Ladybug & Cat Noir Identity Reveal

13 - Adrien / Chat Noir

Adrien was bummed. Today was Valentine's day, and that usually meant he was stuck at home with a thousand letters and gifts from his admiring fans, and nowhere to actually go. 

But this year, Marinette had encouraged him to ask Kagami out for a date, which he'd been hesitant to do until she suggested they go for another double date. They planned to go out ice skating again, like they had the first time they'd been out together. 

He'd offered to pick everyone up, and was driving to Marinette's place first. She lived the closest, so it made sense to pick her up first. He also didn't mind that it would give them a little more time together, alone. 

They pulled up, and she appeared outside a moment later. She'd dressed a little differently today, her hair pulled into a plait down her back, and she wore grey jeans and a pink sweater. She looked great. 

"Hey Marinette, how are you?" He asked as she settled in beside him.

"I'm good, you?" She turned to him, her bright blue eyes sparkling. 

He froze for a moment, had she always been so...pretty? "Uh, yeah, I'm good. Are you excited for today?"

Marinette sat back, "Yeah, it'll be heaps of fun. Though I hope I'm a better skater than I was when we first went." She laughed, and Adrien found himself grinning. 

They pulled up outside Kagami's place and she joined them a moment later. Marinette moved so she was sitting across from Adrien, and Kagami sat beside him. It didn't take them long until they picked up Luka and then they were at the ice rink. 

It was pretty popular today, with plenty of couples skating together. Marinette and Luka pulled on their skates and headed out onto the ice, an ease settling over both of them. They looked so happy together, comfortable. Adrien wished he could say the same for him and Kagami. 

"Are you ready Adrien?" she stood to the side, waiting impatiently for him.

"Yep, let's do this," he tried to keep his voice upbeat as the two of them headed out onto the ice. Hand in hand, they skated in silence, and Adrien wracked his brain for something to say.

"How has your fencing practice been? You were so off the last time we faced each other," Kagami interrupted his thoughts.

"Good, I was just a little overwhelmed before. I'll be back to kicking your butt soon enough," he smiled at her and she blushed. 

"We will see. How is school? I heard it was attacked the other day." 

"Yeah, but it turned out okay, Chat Noir and Ladybug saved the day, like they always do." 

She hummed, "It's a shame they haven't asked Ryuko for help." 

Right. Because she was a miraculous wearer too. Or had been. He supposed it would be cool to have her on their team too, but he knew she wasn't exactly a team player. He understood her wish to escape her own life too, but he was a little worried about how her mother would react if she was caught sneaking out.

"Huh, maybe. Though I'm not sure I'd really want to have a miraculous. All that responsibility and pressure. It would be stifling," Adrien said. He'd meant it to comfort her a little, but the words stung, particularly because they were true.

"Adrien, I am not as afraid as you seem to be. It would be an honour to help save Paris."

"Why the long faces guys, cheer up! It's Valentine's day!" Marinette called as she and Luka glided up beside them. 

"Maybe we could go get some hot cocoa and snacks from the café?" Luka suggested.

"Great idea," Adrien agreed, pulling Kagami along as they headed for the small café in the entrance hallway of the ice rink. Luka ordered their food and then settled in beside Marinette in their small booth. 

Adrien noticed how at-ease the two of them seemed, with Luka putting his arm around her, and the way she rested her head on his shoulder. He wasn't sure why he felt a sudden pang of jealousy. He glanced over at Kagami, who was sitting about a foot away, studying Marinette and Luka. 

They struck up a conversation about their different hobbies, Adrien and Kagami talked about their fencing, Luka was apparently writing a few more songs and Marinette had finally started on one of her fashion pieces. 

Their food arrived not long after, and their conversation turned to the akuma attacks and the new heroes. After Chloe had forced him to reveal his identity, it had become common knowledge that Luka was Viperion, and he told them about how cool it was to work with the other heroes. Marinette seemed happy listening to him, which struck Adrien as odd.

"You aren't worried about Luka getting hurt Marinette?" Adrien asked carefully.

"Not at all, I trust him." The conviction in her eyes caused him to do a double-take. For a second, she'd looked so much like Ladybug that he'd almost fallen off his seat.

"It's a shame that Ladybug and Chat Noir chose such a small team of heroes. If I recall correctly, there were a few more miraculous holders. Perhaps they could help too," Kagami said carefully as she took a sip of her cocoa. 

Marinette bit her lip, "I suppose, but wouldn't it be dangerous to have so many miraculous out and about. And it seems Hawkmoth is getting more and more powerful. Ladybug probably thinks it's a little too dangerous."

Luka squeezed her shoulder, "You're right Marinette, it would be dangerous. But Kagami, if you really want, I could put in a good word with Ladybug for you."

Adrien stamped down on his jealousy. Things were changing really fast around here, and he wasn't sure he liked it. Part of him didn't want Kagami to be in anymore danger, and the other part of him didn't want any more members on their team. It was such a strange dynamic, having to learn the way the others thought and acted. With Ladybug, fighting was like second nature, she knew his weaknesses as he knew hers, and they protected each other. With the others, everything just felt slightly off balance.

Marinette had gone quiet too, and for a second, their eyes met. She looked just as tired, worried and hesitant as he felt, before she broke into a grin. 

"Well, onto a happier note, who's ready to head back out onto the ice?" Marinette asked, standing up.

They spent the rest of the afternoon skating or hanging out in the stands. They chatted about school, or in Luka's case, his work. Adrien couldn't seem to shake the chill he felt between himself and Kagami though. He spent the entire afternoon trying to talk and have fun, but by the end of it as they were pulling off their skates and changing back into their own shoes, clarity seemed to hit him. 

He just didn't feel the same way towards Kagami. 

Adrien knew he had to tell her, but he wasn't sure how, and today just didn't feel like the right day to do it. Perhaps he could talk to Marinette about it later, they were friends after all.

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