AN: Cheklmn, my love, here's your Ladrien that definitely can't be tagged as anything else. This story will not have a reveal in it. It's fluff between Adrien and Ladybug, and a friendship between Chat and Marinette. Thanks to the discord belugas for helping with the plot and usernames.

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Chat Noir © Thomas Astruc

There was a lot that had happened because of her nervous rambling.

When Marinette was younger, she'd accidentally admitted her wrong-doings to her parents during her lie of why she hadn't been at the crime scene quite a few times, and the truth had slipped out to her teachers when she was trying to worm her way out of detentions sometimes.

Nothing quite matched up to blurting out about Adrien's socks to his face.

It wasn't that simple, however. Marinette hadn't openly commented about his socks while they were together during classes, or even the rare few times when they walked outside of the school together, no—rather, it was when her identity was hidden.

Not that it hadn't been before.

When Alya—her technology-orientated best friend who chose to chase down superheroes and report on their activities as a side-living—decided to give her website an upgrade from just a news site, Marinette had already agreed to do anything she could to support her. With the inclusion of different forums on the site, Marinette had promised to keep a look out and browse them, acting as a moderator and trying to keep them relatively well maintained.

Alya had recruited other online friends to do the same, but she wasn't giving everyone the power to do what they wanted.

"I trust you," Alya stated when Marinette asked why Alya hadn't asked anyone other than her boyfriend along with her. "Besides, we're only fifteen. No one's going to actually listen to a load of children if I selected everyone."

It was because of that comment that Marinette didn't use her real name on her username. She hadn't planned to post often, choosing instead to focus on her usual activities and hobbies, browsing the forums every now and then to see which topics were the most popular, and trying to ban the users that were being abusive.

It was a little messy in the beginning.

At thirteen, Marinette had taken up the mantle of Ladybug and transformed into a spotted superhero to protect the city against threats, alongside her partner, and even after two years of the disastrous events happening every two weeks or so, the city was still their side, thankfully.

Trying to end the terror was difficult when the villain never had to leave their home or actually appear in person to cause havoc; rather, the dark-coloured butterflies that flew through the air and infected civilians did that for them, leaving Marinette clueless on where they were even coming from.

It was enough that her powers included reversing any of the damage that the infected had caused.

When Alya had first became interested in her—well, in Ladybug and her partner, Chat Noir—it had caused her to feel embarrassed and shy when her friend complimented her without knowing it. Then, the rest of the city joined in (and even law enforcement when they realised they weren't equipped to fight the enemy), and she slowly grew used to the praise that was coming her way.

It was fun to chime in with praise for herself in conversations, her wide smile from their unknowing expressions.

Along with keeping her identity a secret, she didn't know Chat's. They'd worked together for two years, put their lives on the line at crucial moments and trusted each other completely, but she had no idea what he looked like. Although they both had masks when they transformed, along with their clothing changing to be a magical material that wouldn't be ripped or torn, there was a magic surrounding them that caused no one to be able to recognise them.

A picture of her as Ladybug and her as Marinette could be put side-by-side and no one would have a clue.

As impressive as that was, Marinette found the most amazing thing about the turn her life had taken being the magical being that stuck by her side ever since their first meeting. Tikki—a kwami that identified with female pronouns—had a bright personality and constantly cheered her up, and Marinette was utterly thankful for the presence that she had in her life.

It was amazing that a magical being that was smaller than her palm was able to be so powerful.

When posts popped up on the forum theorising how Ladybug and Chat Noir got their powers—since they could jump and perform impressive feats that no other human could, not even with the right training—Marinette made sure to chip in and steer the topic away from anywhere that was partially true.

She was very fond of the theory that she'd been bit by a ladybug.

It was through her backing up the most ridiculous theories, encouraging the outrageous ones, that she made a friend.

They spoke back and forth on the post for a bit, before realising that they were cluttering it up, but Marinette didn't give out any of her personal information to try and talk to them elsewhere. Instead, she was just pleasantly surprised whenever his name popped up on a thread that she was on, and she enjoyed the inside jokes that they slowly started to share from their interactions.

There wasn't much to do over the summer, after all.

With most of her friends on holiday, Marinette floated around helping her parents with their store, playing different games on her computer, or finding ridiculous posts on the forums.

After two weeks of randomly talking on the forum, Marinette shared her e-mail with them. She'd created a new one after Alya warned her that hers would probably be filled with countless e-mails from the forum, and she was glad that she followed her advice after logging in to see the amount in her inbox.

From there, Marinette used the instant messaging system that came with the e-mail to converse with them, and she learned that he was a teenage male. They didn't share many personal details, though; usually, they showed each other ridiculous videos they found online, or even links to the ridiculous forum posts that Marinette definitely wanted to be included in.

He'd almost forgotten that she was a moderator when she told him that she had to ban two users earlier than day.

Chatmander:
you hold so much power
but you can't even use capitals for everything
what kind of a ruler are you

Ladybugimon:
the kind that can ignore you
be nice

There was a lot of jokes because of their names. Marinette enjoyed talking about all the small things with him; from television shows that they watched as kids, games that they'd grown attached to before graphics had improved and they'd moved on, to the films that were currently in the cinema and neither of them had anyone to go with.

From what she could tell, Chatmander had strict parents so he wasn't allowed to see his friends over the summer, and his internet access was actually restricted. At a specific time each night, the little green dot that indicated that he was online disappeared, sometimes when he was still typing so she didn't get to find out what he wanted to say until the following morning.

It was a nice friendship, though. While Marinette had been upset at first that most of her friends would be busy for the summer, to make a friend online that wanted to talk to her daily was a saving grace.

She opted out of having a birthday party that year.

Sometimes, Chatmander was busy during the day, but he was usually consistent with his times. He appeared like clockwork, even if it was to tell her that he'd be gone for a few hours, and within a week of them actually talking to each other through their e-mails instead of on the forum, she'd learned so much more about him than she had during those weeks of vague posts.

Although she didn't know his exact age, his name, or where he lived—she knew they were in the same country, at least—his knowledge of her was just the same. Their friendship that they had was more than enough, and since he wasn't too keen on talking about himself, she was doing the same.

It didn't stop him from sending her pictures of his socks, though.

His parents were strict on what he could wear, apparently. She could understand that—her parents sometimes shook their head and told her that her clothes weren't appropriate, and that she had to change—so she didn't question it too much.

But learning about his sock collection from the first images that he'd sent her had her laughing really loudly. He'd sent her a picture of his whole drawer, including a few terrible pairs that he'd tried to knit himself before he realised that he was absolutely dreadful at that hobby.

Chatmander:
listen
don't judge me
they look like shit but my feet feel divine in them
my jeans will cover my failures

Ladybugimon:
I'd kill for a pair of them

Chatmander:
be my friend until christmas
then we'll see

It was just a piece of passing information, really. Marinette asked him about which socks he was wearing in the mornings—to which he always excitedly told her about them, and sent a picture if they were dramatic—and she responded with her own boring pairs.

Ladybugimon:
the most exciting ones I have are like
knee or thigh high
no fun colours or anything

Chatmander:
you're dead to me

Ladybugimon:
dramatic much

Chatmander:
ahhh
is that a ghost

Ladybugimon:
…
stop

Chatmander:
ghost!

There was only one attack during the summer.

It was near the end, two days before Marinette's birthday, and she jumped in surprise when the alarm in her phone was set off. The city had adapted and had a good system of alerting news stations, even sending out notifications if someone had a specific application installed, and it had greatly helped the response time for her and Chat.

There were times where neither of them could make it due to their personal lives, or found it difficult to escape and ended up arriving late, but they were generally both present to support each other.

With a bandalore that was able to support her weight, along with countless cars and sometimes falling sections of buildings, Marinette was able to make her way across the city while transformed quickly. Although she knew that any damage that appeared would be reversed when she used her power at the end, that didn't mean that she didn't want to try and avoid it.

It was by chance that she recognised who she saved from getting hit by falling rubble.

But it wasn't because of his face at first. She was focused on looking them over to check whether they were okay once she was sure that there wasn't any danger, and she managed to catch sight of the outrageous sock that was sticking out due to his jeans riding up.

"They're even more hideous in person," she blurted out before she could think better of it.

And then, as a choked sound escaped him, Marinette took a step back with wide eyes as she realised who was in front of her.

It wasn't everyday that she came face-to face with her crush—well, not when it was the summer and they didn't have classes together. Adrien had been her almost-friend for a little over a year, and the object of her childish affections for longer than that—but she'd never really been able to hold a conversation with him, not when she didn't spend any alone time with him.

And yet, there he was standing before her, with his blond-coloured hair messy from her having tossed him aside to safety. She could see the smudges of dirt on his clothing, something that definitely wasn't there usually since it would lead to someone besmirching his name, but it was his shocked expression that was what she was focusing on.

It suddenly occurred to her that it sounded like she'd outright insulted him.

"Your socks!" Marinette corrected, frantically making a cross with her arms as she shook her head, trying to get her point across. "Not your—not your face or anything, okay? I think you're quite pretty—wait—"

She was only making it worse, and from the way his face was steadily growing red, he probably felt that way, too.

But it wasn't the time to stay and try to explain herself. Marinette had to take a step back with a grimace as she vaguely gestured to the chaos around them as her reason for leaving.

Dumbly, Adrien just nodded his head.

She was almost able to forget about her mistake. There was a limited amount of time until her transformation dropped after she used her power, meaning she didn't stick around to talk to anyone other than making sure the victim was being cared for by the right authorities, so she didn't have to look Adrien in the face.

That didn't mean she'd be able to avoid him forever, though.

While they barely knew each other during school, despite being in the same group of friends, Marinette had managed to learn more about him during that summer than she ever had without even meaning to—and had accidentally sounded like she was insulting him before incriminating herself.

It was a wonder how she'd managed to keep her identity a secret from everyone else.

Then again, when she was Ladybug, she rarely talked to civilians when she was needed elsewhere. The only time she transformed was when there was an attack, rather than patrolling the streets for crime—that was the job for law enforcement, not for her.

As she feared, the notifications when she logged onto her second e-mail showed that he'd sent her messages.

Chatmander:
like
bit of a weird question
but did you see my socks in person today

Ladybugimon:
idk what you're talking about

Chatmander:
for real

Ladybugimon:
your socks aren't that memorable

Chatmander:
you called them ugly

Ladybugimon:
no
I don't know who you are

Chatmander:
I'm not going to
out you or anything?
since you could do the same thing to me

Ladybugimon:
oh, look at the time
I have to go

It was more than a little bit terrifying.

While she didn't know Adrien that well—or she couldn't say that before the summer—she had liked what she'd seen from afar, or overheard from him talking to his best friend in classes, when he was sat in front of her. But as much as she'd wanted to be his friend because of the crush that she had on him, she never would've trusted him with her secret.

She hadn't told anyone, and for her to blurt it out because she'd been so distracted by the awful socks that he was wearing was a blow to her pride.

Marinette had been so proud that she'd managed to keep such an important secret for two years; from her parents, to her friends, and even her teachers when she slipped out during attacks at school, she'd managed to fool everyone into thinking that she hid away when there was danger, rather than running into the brink of it with a skintight red suit on.

Adrien experienced his own fame from modelling for his father's fashion line, but that was nothing compared to what she did—her secret getting out could mean danger to her loved ones if the information got into the wrong hands.

It was because of that that she ignored his messages for the upcoming days. Marinette stubbornly stayed off of the e-mail, checked the forum as she'd promised Alya she would do, and continued on with her days normally.

And as she wished, she didn't have a party for her birthday. Alya was home in time to come round for dinner, so it was a small affair, but she loved it all the same.

Marinette almost choked when Alya passed her a present and said that it was from Adrien.

"I—how?" she questioned, voice higher-pitched than normal due to her surprise. She knew that Adrien hadn't been allowed to see his friends over the summer—which suddenly made sense to her, due to his father's protectiveness—and it was a shock to receive anything from him at all.

"Nino," Alya answered with a shrug, not explaining any further.

There was times where she was jealous that Nino, who she'd known since they'd first startled school as young children, had managed to befriend Adrien so well, but that wasn't what she was feeling at that moment.

She was a bit afraid to open the gift.

Alya nudged her with her elbow. "Come on."

The crush that she had on Adrien wasn't a secret, not really. Marinette stuttered and fumbled when she was around him, the juvenile crush causing her heart to beat loudly in her chest, and although she knew that she was being ridiculous, she hadn't quite grown out of it because she didn't know him. It was embarrassing, but she knew that everything could tell why she acted that way around him—she just hoped that he didn't.

When she unwrapped the gift, she really did choke on her laughter. It came out as her wheezing as her face grew red, and Alya slapped her back in what was supposed to be a comforting way, but all it did was cause her to laugh harder until tears were appearing in the corner of her eyes.

He'd given her fluffy socks in an outrageous colour.

And once she'd calmed down, Alya's only comment on the present was, "A bit weird for a summer gift, don't you think?"

She laughed hard.

-x-

Chatmander:
i can ignore it
but i do miss talking to you, you know
i'm sorry for not telling you i'm adrien
but i didn't want to ruin what we had
i mean
i did ruin it but it's not because of who i am, right?
it's because i know you
no
i don't know you
i do but i don't
if you get me
i'm talking nonsense without you
come back and talk to me
before i post sadly on the forums
please
wait
why are you a mod on your own forums
not yours but
you get what i mean?

does this mean chat is a mod too

Ladybugimon:
idk
he could be
but I'm alya's online friend
so she doesn't know I'm
anyone else

Chatmander:
oh
you're talking to me

Ladybugimon:
yeah
I missed talking to you

Chatmander:
you ignored me for four days

Ladybugimon:
three

Chatmander:
i'm counting the cursed day
you barely spoke before ditching me

Ladybugimon:
you ditch me with your bedtime

Chatmander:
how dare you

It was slow at first, but they started talking again. Adrien didn't bring up her identity after their first conversation—didn't even bring up the subject—and Marinette was thankful for that.

She was cautious, yes, and terribly worried that she'd made an awful mistake, but she was trying to trust him and give him the benefit of the doubt. He'd come across as trustworthy in the past, and she definitely could say that they were friends from the summer, even though he wasn't aware that she was his class-mate, and she knew his friends so she'd be able to hear if he ever bragged that he knew Ladybug.

It seemed out of character for him, but she wasn't exactly all-knowing.

Chatmander:
i'm back at school next week
please talk me through my suffering

Ladybugimon:
I'm a good student
who doesn't use my phone during class

Chatmander:
rip me
you're breaking my break

Ladybugimon:
suffer

Whereas she'd failed to approach him as Marinette, she'd managed to befriend him online. Marinette hadn't felt nervous when typing simply because she hadn't known who he was—but since pushing him out of the way of danger, the only nerves she felt while chatting with him was due to her worrying that he'd out her to anyone.

If it was anyone that he'd tell, it would be Nino. And since Nino was dating Alya, she'd learn about the information immediately (that was her trail of thought, at least).

The school term started up when the weather was still hot.

She walked to school nervously fiddling with the straps of her backpack, worrying about all the things that could happen. There was only a small chance that he would betray her as she feared, but the worry was legitimate. She had every reason to fear that he'd be as idiotic as she'd been when she'd revealed herself.

And yet, he didn't mention it.

The only time Adrien spoke to her directly was when they were waiting for the teacher and he'd turned around in his chair to face her and ask, "Did you enjoy your birthday?"

She swallowed. "It—it was fine."

"Good." He beamed. "Did you like your present?"

It was pleasant small talk, she knew that, but she was still nervous. There was no logical reason that he'd been able to connect the dots and know that it was her—not unless he questioned Alya about who was behind the username on the forum, but he'd already promised that he wouldn't do that—but it was still something that caused her to tap her foot underneath the desk.

"I—yes," Marinette stuttered out. "I don't have any other exciting socks."

Her word choice made his smile grow wider. "I'll be sure to get you some at any occasion I can, then."

It didn't mean anything—it shouldn't have meant anything—but Marinette could feel her face heating up regardless.

It was silly to think that she'd get over her nerves immediately once connecting him to the identity of her online friend. She knew so much about him—from what he liked to do in his spare time, to the silly videos that he re-watched when he was bored—but it was still taking a while for her to process and connect him to the class-mate that she near idolised due to her feelings.

