#adrien can also give us awkward cute ladrien too thanks

[emsylcatac]

People wanting a Marichat insta picture: “... And then Alya sneakily takes a picture of them flirting & having fun and posts it on Instagram.”

Me wanting a Marichat insta picture: “So Marinette sees Chat Noir on patrol or whatever one day and asks him to come over to take a selfie with her and proudly posts it on Instagram stating she met one of Paris’ greatest superhero today and compliments & thanks him on his job and --”

[nightfurylover31]

My Favorite Episodes of Miraculous (Season 2)

The Collector 

We got to know more about Master Fu, and officially confirm Gabriel was Hawkmoth (poor Adrien). Forbidding his son to go to school over a book was terrible, but I got to admit it was pretty ingenious to akumatize himself to avoid suspicion. But Cat Noir’s reaction to his father being his archenemy was intense. We don’t see him that serious very often. All in all, a good way to start off the season.  

Befana

Love learning more about Marinette’s family. And how all her friends tried to protect her too was really sweet. Cat Noir and Ladybug singing along was cute. And turns out Adrien kept the charm Marinette gave him in “Gamer,” and even made one for her. Even Tikki gave Marinette a gift. And I read that the kwagatama will play an important role in the future. 

Gigantitan

Hawkmoth dealing with a baby. Enough said. But seriously, it was hilarious to see him react like that. I’m guessing that means he didn’t take care of Adrien that much when he was a baby. But we at least know our sunshine boy will be a great dad one day. Also, so sweet for all the girl to support Marinette and help her out. 

Glaciator 

Mostly for the Balcony Scene. It was great seeing them interact in different identities. Both Marinette and Cat Noir were heartbroken when their crushes didn’t show up, but little do they know, they did get to spend time together. A good way to expand their friendship. Watching Ladybug tell the truth to Cat Noir that she’s in love with someone else, he could’ve taken it worse, but he can accept her friendship for now. And André, I don’t know why he gets so much salt. He’s a big hearted character, and it really does seem like he can pick up on love. He was able to figure out the colors that matched Marinette and Adrien’s crushes. I give him points for that. 

Sapotis 

Alya joins the team as Rena Rouge! So cool, much better Volpina. I get why she didn’t want to give up on being a superhero, but she made the right decision in the end, thanks to Trixx. And now she gained more respect for keeping Ladybug’s identity a secret. And her interactions with Cat Noir were great too. He loves the extra sass. 

Gorizilla

You know, watching this after seeing “Chat Blanc” just makes me go ‘GRR!’ at Gabriel. He finally tries to figure out if his son is Cat Noir. Don’t give us than “worried father” act when we now know you would home run him into the Eiffel Tower! We got a good amount of Adrientte in this episode, and some Ladrien. So cute!! And the trust that they have in each other is amazing. I got to say though, Wayem gave off serious creeper vibes. And people think Marinette’s obsessed; okay she is, but at least she doesn’t get in Adrien’s face about it. And poor Gorilla. He’s the only one in Adrien’s household that truly cares enough about him. 

Captain Hardrock

This is mostly because we get to meet Luka for the first time. He’s so sweet, he is easy to fall in love with. 

Frightningale 

The rhyming and dancing were great, but not as much as Marinette and Adrien freaking out about playing Ladybug and Cat Noir. They were so adorably awkward! What if Plagg was right and no one did recognize them? XD Even when forced to sing, dance and rhyme, Ladybug and Cat Noir are a perfect team. 

Zombizou 

Normally I hate zombie stuff, but I like this one. First time Marinette is almost akumatized, and the first time we see someone try to resist. It was really sweet when Nino chose to stay beside Alya even though she was already infected. And how Ladybug didn’t want to leave Cat Noir either. Chloe had a nice realization moment at near the end, but then she went back to her old ways. Good for Marinette to try to support her for that though.

Anansi 

More NinoXAlya moments, and now Nino is Carapace! Seeing Anansi lose her patience with Hawkmoth was pretty funny. And aww, Cat Noir was a bit insecure at the thought of Ladybug replacing him. Fortunately she told he was irreplaceable, and he is. 

