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It is a game of seesaw every damn time.
Who holds the conversation longer, who manages to get all on their side, who manages to keep the sides balanced.
It is like Russian roulette with fewer chances of blood, yet keeping a deadly rate.
When it came to business, anything you do can cost you your reputation and as a consequence, your life, because your enterprise is your life.
You need to play your cards right, you need to talk sweet yet have a silver tongue, you have to charm people while making them respect you, staggering on the edge of intimidation.
However, sometimes it doesn’t matter how well you play your cards, sometimes a little whisper starts to run around, flying through the wind, swirling in the whiskey glasses of the people that matter the most and. It. Is. Over.
That’s why Adrien carries himself with nothing but elegance and good manners around every circle he encounters, giving the curious mouths no gossip to feed themselves with. It sounds simple, but when the general public and every magazine in the world is hunting him down trying to know a single crumble of what could be his love life, then it becomes dangerous to do the most simple things.
And that is what is causing him trouble.
If he even dares to look at her, he knows he is putting it all on the line.
That damn girl.
She is every- fucking -where, yet far away in a secure place, kilometers away from him, kilometers that keep him safe from himself.
He is on a table with many other CEOs, acquaintances of sorts that he stumbles with every time there’s an event like this one.
There’s a stage close to their table, two men are playing piano and violin as the dinner takes its place. The first plate is being put on the table and the chitchat of multiple other tables is starting to form its own white noise.
Adrien plays with the fork in front of him, pretending to care about what the man next to him is talking about. He nods and smiles, laughs sometimes, but he isn’t really following the story with interest.
“I can’t wait to see her on stage,” The comment rings on the table and makes him look up, to the rest of the man on the table.
Their eyes are fixed on the decorated platform, and they’re biting their lips with enthusiasm.
Adrien knows who they are waiting for.
How can he not know?
The girl has left the world with wide eyes and an open mouth. She is all the tabloids and even renowned news programs are talking about.
And how can they not talk about her?
She is extremely talented.
The girl can sing, dance, play guitar, and produce; she speaks four languages and is learning her fifth, she has a bubbly charming attitude that captivates hearts but doesn’t come up as an airhead. Mostly because of how opinionated and passionate she is, she speaks eloquently, and yet it is easy to understand everything she says.
She is just… outstanding in the objective sense of the word, of course, and, to be fair, the fact that she was extremely gorgeous only made her even more of a real-life daydream.
She is doing promotions in Paris this month, and because of her celeb status, of course, she is invited to dinner, of course, she is asked to perform.
Everyone wants a little time to admire Ladybug up close.
And when she appears on stage seconds later, she steals everyone’s breathing away with only one smile.
And once she starts singing an moving through the scenery… Adrien has entered into cardiac arrest.
He follows her with cautious temptation.
She is wearing all black with small accents of gold and red, an asymmetrical outfit that shows all that she is and shows on stage.
Her right side is very nice, subtle, put-together. A black t-shirt with a pointed collar that has a small circle with polka dots in glimmering gold and red, by its side, in Chinese, Ladybug is written, the shirt is long, covering half of her thigh.
The other side is the complete opposite. It is extremely revealing, only counting of a lace bralette a small pair of shorts, on top of it, to not look like it is only a set of lingerie, she has a few harnesses “covering”. One as suspenders, another like a belt, and finally two around her tight.
The look is finished with a pair of combat boots, and an extremely long braid, that flaps and moves as a weapon as she dances.
It is the perfect embracing of her persona.
Because, yes, people thought of her as the perfect daydream girl, but also, she was a wet dream ready to make you fall to your knees.
He always felt embarrassed about thinking of her like that.
Her team did do their best to make this too perfect sellable images to stay balanced, so it isn’t surprising that he sees her through that lens. However, listening to other men talk about her… it is sickening.
This woman wasn’t just a beautiful poster girl, that’s only her core, that’s only the glimmering package, and to hear how coworkers, business partners, and the average man on the street would use words so vulgar and basic to describe her... it makes him irk.
His hands turn into fists and his mouth runs dry, the rotting sensation it produces on him to hear people talk that way of her it’s rather odd. He is nothing to her, and she should be nothing to him. Nothing but a girl idol, a girl with an image and a following that he could use to his brand advantage.
And yet he saw more than that, so much more.
Adrien tries his best to relax again, to brush the words away, to not focus on the way they are drooling over her.
So, his eyes fall on her one more time.
She hits the highest note of her presentation, her arm goes up as she swirls on the stage, her hips rotating in a soft and elegant dance as she starts to walk to her final position.
