Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

He’d done it again.

The three patrol cars parked at the curb wailed, deafening sirens piercing both the air and his eardrums as they reverberated off the wall behind him, the brick rough and scratching at his skin even through the material of his uniform.

The flashing lights bathed the entire street in red and blue light, what had once been a quiet Parisian night now a bustling crime scene.

And where was he? Where was Officer Agreste?

Helping victims? Catching his coworkers up on the altercation? Restraining the man who’d assaulted his wife?

No. He was having a panic attack.

Because when he’d confronted the man and the wife had fled to safety, the man had turned on him, aimed a punch and then-

Like magic-

Like a god damn fucking nightmare-

It had been his father standing there ready to beat him.

“Hey, man. You alright?”

He looked up, met his best friend’s questioning gaze and then ducked his head back into his arms, shielding himself from as much of the scene as he could.

“Please tell me she’s alright.”

“She’s fine, dude. You got her out. Her sister is on the way to pick her up.”

“And him?”

“In custody. Where you left him. You remember cuffing him and handing him over?”

He shook his head.

“I hurt him?”

“Of course not.” Nino scoffed, shaking his head. “You got your pills?”

“In the glove box.”

“I’ll go grab ‘em for ya.”

Nino was only gone for a few minutes, he was sure, but it felt like hours later when he finally returned, dropping the bottle into his hand.

“I’m screwed.” He spoke, taking the pills dry before screwing the lid back on to the childproof bottle. “Chief’s going to have my ass mounted to the wall.”

“Adrien, man. It wasn’t that bad.”

“I panicked. I- I thought he was my dad.”

Nino winced, dropping a hand to Adrien’s shoulder in sympathy.

“You got the victim out, you restrained the dude and you kept it together until you handed him over. That’s all you can do.”

All he could do. He was always doing his best. Doing all he could possibly do to be good at his job.

And it was a shit show.

This made the third time in a month that he’d broken down the second he’d handed off his work to another, ending up with his knees to his chest as he rocked himself back and forth and swallowed down anxiety meds in the first secluded spot he could find.

Hell- He was pretty sure the wife had even stopped to comfort him before she’d been called away by another officer and she was the one who’d been beaten. She was a victim. He was- he wasn’t. Not anymore.

He was a survivor.

Why did surviving have to feel so much like dying?

“Need me to drive you?” Nino questioned gently. “Take care of your car?”

Nino already knew the answer. No driving was allowed while under the influence of his meds, even if he didn’t tend to have any adverse reactions or impaired judgment. He might get away with driving a personal car, so long as he wasn’t caught. But his cruiser?

He didn’t want to think about how badly that’d end up for him. Not after this.

“Yeah.” He breathed, pushing himself off the wall and up onto his feet. “Thanks, man.”

The drive back to the station was quiet, not even the radio or a rowdy criminal in the backseat to keep Adrien’s mind off of what he was walking into.

“Chief.” Adrien greeted solemnly as he stepped into the man’s office, plopping down into one of the chairs in front of his desk with a heavy sigh.

“Agreste.” Chief Raincomprix nodded, a sad, sort of commiserating smile on his face. “Anything you want to say about tonight?”

Would it help him if he did?

“I’m requesting some time off. I need to- to deal with my…problem before I’m back out on the field.”

“I agree.” Chief answered, though his expression didn’t change. “I’m afraid I can’t hold your job for you while you’re gone.”

“But-“

“I have to terminate your employment, Adrien. I’m sorry. But you’re a liability. If things change for you, six months to a year down the road, you know we’ll be happy to have you back, but for now…I can’t let you stay, even if you are on vacation. This isn’t something you’re going to fix in a couple weeks of leave, son.”

Adrien stood there, not sure what to say, not sure what he could say, not sure of anything, until Chief cleared his throat and continued.

“You know, I think this is actually coming at a good time for you. You just got your degree a couple months ago, right? The school year is about to start in a few weeks. It’s the perfect time to get out there and change some things, make sure this is what you really want to do.”

It was. He had to. Nothing mattered more than being on the force, proving himself, helping people, being worthy-

“I-“

“Adrien. Go home. Think about it. Make some calls, put in some applications, get some help. I care about you, son. We all do. But I don’t think this is the career for you.”

It was. It always had been.

He just had to prove it.

••••••

The last box.

Adrien watched as Nino carried it into the living room, dropping it off next to the others with a satisfied grin.

“You’re officially moved in, dude. How’s it feel?”

“Yeah, Sunshine. Ready to throw the house warming party of the century?”

Adrien laughed, Nino’s wife, Alya, sending him a playful glare that was meant to appear serious but betray her joking intention at the same time.

“Kidding, I know you’re not the party type. But game night is still on, yeah?”

Adrien grinned and nodded.

“Of course. Wouldn’t miss a chance to kick your asses.”

Alya rolled her eyes when Nino gasped in outrage.

“Come on, babe.” She pat his shoulder. “Happens every week, you should be used to it by now.” Turning back to Adrien, she stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. “Take care of yourself, Sunshine. Call us if you need anything.”

Adrien nodded and Alya stepped out the front door, Nino watching after her for a moment while he let out a lovesick sigh.

“Still so crazy she’s my wife.”

Adrien agreed.

They’d gotten married last Spring. It’d been a small, intimate ceremony at an old church on the edge of town. He’d been the best man.

He’d always assumed his wedding day would be large, grandiose, ‘fitting of the Agreste name’, as his father liked to say.

But after witnessing Nino and Alya exchanging vows in the way they had, he’d changed his mind.

Small, romantic and intimate sounded like heaven after the hell he’d been through. Sharing that with someone, someone he loved and could trust…He would want his wedding day to reflect that.

Not that he was falling in love any time soon. He still hadn’t fully adjusted to his best friend being married, he wasn’t at all ready to take that leap himself.

Couldn’t drag a woman into all of…this, either.

He had a lot to fix before he’d be capable of dating, worthy of being someone’s husband too.

It’d be awhile.

“You sure you wanna do this?” Nino asked, eyes roaming around Adrien’s new home with barely concealed worry. “The teens can be…” Nino blew out a huff of air rather than finishing his sentence, no doubt thinking of Alya’s little sisters.

Etta and Ella had just turned fourteen and though Adrien didn’t see them often, avoided them really, he knew from their few short interactions that the twins could be…a lot.

He wasn’t sure. He’d waited years for this; modeling part time at his father’s company, in school full time for his degree, working part time at the station-

It’d been exhausting. But still…the thought of all those kids looking at him, judging him, needing him-

At least teens were less of a challenge than smaller children or- god forbid -babies. He couldn’t handle the younger years, couldn’t stand it if he fucked up, if he hurt them or-

“You need a pill?” Nino questioned, pulling Adrien out of his thoughts as he anxiously twisted the ring on his finger.

It’d been a gift from his mother. One of the last things she’d given him before she’d disappeared. The poor thing had bore the brunt of his anxiety for the last eight years.

“No. I’m fine. Just thinking.” Adrien quickly replied. “I’ll be fine. It’s just a lot of change all at once.”

“You studied years for this, man. You’re gonna do great.”

He had. He’d studied his ass off. He’d even spent a year in a classroom.

But that had been observation, helping the teacher out when he needed it. He hadn’t really been responsible for the children or teaching, hadn’t had to interact with them much more than a greeting or a goodbye or a simple question about their assignments.

He wanted to teach, it was his dream. But having his own class…

He wasn’t ready.

He’d always assumed he’d spend more time as an officer, that he’d wait to teach until he felt like he’d earned it, deserved it, until he was sure he could handle it. He’d barely made his four year commitment, barely avoided the fine for bailing out early. His mother had wanted him to help people, to do something worthwhile and now he was just- just throwing it all away over his episodes?

Not forever, he reminded himself. He’d teach for a year. One year.

And then he’d be ready to go back. He’d call Chief, get back in his uniform and he’d handle it.

He could handle it.

And then, years down the road, when he’d helped people, really made a difference and healed himself, then he’d retire to teach.

He’d be ready then.

“Yeah.” He spoke, nodding as he tried to convince himself it was true. “It’ll be fine. I’ll see you guys Friday?”

“Of course.” Nino grinned, already moving towards the door. “Can’t miss an opportunity to beat your ass!”

Adrien laughed.

He’d remained undefeated at their weekly video game tournaments for years. Four of them to be exact.

Nino didn’t stand a chance, never would.

At least that would never change.

He could take comfort in that.

“See ya, man!” Nino called, pulling the door shut behind him.

With a heaving sigh, Adrien let it all sink in.

A new place to live. A new neighborhood. New neighbors. A new job. A new commute. New schedule. New-

“Meow!”

Adrien looked down at the grey ball of fluff wrapping itself around his leg and smiled.

“I guess dinner is still at the same time, huh? You hungry?”

Edgar Allen Paw stared up at him, blinked, then meowed again, significantly louder than the first time.

“Yeah, definitely hungry. Come on.”

In the kitchen, Adrien paused.

Cat food…cat bowls…where?

Scanning the moving boxes piled around the room, Adrien’s eyes locked onto the box with drawn on cat ears and whiskers, grinning in victory.

“See? Nino thought the sharpie was silly, but look how organized I am.”

Opening the box and pulling out what he needed, Adrien quickly fed his cat before deciding he probably needed to feed himself too. But that would be a problem, because he hadn’t been to the store and every single shelf in his kitchen remained as bare as it’d been when he’d toured the place a couple weeks before.

As if on cue his stomach rumbled and Adrien decided he’d just have to go out. Grocery shopping on an empty stomach couldn’t be a good idea.

Pulling on his jacket and making sure his wallet and phone were in his pocket, Adrien stepped out onto the street and turned back to lock his door, the sound of the neighborhood bustling around him new but not immediately threatening.

He’d get used to it.

“Hello there.” A man called from across the street, raising a hand in greeting as Adrien turned to face him.

“Uh, hi.” Adrien smiled in reply, taking in the man’s greying hair and the cane he leaned on as he started to cross the street, the building behind him- a massage parlor? -a mix of decaying brick, overgrown foliage and a soft warm light that was shining out from inside.

“You must be the new neighbor.” The man surmised. “I own the shop across the street.”

“Nice to meet you.” Adrien held out his hand and the older man shook it firmly. “I’m Adrien.”

“Likewise, Adrien. My name is Wang Fu, but you may call me Fu. What brings you to the neighborhood?”

“Ah, I’m uh-“ Hurrying to think of an explanation then realizing simpler was better, Adrien twisted the ring on his finger as he spoke. “I’m a teacher. First year. I wanted to be closer to the school, better commute, you know?”

He’d also been living in his mother’s family cottage prior to losing his job and could no longer stand to be surrounded by memories of her knowing he’d failed to do the one thing she’d asked of him.

But, despite his isolated childhood, Adrien had enough experience to know that wasn’t something to share with a complete stranger.

“Teaching. Takes a saint, I’ve heard them say.”

Adrien had been named after one, but he was far from one himself.

“That’s what I’ve heard.”

His heartbeat jumped a bit. Was he going to panic already? The school year hadn’t even started yet!

“I’m sure you’re busy.” Fu excused himself. “I just like to acquaint myself with all the neighbors. You feel free to let me know if you need anything. I’ve lived here so long I know the neighborhood better than I do the back of my hand.”

Adrien chuckled and thanked him.

“I have a good feeling about you, Adrien.” The man confessed as he walked away. “I think you’re going to be just what those children need.”

God, he hoped so.

Chapter Text

Heart pounding. Sweat pouring. Breath caught in her throat.

She pressed herself into the alley, the brick wall at her back scraping her bare shoulders as she forced herself to stay silent.

Don’t let your heart beat too loud, even if it means making it stop. Don’t pant like a dog, even if you feel like you’re suffocating. Don’t be heard. Don’t be seen. Don’t get caught.

“Damn girl disappeared.” One of the security workers growled from the other side of the wall, her fingers curling to dig her nails into her palms as she waited for his next move.

She could never tell whether they’d continue to pursue her or admit defeat, could never know if she was safe enough to make the walk home.

Her eyes scanned the alley, locking on the dividing wall at the end of it. It was tall, but she could make it, couldn’t she?

“Hey, you!”

She ran without looking back, jumping against the brick wall to propel herself upwards, fingers just barely scraping the top of the dividing wall as experienced feet found footholds strong enough to hold her while she pushed herself over, dropping down into the dirt on the other side.

The men kept yelling, kept following she was sure, but she didn’t stop, darting out into the street and into a line of shops. She weaved through racks of products, pushed through a back door and continued toward home, the bag she’d stolen still hanging from her shoulder.

It wasn’t much, not expensive, nor designer, but it was something. If she was lucky she’d find a wallet full of cash, expensive jewelry, anything to contribute. If she wasn’t-

Well, She’d suffered for coming home empty handed before.

Stepping into the house through the unlocked back door, she looked up, purse swaying at her side, only to have her heart drop to her stomach as a chill ran down her spine.

“Wh-Where’s everybody else?” She questioned, taking a step back towards the door.

They should have all been back by then. He shouldn’t be there alone. She-

“Still out.” Théo smirked at her from across the kitchen. “Job ran long. Lemme see what you’ve got, Mousie.” He held out a hand and she shook her head, taking another step backwards and bumping into the wall.

“I’ll wait for Luka.”

“Come on, little mouse. Luka isn’t the only one running this house. Get over here and let me see what you brought.”

His tone demanded obedience and she pushed down the fear, crossed the room towards him and dropped the purse on the kitchen counter. She nudged it closer to him rather than handing it to him directly and he shook his head, beckoning her closer with a crooked finger.

“You want me to tell Luka you’re misbehaving?”

She swallowed the anxiety and saliva pooling in her mouth and forced herself to walk around the counter, standing at his side as he pulled the bag open.

Its contents spilled across the counter; lip gloss, a mirror, make up wipes and finally, a wallet.

She watched, terrified but unable to look away, as Théo pulled the wallet open and looked inside, the wad of cash he took from it pulling an unintentional breath of relief from her throat.

Théo set it down then turned to her, reaching out and brushing some of her hair off her shoulder before curling his fingers around her upper arm.

“Lucked out today, didn’t you?”

There was no right answer to that question.

Act like she had, he’d be angry with her for not wanting him to touch her.

Act like she hadn’t, he’d say he agreed and touch her anyway.

The back door swung open and Théo released her, scooping the purse’s contents back inside after pocketing the cash.

“Mousie’s earned a meal.”

Luka nodded, meeting her eyes across the counter while setting down his own haul.

Kim and Nathaniel joined him, each of their arms full.

She’d never been on a job, never seen where they went or how they managed to steal so much at once, but she imagined they had to be targeting the rich to come home so burdened by their own loot.

She could only imagine.

She’d never go hungry again with hauls like that.

“We got food!” Kim cheered, dropping their usual takeout bags on the counter.

She waited, eyes darting around the room as they all claimed their own and moved to the living room, before snatching hers and slowly slinking into her bedroom.

Shutting the door behind her, carefully, silently, she let out a breath and then turned the lock, then the second lock, then climbed up onto her dresser to reach the third one she’d installed at the top.

She crawled into bed, hiding behind her large pile of old stuffed animals as she ate and scratched at her upper arm. When she was full and her arm was red and raw she dug through her closet for her sketchbook and pencils, settling at the end of her bed and sketching until the boys had settled in the other room.

When they’d gone quiet, most likely entranced by the latest movie or video game, she hid her sketchbook away and steeled herself to leave.

She unlocked her door and opened it a crack, eyeing the boys as she planned her path to the bathroom.

When she was sure they wouldn’t notice her she opened her door a little wider and walked down the hall, tossing her trash in the bin on the way before locking herself in the bathroom.

Another breath and she was turning on the sink, wincing at the cold water as she scrubbed her shoulder and upper arm clean.

Contemplating the unpleasantness of it all, she decided her hair could wait and focused on the rest of her body, shivering as she inwardly cursed the broken water heater.

It’d been broken for so long she would have thought she’d be used to it by then, but no matter how many ice cold showers or freezing hand washes she partook in, it never got easier. At least in the summer it would be more bearable. This time of year it would only continue to get worse.

Mostly clean she retreated back to her bedroom and changed her clothes, pulling on a soft pair of pajamas she’d stolen last Christmas before finding her favorite stuffed animal, an oversized anthropomorphic cat who’d lost a leg and an ear and was sporting a singular button eye, and cuddled up under her sheet, shivering as she waited, listening for the turn of her doorknob.

It came hours later, when the others were probably all asleep sprawled across the couch and their ratty old recliner.

When he found it locked he turned it again and she held her breath, snuggling her cat tighter and burying her head in her pillow until Théo’s steps sounded down the hall.

He’d given up. At least for the night.

He’d try again the next day; He always did.

He’d been finding ways around her locked door since she was seventeen.

It was only a matter of time before he got his hands on her again.

••••••

Morning came too soon, the boys’ raucous  laughter and bickering too loud to sleep through even on the other side of her bedroom door.

Making sure she’d thoroughly hidden her favorite things, she dressed for the day and pulled on her sneakers, frowning at the ever-growing holes on the bottoms.

Unlocking her door and moving out into the kitchen, she stayed as quiet as possible as the boys bustled around her.

Luka stood at the stove, cooking something that smelled so good it made her stomach rumble, as Nathaniel sketched at the dining table, his sketchbook out in the open for everyone to see.

She envied him, all of them, how easily they all seemed to respect each other’s things. She’d learned the hard way to hide her valuables, lest they be destroyed by the boys for ‘fun’.

Kim poured himself a glass of orange juice then left the jug on the counter, turning his back to talk to Théo who perched on the edge, cigarette in one hand and his phone in the other.

Carefully, she found a glass in the cabinet and turned back to the jug, opening it and moving to pour some for herself.

A hand gripped her wrist, tightening so painfully she dropped the jug and flinched, praying it didn’t spill.

The body connected to the hand on her arm laughed and she looked up at Kim, not daring to test his grip.

“You earn that, Mousie?” He questioned, nodding to the juice.

“Nah.” Théo answered for her. “But she can pay me back later.”

She trembled, holding her breath as Kim released her.

This was why she wanted Luka to inventory her hauls. He always told her exactly how much she’d brought in, exactly what she could have, what she had earned. Théo would just leave her guessing.

“Go on, Mouse.” Théo encouraged her. “Have some juice.”

Hand shaking, she did as she was told, knowing she was selling herself for a damn drink, but having no way to stop it, no way to back out.

If she didn’t take it she’d just be punished for rejecting his generosity instead. At least if she took it she wouldn’t be thirsty.

Noticing her fear, Luka put a hand on her shoulder.

“Just come back with a bit more today, okay? You’ll pay him back no problem.”

She nodded, Théo’s smirk of victory clear in her peripheral vision.

She hadn’t told Luka. She hadn’t told anyone, actually. Wasn’t sure if he’d believe her. And even if he did, she wasn’t sure he’d take her side. As far as they all knew, paying Théo back meant stealing more to cover what she’d taken. She wouldn’t clue them in to otherwise.

“I could earn more if you let me take a job with you.” She pointed out, sipping at her juice in between words.

“Not yet.” Luka replied as he always did, shaking his head. “You aren’t ready.”

“I am.” She assured him. “Or I would be, if you’d train me.”

Unbeknownst to them, she’d been training right alongside them since the beginning. She’d never been invited, but she’d always been in the shadows.

The boys gathered every Saturday to train, both in sparing and in parkour. And though she’d never had an actual partner, She’d learned to follow their movements, predict their steps and respond on her own.

She was sure if he’d just give her the chance-

“Sorry, Mouse.” Luka ruffled her hair. “Not yet. Work on your hauls for now, you’ll get there.”

‘You’ll get there.’ had been Luka’s favorite phrase for her for the last four years. She wasn’t getting anywhere if he didn’t let her.

An alarm sounded and Nathaniel reached for his phone, turning it off before stashing his sketchbook in his bag.

“We’ve got to go.”

The boys all filed out the door, Nathaniel giving her a warm smile as he passed, and suddenly she was alone, breath coming unhindered for the first time that morning.

She finished her juice, tidied the kitchen as best as she could and then set out on her own.

Théo wouldn’t accept her payment that night, but at the very least she could eat tomorrow.

••••••

She surveyed the food court, the sights and smells and sounds of the busy little place all a little overwhelming.

She could remember a time when she’d come to the outdoor mall with friends, or with her parents, no concerns about money or who would be an easy target.

She’d been a normal teenager. She’d been happy.

Sure, she’d gotten upset with her parents on occasion: she hated homework, she’d fussed over her chores, but they’d been great parents. They’d taken care of her. She’d loved them.

And then she’d killed them.

Pushing down those thoughts and focusing on her target, she stood from the little plastic table she’d occupied and crossed the dining area, keeping her head on a constant swivel to portray someone who didn’t know which way to go rather than someone who knew exactly where they were going, what they were going to do when they got there and how they were going to escape after.

Approaching the group of giggling girls she scanned over their clothing, eyes widening in pretend shock.

“Is that a Gabriel Agreste original?” She questioned the tallest girl who practically preened, eager to show off her designer jacket.

“What would you know about designer?” One of the other girls scoffed, looking her over like she’d just crawled up from the sewers.

“I know that your watch is a fake.” She replied, eyeing the sparkly band on the other girl’s wrist.

“What? No it isn’t! It’s real. It cost thousands!”

“Let me see the band. I can prove it to you.” She offered, holding out her hand.

The girl offered her hand and she took it, studying the face of the watch as she slid a finger between the band and the excess where it buckled, holding it closed against the girl’s wrist.

“Hm. I guess you’re right.” She spoke, still holding the girl’s hand. “though if you compare it to the quality of her jacket,” She pointed to the other girl’s designer clothing, pulling all of their attention away from her hand. “It’s really more of a trinket than a designer item, don’t you think?”

The girl huffed and pulled her arm away, the watch easily dropping from her wrist and stuffed in Mousie’s pocket.

“Anyway, nice meeting you girls.” She nodded, already stalking off before any of them could realize what she’d done.

She was halfway across the food court by the time one of them called for security, and then she was gone, hurrying down a set of stairs toward the parking lot as quickly as she could.

The more distance she put between them the better. The sooner she could get out of the mall-

She smacked into another person, the man’s purchases flying everywhere as he fell to his knees, his cane clattering loudly on the tile walkway.

“Oh my god. I’m so sorry.” She apologized immediately, glancing behind her to see if the girls or security were following before hurriedly dropping to her knees beside him, scooping all of his things back into his bags as he struggled to his feet. “I didn’t see you.” She swore. “Are you alright?”

“I’m just fine, young lady.” The man replied, taking his bag of gemstones and books as she settled it gently in the crook of his arm. She glanced around, ensuring that everything had been returned.

“Are they okay?”

The man peered in the bag, nodding.

“They’ll survive.” The man assured, his eyes bright with awareness. At least she hadn’t given him a concussion or something. “Are you alright?”

“Hey! Stop her!” A man in a security vest called from the top of the stairs, the girl whose watch she’d stolen right behind him.

“Sorry! Gotta go! Those were some really pretty gems!” She called as she tore through the entrance way. “Don’t forget to add them to your insurance policy!”

••••••

“You’re sure about this, Master?” The green little creature questioned as he hovered over the old man. “They’re both…”

He struggled to come up with a nice enough word to accurately describe the two young adults his master had chosen.

“They’re incredibly compatible with the miraculous.” Fu told his companion. “There’s no doubt they are next in line.”

“But perhaps someone less compatible would be better suited mentally for the position.” The creature suggested gently. “Compatibility will do them no favors if they fall under the pressure.”

“I understand your hesitance, Wayzz, but I’m afraid we don’t have much time. A less compatible holder would need more training and an adjustment period that we may not have to offer. We cannot afford to be unprepared.”

“If they fail…”

Pouring himself a cup of tea, Fu let out a sigh.

“If they fail, at the very least I will know that I tried to make up for my mistakes, that I tried to save the world. But if they succeed,” Fu smiled, glancing out his window toward the young man’s house. “I will live with the joy of knowing I have saved both of their lives in addition.”

Chapter Text

She perched on the edge of the roof of her old collége, eyes tiredly examining the lot across the street.

Four years.

Four years and not a soul had touched it. No one had bought it, fixed it, turned it into something new. No one had even spared it so much as a glance or a quick sift through the debris as far as she could tell.

It just…remained. An ugly reminder. A blight on the otherwise bustling street corner.

Part of her wanted to see it alive again. Warm and full of customers. Her mother at the counter and her father in the kitchen.

Another part just wanted it to die. Just like they had. Disappear and never come back.

Even if someone bought it and built something new, she was sure she’d hate it just as much. Another bakery in its place felt wrong, sacrilegious, even. But anything else-

She sighed, taking another long sip from the bottle she’d stolen.

She’d barely had any and already her head was swimming, thoughts coming leisurely and devoid of true emotion as she swayed against the gentle breeze at her back.

Looking down at its contents she frowned, slowly turning it upside down and letting it spill over the edge.

It splattered against the sidewalk and she envied it, partially. What would it be like to just be done? Falling one moment and then gone the next? She was too scared to test it, to try, but she pictured it sometimes, let it settle in as a possibility.

Not today. Maybe tomorrow.

She pushed herself to her feet, taking the bottle with her and doing her best not to stumble off the edge.

As much as she liked to think she could stand toe to toe with the boys, when it came to the consumption of drugs and alcohol they had her beat. She was a lightweight, an embarrassment and so she drank alone.

She’d never really seen the appeal anyway. Sure, it numbed the pain, came in handy when she knew what she’d be walking into, but blacking out for fun? She didn’t get it.

Maybe that was because of what it’d become to her.

Maybe she was just shifting blame.

She’d been the one to leave the oven on. She’d been the one to burn it to the ground, kill both her parents and drown their legacy in ashes and crumbling decay.

It was her fault. All her fault.

••••••

“You’re in a rush.” Her mother chuckled, wiping her hands as she finished washing the dishes. “Going out with Luka?”

“Mhm!” Marinette replied, too focused on finishing the cupcakes she was decorating to reply fully. When they were done she closed the box they were in and secured it with a sticker, setting her piping bag to the side with a grin. “It’s his and Juleka’s birthday Saturday so I made their favorites.”

“You’re a good friend.” Sabine praised, ruffling her daughter’s hair as she passed. “You’ll be on the boat, with Anarka?”

“Yep! We have to celebrate tonight. Jagged will be in town over the weekend and-“ Marinette mimed an explosion and Sabine laughed heartily, shaking her head.

“Those two can never get along, can they?”

Luka’s parents had been divorced since he and his twin sister, Juleka, were two. They never got along and, even though the twins were turning eighteen this year and things had sort of settled over time, Anarka and Jagged still couldn’t stand each other for any longer than it took to exchange the twins and make a run for it.

“Who’s going to be at this party?” Marinette’s father questioned from the stairs. “All people you know?”

“It’s not really a party.” Marinette assured them. “Just Luka and Juleka, Nath, Rose, and me like always.”

“Staying the night?”

“With Jules and Rose.” Marinette nodded, grabbing her purse off the counter. “We’re going to do Juleka’s hair and nails and watch sad movies until we cry and then do her makeup once her tears have all dried up so she’s ready for her birthday dinner.”

Tom raised an eyebrow but Sabine waved him off.

“She’s a teenager. All normal. She’s clear.” Sabine pat Marinette’s shoulder and leaned in, kissing her on the cheek. “We’re going up to bed, but if you need anything-“

“Don’t be afraid to call, you’ll come pick me up even if it’s two in the morning, you love me, be safe, nothing crazy and I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“The girl’s got it!” Tom joked, Marinette shaking her head as her mother agreed.

“Luka picking you up?”

“Should be here any minute.”

“Alright.” Her mother hugged her. “Remember to lock up and turn off the lights on your way out. Love you.”

“Love you, maman.”

“Hey!”

“You too, papa.”

He chuckled all the way up the stairs.

The door to their apartment closed behind them and Marinette searched her pocket for her phone, pulling it out just in time to receive Luka’s text.

Grabbing the box of cupcakes and turning off the lights, Marinette paused in the doorway.

Had she turned off the oven?

“Coming?” Luka called from the sidewalk, Marinette hurriedly locking the door behind her.

“Yeah, just a sec!” She juggled the box and her purse all the way to his side, Luka chuckling at her as her foot caught on a crack and she nearly tumbled forward.

“What’re those for?” He asked, one hand out to steady her.

“Your birthday?” She replied, holding the box out to her best friend. “You know…the day of your birth? We celebrate it on the boat every year? Cake is kind of a tradition.”

“Ah, shit. I thought Nath was gonna tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“We’re bailing this year.” Luka told her, opening the box and taking a cupcake. “I mean, cupcakes’ll still be nice. We’re just going out to the tracks.”

‘The tracks’ meant the wooded area behind the closest train station, a place she’d heard of in various stories her classmates had told before they’d graduated, but never been to.

“Why are we going all the way out there? Isn’t it kind of late?”  It was a relatively safe place, the train station, but get a bit away from it and let it go dark…She’d heard lots of stories. “Isn’t that dangerous?”

