Content warning: Panic attack

I can't believe I'm doing this, I can't believe I'm doing this, why am I doing this, this is super dumb, this is a very bad idea, why am I going through with it, do I look okay, do I have lipstick on my teeth, why did I have to open my big mouth, why do I turn into a numbskull anytime I'm around him, why does he have to be so dang wonderful and gorgeous and kind and — Ladybug anxiously rambled and fretted internally as she walked towards the designated meeting area at the Trocadero.

Sighing, she looked up the Sunday evening movie times for the 10th time and checked her cardigan pockets (yet again) to make sure she'd brought enough money for snacks. While she knew that Adrien could afford his own fare, she wasn't sure if she'd be the one to pay because she was the one who invited him.

What even is date protocol?! What even is date protocol when you're a SUPERHERO?

Marinette had only ever gone on a handful of dates, none going further than awkwardly holding hands or maybe a quick peck on the cheek at the end. Her parents were high school sweethearts, which meant they were of no real help to her because they had spent practically every waking moment together since they were kids; the way they'd gone about their courtship was entirely relaxed, natural, and informal. So essentially, she was entirely lacking in experience in this field.

She finally spotted said object of her affections leaning against a pillar wearing a red zip-up hoodie, as promised. He wore his hood up, and yet he almost seemed to glow ethereally despite the dim evening light. Taking a deep breath, she walked towards him in what she hoped looked like a carefree and relaxed gait and not like a platypus, which is what she felt like in her disguise. To borrow a phrase from her school nemesis: utterly ridiculous.

A few dozen meters away, Adrien rubbed his hands nervously, then opted to stick them in his pockets to try to avoid drawing attention to himself. Plagg had snickered the whole way there and even now he kept busting out into fits of uncontrollable giggles every so often. Adrien rolled his eyes. Maybe Plagg was right and this was a horrible idea. And although Plagg did eventually warm up to the concept of going on a date with Ladybug, Adrien suspected that it was just because he wanted to watch him crash and burn.

He shook his head in determination, reminding himself that he was there on a mission: to investigate and determine whether Ladybug was trustworthy or whether she was two-faced.

Behind him someone abruptly cleared their throat. He turned to look at whoever was trying to get his attention and came face to face with a stunning young woman wearing a stylish, long sleeved cardigan and a flowing mid-length skirt. Her long, raven hair was in a low ponytail and she sported large Hello Kitty eyeglasses with tinted lenses that looked slightly out of place with the rest of her ensemble but somehow pulled the look together nonetheless.

"Hello," he greeted. "Can I help you?" The thought entered his mind that maybe this was one of his fans and she had recognized him despite wearing his hood.

"Um," the young woman replied, rubbing her arm nervously. "Hi Adrien. It's me." She waved with a gloved hand and smiled shyly, her lips shimmering with a soft pink lip gloss.

Adrien moved closer so he could see her face more clearly. He squinted for a moment, then his eyes widened in recognition. He gave a small gasp and started to exclaim, "Ladyb--!"

Ladybug surged forward and put her hand over his mouth, and raised her other hand to made a "Shh" sign. Adrien finally noticed that she was wearing her mask under the tinted glasses. He realized that she was transformed under the clothes she was wearing. He had half expected her to show up as herself, although, all things considered, that may have been a very bad idea. He had also wondered if she'd show up in her civilian form and potentially reveal her identity, but Ladybug wasn't reckless enough to do something like that. He hadn't considered the possibility of her wearing a disguise over a disguise.

Ladybug stood on her tiptoes and put her free hand on his shoulder so she could whisper into his ear, her breath tickling his neck pleasantly, "I didn't want us to attract any attention but I had to come while transformed. Miraculouses have glamour magic that helps protect the wearer's identity, otherwise there's a chance I'd be recognized." She lowered herself and asked timidly, "I-is that okay?"

