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splitting-infinities · 6 years

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Roll Models

In celebration of the next Miraculous Season 2 episode that’s about to come out, I’m reaching way back into the archives of my fic. I wrote this reveal a long, long time ago (early 2016), but the idea is similar to what it looks like Frightingale/Rossignoble will introduce, so I figured I’d share it again for relevancy’s sake. Hope you enjoy!

Roll Models

A Miraculous Ladybug Reveal Fic

Summary: Adrien's next modeling job is sure to be a success, according to his father. There are just three problems. One: Adrien hates his outfit. Two: the photographer is a little strange. And three: the shoot has an interesting theme.

Also available on: FF as part of Behind the Masks, a reveal oneshot series Length: 2,009 words Rated: T

Available to read below or here.

(Please excuse the first person present tense. I was young then, and unafraid. I vacillated between leaving it and editing it to third person, but in the end decided to keep it as is for posterity.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate modeling. I grew up on the fashion scene and loved it as a kid. Photo shoots have always been part of my life. I don't get weird around cameras I don't complain often about wearing ridiculous clothes.

But so help me, if I have to put on what my father has laid out for this weekend's shoot…I think I might actually jump into the Seine.

It's not personal. I know he's not trying to be irritating or anything. He has no way of knowing how I feel about this outfit.

But…come on.

It was his idea to have a Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir theme for the photo shoot. If I'd known that was the theme before I got here, I would have pretended I was sick or something, but no such luck. I think about the randomly chosen girl my father has bullied into wearing the Ladybug suit. Poor thing. She and I are going to have a very awkward morning.

I stand in my dressing room and stare at what I'm supposed to wear. Plagg floats next to me, contemplating the treacherous clothes hung up on the hook on my closet door. He hasn't said anything yet, which is never a good sign. Usually I can't get him to shut up unless he's eating.

Speaking of which.

I pass him a slice of Camembert from the pocket of my jacket. "I have a feeling you might need this," I say. He takes it gratefully and chews, his green eyes perusing the tragedy at hand. I run my hands through my hair, not caring that it has just been styled within an inch of its life.

"What am I going to do? I'm doomed. People are going to take one look at me in this suit and realize…"

"I know," Plagg says grimly.

"And I can't refuse, or my father will think something's up."

"Well, if you put it on, he's going to figure it out anyway."

"Erghhh." I sigh heavily and flop onto the plushy couch opposite the closet. "I'm dead. Bury me already."

"Maybe no one will notice how much you look like Chat."

"Or maybe everyone will. It's going to be pretty obvious."

There is a knock on the door. It's some assistant. They never open the doors, they just talk through them. I don't understand this. Are they afraid of me?

"Mr. Agreste, two minutes."

Plagg and I exchange a look. I don't really have a way out. Not unless I climb out the window. But that would just make things worse for my sake – my father would flip out if I skipped a shoot.

Although, given the fact that I'm about to put on a leather costume with cat ears, I'm starting to wonder which is worse: a future in which my father is furious with me, or a future in which everyone finds out I'm also Chat Noir.

No turning back now.

I'm wearing the stupid Chat suit and mask. It's surprisingly true to the real one, but I'm not supposed to know that. I casually play with the bell at my collar as though I've never seen it before. It's just to keep up pretenses while I wait on the indoor set. The Ladybug model is running late, so I have to pass the time until she's dressed in her outfit.

Right now it's just me and one of the assistants. My father and the photographer are on their way back from getting coffee. My sincere hope is that no one notices the striking resemblance between Adrien Agreste, model, and Chat Noir, superhero.

Because if someone thinks we look alike, it's not too far a jump to the (correct) conclusion that we are one and the same.

Finally, a door opens and shuts and I can hear footsteps. Moments later, there's a girl standing on the edge of the set holding a red and black polka dot mask and wearing a skintight suit. It takes me only a second to realize that it's my friend, Marinette.

She hasn't noticed me standing here yet. I want to wave or something – I'm actually really pleased. At least it's someone I know, and we can commiserate over how weird my father is.

She's talking to one of the assistants, and they help her put on the mask. She looks just as nervous as I feel.

But then she turns to face me and I back up into one of the lighting pedestals.

She looks just like Ladybug. I didn't really notice until she put on the mask, but…it's uncanny. If I hadn't known it was Marinette standing there, I would have assumed my father had gotten the real Ladybug to model.

Unless…

Part of me pushes away that thought. It's too coincidental. But then the snide Plagg-voice in my head chimes in. It's already pretty coincidental. Your father unknowingly picked you to model as Chat Noir…

I tell the voice to shut up.

And then Marinette looks at me, and I can literally see her doing the same sanity check I just did. This costume must be a really good version…she probably thinks I'm the real Chat. I take of my mask, just for a second, and wave her over.

"Hey!" I say, trying to be cool and cover up the fact that the tower behind me is still wobbling slightly.

"Hi," she waves, walking closer. "Hi, Chat."

"So…these are neat costumes."

"Yeah," she says curiously. I'm pretty sure her blue eyes are x-raying me. "Almost as if they're the real deal."

I think I'm going to drown I'm sweating so much. Why does this costume have to be made of tight, non-breathable leather and spandex?

"Right…"

Then, mercifully, Claude emerges from another room. Claude is the photographer – he's brilliant, but very strange. The first time I did a shoot with him after becoming Chat Noir, he shook my hand, sniffed me, and announced, "This boy smells of Camembert. He is of noble stock."

I kid you not.