And she ends with a bang.
Her eyes narrow in a lethal look and she half-smiles with confidence, knowing she gave a blast of a show.
Her eyes screen across the room and suddenly they are on him. He goes stiff, he digs his fingers on his leg, gripping the fabric of his pants.
Ladybug’s mouth opens as she lets out a gasp and her cheeks receive the most adorable and sexy blush.
This is a sentence of death.
He gulps and turns around back to the table, taking his glass of wine and drinking it in one sip.
“Pretty good performance, uh?” The words ring on his ear, louder than the music, and Adrien jumps startled, almost falling off his chair.
The only thing that saves him is the same men that caused the chaos.
Nino laughs and hits his shoulder.
“ Asshole,” Adrien mumbles between clenched teeth and puts his glass back on the table. “I’m fine,” He waves his hand at the only man on the table who dared to take his eyes off the beautiful singer.
“Are you sure you are fine? I feel like your blood pressure might be up, are you gonna get a nose bleed?” Nino nudges his shoulder and drags a chair to sit beside him.
Adrien shakes his head amusedly. He might be teasing him, but Adrien is glad that he is here. A friend at least.
“Where have you been? I didn’t see you before.”
“Came here late, I didn’t wanna suck up to all these people,” Nino rolls his eyes.
“I wish I could avoid that,” Adrien whispers at him.
Nino squeezes his shoulder and then leans forward to steal a bite of his plate.
He doesn’t get to keep eating because people start to stand up from their tables and create conversation groups.
Both friends sigh and follow the lead of the people, even if they wished they could be out of here.
“We should just get out of here,” Adrien whispers again, “Pizza and video games sounds like a much more entertaining plan, don’t you think?”
“I have to agree, however, pizza and video games do not include her. ”
Nino takes Adrien's jaw and turns his face to their right, where he is able to see what his friend is talking about.
Ladybug is only two tables away.
He watches her as she talks to the people between laughs and polite touches on her shoulder.
Then she swirls, her braid moves swiftly and he doesn’t have the time to take his sight out of her when she has caught him.
Adrien trembles and takes one step backward as a reflex, but as much as he would want to, he can’t just disappear.
Not with people around him, it would be way too obvious.
Adrien pretends he is listening to the men at their side because it is better to do that than to completely lose himself on the girl.
Ladybug waves at the group she was at and starts to walk away.
“ Oh, no ,” Adrien whispers and thankfully only Nino is able to hear him.
He knows because Nino laughs at his side and turns around towards her direction.
Ladybug approaches them with a sweet yet confident smile.
She looks the same as she did on the stage, the only change is her shoes. The combat boots have been replaced for high knee heeled black boots, yet she can just barely get to his shoulder.
“Hi, Nino!” She says enthusiastically and gives his best friend a hug.
Adrien feels a sudden tug of his heartstrings.
“Good evening, Mr. Agreste,” It rolls off her tongue as melodic as a song.
It isn’t the first time they’ve met, there had been other opportunities across the globe.
Five to be precise.
Not that he is counting, but he remembers every encounter with fiery detail, sensations, and throbbing hearts are hard to forget.
“Good evening, Miss Ladybug,” He answers with a cordial smile, even if his insides are boiling just by focusing on her.
She is breathtaking, and he allows himself to look cautiously to all that is her.
Blue hair and sapphire blue eyes. These are fake , he has already figured it out, and it is so inciting to know that there’s a mystery to be discovered.
Her rosy cheeks and nose are splattered with freckles, which he still can’t decide if are makeup or not, or if those are the reason behind her stage name.
His pouty red mouth moves slowly and he can’t keep his eyes away from it, yet he can’t process anything she is saying.
“I didn’t know you guys knew each other!” Nino exclaims and wraps an arm around Adrien, shaking him a little.
This, of course, is a lie. Nino has heard enough about Ladybug from Adrien to get messages talking about her, calling her his girlfriend and madame Agreste .
“Oh, we have collided in a few events here and there,” Ladybug smiles and plays with a loose piece of hair, “I didn’t know you guys were friends.”
“We met at one of Adrien’s dad shows when we were teenagers and we’ve been inseparable ever since, tho we keep it very low profile, busy lives and all.”
“Annoying paparazzi and gossip blogs, you mean,” Ladybug laughs and it chimes like wind bells.
She looks beautiful when she laughs.
“The most annoying people to ever exist,” Nino grunts but quickly turns back to laughing, “By the way, you were great on stage! Adrien and I were just talking about how amazing it was.”
Is that embarrassing? Is that too much?
Adrien nods nonetheless.
