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A Series of Ridiculous Reveals	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 3026 -:- 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
- 8
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- 10
Marinette was having a crisis. Her latest math test came back and it was not good. Madame Mendeleiev told her she needed a tutor if she wanted a passing grade, which Marinette had to acknowledge as true. But, Madame Mendeleiev didn't have to say so in front of the whole class. No one had snickered or whispered behind her back, but she could feel their eyes on her. It felt like judgement and condemnation.
Marinette had moped in the courtyard during lunch, trying to think how she would tell her parents. She knew they wouldn't be angry with her, but they also wouldn't understand why her grades had been steadily slipping over the last year.
She had just resigned herself to her woeful fate of repeating a year, when a shadow fell over her. She lifted her chin from her knees to see Adrien lower himself to the ground in front of her. Marinette's eyes widened and her breath caught. She focussed intensely on her feet as sweat beaded on her forehead.
Rubbing the back of his head, Adrien said, 'that was pretty rough, huh? Madame Mendeleiev had no right to call you out in front of everyone like that. It was mean, unprofessional, and uncalled for.'
Marinette nodded, too miserable to speak, but a little part of her felt pleased by Adrien's support.
'Do you think you'll have to get a tutor?'
Marinette lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug, then she sighed. It occurred to her she was being rude, not giving Adrien a verbal answer. As much as she didn't need the extra humiliation right now, she owed him a proper response.
Eyes still downcast, she replied, 'probably. It's not like we can't afford one. Contrary to what many people think, our bakery makes plenty of money.'
'But that's not the real problem here, is it?' he asked quietly.
Marinette shook her head. It hadn't escaped her attention that she had just managed a complete sentence in front of him without a single stammer or blunder. Perhaps abject misery was good for something, after all. Either that, or she should never look him in the eye again. She was always at her worst when they made eye contact. As quickly as the thought had come, she dismissed it. His eyes were too pretty to not look at.
'So, what is the issue?' he asked, curiously.
'Mostly, my parents. Papa will be cool, he always was the chill one. He was also bad at maths in school. He'll tell me to try my best, and leave it at that. But Maman will be disappointed. Her parents were strict and had high expectations of her when she was in school. Maman isn't as bad as they were, but she still expects a certain level of achievement.'
'Sounds like a lot of pressure,' Adrien commented.
'It's not so bad. It's just hard seeing the disappointment on her face.'
Adrien patted her shoulder. Marinette swore she nearly achieved lift-off with how high she jumped.
'Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to startle you,' he apologised, hands up in surrender.
Finally, she looked up at him. His hands were still raised, his back ramrod straight. Marinette stifled a giggle.
'Sorry. It's not your fault,' she assured him.
Adrien lowered his hands, smiling. 'Do you know what you're going to say to your parents?'
Marinette was brought back to harsh reality. Suppressing a groan, she said, 'the truth, I guess.'
Adrien nodded.
'Then, I suppose, we'll need to start the exhausting process of finding a tutor. That's going to suck.'
Adrien tapped his chin, thoughtfully. 'I could tutor you,' he offered.
Marinette stared at him in surprise.
Misreading her expression, he continued, 'I get high marks in math. I used to be tutored by Nathalie at home, and our curriculum was way ahead of what we've been doing here. I've done all this before, and I found it easy the first time around.'
'No need to gloat, Smarty-pants,' she teased in mock severity.
Misinterpreting her again, Adrien rushed to add, 'no. It's not like that. I'm not trying to brag or imply anything, I swear. I just mean, I'm in a position where I can help you. Please, let me help.'
Marinette looked him in the eye. That was a mistake. He was giving her the widest, most doleful and pleading eyes she had ever seen. She caved in an instant.
'Ok, you win. You can try to tutor me in math, or anything. Just stop with the puppy eyes.'
Adrien looked offended. 'Kitten eyes,' he corrected her, sternly.
Marinette looked at him quizzically for a moment, then shook her head. He was a cat person, apparently.
'Can you work out a timetable with me? I know you're super busy, and I also need to be able to tell Maman that I'm working on the problem.'
Adrien brightened up and nodded eagerly. 'I'm free after school today, if you want to make a start,' he offered. 'We can work on future study dates this afternoon, too.'
She almost inhaled her tongue when he said date, but, she managed to agree to his suggestion.
The bell to end lunch rang, and they walked to Madame Bustier's class together. Five minutes into the lecture, Marinette's stomach was growling loud enough for the entire city to hear. She cursed her lack of foresight, berating herself for moping around and feeling sorry for herself instead of finding something to eat.

After the last bell sounded, Adrien waited for her outside the school entrance. He'd had to explain to his bodyguard that he was helping a friend with homework, and the Gorilla had agreed to inform Nathalie. Marinette wondered how the Gorilla would communicate such a complicated sentence after Adrien told her he never spoke. Perhaps he would use sign language, or, more likely, write a note. Marinette giggled at her mental image of Gorilla holding a tiny pen as he scrawled across fancy Agreste stationery.
Marinette led Adrien to the bakery to see Sabine at the register, waving away her last customer.
'Good afternoon, you two,' she said excitedly, giving Marinette a curious look.
'Hi, Maman,' she replied, kissing Sabine's cheek.
'Good afternoon, Madame Cheng,' Adrien added, politely.
