Nino stood across the court yard with admiration on his features. His gaze falling on a trio of girls sitting at the bottom of the stairs looking at a magazine. His eyes fixated on one girl in particular, Marinette. Adrien popped up behind his friend with a smirk plastered on his face.
"FYI, Marinette's never going to fall in love with a statue." He teased.
When Nino had confided in Adrien with his crush on Marinette Adrien couldn't help but be surprised. Marinette was a pretty girl who was very kind and Adrien did not blame his friend for catching feelings for her, but up until he mentioned it yesterday, Adrien would have never guessed. Now of course it seemed so obvious. Nino quickly grabbed Adrien and hid them both behind some tumbling mats that were leaned against the wall.
"Shhh! You know I'm no good with the ladies, especially this one all of a sudden. I mean, dude, do I go up to her and crack her a joke? Shoot her a compliment? Invite her to the zoo? Play it serious?" Nino asked frantically causing Adrien to laugh.
"Nino, you're way over-thinking this. "Invite her to the zoo", you serious?"
"Well, they have this really cool new exhibit there." Nino explained.
"Listen, just be yourself, man." Adrien said with an arm around his friend. Nino shot him a pointed look.
"That's easy for you to say, Mr. Front-of-the-cover-Teen-Model-weekly. I'm not that cool. Just because you have the ability to go up to your crush all confident doesn't mean I do."
Suddenly Adrien felt nervous. "I...my? What?"
Nino rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Dude save it. You think I didn't notice how ready you were to smooch with Lucy when we were shooting our movie a few weeks back? You're just luck she didn't."
Feeling his eye twitch, Adrien shook his head and proceeded to take the conversation off him.
"This isn't about me. You're cool too, dude, trust me," He said pointing his thumb at himself. "or you wouldn't be my best bud. Invite her to the zoo. She'll say "yes", I promise." He assured. Nino was great. How could Marinette not be interested?
Nino did his best to march on over to the girls but before he could reach them his nerves got the best of him and he quickly ran back to Adrien in panic. " What if I act like a moronosaurus, or she disses me or thinks I'm lame or—?"
Adrien smiles at his friend and lifts him up. "Okay, I got your back." He says, giving Nino a fist bump.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
Lucy, Marinette and Alya head down the steps of their school together. Marinette sighed looking at her magazine some more and admired the photos of Adrien. Lucy couldn't blame her she supposed. The boy was easy on the eyes.
"Oh, he's such a- " Marinette began but Alya cut her off.
"Smartie, hottie, suavísimo, yummy-tastic spellbinder!" She clasped her hands together and brought them to her chin in a dreamy way.
"All of the above" Lucy added, lightly nudging Marinette with her elbow. The girls were brought to a halt as Marinette ran into Nino causing her to drop her magazine to the ground. Lucy raised an eyebrow as she watched him stand there with a weird look on his face. Adrien popped out from behind him which to Lucy only made the encounter weirder.
"Oh, so sorry about that, right Nino?" Adrien apologized while nudging his petrified looking friend. Nino seemed to be refusing to make eye contact with any of them for some reason as he apologized as well. Looking down, Marinette realized her magazine was open to the images of Adrien and quickly went to pick it up. Adrien also noticing she had dropped it went to pick it up at the same time, causing the two to bump heads before he could take note to the page. Marinette and Adrien quickly say sorry to one another as Marinette grabs the magazine from off the ground.
" Sorry about that." Adrien goes on again. "How could we make it up to you? Any ideas...Nino?" Nino, who still refused to make eye contact said nothing. "How about we all check out the...zoo today? Word is they've got a new..." Adrien snapped his fingers in front of Nino to get him to speak.
" Uh, they-they got a new panther." Nino responded, forcing a nervous smile.
"I heard about that!" Lucy said excited. Adrien looked at her and gave a half smile.
"You like animals?"
"Who doesn't like animals?!" She replied with a big smile.
Alya nudged Marinette. " Awesome idea, right, Marinette? You love animals too."
