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Everyone in Paris was celebrating.
As hard as it was to believe, it was over. Hawk Moth had given up and Paris was free.
Adrien still didn’t know what had happened. Ladybug had called him a few nights ago telling him that Nooroo and Duusu had just shown up. Their holder, whoever it was, had just decided to end his villain career.
It felt a little anticlimactic for this to end after all those years of fighting without them even finding out who and why had been after them. But this didn’t mean that they couldn’t celebrate. They were free.
Adrien certainly enjoyed seeing everyone shrug off the gloom that had hung over Paris for so long. The food was delicious, the drinks were flowing and there was dancing, yes, lots of dancing.
The opportunity to get out of the mansion, where his father had been particularly mopey in the past week, was absolutely welcome for Adrien. And so was the opportunity to dance the night away with his lady.
A part of Adrien couldn’t really feel the joy of their unexpected victory, because to him it spelled the end of their partnership. Why would Ladybug need a partner when there was no longer a villain to fight? The logical thing would be for her to take his ring and keep Plagg in the Miracle box with the other kwamis.
He didn’t want to think about what that would mean for them but it was inevitable. What if this night was the last time he got to hold her? What if she disappeared without a trace afterwards? What would his life be without her there?
The gloomy thoughts threatened to ruin his night so he tried to shake them off. If this was the last time he got to be with her, he needed to enjoy it to the fullest.
For Ladybug, celebrating apparently took the form of taking advantage of the free drinks. Adrien couldn’t blame her for returning for more glasses of the finest Champagne. The mayor had certainly spared no expense for the big night.
The result was that he had to deal with a tipsy bug that giggled and leaned on him for support and spent most of the time they were dancing hanging off him. It was endearing to see her let her hair down like that.
Adrien, on the other hand, preferred keeping a clear head. The truth was that he didn’t trust himself not to do something stupid if he had alcohol in his system.
He hadn’t expected that something else would test his self control until Ladybug dragged him out on the rooftop of Le Grand Paris.
“So, kitty,” she said, an arm draped over his shoulders. His own was around her waist because he wasn’t sure that he could walk on her own. It was for practical reasons. “I have the perfect idea for us to mark our great victory.”
“What is it?” He asked, amused by her obvious enthusiasm.
“Let’s go somewhere private and get out of these suits,” she tried to whisper, but her voice still came out loud and she was slurring some words. Her free hand tugged on the bell at the base of his throat and Adrien stiffened.
“You’re very, very drunk, m’lady,” he said gently.
This was why he’d decided against drinking. Because he had suspected that he might end up on his knees, begging her to give him one chance, to spend at least one night with him. It would have been the most humiliating way to end their years together.
He certainly hadn’t expected that she’d offer herself to him like that. This would be the true test for him.
“What if I’m a little drunk,” she pouted. “I still know that I want you, always have,” she shrugged. “Don’t you want me anymore?”
She tried to give him puppy eyes as if this could have swayed him.
“This has nothing to do with your proposition,” he said more calmly than he felt. “It’s still wrong when you’re in this state.”
He couldn’t even let himself think about how much he wanted her. Especially when she rose on her tiptoes and with surprising precision tried to kiss his mouth.
“M’lady, please,” he whined, gripping her shoulder. Avoiding the tempting touch of her mouth cost him more than he could admit. “You need to sleep this off.”
“Grr, why do you have to be so reasonable?” she grumbled.
“You’ll thank me in the morning,” he chuckled.
The thing was that he couldn’t let her get home on her own in her current state. She was bound to get hurt or lost, or both.
She yawned and her head fell on his shoulder and he knew. He’d have to find a spot for them to wait this out.
“Hold on,” he said as he took her in his arms.
“Did you change your mind?” She said with a sleepy smile. He had to admire her persistence.
“No, I’ll find somewhere for us to sleep.”
This took longer than expected and Ladybug was out of it by the time Adrien landed on a rooftop that sported a hammock hung between two chimneys in preparation for the summer.
He settled into it, still holding Ladybug to him as she mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep. He really hoped that she wouldn’t mind that he’d stayed with her, but he couldn’t leave her in that state. The way she threw an arm around him and snuggled into him helped to alleviate his worries.
With a sigh, he looked up at the starry sky. No, this was definitely not how he’d expected to spend his last night with Ladybug. But it could have been way worse, he thought with a smile.
*
Marinette wanted to die. Her mouth was dry and her head was pounding even before she opened her eyes.
“Ghh,” she groaned.
She had no idea where she was. The night before was a blur of too much Champagne, dancing and a pair of green eyes.
The moment she realised this was coupled with the second she realised that her pounding head was not resting on a pillow. It was more solid and warmer than a pillow and when she felt around, her fingers felt a heartbeat.
Her eyes flew open and then got shut again, the bright light piercing through her. But it had been enough. It was Chat! What was she doing in Chat’s arms? Why had she slept with him?
