Marinette knew: today was the day. She would finally tell Adrien how she felt. No more excuses. No more fear. It was happening.
She would speak from the heart — something she already had practice with, thanks to Chat Noir — and remind herself that even if Adrien rejected her, she'd be happier to have told him than to have never told him at all.
Sure, part of this newfound wisdom was tied to this most recent Akuma attack. But not all of it, what with all the continued support and urgings from her friends —
Wait, speaking of the Akuma attack — right, she still needed to figure out where this one was hidden.
Today's Akuma victim was a fashion intern named Amber. In a lot of ways, Marinette saw herself in this girl. The girl's life was certainly all she wanted before she was entrusted with the Ladybug miraculous… an internship for Gabriel Agreste? She would've done anything for such an opportunity.
Marinette had been able to learn from Nathalie, upon arrival, that Amber had recently asked for some time off to go see her grandfather (he had just had a heart attack). But Gabriel had told her that if she left in the middle of the preparations for Fashion Week, she would not have an internship when she returned. So, she chose the work. She followed her passion, something Marinette understood all too well.
Except, news had apparently come today: her grandfather had died. And she missed her last opportunity to see him, to say Goodbye, to be there with him in his last moments.
So she was Amber no more. ShadowMoth had preyed upon her grief and christened her: Regretta. The pain of her grief was being channeled into a super power that theoretically prevented that same pain for anyone else. Any contact with the lasers that emanated from her heart resulted in people becoming overwhelmed with the need to divulge the very thing they worried they might one day regret not saying.
Which was completely laying waste to the Agreste Fashion Show.
Marinette called for Chat Noir, but no response…
"You can purr your message after the Meow — Meow!"
She sighed as she saw a laser headed towards her — dodged it just in time.
"Where is that cat?" she muttered to herself.
Cameras had been broadcasting the fashion show live, so that definitely seemed to up the stakes for people here. They were going crazy, terrified of being hit with the laser on camera. Scrambling to get out of the building, but everyone was locked in.
While their deep secrets were coming out.
Some of the deep secrets were hardly worth worrying about though.
One audience member turned to his wife, after being struck with the laser, and only said: "I regret always saying you're a good cook. You're not. And now you don't even try and I just have to keep lying about it."
Or when Nadja Chamack was hit while on camera: "Don't be bemused, I— I… I regret keeping Manon here in Paris after her father moved to New York! Wait, no! No one's suppose to know he's —"
Okay, some were hardly worth worrying about...
Nadja tried to keep herself from talking anymore. Understandably. The cameras were live. Nothing that was said here would ever get to be taken back.
And the presence of these cameras also meant that Chat Noir had no excuse to not know how badly she needed his help right now!
Especially for poor Adrien...
He had gotten surrounded by a throng of fans — all people that apparently didn't want to regret missing their chance to meet him in person.
One fan yelled, "I don't love my boyfriend, it's you I think about it with him. I regret not waiting for you!"
While another yelled, "I could be a way better model if I just had the chance. And the rich father! I regret never really trying!"
Then there were the ones that scared her, like, "I need to have you. If I can't, nobody can! I regret ever letting you choose anyone but me!"
Or the young man — presumably that first girl's boyfriend — "I'll never measure up to you and I regret your existence entirely!"
Marinette phoned for Chat Noir again. She needed him to protect Adrien…
"You can purr your—"
Ladybug hung it up, looking over at Regretta. She needed to figure out where the Akuma might be. Regretta looked a bit like a Black Swan ballerina dancer with a dark tutu around her waist.
There was a small lump on one side of the tutu, with crisscrossed ribbons cascading down … perhaps a bag?
But in the corner of her eye, that young vengeful man lunged at Adrien— No!
Ladybug had no choice, she had to get him to safety. She knew getting the Akuma would save him too, but…
There was no time to think it through.
She zipped him away on her yo-yo. His sudden proximity was overwhelming, but she did her best to ignore it. There were more important things to think about than how good he smelled. How perfectly well that cologne complimented him. Or how his scent always reminded her slightly of her family bakery, perhaps because of a faint hint of cheese, like the cheese puff croissants her father often made —
The heat in her face swelled.
Again, there were more important things to think about.
Like how — oh no. She was only distracted for a moment. Honestly, it couldn't have been more than a few milliseconds...
She heard Adrien yell, "Look out" and watched him attempt to jump in front of her. He was going to take the blast…? But he wasn't quick enough. Maybe he was distracted too?
Square in her back came the zap. It was tingly at first. Then invasive. It crawled from just beneath her scapula to her lower ribs and stomach. Suddenly, an intense wave of nausea overwhelmed her.
She lurched forward, certain she was about to vomit.
Only it wasn't vomit.
Something possessed her to find Adrien's eyes, to press down on his shoulders and just spew — words.
Lots of words.
"Adrien, I have been trying to tell you something for months. Months! Over a year at this point, really... Two years now? Whatever— I love you. I'm crazy about you in an obsessed-total-fangirl way, I lose myself when I think about you. Wait, no, that's not what I wanted to say. I mean, that is my own judgment on my feelings, yes, I'm a total lunatic about you. But that's not… My actual feelings, those are what I want to tell you. My heart… My heart knows you're pure. You're sweet. At first glance, you seem like someone who should be conceited or entitled, but you're none of that. You're just… amazing."