Adrien felt like his heart was trying to jump out of his chest and he desperately hoped he wasn't as red as he felt. At this proximity, even without his enhanced Chat Noir senses he could still subtly smell her familiar floral scent, which always brought him inexplicable comfort. He could count the adorable tiny freckles speckled on her nose, could feel the warmth radiating from her hand in spite of the thin material of her suit, could see the lights from the Eiffel Tower reflected in her piercing, azure eyes. Suppressing a dreamy sigh, he nodded slightly and let out a muffled, "Mm-hmm."

Ladybug gasped. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she sputtered and released him, then put some distance between them.

Wringing her hands, she spoke softly, her cheeks pink, "Thank you, by the way. For coming here. I realize this... 'outing' may not be exactly what you're used to, but... it means a lot to me that you even showed up."

Ladybug's captivating smile almost caused Adrien's knees to buckle, which confused him to no end. We're literally just standing here talking, what is WRONG with me??

Shaking himself out of his slight haze, he replied, "Thank you for inviting me. I've been looking forward to it," he half-lied. She didn't really need to know just how terrified he'd been.

"Thanks, Adrien. I appreciate it. But, having said that," she added anxiously, "I... I wanted to give you one last chance to back out. I don't want you to feel obligated to go through with it." She looked up at him, eyes filled with apprehension and dread. "I'll totally understand if you change your mind. Really. I wouldn't want you to have to do something that you're uncomfortable with."

Adrien smiled at her fondly. She was so unexpectedly considerate, as she'd proven to both sides of himself. He wasn't accustomed to being given a choice, of having the agency to do whatever he was comfortable or not comfortable with doing. Her thoughtful gesture filled his chest with warm tingles, and he found himself suppressing an indescribably strong urge to hug her.

Grinning sympathetically, he took a step towards her and offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Ladybug beamed and her whole countenance brightened, then she took his arm. "Yes!"

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It was extraordinarily difficult for Adrien to keep his attention on the movie. All around him everyone laughed and exclaimed at the protagonists' antics and misadventures, but, as if by some magnetic force, his eyes were pulled elsewhere; he unwittingly yet frequently stole glances at his masked companion, who laughed along with the rest of the audience. Her radiant smile and unbridled laughter was so infectious, he couldn't keep himself from grinning widely himself whenever he peeked at her. Anytime their hands brushed while sharing snacks (which, after a short debate on who would pay for what, they'd settled on her buying the tickets and him buying the snacks), it would send his heart racing for reasons he could not fully comprehend. At one point their eyes met and she grinned cheerfully at him. He returned the smile and was infinitely grateful that the theater was dark, since he was pretty sure that his face was beet red instead of its usual color.

Ladybug seemed so ordinary here, but in the best way. A way that made her extremely approachable and warm. A way that put his nerves at ease while simultaneously setting fire to his chest. In the battlefield she had always seemed so fierce and intimidating to him, but that was not how he felt now. He felt perfectly comfortable and, dare he say it... safe. How was this chipper and animated girl that same intense and formidable opponent that he was so used to seeing as Chat Noir? It was baffling, to say the least.

UGH, I need to stop thinking and actually try to focus on the movie so I can have something to talk about afterwards, he scolded himself.

Instead of paying attention, however, Adrien found himself wondering about just that: what exactly they would be doing after the movie. The plan was for them to go to an outdoor cafe so the darkness would help to conceal Ladybug's presence from others, followed by a walk along the Seine.

He wasn't really sure what was considered "normal," as this was the first date he had ever actually agreed to go on. All of his previous (and numerous) other dates had been arranged by either Nathalie or his father and added to his schedule without him even being consulted about it; each and every one of them meticulously fabricated for some strategic socioeconomic or business purpose. Some of those dates ended with a bored, cordial handshake from both parties (much to his relief), but most of the time his companions were superficial and flirtatious, always aiming to take advantage of him and benefit from their affiliations, which only worsened as he got older. His dates had become increasingly provocative and pushy, which he detested and almost feared.

