Chapter Text
Gorilla hates flying.
Marinette feels so bad for him as he’s sweating and pale just as they wait to board their flight to New York.
“Adri-chou~,” Chloe whines for the umpteenth time as she shifts awkwardly on the polyester cushioned public seating. “We both have private jets. If you were so hung up on Dupain-Cheng having to pay for her own plane ticket, she could have just flown with me for free.”
Adrien sighs and shoots her an exasperated look. “My father has a private jet that I have no intention of using. If you wanted to make it to New York a whole day early, you could have taken your own jet yesterday.”
Adrien has worked hard to divorce himself from anything and everything Gabriel . He basically renounced his Father’s fortune, handing the business over to Emilie and Amelie along with his father’s entire estate. He wants nothing to do with the butterfly shaped stain on his family tree, and instead has focused his entire career on breaking down the walls between himself and the rest of the world.
Marinette tries to reason with Chloe. “We’re all still flying first class, Chlo. And we get to board before everyone else.”
Chloe harrumphs, but she can tell that Adrien is growing frustrated and decides not to press the issue further.
Marinette kisses Adrien’s cheek and scritches just behind his ear before turning to offer Chloe a macaron from the massive stash her parent’s had shoved into her carry on. “Your mom wants me to work backstage for her this week. I told her that I would as long as she takes you and me out to lunch every day.”
Chloe’s frown deepens. “Are you trying to cheer me up by telling me you had to bargain with my own mother to spend time with me.”
Marinette grins devilishly. “I’m trying to cheer you up by telling you to ditch me and enjoy lunch with your mom so I can sneak into my boyfriend’s dressing room for lunch.”
Chloe blinks. It’s a win-win: Marinette doesn’t have to spend any more time with Audrey than is strictly necessary and gets to make out with her model boyfriend every day, and Chloe gets to drag her mom to as many expensive shops in the New York fashion district as she likes. “I hate that you’re so smart.” She snaps.
Marinette shrugs.
They all manage to make it onto the plane without the world ending, and Marinette promptly falls asleep before they’ve even taken off.
“Sleepy Buginette,” Adrien coos, pulling her into his side so she can sleep more comfortably. “My Poor Lady had to wake up at 03:30 in the morning to catch a plane.”
Chloe gags from across the aisle.
They’ve got a hellish few weeks ahead of them. Adrien is modelling in New York, then London, he gets a week off since he declined to go to Milan, and lastly is Paris. Marinette had promised to come with him to both New York and London, but she’ll be catching up on school as soon as they get back to Paris.
The hotel arrangements in New York were probably meant for Marinette and Chloe to share a room, with Adrien right next door. But the second they arrive, Marinette and Adrien both collapse into his bed.
“I’ve got to leave for rehearsal in an hour,” he says. “They’re doing some shoots as well, so I probably won’t be back until late tonight.”
Marinette, already halfway into a nap, whines in protest. “That’s too long.”
He chuckles and squeezes her hand where it was reaching for his. “It’s just for a few days. Get some sleep and go have fun with Chloe tonight.” Reluctantly, he pulls himself off the bed and stumbles into the bathroom to shower.
Marinette quickly discovers that Fashion Week is heaven and hell.
There are so many designers and artists and icons of the industry gathered in one place, but every second of every day is packed with last minute life or death emergency stress that she can only handle because she spent all of middle school at war with a literal supervillain.
Audrey, predictably, seems to forget who Marinette is the moment they begin work, and she finds herself fumbling through half-English half-French instructions with the other members of the team.
Despite the slight language barrier, everyone is amazed at how well seventeen year old Marinette manages to keep her head above water in one of the most cutthroat work environments of the fashion industry. By the end of the first day, she’s made five new friends.
Adrien has done Fashion Week twice a year every year since Gabriel first decided he was old enough, and seems entirely unfazed as they both return to the hotel exhausted and overworked every night.
“I thought this was going to be our first romantic vacation as a couple,” Marinette groans into a pillow. “But instead my shoulders hurt more than ever before in my life -- and I’ve been thrown across half of Paris.”
Adrien, blessing amongst all curses and the sweetest chaton to ever cross her path, immediately begins kneading the tense muscles. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “I feel like I tricked you.”
“No,” she shakes her head, but doesn’t push his hands away. “I need to learn what this industry is like for real, and this experience is important.”
“But you deserve a real vacation more than anyone else!” Adrien insists. “When have you left Paris and not had to fight a supervillain since we were fourteen? Every trip you’ve been on has ended in disaster.”