The only time the forum was brought up was when Alya reached out and flicked Nino's nose and told him that he wouldn't be getting his moderator rights back.

"How did he lose it?" Adrien laughed.

Alya crossed her arms over her chest. "By trolling people."

"They had it coming," Nino muttered in his defence, but it was ruined by the breathy laugh that followed.

There was no talk of Ladybugimon.

When she got home, she didn't mention it in their conversation. Adrien wasn't bringing up the topic with her, and she was going to do the same despite it seeming to float between the two of them awkwardly.

It was still strange to her that she suddenly knew of Adrien's expressive sock collection. Although they'd been class-mates for two years, she hadn't paid much attention to find out whether that was his default gift to others or not, or whether it had been a coincidence that had caused her to laugh until she cried.

Ladybugimon:
please tell me where this obsession came from
I need to know

Chatmander:
am i keeping you up at night

Ladybugimon:
you are
I can't sleep
I'm haunted by your feet

Chatmander:
sweet

Ladybugimon:
I'm suffering and all you can say is
sweet?

Chatmander:
it's the first time I've kept a pretty girl up at night
let me have this

Ladybugimon:
it's not in a good way

Chatmander:
everything about you is good

Ladybugimon:
don't tell anyone that you like their sadness
that's weird, adrien

Chatmander:
how dare you?

Ladybugimon:
no
how dare you.

Chatmander:
that's fight talk

Ladybugimon:
are you trying to fight me now

Chatmander:
i've realised the errors of my ways
immediately
please don't murder me

Ladybugimon:
idk
your suffering might be nice to see

Chatmander:
no!

Ladybugimon:
sorry
I mean it'll be good to see
real good

Chatmander:
bugimon!

When he did refer to her, he liked to use the last bit of her ridiculous username. It made her laugh, especially when she pictured him saying it, and it brightened up her day whenever he typed it out.

He didn't have any complaints about her calling him Adrien.

Since finding out each other identities—though he'd found out the wrong one of hers—they hadn't ventured towards personal topics, but they were still talking consistently after she'd stopped ignoring him. Marinette was adamant that she wouldn't log onto her e-mail on her phone and talk to him during class, but during the week, she was able to see him typing away on his when the teacher wasn't looking.

She was always surprised when it turned out to be messages to her when she got home.

With every passing day where he didn't mention her identity to their friends, the trust she had for him increased. Although Adrien hadn't brought it up in conversation, she wanted to say that she was thankful for him keeping a secret, but she didn't want to incriminate herself any further.

-x-

It turned out that she wasn't the one to bring it up.

They'd been friends for two months at that point. Through that time, Marinette had learned most of his favourite things, that his father actually turned off the internet at his home manually each night, and that if Adrien was allowed to dress himself, he'd wear the most colourful and tacky-looking outfits that he could.

Sometimes, he'd send her an image of an awfully bright outfit with one word attached.

Chatmander:
mood

It drove her a little mad.

But he knew things about her, too. Adrien knew her favourite style of music—so he took it upon himself to try and recommend some for her to listen to, determined to be praised and get confirmation that she did like them—the television shows she preferred to watch, and how her typing looked when she was being sarcastic.

He especially liked her forum posts when they were written like that.

It was after they'd both finished school that he asked her whether she knew anyone else in his class other than Alya, and Marinette decided to be honest.

Ladybugimon:
yeah
I know marinette

Chatmander:
what
marinette too?

Ladybugimon:
we're pals
I sent chat to look after her once
it went so well

Chatmander:
you know so many people?

Ladybugimon:
and I know you
that's the scary thing

Chatmander:
do you
i have no memory of you ever talking to me

Ladybugimon:
I insulted your socks
it counts

Chatmander:
i had a fucking heartattack
i was finally meeting you
like
both of you
if you get me
but then you hurt me

Ladybugimon:
your socks are not your feelings

Chatmander:
my feelings are my socks
don't presume to know me

Ladybugimon:
I know you so well
that I know what socks you're wearing right now

Chatmander:
because i told you!

Ladybugimon:
I rest my case
you let me know you
thanks

Chatmander:
abuse

As the days continued to pass and Adrien never directly asked her in person if she knew Ladybug—she suspected it was because she didn't specify whether she knew herself as a civilian or not—the trust she had for him increased.

There was a lot that she wanted to say, to tell him that she was the same age as him, but she kept her answers to personal information that was classed as too revealing vague. Adrien knew she was in education, but not which school, her age, or even what she was studying. He wasn't trying to intentionally make her slip up by asking the question multiple times—he respected her boundaries when she told him that she wasn't comfortable asking something.

While she continued to keep her secrets close, Adrien was quite the opposite.

Chatmander:
you trust me right

Ladybugimon:
what do you want

Chatmander:
rude
i just wanted to tell you something
we're friends, right?
so you're not going to freak out

Ladybugimon:
I'm even more suspicious now?

Chatmander:
so rude?
no
it's nothing bad
well
maybe it is?
i'm not really a good judge for this

Ladybugimon:
it's terrible

Chatmander:
i'm going to cry

Ladybugimon:
sorry, sorry
go on, I'll let you talk

Chatmander:
idk
do you deserve to hear it now?

Ladybugimon:
yes

Chatmander:
you've convinced me
ok

Ladybugimon:
nice

Chatmander:
so
i had a crush on someone

Ladybugimon:
honestly
I expected something entirely different
past tense?

Chatmander:
well
it's still a crush?
but it's more confirmed now
like wow yes definitely a thing

Ladybugimon:
what

Chatmander:
my heart says wow yes
do you need me to say it again?

Ladybugimon:
yes

Chatmander:
i think you mean
wow yes!

Ladybugimon:
wow no

Chatmander:
wowie yes!

Ladybugimon:
can you stop

Chatmander:
i'm nervous
let me wowie

Ladybugimon:
I'm never going to let you wowie?
a forbidden word

Chatmander:
do you know
what else would be forbidden?

Ladybugimon:
...what

Chatmander:
us dating

Ladybugimon:
?

Chatmander:
am i wrong?

Ladybugimon:
no?
but why

Chatmander:
i
nothing

Ladybugimon:
you're not convincing

Chatmander:
get off my back!

Ladybugimon:
fight me

Chatmander:
i would if i'd be able to look at you
without going wow yes!

Ladybugimon:
…
what

Chatmander:
…
what

Ladybugimon:
me?

Chatmander:
aaa
yes?
you're like my second best friend right now
i wanted to be honest

Ladybugimon:
so you're confessing?

Chatmander:
confessing to my sins
not asking you out
or anything
unless you want that?
let's forget i said that
please forgive me

Ladybugimon:
but you barely know me?

Chatmander:
that's why it was a crush
read my words, bugimon
read them good

Ladybugimon:
are you being serious?

Chatmander:
if i wasn't
i'd be a bad person for joking like this?
you don't have to do anything
but i just wanted to be honest with you

Ladybugimon:
what the fuck?

Chatmander:
ok

Ladybugimon:
you're saying
you like me

Chatmander:
yes

Ladybugimon:
me

Chatmander:
yes!
you, my cute internet friend
my bugimon

Ladybugimon:
what the fuck

Chatmander:
are you even allowed to swear for your age
what if you're just a kid

Ladybugimon:
you're a kid

Chatmander:
fair
you're not freaked out, right?

Ladybugimon:
surprised is more like it
give me a bit to process it

Chatmander:
do you wanna see my socks
while you think

Ladybugimon:
…
ok

With the addition of his confession—not a love confession, but one of his sins, as he continued to correct her—Marinette was left wondering whether that would've translated in person if she hadn't revealed herself to be Ladybug.

He was in a similar situation as her, it seemed.

Marinette was fine to admit that her crush on him had been immature, one where she refused to acknowledge the bad sides of him that she barely ever saw—they certainly hadn't been close enough for her to recognise them—but since they'd started to talk consistently, the fond feelings she had for him grew.

From knowing about his itchy pyjamas, the new game that he was playing, Marinette enjoyed learning all of the new things. And in return, Adrien knew those vague things about her, too. Unlike her birthday, telling him about a game that she played wouldn't be valuable information that he'd be able to get his hands on.

She was smart enough not to give him her usernames for her gaming accounts. She had a few class-mates added on them, and she couldn't risk Adrien finding out accidentally.

And from knowing how his feelings had blossomed from talking to her, despite him not even knowing that it was her in the beginning, was a compliment in itself.

There was still that small part of her that was resentful of the wasted opportunity of them connecting as class-mates instead. She spoke to him sometimes, yes, but their conversations in person where never substantial, and with his affections directed elsewhere, she wasn't sure that she'd really get his attention in person.

But it was still her that it was directed at.

It was flattering that he'd admitted that it was only a crush from afar when she'd been Ladybug. Marinette could understand that after years of being a superhero—the amount of blogs and sites dedicated to her and her partner had been worrying at first, but the admiration, and sometimes concerning amount of attention that they were given, seemed to come with the job.

She just never thought that it would come from Adrien.

-x-

While she was giving Adrien attention as Ladybug, Marinette was absolutely baffled when Chat Noir did the same for her.

It wasn't an intentional meeting.

Marinette had managed to stay out of Chat's way, other than the time that she'd had to send him to look after herself. She wasn't at attacks as her civilian self often, and since neither of them patrolled the streets, it was rare for him to be seen when there wasn't anything going on.

For all the time she'd spent with him, she never expected for him to almost give her a concussion—as that was what she suspected a stray plastic bag filled with food would've possibly given her when it had fallen from the rooftop up above, barely missing her as it plummeted down onto the ground beside her, close enough for her hair to move when it sailed down.

Marinette barely stopped herself from shrieking in surprise.

After placing a hand over her fast-beating heart, she looked around frantically to see where it had come from before her gaze snapped upwards from having processed that it had fallen, only to see that none of the windows on the building were open.

However, there was a blob of darkness on the rooftop that was only just able to be seen from the lamps that illuminated the street.

She squinted, trying to see whether she was being delusional or not.

But the figure was still there, and as he raised his hand to awkwardly wave at her, she couldn't help but gawk as she made out the cat ears that were perched within his hair, magically held in place and unable to be moved, even by his own hands (something he'd proudly shown in an interview before).

With exaggerated movements, he gestured to the alleyway beside the building. If it had been anyone else other than Chat, she wouldn't have gone along with their whims, but after checking that she was the only one responding to his actions, she shuffled along and put her hands in the pockets of her coat as she went where he wanted her to.

She hadn't even heard him jump down.

"Hi," he started, the grimace clear on his face despite the bad lighting. "I—that really wasn't meant for you."

She looked at him suspiciously. "You meant to drop the bag on someone else, then?"

"It didn't hit you," he defended, crossing his black-clad arms over his chest. "And no, I would never! I can't go tarnishing my image like that."

It was almost laughable how petulant he sounded.

Marinette shifted her feet. "So you dragged me here to try and bribe me not to tell anyone that you almost murdered me?"

"Well, no," Chat started, the corner of his lips tugging down into a frown. "I also wanted to say hi since we've met before."

"Right." The disbelief was clear in her voice. "I'm sure."

He grinned. "Is it so hard to believe that I remember you?"

"Considering you've probably met over half of the city now?" Marinette raised her eyebrows. "It's very hard. I don't exactly stand out from the others."

Leaning against the wall, showing that his suit made him feel no discomfort from what should've been an awful feeling, Chat replied, "I think you're pretty great, actually."

It was surreal. "You're just saying that because you almost murdered me."

"You caught me." Chat laughed, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. "I can't get away with anything around you, can I?"

"Someone has to make sure that you're acting correctly." And for a fleeting moment, she wondered whether she was being too familiar with him. Chat was calm and charismatic with everyone that he met, a trait that she'd greatly envied in the beginning when she'd been so unsure with herself, so his behaviour with her wasn't too much of a surprise. "What are you doing out? It's too late for an attack."

Chat didn't brush off her question, surprisingly. "I was getting a snack, honestly."

She blinked. "There was a lot more than a snack in that bag."

"A dent in my wallet, I assure you." He winked. "I was stocking up, okay?"

It was such a normal thing to do, something that she would've done if she didn't have sweet foods in her home, but she didn't think she'd do it as Ladybug. Even when she was running late, she didn't risk transforming when the sight of her could trick civilians into thinking that something was wrong in the city.

"In—in your suit?" Marinette questioned, almost slipping up with her word choice. Of all the theories of how they'd gained their powers, her favourites were the ones where people assumed they'd been able to make, and then change into their suits, all by themselves.

Chat had the decency to look sheepish. "I get a good discount?"

It didn't escape her that it sounded like a question. "You mean..." Marinette trailed off, pausing to think of the right words to say. "You go to a shop at night because the owner likes you?"

"Well, who am I to refuse their lovely offer?" He shrugged. "And they all promised not to post about me visiting them, so it's a good deal, really. I'm not that thoughtless."

It was still something that she wouldn't do, but she wasn't in any state to judge him, not at that point. Marinette huddled closer into her coat, trying to get the warm, and replied, "Try not to hurt anyone in the future, okay? I'd hate to see a smear campaign against you because you harmed a child with a falling bag of snacks."

"I'm sensing a lot of judgment from you right now."

She laughed. "Oh, really?"

It was cold enough that she could see her breath.

Chat made a noise of confirmation. "Very much so. I'm almost offended, Marinette."

She blinked.

"What?" he questioned, noticing her surprise.

For a moment, all she could do was stare at him before a fond smile tugged at her lips as she admitted, "I didn't think you'd actually remember my name."

"Rude." He sniffed dramatically. "I already said that I think you're pretty great—it wasn't a lie, you know."

"Right," she humoured him, still not quite believing all of that. "I'll just pretend to agree with you for now, yeah?"

Chat's laughter was breathy. "You're really easy to talk to, did you know that?"

"It might just be the side-effect of me almost dying because of you," she replied, shaking her head. "Shock and all that, you know?"

His smile showed his teeth. "If it'll make you this charming again, I'll make a future attempt on your life."

If she'd been Ladybug, she would've swatted his arm lightly, or made a sharp remark right back and teased him—but she wasn't able to do that. Instead, Marinette settled with tilting her head a little as she replied, "How about no?"

His grin just grew. "It's a date."

That was supposed to be the end of their interactions with each other. When Marinette went home, she didn't mention the meeting to Adrien, nor to any of her friends, choosing to keep it a secret instead. Chat had been trying to be sneaky by going over the rooftops with his purchases, and the sudden clumsiness was clearly a sign that he hadn't been paying attention fully.

She wasn't about to out his secret because of that.

It really should've been the end, but when it came time for her to answer the door and give out sweets to children while her parents rested in the living room, she wasn't at all prepared for the sight of Chat Noir standing outside of her front door.

All that escaped her was, "What?"

The situation was surreal.

Upon his head was a stereotypical witch's hat, but other than that, the rest of his outfit looked the same as usual. The baton that he used for battles was stashed behind him on a handy belt where it always rested outside of trouble, and the skintight material didn't look any different to normal.

But no one was giving him a second look.

"Hello!" he greeted her brightly, his grin wide. "Wouldn't you say I look a bit familiar tonight?"

It was very tempting to slam the door shut.

"You're supposed to say trick or treat," she pointed out.

He made a noise of disapproval. "Are you trying to say that I'm a child?"

"I'm honestly wondering whether I'm hallucinating right now," Marinette admitted, bewildered that he was at her door at all. That evening, she'd opened the door to countless children who all wanted to collect their treats, and she was sure that Alya would've told her if Chat had been spotted joining them. "I—what are you doing?"

His answer was blunt. "Cosplaying."

She stared at him incredulously. "Pardon?"

"I'm just a simple cosplayer," Chat replied, haughtily raising his chin in the air. "A humble civilian that wishes to be as well-known and respected—"

Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "You are so full of shit."

Rather than be offended by her blunt comment, Chat threw his head back as he laughed loudly. The sound wasn't completely drowned out by the passing cars, a few people looked their way from the street as they walked by, and she heartily joined in with her own abrupt laughter than she realised that he really was being honest with his reaction.

