The hollas and cheers of their friends surrounded the class as they continued to get reacquainted with each other, lips to lips, in a tight embrace. Marinette pulled herself away from him and placed a hand either side of his face, smiling brightly at her most favourite person. He smiled back and her heart fluttered. For the first time since the encounter with Shadowmoth she felt like everything might just be okay.
"You're here. You're really here," she said, just loud enough for Adrien to hear.
He reached a hand up and brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, his eyes not for a moment leaving hers.
"I'm really here," he replied. Adrien placed his hands on Marinette's hips and bent down again to meet her for another kiss.
Wolf whistles sounded around the room and the heroes broke apart laughing. Adrien pulled her into himself, allowing her to tuck her head under his chin as they looked around at their friends. They weren't sure if they were embarrassed or too in love to care.
"Ms. Bustier, why aren't you stopping this? You know you're not allowed to make out in the lycée grounds. It's prohibited."
Ms. Bustier, their confidant, just looked away.
"I don't know what you mean, Lila, I'm quite sure they're just reenacting their Darcy and Elizabeth scene."
"What?" A banshee squeal left the liar's mouth as Lila stood up and slammed her palms down on the table.
"Lila just sit down please," the class cheered as Ms. Bustier put Lila in her place. They'd been routing for this ship for years and no one was going to stop it.
"Sit down? You've got to be kidding right? Wait until M. Agreste hears about this."
"Well considering he's in prison, Lila, I don't think he'll have a lot to say about it." Surprisingly it was Juleka who spoke up, shocking everyone around her, including the couple themselves. Another cheer broke out around the room, Adrien and Marinette laughing at the sheer comedy of it all.
With a huff, Lila dropped back down in her seat before looking over to Chloe for some sort of alliance. However, Lila was met with Chloe smirking at her, before she lifted a hand and created a little finger wave. She might not be overly happy it's Marinette Adrien has ended up with but she washappy it was pissing Lila off so much. She supposed Adrien being so happy might be a plus point too, but only a little bit, it was still Marinette after all.
Adrien pulled himself away from his soulmate and guided her into their seats. Neither of them were willing to tear their eyes from each other in fear one would slip away again. They were back now and more importantly, they were back together.
"Now, don't forget everyone, today is your last chance to vote for Prom King and Queen. The dance is tomorrow night and it will be fabulous to see everyone there." Ms. Bustier looked up to where Marinette and Adrien were seated. "Welcome back Adrien." He finally removed his eyes from Marinette to give his thank you to Ms. Bustier and the rest of the class for all their support.
He was home, finally.
"Hey," Marinette gave him a small smile.
"Hey," he replied back.
"Hey," Alix turned around in her seat, and crossed her arms on their desk, giving the two heroes an eyebrow wiggle. "You two stay," she dropped them a wink and turned back to face the front of the room, just in time for the bell to ring. Adrien and Marinette stared at each other wondering what Alix wanted. There can't be anything more? Could there?
As the class began to gather their items into their bags, Alix remained seated as did Adrien and Marinette.
"You guys coming?" Alya asked, looking between Marinette and Alix. The latter only shrugged in response.
"We have some ... business to attend too." Alix said.
Realisation suddenly struck Alya, making her gasp with shock. Alix was involved too, how could she have forgotten their rooftop encounter. She grabbed Nino by the arm as he went to approach Adrien. Fiercely, Alya made sure Nino didn't take another step forward, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the door.
"But Alya, I need to see Adrien,"
"You can see him later." Her voice with laced with authority, one she knew Nino would respond too.
"I'll wait for you on the steps, bud." With that, Alya had him out the door along with the rest of the class, well, everyone except Lila.
The door closed leaving Lila with the heroes and Ms. Bustier. As if some sort of understanding played between the teacher and the rabbit hero, Ms. Bustier stood up and made her way over to Lila.
"Awww Ms. Rossi, so glad you've hung around. Your grades are not quite where they need to be to complete the year. Probably because of all those amazing opportunities you've had over the years. Unfortunately, as it looks at the moment, you won't be graduating with your friends, and what a shame that would be."
