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Being the Unlucky one in Paris' heroic duo meant that Chat Noir was more open to criticism than his black spotted partner. Sneering remarks about how Ladybug was better, off-handed comments about his destructive abilities, even Ladybug had mentioned his bad luck interfering with their missions once or twice in a joking manner.
Usually, Adrien could brush aside the unflattering commentary about his alter-ego but today-
"Honestly, he's such a hazard. I don't know why he doesn't just let a real hero like Ladybug get on with it."
-today, the comments were hitting too close to home with an already emotionally draining day on top.
He had almost overslept and while rushing around to try and make up time, his foot had gotten caught on a rug, causing him to roll it painfully. His father had been absent for yet another one of his fencing tournaments. A photo shoot with a woman that looked remarkably like his absent mother had been a disaster and his Lady had yelled at him after an Akuma attack (though that might have been due to his rash decision to take a hit for her again). In all, the past twenty-four hours hadn't been the best for him.
While he did have the rest of the Saturday free after the half day of school, news of the Akuma attack last night had made the rounds through the school. Many students had been singing Ladybug's praises but two upperclassmen Adrien barely recognised as members of the school's Unofficial Ladybug Fan Club had started loudly vocalising their disapproval of Chat Noir as Adrien and Nino left the school.
"Chat Noir just gets in Ladybug's way. He's pretty useless compared to her. I mean, it's not like she needs him or anything."
"I totally agree, man! Why would anyone need him? He's just the dumbass sidekick."
Adrien could feel his shoulders slump and the desire to just run was almost overwhelming. Nino was standing next to him awkwardly. Many of the other students look uncomfortable, wanting to defend the male half of the duo but unsure of what to say. He turned away from the two laughing boys when a familiar baby pink, white-spotted purse with floral embroidery was shoved into his hands.
"Adrien, hold my purse!"
The blond model almost fumbled it for a split second before grasping it tightly. A bag was thrown at his feet; a shorter dark haired girl stormed past Adrien and started pushing her jacket sleeves even further up her arms.
'Marinette?!'
"Kick some ass, girl. Adrien's got your purse." Alya appeared next to her two stunned friends and grinned when they blinked at her. She held her phone in her hand, primed and ready to record the confrontation.
"Hey, idiots! Who the hell do you think you are, saying stuff like that about Chat Noir?" Marinette stood at all her trembling fury in front of the two upperclassmen, her fists clenched and shaking with daggers in her eyes.
Normally, the two would just laugh off any underclassman, especially one as unintimidating as Marinette but the look in her eyes stopped them both short.
The pig-tailed girl crossed her arms, waves of raw anger radiating from her. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I haven't seen either of you do even so much as a quarter of the things Chat Noir has done. He has saved Ladybug, you, me, all of Paris a hundred times before and this is how you repay him?! By criticising him?!" Marinette lashed out with a hand, grasping the collar of one of the boys, tugging him down to eye level and snarling in his face. "Ladybug wouldn't last a week without him by her side! She needs him! He protects her! Drives her onwards! Supports her no matter what! So No! He is not 'just the dumbass sidekick'! He. Is. Her. Partner!" She released the boy and poked him with each word. "And he is as every bit as good as Ladybug!"
Spinning to face the other who had started moving away from the furious designer, she backed him up in a wall. Marinette jabbed a finger into the terrified and ashamed upperclassman, pinning him with an icy stare. "It wasn't Ladybug who protected me from The Evillustrator and The Gamer! It wasn't Ladybug who picked me up and ran half a mile away to ensure my safety! It wasn't Ladybug who tried to take on an entire army of Knights single-handedly and nearly won! It was Chat Noir! Every time there is an Akuma attack, he throws himself between us and the danger without hesitation! He does all of that and more just to keep Paris safe and he still finds the strength to smile despite all the pain he has to go through to protect us! Useless is the last thing I would ever consider him to be."
Marinette turned to face the other students, disgust and fury written all over her face. "You lot are just as bad! You all stood there while these two morons criticised the most loyal, brave, selfless, brilliant guy I know! He does all of this for us and you won't even stand up for him. He deserves far better than any of you! He is an incredible person and I hope you are all ashamed of yourselves." Several students blushed and looked away while other started murmuring quiet apologises.
Marinette clenched her fists once more and stormed towards Alya and the two boys with a furious look on her face. She swept her bag into her arms, adjusting it comfortably and using the distraction to calm down. When she was finished and the fury gone from her face, Marinette finally noted the phone in Alya's hands.
"That's recording, isn't it?" Marinette gave her friend a deadpan look.
Alya grinned. "Live straight to The Ladyblog!"
Marinette blushed madly and looked at the phone. "Chat, if you're watching this, you really do deserve better than us. Thank you for everything." Marinette fiddled with the book bag for a moment then turned to her best friend. "I'm going to head home now."
Adrien snapped out of the awe he had been in since Marinette had swept past him and handed back her purse gently. "That was amazing, Marinette!" He couldn't stop a wide grin crossing his face and the urge to chuckle was almost too much when she managed to achieve an even deeper red.
"Um...Thank you. Gottagonow.Bye!" The words were barely audible as Marinette raced off towards her home leaving Alya and Nino snickering under her breath and a slightly bewildered Adrien.
A toot of horn announced the arrival of Adrien's limo and he waved the duo off. Once he was comfortably seated in the back, the tears that he had been suppressing since Marinette had started to defend him so viciously and passionately slowly rolled down his cheeks even as he smiled.
That night Marinette found a beautiful bouquet of purple Iris, white Lillies of the Valley and blue violets on her balcony with a single white card. One side had only a green paw print. The other side had a single sentence.
You are the incredible one, Princess.