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The first time was an accident.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng is not known for being punctual. In fact, she is notorious for being unpunctual. At Collège Françoise Dupont, her name has become synonymous with the word “tardy”, and her class finds it hilarious. So, it’s not much of a surprise that today, she is late. It is a surprise, however, when she finds herself slipping on- of all things- a banana peel. As she feels her feet slide out from under her, her head collides with something, and all she can see is blond hair. As both the unsuspecting teens slide to the ground, and she catches sight of one very famous model, Marinettte comes to the realization that she may have just given Adrien Agreste a concussion. Or- god forbid- killed him. Oh no, she might have just murdered Adrien Agreste! She slowly rises to her feet and dusts herself off, getting ready to sprint from the crime scene. She scouts the perimeter: there are no cameras in sight, and no witnesses- hah! Try finding me now!- but then, the body on the floor lets out a groan. Marinette leaps at least seven feet in the air as Adrien’s green eyes wearily blink and take in the view.
“Chat- chat noir-”
“Adrien? Are you okay?”
“Akuma… gonna get it… ghostbusters… call me.”
Okay, so he isn’t dead, just delirious. She could work with that. They shouldn’t stay in school though, so she would have to bring him somewhere safe.
“Haha, look at the cat,” he points at his silver ring, “it smells like cheese… and croissants. Croissants… and cheese.”
It was worse than she had thought. But, she knew the perfect place to take him so he could rest and recover. Ladybug and Chat Noir frequently visited a tea shop that was just across the street, and it had a secret back room. As she eyes Adrien and wearily considers the prospect of dragging him across the road, she comes up with a better idea.
“Tikki, spots on! Lucky charm!” A stroller falls from the sky, and Ladybug loads the cargo. She wheels him through the back door of the shop, and promptly releases her transformation.
Marinette could work with this. Yes, it would be okay. Adrien would wake up, see that she had saved him (if he would excuse the fact that it was her who had bumped into him in the first place), and confess his undying love. It was fine. She was fine.
“Don’t be sad, bugs have wings. They can fly!” Adrien grins goofily as Marinette moves towards him.
Examining his face, she tilts his head forward to make sure there aren’t any open wounds.
“Stinky cheese, get it away from me!” he looks around. “Cheese man?” Adrien leans up and smashes his face into hers.
Marinette had imagined her first kiss with Adrien many, many times. (Seriously, even Tikki was getting tired of her b.s.) But the scenarios in her mind had never gone quite like this. As soon as the kiss had started, it stops.
Adrien falls back onto the soft cushioning of the stroller and proceeds to purr loudly.
Chat Noir would get a kick out of this, Marinette thinks.
The second time was a mistake.
After waking up in an unfamiliar shop with no one around, and no recollection of how he arrived there, Adrien had been extra cautious for the past few days. He even made sure to check his surroundings carefully- so carefully that he hadn’t gotten much sleep for the past week.
He darts into Ms. Bustier’s classroom, and slides into his seat beside Nino. Holding out his fist for their usual fist bump, he glances at his friend when he doesn’t reciprocate the action. Nino’s mouth is wide open, and his eyes are huge.
“Nino? Are you okay?”
Looking around at everyone in class, they seem to be having the same reaction. Adrien scans the room for an akuma, but things seem to be in order. He then examines himself- and finds the issue. Black leather, a tail, and- he runs his hand over his head- cat ears. Chat Noir had come into this seemingly random classroom, and sat down in Adrien Agreste’s seat.
“Oh, no.”
“Young man, what are you doing here?” Ms. Bustier asks, recovering from the initial shock of having a superhero in her room, “Is there an akuma?”
“No, no, I’m here because… well… Adrien!” He nods his head vivaciously, “Yes, Adrien Agreste asked me to take his notes for him.”
“Where’s Adrien?” A quiet voice comes from behind him, and he turns to see Marinette looking worried.
“Oh, he’s fine! He had… a surprise photo shoot. Yes, a really important one too, he was super worried about missing class, and asked me to fill in.”
