It was the end of Ladybug's anniversary.
The day wound down to a close with a great deal of good cheer. Fine wine glasses and paper cups alike were tipped in celebration, speeches were being made, and reports were flooding into the Ladyblog every moment about Ladybug, who had taken off from the Mayor's official speech to run victory laps around the city with her partner in tow. Chat Noir and Ladybug could be seen doing acrobatics and laughing cheerfully as they chased each other across rooftops, celebrating their first anniversary since the defeat of Hawkmoth.
Normally, Alya would be out on the streets, chasing after Ladybug and Chat Noir, hoping to get some footage or an interview on their big day. It was, after all, essentially the Ladyblog's anniversary as well.
But, well...
Another submission caught her attention, and she quickly confirmed it as a street just a few blocks away from her home. Though at first Ladybug's laps had been a fairly predictable pattern, she had begun slowly moving in Alya's general direction around the time she parted ways from Chat Noir.
She still remembered, much earlier in Ladybug's heroism, a day when she gave a personal interview.
Ever since, Ladybug had remembered her name.
She didn't want to get her own hopes up, but...
A message arrived, privately to her non-mod account. She'd never told a soul - except Marinette and Nino - about it. And it was sitting, open, on her screen.
Anonymous. And the message was empty, save for a time - 20:30.
So she was here, wondering what would happen.
Her eyes flicked nervously to the clock. Just a minute or two to go. And, judging by Ladybug's movements today, she was getting closer.
There was a thump from outside, just as the clock turned from 20:29.
Alya rose to her feet slowly. There was a shadow being cast on her window.
No time like the present, she thought, the first hints of excitement tingling through her fingers as she flipped off the lock on her window and pushed it fully open.
A few moments later, Ladybug, hanging from her yoyo, slid into view. She gave Alya a nervous smile.
"Mind if I drop in?"
Ladybug was sitting on her sofa.
Alya had always thought that a moment like this would be accompanied by her trusty phone, maybe a list of questions, or possibly even just a notepad so she could write down everything the superheroine said. Ladybug was everything she'd ever dreamed of come to life; a real life superhero, a paragon of justice, someone to look up to and strive to be like even when the world was under pressure and life seemed mechanical. She'd once thought Majestia was the closest she'd get; and then, of course, Ladybug . Paris's heroine - the hero who inspired her, and drove her to success - was in her house.
why couldn't she bring herself to run to her room and get her phone, the phone she'd left behind?
Why couldn't she just grab the list of questions she had?
Why couldn't she even seem to reach for the notepad on her dining table?
"I'm sorry for being so sudden, and for the strange message," Ladybug apologized, once Alya was seated across from her. She'd never seen Ladybug like this - fidgeting in place, practically nervous, in a way she never was out on the streets. "but I had something important to talk to you about."
Alya put down her tea - at some point, she'd just made it on automatic, while her brain was rushing with too many thoughts to salvage her common courtesy - and took a deep breath. "Why me?"
She'd always hoped she'd be a Lois Lane type, a friend to the heroes. But she'd never imagined it might be real one day.
Ladybug took a steadying breath, and for a moment she was once again the unshakeable heroine whose pattern was plastered all over her blog. "It's about... how I became a hero." Then she released it, and she was the nervous stranger again. "I-I asked Chat Noir about this, and he agreed it was a good idea, and, well, since Hawkmoth was defeated and it's less dangerous now I wanted to talk to you, and... oh, I'm messing this up already, aren't I?"
Alya laughed. "Take your time. My best friend takes three tries to tell me hello," she offered with a grin. Ladybug had a strange expression on her face, but it fell away into relaxation.
"Right. I... I wanted to tell you about the day I became a superhero." Ladybug said.
Alya felt her heart skip a beat. Her notepad laid on the desk, untouched. After a beat, she realized Ladybug was looking for her to react, and she nodded encouragingly.
"You... you remember Stoneheart, right? Ivan was akumatized?" Alya nodded. That day had been terrifying. That day had been amazing. "It was.. my first day back at school. And, well, before then I didn't have many friends."
