Chapter Text
Nino was scrolling through the Ladyblog on his phone while he waited for class to start. Adrien was next to him (being a much better student and reviewing his notes from last class) but otherwise the room was mostly empty. They were pretty early, which was typical for Adrien but not so much for Nino. He could barely sleep last night, and had been too restless this morning to try to hang around home.
He totally had a thing for Chat Noir.
Last night wasn’t Nino’s first time moonlighting as Carapace, but it was the first time he’d really had any one-on-one time with Chat Noir. Ladybug had been trapped by the akuma almost immediately after giving Nino his miraculous, which left Chat Noir and Carapace to try to sort things out.
(They weren’t half bad at it.
It may have taken over two hours.)
But Nino had enjoyed his time with Chat Noir more than he thought he would. Chat was cute, of course he was, and his jokes had grown on Nino by the end of the night and the face he made when he was trying to figure out a problem was adorable and it was impossible not to like him. And Chat was so much smarter than he let on, and patient, and sweet, and funny in a stupidly endearing sort of way, and kind, and cute.
He was so nice to look at. Especially when he smiled.
Nino was looking at the pictures of the two of them Alya had posted, sort of to see himself as a superhero but mostly to look at Chat Noir again. He’d always thought Chat Noir was cute, but after getting to see him up close and work with him? Wow. He rested his head in his hand, elbow on the desktop, and sighed. “Chat Noir is so hot.”
Adrien burst into a coughing fit next to him. Nino looked up to see him holding his water bottle, hand to his face as he tried to catch his breath.
“You good, Dri?” Nino asked.
Adrien nodded as he got his coughing under control, holding up his water bottle as an explanation. “What did you just say?”
“Chat Noir’s hot,” Nino repeated. He slid his phone across the desk, photos of Chat Noir still filling up the screen. “I mean, look at him. Ladybug’s insane for always rejecting him.”
Adrien glanced at the phone, face still red, and then shrugged. “I’m sure she has her reasons.”
“She better have a good one.” Nino took his phone back and stuffed it in his pocket with a sigh.
“Since when did you have a thing for Chat Noir?” Adrien asked, regaining his composure and leaning a little closer.
“Since always,” Nino said, and it was kinda true. He just had more of a thing now. “He is hot.”
“That’s all?”
Well, no, but Nino couldn’t exactly say that he knew Chat Noir personally. He couldn’t exactly say they’d spent hours together last night and he’d learned that Chat Noir was sweet and caring and passionate and a little over the top in all the best ways. “Can’t I have a celebrity crush?” Nino said. “He’s hot. His jokes are kinda funny, too, I guess.”
“His jokes are hilarious,” Adrien said, seeming almost offended that Nino thought otherwise.
“I wouldn’t say hilarious.”
“You have no taste. This is why you don’t think I’m funny.”
“Your jokes are stupid, man,” Nino said with a laugh. He nudged Adrien’s shoulder. “Even you have to admit it.”
“No, I’m so funny,” Adrien said, folding his arms over his chest, but the corners of his lips were creeping up into a smile and betraying the offended attitude he was trying to feign. “I just haven’t found the audience to appreciate me.”
“I appreciate you,” Nino promised. “Maybe your lecture notes more than your jokes, but, you know.”
“I guess I’ll take what I can get,” Adrien said with a dramatic sigh. “But I think Chat Noir is funny.”
Nino heard laughter nearby and glanced over to the door to see Alya and Marinette walking in, both giggling.
(Despite their very awkward break up a few months ago, when Nino’d realized he was gay and he loved Alya but not like that, you know, just like as a best friend and only platonically and he was still learning how to sort out all those feelings and wow he was so sorry and things were so so so awkward for a while there, he and Alya were closer than ever.
And he was pretty sure she had more feelings for Ladybug than she’d admit, but that was her own journey to go on.)
“Chat Noir?” Alya said. “Funny? That’s a good one.”
“He is!” Adrien insisted.
“He’s funny,” Marinette said, “but in, like, a kind of stupid way, you know?”
Adrien slumped in his seat, defeated.
“Hey, but he’s cute, so he’s got that going for him,” Marinette said as she slid into her seat behind Adrien.
“Okay, see?” Nino said. “I’m not the only one who thinks that.”
“You think he’s cute?” Marinette asked.
Adrien snorted. “Uh, I think the word he used was ‘hot’, actually.”
Marinette nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I’ll give you that one.”
(Were Adrien’s cheeks getting pink again?
He was digging in his school bag before Nino could get a good look.)
“Ooh,” Alya said, a teasing tone to her voice, “looks like you two are gonna have to fight it out over Chat Noir.”
“As if he’d ever notice me,” Nino said with a sigh. “Marinette’s actually talked to him.”
“That’s how I know his jokes are stupid,” Marinette added.
“And is he even into guys, anyway?” Nino wasn’t sure, actually, and that would ruin all his plans if the answer was no.
“Yeah,” Adrien said confidently as he sat up, pencil case in hand.