Adrien feels a dizzying rush sweep over him, and almost falls off the bench. Marinette leaps over and catches him- had she always had such good reflexes?- and then quickly raises her hand, “Ms. Bustier, can I take Chat Noir to- to the nurse? I don’t think he’s feeling so good.”
“Very well, take all the time you need. We must have the superhero of Paris in tip-top shape!”
Marinette carries Adrien (bridal style, of course) out of the classroom and into the empty hallway.
“You- you stupid cat!” She glares fiercely, and Adrien is reminded of Ladybug.
“Look, Princess, I really should be helping this Adrien kid! I’m fine. He was- angling- for an A in Geometry, so-”
“Adrien will be okay if he misses a day, I’ll get Nino to give him his notes. But you- you almost fainted back there!”
“I’m great! It’s okay. I’m okay.”
Marinette arches a single eyebrow and stares at him until he acquiesces, “I didn’t faint, per se, I just got a little dizzy. I haven’t been sleeping much because I think I got catnapped.”
Her mouth drops open. “Have you told Ladybug?”
“No, I don’t want to bother her. She’s been super busy lately so-”
“She would want to know! You’re her partner, she needs you. Ladybug and Chat Noir are a team. If Chat Noir isn’t feeling well, Ladybug would be devastated to know that he didn’t tell her. They work better together.”
Adrien flushes red, “Ladybug doesn’t need Chat Noir. I’m just here to… to take the hits.”
Her face turns to stone. “No, you most definitely are not. Ladybug loves you! You’re her best friend, and really important to her. Never say that again.”
Marinette would never talk to Adrien this way. She doesn’t like him, but Chat Noir? Maybe this is the way he can connect with her. Maybe this is what he’s been looking for. He stares at her, and wonders how he’s been lucky enough to get to this point.
“Look, cat, I didn’t want to adopt any strays, but here I am.” She rolls her eyes, and holds out her hand, “Get in loser, we’re going shopping.”
“Princess, was that a Mean Girls reference?”
“Not a word.”
They end up on a rooftop of the very same tea shop that Adrien woke up in a week ago. Curling up against Marinette’s side, they look at the skyline. Pedestrians swarm the sidewalks as they rush to get to their jobs, and Paris is alive with the voices of millions of people.
“Hey, Marinette?” he voices hesitantly, “why are you doing this?”
She contemplates the question, tugging at one of her hair ties, “You do so much for the city. I just- I just thought that the city should do something for you.”
He stares at her for a moment, then suddenly presses his lips to hers. She sits there for a second, motionless, then kisses him back. Adrien has never tasted anything sweeter. Wait- what is he doing? Suddenly pulling back, he stands up quickly and looks at Marinette, whose eyes are glazed over.
“Omigod, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have, I-”
“It’s okay, kitty,” she says, blushing.
Kitty. Flashes of another girl with red hair ties and blue eyes go through his mind, but he pushes them away, “Marinette, I really shouldn’t have.”
“That’s okay. Me either.” She looks almost wistful.
He knows that he shouldn’t have, and that he can’t (and won’t) give up on Ladybug, but there’s something about Marinette that- that tugs at his heartstrings, like nobody else except his partner seems to be able to do. So, he leans down and kisses her on the cheek. “I’m sorry, Marinette.”
“I’m sorry too.” She joins him standing, and brushes invisible dust specks off. “I should probably go.”
“Me too.” It’s bittersweet, and they both know it, but there’s a hint of something else, an almost tangible emotion. Adrien doesn’t think much of it- his mistake.
the third time was a coincidence.
“Cheese! Give me the cheese! You have starved me. I am dying.” Plagg collapsed dramatically in Adrien’s clasped palms.
“One day, I won’t give in to your tyranny,” Adrien protests, reluctantly handing over the Camembert.
“Please, you don’t have the spine.”
“Excuse-” he’s cut off by approaching footsteps, and hisses, “Plagg, hide!”
The kwami darts into his shirt, and Adrien breathes a sigh of relief as the intruder rounds the corner. Ladybug. Her dark hair is half out of the usual pigtails, and she’s walking with a bad limp. He hadn’t seen her get hurt in the battle, but she also hadn’t used her lucky charm to defeat the akuma, which usually meant she was doubly tired.
