#mlss2k23 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

rosie-b · 4 months

Link

Happy holidays @miraculosus! I'm your @mlsecretsanta this year.

I wrote a Ladrien oneshot inspired by @bugtails' lovely art for you! I hope you enjoy :D

(full fic can also be read below the cut)

As another muffled yelp came from his room, Ladybug stared through Adrien’s bedroom window, wondering what exactly she was looking at.

She hadn’t meant to spy on him; in fact, she hadn’t planned on patrolling this section of Paris at all, but she’d heard a scream from nearby fifteen minutes into her solo patrol. Since Chat’s request for a break day left her as the city’s only active superhero at the moment, she’d figured it was her duty to check the situation out.

She was completely caught off guard by what she found at the source of the sound: Adrien Agreste, teen heartthrob and picture-perfect son of Gabriel Agreste, was trussed up in bed by his very own sheets, looking for all the world like an unwilling victim of a toddler’s attempts at mummification. The shriek had come from the open window of his room, but he was the only one inside, so the only explanation Ladybug came up with was that he’d somehow managed to do this to himself.

Oh, she thought as her eye caught the tell-tale seams of a fitted sheet, he was trying to make the bed. That explains it. Marinette had suffered plenty of similar attacks from her bedsheets as she tried to force them over her mattress, but she’d never lost to them quite as badly as Adrien had. He was still trapped, with only a tuft of his blond hair showing as he continued blindly struggling to free himself from the white and red sheets.

Is this his first time making the bed by himself? Ladybug wondered as she watched his restricted, yet desperate, struggles for a moment longer before swinging over to the open window.

She knocked loudly, giving a series of three short raps followed by two long ones. “Adrien?” she called, loud enough that he could hear her but hopefully still in a suitably polite, official-savior-of-Paris kind of tone.

Abruptly, Adrien’s blanketed figure stopped squirming.

“Nathalie?” he called out hesitantly. “If that’s you, please don’t tell Father about this! But please help me, I’m trapped!”

Ladybug swung her legs over the windowsill and ducked into the room. “I’m not Nathalie, Adrien. It’s Ladybug; I happened to be nearby and I couldn’t help but—”

A strangled cry came from the direction of Adrien’s bed. “Ladybug?”

She hesitated before stepping closer to the bed (which looked smaller than it had the last time she was here, though it’d been a while since then). “That’s me. Is that okay?”

Oh, she really hoped it was! She knew how embarrassing getting caught in this kind of situation could be, and it must be even worse for Adrien, since he’d been discovered by Ladybug, not someone he knew!

The cocoon-like bundle of sheets started moving again as Adrien redoubled his efforts.

“Perfectly fine, mil— Ladybug! You really shouldn’t worry about me, though; how hard can getting loose be,” he joked, though his voice was strained and he still wasn’t making any progress. (His determination not to give up was kind of cute, if you asked Ladybug. But that wasn’t important right now!)

Ladybug wasn’t going to give up, either. It was clear that Adrien needed help! She took another few steps closer to Adrien’s tightly-swaddled form on the bed.

“I can go get Nathalie and then leave, if you want!” she offered. “I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable, Adrien! I just, you know, heard a scream, and it was coming from here, so I thought I’d check on you, and—”

Her voice cut off abruptly when she caught sight of the bed frame. It was red, and spotted, and had a picture of Ladybug (that was her!!!) on it. The closer Ladybug got, the more details she noticed. There was a large rug bearing the words “The Power of Luck” in front of the bed, a mini shelf beside it, a round bowl chair like the ones she’d always wanted on top of the rug, and an enormous poster on the wall. Each and every one of them had her face printed, painted, or sewn onto it somehow. To top it all off, a light-up Ladynoir lamp sat by Adrien’s nearby desk, and a Ladybug figurine stood on his bookshelf.

Adrien, who had no doubt figured out what she was looking at, groaned and tugged the bedsheets even tighter around himself.

“Just let me die here,” he pleaded with her. “This is what I get for putting the entire GAZ Ladybug collection on my wish list to annoy Father.”

Ladybug knew exactly what wish list he was talking about. Ms. Bustier had put together an anonymous gift exchange for their class, and each student had to make a wish list for their Secret Santa to look at. Nino and Adrien had spent lunch that day whispering to each other and giggling as they created their lists, and while Nino had eventually shared his with Alya and Marinette, Adrien had opted not to share his own. He’d told them that it was a secret with a mischievous grin.

