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It was all Alya’s fault.
As Ladybug bounded from rooftop to rooftop, she couldn’t stop a blush from rising to her face at the prospect of seeing her partner on patrol. When she’d begrudgingly agreed to beta Alya’s latest Ladynoir fanfiction (since her usual beta wasn’t available), she definitely hadn’t expected anything to come out of it. She’d been ready to simply read some fun, fluffy banter that went along with their usual patrolling.
What Marinette had not expected, however, was to read a love confession followed by a steamy makeout session.
She’d been lucky she was reading the piece in the comfort of her bedroom and not in front of Alya. Her best friend definitely would’ve made fun of her terrible, heated blush that rose each time she read something with not-so innocent intentions.
“I love you, Ladybug,” Chat said solemnly, extending a hand to give a rose to his superhero partner. “I’ve loved you since the day we first met.”
“You know I love you too, Chat,” Ladybug whispered back. Her fist clenched at her side. “But we can’t be together. We’re superheroes. We have a job to protect the city. We can’t be in a relationship.”
Who knew Alya was such a good writer?
And the worst part was, the dialogue was so realistic! Marinette could easily see herself doing all of those things—not that she would, of course. She was in love with Adrien, not Chat Noir.
“I know, my lady. But. . . . I think we could make it work if we tried.”
“Chat. . . .”
“I know,” Chat said, smiling sadly at her. “I know.” His hand slowly receded.
Ladybug’s heart clenched as he pulled away. Unconsciously, she found herself reaching out, grabbing his wrist. Chat jumped in surprise. He looked back at her questioningly.
“Don’t go,” Ladybug said quietly. “That’s not what I meant. I—I just—”
She’d hoped that after Alya became Rena Rouge she’d stop writing fanfiction. However, it was clear to her now that her best friend’s ideas spurred even more after she’d spent more time with her favorite superheroes.
Really, Alya’s writing was way too accurate for her comfort. Sure, Ladybug didn’t actually have feelings for Chat like Alya stated in her writing, but other than that it was pretty close. How in the world did she manage to get the characterization to be so precise?
“I’m afraid, Chat,” Ladybug whispered. “I’m afraid of losing you. What if our relationship doesn’t work out? What if Hawk Moth uses it against us?”
Ladybug was getting closer and closer to the Eiffel Tower, and she was a nervous wreck. She knew she shouldn’t be; all she’d read was a few thousand words of her alter ego with her partner, following their journey as they confessed their love to one another. It shouldn’t fluster her like this!
There was silence between them for a long time. Ladybug looked up at Chat nervously. He tentatively took a step forward. Her breath hitched as he moved closer until there was hardly any space between them. Ladybug couldn’t bring herself to move away.
Chat’s eyes searched hers as he asked, “can I kiss you?”
Her footing suddenly failed her. Ladybug landed on another rooftop, her feet tripping in thin air. She yelped in surprise. She flailed her arms around as she quickly through her yo-yo, letting it wrap itself around the nearest building. She quickly uprighted herself before continuing towards the Eiffel Tower.
“Yes,” Ladybug said breathlessly with no hesitation, and she leaned close, letting her lips meet his.
She was so lucky no one was around to see how red her face was at the moment. And for what? Because she’d read fanfiction? Please! She was better than that.
Ladybug landed on top of the Eiffel Tower. Chat was already waiting for her. He turned as soon as he heard her footsteps.
“My lady,” Chat said warmly, “how are you doing?”
Ladybug gave him a nod in greeting. Without thinking, her gaze flitting to his lips.
His soft lips brushed against hers, slowly at first, but quickly growing away from delicate pecks. Ladybug felt her back press against a wall as his kisses grew more and more passionate. She responded eagerly, parting her lips to bring him even closer —
“Ladybug?”
“I’m fine!” Ladybug squeaked, instantly turning away from him so he couldn’t see her blush. She didn’t know what would happen if she ended up staring at his face any longer. “Time for patrol! I’ll take the east, you take the west.”
Ladybug saw Chat frown from her peripheral vision. “Wait, but I thought—”
She zipped away with her yo-yo before he had a chance to respond.
This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t just get flustered whenever she thought about that fanfiction! Hundreds of people wrote fanfiction about her and Chat! She couldn’t just read a few thousand words and suddenly actually want —
She froze.
Wait, no. Ladybug’s heart pounded hard in her chest. What in the world was she thinking? She had Adrien! Chat was her partner, not the love of her life! There was no reason for her to feel this way! She couldn’t possibly actually want to kiss him!
Her hands weaved through his thick, blond locks. Their lips moved, synchronized, as Chat’s hands moved to wrap around her waist. Their kisses were far from chaste now; they were needy, making up for all of their lost time. Ladybug’s brain screamed at her to stop. Her mind told her this wasn’t the right thing to do, that they were superheroes and they couldn’t possibly pursue a romantic relationship with each other—
But she wanted it. She needed it so, so badly.
Was it really too much to ask for?
Ladybug froze in the middle of her patrol, her yo-yo screeching to a halt in mid-air. She shrieked, quickly maneuvering herself towards the nearest rooftop to prevent herself from falling. Horror dawned upon her as she realized that yes, that was exactly what she wanted.
For what felt like the hundredth time that day, she felt her face grow hot. No, she shouldn’t be doing this! She shouldn’t be thinking this! Chat was her friend, her partner, and she—
She wanted to kiss him. And she didn’t even have feelings for him.
