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Ladybug couldn’t tell when exactly she’d fallen in love with Chat Noir.
It didn’t feel like how it did when she’d fallen in love with Adrien—dizzying, sudden, sweeping her off her feet and falling endlessly in love. No, this time, it was gradual—slow and sweet. She fell in love with every smile, with every laugh, with every horrendous pun that escaped his lips. Three years after they’d first met, when Chat Noir had surprised her with a bouquet of various red and black roses for her seventeenth birthday, she realized she was in love with him.
She told him so before patrol was over the very same night.
(That was another thing that differed from her feelings for Adrien. With Chat, she didn’t feel nervous or shy. She didn’t catastrophize or imagine millions of imperfect scenarios that would leave her shaking afterward. Maybe the mask she wore boosted her confidence, but she liked to think that Chat brought out the best in her. Adrien was one of her best friends, and she loved being around him, but with Chat Noir, she wasn’t scared.)
Chat had always been right by her side, but as her boyfriend, a new spark of protection flickered in his eyes. He cared more for her safety during Akuma's attacks and hugged her extra tight after they were over. He sat beside her after every patrol to count the stars that dotted the sky or admire the sunset. Ladybug always knew he was the best partner, but those feelings only grew once she saw how good of a boyfriend he could be.
Their dates were secret—clandestine meetings after patrol was complete and night had fallen. They’d bring a picnic blanket to sit on and snacks to share after finding the perfect rooftop for their rendezvous. They’d talk for hours or simply lay together, content in the other's arms.
This time, Ladybug downloaded a movie on her laptop to watch during their date since going to the cinema wasn’t in the cards for their secret relationship. Ten minutes into the film, however, their attention got diverted elsewhere.
Chat pulled her into his lap, grinning as Ladybug rested her head on his shoulder. He gazed down at her, appearing to be a perfect painting hung in the Louvre. Blue-tinted moonlight glinted off his golden, shaggy hair, making it shine. His eyes were darkened by shadows, making them look a beautiful shade of forest green. Even in the dim light, she could see his pink cheeks and lips. She could see the fine stubble that dusted the sharp curve of his jawline and cheekbones. He looked like a modern-day James Dean—captivating and awestriking, able to catch the eye of any onlooker. Ladybug knew that once she was alone, she’d pinch herself. There was no way he was real, there was no way he loved her, and there was no way he was hers. It was all just some dream.
“You look beautiful tonight,” he whispered, his voice smooth as velvet. It sent shivers down Ladybug’s spine.
“I didn’t do anything different,” she responded. “Same as always.”
“Yeah, but you’re still beautiful. Just like always.” His hand traveled to her long hair, gently pulling out the ribbon that tied her braid together. With careful touches, he undid the braid, letting it fall free. He seemingly loved to take her braid out—he did during almost every date, and Ladybug didn’t mind.
“And you,” she retorted, bringing his hand to her lips so she could kiss his fingertips, “are the most handsome guy I’ve ever seen.”
Chat Noir had the sole ability to make her melt in his arms. Just his smile sometimes rendered her breathless. But it pleased her to know that she could undo him just as easily, making him blush and turn to lovesick mush.
After flashing her a dopey, boyish grin, he ducked his head down, capturing her lips with his. Instantly, Ladybug’s hand curled around his neck, pulling him in closer, her fingers playing with the short hairs at the nape of his neck. His hold on her tightened as the kiss deepened. Due to spending years together both as friends and lovers, he knew her better than anyone ever could, even Alya and her parents. He knew how she liked it with pressed little kisses on the tip of her nose and her forehead, and as he did so, Ladybug closed her eyes and savored his touch with every bit of her mind. She never wanted to forget how happy he made her.
When his lips finally traveled to her neck, her heart rate increased tenfold. He grinned against her skin as he felt her quickened pulse before pressing a light kiss to the point. Sometimes Ladybug wondered how Chat managed to be so perfectly courteous all the time. Even if he loved flirting with her and cracking inappropriate jokes, he never stepped out of boundaries or did anything without her permission.
“I love you so much,” he whispered as his arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in for a tight hug. His arms were strong around her, and she felt safe.
“I love you too,” Ladybug responded, her heart full to the brim with joy. Was it possible to feel this happy?
He pulled back, grin wider than ever, his eyes sparkling in the night. “I liked the lipgloss flavor you had on tonight. What was it? Strawberry?”
Ladybug chuckled and shook her head. “Close. Raspberry.”
It was a little game they played. After they kissed, Chat would try to guess the flavor of her lip gloss and rate how much he liked it. Ladybug enjoyed it, and it put the ten-pack of lip glosses she got from Alya for her birthday into good use. It was a win-win.
“Dang,” he said, leaning in again. His smile was full of mischief. “Guess I didn’t kiss you enough today.”
Ladybug put her index finger to his chest and pushed him away. “You’re a dork, Chat Noir.”
His smile didn’t fade as he leaned back against the wall, resting his hands behind his head. Ladybug scooted beside him, resting her head on his shoulder so she could listen to the beat of his heart. Truth be told, sometimes loving him so strongly as she did scared her. Flashes of a destroyed world and Chat Blanc would cross her mind, leaving her in panic. Yet, listening to the steady drumbeat of his heart in his chest reminded her that he was here, beside her. He wasn’t going anywhere. Their love hadn’t ruined the world.
“Do you remember what this movie was about?” Chat asked, squinting at the screen.
Ladybug looked up at him, smiling sheepishly. “I forgot I’d put a movie on, to be honest.”
And as Chat laughed and rewound the movie to the beginning, Ladybug was once again reminded of how much she loved her partner. Through thick and thin, he’d always be by her side. After all, it was him and her against the world.
And even if they would get distracted again while the movie was playing, well, Ladybug wouldn’t mind in the slightest.