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Marinette yawned as she dragged herself up one last step. She was exhausted, so much so she was nearly tempted to lie down right there in the hallway instead of walking the twenty or so steps to her room. Hosting a birthday party for a three-year-old at eight months pregnant wasn’t exactly a piece of cake, although Adrien tried to joke it was exactly that when he cut the first piece.
But it would take too much effort to actually get down on the floor, and Marinette had been dreaming of her bed for hours. If she closed her eyes, she could already imagine the feeling of cozy blankets wrapped around her. Never mind the fact she’d likely toss the covers off five minutes later and that the baby would probably start kicking the second she laid down. She could still imagine she’d be asleep in seconds. And she was almost there. Just a few more steps...
Marinette heard sounds coming from Emma’s room and stopped. Adrien had gone upstairs to tuck her in a while ago, but considering the day’s excitement it wasn’t surprising she’d take longer than usual to fall asleep. Marinette carefully opened the door to peek inside, smiling when she recognized the song Adrien hummed.
He glanced up the moment she walked through the door—Marinette wasn’t exactly sneaky these days—and smiled softly. He held a finger to his lips and turned back to Emma, rubbing his thumb across gently across her forehead. Marinette stood there smiling as he finished the tune, bent down to kiss Emma goodnight, and carefully stood up. The floor creaked beneath him as he walked over, and Marinette had to stifle her laughter at the face he made as he froze and turned back to ensure he hadn’t woken Emma. Thankfully, she didn’t stir as Adrien came to stand behind Marinette.
“She wouldn’t stop talking about the party,” he whispered, gently massaging her shoulders. “Apparently, next year she wants two bouncy castles.”
Marinette hummed in amusement. “Did you tell her she’d get them if she used her kitten eyes on you?”
“Hey.” His hands rubbed up and down her arms. “I say no to her all the time.”
“I mean, sure. I’m just saying, I’m not the one who let her have a third piece of cake.”
“It’s her birthday, M’lady. And the pieces were tiny.”
“Mhm…” Marinette shook her head, leaning back against Adrien’s chest and letting her eyes fall closed. “That song you were humming brings me back, you know.”
“Oh yeah?” His hands came to rest on her rounded stomach, and she guided one of his hands to where the baby was kicking. Adrien kissed her cheek, and his breath left a warm trail as his mouth travelled to her ear. “To what?”
Marinette smiled. “Remember that night you…”
THUMP!
Marinette jumped in her desk chair, nearly spilling a glass of water all over her laptop. Aside from the obvious reasons that would be a disaster, there was also the paper she had two days left to finish. Her last paper of lycée. The final thing standing between her and freedom.
Then again…maybe it wouldn’t have been disastrous to have lost that, since in the past week of working on it she’d managed to write all of one measly paragraph. Even tonight, with the deadline looming, she couldn’t seem to focus. Her short Netflix breaks turned into hour-long binges, her mom kept coming into her room to ask her questions about next weekend’s graduation party, and every time Marinette thought she was finally focused, one of her friends would ping some group or other with the usual fare: I can’t believe we almost made it!
At this rate though, Marinette wasn’t going to make it. She glared at the ceiling, then glanced away as the trap door above her head creaked open. She wasn’t about to give her boyfriend the satisfaction of distracting her. He knew she was busy, so she didn’t feel the need to placate him.
She pretended to be immersed in reading an article as she heard him land on the bed, hoping against all hope he’d get the hint. Not unexpectedly, he did not. His claws tapped insistently against the railing of her loft and he whistled softly. She gritted her teeth and tried to ignore him, but it was no use. She could practically see Chat’s grin even before she pushed her chair back to glare up at him.
She crossed her arms. “Adrien, I’m busy.”
“But I missed you.” Chat pouted. He stopped tapping, instead settling his chin in his hands as he leaned his elbows on the railing. His cat ears drooped, and his tail waved at a solemn pace. But Marinette refused to fall for his act. She refused.
She sighed, leaning back in her chair. “And I’ll be all yours in two days. But until then, I—”
“No.”
Marinette narrowed her eyes, trying to keep her stupid, disloyal lips from twitching their way into a smile. “No?”
“No,” Chat repeated.
He swung himself over the railing and landed on the floor beside her. His landing was soft as a cat’s, which only proved he could have landed on her balcony without making such a racket.
His eyes twinkled in the lamplight. “I know for a fact you started this project early, and it’s your last thing to hand in. I also know you’re over halfway done already—”
“That half took me over a week. And I deleted most of it because it sucked.”
“Well, what I read certainly didn’t suck, but fine. Even if you are starting over, it’s no big deal. You’re a serial procrastinator; you were born for things like this.”
Chat walked over to the full-length mirror in the corner of the room, flexing at his reflection. For all his posturing, Marinette knew he wasn’t really that vain. The gesture was likely meant to distract her. Knowing she wasn’t anywhere near as immune to his charms as she pretended, she turned away and scooched her chair back towards the desk.
Her fingers had scarcely made contact with the keyboard when Chat continued in a smug tone, “I’m willing to bet you’ve spent the last hour watching cat videos, anyway.”
Marinette surreptitiously closed one of her tabs. “Have I ever told you I regret giving you access to my Google account?”
“Now, now, Princess. That’s not what you said when I proofread your essay last week.”
“Sleep-deprived Marinette had other priorities.”
She glanced back over as Chat turned towards her, one corner of his mask arched in disbelief. “Marinette. Love of my life, light of my days, stars of my ni—”
“Laying it on a little thick there, Chaton.”
He rolled his eyes, walking over and hopping up to sit on the corner of her desk. “Love Bug, you’re always sleep-deprived.”
“Love Bug? You do realize you can’t just get me to agree with you by making up new nicknames, right?”
