Sabine looked up from the counter as the door dinged open, indicating a customer. Her eyebrows rose as her eyes happened upon the model figure standing inside the bakery. Standing up, she greeted him with a smile. "Good morning, Adrien."
"Good morning, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." Adrien greeted back politely. "I was wondering if I could meet up with Marinette before school started?"
Sabine pondered at this. Usually, one could meet up in front of the school. But then again, Marinette had the late-comer streak going on for 2 weeks. It was about time for her to break it. Gesturing to the door at the back, she said, "Of course, dear. But unfortunately, Marinette is still sleeping. You can have breakfast while I go wake her up."
Adrien's eyes widened. "Oh no, I've already had some. I wouldn't like to impose."
"Nonsense. You're not imposing. Besides, I need an unbiased opinion for this new recipe we've been working on."
"Well," Adrien started slowly, not wanting to miss out on a new pastry by the best bakery in Paris, "if you don't mind."
"Wonderful." Sabine beamed as they climbed up the stairs. Reaching the living room, Sabine marched under Marinette's trapdoor and called out, "Marinette, your friend is here."
They listened as thuds and a groan could be heard from above. Followed by the quiet opening of the trapdoor and a still sleepy Marinette. "Maman, it's too early."
Sabine tutted. "You've been late too many times, Marinette. I'm afraid if it goes on for too long, you'll have to repeat a year."
"It's not that bad." Marinette mumbled, slipping in the chair opposite of Adrien. "Pass me the milk, please."
"Sure." Adrien passed the milk, quietly chewing on a pumpkin/cinnamon infused bun, as he waited for her to notice his presence. Her head was bobbing along with the carton of milk poised above the cereal bowl. "Careful, it might spill."
Marinette yawned as she safely tipped the contents inside, put it down, and proceeded to pour down the cereal.
"I didn't know you were a milk first, cereal later." Adrien said with amusement.
"Well, it's way better than your milk first, cereal next, and bowl later." Marinette shot back as she shoved the spoon of cereal in her mouth. She looked at the plate opposite of her and grew confused. Alya never eats cinnamon buns in the morning. So wh - "Adrien?!"
Two minutes and thirty seconds, Adrien thought to himself. A record. "Morning. Now I get why you're always late. You're not a morning person, are you?"
If she was dreaming, wake her up. But she wasn't dreaming.
Adrien was eating breakfast with her.
And she was wearing a large black T-shirt with green patterned paw prints.
Her spoon dropped with a clatter and she dashed up her room and slammed the door. Sabine grinned. "Well, that's one way to wake her up."
Adrien half-smiled, his affection for his lady simmered down by his awkwardness with his princess. So near, yet so far.
A few minutes later, Marinette had come back down, changed into her every day outfit. What Adrien found disturbing though, was the glare she attempted to send to him. It was the look Ladybug shot him whenever he joked around, trying to be mad but not really.
"I'm still mad at you." Marinette declared as she sat back down. Welp, there it is. "You know Chat Noir would never do those things. If you haven't realized it yet, you wouldn't be in one piece if it weren't for Chat Noir saving you. He said it himself."
"Of course." Adrien agreed quickly. "He did save me when The Gamer attacked. Along with the multiple times the akuma came in school."
Marinette eyed him. Despite the large crush she had on him, defending her partner came first. Adrien shifted nervously under her watchful gaze, and finally said, "I wanted to apologize. For yesterday. I said mean things along with no facts behind them. Chat Noir is an amazing partner, and I couldn't imagine them being apart."
Marinette smiled and he knew all was forgiven. "Apology accepted. I'm sorry too, for flying off the handle like that."
"That's okay. I would do the same for Ladybug." Adrien felt pleased as Marinette suddenly flushed red. "I am her biggest fan, after all."
"You'd have to fight Alya for that position." Marinette pointed out.
Adrien shrugged. "I have my sources. Trust me, I beat her by a long run."
"Oh really?" Marinette raised an eyebrow at this new information. "Do tell."
