Renard Rouge stopped showing up to his "training" after what happened with his first Akuma, but Adrien wished he would come back. His absence, as ironic as it may be, had taken a toll with Ladybug. She wasn't happy with him, and every time they tried to talk about the subject, they ended up doing something they were not used to do: arguing. On one hand, he knew he was right. A big part about being a superhero was to protect people, at all costs. On the other, Ladybug was right, and Chat Noir had let a jealous streak to blind his judgment about Renard and any other potential teammate. This was unexplored territory for both of them, the place where no matter what they did, they simply could not agree. Adrien found himself wishing the fox had not appeared at all. Things were better, unperturbed and smooth when he wasn't around.
"You need to practice some introspection," Master Fu said calmly as he blew the steam off his freshly brewed cup of tea. It was Saturday, and on Saturdays, Chat Noir dropped by to have some tea.
Adrien sulked and crossed his arms. "You know I'm right! And—and... ugh! She knows I'm right but she won't admit it! I mean, I know I may have overreacted a little bit but Renard needs to understand the consequences of messing up. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever messed up, for example? One Cataclysm gone wrong and boop! I murder some random Parisian."
"He didn't mess up, though. He helped you."
Adrien sighed heavily. "I know... I just wish we could just get over this. Why did things become so complicated all of a sudden?"
"I have told you before, there will be others. The times of you and Ladybug being by yourselves are in the past, I'm afraid."
Adrien looked down, unknowingly pouting.
"Why does it bother you so much?"
"Huh?"
"It's not the fact that you have another teammate. It's the fact things changed between you and Ladybug. Why does it bother you?"
He squirmed a little bit as he struggled to word it out. "I just... I thought Ladybug and I had a connection and, well, with more people coming, she won't see me anymore. She'll forget about me the same way... the same way it happened at home. The anniversary of my mom's disappearance is in a few days and... I mean, I don't want Ladybug to forget me and..." He couldn't finish his sentence.
Master Fu pressed his lips knowing there was more to the story than what Adrien knew, but he could not help but feel for the boy. "Your love for Ladybug—and the love she has for you—won't go away. It will always be there. What must change is your ability to put it aside for the greater good. You can always come back to it of course, but there are moments as a wielder, where you must rise above your own desires. And I have no doubt you will succeed, Adrien. Your heart is bigger than you know."
Adrien wiped the tears that had collected on his eyes, processing Master Fu's wisdom. After a meditative silence, he asked, "Do you really think she loves me?" Effectively prying a laugh from Master Fu.
He smiled at the young wielder. "Those are enough questions for today. Go and come to terms with Renard. Make it work."
"Good news guys!" Said their Social Science teacher, one post-Akuma, dreadful morning. Adrien could barely keep his eyes open. Akumas had gotten a little harder to beat lately, and that meant fewer sleep hours.
"The government of Paris just announced they will be organizing a festival to honor the first anniversary of Ladybug and Chat Noir protecting the city."
The class cheered while Marinette, Adrien, and Nath perked up, slightly uncomfortable. Funny that the city would want to celebrate at such an uncomfortable moment in their partnership.
"The city of Paris has asked for everyone to contribute with what they can. Our school will be part of an art competition," she said as she passed out informational pamphlets. "It's free-form and there is no limit as how many students participate per team, only that the number of participants is congruent with the art type. It won't be a mandatory activity but you will get extra credits if you engage."
Ms. Simon finished the announcement and disposed to begin the lecture, unaware that some students were already furiously scribbling their ideas. Nino, Alya, and Chloe were some of the people Nath could spot. He already knew of the festival. The "Miraculous Festival," ugh. He still cringed at the name. That morning before going to school he saw the news. The city of Paris would be mounting a wall on the grounds of the Eiffel Tower, where the festival would take place so that a certain muralist could leave his mark. To say the least, Nath was a little more than mortified. Not only inspiration had left him momentarily, but he was also facing a block, quite like the wall itself.
He had yet to transform again or to find that Chinese old man who gave him the Miraculous, as Trixx wouldn't tell of his whereabouts. Either way, there was a decision to be made soon. He gulped and tried, for once, to pay attention to class.
Days passed and with them, Paris grew ready to celebrate their heroes. Each night it was more evident, even though Ladybug and Chat Noir tried as hard as they could to evade the subject.
"Ladybug, I'm sorry," Chat said, interrupting the silence of an especially calm patrol. The wind blew and rustled the dry September leaves of the plants along the promenade they were looking over.
"I'm sorry I overreacted at Renard, and I'm sorry that I've been such a pain about him joining the team. It's just that...I was—I am a little scared."
Ladybug turned to him with curiosity. "Why would you be scared?"
He fumbled with his baton in a way that was more Adrien than Chat. "Because things would be different between you and me."
He felt Ladybug reach for his hand and squeeze it. "Oh, kitty." She shook her head from side to side. "That's not going to happen. You're my best friend."