They’d had the exchange earlier that day, and Marinette found out during it that Chloe had gotten him in the exchange. When the time had come for the class to finally give their gifts, she’d smirked and told Adrien that his gift was “waiting for him at home,” which Marinette had thought at the time was code for “I forgot all about it but Sabrina will think of something.”

But if this… shrine, for lack of a better word, was Chloe’s gift to Adrien, then Marinette had clearly underestimated her. She was Adrien’s oldest friend, after all, so why wouldn’t Chloe go ahead and buy him the whole overpriced collection if that’s what she thought he wanted?

Studying the Adrien-cocoon, Marinette stood firm and crossed her arms. “I’m not going to just leave you trapped like this, Adrien, and I promise that I won’t judge you either. I am supposed to be a hero, after all, and abandoning you here wouldn’t be very heroic, so let me help you!”

She waited a few seconds, and when she didn’t hear a protest, she started work on untangling the Ladybug-themed bed sheets from around Adrien. Soon, he was finally free, lying on his back on the yo-yo decorated bedsheets. He stared up at her with a blush covering his face, and his red and black polka-dotted onesie had her quickly mirroring his complexion.

Adrien swallowed and opened his mouth. “Th–”

“You don’t have to say thank you,” she said, cutting him off in a wave of embarrassment. “I know I’m probably the last person you would’ve wanted to see you like this.”

Adrien sat up and scratched his neck. “I was going to ask if this was a dream, but if you’re still here and saying things like that, it must not be. But I am grateful that you helped me! I just,” he threw his arms out and collapsed back onto the bed, “Wish it hadn’t been like this.”

Rather than feel insulted, Ladybug was amused (and kind of relieved that he wasn’t mad) as she took a seat on the bed beside the rumpled sheets. “Really? You’d prefer me to save you from your Godzilla-fied bodyguard again instead?”

Adrien frowned, then shook his head. “I guess you’re right; this is the least stressful thing you’ve had to save me from yet. Still embarrassing,” he said, turning onto his stomach and burying his face in the mattress. “Can oo forgeff if effeh happen?”

Ladybug took a moment to figure out what his muffled voice had said. “I don’t really think it’s that embarrassing, Adrien. It’s not even like you bought all this stuff yourself; someone else got it for you, right?”

Adrien raised his head and nodded. “I still asked for it,” he said, dropping his head back down on his arms.

“Well, it’s far from the worst thing I’ve caught one of my fans doing! Really, I’m more flattered than anything… except for shocked,” she admitted. “I never knew you were such a big fan of mine! Or Chat’s,” she said, looking at the Ladynoir lamp with a blush. “Another Ladynoir shipper, huh?”

The words slipped out without any thought, but Adrien went rigid, slowly turning on his side to look at her again.

“I’m not quite… like most fans are,” he said carefully. “I’m aware that you and he aren’t dating. But you’re such good partners, and you look good together, and the lamp was so cute!”

He sat up and crawled over to where Ladybug was sitting.

“Please tell me you don’t think I’m a creep,” he begged as he sat beside her. “Is it all too much? Should I get rid of the poster? The shelf? I can even throw the lamp away, if you want!”

Ladybug turned to him in shock. “What? No, I would never make you do that! Adrien, you’re not the only one in Paris with a secret, um, perhaps not shrine. What’s the word,” she fretted, tapping her fingers against her chin.

Adrien sighed. “But I’m a celebrity, too. I know what it’s like to have creepy fans. Marinette—” he said, and Ladybug’s eyes widened in horror, “—helped me hide from some of them once. She’s so amazing!”

Ladybug sighed in relief and fought off a blush. “Really? You two must be close, then.”

Adrien smiled, and his eyes sparkled happily. “Yeah. She’s one of my best friends, along with Nino and—”

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he glanced at her apologetically as he pulled it out.

“Hell— oh. They hung up,” he said, staring at the screen with a perplexed expression.

He shrugged and gingerly placed the phone on the Ladynoir shelf by his bed. Ladybug tracked his movements, distracted by how unfairly good he looked in her colors, even if it was a silly onesie that she wasn’t supposed to get to see him in!

“What were we talking about?”

Ladybug startled. “I, uh, onesie, no! I mean, it’s pretty neat that you were able to get all this merch at once. Who got you the gift?”