Ladybug saw him look back at her as she spoke. Her own awareness of what she was saying was fuzzy at best.
The words whirled out of her and by her.
For just a moment though, she was standing there, staring at Adrien. Feeling pierced by his green eyes. Connected to him. And all she could feel was… was it relief?
It seemed it was. Relief.
She had finally done it.
Ladybug laughed, until — it was the sight and reminder of her red polka-dotted hands that crushed and tore her apart.
No, no, no, not like this.
Since apparently, none of her thoughts would stay silent right now, out from her own voice came: "No, no, no, not like this. I meant to tell you as myself. I regret not telling you who I am sooner, I should've told you ages ago that I'm really—"
With sudden lightning reflexes, Adrien pushed the lurking camera away from them with his left hand and cut Ladybug off from speaking with the other — pressing down on her cheeks. He shimmied his left shoulder out of his white overshirt and slid it down his right hand to meet her face and wrap it around her head and cover her mouth.
It prevented her from saying anything more.
Ladybug enjoyed the forced silence for a moment. Unbelievably thankful to Adrien's quick thinking.
Not to mention, all she could now smell was him. The scent of cheese was even stronger and she found herself wanting some. Really, she just wanted to be consumed by his scent.
And then panic set in.
No, please let what I think just happened NOT be what really just happened. Please!
...Maybe it could be included in Akuma-caused damage! If so, then the Miraculous Ladybugs could make it like it never happened. No memory! No regrets!
Okay, seriously, she needed to stop taking deep breaths — the scent of his shirt was entirely too distracting.
"Your lucky charm," Adrien said, immediately snapping her out of her nonsense. Ladybug nodded at him.
Though … No! She needed to call for it vocally. How was she going to do that when her vocals were magically bent on revealing her secret identity?
She looked to Adrien for help, indicating his shirt and the fact that she couldn't speak.
He looked around, "Right, you can't speak. We can't have you saying more of... like you just—"
He froze. Just like that. His pupils seemed to shrink within himself. Lost in thought, apparently, his eyes widened and his mouth gaped open.
Ladybug's first thought was that he had been hit by a laser as well. "Adrien, are you okay?" she mumbled beneath his shirt.
He responded by very slowly looking at her, like he was seeing her for the first time. Like he was somehow someone new.
Ladybug found it terrifying. Utterly terrifying.
"…Did you say you love me? Me? Me as in Adrien?"
Oh no, she could not do this … not right now…
She pulled his shirt down off her face, because she knew her most present regret was one she would want to say out loud.
"I regret not using my lucky charm!"
And down from the sky, a music box fell into her arms. It had a little ballerina on it.
Ladybug looked at what was around … thinking…
Regretta looked like a ballerina herself.
And that lump on the side of her tutu grabbed Marinette's attention once again. Those criss-crossed ribbons now reminded her more of how they crossed in pointe shoes...
More people confessed deep regrets. More people punched each other in anger. And more chaos ensued.
Ladybug tried to block it out and intuitively, she felt the urge to start the music box. She wound the spring until the ballerina atop started rotating.
Regretta stopped in her tracks and looked over at her.
"That looks just like the music box my…"
"Your grandfather gave you?" Ladybug asked.
Regretta nodded, now looking at her, giving Ladybug her full attention.
"Did your grandfather get you into ballet?" Ladybug asked.
Regretta didn't articulate an answer but whatever the answer was, it seemed to slow her down and affect her.
"Amber, your grandfather knows you loved him. Whether you were there or not. That's what this is telling you, isn't it?"
It seemed like Ladybug figured it out. She stepped closer to Regretta who was now distracted and consumed by her own thoughts. Ladybug was confident she was close to freeing her Akuma.
Only, not quite.
Very suddenly, Regretta growled away her own emotions.
"He promised he'd be at every recital and he was. And what do I do to thank him? I miss the very last chance I have to…"
Regretta's affect transfered back into rage. The lasers on her chest reignited and started to glow full force again.
Ladybug was losing her. She knew she was missing something…. There was something more to this lucky charm.
The only thing that made sense to do was open it.
Sure enough, inside was a folded up piece of paper.
Intuition took over and Ladybug just walked up and handed it to Regretta. She didn't even look at it herself. She just knew it had to be meant for her. For Amber.
The lasers dimmed again as Regretta slowly unfolded the paper. Then, tears welled up in her eyes.
"Just like the note he gave me," she said. And then, choosing to read it aloud and share it with everyone, Regretta said, "In case I ever do miss a recital, know I'm always with you. I don't have to be there to be there. Because all my love is everywhere at once — ton grand-père."
Ladybug watched as the rainbow lasers at her chest seemed to completely power down. Regretta grew still as a statue. Ladybug, albeit incredibly affected by those words herself, reached for the bag she had noticed and ripped it.
Out flew the Akuma!
Next came the familiar routine. The same one she had done hundreds of times now. "Miraculous ladybugs." Then, the new protection charm made especially for Amber…
She watched everyone return to normal, some staring at each other mid-punch. Adrien was safely returned to the stage, no longer up at the bridge designated for lighting technicians where she left him —
Right, Adrien.
She tried to see how people interacted with each other. Did they all remember their confessions?
The awkwardness that lingered between them all seemed to give an answer she did not want to hear.
And against her better judgment, she locked eyes with Adrien.
