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Beau and the Beetle	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 3721 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Thomas Astruc and released by Zag studios. No profit was made writing this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Prologue: Alya
- 2-Adrien
- 3-Felix
- 4-Bridgette
- 5-Adrien
- 6-Sabine
- 7-Bridgette
- 8-Alya
- 9-Adrien
- 10-Felix
- 11-Sabine
- 12-Bridgette
- 13-Alya
- 14-Felix
- 15-Adrien
- 16-Alya
- 17-Felix
- 18-Bridgette
- 19-Adrien
- 20-Sabine
- 21-Felix
- 22-Alya
- 23-Bridgette
- 24-Adrien
- 25-Sabine
- 26-Adrien
- 27-Felix
- 28-Alya
- 29-Bridgette
- 30-Adrien
- 31-Sabine
- 32-Bridgette
- 33-Felix
- 34-Alya
- 35-Adrien
- 36-Felix
- 37-Sabine
- 38-Bridgette
- 39-Adrien
- 40-Felix
- 41-Adrien
- 42-Felix
- 43-Adrien
- 44-Adrien
- 45-Adrien
- 46-Epilogue
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Ten days had passed before Adrien found an opportunity to slip away from his father, friends, and bodyguard. He had argued bitterly with Gabriel to let him spend time with his classmates outside of school, and was reluctantly granted permission on the proviso that Gorilla accompany him. So, surrounded by his friends, and tailed by his bodyguard, they went to the arcade.
Nino and Alya went straight to the claw machine, Kim challenged Alix to a game of air hockey with Max as the referee, while Rose and Juleka hopped on the Dance Dance Revolution deck. Ivan and Mylène waged war on the Whack-a-Mole, and Bridgette took on Sabrina in a rhythm game, with Chloe watching from the sidelines. Nathaniel tried to shoot a basketball through a hoop, with minimal success, as Marc cheered him on.
Once they were completely engrossed, Adrien called to all and nobody that he was going to the restroom. Nino waved a distracted acknowledgement, while Chloe scrunched her nose up.
‘We don’t need a running commentary on your bodily functions, Adrikins.’
Adrien smirked, and ducked out the door. Hiding behind a crowd of strangers, he avoided the watchful gaze of his bodyguard, then darted to the nearest Metro. There, he caught the train to the station he had been found at, and followed the tunnel to the grate Marinette had left open for him.
Upon locating the small aperture, Adrien sat down and scooted forward before rolling onto his belly for the descent. He slithered in, feet first, to ensure a safe landing. Once inside, he pulled his new phone from his pocket, and used the torch to examine his clothing. The dirt wasn’t as bad as he’d feared, so he brushed himself off, and followed the path he’d memorised from Marinette’s map.
His footsteps echoed, the crunch of displaced pebbles loud in the stifling stillness. But he wasn’t scared or blind this time. He kept his phone out, illuminating his path to avoid turning an ankle on the uneven ground.
A train passed by, the sound muffled by the centuries-old stonework. By the time it had faded into silence, Adrien was close enough to Marinette’s sanctuary to hear her humming softly.
Her voice was low and soothing, nice to listen to. He followed the sound up to her doorway, where he hung back for a moment to observe. Marinette had her back to him as she scribbled on the wall with a stone. The drawings weren’t as clear as the chalk or charcoal ones, but he could see what she was trying to create. It looked like a formal evening gown, with a fitted bodice and full skirt.
Marinette stopped humming, taking a step back to examine her work.
‘It’s amazing. You’re really talented, Marinette.’
She flinched before turning around. Her stiff plating prevented her from pivoting at the waist, so she had to turn around in a circle to face him, her legs turning it into a laborious process.
‘You surprised me,’ she told him in disapproving tones.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to.’
She sighed, her frown turning into a tentative smile. ‘You really came back.’
‘I said I would.’ Encouraged by her smile, he couldn’t help but grin. ‘You really are talented. My dad would love you.’
Marinette tilted her head. ‘Your dad?’
Feeling heat suffuse his cheeks, Adrien rubbed the back of his head. ‘My father is Gabriel Agreste.’
‘The fashion designer?’ she gasped.
‘Yeah.’
‘Of course, I should have known. I’m such a dummy. I’m sorry I didn’t recognise you.’
Holding his hands up, he tried to reassure her. ‘It’s ok. I was so grimy last time, I doubt I would have recognised my own reflection. Besides, sometimes it’s nice not to be recognised.’
‘If you say so,’ she agreed, dubiously.
‘Trust me, the novelty of being famous wears off.’
Marinette dropped her stone and sank down, in an approximation of sitting down. ‘I can’t believe you actually came back.’
Adrien sat as well, maintaining eye contact. ‘I made a promise.’
‘Most people wouldn’t be so noble.’
‘I’m not most people. Yeah, it was difficult to get away from everyone, and I’m bound to catch a barrel of trouble when I get home, but it’ll be worth it.’
‘You’re very kind. Thank you.’
Adrien blushed at her sincere praise. ‘You’re welcome.’
Marinette scuttled forward, eagerly. ‘Tell me how everyone is.’
With a genuine smile, he told her about everything that had occurred since they last met. She gasped when he mentioned Sabine, so he elaborated on what he knew of her parents without prompting.
‘She covered it well, but I think your mother misses you a lot.’
Marinette’s gaze dropped to the ground as she frowned. ‘I was beginning to think she’s starting to forget about me.’
Surprised, Adrien asked, ‘what makes you say that?’
She picked up her rock to fiddle with it. ‘They don’t send me as many supplies anymore, and Maman’s last letter was unusually brief.’