Sabine smiled at him before calling out, 'Tom, come say hello.'
Tom emerged from the kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. He smiled wide when he saw Marinette and Adrien. 'Hello, kids. How was school?'
Marinette swallowed the bile rising up her throat.
'It could have gone better. Marinette got chewed out in front of the entire class by Madame Mendeleiev. Apparently, lower grades are grounds for punishment by public humiliation,' Adrien told them, smoothly.
Marinette tried not to stare at him as he continued.
'So, I'm here to help Marinette get her grades back up so we can stick it to that old battle-axe.'
'Oh, that awful woman,' Sabine exclaimed, raising her hand to her cheek in shock.
Tom approached Adrien and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'This is very kind of you, my boy. So selfless and noble. Your parents raised you right,' he sniffled. 'I'm so proud of you,' he choked, tears in his eyes.
Adrien's eyes were equally misty. He looked up at Tom with adoration. 'Thank you, Sir,' he whispered.
Sabine was patting her eyes with a corner of her apron. 'Go on up and get started. I'll bring you something to eat soon.'
Marinette's eyes flickered to each of them in turn, utterly bewildered. She grabbed Adrien by the back of his collar and wordlessly towed him away. Reaching her room, she turned to him. 'Don't think I didn't see what you did down there.'
Adrien shrugged with a grin. 'It worked, didn't it?'
'It was manipulative,' she told him, crossly.
Adrien flinched. 'Now that you mention it, I guess it was,' he replied, hanging his head.
'Well, it's too late now,' she sighed.
They sat at her desk and pulled out their books, as Marinette warned him she was practically unteachable.
'You just need someone to explain it to you in a way you understand,' Adrien assured her. 'Honestly, Madame Mendeleiev isn't the best explainer in the world. But, her way is not the only way. Look here,' he said, pointing at the first problem. He began to explain the different ways it could be solved as Marinette looked on, face blank.
Eventually, he found an explanation that made sense to her. She made him repeat the instructions as she followed along, applying it to the puzzle as he talked. They continued like this, until they hit a small snag.
'This next one is different,' Adrien said. 'It changes, so you have to change how you apply the formula to get the right result.'
'It changes?' Marinette exclaimed in outrage. 'Why would they do that?' she wailed, pitifully.
Adrien gave her shoulder a gentle pat and resumed his lesson. Marinette huffed, still bitter about the fickle nature of maths, and the impossible Man-Brain it took to decipher it.
'Man Brain?' Adrien laughed.
'Only a man could think this up and be deluded enough to think it makes sense,' she groused.
Adrien just shook his head at her before continuing the lesson.
They had been working for nearly an hour when Sabine came in, carrying a tray laden with foodstuffs.
'You've been working so hard,' she exclaimed. 'Time for a snack break. Growing minds need sustenance to fuel all that learning,' she said with a motherly smile.
'Thanks, Maman,' Marinette replied, dutifully.
'Thank you, Madame Cheng,' Adrien added with a smile.
Sabine grinned at them, kissed Marinette's cheek, and patted Adrien's head. He leaned into the touch like a puppy. Marinette thought it was cute. Sabine left with another smile and a wish for happy studying.
'What have we got here?' Adrien asked, looking at the tray Sabine had placed between them.
Looking it over, Marinette identified a variety of biscuits, small cakes, croissants, and a quiche.
Adrien eyed the quiche with interest. 'What kind is it?' he asked.
Marinette cut out a slice with the knife Sabine had provided, and took a bite. 'Cheese,' she replied, with her mouth full.
Adrien's nose scrunched up. 'Uh, none for me, thanks.'
Above them was a shrill cry of 'cheeeeeeeeese,' immediately followed by a wet splap!
Marinette turned back to see tiny black hindquarters sticking out of the quiche, wriggling around enthusiastically. Little legs kicked and a long tail thrashed as the creature enjoyed its meal.
Marinette looked at Adrien as he turned to look at her. His face was pale, eyes wide, and his forehead beaded with sweat.
'Uhhh,' he trailed off.
'Adrien?' Marinette was beginning to feel faint.
'I can explain,' he said quickly. He reached out and grabbed the thing currently trying to tunnel its way through the quiche. He stuffed his handful of kwami and pie filling into his breast pocket, staring at Marinette the whole time.
She stared at his pocket as a tiny, muffled voice shrieked obscenities from within.
'How?' she asked, weakly.
'Uhhh,' he repeated, eyes roaming around the room. 'Oh, would you look at the time. I have to go. Photoshoot I totally forgot I had today. Father is going to be furious. See you later, bye,' he hollered so quickly Marinette barely understood him.
Adrien grabbed his bag and swept his belongings into it with his arm, then fled down the stairs. He called another goodbye to Sabine and Tom as he went.
Marinette stared after him, nonplussed.
'You know,' Tikki said, 'I don't think he was running late. He didn't look at his phone and his wrist was bare. I wonder if he even had a photoshoot,' she concluded with a look of suspicion.
Marinette slapped her forehead with a resounding smack.
Clearly, Tikki had to be brought up to speed on, obviously fake, excuses.
Also, Adrien was Chat Noir.
Marinette decided she needed to go to bed early that night, much to her parents' confusion.
- 8
- 9
- 10
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A Series of Ridiculous Reveals