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Marinette and Adrien weren’t quite sure to do with themselves as they sat in class, lost in thought.
Adrien kept going in circles on how MARINETTE IS LADYBUG and she’s been sitting behind him the whole freaking time! Like, what???? How should he act? Should he just, uhh, flirt with her like Chat??? But, wasn’t Marinette always super nervous around him? He ought to figure that out first, right? Which brought up that he’s been flirting with his friend! Well, that’s not necessarily a bad thing… Marinette was always sweet and extremely cute, but… it still felt a little strange, especially when he considers that she probably doesn’t like him all that much in the first place and she said something about liking someone… else… oh. Oh, she likes Luka doesn’t she? And-and he’s too late! Oh shoot! What is he supposed to do????
Meanwhile, behind him, Marinette was going through a similar breakdown.
Holy crap! Adrien is Chat! Adrien is freaking Chat! How???? How is her luck so bad/good? Of course it’s the one she loves that she rejects time and time again! She, she wasn’t sure what to do. Say she was sorry for rejecting him for him? Isn’t that like, really rude?? Isn’t that mean? Oh gosh, that scenario would be sooo awkward…
Marinette hid her slowly reddening face in embarrassment, much to the enjoyment of Alya. The brunette wondered what in the world happened between the two oblivious dorks.
She shared a smug look with Nino who was also curious and having a hard time keeping from laughing at Adrien’s internal struggle. It was so very obvious even though what it was the blond was thinking was a mystery.
<◉>
The akuma fight had gone on for a bit longer than Ladybug would have liked and she was now pressed for time to get back to class because lunch was gonna be over soon.
Carefully, she plopped down into an alley near the school, her transformation with only seconds left.
Right then, a familiar blond with black cat ears also landed in the same alley, looking directly at Ladybug in pure surprise, just in time to see her transformation fall.
Chat was so surprised, he forgot his own timer and lost his transformation as well.
The two stared at each other in shock for several moments, the only thing breaking the silence was Plagg’s cackles cause man was this hilarious!
The two had been trying so hard to keep their identities secret and then they out themselves by coincidentally landing in the same alley!
What could be more coincidentally ridiculous?!
Oh right, there were likely far more, but Plagg would be happy with this.
Tikki tried to keep from snickering as well as she mock glared Plagg to be quiet too, but it was very hard.
Their faces were too priceless!
Just then, the end of lunch bell rang and they both jumped.
Shoot! They missed lunch and now had to get to class!
They’d have to figure out how to eat their lunch later because they were definitely going to be hungry, but for now, they had Mendeliev and she was much stricter about being late than Bustier.
They dashed into the school as fast as their alter egos, side by side, completely missing the familiarity of it, and barely made it to their seats in time.
<◉>
Now it was Bustier’s class and the two had some room to think things over.
Marinette kept going over things, doing circles in her thoughts, and nothing was coming of it. She had the feeling she was overthinking stuff again.
Finding no answer, she decided on something.
Freaking screw it.
This is all freaking ridiculous and they have no more rules between each other than that of keeping everyone else from knowing who they are, she had the right to be a bit ridiculous now too.
Marinette could worry about what might happen if Hawkmoth should capture one of them later, for now she was going to have some fun with this.
The bell rang, announcing the end of class, which, according to their schedule, meant they’d need to go to their lockers to exchange textbooks and binders, notes, etc.
Marinette looked up from where she had slumped over desk.
Alright.
Alright, okay.
She had a plan.
She just had to enact said plan.
Marinette got up and headed to the locker room, planning to switch her stuff quickly so she could get this over with before her nerves hit her too hard and she gave up.
She was quick, at least, and now she had to do this, she approached Adrien.
He hadn’t even noticed her, still going in his own circles.
Adrien had just finished grabbing the next class’s stuff and closed his locker door when he was suddenly trapped with a bang.
Adrien looked up to find himself in what they called a kabedon.
A freaking kabedon.
Adrien didn’t think he’d ever get to experience this.
He didn’t have time to fanboy like the nerd he was though because the person who had pressed him to the lockers was the exact girl he had just been thinking of.
Bluebell stared up at him with a quiet ferocity he had only ever seen in combat and it froze him, his breath hitching and his heartbeat starting to jump into overdrive.
There was a light dusting of red on her speckled cheeks that reminded him of the mask she often wore, the freckles a new kind of spots.
She had her bottom lip in her teeth in a sign of nervousness and he really wished she wouldn’t do that because it brought great attention to how plush they were and if he wasn’t frozen to the spot, he might have actually tried something.
