A Masked Mistake

Crash Course in Polite Conversation [8: Bell]

"How's it all going sweetheart, are you happy with him?"

Marinette was currently preparing lunch with her mother in her new apartment whilst her father was relaxing on the sofa playing on Chat's games console and the unreleased version of Ultimate Mecha Strike, she was still suspicious about how he managed to come by it. The only other person she knew who had it was Adrien.

Chat was due to arrive in about thirty minutes, giving Marinette and her parent's time to prepare the meal before he teleported in, and also give Marinette a chance to fill her parents in on wearing a Miraculous.

For the meal, Marinette knew it would be too risky having her parents there as themselves, after all he'd already comically had a run in with her father, it wouldn't be fair for that to happen again. Everyone knew Tom Dupain was a big teddy bear, that was unless it had something to do with his daughter.

"We haven't spent too much time together, but so far it's been fun. He takes good care of me."

"Do you take good care of him too?" Sabine said, mixing the bowl of salad together before heading to the table and placing it down.

"I could probably do more," she shrugged, turning her head away from her mother and continuing with the chicken she was currently seasoning.

"Just make sure you're giving as well as taking, my dear. He adores you, so it would be easy to fall into the routine of him being the carer."

"Boo yah!" The roar from the sofa had the both turning around, curious as to what Tom had accomplished. Marinette washed her hands off before placing the tray in the oven and heading towards her father.

She squinted at the screen displayed on the television and gasped. TOM was now perfectly positioned in the number one spot, flashing in all its identity revealing glory.

"Papa?" Her voice stuttered, her eyes widening as she continued to look at the screen.

"You all think you're good, but none of you are as good as the master himself! Beat that my little 'Nettie."

"Papa!"

"Tom Dupain is number one!" He stood up striking his pose before dancing around the room, Marinette calling after him, time and time again, but he wasn't listening, too caught up in his own success.

"Tom, you idiot!" Tom froze at his wife's hard, demanding tone, Marinette stilling too. Her mother rarely raised her voice, the woman was the epitome of calmness, a calm river tickling down the stream...but it seemed like the river had turned into water water rapids as her mother was positively seething!

"What?" he asked, turning to look at his wife and daughter.

"You've typed your own name on there. What part of secret identities did you not understand?"

Tom's victorious smile suddenly disappeared when he'd realised what he'd done. It wasn't like Marinette could just delete it, once it was there it was a permanent addition to the game, until someone could wipe it off. But this score! It was impossibly high on a new game she hadn't figured out properly yet.

"Um, maybe now's the right time to reveal identities?" Tom defended himself. "It would be so lovely to meet the man behind the mask."

"Idiot!" Sabine said again, turning on her heel and heading back to the kitchen mumbling about 'I had told him', and that 'if he would just listen sometimes.'

Marinette sighed, looking between her father and the screen. The last thing she wanted was Chat figuring out her identity over this. It would be one of the most ridiculous reveal stories ever.