Whoops-A-Daisy 🌼 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

3- Fashion Disaster

Marinette and Cat Noir sit side-by-side, ignoring her phone ringing non-stop with calls and texts from her friends and families. They're not ready to leave, and not ready to face everyone yet. She checks her phone. "They're still looking for us."

"Can't they just give it a rest?" He sighs. "Speaking of, I should probably feed my kwami. Claws in."

Marinette watches his transformation fall and even already knowing she's still in shock to see Adrien sitting beside her. It hasn't clicked for her yet. Plagg appears and her eyes widen, hoping that he won't accidentally reveal that he knows her and she is, in fact, Ladybug.

Adrien hands him a piece of cheese. "Mari, this is my kwami, Plagg."

"Oh, he's so cute," Marinette whispers as she pokes his cheeks. "Hello, Plagg."

The kwami glares at her and she gives him a nervous smile in hope he'll understand what she's trying to say. "So, you're Marinette?" He looks her up and down. "Honestly, I was expecting more."

"Plagg!" Adrien shouts.

He shrugs. "What?" Marinette stares cold daggers and he starts laughing. "I'm only teasing, kid." He offers a tiny paw. "Nice to meet you, Marino."

"Marinette," She corrects.

"Same thing." Plagg winks at her before flying off to nap on Adrien's shoe.

"I'm so sorry about Plagg," Adrien tells Marinette as he scoots closer to her. "He's not really a people person."

"Oh, Plagg's fine. He's the cutest little thing I've ever seen." Marinette's purse moves slightly as she feels Tikki headbutt her leg. "Uh, second cutest little thing. So, what are you gonna do, Adrien?"

He crosses his arms. "I'll put Plagg on a diet if his manners don't improve."

Without opening an eye, "I heard that."

"No, I meant about..." She gestures around them. "You know."

"Oh. That!" He realizes and laughs. "I don't know. It almost doesn't feel real. Part of me's hoping this is just a dream."

Now Marinette is feeling mischievous. "Oh, so you dream about me often?"

Adrien's blushing now and that serves him right for earlier. "W-What? No! I-I mean, sometimes, if I don't forget in the morning. It's not like I don't want to dream about you. I can't control what I dream-"

She laughs. "I was teasing."

"Oh." Adrien sighs in relief. "Obviously, I knew that."

She laughs harder and Plagg rolls his eyes.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Marinette."

She stops laughing and stares at him.

"Everyone knows who Cat Noir is. Paris' second favorite superhero is no other than famous model Adrien Agreste. Like things couldn't get worse." He lowers his head and whispers, "Cat Noir was my escape from my life, from the fame, the photoshoots, the crazy fans. Truth is- I hate it. I hate it all. I don't want to model anymore. I only do it to please my father, but it's not what I want."

"What do you want to do?"

"That's the thing- I don't know what I want to do! I've never been given a chance or a choice. Everything is already decided for me."

Marinette stares at her shoes. "Why don't you tell him?"

"Because he doesn't listen. He never listens. He doesn't care what I want, only what he thinks is best for the brand."

The brand- Gabriel Agreste's internship- the one thing on Marinette's mind now. Would it still be right to apply knowing how his son feels about him?

"Mari?" Adrien asks, breaking her out of her thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah, I was just thinking..." She starts playing with a button on her jacket. "Umm, I was gonna tell you if it happened, but I was applying for your father's internship."

"What?" Adrien asks. "Really?"

"Your father is hosting an internship for his brand for the next year. Applications were due today. If I get it, I'll get to shadow him and study his techniques, grow into my talent, and learn from one of the best. I don't know. There's other candidates and I have to stand out from everyone if I want it."

He smiles. "Mari, that's amazing."

"Weren't you just trash-talking your father?" She teases.

"Yeah, but this is different." Adrien holds her hand. "This is you! This is what you've wanted, a chance to get your foot in the door of fashion!"

Marinette shrugs. "I guess you're right. I'm excited and nervous. What if I don't beat the other candidates?"

He squeezes her hand. "I'm sure you will. You're very talented, Mari."

"Thank you." Her eyes widen. "My sketchbook! I dropped it when that car almost hit me! I never grabbed it."

Adrien jumps up. "Plagg, claws out." In a green flash, he scoops Marinette back in his arms and races across rooftops back to school. He drops on the sidewalk and sets her down. Sure enough, there her things are, wet and destroyed.

Marinette walks over and falls to her knees. She grabs her sketchbook and starts crying as it falls apart. "No, no, no! This isn't happening! Ugh, this is a disaster! I'm supposed to meet your father-" She checks her phone. "-an hour ago! All my sketches are ruined. There's no point in even applying now."

"Don't say that." Adrien places a hand on her shoulder. "My father will understand. You didn't destroy it on purpose."

"Oh no..." She pants hard as her chest tightens and tears pour down her flushed cheeks. "Why does the universe hate me?!"

Adrien grabs Marinette's arms and pulls her up, wrapping her in a tight hug. "Things are going to be okay, Marinette. I promise. I'll reason with my father and you'll have your chance."

"Are you sure your father will listen?" She mumbles into his jacket.

He glares straight ahead. "A little persuasion wouldn't hurt."

Marinette takes in a deep breath and leans back, wiping under her eyes. "How can you be so sure? Your father isn't a second-chance man, Adrien! He's going to take one look at me and see what a mess I am and never offer me the internship! He'll blacklist my name in the fashion business and no one will want to work with me! And worst of all-" She pauses and looks at Adrien. "He won't let us be friends."

"Don't you think you're being a little dramatic?" Adrien asks with a laugh and is soon silenced by Marinette's cold demeanor. "Right. Of course not."