Day 20 – Pranks

Ladybug dropped down onto her balcony carefully, watching for movement from the corner of her eye as she allowed her transformation to melt away into the icy breeze around her. She'd only been gone for an hour or two. Her legs had desperately needed stretching and she'd been a jiggling ball of anxiety lately, whenever Adrien had been far too smug and quiet looking.

When Master Fu had suggested that the two of them begin doing active training together to help strengthen their bond and teamwork, she had expected sparring. Maybe races across the city or something. Not this.

Apparently, Master Fu wanted them to sharpen their wits as well as their muscles and had convinced them that trying to out-fox one another in little ways was best. She was sure he meant more mental challenges than what they had slipped into, but honestly the riddles he had left them with were infuriatingly boring, and it was still a little difficult to think straight with Adrien sitting right there beside her, trying to read over her shoulder. What else had he expected from a couple of young teenagers living in such close quarters together?

It had started with Adrien stealing the last of the milk at breakfast one day, leaving the empty carton in the fridge to disappoint her when she tried to pour herself some for her own cereal. So, of course Marinette had retaliated by painting his soap with clear nail polish. She had giggled when he started yelling from the bathroom later that night.

He had quickly upped the ante, and she did the same in retaliation, both of them swept up in the fun of pranking each other. Just yesterday, Adrien had replaced the cushion in Marinette's favourite spot on the couch with a balloon carefully stuffed inside the cover. She had let out a mortifying squeal when she threw herself back on it and it popped with a loud bang. Her latest revenge had been to tape an air-horn beneath the computer chair. Being taller than her, Adrien had automatically tried to raise it, making the lever hit the air horn button and scaring himself half to death as she laughed downstairs.

They'd gone back and forth for a week or so now and she was honestly starting to get a little worried. He was bound to try something truly awful now.

If she'd told herself a few months back that she would consider Adrien Agreste an evil genius these days, she would have laughed herself hoarse. And yet, here she was, terrified of whatever terrible retribution he had dreamed up for her.

Slowly, she moved towards the skylight she had left closed (but stupidly forgotten to lock) when she had gone out earlier. He'd had plenty of time to set something up if he wanted to catch her on her way back in, so she was extra cautious, waiting for any sign of movement before she shifted her weight between her feet. It paid off as she approached because she managed to spot the flick of a feline tail above her and a strange sloshing sound that told her water was probably involved in his plans.

She let out a humiliating screech as she dived away towards her sun lounger, the only part of the balcony at least somewhat covered by her awning. The shadow of a large projectile loomed through the awning, silhouetted against the sun shining through the material and giving Marinette the perfect view of its approach.

As if in slow motion, she saw Chat Noir jump down from the roof, somehow faster than the water balloon he had dropped, to stand in front of her ready to gloat. She watched in fascinated horror as his expression changed to shocked dread as the balloon refused to pop and instead bounced off of the angled awning and straight at him.

Marinette closed her eyes at the moment the balloon exploded, a deafening squelch of sound invading her ears. She peeked with one eye at first, the other quickly opening as she took in the sight of him, a wide grin slowly overtaking her face.

A soft giggle erupted at first, quickly turning into a full-blown belly laugh as she tried to turn away from him. She soon realised she couldn't help but look at the miserable sight before her.

Chat was soaked from head to toe. His usually fluffy, erratic hair was lying flat and lifeless. Every inch of his suit was saturated and dripping into the flooded remains of the balloon at his feet. He stood there, the perfect example of a grumpy cat, attempting murder through his eyes alone as she laughed.

"Think this is funny, Maribug?" he asked her, a cruel sneer appearing on his face.

Her laughter stopped abruptly as she watched him, sure he was up to something else now, despite his awful luck with his latest prank. As he started to stalk towards her, Marinette backed off, only to bump into her lounger. A quick glance behind her told her she had run out of places to go. She tried to move sideways, to get herself out of the trap she'd accidentally sprung on herself, but Chat suddenly took up all available space around her as he gave her a sopping wet hug.

Yet another squeal left her mouth as she tried to fight him off, Chat giggling like a five-year-old the entire time as he carefully tackled her to the lounger and rubbed his wet hair against her face.

"Kitty!" she yelped, "It's too cold out here for this! You're freezing!"

With a final chuckle at their situation, Chat relented, lying beside her instead and letting his transformation drop. Both kids giggled as Plagg immediately began screeching in disgust at his holder, shaking himself dry and phasing his way through the floor to heat up, mumbling about warm Camembert the whole time.

Marinette ran her hands through the sodden strands of hair hanging in Adrien's face, soft affection for the boy starting to override her usual nerves at their closeness. He shivered in response, the icy air beginning to chill him without the protection of his suit.

"Warm me up, Princess?" he asked, pulling her into a damp hug and causing the colour to rise to her cheeks again. She hoped she could play it off as being caused by all her laughter today.

Gently shoving him away, Marinette got up from the lounger, turning towards the skylight for a moment, before turning back and offering him her hand. "Let's get some warm towels and fresh clothes, you dumb kitten," she said with a teasing lilt to her voice, "I don't want to catch a cold out here."

She tried desperately not to think too much on the way Adrien's hand had lingered in hers even after she had helped him up from the lounger, and how they had only separated when it was necessary for them to climb down.

She tried, but she failed.