‘Maybe because they were busy. I heard they redecorated your old room – ‘
Adrien clapped both hands over his mouth, ashamed of his tactlessness.
Marinette stilled. ‘They redecorated my room?’ she asked, quietly.
Letting his hands drop into his lap, Adrien nodded. ‘Yeah. Bridgette told Alya, Alya told Nino, and Nino told me. I’m sorry, this must be a shock.’
She shook her head. ‘No, it’s ok. They probably couldn’t stand to be surrounded by reminders, particularly if Bridgette is staying in my room.’
He didn’t know what to say to that, so he gave a noncommittal hum, and waited for her to continue the conversation.
‘How can you stand to come back here?’ she eventually asked, putting the painful subject firmly behind them.
Adrien shrugged. ‘It’s not so scary with a light, and some idea of where I’m going.’
‘That’s not what I mean.’
‘Then what do you mean?’ Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow.
‘How.’ She paused, rubbing her arm self-consciously. ‘How can you stand to look at me? I’m hideous.’
‘No, you’re not,’ he responded, vehemently.
Marinette gave him, what he guessed, was supposed to be a withering look. ‘I’m a giant creepy crawly, Adrien. I don’t need you to spare my feelings.’
He was struck by a sudden certainty that she had never had a proper look at her cursed form. ‘You’ve not actually seen yourself, have you?’
‘I’ve seen enough to know that I’m the ugliest person alive.’
‘Now you’re just wallowing,’ he chided her, gently.
She frowned at him again. ‘Considering my current situation, I think I have the right to wallow.’
Adrien put his hands up in a placating gesture. ‘Ok, yeah, your circumstances are not ideal.’
She snorted at the understatement.
‘But,’ he continued, ‘things could always be so much worse.’
‘Like how?’
Adrien’s expression turned sombre as his shoulders sagged. ‘You could have lost your parents that night. Take it from someone who knows, anything is better than losing the people you care about most.’
Marinette shrank in on herself. ‘Yeah, ok. I must sound like a whiny brat to you. I’m sorry.’
‘You don’t have to apologise, but you’re luckier than you realise. A lucky little ladybug.’
‘There’s nothing “little” or “lucky” about me. Wait, why a ladybug?’
He met her eyes with mild surprise before recalling she didn’t know what she looked like.
‘Your shell; it’s read with little black dots, just like a ladybug. You know, some people believe ladybugs bring good luck.’
‘They do?’
‘Yeah, you didn’t know that?’
She held her hands up in a shrug. ‘I used to adore ladybugs, but I’ve never heard that. But then, I’ve never been superstitious.’
He tsked at her. ‘How could you not know about your peoples’ heritage? For shame.’
Marinette spluttered indignantly. ‘Ladybeetles are not my people.’
‘They would be so sad and hurt to hear you say that.’ He shook his head, reproachfully.
‘Stop teasing me, you colossal dork.’
Adrien gasped, laying the back of his hand across his forehead. ‘Oh no, you’ve discovered my one true flaw. I shall wither and die of embarrassment.’
To his delight, Marinette giggled.
‘A dork with a flare for dramatics. Does you dad know how silly you are?’
Adrien heaved a sigh. ‘Alas, all of his wrinkles are the result of years of stress brought on by me. I’m not ashamed to admit it.’
‘You should be, you unfilial son.’
They joked and teased, mostly at Adrien’s expense, until he realised he’d lost track of time.
‘I’d better get going,’ he said reluctantly, as he got to his feet.
Marinette sighed and rose as well, but she was smiling. ‘Thank you for coming. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.'
As they began the trek back down the tunnel, Adrien offered, ‘I can come back. I’ll probably be grounded for a month after today, but I can visit again as soon as I’m free.’
‘I’d like that, thank you.’
‘I could bring you some supplies, too, like chalk, pens, paper, whatever.’
Marinette stopped to stare at him. ‘You’d do that for me?’
He looked back up at her in bemusement. ‘Of course, we’re friends, aren’t we?’
Marinette’s lips eased into the biggest smile he’d seen so far. ‘Yes, absolutely. We’re friends.’
With matching grins, they parted ways at the open grate. Adrien waved into the shadows, then ran back to the station platform.
Once he was out in the open, his phone blew up with messages, each more desperate than the last. He noticed that the texts were only from Chloe, Nino, and Alya, not from Gabriel or one of his employees. He answered them in turn, before racing back to the arcade where they waited for him impatiently.
‘Dude, you owe me bigtime,’ Nino informed him, flatly. ‘Your bodyguard is one tenacious man.’
Adrien rubbed the back of his head, smiling nervously. ‘Thanks, man. I’ll make it up to you, I swear.’
‘You’d better,’ Nino hmphed.
‘Where were you, anyway?’ Chloe asked, shoving Nino aside.
Nino glowered at her, before Alya slipped under his arm. She coaxed him into a smile as she rubbed his back, all of them awaiting Adrien's answer.
Adrien felt sweat run down his back. ‘I was, uh, just looking around. I’ve been cooped up for so long, I was beginning to forget what fresh air smells like.’
‘Can you really describe Parisian air as fresh?’ murmured Alya, sceptically.
Adrien heaved a melodramatic sigh. ‘Ok, you got me. I heard the new Mecha Strike game was being released soon, and I wanted to put in an advanced order. There, happy?’
‘That makes sense,’ Nino said, with a negligent wave of his hand.
‘You nerd,’ Chloe added.
‘If that’s all you wanted, why not tell us? We could’ve come with you,’ Alya informed him.
Adrien shrugged helplessly, with an embarrassed chuckle. Nino shook his head, then led the way down the street, Gorilla falling into step behind them, apparently none the wiser.
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Beau and the Beetle