Miraculous! Reversing Spots and Claws (Yuuki_Tatsunohi and Ravenbelle)

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Marcq blinked. "R-really? O-oh. Okay! Um . . . let's begin!"

He was relieved to hear she wanted to try again, more so than he let on. He actually thought she would say no, even when he offered help. He pictured she would then leave the kitchen and bakery all together. He was happy that wasn't the case. He turned to the supplies before him. Now all that was left to do was fall through with it.

When Marcq hadn't moved, Tikki gave him a pinch underneath his blazer.

"Ouch! Okay, let's begin! Wait. I already said that . . . ," and scooped a dollop of red frosting. "You're pretty good at spreading the base. I'll do this real quick so you can focus on the hard part. But it's not really that difficult."

He covered the cookie in frosting then replaced the lid back on the tub. Setting the cookie between them, he grabbed the black frosting bottle then turned to Adrianna. Suddenly, he could not look her in the eye and felt like his whole body was radiating heat. Just show her, dammit! Like how you teach Manon! He took a few shaky breaths then reached for her hand. He paused for one second, grabbed her wrist, and placed the bottle in her hands with his own covering hers. At that moment, Marcq felt like his entire head was going to explode. But he still held on and guided her to the cookie.

"D-Don't squeeze the bottle too hard. It's okay to be slow since it's better to be in control. Sometimes these bottles have air bubbles; just squeeze a little harder, but remember to always have control." He gently squeezed the bottle and drew a circle in the very center. "Also, one trick I have is to draw an outline first then fill it in." He proceeded to fill in the circle, making a perfect black dot. "L-less room for error." He continued drawing four more circles on the corners of the cookie, allowing her to control the flow of frosting for the last two. "F-finally, one line down the center . . . and done."

He looked at the finished product, smiling to himself as it had turned out perfect. Hopefully Adrianna thought so too. Suddenly, he realized he was still holding Adrianna's hand. He let go, looking anywhere but her while waiting for his heart to stop pounding.

"S-s-s-so yeah! That's how we decorate cookies in my bakery—I mean Boulangerie—parent's bakery—my parent's bakery—Patisserie—urgghhhhh."

 

[Ravenbelle]

Adrianna smiled and took a calming breath. I will not ruin another one. She repeated it in her head til she believed it, then nodded a couple times when Marcq prepared the frosting and cookie for decoration. Pink-cheeked and hands uncurling from their fists, Adrianna bit her lip and stepped right up to the counter with the taller boy right beside her. Soon enough Marcq had handed her the frosting bottle with his hand around hers and she still blushed a bit, but the tenseness in her shoulders dissipated. The baker's son wouldn't let her fail at this. Besides, she knew Coccinellidae's pattern like the back of her paws.

So they began and she let out a slow exhale at Marcq's gentle fingers pressing on hers as the frosting eked out in a way that didn't let her look away. Each dot made her less nervous than the last and she knew exactly where to put them, though her proximity to Marcq at the moment didn't exactly help her to remember. She nodded softly to all the instructions he gave her and it seemed that in no time they were drawing the line in the middle and the cookie looked...perfect. Adrianna smiled slowly and met his eyes gleefully, only realizing they were still holding hands when he pulled away blushing. She didn't get why but she was blushing too and she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come out. So she was grateful when he managed to speak, however stuttery. She didn't mind at all. "W-well then no wonder this place is so popular. Thanks so much for teaching me. It actually turned out perfect." She grinned. It was almost too pretty to eat.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

"O-o-of course!" Marcq said a little louder than he meant. She too thought the cookie was perfect and he was happy to hear Adrianna was appreciative of the lesson. It even filled him with a little pride to hear his work was what brought customers to this place. "I-I don't mind teaching. If you ever want to learn more about the bakery trade, just tell me whenever you can. I-I mean you can always tell me in school, or just stop by when I'm around, usually after school hours. But yeah, if you ever wanna learn more . . . ."

He grinned but still couldn't look Adrianna in the eye. His cheeks haven't stopped burning too. He pulled out a smaller tray and covered it in wax paper. The tray would be used on the front counter to display items for the customer, particularly the cookies he and Adrianna just finished. The rest of the unfinished cookies he has to do would go on here too.

He placed the two finished items next to each other on the tray. It was his father's suggestion to always have the two designs together on the counter. Always a duo, never one without the other. Many people seem to agree as these cookies were always bought in pairs. Can't have Coccinellidae without Cat Noir and vice versa.

"So um, y-you said you play video games, right?" Marcq asked. "What kind of g-games do you play? Or, uh, what is your favorite game?"

 

[Ravenbelle]

Adrianna grinned and brightened at the offer to learn more about how the bakery works and stuff. She was always the type to enjoy learning new things, especially something hands-on, like this. Besides, she rarely gets to make her own food, much less something this sugary.

But yeah, if you ever wanna learn more . . . ."

