free fallin'

got milk?

Marinette and Alya chattered happily as they entered the grocery store and grabbed a cart.

"—and then she took off and beat him by a whole second!" Marinette grinned triumphantly.

Alya shook her head. "Kim never stood a chance this time around. Alix has been practically living in her skates. Girl power goin' strong!"

Marinette laughed and nodded as she looked through the aisles of fruit. "I think they're kinda cute though. I ship 'em."

"Who? Alix and Kim?" Alya raised a skeptical eyebrow, trailing behind with the cart and picking up strawberries and oranges.

"Yeah! You don't see it? The UST?" At her best friend's confused look, Marinette dropped her bag of apples into the cart and sighed, making random gestures. "Unresolved sexual tension! It's so obvious. They're perfect for each other! They treat each other like equals, they challenge each other, they enjoy the other's company—"

"Uh, excuse, me," Alya butted in. "Are we talking about the same Alix and Kim here? 'Cause every time I see them together, they're glaring at each other and spitting insults."

"No, they're smirking! They have fun betting against each other, otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it." Marinette nodded sagely as she picked up some tofu. "The insults are hiding their affection for each other. It's true!" Marinette insisted, pouting.

Alya shrugged. "If you say so." She pushed the cart forward towards the dairy section.

Marinette grabbed some spinach and carrots and raced after the cart. "Oh come on, Alya, it's so obvious! You really don't see it? Even Rose and Juleka and Nathanael think so!"

Alya gave her a flat look. "Okay, first of all? Nathanael worships the ground you walk on, so of course he'd agree with you."

Marinette flushed. "No he does—"

"Second. Rose and Juleka," Alya continued, ignoring Marinette's flustered protests, "are in love with each other and see the world through rose-colored love glasses. They'll ship anyone."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Fine. Fine! Don't believe me! You'll see. One day, you'll suddenly receive an invitation to their wedding and then I'll say 'I told you so'!"

"Baby steps, Marinette, let's see if they start dating first," Alya said in wry amusement. She reached into the milk section and grabbed a carton of almond milk.

Marinette made a face. "Are you still drinking that stuff? It's so—watery. Or something. Regular milk is so much better."

"People like you who never gain weight would never understand a decision such as this." Alya shook her head mock-sadly.

"Alya! I've gained so much weight in this past year, what are you even talking about!" She playfully shoved Alya. "Honestly, if you're gaining weight, it's not the milk's fault. But you're gorgeous and have actual curves so I really dunno what you're talking about."

She stepped forward and stretched up onto her tiptoes, straining to reach the organic two-percent milk but there were only two cartons left and they were shoved all the way to the back. She flailed her fingers to no avail.

Alya watched on in amusement. "Oh! I have an idea!" She held a fist in the air and waved it around. "Lasso it! Use your purse to lasso it!"

"What?" Marinette giggled. "No!"

"You can do it! Use your purse strap! Go on, try it!"

"Oh my goodness," Marinette laughed as she obligingly pulled her purse over her head and stepped up to the milk again. "I can't believe I'm doing this! Alya! If we get in trouble, I'm blaming you completely!"

Alya was too busy dying of laughter.

Marinette held the body of her purse in her left hand and gripped the two sides of the strap in the other, swinging it slightly before launching it towards her desired milk. It fell short by a little. She tried again, grinning in embarrassment, but the strap slid uselessly off the top of the carton, failing to snag onto any part of it. She stumbled back, unable to suppress her giggles, and turned to Alya for help.

Alya was doubled over, guffawing silently.

"Uhh...do you two need some help?"

Marinette's immediate reaction was to spurn any need for mental help before realizing that the stranger was not asking if she and Alya were mentally ill and was instead offering genuine help.

She and Alya panted and straightened to look at the kind stranger—and then Marinette lost her breath again.

There were two boys, but only the boy in front appeared concerned. He was blond, with gorgeous green eyes and flawless skin and his face was defined by the golden ratio. He was tall and lean and beautiful. The boy behind him—baseball cap, glasses, headphones—was turned away and covering his mouth, but his shoulders were trembling, a clear sign of hidden mirth.

Alya chuckled some more and finally answered, "Um, yeah, my friend was just trying to reach the milk but it's too far back."

"Okay! Lemme see if I can get it for you." He smiled and Marinette swore she heard angels sing. She squeaked.

Alya shot her a smug look. Marinette groaned, preparing herself for teasing on the way home.

The other boy, the one in the cap, finally turned to them with a large grin and smiling eyes. He glanced between the two of them before finally settling on the purse in Marinette's hands, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Seriously? Lassoing?"

"Hey, it was our only idea." Alya shrugged, smiling. "I thought it could work."

Marinette was still in a trance as she stared at the blond, who was straining his arm towards her milk. His fingers just brushed the top and with a little hop, he snatched it and pulled it out in one smooth motion.

"Ah-ha!" He turned back with a victorious grin and held out the milk to Marinette. "Here you are."

"Oh! U-um, th-thank you so m-much," Marinette stammered as she shyly accepted the carton, blushing hard and barely meeting his eyes.

He smiled kindly and pinked slightly, scratching the back of his head in an adorably bashful manner. "Aw shucks, you're welcome."

Marinette beamed as she watched him exchange a few words with Alya before leaving with his friend, looking back and sending her one last smile before they turned the corner and disappeared. Alya came over and nudged her arm, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Marinette rolled her eyes and went to put her milk in their cart.

Then she frowned as his final words registered in her brain. Did he actually say "aw shucks"?

notes: hey everyone! back at it again with the ML, indeed i am. this is inspired by a real scenario; my friend and i were in safeway and she was tryna get her milk but couldn't reach so i (alya is me ofc) had a great idea and told her to use her purse to lasso it and she failed and i really wanted to try myself but i didn't have a purse and i didn't wanna accidentally break hers (i'm rather destructive) and then this asian guy came over with a serious but also kinda "wtf are you doing you idiots" expression and offered to help and he totally was NOT as smooth as adrien (i think he hit his arm on the top of the fridge thing when he pulled out the milk) and then he left AND I KNOW HE WAS WITH AT LEAST ONE OTHER PERSON BECAUSE AFTER HE LEFT I DISTINCTLY HEARD HIM TALKING ABOUT US LIKE "—omg they were trying to LASSO the milk can you believe—" like thanks but also like fuck you judgey person we do what we want ahahahahaha ANYHOO COLLEGE ADVENTURES YAY

so this is a short (longer than drabble, shorter/less satisfying than oneshot) and i'm probs gonna do a collection of shorts. now here's where you guys come in: do you want these chapters to be related, like same word, same "characters" as in this one or should it be a story dump (which would end up being a lot of meet-cutes tbh cuz i love them and i wish they would happen to me BUT THEY NEVER DO in fact i've never been hit on BUT I'VE BEEN PRESENT WHEN MY FRIEND FROM THIS VERY MILKY SCENARIO GOT HIT ON guess i'm not pretty enough for that oh well).

(actually idk if i like this au enough to keep writing in it lol. hm. we'll see. still let me know what you'd like to see! if i continue in this universe, it's definitely au; if i do unrelated shorts most will probs still be au but some may not be so. yeah. lmk. also tentatively titled gimme title suggestions if you have any!)

sorry for the long note, but please do let me know if you want this to be a series of connected shorts or a collection of random ideas! :D thanks and have a great day~

disclaimer: i don't own miraculous ladybug or anything else you recognize. i also disclaim in advance every chapter following this so i don't have to include this every single chapter lol.

© Copyright 2016 by The Siege