“Ah, that would be Chloe,” Adrien said, rubbing his neck. “She was my Secret Santa for this year’s gift exchange. It was my first one ever, actually, and I wasn’t expecting anything this big! I just listed all the different items in the Ladybug collection for my wish list, and when Chloe saw it, she bought all of them instead of just one!”

Ladybug was impressed. “That’s actually super nice of her,” she said with a smile.

Adrien’s eyes glinted. “Super nice, because you’re a superhero?”

“That’s not— it wasn’t a pun!” Ladybug shrieked, lightly whacking Adrien on the arm as if it was Chat Noir who’d told the joke. Then she stared at him, mortified. “Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to! You just reminded me of Chat for a bit. Usually, he's the one making a pun out of everything.”

Adrien looked taken aback, but he quickly recovered. “Then you’ll have to compliment him for me; it’s hard to come up with puns on your feet, but he makes it look purrfectly easy!”

He laughed as Ladybug scowled to keep her face steady. She lost the fight against her laughter when she saw how genuinely happy he seemed with himself.

“Oh, I can’t let you two meet or it’s over,” she giggled.

“Yeah? What, are you afraid I’ll make him fall for my supermodel charm and take him away from you?” Adrien asked with a wink.

It was obviously a joke, but for some reason, it made Ladybug frown as she pictured the two boys. They were alike in too many ways for them not to get along like a house on fire! What would happen if Chat’s attentions were stolen away by Adrien? If he left her side, gave up the ring, and started a domestic life in secrecy with her crush and friend, what would she do without him?

“You’re not allowed to date Chat Noir,” she declared firmly. “I don’t think it’s a good idea; it’s not safe, and besides, I need him with me.”

Her eyes boldly met Adrien’s, unwavering despite the flush covering her cheeks.

Adrien blinked twice. “Oh? Well, don’t worry, then, I’ll leave your catboy alone.” A smile played at the edge of his lips.

Ladybug’s blush grew hotter. “He isn’t mine,” she grumbled. “He’s just my partner.”

“Mm-hm,” Adrien hummed skeptically.

“He is!” she insisted. “He’s my— okay, maybe he’s a little bit mine, but not like that.” She crossed her arms and raised her chin defiantly.

“Whatever you say,” Adrien said genially. “Hey, where is he tonight, anyway? Is he outside waiting for you on your rooftop like a forgotten stray?”

Ladybug sighed. “No, he said he couldn’t make it to patrol. Said he’d gotten an unexpectedly large gift that he had to unbox before his dad found out about it and made him send it back. I wonder what he was talking about,” she mused.

Adrien shrugged and looked at her with wide, curious eyes. “I have no idea. Whatever it is, though, I wish him luck! My own father wouldn’t be too happy with me if he knew what I got for my gift, so we have that in common. Knowing it would make Father unhappy was half of why I asked for it, though,” he said with a mischievous grin. “He’s not a fan of merchandise when it isn’t from his own lines. But everything is decisively used now, so he can’t make me give it back!”

“Everything’s used except the bedsheets, still,” Ladybug pointed out. “Would you like me to help you put them on?”

Adrien looked startled. “Oh, and I was doing such a good job of forgetting about my failure, too,” he mourned, dropping his face into his hands. “Please help me, Ladybug,” he said, peeking through his fingers. “You’re my only hope.”

Ladybug squinted. “Was that a Star Wars quote?”

“More or less. Listen, I’ve never had to make a bed before— I offered to help in the past, but Father always has someone else do it for me. Trying to fit the fitted sheet on the bed was like a task from Hades! I don’t know how to do it without ending up like I did last time.”

Ladybug giggled. “Okay, I’ll help you. I don’t know anyone who’s a fan of fitted sheets, but you were like a helpless kitten back there.”

“All wrapped up like a purrito, but without the purr,” Adrien agreed as he got off the bed. “I thought only Chat Noir was supposed to get himself into these situations.”

Ladybug stood at the head of the bed, holding the fitted sheet as she figured out which way was up. “You knew to make sure it wasn’t going on sideways, right?” she asked when she saw Adrien staring at her.

He shook himself. “Uh, yeah, totally, yes, I did do that! What’s the next step?”

Ladybug smiled. “Just laying it out and tucking the corners under the mattress. But that’s the trick, isn’t it?”