He chuckled. "But we won't have time to hang out anymore."
"I'm sure we will come up with some ideas," she said, tentatively reaching out to hug him. Chat sighed with relief and welcomed her gesture. "Who knows, maybe I'll start taking you up on those picnics you insists on… I'm also sorry. You were right, we can't afford to make mistakes, and I shouldn't have been so cold to you about it."
Chat squeezed her tightly. "It's okay LB."
When they broke apart, they redirected their attention to a nearby billboard that advertised "the biggest party of the year: The Miraculous Festival!" They made jokes about how weird it was to have all that attention and the fact that they most likely would have to work that day because someone was bound to be akumatized on such a big event.
"You do know they made us a formal invitation, right?" Ladybug said, chuckling.
"Yeah, I saw it on the eight p.m. news with Nadja Schamack the other day."
"Would you like to go?"
Ladybug smiled while swinging her feet off the skyscraper they were sitting on. "Well, it's not like we have another choice. Imagine how devastated they'd be if we don't show up? Hawkmoth would run out of butterflies to akumatize."
He laughed. "Good point. But I mean, you know... like, with me?"
"How else would I go, kitty? There's no Ladybug without Chat Noir." She lifted up her fist so that he would bump it. He rolled his eyes good heartedly and reciprocated their trademark salutation. As they parted ways that night, Chat Noir wondered if Ladybug was pretending she didn't notice he was trying to ask her on a date, or if he was just too dense for this type of things.
You could feel the excitement in the air in the days prior to the Miraculous Festival. The stages built at the foot of the Eiffel Tower gave a hint of what Paris advertised as the biggest party of the year. The city would be chaotic, no doubt, with visitors from all over France and the rest of the world wanting to have a glimpse of the acclaimed Miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir. The government of Paris threw the house out the window, no doubt with influence from Chloe Bourgeois herself. The city planned out a whole week of events around the celebration. Cultural events, roundtables, symposiums... there was something for everyone. The transport system had made an especial edition ticket in honor of the heroes and the Louvre had mounted a special exposition of some alleged miraculous relics that it had managed to get its hands on for this occasion specifically. The city's monuments lit up in red, black, and green, and there were even meet-and-greets with fake Ladybugs and Chat Noirs. If Marinette had, to be honest, it was all a bit surreal for her.
It's not that she wasn't grateful for Paris' admiration. It's just that it was hard to pretend to be that excited for yourself, especially when your school was suffering from a fashion fever of polka dotted garments, chokers with bells, cat ears, and sometimes even furry tails. She couldn't keep in the chuckle when she walked into the art room and found Marc wearing a full fur Chat Noir suit. Adrien, who was also in the room to collaborate with the class art project for the festival, seemed a little uncomfortable.
"What is that , Marc?" Marinette said, trying to not sound too amused but aiming at genuine curiosity.
He sighed. "Yeah, you can laugh, too. It's funny. It is."
"What happened?" Marinette said, a few giggles escaping her discipline.
"Well, this morning I had like, three periods off, and I volunteered for one of those meet-and-greets. Now, I show up there, thinking the most I have to do is put on some black clothes and a mask and instead they stick me into this abomination."
Nath, who was nearby, approached to hear the story again with a grin on his face.
"So the meet-and-greet, it was actually an art session on the lobby of the Louvre with a class of five-year-olds."
"Oh no..." Marinette said covering her mouth, so as to stifle the laugh.
"Next thing you know, one of these... darlings trips over his own shoes and spills a whole bowl of paintbrush water on my real, decent citizen clothes. And well, couldn't change back into that. So here we are, in this effing tragedy."
Nath and Marinette were clutching their sides, bent over in both pain from laughing so much, and pure, unaffected joy.
"Oh my god..." Marinette was wheezing. "Oh Marc, I'm so sorry... you better not let Chloe see you because she will roast you."
"Oh no," he said deadpan, unaffected by the pair's avian cackling. "She beat you to it. What did she call me?... Ah yes, 'a shame to the furry community and every costume enthusiast'."
He stirred a new wave of roaring laughter.
"You should get a prize for not being akumatized," Nath said, wiping out the tears from his eyes.
"And for riding the metro wearing that thing."
Marc, finally cracking under the contagious snickering of his friends, also chuckled. "Pretty sure I'm already profiled as some sort of molester by the CCTV."
Adrien, who had tentatively inched closer to the conversation whilst Marc was recalling the events, was now close enough to be included in the conversation but shy to do so by himself. Especially because he wasn't very fond of Nath these days.
"Whatcha think Agreste," he said good-naturedly, noticing his wanting to join but not knowing how. "What you think about this... unfortunate rendition?"
Marinette laughed. Adrien couldn't help but smile himself. He took a good look at the god-awful suit and chuckled. "I think it's a cat-astrophe. Chat Noir himself would cataclysm it out of the face of this earth."
