Miraculous: How It Could Have Happened-Season One

Mr Pigeon

Adrien perfectly memorized Marinette's face when Mr. Damocles announced the design contest that Gabriel Agreste was holding. The way her crystal blue eyes had lit up, the dimples that spread on the corners of her mouth, the gasp of awe that escaped from her voice, like a perfect music note. The only person who was probably more excited at the idea of Marinette winning than Marinette herself was Adrien.

"Can you imagine it, Nino?", the blonde ranted to his best friend in the courtyard during their next free period. "I might get to model something Marinette made! I'll get to wear something she touched with her own two hands!" He sighed dreamily at the prospect. "And maybe when she sees how good I look in it, she'll ask me to model more stuff of hers!" Nino smirked. "Good idea, dude! Look towards the future!"

They looked around at their fellow schoolmates until their eyes fell upon Alya and Marinette a few feet away. Marinette was pacing back and forth as she flipped through her sketchbook, frowning and muttering in frustration. Adrien immediately grew concerned. She had been so excited a few minutes ago. What had changed? Carefully creeping towards the love of his life and her best friend, he listened in.

"I got nothing!", Marinette exclaimed. "No derby hat designs! I've got top hats, caps, two-horned hats...need a beret? I'm your girl! A sombrero? No problemo! But derby?" She groaned. "It probably won't matter, anyway. I'll probably just a make a fool out of myself, trip over a derby, collapse on Mr. Agreste, give him a concussion and get myself blacklisted in the fashion industry!" She fell to her knees and placed her head on Alya's lap. "My life is over."

"Marinette seems pretty stressed out over the contest, Plagg.", Adrien said to the kwami hiding in his overshirt pocket. "Maybe she could use a confidence boost." "And you're gonna give it to her?", remarked Plagg in a cynical tone. "How can you give a confidence boost to the one person in the whole universe you have zero confidence around?" Adrien flushed bright red.

Still, he knew he had to try. Marinette was the most talented girl he knew (as well as the most beautiful, most compassionate, most wonderful, etc., etc., etc.). He knew that she could win this contest with her eyes closed. Besides, this contest wasn't just her chance to break out into the fashion world. It was his chance to get closer to his crush. And he'd been darned if he just let it slip away.

So, mustering every bit of gall he had in him, he strode towards where Marinette sat with Alya. Alya took notice of him right away, but Marinette, on the other hand, was too lost in her own little world of self-pity. She didn't see him until he spoke up. "Those are awesome designs, Marinette.", he said. She jumped to her feet at the sound of his voice, seeing him lean over to catch a glimpse of her sketchbook pages. "You...You have mad skills."

Marinette gave him a small smile that made his stomach do jumping jacks. "You really like them?" "Y-Yeah!", he said, doing his best to not stammer in her glorious presence. "I especially love the designs...that go upwards!" Her smile vanished, replaced by a confused expression that matched Alya's. "What?" Adrien gulped. C'mon, Agreste! Say something to fix that! "...and then stop!" He mentally facepalmed.

Marinette stared at him like he had a foot growing out of his face. "Uh...thanks?" Adrien staggered backwards. "Anyway, great designs, youhaveagoodshotatwinningseeyoulaterbye!" And with that, he took off to avoid the awkwardness that he had caused. Alya looked at her BFF as she sat beside her on the bench. "You were right about him acting weird around you. For a guy who looks cool for a living, he has no skill in real life."
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Okay, good news and bad news. The good news was that Marinette had been inspired by a kindly older man feeding the pigeons in the park. Tikki's comment about him wearing a feather jacket set her mind wheels in motion to create a derby hat covered in feathers of black and dark gray. She had spent a whole hour bringing the product of her imagination to life, and she was proud of the finished result.