"I can't believe it, Alya!" Marinette squealed, leaning back in one of the seats of her parents' bakery. "Adrien invited me to his photoshoot!"

Alya rolled her eyes. "Well it's not so surprising... Considering he's your boyfriend." She munched on a cookie, looking anything but amused.

"Well yeah," Marinette agreed. "But still! For once we don't have to try and look inconspicuous." At that, both girls burst into peals of laughter.

"You dudes ready...?" Nino's voice trailed off at the girls' giggling when he stepped through the outside door. "I'll take that as a yes."

"Sorry, Nino," Alya managed between chuckles. "Yeah, we're ready. Is Adrien already at the statue?"

The photoshoot was in front of the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue that Theo had built. Marinette couldn't help but smile at the irony of the whole situation. Chat Noir having a photoshoot in front of his own statue. She wondered if anyone would spot the resemblance. But considering she herself hadn't before, she doubted it.

"Yep," Nino answered. "He's starting in five minutes so we'd better run."

The three teens dashed out of the bakery, yelling quick byes behind them, and headed towards the statue.

*~*~*~*~*

"You made it!" Adrien waved at his friends running towards him. "Glad you could come."

He was dressed in a white button down shirt, tightly buttoned up to the last button at his neck, with black formal pants and black dress shoes that matched his black belt. His golden hair was neatly parted. At the end of his fitted sleeves was the silver ring he always wore, cupped protectively with another hand.

"Looks like your dad's taking the formal route," Alya observed. "You must be burning up in that outfit."

"Oh don't even get me started," Adrien agreed. He glanced back at the photographer frantically gesturing at him and waved. "I guess we're starting," he announced. Quickly pecking Marinette's lips, he ran towards the photographer.

The poor girl looked like she was about to faint.

"Mari! Earth to Mari!" Alya shook her best friend's shoulders. "Girl, you've got to get a hold of yourself. You've been dating for nearly a month!"

"I know I know," Marinette sighed. "He's just so perfect. How did I get a guy like him?"

Surprisingly, it was Nino who chuckled this time. "It's funny because the dude literally says the same exact thing about you... All the time."

Marinette gave a shy smile.

"Okay come on!" Alya dragged Marinette and Nino to the bench across from where Adrien was taking pictures. Immediately, Marinette rested her hand on her chin and let out a long sigh, her eyes locked on her boyfriend.

"They're ridiculous," Alya whispered to Nino. "But they're so cute."

Nino grinned. "Personally, I think we're cuter."

Alya bumped his shoulder. "You dork."

The photoshoot continued for another fifteen minutes before the photographer scratched his chin, frowning at Adrien's expressions. "We need someone else," he suggested. "A girl."

Adrien immediately glanced at Marinette. "Does my girlfriend work?" He winked.

The photographer nodded, turning around. He pointed to Marinette and recognition flickered in his eyes. "The young lady who won your father's derby hat competition, she's the one?"

Adrien nodded, grinning.

"Ah. Mar- Mari-" he tried to recall.

Marinette smiled. "It's Marinette."

"Right," the photographer acknowledged. "Miss Marinette, would you mind posing with Mr. Adrien?"

Marinette met Adrien's gaze and turned to Alya who gave her a thumbs up. "I'd be honored."

The photographer brightened. "Alright then, if you could just-"

Marinette scanned Adrien's outfit. "Um, sir, if you don't mind... May I give some suggestions?"

The photographer raised his eyebrows at Adrien who nodded. "Go ahead," he suggested, intrigued.

"Well," Marinette began, stepping in front of the camera and adjusting Adrien's collar. "This outfit is aimed at teenage boys and young men, right?

"People of that age group don't necessarily dress so pristinely." Marinette unbuttoned the first few buttons of the shirt and directed her attention to the sleeves. She was so engrossed in her work, she didn't even notice Adrien's wide smile. "Even when dressing formally, it's toned down."

Marinette unbuttoned the ends of the sleeves and folded them upwards until they cuffed at Adrien's elbows. She gestured for Adrien to slightly loosen how tightly his shirt was tucked in. Finally, with a smirk, she mussed his hair until it almost resembled Chat's.

"Besides," Marinette concluded, stepping back to admire her work. "It suits him."

