He began to visit Nella every time his suit was torn. Mostly as an excuse. Ladybug offered a few times, but he told her that he knew how important their identities needed to be secret. Mostly an excuse just so Nella could fix it.
Most times he came over, he had scratches. Her brother, Sasha (Alex in Russian), would disinfect it and wrap it. He mumbled most of the time while working on him in Russian. His sister would tell Adrien that he gave her brother good practice for treating wounds and bandaging.
He noted that their French was getting a bit better, their accent still very distinct though. Whenever he was by, he helped Nella with whatever grammar or word that gave her trouble. A lot of the time, she asked how she could improve her pronunciation. He never told her exactly how, but admitted to admire her accent whenever she spoke. She mumbled something in Russian with a snicker. It bothered him that she couldn't find the words to translate what she mumbled.
•••
As Chat Noir had gotten better and better in fighting the Akuma with Ladybug, Andrey's visits became less frequent. He started patrolling the streets of Paris with the red clad superhero. They were fun, if not filled with childish games most of the time. They became better coordinated and closer in their friendship.
He was getting more used to her calling him 'Chat', or even 'kitty cat'.
He wanted a pet name for her.
He then ran to the only other person who he thought could help.
He was sure to keep his jacket up and hat down as he walked to her apartment entrance door. Everyone in the city could recognize his face. It was surprising that Nella hadn't noticed. In the thought of her, said girl walked out of the building.
She was clad in loose, knee high dress. She had a tight white sweater underneath to cover her arms and helped pop the soft brown and orange plaid, and a brown belt that fastened on her waist. She tied her hair back with a black clip and wore strapped sandals. She looked like someone from the late twentieth century. She smiled brightly at him. "Why are you wearing a jacket and a scarf during this late in spring?"
"I-I get cold easily..." He mumbled an excuse.
She huffed at him. She folded down his jacket flaps. He protested of course. "It is improper to wear a coat like this. A fool wears it like that." She also took his scarf and wrapped it around herself, smiling as it seemed to complete her outfit. "You will warm up fine with your jacket alone."
"Give those back," he wined in a hissy voice. Plagg quickly shot out of his jacket and snuggled into the scarf around the young girl. One less on his side. "Nelliya..." He moaned.
She gave a concerned look. He hardly used her actual name. "Yes?" She asked innocently. They began walking slowly.
Adrien wasn't sure if he truly wished to share with her at that point. It was Plagg that continued for him. "My lousy charge wanted to figure out a pet name for his partner, so he came by to ask for help." The boy blushed deeply.
The brunette simply giggled. "That is all?" He nodded nervously. She tossed her head back, with a laugh. "You can be very funny." He gave an unpleasantly miffed look. It took her a while to calm down and collect herself. It was difficult to understand she was a year older than him sometimes. She could act so childish and carefree. "It cannot be too hard for you, can it?"
He sighed. He thought the same, but wasn't too sure of himself. He wanted the nickname to be perfect. He didn't know her true name which made it all the more difficult. "It seems more difficult when it comes to... Her..." Nella gasped with a bright cheeks. It caused Adrien to be a bit concerned. "W-what is it?"
"A girl?" She squealed. The boy stuttered a response. She was so happy. "Is she your first crush? Are you feeling the butterflies? Or the sparks when your hands touch?"
Adrein blushed heavily. "N-no, I'm not!" He denied. "It's j-just 'cause she gave me a nickname, and I-I wanted to return with something a similar a-affection!"
Nella wouldn't let go of her cat smirk. "Affection?" She cooed blissfully. "Such words... It is love, no?" Adrien tried to pull his jacket up to hide his red face. Plagg was hissing a laugh at him at well. It truly couldn't get worse.
He refused to look at her or even keep up with her pace. His pouting was almost enough for her to drop her teasing. "I am sorry, Andrey." She said sincerely. "I will try to help with the nickname. What is the name of your girl— I mean, your friend?" Plagg hissed a snicker of laughter. The brunette suddenly needed to adjust her scarf. Shaking it, silenced the kwami as he tried to stay hidden and not show fear from the shaking.