Insulting Chat was one of the things that she never wanted to do.

Once he'd recovered, Chat cleared his throat before confessing, "I've been talking in a fake accent whenever anyone's asked me if I'm really Chat Noir."

"And this—this is what you do for fun?" Marinette questioned, curious. "Walk around and pretend you're not Chat Noir?"

"It is quite fun." He grinned. "But this is the first time I'm pretending not to be me on purpose. I came to see you, actually."

She furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"Because I tried to kill you, of course," Chat replied without hesitation. "I did say I'd come see you again, didn't I?"

It was so out of the blue. It had been just over two weeks since their last meeting, the time where she thought they wouldn't cross paths again, but for him to seek her out on purpose? It was baffling, to say the least.

Shifting her feet, Marinette lamely responded, "You're joking."

"No." He shook his head. "I came to deliver a bribe."

"I'm sorry?"

With a flourish, he reached up and took off the witch's hat, revealing that the ears in his hair underneath were covered up with another plastic bag. She'd only seen it for a few moments the last time—hadn't even thought to clean it up, instead leaving it on the pavement like an idiot when she ducked into the alleyway—but she was sure that it was from the same store.

The only question on her mind was, "How did you even get it in there?"

His grin was wide as he held the bag out to her. "I put it in before I pressed your doorbell."

With a laugh, Marinette said, "Impressive." And it was, really, that he'd managed to keep a bag in there at all. "But you don't have to bribe me for anything? If I was going to out you, I would've done it already, you know?"

With a peek inside of it, she noticed a few different snacks that she rarely had, but she wasn't going to be ungrateful when the thought was so sweet. Chat shouldn't have been going out of his way to try and make up for his mistake, not when he hadn't really caused her any harm.

It would've been a completely different story if the bag had hit her in the first place.

"Maybe I wanted an excuse to talk to you again," Chat smoothly replied.

She snorted. "Yeah, sure."

"You seem to think that I don't like you or something," he mused, holding the witch's hat in one of his hands. "You're pretty memorable, Marinette. Stop putting yourself down."

It wasn't a problem with her self-confidence, though, not with Chat. She thought that him spending time with her as a civilian was ridiculous, out of the question, and yet, there he was on her doorstep while children ran across the street behind him in colourful costumes, trying to get as much candy as they could.

She breathed out slowly. "Don't you have plans with your friends today?"

"I could say the same to you," he pointed out. "But no, I don't. I'm ever-so-lonely."

There was no need for him to talk to her. He could've jumped away and left her wondering where the fallen bag had come from the first time, but he'd gestured her over to talk to him—had remember her name—and came back with gifts and tried to hide in plain sight to ring her doorbell.

She wasn't jumping to conclusions from thinking that he wanted to reach out to her, was she?

"Are you—are you busy now?" Marinette questioned. "After this, I mean."

He blinked. "Still very free."

"Do you—" Marinette paused, clearing her throat. Then, lifting up the plastic bag that he'd gifted her, she asked, "Do you want to come up and share these with me?"

There was a moment where she wondered if he'd reject her. It was clearly an impulsive invitation, one that he'd surely said no to countless times in the past to anyone else that had asked it—but he'd approached her.

A sigh of relief left her when he softly asked, "Really?"

It wasn't pity that she was feeling for him, just compassion. "Yes," she confirmed, adjusting her grip on the handles of the bag. "I'm not that confident that I'd be able to sneak you past my parents, though. Would it offend you if I asked you to meet me up above?"

Surprisingly, he agreed after realising that she was being serious. Marinette was just as shocked that he accepted her invitation, especially when she had to point up above to the balcony that connected to her bedroom, and by the time she wandered back into her home, she wasn't surprised to see her parents yawning and struggling to stay up.

As they weren't staying up for much longer, they said good night to her at that moment.

As Marinette's bedroom was on the floor above theirs, she wasn't too worried about being loud. They often slept through her tripping over or fumbling around, creating a lot of noise, so the only concerns she had were about whether it would be awkward between her and Chat or not.

He was visibly surprised when her head appeared through the door to the balcony and she beckoned him inside, glad that the solar-powered lights that she had decorating the outside had made it so she was able to make out his figure fine.

"You don't have to stay," Marinette insisted again as Chat was settled down on her sofa while she was on her desk chair, a metre or so away, trying to make sure that there was a comfortable distance between them. "I just—you don't have to humour me."

He smiled as he set the hat down on the cushion beside him. "You're feeding me, I don't have any reason not to be here."

"Oh?" Marinette grinned. "Is your secret stash not satisfying you any more?"

"Nothing's as satisfying as your company." He had the audacity to wink at her. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. I wouldn't flirt with you in your bedroom."

If she didn't know him well—so well that she knew his tells for when he was feeling nervous—she would've been intimidated from how strong he came across. Marinette had learned that teasing was part of his default personality; he was playful, cheerful, and enjoyed seeing people squirm from his actions.

She rolled her eyes. "But you'll do it everywhere else?"

"Only you know where your weapons are hidden in here," he joked, expression brightening from how well she was taking his comments. "I really didn't have plans tonight, so thank you."

There was that pang of compassion for him again. There had to be a reason that he was coming to her—someone he'd barely seen before—instead of one of this friends that he knew in person.

She wetted her lips. "Are you saying it was a spontaneous visit to see me?"

Chat tried to muffle his laugher by putting a hand over his mouth. "It seemed like a good idea."

"It was," she admitted, pulling up one leg to rest against her chest, chin on her knee, a comfortable position that she wouldn't have taken with just anyone. "You're—you're welcome to come here, if you ever need to vent or something. That's why you're here, right?"

He averted his gaze, running a hand through his hair. "Am I that obvious?"

"A little," Marinette confessed, unsure whether her fondness for him was showing in her voice. Even though he didn't know it, he was her best friend. "I'm not going to pressure you or anything. I can just be a distraction, if you want? A place to visit if you need."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Well," she started before pausing, suddenly realising how forward she was being. To him, she didn't know him—she was just someone that had watched him from afar for the past few years, someone that had only had a couple of conversations with him. "I'd like to think we could be friends? You're not that bad one-on-one."

It was presumptuous, but she still cared about him.

"You're nice," Chat murmured, closing his eyes as he rested his head on his open palm, elbow on his knee. "Really nice."

She smiled to herself. "Thanks, I guess."

"But you did promise me food." He cracked open one eye, the green-coloured sclera standing out against his face. "You better pay up before I throw a tantrum."

-x-

There was no denying that Adrien cared for her.

He knew that she was safe, had surely seen that she hadn't been harmed from the news reports, but the first messages he sent since she came home after an attack were all him enquiring whether she was okay.

It made her chest feel warm.

It was a gradual thing, but she was able to talk to Adrien more confidently in person. It wasn't as though she went out of her way to approach him, not like in the past, but it was because both of their best friends were together that she found herself spending time with him. Between walking to classes in the breaks, to sitting together during lunch, there was a lot of time where she previously would've had her heart fluttering nervously.

It barely registered when that didn't happen to her one lunch.

While she did worry about it at first, it did make sense. The fondness she had for him had grown past the stage of sweaty palms from being in his presence, and since it would've been a hassle if she couldn't even be close to him when he returned her feelings—

That caused her to choke on her food.

The fleeting thought wasn't welcome, not when the fond look he had on his face when he looked down at his phone to type out a message wasn't directed at her. It was, but not the her that he thought it was.

Trying to separate herself from Ladybug was a strange experience, as always. Marinette didn't consider herself that different—only the abilities and hidden identity made it so she was someone else in everyone else's eyes—so, knowing that he clearly liked her for her was a nice one, even if it was directed the wrong way at that moment.

There wasn't much she could do about it, however. Revealing herself further to him would only result in disaster, either for her family or even him, if they were to be found out, so their online friendship was all that they could do.

It just didn't help that she wasn't exactly subtle with her feelings.

Chatmander:
riddle me this
bugimon

Ladybugimon:
can I not?
I'm bad at riddles
please don't

Chatmander:
but only you know the answer to this one
i need it

Ladybugimon:
oh no

Chatmander:
are you just a flirt or
are you flirting with me?

Ladybugimon:
excuse you?

Chatmander:
question!
it's a legit one!

Ladybugimon:
what do you mean?

Chatmander:
exactly what i said
do you need glasses, bugimon?
wait
maybe you do wear glasses
would they change with you?

Ladybugimon:
what do you mean change with me
maybe I put contacts in
you'll never know

Chatmander:
i'd like to know

Ladybugimon:
I thought you wanted to know if I'm flirty

Chatmander:
also that

Ladybugimon:
aaah
not really?
I mean, no one's ever told me I'm flirt before?
you're the first

Chatmander:
wow
pass me that medal

Ladybugimon:
you're a nerd

Chatmander:
and is that a bad thing

Ladybugimon:
no, no
just
I never would've thought it when looking at you irl?
you look pretty unapproachable most of the time

Chatmander:
i'm shy

Ladybugimon:
yeah, I figured that
but when you loosen up
you're really great, adrien

Chatmander:
great enough to flirt with

that was the point of this conversation

Ladybugimon:
well
have I been flirting with you

Chatmander:
it seems like it to me?
but i might be being too hopeful
since
you know

Ladybugimon:
idk I just feel comfortable with you
I can stop
if you don't like it?

Chatmander:
what no
i like it
i just
wanted to know if it's sincere or not

Ladybugimon:
would sincerity change anything?
not like we can meet up
or anything

Chatmander:
talking to you here is enough

Ladybugimon:
but really
aren't you annoyed that I keep saying no to everything else

Chatmander:
maybe a bit
but i understand!
i'm grateful that you're even talking to me like this
you could've blocked me when i found out
and nothing would've happened

Ladybugimon:
are you saying
you'd never make a post with your theory of who I am

Chatmander:
but i know who you are

Ladybugimon:
?

Chatmander:
my friend

Ladybugimon:
I

Chatmander:
so if you ever want to be
more than friends?
long-distance relationships are normal
completely normally

Ladybugimon:
you're fifteen?

Chatmander:
I don't know that about you
but I like who you are as a person?

Ladybugimon:
?

Chatmander:
ok ok
i'll stop being creepy now

Ladybugimon:
no, I
I don't find you creepy at all

Chatmander:
oh
that's good

Ladybugimon:
yeah

When his birthday came, Marinette took a chance. Along with her first present for him—something she saw in a shop and thought that he'd like—she'd ordered a ridiculous pair of socks online. Thankful that they'd came in time, as it was a quick decision that she thought she'd have to deliver late, Marinette ended up going to school with two presents in her backpack.

Adrien smiled shyly every time someone wished him a happy birthday. It was clear that he still wasn't used to all the attention sometimes, and she was able to tell from his body language as he touched the nape of his neck as he talked that he wanted to be around less people, rather than the whole crowd of students as they waited for their classes to begin.

Deciding to be confident, she strolled up beside him and called his name to get his attention.

The way his expression brightened up from seeing her was telling. "Marinette!"

"Hey," she offered, raising a hand to wave at him, the other holding onto the strap of her bag. "How's it going, birthday boy?"

He took the chance to step closer to her, following her as they walked down the hallway. "A little weird?" The question mark at the end wasn't lost on her. "I didn't get this much attention last year, so I'm a little confused, honestly."

Sometimes, it was hard to remember that he was considered worthy of being photographed by paparazzi when he was her class-mate. It was the third year that they were in classes together, but he'd kept to himself in the beginning, finding it hard to reach out to others.

He'd only really admitted that to her online. Marinette had been blind to how uncomfortable he was in large crowds, how he preferred to be in small groups of friends, rather than swamped at a party.

"I have something to give you," she started, keeping her gaze on the hallway rather than on him. "After classes, I mean."

There was no hesitation in his reply. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Now I'm curious," he quipped, keeping in step with her so they were side-by-side as they got to their classroom. "Are you going to give me any hints?"

Marinette tapped her nose. "It's a surprise."

He laughed. "It was worth a try."

Throughout the day, it was easy to tell when his smiles were genuine. Nino gave his present to him with a flourish, drawing the attention of the rest of their class who made the appropriate noises as Adrien opened up the wrapping paper, and slowly, everyone else followed in his footsteps to give him their presents.

Marinette gave him her first one during lunch.

Adrien didn't question her when she did it, though. He expressed his thanks sincerely, just as he did to everyone, and was generally in a bright mood all throughout their classes.

As he had to wait for his driver—his father too protective to let him walk home, not even when he lived close—Marinette had time to walk out the entrance of the school and go towards him after she'd picked up the present that she'd stashed away in her locker for safety.

"Adrien!" she called out.

He was visibly surprised as he turned around to see her, the smile brightening up his expression in an instant. "Marinette," he greeted back, putting his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "What are you doing here? I thought you left already."

She had been one of the first to leave the classroom. "I was going to my locker."

"Oh," was all that he replied, and it took her a while to realise that he was waiting for her to continue. They may have been friendly with each other, but they weren't close.

She opened up her bag, reaching in to collect the brightly-wrapped present. Since she hadn't had two different papers at home, she'd been two, but had to worry about accidentally using it to give him in the future—but, surely, he wouldn't remember it, right? And even if she gave it to him as herself, it was possible that they might've shopped at the same place—

"What's that?" he interrupted her thought, curiosity clear in his voice.

After clearing her throat, Marinette held it out to him. "A gift."

"You already gave me one," Adrien replied, accepting it nonetheless, seeming to turn it around on the spot. "Do you—am I supposed to open it now?"

With a glance behind him, she responded, "Maybe later? Your ride's here."

And with a brilliant smile, Adrien was gone. Marinette was nervous the whole walk home, wondering whether she'd done the right thing or not—it wasn't as though he'd be able to get anything out of her, or learn anything new from the gift, but it was the fact that she was reaching out that had her heart beating quickly in her chest.

It was after dinner that she checked her messages, an hour or two later than she usually did, and she had to scroll up to read from the beginning. A delighted laugh escaped her when she read through them all; Adrien had documented all of his reactions in his typing, from asking how she even knew it was his birthday to his overexcited response to him opening the socks that she'd bought him.

She was really had that she'd included a card that she'd signed with her username.

Chatmander:
i'm so lucky
what the heck did i do to deserve this

Ladybugimon:
you stopped saying wowie
that earns you an award regardless

Chatmander:
i'm going to pretend you're not insulting me

Ladybugimon:
not like you can do anything to me
your username means you're a baby

Chatmander:
?
i'm sixteen
date me

Ladybugimon:
tough guy here
showing off he's legal

Chatmander:
it means you won't get arrested
for sexting me

Ladybugimon:
if you think I'm going to sext you
there's definitely something wrong with you

Chatmander:
what if it's accidental
like your flirting

Ladybugimon:
there's a difference between flirting
and sexts
and we're not going to touch that

Chatmander:
worst birthday ever

Ladybugimon:
why are we friends

Chatmander:
idk
you took pity on my pretty face

Ladybugimon:
it really is pretty
but so is your personality

Chatmander:
you just insulted me
don't make me blush now

Ladybugimon:
cute

Chatmander:
stop

Ladybugimon:
so cute

Chatmander:
can i ask you something
for my birthday?

Ladybugimon:
ok
shoot

Chatmander:
our age difference isn't big, is it?

Ladybugimon:
it's not
we're not that far apart

Chatmander:
!
really!

Ladybugimon:
yeah
not telling you which way though

Chatmander:
bugimon
i'd like you any way

Ladybugimon:
…
thanks

-x-

The second time Chat came to her house, it wasn't by her front door.

There was a knocking sound that she was dismissing in favour of finishing the game that she was playing on her computer. She knew that her parents were in bed, that they weren't going to investigate it, and there was always a chance that it was the creaking of the pipes that she was misinterpreting (that had happened when she was younger, back when she'd been terrified and ran into her parents' bedroom to ask them to find out what the noise was).

So, it wasn't until the knocks came out harder than she pulled out the one earphone that she had in, turning around in her room to try and find out where it was coming from.

Turning on all the lights in her room, she looked around bewildered before she saw something in one of the her windows.

She narrowly avoided being hit with the object that had been knocking when she pushed the window open, utterly befuddled when she realised that it was the end of a baton that was remarkably similar.

