The Luckiest of Charms

It had been a rather quiet day in Paris. Not that Ladybug and Chat Noir minded. Living a double life was very exhausting for the both of them. So they were always thankful for the days when Hawkmoth decided to just chill with the whole 'take over the world' scheme he had going on.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were spending their night on patrol sitting side by side on the roof of a building. It was high enough that they could over-see most of the city. It wasn't like they had to have eyes everywhere in case of an akuma attack. Usually they could rely in the screams of cowering civilians to alert them of trouble.

The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. Despite the light pollution the city gave off, the stars dazzled in the night sky almost as bright at the moon. Street lights reflected off windows illuminating the faces of the teenage superheroes.

They sat in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's presence. They felt safe and protected around the other. After all, they both trusted one another with their lives. Ladybug listened carefully for any signs of danger while Chat Noir used his night vision to scan their surroundings diligently. It was safe for them to assume that this night's patrol would be uneventful. That was true, but not in the way they were thinking it would be.

Chat Noir was the first to break the silence. "Pretty slow night, eh m'lady?" He piped up, turning to face his partner. His green, cat like eyes glowed like a flashlight. It was a rather odd thing, Ladybug thought to herself, because she could barely see the rest of him, so his eyes stuck out like a sore thumb. In a good way though.

"Yeah," she replied so quietly it was almost inaudible. Ladybug bit the corner of her lip and looked down at her hands that rested in her lap. She had an expression of contemplation upon her face. Chat Noir noticed this but decided not to say anything because he knew that his partner wasn't big on sharing personal things.

After a moment of tranquility, Ladybug spoke up. "Chat," she murmured, looking up at him tearing her eyes away from her hands.

"What's up LB?" he responded, not missing a beat.

Ladybug looked away from him, gazing deeply into the Paris skyline. She hesitated a moment, as if she wasn't sure she should talk about what was on her mind. Chat Noir was known to be a carefree ladies man, so Ladybug wasn't sure that he'd take what she was about to say seriously. Then again, though they didn't know each other's true identity, she still considered him to be one of her best friends.

"Do you…Do you ever worry that no matter how hard you try, or how good you are… you'll eventually mess up so bad that no one will ever trust you again?" Ladybug questioned.

Chat Noir looked at her in surprise. It shocked him for two reason. One, because he regarded Ladybug as one of the most self-assured people he knew, and two, because she never spoke to him about stuff this serious. She must really trust me, he thought to himself. He couldn't help the slight smile that graced his lips.

Then he saw how dejected Ladybug looked. Chat Noir couldn't help the feeling that overcame him. He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to make her smile. That's when he got an idea. Chat Noir put a hand on her shoulder, causing Ladybug to look at him.

"Ladybug, do you trust me?" he asked. She nodded in response. "Good," he stated sharply. Chat Noir stood up and twirled his stick (the weapon thing he uses, I don't know what to call it) around his fingers. "Hang on M'lady. I'll be right back," he promised. With one final smirk, he disappeared into the night sky, jumping from roof to roof.

Ladybug went back to gazing at the Paris skyline. Aside from the occasional honk of a car horn or chirp of a nearby bird, it was dead quiet at this time of night. She was slightly confused, and albeit very curious as to what her partner was up too.

She was left alone to her own devices for no more than ten minutes before Chat Noir appeared right next to her, seemingly out of nowhere. Ladybug let out a desolate sigh and didn't even bother to look up at him as he began to speak.

"Hope you didn't miss me too much LB," he started catching his breath. "A good friend of mine gave me this, and it's really helped me feel a lot better about things lately. Whenever I see it, I'm reminded that if I'm it giving my all, then I am doing my best."

Chat Noir held out his hand smiling. "Plus it's supposed to be lucky," he added winking. Rolling her eyes, Ladybug glanced up at him, then down at the object in his hand. Her breath got caught in her throat and her eyes widened as her gaze fixated upon the object.

In his hand, there lay 3 beads that were threaded together by a red string. She recognized it as the good luck charm her alter ego Marinette gave Adrien a while back before a video game tournament. Now she knew that this could mean 2 things. Either Adrien gave her good luck charm to someone else (but that seemed unlikely because in her opinion Adrien was the epiphany of perfection and would never do something so shallow) or Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste himself. Ladybug wasn't sure which scenario she liked best, or what to think of the bizarre situation she was in.

"Anyway," he spoke up interrupting her thoughts. "If you want, you can hang onto it for a bit Bug-a-Boo. You'll feel better."

She merely gaped at him in shock and surprise. After gaining her composure, Ladybug plucked the lucky charm from Chat Noir's hand and looked it over carefully. It became pretty clear to her that this was indeed the charm she gave Adrien.

Now, never in a million years would Marinette dream of being able to have a conversation with Adrien. That is without stuttering and blushing like a lovesick fool (which by all means she already was). At this very instant though, she wasn't shy and awkward Marinette. She was the confident and savvy teenage superhero Ladybug. This meant that she could talk to Chat Noir (whom she thinks might be Adrien) without sounding like an idiot.

"Thanks kitty," she replied, bumping her shoulder against his as he sat down next to her. "Who would've thought that you could be so thoughtful and sweet?"

He smiled at her then leaned back on his hands looking up at the sky. "I do have my moments LB believe it or not."

Ladybug tried to restrain herself from jumping right in with a bunch of questions. Alas, she couldn't wait very long before curiosity overcame her and she started her investigation. "So," she started off trying to sound nonchalant. "Tell me about this good friend of yours. You know, the one who gave you the charm," she asked fiddling with it in her hands.

"Why, do I dare say that I detect a hint of jealousy in your voice M'lady?" he quipped. Despite the mask he had on, she could see that he raised an eyebrow at her with a pleased smile on his face.

She gave him an incredulous look. If only he knew. "I can assure you that I'm not even the slightest bit jealous Chat. I'm just curious that's all. We see each other almost every day, yet I know almost nothing about your personal life."

"Oh and who's fault is that? I would love to enlighten you about my very eventful civilian life but you're the one who claims that it would be best to keep that kinda stuff to ourselves."

Ladybug glared at him halfheartedly. "I know what I said but I have nothing better to do right now and I bet you don't either so just tell me about this friend. C'mon, please?"

He looked at her skeptically at first but eventually gave in. What's the harm? She was right after all. They did have nothing better to do. "Well, she's this girl in my class that sits behind me. Her name is Marinette and I'm pretty sure her best friend is into one of my friends Nino, but that a whole 'nother topic. I won't bother you with the details of that," Ladybug resisted the urge the snort. "Anyway, we got off to a pretty bad start the day we met and sometimes I'm pretty sure she low-key hates me."

"Really?" Ladybug verbalized, genuinely surprised. She now knew for a fact that Chat Noir was Adrien. However, she had no idea that Adrien thought she hated him. She was also very curious to hear his true opinion of her. Ladybug gestured for him to continue.

Chat Noir cleared his throat. "Yea, she thought that I was putting gum on her seat the first day of school when I was really trying to get it off. I did end up clearing the air with her later but she always acts so weird around me."

Even though Ladybug was painfully aware of the answer she was about to receive from the question she was about to ask, she couldn't resist. "How so?"

"Okay, so every time I attempt to talk to her, or come anywhere close to her for that matter, she clams up and mutters some lame excuse for why she has to leave, then ends up walking away to her friend Alya. You've met her before. She was the girl who became Lady Wifi. Also she runs this fan blog about you which I'm sure you've heard of."

"The Ladyblog? Yea I've heard of it," she commented quietly.

"That's it yea. Anyway Marinette walks away to Alya then they both wander off whispering and giggling to each other. I may not be the sharpest tool in the box, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that they're talking about me."

Ladybug looked at her partner. "How do you know that it's bad?"

