Switched

Pretences

Adrien didn't stop until they reached the alcove beneath the stairs.

"Look, Adrien. About the graphs."

He dropped Marinette's hand and turned back to look at her, having no idea what she was talking about.

"The graphs in class?" Marinette was really struggling with Algebra. 

"No." She vehemently shook her head. "The grotographs."

Adrien didn't know a lot about the world because of how much time he had spent at home, but now he was utterly confused.

"I'm not sure—"

"I like you— I mean I don't like you."

Sometimes being friends with Marinette was like having a front row seat to a train wreck.

Marinette's eyes got wide when she'd realized what she'd said. "I'm sure there are plenty of girls who like you. But the photographs."

The photographs! Now Adrien had an idea of what she was talking about. He leaned forward," Are you lying?" Adrien teased her.

"No, no. I'm into fashion and you're a model..." she trailed off.

Oh. Marinette didn't have a crush on him. Tikki just hadn't been willing to burst his bubble. Adrien felt his heart sink.

She really was in love with Luka.

"We should probably talk about more important things," he said.

"Right," Marinette agreed. "Because this is weird." She pointed to Adrien and then to herself. "Right?"

"I guess?"

"I mean we aren't supposed to know each other's identities."

Tikki flew out of the purse around Adrien's shoulder, and Plagg appeared from underneath Marinette's jacket.

"What did you do?" Tikki demanded, interrupting their conversation.

"Why do you always blame me, Sugar Cube? They got themselves into this," Plagg fired back.

"I am the kwami of creation. My magic would never do something this ridiculous. It has to have been yours," Tikki screeched.

"This is not being helpful," Adrien snapped at both kwamis. He glanced around, relieved no one had overheard their conversation.

"Adrien's right."

He looked at Marinette in surprise. He wasn't used to Ladybug admitting he was right.

"We have to figure out how to fix this."

"Well, we don't have time now." Adrien checked his phone. "You have to be home for lunch, and then you have the afternoon off for a photo shoot."

Marinette paled. "But Plagg said you didn't have a photo shoot today."

Adrien gave Plagg a menacing glare. He swung his arm around Marinette's shoulder and leaned in, immediately noting how stiff she was.

"First rule: don't ever rely on Plagg for my schedule. That's what Nathalie is for."

"Yeah, I may have zoned out," she admitted.

Adrien pulled away from her. Seriously? She was the one always going on about responsibility.

"Do you even have any Camembert in case you need to transform?"

"Camembert?" Marinette shook her head. "Whatever. We can't transform like this."

"We'll have to if Hawkmoth attacks."

"What? No!"

"We have to take this seriously," he hissed. "For Paris' sake. For our sakes! What if one of our families figures out we're not their kid?"

"Hawkmoth," Marinette echoed. Then she shook herself out of her stupor. "You think you can do a better job impersonating me?"

"Duh. Fall and trip over everything, stutter," he started listing things off. "And walk around like the responsibility of the whole world is on your shoulders."

"That is so not true." Marinette fired back. "Besides, it's much easier to be you. All I have to do is make stupid jokes and get in everyone's way!"

Adrien's face turned red.

"Are you guys okay?" Alya asked.

Adrien and Marinette looked up to see her staring over the stair railing.

Adrien and Marinette held tense eye contact before Adrien looked back up. "All good, Alya."

"Adrien, your bodyguard is here." Nino stopped beside Alya. "I think he's looking for you."

"Right," Marinette called up. "I was just finished talking to this klutz."

Nino's eyes got really wide.

"Don't let me hold you up," Adrien stepped out of her way. "Who has time for a pretentious model?"

Adrien stomped away.

"Dude, what did you say to her?" Nino asked.

"It's like the first day of school all over again." Alya leaned further over the rail to watch 'Marinette' disappear around a corner.

"Who knows?" Marinette scoffed. "I've got to get home."

Except Marinette could never imagine calling the Agreste Mansion 'home.'

Suddenly, they were interrupted by screams.

"Akuma!"

Alya turned the opposite direction, grabbing her phone. Oh no. Paris needed Ladybug and Cat Noir. But how could they defeat the villain if they didn't have their miraculous?

Plagg seemed to read Marinette's mind. "You don't have a choice," he said. "You have to defeat the villain."