Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or any of the songs. They all belong to their respective owners.

Meeting You

Marinette puckered her lips and gently pressed on the sweet, pink lipstick. She was dressed in poufy prom-like dress that was a gradient of dark purple to black with silver sequins scattered across it. Her hair was down, ready to be put up, and soft pop music was being played in the background from the previous year. It was New Years' Eve, and Marinette's apartment complex was having a masquerade New Years' party in an hour or so. Marinette's parents already had plans, and Alya and Nino were planning to have their own kind of date, so Marinette decided it was probably best if she went to her own New Years' Party instead of being the awkward third wheel. Plus she had a chance to possibly see a certain someone at the party.

No, she was not becoming obsessed with her neighbor by any stretch; she just wanted to get to know him better. For some reason, she did not want to meet him properly quite yet, and see his actual face. Yet she also felt the need to….well see his face without anything blocking the way. It's complicated, Marinette mumbled to herself. It's like getting to know someone online for several months, yet never wanting to actually meet them, Marinette reasoned to herself. It's perfectly normal. But at least it will be a little fun seeing him in person tonight, if he'll come. Marinette plugged in her curling iron and changed the song to "What Are You Doing New Years' Eve" by O'Jays, and Marinette hummed to the beginning. From the other side of her shower wall, Marinette heard Trouble stumble into the bathroom and throw his heap of clothes on the floor and switch on the shower.

"Afternoon Kiki," Trouble said, jumping into the shower. "What 'cha doing this New Years' Eve? Partying? Sleeping? Going out?"

Marinette grabbed a strand of her hair and wrapped it up in the curling iron. "Well, I'm planning to go to the party here tonight, I think. It sounds fun, doesn't it? But if I wasn't going to do that, I'd probably be sleeping," Marinette replied. "You?"

"I'm going as well, actually. Surprised?" Trouble asked.

"I'm never really surprised with you, Trouble. You could honestly tell me that you were going to the moon tonight for a party, and I wouldn't be surprised at all." Marinette finished curling one side of her head and proceeded to do the other. Trouble had finished his quick shower and was already out.

"So…what are you wearing tonight, so I can finally meet you?" he asked.

"What am I wearing? That's a very forward question, mister, but do you really want to meet me? I guess I'm not really going as anything. I'm just kind of wearing this bluish, blackish dress with a matching mask." Marinette glanced at her mask sitting on a counter to her left. "You?"

Trouble shrugged. "Well, I'm going to wear this purpley-plaid shirt from my da- I mean Gabriel Agreste's line with a cat mask."

"Interesting combination. Do you like cats or something?"

"Why wouldn't you think that? My friends call me Catboy a lot of the time, and one of my friends is even convinced that I was born a cat," Trouble answered with a smile in his voice. "Also, I seem to have cat fur constantly on me because of my cat."

"What's your cat like," Marinette asked.

"An annoying prat named Plagg who is a black cat. And for some reason he really likes cheese, specifically the smelliest ones. Another plus to having a cat; you smell like one," Trouble described. Exactly at that moment Marinette heard the cat yowl. "Speaking of the greedy little bastard," Trouble growled at what Marinette presumed as the cat, as it hissed back. She laughed.

Trouble breathed deeply, irritated at his cat. "Anyway,…" He paused to listen to the lyrics of the song, and he leaned against the wall as he sung. "Maybe it's much…..too early in the game….but I thought I'd ask you just the same…."

Marinette tilted her chin up and experimentally played with her soft curls, getting them in their correct places before sweeping half of it up as she joined him. "What are you doing New Year's…..New Year's Eve?"

"Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight…..When it's exactly twelve o'clock at night!" Trouble sang back, pulling on the last of his clothes. "Welcoming in…the New Year."

"New Year's….Eve." Marinette pulled on a pair of sparkly blue pumps and slid on her mask. "Maybe I'm crazy to suppose…I'd ever be the one you chose…..One of the thousand invitations you! Received!"

"Oh just in case…I stand one little chance." Trouble knocked on the wall separating them, and Marinette hummed in response. "HERE COMES THE JACKPOT…..QUESTION in advance!"

"What are you doing New Year's….New Year's Eve." Silence filled the space between them as the song ended, and Marinette waited for whatever he wanted to say.

"Would you mind meeting me outside your door in five?" Trouble asked with what seemed like confidence, but Marinette could detect a nervous warble in his voice.

Marinette smiled secretly, shying away from her reflection. "Well if trouble's knocking at my door, I guess I don't really have choice."

Trouble opened and closed his bathroom door, leaving Marinette alone. Her once giddy insides had turned to lead, and she stood shaking in front of her mirror. "Tikki?" Marinette whispered anxiously.

