Chapter Text
Chapter 01: Flirting in the Moonlight
Adrienne Agreste smiled dumbly to herself as she stared at her computer screen. She was in love. Deeply and frustratingly in love. It was a new feeling for the blonde-haired model. It both made her blood burn and filled her stomach with butterflies. It was like she was walking on clouds yet sinking under the ocean waves at the same time. Adrienne stared blankly into those blue eyes on her computer screen. The endless depths of her Lady’s blue eyes were hypnotic, they drew Adrienne in and would not let go of her without a fight. A fight she refused to even try to win. Thank God for the Ladyblog.
“Adrienne!” Plagg yelled making his miraculous holder jump in fright and almost fall out of her chair.
“Plagg shhhhhhhh,” Adrienne hissed as she caught herself upon her desk. “If my father hears you…”
“Sheesh kid, settle down will you,” Plagg said as he floated around Adrienne’s head. “I wouldn’t have to shout if you’d stop drooling over Ladybug and pay attention to me the first time I called your name.”
“I wasn’t drooling,” Adrienne snapped as she quickly wiped her hand over her mouth to make sure she had in fact not been literally drooling. “It’s just… she’s so beautiful and heroic and kind and gracious and…”
“You barely know her kid,” Plagg grumbled glancing over to the image on the computer. “You’ve only met her what? Twice last week and you’re already head over heels for her?”
“We saved Paris together, we fought together and had each other’s back… a bond like that Plagg… it’s special,” Adrienne sighed as she gazed once more upon her masked heroine. “It’s just like in the books… a Lady and her Knight taking on the evil together. How could I not fall for her after that?”
“Urrrrrgh, you’re a worse romantic then even Tikki,” Plagg groaned as he slumped down onto the desk. “Why’d she end up with your Lady when you and her were clearly made for one another?”
“Tikki?” Adrienne asked with a frown as she glanced between Plagg and the picture of Ladybug. Her eyes widened as his words sunk in. “Is Tikki Ladybug’s kwami?” Plagg nodded and Adrienne saw a strange look come over her kwami’s face. It looked like… sadness? Or longing? Wait.. was it… “Do you know Tikki well?”
“Of course,” Plagg said with a slight smile. “We’ve known each other longer than any other Kwamis… possibly longer than any other beings ever.”
“Do you miss her?”
Plagg was silent for all most a full minute as he gazed up at Adrienne before nodding his head. “Yeah… we’ve only been separated a week since this all happened.” He gestured at himself and Adrienne. “We were together with most of the other kwamis for a long time. The longest we have been since we were first given the ability to interact with the physical world through the Miraculouses. It wasn’t till you and Ladybug were needed just recently that we were separated.”
“I’m sorry Plagg,” Adrienne said. She felt sad having been the reason for separating her kwami from such an old and dear friend.
“Whatever,” Plagg huffed slumping down upon the desk. “Doesn’t matter. Now how about some Camembert? A late-night snack sounds good righ now.”
Adrienne hummed as she fished out a piece of Plagg’s favourite cheese from her recently gathered supply. As he enjoyed his snack, she was deep in thought. Not about Ladybug this time, rather, she was thinking about their kwamis. It did not seem right for them to be separated after all that time together. Adrienne knew if she was ever forced apart from her friends, not that she had many beyond Chloe and recently Nino, she would be bummed out just like Plagg was. Even though he was trying to hide it, Adrienne could tell Plagg was saddened by this. He missed Tikki.
“We should find a way for you and her to see each other again,” Adrienne said and Plagg almost choked on his cheese.
“Wha?”
“You and Tikki,” Adrienne said as she leaned back in her chair. “You two should get to see each other and hang out again.”
“But you and Ladybug can’t know each other’s secret identities,” Plagg said shaking his little cat head. “You know that.”
“I know but we could work something out,” Adrienne said as her gaze turned to Ladybug upon her computer. “My Lady will understand, and we’ll come up with something together. I know we will. Next time I see her I’ll talk to her about it.” Adrienne smiled as she looked at the faintest blush upon Plaggs cheeks.
“Thanks,” Plagg said as he chewed on the last of his cheese. His gaze turned away from Adrienne to the computer screen.
“When do you think we’ll see each other again?”
“I imagine when another akuma shows up… or tonight.”
“Hmm?” Adrienne mused as she glanced up to see Plagg staring up at the computer screen. Her own eyes widened as she saw a notification of a new update on the Ladyblog. ‘Ladybug Sighted Stopping Mugging: A Hero Fighting Everyday Crimes, Not Just Akumas’. She clicked on the alert and was taken to the full post. Adrienne’s eyes scanned over the short post by Alya and looked at the amateur photograph taken of Ladybug returning a purse to a woman near an alleyway. “She’s out there right now… stopping crime?”
“Seems so,” Plagg said with a shrug. “You two are superheroes after all.”
“Yeah but I thought we would only get together when there was an akuma on the loose,” Adrienne said her eyes as wide as dinner plates. “I never imagined we would stop mundane crimes… only she’s out there alone doing this.” Her eyes dropped from the computer screen. “Without me.”