"Sure, thanks. That's...really nice of you. I hope I can take you up on that offer sometime." she smiled as friendly a smile as she could, then watched as he prepared the cookies for display. When he placed both their finished cookies next to each other she stared down at them with a mysterious sort of joy she seemed to harbor every time the patterns were side by side, most notably on pieces of jewelry worn by superheroes.

The expression faded when Marcq spoke again though, bringing up her video game hobby she had briefly mentioned before. "Yeah, uh I don't think I really have a favorite type, but I've been playing a lot of Ultimate Mecha Strike III recently and I've also always loved Legend of Zelda and Pokemon too, among others. Do you..play video games too?"
She asked curiously, unaware of how much she might have in common with one of the most popular boys in class. Adrianna had always kind of wanted to get to know him better so that maybe she'd be able to make more friends, so if this was her chance, she'd take it.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

"Yeah, uh I don't think I really have a favorite type, but I've been playing a lot of Ultimate Mecha Strike III recently and I've also always loved Legend of Zelda and Pokemon too, among others. Do you..play video games too?"

A wide grin spread across his face when she mentioned the games she plays. "Zelda and Pokemon; classic games. I never tire of them. And y-you play Ultimate Mecha Strike III? That is an awesome game! I play it with my dad all the time. My favorite is LB-03. D-despite its appearance, it has a lot of cool upgrades, and awesome combo moves. It's got a bad rep but I don't think—Oh, sorry. I-I guess I started ranting there." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "A lot of forum boards tick me off about how much they hate LB-03. Even Max—short guy with glasses in our class—"he held his hand at a certain level and made a motion imitating someone adjusting their glasses to show Adrianna who he was talking about "—hates LB-03. He calls it a disgrace to the Mecha Strike franchise, so I never bring the game whenever I go to the library for gaming night."

Unfortunate the president of the gaming club thinks that way. He'd be floored if he saw how awesome LB-03 could really be. Maybe Adrianna would like it? Since she plays games, maybe she and Max would get along. And Max is always happy to welcome new members, even if he doesn't act like it on the outside. But would she actually be interested, or think he's just a lame nerd?

"Um, hey if you ever interested, you can check out gaming night at the school l-library. Meetings are every Wednesday after school. I-I . . . well, if you're interested that is. I-I go and it's fun, but I don't dedicate my life to it like some."

 

[Ravenbelle]

Seeing Marcq smile at her that widely pretty much made her day. She had no idea they shared a common interest in video games and the way he lit up and actually talked to her like she was his friend made her want to burst with glee. She nodded along to his analysis of the Mecha Strike character and totally agreed with him about its combo moves but annoyingly bad rep. Adrianna's smile faltered just slightly when he stopped himself to apologize about ranting, but before she could say he had nothing to apologize for, he continued and she decided not to interrupt just in case he shushed himself again.
He mentioned a classmate of theirs, Max, whom she recognized in passing, but rarely ever got a chance to speak to. Regardless, she nodded to Marcq, indicating hat she knew who he was talking about and she grimaced at yet another LB-03 hater. Awesome combo moves and competence as a character aside, Adrianna loves it simply because it has a similar design to her favorite hero in all of Paris, maybe even the world. Some debate about whether the game producers chose the design before or after Coccinellidae surfaced as Paris' personal savior, but Adrianna couldn't care less; she still loved it as she loves most things ladybug ever since he became such a big part of her life. However, when it comes to who she likes to use in Mecha Strike,
"That's too bad; I love LB-03, but I usually use NAD03. It's perfect for a lot of offense and close combat moves, plus a pretty cool design as well. It's so cool that you guys have a night to play together. Sounds like lots of fun!"

"Um, hey if you ever interested, you can check out gaming night at the school l-library. Meetings are every Wednesday after school. I-I . . . well, if you're interested that is. I-I go and it's fun, but I don't dedicate my life to it like some."

Adrianna's eyes widened at the fact that gaming night was actually at school instead of a hang out she wouldn't be invited to at someone's house. Man she'd really been missing out on so much while she was homeschooled! And Marcq was even implying it was fine that she go participate too, (though Cody would definitely disapprove). It would be so great if she could go...if she could convince Nathalie and Père, that is. She bit her lip for a moment, then smiled gratefully. "I would absolutely love to go, but I don't know if my dad will let me. If I can go this Wednesday or the next, I'll let you know, okay? Thanks for telling me about it, Marcq."

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Marcq nodded when Adrianna mentioned her favorite mecha, NAD03. The character reminded him of a certain black cat he himself was frequently in touch with, unbeknownst to her and all of Paris. It wouldn't have surprised him if the creators modeled the mecha after Kitty, but sources from Max said it was purely coincidental. He once used NAD03 out of curiosity and discovered—like his crime fighting partner—it had a wild combo set (with a penchant for random poses as opposed to puns), but could always be counted on to deal major damage to opponents.

"I would absolutely love to go, but I don't know if my dad will let me. If I can go this Wednesday or the next, I'll let you know, okay? Thanks for telling me about it, Marcq."

