damocles. She wasn’t going to call Gabriel, thank the ancients. Marinette seriously loved her mom. 

But there was still something tugging at her gut. 

Chapter Text

She rolled over towards it. “Adrien…”

A sleepy “Hmm?” echoed through her room, and she chuckled. 

“You f’l bad. Y’good?”

He let out a grunt. “Wha’s tha’ s’pos’d t’ mean?”

“What’s wrong ?” She rasped. 

He groaned again, and the chaise creaked. A moment later, his head full of messy bedhead hair and tired green eyes peeked over the rim of her bunk. “ ‘Ello.” 

“ ‘ey.”

A moment passed, and she took him in. 

Ancients above, he looked miserable. 

“You upset?” She whispered, suddenly much more awake. 

“Mhm.” He seemed to fold into himself, swaying on the ladder. Fear shot through her. “ ‘n cold.” 

She opened her arms without a second thought. “C’mere.” 

He crawled into her embrace, breathing a shaky sigh of relief as he practically melted into her. She hummed, wrapping her arms and several blankets around them. “Hey.”

“Hey.” He whispered. 

“Lila won’t get away with this.” Marinette whispered. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was taking comfort in Adrien being there too. She felt safe. Their problems– theirs and Ladybug’s – felt miles away. 

“I know she won’t.” Adrien whispered back. “We won’t let her.”

“No more high road.” 

“No more high road.” 

“Your stomach still hurt?”

“Mhm. Better though.”  

“Adrien?”

“Hm?”

“What…” Marinette almost didn’t want to ask. “What did you want to tell me earlier?” 

“Oh.” He shifted, rolling over to face her. She sucked in a breath. Blue met blinding, blinding green. 

“I didn’t really want to ask you anything, I just… needed to tell you something, more.” 

“Okay.” 

He took her silence as permission to continue, sucking in a breath and–

He stopped, fidgeting for a moment. Then, he took her hand. 

She just about stopped breathing, still unable to look away. 

“Marinette, I–”

A moment. 

Had her heart been beating out of her chest this whole time?

“When Lila came after you… I… this sounds insane, I know, but just hear me out. I didn’t so much as hear you all– I was arguing with my father about him not letting me go home, and after that I was so in my head I wouldn’t have heard you cry for help even if I was still in earshot! But I still knew you were hurting– it was like, this, this weird primal thing inside my chest. I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve felt it– I’ve felt it before, but…”

“Where?” She rasped, voice low. 

He looked down at her sheets. “If you don’t know I probably shouldn’t tell you.”

“You have secrets?”

“Too many to count.”

Her pulse quickened even more, if it was at all possible. 

“I think I know. What– what you felt, I mean.” She whispered. 

A moment. 

“I have– I have too many secrets too.” 

She was close to hyperventilating now, grasping at his hand like it was the only thing keeping her tethered. She wasn’t ready, there were tears pricking at her eyes, her throat hurt, white and pain was flashing before her eyes, there was too much –

His eyes met hers. Her rock. Her other half. 

“We don’t have to do this, Marinette.” He whispered, and for some reason that name felt wrong. “If you’re not ready, I mean, I wasn’t supposed to figure it out, we can–”

“I’m ready.” She breathed, fast, before the fear clawing through her insides could force her throat closed. 

“Okay.” Adrien whispered. “Do you…”

Neither of them wanted to say it. 

“What happens now?” 

Marinette shrugged, pulling the blanket up over her shoulder. “I think it’s up to us.” 

He blinked, slow. “Well, little bug, I kind of like this the way it is.”

White landscape, a shattered moon–

He was shaking. She put a hand to his forehead again, wincing at the heat she felt there. “Your fever’s getting worse.”

He slow blinked again. “Must be all the excitement.” 

“What excitement?” She asked, knowing full well what he meant. 

“Finding out you love me, of course.”

…

Well, that was decidedly not what she had expected him to say and her cheeks were paying the price for her hubris. He just smirked, burrowing deeper into her hold as shakes wracked his body. 

“Oh, yeah, sure, make yourself at home.” She managed. How was she being this collected as Marinette? Had she put on her Ladybug persona? 

She couldn’t even tell the difference anymore. 

She was just her , and he was just him , and they were right where they belonged. 

“You and me against the world, kitty.” She whispered. 

Green eyes stared up at her. 

“I do… love you.”

Oh good lord I said it. 

“I love you too, m’lady.” 

When Mrs. Cheng came up to check on them an hour later, she was in for a… nice? Hopefully? surprise.

A/N: Years from now when Chloe is nice and Lila is long gone they’re going to laugh their faces off about the fact that Adrien got his wires that badly crossed that he straight up thought he was fighting an akuma ‘cause it went after his lady. Marinette thinks it’s adorable. Adrien’s slightly traumatized. It’s a classic ML fanfic.