Chapter Text
Rain patters down on the sidewalk as Adrien rushes towards a place to hide. It just had to be another storm based akuma, it just HAD to be. He slips into an alleyway opening his jacket to let Plagg out, “Come on Plagg, eat faster we don’t have time.” Adrien says, peeking his head out to see a few cars sliding down the watery road. “Jeez, what is she trying to do flood Paris?” Adrien retorts, hiding in the alley again. Adrien tries to shake off some water and looks to his kwami only to see Plagg slowly putting the cheese near his mouth . Adrien’s face drops into a “ really ?” look.
“Why are you looking at me that way?” Plagg says pulling the cheese away from his mouth.
“I’ve seen you swallow cheese bigger than that whole! Just stuff it in your face we have to go!” Adrien hisses, grabbing Plagg and putting him in his shirt. A quick glance to the ground makes him notice that the water on the ground was starting to rise…and that his shoes were now wet . With a grumble, he tries to sneak higher up the alley. Hiding behind a dumpster he looks out onto the street where Ladybug was fighting the newest akuma, dodging what seems like every hit .
“She doesn’t look like she needs your help,” Plagg says peeking his head over the top of the dumpster. Adrien again gave him the same “ really ?” look before grabbing him.
“She could’ve seen you,” Adrien hisses, putting Plagg back in his jacket.
“As if you weren’t hoping she would,” Plagg murmurs from the jacket. Adrien rolls his eyes and tries to look back out to see what was happening…where was Ladybug? A thump behind him startled him enough to make him let out a small “eep!” as he turns to see Ladybug behind him.
“Adrien?” she asks quickly , her eyes widened before she grabs him and hid him with her as the akuma on top of a next-door building looks in their direction . “Where is that dumb cat?” she hisses under her breath, looking past Adrien as the akuma jumps away. Adrien broke into a small awkward smile. Did she see him as dumb? He let out a fake laugh as he looks at her. She finally looked back to him and seems to blush a little before quickly getting up. “A...Adrien! What...What are you doing here?” ‘ Apparently being a dumb cat’ he thought with a sigh.
“I was walking from my house when it started storming,” he waves his hand at the sky, “Thanks, Hawkmoth! Another day ruined!” He looks back to her for a second seeing her cover her mouth to try to keep from giggling.
“Well we should get you home then,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. ‘No! Then I’ll have to run back here!’ Adrien thought protesting, while slowly nodding with a smile. She got out her yo-yo and blinks a few times at Adrien.
He’s never seen her face go that red before…
“Is something wrong Ladybug?” he asks softly seeing her bite her lip.
“No...Nothing’s wrong,” she stutters, closing her eyes and waving him over. A soft laugh left him as he walks closer to her. Was she afraid to carry him? It’s not like he was THAT frail, after all, he took more hits for her than anything else. Then again he had to remind himself he wasn’t in costume, and that she had no problem picking him up. She shyly wraps an arm around his waist and hoisting them up onto a roof.
Which was a mistake…
The akuma from before knocks the two over on the roof with a gust of wind sent their way. Ladybug groans as she tries to get up. Adrien went stiff with a smile on his face as she sat up, and turns her head back towards the akuma who was laughing. “This akuma is so annoying!” she hisses.
“Ladybug?” Adrien squeaks out and she looks down at him, “You’re squishing me,” he whispers. She squeaks and jumps up off him.
“I’m so sorry Adrien!”
“It’s okay,” he says as he stands up, “Let’s get this akuma,” he thought over his words before sighing. Why did he always have to slip-up so stupidly ?
“W-Wait we need to get you home.”
“Right,” Adrien mumbles trying to smile, “Let’s uh go to….my house…” He awkwardly put his hand up to point in the direction of his house .
“R...Right,” Ladybug moves closer to him when the akuma yells to them.
“I’m still here you know!” Adrien could clearly see Ladybug roll her eyes. “Come on and fight me Ladybug!”
“I will in a second can’t you see I’m doing something?!” Ladybug hisses waving at Adrien, suddenly he felt like he was caught up in something much more different than a simple akuma attack .
“Is that dude your boyfriend?!” it screams over and both of their faces went red.
“B-Boyfriend?” They had both stuttered simultaneously before looking at each other. Ladybug opens and closes her mouth before looking away shyly . Did… wait did Ladybug like him? Adrien looks confused before the cogs start to turn in his head. She likes him…but she didn’t like him…but she didn’t know he was him or did she? Did she know who he was? Is that why she likes him? No, because that would mean that she would like him but she didn’t like him, but she did like him---
“Adrien are you okay?” Ladybug asks softly putting a hand on his shoulder.
“You like me?” he tests the water, flicking his gaze up to her. “You like…like me?” he waves to himself and if he thought her face couldn’t get redder he was wrong.
“W-What makes you think that?” she squeaks out, rubbing the back of her head.
“Oh my god it’s so obvious,” the akuma groans.
“Nobody asked you!” Ladybug hisses at it before looking back at Adrien.
“So you do like me?” Adrien purses his lips before rubbing his chin. So she likes him…but she didn’t like him? Man, this secret identity thing was hard… How could he even get her to like Chat-or ah him? His head was starting to hurt.
“I-I…” Ladybug looks worried, before taking a deep breath, “Yeah, I do like you,” she murmurs. He blinks a few times at her before looking to the ground.
“I am so confused...” Ladybug looks at him and cocks her head.
“Wait, why are you confused?”
“You like me…but you don’t like me.”
“No, I like you,” Ladybug crosses her arms, “I just like you.”
“So, you like Chat Noir?” Adrien blinks at her, trying to explain the situation at hand.
“No, I like you.”
“See.” Ladybug was looking more confused by the second. She opens and closes her mouth before squinting at Adrien. “See!” he waves his hands, at least he wasn’t the only one confused now. Although it seems like she was more confused about what he was going on about other then what HE was actually confused about .
“Are we going to fight yet or?” Both Adrien and Ladybug looks at the shadow.
“Can’t you see we’re doing something?” they both say in unison.
“Fine.” The akuma grumbles.
“What are you saying, Adrien?” Ladybug whispers, looking from his eyes to back where the akuma was. The thing was starting to get impatient.
“I’m saying you don’t like me, not… not completely Ladybug…” he sighs crossing his arms. All this confusion could have been avoided if Plagg would have hurried up. Ladybug shakes her head.
“Alright, enough of that. Let’s get you home,” Adrien looks at her confused before she picks him up, looking back at the shadow who seems ready to follow . “Let’s go,” she swings her yo-yo and started swinging them in the direction of Adrien’s house. The weather akuma wasn’t far behind them, cackling and chasing after them. Adrien quickly shielded his face from the rain as it starts to pour harder.
“Ladybug don’t you understand what I’m trying to tell you?”
“Other then you think I don’t like you? No, I don’t!” Ladybug swings them into a building before quickly shutting the window. “It’s raining too much out there, I’ll never be able to get you home with it raining like that, will you be safe here?” Ladybug turns back to Adrien, he looks exhausted and annoyed.
“Yeah…I’ll be fine in here,”
“ Maybe I’ll catch you after I defeat this akuma?” she tries to give him a smile, and he returns it.
“Yeah, maybe my lady.” A look of recognition flashes across her face but she says nothing before jumping out of the window.
“Man she is oblivious,” Plagg murmurs when the window slammed shut.
“I tried,” Adrien sighs shaking his head, “Plagg! Claws out!”