Miraculous Games

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty:

Adrien drummed his fingers, watching the TV with the intensity of a ninja. Or a ninja cat, more like it. His mind was racing a thousand miles an hour, so much so that it was hard to keep everything straight in his brain.

He had done it. He had kissed Ladybug.

What was so surprising, other than the fact that he had actually kissed her, was the fact that she hadn't pushed him away. She had kissed him back. As joyous as he was, Adrien couldn't turn off the nagging thought that she might have just done it for show. He hadn't realized at the time, but the kiss had been caught on camera. It had been on replay for the past several hours as Alec and Nadja gossiped about it. Every time it turned on, Adrien would get a stupid grin on his face, relishing in the beautiful moment they had shared.

Something else bothered him, too. Though the kiss had felt real to him, Alec and Nadja had been comparing it to the kiss Ladybug had given Fox. The two hosts had sent out a poll to the audience to see which kiss they had enjoyed better. They also included a different poll for the audience to vote between who they thought would win Adrien's heart. The results had not come in yet.

Recaps from the previous night began to scroll by. As Adrien watched Queen Bee plead for her life, there was a knock on his bedroom door. He turned to look over his shoulder as the door opened. Nathalie stepped inside, her clipboard stacked with papers and her tired eyes looking up at him. For a moment, Adrien felt pity for the poor woman.

"Adrien, your father wishes to see you."

He got to his feet. "I'll be there in a moment. Thank you, Nathalie."

Nathalie nodded, then closed the door as she left.

Biting his lip, Adrien tucked his phone into his pocket. If Ladybug needed him, his phone would notify him. He just hoped it wouldn't go off while he visited with his father.

Adrien made his way to the door, but before he left, he glanced back at the TV. Alec and Mrs. Chamach were discussing 'FireFox', the ship name the audience had come up with. Furrowing his eyebrows, Adrien listened closely. Had the results come in?

"Honestly, I think their relationship is stronger," Alec was saying. "Ladybug is a strong-willed woman, everyone knows that."

"However," Nadja interrupted, "Fox seems to unlock a certain part of her that Chat, her protector charm, never gets to see."

"That may be true, but I think we need to see what our viewers voted for. They decide the fate of most people in the arena."

Adrien raised an eyebrow. That was an idea. Maybe he didn't just have to help in the arena. Maybe Chat Noir could make a public appearance...

The results were revealed. The screen was split in half, one side labeled 'FireFox' with a picture of Marinette and Nathanael kissing, the other labeled 'MariChat' with Marinette and him. Percentages showed up, starting at 0 then rapidly climbing. Adrien bit his lip, switching between the two percentages. Which would be higher?

The numbers stopped, and there was no taking them back now.

FireFox - 62%

MariChat - 38%

"Wow!" Alec commented. "Looks like FireFox won by a landslide!"

"Well, the public has spoken," Nadja said. "I wonder how their relationship will blossom, especially after having Fox see Chat kiss Ladybug last night."

Adrien's eyes widened. What? Nathan saw them?

"Indeed. Who knows how FireFox will work once the games are over. To be honest, part of me wants them to win, but then they'll be separated."