Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started off as the same old routine morning.  Marinette woke up in a panic realizing that she was running late for school.  Not that this was new for her, but the worse part about this was that today was the first day of school.  Of all days, it was the first day of lycée.

You would have thought that this girl would have learned her lessons by now to waking up early, but who could blame her when she’s Paris’s heroine, Ladybug, dealing with late night akuma battles.  Certainly not her.

Floating around Marinette, Tikki speaks up with urgency.  “Hurry, Marinette!  You’ll be late!”

“I’m trying, Tikki.  Of all people you know I’m not that big of a morning person.”  Marinette rushed back.

“Marinette, I’m not a person, I’m a god.”  Tikki giggled out.

Marinette gives her kwami a deadpan look before rushing back to getting ready.

Throwing off her pajamas, Marinette grabbed a pair of blue jean capris, a red t-shirt, and a thin black jacket.  Quickly, Marinette threw her clothes on for the day and sprinted to her bathroom.  Looking at the time, she didn’t have the chance to put her hair in her usual pigtails, and settled with placing her hair into a quick bun. 

Satisfied enough, she placed a pair of black sneakers on her feet and rushed out of her room, down the stairs through her home and down to the bakery.  Grabbing a muffin to eat on the way to school, she shouts her goodbyes to her parents.

“Bye, Mama, bye, Papa!”

Waving to her parents, she speeds out of the front bakery’s door and rushes across the street towards the school.

*****

In the classroom, everyone was either in their seats or standing in their own little groups, all in their own conversations with one another.

In the front row, Nino was in his seat leaning against the back of the desk chair listening to his music.  Behind him, Alya was busy focused on her phone updating or editing her Ladyblog.

Sitting beside Nino, Adrien was leaning back against the desk chair, arms bent behind him as he rests his head against his arms.  Taking a breather, Adrien spends the moment in his own thoughts.

‘A whole year.  It’s been a year and Ladybug still refuses to wanting to know each other’s identities.  Does she really not trust me?’

Adrien takes a deep breath, chest extending out as he releases the built up air.  Feeling the tension of stress relieving as it exits his body.

‘Just once I wish I had luck on my side instead of this damn bad luck.  I wish I knew who my lady was.’

He gets startled from his thoughts when the school’s warning bell rings out.  Sighing, Adrien leans forward, resting his elbows on the top of his desk, his head resting in his palms when the classroom door slams open to see Marinette rushing inside.

Pausing, Marinette rested her hands on her knees as she takes the moment to catch her breath and recapture the much needed air that her lungs were currently screaming for.

“Girl, there you are!  I was worried you were going to be late.  Again.”  Greeted Alya.  

Marinette looks up at her baring a smile.  “Who, me?  Never!  It’s the first day of school, Alya.  Can’t be late for that, now can I?”

Chuckling, Alya shakes her head and looks back at her phone and types.  Leaning back up, Marinette composes herself and walks towards her seat.  Noticing Marinette walking forward, Nino removes his headphones and greets her, Adrien following right behind.

“What up, dude?”  Nino says with a smile.

“Morning, Mari.”  Adrien greets with his model smile.

Looking at the two boys, Marinette greets them in return.

“Morning, Nino.”  She looks at Adrien, a light blush crossing her face.  “Morning, Adrien.”

Turning her head forward, Marinette ascends the stairs to her seat and slides in and begins chatting with Alya, talking about their summer and what they did when they weren’t hanging out with the other or the boys.

In the front, a smile still adorns on Adrien’s face after Marinette left to sit in her seat.  He occasionally eavesdropping on their summer and missing everyone. 

Remembering his time so far with his friends since he’s started school, he’s grateful to have close friends like Nino, Alya, and Marinette.  Those three were the best and closest friends he has and will ever have, well, other than Ladybug, but no one needs to know that fact.  He wouldn’t trade them for anything.

His days even got better when Marinette and him got closer over the past eight months.  Her stuttering had finally disappeared and both were able to have a full and complete conversation together.  It was the best.  The better moments being the days that he and Marinette got to spend together while Alya and Nino became busy with each other, doing who knows what.  Not that whatever certain activities they do together is a bad thing.  He’s just grateful those two lovebirds gave him an excuse to hang out with Marinette.

Ah, Marinette.

An amazing, talented, and overall incredible girl.  He wouldn’t lie, he’s always had a little crush on Marinette the day he met her.  The more he got to know her, that little crush grew into something more.  Adrien only wishes he didn’t have Ladybug in his life at the same time.  It’s difficult having two amazing girls that are important to him and he can only choose one.  It’s a conflict he deals with on a regular basis.

When the final bell rings, Ms. Bustier walks into the classroom, placing her belongings on the desk, and begins writing on the chalkboard.  As the day’s lesson commence, everyone quiets down and turns their focus towards the board as they wait for their teacher to begin.

*****

With the morning part of classes over, the bell rings signaling lunch as students stand up and begin packing their belongings.

“Hey, what’s everyone doing for lunch today?”  Rose asked everyone with sweetest tone to her voice.

All the students looked up, a few giving a shrug of the shoulder unsure of any plans.

Beaming, Rose continued, “Well, how about we all go to the park by Marinette’s place and have a welcome back picnic?”

“That sounds fun!”  Alya was the first to speak up.  “It’ll be nice to catch up with everyone now that summer is over.”

Liking the idea, everyone nods in agreement except for Chloe.

“Seriously?  Who wants to sit on the grass?  I am not going outside to stain these expensive styled clothes.  I’m going to go to restaurant with the most exquisite food and comfortable seating.”

“No one said you had to go miss spoiled brat.”  Alix said flatly.

Chloe scoffed.  “You all are just jealous.”  She looks at Adrien.  “I’m sure you wouldn’t want to get dirty right, Adrikins?”  She gives him a smug smile.

Over the years, Adrien has finally realized the person Chloe has become.  He will never understand or know what caused her to be this way.  In all honestly, he can’t stand the girl and her snotty rich girl behavior.

As calm and nicely he can muster, “Sorry, Chlo, but I’m not going.  I’d rather hang out outside with friends than the stuffy indoors of restaurants.”

Disgusted and annoyed, Chloe marches off, calling Sabrina to follow as both girls exit the classroom.

With the two girls gone, everyone else finally exit the classroom and head to a nearby café and order lunch to go for the picnic.

Once everyone ordered and received their meals, all walked together towards the park by Marinette’s home.  Arriving, they walk through the gates and begin searching for a location large enough for their group.  Finding a nice area on the grass, everyone sits down, forming a circle so all could see one another and begin eating their lunches.

It doesn’t take long before the large group of friends start up on conversations. 

While eating, the group decide to play a small game to help time pass.

“Alright.”  Kim spoke.  “How about we play Would You Rather.”

Everyone gives a nod for the game and Kim picks the topic.  With a smile, Kim asks the question.

“Let’s begin.  Would you rather date Ladybug or Chat Noir?”

“Why do topics always fall on Ladybug and Chat Noir?” Asked Max.

“Because they’re the most popular thing out of Paris.  Now just accept it and answer the question.”  Kim shot back.  “I’ll start.  I’d date Ladybug.”

For Marinette and Adrien, they weren’t sure how to handle the question.  They weren’t even sure if they wanted to know who would want to date them.  Yet, at the same time it could be interesting.  All they had to do was not blush at the thought of hearing their alter ego’s name.

“Chat Noir.  He would seem fun to compete with.”  Said Alix.

“Ladybug.  She seems sweet enough to talk to and get to know.”  Nathanael added his choice.

“I would also choose Ladybug.  She would be resourceful when danger arose.”  Max added.

“Oh!  I would choose Chat Noir.  He just looks so sweet and adorable!”  Rose said excitingly.

“Ladybug.”  Ivan and Mylene said in unison.

“Ladybug.  She just seems cool.”  Juleka answered.

“Totally got to go with Ladybug.  She’s pretty looking.”  Responded Nino.

“Excuse me?”  Alya asked, looking at her boyfriend.

“Whoa babe, it’s cool.  I said she’s pretty, but you’re hotter.  Like totally hotter than her.”  Nino shot back to ease his girlfriend.

“That’s what I thought.”  Alya said in return.  “But, you’re right.  I would choose Ladybug as well, she’s bad ass.”  Alya gave Nino a smirk.

Now it was Adrien’s turn, but he knew it wasn’t much of a debate.  “Ladybug, hands down.  She’s just amazing and incredible.”

Marinette cautiously turns her head away, hiding the blush that surfaced on her cheeks.  If only Adrien knew that Ladybug was sitting right next to him.

After hearing Adrien’s answer, it was Marinette’s turn.

“I would have to go with Chat Noir.  He’s incredibly loyal, humble, and amazing.”

“Sounds like you have a thing for him, Mari.  With those words and all.”  Said Alix. 

Beside Marinette, Adrien couldn’t help with the dark blush that crossed along his features.  He couldn’t help but feel giddy at hearing those words.  It’s not often he hears someone say good things about him.  Thankfully nobody noticed his red cheeks.

‘Does Marinette really think that about me?’

“What can I say?”  Responded Marinette.  “It’s not hard to imagine what lies under that leather suit of his.  One can have use their imagination.”

Everyone cracks a smile and start laughing and agree with her statement. 

If only Marinette could she what she was doing to Adrien right now.  His warm face, the blush growing darker, could possibly match the red color of Ladybug’s suit.

Moving away from the game, they all get lost in more conversations, soon everyone realizing how much they need to do these outings with the entire group more.

While Kim was telling a story, Marinette opened her purse to place a cookie she bought from the café for Tikki to eat. 

Grabbing her trash beside her in one of her hands, she stands up, moving forward and ready to shut her purse when she trips over one of Ivan’s shoes, falling forward.  Landing flat on the ground with a thud, all watch Marinette’s tumble and witness a little red and black dotted bug like creature tumble along the grass, halting to the center where all can see.

Shooting up on her knees and hands, Marinette looks at her kwami in shock, eyes wide and fearing the worse.  Looking around, all her friends stare at the little creature.  As Marinette looks back at Tikki, she can see her kwami on her back, eyes open with a toothy smile, arms out, completely motionless like a small toy.

“Uh, Marinette.  What is that?”

‘Oh god!  Please let them think this is a toy!’ Marinette internally screams to herself.

Alix is the first to move and picks up Tikki, rotating Tikki around to look at the craftsmanship.  Marinette stiffens at the sight of her kwami being picked up and held.

“Wow.  Marinette, were did you get this toy?  It’s totally cool looking.”  Alix says in amazement.

All the others start gathering around to look closer at Tikki, admiring the toy and detail.  Each taking turns holding the creature and smiling.

When Marinette doesn’t answer, they all look up to her.

“Marinette?” asked Alix.

“U-uh…I…uh.”  Marinette didn’t know what to say honestly.  She had to think quickly for the sake of her identity.  “I…I got it from my uncle!  Yea that right!”  Marinette almost shouted out.  “M-my uncle from China.  It’s a new toy that just started being prototyped two months or so ago.  He thought I would like it so he sent it to me.”

‘Please!  Please for the love of god believe this story!’

“That’s so cool!” Rose shouted.

“What are they called?”

‘Shit!’

“Uh…they’re…”

She couldn’t honestly believe her luck.  How the hell is she going to survive this?  There is no way she can get away with saying it’s a kwami.  ‘Oh you know, they’re called kwami and shockingly she’s real and helps me turn into Ladybug.  No big deal.’  Well, it’s not like her luck is getting any better.

Taking a deep breath, Marinette exhales as she replies, “Th-they’re called Kwamis.”

Marinette internally screams at herself.  She can only pray that Tikki won’t get mad at her later today when they’re alone.  She will personally make a dozen cookies for her for simply managing holding still for this long period of time.

As some look at Marinette or Tikki, their expressions are full of excitement and completely intrigued.  Everyone, except Adrien.  Marinette couldn’t see Adrien beside her, but his expression was full on shock and completely dumbstruck.  Eyes completely wide and pupils shrunken and mouth agape.

His mind had literally crashed and malfunctioned when he heard Marinette say ‘kwami’.

‘What?! WHAT?!  Did she just say what I think she said?!  Did she seriously just say that creature was a kwami?!’

Snapping out of his internal shock; the others go back to looking at Tikki when Adrien moves his gaze to look at Marinette.  He takes in all her features and begins comparing them to his lady. 

Adrien sees that she had the same Bluish raven colored hair, the freckles he absolutely adores running along her cheeks, the adorable face, and finally, those bluebell eyes that he could get lost into and not care if he ever returned.  His mind combusted from the entire revelation.

‘Holy Shit she’s My Lady!’

As the facts come crashing down into place, Adrien literally begins having another malfunction.

As his face goes back to shock, everything begins to make sense to him.  Marinette is his lady.  Marinette is Ladybug!  If their friends weren’t around he would no doubtingly jump up with the biggest grin on his face and shout to the heavens that his beloved lady, the love of his life, is his amazing friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.  How could he have been so blind?  And lucky!  He was definitely lucky today.

With the overall shock slowly coming to a low, he comes back to the voices as he hears another question be said to Marinette.

“What other designs do they have, Mari?”

Marinette freezes as she as slowly come to halt and at a loss of what to say.  Lucky for her, an out had just arrived.

Taking that as his opportunity, Adrien gives the biggest grin as he speaks up, to overwhelmed with joy and excitement to care about hiding his identity anymore, especially with his lady right there.

“Maybe I can help with that.”

Everyone turns their attention to Adrien, Marinette responding as well as her head snaps back to him.  All looking at Adrien, they see him with the brightest grin on his face. “As a matter of fact, I have a kwami of my own.”  Said Adrien.

Reaching into his bag, Adrien can feel Plagg trying to dodge his hand but Adrien quickly grabs Plagg and pulls him out of the bag.  Before Plagg was officially out of the bag, he froze himself into a sitting position like an actual cat would, only to have an angry expression on his face.  His green eye bright and pupils partially slit.

Everyone looks at Adrien’s and start complementing on how cool and awesome his looked.  All amazed with the detail on his kwami just like Marinette’s.

“Whoa.  Yours is so cool.”

“Thanks.”  Said Adrien.  “He’s such a grump cat.”  Only smirking due to this whole situation.

While the others continue talking, Marinette stares at Adrien with complete shock hovering over her features and unsure how to process what had just occurred.  Adrien has a kwami!  What the hell is going on?!