“Adr-adrien?” Ladybug stares at him. Adrien curses his poor luck- thanks, Plagg- and awkwardly waves.
“Ladybug! Do- do you… come here often?” Inwardly, he dies a thousand deaths.
Ladybug sighs dreamily, “Now it’s my favorite place in Paris.” Seemingly realizing what had just come out of her mouth, she slams a hand over it and blushes a deep red that almost blends into her mask.
Meanwhile, Adrien is busy looking around and trying to figure out what makes this particular alley special. He doesn’t think that she apparently frequents it for the ambiance.
“Um, I mean, no, not really. Haha, this is my first time,” she quickly amends.
“Me too! Wow, we’re so similar.” Adrien would like to end it all, preferably right now, please. Plagg pokes him in the stomach, and he squeaks.
Ladybug looks over at him as she twiddles her thumbs, “Did you say something?”
“Mhm, yes, I-I asked if you wanted to come over and sleep?”
She does a double take.
“NO! NO- I MEANT, LIKE, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU’RE TIRED AND YOU’RE LIMPING! I DID NOT MEAN WITH ME- SLEEP, THAT IS.” Adrien would be fine being struck down where he stands.
Ladybug’s cheeks are now stained a permanent red. She nods, “If-if that’s really okay, I could use the help. Thank you.”
“Yeah, no problem. I would need to invite you to dinner first, before, y’know, anyways.” He stands there for a minute, then processes the monstrosity that is his words, and promptly bangs his head against the nearest wall. Deep inside, Chat Noir cackles.
Ladybug kindly doesn’t mention it. At least, Adrien attributes it to kindness. In reality, she is a puddle of teenage hormones on the ground, and doesn’t currently possess the ability to form coherent thoughts.
“Hah, shall we?” He offers her his arm and she carefully wraps her hand around it. Skin touches suit, and Adrien melts. One day, he vows, after Hawkmoth is defeated, Ladybug and Chat Noir will be able to have the casual touches, the ones that define their relationship, without the suits getting in the way.
Luckily, the battle had been practically directly next to his house, so they don’t have to walk very far before they arrive. Before he knows it, the pressure on his arm is taken away, and Adrien almost reels from the sudden lack of Ladybug.
He helps her onto his couch before running off to grab some ice.
“Here you go,” Adrien grimaces, looking at her ankle. The black and blue bruises are stark against her pale skin, and he wishes that he, as Chat Noir, had done something more to protect her.
They lean against one another as Ladybug applies the ice to her injury, and sit in awkward silence for a minute or so before she slowly lifts up one of her hands and places it on his shoulder. Looking at her, Adrien stares for a moment, captivated by her eyes.
“Ladybug?” he asks, unsure.
The superheroine in question pauses with her mouth open, as if she was about to say something before quickly snapping it shut. Using her hand to pat him on the shoulder stiffly, she begins to try to get up, “I- I should probably be going. Thank you, citizen. Sure- I mean- pleasure!”
“Wait!” Adrien glances around his room frantically, wanting to spend more time with his lady, “Would you… maybe want to watch a movie?”
“I would love you! NO! I mean- I would love TO!” Ladybug stammers wildly, waving her hands in a way that seems familiar. She sits back down on the couch, and- oh. He can feel her thigh pressed up against his leg, and being this close to her is doing things to him. Flailing to reach for some DVD’s before his mind can go places, Adrien picks one at random and holds it up.
“Does this look good?” he asks, not even paying attention to what he grabbed.
“La La Land? I’ve never watched it,” she says, smiling softly, “but my friend absolutely adores it.”
He gasps in fake horror, “You’ve never seen La La Land?”
“Nope!” she pops the p, and proceeds to snatch the disk from him and insert it in, pressing play.
Adrien sits back, and the movie starts.
About halfway through, when another song is just beginning, (a slow one this time, that is a stark contrast to the frantic beating of his heart) Ladybug inches towards him until her head is on his shoulder. He sits as still as possible, careful not to disturb their quiet companionship.