However, since this date had all been entirely voluntary and Ladybug was letting Adrien participate in all the decision making, did that also mean that he would also get to choose how to end his date with her?

Is there a handshake? A hug? Is there a k-- A kis-- AUGH!!

His stomach flip-flopped anxiously just thinking about it. What was the traditional way of doing things? Although, he supposed, this date wasn't exactly like a traditional date, to say the least.

Before he knew it, the movie was over and Ladybug reached over to touch his forearm, since apparently she'd been trying to get his attention.

She smiled sweetly and asked, "Um, shall we go? Unless you really wanted to stay til the end of the credits."

Adrien stammered as he stood, "Oh- uh, no, it's fine. We can go." They walked over to the garbage and recycling bins to get rid of all their empty wrappers and containers, then walked out of the auditorium.

As they made their way towards the theater's exit, Ladybug asked, "So how did you like the movie?"

Adrien's brain froze, but he managed to stutter out, "Uh, it was... it was really something, huh?"

Ladybug replied enthusiastically, "Yes, it sure was! I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard!" she giggled and continued, "What was your favorite part?"

Drawing a complete blank, Adrien desperately tried to remember an event from the movie, just anything at all. "W-well, it- it was..."

"Holy crap, is that Adrien Agreste?!" a voice exclaimed from a few meters away.

Ladybug and Adrien whipped their heads around towards the source of the yelling.

"Oh no," Adrien let out a bleak sigh.

Instantly more excited cries chimed in.

"No way! It's really him!"

"It's the legit Adrien Agreste!"

"Wow! He watches movies like regular people!"

"Oh my goodness, let's get his picture!"

Within seconds they were surrounded by squealing fans, all shuffling to try to get as close to him as possible.

It was then that Adrien realized that he'd forgotten to put his sweatshirt's hood back on. He groaned internally, berating himself for his absent-mindedness. This situation could very quickly spiral out of control.

Ladybug touched his shoulder apprehensively. "We need to get you out of here," she whispered to him. He glanced at her nervously and nodded. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders protectively and they began their attempt to shuffle away from the mob of starry-eyed teenagers.

In the commotion, Ladybug cried out as she was jostled roughly and knocked over against Adrien, who instinctively caught her by the waist. She held tightly onto his arms, stabilizing herself.

"My L- uh... hey, Ladybug, are you alright?" he asked quietly, concern lacing his voice.

Ladybug looked up at him, her eyes still wide and startled, but a beat later she relaxed a bit then smiled at him, replying softly, "Yeah. Thanks."

Adrien could feel his face flush as he stared down at her, the latter looking more vulnerable, more... human than he was used to. He smiled back and gently helped her right herself, hands still on her waist. She held his gaze, her own cheeks a bit pink as well... most likely flustered from being shoved by the crowd, he surmised. Her eyelashes fluttered slowly, her bright eyes contrasting against the deep red of her mask.

...Her mask.

He could see her mask.

Adrien's expression changed from one of fondness to one of complete shock, and Ladybug's face scrunched in confusion.

Mortified, Adrien stammered, "Y-your glasses—"

Ladybug reached up to touch her face and realized that they'd fallen when she was pushed. She quickly scanned the floor, trying to spot her fallen glasses. After a few moments of searching she realized that it would be near impossible to find them in this crowd.

"Forget it," she said, shaking her head. "There's no way I'll find them. Let's just leave."

Beside them, a fan yelled, "Is that Ladybug?!"

More voices clamored, "It is Ladybug!"

"What? She's here??"

"She's with Adrien!"

"A celebrity date?! How romantic!"

"Someone get a picture!!"

Adrien winced and let out a grumble. "Great."

He whipped around and snatched Ladybug's hand. "Run!" he cried.

Ladybug made no objections as they bolted through the crowd, making their way out of the theater and into the enormous shopping center. As it was indoors, Ladybug couldn't swing them away from the crowd using her yoyo, which would have been ideal. Instead, they were forced to try to leave the mall through the proper exit. Unfortunately, said exit was quite a ways from their current location; additionally they were on the third level.