He was disappointed to hear she was not sure if her father would let her come to gaming night. Marcq was aware his biggest role model was strict. Previous conversations with Alec and Nina told him Gabriel Agreste had a tight schedule concerning his daughter's day to day activities. Nothing confirmed, but many suspected Mrs. Agreste no longer being in the picture had something to do with it.

"Yeah, sure. Like I said, Max is always happy to have new members," he said. Aah, well. The least he can do is keep the door open in case her father does let her go. He hoped he would. It would be nice to see Adrianna at Gaming Club and spend more time with her after school.

A horn sounded out front.

"Who's that?" Marcq asked, washing his hands and stepping out of the kitchen. He held the door open long enough for Adrianna to follow, peering through the window to see a sleek silver car parked in front of the bakery. He could see a large person—almost too big to fit in the car—sitting in the driver's seat.

"I-I guess that's your ride then, huh?" He didn't openly admit it, but he was sad to see Adrianna go so soon, even if he was a nervous wreck the entire time. "That's it then. Um—"he looked around, trying to find something to say. "—a-anything you want to take home? I can make the latte you had earlier." The car horn honked again. "I can make it really quick too." He pulled out a cup and prepared the latte, then put a few treats in a bag for her to bring, with something extra for her chauffer. "No charge, uh, my treat! Just keep it a secret between us. Uh, don't forget the Chinese New Year's party here on Sunday, and I'll see you then."

He followed her to the door and waved to the girl as she left, leaning his head on the frame when the car drove away.

"That was generous of you," said Tikki, slipping out of his blazer. "Hopefully, your parents won't notice the missing treats."

But Marcq wasn't listening; his face was as red as a tomato and he was trembling. "I held her hands. I swear my hands were sweaty and I think she noticed and we were so, so, so close. We held hands. We held hands. We held hands."

Tikki chuckled. "Aah, you are something. But you were able to talk to her, more so than the entire time you've known her."

Marcq nodded then sighed blissfully. "Tikki, help me decorate cookies. I don't think I can function properly for a few hours."

Tikki laughed then led Marcq back into the bakery, helping her master with the jobs at hand. Later that night as he was taking the trash out, he looked up to see a figure running across the rooftops, the black tail swishing behind her as she completed her patrol. Marcq smiled and went back inside to close shop.

February 22nd, 2015​

Tonight, the city of Paris was lit with decorations of red and gold. Venues and streets sported paper lanterns, and the Chinese community of the city bustled about in preparation for tonight. Businesses were filled with customers walking around and enjoying the festivities. There were a few parades going on, with crowds gathering on the streets to marvel at the dances performed and munch on a few food items found only at this time of the year in the city.

It certainly was going to be a lively night.

 

[Ravenbelle]

"Yeah, sure. Like I said, Max is always happy to have new members,"

Adrianna smiled gratefully and nodded, subtly hooking her hand into the bottom of her purse's strap to keep it still as she ignored Plagg's suddenly incessant nudging. what's his problem? Her expression swiftly changed into one of brief surprise then realization as the honking noise beeped out in front of the store. Oh.
The blonde didn't even have to look behind her through the window to know it was her ride. She sighed and checked her purse to see her phone had unchecked text messages and an irritated looking kwami. Crap.

"I-I guess that's your ride then, huh?"

Adrianna nodded with a dejected look on her face, closed her purse, then stepped toward the kitchen doors, looking back at Marcq as he stammered, offering another latte of her favorite kind. The girl was grateful, but she really had to go. "Uh.." The Gorilla honked again and she flinched, speeding out of the kitchen into the main lobby area where he could see her and Marcq rushing to finish the drink she'd ordered earlier. She nervously have her driver a '1 minute' signal with her pointer finger toward the front window and anxiously took the bag Marcq held out to her so sweetly. "Thanks so much; you really didn't have to do that. How much do I owe you?"

"No charge, uh, my treat! Just keep it a secret between us. Uh, don't forget the Chinese New Year's party here on Sunday, and I'll see you then."

"Yeah sure, but--" she bit her lip, looking back toward the Gorilla and his stern look that warned she hurry. She really didn't want the honking to bother Marcq's parents. "Yeah..yeah I'll see you then. Thanks again!" She smiled gratefully and dashed out to the car, sliding into the backseat without even allowing her driver to think of opening the door for her. she waved back at her friend inside, but the Gorilla probably drove off too quickly for him to have seen the gesture. Adrianna sighed, "I'm sorry. I keep doing this huh? Sorry..but on the bright side, I got cookies! Here!" she held one out toward the front seat eagerly so the Gorilla had no choice but to take it gingerly from her hands and enjoy it on the way back. She smiled at his smile she saw from the rearview mirror and sipped on her latte, which would actually come in handy since she had a patrol tonight. She thought it would probably be fun to pass by the bakery, just for fun. Who knows? Maybe the bakers' son will catch a glimpse and get a kick out of it.