When the end credits roll, and it’s dark outside, Adrien and Ladybug look at each other for a minute, unsure, before Ladybug leans in and brushes her lips against his cheek. Blushing, she tells him, “Thank you for the lovely evening.”
“You’re welcome,” he says, “Anytime.”
the fourth time was fate.
“Lost in thought, m’lady?” Chat Noir asks.
She shrugs, trying to mask her worry, “Just trying to figure out how we’re going to get out of this one.”
‘This one’ involves a closet, an akuma, timers rapidly ticking down, and two teenagers very closely pressed together.
Marinette’s breathing grew faster and faster as she tried not to panic, “Chat? Do you have any ideas?” In her limited view, due to the darkness of the tiny space, she can see that he looks unusually pale.
“N-not really. We might have to detransform.”
She notices the lack of puns and jokes, and wonders if he’s nervous because he doesn’t want her to know who he is, or if there is some other factor.
“I trust you, kitty. We’ll get through this- as a team,” she stresses the words, wanting him to understand that even though revealing their identities now isn’t ideal, Marinette won’t be mad, or upset, just happy that they are both safe. “On three?”
“Always.” Chat says, closing his eyes, and Marinette follows suit. “Three… two… one.”
She slowly opens her eyes, and gasps. Where her partner had stood just a second before, now stands Adrien Agreste. His eyes are still closed, and he stands stock still for another moment before she sees the signature green in the dimness.
“Marinette?” he says, and she braces herself for the worst before he continues, “Of course it’s you. Who else could I have fallen in love with?”
Marinette gaps as she processes his words. “Me- me? You love… me?”
Chat (Adrien? Chadrien? Adrichat?) grins, bright and sure, “Yes. I love you, Marinette.”
She blushes, and it feels right. “I love you too, Adrien,” and then smirks, “Bananoir? Really?”
If the two superheroes are practically glowing while they fight the akuma, no one comments. And if Ladybug jumps on Chat Noir the second the battle is over, and kisses him passionately, nobody has any proof… right?
at the weekly ladynoir meeting...
Alya snatches the glossy photo out of her back pocket and waves it in the air.
“Look. At. This.”
The photo depicts Ladybug and Chat Noir in a park, and they are pressed together in a way that was unmistakable: they’re kissing.
Nino gasps, glancing down at the photos he holds in his hand.
“But Alya, what about these?”
He hands them to her, and watches her choke on air as she takes it in- Adrien and Ladybug, in Adrien’s bedroom, both intensely blushing as Ladybug gives Adrien a kiss on the cheek. The kiss might have been interpreted as friendly if not for the other photo, which shows Ladybug snuggled next to Adrien on his couch, both of them staring at the other in a decidedly un-platonic way.
Chloe groans.
“So you’re telling me that…”
With her head bowed and her hand outstretched, Chloe holds out one last picture to Alya. Atop a roof, Chat Noir and Marinette sat side-by-side, closer than is necessary given the wide, empty space around them. Both of their eyes are closed, and they’re leaning in for what was surely going to be a kiss.
“Wait, so this isn’t Adrienette Club?” Rose interjects, “Because I have something I need to show you guys.”
“No, Adrienette is on Thursday… wait, what?”
Rose gives Alya her photo with the air of someone handing over the Crown Jewels.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are in a dim room filled with candles and cups of tea- and their lips are pressed together.
Alya lets out a high-pitched scream. Nino grabs his head and is slowly rocking back and forth. Rose and Juleka are clutching each other like they were aboard the Titanic. Mylène and Ivan collapse to the ground with their jaws wide open. Nathanaël and Marc are already collaborating for a new comic book idea, while Kim, Alix, and Max sit crying in the corner. Sabrina has her eyes wide open, and looks like she’s contemplating her place in the universe.
“So, what does this mean?” asks Chloe, the only sane person in the room.
“There’s only one thing this could mean,” Alix wipes a single tear off her cheek.
“Yeah, we’re all thinking it,” Mylene slowly stands up, leaning on Ivan like she had aged a decade in a single minute.
“Adrien and Marinette are…” Nino trails off.
“IN AN OPEN RELATIONSHIP WITH LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR!”
“Kim, you idiot.”