Catching on Marinette nodded. "Uh, yeah. I, uh, I'm really into zoonimals. I mean, uh, anizools. I mean zoonimoos. I..-"
"Zoooooo An-i-mallllss." Lucy said slowly to her tongue tied friend while lifting both hands and sticking her pointer fingers to her thumbs.
"Cool. Say, after school, four o'clock?" Adrien asks before turning to Nino. "Nino? Sound good?" Nino quickly gives a nod and Adrien smiles at the girls. "Cool, four o'clock then." Adrien confirmed before gabbing Nino and walking off.
"Four o'clock! Yeahhh.." Marinette agreed with a far out look.
"Uh, Earth to Marinette? You do realize the guy you're completely crazy about has just asked you out, right?" Alya said waving a hand in Marinette's face.
"Is it really a date if it is a group thing?" Lucy asked with an eyebrow raised.
"Huh, wait, what?! No, not like this! Not here, not today! I haven't washed my hair! I'm not wearing my lucky socks! I—Help me, guys! I can't do this alone!" Marinette said holding onto Alya who patted her head.
"You won't have to Marinette because we were all invited, that means we will both be there." Lucy said like it was obvious.
"Nope! We just wont show up." Alya explained. "That way they can be alone."
"But Nino will still be there. Your gonna make him third wheel too now?" Lucy asked with her hands on her hips, referring to the time she had to hang out while Marinette and Adrien played video games. Alya placed a hand under her chin.
"Hm, your right! New plan. I'm just not going to show up. You can go an distract Nino so that they can be alone."
"Why do I have to? Why can't you?" Lucy asked crossing her arms with a slight scowl.
"Because," Alya shrugged. "You actually sounded like you really wanted to see the panther." Uncrossing her arms, Lucy sighed.
"No, yeah your right, I totally do. Alright, then what are you gonna do?"
Alya draped her arm over Marinette's shoulder and smirked. "I will be hiding near by, telling little miss word fumble here what to say through an ear piece."
"Oh!" Marinette exclaimed. "That's a great idea!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOOOo
How did you do that, dude?" Nino asked Adrien as they sat together on a bench by the river bank. Adrien shrugged.
"Like I said, just be yourself."
Nino rolled his eyes. "Right, sure. If I could be yourself; myself don't work that way."
Adrien shakes his head an takes a sip of his drink. "You're being ridiculous. Of course you can. And when you're alone with Marinette at the zoo later on-" He shoots his can to the nearby garbage.
"Whoa, what do you mean alone with Marinette? You invited a group, Alya and Lucy will be there too. I can't be the only dude there! They will read me like a book! Especially Lucy and Alya! They are practically detectives man!"
"Well maybe if that's the case, then they will leave you guys alone?" Adrien suggested.
"Oh no, dude. You're coming with me. You can't leave me alone by myself. Uh-uh." Nino argued.
Adrien sighed. "The more people there, the less of a date it actually is, but we will figure something out buddy, I got your back."
OoOoOoOOoOoOoOoO
Lucy looked at Marinette and shook her head as the girls tested the Bluetooth head ear piece.
"Marinette, couldn't you have put your hair down? That ear piece is not even remotely hidden."
"If anyone asks I'll just say I'm trying to be more hands free with my phone." Marinette says with a smile. Lucy shrugged her shoulders.
"Yeah, okay. I'm gonna get some popcorn, you want anything?"
Marinette absent mindlessly shakes her head and waves Lucy off who walks off to find a snack stand. Finding one, Lucy orders a popcorn bag. Off to the side she could see Marinette talking to Max and Kim. Before she could take her popcorn back over towards her friend, Nino's brightly colored headphones caught her eye. Smiling Lucy approached Nino who seemed to have something on his mind.
"Hey Nino." She greeted. Nino gave her a nervous smile and greeted her back.
"Hey Lucy Goosey. Whats up?" His tone was suspicious, as if he was trying to hide something.
Not much," She replied with a slight eyebrow raise. "Just waiting on you and Adrien with Marinette."
"She looks nice today." Nino then causing Lucy to blink at him.
"Um..yeah?"
"Dude don't confuse me right now!" Nino whispered harshly over his shoulder which only confused Lucy more.