She soon released it though, to his great relief, but then those pretty pink lips turned up into a confident smirk, the blush fading ever so slightly, and he felt like maybe he preferred before because damn she was hot.
“I wonder...” she whispered, leaning closer going up on her tiptoes and his entire body was on fire from her touch. He was sure that he looked like a tomato.
A small giggle filled his ears and he knew exactly who owned it.
Marinette was enjoying this. Enjoying that for once it was not her who was a blushing mess.
But she had to say something.
Oh gosh she didn’t know what to say! She’s never done this before, and she hadn’t this far! So she took a calming breath and just went for it.
She placed her cheek against his, her lips close enough to his burning ears to brush them as she spoke.
“Do I look this good when I’m blushing? If so, I’ll do it more for you, hot stuff.” Images of her cute flush danced across his mind’s eye and he thought that would be quite nice actually. Then he realized just how much she blushed around him. He couldn’t lie if he somehow started to feel just a bit special.
She thought for a moment, and then continued, “ Hey kitty, wanna play a game of cat and mouse? I kinda wanna see…” She turned slightly so that her lips brushed his jaw in a half kiss, a display of what could be. “What you’ll get if you win.”
She backed off, enjoying how red Adrien had gotten, smirk growing wider, blush fading more by the second, the only sign of it ever having been there on her ears.
She released him and walked out of the locker room to their next class with a skip in her step, blowing a kiss with a wink as she left. She didn’t care if it looked silly or not.
Adrien slid against the lockers to the ground, feeling Plagg silently laugh in his pocket and say something like “she got you good, kid.”
He couldn’t believe what just happened.
Ladybug, Marinette, just flirted with him…
Everyone watched on in bafflement to their friends’ new behaviors, but they had to admit, it was pretty damn funny seeing Adrien get what he deserved after being so oblivious to Marinette’s crush.
He slowly stood up and wandered to his next class in a dazed fog of happiness and disbelief, a bit slower than Marinette and therefore far enough away to not see how excited she was.
Holy crap, holy crap, holy freaking crap.
She just did that.
She actually just did that!
Marinette gave herself a little internal cheer.
Alya came up behind her and clapped her on the back.
“Hey girl! I can’t believe you finally got the courage to do something! I’m so proud of you!”
Marinette smiled beneath her best friend’s praise.
“I look forward to seeing what you do next. Make him into a blushing puddle! You can do it girl!” Alya smirked, then leaned in, “And tell me how your first kiss goes.” That made her cheeks heat up which caused Alya to cackle while Marinette whined, “Alyaaaaa.”
They settled back into their seats and got ready for the next lesson.
Adrien stumbled into class, still not quite all the way there.
Snickers echoed through the class when he almost fell on his way to his seat, tripping on nothing but his own feet.
Marinette had to hold herself back from preening with pride, but if Alya’s eye roll was anything to go by, she probably failed.
She almost broke out in a grin when Nino looked up at her with such clear respect, like breaking his bro was actually an amazing feat.
<◉>
It took a day or two for Adrien to reboot, but when he did, he made up his mind.
If this is how it was gonna be, then game on.
He walked into class with more swagger than he usually would, letting his Chat go wild because he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to do this right if he didn’t get into that mindset a little.
When he saw Marinette sitting in her spot on time, he strolled up to her.
Marinette smiled to see that the cat had finally come out, but even if the feline is back, the mice will continue to play.
He quirked his lips up in his trademark grin, the one that said he was about to do something dramatic, and bowed with great flourish.
“Princess.” He looked up and gosh darn it, those green eyes may be the end of her.
She didn’t even realize when her hand had made it into his.
He brought her knuckles to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss to them in a familiar gesture.
It was familiar, yes, but usually, her hand was gloved in magic fabric and it was a whole different thing now that she could actually feel his lips.
Her chest burned with the sheer amount of adoration that spilled against her skin from their touch and overflowed from his scalding eyes.
She suddenly felt far more than a princess, but a Queen.
Then his queen she shall be.
“I hope you’ve been doing well.” His voice husked against her hand, sending shivers down her spine.
She wondered how long he’d keep his lips there.
He slowly pulled away, eyes never leaving hers, and she could see how happy he was to witness her reaction to him, just a sample of what he did to her.
Then let’s see what she did to him?
Reigning in the blush and holding the warmth he’d given her close in her heart, she pulled out her confidence. She could squeal and blush about what he’d done later, right now, she was going to set his heart stuttering.
