(Disclaimer: Characters of Miraculous Ladybug do not belong to me!)

Hello! This fic has been inspired by several fanart I have seen and I was very excited to write it. It ended up having some Cinderella elements to it, which was previously unplanned, but I am happy about it all the same. As mentioned in the summary, this is going to be pure, unadulterated, gratuitous Ladrien fluff. There are no regrets. Here's another fic to fill the Masquerade AU dream. Enjoy!

Adrien trudged back upstairs from the office after a short but frustrating conversation with his father. He hadn't felt this disappointed in a while and he knew it was because he had high hopes for the Masquerade Ball.

Both Chat Noir and Ladybug were invited to the Masquerade tomorrow night, an event to celebrate Gabriel's new Ladybug and Chat Noir summer collection, and he had been really looking forward to it. Seeing his Lady in a different outfit all done-up for a formal event—and perhaps asking her for a dance—was just about the only thing running through his mind this past week. The problem was, while both Chat Noir and Ladybug were invited, both Chat Noir and Adrien were expected to attend, too.

At first, he reasoned that he could sneak off at some point and transform between the two but after the recent conversation with his father, it was clear that he expected Adrien to be in the front row during the presentation. Considering the fact that Adrien would not be able to slip away from his father's wrath by ditching that scene, it meant that Chat Noir had to instead.

"You can still talk to Ladybug as Adrien," Plagg suggested sympathetically when they were safely back in his room.

"What? No way," Adrien said, slumping into his computer chair and letting out a long sigh. "I don't know how. Ladybug has never interacted with Adrien before and I don't know how to interact with her as Adrien either. There's nothing about me that would even catch her attention. What if she doesn't even know who I am and just walks past me trying to find Chat?"

Plagg shrugged. "No harm in trying. Maybe if you talk to her as yourself, you'll get a different side of her."

"I don't know, Plagg," Adrien groaned. "She's this incredible person and, well, without Chat, I'm nothing. Just a mildly famous boy who happens to be a fashion model for his father's famous line. What's so cool about that when you compare it to the amazing person that Ladybug is? Even as Chat, I only have a slightly better chance. She's just…something else."

"Well, you don't know who she is under her mask. Maybe she feels the same way," Plagg pointed out. "Sounds like a topic to bond over."

When the kwami saw that Adrien's expression still looked miserable, he floated over to him.

"Oh, cheer up, Monsieur," he assured him. "Maybe it's time to try your luck without Chat."

"You think so?" Adrien muttered turning to glance at the sleek suit his father expected him to wear, which Nathalie had brought in and hung on the hook in front of his closet door. "You're right, Plagg. Maybe Adrien will be luckier."

—

"How do I look, Tikki?"

After weeks of hard work, Marinette stood before the mirror in her final product. The dress she was wearing was of a deep ruby red and had an off-shoulder semi-sweetheart neckline made of silk chiffon that wrapped around her bust nicely, and at the waist, fanned out into a mild ball gown cut. She hardly ever got an excuse to design or wear anything this fancy, especially as Marinette, so she simply had to let herself enjoy the moment fully, turning slowly to view each side of her dress.

"You forgot your Ladybug sash!" Tikki said, grabbing the last piece of silky fabric from the desktop and floating over to her.

"Oh, of course! Thank you."

She took the polka-dotted sash from Tikki and tied it around her waist. Both of them looked back at the mirror to admire the final effect; Marinette's smile was radiant.

"You're going to look amazing, Marinette!" Tikki praised, bouncing up and down.

"Thanks, Tikki! I'm so excited! And I think Adrien might be there and—OH MY GOODNESS, TIKKI, ADRIEN WILL BE THERE!" she clapped her hands around her cheeks. "It'll be so weird seeing him as Ladybug. What if he doesn't even notice me?"

"You'll be fine! I'm sure everyone will be showering you with compliments tomorrow," her kwami said confidently. "And besides. You're Ladybug! Everyone is going to notice you."

"Or maybe that's the actual problem," Marinette said nervously. "I'm not used to all that attention, especially when I won't be in my usual Ladybug outfit. Ah, well at least Chat Noir will be there so I won't feel too out of my element, even if I do have to put up with his…jokes. Oh, God, his jokes. Can you imagine what he'd say when he sees me in this?"