"Nino are you feeling okay? You've been acting weird all day."
The boy gave Lucy another nervous smile and scratched the back of his head. "Uh, yeah, no worries dudette, I'm fine..heh, uh, where is Marinette?"
Lucy pointed off to the left of her. "She's right over there, where is-?" Before she could finish her sentence Nino began walking away. Noticing his ear, Lucy grabbed his arm. "Nino is that a Bluetooth ear piece?"
Nino quickly slapped is hand over his ear and pulled out of Lucy's grasp. "Huh?! I mean- yeah, trying out the who hands-free deal ya know?" Not letting her ask anymore questions Nino quickly walked toward Marinette leaving Lucy squinting after him. She watched from a distance has he greeted Marinette who clearly was wondering where Adrien was. As they both turned to talk over their shoulders again Lucy's mouth went a gap. "No. Noooo way."
She quickly scanned the area and to her utter amazement, there in the bushes was a peek of blonde hair. Hair that Lucy would bet her life, belonged to Adrien Agreste himself.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
"Don;t worry buddy, you've got this." Adrien assured Nino as he walked further into the Zoo. Adrien quickly hide inside of some bushes and watched Nino as he was approached by Lucy.
"Hey Lucy Goosey. Whats up?" Nino asked and Adrien sighed at his suspicious tone.
"Not much," She replied with a slight eyebrow raise. "Just waiting on you and Adrien with Marinette."
Adrien looked at Lucy who's blonde hair reflected the sun, making her almost glow.
"She looks nice today." He spoke aloud to himself. Nino seemed to not realize this and repeated the words gaining a look of confusion from Lucy.
"You weren't supposed to repeat that Nino! You need help talking to Marinette not Lucy!"
"Dude don't confuse me right now!" Nino whispered back over his shoulder. After finding out where Marinette was, Nino attempted to head in her direction only to be stopped by Lucy who questioned his head set. Quick on his feet Adrien told him to claim he was trying out hands free. Nino gave the excuse and quickly walked away from Lucy who stared after him with a look of disbelief. Adrien brought his attention back to Marinette as Nino greeted her.
Uh, hey, Nino!" She greeted while peeking behind him. "Uh, isn't Adrien with you?" Nino shrugs nervously, not sure what excuse Adrien has in mind.
"Tell her you'll both be better off without me." Adrien says through the ear piece.
"We'll be better off without me." Nino repeats.
Marinette looks at him confused. "Huh?"
In the bushes, Plagg leaves Adrien's pocket and watched with interest.
"Ah, this trip is turning out to be a lot more interesting than I thought. Turn up the volume!" Adrien sighs at his Kwami. Nino realizing his mistake corrects himself.
"Uh, without him. I mean, we don't need Adrien to hang out at the zoo."
Alya, who is hiding off in the distance can't believe what she is hearing. "Of course we do, you dumbo!" Marinette almost repeats her but catches herself
"Of course we do, you dumb—oh I mean, wasn't he supposed to come? Don't you wanna wait for him?"
"Tell her you want to be alone with her." Adrien tells Nino who whispers back.
"Not yet!"
"What was that?" Marinette asks.
"You're right," Nino agrees. "we'll wait."
"No! What are you talking about? Don't wait for me; I'm not coming!"
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"No!" What are you talking about? Don't wait for me; I'm not coming!"
"And why might that be?" Lucy asks from behind Adrien who jumps in surprise.
"Ah Lucy?! What...uh, what are you doing here?"
Lucy crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right side.
Adrien removes his head piece for the moment and smiles at Lucy who does not return the smile.
"Adrien." She says sternly. "Why are you hiding in the bushes?"
Looking around in bewilderment Adrien gives Lucy wide eyes.
"What? This isn't where we were supposed to meet up? How silly of me."
"Right." Lucy replied with a deadpan look before looking over the bushes. "Hey Mari I found-!
Adrien quickly grabs Lucy's wrist and pulls her down to the ground with him and covers her mouth with one hand while bringing a finger to his lips with the other.
"Shh! Okay, listen. Nino...maaaay have a crush on Marinette." He explained. "And he was really nervous about asking her out so I'm trying to help him out a bit..."
