Not You: A Miraculous Ladybug Tale

You will do as I say, won't you?

Cat Noir attached himself to the side of his mansion and dug his claws into the hinge of the window. In a smooth motion, he slid it open and landed without making a sound. They had managed to make it back without getting struck. Marinette hopped off his back to find herself in Adrien's room.

Adrien's room...a place she had dreamed about during the beginning phases of her crush. She chuckled at the memory of breaking in as Ladybug to leave him a present...she had touched almost everything and laid in his bed, inhaling the fragrance of his pillow.

I was so immature back then.

But this wasn't just Adrien's room. It was Cat Noir's room. Two entirely different guys.

"Claws in," Cat Noir said.

She watched him de-transform, her eyes still in disbelief. Maybe the more times she watched Adrien transform into Cat Noir and Cat Noir de-transform into Adrien then she could finally knit them together in mind.

Adrien seemed to be closely analyzing her face during his entire de-transformation. She could tell he wanted her to be happy that Cat Noir was Adrien. But it didn't feel right.

Plagg darted out of Adrien's miraculous and floated up to Marinette.

"So, the lovebirds have finally shared their deepest darkest secret. Good for me! All the tension was so annoying."

"Shut up Plagg!" Adrien hollered.

"That no way to treat the source of your powers, Adrien. You should treat me better. And with more cheese."

"It's over there Plagg."

Plagg zoomed across the room and dove at a lump of cheese sitting on the dresser.

Adrien's gaze seemed nervous as if he felt awkward.

"So...umm...plans. We need to plan," his face was red.

Marinette was still combining her two worlds together...she didn't feel ready to fight. Especially without a miraculous. Miraculous...wait...didn't Adrien have the Horse Miraculous? Before Adrien left for New York, Cat Noir asked her if he could "borrow" the Horse Miraculous. At the time, Cat Noir declined to answer the reasons he needed.

Now it all made sense. Adrien wanted to have a way back to Paris at any moment considering that the power of the Horse Miraculous was teleportation.

"You still have the Horse Miraculous right?"

"Oh. Yes. I do. Sorry. I meant to give it back," Adrien rushed over to his closet and pulled out a shoebox.

"You kept it in there?" Marinette felt grossed out as she watched him pull the glasses out from inside one of his shoes. 

"Yeah...not the best decision. I didn't want anyone to find it. I'll wash them."

Marinette sat herself down on the edge of his bed as she waited for him to return.

..............................

Marinette is in my room. Ladybug is in my room. Why didn't I clean my room better? I hope it doesn't spell like rotten cheese. Darn you Plagg!

Adrien's shaking hands nearly dropped the glasses into the sink. He felt naked ever since Marinette's reaction to his reveal...like all his Cat Noir humor and self-assurance had dried up. Maybe it was a mistake to reveal himself...now he lost the freedom that came with Cat Noir's anonymity.

When Ladybug or even Marinette rejected Cat Noir, it didn't hurt as much because it wasn't his full self. But now that Marinette had seen both sides and was still upset...it...it...

He was thrilled that Marinette was Ladybug. There were so many similarities and he noticed for a while, but never had the confidence to officially drawn the conclusion.

Honestly, he would have been disappointed if Ladybug was anybody else but Marinette.

But her response to him...

Not you. Anyone but you.

...It stung. He knew he deserved it considering how many times he friend-zoned her. It wasn't until today that he realized.

This entire time - from the moment he met Marinette - he was afraid to lose her...friendships seemed more permanent than romantic relationships. If Marinette was his friend...she could never truly leave him. Unlike Kagomi.

Friendship was the purest form of love, he decided...meaning he loved Marinette more than any other girl in the world. Maybe even more than Ladybug. Lucky for him, he didn't have to choose between loves.

"What are you doing here?" Adrien heard Father, Mr. Gabriel Agreste, say from the bedroom. Adrien lost his breathe for a moment before racing out of the bathroom.

Marinette was sitting on his bed, her face completely white and her spine straight as a pencil.

"Adrien, you have some explaining to do. Why is this girl...whose name I can't remember...how did she get here? Natalie didn't let her him," Father was stern, his arms crossed as he peered down on Adrien.

"I let her in."

"How? She didn't come through the front door."

"The window. She came in the window," Adrien ran his hand through his hand, trying to play it cool. Could Father tell he was shaking? 

"How, Adrien?" His words word like fiery darts.

"Umm..."

"Cat Noir let me in," Marinette burst out.

Father's eyes widened with sudden interest.

"I was worried about Adrien...since he left class early today after the akuma alert. I wanted to make sure he arrived home safe. So, I followed his limo. I was hiding out in front of the house, waiting for the blasts to go away when Cat Noir was flying by. He saw me and let me up here so that I'd be safe and away from the fighting."

"Ah. Is that how it went?" Father's words sounded sarcastic. 

"Yes, Sir."

Father took a tense breathe as his eyes darted between Adrien and Marinette...as if he was searching for something or deciding whether or not to believe them.

"Well, when this akuma incidence is over, I want you to leave immediately," He said to Marinette. 

"Understood, Mr. Agreste." 

He squinted as if he was recalling a memory, "You always did have stalker tendencies towards my son. That's right. It's all coming back to me now." 

Marinette's cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. Why did Father have to be so rude? It was like he was just trying to intimidate her. And it was working. 

"Well, Father, don't you have work to do or something?"

"I do. But I don't like the eagerness in your voice for me to leave."

"Sorry, Father."

Adrien followed Father to the door, eager to close it so he wouldn't overhear their plans. As if sensing his intentions, Father placed his hand over the door knob and firmly said:

"Leave it open, Adrien."

"Why?"

"There's a girl in your room."

"I know but-"

"You will do as I say," Father's eyes glared down, "Won't you?"

"Yes, Father."