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WATCH THE EPISODE "TROUBLEMAKER" BEFORE READING THIS STORY!
Chapter 9: Recovery
Marinette had to spend two nights in the hospital so the doctors could fully assess her. She didn't suffer any major injuries which she couldn't have been more thankful for. She was glad to hear that she didn't have to spend too long recovering in the hospital. She wanted to get back on her feet and see the world she risked her life to save. Marinette did feel bad that Adrien had to live with the memory of almost destroying the city and its people. All that Marinette wanted to do was be there for him in every instance. The guilt of running away from him was still killing her inside, even though Adrien seemed joyous to see her after the akuma left. She hoped that he would be able to forgive her.
Marinette's friends and family visited her often. Her parents stayed with her for most of the two days. They ate lunch and dinner with her and then went home to sleep. When they heard what happened, they couldn't believe it. Nonetheless, they were extremely proud of her and what she did, even though it scared them half to death. They were thankful that she alive and well. They couldn't bear the thought that they almost lost their daughter.
Alya and Nino came after school to visit her the two days. Alya brought her homework so she wouldn't fall behind. Marinette missed so much due to her absences from her secret duty saving Paris. She didn't want to miss anything. She also brought Marinette her sketchbook and pencils in case she wanted to draw some designs. They didn't hear about her fight with Couverture until after they found out Marinette was in the hospital. Marinette told her almost everything. She had to lie about some things to cover up her secret. When Alya and Nino walked into the hospital, seeing Marinette laying in bed, they rushed over to her side.
"Girl, I can't believe you pulled a stunt like that! You could have seriously gotten yourself killed, you know." Alya said to her.
"Hey, I had to do what was right to save everyone including Adrien. I couldn't just-" Marinette began to say until Alya leaned in and pulled her in for a gentle hug, keeping in mind that Marinette was injured slightly. Marinette gasped in surprise.
"You are amazing, girl. You better know that by now." Alya told her as she was almost to the point of tears. She was so happy that her best friend survived after being hit so many times. It was a miracle in her eyes. Marinette smiled and hugged her back.
"I do now." Marinette replied. Alya let go and picked up her backpack that was sitting next to her feet. She opened it and dug inside it, taking out a notepad, a pen, and her cell phone. Alya handed the phone to Nino as she kept her face towards Marinette, smirking.
"You know what to do." Alya told him.
"Yeah, I know." Nino replied as he rolled his eyes in amusement. He took the cell phone and brought the camera up, beginning to record a video.
"Now, Marinette…" She said as pulled up a chair nearby and sat in it. She clicked her pen and put the notepad on her lap. "Tell me your thoughts and feelings when you were hit with Couverture's power. How did it feel?" She asked her. Marinette laughed. She knew it was for the LadyBlog. After a bit of time passed, they got all the information they needed, hugged her, and left.
Adrien never left her side once, except for bathroom breaks and getting her food if she ever needed it. He stayed with her every single minute she was in the hospital. There were visiting hours but since Marinette is the one who saved the whole city, the hospital staff decided to make an exception. He was able to sleep on a sofa near a window in Marinette's room. He made sure to call his father and make sure he was alright with sleeping over. He was shocked to hear that he was okay with it. He was actually grateful to hear it. With everything that happened, he didn't want Marinette being alone, considering the fact that he felt most responsible for it all. He had so much guilt inside that he thought being with her was the best way of making the pain go away.
Natalie was nice enough to bring over a change of clothes for him as well as a set of pajamas. She also brought Adrien his tablet so he can practice his Chinese. Marinette wanted to learn so he taught her a few basic words and phrases. He recalled how she wasn't entirely fluent with the language with her uncle, Cheng Shifu. Adrien thought it might be a benefit to her. Marinette drew designs in her sketchbook, using Adrien as a model. Adrien was nice enough to pose for her. Marinette had to keep herself from swooning, even though Adrien liked seeing it. She found him so dreamy, it was hard not to. Adrien decided to bring some of Marinette's designs to her dad once she was released from the hospital.
Day two had hit and the morning that Marinette would be released from the hospital was approaching. It was around 7 PM. Marinette woke up from a nap that she accidentally made too long. As she lied there, she saw Adrien sitting to the right of the bed, resting near the foot of it, leaning his head on her right leg. He was wearing silky, black, long-sleeved pajamas. Marinette thought wearing silky ones must be the model in him. The fact that they were black made the Cat Noir in him show a bit more. She couldn't help but smile. She gazed at his blonde hair and peachy skin. He was snoring slightly, which she found to be kind of adorable. She suddenly realized that her throat was pretty dry. She tried to wake him up, even though she wanted to keep staring at that beautiful face of his.
"Adrien?" Marinette called his name softly, trying not to startle him. He proceeded to snort, turning his head as he continued to sleep. Marinette shook her head, chuckling slightly. "Hey, Adrien?" She lifted her leg up a bit, making his head shake. He shot up with a loud snort.
"HUH WHAT!" Adrien exclaimed. Marinette couldn't hold back the laughter. He turned his head, seeing her giggle at him. He laughed with her, realizing he snorted.