Lucy blinked at him and raised both her eyebrows at him. "Wait you mean you set this up so-oh. Oh bother."
"Yeah, so please, just, shh." Adrien hushed her again and put his ear piece back in. It's dreadful what little things lead people to misunderstand each other. Lucy quickly placed her face against Adrien's so she could hear as well. Adrien froze and his face flushed at the contact but forced himself to remain focused.
"He sure taking his time, huh? He's not coming, is he?" Marinette asked rather glum.
"Repeat after me." Adrien said through his ear piece. "Yes he is, but first I wanted to take this opportunity to..." Nino moved closer to Marinette, trying to find confidence in repeating what he was told.
"Yes he is, but first I wanted to take this opportunity to..."
"Tell you that I love you, Marinette." Adrien spoke causing Lucy to look at him like he was insane.
"I love you?!" She exclaimed. "Isn't that a big extreme?"
"Love is extreme Lucy." Adrien countered making the blonde girl shake her head.
"No! Adrien!"
"Tell you that I- Gahhh... I... Love a girl that I don't know how to tell her!" Nino spoke causing the look of confusion on Marinette's face to turn into one of interest.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" Adrien asked, getting himself a slap in the arm from Lucy. "Trying not to be a total lunatic!"
"You do? Well, I can help you with that." Marinette offers getting Lucy to look at her from across the way with a 'really' face.
"You could?"
Marinette mutters something inaudible causing Nino to question her.
"Uhh... Can't wait to hear... about this lucky girl!"
"Oh, yeah..." Nino said, realizing he put himself in a bad position.
Adrien tried to get him back on track. "Tell her it's you!
"It's you...your best friend Alya!" Nino confessed getting Lucy to tilt her head in interest and Marinette to look over joyed.
"What?!"
"Alya? Awesome!" Marinette gushed. "I can fix up a date for you guys!" Marinette mutters something once more.
"Did you say something?"
"I said... It'd be so sad if you didn't tell her!"
"Gah! Everything about this has gone terribly wrong! Abort mission! Abort mission!" Lucy shouts as she runs out of the bushes and toward Marinette and Nino.
"Lucy!" Marinette shouts seeing her friend finally arrive. "Where have you been? Never mind, guess what! Nino likes Alya!"
"I know, look, Mari-"
"You know?" Marinette asks confused as Nino looks thoroughly embarrassed.
"I mean I know..now..now that you spilled the beans! Great going Marinette, maybe Nino doesn't want everyone to know his business like that!"
No further discussion was able to happen as a panther dashed past the three teens, closely followed by a herd of zoo animals.
"Well that can't be good." Lucy said with wide eyes.
"We better ditch this place!" Nino shouted, running off. Marinette and Lucy quickly run off in separate directions. Marinette jumping into a bush to transform.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO
"You lost kid," Animan spoke to Kim who started to back away. "What do you think of panthers now?"
Kim gulped and continued to back away slowly. "That panther are...the best?" To his relief, Ladybug appeared in front of him.
"And what do you think about Ladybugs?!"
"And another black cat!" Chat Noir spoke as he jumped beside her.
"I think I'm higher on the food chain." Animan responded confidently.
Ladybug looked back to Kim. "If you value your life, get out of here. Now!" Kim dashed away and Animan quickly went after him only to be stopped by Ladybug wrapping him up with her yo-yo. Ladybug told Chat the Akuma had to be in the bracelet he was wearing but before Chat could go grab it, the animals were back and ordered to attack by Animan. The two heroes quickly fled to avoid being trampled.
"We need to put them all back in their cages!" Chat said as he ran. Ladybug scoffed.
"Right and I'm sure they will all do that without putting up a fight!"
Ladybugs eyes widen as she and Chat leap over a gorilla chasing Nino and Alya.
"We better split up." she says as she runs after her friends. Chat continues to try and loose the animals on his tail when he spots Lucy trying to fend off an a bear with a broken tree branch.
"Shoo! Go away bear! Bad bear! Bad!" She shouts as the Bear roars at her. Chat runs over and grabs Lucy by her waist, using his staff to pole vault them they landed Chat smirked at her.