The photographer's jaw dropped. How had a sixteen year old girl been able to transform an outfit in a few suggestions? And how did it look so much better?

"Have you considered a career in fashion design?" The photographer asked when he finally could speak. "I'm sure Mr. Agreste would offer you an internship at his company."

Marinette's face shone with pride.

*~*~*~*~*

"Oh my goodness." Marinette buried her face in her hands despite walking down the bustling street. "I completely ruined your photoshoot. I'm so sorry, Adrien."

"Are you kidding me?" Adrien grabbed her shoulders. "That was probably the best photoshoot I've ever had."

Marinette frowned. "But I messed with your outfit and wasted the photographer's time and now he probably thinks I'm some sort of crazy control freak and-"

"Marinette," Adrien interrupted. "You were perfect. The photographer was extremely impressed with your additions and he even said he'd tell my dad. Who knows? Maybe you'll be the person designing my outfits some day."

Adrien leaned close and whispered so only Marinette could hear. "This is why I love you m'lady. You take something that's nice and make it extraordinary. You make the world a better place."

"Don't act like you don't, too, chaton," Marinette whispered back, smiling.

"Okay enough flirting you two," Alya chided beside them with a teasing grin. "Where do you want to go out for lunch?"

*~*~*~*~*

When his father sat down at the dinner table with him, Adrien was elated. But it seemed Gabriel still had no time for chitchat- he got straight to the point.

"I heard about the photoshoot today," he began. He took a deep breath, his expression turning stern. "I don't like people interfering with your photoshoots."

Adrien's face fell.

"Usually. But this Marinette girl, she seems to be rather talented. First the derby hat and now this. Frankly, the later pictures seem better for advertising." He noticed Adrien's expression. "Now don't get your hopes up," he warned. "I won't be offering her an internship until she proves herself more, but... I approve of your girlfriend."

Adrien's face broke out into a smile, and if he was anywhere else, he would have jumped out of his seat. Instead he settled for clearing his throat and crossing his legs. "Thank you, father."

*~*~*~*~*

Two weeks later...

Marinette held the magazine in her shaking hands balanced on the school library's table. There she was- right on the cover.

Publicity had been bad enough when she and Adrien had started dating. All the magazine covers either depicted Ladybug and Chat Noir locked in a tight embrace or Adrien and Marinette lovingly gazing at each other. Marinette didn't know which one was worse- and she absolutely hated it. Her private life being publicly displayed. It took weeks before the talk died down, but even then, life never went back to the way it was before.

And now... This.

Rather than the usual picture of Adrien posing on the cover, this magazine had one of Marinette ruffling Adrien's hair while he smiled back down at her, an arm around her waist. The headline was the worst part.

Adrien Agreste's Girlfriend and Budding Fashion Designer, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Displays Her Talent Once More

"You saw it too?" Adrien asked, taking a seat beside her. "Did you read the article?"

Marinette shook her head. "I'm still trying to digest the cover."

Adrien laughed. "But you get the same amount of publicity, if not more, as Ladybug," he whispered.

"Yeah but I have a mask on my face then," she countered, her voice low. "I'm practically a different person."

"Fair enough," Adrien agreed. He leaned in, an excited smile on his face. "They're talking about you maybe getting an internship. And when I talked to my dad that night, he said he approved of you as my girlfriend. My dad never approves of any of my friends."

"Woah. Well, my parents approved of you the first week so if that helps..."

"Well what can I say?" Adrien said with an awfully Chat-like smirk. "I'm purrfect."

"Oh my gods," Marinette groaned. "No wonder your dad approves of me. He'd approve of anyone who doesn't make as bad puns as his son."

"Hey!" Adrien protested. "My puns are great."

"They're terrible."

"I'm going to have to agree with Marinette on this one," Nino cut in, breaking away from his conversation with Alya. "You don't make many puns, but when you do, they're awful."

"He means pawful," Adrien whispered in Marinette's ear, causing her to smack her forehead.

Both Alya and Nino laughed at Marinette's reaction, despite not hearing the pun. "Oh yeah, congrats on the magazine Mari!" Alya added. "I mean- an internship! Wow!"

"Thanks," Marinette replied with a smile. "It all seems so unreal."

"Well it's real," Adrien reminded, patting her shoulder. "So you'd better get used to it."

Oh she could get used to this. She really could.