"Sorry, I was out like a light." He said as he moved closer to her. "You okay?" He said as he gazed at her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed a drink of water." She said as she pointed to the sink. Adrien turned his head, looking at where she was pointing to.
"Oh, sure thing." He said as he got up and walked near the sink, grabbing a paper cup that was sitting next to it. He turned on the faucet, filling the cup with water. As Adrien stood by the sink, Marinette began pondering over a few things in her head. With everything that's happened the past few days, she had so many questions she didn't have answers to. Marinette began to speak.
"You know...there's something that's been on my mind since yesterday." Adrien slightly turned his head.
"What's that?" Adrien asked her.
"When you...I mean...the akumatized you...hit me with your power. I was hurt, but not affected in any way like everyone else was." Marinette stopped to think. "I just can't help but wonder how that was possible." Marinette told him. Adrien walked over to her with the drink in his hand, handing it to her. She took it in her hands and started drinking the water as Adrien began to speak.
"Actually...it was me." Adrien responded. Marinette swallowed her water, confused.
"I don't understand." Marinette told him. Adrien thought of a way to explain what happened exactly.
"Well…" He said, grabbing the chair near the foot of Marinette's bed and pulling it close to him. He sat down in it. "You know how I was able to overcome the negative side of me at some points? Well, I tried doing the same thing with the powers." Adrien said, looking down at his feet. "I couldn't bare seeing you suffer like everyone else was." Marinette sighed. The fact that Adrien cared that much for her was something to admire.
"So I'm not the only reason Paris is safe and you're back to normal. If I was hit entirely, you know, mind and all, we wouldn't be where we are right now. We're both the reason." Marinette told him.
"Well...we are a team after all." He said to her. Marinette remembered all the times she and him as Cat Noir said that to each other. Now they were a team, regardless if they were in their superhero personas or not. "But hey, you more than me. I would never have been as bold as to go out without my powers and risk everything. That was a gutsy move." Adrien said to her. Marinette shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh, I mean...it was the least I could do." Marinette replied. Adrien rolled his eyes in amusement. The least she could do? Adrien couldn't believe his ears. No one could ever do more than that. He started speaking again.
"So anyway, I was thinking…" Marinette blinked.
"Thinking what exactly?" Marinette asked him. Adrien's legs started bouncing up and down, as if he was nervous to say what he wanted to say.
"Well, our last time spent together didn't go exactly the way we planned." Adrien chuckled.
"Yeah, not really, um...look, I'm sorry. It's kind of my fault. I ran away from you and-" Marinette said, beginning to feel guilty. Adrien didn't understand why she was the one saying sorry. He gently lifted her head up by her chin.
"No, no, no. Marinette. I'm the one who owes an apology here." Adrien responded.
"Wait, what? Why?" Marinette asked him. He took her right hand in his and took a deep breath.
"Well, when I told you my secret…" Adrien said.
"Wait, which secret are we talking about? You having a crush on me or the other one?" Marinette asked him. Adrien cleared his throat and shifted his eyes to the silver ring on his finger. "The other one...right."
"Yeah. Anyway, I shouldn't' have sprung it up on you the way I did. You already discovered so much about me that I overwhelmed you." Adrien sighed. "I shouldn't have done that to you." Marinette felt Adrien's hands shaking. She didn't realize that he felt this way. She felt so bad. She wanted to do nothing but comfort him.
"Adrien, it's okay. You already knew so it was only fair that I knew too." Marinette said.
"So now we both know." Adrien added.
"Yeah." Marinette said, looking down at his hands holding hers. Adrien bit his lips, hesitant to say what was on his mind out of nervousness.
"So...are you okay with it? With me being...you know…" Adrien asked her.
"Of course I'm okay with it." Marinette said to him with a smile. Adrien's eyes lit up.
"Really? Even with all the cat puns and constant flirting, you're still-" Adrien said before Marinette interrupted him.
"Hey, just because you're...him…doesn't mean that you are any different. You are still the person I fell completely head over heels for. Besides…" Marinette began to blush. She couldn't believe what was about to come out of her mouth. "I have to admit, the other you is quite...charming." Marinette giggled.
"Well…" Adrien chuckled as he took her hand and kissed it. "I am 'clawsome' at flirting, after all." Marinette couldn't help but laugh at his cat pun. Hearing that gave Adrien a little more confidence. "Anyway, as I was saying before, I was thinking we could try that whole hang out over again...without my photographer and bodyguard, of course." He said as he let go of her hand and placed his own on his knees.
"Okay. So, where were you thinking?" Marinette asked him. He grinned. She knew from that look on his face that he was hiding something from her.
"You'll know by tomorrow night. Just be ready by 8 PM." Adrien told her. "For now, get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow." He said as he took his hand and brushed some of Marinette's hair aside, stroking her cheek. He took the blanket on top of her and began tucking Marinette in. Marinette playfully raised an eyebrow.
"You know I'm fully capable of covering myself up. My hands work." She giggled.