February 22nd, 2015​

Having just escaped her cage at the same time as usual for patrols, a swift black cat rushed in her leaps across rooftops toward the beacon of light pointing up toward the sky. Of course she kept a green eye out for suspicious activity, but her mind was a bit occupied. She wanted to stall in her meeting with Coccinellidae because of what she promised herself she'd tell him tonight, but she had to be quick too because she has plans with her friends. Plans that her father doesn't know about. So she sprinted on all fours towards their meeting place every Sunday, eyes gleaming as her black form streaked through the night, running through her rehearsed apology in her head over an over.​

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Marcq hung up his apron, bidding his father goodbye as he ran up the stairs to his room. Today had been a very busy day, more so than other days. He had to stay well beyond his normal time on Sundays offering help where he can. Between running to the back to help his dad prepare items and helping his mom with registers, he hardly got a chance to even breathe. Well, tonight would bring significant profits to the family business, and it was nice seeing the joy on customers' faces as they eagerly took that first bite into whatever item they bought. By around 8:30, activity had died down for the night and his parents said they could handle the bakery until closing so he could get some rest.

Well, he wouldn't exactly be sleeping anytime soon, but he should be able to at clear his mind while out on patrol.

Once the door was locked, he was in his Coccinellidae form and out of the window, swinging across the streets as he made his way to the Eiffel tower. He made sure his form could be seen by anybody walking to let any possible troublemakers know he was around. Coccinellidae planned to make a few rounds near the parade route and the Quartier Chinois where the possibility of rogue fireworks could cause trouble. He might even get to see a small concert or even a theater production; it's been a long time since he had seen those. It was also going to be a short patrol tonight which he planned to tell Cat Noir. Hopefully, she understands he has family obligations tonight. With the possibility of seeing Adrianna again (although Cat Noir didn't need to know that)!

Red light bathed the Eiffel tower with speckles of gold on the corners. He took a second to admire the sight before pulling himself to the very top of the tower in their usual meeting place.

"Guess, I got here first," he said, noticing the lack of his cat-like partner. He tied his yo-yo around his waist and sat on the edge as he waited.

 

[Ravenbelle]

When the scaredy cat finally mustered the courage to stop pacing on the ledge nearest to the Eiffel Tower, gorgeously lit for tonight's special occasion as if rushing her to get this overwith, she found that her partner had already arrived. And he'd been waiting for her. Cat Noir landed behind him with an uncharacteristic stumble, eyes wide and even more apologetic than she thought they'd be considering the rehearsed words lodged in her throat tonight. Before he could stand to greet her, she rushed forward so he wouldn't have to get up and tentatively sat on the ledge beside him. Close, but not as close to him as usual. She gulped.
"...Hi." she mumbled stupidly, staring down below their dangling feet instead of at those blue blue eyes..She'd never get a word out if she had to look at him too long. The breeze blew and twisted little strands of her blonde, messy mop of hair as she opened her mouth, expecting words to come but finding she couldn't remember them anymore. Her lips shut. Dammit if she didn't do what she came here for soon she'd be late for Marcq's party and disappoint yet another person she cares about. She winced, fidgeting with her clawed fingers nervously on her lap.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Coccinellidae passed the time by playing with his yo-yo, practicing tricks he learned from the internet. He was just finishing up a complex trick when he heard a loud thump followed by a scraping against the metal of the tower. He looked behind him to see the signature, slit-like green eyes of Cat Noir staring back at him. He was surprised she had such a noisy arrival; normally she was stealthy and quiet in her footsteps like a perfect imitation of her animal theme.

"Hey, Kitty." He was prepared for whatever flirty quip she would dish out upon seeing him, but was instead a little taken aback when she sat next to him, putting some distance between.

"...Hi."

"Um, hi . . .?" he repeated, raising his eyebrow as his sentence trailed off. Now something is really wrong. First, it was the clumsy arrival, then that single one worded greeting with nothing to follow up. He had gotten used to her flirtatious advances to the point where he would just ignore it in order to focus on saving whoever was in trouble. This was just unlike her; she wouldn't even look at him.

He hesitated for a moment then asked, "Is everything okay?"

 

[Ravenbelle]

"Um, hi . . .?"

Chat Noir bit her lip and shivered slightly as the wind messed with her hair some more. She wasn't actually cold and she never really had been in her costume, but it seemed she was more nervous than she thought. She was rarely this serious with Coccinellidae. It always ended up with her getting far too vulnerable in front of him. It was usually easy to brush off his teasing rejections and complaints about her endless puns thinking he was sure to fall for her someday, but on nights like this...she wears her heart farther out on her sleeve than normal, even though it's usually plain to see around him all the time anyway. Again she tried to remember the words she'd prepared, but there was nothing! Of course her brain fails her when she needs it the most...not like that's a new thing around her hero though.

"Is everything okay?"

