MiraculElse #30: Definitely Maybe Absolutely Sort-Of Ready, I Think

by DFC_afterdark

(Timeline: In the not-too-distant future.)


It was a patrol like any other, at least at first... quite uneventful. The night was quiet, the weather was nice, and even the muggers and purse-snatchers seemed uninterested in practicing their trade.

"Two more neighborhoods, and we can call it a night?" suggested Ladybug. "I don't think that there's anything out there for us tonight."

Chat Noir was silent for a moment, staring out into space.

"...Something on your mind?" she wondered. "You look thoughtful."

"There is," he said, "and I'm debating whether or not I can ask it."

"Whether you can? Not just should?"

Ladybug motioned for the two of them to stop where they were, which was near a small courtyard with some benches. "C'mere," she motioned. "How long have we known each other?"

"I know, I know," Chat declared, following Ladybug and sitting down beside her. "We've been partners for over two years now. That doesn't make some things easier to say out loud." At her raised eyebrow, he explained, "It's kind of a personal question. More personal for me than for you, I assure you... but it's still something kind of delicate."

"About... us?" she wondered.

"No. About me and my girlfriend."

Ladybug studied her partner as he spoke. "Kitty, you're shaking a little," she worried. "Are you in trouble? Is something wrong?"

"Just the opposite. Things are going very, very well... and I'm not entirely sure how to handle part of that."

"Well... I'm not going to force you," Ladybug smiled. "But if you want to ask what you think you need to ask, I'm listening."

His hands between his knees, his eyes uncertain, Chat pondered that for a moment.


"Okay. I can do this," Chat muttered, after a moment. "Ladybug... you know that I've got a girlfriend now, as my normal self. I know that you've been dating the boy you've always talked about, too. This isn't some kind of... weird seduction thing where I'm trying to make a move on you."

"And I appreciate that," Ladybug smiled, a little nervously. "You're happy with her?"

"Very."

"That's good. You know that I've always wanted that... for you to find someone who'd appreciate you for who you are. I know that I appreciate you, too... but we both know that it couldn't be me for you. Not that way."

"Yeah, I know. And I'm not complaining, either. My girl is everything that I could ever ask for, and a lot more than that," replied Chat, managing a smile of his own. "Things between us have been heating up lately, and I think... I think that she's going to want to start getting sexual soon."

"That's... good, I think?" Ladybug replied. "And?"

"I suppose that I don't even have to say out loud that I'm a virgin," Chat admits. "I've never done anything beyond kissing and a little feeling around. I don't know what I'd be supposed to be doing. I mean, I get the general idea," he blushes, "but I know none of the techniques, the subtleties, what a girl... likes."

He glanced at Ladybug to gauge her reaction. "I'll say it again. We don't have to talk about this," he offered. "It's sensitive, and it's personal, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

"No... it's all right," said Ladybug, softly. "Because I'll admit this much... I'm in kind of a similar situation."

"Really...?"

Ladybug waved him off. "I'll share, I'll share. But you first," she insisted.


"All right. I'll be as non-explicit as I can. And, I mean, it's not like anything's happened yet that I'd want to censor," Chat began. "My girl and I... everything's clicking romantically. It took long enough for us to get there, but we've been making up for lost time. We kiss, we cuddle... hands are starting to wander."

"Sounds about where I'm at right now," Ladybug concurred. "And you think that she's wanting more."

"Well... we both are," said Chat. "She's not, like, ripping at my clothes or anything... but the intensity's been increasing. Where we've been inching forward, she's usually made the first move. She can, uh... tell how excited I am... and so can I, with her. And I've noticed a couple of times where she's been... um... reaching out? Getting a lot closer? Hands under my shirt... and kind of guiding mine under hers. Her hands moving downwards."

"Oh, my," she grinned.

"And then we pull back and go back to regular kissing... and I'm not sure if it's because she's not sure that I want to."

"You do want to, though?" asked Ladybug. "I mean, as far as... obvious signs that you're into her and enjoying things... just because you have one of those at the time, doesn't mean that everything's a go."

"She knows that's there, when it is. It's kind of hard to ignore... no pun intended, for once! And when it is, it's like... I don't want to just ask her to do things with it. I don't want her feeling like I'm pressuring her to do that."

"And she won't go after it, or invite you to explore her, unless she's sure that you want her to."

"That's what I think, yeah."

Chat considered that for a moment. "I feel like... I know what you're going to say next. I could ask her if she's ready for that. I probably need to. But that might be crossing a line if I bring that up. Things are going so well... I don't want to feel like I'm pushing her that way."

