Close to Me - ML Secret Santa 2022
Happy holidays @coffeebanana, I’m your ML Secret Santa!!
Thank you to @mlsecretsanta for hosting again this year, I’ve missed writing!!
And of course, a massive thank you to @faunusroman for beta-ing this story!
the one who feeds me:
girl he’s staring again
the one who clothes me:
no he’s not. do ur work
the one who feeds me:
see 4 urself
Marinette looked up from her phone, casually sitting on her lap under her desk, and glanced across the aisle to catch Adrien’s blonde mop shaking as he turned to face his workbook again. She squeaked, turning a deep shade of scarlett to match the shade on his face, and immediately returned her eyes to her workbook.
Since she, Adrien, and Alya interrupted the parents’ meeting with Miss Bustier the prior week, they’ve been separated in class to refocus on their classwork. Not a forever thing, Miss Bustier had said, just until the next topic test. Thankfully for them, this was due for next week.
It would be a whole lot easier if Adrien wasn’t staring at her every day in class. She’s not in love with him anymore, damn it. She’s fallen for her partner, Chat Noir, and she thinks he might love her, too.
She doesn’t fully believe that Chat Noir didn’t mean to kiss her just to save her from akumatisation, but it doesn’t matter. She told herself she couldn’t love Adrien while Monarch was still a threat to Paris. Why would Chat Noir be any different? She’s going to live a sad lonely life, fighting crime and spending every waking moment terrified of her identity being revealed and-
Marinette shakes her head, a little too aggressively, then fixated on her workbook.
Adrien knew he had spent too much time staring at Marinette, and not enough on his school work. Words and pages blurred together, and he couldn’t focus on anything but her. He could barely remember what it was he was supposed to be studying. Was it the French Revolution? The themes of Romeo and Juliet?
He supposed, in a weird way, he could be Romeo, and Marinette was his Juliet. What he would give to kiss her as himself.
Why did Marinette want to kiss Chat Noir? He can count the times they’ve spoken on one paw. Is she really just a fan of him? He knew from experience the kinds of weird things fans fantasised about with him, but it feels different. Marinette’s different.
His eyes focused on her again. He just loved the way the sun streamed through the window, perfectly illuminating the kaleidoscope of blue hues in her eyes and highlighting her ha-
Riiing.
“Marinette, can you-”
“Adrien, may I please see you for a moment?” Miss Bustier’s kind voice cut through his own and his head turned, eyes clouded with confusion, though he nodded. Little knives tore and cut at his heart as he turned back to Marinette and her now packed bag.
“Marinette, can you please wait for me?”
“Oh! I, uh, I have to talk to Al-” Marinette stuttered, pointing at a fastly retreating Alya, hand in hand with Nino. Her eyes narrowed, and she continued, “I mean, Maman is expecting me home for the lunch rush. Sorry!”
Miss Bustier didn’t miss the way Adrien’s eyes creased with disappointment, and some of his hope drained from his body as he shouldered his bag and made his way to her desk.
“I’m sorry, Miss Bustier, I know I’ve not been listening well this week, but please don’t-”
“Adrien, you aren’t in trouble.”
Adrien perked up, meeting her eyes. “I’m not?”
“No, of course not. I was a bit like you at this age,” she said, turning to look out the windows of the classroom to where Marinette was, running through the courtyard. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of him either.”
“Y-You mean-”
“Yes, Adrien, I can see where your focus has been this week. However,” she continued, her voice firming, “You are a smart kid. You know how to balance your studies and your free time… as well as you are allowed. Please start showing your work some more attention, before I do have to call your father.”
Adrien’s shoulders tensed as her words hung in the air. “I understand. I’ll… figure this out soon.”
“By Friday, I hope, so you are ready for the test next week,” she replied, raising her eyebrows knowingly. “Thank you for listening, Adrien. I will see you this afternoon,” she smiled and held a hand out towards the door.
Adrien let out a sigh of relief as soon as he exited the room, making a beeline for the bathroom. There was a certain level of stress in his life already, and he was just repairing his relationship with his fa- dad. His dad. He didn’t want to lose what he had started building with his dad, but he didn’t want to lose his chance with Marinette. What might be his only chance.
Why couldn’t he have both?
“What am I gonna do, Plagg? Marinette’s everywhere, I’m so in love and I can’t get her out of my head!”
“What's the problem with focusing on what you love? I only ever focus on my one true love- a decadent, creamy camembert!” Plagg flew out of his jacket, holding a hunk of his “true love” and taking a huge bite.
“Père can’t know I’m not focusing on my school work, though. What if he does put me back into homeschooling, and I never see her again?”
“You saw her on the weekend-”
“As Chat Noir, Plagg. I want Marinette to love me again as Adrien.”
