Chapter Text
“It’s just so sad”
Marinette turned to her friend with a matching frown. Alya and she stood on the steps of their school, the only solemn figures in the sea of excited students. It was nearing the end of term, and the nice weather brought reminder of summer and freedom. Everyone was eager to ignore their last few assignments and cut to icecream runs and swimming. The two girls (and Nino and Juleka and a few other of their friends) had plans to go to a local cafe after school to “study” but given their track record the afternoon would be spent eating too many sweets and annoying the older patrons, classic tween takeover style.
The plans had included Adrien, until he was bustled away in his family's town car for a last minute modeling job.
Alya adjusted her glasses as she continued. “I couldn’t imagine having to work as much as he does, and keep up with school. It must be especially hard considering he has to work on someone else’s schedule.”
Marinette just nodded at her friend's words. She had long ago realized just how grueling Adrien’s life was-but she knew the last thing he wanted was for his friends to talk about his complicated relationship with work (and his father) without him around, nor would her sweet friend want his absence to cause anyone else grief. She didn’t want to draw out Alya’s musings any further with a comment of her own. (and boy she had plenty about the matter, not a one of them in any way positive, least of all in regards to Mr. Agreste) so she let the conversation lapse rather than engage.
Suffice to say, it was hard for Marinette to get the image of Adrien’s frown out of her mind that afternoon- thinking of her friend trapped at a photoshoot he clearly hadn’t wanted to go to made the pastry she ordered taste considerably less sweet. She was still mulling over the whole situation that evening as she attempted to finish Ms. Mendeleev's latest torture assignment.
It just wasn’t right to work a teenager so much.
It wasn’t fair that Adrien had so much on his plate.
It wasn’t fair that he always had to cancel his own plans for his father’s wishes.
And it wasn’t fair that he was more than likely stuck alone in his room right now, still not permitted to see his friends even when he had free time.
Adrien was probably lonely. He may even be sad . And Marinette doubted anyone in his house right now even cared! It was just so wrong.
It was a testament to his kind nature that Adrien hadn’t been akumatized yet.
It was the last thought which had her pencil stilling mid stoichiometry equation. How hadn’t Adrien been akumatized yet? Marinette had seen pretty much every other one of her classmates fall victim to Hawkmoth’s manipulation- heck even she had been close one or two times, she was sure. Had Adrien ever been targeted? If he hadn’t surely it was only a matter of time- what if he felt so badly about missing their group hangout that he was being targeted right now?
His room had awfully big windows…and it was on the back (camera-less) side of the mansion (not that she had ever noted where the security cameras were..)
No. Marinette stopped herself before she got going. She had already learned that using her powers for personal reasons never ended well, and no matter what, swinging over to her crushes house because she missed him and also maybe wanted to play video games instead of balance equations was personal use, even if it may prevent him from falling victim to a terrorist.
“Right Tikki?”
To her great surprise, the godling did not respond with the immediate “no” Marinette had anticipated. Instead, the little creature scrunched her brow, seemingly in deep thought over Marinette’s question.
“It may have some personal benefit, but honestly I think I’m in support of you going to check on Adrien- he’s seemed quite sad lately, and a friendly visit may be just what he needs.”
Marinette’s jaw hung open. Was she really getting permission for this??
“You have to make sure that what you do when you’re over is for Adrien’s own good though, Marinette! No using your powers to sway him into liking his classmate.”
The little red bug didn’t even have time to cross her arms- Marinette was already dancing with her around the room. A few squeals of “thank yous” and a rambled promise to be good later, and Ladybug was swinging through the glowing light of the Paris night.
***
Adrien let out another shaky breath, doing his best to push his thoughts aside and focus on the music. As usual, the lights in his room were out, and his phone was playing as loudly as it could. Between not being able to see his surroundings, and the Jagged Stone, he was quite successfully able to convince himself he was anywhere else but his over-decorated prison. Maybe a concert, or a party, the kind he constantly heard the people around him describe but that he knew he would never see.
He wasn’t even able to go to a cafe to study for an hour.
Stop. Not helping.
The anger and sadness had been pushing at his chest since Nathalie had shown up after school, or maybe since he had been reprimanded last night for a single mistake in his latest concerto. Or maybe since that one botched interview last month. Or maybe since Adrien first watched the weather app on his phone boast a temperature greater than 60 degrees.