Ladybug smiled. "That's very gentlemanly of you," she noted. "But it could get frustrating very fast, too. For both of you. Especially if she is wanting more."

"And it's not just about me," Chat emphasized. "There are lots of things that I could do that would please her, things that I'd really like to try with her! Same thing, though. I'm afraid that I'd be going too far, too fast."

"Chat," asked Ladybug, as gently as she could. "Are you sure that you're both ready for sex? I mean, not how-to sure, but emotionally sure."

"I am," he insisted. "I'm sure that she is. In things that she's said to me, she's definitely hinted that she's interested, and I don't want to hesitate, but..."

"But what?"

"This is something that would mean a lot to her, and to me, too. I want this to be right. To be special," Chat insisted. "I want to make sure that she comes away happy when we try it, not frustrated with my being a dork and not knowing what to do."

Ladybug watched him closely, seeing the vulnerability in his eyes... and shivered slightly.


"I'm in kind of the same situation as you," Ladybug noted, "just from the other side, which is kind of funny."

"Do tell!"

"Well... things with my boyfriend are going very well. Very, very affectionate," she ventured. "Chat... this isn't going to get weird for you if I talk about this?"

"No, it won't," he insisted. "I have who I need most now."

"Okay."

Ladybug took a slow breath, organizing her words.

"We have been going a little further each time we've been alone together. We're going slowly... but we're getting there. My boyfriend is very gentle, very caring... kind of like you are," she smiled. "He hesitates; he's afraid that I'll think he's being grabby, like what you said. And every time he touches me and we start approaching something new, it's like electricity running through me. I just want to... I just want to grab his hands and put them where I want them to be! But I don't."

"Why don't you?" wondered Chat.

"Same as you. I'm not completely sure that we're there. My body screams, yes, you're ready! My head's got questions."

She shuffled her feet, idly. "I mean, I know that he wouldn't judge me for that, you know? His eyes might bug out of his head, though."

"Why don't you just tell him, 'Look, I want you to know that you can explore me, and if I realize that I'm not ready and I start to panic, I'll let you know, and it's not your fault?'" asked Chat.

"Why don't you just tell your girlfriend, 'Look, I want you to know that I want to explore you and please you, and if I start to go too far for you, stop me?'" countered Ladybug.

"Because..." Chat trailed off.

"...Because that's a lot to come out of your mouth all at once, even if it's honest?" she finished for him. "That's how I feel. I want to just say it, but... that's a big, big step."

"Definitely."

The pair took a moment to process that particular mood.


"I would ask..." Chat grinned, "where it is that you want his hands to be. But that might get me in trouble."

"You were in trouble the moment we met," countered Ladybug, with her own grin. "And as for his hands... I think you can guess."

"That's just it. I have no experience with that," replied Chat. "What can you tell me about what girls like that way?"

The question made Ladybug recoil slightly. "Wow. I, um..." she managed. "I don't have... that kind of experience, either."

"I didn't... I didn't mean to suggest..."

"Chat... it's fine," she assured him. "I know what you meant by that, and what you didn't. I'm kind of touched that you felt comfortable asking me that, even."

His face remained fallen, though, so Ladybug continued. "I'll admit this much to you. I'm a virgin, too... and I don't really plan on changing that any time soon," she told him, softly. "When the time is right, I'm, well... I'm prepared for it, I guess you could say? I'm okay with the idea of that with the right person. But, talk about big steps..."

"Yeah. I don't feel like there's any shame in being one," Chat agreed. "I'm not hopeless, I'm choosy about whom I share myself with."

"I like that," Ladybug smiled. "We're willing to open up, but not with just anyone."

After a moment, she added, "That doesn't mean that I don't have cravings, of course. Daydreams about what some things would be like with him."

"Yeah."

"And there's so much that could happen without going all the way. And most of that... I think that I am ready for. I'm aching for it."

"How do you know when you're ready like that?" asked Chat. "When you're both ready?"

"Some of it's... you know! I'm dying to know what it feels like, when he's touching, he's kissing..." blushed Ladybug. "All of that. But it's also about commitment. About where we are as a couple. I'm so in love with him; I want to show him just how much. That I can share all of myself with him. To be naked with him. To be unafraid, and to trust him completely. For him to want that, too."

"And he does want that. I'm sure of it," she mused. "It's just getting him to say that... so that I'll be confident enough to do it."