Adrien grimaced, gingerly reaching out to help spread the covers out closer to each respective corner. “Tell me about it. One moment, I thought I was almost done, and the next, I was getting attacked on all sides by dozens of miniature bedsheet yo-yos. I half thought it was an akuma.”

Ladybug laughed out loud. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t,” she gasped at Adrien’s wounded look. “It’s just too good!” She let go of the sheets as her laughter shook her body, and Adrien sulkily put them back in place as she calmed herself.

“I guess this is Santa’s coal come early,” he sighed. “What did I do to deserve this? My favorite hero, whom I’ve done nothing but shower with praise and respect, comes into my room to laugh at my undeserved plight.”

Ladybug snickered again and managed to pull herself together. “I am heartily sorry, my poor sir,” she said. “It was not my intent to insult you. As an apology, however, I promise to never tell anyone of your mishap, and grant you the place of number one Ladybug fan.”

Adrien gasped in what might be actual delight. “Really? What about Alya?”

“You can share the title,” she said graciously. “Probably along with Chat Noir, too, although he’s already busy holding the title for his own biggest fan.”

“You’re not going to try claiming that one? He doesn’t seem that conceited to me,” Adrien said as he mirrored Ladybug’s actions and lifted the mattress to slide the corner opposite hers under the bed. When it stayed, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“You’re right, that was mean of me. It’s just that he’s always so confident and sure of himself,” she sighed. “What I wouldn’t give to be able to do the same.”

Adrien frowned. “Don’t tell me Paris’ favorite hero has imposter syndrome! Ladybug, every accolade the public has given you is not enough to repay you for what you’ve done. You’re talented in more ways than just saving us from akumas; you’re compassionate, brilliant, and unfailingly kind. You even give your enemies a second chance! Any person like that is a person I would trust, and there’s no one better to be our Ladybug. You’re one of a kind,” he said with a warm smile.

Ladybug hid her blush by busying herself tucking in the last corner of the fitted sheet.

“We should put on the pillows next,” she said, grabbing them off the low shelf and fluffing them before setting them firmly in place. When she turned around, Adrien was still watching her with the same smile on his face. She lowered her eyes shyly and offered him a small smile in return. “Thank you. I— what you said means a lot to me. Coming from my number one fan, and all,” she joked.

Adrien’s smile widened. “Happy to be of service,” he said.

A chime sounded on Ladybug’s yo-yo. She pulled it off her hip and opened it up to the screen, groaning when she saw the alarm she’d set earlier was going off.

“I only have fifteen minutes to get home,” she said apologetically. “Would you like me to stay and help you finish making up the bed?”

She was already walking over to the laundry basket where the top sheet and comforter lay by the time Adrien answered. “If you want to! I can probably take it from here, but your presence makes things a little more fun. It feels more complete, too; after all, the real Ladybug herself is all I need to finish my collection.” He giggled and Ladybug tripped over her feet, but he caught her (and the bedsheets) before they hit the floor.

“SorrymadlyclumsynoIalreadyusedthatone,” she blurted out.

Adrien tilted his head and took the top sheet from her once she steadied herself. “I don’t mind it if you’re clumsy. After all, Marinette is my friend, and she's the clumsiest person I’ve ever met!”

Ladybug gave up the battle against the rising heat in her face. She probably looked a lot like her suit by now, redder than a tomato.

“Th-that’s good, because I’m probably just as bad as she is.”

“I don’t think she’s bad at all,” Adrien said as he spread the sheet over the bed and tucked it in (flawlessly, this time, probably because it wasn’t fitted). “Actually, I think she’d be at home on your team. Have you ever thought about giving her a Miraculous? I don't know how many there are, of course, but I’m sure one would be a good fit for her! She’s as cute as a hamster, or a mouse, if nothing else will do,” he said, eyes locking onto hers eagerly.

“I— uh— that is, mouster Adrien cute think,” she babbled, mourning the loss of her ability to make a coherent sentence around Adrien. She’d been doing so well! “Um, thank you? I’ll see what I can do, but you know I can’t reveal any of the heroes' identities to you.”

Adrien deflated. “Oh. Right. Well, thanks, anyway. I really do think she’ll be a great hero.”

Ladybug hugged the still-warm comforter to herself before she tossed it on the bed and tucked it in, not at all surprised to see her own face staring back up at her from its threads.

“I don’t know if I’d be able to get used to it if these were my own sheets,” she said. “Can you imagine a bedroom that was all Adrien-themed?”