He knew what the weather getting warmer meant- it was nearly the end of term, aka the end of seeing his friends five days a week (if he was lucky and didn’t have to miss school to fulfill his father’s demands). It also meant he was going to go three long months without his support system- no Nino to rant to in the mornings, or Alya to faux-argue with, or most importantly, Marinette around to make him laugh. His dad barely cared about him actually going to school in the face of “good opportunities for the brand”. Summer was going to mean endless jobs- fashion shows and photoshoots and interviews and staged trendy outings, and absolutely no social life. The thought alone overwhelmed him, and Adrien let out a freshly frustrated huff as he felt tears well in his eyes.
He had just wanted one lousy hour to see his friends before all of that started. One hour. He couldn’t even get that off of work, as if he needed anymore proof that he wasn't going to see his friends when school let out.
He had lost the music, and his phone screen illuminated his room as he woke the device up trying to crank up the volume again. The games table, in particular, stood out from the other shadows. A games table that had never been used, because he could never have anyone over.
Useless. About as useless as a friend that can’t ever come out or even understand half the references you make.
That was his true fear, deep down. As much as Nino assured him, and as many times as Alya laughed off his awkwardness, Adrien knew his business and isolation didn’t just burn him out- it made him stand out. More than being famous. How many times had he been made to turn down an invitation just to watch his friends laugh over a new inside joke the next day? Or been completely lost in conversation because he had no clue what the meme they were referencing was, since he was never online? How many times had he gotten show recommendations when he knew he would never have time to watch them even if his father allowed him to stream anything?
His hands shook as he again tried to turn up the music, this time with his eyes squeezed shut to block out the view of his room entirely. Tears spread warmth down his cheeks. No matter how many times he squeezed the volume button, the rock music didn’t overpower the thoughts in his head, or the ever increasing sound of his breathing. Anymore of this and rules about personal use of the miraculous be damned, he was going out. Maybe he could call it an extra patrol rather than running away…
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
It took a moment for the sharp noise to break into his consciousness. Adrien blinked his eyes opened and sat up and reaching for his lamp. The light flicked on to reveal crumpled sheets, a depressingly empty room, and..
Something at his window?
Adrien squinted, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the new light and fight past the reflections on the panes of glass that lined his room. It was..
Oh my god, Ladybug??
He scrambled up, stumbling as his left foot got caught in his twisted sheets. Adrien collided with his couch, too busy staring at his visitor to watch his step. By the time he slid his window open, he was out of breath and desperately hoping that she lacked any enhanced vision while transformed- he would die if the ever graceful Ladybug had seen the way he tripped over his own feet.
He might just die from the view of her dangling from his roof, all worried bluebell eyes and perfectly windswept hair. She was suspended upright, one foot balanced in a loop of her yo-yo string and the other loose, both hands clutching the unnaturally strong rope.
Adrien felt his mouth starting to dry out from the way it hung open, and snapped his jaw shut with a click- only to open it again as he searched for the words to invite Ladybug in. To his room. At night.
Was he dreaming??
“-just wanted to make sure you were okay? If this is weird I can go, though..”
Adrien grabbed onto Ladybug’s words like a lifeline, using her familiar voice to bring him back down both from his earlier upset and his current confusion.
“No! Don’t go” He said, maybe a bit too forcefully, but Ladybug seemed to relax at his words, her hands loosening around her yo-yo string.
“Please, come in” Adrien stepped back from the window to allow Ladybug enough room to clamber inside. Ladybug swung herself up and over his window, sliding neatly into his room. Superhero pose Adrien couldn’t help repeating one of Nino’s frequent jokes as his lady stood from her landing position.
Awkwardness set in again as he watched her take in his dark, empty room, and his messy bed. He (not so discreetly) tried to move the couch back into place from when he had run into it, but the screeching noise made them both jump. Nice.
“So uh. What brings you here?” Adrien asked, leaning back against the couch, which betrayed him for a third time but moving back out of place with another sharp cry. He winced, trying to keep his shoulders down- and then his butterflies when he noticed Ladybug mirror his movements. They were so meant to be.
“I uh, actually got some news-uh, some information-er, a tip!” Ladybug stumbled over her words, her hands flailing. One would think he had asked her to explain advanced calculus rather than her own actions.
“I got a tip that you had been a little down lately, and that you had missed an outing today? I just wanted to make sure you were okay, if that was true.” As Ladybug found her footing, her words grew more sincere. Adrien felt what thin walls he had around her crumble- his lady was worried about him.