Marinette’s gaze turned to his kwami, seeing the features of the creature looking very much resembling that of a cat, only to look back at Adrien.  Adrien’s gaze turned to Marinette’s, his grin growing wider, his emerald green eyes sparkling with excitement, and gives her a wink.

‘That smile.  That smile is only seen on Chat Noir.’  Marinette’s eyes bug out and her jaw drops as realization hits her.  ‘HOLY SHIT! Adrien is Chat Noir.  Chat Noir is Adrien.  Holy flipping shit!!  This cat is so dead!’

“How did you get yours, Adrien?”

Easily, Adrien just smiles and responds confidently.  “My father got it for me when he was in China for a business trip.  He thought it would make a good gift.”

“Damn.  You two are so lucky.  If I had a way of getting one, I totally would.”  Said Kim.

All the others nod their head in agreement.

Checking the time; lunch is coming to an end as everyone picks up their trash to toss away and start heading back towards the school.

As everyone leaves, Marinette receives Tikki back and holds her close.  With everyone facing forward, Tikki moves and takes a breather.

“That was astounding.  I can’t believe they all bought that.”  Tikki spoke as she looks at Marinette, only to see her chosen still completely speechless.

“Well, I found it rather enlightening.”

Marinette turns her head to see Adrien standing beside her with the biggest and most exciting grin to ever cross his face, his kwami, Plagg floating on the side.

Her eyes narrow, brows furrowing as she stares at Adrien with a frustrated look.

“You’re in so much trouble, chaton.”

“As long as you’re the one doing the punishment, I purr-sonally don’t give a damn, my lady.”  A playful shit eating grin playing on his face.

Lips thinning, she continues to stare at him, “You’re unbelievable.”

“You know you love me, bugaboo!”  Adrien said jokingly, even though he truly meant it.

Unfortunately, Adrien was right, thought Marinette, but two can play this game.

Swiftly, Marinette grabs Adrien by his shirt, gripping hard as she pulls him face to face, a small yelp emitting from Adrien.  A smirk takes place on Marinette’s lips as Adrien’s features becoming startled, gulping with the intense stare she was giving him.

“You’re right.  I do love you, mon minou.  You are my paws-tively adorkable, handsome kitty cat.”

Before Adrien could process her voice and her making a pun, he feels Marinette place her lips against his, sealing both in a kiss.

Before he could respond back, Marinette breaks the kiss and releases Adrien.  She takes pride as a smile forms on her face seeing the dumbstruck expression contorting on Adrien’s face.  She chuckles as it seems Adrien as stopped functioning, completely motionless as he stares out to nowhere in particular.

Marinette finds the reaction adorable. 

“Come, chaton.  Class awaits us.”

With that, Marinette starts heading towards her friends in the distance towards the school.

Blinking, Adrien snaps out of his trance and turns over to look at Marinette.  She stops, feeling his gaze on her, and glances back, her head slightly looking behind her shoulder.  She gives him a smile, Adrien knowing all too well that look is the confidence of Ladybug, only such a smile like that to be seen on his lady’s face, and one that he finds mesmerizing.  She turns her head and continues walking.

Letting everything re-sink in, Adrien breaks out in a Chat Noir grin and chases after Marinette.

How could he not?  It’s only the beginning of more fun to come. 

Chapter Text

Catching up to Marinette, Adrien stretches out his hand as he reaches for her arm, halting Marinette in her steps.

Turning around, she looks at Adrien with a brow up raised, ambiguousness hovering over her face as she wonders what he could want.  Adrien returns a similar expression; looking into her eyes as he asks, “Are you being serious?”  A hopeful smile forming on his lips.

“Serious about what, Adrien?”  Returned Marinette.

“That-that you love me.”

Adrien remains his focus on her, waiting eagerly on her answer.

Hearing the question, Marinette’s eyes widen, a rose flush adorning her face.  She moves her gaze away from Adrien as she mentally talks to herself, mainly to try and subdue her blush.  She closed her eyes and gulped the lump that made its way in her throat down. 

Taking a deep breath, Marinette reels in her Ladybug confidence and comes clean.  Might as well get everything off her chest now.

“Yes, I was being serious, Adrien.  I love you.  A lot actually.”  Marinette bit her lip, sliding her finger to pull back a stray hair behind her ear.  She opened her eyes and looked at Adrien.  “I’ve pretty much been in love with you since the day you gave me your umbrella a year ago.  I know we had a rocky beginning, but I was really glad that you fought to try and fix the misunderstanding.  The kindness and generosity that you showed me made me regret for snapping at you.  When you gave me your umbrella to start a new, that was the day I fell hard in love with you.”

Marinette gave Adrien a small smile after telling him her confession.  She wasn’t expecting much in return, but she felt better having opened up and releasing everything she’s wanted to tell him during the year.

Adrien stared at her in full shock and awe as he listened to her explanation.  He couldn’t believe the words that came from her.  The boy felt like an idiot for not noticing sooner.  He could have been with his lady months ago.

Blinking a few times, his jaw slightly agape, he couldn’t help the rose flush surfacing along his cheeks.  The warmth felt wonderful.

“You’ve been in love with me for that long?”

Nodding her head, she responds, “Yep.  I mean, it felt ridiculous to be honest.  I have a lot of doubt that I would ever have a chance with you.  I’ve never cared about who you were as Gabriel Agreste’s son, that you were a famous model, and even wealthy than I feel I will ever dream to be, but for someone like me, it was a little intimidating.  It doesn’t make it any easier.  As a baker’s daughter, I feel unworthy to ever feel like I could have a chance to belong with you.  I have nothing to offer you like Chloe can; my family and I aren’t made of money.  I’m nothing special.  I’m just an ordinary girl.”

Adrien’s gaped mouth only grew deeper, his brows furrowing in the center as a hint of agitation crept forward.  He couldn’t believe what he heard coming from Marinette.  The thought that if he were in a cartoon or show, a line of dots would have crossed along the screen or at least a numerous amount of question marks popping up above his head.  There was seriously no way that Marinette, his lady, his lovely princess; the one and only person who could ever be Ladybug could speak so little of herself. 

‘She has no idea how wrong she is.’

“Are you for real?”  Adrien responded with a little harsh snap to his tone.

Marinette flinched as she looked at him, baffled at Adrien’s tone and frustration that appeared on his face.

“W-what?”

“Do you really think so little of yourself?”

“Wha…I-I-” She was stumped, mentally disciplining herself for stuttering.

Pointing his finger at her, “You’re not unworthy, Marinette!  You are far from that, princess, do you hear me!”

Marinette gawked, completely speechless as she listens to Adrien when he continues to speak.

“You are far from worthless and anything along that matter.  There is no one, NO ONE that is more amazing than you.  You’re Ladybug, heroine of Paris that protects all.  From what I’ve seen, no one shows these qualities than you.  Marinette, you’re amazing, extremely talented, and overall an incredible girl.  I love you for you.  The talented designer who dreams so big that she can accomplish whatever she puts her passion too, who stands up for those without any hesitation, and selfless that she never asks for anything in return when she helps others in need.”  Adrien rests his hands on Marinette’s shoulders as they both gaze at one another.  “I have been in love with Marinette and Ladybug for the past few months constantly battling within myself wishing I could decide who I should with.  Finding out that the two most important girls in my life, that I am undoubtingly in love with are the same person, became the greatest gift and luck I could ever receive.  You are far from unworthy, princess, my lady.  I couldn’t have asked for a better girl to love and stand by your side.  If there is anyone unworthy, it’s me.  I’ve got nothing compared to you.”

Tears were sliding down Marinette’s cheeks as she stood there listening to Adrien’s speech.  She’s never heard anyone say so many wonderful things about her, besides her parents.  It made her breathless.

An intake of breath is heard as she inhales air from the lack of breathing, speechless through the entire thing.  Hearing him finally finish, she watched him relax a bit as he closes his mouth, the look of hurt still hovering over his features.

Unaware of her body moving on its own accord, Marinette reaches her hands up, embracing his cheeks as she draws him to her lips, locking them in a kiss.  When their lips met, she closed her eyes from the bliss that emitted from the action. 

Feeling their lips pressed together, Adrien’s eyes widen from the contact but quickly ease as his eyes close and returns the kiss without further hesitation.  He wraps his arms around her body pulling her close, bringing her against him as close as possible so he can place more pressure to their kiss.  Marinette moves her arms around his neck to assist Adrien in deepening the kiss.

After a few moments, they break the kiss.  They lean their foreheads against one another as they catch their breath, breathing in each other’s air as they regain their lack of oxygen.

Regaining her composure, Marinette moves her head and leans in against the space of his collarbone between his neck and shoulder, holding him closer.  Adrien responds by wrapping his arms tighter as he rests his chin on top of her head.

“Thank you.  Thank you so much, Adrien.  You have no idea how much hearing what you said meant to me.”  Adrien heard her speak, almost muffled with her head against his body.

Adrien digs his nose in her hair as he nuzzles his princess, “Never stop believing in yourself, Mari.  I will always be here for you.  I love you, bugaboo.”

“I-I love you too.”  Marinette sniffles as she takes another breath.  “And you so worthy no matter what anyone says.  Never stop being who you are, chaton.  I couldn’t ask for a better partner to be my Chat Noir.  No matter the time or day, know I will always be here for you too.  That means if you need someone to talk to or just hang out.  I know you feel burdened on how everyone views you as a pretty face with money and status, but know I never cared for that.  I fell in love with the boy who shows kindness to others with a smile always on his face and who’s there by one’s side when someone is in need of it.  You are so selfless that you will go out of your way or add on to your already busy schedule it’s amazing and I will never understand how you do it.  I love you so much, chaton.  Please don’t forget that.”

Even though Marinette couldn’t see it, Adrien couldn’t help the big smile that overtook his face, along with a few stray tears falling down his cheeks.

“Thank you, princess.  I needed that.”

Adrien gives her a tighten hug.

“Can I ask you a question then, my lady?”

“Of course, kitty.”

“Will you be my girlfriend?”

A smile forms on her lips as she digs her head closer to Adrien.

“Yes.  Yes, I’ll be your girlfriend.”

Adrien couldn’t help the massive amount of joy shocking through his body.  Like earlier, if they weren’t out in public, he wouldn’t hesitate to scream out to the heavens in pure joy.  He’ll have to make a rain check to do it once he got back to his bedroom.  Maybe even swing open one of his bedroom windows and shout out his joy to the city.  He wouldn’t mind people knowing that Marinette Dupain-Cheng is his and his alone.  That no other man shall claim his princess and his lady.  For if they do, they shall feel the wrath of Adrien ‘Chat Noir’ Agreste!

“Well then,” Adrien breaks the silence, “We should get back to class, princess.  We wouldn’t want to be late.”

As if on cue, the warning bell for classes echoed through the school.  The two released each other as they looked at one another, smiles crossing both their faces with love flowing throughout their body.

Reaching for Marinette’s hand, Adrien intertwines their fingers as they both take off in a run towards the school and into their next class.

*****

In the classroom, everyone is seating when they hear the door swing open with Adrien and Marinette breathing heavily to catch their breath.  Everyone looks at the two and immediately look at their intertwined hands.

“GIRL!”  Adrien and Marinette jump startled from Alya’s voice ringing in the classroom.  They look up to see Alya smiling with a wide grin as she looks down on them.  “What exactly happened after I left?!”

Both Marinette and Adrien look at her confused. 

“What?”  Responded Marinette.

“Hello!  You two are holding hands!  What happened?!”       

“Oh, uh…I confessed to Adrien about my crush on him and he confessed he had a crush on me too.  So, now we’re dating.”

Marinette and Adrien give their friends a smile.  Clearly everyone seemed happy.  That was until they heard the classroom door open and a screech coming from behind them.

“WHAT’S GOING ON?!”

Adrien and Marinette turn around to see Chloe stomp up towards them, her main focus on Marinette as she jabs her index finger in Marinette’s chest.

“Release your hand on my Adrikins this instance!”  Seethed Chloe.

Marinette’s brow twitched as she stood in front of the mayor’s daughter.

“Excuse me?”  Marinette urged out, rough with some venom mixed in.  There was no way she was going to let Chloe get her way, but especially think that Adrien belongs to only her.  What a rude awakening this will be for the blonde bully.  “What gives you the right to think that Adrien belongs to you in the first place?!”

Of all things to occur at the end of the lunch period this wasn’t what the class would have expected.

“Because we’re meant to be.  He needs someone who can match his status and won’t bring his appearance down!  Especially a baker’s daughter!”

“Excuse me?!”  Adrien snapped, anger clearly in his tone as he steps in front of Marinette, his sole attention in front of his now ex-childhood friend.  “How dare you, Chloe.  What gives you the right to decide who I belong to?”

The class stood stunned.  They’ve never seen Adrien get angry, nor thought eh ever could.  Apparently they’re learning a lot today.

“Please, Adrien.  You can’t be serious.  You need someone like me, not her!  Besides, she’s not rich, she can’t give you anything.  With me we can have the wealth and comfort.  Marinette can’t offer any of that!”

Adrien couldn’t believe what Chloe was saying.  And how dare she speak about Marinette that way!  No one speaks about his lady like that!

“How dare you, Chloe!  Is that all you care about?!  Money, status, and appearances?!”

“O-of course not!”  Chloe shouted back.

“Really?  Then tell me, what about me do you know or care about other than those things?”

Chloe didn’t know how to respond; no answer to justify that she didn’t see Adrien other than a pretty face.

“That’s what I thought.  Nothing.”  Adrien spoke.  “You’re like everyone else who only cares and sees the perfect modeled son of Gabriel Agreste who’s just a pretty face with money than stopping to see that I’m a human with feelings and choices.  You need to take yourself off that throne of yours, Chlo.  Just because you’re the daughter of the mayor doesn’t make you better than anyone or get everything you want.  You need to stop acting like a queen and daddy’s girl and grow up.  The world doesn’t revolve around you.”  Adrien reaches for Marinette’s hand, “And one last thing.  Our friendship is over.”

Completely shocked, anger crosses Chloe’s face as she gives both Adrien and Marinette one last glare before heading to her seat, Sabrina following close behind.

Everyone remained quiet, speechless at the whole ordeal.

Hearing the teacher come through the door, Adrien and Marinette walked to their desk, Adrien giving Marinette a quick peck on her lips.  They took their seat and the teacher started class.

Adrien looks over to Nino to see him with a huge grin as he looks at his friend, mouthing ‘wow’ to Adrien, amazement in Nino’s face.  With a shrug, Adrien gives Nino a smile as Nino brings his hand for a fist pump which Adrien gratefully return.