Adrien smiled. "She's the red superhero is fight with against the akuma."
The young girl smiled at the blond's dreamy look. "She is indeed special."
"She is," he sighed breathlessly. "She's smart, strong, and knows how to deal with anything. I really look up to her. She's the closest person I have to a friend with a few others." Nella smiled at him as she imagined Andrey and the superhero chasing each other across the city. "I just don't know her real name." Her daydream was crushed.
"Що?!" She all but shrieked. "You do not know your girl— your friend's name?!"
The boy jumped in defense. "Not so loud. Besides. She wants our identities to be a secret."
She began to mumble to herself in Russian. He took it upon himself to learn a bit himself. "Maybe she finds it ... They both do wear leathery clothes..."
Suddenly he felt like he shouldn't continue his conquest to understand her language.
"It is very important to her?" She asked mildly, breaking him from his thoughts. He nodded. "Then let us think of a nickname from her superhero title. Ladybug, yes?" He nodded with more enthusiasm. She hummed in thought. "You say you respect her, yes?" He smiled brightly with another nod. "Will you say like a queen or a noble-woman? What do the French call people's in respect? Madam... Miss... La—"
Slowly, Adrien's eyes widened. He looked towards the grey eyed girl with brightening happiness. "How did I not see it?" He cut in. She giggled at his out burst. He couldn't hold back a laugh himself. "Ladybug! My Lady! I can call her 'My Lady'!"
In all of his excitement, he had accidentally knocked off his own hat. He paused as many eyes turned to him and stared in utter shock. So many girls awed and began to squeal. Nella stared at all of them in confusion. The moment one person in the crowd of stared took a step, Adrien grabbed his friend's hand and ran.
The girl he stole didn't seem to mind as she began to run with him. She slipped her hand into his and intertwined fingers so they wouldn't lose each other. A group of people had began to try and find them. Picture of him and shirts waved in the air. "Adrien!" "Sign my magazine!" "Sign my shirt!" "I love you!" "Adrien!" "Notice me!" "Sign my t*ts!" "My Gwad!!!"
Nella seemed disgusted by all the noise and squeals. She took the lead in their escape and ran through many confusing routes and turns. Slowly they began to shake them off. She turned sharply to their right and right by that corner was a small, narrow, dark alley to that left. She pulled him in with her, pressing his head against her shoulder a woman would do to a child. The last few persistent girl ran past blindly.
Adrien recoiled back as soon as her heard the runners fade. He was blushing at how close they were. She however only sighed in relief and smiled at him. "Are you well?" She asked, a bit breathless from the jog. He nodded, afraid to speak. "That is good." She petted his hair, and straighten it best she could.
Slowly, the model looked at her and finally gathered his voice. "Why hide my head like that?"
She looked at him confused. "If they had saw your hair, they would have chased us more." He sighed in a bit of relief. She still frowned. "Do you have to run like this a lot of the time?" He looked up, surprised by the question. "You are a famous model. I see your face on magazine close to everyday."
He didn't answer right away. He was unsettled with what she was concerned with; him running from fangirls. "H-how long have you known?"
She still frowned. "Around before your fifth visit." His eyes widened. For months, half a year, she had know. Yet, she didn't say anything. She sighed. She... was so... Nella smiled softly at him. Her grey eyes were glazed with sympathy. "I promise to not be like the girls. You are still the Andrey that like to sneak in my home."
He smiled as polite as possible and didn't hold back a hug and chuckle. "Thank you, Nella."
---
Note: if you haven't picked it up yet, italics are when people are speaking in another language. It would be a pain for the both reader and writer to type everything in Russian and translate for you at the bottom (causing you to go back to where the translation was and having to reread everything for a clearer understanding.)
Trust me, I'm doing you all a favor.
Note2) що= what (this was one insignificant word so it doesn't really count)