And apparently, so was someone close to both him and Ladybug was too. For half a second, Adrien pictured Marinette- it seemed like her to notice that he had been down over the past few weeks and go to a superhero to find out if he was oaky rather than just ask. Plus, it was more exciting for him to imagine his more shy friend as the one close to LB-that narrowed down the question of her identity. In actuality, it was probably Alya, the notorious blogger, who had alerted the superhero. Either way, someone had gotten Ladybug into his bedroom just in time to stave off a full scale breakdown, meaning Adrien had a new hero.
“Wow Ladybug. I appreciate you coming over. Please rest assured though, I’m alright- no risk of being akumatized” Adrien tried to channel confidence through his gaze as he cut straight to the point, eager to comfort Ladybug and let her get back to her life, even though he wanted her to stay. It wasn’t her job to worry about him- not like she should worry about herself, or ordinary civilians. He was Chat Noir, he could handle a few strong emotions. And a 40 hour work week. And school. And not seeing his friends all summer and missing hundreds of memories..
Heat rushed to Adrien’s face, and he was helpless to stop the water that welled in his eyes.
“Sorry” He croaked, conscious of how worried Ladybug had looked before his vision clouded over. He sat down hard on the couch, his arms resting on his knees, and did his best to focus on his breathing, just like Plagg had taught him to.
This time, as his emotions overwhelmed him, he had more than music to buoy him back to the surface. Ladybug nearly shocked him out of it when she sat down beside him rather than just stand and stare, and the comforting circles she rubbed in his back brought him back down quicker than even Plaggs purrs could.
“Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?” She murmured as his breathing leveled out, one warm hand still on his shoulder, and Adrien finally let it all out.
He felt like he talked for years- about his dad and his job and his fanbase and his classmates, but most importantly, he talked about how alone he felt. It made him feel lighter to get some of his frustrations out, and Ladybug listened well and responded even better- he was absolutely going to take her advice, especially about working in more freetime with excuses of school projects. (“Superheros don’t encourage lying..unless it’s for the greater good. And I think this could bring you some totally awesome good”)
Still, there was one thing that troubled him, and one thing he doubted Ladybug could help with (at least, not with the bunny miraculous out of commission).
“I mean, I never even got to really be a kid, y’know? And I think not having those experiences, like, scraping my knee or having a sleepover or just being around other kids, it’s made me different. Like, even now that I get to be around people I’m still not normal. And they can tell”
He sighed, leaning forward again. “Sorry- it’s not like you can fix that- I should talk about more useful stuff.”
***
Ladybug listened in stunned silence as Adrien spoke- what he went through was insane. The modeling gigs and photoshoots and private lessons, all on top of school? How did he not go crazy? And what was worse, him not being able to ever just be. Not even when he was little!
“Adrien..are you telling me you’ve always been this isolated?? It didn’t just start after…” Ladybug trailed off, hesitant to speak about his mother's disappearance even though Adrien had given her the okay earlier in their conversation.
“I mean, my mother spent more time with me than my father, I was never this lonely until she..” He swallowed. “yeah. But no, I’ve never had a normal social life. Like, how people reminisce about how easily they could make friends as a kid at the park or whatever? I’ve never even been to a playground like that.”
He looked back at his intertwined hands. “I think you can probably tell that though. I know I don’t hold myself the same way my peers do. I’m so awkward! It must be clear I don’t get out much.”
Ladybug took a deep breath to calm the rage in her chest. How had his parents never let him do such normal things?? Who deprives a child of making friends? Of seeing the world? If she wasn’t careful, she would be using her powers for selfish reasons- giving Gabriel a piece of her mind was now at the top spot of her personal to-do list.
Instead of throwing open every door in this too big and empty house and screaming at an old man, Ladybug placed a hesitant hand on Adrien’s back. She may not be able to tell him as Marinette that he was loved despite his occasional awkwardness (which really, she was sure no-one remembered compared to her own), but she could remedy a different part of his sorrows.
“You know, you made a pretty fast friend of me...”
Adrien sat up slightly, staring at her with confusion and what she wanted to believe was trust.
“And I think there’s a pretty sweet park not too far from here” Ladybug raised her eyebrows, doing her best to communicate fun and not pity. She didn’t want Adrien to feel like she was suggesting a childish activity- she wanted this to feel like a daring outing,teenage shenanigans in place of that childhood innocence.
Her anxiety sparked as his brow furrowed. Of course Adrien wouldn’t want to go to a playground with her. That was the last thing that would make him feel better! She was so..
“Is the hero of Paris offering to both sneak a minor out of his house and break public park rules?”