A grin, much like his, crept to her lips. his eyes narrowing on them, looking a little dazed for a moment. Then, slowly, she moved the hand he’d kissed, and his eyes snapped to it. Their green was glued to her hand as she brought the back of it to her mouth, gently kissing where he had moments before, tasting traces of his peppermint chapstick.
A pleasurable chill ran up and down him, his back, his arms, his neck, it stormed through him. His chest quivered, shuddering with his suddenly short breath. He swallowed with an audible gulp, adams apple bobbing. His eyes never parted from where her lips met her hand.
Her eyes glittered in glee at the sight of his reaction.
“Thanks for the kiss.” she whispered, quiet enough that only he would hear, and possibly Alya too, if she was paying super close attention, which she likely was.
His face flamed red within a second.
Stiffly, defeated, he stumbled back to his seat and collapsed in it, dropping his head to his hands as he wondered at what just happened, ignoring the snickers from Alix, Kim, Alya, and Nino.
Adrien called betrayal, glaring at his supposed best friend.
“Sorry bro,” he said through stifled laughter, “but you really deserved it.”
Adrien groaned into his palms, missing the way Nino shot a thumbs up with a bright grin to Marinette, who visibly warmed from the praise, smiling brightly, like a child that’d finally done something right.
<◉>
Marinette had gotten to class a bit early today, quite intentionally too, while Alya was “late” it seemed.
At least, that’s what she was supposed to think seeing how she’d witnessed Alya be dragged away by Adrien right as Marinette got to the school.
He must have thought of something.
It would be a lie if she said she wasn’t excited to see what he’d come up with, especially when she thought of what she had planned.
So for now, she was sitting primly in her seat, doodling in her sketchbook, waiting for when he’d come in.
She was not disappointed less than a minute later to see a blond head strut into the classroom, looking far more confident than he felt.
He was honestly nervous because Marinette seemed to be good at countering him. He fiddled with what was in his hands, careful not to ruin it, sure to keep it behind his back so Marinette didn’t see.
He approached his seat with hair that was not carefully swept to the side, instead being a little crazy like he’d hardly attempted to calm his bedhead this morning, his bangs brushing into his eyes every now and then. He looked an awful lot like his Chat persona.
He continued to walk past his bench though, continuing onto Marinette’s and slid next to her on the very edge.
Marinette shuffled a little to the side to give him room so he didn’t go falling off the side of the bench, but he slid right back up to her, aligning himself with her side, his eyes never straying from hers, and therefore never seeing anything else.
He brought the hand hidden behind his back to the front, revealing the deep red rose he carried. Rose’s “awww” went unnoticed.
“A beautiful rose for a beautiful lady,” he said, offering it to her, then got closer to whisper one last piece only for her, “For my Lady.”
Marinette’s heart fluttered, her chest tightening.
His Lady, he had said. His.
With a very light pink blush, she took the rose with a small smile, “Thank you.”
It wasn’t much, but Adrien was happy to have victory, no matter how small it was compared to what she did to him.
He opened his mouth to respond, perhaps to say something like “you’re welcome,” but no words left his lips when his eyes finally caught something.
Marinette had just crossed her legs.
That’s when he finally saw the black cat thigh high socks, the high waist viridian green short shorts a few centimeters above the socks, the black mid sleeved shirt tucked into said shorts that hugged her lithe, dancer like body nicely, and what was on the shirt.
Just below the scoop neckline, in green that matched the shorts, was written ‘Purr-fection,’ below that were a few lines and shapes in the form of cat ears, a nose, and whiskers in a very simple fashion.
Adrien’s heart leapt into his throat and he almost choked on it because suddenly there was a very weighty feeling on his chest and it felt like he might actually stop breathing because of it.
Possession rolled over Adrien in great waves.
He tried to stifle the feeling of unknown origins, tried to push it away, but she looked fantastic, hair in green ribbons, a small necklace that said “Chat Noir” in cursive resting upon her collarbone.
It was actually that necklace that truly got to him, made the possessiveness grow terribly, so much so that he just wanted to sweep her up and run her from the room so no one else could see how beautiful she looked today.
Because she was wearing his theme.
She had his name on her, and a need to protect her pounded on his skull, a need to scream, “She’s mine! No one touch!” no matter how much he knew that would be very very bad and this was likely an incredibly unhealthy thought process.
Still, no matter what he tried, his mind fought with itself, unable to decide if he wanted to kiss her, steal her away, or keep to respecting her boundaries because despite everything, he still did not have permission to do such a thing as kiss her, he wasn’t even sure if she liked him like that or if this was just a way for her to deal with knowing that her partner was the guy who she thought had once tried to put gum on her seat. He also didn’t know if she would take well to him calling her his, because despite Adrien’s cluelessness, he knew a lot of people nowadays don’t like that sort of thing, believing that by saying something like that, they were a mere possession rather than the most precious person on the earth.