Behind him, Marinette sits in her seat with completely love struck and full of bliss replaying Adrien standing up for her.  That moment showed just how much Adrien truly cared and loved her; her kitty knight in leather armor.

“Girl, you okay?”  Alya whispered beside her.

Marinette looked over to her friend with a loving smile, “Oh yea.  Perfectly fine.  Just enjoying the moment.”

Understanding what Marinette meant, Alya gives her best friend a smile in return as she and Marinette initiate their secret hand shake.

*****

With the afternoon classes flying by, the bell rings to signal the end of school as students pack their belongings to head home. 

Before Marinette and Adrien finished packing, all their friends gathered around the two with eagerness and smiles.

“Hey, Marinette, Adrien.”

The two look up at their friends.  They wait to listen on what their friends have to say.  Alix is the one that takes the move to speak for everyone in class.

“We wanted to ask you two for a favor.”  Both Marinette and Adrien give a nod to tell Alix to continue.  “If we give you money, could you two order us those kwami toys for us?  All of us really want one.”

Marinette and Adrien’s eyes slightly widen, well, Marinette’s eyes widen more than him.

‘Well shit.  Why?  Why must my luck betray me of all days?  What did I do to you universe?!  Please tell me!’  Marinette screamed to herself internally.

“Uh, what?”  Adrien was the first to respond.

“Can you guys get us the kwami toys if we give you the money?”

Adrien thought about it.  Was it okay to say no to his friends?  He wasn’t completely sure.  As he was about to respond, the imaginary light bulb popped in his head.

‘Oh my God!  Marinette and I can literally make money off of this!  Oh hell yeah!’

A grin forms on his face as he turns to look at Marinette.  Watching as she turns to look at him, one of her brows knit towards the center as the other raises up, confusion flowing through her, unaware what Adrien was doing. 

‘I’m not liking that grin of his.’

Glancing back at his friends, Adrien replies with confidence and a death wish from his lady.

“Of course!  Marinette and I would be honored to order the kwami toys for you.”

All their classmates smile at the answer as Adrien reaches into his bag and pulls out a piece of paper and pencil.  Avoiding the death glare he knows Marinette must be giving him.

“Just write your name and which kwami you want.  That way we can order the right amount.”

“Awesome!”  Some of the class shouted.

“How much are the toys?”  Asked Alix.

“I would say at least twenty euros.  That way we can cover the shipping.”

With all his classmates nodding, they each walk up to the paper and right their names with which kwami they wanted, giving the money to Adrien for the order. 

Watching everyone leave, Marinette and Adrien were the only ones remaining in the classroom as the classroom door shuts with the last person exiting.

Waiting a few seconds to ensure everyone is out of ear shot, Marinette glares back at Adrien with shock and disbelief.

“WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!?!”

Adrien just looks at his girlfriend confused, giving her an innocent look with kitten eyes.

“Oh don’t you dare give me that look with those kitten eyes!  That will not save you this time!”

‘Well damn.  That typically always worked on her.  Guess I’ll need to practice more and try some new head moves.’

“Oh come on, bugaboo!  I was thinking about us when I said this.”

“What exactly were you thinking?”

“I was thinking we get actual toys made of our kwami’s and make some money!”

“Why?!  You don’t need money!”

“Money for us!  I thought this could be a great way to make money for us that we can use to save up and buy things we want.  You can’t tell me there isn’t any fabrics that you have been dying to buy.”

Marinette closed her mouth, opening it to speak, but quickly shut it again.  Thinking about it, she could really use some new fabrics and even buy some more of the expensive fabrics she’s had eyes on a few times on her visits.

Moving her gave at the money in her boyfriend’s hand, she looks up to make eye contact to see him with a smile.

“I could use some new fabrics for my projects.  I guess this could hurt.”

She smiles as a grin forms on Adrien’s face.

“That’s the spirit.  See, this cat has great ideas.”

“Yes, my kitty does at times.”

“If you also want to know, I thought this could be a great and humorous way of messing with Hawk Moth.  His brain might just combust from this prank.”

The thought of that happening played in Marinette’s head and broke out in laughter.

“Oh my God, we have to do this now.  Come on, let’s head to my place and start coming up with ideas to get Tikki and…”

“Plagg.”  Adrien responded.

Giving him a nod, “Getting Tikki and Plagg created into toys.  We have to be quick so the others won’t wait to long.”

“Sounds like a plan, princess.  Lead the way, my love.”

Grabbing her hand, Adrien and Marinette walk out of the school hand in hand as they head towards the bakery.  They have a lot of planning ahead of them.  And furthermore, Hawk Moth won’t know what hit him.  What better way to mess with your arch nemesis than through a prank?  

Chapter Text

Exiting through the main entrance and down the front steps, Marinette and Adrien walk the short distance from school towards her family’s bakery.  Still hand in hand, Marinette and Adrien cross the street and round the corner to the front door of the bakery.  When Marinette opened the bakery’s door and both entered inside, the addicting aromas of the bakery sweets and breads fill Adrien’s

Being in the bakery for only a few seconds; Adrien’s mouth already began to moisten for the desire of the delicious sugary treats.

Glancing over at her boyfriend, Marinette giggles at the sight of Adrien glancing at the different windows containing the assortment of homemade food.

“Is mon minou hungry?”  Asked Marinette sweetly.

The response she receives from the boy is a simple whimper, “Maybe a little bit.”

“Just a little?”  Marinette questioned with a hint of a smirk on her lips.

Adrien chuckles baring a sheepish grin, taking his free hand and rubbing the back of his neck.  “What?  I don’t get to eat many treats filled with sugar often.”

At the register, Sabine finishes attending to a customer looking over at the other patrons of the bakery when her eyes fall on her daughter holding hands with a young man while Marinette and boy talked amongst one another.  When she looked closer, Sabine recognized the boy as Adrien.

Smiling, Sabine begins to head out from behind the front counter as she greets the two.  “Hello sweetheart!  Hello Adrien!”

Both teens halted in their conversation and turned to see Sabine walking towards them as she weaves around some of the customers.

Reaching the teens, Sabine embraces Marinette in a hug and kiss to her daughter’s cheek in greeting.  Marinette graciously returns her mother’s hug and kiss to her mother, “Hello, maman.”  A smile forms on Adrien’s face seeing the warming gesture.  He misses the moments himself when his mother left.

As if Sabine heard his thoughts, she turns to Adrien next and embraces him in a hug, and placing a kiss on his cheek.  “It’s so good to see you again, dear.”  Adrien smiled and excitingly returned Sabine’s hug.  “Tom and I were beginning to wonder if you hated us.”  Sabine says with a playful smile on her lips.

Adrien stiffened and leaned away with wide eyes.  “What?!  N-no, no.  Of course not!  I could never hate you and your family.”  He ushered out in panic.

A laugh leaves from Sabine as she pats on Adrien’s shoulder with reassurance.  “I know, dear.  I was only teasing with you.  I know you’re a busy young man.  It’s not every day I get to embarrass my daughter’s boyfriend.”

A dark red blush crosses Adrien’s cheeks.

“Maman!  You’re going to scare him away before I even have the chance to date him.”  Marinette says with a chuckle to her voice.  A small blush forming on her cheeks as well.

“I know sweetheart.  I was just having fun.  I’m happy that you and Adrien got together.  I knew you would eventually get the man of your dreams.”  Sabine smiled and sent a wink to both.

Marinette covered her face with her free hand in an attempt to cover her redden cheeks.  She can only imagine how Adrien is fairing.  Unknowingly, Adrien’s face turned out redder than her.  Yet, the thought of being with Marinette and becoming part of the family eased him in their presence.

While the other customers were busy looking at the variety of treats and baked goods, Sabine called for her husband.

“Tom?”

The sound of rustling coming from behind the door to the kitchens come to a stop when Tom pokes his head out from behind the door, some of his face sprinkled with flour.

“Yes dear?”  He responded with a smile.

Tom watches a smirk forms on his wife’s lips, “You owe me twenty euros.”

Furrowing his brows in confusion, Sabine steps aside, gesturing her head towards Marinette and Adrien.  Moving his gaze over to his daughter and Adrien, he sees their hands intertwined with each other.

“Oh come on!  I was so sure this wouldn’t happen for another month.”  Tom remarks as he fully exits the kitchen and walks over to the three.

Confusion hovers over Marinette and Adrien as they watch her parents.

“Uh, what’s going on?”  Marinette asks in curiosity.

“Your mother and I made a bet to see when you and Adrien would get together.  Your mother said the beginning of the new year of school starting when I said it would happen in about a month or two from the new school year starting.  Unfortunately, as always, your mother defeated me.”

Tom pulls out a twenty euro from his pocket and hands it over to Sabine, taking it from her husband with a proud a smile.

“I swear your mother has psychic abilities or something.”  Grumbled Tom.

“Remember Tom, our daughter’s a Cheng.  We always get our man.”  She looks at her husband and gives him wink.

“I can’t believe you placed a bet on my love life.”  Marinette states dumbfounded.

“What?  We knew you and Adrien would end up together in time.”  More like a reveal of alter egos both teens thought.  “We just wanted to have some fun when you and our future son in law would finally get together.”  Tom responded.

Well, here comes the dreaded blush again, Adrien thought to himself.  Though it wasn’t a blush of embarrassment, but a blush of warmth from feeling so welcome.

“Pardon, but, future son in law?”  Adrien asked confused.

Tom and Sabine look at Adrien with bright smiles.  He can see what only could describe as love on their faces.

“Oh, Adrien, we’ve always counted you as family.  You’ll always have us here if you ever need anything.”  Said Sabine, putting as much love as she could into her words with Tom nodding in agreement with his wife.

Adrien wasn’t sure how to react except stare at them, mouth slightly agape and eyes filled with wonder and full of love that he longed for so long.

Maybe he could be part of their family officially sooner. 

He turned to Marinette.  “Can we get married now, princess?”

Marinette looked at Adrien noticing his seriousness.  She chuckled as she hugged him tightly.  “Sorry kitty, but ask me again in a couple of years.”

A grin forms on Adrien’s lips as he takes her words whole heartedly.  “So does that mean when we’re eighteen I can ask again?”

“Maybe.”  Replies Marinette, a hidden glint in her eyes that only Adrien could see.

Sabine and Tom chuckled as they embraced their children.  Glad to share their home with the young man that they care for so deeply.

“Our home is your home too, son.  Don’t forget that.”  Said Tom.

Releasing the kids, both adults head back to their duties.  Tom bids them goodbye as he heads back into the kitchen to continue baking and filling orders.

Moving back behind the counter, Sabine grabs a plate and places macaroons, eclairs, and croissants for the teens.  Handing the plate to Adrien, Sabine tells them goodbye as she gestures them upstairs into the house to relax.

Heading through the door, Marinette leads Adrien up to the main portion of the house and up the stairs to her bedroom.  Entering the room, Adrien places the plate of treats on her desk by her computer, removing his bag and laying it on the floor.  Marinette closes her trap door and walks over to Adrien, removing her bag as well, both releasing their kwamis.

“Make yourself comfortable, kitty.”

With a smile, Adrien removes his shoes and sits on her chaise, grabbing a croissant and enjoying the buttery deliciousness hitting his taste buds.  He leans himself back against some pillows near the head piece.

“Oh my God.  These are amazing, princess.”

“Glad you’re easy to satisfy.”  Marinette giggled.

Grabbing her sketch book, Marinette heads over to the chaise and sits next Adrien, leaning against the back of the couch and begins drawing Tikki and Plagg in the poses they froze themselves into from earlier in the day.

Watching his lady draw their kwamis’, Adrien reaches over and places the tray of treats closer to them as he continues to munch on them.  Taking the satisfaction of having sugar not worrying about his model diet.

“Looking great as always, princess.”

“Thanks.  Now we just need to figure out how we’re going to get them made.”

“I think I have a way of getting them made.  I know some people who I’m pretty sure wouldn’t have an issue making the toys.  I’ll handle the payments and business side.  I’ll let you focus on the designing side of things.  We just need to find a time to meet up with them to discuss business.”

“You seem like you actually want to make this a business and living.” 

“Well, why not?  What would be wrong with being a toy maker?”  Adrien beams with excitement.

“Nothing at all.  I just assumed and envisioned you doing something related to physics since that’s your favorite subject.”  Marinette chuckles out.

“Who says I can’t do both.”  Adrien spreads his arms out with glee thinking of making it an actual goal.  Cause, why not!

“Marinette.”

Adrien and Marinette hear the small voice as they look over to see Tikki on her desk munching on some cookies from Marinette’s secret stash she always has for her kwami.  Plagg sitting beside her with a roll of Camembert that he dug out from Adrien’s bag.

“What is it, Tikki?”  Asked Marinette.

“I was thinking, since you and Adrien are attempting this as a way to confuse Hawk Moth, Plagg and I were thinking that it might be a good idea to make some of the other kwamis.”

Adrien and Marinette look at their kwamis with startled eyes.  They knew there was other miraculouses thanks to Tikki and Plagg, but they never thought adding the other kwamis.  The only downside is that she and Adrien didn’t know what the other miraculouses were and what the kwamis looked like.

“That’s a good idea, Tikki, but Adrien and I don’t know about the other miraculouses.  We don’t even know what the other kwamis look like.  Where would we even begin.”

“Actually, I had a book that discussed about the miraculouses, but I lost it.  I’m sure that could have helped us.”  Adrien responded.

Marinette looks at Adrien, a small flush donning her face.      

“A-actually you didn’t.  I grabbed it during the whole incident with Lila and Volpina.  She threw it away when you met up with her at the park.  Tikki and I retrieved it from the trash bin and took it to the guardian who protects the miraculous.”

“Oh.  Well, good to know that it’s not lost and stumbled upon the wrong hands.”

“Where did you get it anyways?”  Marinette asked curiously.

“From my father’s study.  I’m not sure why he had it, but I don’t think he knows it’s missing.  And honestly, it’s a good thing.  I don’t know what I’d do if he found out I took it and lost it.”

“Well, since we’re going to do this, then we should get started on the designs of the other kwamis.  That way it’ll look like more of a toy franchise.  Besides, we should go visit Master Fu about the idea.”  Proposed Tikki.

“Who’s Master Fu?”  Adrien asked, not knowing the stated person.

“He’s an older gentleman that Marinette took me to when I became ill.  Most importantly though, he’s the grand guardian that watches over us and the other miraculouses.”  Tikki gave them a smile.  Going to Master Fu would be the best idea and informing him about this little plan would be beneficial. 