"Ladybug?" he called out to her.
She needed to run away. And thankfully, that was part of her normal routine with the 5-minute timer that was always ignited after she used her lucky charm. She attempted a smile at him and then looked for her exit.
He ran up to her though.
"Wait, Ladybug!"
She needed to leave, she couldn't bear to look back into his eyes…
But she also couldn't bear to run away from him while he called out to her like that. He sounded so … desperate.
Caught between both impulses, she just stood still.
His fingers wrapped around her wrist and wordlessly asked her to look back at him.
She did … even as every nerve within her body fired up with the absolute certainty that this was somehow the most dangerous thing she had ever done. Even with her life as a superhero, nothing she had ever come across had ever felt as life-threatening as turning around to look Adrien in his beautiful green eyes at this very moment.
But it happened.
She wasn't breathing…
But it happened.
"I know you didn't mean to say all that. But if you still did mean it, I mean, if it was real… Ugh, what am I saying, I sound like an idiot, because I just need to tell you… I hope you did. Mean it. I hope you meant it. Really. I hope you meant every word. Because I have been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. Since you stepped up on that Eiffel Tower and announced to all of Paris that you would be there for them! From that moment, I have stared at you, awestruck, for hours at a time every night, because I know that whoever you are beneath the mask, I love you. I have to because you are so clearly the most wonderful and amazing girl in the world!"
Ladybug blinked at him. Still no breath.
"So," he continued. "Yeah. Obviously, I'm not under a magical influence. Just. Still happy to finally tell you that. That I feel the same way. Or… not the same, not to assume you feel… I just… Yeah."
Ladybug had no idea how much time passed. She just stared at him.
She knew she must have looked like her mind was completely blank. It was more just overwhelmed.
She remembered hearing Adrien talk about the girl he was in love with after she nearly confessed her love at the wax museum.
…He was in love with Ladybug?
How would she even begin to take that information in? How could she…?
A beep from her earrings rattled her out of her reverie.
Not to mention the camera in her face.
She took her first breath in what felt like several minutes… even if she knew it couldn't have been. It had to be less than five minutes, given her earrings…
"Gotta go!" was all she managed.
And with the help of her magical yo-yo, she ran as far away from that conundrum as she possibly could.
Adrien watched her run away.
He had still been processing her confession when the miraculous ladybugs fixed everything. Words hung in the air around him like "I love you" and "an obsessed-total-fangirl" and "my heart knows you're pure."
All words that felt applicable in return. He obsessed over her, thought of her nonstop, went to sleep thinking about her, stared at pictures and daydreamed of her, loved her more than anything and also felt with complete certainty that his heart knew she was pure.
As she shared the words with him and looked into his eyes, he felt like he knew them already. Somehow. Like maybe he heard them as his own feelings towards her? He didn't quite know why it took him so long to actually hear them.
Though, something did immediately get through to him — that Ladybug might have been about to reveal her identity, all while that news camera broadcast everything live. He knew he needed to protect her. He didn't even think.
It wasn't until he did finally think, that he started thinking about everything. Like the words he had heard from her at first. And once he started thinking about those words... he was gone.
She loved him. Him.
He was the other boy.
He was the reason she kept rejecting him as Chat Noir.
What a…
He was completely useless after that settled in him.
Luckily, Ladybug didn't need seem to need Chat Noir's help. Adrien might have been removed enough from the action to transform but it was risky. All the better to sit and… watch his body completely stop working at the revelation that had just occurred to him.
Ladybug. Loved. Him.
Then, one blink took him from the bridge above the stage to the stage itself.
Everyone stood still in their own processing of what had just happened and Adrien locked eyes with Ladybug herself.
What would he do in this moment?
Could he really just let her walk away?
"Ladybug?" he asked without thinking.
Except… it was one thing to say everything he felt as Chat Noir. Being Chat Noir was like being the most confident and silliest version of himself. So indifferent to how he might seem. Telling jokes only meant to entertain himself…
Well, himself and Ladybug ideally.
He was free as Chat Noir.
As himself, he was…
Well, why couldn't he be free as himself? Why couldn't he let Chat Noir influence his choice in this moment?
He ran up to her. "Wait, Ladybug!"
She paused rather than continue moving to leave, which Adrien took as a positive sign. Once close enough, he grabbed her wrist, pleading with her to give him a moment. Just a moment.
She slowly turned towards him. She almost looked possessed. Or scared. He hated the idea that she might be scared.
He tried to apologize at first, "I know you didn't mean to say all that." Except that wasn't what he needed to say. "But if you still did mean it, I mean, if it was real… Ugh, what am I saying, I sound like an idiot, because I just need to tell you… I hope you did. Mean it. I hope you meant it. Really. I hope you meant every word."
Now he was finding his groove. The hard part was over, he acknowledged. He had already jumped off the cliff.
"Because I have been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. Since you stepped up on that Eiffel Tower and announced to all of Paris that you would be there for them! From that moment, I have stared at you, awestruck, for hours at a time every night, because I know that whoever you are beneath the mask, I love you. I have to because you are so clearly the most wonderful and amazing girl in the world!"
He took a breath and watched her reaction.
She didn't really react at all.
Had he only said it in his head again?
He suddenly felt very aware of the cameras pointed at him and Ladybug.
