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Dangerous Games	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 11603 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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
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- 36
After spending Saturday immersed in her designs, Marinette was ready to spend the last day of the weekend relaxing. Unfortunately, relaxing meant freeing up her mind and allowing thoughts to seep in, which kept returning to Adrien and the kiss they’d shared.
She felt terrible, not only for being unfaithful to Chat Noir, but also for giving Adrien the wrong impression. She had thought he’d only been joking when he spoke of marriage, but it was possible he’d read too much into the conversation.
‘Tikki,’ she wailed, ‘did I lead Adrien on?’
Tikki loosed a sigh. ‘No, you didn’t.’
‘But he kissed me.’
‘You kissed him back.’
Marinette glared at her, scandalised. ‘I was drunk.’
‘You weren’t that drunk.’
Marinette curled up on her couch, hugging a cushion. ‘When did you get so cold? First, you demand biscuits, then you call me an idiot, and now this? Where did my supportive friend go?’
With another sigh, Tikki sat atop Marinette’s head. ‘I’m still your friend; I always will be. However, as your friend, I feel obliged to tell you when you’re neglecting me, or when you’re acting stupidly. Right now, you’re acting stupid. You can’t blame alcohol for what happened on Friday night, and you shouldn’t dwell on how things turned out with Adrien. He accepted your reasons graciously, and I bet he’s ok with it.’
‘Granted, but how am I supposed to tell Chat Noir?’
Tikki shrugged. ‘Just tell him you had an opportunity to bed Adrien, but you decided not to.’
‘Isn’t that avoiding the issue?’
‘He probably already knows what happened anyway,’ Tikki said, nonchalantly.
Marinette’s mind screeched to a halt. Chat Noir was clever, and had been seen hanging around the area a lot in recent weeks. Him already knowing was not outside the realm of possibility. Marinette wailed again.
‘Stop bawling, and go get me more food,’ Tikki told her, paddling Marinette’s head with her arms.
With a sniffle, Marinette retrieved her purse and slipped her shoes on. She scribbled up a grocery list, then headed out. Tikki remained in the apartment, eating her last packet of biscuits and watching trashy soap operas.
Marinette had to buy more groceries than she’d anticipated. Her bags were overfull and heavy, almost dragging her shoulders out of their sockets. She hoisted them up with a grunt, wishing the hot weather would abate just for the time it took to walk home.
‘Do you need some help?’ asked a quiet voice to her right.
Turning, Marinette saw Nathaniel watching her with a concerned expression.
‘I’m ok,’ she replied, with a forced smile. ‘Home’s not too far. Besides, you already have your own burden,’ she pointed out, looking meaningfully at the large bag hanging from his shoulder.
Nathaniel reached out and took two of her bags. ‘It’s not as heavy as it looks, and this is a lot for one person. Let me help.’
Smiling gratefully, she let him carry some of her bags. They exchanged pleasantries as they walked, then he filled her in on his upcoming comic book release. She grinned at his enthusiasm, happy that things were working out for him.
They entered her building, and took the elevator up. Mercifully, there was no sign of Luka. Marinette opened her door, indicating he enter first. With a polite nod, he placed her bags on the counter. Marinette set the rest of the bags beside them.
‘Thank you so much for your help. You’re a lifesaver,’ she told him
Nathaniel ducked his head as his cheeks turned pink. ‘It’s no problem, really.’
‘Would you like to stay for a cup of tea? We haven’t caught up in ages,’ she offered. ‘Besides, it is hellishly hot out there, and you ought to rehydrate before you brave that hellscape again.’
‘That is lot of hell. Thank you, I’d like that.’
Marinette smiled and set a pot of tea to boil. It was cooler inside, so a cup of tea wasn’t unreasonable, but she didn’t drink it as often during the warmer months. When she did, it was usually in Sabine’s company.
Marinette felt a twinge of guilt. She hadn’t visited her parents in a while. She’d make sure to stop by later in the week.
She continued her conversation with Nathaniel over tea, excusing herself to the bathroom when her drink went straight through her. When she returned, Nathaniel was fiddling with his bag.
‘Do you need to leave?’ she asked.
He looked up with a start. Flushing, he smiled apologetically. ‘Sorry, yeah. This comic is chewing up all my free time. It was lovely to see you again, Marinette. I hope we can catch up again soon.’
‘I’d like that, she replied.
Marinette accompanied him to the foyer, then waved through the glass doors as he walked away.
Upon her return to her floor, she saw Adrien standing in his doorway, frowning at a slip of paper in his hand.
‘Something wrong?’ she asked, deliberately nonchalant.
Adrien looked up and gave her a distracted smile. ‘It seems your admirer doesn’t like competition.’
Marinette stood still, her arms curling subconsciously against her chest. ‘What do you mean?’
Adrien raised the hand holding the note. ‘It says to stay away from you, or else.’
Gulping, Marinette stared at the paper. ‘Or else what?’
‘Doesn’t say. I bet this guy hadn’t thought that far ahead.’
‘Will you go to the police?’ She didn’t want to think about the tremble in her voice, and hoped Adrien hadn’t noticed it.
‘I suppose I should, seeing as it’s related to your case. Don’t worry, I can do this alone. I’m a big boy.’