"You're worrying too much," Tikki said, shaking her head and patting Marinette on the shoulder. "You'll be fine."

"So can you work this outfit into your transformation tomorrow night?" she asked.

"Yep!" her kwami cried excitedly.

"Oh, thank you, Tikki! You're the best! I'm so excited to go to a Masquerade, something Marinette would never have the chance to do. I still can hardly believe this is actually happening!"

"Marinette!" her mom's voice cried from below and she froze at once. "It's time for dinner!"

"I'll be down in a second!" she called out. She hurriedly slipped out of her gown as carefully as possible and hid it in the closet. Tomorrow night just couldn't come sooner.

—

"I still don't see her, Plagg."

Leaning his elbows upon the second floor railing of the Carrousel du Louvre, Adrien shifted his gaze up and down the hall at the people below with a pair of opera binoculars he had obtained from his father. He kept a close watch on every person that was filing in from the entrance but saw no sign of Ladybug yet.

"Relax, Monsieur, it's still early," the kwami said, rolling his eyes.

"I don't know about this, I'm getting nervous just thinking about seeing her as me," Adrien said, fidgeting with his bowtie to allow his neck proper circulation to cool down.

"Say, can you grab one of those on the platter for me when he passes by?" Plagg interjected, spotting a server walking up the stairs with a jackpot of a plate. "I knew there was a reason these events were so great."

As the cheese platter neared them, Adrien waved his hand to grab the server's attention and, once he was close enough, picked the biggest slice available.

"You are so ridiculous," he whispered to Plagg as he discreetly shoved the cheese into his inner suit coat pocket. "I'm going to have to make sure Nathalie takes this to the dry cleaning before my father realizes it smells."

While Plagg devoured the offering, Adrien twirled the black laser-cut mask his father had handed him earlier in his hands. It was ironic, really, that even though he would see Ladybug tonight without Chat Noir, he was in some ways still wearing a mask. When he was Chat, he felt more confident, as though he was free to show a part of himself he didn't feel was quite connected to Adrien. And yet, who he was as Adrien was part of himself as well, was it not? Who is Adrien really anyway? A boy who lost his mother and received no love from his father. A boy who had to do what his father told him so that he could please him. A boy who had already long been categorized by everyone around him. Sometimes, it felt like Adrien wore more masks than Chat did.

A sudden outburst of cheers brought him back to his senses. Ladybug? he wondered. Grabbing his opera binoculars, he quickly pushed them back up to his face and trained them back on the entrance, searching, searching, searching…

His jaw dropped. There she was walking in shyly and waving to all the guests piling in front of her to greet her. She was a stunning sight—there was no other word for it. Her usual pigtails were twisted and tucked into an elegant bun, her lips were painted red to match her mask, and her dress—where to begin? The gown was simply beautiful and for some reason, he couldn't help admiring the way it's v-shaped back exposed her shoulder blades. There was something about seeing her bare shoulders instead of her buggy shell that just made her seem more real, more tangible, less distant, like she was something in the physical world that he could feasibly touch.

She felt so close and yet so far. How could he think he ever had a chance with her? He remembered something she said that time when Theo was his Copycat. I belong to nobody! That just about sums up who Ladybug is: independent and wholly her own.

"What are you waiting for, Monsieur?" Plagg's voice urged him, breaking his reverie. "Are you feeling lucky?"

Instead of vocalizing his answer, he straightened his bowtie, flattened out his suit, and with one final deep breath, walked forward in response. After all, whether he had his Chat mask on or not, he was still everything Chat was—and more.

—

Bright lights and camera flashes; Marinette could hardly take it all in at once. The chandelier that hung in the foyer was beautiful, the music was provided by none other than Jagged Stone, and she was feeling nothing short of ecstatic. Every few feet she walked she was being stopped to take a picture or simply respond to a greeting. She couldn't imagine being exposed to this much external stimuli all the time but she was enjoying it all the same. After grabbing a snack from the nearest server, she began looking around for any sign of Adrien or Chat Noir.

