This morning couldn't get any stranger. The breakfast wasn't over yet when his father insisted Adrien faked-date some rising star of the modelling world Adrien had never seen before. For the sake of publicity, of course. Adrien frowned. He couldn't do that. No matter how good of an actor he was, he couldn't fake an affection towards a complete stranger. Even for publicity. Especially for publicity. He hated the concept. There was also the matter of his feelings towards a certain spotted heroine, an affection towards whom he hadn't planned to admit to his father. Somehow, he did. To give respect where it's due, Gabriel took it in stride. He merely raised an eyebrow as a surprised hum escaped his lips. After that, they finished their meal as if nothing had happened.
However, it was the lunchtime when things really heated. A love-themed akuma busted Adrien's plans to catch up on his university assignments as she broke through a window into his room, carrying a tied-up Ladybug over her shoulder.
"You seem like a perfect pair! A match made in Heaven!" the akuma announced, looking at Adrien. "Come here, boy. Your happiness has arrived."
"Run, Adrien," Ladybug shouted before having her mouth taped by something magical and sticky.
"Don't listen to her, Adrien," akuma crooned. "I brought you your soulmate. Come closer. Be happy."
Before Adrien could obey his Lady's command, a rope wrapped around his arms and legs. A moment later akuma swung her arm and Adrien found himself tied up to Ladybug, face to face, with little space between them.
The self-proclaimed Matchmaker smirked. "Perfect! Enjoy your time together, lovebirds, and you can thank me later with your lovely earrings, Ladybug. I'm off to make more matches, but—" the akuma turned back, "—don't even try to escape, lovebirds. It won't work."
With those words, she vanished, leaving a stunned pair of furiously blushing, tied together young adults standing in the middle of a room. The magical goo disappeared from Ladybug's mouth, leaving her lips just as rosy and perfect as before.
"Don't worry, Adrien," she said. "Chat Noir will save us."
"What if he won't?" Adrien nervously chuckled, partly wanting to let go and "wait" for Chat Noir to save them while enjoying his Lady's closeness, but partly reminding himself that this wasn't right.
"He will. He always does," Ladybug insisted. "He is very dependable."
A thought of possibly failing her expectations almost made him sick. He had to do something. "How will he know where to find us?"
"Good point." Ladybug looked around the room for any clues. "Okay. I need you to help me out, Adrien. Can you reach my yo-yo?"
Adrien nodded. He was taller than Ladybug, so his hands were closer to her hips than hers. All that was needed was to wiggle and loosen the rope just enough to get the yo-yo off Ladybug's hip and pass it into her hand.
"Thank you." Ladybug smiled, her eyes avoiding his, her face crimson red. Adrien swallowed. Right. Wiggling while tied up probably wasn't his brightest idea.
Ladybug called Chat Noir a few times but, unsurprisingly, he never picked up. Calling upon her Lucky Charm was her next option and after a few awkward attempts and Adrien's cooperation, a small utility knife fell into Ladybug's hand. The ropes were cut and both young people hurriedly stepped away from each other with their faces beet red as they tried to look everywhere but at each other. Going through the motions to get the Lucky Charm had put them in a few rather intimate positions more than once.
"Thanks for the help," Ladybug finally spoke when her earrings beeped. "I'd better go now. Chat Noir must be already out there."
"Don't you need to recharge first?"
Ladybug frowned. "How did you—"
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "You said something like that in one of your Ladyblog interviews, but that's not the point now. You need a private place to recharge, right? Somewhere where no one will see you?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Then use my en-suite." Adrien pointed into the depth of his room. "Save yourself some time and trouble. I promise I won't peek."
Ladybug considered the offer for a few moments. "Are you sure?"
Adrien nodded. He was here to serve his Lady, and if that was a private room she needed, he'd provide that. "Do you need anything else?"
"Anything sweet? Like cookies or—"
"Yes, I do. Be right back. Wait for me here."
He took a few minutes to sprint to the kitchen and back to pick up a cookie jar. On his way back, Adrien noticed his father standing beside his office but he didn't have time to stop. Thankfully, Gabriel said nothing as the young man ran by. He only quirked his eyebrow.
"There you go," Adrien passed the container full of sweets into the washroom to the already de-transformed Ladybug. The only part of her he saw was a tender girl's hand with one of the most graceful fingers he'd ever seen. A slim silver bracelet on her wrist was familiar but where had he seen it before escaped Adrien's mind entirely because for just a moment their hands touched.
"Thanks," Ladybug whispered from the other side and closed the door. Adrien sat on his bed and waited. A few moments later a pinkish light flushed from under the door, and soon Ladybug re-entered the room.
"Thank you, Adrien." She smiled. "I'm sorry for the disturbance."
"That's fine." There was a shy smile back on his lips despite internal freaking out. Ladybug ended up in his room today because, even though an akuma, but Matchmaker thought they were a good match. Perfect, in fact! Did he hear the word "soulmate"? Was Matchmaker able to see their destinies, their future or was it all a cruel joke?