“What?”  Marinette asked shockingly.  “That was Master Fu?!”

“Yes, Marinette.  How else do you think he was able to cure me and not ask too many questions on what I am?”  Giggled Tikki.

“He’s also the one that chose you two as Ladybug and Chat Noir.”  Added Plagg.

“Seriously?”  Questioned Adrien.

“Yes.  He felt you two had the means of wielding the black cat and lady luck.  He did not disappoint.  Plagg and I couldn’t have asked for better chosens.”  Tikki said with glee and love in her eyes.

“So, since there’s other miraculouses, what other ones are there?”  Asked Marinette.

Tikki flies back to her cookies and munches on them as she answers their questions. 

“Well, there’s Plagg, and I, then there’s the turtle, the butterfly which Hawk Moth possesses, the bee, the fox, and the peacock.”

“My God.  We can totally design a toy franchise!”  Adrien shouted excitingly.

Marinette turns and looks at Adrien skeptically. 

“You’re being serious about this?  You really want us to create and sell toy designs?”

“Come on, Mari.  We can really make a lot of money.  Not just from our friends but people.  Seriously, bugaboo, we can bring in and save so much money for us for the future.”

“You sound very adamant that this will work out.”

“Trust me, princess, I know it will.”

Marinette is still hesitant on the idea when Adrien grabs her hands and holds them with his.  He looks at her with pure admiration.

“Alright, let’s try this.  Princess, what is the one thing that you most desire?”  Adrien asked lovingly.

With a blush on her cheeks, she mumbles, “You.”

Rolling his eyes, a chuckle escaping, he looks back at her.  “Besides me, even though I know I’m claw-some and paws-itively adorable; what’s the one thing that you’ve always wanted?”

To be honest with himself, Adrien really wanted to know to make sure he can make it come true for her.

Giving in, Marinette takes a deep breath as she gives Adrien her answer.

“I would love to own my own boutique someday where I can sell my own clothes line.”

A large grin spreads across Adrien’s face, “Then we should do this, Mari.  I know this will be a big hit.  Besides completely screwing with Hawk Moth’s head, we can raise and save money for your boutique.”

Marinette looks at Adrien with wide eyes.  “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course, Mari.  I’d do anything for you.  As long as I can model for your clothes line.”  Adrien gestures and wiggling his eye brows.

“You hate modeling.  I’d rather you go towards your passion for physics than continue doing something you hate.”

“First off, I don’t hate modeling, I just don’t care for it.  Second, it’s different if I model for you than my father’s brand.  Third, I will be a physics professor.  I’ll just be one who sells toys and models on the side.”

“Wow.  Your peers will be so jealous.”  Marinette remarks sarcastically, only for a smirk to slowly spread across her lips.

“Oh they will.”  Adrien says proudly, ignoring Marinette’s sarcasm.    

Rolling her eyes, Marinette stands up.

“Alright then, let’s get headed to Master Fu’s.”

“I thought we were going to design the other kwami’s first?”  Asked Adrien confusingly.

“I thought it would be best to ask the guardian on what the other kwami’s look like.  I have no clue where to even begin.  So why not ask the professional for the design.”

With a smile, Adrien stands up from the chaise and grabs another treat.

“Always with the brilliant ideas, my lady.”

Tossing the macaroon in his mouth, Adrien reaches and grabs Marinette’s hands, their kwami’s making room in Marinette’s purse as they walk out of the house and make their way towards Master Fu’s home.

*****

After the twenty-minute walk, the two arrive at an older building that Marinette recalled from her first time visiting last year.

Entering through the door, the sound of a bell announcing their entrance as they take in the scene of the wooden walls with Chinese decorations.  Seeing what looked to be multiple rooms and a waiting area, they felt the calming sensation from a massaging place.

Seeing a wooden bench seat, Adrien and Marinette close the door behind them and sit down as they wait patiently for someone to come out and greet them.

Hearing her purse open, Tikki and Plagg pop their head out and fly out of the purse, and dash into another area of the house, disappearing from their chosens’ sight.  Blinking at their kwamis departure, they look at each other in confusion when they shortly hear footsteps approaching from one of the rooms.

As the footsteps come closer, one of the wooden doors open to reveal a short, older Asian gentleman.  Walking with crane in hand, the man approaches them with a smile as he greets the teens.

“Afternoon, Ladybug and Chat Noir.  A pleasure to have you visit.  I am Master Fu; how can I help you.”

“Afternoon sir.”  Adrien kindly replies back.

“Please, call me Master Fu.  No need for sir.”

“Alright, so, you’re the one that gave us the miraculouses, right?”

With a pleasing smile, Master Fu take seat in the nearby chair and focuses on them.

“That would be correct, Adrien.  You and Marinette showed potential in which I felt were perfect for each other as partners, including more.”  He looked at their intertwined hands and gave them a wink.  A blush forms on both wielders faces.

“So, I understand that you came here to talk about a certain matter, am I correct?”  Continues Master Fu.

“U-uh yes, Master Fu.  Both Adrien and I had a small mishap occur where our identities were almost figured out by our friends.”  Told Marinette.

“Oh, is that so.”  Master Fu asked with curiosity.

“W-well, you see, my kwami fell out when I tripped and I played it off that she was a toy.  When I was getting questions relating to it, Adrien revealed himself with his “toy” kwami, helping me escape the almost reveal of being Paris’s heroine.”

Master Fu tried very little to contain the snickering coming from his mouth.

“And now, our friends want their own kwami toys.  So, Adrien and I, mostly Adrien’s idea which I also agreed would be fun, were going to make actual toy versions of our kwamis as well as the others.”

Master Fu’s eyebrows shot up with surprise and curiosity only growing.

“I know it sounds risky, but we thought it would be a great way to mess with Hawk Moth and derail him a bit as we try and search for him.”  Added Adrien.  “Besides, it would be really cool to see kwamis as toy figurines.  Hawk Moth wouldn’t know what to do.  He can easily go crazy just trying to figure out what’s going on.  A simple prank couldn’t be that bad, right?”

Stroking her little beard, Master Fu allows all the information to sink in.  Wayzz floats up and lands on his shoulder looking at his master.

“Master?”

Master Fu opens his eyes and looks at Wayzz.  With a smirk, he looks back at Adrien and Marinette.

“I think this would be rather interesting to see how the results play out.  I will support you two.”

Adrien and Marinette are surprised by Master Fu’s answer, well, more Marinette; Adrien couldn’t help with the biggest grin that overtook his face.

“On one condition.”  Master Fu quickly brought up.

Adrien’s grin falters a bit as Marinette gives a worried look.  They wait patiently for his answer.

Smiling, Master Fu looks straight at them, “I want a figurine of all the kwamis.”

The grin returned on Adrien’s face, entire body beaming as Marinette releases the breath she didn’t know she was holding.  Leaning up, Marinette pulls out her sketch book and pencil.

“Alright, now that we have your permission, we were hoping you can help us with what the other kwamis look like.”  Asked Marinette.

“Of course, Marinette.  I have seen all of them.  A few are still dormant, but I can still help you.  I’m sure the book on the miraculous can help you as well.”

Standing up, Master Fu heads into another room and returns with the book containing all the miraculouses.

“Here, this will help you.”  Master Fu hands the book to Adrien.

Gripping the book, Adrien opens up the book and flips them to the other miraculouses that Tikki and Plagg told them about.  With Marinette beside him, she quickly sketches a basic design for the rest of the kwamis.

Satisfied with the simple sketches, Adrien shuts the book and returns it to Master Fu.

“Thank you, Master Fu.  We appreciate your help.”  Marinette thanked kindly.

“Yes, thank you.  We promise to get you one of each when they’re made.”  Added Adrien, giving him a quick thanks as well.

“Your welcome children.  Do be careful and I wish you two luck.  I would have never thought that people could ever believe such a story as toys, but I guess that’s just how some of our minds work.  Easily fooled.”  Master Fu chuckled, still amused by the story.

The two teens chuckling themselves.  They gather Tikki and Plagg back into her purse as they all say goodbye to Master Fu, exiting his home as they make their way back towards their area of their own home.

“So, are you excited now that we can finally make the prank for real?”  Adrien asked excitingly.

“Absolutely.”  Marinette giggled at Adrien’s excitement.  “I can’t believe Master Fu was agreeing with the idea, but in all, it’s a fun prank.  It’s going to be crazy I’m sure.”

“It’ll be fun.  Something that I can absolutely enjoy and maybe show my father that I can make money besides being a model and doing whatever it is he wants.”

Holding hands, they cross the street when Marinette turns to look at Adrien.

“Adrien?”  Adrien looks at Marinette.

“Yes?”

“Would you like to stay for dinner?  My parents would be pleased if you could.  I’m aware you eat alone back home and I hate to send you back when you can be with family for dinner.”

Heat rises throughout Adrien’s body, warming him from the comforting gesture of Marinette offering him to stay to have dinner with her family, a family that he was told he was part of.

Squeezing her hand, he leans down and kissed her cheek.

“I’d love to have dinner with the family, my lady.  Thank you.”

Giving a quick peck on his lips in return, Marinette and Adrien make their way back towards her home, a love struck smile plastered on Adrien’s face from the kiss on the lips by his princess.  With Master Fu’s permission they prepare for the next steps in the Kwami Toy Plan.

Chapter Text

Walking through the back door, Marinette leads Adrien up the stairs towards the second level of the house.  Once reaching the top, Marinette opens the door and ushers Adrien inside as she follows behind, closing the door behind them.  Being the respectable boy that he is, Adrien removes his shoes, placing them by the door with the other shoes, Marinette doing the same as well.

Moving further inside, Marinette and Adrien walk towards the kitchen where she sees her mother starting dinner.

“Hey mama.”  Marinette greets with a smile.

Sabine looks over to see her daughter and Adrien coming towards the kitchen as she greets them in return.  “Hello sweethearts.  Did you finish meeting up with your friend?”

“Yep.  And mama, would it be alright if Adrien joined us for dinner tonight?”

A warming smile forming on her mother’s face, Sabine looks up at the teens, “Of course.  We’d love to have you stay for dinner.  Hopefully you’ll stay over for dinner more often.  You’re too skinny, you need to eat more.”

Sabine goes back to preparing dinner when Adrien takes his hand and rubs it against the back of his neck.  “I’ll make sure I come by more.  I just have to be careful since I’m on a model’s diet.  My father and Natalie could get upset if they find out I’m not eating what I’m supposed to.”

“Adrien dear, a growing boy needs proper food and proportion for someone such as yourself.  If you don’t eat the amount that you’re supposed to, then you won’t get the strength you need or the proper nutrition that your body needs.  Trust your mama.  I make sure my children are taken care of.”  Sabine glances up to look at Adrien and gives him a warming motherly smile.

A sense a warmth flows through Adrien, proud to know a family so loving and welcoming that the Dupain-Cheng’s are.  He really feels like part of the family, more so with only dating Marinette for a day.  How did he get so lucky?

“Is there anything I can do to help you Madame Cheng?”  Adrien asked politely, feeling like he needed to help in anyway than just stand there feeling useless.

“No need to call me by my last name, dear.  Sabine would be fine.  Or it you want you can call me mama if that suits you better.”  Sabine says sweetly as she looks up again from chopping food to send a wink at Adrien.  A tender smile falls on Adrien, a light warm blush crossing his cheeks.

“O-oh alright, Mad- I mean Sabine - I mean mama, ugh.”  Adrien leans his head down in embarrassment, face redden from his ‘not sure what to call her’ mistake.

Sabine giggles as she finishes chopping the food and prepares the stew.  “If you would like to help, you and Marinette can set the table.  How about that?”

Looking up, Adrien gives Sabine a nod and Marinette walks Adrien to the cabinets to gather plates, silverware, and cups to set the table.

“What are we having for dinner, mama?”  Marinette asked as her and Adrien set the table.

“We’re having Chicken Mushroom Stew.  Should be a perfect filling meal.”  Sabine replied to her daughter.  Setting the table, Adrien’s mouth begins to water from just hearing it as well as a small growl coming from his stomach.  ‘God let this dinner come quick.’

Finishing the table setup, Sabine sets a platter of cheeses and breads on the table.  While the stew finishes up, Adrien and Mari help themselves to the cheeses and bread, Adrien snatching a few pieces and sneaking them into his pocket for Plagg.

After fifteen minutes go by, Sabine walks the pot of stew over to the table, placing it on one of the heating pad when Tom walks in from the bakery.

“Smells delicious, hun.”  Tom greets everyone.

Taking a seat, Sabine seats down with everyone else as she takes turns filling up everyone’s bowls with stew while Tom passes the plate around with bread and cheeses.

With spoon in hand, Adrien takes his first bite of the stew and leans back in the chair with a pleasurable hum, enjoying the wonderful flavors attacking his taste buds feeling he has gone to heaven.  He’s never come across food that tasted so good and delicious.  Yes he has personal chefs at home, but they don’t have the taste of home cooked meals like this.  For Adrien, it has to be the love that comes from this small family that must make everything they create taste absolutely amazing.

Still in food heaven, Adrien compliments Sabine’s cooking without thinking, “This is so delicious, mama.”  Once those words escaped, Adrien slapped his hand over his mouth in embarrassment.  He looks over at Sabine with wide eyes afraid when he sees her looking at him with a big warming smile on her lips.

“Thank you, dear.  It’s alright, Adrien.  I told you, you can call me mama.  It made me happy.”

Adrien slowly brings his hand away from his mouth, giving a small sheepish smile in return.

“Thank you.”  Adrien responded shyly.

“You can call her mama as long as you call me papa.”  Adrien looked at Tom to see a smile on the large man.

“I-I-I, o-of course.”  Stuttered Adrien.  

Beside him, Marinette giggles as Sabine and Tom chuckle to join her.  Adrien’s face reddens again but not without a smile on his face.

As the small family finish up dinner, Sabine and Tom sent Marinette and Adrien upstairs to relax while they cleaned up and did the dishes.  Heading up the stairs, Marinette and Adrien enter her room as she closes the trap door behind them.  Adrien makes himself comfortable and lays down on her chaise, laying on his back as his head lays against the soft pillows, eyes closed as he relaxes giving a deep exhale.

“Are you planning on staying the night, chaton?”

“Maybe.  Only if you’re okay with that, Mari.”

“I’m fine with that, but what about your father?”