A hand suddenly touched her shoulder and she let out a sigh of relief; she thought she recognized that grip.

"About time," she chuckled, turning around slowly. "I was beginning to think you were going to bail, little ki—"

She froze in confusion when she laid sight on the figure she had expected to be Chat Noir, but there were no cat ears and the mop of blond hair was slightly different somehow. He was also holding up a masquerade mask instead of wearing Chat's magical one and there were no familiar piercing cat-eyes gleaming down at her in their typical playful glint.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I thought you were—um—someone else…" she trailed off. How embarrassing!

"I know you, do you know me?" he asked.

"Um—sorry?" she said, confused.

"It's Masquerade etiquette," he explained, smiling. "Well, at least in the eighteenth century. You start conversations that way."

"Interesting," she said thoughtfully. Then she looked him up and down. She wasn't sure anyone she actually knew would've tapped her on the shoulder aside from Chat. The fact that everyone had brought their own little masks just made it feel more daunting to guess and pinpoint whom one anonymous person was among many. "Hmm, I don't think I know you?"

"I know you," he repeated, a smirk starting to play on his lips. Well, at least he wished he actually did. "And may I just say that you look absolutely splendid tonight."

"Aw, but Monsieur," she said with her hand on her hips, giggling as he kissed her hand. "You have an unfair advantage. This mask is what makes me Ladybug. I am who I am with or without this mask."

"I wish I could say the same for myself," he replied.

"Ah, well, you don't have to keep your mask up with me, then" she laughed.

"Oh, good. I didn't want to hold this thing up the entire time anyway," he said, immediately lowering the hand that was holding his mask. "To hell with etiquette."

Her heart stopped. There was Adrien standing right before her with the most adorable smile she had ever seen on him and—oh, God—she was about to explode with happiness inside.

'A-Adrien?!" she exclaimed, almost dropping her ladybug purse. He looked surprised as well at her outburst.

"You actually know who I am?" he asked.

Crap. She was Ladybug, not Marinette! She could do this, she thought to herself. She could keep her cool and not stumble around him because she is currently Ladybug!

"Um—o-of course!" she squealed, plastering what was most likely the widest and most ridiculous grin that had ever appeared on her face. "I've seen your face all over Paris—I mean, no, sorry, that came out strange—I mean, you know—Gabriel Agreste is the one who designed the Ladybug collection for this summer line so of course you're not entirely unheard of by me!" Oh, God, she could not stop her nervous tittering.

"I'm…glad to hear it," he said. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw that he was grinning back at her. She thought she would burst any moment from the overwhelming joy building up like bubbling soda inside her stomach.

"It's, uh, nice to meet you in person," she said, shaking his hand stiffly. Dear Lord, could she be any more awkward?

"You too," he echoed. It took them a full minute to realize they were still shaking hands. They let go at once as though burned and he shyly scratched the back of his head.

"So, um, didn't Chat Noir arrive with you?" he asked.

"Oh!" she had nearly forgotten she was supposed to be looking for him. "No, he didn't. I guess he's late. Or maybe he's here and I just haven't spotted him yet."

"Ladybug and Adrien Agreste!" someone from their left shouted. They were suddenly bombarded with several photographers and all Marinette could do was wave and smile and try her best to appear natural. She supposed she would have to get used to it as Ladybug anyway.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" a voice announced from above their heads. "Welcome to Gabriel's Masquerade-special Summer Fashion Show, Miraculous Couture! We are very happy to have you all here and a special shout out to our special guests Ladybug and Chat Noir themselves! The show will be beginning in just ten minutes so please make your way to the runway. We hope you enjoy the evening!"

"Oh, no! But I really don't think Chat is here yet," Marinette said concerned. "I wonder where he could be?"

"Maybe he had an emergency?" Adrien suggested.

"Perhaps," she said. After all, she had flaked on him before when they were supposed to attend the inauguration of their statue. She figured random things came up in their civilian lives every so often; it just couldn't be avoided.

"Well, um, I believe my father wanted you to be able to sit in the first row. Would you like to sit with me?"

Her eyes brightened, and even though she was wearing a heavy gown, she felt as light as a feather, able to float away any second. She felt her cheeks burn when she saw that he had held out a hand to her and, taking it eagerly, breathed, "I'd love to."