She winced. Now or never. Then she could dash off to Marcq's party and forget everything. "O-of course! I just..um--well..no, not really." she sighed and turned slowly to face him, ears flat against her messy curls. "I..I need to apologize. I know it's been a little while, but I just--I realized I never said sorry. Never really told you how badly I--" she cleared her throat, but it ended up sounding a little like a muffled whimper what with how tight her throat felt all of a sudden. But she had to make sure he knew she was sincere, so she met his eyes again and tried to ignore the way the stars shined in their reflection with the lights of the Tower. "Back when Dark Cupid hit me with that stupid arrow I said some really mean things I--I would never ever even dream of telling you if I had the choice and I just--I'm really sorry. If I'd been more focused on the akuma I would've never forced you to take care of it alone, especially since I was apparently fighting you the whole time I--.." she hissed as her eyes focused on the space between them on their perch with an expression of utter disgust at her own actions. She leaned closer, staring up at him anxiously and slightly misty eyed. "Coccinellidae, I am so sorry." she whispered deliberately, cheeks red with pent-up frustration over how irresponsible she had been, trying to confess an unrequited love in the middle of an attack just because it was Valentines Day. She didn't know why she'd even bothered anyway. It was obvious he didn't feel the same way. And how could he? He's brave and intelligent and selfless and amazing..always knowing how to save the day. He'd never let her down. Not once. While she, caught up in her dumb fantasies, messes things up for them far too often. And no matter how many times she might try to promise she won't let it happen again, it always does. Especially when she tries to overcompensate to make up for her mistakes, like she has been for the past couple weeks.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Coccinellidae tilted his head slightly, wondering why she said she needed to apologize. She then answered his unasked question by recounting what happened with Kimmy and her akumatization into Dark Cupid. He remembered it all too well: Cat Noir jumping in front of an arrow aimed at him, then a sudden personality change, calling him names and trying to kill him on multiple occasions. Fortunately, he was able to knock her back into her senses after getting caught and giving her a kiss on the lips.

The tips of his ears turned red as he recalled that . . . event; up till now he did not tell her what exactly happened nor did she even seem to remember any of it. He'd like to keep it that way.

"Hey, it's okay," he said, placing one hand on her shoulder. Maybe this was why she had been so reckless during Firebomb's attack. Because she almost tried to defeat her partner in battle previously and it had upset her for this long. "I'm not mad at you for what happened and I know you didn't mean any of what you said that day. I'm also at fault for not paying attention. More than anything, I'm just glad I got you back." He gently squeezed her shoulder. "We'll work harder to make sure it doesn't happen again, and I will be more mindful of any possible dangers. Bug's promise. Don't be so hard on yourself because of what happened, Cat."

Well, I hope you don't mind if we have a short patrol today," he said, standing up and stretching. "I got some plans tonight that requires I be there so I can't skip out. Nor do I really don't want to anyways," he said the last part in a whisper. "Oh and by the way—"he pivoted on his heel and poked her on the nose "—you're it!" He slipped off the Eiffel Tower, smirking at Cat Noir and hooking his yoyo around the nearest overhanging ledge. He swung onto the roof and led tonight's patrol, his laughter ringing in the air.

 

[Ravenbelle]

The touch to her shoulder, brought her bright green eyes back up to his as it sparked and warmed, bringing a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Hey, it's okay,"

he murmured in that perfect, calming voice of his and suddenly everything was a little better...because those words are rarely ever used to forgive her mistakes if they ever are forgiven. He said it was okay. And for a the moment, she believed him. Her shoulders relaxed at the squeeze he gave with the fingers she longed to wrap her own in and he isn't mad at me! He's glad he got me back! (as if I would ever try to be anything but his)
The blonde smiled tentatively at his Bug's Promise even though she was still pretty sure she was the one at fault for not paying attention, but that thought quickly vanished as she watched him stretch, missing his touch as soon as it left her while he reminded her she too had somewhere to be tonight. Where would she be without her trusty partner? Certainly not a very great superhero that's for sure. Though sometimes their costumes don't always have to be used for hero stuff, exemplified perfectly by Coccinellidae's sudden challenge incited by a gentle boop to her nose as the black cat stood and grinned at his words, hesitating for just an instant to admire his laugh and carefree swoop onto their patrol route before leaping after him with a giggle that echoed off the nearby roofs of the City of Love.
And so the guardians of Paris sprinted and flew in their playful dance, one bright and shining like a shooting star burning through the night and the other his shadow forever chasing behind, never to leave his side.

None were aware of the dangers of a subtly flashing camera on them that night, but Cat Noir still took precautions in eventually taking a roundabout route to Marcq's house/bakery when their patrol unfortunately ended. Adrianna landed in the bushes behind her school wearing a dress and wedges that she hoped was formal enough for the occasion. Plagg immediately whined about cheese, but she shushed him as she walked over there, shoving him into her purse with a promise to feed him at the party while brushing her fingers through the disaster zone that was her hair in the aftermath of Cat Noir. Then she gave a few swipes down the front of her dress to make sure she hadn't caught any leaves on the white garment before knocking on the side door that led up to Marcq's house.​

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Click

Click

Click.

