AN: I do not own Miraculous or their characters, but I do think they are totally adorable!

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Marinette had kicked butt yesterday with that akuma. Chat had gotten hit with a spell, again, and she'd managed to finish off the fight by herself. She was still riding on a high from it. So today she was finally going to do it. She was going to tell Adrien how she felt. Ok, not how she felt, but she was at least going to ask him out.

She arrived at school early (yes, it was a herculean task) and she'd confronted him on the school steps.

"Adrien, I was wondering if you might like to go to the movies with me Friday. As a date?" She mentally gave herself a high five for getting through the whole sentence without a problem.

"Marinette. That's very…um…flattering. I think you're amazing, but I'm interested in someone else."

He had been every bit as kind as she had known he would be, and it was a rejection, just as she had known it would be. Oh well, at least she had tried.

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That evening Ladybug was caught up in her thoughts when Chat arrived.

"What's up Ladybug? You haven't even grimaced at a single pun tonight."

She might as well talk to him about it.

"Yeah, well I, ughhhh…..You know I told you there is a boy I like?"

He nodded in affirmation.

"I asked him out today. He said no, that there was someone else. When I badgered him to find out who, he said Ladybug!"

She snorted.

"I can't believe he would say that! He's a celebrity for goodness sake! He knows about celebrity crushes. I've barely even interacted with him as Ladybug! And here he is, with a celebrity crush on me. There is no way he is actually in love with Ladybug. I got turned down, for myself, and neither of myselves can do a thing about it!"

She ended at a near squeal.

Chat Noir's eyes had gone really wide. Someone had asked him out today. Marinette. And when he'd told her that there was some one else, she had quietly looked up at him from below her adorable fringe and asked who. Did she really consider that badgering? It worked anyway, because it was like being caught in a tractor beam. So he'd said exactly what he was thinking, even though he was sure it sounded ridiculous. Ladybug. And now his brain was still trying to process this revelation as his Lady continued speaking.

"I really like him, and it would be tempting to just drop by his house as Ladybug. Be like, 'Hey, Hot Stuff, care to watch a movie on your absurdly oversized TV?'"

Chat Noir was having trouble inhaling and exhaling normally. Did she just call him Hot Stuff?

"But that seems wrong, deceitful. Like I would be dating him against his wishes. Not to mention a true abuse of my miraculous. So, no matter how much I hate to, I think I'm just going to have to start letting go of that dream. I mean, really, what else could I do in this situation?"

It was obviously not a real question. But Chat Noir had a real answer.

"Maybe he loves you because even when you are scared, you act in the defense of others. Maybe he loves you because you are kind and compassionate. Maybe, he loves you because you are creative, and crazy, and," he paused, watching her to see if she caught his first hint, "amazing."

Instead she looked at him and a small smile started to form on her face.

"Maybe you are his closest friend, and he sits with you on rooftops, and protects Paris by your side."

"I know you love me Chat Noir." She gave him a wink. It was the first time that gesture offended him.

"Adrien. My name is Adrien."

Her mouth dropped open.

"And you're Marinette."

Ladybug just gaped at her partner for a few moments. And then laughter came pouring out of her. It was the sound of pure, unadulterated joy.

When she was finally able to calm down and get her breath back, she said, "So, Chat Noir, what do you think of Marinette now?"

Chat Noir grumbled and looked at her. "I told you TODAY that I think you're amazing. Twice even!" Marinette bounced on her toes a bit.

"Ok, second round. I was wondering if Adrien might like to go to the movies with Marinette Friday. As a date? Because however tempting it might be, I don't think it's a good precedent to go on dates as super heroes."

He might have been oblivious, but he wasn't so stupid that he would say no again.