Are You All That Bad? |Miraculous: Enemies to lovers|

C H A P T E R ~ S I X T Y - T H R E E

MARINETTE POV:

I could feel the pressure and anxiety increase with every step we took closer to the stage. I started to get jittery and my palms started to sweat. Luckily, Chat was wearing leather gloves, so he couldn't feel how my nerves were getting to me.

We walked up the steps of the stage and soon the cheers started to thunder throughout the large room, and more spotlights were shining brighter than usual, causing me squint and shield my eyes even more than I already was. Chat seemed oblivious to my situation, and seemed to be handling everything pretty well. He had a big smile on his face and his eyes sparkled in the almost blinding light. I don't know how his eyes were still even open at this point.

He seemed to have a natural response to all the cameras and the flashing lights, taking everything that was thrown at him with ease. He waved and greeted some of the guests in the front row while walking me to the center of the stage. Although I was sort of used to the paparazzi with all the interviews I had to do as Ladybug, it only happened when I finished an Akuma attack, and those stopped happening almost a year ago, so my camera awkwardness has skyrocketed.

Once we had walked all the way to center stage, Mayor Bourgeois and Chloe came up to the stage, gaining evening louder applause and cheers. They waved to the crowd and met up with Chat Noir and I. The Mayor gave us friendly handshakes and a small greeting, while Chloe took out her phone, and wrapped her arms around Chat and I while making a duckface.

"Say 'Cheese' you two!" She exclaimed, getting her phone an angle where all of us were in the shot.

"Cheese!" Chat happily exclaimed holding up a peace sign, while I just awkwardly fake smiled for the camera.

That was one of the things that still annoyed me about Chloe, but I pushed those emotions to the back of my mind, not wanting to go all batshit crazy in her. Even though she was now one of my friends, she was still a little self absorbed.

After her little photo session, she squealed as she scrolled through her photos, and her dad made his way up to the microphone and clinked his champagne glass to gain the party's attention, "Thank you all who could make it all the way here to Saint-Malo for a small token of our appreciation to the miraculous Ladybug and Chat Noir!" He exclaimed, gesturing to us.

The crowd let out a loud cheer as we just stood there with smiles on our faces and waved. Not gonna lie, all of this adoration we were receiving felt nice! Sure, I've received this type of praise before for saving Paris countless times, but it's nice to have people care about you and what you do.

"This Gala may seem a bit extreme to the both of you, but I can speak for everyone in France that this is only a small percentage of what we want to give back to you for saving all of us and our beloved city countless times! The citizens of this country will forever be in your debt, Lady up and Chat Noir!" He continued, holding his glass up in the air.

At that moment, a butler carried over a tray with two champagne glasses on it, and Chat generously took both and handed one glass to me with a slight nod. I gave him a small smile and held up my glass as well. The people below us in the crowd also held up their beverages in our direction. They gazed at Chat and me with great full smiles and kind eyes that made me blush a little. Luckily my mask covered the majority of it.

"To Ladybug and Chat Noir!" He toasted, "And may Paris rest easy knowing it's guardian angles will be watching over us!"

The crowd cheered and the clinked their glasses with people adjacent to them, and then taking small sips of their beverage. I turned to Chat with a silly smile on my face and Che held out his glass to me, which I gladly clinked. He smiled at how excited I seemed to be and then took a swig of his champagne.