#also theo was super creepy. celebrity crushes are weird when youre trying to meet and befriend a local celebrity for the purpose of dating

[miraculoussage]

like siblings - copycat

Rating: G Pairings: Marinette & Adrien, Ladybug & Chat Noir (No romance) Length: ~ 2,260 words Type: Episode rewrite

♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Marinette was in hyperfocus mode, working on a dress design and experimenting with different fabric and thread and stitch patterns. She had a pretty unique design in mind, encouraged by Adrien, and it would require her to try a lot of new things. She was completely time blind, and only realized how long she’d been working when her phone buzzed with urgent texts from Alya. Apparently, Chat Noir had just stolen the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in broad daylight, surrounded by stunned onlookers. There were so many things wrong with that, and Tikki agreed. Setting her project aside, she hurried outside and transformed, getting right down to business. Something was up, and either her best friend was in trouble, or an akuma was on the loose. 

♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Late to the statue unveiling, Chat Noir thought Ladybug would be there before him, but to his surprise she was nowhere to be seen. He even scanned the trees and the roofs of buildings to see if she was watching from a distance. Something must have come up, and since there was no akuma alarms, he was pretty sure it was something in her civilian life. He wouldn’t ask her what made her miss the unveiling, but he worried about her. He hoped she wasn’t in trouble.

Theo, the artist who made the statue, looked pretty sad that Ladybug wasn’t there. He went on about how he admired her, complimenting her a lot, and rather creepily holding a newspaper clipping of Ladybug’s picture. It would be less creepy, he thought, if Theo also wanted his autograph, but the guy barely acknowledged that Chat Noir, a superhero, was talking to him and sitting right by him. 

Ladybug still hadn’t shown up, and after the statues were unveiled and the crowd started to disperse, Chat Noir was starting to feel glad that she didn’t. The artist didn’t even acknowledge his complement on the statue, only talking about Ladybug. He wanted to ‘express his admiration’ and ‘get to know her’, and it was unnerving to hear someone really talk about Ladybug that way. 

Sure, she would get shouts from fans while they were out and about, and lots of people complimented her appearance- Chat Noir too, to a lesser extent; even he thought his bugaboo was far greater than himself, though he did strive to be as good of a hero as she was. But the way this Theo guy almost obsessed over Ladybug, sounding like he wanted to date her or something, it rubbed him the wrong way. 

He didn’t want Theo to harass her, so he... didn’t tell a lie, but he insinuated that he and Ladybug were very close, then left the scene before Theo could ask questions. It was true, they were very close, but not romantically. That was for Theo to assume, and not Chat Noir to tell. It felt a little bad, but to protect the city, he had to protect Ladybug, and having someone always trying to get her attention and get close to her was dangerous for them both.

♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Later, in the car, Adrien was stunned to silence to hear that he stole a painting from the Louvre. Either he was in two places at once, or someone was an impostor. He better get there quick.

..... The police trapped him. Not only that, but it was Roger that tricked him. He couldn’t just STAY here. He found a clue, and knew the impostor was Theo. Regretfully, he has to use his Cataclysm to escape; Ladybug would probably have something to say about him using it so soon, but he didn’t feel that there were any other options.

He had to admit, though, knocking a bunch of riot police over felt good. When he got to a safe place, he called Ladybug, hoping she believed in him. She picked up, running up stairs, and he frowned. “You know I didn’t do this, right?” Please, please, have faith in him. Ladybug seemed worried, and she was taking this very seriously, but before they could talk more, there were helicopters chasing him down. Off to Theo’s place he goes, then.

♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

Ladybug was thrown. It wasn’t often that she had to fight or figure out a mystery without her partner by her side, and more than that, she was worried about him! What kind of trouble would he get himself into? He was already deep enough! 

He was calling her again, and she picked up right away. A brief and vague conversation left her even more confused, and worse, Chat Noir was trying to fight this akuma alone! She didn’t have any siblings, but she imagined this was what it felt like to have a younger brother that got into trouble, tried to fix it himself, and made it even worse. She could feel it in her gut that Chat Noir was not going to be able to do this himself- She wouldn’t be able to either! 

She checked his location and leaped off towards him, surprised to get another call saying that he caught the akuma. She didn’t believe a word that cat said, but played along. When she got into the building, the two Chat Noir’s fighting an even match, but they both stopped when they saw her.

“Wow, I have to say, I’m impressed with how good the copy is. Physically, at least...” She sounded uncertain, and both Chat Noir’s could tell. They both started yelling about which one the real impostor was, and she put her face in her hand. “Both of you hush.” They complied, the argument fading out. 

“Now, I can’t tell by looking, but I need to fight one of you, and only one if you is the Chat Noir I love. Whoever it is is going to have to prove it, somehow.” She kept her face blank aside from intense focus. Time to see which one was the fake.

“Ladybug, of course I’m the one you love!” cried the one on the right, desperately. 

“LB, you have to know that I’m the real one,” said the one on the left, frowning, “We share a special bond, can’t you tell I’m the one?” 

“Bugaboo, don’t listen to him, he’s the liar! We can take him down and be together again!” 

Ladybug held up her hands to get them both to quiet down again, coming up with something to say quickly. “Whichever one of you is real... Remember the promise we made to each other? Our secret promise, about, you know...” 

The one on the left looked confused, and the one on the right looked surprised.

“Yes, of course I do!” It was the one on the right that spoke first. “How could I ever forget?” 

