Miraculous Tales

24) ƉєรթίςląฬҌlє Ṃє

Adrien tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes for what seemed like the millionth time that late morning. He wasn't required to show up at the fundraiser the school was hosting, but it was a good excuse to get out of the house.

"Dude, you okay? You look like a zombie," Nino observed.

"Huh?" The blonde lifted his head to look at his best bro, just beginning to process his words. "Did your dad keep you busy a lot yesterday or something?"

"Um, yeah."

Actually, that was nowhere near the case. He'd spent almost the entire previous night vaulting around the city as Chat Noir. Well, half of the time anyway. The other half was spent overthinking a topic he was struggling to coming to terms with on a random rooftop. Ever since last afternoon that he had spent with Marinette in her kitchen, his suspicions of his crazy theory only grew.

It would make sense if she was Ladybug. Perfect sense. It would explain how word spread between them almost immediately. It would explain their so called friendship and extreme "fondness" of each other. It would explain that she was the only other pupil in her class that hasn't been akumatized yet, other than him. It would explain the Evillustrator situation, where Ladybug had private matters to attend to while she needed Chat Noir to help out Marinette. It explained everything.

Oh, how he was dying to ask her about it. But he couldn't. He shouldn't. If he was right, it would disrespect their agreement and go against his lady's wishes, which he respected no matter what. And if in the odd chance he was wrong, he'd feel very stupid.

Why he was still in denial over the whole thing? It was probably the only thing keeping him from losing his cool, even though in the back of his mind, he knew he was right.

"A-Adrien?"

He just had to go about things like they for normal for now. Nothing has changed. Drama was the last thing he wanted.

"Adrikans!!"

He jumped as a pair of tight arms squeezed the life out of him with long French manicured claws digging into his flesh. When Adrien came to it, he was almost out of air with a chipper Chloe clinging to him like a leech.

Marinette, who was about to ask him something, crossed her arms and huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face.

"I'm so glad you could come, Adrikans! You and I, supporting a good cause? Ha, I'm just like Ladybug," she boasted.  Chloe suddenly leaned in close to her hostage and laid a finger on his nose,"And you are my Chat Noir..." Adrien grimaced and jerked back at her touch.

Marinette clenched her fists at her sides, ready to start a cat fight. "Hey," she spoke, sounding more aggressive than she intended.

To the poor boy's relief, Chloe parted from him to give the dark haired girl a nasty glare. "What's your problem, Maritrash? Can you take yourself out or do I need to get someone else to?" The overly used, unpleasant nickname made Adrien tense. Just when he opened his mouth, Marinette answered. "Don't you ever look in the mirror and get tired with what you see? Don't you ever get tired of being like this?"

"Whatever," the blonde retorted, resting a bony elbow on Adrien's shoulder. "Jealousy isn't a good look on you. You're just upset because I'm actually pretty. Mirrors don't lie, you know."

"Lucky for you, they can't laugh either," she muttered.

Adrien almost choked on his own saliva. He held back an obnoxious Chat Noir laugh with all his might by slapping a hand over his mouth. Even though his classmate's comeback was hysterical, it was still rude to have such a reaction. And it'd especially be out of character for him.