In which the eager reporter and the jittery cat find a common ground by soaring over Paris.
After Alya had left, Adrien wanted nothing more than to cover himself in blankets and never go out (which he had done for an hour, listening to Coldplay's Fix you on repeat).
He had let her catch him off guard.
He should have known better than to relax around his strong-willed classmate, yet he thought he had her confused with his fake texts. He had hoped Alya's focus had shifted to helping him talk to Ladybug, but she had turned out to be much more single-minded than the blonde could have anticipated.
He also might have enjoyed talking to her too much to be concerned with his secret identity. It had felt wonderful to have someone over, to talk about everything and nothing at the same time.
It had felt as if he has had friends. And it was nothing but exhilarating.
But then again, the reality had to remind him that having friends was only a most marvelous vision.
To Adrien, Alya was a hurricane, a typhoon of might and blazing strength that he didn't know how to handle. Her bluntness threw him off, left him in an ominous daze he couldn't shake off.
Her confronting him directly had been to be anticipated yet the blonde secretly wished she would have let sleeping dogs lie. How naive of him.
To make matters worse, he had to straight out admit he was Cat Noir. Who acted so foolishly? He should have laughed it off, act as if she had been misguided by some fake lead.
Having spilled his secret had been the worst option ever. Why was he always making mistakes so grand?
To take his mind off of his blunders, Adrien started doing his Chinese homework. It was not helping. At all.
He scribbled some nonexisting words on the page, only to be interrupted by Plagg who sat on his notebook, looking fairly malcontent. "Yes, it is truly a splendid idea to banish a person you have just let on your secret." said black kwami sarcastically. He only used more of a flowery language when providing very sarcastic comment or his patience was tested.
"Brooding shall solve all your problems, I am quite sure."
Adrien let out a groan of frustration. He was so not in the mood for Plagg's jibes.
"What should I do?" he asked looking at the cat kwami with sadness. "All I do is ruin everything."
Plagg fixed his Chosen with a glare. "Isn't it the perfect opportunity to gain a new friend? She may be a little too loud and nosy, but she could be your comrade. A partner in crime."
The blonde looked at him thoughtfully. Alya had hundreds of questions about Cat Noir and superheroes. Being her friend would mean telling her everything about his Miraculous, and Adrien wasn't sure whether he was comfortable with the idea. Her knowing his alter ego was one thing, but sharing all the secrets and mysteries about his powers meant to trust. Their relation, however, was as far from mutual dependence as possible.
The black kwami noticed his wavering and flew up to meet his eyes. He plonked his Chosen's nose softly.
"You don't have to do anything you're not at ease with. Every new relation starts with setting boundaries and getting to know the other person. Friendship doesn't equal selling yourself. It comes with a full package of your joys, sorrows, and fears." Seeing Adrien's surprise, Plagg turned his back to the blonde, feeling embarrassed. Motivational speeches were far outside his comfort zone. "Just give it a try, okay?"
Adrien blinked. Even though he was still full of soggy worry he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart. Plagg not only was not angry at him but also supported him and his desire to make friends.
The black kwami could have been a handful at times and a full-time couch potato, but he was irreplaceable. Adrien could not imagine losing him.
It was partly why he had been in such a panicked frenzy ever since he had stumbled upon Alya while detransforming.
He had been afraid of being stripped from his right to be a Miraculous Holder. That would not only mean losing his newly gained freedom as a roguish superhero but also separating from Plagg. The mere thought of such a possibility made Adrien hyperventilate.
The black kwami probably wouldn't like to hear it but the blonde considered him his best friend. Knowing that Plagg was always by his side allowed the model to sleep soundly at night. The small, yet vivid presence of the kwami eased his nerves and steadied him whenever his father's broken promises made him fall down.
Adrien's heart was full of love for this grumpy ball of fluff that Plagg was.
"Hey, how about we go down to the kitchen and raid the fridge from cheese?" The blonde asked smiling softly.
"Sounds like my kind of plan."
XXX
It's a terrible idea. My God, it's such a terrible idea.
Plagg's encouragement spurred Adrien into action. The teenager decided to clear the air with Alya, and calmly explain to her why keeping his identity secret was important. Only, it made much more sense while he was formulating a plan in his room.