“-and she kissed you-”
“That didn’t mean-”
“-and you’re two sides of the same coin, kid. I’m sure if she doesn’t already, she will love you.”
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Across the courtyard, one Chloé Bourgeois was sitting on the bench, arms and legs crossed, fuming. For too long, her Adrikins had done more than tolerate Marinette Dupain-Cheng, even spent time with her outside of classes, and now he has gone and fallen in love with her? Ridiculous.
Dupain-Cheng is going to pay for this, she just needs a little help.
And it doesn’t hurt that this is another chance to get back at Ladybug.
Chloé rose, neutralising her facial expression, and walked to the bathroom. She could hear Sabrina calling her name in confusion but ignored her. Opening the door, her eyes darted left to right, checking if the room was empty, then slipped inside.
“I know you can feel my anger, Monarch,” she spoke lowly.
A black butterfly flew through the window seconds later, slipping into and colouring her sunglasses. “I want to punish Marinette Dupain-Cheng for stealing my Adrikins’ desire. She deserves nothing, especially not him. Give me back the power of the Bee, and I will get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses, once I’m done with her.”
“As you wish, Queen Wasp,” was his only reply, before the bubbles cascaded around her form.
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Marinette sipped her steaming soup and sighed. “I can’t keep avoiding him forever, he’s my friend! But don’t you agree he’s been acting a bit strange recently?”
“He’s acting like a certain someone I’ve known for a while, Marinette…” Tikki muttered.
“I don’t know what you mean by that, Tikki. He’s just a friend,” she paused to scowl at Tikki’s giggle. “He is! So what if I used to be in love with him? Ladybug and the people of Paris have to come first while Monarch is around.”
Sighing again, she placed the bowl of Ching Po Leung on her desk and held her half-filled spoon out to Tikki to sip from.
“Maybe it’s time for you to stop trying to have some degree of control over everything around you and just let things happen,” Tikki mused after a moment of quiet. “You can’t control your feelings for Adrien as much as you think you can, nor can you control your feelings for Chat Noir.”
“It doesn’t matter anyways, Tikki, I-”
A knock coming from above stalled her words, and both of them looked up. Tikki flew and hid in a desk drawer and Marinette grumbled, climbing the ladder to her bed.
“Chat Noir, are you insane? It’s the middle of the-”
The skylight shattered.
“You’re going to wish it was that mangy cat, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”
Marinette stifled a scream, sliding back down the ladder and backed her way to the trapdoor.
“Chloé? What are you doing here?”
“I’m not Chloé, I’m Queen Wasp, and I’m going to take back what is mine!”
“What’s yours? What-”
Marinette shrieked and leapt to her right as Queen Wasp shot a beam of light towards her feet.
“I don’t know what my Adrikins sees in you! You must have tricked him somehow! There’s no way he would like someone like you!”
Marinette’s feet danced around as she desperately avoided the beams Queen Wasp shot her way, her time as Ladybug maintaining her stamina. A loud robotic voice from the living room below announced a Megakuma alert, startling them both.
“I hope there’s a macaron for me after this!” Chat Noir dropped in front of a particularly close beam, sending it back to a growling Queen Wasp with his baton spinning wildly.
“Don’t you know not to interrupt a girl fight, you mangy cat?!” Queen Wasp cried out, trying to aim around him. One loose beam ricocheted off of a mannequin, which sent it crashing to the floor.
“I think you have an unfair advantage in this one, it doesn't seem right to let it go on!”
Marinette watched Tikki phase in out of the corner of her eye and grabbed her bag while Queen Wasp was distracted, slinging it around her shoulder.
“Marinette’s the wrong one here! She’s a thief, a liar, and-”
“And it’s time to go!” A repelled beam shot right back at Queen Wasp, sending her flying into the opposite wall.
Wrapping one arm around her waist, Chat Noir launched himself and Marinette up through the skylight, and leapt from the balcony down the block, wrapping the other arm under her legs, bridal-style.
“Get back here!” they heard Queen Wasp yell faintly, as Chat Noir kept running.
“Are you okay, Princess?” Chat Noir asked between puffs of breath.
“Oh yeah, never better,” Marinette replied, glancing over his shoulder. “It looks like we’ve almost lost her.”
“Good,” Chat Noir grunted, leaping from the rooftops towards ground level. “We need to find a place to hide you for now.”
They had landed in front of the movie theatre. “If this is your way of asking me out, Chat Noir, we could’ve saved the trouble over the weekend,” Marinette scoffed lightly, as she placed both feet on the sidewalk.
She giggled at his spluttering, his face glowing red. “I’m just kidding, we wouldn’t have time anyways.”
Chat Noir looked up to the sign, trying to avoid looking at her directly. “W-Well, I- uh, what movie would you want to see, if there was time?”