It was a whole circle of constantly finding one another, yet pulling away. Ladybug found herself groaning in protest as Chat drew away to breathe. Within seconds she brought his lips back against hers, wanting to meld them together, to bring him as close as she dared to.
Ladybug knew it was wrong.
It didn’t stop her from doing it, anyway.
No, that was impossible! She was in love with Adrien, not Chat! This was just her stirring up random fantasies within her mind, she reasoned. Of course she didn’t feel that way about her partner.
Ladybug quickly patrolled through the rest of the area, attempting to avert her thoughts.
She was mesmerized at how good Chat was at this. A shiver went through her body with each of his movements. He must have experience, right? How else could he be so good at kissing?
It didn’t work. Each and every time, her thoughts circled back to him. Ladybug tried thinking about fashion. She tried thinking about all her commissions, about school, about anything that wasn’t Alya’s fanfiction or her superhero partner.
But her thoughts always went back to Chat. They went in a circle, over and over again. She couldn’t help but continue thinking about him! With each and every word she recalled, her face grew hotter and hotter, and a strange desire fueled up within her. It was almost as if the only way her thoughts would recede was if she actually kissed—
No.
Ladybug couldn’t do that. Right?
She suddenly found herself getting jealous at the prospect. How many girls had Chat kissed before her? How long had he been kissing someone else when he could’ve been kissing her?
Ladybug was done with her patrol. She landed on the Eiffel Tower, took out her yo-yo, and navigated to the tracking app. Chat wasn’t far from where she was; he’d be done with his patrol soon.
Ladybug let out a sigh. She couldn’t just kiss him! Chat had feelings for her. She couldn’t just kiss him and lead him on like that.
And yet. . . . would her heart be soothed if she didn’t? How could she possibly forget about the emotions she felt from Alya’s writing if she didn’t experience it herself?
“I love you,” Chat whispered against her lips as they pulled apart and rested their foreheads against one another’s. “God, I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Ladybug whispered back, and leaned forward to capture his lips in hers once again.
She knew this was wrong. She knew she and Chat couldn’t be in a relationship, because Hawk Moth could easily use it against them.
But for now? She’d deal with the consequences of her actions another day.
Ladybug suddenly heard a thump. She turned around, her heart pounding as she saw Chat standing there. He seemed concerned as he made his way over to her.
“Hey, are you okay?” Chat asked. “You were very jumpy earlier.”
Ladybug felt her cheeks turn pink. “F-fine,” she stammered out, “just fine.”
Chat frowned. He wasn’t buying it one bit. “Did you, uh, wanna talk about it? We finished patrol a lot earlier than we usually would today.”
Ladybug winced at that. His statement was true—the two of them normally went through the city together. However, in her haste to get away from him and prevent herself from doing something she’d regret, she’d left without him.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Chat said sympathetically, “but I can tell something’s wrong. What’s bothering you?”
Ladybug simply stared at him, dozens of thoughts running through her head. Could she. . . .?
“I need you to trust me,” Ladybug said, stepping closer to him.
“Trust you?”
“Close your eyes,” she said. She was now standing hardly a couple of centimeters away from him. He looked down at her questioningly, but complied. His eyes fluttered shut.
Ladybug gazed up at him, letting her eyes flutter over his lips. It. . . . it would be just a peck, right? It wouldn’t mean anything. She didn’t feel anything for him. He was her friend! Her partner!
He was so much taller than her. Ladybug found herself standing on her tip-toes as she reached upwards. Chat’s eyes were still closed, though his face was one of confusion. There was no doubt his heightened senses were picking up all of her movements.
A quick peck.
That was all she was going to do. She’d prove to herself that she didn’t feel anything for Chat, and that Alya’s fanfiction was just words on a piece of paper. Those words weren’t true; she didn’t like Chat, she didn’t want to kiss him, and she certainly wouldn’t feel anything when she did.
After all, their first kisses had both been under the influence of an akuma. She didn’t feel anything then. And Ladybug was confident she wouldn’t now.
A quick peck.
His lips were right in front of hers. Chat’s eyes remained close, though his breathing hitched at her proximity. She let her gaze roam over his face one last time. This was it.
A quick peck.
Nothing more than that. She didn’t need nor want anything more than that.
A quick peck.
Ladybug shut her eyes, leaned forward, and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips before hastily pulling away.
Chat’s eyes snapped open, and he gaped at her with nothing but shock in his face.
A rush of emotions went through her, unlike anything she’d ever expected. The exhilaration, her heart pounding hard in her chest as a blush rose to her cheeks, staring back at him with her lips slightly parted, almost as if—
Almost as if she wanted more.
She’d. . . . liked it.
“Ladybug?” Chat breathed, his face steadily turning a bright shade of red. “Wh-what—”
Oh, no. This couldn’t actually be happening. This wasn’t possible! If she’d liked it, then that meant—
No.
She couldn’t possibly be in love with Chat Noir! Just because she kissed him and enjoyed it, it didn’t mean that she had feelings for him!
Right?
Ladybug squeaked as she pulled away from him, fumbling for her yo-yo and throwing it to the nearest rooftop. Without thinking, words tumbled out of her mouth in a rush. “I think I actually may be in love with you sorry gotta go bye see you later!”
“Wait, I—”
And with that Ladybug fled, only one thought running through her head as she bounded back towards her bedroom with her newfound realization.
I’m going to kill Alya.