“Oh, I’m happy you liked it, I was a little nervous.”
“We could have never been able to tell, you were wonderful,” Adrien says, a little bit fast.
Ladybug smiles and looks down, red stains her cheeks.
“It was just another day in business,” She giggles, “I’m glad you guys enjoyed it. I tend to have less… how to say it? A less uptight public? Younger too.”
Nino laughs. Adrien just smiles at her.
“Happens to me all the time,” Nino says and puts one arm around Ladybug’s shoulders, “But don’t worry, everyone loved it. No one could keep their eyes out of you.”
Something changes on her expression, it turns gloomier on a single second.
“Yeah, I don’t think that had anything to do with the presentation,” She sighs and she looks behind them, the spark on her eyes has completely disappeared.
“You’re beautiful to look at,” Adrien says, “But that’s not what makes your presence on stage shine, it is your passion, the way you carry yourself, the elegance of your moves, the melodic voice you’re able to pull off so effortlessly no matter how much you’re moving on stage. You’re talented and hard-working, it shows.”
The room is loud but it feels as if everything has gone quiet because the passion in his words is deafening.
Ladybug looks up and her eyes are once again shining, they’re like the front window of a fancy store on Christmas season.
“Thank you… that was… thank you so much,” She whispers and sighs.
Her mouth is open in surprise and her sight is gentle. Adrien smiles back at her, wishing he could do more than that.
He wants to hold her, and he doesn’t know why. Why does he feel so pulled towards her?
There are a thousand beautiful and smart girls on the circles he moves, but there’s something about her that makes her stand out.
His heart has chosen her, and yet it is obvious that it doesn’t know that this decision means shattering.
“Well, sadly I have matters to attend, if not I would stay around,” She smiles with shyness at him.
“But we are gonna see each other at the after-party, right?” Nino asks, he is chill and half-smiling at Adrien.
“I wasn’t aware there was one! It would be lovely but my team is very busy and tired, I wouldn’t want them to stay up just for me-
“You can ride with Adrien!”
“What? ” He chirps, out of breath, surprised.
“Yeah,” Once again he is taken by his shoulders and shaken, “He is all alone in his car, he has room for one more.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” She says but there’s something on her eyes that tells him that she wants to go with him.
“You are not,” He says, worried that she might think he doesn’t want to take her. It’s not that, it’s the surprise of what Nino said, it is what they can say, “We can meet outside once this is over. I’ll wait for you.”
“Thank you.” Her smile is big and genuine, “I’ll see you later then.”
When she turns around his heart makes a pirouette. Then he looks at Nino who is grinning at him.
“ I’m gonna kill you. ”
xx
To not cause a scandal, Nino is the one who leads Ladybug to Adrien’s car, with him inside but hidden from the cameras that are aiming at the beautiful singer with tinted windows, and a hand over his face.
“Thank you so much for offering me to ride with you,” Ladybug says, all polite, all proper once she is inside.
He smiles. He has seen her snap on interviews, so he knows she is not this sweet all the time. It is endearing.
“It is no problem,” He fidgets and leans back on the seat, “Is this your first time going to one of these after-parties?”
“Not first but I don’t tend to go to many of them. It’s not very good for my image,” She says the last part mockingly as she rolls her eyes.
It makes Adrien laugh.
“Western stars don’t seem to be very focused on that, tho,” He adds.
“Yeah, but the ‘idol world’ is different, it is changing, but it still has a lot of rules. I sometimes have it easier, I’m Chinese but I’m also French, my company uses it whenever is needed, like when I am ‘too opinionated’.”
“That must suck,” He brushes his bangs and allows himself to move a little further to her, but still keeping a respectable distance, “I like your opinions and when you stand up for yourself on interviews… I’m glad you’re allowed to do it.”
“You like my opinions?” She laughs and looks to the side, hand covering her mouth.
“Yes, you are incredibly smart, and funny too!”
“Funny? I haven’t heard that in a while. It’s easier to be funny in French and Mandarin, but… well, living in Korea and all, I don’t tend to be funny because my Korean is still shaky.”
“Well, I love your way with words, I’m a big fan of puns myself so-
“Oh my god, are you kidding me? Mr. Agreste likes puns? This is one of the funniest things ever,” She laughs loudly, throwing her head back and putting one hand above her tummy.
“Is it, really?” He asks amused and a little bit embarrassed.
“Yes! You look so serious and mysterious all the time. I would have never guessed.”
They smile at each other, shining with the afterglow that only a good season of laughing can have.
Her song plays on the radio, calling their attention towards something else that is not each other’s eyes.
