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“You idiot!” Manon said, tackling Noel as soon as he stepped through Bunnyx’s portal. He wrapped his arms around Manon on instinct, cuddling her close before he knew what he was doing. Something sticky on her chest that smelled of chocolate squished between them and smeared all over his shirt.
What? Noel thought, momentarily distracted by the chocolate gunk. What is that?
But he had more important things to concentrate on. He’d expected the adult Chat and Ladybug to be there, waiting for him; Bunnyx's portal to the past was evidence that he'd been akumatized, and she'd left him to his fate. He had not expected his crush to welcome him home.
And he couldn't even remember what he'd done, but given how Manon was trembling in his hold, it had to be something bad.
Noel gulped. "Manon, I--"
"How could you let yourself be akumatized?" Manon said, confirming Noel's fears. "I didn't know that you were so upset."
Manon sniffled. Noel looked helplessly at Chat, who smiled and shrugged. Noel couldn't remember what he'd been upset about, and he hoped Manon would give him a clue.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” Noel tried again, cupping the back of her head. “I can’t remember what I did or what I was so upset about.”
Manon pulled back in his hold, looking him in the eye. “It’s not important.”
Ladybug shook her head behind Manon. “I disagree. The problem was important enough for him to be akumatized.” Ladybug folded her arms. “I would like him to figure it out so he’s not at risk of akumatization again.”
Chat cocked his head to the side, his feline ear flopping over. “Do you think anything around you can jog your memory, Noel?”
Noel focused on Manon, whose cheeks had flamed into a becoming pink. Her gaze flicked down to the brown mess on her shirt, and Noel’s eyes followed. He peered at the splotch of chocolate until he realized two things: that was frosting, and he’d been staring at his crush’s chest.
Noel tore his gaze away, his own cheeks flaring with heat. He bit his lip and tried to recall how Manon ended up with frosting on her shirt. Glancing around, he saw the remains of a small cake on the ground--they were in the Champ de Mars, with the Eiffel Tower in full view--along with a blue plate.
Memories came rushing back to Noel, dispelling his confusion. He’d tried to confess his feelings to Manon. He’d made her a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting, her favorite, and had taken her to a romantic spot.
In his mind's eye, he saw how he'd bungled his declaration of love, only succeeding in confusing her and then tripping and dumping the cake all down her front.
He'd wished for a do-over, and had fallen prey to Hawkmoth.
"She's right." Noel stared at his feet, his cheeks blazing. "It's not important."
Ladybug hummed, but Manon cupped his cheeks, drawing his eyes to hers. "You remembered?"
Noel nodded, his shame threatening to engulf him. He wished a pit would open up in the ground--just like one had opened up in his stomach--and would swallow him whole. He'd failed miserably that day, and had no desire to face the facts: he was a loser and Manon would never like him. He'd missed his chance.
"When I said it wasn't important," Manon began, her hands impossibly soft on his burning face, "I misspoke. What you did was incredibly important. But you didn't need to be upset about messing up."
"How can you say that?" Noel bit his lip. "I screwed up, Manon. All I did was confuse you and cover you in cake!"
"But--" Manon started, but Chat cleared his throat.
"That's probably our cue to bug out," he said, and Manon released Noel's cheeks. "Now that you remember and you two are talking this out, we'll leave you to it."
Ladybug squeezed Noel's shoulder as she passed, unwinding her yo-yo from her waist. "You'll be okay. I have faith in you."
"Thank you for your help," Manon said, but Noel had been struck dumb by Ladybug's words. She had faith in him? Him, a screw up who'd been akumatized?
Ladybug nodded, and the two superheroes made their exit.
Noel turned to Manon. "Look, I… I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you that I--" Noel couldn't do this. He'd already blown his chance. "Just forget it."
Manon shook her head. "I want to hear what you have to say."
Noel furrowed his brow. "It's… it's not important."
Manon took his hand in both of hers. "I disagree. If you were saying what I thought you're saying, then that's extremely important to me."
Noel blinked. She was giving him a hope he dared not name, and he for a brief moment, he wondered if she was teasing him, before he decided that she wouldn’t be that cruel. “W-What did you think I was saying?”
Manon’s cheeks glowed. She licked her lower lip, drawing his attention there. “I… I thought you were saying you liked me.”
Noel’s eyes widened. Manon didn’t sound like she minded that he liked her at all. But he had to make sure. “And that’s not a bad thing?”
Manon’s response was fierce and immediate. “Not at all.” She brought his knuckles to her lips and pecked his knuckles. “I kind of sorta like you, too.”
A smile tugged at Noel’s lips. “Kinda sorta?”
“More like really definitely.”
Noel could scarcely believe his ears. She liked him? Despite the way he’d flubbed everything? He’d been akumatized over this, for goodness’ sake.
But she seemed to have forgiven him for the mess he’d made.
And she really definitely liked him.
Noel brought her hand to his chest. “Manon. I screwed up my confession to you. Will you… let me try again?”
Manon’s yellow eyes glistened. “I’d like nothing more.”
Noel took to one knee. Knowing she liked him back, the words flowed easily from his lips, like tumblers in a lock dropping into place. “Manon Chamack,” Noel said. “I like you. A lot. I daydream about you. You’re kind, loyal, and fearless, and my life would be lessened without our friendship in it.”
Noel swallowed hard. It was now or never. “Would you go out with me?”
Manon beamed, her pink lips matching her cheeks. “Noel,” she said, leaning forward to press a kiss to his temple. “I’d like nothing more.”
Noel rocketed up to cloud nine and decided to open a villa there. “Even after the whole cake incident?”
Manon giggled. “Even after that.”
Noel sprang to his feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, spinning them in the air. She threw her head back and laughed.
When he set her down, she was still smiling. So was he.
“Thank you,” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. “Thank you for giving me another chance.”
“You’re welcome.” She squeezed his cheeks together, giving him fish lips. “But next time, we can talk things out. There’s no need for akumatization, all right?”
“All right.” Noel was so happy, he felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest. “I have some cake leftover at home. Do you want to go get cleaned up and then come back to my place to eat some?”
Manon grinned. “I’d like nothing more."