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Ladybug was perched on the Eiffel tower, gazing out at the city she protected, but not really seeing it at all. She was too busy lost in the her own head, thinking over the one thing that had consumed her thoughts since class that morning.
She was Adrien’s secret Santa.
What was she going to give him? Should she make him something? Handmade presents were always nice. But what to make him? She’d already made him that scarf, even if he thought it was from his Father. Maybe she could make something that matched it?
A blur of black landed on the tower. “Hello, My Lady,” Chat Noir said as he sat down beside her. “What brings you out here on this fine Parisian afternoon?”
“Hi, Chat,” she replied. “I’m just thinking.”
“Pleasant thoughts, I hope?”
She nodded. “Yes, it’s just...I don’t know what to get for a friend for Christmas.”
Understanding settled on her partner’s features. “Ah, yes. I have the same problem.”
“I don’t know what to do, Chat. Do I buy them something? Do I make them something?”
He smiled at her. “I’m sure they’ll love whatever you give them, My Lady. After all, it’s the thought that counts.”
“I know, but still. I want it to be perfect. He...he didn’t have the best Christmas last year. I want this year to make up for it.”
Chat reached out and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Bug, whoever he is, he’s going to love your present, I promise. He might not have had the nicest Christmas last year, but I’m sure he will this year.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because you just said you wanted to make his Christmas brighter,” Chat said, pulling his hand away and beaming at her. “You can do anything you put your mind to, My Lady, and I’m sure that includes giving your friend the best holiday ever.”
Ladybug returned his smile. Chat Noir might joke and flirt most of the time, but then he'd come out with moments like this; he'd show a serious, earnest side, full of passion and support. That wasn't to say she didn't appreciate his jokes and penchant for flirting, because she did . But it was moments like this, where'd she see the varying different sides of him, that she loved. Where Ladybug would stop and marvel at how lucky she was to have him as a best friend.
“What is it?” he asked.
She rested her head on his shoulder. “Nothing. I’m just glad you're here with me, that's all. Thank you, Chaton. You always know what to say.”
Chat didn't reply, but after a beat of silence, he leant his head against hers. “There's no other place I'd rather be.”
They stared out at the city, content in their comfortable silence. The moments they could simply sit and enjoy each other's company was few and far between, so they took the chance while they had it.
Eventually though, Chat spoke up. “You know what we should do?”
“What?”
“We should help each other with our present shopping. We don't know what to get on our own, but there's no problem we can't solve together.”
“Okay!” She said enthusiastically, sitting up. “Let's do it!”
Chat grinned, caught up in her excitement. “Well, what does your friend like?”
Ladybug faltered. What, exactly, did Adrien like? She knew his extracurriculars and his schedule, but not what he was interested in? What? That didn’t make sense.
“Um...he likes Ultimate Mecha Strike III?” she eventually replied.
“Oh, a man after my own heart,” Chat said. “Your friend has good taste.”
“Have you seen the trailer for the fourth one?”
“Bug, I have it bookmarked in my computer.”
She laughed. “Of course you do. I'm so excited for it!”
“Same! But let's not get distracted; what else does your friend like?”
“He likes Jagged Stone.”
“Oooh, a man really after my own heart.”
Ladybug laughed and shoved him with her shoulder. “Excuse you, I’m after his heart. Get in line.”
Chat fell silent and went still.
“Chat?” Ladybug asked, when he didn't say anything.
“Oooh, so I finally hear about the boy who My Lady’s head over heels for? Please, do tell,” he said, his smile wide and maybe—just maybe—a little forced.
But distracted by thoughts of Adrien as she was, Ladybug didn't notice the carefully hidden pain on her partner’s face.
“There's nothing to tell,” she told him. “He doesn't know how I feel and I'm not brave enough to say anything. But even if he never knows I love him, even if he never feels the same, I want to give him the best Christmas ever. He deserves it.”
Chat was quiet for a while before he replied. “He’s an idiot if he doesn’t feel the same, Ladybug,” he eventually said, his tone serious and showing no signs of his previous joking banter. “You’re amazing, and we’re gonna make this guy realise it.”
“How?”
“By doing what you said: giving him the best Christmas ever. If we do that, there’s no way he’d be able to resist your charms.”
“Well, what about you?”
Chat froze. “What about me?”
“You said you didn’t know what to get your friend either. I want to help.”
He relaxed. “Oh, right. Yeah, that. Um—I don’t really know what to do about that.”
Ladybug gave him an encouraging smile. “Well, let’s do what you did for me. What do they like?”