"I know. I just like taking care of you. It's the least I could do." Adrien said, winking at her. She nodded with a smile and closed her eyes, falling asleep. Adrien leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She happily let out a sigh, feeling the pleasurable warmth of his lips on her skin. He walked over to the sofa and lied down on it. He took a blanket that was on top of the back of the sofa and laid it over top of him. He leaned his head on the right armrest and closed his eyes, falling asleep.
Marinette was out of the hospital the next morning. She was pretty much back to normal, still bearing a few cuts and scrapes. Other than that, she was able to walk around and do the things she does every day. She wondered how she would be able to fight as Ladybug if she broke any bones. She was just very glad both she and Adrien didn't get badly injured in the battle. She hoped that something like that would never happen; period.
It was 7:50 PM; almost time for Adrien to take Marinette to who-knows-where. Marinette was laying on her bed, writing in her journal. She was all ready to go out, wearing her normal everyday clothes. She felt no need to get gussied up unless Adrien had told her to. Her pen flew right through the pages as she wrote down everything that happened to her in the past few days
...I had no idea if I was going to get out of this unscathed. Couverture could have won for sure if Adrien wasn't combating that akuma. One minute, I was being hit by Couverture's powers and then, after gaining consciousness back, I see Adrien holding me in his arms. Oh...Adrien. The love of my life. We're finally together! I can't believe it I'm actually glad those cameramen pointed the cameras towards the pictures I have of Adrien. Now all my dreams have come true. He stayed by my side during my time in the hospital and now he's taking me...um...I don't know where exactly. In a way, this is kind of like our first date so I would think it's somewhere nice. To be honest, I don't mind if it's by a ton of dumpsters!...okay wait maybe I do in that case. The point is that as long as Adrien is with me, I will be happy no matter what. Now that I also know he's Cat Noir, he means even more to me. He's my partner, friend, and now boyfriend!...I guess...we haven't really called each other boyfriend and girlfriend yet. But we only just revealed our feelings for each other so who knows. Maybe we're going to make it official tonight! I hope so! It's just so crazy that-
Marinette's writing was interrupted when she suddenly heard a knock on the window below her bed. She put her pen down across her notebook and moved near the edge of her bed. She leaned down to look over at the window, seeing Cat Noir standing outside, waving with his cheeky grin.
"Cat Noir!" Marinette said as she lost grip of her bed, falling off of the bed and to the ground. She let out a small yelp. "Ow!" Cat Noir gasped.
"ARE YOU OKAY!?" Cat Noir yelled, thinking that she probably couldn't hear him so well while he was on the other side of the window. Marinette held her palm up to him.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" Marinette said with a thumbs up before starting to get up. Once she was back on her feet, she walked over to the window and opened it. Cat Noir walked inside. "So Cat Noir...I mean Adrien...I mean...seriously what am I supposed to call you now?"
"I don't know...whatever you want, I guess." Cat Noir chucked. Marinette could see the similarities between Adrien and Cat Noir much clearer now. She wondered how she could have been so blind.
"So...why are you…" Marinette asked him, pointing at his Cat Noir costume. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Oh, this. I find using my baton a faster way of travel. Less stress on my feet, you know?" Cat Noir said as she shrugged.
"I feel the same way about my yo-yo! Hey, remember that bet Alix and Kim made that caused Alix to turn into Timebreaker?" Marinette asked him.
"Yeah." Cat Noir responded.
"Remember how I told Alya I was five minutes away?"
"Yea-...oh wait you used your yo-yo didn't you?" Cat Noir asked her. Marinette nodded with a smile. "So when you said you were five minutes away…"
"Make it more like twenty minutes." Marinette chuckled. She took her phone out of her pocket to reveal that it was exactly 8 PM. "So, what's this big surprise?"
"Oh yeah, sorry." Cat Noir said as he realized he still had his costume on. "Hold on, gotta de-transform really quick." He told her. Marinette proceeded to step back. "Plagg, claws in!" Cat Noir said aloud. A wave of bright yellow-green light traveled from his feet to the top of his head, transforming him back into Adrien Agreste. He was also wearing his normal, everyday clothes. Plagg suddenly appeared next to him, tired and worn out. Marinette stared at Adrien in awe. His transformations were very different from hers.
"Woah." Marinette said. Adrien smiled at her.
"You're telling me! You know how much energy I need for that?" Plagg said.
"Well, nice to see you too, Plagg." Marinette playfully said to him.
"I'll get you some camembert later, okay? Adrien said to him. He shifted his gaze to Marinette, shaking his head in amusement. Tikki suddenly popped out from inside Marinette's purse laying across her shoulder.
"It does take a lot of energy, you know." Tikki added. She flew up between Marinette and Adrien. Adrien gasped, seeing Marinette's kwami for the very first time.
"So...you're Marinette's kwami, huh?" Adrien asked Tikki. She nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Adrien." Tikki replied as she pretended to curtsy. Adrien bowed in response.
