"Ugh, I swear! That boy drives me up a wall sometimes!"
Marinette blinked, pulling her attention away from her sketch pad. She gave Alya a small frown. "What did Nino do, now?"
Her bestie pouted. "Girl, seriously? Didn't you hear anything I just said? I've been talking to you for the past fifteen minutes."
The pig-tailed girl blushed a bit. "Sorry. Guess I'm a bit distracted."
The blogger glanced down at her friend's drawings. "Yeah, I can see that."
Following her gaze, Marinette's blush deepened. She had meant to work on an outfit concept she'd thought of the other day, but instead of designs and details, her page was littered with small doodles of an all-too-familiar catboy. Little chibi drawings grinned up at her, each one surrounded by hearts. She slapped the pad closed and tossed it. It whipped out of her hand, landing somewhere beneath her computer desk, out of sight, and hopefully out of mind. Alya quirked a brow at her, making Marinette laugh nervously.
"Okay," she said, scratching the back of her head. "You have my undivided attention."
Shaking her head, Alya let out a sigh. "Well, that makes one of you."
Both girls looked over at the third. Luna seemed just as distracted as Marinette had been. Maybe even more so. She'd taken to staring up at Marinette's wall, and the subsequent pictures scattered across them. A frown tilted her lips as she stared off, absentmindedly. Alya rolled her eyes and waved a hand in front of the teen. Blinking, Luna pulled a white earbud from her ear.
"Hm?" she asked.
"Don't you 'hm' me," Alya snapped. "You've practically ghosted us these past two days. The least you can do is pay attention."
Luna huffed. "Give me a break, Aly. I told you I might be out of it, today."
"You sure you're okay?" Marinette asked. Luna had been pretty vague about her recent attack. It worried her that she had yet to bounce back from it, too.
"I'm fine. Honest." Luna tucked her earbuds in her hoodie pocket. "What were you saying?"
Alya sighed. "You guys really gonna listen this time?"
"Of course," Marinette said.
Luna held up two fingers. "Scout's honor."
"Good. You know that show you guys went to, the other day?"
Marinette fidgeted a bit. "Y-you mean the last akuma attack?"
Alya nodded. "Exactly. I totally wish I'd been there with you guys."
"I did invite you," Luna said with a smirk.
"Yeah, please don't rub that in. Anyway, Nino was showing me what little he got of the fight, last night. And as it turns out, he somehow forgot to mention that our resident thief made an appearance there, too. She apparently issued Ladybug and Chat a challenge, too! And I'm only finding this out, now!"
Luna and Marinette shared a look. "To be fair, Alya, she only said she wanted to steal a stage prop," Marinette said. "It didn't seem worth mentioning."
Alya frowned. "How did you know that? Nino said you ran off."
The blackette sputtered. "Uh... psh, y'know... There was a lot of people there. I'm sure someone mentioned it..."
'Nice save, Spots,' Luna thought.
Alya glared at the actress, who immediately held up her hands. "Hey don't look at me. I had to bail half way through it. I wasn't there for the excitement."
The blogger huffed, folding her arms. "Still would've been nice to know. I'm supposed to be on top of all this. I can't be the last to know. Especially about something as saucy as a kiss."
Marinette scowled while Luna turned to hide a blush. Alya looked back and forth between them, glowering.
"Seriously, guys? Neither of you are gonna ask?"
One girl groaned while the other cleared her throat, but both spoke in perfect unison. "What kiss, Alya?"
The blogger's eyes lit up as she leaned in closer. "Apparently, our favorite thief stole a scandalously hot kiss from one Chat Noir."
Marinette rolled her eyes. "Of course she did."
Alya recoiled. "Oh, come on! This is juicy stuff!"
"What, you expect my to gush over the fact that Little Miss Thief is into sexual harassment? Yeah, no thanks."
Luna rubbed her arm, not looking at either of them. "I'm with Mari on this one," she said, softly. "I doubt that kiss meant anything."
"Maybe not to you guys," Alya said. She dug into her pocket and fished out her phone. "But it certainly meant something to Ladybug." She turned the device towards them.
As the all too familiar scene played out, Marinette felt her heart sink. Was that really how she sounded? No wonder Chat had been so off with her. Beside her, Luna pursed her lips. She stole a glance at the heroine before sighing.
"You think she was jealous," the thief said.
