A/N: I WOULD READ THE NOTE AT THE END IF I WERE YOU.

So, surprisingly, Plikki won! 🥳🎉
I'm happy though. This ship really needs some attention, doesn't it?
And yes, I know it's been a month, but quality before quantity, am I right?

Genre: Romance
Sub-genre: Friendship
Word count: 1791
Rated: K+
Date: November 19, 2020
Pairing: PlaggXTikki

*This is an AU*
«Requested by strqwberry_girl»

Preview: This story is a normal AU where everyone's human. No superheroes and a lunatic man, hungry for jewels, driving two teens crazy (and loosing shamelessly).

This is, actually, an extract from my upcoming book 'The Game of Hearts'.

No, I didn't copy-paste the entire thing. This hasn't been written down in a chapter yet. The main ship is Adrienette, but I can't abandon Plikki, of course! You'll get an extended preview at the end of this one-shot. Do check it out!

»»°•*•°««

The first time he heard her voice was on the day he had been sauntering around the thinner part of the woods laxly. That day had started out like any other, yet he remembered every minute detail as if it had all occurred just yesterday.

The dawn chorus was the herald of spring. It started with a lonely, serenading minstrel, usually a blackbird- chirping as it returned to its nest after a busy day of hunting. Where once had been bare lawns, wildflowers grew happily- rainbow freckles to adorn the green. The cool and refreshing breeze caused the leaves to rustle and create a sweet melody, along with a sense of balance. The sky looked deliciously pink.

A very typical day, but what had made it perfect was the voice he heard next. The beautiful tone that had brimmed the gloomy part of the forest belonged to a young maiden, Plagg could tell. It had been so soft- so enchanting, yet it had a strange power that had lured him to her. It had felt like a promise of tomorrow. She had sounded like the kind of singer that sewed up people's souls- healing every tiny blemish.

He had been in a trance as he followed the voice's trail. And that was when he had first seen her. To say he been disappointed to see her back facing him would be the understatement of the century! He found himself longing to get a glimpse of her face, but all he could see was her red hair that had been draped all over her back with her waterfalling curls bouncing ever so slightly every time the wind kissed them. He had been under her spell within a few seconds of listening to her. There had been something so magical about that moment.

As he rested his head against the bark of a tree, listening intently, he had been vaguely aware of the smile that had graced his lips. Everything about her was enthralling, serene and pure. The entire the world had ceased to exist as her song carried on, bouncing off and rolling against the grove of trees that concealed her. The birds had silenced themselves to hear her more clearly. Even the flora had come off to be dancing at her rhythm in sheer bliss.

The girl, completely unsuspecting of her new audience, carried on with the lyrics that soothed the boy's heart.

I heard that there're no two snowflakes exactly the same
You are one of a kind in the world
There's no doubt in my mind
I promise to be your guard, not knowing if it's hard
To love, to practice, youth brings us all the madness
Meteor shower clears the summer
Stars response to twinkling light
Eyes open, beyond the snow, our footprints couple up and follow

Plagg inhaled deeply, anticipating to witness for the chorus of her melody.

Snow is falling, are you watching?
Holding your hands so tightly, the melting warmth takes over me
Snow is falling now, what I dream to be?
To stay by your side, all the while
Listening to sweet, white fairy tales

Swells of power rose in her throat as the end of the song approached. He didn't want it to end. He wished to freeze the time and live in that moment forever- cherishing her voice like the treasure it was.

To stay by your side, all the while
Listening to sweet, white fairy tales...

Her song ended, but the one whirling up a storm inside his heart did not. Even when she stood up from the stranded bench she had been sitting on and left. He would lament not seeing her face later because at that moment, calming his erratic heartbeat had been his mission. Be still, my heart.

It had just been a few minutes, yet he had already begun to fall for her graceful voice. He knew that she was blessed. He had instantaneously felt a connection with her- a peculiar yet strong force that led him to her.

And despite his aching heart, he never crossed paths with her again, no matter how many times he visited the same area, searching for his mysterious girl in vain.

