Chapter Three
Showing off was Chat Noir's favourite default when he wanted to impress Ladybug, and right now he was pulling out all the stops. He chased her across the rooftops, surpassing her only to leap into an acrobatic performance aimed directly at her. He barrel-rolled from the side of a building before launching himself back into the sky, stopping at the top of his staff as she drew near, then he curled his body around his staff and spiralled his way down with a suggestive smirk. Ladybug's lips were pressed together as she tried to contain her matching grin but he knew better, she was enjoying it. "Seriously Chat, are you sure you're not a pole dancer?"
With his legs locked around his staff, he threw himself backwards in a sensual arc and winked as he hung upside down. "I may have had a photoshoot or two involving a pole."
"I'm guessing they never released those photos."
He rolled his neck to the side as he remained upside down. "It sounds dirtier than it actually was. It was leaning on a street lamp pole."
"Oh yeah, a likely story."
"I was fifteen, as if my father would have allowed me to do that sort of thing." With a shove from his hands he flipped himself upright and began vaulting again. Ladybug was now in the lead, she pulled in her yoyo and leapt between the narrow gaps of the buildings and dropped to a small atrium window. At least it was small to Chat Noir, growing up in mansion meant his scope of size was somewhat skewed. The window was double his height and spanned at least four metres, but the opening which Ladybug easily slipped through wasn't large. He had to duck his head and side shimmy because his shoulders were too broad to fit through directly. His cat eyes easily adjusted to the unlit room. She had it set up as a design studio. "So, you are still interested in fashion."
"I didn't think that was a secret."
"It's been a while since you've mentioned it. Remember you keep a lot of secrets from Chat."
She winced at his comment. "Yeah, sorry about that. I guess I thought you wouldn't be interested."
Chat Noir tilted his head with amusement. "Oh, you are so wrong. I've been fascinated with you since the beginning."
"And yet you broke up with me."
"Come on! I thought I was doing the right thing."
"I know, I couldn't help teasing."
"Minx." She glanced at him over her shoulder and rolled her eyes. He mocked offence, "What? It's true, you drive me wild."
"Come on, let's go downstairs." Chat Noir followed her into unfamiliar territory. He took in the open plan living space with kitchen, but his interest was on the opposite set of stairs that led upward. Ladybug sauntered to a stop, but there was a nervous edge to her voice. "I should close the curtains. The flash when transforming could attract attention."
A thrill of anticipation shot through him at that comment. Finally, the time had come when they could actually drop their transformations in front of one another. Ladybug drew the blinds casting the room into a deeper darkness. Chat had no problem seeing but it became apparent that his lady didn't share that luxury. As she attempted to skirt around her sofa her foot clipped a pile of books on the floor. Instinct kicked in and Chat dove to catch his partner, he gripped her upper arms and slowed her momentum. It was a déjà vu moment, he remembered catching her the same way, years ago, after she stumbled from a time bubble when they'd faced the Pharaoh. But there was no akuma to chase this time and her increased respiration had nothing to do with exertion.
Chat took the opportunity to tug her closer, smirking as her body settled against his. Her eyes searched awkwardly in the dark for his, he lifted his right hand to caress her cheek while his left found her hip. Closing his eyes, he trailed his nose along the edge of her face as he inhaled her scent. "You smell so good," he murmured as he dipped his head and rubbed his cheek along hers in a very cat-like motion. The impulse to mark her with his own scent was overwhelming, so too was the primal need to blanket himself in her scent. His chin curled under as he rubbed against her again, his nose followed the curve of her ear and he hoarsely whispered, "I've loved you since the moment we met."
Ladybug's hands clenched on his shoulders, she arched into him and exhaled in his ear. "I fell for you the moment you gave me your umbrella in the rain." This drew a rumbling purr from deep in his chest.
"Ah, so you turned me down as Chat Noir because you wanted my alter ego."
"Pretty much, but you dumped me."
