Spots Off 🐞 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

8- Living With The Agrestes

Marinette's POV

It's dark when I open my eyes. Oh, right. I'm still wearing the eye mask. "Cat Noir?" I call out, making sure he's transformed before I take it off. "Cat Noir?" Slowly, I peek out, dropping the eye mask, and look around. He's not here. "Oh." Yawning, I stretch before climbing out of bed, and find a note taped to my computer.

Dear Marinette,

Last night was the best sleepover I ever had. Sadly, I had to leave this morning to go home, but don't worry. I informed my 'friend' of your situation and he's going to be at your house at nine-thirty. Don't be late :)

-Your favorite kitty cat ^.^

Another mention of this 'friend' and I have no clue who it is. Nine-thirty. What time is it now? I check my phone. Nine-twenty-one. "Oh no!" I shout, dropping my phone. "I need to get ready!" Racing around my room, I quickly change, tying my hair into pigtails before slipping my shoes on. The doorbell goes off downstairs.

"Marinette!" Mom shouts from downstairs. "You have a visitor!"

"Coming, Mom!" I yell back. Okay, Marinette. You can do this. If Cat Noir trusts them, then so can you. Taking in a deep breath, I open the trap door and walk downstairs. My eyes widen. "Adrien? What are you doing here?"

"Marinette, don't tell me you forgot already?" Adrien says, laughing. "You won the contest! For my father's internship. Remember?" He widens his eyes and I catch on.

"Right!" I say, nodding. "Yes, that totally slipped my mind."

Mom and Dad look over. "What contest? You never mentioned anything about a contest."

Oh, I'm so not good under pressure. "Uh, about a month ago I... applied for a contest... to intern for Gabriel Agreste... for his fashion brand!" Not my worst lie, I'll admit. "I didn't mention anything sooner because I was worried I wasn't going to win and I didn't want to make a big deal of it."

"Oh, that's amazing, Marinette!" Mom says, tearing up. "Tom, did you hear? Our baby is talented!"

Dad walks over and hugs me, squeezing too tight. "I knew my little muffin can do it!"

"Dad, I... can't... breathe..." He puts me down and I start coughing.

"Marinette's the absolute best," Adrien says, walking over and wrapping an arm around my shoulder. My eyes widen and my heart pounds against my ribcage. "There's just a tiny little condition to the internship."

"What?" My parents ask.

"Marinette has to come live with me," Adrien says, before correcting, "Us! At the mansion. For a more hands-on learning. It'd just be frustrating going back and forth from home, carrying her supplies and designs."

"Well, how long would she be gone?"

Adrien and I look at each other.

"A month at most," Adrien starts. "But maybe longer. It depends."

My dad looks at him. "On what?"

"Uh..." Adrien's eyes widen and he struggles to find the right words. "Well, if she does well for the internship, my father wants to bring her to America." I turn and give Adrien a look. Stop talking! "Where she'd be able to design and sell her own... clothes."

As my parents start freaking out and celebrating, I pull Adrien aside and punch his arm. "Why would you tell them that?"

"It was the best I could come up with!" Adrien whispers. "What else was I supposed to say?"