Chapter 19: Have a drink with me?
It hadn't been long since they went inside. They decided to pull an all-nighter to go over all the missing details in their lives. The air around them was mildly awkward, but they needed the night to talk. Ladybug stood in the kitchen filling a glass with water at the sink. She swirled it a few times in her cup and took a sip. The digital oven clock blinked "9:30" but she knew it had been much later than that. The storm must've messed with the electricity. Adrien was now detransformed, sitting on the floor of the living room. He rested his head on his knees.
"Adrien?" she cleared her throat and called his name.
"Yeah?" He responded.
"Do you have anything to eat or drink besides water, tea, and rice cakes?" she rubbed her forehead.
"Bottom left cabinet. Closest to the sink." He directed her.
Ladybug crouched down to the floor and opened the cabinet as he instructed. "Adrien. This is a wine cooler"
"Bingo" he responded. He could definitely use some.
She reached around, looking at labels and picked up a bottle of Rose. The bottle felt cool and heavy on her gloved hand. The cap was a screw off, so there was no cork, and it was probably cheaper than the rest. She figured it would do the trick.
Plagg floated to her side holding a wedge of camembert. "I normally don't do this, but you saved my holder today so, it is my honor to offer you my most prized snack" He held it out reluctantly, his pained eyes shut. She reached out and pushed it back towards him with her pointer finger.
"Thanks, Plagg, but that's ok. It's all yours" her nose scrunched at the pungent smell.
"Suit yourself." He sang as he swallowed the entire wedge whole. She marveled while watching the kwami dance around her head. It was a new and pleasant experience to be able to hangout with Chat's kwami.
"Do you drink often?" she asked Adrien worriedly as she poured the Rose into mugs. She couldn't find any wine glasses.
"Not often. But sometimes, I will admit, it takes the edge off" Adrien rocked backwards and leaned his head against the bottom of the couch. He wasn't sure what made him choose the floor over the couch, but it made sense at the time.
Ladybug tiptoed back into the living room, unsure as to why she was being so careful on her feet. She handed him a mug and he sipped it immediately. She smirked at the action. "We'll discuss your drinking and eating habits another time, I suppose. Or lack of eating I should say" She sat across from him, tucking her feet underneath herself. He blushed and ducked a little under his mug. "What?" she questioned.
"Can you drop your transformation? I feel like I'm naked and you're fully clothed when we're like this" he laughed nervously.
"Uh. Ummm" she gulped a large helping of her drink. "Could you just call yours on?" she asked in a small voice.
"Why can't you just drop yours? You have in front of me a bunch now" he tilted his head with concern.
Her face turned red at his gaze. "I know. You just make me nervous."
He chuckled "We've always trusted each other as partners, we've been intimate, and we've dating for quite some time now. You have nothing to worry about. With or without my mask on."
"I've just… always been closer with Chat Noir." She investigated the pool of liquid in her mug and met her reflection. She knew that was part of the reason, but the other part was that Adrien had always intimidated her.
"My lady. I am Chat Noir" he leaned towards her and gave her his best Chat Noir smile.
She stared for a moment, mesmerized by the delicate features of Adrien Agreste, the boy who made her swoon for so long, holding the sly, Cheshire grin of best friend and boyfriend, Chat Noir who was able to relax her with one look. She exhaled and felt herself unwind under his gaze. He really is him isn't he. The mixture of his familiar eyes and the warmth of the alcohol in her cheeks became apparent. She shook her mug around a bit and felt her nerves fading. "Spots off".
Marinette's unmasked face warmed Adrien's heart. "Ok, I get the first question" she started. He waited patiently while she sipped more of her beverage. "So, you were in Spain after all?" she asked at last. Her lips remained wet and he found himself staring, wanting to lick the wine off of them. Focus Adrien. He told himself.
"Ok. I did end up going there, but that's only because I saw an article that said Adrien Agreste was shooting in Spain. So, in my private investigation mode, I went to go face Felix." He checked her expression to see if she had been angry. Instead, she just blinked and nodded for him to continue. "When I got there, I ended up face to face with a scarily accurate sentimonster version of me. So, he's the one who's actually been covering for me while I'm here" He shuddered at the thought.
Marinette spat out her wine. "A what? Oh my god that's traumatizing to say the least" she reached out and squeezed one of Adrien's knees.
"You're telling me." he laughed it off. "But it gets worse unfortunately. I ended up meeting with this senti-me again at a restaurant today- oh god was that just today?" He realized how much had happened in 24 hours. "that's why I smell like food" he scratched the back of his neck. "And he gave me intel on Felix and my dad. I hope he didn't get erased because of me" his eyes shut, and he swallowed hard. Marinette kept her hand on his knee and breathed something comforting in his direction, but he missed it. "Sorry it's hard to talk about the rest still." He opened his eyes and swallowed more wine.