Everybody laughed, and Marinette couldn't help but notice a weird familiarity in how he had delivered the joke. Something about the slightly smug flair he gave it reminded her of Chat. She forgot as soon as the thought came up though, for their teacher had come into the room and the bell had rung, announcing the beginning of their session.
Giving Marc a double-take, he welcomed the students. "All right guys, thank you for joining our last Miraculous session. Let me remind you today is the last day to hand in your personal projects. We will also begin with the recording sessions for our joint video at a quarter past sixteen. Remember you will have three minutes to answer the prompt: What do you admire the most of Ladybug and, or, Chat Noir? You may talk among each other while you work on your personal projects so long as you're not disrupting others. So, have fun!"
Marinette knew Alya and Nino wouldn't show up to the class until it was time to shoot the video, so she opted to go sit by herself. She had learned the dangers of sitting next to Marc and Nathaniel. No one's project ever ended well when that happened, and hers was quite behind as it was. She found a spot near a window to have some natural light, set up her tripod and went for her utensils.
She set to work, but not without being completely aware of the fact Adrien was working two seats away from her. He was wearing thick-framed glasses, a habit she noticed he had whenever he was to work on a computer. His whole attention was consumed by the screen as he diligently clicked but turned to her as he felt her stare. In her panic, she almost knocked down her tripod.
Swearing under her breath, she caught it and resolved to begin painting.
At one point, Adrien went to the restroom and when he came back, walked behind her to get a glimpse of her work. He meant only to peep briefly, but it peaked his interest. Everyone else was working on these grandiose, cliche expressions of Ladybug and Chat Noir, showing them as infallible and strong. But Mari's picture was set in a regular Paris street, full with regular people: A black-haired girl helping an old man to cross the street. A blonde boy helping children to get their football from a tree. A businessman interrupting a phone call to pick up trash. A tough-looking teenager helping a mother to take her stroller up some stairs. An elderly woman buying a meal for a refugee. All these people, he noticed, cast a shadow resembling Chat Noir or Ladybug. In very small letters, she had written: "heroism is being kind."
She heard him take in an awed breath and turned around, startled. "Ah!"
"Sorry! I didn't mean to pry...I just, it's a really nice painting, Mari."
Marinette was burning in bright, Ladybug red. "Thanks!"
"Really, I... I thought I was the only one who thought that way."
Mari shrugged and scratched the back of her head. "Really? I mean is knotting, I mean, nothing. I mean..." She caught her breath. "I just think... that if they could tell us anything, this is what they would say, you know? Akumas are made because we lose control of ourselves, and sometimes that happens because we forget to be kind to others... and ourselves."
Adrien, who was now sporting flushed cheeks of his own, assented. "Definitely." His heart was beating fast in a way that only happened when he was with Ladybug. It wasn't shocking, because, in his opinion, Marinette was just the type of person that would make a great hero. But it certainly was revealing and strange to know she shared his exact views regarding being a wielder without being a wielder herself.
"And what was your project?" She asked curiously.
"M—my project? Ah... yeah, it's stupid. It's not as good as yours."
She beamed at him. "Don't say that I'm sure it's great."
He bit his lip. "You wanna see it?"
She grinned. "Yeah!"
"But you have to promise you won't laugh."
She shook her head vigorously, causing her pigtails to bob, and walked over to Adrien's station. His project was simple but powerful. It was a digital image, the silhouettes of Chat Noir and Ladybug, but when you looked closer, they were filled by text. They were famous quotes from historical figures.
"'I'm not afraid, I was born to do this.' Joan d'Arc," she said. "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."
"Oskar Schindler," he said ominously. "All the quotes are from previous owners of the Miraculous. Some were not so known, though."
She widened her eyes, feeling a lump in her throat. "Really?"
"Hm-hmm. But I got to say, I didn't know about all of them. Most of the credit should go to Alix's brother. He helped me with the research, apparently they're doing this whole track-down at his university and he threw me a bone. I just had to fill in some gaps."
"Though hopeless as it may be, I shan't give in to fear," she read another one.
"Though futile as it may seem, I shall remain rooted. Tonantzin the Aztec," Adrien said. "An indigenous girl the times of European conquest."
"This must have taken you so much time to put together, Adrien."
He shrugged with a small smile. "Only a little bit. It was interesting though. I never knew the Miraculous had been wielded in so many historical events. It's... I don't know, sobering."
"It's very thoughtful."
They smiled at each other, both feeling a familiarity they couldn't quite explain. The moment was interrupted by the arrival of the video participants.
"All right class, please stop what you're doing, I need your attention. While Alya and Nino set up the equipment, I will hand you a number so you know how much time you have to wait outside. Okay? So please, either hand your completed assignments or take them outside so you can work while you wait.
"I better save this up," Adrien said. "I'm done anyway."
Marinette nodded. "Yeah, me too."