Maybe this wasn't the place to …
"So," he continued. I guess I've done it now. "Yeah. Obviously, I'm not under a magical influence."
Though Adrien did kinda feel like he was. That was how he usually felt around Ladybug.
"Just. Still happy to finally tell you that. That I feel the same way. Or… not the same, not to assume you feel… I just… Yeah."
He needed to stop. But she still said nothing. She only stared at him.
She looked blank. Had he broken her?
He stood completely still and resisted the urge to tap his foot or rub his neck or even just run away. The agitation was killing him. He was enduring a hellfire in her silence and it took everything to not —
A beep from her earrings ended the freeze spell.
And he watched as Ladybug finally clocked the camera in her face, broadcasting everything they said to each other … live.
"Gotta go," she said, as she ran off.
And Adrien felt the urge to join her. To run off too. Run away with her and find out what she felt.
The cameras had undoubtedly freaked her out. And what was he thinking? He had taken advantage of a magical influence from an Akuma. He shouldn't have seized the opportunity like that, he should've been more patient, he should've —
A dozen cameras and reporters swarmed him, overtaking him all the sudden. He couldn't be further away from running away with his Lady than he was now… And that really hurt.
"That was insane, right?" Marinette said. "A complete and total disaster!"
Alya just shook her head from the middle of Marinette's room.
On Marinette's computer screen was all the confirmation she needed that not only did it all really happen, no — everyone in Paris saw it with their own eyes. Every detail of what she said to Adrien was broadcast live and in case there was someone in Paris who missed it, it was now replaying again and again on every station.
Our Hero, the Ladybug, Declares Her Love for Parisian Supermodel Adrien Agreste
Could a New Power Couple Be Taking Paris by Storm? What Would Chat Noir Have to Say About This?
The Superhero and the Supermodel — Could They Be Super-Soulmates?
Marinette cringed as she scrolled through the day's news stories. Literally every single one was about her and Adrien.
"I mean, kudos for finally telling him," Alya said. "That's a win, right?"
Marinette just groaned. "A win? I told him AS LADYBUG! What the hell?!?"
A window automatically opened in her browser, advertising some new big story, which only involved replaying a clip of Adrien, holding her hand and saying, "I have stared at you, awestruck, for hours at a time every night, because I know that whoever you are beneath the mask, I love you."
Marinette tried to stop it but it wouldn't stop. It just played, tormenting her, reminding her of her failure. Somehow making her feel all light and gushy inside for just a moment before everything that was awful and the absolute worst just came crashing down within her.
"Okay, but it's a little cute," Alya said.
"Cute?"
"Yeah, look at him. He actually sounds like you. Like, the way you talk about him."
Marinette almost found comfort in that comparison. Almost. But then, the News Source added, "Our reporters were there at the scene and we have exclusive interviews with the Supermodel himself!"
Suddenly, Adrien was on her screen, surrounded and swarmed by reporters. An off-screen reporter could be heard asking, "Might Ladybug be your first official girlfriend?"
"Uhhh," Adrien said in response. His cheeks flushed and his hand nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I can't really speak for her there. But. I mean. Hey, if she wanted a boyfriend. And from all her options, she actually chose me? I'm not sure what could possibly be a greater honor."
Marinette's jaw dropped. Then, completely furious, she looked at Alya and screamed, "WHY IS HE SO CUTE?!?"
"For real. All this time, he's been focused on Ladybug. While you've been focused on him. You guys are made for each other!"
Marinette softened a moment… then, she shook her head. "Okay, so what do I do? Because I can't share the same feelings as Marinette now. I've made it so I can never tell him how I feel as Marinette because he might link the two of us together and then he would know that I'm Ladybug AND that I love him and I'm not even sure I can deal with the fact that he knows that I love him —"
"Hon, lots of girls love him. I don't think it's that rare of an occurrence."
"Okay. But still. That was my heart. My feelings. I reveal them again as my real self, what if I jog his memory? What if I—?"
"So here's an idea. Date him as Ladybug."
It took a moment for that to sink in…
"Whaaaaaat?"
"Why not?"
"Uh. Because I'm a superhero. I use my powers when there's an Akuma attack, when someone needs me, when I can help, not to go on some date with the love of my life…"
"Well, maybe a date can be helpful."
"How in the world—?"
"ShadowMoth undoubtedly knows by now. So maybe—"
"You think I haven't thought about that? ShadowMoth knows! He knows I love Adrien. He could use Adrien as bait. He could use Adrien against me. I just put him in so much danger, what is wrong with me?"
"Chill. I was gonna say that it could help you. Maybe you can use it to flush ShadowMoth out of hiding once and for all. If you know he's going to try and use Adrien against you, you can…"
"Oh my God, now you want me to use Adrien as bait?"
"I'm just saying, think it through. I bet he'd be willing to be completely of service to his Ladybug. And I do mean completely of service."
"Okay, I cannot with you right now."
Marinette turned away from Alya and found Tikki.
"Tikki. Lay it on me. How bad is it?"
Tikki took a moment to look between Marinette and Alya. Then, through carefully selected words, "It does appear to be a rather unique situation. One that could be useful to unmasking ShadowMoth…"
"Even you, Tikki? You're going to tell me to do this?"
"It's up to you, Marinette," Tikki said.
