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Of all the stupid things Marinette had said in her life, she was sure that telling Alya that Chat Noir would be her date to the New Year's party had to be one of the worst. Marinette could only hope Adrien would agree to go with her. (Who was she kidding? Of course he would. Her stomach flipped. Of course he would. Right?)
Ladybug somersaulted through the crisp air, the wind pulling at her pigtails as it whistled by her. Patches of bright blue sky reflected off skyscraper windows. A flash of black caught her eye. Chat Noir. Adrien. Exactly who she was looking for. She landed beside him almost without a sound, but he heard her anyway.
"Hey," he said, turning toward her with a smile and a casual lean on his baton. "What's up? I thought I was doing a solo patrol today."
Don't ruin this, Ladybug told herself. Don't say anything dumb! It's just Chat Noir!
"Um." She tucked a stray bit of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, so. I messed up, and I need some help."
"You okay?" He stood up straight, mouth pinched with worry.
"It's nothing bad! Honest. Just…" The sun slipped behind a cloud as she looked for the best way to explain. "I was talking with Alya about that party that she's having this weekend, and she asked who I was going with." The words tumbled out faster and faster. "And it sounded like she was going to try to set me up with someone since I didn't have a date yet, and so I panicked and said I was going with you."
"Oh," Chat Noir said. "There's no way Father would ever let me-"
"No." Ladybug carefully put her hands to her sides so she wouldn't wring them. "Not Adrien you."
It was almost comical, the way his eyes slowly widened. "Oh. Yeah, I could probably sneak out."
She should have felt relieved, as she thanked him for his help, as they made plans and settled on times, as she said goodbye and turned to go home. But she felt like a coward. It had been two weeks since they'd shared their identities, and she hadn't been able to tell him her true feelings. She'd been hoping to ask him to the party. Really ask him. But now, the only reason he was going with her was as a favor. Because she'd panicked.
***
Marinette was still panicking three nights later as she soared through the evening air in Chat Noir's arms and landed in front of Alya's open front door.
He set them down so gently their feet barely crunched on the thin cover of snow.
Alya stood in the doorway, mouth open in shock, warm light spilling out of her house and into the street. "I didn't- Marinette, you really- Fine." She waved them in. "I don't know how you did it, but you did. Come in."
The warmth of the room was a welcome relief from the bite of winter outside, but any comfort she gained from it evaporated when they stepped inside. All eyes found them immediately. All conversations stopped dead, until Nino broke in with, "Dude, do you know everyone in this city? Why didn't you invite Ladybug, too?"
Marinette felt more than heard Chat Noir's laughter as the hum of noise picked up again. "Yeah, princess," he said. "Why didn't you?"
Marinette picked at the buttons on her coat. "I did, but she was busy. She had a party to go to."
It looked like most of their grade was here, certainly almost everyone in their class. Fairy lights lined the doorways, as well as sprigs of green. Marinette's heart fell to her feet. Mistletoe. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Everyone kissed at midnight on New Year's Eve. And Adrien was here. They were just cheek kisses, but Adrien was part of everyone, and he'd be expecting her to-
"Can I help you with your coat?"
Marinette blinked. Chat Noir was holding out a clawed hand to her.
"Oh, uh, sure?"
As he slipped away to hang it up, Alya pounced.
"He's staring at you the way Adrien's been doing when you're not looking."
Marinette stood her ground. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Her best friend smiled knowingly. "Too bad you've only got eyes for someone else, right?"
She tried her hardest not to, but a flush crept up her cheeks.
"Hm. Interesting." Alya's eyes flicked back to Chat Noir, who was cautiously walking over, eyes darting between the two girls.
"What's interesting?" he asked.
"The resolutions everyone's been making," Alya said smoothly. "We've got some magazines on the table over there if you want to make a collage." She waved a hand. "And there's some snacks in the kitchen."
"Resolutions. Let's go," Marinette said, grabbing Chat Noir by the arm and towing him away in the direction Alya had indicated.