"Please, the pleasure's all mine!" Adrien told her. Tikki giggled. Marinette watched as they got acquainted. The sight of Adrien talking to Tikki was the last thing she would have guessed to see in her lifetime. She revealed a smile. Tikki turned her head towards Marinette.
"Such a gentleman!" Tikki said to her.
"Why thank you!" Adrien replied, turning his head to Marinette. "No wonder she's your kwami. She's just as sweet as you." He said with a wink. Tikki grew a smile.
"Wow...he's good." She said as she nudged Marinette's arm. Marinette and Adrien stood there, gazing into each other's eyes for a brief moment. Tikki took that as a cue to leave. She was so happy Marinette's dream of being with Adrien was finally coming true. She didn't want to ruin it in any way. "We'll give you two some space. Come on, Plagg." Tikki took Plagg's hand and pulled him inside of Marinette's purse.
"But I wanna watch!" Plagg said desperately before being pushed inside the purse by Tikki. Marinette and Adrien broke eye contact and watched as Plagg was attempting to get out of Tikki's grip. Adrien turned his gaze back to Marinette.
"Now, I really need to see one of your transformations sometime." Adrien said, pointing at her.
"It's a deal." Marinette giggled. "Now, the surprise?"
"Oh, right. But first…" Adrien took his hand in his pocket, pulling out a black blindfold. Marinette raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Marinette uttered.
"Hey, I don't want you to find out along the way where we're going. Trust me, it's gonna be worth it." Adrien responded to her. Once she understood, Marinette nodded. She took the blindfold in her hands and put it on her eyes. "Alright, can you see anything?"
"No, I don't see anything." Marinette responded. Adrien waved his hands in front of her face, making sure that she could see a thing. Once he saw that she didn't flinch, he guessed that the blindfold was working. Marinette's excitement grew. Having the blindfold on made everything even more mysterious and exhilarating. She started thinking that Adrien must have planned something big for her. Adrien took Marinette's hands in his.
"Okay, now start stepping forward." Adrien told her. Marinette took her feet and shuffled them forward. She stumbled a bit and lost her balance, falling into Adrien. She took in the scent of cologne on his short, making her not want to get back on her feet as he held her. "Careful!" He chuckled.
"Sorry. I'm Clumsy Girl, remember?" Marinette giggled. Adrien recalled her calling herself that when they first met as Ladybug and Cat Noir.
I bet you're the partner my kwami told me about. I'm...Cat Noir. Yeah, Cat Noir. And you?
I'm Ma… err… Mar… uhh… Her yo-yo hit him in the head.
Ow!
Madly Clumsy. I'm so clumsy.
No sweat, clumsy girl. I'm learning the ropes too.
"Well, I'll make sure Clumsy Girl doesn't fall and break her face, okay?" Adrien told her as she got back on her feet. Marinette laughed. Adrien guided her out of her room and down the stairs. She could smell her mom's and dad's baked goods as she carefully walked down the steps. Adrien opened the door leading outside the bakery. Marinette heard the tiny bells overtop the door chime. They walked outside. Marinette heard a few cars go by. She could still slightly smell the bakery. Adrien stopped her once they were outside.
"Okay, we have a bit of walking to do. I'll guide you the whole way." Adrien said as he began to guide her again. Marinette was curious as to how long they were going to walk for.
"So you're not going to tell me how long the walk is going to be?" Marinette asked him. Adrien chuckled a little.
"If I told you that, it might give something away." Adrien told her. Marinette sighed.
"Come on! Not even a hint?" Marinette asked with a puppy dog pout. Adrien shook his head in amusement.
"Nope." He said with a cheeky 'Cat Noir-ish' grin. Marinette playfully groaned, making Adrien laugh. "Hey, you'll know soon enough." Adrien told her and he continued guiding her along.
About 15 minutes went by. Adrien was still guiding Marinette along. Marinette could hear the sounds of people walking by and cars driving along the street. She could smell the scents of local restaurants and retail stores as she walked along the path, using them to guess where Adrien was taking her. She paid close attention to the ground she was walking on, thinking it might give her somewhat of a clue to where she was. She couldn't quite place her finger on it though. Adrien suddenly stopped her.
"Okay, stay right there." Adrien told her.
"Oh, okay." Marinette agreed easily. She heard a soft ding followed by the swish of what she thought might be doors. She felt Adrien take her hands again.
"Now, walk this way. Careful! Slowly." He told her. She shuffled forward only a few steps before stopping her again. Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Marinette felt as if she were moving, even as they stood still. She wondered if maybe they were in an elevator. There was another ding followed by the floor jolting, causing Marinette to lose her balance slightly. One more ding and then the same swish as before. Adrien shuffled beside her and then gently took her by the arms to guide her.
"Come on!" She felt a breeze as she stepped forward, following Adrien's instruction. She felt a slight breeze against her skin; something she didn't feel when she left her house. A scent of baked goods hit her nose, resembling her parent's bakery. The echoes of cars and laughter drifted by but sounded distant. They only walked about three feet before she was halted once more.
"Okay...take off the blindfold." Adrien told her.

