Title: Rolling With the Beat

Summary: When Marinette had agreed to designing a CD cover, she never expected to gain two overly enthusiastic mentors and a cuddle-loving crocodile along the way.

Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug.

AN: I can't believe I finally caved and demanded ffn add Jagged, Penny, and Fang to the character lists. Uploading this here in celebration of them finally adding Jagged and Fang. Now every one help me get my precious bby Penny on there too lol.

The tablet cracked in Jagged Stone's hands, the glass splintering delicately under his clawed fingers. His ears were pounding - or maybe that was just Fang growling behind him? - and he willed himself to stop glaring at the poor girl shuffling awkwardly in front of him.

"What. Did you just say?"

"Ummm…" Marinette giggled nervously, her hand coming up to scratch the back of her head. She was bouncing on her toes nervously, further jostling locks of hair out of her pigtails. "He...uhhh." Marinette gulped, her wide eyes flicking between him and Fang. "I wasn't paid anything?"

Crack.

Jagged's eyes flicked down to his new tablet, the screen dark and the glass fractured. He chucked the broken thing over his shoulder, the loud snap as Fang swallowed it oddly satisfying. Penny was grumbling over the loss of another tablet - "You got it just last week!" - but he ignored her as he shoved his clenched fists in his pockets.

His eyes snapped back to Marinette's. She snapped to attention, one of her pigtails becoming completely undone as she slapped her hands to her sides and froze, and Jagged shoved away his flash of guilt for scaring her. "Bob paid you nothing for your CD cover designs?"

Marinette gulped again and nodded.

Jagged swallowed down his curse - do not swear in front of the children do not swear in front of the children do not - and turned to Penny. His best friend waved his question away (probably a good thing considering he had a thing or two to say about his old producer on the tip of his tongue and none of it nice) and answered his unspoken question. "I just texted him and his assistant. Not that I'm expecting an answer."

Fang growled louder behind him.

Penny huffed and crossed her arms. "He was probably trying to make up some money for those perfume ad covers you rejected."

Jagged growled with Fang.

"Um, sir!"

He and Penny turned back to Marinette. Her lips were spread into a painfully awkward and nervous smile, making the guilt flash through Jagged again. Fifteen year old girls were probably not used to seeing their idol and their pet crocodiles growling and trying to set fires via glaring. He took a deep breath and tried to will some of his ire away so that Fang at least would calm down.

Marinette waved her hands in front of her, probably trying to be soothing but instead coming off as anxious. "L-look, it's really no big deal!"

Jagged froze, his jaw falling as he gaped at Marinette. What?

Marinette licked her lips and smiled, this one looking a tad more relaxed. "Honestly! It's not a big deal! It was an honor designing your CD cover art, I didn't do it for money!"

Jagged jaw clicked shut as he frowned at her, Fang shifting restlessly behind him as he sensed Jagged's growing anger. His fingers curled, Bob's gloating face dancing in his in his mind's eye. "It's a huge deal! A-"

Penny cut him off with a glare, her narrowed eyes screaming at him to calm down. He snapped his mouth shut with a scowl as Penny turned to explain. "Marinette, it is a big deal. You made two designs and along with the rush order, you should've been paid six hundred euros."

"Seven-fifty," Jagged muttered.

"Si-six hundred," Marinette squeaked, her eyes impossibly wide. "Seven hundred and fifty euros?! No no no, my stuff wasn't that good!"

Jagged snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Yes it was. At least seven hundred and fifty euros. Your design's my favorite."

Marinette emitted a strangled sound, her eyes wide and her jaw on the ground.

Penny sighed and walked over to Marinette, gently bumping her shoulder against Jagged's as she passed him (a second warning for him to calm down). Penny placed her hands on Marinette's shoulders and squeezed. "If we had hired one of the more well-known professional designers to do your kind of work, they could've demanded one-thousand euros for just one design if they wanted to. You did two and you did them both in less than twenty-four hours." Penny huffed again, her right eye twitching.

Oh boy, she's pissed, Jagged thought gleefully. Fang bumped his leg with his nose and his tail thumped the ground in time with Jagged's pounding heart. Bob's gonna get it...

"It's extremely unprofessional for Bob Ross to take advantage of you like he did just because you're young and a fan."

"Seriously uncool," Jagged butted in, shaking his head angrily. "It's as-guys like him that only care about money and rates that ruined music. First it was all about expression and feelings and art but now it's just about who can get the biggest paycheck." Bile coated the back of his throat and he gagged. "Why did I ever work with him?"

Penny nodded in agreement and squeezed Marinette's shoulders again. "Exactly. We're going to insist to pay you. You have a gift Marinette, don't let anyone like Bob Ross take advantage of you or else you'll never get the recognition you deserve."

Marinette's eyes flicked between him and Penny for a few minutes before nodding hesitantly. "O-okay."

Jagged relaxed marginally, Fang calming down as well until he was just nuzzling his head against Jagged's calves. Penny exchanged a look with him, his friend smiling soothingly before turning away to go grab his checkbook from wherever she had hidden it last. He took a deep breath and shook his head to get rid of his disgust and walked over to Marinette, who looked as though she was on the edge of a heart attack.

Jagged patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry for scaring you earlier." Fang whined behind him and Jagged's lips twitched. "Fang says sorry too."

Marinette let out a strangled giggle. "Thanks?" She bit her lip and bounced on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped behind her back. "I just...don't see what the big deal is? I didn't do it for money."

