Work Text
Prologue“Tik, he needs her. We can’t let them do this much longer. They are ready. They just need our help. Just a little push. He won’t be able to do what he needs to do without her. I don’t want to lose another kitten. I can’t lose this kitten. He is going to need her so much outside the mask. We have to let it happen. The last akuma proves they are ready. Tik, you know it. Please, Tik. Please, let him know. You promised, PKPP, remember? You even came up with the name yourself. ”“You’re right Plagg. I know you are. I just had to make sure for his sake that she was ready. He’s been ready. I know he has been. They are so young. She is so insecure and afraid. After last night I know she is ready and so is he. But we can’t just tell them. I promise we will do everything we can. We will protect your kitten.”“I have a plan. Look! Look, at my list.” He holds up Adrien’s phone with a new note open on Plagg’s password protected note app that he has hidden.“Oh! This is purrfect! You clever, clever, cat!”“She already has plans for both of them. I mean him for Christmas. This will get them to see just in time. Ladybug and I will make it his best Christmas in years.”“You better Tiki because that is over a month away and I would rather just tell him now.”“No, we want them both to see. We can’t rush or force it because then it won’t work. I know we are so close. We just need a couple more. It will happen. We’ve got three out of six now. And you and I will make sure they see together.”“Together.” The two kwamis held each other tight deep down in a book bag smelling faintly of cheese that was vibrating just slightly with the smallest sound of a content purr coming from inside.“Gym is almost over. I better get back to Marinette’s locker.”Plagg sighed in relief. This kitten would make it. He would not fail this time. For the first time in centuries there would maybe even be catbugs someday.“Ugh! The kid is rubbing off on me!” Plagg throws his flippers up in the air in disgust.“And that, is a very good thing, my stinky sock.” Tiki plants a peck on his head.“Plagg’s Kitten Protection Plan starts tonight Tik. I’ll take it slow but I won’t wait another day. He needs this. I need this. We need this. And this Bug is ready. She’s braver than she knows.”Plagg sighs as Tiki phases through back to her chosen’s locker. He then starts humming a very familiar Christmas tune and even singing in the tiniest of raspy whispers.“On the first day of Christmas by Kwamii gave to me my true love’s secret identity…”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
There was the poster. It was staring at her from above her locker again. Almost daring her to do it. Why did they have to put the thing right there? It was like Alya had paid the dance committee so that it and her best friend could taunt her multiple times a day. It was a beautifully designed poster actually. A couple, the girl dressed in a snowflake speckled gown and the guy in a white tux, dancing and staring into each other’s eyes. The Yule Ball. Last year’s ball was lots of fun. She had been on the decorating committee and everything looked beautiful. This year she was of course in the next grade and could no longer use the excuse of deciding to run the refreshments table to get out of needing a date. The lower grades were in charge of all that. Now that she was older she would need a date as the tickets were only sold in pairs. “Girl, now is your chance. You know he will say yes.” Alya glares at her best friend while placing her hands on her hips. “Just…ask…him. Nino and I are not doing the “Oh, we are all going as a friend group” thing again. Not this dance. This year’s theme is Fairy Tales and my boy and I are going all out with our costumes,” with a flip of her hair and an arch of her brow she silently dared her friend to question her reasoning. “Yes, I know. I know he would because we are…very…good…friends.” sighs Marinette.
“But no, not even that is an option. Last year his dad had him out of town by the time Yule Ball came around."“Yep, probably so he wouldn’t have to go through us all showing up at his house again. Well, we don’t know that he will be out of town again for sure just yet. You could still ask,” Alya demanded with just a hint of exasperation. "True. But I’m not that lucky. Besides, this will be the third Christmas in the friend zone. Nothing is going to change before Christmas. I am his very good friend. I just happen to be his very good friend who has a very big crush. And as his very good friend I have a very good plan actually for Christmas. I’ll need you and Nino to be my little elves. I haven’t worked it all out just yet but as soon as I do….” she tapped her finger to her best friend’s chin.“You will give me all the deets.” the girl said waggling her eyebrows from behind her glasses. “You know it!” she winks back. “This very good friend with a very big crush will make sure a certain hot stuff has a very good chance at getting some Christmas spirit this year.”“Hot Stuff? Did I just hear Mari call somebody Hot Stuff? Does somebody have a Christmas Crush this year?” came a voice from behind the locker. Why is he always doing that?!? “No….umm..not at all. Me?!?! Have a crush? Ha ha ha ha…nooo. I was just talking to Alya about all the hot stuff in the bakery. Yay. My mom decided to serve Mexican hot chocolate this year. It is some hot stuff. whewwww….” “Sounds good, let’s all go have some at lunchtime?” said her own personal ray of sunshine as he closed his locker with a grin.