The beginning of this chapter is just me being salty to the fandom. (Especially the shippers.)

And then there's this chapter being a ship-y chapter, and… uh… yeah, I did not think this through.

I swear there's a point to this chapter. And it's not just me…

(:)

La Da Dee

-Cody Simpson

If anybody had asked Aspik why he had done it, he would simply had responded that he had forever wanted to do it and had just been caught up in the moment.

Most males in the city would've nodded and said they couldn't blame him. The females would have just begun telling all their friends about it.

If Ladybug would have asked, well, he would have confessed to everything right away, being Chat Noir, loving her for an eternity, still would even if she hated him for basically lying to her, keeping his identity. Apologize ten times over.

What exactly had happened that led to that moment?

Well, two days after Mr. Pigeon a young girl, Fawn, had been akumatized into Heartstrings. Her reasonings? Her favorite show had ended without her favorite ship becoming cannon, and she had instantly gone anti, hating on the show with all her heart. Her anger was great enough for Hawkmoth to akumatize her into a villain bent on making her ships cannon.

In hindsight? In every way the weirdest akuma ever. Aspik doubted she even deserved the title of "Fan".

Aspik's power was not needed to beat the akuma, and Ladybug's lucky charm was not needed either, but she summoned it anyway so she could reverse the damage afterwards.

After she tossed it in the air, turning to him with a confident grin, holding her fist out, paused, then switched it to a high-five, he approached her, resisting the temptation to return her celebratory 'well played'. In favor of doing as such, he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her up in the air.

She flinched in surprise at the motion, eyes widening as he landed a kiss on her cheek. She froze nearly instantly, mouth dropping into a gape.

Aspik set her down, gut curling in nervousness.

Why? Why did I do that? He cursed, mentally kicking himself. She doesn't like Chat Noir, so why would she love Adrien? Love Aspik?

"Why'd you…do you…" Ladybug spluttered, her cheeks a dark pink as she blushed. "I…I love…I…"

"I'm sorry!" Aspik blurted, taking a step back. "I'm…I'm sorry. It's…I'm in love with you, Ladybug, and…I just… I shouldn't have…"

"You…" Ladybug took as step forward; her eyebrows furrowed in worry. "But…I…I love you too. I thought you…I…we…"

"You do?" Aspik raised his head from his hands, where he had burrowed it two seconds previously. "But…that means…" She rejected Chat Noir for Adrien. That's… Oh. Everything just…liked…tripled in the puzzling criteria.

"I…yes. I do…and I…I really do." Ladybug nodded vigorously, sapphire eyes staring up at him. "And you…me?"

"I really do." Aspik responded, taking several steps forward so they weren't even a foot apart. "If…if we do… will …will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"

Ladybug's face darkened even more shades, smiling into his jade gaze. "I…yes! Oh, yes!"

Aspik grinned at her, arms outstretched, silently celebrating as she closed the short distance between them, burying her face into his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Aspik laid his head down in her hair, and the two stayed safely nestled together for several minutes.

All too soon, Ladybug's earrings beeped, giving their fourth warning, and the two pulled back, blushing profusely.

"Well… um… I guess I need to…get going, huh?" Ladybug hummed, rubbing her arm. "I'll see you around."

"Um… yeah." Aspik agreed, smiling awkwardly.

She grinned, readying her yo-yo, and swung away.

Aspik watched her go, brightly gazing after her.

He felt Plagg nudge his pocket, trying to get out. Aspik rolled his eyes, laying his hand against the pocket protectively. "Plagg, stay." He murmured. "We can talk when I get home."

Plagg mumbled something through the material, but Aspik ignored him, pivoting to head back to the Agreste Mansion.

He was readying to jump off the roof, when he heard a door open behind him; most likely the entrance to the stairs that led to the apartment complex to where he stood on the roof.

Humming to himself, he turned around to face the newcomer, expecting them to be demanding to know why he was on their roof, or screaming in glee that he was on their roof, or – the traitor part of him that was Chat Noir-based supposed – try to kill him in wrath.

His eyes met with Alya's, the reporter already holding out her phone. "Aspik! Hey! New guy! Can I snag a quick interview?"

He froze, taking a step back.

This was not her apartment complex; Aspik knew better than that. Hers was almost completely across the city.

"Did you sneak into this building?" Aspik smirked, arching an eyebrow.

"Maybe." Alya teased, smiling at him over her camera. "I'm supposed to be the one doing the interview, you know. Unless you're also a fellow journalist…"

"Nice try, Ladyblogger." Aspik congratulated, crossing his arms. 'The Ladyblog Girl' was the name Chat had dubbed her; so, he tried to give her a different title to resist being discovered. "But you're not getting the truth that easily."