Chat hummed in thought. “Well, she likes superheroes. If I could just turn up at her house as Chat Noir and give her a one-on-one hang out time as a present, I totally would. But it’s not as if I can do that without giving my identity away, so that idea isn’t going to work.”
Ladybug squirmed, trying to act like she totally hadn’t done that with Alya. She’d hung out with her best friend as Ladybug and had kept her secret identity intact, even with all the pestering Alya had done, demanding to know exactly how Marinette had organised a Ladybug interview for her.
“Do you remember Marinette?” Ladybug asked, hoping she sounded casual. “She chased me down after patrol one night and asked if I could do an interview for the Ladyblog. Why not just say that your civilian self tracked down Chat Noir and asked?
Chat frowned. “But won’t most people wonder how I managed that?”
“Marinette said no one asked her how she got me to do the interview,” she shrugged, mentally begging Chat to just go with it.
A wide smile crept onto her partner’s face. “My Lady, you’re a genius!”
Ladybug gave an internal sigh of relief.
“Okay, so I have an idea but what about you?” Chat said. “What else does your friend like?”
“Ummm...he likes anime.” She’d heard Adrien and Nino talk about it numerous times.
Chat perked up. “Ooooh, me too! Which ones?”
“I don’t know?”
A beat passed. “Okay, new plan,” Chat said. “You figure out what anime he likes, I give you all the nerdy background on it. Agreed?”
“But you might not have seen what he likes.”
“ Buginette, you are seriously underestimating how much anime I watch.”
She laughed, but sobered up quickly. “Finding out what ones he likes might be a little difficult.”
“Why?”
“Because I can barely speak around him,” she sighed forlornly. “I get all nervous and tongue-tied and stutter and it’s awful.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t think that,” Chat replied. “I have a friend at school that does it and she’s adorable.”
“Yeah, well, I look like an idiot.”
He sent her a fond look. “Ladybug, you’re not an idiot. You’re incredible and can do whatever you put your mind to. I’m sure you can talk to a boy in your class.”
She seemed doubtful. “I wouldn’t be so sure.”
“I have the utmost faith in you,” Chat smiled at her, his eyes shining in belief. “But if you get nervous, just think that you’re talking to me. Just imagine like it’s us sitting here now, content and comfortable and then talk to the guy. Talk to him, figure out what he likes, and then tomorrow afternoon, we’ll meet up and go shopping.”
Silence reigned as Ladybug considered what he said. Eventually, she gave him a small smile and once again leant her head on his shoulder. “Thanks, Chat Noir.”
Without even looking at him, she knew he was smiling. “Anytime, Bug,” he said, his tone full of affection. “Anytime.”
Okay, so his Lady had feelings for someone else, and Adrien had offered to help get them together. That was a thing.
“Are you okay, kid?” Plagg asked the next morning, while Adrien was getting ready for school. A far cry from his usual routine of waxing poetic about camembert, the kwami was watching his Chosen with a look of concern on his face.
“Not really,’’ he answered honestly. “But Ladybug loves this guy, so I’m going to do my best to make them happen. She wants to make him happy, and giving him the best Christmas ever will make her happy, so I’m doing it.”
Plagg studied him. “You’re a good kid, Adrien,” the kwami eventually said. “You’re good, you understand me?”
He sighed. “Thanks, Plagg, but I don’t feel good right now. I honestly just want to go find the guy Ladybug likes, shake him by the shoulders and tell him to love her back. I also feel ridiculously jealous of the guy.” Adrien paused in thought. “We really need to give him a name, though. Ladybug didn’t say and she probably won’t tell me what it is. Do you think Big Stupid Jerk is a bit too on the nose?”
“I think it’s fine, so long as you don’t tell Ladybug that.”
“Big Stupid Jerk it is.”
Adrien wasn’t feeling that much better by the time he made it to school, but it was hard to feel completely upset when he was greeted with an exuberant hug from his best friend when he got there.
“Hey, bro!” Nino said. “How are you?”
“Oh, you know, I’ve been better.”
Nino was automatically concerned. “What’s wrong?”
“Eh, life,” Adrien replied, because ‘I’m in love with Ladybug and she’s in love with someone else’ was not an acceptable response.
Nino looked sympathetic. “Big mood, man.” He slung an arm around Adrien’s shoulders and steered him into the school. “But things will get better, I promise. We just have to stick it out until they do.”
Adrien smiled, his spirits lifted. “Thanks, Nino.”
“Anytime, my dude.”
They reached their classroom and took their normal seats, calling out greeting to Alya and Marinette as they did. The girls didn’t respond, as they seemed to be caught up in an intense, whispered discussion.
“Just do it!” he heard Alya say, her voice increasing in volume.