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WATCH THE EPISODE "TROUBLEMAKER" BEFORE READING THIS STORY!
Chapter 9: Recovery
Marinette had to spend two nights in the hospital so the doctors could fully assess her. She didn't suffer any major injuries which she couldn't have been more thankful for. She was glad to hear that she didn't have to spend too long recovering in the hospital. She wanted to get back on her feet and see the world she risked her life to save. Marinette did feel bad that Adrien had to live with the memory of almost destroying the city and its people. All that Marinette wanted to do was be there for him in every instance. The guilt of running away from him was still killing her inside, even though Adrien seemed joyous to see her after the akuma left. She hoped that he would be able to forgive her.
Marinette's friends and family visited her often. Her parents stayed with her for most of the two days. They ate lunch and dinner with her and then went home to sleep. When they heard what happened, they couldn't believe it. Nonetheless, they were extremely proud of her and what she did, even though it scared them half to death. They were thankful that she alive and well. They couldn't bear the thought that they almost lost their daughter.
Alya and Nino came after school to visit her the two days. Alya brought her homework so she wouldn't fall behind. Marinette missed so much due to her absences from her secret duty saving Paris. She didn't want to miss anything. She also brought Marinette her sketchbook and pencils in case she wanted to draw some designs. They didn't hear about her fight with Couverture until after they found out Marinette was in the hospital. Marinette told her almost everything. She had to lie about some things to cover up her secret. When Alya and Nino walked into the hospital, seeing Marinette laying in bed, they rushed over to her side.
"Girl, I can't believe you pulled a stunt like that! You could have seriously gotten yourself killed, you know." Alya said to her.
"Hey, I had to do what was right to save everyone including Adrien. I couldn't just-" Marinette began to say until Alya leaned in and pulled her in for a gentle hug, keeping in mind that Marinette was injured slightly. Marinette gasped in surprise.
"You are amazing, girl. You better know that by now." Alya told her as she was almost to the point of tears. She was so happy that her best friend survived after being hit so many times. It was a miracle in her eyes. Marinette smiled and hugged her back.
"I do now." Marinette replied. Alya let go and picked up her backpack that was sitting next to her feet. She opened it and dug inside it, taking out a notepad, a pen, and her cell phone. Alya handed the phone to Nino as she kept her face towards Marinette, smirking.
"You know what to do." Alya told him.
"Yeah, I know." Nino replied as he rolled his eyes in amusement. He took the cell phone and brought the camera up, beginning to record a video.
"Now, Marinette…" She said as pulled up a chair nearby and sat in it. She clicked her pen and put the notepad on her lap. "Tell me your thoughts and feelings when you were hit with Couverture's power. How did it feel?" She asked her. Marinette laughed. She knew it was for the LadyBlog. After a bit of time passed, they got all the information they needed, hugged her, and left.
Adrien never left her side once, except for bathroom breaks and getting her food if she ever needed it. He stayed with her every single minute she was in the hospital. There were visiting hours but since Marinette is the one who saved the whole city, the hospital staff decided to make an exception. He was able to sleep on a sofa near a window in Marinette's room. He made sure to call his father and make sure he was alright with sleeping over. He was shocked to hear that he was okay with it. He was actually grateful to hear it. With everything that happened, he didn't want Marinette being alone, considering the fact that he felt most responsible for it all. He had so much guilt inside that he thought being with her was the best way of making the pain go away.
Natalie was nice enough to bring over a change of clothes for him as well as a set of pajamas. She also brought Adrien his tablet so he can practice his Chinese. Marinette wanted to learn so he taught her a few basic words and phrases. He recalled how she wasn't entirely fluent with the language with her uncle, Cheng Shifu. Adrien thought it might be a benefit to her. Marinette drew designs in her sketchbook, using Adrien as a model. Adrien was nice enough to pose for her. Marinette had to keep herself from swooning, even though Adrien liked seeing it. She found him so dreamy, it was hard not to. Adrien decided to bring some of Marinette's designs to her dad once she was released from the hospital.
Day two had hit and the morning that Marinette would be released from the hospital was approaching. It was around 7 PM. Marinette woke up from a nap that she accidentally made too long. As she lied there, she saw Adrien sitting to the right of the bed, resting near the foot of it, leaning his head on her right leg. He was wearing silky, black, long-sleeved pajamas. Marinette thought wearing silky ones must be the model in him. The fact that they were black made the Cat Noir in him show a bit more. She couldn't help but smile. She gazed at his blonde hair and peachy skin. He was snoring slightly, which she found to be kind of adorable. She suddenly realized that her throat was pretty dry. She tried to wake him up, even though she wanted to keep staring at that beautiful face of his.
"Adrien?" Marinette called his name softly, trying not to startle him. He proceeded to snort, turning his head as he continued to sleep. Marinette shook her head, chuckling slightly. "Hey, Adrien?" She lifted her leg up a bit, making his head shake. He shot up with a loud snort.
"HUH WHAT!" Adrien exclaimed. Marinette couldn't hold back the laughter. He turned his head, seeing her giggle at him. He laughed with her, realizing he snorted.