“What, are you scared?” Luka teased, devouring his cupcake and tossing the paper back into the box.

“No, but-“

“Kim found this guy, he’s gonna hook us up for my birthday.”

At Kim’s name, Marinette inwardly groaned.

She hated the guy, had ever since they’d met in maternelle. He was everything she wasn’t; Loud and obnoxious with no understanding of boundaries or social cues, constantly in her space, talking so loud her ears rang, doing something crazy of dangerous just to get a rise out of their classmates. He was part of the reason she’d changed classes, worked to stay a year ahead of other kids her age so she could move up to Luka’s class.

And then Luka and Kim had met at a party while she had the flu and they’d been best bros at first sight.

Disgusting.

“Hook us up with what, exactly?” Marinette questioned, anxiety stirring in her gut.

Sure, she knew Kim and Luka and a few of her classmates drank. Smoked too. It wasn’t really a secret. Hell, Luka smelled of smoke right then, though it was tampered down by the smell of icing and his soap. They were underage, yes, but Luka would be eighteen on Saturday and it was just what teens did at parties.

But she did not.

Which made her the designated ‘keep us alive while we do dumb shit’ friend, a job she hated more than anything.

“I uh, didn’t exactly come dressed for the woods.” She tacked on, staring down at the outfit she’d chosen. A white tank top and a pink mini skirt with black heels was perfectly suitable for Anarka’s boat. Wearing it out in the woods she might as well be asking for a broken ankle and untreatable dirt stains.

“Come on, Mar. Don’t ruin my birthday. We’re not going on a hike, just gonna walk into the tree line, get a little coke and hang.”

For a moment she was picturing the four of them around a tree stump, red aluminum cans in hand. And then her brain fully processed what he’d said.

“Co- Like Cocaine?!” She shrieked, Luka’s hand clamping over her mouth.

“Just invite the whole city why don’t you?” He hissed, releasing her after a moment. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just a little to celebrate.”

“Luka, that’s illegal.”

“You don’t have to come. Stay home if you want.”

Marinette paused, biting at her lower lip.

What if she didn’t go and something happened to them because they were alone?

“I uh- I’ll come. But we shouldn’t stay long. I’m sure your mom wants to spend some time with you before Jagged shows up.”

“Thirty minutes.” Luka swore. “You’re the best.”

She felt like the worst.

••••••

It was immediately apparent to Marinette that the man they were meeting was just that.

A man.

Not a teen. Not newly graduated like them either. He had to be at least twenty five and he was staring at her, watching her out of the corner of his eye as Luka and Kim handed over a concerning amount of cash.

He handed them a bag and she looked away. She was here to keep them safe, not bear witness to their crime.

“You seem uncomfortable.” The man, Théo if she remembered correctly, spoke to her, grinning as he nodded towards the boys. “Not your thing?”

She shook her head and he reached out, touched under her chin in a gesture that screamed familiarity they didn’t share.

“Smart girl.”

She didn’t like him calling her that. Didn’t like the way he glanced around, made sure the boys were occupied before he latched onto her wrist.

“Why don’t we take a walk? Give ‘em some time to themselves?”

“I don’t-“ She tugged her arm back at the same time his nails dug into her wrist, twisting until her whole lower arm was on fire.

“I said let’s take a walk.” He repeated, practically dragging her away from the boys.

Chancing a glance back at them she found their backs turned, both of them laughing and smoking and completely oblivious.

“I’ll scream.” She threatened immediately, trying to tug her arm from his again. “If you don’t let go of me, I’ll-“

His other hand pushed into his pocket, pulled out a knife.

“You’ll what, kid?”

Hesitating, breath caught in her throat and heart pounding, Théo grinned.

“Thought so.” He pulled her further into the trees, only stopping when Luka and Kim’s voices had faded into the background. “On your knees.” He commanded, Marinette instantly shaking her head. “Did I ask you?” He questioned, hand leaving her arm to grip her by her hair. “On your knees.”

He pushed her down by her head and she hit the dirt hard, the ground tearing up both her knees as he tangled his hand in her hair, dropped to his knees in front of her and captured her lips in a kiss that was all saliva and teeth, Marinette choking back a fearful cry as his other hand roughly shoved her skirt aside and went searching for her panties.

“You a virgin?” He huffed into her mouth, hooking a finger in the bottom of her underwear and pulling them away from her skin.

“No.” She lied. Because maybe that was what he wanted. Maybe-

“Liar.” He accused, yanking her panties down her legs until they were taut around her ankles. He held her down with one arm, the other working to unbutton and unzip his pants and she closed her eyes, fingers searching for something to help her, anything-

His knife. He had a knife. If she could-

She opened her eyes just in time for him to press the very blade she’d thought of to her neck.

“Make a sound and I kill you. Hear me?”

She muffled herself immediately, teeth biting into her lip so hard she tasted blood, and then he was inside her.

She kept herself quiet, breathing through her nose as she willed herself not to move. If she flinched, if that knife cut her throat-

Unintentionally she whimpered at the idea and Théo tightened his grip, every inch of him inside her pulling and tearing and burning as he set a pace that left her breathless, mentally screaming for help, even as she lay silent beneath him.

She wasn’t sure when she’d started crying but by the time he finished inside of her and pulled away her face was wet and puffy and she was silently sobbing for him to leave, to go away and let her be.

He cleaned himself on her thigh, pulled her panties back up and let her go.

“You tell anyone and you’re dead, got it?”

She breathed out an agreement, too terrified of the knife in his hand to argue, and he led her back to the boys, her hands and legs shaking as she tried to keep up with him.

Later, she’d realize she’d been in shock as she told Luka and Kim she was going home. That she hadn’t truly processed what had happened to her as she walked back to the bakery.

She was going to tell her mother. Maman would know what to do. Maman would know who to tell and where to go and- and Maman would hold her and keep her safe and-

The sound of sirens hit her a moment before the smell of smoke did, two fire trucks, an ambulance and a police car coming into view as she turned the corner.

The bakery. Lit up by the flashing lights and the flames.

Two bodies recovered.

No survivors.

••••••

No survivors.

Just her. Just the one who’d started it all.

If she’d remembered to turn off the oven. If she hadn’t gone with Luka. If she hadn’t- if she hadn’t-

The bottle in her hand hit the brick wall at her side before she could stop herself, shoulders heaving as she sobbed. 

Angry. God, she was so angry. Some days she wanted to burn down the entire city just so they could feel what it was like, see it, hear it, smell it, grieve it.

She wanted them all to grieve. She-

She just wanted them back.

But half past two and she was walking into the dilapidated trailer they all called home, finding Théo waiting for her at the counter, Kim, Nathaniel and Luka all sprawled out in the living room.

“I- I have payment.” She cursed her stutter, cursed the never ending fear that snaked around her and constricted her into helplessness every time he was near. “I can pay for the juice.”

“Tomorrow.” Théo insisted, as if it were some gift to her to keep her in his debt for another twenty-four hours. “You’ll need to eat again, won’t you?”

Her stomach was a traitor, grumbling at his words and the realization that she hadn’t eaten since the night before.

After gathering her haul she’d killed hours on that rooftop, waiting as long as possible to head home, building her courage for when she did.

“O-Okay.” She shook, setting her backpack on the kitchen counter as Théo motioned to her bedroom door.

He loved to make her go first. Loved to watch her turn herself over to him. Loved to know she was afraid.

She trembled as she stepped into her room and shed her clothes, Théo shutting and locking the door behind him.

He eyed her newest lock at the top, grinned at it.

“You’re such a smart girl, aren’t you?”

She didn’t reply, positioning herself how she knew he wanted her. On her back, ankles locked onto the bed frame so she wouldn’t move, couldn’t stop him.

Eyes closed, so she didn’t have to watch. Fingers latched around her stuffed cat’s leg, pulling it into her arms for comfort.

He undressed himself then groped her, hands greedily palming her breasts before smoothing over her stomach. When he bent down and bit into her chest she flinched, but didn’t cry, his laugh quiet but startling as he tugged on her cat’s leg, laughing harder when she tightened her grip and refused to let it go.

“You and your stuffed animals. You’re such a baby, Mousie. No wonder you’re so easy, huh?”

He entered her, roughly, never one to prepare her and suddenly- suddenly she wasn’t there anymore.

Out of her body, she was back home, six years old and crawling into bed.

Papa was tucking her in, reading a bedtime story. She cuddled her stuffed animal closer, buried her face in his fur, and Papa promised he’d protect her, promised there were no monsters lurking nearby to gobble her up.

But then he turned out the light, shut the door behind him.

And he left her.

And she was all alone, the monster pulling away from her and snickering at the lock on her door.

He dressed and left, returning moments later with a screwdriver.

All three locks were confiscated, whether he threw them away or hid them she didn’t know, and then he left entirely.

The door shut behind him.

And she allowed herself to cry.

••••••

She didn’t sleep that night, waiting instead for when Théo inevitably passed out on the couch before scurrying to the bathroom.

She locked the door behind her and sunk into the tub, turning it on and letting the water nearly drown her before pulling her head up and scrubbing furiously at her skin.

She scratched and rubbed until the feel of him was gone, tiny drops of blood gathering on her skin only to be washed away as she stood and stepped out of the tub, wrapping herself in a towel and leaning against the counter as she caught her breath.

Clean. She was clean.

“Not so bad.” She whispered to herself, forehead resting against the cold porcelain countertop. “It’s done. I’m done. I’m-“

The little pep talk did nothing to calm her, never did, but she still always tried in vain to talk herself out of the inevitable spiral.

It’d gotten better, once she’d managed to convince him to use condoms and she’d started taking birth control she’d found that her post-encounter panic attacks weren’t as bad as they had been at first.

But they still left her an insomniac, completely unable to settle even if she tried.

She dressed in her room then pulled on her shoes, grabbing her bag from the kitchen counter and slipping out of the house.

In the dark she found her way to the roof, feet following the path they’d taken time and time again and arms effortlessly hauling her up.

There she closed her eyes, the fresh air calming enough to relax.

But she didn’t sleep.

She lay there, watching the light change behind her eyelids until she heard the boys below.

And when they’d all left, none the wiser that she’d ever been gone, she dropped down and began the search for her locks.

••••••

The whole house and she’d found nothing.

Not her locks, not the screwdriver, not even the damn screws.

He’d stripped her of every protection she had. Again.

Sudden yelling made her jump and she startled backward as the door banged open.

“Mouse! You here?”

They only ever sounded so frantic when-

“I’m here.” She announced herself, skirting around the counter to see who was injured.

Nath looked up at her, face constricting in pain but eyes full of guilt.

“Sorry, Mousie.”

Blood. He was covered in blood. He knew how much she loathed it, how lightheaded it made her feel.

“What happened?” She demanded, already searching the cabinet for the first aid kit so she didn’t focus on it. “Lay him down. Get him comfy.”

They did as they were told, Théo suspiciously missing from the bunch.

“What happened?” She repeated, opening the kit and unbuttoning Nathaniel’s shirt.

She winced at the sight of him, a gash in his side that was definitely in need of stitches.

“Fuck, Nathaniel.” She scolded, cleaning out the wound as he grit his teeth.

“Stray bullet.” He wheezed, head falling back as she searched for her needle.

She’d wanted to be a fashion designer when she was little; Instead of sewing clothing she’d ended up stitching gunshot wounds.

It wasn’t the first time. It wouldn’t be the last either.

“Get him something to scream into.” She commanded, Luka hurrying off to do what she’d asked. He returned with one of Nath’s hoodies and Nathaniel stuffed it in his mouth, more than used to her standard procedure.

She’d stitched them up hundreds of times,  but no matter how much she practiced she couldn’t stand the sound of them screaming in her ear, couldn’t keep her hand steady when they were bawling their eyes out like babies.

“Where’s Théo?” She questioned as she stitched Nathaniel’s skin closed. “Why isn’t he helping?”

“He’s out for the week.” Luka answered, watching over her work as if to ensure she was doing it properly. “Lila called.”

Lila. Théo’s girlfriend.

They’d never met her but she let out a breath of relief at the sound of her name.

If Théo was busy with Lila…that meant she was safe.

For one week, she was free.

Chapter Text

“It’s my fault she died.”

The pain of his father’s fist came immediately, as it always did, an accompaniment to the acknowledgment of his faults.

“If I’d never been born she’d still be here.”

“What else?” His father growled, standing over him as Adrien cowered in the corner, Gabriel’s hand latching onto the front of his shirt and violently shaking him. “What else?!”

“She- She’d hate how w-weak I am.”

Gabriel released him, letting him fall back to the floor, and stomped away, Adrien scrambling to his feet and escaping to his bedroom. He locked the door, sunk to the floor and burst into tears.

It was his fault his mother had died. His fault his father was so angry. His fault he couldn’t be good enough.

“I’m sorry, maman.” He whispered, closing his eyes as he shivered on the hardwood floor. He fell asleep that way, not for the first time, and woke at twenty-two, distinctly aware he’d just been dreaming.

“Ugh.” Adrien groaned, pushing himself out of bed.

Another nightmare. Another fucking memory.

He’d been fourteen. All he’d wanted was to ask his father about attending public school. He’d been lonely since his mother died. He wanted friends. He wanted a chance at normalcy.

Gabriel had made sure he never asked for anything ever again.

Looking back on it as an adult, Adrien knew his mother’s death wasn’t his fault. His father had insinuated something during his mother’s pregnancy had been the reason for her illness, but Adrien hadn’t chosen to be born. He hadn’t made his mother sick on purpose. And Gabriel’s hatred of the public school system had less to do with him and more with hiding him. Bruises could be seen by teachers, black eyes wouldn’t go unnoticed by staff.

None of it had been his fault. His father was angry and covering his own ass.

Adrien knew that.

But still-

The guilt lingered. It festered. Sometimes it overwhelmed.

She’d been one of the only ones who ever truly cared about him and, in a way, he’d destroyed her.

“Meow.” Edgar pawed at Adrien’s stomach, kneading into the comforter as Adrien groaned, sitting up and gently pushing the cat to the side. For an animal so small, Edgar’s paws were heavy enough to take the wind out of him when they were focused on one spot.

Grabbing his phone from the bedside table and peering at it with one eye, Adrien let out a listless sigh.

Five in the morning. Once upon a time, that had been his daily wake up call.

His father was a fashion designer, head of Gabriel. The company, sharing his father’s name, had been producing Paris’s latest trends since long before Adrien’s birth. And once he was born, small and cute and completely incapable of giving or withdrawing his consent, it had only made sense to his father that Adrien would model.

He’d been modeling since he was a newborn, starting with the outfit he’d worn home from the hospital. And though Gabriel only tailored to older teens and adults, his father had partnered with every company under the sun that would give Adrien a job. By the time he’d started schooling it’d been evident that homeschool was the answer. His work hours, though strict, ate vital time out of his day, left him tired, cranky, starving too. But none of that had mattered, because he was an Agreste. And Agrestes needed to be perfect. Agrestes needed to be well-rounded.

Schoolwork, fencing lessons, swim lessons, basketball practice, Chinese lessons, English lessons, piano lessons…by the time he’d added in his fittings and photoshoots and time on the runway…Nothing was left.

When he’d turned sixteen and the restrictions on his hours decreased, Gabriel had doubled his workload and Adrien had felt himself slipping. It was hard keeping up. Even more so with his father’s restrictions on his diet and his lack of sleep.

The pressure had been too much and every time he succumbed to it, Gabriel had punished him.

But as visible as he was;  no matter how many billboards displayed his face for all of Paris to see, no matter how many ads or commercials he starred in, no matter how many times he graced the front pages of magazines or popped up on social media to send the masses in his father’s direction, no one ever seemed to see him, really see him. Or they did, but they didn’t care.

His makeup artists covered the bags under his eyes without questions, his hairstylists combed his hair over any bruises on his face and the editors hid his ribs and blemishes, painting on fake abs and porcelain skin that left his fans feeling as if he were the peak of humanity, the epitome of beauty.

But he wasn’t. Would never be. Because he was just Adrien.

And no amount of photoshop could cover what was hiding underneath.

So, when he’d graduated at seventeen, he’d told his father he was finished.

“You’re contracted until you’re twenty-one.” Gabriel had replied, not even looking up from his computer as Adrien stood in the middle of his office, shaking with the fear of facing his father.

“Yes, I’m aware. But others my age, even other models, are heading off to university. Will it not reflect badly on the company if I’m to stay home?”

It was a terrible argument. His father hadn’t gone to university, his mother either. His father had been a waiter in his family’s restaurant before he’d gotten his start in fashion and his mother had come from old money. She’d been an actress when she’d met Gabriel and, though her family had disapproved, she’d given his career the boost it needed to flourish.

“What would you study?” Gabriel questioned, tone full of exasperation. “You’re to take over Gabriel one day, I and my staff can teach you all you’ll need to know, no schooling required.”

Taking a breath, Adrien continued.

“Business management.” He lied through his teeth. “To better understand the inner workings of Gabriel, perfect my negotiation skills and network with others new to the scene before they gain popularity.”

“And of your modeling and lessons? Where would you find the time for schooling?”

“I had planned to move my modeling to part time, drop all of my lessons now that I’ve graduated and divide my time between school and- and the police academy. I’d like to work for awhile, help people, until I take over the company.”

“You had planned, had you?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow, anger slipping into his tone so elegantly it was frightening.

“Figure of speech, father. I apologize. I simply meant I thought over my options prior to this discussion in an effort not to waste your time should I decide against them all.”

“It would help bolster his image, Sir.” His father’s assistant, Nathalie, spoke from the doorway.

The moment Adrien saw his father’s agreement flash across his face, Adrien hurried to add, “And I’d like to move into mother’s family cottage. To give the sense that I’ve fully transitioned into adulthood, of course.”

There was a pause, heavy with anxiety and anticipation, and then his father nodded.

“Very well. I agree. So long as your modeling comes first and your university tuition and household expenses are paid from your own account, so be it.”

It’d taken his father a year to realize he’d been lied to, that Adrien was studying to be a teacher, not to take over the family business. And though he’d been heavily scolded, by the time the news had reached him Adrien had been safely settled in his mother’s cottage, out of reach and self sufficient.

It was only a matter of time before Gabriel learned he’d lost his job.

That realization led him to the kitchen, anxious to drown his sorrows in a bowl of cereal, as Edgar pranced beside him, more than happy for an early breakfast.

He fed his cat then turned toward the fridge, his mind suddenly waking up to reality as he realized a crucial flaw in his plan.

No milk. No cereal. No anything.

He still hadn’t been shopping.

His phone rang, vibrating on the counter as he hurried to pick it up. A glance at the caller ID told him his father was calling, he’d known his father long enough to know otherwise.

“Morning, Nathalie. What am I being yelled at for today?”

Nathalie gave his response a moment of silence before she surged ahead, never one to allow his dramatics to deter her.

“Your father has learned of your termination and requests your return to the company full-time effective immediately.”

“Unfortunately,” for his father, fortunately for him, “I remain unavailable.”

“You’ve graduated and no longer hold a job outside of your father’s company. You are available.”

“Was.” Adrien corrected, stroking Edgar’s back to calm himself as he spoke. “I’ve accepted a teaching position. And seeing as my contract ended this year and I’ll be busy managing my classroom, I’m terminating my employment with Gabriel, effective immediately.”

“I-“ Rarely did Nathalie stutter, only when he’d succeeded in subverting her expectations entirely did she falter. “I will let him know.”

“Thank you.”

“And Adrien,” She whispered before he could end the call. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks, Nathalie.”

The call ended, Adrien placing his phone on the counter as he dropped his head into his hands, letting out a harsh breath as he contemplated his next steps.

Glancing at the clock on the stove, he did the math.

Six am.

An hour and a half and Françoise Dupont would open its doors, allowing teachers a few days to prepare their classrooms for the upcoming school year. He’d need to be one of them; He’d yet to meet any of the staff, save for Principal Damocles, and he hadn’t set a single foot inside his classroom.

He could get breakfast, make it back in time and then swing by the store on the way home. Though he did have a lot of unpacking to do.

A lot. So much so that grocery shopping might lead to the house being cluttered and overwhelming.

Maybe he’d order groceries then, have them delivered, just this once. He could unpack while he waited for them to arrive, save himself the time and effort.

“What do you think?” He asked Edgar, the cat peering up at him speculatively from the floor.

Though he hadn’t heard a word of Adrien’s thoughts, he seemed pleased and let out a chipper little meow to convey as much. Adrien pet his head gently, smiling at the little creature.

“Can always count on you, huh, buddy?”

Edgar purred, brushing up against Adrien’s legs.

Sometimes, it felt like Edgar was the only one who understood him.

••••••

“Adrien!” Principal Damocles greeted, welcoming him with a booming voice and wide open arms. “Good to see you here, I’ve got someone for you to meet.”

Ushering him through the courtyard by the shoulder, Principal Damocles gestured to a woman with kind eyes, her glasses perched on her nose and a clipboard in hand.

“Ms. Bustier, this is Mr. Agreste. Your co-teacher.”

“Co-teacher?” Adrien questioned.

“We teach the same level. We’ll work together to plan events, field trips, those sorts of things, but teach separately in our own classrooms.” Ms. Bustier clarified, reaching out to shake his hand. “I’m Caline, nice to meet you.”

“Adrien.” He nodded, shaking her hand. “Have you been teaching long?”

“Over twenty years.” She replied with a smile, Adrien letting out a small breath of relief.

“Great. I’m nervous. I’d love any tips or suggestions or-“

Caline chuckled, pat him on the back and motioned to the stairs.

“You’re going to do just fine. Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”

Adrien followed her without complaint, Caline handing him a bright green folder as they stepped onto the second floor.

“Denis let me know this is your first year teaching. I took the liberty of printing out a map of the school and compiling your students’ records for you to look through. There should be information about each of them there, enough to get you started with seating arrangements at the very least. You lucked out, it’s a great group. All good kids.”

Adrien was pretty sure his brain was spinning as she opened a door and flipped a light switch, his classroom instantly illuminated under the bright fluorescent lights.

“This is yours. I teach in the room right across the hall so if you ever need anything, anything at all, feel free to open your door and yell.”

Adrien chuckled at the idea and she grinned at him.

“Really, even with great kids, this job can be difficult. I’m happy to help.”

“Thank you.” Adrien breathed, clutching the green folder to his chest. “I really appreciate it.”

“No problem.” She turned toward the door. “I’ll be cleaning up in my room for a bit, you’re welcome to borrow any of my cleaning supplies. It’s a bit stuffy in here.”

The lighting made that clear, dust particles backlighted into visibility.

He sneezed and they both laughed at the timing.

“I guess I’ll take you up on that. Thanks.”

She nodded, disappearing into the hall, and Adrien placed the green folder on his desk, turning to examine his room with a critical eye.

It needed dusting, the windows cleaned, the floors mopped and the lighting- god, it was nearly overwhelmingly bright -but he couldn’t deny that the sight of it all made him giddy.

He was nervous, hesitant, and he wanted to return to the station, save lives and make his mother proud.

But in the meantime, he was starting to think he could be happy right there.

••••••

Submitting his grocery order, Adrien placed the green folder Caline had given him on the dining table, turning to examine the various cardboard boxes he’d left unpacked.

He had the essentials out at least, but the clothes he was wearing were incredibly wrinkled and if he didn’t get his closet sorted somewhat soon every article he owned would share the same fate.

An hour later, clothing hung and folded and put away, his phone chimed with the delivery notification. He chose to let it sit on the porch for a moment, catching Edgar and locking him in the bedroom so he couldn’t make a run for it, before pulling the front door open and pushing a cardboard box in front of it to keep it from closing on him.

Turning to the various grocery bags stacked on his porch, Adrien came face to face with a girl.

No, he corrected his brain immediately upon closer inspection. She was short, small, but definitely an adult, though she had to be a young one.

She stared up at him, bluebell eyes framed by purple circles, dark hair secured in two messy buns and a fresh cut on her forehead, both of them completely frozen in surprise at the other’s presence.

She was dressed in what looked to be a worn set of black overalls, the flowery pink shirt underneath, though long-sleeved, appearing to do little for her against the cold. She shivered as she clutched one of his grocery bags in her fingers, her skin white from the effort with which she gripped it.

In an instant, time seemed to move again.

“I’m sorry!” She cried, backing away from him in a stumbling motion down his porch steps. He opened his mouth to reply and she dropped the bag like it’d shocked her, Adrien’s attention still focused on how thin she looked.

He’d looked that way once. He’d been so hungry it’d hurt.

“It’s okay.” He whispered before he’d even made the decision to speak. “Are you hungry?”

She stared, silently watching him with eyes full of suspicion as he motioned to the bag at her feet.

“I don’t know if that bag has food or not, I ordered some supplies too, but if you’ll give me a moment I can make sure you take a bag that does.”

“What?”

Her voice was so quiet, hoarse too, like she’d been screaming or crying for hours prior.

“Obviously you need it.” He replied, rummaging through the bags to try and sort them into better piles. “I can just get more. Here.”

He held a bag out to her, full of food, and she waited a long time, glancing around as if she thought he might have other people waiting to snatch her the second she agreed, before quickly ripping the bag from his hand and taking three steps back as she clutched it to her chest.

She made no move to run, just stood there watching him.

“Go on.” He assured, stepping back into the doorway to give her some space. “It’s alright. You can have it. Just maybe knock next time you need some help, yeah? I don’t mind, but I prefer not to think I’m about to be murdered.”

She nodded and then she was gone, not a trace of her left moments later when Fu crossed the street and greeted him softly.

“Friend of yours?” He asked, looking down the street where the woman had disappeared.

“Ah, no.” Adrien shook his head, hurriedly pushing the rest of his groceries into the entry way. “She just needed some help.”

Fu nodded, humming thoughtfully.

“Interesting.”

Chapter Text

Shit.

The door swung inward and a man propped it open with a cardboard box, noticing her only a moment later with wide eyes full of surprise as she clutched the bag she’d taken, heart quickly picking up pace.

She’d meant to be quick, snatch the bags off the porch and leave before anyone even knew she’d been around. She’d done it a million times, but now this man had seen her and-

The gears in her head suddenly ground to a stuttering stop at the sight of his face.

Adrien Agreste?

Famous model, son of Gabriel Agreste the fashion designer and way, way too rich to be living in their neighborhood?

Oh god.

It was one thing to steal from tourists or the middle class. Another entirely to steal from someone who had every resource available in their disposal to have her found, tried and jailed before the end of the week.

“I’m sorry!” She cried, backing away and down the porch steps as she dropped the bag at her feet.

She needed to run. Run away and hide and never show her face again until he’d died of old age.

He was older than her, right? He’d likely go first.

By like, a year, her brain filled in.

Unhelpful! Entirely unhelpful.

“It’s okay. Are you hungry?”

She stilled at the sound of his voice, mind working overtime to fire itself back up.

Why was he talking to her like that? Low and soft, like he thought he might lure her back up the steps and into his home until the police arrived. She wasn’t stupid, not anymore. She knew better. She-

“I don’t know if that bag has food or not, I ordered some supplies too, but if you’ll give me a moment I can make sure you take a bag that does?”

What the fuck?

“What?” She shortened the thought to spare him her profanity, sure she wasn’t breathing anymore.

He was trying to trick her. Act like he’d help when really he was just waiting to strike. Even if he didn’t call the cops he’d want repayment somehow. He’d-

He crouched to reach for the bags at his feet and she took a frightened step back.

Théo was enough. She couldn’t give anymore. Couldn’t belong to anyone else. She needed to run! Why couldn’t she run? What had happened to her feet to have them glued to the concrete, completely useless? God, she was completely useless.

He was saying something, holding a bag out to her with a gentle smile that seemed genuine, but all she could do was survey their surroundings, sure he had to have security or bodyguards somewhere nearby.

What exit route gave her the best chance of success? Of getting as far away as possible as quickly as she could?

The moment she’d decided she took the bag from him, intent on making a run for it the second she had it in her grasp.

But her damn body was stuck, still reeling from the interaction.

Did she thank him? Beg him not to send his people after her?

“Go on.” He stepped back into the house behind him, still talking though she missed half the words as she fought to hear him over the sound of her heartbeat in her ears. “Maybe knock next time you need some help, yeah? I don’t mind but I prefer not to think I’m about to be murdered.”

She ran before she could fully comprehend what he’d said, but three blocks down the street it suddenly came rushing back.

Next time. He expected her to come back.

“Fuck that.” She whispered to herself, ducking under a line of broken fencing to take the short way home.

Like she was going to be dumb enough to set herself up to get caught.

Trudging into the house and kicking off her shoes, she dropped the overflowing bag on the counter, Luka looking up from his stool to check it out.

“Where’d you get all this?” He asked, eyebrows raised.

What a blow to her confidence to know he thought her incapable of porch theft.

Though, considering she’d almost been caught, she guessed it wasn’t that misplaced.

“Some dude’s porch.” She replied, watching as he tore the bag apart and sorted through it.

At the sight of it spilled atop the counter her heart twisted up, painfully tight. Maybe Adrien had taken pity on her. Maybe he was just being kind.