Now, standing in front of his classmate's apartment complex, transformed into Cat Noir, Adrien doubted reasonability behind his scheme.
How weird would it be if he rung a doorbell and demanded to see her? Super weird, even for you Adrien.
What about appearing on her balcony during the night? That's just creepy.
What were even the chances she would like to talk to him after he had chased her away from his house? She will probably bite my head off.
Adrien rolled his eyes at himself. Here he went again: acting cowardly and letting his anxieties get the best of him. Well, maybe paying his classmate a surprise visit in the middle of the night was not the brightest idea, but the blonde knew he would not be able to sleep tonight was he to left things unresolved.
With a graceful leap, he landed on the balcony and peeked inside Alya's room. The light was on, but she was lying on her bed, deep in thought. Her place was full of Majestia merchandise, just like he remembered from that one time when he and Ladybug wanted to recruit the blogger for their akuma-diversion-plan.
It's fine, superheroes pay unexpected visits to some civilians. It's not a big deal, Adrien thought, convincing himself that he was not acting like a creep. He took a breath and stilled himself before knocking softly on the window.
Alya got up startled by the noise. She moved around trying to find a source of the noise. She checked the door and then looked towards the window only to meet his eyes.
The superhero thought for a second that she would scream but she just gaped at him, flabbergasted. The blogger opened the window door carefully, probably not sure if what she was seeing was real.
Adrien grinned toothily, bowing slightly but as always dramatically. "I did hear a gossip meowed around that a certain Ladyblogger demanded an interview with this Cat."
Alya seemed just as surprised at his casual attitude just as she was hesitant to answer. "Adrien... I mean Cat Noir, what are you doing here?"
"You don't want to go for a stroll, do you? We could get out of the house, see the world." the hero gestured towards the city in a princely manner.
Having recognized the lines, Alya smiled broadly. "Is it safe?"
"Of course not! Who do you take me for?" Adrien huffed, shaking his head. He focused his eyes on the blogger, extending his hand towards her. "Do you trust me?"
"We shall see, Kitty Kat." said the girl, ruining the dramatic narrative. She accepted his hand, which allowed him to lift her up.
Cat Noir smiled, securing his grip around Alya. He pulled out his staff preparing for a long jump. "Hold on tight!" said Adrien and without further notice, he pounced into the abyss below.
The first thing the blogger registered was a violent blow of wind in her hair and face, then the too rapidly approaching ground. For a second she thought they were going to collide -
And then they were soaring again. Over and over again.
Alya felt as if she was flying.
They moved from rooftop to rooftop in graceful but enormous leaps. Underneath them spread Paris with all its lights, busy streets and small shady alleys. The view was mesmerizing.
Covered in the dark cloak of the night, Adrien and Alya were gliding over the city, watched only by bright stars. The cool air nestled their faces sending shivers through their limbs. The blogger couldn't help letting out a salvo of giggles, revealing her bubbling excitement.
Hearing her laugh, the superhero grinned and whooped not too faintly. Soon, they were both screaming like they'd gone mad, trying to outyell one another, not really caring about disturbing quiet hours.
In the stillness between sky and earth, a mystery lurked awaiting its discoverer. The aura of novelty and growing bond hung as a promise from the future. The night discarded its dark attire briefly, opting for something brighter for a change.
Adrien guided them through this peaceful scenery of Paris at night. As they passed each corner of the City of Lights, they left a delirious trail of yells and cheers behind, breaking the serenity of the citizens. They were a force of nature, a might of fire, a volume of thunder.
No one, not even the duo, knew the impact their acquaintance would soon leave on the world.
When they arrived at the small park lit by dim lanterns, their giggles were still alive creating a symphony of joy. After landing safely on the solid ground Adrien twirled and bowed making his classmate laugh harder.
"That certainly was a whole new Paris kind of ride." said Alya, singing 'a whole new part' of her sentence. "Seven out of ten, for the lack of the flying carpet.'
The blonde gasped horrified. "I knew I was forgetting something! Do not fear my fair blogger, I shall mend my ways and become a proper Alladin."
"Does that include dying your hair black?"
"I guess my Alladin interpretation will be lacking after all," said Adrien, disgusted at the prospect of messing with his hair color. He liked it light and blonde. Like his mother's.