Sandboy

We got to see a ton of Plagg and Tikki, and interacting with each other and the other Kwamis. I can’t wait to see what the others can do. It was cool seeing that Marinette and Adrien have different fears depending on if they’re superheroes or not, and both have fears of scarier versions of the one they love. And I love how both Tikki and Plagg said that they’re the best owners they ever had. It was a cool twist we got a super villain that we knew nothing about. 

Mayura (Heroes’ Day Part 2)

The French Superhero Team was awesome! Epic battle! But soon it was back down to our dynamic duo. That “You and me against the world, M’lady!” gets me every time! Adrien/Cat Noir always knows just wha to say to get her confidence back. And seeing the citizen of Paris join was amazing! We finally got a LB & CN VS Hawkmoth battle! Now that Natalie has joined his side, things are going to get hard. MARINETTE FINALLY KISSED ADRIEN *on the cheek*! But that’s still something. And his speech for her was so sweet. He really appreciates her. A nice wrap up!

[lady-charinette]

Purry Christmas - Love Square

Adrienette

"Merry Christmas, super Marinette." Marinette stood frozen in front of the nervous-looking boy, staring at him as if he'd grown a second head, trying to process his words and the weirdly shy expression on his face.

She seemed hyperaware of everything.

Of the entire class staring at them, of Chloe (for a change) not making a fuss (perhaps Pollen really was a good influence on her). Of Nino staring at his best friend with a weirdly proud look, like a parent would look at their child if they did something nobody believed they could. Of Juleka and Rose freezing mid-hugging due to Adrien's words and actions. Of Mme. Bustier smiling happily and gently coaxing Nathaniel and Ivan out of their statue-like state to accept each-others presents.

Of Alya harshly bumping her hip against Marinette's own to rip her out of the black hole she'd nearly fallen in in her state of shock.

Of the weird, adorably shy way Adrien scratched the back of his neck with his free hand with pink cheeks and big, hopeful green eyes that reminded her of Chat Noir when he gave her the ro-

Marinette nearly tripped over her own two feet if Adrien hadn't sprung in action to grab ahold of her hands, pulling her back.

C-close.

"M-Marinette?" wait, did Adrien just stutter?

"Love present I your really!" the words were flying out of her unfiltered mouth and Marinette quickly corrected herself, "I-I mean I..." she took a deep, calming breath, "I really.. love your present Adrien!"

Out of all people, it was Chloe that whispered the words to her, "Open it!"

With surprising speed, Marinette had opened the box and pulled away the colorful, decorative paper within.

It was a beautiful pendant. Green and blue.

It was silver, in a tear-shape, big enough to see the multitude of shades and nuances of green and blue, their eye colors, within them, but small enough that it didn't look clungy.

Marinette stared.

"Um, if you don't like it I-I understand! I can return it no problem, I think the jeweller said that two weeks shouldn't be a problem to return it. I-I have the receipt too, just in case, it's uh-" Adrien fumbled with his pockets, hands sweaty and uncoordinated, unlike the usually composed and cool model.

It was their third and last year in Dupont, their friendship had grown from one sided admiration to a solid bond of trust and camaraderie, even to the point she entrusted him with her small crush on Chat Noir, to the point she, as Ladybug, had give him the Snake Miraculous once or twice as assistant superhero.

For once, Adrien Agreste was the nervous, stuttering, fidgety teenager Marinette had been the better part of her life.

She felt an odd calmness take over her when she reached forward and placed the pendant in his trembling hands, presenting her back to him with a blush as she held her hair up, "C-Can you...?" her heart wanted to jump out of her chest.

Adrien stared, dumbstruck, Nino's kick the only thing bringing him back to the present. He carefully grabbed the ends of the pendant, carefully bringing it towards her front and pulling it close around her neck. He fumbled with the ends for a moment, until he locked them, letting the jewellry rest on her neck as she let her hair fall back in place.

Adrien felt like all the life-sustaining functions within his body shut down when she turned and presented him the view of her wearing his pendant. With their colors.