She chuckles but it’s not joyful when she rolls her eyes and crosses her arms in front of her chest, he confirms her mood is not on the specter of happiness.
“You don’t like to listen to yourself on the radio?” He asks, curious, and wondering if he can tease her with it.
“Nah, that’s not is just… this song,” She mumbles.
“You don’t like the song?”
“Do you?”
“I know it on the piano,” He gives that as answer enough, even if he is a bit embarrassed about the revelation.
“On the piano?” She perks up.
Her hands fall on the middle of the seat and she leans forward
Adrien straightens up and feels overwhelmed with the sudden nearness.
“Yes,” He nods. He fixes the collar of his shirt, suddenly it is harder to breathe, “It doesn’t sound exactly the same, I’ve taken some artistic liberties I… not that yours wasn’t good, is just, the lyrics are lovely and well, I thought it would sound so much better if it was a tad slower and-” He shuts his mouth.
Would that offend her? She just let know she wasn’t much of a fan of the song.
“Would you show me?”
“Wha- why? Me? I mean… what?!”
She laughs, covering her mouth.
“I want to hear that ‘artistic liberty’. If you don’t mind of course, if you are not comfortable-”
“I am, I’m totally comfortable!” No, no he isn’t! But somehow he can’t say no. She looks so excited.
Adrien clears his throat and then presses a button on his side.
The screen between seats goes down.
“Simón,”
“Sir.”
“Change of plans. Take us home.”
His driver nods and he lifts the screen again.
He turns around and watches her amused smile and crooked brow, making him realize what he just said, and what it might imply.
He knows he just turned as red as her lipstick.
“Oh fuck, no! I didn’t mean it like that, I mean you don’t have to, we can go somewhere else, is just that I have a piano and that was my first instinct.”
She giggles and her nose crinkles.
Her finger touches his lips, shutting him up.
“You’re adorable. It’s really no problem, don’t worry. We just don’t have to be seen to not cause rumors. We both know why we are really there, right?”
“ Right. ” He nods.
Adrien looks up, allowing himself to study her face carefully.
She looks so determined, so confident, and yet… her cheeks are the reddest thing he has ever seen. Her lower lip is shaken a little too.
She is nervous.
He is not the only one affected by their interactions.
Adrien doesn’t know if it’s good to know this or if it just made things harder on him.
xx
When they arrive, Adrien does his best to ignore the perplexed look on his doorman’s face.
Ladybug doesn’t seem to mind, walking towards the elevator while making happy conversation.
She talks quite a lot, she giggles and jumps from a subject to another, sometimes it is hard to follow her and she stutters every now and then, but it’s probably because of how fast she talks and the confusion she sometimes can have between all the languages she knows.
Nonetheless, she is utterly charming.
“I didn’t know there were lifts in this part of the town!” Ladybug says touching the golden doors of the lift door.
“It’s relatively new,” Adrien explains and presses the button with his floor number.
“Before my family and I moved to Shanghai we lived in an apartment on top of a bakery, it was the cutest place but it had so many stairs,” She whines and cups her cheeks with her hands.
“That sounds incredible. I love sweets and baked goods, I would have been there all the time,” He laughs, “Well, my dietist and father wouldn’t have let me, but one can dream.”
“Right, you were a model when you were young,” She says chirpily, “I had no idea, Nino told me tonight. That must have been hard.”
“A little. Not harder than what you have to go through, tho,” He says and the doors of the lift open.
Adrien takes one step backward and extends his arm, offering her to walk out first as he holds it open.
Ladybug smiles and gives a little nod as she goes out and steps right into Adrien’s apartment.
It is dark and quiet, and she shines like a ship in the night. It’s dim, but nonetheless, the brightest shape in there.
He walks towards the closest outlet and turns on a few lights.
Suddenly, she laughs.
“I would never imagine this in a French household,” Ladybug points out at the shoe-station on the hall. A rack with Adrien’s most used shoes is there, beside another with sleepers.
“I’ve watched a lot of anime…" He whispers, embarrassed of how that can come across, "-and it seemed like a good idea to have a cleaner home.”
“A very nice idea.” She starts to unlace the strings of her black boots.
Adrien offers his hand to help her keep balance as she does it.
The small touch sends an electric shock through his body. Her hands are soft and warm, and he can’t help but give a little squeeze.
Once the high heel boots are off, she decreases several centimeters.
She barely gets to his chest now.
Fuck.
Ladybug takes one of the guest sleepers and starts walking to the open room.
Adrien follows her as she moves through the place as if it was her.
“Your place is lovely.”