Deciding to skip the escalators altogether, Ladybug picked up a very surprised Adrien and leaped to the floor below. Adrien let out an involuntary gasp and wrapped his arms tightly around her shoulders, pressing himself close to her small yet powerful frame. They landed gracefully and Ladybug uttered a quick apology as she set him down, taking his hand once again.

The two quickly made their way towards the exit... only to encounter another sizable group of teenagers who were loitering near the doors of the shopping center, as it was closing time. Despite them still being a few meters away, Adrien was instantly recognized and they approached the pair. He swore under his breath, then pulled Ladybug in the opposite direction.

As they ran back, they caught sight of the previous crowd from the movies making their way down the escalators, who would no doubt notice them in a few moments. Stopping short, Ladybug let out a short whimper and looked up at Adrien, her expression full of worry and clearly having run out of ideas. His eyes darted around looking for another escape route. A beat later, he located a possible hiding spot and tugged on Ladybug's hand to get her attention. She quickly understood and followed him.

Together they dashed into a small side hallway and scrambled into a storage closet at the far end, shutting the door quietly.

Panting from the exertion of having sprinted across the mall, Ladybug and Adrien met each others' eyes, chuckling awkwardly as they stood tightly pressed up against each other in the tiny room, which was full of large, heavy boxes.

For a few of minutes neither of them spoke a word, but strained to listen to the commotion outside, trying to figure out if they had been discovered.

Once the noise dissipated (no doubt due to the crowd being ushered outside by mall security), they shared a hopeful look. Breathing slowed as they took the time to loosen their postures and relax. Head still reeling from what had occurred, Ladybug asked him, "Is... is it always like this? With your fans?"

Adrien shrugged, resting his back against the closed door. "Well, not always. But..." he mused, "We did have a photo shoot a couple of weeks ago and, uhhh... there was a lot of leather."

Ladybug's eyes widened in confusion and her head tilted to the side. "...Leather?" she queried. "Sounds like an... interesting shoot."

Flustered, Adrien clarified, "Th-that is...! Leather clothes! Leather pants and leather jackets, motorcycles, the 'bad boy' look, that sort of thing."

Ladybug realized that she knew exactly which photo shoot he was talking about. In fact, she remembered it very well. It was her new favorite magazine spread of his. He had always played the part of the angelic, flawless, studious blonde model who you'd want to take home to meet your parents over dinner. The leather photo shoot, however, complete with deadly smouldering eyes and sinful parted lips, was a complete change from his usual innocent portrayal. She'd already purchased two copies of the magazine... although she wasn't about to divulge that information to the aforementioned model while standing chest to chest against him in a tiny closet.

"Aha, gotcha," she replied nonchalantly. She looked up at Adrien who chuckled sheepishly, cheeks tinged with a delightful shade of pink which was visible despite having a dim light bulb as the only light source.

"Well, I bet you looked amazing. Especially if this is the reaction you've been getting lately. Maybe you should wear leather more often," she teased with a wink.

Adrien blushed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah, um, well, I guess- maybe," he stammered timidly. Was she flirting with him? Not that he was opposed to the idea. They'd flirted playfully as Chat Noir and Ladybug many times, but he wasn't used to being flirted with as Adrien by anyone without ulterior motives. It was... nice.

They stood in silence for a few moments, neither knowing what to do or say next.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Eyeing the door across from her, Ladybug decided to take the initiative and speak first. "Well, I'm sure all your rabid fans are gone," she said as she tried to go around him and failed because of the lack of available space. She abandoned that idea and instead she reached across to grab the doorknob next to Adrien's waist. "We should head out too, since it's getting pretty la-" she suddenly went quiet and her eyebrows furrowed. She tried turning the doorknob again, but as before, it didn't budge.

It was locked from the outside.