This idea is kinda rushed but hear me out
When I woke up I had this idea and typed it quickly so sorry now for mistakes but here it is
Stehpine and Mari meet cute
-Steph is sent to paris check out the claims
-First thing she does when she joins the school is join the art club
-She isn't in Mari’s class
-It takes her a few days to notice the small girl always by herself in the back
-The girl doesn't seem to have many friends and is always in the art room, this is interesting to her
-One day there's an akuma and both girls are in the room
-Steph is ready to run out to watch the fight, see what she can gather
-But before she can leave she sees mari get a detrimened look in her eye, and run out the door, she doesn't see steph, and not long after she hears cheers for ladybug
-Steph is a quiet person while undercover here, she wants info, but once she starts to make friends she starts to let out her personality
-She makes an effort to talk to the girl after that
-It takes a while but she eventually opens up
-Mari is a great source of info, maybe too good but she's really pretty so steph doesn't want to ruin anything
-Mari kinda reminds her or cass and tim, coffee addict with to doing too much to prove self and not getting much back and Asian who is quiet and reserved until you get them to open up and doesn't quite look like it but can easily kick your ass
-That is a major turn on if the blonde, the ass kicking
-They end up really close, opening up and helping each other
-Both girls end up getting the need to "protect at all costs" the others
-Steph constantly gushes about the girl in her reports
—Her crush is obvious to all the fam
-Mari and her feel like they can really be themselves with each other
—Something steph can't do much cause undercover
—Mari cause she doesn't really have anyone until now
-Chole is Mari friend but more low key so people will leave them be
-Mac is also, they talk sometimes in the art room, with eventually brings Nathaniel
—Mari helped get them together
-Kagami and Luka are also her friends
-Kagami Luka and Cholé are her team and the only other people she feels she can be herself more, but not completely cause she has to be the perfect leader
—Despite how much they tell her she can be free and feel
-She's the guardian
-Adrian isn't a dick but can't show up due to a sticker schedule, he values being chat but knows and is willing to give up play is someone else could always be there for Mari
-All the team know identities
-Her and him are like siblings but in school no one knows cause mari has everyone not really do anything for her so they don’t get messed with
—She wont let him get pulled out of school for being nice to her in it
—They do hang out all the time though
-Steph becoming a chat??
—Adrian might get a fox later, like after so he can help but isnt always needed
—-Mari didn't want to leave him with nothing
-A lot of cute coffee dates and teasing for both girls