A red ball of light floated through the wall into the bathroom. The ball of light morphed into a little ladybug kind of thing. "Tikki? What am I going to do? I'm actually going to meet him! What am I supposed to do? How should I act? Should I leave him waiting for a little bit, or should I be a little late?" Marinette had resorted to her fifteen year-old self and Tikki was gently petting her cheek. As Marinette continued to ramble, Tikki put a small hand on Marinette's mouth.

"Calm down, Mari. Just act like yourself, and everything will be fine. There's nothing to be worried about. Just have fun." Tikki calmed Marinette down. Tikki left a little kiss on Marinette's cheek and gently guided her out of the bathroom towards her front door. "You can do it Marinette! Just go for it!" Before Marinette could react, Tikki had opened her front door and threw her into the hallway, right into her neighbor.

Strong arms wrapped around Marinette's middle, holding her up. Marinette's head was smashed against a purple button up that in turn was stretched across a toned stomach. Marinette turned beet red as she realized what trouble she had fallen into.

"Woah there," a kind, low voice whispered. A nice warm laugh accompanied this sentence as he pulled Marinette back onto her feet. Marinette looked up and stared into bright green eyes behind a black cat mask. Marinette got a jolt of Deja-Vu as she stared at a boy behind a black mask. Marinette shook herself internally and brought herself back into reality, which wasn't much better in her mind.

"There you go," he whispered. His face stared down at her and a mop of blond hair that had once been brushed back, now fell into his eyes in a handsome manner. "Let me guess….you're Kiki?" His eyes crinkled in a wry smile, and Marinette fought to not break out into a ginormous, giddy smile.

"More like clumsy." Marinette blushed a little and beat back the rest of the blush that threatened to invade her whole face. She took a step back out of Trouble's arms and let her back fall against the closed door as she took in the sight of her neighbor.

He was as handsome as most people she had met, but almost exactly as she had imagined him while they had been singing in the shower. Trouble grinned at her attention and did a little twirl. "Like what you see?" he asked cheekily.

Marinette laughed. "The face is a nice addition."

Trouble smiled. "Yeah, you too. It's nice seeing the face of an otherwise floating voice."

They smiled at each other for a little while longer, then Trouble held out an arm to Marinette. "Care to join me?"

Marinette laid her hand gently on his arm as they made their way to the entry hall of the apartment complex.

It was a simply decorated room with people from almost every apartment there. In the middle of the room was a small stage with a couple standing on it, singing in an interesting key. Streamers were everywhere, and balloons were scattered across every open surface. Everyone had a mask on, and everyone was enjoying themselves.

Marinette and Trouble went directly to the food table together and grabbed some snacks. In the background a boy was singing "Can't Stop the Feeling" in French and both Trouble and Marinette sung softly to it. They chose some seats off to the side, and Marinette turned towards Trouble. "So… How are you?"

"Good." Was all Trouble could say. They sat in silence as they struggled to come up with a conversation starter, but none came to mind. So they sat awkwardly side by side, looking at the people that passed them.

Marinette was seriously reconsidering going to this party when a clearly drunken man stumbled into their laps. "Hey guys…. Buddies!"He screeched. Marinette could tell he was the guy from a few floors below her and he was constantly getting himself, or others, into trouble.

"You know," the drunken man suddenly whispered. "…..now don't tell anyone about thhhhis," he giggled. "I signed you two up for the next song." He giggle one last time before collapsing on the floor. Marinette and Trouble's eyes met; both horrified. The guy singing in French had ended his song and both Marinette and Trouble tried desperately to find a way out of the hall, but the DJ suddenly sprung up by their sides and pulled them on stage.

"You'll thank me for this later," He quaffed as he gave two microphones to the two petrified young adults. "Have fun!"

Marinette stood stock still. It had been about five months at least since she and Trouble had started singing together in the shower, but somehow this situation was very different. Of course it's different, you dingbat! You're in front of a whole group of people that will definitely judge you till the day you move out. God I hope it's a song I know, Marinette thought to herself.

Marinette looked up at the karaoke screen and saw the words "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" by Meghan Trainor, scroll across the screen. Only a little bit of relief. I know this song. Halleluiah! She took a deep breath as the beginning cord sprang through the air.

"I found myself dreaming….In silver and gold! Like a scene from a movie….that every. Broken. Heart. Knows…." Marinette stole a glance at Trouble and she saw him smiling a little at her, and she quickly returned the smile. "We were walking on moonlight, and you pulled me close!" Marinette closed her eyes and instantly saw a familiar cat mask sitting next to her at the highest peak in all of Paris. "Split second and you disappeared and I. Was all. Alone…I woke up in tears…with you by my side! A breath of relief and I realized…NO…we're not promised tomorrow." Her eyes snapped open before her mind could conjure up any terrible images as she came to the chorus.

"So I'm gonna love! You…like I'm gonna lose you….. I'm gonna hold. You. Like I'm saying goodbye! Wherever we're standing… I won't take you for granted….Cause we'll never know…when…when we'll run out of time! So I'm gonna love you...Like I'm gonna lose you….I'm gonna love you…Like I'm gonna lose you." Marinette took a deep breath and looked towards her friend to her right.

