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Why-oh-why did he agree to this? Why on Earth did he ever think this would be a good idea? Why did he let himself be dragged around the cold streets of Paris after an akuma? And on Christmas Eve to boot?! He could be home right now, eating a nice, warm Christmas Eve leftover. But nooo, Alya wanted to test the new microphone she got for her livestreams, and she needed help. And who was her go-to-guy for tech help? This guy right here.
“Alya, slow down!” Nino called out to the redhead, trying to keep up. “You’re gonna get yourself hurt!”
“A good journalist has never gotten anywhere by playing it safe,” Alya retorted, speeding up slightly, phone and microphone in hand. “You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to.”
“And who was gonna help you test the new microphone?” he panted. Man, he really needed to do more cardio.
“I could’ve asked Marinette,” the redhead shot back almost instantly.
“Do you ever see Mari during akuma attacks?!” Nino extended his arms incredulously, gesturing around him. “That girl either flees or ends up getting transformed. She has, like, the worst luck with akumas.”
“Fine, I would’ve stolen Adrien then,” she stubbornly insisted.
“Okay, first, don’t even dare.” Nino squinted at her, trying to appear threatening. “And second, bro has about the same luck as Mari. He’s impossible to find during attacks. Face it, I was your best option.”
Alya smirked back at him. Oh, he knew that smirk. She was definitely teasing him. A small smile curled his lips at the thought.
“Here!” she halted suddenly as they reached the park near Marinette’s home. Alya quickly connected the microphone to her phone and made Nino hold it to record, while she stood, ready to give the news.
Just then, Ladybug landed a few meters behind her and yelled: “Miraculous Ladybug!”
The millions of magical ladybugs swarmed across the city, and as quickly as she had landed, she swung her yo-yo and hopped away over the rooftops.
Nino and Alya stood still and stared at the now empty park, right at the spot where Ladybug had used her healing powers. It was over. The fight was over, and they didn’t get one single image. They didn’t even get to test the microphone. Nino took a few steps towards the young journalist.
“We’ll get ‘em next time,” he reassured her, patting her shoulder. Alya gave a loud groan before dragging her feet to a nearby bench. She slumped on it and hung her head back in frustration, the phone and microphone settling on her side. Nino shook his head in amusement and followed to sit next to her. “Come on, there’re akumas practically every week.”
“I know,” Alya sighed. She shivered slightly, pulling her orange scarf up to her chin. Nino, seeing this, wrapped an arm around her in an attempt to keep her warm in the winter cold.
They sat there for a moment, taking in the decorations of the park. A large tree had been placed right behind the statue of Ladybug and Chat Noir, with twinkling golden balls and stars, and white lights wrapped around it. The leafless trees had also been adorned with the same bright lights, giving the park a luminous glow.
There was a leftover snowman that looked like kids had put up earlier in the day. The nose and a few buttons had fallen to the ground, but it still kept its shape. A few large, golden fake presents stood in different corners of the park, adding to the Christmas spirit.
Nino looked back at Alya and noticed her face was contorted in a frown.
“Maybe this is a sign that you should spend tonight with a loved one,” he tried to comfort her. But instead, the redhead stared at him in bewilderment.
“Well that doesn’t make sense,” she stated, her frown deepening. Nino arched an eyebrow, feeling like the confused one now.
“Why?”
“Because I’m already spending my time with some I love,” she responded casually. Nino’s breath hitched at the way Alya said it, like it was the most normal thing in the world to say. He could feel his cheeks heat up, despite the cold snow that was starting to fall. He gulped before opening his mouth again.
“Is that friend love or…?” he lifted his hands, as if balancing two objects. Alya smirked at him once again. His cheeks flared even harder. God, that smirk. This girl is going to be the death of me.
“Why don’t I answer that with an action?” Nino barely had time to process what she just said, before she took off her glasses and his hat and crashed her lips against his. While the act caught him by surprise, he was still quick to respond.
Her fingers slid up his hair, pressing his lips even closers to hers, if that was even possible. The heat had become such, that Alya stopped shivering. Of course, the fact that Nino’s hands had snaked their way to her back may also be a factor in the increasing warmth. Even the snow that landed in their cheeks quickly melted away.
Ever so lightly, Alya’s tongue slid across his bottom lip, asking for a little more. A little more heat. A little more depth. Nino complied, cupping her cheek and opening his mouth, allowing for the full force of what was more than a kiss now to be felt between the two.
Perhaps accompanying Alya to test her new tech hadn’t been such a bad idea after all. No, this was definitely one of the best accidental good decisions he had ever made, if not the best. Because now he knew: she really did love him, and she really did prefer to spend her time with him.
She pulled away with a shuddering breath that fogged his glasses, their foreheads still touching.
“Sweet Christmas,” Nino couldn’t help express. Alya arched an eyebrow at the joke, but he simply chuckled. “Sorry. Adrien’s rubbing off on me.”
“Is it Christmas that’s sweet or me?” she teased, stroking a thumb over his jaw. The touch sent sparks through his skin, all the way to his feet.
“Both,” he whispered. Alya giggled and bit her lower lip. But there was still a question that was burning inside him, that needed to be answered. Something he was a little afraid to ask, if he was being honest with himself. He exhaled before he dared. “Does this mean we’re officially dating?”
Alya smiled, her teeth still sinking into her skin.
“Do you want to officially date?” she answered with another question, coupled with a mischievous smile. Man, Alya sure was something. How did he get so lucky? Other guys may fawn over Ladybug or other famous girls, but the redhead by his side at that very moment was so much more for him. She was everything he could have ever wished for. Smart, headstrong, gorgeous. Who wouldn’t want such a marvel?
“Definitely,” he responded, at last.
As if on cue, somewhere in the city, a bell tolled, marking the time as midnight. It was officially Christmas Day. But now it was more than that.
“It’s Christmas,” Alya stated. Nino couldn’t help but grin.
“Does this mean our anniversary would be December 25th?”
“Guess it does,” she smiled back.
They sat there, taking in the moment. White snow softly fell from the dark sky, giving the moment a magical feel, like they were part of some romantic movie set during wintertime. Alya’s thumb kept circling his jaw, while the fingers from her other hand stroke the back of his head. Meanwhile, one of Nino’s hands was still cupping her cheek, while the other held on tight to her waist. He didn’t want to let go. He wanted this moment to last forever. He wanted it to be this wonderful holiday all year long.
“Happy Christmas, Nino,” Alya whispered, her breath tickling his jaw.
“Happy Christmas, Alya,” Nino wished back. Softly, their lips met again. They melted into each other once again, their bodies becoming closer than they had ever been. This was definitely the best Christmas he had ever had.
They sat there, drinking each other for who knows how long. They lost track. But it didn’t matter. They were officially together, and no one was taking that away from them. They had danced and played around each other for long enough. This was their moment.
And the scenery around them made it even better. For anyone looking, the picture of them kissing on a bench, in front of a bright tree, was an almost perfect image of a Christmas card. An image of two friends who became more, and even then, knew that this wasn’t for the moment.
No. This was for the long run. This was going to last.
And the two were so focused on each other, they completely missed Ladybug land on the balcony above Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie and disappear through the trapdoor.