"I love Adrien. I can't just…"
"If you love Adrien," Alya said, "why don't you give this a shot then? Date him, like you've always wanted."
Marinette still wasn't sure she could let herself consider such a thing… though part of her did very much want to consider it.
Lights. Flashes.
A green outline of the flashes on his eyelids…
Adrien really wanted to be anywhere but here.
"Are you gonna ask her out, Adrien?" He couldn't see the face that asked the question. But soon a swarm of voices were asking a similar question.
A series of chants soon followed. "Do it! Do it! Do it!"
"I wouldn't know how…" Adrien started to say. He meant logistically … he didn't have a way to call Ladybug — not as Adrien anyway. But once he heard the words from his own lips, he realized they had multiple meanings. How would he consider doing such a thing emotionally either? Practically? Would it be as easy for him as it was to ask her as Chat Noir? Even though those questions only ended in rejection each time?
"Do it here, Adrien! Ask her here. On the air. Now. We'll make sure it gets to her. By getting it to everybody!"
Adrien felt his face heat up again. It didn't seem like something Ladybug would like. The public declaration of love… But he didn't have any other ideas on how to see her again as himself…
He briefly considered deliberately staging some Akuma attack near him, but he soon realized that was a horrible idea. What is wrong with me?
"What's stopping you Adrien?"
Adrien thought to himself, I mean, it might just be the only way for me — as Adrien — to reach her… But, he couldn't shake this feeling that he shouldn't. He shouldn't pressure her. She knew how he felt now. She could come to him… On her own time.
"I'm not very… good at…"
"It'll be easy Adrien. Just look in the camera and say: Ladybug, I told you I love you today. And I'd like to ask you out on a date. Invite her to L'Auberge Bressane, right by the Eiffel Tower. Tomorrow, 6 PM. Give us the story now on the air live with us? And we'll sponsor your magical dinner with her!"
"Uhhh…"
Competing reporters started offering their own deals…
Wow, Adrien felt stuck. On one end, he always tried to please those around him. Especially his father, but his father was nowhere in sight. Nathalie was somewhere in this crowd, but he couldn't see her face.
It was up to him.
He knew they just wanted the story. He thought of when Prime Queen was akumatized… how badly they wanted to see Ladybug and Chat Noir as a couple. Now it was happening all over again, but this time, it was him. His real self.
Ladybug hadn't liked his displays of affection. Not in that Primetime interview.
But that was because they were from Chat Noir and… well, she had been in love with Adrien.
So. How would she feel if Adrien did it?
A streak of boldness possessed him.
"What do you want me to say again?" he asked the first news reporter.
He listened and then figured out how to make the words his own.
"Look right into this camera here!"
Adrien did. And he said, "Ladybug, that was crazy. I hope I didn't… presume… too much…"
"Get to the good part."
"Yeah, ask her out already!"
"You don't need to apologize, Adrien!"
Adrien took a deep breath, before he continued past the heckles, "But I meant every word I said. So…"
'M'Lady' danced at his lips, but he stopped it before it could come out.
"Ladybug. If you might want to go out to dinner with me… I'll be waiting at … where? Right, I'll be waiting at L'Auberge Bressane, tomorrow, at 6pm. I, uh… I would love to see you there. If you can make it."
"We've got it!" Someone yells.
Some frustrated moans around him elsewhere… "We were so close, we've got him looking just slightly off-camera."
"Think we can still sell it?"
"It's not as good as the angle TVI got, no…"
Adrien watched as everyone became more preoccupied with their work than with him.
It seemed they got what they wanted from him.
The lights moved out of his eyes. The flashes stopped.
And as his eyes finally adjusted to see the faces in front of him, he also suddenly felt smaller and smaller in his body.
What the heck did he just do?
Was he entirely certain he wasn't hit by Regretta earlier...? Because he sure was acting like it.
If she didn't show up, which come on, it's ladybug, he was so going to be stood up live on National TV…
What would his father think?
What would Ladybug think?
He'd seem like such a tool to her. Such a …
He reminded himself again of the words he heard her say. The words he was starting to doubt were real. Was it possible he had imagined what she said and then just … had some kind of conniption attack of honesty all on his own?
Then again. If he didn't imagine it…?
If she really had said it?
If, after everything, she didn't stand him up?
That singular prospect blinded him entirely to any other consequences.
Alone in the bathroom, Adrien uncrinkled his shirt to put it back on.
"It wasn't enough to get stood up as Chat Noir, eh?" Plagg said. "You want Adrien to feel the burn too?"
"She might not stand me up this time."
"But — and get this— she also. Might."
Adrien glared at Plagg as he fixed his shirt. "Well. Then, it's nothing I haven't been through before then. Hide Plagg."
"The most public rejection ever…" Plagg sang as he returned to the secrecy of Adrien's cheesy pockets.
Adrien sat in the back of his car, listening to everyone talk about him, about what he should do, how he should take the different potential outcomes, all without ever once asking him what he wanted…
Or how he felt…
Or anything.
Pretty normal, he reminded himself.
His father's voice came in over bluetooth, while Nathalie rode in the passenger seat and his bodyguard drove.
"Our PR director sees this as a win-win for the Agreste brand," Nathalie informed his father. And the entirety of the car. "If she shows up, everyone will be talking about them as the new 'it' couple. If she doesn't, it'll be Adrien the public sympathizes with. He wore his heart on his sleeve and took a chance on love. Some people might even villanize Ladybug for breaking his heart…"
His father hummed, like the prospect intrigued him.
