"I know, I know," Chat continued, strutting along the peak of a gabled rooftop "Sometimes I amaze even myself."
Ladybug grunted absentmindedly.
Chat was acting like a clown and he knew it, but something was wrong and he didn't know what else to do. He was bad at other people's emotions. He thought for a minute, took a deep breath, and joined his partner on the ledge.
"Alright, Bugaboo," he addressed her. "What's up?"
She stared down at the street beneath them. "You don't want to hear about it," she mumbled.
"If you want to talk about it, I want to hear about it," he argued. Then he caught himself. "But you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
She was so quiet that he thought she really didn't want to. He tried not to be disappointed, but after two years of partnership he really wished she would open up more. Partially for his sake, but also for hers. He wanted a deeper relationship, even if it was just friendship. But talking about things was good, wasn't it? Wouldn't it help her to have someone to talk to?
Although she probably already had someone to talk to. It just wasn't him.
Eventually, though, she did speak. It actually surprised him.
"It's not really a big deal," she said finally.
"If it's bothering you," Chat assured her, "it matters. Go on."
"It's a boy at school," she started, matter-of-factly. "I've been crushing on him for a couple of years and I finally asked him out and he said no." She sighed. "Apparently he has someone else. See? Not a big deal."
"A couple of years is a big deal," he argued. "I know the feeling." Boy, did he know the feeling. "I'm sorry that guy's such an idiot. He made a mistake."
"I don't know about that. I wonder a lot if I even really know him that well. I liked him since just a little bit after I met him, and I think maybe I just liked him because… I liked him, you know? Like that was how I interacted with him. And I never tried to get to know him deeper than that because I was busy crushing on him."
She sighed again. "But I thought that liking him for so long meant something. Now I just feel dumb for spending two years pining over someone who never cared in the first place."
"I'm not going to argue with your experience," Chat said, "but I still think he's an idiot. If I found out someone like you wanted me… Well. Most people wouldn't make the same mistake he did."
She smiled a little bit. "You think?"
"Come on!" he exclaimed, throwing up his arms. "You're the Miraculous Ladybug! All the men in Paris and half the women are lining up to catch your eye!"
His heart froze when she stopped smiling.
"I'm not always the Miraculous Ladybug," she mumbled.
He brought his hands back down, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a squeeze. "No," he agreed, "but I bet you're always wonderful."
She leaned into him and chuckled a little bit. "I doubt it, but thank you anyway."
They stayed like that for a minute, and as Adrien enjoyed the moment his thoughts wandered to Marinette. She had asked him out the other day. He was a little bit surprised, not because he didn't know that she liked him—he wasn't that oblivious—but because he had never expected her to work up the guts. They weren't particularly close and he figured she would just keep staring at him until someone else nice and pretty came along to distract her. He thought that this was good, though. Maybe now she could move on from her star-struck crush and find someone whom she really liked for who they were. And besides, he had Ladybug. He knew deep down that they were made for each other. His heart was hers entirely, and he was content to wait for her to come around.
He had tried to ask her out, but she never took him seriously. It was discouraging, but he always got over it. If it was meant to be, then it would be.
But maybe now… he could get started? It felt kind of dirty to make a move on her when she had just been rejected, but… She should know that she deserved the best. And even if that wasn't him, he would try his hardest for her. And maybe the attention would cheer her up.
Eventually, Ladybug stood up and Chat followed suit.
"I should get back home," she said. "It's a school night, and it's late, and I have a paper due tomorrow that I haven't finished." She had learned over the years to cut off her rambling before it got awkward.
"Is it alright if I follow you?" Chat asked.
Ladybug's mask crinkled as she scrunched her eyebrows. "Why?"
"I've always heard that I should follow my dreams, so…"
She rolled her eyes, smiling slightly. "Do you ever stop?"
He pursed his lips and thought for a moment. "Haven't yet," he answered, "but I might if you ever say yes."
She cocked her head to the side and stared at him. He grinned cheesily and tried not to squirm under her gaze. "I can't tell if you're being serious or not," she finally said.
"Of course I'm being serious," he said, frowning.
"But I just told you that I've been crushing on someone else for two years," she argued.
Chat looked at his feet. He knew he should've shut up. "Sorry. I guess I thought maybe since you'd been turned down, you'd be willing to give me a shot. That was really insensitive. I really… Wow. Sorry. That was bad."
"That's not what I meant," Ladybug interrupted him. "I mean, that is kind of bad. But I meant, why would you want to ask me out when you know I like someone else?"
"I was thinking that maybe I could distract you. When one door closes…"
"You're serious?" she asked.
He met her eyes. "I always have been."
She fought back a smile. "You would date me even though you know I don't feel the same way?"
"Feelings can change," he answered, waggling his eyebrows.
She laughed. "No commitment," she clarified.
"You can back out whenever you want to," he assured her. "Just give me a chance."
She bit her lip and thought for a moment. "I know I'm going to regret this," she said finally, "but sure. I'll give you a shot."
She tried not to laugh at the grin that stretched across his face, but then he was on top of her, squeezing her in an almost painful bear hug, and it was so cute she couldn't stop herself. It was a happy laugh, and when she leaned into Chat Noir, she felt lighter than she had in a while. Maybe this would be a good thing.