Cat-nipped Goals

Alone, Together

[Author's Note: Y'all are gonna love this chapter.]

"EeeEk!!" Ladybug yelped as she flicked a massive spider off her left thigh and shivered. Adrien muffled laughter and grinned behind her.

"Not much of a bug person I take, hmmm Ladybug?"

Ladybug whirled around to glare playfully at him.

"Your puns are as bad as Chat Noir's, I swear." Adrien feigned hurt with a hand to his heart.

"I, for one, think the infamous Chat Noir has great taste in humor," he teased with a smirk, brushing aside a gigantic leaf as they made their way through the jungle. They had jumped from tree to tree for a while, but had eventually run into a huge spiderweb that scared Ladybug to the point that she demanded they take the ground.

"His humor is overrated," she moaned with a roll of the eyes. Adrien just grinned again and shook his head. 

He watched her lovingly as she forged a path for them. The jungle was hot and miserable, but he was there alone with Ladybug, and anywhere with her was instantly his heaven.

Suddenly, a somewhat devious idea came to mind, but his muscles tensed nervously at the thought of it. 

'Should I even ask that? What if the answer is bad?'

But the Agreste couldn't help himself. 

"Lady Luck." 

The masked girl froze and turned to face him, raising a questioning brow. Adrien took a breath. 

"Tell me, what do you really think of Chat Noir? Are you and him, ya know, a thing?" 

Mischief danced through Adrien's expression as he said it and Ladybug's eyes widened. She went back to forging a path.

"N-no, we aren't a 'thing'. We don't even know each other's identities. As of what I think of him?" She paused her work again and looked at Adrien over her shoulder, a distant, unexplainable smile on her lips. "I think he's pretty amazing, compassionate... maybe even kind of funny. I honestly couldn't do any of what I do without him. He's my partner, and I wouldn't trade him for the world."

An innocent pink dusted Adrien's cheeks and he barely managed to contain a suspicious grin.

"Really? You think that much of him? That's... interesting. Ever said any of that to his face?"

"Can you imagine the ego he'd have if I did? He'd never drop it," Ladybug responded, laughing genuinely. Her smile was contagious and dazzling and Adrien couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Yep, I can only guess you're right." The blonde put a thoughtful finger to his chin and then smirked at Ladybug. "But you speak so highly of Chat Noir. Sure you aren't crushing on that slick black cat? Even just a little?"

Ladybug choked on air.

"V-very, very sure!" She exclaimed spinning to face him again. Her eyes widened when she noticed his stunned expression.

"Oh. Well, alright, whatever you say."

The hurt in Adrien's eyes remained and the hero couldn't help but try to amend it by offering an explanation. (whatever it may have been was beyond her.)

"I-I mean, he's great and super reliable, but...." Adrien watched Ladybug fumble and smiled weakly at her when she couldn't finish her sentence.

"Well, if he doesn't have a chance with you, does that mean I might?"