"What?" Lila stood up in shock, "how can ... why? What about all my extra curricular activities? They should count for something."
"Oh, yes, they most certainly should, but" replied Ms. Bustier, "none of your creditors have come through with the documentation we need, so you and I are going to go and have a nice long chat with the principal about how we can rectify this. I wouldn't want such an able student to be held back a year with no university prospects, you know, especially now Gabriel no longer exists."
"Documentation? When did you need documentation? I could get it for you, just give me a day, no, two days, no, a week ... I can get you everything." Ms. Bustier began to lead a rambling Lila out the door and into the hallway. Before the door shut, she dropped her students a wink.
Once the door was firmly closed, Alix turned back around to look at Marinette and Adrien.
"So, how have you been?" Alix was smiling, not a sarcastic smile, or a mischievous one, but a fully blown 'we're finally here' smile.
"Good," the heroes spoke together. Their eyes met and they burst out laughing. Marinette covered her reddened face in her hands.
"Did we just 'make out' in front of the class?" She asked between her fingers. Adrien laughed and pulled them down from her beautiful face. He'd missed seeing her so much, there was no chance he was letting her cover it up.
"Yeah, you did! Who knew you both had it in you?" Alix burst out laughing and clambered on the bench, reaching out to hug them both. "I'm so proud of you, you did it! After what felt like a thousand attempts, you did it!"
"A thousand?" Adrien questioned. The squeak in his voice obviously showing his mortification, and the implication.
"She's just joking, it wasn't that many. Was it?"
Alix laughed again and climbed off the bench gathering her bag.
"You two need to stay and talk, and I beg of you, please be honest with each other. You've come too far now to go backwards." She clambered back onto the bench and hugged them one more time.
"Love you guys," she shouted, leaving the room and the two heroes to finally discuss what has been plaguing their minds since Gabriel's take down..
"So?" Marinette asked.
"So?" Adrien replied.
The atmosphere had suddenly taken on an awkward air, neither knowing what to say or where to start.
"Can I just kiss you one more time before we start this?" Adrien asked, he was scratching the back of his neck as he looked over at his ... well ... he wasn't sure what to call her yet. Would it be too premature to go with girlfriend?
"Yes," she was breathless in her response as she moved forward and placed her lips against his, inputting every feeling into her memory bank. Even the slightest touch with him sent electric pulses through her and for once the visions on the other side of her eyes were happy. She couldn't even think about sadness anymore. He was here, and maybe, if she was as lucky as her name, he was hers.
She pulled away, saddened by the loss of connection, but one thing for sure, talking was a lot more important at the moment than kissing.
"I was speaking with our therapist," Marinette began, "and I do want to be with you. I've wanted to be with you for so long as Adrien, then as Chat, it's going to take some time to join you both together, and I'm guessing it's the same for you. I don't want to jump into the depths of a relationship straight away, we have a lot to learn about each other and I want us both to be clear about our wants and needs."
Adrien nodded, he'd had the exact same conversation too.
"I agree," he started, "I always said I loved the girl underneath the mask, and I do Marinette, I love you more than anything in the world. As Ladybug and as Marinette, but I want to love the combination of the two of you, I don't want to see them as separate people anymore. Dr Hermich also explained how I might cling to you because of the trauma and the fact that we went through it together. I don't want to cling on to you, Marinette, I want to be an equal. I want to be able to look after you and provide for you, exactly as you have done for me."
Marinette let out a sigh of relief, she grabbed his hand and held onto it tightly. They were on the same page. Her heart suddenly felt lighter, this was a good start.
"Did Dr. Hermich mention to you, about the ice breaker questions?"
Marinette snorted, oh yes he had and she had one question that had been playing on her mind since Ms. Bustier set their character reference assignment
"Pineapple on pizza; yes or no?"
Adrien gawked at Marinette. After almost a month away, this is what she asked first. He couldn't help but burst out laughing, it had been a while since he laughed so hard.
"I'm fine with it; can live with it and can live without it."
Marinette nodded.
"Correct answer. Your turn."
