Work Text:
As famous as Adrien Agreste was, he had never been the type to try to steal a spotlight. That was usually reserved for Chloé, and he was content to step aside and let her have it. That was the way it was, and that was the way he thought it was going to be.
That is, until one warm summer night.
He wasn’t quite as used to leaping from rooftop to rooftop as he (or Plagg) would like to have been. In a split-second of bad decision making and soles with less grip than anticipated, Chat Noir found himself plunging from the side of a rather high office building. He scrambled for purchase on the wall, only to stop with a jolt when he felt something wrap around his wrist and stop his fall. He took the opportunity to scamper up the side, using various pipes and window sills as footholds on his way up to the edge of the roof –
Only to come face-to-face with the prettiest blue eyes he had ever seen in his life. If he hadn’t been held up by the string around his wrist, he might as well have fallen right off of the building again.
Those eyes belonged to a masked dark-haired girl in a red bodysuit with black dots. She extended her hand to him with a kind smile on her face. “Need some help?”
Chat realized that his mouth had gone dry as he gracelessly spluttered out “Y-yeah,” before she helped him climb safely onto the rooftop. Once he was properly standing, she retracted what appeared to be a yo-yo, and Chat absently rubbed his arm where the string had been. “Thanks, uh…” he trailed off, realizing that he hadn’t asked her for her name.
“Ladybug,” she replied, “and you are?”
For a moment, Chat was sure that her sky-blue eyes were twinkling. She was all smiles and effortless charm, practically aglow in the city of lights. He could do better than that last blunder. He had to.
“Chat Noir, at your service.” He bowed, putting on a smile that turned out more cheeky than cheerful. “What brings you here by yourself on a night like this?”
“I’m on patrol for any signs of Akuma.” Ladybug was suddenly more serious than before, and Chat mentally kicked himself for wasting her time when he was supposed to be on patrol as well.
“Well then, allow me to accom-paw-ny you, my lady.” The words practically fell out of his mouth before he could stop himself from saying something so cheesy. Ladybug rolled her eyes, but there was still something mischievous in her expression that Chat couldn’t help but to smile at. He'd have to think of more puns.
“Sure, I guess – “ She was interrupted by a beep from her earring. Chat heard her mutter something along the lines of ‘shoot, why now’ under her breath before she gave him a sheepish grin. “Sorry, kitty, looks like I’ll have to take a rain check. I guess I’ll see you around when an Akuma attacks.”
Adrien would have stood by silently and watched her leave.
Adrien would have just smiled and nodded.
Chat Noir was going to change that.
He swiftly took her hand in his, holding it gently, but with purpose. “If it takes fighting Akuma for us to meet, it will have been worth it.” He said softly before pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles.
He could have sworn that Ladybug’s cheeks were reddening underneath her mask as she uttered a hasty “good night” and took off swinging into the night.
One Week Later:
“Adrien will be joining our class starting today.”
The collége had been abuzz with the news that teen model Adrien Agreste would be attending public school, but now, the room was absolutely silent as Miss Bustier introduced him to her class.
“Let’s see, why don’t you have a seat over there,” Miss Bustier gestured in Marinette’s direction, and she suddenly did a double take. Wait, here? Next to her? Right now? – “In the front, next to Nino.”
Marinette breathed a sigh of relief as Alya chuckled. The room began to buzz again – a ‘tch’ from Chloé, a few disappointed sighs from other girls, and some ‘meh’s from the more apathetic members of the class – as Adrien walked over to his seat and the class began shuffling around to prepare for today’s lesson.
“Hi.”
Marinette looked up from her notes and found herself staring straight at a pair of striking green eyes and an easygoing smile that could light the whole city of Paris up at night.
Adrien said ‘hi’ to her.
Adrien Agreste said ‘hi’ to her.
Adrien Agreste, face of one of the biggest fashion houses in France, said ‘hi’ to her.
“U-uh…h-hi!” She squeaked, flushing beet-red in the face as Adrien turned and waved a polite hello to Alya before turning to face the front of the class. Oh my god, what was that? Come on, all he said was ‘hi’! Marinette tried desperately to compose herself as Alya flashed her a cheeky grin.
“You okay there, Marinette?” Alya teased, but she had her answer long before Marinette could finish fumbling her way to a hasty “fine”.
She could see the look of a friend rendered helpless by a crush a mile away.