"Adrien?" Marinette's singsong voice echoed within his mushy brain.

"Y-Yes?"

She smiled, "Thank you."

He had never felt as alive and serene as he did and Adrien leaned forward.

Marinette was surprised at the close hug, but she returned it nonetheless, hugging him back.

What surprised her more was the sweet kiss on her cheek.

Ladrien

Adrien paced the length of his room, anxiety taking hold of him as he went through today's events in his head.

He had tried finding a suitable present for Ladybug, but didn't find anything remotely worthy of her. He had nothing.

What if he saw her patroling the streets with Chat Noir and standing there empty-handed?

Wait...

He was Chat Noir!

With a frustrated groan, Adrien fell on his bed, beside the gluttonous black mass of fur laying upon it with the smelly cheese abomination on a silver platter next to him. The smell had long since stopped bothering Adrien as much, either it killed all his senses of smell or he had gotten used to it.

Plagg grumbled, "I'm not going to share my cheese with you just because you're gloomy, lover boy."

Adrien stared at the kwami flatly, "One day, the world will stop producing cheese because you emptied them of their reserves."

The kwami's eyes widened as he wolfed down a sizeable piece of said delicacy, "Wow, someone's in a mooed." Plagg cackled, "Get it? Cheese? Cow? Mood?"

Adrien sighed, "No wonder I stopped getting good ideas for puns. It's your fault."

Plagg made a flabbergasted expression, holding his tiny paws over his heart, "Oh, be still my heart, he didn't mean it."

Adrien shook his head and absently scratched Plagg's head, "I wonder what Ladybug's doi-"

A sudden thud sounded on his window.

What was that? Was that an intruder?

Adrien carefully slipped off his bed, motioning for Plagg, "Plagg, get ready." Choosing not to tell whose presence he sensed at the window, Plagg held in his giggles, folowing behind Adrien's smooth motions along the wall.

The window opened.

"HYA-"

"A-Adrien it's me Ladybug!"

Plagg had to stifle his laughter from beneath the bed covers he had slipped in. Adrien quickly dropped his arms from their awkward fighting position over his head, looking at the heroine in amazement, "L-Ladybug?"

He froze.

His room.

It was a mess!.

What would his lady think?

"Uh, L-Ladybug w-what-uh, what are you doing here?" Adrien pushed back the Ladybug plushie underneath his chair.

She didn't notice, shakily holding out a small paper bag to him, "Um, I-I...w-well I, it's uh, Christmas and I w-wanted to um..." she grinned sheepishly.

Adrien shakily accepted the bag, peering inside.

His eyes flew open.

Ladybug thought it was of disgust, "I-I'm sorry! I was looking for a Chat Noir themed one I swear but um, they didn't have any anymore and I was looking everywhere for it but uhm- and-"

Adrien carefully pulled out the small ladybug animal plushie,a heart in the middle of its red and black spotted back with the words "Adrien" engraved on it in cursive.

"F-F-Ffor me?" Adrien blinked.

Ladybug nodded quickly, hiding her face with her hands.

Adrien's heart nearly burst.

It even had a little yoyo hanging from one of it's black legs beneath.

How precious.

"C-cute."

Ladybug's face was on fire, "A-Adrien?"

The blond didn't notice he had been staring at her the whole time he had said it, "T-the plushie! Cute! Uh, the plushie!"

Both red faced teens looked away, before Adrien cleared his throat and looked down at her, "W-Well, what I meant to say was, the p-plushie is also c-cute..." he scratched his head in embarrassment and Ladybug froze.

"Ladybug?" Adrien rose an eyebrow, "Are you okay?"

Plagg shook his head, "You gave her a heart attack, kid. We have to bury the body."

Adrien held the poor unconscious Ladybug in his arms, face red and hyperventilating, "P-Plagg!"

Ladynoir and Marichat will follow! Thanks for reading so far and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate!

