I know I can treat you better
Than he can
And any girl like you deserves a gentleman
Tell me why are we wasting time
On all your wasted crime
When you should be with me instead
I know I can treat you better
Better than he can…
- Treat You Better by Shawn Mendes
I Can Treat You Better
Ladybug sat on the highest tier of the Eiffel Tower with her legs hanging over the edge swinging casually and wondering when her partner would show up. She cast her blue bell eye gaze to the almost gone sunset and lights of Paris, the City of Love. City of Love? She mused, well aren't I doing well in that department? A breeze and black blur brushed past her, landing gracefully and sat crossed legged next to her.
"And how is my bugaboo this fine evening?"
"I'm not your bugaboo." Ladybug said as she turned to look at her partner and his flirtatious grin.
"Say that as you may, but I know it to be true… Ha! We made a rhyme! It must be true love…" Chat tried to cuddle up to her as Ladybug tried to move away, unsuccessfully.
Ladybug just shook her head and looked back out to the city ignoring her partner. But it took less than ten seconds for a blond head to start moving sideways into her peripheral vision with a quizzical look on his masked face.
"You seem upset."
"I'm not upset Chat."
"And I'm not buying it." He said, moving so his legs were also hanging over the edge of the tier with hers, randomly clapping his hands between his knees. He looked away for a second before looking back to her. "C'mon, spill, what is it?"
"It's none of your business, that's what it is."
"Wow. You seem tense."
"I'm not tense." She looked at him, seeing him resting his head in his hand and raising an eyebrow at her.
"Alright I'm a little tense, but it's about stuff that's happening in my civilian life, so I can't tell you what it's about."
"Then give me a basic outline of it. I'm your partner and your friend, you can talk to me. I'm not just here to fight Hawkmoth and his evil Akumas, I think." He said the last part with a quizzical look. Causing Ladybug to smile at his small joke, at least it wasn't a cat pun.
"Fine." She sighed, "It's complicated, but there's this boy-"
"Why do these conversations always start with 'there's this boy'?"
"Well if you don't want to hear it-"
"No no, I'm listening" Chat said as he rested his head on his other arm.
Ladybug sighed, "I like him, like, like him like him, and so does every other girl. But I hardly have the guts to keep eye contact with him let alone actually start a conversation with him"
"What's he look like? Tall?"
"Yes."
"Handsome?"
"Absolutely." Great now she was going to start blushing.
"Blond?"
"Yeah." She said dreamily.
"Makes great cat jokes?" Chat said while inspecting his cat claws, then looked back at her and the glare she was giving him.
"He is nothing like you Chat."
"Never judge a book by its cover My Lady, not everyone acts like who they truly are."
Ladybug stared at him with wide eyes, she'd never heard him say something so truthful like that. But it made her think, was Adrien a different person when no one was looking? Like her? She always thought of herself as just Marinette Dupain-Cheng until she met Tikki and was given the ability to become a different person, a superhero.
"Does he ever talk to you, ever asked you to hang out with him?" Ladybug was shaken from her thoughts with Chat Noir's sudden question.
"He says hello to me or asks me if I'm alright when I fall over, but he's never asked me to hang out with him."
"You know what I think he is?" Chat said with a gesture of his hand.
"What?" Ladybug said with a raised eyebrow.
"Blind. If he can't see you for the amazing and beautiful girl that you are, then there's something wrong with him. You deserve someone who sees you for who you really are, someone who will treat your better, like you deserve to be."
Ladybug could not help but blush and smile at what Chat said of her, but she knew it wasn't him trying to flirt with her, it was something he meant from the heart. It made her heart feel warm. But she knew there was nothing wrong with Adrien. It was hard to believe what Chat had said when he didn't know who she was talking about. But she still loved his compliment… wait… loved?
"Hmm, thanks kitty." She said and gave him a quick scratch under his chin.
"But, you know…" Chat started as they stood up, he had that look in his eye and ladybug knew what was coming next, "… If you're looking for that puur-fect relationship, my cat condo and scratching post is always waiting for you, as am I."
All she could do was face palm and shake her head with a groan.
Adrien lay in his bed looking at the ceiling that night, thinking about his bugaboo…
"Are you just going to stare at the ceiling or go to sleep?" Plagg groaned on the pillow next to Adrien's head. Adrien looked at his phone and saw it was only 9pm.
"What are you so cranky about?" He asked looking back to Plagg.
"What you said to Ladybug earlier." Plagg said opening one glowing green eye.
"What about it?"
Plagg opened his other eye and glared hard at Adrien, then said…
"You need a fork to eat your own words!" With an irritated and loud voice.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Adrien said back at him with a confused voice.
"Take. Your own. Advice! Maybe you'll figure out one day!" Plagg yelled then rolled over away from Adrien.
Adrien rolled back onto his back and mouthed…
'What the hell?'