Chasing Ladybug 📸 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

8 • Then | Watchful Eyes

THEN

Marinette opened her locker and set a textbook on one of the shelves. As she closed it, Adrien stood there with a hand raised and a smile. "Hey, Mari—"

"Shit, Adrien!" She screamed, jumping back. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry," He offered with a chuckle. As he stared down at her, it took ever ounce of energy not to come clean about everything; how he's Cat Noir and he knows she's Multimouse and how they're secretly dating, but he knew now wasn't the right time. Besides, Ladybug especially would be pissed if he did that now.

Marinette noticed his stare lingered longer than usual and tilted her head, waiting for him to say something. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Adrien mumbled, embarrassed he got caught staring too long. He already knew her answer, but still asked, "Umm, are you having lunch here?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm... going home for lunch. Uh, my mom wants me to try this new recipe she's making," She lied straight through her teeth.

Actually? Cat Noir was taking Multimouse on a lunch date.

Adrien glanced down at her neck, the mouse miraculous pendant out and in plain sight. "Nice necklace," He whispered, biting back a grin, before he waved and walked out of the locker room.

Marinette's eyes widened. She reached a hand up to her neck and felt the pendant. I thought I hid it under my shirt! She moved the charm under the fabric and caught a last glimpse of Adrien's blonde hair before the door shut behind him. There's no way he knows what this is... right?

Marinette didn't plan on wearing the ladybug and mouse miraculous at the same time, but in case Cat Noir saw her in public, she didn't want him to get suspicious why she wasn't wearing the camouflaged mouse miraculous.

She grabbed her backpack from the floor and waved out of the school, across the street back home. She gave her parents a quick greeting without stopping and ran past them up to their home, slamming the trapdoor to her bedroom shut.

"Are you actually going on a lunch date with Cat Noir right now?" Tikki asked.

"Eek, a date!" Marinette squealed in excitement as she stood in front of a mirror, attempting to fix the mess her hair was.

"Marinette—"

The pig-tailed girl stopped working on her hair. "Wait, my suit changes my hair anyway. I don't have to fix it."

"Marinette!" The red bug shouted.

"What, Tikki?"

"What is someone sees you?"

Marinette waved her concern away. "No one will know it's me! I'll be Multimouse. People see Ladybug and Cat Noir all the time; it won't be weird to see another superhero out and about."

Tikki crossed her tiny arms. "You're clearly not thinking about the risks of this!"

"I have it under control, Tikki! Why is it so bad that I finally have a really sweet and awesome boyfriend?"

"It's not, but—"

"But what?"

Tikki growled. "Cat Noir is not just a boyfriend! He's a superhero—and your partner, no less!"

"I'm a superhero, too," Marinette countered.

"Yes, Ladybug! You are Ladybug!"

"But I'm also Multimouse!"

Mullo popped up beside Tikki. "The guardian has a point, Tikki. She's very smart and clever. She knows what she's doing."

The red kwami closed her eyes tight as she fought back throwing something at her holder. "Marinette, you know it's not smart to be two superheroes at once!"