The table was covered with magazines, scissors, glue, and leftover scraps of glossy paper. Marinette got to work, ignoring both Alya (who was studying them from across the room) and the boy next to her (who was trying very hard to hide his collage from her because he "wasn't finished yet"). Triangles of paper fluttered to the tabletop as she snipped hopes for her future from the magazines and arranged them just so. A dress for time to design. A microphone because it would be nice to go to a concert without it being interrupted by an Akuma for once. A butterfly for the defeat of Hawk Moth and for her city to be safe.
"Ooooh!"
Marinette and Chat Noir both jumped at the interruption. Alya leaned in between them, peeking over his shoulder.
"Is that a wedding ring I see?" Alya asked, an evil smile evident on her face and in her voice. "Aren't you and Ladybug a little young to get engaged?"
The tips of his human ears were just visible through his hair, and they started turning red. The rest of his blush was covered by his mask. "N-no. It's just a ring. It represents my Miraculous, obviously." He caught Marinette's eye and quickly looked away. "I want to do a good job protecting Paris this year."
Marinette put a palm over her collage to hide the cat she'd tucked into the corner. Pushed her hand down like that would hide it better. Tried not to blush. She was hoping for something more from him, too. So why couldn't she just ask him for it?
Alya was still leaning into him, hoping for a scoop, and he added, "You know, we could catch him this year."
Alya straightened up, distracted. "You think you have a new lead?"
They did not. Marinette didn't listen as Chat Noir speculated on the radius of Akuma attacks and the directions witness reports claimed butterflies came from. Instead, she peeked at his vision board. A bouquet of flowers sat in one corner and a smiling couple in the other. And of course, a ring in the middle, white gold with a single ruby in the center. Maybe not engagement, but a relationship was on his mind.
Marinette excused herself and made her way to the snack table, attacking the food as a means of escape. What was her problem? Just point at the ring and whisper "yes" when no one was looking. Smile at him the next time he flirts. Ask him to the movies. It wasn't that hard.
And yet, she'd somehow messed it up every single time.
***
At three hours to midnight, Alya announced party games. "Pin the hands on the clock" and then a doughnut-eating contest. At least three girls complimented Chat Noir after his turn. What skill! How talented he was!
Marinette wrinkled her nose. They were praising his eating? Were they that desperate for his attention? Did he really need to smile at them so much when they said it? Marinette wandered over to talk to Kim while he wiped powdered sugar off his face, feeling Chat Noir's eyes on her the whole time, wondering if she should have complimented him, too.
At two hours to midnight, Nino started DJing. Six girls mobbed Chat Noir at the beginning of the final song, a slow dance, but he politely turned them down. As soon as they weren't looking, he turned to her, eyebrows raised in question.
This is it. Smile. Say yes. Take his hand. Tell him I'd love to!
Marinette took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Instead of words, she choked. Actually choked because she'd breathed in too quickly and started coughing, and Chat Noir awkwardly asked if she wanted some water and ran off to fetch it for her. Marinette rubbed her hands over her face, wishing she were at home so she could scream into her pillow.
At one hour to midnight, Marinette was glaring at a piece of paper. Alya had called everyone together to her living room and squished them onto the sofas and every spare chair in her house, and handed them questionnaires. What were their best memories from this year? What were their predictions and goals for next year?
Marinette stood with Chat Noir by the window. He tapped the paper with the eraser, trying to think of the perfect answers. Marinette was skeptical, mostly because of the way Alya had glanced over at them and smiled four times in the last minute and a half.
People scribbled furiously, one of Nino's mixes playing gently in the background, until Alya told them their time was up and started asking people to share. One by one, goals were declared and memories laughed over. And then it was Chat Noir's turn.
"And you can't say defeat Hawk Moth," Alya said, smile growing. "We already know that one."
"B-but that's-"
Alya shook her head, and her eyes flicked to Marinette. What was her game?
"If you can't think of anything, I could always ask you a different question." Alya leaned forward. Everyone's eyes were on Chat Noir, and he pushed himself farther into the wall.
"Sure. What else did you want to ask?"
Marinette flicked her eyes between her partner and her best friend. He'd taken the bait. The trap was set. She could feel the noose tightening.
"So, what intentions do you have for our dear Marinette here?"
Several of the kids echoed the question. "Are you two gonna start dating?" "Have you kissed her yet?" "I thought you were with Ladybug. Why are you partying with other girls behind her back?"