The recording started with Nino and Alya who were going to be monitoring the whole recording anyway. They were followed by Adrien, who had to leave early, as usual, then Marc, Sabrina, Choe, Juleka, and Marinette. Then it was Max, Kim, Ivan, Nath, Rose, Mylenne, some kids from the grade after them, and finally, Nath, who had no rush to go anywhere.
Alya and Nino stayed up until very late at night to edit everything and put the video together for the next morning. They both seemed terrible, but the final product was definitely worth it. Nino had composed music specifically for the project and Alya had put her mad editing skills to good use. The result was a piece that had Marinette and Adrien smiling from ear to ear. Not because of them, but because of what everyone else had to say.
"What do you admire the most about Ladybug and Chat Noir?"
Alya said that they fear nothing. Nino, that they protect everyone. Nath said that he admired their sacrifice. Chloe, as surprising as it was, that they inspired her. Then came Mari.
"What I admire the most about Chat Noir is that he is very kind to akuma victims and to those that caused them because he understands we sometimes say or do things we don't mean to, and there's always a way to make things right."
"And Ladybug?"
"I admire that she sets an example for people who might be feeling lost or scared, and inspires them to become a better version of themselves."
"Adrien, what do you admire about our heroes?"
"I admire Ladybug's bravery. Because behind the mask she is a girl like anyone else. I'm sure she was afraid the first time she had to be Ladybug, but she pushed her fears aside to save everyone. I really look up to that.
"For Chat Noir..." He shrugged. "I like his suit?" He chuckled a bit. "I guess I admire the fact that he knows how to juggle the responsibility of his cataclysm. He's an idi—a dork, but at the same time knows that being a hero is not all fun and games."
Everyone clapped and cheered at the end of the video, both because Alya and Nino did such a good job and because the bell rang, marking the end of the day and the beginning of the long weekend. Alya, Nino, Adrien, and Mari walked together, as Alya had arranged for them to hang out at her house after school.
They were commenting on what everybody had said and what a great job everyone had done in their projects, sharing the excitement for the party.
"So, at what time should we meet?" Alya said.
"For what?" Mari asked.
"Oh no, no, no. You two are not ditching us for the festival. Girl, I told you to save the date like, a billion years ago. And you, banana head, you best be coming along or I will personally slap your dad and his entire entourage."
Adrien laughed. "That would be kind of funny to watch. Except I don't condone violence. And uh, sorry Alya, but I've been trying to convince my dad and he still isn't budging. I think I'm going to have to sit it out."
Alya rolled her eyes, muttering something about how Child Services ought to check his case. "Okay, so Adrien is under house arrest until his thirty, but you have absolutely no excuse, Marinette. You-."
"Hey, Mari," said Nath, hurrying to catch up with the quartet.
"Hey, you! You popped out of nowhere."
"Can I talk to you for a second?"
"Uh... sure. I'll be a minute, guys."
"...You have no excuse unless someone asks you on a date," she whispered loud enough that Nino and Adrien could hear.
Marinette rolled her eyes and smirked. "Nath is just a friend, Alya." She added more quietly, "Plus you know he's into Marc now, silly."
In that very moment, Adrien had an out-of-body experience. That phrase didn't sound the same when he saw how Nathaniel asked Marinette to the festival right in front of his face. He'd use it plenty of times to refer to Marinette. He wasn't so sure it was true anymore, though. For some inexplicable reason, because he still loved Ladybug with all his heart, he felt utterly frustrated at himself. And yes, if he has to admit it, he felt a tiny bit jealous of Nath.
In no moment in time had Adrien wished more to be wearing his enhanced ears. Judging by his body language, he was definitely asking her out.
"So, Marc is going to be busy for most of the thing helping his family run their booth and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me. We can hang out with Marc after he's done."
"Aren't you in the process of becoming a thing? I don't want to be a third wheel. Besides, I, uh... I'm already kind of going with someone else."
He rolled his eyes. "Please don't tell me it's Agreste."
She snorted. "I wish. No, it's a... friend of mine."
He wiggled his eyebrows. "Didn't know you were in the process of becoming 'a thing.'"
"It's not like that. We're just uh... good buddies."
"Okay, then I can tag along!"
"No!... I mean, no... you can't." Dammit, he had her cornered.
"Why?"
"Because."
"Come on, please Mari. If there's anything worse than going to a function as a third wheel, it's going alone."
"You can ask Nino and Alya," she offered.
"How is that any better? Please, Mari..."
She sighed, knowing how fast gossip ran around the school and knowing she would regret this. "Okay, fine. You caught me. I am going on a date. That's why you can't come. It's a date. Happy?"
He smirked. "Who is it?"
"Ugh, Chat Noir, you nosy thing! I'm not gonna tell you," she laughed. "Sorry Nath, really. I'll make it up to you. But I gotta go right now. Alya is going to drill me just as it is."
"Fine, I'll take the name of the mystery man and a month's ration of Dupain pastries as an offering!" He screamed at her as she walked back to the others, grinning mischievously.
"Nath!"
"YOU. ARE. GOING... ON A DATE."
