Adrinette April 2020

Day 3 - Multimouse and Adrien

Marinette held her head in her hands, staring at her floorboards in disbelief.

"Tikki, I'm so sorry," she spoke, feeling terrible. Her kwami smiled up at her, the small frame of her body pressing into the pillow.

"Marinette, I'm okay. I just need to rest," she told her, but it didn't soothe her worries.

Ever since Marinette had become the new Guardian, she'd been using a lot more nervous energy than before. She was always worried that Hawkmoth would attack her parents, the bakery, her house, her school. Marinette had found a decent hiding spot for the Miracle Box, but it still wasn't good enough. She couldn't sleep at night, always trying to think of a better place to keep it.

In result, being Ladybug was also tiring. Chat Noir had noticed how worried she was all the time, and it took a toll on Tikki too. Marinette was at a loss for what to do in general, but that night, she was particularly in distress.

She'd been to see Adrien the past few nights as Ladybug. He'd been unable to come to school because of photoshoots and business lately, so Ladybug pretended that "a classmate" had told her that Adrien needed some company. She hadn't been able to find a reason not to keep visiting him, until Tikki became weak. Her kwami wasn't completely supportive of the use of her Miraculous for personal reasons, and that added to Tikki's exhaustion. She knew she couldn't keep putting her kwami through it.

Marinette wanted to let Adrien know that Ladybug wouldn't be coming anymore, but she couldn't do it as Ladybug, and she definitely couldn't do it as Marinette.

Tikki shivered a little, turning to curl up more. Marinette felt her heart ache, wishing there was something she could do. If only she knew how to heal kwamis, like Master Fu had.

"You could use another Miraculous," Tikki suggested weakly, and Marinette wanted to immediately dismiss the idea. But as she thought it through, it wasn't a bad option. It would still be using a Miraculous for personal reasons, but she would be putting an end to it after that night. She wished she'd listened to Tikki sooner.

Her mind began running through which Miraculous to use, glancing near her hiding place for the Miracle Box. The Mouse Miraculous immediately came to mind, but again, her mind wanted to rule that out. Then again, only Chat Noir knew who was behind the mask, not Adrien. She worried she would stutter and stammer around him like usual, but knowing her mask would hide her identity calmed her down slightly.

She quietly took the Miracle Box out from its hiding spot, glancing out her windows just to make sure no one was watching her. She removed the Mouse Miraculous, safely putting the box back where it belonged.

She fastened the necklace around her neck, moving back over to Tikki.

"I hope you feel better soon, Tikki. Please forgive me," she sighed, and Tikki smiled, lifting herself to touch Marinette's cheek.

"Of course I forgive you, Marinette," she spoke softly, laying back down. Marinette smiled in return, wanting more than anything to see her back to her usual, cheerful self.

"Stay safe, Tikki. I'll be back soon," she spoke, and Tikki drifted off to sleep.

"Mullo, get squeaky!" Marinette exclaimed, feeling a rush of energy flood over her.

Within minutes of letting herself jump from her balcony, she was at Adrien's house, staring into his window. She could vaguely make him out, sitting on his bed. He looked like he was waiting, his leg bouncing and his eyes wandering. Waiting for Ladybug.

In one quick motion, she leapt to his open window, barely making a noise. But he heard her, and his eyes widened as he stood abruptly.

She almost lost her composure but tried to keep her cool. He was wearing sweatpants and a Ladybug t-shirt, his hair slightly tousled.

As Ladybug, just last night, she'd told him he didn't need to dress up for her arrival. Marinette couldn't believe that he'd worn that shirt if he thought he'd be seeing Ladybug herself that night.

"Ma-Multimouse?" he asked, looking completely shocked. She stepped down into his room, giving him a small smile.

"Hello. I'm sorry to intrude," she spoke, holding her hands behind her back nervously. She felt exposed using a different Miraculous, and even more so while standing in the middle of her crush's room.

"No, it's okay," he smiled, putting his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants. "What are you doing here, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Ladybug sent me with a message," she answered, and his eyes lit up at her alter ego's mention. But seeing how excited he was to see her made her heart pump faster, and she forgot what she'd planned to say.

"Okay, go ahead," he smiled, looking at her expectantly.

"I, uh, well," she struggled, glancing at the floor.

"Her kwami," she started, and Adrien tilted his head a little bit, looking confused. "The magical being who gives her Ladybug's powers," she continued, and he nodded. She found herself feeling proud, knowing that Adrien had become Aspik and was well aware of what a kwami was but still keeping his identity a secret.

"Has fallen ill," she finished, and Adrien immediately looked distraught.

"What?" His eyes seared into her own, and she felt a blush start to rise on her cheeks. She let herself pace around to help calm her nerves. She could do this.

"Ladybug is h-having a rough time nowadays," she continued, cursing herself for letting a stutter through. Although as she looked to Adrien, she saw his eyes had softened.

"And she needs to let her kwami rest, so she won't be able to visit you," Multimouse spoke, the last few words coming out in a rush. As she looked up at her crush to see his reaction, she noticed a blush had spread over his cheeks.

"Oh! She told you about that?" he choked out, sounding embarrassed. Marinette immediately blushed as well, turning her head to laugh nervously.

"She just said that she'd been coming to check on you, that's all," she got out quickly, stealing a glance at him as he sighed out in relief. She couldn't tell him that she knew that Ladybug had kissed his cheek every night before she'd left his room. She couldn't tell him that she'd wanted so badly to stay.

"Oh, right," he chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. She stole another glance at him as he straightened himself again and breathed out. "Is she okay?" he asked, and she turned to look at him, wanting to wrap herself in the warmth in his eyes for her.

"She's okay, she's just..." she trailed off, not knowing a single word that could describe how she was feeling.

"Whatever it is, tell her I believe in her," he said resolutely, his emerald eyes staring right at her. Her heart was pounding, and the only thoughts in her mind were of how much she cared about him, no matter what identity she assumed. How could she stop visiting him when being a superhero was the only way she could speak real sentences around him?

"I will, Adrien," she smiled back at him, feeling her heart lighten.

"Thank you for coming by," he smiled back, making her heart soar even more.

"No problem. I'll see you around," she told him, forcing herself to begin to leave.

"Goodbye!" he called as she jumped from the window ledge, soaring over the streets of the city once more.

"I believe in her." His words echoed through her mind, and she truly felt like she was flying.

When she had returned home and detransformed, she laid down in bed, seeing that Tikki was still asleep.

As she stared up at the stars through her balcony's hatch, she realized that she needed to believe in herself too. For her own sake and for all of Paris.

She also realized that her feelings for Adrien wouldn't go away that easily. She knew that hiding behind a transformation wasn't the best way to get close to him. She needed to strengthen her resolve and really get to know him as herself, as Marinette.

The thought made her heart stutter, but even as she fell asleep knowing tomorrow would be another crazy day, she knew everything would be okay.

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this one was super fun to write! i hope you all enjoyed!

mel x