Chapter Text
Six Years Earlier…
Adrien loosened his tie and wicked the sweat from his brow. His finger hovered over the doorbell until the guilt overtook his anxiety, and he pressed it. A loud chime rang out from inside, creating knots inside his stomach. After a moment, the door opened. His girlfriend stood in the entrance, her eyes swollen from tears.
"I'm sorry I had to leave in the middle of dinner. I brought some takeout from Capucci's to make up for it. I thought we could pick up where we left off." Adrien held up the bag and offered a sympathetic smile, but she was completely uninterested.
"I don't care about the food. Where were you?"
He paused. For the past hour, he had been running around Paris, fighting a hypnotized citizen that was mad about the lack of bananas at the grocery store. There was no way he could tell her that; Ladybug was adamant about that.
"I can't tell you."
Sighing heavily, she refused to look at him. "What do you mean you can't tell me? No, you know what? I can't do this anymore."
He smiled while shaking his head, trying not to cry. "What are you talking about?"
"This, Adrien! Us! God, you are constantly running off, constantly putting work, or friends, or whatever else first. And don't even get me started on the secrets. Why can't you just be honest?"
Adrien swallowed. "I’m sorry.”
“I don’t want your apologies.” She wrapped her arms around her torso and started to close the door. “I hope that you’ll find someone someday that you can trust. You deserve that much.”
The door slammed, leaving Adrien spiraling in the silence. He walked down the steps towards the street and headed towards his apartment. He was grateful for the sounds of the city. If he had to walk back in complete silence, he probably would have gone crazy.
When he got back to his apartment, he flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. The news was on, playing clips from his earlier battle. It felt like a punch in the face, so he switched the channel.
Plagg flew out of his jacket and perched on Adrien’s shoulder. “Are you alright?”
The unusual concern from his companion allowed Adrien’s walls to break down. He started crying, leaving Plagg unsure of what to do. “I can’t do this.”
“Kid, don’t give up being Chat Noir just because of a broken heart. You’ll get through this.”
Adrien sent Plagg a confused look. “That’s not what I meant. I meant I shouldn’t date anymore.”
“Isn’t that a little drastic?”
“No, Plagg. She’s right, I should’ve been honest.” He reached across the table and grabbed a tissue, blowing his nose. “But Chat Noir doesn’t have the luxury to be honest. I don’t have the luxury to be honest. Relationships need honesty. They need trust. And as long as I am Chat Noir, I can’t give that. So, until the day I can reveal my identity, I swear I will never date again.”
---
Present day…
Adrien’s office was on the third floor at the end of the hall. Stuffed into an old utility closet, his desk was crammed into the corner between two of his fellow TAs. Unfortunately, there were no windows, so he had spent his fair share of accidental all-nighters slumped over in his squeaky desk chair.
He ran his hand through his hair and sat back in his chair. A dull ache ran across his shoulders while the rest of his body begged for a break. As a twenty-eight-year-old grad student, his list of responsibilities was growing exponentially. He had spent the morning in a study session with his molecular physics students, followed by an entire day of research. To top it all off, today’s akuma attack was vicious. It had taken three hours to defeat. He was completely exhausted. Even Plagg was tired, opting to nap the entire day in Adrien’s briefcase.
Adrien pulled out his phone, checking the time. 23:10. He pushed aside the stack of remaining Introduction to Physics midterms that taunted him and scrolled through Instagram. After finding nothing of interest, he opened the messages app and clicked on his only contact: Nino Lahiffe.
Adrien: Hey man, what are you doing tonight?
Nino: Working, but you should come by! Drinks are half off until closing
Adrien sighed heavily. Hanging out at LeBlanc’s was not his idea of a relaxing evening.
Adrien: Not sure I’m feeling up to a night out
Nino: No dude! You gotta come!
Nino: Would you rather spend it grading papers haha?
Nino: You can crash at my place after!
Adrien weighed his options, then mustered up what remaining energy he had left. Nino was right. It would be a waste of a perfectly good Friday night if he stayed in his office grading.
Adrien: Alright leaving my office now
Nino: YESSSS!!!!
Once he got in his car, he carefully placed his briefcase behind the seat and pulled out of the parking lot. Even though it was late, the roads of Paris were just as lively as ever. He turned on the radio and enjoyed the drive as he watched the city’s lights go by.
LeBlanc’s had no parking, which meant Adrien had to park on the street. He parked on the curb and started walking toward the bar. The street was much busier than usual, with university-aged kids crowding the sidewalks. Adrien wasn’t surprised, given the neighborhood’s proximity to campus.
As he got closer, he realized that the crowds of people were either heading towards or leaving LeBlanc’s. The outdoor sitting area was bursting with people chatting and smoking. Flashing colors filtered through the windows that were being shaken by a loud beat. LeBlanc’s was his usual spot for a drink, as Nino spent most of his nights on shift. But Adrien had never seen it like this.
As the door swung open, he felt overwhelmed by the energy. People were crammed in, bumping into one another. Drinks poured out of their cups as the music blasted from the stage. It was rare to see a live band performing in LeBlanc. Most of the time, Nino was in charge of picking pre-recorded mixes that he claimed “matched the vibe of the customers.”
Adrien looked towards the bar, expecting to see Nino, but he was nowhere to be found. So, he took a seat near the end and kept his eyes on the band.