Adrien didn’t quite know how to explain the intense feeling of wanting her to be his and his alone, and for him to be hers and hers alone, no one else besides him. Oh how he wished he was hers.
Unable to choose what action to take, his mind slowly overworked itself until it just shut down and he fell into her lap with a whine.
“Why? Why do you always do this to me?” He cried but it was muffled by the fact that his face was pressed to her legs.
Her answering giggle made his heart speed up, running about his chest like a hamster on a wheel.
She placed her hand in his hair, beginning her usual ministrations and making him all but melt in her lap, “Oh, but mon cherie, your reactions are just the best. How could I not ?”
Adrien ignored the way the endearing name tugged at his heart and attempted an indignant whine, but all that came out was a soft purr.
Curse her fantastic pets and how she knew exactly where to scratch.
<◉>
Ladybug was waiting on a roof, watching Paris breathe as the life within it thrummed about, continuing on with their business despite the darkness, having chosen to face it and light their own paths.
Paris was always so beautiful, and Ladybug always loved to watch the lights move, the way it bounced off buildings and cars and spilled from windows. She loved it most when it rained, the glow refracting from each droplet, reflecting from the puddles on the streets.
She was waiting for a certain cat.
It was joint patrol, and for once, her kitty was late.
He was always on time, more often than not here several minutes before her, and she was the one who was late.
So it was strange, and worrying that he wasn’t here before her, but she shouldn’t worry, she had to give him some time. What if he just had something that went a little later than it should have? She needed to trust that he’d come and not immediately start worrying for his safety.
Ladybug had to suppress a great sigh of relief when he arrived a few minutes later, instead giving him a great smile when he hopped onto the roof.
He returned it, his smile seeming to brighten the night as if it was now day.
He walked to her, something hanging in his hands.
“Sorry I’m late, I forgot this and had to go back for it.” He lifted the thing he’d been holding, revealing it to be a black speaker.
She looked up at him in confusion.
He set it down on the ground and turned on some music from his staff.
A song by Indila came on, and if she remembered right, it was Derniere danse.
Her lips and an eyebrow quirked up in a baffled smile.
Chat laughed and offered his hand. She didn’t think much about it, didn’t think about how, if anyone else were to do this, she would’ve ignored their open palm because she wasn’t even sure what was happening, but she took it. She placed her hand in his without a second thought, without a doubt that it would be safe to do such a thing.
He pulled her up and into a frame, holding her right hand in his left, his other hand around her waist, and hers on his shoulder, pressed close together. He grinned at her before moving to the side, then taking a step forward, pushing her back.
They swayed and moved about the roof in time to the beat.
She wasn’t sure why he had picked this song in particular to dance to, but then again, the beat was infectious and made her want to move anyways.
Soon enough, they were waltzing across the rooftops, laughing and singing along to the song despite the fact that Marinette had never learned how to dance like this. Never really learned to dance at all, but her minou was a good leader and just from the way he moved, she knew what to expect. They’d been partners for so long already, it would be a surprise if they couldn’t easily match like this.
Je remue le ciel, le jour, la nuit
Je danse avec le vent, la puie
Un peu d’amour, un brin de miel
Et je danse, danse, danse, danse, danse, danse, danse.
They sang with smiles, leaping across small gaps between nearby rooves and their own and over chimneys and various other things that were kept up on a roof.
They waltzed through the following songs, songs that melted into each other, until they no longer knew how long they’d spun about up there, until they were tired but the desire to continue thrummed beneath their skin, until their cheeks flushed and became sore from laughing and smiling.
Ladybug’s bluebell eyes sparkled from the light below and about them, sparkled with mirth and love, making Chat’s heart melt.
They continued their personal ball deep into the night.
<◉>
It’d been awhile since their game had begun, but slowly, the pair began to forget that it was actually a game with an eventual ending, instead, their interactions becoming more of just how they act around the other.
It was comfortable now, the way they showered love on one another in such a casual yet intimate manner.
Neither knew exactly what their relationship was at the moment yet, though. Friends? More than friends? Simpy partners? Or something far greater? Far better?
They didn’t know what to make of their relationship, so neither did, and their game continued.