She watched helplessly as he locked his door and walked away.
‘Let me know how it goes,’ she called after him.
Adrien raised a hand in acknowledgement, then he was gone.

It was some hours later when a knock sounded on her door, Adrien calling to her from the other side.
Marinette leapt from the lounge and moved as fast as her tiny apartment would allow. She opened her door to see his affable smile.
‘Hey,’ he greeted her.
‘Hey,’ she echoed, feebly. Remembering her manners, she held the door open and invited him in.
‘Hi, Tikki,’ he went on, waving to Tikki as she sat on the coffee table with a plate of biscuits.
Tikki nodded in reply, but hugged her food possessively.
Marinette sat on the lounge beside him, tension keeping her spine painfully straight. ‘How did it go?’
‘About how you’d expect. They asked me questions, took the paper, and said they’ll be in touch. Still managed to take hours, though.’
Marinette hummed in agreement, but frowned at the lack of communication she’d had from the police.
‘Hey, don’t worry so much,’ Adrien said, patting her knee consolingly. ‘I’ll be ok.’
‘How can you be so sure?’ she murmured, her gaze dropping to his hand still on her knee.
‘I’m big and tough. No one can scare me.’
She shook her head. ‘Daddy’s money may scare some people, but this guy isn’t some corporate flunky. He’s legitimately unstable.’
Adrien reached out to hold her hand. ‘I wasn’t talking about Father’s money or influence. I’m tougher than you realise, Bug.’
She smiled at the endearment, though it was weak and watery. ‘I know you like to think so, and I’m sure you’re very strong. But this is a very real, very dangerous situation. This guy has just threatened your safety. Aren’t you a little worried?’
‘Of course, I’m worried,’ he admitted. ‘But not for me.’
‘What? But, how can you not be worried? This is frightening stuff,’ her babbling was cut off when he rested a finger against her lips.
‘I’m more worried about you, and the fact that you won’t let me protect you.’
‘Hey, I’m the superhero here. I can protect myself.’
He nodded, lowering his hand. ‘You can protect yourself from antagonists, but who will protect you from yourself? You have a habit of working yourself into a frenzy, and you panic when a resolution isn’t forthcoming.
‘You’re quick on your feet, and extremely clever, but when there’s a threat you can’t purify, or punch, you tend to act alone, forcing everyone who can help away from you. You’ve isolated yourself enough these last weeks enough to prove my point, and I’m scared you’ll do something reckless, or be caught alone when this freak finally does confront you.’
‘You sound like you know me so well,’ she whispered.
‘I do know you well.’ He picked up her hand to place a tender kiss on her knuckles. ‘We’ve been partners for a long time, now.’
Marinette felt her eyes widen as comprehension dawned. ‘Chat Noir?’
‘I told you I can look after myself, Milady,’ he told her, with a wink.
Her mouth working soundlessly, she could only stare as memories flooded in. A prolonged squeak escaped her as words failed to come together.
‘How?’ she finally wheezed. ‘But, I was. Then you were. I kissed you,’ she shrieked.
Adrien hummed in agreement. ‘Not just kisses, either. Although, that was a very nice kiss too. I had such lovely dreams after that.’
A furious blush spread up Marinette’s face. With a mortified shriek, she covered her face with her hands. She felt Adrien shift closer, and pull her into his lap. She let him, resting her burning face against his shoulder, concealing herself from his scrutiny.
‘Come on, Bug. Don’t hide from me,’ he begged, rubbing her back. ‘Is it really so bad Chat Noir and I are the same person?’
She muffled her despairing wail with his shirt. ‘I’ve been in love with both of you for ages. I agonised over it, felt unfaithful to both of you. Now, I find our you’re the same person, and all of that distress was for nothing. What am I supposed to do with this?’
His shoulders shook as he chuckled. ‘The same thing I did. Accept it, and love the wonderful person unconditionally.’
‘The same?’ she asked, peering up at him.
He gazed back at her, smiling softly. ‘Now you know the turmoil I went through when I thought I was in love with two separate people.’
‘You’ve both been idiots,’ Tikki added.
Adrien frowned at her. ‘You’ve been spending way too much time with Plagg. His bad habits are rubbing off on you.’
Marinette gasped. ‘That’s why you were so calm with Tikki. You actually had met her before. I was wondering if I’d ever properly introduced you.’
‘Rest assured, you have. Twice now, in fact,’ he informed her.
Frowning, she asked, ‘why didn’t you say anything sooner?’
He tapped her nose. ‘Because you never allowed it.’
‘Then why tell me now?’
‘You needed to know that a regular man is no threat to me. Technically, he’s not a threat to you either, but you do get frazzled easily.’
‘You condescending prick.’
‘My apologies, I didn’t mean to speak down to you.’
She clutched his shirt and buried her face in his shoulder. ‘Shut up, stupid Cat.’
‘As you command, Milady.’
‘Plagg,’ Tikki screeched. ‘They’ve finally done it.’
‘About fucking time,’ came the acerbic reply.
‘Was that really necessary?’ Adrien asked over Marinette’s shoulder.
‘Considering it’s you two, yes,’ answered Tikki.
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