But it wasn't coming from the ground.

Marinette peered across the street, her disbelief growing when she saw the blob on the rooftop opposite her, and from the way the baton was pulled back and disappeared from sight within a few seconds, it was clear that he'd noticed that she was there.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

Rather than letting him in awkwardly, Marinette closed her window before she climbed out onto her balcony, shivering from her pyjamas not providing her enough warmth, and gestured with her arms for him to join her there. Chat got the message quickly, thankfully, and she was able to duck back into her room before even a minute had passed.

The first thing she said to him was, "You're an idiot."

Chat's laughter was breathy. "I was almost about to give up."

"I—what?" She shook her head, still not believing that it had happened. "Couldn't you think of a better way to get my attention? I did say you were welcome."

Defensively, he crossed his arms over his chest after the baton was stashed away. "I couldn't just invite myself in."

"True." It was nice that he'd thought that through, at least. "But did you really have to knock so stupidly on my window? Someone must've seen that."

He grimaced. "I didn't want to do rocks, you know? And actually having me knocking on them just seemed creepy. It was the only thing that I could come up with."

There wasn't anything to remedy that, not really. His appearance was unexpected, one that she hadn't expected since a few weeks had passed since his last visit, and she'd almost thought that he'd forgotten about it completely.

"Thanks for not scaring me," Marinette said, settling back down in her desk chair and scooting closer to him as he sat on the sofa. Their positions were the last as his last visit, but he didn't have any additional things with him that time. "I'm willing to give you about an hour before I go to bed."

The laughter that left him was abrupt. "You—" Chat stuttered out through his laughter, putting a hand over his mouth to try and muffle the sound. "You might want to rephrase that."

Rather than be embarrassed, she raised her chin haughtily. "With that attitude, I might have to lower it."

"No, no," he replied, both hands moving to emphasis his words. "I'll be good, I promise. I'm only here to talk."

"Of course." She sniffed. "I'm not going to feed you every time you're here."

His smile showed his dimples. "Are you sure?"

She was comfortable with him, and that translated to when she was out of her suit dangerously. But she wasn't going to turn him away, not when he was still trying to reach out to her—whether it was for selfish reasons for not (it was bound to be, at that point), she cared about him too much to push him away.

So, it was with her own smile that she mused, "Well, maybe if you give me a warning in the future."

"Really?" There was that surprised tone again. "You'd do that?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "There's always leftover from the shop downstairs. Some are a little bit stale, but they're still good. You might want to tell me if you have any allergies or anything, though."

He ran a hand through his hair. "You're..."

But the sentence was never finished.

Marinette crossed her legs, getting into a more comfortable position as they sat across from each other. She'd scooted the chair close enough that she could probably reach out and kick him with her foot—but she wasn't Ladybug at that moment, and for him to have her do that to him as her civilian self would've been terribly confusing.

He cleared his throat. "Why are you being so nice?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she countered, tilting her head.

Rather than respond to that, Chat averted his gaze, staring down at his shoes with a furrowed brow.

It made her feel bad.

"I don't know if you remember this," she started tentatively, sitting up straight. "I'm... Ladybug's my friend? When she's transformed, I mean. I don't know her normally."

His gaze didn't meet hers. "What do you mean with that?"

"Well," Marinette began, pausing as she leaned back into her chair, staring up at the ceiling. Telling him the lie would make him more comfortable, yes, but it would lead to some hassle in the future. She just hoped that it would be fine when they were finally able to tell each other everything. "Kind of like how we are now? She comes over to talk sometimes—to get stuff off her chest since she knows I'm not going to tell anyone."

His clarified, "She trusts you."

"Yes." It would've been hard not to trust herself. "If I wanted to, I could've told my friend, Alya, and it would've been on the Ladyblog in an instant, but I'd never to that to her—nor you."

With an elbow on his knee, Chat rested his chin in his palm. "Not even on the forums?"

"No." She wrinkled her nose. "I've seen the idiocy that's on there. No one would believe me."

"So you're..." Chat trailed off, gaze flickering back to hers with a lopsided smile. "Are you saying you're some kind of a superhero therapist?"

With a laugh, Marinette realised that was what she was trying to be with him. She wanted to help relieve him of what worries were ailing him, but there wasn't much she could do. "Sure," she agreed. "Something like that. I usually share my woes with her, too."

He grinned. "Not like I can tell anyone, right?"

"Well, you could, but then you'd have to explain why you know so much about some random girl," she teased. "It would be a bit of an awkward situation for you."

They didn't talk about anything substantial. Chat asked about the game that she was playing, as she'd left it running on her computer when she'd went to investigate the noises, and they chatted about that for a while. Chat didn't reveal what was bothering him, instead enjoyed talking about everything and anything that popped into her head—including amusing advertisements that they'd recently seen—and she wasn't surprised that she enjoyed her time with him.

It was over an hour later when she yawned. "Oh, it's past your allotted time."

Chat gasped dramatically. "How could this happen?"

"I'm going to be asking myself that for weeks on end until you turn up again," she remarked. "Will I ever find out the answer? I don't think so."

"You're amusing when you talk."

She sniffed. "I'm going to pretend that's a compliment."

"It is," Chat assured her, standing up and stretching his arms out. "You're very fun to be around, Marinette. You should be proud of that."

She mimed shooting him with her finger. "I'll write that on my résumé."

"As you should," he agreed, grinning widely.

It was a little awkward not knowing what to do while saying good-bye to him. As much as she wanted to hug him—to squeeze and try and convey how much he meant to her—it wasn't the time for that. As Marinette, they were barely friends, and she constantly had to remind herself of that.

She almost stuck her hand out for a handshake before thinking better of it. "Well, try not to get into any trouble out there."

"I have no bags to drop on unsuspecting victims, don't worry," he joked. "You're stay my only one."

Placing a hand over her heart, Marinette enquired, "And how many girls have you said that line to?"

"Only you." He winked, making her laugh. "When's my next session scheduled for, doctor?"

For a moment, she didn't know what he was referring to. "You—you want a time?" she questioned, raising her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Showing up on a specific time and date will make me significantly less creepier, so yes," Chat replied, smile reaching his yes. "It'll be so much better than knocking on your window again. Imagine what the fans will say if those pictures get out."

She squinted. "You extended your weapon across the fucking street."

"It's not my fault you were busy." He held his hands up as he shrugged. "Better give me a date now so it doesn't have to happen again—do you really want to be known as the girl who Chat Noir knocks on the window for?"

She huffed. "I do not want to be in a love story with you."

"And that's the best thing I've heard all day," Chat replied. Then, as it visibly registered on his face that he'd realised what he said, he stood upright and flailed his hands as he shook his head. "I—not like that! You're great, really—"

"It's fine," Marinette cut him off, a fond smile on her lips. "I'm not interested in you like that."

He breathed out audibly. "I'm relieved."

"So, what days work for you?"

-x-

Like she'd said to him, Marinette didn't mention her interactions with Chat to anyone else. She continued to talk to Adrien daily through her second e-mail, sometimes wondering whether they should move to a different application, but he seemed fine to stay there for the time being.

Adrien wasn't pushing her for anything; not her phone number, any more information past asking for a better estimate of her age on his birthday, and the only thing he was doing was being very open with his feelings.

It was refreshing, really, and the fact that she didn't feel uncomfortable by anything he was doing was a good sign. She smiled to herself when she saw him messaging her in class, excited to see what he'd say (though it was usually commentary about his day, such as amusing jokes he'd heard or off-handed remarks that made him laugh), and she slowly grew more relaxed when they ate lunch together.

And as she grew closer to Adrien, Chat started to visit often. It wasn't every week, though, and although they'd agreed upon every weekend, she had a fifteen minute window where he would turn up in the evening after her parents had gone to bed. If he didn't turn up in that time, then she knew that he wasn't going to visit (he was adamant about that, not wanting to scare her or come when he wasn't wanted).

If she changed her mind, or wasn't in the mood for company, he'd suggested leaving a post-it somewhere on her balcony for him to see, so he'd know not to come.

It was a good system.

Marinette wasn't too pressured with school, she had a nice group of friends, and she enjoyed backing the worst theories on the forums, particularly the ones about herself.

Talking to Adrien was a bonus, and getting to see Chat outside of attacks, even if he wasn't aware of it, was wonderful.

Although she'd said to Adrien that she didn't flirt on purpose, the teasing comments she had with Chat weren't supposed to be taken that way. And she knew, for sure, that his flirty remarks towards her weren't serious, not when he was like that with most—it was just the way he laughed honestly and had relaxed body language that showed that he was truly comfortable with her.

As the winter holidays came, along with the time off from school, Marinette found herself spending more time online.

Adrien had decided to take a chance again.

Chatmander:
hello!
my love!

Ladybugimon:
what do you want

Chatmander:
what makes you think
i want something?

Ladybugimon:
you're showing affection
you only do that when you want something

Chatmander:
your attention

Ladybugimon:
you've always got that

Chatmander:
you prefer school over me

Ladybugimon:
I prefer you over everything
but I have priorities

Chatmander:
can i be your priority

Ladybugimon:
no

Chatmander:
worth a try

Ladybugimon:
what else were you going to say?

Chatmander:
no
you've crushed my heart
you don't deserve to know

Ladybugimon:
aahh
why would I ever do that?
I'd never

Chatmander:
you're bullying me

Ladybugimon:
absolutely not

Chatmander:
ok ok
i've been thinking

Ladybugimon:
dangerous

Chatmander:
about you
in an innocent way
i'm to confessing to sinful dreams
or something

Ladybugimon:
you specifying that makes me think otherwise?

Chatmander:
forget that pls

Ladybugimon:
for now
what's up?

Chatmander:
well
i'm sixteen

Ladybugimon:
yes

Chatmander:
you're either a bit older or younger than me

Ladybugimon:
correct

Chatmander:
would you consider
going on a date with me?

Ladybugimon:
I can't

Chatmander:
wait wait
we could just
talk on here while watching a film or something
online one?

Ladybugimon:
adrien
you literally only talk to me on your e-mail
I'm not exactly relationship material like this

Chatmander:
but i like you
even if it's just you typing
you're really interesting and you're
the highlight of my day?

Ladybugimon:
that doesn't mean we have to date

Chatmander:
i'm asking you to
because
i like you, bugimon
and you like me, right?

Ladybugimon:
that doesn't change anything

Chatmander:
it doesn't have to
but
i'd like it to?

Ladybugimon:
wouldn't you be happier with someone else
that you can actually see?

Chatmander:
but i'm happier talking with you than anyone else

Ladybugimon:
yeah but
I can't give you everything?

Chatmander:
you managed to give me a birthday gift
that was more than i ever expected
i'm not asking you to out yourself or anything
but i really do like you

Ladybugimon:
I wanted to give it to you

Chatmander:
they're the best!
i wore them for like a week straight

Ladybugimon:
I hope you washed them

Chatmander:
sadly

Marinette didn't give him a proper to answer to that, but he didn't push her for it. As much as she wanted to accept, to actually be in a relationship with him, she knew that it wasn't a wise choice. Adrien deserved a lot better than someone that he could only type to, no matter how much he tried to convince her that he'd be happy with her.

It was because of that that she finally gave in and created another account on an instant messaging application that she used to talk to her friends. Wisely, she only signed in on her computer, opting not to put it on her phone from the chance that someone would see, and exchanged her details with him the following day.

He was overjoyed.

With the addition of him being able to use his microphone, and her type her replies as she'd already explained that she wasn't willing to do the same in return (not when her parents could call her name and ruin everything), Adrien's happiness was something she was able to hear for herself for the next few days.

Having him type so comfortably to her was one thing, but having the comments directed at her with his voice was something else entirely. They were somewhat friends at school, yes, but there was something wonderful about hearing him laugh at her ridiculous joke that made her chest feel warm.

It was after another visit from Chat that she made her mind up about something.

"So, what's bothering you lately?" Marinette questioned once she'd finished her mouthful.

Chat was busy eating. Although he insisted that she didn't have to feed him each time he turned up, she liked to do it. Her parents didn't complain about the food that was gone, not when they were leftovers to begin with, and it was worth it to see the way his expression brightened whenever she revealed what she had for that week.

And if he didn't turn up, she split it it with her kwami, so nothing was wasted.

"What makes you think anyone's bugging me?" he shot back, though his voice was defensive—curious was the right word for it.

"Well," Marinette started, pulling her legs up underneath her on her desk chair. "You came here last week because your internet cut out when you were in the middle of watching a video—and then you watched the rest with me."

He snorted. "Can't I just want to see you?"

"Sure." She shrugged. "But that doesn't explain your frown. I think I know you well enough to notice when something's bothering you by now."

It was strange, really. She'd never thought that she'd spent quality time with Chat outside of her transformation, not when he wasn't aware of who she was, but that was exactly what had developed. She'd spent weeks with him, nibbling food and browsing the internet for idiotic things to watch for an hour or two until she grew sleepy.

He never pushed for anything more—he just wanted to spend time with her as a friend. The flirting was toned down to a minimum, all completely platonic, and she was definitely relieved about that.

His voice was quiet as he asked, "Promise you won't laugh?"

"I'll try not to," she responded without missing a beat. "But if it's a really weird problem, you can't hold it against me. I almost feel like you're setting me up for failure."

His smile was lopsided. "It is pretty weird, but I'm hoping for the best."

"Shoot," she urged. "I'm all ears. I am a superhero therapist, remember?"

"Oh, yes, how could I forget that?" His laughter was nice to hear. "I—well, this might sound a bit strange, but I... I met someone online."

There was countless ways that it could go. Marinette sat there, sure that her curiosity was clear on her expression, and tried to be supportive as he shifted in his seat, trying to get comfortable and stall before answering again. She didn't have to know him well to recognise that he was nervous.

When it became clear that he didn't know how to continue, she softly enquired, "You met someone?"

"Yeah." The smile that appeared on his lips was soft and private, his eyes looking down at his knees rather than at her. "She's—she's really great, honestly. But it's... I don't know how to say this."

There wasn't any jealousy.

Chat was trusting her enough to tell her about personal parts of his life; it was so much more than turning up to talk to her, more than even appearing in her bedroom to have a talk with a friend. It was a show of how far they'd come in the weeks, and it made her feel so utterly happy that he was willing to trust her that she couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"It's long-distance," he stated, running a hand through his hair. "It—well, it would be, but she's not really sure whether she wants to be in that kind of a relationship with me."

As it wasn't her area of expertise—relationships weren't in general—there wasn't much that she could tell him. But as Chat laughed before changing the subject, it seemed that he'd just wanted to get it off of his chest, and she'd been the one that he'd trusted to let it out to.

It just caused a new trail of thought for her, though.

Ladybugimon:
are you still serious about
that date?

Chatmander:
!
absolutely!

Ladybugimon:
really?

Chatmander:
of course?
i really like you, bugimon
and you saying this
confirms that you actually like me
right?

Ladybugimon:
I thought that was obvious by now

Chatmander:
well, yes
but it could've just been my ego
embarrassing

Ladybugimon:
you're cute

Chatmander:
stop
you'll make me blush

Ladybugimon:
won't it bother you that I can't even give you my name?

Chatmander:
a little but
i get it, remember?
you could give me some outdated nickname
that no one will ever call you

Ladybugimon:
that'll work
no one's called be it since I was like
five

Chatmander:
ooh
you're hyping it up
I'm excited

Ladybugimon:
I'll tell you if you say yes or no

Chatmander:
to what

Ladybugimon:
me asking you on a date

Chatmander:
you don't have to ask?

Ladybugimon:
it gets worse
you might have to tell me to fuck off
or that it's too dumb

Chatmander:
I think you're smart
so go ahead

Ladybugimon:
brace yourself

Chatmander:
i'm braced?

Ladybugimon:
will you go on a cosplay date with me?

Chatmander:
i
what?
in person?

Ladybugimon:
yeah
but in cosplay

Chatmander:
in person?

Ladybugimon:
I'd make a good ladybug cosplayer, right?

Chatmander:
in
person

Ladybugimon:
you might like the online version of me
but what if it's different in person?

Chatmander:
fuck off
you're amazing?