"Hmm, yet you continued to reject me after we broke up. Well, at least the masked side of me. That sounds really weird, doesn't it?"
"Yeah but I totally get what you mean, and I should apologise." Her mouth found the edge of his jaw and she began kissing her way towards his mouth. "How's this?" she murmured.
"It's a good start."
She kissed to his chin and then nibbled her way down his throat. His Adam's apple bobbed as her fingers snagged his bell and dragged open his zipper. Her hot mouth continued down the newly exposed skin. His purring intensified as she licked her way to his navel. "How about now?" she asked.
"I think you can do better," he groaned.
Gazing up at him, she rose to look him in the eye, gripped his collar with both hands and pulled his costume from his shoulders and down his arms until they caught on his gloves. Her fingers caressed their way up his wrists, within the curve of his elbows and to his nape. She trailed them down his sculpted torso to his hips, then proceeded to give him one long lick from his belly to his chin. Chat threw back his head as she nibbled his neck, he stopped purring and moaned, "How about I drop my transformation?"
Ladybug gave him a satisfied smile. "Am I driving you crazy, kitty?"
His bare chest heaved as he stood, partly pried out of his costume with a feral look in his feline eyes. "You've been driving me crazy for years. To be honest I don't know if I'm going to be able to stop if you keep going."
"Who says I want to stop?"
Chat Noir launched himself at her, his mouth ravaged hers as they collided against the wall. He tried to hold her, but his movements were restricted by his dishevelled costume. He growled in frustration as he fought against his clothing. "Plagg, claws in," he snarled between kisses. The wash of magic restored him to his normal form, with arms free he was finally able to embrace his lady.
"About time," grumbled Plagg, not wanting to be part of that entanglement, as he zoomed towards the fridge. Neither Adrien nor Ladybug paid him any attention.
Adrien's hands cupped Ladybug's face, no longer able to see her as clearly in the dark, he reluctantly pulled away. "Are you going to transform?"
"How about we go to my bedroom first?"
His fingers began to tremble against her cheeks. "Are you sure?"
She flicked on the light switch by her side and they both ducked their heads, squinting at the brightness. Ladybug's eyes adjusted first and her heart pounded as she looked directly upon Adrien for the first time in two years. The agony of their break up resurfaced and a jagged pain shot through her chest. That torment must have shone in her eyes as Adrien's grip on her face tightened. "I'm sorry too," he crooned, resting his forehead against hers. "Losing you in my everyday life is something I've always regretted. I wish you'd said something."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Ladybug fisted his jacket and closed her eyes. "It hurt too much, I wanted to see you but I couldn't." A bitter laugh escaped her lips, "Ironically, it turns out I was seeing you, I just didn't know it."
The tips of his thumbs stroked her jaw. "I love you, Marinette. In one way or another, I always have."
Raising her head, Ladybug took the opportunity to admire her partner without his mask. Adrien hadn't changed that much since the last time she'd seen him, but the way he was looking at her was all Chat Noir smoulder. She laced her fingers through his and pressed a kiss to each of his hands. "It's my turn to transform." Lowering their intertwined hands, she led him up to her room. She glanced at him as he followed her across the threshold, while he caught the doorknob and pulled it closed.
Releasing her gloved hand from his bare one, Ladybug stepped away from her partner. Adrien rested a shoulder against the wall, and watched her with a smile in his eyes. Any hesitation in finally dropping her transformation vanished. She looked down to his right hand, at his silver ring, and grasped his fingertips with hers. "Tikki, spots off."
Adrien's eyes followed the magic, watching as the light took away Ladybug and exposed Marinette. A little red kwami twirled into the air and reformed. Caught up in the moment, he failed to notice the glare Marinette threw at the small red creature. "You have a lot of explaining to do," the girl growled as she poked a finger at Tikki.
"I'm sorry, Marinette. This was something you both had to discover yourselves."
"Why?"
"You were too young to know when you first gained your miraculous. You didn't need the added responsibility of having to guard your partner's secret as well as your own."