"I'd better go," Ladybug said, bringing him out of his reverie.
"Be safe. Was very nice to see you," Adrien replied.
"I was happy to see you too, Adrien." Ladybug smiled and took her yo-yo.
A loud beep split the silence and iron curtains closed over the windows of Adrien's room, followed by a distinct clicking of the doors' locks.
"I'll call Nathalie," Adrien said, picking up his phone. To his dismay, she informed him that the security system misbehaved, and they were working on it. For the time being, she suggested remaining in the room and do something useful.
Failing to reach Chat Noir again, Ladybug summoned her Lucky Charm for the second time and got a box of puzzles.
"A thousand pieces? We don't have time for that," she frowned.
"Want to try again?"
"I think I must." Ladybug sprinted back into the washroom and renewed her transformation. Her third Lucky charm was even more confusing: a book titled 50 ways to confess your love. The fourth time it was two tickets to the latest movie, followed by an arsenal of random items until finally, they had an impressive collection of things, complete with candles, board games, a picnic basket filled with treats and a blanket tucked in. With every item, Ladybug got more and more confused because the only object or rather a person painted in red with black dots in her vision was Adrien.
"I give up!" She plopped on a floor in frustration after about twenty tries, landing on one of the pillows her Lucky Charm summoned. She suspected those were intended for a pillow fight with Adrien. "This doesn't make any sense!"
"Maybe we should return to the puzzle?" Adrien offered, picking up the box from his table. "It's only a thousand pieces."
"That's only a thousand pieces?"
"I'm sure it'll take us less time than—" he looked around and picked up Monopoly, "—than playing, for example, this. It was your first Lucky Charm. Maybe it's the only correct one?"
Ladybug looked around but nothing else looked promising enough. What, for example, a tube of red lipstick could offer them as an escape route from the fortress they were currently locked in?
"You might be right," she signed and cleared some space on the floor, pushing all the useless items aside. "Let's do this."
Adrien opened the box and took the pieces out. "There's no reference picture or any instructions, so I guess we are on our own."
Ladybug didn't answer, already scanning the pieces with a critical eye. "Let's start by sorting them first."
For the next few hours, the pair had not left the room, little by little putting the puzzle together. Awkward at first, they easily slipped into efficient teamwork, defining the odds of the seemingly impossible task. They laughed and joked; they shared stories and every so often, engrossed in her work, Ladybug would end up way too close to Adrien, leaving him breathless. A few times she fell right into his arms and once he caught himself hovering over her—the puzzle pieces but she was there too. Blushes seemed to permanently settle on both of their faces and even if to him but Adrien noted that glances got longer, smiles softer, pulling apart happened slower, apologies had gotten quieter.
The end caught them off guard. A minute ago, they were discussing a possibility for future hangouts; then it became clear that the puzzle contained just a few words in a heart-shaped frame. They didn't need to complete it to read the following,
A true love's kiss.
"This makes even less sense," Ladybug murmured under her breath. "How would kissing help me get out of here and who am I supposed to kiss? True love? Where do I find one of those? It seems just too easy. There has to be something more to this."
She continued to overthink and over-analyze and even inspected the puzzle's other side while Adrien took another look at all the Lucky Charms they've gotten so far. Separately, they all were downright random, but he could see a theme in common, something he'd noticed on their third try, something he was sure she saw as well. She was smart enough for that.
His eyes shifted back to Ladybug, to her adorable pout and cute little frown above her blue eyes. In her true nature, she was stubbornly trying to find another, not so obvious solution, looking absolutely charming. Beautiful. Adrien swallowed. In his mind there was no doubt of what all this meant and what exactly they had to do but did he dare to say it out loud?
"Ladybug?"
She peeled her eyes away from the mostly finished puzzle to look at the boy.
"Maybe we should try it?"
"Try what?"
"A true love's kiss?"
Speechless, Ladybug only blinked at him in confusion. "You think Lucky Charm wants us to kiss our true loves?"
Adrien rubbed the back of his head and shyly smiled. "Well, judging from all the things we've gotten, I'd say your lucky charm wants to send you on a date and seal it with a kiss—and since there are only two people in this room and no way for anyone else to enter, might I assume that I'm the date it wants you to kiss?"
"B—b—but," Ladybug stuttered, colour flooding to her face. "It says—it—says—true love's kiss?"
Suddenly feeling more confident than ever before, Adrien stood up and walked to Ladybug. He took her hand in his and with his voice full of reverence, said,
"I know this is not the best time to say that—" a tiny smile surfaced on his lips, his eyes never leaving hers "—but I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. I love you, Ladybug. I've been in love with you for years, and I know it might seem superficial, given your celebrity status and that we have barely interacted, but I promise you, my feelings are sincere and—Ladybug? Are you feeling okay?"
"You—you—you love—love me?"