Adrien really didn't understand his father at all sometimes…
"This whole occurrence is completely inappropriate," Adrien's father said. "My son is a teenager. We know nothing about Ladybug. He will not be allowed to attend that restaurant tomorrow."
"Wait, what?" Adrien said.
A meek-sounding voice spoke up on the line. "Actually, that would probably lead to the worst outcome… of any…"
"This is Brandon from PR," Nathalie informed his father.
"Right," Brandon continued. "I mean, look, if neither of them show up, the news cycles will just forget about the whole thing. But if Ladybug does show up and he leaves her waiting? The sweetheart hero of the city? Ehhh. The Agreste brand will definitely take a hit. Not to mention the public opinion of Adrien—"
Adrien heard his father sigh. It was loud enough to rather obnoxiously cut Brandon off.
Adrien thought to himself how thankful he was for Brandon. Not because he wanted to know how to be seen in the best light. But because he enjoyed that being seen in the best light led to his father begrudgingly acquiescing to letting him actually go out on a date.
With Ladybug.
The evening was time for patrols.
A way to be proactive against Akuma attacks. And a way to see Ladybug more…
Needless to say, they were Chat Noir's favorite time of the day. With no supervillain preoccupying them, it was time they just got to spend together…
But today was especially special.
Because, as extraordinary as the occurrences of the day were, what was even more extraordinary was that Adrien would actually be able to talk to Ladybug and gage how she was feeling about it all. Tonight!
Not as himself, naturally.
But as Chat Noir.
He didn't have to live in the unknown, waiting on pins and needles, wondering what she would do. Wondering what she thought of him.
He could just ask her.
It was a little evil. A little duplicitous. A little bit taking advantage of his dual identity. But a little bit wonderful too.
He was elated at the thought. Looking forward to it extensively for the past few hours, as his father hired more people to discuss the best narrative to push for the News…
Adrien tuned it all out and thought only of meeting Ladybug right here. At their spot, overlooking the Eiffel Tower.
He was a bit early… what with being so excited and all…
She appeared as silently as ever. Like a ninja. But Chat Noir still felt her presence.
He turned his head, already unable to hide a huge smile. His cheeks cramped from how intense his smile was…
"Well, someone had a day."
"Don't."
"So, that other boy… the one you've been on about being in love with. It was Adrien Agreste this whole time?"
"That's really not any of your business, Cat."
"Actually seems to be evvveryone's business…"
She glared at him and Chat Noir heard himself whimper like a scared cat. Whoops. Maybe shouldn't mess with her…
He didn't know why he was so eager to mess with her, but he was. The redness that clouded her cheeks when she scrunched them up, all angry and pouty…
Chat sighed as he watched it in real time. She was irresistible. And especially so when a little bit mad.
He was completely in love with her. A smitten kitten.
"This is no time for jokes, Cat, okay? This is really bad. I was going to tell him how I felt, as myself. My real self. Now, I can't. Now I might never be able to. Not without revealing who I am."
"Well…" Though, Chat Noir admitted to himself, he hadn't thought of it that way. "I mean, you still could."
"No, Cat. Because like I just said. Then he'd know who I was."
"Ehh. You're giving him too much credit. I bet he's dumb as a doornail."
"Don't talk about him like that, Cat."
"What? How many times has some girl been akumatized over feelings for him? I'm just saying, he might not put two and two together at all!"
Of course, Chat then bit his tongue over his own words. Because they were actually probably true. A little too true. Somewhere in some alternate timeline, where Amber's Grandfather didn't die today, Ladybug confessed to him that she loved him as her real self and he probably overlooked it, just totally missed it because he was too preoccupied with Ladybug to see that it was so clearly her…
He was a total doofus, a—
"I guess he might not. Just as strongly as he might. Ok?" she said.
She was so cute when she gave into him too.
"Ehh. What's the big deal anyways? I saw that he asked you out on a date. Why not just go?"
"Oh, yeah, sure. A casual dinner date with just— oh, right, the frikkin love of my life! Yeah, no big deal!"
Chat Noir gulped as he looked at her. Then, he softened his playful edge. "You're really worried about this, huh? Like… you really… you really love him…"
"Look. There's more to consider. ShadowMoth has ammunition against me now. He knows that Adrien will be something to use against me. So, if I even remotely consider dating Adrien as my Ladybug self…"
Oh my God, she's considering it! Chat Noir took a breath to settle the butterflies in his stomach. "Mhmmm," he nodded.
"Then, I've also gotta be sure he's safe. So I need you there. Every time I'm out with him. Got it?"
Chat stopped nodding. "Huh. Right..."
How would he manage to get out of this one…?
"Might he get jealous though?" Chat Noir tried. "They do say 'three's a crowd' and I bet Adrien's the sensitive type, huh?"
"Cat, Adrien will be in danger."
"That's the thing. If he's in danger… I… I'm just not sure you can rely on me. In that case. Because….? Because. He's just so gorgeous. I'll be too mesmerized to do anything."
"Stop making fun of me! Just. Just be at the restaurant at 6 PM tomorrow. I'm sure you know the one already as it's being broadcast everywhere. So I'll see you there?"
"...Or will you?"