Had she really been with the boys so long that she’d written off kindness as a possibility entirely? Was she really that hesitant to trust? That broken?

“What an idiot.” Luka commented as he bagged it all back up and carried it into the kitchen. “You’ll get to eat for the rest of the week on that.”

Her stomach churned, both in hunger and in guilt, as he locked the bag in the highest cabinet.

He didn’t mean it literally. The food Adrien had given her had all been brand name, the good stuff. The boys would take it as payment, feed her whatever scraps they had leftover, but regardless, she would get to eat.

“Good job, Mouse.” Luka ruffled her hair as he packed up his things. “Kim and I’ve got a job but we’ll bring back food, ‘kay?”

She nodded and he backed toward the door.

“You keep taking advantage of stupid people like that and you’ll be golden.”

The door slammed shut behind him and she collapsed onto his abandoned stool, head resting on her arms as she let out a ragged breath.

She was an asshole. She’d taken advantage of Adrien’s kindness and then stood there and let him be mocked for it.

She couldn’t go back. Not for anything. He didn’t deserve it.

She didn’t deserve it.

A hand on her back startled her and Nathaniel chuckled, sliding onto the stool beside her.

“You okay?”

She nodded, forgoing words because she didn’t feel strong enough to speak them, and Nathaniel put his head on his arms, mocking her posture and turning his head so she had no choice but to move or look him in the eye.

“What’s wrong?”

“All of this is wrong.” She bit out, pushing away from her arms to sit up and stare at the countertop.

“We could go with Plan B?” Nathaniel suggested, voice suddenly at a whisper. “I haven’t changed my mind.”

She shivered, ignoring him for a moment in favor of catching her breath.

The idea of it always rattled her, but he’d held tight to it when she couldn’t, always brought it up at her lowest points.

He loved her, so he said, had since collége.

Hell, the only reason he was wrapped up in all of this was because she was. They were friends. She trusted him, kind of. But she didn’t love him back. And running away together wouldn’t solve anything, not really. They’d just end up thieving on their own, no one to back them up when they failed. And they failed often.

Where she had the skill, she lacked the drive. She stole what she needed to keep herself alive, nothing more. Nathaniel had the drive, but lacked the skill, evidenced by how often it was him she was stitching up and not the others.

And thus, they formed the bottom rung of Théo’s group. The lesser fed, the lesser clothed, the lesser all around.

Kim was a step above; skilled, willing to do what he needed to do, but not focused. He couldn’t plan, couldn’t strategize, but he could follow through and he wasn’t afraid of the repercussions of doing so.

And Luka…there was a reason Théo had taken him as a right hand man, a protégée. Though she’d never been given the chance, she knew if she and Luka had been put head to head that she had the skill to beat him. She’d trained in their shadow for years to do just that. But Luka wasn’t just skilled. He was motivated too.

Once a wandering boat kid with an absentee father, Luka had craved approval and purpose like an addict craved a high. It’d been so easy for Théo to lead him in the wrong direction, so easy for Théo to make him into what he wanted him to be. And though Théo acted as if Luka held an equal role to himself, Marinette could see right through it.

Théo ran everything. He took a cut of everything. The best resources were funneled directly to him on a silver platter, their obedience and submission nearly guaranteed with the system he’d created.

Obey. Or starve.

A simple lesson she’d learned far too quickly.

She’d been so afraid the night of the fire, she hadn’t known where to go or who to call or even what to say. She’d thought about Anarka, going to Luka’s mother and confessing everything, but she’d chickened out three steps from the gangplank and ended up spending the rest of the night curled up on a nearby bench until Luka had come home the next morning.

“Why are you here?” He’d grumbled, standing over her. “Why didn’t you just go in? Or go home?”

She’d shivered, pushed herself up and told him, tears interrupting every syllable.

“The- The bakery- fire. It’s- it’s gone. They’re both- both gone.”

He’d stared at her for what had felt like forever, obviously struggling to comprehend what she’d told him after the night he’d had.

“Shit.” He’d finally replied. “That sucks.”

That had felt like the understatement of the century.

“Where you gonna go?”

She hadn’t known the answer to that question, any questions, really, and Luka had snuck her into his bedroom, both of them whispering as they waited for Juleka and Anarka to leave for the day.

“Can’t believe you actually bailed on my birthday.” Luka’d said, changing his shirt and dropping onto his bed with a huff. “Had lots of fun without you. Théo’s actually pretty cool.”

She’d paused at the window, looking outside as she contemplated telling him the truth. In the end she’d dropped it, too afraid to try and win his belief.

“Actually thinking about working with him. He’s got a pretty good business going downtown.”

“Selling drugs?” She’d snapped, looking back at him.

“Nah, M. Come on, don’t be dumb. It was just a little coke. It’s not his day job.”

She hadn’t answered, but Luka volunteered the information regardless.

“He works crowds, tourists mostly. Does a lot of street tricks for tips.”

“Street tricks.” She’d repeated.

“Yeah. Easy stuff. Easy money.”

“Stolen money.” She had clarified, because she thought he might be losing his mind. “What is wrong with you? Drinking was one thing. Smoking was one thing. But drugs and scamming tourists- I’m going to Anarka.”

She’d stormed toward the door, intent on making good on her words.

And that had been the first and only time she’d ever been truly scared of Luka.

Because his hand had pressed the door closed from behind her as his other hand took hold of her arm, held it harshly in his grip.

“You’re not telling a single fucking soul, Marinette. You’re not going to ruin this for me.”

It was too soon. Too harsh.

She’d panicked. She’d seen Théo. She’d hit the ground screaming and Luka had finally had a bit of sense knocked into him, stumbling away from her as if she’d punched him in the gut as Anarka came running, swinging the door open and looking between them in confusion.

“What happened?!” She’d barked, Marinette hyperventilating and crying in her arms as Luka stuttered out a reply.

“I- I barely touched her. She just freaked! I didn’t-“

The second she’d gotten her feet under her she’d ran, pushing herself out of Anarka’s arms and as far away as she could possibly go.

She’d wandered the streets of Paris for days, weeks, she didn’t know how long, trying to make it on her own, trying to ignore what had happened to her and to her parents.

In the end, she’d been too weak to hold out, too hungry it hurt too bad to bear.

And so she’d called him, begged him for help.

And though Luka had apologized and he’d never laid hands on her again, he had brought her right back to Théo.

By the time she’d come around, Kim and Luka were living with him already and Nathaniel had followed shortly after.

Nathaniel had been the one to push for her to have the bedroom to herself. He’d even bought her the first lock she’d placed on the door.

He couldn’t have known what he was doing, he’d just been looking out for her in general, offering her some feminine privacy in the otherwise masculine abode.

Regardless, she thanked him every day for the small protection it had given her.

But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t force herself to love him.

“I guess not.” Nathaniel spoke to her silence, withdrawing his hand. “Want a drink?”

She nodded, because her throat was so dry it felt like she hadn’t had a drop of water in decades, and Nathaniel moved to the fridge, pulling out two bottles of water and tossing one her way.

“It’s alright, Mousie. Gotta do what we gotta to do survive, right?”

Why? Why did it even matter anymore?

Alive? Dead? What was the difference?

“I think I’m going to go to bed.”

Nathaniel nodded, sipping his water.

“I’ll probably head out here in a couple minutes. Night.”

“Night.” She repeated, pushing the door closed behind her.

Glancing up at where the missing locks should be, she let out a small sigh of relief.

At least she’d be free for a little longer. She slept easier knowing Théo was out of the house completely.

Maybe she should feel bad, knowing her reprieve meant Théo was in another girl’s bed. But seeing as Lila funded a lot of Théo’s bigger schemes or endeavors,  she figured the other woman couldn’t be too much of a victim.

Lila was a model from what she knew, internationally famous. A woman like that had resources, could jail a man at the snap of a finger too, she’d bet.

The front door slammed shut as Nathaniel left and she looked up, startled by the sudden noise, only to take notice of a box on her dresser.

She didn’t recognize it. Black, with a red design on the top.

She definitely hadn’t stolen it and if the boys had it certainly wouldn’t be in her room. They didn’t give her things, they stole them, trashed them. But this…

Curiously, she slid her fingers across the lid and then pried it open, nearly dropping it as a bright pink light filled the room.

“Hi!” A high pitched voice greeted from somewhere nearby as she struggled to regain her ability to see.

“Who- Who’s there?” She cried, the spots in her vision slowly dissipating.

“Ooh I’m so so so excited to meet you!” The voice squealed, a red little blur of motion flying around her head and over to land on her dresser.

She gaped, stared at the bug- thing, as it spoke, its antennae vibrating with anticipation.

“You- you talk.”

“Hello, Ladybug. I am Tikki, kwami of creation.” The little creature held out a paw- an arm? A nub? and she looked down at it, cautiously reaching out to touch it.

When her fingers brushed its- its skin? she stepped back, chest heaving as she realized it was not a hallucination.

“You’re real? You’re real! You’re real and you’re talking to me.”

The creature giggled, akin to the sound of a tiny bell ringing, and nodded.

“That is how this works, yes. It’s nice to meet you.”

Oh god, she must have fallen asleep fast, huh? What a weird fucking dream.

“Nice- nice to meet you too. I’m- I’m gonna wake up now.”

The creature cocked its head then its eyes widened and it giggled again.

“Oh yes, you think you’re dreaming. I’m afraid not. This is very much real. The city needs your help.”

The city-

“The only thing the city needs from me I’m unwilling to give. Good night!”

She crossed to her bed, sure if she went to sleep she’d wake up- which was a really, really weird way to think- but the creature followed.

“Unfortunately, I can’t let you do that. The threat to Paris must be dealt with and you are the match to my miraculous.”

“Your miraculous what?” She questioned, the creature frowning before she giggled again.

“Miraculous. Noun. Not adjective. These.” The creature fetched the box she’d opened and held it out, a pair of earrings nestled in the fabric inside. “These will give you your powers.”

“My…powers.”

“You’re going to be a hero, Ladybug. You’ll save Paris and-“

“Save Paris from what?” She choked out on a laugh.

This was the wildest dream she’d had in years. Her? With superpowers? 

“A rogue holder. My master has felt his presence in the city and though he has yet to attack, he will soon. You and your partner will be tasked with taking him down and returning his miraculous to the master box.”

“The- I need to sleep.”

She crawled into bed but the creature followed once more.

“No time for sleep. My master requires your presence right away. Put in the earrings, say ‘spots on’ and follow your heart. You’ll find your way.”

“That is the most bullshit I’ve ever heard in one sentence. What the fuck does that even mean?”

“Trust me, Ladybug. Put them in, say the words, follow your gut.”

“I thought you said to follow my heart.” She replied, looking up at the creature.

“You didn’t seem to appreciate that verbiage.”

“You adapt fast. Fine.” She groaned. “I will put on the earrings, say the words and follow my h- my gut, if that’s what it takes to get me out of this dream.”

“Not a dream.” The creature repeated as she put the earrings in, somewhat comforted by the weight of them in her ears.

She’d worn earrings regularly as a teen, but never a pair since.

“Now just say ‘Tikki, spots on’.” The creature repeated.

“Tikki,” She hesitated, “T-Tikki, spots on.”

Electricity, stimulating but not painful, danced across her skin, the clothes she’d been wearing stripped away and replaced with a red and black polka dotted spandex suit. The feel of something on her face made her reach up, run her fingers over her nose and across her cheekbones.

A mask. She was wearing a mask.

And her hair, which she usually kept in two little space buns, had been pulled into pigtails, red ribbons tied around them and fluttering softly behind her.

Okay. She had to admit, that was pretty fucking cool.

Maybe her subconscious was onto something, fashion wise. Polka dots weren’t exactly ‘in’ this year, but always a good chance they’d make a comeback eventually.

Now she just had to find the creature’s master and maybe she’d wake up, escape this weird dreamscape and do some sketching before she passed out again.

“Tikki?” She called. “You there?”

I’m here. The creature’s voice spoke inside her head. I’ll lead the way. Head outside, we’re going up to the roof.

The roof?

Hope you’re not afraid of heights. 

“Not- not afraid, no. I practically live up there sometimes.”

A perfect match indeed.

She had no idea what Tikki meant by that but she took her usual route to the roof, pushing herself up onto her feet the second she was steady enough.

This is going to be easier than we thought. You have a yo-yo on your hip. Pick it up.

She did as she was told, staring at the yo-yo for a long moment. Papa used to teach her tricks, ways to impress her friends with them. She’d carried one around everywhere she went for years as a little girl.

Not a coincidence. The suit adjusts to the holder, gives each one a different style and choice of weapon.

“Weapon?” She repeated, the weight of the yo-yo in her hand less than she remembered. “This isn’t a weapon.”

That depends on how you use it. Right now, it’s a mode of transportation. We’re going straight, see anything in the distance that’s big enough for you to stand on?

“Uh…lots of things?”

Throw, swing, land, repeat.

“Like Spiderman.”

Well, it was a dream. Not like she’d die if she was wrong.

Tossing the yo-yo up and catching it a couple of times to familiarize herself with the feel of it, she looked out around the city, around their street, eyeing her options.

She was short and pretty small, most large structures could hold her weight if she were standing still atop it, but she wouldn’t be standing still. Assuming that the suit gave her the strength and ability not to break her arm from the force of swinging at such high speeds or kill herself from the impact when she landed, property damage was her only real concern and if she calculated for-

It’s magic. Don’t think about it. Just go.

She gave in, throwing her yo-yo out until it tangled around something sturdy.

She tugged on it once, twice, just to be sure, and then she jumped.

And when she arced downward for the first time, hurtling toward the street at full speed, her heart dropped to her feet, she didn’t wake up and she came to the startling conclusion that the little creature had been right.

It wasn’t a dream.

And she was about to hit the sidewalk hard.

Chapter Text

Adrien stepped back inside and shut the door behind him, letting Edgar out of the bedroom before he collected the remaining grocery bags and lay them out on the dining table.

As he put them away he contemplated the woman and where she’d gone, wondering if she had somewhere safe to return to. He’d most likely never see her again, never know for sure, but he hoped she did, hoped that the little bag he’d given her would help somehow.

He had more than he would ever need, didn’t deserve the half million sitting comfortably in his savings account at only twenty-two. Didn’t know what to do with it either.

He’d bought the house, one bedroom, two bathrooms, in cash and logically he knew he should fill it past the bare bones furniture it currently housed, but he couldn’t bring himself to decorate, couldn’t imagine staying there long enough for it to matter.

Would he keep living there once he’d gone back to work at the station? Rent it out? Sell?

He had no clue.

With the groceries put away, Adrien’s focus turned to the green folder Caline had given him.

He should prepare, get to know what he was walking into, their names, any relevant medical info or potential behavior problems, but he dreaded it.

He knew how to teach, how to manage a classroom, he did, he hadn’t gotten his degree for nothing, but part of him was always afraid that he’d…

They might hate him. He might hate them.

Taking a breath and flipping the folder open, his eyes landed on a girl.

God, was he that tiny at fourteen? Had he still had baby fat in his cheeks like she did? He certainly hadn’t had the braces, but he smiled at the photo, noting her smile, so wide it almost looked like it’d hurt.

He hadn’t had that either.

Mia.

Caline had taken the time to note that, along with her stellar grades and involvement in multiple school sponsored activities, Mia was shy, quiet and had a love for animals.

He flipped to the next page, another girl with a cheeky grin.

Charlotte.

Class president for the past two years, good grades and could be talkative. Caline had added: “ Energetic :) “ to the end of her notes.

He flipped to the next page.

Arlen. A boy.

Caline had written in bright red ink that the boy had a peanut allergy and he did his best to commit the fact to memory. He may not necessarily like being around children but he definitely didn’t want any of them to die on his watch.

Flipping the page, Adrien did a momentary double take.

Arlen. Andrew. Two different boys both incredibly alike.

Twins, he realized. Though judging by Caline’s notes they were as different as could be.

The words “rowdy, sporty and loud” stared back at him and Adrien winced.

He’d probably be a disruption. It would eat into their lecture time and-

“Meow.”

A strange rattling sound accompanied Edgar’s meow and Adrien turned to look at him, watching in confusion as Edgar bat a little black box across the floor.

“Whatcha got, buddy?” He asked, swooping down to take the box away. He replaced it with a treat, Edgar happily accepting, and then stared down at the box, noting the strange red symbol on the top.

It didn’t belong to him. Maybe the previous owners of the house had left it behind? He opened it, hoping to get a description of whatever was inside to provide to the realtor to try and return it, when suddenly a bright green light blinded him, the box falling to the floor as Edgar hissed and ran off to hide.

“What the-“

“-eeeeeeeeeseeeee!”

“What the fuck?” Adrien looked around as the light faded, a strange voice wailing in his ear.

The little creature came into view, yawning before it began wailing again.

“Cheeeeeeeeseeee!”

“Cheese?” Adrien repeated, staring at the little cat-like being as it blinked, eyes focusing on him.

After a moment of silence it frowned.

“Well? Do you have cheese or shall I just perish?”

“Uh…”

“Hurry, mortal! It’s been centuries since I’ve been fed and I’m famished! I haven’t been this starved since the fourth millennium! BC!”

“What- what are you?”

“A god.” It hissed. “Now feed me.”

Adrien swallowed and went to the fridge, convinced he was having some type of hallucination as he pulled the block of cheese he’d purchased from the fridge and handed it to the creature.

It devoured it. Whole.

Then grinned, licking bits of cheese from its tiny fangs.

“Now, now that I’m no longer starving to death we can get back to the boring stuff. Put on the ring.”

“The ring?”

“In the box, mortal.” The cat sighed, Adrien sure it was rolling its eyes at him as he scrambled for the box he’d dropped, a black ring sitting delicately inside it.

He slipped it on, looked back up at the cat-thing and nodded.

“Uh, it’s on.”

“Good. Now say, ‘Plagg, claws out.’ and go right across the street to the guy who couldn’t be bothered to do this himself.”

“Pl- Plagg?” Adrien repeated. “To- to who? Mr. Fu?”

“Mr. Fu?” The creature fake gagged. “Really? Didn’t even bother to change his name? Ugh. All this fanfare makes me sick to my stomach. Plagg is the name, kid. God of destruction. Say the words, go across the street. He’ll explain the rest.”

“O- Okay.” Adrien agreed. God, he was going to get committed. “Um, Plagg? Claws out.”

Electricity hummed across his skin, black leather seeming to spawn into existence with no other purpose than to cover him, a black mask settling over his face as everything around him seemed to come into a startling, acute focus.

He could hear his neighbors having dinner. Could smell their food even from across the street and his tail- his tail?!

It’s a lot, kid. Let it settle in.

“What just happened to me?” He spoke, wincing at his own voice as his tail lashed furiously behind him.

So loud.

Welcome to the life of a cat. Super senses come with super problems. You’ll get over it.

“I- I have a tail.”

It’s not real. It’s a belt. Same as your new ears. Just leather.

New…ears?

He reached up, hands running across the top of his head.

Ears. He had cat ears.

Now go across the street.

“Are you in my head?”

More or less. I’m in the suit. Or, technically, I am the suit. You can hear me either way. Not important right now. Speak to Fu.

“Right. Fu. He- he knows about this?”

Yeah. Plagg scoffed. He knows about it. Now go. And don’t let anyone see you leave this house. No one can know who you are.

Adrien slipped out the back door, feeling like he was about to be busted doing something incredibly weird as he snuck around the side of the house and peered at Fu’s building.

If no one was around he could make a run for it and hope Fu let him in before anyone saw him, but what if he really was hallucinating?

That was the last thing he needed. The nail in the proverbial coffin that was any chance he had left of returning to the station. He-

A sound, loud and quickly getting louder, caught his attention and Adrien looked up just in time to see a bright red blur go flying overhead, the shrill scream it let out clueing him into the fact that wherever they were about to land it was entirely unintentional.

Kwami. Plagg’s voice growled. He really lowered the bar this go around. Newsflash, kid. That’s your partner. Might wanna go catch her before she becomes a sidewalk pancake.

His partner?

Uh, now?!

“Right!” He realized, running after her.

She was still screaming when he caught her, eyes closed as he lost his balance and they both went tumbling to the ground.

The dirt around them went up in a cloud as her back made contact, her eyes popping open and slowly regaining focus.

Red spandex and bright irises, she looked up at him and he realized a moment too late he was still on top of her.

“Sorry.” He muttered, pushing himself to his feet and offering her a hand. She took it, shaking slightly as he pulled her to her feet. “Uh, did it hurt?” He questioned, brain momentarily broken by how fucking beautiful she was.

Definitely not a hallucination. He couldn’t dream up someone like that.

He hadn’t ever thought dark hair to be his thing, but god, didn’t it look like it belonged atop her head, such a complement to the tone of her skin and the color of her eyes? Like a masterpiece. A-

“Did it hurt?”

She stared up at him, expression full of bewilderment.

“You know, when you fell from Heaven?”

Her eyes narrowed, expression instantly morphing into one of anger.

“I crawled up from Hell, actually.”

“Uh, ambitious.” He praised, her eyes widening a moment before she laughed, a full, everything she had going into it, laugh that made him chuckle along despite his nerves.

“I see you’ve met.” Fu greeted them from behind, startling Adrien into turning to face him. “Come along. We’ve much to discuss.”

Chapter Text

“Uh, Did it hurt?”

She stared up at him, confusion, fear and anger all battling for dominance.

“Did it hurt?”

Yeah, it’d fucking hurt. His body had been nearly as hard as the sidewalk and she was pretty sure she’d come into contact with both multiple times on the way down.

But somehow, despite how hard she’d hit the ground, the pain was gone. Had been since the moment she’d taken his hand and stood.

Curtesy of the suit. Tikki’s voice told her. Regenerative healing. So long as you are alive, injuries will come and go quickly. Pain is to be felt, but only momentarily.

“You know, when you fell from Heaven?”

She glared, eyes roaming over the man in front of her as she contemplated his existence.

This was her partner?

He just had to be a man, didn’t he? Just another person in her life to act like she was incompetent and useless save for the pleasure she could provide.

But she had superpowers, apparently. And maybe she didn’t know how to use them yet, but she sure as hell didn’t have to take his advances. She could practically feel the power running through her veins. And what did he have? She glanced at his waist, locked on the weapon on his belt.

A stick? All he had to defend himself was a stick no longer than the length of her hand?

She could whack him upside the head with her yo-yo before he even got his weapon out of his belt loop.

Ladybug, you’ll be fighting a villain. Not your partner. Tikki scolded.

My name is Marinette. She silently snapped back to the little creature. And if he tries to touch me I’ll fight whoever I want to.

He’s not going to-

“I crawled up from Hell, actually.” Marinette told him angrily, giving him one last chance to back off before she went for her weapon.

You moved on from your disbelief quickly. The yo-yo is a suitable weapon after all?

Marinette ignored her, watched as the cat ears atop the man’s head flattened back in embarrassment, his tail going immediately still.

“Uh,” He spoke, looking completely blindsided by her reply. Didn’t get told no often, huh? She challenged silently as he spoke. “Ambitious.”

She wasn’t sure what came over her in that moment, what made her anger dissipate as he looked at her like a scolded child, a light red blush covering his cheeks. But the idea of him actually being afraid of her or feeling bad about the way he’d spoken to her made her laugh. And once she started she couldn’t stop.

When was the last time she’d laughed like this?

He laughed along, another surprise, seeing as she’d probably embarrassed him.

With Théo she’d be facing punishment, but her partner didn’t look mad. He looked….he looked kinda nice like that, with his hair in his eyes and a smile so wide it gave him little dimples.

Maybe she was being too harsh. She had literally fallen out of the sky. The line made sense. Maybe it wasn’t an attack. Maybe-

“I see you’ve met.” A new voice spoke.

Startled, she looked at the man she’d bumped into at the mall and silently cursed.

He’d seen her running from security. He had to recognize her, surely?

Your suits provide a masking ability. No one will be able to discern your identity, not unless they are told or the truth becomes undeniable. The guardian, however, is the one who gave you my miraculous. He knows who you are. And why he chose you.

Such a bad choice.

That remains to be seen.

“Come along.” The man motioned to a nearby building. “We’ve much to discuss.”

Her partner followed immediately and hesitantly, she went with him, staying a step or two behind just in case either of them turned on her.

You’re very distrusting for a Ladybug.

Ignoring her companion, Marinette surveyed the home she’d found herself in, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to form at the various Chinese artifacts the man had on display.

You have a connection to the culture?

My mother was originally from Shanghai.

And she has passed?

Marinette ignored her again, choosing instead to focus on the men in front of her as they stopped and turned to face her.

“So you uh,” Her partner started, looking down at the elderly man that had called them inside.

The guardian. Tikki reminded.

“You know who we are?”

“Yes.” The guardian responded. “Though it is important that no one else does. Neither of you were seen on your way here?”

They shook their heads and he nodded once.

“You two will keep your identities a secret, even from each other. Only come here in the suits and only use your hero names. Understood?”

Her partner frowned, cat ears up and alert.

So strange. Were they an indicator of his mood? She’d always wanted a cat, she remembered. Pets hadn’t been allowed in the bakery, but-

She forced herself to focus and Tikki’s thoughtful hum reverberated through her skull.

I’m sorry for your loss.

“We can’t tell each other who we are? We’re supposed to fight a supervillain, right? How are we supposed to contact each other or work together if we don’t know who we are?”

“One day, in the future, when you both have more to gain than to lose, you will be free to share your identities.” The guardian answered. “But for now, the threat is too great. You will meet here when needed. Otherwise, you will meet on the battle field.”

“Where we’ll battle who, exactly?” Her partner asked, seeming much more capable of thinking the entire thing through than she seemed to be.

Maybe she wasn’t as capable as she’d thought. Shouldn’t she have questions? Demands? The man had summoned them both with magical creatures. Surely that necessitated a response of some kind?

“I am unaware of their identity, otherwise I would tell you to end this threat before it’s begun. Unfortunately, I can not. Wayzz, show yourself.”

A green little creature seemed to appear out of nowhere, greeting them both softly.

“I sensed the use of the butterfly miraculous nearby. It was such a dark feeling, so angry and full of hatred, hurt and desperation. Whoever holds it will be looking for you two.”

“Why would they be looking for us?” Marinette questioned. “What do we matter?”

“Before, you didn’t.” The guardian answered simply. “But now that you hold the two strongest miraculous, you matter quite a lot.”

“What Fu means to say is that, when combined, your miraculous have the power to grant an individual a wish. Any wish. With their evil energy and the desperation I felt coming off the butterfly holder…he will no doubt be seeking to take both of your powers.”

“So you painted a target on our backs?!” Marinette exclaimed before she could stop herself, taking a step toward him as she reached for her yo-yo.

Ladybug! Tikki cried at the same time Fu spoke.

“Ladybug, I assure you. I regret having to put you both in danger, but I am much too old to wield the miraculous to their full potential. You and this black cat are the most compatible to those two miraculous in all of Paris. All of the world, most likely. You were meant for this.”

“My name is not Ladybug.” She seethed. “And I have my own problems. I didn’t ask to be a part of your little cult.”

“You’re Ladybug now.” Fu replied, motioning to her suit. “And you forget, after being knocked to the ground, I am very aware of your problems.”

She flinched and Fu’s voice softened.

“This is my fault. I am aware of that too. It was my mistake that allowed the butterfly to be lost and fall into this new holder’s hands. Judge me for that if you will, but Paris and her people are innocent. If you step down, if I have to replace you with someone less suited, Paris might suffer for it. I will leave the choice to you, but…” Motioning out the window, Fu continued. “It’s your home more than it is mine.”

Did he know what he’d done, giving her this much power? He was an idiot pulling her into this. She could beat the man standing at her side, take his miraculous, make a wish and fix everything. She could-

The wish has a cost. Tikki whispered gently. Bring someone back, someone else will go and the choice of who will not be left up to you.

Oh.

“So what are his powers? How do we defeat him?” Her partner asked. “Do you know what he can do?”

“It is possible he will fight you face to face, but given the nature of his powers I suspect he will remain anonymous for as long as possible. The butterfly miraculous has the power of transmission and thus, can bestow power on others through what is known as an akuma. In the past they’ve taken many forms, but you will always know them by the dark magic they’re coated in. If my hunch is correct, he will be targeting those with negative emotions, possessing them with his akuma and forcing them to do his bidding. You will need to break the hold he has on them and purify the akuma.”

“How do we do that?”

“She does that part.” Fu’s gaze swung to her. “Ladybug, with the miraculous of creation. Your power is called ‘lucky charm’. You can summon it by saying its name. It will gift you with an object coated in luck, one that will tilt the odds of each battle in your favor. When you two have broken the possession, you will catch the akuma in your yo-yo. There, Tikki will be able to cleanse it of its dark magic. Then, and only then, will you call your other power, ‘miraculous ladybug’ which will restore the city and all of its inhabitants to their prior state.”

“You mean I…if someone were to die or a building were to fall I could just-“

“Only if it happened during the battle as a direct result of the akuma, but yes.”

“But if she does all of that, what do I do?”