Needless to say, I'm hopeful he'll provide enough of a distraction to offset how much Marinette and I look like the counterparts we're supposed to be channeling. My father walks in behind him, on the phone, not focused on us. Thankfully.

Claude sets up the cameras and checks the set. He hums a little as he moves around. I pretend not to notice as he adjusts the light tower I bumped into.

"Let's put on a show," he finally says, and starts positioning Marinette. Then he moves me to stand beside her in some ridiculous hero pose. I don't really stand like that, do I? This is totally humiliating.

"Magnificent. The bug and the cat. Channel the love story we all know is there."

Marinette and I give each other a look. Love story? What love story?

"Show your emotions in your eyes. Let me see the stars in your eyes." Claude always says this to me during a shoot, but in the five years I've known him I've never figured out what it means. Clearly Marinette thinks it's odd too – her lips are pressed together to keep from laughing. I fight the urge to chuckle.

Unthinking, I whisper, "Don't let him bug you. His phrases are actually clawsome sometimes."

She stiffens suddenly at my puns. I'm sort of offended - they weren't that bad.

While Claude is walking back to the camera, Marinette whispers in my ear. "You're really him, aren't you?"

"Who, Adrien? Yeah. My father hasn't cloned me…yet, ha-ha…"

Claude adjusts the camera angle, and Marinette looks at me the way Ladybug sometimes does when I use too many puns. It's the you're annoying look. And I almost forget this is Marinette and not my lady. They even make the same expressions.

Huh.

"You know what I mean," she whispers.

"No…?" I look back at Claude, who's fiddling with something on the lens.

"Yes, you do."

"No…uh…what?"

"You know what."

"No, I'm saying no, n-o. Not k-n-o-w."

"Adrien," she sighs.

"Wait, now I'm confused."

"Please, it's so obvious. You're Chat. The real one. Not just the model."

"You – uh, wait…" I pause. I lower my voice. "You know?"

"Yes," she hisses exasperatedly.

Well then.

I capitulate. "It was the puns, wasn't it?"

"Enough talking, my spandex friends," calls Claude roughly. I realize he's been waiting for us. "I have six other shoots after this. Let's make haste."

I'm momentarily distracted from the cat-astrophe at hand. Spandex friends? Make haste? Who even talks like that anymore?

"Stars in the eyes. I want to see stars in the eyes. One, two, three," he continues. Claude starts snapping photos, occasionally telling one of us to move an arm or leg. I have to tilt my face to Marinette's and move closer, almost as if we're about to kiss.

I'm in full panicking mode now – Marinette just figured out my secret, it looks like we're trying to kiss, and tomorrow these pictures of me dressed like Chat are going to be on the front page.

If she can figure it out, anyone might. I really am doomed.

I think about running away, just hopping out the window in the corner and rappelling down the balcony or something.

But then I smell it. Honeysuckle. And baked bread. And something lemony. In my mind, I picture Ladybug. That's definitely her scent. It's muted because I don't have Chat Noir's super-senses right now, but I'd still know it anywhere.

But how can that be? This is Marinette, not Ladybug.

Although, she does bear a striking resemblance. She has the same eyes...and facial expressions…and there's still smell of baked rolls…

Hold on.

Marinette lives above her parents' bakery. Where they make fresh rolls.

Oh.

OH.

Claude re-positions us so that we're standing closer together now, toes almost touching. "The trees today are soft. Good fortunes are ahead," he mentions vaguely. Marinette makes a tiny snort as he moves back to the camera. I roll my eyes. While he sets up the next shot, I whisper to her.

"Looks like I'm not the only one hiding my identity in plain sight."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yeah, you do, Ladybug."

"It's just a costume."

"Not for you, it isn't. You're really her. You smell the same."

She gasps. Ha. Now it's her turn to panic. "I…"

"What are the odds? You and me…Chat and Ladybug…"

"Talk about serendipity," she sighs, her eyes wide. We're still caught in the almost-kissing pose, frozen.

"Is serendipity a good thing or a bad thing?"

We can hear the click of the camera. Lights flash. She considers me for what feels like an eternity.

"Definitely a good thing, in this case," she says. I can feel her breath on my lips.

"Marinette, are you as worried as I am about people seeing these modelling pictures? People are going to figure it out we're the real deal."

"Yeah, I am. That's why I snuck in early today and messed with the camera so it won't save any of the photos. That's why I was late getting ready. I had to de-transform in the broom closet and pretend I was lost. But these photos will never see the light of day, Claude doesn't seem to notice the resemblance, and frankly, your dad is too busy. We're safe."

My friend...my lady...is a genius.

"You're amazing, you know that?"

She touches my hand and Claude, still snapping photos, nearly has a conniption: "Yes, yes! Work the romance – pretend I'm not here. Keep moving closer...closer...closer!"

I place my hand against her back. She blinks.

We look at each other with new understanding. She smiles a genuine smile - not one sculpted for the camera.

There's a little spark in her eyes that wasn't there before. Is it recognition of me as Chat? Is it curiosity? Or something else? Somehow, I wonder if maybe I've finally realized what Claude meant, because I suddenly see stars in Marinette's eyes.

Perhaps there's method to his madness.

If you enjoyed this reveal, there are 46+ more unique, completed reveal oneshots here! Thanks for reading!

#miraculous ladybug #frightingale #miraculous ladybug season 2 #ml fanfics #marichat #ladrien #adrienette #ladynoir #rossignoble #ml reveal fic

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