Work Text:
The akuma, Arachnae a spider-themed monster, had shot webs at Ladybug and Chat Noir, who managed to dodge them expertly... Except for the webs that hit Ladybug's pigtails, pinning her to the wall by her hair.
She knew from watching the civilians that the more one struggled, the more stuck they would become, like flies trapped in a spider's web. She stood frozen, holding her breath.
"My Lady!" Chat cried, as he tugged on her hair, trying to free her.
The webs started to spread to him. They were unbreakable, and if he was trapped, all would be lost.
"Ouch." She frowned, "please stop."
The akuma cackled. "I've captured Ladybug, and you will be next, Chat-"
Ladybug shoved Chat Noir out of the way. "Can you keep this fool distracted?"
"I can." He looked back at her, "but will you be okay?"
She shrugged, "I'll figure something out. I always do."
"Right." Chat Noir started running, waving his arms, "Hey I'm actually arachnophobic! I think spiders shouldn't have rights."
Ladybug face palmed, sighed, and after tugging at her hair to make sure she really was stuck, threw her yo-yo into the air. "Lucky Charm!"
A pair of scissors fell from the sky, nearly impaling her, but she managed to catch them, with no injury. Luckily, they were child scissors, with the safety enabled. Still, she didn't like that the universe decided to throw scissors at her face.
Ladybug looked at the scissors, then at the web, "It can't be that simple, can it?" she brought the scissors to the web, and started to cut.
The sticky stuff resisted, like glue, creating new bonds everywhere she sliced.
"I just need to get out of here." Ladybug leaned forwards, but was yanked backwards into the webs by her hair.
Which gave her an idea.
Ladybug took the scissors to her head and chopped. Her pigtails stayed attatched to the web, but she was free. She pocketed the scissors, in case they came in handy, and started jogging to catch up to Chat.
The fight was over pretty quickly after that. Arachne didn't expect Ladybug to be free, so she had the element of surprise. The akuma itself was in an obvious location that Chat was able to destroy, and Ladybug tossed her scissors to the sky without a second thought.
"Pound it!" The heroes fist bumped.
Chat shook his head, "You know Bug, I was worried for a minute there, when you were stuck, but we did it."
"Yeah," Ladybug nodded, "We did- wait!"
"What?"
"My head feels lighter." Ladybug ran her fingers through her hair. "The cure didn't fix my hair."
"It's...." Chat frowned, "fine?"
"You hesistated. And acted like it was a question."
"What's hesitating?" Chat stared towards the sky, specifically avoiding eye contact.
Ladybug glared, "you are not helping."
"Really, it could be worse. "
"I just haphazardly chopped it with magical safety scissors-"
He glanced down. "You did it to save the world. And I think it looks cute."
"Its uneven. You could give a toddler scissors and let them run free on my hair and it would've turned out the same." Ladybug ran her hands through her hair, "I won't be taken seriously like this."
"You know," Chat took a breath, "if you're worried about it being uneven, I could help."
"You could?"
"Yeah." He smiled, "I mean, I've cut my own hair since I was 14, so I know a thing or two."
She blinked, "You cut it yourself? It looks so good."
"Thanks." He blushed. "One day I was fed up with everything, my mom was gone, my dad wouldn't call me by my name, and I just chopped it all off. It felt so good. It was cathartic. I finally felt like myself, you know?"
"No, but I'm glad it worked out for you." Ladybug nodded, "your hair is nice, I wouldn't be opposed to having the same haircut as you."
"I wouldn't make it too short. I'd mostly just try to even it out-"
"Nah." Ladybug shook her head. "Do whatever you want. Its hair, it'll grow back."
"Great." Chat Noir's ring started beeping. "Meet me back here in like 15 minutes?"
"Yeah. Is that enough time for you to feed your kwami?"
Chat nodded, "I keep cheese in my pockets. I'll feed him, find some scissors and get back."
....
When Ladybug returned, Chat was waiting for her, with several spray bottles, combs and scissors.
"Chat, you really didn't need to get all of this."
"Yeah i did. Ladybug, if you want it even, it has to be combed. The detangler and water is just to make it easier to handle."
"Why do you have three pairs of scissors?" Ladybug shook her head, "you really didn't have to go so out of your way to help me."
"It was no big deal, I had all of this stuff anyways." He threw a towel on her shoulder. "Now, do you want the exact same haircut as me?"
"Do whatever you want, just make it even, you could even shave it all off."
"Got it." Chat started spritzing her hair with water, "One Chat Noir special coming up."
....
Ladybug looked in the mirror when she got home, and frankly, it wasn't half-bad. It wasn't her style, but it wasn't bad. Her hair had many layers to it, and extended just past her ears. She turned from side to side. Her hair swooshed around her head freely, not long enough to tie up, but short enough that it didn't cover her face. She liked it.
(it reminded her of Luka's hair)
Happy enough with the cut, Marinette went to sleep.
...
The next morning, Marinette struggled to get up to the sound of her alarm. She dragged herself out of bed, grabbed her bags, and trudged into school, all before the bell rang.