“Adrikins!!!!!”“Quick hide!” Mari goes to shove Adrien in her locker once again. Her and Alya have become absolute experts over the last couple of years at running interference for him when it comes to overzealous fangirls. Even ones related to the mayor. “Don’t you get in that locker Adrien Agreste! It is just me, your bestest and oldest friend. As if you needed to hide from little old me. I just wanted to discuss our theme for the Winter Ball. We will be the perfect fairy tale pair!”“No. No, Chloe.” Adrien felt a wave of relief as he thought how good that felt to say. He was sorta proud at how much progress he has made in learning to stand up for himself outside the mask. “I can’t go with you. I’m already taken.” he says with his arms crossed around his books holding them up against his chest as if they were a shield of protection.“Taken!?!?!” Chole screeches while her hands clench up into fists and her eyebrows climb all the way up to her ponytail. Marinette grabs Alya’s hand while clenching her heart with the other preparing herself for what she always knew would come someday. Adrien, taken? She thinks she just might hear her heart starting to shatter.“I mean, err…taking. Taking someone,” he stumbles through his words. “Who?” she stomps her foot and demands to know with all her little miss I am the bomb attitude. “And don’t you give me any of that me and my boy are going as a group nonsense. I know for an undisputed fact that Nino is taking Ms. Nosey Reporter Wanna-be.”“No, Chloe, I’m taken. Mari and I are going together.” Adrien grabs his very good friend and slings his arm around her shoulder pulling her in right up close. Marinette’s heart stops shattering as it begins to pound in her chest. “I mean I’m taking….ha ha ha ha…yes, I am taking Marinette to the dance I mean. We are going to go together.”“Ugh! This is utterly ridiculous!” Chloe storms off.Adrien turns to Mari with a blush on his face and says “That is…if you’ll have me. I mean let me. I mean do you want me to take you to the dance…um…together?” Marinette’s heart has officially stopped. “Nino, I think your boy just broke my girl,” smirks Alya, “then again, about time.” All four friends jump as a piercing cackle rips through the hallway. “Queue the Chloe akuma,” sighs Adrien as he starts trying to pull Marinette into a run. She isn’t moving. “Mari? Mari, I’m sorry I sprung that on you like that. We can talk later. I really want to talk later but there is an akuma. It is probably Chloe. We have to get you somewhere safe. If it is her I don’t want her coming anywhere near you.”“You’re…taken?” Marinette taps her finger on his chest. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng!” cackles the akuma as she swishes her gown down the hall. Towering over them reaching almost to the ceiling of the school is another akumatized version of the one and only Chloe. A golden crown upon her head and glittering dress flowing along her feet Evil Queen Chloe looks like she walked right out of a live-action, seriously not made for kids, fairy tale movie adaptation. Adrien pulls her arm so she is behind him and glares up at the akuma ready to make a stand forgetting he is not even transformed. “I am the Queen of this land! There is no one fairer than me! You will be my Prince Charming!” the Evil Queen scoops Adrien up in one hand. “And you! You will be out of my way forever! Hahahaha!” She grabs Marinette with the other hand and runs out of the school. Jumping up onto the rooftop she throws Marinette down on the ground causing her to slam her head up against the cold concrete. “Mariiiiii!!!!!!!” Adrien yells. “Don’t you worry my Prince of Paris. You don’t need that peasant! You are meant for royalty. You were destined to be mine! I will have my happy ending!” The Evil Queen swirls her hand around gathering a glowing green aura of magic. She throws it at the unconscious hero laying on the rooftop. Adrien watches in horror as he sees one of his very best friends surrounded by an ominous green ball of light. It becomes so bright that he cannot even see her. He gasps as the light explodes. The shock of it causes the Evil Queen to drop him. He runs over and skids to a stop in front of a glass case. “Mari, no,” he lays his hand on the glass and feels as if all the warmth has drained from his body.Enclosed in glass, lashes closed and resting so close to that sprinkle of freckles that he loves. Laying on a pallet of blankets and pillows with her raven-blue hair spread around the pillow like a halo is his Mari. Yep. His Mari. They have been friends for so long. She has helped him with so much. And he knows. He has known for a long time now that she is more than just a very good friend to him. He has just been afraid to risk it. Her friendship is everything to him and he is terrified to lose it. Terrified because he knows he could mess it up. His heart is so full of love for two girls. How could he possibly not screw up his friendship with her when his heart could never belong to only her. Where is that other girl he wonders? “Ouch!” he feels a pinch right on his arm. “Get out of your head kid. You have a job to do! You want Pigtails back? Then you need to get to work! This is bad!” shouts Plagg.He has to transform. He has to beat this akuma and get his more than just a very good friend back. A ball of green heads towards him and he ducks and rolls just in time. He cannot get akuma-controlled again. He dives through the roof-top service door and runs to find a spot to transform.