[miraculous-lbcn]

(Season 2 EP 5) Riposte highlights/summary

OKAY BOI THIS EPISODE WOOOOO WHERE TO BEGIN:

1. Tikki's a D ORABLE LAugH 😭❤️

2. Marinette doing a fencing class(?) joining the fencing club(?) trying out just for that day(?) Either or she's trying and as the class begins she's looking for Adrien who comes up to her(in his helmet so she can't see who came up to her, also can't remember what he says to her with his helmet on) but she replies back with I'm looking for Adrien AND PROCEEDS TO COMPLIMENT HIM AS HER MOUTH JUST KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND B O I WHO DO WE SEE THAT ASKED HER, MR "JUST A FRIEND" AG RESTE WHO ALSO SAYS THANK YOU TO THE COMPLIMENTS

3. Adrien and Marinette talk a bit and then he teaches her how to fence which ofc she's good at bc her Ladybug skills 💯👌🏼(BUT HE TEACHES HER UP CLOSE LIKE HOLDING HER SHOULDERS AND ARMS AND EVERYTHING AAAA)

4. E N T E R KAGAMI, guys she's so badass like holy crap S T E P O N M E P L S

5. She proceeds to fight with Adrien as she wanted to fight the best in the class. And THEY GO OUT HARDCORE. She's so damn on par with him it's insane, it's so cool.

6. Just when they both aim at each other, Marinette the only witness and as it was hard to tell who won,she automatically says Adrien did which Kagami was very upset about (as we learn later on her family(?) are like world champion fencers) this then causes an alums to happen (AGAIN SOMETHING WITH MARI AND AKUMAS, SHE DIDNT DO ANYTHING WRONG BUT JUST WHY MAKE IT THIS WAY?)

7. Before Kagami gets into the car Adrien run after her (asking for a rematch? Possibly feeling bad about who won and such. Idk my French isn't good so I'm just assuming rn) and Kagami finally proceeds to take off the helmet AND B O I DOES ADRIEN FKING AGRESTE HAVE A T Y P E. THE BACKGROUND THEY USED WHEN HIM AND MARI WERE DANCING WAS THE SAME WHEN HE WAS LOOKING AT KAGAMI (cue all the love square fans crying)

7. She goes on to say no or something? And Adrien goes after her in his car as she's going away in her car AND MARI SEES AN AKUMA GOING AFTER THEM AND TRANSFORMS WOOOOO

8. Riposte appears and BOI CAN SHE SLICE AND I MEAN IT WHEN I SAY S L I C E. Poor Adrien caught off guard. (POOR GORILLA TOO I HOPE HES OKAY) AND HAWKMOTH ACTUALLY TRYING TO STEER RIPOSTE AWAY FROM HURTING ADRIEN (GOOD ON YOU SIR BUT STILL DOESNT MAKE UP FOR ALL THE EVIL INSIDE YOU)

9. FINALLY LADYBUG TO THE RESCUEEE AAAAA she fights riposte for a bit and Adrien throws her the sword (Kagami's sword she used to fight earlier with him) And riposte just knocks the sword right off her hand and she's left on the ground with Riposte about to attack her WHEN ADREN SWOOPS IN LIKE THE KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR (literally in fencing gear) AND SAVES LADYBUG BY PUSHING HER OUT THE WAY ONLY FOR HIM TO LAND ON TOP OF HER AND SHES STARING UP AT HIM ( S Q U E A L S - cue LADRIEN AAAAA)

10. In the process of him saving her though HE HURTS HIS ANKLE OH NO MY PRECIOUS BOY. Then Ladybug has to take him to safety and proceeds to grab him by the waist automatically and she blushes after she realizes and proceeds to head away (CARRYING HIM PRINCESS/BRIDAL STYLE, like girl you strong)

11. She talks to Adrien for a bit asking if he's okay and then the battle continues between the two and such AND THANK GOD THE CAT LIVES PLAGG IS ALIVE AND HEATHY I NEED MORE HIM ON THE SCREEN PLEASE

12. Just as Adriens about to transform Ladybug hold riposte off for a bit and gets Adrien out of there before they could be found. They head to the Louvre and she hides him inside the mummy tomb that Alya has been in previously.

