5. Chapter 5
The next month passed without incident.
Unless of course you counted the weekly, city-wide attacks of massively powerful super-villains as incident… Marinette didn’t.
Life went on in its regular pattern for her. Sleep-school-sew-save Paris. Rinse, repeat.
She made a point of being extra nice to Chat whenever they would work together, still disappointed in herself for the childish way she reacted to her own sudden growth spurt. Of course being the type of guy he was, Chat held no grudge towards her, and in fact still seemed to worship the ground she walked on. Marinette was caught between relief and shame, ultimately thankful her partner didn’t have a malicious bone in his body.
He brought her more chocolate, she stopped pulling away when he leaned down to kiss her hand. Their partnership had never been stronger.
Which is why she was understandably distraught at his news.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘the whole summer’?” Ladybug asked slowly, trying not to let her disappointment show. Chat didn’t bother hide any of his negative feelings, scuffing at the ground with the toe of his steel tipped boots.
“Like…three months.” He responded miserably. “But trust me when I tell you I’m doing everything I can to get out of it.”
Ladybug ignored the clenching of her stomach, attempting to flash him a reassuring smile.
“No! I mean, it’s good to see family, right?”
He nodded at her tightly, ear drooping as he dragged his hands down the side of his face.
‘Who in their right mind takes a 3 month trip to Italy in the middle of summer?’
“What about you?” He said quietly, green eyes flicking over to her with concern. “There’s been some close calls, lately. If something happened while I was gone…”
She cut him off with a raised hand.
“I’ll manage.” Ladybug said simply.
Chat looked at her then, fear and anger mingling into an expression she had never wanted to see on her partner’s face. She resisted the urge to hug him, instead speaking in a falsely cheery tone as gestured for him to follow.
“But c’mon, this patrol won’t take itself.”
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With the final week of school rapidly approaching, Marinette lived in a haze. The anticipation of summer break mixed with her trepidation at Chat’s impending departure, the two chasing each other in an uneasy swirl within her stomach. Add onto that the fact she still had end of course exams to study for…
To say Marinette was stressed would be a gross understatement.
Alya finally noticed her friend’s detrimental state when Marinette showed up to school one day wearing two different shoes and an inside-out shirt. She mentally kicked herself for not picking up on it sooner (the blog had been taking up most of her time), hauling her best friend off after class for some sorely needed gelato.
In the middle of drowning their emotions in cold desserts, Alya suggested they form a study group.
“You know, just a casual meet-up with a few classmates.” She said through a mouthful of lemony goodness, Marinette suspicious of the gears she saw turning in her best friend’s head. Nevertheless she agreed, promising to bring a box full of bakery goodies to their next lunch break for anyone who showed up to their impromptu cram session.
Of course Marinette should have known better. As she entered the courtyard the next day, only to stop short when she spotted two very familiar looking boys sitting across from one (falsely) innocent best friend.
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“I can’t believe you invited them, how am I supposed to focus on anything with Adrien Agreste right there?” Marinette bemoaned after the fact, sprawling out on the floor of her bedroom as Alya just chuckled from her spot of the chaise. The entire thing had been a disaster.
“Listen, if either of us want even a chance at passing physics this year, we need him. Simple as that. Plus Nino’s our only hookup for pure, unadulterated caffeine.” Alya informed her rationally, squatting down to lie next to her on the pink shag carpet. She had a point there.
The girls remained on the ground for the next 20 minutes, chatting, bickering, and generally just enjoying each’s company. Or perhaps they were trying to forget the work they had cut out for them in the week to come.
“He likes you, you know.” Alya remarked, breaking the silence that filled the room.
“Who?-oh, shut up!” Marinette waved her friend off with a sputter.
“I’m serious, you’d know that if you just talked to him.” the redhead continued, dangerously close to falling out of her shirt as she rolled to her side. Marinette snickered, sneaking a hand out to hike up her friend’s neckline before she saw something she would regret. Alya snorted her thanks, roughly adjusting bra into a less precarious position.
Marinette wondered, not for the first time, why boys weren’t lining up to date Alya. Her friend had been chubby throughout her childhood (a fact that never seemed to bother her one bit) but just in the past year or so, Alya had really begun to glow up. She hadn’t lost any weight per- say, it all just seemed to shift into the right places.
Those right places being her chest and hips as it were.