Ladybugimon:
then please go on this ridiculous date with me

Chatmander:
do i have to match your outfit
because i really don't have anything that good
i'm restricted
remembered?

Ladybugimon:
you kinda need to be disguised too
otherwise people will notice us

Chatmander:
they'll notice you anyway?

Ladybugimon:
because of my perfect cosplay?

Chatmander:
...i'll look into getting something
for whenever we agree on

Ladybugimon:
so you're
saying yes?

Chatmander:
of course
i'd be mad not to go on a date with you
especially in person?
it's like i'm dreaming

Ladybugimon:
I'm going to combust

Chatmander:
can i watch

Ladybugimon:
no!
I'm not in cosplay yet

Chatmander:
darn

Ladybugimon:
...darn

Chatmander:
leave me alone!

-x-

It was adventurous, but she was always delighted when she realised how smart Chat was. There were times where he made inappropriate jokes, when he should've been focusing on the situation, but there was no denying that he wasn't an idiot all of the time.

And when Tikki had given her stamp of approval after Marinette had proposed her idea fully—feeling a bit guilty that she didn't before asking Adrien on the date—it made it all the more better.

There was a few days left of winter break. Marinette didn't have to cancel any plans to make room for him, and Adrien had assured her that he'd be able to make it, claiming that his father was away for business their scheduled day, so he'd have an easier time leaving. There was a lot that she wanted to ask him about his relationship with him, but she didn't want to dampen the mood of any of their conversations with it.

The preparations she did for the date were simple; she swapped to a different case for her phone, one she hadn't used due to it being too bulky to fit in her pocket, and she made sure to pick out a jacket that she hadn't altered in any way (including something as little as a pin attached to it).

The t-shirt she was wearing was one that she'd edited specifically for the date. Any make-up she put on, or style that she worked her hair into, would've been undone with the transformation, so she didn't have to bother with any of that, thankfully.

Still, she felt bundled up with the inclusion of a hat and scarf wrapped around her from her parents worrying that she'd be too cold outside. As she couldn't tell them that the temperature wouldn't be a problem once she was in her skin-tight suit, she went along with it, smiling from their concern.

The nerves started to kick in when she locked herself in a public bathroom stall. She pulled off her hat, jacket, and the t-shirt she had on underneath, putting them on top of her bag to the side so they wouldn't be touching her, and therefore wouldn't be absorbed by the transformation.

It was been terribly confusing the first time that had happened.

And when she was there in her suit, the mask in place on her face, and her hair tied in two on either side of her ears, she slowly put the clothing back on, completing the ridiculous look she'd had planned out.

It looked even more stupid in person.

She couldn't help but laugh at her reflection in the dirty mirror.

There was no way that anyone would actually believe her, right? But then again, celebrities had lookalikes all the time, and, surely, looking like Ladybug was something that someone would pride themselves on. It wasn't that strange to see someone walking around looking like her, though they were usually accompanied by someone.

As it turned out, Adrien had managed to acquire an outfit.

She reached the park that they'd agreed to meet at, nervously fiddling with the strap of her bag as she tried to ignore the curious stares that were sent her way, and any of the anxious energy that she had left when she saw how utterly awkward he looked standing there.

Her laughter caused him to look up at her, and that only made it worse for her.

When Adrien had said that he was looking into getting an outfit, she should've asked him to specify.

It wouldn't have been such a surprise to see him standing there in a Ladybug-themed outfit if she'd had some warning.

"You—" Marinette choked out as she got closed, holding up a hand to cover her mouth and try and muffle some of the laughter. "You look amazing."

It wasn't an understatement. He'd gone for a spotted t-shirt and black jeans instead of trying to find an actual costume to fit him. A scarf and jacket had been added on for warmth, thankfully, but the best part was the wonky mask that he'd painted on his face.

Adrien grinned, seeming to push his chest out. "Right?"

"Absolutely," she confirmed, coming to stand in front of him. "I should've expected for you to outdo me."

He pushed his fringe away from his eyes. "But you recognised me immediately."

"Because you're the only blond person here," Marinette pointed out, her smile reaching her eyes. "Hello, by the way."

"Hi." His own smile showed the indents on his cheeks. Adrien took a step closer to her, making it so their feet were almost touching, and quickly tucked his hands away into the pockets of his jacket. "May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

When he'd suggested her giving an outdated nickname to him a week ago, back when they started planning what seemed to be the impossible date, he'd suddenly stopped her and asked for her to tell him in person.

She reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear. "Why now?"

After a brief pause, Adrien quietly admitted, "It makes it seem more real."

It must've been surreal for him. It was strange enough for her seeing Adrien outside of school, and adding on that he was specifically wearing a ridiculous outfit to fit in with her just made it all the more better. She never would've expected that any friendship she had with him would develop in such a way, but she wasn't at all disappointed.

It was just a little frustrating, that was all.

"Rin," she confessed.

"Rin," he repeated, smile growing wider as he said it again. "It's—it's lovely to meet you, Rin."

And then, he chose to stick his hand out for an awkward handshake.

It made her laugh all over again.

Adrien's cheeks coloured—far more than the red that was on the end of his nose and ears from the cold weather—and before he could pull his hand back, she excitedly reached out and took his into her glove-clad one, shaking it as he'd wanted.

"You, too," she replied, squeezing his hand. "I'm really glad you're here, Adrien."

His face brightened. "I'm not the one that had to be convinced to come."

"I'm still really nervous," Marinette revealed, gently taking her hand away from his and putting them into the pockets of her own jacket, mirroring his posture from only moments ago. "I feel ridiculous right now, to be honest."

He laughed. "What? Are you not used to wearing so much clothing?"

"Well, that," she agreed. "I'm also worried that no one's going to believe that I'm not Ladybug."

"But you're not," he insisted, gesturing towards her outfit. "You're Rin, an expert Ladybug cosplayer. Have you ever seen Ladybug in actual clothing? Because I have not—you're fine."

Her lips curled into a fond smile. "If you say so."

"But—" Adrien trailed off, squinting as his gaze flickered down to her shirt. "What's on your t-shirt?"

As she took her hands out of her pockets to move her jacket so her shirt was visible, Marinette pressed her lips together to try and stop herself from laughing. She didn't want to influence his reaction, but she already had an inkling that he'd find her terrible pun amusing.

The abrupt laughter that left him was breathy and slightly higher-pitched than normal, showing his surprise. "I—really?" Adrien asked through his laughter. "It's... I think it's a d on its side, right?"

"And a bug," she pointed out. "Kind of on the nose, right?"

It was silly, but she'd wanted to wear something more than just a normal t-shirt. She knew that it had to be generic, so the white t-shirt that she'd taken out had fallen victim to one of her pens once she'd gotten it in her mind to amuse him to break any of the awkwardness between them.

Adrien enquired, "Where'd you get that?"

"I did it," she proudly stated, readjusting her jacket to appear warmer (she had to keep up pretence—she couldn't just be outside in the suit alone, not when it was supposed to be a fake and not provide her comfort through all the seasons easily). "Do you like it?"

"It's brilliant."

The atmosphere between them wasn't awkward for the rest of the day. At first, they walked around the park together, just talking and slowly becoming more comfortable before they were able to talk like they would online—though it was a lot better seeing his reactions in person, particularly when he stuttered and try to correct himself—and she really treasured every moment of it.

They got curious looks, of course. Adrien had face paint on, a red-and-black outfit that matched hers, and she must've looked remarkably like Ladybug to anyone passing by.

A few people approached them.

It was a child that asked her if she was Ladybug first.

"No, no," Marinette quickly said, shaking her head and flailing her arms a little to try and convey her message. "I'm just—I'm a cosplayer. It's my hobby."

That answer got smoother as the day went on.

In total, she was asked by five people.

"No one's asked me," Adrien lamented to break her from her nerves the third time. "Do you think it's the hair?"

She choked out a laugh. "That or the wonky mask."

"Wonky?" he gasped, placing an offended hand over his chest. "How dare you."

When they'd been out too long, that it was obvious that he was freezing from his complexion, they agreed to go to a nearby café. Marinette had offered to pay for both of their orders since his fingers were red when he took his gloves on, and he begrudgingly agreed when she suggested that he could pay for the next time.

He definitely liked that idea.

"So, Rin," he started, clearly taking pleasure whenever he was able to say her name. "How's your Ladybug life going for you?"

She snorted loudly. "Okay, I think. The account hasn't really taken off yet."

"You made another?"

"Yeah," Marinette confirmed, taking out her phone from her bag to load up the specific page. She'd made it a few nights ago when they'd really agreed that they were going out on a date, and she wanted to cover all of her bases to make sure that her identity was believable. "Here."

And with that, she turned the device around for him to see the screen that showed her new social media profile on it. She could visibly witness on his face when he read the username she'd used for her it, as his smile widened until it reached his eyes.

His voice was soft as he asked, "Ladybugimon, eh?"

"I'm pretty attached to the name now."

"Won't—won't your friend know it's you?" Adrien questioned, his brow furrowing.

It was a legitimate concern. "I can just say it's not me," Marinette replied, reaching up to tap her mask. "This makes it so no one can recognise me, right? So, even if it's the same username as someone would know my usual self for, it's probably a really popular one. There has to be countless people using it elsewhere."

"Smart," he remarked. "Just don't advertise it to any of your friends—a secret account for your already complicated life."

"Yeah," she agreed, quieter that time.

Their conversation went back to being light-hearted after that. They finished the food that she'd bought with laughter, and the only awkward part was when she choked on her drink when he'd told an unfortunately timed joke.

It was the best lunch she'd ever had with him. It was much better than when they had Alya and Nino beside them, even when they spoke to themselves and Adrien choose to turn to her and try and make conversation on some days.

After bringing up her cosplay account again, Adrien offered to take a picture with her. As she needed one to post as it was, she had no reason to reject him—it was the only way she'd be able to have a picture together with him and actually be able to post it.

Adrien helped her to adjust her hat back to the right position as they went to the exit. He'd told her many times before that he wouldn't be able to stay out until it was dark, not even when his father was away, as he was already pushing his luck by being out as it was.

"What do you mean they didn't see you when you went out?" Marinette asked through her laughter, utterly dumbfounded. "You're kind of hard to miss in that outfit."

He reached up and touched the nape of his neck with his glove-clad hand. "I might've ran? They weren't really paying attention to me at that moment, so I took my chance and bolted it before they could judge my fashion choices."

She made a wounded noise. "Someone has to with you."

"I'm not that bad." He crossed his arms over his chest, though he didn't actually sound offended. "I just—I want to experiment a bit more than I'm allowed to, okay?"

With a pointed look at his outfit, Marinette asked, "Isn't today enough for you?"

"Well, maybe if we get to do this more often," he mused, their shoulders brushing as they walked down the street. "Who knows, you might get my urge for awful fashion out of me. My father would definitely thank you if you succeed."

She snorted. "I can't cure you of your socks."

"I'll get you to appreciate them some day."

And when he sniffed, it wasn't for dramatic effect. The weather was getting to him again, unlike her who couldn't really feel it due to the magical suit, and she felt bad for him. The sky was starting to darken, indicating that he needed to get back to his home, though they were both reluctant for that to happen.

They'd walked to a street near his—after deciding that walking right to his gate would cause her to be shown on his home's security cameras, if anyone looked, and they wanted to avoid that—when he cleared his throat. "I—I hope this isn't too forward, but you do want to do this again, right?"

Her smile reached her eyes. "I do."

Adrien's voice was soft as he asked, "Really?"

"Really," she confirmed, bumping her shoulder gently against his. "You have to pay me back for the café, remember?"

"Oh, yes," he agreed, indents on his cheeks showing from his smile. "I'd stay a bit longer to talk to you, but I can't really feel my feet right now."

She looked at him in sympathy. "I'd ask to hug you, but I think it might just make it worse for you, honestly."

"I'll absolutely freeze for you," Adrien replied without hesitation.

"Get out of here," Marinette retorted, waving a dismissive hand in the direction he needed to go. "I'll give you a hug next time, when your nose isn't running."

He sniffed to prove her point. "Fine."

-x-

Chat was easily becoming one of her best friends when she was outside of her suit.

According to him, it suddenly occurred to him one day that he'd missed her birthday, and it was because of that that he was the one to turn up with food for the two of them.

Marinette had raised her eyebrows and asked, "How did you even know my birthday?"

He looked sheepish. "I might've looked it up."

It reminded her to change the settings on her social media, but the gesture was appreciated.

He was fun to be around. Sometimes, they played video games for a while, or they watched a film that the two of them really wanted to see, and it generally just turned out like how it would when she spent time with any other of her friends. The only difference was that it was in the evening—early, though, generally the time her parents slept since they woke up early—and that she was usually in her pyjamas to be comfortable when he appeared.

But his gaze was never inappropriate. She knew him to be a teenage boy, but the two of them only saw each other as friends. Marinette wasn't shy or embarrassed to be around him, slowly growing more comfortable to let her guard down, and Chat was doing the same with her.

She eventually ended up sitting beside him on her sofa when he visited.

She was comfortable enough to bump her shoulder against his, to lightly bat his hand away when he reached out to pat her mockingly on the head, and her teasing comments weren't at all out of character for her after the time they'd spent together. Chat felt like he was a friend that she'd had for years—which he was without realising it—and she felt increasingly proud as he opened up to her.

It wasn't awkward when she asked, "How's it going with that girl you were speaking to?"

After the first time he'd brought her up, Chat hadn't been the one to do so ever since. It came across that he was embarrassed to be the one to, but Marinette suspected that was because he didn't talk about her with anyone often, so he wasn't sure on what he could share without it being too private.

From what she knew, they were dating. Chat was careful not to reveal any personal details, not even a vague description of what she looked like, and she didn't push him for any more than he was willing to give. The happy smile he had whenever he spoke about her was more than enough for her.

Chat fiddled with his gloves, even though he wasn't actually able to take them off. "Pretty good, I think. We're dating now."

"Yeah?" she enquired, smile widening. "That's great. I'm happy for you."

His smile was tentative. "You really think so?"

"Of course, Chat," she replied, eyebrows knitting together. "Why wouldn't I be happy for you?"

"You don't think it's weird that it's long-distance?"

That was something he seemed the most concerned with. "No," Marinette responded, bumping her shoulder gently against his. "It's pretty normal, actually. Did someone tell you otherwise?"

"I—yeah." She could see as he swallowed. "My... I think she's a friend? We've grown up together, so I-I brought it up as a hypothetical question, and she said that it was stupid—that it wouldn't work."

That explained why he was so self-conscious about talking about it, then. It wasn't a side of Chat that she saw often, not when they were in view of the public, but it still meant a lot that he was willing to show it to her.

So, it was because of his honesty that she admitted, "I'm actually dating someone, too."

His head snapped up to look at her in surprise. "You—you are?"

"It's an internet thing," she explained, not willing to tell all the details. "That's where we met, I mean. He lives a while away so we've only met up once so far, but it was really fun."

"I... I had no idea," Chat said, looking at her strangely. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged. "It's new. I haven't even told my friends yet. I'm not really sure I want to since it'll spread around the whole school without them intending it to."

"I'm happy for you," he said, lips curling into a smile as he repeated the earlier words that she'd said to him. "I hope he treats you nicely."

Marinette snorted. "Or what? Chat Noir's going to go and kick his ass?"

Without missing a beat, he exaggeratedly held his hand up to his chin in a thoughtful manner and mused, "If he's a dick, I'll consider it."

It was sweet of him.

"I've never been in a fight, but I'll happily do the same for you," she offered. "Even if she doesn't know we're friends—I'll just be some random person that tried to beat her up for your honour."

But rather than reply in any other way, Chat chose to reach out and pat the top of her head as he cooed, "Cute."

She slapped his hand away.

After that, Chat was a lot more open about mentioning his girlfriend. Although his friend had rebuked him and made him feel self-conscious of his relationship, Marinette believed that she'd done a good job reversing that. And from the way he excitably told her about her—omitting the personal details—she was truly pleased that he was happy in his normal life.

That didn't explain why he kept coming to visit her, though.

"You're my friend," Chat simply said as his answer, not looking up as he finished the food that she'd brought up. "I can't spend time with you normally, so this will have to do—unless you want to get rid of me. Is that it, Marinette?"