Smiling at him, Alya walked a few feet away, admiring the night scenery. He followed her with his gaze, not being able to get rid of the warm and fuzzy feeling exploding in his chest.
"So... Is there a reason you took me here?" she asked curiously. "Is this a plot to get me mugged? I do advise not to try anything too shady. I have the power of the internet at my command, you know?"
Responding with a witty comment was the first thing that came to his mind, but he stopped himself from speaking. There would be time for fun and humor after they have talked over the recent events. Hopefully.
Adrien bit his lip nervously. His hands suddenly became cold and his throat dry. A dreadful feeling surrounded his consciousness but he fought it back.
"Which is what we need to talk about, actually." he started hesitantly, cautiously. "First of all, I apologize for chasing you out of my house. It was rude of me. You caught me off guard and my flee reaction kicked in. And since it was my room I had nowhere to run so you had to go..." Adrien trailed off, trying to gather his mess of thoughts into logical sentences.
Alya was observing her classmate, her face morphed into a mask of uneasiness. She closed the distance between them searching for Cat Noir's gaze. For one intangible second, the world of sorrow and hurt spilled from his green eyes into the darkness of a night, encircling Alya like a snake which venom found the way into her system.
The sensation was gone so soon it could have been a trick, a tease of a nightime.
Unconsciously, the blogger reached out to touch Adrien's shoulder, spooking him a little with a sudden physical contact. "I am not going to tell anyone your secret. I promise."
Cat Noir blinked, baffled by her statement, but the corners of his mouth lifted in a weak attempt of a smile. Was he so easy to read?
Alya seemed to realize her mistake and instantly backed off, waving her hand slowly. "I'm sorry, I got ahead of myself. Please, continue."
There was a brief silence broken by the boy's curt humorless laugh. He shook his head, an understanding dawning on him. He would never be able to win against Alya. She was too sharp, too impulsive. Plagg had been right from the start - she would have been a valuable ally. The problem was: would Adrien be able to handle her?
As Cat Noir, he was an unpredictable force of impulse and cheekiness. He was as quick-witted and brave as Alya. A superhero in black would be able to keep up with her.
However, Adrien was unsure of his own strengths and social interactions. He was too submissive, too easily spooked.
Would Alya even want to befriend him? One way to find out, right?
"You can't tell anyone about my identity. It's supposed to be a secret. If it ever got out, my father, Nino and our classmates could all be in danger."
Adrien was observing Alya's reaction but she just stood in place, wearing an uneasy expression on her face.
"I understand it may be an exciting scoop, but there's too much risk involved. Secret identities not only protect us heroes but also our loved ones. So, please, keep this information to yourself." he said with a plead tangible in his voice, counting on her empathy to win over the stubborn reporter-self.
Alya closed the distance between them so she could look into his eyes.
"I am not going to tell anyone, I promise you." she said with such a conviction almost as if she was trying to convince herself more than him.
"I can be hot-headed and opinionated but I didn't mean to be a jerk. I never do, it just comes naturally..." Adrien couldn't help laughing and Alya pursed her lips in a disapproving manner.
"You are ruining my apology, you know? Who's being a jerk now?"
Grinning cheekily, the superhero in black remarked, "Oh? That was an apology? Could have fooled me."
The blogger punched his arm lightly. "You didn't let me finish! Now zip it and listen!"
"Yes, ma'am! Whatever you say, ma'am!" Cat Noir saluted, imitating a soldier ready to take orders.
"You are being ridiculous!" Alya snorted trying very hard not to laugh. She took one breath, then another as if to compose herself. "I am sorry for being so obnoxious and nosey. But to my defense, I was after the interview that day, not your secret identity. I just had the worst timing for you..."
Realizing that she started rambling, she shook her head and touched Adrien's shoulder. "I promise not to tell your secret. To anyone. I will keep it despite my inner reporter want to murder me for it. Aaand I am the one ruining the apology now."
"I think it was a beautiful apology. It 's been officially accepted just now." Cat Noir smiled at the girl warmly but moved out of her reach. It was all too much for him already.
"Let's shake on it!" Alya exclaimed suddenly. Meeting his confused gaze she added, "To show that there're no hard feelings between us?"
Adrien looked at her extended hand, hesitating only for a second. He met her palm in a firm handshake and they grinned at one another happily.