Chat crossed one leg over the other, resting an elbow on his knee as he leaned forwards, the top of his mask waggling up and down. “I can still try.”
Marinette bit back a smirk as she replied. “You’re not going to give up, are you?”
“Nope.” He popped the ‘p’ like a petulant child and slid off the desk, He crouched down beside her, leaning one arm on her lap. “You need a break.”
Marinette closed her eyes, and yes it was a coward’s move to avoid the pleading kitten eyes gazing up at her, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She pulled the elastic from her messy bun, about to pull her hair into a tighter twist when Chat’s fingers wrapped around her wrist.
“Marinette,” he whined as she let her hair fall loose, “it’s just a few hours.”
She opened her eyes, her resolve slowly crumbling when she met his gaze. She ran her fingers through her hair, hoping it looked more artfully messy than it felt. “I don’t know…”
“Please?” His eyes seemed to twinkle in time with her racing heartbeat. “Come on, this paper is barely worth anything. Your grades are fine, I’m sure you did great on your bac, and you already got into ESMOD. Plus, I know you. How much work would you really get done tonight anyways?”
He made some good points. “But—”
“But nothing,” he said. “We’re pretty much free—at least for the summer.” He stood and offered his hand. “Let’s go celebrate.”
He’d won her over—something he seemed to realize based on his smug grin. But at this point, banter was instinctual.
“And if I refuse?” she asked.
A dangerous look flashed in his eyes. “Then I’ll just have to kidnap you. It’s for your own good.”
Marinette laughed. “You wouldn’t da—” she broke off with a yelp as Chat bent down and scooped her up in a princess carry. “Chat!” She kicked her legs in the air and struggled in his arms. “Put me down!”
“No can do,” he said. Marinette started poking him in the cheek in retaliation, but he seemed unphased. “You should be warm enough in that hoodie, but where are your shoes?”
“Not telling you,” she said, sticking out her tongue.
“Real mature,” Chat sighed, still scanning the room.
“They’re over here!” Tikki said. She flew up in front of Chat’s face and pointed towards the chaise. Traitor.
“Thank you!” Chat said, carrying Marinette over to the chaise as she glared at her Kwami. Tikki only shrugged unapologetically before flying into Marinette’s pocket.
Chat sat down with Marinette in his lap, and she immediately tried to squirm out of his grip. He only shook his head and clicked his tongue as he tightened his hold, then he bent down to grab her shoes. He slid them on her feet—threatening to tickle her if she didn’t cooperate, then scooped her up again and headed for her loft.
At some point between the chaise and her balcony, Marinette twined her arms around his neck and forgot she was supposed to be fighting him at all.
Once their laughter faded, Marinette only heard the wind whipping past her ears and the distant sounds of car horns as Chat ran across the rooftops. The city lights blurred in her periphery, but she had eyes only for the redness of his windswept cheeks and the playful gleam in his eyes whenever he peeked down at her. His hair tickled her fingers where they clasped behind his neck, and she couldn’t wait to tangle her fingers in the strands. To pull his head down and taste his minty-fresh breath.
She felt wild. Safe. Free.
Racing across the city as Ladybug was exhilarating too, but even a year after Hawk Moth’s defeat that was tightly intertwined with her sense of duty. In contrast, being carried by Chat was a thrill that expected nothing in return. She suspected she could have fallen asleep this way, with her face buried in the crook of his neck and the gentle thuds of his footsteps as her lullaby.
She didn’t get the chance to find out. Chat shifted his hold on her to grab his baton, then slid down into an alley. Marinette wrinkled her nose as he set her down a little too close to the dumpster from the restaurant next door.
“Gotta say, Chaton, this isn’t exactly what I pictured when you said I needed a break. I was thinking more candlelit picnic, and less” —she glanced at the trash bin— “food that’s already been half-digested.”
He laughed, wrapping a hand around her wrist and tugging her away from the smell. “Alright, I should have planned our landing a little better, but I got excited. We’re almost there!”
Marinette walked to the edge of the alley and glanced around. There wasn’t a lot to see—a couple restaurants, some shops which had closed hours prior, and a few boats floating on the Seine. “Where exactly is…there?”
Chat released her hand and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, uh…I thought we could crash a party?”
Marinette scrunched her face in confusion. “A party? What party?”
“Honestly? I’m not quite sure. I was running past here earlier, and I saw a bunch of people dressed up on one of the yachts. Looks like an anniversary or something. Maybe a birthday. But there’s dancing, and food, and—”
Marinette cut him off by stepping forwards and putting her hands on his chest. His eyes followed her movements as she trailed her fingers down his pecs, smiling up at him through her lashes.
“Adrien, come on. We can’t just crash someone’s party. Besides” —she gestured to her leggings and oversized pink hoodie— “I’m not really dressed for that.”
“Ah, but Ladybug can dress up however she wants. And I know you’ve been working on a formal version of your suit...”
Marinette shook her head. “That’s for the banquet next month. I can’t use it now, or—”
“Didn’t you have two versions you couldn’t choose between?” His voice was too cocky—she should have done more to distract him on the trip here so he had less time to perfect his story. She glowered playfully as he continued. “Now both of your brilliant designs can see the light of day. I’m really just doing you a favour.”
Damn him and his flattery.
She tried her best to keep her voice flippant as she continued, slowly gliding her hands back up his chest to hang them on his shoulders. “And what about you? Leather is hot and all, but…”
She trailed off, gazing up at him in adoration. She fluttered her eyelashes and threw in a wink for good measure as she slid her hands up to cup his jaw.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. “B-but?”
“Hmm?” she said innocently, raising on her tiptoes. He mirrored her movement, bending down until his face was close enough that she knew he’d feel her next words warm his lips. “Were we talking about something?”