—

After they had all taken their seats, Marinette couldn't help but notice the empty chair on the other side of Adrien. She had to admit she was starting to miss Chat's presence. Even though she was thoroughly overjoyed that she had the opportunity to spend extended amounts of time alone with Adrien, she and Chat hardly ever faced these public events alone.

Throughout the entire show, she often found herself picturing what Chat's reaction would have been to some of the collections, such as Chat in Chiffon, Leather Noir and Chat and Charme. They were truly creative renditions of his costume and included a few she was sure he would balk at. She had to suppress her laughter imagining the look on his face when a particularly flamboyant leather outfit made its way down the runway.

When the show ended, everyone got out of their seats to make their way back inside the Carrousel du Louvre. As she walked alongside Adrien, her face shone with pure bliss. She had a front row seat to a runway show and Adrien had not left her side since the party started. The thought brought a slight blush to her cheeks and she stared down at her hands, trying to hide a secretive smile. Just as she often did when she was Marinette, she peeked over at Adrien out of the corner of her eyes with every intention of cherishing this moment and admiring for the umpteenth time how handsome he looked in his suit. Expecting the familiar exhilaration that those stolen furtive glances often gave her, she was therefore mortified when his eyes caught hers in the act and an electric jolt shot down her spine. She looked away at once and stared determinedly in another direction, wondering to herself—was he glancing at her, too?

"I, uh, didn't realize Ladybug enjoyed fashion so much," Adrien remarked in an effort to break the awkward silence.

"Oh, er—what do you mean?" she asked.

"You seemed really fascinated during the whole show," he explained. "It's not everyday I see such deep appreciation for all this. Most people are here for superficial reasons, but with you, I can tell you genuinely love it."

Wait. Had he been watching her during the show?

"Y-yeah! I'm really into it actually," she murmured. Stop blushing, stop blushing…

"I'm—um—sorry Chat Noir wasn't able to show up to accompany you though," he said, opening the door for her as they made their way back inside the Carrousel de Louvre.

"Oh, that's okay," she replied, slightly surprised by him addressing such a thing. "I'm sure he just got preoccupied with something else. And I mean, it's not like we're together or anything, if that's what you were saying—" she thought she saw Adrien wince slightly and tried to amend herself. "I mean, or maybe you weren't suggesting anything, I didn't mean to make you sound weird, it's just you know, when you said—the way you said it, it's—"

"It's okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you—"

"No, don't apologize! It's fine," she said, willing herself to let this clumsy slip-up blow over. "Look, maybe, let's just—er," she looked around and spotted the dance floor. Could she gather up the courage to do it? "Would you—would you maybe like to dance?"

She couldn't believe herself—she was actually asking Adrien Agreste to dance with her. If only she could tell Alya about this but somehow leave out the fact that she was attending Gabriel's Masquerade Ball as Ladybug. This is why she kept a diary—she would go crazy if she had to contain everything she went through as both Marinette and Ladybug. And here she was as Ladybug, asking Adrien to dance!

But Adrien's expression was unreadable. He was just standing there gaping at her as though she were an alien from another world.

"Um—I mean, if you don't want to," she said, looking away. "That's okay—"

She made to turn away thinking she couldn't handle much more embarrassment but Adrien's hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"No, I-I'd like to," he said. She stared down at his hand and could have sworn she had reached Cloud Nine.

"Okay," she smiled as she followed his lead onto the dance floor.

—

During the runway show, Adrien had wondered if he would be able to sneak off under his father's nose and transform. Now that he had ended up here about to dance with Ladybug, however, he eventually decided to forfeit the idea. Plagg was right. Seeing another side of Ladybug from a different perspective was highly refreshing. There was so much uncovered ground to explore. He decided he had to use this opportunity for good…and perhaps ask her a few more questions about Chat Noir.

Butterflies were fluttering in his stomach as he followed her lead onto the dance floor. He could hardly believe he was doing this. He wasn't sure what to do with his hands, thinking that during their normal interactions when they were saving Paris, there was never an opportunity for Chat Noir to even attempt anything remotely close to this. He eventually placed a hand gingerly around her waist as her hand trailed up his arms and came to rest on his shoulder. He didn't know if his heart could survive the intense palpitations that had suddenly broken out inside his chest.