"Sorry, I was out like a light." He said as he moved closer to her. "You okay?" He said as he gazed at her.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed a drink of water." She said as she pointed to the sink. Adrien turned his head, looking at where she was pointing to.
"Oh, sure thing." He said as he got up and walked near the sink, grabbing a paper cup that was sitting next to it. He turned on the faucet, filling the cup with water. As Adrien stood by the sink, Marinette began pondering over a few things in her head. With everything that's happened the past few days, she had so many questions she didn't have answers to. Marinette began to speak.
"You know...there's something that's been on my mind since yesterday." Adrien slightly turned his head.
"What's that?" Adrien asked her.
"When you...I mean...the akumatized you...hit me with your power. I was hurt, but not affected in any way like everyone else was." Marinette stopped to think. "I just can't help but wonder how that was possible." Marinette told him. Adrien walked over to her with the drink in his hand, handing it to her. She took it in her hands and started drinking the water as Adrien began to speak.
"Actually...it was me." Adrien responded. Marinette swallowed her water, confused.
"I don't understand." Marinette told him. Adrien thought of a way to explain what happened exactly.
"Well…" He said, grabbing the chair near the foot of Marinette's bed and pulling it close to him. He sat down in it. "You know how I was able to overcome the negative side of me at some points? Well, I tried doing the same thing with the powers." Adrien said, looking down at his feet. "I couldn't bare seeing you suffer like everyone else was." Marinette sighed. The fact that Adrien cared that much for her was something to admire.
"So I'm not the only reason Paris is safe and you're back to normal. If I was hit entirely, you know, mind and all, we wouldn't be where we are right now. We're both the reason." Marinette told him.
"Well...we are a team after all." He said to her. Marinette remembered all the times she and him as Cat Noir said that to each other. Now they were a team, regardless if they were in their superhero personas or not. "But hey, you more than me. I would never have been as bold as to go out without my powers and risk everything. That was a gutsy move." Adrien said to her. Marinette shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh, I mean...it was the least I could do." Marinette replied. Adrien rolled his eyes in amusement. The least she could do? Adrien couldn't believe his ears. No one could ever do more than that. He started speaking again.
"So anyway, I was thinking…" Marinette blinked.
"Thinking what exactly?" Marinette asked him. Adrien's legs started bouncing up and down, as if he was nervous to say what he wanted to say.
"Well, our last time spent together didn't go exactly the way we planned." Adrien chuckled.
"Yeah, not really, um...look, I'm sorry. It's kind of my fault. I ran away from you and-" Marinette said, beginning to feel guilty. Adrien didn't understand why she was the one saying sorry. He gently lifted her head up by her chin.
"No, no, no. Marinette. I'm the one who owes an apology here." Adrien responded.
"Wait, what? Why?" Marinette asked him. He took her right hand in his and took a deep breath.
"Well, when I told you my secret…" Adrien said.
"Wait, which secret are we talking about? You having a crush on me or the other one?" Marinette asked him. Adrien cleared his throat and shifted his eyes to the silver ring on his finger. "The other one...right."
"Yeah. Anyway, I shouldn't' have sprung it up on you the way I did. You already discovered so much about me that I overwhelmed you." Adrien sighed. "I shouldn't have done that to you." Marinette felt Adrien's hands shaking. She didn't realize that he felt this way. She felt so bad. She wanted to do nothing but comfort him.
"Adrien, it's okay. You already knew so it was only fair that I knew too." Marinette said.
"So now we both know." Adrien added.
"Yeah." Marinette said, looking down at his hands holding hers. Adrien bit his lips, hesitant to say what was on his mind out of nervousness.
"So...are you okay with it? With me being...you know…" Adrien asked her.
"Of course I'm okay with it." Marinette said to him with a smile. Adrien's eyes lit up.
"Really? Even with all the cat puns and constant flirting, you're still-" Adrien said before Marinette interrupted him.
"Hey, just because you're...him…doesn't mean that you are any different. You are still the person I fell completely head over heels for. Besides…" Marinette began to blush. She couldn't believe what was about to come out of her mouth. "I have to admit, the other you is quite...charming." Marinette giggled.
"Well…" Adrien chuckled as he took her hand and kissed it. "I am 'clawsome' at flirting, after all." Marinette couldn't help but laugh at his cat pun. Hearing that gave Adrien a little more confidence. "Anyway, as I was saying before, I was thinking we could try that whole hang out over again...without my photographer and bodyguard, of course." He said as he let go of her hand and placed his own on his knees.
"Okay. So, where were you thinking?" Marinette asked him. He grinned. She knew from that look on his face that he was hiding something from her.
"You'll know by tomorrow night. Just be ready by 8 PM." Adrien told her. "For now, get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow." He said as he took his hand and brushed some of Marinette's hair aside, stroking her cheek. He took the blanket on top of her and began tucking Marinette in. Marinette playfully raised an eyebrow.
"You know I'm fully capable of covering myself up. My hands work." She giggled.
