Synopsis: Ladyblogger Alya has an idea. A photo charity shoot featuring Paris's favorite heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir! Just how well will things go for a girl who's never modeled and model trying not to be discovered?
Author's Notes: I'm catching up as promised! VICTORIA of AO3, here's your photo-shoot request! I died laughing at Chat's antics and poor Ladybug had no idea what hit her in the face. Anyway, I hope it's what you expected and I hope everyone enjoys!
When the Ladyblogger of Paris had approached the two teen heroes about having a charity photo shoot to raise money for the young boys and girls in the local hospital, superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir couldn't find it in their hearts to say no. After all, how could they? They'd gone by the hospital multiple times in the past year or so to talk to the children and see how they were doing and the state most of them were in broke their hearts. Several times they'd gone back and children were missing. Without a good reason. Ladybug had to admit that she'd gone home and cried over the situation a couple of times. Chat too. The photo shoot was therefore right up their alley (Chat wiggled his eyebrows at the two girls who both groaned and face palmed).
In hindsight, maybe it wasn't such a good thing.
Alya had managed to organize everything spectacularly. She'd gotten in touch with a couple of organizations that were willing to help- a big name photo company, a poster making company, and even Agreste Industries agreed to help, giving them a place to do the shoot at, as well as offering to host a lavish charity banquet to auction off the posters to the highest donor. Alya even convinced them to let her save one or two of the posters to do a raffle on the Ladyblog to the follower who donated the most money to a Gofundme account she'd started.
The background work was done. All that was left was the shoot.
Which is exactly where superhero Ladybug found herself one sunny Saturday morning.
She was nervous. She'd been eager at first to participate but the longer she stood on the sidelines of the building, watching the photographers and stage hands run back and forth, men and women alike getting ready for the day, she wasn't so sure how she was feeling anymore. It was for a good cause. That she recognized. However, her nerves were starting to get to her; she didn't know how to model! She was going to look like a board on camera and then everyone would really see how terrible and clumsy she was. What if she hurt Chat? The photographer? ALYA? A soft groan lodged itself in the back of her throat. She braced herself back against the wall, her head touching it lightly as she felt a wavy of dizziness wash over her. The longer she stood there doing nothing, the more uncomfortable she became. A soft cough next to her caught her attention. Leaning against the wall next to her, his hands up behind his head, his eyes closed, tail switching back and forth, was her partner Chat Noir. He opened one eye to smirk at her. "Having problems my lady," he asked.
"Not at all," she chirped. "Just... just nerves."
"Ladybug? Nervous? I can't picture it." She bit back a laugh. If only he actually knew who she was!
"Despite appearances kitty cat," she mused, turning to face him on the wall, "I am not cool and collected twenty four seven. Really though. I don't know why I agreed to this. I can't model. There's a reason why I want to be behind the camera and not in front of it." His ears perked at that.
"You want to be a camera operator?" She laughed this time, flicking his bell.
"No silly. I want to be a fashion designer. The best Paris has ever seen."
Chat's mouth dropped a bit. It was the first real piece of information she'd ever revealed about herself to him and it made him glow just a little bit. He coughed to clear his throat and hopefully return his cheeks to normal. "A- a fashion designer? The best in Paris? I have my faith in you my lady but aren't you going to go up against men like Gabriel Agreste? Doesn't that make you more nervous than standing in front of a camera?"
"No way. The fashion industry is more straight-forward than standing in front of the camera." He started to say something but was cut off by the photographer, a tall skinny Italian man who often did his own photo shoots for Agreste Industries, who came up to them, a wide grin on his face, rubbing his hands together.
"Pardon me but we are ready to begin the shoot. We will do individuals and then together. Which of you would like to go first?" Chat started to speak and say himself when he was cut off by a red hand shooting up into the air and a quick, "I'll go," coming from the mouth of Ladybug. All he could do was blink at her. His eyes narrowed as the photographer nodded and took off to get the camera finalized. Ladybug let out a sigh. She then quickly smiled at her partner and stated, "Well, at least I'll get it out of the way so it won't be too painful for everyone."
"You'll be fine LB," he assured her. She smirked but headed towards the shoot area when she was finally motioned to. He watched from the sidelines as she got into place. Chat wasn't sure what she had been worried about; she was doing a wonderful job in front of the camera. She moved naturally and sexily, revealing her natural curves and everything about herself that made her beautiful. However, it didn't sit right on his stomach. His eyes narrowed the more he watched. She was doing everything in her power to be... well... BASIC was the best he could think of; some of the poses he remembered from having seen other female models and this did not go well with him. Ladybug was anything but basic. Plus, she wasn't even showing her true strength! Chat's tail twitched and his ears flattened. The longer he listened to the photographer go, "Yes! The beautiful lady has eaten the perfect amount of spaghetti and is totally happy!" the more annoyed he got. Eventually he was tapping his foot impatiently and had his arms crossed, a clear pout on his face. Ladybug noticed it and eyed him confused. She tilted her head to the side. The photographer stopped too, confused as well.
"What is the matter," he asked. She smiled at him.