He looked out the window and scrunched his lips together. What could he ask? What did he want to know?
"Okay, making a cup of English tea. Milk then water, or water then milk?"
"Water then milk!" She exclaimed, "don't be barbaric!!"
They both burst out laughing and she relaxed into the side of his body, placing her head on his shoulder. She'd missed him so much, bad puns and all.
"You've got to remove the tea bag before the milk though," he said.
"Most definitely," she responded.
They sat together for minutes just absorbed in the other's aura.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, dipping her toe slowly into the pool of their emotions.
"Broken, destroyed, confused, depressed ... but oddly, I also feel loved and happy." He sighed and held onto her hand, playing with each of her fingers. "Honestly though, I'm a lot better. Therapy and having the desire to get better for you, it's really helped. You have no idea how much."
"I understand," Marinette looked at their intertwined fingers and smiled, "Ms. Bustier gave me a good kick up the ass and reminded me that I needed to get better for you too."
"I'm glad she did," Adrien smiled.
"Me too."
She watched as he took her hand up to his lips and placed a kiss on the back, just as he had many times as his alter ego. She looked on in shock, this was really going to take some getting used to.
"Where are you staying for the time being? I'm guessing you're not going back to the mansion anytime soon?"
Adrien shook his head.
"No chance. I doubt I'll ever step foot in there again. Your parents and Gorilla have offered to clear it out. They're going to donate a lot of the items to charity and then bring what they think I want to keep."
"And where is that?"
"With Chloé, in the hotel. It seems Anthoney wants to help take care of me, I'm thinking Chloé has something to do with it too."
"Of course, it is Chloé after all, Adrikins."
They both laughed. Marinette looked at the boy in front of her and wondered how he could still have such a cheery disposition. But at the end of the day he was Chat Noir. Her brightest star in the darkest night. His optimism also battled strongly against her pessimistic views.
"I wanted to give you my mother's engagement ring, but I'm guessing after everything you wouldn't want that."
Marinette scoffed. Did he really just bring that up?
"Going straight for the kill there, mon Chaton. I'm sorry your mother turned out to be as bad as your father,"
"I sometimes wonder if I'm going to turn out the same way. I mean, it's no secret I would literally die for you, so does that make me just as bad?" Adrien asked.
"No," Marinette's response was strong and to the point, "no you're not Adrien. You're nothing like them. You've never killed for me, you've never shown any type of aggressive nature. Perhaps having Nathalie as a 'mother' put something good into you. You hold ultimate destruction in the palm of your hand yet you've never used it for your own gain. You're a good one Adrien, you're nothing like them."
"I'm still weirded out by all that, I'm just glad I was unconscious during my mother's take over the world speech. I can push it to the back of my mind a little bit."
"When's the funeral?" Marinette asked, knowing too well Adrien had been the one to organise and deal with the planning.
"Tomorrow," Adrien sighed, "so I won't be at school, but I'd like to take you to the dance, if you'll allow me? It could be our first official date?"
Marinette smiled and hit her shoulder into his.
"So watching you die and then saving the world doesn't class as a date?"
He let out a small laugh, obviously happy she could joke about such things, after all it was his family that destroyed it all, that had terrorized them for years.
"I think I'm free, you know, for my soulmate and all." She let out a girlish giggle before stretching one hand up and cupped his cheek, before mirroring it with her second hand.
She began an exploration over his face, tracing every feature and every line. She could feel the creases which he shouldn't have at such a young age, the softness of his eyebrows and the tickling on her fingertips as she stroked his eyelashes.
"I still can't believe it's you. That you and him are the same person,"
Adrien placed his hands over hers, stopping them from their search.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to know who you are? How much I've wanted to get to know you, I just can't explain what I'm feeling."
"Neither can I," she agreed. "Let's just take it one day at a time, Kitty," he smiled at the use of his nickname. "I'm positive we'll get there."
"One day at a time," he repeated.
A sudden feeling came over the both of them, urging them to move closer, to let their lips brush together. Marinette could feel the spiralling in her stomach, as butterflies attempted to escape the confined space. Her breathing laboured and her heart beating frantically. They moved closer and closer, only a hitch apart.