“He’s out of town until tomorrow evening.  Thankfully Natalie is with him too.  So there’s no one at my house to know I’m there.”

Marinette’s smile drops a bit, a sadden smile knowing Adrien doesn’t have a welcoming home life.  She’s hoping to change that, even if it means going through his current idea slash prank of creating a toy business.  She prays she will be able to hold this charade from their friends.  As she thinks about it a thought comes forward causing her eyes to widen a bit.

“Uh, kitty?”

Adrien pops one of his eyes open and gazes up to Marinette standing over him.  Moving his hand, Adrien pats the spot beside him on the chaise to signal Marinette to sit down.  Obliging, Marinette sits down on the chaise, only to decide and lie down against Adrien as she begins running her hand through his hair.

“Adrien?”

“Yes, my lady?” Adrien says softly, his head now resting against her stomach.

“I just realized a flaw into our little prank.  Since we’re designing toys officially for this prank and to please our friends which I’m now feeling since the way you’ve been acting is going to turn into more than just selling this to our friends, but if we do end up creating a toy line with this, how are we going to explain this to our friends?  They know that we each got our kwamis from a family member but how are we going to explain to them when they find out that we’re selling these officially as a business?”

Adrien just smirks at his girlfriend’s worries.

“Mari, I think it’s a simple fix.  If they ask, our answer will be this.  We lied because we felt they wouldn’t believe us that we were starting a toy business.  Plus, that we wanted it to be a surprise until we were sure we had a way to finance and support our business idea.”

Adrien closes his eyes and snuggles closer against Marinette, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close like the needy kitty he is.  For Marinette, she was taking in the information he was telling her.

“Wow.  You really thought about this didn’t you?”  Marinette was rather impressed.  Yes the lie they could tell their friends about them making a toy business sounded believable, but she still couldn’t believe Adrien thought of that being their reasoning.

“Yes I did.”  A prideful smile on Adrien’s face.

“That pretty much proves it.  You’re better at telling lies than I am.”  Marinette gives a nod in confirmation and gives Adrien a good pat on the head.

Feeling pretty exhausted from the day’s event, Marinette decides to head to bed early.  Removing herself from Adrien’s grip, he flops back down and gives Marinette a displeased whimper from her loss of heat.  Looking up at her, Adrien, lazy as he’s being at the moment, raises his arms at her and giving her a grabbing motion with his fingers.  “Come back.”  Whines Adrien.

“Chaton, I’m tired and my bed is far more comfortable than my chaise.  Either you can sulk and remain here or you can join me in the comfort of my bed.  You decide.”  Leaving Adrien with that decision, Marinette walks over to her drawer, grabs pajama shorts and a shirt, and heads to her bathroom to change.

As she disappeared in her bathroom, Adrien quickly sat up and grabbed his bag and flipped the cover open and searched through his bag.  As his luck has remained so far for the day, Adrien saw a pair of his gym shorts inside.  He was so glad he got lazy and didn’t put it in his duffle bag.  Quickly, while Marinette was changing in her bathroom, Adrien removed his pants and changed into his shorts, and finally removing his shirt, going bare chested.

Sitting on the chaise, Adrien waits patiently for Marinette to return.  A few moments later, Adrien hears the bathroom door open with Marinette exiting with her changed in her pajamas.  When she looked up, her face goes red as she sees her boyfriend, Adrien Agreste bare chested sitting on her chaise.  Even though she dreamed the day to see him without a shirt, she’s starting to feel that she can’t handle the hotness sitting in front of her.

Clearing her throat, Marinette walks over to her hamper to toss her dirty clothes and begins making her way up the stairs to the loft where her bed is.  “Come on, kitty.”  Marinette says softly as Adrien gets off the chaise and follows her up the stairs to the bed.

Moving the bed covers aside, she has Adrien slide in first which she follows after, grabbing the bed covers and placing it over them.  Turning her lights off, Marinette and Adrien get cozy as they lay side by side, Marinette’s back lying against Adrien’s chest.  Adrien wraps his left arm securely around Marinette’s waist as she lays her left hand by her head; her right hand under the pillow intertwined with his.

“Your parent’s won’t be upset that I’m sleeping with you in your bed right?  Like your dad won’t murder me in my sleep?”  Adrien asked with some nervousness in his tone.

“No, they love you too much.  If they do check up on us I’m sure we’ll get the talk.  Besides, mama and papa trust me and they trust you.  So, you’re fine.  Just sleep.”  Marinette reassured him.

“Alright, I trust you.”

“But I swear, if you try anything funny, chaton, I will drop kick you off the bed and you will sleep on the chaise.”  Marinette warned, a playfulness in her tone.

A small smile forms on Adrien’s face, placing a kiss to the back of her head, chuckling, “As you wish, princess.”

With a small smile taking place on Marinette’s face, they both shut their eyes and slowly become overtaken by sleep, Adrien for once falling to a wonderful sleep since a few years.

*****

The next morning, Marinette wakes up with her room bright from the morning sun.  Groaning as she wakes up, she feels the weight beside her and around her waist.  Looking down she can still see Adrien’s arm wrapped around her waist.  With a smile forming on her face, she carefully turns a little and looks behind her to see Adrien sleeping peacefully.  She finds his sleeping form beautiful as the light coming from her balcony trap door shines on his body, the sunlight highlighting his golden hair and smooth skin.

Leaning quietly and carefully towards him, Marinette places a small kiss to his temple and unhooks his left arm around her waist.  With his arm unsecured around her, Marinette sits up as she slides out from her bed.  Removing the bedcovers, she stands up and bends into a stretch.  Turning around, Marinette grabs the covers and place them over Adrien as she lets him continue sleeping.  Lord knows how much he probably needs it.

Heading down the stairs to her main floor of her bedroom, Marinette walks over to her dresser and grabs clothes for the day and heads into her bathroom to take a shower.

After her shower, Marinette exits her bathroom on her clothes for the day and drops off her pajamas in her hamper as she walks over to her desk.  She decides to spend the morning to continue her sketches.  Relaxing into her computer chair as she leans over her desk staring at her sketchbook with all the designs of the kwamis.  She spent this morning redesigning the other five and placing them in poses that seemed fun and different from the other.  Adding the last touches on the peacock kwami, Marinette lifts up her sketchbook and holds it out in front to intake the entire designs of the kwamis.

“Hey, Tikki?”  Marinette called for her kwami.

Hearing some shuffling near her, Tikki flies and floats near her chosen’s head, looking at the sketchbook.

“Yes, Marinette?”

“What do you think, Tikki?  Do these designs look okay?”  Marinette asked, unsure if there are any changes that need to be done.

“They turned out great.  Especially the fox kwami.  The fur looks lovely.”  Tikki chirped in excitement.  Seeing her counterparts as toys was going to be a delight.  She knows they would have approved.

“Alright, I’m glad.  Now, we just need to come up with names for each.  I don’t think it would be smart to use their actual names.”  Marinette didn’t want to risk any confusion for her kwamis if others were to say Tikki’s name.

“That’s a safe bet.  Any ideas?”  Asked Tikki.

“Well, I was thinking of using one Adrien’s nicknames for me as a name for you…your toy you.”  Marinette was thinking.

“Which ones?”  Tikki was curious and excited.

“I was thinking either Lovebug or Buginette.”  Marinette offered Tikki.

“Oh I like Buginette.  We should that one for me.”  Floating in excitement, Tikki lands on the desk besides Marinette.

“Alright then.  Now for Plagg.”  Marinette said as she write down the names.

“We need to keep Grumpy Cat.  It suits Plagg perfectly.”  Tikki was not going to take no for an answer.  Plagg being the way he is, Tikki knew there was no better name for him.

Marinette chuckled at Tikki’s seriousness on Plagg’s name, “Alright, Grumpy Cat it is.”  Writing down the name, Marinette leans back and stares at the others.  “Okay, now for the others.”

“Purrrriiiinceeeessss!!”

Marinette halts on her writing and slides herself on her desk chair towards the middle of her room to look up at her bed.  Upon seeing the loft, she can see Adrien near the edge of the bed, arms spread out over the edge.

“What is it, kitty?”

Adrien’s hands begin gesturing in a grabbing motion, his head still against the pillows with eyes closed.  “Come back up here.”  Adrien moaned and whined.

“God you’re such a needy cat!”  Marinette shouted back.

“Come back to sleep.”  Adrien continued to whine.  “I need warmth.”  He groaned.

“No.  You need to get up anyways.  We already missed half day of school.”

“WHAT?!?!”  She heard Adrien shout from her bed, the sound of blankets being thrown off and feet rushing down her stairs.  Looking over, she sees Adrien rushing to the floor and stares at her.  “WE MISSED OUR MORNING CLASSES?!”

In all honesty, she really tried to hold back her laughter.  Seeing her boyfriend’s shocked and disheveled appearance was very amusing she couldn’t help it, she burst out laughing, arms clutching her stomach.

“Why are you laughing?!”  Adrien still can’t comprehend the situation and why Marinette seems so calm about missing half a day of school.

“Oh Adrien.  We didn’t miss class, I was joking.  School doesn’t start for another hour.  Seeing your reaction was so worth it though.”  Marinette continued to snicker trying to hold her laughter back.  Adrien’s shocked face turned to a sour and frustrated expression as he stares at his girlfriend, unbelievable that she would do such an act towards him.  “I can’t believe you did that to me.”  He said deadpanned.  “How could you torture your lovable sexy boyfriend with the notion of giving me a heart attack?”

Marinette simply rolls her eyes as she watches his dramatic acting slash pouting, “Oh quit your whining, chaton.”  She grabs a folded towel and tosses it to him, Adrien catching it with ease.  “Go take a shower and get ready for school.”

“But I don’t have a clean shirt.”

Thinking real quick, Marinette walks over to a pile of shirts near her sewing area and pulled out a black t-shirt with a stripe of green cat paw prints running along the upper chest area.  Pleased, she throws it to Adrien, again, catching the clothing with ease.  Holding the shirt out to look at it, Adrien’s face brightens up at seeing the paw prints.

“I think that should suffice for you.  I intended it to be a new pajama shirt but I think the size would be perfect for you.  Also, you can even wear your white over shirt with it.”

Beaming with excitement, “Thanks, Mari!” Adrien quickly moves forward and gives a kiss to her cheek and heads into her bathroom.  “Wow!  It’s really pink in here too!”

The sound of her shower running is heard as she slides back towards her desk to continue her sketches.  “What a crazy cat.”  She mumbles under her breath, a smile on her lips.

*****

Making it to classes early, a shock to their classmates seeing Marinette on time for the second day, the morning classes go by surprisingly quick for her and Adrien.  When lunch rolls in, Marinette and Adrien inform Alya and Nino that they want to go to lunch just the two of them as a new couple.  Giving the two a smile, Alya and Nino easily appease to their wishes and wave them goodbye as Alya and Nino head out on their own for lunch.  What the two and their other classmates didn’t know was that Marinette and Adrien were using their lunch to finish up their business plans for the kwami toy franchise.

Stopping at a nearby café to retrieve a lunch, which Adrien graciously bought despise protests from Marinette, they headed to the park across from her home as they find a bench to eat and talk.

“Alright, Adrien.  Before we meet up with your business friend, we need to finish creating names for the other kwamis.”  Marinette informed Adrien.

“Okay, what names do we have so far?”  He asked in return.

“We have Buginette for Tikki and Grumpy Cat for Plagg.”

“What?!”  The small voice ringing out from Adrien’s bag.  “Who chose Grumpy Cat?”  Plagg clearly distraught at the name.

“You can thank me, Plagg.”  Tikki’s voice being heard from Marinette’s bag, taking the extra room to stretch from being in Marinette’s purse.  “I think it clearly suits you.”  Tikki giggles as she returns nibbling on cookies.  Plagg quiets down before Marinette and Adrien heard mumbled words that sounded like ‘you betrayed me sweet tooth’.

“Alright, so we need names for the bee, fox, turtle, and peacock, correct?”  Asked Adrien.  Marinette nods her head yes.  “Okay, well, how about we go simple with the bee and call her Queen Bee.  Done.  For the fox…how about…Trixy?  Since foxes are tricksters and all.”

“I actually like that.  Queen Bee would be simple but nice and Trixy sounds adorable for the fox.  Alright, those will work.”  Marinette writes down names for the bee and fox.  “Okay, now the turtle, peacock, and butterfly.”

“Let’s see…Oh!  Can we call him Gui?”  Adrien asks in excitement.

“Why Gui?”  Marinette chuckles at the name.

“I don't know. It means turtle in Asian culture. I thought it was a cool name of saying it. Either that or Yoshi.”

“Wow, you really are a nerd and no we are not naming him Yoshi.  Alright, Gui it is.  How about Pavón for the peacock?”

“Sounds good to me.  And lastly the butterfly.”  Adrien taps his chin in thought.  “Let’s go simple again.  Well go with a butterfly name.  Will Monarque work alright with you?”

“I think we can handle that.  I mean, we only have a sort amount of time anyways so we have to be quick to get all this completed for our friends and others.”

Both satisfied that they have the designs and names, Adrien and Marinette finish up their lunches and head back to the school to finish up their afternoon classes.

*****

Thankfully, the afternoon classes went quickly.  Maybe it was just the feeling of school starting again, the beginning week starting off easy.  Either way, Adrien and Marinette were thankful for the easy first two days.  As the bell rings for the end of school, Adrien and Marinette gather up their belongings quickly as they make their way to head off and meet up with Adrien’s contact for the toy making.

Walking through the school and into the limo, the Gorilla drove Adrien and Marinette the twenty minute drive to a toy manufacturing building.

“A toy company?”  Marinette asked in curiosity.

“Yea.  They make the ladybug and chat noir toys and merchandise.  I became great friends with the owner since…well…since I’m his biggest buyer on Ladybug merchandise.”

Marinette turns to look at her boyfriend as a dark blush forms on his cheeks.

“I would have never guessed you were such a fan.”  Teased Marinette.

“Oh come on.”  Adrien urged as they exited the limo and entered the building.

Entering the front lobby, Adrien walks up to the front desk and speaks with the receptionist, informing their appointment with the owner.  As the receptionist phones the owner, Adrien and Marinette wait patiently for the owner.

Not waiting long, the owner enters the lobby as he greets the duo.

“Adrien!  Welcome!”  The owner greeted excitingly.

Turning around, Adrien greets the owner with a genuine smile.  “Hello Jacque!”

Adrien and Jacque shake hands and then the owner looks at Marinette.  “And who might this lovely lady be?”   