That pouty little angry face came back. Chat's heart swelled up in size.
"I'm just saying," he continued, stopping her from getting too frustrated. "I've gotta be there secretly. Or else, those reporters will just bombard me. I mean you and I were voted Couple of the Year last year, don't forget!"
"Cat, I swear to you…" Ladybug shook her head, so mad. And so dang cute.
"So I'll be there, but in stealth mode. You'll never seeee me. Just truuuust that I'm there."
"I'm sure that if I need you, I'll need to see you."
"Stealthhhhhhhhhhhh Mohhhhde." Chat Noir started waving his arms as if that might make a difference in whether he was visible or not. "So just go to your date," he added. "Enjoy it. And don't you worry your pretty little head over him getting jealous of me. Because, really, why wouldn't he? I'm kitty-rific! Cat-stacular! Purrrrfect. But he'll know nothing about my pawesomeness, because I will be in stealllllllthhhhhh mo—"
"Whatever your game, fine, sure. But do not let anything happen to Adrien. Agreed?"
"Awww, why? Because you loooooooooove him?"
"As you and all of Paris are currently well aware, yes. Yes, Cat. Exactly because of that. Now, please. I will see you tomorrow."
She sprinted away without even fully finishing their patrols…
Chat Noir watched her go, all the while taking in how casually she admitted it this time. When Adrien wasn't there…
He sighed to himself.
"So. She really does love me…"
Chat Noir wasn't sure it was remotely possible to feel any happier than he felt at this exact moment.
It was against her better judgment.
It was reckless and ridiculous and really what was she thinking?
But also —
A shiver of excitement ran up and down her arms. Her spine. She felt cold and warm at the same time!
A date. With Adrien.
As Ladybug, sure, but… still!
She felt the urge to look through her closet and get ready, but —
That was silly. She was going as Ladybug. There was literally nothing to do, other than… other than wait for 6 PM.
Well, Marinette had other things to do. A school project to finish. A test to study for. A new outfit to finish sewing.
And if there was an Akuma attack, it could all be moot anyways. Ladybug could be too busy to show up…
Though if there wasn't one… then it would be even more likely that ShadowMoth was planning something. Letting her feel safe enough to go on a very public date, and then shock her with something horrible…
Marinette buried her head in her arms. There were so many different things that could go wrong… she couldn't keep track of them all.
But 6 PM approached, despite her growing anxiety. Her nervousness appeared to have zero effect on the passage of time. Dang it.
She made her way to L'Auberge Bressane.
The walkways were far too narrow for all the press and reporters that surrounded the place. But the owner came out and promised their best corner table for the lovely couple. Ladybug followed the owner in and saw Adrien already sitting there.
For a moment, there wasn't a worry in the world that mattered. Because he was so perfect. So… mesmerizing.
Ladybug walked towards him, her heart beating in her throat.
Adrien bowed when he saw her. "Ma— My pleasure to see you again, Ladybug."
She nodded and smiled and not even three seconds passed before a camera was in her face.
"Are you officially Adrien's girlfriend?" A reporter asked. "Can you give us a statement? What's it like to be dating a Supermodel?"
"Probably not as noteworthy as dating a Superhero…"Adrien chucked, though he seemed embarrassed by having said it afterwards.
Ladybug looked into the camera and said, "I think we need some privacy. Yeah?"
"We'll be right over there," the reporter said. And his version of privacy was still not very private.
Ladybug stared at him until he moved further back.
"Uhh, is that better?" The reporter yelled at her.
"If I can still hear you, then no."
He nodded and then backed up a little more.
"So this is better then," the reporter mumbled softly. Clearly, he was still close enough to be heard if he spoke at a normal decibel. Ladybug shook her head and turned to Adrien.
"I'm so sorry," Adrien said immediately. "I didn't —"
"You've got nothing to be sorry for," she said. "It's just, it's on me. Letting myself get hit like that. This wasn't exactly how I imagined telling you… when I imagined it…"
Adrien nodded and blushed. The rose color in his cheeks made her own face feel warm. He was adorable.
"This wasn't exactly how I imagined taking you out for the first time, either."
"Fair point," she said, smiling at him.
Then, a nearly unbearable silence. It was made all the more unbearable with the cameras and unceasing noise so close to them. In fact, it felt like this restaurant was designed to both isolate them and leave them fully exposed. The combination of which led to some very weird feelings.
Ladybug scanned the crowd for any sight of Chat Noir, but… No. She knew she'd just have to trust that he was there like he said he'd be.
"Are you hungry?" Adrien finally said, breaking the silence.
"I… I don't think I should. I really just came to make sure you… uh… I didn't want to leave you hanging. And… I probably should—"
"Thank you," he said. "Hah." He nodded and smiled to himself. He was acting quite dorky actually. Something Marinette was not at all used to seeing from him. But of course, she wasn't Marinette right now. She was Ladybug. And she felt Ladybug wouldn't find it as odd.
"But you gotta eat, right?" he continued. "You can't save Paris if your Kwami is hungry!"
Ladybug looked at him curiously. How did he…?
"Uh, I mean… is that what they're called? I… Um. I think the Ladyblog mentioned—"
But Ladybug realized exactly how he knew. "I can't believe you remembered. One interaction with Sass and you're a Kwami expert!"