Marinette rubbed her temples as they walked towards the metro.
"No, no. Let me get this straight. You. Marinette Dupain Cheng. You're going... on a date. With someone not only we don't know, but that you've never told me about. How did you meet this man, huh? Do your parents know about this? Was it Tinder? Are you acting out? Do we need to have an intervention?"
"Nino, what's a Tinder?" Adrien asked in a whisper as they witnessed the raw force of nature that was Alya's rant.
"Oh buddy, that's a lecture for another time." Nino patted Adrien on the back.
"For the last time, I'm not on Tinder, Alya."
"Is it Luka?"
"Alya!" she hissed. "You are being so inappropriate right now! All you need to know is that he's a good friend of mine, okay? That's all. He's from uh... from before you arrived. You don't know him."
"Well, I sure as hell hope I do soon!"
Alya eventually dropped the subject and the afternoon transitioned into an amicable evening with junk food and video games. Adrien, however, kept glancing at Marinette. He was curious to know, and yes a little jealous.
Eventually, it came the time for everyone to go home. Nino lived a few blocks away from Alya so he didn't need to take the metro back. It only left Adrien and Marinette. To say the least, it was an uncomfortable ride.
Adrien shifted on his seat and smiled apologetically when he unintentionally perturbed Marinette.
"l hope you enjoy your date," he said, not really meaning.
"Thanks. You're not going to the festival?"
"To tell you the truth, I also agreed to go with someone, but it's also a secret."
Marinette felt her heart shatter and only hoped it wasn't too noticeable.
"She's a good friend of mine," he said, actually for her benefit.
Marinette nodded, not really wanting to know the details but having curiosity get the best of her. "And... you—you two are dating?"
Adrien blushed a little and laughed. "No, it's not like that. I mean, I thought it was but... She's not into me."
"She's an idiot," Marinette blurted out without being able to help yourself and immediately covered her mouth. "Sorry."
Adrien laughed. "It's okay. I think I'm starting to come to terms with it. There are different kinds of love, I suppose. I'm still hopeful, though." He chuckled. "What about your friend. What's his name?"
She rolled her eyes. "Not you too. I already started my own gossip, don't need another vector."
"I don't gossip," he said smugly. "I know how to keep a secret."
"Oh, is that so?"
Adrien smiled. "I'm just healthily concerned about my friend, is all. Nino did explain to me what a Tinder was and we do live in Paris, after all."
Marinette laughed. "It's Chat Noir, so stop bothering," she said cheekily, knowing the best way to hide something was out in the open.
Adrien's heart skipped a beat, though, excited at the unlikely possibility she might be telling the truth.
"You're messing with me."
"Of course," she said smirking.
"And how is this Chat Noir guy treating you? He takes you out to a nice dinner from time to time?"
"If you must know, it's not like that between 'Chat Noir' and me. He's just my friend. He asked me out before you all, and that was that. No drama, no nothing." Marinette laughed. "And how come you're never this cocky at school? You're giving me more hell than Alya and Nino combined."
He shrugged. "I don't know, I get shy around a lot of people. I know you guys don't mind, so I loosen up a little. The real question here is though, what miraculous cure did you use to get rid of your stutter?"
"Alya slipped wine into my orange soda."
Adrien raised an eyebrow at her. "So we are acting up. Should I walk you home?"
She chuckled. "I'm fine, Adrien. Thanks. My house is literally two blocks away from the metro. And you'd have to get some stations before yours, no?"
Still, the day Mari was mugged came to his mind and worried him. Any person in their right mind wouldn't do the same thing twice. He couldn't tell her that, of course.
"I insist Mari, I heard some people have been mugged in the park next to school. That's by your place, right? I can call my chauffeur to pick me up from your house."
She blushed and blessed Alya for anticipating this moment. "Okay."
The next day, Paris awoke high on adrenaline. It was like Tikki and Plagg had puked all over the city. There was not one inch of it that wasn't covered in something red-black or green-black. Marinette lived several kilometers away from the Eiffel Tower, where the main events would be happening, and she could hear the music all the way from her balcony. She shook her head with a smile, knowing that as cheery as the day promised to be, it would also come with one inevitable akuma or two.
She checked her phone for messages. Her parents had left early to set up the bakery booth and they wanted her to man it for three hours before joining her friends. Alya had also flooded her screen with "I can't believe you won't be here! :C '" and "Girl break a leg and tell me how everything goes!" She shook her head and texted her that she could meet up with her and Nino for a while before her "date."
It would be a long day and she knew that to preserve energy was of the essence. She put on a loose tank she had designed with the word "Cataclysm!" In bright green, a pair of light blue jeans, and her comfiest sneakers. She decided to wear her hair down to put on the cat ear diadem she had made, and yes, she wore a choker with a bell, finally succumbing to the fever. The final touch was, of course, the mask.
She looked at herself and imitated Chat. "You look clawsome, LB! Ugh... No, I don't know how he does it."