For a moment the air between them was clear and free, set for a brand new beginning.
"So, you really don't know who Ladybug is?" Only for a moment though.
Seeing Cat's incredulous expression, Alya laughed her statement off as a bad joke, making a mental note to ask him about it one day. For now, however, she was willing to lay her curiosity to rest and focus on building trust between her and her gentle classmate who held a surprising secret.
"Have you ever watched a movie Midnight in Paris?" the blogger asked, a cunning smirk appearing on her face.
Adrien shot her a curious look. "I have. Why are you asking?"
Alya's features gleamed with mischief and excitement. "I've always wanted to find that car that takes people to the past. And as it's almost midnight, wouldn't you say it's the best moment to search for it?"
Cat Nor perked up. "I have so many questions I want to ask Hemingway. For example why The Old Man and the Sea has no action whatsoever."
"Sounds like you didn't get the meaning behind this novel at all" Alya smirked. "Also, he was such a grump. Not the best interlocutor for you."
"I have a soft spot for jerks." Adrien winked at his companion and suddenly exclaimed, "The last one to the stairs is a rotten egg!"
He was off at an amazing speed, leaving the flabbergasted blogger in the dust. "Hey!"
Alya was not the type to quit or loose so she dashed after the cat superhero as quickly as her not-equipped-with-super-powers-legs allowed her to run.
They raced through alleys of Paris, making so much ruckus and noise that the exhausted citizens started dialing the police, mistaking them for some hooligans.
However, karma caught up with them when they almost had a run in with very angry and very drunk party-goers. Adrien had to grab Alya before she got herself involved into a fight and carried her to the spot known from the movie.
They barely had time to steady their breaths when the clock struck midnight. They looked at one another and immediately dispersed to look for the magical car that would take them to the previous epoch.
The teenagers shouted into the void of the night as if they were searching for a lost person, coming up with ridiculous calls in the process. When Alya called out "here-kitty-kitty-kitty ", Adrien shot her an offended look and started chasing her.
They ended up near Saine, breathless from all the running they did, but with hearts full of joy and carefree feelings. For Cat Noir, it was the best moment he had in a while. He really didn't want it to end.
Alya smiled brightly at her classmate, which almost dulled the sadness her next words brought him. "As much fun as I am having right now, I should probably get back home. I'd hate for my parents to freak out if they had a sudden urge to check up on me."
Adrien nodded, agreeing to her logic despite the small ache in his chest. It must have been nice having a family that cared so much about each other.
"We should continue our search another day, though. I still want to meet Gertrude Stein. With her help I could become the greatest writer of our times!" the blogger ranted animatedly.
"You are a pretty good writer already." Adrien whispered but his voice was lost in the volume of girl's excited squeals. "Okay, Miss Dreamer, ready to be carried home by this charming superhero?"
She nodded solemnly. "Yes, but on one condition."
That was not the answer Cat Noir anticipated. Not in the slightest. He probably should get used to Alya being unpredictable. "Which is?"
"You have to sing A whole new world with me!" the blogger exclaimed, pointing her finger at him. Seeing his lack of adequate reaction, she shook her head, annoyed that she had to explain herself yet again. "We started this trip with that song, it's only logical we end it the same way."
After a few moments of Adrien's hesitation and Alya's encouragement, and threats of walking home alone, the blonde finally complied. His cheeks turned a dark shade of pink as he let his voice carry the tune softly.
Momentarily, the blogger was captivated by the sound which filled the night air. Of course, he can sing too! Is there anything he can't do?
Surprised by his singing abilities she allowed Cat Noir to secure a grip around her and carry them high up, into the sky. She could imagine them going on a carpet ride, alright.
Waiting for Jasmine part to come in, Alya joined in with her own singing voice, and soon their high-pitched falsettos interrupted the peace of Paris once again.
Finally! They had a meaningful conversation?! It only took 4 chapters. It's nothing, am I right, or what?
Please, share your thoughts with me on the story so far. Is the pace too slow and you're getting bored, or you've been enjoying slow character development? Any insight and tips will be appreciated and helpful! (Just try not to stress my delicate writer's soul too much). (Also, can someone tell me how to improve dialogue-writing! I need help!)
As always, thank you for reading and a big hug for those who leave comments! It means a lot! :D