She's talking to angels. She's counting the stars.

Marinette always stayed up late nowadays. Her time as Ladybug had completely altered her sleeping schedule, so when she didn't have patrol or an akuma to deal with, she sat up on her balcony, knowing she'd never get to sleep anyway. She just sat and looked up at the stars, sometimes talking to Tikki, or... talking to the stars.

Making a wish on a passing car.

She believed heavily in wishes, after all, she had wished she could be more confident and here she was with the secret identity of Ladybug. Every evening, she would look up, and find the first star in the sky. And she would wish.

She's dancing with strangers.

Marinette would always wish for the same thing. And no, it wasn't for Adrien to love her, as shocking as that was. It was for something far greater, something beyond herself, something selfless and heroic and kind. Every night, she would wish with all her heart, and then she would work to make that wish come true.

Falling apart.

She wished for the citizens of her city to not have to live in fear for long, for them to be safe and away from the powers of Hawkmoth. She wished for them to no longer need Ladybug and Chat Noir, not because she no longer wanted  the role, but because she hated the fear in their eyes when an akuma showed up. She despised even more the man who made that fear.

Waiting for Superman

And other times, when she didn't wish upon a star, she would see a ladybug and wish for them to not be disappointed when they found out she was Ladybug.

To pick her up

She wished for Chat Noir to be a good person under the mask, and for him to like her as she truly was.

In his arms, yeah.

She wished for her family's happiness and safety, as well as that of Alya.

In his arms, yeah.

She wished for Adrien's happiness.

Waiting for superman.

And finally, she wished for the next Ladybug to be better than she ever could've been.

Marinette sat there, on a clear night, counting the stars as they flickered, and spoke softly, as if she were conversing with the bright blinking lights.

"I wonder if you watch us the way we watch you. You might be disappointed in humanity. that's okay, I am too, in part." She chuckled quietly. "So absorbed in themselves, in their technology, in their accomplishments, not bothering to see that the world is a lot worse than they think it it. But you wouldn't know about that, would you? You're a star." She took a sip from the warm hot chocolate, watching the steam curl lazily up in the air. "But... I wonder. Do you hear our wishes? Do you watch our dreams and know all our secrets and desires and fears?"

Tikki had flown out, and was just watching her holder. Marinette had her quirks, and this was a questionable one, but it was... thought provoking to see what she talked about with the stars. Unbeknownst to both Tikki and the blue-haired girl who sat gazing up at the heavens, a certain cat boy was also watching his Princess, wondering about these habits.

"Do you know what I dream of? Do you know what all these people dream of in the Parisian night? Do you know my darkest fears, my greatest desires, my most hidden secrets?" She once again let out a chuckle. "Most civilians would think my most hidden secret is the fact that I'm their favourite heroine, but no, it goes deeper than that. Not even Tikki knows my greatest secret. And I'm going to keep it that way until they come for me."

Tikki and Chat Noir were equally confused, but for different reasons. Chat for what she said about being their favourite heroine, obviously, as he had never made connections between the two before. Tikki for what she said about them.

"Ladybug has unnatural grace and flexibility, and extremely quick healing, but that isn't all Tikki's power, as I have the same traits as Marinette. Me and my mother both have unnaturally coloured hair - but it grows blue, and no-one questions why. Humans are both geniuses and fools." She smiled affectionately, not knowing about the two listening. "Kwamis certainly wouldn't have been real if it weren't for that clever girl all those years ago." She mused, absently tapping her mug.

Tikki froze.

How did Marinette know about her?

"Of course, she really messed up my mother's energy dispersal. Mother didn't have enough energy for many human years to even move our ship." She giggled, imagining the expressions of the people. "Of course, Tikki did like to interfere with our plans, especially when she took me to an Egyptian king simply to ensure Mother returned one day. Imagine her shock when she finds out Mother never left my side?" She looked up to the stars once more, watching them glint and glitter.

Tikki knew exactly what Marinette, or should she say, Ariti, was talking about, while Chat Noir was completely lost.

"5000 years is a long time, barely a second to you. Billions of years old you are. I bet this Earth is too fast for you to watch." She laughed, the clear sound ringing in the air. "Or maybe it's too slow. But then again, so was Krypton."

Wait.

Krypton?

Wasn't that the planet of Superman's origin? The made up planet?!

While that went through Chat's head, Tikki went pale. Well, if Tikki could go pale, she would be white as paper.

"So slow to realise the imminent destruction... well, at least some of us escaped. And Tikki, along with those six others, Plagg, Wayzz, Viven, Nooroo, Riar, and Peon, she was so clever, fooling my mother into giving them all the powers to help, the power to be a hero. And such a clever name too!" She giggled for the second time that evening, wrapping her coat around her tighter. "However did she know that Kwami means 'Trickster' in the language on the oracles? Did she sneak in to see my brother, perhaps? I wouldn't be surprised."

She... can't be... Tikki thought, panic filling her heart. She didn't know why panic filled her heart, but it did.

Marinette sighed, shaking her head. "What a coincidence that she chose me in the end. After all this time, she found me yet again. But, you bright, bright stars, not even my mother knows my last secret." She dropped her voice to a whisper, but Tikki and Chat still heard by some magical force. "Adrien Agreste remind me so much of him. It's a reminder of sorts that I'm still waiting for him."

And Tikki fainted.

I want to backstory this, but it's more powerful ending it here... screw iT  BACKSTORY TIME

"Ariti! You awake?" A male voice called from the window. Ariti grinned and bounded over, slipping outside onto the hover-board outside before hugging her best friend and destined lover, Adrien. He smiled and ruffled her hair affectionately before planting a kiss on her cheek.

"'Course I'm awake, I always wait for you." Ariti smiled at him, before playfully pouting. "I barely get to see you in the day, except for those nasty formal dinners." Adrien chuckled and directed the hover-board to their special place.

"Yeah, those things are the worst." He commented, simply enjoying the way she closed her eyes, wind whipping at her soft hair and face bathed in the dying red sunlight. He had always believed Ariti to be beautiful, the most beautiful young lady he had ever seen, and was overjoyed to find she was his destiny. And he loved her, he truly did, but it was forbidden to admit his feelings until the day of their marriage.

Ariti let the wind run its fingers through her hair, or was that Adrien? It didn't matter, she would've let either. The gentle heat of the fading sunlight penetrated her chilled skin, warming her bones. They hovered for a moment before shooting up, never falling or faltering, to their special place.

When they arrived, as always, it took Ariti's breath away. A beautiful view of the city, every inch, tall skyscrapers and not as tall homes. The red sun was setting behind, bathing the city in a warm glow, as if it were on fire. And here were the two of the, holding hands, watching the sun go down.

"Can you promise me something, Ariti?" Adrien bit his lip for a second before looking over at her. She had her eyes set on the view, but glanced at him with a soft, adoring smile.

"Yes, Adrien?" 

"Promise... no matter how far away I am, you'll wait for me? Even if we're on different sides of the universe, promise you'll wait for me to find you again?" He had spent too long thinking about the demise of Krypton. Her and himself would escape on one of the ships, but it was unknown whether or not they would be together.

She sighed and squeezed his hand. "Of course. I promise to wait for you."

The next night was one of screaming and panic. 

And Ariti lost Adrien.

But she waited.

"To this day, I wait for my Adrien Zenir, my destiny."

"... Ariti?"

OHHHH DAMN YOu saw that coming didn't you? Oh well, it's still adorable (eternal love, destiny, a promise to find each other, centuries apart, only to find they werE RIGHT THERE THE WHOLE TIME) absolutely adorable.

Anyway, I'm gonna peace out.