Alya tossed the phone beside her. "Well, duh. Isn't it obvious?"
"N-now hold on!" Marinette said, cheeks tinted pink. "I wouldn't say jealous."
"Mari, why else would she get so bent out of shape over a kiss?" Luna asked.
Her blush deepened. "I don't know! But it's not like they're dating or anything!"
Luna rolled her eyes. "Probably because she doesn't want to admit she likes the idiot."
"He's not an idiot!"
"She sure as hell made him feel like one."
Marinette looked as though she'd been gut-punched. Luna sighed. She knew she wasn't being fair. Rubbing her neck, she turned her attention back to Alya.
"So what're you gonna do with the video?"
Alya frowned. "Honestly, I dunno. I mean, it's a great scoop, but... It doesn't feel right, y'know?"
"I think they'd both appreciate that not going public."
Marinette only nodded.
"Alright," Alya said with a sigh. "Still doesn't change the fact that I should've known all this days ago. I can't even get tickets for this stupid thing, now."
"Well, Césaire, it's a good thing we're friends," Luna said. She pulled out a pair of tickets from her back pocket. "Voila!"
The blogger gasped. "Are those..."
"I was gonna make Collins go with me, seeing as I missed the ending, but if you really want them..."
"Girl, don't even joke! I would kill for those tickets!"
Luna chuckled, handing them over. Marinette smiled along with her.
"Maybe you should make Nino take you?" the designer asked.
"Yeah, great idea! It's about time we had a proper freaking date." She stood up. "I'm gonna call him now! Be back in a sec!"
Marinette stretched with a satisfied groan. Standing, she looked at Luna. "I'm getting kinda hungry. You want something to snack on?"
"Yeah, why not?"
"Cool. Be right back." The designer smiled as she made her way to the stairs. Luna bit her lip. Her eyes flicked back to Adrien's picture. She didn't want to do this. But she couldn't let it go, either. With a sigh, the thief got to her feet.
"Mari, hold up a sec."
Marinette stopped her descent, looking back up at Luna. "Yeah?"
"Can... can we talk for a minute?"
"Uh, sure." She climbed back into her room. "What's up?"
Luna rang her hands together. "I know I've already asked, but... Why do you like Agreste?"
"I..." A typical blush rose up in her cheeks. "I-it's hard to explain. I mean, it's not just for his good looks. Not that he isn't good looking. He is a model, after all." Marinette let out a nervous laugh. She studied Luna for a moment. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just..." She bit her cheek. "Have you... ever thought about him not returning your feelings?"
Marinette froze. "What? Why would I..."
Luna leveled her gaze at her friend. "What if he doesn't like you back?" she asked, again, this time much more stern. "Are you prepared for that?"
"I..." A hand grasped at Marinette's arm. She suddenly found her shoes pretty interesting. "I don't know. I mean, I've thought about it, but... Luna, what is this about?"
"I just don't think you're as serious about him as you pretend to be."
"What?!"
"Mari, you can't even say a straight sentence around him." Luna made her way to the computer and flicked the mouse. Marinette's screensaver lit up, greeting both girls with the image of their affection. "Yet, his face is on every surface of your room. It's like you're more interested in an image than the actual person."
"That's not true!"
"Isn't it?"
Marinette bristled. "So what if I have a few pictures of him? I'm not the only girl that does that!"
"That doesn't make it okay!"
Tears began to blur the blackette's vision. "What are you trying to say, Luna? You think I don't have feelings for him?"
"I don't think you actually see him. I think you're just in love the idea of being his girlfriend."
"That's not true!"
"Stop lying to yourself!"
"What the hell, you two?!"
Alya got between the two of them, resting a hand on each of their shoulders. She carefully studied her friends.
"What is with you guys?" she asked. "What did I miss?"
Marinette wiped at her eyes, her voice shaking as she spoke. "My feelings are real, Luna. You can't tell me they're not. Maybe I'm not as serious as you want me to be, but-"
"I kissed him."
Her heart stopped. "What?"
Luna didn't look at her. She wiped at her own tears and took a deep breath. "I kissed Adrien Agreste."
"Luna, that's not funny," Alya snapped.
"Who's laughing, Césaire?"
The blogger's mouth hung open. Her expression changed from shock to rage as she balled her fists. "Why would you do that?! You know how Marinette felt! You said you weren't interested in him!"
Luna threw up her hands. "I changed my mind, okay?"