Chat’s pupils narrowed into slits. His tongue slipped out for a moment to moisten his lips, and Marinette’s breath hitched in anticipation. Then he drew back suddenly, taking a step away. Marinette tried to hide her disappointment as her hands fell to her sides.
“The party?” he said weakly, but Marinette wouldn’t be so easily deterred.
“Hmm…I don’t know.” She took a step closer, and Chat took a smaller step back, his eyes glued to her lips. “I feel like we can have more fun just the two of us.”
They both took another step, and Chat hit the brick wall behind him. Marinette slid one hand behind his neck and bent him closer, rising up on her tiptoes again until her lips were right beside his ears. His hand settled on the small of her back. She raised her other hand to slowly tuck a strand of hair behind his ears, letting her fingers linger until he shuddered in pleasure.
“A lot more fun, Chaton.”
The sound that escaped him was practically a growl as he stepped forwards and lifted her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he kissed the curve of her neck, trailing kisses up to her jaw as he flipped her so she was the one pinned against the wall. She finally did get to bury her fingers in his hair as his lips closed in on hers. Her heart raced as he teased her bottom lip with his tongue, but right before she lost all pretence of restraint Chat groaned and buried his face in the crook of her neck.
“Can’t believe I’m doing this,” he mumbled, releasing her thighs and letting her slide to the ground. Marinette pouted as he stepped back, running a hand through his hair.
“My boyfriend whisks me away in the middle of the night and I don’t get kisses?”
Chat chuckled, holding out his hands. Marinette glowered for a moment before stepping forwards and letting him pull her into a hug. With his arms wrapped around her and her head tucked under his chin she felt slightly less cheated.
“I just wanted to do something…spontaneous,” he mumbled into her hair. “Like…you know that story your dad told at dinner the other night?”
“Uh…no?” Marinette had forgotten anything and everything that didn’t have to do with Chat’s lips, or his hands, or his—
“You know, the one about the time you snuck downstairs after your parents went to bed and ate so much cake you got sick?”
Marinette pulled back and tilted her head up at him. “I have no idea where you’re going with this, but I really don’t think five-year-old Marinette’s bad decisions are something to aspire to.”
“But you got to make them! I never…I spent most of my life being watched, or straight-up being controlled. I never got to make those stupid choices. I never got to be reckless, or childish, or free. And now that I can be, I just...” He let out a long breath. “I want to be a regular kid for one night.”
Marinette smirked. “Regular kids transform into superheroes and sneak into yacht parties?”
He shook his head, glancing down as his brow pinched in frustration. Marinette really wanted to jump back into his arms and smooth the wrinkles over with kisses, but she sensed this wasn’t the time. She stepped back instead and grabbed his hands. She cradled them to her chest, waiting for him to collect his thoughts. He spared her the tiniest smile before he spoke.
“You know what I mean.” His voice was quiet. “I want to make my own decisions, just because I can. I want to maybe make a few mistakes. I want to make memories.” He met her eyes, and the sincerity of his gaze made her weak in the knees. “And I want to make them with you.”
It took Marinette a few seconds to find her voice.
“Okay,” she whispered. She gave his bell a gentle flick and bit her lip softly to hold in the force of her emotions as he broke into a wide smile. “We can be stupid, reckless kids for tonight.”
His answering grin made her breath catch, and for a moment everything just felt…surreal. The past year had been a roller coaster, their cart racing full speed ahead through some of their highest highs and highest lows. Hawk Moth’s defeat wasn’t the triumph it should have been when Gabriel turned out to be behind the mask, and Marinette hadn’t been thinking of anything aside from Adrien when her earrings gave their final beep. His transformation gave out soon after hers, and suddenly Paris knew everything.
Marinette’s entire life had changed. She often couldn’t walk down the street without being recognized, and the scrutiny only increased when she and Adrien started dating. In some ways, she didn’t feel like her life had slowed down at all. She slotted therapy sessions in between classes and exams. She filled out university applications in the courthouse lobby while waiting for Gabriel’s sentence. She still balanced Guardian duties with her friendships, though her friends were quick to remind her she didn’t have to struggle alone.
One thing that remained constant was Adrien’s unwavering support. Even in the moments when his world was crumbling, he always seemed to find a moment to ask about her day. When she was younger and struggling to confess her feelings, she always imagined that once they started dating she’d get over her inability to speak clearly. But attempting to explain how he made her feel? How much he meant to her? There simply weren’t the words for that, even if Adrien always seemed to find the perfect thing to say.
But maybe actions really did speak louder, because Adrien’s expression as her transformation took hold now made her giddy all over.
She couldn’t see her outfit now, but the design was practically stitched into her brain. It was a red, off-the-shoulder number with a high-low skirt. The fabric of course had magical origins, but the bodice was made to resemble satin while the skirt imitated layers of tulle, carefully ruffled to give it some volume. Tiny black gemstones replaced her usual polka dots, and the edges of her domino mask were covered in black lace. In lieu of her usual yo-yo, a small, round handbag hung from one shoulder on a thin, black chain.
“Woah,” Chat managed. He stepped back, looking her up and down.
“You like it?” Ladybug teased. “I’d give you a twirl, but…even with superpowers that seems like tempting fate with heels and cobblestones…”
Chat stepped forward and ran his hands up and down her bare arms. She wasn’t cold—whether because it was just warm enough of a night or due to the magic of the suit she couldn’t say—but his touch brought goosebumps to her skin.
“You’re beautiful,” he said, his voice husky. “Really. You’ve outdone yourself.”
She glanced away. “I mean, I can’t really take credit for a magical—”
“Tut, tut.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ears—it was pulled up into a braided bun with a few strands loose to frame her face. “The design was all you, and so is…well, you.”