Adrien spoke up, "But we could have been helping each other."
Tikki shook her head, "While that would have been helpful it wasn't the time. To be honest I don't think Marinette would have coped knowing it was Adrien under the mask when she was a teen. She wouldn't have been able to focus."
"Why?" Adrien asked looking completely confused.
"Because she had a massive crush on you and couldn't think straight around you."
"Thanks for sharing that, Tikki." Marinette glowered.
Adrien chuckled, "How was I any better as Chat? I was always distracted as soon as Ladybug was on the scene."
"You balanced each other out, because you were attracted to the opposite sides of your counterparts. You weren't able to identify the other because of the glamour which magically protected your identities, but the effectiveness of glamour fades over time and continual exposure. You've both been wearing it down gradually because of your constant contact, both in and out of the masks over the years. It's why Adrien eventually considered dating you as Marinette, because the glamour had diminished enough for him to be attracted to you outside the mask."
The blonde cocked his head, "So you're saying the glamour dampened our attraction to the other half of our personas?"
"Yes, you needed to be able to work together, and being madly infatuated with each other as teenagers wasn't going to be productive on that front. But now you're both adults you have the freedom of choice that comes with being mature."
"Hang on a sec," Adrien looked over to Marinette, "Even recently you've pushed me away as Chat."
A dark blush stained her cheeks and she gave a sheepish shrug. "Old habits die hard."
"Are you saying you were pushing me away out of habit? So how long have you been attracted to me as Chat?"
"Does it matter?"
"Um, yeah it does."
She swallowed, "A year or so."
"What!"
"I assumed I was on the rebound and shouldn't take it seriously."
"Rebound or not, I would have happily accepted your attention."
"It's kind of irrelevant now." She turned to Tikki. "So how is our newfound knowledge going to play out with Hawkmoth still around?"
"You'll be formidable now that you can fully accept each other. Your connection was always strong," She gave a knowing look between the pair, "but you're on the verge of forging a more powerful bond." Both miraculous holders glanced at each other and back to Tikki. "That being said, I think it's time I left you two alone." With a wink, the red kwami zipped from the room and phased through the door.
"Well that was enlightening," Marinette said as she glanced from the door and back to Adrien.
"It explained a lot."
"And suddenly I feel as nervous as my teenage self."
Pushing off the wall, Adrien closed the distance between them. "I'm nervous too, you know. The girl who rejected me constantly for years is finally within reach. I'm afraid I'm going to wake up."
"I'm sorry, Chat. I mean Adrien. I can only imagine how painful that must have been. You pushed me away once and it tore me apart. How were you able to withstand it for so long?"
"Because most of the time you thought I was teasing. It became a game between us, I'd flirt outrageously and you'd shoot me down. I'd hoped that eventually you'd want the game to end, because you'd want it to become serious." He moved into her personal space, all but touching her, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Please tell me it's serious now."
His eyes wouldn't meet hers, as if he were expecting yet another rejection and it tore at her heart. She lifted her face, her lips beside his ear. "It's serious."
"Really?" His head dropped to her shoulder and his arms encircled her.
"Yes. To be honest, you've been sneaking into my heart for some time with those mad cat-skills."
"Is that so? Hmm, perhaps it's time I showed you my prowess up close and personal." His lips languidly caressed her neck.
"Now there's the kitty I know and love."
He nipped the shell of her ear. "Sorry I didn't quite catch that, could you repeat it?"
Marinette snagged her fingers in his hair and gently pried him away from his ministrations. "I said I love you, Adrien Agreste."
"Now if only I could purr out of the suit."
"You know there is a benefit to being in normal clothes."
"What's that?"
"They're easier to take off."
Adrien returned her smirk. "Are you propositioning me, milady? Because I accept."
Laughing, Marinette tossed her arms around his shoulders and gazed lovingly into his emerald eyes. "Good, now show me this prowess."
"Ah, but I had already started. Now then, where was I…"
Meanwhile in the kitchen…
"Do you think they're done already? There's no more cheese and I'm hungry."