“Okay, fine!” Marinette shot back. “U-um, Adrien?”
He turned at the sound of his name, a smile already forming on his face at the sight of the shy designer behind him. “Good morning, Marinette, Alya,” he greeted a second time. “What’s up?”
Nino turned as well to join the conversation. “Morning.”
The girls replied with a, “good morning,” and then fell back into silence. They didn’t say anything until Alya nudged Marinette in the ribs; it was a clear indication for the dark haired girl to continue the conversation.
“A-Adrien,” Marientte started, and the model felt a rush of affection at the sound of her adorable little stutter. “I was think—thinking—no, wait. I wanted to—uh, um—darn,” she frowned and sighed in frustration. Then her expression got distant, like she was thinking of something else. “Like I’m talking to him,” she murmured.
“Uh, girl?” Alya spoke up. “What are you talking about?”
Marinette didn’t even reply. Instead, she focused on him and said, “Hey, Adrien, I’m thinking of starting to watch anime, but I don’t know what to watch. Do you have any suggestions?”
Adrien, Alya and Nino stared at her in surprise. There was no hint of a stutter, no blushing, and she was calmly staring expectantly at the model in question. He beamed at her. Maybe this meant that she was finally getting comfortable around him?! And she wanted to know about one of Adrien’s favourite things! This was going to be awesome!
Nino gave a half-laugh, half-groan. “Now you’ve done it, Mari. He won’t shut up about it now, you watch.”
“Excuse you ,” Adrien said in mock offence. “If Marinette wants to know about anime, then I’ll talk as much as I want about it, thank you. I need to guide her into the world of anime; this is a sacred duty.”
Marinette gaped at him for a moment before she broke into giggles. “Oh my god, you dork,” she laughed, her eyes crinkled in mirth and her tone entirely fond. She was looking at him like she was seeing him for the first time; her expression was surprised, but she was still smiling, and it put a warm, pleased feeling in his chest.
“You say that like it’s a new thing,” Nino said. “My best bro is the biggest nerd out.”
“How rude,” Adrien kept up his affronted air. “Also, Nino, you watch anime too, so you can’t talk.”
“Are you a magical girl, Adrien?” Alya teased.
“I’d rock a magical girl costume,” he grinned, making a joke because Alya couldn’t know how close to the truth she actually was. He focused back on Marinette. “But seriously, I have so many recommendations. Anime’s great; you’ll love it.”
“Well, what’s your favourite?” she asked.
“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood,” he answered immediately. “There’s also the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, but Brotherhood is more like the manga.”
She blinked at him. “ Full —what?”
“Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ,” he repeated. “You’ll love it, I promise.”
Chat Noir asked to meet her at a shopping centre, claiming they needed to go buy their Christmas presents and the sooner they got there, the better.
“Thank you, Chaton,” Ladybug said when she saw him.
“For what?” he asked, seeming confused but waving happily at the civilians who were gawking at the superheroes doing something so mundane as shopping.
“You said to talk to him like I talk to you, and it worked!” she said, proud of herself.
He smiled. “I knew it would. Bien joué, Buginette.”
“He also likes Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ….and a bunch of others that I can’t remember the name of.”
“Ohh, nice ! I love that one! Your friend really has good taste. That’s my favourite; I’m actually introducing a friend of mine to it at the moment. Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I’m liking it so far.”
“Does it give you an idea of what to get the Man of Your Dreams?”
She laughed. “He may be the Man of My Dreams, but I’ve discovered he’s a total dork. It was a nice moment, actually. He seems more....real. More on my level.”
“I’m happy for you, Bug. He’ll be crazy about you in no time.”
Ladybug blushed. “I hope so,” she said, before gesturing around to the shopping centre. “But are you ready to brave shops, civilians and Christmas-time shopping madness?”
Chat grinned and offered her an arm. “You know it, My Lady. Are you?”
She hooked her arm through his. “We’re Ladybug and Chat Noir. We’ve got this.”
“We don’t got this!!” Chat cried, as he and his Lady ran away from a horde of reporters. “We do not got this!!”
“Why are they even chasing us?! We were just going shopping!” Ladybug asked as she ran beside him.
“Apparently superheroes can’t do that.”
“But I need that fabric! I nearly had it before all the paparazzi turned up!”
“I’m aware of that, My Lady, because I’m the one who had to drag you away from it, and that was not an easy thing to do.”
“But it was perfect!”
“Okay, new plan! Split up, detransform, and meet back up at the usual patrol spot in half an hour.”
“Got it!” Ladybug nodded, and darted off.
“They went this way!” Chat heard a reporter cry.
