Alya Césaire was not easily surprised.

Nino knew that, he always knew. She was a reporter and too smart to be fooled. He knew she had figured out Marinette's secret identity only a year after Ladybug had shown up.

For Adrien it had taken her about two weeks longer but she had figured out that boy's secret as well.

But to upkeep their secret and not to worry them that Hawkmoth would target a knowing civilian, she had kept their secret like her own, never letting them know that she knew exactly well what they were doing when suddenly vanishing during Akuma attacks.

So, he hadn't even tried hiding from her that Marinette had chosen him as Carapace and thus, a temporary helper. Of course, he hadn't told her right away but as he had dropped into her room at midnight, in his suit, she had already been a little suspecting. Even though she had already known to 80% that it had to be him. She wasn't dumb, she had been picked as Rena and Carapace had definitely been too similar to her beloved boyfriend.

A few cues from him and she had thrown her arms around him, excitedly pressing a kiss to his lips and grinning from one ear to the other. She had known from the start and even though careful, she had just needed his nickname for her.

Yes, surprising Alya was not an easy task. He had known that and that's why he naturally had to try and pick the hardest thing to surprise her with. Naturally.

When it had gotten clear they'd stay together after high school, and when they moved together and started university and growing up, Nino realized that he'd just have a single shot at this, otherwise it wouldn't work. He realized he'd have to be so unbelievably subtle and he'd have to plan this for a long time.

He begun with trying to come up with a non-creepy way to explore the waters of the idea of marriage by bribing Marinette to talk to her best friend. They had a girl's evening out and his spy did a god job in directing the talk towards this hot topic while Alya wasn't exactly sober anymore but not so drunk she would say things she didn't mean. Overall, he had just told her to wait two or three beers to make Alya's tongue honest before asking.

At that time, it had been too early. Sure, while marriage would benefit them in a few ways, Alya had not been ready so he as her boyfriend hadn't pushed it. It just gave him more time for planning.

So, he had created a sub account to his bank account to save up money for a ring. He had started looking for locations that meant a lot to both of them, he began on a song for her and he overall just tried keeping it cool between them, not let her notice his nervousness and his outgoing plans to propose to her.

Luckily for him, Adrien and Marinette as well as all their old and new friends supported him with that and even if it had come close to Marinette drinking and spilling everything a few times (a heartfelt kiss from Adrien had sobered her up after that. Or made her completely tipsy, who knew), his plans had stayed a secret from his girlfriend.

A year later he let Marinette test out the waters again, even tried himself, and this time around Alya seemed to be liking the idea more and more. So, his plan was a go.

He set everything in motion and finally got a ring, still acting as usual as he could around her.

And when the day came, he was as relaxed as he could be. He had a ring in his pocket that would surely be replaced with a certain yes from her. He had the perfect location, the zoo in which they had realized their love for each other, and he had made sure it had become a habit for them to visit the zoo in a date just often enough not to seem special but just seldomly enough not to make it too usual, too boring.

The ring was safely tucked away in his jeans, the plaid shirt she loved on him carefully carelessly draped over the slight bulge of the small box. The thick winter jacket hid even more but he had asked her father to open the panther cage for them and heat it up so they wouldn't need their jackets. He hadn't done something special to his hair, hadn't scrubbed his shoes and had just once more than the usual two times, inconspicuously, brushed his teeth before they had been going.

Everything was perfect. He hadn't requested a dress code for her but had subtly implied that she could wear the nice shirt she had just bought a month back.

It was nothing too fancy or too special but just special enough to completely surprise her and not let it happen in a dumpster. Or rushed. No, everything was planned years ahead.

They departed from their flat without a rush, without a reservation waiting for them. Their dates always went that way and somewhere in Paris a table was always free.

Admittedly, Nino had become a little nervous as they hadn't found a place in their usual spots but they had found a cute little Indian restaurant as he had already been sweating a little and he was relieved Alya was so excited about this. They ate well and he remained calm and normal, not talking too little or too much before he paid and they left for a stroll along the Seine on which he planned asking her to go to the zoo.

That's when she first got a little suspicious. Of course, they had already been in the zoo after closing time, partly because her father was still working after visiting hours, partly because she had half grown up in zoos due to her father, so she knew her way around.

He managed to bring it across as a safe idea, though, and presented the keys he had asked her father for. While doing so he carefully covered the key for the panther cage.

They had gotten her father's key a few times by now, not too often, of course, so Alya was unsuspecting once again as they entered the zoo. He had promised her father not to drink, which wasn't uncommon for him, so he had without any problems managed to keep his face and drink his water when she had had a glass of wine.

"You okay?", he asked her when they slowly strolled down the paths, listening to the sleeping animals and huddling themselves deeper into their jackets.

"I'm a little cold.", she smirked but then she squeezed his hand in her pocket. The hand that would hopefully wear a ring at the end of the night, "But I'm good. You did well, Nino."

He grinned and shrugged, kissing her temple.
"I tried."

Just a moment later they arrived at the panther cage and leant against the railing to look through the glass. Alya's father had reassured him a few times by now that the panther had to be taken out this evening and would have to stay at the vet for the night so they'd have the cage free for themselves.

"Wanna go inside?", at this point, the surprise would set in. He knew the surprise started now, even if he could still keep her in the dark for a little while, "I asked your dad, his panther is at the vet."

She seemed suspicious but the joy soon took her over and she grinned.

"You got the keys?!"

He grinned as he held them up, now revealing the hidden one.

"Just like old times?"

She giggled as he jumped over the railing and unlocked the door, pulling it open in a grunt of effort, before he helped her up and inside the warm, a little damp cage. When he had closed the door again, he took his jacket off and breathed through after switching on the light, smirking.

"How's it feel?"

"As if I'm 14 again!", she exclaimed, laughing.

They jumped around in the cage for a bit, feeling like they were not older than 14, until Nino got the right moment. He waited until Alya vanished in the few tropical plants that grew there and called her at the only visible exit so she wouldn't have another choice. He waited until she came closer, then he got on his knees and got out the small box to rest it on his knee, clutched in his sweating hands.

When she broke out of the plants, she saw him and immediately, her eyes widened.

He had really managed to surprise her.

"Alya-…"
"Yes.", she interrupted him and shook her head, falling to her knees in front of him and throwing her arms around his neck, "Yes, yes, yes!"

He chuckled, relieved and happy, as he hugged her back.
"Don't wanna let me say something?", he mocked her but she shook her head, something wet touching his neck.

"Nope. Just give me that ring, I waited for ages!"

He stopped and stared at her, now being the surprised one himself.
"… What."