“You, Black Cat, with the miraculous of destruction, have your own power set.” Fu informed him. “You’ve noticed your enhanced senses, correct?”

He nodded and she looked at him, the expression on her face most likely giving away her thoughts.

“Everything’s really loud.” He explained. “I can hear from farther away. Smell too.”

“You’ll find that your sight has also improved, especially in darkness.” Fu continued. “Your power, cataclysm, will allow you to destroy anything you touch. Pure destruction will manifest in your palm. But, be warned. It is a powerful weapon. One tied closely to your mind. You will have to be conscious of how far you want it to spread, how much damage can be done. Calling your power without a plan could be fatal for those around you.”

“Oh.” Her partner looked down at his hands. “That’s- that’s reassuring.”

“Outside of the suits, the words do nothing. But so long as you are suited up, neither of you should say the words to summon your powers until you truly need them. It is a lot of power, sometimes a frightening amount, but I picked you both for a reason. I trust that you can handle the responsibility.”

“So what now?” She asked. “We just go home? Wait for…wait for him to try and kill us?”

“He won’t have a reason to target you two specifically as long as your identities remain hidden and you keep your emotions in check, but yes, you’ll return to your normal lives and wait until you’re needed.”

“How will we know when we’re needed?”

“You will know.” Fu promised. “It will be impossible to miss.”

Chapter Text

“Auntie Chloe says hi.” Adrien cooed to Edgar, the fluffy feline rolling over onto his back to expose his belly as Adrien laughed and hurriedly typed out replies to his friends.

He couldn’t ask for better ones.

Growing up, there’d only been Chloe. Being the mayor’s daughter, Chloe had been the only person his age in all of Paris that Gabriel had seen as worthy of Adrien’s company. Their parents had pushed them together at every opportunity and, had they allowed it, Adrien was sure they’d have been married off to each other the moment they turned eighteen.

There had been others, briefly.

Kagami Tsurugi, the daughter of one of his father’s business partners, had been his first crush. She’d liked him back for a while, but the mutual attraction had slowly petered out as they’d grown and eventually she’d gone off and married his cousin, Felix. They’d taken up residence in London and, though he rarely saw them, Adrien was happy to know they were happy together.

After Kagami had come Lila Rossi, one of the models that worked for his father’s company. She’d seemed nice enough at first, but Adrien had quickly realized that it was nothing but a facade. She was a pathological liar with not an ounce of empathy and her boyfriend was a creep. He’d show up to a shoot now and then with a cigarette in hand and eyeball the other models whenever Lila wasn’t looking. The guy had never actually made a move on any of them that Adrien was aware of, but he’d still brought the concern to Nathalie multiple times just on principle.

He’d been told he was being too sensitive and, sure, models were meant to be looked at, but to him that meant on magazines and runways and commercials, being looked at without being present. Being stared at when you were right there within reaching distance? It didn’t feel the same.

His phone began to vibrate and ring, his alarm startling him into action.

Right! His first day of school!

Well, not his first day of school, but the first day of school. His first day teaching.

Thankful that he’d barely been able to sleep because of the nerves, Adrien slipped on his shoes and locked up ten minutes early. A good start to a good day. He could do this. He could totally-

“Uh, forgetting something?” Plagg’s unimpressed voice asked, his head phasing through the door. “I have to come with you, impending threat, remember?”

Right. His first day teaching. His first day with his-

“What did you say you are, again? Like what- what species?”

Plagg rolled his eyes.

“I’m a Kwami. Kwaaaaaami.” The rest of Plagg’s body phased through the door and he landed in Adrien’s outstretched palm with a quiet ‘plop’. “And I hope wherever you’re taking me has lots of cheese.”

“None.” Adrien laughed as the little god cried in outrage.

“None?! What kind of place is this! Prison?”

“A school, Plagg. I’m a teacher.”

“Kids need to eat too, don’t they? I bet there’s cheese somewhere.”

Adrien shook his head, opening his laptop bag slightly and motioning Plagg inside.

“You have to stay with me. And you should stay hidden. I’ll get you something to eat on my lunch break.”

“If I live that long.” Plagg grumbled, settling into the bag at Adrien’s side. “Maybe I’ll starve.”

Adrien shrugged.

“Maybe you will. Think I’ll get a cooler kwami if you do?”

Plagg gasped and Adrien reached into the bag to pet his head.

“Just kidding.”

“Don’t pet me.” Plagg spat, though his ear’s twitched as Adrien’s fingers ran over them. “I’m a god, not an animal. A powerful one. I could kill you with a hiccup.”

“Well then let’s hope you don’t get the hiccups.”

“Adrien!” Caline called as he arrived, opening both arms to him as she strode across the courtyard. “How are you feeling?”

“Nervous.” Adrien admitted, hands tightening around the strap on his bag. “Too late to quit?”

“Oh, don’t even joke!” Caline laughed, motioning to Principal Damocles across the yard. “You’ll give the man a heart attack. The first day always leaves him stressed.”

Adrien managed a shaky grin in response and she motioned up the stairs.

“Come on! The sooner you get up there the more time you’ll have to settle in.”

Adrien followed her back up to his room, freshly cleaned and fully stocked, and he paused in the doorway, taking a long moment to breathe it all in.

He was doing this. Really fucking doing this.

“Good luck.” Caline pat him on the back as she started toward her own classroom. “And feel free to pop in if you need anything.”

“You good, kid?” Plagg asked as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“Yeah. Just…I, uh-“

“Go on.” Plagg groaned. “Get it over with.”

“Get what over with?” Adrien questioned, laying his bag on his desk.

“Whatever great emotional turmoil you’re about to confess, expecting me to have all the answers to simply because I’m a god.”

Adrien laughed, then heaved a sigh.

“There really isn’t an answer. Or- won’t be, I guess, until I see for myself. My dad just wasn’t much of a role model. Not sure I know how to be one either.”

“Ah, that part’s easy!” Plagg responded, phasing in and out of Adrien’s desk drawers in exploration. “You humans are simple creatures, especially young ones like this. They’re always so eager to please. Just reward them with a chunk of Camembert every now and then and they’ll stay in line.”

Adrien shook his head at his kwami, sure the little god had no idea what he was talking about.

The only way his dad had ever kept him in line was-

It didn’t matter. His father’s line was stricter than others’, straighter, shorter, narrow and, sometimes, outright deceitful. Adrien didn’t want that for his- for these kids.

How was he supposed to know where to draw the actual line when his whole life the line had been drawn for him and moved elsewhere at his father’s whim?

Kids needed consistency, a teacher who could draw and uphold the line in his sleep. But they also needed kindness, discipline but not punishment and Adrien- Adrien had never seen an adult manage that balancing act with his own eyes.

The door opened and Adrien stiffened, Plagg cuddling up in his laptop bag as students began trailing in.

“Assigned seats?” One asked, Adrien instantly shaking his head.

“Not to begin with. Put yourself where you think you’ll do best.”

The kid nodded and climbed the stairs to the last row, sliding in and opening up a book as the other kids spread out around the room.

A few he recognized immediately from the folder Caline had given him.

Andrew and Arlen in the front row. Charlotte and Mia just behind. The boy in the back…what had his name been?

Adrien reached for the file and opened it, hurriedly skimming through each of their files.

Henri. And the girl sitting herself next to him was Julie.

In front of them two girls excitedly chattered to each other. Elise and Corinne.

Glancing to the left side of the room, Adrien found Theresa and Leo in the front row. Behind them sat Darla and Karyn and then Kory and Damon.

Marking them all present on his attendance sheet, Adrien pulled the folder away from his face and truly studied them for a moment.

Fourteen teenagers. All looking to him for direction.

“Hello, I hope you’ve all had a good morning.” He greeted, sure his voice was cracking as they quieted. “I’m Mr. Agreste.”

“We all know who you are, Mr. Agreste.” Darla piped up sarcastically, the class erupting in giggles as she flushed. “You’re like, famous.”

“Well now I’m like, your teacher.” He responded without thinking. “And maybe you know of me, but you don’t know me. And I don’t know you. Introductions are polite, Ms. Moreau.”

The other kids giggled as Darla plopped back into her seat.

“But why are you a teacher now?” Andrew asked. “Did you get fired?”

“Drew!” Arlen scolded his brother as Adrien laughed, shaking his head.

“No. No, I didn’t get fired. I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” He admitted. “I just worked for my father while I studied for my degree. Now that I’ve graduated I can teach full time and not model anymore.”

He swore he heard Andrew mutter, ‘what a pay cut’ under his breath but he ignored it for the moment, hoping to lead the conversation in a different direction.

Plagg’s advice rang in his head.

Eager to please. Reward them.

“If you’ll all pull out your notebooks, we’re going to take some time to go over the syllabus for this year.”

Almost on cue, they all groaned.

“I know.” He agreed. “Boring, but necessary. If we can get through it quickly we’ll have time to play a game.”

“What kind of game?” Charlotte questioned, perking up in her seat.

“Uh…” What games did teenagers play? “Two truths and a lie? We’ll all get to know each other a little.”

They cheered and notebooks flew onto their desks, excited chatter quickly quieting down the moment he pulled his laptop from its bag.

Who knew? A game he’d played with Felix and Kagami one time had actually come in handy.

Projecting his screen onto the board behind him, he took one last steadying breath.

“Alright. Let’s get started.”

••••••

“Now we get to play, right?” Andrew asked, bouncing excitedly in his seat.

Adrien laughed and closed his laptop.

“Yes. Now we get to play. Everybody clear your desks.”

They did so in a flurry of movement and Adrien praised them with a short laugh. 

“Okay. Who’d like to go first?”

“You should go first, Mr. Agreste!” Karyn proposed, beaming up at him. “We already know a lot about you.”

“Yeah.” Leo grinned. “It’ll be easy to win.”

Beaming. Grinning. They were smiling at him. Not afraid, not angry, not- not anything like he’d expected.

He glanced around the room, realizing they were all looking at him the same way.

They were looking at him like they liked him, and sure, maybe being famous was a part of that, but they’d spent half an hour with him and they hadn’t changed their minds, they weren’t afraid of him.

And, for once, he felt like maybe they didn’t need to be.

Because despite how many times his father had assured him he’d understand when he was older, how he’d see what children were really like and get a clue…Adrien kind of liked them too.

It was easy. It would be hard not to like them.

Stomach turning, Adrien forced a grin. He hadn’t been any different than them, really; young, wanting to make his dad proud but full of his own ambitions and desires. He’d been full of energy, but not bad, never malicious. He’d been a good kid.

He should have been easy to love too.

“Sure.” He answered, sitting on the edge of his desk. “Let me think…Okay. So I….accidentally broke the law one time on a trip to Spain, I once switched places with my cousin for an entire month without anybody noticing and I am allergic to feathers.”

“You’re not allergic to feathers.” Leo laughed.

“Yes he is!” Darla argued. “It says so on Wikipedia.”

“Using your phones is cheating.” Adrien chastised. “Put it away.” She did as she was told and he grinned. “She’s right, though. I am, in fact, allergic to feathers.”

“There’s no way you broke the law.”

He waited a moment before he confessed.

“Playing with dominoes on the terrace of my hotel.” He explained. “Illegal. Who knew? I did switch places with my cousin, but our moms figured us out after a week.”

••••••

“See you tomorrow, Mr. Agreste!”

“Hey, Julie! Wait for me!”

“Charlotte!”

“What? I’m trying to help! Andrew! Arlen! Wanna come to mine? Mia and I are gonna play the new mecha strike.”

“Yes! Totally. We’ve been waiting ages for it to come out, right Len?”

Adrien watched as Andrew and Charlotte maneuvered their friends out of the classroom, trying not to outright laugh at their antics.

It’d been a long day; stressful, busy, loud, but he’d loved it, more than he’d ever thought he would. He’d miss it when he went back to the station, would miss them. They were good kids.

“So? How was your first day?”

Adrien looked up at Caline and grinned, letting out a quick breath.

“It was great. I-“

Sudden screams pierced the air, shrill and panicked, and he and Caline both bolted from the room, tearing down the stairs as quickly as they could toward the crowd of children in the courtyard.

The kids scrambled over each other, some pushing others down in their attempts to escape, and Adrien drew in a sharp breath as his eyes landed on the source of their terror.

A teenager huddled on the ground, a purple substance crackling as it covered her entirely.

“Brooke!” Caline whispered, a hand moving to cover her mouth.

“You know her?” Adrien asked, torn between staying back and trying to help. “Has anyone called 112?”

“One of my students! She- She had a rough first day. Some of the boys were making fun of her new braces. What’s- what’s happening to her?”

“Dark magic.” Plagg’s whispered recognition met his ears. “It’s time, kid.”

“I’ll stay with her.” Adrien volunteered immediately, turning to the other teachers that had gathered around in shock. “Evacuate the rest of the children, call emergency services and her parents. Brooke? Brooke! Can you hear me?”

The girl didn’t answer, but she began to spasm, hands moving up to clutch at her head as a strange sort of symbol appeared in front of her face.

“Get the rest of the kids out of here!”

Caline and the other teachers hurried to calm and relocate the other children, Caline’s phone held up to her ear as she called for help.

“What- what do I do?” He questioned, hands shaking as the familiar sense of panic spread through his veins, winding its way back up to his chest. “How do I help her?”

“You can’t help her at all like this. Run, transform somewhere safe and hope that Ladybug is close enough to get the memo.”

Run. So fucking heroic. He was going to run.

“And if she’s not?” Adrien questioned his kwami as he turned and ran to the nearest empty classroom. “If she doesn’t come?”

Plagg flew up to face him as he shrugged.

“Now probably isn’t the best time to discuss the morbid possibilities.”

“Plagg!” Adrien shouted, heart pounding painfully in his chest.

“What? I don’t know what the kid’s powers’ll be. Maybe we’ll all be turned into unicorns! Maybe we’ll die a brutal death. How would I know?”

The room spun and Adrien stumbled backwards, gripping at the desk behind him for support as Plagg startled, eyes going wide.

“Ah, kid. Come on.” Plagg encouraged, though he looked put off to be doing so. “They’re all about responsibility, those bugs. All work, no play. Never any fun. She’ll come.”

Adrien closed his eyes, tried to focus on his breathing.

What if he messed up? Did something wrong? Hurt her? Hurt somebody else? Ruined everything and the end of the world was all his fault?

“Adrien,” Plagg spoke, his tone suddenly soft. “The kid needs you.”

Right. She- She needed him. He couldn’t panic. Not now. 

He had to help.

Chapter Text

“Now we turn to Nadja Chamack, reporting from the site of the original altercation. Nadja?”

“Thank you, Chet. From what I can gather from those fleeing the scene here at Françoise Dupont, a student has suffered what can only be described as a freak medical episode. The girl was reported to be seizing and unresponsive prior to the arrival of a man in a cat costume, who- I can’t believe I’m saying this -has been engaging the student in a lengthy battle. She seems to be armed with some sort of metal bands she’s using to tie bystanders to each other. Though I can’t get any closer for my own safety, the police have been on scene since shortly after the altercation began. Attempts to break up the two individuals have been unsuccessful though, as it seems they are- well, they seem to have super powers!”

“It’s time. You must go aid your partner.”

Marinette covered her ears, stepping back and away from the tv with a shake of her head.

“I- I can’t-“

“You’re the only one that can.” Tikki pushed, flying closer to her face. “You have my miraculous. It’s up to you to join your partner and defeat this akuma. He’s already been fighting alone for half an hour, he will tire soon. He needs you.”

“I don’t know what I’m doing.” Marinette confessed. “Fu shouldn’t have chosen me for this. I ruin everything I touch. I’ll just make it worse, so much worse and then I’ll have killed everyone in Paris and-“

“There’s no time!” Tikki huffed, “Panic later. Go now!”

“I can’t!”

Tikki flew at her so quickly she had no chance of stopping her, the kwami disappearing inside the miraculous as the familiar electricity burned across her skin, forcing her into her transformation.

“Tikki!” She gasped. “Tikki, spots off!”

Nothing happened and, at the sound of the boys on the front porch, Ladybug scrambled for her bedroom, slamming the door and diving out the window before she could be caught.

“Fine!” She growled to her silent kwami as she emerged from the bushes. “But when Paris is in ruins because of me you’re going to feel really bad for making me do this!”

For once, her brain was silent and Ladybug cursed the sudden silent treatment, pulling out her yo-yo and anxiously studying the skyline.

She’d made it home from Fu’s without falling on her ass, but that was just once. And it’d been a slow trip, she’d been in no rush to get home.

But now they needed her and-

For heavens sakes, Ladybug! You were made for this. Stop being so cautious and just go!

Wind whipped the ribbons in her hair as the quiet thwip of her yo-yo met her ears and, though she wasn’t screaming this time, she realized she really should be watching where she was going just about the time her kwami yelled at her.

Open your eyes!

Buildings sailed past, her yo-yo seeming to know exactly where to land to send her flying in the direction she needed to go as people on the street looked up and gasped, pulling their children closer and scrambling out of the way as she headed straight for her old college, straight for home.

Not your yo-yo, Ladybug, you.

Don’t look at the bakery. Don’t look at the bakery. She chanted in her mind as she made her last arc through the air.

But it appeared in her peripheral vision like a nightmare, memories flooding back so quickly she couldn’t stop them.

Seeing it all sober felt a whole lot worse.

What happened?

Ignoring her kwami, Ladybug dropped down onto the front steps, the officers stationed at the door and Nadja Chamack herself staring at her like she was a ghost.

With as dead as she felt inside, she might as well have been.

You feel very alive in here. You only appear dead on the outside. A nice little wall you’ve built between us. Why is that?

Can we not explore this when I’m about to march into battle? Really shit time for a therapy session.

Sorry, of course. I just find this interesting. Plagg is usually the one with the more…complicated holders.

Plagg?

Your partner’s kwami.

Speaking of-

She pushed her way up the steps, an officer by the door moving to stop her.

“Don’t come any closer. No one allowed past this point until we’re able to subdue the monsters.”

Monsters?

She craned her head to get a glance through the doorway, finding her partner face to face with a young girl, dressed in all purple and wielding a weapon Ladybug couldn’t quite make out with the distance between them.

“They’re not monsters.” She defended, pushing past him and turning in the doorway to snap at the camera. “She’s a little girl that’s been possessed by a super villain. My partner and I are here to help.”

“Partner?” Nadja questioned, marching forward for an interview. “The man in the cat suit, you know him?”

Knew her too. She’d babysat Nadja’s daughter, Manon, for years before the fire. She was a family friend.

Was.

“I have a child to help. I don’t have time for questions.”

And then she was gone, swinging over to her partner and landing at his side with a solid thump.

His breath of relief as her feet touched the floor was audible, his stick- okay, maybe baton was the right word, she admitted as she realized that it’d only been small in its place on his belt. He could expand it. The uses for a weapon like that were-

Focus.

Right.

“Need some help?”

“Yeah! Like an hour ago.” Her partner snapped, turning to face her momentarily as a strange symbol appeared over the girl’s face and she stopped moving. “Where have you been?”

“I live on the other side of the city!” She replied. “I had to find out about this on the news.”

“Whatever. Just do something!” He yelled instead of a response, ducking as the girl yelled and lashed out with a- was she using a toothbrush as a weapon? “Call your power, I- I can’t use mine. I might hurt her.”

“Isn’t that the point? Defeating her?” Ladybug questioned, ducking the girl’s next attack as her partner stepped in front of her, using his baton to knock the girl back.

“She’s didn’t ask to be possessed. She’s just a kid under there. If my power spreads too far, if you can’t fix it-“

“You don’t think I can do my job?” Ladybug snapped, Chat shaking his head.

“You couldn’t even land the last time I saw you. I have less than sufficient confidence in the both of us.”

“I’ll show you confidence, asshole. Lucky charm!”

Hundreds of tiny ladybugs spiraled up and out of her yo-yo, coalescing in the air above them to form a red and black polka dotted mirror.

“A mirror? What am I supposed to do with this?” She asked as she held it up, her masked face staring back at her.

“Reflect on how badly we’re doing?”

In all of their fighting, neither of them had seen the girl pull out a metal band, and neither had time to run as she laughed and threw it at them, the band latching painfully around both of their waists and forcing them together.

They hit the ground hard, Ladybug dropping the mirror and gasping as his hip came into contact with hers, that same purple symbol appearing over the girl’s face as she came to a sudden stop, laughing maniacally as her partner began furiously pulling at the metal that bound them together.

“I can’t break it. It’s too strong.”

“We have super strength.” Ladybug chastised, “Maybe you’re just not trying hard enough!”

Her own efforts to break the band around them were in vain, the sturdy band not bending so much as an inch against her hands.

“Now who’s not trying hard enough?” Her partner mocked.

“You’re the one with the power of destruction. Just break it!”

He visibly paled, his eyes trailing over the band and up her body.

She shivered, groaning in frustration to cover the involuntary movement as she looked away from him.

“Don’t look at me like that, you creep.”

“Fine! I’ll just let my power go as far as it wants! Maybe it’ll kill you, maybe it won’t. That what you want?”

“I want you to get us out of here!”

The girl started toward them, hands outstretched and mouth moving in a monologue- something about friends’ admiration, making everyone feel what it was like to be made fun of -and Ladybug began frantically pushing herself backwards, her partner wincing as he tried to keep up.

“Hey, hey. Stop- you’re going to hurt us both.”

“Then get us out of here before she takes our miraculous and we’re helpless nobodies again!”

“I can’t-“

“Just do it!”

“Cataclysm!”

She watched as her partner slammed his hand into the band around them, the metal instantly disintegrating under his touch.

She waited for it to spread, waited to feel pain or the sense of death upon her.

Nothing.

“You did it.” She breathed, diving for the mirror she’d dropped as her partner nodded, swallowing thickly before he pushed the girl away from them with his baton again.

“I- I did it.”

“And we’re not dead. Yet, at least. So what do we do now? With this?”

“We need to find the akuma, break its hold on her, but I don’t get the connection. How would a mirror help?”

“Any idea what caused all of this?”

“It’s the first day of school.” Her partner informed her. “She’s got new braces. Bullying, I guess.”

“Braces.” Ladybug hummed, thinking it over and she turned the mirror over in her hand. “I think I have an idea.”

“Feel like sharing?” Her partner asked as the girl came at them again, the toothbrush missing her as she ducked behind her partner once more.

“Stay here!” She called, already running toward the classrooms.

“You’re making me fight her on my own? Again?!”

“I’ll be right back! Keep her busy!”

She pushed the door to her old classroom open, rooting through Ms. Bustier’s desk with only a little guilt. She’d return everything later.

The miraculous ladybugs will take care of that, Marinette. Focus on the akuma.

“I don’t know if this will work.”

Only one way to find out.

••••••

Racing back to her partner, Ladybug ignored his confused glance as she ran past him, going right up to the girl who raised her toothbrush in preparation to attack.

“Wait!” Ladybug called. “Listen. I know you’re upset. New braces right?”

The girl faltered, her weapon lowering slightly.

“They made fun of me.” She spoke, her voice soft and vulnerable, broken. “They were supposed to be my best friends.”

She knew what that was like.

“Kids can be mean. It hurts to be betrayed. But look,” Holding out the mirror, Ladybug waited with bated breath as the girl took it, staring at her own reflection with a trembling lip.

On it, Ladybug had hastily drawn a pair of cat ears and whiskers.

“Braces are temporary. You’re seen with them now, but you won’t always be. Just like you’re seeing yourself a little differently looking in this mirror. And you’re probably seeing your friends a whole lot differently after how they’ve treated you. But you’re still you on the inside, right? Later, when those braces come off and the ears and whiskers are cleaned off the mirror, and you’ve made some new friends who won’t treat you badly…all there will be is you. Isn’t that better than doing all of this? Hurting people to get what you think will make you happy?”

The purple symbol appeared over the girl’s face again and, in her hesitation, Ladybug threw her yo-yo, wrapping it around the girl’s weapon and yanking it out of her hands.

“Hey!” She shouted. “That’s mine!”

“Break it!” Ladybug called, throwing the brush to her partner who called for another cataclysm, the toothbrush turning to dust as a butterfly, purple with black energy crackling around it, appeared, quickly trying to flutter away. “I don’t think so!” She called, tossing her yo-yo after the insect.

“Thank god.” Her partner breathed as the girl’s possession left her, her purple dress changing into a t-shirt and jeans. She sat up, rubbed at her eyes and frowned.

“What happened?” She asked, the purple bands on her teeth clearly visible as her partner bent to comfort her.

“It’s okay. It’s over now.”

Or it would be. As soon as she ended it.

“Miraculous ladybug!”

The resulting swarm of ladybugs nearly knocked her over as they set about righting the akuma’s wrongs, releasing all those who’d been caught in the girl’s bands before returning to her yo-yo with a quiet click.

“Brooke!”

And there was Ms. Bustier, looking like she hadn’t changed at all since Marinette had last seen her.

And suddenly she couldn’t breathe.

Ladybug-

“Please! Excuse us!” Nadja broke through Tikki’s voice. “Excuse us. I’d like to ask you some questions.”

“Uh-“

“We’ll do our best to answer.” Her partner responded. “But we really do need to be leaving.”

“Can you tell us what happened? How you stopped it? Who you are?”

“The child was possessed by something called an akuma. It wasn’t her fault, they prey on those with strong emotions. My partner and I stopped it using our own powers.”

“And who are you, exactly?”

Her partner looked to her, nudging her gently with his elbow.

“I- I’m Ladybug.”

“And I’m Chat Noir.”

••••••

Climbing back into her bedroom through the window, Ladybug detransformed, her kwami letting out a cheer as she tumbled back into the room.

“You did it!”

“Not really.” Marinette avoided. “We just purified one akuma, we didn’t find out who’s making them.”

“No.” Tikki agreed. “But you will, in time.”

“You don’t think that girl has any connection to him? Do you?”

“No. Most likely not.” Tikki replied, settling on her shoulder. “If he’s smart he’ll stay away from akumatizing anyone who could be connected to him. She was most likely just a normal girl who was upset at the wrong moment.”

“Yeah.” Marinette agreed. “Probably.”

A quick rap sounded at her door and Marinette cursed.

“Hide!”

The kwami chose to fly into her jacket pocket, rather than somewhere around the room and Marinette sighed, opening the door.

“What?”

“We got food.” Luka nodded to the bar where Kim and Nath both sat, already digging into their own bags.

Her stomach growled and she nodded, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Am I….Do I still have enough to cover it?”

She wasn’t sure why she all of a sudden felt embarrassed- because she was asking in front of her kwami, maybe? but she let out a sigh of relief when Luka nodded.

“Yeah. Today and tomorrow. Then you’re even.”

“Thanks.”

She strode out into the kitchen, claimed a bag and was about to retreat to her room when the door swung open and her heart stopped entirely at the sight of Théo’s face.

“Hey, man!” Kim greeted, catching him in a handshake. “I thought you were out for the week.”

“Eh, last minute change of plans.” Théo shrugged, glancing across the kitchen at her. “Lila got called in for an emergency shoot. One of the models quit short notice or something.”

No. Fuck!

She hadn’t had time to get any more locks. Hadn’t had time to prepare. Hadn’t had time for anything!

She dismissed herself quickly and shut herself in her room, breaths coming too fast to be helpful as she paced, panic working its way through her system as her kwami reappeared, concern clear on her little face.

“Marinette? Are those people your family?”

“They’re- they’re-“

Not friends. Not brothers. Just-

“They’re the boys. Roommates, I guess. I- I live with them.”

“Are you okay?”

“Fine.” Marinette forced herself onto the edge of her mattress, then changed her mind, sitting in the floor and opening the bag of food she’d been given. “I have to eat. You- you should go.”

“Go?”

“Away. Leave the house.”

“You’re my holder now, Marinette. We can’t be separated.”

“Just for tonight. Please. Please go away.”

Tikki stared at her, long and hard.

“You can come back in the morning. After the sun comes up. Or- or if there’s an attack before then.”

Tikki sighed, but nodded.

“Very well.”

In an instant she was alone again and, though she’d only known Tikki a short while and she hadn’t thought herself to be all that fond of the creature and the powers she bestowed, Marinette felt the grief of her absence settle in her chest.

For the first time since the fire, she’d had someone safe to talk to. She’d had…she’d had a friend.

••••••

Her doorknob turned, unimpeded, and the door creaked open, Marinette stiffening from her seat in the floor.

“Get up.”

She scrambled to obey, standing on shaky legs in only a moment.

“Thought you’d gotten off easy, huh? Were real surprised to see me, weren’t you?”

She didn’t answer, allowing him to cup her chin and tilt her head up to pull her into a kiss.

“You know, I spent a couple days with Lila.”

If he wanted a rise out of her he wasn’t getting one.

“She’s good, yeah. Hot too. But there’s something about you, plain little Mouse. All mine, only ever mine.” He pulled back, pinched her side. “Get in bed.”

••••••

The door closed behind him and Marinette felt her lip tremble, a tear or two falling as she pushed herself to her feet and wrapped herself in a blanket.

Once she was sure he was asleep like the others she’d go and scrub herself clean then climb up to the roof, stay up there until she felt comfortable enough to pass out.

