Chapter Two
Marinette wasn't sure when Adrien tried to end the hug. She was so busy enjoying the embrace that her arms had fastened onto him as if glued. When he cleared his throat she jumped back, blushing to the roots of her hair.
Before she could relay the details of the date with Ladybug, Alya swooped in and grabbed her arm, making an excuse as to why she had to be stolen away from Adrien. Discovering a quiet corner, Alya began to grill her friend. "Why exactly are you setting up a date with Ladybug for Adrien? Doesn't that go against your own crush?"
An awkward looked passed over Marinette's face. How could she explain this to Alya without giving away her secret? Hmm, a plan came to mind. "Well, there's a saying that you should never meet your hero because you'll just be disappointed. I'm kind of hoping that will be the case here."
Alya placed a hand on her hip. "Hasn't he already met her a few times now? Also this is Ladybug we're talking about. I seriously doubt that Adrien will be disappointed."
"They probably haven't had a chance to talk, plus they mightn't have anything in common. Besides he'll be so grateful that I organised this that he might even see me in a new light."
"Yeah as his access pass to a superhero."
"Come on, Alya. Back me up here. It seemed like a good idea at the time."
Alya let out a sigh. "I guess I can see your logic. Let's just hope Chat Noir doesn't become jealous."
Marinette's eyes widened. "I hadn't even thought of that."
"Hey, you might have to come to Adrien's rescue."
"A fracture between two superheroes, that would be bad." Marinette said as she tapped her fingers nervously against her chin.
Alya patted her shoulder reassuringly. "I doubt it'll come to that. It's just one date right."
Worry consumed Marinette as she pondered Alya's words. Maybe Tikki was right after all. But still, this was her chance at being with Adrien. She ran a hand over her face as she sank in her seat. She prayed the teacher didn't ask her any questions as she had no clue what was being discussed. Her mind fell further afoul when Adrien glanced over his shoulder and grinned. Apparently, he couldn't wait for class to end either.
Deciding it was best to stay the course, Marinette scribbled down some notes on the best way to approach the situation. Alya was right, this needed to be a one-time thing. Ladybug would pave the way for her alter ego. She just had to work out how to lead Adrien down that path.
As soon as the bell rang, Adrien was at the foot of her desk, grinning almost manically. He really was eager to meet with Ladybug. Seeming to realise just how over the top his enthusiasm was, the blonde stuck his hands in his pockets and toned down his smile. "So, we didn't get a chance to discuss details."
Glancing around nervously, she reached out and grabbed his hand, leading him to a quiet corner. It took all of her concentration to get passed the tingling sensation of his touch. "Okay, so Ladybug has patrol tonight. She can meet you after that."
Adrien's eyes drifted away as he ran a hand through is hair. "Um, what time would that be?"
"Around 9pm. Now don't take this the wrong way but due to the importance of keeping her identity a secret, as well as protecting you, she will stop by your bedroom."
The boy turned the darkest shade of pink she'd ever seen and pulled at his collar. "I-I thought we'd go out somewhere. Meeting in my bedroom seems a bit… intimate."
"You can't risk being seen in public together. You're both too famous to be overlooked."
Adrien glanced glumly at his shoes. "Yeah I understand. I just wanted to take her somewhere nice."
Marinette felt a swell of affection for her crush. He was so sweet. "I'm sorry, Adrien. It was the best I could do."
"It's fine, Marinette. I'll make it work. Thanks again."
Alya picked up her school bag and slung the strap over her shoulder. "I'm gathering you spoke to Adrien by the goofy look on his face."
With a sheepish glance at her best friend, Marinette shrugged. "Yeah it's all go now."
"Girl, you are crazy. Sweet but crazy. I mean what you're doing is nice and all, but you're being a doormat. Adrien's going to assume you're not interested if you're acting as his wingman."
"Maybe, but if things go awry, guess who's there to commiserate with?"
Alya let out a sigh. "You. I can see some possible benefits for you, but not if it goes well."
"Trust me, Alya. I have a feeling this is going to work."
"Fame last words."
Chat Noir seemed awfully excitable on patrol. Ladybug frowned as her feline friend pranced around like he'd just won the lottery. "Is everything alright, Chat?"
A toothy grin shone her way. "Oh, I'm on top of the world, bug-a-boo."
Her frown deepened. "How many times have I told you, I don't like being called that."
"I'm sorry, milady."
"That's a little hard to believe when you're smirking at me."
He twirled around and spun his staff dramatically. "I can't help it. I'm in a very good mood."
"I can see that. Did you find some catnip?"
Folding his arms behind his head, Chat Noir leaned back against a chimney. "No, I did not."
Ladybug considered the wisdom in prying any further. If she did so he might find a reason to question what she was up to. And then there would be the possibility that his mood would sour if she revealed she was going on a date. It was just one of many reasons why she had decided on meeting with Adrien in his room. Perhaps it was a good thing that Chat Noir was so preoccupied, hopefully he wouldn't notice her own inattention.
The pair bounded across the rooftops with more energy than usual. Ladybug was restless as nothing appeared to be going on that required the assistance of superheroes. Time crawled by and with fifteen minutes to go, Chat Noir became rather antsy. "Um, Ladybug would it be okay if you finish patrol? I've got somewhere I need to be."
Of all the nights for him to bail on her, why did it have to be tonight? She crossed her arms and looked down her masked nose at him. Chat Noir chewed on his bottom lip as he fiddled with his tail. Ladybug was about to let him go with a stern talking to when she realised this actually worked to her benefit. "Oh fine, Chat."
"Thanks LB. Until later," he said with a cryptic smirk. And like one of the old time cartoon characters, he jumped into the air and clicked the heels of his shoes together before departing.
The date is coming up. Do you think things will go the way Marinette hopes?
