Nino sat at home, fingering his miraculous bracelet.
Today had been too close. He had made it to the Eiffel Tower just in time. Ladybug's miraculous had begun beeping right after she had cleansed the akuma.
Which meant it had been Carapace's job to walk the young Akuma home. Unfortunately, Ladybug had made him promise that he wouldn't use Momentio, which would have gotten them there in half the time, and the little girl was afraid of water so he couldn't take the water board.
The little girl- Ana- had looked thrilled to be escorted home by a super hero, but Carapace had not been happy.
That walk home was why he was now late for dinner. He had promised Alya, Marinette, and Adrien he would be there at six sharp.
It was six-fifteen, he had patrol withRena Rouge at seven-thirty, and he still had to write an essay for history.
Quickly, he grabbed a jacket with big pockets, so Wayzz could sit comfortably. The kwamii smiled up at him.
Nino couldn't help smiling back. Luckily, the café was only a block away, so it was only five minutes before he had arrived and plopped down in a seat next to Adrian. "Hey!"
"You're late." Alya said pointedly.
He winced. "Sorry, I was busy."
"With what?"
"Uh, homework?"
Marinette gasped dramatically. "Nino, doing homework? What universe have I stumbled into?"
"Hey, Adrien!" Alya said. "Nino and I were just asking yesterday who our favorite superhero is. So, who's yours?"
"Chat Noir." He said promptly. "And Ladybug."
"Well, who do you like better, Rena Rouge or Carapace?"
Adrien contemplated for a second. "Not sure. Rena Rouge is too reckless and Carapace is too uptight."
Marinette nodded. "Agreed. They do balance each other very well, though."
"I don't think that Rena Rouge is reckless." Alya said unhappily. "Maybe she just seems reckless because of her crazy ideas."
"Speaking of reckless!" Marinette interjected. "Didn't you take on an akuma today?"
"Yup! I took it down!"
"Alya, that's really dangerous!" Adrien said. "You could have been killed!"
Alya shrugged. "Well, I wasn't."
"Hey, I'm going to go get drinks." Marinette said, excusing herself. She didn't want to start an argument, and, sure enough, as she left, Nino and Alya began fighting.
Adrien began to wish he had left with Marinette.
***
"Excusez-moi, monsieur. Qu'est qu'il y a à boire?"
"Uh, I'm sorry. I don't speak French." The teenager behind the counter said nervously. "Do you speak English?"
"Yes, I do." Marinette said, noting his British accent. "What do you have to drink?"
"Oh. Well, we have uh, coca and eau and... well, how about I just give you the menu?"
"Good idea." Marinette said. He had pronounced eau as 'ew.'
She scanned the menu quickly. "We'll just have four colas. Are you an exchange student?"
The boy blushed. "Yeah, I thought it would be a good learning experience to get a French job while I was in France. Only I didn't know that they picked a job where I actually had to speak French."
"What are you studying?" Marinette asked, picking up the drinks.
"Here, I'll get those drinks- um, film and cinema. I thought with all the superheroes here, it would be a good place to study."
"You should get an interview with one of them." Marinette urged. "I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to you! Which is your favorite?"
"Um, Rena Rouge." He admitted.
"Well, I don't know where Rena Rouge and Carapace will be tonight, but I'm pretty sure Chat and Ladybug will be patrolling alone the Seine."
"Really?" He perked up. "Hey, thanks for the advice!"
"No problem. I, uh, never got your name?"
"Marinette."
"I'm Gideon."
"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay in Paris." She said politely.
He grinned happily. "I'm sure I will! French people are so nice! Just earlier today, this girl named Chloe offered to show me around!"
"Chloé Bourgeois?"
He frowned slightly. "I think so?"
"Yes, she's in my class." Marinette pursed her lips. What did Chloé want with this British boy?
"Well, I'm meeting her soon so I'm not sure that I'll have time to find Chat Noir or Ladybug, but I really appreciate your help! Here, let me carry these drinks to your table."
***
"What took you so long?" Alya asked accusingly.
"I was talking to this British guy Gideon, and apparently he just arrived and he's already met Chloé."
"Poor guy." Nino muttered.
Adrien looked slightly jealous. "Why were you talking to him so long?"
"I was giving him advice. He's studying cinema, and wants to meet one of the superheroes."
"Did he say who his favorite was?" Alya asked eagerly.
Marinette rolled her eyes. "Rena Rouge."
"Yes!" Alya whispered triumphantly.
***
"Hurry up." Carapace groused. They were supposed to be patrolling, but Rena was waving at people and signing autographs.
"Not all of us have a speed superpower." Rena groused. "Which is actually really ironic, considering that you're a turtle."
"Yeah, but you can fly." Carapace reminded her. "And stop playing with your flute!"
Rena Rouge was blowing on the flute and causing the sidewalk to seem like it was tilting.
"C'mon, let's take the waterway to Notre Dame." Carpace suggested.
Rena frowned. "Why can't we just fly?"
"Trust me, this is faster." Carapace assured her.
As Rena got onto the water board, Carapace started to instruct her. "Now, put your right foot here. And your left foot-"
"I know what to do, Carapace." She interrupted him.
He blinked. "How? You've never ridden my water board."
She internally cursed herself. "Well, its rather obvious isn't it?"
"Well, Miss Know-it-all, where do your hands go?"
He assumed that she would think to put her hands on the handlebars, but apparently she really did know what she was doing, as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Is that right?" She taunted.
"Yes." Carapace's mind was whirling. He wasn't used to being this close to Rena Rouge, and he was seriously regretting his choice not to fly.
"Well, are we going to go or not?"
Carapace grinned. "Of course." He pushed the shell-shaped button three times, and the water board immediately sputtered into high gear.
Rena Rouge whooped as they skimmed over the water.
Carapace had never felt so happy, except maybe in his civilian form when he was spending time with Adrien or Alya.
Alya. He thought. You are dating Alya. Reckless, horrible Rena Rouge means nothing to you. You are partners. Nothing more.
He was so busy thinking about Alya that he almost missed the cathedral. Quickly, he hit the brake.
The water board skidded to a stop, sending Rena flying over the handlebars. She didn't have time to stop herself and plunged into the Seine.
He gulped. "Rena?"
She was going to be furious.
A pair of ears emerged from he water, and she rocketed through the air. "That was awesome!"
Her hair was soaked, and her tail was drooping, but she was smiling broadly.
Smiling. Not smirking.
And Carapace couldn't help but smile back.
***
"Smile now, little heroes." Hawk Moth whispered gleefully. "Wait until you see the surprise I have in store for you."