She grabbed her purse and packed more cookies than usual, just in case. "Come on, Tikki! It's your day!"
Getting to the festival was a feat in itself. The metro was so crowded Marinette eventually opted to transform and swing to the tower, making the most of the fact there were thousands of Ladybugs flooding the streets. Tending the bakery booth left her exhausted. She had never seen so many people congregated in one single spot, and to be frank she was beginning to get concerned. She only hoped the police was prepared in the event of an accident.
Finding Alya took monumental efforts, especially considering the data towers were being saturated by almost a million phones connected at the same time. She ended up stranded in the middle of the crowd, near where the stage was.
"Alya, I'm near the left speaker on the stage."
"What stage? There's like five different ones"
"The one right under the tower"
"Okie, eta 30 minutes :* "
Marinette put away her phone and decided to get something to eat. After fifteen excruciating minutes, she got some fries and a kebab, which she ended up dropping when someone accidentally bumped into her.
"Aw, seriously?" She exclaimed.
"Sorry!"
"Adrien?" She said, immediately recognizing him under the Ladybug mask. "How—you murdered my kebab!"
"Mari?" He said, pleasantly surprised. "Hey, nice outfit! I like your shirt. Sorry about the kebab. I can get you another one. Wait here."
Some minutes later, he emerged from the hungry mass.
"Here you go, sorry. What are you doing here? I thought you'd be with your date."
"I could ask you the same thing! Also, where do you get this merch? I've never seen it before."
"It's limited edition," he said with a grin. "And by limited edition I mean I may or may not have convinced my dad's interns to design me this stuff."
Marinette laughed. "And you say I act out. Anyway, I'm not supposed to meet my date until some more hours so Alya and Nino are coming this way."
"You liar!" A boy said, faking outrage. It was Nathaniel, sporting an Evillustrator costume. "I knew it was Agreste!"
"Nath? What-."
"Marc's booth is right across your face, I saw you and decided to say hi. Hey Agreste..."
Adrien nodded at him casually.
"Evillustrator?" Mari said. "Very meta of you."
"Thanks, it's supposed to be ironic," he said, without really thinking.
"How is it ironic?" Adrien questioned without missing a heartbeat.
Shit , Nath thought. "I, uh... I'm an outstanding citizen and akuma no more? Uh... I think I hear Marc calling me... Anyway, nice to say hi, enjoy your date!"
Marinette and Adrien shared confused glances. "That's not ironic," Adrien insisted. Both chuckled.
Nino and Alya eventually met with Adrien and Mari, only to enjoy a few minutes, as it often happens in big events, before Marinette "lost" herself.
Chat Noir and Ladybug had agreed to meet on the mezzanine level of the Eiffel Tower half an hour before Clara Nightingale's show. Punctual as he seldom is, Chat Noir was already waiting, casually leaning against a beam of the tower, when Ladybug arrived.
"There you are, m'lady! I was beginning to suspect you wouldn't come."
"I'm only a few minutes late, you dramatic cat," she said with a smile. "It's impossible to find a spot to transform down there!"
"Ah, so you joined the festivities?"
"And you didn't?"
"Of course, m'lady. Underneath this armor, I'm wearing Ladybug merchandise from head to toe."
Ladybug laughed heartily. "Now, that, I'd like to see."
"Hmm, yes. Too bad we bowed to keep our identities secret until death does us part."
"So dramatic," she rolled her eyes, amused.
"Come, I have a surprise for you."
Ladybug widened her eyes in surprise. "Oh, Chat, I'm so sorry... I didn't bri-."
"No, no, it's okay. Come on, I just want you to see it."
He led her away from the edge of the floor and near to a staircase, where he had set up a small picnic.
"Chat..."
"Don't worry, there's no love declaration this time, LB," he said as he sat down and beckoned her to join him on one of the cushions.
Ladybug had to admit hearing him saying that broke her heart a little bit.
"You keep turning down my invitations to hang out so I just figured... this one time..." He scratched his head. "It sounds way more coercive now that I say it out loud... I just wanted to have a nice memory with you, and to let you know that... well, I'm sorry if I haven't been the most helpful partner lately. Master Fu said the days of us being alone are gone because soon we will be joined by others, I just wanted to tell you that I'm really happy we got thrown into this together and that you're my best friend. And I'm sorry if I've been a nag about the whole romance thing. I... I really am trying to move on. I just hope we can still be friends."
Ladybug was speechless. She didn't know how to process it, she couldn't decide if she liked what she heard or if it shattered her into a million pieces. She was very good at hiding her emotions from the targets of her affection, even as a civilian. And while she had intended for Chat to believe that there was no chance they could ever be together for the sake of Paris, the truth was that, deep down, if she was honest—really honest with herself, she knew that Chat actually had a solid chance against Adrien. It's not like she could ever tell him, it would be very unfair to do so now. But it still tugged at her heartstrings.