Until then, she shook, prepared to sit there in silence and misery for hours.

“Marinette?”

The quiet voice ruined all her plans at once, Tikki tentatively appearing in her closet doorway.

She looked up, met the little god’s eyes and whimpered.

“You didn’t leave?”

“No.” Tikki confessed. “I didn’t.” 

“Why?” 

“I knew something was wrong. Who is he?”

“Théo.” She whispered.

And then she told her kwami everything.

“It’s all my fault.”

“Oh, Marinette.” Her kwami soothed, cuddling into her hand. “You were just a child. You couldn’t have known, you couldn’t have saved them. You couldn’t have saved yourself.”

“I still can’t protect myself.” She realized suddenly, staring down at Tikki. “And if I can’t protect myself then I can’t be trusted to protect an entire city.”

“What? Wait, No! Don’t-“

Marinette held the miraculous of creation in her hands for a moment, then stood, searching for the box they came in and placing them inside before quickly sneaking out into the living room.

There, the boys all slept, completely oblivious as she placed the box in Nathaniel’s coat pocket.

Chapter Text

Adrien circled back around the school, taking the steps up into the courtyard two at a time before bursting through the doors, panting as he locked eyes with Caline.

“She’s okay? Everything’s okay?”

“As far as I can tell.” Caline nodded, sighing as she glanced around the courtyard. “Her mother arrived shortly after the- whoever they were, fixed her. She seemed scared, but happy to go home. Hopefully she’ll get some rest.” Suddenly she looked up at him, eyes studying his face for a moment before she scolded, “What are you still doing here? Go home. Get some rest. Celebrate a successful first day!”

Adrien glanced around at the empty yard.

“This was successful?”

“The incident didn’t happen until after the bell had rang so I think we’ll call it.” Caline grinned. “Hopefully tomorrow will be less…exciting.”

Adrien nodded, taking a full breath for the first time that afternoon.

Less exciting.

God, he hoped so.

••••••

“Hey, Sunshine. You okay?”

Alya’s arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a hug so tight he could feel the outline of Plagg in his shirt pocket against his chest. The little god hissed, too quiet for Alya to hear, and Adrien gently pushed her back, smiling at his best friend-in-law’s display of affection.

“We heard about what happened at the school.” Nino spoke, stepping into the hall as he wiped his hand on a kitchen towel. “The guys at the station were worried about you too.”

“I’m fine.” Adrien assured, rolling his eyes at their unbelieving expressions. “Really, guys. I’m okay. I ran to safety, the heroes fixed everything, I was barely even involved.”

“Was it one of your students?”

“No, I didn’t know her. And she’s okay now. Come on,” Adrien stepped into their living room with a plastered on grin. “I’m ready to play. I survived the first day of school and a supervillain attack. I deserve to celebrate.”

Holding up a controller, Adrien watched, monitoring their expressions and body language until, finally, Nino caved.

“Don’t think I’m gonna go easy on you just because I thought you were gonna die or something.”

Adrien laughed as Nino plopped onto the couch, Alya sighing and reluctantly joining them with a controller of her own.

“Did you see them? The superheroes?”

“Uh, yeah. Just for a moment.” Adrien responded, watching intently as Nino loaded up their game.

Ultimate Mecha Strike 6.

Arguably worse than Mecha Strike 3, but worlds better than 4 and 5.

The new art style in six wasn’t his favorite, but if the mechanics were better he could deal long enough to complete the game at the very least.

“Ugh.” Alya groaned, head falling back against the back of the couch. “I wish I had been closer. A story like that would have made my career!”

Nino chuckled at his wife’s dramatics.

“You’ll get there, babe. Everyone’s gotta be the rookie at some point.”

Alya’s middle finger reached past Adrien to display itself in front of Nino’s face, both men immediately bursting into laughter at the gesture.

“Assholes. The both of you.” She huffed, though her anger was short lived as their first match began.

Blocking Nino’s attempts to eliminate him from the game, Adrien began to formulate a plan.

He’d been eighteen when he’d met Nino. They’d started working at the station at the same time, both freshly adults and staring out in fear at the seemingly limitless freedom they’d been given. They’d become quick friends, Nino’s carefree attitude a welcome change from his father’s temper, and when Nino had met Alya a few months later, he’d been eager to introduce them. Though the third wheel feeling crept in occasionally, Adrien was happy. And he loved them more than anything. They were his family now, his only family as far as he was concerned.

Nino had met Alya at an active crime scene. As he told the story, he’d taken one look at her trailing behind Nadja Chamack and fallen in love. As Alya told the story, Nino had taken one look at her trailing behind Nadja Chamack and tripped over a rock, falling face first into a large puddle on live television.

Adrien had never watched the clip out of loyalty to his best friend, but the way Nino had trailed in to the station that afternoon, soaking wet with a lovesick grin, made it clear that both of them were to be believed.

Alya had been interning with Nadja Chamack since she’d graduated lycée, determined to fulfill her dream of being a journalist. She’d done research for stories, interviewed witnesses, even written a few of her own articles, but she hadn’t gotten her big break.

Not yet, at least.

“It’ll probably happen again, you know.” He spoke as he sent Nino’s character flying off the platform and into the void.

“Hey!”

“Think so?” Alya questioned, her character blocking his first attempt at attack.

“What supervillain gives up after one go? Would be nice, but I’d say you should keep your camera ready.”

Alya huffed as her own character crumpled under his signature combo move, dropping the controller she held into her lap.

The smile she sent his way, though, was anything but angry.

“I think you’re right, Sunshine.”

Nino groaned as the next match started, Adrien turning on him immediately.

“When is he not?!”

••••••

“Bleck! Finally!” Plagg spat, emerging from Adrien’s shirt pocket the second his front door shut behind them. “That was torture!”

“That was game night.” Adrien clarified with a chuckle, watching as Plagg phased into the fridge and then back out again, a chunk of cheese in hand. “It’s fun.”

“It’s terrible! There wasn’t even any cheese!”

Adrien rolled his eyes and leaned down to pet Edgar. The cat brushed up against his leg, meowing loudly before strolling towards his bowl, glancing back at Adrien every few steps to make sure he got the message.

“Dinner time. I know.” Adrien assured, already on his way to fill the bowl.

Plagg watched, crossing his little arms in offense.

“You tend to that creature’s every wish. Why not mine?”

“He’s a cat.” Adrien replied, Plagg motioning to his own body as if that was enough of an argument. “You’re a god. A fully capable god who can retrieve his own cheese.”

“Why should a god fetch his own sustenance when a mortal has feet?” Plagg questioned, though the severity of such a question was undermined by the fact that he’d asked while floating upside down, peering at Edgar in confusion. “I’ve never understood the human fascination with keeping other animals as sidekicks. This being has no loyalty to you as you do to it.”

“I gave Edgar to myself as a reward.” Adrien admitted, watching the two felines side by side. “He was my ‘look, you actually don’t have to do everything your dad says’ present. I adopted him when I moved out.”

Plagg’s eyes turned on him.

“Dad not a cat person?”

Adrien snorted.

“My dad’s not an anything but himself person.”

There was silence, for a moment, until Plagg asked.

“What about you?”

“What about me?” Adrien repeated with a humorless laugh. “My dad likes me the least of all.” When Plagg’s laughter didn’t join his, Adrien shrugged. “My mom died when I was young. He’s still…hurting too much to realize it wasn’t my fault.”

Plagg stared at him, silent.

“But anyway,” Adrien continued, filling Edgar’s water bowl. “I adopted Edgar from the shelter when he was a kitten. He might not look loyal, but he loves me. I can tell.”

Plagg seemed to consider his next words for a long moment before he spoke.

“Fu will want to speak to you soon. See how you’re doing after the first battle, give you some tips. You should visit.”

“Tomorrow.” Adrien agreed. “After school. Today was a lot. I should get some sleep.”

Plagg shrugged.

“If you say so.”

Adrien turned to his bedroom door but paused, looking back at his kwami at the last second.

“Did I do okay?”

“Yeah, kid. Ya did great.”

••••••

Lying in bed, Adrien stared up at the ceiling, the battle he’d fought playing over and over again in his head. The image of his partner front and center.

Ladybug.

She obviously knew what she was doing to some extent. The way she wielded her yo-yo like she’d known it her whole life proved as much. He knew he’d probably let her down with his hesitance to use his cataclysm, but he was confident he could call the power without fear now that he’d seen how it worked. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again. He’d make sure she knew he could pull his weight during their partnership.

He couldn’t let his anxiety ruin anything else and keeping it in check during akuma battles would be good practice for when he returned to the station.

It had to be.

He’d only have one chance.

Chapter Text

Ten euro.

It wasn’t enough, not really, but it was all she’d managed.

Eyes scanning the hardware shelves, she was forced to make a choice.

Spend half her money for a flimsy lock and eat that night, or spend all of her money for something sturdier, go hungry and potentially lose the investment the next time Théo decided to throw her defenses in the trash.

“Can I help you?” A sales associate asked, disdain clear in her tone.

Marinette made a point not to steal from businesses unless she absolutely had to. The risk of being caught, banned or having her photo plastered all across Paris was too high. Targeting individuals on the street was easier, safer, but somehow- no matter how she tried to hide it -they always seemed to know that she was trouble.

They’d breathe down her neck while she was on the property, and she’d feel their eyes on her long after she left.

Shivering, Marinette shook her head, grabbing the more expensive lock and turning towards the woman.

“No, thank you. I’ve found what I need.”

The woman practically escorted her to the checkout counter, watching intently as Marinette paid for the lock and left.

Only half a block down the street did she finally feel alone again.

••••••

Stepping back from her newly installed lock, Marinette shut her bedroom door and put the screwdriver she’d used back in the boys’ tool bag.

With nothing to do, her eyes fell back on Nathaniel’s jacket.

He’d left it behind that morning, as if to mock her for her attempt, and though she’d pushed the thought of it out of her mind all day long, the idea that maybe Tikki was in there, alone, hungry…

She marched halfway across the living room, then forced herself to stop.

Tikki had been in the miraculous before Marinette had opened it, and again during her transformations, obviously the little god could survive inside it.

She’d given it to Nathaniel. He was the only one she could sort of trust with it, the only one she knew wouldn’t outright abuse Tikki for power, at least. She had to be strict in that decision.

She had to.

“Hey, M!” Luka yelled from outside, banging on the front door. “Open up!”

She scurried across the room to pull the door open, watching in confusion as Luka and Kim crossed the threshold, balancing what looked to be a heavy duty safe between them.

Nathaniel hopped over the last step and into the house with a grin, Théo a step behind him.

Standing back while they positioned the safe in the middle of the room, Marinette made eye contact with Nathaniel.

“Cool, right?” He asked.

She nodded, though she wasn’t sure she agreed.

“Where did it come from?”

“Little shop on the other side of town.” Luka explained, brushing dust from his hands. “No key or code or nothing, so we’re gonna have to bust it open.”

“Making it a challenge.” Kim grinned. “First one to open it gets priority on the next hit.”

Marinette’s eyes widened at the declaration.

Being made priority on the next job would mean taking home the majority of the profits. Usually it was based on performance, Luka and Théo had always held those roles, but if she could get it open-

They’d have to let her out with them then, wouldn’t they? Even if there was nothing in the safe, even if the return was low, any job would almost guarantee her something to eat for a couple of weeks.

“Gotta eat first though.” Luka took a seat at the bar, turned to her and asked, “So what ya got?”

“Uh, nothing today.” She evaded, quickly stepping away. “I’m leaving now, figured I’d hang around the bars a bit.”

They moved on to their own conversations, talk of dinner plans and their next jobs nothing more than background noise to her as she locked her bedroom door and pulled it closed, tucking the new key into the pocket of her jeans.

She’d almost made it, just a step away from the front door, when Nathaniel stopped her with a gentle call of her name, all too familiar fabric settling on her shoulders as he stepped away and allowed her to leave.

“Don’t forget a jacket. It’s getting cold.”

Fucking hell, Nathaniel.

••••••

She made it three blocks before she gave in, slipping into an alley and thrusting her hand into Nathaniel’s jacket pocket to retrieve the box. She opened it, ignoring Tikki completely as she fastened the miraculous to her ears and dropped the box into her purse.

“Just for tonight.” Marinette answered the kwami’s unspoken question. “He forgot to take his jacket with him today.”

“Of course he did, Marinette.” Tikki scolded her gently. “Because he wasn’t meant to. You are meant to hold my miraculous, not him.”

“Whatever. I just…didn’t want you to starve in there or something.” Glancing around, she hissed. “Can you stay quiet? Out of sight of security cameras?”

“Kwami are undetectable by modern technology. Even if I were to place myself directly in front of a camera, it would not perceive me in any way.”

Marinette contemplated that for a moment, nodding when it’d settled in.

“Useful. Stay…close, I guess.”

Marinette peered out onto the street, looking both ways before slinking across the road and down the Armond’s access path.

It was a long, dusty gravel road, meant only for the vehicles of the staff who worked for the restaurant, but Marinette had taken the path time and time again, bypassing the public parking lot completely in favor of ending up just outside the kitchen.

A back door away from a full meal, just a moment of opportunity away from a content stomach.

Armond’s, serving dinner only, opened at five sharp every evening. And right before that, Armond always held a staff meeting.

With all staff present and accounted for, that left an unguarded kitchen. An easy meal.

With just one catch. Or, two, really.

The security cameras…and the heat.

The security camera at the back door could be avoided, so long as you waited for it to swivel before making your move for the door. The one in the kitchen could not, not unless you pulled the power temporarily, and seeing as all the staff would be in a meeting less than ten feet away, that wasn’t possible.

At least, it hadn’t been before. Before, she’d settled for covering her face and hoping they didn’t notice the missing food or check the cameras, but now-

“Do you think you could mess with a security camera?”

Her kwami looked up at her, disapproval clear on her face.

“It doesn’t matter if I could. I wouldn’t.” Tikki replied.

“But you could,” Marinette pushed. “Couldn’t you? Just make it stop working for a minute or so?”

Her kwami’s arms crossed.

“Marinette, perhaps we should explore other ways to-“

“What good am I as a holder if I starve to death?” Marinette questioned, Tikki opening her mouth to reply but quickly falling silent at the sound of Marinette’s stomach rumbling. “What if I make you a deal?” Marinette spoke, taking a peek around the corner to ensure they remained alone. “You help me survive and I’ll consider the holder thing again.”

Tikki looked at her, searched her face for a long moment too, before she sighed, antennae dropping slightly.

“Fine. Just this once. Then we are going to work together to find you another way to eat. A legal one.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure.” Marinette agreed. “The camera is in the doorway, as soon as you go inside.”

Her kwami shook her head but disappeared into the kitchen regardless and, after waiting a few moments to make sure it was safe, Marinette followed.

With the security cameras taken care of, that left the food itself.

Sure, she could play it safe and pull something from the fridge or freezers, but there was a reason she went to Armond’s when she was desperate.

She needed more than one food group to survive, and a hot meal that wasn’t fast food was worth the risk.

Armond’s always got busy the moment they opened so, to combat the extra customers, Armond started cooking early. But he didn’t stop cooking. He’d line the counters with fresh from the oven pans full of food.

She’d been too quick and too careless before, burnt the tip of her finger on a pan that hadn’t completely cooled, but she’d learned her lesson.

Grabbing a takeout box from the cabinet, Marinette worked as quickly and quietly as she could, taking an oven mitt and carefully pouring one of the pans into the takeout box. It was only as she shut the box and placed it on the counter that it all went wrong.

The phone rang.

She panicked, letting go of the pan too soon, and it slammed down onto the counter, the sound echoing loudly throughout the restaurant. On instinct she reached out to steady it, her unprotected hand immediately alight with pain.

“Fuck!”

Footsteps sounded from the dining room and Marinette dropped the oven mitt, grabbed the takeout box and ran, hoping her kwami had gotten the message, but too afraid to look back in case one of the staff members caught sight of her face.

She didn’t stop running until she had to, the stinging pins and needles sensation holding her palm hostage making her slightly nauseous. She bent over, sure she was going to vomit, but managed to get control of her stomach just in time, deep breaths slowly letting loose the adrenaline that had crashed through her veins.

“Marinette!” Tikki called, only a few paces behind her. “You need medical attention.”

“No. I- it’s fine.” Marinette assured her, though the fact she wasn’t able to open her hand completely led her to doubt her own words. The pain of trying shot down into her arm and she allowed her fingers to curl inwards, mentally calculating her odds of success with a bum hand. “I just need- need to sit down and eat.”

“Marinette, your skin is already blistering. You need help.”

“No, I-“

“Go to Fu at the very least. He’s here to help.”

“He’ll want to know how I did it.”

“He’ll respect your silence. He chose you, Marinette. He knows what you’re up against. Please, just seek medical care.”

“I-“

“Go! You stubborn child, just go!”

Marinette moved, the takeout box being pushed into her bag and her feet carrying her to Fu’s with little thought to the idea as she cradled her hand against her chest.

He’d at least have a sink where she could run cold water over her skin. That would feel nice, better, that would help.

Knocking on his door, Marinette stepped back, waiting anxiously for his disapproval. When the door didn’t open Tikki took over, phasing into the building and reappearing a few moments later.

“He isn’t home. We should find a clinic.”

“No, it’s okay. It’ll heal on its own.”

“Mari-“

Suddenly, Tikki’s eyes widened and she disappeared into Marinette’s purse, her silence making Marinette’s heart drop.

Alone. Again.

She wasn’t sure why there were tears welling up in her eyes, she’d handled injuries all alone plenty of times before.

She needed to get home, she needed to eat, sort this burn and-

“Hey.” A soft voice called, Marinette turning around to face the man in surprise.

Adrien Agreste smiled back at her as she looked up at him, furiously rubbing the evidence of her emotions from her cheeks as his eyebrows drew together in concern.

“Are you okay?”

Chapter Text

It was the same girl.

She’d gone from overalls and a floral blouse to jeans and an old jagged stone t-shirt, but those space buns were still there, pink bands keeping them in place as she looked up at him, those same blue eyes ringed in purple and misted with tears.

She’d been crying when he’d walked up, thinking he was going to visit Fu but finding her at the door instead.

“Are you okay?” He asked, glancing at Fu’s door. Had she been trying to steal from him too?

How desperate was she?

“Do you need help?”

She was silent, contemplating his offer for a long moment before she nodded, sniffling as she stretched out her arm. She visibly winced when she uncurled her fingers, showing off a nasty burn. It had blistered, creating a thick line that ran straight across the middle of her palm, the skin surrounding it red and angry, like she’d pushed her hand directly into a burning object and hadn’t let go.

“Shit, that’s gotta hurt.” Instinctively he reached out to touch her hand and she stumbled back, eyes flying from his face to his hand and back. “Sorry.” He apologized. “I just wanted to check the back of your hand. Is it just your palm that’s burned?”

She nodded and he took a step back to give her some space.

“Come inside. I have a first aid kit.”

He started toward the door, looking over his shoulder to see if she agreed, and slowly, though she looked reluctant to do so, she followed him up the steps and into the entryway.

He gestured to the kitchen on their right, slowly shutting the door behind them but making a show of leaving it unlocked.

She looked like she’d bolt at the first sign of containment.

“Get it under some cool water, I’ll go grab the kit.”

She didn’t move until his back was turned, but before he’d even made it to the bathroom the sound of running water echoed through the hall.

Thank god he’d kept his first aid kit stocked. He’d made it a habit when he’d lived with Gabriel.

It was easier to bandage himself, pretend like the other adults in his life just didn’t know, that they weren’t turning a blind eye on his abuse, but just missing it completely.

Simpler. Less traumatizing, maybe.

He paused, staring at his own reflection in the mirror for a moment before he grabbed the kit and left the room.

Maybe not.

“I got the-“

She shut off the water and turned around so quickly it was as if his words had electrocuted her, her eyes quickly taking stock of his face, his hands and then the kit he held. She found something, or a lack of something, in her exploration of him and relaxed, slightly, just enough to have the sense to take a paper towel and dry her hands.

Laying the first aid kit on the table, Adrien pulled out a nonstick bandage and a roll of gauze.

“You’re gonna want these. Much better than the adhesive kind.”

He’d made that mistake once.

He pushed them across the table in her direction then moved toward the counters to grab his kitchen scissors.

She froze at the sight of them, completely still until he pushed those her way too.

“To cut the gauze to size. You can do it yourself, but it might be easier if I helped.” He held up his hands to show them off, wiggling his fingers slightly. “I do have ten of these babies currently in order, twice as many as you’ve got for now.”

She giggled, though it was sandwiched between two little sniffs like she was trying not to cry again, as she nodded, rubbing at her eyes.

“Sit. I’ll get you fixed up in no time.”

She practically collapsed into one of his dining chairs, her arm resting on the table, palm up.

Stepping closer, but not too close so he didn’t seem to be hovering over her, Adrien placed the bandage carefully over the worst part of her burn, taking the gauze and slowly unrolling it in a winding path around her hand and wrist. When he thought it would be long enough he pulled it back, keeping a finger on it to mark where he’d need to cut.

As he reached for the scissors a grey ball of fluff jumped up onto the table, meowing loudly as the girl sat back, clearly startled by the sudden movement.

“Sorry.” He apologized. “He’s nosy. Thinks he needs to be a part of everybody’s business.”

Edgar meowed again, ears and tail at attention as he ignored Adrien and took in the girl’s presence with his nose in the air.

“Likes new people too.”

The girl watched his cat, Edgar’s tail leisurely slowly beginning to sway back and forth, and then she reached for him, smiling as tentative fingers pet an eager Edgar’s head and back.

Edgar had always been a sucker for attention. In minutes, probably even less, Edgar was putty in her hands, trying to butt his head into her hand over and over as she scratched behind his ears.

“Wh- What’s his name?”

“Edgar Allen Paw.” Adrien blushed at the raised eyebrow she sported as she processed the words. “I just call him Edgar most of the time. I’m Adrien. What’s yours?”

She went silent. Like a switch had flipped she’d closed off again.

“I’m okay not knowing.” He told her, putting the scissors away and moving closer to wrap the gauze around her hand. It was a near perfect fit so he secured it quickly and then stepped away, putting the first aid kit back together as she sat there, curious eyes watching his every move.

“M- Mousie.”

“That’s your name?” He questioned, the girl shaking her head.

“You- You can call me that.”

Odd, but he guessed it made sense. He was a stranger. She didn’t owe him her name.

“Well, Mousie. I think you’re going to live.“

“Thank you.” She replied, her good hand clutching the other to her chest.

“Of course. Told you to come back when you needed to, didn’t I?”

She didn’t say another word after that, both of them naturally gravitating to the front door.

“I meant it.” He promised as he opened it for her, watching as she carefully stepped passed him. “I’m happy to help.”

She nodded, the breeze from opening the door making them both shiver.

“Hurry to somewhere warm.” He wished her, keeping an eye on her until she’d scurried off and disappeared from sight completely.

Mousie.

It fit her, in a way.

“Friend of yours?” Plagg asked, appearing suddenly at his side.

“Uh…yeah.” Adrien replied. “Kind of.”

Shaking his little head, Plagg slowly drifted down the hall.

“This is such a mess it’s giving me a headache. I need more cheese.”

••••••

Plagg yawned, lying back mid-air as his holder fretted over the street rat in the other room.

One minute he’d been his holder’s only companion, save for the lowly pet, the next his holder had been making googly eyes at the scrap of a girl, practically begging her to come into the house all over a little burnt flesh. Who cared? Plagg was starving and he’d been abandoned at the sight of her!

Speaking of the lowly pet, it hissed from the carpet below, Plagg turning to growl at the beast only to fall short when he realized what the feline was growling at.

Edgar looked up, hair raised as he watched the red and black kwami float above his head.

“Plagg?” Tikki questioned, staring at Edgar. “Why on earth would you have chosen this form? You haven’t gotten into trouble again, have you?”

“Up here, Sugar cube.” Plagg called, Tikki looking up at him in relief as he rolled his eyes. “Mistaking me for the house cat? Low blow, Tiks.”

“It’s not my fault.” Tikki argued. “All you feral alley cats blend together. I knew I sensed you, though. What are you doing here?”

“I live here.” Plagg hissed. “If anything I should be asking you-“

“That’s your boy?” Tikki exclaimed excitedly. “Oh, we might have a chance at a true partnership after all! They seem to have met before.”

Plagg sat up, narrowing his eyes at his other half.

“Wait. That’s your girl? The stray? That’s who we’re depending on to save the world?”

“Plagg! She’s not a stray, she’s-“

And then Tikki was crying, Plagg trying his best not to gag.

Emotions. Useless things.

“Oh, Plagg.” Tikki breathed, her tears slowing to a stop. “You’d think she was more compatible to you, the life she’s had.”

That caught Plagg’s attention.

“Yeah…don’t think my kid’s had all sunshine and roses either.” He agreed. “Fu…took a chance on these two, that’s for sure.”

What was Fu thinking giving Tikki a girl like that?

She could ruin everything.

Chapter Text

“You know that boy?” Tikki questioned cheerily, snuggling into Marinette’s hair to remain hidden and warm as Marinette walked the path towards home.

“Not really.” Marinette replied, absentmindedly scratching at the bandage on her palm. “We’ve met once.”

“He seems nice.”

“I guess.” Marinette frowned at the words. “But I really shouldn’t see him again.”

“Why not?” Tikki looked up at her, partially hidden by her hair. “He told you to come back.”

“He’s- He’s rich. Famous. He has connections. If he found out what I do…He already caught me stealing off his porch. He might be waiting until I lower my guard to call the police.”

“He didn’t seem upset with you.”   

Marinette thought about the bag of food he’d given her, still worrying the bandage on her palm.

“No. He didn’t. But that doesn’t mean he won’t change his mind. People change their minds all the time.”

“About you?”

Marinette ignored her, shivering despite the warmth Nathaniel’s coat provided.

“The boys are home.” Marinette whispered as she opened the door. “Hide.”

Tikki nodded, leaving her shoulder in favor of phasing through the walls.

Slowly, doing her best to blend into the background, Marinette let the door close behind her and stepped through the kitchen, her eyes set on her bedroom door.

As long as they didn’t notice her-

“Where’ve ya been, Pipsqueak?”

Marinette jumped in surprise, Kim laughing obnoxiously loud from behind her as the boys in the living room noticed her presence.

“What you got for us tonight?” Kim grinned, studying her for a potential haul. His eyes locked on her hand, narrowing at the sight of her bandage. “Where’d this come from?” He grabbed for her hand and turned it over, Marinette wincing at the way his fingers dug into her skin.

She managed to yank her hand back, but not before Luka caught sight of it, his expression falling in disappointment.

“Mouse, you know the rules.”

Shit. She hadn’t even thought about what they’d think-

“I didn’t break them.” She swore. “I bought the bandage myself.”

“Where’s the rest of your haul?”

“I don’t have anything. I’ll go back out tomorrow.”

Oh god. She was in so much trouble.

“Then what’d you buy the bandage with?” Kim questioned. “You been holding out on us? Keeping stuff to yourself?”

“No!” She promised, breathless. If they suspected that she wasn’t turning in everything she found- “I- I did have a haul. But then I hurt my hand and I- I can’t work with a bum hand. It was an investment. I’ll earn it back. I swear. I’ll-“

Théo’s fingers latched around her wrist before she could say another word, ice cold terror shooting painfully through her veins as he dragged her towards her room and threw her onto her bed, Marinette struggling to breathe as the boys crowded in the doorway, their eyes trained on Théo while he searched her for cash or anything else of value.

Her pockets, her bra, her panties- His hands went everywhere, Marinette frozen and silent in fear beneath him.

It wasn’t the first time she’d been searched. Théo or Luka had searched them all at one point, except Théo himself.

They’d do anything to keep themselves out of jail.

But he wouldn’t harm her, not with them awake and sober. He wouldn’t harm her. They were watching. He wouldn’t-

He pulled away from her, shook his head.

“She’s clean.”

She let out a breath, gripping her sheets as Luka mulled the information over.

“Double what the bandage is worth by tomorrow night if you want to eat.”

Her bedroom door slammed behind them, Tikki rushing to her side the moment they were completely alone.

She trembled, seething for a moment before the strength to be angry left her completely and she collapsed against her pillow.

She closed her eyes, a numb sort of feeling working its way through her body as her kwami snuggled up against her cheek.

“Marinette-“

“What?” Marinette snapped, forcing her eyes shut tighter.

She didn’t want to see anything, didn’t want to hear or to feel or-

“The police can help you.”

“I’m a criminal.”

“You’re a victim.” Tikki argued. “If you go to the police tonight, tell them you’ve been raped, they’ll-“

Tikki looked up in shock as Marinette pushed herself to a seated position, eyes wide and staring blankly ahead.

“I- I haven’t-“

“You were just assaulted.” Tikki reminded sternly, flying up to look her holder in the eyes. “You know that, don’t you?”

“It was nothing.” Marinette searched her pile of stuffed animals for her cat, shakily pulling it to her chest. “That was barely- It doesn’t count.”