She didn't dignify that with an answer, not when it was emphasised with a dramatic hand being held to his forehead.

It was dangerous for him to visit her so often, yes, but it was also terrible for her to pursue a relationship with Adrien, so she wasn't the best judge of what was the right thing to do. It would've been hypocritical of her to judge him when she enjoyed his company so, so she didn't say anything reprimanding.

In the summer, when it would be lighter in the evening, they'd have to be more careful, but the winter they were fine.

While she didn't class her friendship with Chat as a problem, the biggest worry that happened for a long time came because of Nino in class.

"Why does Marinette get to be a moderator and I don't?" he lamented, leaning back dangerously on his chair to look at Alya who was sitting behind him. "Haven't I suffered enough, babe?"

Marinette stilled.

Beside her, Alya reached out and pushed Nino's chair forward so he was sat up properly after letting out a noise of surprise. "I've trusted you twice and you've failed me. I'm not fooling for it a second time, Nino."

In front of her, Adrien turned around in his chair so he could look at them properly, rather than leaning back and looking from an angle as Nino had done. "Marinette's a mod?"

"I'm not giving it to you either, Adrien," Alya quickly replied, setting her pen down to cross her arms over her chest. "Mari's the only one I trust here and it's staying that way."

With a laugh, Adrien's attention switched towards her as he asked, "What's your username?"

Alya was her saving grace. "Not for you to know," she said, pushing up her spectacles with one finger. "It's bad enough that people know that I'm sixteen, I can't have it getting out that most of my mods are within my age-range."

He smiled at that. "Not trusting the adults?"

"The only ones that have reached out to help me want me to advertise their products or businesses." She wrinkled her nose. "So, that's why I need mature moderators."

The emphasised was definitely directed at Nino, and he could tell from the way he rolled his eyes. "Come on, Alya—"

"No."

He defended himself with, "It's mostly just kids that use it!"

"I don't need any more children on it, then!" Alya huffed. "Honestly."

Marinette couldn't stop herself from laughing.

When she got home, the messages from Adrien mentioned that conversation.

Chatmander:
rin!
alya was talking about her mods today
which means you!

Ladybugimon:
okay?
what does this mean

Chatmander:
it means i was good
and didn't ask her for anything

Ladybugimon:
I'm
proud of you?

Chatmander:
as you should be
look at me out here
being a good boyfriend

Ladybugimon:
so good
what do you want

Chatmander:
love and affection

Ladybugimon:
we're dating

Chatmander:
you're
right

Ladybugimon:
…
why do I like you

Chatmander:
idk
it's not just my beautiful face
right

Ladybugimon:
you were cute without the face

Chatmander:
yeah but
would you have dated me
if i never told you who i was?

Ladybugimon:
no?
you kinda need an identity
for me to date

Chatmander:
you know what i mean
don't be a dick!

Ladybugimon:
ok ok
aahh
you were a good friend
but I had a crush on someone else?
kinda

Chatmander:
who
who do i need to fight

Ladybugimon:
I'm not even going to answer that

Chatmander:
i'm not actually going to fight
can you imagine someone recording that
i'd be ruined
actually
that sounds tempting

Ladybugimon:
"dishonoured agreste shows off his bad attitude and fashion"

Chatmander:
nice

Ladybugimon:
don't let it go to your head but
I liked you anyway

Chatmander:
!
me?

Ladybugimon:
yeah
you were sweet when we met irl
so I had a crush

Chatmander:
is it more than a crush now

Ladybugimon:
idk
did I even go on a date with adrien agreste?
I thought I was dating ladybug

Chatmander:
rin!

Ladybugimon:
okay, okay
yeah, it is
bit awkward if it was still a crush
we've been talking like
six months

Chatmander:
i defeated myself

Ladybugimon:
calm down

Chatmander:
no!
it's okay if i
mention you to my friends, right?

Ladybugimon:
yeah, of course?
unless I'm your dirty secret

Chatmander:
never!
i just wanted to make sure that you're cool with it
being rin
that

Ladybugimon:
rin is me
I am rin

Chatmander:
taking that as a yes

Ladybugimon:
it's fine!
if my name ends up on some gossip column
I will actually cry

Chatmander:
not if i cry first

Ladybugimon:
double cry

Chatmander:
no!

And as he'd said he would, Adrien mentioned her in class the next day. Marinette wasn't quite as prepared for it as she thought she would be, not when she'd almost dozed off because she'd stayed up playing a new game that had come out the previous week. The only reason Adrien didn't know about that yet—she was planning to tell him her woes that—was because his internet was still cut off at a specific time.

"So," Adrien started as he fiddled with his food during lunch. They'd snagged one of the tables inside. The hall was loud and filled with chatter from everyone around them, meaning his words were almost drowned out. "I have something to say."

Nino looked at him suspiciously. "Bit dramatic."

Adrien cleared his throat. "I—"

"You're not leaving for some photoshoot, are you?" Alya interrupted, her expression wary. "The last time you did that, you ended up with a cold. When was that, Mari?"

The sudden drop of her name caught her by surprise. Marinette gestured towards her face to indicate that she was chewing, quickly swallowing her food. "I—sometime last year? I don't know specifically."

"Disappointing," Alya teased, shaking her head. "I expected better of you."

Marinette narrowed her eyes at her. "Adrien had something to say—"

"I—no, you two can just continue," Adrien stuttered, taking off the cap of his drink and having a sip for longer than necessary, visibly trying to ignore the eyes that were directed his way. And when he realised that the three of them were still looking at him expectantly, he grimaced. "I've changed my mind."

"No, no," Nino said. "You can't do this to us, man. I'm curious as hell now."

He shook his head. "No."

"Adrien," Alya complained, dramatically resting her head on Nino's shoulder. "How can you treat us this way? I've practically raised you on my back and this is how you repay me."

"I'm older than you—"

Alya sighed loudly, interrupting him. "Woe is me."

Marinette laughed. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, Adrien."

"We'll just be greatly offended if you don't," Alya chimed in.

"Yeah, I'm starting to get that," Adrien muttered, but not quiet enough so none of them would hear. "I—this can't get out to anyone, okay? I really don't want some trashy articles getting out because of it."

Nino blinked. "Oh, serious talk."

"A little." Adrien rubbed the nape of his neck, averting his eyes and keeping his gaze on his drink, rather than his friends. "I... I'm kind of dating someone?"

Alya picked up on his phrasing more than anything. "How do you kind of date someone?"

As they were sitting beside each other, Adrien's knee hit her when he shifted in his seat, seeming to squirm from the sudden attention. "I—" Adrien cut himself off, clearing his throat. "Okay, not kind of. We're dating—completely dating."

"Good for you," Nino remarked. And, to Marinette's horror, his eyes flickered over to her. "It's not someone from here, is it?"

Adrien fiddled with the lid of his drink. "No," he admitted, not realising the looks that were being sent her way. "She's... it's a long-distance thing. I'm hoping to see her for next month, but I'm not really sure if it's possible."

Marinette adamantly ignored the foot that kicked her gently under the table, one that could've only belonged to Alya. "Thanks for telling us," she managed to say, turning to face Adrien with a genuine smile. "I promise not to tell anyone else. That's what you're worrying about, right?"

Rather than looking down at his drink still, his gaze flickered up to meet hers. "Yeah," he admitted. "Well, that and my father finding out somehow. It would be a disaster."

She grinned. "I won't tell him over our afternoon tea."

He returned the smile. "Thanks."

It seemed to have gone over well. Although they'd been in a crowded hall while eating, the volume of the room had stopped anyone else from overhearing his quiet voice, and even if someone else had heard him, he hadn't disclosed any details that would be worth telling.

It was still strange to her that he was considered a celebrity, so much so that she was sometimes bewildered when she saw him on advertisements, not quite connecting the image in front of her to the friend that she'd made.

And since he'd become her boyfriend, that was even weirder to come to terms with.

While Marinette had thought that it had been a successful lunch, Alya pulled her aside when school had ended, just as she'd been walking out through the entrance. Usually, the two of them went separate ways so they didn't walk out together, but Alya didn't seem to care about that that afternoon.

"Mari!" she called, quickly jogging to catch up to her, throwing her arms around her for a hug. "I thought you'd gone already."

Marinette returned the hug half-heartedly. "No?"

"Do you want to come over for dinner?" Alya suddenly asked, wasting no time. "I've already confirmed that it's fine for you to come, just need to ask your parents now."

It was very out of the blue. Usually, they planned a day or two in advance so everything was planned, rather than spontaneous. "Okay?" Marinette was sure that her confusion was showing through. "It'll be easier to walk in the store to tell them than call. Do you want me to meet you at yours?"

"Sure." Alya smiled widely. "See you soon!"

With the permission of her parents, it was some just over half an hour later when she turned up at Alya's door. Alya let her in excitedly, and her siblings greeted her much the same on her way past, something that Marinette could never really get used to. It was stranger for her when friends she visited at home had pets, as she'd grown up without them.

Sometimes, Alya joked that her little sisters counted as pets instead.

"So," Marinette started when she was settled down on Alya's bed, her friend comfortably spinning a little on her desk chair. "Why the sudden invite?"

Alya tossed her red-coloured hair over her shoulder. "Why do you think?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, that's why I'm asking."

"Okay, sassy," Alya remarked, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. Then, as the silence kicked in—quiet where the muffled voices of Alya's family could be heard through the door—Marinette almost started to squirm underneath the gaze that was directed at her. "I thought you'd be... I don't know, upset."

It took a moment for it to click. "About Adrien?"

"Yes."

"No, I'm... I'm happy for him," Marinette replied, eyebrows knitting together. It had been no secret that she had a crush on him—but that was all it was in her friends' eyes. "I'm not going to turn into some jealous monster because he's dating someone."

Alya squinted at her. "Are you sure?"

Months ago, before she'd found Adrien on the forums, she probably would've been offended by that reaction. "Very," she confirmed, leaning back and resting her weight on her palms. "I was a bit mad about him, but it was more—more because I knew he wouldn't return those feelings, I think? Getting to know him these past few months has made me see him more as a friend."

It wasn't the whole truth, but it was what she was willing to share. It wasn't a lie that she'd calmed down around him; she didn't stutter as often, and her heart didn't beat rapidly from her panicking about all the things that she could say wrong around him. Then again, she doubted that she could best blurting out about his socks, as she'd done all those months ago.

"This isn't because he gave you those weird socks for your birthday, is it?"

The mention of them had her laughing hard. "I—definitely," Marinette stuttered out through her laughter, the sounds coming out as wheezes from how amused she was. "My crush absolutely died when he gave me socks."

"Because I have to tell you, he bought me a pair for my birthday—"

-x-

Chat when he was worrying over something small was a little amusing.

It was different to seeing him in a fight, or trying to talk to a reporter with limited time left on his transformation. When he was draped across her sofa instead, taking up all the space and refusing to let her sit down, with the back of his hand pressed against his forehead, she couldn't take him very seriously.

"You're being ridiculous," she huffed, leaning back in her desk chair. It had been weeks since she'd last sat down across from him, instead of beside, but his dramatics called for a lot of space that day. "She'll love anything you get her, even if it's just a card. Stop worrying so much."

He sighed loudly. "But what if she gets a better card from someone else? I'm terrible at picking out presents."

"It's the thought that counts—"

"But I've never had a girlfriend before," he lamented. "What am I even supposed to do? I'm not—I'm not going to just turn up with flowers or something. It's not like I can even do that."

Marinette resisted the urge to kick him. He'd been venting his worries for the past ten minutes or so, ignoring what she was saying, so she didn't expect it to get through to him when she pointed out, "Have you asked her what she'd like to do?"

He sat up, turning his head to look at her. "I—what?"

"What she'd like to do," Marinette repeated, staring at him in exasperation. "You could—I don't know—watch a film online together? That would count as a date, wouldn't it? Doing that along with sending her a card should be fine."

His lips parted silently for a moment before he gushed, "You're so smart."

Marinette raised her eyebrows. "You're only realising this now?"

While Chat was having a dilemma about the upcoming holiday with his new relationship, it seemed that Adrien was feeling the same way, too. She'd already brought up possibly seeing each other around that time, hoping that his schedule would be clear enough for him to meet up with her, but that didn't seem to be enough in his eyes.

Chatmander:
do you like
want flowers or something

Ladybugimon:
no

Chatmander:
no?

Ladybugimon:
talking to you is enough?
I've never gotten flowers before
let's not start now
let me be a kid forever

Chatmander:
does that...
mean you're not legal

Ladybugimon:
…
that's what you got out of that

Chatmander:
our ages are close
but which way
rin
which way?

Ladybugimon:
leave me alone

Chatmander:
if i can't buy you flowers
i'm still paying for this date, right?

Ladybugimon:
only because your fingers were frozen last time
it won't be like this forever

Chatmander:
fight me

Ladybugimon:
bring it

Chatmander:
wait
i can't do anything to you in your suit

Ladybugimon:
I think you mean my cosplay

Chatmander:
yeah, that

Ladybugimon:
adrien!
are you asking me to undress?

Chatmander:
into normal clothes
get your mind out of the gutter

Ladybugimon:
sorry
tis the season

Chatmander:
you're underaged
control yourself

Ladybugimon:
…

They couldn't meet on the actual day—since it was in the middle of the week, and they both had school—but they arranged to the weekend before. However, the day before they were supposed to, Adrien had to deliver the bad news that his father wanted to spend quality time with him instead the following day, so they had to try and rearrange it for the weekend afterwards.

It led to Nino asking him during lunch, "Are you going to see your girlfriend soon?"

It was easy to see when Adrien became nervous. "I—maybe?"

"Maybe?"Alya questioned after she'd swallowed her mouthful. "Yes or no, dude. I feel like you clam up whenever you talk about her."

To be fair, he didn't bring her up often. Marinette supposed it was because he didn't want to accidentally reveal something that he shouldn't, so all they knew was that his girlfriend lived a while away—not her age, which school—and that her name was Rin.

It definitely amused him how it drove Nino and Alya crazy.

"We were supposed to last weekend," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "But I had to cancel because of my father. I'm not sure whether we can this weekend or not."

Nino hummed in agreement. "Think of it this way—you can buy the discounted stuff for when you see her."

She laughed at that.

And when they did meet up—back in the park since she knew that it was close for him and not too far for her, despite her not telling him that—she really hadn't expected him to follow Nino's advice.

Adrien had agreed to dress up in cosplay with her again, turning up in black-coloured casual clothing, that definitely looked warmer than the last time, with a headband with cat ears perched in his hair. The main difference from before, other than the colour scheme, was that he hadn't painted a mask on his face.

It was brightly-decorated bag in his hand that caught her attention as she walked closer to him. Rather than wear the pun shirt again—that had been carefully folded and hidden at the back of her wardrobe—Marinette had shrugged on an oversized sweater to wear along with her earmuffs and scarf, hoping to blend in well with everyone else that was dressing for the weather.

"Hi," he said, holding up a hand to wave at her awkwardly.

Seeing him looking so shy when it was directed at her made her chest feel warm. Bravely, Marinette walked closer to him, so their feet were almost touching, and asked, "Can I hug you?"

His smile reached his eyes. "Of course."

As his nose wasn't red, it was clear that he hadn't been outside for too long. Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his chest against hers, and took that moment to realise that he must've grown in the past months. It wasn't often that they were standing close together, usually only walking beside each other between classes.

Adrien's arms were loosely around her waist, as though he wasn't too sure on what to do with them, and that made her feel all the more fond of him.

It was a pretty awkward hug, honestly. Marinette was sure that her face was a little hot when she pulled away, her wide smile mirrored on his face.

The first thing they did was take a picture together to post onto her cosplay account. Adrien had agreed that it would be a good idea to take one whenever they were together—to cultivate her cosplay identity—and she didn't have any reason to argue with him there.

She'd adjusted the page to say that her name was Rin, not stating anything else about herself.

"You're a pretty good Chat Noir," she remarked as she placed her phone away, not checking the photos any further as she didn't want to accidentally click the wrong ones and reveal herself. It had been hassle enough to remember to change the chase of her phone before she left.