"So the senti-Adrien…. does he know who you are?" she felt dizzy.
"No, of course not. Only you do Mari. And potentially Felix…" Adrien placed a hand over hers on his knee.
"He knows who I am too I think." Marinette interrupted sending panic through Adrien's body.
He jolted upright, knocking her hand away from his and slamming against the couch. His mug almost fell out of his hand, but he grabbed it with the other. "He what?! I swear to God if he lays a finger on you" he grit his teeth
"Kitty. It's ok. We'll sort it out." She attempted to calm him down. Her voice brushed the angry goose bumps away from his skin.
"Ok, my turn princess. What happened with Felix today? Why did you think it was him when you came home?" He breathed deeply, so to not sound angry.
"I may have disobeyed your text message and went looking for you at the Eifel tower. I thought you were going to get yourself hurt over protecting me. And he was there, with an illusion set up to trap you. I could've had him, but I just couldn't face him. I chickened out and ran away. He terrifies me. I swear he freezes my blood" She realized her mug was now empty. Adrien's warm hands held hers around her mug. His eyes softened at her words.
"You are so stubborn, mon amour. I should've known better than to tell you where not to go" he smiled softly at her. "We'll have to fight him together next time. I won't let him get to you, okay?"
She melted at the way he was speaking to her. He was gentle and patient and so beautifully Chat Noir and Adrien all at once. "okay" she sighed with a grin on her lips.
"I'm sorry for what he did to you. For what he did to Paris. I can't help but feel responsible somehow" he scrunched his mouth into a frown.
She felt tipsy all the sudden and pouted. "Don't say that! You're not at fault at all! You two couldn't be less alike"
He chuckled at her pout. "My nightmare last night told me otherwise. I guess I'm still shaken up about it" he took her mug and stood up.
"Could you get me a little more?" she perked up as he made his way to the kitchen.
"mhm" he replied dreamily. He had expected the conversation to be painful and full of tears, but their liquid friend eased them enough to talk it out smoothly.
He crouched down across from her again and placed one of the newly full mugs in her hand. Her kind blue eyes felt warm and inviting. He took a deep breath and began speaking again. This time, he told her everything else that happened. It felt like he had been trapped in a cold shower and the warm water finally came running down his body. He let the words escape him with no tears, no choking, and no omitting any details. It felt incredible to be transparent at last.
"And that's when you came through the window." He finished.
She was silent and patient. Her eyes stayed sympathetic and kind but her mouth hung open. Her voice escaped her throat after a moment of shock and contemplation. "Chaton" was all she could say.
He held his mug into the air. "That's why, I wanted this tonight"
She carefully scooted her way next to him and leaned against the couch. She set her head on his shoulder. "What was your nightmare?" she asked in a small, dumbfounded voice.
"I watched Chat Blanc kill you. And when I went to face him… he said all sorts of terrifying things. Like how we are the same person and share the same fate. And how I don't deserve you because of what he did in that timeline. At the end of the dream I tried to cataclysm him but then I accidentally cataclysm-ed you." He slurred his words slightly and looked down at his hands. "Can I ask you something, love?"
She tucked her head into the side of his neck. "Of course. Anything"
"What was I like? When I was Chat Blanc? Did I seem, like evil?" he leaned his cheek against her head.
"No." her response surprised him.
"No?" he gasped
"No." she said again. "You seemed sad. Your eyes were wild and uneasy, but you seemed like you didn't want to be doing any of the things you were doing. You just wanted my miraculous to fix your mistakes. The thing that hurt me the most about seeing you like that was seeing you hurt. Sure, you destroyed the world, but you genuinely couldn't help it. You even asked me to save you. If anything, you looked tortured, but not evil." She finished. She felt his shoulder relax under her cheek.
"Oh" he replied. After a moment, he continued. "you told me Felix terrifies you. Like he has a way of freezing you with fear. Did I do that, as Chat Blanc? Do I do that to you when I'm angry?" He asked another set of questions. This time she wrapped her arm around his waist.
"Never." She breathed. "I often see you turn into Chat Blanc when you're angry. But it isn't the same. It's more of a fear of making you become him, of having to fight someone I love again, and fear of causing a disaster. With Felix, it's him that scares me. What he's capable of and what he could do if he won again" her voice shook.
The two of them felt the familiar tug of tiny strings attaching them to each other. They paused and let the sensation tickle their nerves. It felt incredible to sit comfortably in each other's presence, opening up about their experiences. Despite the fragile state they were in, and the vulnerability of their current situation, the absence of the wall between them made them feel invisible.
He reached his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer. They sat in silence for a while. She felt the pulse of his heart against her ear. His body was hot with fever and it stirred her for some reason. Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was just her need to be close to him, but something made her turn her head and begin planting seductive kisses on the lower half of his neck.
"It's so nice to see your real face" her whispers tickled his neck as she sucked lightly on his skin.