Marinette giggles. “The miraculous of luck means I’m always lucky enough to find whatever trouble is brewing, no matter where I am.”
Adrien leans in to kiss her cheek. “I’m going to get you a real vacation. I promise.”
-
They work a few days in New York before flying to London. Unfortunately, staying at the Graham de Vanily residence means they are forced to sleep in separate rooms and have to keep up appearances around Emilie, Amelie, and Felix. No 'chatons' or 'bugaboos' the entire time and it drives them insane.
London is easier than New York. Marinette isn’t working backstage and attends a few different shows with Amelie and Emilie while Adrien models. She tries to shake hands with as many people as possible, hoping she isn’t smiling too wide when she spots her idols milling about the different venues.
They’re back in Paris after that. Marinette starts the school year while Adrien takes a week off before Paris Fashion Week.
“The media has been throwing a fit about you two,” Alya teases as they head out for lunch one day. “Everyone has been ranting about you and Adrien going on an ‘unchaperoned’ trip out of the country together.”
“Unchaperoned?” Marinette balks. “Gorilla was with us the whole time. Not to mention Chloe and Audrey constantly bickering the entire week. And then we literally stayed with Adrien’s mom in London? Also we were so busy the entire time we couldn’t have gotten into trouble if we wanted to.”
Alix sticks her tongue out. “You’re telling me that Paris’s second biggest couple took a trip to New York Fashion Week and didn’t even get nasty? You guys are cinnamon rolls.”
“Who’s the first biggest couple in Paris?” She doesn’t actually want the title, but she’s curious who could be more famous than Adrien after the year he’s had.
“Ladybug and Chat Noir, of course,” Mylene pipes up. “You guys weren’t here for Heroes’ Day last week, but they were like… super flirting.”
“Disgustingly in love,” Alix mimes a retch.
“My entire life’s effort has been fulfilled watching those two make a fool of themselves on live television,” Alya smirks. Marinette kicks her under the table.
“Oh wow, ha ha,” Marinette slurps her drink. “I’m really sad that I missed it.”
She and Chat Noir had used the horse miraculous to make an appearance at the Heroes’ Day parade -- more lively than ever before now that Hawkmoth was gone. Unfortunately, they had never thought about announcing to the public that Ladybug and Chat Noir were indeed a couple; and when the crowd went wild at possibly the chastest kiss ever seen in the city, they both reacted like total idiots.
Marinette sighs into her lunch. How had she managed to become one of the most recognizable people in Paris twice over? She was famous as a superhero and a civilian thanks to one supermodel boyfriend. She wondered if it would be worth it to break up with Adrien and date Aspik instead. At least then they could have the chance at some privacy.
“Girl,” Alya nudges her. “You can’t just think at your salad all afternoon. You’ve got to finish that before we head back to class.”
Marinette scoots in closer as she tunes back in to the conversation. Rose had apparently been dating someone in secret for months, too scared to make things awkward with Juleka even though they broke up a while ago.
“Honestly, Jules would be happy for her more than anything. They didn’t even have a bad breakup,” Alix shrugged as she took an enormous bite.
“But she hasn’t dated anyone at all since,” Mylene pointed out.
“Juleka has always struck me as the type of person who doesn’t need a girlfriend to be happy,” Marinette muses. “She was happy with Rose, but I think she’s also happy on her own. She’s probably waiting until she meets the right person.”
“Single squad!” Alix cheers.
“You could be single together,” Alya winks.
“That defeats the purpose of being single!”
-
Marinette is surprised when she comes home a few weeks into the school year to find Adrien and Sabine both crowded around his laptop.
“Hi, Maman. Hi, Chaton.” She greets. “Whatcha looking at?”
“Apartments,” Adrien answers nonchalantly.
Marinette freezes, remembering the mortifying conversation they had weeks ago on the Eiffel Tower. The implications. He had wanted her to move in with him. Maybe. Eventually. One day.
She had said she wanted kids.
“Found anything?” She hopes her voice doesn’t come out as squeaky and awkward as she feels.
“I’ve learned that budget is not an issue, but I don’t want to just live anywhere -- Hey! I could live in the same building as Alya.”
“Not unless you want Alya over literally every day,” Marinette smirks. “Or worse: Ella and Etta.”
“You’re right.” Adrien purses his lips. “Maybe I should move across the city. I can just use my miraculous to get around everywhere.”