"Of course, Chat." She took his hand. "We'll always be best friends. We're ying and yang, after all. And uh... don't worry about the romance thing. I, uh... I don't know if I should tell you this because there's no use for this information but, I guess if we had met out of costume, or if the stakes weren't so high, I guess we could've..."
"Could've what?"
"You know, be together, like you wanted."
"Oh..." Chat looked out to the mass of people celebrating. "Well, like Master Fu said, sometimes you have to rise above your own heart's desire, for the common good. I guess you understood that faster than I did," he said with a smirk.
"Don't beat yourself over it." She squeezed his hand.
Ladybug sighed and pulled her legs towards herself as she appreciated the view.
"You know, being Ladybug really changed my life."
"Same here."
"I know we're not supposed to talk about our personal life, but I guess... since it's a special occasion."
Chat nodded. "My lips are sealed, m'lady."
"It's nothing too revealing, it's just that, Ladybug has made me... I don't know, braver out of costume. Like, there's this girl at school that used to bully me, right? And ever since I became Ladybug I take none of her crap anymore. Of course, I'm still a certified mess that trips over flat surfaces but at least I got a backbone now."
"It's hard for me to imagine you like that," Chat admitted with a warm smile. "But I know what you mean. Believe it or not, underneath this tasteful leather costume, I am a quiet, straight-A student, model son. Never stir up trouble, always behave politely."
Ladybug chuckled. "You're right, it's hard to imagine."
"I'm a complete nerd, actually."
"Stop!" She laughed. "No more details!"
"I watch animes and the whole thing. I run like Naruto around my house."
"Chat!"
"I keep telling you, m'lady, I'm a catch."
She had to take a minute to stop laughing. "Silly cat."
He shrugged, happy he had made her laugh like that.
"You're right, we should do this more often."
"Don't lie to yourself, hanging out in terraces to "patrol" so often is the reason we have made zero progress on Hawkmoth," he said, smirking.
"Perhaps. But still."
"Alright everybody, give it up for Clara Nightingale!" Roared the master of ceremonies.
"That's our cue, LB." He helped get on her feet.
"So as usual? I go left, you go right?"
He winked. "Yup!"
The music started and Clara went on the stage, causing for the multitude to roar in applause. "Hello everybody! Thank you for inviting me to this wonderful celebration! I just wanna take a moment to shout out to our favorite duo, Ladybug and Chat Noir for protecting this wonderful city from evil. Can we give it up for Ladybug and Chat Noir?"
The crowd went wild.
"Awesome, awesome. Now, I want to dedicate this song to our two beloved heroes and hope that wherever they are right now, that they enjoy it. I also want to invite you guys to join the stage, if they're here with us tonight. Ladybug, Chat Noir, this one is for you!"
As the beat began, the tower began lighting up in pulses, alternating between bright red and neon green. As it picked up the pace, projectors covered it black dots that transformed into Ladybug's miraculous ladybugs, swarmed the tower, and were reflected onto the sky as if it had been swept by a real Miraculous Cure. Once it was cleared, cat paws appeared as if a real cat was climbing. The prints dissolved into a mist and then transformed into the silhouettes of the two heroes. That was the last section of the projection, Ladybug, and Chat been observing the rehearsals. They knew that just as it started again, fireworks would go off along with the beat.
"Ready when you are, LB," Chat said through their communicator. "They're gonna go wild."
"Wait for the next beat, as we rehearsed."
"Three..." Ladybug counted.
"Two..." Followed Chat.
"One!" They both exclaimed.
Just in time, they swung and vaulted out of the tower, making sure everyone got a glimpse of them. They had to be careful not to attach to weak structures or to land the baton on someone's foot, but after a whole year practicing, they were reasonably seasoned with their weapons. The cameras caught glimpse of their acrobatics and displayed them on the screens across the festival, to which people started screaming their lungs out. They chanted their names. Ladybug thought was kind of amusing.
"I tell ya, not even Adrien Agreste gets this kind of attention," Ladybug told Chat Noir.
He laughed through his communicator. "Of course not, he's just a model! Heads up, the song's about to finish. Let's see how you stick your landing, Ladybug."
In sync with the tune, they each landed on either side of the Eiffel Tower, perched atop the beams that now emitted firework smoke and ready to disappear into the night.
"Oh no, no, don't think you will run so easy, Ladybug and Chat Noir," said the master of ceremony. "It might not look like it, but this is a ball. And a ball requires an opening dance! Come on down and join us! Come down to say hi to your fans!"
They reunited at the middle of the tower and waved. The crowd cheered, leaving Chat and Lady deaf.
"We don't have to do it if you don't want," he said.
She looked at him and noticed the faint blush that crept from underneath his mask. She held his glance for a good, thoughtful moment, considered the best course of action, and let her lips stretch in a warm smile for him when she decided what she'd do. "I'll go if you do," Ladybug said.