“Thank you,” He answers and walks to stand close to her, “Do you want anything to drink?”
“What do you have?” She asks and crooks a brow at him.
“Anything you want,” He shrugs and walks towards the mini bar car he has next to the piano.
He hears her jumping steps following his own.
“Everything is so elegant and organized,” Ladybug whispers, “I think the piano is the prettiest thing.”
Adrien picks up a bottle of rum and opens it. He watches as she touches the exterior border of the soundboard piano with her fingertips.
“It is custom made,” Adrien explains, “I wanted it to be dark but not the usual black piano, so this is made of wood with a dark coat of paint, it also has some beautiful carved decorations.”
“It’s gorgeous,” Ladybug gasps.
“Strawberry or mint?” Adrien asks, picking up more bottles for the drink he is preparing.
“Mmm…” She taps a finger on top of her lips, “Do I have to choose?”
“Not at all.”
He pours the liquids on the mixer, gives it a shake, and then pours it on her glass. Putting a few leaves of mint and a small pink mixer to end up the drink.
“Here you have, my lady,” He says giving him the red-tinted drink.
Ladybug accepts it with a smile and gives it a sip.
“Mm! this doesn’t taste like alcohol at all!”
“That’s the best kind of alcoholic beverage,” Adrien laughs.
“It totally is, but that’s not something I hear from adult men that often. How old are you again?” She asks teasingly.
“Fragile masculinity makes people do crazy things,” He makes her laugh, “I’m turning twenty-five in a month.”
“Wow.”
“What?”
“It’s hard to know how old you really are. You’re older and younger all at the same time.”
“Am I really?”
“Yes. It is so different how you behave in public and… here.”
“Don’t we all do the same?”
“Yes, but I think I still fall on the twenty-two mark.”
“Is there a mark for twenty-two? It sounds like such an odd age, I mean what makes it so special?”
“What do you mean? You can sing 22 by Taylor Swift! Tell me how that’s not something big enough to mark an age number.”
Adrien laughs, almost dropping his glass from his hand.
“What? I’m being serious!”
He pinches the bridge of his nose and gets closer to her as he keeps laughing. His hand drops on her shoulder and he strokes his finger on her skin.
“Yes, yes. I’m sorry, my bad. You’re totally right, I don’t know how I could forget about such a legendary moment in life.”
“Are you making fun of me?” She furrows her brows and pouts.
“I would never!”
“Sure thing,” She huffs and swirls theatrically, her long braid snapping like a whip. It’s confusingly hot.
Ladybug walks with her head high, pretending to be angry but Adrien can see the hidden smile on her lips.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know how I could do such thing,” He puts one hand against his heart dramatically. After this small interchange, it is easier to follow this flirting vibe they are having.
With her here, so eager to talk to him, and happy to be here. He doesn’t feel so nervous anymore.
“Is there a way you can forgive me?”
“You could show me your talent, what we came here for?” She crosses her hands in front of her chest.
Adrien leaves his empty glass on the bar and goes next to her, putting one hand on her lower back.
Ladybug perks up and gasps, turning to look at him.
“Sit down, please, my lady.”
Ladybug half-smiles and bites her lower lip.
She sits on the stool and grunts.
“Everything alright?” Adrien asks worriedly. The change of expression was so sudden.
“Yeah, don’t worry, is just this harness and shirt,” She explains, “They’re cute and all but after hours of having them on they’re just extremely uncomfortable and I wouldn’t be surprised if I have bruises and scratches once I take them off.”
“Uh? That shouldn’t have to happen, how tight did they wrap them on you?”
“Quite tight, enough for them not to fall on stage but still let me dance… not comfortably, but well.”
She fidgets with it, struggling to unwrap the clasp.
“Do you need help?”
“That would be nice, thanks.”
The innocent offer turns into something quite scandalous when he realizes what he is doing.
His jaw drops at the realization of the words he said.
He has been dreading this beautiful outfit, it just accents her beauty and he was unable to look away.
Adrien goes down in one knee and approaches the bench. His hand drops on her knee and he pushes softly, making her shift so he can help her better.
Ladybug looks at him with big wide eyes as he grabs his hand around her heel and bends her leg a little, then getting to the clasps and strings of the harness.
It might have been a hard job for Ladybug to take them off, but Adrien does it in a quick and swift move.
“Done,” He says, pulling them away and throwing them to the fluffy carpet behind him.
Adrien maintains his hands on her leg, seeing if there is any damage, which there is.
A few purple marks have appeared on her fair skin.
Without any self-control, he draws a line on top of one mark.