Ladybug giggled. “I’m me? That’s your big revelation?”
He cupped her cheek, leaning in and pressing their foreheads together. “You’re terrible at taking compliments.”
“And you’re still underdressed. Do you think I’m going to be seen with any old alley cat when I look like this?”
“Why, of course not. Plagg, claws in.”
Warm skin replaced the touch of leather against her face. She stepped back to admire Adrien’s outfit—a classic black tuxedo with a red bow tie and pocket square.
“That’s so unfair,” she mumbled. You had time to go home and change, but you made me come here in practically my pyjamas?”
Adrien shrugged. “What can I say? Adrien going to a dance with Ladybug? It’s always been a fantasy of mine.”
“Of course it has.” She shook her head, smiling.
Adrien grinned, offering his elbow. “Shall we, M’lady?”
As it turned out, Adrien’s plan for sneaking into the party didn’t involve any actual sneaking—instead, they were pretty much meant to just walk right in. Ladybug squeezed his arm as they passed a sign announcing “Étienne’s retirement party”, which seemed like the kind of party you weren’t supposed to crash, superheroes or no. But Adrien just smiled at the lady who stood near the end of the dock as she scribbled something on her clipboard.
“Might you have room for the prince and the duchess of Paris?” Adrien asked.
“The prince and the duchess?” Ladybug asked. “Where did that come from?”
Adrien smirked. “You almost tripped flat on your face three times on the walk here. You got downgraded from princess.”
Ladybug hid her face behind one hand and shook her head, then gave clipboard lady an apologetic smile. The woman didn’t seem bothered, though. She’d clearly recognized them, because her eyes had gone wide.
“I…” She glanced down at her clipboard, back at them, then back to the clipboard again, as if shocked that her papers didn’t have all of the answers. She cleared her throat. “Let me go find out.”
“Thanks!” Adrien said. She nodded and hurried inside.
“You’re ridiculous,” Ladybug mumbled. “A retirement party?”
Adrien shrugged, seeming unperturbed. “I mean, I was thinking it was more of a birthday or something. But the logo was for pretty big law firm—I bet they have good booze at least.”
Ladybug laughed. “Fair enough.”
She shifted her head to try and get a good look into the party, but too many bodies lingered near the entrance. She leaned her head back on Adrien’s shoulder, trying to ignore the mild swirls of anxiety in her stomach. She couldn’t shake the feeling that their being here was weird. She could imagine the headlines that might be scattered across the internet by tomorrow, painting a picture of two reckless kids who had no business moonlighting as heroes.
It helped a little when Adrien wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in tighter, but the soothing circles his fingers traced on her arm also reminded her of darker days. Of days they spent cuddling inside, not necessarily because they wanted to, but because going outside meant facing the public’s scrutiny.
The clipboard lady reappeared, her smile cutting off Marinette’s internal spiral. She unhooked the velvet rope blocking the entrance and waved them inside. “Have fun!”
Ladybug remained frozen for a moment, but Adrien’s hand slipped easily into hers, pulling her inside before she had a chance to protest.
The place was packed, filled with suits ranging from formal to casual and demure gowns in a myriad of colours and styles. In one corner, a group of kids tossed a balloon back and forth, one girl of maybe seven freezing as she caught sight of the newcomers. Ladybug waved, and the girl ran off. Glints of sequins and gems flashed in the lights scattered about the room. Glasses of wine and whisky were aplenty. The speakers played soft tunes for those first few couples who’d abandoned their plates in favour of the dance floor—mostly an older crowd while others mingled around, chatting or staring at their phones.
As they weaved through the crowd of people near the entrance, Ladybug felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck. People were watching them. That was nothing new—people had been watching her since the first time she’d donned the mask—but over the last year Ladybug had gotten a lot better at identifying the two kinds of watching. She’d gotten a lot better at picking out judgemental eyes from seas of appreciative smiles. Some people were still suspicious of Adrien, despite the fact he’d fought against his father for years. And when he was outside of the suit, that scrutiny was often worse.
Now, she couldn’t help but let her eyes sweep across their audience, evaluating the crowd. If anybody regarded Adrien with the least bit of ire, she would…well, she didn’t know what she would do, honestly. Adrien wouldn’t want her to draw attention to it and cause a scene. But still…
Thankfully, all she saw were delighted eyes, confused whispers, and people excitedly elbowing their companions. She relaxed as they reached the middle of the dance floor, and Adrien squeezed her hand as he spun to face her.
“I can hear you thinking,” he said as he pulled her in close. He tapped her nose gently with one finger as his other hand found the small of her back. “Everything’s fine, Bug. Just trust me.”
“I do,” she whispered, resting her hands on his shoulders.
Adrien cupped her cheek, his fingers tracing the edge of her mask as he leaned down. She smiled as his breath warmed her lips, his half-lidded eyes filled with fondness. Eyes that made her forget there was a world outside of the two of them.
The background noise dulled to a soft hum, and warmth spread through Ladybug as Adrien finally touched his lips to hers. She was about to sink further into the kiss when a soft gasp from beside them, and Adrien pulled back.
Fighting back her disappointment, Ladybug turned to see the young girl who’d run away earlier, staring up at them with wide brown eyes. “Miss Ladybug? Is that you?”
“I take it you’re a fan?” Adrien asked, kneeling down. The girl nodded, and Adrien grinned. “Me too. Her biggest fan.”
“Nuh-uh.” She fiddled with the hem of her dress, glancing shyly up at Ladybug before her eyes darted back to Adrien. “I am!”
“Is that so?” he laughed. “And does her biggest fan have a name?”