"Plagg, it's been ten minutes. I doubt they'll be leaving that room at all tonight."
The black kwami groaned and sagged on the countertop. "Fine, so what do we do now?"
"What we always do when our holders are getting busy," Tikki grinned.
"Steal their underwear?"
"No, bake cookies."
"Ugh, that's so boring."
"How about we hide their socks instead, but only the left ones."
"Now there's an idea."
It was the second time within 48 hours that Adrien was naked in a bed that was not his own, but this time it was with the love of his life. He struggled to believe it was finally happening, fantasy was becoming reality. He'd intended to slowly peel the clothes from Marinette but she'd had other ideas, it seemed his lady was even more eager than he was. Each time his mouth explored her body, she'd felt the need to reciprocate, driving him into such a frenzy that he had to remind himself to slow down and enjoy the moment.
With his t-shirt caught on his wrists, Adrien decided that Marinette liked holding him captive in his own clothing. She'd dragged him willingly onto the bed with her, guiding him to hover above her naked body. Shucking the shirt, his hands needed constant contact with her body, wanting confirmation that this was actually real. Her fingers tangled in his hair, as if she couldn't pull him close enough while her mouth greedily plundered his. His hands skimmed over her smooth skin to cup her breasts, his thumbs teasing her nipples and she arched against him in response.
With an avid moan, she rolled him onto his back with a ferocity that both surprised and excited him. Looking into her smouldering sapphire eyes, he smiled. "Are you trying to tell me something, milady?"
"Yeah, you're taking too long."
"It's called foreplay."
"No six years of flirting, teasing and this." She said indicating to his face and body. "Is more than enough foreplay."
"So, I'm a this?"
She growled and clenched her jaw. "Agreste, you know what I mean."
"No, I don't think I do."
Marinette glared at him with a determination that he didn't know what to make of. She lowered her hips to his, their eyes locked as she ground herself against him, and he forgot what they were talking about. "Adrien, you are the hottest thing on two legs, I've ever seen. You're sweet, caring and sexy. Plus, I've secretly wanted you in my bed for a very, very long time."
"So now I'm here, what do you intend to do with me?"
"I'm going to have my wicked way with you."
"Are they still talking?"
Adrien and Marinette's heads whipped around at Plagg's voice. "What the hell?" The blonde growled, as he covered Marinette with the sheet.
Tikki at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "Sorry, Plagg was bored. He wanted to steal your socks."
Plagg crossed his arms and huffed. "And now you just ruined my fun. This was so much easier last time, at least then he was passed out."
"Excuse me?"
"Last night, when that girl totally cramped your style by running off to puke, you passed out and it totally ruined my fun in stealing your underwear. I planned on floating around the room in your boxers like a ghost."
"Wait are you saying I never had sex with that girl?"
Plagg snorted, "You were both far too wasted. When she eventually came back from where ever she went to vomit, you were snoring. That's when she took the photos and stole one of your condoms."
"What!?"
"I guess she kept it as a souvenir? I don't know, maybe she thought it was candy."
Adrien propped himself up on his elbow. "So, you're saying nothing actually happened?"
"Didn't I just say that?"
"Plagg!"
"Ugh, see what I have to put up with." The black kwami said to his counterpart. He turned back to Adrien. "Correct, nothing happened with you and overly eager fangirl."
Adrien flopped to his back. "Oh, thank God."
A chuckle escaped Marinette. "So, the reason you couldn't remember anything was because nothing happened."
"And with that bombshell, and your left sock, I'm out of here." Plagg smirked as he phased speedily through the door with Tikki close behind.
Marinette laid her hands on his chest and rested her chin on them as she gazed at him. "Do you think that's the last time they'll interrupt?"
He shrugged, "We can only hope."
"Now then, where were we?"
"I believe you were about to rock my world."
And now your imagination can run wild. Thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following. As usual, your support is greatly appreciated. Cheers :)
