Family Bug

Marinette stretched her arms and yawned. She tilted her head to see the screen from a different angle and shrugged. "I don't know. Something seems a bit off, still." Adrien and Marinette had gotten out of their last class for the day at the university and were now relaxing in a local Caffè. Marinette had brought along her laptop to continue working on her outfit designs for her fashion portfolio project. Adrien was flipping through a history book with an absent minded expression.
"Maybe you should just take a break and focus on your coffee for a while, my lady. It'll get too warm if you keep ignoring it." Marinette reached over and flipped Adrien's green tie. The end of it hit his nose and he chuckled. "You know that I'm right." Marinette saved her work and turned the screen so he could see the dress design. He ran a hand through his blond hair and nodded.
"It looks good to me. I like the spots." His green eyes shimmered as he scooted her coffee closer to her, moving the straw. "If you don't drink it, I will."
"Of course you like the spots." She bit the end of her stylus, her forehead wrinkling a bit in thought. "You also look about as tired as I feel...I'm not sure I can trust your opinion or mine right now. I feel half awake. I may have been present to those classes in body, but not in mind. I'm telling you, Adrien. I left my ID card on my bed this morning and had to run back to get it." Adrien propped his chin on one of his hands.
"Mhm. It's not your fault you're tired though. You've got a full time job." He glanced down at the ladybug necklace he'd given her in high school and smiled. "I can't believe I thought responsibilities were hard to juggle THEN." Marinette added some pink lace to the bottom of the skirt before finishing up and closing the laptop.
"I know right? I miss the simple days sometimes." She agreed with him, taking a sip of her iced coffee. "There. You happy?" He shook his head, smirking and watching.
"Nope. You need caffeine, hon. Drink all of it. Every. Drop." Marinette raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you wanted some?" He waved off the comment.
"That was before I better assessed the situation. You need the caffeine more than I do. I already had tea earlier." Marinette giggled.
"Did you tell Nino about your new obsession with your daily tea time or are you not ready for the onslaught of British jokes?" Adrien fixed his tie and sighed.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Don't give me that attitude. I know you looooove tea." Marinette rolled her eyes, sipping away at her coffee.
"But you drink CATNIP tea. And seem to like it?" She looked at him quizzically and he scratched his neck.
"It's... Good..?" He smiled sheepishly. Marinette leaned to his side of the table. "Not the tie again, pleaseeeee." She started to straighten his white collar and he smiled. "Oh, well... This is okay. Mwah." He kissed her cheek and she blushed, shaking her head as she leaned back.
"Goof ball."
"Princess."
"Clown."
"Queen." That one made Marinette pause. She finished her coffee and spun the cup in her hand, looking at him and tilting her head.
"Well, which am I? A princess or a queen?" Adrien stood up and came over, scooting out her chair and whispering.
"Which do you want to be?" She reached up and pulled his tie out from his jacket again. "Hey!"
"Smooth, Adrien, but I win." She winked and threw her cup halfway across the Caffè into a trash can, walking out of the door. Adrien held it open and bowed some as she passed him with a sigh.
"Maybe this time, my lady, but I shall be victorious."
"You've been watching old batman movies again, haven't you." Adrien whistled, sliding his free hand into his left pocket and swinging his briefcase.

Adrien stood up and took Marinette's plate for her. She yawned, laying her head on the table and he smiled lovingly, fluffing up her ebony hair with his free hand. "Tired already, babe? But I just got a text alert from the news..." Marinette sighed, looking at her phone with one eye closed.
"Paris on fire again? Nope. A villain showed up in downtown near the park... The mayor was clearing more trees to make extra space. An environmentalist freaked out and got akumatized. Thank you, Hawkmoth for making our evening exciting." Adrien looked over from by the sink. He dried his dish and chuckled.
"Oh, do I bore you now, my lady? I'll need to change that." Marinette stood up, shaking her head.
"You know I didn't mean it like that, kitty." She kissed his cheek. "Thank you for coming over for supper. I know staying in an apartment is more practical now than staying in my room at my parents, but sometimes..." Adrien  gently pressed his head on her arm. She petted him and smiled, shaking her head.
"Sometimes it gets lonely?" Marinette knew that of all people, Adrien would know what it's like to live somewhere and feel alone when you come home. She kissed the top of his head.
"Mhm...well we had better get moving before this tree hugger blows apart city hall." Adrien smiled mischievously in response.
"Here you're acting all responsible and I'm just thinking... If the mayor got himself in this boat..." Marinette clicked her tongue, walking to the window.
"Be a good boy. We need to save innocents. Even when they're not the nicest people." Adrien nodded.
"Of course I was only joking, lovely. Ahem. PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!" He transformed in a flash of green light and ran a hand though his tassled hair.
"TIKKI, SPOTS ON!" Marinette twirled and did a few stretches and basic moves, pink lights surrounding her. She looked at Chat with a soft smile and he winked at her. "Simply fabulous transformation, by the way. Love how your tail arrives like a flag." She giggled. Chat laughed and nodded.
"Well, I'm so flattered you pay such close attention." He raised his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes. "By the way, you know if a stove burner is hot, it's red? Makes since that if a bug is hot, she's red too, right?" Marinette rolled her eyes.
"Don't try to hard." The duo lept out of the window and started to sprint across the roof.
"Tell me now, pretty baby--" Marinette shot Chat a look. She loved that song. He had written it just for her and it was adorable... But. There was more pressing concerns. That, and what fun was teasing each other if she admitted that she liked all the attention he gave her? They stopped at the edge of the building and Ladybug jumped, using her yo-yo to cross above the street to the next roof. Chat extended his bouton, keeping as close as he could. Ever since they had started dating, Chat had become more open about his feelings. Ladybug wasn't sure that was possible, but the adoring, flirtatious and protective ways of her favorite black cat had indeed increased over the past few years. Every time they faced a new challenge, whether it was at the academy or in their hero line of work, Chat was always there for her. Adrien was there for her. He'd taken a credit overload this semester and was some how managing to balance everything still. Marinette was impressed. It helped her keep a positive attitude when she considered that she couldn't really complain. Adrien had it a lot harder, but never complained. Chat's black glove gently hit her arm and got her attention.
"Hmm?" She slowed down a little. Chat looked at her with that all too familiar glint in his green eyes and that teasing smirk on his lips.
"Tag. You're it." She smiled confidently. They may be adults now, but Ladybug and Chat Noir still stood for what they always had. During their time as super heroes, they'd learned that their alter ego brought both new responsibilities and freedoms at the same time. No one could fault the twenty year olds for playing tag on the way to a fight. When it felt like they had the world on their shoulders, it helped to remember that they always had each other to help hold it up.