Chapter Three

Marinette couldn't stop grinning. Never in a million years did she ever think she'd build up the nerve to ask Adrien to perform such a cheeky act. Alya's advice had been fundamental to her success, she'd just imagined it was Chat Noir she was with and her usual awkwardness had melted away. It had been exhilarating to have Adrien finally look at her like she was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. The thrill of it all had her walking on air. Ruffling Chloe's feathers had been an additional bonus.

Throughout the morning class Adrien had been stealing glances at her, turning his head just enough to catch her eye. Chloe continued to fume as she caught wind of what was going on.

As soon as the bell rang the brat snatched Adrien by the wrist, dragging him away with his gaze locked on Marinette the entire time.

Alya shook her head as the pair of blondes disappeared. "You really pissed off Chloe. Poor Adrien might end up with a dislocated shoulder the way she's lugging him along."

"I think he can take care of himself. I still can't believe he agreed to the prank."

"That was a prank? Looked like chemistry to me. You need to ask him out while he's still hot under the collar."

Marinette blushed, "Are you sure? After what we just did, I don't want him to think I'm easy."

"It was a lollipop, it got his attention and his imagination going. Use it to your advantage. Be empowered by your sensuality." Alya preached as she raised a fist in girl power encouragement.

A determined looked crossed Marinette's face. "Okay I'll do it. I just need to pry him away from Chloe."

Adrien's ability to concentrate on school work was shot. He did his best to look like he was paying attention during class but his mind kept drifting. Nino had to subtly prod him back to reality a couple of times.

Chloe monopolised him during break times as if needing to reassert herself as his human barnacle. To his relief, Marinette periodically peeked at him from beneath her lashes and they would share a secret smile. Yet every time he thought it safe to approach Chloe would intervene.

After school, he had the usual run doing fencing and piano lessons. By the end of it all, his patience was wearing thin. Nervous energy had him bouncing on the balls of his feet, unable to keep still. Plagg was reclined against the computer keyboard, watching the boy spring around the room as the sky grew darker. "You're making me tired just looking at you." The kwami groaned.

Adrien stopped his pacing but his hand lifted to his hair as he fingered it away from his eyes. "I don't know what to do," he admitted.

Plagg frowned and wiped a whisker with his paw. "What's the problem?"

"It just seems too obvious. If Marinette is Ladybug and I offer her a lollipop on patrol she'll probably slap me."

Plagg tilted his head and pointed out the obvious. "Ladybug doesn't know you're Adrien."

The model dropped his hand from his hair, looking exasperated. "It wouldn't take a lot for her to figure it out given the circumstances."

"You need to hurry up and make a decision."

Adrian groaned. "Fine, I'll take the lollipops with me."

Chat Noir lacked his usual finesse as he made his way to patrol. His suit felt too tight and he continually pulled at his collar as if it were trying to choke him. As he landed at their meeting point, his gloved hand delved nervously into his pocket to seek out the lollipops held within. The lump in his throat got harder to swallow the longer he waited. The idea of potentially upsetting Ladybug didn't sit well with him. As she arrived for patrol, doubt had sunk its claws into his confidence. "Hi LB."

His lack of jubilance weakened her smile. "Hi kitty, are you ready for patrol?"

A fragile smile hovered on his lips as he nodded.

Ladybug's masked eyebrow lifted. "Is everything okay, Chat?"

"Yes, yes all good." He reassured her with forced zeal.

Blue eyes studied him for a minute before she tossing her yoyo. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Something was off with Chat Noir. Ladybug found her attention increasingly diverting to her partner the longer they were out. Normally he would have been spouting puns and getting in her face as he tried to impress her. Tonight though, he was oddly quiet and subdued. As patrol drew to an end she placed her hands on her hips and gave him a meaningful look. "Okay, spill it."

Chat Noir stepped back as his eyes widened and his chin tucked in. "Uh, spill what?"

"Whatever it is that's bugging you. You haven't said a single pun. Something is clearly wrong."