Bleep! Bleep! Bleep!
And the moment was over before it began.
"Sorry, that's Gorilla. I've got to ..." Adrien's eyes lingered to the door.
"Yeah, sure. Go." Marinette stood up, a wave of heat taking over her face.
"I'll come and pick you up, tomorrow, for the dance?"
"Sure, we can walk over together."
Adrien smiled.
"I'd like that very much." Adrien stood next to her, both slinging their backpacks on their shoulders, joining their hands together and walking towards the door.
Silence embraced them in a warm hug as they made their way down the school steps and out onto the street. In one last Chat Noir gesture, Adrien lifted her hand and placed a kiss on the back.
"See you tomorrow evening," he dropped her a wink and made his way to the waiting car. He turned to look at her one last time missing his judgement and hitting the back of his head off the doorframe. They both laughed giving each other one more wave.
"Dude!" Nino shouted, running to the car slowly starting to pull away. It stopped and the door opened, Adrien sliding over to allow his best friend a chance to climb in beside him.
Marinette stood and watched Adrien, and now Nino, drive away, missing the arrival of Tikki next to her cheek.
"You look happy, Marinette."
"I am Tikki, for the first time in what feels like years everything seems to be falling into place."
The two girls giggled as they made their way back to Marinette's bakery.
"Hey Maman," Marinette walked up to her mother and placed a kiss on her cheek.
"Good day, sweetheart?" There was a knowing look in her mother's eyes which Marinette couldn't ignore.
"How much do you know?" She asked the older Cheng woman.
"I know that you need to work on what you're wearing tomorrow night. I'm quite sure you haven't sorted anything out yet."
With a squeal, Marinette ran up the stairs and into her bedroom. Her mother was right, there was nothing planned. She hadn't thought Adrien would be back and she wasn't willing to go without him. Not without her Prince.
"Tikki? What am I going to do?" Marinette sat on her chaise in complete panic. This was her first date with Adrien, with Chat Noir, and she had nothing to wear.
Suddenly, Wayzz made an appearance and headed towards the suit bag thrown on the ground in the corner of her room.
"You know," he said, "stars are born out of dark moments."
Marinette looked to where the turtle kwami was hinting and made her way to the bag. She slowly unzipped it and pulled out the Ladybug inspired ball gown with disgust over her face.
Disgust for the person who made it.
Disgust for the way both her and Adrien were played that day.
But most of all, disgust for how much she loved the dress.
"Adrien would never forgive me." Marinette said softly.
"Don't think of it that way," Wayzz expanded, "it's material isn't it? You're creative. Perhaps it's time you put that creative flare to good use."
Looking back at the dress, Marinette couldn't deny the beauty of it, of how the memories of Adrien's face when he saw her in it made her feel special and desirable, and of how the sparkles and gems were placed just right so that she could cut and reuse the material.
A smile graced her face. She had an idea.
•••••
"You're writing it now? We've still got a week before the final copy needs to be in."
Adrien was sitting at the desk in his hotel room as Nino lazed on the bed.
"I'm inspired and I want to write." Adrien explained. Nino gave him a curious look.
"What do you know?" Adrien laughed at his friend.
"Nothing, seriously. Just speaking with Marinette this afternoon has made me decide to start on the assignment. She has two different personalities and I want to see if I can find the middle ground."
Nino looked at Adrien as if he'd gone insane.
"What?" He questioned his cap wearing friend.
"Marinette doesn't have two personalities. Seriously, I'm surprised we didn't all find out she was LB sooner."
"This coming from the guy who froze when he found out who she was."
"More about who you were, Bro. But seriously, it's Marinette."
Adrien looked at Nino waiting for him to expand on his knowledge. Instead, Nino stood up and made his way to the door.
"I'll leave you to this, man. Perhaps you'll create a decent prom king speech for tomorrow night."
With the click of the door closing Adrien looked down at his paper, currently divided into two columns.
Ladybug.
Marinette.
One word written under each name selfless.