Author's Note:

I honestly have no idea what is precisely going to happen in future chapters. I know how this will end but I don't know what will happen from now to the final chapter. I'll just go with the flow between now and the final chapter.

Mayor Bourgeois' Masquerade Ball continued every weekend as promised and everyone who attended knew of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Unknown to the duo (or so was believed), their interactions with one another silently became part of the entertainment as they watched Chat Noir try to win over the feelings of Ladybug. Newcomers to the Ball would quickly discover the couple and join in with the many spectators.

Ladybug and Chat Noir knew fully well that they were being watched closely. Chat Noir was at first nervous particularly because he joined the party to get away from being the center of attention (however Amber did help convince him later on that people were watching them only for entertainment purposes, relaxing Adrien but only annoyed him at people thinking he was not serious for his feelings). Ladybug didn't care as she came to the Ball to forget her struggles in real life like most of the regular guests who attended, and thought that if she helped them forget reality (in a good way) then she didn't care.

A year passed with the guests of the Mayor's Ball enthralled as they watched Chat Noir flirting with Ladybug almost at every moment with bad puns which Ladybug would shut down with a sassy remark. Rumors flew as guests wondered who Ladybug and Chat Noir were behind their masks as Chat Noir wondered with them.

Said rumors were being analyzed by three friends as they prepared to go to the Ball.

Marinette looked with a raised eyebrow at Alya who was slipping into her orange dress. "A spy?"

"From China," added Lila, adjusting a dress that matched Alya's.

Marinette shook her head as she freed her hair from her pigtails. "I don't even speak Chinese fluently!" Her anger was brief though because it was only a wild, and not true, theory as she smiled. "Although I agree with the theory that Chat Noir is a millionaire playboy."

"If he is I'd so do him if it was me who he was after," Alya said, checking her face in the mirror. "He's hiding a lot more under that suit if you know what I-"

Marinette groaned. "Alya! If he is a playboy as his usual self then I would be nothing more than another name added to his 'slept with' list." Her hands were brought up to air quote the words.

Lila turned to her two friends. "If he is a playboy, he's doing it poorly you know. I've only seen him flirt with you."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "As if."

"No Lila's right, Mari." Alya said after briefly thinking about it as she took off her glasses and slipped on contacts. "I've only seen Chat Noir hang out with one other girl, Queen Bee, but they don't flirt."

Marinette frowned. "How would you know?"

"We've talked with Queen Bee while Chat Noir attempted to woo you," Alya replied, her back to Mari as she wrapped up her last touch ups. "She knows him outside of the Ball, but when we asked if he is usually flirting with other women she laughed! According to Bee, he doesn't flirt with anyone unless he really means it." Alya turned to see Marinette's back.

Marinette's cheeks were flushed red, a color she didn't want either of her friends to see. "I'd have to talk to her to believe that," she said calming herself, before changing the topic. "Are we ready, Fox Twins?"

She turned to find her friends wearing fox like ears. "Whenever you are, Ladybug."

"Well they got that theory half right," Adrien murmured as he waited near the entrance of the Ball with Amber, wondering where Ladybug was.

"It's the theory that's closest to who you really are." Amber said as she drank from a cup shaped like a honey comb (courtesy of the Mayor who knew that many of the guests were wearing animal themed clothes). "There are other theories where you're a pirate-"

"Don't think I could pull off the eyepatch and parrot look anyway."

"-a British secret agent-"

"They think I'm 007?"

"-and a crazed cat owner just to name a few." Amber finished as her eyes tracked movement out of the corner of her eye.

Adrien smiled. "I do go overboard with cat puns."

"You certainly do, kitten." Adrien jumped at the voice and turned to see Ladybug and the Fox Twins standing behind him.

Chat Noir bowed, taking her hand delicately. "Good evening my Lady. You look as lovely as ever." His lips lowered down closer to her hand.

Ladybug however, with her free hand, put a finger on his nose and brought his head up. "Thank you for the compliment Chat, but I do believe that I should reserve my first hand kiss with someone more special than you."

Chat gasped placed a dramatic hand over his heart. "Mee-youch, you wound me, Princess."

Queen Bee and the Fox Twins moved away from the duo as their conversation drew the attention of almost everyone in the Ball who pretended to watch as discreetly as possible in a ballroom.

Queen Bee looked at the Fox Twins. "So, what are your thoughts?"

The Fox Twins shrugged in unison. "We think she likes him-"

"-but she's afraid to admit it."

Queen Bee frowned. "Why?"

Both shrugged, neither of them knew despite how close they were to Mari. Her last relationship had been with Nathaniel in high school and with his passion for art the two seemed very happy together at the time. Then Marinette broke it off without warning, surprising everyone in school. Even Alya and that was tough to do (as many failed birthday surprises could confess). The Fox Twins shared this with Queen Bee, leaving out the details that could suggest who Ladybug was

They were surprised to see her chuckle. "Sounds like she had it easy. Poor Chat went through a nasty breakup with his…girlfriend."

The three turned to Ladybug and Chat Noir, who was now on the dance floor almost gliding across the dance floor as their chat (pun intended) continued. Neither side of friends for the duo knew the details of their past relationships, but they could see that Ladybug was reluctant to get into a relationship even though it was clear she enjoyed it greatly while Chat Noir wanted to pursue it enjoying it more than his previous relationship.

Author's Note:

Character building OP.

Alya and Lila doing the freaky finish each other's sentence thing. Also, it's an act they do just for fun at the Ball

I still think Lila is going to be one the major characters in season 2 for some reason. I hope she redeems herself with everyone because I feel it has something to do with an insecurity that she isn't good enough to be anyone's friend. IDK I'm just guessing. Season 2 can't come fast enough. -_-

Looking back at the past two chapters I can tell this is going to be one doozy of a story. Adrien and Marinette haven't met each other at all in this and it's only a matter of time before they do. I cringe because I love the idea of Adrien finding out that Marinette made his scarf (if you couldn't tell from my other story: "Not Just Any Scarf"). Ah well, it just means I have to be more creative with this.