“Your team needs to take some lessons on how to wrap harnesses, this was way too tight.”
"I think they do it like that so it won't fall while I dance."
“I own a fashion brand, I know there are better ways to wrap it. Let them know,” He says, trying to have the numbest tone of voice, not giving himself away of how angry it makes him that they have been hurting her, even if it could be a mere mistake.
“Right… well, thank you so much, Adrien.”
“Any time.”
And really, any time. That flutter touch had been enough to send an electric shock to his hear, making it beat faster.
“Let’s get down to business now,” He stands up and Ladybug makes him place in the bench to sit.
He places his hand on top of the cold keys and gives one quick glimpse at her.
Ladybug nods thrilled.
And he starts.
He doesn’t begin with her song immediately, letting her hear a few piano melodies by known composers. She gently rocks her body from side to side and closes her eyes as he plays.
Adrien can’t ignore the scorching sensation inside his heart and lets a smile be plastered on his face.
Then, once she is completely immersed in the music, he starts her song.
She stops moving but keeps her eyes closed, her mouth starts to move as she inaudibly sings the lyrics. Her fingers tap against the bench at the rhythm of the original song, making a transition into Adrien’s chosen tempo.
When he starts playing the final verse, she whispers the lyrics between shaky breathes.
Adrien lets the last note echoes through the silent room, and sets his sight on the long window in front of him, looking at the night sky above the blue rooftops.
Ladybug’s hand falls on top of one of the keys, breaking the harmony.
“That was beautiful,” She gasps and her fingers move above the keyboard, finding his. Her pinky finger barely touches his, but barely is enough contact for him, and his heart starts to quicken its pace.
“It is still your song.”
“Only the lyrics are mine… the melody I sent was rejected, and that’s why you have that weird poppy vibe outshining my lyrics.”
“I’m sorry about that. Your lyrics truly are one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard.”
“Thank you,” She smiles but doesn’t look at him, “Maybe, if you let me, I could do a piano version of this at some point.”
“Please, you don’t have to ask for permission, it is your song. If you liked this arrangement, make it yours.”
“As lovely as that sounds, it would be hard, since I have no idea how to play. I’ve always wanted to learn but… I’ve been doing a thousand other things.”
Adrien giggles, “I understand the feeling. Piano classes were one of the thousand things to do that pushed me away from many things I wanted to do.”
“How many things did you do?”
“So many,” He says and looks at the horizon, remembering all the over the top stuff he had to do in between school and modeling, “Basketball, fencing, piano, Chinese-
“Chinese!” She says excitedly, “Oh my-
“No, no, no,” He puts one finger up and takes distance from her, “Don’t make me say anything, I haven’t spoken Chinese in a long time and I don’t wanna embarrass myself.”
“You would never-
“I would, believe me, I would,” He nods.
“Okay, don’t worry, I won’t make you do anything… I won’t make you talk, only if you-
“Are you about to blackmail me, Ladybug?” He smiles lopsidedly.
“Maybe…”
“I can not believe this. Who would have thought that such a sweet creature could commit such crimes?” He places his hand on the piano and leans towards her, even when they are sitting he is able to tower over her.
“You make it sound so scandalous,” She gives a little bop to his nose and shakes her head, “I was only gonna ask for a few piano lessons.”
“Only a few piano lessons, oh dear, I’m saved, I thought the punishment would be worse.”
Ladybug clicks her tongue and opens her mouth as she tries not to laugh.
“What kind of punishment could have been on your mind? I’m the sweetest and innocent person you will ever meet.”
“I will have to disagree, there’s something charmingly wicked about your smile.”
And she gives just said smile.
“Alright. Let’s pretend you’re right, then you must teach me how to play so you don’t end up in a bad situation.”
“Then let’s start, who knows what cards are under your sleeve.”
Ladybug smiles triumphantly. It is lovely.
Adrien reaches for the neck of his shirt and pulls down, taking off the tie and throwing it without worrying where it lands.
Then he gives a look at her, he clears his throat, crosses his hands together, stretches, and pats his shirt back as if it was a tuxedo jacket, just like a pianist in cartoons do.
Ladybug covers her mouth and giggles.
He likes to make her laugh, it is good that she has been doing it a ton.
“So, let’s start with the basics,” Adrien begins and touches a line of keys, “The notes.”
“I know the notes,” She says and plays the notes on the scale one by one, “Next one.”
“Alright, clever girl. Then let’s go with posture.”
Adrien puts one hand on her back and then giving one look to ask permission he touches under her chin and pushes it up, “Sit as straight as possible. Shake your arms a little and let them drop with elegancy, try not to feel stiff but still have control over your movements.”