“Hmmm…” Marinette looks up to the sign as well. “I’ve heard ‘The Shadow Ruins’ is meant to be good. Some reviews said it’s the perfect mix of thriller and fantasy, and there’s strong Chinese representation in the main cast!”
Chat Noir glanced down at her, a soft smile gracing his features watching her light up.
“Well, head on inside and stay while Chloé’s still looking. Ladybug will be here to fight with me, soon enough.” He saluted her and shot off with his baton again, glancing back as Marinette ran inside the theatre with a returning salute behind her.
Running to the bathroom, Marinette quickly checked the stalls to make sure the room was empty, and Tikki flew out of her bag.
“Good thinking, calling the alert on Maman’s Alliance ring, Tikki. Let’s go help Chat Noir. Spots on!”
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“Miraculous Ladybug! Pound it!”
The ladybugs flew off in different directions, repairing broken glass and holes in the sides of houses.
“Chloé, are you okay?” Chat Noir reached out an arm in concern, but she brushed him off before his claws could rest on her shoulder. His brow furrowed as she tugged her bag firmly over her shoulder.
“Marinette deserved it. Leave me alone,” she grumbled in response, brushing her shoulders and leaving the heroes in a stunned silence, both pairs of eyes narrowing. Neither had much time to recover as Alya approached them both, slightly out of breath from running from block to block, chasing the fight.
“So Chloé Bourgeois was akumatised again, can you tell us a bit more about this Ladybug? Chat Noir?”
Beep beep beep.
“I’ll have to leave this one to you, Chaton, I’m about to transform back. Bug out!” Ladybug finished with a smile to both of them, then threw her yoyo back in the direction of the theatre. She shot off a quick text to Alya to distract him as long as possible.
She tried to breathe evenly as she ran along the Parisian rooftops, wondering what Chloé had meant. How had she stolen Adrien? She absolutely doesn’t have any sort of feelings for him, they're just friends and friends are meant to be shared. Just because Chloé had seemed to regress emotionally doesn’t mean they can’t at least act cordially.
It’s not like Adrien returned her feelings that she absolutely no longer has. Nope.
She landed in front of the theatre and ran inside, making her way to the bathroom again.
“Spots off! Here you go, Tikki,” she clicked open her bag and pulled out a cookie. “Chat Noir might be back soon, so you’ll need to hide again.”
Crumbs dotting her small face, she said, “I’m on it!” And flew into the open bag. Marinette fastened it shut again, and walked out of the theatre, waving to the bored attendant. He didn’t look up from his phone as the door shut behind her.
“So, how about that movie, Princess?”
She giggled as he landed in front of her, missing the unease that briefly flickered in his eyes as he looked her over.
“I”m not sure I’d have time today, I need to get back to school. But I think I’ll see it with friends soon!”
“Allow me to at least escort you. Do you need to pick anything up, or should I drop you to school directly?”
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the one who feeds me:
guess who hasn’t kept his eyes off u
the one who clothes me:
i’d really like to pass the test next week alya.
the one who feeds me:
u know u can’t resist a peek
he definitely hasn’t 😏
Marinette glanced up from her phone to Miss Bustier, who was facing the board, then towards Adrien. He was leant on his hand, her favourite colour brushed on his cheeks when he realised she was returning his stare, and quickly focused back on his work. Like the day before, his hair shook and obscured his eyes as she slowly turned her own head back to her workbook.
Only they heard the tiniest giggles coming from their respective bags, which earnt itself a light foot nudge.
Why did he look almost… queasy?
Riiiiing!
“Marinette, could you please wait for me?” Adrien half-yelled in her direction, earning a giggle from the rest of the class (and a scoff from Chloé).
Her eyes widened. “Uhh, I-” She turned to Alya, who had already taken Nino’s hand at the front of the room and winked at her as she fled. Her face dropped and she sighed, “Sure. What’s up?”
“Uh, why don’t we head outside?” Adrien glanced towards the rest of the room, their classmates’ eyes firmly trained on him.
She shrugged, glancing around at the class before landing back on Adrien, who was rubbing the back of his neck as he slung his bag over his shoulder. “Sure thing. Lead the way.”
He stifled the urge to take her hand, walking a few steps ahead of her instead as he led them to the locker room. His hands tremble, though he couldn't tell if it was from excitement or nervousness. They felt a little wet, is he sweating? Oh god he shouldn’t be sweating Marinette won’t-
“So I, um, I don’t really know where to start,” he blurted out, turning around a little too fast.
Her eyes crinkled as she gave him a soft smile. “How about the start? Are you okay? Is your father giving you trouble again?” Her tone dropped as the latter question, worry colouring her face. If she heard Gabriel was giving him a hard time again-
“Oh, no, it’s actually been good with him lately!” A smile widened on his face, a little too comically in Marinette’s opinion. “That’s not what I wanted to talk about though.”