It wasn't her place, but she felt responsible for part of Chat's insecurity that lately had been crutching the team. Chat had always been the first to cheer for her, to plunge into battle along with her, blindly trusting her choices -most of the time. He praised her because he knew how unsure she was. She called her out when she needed to. And yes, she'd always have Alya, but Chat was a different type of best friend. The type you'd trust your life with. And judging by the evidence, she had done a poor job at communicating that imperative fact of life.
It had been a year since she became Ladybug since she met Chat since she had a partner. A partner she owed more than she ever let him know, although by accident. He deserved to know how important he was for her, to be certain of it. If he wanted to dance, she'd dance with him.
"It's like you say, give them what they want." She smirked, but then caught herself. No, that didn't sound right. "I-I mean, yeah. I want to dance."
Chat smiled brightly at her and nodded.
The crowd cheered as they let the VIP guests into the dancefloor at the stage and Chat gently pulled Ladybug closer to him.
"They'll be talking about this for another year," Chat said, chuckling.
"We should give them a run for their money," she winked, taking Chat Noir aback and causing for his blush to creep lower into his face, though quickly overcoming it with a flirty confidence.
"You're in luck because I happen to be a great dancer."
Ladybug didn't let it show, but Marinette had never danced with someone like that. Yes, there was that one time with Adrien, and she loved him warts and all, but bless his soul that boy didn't know how to tell left from right. And yet despite the fact, things didn't work out the way she thought, she couldn't bring herself to dislike the outcome so far. For once, she let Chat Noir take the lead, and was not surprised when he proved to be more than capable to sway, twirl, and dip her according to the beat.
The lyrics of the song did not help either.
Clara Nightingale, who dressed in a revealing leather top and skirt, with a pair of cat ears, a mask, and a black choker adorned with a tiny bell, winked at them.
"Another victim of the choker fad," she told Chat. "You have no idea how much I despise you for making it cool to wear that choker with that little bell."
"It's a fad? Look at me, being a fashion icon."
"It's tasteless," she said, rolling her eyes. "Although in your defense I'm wearing one today. But just today."
Chat laughed. "Suuuuure, whatever you say."
There was a reason why she kept a safe distance between her and Chat. There was a reason why she never let his flirting get to his head. She wasn't dumb, and to the extent of her knowledge, she remained a fully-fledged, fully hormonal teenage girl. And certain things, for her were evident: Chat Noir was a very handsome boy, he was smart, funny (even though she would never admit it to his face), a gentleman. Chat Noir was many things, so yes, the flirting might have gotten a bit to her head the first few times it happened. They would have worked if she hadn't put a stop when she caught herself in the act of actually developing feelings for him when she first met him.
The crowd chanted their names at the end of their dance.
"Give it up for our favorite heroes!" the singer exclaimed.
They did a tiny bow and waved. Then Ladybug did something stupid: in the midst of the euphoria, full of endorphins, she placed a kiss on Chat's cheek.
He glanced at her and did not know what to make of her blush.
Ladybug didn't like him, at least not the way he liked her. That kiss was for the cameras, so he played his role and gently put an arm around her waist.
"Thank you, Paris, for this wonderful gift!" Ladybug said when the master of ceremonies handed them a microphone after the song. "Chat Noir and I are very thankful for all your support. And more than anything, we are happy to be part of this city!"
"Ladybug, Ladybug!" The crowd chanted.
She caught Chat staring at her adoringly, much to his bad luck.
She handed him the mike. "Your turn," she muttered.
"They're saying your name."
"Then they'll also have to say yours."
Chat smiled and grabbed the mike. The multitude roared in glee, and Chat could do little to hide his smile. "Thank you, guys! Like Ladybug says, we are happy to be part of Paris. And we are very happy to be your heroes. Thank you for putting up this great party for us, we really appreciate it!"
"And now, we must go," said Ladybug, standing on her tiptoes to reach the level where Chat held the microphone.
There was a unisonal "Awww!"
"So soon?" said the master of ceremonies. "But we're just getting started!"
"Oh don't worry, we'll hang around, you just won't be able to see us," said Chat Noir.
"As civilians?" the host said.
They nodded and the host gasped. "Care to say who?"
"If we told you," Ladybug said.
"It wouldn't be a secret," Chat finished the sentence with a wink. He handed the microphone back and made a bowing gesture for Ladybug. "After you, my lady!"
Ladybug waved and slung her yo-yo, propelling herself onto the skies in mere seconds, closely followed by Chat Noir.
As soon as they left and as if on cue, there was a huge explosion in the Seine somewhere near the first Arrondissement. The crowd's confusion immediately became panic as a monster made out of the sediments and drainage of the river made way towards the festival. It was accompanied by a blue figure that sported a peafowl costume.
Ladybug and Chat Noir, who had gone up to the top of the tower to assess the situation, stared petrified at the sight.
"Ladybug," Chat Noir said almost trembling, as his memory connected two and two together. "That's the Peafowl Miraculous."
"What? How do you know?"
"I just do."