He bobbed his head along with the beat, tapping his foot against the barstool. Their sound was refreshingly original, falling somewhere between rock and techno. The synthesizer blended effortlessly with the bass, adding life to every chord they played.
They were good, but their drummer was on another level. Her set was squeezed onto the stage, jammed in the corner. There was no way the crowd could see her, and yet, they were completely entranced by her rhythm. Her enthusiasm drove the crowd forward, their bodies entirely at her mercy.
Every rim shot brought them up. Every cymbal crash brought them down. It was mayhem in its purest form, and it was glorious.
Adrien felt a shiver travel up his spine. The stage lights illuminated her skin, causing every drop of sweat that caressed her face to shimmer. Her royal blue hair was in a ponytail, swaying to the beat. She was lost in her own rhythm.
As the song closed out, she grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat along her brow. Adrien’s mouth went dry as his breath stalled. She grabbed water, picked up her sticks again, and looked towards the singer for her cue. God, she was gorgeous.
“Yo, dude, you made it!”
Adrien whipped around, slightly disoriented by the sound of Nino’s voice. He tried to say something, anything, but all he could manage was a muttered, “Couldn’t miss it.”
“You okay, man? You look like you saw a ghost.” Nino shot him a glance; brows furrowed.
Clearing his throat, Adrien managed to compose himself. “Yeah, I’m good. Just a bit overwhelmed, I guess. This place is busy.”
“Oh yeah, we actually booked a live band! Can you believe it? They’re called Kitty Section, and I am loving their stuff.” Nino was running around behind the bar, gathering ingredients for another customer’s drink. In the middle of opening a new bottle of rum, he reached below the bar and pulled out a CD. “You want one? They’re ten euros.”
Adrien looked back at the band. The drummer and bassist were smiling at each other, pushing the tempo faster and faster. Their enthusiasm was infectious, compelling Adrien’s heart to accelerate, and a smile escaped his lips. “Yeah. I’ll take a beer too.”
He handed over a ten note in exchange for the CD, then turned back to watch the show. The lights were strobing, and the crowd was going wild. Adrien figured that this was their last song.
Just as Nino set his beer in front of him, the singer of the band came forward and thanked the crowd. Applause began to roar, shaking the bottles of vodka that Nino had stored behind the bar. The lights dimmed, and everyone started to disperse. Most of the people left, revealing the run-down interior that Adrien was used to.
He turned back to face the bar and stretched his neck. The seat next to him filled quickly, but he didn’t realize who had sat down until she spoke.
“I’ll take a martini, please.”
He craned his head and sucked in his breath. The beautiful, incredibly talented drummer had sat down right next to him. She had let her hair down, draping over her shoulders like a goddess. Her eyes were tired, but he could tell her body was buzzing with adrenaline.
His works stuck in the back of his throat, stifling his breath. He swallowed hard, then spoke. “You guys sounded great.”
She collapsed against the bar, slamming her forearms against its surface. “Thanks.”
“Are you alright?” Adrien looked at Nino, who gave him a tentative shrug. He leaned over with wide eyes and wrinkled brows.
She looked up at him through her fingers. “Yeah, I am. Just tired. Performing takes everything out of me.” Nino placed her drink in front of her. She hummed in gratitude and consumed the entire drink. Adrien felt his cheeks go warm. She looked back at him, her gaze unwavering in its interest. “Have we met before?”
“No, I think I would’ve remembered meeting someone as paw-some as you.”
She snorted as she laughed, almost tossing herself out of her seat. A part of him wished he could listen to her laugh forever. Her head was tipped back, and the lights danced on her grey irises. Just like her music, she was intoxicating.
“I’m guessing you like puns?”
“No, they’re absolutely horrible.” The smile on her face told him otherwise. She took another sip of her drink, then pointed towards the CD underneath his arm. “So, you a big fan?”
Adrien chuckled as he felt a flush take over his cheeks. “Uh, well, honestly, I’ve never heard of you guys before tonight. I just really liked your drumming.”
“I see. Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not actually a member.” She tapped her finger on the cover and pointed to one of its members. “I was filling in for my friend tonight.”
“Ah.” Adrien dropped his eyes, frowning into his drink. It was probably the alcohol talking, but something inside him wanted to hear her play again. “That’s too bad. I would’ve loved to watch you perform again.”
She looked at him, puzzled but warmly. Before she could say anything more, the bassist was calling her over. She waved to him, then turned her attention back to Adrien. “Well, it was nice to meet you.”
She turned around and walked away, just to stop in her tracks. Running back over, she grabbed a pen from behind the bar and signed his CD.
“There you go. For my biggest fan.” She winked, face red as a tomato while holding out the CD in the other. He nodded his head, never breaking eye contact.
“Wow, thank you.”
She giggled as she said goodbye. Adrien watched her walk away, then disappear behind the stage with the rest of the members. His heart felt heavy as he turned back to find Nino staring at him, eyebrows raised.
“It’s about time.” Nino’s tone was playful, almost on the verge of laughter.
“Stop.” Adrien avoided Nino’s stare, opting to stare into the bottom of his glass instead. “It’s not going to happen.”
“You haven’t dated anyone since Nadia. That was six years ago.” Nino pushed the CD in front of Adrien, snickering as he did so. Right there, under the title of the album, it said Marinette. Beside it, she had written her phone number. “You obviously like her. Just send her a text.”
Adrien’s stomach flipped, then immediately tensed up. “Nope, it’s not going to happen.”