Ladybug walked over to the one that spoke, soft smile on her face, and she put her arm around the back of his neck. “I knew you wouldn’t forget,” she said, putting her free hand in his, “Our promise was so secret...” she leaned in, “that even we don’t know about it.” She pulled the ring from his hand and forcefully spun him around, hand gripping his shoulder. “Chat Noir!” she called, and threw the ring to the other one, the real one. 

But he didn’t Cataclysm it, or even try to break it. Trying to hold onto the fake, who was struggling under the knee she had shoved into his back to knock him down, she only caught a glimpse of Chat Noir’s ring and saw two toes missing. 

“Ladybug, this isn’t the object! It’s in-” and suddenly Ladybug was thrown, the fake Chat’s staff jabbing painfully into her stomach and knocking her off of him. He got up with Chat Noir’s speed, and snarled at them. 

“You tricked me!” he hissed angrily, looking between both of them who were now in defensive positions. 

“Yeah, duh, we’re partners, we know each other more than any obsessive fanboy ever could,” Chat Noir teased with a taunting grin showing his slight fang-like canines. His distraction gave Ladybug a chance to call her Lucky Charm, and then the fake was attacking again. Tape. She had gotten red and black spotted tape. 

Struggling as the fake tried to pin him, Chat Noir tried to kick him off, but paused when he saw Ladybug approaching from behind with a strip of tape. She just managed to get the tape stuck to the fake’s arm before he was turning on her and shoving her away from him. Taking the opening, Chat Noir sent Copycat flying with his own momentum, away from both himself and Ladybug.

His ring beeped again- the last beep before he would detransform. “Ladybug!” he shouted, knowing she heard the beep from the look on her face as she ran back towards Fake Noir. Fierce as ever, and evidently just as clever, she drove Copycat back, towards one of the metal support beams. Without warning, Ladybug used the tape like her yo-yo, grabbing the loose end and tossing the roll towards Chat Noir. Fortunately, he had figured out her idea as soon as he saw where she was moving the fight towards.

He leaped forwards to catch the tape roll before it could hit the dusty floor or get twisted, and continued to run towards the pair just as they reached the beam. Fake’s back hit the beam and he shouted, trying to leap to the side, but he was already being snagged on the tape. 

Ladybug and Chat Noir ran circles and circles around the pole, using the whole roll of tape to wrap Copycat securely to the metal beam. He struggled and struggled, but couldn’t get out or even move his arms, and even lifting his feet off the floor just left him suspended. From out of the range of the flailing legs, Chat Noir retrieved the newspaper clipping and handed it to Ladybug.

“OHhhh... That’s... Flattering,” she said uncertainly, tearing it in two, quickly purifying the akuma, and using the empty tape roll to call the fix-it buggies. 

Theo was confused as he was suddenly released from the tape, staggering forwards. “What- what happened? Oh! Ladybug! My newspaper clipping, can you sign it?” He held it out to her with a marker from his pocket, completely unaware of what had just occurred. Ladybug, never one to turn away a fan, signed it quickly and gave it and the marker back. 

“Thanks for and sorry about the statue, but we’ve gotta jet!” she said, pulling Chat Noir against her and sending them both through one of the open windows of the studio. His ring beeped insistently, and Ladybug closed her eyes, landing them on the roof she’d aimed for, thankfully out of sight of any civilians. “We cut it close,” she said with a smile. “Need help getting down, or can your kwami recharge?” 

“I have food for Plagg, but thanks for the offer!” he said as he ducked behind a roof-top AC unit. “I’m hidden now, you can open your eyes, I don’t want you falling off the roof when you try to leave,” he laughed, and she laughed with him. “See you later, bugaboo!” 

“Later, Chaton,” she said, her voice full of relief and cheer, and she left without looking back. 

“Plagg, do you think Ladybug’s family would adopt me?” The kwami had just stuffed his face with cheese, and froze at Adrien’s question. Swallowing the cheese after a moment, Plagg only said, “I think you would have to not have a parent for someone else to adopt you. Human laws are weird.” 

“There’s certainly some strange ones. Did you know that in some place in the United States, it’s illegal to have an ice-cream cone in your back pocket?”

“Yeah, I did! The law is because of horses,” he said, nodding as if this made complete sense with no more explanation. Adrien just laughed, and transformed to go home.

♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

The next day at school, Adrien was turned around in his seat talking to Marinette and Alya as they all waited for Nino to come in. “Some guys are just super creepy,” he was saying, frowning. “I may not know what it’s like to be in love or flirt with anyone, outside of the polite half-flirting my father makes me do at events with girls my age... But I know enough to know when someone is being sleazy. 

“THANK YOU,” Alix yelled from her desk, “at least ONE boy understands,” she said, looking pointedly at Kim. At his startled and confused look, she explained, “you don’t ask a girl out by complimenting her butt! And you wonder why she pepper sprayed you.” 

Adrien just motioned to Kim as if to prove his point to Marinette and Alya. “When I see someone talking or acting like that, I get, like... Protective, you know? Especially if it’s about someone I care about. Not that girls need protecting, but why should they have to face that kind of behaviour anyways?” 

“You’re cute, Adrien,” Marinette said, lightly pinching his cheek and putting on a fawning-relative voice. “Little Adrien, look at you, so mature and grown up, knowing about social issues!” The three of them laughed, and Marinette patted Adrien on the head from where she was above him. “Keep being a good person, Adrien,” she said with a fond sigh. He was clearly already growing up to be a better person than his father could ever be, and Marinette wanted to help him stay on that path, as long as she could.