A Masked Game

Ready Player Two...

Flashback Cutscene: Photo stash

10 years previously...

"No, please! Don't look in there!"

Laughing, Ladybug ignored Adrien's protests as she ran around his room trying to figure out a way to get past him.

"Oh come on, Agreste! Got something to hide, have you?" She headed closer to his cupboard door; Adrien sprinted and skidded to a halt, blocking her entrance into the small wooden cabinet.

"I beg, for both of our sakes, you keep that door closed!"

He held out his arms in a blockade, only causing her to giggle louder and increase her curiosity.

When she'd arrived at the mansion a few moments earlier, Adrien had been busy messing around in one of his cupboards; a cupboard in which Marinette had never had the joy of experiencing as either herself, or as Ladybug.

The quick slam of the door and the way Adrien had gone a guilty red, plus the rather strong defence he was suddenly on, made the cupboard seem highly suspicious. Has he got a dead body in there or something?

If this cupboard really was nothing, then why wouldn't he let her see what was inside? And even more importantly... Why had his face turned from a suspicious red, to a full on beetroot purple?

"Oh, come on Adrien! It can't be that embarrassing," she giggled, attempting to dance around him and towards it. He moved just as quickly, blocking each step she tried to take. He was very fast and very perceptive for a civilian.

"Please, you don't want to see what's in there. It's boring. Honestly, there's nothing of any interest!"

Moving to the other side and trying to duck through his arm, she laughed again. "How about you let me see and then I'll give you some feedback?"

As she made her next move, Adrien wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her into him, restricting her from getting any closer and pinning her hostage to his chest.

She moved herself as close as she could, rearranging them slightly so she could absorb herself in his warmth and smell. He always smelt so good.

Shaking herself out of it before she did something stupid, like claim his lips with her own, Ladybug grabbed her yo-yo and moved away; sending out her magical string, and watching as it wrapped around the height of Adrien's body, restricting any further movement of his arms or legs.

"That's cheating!" he yelped, struggling to pull himself away from the tight hold.

Now that Adrien was completely immobile, Ladybug lunged forwards and opened the cupboard, a shriek of glee coming from her lips as a clump of photographs fell to the ground, scattering around her like colourful confetti.

Rectangle after rectangle pixelated the floor, revealing the hidden treasure Adrien had been guarding. She bent down slowly, picking up a few of the photographs now laying sporadically across the ground.

"What... is... this?" Dropping to her knees, she continued to collect the photographs, her eyes widening with each and every one. Absent-mindedly, she pulled the yo-yo from his body, sending Adrien in a wild spin before he ended up on his hands and knees on the floor.

"I promise I'm not a weird stalker or anything," Adrien crawled towards her and settled with his legs crossed. His hand reached up to fret at the back of his neck.

Waving one of the photographs in his direction, Ladybug raised her eyebrows. "I'm quite sure these disagree with that statement."

He nibbled on his lower lip and she swore she'd never seen anything more adorable. Ladybug watched Adrien grab some of the fallen photographs, gathering them in his hands and stopping every now and then to study the top one – his eyes softening and smile growing.