“Of course it does.” Tikki scowled as Marinette lay back and closed her eyes.

She needed to sleep. To just disappear for a few hours.

“Even if it doesn’t, the things they’ve done to you before tonight do. If not the police, then Master Fu. He can offer you a safe space.”

“It was just a search. It’s not about touching me, it- it just makes sure everyone has proof I’m not a traitor. They don’t know about Théo. They don’t-“ She was silent for a moment, struggling to stay conscious. “They don’t know. And I- I don’t know Fu. Not enough to trust him.”

“But you trust them?”

“No.” Marinette whimpered, starting to cry. “I don’t trust anyone.”

“You can trust me, Marinette.” Tikki promised, offering her another snuggle. “Fu has kept me safe for decades. He’ll care for you too.”

Marinette leaned into the contact, Tikki gently rubbing the girl’s cheek as she sniffled.

A reply never came. Within moments she was sound asleep, Tikki extracting herself from the bed as quickly and quietly as she could once Marinette’s breath had evened out.

She flew to Marinette’s door, tugging at the lock until it was in place, and then left through the window, silently promising her holder that she’d never even know she’d been alone.

“I’ll be right back, Marinette. I’m not leaving you. Sleep well.”

••••••

Plagg woke with a snort, hissing at the unseen force that had knocked him off the kitchen counter.

“Show yourself, heathen.” He spat, the fur on his back raised but settling immediately when Tikki popped into view.

“Come along. We must speak to Master Fu at once.”

“Already?” Plagg whined, “But it’s the middle of the night!”  Tikki rolled her eyes and grabbed him by the fur on his neck to haul him toward the door. “Hey! What gives?” He phased through her grip, Tikki huffing at him in response. “Alright! Alright.” He agreed. “At least explain before you ruin my beauty sleep. Why Fu? Tired of your stray already?”

She didn’t answer, tugging him along behind her with a fury he’d only seen a handful of times.

Images of those holders blurred behind his eyes, quickly followed by his own little bunch.

It was easy to become attached to the young ones, even more so when they needed him as much as the world needed them.

His new holder came to mind. The light in his eyes. The hurt in his soul.

Without realizing it, the boy was already there, grouped in Plagg’s mind with the others that he’d thought of as his own.

“Fu!” Tikki screeched as they entered the man’s bedroom, Fu sitting straight up in surprise.

“What? What is it?”

“I demand emergency sanctuary for my holder.”

Plagg’s eyes widened.

Sure, Tikki had said the girl’s life was tough, but this-?

“Is she injured?” Fu questioned immediately, pushing himself out of bed and retrieving his cane.

“A burn. Plagg’s holder patched her up. But that’s not why I seek sanctuary.”

Fu’s eyebrows raised, motioning them into the kitchen.

“They’re still interacting outside of the masks?”

“My holder says they’ve met only once before.” Tikki explained. “She burnt her hand, came here for help under my direction, but you weren’t home. He recognized her, invited her in. She doesn’t plan on going back.”

Fu let her words sink in for a long moment before he hummed, motioning for her to continue as he prepared himself a cup of tea.

“You’re aware of my holder’s…occupation?”

“I know the girl is a thief.” Fu replied. “But she has a good heart. With your influence-“

“I’m not worried about her heart, Master. I’m worried about her brain. And her body. She isn’t just a thief, she lives with a gang of them, all men, has since she was a child. Her parents are dead, she has nowhere to go. She’s stealing to feed herself and she- she’s just a baby!” Tikki cried. “They’re so cruel to her. You must take her in. I demand so.”

Plagg shifted closer to his other half, purring quietly in an attempt to calm her down even as he voiced the question he knew was sure to rile her up.

“How cruel, Sugar Cube?”

“The eldest has raped her repeatedly. He started when she was a teenager.”

Fu recoiled, his tea cup and spoon clattering loudly, but not breaking, as they hit the kitchen table. Mopping up the mess with a nearby kitchen towel, Fu cursed softly.

“The younger boys seem to keep to the manhandling and the verbal abuse, but not him. He toys with her. They weren’t happy that she’d bandaged her hand. They suspected her of something. Going for help, perhaps. He assaulted her right in front of their eyes and she’s still convinced they have no idea. She was upset, angry too, and then all of a sudden it was just…gone. She was out of it. Asleep like it was nothing.”

“Not gone.” Fu argued, moving his cup and spoon to the sink. “Pushed down. Incredibly damaging to the brain, but potentially a lifesaver against the holder of the butterfly. Is she were to give in-“

“Which is why I beg for sanctuary. If she were safe and fed the chance of her being akumatized would-“

“Request granted.” Fu assured. “Of course your holder is welcome here. Have you offered it to her already?”

“She won’t accept. She doesn’t trust you. Doesn’t trust at all. But I won’t give up until she does. I want to ensure there is a place for her if that decision comes on quickly. Any hesitation and she might decide to flee altogether.”

Fu nodded in understanding.

“I’ll prepare the guest room and a cover story for Adrien. In the meantime, both of you lead your holders to me immediately after the next attack. Perhaps showing my support will strengthen her trust.”

Tikki let out a sigh of relief.

At the very least, there was hope.

••••••

“Now if one of you could turn toward the camera…” Officer Martin James sighed, clicking through security footage frame by frame as he hunched over his desk.

There’d been an uptick of theft in the richest neighboring residential areas and a security camera had managed to catch sight of four suspects, all working and fleeing together.

And all avoiding the camera like they’d known it was there.

Unlike him, they were seasoned, no longer rookies in their field.

And if he found out who they were, he’d be one step closer to that promotion he’d had his eye on. With Officer Agreste gone, someone had to step up.

It could be him. It had to be him.

“Got anything?”

Martin startled, bumping his coffee cup and causing it to tip over, hot, brown liquid seeping into his keyboard and leaking over the edge and onto his pants as he hurriedly tried to put the cup upright.

“Jesus, James.” Chief Raincomprix shook his head as Martin picked the keyboard up, coffee trickling down the side of it and dripping onto the desk below. “I want your report on my desk in half an hour. Clean this up in the meantime.”

Chief disappeared down the hall and Martin cursed, slamming his keyboard back onto his desk with a groan.

“What’s wrong, Rookie?” Another officer asked from the doorway, chuckling at the sight of him. “Chief scare you so bad you pee your pants?”

“It’s coffee, dumbass.” Martin muttered, pushing past him and out of the room.

They just had to take any opportunity to make fun of him, didn’t they? Couldn’t stand the idea of him solving a case.

But he’d show them. He’d show them all.

He’d even strive to be Chief one day if it meant getting to shove it in their faces.

“Captain Containment.” A voice spoke suddenly, Martin freezing as the words reverberated around  in his head.

“Who are you?” He questioned, hand reaching toward his holster. “What do you want?”

“I am Hawkmoth.” The voice whispered. “I can give you the power to show everyone just how capable you are. In return, all I ask of you is Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous. Her earrings, his ring. You’ll bring them to me once you’ve had your fun, won’t you?”

Martin grinned.

“Yes, Hawkmoth.”

••••••

“Don’t be bemused, it’s just the news! Just days after Paris came to know of Ladybug and Chat Noir, it seems another citizen has been taken hostage by an unknown supervillain. Officers stationed at the Paris Police Department were seen fighting and fleeing both as one of their own, Officer Martin James, began seizing, surrounded by  what has been described as purple electricity. The people of Paris anxiously await the arrival of its heroes. Will Ladybug and Chat Noir’s come to the rescue once more?”

Heroes.

They’d called her a hero and yet there she remained, curled up on the couch and ignoring her kwami’s attempts to rouse her.

It all felt so difficult. Opening her eyes, sitting up, standing…Why’d she have to do any of it? Why couldn’t she just fall back and let her eyes slip closed again?

“Marinette.” Tikki nudged her once more. “Chat Noir hasn’t made it to the site of the attack yet, you need to go. Someone needs to be there for Paris.”

“I can’t.”

“You did it once. It’ll only get easier.”

That felt like a lie. An ugly one.

“I can’t be a hero. I’m a thief.” She had to remember that if she didn’t want to starve. “I’m a criminal and that’s all I’ll ever be.”

Tikki studied her for a moment before she nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. You’re a thief.” She spoke simply, Marinette wincing at the bite in her tone. “And who better to steal back the miraculous than someone who knows exactly what they’re doing?”

Marinette looked up at her, making eye contact for the first time that morning.

Tikki grinned in victory.

“You’ve been training for this, right?”

She had. Every cold night she’d snuck out to train with the boys, every time she’d ran and climbed and jumped her way to safety, every time she’d planned, stolen what she’d needed and survived…

Maybe she could do this. Be good at it, even.

She wasn’t a hero.

She was a walking disaster, a thief, a murderer. She didn’t deserve a miraculous, not at all.

But suddenly, at the sight of her kwami’s pleading eyes, a part of her- a tiny part, one that had long been pushed into the very depths of her soul - wanted nothing more than to make her proud.

Her miraculous cure couldn’t bring back her parents.

But maybe, in a way, she could make them proud too.

Chapter Text

Chat Noir panted, dodging the akuma’s baton with a growl.

It was entirely unfair. He’d barely had time to practice with his own baton and now he was supposed to fight a guy who magically knew how to use his?

Talk about bullshit.

Get used to it, kid. Villains don’t play fair.

“Yeah, yeah.” Chat grumbled to his kwami. “I know. I saw The Incredibles. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

He’d only arrived a few moments before and already he regretted jumping in without Ladybug. At least with two of them there’d be a distraction.

The akuma, a bulky, disfigured man in a police uniform, raised his baton again, intent on bringing it down on Chat’s skull.

It was only the years of fencing and his suit that kept him safe, his leap to the side coming not a moment too soon as the man’s baton came crashing down onto the asphalt, bits of it flying up into the air and raining down as a bright red blur suddenly flew past him, Ladybug’s yo-yo bringing her face to face with the victim.

She punched him once and the akuma stumbled back, the bright purple butterfly symbol they’d seen before appearing over its face as Ladybug landed, eyes scouring the victim for its akuma.

It pushed itself to its feet, Ladybug taking quick steps backward as it raised its weapon and charged.

“Any idea what his problem is?” She asked as they both dodged, the akuma growling as he looked between them both in indecision.

“Not a clue! He’s an officer. That’s all I’ve learned.”

Probably someone he knew.

Should he be concerned that he’d been so closely connected to both akuma attacks?

“Well yeah, that part is fucking obvious!” Ladybug yelled. “Hey, you!” She turned to the akuma and addressed it directly. “What the hell is your problem?”

“Give me your miraculous!” It yelled, running right for her. Chat flinched in her direction, reaching for his own baton, as Ladybug threw out her yo-yo and clonked the monster on the head.

“No shit. What else?”

“I don’t think he’s going to answer-“

“I am Captain Containment! I will show them, show them all. I’m not a rookie, I’m a legend! And the criminals of Paris, those scum, will be locked away for eternity under my reign. They’ll see, they’ll all see. Starting with you trouble makers!”

Okay, maybe they were willing to talk after all.

The akuma reached into his empty holster and then launched something at Ladybug, his partner quickly scrambling out of the way as a large metal cage scraped across the sidewalk, blessedly empty.

She looked up, her eyes hazy for just a moment, before she lashed out with her yo-yo, knocking the akuma away from her so she could recover.

Chat’s eyes narrowed, recognizing the way her heartbeat had picked up its pace at the sight of it, her breath hitching momentarily.

What was that?

“Lucky charm!”

The akuma swung his baton again, Chat Noir meeting the attack with his own to hold him off. He needed to give Ladybug time to think, to figure out whatever she could do with a-

Was that a key?

She looked up, studying it and then their surroundings with a calculating expression, only to jump slightly when she realized he was between her and the akuma.

“Thanks.” She offered quietly.

He nodded in response.

And then suddenly the akuma was charging again and the moment was broken, Ladybug backing away as he took over once more.

“I- I don’t know what to do with this! I need more time.”

“Take all the time you need.” He huffed in annoyance, blocking another of the akuma’s attacks. “Not like I’m busy or anything!”

“I could leave you to do all of this yourself if you’re so available!” She snapped back, Plagg hissing quietly at their behavior.

Give her a break, kid. She’s had a rough day.

How do you know?

Kwami magic.

Chat growled, so distracted he missed the akuma’s next move and took a baton to the face.

Holy fuck, that shit hurt.

And then it didn’t.

But in their distraction, his in pain and hers to assure he hadn’t just been murdered right in front of her eyes, the akuma managed to pull another cage from his holster, trapping them both in it as Ladybug moved to check on him.

For a moment, they were there.

And then they were gone.

Looking around in shock, Chat realized exactly where they were.

A holding cell in the police station.

The akuma had teleported everyone he came across there. And Chat knew that solely because of the suffocating crowd they’d wound up in. Too many people. Too close together. Too tight.

He could feel the panic building, knew he had to do something to stop it, something to keep him focused.

He was going to stop breathing. Or puke. Or- Or-

“Oh look, a cell-a-bration.” He wheezed, lightheaded as Ladybug pushed her way to the front of the cell, civilians all turning to talk about them as if they weren’t right in front of them. “It’s practically a party in here.”

“At least I know what to do with this.” Ladybug snaked her hand through the gap in the cell door and maneuvered the key into the lock, swinging the door open with a grin.

The civilians thanked her profusely as she held the door, freeing them all while he stood there, still trying not to hyperventilate.

“We need to get out of here.” Ladybug growled, peeking out of the cell and down the hallway. “The akuma probably knows that cage sent us here. If he wants our miraculous he’s not going to let us be for long.”

The key in her hand caught his eye and he frowned.

“We have super strength. Why did we need a key if we could have just broken our way out?”

“I didn’t choose it.” She replied, clutching it tightly. “How would I know?”

“Maybe don’t toss it just yet. What if we need it for something else?”

“Well, duh. I can’t toss it. I need it for my mir- uh, my other power.” She glanced the other direction and then took a step out of the cell. “I see a sign for stairs. I bet we can get to the second floor, put a bit of distance between us without risking exposing ourselves out on the street.”

He followed her, still feeling on edge, to the door to the stairwell, only speaking up as she pushed the door open.

“Maybe we shouldn’t trust the stairs.”

She looked back at him, one eyebrow raised, and he swallowed thickly.

“They’re always up to something.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, taking the stairs two steps at a time as he hurried up behind her.

With each step, and each silent joke he told himself on the way up, slowly his anxiety waned, fading into the background almost completely as they emerged on the second floor.

Ladybug surveyed the area then strode right to one of the office doors, his office door.

Or what used to be, at least.

She tried the handle, finding it locked, then glanced at the key in her hand.

“That’s not the right key. It won’t-“

It clicked open immediately, Ladybug swinging the door open as she peered at him over her shoulder.

“It’s a magic key, Chat Noir.”

They both stepped inside and instantly he turned to examine the room, wincing at the reminders it held.

They hadn’t cleaned it out yet, hadn’t reassigned it either. His own name glared up at him, almost boasting its longevity. His nameplate had lasted longer than he had.

Ladybug’s eyes seemed to catch on it too, her eyes widening as her heart picked up speed again.

“I thought he was a model.”

“I- Uh, he was.” Chat Noir nodded, forcing nonchalance. “But he stopped doing a lot of the publicity stuff after he turned eighteen. Heard he went to university to be a teacher, worked here until he graduated.”

She looked up at him and he shrugged.

“I keep up with celebrities. He’s a busy guy.”

“Sounds like commitment issues to me.” She spoke, leaving the nameplate, though her voice notably wavered as she did so.

In an instant she was rummaging through his desk.

“What are you doing?!” He squeaked, rushing forward to stop her. “There might be classified information in there.”

She looked back up at him, squinted, then shook her head.

“It’s dusty.” She replied, as if that meant anything to him. “He hasn’t been in here in a while. Anything important has probably already been moved and we have to find some way to distract the akuma so….I’m working with what I’ve got. My power will return everything when this is over.”

She stopped searching, pulling out an empty Manila folder.

“Hmm.” She tapped at her lip, then crossed to the printer, pulling a large stack of empty paper off the back and pushing it into the folder. “All he had on him was his holster. The akuma has to be there. Think we could play this off as the break in a case long enough to get ahold of it?”

“How good of an actress are you?” He quipped, Ladybug closing the folder and tossing it his way.

He caught it, though a few papers fluttered to the floor as she replied.

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”

••••••

“Hey, Rookie!” Chat Noir called, head peering out of the stairwell to call Captain Containment away from the holding cell he was angrily destroying in their absence.

The akuma startled then turned, eyes locking onto him immediately.

“Look what I found!” He dangled the folder out the door, wiggling it tauntingly at the akuma. “Apparently this was supposed to make it to your desk.” He bluffed. “Really important stuff. I bet if I turn this into Chief he’ll just hand me his badge and retire on the spot!”

The akuma lunged and Chat yelped, bounding up the stairs as Captain Containment yanked the door off its hinges.

“Coming in hot, dots!” He yelled, leading Captain Containment through the maze that was the second floor.

That purple symbol appeared over the akuma’s face again, buzzing with electricity, and Chat jumped over a desk, leading the akuma right into their trap.

He froze, turned and came face to face with Captain Containment, the later latching on to Chat’s arms and pulling him up off the ground.

Dangling, Chat winced.

Any moment now, he silently pleaded, preferably before I’m pummeled to death.

Ladybug dropped from the ceiling fan and tackled the akuma from behind, pulling the holster from his body and tearing it in two.

The leather ripped easily, the akuma fluttering toward an open window, and Ladybug caught it, purifying it and then throwing the key up into the air.

“Miraculous ladybug!” She called, the man, who Chat now realized was someone he knew, put a hand to his head, muttering In confusion.

“How did I get here?”

“It’s alright Officer James.” Chat Noir offered a hand to the man as the sound of vehicles outside caught his attention. It was accompanied by people, lots of people, the sound of cameras snapping photos too.

The news. They must have seen the ladybugs and known it was over.

“Shit!” Martin scrambled to his feet. “I was possessed? Like that kid?”

“Akumatized.” Ladybug nodded. “You should go home, get some rest.”

“Fuck. Chief is gonna kill me. I’m gonna lose my job.”

“This wasn’t your fault, Officer.” Chat Noir assured. “Ladybug and I will be sure to stress that to the press.”

Martin nodded, breathless.

“Yeah. Thanks, man. Yeah. I’ll- I’ll go home.”

“We’re talking to the press?” Ladybug questioned the moment they were alone.

“They’re outside. You can’t hear them?”

She shook her head.

“Super hearing is all you, Chat Noir.” She nodded, as if steeling herself, before turning to the door. “If we’re going to give a statement it’ll have to be quick.

“Of course.”

They both started down the steps after Martin, Ladybug’s hand gliding over the railing as if just knowing it was there was enough to steady her. On the last step she turned, eyes narrowed at him once more.

“Did I hear you call me…” She paused, rolling the name around in her head. “…dots?”

“Uh, yeah.” He grinned sheepishly, not sure where it’d come from. “You’re…spotty.” He gestured to her suit and she looked down at herself, eyes stuck to her own suit for a moment before she scrunched up her nose and bit out a reply.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Yeah, okay.”

She continued on ahead, him following after like a lost kitten as he berated himself for the sudden awkwardness between them. They stepped out onto the sidewalk and instantly cameras were flashing in their faces, both of their names being shouted at full volume.

“One at a time!” He begged, eyes scanning the crowd.

Had she taken his advice? A flash of red caught his eye and he grinned.

“How about you? In the orange shirt?”

Alya’s eyes widened, her fingers tightening around her notebook in pure excitement.

“Thank you, Chat Noir. And Ladybug too.” She grinned, turning to acknowledge his partner with an eager smile. “I have a million questions, but I’m sure you’re low on time. Can you give a statement about the fight that just occurred? Has everything been settled?”

“The battle is over for now.” He assured. “We’ve seen to the victim and he is returning home, safe and sound.”

“And he’ll face no repercussions for this attack?” Another reporter questioned, yelling over the crowd.

“It isn’t his fault. Once possessed by an akuma, victims have no control over their actions. The villain responsible for his akumatization has yet to be found, but Ladybug and I will continue to protect the people of Paris until his or her identity comes to light.”

“And what of the police? What are they doing to see this end?” Another called out.

“I can’t speak for the Paris Police Department.” Chat Noir replied. “But akumas are not and have never been part of their job description. Akumas are our jurisdiction, it would be best if officers would focus their efforts on aiding civilians and evacuating affected areas during these attacks. If everyone can stay calm, get somewhere safe and give us space to work, we can better focus on-“

“More butterflies!” A terrified screech came from the crowd, panic settling in as people looked up toward the sky.

There, hundreds of butterflies formed the image of a purple face, looming over them and casting a wide shadow of despair.

“That’s an arresting development.” Chat breathed as the butterflies opened their- its? -mouth and spoke.

“Citizens of Paris.” A booming voice addressed them from the butterfly in the center, energy crackling dangerously around it. “Listen carefully. I am Hawkmoth. Ladybug, Chat Noir, give me your miraculous. Spare these innocent people and end this now.”

Chat Noir glanced to his partner, her eyes meeting his in concern.

“Us?” Chat exclaimed. “Let’s not reverse the roles here. You’re the reason two innocent people were possessed and forced to hurt people and things they cared about. You’re the reason the city is afraid.”

“Very well.” Hawkmoth spoke through his butterflies. “If you deny my reasonable request like children, I will have to treat you as such.”

“What does that even me-“

A collective gasp rose up as the butterflies dove toward the crowd, the threat of mass akumatization spurring Ladybug and Chat Noir into mutual panic.

“What do we do?” Ladybug pleaded. “We can’t take on that many at once!”

“Calm down! Please, everyone just calm down! He’s preying on your emotions. If we can all just take a deep breath-“

But their words went unheard, the crowd dissolving into screams and tears as the butterflies disappeared inside their belongings one by one, Hawkmoth cackling as they were all surrounded by enormous waves of purple energy.

But then it flickered.

“What?” Hawkmoth’s voice questioned as butterflies started evacuating the bodies they’d possessed, flying aimlessly in search of purpose as the purple electricity faded completely.

“Ha!” Chat breathed in relief. “He can’t- he can’t akumatize them. Why?”

“Who cares?” Ladybug pushed by him, swinging her yo-yo viciously at her hip. She lashed out repeatedly, catching insects faster than he could keep up with until finally all that remained was the one in the center, Hawkmoth’s sputtered confusion still projecting through it.

“Evilize them my akumas! Fill their hearts with darkness, turn them to my will!”

“Get a clue, Hawkmoth.” Ladybug spat, his name said with such disgust it startled the crowd back into silence. “The people of Paris aren’t blind. They know what you’ve done. Forcing people to do what you want for your own gain is cruel and Chat Noir and I won’t give up until you pay for it. No matter how long it takes, no matter how hard we have to search, we will find you and we will take your miraculous. We will do everything in our power to keep people safe from manipulating, abusive assholes like you!”

And with that she flung her yo-yo at the last butterfly, capturing it and pulling her yo-yo to her chest.

With a click that reverberated through Chat’s skull, her yo-yo opened, a swarm of pure white butterflies flying past her face and out into the sky, peacefully flapping away.

Ladybug turned to look at him, a relieved sort of grin on her face, and he returned it, throwing in a thumbs up that made her giggle.

You two seem to be getting along better today.

Chat laughed at Plagg’s words, the relief too potent to consider doing anything else.

Maybe they’d go back to fighting later, but right then all Chat could do was thank the kwamis that whoever she was under that mask, Ladybug was also a badass.

And he was happy to have her as his partner.

Chapter Text

“Fuck, fuck!” Marinette beat her uninjured hand against the brick wall in front of her as hot tears slid down her cheeks. “I’m so goddamn stupid! How could I be so reckless? I know better. I know better!”

“Marinette-“

“I can’t believe I just blindly handed myself over to a cop! I thought he was being kind! Am I fucking dumb? He’s probably followed me home, figured out I’m an accomplice to all the shit the boys do and ratted me out. I can’t go home. I can’t-“

“Marinette, breathe!”

At her kwami’s instruction, Marinette let out a harsh breath, wide eyes turning to face her.

“I think you might be a little overwhelmed by the battle.” Tikki spoke, motioning to the wall with a gentle tone. “Sit. Take a moment to rest.”

“I’m not worried about the akuma!” Marinette argued, both hands tightly gripping her hair. “It’s over. I fixed it. But I- I can’t fix this. He’s seen my face. He knows I have a burnt hand. I made myself so easily identifiable-“

“You’re worried about the boy?” Tikki frowned. “He doesn’t seem to be a cop anymore judging by the state of his office. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” When her holder didn’t seem any more convinced, Tikki gently touched her shoulder. “Don’t you think if he wanted to trap you he would have done so when you were tending to your hand? He stepped away for the first aid kit. He could have made a call then and kept you busy bandaging your hand until they arrived.”

Marinette wrapped her arms around herself, sniffling quietly.

“M-Maybe. But what if-“

“Let’s not worry about that for now. Master Fu would like to see you.”

Marinette flinched and Tikki cursed herself for not being more specific.

“What did I do?”

“Nothing, dear.” Tikki promised gently. “You’re not in trouble. He’s the Guardian, your mentor, it’s his job to check in on you now and then, ensure your wellbeing and mine.”

“I don’t want to go.”

“Marinette-“

“Is he going to take you away?”

The moment she’d said it she seemed to remember who she was, snapping her mouth closed before Tikki could reply.

“I mean, I- I kinda swore in front of all of Paris that I’d fight Hawkmoth so giving up my miraculous now would set a bad example and-“

Tikki snuggled up against her cheek to silence her.

“Let’s go see Fu. I think you’ll feel a lot better once you hear what he has to say.”

“Okay.” Marinette replied, though she stood there reveling in the affection Tikki offered for a moment more. “Okay. Tikki, Spots on.”

••••••

Ladybug pushed Fu’s back door open, his and Chat Noir’s voices barely reaching her over the sound of her heartbeat in her ears.

What if Fu had called him here to aid in taking her miraculous back? Restraining her. What if-

Let’s focus on reality for right now.

She paused in the hall, one hand on a support beam to hold herself up.

I can’t do this.

You’ve done it once already. No different now.

She shook her head, the anxiety almost suffocating. She wanted to- to go. Not home but somewhere. Away. She wanted to go away.

“You going to join us or just stand there like we can’t see you?” Chat Noir’s voice startled her and she looked up to meet his eyes as he stood in the doorway of Fu’s dining room, a Santa Claus mug in hand.

“It’s not even October yet.” She blurted before she could stop herself, Chat Noir looking down at his mug before he shrugged.

“Never too early. Christmas is my favorite holiday.”

“Seems almost sacrilegious, being a black cat and all. I would have thought Halloween was more your speed.”

He grinned, his canines suspiciously long below his upper lip.

“It can be. What about you, bugaboo? Which one’s your favorite?”

She froze, eyes trained on his teeth. Those looked sharp, deadly, like-

Just a part of the miraculous, Marinette. No different than his suit. Or yours. He just seems to have taken to it differently than you have, that’s all.

Am I going to sprout antennae?

You haven’t noticed?

Ladybug reached a hand up to her head, running her fingers through her hair.

You little shit.

Tikki’s giggles reverberated through her skull.

Not unless you want to, Marinette. Not unless you let yourself accept your miraculous as a part of yourself.

At her prolonged silence Chat raised an eyebrow.

“Not willing to share?”

Her favorite holiday was Valentine’s Day. But she sure as hell wasn’t about to tell him that.

Especially not after he’d called her…whatever that was.

“Ash Wednesday.” She evaded, taking a step towards him and staring at the door space he occupied. “So are you going to move so I can see Fu or was my coming here completely unnecessary?”

Chat Noir’s eyebrows raised a tad higher, but he stepped back, motioning her through with his free hand as he sipped at whatever was in his mug.

“Be my guest.”

Stepping into Fu’s dining room, Ladybug shook that interaction off her shoulders, focusing on the man in front of her.

“I won’t give her back.” She bit out before her eyes fully focused on the scene in front of her.

Fu smiled up at her from his seat at the table.

“I won’t ask you to. So long as you continue to fight in favor of Paris.” He motioned to the feast strewn across the table, the various bowls of still steaming food laid out as if to tempt her into a seat. “Sit. Help yourself.”

A trap. She’d walked right into another trap.

Marinette-

Her eyes flew from Fu to Chat Noir, Chat Noir’s fake ears perking up as she took a step back.

Who to fight? Who would be easier to get past? Front door? Back door? Where would she go after? How-

“Well I’m starving.” Chat Noir crashed into a seat and grabbed a plate, heaping food atop it as she stood there, fidgeting with her fingers.

Better get a plate before he eats it all. Plagg is a glutton and he passes it on.

Ladybug took a hesitant step forward, breath coming easier as Fu turned and engaged Chat Noir in a conversation about Chinese history of all things, Chat Noir an eager participant, though his replies were delayed by each enthusiastic bite he took off his plate.

Her fingertips brushed a plate and she glanced up, holding her breath. When neither man turned their attention to her she filled her plate then stepped back from the table, contemplating.