She got some amusement from his reaction to that. "Chat Noir, you're beet red! You asked," she giggled.

"Of course I did! And I think we're on the same page. It's just... I've never heard you say something like that before."

"I didn't exactly plan on talking about things like this tonight," Ladybug murmured. "But I'm just as normal and confused as you are, sometimes. Other people can be tough to figure out."

Ladybug came to a decision, abruptly. "Let's help each other," she offered. "Tell me about what you're hoping for with your girlfriend... what you'd like, what you'd want her to do, what you'd want that to be like... and I'll do the same. Every person is different, but maybe we can give each other better ideas."

"I'd like that very much."


Chat thought for a moment about how to begin.

"Okay. As far as what..." he pondered. "I mean, I know what the mechanics of it are, what kinds of things people do together, what positions they use. I've read about them, and I've seen... um... videos."

"Please tell me that you've learned about sex from more than online porn," sighed Ladybug.

"Absolutely!" protested Chat. "My father never really talked about it with me... and you know that my mother isn't around... but I've had sex-ed classes at school. There are a lot of resources out there - books, videos, web sites - that are more about information than porn. I mean," he admitted, "I have watched a little porn, too. Some of it seems realistic and fun. Most of it doesn't."

"Yeah. It's hard to find much of that that I like..."

Chat's eyes widened. "You watch porn, too?" he boggled.

"Don't give me that look," Ladybug challenged him. "Once in a while, yeah. I have urges, too, you know! And some of it can be a real turn-on."

"There's so much of it that's just... degrading," Chat frowned. "Treating people like meat. Or people having sex who clearly would rather be anywhere else, zero chemistry, but they'll go through the motions for money. I can't get into that. But sometimes I'll see a couple who care about each other, just by how they're interacting.. and that's what I want."

"Good. That's so good to hear," smiled Ladybug. "Not that I could ever picture you mistreating someone."

"So, yeah. There are things that I'd like to try that I've seen, but it's more about the mood than the actions," he replied. "I want it to be something where we're both comfortable, we're not going to be interrupted..."

"Yes," Ladybug cooed. "Somewhere safe and private. Not sneaking a few minutes in before someone's parents catch you."

"Where we can take our time," Chat continued. "I don't want to rush it. I love what you said about just being naked, sharing trust... I could spend hours with my girl just being naked with her, kissing and holding each other. Being as close as we can be, not even reaching for the sensitive parts until we feel like doing that. I've never felt that closeness before with anyone, but I've dreamed about it."

He watched Ladybug's reaction to that. "You're biting your lip," he smiled.

"Y-yeah," she grinned. "I think I know what I want to suggest the next time I have my boyfriend over, and we'd have that kind of time."

"He would love it, I'm sure."

"Soft and gentle," she continued, "unless we get to a point where we shouldn't be so soft and gentle."

"Hmmm?"

"Don't get me wrong. Slow and soft sounds wonderful... but I want my boyfriend to be assertive, too. It's great that he hesitates, not wanting to go farther than I want to... but I also need him to know what he wants, what I want, and to move with confidence. As if he's saying, 'You can always stop me... but if you don't stop me, I won't stop.'"

"Being a gentleman, but being something more aggressive than that, too?" smiled Chat.

"Yeah. I look in his eyes, and I see pure adoration. And that feels wonderful," she grinned. "But I want him to look... well... hungry, too. It's good for the ego to be wanted like that."

"Not to just take what he wants," suggested Adrien. "To listen for a 'no,' and to honor it if he hears it. But to be the one who says, 'Let's go farther, if you want to,' and to be able to make the first move sometimes."

"I knew that you would get it," beamed Ladybug. "You're too sweet a guy not to."

"I'm... kind of glad that you feel that way about me."

"Chat... how can I say this?" murmured Ladybug. "We have had times together... where you've asked for more than I was willing or able to give you. But you've always made it clear that it was my choice to make. I've never, ever felt like you were going to try to force things with me, or that you couldn't take 'no' as at least a temporary answer. One of many reasons," she smiled, "that we may not be getting naked together... but that you do have my complete trust, and you're such a great partner."

"Those times I heard 'no' from you hurt sometimes," Chat admitted. "But I never felt like they were meant to hurt. I understood that, deep down. And part of why they hurt me was how uncomfortable you looked giving them to me."