Yikes.
Chat ducked behind a sign and detransformed. Acting casual, he walked back out and continued on his way. Within moments, a giant crowd of paparazzi surrounded him.
“Adrien Agreste!” One of them cried, and numerous photos were snapped of him. “Did you see Ladybug and Chat Noir come past?”
“They went that way,” he said, pointing in the opposite direction of where his Lady had gone.
“Thanks!”
The group rushed off, and whistling innocently, Adrien continued shopping.
Ladybug blinked at him. “Why did you buy a poster of us?”
Said poster was a gigantic picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir in fighting poses. Like, wow, that was a big poster.
Chat held it up proudly, a wide smile on his face. “My friend loves superheroes, and what’s better than a signed poster of us? I’m also going to add the ‘Chat Noir will hang out with you’ thing, but I thought she’d appreciate this, too.” He held out a black marker. “Would you please sign it, My Lady?”
She took the marker. “Of course, but no names.”
Chat nodded. “It’s safer that way.”
He turned so Ladybug could lean on his back and sign the poster. Merry Christmas, she wrote. I hope you have a happy holidays, and an amazing New Year. Love, Ladybug.
“Thanks, Bug,” he said. “I’ll sign and laminate it later.” He nodded at the roll of red material that she bought. “So what did you get your friend?”
“I’m going to make—”
An explosion sounded in the distance, and the two heroes immediately turned in that direction.
“Akuma,” they chorused, dropping their shopping items and running off to protect Paris.
It wasn’t until they made it home that night—after a long battle and a frantic grabbing of their presents before their miraculouses ran out—that they realised that Ladybug hadn’t actually answered Chat’s question.
She’d had to pull a few all-nighter’s, but Marinette had finished Adrien’s present. Just in time, too, as it was the day that the Secret Santa presents were going to be given out.
“I hope he likes it,” she fretted to Alya.
“Girl, he’s going to love it. He will lose his mind.”
“Ahh, I really, really hope so!”
“Mari, relax.”
But despite whatever her best friend said, Marinette remained keyed up until it was time to hand out their gifts.
“Here you are, Adrien,” she said, handing it to him. “I hope you like it.”
He beamed at her and began to unwrap it. “Thank you, Marinette! I’m sure I’ll love it. After all, it’s the thought that—” He cut himself off with a gasp, his eyes widening in surprise and delight as he took in what he was looking at. “Oh my god.” He lifted up a mass of red fabric. “Oh my god .”
“Adrien, Sunshine, you wanna tell us what you got there?” Alya asked, filming it all with her phone.
“You made me Ed’s cloak!!” Adrien looked ecstatic. “From Fullmetal Alchemist! You made me his cloak! Oh my god!” Absolutely delighted, he stood up and put it on. “How do I look?”
Marinette grinned widely. “You look great.”
Miss Bustier and the rest of the class were watching, and all agreed with her assessment.
Adrien hugged her tightly. “Thank you so much!”
Marinette could feel a blush burning her cheeks, but she hugged him back. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it, Adrien. Merry Christmas.”
“I love it! Thank you, Marinette!” He pulled out of the hug, still grinning widely. Caught up in his excitement, Adrien grabbed his secret Santa present and turned to his giftee. “Here you go, Alya. Merry Christmas!”
The blogger smiled. “Thanks, Adrien!” She unwrapped a long, cylinder-like present. “What even is this— holy shit!!”
“Alya! Language!” Miss Bustier admonished.
“But—just—oh my god!” Alya let out a string of incoherent excited sounds. “Oh my god!!”
She showed the whole class her present. There, in Alya’s hand, was a gigantic signed poster of Ladybug and Chat Noir. It was laminated, and pinned to it was a ‘One Free Hanging Out with Chat Noir’ ticket.
“How did you get this?!” Alya asked, almost squeezing the life out of Adrien, she was hugging him that hard.
“I tracked down Chat Noir after he did patrol one night,” Adrien replied. “It took me a while, but I managed it.”
Marinette felt all the breath rush out of her.
Chat likes Ultimate Mecha Strike.
Chat likes Jagged Stone.
Chat likes anime.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was Chat’s favourite.
Chat had a friend who loved superheroes; Alya was currently screeching over a poster of her two favourite heroes.
Chat had a friend at school who stutters a lot and he finds her adorable; Marinette used to stutter around Adrien.
He finds her adorable!
Chat Noir was unwittingly trying to help her give himself the best Christmas ever.
Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste.
“Oh my god, you dork,” Marinette breathed.
Alya stopped freaking out to glance at her. “What was that, girl?”