Adrien paused. This was too close to reveal territory. He coughed. "Uhh, that's a secret."
Marinette rolled her eyes playfully and he knew she'd let it go. Holding out a hand, Adrien asked meekly, "Truce?"
"Truce." Marinette took his hand and shook it. They returned back to eating their breakfast.
Biting on another new bun, this time a milk bread with a mix of chocolate gooey goodness inside the outer edge of the bread, and custard in the middle, Adrien mused, "Chat Noir, though. What is he to you?"
Marinette smiled, a secret in the corner of her lips. "He's a great friend."
Warmth fluttered inside him and he took another bite, lest his tongue betrayed him and bestow upon her sonnets of a million that he thought up on lonely nights.
As they walked to school, Adrien couldn't help but be delighted that he could hold a normal conversation with Marinette. All she needed was a few minutes to warm up to him (and him avoiding certain topics like himself or about crushes) and they could talk. Normally. Civilly. As friends.
(While he was still hopelessly in love with her.)
(While still being just a friend.)
Just as they were in the middle of a strategy on how to defeat the 2nd big boss in Ultra Mecha Strike 3, Alya spoke up from behind them. "Having fun, lovebirds?"
Marinette jumped in the air and turned a shade of red. "Al - Alya! That's not - we're not together! I mean we are together - but like, walking together. Not - not together together and not lovebirds! Definitely not lovebirds."
And the stuttering is back. Adrien resisted the urge to facepalm. With a smile and a pat on Marinette's shoulder, he said, "I'll see you in class, Marinette. It was fun walking to school with you."
"Yes - walking is fun! With you! Definitely!" Marinette squeaked.
He waved goodbye and walked up to where Nino was waiting for him. Marinette groaned and facepalmed. "You just had to tease me."
"Comes with the best friend package, girl." Alya shrugged. "Besides, you were talking to him like a normal human being. What's up with that?"
"Nothing! He just came to the bakery in the morning." Marinette mumbled. "Just a coincidence."
Alya raised an eyebrow. She didn't believe in coincidences. "Right. As much as I support your love life, one, you've got to choose. Adrien or Chat Noir?" Before Marinette could protest, Alya put up a second finger. "And two, give me the deets of why Chat Noir was with you last night and now Adrien is walking with you in the morning."
Just as Marinette could speak up, Alya's eyes widened at what she had just said. "I've connected the dots!"
Marinette gave her a bemused look. "You didn't connect anything."
"I've connected them." Alya stared at her, eyes lighting up with that reporter fire. "Marinette, you're either the luckiest girl in the world or the one with the worst luck."
"Whatever you're thinking, you're jumping to conclusions." Marinette said flatly. "There is nothing going on with Chat Noir. He just came to say thank you for the support and we played games. Adrien came to the bakery this morning to apologize for yesterday. That's it."
"Uh huh. Okay. I totally believe you."
"You totally don't."
"I totally don't."
As they walked in the classroom, Alya watched the two closely. Marinette was the same as always, still shy and awkward with Adrien. And Adrien - now this was the strangest thing.
Adrien was looking at Marinette like normal. And he was chuckling at her comments like normal. And getting in her space like normal.
But as soon as Marinette turned her back, he gave out a lovesick sigh and then catches himself doing it and stops, which was not normal. His touches lingered and then minisculely jerks away, as though he hadn't meant to touch her for so long. And his gazes. They were the looks of a man in love. But they would abruptly go away, like a thought interrupted.
Alya pondered on it. As the bell rang for lunch, the reporter stood up and grabbed Adrien's arm, dragging him away to an abandoned room. All she said was, "We need to talk."
Adrien looked around in confusion, and became even more confused when Alya locked the door. "Uhh, Alya? Why'd you lock the door?"
"So no one interrupts us." Alya said. There was a pressing look in her eyes.
Adrien grew nervous. "Look, as much as I respect your feelings, I already like someone else so-"
"What?" Alya gaped at him, and then laughed. "Oh my gosh, Adrien it's not that type of talk. And I'm already with Nino."