“This is my girlfriend, Marinette.”  Adrien introduced, feeling happy every time he gets to introduce her as his girlfriend.

Jacque shakes Marinette’s hand, “My, you are a lucky man, Adrien.”

After greeting the two, Jacque walks them to his office up on the second floor.  Gesturing them to take a seat, Jacque begins to speak.  “So, what can I do for my favorite buyer?”  A kind smile on his face.

“Well, to put it simple, Marinette and I want to start making toys and we were hoping you’d be willing to partner up with us and help make the toys.”  Explained Adrien.

“What do these does look like?”  Asked Jacque, curious about the offer.

Marinette takes the moment and opens her sketchbook to the designs on the kwamis.  She slides her sketchbook over to Jacque.  Grabbing the sketchbook, Jacque looks at the sketches and a smile forms on his face.

“Wow.  These are fantastic and interesting.  Do you have a name for your franchise?”

Marinette takes the front to explain, “They’re called Kwamis, just simple characters based on animals and insects.  We thought they could be fun and some of our friends saw the sketches and fell in love with them and really want a toy of them.  So Adrien and I thought it would be rather exciting to make a dream a reality.”

Jacque’s smile only widens and forms into a grin.  “You know you two, I was looking for an opportunity to start another franchise besides Ladybug and Chat Noir and I think my opportunity has just arrived.  I would gladly and love to partner up with you and bring these characters to life.”

“Really?!”  Adrien asked in complete amazement and excited shock.

“Yes.  I think we both can make a great profit on these fun lovable characters and I enjoy the names.  When would you two like to start?”

“Does now work?” Adrien asked eagerly.

“Absolutely my boy.  All that I ask is if I can make a copy of the sketches so my designers can create blueprints for the mold templates.”

“O-of course.”  Marinette lets Jacque take her sketchbook to make a copy of the designs.  With the copy, he hands Marinette her sketchbook.

“I’m really excited you two.  I think we’re about to start a big seller here.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”  Responded Adrien.

“Now, I will call you when we have the first molds for each character.  I should have them done in about a week.  Does that sounds alright with you two?”  Asked Jacque.

“Of course.”  Adrien and Marinette said in unison.

“Fantastic.  Unfortunately I must end our meeting.  I have a meeting with some buyers and they should be here any moment.” 

“It’s alright.  We thank you for taking the time to talk with us.”  Adrien shakes Jacque’s hand as Marinette stands up and does the same.

Waving bye to their new business partner, Adrien and Marinette exit the toy company and walk to the limo where the Gorilla was waiting.  Opening the door for Marinette, she enters inside with Adrien following behind, closing the door as the Gorilla begins driving them back home.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this.”  Marinette spoke as she still intakes all the information and account that they are officially starting a new toy line.  Stunned but excited at the same time.

Beside her, Adrien couldn’t wipe the grin on his face.  He is ecstatic to begin something that he wants to do and not forced by his father.  “Oh it’s only the beginning, my lady.”

Chapter Text

The meeting with Jacque last week was more exciting than this.  Above her room, sitting in one of her lawn chairs on her balcony; Marinette sits crossed legged with multiple papers from her homework and a few text books scattered near the middle and end of the lawn chair.

Dropping her pencil on top of her papers, Marinette places her head in her hands in frustration, releasing a grunt as she drags her hand and fingers down her face.  Homework should never be this frustrating.  Inhaling and exhaling, Marinette digs her fingers through her hair as she tries to release the tension within her body.

“Are you alright, Marinette?”

Opening her eyes, Marinette looks over to see her kwami sitting on the table besides her sitting next to the plate of cookies and other varieties of sweets.  Tikki looks at Marinette and offers a caring smile.  She continues to nibble on her cookie as she awaits her chosen to answer her question.

As if her kwami was filled with luck enough, Marinette knew she could always confine in her kwami.  Why she’s feeling so stressed, she doesn’t want to admit it.  She’s not entirely sure what exactly it is that she’s stressing over.  Was it Ladybug?  No, absolutely not.  She wouldn’t give up being Ladybug unless Hawk Moth succeeded in retrieving her miraculous.  As if that would ever happen.  Was it the reveal that lead Adrien to revealing he was Chat Noir?  Again, no.  Although she couldn’t believe that Adrien was her flirtatious and pun loving partner, she wouldn’t take knowing each other’s identities back.  Knowing that both love each other, both sides, makes her days bearable, even when dealing with the obnoxious behavior of the blonde she devil of Chloe.  Marinette’s learned to deal with Chloe.  With the help through Adrien, she’s opened her eyes a bit on the issues Chloe must face and how her childhood must have been like.  So for now, Marinette remains open on the chance of Chloe growing to be a better person.

Now, if she asked herself if it was about the kwami toys, then yes.  That was part of it.  Even though part of her is really excited about doing this, she can’t help but the other half of her fall towards the insecurity and doubt that this is all going to end well.

“Marinette?”  The calming voice of her kwami brings her out of her reverie.  Her wondering eyes falling onto her tiny kwami as Tikki looks at her with slight worried eyes.  How lucky Marinette is.  She can always rely on Tikki to bring her back from a moment’s internal freak out.

Blinking her eyes, Marinette comes to and addresses her kwami.  “Sorry, Tikki.  I guess I’m just worried.  Maybe even stressing out a bit.”

“About what?”  Tikki asked as she chews on her cookie and speaks between bites.

“Are we sure this plan won’t back fire on us?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m worried that something is going to go horribly wrong.  I can’t shake the feeling that we shouldn’t attempt this.”

Tikki doesn’t know what to expect.  Sure it was a risk in the beginning when she fell out of the purse and was played off as a toy – doesn’t mean it won’t work.  If she recalls, she did play toy when she was sick and taken by Chloe.

Furrowing her brows, Tikki asks, “What about the plan is making you worried, Marinette?”

“I-” What is she worried about?  “I guess I’m worried about people knowing who we are.  I don’t think Adrien thought much about it, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure if we should let people know that it’s us selling these toys.”

Tikki blinks at her, running Marinette’s worry through her head.  Still, surprisingly, Tikki doesn’t find anything to really worry about.  This plan still sounds plausible without any possibilities of back fires from moving forward.  Yes, taking on a possible business at their young age is risking, but knowing that Adrien has some knowledge due to the man his father is and dealing with business as a model, she feels Marinette and Adrien will be fine.  Even if obstacles do come their way, the two together can easily overcome any obstacles that present themselves.

Speaking of the duo.

“I’m touched that you care so much for us, princess.”

Marinette jumps in place from the sudden presence of another being on the balcony.  Turning around, Marinette looks to see her leather clad boyfriend leaning against the railing of the balcony.  His smirk on his lips as he stares at her in greeting.  She should be mad, but at the moment couldn’t truly focus on it.  Marinette doesn’t understand why, but her sudden stressful mind erupts to a halt as she takes in the image of Chat Noir.  For a calming night, Marinette’s train of thoughts blur to the illumination of the Eiffel Tower’s lights casting an angelic glow behind his body.  To say she has utter most dignity is true, but never will she doubt that an attractive boy, just shy from being a young man, will cause her young feminine mind to cease functioning.  No doubt when that boy is also your loving boyfriend.  ‘Well shit.’

“Liking what you see, my lady.  If you ask nicely, maybe I can pose for you.”  Chat gives her a wink as his grin forms into a loving smile.

From her seat, Marinette gives him a smile in return, only to soon move her gaze down towards the scattered papers of her homework.  However, she wasn’t fooling anyone tonight.  She can’t fully explain it – why she’s so nervous about this whole thing.  The last thing she wanted was to ruin Adrien’s chance to have some fun. 

Noticing the smile on his girlfriend’s features, it wasn’t difficult for Adrien to see that her smile didn’t reach to its full extent, filled with the usual care and happiness that he’s known her to bare within her smiles.  Something must be truly wrong if his princess isn’t her normal happy go lucky self. 

Calling off his transformation, Adrien becomes swept with the green electric light sweeping from the bottom of his feet and up as the cooling air now touches the warmth of his skin and loosely fitted pajamas.  Simple black sweat pants and white shirt, Adrien gazes at the bright pink of Marinette’s pajama pants and simple tank top that was a fainter variation of pink.  Wow, she really could pull of pink when Adrien stops to think about her attire.

Moving forward, Adrien slides beside Marinette on her lawn chair as their legs brush each other’s.  Marinette didn’t even flinch, her mind visibly elsewhere.  Adrien’s eyes glaze with worry that his girlfriend is acting out of character.  Did he do something wrong? 

Unsure where to begin, Adrien raises his hands and rubs his knuckles along Marinette’s arm.  His smooth and soft knuckles creating a soothing notion against her pale skin, occasionally rubbing his thumb along her freckled covered shoulder.  Leaning down, he leaves a kiss against her shoulder.  His lips longingly still against her smooth skin as the warmth from his lips radiate to her.

Releasing his lips from her flesh, Adrien looks at her with comfort, patience, and love.  He continues to run his knuckles along her arm as he attempts to get a conversation going.  “Princess?  What’s bothering you?”

The nagging feeling of her insecurities consumes Marinette’s mind.  She doesn’t want to confess her worries to Adrien.  She doesn’t want to appear as if she’s over reacting from delusion and what ifs.  Yet, is it right to constantly avoid her problems and worries from Adrien.  Her boyfriend who has been more than loving and caring, but also her partner that would take a hit for her without hesitation and comfort her with no questions asked.  She couldn’t do that.  Not to him.

Still, the ‘what ifs.’

“Just physics, kitty.  You know I’m not a fan of this subject.”  Marinette offers a forced light chuckle.  Not going unnoticed by Adrien and the kwamis.

“Come on, Mari.  Please tell me.  You can confide in me for anything.”

Marinette looks up from her papers to her boyfriend’s eyes.  The pleading coming from within his eyes sways Marinette to bring up the issues that’s consuming her.

“I don’t want you to think that I’m over reacting or being stupid.”  Her voice was hushed, but a tinge of fear mixed with it.  Her gaze returning back to her papers.

“You aren’t, nor ever will be stupid.  Whatever you have to say you can tell me and I’ll be here to help you.”  Adrien slid his hand up her arm and cups her lower jaw and cheek, turning her gaze back to him.  “Tell me.”

She takes a deep breath and prepares herself.  “I’m nervous.”  She closes her eyes as she speaks her mind.  “I’m nervous about the toy plan.”

She opens her eyes to see Adrien looking at her with warmth.  He leans in and places a chaste kiss to her lips.

“If you’re worried this much, then we can cancel the whole idea.  We’ll just get the toys made for our friends and end it there.  I don’t want to push you if you’re not comfortable.”

Her eyes widen as she straightens up.  “No, no, no, no, no!  I do want to do this!”  Adrien jumps slightly from her sudden gesture.  She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him against her.  He responds and wraps his arms around her waist, holding each other close.  “I’m just nervous about using our names to promote the toy line.  I just feel that we shouldn’t use our names to present the toys and get swarmed by people and fans.  I’m worried if we did, it would cause more pressure on you as well as issues from your father.  I know you don’t relay much on your home life but it’s not hard to know that you have your father’s company to uphold.  That your father causes enough issues and activities on you that I don’t want you to be stuck with another act that people could possibly ensue as another skill towards the ‘perfect son’ feature.  I’m proud of you.  I’m proud with your desire to wanting to do something that you feel happy and excited about, especially with it being something that you want to do.  I just don’t want that to get ruined by the false of being Gabriel Agreste’s perfect son.”  Marinette takes another deep breath from her rushed of words.  “Does that make any sense?”

‘Wow.’  That was all Adrien could internally think from the confession that Marinette had just laid forward.  He never thought that this was what was bothering her.  In full retrospect, he was honorably touched that Marinette feared for his reputation and danger of being bombarded by his fan based and world as a celebrity status of being a well-known model and gaining more attention.  He never stopped to consider the consequences about using their names.  He never stopped to think what it would cause of his father found out and how it would fall against him and his current life style.  The last thing he ever wanted was more attention.  He absolutely hated it.  Being Chat Noir was his only chance of feeling free along with being with his lady.  Last thing he wanted to do was have Marinette endure a similar experience. Without Marinette’s brought up fear, he would have ruined their chances before they even started.  All because of his current status.

“Wow.  I hadn’t thought about that.  I guess I was so excited to do this toy idea, I never did consider that aftermath of what could happen if they knew Adrien Agreste was one of the two who created a toy franchises.  In all honesty though, I’m more in awe that you were concerned for me and my reputation.  No one has ever thought of me first or ever considered about what would happen to me.  Mari…no one has ever showed me love like you do.”  He leans his head up to look down on her.  “Thank you.  Thank you for thinking of me and protecting me.  I guess with the lack of care and affection growing up, I never had the chance to care for myself.  So thank you, princess, for thinking of me.”

He leans down and gives her a kiss.

“I’ll always worry about you, Adrien.  I just want to make sure we don’t do something that we’ll regret later for not planning ahead.”  Marinette offers him a smile, cheeks blushed from the affections.

“That’s why you’re my ladybug.  Always planning ahead.”  He rubs his nose lovely against her own.

“Then what should we do?”  She asked him curiously.

“Why not create a pseudonym?”  Tikki spoke up from her plate of cookies.

The duo look over as Tikki grabs another cookie and begins munching and nibbling.  A pseudonym.  That could work.

“Hmm.  A false name.  That could actually work.  That way we can avoid unwanted attention, remain anonymous, and still make a profit without too much worry.  What do you think, kitty?”  Marinette looks at Adrien with a new found of excitement in her eyes.

A smile plays on his lips as things got better.  No doubt that it has to be due to his lady’s luck.

“I think that will be a wondrous idea, my lady.”

“Okay.  So we just need to think of a name that won’t give off hints or traces leading to us.”

“How about a shipper name?”  Adrien asks in full confidence.

Marinette raises her brows and stares at him.  He seriously couldn’t be that serious.

“For real?”  She responds.  “You really want to create a shippers name as our pseudonym?”

“Well…why not?”  Adrien grows a Cheshire grin as he leans forward towards her face.  “We can go by LadyNoir.”  He wiggles his brows as he looks at her.  Surely it could be fun to combine their shipper name of their alter egos.

“Absolutely not.”  There was no way she was going to sell toys using a pseudonym like LadyNoir.  It sounded like the name was better suited for sex items.  ‘…hmmm.  Sexy clothes line themed of our alter egos.  Now that’s a money making idea.  LadyNoir would definitely fit that.  Wait!  Why am I thinking about that now?  Damn it!  Later.  Later I can create concept designs.  Yes.  I’ll do that.  Not now, but later.  That can be a future plan.’    