"I know. I just like taking care of you. It's the least I could do." Adrien said, winking at her. She nodded with a smile and closed her eyes, falling asleep. Adrien leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She happily let out a sigh, feeling the pleasurable warmth of his lips on her skin. He walked over to the sofa and lied down on it. He took a blanket that was on top of the back of the sofa and laid it over top of him. He leaned his head on the right armrest and closed his eyes, falling asleep.
Marinette was out of the hospital the next morning. She was pretty much back to normal, still bearing a few cuts and scrapes. Other than that, she was able to walk around and do the things she does every day. She wondered how she would be able to fight as Ladybug if she broke any bones. She was just very glad both she and Adrien didn't get badly injured in the battle. She hoped that something like that would never happen; period.
It was 7:50 PM; almost time for Adrien to take Marinette to who-knows-where. Marinette was laying on her bed, writing in her journal. She was all ready to go out, wearing her normal everyday clothes. She felt no need to get gussied up unless Adrien had told her to. Her pen flew right through the pages as she wrote down everything that happened to her in the past few days
...I had no idea if I was going to get out of this unscathed. Couverture could have won for sure if Adrien wasn't combating that akuma. One minute, I was being hit by Couverture's powers and then, after gaining consciousness back, I see Adrien holding me in his arms. Oh...Adrien. The love of my life. We're finally together! I can't believe it I'm actually glad those cameramen pointed the cameras towards the pictures I have of Adrien. Now all my dreams have come true. He stayed by my side during my time in the hospital and now he's taking me...um...I don't know where exactly. In a way, this is kind of like our first date so I would think it's somewhere nice. To be honest, I don't mind if it's by a ton of dumpsters!...okay wait maybe I do in that case. The point is that as long as Adrien is with me, I will be happy no matter what. Now that I also know he's Cat Noir, he means even more to me. He's my partner, friend, and now boyfriend!...I guess...we haven't really called each other boyfriend and girlfriend yet. But we only just revealed our feelings for each other so who knows. Maybe we're going to make it official tonight! I hope so! It's just so crazy that-
Marinette's writing was interrupted when she suddenly heard a knock on the window below her bed. She put her pen down across her notebook and moved near the edge of her bed. She leaned down to look over at the window, seeing Cat Noir standing outside, waving with his cheeky grin.
"Cat Noir!" Marinette said as she lost grip of her bed, falling off of the bed and to the ground. She let out a small yelp. "Ow!" Cat Noir gasped.
"ARE YOU OKAY!?" Cat Noir yelled, thinking that she probably couldn't hear him so well while he was on the other side of the window. Marinette held her palm up to him.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" Marinette said with a thumbs up before starting to get up. Once she was back on her feet, she walked over to the window and opened it. Cat Noir walked inside. "So Cat Noir...I mean Adrien...I mean...seriously what am I supposed to call you now?"
"I don't know...whatever you want, I guess." Cat Noir chucked. Marinette could see the similarities between Adrien and Cat Noir much clearer now. She wondered how she could have been so blind.
"So...why are you…" Marinette asked him, pointing at his Cat Noir costume. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Oh, this. I find using my baton a faster way of travel. Less stress on my feet, you know?" Cat Noir said as she shrugged.
"I feel the same way about my yo-yo! Hey, remember that bet Alix and Kim made that caused Alix to turn into Timebreaker?" Marinette asked him.
"Yeah." Cat Noir responded.
"Remember how I told Alya I was five minutes away?"
"Yea-...oh wait you used your yo-yo didn't you?" Cat Noir asked her. Marinette nodded with a smile. "So when you said you were five minutes away…"
"Make it more like twenty minutes." Marinette chuckled. She took her phone out of her pocket to reveal that it was exactly 8 PM. "So, what's this big surprise?"
"Oh yeah, sorry." Cat Noir said as he realized he still had his costume on. "Hold on, gotta de-transform really quick." He told her. Marinette proceeded to step back. "Plagg, claws in!" Cat Noir said aloud. A wave of bright yellow-green light traveled from his feet to the top of his head, transforming him back into Adrien Agreste. He was also wearing his normal, everyday clothes. Plagg suddenly appeared next to him, tired and worn out. Marinette stared at Adrien in awe. His transformations were very different from hers.
"Woah." Marinette said. Adrien smiled at her.
"You're telling me! You know how much energy I need for that?" Plagg said.
"Well, nice to see you too, Plagg." Marinette playfully said to him.
"I'll get you some camembert later, okay? Adrien said to him. He shifted his gaze to Marinette, shaking his head in amusement. Tikki suddenly popped out from inside Marinette's purse laying across her shoulder.
"It does take a lot of energy, you know." Tikki added. She flew up between Marinette and Adrien. Adrien gasped, seeing Marinette's kwami for the very first time.
"So...you're Marinette's kwami, huh?" Adrien asked Tikki. She nodded.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Adrien." Tikki replied as she pretended to curtsy. Adrien bowed in response.