“Alright.” Ladybug does as he says and almost does it perfectly.
Adrien switches his posture, putting one bent leg up on the stool, towering over her and have easier access to help her place her body correctly.
He carefully moves her shoulders back and brings her elbows forward.
“Your hands have to-” He takes it and softly moves her fingers, “-stand like that, so you can move swiftly through the keys.”
“How?” She turns her head and her nose almost brush.
Adrien stops on his tracks.
They’re so close that he can’t focus on her eyes, his sight instantly going lower and stumbling with her lips. Her pink, glossy, open lips.
“You…” He begins but he loses his train of thought.
“I…” She says and her fruity alcohol breath mixes with his.
He forgets everything he has ever learned about playing piano, and also about life.
When she is this close, how can he think of anything else but the beautiful woman who he has been fantasizing about for months?
And they have had such a good time together after the nerves diluted, it was just so easy to be with her as if they were meant to be together like this.
But no. He has to keep doing what he is doing, he doesn’t know what she is really thinking, what she really wants.
He can’t project his own wishes and desires on her. This is on him.
Don’t kiss her.
Don’t kiss her.
Don’t kiss her.
And he does not.
She does.
Ladybug leans forward and presses her sweet mouth against the corner of his lips, then she takes his lower lip between her mouth.
He stays frozen.
Her face is once again radiant red.
“I’m so sorry, I thought- oh my, I shouldn’t have done anything but I really believed you wanted to and after all those times we’ve talked you were finally flirting back without being a mess but clearly I’m an idiot and I’ve been into this whole thing alone and now you-
Adrien takes her face between his hands and launches down to kiss her with feral passion.
Ladybug’s surprise lasts only an uncomfortable second before she is wrapping her hands around his neck and pulling him closer.
The bench rocks to the sides and Adrien changes their position before they fall, pulling Ladybug to sit on his lap, her back to the piano.
There’s no time for things to get uncomfortable, they both are too focused on the kiss.
Usually, first kisses are awkward and it takes time to really get to a place in which they are both comfortable, however even with the newness of the situation none of them is backing up or getting uncomfortable.
Ladybug scratches his nape tenderly as her mouth moves along with his.
Adrien tilts his head and nuzzles his nose against hers, he touches her lower lip with the tip of his tongue, testing ground tentatively.
Ladybug gasps, opening her mouth a little and starts to play with his emotions as she approaches his lips and then goes away.
A fucking game of seesaw.
Adrien grips her hips and draws circles on the exposed skin of her tummy.
She ducks and kisses his cheeks, his forehead, the corners of his lip.
Adrien breathes heavily, and is in that same moment when Ladybug decides is time to kiss him again.
It is impossible to hold back the moan and it echoes with so much need that it is embarrassing.
But instead of laughing, she reacts with more eagerness. She presses her body against him and nibbles on his lower lip before opening his mouth with her tongue.
This must be a dream because nothing feels real anymore. Too afraid that he will open his eyes and wake up of this wonderful moment, he lets himself get absorbed by it.
Ladybug is a good kisser and she makes it easy and seems as open as him to every situation.
Adrien leans forward, aiming to the keyboard to rest his hand.
The piano plays a racket of mixed notes but even that strong noise is not enough to separate them.
Adrien lifts themselves with one harm and wraps another around Ladybug’s waist.
She digs her nails on his shoulders, tightening her hold and circling his body with her legs around his torso. She is so small that he has no problem carrying her.
He wraps her tightly back.
“You’re so fucking amazing,” He says, the words echo on the back of his throat as she begins to kiss his neck and he finds the need to use a wall as support before his legs stop working because of the blissful joy she makes run beneath his skin.
“Thank you, m. Agreste.”
Against the wall, and kissing her way down, Ladybug starts unbuttons the first buttons of his shirt and runs one hand down the curvature of his neck.
He closes his eyes and pushes his body closer to the wall but making sure he doesn’t crush her, to stay as close as possible.
His hand falls on her shoulder, moving pieces of hair aside sluggishly, drawing circles and waves on the crook of her neck.
She doesn’t say a thing, she keeps pressing wet kisses against his throat and then up back to his jaw.
He laughs at the sweet sensation but as good as it is, he wants to return all those kisses.
With the same hand he was using he squeezes her cheeks and makes her look up, putting on a devilish smile when looking back at her.
Ladybug touches his lips with the tip of her finger, and he can’t help but give a lick first quickly and then taking his time.
“There, kitty, kitty,” She giggles seductively.