Jagged narrowed his eyes and shrugged. "I don't care. You made me an awesome CD cover and it's wrong for Bob not to pay you. The music industry is too mean and greedy nowadays. We're supposed to support each other, not cheat others!"

Marinette smiled nervously, still rocking on her heels and seemingly ten seconds away from bolting. She looked like she was going to say something but pressed her lips together, her eyes darting away from Jagged and flicking around the large hotel room.

"Okay!" Penny said as she came over, her cheerful tone and easy smile seeming to put Marinette at ease as she stopped bouncing.

(Jagged new much better. Penny may be one of the best music agents in the business with a perfect poker mask, but he and Penny have been best friends for years and he was a master at picking out the little giveaway details.)

(Bob was so screwed.)

Penny handed him his checkbook and a pen. "Just sign that and then Marinette will be all set."

Jagged playfully rolled his eyes at the formality (Penny's been forging his signature for years) but went along with the show, squeezing his signature into the small place with a flourish. He ripped it out and offered it to Marinette with his signature grin, waving it a little as she hesitated. "Thanks again for the awesome cover!"

Marinette's wide eyes flicked between the check and Jagged, smiling nervously as she nodded twice. "Of course! It was a pleasure!" Her eyes flicked back to the check and Jagged could barely make out her muttering "so much money!" under her breath.

Jagged bit back his laugh and his pair of Eiffel Tower sunglasses popped to mind. "Say, you like designing right?"

Marinette tore her eyes from his check - which looked like it was about to be torn in her white-knuckled grip - and her smile grew as she eagerly nodded. "Yeah, I want to be a fashion designer."

Jagged grinned and stroked his beard, exchanging a sly look with Penny out of the corner of his eye. "Cool. I'll keep it in mind. Leave your contact information with Penny and we'll hit you up if I ever need a new outfit."

Marinette's jaw fell. "What?!"

Jagged and Penny laughed. He snapped his fingers into a finger gun and winked at the frozen teen. "I like your style Marinette. And I love supporting new and upcoming artists, it'll be fun!"

Marinette gaped at him. Jagged raised his eyebrow at her and was about to ask her if she was alright when-

"IcoulddesignanoutfitforJaggedStone?!"

"Yeah!" Jagged laughed, raising his hand for a high five.

Marinette raised her hand automatically, her eyes growing impossibly wider as he slapped it. "I just high fived Jagged Stone. I might design something for Jagged Stone."

Penny laughed with him this time. "That's the spirit," she said. Jagged grinned at Penny's genuinely excited tone, the normal rush of adrenaline racing through him at the thought of working with new talent. This is why he got into the music industry and it made every second of his labor to stay in it worth it.

Penny placed her hands on Marinette's shoulders and guided her across the room to her small workstation. "Now, all I need is your number and..."

Fang bumped his head against Jagged's leg again and Jagged tuned out the two ladies across the room as he kneeled down to rub Fang's head. Fang gurgled happily, butting his nose against Jagged's shoulder. Jagged grinned as he scratched under Fang's jaw, the crocodile's tail thumping happily against the hardwood floor.

Penny cleared her throat and Jagged looked over to see her patiently waiting by the elevator door, Marinette next to her and bouncing on her toes again.

Jagged walked over, his hand out. "It was nice doing business with you Marinette. Your work is awesome and I look forward to seeing more of it."

Marinette nodded happily, her eyes still huge. "Thank you so much for everything!" she said, grabbing his hand and shaking it enthusiastically.

Something knocked against Jagged's leg and Jagged looked down to see Fang edging around his leg to bump his nose against Marinette's knee. Marinette froze mid-bounce, her breath audibly hitching as she stared down at his crocodile.

Jagged just raised an eyebrow. Fang didn't normally warm up to people this fast.

Marinette giggled nervously, her eyes darting between Jagged, Penny, and Fang. Jagged startled when he saw Penny narrow her eyes at him and he just shrugged, not knowing what Fang was up to either. Penny's face morphed into a deadpan look and Jagged realized with a jolt that she meant for him to get Fang away from Marinette now. He turned back to call Fang away, only to stop and watch as Marinette hesitantly held her hand out to Fang.

Doesn't she know that's the best way to lose a finger or three?

(Not that Fang would ever do something that rude.)

Fang gurgled happily and pressed his nose to Marinette's palm. Marinette giggled and rubbed Fang's nose affectionately, Jagged and Penny exchanging astounded looks over their heads.

Oh, he liked this one.

Fang started to wag his tail, which Jagged would've found adorable had Fang not whacked the back of his knees with it and almost send him toppling to the ground. Marinette snorted at Jagged's flailing, waving goodbye to him, Penny, and Fang as she quickly backed away into the elevator.

"I like her," he said, grinning as he heard Marinette cheering from inside the elevator. Fang bumped his knee with his nose before wandering off towards the window, probably wanting to sleep in the afternoon sun for a few more hours.

Penny grinned at him and followed Fang, gracefully falling into one of the many plush chairs scattered around the room. "Me too." She crossed her legs in the wide chair and reached over the back of her chair to grab one of the tablets sitting on the small table behind her. She settled back into her chair, tablet securely nestled in her lap, and gestured to her right. "We'll call her later though. First we have some business to attend to."

Glee shot down his spine and he bounded over, eagerly pulling a chair up next to Penny's and flopping down next to her. "Roasting Bob?" he asked breathlessly, already skimming the politely worded - and brutal - email Penny was drafting.

Three sentences in and she's already throwing all the punches.

"Mhmm," Penny said, her smile sharklike. "He won't know what hit him."

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