Adrien laughed at Nino's joke. He was happy to see his friend better after the day's event. He also took notice of the boy's blush when Alya said something about it. He turned his attention to the bluenette on the ground. He wiggled his eyebrows and nudged his head in Alya and Nino's direction. She glanced over and smirked to herself.
"Hey, Adrien!" Alya said. The four of them were apart of the few left in the common room. "Do you have any embarrassing stories?" Adrien took a moment to think about it.
"Oh yeah! This one time I was in a shoot and as you saw earlier, I'm allergic to feathers. Anyway they had me wear this hat that was completely made out of pigeon feathers. I nearly passed out mid-shoot from sneezing so much. They had to find someone else. I was so embarrassed." Adrien told the group. They all snickered at the model's misfortune. "Marinette, you're next."
"Oh I have a really good one for this. Alya you'll remember this. It was about a year ago and I had a crush on this kid." There it was again. The twinge in his stomach. "So I was trying to either tell him how I felt or ask him out or something. I brought the whole class cupcakes that day from my parent's bakery. I was talking to him before class. After he gently rejected of course me I walked backwards, tripped and fell. Then the cupcakes all landed on me. My whole class was laughing at me. I called in sick the next day." Adrien frowned at the story when Marinette giggled.
"Girl I remember that! You were horrified for weeks!" Alya laughed along with Nino. "Adrien why do you have that face?"
"I dunno Alya. I don't think that was funny." Adrien said. Marinette frowned in response.
"Oh I see what the problem is Alya. Adrien is jealous of the guy in the story." Nino cackled, loud enough for Adrien to hear but not enough for Marinette. Adrien rolled his eyes.
"Well I think we should all head to bed." Adrien suggested, looking at the clock. "Especially us Marinette, practice tomorrow."
"Oh and we have our first band practice tomorrow!" Nino reminded the group. Adrien completely forgot that the band existed. It appeared Marinette did too because she made a face. He has been so busy with Chat Noir and quidditch it must of slipped his mind. "Cmon Adrien let's go." Nino stood up and led them to their room. They changed into their pajamas and went to bed.
• • •
Adrien checked the time once more. It was now 11pm. He groaned and flipped over again. He could not sleep. Again. It wasn't even the same reason. It was a certain bluenette in his mind. Nino's comment stuck with him. Do I like Mari? No, ladybug. He just ended up deciding to say he is attracted to bluenette's with blue eyes you can get lost in. He stood up and walked into the common room. He needed to clear his mind, maybe go outside. But he couldn't be Adrien, he would get in trouble. Maybe as someone else. He heard a familiar angry meow at his feet.
"I know what you're thinking kid. Just hurry up and give me cheese after." The cat spoke. Adrien was finally getting used to the recent development of his car being able to demand cheese using human words. He thanked the cat before saying.
"Plagg, claws out!" He quickly ran out of the common room. He ran down the hallway, faster than he normally would due to his transformation. He ran into the courtyard and sat down in the grass. Adrien looked at the stars above and looked for his mom's. This was something Adrien did often. He would designate one star that he believed to be his mom. On lonely nights he would climb onto his roof and talk to it. It may of been weird but it has always been a comfort to him. He quickly found the familiar star. It had a yellowish tint to it and appeared bigger and brighter than the rest. He later learned this was Polaris which made it easier to find.
"Hey mom it's me again. Look. I'm a hero now. I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm just following Ladybug's lead. I'm worried that dad will find a way to switch my house. For once in my life I have good friends and I'm happy and I'm worried it will get taken away just like you were. I can't let myself get too attached just in case. I made the quidditch team too. I'm a chaser, just like you were for the Slytherin team." His thoughts were interrupted by someone walking to him. He jumped up and turned around only to see Headmaster Fu. Again.
"Good evening Chat Noir, it just so happens we keep meeting like this." The teacher said sitting down on a bench. The feline stared at him before sitting beside him.
"I think you have me mixed up for another Cat themed wizard because we have never met Professor." Adrien said quickly.
"Ahh Adrien. You think I don't know which of my students are prancing around fighting Hawkmoth. It is my job as the Guardian." The Professor smiled at the confused teen. "Also your monologue just now only fits one description so it's best if you keep those to yourself."
"You? Why did you give me the miraculous?" Adrien asked him. He had to know. Was it to reassure him being in Gryffindor?
"It is your destiny along with Ladybug to yield these powers. I gave you each a test, which you both passed to prove that you are ready. The ability to use the miraculous lies deep within your soul. If they are used incorrectly or by the wrong people it would have catastrophic results." The Professor explained.
"And that's why we have to protect them from Hawkmoth." Adrien said, all the pieces of the puzzle coming together. "Do you know anything about him coming back? How did you know that he was?"
"I felt it. I felt his presence return to this world this past summer. I had to wait until you both arrived here to give you the miraculous. I suppose he too sensed when they were activated because he attacked that day. And how he did. Well he never really died. He was just dormant. Waiting. He isn't strong enough yet either, otherwise he would fight you himself instead of sending the Imperioed victims after you. But he is getting stronger. Everyday. So the day will soon come when he will attack." Adrien say in silence absorbing this. "You can always do some research if you want Adrien. The librarian left it open for someone else inside, you should go to." Adrien smiled at the headmaster.
"I will. Thank you sir. Does that mean you know who Ladybug is too?" Adrien had to ask.
"Adrien. You must understand it puts you both in danger to know one another identities. If someone is to find out I need you to tell me so I can erase the memory. You never know who is listening. But to answer question, yes I do." Adrien nodded solemnly. He said goodnight and walked to the library. Little did he know that the headmaster grinned to himself when the boy went to the library.
When Adrien arrived he didn't know what to expect. What he didn't expect in the slightest is to see Ladybug sitting at a table surrounded by books doing exactly what he planned to. He sat down next to her.
"Fancy seeing you here m'lady." Adrien began. Ladybug looked up at him. "At least now I know you're a student too. I wonder if we're in the same year?" Lies. He knew she was a student from what Professor Fu said earlier. And she did look about 14 too.
"Chat... the less we know about one another the safer it is." Ladybug lectured him. He knew that. He was just reminded of that by Fu. He frowned at the thought of never really knowing her. "Get a book on DADA. The teacher is horrible and we need to learn." He snickered at her comment about their teacher. It reminded him of Marinette's outburst in class earlier. As he read Adrien decided he should try and make conversation. And if he found out more about her, than that would be fine too.
"I originally thought you'd be an obvious Gryffindor. Brave, natural leader." He saw the girl smile. His grin returned when continued. "But now I find you face first in a book? You could be a Ravenclaw. Especially with those clever plans of yours. You're a regular bookworm I presume." Ladybug began laughing at what he said. "What?"
"Nothing it's just that." She took a breath to control her laughter. "If any of my friends heard my civilian self be referred to as a bookworm they would be like 'Uh excuse me? I think you have the wrong M-'" Adrien's eyes widened. He would of laughed at her impression but he was taken aback when he got the first letter of her name. He decided to tease her about it.
"So, Ladybug's name starts with an M and is not a bookworm." When he saw her face grow serious he decided to throw in a compliment. "But has piercing bluebell eyes that can read your soul. It's a start. I'll take it." Her expression lightened up a bit at the compliment but still was emotionless.
"Chat. Not a word to anyone. Got it?"
"I promise to never tell a soul Bugaboo."
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