Okay. He could do this. Just take a deep breath, he thought and, gripping her other hand, he stepped to the side with the rhythm of the song currently playing. Ladybug allowed herself to be dragged by his lead but it wasn't long before her foot accidentally tread on his own.

"Sorry," she cringed, looking upset with herself, "I actually don't know much about ballroom dancing. I thought I'd just learn on the fly, but clearly, it's not working out so well."

"It's okay," he laughed. He could feel his typical Chat smirk playing on his lips. His Lady doesn't know how to dance? It looked like he would have to lead for a change—and it would be his pleasure to do so. "Just follow me," he said, unable to suppress his classic wink.

She looked down at their feet, trying to keep up with his pattern, which he kept simple for her. Luckily for him, growing up in Gabriel Agreste's home meant ballroom dance lessons were inevitable, so as he taught her, his confidence returned to him and the shy, nervous energy around them started melting away. Soon, she was laughing with him at her initial clumsiness and they fell into a comfortable pace.

"So, about Chat Noir," he began again, "are you disappointed in him?"

"For not showing up?" she asked as they continued to revolve around the floor. "Nah. Chat is a lot of things but disappointing isn't ever one of them. He probably had a lot on his plate tonight."

He felt his spirits lift considerably. She wasn't upset at him and she complimented him. He could feel his inner Chat purring contently. "But—err—based on your earlier comment, you wouldn't want to date him?"

"I—uhh," she chuckled uneasily. "I mean, if you really think about it, we don't know each other's real identities, so how could I know for sure? And anyway, he's such a big flirt and he's got this huge bravado thing going on and I'm just not really sure if that's my type. It's not to say those aren't endearing traits but…it's hard for me to even think about reciprocating because I—I, err—I mean—"

"You like someone else," he finished for her, a fact about Ladybug that he had already known due to all the time he spent with her as Chat.

Her mouth dropped open in shock. He realized too late that it was a rather bold thing for him to say as Adrien. In an attempt to loosen up the tension, he spun her around on the spot, pushing her away from him and then pulling her back in.

Once she twirled back into his arms, she switched tracks. "Um, you know what? Enough about me. Let's talk about you. What's your life like being the Gabriel Agreste's son?"

"Truthful answer?" he asked. She nodded. He sighed. "Well…it's complicated."

"Try me," she tested.

"It's really not all that it's cracked up to be," he said. Then, taking a deep breath, he plunged on. "I mean I'm not trying to say that I'm ungrateful for growing up in a wealthy home and having resources and opportunities that most others don't have nor am I resentful about my upbringing in any way, but it definitely comes at a cost."

"What do you mean?" she asked. "From what I can see so far, you don't seem to even have half the spoiled attitude that Chloe has."

"I guess that is a positive in certain ways but…at least her father clearly loves her," he countered.

"I'm sure your father loves you, too," she said confidently. "I mean…who wouldn't?"

Adrien tried to smile but couldn't quite manage it. He thought he should feel happy that Ladybug would say such a thing, but instead, it seemed to expose the gaping hole inside of him that stemmed from the lack of parental love even more. His heart suddenly felt five times heavier.

"Adrien?"

"Sorry," he said. He hadn't meant to let the conversation go down this path but he had always wished that he could share these things with Ladybug; in fact, he wanted to share everything with her. However, he also didn't exactly want to speak badly of his father or bring upon him a negative public image. Distant and unaffectionate or not, he was still his father and Adrien still wanted to treat him with respect.

"We can talk about something else if you'd like," she offered.

"No, it's not that. It's just—" he let out a sigh. "It's hard sometimes to feel like you're expected to maintain a public image at all times, even in your own home. It's like living with a mask you can never take off."

"Do you really feel that way?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed. She was looking at him with such compassion etched into her features it was unbearable.

