When You Switch Upon a Star

Chapter 21

Misterbug jumped in through the window, landing safely in his bedroom. Rapid, high pitched beeps emerged from his earrings. A pink light filled the room for a brief moment, where the superhero had been replaced by his civilian form. Stretching his arms over his head, Adrien slumped down in his desk chair.

"Divertia got away again," Adrien sighed, "At this point it feels like we're never gonna beat her."

"Come on, don't say that," Tikki said, "She's just a tough opponent is all."

"But she's been roaming around for weeks now," Adrien mumbled, "Almost a month at this point."

Adrien glanced down at his desk, where a small green gift box had been placed. His gift from that little Secret Santa activity. Or, as Kim renamed it, "Secret Kim". But Adrien refused to call it that.

His hands reached for the little box. A soft rattling hit the inside of the box as he lifted it up. Adrien yanked the tiny ribbon off the top of the box. His fingers ripped at the thin wrapping paper that decorated the stale white box underneath. He placed the small ball of green wrapping paper on his desk and took the lid off the box, revealing its contents.

Adrien's lips parted as he lifted a beaded charm out of the box一much like the one he made for Marinette. Only, this charm had beads of pink and green. As if this particular charm had sparked something within him, a flood of immensely vivid memories drowned his thoughts. Like he had seen this charm before. No, he has seen it before.

The green eyed blond tossed the black controller on the desk in front of him. Exhaling a silent sigh, Adrien slumped back in his seat as he pushed his chair away from the desk. The blue eyed girl looked at him as she, too, placed her controller on her desk.

"You're amazing, Marinette," Adrien said, his smile faltering, "I guess you wouldn't even need me. I'm so lame compared to you."

Marinette blinked, "What? No! You're so good! I'm the one who's not good."

The trapdoor burst open, where a rather large man with a brown mustache stuck his head through the opening. In his hands was a tray of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

"Anyone want cookies? Baked hot from the oven!"

Marinette sighed, "Papa, we're trying to work here!"

Without another word, Tom descended back down the trapdoor, closing it above him. Adrien and Marinette turned back to each other, where Adrien rolled his seat back to the desk. He perched one arm up on the desk as Marinette proceeded to speak.

"Actually, you know what? I've got a secret."

The pigtailed girl reached into the pocket of her pink jeans, pulling out a green and pink charm.

"This is why I win."

Adrien parted his lips. His viridescent eyes traveled constantly between the charm and the girl in disbelief.

"Are you messing with me?"

"Try playing a match with it," Marinette suggested, smiling softly.

Wordlessly, Adrien reached his hand out. He wrapped his fingers around the charm, feeling the warmth and smoothness of the beads melt into his skin.

A loud gasp entered his lungs as Adrien came back to reality. He swiftly stood up from his seat, his eyes frantically darting around "his" bedroom. They landed on a framed photo that sat on his desk. Instead of the Marinette photo he used to have, her picture had been replaced by a photo of himself. His eyes scanned farther, landing on the wall of posters一Adrien posters to be exact.