MIRACULOUS ADRIENETTE - The Christmas Party

Chapter 8

When Sabine Cheng had heard the ring of the bakery door, she didn't in a million years expect to see a protector of Paris.

"Chat noir?" She gasped.

The superhero was shorter than she had expected... But no less impressive. He swept into a low bow, his black belt tail curling around him.

"Sabine, I presume?"

Sabine raised an eyebrow at the charming smile he flashed her. His eyes were sparkling, his cheeks flushed - the boy was in love.

"And is there something you require from the bakery? I'm afraid my husband has already left for my daughter's Christmas party, and he has the key to the ovens – I was just closing up."

At this, his ears drooped. "Oh... That's ok. But what – "

Suddenly, the door ringed again.

And they both turned, to see someone they both didn't expect.

"Ladybug?" Chat gawped.

"Chat?" She blinked, equally surprised.

They looked from one, to the other, to each other.

"So." Sabine laughed. "Is there anything you two would like?"

-

Chat had been planning on asking ladybug out on Christmas day.

A couple of months ago, it had seemed the perfect idea – ladybug, filled with the spirit of Christmas, would be sure to say yes.

But now, both of them flying in comfortable silence back to Lycee Carnot academy in the near-pitch black, over looking Paris – the city of love, no less - it was the last thing on his mind.

"So." When they landed in front of the school, ladybug withdrew her yoyo and turned coyly. "Great minds think alike, huh?"

After staring at each other for quite some time in the bakery, she'd said that after one of the classes of Lycee Carnot had undergone so many akumatisations, she'd wanted to do something to help. And when she'd heard of their troubles with organising the Christmas party, she just had to swing in and save the day.

Chat said as much back. It was close enough to the truth that he hoped Santa wouldn't put him on the naughty list...

"Oh! Yeah." He chuckled and scratched the back of his head, and hopped up the steps. It was very quiet, but with his cat's vision, he saw Sabine's car driving down the very far end of the long road. "I hope their party's a success."

"Listen – chat."

When he turned back, ladybug was walking slowly up the steps, her face hard to place. Between indiscion and certainty, it flickered like a lamp, pale in the moonlight but warmed by the fairy lights over the entrance.

Another time, another place, he may have leaned in.

But... There was someone else...

"Ladbug – I'm sorry if, over the years, I've been a bit... forward." He took a step back, and she blinked in surprise.

"What?"

"But – I – I have someone I like now. A lot." He allowed himself a tiny smile, and thought of the way she always looked out for him. The way she saw him.

"And I'm... Really happy."

Ladybug smiled. "Chat, that's great." She laughed a little, and shook her head. "You know, I was just about to say something along those lines – but you've said it so well, I won't bother."