Adrien thought that this was just their new dynamic, constantly wishing for more, but he still didn’t know that Marinette loved him, still worried that her heart had gone to Luka. It was because of that worry that he’d previously asked if this flirtatious relationship was really okay, and Marinette had said it was fine, so it should be fine right?
Right?
He couldn’t get rid of the feeling that he was possibly making moves on a girl that was already taken, but he ignored it for the sake of making his Lady happy. She always seemed so much brighter on days that they teased one another.
Actually, since they’d found out who the other was, they had been in an all around better mental state. They had a good, fun relationship when they were civilians and now they worked together so much better when they fought akuma, making the battles less stressful and intense, shortening them so that they had less to make up later when they went back to just being Marinette and Adrien.
It felt like they truly knew each other now and it just made it easier to function together.
Another plus to this new relationship was that Marinettte had finally gotten into the habit of waking up early in order to get to school to see what Adrien would do next, or see his reaction if she decided to do something. Sometimes it was fun to just hang out together.
It was incredible honestly, because now, after she sleeps a certain amount of hours, she can’t go back to bed. She’s tried on the weekends.
So Marinette was at the school already, super early, with the sun casting the world in soft blues and lilacs as it rose, the air fresh and cool in her lungs.
She had decided to enjoy the early hours when the world was slowly waking up, still quiet, and was out at a table in the outer courtyard, sketching.
Adrien came up from behind her and plopped next to her, slumping over so that his cheek was pressed into the grain of the smooth wood.
He pouted up at her.
“My father won’t let me get breakfast from your bakery instead of at home cause I ‘need to keep up my diet.’” He sighed, “I just want some of the best pastries in the world, something sweet. I can have that, I know I can.”
Marinette was now looking at him closely, worriedly, paying great attention to his well being.
Noticing this, Adrien’s features softened warmly and he gave her a small smile.
“It’s fine,” he said after a moment, “I can get all the sugar I want here, because you are by far the sweetest thing I’ve ever known.”
Even though Marinette had gotten used to their new banter, their flirting and such, his words always seemed to make her heart beat faster, but this time, her heart was lurching to a stop because uh, he… he had never before flirted with her with such calm and so casually, without that air of fun that always seemed to accompany their banter. It gave his words far more weight and before Marinette knew it, her face was aflame.
Why did he have to say that with such a sweet smile?!
She wanted to hide her face in her hands, but she also really wanted to kiss this boy who she now realized was actually really sleepy. Which meant he hadn’t even put thought into that, it was the truth to him.
The fact that he was so sweet when tired was absolutely adorable.
As he continued to gaze lovingly into her eyes, so very vulnerable and open, she found the need to hold him close and kiss him just seemed to grow.
She felt as if her heart was about to burst, her chest about to cave from the sheer amount of pressure her love placed on it.
She wouldn’t be able to avoid it now.
She wouldn’t be able to stop herself from thinking of kissing him all day.
Maybe it’d go away if she gave him a peck on the cheek.
That’d be fine right? Right?
She really really needed a way to convey just how much he meant to her.
Without much thought, she scooted closer to Adrien and began to lean down to him, going slow enough that he could think of what she was doing and back away if he didn’t want it.
But he didn’t move aside from the widening of his eyes.
Green gazed into bluebell, searching and pleading for permission. Permission to finally kiss her.
She was centimeters from his cheek when he turned his head a little, and then their lips were pressed together.
Marinette startled but didn’t move because even though she was going for his cheek, this, this was what she really wanted.
It was soft, short, sweet, chaste, amazing.
Stars burst behind her eyes, eyes she hadn’t remembered shutting. Lightning running through her at the contact.
They sat there and enjoyed the moment for a second before pulling apart, eyes fluttering open.
Adrien sat up more.
They immediately missed the contact.
Tentatively, Adrien reached for Marinette, his hand sliding around her waist, the other coming to cup her cheek. He pulled closer, pressing up against her so that he could feel her warmth. He neared her lips again, slowly, unsure if he was allowed to do so again.
Marinette closed the distance, her arms winding up around her neck, a hand running through his hair.
A purr rumbled against Marinette, pleasure from the pets and kiss pushing it forward.
Marinette found she was really starting to like Adrien’s peppermint chapstick, and Adrien enjoyed the way she tasted like vanilla and sugar and… cinnamon. It was cinnamon.
Fire and warmth poured down his throat and warmed him from the inside out like hot coco.
“I love you.” She whispered against his lips, her breath sweet and like frosting.
His purr grew, causing his own admission to tremble with it.
“I love you too, my Lady, I love you so much.”
He liked her smile before, but he thinks now, that he likes it more when he can feel it on his lips.