Like she had done earlier, Trouble had closed his eyes as he started to sing. "In the blink of an eye….Just a whisper of smoke….You! Could lose everything…The truth is you never known…" Trouble cautiously opened his eyes and peered at Marinette.

"So I'll kiss you longer babe….Any chance that I get…I'll make the most of the minutes…and love with no regrets. Let's take our time… to say what we want…Use what we've got before it's all gone….cause no….We're not promised tomorrow." Trouble sang with such truth, Marinette almost missed where she was supposed to come in.

Their voices, joined together perfectly, and for once without backup singers as they sang the chorus. It was just the two of them. The microphones that they held were uncorded and so the two of them danced with one another, getting closer and closer. Soon enough only their masks stood between them.

The bridge rolled along and the whole room became quiet as they watched the two. "I'm gonna love you…Like I'm gonna…..Lose….you…..I'm gonna….HOLD YOU! Like I'm saying Goodbye! WHEREVER WE'RE STANDING! I won't take you for granted!... Cause we'll never know when….When we'll run out of time…. So I'm gonna love you….Like I'm gonna lose. You…I'm gonna love you…..Like. I'm. Gonna….Lose…You…." Trouble and Marinette's breaths twisted together, and the crowd erupted into enormous, drunk cheers.

For several hours after that, the tension had broken, and Trouble and Kiki became quick friends talking about things they had never talked about before. They had eventually left the party in favor for walking around Paris. They were currently walking lazily down the Champs-Elysees as they talked about their aspirations, their hobbies, favorite foods, favorite colors, and even favorite types of socks.

"Yeah, I really like knee-high socks; they keep me warm," Trouble tried to explain.

Marinette laughed at the ridiculousness. "But how can you stand it falling down your leg? Ankle socks are far superior."

Trouble gaffed. "Come on. Ankle socks? They crumple up in your shoes constantly. You can never get them to stay on your feet!"

Marinette poked Trouble's chest. "That's why you get the right length. They have to reach just past your ankles for the best fit."

Trouble laughed and raised his hands up in surrender. "Alrighty then. We'll agree to disagree." Since Marinette was still staring him down, he added: "But for tonight I must agree. Ankle socks are by far superior to knee highs."

"Better," Marinette commented; smiling. The two had ended up at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower at the edge of an enormous crowd. Marinette glanced at her phone and saw that it was about fifteen minutes before midnight. "Wow, it's almost that time already?"

Trouble looked over her shoulder at her phone. "Wow we've been outside for nearly two hours!" He took a look down at Marinette's bare shoulders that were turning a little blue. "Aren't your shoulders cold?"

Marinette shrugged. "I didn't notice how cold I was getting, I guess." Trouble shrugged off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

"There. Now you should be warmer."

Marinette blushed a little, but blamed it on the jacket's heat; it warmer her up quickly and completely. "Thank you," she said, fumbling a little bit with her hands.

Trouble and Marinette stayed in the group under the Eiffel tower a bit with the Parisians and some tourists. They soon got deep in conversation again, and the minutes sped by quickly. Soon enough it was about a minute before midnight, and Trouble trained his eyes on the skin just below Marinette's glittery mask. A sweet song played in the background, and Trouble felt the mood shift a little.

Marinette, in turn, took her own glances up at the boy's face, trying to see behind his mask. For some reason the atmosphere of this New Year's Eve made Marinette want to try something new.

The famous count down to the New Year began and they nervously turned towards each other. "Dix, neuf, huit, sept, six, cinq….., quatre…..trois, deux…UN, BONNE ANNÉE !"

"Bonne Année," Marinette wished to Trouble.

"Et toi, Kiki." Trouble replied with tenderness in his voice. He leaned in a little bit, and moved to lift Marinette's mask a little bit so he could access the softness of her cheek.

Marinette turned redder and redder as he got closer; his eyes trained on hers, asking for permission. She closed her eyes in response and his lips brushed against her cheek. Trouble had almost slipped Marinette's mask off when a high pitched scream and an explosion pierced the air. Both Marinette and Adrien whorled away from each other, looking up at the sky for the answer to the disturbance.

After so many years, both Adrien and Marinette, as well as the rest of Paris, realized that they were no longer safe. Hawkmoth seemed to have never left.


Hey readers! I'm back! I meant to post this last night, but the sandman came for a visit and made me fall asleep before I could ring in the New Year! Hope you liked the new chapter, and I'm really happy with all of the feedback I've been getting; it's been great! I know I left this chapter at a cliffhanger, but I honestly don't know when I'll publish again; I can only hope it will be soon. Please comment, favorite, or follow if you wish. Happy New Year everyone! Hopefully 2017 will be a great year for everyone! Until I write again, TTFN!