Nebula - Adrien Agreste

Chapter 32 - Marinette is Ladybug?!

Suddenly it was like I was the most idiotic person there was as Marinette stood there, our mouths open in shock at who was in place.

"Wow, now I feel stupid..." I trailed off with a groan, Gulla giggling on my shoulder. Wordlessly I handed her the dried banana chip, Gulla taking it eagerly. Adrien chuckled at my display, and there was a cute giggle that caught my attention. My head snapped up to see a cute ladybug-like creature hovering in front of me - a look of amusement in its blue eyes. "Oh wow, you must be Tikki, Ladybug's Kwami!" I grinned upon seeing her, remembering the conversations with Gulla.

Marinette's eyes widened when I said her Kwami's name. "You know her name already?" She wondered in shock, clearly confused.

"Gulla talks about her from time to time," I shrug as I stroked her head, earning a purr of content from the bat-like Kwami. "I've also heard Plagg say her name," I jutted a finger towards the cat Kwami's direction, who glared at me for being called out.

Giggling again Tikki looked at me with bright eyes. "Don't feel embarrassed, Charlotte! It's the magic that conceals the identity of the holder who doesn't want to be known!" She chirped, landing on the palm of my hand that I held out for her. She patted it in comfort, and I smiled softly at her.

Shrugging I glanced over at Adrien with a smirk. "It was how I felt when I figured out who Chat Noir was," he grinned at me at the reminder, Plagg hovering over his left shoulder as he watched Tikki and I's interaction closely. There was a look on his face that I couldn't name as he watched Tikki fondly.

"Actually, about that..." Marinette trailed off, glancing between Adrien and I as I gave Gulla another dried banana chip. Tikki was hovering over Marinette's shoulder now, looking as intuitive as her holder. "How do you two know? I knew that you knew when you were more intimate with each other, but I never said anything because it didn't interfere with our jobs and team dynamic..." She trailed off as she gave me a smirk, which I rolled my eyes at her for.

"That was an accident," he nodded his head, walking closer to me. "We just happened to be in the same area when we de-transformed. It was a shock to both of us," he shrugged indifferently, groaning when Plagg huffed beside him. Digging into his pocket he brought out some camembert, handing it over to the Kwami who took it greedily.

Marinette giggled at that, gaining a look from the five of us curiously. "That's why you always smelled like cheese!" She exclaimed in laughter, and I giggled as well at her epiphany.

Adrien groaned, glaring at Plagg who was munching on his cheese happily. "You two got the normal foods. What I wouldn't give to smell like pastries all the time, or fruit!" He gave me a pointed look as I chuckled, though that look soon fell into an adorable smile as he gave me a fond look. Reaching forward he took my hand, intertwining our fingers together and kissing the knuckles - making me smile softly at the gesture. "So, uh, what happens now?" He asked anxiously as he rubbed his thumb over my knuckles to cure his anxiety.

Shrugging, Marinette handed Tikki her treat - a small chocolate chip cookie. "What we always do. Kick ass!" She grinned and my mouth fell at the curse word she used as she fist-pumped the air. Gulla and Tikki giggled at the action in sync as Plagg rolled his eyes at the two, already done with his treat. "By the way, Charlie," she turned to me, using a new nickname that made my heart flutter. I've gotten so many nicknames with this friend group, and I wasn't even mad about that. "Who does your dad suspect? Did he tell you?" She wondered, Adrien glancing over at me in curiosity as well.

Frowning, I thought back to the conversation I had with him and mother. How he wanted me to stay away from Gabriel, and even forced my mother to take me off modeling for her restaurant. Could Gabriel have any connection to Hawk Moth? Was that why my father was so worried about him?

Shaking my head, I turned towards Marinette - who had a worried frown on her face. "Nothing that I can recall. Sorry M," I apologized and she just waved me off, undeterred. "Also, that reminds me." I turned towards Adrien, who raised an eyebrow at me. "I'm not modeling anymore. Father wasn't pleased when he learned mother had been using me for her restaurant views."

Adrien sighed, giving me a tired look and squeezing my hand. "That's alright, love. In hindsight, it might be a good thing," he pondered for a moment at the thought. "I don't know how I would feel if you were to model in bikinis and everyone got to see that before I did..." he trailed off in thought, making me blush at the bluntness of it.

Marinette fake gagged at the interaction, making me laugh. "Great, this is gonna be even more suffocating!" She whined and I gave her an amused look. We weren't really that bad, but Adrien had been becoming more and more blunt with his affection. It was nice to know he was starting to get more and more comfortable with our relationship. "Maybe we should head home though. My parents think I am still working on homework..." She trailed off with a nervous chuckle.

With a sigh I hung my head. "I doubt my mother even noticed I was gone. She's too busy playing house and sucking up to me to impress Antoine. Even though he thinks I've been neglected for the past sixteen years..." I whined, running a hand down my face. "I miss her yelling..." I admitted sheepishly, scratching my left cheek as the two laughed at my plight.

"She might know you're missing now since she's trying to impress Antoine," Adrien commented and I blanched at the thought, giving him a wide-eyed look. "I don't know what I would do if my father suddenly started paying attention to me." He admitted and I gave his hand a comforting squeeze, now my turn to rub the back of his knuckles with my thumb.

"My mom would adopt you both if she could," Marinette hummed as an afterthought, grinning at the both of us. "Mom once said she'd adopt Adrien out of Gabriel's nose with how he's been treated. I'm glad she didn't, I'm not sure what would have happened if she had." We laughed at that, knowing Sabine would have in fact done that. One thing that I loved about her parents was that they were super loving towards anyone in Marinette's life.

I was low-key jealous of that.

Adrien saw the far-away look on my face and nodded his head, as if he was thinking the same thing. "I'm glad you got them, Marinette," he commented off handedly, giving my hand another squeeze.

"I'm glad I have them too," she nodded, a small smile on her face. "They'll smother me like crazy, but that's just another reason why I love them." With a determined look on her face she turned to look at us, and I gave her a nervous look. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. Tikki, Spots On!" I shielded my eyes from the bright light, glancing back to see Ladybug in her place. Waving she tossed her yo-yo, leaping off the Eiffel tower with determination in her steps.

"Well that was weird, even for her..." I commented, earning a chuckle from Adrien. I turned towards him with a small smile. "Want to stay here for a bit before we have to go back to our respective hells?" At that he laughed, nodding his head as we sat down on the tower, our legs dangling off the edge as we talked about everything and nothing at all.