Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. It belongs to its respective owner.

I Like You A Latte

Adrien is the name of her waiter.

Yes, the green-eyed blond over there wearing the black cat ears and stupid grin.

Marinette has to put up with him every single morning just to get her mocha latte. He was her waiter from the start; the very first time she walked into the Lucky Cat Café, just her luck that Adrien had to be the one assigned to her. And every time she came by, it was always him.

If she were to be completely honest with herself, she finds him really good-looking—she has ever since she laid her eyes on him for the first time.

But good looks can only go so far.

Marinette becomes a regular because their mocha lattes are just so good. It's when she orders her ninth latte that Adrien stops the quiet and polite act and starts acting—well, like himself.

Adrien comes to her table by the window to drop off her coffee. He winks at her and leaves, and Marinette doesn't think much of this previous action until she sees it.

She looks down at her latte in complete and utter disbelief.

Instead of finding cute latte art on the surface of her drink, she finds seven numbers, accompanied by a name. Marinette just stares at it. She has no idea what to do, when Adrien approaches her.

"Is everything going well?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows and giving her a pearly-white grin.

"Yeah, uh," she begins, then points down at her mocha latte. "Look, Adrien—I'm really flattered and all, but I'm not really looking for a relationship right now, you know?"

"I understand," he says with a wave of his hand. Marinette pats herself on the back for rejecting him such a polite and gracious manner, and she smiles because this Adrien guy took it so well.

But then he speaks again.

"Forgive me; I just can't help myself when someone catches my eye."

Silence.

"Did you just—" Marinette doesn't complete her sentence and just groans. "I cannot believe you just made a cat pun."

"It isn't so hard to believe, really. I mean…" Adrien says, and then points a finger at his black cat ears. "You're at the Lucky Cat Café, and all the workers are forced to wear these. It just happens."

Marinette thinks he's going to leave after that. She thinks he's going to apologize and leave her be. But he doesn't.

He brings it up again, "And may I ask why you aren't interested?"

"Like I said, I'm not looking for a relationship right now," she re-explains, hoping he gets it through his thick skull this time. But this is Adrien we're talking about, and he doesn't give up easily.

"You say that now," he smirks. "But just you wait. I'll make you change your mind."

He winks, and then leaves her to take more orders.

Marinette aggressively stirs her mocha latte until the very last digit of his phone number and the very last letter of his name become nothing but foam.

Alya is a shipper on deck, Marinette discovers, and she's absolutely no help at all.

"You should totally go for him," is what she tells her when Marinette finishes her story.

"Absolutely not!" Marinette almost screams. "Alya, do you not understand how awkward it'll be if it doesn't work out?"

"Who says it's going to end up badly?" she asks. "You haven't even gone out with him yet and you're already assuming the worst."

"I know, but—"

"Is he good-looking at least?"

"Him? Well—you know—I mean, there are lots of good-looking guys out there, so what do you mean by 'good-looking' exactly—"

"Oh, he's definitely good-looking."

Marinette slumps her shoulders in defeat. "Yes, he really is. I don't know if it's the combination of the blond hair and green eyes, or maybe it's his amazingly handsome smile, but his personality is just—ugh, he goes from a ten to like, a three in an instant."

"Ah, yes. Because making the first move makes you oh-so-very unattractive."

Marinette squints her eyes at her best friend.

Marinette walks through the doors of the Lucky Cat Café and is greeted by no other than Adrien.

"Good morning, Ladybug," Adrien smiles, setting her morning latte in front of her. Marinette rolls her eyes at the drawing of a kitten saying, "You're purrfect."

"Wait—Ladybug?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "Where did you get that one?" Adrien just points at her ladybug-printed purse. "Ah."

"Since you won't give me your name, I figured I'd improvise," he shrugs. Then, he smirks and already, Marinette wants to jump out the window. "So, how are you feline this morning?"

She groans. "Please, shut up."

"Woah, no need for cattitude."

"Adrien!"

"Yes?"

"Stop."

"I will if you go on a date with me."

She rolls her eyes. "How about never?"

"I see it's going to take a bit of purrsuasion to get you to say yes," he smirks, flicking a lock of his blond hair. "But trust me, you'll say yes one day."

Marinette groans at his pun and his smirk and his perseverance.

She doesn't know why she doesn't just stop coming to the café.

After another story featuring Adrien and his stupid puns, Alya decides to tag along to see for herself. Unlike Marinette, she loves puns, so she's really looking forward to hearing them.

"Oh, you're right, he really is cute!" Alya exclaims when Adrien walks over to their table to get their orders.

Adrien, with his stupid black cat ears and stupidly handsome face, smiles at Alya's words. "Why, thank you. I'm glad to know that my Ladybug and her friend find me quite attractive."

"Thanks, Alya."

"Anytime, Marinette—"

"No!"

Marinette slaps her forehead when Adrien's face lights up. "So, my Lady's name is Marinette?"

"That's right!" Alya exclaims, and Marinette gives her a death glare. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you need… a mewment to get over it?" Marinette stares in disbelief as Adrien and her best friend high-five each other.

"Good one!" he exclaims, laughing.

"Alya, please don't encourage him—"

"Come on, Marinette," he grins. "We're just… kitten around."

When Alya and Adrien continue spewing out a series of cat puns and cat jokes, Marinette buries her face in her hands and can't wait for her mocha latte to come so that she can throw it in both of their faces.

It's a rainy day in Paris, but the weather never stops Marinette from going out and getting her morning coffee. She passes by dozens of other coffee shops, yet there's just something about the Lucky Cat Café that pulls her in.

And it's not Adrien.

Right.

Marinette sits down at her regular table near the window, and watches the rain fall endlessly, finding calm and relaxation at the sight.

But said calm and relaxation are replaced by annoyance and frustration when a familiar voice behind her greets her, "Good meowrning."

She turns around and glares at the blond. "Okay, that one's a bit of a stretch—what are you doing?" Adrien places her mocha latte on the table, but instead of leaving, he pulls out the chair across from her and sits right down. He has his elbows on the table and his palms on his cheeks, and he has that annoying smile on his face that makes Marinette's blood boil.

"I'm on break," he says simply.

"On break?"

He nods. "A co-worker of mine doesn't want his break just yet, so yeah, I decided to have mine now instead."

"Great," she says monotonously. She looks down at her latte and destroys the drawing by stirring it violently with her spoon.

Adrien places a hand on his chest, looking offended. "Marinette, don't you know how much love I pour into that?" Marinette responds by rolling her eyes.

"How's your morning?" he grins, switching subjects.

"So far? Bad because you're here."

"Then mine's good because you're here," he laughs. "So, tell me; what does my Ladybug—"

"Stop calling me that."

"—like besides mocha lattes?"

"Seriously?" Marinette asks, raising an eyebrow. He nods, and she sighs. "Fine. Fine. I'll play along. After all, I still have some time before my shift starts." She takes a glance at her watch, and then continues, "I like fashion."

"Really? That's so cool!" Adrien exclaims, and Marinette blushes. "Come to think of it, you do always wear stylish clothes whenever you come by. I shouldn't be surprised at all."

"I… I make my clothes."

His eyes widen. "For real? You're really talented, Marinette, seriously! That's amazing!"

She smiles at his compliments and at the fact that he called her by her real name and not something stupid like Ladybug or (she cringes) Bugaboo. "I also like drawing, sight-seeing, and sports even though I'm terrible at most of them. Not much I can say about myself. They're pretty small and simple."

"The best things in life are simple," he smiles.

"What about you?"

Not that she cared to know.

Cough.

"Besides lattes, I like learning new languages. I'm currently learning Chinese, and I really love it," he answers. "But fencing and piano are at the top of my list. They always have been and probably forever will be."

Marinette finds herself smiling at how amazing his interests are. She never would've guessed behind his flirty and over-confident personality.

But just as she's about to compliment him for his interests, he continues, "I guess you could say I'm quite the cathlete and mewsician."

"…"

"…"

"When does your break end."

One day, Marinette comes to the café and Adrien isn't her waiter.

A boy with a nametag that reads Nino is the one who takes her order. She's shocked at first because she never has to get her order taken, but she plays along with it because Adrien's bound to show up anytime now. He's probably just teasing her.

But when it's Nino who brings her the mocha latte with a drawing of a kitten holding a heart on it, Adrien still doesn't appear. The drawing seems like something Adrien would draw, but there's just something about it that's off.