"What kind of friend are you?!"
Marinette's world spun. She choked on a sob, covering her mouth. It felt like she'd been stabbed in the gut. She didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to think that Adrien... They were supposed to get married. She'd picked out names for their kids. Closing her eyes, she hugged herself and bowed her head.
"I think you should go, Luna," she said, her voice hushed.
Luna stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah... I should."
No one said a word after that. Luna grabbed her things, feeling numb. Heading for the stairs, she looked back at the others. Part of her wanted to apologize. She knew it wouldn't change anything, but the need to was still there. Alya had pulled Marinette into her arms. She ran a hand over the sobbing girl's back, trying to soothe her. When she caught Luna's gaze, she glared back at her. The thief looked away. She wiped her tears away one last time, and left.
Adrien felt good about tonight. Excited, even. So much so that not even the extra workload his father had dumped on him as a part of his "grounding" could phase him. He worked through his lessons diligently, and before he knew it, he was free to sit in his room for the evening. Which, of course, meant he was free to be his real self. The last golden rays of sunset had just bled out from the sky when Chat made his way into the world. It was still too early for him to meet up with Ladybug, so he opted to just stretch his legs for a bit. Maybe he'd sight-see for a bit? It'd been awhile since he'd seen the Champs-Élysées. Streetlights sparked to life as he soared over them. By the time he'd reached the Arc De Triomphe, Paris had fully enveloped itself in the night life. As soon as he landed on the iconic structure though, Chat realized he wasn't alone. Ladybug sat on the edge, staring out at the street below. Her back was to him, so she hadn't noticed his presence, yet. It wasn't until he spoke that she jumped.
"Good evening, Milady," he said in with a bow. "You're looking pawsitively lovely, tonight."
The heroine turned around in surprise, only to sigh at the sight of her partner. "Seriously, Chat? Did you have to sneak up on me?"
Chat shrugged. "I didn't mean to. I was just out for a stroll, and you happened to be here."
"Sure, you were," Ladybug said, shaking her head. She wiped at her face, again, praying he didn't notice.
"Something wrong?"
No such luck. She tried to smile at him, though even she knew it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Of course not, chaton. I'm perfectly fine. Why d'you ask?"
"C'mon, bugaboo. I know you better than that." Chat moved to sit down beside her, crossing his legs and holding his ankles. "Tell me what's wrong."
Her half-hearted smile slipped away. With a sigh, Ladybug looked back out to the city. "It's just been a rough day."
Chat checked the time on his staff. "Well, we have a bit before the show starts. Wanna talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Okay. If you're sure." He watched her deflate a bit. Frowning, he bumped her with his shoulder. She looked up at him. He smiled for her, eyes warm. "I'm here if you need to, though. Just like you did for me last night."
Ladybug bit her lip. "It... It's hard to explain..."
"We've got time."
She sighed, again. "There's this guy... I go to school with him. He's really sweet and generous... and I've kinda gone over the moon for him."
Chat wasn't sure what to say. He probably shouldn't have been surprised. It explained a lot. He watched the small smile growing on her face. It was cute.
"Does he know you like him?" he asked.
Ladybug shook her head, smile vanishing. "I've always been too nervous to tell him."
Chat quirked a brow. "You, nervous?"
She blushed under her mask. "Don't laugh."
"I would never." He propped his head up with a hand. "So, what happened? He didn't shoot you down, did he? Because I will break his legs."
"Don't you dare." Ladybug shot him a warning glare before slumping her shoulders. "He didn't do anything. Honestly, I doubt he even knows I exist."
"Well, no offense, Milady, but you're in love with an idiot."
She scrunched her nose at him. "Is that supposed to cheer me up?"
"Of course," he said with a shrug. "The way I see it, if he can't see how great you are, then he doesn't deserve you. You should be with someone who thinks you're the world."
"Someone like you?" she asked with a smirk.
"This kitten's taken, Milady."
Ladybug chuckled, shaking her head. She stared up at the sky in thought. "Hey, Chat?"
"Hm?"
"Do you think we would've worked out?" she asked, wringing her hands together. "Y'know... If I'd been a little more open to you?"
The question hung in the air for a moment. Ladybug laughed, scratching the back of her head. "N-nevermind! That was a dumb questi-"
"I don't know."
She blinked up at her partner, who frowned in thought. Chat's gaze shifted as he tried to find the right words.