He scratched his head and glanced at her sheepishly. "Well, I um..." He dropped his hand to his jaw, stroking it as his eyebrows lowered with a troubled look. "I hope you don't think it's weird but I brought something with me tonight to share. You sometimes bring hot chocolate and because the weather has been hot I thought I'd bring something else." He gingerly pulled two lollipops from his pocket and offered them to her, "I wondered if you'd like one?"

Ladybug stared at his offering, the blood draining from her face. Of all the things he could have brought, why did it have to be lollipops? Lifting her gaze, she saw the earnest expression on his face and her agitation eased. Chat Noir had no idea what had happened in her private life. He was just trying to be nice. Still her hand trembled as she snatched one from his palm. "Um, thanks."

Something like guilt flashed briefly on his face. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, I'm fine." She said with clenched teeth as her fingers fumbled with the lollipop wrapper. Chat Noir plucked the it from her hand, slashing a claw through the plastic to remove the cover, then popped it back into her grasp.

"Thanks Chat," she said as placed the lollipop between her lips.

Green eyes stared at her mouth, entranced as she sucked on the candy. He exhaled sharply when she pulled it out of her mouth and took a lick. Ladybug frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," he squeaked.

"You're acting very strange tonight."

Black masked eyelids scrunched together. "So much tension," he muttered. He opened his eyes slowly and stared at her lips. "Are you enjoying that?"

Ladybug was puzzled that he looked at her mouth when her lollipop was in her hand. With a shrug she placed it in her mouth with the stick pointing out of the corner of her lips, "It's good. My favourite flavour too." Chat Noir sidestepped closer, as if approaching a flighty horse. His movements were slow as he placed his unopened lollipop back in his pocket.

Caught up in his wary approach, Ladybug didn't notice the gloved hand moving toward her hip and she jumped as he made contact. She opened her mouth to speak but his other hand reached for the base of her lollipop stick. His eyes locked nervously onto hers and she felt a sense of déjà vu. "What are you doing?"

He sucked on his bottom lip. "Watching you."

"Uh, why?"

His hand tightened on her hip and she was shifted into the same position she'd held with Adrien. Her pulse pounded in her ears as he hoarsely confessed, "I wanted to see you do it again."

Her mouth dropped open and the lollipop caught at the corner of her lips. Chat Noir gently eased it away, his face closing the distance between them and before she had a chance to think, his lips captured hers. Ladybug's eyes remained wide open as her partner tasted the sweetness of the lolly on her lips and he urged her to kiss him in return. Instead she pushed him back and gave him a mystified look. "Adrien?"

He grinned, "Yes."

Ladybug's hands stilled on his shoulders, her head tilting slightly as her eyes narrowed to scrutinise him. Chat Noir gave an impish smile and waved in an unsure way that was so Adrien that she didn't waste any more time thinking. Her hands suddenly captured his face and she kissed him with a passion that knocked him backward.

Chat Noir quickly recovered. His hands pulled her closer, one travelled up to cupped her nape while the other dipped down to the small of her back. Her fingers lifted to intimately stroke one of his cat ears and he began to purr. Ladybug gently captured his bottom lip between her teeth and sucked on it before letting it go. Then she shifted her hands to his chest and pulled away to look at him.

His eyelids fluttered open and a dreamy smile lingered on his lips. "I love you, Ladybug," he sighed.

A gasp escaped Ladybug as she realised she'd just kissed her partner. Chat Noir was practically obsessed with her in the suit, and up until today Adrien wasn't interested in her out of it. An ache filled her chest. "Why didn't you use my real name?"

"I did, didn't I?" he said with confused yet lovesick eyes.

"No, you didn't." She snapped with an irrational sense of rejection, turning her back on him to flee.

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted. Real life has been rather busy. I just thought I'd mention that this story is only meant to be some fluff with a bit of smut later on. So please don't take it too seriously. If anything, Marinette/Ladybug is learning just how potent her feminine power is over Adrien/Chat Noir. Thanks for reading :)