He let out a choked laugh. "Really?"

With a grin, Marinette pointed out, "This means you get permission to flirt with me all day."

His version of flirting was to give her the bag that he'd brought along with him. When she peered inside to see a few boxes of sweets that she didn't have often, specifically ones that she'd mentioned during their conversations, she didn't stop herself from hugging him again.

"You're—you're very into hugs," Adrien mused, not pushing her away in rejection. "What brought this on?"

She was glad that her face was hidden as she embraced him. "I just missed you, that's all."

And when he laughed, she could feel it. "We talk daily."

"But I don't get to see you," Marinette murmured, almost regretting that she couldn't tell the truth. "Not—not like this."

"I'm very glad that you don't have to save me often," he mused, adjusting his arms around her waist to hold her tighter, rather than the loose grip that had been barely there. "It's not very attractive when I'm terrified, right?"

She snorted. "Stop fishing for compliments."

"Darn."

That caused her to laugh, resting her forehead against his shoulder. "Don't say darn!"

The mischief was clear in his voice as he quipped, "Heck?"

She wheezed out, "No!"

"...Frick."

It was a fun day. Marinette made up for not bringing him a gift by buying a terrible Chat Noir-themed sweater, one that was oversized and fell over his hands when he put it on, with the intent of him wearing it the next time that they were together.

Adrien was overjoyed with that.

She took a lot more picture than the only one she'd had previously. When Adrien had realised that she wasn't checking them and realised it was because she was worried about accidentally showing something she shouldn't, he swiftly offered to let the two of them use his phone instead, promising to send them all that evening.

It was so very sweet of him.

Marinette's cheeks hurt from laughing multiple times. The only mishap they had was with the icy ground outside because Adrien's shoes didn't have proper grip on them—they were more suited for fashion, rather than practicality.

"You can hold onto me," she offered, dramatically holding out her arm as though she was about to escort him to a fancy event.

Adrien caught onto her meaning and daintily held onto her arm, trying to hold back his laughter, before he almost slipped and had to hold onto her properly.

"Unfair," he muttered. "You definitely have an unfair advantage."

She snorted. "You're just bitter your boots suck."

"You're not even wearing boots!" he pointed out, gesturing with one hand down to where her shoes were built into her outfit. "That has to count as a onesie, right?"

That made her laugh. "I guess?"

"They're a fashion travesty, according to my father," he mused. "I tried to buy one last year. It didn't end so well."

There was a lot that she wanted to say about his father, but she wasn't in the right position to say anything. If Adrien needed someone to vent to, she was happy being that person for him, but joining in with the negative comments wasn't something she wanted to do.

"I bet we could find you a onesie to wear one when it's warmer," Marinette mused, bumping her shoulder gently against his. "That way you won't freeze for your terrible fashion choices."

He laughed. "You really don't trust me to dress myself, do you?"

She just raised her eyebrows.

And when the sky was getting dark, indicating that they would have to part ways, Adrien took another picture of them together—except, instead of the two of them smiling at the camera, he pressed a kiss to her cheek as it was being taken.

"Adrien!" she chastised in surprise, pulling away from him and batting his hand off of his shoulder. "I'm not posting that."

"That's fine." He wasn't even sheepish or embarrassed about what he'd done. "It can be just for your eyes."

She reached up to touch her cheek where he'd kissed her. "You—you didn't even ask."

"Oh." Then, his smile was a little shy as he fiddled with one of his sleeves. "I—can I kiss you?"

Marinette squinted at him. "But you already did."

"Not—" Adrien cut himself off, vaguely gesturing towards her face. "Not like that, I mean."

It did comprehend with her what he meant, but she wanted to tease him. "No, what do you mean?" she asked, purposely trying to keep herself from smiling.

It was only their second date, but she wasn't too worried about them moving too fast. For their age, Marinette didn't have much experience with dating—not when she'd only just starting dating her first boyfriend and could barely see him—but she knew that he was in much the same position. There was a underlying worry that she'd mess up, of course, but even if she did, she felt comfortable enough with him to know that he'd laugh it off if anything awkward happened.

It wasn't as though kissing would somehow make any feelings he had for her disappear.

Still, she felt more comfortable teasing him at that moment. They'd barely held hands; sure, they'd hugged, but the two afternoons they'd spent in each other's company had been purely innocent.

For a moment, he just looked at her, as though he was trying to see whether she was serious or no, before he bemoaned, "You're teasing me."

Marinette hummed. "Am I?"

"Definitely," he said, nodding his head. "I take it back. I don't want to kiss you at all."

"Really?" she questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. "This is definitely an expected turn of events. How will I ever cope?"

He snorted. "No need to be sarcastic."

"I'm allowed to be, you just rejected me."

Adrien let out a laugh. "I didn't reject you—"

"You said you don't want to kiss me!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "That's rejection before anything could even happen—I'm heartbroken now, Adrien."

Gesturing towards the device in his hand, he replied, "I kissed your cheek."

"And that's all you want to kiss, apparently." She sniffed. "Woe is me."

It just made him laugh more. "You're ridiculous."

When they had to part, Marinette gladly hugged him tightly again, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath. It had been a nice afternoon, the atmosphere a lot different than when they were at school—rarely alone with him completely oblivious to who she was—and she'd definitely miss the way he'd gravitated so close to her when she went back to being Marinette.

"Can I see you again soon?" he murmured.

She smiled. "I'll do my best."

"I should be saying that to you," Adrien said, following that up with a small sigh. "I'm sorry about cancelling before."

"I'm not too upset—I did get snacks out of it." She laughed. "Besides, now you have a cool sweater to wear next time."

She could feel his laughter. "Thank you for that, by the way."

"No need to thank me," Marinette responded, pulling back so she could look into his eyes, her arms still wrapped loosely around his neck. "I'm sorry for not getting you anything before. It just—I didn't know what to get?"

His dimples showed as he easily replied, "Just seeing you is enough."

"Smooth," she teased, reaching her gloved hand up to touch one of his cheeks where they'd started to colour from the cold temperature. With a burst of courage, she put her weight on her toes and pressed her lips to his cheek, the action much slower and lingering more than how his had been for their picture. "I'll see you soon, Adrien."

-x-

"I'm supposed to be in bed right now," Chat stated out of nowhere while they were playing a game together. One of the advantages of his outfit was that the controller didn't feel uncomfortable in his hands, something that she was quick to blame on the rare occasion where he won against her. "Are your parents the same?"

She almost hit him with her elbow as she adjusted how she was sitting. "You mean, enforcing a bedtime?"

"Yeah."

"Not really?" She shrugged. "They have to wake up really early to make sure everything's ready for the store, so I've been staying up later than them for a few years."

He hummed. "And they trust you to be responsible?"

"Well, no." Marinette grinned. "They just give me to chance to stay in bed in the mornings. The suffering is my own fault if I stay up too late."

"That sounds nice." There was a wistful tone to his voice. From the vague comments that he'd made, it was easy to come to the conclusion that he was from a strict family—she just didn't know how to comfort him about that. "I wish it was like that—for me, I mean. I'm just really fed up all the time."

As he clearly didn't want to pause, Marinette kept her eyes on the screen as she asked, "That bad?"

"A little," Chat replied, as though they were talking about the weather. "Just a bit annoying, that's all."

"You're free to vent to me," Marinette reminded him. "Not like I can tell anyone, remember?"

He bumped his shoulder gently against hers. "I trust you."

"As you should, you've been coming here for months," she said with a laugh. "It would be a bit of an insult if you didn't by now."

Chat's grin was visible from the corner of her eyes. "You're definitely my friend, don't worry."

"Nice," Marinette remarked, drawing out the sound of the first vowel. "My goal in life is complete."

Chat laughed. "No, I take it all back now."

"It's too late."

"I'm not here to be friends with someone so sarcastic," he muttered, purposely scooting away as far as he could. "How did you ever rope me into this?"

"Me?" Marinette spluttered through her laughter. "You're the one that turned up at my door!"

With a hum that was supposed to sound contemplative, he replied, "Oh, are you sure? I don't remember anything of the sort happening."

"You literally wore a witch's hat to make a bad pun," she deadpanned. "How is that not something you'd do?"

He turned his head to wink at her. "Do you really think I'd do anything that childish? Honestly."

"Childish sums you up pretty well, actually," she mused. "I mean, you are here playing games with me instead of being in bed. That's saying a lot about you, isn't it?"

As if to prove her point, he stuck out his tongue for a moment before he focused back on their game. "It's not my fault I can't talk to you normally."

"That—that kind of is your fault?" Marinette pointed out. "You could've, I don't know, walked up to me and tried to be my friend?"

He snorted. "Are you saying you wouldn't have freaked out if I did that? You could barely look at me—"

It wasn't her that had messed up and said something that she shouldn't, for once. Chat fumbled with the controller from shock, hitting the button for the menu to pop up and pause their game for the foreseeable future, and he turned to look at her with a grimace.

"Can—can you forget I said that?"

Even if it wasn't for his voice cracking, she wouldn't agreed. Marinette smiled softly, hoping that it would convey her sincerity, rather than appear mocking, and nodded her head. "Yeah, of course. Don't worry, Chat."

"It was an accident," he insisted.

"I've done a lot worse," Marinette said, trying to placate him as she set her controller down beside her, not hesitating and reaching out to take his from him. "I'm your friend, remember? I'm not going to rat you out to anyone."

He swallowed audibly. "I just—it was a mistake."

"Yeah," she agreed. For a moment, she had to wonder whether her reaction after she'd left Adrien that first time—when she'd accidentally revealed herself—was similar to what Chat was going through. "But even with that, I have no idea who you are. The mask, remember?"

As if he was only just remembering that, Chat pressed his fingertips against the mask on his face before pulling his hand away, staring at it for a moment. "Yeah." It was a whisper, barely there. "You're right."

But they'd never be able to be friends normally, would they? Marinette was lucky that she was able to spend time with him in her two identities, each of their friendships positive and filled with laughter, but he was never going to have that twice with her, not when they were both trying to be responsible.

"For the record," Marinette started, tucking some stray hairs behind her ear. "I think we'd be pretty good friends—if we ever met normally, I mean."

His smile was half-hearted. "You're just saying that."

"But I do mean it," she insisted, gesturing between them. "We get along well, don't we?"

"I—yes?" It almost sounded like a question. "I do wonder whether you're just putting up with me sometimes, though."

She stared at him, waiting for him to add something else to that statement.

And when he didn't, she called out, "Chat." And as he looked at her, some of his expression hidden due to the mask making it so his eyebrows weren't visible (though it was easy to tell when they were furrowed due to the mask bending to fit his every movement), she was almost tempted to reach out and put a hand on his arm. "Do you really think I'd invite just anyone into my bedroom?"

For a moment, he looked stumped, his mouth parting with no words escaping him, before he simply shook his head.

"No," she clarified, crossing her arms over her chest. "I wouldn't."

He fumbled to say, "I was never implying that—"

"You're my friend," Marinette stated, leaving no room for argument. "There's a lot of people at school that I enjoy talking to sometimes, but I wouldn't invite them into my room. I know we can't stroll the streets together, or something, but I really don't mind you being here."

It baffled her how he could come to those conclusions. Sure, they weren't able to talk outside of their almost weekly meetings—he didn't turn up sometimes, and Marinette went to bed early—but she did look forward to them. Chat was fun to be around, and for him to trust her enough to vent out about his feelings was something she treasured.

And she wasn't shy about doing the same back to him.

His smile showed his dimples. "You're a really good friend."

She sniffed. "I should hope so. I do feed you, after all."

While she thought she wouldn't have that similar of a conversation again, it came up during the week when she was talking with Adrien in the evening.

The microphone made his voice crackle as he asked, "Do you ever—do you get along with everyone?"

It was easier for him to talk, rather than type, when he was doing homework while chatting with her. As much as Marinette had told him to focus on one and then get back to her later, he didn't want to do that, as it would mean he'd spend too much of his limited time away from her, according to him.

Ladybugimon:
do you mean at school?
or what
because I'd avoid everyone if I could
talking for ages is exhausting

"At school," he clarified. "I just—a lot of people talk to me when they want something? I've got friends, but... I still don't really know how to handle it when someone's awkward around me."

Ladybugimon:
not really the best person to ask here
I get along with them, I guess?
like if we're put into groups and stuff
but I'd never invite them over to play games
not close enough for that

The sound of creaking became apparent, the tell-tale noise that indicated he was leaning back. "I don't really know when I'm bothering someone."

Ladybugimon:
it would be pretty obvious?

"Maybe," he agreed. "But one of my... friends? I want to call her a friend, but we're not really that close. I mean, she give me a birthday present, but we've only just started actually talking."

As much as she didn't want to acknowledge it, she was startled when she realised that the chances of him talking about her were high. Marinette had expected that he hadn't quite picked up on her crush on him, but ever since they'd started to talk from the forums, she'd slowly grown more comfortable with him until she only stuttered her usual amount (usually when she was trying to talk fast).

Ladybugimon:
what about her?

"Well," he started, audibly stalling. "Our best friends are dating, so we're almost always sitting together when we can, but she—she's only just talking to me? Do you think it would be rude for me to ask why?"

There was a bubbling feeling of guilt, even though she knew that she shouldn't feel that way. Had Adrien assumed that she'd disliked him for all that time because she couldn't properly calm herself around him?

Ladybugimon:
what if she was just shy?
idk you're
kind of a big deal
not to boost your ego or something
she could've just been intimidated

"Maybe," he said again, but that time it was followed with a sigh. "I'm sorry, I'm being lame. Let's go back to talking about what we were before."

It definitely made her feel guilty.

Ladybugimon:
I don't think you're lame
it's perfectly normal for you to think something was wrong
but maybe she really just was shy around you?
but has warmed up now
that's what it sounds like to me

Adrien's reply was a quiet, "I guess."

Ladybugimon:
you're an amazing person
anyone that only talks to you because they want something
can actually fight me
I'll defend your honour

He snickered at that, making her feel proud. "You'll annihilate them."

Ladybugimon:
that's the point
how dare they try and take advantage of you?
I will fight
everyone

"That's so sweet," he cooed, sounding a lot happier than he did a few minutes ago. "Are you trying to confess your love right now, Rin?"

The use of the name she'd given him had become easier to listen to after a while. At first, when he'd called her it on while using his microphone, she hadn't quite realised that he was addressing her (even though she was the only one present—though, there was one time when someone had burst into his room, calling his name, but he'd quickly ended the call and disappeared for a while).

Ladybugimon:
excuse you?
what do you mean trying

His laughter was enchanting. "Okay, my bad. Sorry for not realising that you love me."

It was silly, but she was reminded that he hadn't noticed her horribly embarrassing crush on him since she was thirteen.

Ladybugimon:
idk if you deserve it now
you're so rude

He let out an exaggerated gasp. "How dare you!"

Ladybugimon:
I dare
what are you gonna do about it?

"Well," Adrien started, dragging out the last syllable for longer than necessary. "Ask you out on another date?"

Ladybugimon:
another?
you're getting greedy

"Need to make use of that sweater you got me before it gets warmer," he pointed out, amusement clear in his voice. "And to see you, of course."

Ladybugimon:
no no
the sweater is more important
I'm heartbroken

Adrien snorted. "No, you're not."

Ladybugimon:
see
not important!

"I meant you're not heartbroken!"

Ladybugimon:
I'm distraught
boohoo

"You can't say that when you're supposed to be sad," Adrien choked out through his laughter, and she was sure that his smile was as wide as her own. "You're terrible, Rin."

Ladybugimon:
terribly cute
am I right

With a noise of agreement, he stated, "Super cute."

Ladybugimon:
I'm groaning at you

"I've always wanted to make you groan," he mused, voice shaking towards the end as he tried not to laugh. "Guess I'm really living the dream now."

And when he got to the end of that sentence, he couldn't hold back his amusement, bursting into laughter that was echoed on her end, though he couldn't hear it. Marinette had to take a while to recover as she laughed into her hands, wondering how she'd ever missed how amusing he could be.

Ladybugimon:
you're the worst?

He was still laughing. "I love you, too."