“Fine.”  Adrien whined with a pout.

“May I make a suggestion?”

Adrien, Marinette, and Tikki turn to looks at Plagg as he laid curled up next to Tikki and the plate of sweets.

“Since we’re already selling the kwami name as a toy franchise, why not create your pseudonym based off Miraculous?  We already gone this far.  Might as well dig ourselves deeper.  You could even create fake versions of the miraculouses and sell them with certain packages as a special prize.”

“Oooo.  I like that!”  Tikki chirped excitingly.  “That’ll definitely cause a halt on Hawk Moth.  That might even help us in the long run on figuring him out.  This might be our way of baiting him out of hide out.  If he starts noticing miraculous, he’ll no doubt try and search for which ones are real.  At those moments, that can be our possible way of finding him.”

“Won’t that be risky?”  The discomfort and insecurity waning in her voice.  She couldn’t risk people’s safety for an opportunity to capture Hawk Moth. 

The other three look at her.  Adrien strokes his hand down her back as they look at their kwamis.

“I don’t know if I can risk civilians’ safety.”  Marinette replies towards her kwami.  Both Plagg and Tikki look at one another then back at their chosens.  Tikki volunteering to answer.

“Listen.  I know you two don’t want to ever lead to violence or anything dangerous when it comes to involving civilians, but when it comes to dealing with a threat; you must be willing to deal with risks if you ever wish to end the threat.  Hawk Moth won’t play it easy down the road.  He’s not going to go easy on you two, even right now that your still only teenagers.  As a hero, you must be willing to sacrifice a few things, even if it’s risky.”

The sincerity and calmness in Tikki’s voice informed Adrien and Marinette that she was telling the truth and right.  They couldn’t play it easy.  Hawk Moth wouldn’t play fair or care about an innocent civilian.  They had to take risks.

“You’re right, Tikki.  If we’re going to stop Hawk Moth, then Adrien and I will need to grow and do what a hero has to do to capture the villain.  I only hope it won’t come to that.”

Tikki and Plagg offer their chosens a smile.  Glad to see that the two are growing and taking advice when given to them.

“Then what do you say, my lady?  We going to be Miraculous?”  Adrien askes with joy in his tone and smile crossing his face.

With confidence, Marinette smiles as she looks Adrien in the eyes.

“Let the debut of Miraculous presents Kwamis begin.”

Adrien encases Marinette in a hug as the two cuddle in her lawn chair under the stars.  For their debut of their toy franchise begins.

"Oh, I almost forgot!  Guess what, princess?!"

"What, kitty?"

"The first set of toys are finished!"

Chapter Text

“LOVEBUG! LOOK!”

Marinette has seen many things in her young life, even as a teenager.  Hell, even as a superhero.  She knows how children act when they see a new toy or a toy that they really want, something they absolutely have to own.

And to say today is the day that she saw something she’d never think she’d see, she was completely wrong.

Now, no matter what happens, she will always love Adrien for the person he is.

However, Marinette never thought she would see how child like this boy can be.  Clearly, this boy has not had the time to be a little a kid.  And this moment has proven all her claims.

Standing in front of her, her boyfriend stands overjoyed clutching one of each of the kwami toys in his arms.  Eyes wide and glistening with excitement and pure elation. 

He honestly looked like a little kid trapped in the body of a teenager.

She wonders how long Adrien will be like this.  It feels like he completely forgot that they were the ones who created the merchandise and are the ones to sell them.

Last thing Marinette needs is for Adrien to have another addiction to add to his collection of prized merchandise. 

Which reminds her, she needs to see this Ladybug collection that he has, according to Plagg.  The little cat god told her that Adrien has a secret room with every Ladybug merchandise that was created, even the limited addition ones.  That whole conversation put Marinette in multiple laughing fits.

In all honesty, Marinette found it rather adorable.  It just goes to show her how much more her boyfriend is such a nerd.  However, a nerd that she loves no matter what.

And she can’t complain, she might as well buy some of the kwamis as well.

Besides, who is she to ruin his inner child.

“Oh Kitty.  You’re adorable.  Hold still.”

Marinette grabs her phone from her pocket and opens up the camera function.  Holding the screen up, she snaps a picture of Adrien and the kwami toys.  She needed a profile pic for his contacts.  This should do nicely.

“So, what do you two think?”

Marinette and Adrien turn to Jacque as he stands there across the room with a smile, watching the exchange of Adrien’s interaction with the toys.

“Did they turn out like you two envisioned?”

“They turned out amazingly.”  Replied Marinette.

“My Lady is correct.  You did a fantastic job, Jacque.”  Added Adrien. 

Adrien sets the kwami collection on Jacques’s desk and turns back to the company manager.

“And are you okay with us using that pseudonym?”  Continued Adrien.

“Of course, Adrien.  I’m glad you and Marinette decided on that.  I think it’ll really help with the franchise.”

Jacque moved over to his desk and opened up a drawer.  Hearing some papers shuffling, Jacque pulled out a small packet of paper.  Placing it on his desk, Jacques called over the couple.

Adrien and Marinette sat in the two chairs across from the manager’s desk.

“Alright you two.  These papers contain a contract between the three of us.  It states that my company will be the manufacturer for your kwami franchise.  So if there is anything you want to add or change we will take care of it.”  Jacques flips through a couple of the paper sheets and stops on one of the pages.  He points a finger to the text and slides it along the words as he spoke to the two.  “This section states the profit.  After contemplating with the standards of toy designs and what not, I just want you two to know that this was the best I can do.  I feel confident that it’s still a good deal.  Hell, I’ve never given this big of a deal to anyone who’s ever partnered with me to create their toys.  My only reason is because I like you two.  That, and Adrien is like a son to me.”

Jacques words brought a warming glint in Adrien’s eyes, a smile following behind.

“So, for the two of you, the profit stands at sixty, forty.  With the profit we make off of this toys, my company inherits sixty percent of the profit where you two will inherit forty perfect.  Does that work for you?”

“May I see the contract?”  Asked Adrien.

Jacques gave a nod and handed the contract to Adrien.  Marinette remained in her seat, not even bothering looking at the contract.  She had no clue what to look for in the first place.  Knowing Adrien grew up in the world revolved around business she agreed to let Adrien handle that side of their little money making scheme.

How did pulling a prank on Hawk Moth end up as a her and Adrien making money for their future.  God how does she end up in these predicaments.

“The contract appears good to me.”  She heard Adrien’s voice, turning over to her boyfriend to see him handing the contract back to Jacques.  “Everything looks to be in place and reasonable to me.  Plus, I don’t think you would purposely screw us over.”

“I would not, Adrien.  Since everything looks to be in order, I just need the two of you to sign the contract and we can begin the process of getting them in stores.”  Jacques replied with a smile.

Both Adrien and Marinette sign their names in the locations of the pages that Jacques had marked.

“Alright.  Before you two leave, let me get you the box of Grumpy Cats and Buginettes.  I believe you ordered them each with a certain amount.”

Jacques stands up from his desk chair and walks over towards a sealed box standing next to a large filing cabinet.  He picks up the box and hands it over to Adrien.

“Thanks, Jacques!”  Said Adrien.

“No problem kiddos.  Looking forward to see these toys premiere in the stores.”

Thanking Jacques for all his help, Adrien and Marinette exited the toy company and took Adrien’s limo back to her house.

Ever since the two started dating, Adrien spent most of his time over at Marinette’s.  Not that he doesn’t hate his home, there’s just no one really there to make him want to stay.

So on most nights of the week, after Adrien keeps company with the Dupain-Cheng’s, he’ll head home, make his appearance, shout that he’s heading to bed, then transforms and heads his way back to Marinette.

He knows it hasn’t been very long since they’ve been dating, which is a month he thinks.  However, since they started dating, he couldn’t help but return back to his princess and spend the nights with her in her bed.

She may say it’s ridiculous, but Adrien knows she enjoys it as much as he does.  He’s never slept better than he has since sleeping with her, all the same with Marinette.  Plus, he gets to help her not be so late for school when he spends the night.

He only wishes they were older.  Then they could be with each other every night.  Oh well, it won’t be much longer.  Just two more years and he can make that dream come true.

*****

Arriving back at Marinette’s home, Marinette and Adrien greeted her parents, grabbing a plate of snacks, and headed up to her bedroom.

Pushing open the trapdoor, both teens enter her bedroom, Marinette closing the door behind them.

“Alright, Adrien, go ahead and open the box so we can see.  I know you’re an eager kitten wanting to open his present.”

“Awe, you know me so well, princess.”

Adrien places the box on Marinette’s chaise and walks over to her desk to grab a pair of scissors.

Heading back to the box, Adrien holds his grip towards the base on one of the blades and slides the blade across the top of the box where the tape held the flaps of the cardboard box shut.

Freeing the flaps of the box, Adrien places the scissors back on Marinette’s desk and opens the box, bending the flaps of the cardboard to remain bent from flipping back closed.

“Princess, these turned out amazing!  Everyone’s going to love them!”  Shouted Adrien.

He grabbed one of each and turned around to show Marinette.  The child like smile beaming on his face once again.

The sight itself makes Marinette laugh.

She walks over to Adrien and looks in the box, pleased to see that indeed all the Grumpy Cats and Buginettes turned out perfect and match the designs that she sketched up.

“You’re right.  The whole class will love their new toys.”  Agreed Marinette.

Marinette placed the toy back in the box.  After waiting a few weeks for Jacques to make the toys, she’s just glad they finally came in so their classmates wouldn’t have to crowd them soon wondering when the toys would arrive.

Walking over to her dresser, Marinette grabbed a set of pajamas.  With a pair of shorts and tank top, Marinette turned her head to look over her shoulder at Adrien.

“Minou, are you staying tonight?”

“Do you really need to ask?”

Adrien gave her a smirk and wink.  A small tint of a blush coloring his cheeks.

Marinette rolls her eyes and turns around, hiding the small blush on her cheeks as well. 

Even though they’ve fallen asleep together in her bed, the thought of the two for them sleeping in her bed made the thought of her dreams coming true still feeling like it couldn’t be true.  Though seeing her kitten in her room helps seal the negative thoughts of it being a dream.

Reaching in her dresser, she grabs a shirt and shorts from the secret stash of Adrien’s clothes that he brought over ever since he started sleeping over almost every night.

Tossing his pajamas to him, Marinette told Adrien to change in her room while she headed to her bathroom to change, allowing both privacy.

After ten minutes in the bathroom, Marinette reappears and finds Adrien changed and already in her bed waiting for her presence.

Tossing her dirty clothes in her hamper, Marinette walks up the stairs to her loft and crawls under her bed sheets beside Adrien.  She reaches behind her and flips the switch to turn off the lights, her bedroom coating in darkness.

Tossing to her side, Marinette rests comfortably in her bed, her head resting against her pillow when she feels an arm wrap around her waist.  Turning her head, she can see Adrien nuzzled close.  His chest resting against her back, wrapping his arm around her to hold her close.

She sighs with affection and turns her back around.  A smile adorning her face feeling the warmth of her partner.  ‘I guess it isn't that bad having him here at night.’

“Needy Kitty.”  Marinette mumbles as sleep slowly over takes her for the night.  Adrien already deep asleep beside her.  

*****

The next day, Adrien and Marinette head to school with Adrien carrying the box full of toy versions of Tikki and Plagg.

“Oh, I can’t wait to see what your friends think you two.”  The two teens hearing Tikki’s voice coming from Marinette’s purse.

“Big deal.”  Came Plagg’s voice next.  “They’re just toys.  They will never be as great as the real thing.”

Tikki looked at Plagg who was hiding with her in Marinette’s purse.  Her eyes slightly narrow as she looks at him disapprovingly.

“How are you so stuck up?”

“Come on, sweet tooth.  You know we’re better than the toys.”

“Of course I know we are.  That doesn’t mean that everyone else has to know.  As long as they enjoy the toys then you should be happy for these two for even attempting this.”

“Of course I’m happy for the kids.  Doesn’t mean I have to make it easy.”

Tikki just sighs deeply in defeat.  She drags Plagg back in the purse, shutting the clasps together as their chosens arrive at the front steps of their school.

Walking inside and heading up the stairs towards the classroom, Marinette opens the door for Adrien as he walks through with the box in hand.  Closing the door behind them, Adrien drops the box onto his side of the desk.

All the classmates that were visible looked over towards Adrien and Marinette.  The only two students not visible being Chloe and Sabrina.  Thank God Adrien and Marinette thought.

Adrien and Marinette looked up to everyone bearing smiles.

“Morning everyone.”  Greeted Adrien.  “Marinette and I have a gift for all of you.”

Opening the box, Adrien and Marinette each grab a couple of the toys and show them to everyone.

All their friends’ gazes morphed as all burst out with excitement and rushed over towards the couple.

Both Marinette and Adrien pass out the two toys to the correct recipients that requested what toy.  Thankfully, they still had plenty just in case they feared of running out. 

Feeling that they had plenty to spare, Adrien and Marinette decide to leave a Buginette toy for Ms. Bustier on her desk.  She’s been a great teacher for the years they’ve had her.  The least they could do is offer her a small gift.

Pleased that everything was given out, Adrien closed the box and placed it under his desk between him and Nino.

Looking around the room, the couple could see everyone enjoying their new gifts and toys.

“Oh, I almost forgot.”  The class stopped talking amongst each other and turned their attention to Adrien.  “Marinette and I wanted to inform you that the creators of the kwami toys announced that they’re going to sell the toys here in Paris.”

“What?  That’s so cool!  When?”  Asked Alya, the same question running through everyone’s mind.

“Next week actually.  That’s why it took longer to get your toys shipped to us.  They were caught up with getting everything set to launch over here.  But they were still nice enough to send us our order.”  Responded Adrien.

“What other designs will there be?”  Asked Rose, joy radiating off her voice.

“Here.”  Everyone turns to Marinette.  She pulls out a piece of paper with blueprints.  “I actually have a sketch of all the kwami designs on this sheet.  Adrien managed to get one of the creators to send me a print of the designs for references since I draw.  They’re pretty cool.” 

Their classmates stand up and walk over towards Marinette as she places the sheet of paper on the empty side of Ivan’s desk so everyone could look over the other designs.