From the dark crevice of an alleyway was the quick flash of a light. The flash belonged to a camera which followed the two Parisian superheroes as they ran from rooftop to rooftop. The alleyway provided a perfect cover along with a great view of the two crime fighters. No one would even be suspicious of the blinking light for all over the city were so many other blinking lights from the festivities going on. Raoul Skeeter wanted to pat himself on the back; it was like luck was on his side today!

He continued taking pictures until they were too far away. He stepped out of the alley, buying an orange from a nearby vender and flicking through the photos on his phone. One photo was of the two sitting atop the Eiffel tower, another showed Ladybug mid fall, and another showed the heroes leaping from one roof to the next with wide smiles on their faces. Skeeter smirked to himself. They weren't perfect; oh no, no they couldn't compare to expensive equipment and the skills of his camera partner, but they had their worth. There's a saying: a picture says a thousand words. All Skeeter needed to do was make sure they said the right words

​

As soon as he was sure Cat Noir was out of sight, Coccinellidae jumped through the balcony of his house and into his room, releasing the transformation. Tikki gratefully munched on a plate of cookies Marcq had set earlier while her master changed into a fitted black and red spotted Chengshen. When Tikki had her fill and was tucked safely in his pocket, he went downstairs where his mother busy putting bakery items away as she closed for the night. She mentioned Alec and Nina had already arrived and were at the park assembling Nina's DJ equipment. Marcq then heard a knock on the door.

"I got it!" he said. He could see through the tinted glass of their door a person, a girl, with a head of long blond hair. He then took two steps at a time, jumping the last three and opening the door. "Hey! Thanks for coming to our celebra-a-a-a-a—"

Marcq stopped midsentence when he caught sight of Adrianna. He was prepared to see Adrianna tonight and had even rehearsed how he would talk to her multiple times throughout the weekend, but when he saw her in that dress, it was like all that hard work been blown away into the wind. White in color the dress came only mid-thigh, with a bodice that hugged her waist underneath a white lacey top and a belt. Her wedges made her a little taller than usual; Adrianna usually came up to his neck but this time, she reached his nose. Marcq's cheeks turned the same color as his clothing as his eyes followed her long, tan legs.

"Marcq! Your father needs your help with the fireworks. He's out in the park with Nina and Alec." called his mother, startling him back to reality.

Marcq managed to recompose himself, furiously rubbing the back of his neck. "R-Right. Um, a-anyways, thanks for coming to our celebration." He took one more look at Adrianna and quickly looked elsewhere. "So, uh, I-I'm going to the park across the street where my dad is setting up stuff. Nina and Alec are already there. O-of course you already knew that, since m-my mom said so. Uh, well, this way!" He closed the door behind him nervously walking around Adrianna and towards the park that was merely a street away from his. Tom Dupain-Cheng was currently arranging various fireworks. He greeted his son with a warm smile before returning to his work while Nina and Alec were setting up the equipment.

"Hey, you made it!" Nina ran to Adrianna and pulled her into a hug. "What'd you have to do to get your dad to let you go? Let me guess: 30 photoshoots for this month?"

"Glad you could make it," said Alec, raising his fist to Adrianna for a fist bump then turning to Marcq for the same thing. "Wow, Marcq, you sure are dressed in a lot of red." Alec smirked, gesturing at his face.

Marcq glared at his friend then abruptly turned towards a nearby pile of sparklers. He fumbled with them for a while, opening and closing boxes without knowing why he was doing so. He felt a light pinch in the folds of his clothing from a certain red kwami.

"Um . . . ." He wanted to look at Adrianna, but every time he tried to meet those bright green eyes of hers, all the words just seemed to become one jumbled mess. He stared hard at the sprinklers and said, "I-I'm glad you could make it, Adrianna. And, uh, you l-look r-really nice."

 

[Ravenbelle]

Adrianna heard a faint call from inside the house just a few moments before the door opened, revealing Marcq in what appeared to be a traditional Chengshen. She smiled at his greeting before he cut it short and left a small silent pause between them while she got a better look at his outfit. She thought it must be authentic and looked incredibly well-made. Her kitten side really wanted to touch it, just to find out how soft it was. However, before she could let her silly impulse take over, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng called out for her son's help and broke the strange silence that had fallen between them. Adrianna heard the word 'fireworks' and lit up a little and Marcq turned back to face her, but kept his gaze away from hers for some reason, rubbing the back of his neck as he spoke.

"R-Right. Um, a-anyways, thanks for coming to our celebration." He took one more look at Adrianna and quickly looked elsewhere. "So, uh, I-I'm going to the park across the street where my dad is setting up stuff. Nina and Alec are already there. O-of course you already knew that, since m-my mom said so. Uh, well, this way!"