Adrien grinned. “I’ve kind of already seen one! Marinette has a lot of photos up of me in her room, although they’re just for fashion inspiration.”

“Like your collection is just to annoy your dad,” Ladybug quickly agreed. “Yeah, you’re right. Coming across this kind of thing is a totally normal experience for celebrities.”

Adrien nodded with a thoughtful look in his eye. “I guess so. Do you think someone has a Chat Noir-themed room, too?”

Ladybug spluttered. “I guess?”

Humming, Adrien shot her a smirk. “Well, if no one else does, I think it would make sense for you to get one, right? He’d be thrilled to find out about it.”

Ladybug cocked her brow. “Maybe, but if I had one, I would never tell him. It would be too mortifying,” she said, spreading her arms wide. “Like how you probably felt when I dropped in, but on steroids!”

Adrien grinned. “I don’t know, I think it wouldn’t be that bad, Ladybug. After all, I survived the experience!”

Ladybug coughed. “W-well, I guess, but there’s no way I could afford the whole Chat Noir collection like you or Chloe could! Plus, my room is already decorated.” By your face, no less.

“Hm, I guess that’s true. But I’m sure just knowing that you had a picture or figurine of him somewhere in your room would make him so happy! Are you sure you don’t want one?”

Adrien batted his eyes in Ladybug’s direction as she stared scrutinizingly at him.

He deflated. “And, okay, maybe it would make me feel a little bit better about you finding my collection. Won’t you take pity on this poor civilian and humble fan of yours, Ladybug?”

She sighed, cursing her inability to say no to puppy eyes like the ones Adrien was using against her now.

“I guess I— maybe—“

There was a glint in Adrien’s eyes now; he knew that he was winning.

“I’ll buy it for you as a thank-you present. All you have to do is put it up in your room.”

Ladybug paused. “Put what up, exactly?”

Adrien shrugged. “I’m still thinking. How does a life-size poster sound? Or maybe a body pillow,” he mused.

Ladybug turned scarlet. “No, no, the poster sounds better!” she protested.

Adrien clapped his hands together triumphantly. “A poster it is, then! And you have to put it up somewhere. You can’t just put it in the closet,” he warned.

“How did I get myself into this?” Ladybug snorted. “Fine, if you get me a poster of Chat Noir, I’ll hang it up in my room and pretend it’s a shrine. But it has to be good quality; only the best for my chaton! Feel any better now?”

Adrien grinned. “Oh, much,” he said happily. “You have no idea.”

Ladybug smiled back at him, her stomach doing excited flips despite her confusion. “Good.”

She checked the time again, and one glance at Adrien told her he knew it was time for her to go, too.

“I’ll see you around, Adrien,” she said softly.

Adrien nodded. “You’ll have to if you’re going to keep your promise.”

“To put up a poster of Chat Noir?” she asked, amused.

“Of course! Could you come back tomorrow at about the same time so I can give it to you?”

Ladybug hummed. She had patrol the next day, too.

“You can finish patrol with your partner first,” he quickly amended. “If you have that on your schedule again.”

“Are you sure you’ll want to see me again so soon?” Adrien really was braver than she was. She’d been dead set on avoiding Adrien after her own accidental shrine reveal.

“Sure, why not? The worst that could happen already did, didn’t it, and it wasn’t half as bad as I was afraid it would be.”

Looking at the way Adrien was smiling at her, Ladybug couldn’t help but smile back.

“No, it wasn’t bad at all,” she agreed. “See you tomorrow, then, handsome boy?”

Adrien looked ecstatic. “See you tomorrow,” he said excitedly.

Then he threw his arms around her in a quick hug.

“Thank you again for rescuing me,” he murmured close to her ear. “My evening was really boring without you.”

“Me too,” Ladybug said, trying desperately to think of what to say when the boy she loved had his arms around her and was saying such a dangerously intoxicating thing.

He giggled. She wished she could kiss him.

“I meant, anything for my number one fan,” she recovered. “Good night, Adrien. Don’t let the bedbugs bite!”

She kissed his cheek, so quickly she questioned whether she’d really managed to do it, and stepped back towards the window.

“Goodbye, Ladybug,” Adrien whispered.

The kiss he blew her as she swung away kept her warm all the way home.

#ml fanfic #mlsecretsanta #mlss2k23 #ladrien #miraculous ladybug #rosie-b writing

69 notes · View notes