"Right." Adrien said, embarrassed. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"You know, don't you? About Marinette?"
Adrien stilled. Carefully, he said, "What about her?"
Alya looked around. And then she said in a whisper, "Marinette is Ladybug."
His blood ran cold.
He gave her a confused smile. "What are you talking about, Alya? How can they be the same person?"
"Everytime Marinette disappears, Ladybug comes swooping in. Marinette never hides together with the class. And adding with her rants yesterday, she mentioned incidents where no one would be able to clue in. Not unless one was there. And I was there."
Adrien wondered if there was a way for a person to forget something. Maybe if he shocked her with another thing, she'd forget th-
"Also, you're in love with Ladybug - don't give me that look. Nino saw your secret stash of Ladybug merchandises and sonnets." Alya said. "And now that you know, you've started to pursue Ma-"
Within three strides, he had dragged her away from the door and in the middle of the classroom where no one could eavesdrop on the walls. He hissed, "Who else knows about this?"
Alya blinked at the sudden 180 turn of attitude. "No one. No one found out the connection except you and I."
Adrien frowned. Alya searched his eyes. Then she said, "You know, I don't really like you right now."
The statement hurt. "What?"
Alya's face grew stony. "I know Marinette can be awkward around you, but she's doing her best. And yet, you disregard her feelings just like that." His eyes widened, but Alya continued her rant, "And you never looked her way until you found out she's Ladybug. If you're going to like her just because she's a superhero, well you'll have to-"
"Wait wait wait!" Adrien said in a flurry. Alya stopped, and then crossed her arms. Taking a deep breath and sorting out his thoughts, he said slowly, "I don't know what you're talking about regarding Marinette's feelings for me, but right now, she's just a friend." Rage filled Alya's eyes, and he quickly carried on, "But even after I realized she was Ladybug, those feelings haven't changed. She's still a friend to me. But…"
Alya waited. Adrien bit his lip, and then he said in a small voice, "I'd like to know her better. So I can love her properly."
If that wasn't the most romantic thing Alya has ever heard, she didn't know what was. Oh if only Marinette could hear this! She would combust.
She waited a few more moments, just to make him squirm, and then she said, "If you break her heart, I will personally investigate and expose all of your dark, dirty secrets."
Adrien shivered. He didn't doubt that. Alya was a fearsome reporter.
"But of course, if you can get to her heart first." Alya said airily.
Adrien frowned. "What d'you mean?"
"Chat Noir chatted up Marinette last night on her balcony, so that's like, first base and a half ahead of you." Alya grinned. "She's gonna be snatched up in those cat's claws if you don't hurry up, pretty boy."
Adrien blinked. And then grinned. He said, "Don't worry, I have my ways."
And with that, he ended the conversation and walked out of the classroom, leaving behind a bemused reporter.
Chat Noir lifted up his chin, the wind ruffling his hair like a bird on the wing. Baton extended to its longest and some, Chat felt like only person in Paris. He could see for miles around, from the distant lights of other cities to the border of France, where the other countries glittered distantly. Quick to spot a red blur, his enhanced vision clocked him to a Ladybug zipping to the Eiffel Tower. With a grin, he retracted his baton and tucked his arms to his side.
Ladybug only had a moment's alert when she was suddenly scooped up in the arms of a black blur and soared over the rooftops before a baton extended and catapulted them into the tower's observation deck.
Silent and gently as a cat, Chat Noir landed on the iron floor in threes, one arm still holding up his partner. Chat smirked. "I won this race, my lady."
Ladybug untangled her death grip from around his shoulders, trying to regain her balance from the vertigo. When she finally felt like she wouldn't spew out her dinner, she glared at her partner who gazed back with a lazy grin. "You cheated."
"I won fair and square. Whoever reaches the tower first gets first pick." Chat Noir said breezily. "As I recall, I landed here first, and you second."