“The most responsible guardian,” Marinette quips.
Adrien’s eyebrows shoot up. “I do recall Ladybug getting free pizza in exchange for a selfie last week,” he counters.
“It’s really delicious! I wanted to give them more publicity.”
Tikki snickers.
Sabine, who has still been clicking through apartment listings, listening to her kids with a smile on her face, turns the laptop to show Adrien a new listing.
“I like that one!” He clicks through the photos. “I’m gonna send that one over to my manager and she what she says.”
-
“I understand that privacy is of the utmost importance to you, Mr. Agreste.” The real estate agent is cold and professional, and Marinette feels incredibly awkward in her weekend sweats. Adrien had called at the last minute begging for her to come to the showing since Nino and Alya were both busy. She hadn’t even bothered to get ready since she only had a few minutes to make it to the apartment. “I believe this will be a perfect home for you. It’s very modern. Open concept. Updated appliances with plenty of natural light.”
They wait patiently as she unlocks the door. Adrien takes Marinette’s hand, giving it a squeeze as they step inside.
“Oh, wow,” Marinette breathes as she takes in the high ceilings and black metal accents. “It, uh, kinda looks like your old room.”
“Yeah,” Adrien shruggeds.
“Is that a dealbreaker?” Marinette whispers.
“Not at all,” Adrien shakes his head.
“Two stories, with a private rooftop courtyard for an outdoor garden or patio. Plenty of skylights can keep both the upstairs loft and the downstairs living space lit throughout the day. There is a bedroom and an office upstairs, with a second bedroom downstairs as well.”
Marinette listens to the entire spiel as she takes in the astounding architecture. This place looks expensive.
“There are two full bathrooms with both a shower and a tub, and nearly every window opens out into the courtyard rather than to the street. There is one other apartment on this level, but the building is only accessible to residents and their guests.”
Adrien is nodding along, asking questions about built in storage and appliances and a bunch of other things that Marinette tunes out. Instead, she imagines what furniture they would pick out. Where they would set up the game systems. She wonders if the kwami would prefer to have their own space upstairs or downstairs, and how many people they would have stay the night at once.
“Do the skylights open?” she asks without thinking, unwittingly interrupting a long-winded description of the different hardwoods.
“I believe so,” the real estate agent answers, “but only some of them.”
Marinette goes back to daydreaming, imagining what university would be like if she came home to Adrien every day here. It’s right in the center of the city, not too far from the bakery and a pretty short walk from the Etienne Marcel metro.
She doesn’t even realize it’s time to leave until Adrien takes her hand again. They wait until they’re alone on the street to share their thoughts.
“I love it,” Marinette says at the exact same time Adrien says “It’s perfect.”
“Seventh time’s the charm,” he chuckles. “I’m gonna call Mother and my manager and everyone to let them know this is the place. Don’t say anything to Alya or Nino just yet. I think I want to schedule a second tour for them to see it.”
Marinette nods. “Can I tell Maman and Papa? They’re going to want to have a celebratory dinner.”
Adrien nods enthusiastically. “If she asks you what to make, tell her you think I would like your uncle’s Lo Mai Gai.”
“She’s gonna see right through that one,” Marinette smiles. “But I’ll let her know that’s what you want.”
-
It’s still a few more weeks before Adrien can move in, but it seems like everyone wants to help pick out furniture.
“It will probably be pretty empty for a while,” Adrien says. “I think I’ll just order stuff over time. Also Mother and Amelie are sending me a ton of stuff, and I don’t even know what it is.”
“Papa is using you as an excuse to replace most of our kitchen stuff,” Marinette warns him. “He’s going to give you a bunch of stuff just so he can buy new ones.”
Adrien collapses into an undignified slump. “Plagg has already put forth a list of demands as well. He claims we’ll need a second fridge just for cheese.”
Marinette thinks for a moment. “A fridge for kwami snacks may be a good idea.”
“I’m not sharing!” Plagg yells from wherever he’s hiding.
Adrien groans.
-
The apartment is… kind of empty once all of Adrien’s stuff is moved in. Even with the gifts from Tom and Emilie, there’s a lot of space left to fill.
Marinette frowns at the sparse living area. “Are you going to be okay here by yourself?”
“I’ll be fine,” Adrien promises her. “Besides, I plan to have people over pretty often. We can just sit on the floor and play Mecha Strike.”