He looked at her confused. "What?"

"What they're saying," she explained. "How do you know that what they're saying is bad? They could be gushing about how cute you are for all you know."

Chat Noir looked out onto the streets below them. "Though you do have a point that still doesn't explain why she never talks to me. Or why she always makes up an excuse not to. I've seen her talk to other people in my class. She acts normal around them. Marinette is really nice and very well liked. Not to mention pretty. She's our Class Representative, and I know for a fact that at least two of my classmates have had a crush on her the past year."

Her mind was reeling. Adrien thought she was pretty? Ladybug bit down on her lip to keep from smiling and also to suppress a squeal. "Do you want to hear what I think?" she asked.

He tore his eyes away from the streets and made eye contact with her, his glowing green eyes almost luminescent. "Of course I do Bug-a-Boo. Why else would I be talking to you about this?"

She took a deep breath. "If I'm being completely honest with you, which I am, I think that this Marinette chick likes you. A lot," she confessed to him with an all knowing look in her eye.

Crossing his arms across his chest, he turned and faced her, smirking slightly. "Really? Is that so? Who made you the love expert?"

"Look Chat I know I'm right about this you just have to trust me. Also if you haven't noticed, I too am a female like Marinette so I know how girls act when they have a crush on someone." Ladybug started, wanting to continue but was cut off by her miraculous (her ear rings).

Beep. Three spots remaining.

Chat Noir stood up and extended his arm out to help Ladybug. She accepted, so he pulled her up. They stood facing one another. "As much as I'd like to continue to this ravishing conversation of ours, it seems that it's time for you to head home for the night M'lady," he stated, grabbing her hand to kiss it like he always did.

"No! I'm going to finish what I was saying before because it's important to me that you get this through your thick headed skull," she all but commanded him, smacking his arm away, per usual.

He blinked at her in shock but quickly recovered. "No offense but I really do think your mistaken LB. She just doesn't like me that way."

Beep. Two spots remaining.

"Oh my lord. Chat I swear on everything that I hold dear to me in this world that she does like you! Why else would she give you her good luck charm? Why else would she stutter every time she tries to talk to you? Why else would she blush bright red every time you make eye contact? The only logical explanation is right in front of you. Marinette likes you! She likes you so much that, even when she hears your name in passing, she sighs like a lovesick schoolgirl!" Ladybug ranted, her voice raising in frustration with every passing word.

"Wait hold on a second, how do you even know that?" he questioned confused. "You know what, never mind that's not the point. The point is I'm sure she doesn't like me and nothing you say will convince me otherwise. Also you need to go. You're miraculous is fading LB."

Chat Noir looked deeply into Ladybug's eyes. His night vision ability allowed him to see her flushed pink cheeks. Her eyes had a fierce and determined look to them. He was taken aback but the sheer ferocity of her expression.

Beep. One spot remaining.

"M'lady I insist that you go now. You're disguise is abo-"He was interrupted by the booming voice of his partner.

"Dammit Adrien I don't care!" she burst out. His mouth dropped open in shock. How did Ladybug know his real name? "I just can't believe that out of all the people who live in Paris, you had to be Chat Noir! There are literally millions of people in this city, yet fate decided to make the one and only Adrien Agreste my partner!"

He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stop talking. "LB? Who are you? How do you know who I am?"

She smiled sheepishly at him. "You're about to find out."

Beep. Zero spots remaining

In an instant, a red glow engulfed Ladybug as her miraculous wore off. Chat Noir shielded his eyes from the light with his gloved hands. It was so quiet, that even without his amplified hearing ability, he'd be able to hear a pin drop form miles away.

When the red glow finally faded, he opened his eyes and subsequently yelped, covering his mouth with his hands when he saw a very familiar face staring back at him.

She smiled nervously and waved the hand that was holding the lucky charm. "Hey Adrien."

His hands dropped to his side as he replied in astonishment. "Marinette?"