Nino whipped his head to look at him. “How do you know that?”
Adrien’s face flushed red. “I, um, I think he’s said it before?”
“I think so, too,” Marinette added. “And he flirts with literally everyone. That’s not exactly ‘straight guy’ behavior.”
Nino hummed. She had a point. “I guess. Man, I wish I really had a chance with him.”
Alya leaned forward over her desk to pat Nino on the shoulder. “Maybe one day he’ll come rescue you like your knight in shining armor.”
Nino could imagine it. He leaned back into his seat with a wistful sigh. “I wish.”
“You guys are all, like, really obsessed with Chat Noir today,” Adrien said as he fidgeted with his pen.
Nino elbowed Adrien playfully. “What, do you have a thing for Chat Noir, too?”
“Uh, not really,” Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck.
Nino had been joking, anyway. Adrien was the only one of the four of them who didn’t like boys, and he already knew that.
“That makes you the odd man out,” Alya said. “Weird.”
Adrien turned around to face her. “Wait, you too?”
Alya shrugged. “I’m not blind. He’s cute.”
Nino could’ve sworn he heard Adrien whine as he turned back to the front of the room, but it was so quiet he might’ve imagined it. Adrien made himself very busy finding the right pen to take notes with, so Nino left it alone. “I called dibs,” Nino said to Alya.
“Who says Chat Noir would be more interested in you?”
“Because I like him way more than you!”
“Since when?”
“Since- since I said so,” Nino argued, not sure how else to lie to cover his tracks about being Carapace. “It doesn’t matter when. I do now!”
Marinette held up her hand. “Hey, where do I fall in this?”
“Below me,” Nino and Alya said in unison.
Adrien snorted. “You guys are being so stupid. He’s obviously into Ladybug.”
“We’re not ranking us against Ladybug,” Nino said. “Just us against each other. C’mon, Dri, you’re the only objective one.”
“He’s biased!” Alya argued.
Nino ignored her. “Who’s top on his list?”
Adrien swallowed. “U-um- I mean- I don’t know?”
Marinette reached over her desk and swatted Nino’s shoulder. “Leave him out of this. Defend yourself, Lahiffe.”
“I can defend myself just fine,” Nino argued, pushing her hand away. “What, you think you’re a better candidate than me?”
Marinette laughed. “Well, I’m not calling myself a candidate, for one. And he’s actually talked with me. Flirted with me, too.”
“He flirts with everyone.”
“He hasn’t flirted with you, though.”
Nino couldn’t argue with that. He sank back into his seat, defeated. “Yeah. I guess you win.”
“Of course I do. But he’d probably love how much you were arguing about this and I do think that earns you a couple points.”
Nino beamed. “I do think he’s hot.”
“Oh, we know, Nino.” Marinette reached forward once more to pat Nino’s shoulder. “You do win on the argument of who thinks he’s hottest.”
“I’ll take it.”
Adrien elbowed Nino in his side. “You really need to raise your standards, dude.”
“Hey!” Nino said, shoving Adrien right back. “Don’t be rude! I’m pining!”
Adrien burst into laughter, pushing Nino away. “Ew! What are you talking about!”
“Don’t make fun of me!”
“I’m so making fun of you. You’re weird!”
“Let’s settle the score,” Alya offered. “You’re both weird.”
“Stay out of this,” Nino said as he turned over his shoulder to pout at her, sticking out his tongue.
She rolled her eyes right back. “You’re the one totally obsessed with Chat Noir.”
“And I’m not wrong for that. Right, Dri?” Nino turned back to Adrien for backup.
Adrien had busied himself digging out the perfect pencil for class. “U-um. Yeah. Sure.”
That was weird.
Class started before Nino could dig into it. He didn’t have a chance to even pass a note, not with them sitting in the front row, and not for a question as big as are you okay, like, generally right now?
It would be fine. Nino never paid all that close attention, anyway. Not when he could borrow Adrien’s perfect notes to study off later.
After class, Adrien was slow to pack up his things, slow enough that he and Nino were the last ones to leave the room. Nino did still feel bad for how flustered he’d been this morning, and he was worried about him.
“Hey, you seemed a little off earlier,” Nino said as they started towards their next class. “Did we make you uncomfortable or something?”
“Oh, no,” Adrien said, shaking his head. “I was just a little tired and you caught me by surprise. It’s okay. I think it’s kind of funny how much you all like Chat Noir.”
Nino smiled, a little more at ease hearing that, but he was still worried. “Yeah, I didn’t think the girls would be so into him. Is everything okay with you, though?”
“Yeah. I’m good.”
“Great, because I’m definitely gonna beat you to class and steal your seat.” Nino shoved Adrien away (he needed every second of a head start he could get!) and tore off down the hall before Adrien could object, weaving through the crowd with Adrien’s laughter ringing out behind him. He knew he wasn’t going to win, and wasn’t surprised when Adrien caught up to him outside the classroom door and yanked Nino back by his backpack so he could push in front to be first through the door. “Hey!” Nino shouted in protest anyway as he chased Adrien inside.