‘The definition of a pear-shape’ Marinette’s seamstress side whispered appreciatively, watching as Alya’s figure snapped into the picture of womanly charm. Of course Alya didn’t share the appreciation, fuming as she had to get more and more of her clothes altered in order to properly fit. In fact, her fiery personality only seemed to grow alongside her.
Well, maybe Marinette could see just a little bit why her friend didn’t have guys knocking down her door.
“Sorry, sis.” Alya apologized before frowning down at her cleavage, “Now you two behave and DON’T make me come down there.” She shook a finger at the front of her shirt for good measure before dissolving into chuckles.
“I wish I had that problem…” Marinette whined softly, glancing towards her own, significantly smaller chest.
“Please, do you know how much I spend on bras? Besides, you’ve got a great pair there. Very proportionate.” Marinette broke out into laughter of her own, watching Alya over-animatedly examine her breasts.
“What are you now? A titty aficionado?” Marinette managed through her snorts. Alya nodded solemnly, sitting up in order to properly examine the subject beneath her.
“Why the curvature alone…” She continued, air tracing the outline of her friend’s cleavage like some sort of expert analyst “I dare say it’s a solid 10/10”.
Marinette clutched at her belly, body shaking giggles echoing throughout the room as she rolled to her side. Unable to hold up her serious façade, Alya joined in, throwing herself back on the floor in order to wrap her arms around her hysterical best friend.
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Marinette slammed the pencil down in frustration, her final essay still no less un-finished than it had been when their study group began working, nearly 45 minutes ago. Both Adrien and Alya jumped at the sudden outburst, causing a sheepish grin to break out on her face.
“Oh…ugh, sorry guys,” Marinette absently shuffled the papers on the table before her, only to lay her head down on top of them seconds later.
“I’m never gunna get this done,” She announced, voice muffled by her face-full of homework.
During the second convening of the study group, Marinette found she was much more focused to the task at hand.
It probably had something to do with the fact she was too tired to be embarrassed. In fact, she never really registered Adrien’s presence unless he addressed her directly. And even then she found it difficult to work up blush, too enthralled with the task at hand to dissolve into her usual lovesick self.
“Worry not, dudes! It’s Nino to the rescue once again!”
Marinette’s head perked up at the familiar sound of a full can being placed before her on the table. Nino plopped 2 similar cans in front of her fellow students, a half-finished energy drink hanging out of his mouth. ‘About time’ she thought.
The table rang out in a chorus’ of thanks, the trio popping open their respective cans and slurping them down with an almost animalistic fervor.
Alya downed hers first, crushing the empty container between her hands. Adrien and Marinette weren’t far behind, polishing off their 8 ounces of what might have been battery acid before tossing the empty cans on the rapidly forming mountain beside them.
“It is normal to smell colors?” Marinette asked distantly, head spinning with the rush of chemicals to her brain.
“I’d be more worried if you didn’t.” Nino responded, placing a supporting hand on her shoulder before plopping down into the unoccupied chair to her left. “So, what subject are we on now?”
“English essays.” Alya replied ominously. She stared down at her own, very blank page before reaching under the table to grab another Lightning Lemon.
“Shit, I forgot!” Nino cursed, eyes widening between the frames of his glasses. “Isn’t it like 30% of our grade??”
“40%.” Adrien corrected dejectedly.
The entire table groaned in unison.
Three hours, two six-packs, and a few frustrated tears later, the four teens emerged victorious, each clutching a (somewhat) neatly written final between their shaking hands.
The group chatted idly about their summer plans as they packed their things to leave. Alya had just finished describing the amazing internship she had landed, when she turned to Adrien to inquire about what he had on his plate over vacation. His expression immediately darkened, hands pausing atop his backpack as he slumped back down into his seat.
He muttered something under his breath.
Marinette was taken aback. Adrien Agreste never muttered.
“C’mon man, whatever your pops has planned for you can’t be that bad.” Nino said knowingly. Adrein just sighed, letting his head fall back to hand off the top of his chair. (Marinette tried not to squeak at the sight). He straightened.
“My dad is forcing me to tour with his company all summer.” Adrien began through clenched teeth, fists balling up on the table before slowly relaxing. “It’s some… big campaign for the launch of his signature line later this year. He’s insisted that I be a part of the lineup.”
The table fell into silence.