-x-

The sweater looked just as oversized as when she'd bought it when she saw it on him. It was supposed to be the start of spring—meaning they'd been dating for two months, a concept she found hard to grasp onto—but the weather was still terrible. Adrien had bundled up with a hat, scarf, and gloves that all matched, a tame outfit compared to her own.

His laughter was beautiful, though.

"Nice outfit," he commented when she'd immediately rushed forward and engulfed him in an embrace, one he'd happily complied to, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "What pun are you supposed to be this time?"

With a laugh, Marinette stated, "Ladythug, of course."

The tacky-looking jewellery had been easy to find, and she'd added on a sleeveless t-shirt along with the baggiest sweatpants that she managed to find on sale. It was an outfit that she'd had to spend a little money on, but considering she wanted to be a terrible cosplayer while having fun with Adrien, it was worth it.

"Right, yes," he choked out through his laughter. "How could I not see that? My bad."

She pulled away from the hug with a grin. "You should just be happy that I didn't try and colour I my teeth gold."

"...I'm so happy."

Rather than walking around for the whole day and ducking into cafés, they went to the cinema. He'd agreed to take pictures with her before they went inside—Adrien showing how fast he could put on a nice-looking smile on command, something that she found hard to do—and it didn't really occur to her that he wasn't wearing anything to cover his face with.

They got weird looks, of course. Marinette had started to get used to it, though; she grinned when children look at her curiously, and she only had to say to one child that she was a cosplayer that day.

They agreed to share snacks, but not drinks, and she'd almost tripped over while carrying them when Adrien had to quickly answer a text that he'd gotten.

"Sorry," he said, looking a bit sheepish. "That was Nino."

She grinned right back. "It's fine, Adrien. You don't have to ignore your friends while you're with me."

"But I want to pay attention to you," he said, purposely batting his eyes in a way that made her laugh. "It's okay. He was just telling me that my alibi's working."

That caused her to stare at him. "...Alibi?"

"I—did I not mention that?" Adrien asked, his voice going higher-pitched than usual. "Funny that."

"Why would you need an alibi?" she questioned, brow furrowing from wondering why he hadn't told her before. Adrien had mentioned that he had trouble trying to confirm that he could go outside in the first place, especially without his driver escorting him—something that was rare, and he usually had to be stubborn as hell to make it happen—but he'd always told her about it before. "I thought it was okay."

He reached up and touched of his neck. "It's... I can't really get them to agree if they haven't met whoever I'm meeting up with before."

"...Why wouldn't you tell me this?"

"I thought you might be mad at me," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "But it's okay! Nino's totally fine with being my backup. He just answers the phone and says I'm there."

She pursed her lips. "And what if they want to talk to his parents?"

"That only really happens if there's dinner involved," he admitted. "Otherwise, just talking to the friend is fine—well, just Nino and Chloé so far."

It really was something that he should've told her before, but she wasn't going to be angry about it—it seemed like such a strange thing to be mad at. "I'm just worried," Marinette admitted, passing half of the snacks over to him after he'd pocketed his phone. "You're not—you're not really hiding who you are right now? If your father sees—"

He waved a hand dismissively. "If he sees, Nino's here. He's just gone to the toilet."

"I hope you're good at lying."

His smile grew at that. "A little bit."

"You better be," she muttered, readjusting her grip on her drink. "I usually just dig myself a hole and want to die whenever I try and get out of trouble. It never ends well."

Adrien patted her head. "Poor you."

She stuck her tongue out childishly.

The highlight of the film was him holding her hand. The film itself wasn't that good, something that the both of them agreed on when it had finished, but she was more than happy when he took her hand into his, interlacing their fingers together.

When the lights turned back on, the two of them still holding hands, Adrien burst into laughter when he looked at her fully.

"I almost forgot about your outfit," he choked out, utterly delighted with how ridiculous she looked. "Please, let me take a picture."

She rolled her eyes. "You don't need to ask."

As with their last date, they were using Adrien's phone for the pictures. He promised to send them afterwards, and she had no reason to reject him.

Her chest felt warm from happiness when she saw that one of their pictures together was his wallpaper. She would've done the same for her phone, but she didn't want to try and hide everything when the day was over—changing the case was hard enough as it was.

One of the first things out of his mouth when they'd left the theatre was, "I regret eating so much."

She snorted. "I did warn you to stop."

"It's not my fault we bought too much." He sniffed. "I just didn't want to waste anything, okay?"

He was cute. "Thank you for your noble effort."

"Somehow, I don't think you're being very sincere right now."

They walked around for a little bit. Adrien went back to holding her hand as soon as he'd slipped on his gloves, ready to face the cold, and Marinette couldn't stop herself from smiling as he intertwined his fingers with his. She wouldn't be able to feel it without her suits built-in gloves, not for the foreseeable future, but she still liked it.

"So," he started, clearing his throat afterwards.

It was clear that he wanted to say something.

Marinette grinned. "So?"

"So," he repeated, though it sounded much stronger that time. "We've been dating three months."

She nodded her head. "Yes?"

And as he turned to look at her, his hand tightening around hers for a moment, Adrien stated, "And we've seen each other three times."

Raising her eyebrows, Marinette replied, "If you mean for dates, yes."

"...Yes."

There was a beat of silence where she couldn't get rid of her fond smile. It was clear that he was nervous about something, not quite sure how to bring it up, and she could only hope that she was being supportive enough to convince him to come out with it.

It didn't take him long to ask, "Can I—can I kiss you?"

It was reminiscent to the last time he'd asked that. Marinette hummed, taking a step closer so their feet were almost touching, and mused, "Well, your nose isn't running this time."

"And my hands definitely aren't numb," he chimed in. "Does that mean I've followed the checklist this time?"

There was no denying that she really liked him, even when he was a dork. Rather than reply verbally, Marinette's eyes flickered down to his lips before she looked into his eyes again, purposely smiling.

She could see him swallow.

It was a little awkward.

It was to be expected, though. Neither of them had much experience, something they'd openly admitted to each other before, but Marinette was more than comfortable with him. She wasn't worrying about whether he'd make fun of her if she messed up, or whether she'd be absolutely dreadful at something she'd never done before.

Marinette happily wrapped her arms around his neck in a loose embrace, putting her weight onto her toes as she tried to reach his height, aware of their height difference more than even. And as he held onto her waist, similar to their hugs that she always enjoyed, she closed her eyes as his cold lips pressed against hers.

There was a moment or two where their teeth clashed due to clumsiness, the two of them trying to adjust themselves to make it comfortable for each other, but it wasn't an unpleasant experience. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her skin, his nose brushing against her cheek every now and then, and she was more than happy with the sensations that were present.

The best way to describe it was innocent.

Adrien was holding onto her loosely, not the tight embrace that he'd taken to given her when they hugged, and his lips were gentle against hers, nerves clear in every moment. She could feel it as he smiled against her when she accidentally grazed his lip with her teeth, easily brushing off any of the mistakes that they made.

The fast pace of her heart wasn't from nerves.

Her face felt hot when they parted.

And when she pulled away, taking in his flushed expression—from the lips that were redder than before, and the colour that had accumulated on his cheeks and the top of his ears—she was really happy with what had just happened between them.

And from the way his smile reached his eyes, he was, too.

"Do you want to know my next cosplay?" she asked.

Adrien let out a startled laugh. "What can ever top Ladythug?"

"You have no faith," Marinette said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't think you deserve to know now."

"Rin!" he exclaimed, sounding utterly offended. "How could you think that of me?"

She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "It's a mystery."

"I'll guess you'll have to keep it a secret for a while," he mused. "To keep me in suspense and all that."

Marinette held back a laugh. "I'll probably break and tell you later."

He grinned. "I'm looking forward to it."

-x-

Ladybugimon started to gain attention. The account had thirteen on it on it—eight with Adrien in them—and it didn't take long for someone to question whether it was really him in it. Surprisingly, her cosplay of Ladybug wasn't questioned, just accepted, and it was his addition to the pictures that caused the attention to be directed at her in the first place.

It was a little scary that he had so many fans when he was only sixteen.

His disguise hadn't been magic. The first time, when he'd painted the wonky mask onto his face, it was only luck that someone hadn't taken a double-take and realised that it was him. With his permission, Marinette had posted that picture of the two of them onto her account, and then the pictures from their second date followed, along with the third when he sent them to her when she was home.

Adrien's popularity kind of scared her, if she was being honest.

The next time she logged onto the forum to browse, she saw a thread of someone claiming that Adrien Agreste had hired a Ladybug lookalike for an upcoming brand deal, but the picture had been leaked because of an outside source.

It was absolutely dumb.

Marinette didn't respond to any comments or messages that she received. Ladybugimon had been created so she could awkwardly state that she was just a Ladybug cosplay if someone questioned her—but she hadn't really considered what they'd do if someone realised who Adrien was.

They were a little careless, really. Adrien apologised profusely when he turned his microphone on that evening after she'd found the forum post. Marinette was bemused mostly, especially when Alya sent her a message along with links to articles that were reporting the same confused news, claiming all different things about her.

Alya had locked all the forums about Adrien that she could find, ending them all with a message that her friend's hobbies weren't something to be gossiped about on her site.

It was nice to see her so protective.

"Thanks," Adrien said to her the next day, giving Alya a quick and grateful hug.

Alya just grinned. "No problem, man. I totally support your cosplaying."

And if that was what their friends gained from that, she wasn't going to correct them on that. Adrien had wanted to be treated like a normal teenager—it was why he'd asked to go to public school in the first place, rather than be schooled at home any longer—so it made sense that he'd want to dabble in what he could. It was just bad luck that he'd been discovered so quickly.

But he wasn't that worried.

When Nino questioned whether he was going to continue or not, Adrien didn't hesitate to say, "Yes, of course."

"How come?" Alya enquired, resting her elbows on the the table and her chin in her hands. "You've never mentioned cosplaying before. Mari could've helped you with your outfits—bonding time and all that."

Although Alya had said that with the intention of Adrien spending time with her, it wasn't because she was trying to get him to realise that he liked her, not any longer. Since Adrien had admitted that he'd had a girlfriend, the teasing towards her had toned down, though she did notice the looks Alya and Nino were sending her every now and then during their conversations.

Adrien's smile was almost blinding. "To support my girlfriend."

"Your—" Nino started, cutting himself off as his lips parted in surprise. "You mean that's her?"

"Yeah," Adrien confessed, the softness in his voice not something that could be easily missed. "She's pretty good at being Ladybug, right?"

Alya raised her eyebrows. "And stealing usernames."

Marinette almost choked at that. "It's—it's a pretty common username, isn't it?"

It was out of nowhere, something that she should've really expected, but it still caused her to grow red in the face and her heart to start beating from nerves. Adrien was right in front of them, and if Alya continued on to say anything—

"Fine," Alya said, holding her hands up for a moment in a sign of surrender. "I won't fight her for the rights for the name—but I'm still happy for you, Adrien. Even if you never told us about this."

True to his word, Adrien wasn't pushing Alya for any more information. Even though he was surely curious, he wasn't asking her for anything else, no; rather, he replied, "I just—I was kind of worried?"

Marinette was the one to ask, "About what?"

"It coming out, really," he said with a shrug. "It's why I haven't posted anything about her online, you know? We wanted to keep it quiet—away from my father, for sure—but now I'm probably going to get interrogated if he catches wind of it at all."

At any mention of his father, or how strict his life was, it was normal for Nino to jump in (and Alya, after getting to know each other more).

Alya brought up a good point. "We could just say we were there, too, right?"

It was what Adrien had said at the cinema—where he'd stated that he'd use the excuse that Nino was there along with him.

Adrien's gratefulness was clear in his smile as he looked at his friends. "It'll be fine," he insisted, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it, okay? I really doubt anything will actually happen with this. It's just a few posts that people have found."

Nino chimed in with, "Or we could actually come along next time and take pictures with you."

Adrien looked at his friend in surprise. "You're not just saying that because you want to meet her, right?"

"Well, yes," Nino admitted without any embarrassment. "But if it'll really help you out, dude, then it's no problem. I can't just keep answering the phone, right?"

The offer was sweet, even Marinette thought that, but for her to meet them? It was absolutely worrying to even think about that. Sure, they wouldn't know it was her—not while the transformation was active—but getting to know her actual friends in another identity would've been strange.

It was different with Adrien. She'd gotten to know him properly online first before approaching him in person. Since he'd spoken to her, to Rin, about wondering whether to approach her about their delayed friendship, she'd made sure to talk to him in the mornings when she arrived, and always chime in during their conversations. It didn't feel forced, though; she had been holding herself back a bit, worried that she'd come across as Rin far too much, but it was a silly worry that he'd never realise.

"It's a bit soon for that, isn't it?" Marinette questioned, shyly averting her gaze when stares were directed her way. She ran a hand through her hair as she said, "You barely get to see her as it is, right? We're not going to—to just tag along and ruin that time."

And when she looked up, Adrien's smile was soft. "Thank you."

"We could still cosplay, though," Alya remarked. "Then, you can post them to your personal account—say it's something you do with your friends."

Ever since the appearance of Chat Noir and Ladybug, it wasn't unusual to see people dressed up at them for parties or holidays, so it wasn't that strange of an occurrence for friends to plan to be them for the next birthday party for the class. It took one suggestion to make it so everyone dressed up, something no one really had a problem with, not when they could either be lazy and only wear a spotted t-shirt or put cat ears in their hair, while others could go all out with their costumes, if they wanted.

Still, Marinette was worried about the sudden attention Ladybugimon was getting. The comments coming through on the accounts were all over Adrien's appearance, remarking on his terrible face paint and how happy he looked in the ridiculous outfits, and she could barely wait until the evening to apologise to him.

Chatmander:
?
it's not your fault, rin
it's fine
don't worry?
it's just pictures with friends

The only reason she could agree with that was because she hadn't uploaded the picture of him kissing her cheek.

He told her again and again that it was fine, informing her of his plans to post pictures with his friends so his father wouldn't think anything was strange—but it was kind of strange. Their only dates together had been in costume, something that was needed between them, but it was the thoughts of their friends that she was a bit self-conscious about.

Then again, they barely knew anything about Rin.

Ladybugimon:
idk
just worried

Chatmander:
stop
it's fine!
let me cosplay and make bad fashion choices in the future

Ladybugimon:
you just like wearing outrageous outfits

Chatmander:
guilty
maybe i should show off my socks next time

Ladybugimon:
I will die

Chatmander:
sounds good
are you gonna reveal your plans yet?

Ladybugimon:
do you deserve it

Chatmander:
always?
you love me
be nice to me

Ladybugimon:
reconsidering that now

Chatmander:
i'm so offended

Ladybugimon:
deciding between ladyugh
where I just turn up looking dead
or ladydoug so I can wear a green sweater

Chatmander:
…
!

Ladybugimon:
are you
okay

Chatmander:
my love for you just doubled
out of nowhere
because of that

Ladybugimon:
bit worrying but okay

Chatmander:
shitty cosplay is clearly what i was meant for
this is my calling in life

Ladybugimon:
it does let you wear the worst things

Chatmander:
i think you mean best
and now my friends are gonna join too
wild

Ladybugimon:
they must really like you
to agree to that

Chatmander:
i hope so!
maybe someday you'll join us

Ladybugimon:
maybe in the future
we barely get to see each other as it is
do you really want them staring at us?

Chatmander:
you make a good point
would it be weird for you to meet alya irl?

Ladybugimon:
definitely
not like she actually knows me
but still
yeah

Chatmander:
she'd die if she ever realised who you are

Ladybugimon:
I'm a humble ladybug cosplayer
please leave me be

Chatmander:
cosplay my otp with me

Ladybugimon:
what no
don't ship chat noir with ladybug

Chatmander:
honestly i meant me and you
but chat's fine too

Ladybugimon:
oh
my otp is me and you too

Chatmander:
i should hope so?
it's finally come true
but no one can know
this is the stuff of legends

Ladybugimon:
...please don't call yourself a legend

Chatmander:
you're a legend

Ladybugimon:
stop

Chatmander:
i love you
legybugimon

Ladybugimon:
…
I want to die

Chatmander:
so you can make bad names but i can't?
hypocrite