She tilted her head to the side, bemused but relieved. A small gasp, almost unnoticeable to them both, left her mouth as he took her hand.
“It’s probably no secret by now that I really like you,” he started with a soft smile, twin blushes donning their faces. Marinette lowered her eyes to their joined hands, watching as he absentmindedly ran his thumb over her knuckles. “I’d really like to take you to see the new movie, ‘The Shadow Ruins’? I-uh…” he could feel the heat rising up his neck as Marinette hadn’t moved her eyes from their hands. He almost shook it free to rub his neck, but used his free hand instead. “Um, I heard some reviews that it was really good. Y-You know, a bit of thriller, a bit of a fantasy, a-and I remember you mentioned there was some good Asian representation in the main cast, s-so-”
He realised his mistake too late, as her eyes finally tore from their hands to stare at him. Her brows came together in confusion, but her eyes softened with realisation.
“I said what?”
“D-Did I say you said that? I meant-”
Her voice dropped just above a whisper. “Did I say that to you?”
Ladybug is going to kill me.
“You- uh, maybe?”
Her hand dropped from his, and for a moment he could feel his heart about to shatter, but Marinette flung her arms around his shoulders and pulled him close. He stumbled, spluttering for a split second, then wrapped himself around her as tight as he could.
“I always knew you’d be close, Chaton.”
<3
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ML song Ficlet: Say no to this
(Inspired by Elation/Exaltation and Hamilton. And don’t worry I made it safe. Bold are the people singing))
Plagg: There's nothing like summer in the city
Someone under stress meets someone looking pretty
There's trouble in the air, you can smell it
And Chat noir’s by himself, I'll let him tell it
Chat noir:
I had been patrolling for a week
I was weak, I was awake
You've never seen a teen hero more in need of a break
Moving on from Ladybug
Wanting a lovelife
That's when Miss Marinette walked into my life,
she said
Marinette:
I know you are a man of honor
I'm so sorry to bother you on patrol
But I don't know where to go, and I saw you all alone
Chat noir:
She said
Marinette:
My friends's doin' me wrong
Dissin' me, ignoring' me, dismissin' me
Suddenly I needed some air
I don't know if they even care
Chat noir:
So I offered her an ear, I offered to get some ice cream with her
Marinette:
You're too kind, sir
I took her on a ride to Andre’s ice cream cart
She said
Marinette:
This one's fine sir
Chat noir:
After a weird debate with the man Then I said,
"Well, I should head back home"
She turned red, she kissed me on the head
Let her lips spread and said
Marinette:
Stay!
Chat noir:
Hey…
Marinette:
Hey❤️
Chat noir:
That's when I began to pray
Plagg, show me how to say no to this
I don't know how to say no to this
But my kwami, she looks so helpless
And her voice's saying, “oh yes"
Marinette:
Whoa!
Chat noir:
No, show me how to say no to this
I don't know how to say no to this
In my mind, I'm tryin' to go (go, go, go)
Then her mouth is on mine, and I don't say
Chorus (Alya and Tikki)
No, no (say no to this)
No, no (say no to this)
No, no (say no to this)
No, no (say no to this)
Chat noir:
I tried to say that was the last time
It felt like a crime, feeling guilty, such a pastime
A minute into this endeavor, an akuma appeared
From a Mr. Monarch, even better, it said to her
Monarch:
Demasker, I hope this akuma finds you in despair
And in a desperate enough position to put miraculous
In the pockets of people like me down on their luck
You see, Chat noir is someone you want to
(fudge)
Chat noir:
I felt him say
Monarch:
Uh oh, you made the wrong sucker a victim
So time to pay the piper for the person you cataclysmed
And hey, you can keep seein' this dumb girl
If the price is right, if not I'm taking her life
Chat noir:
I panicked and I raced in place
I Screamed, "Snap out of it?" In her face, she said
Marinette:
No, sir
Desperate, unapologetic, a mess, I felt pathetic, then she cried
Marinette:
“Let me love sir”
Chat noir:
Don’t let him make you a setup?
Marinette: (chat noir in parentheses)
I don't know if I can let up (dont give in mari come on, get up)
I should know better (Paris is ruined)
Please don't leave me with him helpless (I am helpless how could I do this?)
I’ll give him what he wants and you can have me (I can’t do that, It will hurt you)
Whatever you want, We can be free!
You can stay (Plagg , show me how to say no to this)
Chat noir:
I don't know how to say no to this
But this situation's helpless (helpless)
And her eyes's screaming, "violence”
No, show me how to say no to this (whoa)
How can I say no to this?
There is nowhere I can go (go, go, go)
When my mouth is on hers and I do not say (no) yes
Say no to this
Say no to this, I don't say no to this
There is nowhere I can go (go, go, go)
Monarch:
So?
Chat noir:
I kiss her to free her soul.
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