Ladybug huffed out a surprised laugh, relief washing over her, along with surprise at Adrien’s teasing. She had no idea he was one for sarcasm!.
Thankfully, Chat had her well prepared to rebuke such jabs. Schooling her face into a smirk, she flipped a pigtail over one shoulder.
“Ladybug never breaks rules. I actually have authority to use public property to prevent and end akumatizations in any way necessary- which totally extends to this. Plus, I’m not much older than you- this is two minors sneaking out, and one can totally get away with bribing the police”
“You have police-bribing money? Does that come with the yo-yo?”
“No it comes with your name, I hope”
“You have my name?”
The question, and the blushing wide-eyed look on Adrien’s face, made her suddenly aware of how close she was sitting, as well as the fact that her hand was still on his back. Ladybug could see nearly every eyelash as his gaze met hers- and that fact sent her reeling clumsily backwards.
“Ep. Uh- Yep.WAIT NO. I mean, I have you- not in a romantic way! Just, I was joining that you being an Agreste could probably gain us some leeway.” She pulled her hand back from his shoulder, fanning her face. “Anyways, I just suggested it because you seemed pretty upset- which is okay! Anyone would be upset. But being upset can attract Hawkmoth as you know, of course. But we should so do something to make you less that way! And I just think that since you wanted to go to a park we can! Right now! Not in a childish way though-”
Marinette stopped as Adrien started laughing. “Don’t overthink it- I appreciate you wanting to do something to make me feel better. “ His eyes softened. “And I would really like to get out of here for a bit, especially with you m’l- Ladybug”
Ladybug relaxed, sharing his smile for a beat. God if he wasn’t the cutest guy in the world, and he was smiling at her . The fact that he liked her plan, and seemed to be doing better already, pushed courage through her veins. She found herself leaning towards him, drawn by his renewed happiness…
No personal use!
Tikki’s words echoed in her head, and sent her jolting back for a second time. She was blushing again, the heat dancing across her cheeks, but she ignored that in favor of chasing her confidence in a different direction, grabbing Adrien’s hand and leading him up and towards the still cracked window.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Adrien stopped, pulling her back just a pace. Marinette responded by flashing him another (practiced) smirk, and pulling him to her side.
“Superheroes orders, Mr. Agreste”
One slink of her yo-yo, and they were gone. Once again she was struck by how easy it was to carry Adrien. He kept himself tucked against her perfectly- his legs were loose, but somehow never bumped her own, and he had wrapped his arms around her neck rather than her shoulders. She had no trouble getting them to the park nestled a few streets over, or imagining this being a regular thing- picking Adrien up for dates and feeling him tucked against her regularly, him always having windswept hair when they go out for macarons…
The crunch of pebbles beneath their feet bright her back to reality. Ladybug stepped away from Adrien, but lingered close enough for their arms to brush- y’know, to protect him from Akumas. She followed his gaze as it traced the monkey bars, the slide, the merry-go-round…
***
Adrien looked around at the park in equal parts awe and confusion. This evening had wound up as far from what he had imagined as possible. Ladybug normally only showed up in his dreams, and his subconscious had never placed them in a playground together. His gaze traced the monkey bars, the slide, the basketball hoops.
He knew what they were for, and what one should do, but something stopped him from actually going to interact with any of them- was Ladybug just going to watch? Were they going to play together? How did that work when you were 14? Surely his peers didn’t play pretend. Tag maybe- Nino had told him about some pretty epic tag-style games. But there were only two of them..
Ladybug shuffled next to him, digging a hole in the pebbles that covered the park ground. With a jolt, Adrien realized how awkward this was- standing in an empty park? He definitely wasn’t going to have the courage to actually run around . Adrien looked away from her. It would probably be best if he just asked Ladybug to swing him back to his room..
Hm. swings.
He tried not to worry about the way Ladybug flinched when he took her hand- if she was uncomfortable surely she wouldn’t be holding on so tightly now, right? Instead, Adrien did his best to channel coolness as he tugged her to the rickety looking swingset in the corner of the park.
“We’re starting here” He said, desperate to infuse confidence in his voice. It must have worked, because Ladybug let out a surprisingly girlish giggle, one that had him staring at her a bit too wide-eyed, based on the pink blooming across her cheeks.
“You like the swings?” She hedged, stepping forward to grasp a chain. She turned towards him in time to see his shrug.
