Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug *WARNING – SPOILERS*

Type: One-shot

Timeline: Takes place after episode 6

Tumblr: faith-xx-love

Notes: Idea taken from what I originally posted on my main account on Tumblr.

Freudian Slip

"Alright students, you may go to your respective lab benches," The Chemistry teacher clapped her hands and gestured to the back of the class where the benches were. "Remember to put on your gloves, goggles and lab coats before performing any experiments! The reagents and apparatus you need are clearly labelled on the shelves on the sides of the classroom. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to approach me."

To say that Marinette was excited for their first chemistry experiment was an underestimation – she was paired with Adrien Agreste. Adrien. The boy of her dreams. Students were paired randomly in their science classes and were stuck together for the rest of the semester unless there was an issue that require a change of partners. Therefore, Marinette would be able to spend a lot more time with Adrien though her gut feelings told her that Chloe might be plotting something to force them apart.

Maybe ladybugs do bring good luck, after all.

"Hey Marinette, I guess we are Chemistry partners, huh?" Adrien said, as he fell into step beside her on the way to the benches.

He appeared so suddenly that it took Marinette all her willpower to not blush and drop all her stationery. "A-A-Adrien! Y-Yes! Let's do our best!"

Adrien smiled. "OK, you can head to the bench first, I'll go get our lab coats. I take it that you'll be wearing small?"

Marinette nodded her head furiously. After Adrien had left, Marinette caught sight of Alya giving her a thumbs-up from two benches away from her. She was paired with Nino. She returned Alya with a big grin and did a little fist pump that left both girls giggling at each other.

The introductory Chemistry experiment that day was on acid and bases. Students had to use a universal indicator and measure the pH at the point where the solution changed colors using a pH meter. Adrien and Marinette had divided their jobs with Adrien adding sodium hydroxide to hydrochloric acid and Marinette doing the opposite.

It took Marinette a painstakingly long time to get her beakers and reagents ready because she could not help but keep glancing towards her crush on her right. Adrien just looked so damn good in the lab coat and goggles.

He could be a doctor in the future and he's going to earn lots of money and we'll get married and have two or maybe three kids and we are going to live happi– no Marinette! Focus! You can't let Adrien see that you are an incompetent student! Now, go mix some acids and bases!

Marinette turned her head away from Adrien and scanned her lab manual, re-reading the instructions. She could have sworn she had read the procedure a million times already.

"OK, add 2-3 drops of HCl to the beaker of NaOH and stir with a glass rod…" Marinette mumbled to herself. "Where's my glass rod?"

Marinette frowned and looked around her workspace. Adrien had a couple of glass rods at his side. "Chat? Could you pass me a glass rod please?"

The next thing she knew was Adrien whirling around so fast to face her that he nearly knocked over his beaker of acid. Marinette gave a tiny yelp and looked at him in surprise. "Chat…?"

Adrien looked flabbergasted – horrified, even. He had frozen on the spot, his eyes trained on hers and it took Marinette a couple long seconds before she realized what she called him.

"Ohmygoodness, I— I meant Adrien. Adrien. I am so so sorry, I don't know what came over me," Marinette waved her arms around, attempting to redeem herself. She could already feel all the blood in her system rush to her face with the way Adrien was boring holes into her forehead. "You see, Alya drew Chat Noir's costume on one of your photos and showed it to me and maybe that's why I—"

Her face was burning and she could tell that students around her were watching them. But another look at Adrien cut her off. All the colors had drained from his face and he looked very pale.

"A-Adrien…? Are you okay…?" She placed both of her hands on Adrien's arms, to support him, just in case he was to collapse all of a sudden.

The touch shook him out of his trance. "I-I think I inhaled a little too much chloroform. I have a very sensitive nose and I can smell it in the room. Someone must have taken the wrong reagent. I… think I'm going to visit the infirmary."

Marinette nodded quickly and was about to accompany him but he rejected her offer saying that she should finish the experiment, as they would not get a makeup experiment day. Adrien ended up being escorted to the school clinic after the teacher paged for an available staff member.

After Adrien left, Alya caught Marinette's attention from her bench and made a gesture that meant "Talk later. Rooftop."

Marinette sighed loudly. So much for luck…

"Do you think he is going to be okay?" Marinette asked, taking a small bite off her sandwich and chewing it bitterly.

When the lunch bell sounded across the campus, the first thing Marinette and Alya did was to visit the infirmary. However, they were turned away by the scary school nurse who said something along the lines of "My patients need to rest!".

"Don't worry about it too much, Marinette," Alya gave her a pat on her shoulder but Marinette returned her with a frown.

"Okay okay! I'm sorry! This might be my fault," Alya raised her hands in defense and laughed nervously. "You have to admit that he looks a lot like Chat Noir though."

"Urgh," Marinette groaned. "I am not going to believe you. Besides, there is a possibility that someone really did took the wrong reagent."

"But Marinette, that's the problem. I double-checked with the teacher and she said they ran out of chloroform. Even if there is chloroform, it will always be kept in the fume hood. Nobody is allowed to touch them except for upper year science students."