"To be honest, I never really thought about that," he told her. "In my head, we were already a couple. It didn't matter that I knew next to nothing about you. Or that you never really saw me in that way. I just knew one day you would. And, that was enough for me. I was perfectly happy chasing the idea of a relationship."
"Chat..."
He shook his head. "I don't regret it. And none of it really matters. I chased a mask without knowing the girl beneath it. You deserve better than that."
"I wish I'd given you a chance, minou."
He watched her for a moment, then stood to stretch. "Well, Milady. I believe it's just about time for our date. Wouldn't want to keep our favorite thief waiting." His grin caused her eyes to roll. Still, she got to her feet, as well. Her eyes brightened as she took hold of her yo-yo.
"Race you there?"
His grin widened. "You're on."
Past the point of no return~ No backward glances~
"Y'know, you never told me what happened with your mystery guy."
Ladybug frowned at her partner. "You're seriously bringing this up now?"
Our games of make-believe are at an end~
The two of them sat perched among the lights, just out of sight of the audience. They had talked with the director and stage manager in order to let them know what was going on. Not that either one really cared. They were more concerned with getting their production under way. So far the first half of the play had gone off without a hitch. Ladybug had been enjoying the parts she missed last time when Chat had spoke up. He practically pouted at her reaction.
"What?" the cat asked. "I'm curious."
"Nothing happened, Chat," she said with a sigh. "I thought we moved past this."
Past all thought of if or when~ No use resisting~
"Maybe you just want to think you moved past it. Bottling it up's not good for you, y'know?"
She shot him the dirtiest look. Chat just smirked.
"So, you're not going to tell me?"
Ladybug sighed. "He wasn't involved. Not really. I got into a fight with one of my best friends about him."
Abandon thought and let the dream descend~
"Why?"
"I honestly don't know. It felt like it came out of nowhere. But, she... She said she kissed him."
Chat blinked. "Oh. And she knew you liked him?"
What raging fire shall flood the soul~ What rich desire unlocks its door~
Ladybug hugged herself. "Yeah..."
Chat's ears drooped. "I'm sorry."
"Me, too."
"What're you gonna do?" he asked, shifting slightly.
What sweet seduction lies before us~
Ladybug thought for a moment. "I should probably try to move on. Right?"
"Maybe... Are you really okay with him not knowing how you feel, though?"
Past the point of no return~ The final threshold~
"I guess I have to be."
Chat bumped her with his shoulder. "You'll be okay."
Ladybug chuckled. "You're probably right. Still, I'm done chasing models."
What warm unspoken secrets will we learn~
"Model?" Chat asked, quirking a brow.
She blushed. "Oh, god. I didn't just say that."
"Too late, now," he said with a chuckle. "Didn't take you as a sucker for a pretty face." He couldn't help but wonder if he knew the guy.
Beyond the point of no return~
"Yeah, laugh it up. Ladybug, savior of Paris, has a crush on Adrien Agreste."
"Wait, who?!"
"You have brought me~"
The air stilled. Chat stared at his partner. Did he hear that right? She... She had a crush on him?!
"To that moment where words run dry~"
Ladybug shifted forward, mouth ajar. Chat frowned at her expression. It wasn't until he looked back at the stage that he saw why. A spotlight flickered on, illuminating a figure as it stepped out of the shadows. His breath hitched, eyes fixated on the woman striding towards center stage. Any thought he had about the conversation was gone. All that mattered was that his thief was finally here. And singing to him.
"To that moment where speech disappears into silence... Silence...~"
Chat swallowed hard. He couldn't deny that he was mesmerized. Spades seemed deep in her element. Each movement drew the eye, each note rich and enticing. It was a side he'd never seen before.
"I have come here~ And we both know the reason why~
"In my mind, I've already imagined~ Our bodies entwining, Defenseless and silent~"
Fingers laced together, Spades looked up, and Chat swore she looked directly at him. Heat flooded his face. He curled in on himself as that warmth began to spread.
"And now I am here with you~" She bowed her head, raising her hands to the crowd. To him. "No second thoughts~ I've decided..."
He shuddered a breath.
"Decided~"
Her voice cut through him, and Chat closed his eyes. The skin under his suit felt like it was on fire. He knew what she was doing. Getting him just a little hot under the collar. She wanted to throw him off his game, just like always. Probably hand picked this song just for that purpose. And damn him if it wasn't working.