******

The second time he heard her was when he had been walking to the Principal's office for his regular habit of falling asleep in class. His footsteps abruptly stopped in front of the music room. Even though it had been months since he had heard her tranquilising voice, he'd recognized it in the blink of an eye. She goes to my school! His brain had screamed. The girl he had been looking for was on the other side of the door.

Plagg pressed his ear against the door, paying attention to every sound she produced. She was playing the piano kept in the room and singing along the tune. The same warmth and emotions from months earlier engulfed him. With one hand carefully resting on the door's knob, he gleamed as her song progressed.

Everything before was easy
Even for a moment, the origin of the heart that beats
Is in emptiness' direction
Dancing with you on my tiptoes
You gently pull my hands, and put them on your shoulders

The black-haired boy turned knob very carefully in the favor of not startling her- only to frown when he found it locked. It didn't bother him that much. He could just see her when she would open the door to leave. He waited patiently whilst the song continued.

I will wait...
Till the ice cracks, and it's time to give up
I love you more than you know
I dream of you more than just once
I want to remain in your hold...

But before he could find out who the red-head was, the speakers in every room and hallway came to life as an announcement blared, "Plagg Guillaume is asked to report to the Principal's office at once!"

The boy cursed under his breath as his heart sank in the realization that his 'Mystery Girl' would once again become a mystery. So close, and yet so far! It wasn't like he had a choice.

******

Of all the times he had and would hear her sing, the third time had to be the most memorable. Because that was when he had finally met her...

When he came to school that day, he had no idea of knowing that life would give him the greatest gift he could have ever desired. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been in such a sour mood. After the sixth period, he was supposed to help Nino to set up his equipment that was needed for the school's annual musical's auditions.

He should have known that she would participate. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't expecting the unexpected. That would've prevented him from falling face-first onto the floor and getting tangled up in the wires as soon as he heard her voice.

Thankfully, no one paid attention to his little misadventure, for they were all busy staring at the girl trying out for the female's lead who was busy squirming in discomfort.

Plagg watched her with wide, doe, love-truck eyes. Of course, it would be Tikki Donadieu- the literal angel. He had never met a more kind-hearted, cheerful and beautiful girl in his sixteen years of painful existence. Merci beaucoup, mon Dieu! It took his frazzled mind a minute to realize that Tikki was nervous under everyone's attention. So nervous, that she had paused mid-stanza and started hyperventilating. He knew he had to act like a knight and come to her rescue.

"GO, TIKKI!" He couldn't stop himself from shouting from his rather uncomfortable position on the floor, "YOU GOT THIS! YOU CAN DO IT!" He cheered and clapped to make her feel a little more confident.

Tikki blinked at him a few times before smiling timidly. Bringing the mic near her mouth, she began singing. And that was when the magic happened.

The moment right now, my heart beats as in my dreams
Only you can truly understand me
Your eyes twinkling like stars
Shine up my inky night

One could hear a pin drop in the auditorium. Tikki's voice became more dominant by each passing second.

The first time I held your hand
My heart flipped as our eyes met
Like I pluck a star from the sky
Lucky as if that's destiny

Plagg's heart soared as he gawked at the mind-blowing girl in front of him in pride. The rest of the world vanished once more. Only they mattered. His heart was jumping in elation.

The moment right now tastes like honey
As the signs you give me
Your arms hold me tightly
Melting me like a warm breeze
The first time I knew that you loved me
I didn't expect my eyes to become watery
I want to greet every twilight with you
And travel the around world, with you

.

.

.

Needless to say, Tikki got the role. It was really a one-horse race. As the students were busy packing up, Plagg felt a tap on his shoulder.

His heart somersaulted when he turned around to face the person. God! She was even prettier up close. The freckles on her face drove him crazy.

"Hey, Plagg," Tikki's sweet voice came out as a shy whisper, but he still heard, "Thank you so much for today! I really owe you one." She said while she fiddled with her charm bracelet.