“Um…I’m not supposed to…” She bit her lip and glanced around, freezing when a woman laughed from behind her.
“It’s okay, Émi. They’re friends.”
Ladybug nodded to the woman, whose lips twitched in amusement as she watched. She was wearing a killer wine-red pantsuit with a low V, one of the riskier outfits Ladybug had seen around but every bit as elegant. Her short hair hung in artful waves, and her eyeliner was sharp as a knife. She looked like everything Ladybug aspired to be—confident, relaxed, comfortable.
Ladybug was used to people deferring to her expertise in the suit, but in this context she was just some kid crashing a party. She felt like a fraud when the lady met her gaze with a respectful nod, as if Ladybug was every bit her equal.
Smiling awkwardly, Ladybug crouched down beside Adrien. It was a little hard to balance in the heels, but he steadied her with an arm around her shoulder when she wobbled.
She looked to the girl. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
The girl studied her feet. “Émilie.”
Adrien’s dug his fingers into Ladybug’s shoulder, and she rubbed a soothing hand across his back until the tension eased out of him. He smiled gratefully when she met his eyes.
“That’s a lovely name,” Ladybug said, hoping her voice sounded even. She wanted this interaction to be over, so she could make sure Adrien was really okay. He often wouldn’t admit to it, but she knew his mother’s death affected him more than he let on.
The woman watching twirled her phone. “Mind if I take a picture?”
“Not at all,” Adrien said. Ladybug squeezed his waist.
It was over in a short flash and a smile Ladybug didn’t quite feel herself make. Adrien was helped her back to her feet as Émilie stole the woman’s phone and skipped off to show someone the picture.
The woman chuckled. “Thanks for that. My niece is a big fan. I swear, this is all I’m going to hear her talk about for our next ten family gatherings.”
Adrien laughed. “Well, we are kind of crashing the party. It’s only fair we pay our dues.”
The woman shook her head, smiling. “Please. This is my dad’s party, and he’s a huge fan. You’re welcome here—just don’t leave before the fun gets started.”
She winked as she walked off. Émilie ran back a few seconds later, hugging her aunt’s side as they left the dance floor. Ladybug tried to turn back to Adrien, but before she could move he wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his cheek to hers.
“You okay?” she asked.
She felt him nod. “I am. I really am.” He pressed a kiss to her jaw, then another to her cheek. “Now, where were we?”
For a moment, Ladybug almost envied him. Adrien always seemed so resilient, somehow able to find the bright side of a black hole while Ladybug stood frozen, waiting for the force to to swallow her whole. But he was so good at bringing her back into the light too, and as his lips inched closer to hers she couldn’t help but smile.
He pulled back just enough to spin her around in his arms, his gaze holding her as steadily as his hands held her waist. He leaned in closer.
“Everyone’s watching us,” Ladybug whispered, reaching up to fiddle with his collar.
“So?” Adrien waggled his eyebrows. “We should give them a show.”
Without warning he stepped back, grabbed her hand, and twirled her. He kept one hand on her waist—probably so she couldn’t Marinette her way into faceplanting on the floor. He caught her at the end and dipped her, his eyes smouldering as he held her there for a moment. Her cheeks heated up as people around them cheered, but before she had too much time to overthink he kissed her.
His lips were warm and gentle, his hand on the small of her back the only thing keeping her from melting straight through the floor. Ladybug stopped thinking about anything aside from the hints of mints she tasted on his tongue and the way her heart beat ten times faster than the base thumping around them. His eyes never left hers as he pulled away, and the fifty or so other pairs of eyes that might still have been watching them no longer seemed to matter.
As the night went on, more and more people joined them on the dance floor. The music steadily became less formal, the dancing comprised of people jumping up and down like fools instead of the slow-dancing they’d walked into. Ladybug kicked off her heels at some point—even magical heels could only be so comfortable—paying little attention to where they landed. Unlike Cinderella, her shoes would disappear along with her ballgown later. But Ladybug was more than fine with that; she’d already found her prince.
They snuck a break—and some wine—when Adrien claimed his poor civilian limbs needed a break. Ladybug suspected he really just wanted to sneak off somewhere so they could make out—not that she was opposed. But it didn’t take long for Émilie and a group of other kids to find them, and they wound up joining a conga line instead.
As they danced, Ladybug forgot about school and her future. She forgot about all of her responsibilities and that she was technically wearing a magical suit. The night was magic all on its own, even when Plagg decided to sneak a piece of camembert while nestling into Adrien’s hair, and the smell made Ladybug turn up her nose until Adrien realized and shooed him away. Plagg got his karma when the kids found him and started chasing him around the dance floor anyway, and Adrien burst out laughing again.
Ladybug laughed too, harder than she remembered laughing in ages. It was weird to think that once her worst fear might have been someone seeing her or Chat Noir’s Kwami, and now she watched with delight as Plagg phased through a child’s grabby hands for the third time in a row.
As the music changed back to something softer, Ladybug took tried her best to savour the moment. It was one of those moments she wanted to bottle up forever, her joy so overwhelming it held a bittersweet note; nothing would ever feel quite like this ever again. It was a feeling she never wanted to forget, so she found herself cataloguing a list of details to remember as Adrien pulled her in close again.
The thrum of the bass and he twinkle lights suspended from the ceiling. The lingering taste of chocolate from the piece of cake they’d shared a while ago. The warmth of Adrien’s breath in her ear, sending shivers along her skin.
She pulled back, glancing up at him. Memorizing the gleam in his eyes and the way his brow furrowed as he studied her.
“Everything alright?” he asked.
Ladybug nodded, leaning in to give him a quick peck on the lips. He pouted for half a second when she pulled away, until she giggled and tucked a strand of hair behind his ear. The piece popped back out a second later, which annoyed Ladybug a touch. She wanted to appreciate the way his eyes reflected the the entire world right back at her.