13. CUE LADRIEN AGAIN (M Y H E A R T) after she closes the tomb on him LADYBUG PROCEEDS TO KISS THE TOMBSTONE LIKE AAAAAHHHHHHH THE FEELS ARE REAL LADRIEN HAS CLEARED MY PORES AND CLEANSED MY FACE. (Plus she looked like so fond? Happy? EVERYTHING GOOD??! doing that kiss AHHH

14. Battle continues and Adrien transforms really quickly (as now we see confirmation although Astruc confirmed for us too, but now we have physical evidence) and as he transforms his ankle/leg injury is still there and hurts him a lot (poor bb) ALSO LADYBUG NOTICES HIS PAIN AND WORRIES FOR HIM (I wonder if she even remotely thought of Adrien and Chat for a second there too)

15. Battle proceeds and such with the help of Chat AND THEN RIPOSTE AND LADYBUG GET STUCK AT THE MUMMY TOMB SHE HID ADRIEN AND RIPOSTE GOES TO SLICE IT AND YOU HEAR LADYBUG SCREAMING THE SADDEST NOOO (like she did in VOLPINA) GOD IT WAS SUCH A SAD NOO BUT WAS SURPRISED WHEN HE WASN'T INSIDE (thank god)

16. Battle continues, lucky charm happens and with the help of Chat and his belt, they save the day YAS

17. Once Kagami's back to normal Ladybug helps Kagami out and asks if she's okay and such, meanwhile Chat has to go away and detransform and he does nearby so he could explain to Ladybug later what happened.

18. Onc eKagami is outside LADRIEN START TALKING and she asks if he's okay and he explains his side of the story and such and god they're so awkward and cute and adorkable and it felt like Adrien wanted to say more but didn't and UGH CUTE.

19. Ladybug then tells him it's a good idea to give Kagami her sword back so he takes it and she has to go and deteansform. Before she leaves she waves and say bye to Adrien then turns around and goes AND THEN ADRIEN FKING AGRESTE SMILES AND BLOWS A KISS TOWARSS HER DIRECTION (SOMEONE GET A GIF OF THE TWO KISSES SIDE BY SIDE SOON PLEASE) LIKE AHHHHHH LADRIEN FEELS ARE SO STRONG MY GOD.

20. Adrien goes outside and talks to Kagami and idk my French is bad but rematch will happen and a fair one this time too? He explains stuff about Marinette and how it was an accident and such and he tries to defend her bc "just a friend" agreste. Kagami asks him if he likes Marinette AND "JUST A FRIEND" Agreste says QUOTE ON QUOTE "she's just a friend" (meanwhile Marinette is hidden behind listening to all of this and gets sad by the fact she's only considered a friend)

21. Adrien and Kagami shake hands and say bye and he asks her name which she then proceeds to say Kagami. She leaves and Adrien has like a really sweet smile (idk possibly fond?) but it was a smile. (Cue love square fanatics tears)

22. Like said previously Marinette is sad by "just a friend" Agreste AND THANK GOD FOR TIKKI SHE CHEERS HER UP WHAT A CUTIE UGH. We all need a Tikki in our lives. Thankfully she cheered Marinette up and the episode ends as so with a shot of Adrien and Marinette on one side with Kagami in the middle

ALRIGHTY THERE YOU HAVE IT FOLKS. A HUGE ROUND OF APPLAUSE AND A VERY EXTREMLY WARM AND SINCERE THANKS TO ASTRUC AND HIS TEAM YET AGAIN FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF THRILLS AND EXCITEMENT AND A LITTLE BIT MORE (LOVE) SPICE 👌🏼💯😭 BEST TEAM EVER THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO HARD, IT REALLY SHOWS IN THIS SHOW HOW MUCH EFFORT THEY PUT IN AND I'M SO HAPPY THE WAIT WAS WORTH IT. THANK YOU AGAIN ASTRUC AND HIS TEAM FOR ANOTHER NIGHT OF STAYING UP LATE FOR EXCITING NEW EPISODES! Can't wait for how the rest of the season will play out!!

