The Situationship

Joined At The Hip, Yeah, Your Sidekick Needs You

When Marinette had caught the train earlier that morning, there was one thing for sure. She was holding onto her job by the skin of her teeth. Mary hadn't spoken a lot. The words that she had were curt and without friendliness. However, when they parted and Marinette was told to improve her demeanour on return to the office, she could have quite easily grabbed the woman's face and kissed her. And even though she was quite sure Adrien was to thank, she'd bask in the glory of not being made homeless for a little while longer.

Adrien. Adrien Agreste. The guy she'd flirted with, spilt her wine on, gone to the theatre with...the freaking ex-supermodel who she now owned the phone number of and a sweet little goodnight message. A message she may have read a few too many times.

She found herself constantly flitting between two things: Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste. Seeing her partner had set her world into motion again, and she prayed, when they finally met up again, he would be just as ecstatic as she was. The previous night had been the best she'd had in years — bar the return of a supervillain. There was something different about it, though. The style, the power — it just didn't seem like the same Hawk Moth they had battled all those years ago. Her partner, however, was just as wonderful as she remembered.

Finally arriving back in Paris, she lugged her bag home, much to the dismay of both her parents and Luka, throwing it in her bedroom and collapsing on the bed. She was glad to finally be back. To be able to throw the bag in the corner of her room and laze around for the rest of the day watching trash tv and reading the latest articles about the 'reunion of Ladybug and Chat Noir'. She saved a couple of photos before closing down her phone and laying it beside her.

The soft strum of a guitar next door alerted her to Luka's presence. She picked up her phone again and selected their text chain.

Marinette: I'm home. Will fill you in later 🐞

After throwing her phone down again, she rubbed over her eyes, and looked at the bag full of dirty washing — if she didn't do it, no one else would. She'd sort out her washing, then grab herself a cup of tea — a slight hope her parents had been generous and dropped round some treats for her arrival home.

As she began to empty the items out, Tikki came to sit on her cushion, smiling at Marinette.

"You seem in a good mood," Marinette said, throwing her clothes from the previous day into the washing basket.

"I'm just happy Plagg's okay. I know you find it hard being away from Chat Noir, but I miss Plagg too! I'll be happy to see him back in Paris."

Marinette smiled. Tikki wasn't wrong. It was so good to see her partner again yesterday, knowing both he and Plagg were safe, healthy, and rather manly now — Chat Noir, at least. Well, she couldn't have asked for anything more. And the way his body had felt pressed against hers — she was lucky she hadn't drooled. He'd been muscular in his older teen years, but she was almost certain he'd turned into Jack Reacher. He was muscle on muscle, and the memories sent her heart into a nuclear disaster zone. He was such a sight for sore eyes.

She couldn't dwell on it, though—or see him as just his delicious body. They hadn't seen each other in five years. He might not be the same as he was back then. He might be in a relationship, or married, or maybe he didn't even like girls anymore; he'd always been a flamboyant individual.

She took out the blouse (complete with oil stain) and examined it. "There's something that's been troubling me since the Akuma. I can't understand why –"

The blast of her phone interrupted her conversation.

She crawled and sprang from her knees up onto the bed, stretching out to grab her phone and coming face to face with the grin of her best friend. Hitting the green button, she placed her phone on speaker.