“I mean…it can’t possibly last all summer?” Nino questioned hopefully.
“It might as well be.” Adrien grumbled. “I’ll be gone for three months, returning just a week before school starts…” he trailed off dejectedly. Nobody had a response.
Adrien suddenly shook his head, a rueful smile returning to his face as he addressed them
“But hey, I didn’t mean to drag you guys down with all my drama.” He continued smoothly, turning back to best friend. “Tell me what your plans are for the summer!”
Nino hesitated for a moment before catching the hint that Adrien was looking for something else to focus on. He flashed a kind smile, diving headlong into the description of his summer itinerary.
From her spot across the table, Marinette’s heart sank. Even when he was hurting, Adrien still tried to be the best friend he could be, listening with rapt excitement that didn’t reach his eyes as Nino detailed his plans.
Eventually the group had parted ways, agreeing to reconvene on the day before their last exam.
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The final week at school flew by. Despite the oppressive cloud of exams floating above everyone’s heads, Marinette found most of her classmates to be in a state of high excitement once the last day rolled around. She herself found little reason to get worked up over the idea of summer vacation. Everyone else seemed to have elaborate plans laid out, whereas she foresaw a long an uneventful break ahead of her.
Chat and Adrien would be gone. Alya and Nino might as well be, with the busy schedules they had planned out. All that was left for Marinette was a few more hours of sleep each day and some extra shifts at the bakery. ‘Summer of my dreams,’ she thought petulantly.
However, her self-depreciating thoughts dissipated with one look at the empty seat in front of her.
A three month fashion tour around Paris sounded like a dream to Marinette, but Adrien seemed less than thrilled about the whole thing.
He’d taken the opportunity to say his goodbyes at the end of their meeting the night before. Turns out he would be departing earlier than expected, Mr.Agreste insisting his son leave for the airport immediately following the completion of his final exam.
Their study meeting had dragged on, Nino drawing it out in a blatant ettempt to prolong his friend’s inevitable goodbye. But even he could only hold out so long, before the energy drinks he had been downing all night began to wear off. By the time their phones read 10, everyone at the table was on the verge of crashing.
The session was tentatively ended by Alya, reminding everyone they had no chance of passing their exams if they slept through them. Nodding in agreement, Adrien had gathered his things up slowly, sadness permeating his falsely pleasant expression as he turned to face her.
“Thanks for putting this whole thing together, Alya.” He said, hauling his bag over one shoulder. “I don’t think I would have been able to pull off my finals without it.”
“You’re a smart kid.” She replied, playfully boxing at his shoulder. “And I expect you to fill me in on all the details of your trip as soon as you get back.” Adrien gave her a genuine smile, vowing to take lots of pictures.
Next he turned to Nino.
Marinette had to swallow a sudden lump in her throat watched as the two normally so lively boys pulled each other into a silent embrace, releasing it seconds later with affectionate thumps on the back and promises to text each other every day.
Caught up in the emotion of the moment, she almost didn’t notice when Adrien placed a soft hand on her shoulder, squeezing as he gave her a friendly smile.
“I hope we get the chance to hang out when I get back.” He had said, voice sad but sincere.
Marinette had just nodded, stuttering out a small goodbye as she focused on not melting into the sidewalk.
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She hadn’t seen him that whole day, a blessing and a curse all in one.
They hadn’t been scheduled to take their math exam together, and the crestfallen expression on Nino’s face confirmed her suspicion that Adrien had already been picked up.
Alya was doing her best to engage him. She tried to get him to talk about something, anything to get his mind of his absent best friend. It was futile at first, but as the clocked counted down the time left in their last period, Nino began to act more and more like his old self.
Then the bell rang. The final, final bell.
The class erupted into chatter, student flying from their chairs to race out the double doors. Marinette found herself incapable of not cracking a smile, Alya grabbing her arm in excitement as the pair gathered their things to leave.
Almost as an afterthought, they swept Nino up along with them, declaring that he would be accompanying them to the gelato shop around the corner in celebration of another school year survived. He gave them the first genuine smile they had seen out of him in days.
The trio made their way down the sunny streets of Paris, laughing and joking.
‘Perhaps this summer won’t be all bad’ Marinette thought optimistically, twining her arms with those of the friends beside her.
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She found herself looking forward to the one last patrol she had planned with Chat Noir later that night.
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He didn’t show.