A/n Lol, so it's been like 8 years since I wrote fanfiction, so I forgot to put this at the beginning of the last one. I own Nothing in regards to miraculous ladybug, or any mentioned music.

On that second note I have some music that helped inspire me while I wrote this, and you may enjoy them.

There's this boy, Tenille Arts

Give your heart a break, Demi Lovato

Friends Don't, Maddie & Tae

Hold it against me, (Britney Spears) Chester See slow version cover.

This fic has spoilers for season 3!

I'd like to say I'm sorry for the number of puns in the second half of this chapter but let's face it- I'm not.

I love reviews, they genuinely make my day! Enjoy!

-Araia

Chapter 2

What You Mean to Me

"Girl, one of these days you need to get it together and tell Adrien how you feel." Marinette couldn't even begin to count how many times she'd heard Alya say those exact words, and as much as Marinette agreed with them, she still hadn't managed it.

" I know, you're right. But it's a life changing moment and I'm so busy and I don't know if I can handle any response right now." Marinette flopped face first in her desk, sighing in a brief moment of self-indulgent misery.

"Response to what?" Marinette looked up in horror, to see Adrien and Nino setting their bags down on their bench, and her eyes widened in horror.

"Asking her parents to let her spend the weekend at my place. With how much homework we have, it's sure to be a no but if they say yes, we won't get much done." Alya responded smoothly, deciding to help rather than watch Marinette stutter and fail at coming up with a lie. There was only so much stuttering she could watch Marinette do in a week and Alya' had reached it yesterday.

" Well why don't we do a study group, and then watch a movie after we've killed a bunch of the homework? I'm not sure if I can show up, but I can always video call and help you all with physics."

"That's a great idea dude! Maybe your old man will even let you out of the house for once!" Adrien gave a sad smile in response and shrugged.

"Maybe, but at least I'll get to talk with you guys. My week was heavy on photo shoots, so Nathalie should give me time to study this weekend."

"That's right, didn't you have like 3 by Tuesday?"

"Yeah, with two more yesterday, Father has a show coming up and is releasing a new fashion line right after. I haven't had a snack in ages. What I wouldn't give for a macaron." A pout accompanied the last bit, and while it was mostly playful there was more than a touch of wistfulness in his voice. Marinette's eyes lit up, and Alya grinned.

" Well it's a good thing Marinette will bring some to the study session for us! You sure you can't make it, sunshine?" Alya winked at her best friend, and for once Marinette needed no prodding.

"Definitely! It'd be a good way to relax tomorrow." Adrien looked ecstatic at the thought.

"I'll ask Nathalie at lunch!"

"You have fencing immediately after class." Nathalie didn't even look up from her tablet as she informed Adrien of her schedule.

"Okay." He went to open the door, and paused, steeling his nerves for the 'no' he was sure he'd get. "Nathalie, is there any chance I could study with my friends this weekend? We were thinking it'd be easier together, and then we could stay in and watch a movie after." She looked up finally, her pale blue eyes studying his green.

"I'll speak with your father and inform you after fencing." She knew it would fit within his schedule, but whether or not Gabriel would let Adrien go was another matter entirely. He'd worked hard this week, and she was fairly sure she could leverage that with Gabriel to get approval. Even so, she wasn't willing to give an answer and see the disappointment on Adrien's face if she had to revoke it. She got that often enough when Gabriel cancelled meals with him. She hated seeing that, but knew it was for the best. Gabriel worked the hours he did to bring Emilie back, and Adrien would see that in time.

"Thank you, Nathalie." He gave her a smile and left the vehicle.

Once again, Marinette had snuck into the boy's locker room, with a present for Adrien. But she wasn't going to chicken out this time. She'd made her weekly macaron batch yesterday, and Adrien's comment had given her a perfect opportunity to finally give him one. It wouldn't be in person this time, but he'd likely remember that she'd given him a special one before. She tucked the macaron in the big pocket of his bag and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Marinette, don't forget the note!" Tikki dragged it out of her purse, holding it out to her wielder.

"Thanks, Tikki!" Marinette whispered, and tucked it with the cookie.

"Did you remember to sign it this time?" Tikki teased, and Marinette shook her head.

"It's enough to me that he gets to enjoy it, I don't need credit for it. I'd rather know that he smiled. I can leave this one unsigned. Besides, maybe he'll remember the last one."

"You're such a good person, Marinette. The kindness you show your friends is truly remarkable." The young girl blushed and closed the locker.

"He doesn't -truly- smile enough. Sure, there's the model smile that he uses all the time. His real smile though, it's rare, and precious. I'd do anything to see that smile." Marinette softly told her kwami. She looked around and snuck out of the locker room. Tikki dove into her purse as she darted far enough away from the entrance that she could pass off as having been somewhere else.

Adrien opened his locker and began shoving his equipment into his duffel bag. Class had been uneventful, and Adrien had thoroughly enjoyed his fencing lesson. While Adrien put effort into everything he did, in an attempt to make his father proud, he put far more effort into fencing. It was not only something he was good at, but fun and it had real world applications. It also helped that it was one of the things that Ladybug said he did well -though she'd said so to Adrien, not Chat- and it had real world consequences. He would often end up using his staff like a sabre, and his skills often came out during fights, and they helped him to keep Paris safe. The Gorilla had texted him, notifying Adrien that he and Nathalie were there to pick him up.

"Ready, Plagg?" Adrien asked, even though it was really to prepare himself.

"Home is where the cheese is, lets go." Plagg dove into his pocket at the end of the duffle bag, and Adrien zipped it most of the way closed, and shut his locker. The air outside was a tad brisk, and he gratefully climbed into the well heated car. Nathalie had been running colder lately, and having issues regulating her body temperature. The gorilla had begun turning the heat on because of that, and while Adrien typically was warm enough on his own, today he was glad for the extra warmth. He resisted the urge to flop onto the seat, knowing the comfort wasn't worth the lecture about his posture.

"Your father agreed to let you study with friends. You may be out until 9pm." He broke out into a broad grin, warmth spreading through his chest.

"Thank you!" She gave him a smile, happy that for once she could say yes. The genuine delight on his face made the time spent triple checking that everything was in order and then convincing Gabriel worth it.

Adrien practically hummed the entire way home and tossed his bag -Plagg and all- onto his bed as he finally got to flop onto his computer chair. He let the motion swing his chair around and stared up at the ceiling.

"Hey Adrien, what's this?" God how Adrien hated those words coming from Plagg. They usually preceded something being spat, sopping wet, onto his pants as Plagg discovered that whatever he'd shoved in his mouth was not in fact cheese. He spun to face his kwami, and instead found Plagg holding a delicately wrapped macaron, and a note with his name written on it. A heart dotted the I, and Adrien broke into a grin as he recognized the handwriting. Of course, Marinette had made him a treat. Little bits of kindness wherever she could, and the determination to stand up for others were part of why Adrien had dubbed Marinette their everyday Ladybug.

" I bet I know who this is from!" There was a teasing tone in Plagg's voice, and Adrien narrowed his eyes at him. "Just what's that supposed to mean?" "That meaaaans that I've only ever seen that blush on you because of Marinette."

"She's just a friend!" Adrien insisted, but his smile matched the first time he'd said that to Plagg, who didn't believe it for a second. There was just the minor issue that Marinette was also Ladybug, and he couldn't push Adrien into realizing that they were one and the same. Adrien would unquestioningly reveal his identity or lose all nine of his lives to protect his love, as he had done many times over as Chat Noir. Hawkmoth would find out, and the world would drown in Adrien's sorrow once again. All Plagg could do was hint, and when the time came, Adrien would -probably- clue in. Meanwhile Adrien was scrolling through his phone and was surprised to see that after nearly a year at public school, he still didn't have her phone number. It kind of made sense; he'd never had a group project with her, and whenever he video called it was usually with Nino's phone. Still, it was disappointing. He wanted to thank Marinette right away, and he unwrapped it absently while he debated posting a photo of the macaron and tagging Marinette to thank her, but quickly dismissed that thought. His father would see the post and he'd never be allowed out of the house again, if he was caught sneaking sweets. It would have to wait until tomorrow, but for now he intended to fully enjoy the treat that she'd made for him. The delicate crunch of the outer layer and soft chew of the shells was perfect, and exactly how he remembered her macarons. He froze, when the ganache melted, and all he could taste was sweet passionfruit. The flavours balanced, just enough sweetness to not overwhelm the cookies, while the passion fruit was distinct and made his mouth water for more. Instead, he chose to savour the bite and let it melt in his mouth. He worked out as Chat Noir more than enough to be able to afford the sweet without it influencing his measurements.

Adrien had just swallowed his last bite, when his phone chimed with an akuma alert. He checked his phone, and grimaced, familiar news headers scrolling the top. Plagg floated to look at his phone and groaned.

"Not Mr. Pigeon again!" Adrien laughed at his kwami's irritated tone.

"Aren't cats supposed to hunt birds?"

"I'd rather sleep or eat cheese."

"You complain so much, and you're neither fighting him or allergic! Plagg, Claws Out!"

Green light enveloped him, and strength spread through his muscles. He couldn't help but grin at the surge of power and extended his baton to fly through his open window.

Like normal, Mr. Ramier was an easy defeat. They isolated Mr. Pigeon from his birds, snapped his bird whistle and purified it, without even using cataclysm. Chat took the opportunity to visit Alya and Nino- he knew they were hanging out today anyway-. He swung through the window, and posed with his baton under his arm, leaning against it.

"Hey dude! Nice of you to drop in!" Nino said, winking and shooting finger guns at the leather clad superhero.

"Hope I didn't catch ya unexpectedly." Alya face palmed from the kitchen, where she'd been grabbing a plate of snacks and orange juice for her and Nino.

"You two are ridiculous." Alya's sigh was joking, and Chat flashed his trademark grin.

"I thought that was Queen Bee's line?" He held his hands up in surrender with the look Alya shot him and settled onto the couch. "Anyway, I came to see how Operation Believe It was going." His grin faded into a half smile, and determination filled his eyes. Alya carried the cups and fruit over, pouring an extra glass for Chat.

"Well both Nino and I have written up our segments, both as Rena and Carapace, and as ourselves. But I'm not sure which to post to start. Mine would make sense given I run the Ladyblog, but I think yours would make more, as the creator." She sat on the couch beside Nino, passing around the drinks and fruit. The breath that escaped his chest left him feeling hollow.

"You're right. Can I have a night to decide everything I want to say? And could you do the filming for it, since I can't really send it to you?" Alya cracked a grin and leaned forward with anticipation.

"For sure, Cat Noir. Did you want to film it here?" She offered, and Chat shook his head.

"It needs to be somewhere public, otherwise villains might start targeting you to track down Milady." She nodded and held the bowl of grapes out to him, and Chat flicked it into the air and caught it with his mouth. Too many meals alone had left him with some useless talents.

"What about the Pon Des Art?" Nino suggested, and Cat Noir took a sip to hide the instinctive cringe. He knew that it would bother LB if he held it there. Too much subtext that she could read as clear as day.

"I think that's a tad too romantic for the message. The Ponte d'lena would work though."

"We can do that! After the movies tomorrow?" Her second comment was directed at Nino, who shrugged.

"That should work, but Marinette might try to tag along, and you were trying to keep this secret right?" Chat nodded.

"Please, I'd like to keep this as under wraps as possible until we air it. Could we do 10? I have a commitment until then." He needed time to get home from Alya's as Adrien, and then to make it to the Ponte d'lena as Cat Noir. Alya's smile led the way, and she gave a thumbs up.

"Even if she wanted to come, for our 'walk' Marinette would probably flake out or forget anyway, we'll be fine. And Nino or I can take her on a walk for privacy for you. The movie should end around 9:30" Chat chuckled.

"That forgetful huh?" Alya's laugh was half hysterical.

"You would not believe how often Marinette is late for class. It's almost painful, and you can count on her provided you remember she's going to be late. Or tell her an earlier time, though I try to not overuse that tactic." Oh, Adrien would absolutely believe it, he saw it when he was on time and at least half the time he was late she came in after him.

"She sounds like one of us. Anyway, I gotta bounce, I'll be catatonic tomorrow if I don't grab some shut eye." With a wink, he ran and jumped out the window. Nino laughed at the hero, while Alya just rolled her eyes.

Chat Noir made it back to his room a few minutes later and dropped his transformation. It was 8:30, so he still had some time before he needed to be in bed. A thought crossed his mind, and he grabbed his basketball. A throw, and point later his piano appeared, and he sat on the bench. Not only did he need to practice to retain his skills, but it always helped him think and focus. His talks with Alya and Nino had centered around what Ladybug meant to each of them, and while he had only spoken as Chat Noir, he intended to write one as Adrien as well. He'd send one after the video aired as Adrien. They were two parts of him, but they did both have different things to say about her, and the extra support might help remind Ladybug just how amazing she is. He started playing the assigned piece his father wanted him working on but kept drifting towards a different melody until Adrien decided to follow it. The melody was bright and hopeful, but the harmony had a melancholic sadness that seemed to echo the fears and self doubt that occasionally overwhelmed his Lady. Adrien let himself get lost in the music, and the sound surrounded him, enough that he could picture Ladybug and her bright blue eyes smiling brilliantly at him. He startled, hitting a wrong key when a knock sounded on his door.

"Adrien?" He heard Nathalie from the other side.

"Yes?" The door opened and she leaned her head inside.

"I appreciate that you're practicing but you need to go to bed soon." He nodded. She turned to leave and paused looking back. "I might not have your family's trained ear, but I think that was beautiful Adrien." She gave him a full smile, eyes crinkling at the corners before she closed the door. Adrien looked over at Plagg, who had zoomed out of his hiding place. Confusion was clear on his face, but all he could do was shrug at his kwami.

Adrien moved to his desk and grabbed a sheet of paper. He had a few ideas on how he wanted to start his letter, but the phrasing usually took a couple of drafts. Given that tonight was the only real free time he had, he needed to get this done.

"Hey Marinette!" The bluenette looked over, seeing Nino and Adrien walk towards her and Alya.

"H-h-hi Adrien." Minimal stutters-nice. She got through his name this time!

"I wanted to say thank you so much for the macaron last night. It was absolutely delicious and made my night. How did you know passion fruit is my favourite?" She blushed and turned to shoot a glare at Alya who murmured "Stalker."

"Uh, well, I uh, lucky guess?"

"Nawh, I say it's your perception check bonus." Nino jumped in, and Alya and Marinette groaned.

"Not this again!" Marinette exclaimed, and Adrien looked confused between his companions. Seeing his look, Nino obliged his bestie.

"So, if you think about everyone around you, as if they were D&D characters, you can pretty easily figure out what their strongest and weakest stats are. Well I have this theory, that different people have situational bonuses. I think Marinette gets a bonus to her perception checks when it comes to making other people happy."

"Look at what happened with Marc and Nathaniel when I first tried to get them to work together! What was that?" Nino grinned.

"Two Nat one's in a row? Oooo, if you roll 3 nat ones in a row in Paris then you spawn an akuma…."

"Okay, but I've got an important question about that…. are you looking at 5th edition or Pathfinder as your base?" Adrien gave Nino a wicked grin and asked the question with a suggestive look at his friend. Marinette threw her hands in the air.

"Nope. I'm out, I've been listening to this theory for years and I am not listening to Nino argue my 'stats'." She started walking up the stairs to head to class -it was about to start soon anyway- and tripped on the steps.

She looked up and saw Adrien holding out a hand to help her up. She hesitated and felt Alya's foot dig into her calf, to startle her out of the instant blank brain she got whenever Adrien offered physical contact. Adrien grabbed her partially extended hand and pulled her up.

"I'm pretty sure no matter what, you've got a negative to dex Marinette." She sighed and he let go of her hand.

"You're probably right." They started walking to class, Alya grabbing Nino's hand to keep them trailing behind since Marinette was actually speaking to Adrien and she wanted to see how long Marinette could last before she had to jump in and save her, not that she'd have to wait long.

"Anyway, yesterday I went to text you to thank you for the treat and realized that I don't have your number. Any chance I could change that?" Marinette's jaw hit the floor, and Adrien offered her his phone. Alya could see Marinette's eyes glazed over and stepped forward to grab Adrien's phone.

"If you let Marinette type in her number herself, your phone will be broken two digits in." Alya winked at her bestie and Adrien, seeing Marinette snapback to reality where Adrien had asked her for her number. She took a breath, reciting her number to her goddess and bff, who knew exactly when she was needed. Alya passed Adrien's phone back as they entered the classroom, and as soon as the boys were facing forward, Marinette launched herself at Alya.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! You are legit my lifesaver and I don't know what I would do without you." Marinette half whispered, and Alya winked at her.

"That was 3 whole sentences without stuttering girl, you're getting better." Marinette's eyes widened.

"Knock on wood, you're not allowed to jinx me." Panic overlaid determination in Marinette's voice, and Alya lovingly rolled her eyes but obliged. "Girl you're crazy."

"And now, for the best part of the day! I've missed Mari snack time." Marinette laughed at Nino.

"It's been ages since you came over for after school snacks. But you gotta help me carry them over to Alya's." She winked at Nina, and Adrien perked up.

"Are you kidding, have you seen Mari? We get to see this snack every day." Alya joked, and Marinette blushed and elbowed her best friend.

"Well if we grab the treats, I know Gorilla will drive us over."

"That works, it'll nab us more time for the extra homework Ms. Mendeleev assigned us." Marinette whimpered.

"Don't remind me, I was overwhelmed before she added 3 more pages." Alya laughed and leaned on her shoulder.

"Girl, I don't know what you do with your time, you don't sleep, you're always stressed about homework, and you're late to everything. If I didn't know better, I'd still say you're Ladybug." Alya teased, but there was a serious look in her eyes. The group left the school, and Marinette nearly tripped down the stairs at Alya's words.

"Pfft, not this again! "

"I've never seen you in the same room as Ladybug, and until I do… you're a suspect." Alya informed her, while Nino and Adrien exchanged amused looks. Adrien had, not that he could say anything. She'd been a great hero, during her brief time as Multimouse.

"I'm way too klutzy to be Ladybug! And you know I run and hide the second the akuma alerts go off. Plus, you'd see bruises all over if I tried to pull the kind of stunts that Ladybug does." Marinette inwardly hid a smirk, positive she'd pinned Alya into a corner. Both girls knew that their suits cushioned and reduced any blows they did take, but that wasn't public knowledge and Alya couldn't admit that without revealing herself.

"Don't you think her Miraculous Ladybugs would fix any damage even she took though? They bring Cat Noir back and anyone else who was… well." Marinette straight up flinched, and Alya laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry, I know you consider him a friend. Even if he didn't return your crush." Marinette groaned.

"I'd really rather not think about that. That was probably one of the most embarrassing days of my life."

"Wait what?" Adrien asked, feigning ignorance of the event. Blushing, Marinette described -the public version-of her fathers akumatization as their group crossed the street.

"So, you had a crush on Chat Noir then?" Adrien asked and Marinette's cheeks were hot pink.

"No! I mean Yes! Ugh just… it's complicated." Adrien grinned at her.

"Don't worry Marinette, I'm just kitten." She blinked repeatedly, trying to process hearing Chat's kind of joke out of Adrien's mouth.

"Dude, that was a bad pun." Nino informed him, as Alya and Marinette chuckled. "If you're gunna make a pun make it a good one." The bell rung as Marinette opened and held the door for her friends.

"Maman! I'm just grabbing the snacks for our study session." She called out, and Sabine came out from behind the counter to hug her daughter.

"Alya, Nino, Adrien! It's so nice to see you all!" She greeted each of them warmly and with a hug and Adrien marvelled at the feeling. Physical affection was rare for his family, so he always cherished the few moments that someone chose to be that close. Sabine was warm and welcoming, chatting with each of them about the subjects that they would be studying while Marinette gathered the boxes of snacks and passed one to each of them.

"Dang Marinette, how much did you make?" Nino asked, and she giggled.

"Well when papa heard how much homework we have, he made my favourite caramel cheesecake, and I made some macarons, and Maman made us a veggie tray." Sabine laid a kiss on her daughter's cheek.

"I had some leftover pastries from the lunch rush, so I threw those and a quiche in." Adrien smiled widely at that.

"Thank you Maman! I thought I saw an extra box. You spoil us."

The group waved, careful not to drop their precious cargo. Nino held the door open with his back, and the group continued chatting excitedly as they crossed the street and walked into Adrien's car after a quick warning not to mention any of the sweets, Once the Gorilla pulled up in front of Alya's, Marinette offered him a slice of quiche as a thank you for the ride. He smiled warmly at the friends, nodding his thanks.

The homework passed, thankfully quickly, as they leaned on each other's strengths whenever someone got stuck. They ate the healthy snacks first, devouring the tray of fruits and veggies, and Adrien nearly ate half of the quiche by himself, and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment when Alya teased him about it, not that anyone minded. At this point, the group was just happy to see him eat.

They threw on a random movie, some amusingly terrible b rate that they spent most of the film lovingly mocking, or occasionally screeching in outrage at. Eventually it slowed down, they paused the movie less, and Marinette started to doze. Adrien had been watching for this, knowing the bluenette just somehow never got enough sleep, and that she'd probably stayed up late. He leaned back, stretching his arm out behind the couch, and waited for Marinette to start nodding off. When she nearly startled herself fully awake, he laid his hand on her shoulder and pulled her slightly closer. There was no resistance in Mari as she slumped into the crook of his arm, her head resting perfectly for him to tilt his head slightly and rest it on hers. He let the faintest smile loose, and then saw Alya grinning like a maniac at him. Adrien raised an eyebrow in response, and she shrugged. Nino simply smiled, watching as Marinette finally began to relax around Adrien. The always present fatigue rose, and coupled with the heat in the apartment, Adrien could feel his eyes drift close, his head resting on Marinette's as she snored slightly. He could still hear the movie credits, Alya and Nino's murmurs, but couldn't be bothered to open his eyes. He was content with everything exactly how it was, and he'd love to stay like this for hours.

"They're so cute. If only she could handle this awake." Alya whispered.

"Yeah, but his hearts still conflicted. I think he needs time, given how seriously he was considering Kagami." A twinge went through his heart, but he couldn't address it. He needed to be alone and moving before that was something he could address and consider.

"If you guys keep talking, you'll wake her." He whispered, his comment having the intended effect of silence, and he settled further into her warmth. Her scent of jasmine and strawberries, underlaid with warm pastry drifted into his nose. In the meantime, Alya stared at Nino, shocked that they'd gotten an almost sassy retort from their friend. He shrugged, grinning widely.

Adrien had always been a tad more defensive than just a friend when it came to Marinette, worrying about her safety, standing up for her when she would be fine, and he didn't really need to. He'd struggled to gain her friendship and was never going to risk losing it. Nino wasn't overly surprised at Adrien wanting to make sure she stayed asleep, just at the level of defensiveness Adrien had let escape with his own exhaustion. Alya's shock faded into a smug smile, glad for the little bit of progress that Marinette had unintentionally made. When she was sure that Adrien's eyes were closed, she silently snagged a photo, knowing it'd make a great surprise for her bestie later. Or an adorable background photo if either of them could smarten up.

She sat back down, and found Nino holding out his tablet with a turn-based war game. She smiled and took the tablet to complete her turn. She furrowed her brow, focusing on the best way to strategically beat him, knowing he had a solid defense. She finally settled on her move, and looked up to pass the tablet back, to see him staring at her.

"What?"

"You're so beautiful. I'm so lucky to have you in my life. I love you, Alya. "She put the tablet down, game forgotten, and climbed over to sit on his lap and lean her head against his neck. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her forehead. There were a few minutes before they needed to head out, though honestly, there was no place else he'd rather be. He listened to her heart beat slow and glanced at the clock. He'd keep watch until it was time for them to leave.

Adrien's suit spread over his skin, and he could feel his strength amplifying as the magic material spread, like electricity running through his body. He grabbed the fox and turtle miraculous from his drawer, never having given them back to Ladybug. She'd only given him a warning when he forgot to bring them to patrol to be careful with them and asked him to bring them to their next patrol. He extended his baton effortlessly, flying out the window.

A calm determination had taken over him on the drive back to the mansion. She needed to understand, and she would. No matter how many people it took, Ladybug would realize how amazing she was. She would have a future, not clouded by anxiety, or his love for her. Maybe one day things would change, but right now she needed a partner that believed in her and didn't distract her. So that's what he would be. No matter what it cost him personally, he would still have nights spent fighting by her side. They would defeat Hawkmoth and save Paris. But for now, he needed to save her from her fears about herself.

He watched from a building near the banks of the Siene, until he could see two of his best friends in the middle of the bridge, before using his staff to vault to the middle of a river, landing on a ferry. He gave a brief wave at the patrons, before extending once more into the air, landing on the bridge in front of Alya and Nino.

"Hey." They looked over, unsurprised that he'd appeared out of thin air, but there was something expectant in their eyes. He was so single minded, that he'd forgotten the most visible part of the character he played. "hope I didn't take you by supurrise." He fulfilled their expectation, a moment late, but his heart wasn't in it. The pair shared a glance, then faked a smile.

"Are you sure you're ready for this Cat Noir?" Alya asked hesitantly, and he nodded, sitting on the edge of the bridge. Alya handed Nino her camera, they both took a breath, and Nino gave a countdown with his hand.

"Hey bloggers, tonight is the beginning of a very special project that I've been working on with one of Paris' superheroes. Cat Noir, why don't you describe this project you've been planning for us." Alya asked, turning towards the cat casually leaning on the edge of the bridge.

"I'd paw-sitively love to. We share something very special here in Paris; our protector, our light. Our Ladybug. And while we thank her each time she saves us, I realized the other day that we haven't taken the time to express why she means so much to us. And so, myself and some of the other hero's have decided that it's time that changes. So, I'd like to tell you- and My Lady of course- exactly what she means to me." He stopped leaning against the wall, stepping towards the camera.

"Ladybug, to me, you are more than just the fearless force that defends Paris. You are the bright hope that reminds me that anything is paws-ible, no matter how dire the situation we face. You are trusting, and unyielding in the face of danger. You let nothing get in the way of making sure that our city is safe, and I cannot even begin to say how important you are to me. You're more than just a partner, you're my best friend, and I know you have my back no matter what. You mean the world to me, and I am so unbelievably grateful that you are my partner. Thank you for everything you do, and for being who you are. I'd be lost without your brilliant heart to guide me." His emerald eyes glowed, and never left the camera. His words rang with sincerity, and Alya blinked quickly, before brushing the pooling tears away. She smiled at Nino beyond the camera, and he nodded, before circling his hand to motion her to go on.

"Alright guys, gals, and nonbinary pals, that was the beginning of the Lady Love Moments project! Check in later, and we'll have more with a couple of other superheroes." Nino stopped recording and gave them a thumbs up.

"I'll have yours uploaded tonight, thanks Cat Noir." He put a hand on her shoulder.

"No, thank you for your help Alya, Nino. This project wouldn't be happening without you."

"No problem my dude. Could we grab Wayzz and Trixx, so we can do Rena and Carapace's interview?" He nodded and unzipped his pocket to give the pair their miraculous. Nino passed him Alya's phone, and they both ran off to change. He heard a flute in the distance, and then Alya calling him from the opposite direction that Rena and Carapace came from. He grinned, knowing that she'd cast Mirage, and that it was a great idea for protecting her identity. Cat Noir gave Nino Alya's phone back, and he settled back into his cameraman role.

"Rena Rouge! I'm Alya Cessaire, the owner of the Ladyblog. Will you be joining us for our Lady Love Moments?" Cat Noir tried not to flip his gaze between the two of them, Deja vu flashing over him. There was something familiar about watching his friend and a hero talk as if they knew nothing about each other.

"I am, and I'm here to tell Ladybug, and Paris what she means to me. Ladybug, to me, you are joy. You balance kindness and strength, and teach each person in Paris what hope is, even in the darkest moments. You've taught me how to completely trust and work as part of a team, and how to have faith. Now, knowing that I have someone as amazing as you in my life gives me inspiration to push forward and become a better person- so that I can be worthy of your trust in me. Your grace and compassion that you offer each person who's been akumatized, is inspiring. And how you not only listen to the troubles plagguing-" she glanced at Cat Noir for a half second too long, and he grinned. "Each person, and offer them solutions, and remind us that this temporary pain or embarrassment won't change who we are or what we're capable of. You see beyond the actions to the person inside, and I'm so grateful that you chose to look at me. Thank you for being my mentor, and my friend." 'Alya' watched as Rena winked at her before running off. 'Alya' waved at the camera, cutting off the segment, before running off. Alya came back from the correct direction a few minutes later. She was also carrying a couple of water bottles.

"I found a street cart on my way back, figured we could use some drinks." She tossed drinks to each of them, and Cat Noir gratefully gulped down the water. His near nap with Marinette, and the rush over here hadn't left him with a lot of time, and he definitely needed the drink. Cat Noir put his bottle with the other two and took the phone that was being offered to him so Alya could do Carapace (figuratively). He followed Alya with the camera as she walked towards Carapace. As they so often did, they shared a look and knew what the other was thinking.

"Carapace, you're one of the newer -and rarer- superheroes around Paris, I'm a little surprised that you were able to make it for this interview."

"When I hear a cat call, I can't help but show up. Because I'm not called unless there's something important, and when Cat Noir asked for my help with this, I couldn't say no. Ladybug means too much to me. Ladybug, you saw me, struggling and desperately trying to not be in the way but still help, and showed me another way. You saw a part of me I doubted existed, and helped me understand myself better, and bring that strength forward. You taught me the importance of believing in myself, and just how crucial timing is, and that my biggest strength isn't physical, and nor should it be. The place you created within me, is the strength that I now know can carry me through anything. Thank you, for believing in me.

"This has been a shell of a time, but I guess it's time to see my shelf out."

"Looks like we've got a new competitor for the punniest guy, huh Cat Noir. How do you guys come up with all of these?"

"It's a snap." Nino Shot finger guns, and Cat Noir grinned widely.

"It's meta-furr-ically mew-sic to my ears, but Carapace won't claw away my crown. Anyway, gotta go chase a mouse. Later!" He jumped over the bridge, catapulting to the bank, and heading a few blocks away. He stopped on a roof a few blocks away and called Alya with his staff.

"How was that, the footage look good?" He asked and heard Nino mutter something in the background.

"Yeah totally, I can do some minor edits- mostly clipping the beginnings- and post them tonight. They'll probably be up in an hour." He could hear them walking and knew they would be heading back to Alya's place.

"Awesome, can I grab the miraculous from you around 4th street?" It would be on their way, and he knew an alley he could hide in until then.

"We'll be there. See you in ten." She agreed and hung up.

Cat Noir grabbed the miraculous from his friends a few minutes later, and tucked them into his pocket before heading off to see a mouse he knew would be tucked up on a balcony, nibbling on a croissant.