With the boys, she ate in her room. Out of sight, out of mind. They couldn’t scold her, punish her, take her food or berate her if she wasn’t around.

She could be alone. Safe. But at Fu’s-

It’s alright. Tikki’s voice encouraged. You were invited. Sit.

Numbly she pulled out a chair and lowered herself into it, carefully setting her plate down in front of her.

“I personally enjoyed my visit to Beijing more than my time in Shanghai, but both were beautiful.” Chat Noir was saying as she hesitantly brought her fork to her mouth.

Warm. God, it was all still warm. And delicious and-

“I think I enjoyed it more because it wasn’t a business trip. My father was so busy with meetings when we were in Shanghai that I didn’t really get to explore like I wanted t-“ Chat Noir winced. “Sorry. We’re probably not allowed to share personal info, right?”

Fu thought about it for a moment, taking a long sip of his tea as Ladybug shoved another forkful in her mouth.

“I don’t see why not.” He eventually conceded. “So long as it won’t give away your identity.”

Chat Noir grinned then looked to her, Ladybug hurriedly swallowing the bite she’d taken as he spoke.

“So have you traveled outside of France?”

“Um…Once. To Shanghai, actually.” She put down her fork, unable to eat when he was looking at her, and glanced at the empty glass in front of her. “May I…”

Fu stood and she leaned back in her chair, eyes watching his every move as he reached across the table and picked up her glass.

“What would you like?”

“W-Whatever is fine.”

He nodded, carrying her glass into the kitchen as Chat Noir made eye contact across the table.

“What year were you in Shanghai? If that’s not too personal.”

“Twenty seventeen.” She replied as Fu reentered the room, placing her glass, now filled with what looked like tea, carefully in front of her.

She’d been thirteen when she’d been shipped off to her uncle’s place in Shanghai to get closer to her mother’s side of the family. She hadn’t wanted to at the time, too concerned with all the time she’d be missing with her friends. Now she wished more than anything that she could go back, do it all again, learn mandarin and her mother’s history so she could have a piece of her, regardless of how tiny it would be.

“Oh.” Chat Noir frowned at her answer, eyebrows pinching together. “So was I.”

Part of her wondered if he was lying just to get a little closer to her, but, as if he’d read her mind, he shook his head, mumbling to himself.

“I remember it was that year specifically because he was still mad at me when we got on the plane.”

“Why was he mad at you?” She found herself asking, though she didn’t really want to know.

“I uh, I wanted to transfer schools. Tried to go behind his back and do it. I think he scheduled that meeting in Shanghai partially to lock me up for a while.” He shrugged. “Were you visiting family?”

“My uncle.” She offered.

Silence followed her statement, no one seeming to have a reply until Fu chuckled.

“My older brother lived in Shanghai for a time. He’s passed now, of course, but he would have been alive when you were there. He sent me photos, thousands of them each year. Perhaps one of you made it into the background of one.”

Chat Noir laughed.

“The coincidence of the century.” He sobered slightly, putting a hand on Fu’s arm. “I’m sorry about your brother.”

“Ah, he was nearly two hundred years old. It was his time.”

“Two-“ Chat Noir looked to Fu, then her as if she might have an answer. “You’re joking.”

“I’m nearly one hundred and eighty-six myself.” Fu nodded. “We have a baby brother off somewhere. He’s in his nineties. Still thriving, that one.”

“Baby brother.” Chat Noir repeated, though he didn’t push the discussion. “Are those your only siblings?”

Fu nodded.

“Were you close growing up?”

“With my older brother, yes. My younger brother and I didn’t meet until we’d both reached adulthood.”

“Oh.” Chat Noir seemed to think about Fu’s reply for a moment before he smiled. “I’m glad you got to meet him. I never had any siblings.”

“Only child.” Ladybug muttered. “Makes sense.”

Chat Noir looked at her in offense and she winced, realizing she hadn’t thought that in her head like she’d meant to.

“Why’s that?”

“Because.” She answered quietly, tapping her nails anxiously against the glass of tea in her hand. “You’re walking around in skintight leather with cat ears on your head and a belt for a tail. Obviously no one ever critiqued your fashion sense.”

Chat Noir laughed so hard he snorted, covering his mouth with his arm as he shook his head.

“What about you then? You’re walking around in the equivalent of polka dotted spandex. No one to critique your fashion choices?”

“Four of them.” She corrected, though she knew it was partly a lie.

Partly in that they did critique her, almost constantly. But she didn’t consider them family. Not even Nathaniel.

“Four siblings?” Chat Noir repeated, eyes widening.

“Brothers.” She clarified.

“You’re the oldest?”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Youngest.”

“Meowch.” Chat Noir tapped his chin. “I was way off. I had you pegged as the only child type, oldest with a big gap at the very least. I could see you being in charge, babysitting. You’re bossy enough.”

She opened her mouth to respond and Fu hastily intervened.

“Perhaps we should speak about my reason for calling you both here. I’m sure today’s battle was distressing.”

“It was all going well until he decided he wanted to akumatize a whole block of people at once.” Chat Noir replied, taking a quick sip from his cup. “He couldn’t actually do it, but the heart attack I had when he tried doesn’t really care about the details so…”

“Yes, we’re all extremely lucky he was unable to do so just yet. The severity of a battle like that so soon…”

“Yet.” Ladybug repeated, looking to Fu. “You mean he’ll be able to at some point?”

“In theory. Though his kwami will do his best to hold him back.”

Ladybug put a hand to her earrings, fingers brushing them delicately.

“He has a kwami too?”

“All miraculous are accompanied by a kwami. Nooroo, the kwami of the butterfly miraculous, is a gentle soul. He will do his best to limit Hawkmoth’s powers for as long as he can.”

“Can Hawkmoth hurt him?”

“Not physically.” Fu assured, reaching out to put a hand over hers atop the table. “As you’ve likely found out, your kwami are capable of phasing through solid objects. That includes your hands, weapons…It would be very difficult to injure a being so incorporeal. And this Hawkmoth would have no reason to. If Nooroo were injured his powers would be weaker.”

Ladybug pulled her hand away as she nodded.

Poor Nooroo.

“You must think that Hawkmoth will be able to over power him then.” Chat Noir spoke. “If you believe he’ll eventually be able to akumatize multiple people at once.”

“In a sense.” Fu agreed. “The longer and more often you wear your miraculous, the stronger your bond with your kwami will become. Whether that bond is positive or negative…a strengthened bond to the magic that feeds your powers will unlock more of it, make you stronger. The same for Hawkmoth. We can only hope that your bonds will grow as fast or faster than his. So long as you can stay evenly matched, Tikki and Plagg are stronger than Nooroo. There’s no reason to think that you wouldn’t be able to handle a mass akumatization in the future when he is capable of creating one.”

“And if we’re not?”

Fu stood, crossing the room to a large ornate dresser against the wall, a gramophone and a heavy looking book on top of it.

Fu raised a hand to the gramophone, designed to look like the head of a dragon, and pushed two fingers into the dragon’s eyes. The eyes, which they suddenly knew to be hidden buttons, pressed inward then turned red, the mouth of the dragon dropping open to give him access to a small keypad. Fu typed in a code and the bottom of the gramophone clicked, opening up to reveal a hidden compartment. Inside sat a large wooden box, a Chinese symbol carved on the top, and he carried it to the table, let the two of them examine it as he lowered himself back into his seat.

“If you ever face a challenge too great, we will seek reinforcements.”

He opened the box, Ladybug and Chat Noir both staring in awe at the number of miraculous inside.

“These are all miraculous?” Chat Noir asked. “With their own powers?”

Fu nodded.

“It’s time you both had a history lesson, but history is best learned from its source. If you’re both comfortable, I’d like to teach you something new.”

Ladybug shared a glance with Chat, though she had no idea why she searched out his approval, and together they both nodded.

“As you know, each of you have a transformation and a detransformation phrase. Powers or no powers. An easy on and off switch. But you also have the ability to mask your identity without using your powers.”

“Why wouldn’t we want our powers?” Chat Noir asked, eyes examining each detail on the box of miraculous.

“Plagg and Tikki require rest. The energy needed to hold your transformations for an extended period of time can quickly weaken a kwami, and you. For children, the miraculous have a built in safety shut off, ending a transformation after the use of a power. But with mature holders such as yourselves, you’ll have to judge on your own whether using your powers repetitively will have negative consequences or if you are able to hold your transformation for long periods of time without damage to yourself or your kwami. At times like this, in my home, where your identities must stay hidden but there is no threat of attack, it would be best to avoid that risk completely.”

“So how do we do that?”

“For you, Plagg, rest.” Fu turned to Ladybug with a smile. “And Tikki, rest. It will allow your kwami to leave the miraculous, but the miraculous will continue to operate on a low level of your own energy, just enough to keep your masks in place.”

“Plagg, rest.”

“Tikki, rest.”

Red and green light covered their bodies,  disintegrating their suits, and Ladybug panicked, sure she’d just been tricked into revealing herself, until she looked up into her partner’s face, finding his eyes still covered by a thick black mask, but his body clad in black pajamas. She glanced down at her own clothing, the red pajamas she definitely didn’t own fitting her body like she’d made them herself and Tikki giggled, nuzzling into her cheek.

“Curtesy of the miraculous.” She explained. “Comfy, but still keeps your identity hidden.”

“Thank you miraculous.” Chat Noir whispered, staring at them both in awe. “You must be Tikki.”

“Hello Chat Noir.” Tikki greeted. “Plagg.” She nodded to the black cat kwami, more interested in what was on the dinner table than in speaking with them. Tikki turned to Fu, respect for the old man shining in her eyes. “May we begin, Master?”

“Of course. Eat,” He directed at them both. “Finish your meals. Tikki and I will explain everything.”

••••••

“Long, long ago, as the universe first formed, two kwami came into existence. Creation and her lover, destruction.”

“Tikki and Plagg.” Fu clarified.

“For a long time, we worked hand in hand,  I creating to my heart’s content and Plagg…Well, it’s nice to have a blank slate every now and then. We were equal, all powerful. We ruled the universe together, he and I.”

“Good times.” Plagg burped, still shoveling food into his mouth.

“As time went on,” Tikki continued. “Some of my creations began to develop minds of their own. These new concepts became kwami themselves, until there were nearly a hundred of us, all living together, ruling our own domains. The universe worked that way for the majority of its existence until-“ Tikki paused, glancing at Plagg with a longing sort of expression that made Ladybug’s stomach roll. “Until Plagg and I had a mind to create together.”

“Enter the human race.” Plagg spoke. “Ruined everything.”

“I stand by my creation.” Tikki assured them. “There are many, many good humans. Like you both. But there are others, have always been others who…”

“More closely resemble me.” Plagg filled in. “Long story short, destruction shouldn’t step into creation’s shoes and vice versa. Too messy.”

“At the time, us kwami saw no need to hide our magic. It flowed freely across the earth and those who came upon it could wield it. They became what you now know as myths. Witches, warlocks, beasts…and that was acceptable to us. It was nice to share our magic, interesting to see what could be done.”

“Until Warwick.” Plagg hissed. “Selfish prick ruined it for everyone.”

“He’d figured out that he could wield small bits of our magic, bend them to his will a little at a time. But as he added to them they would get too powerful and his control would waver. For those who came before him, this was a natural barrier, a warning that they all heeded. Warwick was different. Greedy, hungry for power. He found that once he had bent small groups of my magic to his will, he could set them aside and bend another group. He could then join them together and, since they already obeyed him, they would continue to do so, no matter how large they become. So long as no new, untamed magic gathered with what he held, his power to control magic was suddenly limitless. And he had no good intentions for its use.”

“The universe started to suffer.” Plagg growled. “Disasters, plagues, wars, mass extinctions. We had to get rid of him.”

“But we were too late.” Tikki sighed. “He’d found that if he made containers out of his controlled magic they would be strong enough to hold us kwami, strong enough to keep us prisoner. He- It was a dark time, losing our friends left and right. Warwick captured all of the lesser kwami. Leaving Plagg and I alone to oppose him. All hope was lost.”

“Until Cassandra.” Plagg grinned. “The first black cat.”

“First ladybug too.” Tikki pointed out, jealousy clear in her tone. “Warwick ruled a vast kingdom with the kwami and Cassandra and her people had tired of his dictatorship. She created the uprising, a rebel group of teenagers who sought Plagg and I out, learned from how Warwick contained our friends and made their own containers, the miraculous you wear today. Cassandra, Plagg and I made an agreement. In return for granting her our powers to rid the world of Warwick, she would ensure that our containers never fell into the wrong hands, that though we lived as slaves, we would never feel as such.”

“She donned both of the miraculous, something neither of you should ever do.” Fu cautioned. “And fought him. In a panic, Warwick tried to wear multiple miraculous at once. After two he was losing his ability to fight, but he was desperate and so he continued, slowly withering himself away until all that remained was a husk of a man, no clue who he was or what he had been doing. Cassandra turned him out into the earth to wander and she became the first guardian of the miraculous.”

“Why didn’t she just set you free?” Ladybug whispered, her voice cracking a bit as Tikki turned to her with a gentle smile.

“We don’t want to be free. Us leaving the miraculous would mean our magic would roam the earth again. That is much more dangerous than just one or two of us being in the wrong hands, a lesson we learned the hard way. It is best for us to be contained. And even if it wasn’t, the miraculous have been bonded to us for so long we’ve become almost one. It is no stronger than I am and I am no stronger than it. We can fight against it for a time, something we suspect Nooroo will do now, to give you time to come into your own strength, but eventually we will fall. And it can control us, our powers, but it can’t break us entirely. A comfort for Nooroo, at the very least.”

“So how did you end up with the miraculous then?” Chat Noir asked Fu. “There’s definitely not a hundred here. Have that many been lost?”

“No, not at all.” Fu assured them. “Cassandra guarded the miraculous her entire life. She grew, married, and had five children. When they’d grown and she’d aged and was no longer capable of fighting, she crafted five boxes, this one and four others, and filled them each with a portion of the miraculous. Each child she sent to a different part of the world, to keep the boxes separate so that they would never all fall to one ruler again. This box first went to Tibet. The son she sent there married, had children of his own and they became the guardians of this box. And then those children married and had their own children who became the guardians and so on and so on until…me.”

“Fu was born and raised in a temple dedicated solely to guarding the miraculous and bringing up the next generation of guardians.” Tikki explained. “He was only a boy when we first met.”

“It was considered an honor in the temple to be allowed to train as a guardian. One must study, pass many tests and survive many challenges just to have a chance of being the box’s next protector. My brother and I both wanted that honor. We were young, very young, when our teachers presented us with a challenge, aimed at ensuring we were prepared for our next level of study. Each of us were given a miraculous, him the butterfly and I the peacock, and were sat in front of the miracle box where we were left for days without food or water, our only mission to meditate and keep the box safe.”

Fu stood as he told the next part of the story, brows creased in regret.

“We did as boys do. We focused, for a time, then began to play. Our play would have been tolerated. Unwanted, yes, but it wouldn’t have earned us a reprimand. We simply would not have been allowed to progress to the next level of study without completing the test satisfactorily. We knew as such, however, when our master returned, my brother was upset. He wanted the responsibility of the box more than anything and any small obstacle felt more like a mountain to him, like someone standing in his way. He was a hot headed child, someone standing in his way just wouldn’t do. So he used the butterfly miraculous, corrupted our teacher and threatened to take the box for himself. I was a foolish child, saw myself as a hero, so I transformed with the peacock miraculous and fought my brother for the box. But I had forgotten a vital piece of information.”

“Only I or someone wearing my miraculous can truly purify an akuma.” Tikki sighed. “Fu was able to defeat his brother, but he wasn’t able to purify the akuma…so it multiplied.”

“Multiplied?” Chat Noir asked. “Like…more akumas? But Hawkmoth couldn’t do that, why could a kid?”

“We were raised in the temple, Chat Noir. I, my brother, and the few other children who were born to that line of guardians. We were each given miraculous regularly, different ones, always, to ensure that we would have a bond with them. When it came time for us to take over we would need to be strong, as strong as possible. Age means little to the miraculous. Exposure means much more. Outside of the safety shut off, a child can wield a miraculous just as effectively as an adult could if given the same amount of exposure to it. Wearing it especially.”

“What happened?” Ladybug questioned. “After it multiplied?”

“There was a mass panic. Those who were not akumatized fled. I wish I could say that I wasn’t among them, but I was, pulling my brother along behind me. I grabbed the box and him and ran as hard as I could. We’d almost made it to safety when he came to and regretted what he’d done, begged me to stop so that we could fix it. So I did. He used the butterfly miraculous to recall his akumas and the people in the temple were saved. Except, without the akumas, there was no chance of purifying them, of fixing what we’d done. The temple was destroyed, people were sickened by the remnants of dark magic in the area and, slowly, the line of guardians died out, save for those who escaped. My brother and I, unable to go back, wandered Tibet for some time. Together, we agreed to renounce our miraculous, put them back in the box and never wear them again. Our final mistake.”

“Do you two remember the small box that appeared in your homes? The ones that brought the miraculous to you?” Tikki questioned.

Ladybug and Chat Noir nodded.

“Those are part of this box. They’re magic. When a guardian chooses a holder, the box finds the holder and presents itself. It will continue to do so, even if you try to ignore it and pretend it isn’t there or that you aren’t interested,” Tikki looked up at Ladybug with a soft smile. “It knows your heart, your soul, it knows when it is accepted. But, if you truly renounce it. If you truly do not want its presence anymore, it will stop finding you. It will remain where it is until the guardian reassigns it or…until someone finds it themselves.”

“We renounced them both just before a snow storm set in. A blizzard. We were lost, cold, we could barely see. We both fell, tumbled down a hill. The box fell out of my hands and opened, miraculous flying in all directions. We searched for a while, returned as many of them to the box as we could, but in the end, I gave up. We never found the peacock or the butterfly. My brother and I fought. I wanted to leave them, return home, but he held strong to our training. I thought I left him to die that night. Decades later we found each other again by chance and he informed me that he’d never found them either. He had given up shortly after I had before leaving to search for others who had escaped the temple. He had found our mother and baby brother. We lived together for some time, never using the miraculous, until one day, the guilt got too strong and we opened the box, hoping to seek the kwamis’ advice on finding the two we’d lost.”

“We were unable to help.” Tikki informed them. “Once you’ve renounced your miraculous you can’t just ask for it back. The magic bond between the assigned holder and the box breaks instantly. And even Guardians can’t reassign a miraculous that has an active holder. We knew the moment he couldn’t recall them that they’d already been found.”

“Shouldn’t the guardian have full control over the miraculous?”

“We never wanted to give someone like Warwick an easy way to pick off holders. It was supposed to be a safety precaution too. All we could do was hope that whoever had found them had good intentions or, at the very least, would never learn how they worked.”

“My brothers set off on a journey around the world, to aid other temples in guarding their boxes.” Fu explained. “But I couldn’t let go of this one. So, I chose a new miraculous for myself, the turtle. The kwami can sense each other’s energy. Being partners, Tikki and Plagg can sense each other with relatively impressive accuracy. Nooroo and the peacock kwami, Duusu, being lesser kwami, is more difficult. They can’t locate him exactly, can’t pick out him or his holder among other sets of energy, but they can tell that he is here somewhere in the city. That is how I knew to come to Paris. Decades ago Wayzz felt a surge of energy from the peacock miraculous. It ended quickly, but we set up a home here. I thought for sure that would be my first fight, retrieving the peacock miraculous. But the energy never came back. And more recently, as we spoke about last time, Wayzz felt the butterfly miraculous. And I am glad that I found both of you, seeing as that threat did come to be. Without you, Paris could have suffered the same fate as my temple. Which is why I brought you both here.”

“In much the same way the guardians in the temple mentored Fu and his brother, we wish to mentor you both. To start a new line of guardians for this box.”

Ladybug’s eyes widened.

“No.”

“Ladybug, if you’ll just listen for a moment-“

“No!” Ladybug repeated, pushing herself to her feet. “I’m not- I’m not having children with this flea bag-“

“Ouch.”

“just to damn them to a life of trying to protect magical objects that obviously ruin everything they touch. I’m not. That’s- that’s entirely unfair. You were children. They’d be children!  Kids don’t need to- to be protectors of tiny gods. They need to be safe, at home with their parents, they-“

“Shhh. Of course they do.” Tikki cooed, working to calm her. “While Fu’s story and this new Hawkmoth person is scary, you must remember there were many, many, many generations of guardians who faced no such perils. Guardianship does not imply a life of sacrifice, not once the miraculous are all in safe hands. And no one will force you to have children, with or without Chat Noir. He simply means that, should you choose to have children, regardless of who with, that those children would be next in line for the blessing that is being given a miraculous. That you would hand me down to your children instead of putting me back in the box when all of this is over.”

Ladybug stood there, chest heaving, for a long moment as she worked Tikki’s words through her brain.

“Does it hurt to be in the box? Is it- do you need to be out to be safe?”

“I won’t lie to you to guilt you into keeping me, Ladybug. The box is perfectly spacious for us kwami. We are comfortable there. Happy too. This isn’t about me. This is about the two of you. Together, or separately, whatever you both agree to.”

“Well if I’d known the mere mention of potentially having kids with me in the future was going to cause a panic attack I would have mentioned I’m neutered sooner.”

Ladybug looked to Chat Noir, an expression of bewilderment taking over her features, and he chuckled, shaking his head.

“I’m kidding.” He told her gently. “Fully intact but also fully a gentleman. You have my complete agreement. Our children, whether both of ours or separate, don’t need to be child soldiers. I’ll keep my miraculous when this is all over, I’m already weirdly attached to the cheese eating gremlin, but I’m not raising my kids to think they have to do this. When they’re adults, maybe. Not kids.”

“The fates of your children are your own to decide. I simply wish to train the both of you. I’m getting older, a new guardian will have to take over at some point in the future, regardless of the potential for a new line. For now, I’d like you both to decide on a training schedule. Whatever day of the week works best for the both of you. Once a week you’ll meet here, I’ll provide dinner and a lesson and then you two will patrol the city, familiarize yourselves with it from your new vantage points, make sure the citizens of Paris know that you’re looking out for them, even outside of battles.”

They stood in silence for a long moment before Chat nodded.

“Wednesdays work for you?”

“Wide open.” She agreed.

“Very well.” Fu smiled. “You are both dismissed. Good work today, to both of you.”

“Wait, how do we-“

“Plagg, awaken. Tikki, awaken.”

“Plagg, awaken.”

“Tikki, awaken.”

Fu smiled, eyes full of pride as the red and green electricity brushed up over their skin, returning their suits to where they’d once been.

“Goodnight.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a glance before they nodded.

“Goodnight, Master Fu.”

Chapter Text

Mousie.

The name reverberated through his skull, Chat Noir pondering it as he stared out of Fu’s living room window at the spot he’d found her, wondering if her hand was healing or if she’d aggravated the burn.

He’d worked with people who lived on the streets before and he knew how easy it could be to reopen an injury when you didn’t have somewhere warm or safe to sleep for the night.  Maybe he was in the wrong for assuming she was among them, but the idea of her trying to steal to feed herself while down a useable hand left him worried. She was already strikingly thin. Too long without food and-

“Is everything alright, Chat Noir?”

Chat startled, looking up at Fu and shaking his head.

“No! I mean, yes. Yes, everything’s fine.”

“You seem nervous.”

“Just worried for a friend.” He admitted. “It’s getting colder and there’s an emotional terrorist on the loose. It’s not exactly ideal.”

“Warm up with some tea.” Fu encouraged, motioning to the kettle on his stovetop. “Mugs are in the cabinet above the sink. Ladybug should arrive shortly. Together you two will make the streets of Paris safe for your loved ones again, I’m sure of it.”

Chat didn’t bother to argue, picking a mug from the cabinet and pouring himself a cup of tea.

He felt guilty as he sipped at his tea and glanced around the dining room, eyes landing on the feast Fu seemed to have prepared just for them. Instantly he scolded himself for allowing that line of thinking. It had been a long time since he’d been denied food, even longer since he’d worried about his weight. He’d mostly forgotten what it was like, almost gotten too secure.

Plagg’s voice rumbled up from the base of his skull and into his consciousness with a heavy vibration, something akin to a purr but less affectionate and more accusatory.

What’s the point in feeling guilty? Free food is free food.

Hard to feel that way when your whole life revolves around looking perfect all the time.

Your dad? Plagg asked, Chat huffing out a breath at the assumption.

Him. And others.

Others. Plagg repeated.

Forget about it. Adrien instructed silently. Wouldn’t want to bother you with my emotional turmoil.

“Thank you.” He spoke aloud as he walked back towards the table. “The food looks delicious.”

“The least I can do after you two saved the city.” Fu chuckled, though Chat Noir’s mind turned immediately back to the attempted mass akumatization.

He was lucky Ladybug had known what to do, hadn’t panicked like he had. She was a force of nature.

But as the back door swung open and Ladybug’s accelerated heart rate gave away her presence, Chat realized she was human too. And he liked her all the more for it.

She stood in the hallway for what felt like forever, not calling out or trying to make herself known in any way.

Help her out, kid. Plagg encouraged, Chat Noir on the move before his kwami had even finished speaking.

“You going to join us or just stand there like we can’t see you?” He asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Her eyes scanned him, narrowing in judgement.

“It’s not even October yet.”

He followed her gaze and glanced down, taking a moment to realize she was talking about the mug in his hands. He hadn’t even noticed it was made to look like Santa Claus.

Not the worst mistake he’d made.

“Never too early. Christmas is my favorite holiday.”

If anything, that answer seemed to make her more suspicious of him, her whole body tensing as if the idea of him enjoying Christmas threatened her in some way.

“Seems almost sacrilegious, being a black cat and all.” She bit out, the nerves he could tell she felt hidden under the false callousness in her tone. “I would have thought Halloween was more your speed.”

He grinned, eager to appease her.

“It can be. What about you, bugaboo? Which one’s your favorite?”

Her eyes widened and he frowned as her breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t seemed scared of him before. Hesitant to trust, angry, maybe, but not scared.

Little tip, kid. The more time you spend in this suit the more catlike you become. Flashing your fangs at someone isn’t a good way to show you’re friendly.

Fangs?

Chat Noir ran his tongue along his teeth, surprised to find Plagg hadn’t been lying. Sure enough, his canines were longer than he remembered, sharper on the tip of his tongue too.

“Not willing to share?” He finally spoke, putting on his best show of confidence as Ladybug seemed to recover from his display of aggression.

“Ash Wednesday.” She finally growled, taking a step towards him.

God, she wasn’t into him. Not a bit.

“So are you going to move so I can see Fu or was my coming here completely unnecessary?”

He had to give it to her. If he didn’t know better he’d have never seen through the cracks in her armor, never noticed the way her anger so quickly covered her fear.

Someone had betrayed her, lost her trust.

If they were going to make this partnership work then he needed to respect that, step back and let her take the lead.

He stepped back, motioning her through the doorway.

“Be my guest.”

••••••

Adrien stretched, dropping his phone onto the kitchen counter as Edgar meowed at his feet.

“I bet Auntie Chloe’s sent you another care package.” He told Edgar, bending over to fill the cat’s food bowl.

It was a regular occurrence, had been ever since she’d moved to New York for university.

Growing up on the top floor of her father’s hotel, Chloe hadn’t been allowed a pet. A dog would be too much of an inconvenience to take for walks living so far from the ground, a cat might damage hotel property, even the idea of a fish tank had been turned down for its reliance on consistent water changes.

Gabriel hadn’t allowed Adrien to have a pet either. He and Chloe both had been read the riot act about the amount of fur and saliva and dirt a pet could produce.

Adopting Edgar had been priority number one the second he’d moved out of his father’s house. He and Chloe both had fallen in love with the little furball and, in the fall when she was forced to leave for school, Chloe vowed to spoil him rotten regardless of the distance.

Every few months he’d receive a package, the largest box she could buy if he had to guess, filled to the brim with treats and toys and everything a cat could ever want. It had made Edgar a little too excitable around cardboard boxes, but it’d also made him happy, so Adrien allowed it.

“I bet she sends you another Halloween costume this year too.” Adrien warned his cat with a chuckle. Edgar wasn’t exactly fond of being dressed up, but he tolerated it when they rewarded him for his hard work with treats.

“You sicken me.” Plagg spoke from the counter top, looking down at Edgar in disgust. “You’re a predator and you allow them to dress you up like a child?”

“Careful.” Adrien teased. “I bet it’s not too late to get you a Halloween costume too.”

Plagg hissed at him then phased through the wall, disappearing from sight completely as Adrien laughed at his expense.

“I’m just kidding!” He called out to the empty room before looking down at Edgar and petting his head. “You’re not a predator. You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”

Edgar meowed, ignoring him completely in favor of licking his food bowl clean.

Adrien rolled his eyes.

Edgar did love him, a lot.

Just maybe not as much as he loved food.

••••••

“Alright. Now that is the end of chapter one so I’d like you all to take your books home and complete the chapter review by tomorrow.”

Groans filled the air and Adrien glanced around the room to see who exactly they were coming from.