"That's just what your girlfriend ought to hear from you, Chat," Ladybug noted. "That you each have limits, and that you'd like to test those limits... but that either of you can always say 'stop,' and no one should have their feelings hurt if they do. That you're both learning what to do, and it may get a little goofy or weird sometimes, but neither of you should be afraid to laugh if it does. You can always try again, and get it right. And if you express it like that... I'll bet you that she'll melt into your arms."

"Have you had that conversation with your boyfriend?" wondered Chat.

"I... haven't. Not in those specific words," said Ladybug. "But I ought to."

"You should. Confidence goes both ways. With a little encouragement, who knows who he might respond?"

"Oh, I have some ideas," Ladybug laughed. "Maybe sooner than he thinks."


The conversation continued for some time, flowing back and forth.

"I have to admit," noted Chat, "I was very anxious about bringing this up with you. I can't imagine that you ever pictured my bringing up the topic."

"About someone who wasn't me? Not really," admitted Ladybug. "But I am getting good things out of this. I don't have any siblings whom I could talk to about these kinds of things..."

"Me, neither," said Chat.

"And my girlfriends... we do talk about sex stuff sometimes, when we get together as a group. Two of them are like rabbits together, and they can be pretty good at oversharing. But it's nice to have a male perspective, from someone that I trust."

"Same here," Chat smiled. "My best friend is a really good guy, but he's also... how can I put this? Not always the best source of advice on what to do next."

"I have friends like that, too," Ladybug agreed. "One of my best friends is... well, she pushed me to go after the boy who's my boyfriend now from the very beginning. Sometimes she had good ideas for that. Sometimes, I felt like her hand was on my back and I was getting shoved into crazy things, and it did more harm than good."

"So can we do this again?"

"You mean, talking about what's going on in our bedrooms, or what isn't going on yet? I'm okay with that," she smiled. "I mean, I'm sure there are some details that I won't want to hear about. Don't get too specific."

"I won't. I promise," Chat smiled back. "A gentleman never speaks of certain things."

"But it's good to know that even someone brave like you can have some doubts and hesitations, too."

"Oh, please," scoffed Chat. "You're the brave one. You knocked me out from the first day that we met."

"You knew who you wanted, and you told her so. And even when I turned you down, you weren't afraid to keep trying. Though it's good that you did," she winked, "and that you found someone who's a better match for you. But I spent more than a year shaking and babbling and doubting myself, so scared that my boy would reject me."

"And you're still scared. Even though you've got him now and his every kiss tells you just how much he likes that?"

"Even now," Ladybug admitted. "I know that he shouldn't freak out, right? I know that. But it's still a hurdle."

"'Bug," Chat declared, "you run at that hurdle, you hear me? You run at it and you clear it with ease. You're smart enough to take things slowly and to let the two of you pace yourselves. If he's not ready for more, you'll pull back and not make it weird between you. But you know what it is that you want, Ladybug, and I never want to see you afraid to reach for it."

That got a snort-giggle out of Ladybug, making Chat amend his declaration. "To reach for whom you want. And where you want to be with him. Whether you reach for 'it' is up to you," he chuckled.

"And that goes for you, too, Chat," Ladybug smiled back, standing up. "You're going to do what makes the most sense to you. If your girl makes a move and you're not quite there yet, I know that you'll say so. And if you are ready to go further, I hope that she rocks your world."

Ladybug stretched her arms out invitingly, and Chat leaned forward into a warm hug.

"These arms do feel really good around me. Now that you're not trying to win my heart, I can admit that," she whispered to him. "Your girl's going to feel that, too. And if the time is right... you'll know."

"The boy who has your heart is very, very lucky," Chat whispered back. "But so am I."


Friday night arrived, and a nervous Marinette darted around her living room, trying to ensure that every little detail was just right while simultaneously convincing her parents that tonight was No Big Deal, Really, How Could It Possibly Be Anything Out Of The Ordinary?

"We shouldn't be too long tonight," Sabine told Marinette, not buying the latter notion for a moment. "I think that we'll be back around ten. We haven't gotten together with the Rheaumes in ages, so we have a lot of catching up to do... but baking won't get done by itself, so there's only so much room for chit-chat."

"We'll be here. I mean, I'll be here for sure. Of course I'll be here! Adrien's father might come harumphing along and call him back early, of course," babbled Marinette.

"I sincerely hope that he does not," her mother soothed. "This is your... four-month anniversary as a couple, yes?"

"Y-yes! It is," Marinette agreed. "Four wonderful months."

"That's a nice milestone. So many teenage relationships come and go before they have any time to grow. But four months is a sign that you're both serious about this."

