Let's Just Try To Avoid Another Dark Cupid, Okay?

Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine.

Adrien fidgets with his tie as he stands with his back to the brick wall in the darkened alleyway. He was... nervous, honestly, and more than a little scared. He really wasn't sure how this was going to turn out. He was probably going to make a big fool out himself, and that was not something he wanted. Especially not on his (hopefully first of many yet to come) date with Ladybug.

Okay, so it wasn't really a date. At the insistence of Master Fu, who said that they needed to get to know each other without the masks in the way – though they were still under orders to not reveal their true identities – Ladybug had told Adrien, as Chat Noir, to meet her on a relatively quiet street not far the Eiffel Tower. He was to be wearing someway to hide his identity, as well as something that screamed black cat.

And that was what he'd done. He was wearing a pair of cheap black sunglasses with green tinted lenses, and a black hooded sleeveless shirt over a green button down. There was a black bow-tie around his neck with a golden bell in the center, black jeans hugging his legs, and black boots on his feet. To top it off, he'd gotten a black felt cat-eared headband, which was sitting snuckly in his tussled golden hair.

He just hoped it was Chat enough for his Lady to recognize him.

"Calm down, kid."

Adrien looked down to where Plagg was peeking out of his hoody's pocket. The Kwami of Destruction was gazing up at him with exasperation. Not that much of a surprise, honestly. Adrien knew he was driving his cheese orientated friend crazy this last week, waiting for the big day.

He just couldn't help it. Whether or not his Lady thought about it that way, Adrien could only think of this as a date, and that meant he had to plan it out like one.

Especially since this was Valentine's Day.

As soon as he'd gotten home from Ladybug's announcement, he'd started. He tried to decide if he should bring her flowers, or chocolate, and if so, what kind. He'd restarted on his poem for her from last year, rewriting it, than tossing it and starting over again. And over. And over. And over again.

Then, he'd gone over he's wardrobe. Several times. In just two hours. He'd change his mind twice that before he'd actually left the house today.

All the while, he'd consulted his massive Anime collection on what to do, how to act, what to bring her, and everything else he could think of.

"Look, kid," Adrien is pulled out of his thoughts by his Kwami's nasally voice, turning to look back at the sprite-like being. "If I've told you once, I've told you a gazillion times, stop worrying. All you have to do is be yourself, the mushy, ridiculous romantic that you are." He perks up, a wide smile spreading across his face. "Hey, I know what will help."

Plagg disappears back into the dark pocket, and Adrien feels a flash of dread. He was going to play the sticky cheese card again, wasn't he?

Sure enough, Plagg exits his pocket with a wedge of white smelly cheese in his paws.

"Camembert, food for the soul!"

"Really Plagg?" Adrien asks, waving his hand in front of his nose to clear the air a bit. "I already smell like it twenty-four seven, I don't need Ladybug to smell it on my breath, too."

The black Kwami shrugs. "Your loss," he says, and swallows the wedge whole. "Oh, don't look now, but a girl wearing a red and black spotted outfit is walking this way."

Adrien spins on his heals, and almost loses his balance at the sight of her.

He can tell immediately that she's his Lady, despite not wearing her costume.

Instead, she's wearing a pretty dress with a light pink sparkly bodice that stops at a black belt just below her rib cage. There, a red skirt with black spots trails down almost to her knees, the bottom of which is traced with black lace. On her legs are leggings the same color as the bodice, though you can only see two or three inches of them because of the black boots that cover the rest of her legs. Flowing of her shoulders is a pink cape, cut in such a way the look like wings. Encircling her neck is a ladybug charm on a black cord. Covering her eyes is a set of black sunglasses with red tinted lenses. In her hands is a pink, red and black clutch purse. But the most surprising thing about her...

Her hair was down. As in, not in pigtails. As in, floating beautifully around her shoulders, free of ribbons, hair-ties, or anything else that could obstruct it's movement.

Adrien wouldn't be able to look away if Hawkmoth himself came out of the alleyway next to him and slipped his Miraculous off his finger.

"What are you waiting for?" Plagg hissed. "Go to her."

Adrien blinked. "Right. Of course."

He pushes himself off the wall as she passes near him, and falls into step beside her. " My Lady."

"Chat," she acknowledges. "Let's just try to avoid another Dark Cupid, okay?"

(AN)

A sweet Valentine's Day special for you all. Of course, it's a day late, but I hope you enjoy. This was actually inspired by a comic dub I saw – and re-watched several times because it is just that cute – on YouTube. I'm not sure who did the artwork for it, or wrote for that matter, but the dub is done by... Uh, Sakura-something. (Goes to YouTube to look it up.) Oh, that's right! Princess Sakura Serenity, who apparently changed her name to Skyrah Bai. Heh, who knew.

Anyway, their Miraculous Ladybug comic duds are the best check them out in your free time. The one I've been talking about is called "Not A Date," and and just that image of Marinette, walking down the street with Adrien watching her...

(Plus I really wanted to see Adrien wearing a cat-eared headband. I love those things.)

So, anyways, thank you all for reading. Let me know what you thought in the comments.