***ALSO: feel free to add onto anything I missed!! (It's like 2:30 am as I'm writing this so I'm sure I was bound to have missed a detail or more)***

(Side note: I'll probably continue to post these types of things for future episodes)

[baneismydragon]

"I can't do this" for Ladrien?

OMG! Look at what I am finally getting back around to finishing!!! (You guys thought I had given up hadn’t you. Mwahahahaha. Be prepared for all the prompt responses. I will finish them all! 

Anyways- here is some Ladrien ^_~ 

It was a surreal experience to be sitting next to Ladybug on the upper ledge of Notre Dame, staring out at the Sunset.

Not the sitting part itself- they did that at least once a week in this very spot, (her favorite). No, the surreal part was that it wasn’t Chat Noir, hero to the helpless and Catsanova extraordinaire- (her words),  but regular old Adrien Agreste, sitting together with her, at their spot, trying to pretend that he wasn’t having to use every ounce of restraint not to fall into usual habits and give himself away.

Something was clearly wrong. She was too quiet. Her usual spark seemed to be dampened by whatever was troubling her.

If he were transformed he would probably be curled up in her lap, letting her fuss with his hair while he told terrible jokes that always managed to pull a smile from her, no matter how hard she tried to bite it back.

As Adrien however, he simple had to wait.

“You’re probably wondering why I brought you up here,” she said softly.

He nodded, not fully trusting himself to speak.

“I needed to talk to someone about things, and even though I know we don’t know each other very well, I feel like I can trust you. Can I trust you?” She turned to look at him, her eyes wide and full of a sort of longing that made him feel humbled.

“Of course,” he said, his voice more raspy than he intended, “anything you need.”

She smiled, though it seemed a little forced and turned to look back out at the fading sunset. Still at a loss as to what exactly he was supposed to do, Adrien reached up and patted her gingerly on the top of her head. Ladybug froze at the touch, and Adrien briefly considered just jumping off the edge of the roof and putting himself out of his socially awkward misery.

To his absolute amazement, Ladybug crumpled- wrapping her arms around his waist and clinging to him as if her life depended upon it.

She had done this once or twice before when he was transformed, but usually only after a particularly brutal fight.

“Ladybug?” he asked, his arms instinctively coming up to hold her, his hands rubbing comforting circles against her back.

“It’s too much,” she sobbed. “I know that I should be able to handle it, but sometimes it’s just too much. I feel like I am being pulling in so many directions that I can’t even keep anything straight anymore. I’m pushing away my friends and I am disappointing my parents and I can’t even tell them why. And I know that it matters, what I do as Ladybug matters, and I wouldn’t change that for anything, but sometimes…” she trailed off with a sniffle.

Adrien held her tighter. He knew exactly what she was going through. In a rare bit of luck his overcrowded schedule and familial neglect had actually made it fairly easy to manage his constant disappearances, but he knew how hard and how lonely it could be. He certainly hadn’t had the ability to manage more than a handful of friends, and even then he was convinced that Nino was a saint for putting up with him. He could only imagine how hard it must be on his Lady, who surely had dozens of people who adored her.

“Have you tried talking with Chat about any of this?” he asked cautiously. “I mean… I would think he would be in a better position to understand than… me.”

Ladybug let out a soft broken laugh. “Yes Chat would understand. He would listen, and he would make me feel better, and then he would try to fix it. He would try to take everything on himself so that I wouldn’t have be hurt. And even though he doesn’t say anything, I know he has it just as bad as I do. Sometimes I think maybe it’s worse. I get the feeling sometimes that his homelife isn’t a very happy one.”

Adrien didn’t say anything. Her analysis was actually pretty spot on.

“I don’t need someone to fix things for me. Nothing that I am saying is end of the world stuff… tomorrow none of it will seem as bad, I know that. I just needed someone to listen.”

“Well I am always happy to help,” Adrien said, “if you ever need someone, you can always just knock on my window or something. I don’t get out too much these days.”

“I don’t know if listening to me cry about my problems is much of an improvement,” she said shyly.

