From Superhero to Cinderella

Chapter 2

Marinette's dad proposed to Audrey that night, and she joyously accepted.   Marinette could hear Audrey's scream of, "Of course I will!" when she was up in her room, sketching a new design.  The scream startled her and she jerked her pencil on accident.   She sighed and tried her best to erase the dark, out-of-place line, but a faint trace still remained.  No longer feeling inspired, Marinette closed her sketchbook and got up out of her desk chair.  She checked the clock.

Time for patrol, she thought with a sigh.  "Tikki, spots on!" she said.   A bright pink flash erupted as she transformed.  Ladybug met Cat Noir at the Eiffel Tower before starting patrol.   Even though she'd talked to him the night before, he still seemed distant, and tonight he seemed distracted.   Ladybug had to repeat herself a couple times before he finally heard her.   "Are you sure you can do patrol tonight?   You seem distracted," Ladybug said with a sigh.  Cat Noir finally looked at her.

"Yes, I can patrol.  Sorry, I was just thinking about something," he said before using his baton to leave and beginning his part of patrol.   Ladybug sighed before using her yoyo to carry her away, beginning her own half of the patrol.

Once patrol was over, Ladybug bid Cat Noir a goodnight before swinging home and going to bed. She sighed as she laid down in her bed and pulled the covers over herself.  What made him so distracted tonight? she wondered as she drifted off to sleep.

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Adrien tossed Plagg a piece of cheese after detransforming.   Plagg caught it and quickly shoved it in his mouth.  Adrien sat on his bed with a sigh.

"You know, you really should think less about girls and more about cheese.  Your life would be so much easier," Plagg said after swallowing his cheese.   Adrien looked at his kwami.

"I think about girls because I don't know what to do about them," he said with a sigh.  "I'm in love with Ladybug, but it's been made clear to me multiple times that she doesn't love me back. After we defeated Oblivio and I saw that picture of us kissing, I thought there was hope.  But it's been months since then and she still doesn't love me.  Kagami, though, does love me.  She even asked me on a date today," Adrien continued.

"I know.  I was there," Plagg reminded him.  "I say forget Ladybug and go out with this Kagami girl.  She seems to care for you."

Adrien sighed. "I guess I can go on one date," he said.  But I can't just forget about Ladybug. She's...well...Ladybug.   She's not perfect, but she is the perfect one for me.   Or at least, that's what I thought.   I'm not sure anymore.  He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

Marinette's POV

Marinette was woken up by a quiet whisper of, "wake up", but when she opened her eyes, she couldn't see anything.  A weird sensation came over her, but because she was half asleep, she didn't think much of it.  She then felt like she was being moved, but was tired and quickly fell back asleep.  Marinette's eyes snapped open several minutes later as a crash echoed outside her room.  She heard shouting and banging coming from the hallway.  She got out of bed and crept towards her trapdoor.

"You open this door right now!  You can't propose to me and just break it off in the middle of the night!  I'll-I'll fire you!" Audrey's voice shouted through the door.   Marinette's eyes widened. What's going on? She glanced around the room, looking for Tikki.  Tikki was nowhere to be seen. Marinette climbed down the stairs and knocked softly on her dad's door.  "Dad?  What's going on?" she asked.  Her dad opened the door and looked down at her.  He looked both sleepy and confused.  The confusion on his face increased and he stared at Marinette for several moments.