Alya blinked. "How come?" she inquired neutrally, trying not to sound shocked.
Ladybug chuckled gently. "I was a wreck," she admitted freely. "Social anxiety. I couldn't talk to people, and bullies handled the rest." She shook her head. "That year, though, I met my best friend, and she defended me, even though she'd never even heard my name before. She was... incredible. Burst into my life on fire and never burned out, no matter how much I tripped up and lied and hid."
Alya felt a lump in her throat. Ladybug had a look on her face which could only be described as adoring. It was pure and angelic, and Alya wished she could remember the expression forever.
"That very same day, Stoneheart was created." Ladybug laughed faintly, a fairy's whisper playing around the room as she pulled herself into the couch. "I was terrified, had no idea what to do, but she grabbed my hand and dragged me to safety before pursuing Stoneheart herself." She shook her head. "Even then, she was so curious. Always racing after rumours."
Alya reached out and took up her tea again, sipping it and releasing a breath she'd been holding. "Not to interrupt," she began, "but why are you telling me this? And why now?"
Ladybug shrugged. "You'll know when I'm done. And because it's safe to now. Trust me, if I could have done so without putting you in danger, I would have told you this the day after my first akuma."
Alya sighed. Putting down her tea again, she glanced briefly at the untouched cup sitting in front of Ladybug. "Fair enough," she agreed, shrugging. "Go on. I'm curious."
Ladybug smiled brightly, and she dove back into her story as if it couldn't leave her fast enough. "I was terrified. I'd been watching the news when... well... I acquired the source of my power. I was chosen for it, but at the time, I didn't believe myself worthy." Her fingers were curled around her knees. "I tried giving the miraculous - the source of my power - away, to her. To my friend. That first day, my..." she searched for a word, "...guide convinced me to transform and fight, just that once. Of course, I messed up a lot. I failed to purify the akuma - I didn't know it was something I would need to do - and I was mostly a mess." She shrugged. "You were... the first civilian I spoke to as Ladybug."
Alya felt like jumping up and singing. She felt amazing. Ladybug, noticing her, her being the first... it was special. However, there was a 'but' somewhere in the story she was being told, and Alya was going to find it before she started celebrating.
She offered Ladybug her brightest smile. "Go on," she encouraged. "What happened next?"
The spotted heroine stretched out her legs, and Alya found herself unwittingly following them. "The next day, Ivan got akumatized again, despite my efforts," she replied softly. "I... the day before, I'd given up, you know? I took off my miraculous..." one hand reached for her earrings, which she touched briefly. "...and put them in my friend's bag. I thought that a girl like her... would be the best hero Paris could ask for."
Alya had gotten very good at catching onto subtext, and gasped. "You like her, don't you?" She shuffled forward. "I thought you and Chat Noir were close, but this sounds a lot more serious than best friend, Ladybug."
Ladybug blushed almost as red as her suit, and Alya was internally giggling in glee. This was one of the most amazing conversations she'd ever had. "Yes, it is more serious," Ladybug replied, confirming the obvious. "Chat Noir and I... after the magic wore away, what we have... it's unique. Ladybug and Chat Noir are always together in some way, it's just how the world works, but when all was said and done, Chat Noir and I decided we were better as we are now - partners." She shrugged. "It's... definitely special. I couldn't live without him. But it's miles away from what I feel for her. They're just as special as each other."
Alya slumped back. "Wow," she settled for, after a moment of glancing between Ladybug and her ceiling, trying to parse just what she was being told. "She sounds... really special." She pulled herself back up. "So where's this going?"
"That day, when he was re-akumatized... I was ready to give up and leave it to someone else," Ladybug admitted. "But then... my friend ran off, left the miraculous behind, and got herself in danger." Ladybug shuddered, a wince pulling over her face. "It's not a pleasant memory, but... she was the reason I decided to put the spots back on." She smiled sadly. "I wouldn't be here - Hawkmoth wouldn't be serving time - if she hadn't been there to inspire me to fight. She's the reason I became a hero, not out of obligation, but because... I had the chance to protect her."