“Then what are you waiting for kid?” Palgg said with a smirk. “Get out there after her. At the very least it should stop you pining over her for a few hours.”
“You’re right Plagg,” Adrienne said a grin coming across her face as she stood up from her computer chair so fast it almost fell over. “Claws out!” Plagg winked at Adriene as he was whisked away and into the ring.
*
Ladybug swung through the Paris night sky. She was alone and free. Flying through the air like a bird through the sky. Never before had she felt more alive than when she was out as Ladybug. Marinette smiled behind her mask as she came to land upon what was quickly becoming her favourite building top in all of Paris. Besides her own, of course. This one overlooked the Eiffel Tower from a perfect angle to make the most iconic building in all of Paris stand out against the night sky. “What a beautiful view,” Marinette murmured to herself as she gazed out at the lit-up tower.
“A beautiful view for my beautiful Lady,” a voice answered from the darkness behind her.
Marinette turned, yo-yo already spinning by her side, only to see a pair of familiar green-gold eyes looking at her from the shadows. “Chat Noir?” She lowered the yo-yo/
“Yes Milady?” Chat said as she leaped from the railing and came stalking towards Marinette.
Ladybug suppressed a gulp that formed in her throat as she watched the feline superhero saunter her way into the light. She had seen professional fashion models with less grace then Chat’s walk. The way she swung her hips and moved her shoulders in time with her steps. Each step itself perfectly timed as if she was walking to some unheard music. When Chat walked it was like a show of her body. Telegraphing the way each muscle could move. It was a walk that told everyone she was a person to be gazed upon and admired. It was breathtaking.
“What may I ask has brought you out on this purr-fect night?”
There it was, Marinette internally sighed, the buzzkill that droned out whatever charm Chat’s walk had. She frowned at the blonde haired, leather clad woman. It was too bad Chat did not know when to keep her mouth shut because without the terrible puns and insistent flirting she really was Marinette’s type. Tall, strong, flexible and graceful. Her short blonde hair drew Marinette in like a fly to honey. She just wanted to reach up and run her fingers through it. But it was the sparkle of those green eyes that really entrapped her. A pearly white smile upon Chat’s face made her realise she had been caught staring.
Marinette stepped towards Chat and went to tell her off for sneaking up on her, not to mention that horrible pun, but she paused a moment as she eyed Chat wearily. They had only known each other a very short time, yet something told Marinette that attacking Chat’s puns would only make the girl try harder. It was the same deal with the flirting. The more she knocked Chat back the harder she seemed to come at Marinette. It was not even that Marinette did not enjoy the flirting or the occasional pun but more so Chat’s timing. Was the two akuma battles they had already fought together in really the time for such things?
She wished certain other cute blondes in her life (*cough* Adrienne Agreste *cough*) would pay half as much attention to her as Chat. Then again if Adrienne flirted with Marinette like Chat did she may literally die from a heart attack. God, why was her love life so complicated as Marinette? Ladybug would have the confidence to go up to Adrienne and ask her out, least of all talk to her like a normal human being. Ladybug was brave enough to do anything while Marinette did not even have the courage to look at Adrienne without becoming a mess of a human being.
Marinette blinked. Ladybug could do anything… the mask gave her confidence she never would have had without it… it allowed her to be whoever she wanted to be, to do what she wanted and speak her own mind. She could even… dare she? Would she? Marinette glanced up at Chat and saw the woman smiling at her as Chat patiently waited for her response. Could she really try something like this with Chat of all people? She was her partner after all, they were a team. But that was yet to stop Chat from trying her hand at it so why could Marinette not give back just as good as she got? Worst that could happen is she makes a fool of herself in front of Chat and who cared about that? Certainly not Marinette.
Ladybug smiled at her partner as she stepped over towards the woman with as much confidence as she could muster. Something in her body language or the smile upon her face must have caught Chat unaware because the leather wearing superhero took a step back from her as she approached. “I could ask the same thing of you Kitty,” Ladybug said as she reached out and flicked Chat’s bell. “Did you come slinking around here all on your own or were you looking for me to ring your bell my Kitty?”
“M-my Lady?” Chat gasped as she tried to lean away. “What… what… what…”
“What’s the matter Chat?” Ladybug asked as she reached up with both hands to tug on Chat’s collar. “Cat got your tongue?” She held her partner close staring up into those eyes as Chat’s cheeks became red. She broke out into a laugh as she almost doubled over, slapping her thigh as she released the blushing superhero.
“Ladybug,” Chat whined as she reached up and tugged upon her blonde hair. “Don’t do that to me.”
“Oh come on Chat…” Ladybug gasped out between her laughter. “Tell me you can take it as good as you give it out, right?”
“I suppose I do deserve it,” Chat said with a sigh, a small smile coming across her face. “But what’s gotten into you tonight? Fighting crime and flirting? Are you really Ladybug or has some akuma taken over from you?” Chat was only half joking as she reached down to place a hand upon her staff while she eyed Ladybug.
“Don’t even kid about that,” Ladybug said shaking her head as she recovered from her laughing fit. “No, I’m fine. I just thought now, when we are out of danger and alone together… with my mask on and no one to embarrass me for trying that I would give… flirting a go.” She looked away from Chat as she suddenly felt flustered. “It’s so hard to do without my mask. In everyday life I would never but as Ladybug I can do anything. Even flirt. Do you know what I mean?”
“Yeah actually I think I do,” Chat said as she moved her hand away from the staff. “In all honesty I am not much of a flirt myself under the mask. But when I wear this, when I become Chat Noir… I feel like I get the chance to try that sort of stuff. I get to experiment and see what it would be like to flirt with a beautiful lady, make dumb jokes and… have fun.” She reached out and placed a hand upon Ladybug’s shoulder. She felt the girl stiffen immediately at her touch. “Want to know a secret?”
“Yes,” Ladybug whispered turning to face Chat. They were so close together that Ladybug could feel Chat’s breath upon her skin.
“When we fought together, I was really scared,” Chat said her voice lowering. “From the moment I went out there as Cat Noir I was downright terrified. Even with the superpowers and the mask I felt… afraid. So, I just started flirting to distract myself and it worked. It’s so different to how I am in real life that it helped me dissociate Chat Noir with myself. I wasn’t in danger because it was Chat Noir not me out there. Do you understand?”
“I do,” Ladybug said smiling at Chat as she reached out and placed a hand upon Chat’s upper chest, right above her heart. “You’re braver than you think Chat… with or without the mask.” She felt Chat’s heart skip a beat. “You are more than welcome to continue your flirting… whatever you need to fight alongside me. I know I can rely on you. I feel it here.” She reached up with her other hand and placed it upon her own heart.
“My Lady,” Chat said that loving twinkle in her cat like eyes. “I trust you too.” Chat reached up and took the hand against her heart. She leaned down and kissed it and instead of the sigh or eye roll she was expecting out of Ladybug she got that one smile. The one smile that was soft and kind. The one that lit up Ladybug’s face and made Chat’s world spin. “What about you Milady? Are you going to start flirting with me now too? Now that you have dipped your toe in the water. Or was that just a one-time deal?”
“We’ll see Kitty,” Ladybug said as she reached up and tingled the bell upon Chat’s neck. Both of them laughed as they looked at each other under the pale moonlight. “Depends on your behaviour and attitude.”
“Don’t you mean my Cat-titude?” Chat asked, waggling her eyebrows at Ladybug. That got her the eyeroll she had been expecting before.
“I am regretting this already,” Ladybug groaned but she could not keep the smile from her face. “Anyway, was there an actual reason you came out to see me?”
“Two reasons,” Chat said with a smirk. “Firstly, I wanted to ask about your activities tonight. Stopping a mugging? Is that something we are doing now? I thought we were only supposed to fight akumas and Hawk Moth.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Ladybug said only to get a raised eyebrow from Chat. “I just needed some time as Ladybug rather than… myself so I went out for some air. I came across the incident by chance and I couldn’t just stand there. I had to do something… I stopped the mugger and returned the purse to the lady and then the police showed up and that girl who writes the Ladyblog…”
“You know about the Ladyblog?” Chat asked and got a nod in return. “Well that’s good. You can look at all the pictures of me you want there. That girl really did manage to get my good side.” She flicked her head back, making her short blonde hair flip back as she grinned down at Ladybug. “I know she captured some very pleasant pictures of you.”
“Of course, that’s what you would browse it for,” Ladybug chuckled shaking her head. “But yes, that’s what happened.”
“Are you going to do it again?”
“I don’t know… probably?”
“Can I join you?”
“Please,” Ladybug said with an eager nod.
“I was hoping you would say that,” Chat said with a grin. “We should set up a patrol route or something. We can use these crimes and our spare time between stopping them as training for Hawk Moth.”
“That’s a good idea,” Ladybug said. “It would be nice to have you out there watching my back.” They shared a smile. “What else did you want to talk about?”
“Tikki,” Chat said and watched as Ladybug’s eyes widened. “Plagg, my kwami, told me about her and I think he misses her. We should find a way for them to hang out sometime. Just because we can’t know each other’s secret identities doesn’t mean we should have to separate them. They’re good friends.”
“I didn’t know that,” Ladybug said biting her bottom lip. “We can probably work something out for them. But I want to talk to Tikki and think about this some more. Can we talk about this another time?”
“Sure,” Chat said with a nod as she turned to gaze up at the moon. “It’s getting late… we should probably go.”
“Soon,” Ladybug said as she wrapped an arm around Chat’s side. “But let’s take a moment to ourselves. We deserve that much after saving Paris last week.” Her head turned to the night sky and she looked at the full moon above them.
“That we do, My Lady, that we do,” Chat said as she put an arm around Ladybug’s shoulder and pulled her close.