"Past the point of no return~ No going back now~ Our passion play has now, at last, begun~
"Past all thought of right or wrong~ One final question~ How long should we two wait before we're one~
"When will the blood begin to race~ The sleeping buds burst into bloom~ When will the flames at last consume us~"
The lyrics evoked a less than innocent image in the cat's mind. Chat bit his lip, a low growl starting to build in his chest. He had to focus. He couldn't afford to lose tonight. Not with so much at stake.
"Past the point of no return~ The final threshold~
"The bridge is crossed, so stand and watch it burn!~"
His gaze, once again, focused on his thief. A smirk spread across his face.
We've passed the point of no return~"
He was going to win.
Silence fell as the verse ended. Spades took a shaky breath. The stage was much more intimidating than she remembered. Eyes closed, the thief did her best to ground herself. She couldn't let her nerves get the better of her. Not as Spades. Luna might have panicked after a performance, but the thief would never. She'd revel in her audience. When the mask was on, she left her anxiety at the door. Squaring her shoulders, Spades looked out to her silent spectators. She smirked. Good to know she wasn't too rusty.
"Why so silent, Good Monsieurs?" she asked with a chuckle.
And just like that, the crowd broke from their stupor. Murmurs rang out, lights flashing from cellphones. Spades licked her lips. In the commotion, he caught two shadows fall. Alright, then. Showtime.
"What is the meaning of this?! Who are you?!"
Spades turned to to see the Phantom practically glaring at her. She grinned at him, sweeping into a bow. "Good evening, Monsieur. I hope you'll excuse my interruption. I just adored your performance."
"How dare you!" the actor bellowed. "Coming on this stage, ruining our production just for some cheap laugh!"
"Ruined? Perish the thought! If anything, I've simply taken you off script." She swept an arm towards the crowd. "Look around, Monsieur. Our audience still sits with baited breath. Surely, my presence isn't as terrible as you think."
"What do you want?" Christine asked, stepping up beside her co-star. She grabbed at his arm, as if trying to keep him from rushing the thief.
Spades pouted. "I would've thought that obvious. Though, I guess my previous warning did fall on deaf ears. What a shame." Grinning, the thief stepped forward, opening a palm towards the performers. "The Phantom's Mask, if you please."
"His mask?!"
"Why, you insolent-"
"Come, come, Monsieur. You're anger's getting the better of you. If you hand over the mask, I'll simply be on my way." She slinked closer to the man, sliding her fingers under the milky white prop. "That's what you want, isn't it?"
"Hold it right there, thief!"
Spades smirked, not taking her eyes off the Phantom. "Fashionably late, as always, lovebug."
A second spotlight shined down, illuminating the two heroes as they stood in the theatre aisles. Chat shielded himself on instinct. Damn his oversensitive eyes. Beside him, Ladybug pointed at the stage.
"Step away from him, Spades! Before we make you."
"So demanding!" Spades said, sliding the mask off. She turned to wave her prize at the heroine. "Then again, I do love a girl that takes charge."
Ladybug growled.
"I'd be careful if I were you, Spadesy," Chat said. He drew his staff, letting it rest on his shoulder. "Sounds like someone's asking for trouble, again."
She chuckled, clipping the mask to her belt. "You know better than to threaten me with a good time, kitten."
Ladybug took hold of her yo-yo. "We'll see how much fun you have when your behind bars! You won't be getting away this time!"
"Then, by all means, come and get me!" Spades opened her arms. "Ladies, Gentleman, and Others, please remain in your seats! I assure you, this will be one hell of a performance!"
And, so it begins! We're getting to the wire here, folks. I'm hoping to keep up the pace for you all the way to the end. Are you excited? I'm excited! On to reviews!
LittleRed525: I've literally done the same thing, no worries.
Junior VB: Well, of course. They are partners after all.
Mikael0000: I agree. Hope you liked this one, too.
TKDGirl2016: You'll just have to wait and see.
That's it from me, guys! Hope you enjoyed your Halloween season and if I don't post before it comes, Happy Holidays all around!
Playlist:
Perfect Illusion- Lady Gaga
Follow Me- Pain feat. Anette Olzon
Moondance- Nightwish
The Point of No Return- The Phantom of the Opera (at the Albert Hall for best version)
Rockefeller Street (Nightcore)- Getter Jaani