"Nothing. I just need a break. Can we take a minute?" He nodded, straightening up and fiddling with his camera. She skipped over to Chat who still looked like he had been abused by his owner or something. She flicked his bell.
"Chaton? What's wrong kitty? Did I do something wrong?"
He jerked in surprise and, staring wide-eyed at her, stuttered out, "No-not at all LB. You're doing a perfect job!" She tilted her head.
"Then what is it? You look upset."
"I'm not upset," he waved his paws in the air, "Just waiting my turn. Promise."
She hesitated. Ladybug knew that he was lying but she also knew that there was no point in fighting with him to tell the truth so instead, she turned back to the photo area, looking back at him briefly while saying, "Alright, if you're sure." Chat waved her off as she went back. However, once more, he began to pout as he watched her modeling. It was too graceful. Too perfect. This wasn't Ladybug! She wasn't... God she wasn't showing half of her amazingness and it needed to be corrected.
Now.
Chat stomped up to her on the photo area. Ladybug jerked in surprise and the camera stopped clicking, the photographer looking up at him, "Chat Noir! The doubles shoot isn't for another hour or so."
"I know," he mumbled. He kept his eyes on Ladybug as he hissed, "Your poses are too generic my lady. Allow me to help you correct that." She started to protest when suddenly her partner was behind her, gently grabbing her arms, and pushing them forward so that she looked like she was in a muscle-demonstrating pose. She blinked. He came back around, looked her up and down, nodded, and got out of the way. He smirked as he left saying, "Don't move my lady!" Her face dropped. The photographer didn't seem to mind the new position as he clicked off a couple of photos. When that was done, Chat came back and readjusted her, this time making her show off her muscles by turning her around, raising her arms in the air and turning her face in profile.
She was confused but went with it.
Apparently the new poses were well received. She could hear people whispering off to the side about how "ripped" she was and how great muscles looked on her. Ladybug blushed at the praise. She knew that her body had undergone some changes in the last year or so with her powers and everything, but she hadn't realized how effective it had been in changing her; the muscles especially since she didn't often stop to check herself out in the mirror or anything like that. It had just come with the territory. After what seemed like forever, the photographer finally gave her the clearance to move. She let out a sigh of relief and walked off the set. Chat greeted her with a towel and some water, both of which she took gratefully, swallowing down some of the liquid. She brushed her forehead with the towel. "Thanks Chat. By the way, what was with that stunt you pulled? I thought you said I was doing alright."
He smirked, "You were doing alright... with the basic poses. But they were too basic LB! You weren't showing off what makes you amazing so I had to step in and correct it." She rolled her eyes as she sat the towel around her shoulders. Crossing her arms and throwing out a hip, she eyed him up and down, "Alright then, if you can do better, then by all means. Show me." His smirk grew even wider and he moved uncomfortably close to her; their noses almost touched but she didn't dare back down even though her face flushed a little.
"Then how about a bet?"
"Oh? What do you have in mind kitty cat?"
"I show you I know what I'm doing behind a camera and I get to take you for ice cream afterwards."
"Now that's not much of a bet. You get embarrassed and I have to pay!"
Chat stood up straight, his smirk never dying, as he started to head off towards the camera. "You're under the assumption I don't know what I'm doing. Don't worry my lady! Today will be a win-win for you. You get a show and free ice cream!" Ladybug rolled her eyes but walked over to stand next to the camera. No way was she going to watch Chat Noir embarrass himself from a far; this was an up-close-and-personal kind of event.
Ladybug would have never guessed how wrong she was.
He was a natural. He knew which ways to stand that showed off the best of him; he moved without prompting and always in time with the clicks. It was nearly like watching some exotic dance happening and there was no way she could avoid the absolutely smoldering look he gave the camera which sent her face into flames. Even the photographer was impressed. He kept encouraging the boy to continue "eating his mama's spaghetti" as he twisted and moved. She was frozen. Whatever spaghetti he was eating, she wanted a bite for sure. When it finally ended, Chat sauntered up to her, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face as he noted the red in hers. He waited for her to say something but when she didn't, he patted her on the shoulder and went to get some water, calling out, "Ice cream's on me my lady."
She was never going to live this down uh?
Shaking her head, she finally let the reality of the situation set in and she found herself smiling like a fool before walking over to her partner to discuss their obvious later plans.
MLMLMLMLML
The photo shoot was more than successful. Thanks to all the work everyone did, the hospital was able to purchase nearly brand new equipment, toys, and make desperately needed repairs to the building.
Adrien stood in his bedroom with two brand new posters hanging on the wall. He smirked at both of them. One was of Ladybug by herself. It was the pose he'd first put her in; it showed every muscle the girl possessed and it was his favorite for the absolutely adorable look of confusion on her face. The other was of him and her together; in the couple's pose they were standing rather heroically, bodies angled towards each other but their outside hands extended with their weapons in them. They couldn't look cooler even if they tried. Plagg rolled his eyes and disappeared off to eat some cheese, muttering something about how much of a loser he was for purchasing the posters. Adrien shrugged. It wasn't every day he got to do a photo shoot with his lady and so, he wanted something to remember it always.
Even if his favorite was the photo on his phone with Ladybug laughing at some ice cream she'd managed to get on the tip of her nose.