As they continued to sway with the music, he was suddenly hit with an overwhelming desire in his chest right then to tell her he was Chat Noir. That when he is Adrien, he wears a constant mask but when he is Chat Noir, he can freely take it off. He wanted to tell her that when Chat gets to run around Paris with Ladybug—with her—those are the times he can be himself: silly, ridiculous and carefree. He sorely wanted her to know that being with her always took his mind off everything else. That courage, sass, and independence just radiated from her very being and whenever he was around her, he felt like he could reach out and touch it and taste that same confidence for himself. It was unbearable that he could look into her eyes and feel all of these things while she looked back at him and couldn't see any of it. The confession was on the tip of his tongue, welling up inside and threatening to spill over his lips—but…he couldn't. He knew Ladybug had said they couldn't know each other's identities and he had to respect that.

"Most of the time, I do, but not always," he answered finally. "I'm just not like you. You're so confident and brave and the champion of Paris and—"

"Adrien, don't." She was shaking her head at him. "You don't know who I am as a civilian. I'm a klutz, I often do or say things that make a fool of myself, I get jealous, I get petty…the list goes on."

That didn't mean anything to him. He could be a klutz too. He often said things that made a fool of himself. He's done petty things out of jealousy. Why did she think that would make her unlikeable?

"Do you really think people would like you less as your civilian self?" he asked.

"Not necessarily," she responded. "The people that know the real me wouldn't. Can't say the same for everyone else though. For example, I'm not sure that Chat would still like me if he knew the real me. Not to say the civilian me isn't great or anything, but when I'm Ladybug, I feel like I'm this symbol or icon in a way. I just can't help but feel like he probably has this idealized version of who I am and that maybe if he knew the real me, his bubble would burst."

No, it wouldn't! he wanted to say, even though he knew he couldn't be completely sure of it without knowing who she really was. Nonetheless, he was convinced that there was no way her civilian self could be disappointing. If a part of himself shone out as Chat, then the same could probably be assumed for her.

"Can I ask you another question, then?"

"Sure," she nodded. Neither of them had noticed that the song had ended. They stared at each other for a few moments until they realized Jagged Stone had struck up a much faster beat and everyone was starting to crowd onto the dance floor.

"Oops," she giggled, trying to avoid a random reporter who nearly crashed into her. "Do you want to go outside?"

Without responding, he took her hand and led her out. They slipped out the exit without being spotted and soon found themselves breathing in the cool, fresh night air. Taking a few seconds to allow the peaceful Paris evening to drown out all the noise they had left behind, they paused for a moment to admire the stars.

"So, what were you going to ask me?" she said, turning to him. As they began to walk along the sidewalk bordering le Jardin des Tuileries, he couldn't help noticing how beautiful her eyes were when looked at under the moonlight. The stillness of the night seemed to bring out all the constellations reflected in those bright blue orbs and he knew without a doubt that the stars belonged there.

"I was going to ask if you feel like you can be yourself with and without the mask," he replied. God, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Oh." She bit her lip in thought. "I think that I can, actually. Although like I said, the nature of being Ladybug involves people being blind to your flaws. I don't think I try to hide them though. When I'm civilian me, I'm just…me. No magic. No mask. Just simply plain old me. It's just that saving Paris is a responsibility thrust upon me that I have fully committed to taking up, and that includes accepting that people might be putting me on a pedestal. I guess most celebrities must feel that way though—even you."

"Oh, I'd hardly count myself a celebrity," he said. "I think it's different though if you feel like you have people who know the real you, the ones that are still sticking around because they love you unconditionally."

"Isn't that what family is for?" she asked, smiling. Having reached a bench, she sat down on one side of it and he followed suit.

"It…should be," he said. "But it doesn't always happen that way." He sighed. "Actually, to tell you the truth. My mom left us when I was young. I think it really changed my father. He isn't around all the time and is often too busy to notice me."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Adrien," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. The warmth and gentleness of her touch brought him a comfort he had not felt in a long time and the pounding in his heart seemed to have gotten louder in his ears. "I hope that even if you are a public image you can still find people who love you for who you really are inside, even if it doesn't come from your parents. You should show more of your true self to your school friends, maybe. I think they would really appreciate that and love you all the more for it."

His hand came to rest upon hers on his shoulder, feeling grateful for her encouraging words. He didn't understand how Ladybug could show so much confidence in who he was as a person—as Adrien. He had no idea why though; she barely knew him, right?