"Yes!" Adrien said, almost like he too just realized where his knowledge came from. He was being quite odd, but… still as wonderful as ever.
"Of course!" he added. "I mean, it also wasn't just one interaction. You know? Twenty-five thousand nine hundred and seventeen… but who's counting? None of those timelines exist now anyway. To anyone but me…"
Another terribly loud silence between them. The loudness mostly coming from the crowd of course.
Ladybug fought an immense curiosity to ask him more about those timelines. To ask him how he saved her life so many times. To ask him if there was anything she might wish she had known from them… Anything they might have shared? Any chance they might have kissed?
She shooed those thoughts away though. They weren't exactly relevant, were they?
"Are you… comfortable?" he said.
"Yes. Thank you."
Adrien nodded. Ladybug nodded too.
Yep…
"So," he said. "Are you, like, from here? Born in Paris, I mean?"
And this was the very thing she dreaded. How could she really connect with him when her identity had to remain a secret? How could she be so close to finally having him… and yet so much further than she had ever been?
"I… I can't really—"
"Oh my God, of course! I'm so stupid!" he said. "Your secret identity. That's… That's totally off limits, isn't it?"
Ladybug shrugged.
"Especially on a date as public as this…" he added.
He joined her in looking out into the crowd at the front of the restaurant, the onlookers gawking at them, the flashes and the murmurs…
"You are spot on," she said sadly.
Adrien smirked, for a moment, but then frowned as well.
Very odd of him, she thought.
"What would be acceptable dinner conversation then?" he asked.
"Uhhh… I suppose things we enjoy? Or like to do?"
"Oh, great! What kind of things do you enjoy? Or like to do?"
"Well." And she realized — with fashion off-limits, with her designs off-limits, with her work with Kitty section off-limits — this wasn't as safe a topic as she initially thought. "I do love being Ladybug," she finally said.
"And having Chat Noir?" he asked, almost hopeful.
"Uhh, yeah," Ladybug laughed. "He's a great friend. And an even better partner. When he's here, of course."
Another look into the crowd, but no sight of him.
"Right," Adrien said. Ladybug tried to figure out if it was disappointment she had just clocked in him. Would that make any sense? Could Chat Noir have been right about him, Adrien, feeling jealous?
Somehow, that didn't seem to quite make sense either.
"I, uh…" she tried. Still a complete non-communicative mess around him… Even as her Ladybug self! "What about you?" she finally managed to say.
"Me? Uh. I guess normal non-superhero stuff...! I love school. My friends. It really beats being stuck at home alone. I love video games too and—"
"Ooh, I love video games!"
"Oh yeah? What do you play?"
"I wish I had more time for them, honestly. Especially games like Ultimate Mecha Strike III, or—"
"Seriously? Oh, you should come over, we should play sometime!"
The words "come over" pinged around in her head like it was now a pinball machine. They were just talking about video games. It wasn't… it didn't have to be a big deal. Plus, she had been at his place before. As Ladybug. As Marino…
And while she was talking herself down from that ledge, another awkward silence stuck between them.
"I didn't mean to…" he said.
"No! I would love that. If… Um…"
He nodded, almost like he was telling her she didn't need to finish. And she took that it as signal of good enough and gave up on the sentence.
This was all so… Overwhelming.
"I don't have to order anything for myself if you're not going to get anything… We don't really even have to stay here if you'd rather—"
"Oh?" she said, a little too eager to follow this suggestion.
"Yeah, we could—"
"Go somewhere else?" she asked.
He nodded, joyful, maybe a little relieved too. Maybe he had been concerned she was about to end the date. Maybe she should've… but she really didn't want to.
"Any ideas?" she added. "Of where we could go?"
He seemed to have one, but he didn't offer it up.
She thought again of how he had said "come over" before. A new kind of nervousness filled her up.
"Are there any good spots you use when protecting the city?" he asked. "Maybe with… Chat Noir…?"
Which, of course, gave her an idea. "Yeah, actually. You ready?"
"So ready," he said, standing up and opening his arms. She pulled him into her and—
She realized this was her first time holding him so close since the confession… She'd held him close before. To save him. But now, there was… Um, there was more. More knowledge. More vulnerability. More importance to the closeness altogether.
It felt like every nerve cell lit up and exploded along her skin. Not to mention, the heat in her face could've kept the whole city warm in winter…
She gulped down the feelings and tried to convince herself it was no different than any other time before.
Just a normal, casual way to hold the love of her life… No big deal.
So, with the help of her magic yo-yo, she swept him away from the crowds, the fans, and the blinding lights.
Footage of her swinging away with him played on the Evening News. Nadja Chamack soon added, "What a whirlwind romance! Talk about a power couple. You saw it here first. Stay tuned as we work to answer any and all questions you might have about their budding romance. Like, where does Chat Noir fit into this love triangle? He was absent at the most recent Akuma attack — could that mean Ladybug and the scorned feline have broken up? In more ways than one? If so, you'll learn it here first, so stay tuned."
Nathalie turned the News off while Gabriel rested his forehead in his hand.
"Ladybug and my son… That's… That's interesting."
He let out a heavy sigh.
"It doesn't have to change anything, Gabriel. In fact, it gives us a certain edge."
"Oh, believe me. I know. And Ladybug will never see it coming."
Gabriel smiled, very satisfied with this new development of events. Very satisfied.