The Double Face of the Designer's Son

Chapter 10.

My first kiss, Marinette thought, watching the hero zip through town. Her fingers grazed her lips and she smiled despite herself. Tikki flew out of her drawer.

"Wow, Marinette. That was a bold move! I think Cat Noir has always liked you!" Marinette cuddled the kwami against her cheek.

"I'm glad also that I finally got over Adrien. He's not the same man he once was. Cat Noir is everything he used to be." Marinette blinked away tears as her cat in black disappeared from her view.

"Have you really moved on?" Tikki asked. The concern was evident in her tiny voice.

"I don't know the answer to that. All I know is that I do like Cat," Marinette replied. Her kwami smiled.

"I think... maybe that's all you need."

-

Adrien was pacing his room at midnight. He had just made a horrible, wonderful mistake. His first kiss. As Cat Noir. With the girl he loved.

"Woo-woo! My boy has a lover- hey," Plagg cocked his head. "What's wrong? You've got your first kiss, and Marinette is super pretty, and nice..." he paused to sigh. "She could be to you what Camembert is to me! So why the long face?"

"Marinette's first kiss was with Cat Noir, not Adrien Agreste. And she can't know it's me. But I... like her, and she could be the answer to my problem. I couldn't marry anyone else, feeling the way I feel for Marinette. It would be dishonest of me." Plagg wasn't sure what to make of the whole situation.

"I'm honestly just glad you stopped fantasizing about Ladybug. You finally got over it." Adrien gasped. He'd forgotten Ladybug in his moment of passion. What would happen if he saw her again? Would he fall in love all over again? How could he do that to Marinette? Plagg looked at the alarmed face of his Chosen and sighed. He put a fin to his forehead in exasperation. "You didn't really get over Ladybug, did you?" Adrien, more worried than before, shook his head. "Oh, dear. Now that's a problem."

Plagg was more concerned about the fact that both heroes were in love with each other and didn't know it. He didn't know his way around this whole "love" thing, but he would at least try to figure it out. He'd give it his best shot, but only for his favorite Chosen.

"So... what happens if you find out Ladybug's identity? Not saying it'll happen, but how would you choose?" Adrien sighed.

"Ladybug was just a fantasy. And it's been years. I'm sure she's changed. Marinette, on the other hand, is as beautiful and talented and smart and kind as she was the day I lost this place. She hasn't changed a bit. I could use something that won't falter. I think I'd go for Marinette." Adrien's grim look betrayed his feelings on the subject. He was a bit heartbroken over having to let go, but he knew he only had good ahead of him. Marinette was the purest, most wholesome woman he knew. He admired her in every way, just like he had Ladybug.

"Sir," the intercom said. There was only one person it could be.

"Yes, Claire?"

"Did you want me to turn off the security cameras?" Adrien raised his eyebrows.

"Oh... how much did you hear?" He smiled uncomfortably.

"Only everything, sir," Claire said sarcastically.

"Well, then, you know my predicament. How would you suggest I work this out?"

"Personally, sir, I don't know. I can send in an anonymous question to the Ladyblog, presenting it in the least specific way possible... but that wouldn't work. Too transparent..." Claire muttered. She hemmed and hawed for a moment. "Maybe we can find a way to get her back as Adrien and break up with her as Cat Noir."

"I couldn't do that, it'd break my heart," Adrien said, almost indignant.

"Ah, I understand, sir. For now, we'll just wait for your meeting with Nino, and then we can take some action. Good night, sir," Claire said. The lights lowered and went out in many of the rooms. All of them, in fact, except for the lights in Adrien's bedroom and Claire's office.

Claire ran checks on all the information in the Agreste company records, and then looked at all potential suitors for her boss. She was awake hours into the night. At around 4 AM, she decided it might be time to go to bed. Putting a collection of the files of the most promising candidates on a flash drive, she rubbed her face. Her eyes burned from having her contacts in for so long. She took out her contacts, put on her glasses, and took out a Sharpie to mark the drive with a single symbol: ❦.

"That should about do it. I'm exhausted," the assistant muttered aloud to herself.

Elsewhere in Paris...

"An assistant overworked by her careless boss, exhausted and bitter. Seems like the perfect prey, wouldn't you say, princess?" A dark voice echoed through a bunker.

"I believe you're right, darling," another voice replied in a seductive tone.

"Akuma, fly away and evilize our dear old friend." The deeper voice spat the words that seemed to have such a foul taste in his mouth.

Claire had thought about returning to her apartment, but nobody waited for her. She would be alone there. Besides, she told herself, she needed to monitor the security systems. She was playing with the flash drive between her fingers when she saw a tiny butterfly wedge itself through the window.

"Now I know I've gotta get to sleep. I'm seeing things." Claire backed up, but the black butterfly kept moving toward her. She held up her hand, still holding the flash drive. This moment would be remembered as her mistake.

The black butterfly possessed the flash drive. Claire gasped lightly, and the light outline of a moth drew itself around her eyes.

"Good evening, Analyst. I am Ghost Moth. Your boss may not appreciate your efforts, but I do. I'm giving you the power to take revenge on the people who don't care about you. In return, I ask only one, simple, little thing: take the jewels that give Ladybug and Cat Noir their power - The Miraculous - and bring them to me. Do we have a deal, old friend?"

"I'll analyze their every weakness, Ghost Moth."