One of his hands pressed against the small of her back as he pressed his forehead to hers. “I love you.”
His words were also caught in that moment of forever, in that infinite feeling that Ladybug suddenly felt slipping away. She rose up on her tiptoes, answering him with a deeper kiss than before.
I love you, said the soft gasp that stuck to the back of her throat as his thumb brushed the side of her neck. His lips devoured her message eagerly, and his answering groan made her pick up her tempo.
I want you. It wasn’t enough. Would never be enough. And at the same time it was entirely too much. The pleasure washed over her entire body. It twisted her insides like she was a sponge wrung dry—she was ready for more. She demanded more.
I need you. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and tugged him closer. His hand slid down her upper arms, then settled on the small of her back.
He studied her for a moment when their lips parted again, and Ladybug couldn’t help but wonder what he saw. She was met with eyes softer than cashmere and as bright as a summer’s day. And sure, it was hazardous to look directly at the sun. But how could she look away?
The music changed again, but Ladybug knew a part of her would always be caught in the last song.
“Just go grab it,” Adrien whispered.
“No!”
Ladybug glanced around with wide eyes when she realized how loud she’d spoken, but nobody paid them much attention anymore. Adrien just laughed until she quieted him with a pointed look. She swept her eyes across the room again, sipping from her wine so she wouldn’t seem suspicious while she and Adrien leaned back against the bar. Because for some reason they were plotting a felony.
Okay, it was a far cry from a felony, but still. They were in a room full of lawyers.
“Why don’t you do it?” she hissed.
“You have the magical purse,” he pointed out. “Much easier for covering our tracks. And besides” —he grinned— “you’d blow our cover in two seconds flat. There’s a reason I need to be the distraction.”
“I hate you,” Ladybug mumbled, but Adrien just laughed again.
“No you don’t.” He studied her for a moment, then bumped his shoulder against hers. “Hey. If you really don’t want to do it, then—”
“No, no, no. I want to, it’s just…Give me a second.”
She downed the rest of her wine, wincing a bit—that really wasn’t meant to be chugged—then made a show of adjusting her dress. She narrowed her eyes playfully at Adrien as he sent her a wink, then she walked to the end of the bar, pretending to study her nails while Adrien struck up a conversation with the bartender. Ladybug gave it another ten seconds or so until the bartender tossed back his head in laughter, then she took one more cursory look around the room before she snuck around the corner of the bar and grabbed the nearest bottle of champagne from the rack built into the wall.
She opened her purse and shoved the bottle inside, then made eye contact with Adrien and nodded. She bounced with nervous energy as he shook hands with the bartender, only slightly relaxing when he rejoined her. The next few minutes were a flurry of goodbyes, and even when they finally made it outside Ladybug couldn’t entirely relax.
“You’re killing my hand,” whispered Adrien as they made their way down the dock.
“I don’t want to get caught!” Ladybug hissed back, then faked a huge smile as one of the caterers passed them with a giant, empty bin.
Adrien laughed. “Bug, even if anyone had seen us—which they didn’t,” he added, no doubt noticing her panic. “But even if they did, what are they going to do? Accuse Ladybug? A bottle of champagne is the least they can offer us after everything.”
She stopped suddenly, looking around wildly before she rose on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. “It’s still theft.”
Adrien snorted as he began walking again, tugging Ladybug along with him. “This from the girl who used to steal phones back in the day?”
“Hey! I didn’t tell you that so you could tease me about it!”
“Oh, because you’ve never teased me for my Ladybug merch collection?”
“That’s different,” she scoffed as they neared the end of the pier.
“Pfft.” Adrien ran a hand through his hair. “It’s only different because you’re not the target.”
“No, it’s bec—” she broke off with a yelp as Adrien scooped her up into a princess carry. “Is this your way of winning every argument tonight?”
He answered with a fake gasp. “I can’t believe you’d doubt my intentions. The lady isn’t wearing any shoes, what kind of gentleman would I be if I let her walk?”
Ladybug could only laugh in response, although she was still half-convinced he’d lifted her up as a distraction. In any case, the more distance they put between them and the boat the more she managed to relax, and once he turned the corner she convinced herself they were in the clear.
He carried her for a few blocks, but it was slow-going. Even though Adrien was insistent that he was “probably, possibly, maybe not even that drunk,” he still paused every few steps, giddy with laughter. Eventually, Ladybug convinced him to put her down, and she de-transformed to let Tikki recharge.
Adrien bounced on his heels as he waited, then they both transformed together. Chat was a little disappointed to find she had abandoned her dress from earlier, but Ladybug felt more like herself in her regular suit. Plus, she wanted to be able to run across the rooftops for herself, now.
They raced each other across the city for a while, until Ladybug got tired again and slowed her pace. She watched in amusement as Chat ran to the row of the street before he realized she’d stopped following and circled back. She plopped herself down cross-legged, pulling the champagne from her yo-yo as Chat joined her.
“Tired, Bug?”
“Not like…falling asleep or anything, but…just wanted a break.”
He grinned. “Or some champagne.”
“Maaaybe.” She frowned as she studied the bottle. “How the hell do we even open this?”
Chat laughed. “Here, let me.”
“Damn rich boys,” Ladybug muttered, but she made sure to smile as she handed him the champagne, so he’d know she was only teasing.
He shook his head and sliced off the foil with one claw, then carefully untwisted the cage around the cork and turned the bottom of the bottle. There was a small hiss, and he spun the cork off into his hand.
“Huh,” Ladybug said, staring at the open bottle. There was barely even any champagne spilling from the top, which didn’t seem right considering they’d just run across the city. “I thought that would be a little more exciting.”
