Miraculous Unoshots

Awful People

Note: This is an aged-up fic where they are both 19.

Word count: 1,432

Marinette smiled a polite smile as she handed out another hot bun to a customer and put their cash in the box. After taking a bite, they reached into their pocket and put a $5 bill in the tip jar and walked away with a wink. 

"Thank you!" The bluenette called after the customer, before turning back to the line.

After graduating high school, Marinette had turned to working at her parents' bakery full-time over the summer breaks between school years. Currently, she was visiting the summer before her second year at LISAA School of Design began. Now, she was working a catering booth at the Louvre for their annual Hero's Day Art Show. It was a collection of superhero-themed works, the majority of theme featuring Ladybug and Chat Noir. As a server came over and collected another plate of macaroons to rotate throughout the gallery, Marinette took the opportunity to really look at the works surrounding her. It was strange to see so many paintings of her but nobody knowing who it was they were looking at. 

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Marinette DuPain Cheng. Still working as the help, I see?" Marinette looked away from a particularly stunning painting of Chat Noir that really captured the playfulness in his eyes to look at the source of the voice. She resisted the urge to glare and instead plastered on her signature customer-service smile.

"Chloe, it's been a while. Can I interest you in a pastry?" She offered, motioning to the various treats spread along the table. 

"No, I need to watch my figure now that I'm living in New York with my mother," the blonde scoffed. Movement behind Chloe tore Marinette's gaze away and she saw a familiar face offer her a shy smile and a wave. It was like being transported back to high school, seeing Sabrina trailing behind Chloe still. A couple more girls walked up and joined them. They all wore expensive but simplistic clothing, just like Chloe and Sabrina, and all seemed just as bratty. 

"Wait, isn't that Marinette DuPain Cheng?" One of them, a girl with straight black hair and long acrylic nails, gasped. She looked at Marinette with wide eyes. The other girls that had just joined the group gasped as well and one of them even squealed. 

"Isn't she the one rumored to be dating Chat Noir?" Another girl, a brunette, asked. 

Marinette's face flushed. She never seemed to be getting away from the tabloid articles pinning her and Chat Noir together. They had started to become friends over the several times he had saved her and even visited her at night occasionally. Of course, he had no idea that the girl he was befriending was actually Ladybug. The press, of course, ate that up and started rumors that the girl and the cat were dating and she often caught reporters trying to sneak pictures of her. It really made her job as Ladybug a lot more difficult. Chat Noir didn't seem to mind the rumors but they were seriously starting to get on Marinette's nerves.

"No, I-" She started, about to launch into the answer she often gave to the presses. Before she could, though, Chloe laughed.

"Ha, don't believe everything you read, girls. This girl could never get an autograph from Chat Noir, let alone date him. I mean, look at her. She's clearly way too lame for him."

"Really, Chloe? We're not in high school anymore, why are you still resorting to acting so childish?"

"Well, am I wrong?" Chloe raised her eyebrows, clearly confident that she was right. Any other time and with anyone else, she'd do everything in her power to dispel the rumors. But something inside her, perhaps her old high school rivalry with the cocky blonde, made her act out. 

"As a matter of fact, you are wrong. I don't want it getting out but I am Chat Noir's girlfriend. In fact, I just saw him last night." It wasn't exactly a lie, per se. He had come to visit her the night before, and it's not like he had ever made any effort to say one way or another on the rumors. 

The other girls' eyes all widened, one of them even squealed, but Chloe didn't seem convinced. "Yeah, right. I'll believe it when I hear it straight from the cat," she laughed. With that, she flipped her long ponytail and walked off. Sabrina and the brunette followed closely behind her but the other girl stayed behind for a second. 

"Is he a good kisser like everyone says he is?" She asked quickly.

Marinette blushed. She hated that she actually knew the answer to that question due to some... complicated instances during akuma attacks. "Yeah, he really is," she replied. The girl giggled and ran off before Chloe noticed her missing. 

It was only a few minutes later that Marinette felt a hand touch her shoulder. She jumped and fought her instinct to throw whoever it was across the room. Glancing behind her to see the owner of the gloved arm, she let out a breath.

"What have I told you about sneaking up on me like that?" She sighed, trying to calm her heart rate. 

"Sorry about that, princess. I just wanted to know how much it was for one of your killer danishes?" He asked with pleading eyes.

"Is that the only reason you came to this show? What a glutton," she teased, handing him a pastry. "It is your event, though, so it's on the house." 

"Ouch, I'm wounded, princess." He dramatically threw a hand over his forehead as if her were about to faint. She just laughed and lightly shoved him in the arm. "You should take a break from working and show me around the exhibits," he suggested. She hesitated to take him up on his request but ultimately decided that the waiters could handle the catering for a little while. As she took his extended elbow with a laugh at his flare for the dramatic, she suddenly became aware of several pairs of eyes on her. Of course, as she looked around, she saw a few reporters and journalists cast glances that way, a few not-so-stealthily taking some pictures. In addition, though, she also saw the group of girls that had harassed her earlier. 

"Chat, you really need to act less flirty in public. These rumors are getting absurd," she hissed to him, desperately trying to ignore the attention on them. 

"Ah, let them think what they want," he shrugged. She groaned and hid her face in her free hand in frustration at his nonchalance. As she brought her head back up, she noticed Chloe and her friends start walking their way. Chloe seemed like a woman on a mission and, knowing her, it wasn't a good one. 

"Okay, act cool but do you see those girls headed our way?" She nodded towards them with her head and he nodded. "Well they were kinda being assholes to me earlier and I may or may not have told them that we were actually dating and I know it's a hassle but please, just go along with it?" She explained in a rush, hoping he wouldn't tease her for using the rumors to her advantage or expose her in her lie. She looked up at him and searched his eyes and they gleamed.

Without a word, he grabbed onto her and pressed her against the closest wall. She gasped as he ran a leather-clad finger along her jaw. "This will show them to bully, my Marinette. Is this okay, Princess?" Wordlessly, she nodded, still not fully processing the situation she was in. Without another moment's hesitation, he pressed their lips together. She wrapped her arms around his neck instinctually. Their lips moved in sync and it wasn't long before her lips were parted to allow his tongue to run along the inside of her mouth. Finally, he pulled away and held her hand with a smile as if what had just happened was totally normal and natural. She forced herself to hide her expression and follow suit. 

"I hate awful people," he whispered in her ear. She laughed. 

"Thank you, kitty." 

"Anytime, princess," he winked. Suddenly, she remembered that they were at a very public and heavily publicized event. She nervously shifted her gaze to the people around the room. Every single person was staring at the two with wide eyes and cameras flashing. 

"Shit," she muttered.

"Guess you're stuck with me," Chat Noir laughed, squeezing her hand. 

"Stupid kitty." 

This oneshot was inspired by a scene I saw in some Hallmark movie. I can't find it right now but if anyone knows what it is, comment the name so I can credit it.