“It’s only ten questions. It shouldn’t take you very long.”

Charlotte’s hand shot into the air.

“Charlotte?”

“Is there going to be a test?”

“After chapter six there is a unit test, yes.” He replied, turning the pages in his own book to verify. “Which is why you need the review. I want to make sure everyone knows how to do this before we move on.”

“What if there’s another one of those monsters?” Henri blurted from the back of the classroom, his classmates all suddenly murmuring to each other in loud attempts at whispering.

“Just do your best and use your common sense.” Adrien instructed. “If the monster is nearby, evacuate. If it isn’t, stay put and finish your homework. Any more questions?”

Darla raised her hand, leaning up and out of her seat slightly.

“Yes, Darla?”

“My mom is a police officer and she said that the school might be shut down if there are more monster attacks. Do we still have to do homework if school gets canceled?”

“I- uh, yes.” He finally decided, twisting at the ring on his ring finger. “It’ll just be due the day school opens back up, but I don’t think we have to worry about that right now. The heroes seem to have a handle on the monsters so far. You all should be focused on studying.”

“But can’t we-“

The bell rang and Adrien let out a breath of relief.

“Don’t forget your books.” He called as they began packing their bags and moving toward the door. “I will see you all tomorrow.”

“Bye Mr. A!” Andrew called back as Adrien let himself collapse into his desk chair. He reached for his phone, humming when a text from Nino lit up the screen.

••••••

“You’re here. Thank god. Tell her she’s being irrational.” Nino begged, practically yanking Adrien through the front door.

“I’m not!” Alya agued from the kitchen, the scent of something that had to be insanely delicious drifting in alongside her voice. “This will be good for my career.”

“If you live!” Nino stepped into the kitchen and Adrien followed right on his heels, curiously peering in the pots on the stove as Alya washed her hands at the sink.

“I’m not going to die. Ladybug fixes everything after the attacks, haven’t you seen? It’s like this- this massive swarm of ladybugs and they just- poof! -right back to the way things were.”

“Fixing property damage doesn’t mean she can bring you back to life!”

“She can.” Adrien responded before suddenly realizing that he definitely shouldn’t be so certain about that. “I mean she healed all those injuries, right? That’s kind of the same thing.”

Nino groaned.

“Not you too, please. Tell her it’s a bad idea.”

“What’s a bad idea?” Adrien questioned, Alya tossing him her phone. He caught it, eyes widening at the website she had pulled up.

“The Ladyblog?”

“I’ve found my niche!” Alya exclaimed excitedly, taking the phone back and scrolling through the website for him to see. It already had traffic, lots of it judging from the comment section he could see under a video of their last battle. “I’ve always loved superheroes and reporting live, why not combine the two?”

“She wants to run towards those monsters.”

“Akuma.” Alya corrected. “That’s what the heroes called them. I won’t get in the way, but if I can get some good footage, make myself the lead reporter on their existence in a way…it’ll be good for me, for us. I’ve spent years interning. It’s time I did my own thing.”

“Al,” Nino sighed, shaking his head before looking to Adrien for help. “There’s no convincing her, is there?”

“Afraid not.” Adrien chuckled, putting a hand on Nino’s shoulder. “As long as you aren’t getting close enough to be hurt-“

“I won’t.”

“Then I think it’s fine. Ladybug and Chat Noir seemed fine speaking with the press. I’m sure they know how important it is for civilians to be informed.”

And how important it was to him that his plan to help Alya didn’t backfire.

“So,” He asked, peering at the stove once more. “Are you going to feed me or…”

Alya burst into laughter, pulling plates and glasses from the cabinets.

“Set the table, Sunshine. I made your favorite.”

He laughed.

She’d been prepared to butter him up if he’d taken Nino’s side.

“On it, Mrs. Lahiffe.”

••••••

“No! Go go go!” Nino chanted, cheering Alya on as her bot furiously dodged Adrien’s, Adrien narrowing his eyes at the screen as he moved his own character into the beginning of a combo he knew well. If he could pull it off at just the right time-

His phone ringing brought them all back to reality and Adrien paused the match and set his controller to the side.

“Sorry, it’s probably Chloe. She’s been-“

He frowned at the screen, stomach sinking as he pressed the phone to his ear.

“Yes, Nathalie?”

“Your father is upset by your resignation. He’d like to offer you free room and board as exchange for your return to the company.”

He almost laughed.

“Free- He wants me to move back into the mansion?”

“Your father understands that in adulthood it is easy to…spend above one’s means and depend upon a job that is…less than satisfactory to make ends meet. Your father is willing to take you on, both as an employee and as his son, should you agree to work full time for Gabriel once more.”

Spend above his means. As if that was possible without being a completely shallow asshole.

“My job is satisfactory, thank you. And I’m covering my bills just fine. I did take a course in finance, as he should know. He’s the one who forced you to teach it.”

“I’m aware, Adrien. I’m sorry, but I-“

“No. You’re fine.” He dismissed her apology, guilt sinking in his chest. “It’s not your fault he’s the way he is. But my answer is no. I’m happy where I am.”

Mostly. He’d be happier back at the station. But god forbid he ever admit that his life wasn’t one hundred percent perfect.

“Adrien, I feel I should warn you that your father does not intend to give up. He wants you back at the company.”

“He has plenty of models.”

“I agree, but he does not. You’re his son. He expects loyalty from you.”

“Then he should have earned it.”

Nathalie sighed.

“I will do my best to convince him you will not be swayed. But if I can’t-“

“Be prepared to be harassed. Yeah, I got it.”

“Goodnight, Adrien. And if you need anything at all-“

“Night, Nathalie.”

He ended the call, pushing his phone into his pocket as silence settled around them.

“Hey, Sunshine. You want to-“

“I think I’m going to go home.” Adrien shook himself back to the present, pulling on his shoes. “Edgar will need his dinner soon and I’m waiting on a package from Chloe.”

“Do you need a pill? Want me to drive you home?”

Adrien contemplated the bottle of pills in his glove box and shook his head.

“No. I’m fine. Just need to get some sleep, teaching takes a lot of energy. No big deal. Night.”

Nino and Alya exchanged a glance as he stepped outside, their voices fading as he reached for his car door.

“Night, Sunshine.”

He didn’t remember the drive, but in what felt like seconds he was sitting outside his house, the pills in the glovebox being shaken into his hand the moment he’d turned the car off and made sure it was parked.

He stumbled up the front steps, unlocked the door then stepped inside and locked it behind him, ignoring Edgar completely in favor of collapsing onto the couch.

Knees drawn up to his chest, Adrien barely noticed Plagg’s reappearance.

Where had he been this whole time? In the car? Raiding Nino and Alya’s fridge?

“Why the disappearing act?” Plagg asked, landing on Adrien’s knee. “Your friends were trying to help you.”

They always did.

“It’s- it’s just better if I do this alone.”

Reaching for the remote, Adrien turned the tv on and flipped to a random channel, trying to lose himself in whatever cartoon it had landed on as he forced himself to breathe.

In. Out. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

“I don’t think it is better.” Plagg argued, carefully watching his face. “It’s bothering you, you’re a prime target for an akuma right now.”

Adrien’s heart dropped all the way to his toes, veins turning to ice as he processed those words.

“Don’t freak yourself out, kid. There’s not an akuma here, not yet anyway. I just meant you could have let your friends help you out, that’s all.”

“I can’t.” Adrien shook his head, staring at his phone on the cushion next to him. “It’s not- it’s not new. They’ve already heard about my problems with my dad a thousand times. They- they can’t do anything to fix it so they just worry and then they’re worrying for nothing and-“

“Not for nothing.” Plagg hissed quietly. “For you. That’s what friends do, isn’t it? You’d do it for them.”

“I guess. But it’s- they have problems too, I know, but compared to mine it’s like…it’s like I never stop complaining. I’m never just okay like they are. I’d drag them both down with me if I told them every time something went wrong. It’d never end. I can’t put that on them.”

Plagg yawned, stretching out on Adrien’s leg.

“Yes, well, they are mortals.” He sighed. “Weak little things. A god like me could carry the weight of a hundred of you on his back and not feel a thing. I truly am a superior being.”

Adrien looked to his kwami in confusion, not at all sure what he meant.

“So, you know…talk away, kid. Tell me all about it. I won’t even notice.”

Adrien smiled, reaching out to pet Plagg’s head.

The kwami purred but quickly disguised it as a growl.

“I’m still not a pet.”

“I know.”

Chapter Text

“Where’ve you been?” Luka asked as the screen door slammed shut behind her. “You missed dinner.”

Marinette shrugged in response. It wasn’t like she could tell them where- or who -she’d been.

“Couldn’t pay.”

“You still have to be here.” Luka argued, agitation clear in his tone as she continued to avoid his gaze, stepping around the boys’ mess in an effort to get to her bedroom.

Latching onto her door knob, Marinette turned it and pushed, her bedroom door swinging open just as a heavy hand gripped her shoulder.

“He’s fucking talking to you, street rat.” Kim spat at her, Marinette jerking her shoulder out from his grip before turning and slamming the door in his face.

She locked her bedroom door and collapsed on the edge of her bed, head hitting her mattress just as her eyes closed and a weary breath escaped her.

She’d pay for that, she knew, but she was exhausted, like she’d been wrung out and divested of energy.

“Marinette? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Tikki.” She promised quietly, opening her eyes to look up at her kwami as she spoke. “It’s been a long day with a lot of new information and I’m…full.”

So full she felt like she was slipping into a coma.

She hadn’t thought she’d eaten that much but laying there in her bed, detransformed and unmoving, her stomach and eyelids both felt heavy, uncomfortable.

Tikki giggled, nuzzling into her cheek.

“A good meal will do that. You should get some sleep.”

Marinette hummed, Tikki’s answering giggles quickly fading away as her body shut down, all on its own.

She woke sometime in the early morning to silence and darkness.

“Tikki?”

Marinette felt the little god shift beside her head, woken by her voice.

“Hm?” The kwami replied, soft and sleepy.

Marinette sighed in relief, reaching out in the darkness for her kwami. With a gentle finger resting against Tikki’s head, Marinette let sleep claim her all over again.

••••••

Marinette was the first one awake the next morning, nervously fluttering around her room as she waited for the boys to get going.

She’d made them angry and she still didn’t have the money they wanted. If she wasn’t careful they’d ask for more, punish her more, but if she could make the money before they returned-

The sudden sound of the boys moving around in the living room made her freeze and she stayed like that, silently listening, until the screen door slammed and the entire house was bathed in silence once more.

Carefully, just in case one of them had fallen behind, Marinette pulled her door open slightly, only opening it all the way when she was sure the coast was clear.

Tikki appeared over her shoulder, examining the mess the boys had left in the living room.

“Time for breakfast?” She questioned, Marinette shaking her head in reply.

“I’m still stuffed from dinner.” She complained, though she crossed into the kitchen and opened the lower cabinet to search for something to feed her kwami. “Will this work?” She held out a chocolate chip granola bar and Tikki nodded, taking it with a smile.

“Thank you, Marinette.”

Marinette nodded, eyes narrowing as she examined the boys’ mess. They’d clearly been trying to open the safe at some point, various tools lay scattered around it, their failure evident by the still locked door.

Glancing back at her kwami, Marinette hummed in thought.

“You could open that, couldn’t you?”

Tikki followed her gaze.

“I could, but-“

“Please?” Marinette begged. “If I’m the one to get it open I might be able to pay them back for the bandage and get priority on the next job. If I can get out there with them then they’ll see I’m good and I won’t be stuck trying to fend for myself all the time.”

“Or you could go to Fu. He’s made up a room for you. He’d look out for you.”

“I don’t trust him.”

“Not even now?” Tikki questioned, her disappointment clear in her tone.

“He isn’t going to win me over with some free food and offering me up to Chat Noir like a-“

“Marinette!” Tikki scolded. “That wasn’t at all his intention!”

“Either way.” Marinette interrupted. “This safe could be my chance to show them what I can do, that I’m just as good at this as they are. Or at the very least it might feed me for a few days. Heroes have to eat, right?”

Tikki sighed, but agreed.

“Alright. I’ll open it.”

Marinette watched in awe as Tikki disappeared into the safe, the lock clicking and the door swinging open a moment later.

She crouched down to examine the contents, eyes widening at the stacks of cash inside just as the screen door slammed open.

Startled, Marinette grabbed a wad of cash and stuffed it into her coat pocket.

“Hide!”

“I’ll grab the-“ Nathaniel stopped in the doorway, shocked at the sight of her. “How’d you do that?”

“Um, I uh…” She grabbed a tool at random, held it up for him to see as Luka, Kim and Théo barreled in behind him.

“Hurry up!” Luka called, “We need the screwdriver if we’re going to- Holy shit, you got it open?”

“Y-yeah.” She replied, pushing herself to her feet and backing away from the safe. “It’s full. See?”

She waited, watching nervously as the boys all crowded around to see what was inside.

“That’s more than enough for the bandage, right?”

“Are you kidding?” Luka laughed, pulling stacks of bills out and handing them to Théo.

“Good job.” Nathaniel praised, gently bumping her shoulder with his. “We tried to get it open all day yesterday, couldn’t figure it out.”

“Yeah, good going.” Luka agreed.

“So now I get priority, I get to come on your next job.”

Luka’s expression faltered and he shook his head.

“Opening a safe doesn’t mean you’re ready for a job.”

“But you said whoever opened the safe would-“

“I meant if one of us- You’re not-“

Not one of us.

It was clear on his face, in his tone. He didn’t think she belonged, didn’t think she could.

“None of you could open it.” She argued, dropping the tool she’d been holding to the floor. “You said whoever opened it would get priority. I opened it. Just let me try, I know I can-“

“Consider it your payment for the bandage and drop it.” Théo commanded, shooting her a sharp glare that made her hesitate momentarily.

Getting on his bad side wasn’t a good idea, but one job could change everything for her. If they’d just let her try, give her a chance-

“But I’ve been training, I know I can-“

“What part of drop it did you not get?” Kim barked, Marinette jumping slightly at his tone.

“Hey, man. Easy.” Nathaniel stepped between them. “She’s right. She opened it. She deserves a chance.”

“She doesn’t deserve shit. We already give her more than that. She gets free reign, her own bedroom-“

“That was my idea.” Nathaniel reminded. “She’s the only girl here. A little privacy isn’t a big ask.”

“You know maybe if you weren’t so worried about getting into her pants you’d see her a little clearer.” Kim spat, stalking forward and pushing Nathaniel out of his way. “You’re just a spoiled little brat, aren’t you, Mousie?”

She stepped backward, shaking her head.

“I just want a fair chance. I’ve been training too, just as hard as-“

She gasped as Kim’s hand made contact with her face, knocking her to the side, before he fisted the front of her shirt and pulled her up to look at him.

“Hey!” Nathaniel stepped between them again, pushing Kim away from her. “Leave her alone!”

Before she could even comprehend what was happening they were fighting, pushing and yelling as she backed toward the door.

And then there was a gun.

“Whoa! Dude, what the hell?” Nathaniel backed up, hands raising as Kim held the weapon toward him.

“I’m sick of you two getting away with doing nothing. She barely pulls in enough to feed herself each week and you’re the dead weight on the team. Everyone knows it. Might as well have one less mouth to feed.”

“Kim.” Nathaniel replied in shock.

Marinette looked to the others, but Théo and Luka were just standing there.

Why were they just standing there?

“Stop!” She begged, stepping between them. There was a moment of panic, realizing she’d just stepped between Nathaniel and a gun, but she swallowed it down, hands up in surrender toward both of them. “Just keep the safe. I’ll prove myself some other way. This isn’t worth it.”

“Mou-“

“No, Nathaniel.” She snapped, glaring at him. “I’m going to leave, go out for a bit. I’m covered for the bandage, that’s all that matters. Forget about the rest.”

She found the door behind her and pushed it open.

“I won’t be here to stitch anyone up.” She reminded them sharply, heart racing in her chest. “Don’t be stupid.”

“Marinette.” Tikki whispered from inside her coat.

Marinette ignored her, focusing on listening to her surroundings as she stormed away from the house.

No gunshots. No screams.

“Marinette.” Tikki called again. “Are you alright?”

No. No, she wasn’t alright!

She was- he’d pointed a gun at her, at them! A gun!

He could have- he could have killed her. Killed Nathaniel! And she was running away, like a coward. She was-

What was she doing?

Looking up, Marinette realized exactly where she’d come and startled backwards, mind racing as her kwami seemed to come to the same conclusion.

“The boy?”

What was she thinking? That she’d just walk up to Adrien Agreste’s front door, knock and confess? Tell him she was a criminal and have him lock her up? Rat the boys out and beg him to go easy on her? Tattle and hide behind him like a child because she’d been afraid of a little gun?

“I-I don’t know why I came here.”

“It’s alright to seek a friend.” Tikki assured her. “Especially when you’re afraid.”

“I’m not-“ Marinette groaned, sinking to sit on one of his porch steps with a shake of her head. “It doesn’t matter. He’s not here.” She nodded to his empty parking space. “No point in being here.”

“Do you feel safer now?” Tikki questioned. “Calmer?”

Marinette thought about it, sticking her hands in her pockets to warm them but freezing the second she realized the cash she’d taken was still there.

While she was here-

“Yeah, a little.” She replied, pulling a few bills from her pocket and looking back at Adrien’s front door. “Think Fu would let me use a pen and paper?”

Tikki’s eyes narrowed as she looked between Marinette and the door, her expression softening as she realized Marinette’s intentions.

“I think so.”

••••••

Fu’s door swung open, his smiling face looking up at her in surprise.

“Ladybug, how can I- Goodness, child.” His expression suddenly twisted, eyes scanning her face. “Come, get inside. I’ll get the ice.”

“Ice?” She questioned as he turned and moved into the kitchen, leaving her alone in the entryway. He returned, eyes finding her still there, and waved her to the table.

“Sit. Here. Hold that to your cheek.”

Her cheek?

She fell into one of Fu’s dining room chairs, taking the ice pack and towel from him and holding them to the side of her face as Tikki left her coat and wandered off.

She hissed at the sudden stinging sensation, pulling it away from her skin when tears welled up in her eyes.

Right. Kim had slapped her.

She’d been so worried about the gun-

“Keep the ice on it. It’ll numb in a moment.” Fu instructed, watching to make sure she followed his instruction before he asked, “What happened?”

“Nothing.” She blurted instantly, not a single thought put into the answer before it was coming out of her mouth.

Fu’s eyebrows raised, but his expression remained calm, friendly.

“Nothing typically doesn’t cause redness and swelling.” His eyes narrowed slightly as they scanned her face once more. “It’ll bruise too, it’s already darkening.”

She winced at the information, pulling the ice pack away to gently prod at her cheek.

“It was just a misunderstanding.”

Fu hummed.

“I got in the middle. I should’ve…been more careful.”

Fu shrugged, taking the ice pack.

“If that’s the story you’d like to go with. What can I help you with today, Ladybug?”

“I- I wanted to borrow a piece of paper. And something to write with.”

“Of course.” Fu left the room, returning with a pen and a piece of paper and placing them on the table in front of her. “Anything else?”

She took the pen and paper, easing out of the chair and away from him.

“No. Thank you.”

“Anytime.” He assured her. “I’m happy to help.”

She nodded, hand on the doorknob, as Tikki settled herself back in the neckline of her coat.

Turning back to look at the man, she let out a shaky breath.

“You can call me Marinette.”

Fu nodded, a smile stretching across his face.

“Take care, Marinette. Until next time.”

Chapter Text

Alarm blaring, Adrien sat up with a groan.

“Where-“

His eyes popped open, locating his phone on the floor in front of him and quickly silencing the alarm.

He’d fallen asleep on the couch.

“Plagg?”

A snore answered him from his right, Adrien holding back a chuckle as he spotted the little god, head nearly hanging off the edge and whiskers twitching with every snore.

Carefully, hoping not to to disturb him, Adrien slowly shifted Plagg to the side, leaving him fully on the armrest so he was less likely to fall off in his sleep.

He’d probably catch himself, being a cat god and all, but better safe than sorry.

Standing, Adrien stretched up onto his toes, yawning as he padded into the kitchen. He needed breakfast. He was starving.

The fluttering sound of loose paper caught his attention as he moved past the entryway and he turned back, eyes locking on a lone piece of paper on his entryway floor.

It was heavier than he expected and, as he turned it over, he realized he could attribute that to the bills that had been folded into it.

He frowned, looking at his front door.

Had someone put it through the mail slot?

He unfolded the paper and bills completely, confusion only growing when he realized just how much cash had been folded inside.

At least a hundred. And underneath, a small message in blue ink.

I owed you one

                 - Mousie

She’d doodled a little mouse in the corner and he found himself staring at it, stomach twisting at the implications of what she’d done.

She must have left it while he was out yesterday and he’d missed it when he’d come home upset.

He needed to get it back to her, assure her repayment wasn’t necessary. He had more than enough, more than enough for the both of them, taking from her when she could most likely barely afford to feed herself-

How had she even come into that much money in the first place? Had she stolen it too? Put herself in danger just to repay the debt she thought she had?

“What’s up, kid?” Plagg asked, drifting into the kitchen on his back. “Forget how to make breakfast?”

“Mousie left this.” Adrien told him, holding up the note and cash. “She wanted to repay me for…bandaging her up? The groceries? Maybe both. I’m not sure.”

Plagg perked up immediately, turning to look at him.

“Wonder how she came into that.”

“Me too.” Adrien admitted, putting the note and the cash on the kitchen counter. “I don’t have any way to get it back to her. If she needs it…”

“She’s survived this long.” Plagg shrugged. “Surely she wouldn’t be stupid enough to give you stuff she needed.”

Adrien forced himself to take a breath, to think logically past the panic.

“Yeah. You’re probably right.” He fed Edgar then started rummaging through the cabinets for something for himself. “Hungry, Plagg?”

Plagg didn’t reward him with a response, phasing through the fridge door and then reappearing with a chunk of cheese in hand.

As his kwami floated away, Adrien located a bowl and a box of cereal, pouring himself a hefty portion before grabbing the milk and a spoon.

Sugary heaven, he sighed as he took his first bite.

The taste of freedom.

••••••

“Good morning.” Adrien greeted. “I hope you all finished your chapter review.”

Darla groaned, Mia began frantically searching through her book bag and Arlen let his head thump against his table.

“That bad, huh?” He asked, barely containing a laugh. “Hand them forward. I’ll check over them during lunch and we can go over the trickier bits this afternoon.”

“It was way too hard, Mr. Agreste.” Elise complained, Corinne shrugging at her side.

“I thought it was pretty easy.”

“Yeah! It was super easy.” Henri exclaimed from the back row. “I finished it in like five minutes.”

“Show offfff.” Julie sang, the class bursting into laughter at Henri’s expense.

“Yeah Henri, just because you’re a super genius doesn’t mean we all are.” Andrew muttered, Charlotte flicking him in the back of the head in response.

“Speak for yourself.”

As Andrew grabbed at the back of his head and turned to glare at Charlotte, Henri shrugged.

“It’s not my fault I’m smarter than you.”

“Okay, hey, knock it off.” Adrien shushed them gently. “We’re a team here, okay? We’re all working together to graduate, it’s not a competition.” Scanning them and the papers he collected from the front tables, he hummed. “Tell you what. I’ll grade these during lunch like I said, then instead of a lecture we can do some practice with a partner. If you found it easy and you passed, you can help someone who didn’t.”

Excited chattering filled the room and Adrien laughed, shaking his head.

They didn’t even get to pick their partners, just the idea of socializing instead of sitting through another lecture had them buzzing with energy.

Hours later the bell rang and Adrien dismissed them, gathering their papers into the middle of his desk.

“Enjoy your lunch!”

They filed out the door, conversations floating along with them as he found a pen and clicked it twice.

“What’d you bring for lunch today?” Charlotte questioned.

If he hurried he could get the grading done, get lunch and have time to find the restroom all before they returned to class.

“Leftovers.” Andrew replied solemnly, Charlotte and Mia giggling as Arlen nodded.

“We’re gonna starve.”

“My grandma sent me with these if you guys want one.” Charlotte held something up and, on instinct, Adrien glanced at her to see what she held, eyes roaming the protein bars for only a moment before he returned to his work.

It was only the color of the wrapper that tipped him off.

He’d eaten those before. Lots of them. They’d been a staple at his shoots, perfect for when he’d needed calories to survive, but wasn’t permitted full meals.

His nutritionist had loved those nutty little things, the oats and sugar-free ‘chocolate’ covering them always so stale it felt more like eating cardboard than eating-

Eating nuts.

You couldn’t even taste the nuts.

“Don’t touch that!” Adrien pushed away from his desk just as Arlen reached for a bar, his students all freezing in place and looking at him like he’d gone insane as he plucked the bars from Charlotte’s hand and tucked them back into her bag. “Arlen, these have peanuts in them.”

Arlen yanked his hand back.

“They do?”

He nodded quickly.

“Charlotte, let’s keep those in your bag. Eat them away from your friend and wash your hands really well after, okay?”

Charlotte nodded, apologizing quickly.

“I didn’t know.”

“Of course you didn’t.” Adrien pat her shoulder. “You wouldn’t make him sick on purpose, we just have to be more careful.” Turning to Arlen he added, “Next time ask them to check the label before you take anything, even if it’s from a friend, got it?”

The boy nodded furiously and Adrien sent them off to lunch, letting out a breath of relief the moment he was able to close his classroom door.

“Quick thinking, kid.” Plagg praised, suddenly on his desk. “Could have been a disaster.”

Adrien collapsed into his desk chair, eyes closing.

Maybe he’d take five minutes to let the adrenaline fade before he graded their papers. He could eat quickly, pee fast.

What he couldn’t do was pretend that it hadn’t scared the absolute shit out of him. And that simultaneously sent him into a panic and a (completely theoretical) leap of joy, unsure which one felt more authentic in that moment.

Hooray! He wasn’t an uncaring asshole who’d medically neglect a bunch of children!

But also,

Oh fuck, he wasn’t an asshole and he was actually starting to care about that same bunch of children.

He’d started to really like them, his job too.

And for a moment, the thought of leaving it all at the end of the year to return to the station made him queasy.

He had to do it, he knew. He couldn’t give up on his mother’s dream for him, couldn’t just lay down and accept that he was too broken to be a hero. He needed to prove himself. Needed to prove that his life was actually worth something besides a bunch of pretty head shots and runway walks.

He had to.

But he was really going to miss them.

••••••

Ladybug looked up as he joined her and Fu at the dinner table once more, her posture decidedly more relaxed as she shoveled food into her mouth like it was the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted.

Maybe it was.

He could remember the first time he’d eaten out with Nino, the first time he’d tasted added salt and sugar on his tongue.

He’d thought a burger, fries and a milkshake had been the epitome of five star cooking. Still did, if he was honest.

Well, maybe four stars. Alya’s cooking topped everything, no questions asked.

Fu looked between them, humming with a small sort of smile on his face as he greeted him.

“Good evening, Chat Noir. Help yourself.”

He did, beating back the whispering voices in his mind that scolded him for doing so. So what? He might put on a couple if he kept indulging in Fu’s cooking, who cared? The dad bod came for every man at some point, might as well get a head start on it.

Not that it could really be considered such a thing if one wasn’t actually a dad.

Him. A father.

Ha! What a disaster that would be.

Like that kid and the nuts today, huh? Plagg’s voice prodded. It would be a real tragedy to keep your kids from dying or being hospitalized, wouldn’t it?

Chat Noir rolled his eyes at his kwami.

Pretty sure there’s a difference between knowing there’s nuts in a protein bar and raising an entire human being from scratch.

Plagg made a sound, one Chat Noir couldn’t classify- Agreement? Disagreement? No idea. -and Chat Noir glanced at Ladybug only to find her already looking at him, her expression completely offended.

Realizing what had happened a moment too late he winced.

“I wasn’t rolling my eyes at you!”

She turned away from him, arms crossed protectively in front of her and silently, though very loudly if one were able to hear his thoughts, Chat Noir cursed his kwami for the interference.

She already hates me! Stop making it worse!

Their dinner was silent, Fu sparing them the promised history lesson as he yawned and stood from the table.

“I’ve had a long day. I’d like to retire early. You two should see to your patrol.”

But his eyes were filled with mirth and Chat wondered what could be so funny as they finished eating, wondered why he sent them out to patrol the city with a wave of his hand and a shrug when Chat Noir asked what route they should take.

“It’ll do you both some good to learn to work together.” Fu told them, practically pushing them out the door. “Go on. Goodnight. I’ll see you both next week.”

The door slammed shut behind them and Ladybug turned to frown at it as he put the puzzle pieces he’d been given together.

“He lured us here together at the same time just to throw us out.” He grumbled, Ladybug coming to the same conclusion he had.

“Team building. Either we bond over breaking back in or we bond over patrol.”

“Clever old codger.”

Ladybug eyed him and there was something…off…about her face, but he couldn’t tell what it was.

An identifying feature. Plagg explained. Her suit is hiding something from view.