Chat Noir looked at Marinette pleadingly, with the same lost expression he would wear when they were fighting an Akuma, and she'd announced that yes, they did need to jump in its mouth again.
She could only shrug and smile in apology. Would this have happened if they'd come as Marinette and Adrien instead of Marinette and Chat Noir? Well, knowing Alya, probably.
He caught her eye again, this time adding a mouthed, "Save me!"
The music changed from hip hop to a slow ballad and gave Marinette an idea for their escape. "Dance with me?" She didn't wait for an answer and dragged him away by a wrist amid whistles and laughter. This had been a mistake, she realized as she led him out. She was only feeding their rumors now. And his face looked about as hot as hers felt.
As soon as she found the cooler air of the kitchen, she released his hand. Laughter still echoed from the other room.
"The music's even quieter in here," he said.
"Oh, I wasn't really planning on dancing."
His ears and shoulders drooped in unison, and Marinette's heart was quick to follow. She'd messed up a perfect opportunity again. Couldn't she have thrown out a flirty, "We don't need music"? Or even a cheesy, "We can dance to the music in our hearts"? He would have loved something silly like that. Instead, he crossed his hands over his chest and gave his practiced smile.
Maybe it wasn't too late. Maybe she could still say something romantic and over-the-top and salvage the moment. There was plenty of room to dance, and no one was watching.
Marinette opened her mouth.
Alya peeked her head through the door. "It's safe to come back in."
"Really?" Chat Noir asked. "Safe even from you?"
"Even from me. Promise!"
Chat Noir followed her back into the noise of the living room without a backward glance at Marinette, alone and unmoving in the middle of the kitchen.
***
Midnight snuck up on her. Probably because she spent 10% of it avoiding Alya's suggestive eyebrow wiggles and 90% worrying about kissing Adrien at midnight and how she should bring it up to him. Start with explaining her feelings? Ask to kiss him? Would he ask her first? What if she accidentally said no and hurt his feelings, and he decided then and there that he didn't like her anymore? What if he left the party because he was so upset and she didn't have a way home?
She spun, searching the room for him to make sure he hadn't left without her… only to find it completely Chat Noir-less. "Where is he?" she asked no one in particular. A couple people looked around them and shrugged, then returned to watching the host on the screen announce one minute left until midnight.
Marinette found him in the front hallway, sitting on the floor among a few dozen discarded shoes and looking up at the squares of glass above the door. Lights from outside lit up the few snowflakes that fluttered past.
"Hey, Chaton. You okay?"
"I know cheek kisses are traditional at midnight, but I don't feel like getting mobbed by everyone just because they want to kiss a celebrity." He got up and dusted himself off, even though it didn't look like he needed it.
Another opportunity, and so close to midnight, and maybe the last one of the night. "Good thing there's at least one person here who doesn't like you because you're a celebrity."
"So you don't like me, huh?" he teased.
"No!" Marinette spluttered. "I mean, wait, yes. I don't like like you. No, uh, let me start over." Panic started to rise in her chest. She wasn't making any sense at all. She'd messed up yet again. To make matters worse, people were cheering in the next room, wishing each other happy New Year, and she was standing in a cold hallway not kissing the love of her life.
He put a hand on her shoulder and used it to pull her a step toward him. "It's fine, Marinette. Really."
Except it wasn't fine. Another perfect chance gone, wasted, squandered because she couldn't seem to do the right thing or find the perfect thing to say to him.
Chat Noir still had his hand on her shoulder as he turned to face the end of the hallway. Cheers and laughter from the party floated toward them. "It looks like we aren't being missed. Do you want to stay out here with me for a little longer?" His gaze flicked to her mouth and then to her eyes and then away with a blush.
Oh.
Oh.
She'd messed up. Their relationship had been a string of her mistakes and blunders for the past two weeks, but maybe it didn't matter. Maybe she could still make the most of it. "Hey, Adrien?" she whispered.
He turned back to her. "Yeah?"
The kiss was almost perfect. Hands on cheeks and fingers through hair and eyes closed in wonder and breaths mingled together. And if her first try had missed his mouth, then that was okay with both of them.