"Have you never heard of the expression, 'Don't poke the bear.'?"
Lucy rolled her eyes at him. "What was I supposed to do? Get in the fetal position and hope it mistakes me for its cub?" (If you don't get that reference your too young for me.)
"Well I'm glade I found you. If you got hurt I just couldn't bear it." He joked, earning a snort from Lucy.
"Why are you like this?"
"You know you love it. Now listen, I'm gonna need you to get in that bird cage." Chat said pointing to the cage behind Lucy. She pouted.
"But I don't wanna get in a cage, you get in a cage."
"Its for your own protection."
"Can't I just go home?" Chat looked at her bewildered.
"Can you just-? No you can't just go home! There are zoo animals running through the streets of Paris right now, you'll never make it home. Get in the cage."
"Uuuughhh." Lucy groaned before turning and walking into the cage. "If you forget about me Chat, I swear to god I will shove my foot so far up your ass you'll taste it." Chat looked at her wide eyed as he closed the cage.
"That sounds graphic and very unpleasant, but worry not my caged canary! I could never forget about you."
Lucy sighed as she slumped down on a nearby rock, watching Chat hop away. Man, all she wanted to do was help her friend get a date and see a freaking panther, and now where was she? Locked in a bird cage. She honestly did not understand how this was her life.
OoOoOoOoOoOooOoOo
Animan escapes Ladybug and Chat Noir once more as he turns into an eagle in search of Kim.
"So that's how he got away last time." Chat says, watching him fly away. Ladybug asks where Kim was and Chat showed her his staff revealing the tracker he had placed on the athlete. "Good kitty." Ladybug praised as she scratched his chin. She then called Tigress who had only just learned about what was going on. Ladybug told her to meet them at Kim's location before she and Chat ran off that way themselves.
On the roof of the bakery, Chat and Ladybug gave Tigress the details of the situation. After they walked inside to check on Kim and assure him that he was safe. The news showed that animals were running amok all over Paris and that everyone was advised to stay off the streets. Chat, Tigress and Ladybug made their was down stairs to figure out a plan while placing Kim's wrist band on the stairs railing to place his sent near by. Chat and Tigress coughed as Ladybug sprayed them with air freshener to hide their own sent.
"Thanks," Chat says as he sniffs himself. "I always wanted to smell like...ocean summer breeze?"
Figuring out they wanted to try and capture Animan in a bus sitting not to far away. They waited for Animan to attempt to come in as a smaller animal to trap him inside a box temporarily. He did so, showing up as a ladybug, but as he was placed inside the box, he quickly changed back to his panther form, chasing the trio who all jumped inside of the bus. Using his cataclysm on the bus's controls, Chat fried the system and trapped Animan inside.
"Its not exactly a cage but..it'll do." Ladybug said pleased.
"Looks like he can't bear to here that noise." Chat joked as Animan took bear form in attempt to get out. Tigress cringed.
"Please don't start that again."
Their triumph did not last long when Animan took form of a T-Rex and busted out of the bus.
"Since when do extinct animals count!" Chat argued while Ladybug reasoned with him that although they might not exist anymore, Dinosaurs are still animals.
"Life will not be contained." Tigress said earning an arm slap from Ladybug. "Not now." Tigress stuck her tongue out at her. The Dino jumped down and began chasing the trio who hid behind a car. Ladybug called for her lucky charm and received a car jack.
"Too bad Animan doesn't have a flat tire." Chat joked as Ladybug tried to find a use for her lucky charm.
"Look how small his arms are." She commented getting a strange look from Tigress.
"Yeah, its a T-Rex. Kinda what their known for."
A light bulb goes off in Ladybugs head as she tells the two to get on top of him where he cant swipe at them so she can floor him with her yo-yo. They do so and take the Dino to the ground. Looking at the jack, Ladybug wonders why she didn't need it.
"It means we rock as a team." Chat says walking toward the Dino. Ladybug quickly realizes what needs to be done and grabs Chat before he could get munched. She then ran toward the Dino, jumping into his mouth while Chat and Tigress call after her.