Adrien got to his seat first, still laughing. “Ha!” he said triumphantly as he sat down, breathing heavily. “You know I’m faster than you.”
“I thought I’d have a big enough headstart,” Nino said as he sat in his usual seat next to him. “One day.”
“Yeah, right.” Adrien set his bag down and ran his fingers through his hair, fixing it from his run. “In your dreams.”
Nino snorted. “We really need to work on your trash talk. It’s so lame.”
“Oh, my father would love it if I came home with some new insults,” Adrien said. “Could you imagine?”
Nino knew all too well that Gabriel Agreste was, objectively, the worst. He was cold to Adrien on his best days and he hated Nino. He hated that Nino wasn't from a rich family, he hated that Nino was gay, and he hated that Nino was Adrien’s best friend.
Nino loved making Gabriel angry, though, because he was horrible to Adrien. Nino would happily encourage anything that would make Gabriel upset. “He’d lose it, actually. You could just say, like, one swear word in front of him.”
Adrien burst into another round of laughter, doubling over in his seat. “Oh my god,” he managed between laughs. “He’d freak. Or, god, could you imagine if I did it in an interview to some rude journalist?”
Nino laughed along with him. “Adrien, there’s no way you’d do that. You’ve never even sworn in front of me.”
Adrien shrugged. “Yeah, but it’d be hilarious.”
“It totally would.”
“Boys,” their teacher scolded, “can we get started with class, or are you two still socializing?”
They both fell silent and sank into their seats a little, though it didn’t stop Nino from stealing a glance at Adrien and meeting his eyes. They both burst into another round of poorly-concealed giggles as the lecture started before they turned their attention to the front of the room and taking notes.
“Nino!” Alya ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder. “Adrien! What are you two doing?”
“Walking home. Duh.” He was already on the sidewalk outside of school, Adren still at his side. They always walked to Adrien’s house first, and then Nino made it the rest of the way home himself. Every second they could get together they had to take advantage of.
“Me and Marinette are gonna stop by hers to raid for snacks and then go find somewhere nice to hang out. The weather’s finally getting nice!” Alya squeezed Nino’s arm. “Come with!”
Nino glanced at Adrien. He had fencing today.
“I have practice,” Adrien said, shoulders slumped. “I can’t. Father would be so mad if I skipped again.”
“Ugh, he sucks,” Alya groaned.
“I know. Next time, though.” Adrien smiled, but that was his nice interview smile. He was clearly upset about it.
Nino frowned. “I can still walk you home, dude.”
“Nah, don’t miss out on snacks. Alya would eat them all.”
Alya nodded solemnly.
“It’s okay, really.” Adrien smiled at Nino and this time it was more real.
“You sure?”
“Totally. Go have fun!”
Nino ducked out of Alya’s grip and gave Adrien a playful shove instead. “Oh, I see. You just know I’d so beat you in a race to Marinette’s and you don’t want to face that shame.”
“What! You’re so stupid!” Adrien snorted as he shoved Nino, a little harder. “You know I’m faster than you.”
“No way!”
“I so am!”
Adrien pushed Nino again, hard enough to make him stumble, which, okay, he was so on, and Nino lunged forward and nailed his shoulder right into Adrien’s ribs.
“Dude!” Adrien complained, but he was laughing as he wrangled Nino into a headlock.
Nino grabbed onto Adrien’s arms to fight back but now he was mostly just laughing, which didn’t make it the easiest to fight, but it did make Adrien laugh so at least it was fair now.
“Uh, guys?” Marinette asked as Nino was halfway on Adrien’s back.
Adrien managed to shove Nino off of him, hard enough Nino couldn’t get his feet under him and he fell straight onto the sidewalk, still laughing so hard he was nearly doubled over. “Nino!” Adrien said, and he would’ve sounded concerned if he wasn’t still laughing, too. He held out his hand.
So Nino took it, obviously. And pulled Adrien down with him.
“Guys!” Marinette said again before they could get started all over again. It was harsh enough they both stopped to look at her. “You’re blocking, like, the whole sidewalk.”
Nino glanced and, yeah, they kinda were. “Oops.”
Adrien shoved him again. “Oops?”
“Hey!”
“You started it!”
“No I didn’t!” But Nino couldn’t actually remember who’d pushed who first. They honestly had a pretty 50-50 track record of starting their wrestling matches in stupid places, so, you know, it could’ve been either of them.
“We’re gonna get food if anyone wants to join us!” Marinette shouted.
She and Alya were already walking away.
“What? Wait!” Nino scrambled to his feet. He knew they wouldn’t really go that far without him, but still. It was free sweets!
“Go!” Adrien said, giving Nino a push towards them. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow!” Nino said, waving before he turned over his shoulder to chase after the girls.
But, man, the day Adrien finally got some control over his life, they’d all be so much better off.