“Not a good morning?” he asked then, dashing her hopes of a sneaky escape. Not that she could do much in her state.
“What the hell happened?” she whispered. She tried to remember everything that she’d done the night before but it was all missing. Her blood ran cold until she realised that they were still suited up. As far as she knew, this meant that they were in the clear. Whatever had happened, hadn’t involved taking clothes off, thank goodness.
“You had quite a night, m’lady.” He sounded amused.
“How much did I drink?”
“A lot.”
“I embarrassed myself, didn’t I?”
“Well…”
“Ouch. Please, tell me that I didn’t do anything stupid.”
“I prevented anything stupid from happening.”
She could finally breathe again.
“Thanks, kitty.”
She should have known. She felt safe with him for a reason. She almost wished the pain in her head would go away so she could enjoy cuddling with him. Uh oh. Maybe this morning would be about facing more hard truths than just her hangover.
“How about some coffee?”
“Can you turn off the sun?” She asked, shielding her eyes.
“No, but I can carry you again,” he said, gently taking her into his arms as he got up from what looked like a hammock.
“Where are we?”
“A good spot for spontaneous sleepovers.”
Under the parasol at the café where Chat took her, Marinette felt a bit better. The smell of coffee as he approached the table helped her perk up but it was the first hot sip that made her feel close to human again.
“You’re a life-saver.”
“Here, take these,” he said, handing her a pair of sunglasses.
“I repeat my last statement,” she said as she put them on. This was it. It was official. She loved him. Now, about telling him that. “So about last night… “
“You got drunk and tried to jump me, no biggie,” he chuckled as he took a sip of his own coffee.
“Oh my God, I didn’t!” She asked, feeling mortification in addition to the hangover.
“It wasn’t that bad.”
The thing was that she was sure that he was trying to spare her feelings.
“I shouldn’t have done this, I’m sorry.”
“Well. I regretted the fact that you were drunk. Not the advances.”
If she had been in a better state, she would have blushed. As it was, she just bit her lip.
“Did I kiss you?” she asked in a small voice. She wouldn’t forgive herself if she had done it. Because she wanted to remember it.
“Tried to,” he shrugged.
“You didn’t drink?” She exclaimed, as if it had just occurred to her.
“I… wouldn’t have trusted myself not to take advantage of you if I had,” he said more somberly.
“You’re too good to be true,” she sighed as she gulped down the rest of the rejuvenating drink in her cup.
“It depends. I sometimes wish I was less noble. Anyway, I was busy worrying about you taking Plagg from me and never seeing you again.”
There was unmistakable sadness in his eyes.
“I have a confession to make,” Marinette said. “I think this is why I got so drunk.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wasn’t ready to let you go. I didn’t want to do it. So I must have decided to drown the pain. And the alcohol made other desires surface…”
“M’lady, you could have just talked to me.”
“Have I ever been any good at this?” She snorted.
“Well. It’s not too late.”
“Would you stop me if I tried to kiss you now?”
“No.” His answer was so swift, it made her heart sing.
He was on another chair, but he was still close. She only needed to lean in to cup his cheek in her hand. She felt her glove catch on something scratchy. Stubble. The thought made her lick her lips.
“I want to remember this,” she said, her eyes darting up to his.
“Me too.”
And there, in the middle of the cafe, with the taste of coffee still in her mouth and on his breath, Marinette finally gave in to what she’d been fighting for so long. She had been right. His lips were soft but stubble scratched her skin in the most amazing way as she kissed him. It had been worth waiting to be sober for this.
It was only after she pulled back that she realised that they were still in public. This was when reality finally hit her hazy brain.
“I was so stupid.”
“What is it?”
“Even if I take Plagg, this doesn’t mean that I won’t get to see you ever again.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Look around! We’re free! No danger anymore. We can be together. You can just tell me your name and your number and we can arrange a date.”
‘You mean it,” he gasped.
“Kitty, I just kissed you. Wasn’t this clear enough?” She giggled.
“You really want this?” He asked again. No wonder. Her track record wasn't the best one.
“Yes.”
“I love you," he whispered against her lips before a fleeting kiss that left her wanting more.
“Are you done?” She motioned to his cup and he nodded.
She felt better. The coffee had helped. So she grabbed his hand and led him in a dark alley, mostly for the sake of her eyes.
“You didn’t want us to reveal right there and then, right?” Chat smiled.
“Ready?”
“Are you sure? There is no going back once we know. I won’t let you go then,” he said, pulling her into his arms.
“I am sure,” she promised.
“Claws in.”
“Spots off.”
“Hey, Marinette. You already have my number,” Adrien grinned from the spot where Chat had disappeared just now, his eyes shining with love. Wow.
"I love you," was the only thing she managed to say before kissing him, again.
There would be time to say everything that needed to be said, for them to groan and moan about being blind and about all the time they had wasted. But this could wait.