"Please, the pleasure's all mine!" Adrien told her. Tikki giggled. Marinette watched as they got acquainted. The sight of Adrien talking to Tikki was the last thing she would have guessed to see in her lifetime. She revealed a smile. Tikki turned her head towards Marinette.
"Such a gentleman!" Tikki said to her.
"Why thank you!" Adrien replied, turning his head to Marinette. "No wonder she's your kwami. She's just as sweet as you." He said with a wink. Tikki grew a smile.
"Wow...he's good." She said as she nudged Marinette's arm. Marinette and Adrien stood there, gazing into each other's eyes for a brief moment. Tikki took that as a cue to leave. She was so happy Marinette's dream of being with Adrien was finally coming true. She didn't want to ruin it in any way. "We'll give you two some space. Come on, Plagg." Tikki took Plagg's hand and pulled him inside of Marinette's purse.
"But I wanna watch!" Plagg said desperately before being pushed inside the purse by Tikki. Marinette and Adrien broke eye contact and watched as Plagg was attempting to get out of Tikki's grip. Adrien turned his gaze back to Marinette.
"Now, I really need to see one of your transformations sometime." Adrien said, pointing at her.
"It's a deal." Marinette giggled. "Now, the surprise?"
"Oh, right. But first…" Adrien took his hand in his pocket, pulling out a black blindfold. Marinette raised an eyebrow.
"Huh?" Marinette uttered.
"Hey, I don't want you to find out along the way where we're going. Trust me, it's gonna be worth it." Adrien responded to her. Once she understood, Marinette nodded. She took the blindfold in her hands and put it on her eyes. "Alright, can you see anything?"
"No, I don't see anything." Marinette responded. Adrien waved his hands in front of her face, making sure that she could see a thing. Once he saw that she didn't flinch, he guessed that the blindfold was working. Marinette's excitement grew. Having the blindfold on made everything even more mysterious and exhilarating. She started thinking that Adrien must have planned something big for her. Adrien took Marinette's hands in his.
"Okay, now start stepping forward." Adrien told her. Marinette took her feet and shuffled them forward. She stumbled a bit and lost her balance, falling into Adrien. She took in the scent of cologne on his short, making her not want to get back on her feet as he held her. "Careful!" He chuckled.
"Sorry. I'm Clumsy Girl, remember?" Marinette giggled. Adrien recalled her calling herself that when they first met as Ladybug and Cat Noir.
I bet you're the partner my kwami told me about. I'm...Cat Noir. Yeah, Cat Noir. And you?
I'm Ma… err… Mar… uhh… Her yo-yo hit him in the head.
Ow!
Madly Clumsy. I'm so clumsy.
No sweat, clumsy girl. I'm learning the ropes too.
"Well, I'll make sure Clumsy Girl doesn't fall and break her face, okay?" Adrien told her as she got back on her feet. Marinette laughed. Adrien guided her out of her room and down the stairs. She could smell her mom's and dad's baked goods as she carefully walked down the steps. Adrien opened the door leading outside the bakery. Marinette heard the tiny bells overtop the door chime. They walked outside. Marinette heard a few cars go by. She could still slightly smell the bakery. Adrien stopped her once they were outside.
"Okay, we have a bit of walking to do. I'll guide you the whole way." Adrien said as he began to guide her again. Marinette was curious as to how long they were going to walk for.
"So you're not going to tell me how long the walk is going to be?" Marinette asked him. Adrien chuckled a little.
"If I told you that, it might give something away." Adrien told her. Marinette sighed.
"Come on! Not even a hint?" Marinette asked with a puppy dog pout. Adrien shook his head in amusement.
"Nope." He said with a cheeky 'Cat Noir-ish' grin. Marinette playfully groaned, making Adrien laugh. "Hey, you'll know soon enough." Adrien told her and he continued guiding her along.
About 15 minutes went by. Adrien was still guiding Marinette along. Marinette could hear the sounds of people walking by and cars driving along the street. She could smell the scents of local restaurants and retail stores as she walked along the path, using them to guess where Adrien was taking her. She paid close attention to the ground she was walking on, thinking it might give her somewhat of a clue to where she was. She couldn't quite place her finger on it though. Adrien suddenly stopped her.
"Okay, stay right there." Adrien told her.
"Oh, okay." Marinette agreed easily. She heard a soft ding followed by the swish of what she thought might be doors. She felt Adrien take her hands again.
"Now, walk this way. Careful! Slowly." He told her. She shuffled forward only a few steps before stopping her again. Suddenly, the ground started shaking. Marinette felt as if she were moving, even as they stood still. She wondered if maybe they were in an elevator. There was another ding followed by the floor jolting, causing Marinette to lose her balance slightly. One more ding and then the same swish as before. Adrien shuffled beside her and then gently took her by the arms to guide her.
"Come on!" She felt a breeze as she stepped forward, following Adrien's instruction. She felt a slight breeze against her skin; something she didn't feel when she left her house. A scent of baked goods hit her nose, resembling her parent's bakery. The echoes of cars and laughter drifted by but sounded distant. They only walked about three feet before she was halted once more.
"Okay...take off the blindfold." Adrien told her.