Chasing The Cat | Chat Noir x Reader / Adrien x Reader

Chapter 24: Double Date Disaster

Monday morning arrived with an unusual buzz in the air. I sat in the courtyard, stirring my coffee absentmindedly while Alya, ever perceptive, tapped her fingers on the table impatiently.

"So," she began, leaning in with a wicked glint in her eye. "What exactly happened with our favorite alley cat last night?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Not much. I tried to... test the waters a little, see how he'd react to certain things, but he deflected everything. I couldn't get him to crack."

Alya smirked, sipping her drink. "You need a better plan, girl. If Chat Noir's got walls, then maybe you should hit him where he least expects it."

I groaned, leaning back against the bench. "And how do I do that? He's too good at dodging anything personal."

Alya snapped her fingers. "Simple. Test them both under the same circumstances."

I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Double date," she said, grinning. "Me and Nino, you and Adrien. A casual setting, low stakes. You can watch Adrien closely, pick up on little things, compare them to Chat."

I hesitated, mulling it over. It sounded ridiculous, but also... brilliant. "And what happens if Chat Noir shows up while I'm out with Adrien?"

Alya's grin widened. "Then we'll know for sure, won't we? Besides, you owe me after that little detail you left out."

I frowned. "What detail?"

Alya gasped, leaning forward. "Oh, you know, just the tiny, insignificant fact that Chat Noir gave you a hickey when he stayed over!" she whisper-yelled.

My face burned. "It wasn't like that! He was—" I stopped, realizing I had no way to explain it. "Okay, fine, maybe it was like that. But it didn't mean anything!"

Alya wagged a finger. "Yeah, well, Adrien's not exactly clueless, and if you keep testing those waters, you might get caught up in something you didn't plan for."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine. Let's do it."

✲✲✲

The restaurant was bustling, warm lighting casting a cozy glow over the place. I sat across from Adrien, trying not to look too nervous as Nino and Alya chatted beside us.

Adrien, ever the gentleman, smiled at me. "This was a great idea. It's nice to just relax for a change."

I returned his smile, my heart racing. "Yeah, sometimes we all need a break."

As we talked, I made mental notes of the way he moved—his posture, his smile, the way his hands fiddled with the edge of his cup. I couldn't help but notice little things: the way he tapped his fingers absentmindedly, how his eyes flickered when he was deep in thought. So similar to Chat Noir's nervous habits.

Alya leaned in, smirking. "So, Adrien, do you think you'd ever make a good superhero?"

Adrien laughed, waving it off. "Me? No way. I'm not nearly as quick on my feet as Chat Noir."

I watched him closely, searching for any sign of hesitation. His smile remained easy, but there was something in his eyes—just a flicker—that made me pause.

"You never know," I said, testing him. "Maybe you've got a secret side we don't know about."

Adrien's smile faltered for the briefest second before he chuckled. "I think my life is complicated enough without adding superhero to the list."

I narrowed my eyes, considering his answer when—

BOOM!

An explosion echoed from outside, and people gasped, rushing to the windows. My heart jumped into my throat. Through the glass, I saw the familiar streak of black and green dashing across the rooftops.

Chat Noir.

I swallowed hard, darting a glance at Adrien, who was still seated beside me, watching the scene with interest but not alarm.

Adrien had been right there when Chat Noir appeared. That should have been proof enough.

And yet... something still didn't add up. Felix's meddling, the slip-ups, the hickeys—there were too many pieces that didn't fit neatly together.

I ran my fingers over the mark on my neck, my pulse quickening. Was it Adrien? Was it Chat Noir? Or was I chasing ghosts?

"Wow," he said, shaking his head. "Looks like another akuma attack."

I forced a laugh, willing my heart to slow down. "Yeah, seems like he never gets a night off."

Adrien checked his phone, frowning slightly. "We should probably get out of here before it gets too close."

I nodded, standing quickly. Alya and Nino exchanged knowing looks as we grabbed our things and headed out.

As we walked outside, I felt my phone vibrate with an incoming text.

Unknown Number: Careful, detective. You're looking too closely.

I froze, feeling my blood run cold and goosebumps form on my arms. My eyes darted around, scanning the crowd, but no one stood out. A large pit opened up in my stomach, nearly swallowing me whole. Adrien walked beside me, seemingly unaware.

"You okay?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking."