On the next patrol Ladybug was particularly upbeat, but despite wanting to spend his time enjoying his lady's good mood, Chat could not seem to bring more than a sad smile to his face. Finally, Ladybug gave up trying to infect him with her own happiness and decided to ask him what was wrong.

"Nothing's wrong, really," Chat said, but there was a hesitation in his voice. Ladybug frowned. It was unlike her dramatic kitty to be so withdrawn and quiet, even when he was upset.

"That's obviously not true. Come on kitty. You can tell me. We're partners. You can tell me anything."

His eyes got a distant look to them. He sighed as he sat down at the edge of the rooftop overlooking Paris's night sky. "I have a date this weekend."

Ladybug gasped happily to herself, trying to hold in an excited squeal. She hid a grin behind her hand, not that she needed to. Chat was turned away so he couldn't see her face. "Oh Chat," she said, "I'm so happy for you. But..." she frowned, "I don't understand. Why are you upset? Are you nervous?" That didn't sound like her kitty at all.

Ladybug quietly took a seat beside him so she could see his face as he spoke.

"It's just... it doesn't seem right," he explained. "I don't love her like that. But she's a really good friend, and I care for her so much, I couldn't break her heart."

"It sounds like you do care about her a lot," Ladybug said slowly. "Sometimes the romantic feelings come slowly, and even unexpectedly. You can just give it time and see where it goes. There's nothing wrong with that." I should know, Ladybug thought to herself, recognizing the pounding of her heart for what it was. Jealousy. She was jealous, and now she could admit it. Even if Adrien was her soul mate, very slowly her best friend and partner had stolen a part of her heart.

"But that's just it. I know I could do that, but I don't want to. I still love you, M'lady, and I'm not ready to give up on that."

"Chat..." Ladybug trailed off. She was getting ready to tell him he should move on from her, but that would only be hypocritical, she realized. Wasn't she in the same boat, denying her kitty in favor of someone who hadn't shown any interest in her all this time?

"Chat," she began again, "I can't tell you what to do with your own heart. That is up to you. But I can tell you to be careful playing with this girl's heart. I know you think you are sparing her feelings by going out with her, but there is nothing worse than being led on. My advice to you is to be upfront with her. If you can't give her your heart, don't give her the wrong idea. I know I'd never want the boy I love to force himself to be with me."

Chat blinked, then smiled. "You are so wise my lady. I will certainly take your advice under advisement." He stood, bowed deeply, and with one last farewell, catapulted into the night sky.

Meanwhile, Ladybug was left to her own thoughts. And all she could think was that she probably wasn't all that wise after all. Tomorrow she had a date with the boy she'd been pining after for a year, a boy who had admitted he didn't feel the same for her. She was jumping headfirst into heartbreak, with only the hope that he might miraculously change his mind.

But how could she not take the chance when so much of her life was simply proof that the miraculous does happen?

Adrien was thinking that Ladybug's advice was easier said than done when the Saturday of his date finally rolled around and he found himself inspecting his appearance carefully in the mirror. He was fighting the urge to ruffle his hair up like Chat's. He didn't feel particularly romantic as Adrien. All of his romantic efforts had always been through his alter ego, and he almost felt like he needed to channel that side of himself to make this date successful.

Then he reminded himself that he wasn't particularly trying to make this date a success. He kept forgetting that.

He smoothed his hair back down. Then he groaned out loud.

Plagg floated leisurely near his right shoulder, holding a precious piece of cheese in his paws. He threw the chunk up and into his mouth, swallowing it pretty much whole before speaking. "Trying to look good for pigtails?"

Adrien groaned once again, throwing himself dramatically onto his bed with some Chat worthy drama.

"Is it something I said?" the kwami surmised.

With little help from Plagg, Adrien was finally able to get himself ready and drag himself to the theater where he had agreed to meet his date. He had a hard time keeping his jaw from dropping at the sight of Marinette. She wore a clearly Ladybug themed outfit that was somehow perfectly balanced between formal and casual for their movie and a dinner date. A black skater skirt, polkadot silk shirt off the shoulder shirt, red ballet flats, and a big red bow pulling back a few strands of her hair, which was otherwise left down to brush against her bare shoulders. Adrien swallowed nervously.

"Hey Marinette!" He waved broadly to get her attention. Her eyes finally found his from several feet away, and Marinette began to make her way to him. Adrien took the moment to remind himself that he had to let the girl down easy during this date, not let his nervous attraction toward her, especially her dressed in Ladybug inspired attire, destruct him.

But by the time he'd finished his thought he realized Marinette had already made her way to stand directly in front of her, and he had been staring at her for probably a full minute and a half. Marinette smiled through a deep red blush, and Adrien's heart skipped.

It was in that moment he realized he was most certainly screwed.

Marinette could not believe that this was really happening. She was in the theater watching ... well, she honestly had no idea what movie they were watching, she realized, because her mind was too preoccupied with the boy beside her. Adrien freaking Agreste had taken her out on a date. And, surprisingly, he seemed almost as nervous about it as she did.

It was surprising really. She wasn't used to a nervous Adrien, but she could only hope that it was a good sign. Perhaps her plan was actually working this time and he was falling deeply in love with her and they could get married and have two children and a hamster named-

"I really like your outfit," Adrien complimented quietly. He was smiling at her and gathering their popcorn and sodas. Marinette blinked, looked up at the screen, then looked around at the audience. Everyone had begun to stand, stretching and picking up their trash, and Marinette realized that the movie had ended before she even figured out what they'd come to see.

Marinette cleared her throat and stood. "Th-thank you." She cheered in her head, grateful that she'd actually gotten two words out in a row that made sense. She could have told him that she had designed and sewed the outfit this weekend specifically for him and this date, but she doubted she could get so many words out without embarrassing herself, so she just smiled quietly.

The two made their way outside, and both breathed deeply at the night air, as though it had released a great deal of tension from their bodies. They glanced at each other from the corner of their eyes and laughed.

"So..." Adrien began, "Did you want to get some dinner?"

And that's how Marinette found herself in the fanciest restaurant she'd ever seen, heart beating a thousand times a minute and totally, completely intimidated. After all, she was in a perfectly romantic place with the most perfect person she knew.

Before she knew it, the date was over, and Adrien was walking her to her doorstep, and Marinette realized idly that she'd barely said two words the whole date. But, when Adrien leaned forward and planted the sweetest kiss (not that she had much to compare it to) on her lips, that fact ceased to bother her. Afterwards, she grinned goofily and waved broadly until her date had made it back to his limo and his bodyguard had driven away. Then, oh so slowly and in such a daze that her parents decided it best to simply leave her alone, she made her way inside and up to her room, collapsing on her bed to replay that kiss over and over in her head all night.