"You're drunk" he spoke breathlessly as she continued. He was enjoying her kisses thoroughly.
"Just a tad tipsy" she teased, dragging a curious hand from his torso up to his chest and back down again. He groaned. "You're so warm" she cooed.
"You're making me hotter, my lady." he brought his hand around to pull her face towards his and captured her lips. He reached around her waist, pulling her on top of him. "Is this okay?" he asked sliding his hands against her chest.
"Yes chaton" her voice was nearly a moan. She lifted her head to the ceiling and invited him to place gentle kisses on the front of her neck. He took advantage of the moment and traced his lips up to her chin. He used a touch of his tongue as he traced down to her neck again. She made small sounds of pleasure and began moving her hips against him.
His body was sore and achy but he began to crave her more and more with each passing second. She continued moving her hips on him until he felt as though he was going to burst at the seems. She felt his desire shock into her body like a lightning bolt. "Oh my god, I felt that mon cheri" she gasped into his mouth creating a shock of her own. He jerked up in response. She reached down and began frantically pulling at his clothes. He followed her lead and began taking them off as she desired.
Marinette moved from her spot on top of him and began taking hers off. She squirmed on the carpet, fussing with her shirt and pants that had become a complete nuisance to her. She hadn't even managed to finish taking her bra off when he crashed into her with deliciously warm, wine flavored kisses. She fell back onto the carpet and felt his skin graze her body. He cupped her face with his hand and delicately slid his tongue in. Her eyes flipped into her head again and fell into complete bliss.
"Can I?" He asked against her mouth, he had been grinding his core against her and the pull between them was agonizing.
"yes, god yes" she let her legs separate as he slid his knee between them. The last thing she felt before they became one singular being, was the hot touch of his torso against her own.
After a while, they rolled onto their backs breathing heavily. "I love you" She gasped and wiped the sweat off of her forehead.
"I love you. Wow. Just..." he started
"Wow" she finished his sentence. They moved to face each other again. He nuzzled his nose against hers and sighed.
After a few minutes of sleepy kisses, they began putting their clothes back on. Adrien sat in his previous spot on the ground and widened his legs. Marinette sat between them and leaned her head and back against his chest. He enveloped her in a warm embrace. They breathed in unison.
"I'm sorry I distracted you from our conversation" Marinette began deamily, breaking the silence.
Adrien chuckled. The sound rumbled into Marinette's back and she buzzed at the wonderful feeling. "Princess, I think I'm the one who distracted you. You couldn't keep your hands off of me"
She huffed. "Touche"
"Whatever you say love" He kissed her sweaty head. "Hey, I forgot to ask. Did you ever hear from Su-han? I've been waiting to have to stand up to him showing up furious and threatening to take away your guardianship"
Marinette rubbed her face and groaned. "Don't even remind me. He hasn't. Before everything went down, he decided he'd finally let me handle things on my own and stopped watching me so closely. It's only a matter of time before he comes crashing through my window"
Adrien rubbed her arms. "he'll have to go through me first" He chuckled a little to lighten the mood.
"Very noble of you my prince" she smiled.
"When we get married, can I take your last name? My family name sucks now" Adrien asked jokingly, with a hint of seriousness behind the notion.
She giggled and nuzzled into him. "Adrien Dupain-Cheng. I like the sound of that". They sighed together.
He leaned his head against hers again and sipped the last of his wine. He still wasn't drunk but he felt a nice buzz weighing his limbs down. She felt the same. They basked in the brief moment of relaxation.
Plagg and Tikki had been mumbling to each other in the kitchen when they saw them fly towards them. Plagg gave Tikki a small shove.
Tikki was the one who broke the silence.
"Nooroo" her high-pitched word hung in the air between them all. The butterfly miraculous. Marinette and Adrien looked up at the kwamis and then each other. One of them was going to have to put it on if they were to speak to him.
"You should wear it." Adrien peered down at Marinette.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"yeah" Adrien's voice came out hollow. He still didn't trust himself with it.
"If you say so." She called on her transformation and pulled the miraculous out of her yoyo. She handed it delicately to Adrien and called her transformation off once again. She figured Tikki would want to see her friend.
They looked down at the shining pin once again. It had changed color and now held streaks of mint green on its newly black wings.
"Green and black" Adrien whispered in disbelief. His green eyes that matched the stripes shot up and met Marinette's.
"You are the one who got it from him. So, in a way..." she continued but was too scared to finish.
He looked down at the pin again and nodded. He wasn't evil. He could do it.
"You know, you technically defeated Hawkmoth" Marinette watched as he struggled with his thoughts.
"Yeah. I did." He pinned the miraculous to his shirt. "But there's still Felix and the rest of the holders to worry about." He waited a moment to see if Nooroo would appear. "And besides. Gabriel Agreste is still evil. Even without his powers" he finished. A blinding light flashed in between them.