Marinette turns around to look at Adrien, both sharing smiles while everyone else was concentrated with the other designs, all debating which they want to buy next.

Adrien gestures Marinette to lean closer so they could whisper to one another.

“What is it, minou?"

“This is turning out so much better than I could have imagined.”

“We are going to be very screwed if anyone finds out.”

“Yea, but you can’t deny that we’re having fun, princess.”

She couldn’t.  For her and Adrien, this is probably one of the most exciting moments of her life.  Best part, she’s sharing it with Adrien.  They both wonder what it’s going to be like next week when the toys officially appear on shelves.  Hawk Moth is going to be completely blindsided and stumped.

Chapter Text

Headline News!

New Toy Franchise Hit Parisians Stores!

“Nadja Chamack here with the news.  Today looks to be an exciting day for the world of toys.  Starting today, a new franchise hit the stores as Paris is crowded with Parisians with lines forming around every store.  So what toy has these Parisians going toy crazy?  Well it seems this new toy franchise has finally won over Paris like you wouldn’t believe.  These toys are called Kwamis.  Small toy figurines based on different animals.  As of now, the creators, Miraculous, created seven of these wonderful and creative toys.  They are that of a ladybug, black cat, fox, bee, turtle, butterfly, and a peacock.  It was also announced that there are limited addition ones where a lucky Parisian could receive a jeweled piece that correlates with the creature inside the box.  If you haven’t heard or seen these lovely toys yet, I highly recommend you stop by your nearest toy store and check out these little guys.  Looks like the next big thing has finally hit the market.”

Cozy and relaxed in the Dupain-Cheng house, Adrien and Marinette are seated in the couch, cuddled side by side of each other as they stare at the living room television watching the news as their kwami franchise finally hit the store.

In his spot, Marinette feel Adrien slightly jump up and down in his seat, completely buzzing with excitement.

“Are you happy, minou?”

“Happy?  I’m ecstatic!  Our little kwamis are finally in the stores and getting a home.”

Marinette chuckles at her boyfriend’s dork out.  “You are such a nerd, Adrien.”

“True.  But I’m your nerd now, Mari.  You’re stuck with me.”  Adrien turns to give Marinette a Chat-ish grin.

“Ugh, don’t remind me.”  Jokingly said Marinette.

Laughing, Adrien wraps his arms around Marinette and pulls her into his lap as he embraces her in a hug, nuzzling his head in her neck.

“You know you love me.”  Softly stated Adrien.

“That I do, kitten.”  Returned Marinette, turning her head to place a kiss on his temple.  As both enjoy the calming atmosphere, the sound of Marinette’s phone ringing breaks the quiet around them.

Sliding her arms out of Adrien’s embrace, Marinette stretches towards the table in front to retrieve her phone.  Stuck between Adrien’s embrace, Marinette’s fingertips brush against her cellphone.  Unfortunately, Adrien’s grip is preventing her from fulling grabbing her phone.

“Adrien, I can’t reach my phone.  You need loosen your grip please.”

“What if I don’t want to?”  Mumbled Adrien.

“Please?  I’ll make it worth your while.”

“What do I get?”  Marinette can hear and picture the smirk on his lips.

“Fine.  I will give you three kisses if you let me grab my phone.”  Bargained Marinette.

“Deal.”  Adrien releases his grip on Marinette.  ‘It’s like you won something precious.’  Marinette thought as she reached for her phone.

“I did win something precious.”

She froze as she grabbed her phone, eyes widen.  She looks back at Adrien.

“Did I seriously say that out loud?”

“You did, princess, but I’m not faulting you.  To answer your question though, yes, I did win something precious.”  Adrien gives her a wink.

Marinette grumbles as she sits back up against the couch and unlocks her phone.  Looking at her missed call list, she sees that the missed call was from Alya.  Curious on what her friend wanted, Marinette dials Alya’s number, turning on the speaker.

“Hey girl!”  Alya’s voice yelling through the phone’s speaker.

“Hey Alya.  Just so you know you’re on speaker.  I’m kind of trapped and unable to hold the phone.”

“Trapped?  What the hell are you doing?”

“Nothing.  Just stuck being embraced by Adrien.  He’s being very cuddly today.”

“Hey sunshine marshmallow child.  Glad to know you’re treating our Mari well.”

“Sunshine marshmallow child?  Why the hell am I called sunshine or even marshmallow?”  Asked Adrien.

“It’s because you’re too pure and innocent from the rest of us.”

“I’m not that pure and innocent!”

“Ha! Nice try sunshine.  It’s either that or cinnamon roll.  Pick and choose.  I can do either.  You won’t sway me or Nino.”

“Wait!  Even Nino calls me that?!”

“Of course!  A lot of us do.  It just works so well for you.”

“I feel so deceived!” Adrien remarked dramatically.

“Quit your theatrics, boy.”

“There’s really no way I can get away from it, can I?”

“Nope.”

“Then never mind, I don’t care.”  Stated Adrien, not even bothering to argue knowing very well that he’ll lose this battle.

“Alright, Alya.  Let’s not pick on the innocent one.”  Marinette turns to give Adrien a quick wink, Adrien giving her a silent pout, acting with a fake betrayal look while one hand clutches his chest to prove the point across.  “Why did you call?”  Continued Marinette.

“Those kwami toys finally hit the store and Nino and I finally got into the store.”

“Wait?  Are you and Nino buying all of them?”

“I wish.  I don’t have that much money on me.  I’m just buying a few, same goes for Nino.  We just wanted to see if you two wanted to join us.”

“Thanks for the invite, Al, but Adrien wanted to stay indoors today and watch movies and possibly games.  Maybe we can all meet up later and do something.  Sound good?”

“Sounds good, Mari.  Nino and I will see you two later.  Take care sunshine child!”  The line cuts as the conversation ends.

“Gah!  Seriously?”  Said Adrien.  Pouting, Adrien wraps his arms around Marinette and drags her into his lap as he grumbles and rests his head on her shoulder mumbling about the nicknames of his purity and innocence.

“It’s alright you grumpy kitty.”  Marinette reaches her right hand up and begins running her fingers through Adrien’s hair.  “You’ll always be my sunshine child.”  Giggled Marinette.

Adrien releases a deepen breath and slouches more, leaning against her back.  He digs his head further into her neck.  Adrien gives up and ceases trying.

*****

Every toy store was crowded.  People wanting and taking any chance they have to gather a kwami toy.  The stores were opening shipments containing the desired toys constantly.  None of the employees of the stores, including the creators imagined the turn out to end up like this.

Amongst the crowd of adults and children, a little boy searches through the shelves of kwamis.  Looking through most, the boy becomes disappointed that he couldn’t find the one kwami he really wanted.

“Mama!”

The child’s mother walks up behind him, placing her hand on her son’s back.

“What’s wrong sweetheart?”  Asked the mother.

“They don’t have the kwami that I want.”

“Which one did you want?”

“I want the black cat.  Grumpy Cat.”

“Well, how about you get different one for now and we’ll come back another time for the Grumpy Cat one.”

“No!  I want the Grumpy Cat one now!”

“Sweetheart please.”  The mother tries to console her son, but even calming words seem nonexistent to her son.

*****

“Well, well, well.  I feel a great sense of frustration.  Seems this little boy has much strength and energy in his young body.”  Stated Hawk Moth.

Calling for one of his white butterflies to drop in his left palm, Hawk Moth hovers his right hand above the butterfly as he infects it with negative aura.

Completed, Hawk Moth releases the akuma as it begins flying out of the purple tinted window.

“Fly away my little akuma and evilize that young boy.”

*****

Back in the toy store, the boy sits on the floor in a frustrated state as the mother heads off to find an employee to see whether they have extra Grumpy Cat figures in the back.

Pushing himself against one of the store’s shelves, the boy sits down with one of the toy boxes in hand.  The noise of huffing and pouting escaping the boy’s mouth.  Unaware of the negative presence approaching, the akuma floats through the aisle and lands on the box in the boy’s hand, fading and spreading through the object.

A purplish outline of a mask forms in front of the young boy.

“Greetings Toy Maker.  My name is Hawk Moth and I’m here to give you the power to turn anyone or anything into the toys you so desire.”

“Any toy I want?”  Asked the boy with incoming joy.

“Why yes my young friend.  All that I ask of you in return is to bring me the miraculous of Ladybug and Chat Noir.  Do you think you can handle that, Toy Maker?”

“Yes, Hawk Moth.”  The boy stands up, a smirk playing on his lips.  “I will get my kwami!”

“Yes, yes good chi-” A pause comes from Hawk Moth as the voice in the boy’s head goes silent.  “Wait.  What?!  What are you talking about child?!”

The boy quirks a brow up in confusion.  “The kwami!  How do you not know about the kwami?!”

A look of shock runs through his face and body as he listens closely to the boy’s words.  How on earth this child knew of kwamis he didn’t know. 

“OF COURSE I KNOW ABOUT KWAMIS, CHILD!  HOW DO YOU KNOW OF KWAMIS?!”  Shouted Hawk Moth.

“Uh, hello!  They’re the greatest toy franchise to be in existence!”  The boy scoffed back.

“What are you blabbering about, you inconceivable child!”  Hawk Moth returns as he clutches his cane in his hand in complete and utter irritation.  This whole moment was nothing he expected to turn into.

“The kwami toy franchise!  There’s seven characters in the toy line.  A ladybug, cat, fox, butterfly, turtle, bee, and a peacock.”

Hawk Moth wasn’t sure how to take in this information.  Who created the kwami toys?  Who knows about the kwamis and made toys off of them?  Ladybug and Chat Noir had to be the ones behind this.  THOSE BLASTED TEENS!

With an irritated grunt, Hawk Moth tunes back to the young boy.  “Unfortunately there’s been a change in plans, Toy Maker.  You’ll have to figure out your issue on your own.  I’ll be taking my akuma back.”

With a quick command, the akuma floats out of the toy box in the boy’s hand and begins fluttering away from the store and back towards home.

As the possession dissipates, the boy grabs his head, feeling dizzy and light headed from the pressure that was once there.  Dropping the box in his hand, the boy places both hands in his head and begins rubbing his head and eyes.

“Sweetheart!”  Came the young boy’s mother as she rounds the corner.

“Yes, mamma?”  The boy raises his head and looks over to see his mother walking towards him. 

“Look what I got.”  She holds a Grumpy Cat toy in her hand in front of her son.  “They had a few more in the back.  Looks like you got lucky today.”  The mother gives him a heartwarming smile.

“Thank you, mamma!”  Shouted the boy with glee as he grabs the toy and embraces his mother.

*****

Releasing his transformation, Gabriel exits his hidden room and descends down a secluded stairway towards the second level of his home.  Speed walking in frustration, Gabriel enters into his home office and begins pacing back and forth in deep thought.

“I don’t understand.  Why would those idiots make a toy franchise of the miraculouses?!”  Shouted Gabriel.

Nooroo floats and remains silent as he watches his master grunting and pacing more.

Walking up to his desk, Gabriel slams his hands against the top of his desk, shaking a few light items.

“Nooroo, what is happening?!”

Gabriel turns and looks over at the kwami standing on top of his desk.  The kwami remains silent as both stare at one another.

Angered, Gabriel grabs the kwami in one of his hands and grips it tight.  “Noo-” Gabriel’s voice cuts off when he feels the kwami in his hands to only find out that the supposed kwami was stiff, cold, and not even breathing.

“Uh, master.  I’m right here.”  Came Nooroo’s voice.

Gabriel turns his head towards his kwami’s voice.  He can see the butterfly floating to the side as Nooroo looks at his master.

Looking at Nooroo and turning back at the fake Nooroo, only now indicating that it’s the supposed toy kwami figurine; Gabriel’s left eye twitches and pitches the kwami toy across the room in irritation with a grunt escaping through his lips.

“Nooooooooo!”  Nooroo’s voice rung out, dashing in a quick speed to snatch his toy counterpart in mid-air, holding the toy close to his little chest.

“How on earth did you get one of those toys, Nooroo?”  Asked Gabriel, trying to calm himself at the same time.

“Umm…you’d be surprised how quickly you can get a delivery with your last name as Agreste.”  Replied Nooroo.

“Are you telling me that you used my credit cards to purchase one of those toys?”

“Possibly…more of a maybe.”

Gabriel’s head started to hurt as he felt a migraine surfacing.  He raises his hands and uses both his left and right index and middle finger to rub at his temples.

“I…I think I need to go lay down.” 

Gabriel walks out of his office, leaving Nooroo behind.

The kwami’s gaze followed his master’s form until he disappeared behind the door.  With silence and his master gone, Nooroo looks back at his toy counterpart and smiles.  He hugs the toy tight against his little body.

“So worth the risk of buying.”

Chapter Text

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to make a quick shout out to all of you who took a chance on this fic!  I wanted to thank all of you for reading and hope you enjoyed the fun ride.

Now I had a quick question about a sequel fic to this.  Not specifically with the toys.  I've been asked for more, so I may do one shoots to continue it.

But what I was curious to get feedback on was this.  If you have read the entire fic, in chapter five both Adrien and Marinette were deciding on pseudonyms for their toy franchise and Adrien said LadyNoir, which of course Marinette shot down.  She thought it sounded more for sexy clothing lines.

So my question to you is this, and again, I would love feedback to this question.

Would you be interested if a sequel, like some of you wanted, is revolved around LadyNoir sexy clothing line that Marinette thought of.  Would you be interested in such sequel?  And my goal would be like I did with Play Fake, Kwami, where my point is to bring humor and laughs.

Let me know as readers if this is something you'd be interested in.

Thanks! 

Chapter Text

Hey everyone!

Okay. So I e gotten a few questions about the sequel so I figured I’d make a post to inform everyone.

Regarding to the sequel, I will be finishing writing it once I finish Instincts Sucks. Other things have occurred in my life and I have gotten busy and I lost a friend. So things have gotten thrown around. But I assure you once I finish Instincts Sucks, I will be working on the sequel.

I promise I haven’t forgotten about the sequel! 

If you need things read please check out my other works or others on Ao3. If you need a good fic to read I will recommend one for you. Two I will recommend now being Friends By Day, Enemies By Night and The Love of a Cat. Seriously, those fics are really great in opinion and have some nice angst and fluff in it. If you need another, I recommend Bitrer Hearts, Lonely Smiles.

Until then, please be patient with me. I promise this sequel will come along. Thank you to those who have asked about it. I haven’t forgotten. Just need to get some other fics finished first and some other things. 

Thank you everyone!