“Nonsense. Fresh air, at least as fresh as one gets in the city, and I hear that superhero tears can do wonders for the skin.”

“So I can repay you by assisting in your beauty regime?” Ladybug said looking up at him, her eyes still watery but with a little hint of their normal sparkle.

“Hey, you can’t be too careful in my line of work.”

“Explains why I’ve heard tales of your thrice daily showers,” Ladybug laughed.

“Right,” Adrien replied, forcing a laugh of his own and once again cursing his inability to come up with less inane excuses.

“Thank you for listening to me,” she said shyly, her arms still wrapped lightly around him as she looked up at him with an expression that Adrien refused to name, because there was no way that she was looking at him with something like adoration.

“Of-of course,” he stuttered, “I always want to listen to you.” He felt his face flush but it was worth it as her face lit up with a dazzling smile.

For a few minutes they just sat there, staring at each other, neither daring to move for fear of breaking whatever spell they were caught in.

“Well I should-”

“Don’t go,” he interrupted. He heard her soft gasp of surprise. “I mean you can but… you don’t have to for my sake,” he babbled. “As far as I am concerned we can stay her as long as you want. I always want to spend time with you. I honestly can’t think of a time that I don’t want to spend with you, although that might sound kind of creepy, but I think you get the-”

And that was when her lips met his.

It was perfect. It was everything Adrien had ever imagined it to be. He lifted a trembling hand to her cheek, tilting his head slightly for a better angle and she seemed to melt into him.

His eyes drifted closed and his head swam as his blood pounded in his veins, a steady rhythm of her, her, her! He heard her sigh against his lips and it was like his whole body caught fire. He felt a slight pressure of her tongue against his mouth and he happily relaxed his jaw to give her access, the kiss deepening as their tongues danced and explored.

This just as suddenly she pulled away with a horrified squeak.

“I can’t do this!” she wailed. “What was I even thinking?”

“I really don’t mind,” Adrien said before he could stop himself.

“You should mind!” she cried, pulling away from him and crossing her arms around her stomach as if to restrain herself, “I am a stranger to you! I pretty much literally plucked you up off the street and carried you away for my own selfish benefit! Maybe I am a hero but I am also just some girl behind a mask who dragged you into her problems.”

Once again Adrien had to hold back the instinct to yell out that she was no stranger to him. She was his partner, his best friends. So what if he didn’t know her name, he knew her. He knew her better than he knew himself. But this wasn’t about him. This wasn’t the time for grand reveals or confessions of undying love. So he bit his lip and held his silence, though he couldn’t resist the need to catch her hand in his own, lacing their fingers together in a sign of support.

“We can’t be together like this,” she said, even though her voice sounded more disappointed than certain.

Somehow he knew that his whole world was riding on this answer. It was the same feeling that had told him to shut the closet door all those months ago.

He just prayed that he was wasn’t about to completely screw this up.

“You’re probably right,” he said, and his heart lurched when he saw her shoulders drop slightly at his words. He pressed on anyways. “Being a superhero is… complicated. As cool as it would be to brag to my friends about my secret girlfriend Ladybug, it wouldn’t be fair to either of us.  But you know what is just as amazing to think about?”

“What?”

“Sometimes when I am bored, which actually is quite a lot of the time, seeing as photoshoots aren’t really all that mentally challenging, I like to imagine that I am out walking around the city. And while I am out I happen to run into a girl.”

“Any particular girl?” she says, with a faint trace of disappointment that confirms his suspicion that he has met her before. He can beat himself up over that later.

“No, not really,” he says instead. He holds back a smile when he sees her start in surprise. “But she’ll be cute and she’ll be kind, and she won’t mind that I am socially inept and kind of a nerd when it comes right down to it. And she’ll roll her eyes at my stupid jokes and tell me all about her hopes and dreams, because of course she isn’t just some empty headed celebutante.”

He heard Ladybug let out a soft snort.

“Anyways, we’ll talk for hours, and I’ll see that she is brave, and loyal, and probably a little bit crazy.”

“Hey!”

“Well all girls are kinda crazy.”

“Again, Hey!”