Heat rushes down his spine and on his stomach, there’s something about the nickname… it just feels right.
He gives a little bite to her finger before pushing it aside and submerging himself in the crook of her neck, nibbling and sucking. Moving his hand on top of her shoulder, pulling the strings of the top down and giving him more surface to love.
“You’re perfect,” He moans back and takes the lobe of her ear between his teeth.
A phone rings but he can’t care any less about it, if someone wants to contact him then they have all of tomorrow.
However, something shifts.
Ladybug gasps, and pushes him away, dropping her legs and trying to get back to the ground.
He puts one hand on the wall and feels out of balance.
“Put me down,” Ladybug says between clenched teeth.
Adrien lets her go and she runs to the hall.
He follows her seconds later, once he is able to process what’s happening.
Their perfect bubble has burst.
Ladybug has her purse open and her phone against her ear.
“Hi… don’t scream, please”
Adrien rubs his neck uncomfortably, the look on her face doesn't help him stay at ease.
“I know, I know, that's what I said but… there was a change of plans.” She looks up at Adrien.
Adrien gulps.
She is in trouble, isn’t she?
“I’ll… I… listen to me!” She hits the floor with her feet, “I’ll send you the address. I’ll be down in the hall waiting.”
Ladybug runs back to the living room. He doesn’t get to follow when she is running back. The harnesses are on her hand.
“It’s fine, no one saw me, I… I know, I know. It won’t happen again, I promise.” Her voice is little and it sounds as she is on the edge of crying.
Guilt falls on top of his heart, crashing it.
This is all his fault.
Ladybug sighs and throws the purse to the ground.
“Ah-
“I’m sorry,” She says and picks it up, “My manager… he is mad, to say the least.”
“I’m sorry, I got you into trouble.”
“No, no,” She shakes her hands and reaches to him, pulling the neck of his shirt, “You didn’t do anything, this was all me.”
“No, we were supposed to go to the party I brought you here.”
“I wanted to be here… I only was going to the party because I wanted to see you.”
“ Oh. ”
“I wasn’t supposed to, but I said I was going to be there for an hour or two, and they said it was okay because it was good publicity but… no one saw me there and I hadn’t called so…
“Let me take you back to your hotel then, it will be quicker if-
“No, don’t. Please, don’t,” She presses her hand against his chest, “It will make things worse, let them pick me up and scold me or whatever… if they know about you…
Adrien winces.
Great, she is ashamed.
“Give me your number and I’ll call you as soon as I’m alone,” She says giving him her phone.
Adrien takes it confused
“You want my number?”
Ladybug throws her head back, her braid jumping with the movement.
“I… I thought…” She gives one step forward and avoids his sight, “Sorry, I thought maybe we could see each other again but-
“Yes, yes, I want to see you again, I wish you wouldn’t have to go, but with what you said about your team, I thought maybe you didn’t want to.”
“No! I totally want to, that’s why I don’t want them to know. If it is okay, I would love to have more of this… but it must remain secret.”
Adrien finally understands.
And it makes sense.
“A secret romance,” He gulps, “Or hookup or just talking or kissing, or whatever you want to, it doesn’t have to be a romance, because-
Ladybug, with her boots on once again, grabs him by his neck and pulls him down, giving him a short but wonderful kiss.
“A secret romance sounds perfect, Adrien.”
“ Awesome, ” A goofy smiles tugs his lips.
“I wish I could stay any longer,” She kisses him once again, “But if I’m no there when they arrive it will get worse.”
“Alright.”
Adrien quickly adds his number on her phone and when it is time to add his name he hesitates.
If this is meant to be secret then he can’t put his name.
A thought sparks on his mind and he smiles.
Taking her purse he puts the phone inside and then he squats to help her put the harness back on her.
Once wrapped around her thigh he makes sure it is not serried. He tugs a little and once he is certain he leaves a quick kiss under the leather strap.
“Thank you.” She says, “I had the most amazing night.”
“Me too,” He rubs his thumb across her cheek, “Tell me when we can do this again, I’ll be wherever you want to in a second.”
“Will do,” She nods, “Adrien.”
“Yes?”
“Can I have a goodnight kiss?”
Does she really have to ask?
Adrien picks her up with ease and does as she says.
A goodnight kiss turns into a goodnight makeout and thought that almost gets Ladybug in trouble. It was worth every second.
And it is just one of the memories he replays on his mind as he goes back to his bed and screams into a pillow.
This must be a dream, it feels like one and yet… it is real.
He falls asleep with a smile on his face and the words “secret romance” engraved on his mind.