Alya felt something hovering in her chest. There were a million questions on the tip of her tongue, but none of them seemed quite like the right response.
She didn't get the opportunity to reply. Ladybug closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, they were full of determination - the same determination with which she faced the evils of Paris. "Alya, that girl was you."
Marinette took a deep breath and dropped her transformation.
For a breathless moment, Marinette searched Alya's eyes for some hint of what she was thinking. Tikki had settled, a solid, supportive weight on her shoulder. Alya was staring at her blankly, mouth open in silent shock, eyes blown wide, and she'd yet to exhale the breath she was holding in.
"...Marinette?" Alya asked. Sheer disbelief wasn't something she expected from her friend - Alya believed anything was possible, never doubted her own eyes - but it seemed she'd managed to render Alya speechless.
Marinette waved shyly. "Hi, Alya." she said, for lack of anything else to say.
Tikki waved from her shoulder.
The silence stretched, and Marinette, feeling strange for having their roles reversed, reached out and gently tapped Alya's chin, prompting her to breath out and close her mouth.
"You know, Marinette," Alya said once she found her voice again, "when I considered myself a real life Lois Lane, I didn't begin to imagine just how right I was." Marinette found the stress easing from her shoulders as a broad smile spread over Alya's face. Somehow, she always reacted in a way that made her calm down, as sure of herself as she was when wearing black and red. "This is just... wow." Alya got up abruptly and jumped the table entirely, rushing over to settle herself next to Marinette and reach out to cup her cheek. "Wow," she repeated, eyes wide.
Marinette shifted into Alya's touch, trying not to let her breath catch in her throat. Alya was looking at her like she'd found something precious, and if she didn't stop Marinette thought she might self-combust.
"I always wanted to tell you," Marinette murmured into Alya's hands. They were warm and soft, but against her skin they felt like fire. "Never doubt that. I always put your safety first, but I always wanted you to know."
Alya retreated, and Marinette's cheek felt cold as her hand slipped away. "Oh man," Alya laughed helplessly, "I can't believe I ranted about Ladybug to Ladybug. That must have been so weird." She yelped. "Wait, when I was complimenting Ladybug's muscles-"
Marinette giggled nervously. "Yeah, um," she looked away, "that was both very flattering and very, very strange."
Alya groaned, but there was a hint of humour beneath it all. Then her eyes snapped open. "...wait."
Her gaze snapped to Marinette, and she felt her insides doing little flips, her whole body rigid. She felt like a deer paralyzed by headlights.
"You..." Alya gulped. "But... I thought Adrien..."
"Special," Marinette replied softly, "but he isn't you, Alya."
Silence.
Alya moved so slowly Marinette nearly didn't catch it. But her hand reached out, gently, softly, and rested on her shoulder, pulling her closer, and she dared herself to breathe as the distance closed between them.
They only stopped when their noses bumped. Forehead met forehead. Marinette could feel the warm brown eyes locked on hers. Were those shallow breaths hers, or Alya's? She couldn't tell.
The edge of her vision caught sight of Tikki, hovering over Alya's shoulder to watch the pair. A few words drifted to her. "Go on, Marinette, you can do it!"
"Alya," Marinette asked, so quiet she could barely hear herself, "would you be my Lois Lane?"
Alya didn't hesitate.
Lips crashed into hers. Marinette felt like she did when she made a dangerous leap, but instead of falling she was flying, every stray thought in her head paralyzed by the soft press of Alya's lips against hers. Even kissing, Alya was fire, heat and warmth and passion melting her into a gooey mess.
They parted with a gasp, and Marinette noticed belatedly that Alya's eyes were sparking, a fuse about to blow.
"Only if you're my Superman."
Marinette threw caution to the wind and pressed forward, and the last thing she noticed before she was blown away by her girlfriend's kiss was Tikki whooping in joy above them.
A/N: Had writer's block. Cured it with Lesbians.