"Because you intercepted me."
"All's fair in love and war, bugaboo." Chat Noir said with a wink.
She shook her head with an exasperated sigh. Walking to the edge, she said, "Well, where do you want to patrol?"
"Actually, I was hoping if we could just sit here and talk." Chat Noir said timidly.
She looked at him sadly. "Chat Noir, you know we can't-"
"I know. No personal information. Just..random facts. Miscellaneous things like that." Chat Noir shrugged. "I mean, you're my partner Ladybug, but..I don't really know anything about you."
Ladybug watched him. He was nervous but eager. Thinking about it, she didn't really know her parner as well as she let on.
She looked out at the city. "Well, I guess Paris can wait for an hour or two."
His smile could probably light up a lighthouse. Excitedly, he sat down at the edge and she followed suit. They hummed in silence, thinking of what to say.
"I like hamsters." Ladybug spoke first.
Chat stared at her in mock offence. "My lady! The betrayal!"
Ladybug laughed. "What? One has to have a normal pet. Hamsters are cute and small and they stay put in their cages."
"Cats and dogs are normal."
"Yes, but they're high-maintainance." Ladybug shrugged. "Like this one cat that likes to pop in during the most random times and leaves with no word."
Chat raised an eyebrow at this. Was she calling him high-maintenance?
"Okay, your turn."
Chat Noir stroked his chin as his brows furrowed. And then it cleared. "I put my phone in speaker mode and play piano music when I don't want to practice or if I'm in the middle of practice and have to get away."
"You play piano?"
Chat Noir nodded. "Mostly classical, but I quite like jazz and some rock and roll."
Ladybug tried to imagine him behind a piano, but for some reason, it just conjured up a yowling Chat Noir. Snickering, she said, "I hope I get to hear you play someday."
Chat Noir smiled. "Someday soon."
They continued the back and forth conversation like this.
"I make lucky charms for all my friends."
"I rock climb when I'm bored."
"I've been baking since I was four."
"I almost got caught in an avalanche in Switzerland when I was 12."
"I like the color pink."
"Blue is mine."
"Jagged Stone-"
"-is my favorite. Same!"
"I once ate a ghost pepper to prove I could handle spice because I'm half Chinese. That wasn't a good day."
"I have to take showers at least 3 times a day because my kwami just had to eat the smelliest cheese to recharge."
As the night wore on, an hour turned into two, three and some.
He learned several things about Marinette that night. Things the girl behind the mask would probably never tell Adrien.
She used to get bullied alot (million dollar guess who) and was the quiet kid in class until she met her best friend. Her parents supported her dreams, but they hoped she would take over the family business someday. As an only child, Chat Noir was in a similar situation. Also, she had a crush on someone at school.
Chat Noir froze. He had forgotten all about that.
"Who's the guy?"
Ladybug smirked and shook her head. "Curiosity killed the cat."
Chat Noir pouted. He wracked his head over who it could be, but no one came close. "A clue?"
"Then you'd figure me out, minou." Ladybug teased as she stood and stretched. "Well, as much as I love to chat, I have class in the morning so I've got to go home."
Chat Noir grinned at her pun. "Well then, I won't bug you any longer. I've also got physics homework I still have to finish."
"Physics!" Ladybug would have been a spot on the ground if Chat didn't catch the end of her yoyo in time.
"Yes, gravity does that to you. But do you have to test it now?" Chat called out. Ladybug just waved away his worries before zipping away in record time. He snorted. She totally forgot. How Marinette-like.
He paused. And smiled at the thought.
Hey hey heyy look who's falling in love (ehehe)
Thank you guys so much for the faves, follows, kudos, and reviews! You guys really made my day!
The thing where writers say the characters have a mind of their own? Totally true. I did not plan on Alya confronting Adrien, nor writing the LadyNoir scene. They just happened. But, well, those scenes just made the whole writing process more exciting and interesting so we'll see what'll come out of these!
Thanks for reading! See y'all next time!
