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Nino checks up and down the street, checking to make sure there’s no raging akuma headed his way before he crosses quickly and ducks inside the small café. He closes the door quickly before the icy air can blow inside and tugs his beanie down over his ears. He spots Alya sitting alone in the corner.
“Hey,” he says as he drops down into the seat across from her.
She looks up from her phone with a smile. “Hey! You found me.”
Nino snorts. “Wasn’t hard. This is your favorite post-attack hangout, after all.”
“You know me so well,” she teases. “It’s almost like you’re dating me. But it’s not post-attack for once.”
“Get sick of the cold?” Nino asks. He steals her drink and takes a sip, making a face at how bitter her coffee is. “Ew.”
Alya rolls her eyes. “Sorry I don’t like hot sugary milk. But yeah. The fight is long and cold and it’s getting too dark for it to actually be worth filming.” She sighs and rests her chin in her hand. “No point in videotaping mostly darkness.”
“Man, I’m sorry, Al.” He pushes her drink back toward her. “I’m sure whatever footage you got is great though. And if it makes you feel better, I can buy you a pastry.”
Alya laughs. “I’m good, I promise. Just feel like I’m letting people down.”
Nino shrugs. “You can’t get every akuma attack. I mean, you’re a collège student who’s doing this for free. I can’t believe how much you usually get, like dude , you’re better than the professionals.”
“Maybe they should start paying me like one,” she jokes.
“Bro, can you imagine ?” Nino asks.
“Getting paid for the Ladyblog?”
“Yeah, if that could actually be your job .”
Alya nods slowly. “Hm… That would definitely be a life goal.” She smiles in a wistful way that makes Nino’s heart do weird things. It always does this when Alya talks about the future. “Talk about a way to start a career.”
“If you think about it that way, your career’s already started,” Nino points out.
“Sweet,” Alya murmurs. She slides her phone over the Nino with a smirk. “Alright, if my career’s already started then we need to start taking this more seriously.” She really has to stop doing that, including him in her future, because his heart might actually melt. “So be totally honest, does the site look tacky?”
Nino picks up her phone and scrolls through the blog. Alya’s exchanged the pinks for reds and has given the Ladybug silhouette a santa hat. She’s added green details and covered the top of the logo with a layer of snow.
“Oh and on the desktop version, there’s snow on the screen,” Alya says, pointing to the screen. “It’s not compatible with mobile though.”
“It looks sick, dude,” Nino says. “Maybe a little less red and some more green? if you really want to push the Christmas theme.”
“Hm…” She leans forward to see the screen. “I mean, not everyone celebrates Christmas…” She purses her lips. “Kind of want to add colored lights to the logo now, though.”
“Blinking ones?” Nino asks.
Alya lights up. “Yes! That’s perfect , I knew there was a reason I kept you around.” She leaned forward a little more to press a peck on his lips.
He smiles. “Hey, no prob. Do you have time to make that edit?”
Alya shrugs and takes a sip of coffee. “Who knows. If I don’t, I’ll find time. Probably.”
Nino narrows his eyes. “Does that mean you’re not going to sleep for the next three days?”
“Maaaaaybeeeeee.”
Nino rolls his eyes and takes her coffee away.
“Hey!” Alya protests.
“No caffeine,” he says sternly. “You actually need sleep to function.”
She scoffs. “Says who?”
“Says science .”
“I’m going to fight science,” Alya decides.
“Babe, you can’t fight science.”
“I can try.”
“I feel like that’s the sleep deprivation talking.”
Alya shrugs. “I don’t know, but I paid for that coffee, so I feel like I should finish it.”
Nino considers the coffee cup. “Meh.” He takes a long sip and tries not to make a face.
Alya crosses her arms as he hands her the near empty cup. “That was rude.”
“Hey, if I’m going to stay up with you until daybreak editing the blog, I feel like I’ve earned it,” he counters.
She huffs. “Fine. But I’m breaking up with you afterwards.”
“Sure thing, babe.” Nino stands and offers Alya his hand. “Ready to go? I bet the attack is almost over. If not, we might get some candids.”
Alya downs the rest of the coffee. “Let’s hope Ladybug has spread some of her luck.” She pulls on her coat and zips it up, taking Nino’s hand and letting him tug her to her feet.
“My place?” Nino asks. He pushes open the café door, bracing himself against the cold.
“ Please .”
“Sisters?”
Alya nods. “When I left, we were on our third straight our of ‘I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas’. They started playing Christmas music in July , I’m kind of done with it.”
“Oof, that sounds like a fun time. Definitely my place.”
She hums in agreement. “Have you ever thought about writing Christmas music? Or remixing it?” she asks, looking up at him.
Nino frowns. “I don’t celebrate Christmas, Al.”
She bumps their arms together. “I know that. Holiday music then. Have you ever thought about writing and-or mixing holiday music?”
“Not really,” Nino admits. “Why would I? Not really my thing.”
Alya groans. “I just need something that’s not something the twins have been playing nonstop. Besides, we could always use more original holiday music. There are so many covers it’s like some weird holiday music tangled mess. The covers just spawn more covers and we’re going to be left with some weird mutated…music thing.” She gestures wildly as she talks.
Nino watches her rant with a fond smile. “Holiday music, huh?”
“Yup. I need some new stuff. Some new stuff that’s not XY because I can’t stand to hear one more heavily autotuned money grab about mistletoe kisses,” she complains.
“So that’s a no on the mistletoe kisses, then?” Nino asks with raised eyebrows.
“Um no . If we’re under mistletoe, you’re kissing me. It’s law .”
He snorts. “Okay, gotcha. Does that mean we can’t play ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ anymore?”
Alya freezes and jerks Nino back as he keeps walking. He glances back to her.
“That song is iconic and a masterpiece. Play it at my funeral,” she says seriously.
Nino laughs. “Alright, I’ll make note of that.”
“No covers,” she adds as she starts walking again. “Only the original. Give me Mariah Carey or give me death.”
Nino nods. “Alright so plans for tonight: you’re going to edit the Ladyblog so it’s more with the season, I’m going to write holiday music, we’re going to jam out to Mariah Carey, and then fall asleep on the floor together at like two?”
“You forget the hot chocolate and cuddles,” Alya reminds him.
“How could I forget? Sound like a plan?”
“The best plan.”