That's when it hits her; he's probably not even in the café.

Before Nino leaves, Marinette calls for his attention. "Um, excuse me?"

He swivels around and gives her a smile. "Yes? Is there something else I can get you?"

"Huh? O-oh, no, it's just…" she begins clumsily. "Is Adrien here?"

She doesn't even know why she cares so much. But she gives it some thought, and maybe it's because he's always been a part of her mornings, so it just feels so different, so incomplete, when he isn't.

Nino shakes his head, and Marinette doesn't know why she feels so disappointed.

"No, sorry," he says. "Some girl called him earlier and he was out of here not even two hours after his shift started. I'm surprised they even let him leave."

"Oh. Really?"

Nino nods, laughing. "It's probably a date, if you ask me. It is Saturday, after all."

He walks away when another customer calls for his attention, leaving Marinette all by herself. Her heart dropped when Nino said it was probably a date, and she's just so angry with herself for feeling so sad and upset and empty and… heartbroken?

She places her hands on the side of her head, eyes wide and face warm.

"Oh no."

This wasn't supposed to happen.

For weeks, she put up with his annoying cat puns and cat jokes. Who knew it took one day without him to make her realize that she—she curses internally—might, probably, maybe, kind of… like him.

Marinette looks down at her latte and frowns.

She cuts the heart the kitty is holding in half with her spoon.

The next day, Marinette comes again, and her face noticeably brightens when she sees Adrien.

"Good morning, my Lady. Missed me yesterday?"

Her smile vanishes at his words, and she just rolls her eyes at him. She walks past him and sits at her regular table, awaiting her mocha latte. Adrien comes by not too long after, and he sets down her order in front of her.

There's a drawing of a cat and a ladybug on it (clearly, it's meant to be him and her, Marinette notes as she eyes her ladybug-printed purse), and it's enough to get her all worked up.

"Would you stop?" she says bitterly.

Adrien is shocked by her sudden use of tone. "Is there something wrong—?"

"Of course there's something wrong!" she exclaims. "How could you be doing things like this to me when you already have a girlfriend?!"

Adrien blinks. "A girlfriend?"

She rolls her eyes. "Yes, a girlfriend—the one you went on a date with yesterday? The one you were talking on the phone with? You just got up and left at her call before I even got here."

"Wait—Nathalie?"

So that's her name, Marinette thinks. "You tell me," she shoots at him. "How could you be doing this behind her back—?"

"Nathalie's not my girlfriend."

"Nice try," she says. "Nino said—"

"Well, what Nino said is wrong," he says, shooting somewhat of a death glare in his co-worker's direction. "Nathalie's my father's assistant. I never get to see him since he's always working, but he managed to get a day off yesterday. Nathalie called me to tell me about it, and I left work to go see him."

Marinette deflates at his explanation.

She suddenly feels so stupid.

"I—really—you—oh," she says dumbly, turning red from embarrassment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump to conclusions."

"No worries," he waves. Then, he smiles flirtatiously. "So, how about a date to make up for it?"

"Sure."

"Okay, fine—wait, what?"

"Sure," Marinette repeats, smiling. "I'd like that."

"I—really—you—oh." It was his turn to become a bumbling mess. He's shocked for a moment, unable to believe what he just heard, but then he smiles a genuine smile and there's a sparkle in his eyes. "R-really?"

Marinette nods. "Really."

"Well… I… Um, my shift ends at six, so maybe…?"

"Sure," she says. "I'll be back at six."

"Alright. Awesome."

Adrien is left standing in front of her and he smiles wider and brighter than she's ever seen before. She returns the smile with equal happiness, but it disappears just as quickly as it came because Adrien decides to open his mouth again.

"Or should I say, pawsome—"

"Don't make me change my mind."

A/N: The Lucky Cat Café is from Big Hero 6, by the way. And since I love Big Hero 6 and Miraculous Ladybug and puns and coffee shop au's and coffee, here's all five in one. This was actually going to be called Mocha Lattes with a Side of Adrien, but I find I Like You A Latte much cuter, so I decided on that one instead. ;w; (Speaking of cute you know who's really adorably cute Chat Noir ahahah this boy is going to be the death of me send help).

Thank you for reading!