Adrianna nodded and followed beside him; she knew where the park was and part of her wanted to rush ahead and check out the fireworks, but the dress swishing below her waist was reminder enough that she was no longer in costume, but still had to maintain her father's image. At the moment, she didn't mind because she knew it was polite to her really cool host, but sometimes it just takes a moment for her to reel herself back into Adrianna after detransforming so quickly. The shift came more easily when Nina was around, whose mocha arms didn't hesitate to instantly wrap her blonde friend up in a brief, but very tight hug. Adrianna smiled and scratched the back of her head when she was free, replying to her question with a nervous laugh "Uh...something like that.." Though she hated lying to her friends, it was totally worth it to be here with them, enjoying their company outside of school for a change. She reciprocated Alec's fist bump and grinned at him before turning back to face Marcq, missing his best friend's gesture in the process.

"Wow, Marcq, you sure are dressed in a lot of red."

"Pretty cool, huh? I don't remember the word for what it's called, but Chinese fashion is really unique and fascinating." Adrianna grinned at the two while Marcq was presumably helping to set up. The aforementioned Alec and Nina shared a knowing look at Adrianna's sheer obliviousness, but otherwise nodded at their special little nerd. Nina was about to teasingly point it out, but bit her lip when she noticed Marcq grabbing her attention. Adrianna blinked at turned her gaze back to Marcq, though for some reason he didn't meet her eyes again when he thanked her for coming and gave her a compliment. She smiled wide. "Thanks. And thank you so much for inviting me." She paused, eyes darting to the little pile of what looked like sticks, but were actually.. "Oh hey, are those sparklers?" She asked excitedly, picking one up and holding it between them. Nina and Alec also picked up a couple, the former already waving it around (without a flame) with bright gold eyes and an enthusiastic "Cool!"
Alec twirled a couple between his fingers. "My siblings freaking love these. Are we gonna light them up before or after the fireworks?" he asked Marcq

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

"Ch-Chengshen," Marcq said, providing the name to the specific garment he was wearing. Marcq gulped when Adrianna held the sparkler between them. His eyes darted between the sparkler in her hand and her. There were lamps around the park and they reflected off of her green eyes, making them sparkle and dazzle as if reflecting her excitement. "Y-yeah," he managed to say.

Alec asked if they could light them up, allowing Marcq to turn his attention elsewhere. He looked to his dad, who nodded in approval and tossed a lighter towards his son. Marcq caught it with ease, a result of catching his yo-yo from his ventures as Cocci. He lit up Nina and Alec's sparklers, fumbled with Adrianna's, but soon all of his friends were carrying sparklers and waving it around the park.

"Look, guys, I'm a wizard! Lumos!" Nina laughed, brandishing the stick like an actual wand. She turned on her sound system, playing the first song on her playlist. "Ooh, I bet you could do a bunch of awesome poses with these! Hey, Anni, tell me what you think." Nina then got into various poses with the sparklers.

At that moment, Sabine arrived wearing a pink chengshen and carrying a box in hand. Inside were various mooncakes and some other Chinese pastries. After greeting everybody, she handed each one a treat.

"Alright, everyone, I'd just like to say thank you for coming," she said, a bright smile on her face. "Usually, it's just me, my husband, and my son, but we're very happy to celebrate with you all." Marcq nodded in agreement.

When his sparkler went out, Alec approached Sabine, his cellphone ready. That could only mean one thing: Alec wanted an interview. His friend beckoned Marcq and Adrianna to come with. "You can also quip in to this too if you want," said Alec. "I know you speak Mandarin so if you know any tidbits and facts that might contribute, I'd love to hear it.

"Okay, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng, as you know, I write for the school blog and I'm doing an article on Chinese New Year. So can you tell me why you light fireworks on this day?"

"I can answer that!" said Marcq, raising his hand. "To ward off evil spirit Nian, and to welcome the New Year." His chest puffed with pride as he was able to answer the question.

"Ooh. Oh, I'm curious: other than it being New Years, does it mean anything special to you?"

"Partially because it is my heritage, and it's also when my husband and I started to date." Sabine smiled fondly at Tom who had just finished setting up a series of fireworks and was standing quietly on the side.

"We may live in France but I think we should also keep in touch with my wife's culture too. I think it's especially important for my son to know the other half of his heritage," he said, patting Marcq on the shoulder. "It's a special day for all of us, that why our bakery has been so decorated the past few weeks."

 

[Ravenbelle]

"Ah! Yes! That. Thanks." Adrianna gratefully thanked the party host in the midst of the recall before she asked him about the sparklers. She hadn't seen any in such a long time, so she was excited when Alec asked to light them and got an okay to do so. Adrianna waited patiently with a gleeful smile as Marcq fumbled with her sparkler, but thanked him brightly before waving it around with Nina as the music played throughout the park. The blonde laughed at her best friend's antics and excitability, but the playful mood had already made a home in her so she was about to strike some dorky poses too before Ms. Dupain-Cheng arrived with irresistible pastries.

