Dirty and Wet: by Ladybugtrashcan

Chapter 1

Marinette wasn't expecting him to be there.
Adrien did not expect her either.
The gym of their high school was decorated in gold and silver decorations, changing the place into an ethereal setting. A large DJ booth had been set up, with Nino leading the music. In all, it was supposed to be a quiet homecoming, yet this year (with help from Chloe), a new theme was enacted.
It was a masquerade ball, and the dizzying assortment of masks left an air of mystique. For most, the trial and error of finding friends who they no longer recognized prompted most to take their masks off almost immediately. Yet, in the space of the large gym, only two could recognize each other distinctly because of their masks.

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Marinette was tired. She had stayed up late into the night trying to finish her dress. If the dress was not perfect, she was going to go in a paper bag, and she definitely did not want that. The dress was a bold red color, with a halter neckline and a low back. It had Small black beading around the edge, which gradually lessened into the silk belt around her natural waist. The belt was a deep satin red, and was tied in a small bow on the back. The ends of the bow trailed down to the bottom of the dress. From her waist, the tool puffed out to give her a full, but short skirt. There were multiply layers of tool, the innermost being a dark black, and gradually changing shades until the final layers matched the color of the dress. The black beading that had lessened around her waist gradually increased, and made soft swirl patterns around the bottom of the dress. The black beads held just the right amount of sparkle, and the full skirt was made to dance in. Marinette feared for her safety if she had created a long dress; to prevent her from tripping on the hem it stopped just before her knees, and was elongated slightly in the back to accompany the belts length.

It was perfect. It was Marinette.

The final touch was the mask, which she had created with fond, almost loving care. Her time as Ladybug made her appreciate the usefulness of masks. If not for the spotted face cover, her identity would be known around Paris, putting all of her family and friends at risk. The mask matched the red of her dress, and the black beads she had placed on her dress she also used on the mask. The edges contained most of the beads, and small swirls of beads gracefully filled the rest of the empty space. A dark black ribbon made the mask sit comfortably on Marinette's face. She felt more comfortable with it on then if she went without it. The mask was not too flashy, but simplistic and graceful.

In truth, Marinette had outdone herself. She was actually frightened to put it on due to how good it looked. Even as she stalled, Marinette knew Alya was coming to pick her up shortly (Nino went early to set up the DJ booth). Marinette slipped into her dress, and after checking her makeup one more time, she fastened the mask around her dark, almost blue hair.

"Marinette! Alya is here!" called Sabine from the living room.

"One sec! Coming!" Marinette chimed back. Her voice woke the sleeping Kwami, who had kept Marinette company during their long night sewing.

"Is it time to go?" Tikki asked while removing herself from the bed of fabric Marinette had made her. Her sluggish movements became quick when the small creature realized how beautiful her charge was.

"Marinette! You look beautiful!" Tikki called as she zoomed up next to the young girl, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks!" Marinette giggled, spinning around to give Tikki the full experience. The dress rose are she spun, creating a blur of fabric and movement.

"MARINETTE ITS TIME TO GO NINO AND ADRIEN ARE WAITING" Alya basically screamed up at her friend who was taking waaaaayyyy too long.

"I guess that is my signal" Marinette laughed. "Let's go Tikki!" Marinette said while gesturing to the matching red bag at her hip, which smelled slightly like Tikki's favorite cookies. The Kwami dived into the bag, and Marinette promptly clasped it shut.