Marinette likes the sound of that. “I’ve, uh, gone ahead and marked one of the skylights from the outside, but my key opens both of the patio doors as well.”
Adrien raises his eyebrows. “Bugaboo, are you planning to sneak into my home?”
She rolls her eyes. “You’ve become the base of operations for all superheroing in Paris. This is the batcave now.”
“Oh, hell yea,” Adrien breaths. “The catcave.”
It isn’t long before Adrien orders some actual living room furniture and a real dining table, and Alya and Nino pitch in to buy a massive Ladybug poster that he proudly hangs right in the entryway.
“ Adrien ,” Marinette whines, “do you know how weird it is to see a huge picture of myself every time I come over?”
Adrien, who grew up constantly surrounded by professional portraits of himself all over the manor, doesn’t understand in the slightest. “I want to be able to see my bugaboo first thing when I come home everyday.”
The poster remains, and everyone who visits gets a good laugh out of it. As the school year wears on, Marinette finds herself spending more and more time at Adrien’s apartment. And, forgetful as she is, more and more of her own things keep getting left there.
She doesn’t think anything of it until Sabine broaches the subject at dinner one evening.
“Mari, honey,” she asks as gently as possible, “were you planning to keep living at home when you go to university?”
Marinette freezes. “I don’t know? I guess it depends on the commute?”
Tom seems to relax a little, taking a large drink as Sabine continues. “Have you considered… maybe… moving in with a friend?”
She’s backed into a corner. She knows it. “Well, uh,” she stammers. “ If I were to move out. Which I’m not sure about yet. But maybe I was considering… movinginwithAdrien.”
Her parents take it rather well. Though they likely knew exactly what was coming. “That’s a big step,” Tom says as neutrally as possible.
Marinette shoots them an awkward smile. “He kind of already asked me a while ago?”
“And you said no?” Sabine looks surprised.
“I think he needs a little bit of time on his own.” Marinette shrugs. “It’s his first time to really do what he wants. Unless you guys are planning to kick me out, I feel like I can wait a little bit, y’know?”
“We would never kick you out,” Sabine ruffles her hair. “We’re so proud of you.”
Despite all of Marinette’s insistence that she isn’t ready to move in with Adrien, it kind of happens all on its own over the course of the next year. She still stays at the bakery several days out of the week, but she finds herself thinking of Adrien’s place as ‘home’ just as often.
-
“Hey, Bugaboo,” Chat Noir lands beside her with a grin. “The fire department said that we got everyone out in time, and Nino’s shellter managed to keep the flames from spreading.”
“That’s good,” Ladybug says absently. She was still surveying the charred wreckage.
“You okay, My Lady?”
She relaxes into his embrace as he pulls her into his arms.
“I just feel bad for the bride and groom,” she murmurs. “They put so much into this wedding and it’s all ruined because of one accident.”
Chat sighs. “Yeah.”
“I wish there was something we could do for them. I tried my lucky charm already, but apparently this doesn’t fall under the jurisdiction of magic ladybugs.”
Chat perks up. “Hold on! I’m going to go find the groom.”
It takes them a solid hour, and a lot of favors called in, but Chat manages to convince the entire wedding party to relocate to the Champs de Mars directly beneath the Eiffel Tower.
“We are gathered here today,” he addresses the crowd, “to join this couple in holy meowtrimony.”
“ Kitty no ,” Ladybug hisses from her place as an impromptu bridesmaid.
He ignores her, carrying on with a rather delightful improvised wedding complete with cat puns and wisecracks and a surprisingly heartfelt exchanging of vows.
They’re sipping champagne at the reception a few hours later as guests keep stopping by to thank them for their kindness and their bravery.
Ladybug absently checks her yoyo and grabs Chat’s arm in a panic when she sees the headline Alya has sent her:
LADYNOIR WEDDING?
Chat bursts out laughing. “It’s just clickbait, Bugaboo. Everyone knows that I would be way more insufferable if it was our actual wedding.”
Ladybug blinks at him. “You honestly think we’re going to get married as Ladybug and Chat Noir?”
Chat nods as though he’s been planning this wedding for years. (He has.) “You would deprive the people of Paris of the celebration of our love for one another? I’m sure we could get the city to pay for it.”
Ladybug doesn’t look sold. “But I thought we were going to get married as civilians.” She seems to be mourning the loss of a wedding that she had been planning for years.
Chat takes her hand and presses the most loving kiss to her knuckles. “We’re absolutely doing that one too, My Lady.”