Marinette

Adrien finishes writing the e, and folds up his slip of paper. When he glances out of the window, he can see that while Marinette and Alya are facing away, unable to see, Chloe and Sabrina are peeking through the window. Adrien is glad Nino is in the way, stopping Chloe from seeing. Marinette deserves class representative, far more than Chloe does, but Adrien is too cowardly to admit it to either of them.

Miss Bustier comes around, collecting their slips of paper, and the four girls outside are allowed to come back in. Marinette and Alya don't glance at Adrien, but Chloe winks at him as she sits down.

I'm guaranteed, she mouths. Adrien nods, and he hears Alya snort from behind Nino.

"Sure," he hears her whisper. "Sucking up to Chloe."

"She's been my friend since childhood," Adrien mutters, turning around. "Whether I believe it is a moot point."

Alya raises an eyebrow.

"You're only saying that because we're the opposition. Bias is a thing, Agreste."

"So is blackmail," murmurs Marinette, looking at everyone in the class. Wondering who Chloe has convinced to vote for her.

Well, at least he knows Marinette has one vote. His vote.

Miss Bustier finishes counting the votes and stands up.

'By majority vote-"

The class is silent.

"Marinette is the new class representative, and Alya will be her deputy!"

Adrien can already see and hear Chloe throwing a hissy fit. He ignores her, and claps for Marinette. She deserves it. More than Chloe.

"This is ridiculous!" Chloe yells. "Utterly ridiculous!"

"She got in by majority vote, Chloe, it's completely fair," Ms. Bustier says. "Please don't argue."

Chloe folds her arms and huffs, muttering words under her breath. Adrien gets the feeling she isn't singing Marinette's praises.

It's an entire three hours before Adrien gets to go home, and the moment he leaves the classroom Chloe attacks him.

"Adrikins!"

Adrien mutters something unpleasant under his breath.

"Want me to stay, dude?"

"Nah," Adrien sighs. "You can go. I won't inflict her on you."

Nino laughs, and leaves just as Chloe latches onto his arm.

"Adrihoney, you voted for me, didn't you?"

"It's none of your business," Adrien says, even though he knows he's just condemned himself. Chloe gasps.

"Adrikins? You voted for Marinette?"

"I didn't say that," Adrien objects. "But your dad is a politician, you should know that votes should be kept confidential."

Chloe, who clearly does know this, huffs when she finds no logical reason to disagree.

"But you did vote for me?"

Adrien sighs. He just clarified that he wasn't going to tell her. Had Chloe always been this insufferable?

"Sorry, Chloe," he says, as his bodyguard drives up. "I've got to go. See you tomorrow!"

Before she can object, he pulls his arm from her grasp and runs down the steps and into the car. He waves out the window, and feels slightly bad when she waves half-heartedly after him. She just wants to know whether her own childhood friend thought she could be class president.

Why does Adrien only ever try to justify Chloe's actions when she isn't right there, being annoying?

The journey is quick, and when Adrien arrives back home, he doesn't expect to see Gabriel. He doesn't bother to ask for him, and goes straight up to his room. He's got Maths homework, but he decides to ignore that for a bit as he turns his laptop on and opens Miraculous. Adrien might have homework, but ChatNoir doesn't.

ChatNoir: hey princess, how was ur day?

The reply is quite quick. Whoever LadyBug is, she obviously lives close to her school or gets driven like him. People like Alya and Nino, who walk further, wouldn't be able to reply to a message so quickly.

LadyBug: great! my friend and i got voted in for class president, i was so happy. thats why i couldnt come on yesterday, bc i was planning my "campaign"

LadyBug: i see u didnt miss me lol

He missed her, that's for sure, but he couldn't make an episode last night either. Chloe was attempting to bribe everyone with signed copies of Jagged Stone's new album, and he was trying to stop her.

ChatNoir: i go to school too, mlady. i was helping a friend with their campaign

Technically, not a lie. He was trying to make Chloe's campaign better by removing the bribery.

LadyBug: haha of course, i forgot. did ur friend make it in?

ChatNoir: not even. ngl tho, they didnt deserve it, i reckon the candidate who won will do a MUCH better job

LadyBug: haha i suppose thats a good thing then. speaking of politics and elections, opinion on doing an episode based on the recent political campaign? bourgeois won, but the other candidates must be upset they didnt

Adrien's mind flashes to his fencing teacher, Monsieur D'Argencourt, who has cancelled yesterday's fencing class due to "personal reasons" after losing the election.

ChatNoir: very true, there must be loads of upset people after that, including the ones who voted for someone who didnt get in. "perfect prey for my akumas" as nooroo would say (melodramatic creature)

LadyBug sends a laughing emoji, promptly followed by a longer message.

LadyBug: says the creature of plagg. i was just worried about making a political statement. im not rlly that comfortable with having people think im saying who i support with this episode of tp

Adrien considers this for a moment, before replying.

ChatNoir: a good point, mlady, but i think we just need to put a quick message at the start to clarify that we arent trying to make a political statement but that this event has just occurred in paris and as people get upset after elections we are trying to make our comic as realistic as possible

LadyBug: good point chat, i hadnt considered that. ready to draw?

ChatNoir: whenever u are mlady

They take two days, and Adrien has to stay up after LadyBug has left to do that Maths homework, but by the time they've finished, the episode Darkblade, based on the fencing teacher who lost the election, has been posted and Adrien is left to wonder which of the class representatives among the school is LadyBug.

[A/N: As I said, 13 will be up really soon. Please vote?]