Chat laughed. “It’s not supposed to be exciting if you do it right.”
“How was that doing it right? Isn’t the cork supposed to like…fly off or something?”
“Pfft. And you call me the reckless one. Do you have any idea how fast those things go? We could kill some poor pedestrian.”
“I mean, you could just shoot it up in the air. Gravity would slow it down, no?”
“Sure.” Chat smirked. “It slows down until it falls back to the same height we launched it from. Then it only gets faster as it keeps falling to the ground, and—”
“Alright, alright. You don’t have to use physics against me.”
“It’s literally the Universe using physics against you. Not much I can do about that.”
“Whatever,” she grumbled as Chat took a swig. “I could have caught it with my yo-yo.”
Chat choked on his champagne. “Buginette,” he sputtered, caught between a coughing fit and laughter. “You can’t purify a champagne cork. It’s not an Akuma.”
In response, Ladybug stuck her tongue out and swiped the bottle from him. She took a long swig, trying not to wince as the liquid burned its way down her throat. It didn’t taste wasn’t as sweet as she’d imagined. But by the time Chat finally stopped laughing and took the bottle back for another sip of his own, Ladybug could feel warmth bubbling through her. She grinned as she watched Chat lower the bottle and balance it on his knee, a smile of his own curling onto his lips as he stared across the Seine.
“I’m glad you convinced me to do this,” Ladybug said, scooching sideways to lean against his shoulders. “Even if you had to kidnap me.”
Chat chuckled, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her in closer. “Does that mean I have permission to kidnap you in the future?”
“Maybe.” She made a face as she glanced up into his twinkling eyes. He was too smug about this.
“You’re already regretting that, aren’t you?” he laughed.
“Hmm…not if I get to do this.”
Chat leaned back warily. “Do wha—”
He broke off as Ladybug grabbed him gently by the bell and pulled him into a kiss. He was frozen for a moment before he melted against her, and she sharp taste of champagne on his tongue overwhelm her for a second other senses as the kiss deepened. But she had an ulterior motive, waiting until he relaxed fully into the kiss to wrap her fingers around the bottle of champagne and steal it back.
“Hey!” He pouted, reaching for the bottle half-heartedly as Ladybug leaned away from him, laughing giddily. “I can’t believe you’re choosing alcohol over me.”
She shrugged, hiding her smile around the lip of the bottle. She took another sip, licking her lips as she pulled away.
“Champagne doesn’t judge,” she said. “Champagne listens.”
Then again, it certainly didn’t listen when Chat made a funny face a moment later, and Ladybug almost snorted champagne up her nose. And champagne certainly wasn’t as cute as Chat’s laughter floating around him, or as thrilling as the kisses he trailed up her neck after that.
Luckily, she didn’t actually have to choose.
An hour or so later—though time was admittedly hard to judge by this point—the bottle of champagne was mostly gone, and Marinette was properly drunk. Marinette, because after she nearly fell off of the roof—thankfully when Chat wasn’t looking because he never would have let her live that down—she decided walking home in their civilian forms was the responsible thing to do. Superheroes shouldn’t be seen drunk; that was just common sense. Even if they were nearly as recognizable outside of the suits.
They must have made a ridiculous pair to anyone who saw them—Marinette in her hoodie and Adrien still decked out in a suit. And perhaps it was a tad a irresponsible to be walking home in the dark, regardless of any magical jewellery in their possession. But it was hard to worry about either of those things when Adrien kept singing off-tune, butchering the English lyrics from one of the songs they’d danced to earlier.
He held Marinette’s hand as she did her best to balance while walking along a ledge—something she’d been insistent as a toddler about attempting. Somehow, she felt like her balance was better when she was drunk, a thought that made her smile as she raised the leftover champagne to her lips and took a small sip. That theory was disproved when she tripped straight into Adrien’s arms a few steps later, but hey. His arms was a pretty good place to be. He was warm, his neck was kissable, and—
She pouted when he put her down. “Rude.”
“Hey! Don’t look at me like that. You’re the one who wanted to walk, and I’m too drunk to carry you all the way home without superhero strength.”
Marinette rolled her eyes, huddling to his side as they crossed a quiet street. She smirked up at him. “I thought you weren’t drunk, Mr. I-have-a-better-tolerance-than-you.”
“Hmm…I might have exaggerated that a little.” He stole back the bottle and took another sip.
He began singing again as they crossed the Pont des Arts. Marinette leaned more heavily against him as exhaustion seeped into her limbs. She was barely watching where she walked, but she had no doubts Adrien would get her home safe. Her chest was full, bursting at the seams with love and amazement. And okay, some of that was probably the alcohol, but most of it was just Adrien.
He stopped near the end of the bridge, chuckling. “Marinette” —he shook her gently— “come on, you can’t fall asleep yet.”
She mumbled something incoherent—honestly, even she wasn’t sure what she was saying. She wanted sleep. She hugged Adrien tighter, but he just laughed again and extricated himself from her grip. She opened her eyes and glared.
“Come on,” he said, extending his hand. “I know how to wake you up.”
She frowned at his mischievous expression. “What do you—” She broke off with a squeal as he began running, tugging her along with him. “Adrien, what the hell?!”
He laughed, but slowed his pace until they were walking again. Marinette yanked her hand away, crossing her arms.
“Aww, come on, Princess. You can’t say you’re not more awake now.”
“Can so,” she grumbled, walking ahead of him. Of course, his legs were longer, so it took him about two steps to catch up.
“Come on.” He extended an arm with a flourish, walking backwards in front of her. “Can’t I have one last dance?”