“Don’t worry, none of you have anything on my friend Alya. Anyways, I’ll be talking to this girl- just a normal, everyday girl, and she’ll ask me- ‘Hey, do you want to go get some Chinese?’”

“Chinese?”

“I like Chinese food. Been craving it for weeks but Father doesn’t care for it.”

“Your romantic daydream is for someone to take you out for Chinese?”

For the first time since he had started talking, Adrien turned and looked at Ladybug. He reached out and caught her hand in his own and he heard her catch her breath.

“As amazing as you are, as many times as you have saved this city with your incredible powers, and as ridiculously attractive as you manage to make polka dotted spandex look, when I say I would date you, it’s not because I am looking to date a superhero. I just want someone who is smart, and kind, and funny, who wants to go with me to get some Chinese food. Because they would remind me of you, and that’s the highest recommendation I could think of.”

“How do you know I like Chinese food?” she asked, her eyes shining.

Adrien let out a breath that he didn’t even realize he had been holding. He hadn’t screwed everything up.

“Well if you don’t, then I am afraid our romance was already doomed anyways,” he smiled.

___

“You are a world class sap, do you know that?” Plagg grumbled 20 minutes later as they walked out of his favorite cheese shop. “It would have taken next to no effort to talk the girl into some sort of secret rendezvous and then I could have been spared your endless sighing.”

“You know Plagg, if I didn’t know better, I would say that you were proud of me,” Adrien said, still floating on cloud nine from the brilliant smile and breathy ‘see you around, Adrien’ that Ladybug had given him after swinging them both down off the roof of Notre Dame. She had offered to take him back home, but he figured it would be a little difficult to explain why he was trying to sneak back in through the window.

Plagg simply huffed, curling up in Adrien’s jacket pocket and munching on his newly acquired treat.  

Adrien glanced at the sky, almost dark now in the last fading stretch of twilight, but he was loathed to make the journey back to his empty home. Father and Nathalie wouldn’t be back from the office until close to midnight, so he had plenty of time before anyone would think to notice his absence. He had enough practice avoiding the security cameras, after all.

He pulled out his phone, hoping maybe Nino would be free for a few hours of video games, when he saw a disheveled whirlwind of pink tearing determinedly down sidewalk in the opposite direction.

“Marinette?” he called out, stifling a laugh as she skidded to a stop, pirouetting like a ballet dancer to face him, her eyes wide in surprise.  

“Adrien? I thought you were going… I mean, um… Hi,” she blushed and waved before thrusting her hand behind her back, as if mortified by the gesture.

“Hi,” he smiled, trying not to laugh at her endearing awkwardness. It really was ridiculously cute. “How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you since…”

“Good, I’ve been good.”

“That’s good.”

“I miss you. I mean, we miss you, the class. It’s been different with you gone. Nino especially obviously, but we all do. And me,” she added, looking him in the eye even as her cheeks flamed, “I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” Adrien said, ignoring the slight wetness he could feel teasing at the corner of his eyes.

Marinette smiled, her hands clenched behind her back, and for a few moments they just started at each other, enjoying the company but neither knowing exactly what to say.

“Well,” Adrien said, when the silence had stretched from comfortable to slightly awkward, “I was about to send a text to-”

“Adrien,” Marinette interrupted, startling him into silence again, “I know we don’t know each other all that well but I was wondering… that is… I would love to get to know you more, so if you are up for it, do you want to maybe…” she bit her lip nervously and Adrien could feel his skin tingle in anticipation of… something. “Do you want to go to dinner with me?” she asked with a hesitant smile.

“You want to go to dinner? With me?” Adrien asked, his mind screaming that he was missing something important. The fact that he could feel Plagg shaking in his pocket wasn’t helping his sense of foreboding.

She nodded.

“Yeah, sure, I’d love to” he agreed, his own cheeks flushing slightly at the starry eyed smile she gave at his answer. “Where would you like to go?”

Marinette slipped her arm through his and they began walking, her head turning slightly to look out at the city.

“You know,” she said, “I think I’m in the mood for Chinese.”

Adrien tripped.