Anni sauntered over to the older woman and gave her an enthusiastic smile with a few words of thanks for the pastry before listening to what she had to say. Marcq's mother was always so welcoming and sweet, not that she was implying her husband was any less amazing. She was so happy to be there with everyone. Her sparkler ran out as she took an eager bite out of the mooncake she'd been handed, so she walked over to the trashcan to throw it away. While there, she sneaked a couple pieces of her treat to a greedy Plagg and returned as Alec was waving her over with his camera in hand. She raised an eyebrow as Nina changed the song and rocked along with her turntable.

"You can also quip in to this too if you want," said Alec. "I know you speak Mandarin so if you know any tidbits and facts that might contribute, I'd love to hear it.

Adri's lips quirked in confusion for a moment, but then realized when the first question was spoken that this was an interview. She blinked and felt a little intrusive, because this was their family celebration, but Marcq's enthusiasm quelled those fears slightly. It didn't seem that he or his mom were annoyed by her participating at all. So she was enchanted just listening to Sabine offer up how she met her husband while he added his two cents about the holiday, patting his son's shoulder.They were such a wonderful family..

"Well the decorations are gorgeous. You guys did a really good job. And if I'm remembering correctly, the lanterns prevent bad luck while the door couplets usually have a poem or phrase about what the residents value. I don't think I remember what the one on the bakery door said though..." Adrianna felt she was rambling and trailed off, fidgeting with her fingers slightly without noticing the irony of her being here when the lanterns were meant to ward off bad luck.

 

[Yuuki_Tatsunohi]

Alec nodded at Adrianna, turning the phone to her to record everything she said. As the song approached its end, Marcq noticed Adrianna looking at his family with a sort of wistful smile, almost as if she was envious. It was gone quickly and Adrianna offered her own insight about the significance and importance of the décor. Marcq also noticed she started fidgeting around as if she was . . . uncomfortable.

"The couplet?" he repeated. He then remembered the red couplet hanging on the door, another piece he painted. "Oh, um, it's pronounced 'Sum seung si sing." He rubbed the back of his neck, turning to his mother who nodded. Marcq had spent weeks working on the couplet, from researching characters to bugging his mom about the stroke order, to making sure the colors complimented with the other pieces. He knew the couplet was the first thing customers would see when they come to the bakery and he wanted to make a good impression, and also prevent the bakery from being a giant laughing stock to those who can read Mandarin. "Um, it means 'May all your heart's desires come true." He briefly glanced at Adrianna, his skin burning.

"This year will be our twentieth anniversary so we thought of going with something a little romantic," said Tom.

"Awww," said Alec. This would have been a perfect opportunity to tease his friend about the meaning of such a phrase, especially since that little glance at the blonde girl did not go unnoticed by him, but he decided not to. He can always give Marcq a hard time later. "Mind if I get a picture of just you and your mom, Marcq? I'd like to put it up on my blog to show some of the traditional clothing."

Tom stepped back, leaving Marcq and Sabine to step closer to each other. Alec took many pictures moving around in different angles to get different sides of the chengshens. When finished, he went after Tom to take some pictures of the fireworks while Sabine went to Nina. That left Marcq and Adrianna alone.

"Hey, s-so um, h-how's it going? Uh, are you enjoying everything?" He shuffled his feet, staring hard at a pile of fireworks. It didn't look like she was having any fun. Maybe this just wasn't what she was expecting or it doesn't live up to her standards. Marcq knew she spoke Mandarin and her father was well known through Paris, so maybe when she was learning the language, she had been to more exciting celebrations than whatever it was his less prosperous family had. "Do you need anything? I-I can run to the bakery and get you something. It's just right there." He shuffled his feet, knocking down a pile of unopened fireworks. "Aaah, oops."

 

[Ravenbelle]

Adrianna looked up at Marcq as he spoke and gave a smile of recognition and encouragement. Then it turned sweet and slightly wistful when she turned to his parents at their mention of its meaning in relation to their anniversary and Alec's audible response. Then the reporter asked for a couple pictures and Adrianna immediately backed up out of the way politely, eyes wandering to Nina jamming out and messing with her tunes some more. She was always looking for a place to show off her original stuff. It was really good too.

Adri decided not to interrupt, but didn't notice the small photoshoot end so turned her head and blinked when Marcq came to join her.

"Hey, s-so um, h-how's it going? Uh, are you enjoying everything?"

"Yeah, of course!" she smiled gently, hoping that his shuffling feet weren't an indication that he wants to avoid her again. She glanced at Nina and saw Sabine with her, presumably asking about the music. She hoped he wasn't just making small talk because his mother asked him to. She didn't want to be an inconvenience or anything.

"Do you need anything? I-I can run to the bakery and get you something. It's just right there." He shuffled his feet, knocking down a pile of unopened fireworks. "Aaah, oops."

Adrianna started to shake her head no, but her kwami nudged her and she nearly rolled her eyes but then saw the fireworks fall and said, "Oh no I'm good, thanks though."and immediately bent down to help fix the fireworks to their original organized state, smiling so hopefully he knew it was just a little mistake. She'd noticed Marcq tends to apologize a lot so she hoped he knew everything was alright so he could enjoy the celebration.