“Oh nothing,” Marinette said, aware that she’d gathered the attention of their whole class. It was hard to act normal; to ignore her racing heart and the incredibly strong wave of affection she felt for her partner. Of course he was her Chaton. How hadn’t she seen it sooner?
When everyone turned to focus on the next person receiving a gift, she whispered to Alya, “I’m just gonna talk to Adrien about something after class.”
Understanding flashed over her best friend’s face. “Oh, are you finally going to tell him?”
“Yeah,” she smiled, knowing that Alya meant confessing about her crush, but Marinette meant it for something entirely different. “Yeah, I’m finally going to tell him.”
Adrien didn’t know what Marinette meant when she said she had another gift for him. Like, how could you top an Edward Elric cloak? You couldn’t, that was how. He was also still wearing said cloak; he never wanted to take it off.
Regardless, he waited for her after class, and once everyone had left, asked, “What’s up, Marinette? You didn’t have to get me anything else, you know. This present is amazing all on its own.”
She shook her head. “No, I really want to give you this, and I hope that you’ll like this one, too.”
“Again, it’s the thought—”
“—That counts. I know, you told me that on patrol.”
Adrien nodded in agreement, paused as her words registered in his mind, and then blinked. “Wait, what?”
“Tikki, transformez moi.”
Pink light flashed over Marinette and Ladybug took her place.
Adrien’s legs gave out, and he only just managed to catch himself before he went crashing to the ground. “W-what?”
“Hi, Chaton,” she smiled. “I hope you’ve had the best Christmas ever.”
“Oh my god,” Adrien whispered, as Ladybug’s transformation gave way and Marinette returned to normal; a pink Ladybug-like kwami floated at her shoulder. “Oh my god, I’m Big Stupid Jerk!”
A beat of silence passed. “What?” She asked, clearly confused.
Adrien didn’t explain. Instead, he simply flung himself at her in a hug, crushing her to him. “I’m so sorry!”
Marinette returned the hug, rubbing soothing circles on his back. “Adrien—Chat—it’s okay. Everything’s fine. Why do you think you’re a big, stupid jerk?”
“I didn’t notice you,” Adrien said, pulling back in the hug so he could face her, but not going far enough to let her go. “I’m so in love with you that I didn’t notice you. How does that even work?!”
Marinette squeaked and went still, caught up on the word ‘love.’ She opened and closed her mouth a few times, but no coherent sound came out.
“Hello, Adrien. I’m Tikki,” the kwami spoke up, when it became clear that Marinette was incapable of speech. “The reason you couldn’t pick Marinette’s identity is because the magic of the miraculous protects you.”
“Plus, you’re crazy about Ladybug, and wouldn’t even entertain the idea of liking someone else,” Plagg said, floating up out of Adrien’s pocket. “But noooooo, don’t pay attention to the centuries-old kwami when he says you’ve got a crush on the baker girl. No, Plagg clearly has no idea what he’s talking about.”
You could basically hear the sarcasm oozing off that statement.
“Hi, Plagg,” Tikki greeted, not fazed by the other kwami at all. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too, Tik,” the bad luck kwami returned. “It’s also good to see these two idiots finally stop dancing around each other. The amount of pining my kid has done about your Bug is ridic—”
“Okay, thanks, Plagg!” Adrien interrupted, bright red. “That’s enough!”
“I’m sorry, too,” Marinette finally spoke up.
“Huh?” he asked.
“I’m the same as you: I didn’t see you under the mask,” she said. “I’m sorry about that, and I love you. I feel like an idiot, though. I thought you were perfect as Adrien; that you could do no wrong—”
“No one’s perfect, My Lady—”
“But seeing all of you together—Adrien and Chat— that is perfect. You’re my two favourite boys, combined into one person, and I’m just hoping you feel the same about Marinette and Ladybug.”
Adrien reached out to cup her cheek, staring at her like she was something precious. “When we first were given our miraculouses, I said that whoever was under Ladybug’s mask, I’d love them. I meant it then, and I mean it now: I love you, Marinette. I’m just sorry I didn’t realise it sooner.”
She blushed heavily, but that didn’t stop her from replying, “I’m sorry you didn’t give Alya a poster I signed sooner.”
He grinned. “That is rather telling, isn’t it?”
“Just a bit.”
They stared at each other for a moment longer, before breaking into laughter. They clung to one another, feeling a mixture of relieved and elated all at once. When their giggles faded, they simply stood there and basked in their partner’s presence.
Words weren’t needed, but actions filled the silence. In unison, the pair leant in and met in a kiss. It was short and sweet; the promise of something more.
It was the best Christmas ever.