She made it with minutes to spare, but immediately people started staring.
Marinette frowned as all heads turned towards her, "What?" She paused in the doorway, "I'm not that late am i?"
"No," Adrien pointed, "we're looking at your hair."
"Yeah." Marinette ran a hand through her hair, "I guess I just decided it was time for a change?"
Nino was the first to speak, "You've had the same hairstyle for ten years. What happened?"
She shrugged, "I just grabbed my scissors and chopped. Is it okay?"
Alya gasped, "Okay? Its beautiful."
Marinette blushed and brought a hand up to her hair, "really? I was nervous-"
Nino nodded, "I like it."
Adrien was silent.
"Yes really, its carefree, radiant, dreamy." Alya snorted.
Marinette choked, "What?"
"Marinette, the fragrance." Alya inhaled loudly.
Marinette rolled her eyes, "You're making fun of me."
"It looks nice." Nino nodded, "it suits you, it's just...."
Adrien coughed, "My hairstyle."
"Is it?" Marinette tilted her head, "I don't see the resemblance."
"It's the same cut. Trust me, I know." Adrien ruffled his hair with his hand, "I created the style."
Alya chuckled, "tell that to Chat Noir."
Adrien paled, "What?"
Marinette choked.
"ALya is convinced," Nino sighed, "that if you made your hair all messy, it'd look exactly like Chat Noir's."
"it really... wouldn't." Adrien frowned.
"I know dude, that's what I said, you don't have the same layers, its totally different."
"Chat Noir just isnt carefree, dreamy, or radiant." Adrien flipped his hair dramatically, "We're completely different people."
"I still think you could do a cool cosplay." Alya sighed, "just mess up the hair."
"It won't work." Nino assured her.
"Why doesn't Marinette do it? We have the same haircut now."
"What?" Marinette took her hands and ruffled her hair aggressively, "Do I look like Chat Noir."
Adrien froze.
Nino blinked, "Yeah, actually."
"I was right!"
Nino and Adrien made eye contact.
Nino cleared his throat, "Adrien just.... can't be Chat Noir. But have we considered Marinette being Ladybug?"
Adrien choked, "Yeah, let's consider that."
"Impossible!" Alya swore, "trust me, I'd know if my best friend was Ladybug."
Marinette agreed weakly, "not me."
Nino shrugged, "But didn't Ladybug get a haircut last night?"
Alya facepalmed.
Marinette shrugged, "I was too busy having a mental breakdown and haphazardly chopping at my hair to see what Ladybug was doing."
"Yeah, right." Adrien nodded, "That checks out."
Marinette shrugged, "Look, I just needed a changed. I didn't really think about it, i just-" Marinette mimed a pair of scissors with her hands, "chopped."
"It looks really good, turn around, is the back even?" Alya asked.
"I think so." Marinette spun in a circle.
"How did you get it so perfect?"
Adrien blinked, "Did you have help?"
"I have steady hands, and sharp scissors." Marinette nodded, "from sewing."
Adrien shook his head teasingly, "Marinette, are you stealing my signature look?"
"No of course not, I just-"
"Because," he winked, "it's working."
it wasn't clear if Adrien or Marinette was more red after that statement.
Marinette stammered out a greeting and ran to her seat. Luckily, class started, and she didn't have to deal with any more questions about her hair...
until Adrien asked to eat lunch with her.
....
Lunch was a nice affair, at the bakery, with croissant sandwiches, and an odd assortment of cheese that Adrien wasn't eating, (but marinette saw him put some pieces in his pockets for later).
It was very casual, lunch between friends, and Marinette spent the entire time trying to slow down her heartrate. She and Adrien were friends. Nothing more.
So she almost missed when he called her "Bugaboo."
She didn't miss it though, and ended up doing a spit take that spewed halfway across the room, "What did you call me?"
"Bug-" Adrien swore, "Sorry, I accidentally figured it out, I thought you had too."
"No??" Marinette shook her head, "I was so careful, how did you figure it out?"
"Well, it's my signature haircut, I could recognise it on any head of hair." Adrien shrugged, "and there's only so many people who's hair I've ever cut."
Marinette blinked, "You cut Chat Noir's hair??"
"No? Well, yes, but-"
"I think you have me confused for someone else."
"No, I-" Adrien took a deep breath, "Marinette, I cut your hair."
"No, Chat Noir cut my hair."
"Yes."
Marinette blinked, "Give me a second."
"Yeah."
She swore, "Alya was right."
Adrien chuckled, "that's your main takeaway?"
"Nino and I have been arguing with her about this for weeks. We kept insisting that you weren't Chat Noir and-"
"About that," Adrien scratched the back of his neck, "Nino actually knows. He's been trying to keep Alya away from the truth."
Marinette snorted, "No way! Alya knows and she's been trying to keep Nino away from the truth."
"That explains so many things. I said that you and Ladybug had the same hair last week and she flipped a desk to distract me."
"That's hysterical." Adrien smiled, "We have the best friends."
"Yeah, we do."