"I do," Adrien smiled and squeezed her hand for reassurance. "With all my heart."
"And you—you want—to kiss—kiss—me?"
"If you will allow me," Adrien gently brushed a few stray hair strands away from her forehead, tucking them behind her ear. "Lucky Charm thinks that's a good idea, so why not? But if you don't—"
"I love you too," the girl interrupted him quietly. "I wanted to tell you so many times, but I always end up chickening out."
Adrien thought he was about to cry. "You love me too?"
"I do," Ladybug's cheek covered a thick blush, but she never broke eye contact.
Adrien didn't answer. Instead, he silently pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She wrapped her arms around him as well.
"Thank you," he whispered and tightened his embrace. "Thank you for loving me. I feel so lucky."
"I thought Lady Luck here was me," the girl giggled.
Adrien laughed and leaned away, not breaking his hold on her. "That is up for a later discussion, but now, do you want to—you know—follow the Lucky Charm's instructions?"
"Are you sure it'll work?"
"One hundred percent positive." He grinned. "We can even use a few Lucky Charms at the same time just to make sure."
Ladybug nodded and pulled away. By the time she found that lucky charm lipstick, Adrien had already gathered a few more. The way he had combined them was hilarious and cute at the same time. First, he spread the picnic blanket on the floor and put that picnic basket full of food nearby. Then he placed board games and artificial candles beside it, switching the fake lights on, rounding up his composition with a vase full of red roses. Himself, he sat on the said blanket and swaddled in another one, holding a box of Pocky game in his hands.
Ladybug giggled. "That's quite a few Lucky Charms."
"Though, you have the most useful one." Adrien chuckled and opened his arms to let his Lady under the blanket. "Join me?"
She smirked and, much to Adrien's astonishment, climbed into his lap. Bold. He didn't expect that of his Lady. So, in return, he pulled her closer into his arms. "Do you want to play the Pocky game?"
Instead of answering, Ladybug put the lipstick on, and leaning closer gently touched his lips with hers.
"Understood," Adrien whispered and threw the box away, pulling Ladybug in and giving her the kiss she deserved, the one he dreamed of for years - passionate, breathtaking, unforgettable. Their breaths mingling, lips dancing in a heated rhythm, Adrien kept pulling her closer, her warmth burning on his body as he held her in his arms. She answered him with a matching passion and soon the world around vanished as the scent of his Lady overtook his senses, her touch overwhelmed his feelings, her essence had become his. His head spun and when sometime later they reluctantly pulled apart neither rushed to open their eyes.
"Did it work?" Ladybug whispered.
"Don't know. I'm still in Heaven. Give me a few more minutes to come back."
"Okay," she whispered, gently pecking his lips and leaning her forehead against his. "I think I'll join you there for the time being."
Adrien kissed her again. Softly and sweetly. Gently. She smiled against his lips, so he kissed her again. Then again. And one more time. Soon neither of them counted anymore, and a sound of an opening door was lost on them.
"Ahem." Gabriel cleared his throat, startling the duo. "I see I didn't have to worry about your well-being, Adrien. You're clearly feeling just fine."
Lost for words, Adrien protectively tightened his grip on Ladybug. "Father—it's—"
"May I assume you two are dating?" Gabriel interrupted.
"Dating?" Ladybug squeaked.
"Considering Adrien's confession this morning and the position you two are in right now—" the man quirked an eyebrow, nodding to Ladybug being very much still straddling Adrien's lap, "—is that too much for me to assume?"
A few silent moments later, Adrien looked at Ladybug with hope in his eyes. "I guess we are, aren't we, My Lady?"
She frowned at a familiar nickname but shook it off almost immediately. Nope. No way. Impossible. Way too convenient. "I think—I think we could?"
"Good." Gabriel nodded and prepared to leave. "I hope you'll grace us with your presence soon for dinner, Mlle Ladybug."
"I'd be delighted." Ladybug nervously smiled.
"Perfect," Gabriel smiled satisfactorily and turned to Adrien. "The house security system was fixed a few minutes ago. I'm leaving for the press conference and will be back late at night. I also believe—" he addressed Ladybug, "—that the latest akuma gave up and released the butterfly on her own. The only damaged she caused was minor matchmaking and people aren't complaining about that so you may remain here if you wish so. And—" Gabriel turned back to Adrien right before exiting, "Don't forget your protection kit is in the second drawer from the left in your closet. Nathalie replaced everything to keep it up to date last week."
With those final words, Gabriel closed the door, leaving two dorks on the floor turning as close to tomatoes as was possible. Walking away, he was already counting how much profit his company would get from the news that his son was dating the Paris' superheroine and how convenient it was to have at least one pair of Miraculous nearby. Now all he needed was to figure out how to lure in the other one, Chat Noir. That one should be easier, though. That cat-boy seemed to blindly follow wherever his Lady was headed and she was currently in his son's lap on the second floor of his house. Perfect. An extremely impeccably executed plan.