Marinette parsed that carefully, trying to pick up whether her mother was hinting at something that she hoped she wasn't. "Well, we spent so much time as friends first. It's not like we met and got swept up by each other immediately," she reasoned in return. "We've been growing into this all along."

"Indeed! That's a very mature way to look at it," smiled Sabine. "Will you two be, ah... celebrating in any particular way this evening? Between Adrien's schedule and your father and I being underfoot, you two don't get very much alone time together."

"I, um... oh!" stammered Marinette. "I don't have anything specific planned..."

"Sometimes simply going with the mood can be better," Sabine mused. "But I know that my daughter and her young love are both thoughtful, intelligent, sensitive young people who have grown up magnificently. That if a mood swings a certain way, they will be both passionate and careful."

"...Uh?" Marinette gulped. "What... are you..."

"I'm not suggesting anything," winked Sabine. "Just stating what is obvious to me. Tom, are you just about ready?"

"I'll be down in a minute," Tom grumbled from their bedroom. "This blasted belt..."

"Tom, wear the new one that I bought you last month!" Sabine shouted up to him.

"The old one should still fit, and it's comfortable! Or... at least... it was..."

"Which is why I bought you the new one," grumbled Sabine, who then smiled at her daughter. "I'm going to go move him in the right direction..."

A knock at the downstairs door was heard at that moment.

"...And your young man requires your attention. Shall we each attend to them?"

Marinette leaned in close, hugging her mother briefly. "That would be perfect," she smiled, before dashing to the door.


When the door opened, Marinette greeted Adrien with a carefully-gauged my-parents-are-still-home kiss. As she'd assumed, her parents joined them moments later.

"Hello, Adrien," Tom greeted him, before reaching for his jacket. "I'm glad that you could keep Marinette company tonight."

"Me, too," Adrien grinned at him. "It took a little negotiation with my father, but he let me out."

"The photoshoot tomorrow?" asked Marinette.

"Yes. We're setting up camp in Montmartre for a themed shoot, and Father wants me there bright and early, 'catching the morning light just so,'" Adrien intoned, mocking his father's vocal mannerisms. "And if I am bleary-eyed from staying up all night, he'll have a fit over all the retouching that'll be required... but a couple of hours spent here still fits in. I'll expect my driver around ten-thirty."

"We should be back by then, I'd think?" asked Sabine, to which Tom nodded in agreement. "So we'll see you again then. Doing anything special tonight?"

"I'm... not entirely sure," Adrien said, glancing at Marinette.

"Oh... probably just a movie or two and some popcorn," Marinette ventured, hoping that it sounded plausible.

"Uh-huh," smiled Sabine. "Well, have fun, whatever you choose."

Marinette watched from the door as they made their way to their car, giving them a brief wave as they left. Turning back to Adrien, she couldn't shake the silly grin off of her face.

"Well! So... what do you want to do ton-"

His question was answered by Marinette swiftly closing the distance between the two of them and kissing him, this time quite a bit more enthusiastically.

Once he could catch his breath again, he managed, "Ah. So, a movie, then," which got her giggling.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. By ten o'clock, I'll want to be down here on the couch, watching a movie with you, perfectly innocently," Marinette grinned. "They can wonder if we were doing things before that. I don't want them seeing those things."

"Understood... and agreed," Adrien managed, his heart pounding. "Now... what kind of 'things' would you be up for tonight?"

"That's... up to you, Adrien," she said, evenly.

"That's up to us," Adrien corrected her. "Come here for a minute."

He led her to the couch, where she sat down next to him.

"We, uh... do have something of an opportunity tonight. A couple of hours of privacy... which I'm sure you've noticed," he smiled.

"Noticed, and prayed for," she agreed.

"And I've gotten the impression that... well... when we've made out before, we've both been holding back. Partly because we didn't want to get caught if your mother came downstairs," Adrien noted. "And partly because..."

"...Because I didn't want to pressure you..." Marinette continued.

"And because I wasn't sure how far you wanted me to go," Adrien finished. "I didn't want my hands to wander too far."

"...I did."

Adrien got a kick out of her reaction to her blurting that out loud; she turned a couple of interesting shades of red in succession, but kept her eyes locked on his.

"Okay. Let me explain what I can't believe that I just said..." she mumbled, until Adrien drew her lips to his.

"It's an invitation that I'd been hoping to hear," he smiled back.


The kissing that followed was passionate and intense... and yet still a little bit subdued, hands remaining within previously explored territory, as if a few things still needed to be spoken.