“Honestly even my mom hated the idea of me playing on this thing, but I like swinging with you. So I want to start here”
Ladybug’s cheeks turned properly red, and he felt heat rise in his own face in response. The fact that Chat never got her to blush, but Adrien had caused such a reaction multiple times set his heart beating wildly, and made for a clumsy start to his swinging career.
Adrien sat down, probably too hard, and the chains rattled wildly. Using his feet to push himself back as far as he could reach (unevenly) He lifted his legs, and was happy at least to glide forward- but that was quickly replaced by embarrassment at the way his legs pumped out of time, slowing him instead of helping him gain any momentum.
Suddenly, a red blur shot past his left, and he turned to find Ladybug gliding back and forth with ease. She giggled again as she took in the frustration on his face.
Ladybug drug her feet in the gravel, stopping her swing. Before he could react, she had started pulling him backwards. She continued pushing his swing, and each time her hands planted themselves on his back his stomach filled with new butterflies- which were promptly replaced by the swooping feeling of falling as his swing rose higher and higher in the air. Ladybug called out directions for him, and between his new skill and her super strength, Adrien was level with the top of the swingset in no time.
While it didn’t compare to flinging himself around Paris with his staff, or getting rides from LB herself, rare giddiness bubbled in his chest. Maybe it was the perfectly warm night, the soft hands on his back, the wind on his (unmasked) face, or the (admittedly minor) rules that they had broken using the park after dark- Adrien was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness.
Before long that red blur was next to him again. Adrien let loose a whoop of satisfaction as he and Ladybug’s swings synced up. They soared back and forth in the warmth of the night, wind rushing in their ears, matching smiles on their faces. It was perfect.
And then Ladybug was gone! Adrien looked in surprise at her empty swig as it rocked back and forth, unbalanced now that it was empty, the chains screaming. He snapped his gaze back forward to see Ladybug hit the ground, full superhero pose.
As if that wasn’t attractive enough, his bug did the cutest happy dance.
Adrien had let himself start to slow down when she had vacated her seat, and his feet were barely brushing the gravel as she turned back around, jogging to where he sat. Her grin was infectious, and Adrien laughed before he even knew what she had done.
“Did you see that jump?? I’ve never done that in the suit- I think I can get a flip in this next time!!”
“Wait, you jumped from that height? LB that’s crazy!” It wasn't until he said it that he realized he was telling a girl who regularly threw herself at supervillains to not jump from a swing. Eh, he wouldn’t be Chat if his first instinct wasn’t to keep her safe- even if all he was protecting her form was a bruise.
Ladybug just laughed, pulling on his swing to shake him a bit. “It’s barely as high as I am when I visit you! Plus, super protective super suit.”
Adrien just shook his head, which she must have taken as him relenting because the next thing he knew she was starting to swing again.
“I can totally get a flip in”
And she did- a full backwards somersault that made him sick with worry to watch. Adrien may have come out for fun but he was NOT doing anything like that, no matter how much his lady begged.
“It’s like THE thing you do while swinging!” She protested, running back towards him after her latest landing. Adrien was sat in his swing, his feet dragging lines in the gravel.
“Nope” He responded, popping the p sound. Ladybug stopped in front of him, caging him with her arms as she grabbed both chains. The moonlight dappled her skin and hair, highlighting the contrast in her coloring and casting a maroon tint over her mask. Adrien was so stunned by her that he missed her next challenge- he found himself nodding without even absorbing her words.
A dangerous game with his lady because suddenly she was grabbing his hands and showing him how to stand in the swing and pull it just so as to gain momentum without kicking his legs. Before Adrien could get used to this way of swinging though, he was jostled to a halt. Ladybug grabbed his swing. Superhero suit clad feet planted themselves next to his own, and familiarly knobby knees pressed into his legs. Suddenly, ladybug was standing against him, wriggling into what only a madman, or his partner, would think was a sturdy position.
She used her super-strength to start them out, and after some shouted encouragement, Adrien started to pull on the swing with her, building their shared momentum. Standing while he rocked felt much more daring than sitting down, and the wind whipping against his skin seemed cooler than before- or perhaps the feeling of his lady pressed to his spine, and her hot breath on his ear as she cheered, made the night feel more risky and cold in comparison to her stable warmth.
Adrien was so enjoying having Ladybug close to him that he missed her letting go of the swing to reach for her yo-yo, and had no idea what was coming until it happened- she tossed her line over them as they peaked, latching onto something behind the swingset, and yanked. The force pulled them up and over the swing- well, up and over and then off. And it pulled a yell out of Adrien as well, as he lost contact with the swing and felt himself flying through the air in a different way.