Marinette couldn’t hold back her smile as he mimed a waltz, and she was laughing again by the time she caved and accepted his hand. He kept her awake the rest of the way home by giving her the occasional twirl or pulling her in close. Sometimes he’d stop to dip her, and she’d laugh so hard she’d forget to breathe.
Her limbs still refused to cooperate half the time, but Adrien caught her every time she stumbled. And when she wasn’t falling for the pavement she was somehow falling even harder for him. For his cheeky smile and his gentle hands. For the way he snorted as she tripped over a crack in the pavement, joking about how sidewalks really weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
“I love you,” she whispered, when he finally relented a few blocks from her home and scooped her up in his arms. She was ending her adventure the same way it had begun, with her face buried in his shoulder and the wind blowing through her hair. There wasn’t really anyplace she’d rather be.
“I love you so much I don’t have words,” Adrien said. “Like…I love you so much it makes me stupid.”
They were the kind of words that sounded very profound after half a bottle of champagne.
“That’s really sweet,” Marinette said. “But I don’t think you’re stupid. Just reckless. We’re smart reckless kids.”
“Hmm…that sounds nice.” Adrien stopped suddenly, smiling down at her. “We should have a bunch of those.”
“Huh?”
“Kids. We’ll get married—you’ll be a beautiful bride—and have like…what’s a normal amount of kids? Ten seems like too many, but they would be really cute. Wait. You wanted three, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Marinette laughed, “but I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself.”
“I’m just excited,” Adrien said. “I know it’s a ways off, but…it’s all I’ve ever wanted, really. To have a life with you. I…think about it a lot, and sometimes I don’t tell you because it seems embarrassing, or because…I don’t know. I don’t want to scare you away. But I want to have a house full of kids, and tell them I love them every day, because I don’t ever want them to wonder. And you’ll be an amazing mom.” He smiled. “We’ll tuck them in every night and tell them bedtime stories, and support their dreams, and…” He glanced away suddenly, blinking.
Marinette swallowed a lump in her throat. “Adrien…Hey.” She laid a hand on his cheek, but he still wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Put me down? Please?”
He nodded and and let her down. She set down the champagne beside them and cupped his cheeks between her hands. His breath hitched when he met her gaze.
“You’re going to be a great dad, Adrien. Amazing. I can’t even begin to tell yo—”
He cut her off with a kiss, and this one was slower than their other kisses that night. Softer. It wasn’t reckless or stupid or even particularly smart. It was just them. It was home.
This kiss was forever.
Marinette leaned back further into Adrien’s arms, smiling at the way his thumbs rubbed small circles over her belly. He bent down to kiss her temple, then pressed his cheek to hers as they stood there watching Emma sleep.
“That was a fun night,” he said.
“Yeah. Remember the look on that one little girl’s face when she saw us?”
Adrien chuckled. “I remember the look on your mom’s face when she caught us trying to sneak up to your room with a nearly empty bottle of champagne.”
Marinette grinned, suddenly feeling as bubbly as she had that night. “Eh, she wasn’t mad.”
“Easy for you to say. You didn’t have to wake up on the couch to see your father standing over you brandishing a bread peel like a weapon.”
Marinette couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her. She tensed when Emma mumbled something in her sleep, but thankfully she didn’t wake. Adrien’s hands dropped from Marinette’s stomach and he grabbed her hand instead, pulling her out into the hallway. He shut the door carefully, and they laced their fingers together as they walked towards their room.
“You know that was a misunderstanding,” Marinette said. “One of the ones in the bakery broke. They needed an extra.”
“Uh-huh. Tell that to seventeen-year-old Adrien. He had nightmares for weeks.”
“You’re exaggerating,” she scoffed.
“I mean, maybe. But I did have one nightmare. And we’re not even going to get into the whole Were-dad incident.”
“You’re so dramatic,” she said as Adrien opened the door to their bedroom. “My parents have always loved you.” She stopped, tugging on his hand as he kept walking. He turned back to her, his brow pinched in confusion. She stepped forward and hugged him from the side. “And I’ve always loved you, too.”
“Hmm. That’s a relief,” he teased.
She shook her head, then rose up on her toes until Adrien leaned down and pecked her on the lips. She slid back down and pressed her face into his chest.
“I remember thinking at the beginning of that night that everything felt impossible,” she said. “Like…how was I supposed to get through the rest of my life if I couldn’t even get myself to finish a stupid paper. Then you showed up and made me feel better. You always make everything better.”
“I can’t believe you stole my line,” he joked. “Then again, I don’t know why I expected anything else from a champagne thief.”
Marinette shoved him away playfully. “Are you ever going to get over that?”
“Forgive, but never forget.” He winked, and Marinette both loved and hated how it made her flush like she was seventeen again. Stupid pregnancy hormones. She turned towards the closet, but he grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.
His gaze was soft enough it made her weak in the knees, and before she knew what was happening he pulled her hand above her head and nodded for her to twirl.
“Adrien, don’t be ridiculous. I have zero sense of gravity right now. I’m not going to—”
“Ah-ah-ah. Just one dance, come on.” He sighed at her unimpressed expression. “I’ll let the champagne thing go, I promise.”
“You’re a liar,” she grumbled, but she let him spin her around anyways.
She felt stupid. But then he started humming the tune again and he pulled her in close, her side to his chest, his chin on her head. They swayed back and forth until he finished the tune, and Marinette looked up and smiled.
“Thank you for dancing with me,” he whispered.
“Like you gave me a choice.”
“Hey. You did maybe give me permission to kidnap you whenever I wanted.”
“You’re lucky you’re pretty,” she teased, reaching up to boop him on the nose.
He bent down, his nose nudging her forehead. “You’re lucky I love you.”
Marinette couldn’t exactly argue with that, so she simply leaned up to kiss him again. “The luckiest.”