The boy's mind went blank. How was he supposed to reply impressively? He couldn't tell her he had spied on her two times to hear her sing. That would creep her out. Should I reply casually? Registering that he hadn't said anything to her, he spewed out a few incoherent syllables in a panic- not quite the impression he had been aiming for. "GUH -uh SURE! No problem, Tikki. You hav- a have a remarkable talent."

The girl's grin widened as she extended a hand in his direction. "Friends?"

A sudden boost of confidence encouraged him to lift her hand to his lips and press a lingering kiss to her knuckles instead of shaking it. He took pleasure in the way a cute blush bloomed on her cheeks at his gesture. "Friends," he winked.

.

.

.

A fresh start always came as natural music, like drops of rain upon a spreading leaf, chaotic and rhythmic all at once. Like new words, in deepest blue dancing over a white page. And that was the way of everything, the chaos, the synchrony, the guidance... Everything with a sprinkle of destiny. And when he met Tikki, Plagg knew it was a beginning of something very incredible.

»»°•*•°««
A/N: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I'm so excited about my new book! It's under work. I've requested the graphics and the first chapter has been written.

The songs used for this One-Shot belong to the C-drama: Skate Into Love.
So, if the lyrics are grammatically incorrect, it's because I don't understand Mandarin. I did try my best to give them a sense of rhythm though.

Song 1: Snow Is Falling
Song 2: A Frozen World/Snow And Ice
Song 3: The Moment I Met You (The male version's better)

---

BOOK PREVIEW

Title: The Game of Hearts

Rating: M (Because of the mention of abuse and murder)/ Non-Explicit

Genre: Fanfiction (No superheroes AU), Romance, Thriller

Aged-up characters
Playboy!Adrien Agreste

~

"You cannot understand people's love and affection," Sarah spoke harshly, grabbing Adrien's collar. "And then you dare to blame others for leaving you?! People are generally allergic to dust, milk, or peanuts, but you, Agreste, are allergic to LOVE!" She let go of him with a jerk that sent him lurching backwards.

The wrath in her gaze burnt holes in his skull. He was sure that if looks could kill, then he would have died right then and there.

"I hope you find someone who fixes you, Adrien," she spat angrily. "Someone who would show you your place, someone who would beat you at your own game." With that, she left.

The boy was privately grateful; her tears meant nothing to him, and it was always a pain trying to explain that.

.
.
.

Every time he had a painful recalling of the past, it felt like someone stuck a thousand pins into his body. It stung. A lot. It felt like he was soulless. As if he was walking amidst a sea of people, and he was the only alien. The one who dug his nails into his palms to numb the pain. One who clutched and tugged furiously at his hair, out of the exasperation. But the tears still won't flow, as if they had been frozen in their ducts.

.
.
.

"Marinette will not only confess to me," he said with a bravado he didn't feel to faces he had come to despise, "But will give me her first kiss. Within three weeks." In some distant part of himself, as they hooted and made bets in the background, Adrien recognized this was just a petty means of revenge. It wouldn't heal what had been hurt, wouldn't fix what was broken. Likely all it would do was make things worse. But Adrien shook his head clear of the thoughts before they could dissuade him from the challenge. It was just a game, it didn't mean anything.

.
.
.

He was the infamous 'Player Of Hearts'. Then why did he feel so guilty after breaking her heart? Feelings were not his cup of tea. After all, he was a true playboy at heart. Or was there more to him than anybody else knew?

When the teen heartthrob, Adrien Agreste, crosses paths with the quintessential girl, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, chaos ensues. After their lives get entangled due to a single bet, will he be able to protect his loved one from the dark figure of his past that still lurks in the shadows?

Or will the mind-numbing whispers never cease? 

~

PUBLISHED!

Knowledge of the Miraculous universe is not required to read this book.

This book targets the delusional idea of 'Men can't be harassed'.

Prepare yourself for a wild ride and an emotional roller coaster packed up with tooth-rotting fluff and heartbreaking angst.
---

So...

What do you all think? Please, please, please let me know. And don't forget to check it out!

Suggestions? ➡

And that's it for today, folks~

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