Under The Mask 🎭 (a Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

-43- Hero's Day Gala

One Month Later

"Girl, you don't know how excited I am for tonight!" Alya gushes to her best friend in class, excitedly grabbing her arm too tight. "I still can't believe I was invited to interview Ladybug and Cat Noir at the Hero's Day Gala!"

Marinette smirks to herself. Thanks to yours truly. "You deserve it, Alya. Do you know what questions you're going to ask them?"

"You know I do!" Alya reaches inside her backpack and pulls out a notepad, flipping through until she finds the right page. There's a list of scribbled questions—some eligible—the reporter spent all night writing. "First, who's your favorite akuma villain you fought? Honestly, I'm hoping they say Lady Wi-Fi."

The pig-tailed girl rolls her eyes.

"Then, do you have nicknames you call each other?"

Milady. Buttercup. Kitty. Princess.

Alya keeps listing on. "What's your favorite suit power up?"

Marinette leans over and glances at the page. "Wait, 'Are Ladybug and Cat Noir finally an item?!'" She reads off with wide eyes.

Alya nods fast. "Yes! I'm dying to know—as I'm sure all of Paris is—and you can't deny their chemistry! Have you seen their recent akuma battles? They're always flirting, standing close, and making heart-eyes at each other."

The secret hero starts blushing and looks away. "That sounds like an exaggeration—"

"Without Hawk Moth, there isn't a villain to fight, so they haven't been seen in over a month," The reporter wonders out loud. "I swear I saw them last week, though. They were having a rooftop picnic!"

"A p-picnic?!" Marinette questions, glancing at the back of Adrien's head. Alya saw us?! We made out for like fifteen minutes! "Wow, that's—"

"But they're coming tonight! Ahh!" Alya gushes, putting her notepad away. "Thank you so much, by the way, for coming shopping with me yesterday. You're a life saver—"

Marinette drowns out her friend's words as she stares at Adrien. A sad smile falls on her face. He's slouched over at his desk, frowning. He's been in a bad mood all day. Their friends and classmates keep coming to talk to him about his father being Hawk Moth, varying from apologies, theories, and accusations of keeping his father's identity a secret. Just now, Kim and Alix stand at the model's desk, and she catches the middle of their current conversation.

"I'm sorry, but how could you not know your own father is a supervillain?" Kim questions, shaking his head with a harsh laugh. "He was literally in your basement!"

"I didn't even know we had a basement, Kim" Adrien defends, eyed glued to the desk.

Alix crosses her arms. "Still, it doesn't add up. If my dad were Hawk Moth, I'd know."

"Yeah, your relationship must have sucked with your dad if you didn't notice he was gone all the time, Adrien," Kim says, unaware of how right he is about their relationship. "Man, he must have hated you."

Adrien stands up and grabs his bag. "Excuse me. I... I can't be here anymore." He runs out of the classroom, ignoring his teacher's words.

"Adrien! Adrien, get back here!" Miss Bustier shouts, sighing. "Students can't leave during school hours!"

Marinette jumps from her seat and chases him out. "Adrien!"

"Hey, Miss Dupain-Cheng! Get back here!" Their teacher shouts. "Oh, I give up."

She runs down the main staircase and as she reaches the courtyard, a black shadow flies over her head, and she looks up to see Cat Noir jumping off the school roof, running deep into the heart of Paris. "Oh, Kitty..." Marinette looks around and sneaks into the locker room. "Tikki, spots on!"