"Looks like you've already gotten the first rule down." Alya nodded in approval. "Well, if I need any superhero tips, I know where to come."

That's a joke she – er – Rena Rouge and I – um – Chat Noir are supposed to have between us. She's using it on me! Aspik's eyes narrowed, and he felt insulted that she had shared a personal joke that quickly. Who else had she joked about it with? Meow-ch.

"How long is it planned on you being Ladybug's partner?" Alya inquired, returning to the interview.

"As long as she needs me." Aspik said without enthusiasm, frowning at the reporter.

"Are you replacing Chat Noir?" Alya pressed, leaning toward him eagerly.

"Mmm." Aspik mumbled, doing his best not to answer, not completely sure what to say.

"Wow. You're curbing your enthusiasm." Alya noted importantly, blinking. "Are you not excited to work with Ladybug?"

"Oh, I am." Aspik argued, thankful that their height distance let him look down at her and make him seem more intimidating. "Believe me. However, I do not like the way you are talking down Chat Noir."

"I am not!" Alya huffed, glaring at him, her gaze sharpened into daggers. "I'm asking questions any other reporter would!"

"I can tell you hate him." Aspik deadpanned.

"Doesn't all of Paris?" Alya argued back, scoffing, losing her professional stance. "He killed everyone!"

"Frozer and Stormy Weather killed people through thermal shock. Pharaoh literally made people into zombies." Aspik growled. "How is that any different?"

"It just is!" Alya returned. "And you know it is, too! Let's just get back to the interview!"

Aspik hissed at her, taking a step back. "No."

"What? Why?"

"Ladyblogge- Alya. You can't act like this. It isn't right, and until you improve…well, you get the idea. Au revoir." Aspik nodded, taking his place at the very edge of the roof, tilting background.

Alya gasped, taking several urgent steps backward. "Hey! Come back! I'm not done talking to yo –"

Aspik ignored her, flipping his legs underneath him so that he landed on the ground safely, bending his legs in preparation to leap upwards. Another cry from Alya, and that gave him enough motivation to leap up to next building and run along the rooftops as he headed for the Agreste Mansion.

It took way too long for him to reach home, and the entire way Plagg poking at his pocket, trying to get out.

Aspik finally dove into his window, landing on the floor.

He released his transformation, freeing first Plagg then Sass.

Both Kwamis stretched, humming.

"Ha! Ha ha! Ha!" Plagg cheered, laughing. "You did it, kid!"

"I'm not sure what part of it you mean." Adrien grumbled, collapsing on his bed.

Sass hovered above him, curling around his right wrist protectively, giving him a fanged smile.

"Both of them! You finally got the Ladybug as your girlfriend, and you told off Red!"

"Alya." Adrien corrected, sighing.

"You realize what this means, right?" Plagg demanded, smirking. "You're the boy Ladybug likes! She rejected you for you!"

"I'm aware." Adrien sighed dreamily, grinning at the ceiling. "It's going to hit me in several minutes, but for now, I think I'll enjoy it until it does."

"And with Red! You proved you had a backbone!"

"Alya. And I've always had a backbone." Adrien insisted, glaring at his Kwami.

Sass's slited eyes stared at him, humming comfortingly. "You wissh to keep people happy, no?"

"Yeah." Adrien mumbled, turning toward him kindly. "I really do."

"A wonderful sskill few posssesss." Sass murmured, closing his eyes as he nuzzled against his wrist. "I'm proud of you."

"Aw, thanks, Sass." Adrien smiled, petting Sass's head gently.

"Hey! What about me? I'm proud too!" Plagg protested, nudging his head against Adrien's arm like a kitten seeking affection.

"Heh, heh, you just want to cuddle." Adrien scoffed, pushing Plagg back in distaste.

Plagg whimpered, floating right back up and nudging him. "Remember when you used to pet me? Before Sass came?"

Sass hissed, opening one eye. "Maybe if you were a bit more affectionate…"

"I'm plenty affectionate! Adrien's the one who's not!" Plagg glanced longingly at a container of cheese, sighing dreamily. "At least, I'm affectionate to cheese…"

"I'm not ssure how thiss ssubject went from Adrien to cheesse…" Sass grumbled, eyeing a container of camembert that was sitting next to the globe with distaste.

"Okay, okay, you two." Adrien laughed, pushing Plagg underneath his right hand so he could use his left hand to pet Sass and use his right to scratch Plagg. "Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty."

Both of them turned to him indignantly, both protesting as loud as they could.

It took all Adrien had not to laugh as he tried to quiet them down, rolling his eyes fondly at the two of them.

He loved his kwamis and would do everything he could to keep them happy.