"Ladybug, I—" his voice hitched in his throat when he met her eyes. She was looking at him in a way she had never looked at Chat before and it made it hard for him to think clearly. He had never been able to tell her as Chat the things he had told her tonight as Adrien because they were always too busy saving Paris and he was always making a fool of himself anyway. He didn't think it was possible to love her anymore than he already did but tonight had proved him wrong. Despite her speculation that Chat would like her less if he knew her real identity, tonight had proved to him that it was absolutely impossible for him to ever like her any less than he already did.

Turning around to face her, he cupped her chin with his hand and waited, giving her the space to back away in case she wanted to. Instead, to his astonishment, she leaned in closer and he saw those favorite blue eyes of his flutter shut. Slowly, he lowered his head and his lips brushed hers lightly before pulling back an inch to study her reaction. She touched a finger to her lip, and then her hands came up and dug themselves in his hair, bringing his head back down to kiss her again. His hand found her back, and his fingers burned with a shocking reminder that her skin there was bare in the gown she was wearing, and he pulled her closer still, abandoning all other thought as he deepened the kiss. She responded in equal measure, her lips yielding against his like water, and as he gently tugged on her bottom lip, her mouth opened. His hand came to cradle her neck as she quickened her pace and her fingers were still running through his hair and he could feel both their hearts racing faster and faster and then—

Beep.

Their eyes shot open and she broke away, breathing heavily and touching a hand to her ear.

"My transformation is about to wear off," she gasped, and he couldn't help but hear the reluctance and regret in her voice. She gave him a longing look but stood up from her seat. "I should probably go. I can't just skip off and yo-yo home in this dress."

She started walking away. Adrien got up at once and followed her.

"But will you be okay getting home alone without being Ladybug?" he asked, trying to catch up with her speed walking.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," she said, heading towards where they both knew the nearest subway entrance was. When they reached the stairway heading underground, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait."

She stopped for a moment and looked back at him. "Look, I'm sorry, I've gotta run. I had a really nice evening with you, Adrien. But I gotta run."

Another beep. She made to turn away but he kept his grip on her arm tight.

"Stay," he implored, reminding himself of another scenario where he as Chat had begged of her the exact same request. "I won't tell anyone who you are." Cat's honor. "Just…stay."

"I'm sorry, Adrien. I wish I could, and believe me, I really mean that. This is the closest I've ever felt to wanting to reveal myself," she said, smiling despite her regret. "But, I just can't. Nobody is supposed to know my identity."

"I understand," he said, blinking and looking down. He felt her hand on his cheek and he looked back up at her.

"Hey, it'll be okay," she said, smiling up at him again. "Just promise me you'll let your closest friends around you see more of who you really are. Otherwise, I think they'd be missing out."

Another beep.

"Goodbye for tonight, Adrien," she said. "I'll see you around. I promise."

She kissed him swiftly on the cheek then turned away to run downstairs as the last and final beep rang. He saw a glimmer of light right when she reached the last step in view and the hem of her gown began to disappear, but before his eyes could even follow her, she turned a corner and slipped out of sight. Leaning back against the lamppost in front of the subway entrance, he let out a long, deep exhale.

"I almost had her, Plagg," he said, opening his suit coat to allow his kwami to peek his head out. "You were right, though. I was luckier tonight."

"She dropped something," Plagg noted, pointing down the stairs. In all the excitement of almost seeing her transform back, Adrien had missed that detail. As he walked down the stairs, he spotted a silky red sash with black polka dots.

"I guess it must have dropped off from her transformation," he said, thinking she had probably tied it around her waist after her initial transformation instead of incorporating it into the outfit fully. Something about having this token of Ladybug's in his hands, however, brought a wide grin to his face.

Even though Ladybug had once said that she belonged to nobody, as he gazed down at the polka-dotted sash in his hands, as he touched a finger to his lips and realized that he had indeed kissed her, as he looked up at the moon and remembered her bright blue eyes reflecting it back to him under the stars, he felt like for the past few hours, Ladybug had really been his, even if only for this one night.

— la fin —