"Mmmm... so it feels like... this is happening..." gasped Marinette.

"Mm-hmmm."

"Before it does... can we put down... some boundaries?" she wondered, hesitantly.

"Please, let's," Adrien agreed, leaning back to restore eye contact. "I want us both to be comfortable tonight, and that'll help with that."

"If we're going to... okay. I just wanted to... ah..."

"Marinette," interrupted Adrien, taking her hands and holding them with his. "Deep breath, okay? I'm fine with crossing some lines tonight. I'm also fine with keeping some intact. You can just say what you want to say."

"I know," she smiled, looking grateful. "What I'm trying to say is, I'm not sure that I'm comfortable going... all the way tonight?"

"I'm fine with that. I certainly hadn't been planning on that."

"If we get... you know, swept away, caught up in what we're doing and we decide to... I have protection," she managed. "I've thought it out that far. I'm not saying that it can't..."

"...But that you'd be much happier for now if we take our time," Adrien reasoned. "There are so many steps in between where we are now and that. We don't have to dive into the deep end all at once. We can just keep things, you know, playful tonight."

Marinette's eyes shone with warmth. "I am so glad that I'm dating someone who gets that," she grinned. "I didn't want to set expectations too high... but there is something that I want to share with you tonight."

"What's that?"

"Me."

She moved a little closer. "We don't get many chances to be this alone together," she ventured, in a soft tone. "Where I can... show you... all of me. Where I can take you upstairs and just... wrap myself around you and hold you tight for a while, with nothing else between us."

They stared at each other, that mental image vivid in each of their minds...

"At least until the alarm we set goes off," Adrien suggested. "So that, like, we don't fall asleep like that, and then your mother walks in..."

"That is a good idea," Marinette laughed. "If they were to catch us like that, I'd never hear the end of it. But for the next hour or so... if you'd want to..." she offered, wondering if lightning was about to strike her as she said it.

"I'd like nothing more."

Adrien's excitement was obvious, but he kept his voice steady.

"You're sure?" she persisted. "If this is too much, too soon..."

"It isn't," Adrien assured her. "I... I had a talk with a very good friend recently about... something like this. It made me think about this clearly... and helped me decide."

"That's funny," Marinette replied, with a curious expression. "Because I talked with a... a close friend about that topic, too."

"Huh."

Adrien and Marinette considered each other's statements... then each other... then both laughed, as if each was enjoying a private joke and wondering how the other knew its punchline, too. In a moment, the curiosity passed, overwhelmed by the intensity of their shared anticipation.

"Close your eyes, Marinette," Adrien requested.

She did. Footsteps told her that he was walking right behind her, just before his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I'm going to do this very slowly. And if I'm wrong about what you want me to do next... you can stop me at any time," he whispered in her ear.

Soft hands took hold of the bottom of her blouse... and it took effort for her to remain standing as she felt him lifting it upwards, a little bit at a time. His body pressed against hers, gentle kisses around her ear, the knowledge that Adrien is stripping my clothes off, RIGHT NOW...

"But I don't think that you will," he whispered.

Marinette turned around to face him, slowly enough that his hands remained grasping her blouse as she rotated, and reached for his shirt.

"I won't," she quivered. "Like you said a moment ago... I'm definitely feeling playful tonight. I love you, Adrien."

"And I love you."

Both sets of arms slowly raised up. With his own shirt still covering his face, he felt Marinette's blouse clear her head, and let it fall to the floor. Through an effort of will, he kept his eyes focused on hers for now.

But as Adrien raised his arms to let her pull his shirt all the way off, Marinette twisted it gently and let go, leaving Adrien slightly entangled in his own shirt and temporarily deprived of sight.

"...Race you up to my room?" she giggled, then grabbed her blouse and took advantage of her slight headstart by darting to the stairs.

With a loud laugh, Adrien got his shirt loose and ran after her.


The living room of the Dupain-Cheng residence fell quiet once more.

It didn't take long for a pair of tiny figures to float into the area, emerging from the ceiling.

"Told ya," Plagg grinned, shamelessly.

"Oh, I had no doubt that this was coming," Tikki breathed. "But I am pleased that I think they're going about it the right way. They're learning about each other, not..."

"Using each other?"

"That's one way to put it. Crude, but accurate," smiled Tikki. "So... what do you suggest now?"

Plagg jumped onto the remote control by the couch, turning the television on. "Wanna see what's on TV?" he asked her. "I don't think we'll be interrupted for, what, at least an hour?"

"At least."