"Ladybug what the fuck!?" Tigress shouts as Chat pulls out his staff and gets ready for some pinata action. Their confusion is gone as quick as it came however, as Ladybug jacks open the Dion's mouth with the jack, stepping out unharmed. She walks over to the bracelet and breaks it, capturing the akuma. Chat and Tigress run up to hug her, glad she is safe and sound.
"Why would you do that! You should have told me, I could have been in and out of there in seconds!" Tigress argued but Ladybug just smiled at her. "I thought fast before he could transform back, I'm okay."
"That was a wild ride Ladybug." Chat said as his ring beeped. "Oh no, better grab my whiskers and run!" He shouted before running off.
OoOoOoOooooOoOoO
Lucy was beginning to think she was going to go insane. How long had she been in this stupid cage for? She was about to start banging her head against the bars when a shadow caught her eye.
"I thought I saw a putty Chat." She whispered. Chat jumped in front of the cage and grinned at her.
"I did! I diiid see a putty Chat." She smiled. Chat opened the cage and helped Lucy down to the ground.
"You remembered me."
"Did you ever doubt I would?" Chat responded as he grabbed her waist. "Lets get you home."
OoOoOoOoOoOoOo
The next day Lucy was greeted as she was making her way to school by none other than Adrien. He gave her a guilty smile as he approached her, running his hands through his hair.
"Listen, Lucy, about yesterday with Nino, I was just trying to help him out I-"
"Adrien." Lucy cut him off, holding up her palm to stop him. "It's okay. I get it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to help your friend find happiness." She laughed a little. "It's just really ironic."
"How so? Adrien asked with a head tilt, walking in sync with Lucy.
"Because Alya and Marinette were doing the same-" Lucy paused. She almost shared a little too much. Adrien raised an eyebrow.
"Alya and Marinette were doing the same? What do you mean?"
"Uh, er, um," Lucy stammered, trying to think of an excuse. "Yeah, they were doing the same for...for me! Yup, that's it. I kinda liked this guy and was really nervous so Alya and Marinette offered to pull a similar stunt...for me."
Adrien's foot steps grew slower until he stopped walking all together. His mind racing through the scenarios of Lucy on a potential date with some guy while being coached by Marinette and Alya. "Wait!" He called out, making Lucy who was a good several steps ahead of him stop and turn around.
"What?"
"Let me get this straight." Adrien said as he caught up to the girl. "You went on a date? With who? When? Do you have a boyfriend now? Does he go to our school? Do I know him?"
It was Lucy's turn to stop walking and hold up her hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow your roll there pal. What's with the third degree? The details don't matter, it didn't work out."
"But why?" Adrien asked, still wanting the details to this event that happened and was never informed about.
With a nonchalant shrug Lucy began walking again. "He never sowed up." Grabbing her arm, Adrien stopped Lucy from going on and held her in front of himself.
"He stood you up?! Who was he?! Tell me his name Lucy!"
"Adrien." Lucy started but the boy was a goner.
"Adrien?! His name is Adrien too?! Well that's just the cherry on top, isn't it? Listen, this is what is going to happen, your gonna point this guy out to me, and me and him are just gonna have a little chat, a heart to heart. Adrien to Adrien. This guy is putting my good name to shame and I can't have that. This isn't about you anymore."
Lucy looked a him and the serious look on his face. She could feel it, her face cracking. Her lips twitched upward and soon without being able to hold it in any longer laughter erupted from her lungs. She could feel tears forming in her eyes as she backed away from Adrien and had to lean over and rest her hands above her knees. Adrien's own seriousness started to fade as a grin began to form on his lips.
"Hey, stop laughing. This is a very serious matter." He said between chuckles.
"You're such a dorkosaurus!" She cried crouching down. "I'm gonna pee my pants!" Adrien hollered and the pair began to get weird looks from people passing by.
"Don't pee your pants." He said grabbing her arms and pulling her up. Lucy wrapped an arm around his waist and he placed his own around her waist as well. Using one another as support as they laughed the rest of the way to school.
Okay, hopefully this relativity long chapter will make up for my lack of updating haha!