***
Yeah, she had gone a bit overboard. But it was the first time she had ever played around like this in the suit! Well, played around in a literal playground that is- those races up the eiffel tower had nothing on doing a flip off a swing and landing it!!
Which had her wondering about another kind of flip that she had long been told was impossible- but what did physics have on a being channeled by pure creation??
Unfortunately for Ladybug, Adrien’s cuteness wrecked her mental capacity. She had successfully gotten them on the same swing, but the warmth that seeped through his body into hers, and the way he was holding the swing chain over her hand, as well as his little victory shouts, had her completely miss the intended target of her yo-yo, which she realized only after pulling on it with all her might. As Ladybug arched backwards with Adrien pressed to her chest, she saw her yo-yo latched onto a tree branch parallel to them instead of the rocking horse beneath them. As the string tightened she was in no position to detach it, and instead of swinging toward the ground with the swing, she and Adrien were pulled towards the tree. She felt him try to do something, wriggle in her arms somehow, but Ladybug used her practice with falling and super strength to keep Adrien pulled safely against her chest as they raced towards the pebbles, absorbing the full force of the impact, and shielding Adrien as they rolled, too.
When they rocked to a stop, Ladybug first felt the ground underneath her head- grass, not rocks, which meant they were pretty far away from the swings. As she blinked her eyes open, she also became aware of the sensation at the front of her body, aka the (secret) love of her life crouched over top of her, his arms caging her in and their torso’s pressed together.
Adrien was so close that he blocked out the stars- not that the heavenly bodies had anything on the green of his eyes in the first place. Marinette gasped as she met his emerald stare, and the noise sent Adrien reeling- toward her, instead of away.
“Ladybug oh my god are you okay??” The boy leaned impossibly closer, moving his hands to feel over the back of her head and trailing them down her shoulders.
“Yes” She squealed, eyes blown wide and mouth definitely hung open in shock over their physical proximity. How is this real?
Unfortunately-no, b lessedly, Adrien sat back after her confirmation- still the way his eyes moved over her arms and torso sent a flush dancing across her cheeks- an uncomfortable heat that made her want to hide, and reminded her that semi-cuddling (Yes that is a wistful description but like. He’s in my lap!) would absolutely count as "personal use". Ladybug shrank from Adrien’s gaze, pulling herself out from underneath him.
“Uhm. Are you okay?” Ladybug questioned from where she sat with her legs pulled against her chest, the few precious inches between her and Adrien giving her brain space to think, and remind her that hey, you pulled the most famous model in Paris off a swing set after kidnapping him. Guilt caught up to her quickly.
“I’m so sorry that I did that, I didn't mean for us to hit the ground like that, we were supposed to flip but I hooked my yo-yo wrong because of how cute- the way the swing- and you could have gotten hurt! Are you hurt? I’m so sorry you’re hurt, Adrien, this was so….
***
Adrien watched Ladybug stumble over her words with new affection. He had seen his lady awkward and sarcastic and brave, and even scared, but he had never seen her so flustered . It was adorable- she was adorable. And he was giddy- his puns hadn’t ever been able to crack his bug but clearly she did appreciate some goofiness (Thank goodness).
He couldn't help the laugh that rose in his chest- or stop giggling at the surprised and then half scolding look she gave him. This was familiar territory- the half disgusted look and barely concealed eye roll- aside from the continued pink tiny of her cheeks he could see them getting into a similar problem as Chat and Ladybug.
“I’m fine mph-. Ladybug. You did a good job protecting me, promise” Adrien couldn’t keep the fondness out of his voice, or conceal what he was sure was the sappiest look he had ever given his partner.
The girl across from him visibility relaxed. “Thank goodness. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”
“Aw, yeah” Adrien leaned toward her, brushing their shoulders. “I don’t think the superhero gig pays enough to cover what my father would sue you for if you damaged his most famous logo”
Adrien knew she would go for his face, but kept himself from leaning away to avoid suspicion- the sarcasm was close enough to Chat already. Instead, he let himself be shoved over, flopping back into the grass and gazing at the sky, wrapped up in the fact that it was only half as perfectly black-blue as his lady’s hair.
“The logo is happy that you broke him out tonight though- it’s been one of the best I’ve had in a long, long time.”
A familiar gloved hand- made new by the fact his own appendage was uncovered- found his own, and squeezed.
“I feel the same way”