Chat Noir had looked at her as though he wanted to forget dinner and have her as a main course. She'd made the dress to feel powerful, to give her (as Marinette) a chance to stand out in the crowd, she never thought she'd cause her partner in crime to look at her in a ravenous way than he looked at ice cream.

They'd made it to the bar with only a couple of mishaps—mainly on her part—and she felt brighter than the stars. For some reason, Chat Noir had always given her a little more...confidence? She didn't really know what to call it or how to describe it, but she did know he was there, cheering for her, adoring her.

He was everything she wanted, complete with everything she needed. They complemented each other. They were bound together by hope and magic. Best friends—lovers—soulmates. He lifted her up every single time she fell down, as both Ladybug and Marinette. He filled that gap created by having to disregard so much of her childhood to look after others. But, with him, it didn't matter if she missed a party, a concert, a dance...he was there with her on moonlit runs or getting ice cream; he was there for her in a way no one else could be.

Including right now.

"So, Adrien, what brings a handsome fella like you to a place like this?"

Adrien took his beer glass off the table, glaring at Chat Noir as he took a sip. "I'm a cheapskate. They offered me a room for free and I'd be an idiot to say no."

"Just you?" Chat Noir enquired. "Does that mean you invited this lovely lady without permission?"

Adrien shrugged. "Well, when someone asks you a favour and seems pretty desperate and...oh what did they say now? Oh, yes, they needed me. I don't think terms and conditions really apply."

Chat Noir huffed under his breath. She couldn't be 100% sure, but she was almost certain the word that left his mouth started with a b and ended with a turd...or something to that extent.

"This place is very conspicuous. I prefer more low-key affairs." Kagami's sudden review of the hotel broke the tension forming between the two males. What had gotten into them? Unless...

She thought back to a week ago, Chat Noir had taken her (as Marinette) out on an ice cream date. Chat Noir had found out she was in love with Adrien, and maybe Adrien had found out she'd kissed Chat Noir. Was she the underlying issue between the two guys? Was she the problem here?

As Chat Noir made pleasantries with Kagami (obviously there were no issues there), she watched Adrien's face. He didn't seem as warm as usual, his usual tanned skin, less glowing than normal and his eyes just a little sharper, like he was constantly looking out for something. Adrien didn't 'look out', Adrien trusted. Something didn't feel right, but she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

"To be honest, it's not my cup of tea either. Only entitled folk would come here. No offence, Miss Bug."

"Offence taken," she huffed, sweeping her wine from the table and taking a hearty gulp.

The bar was buzzing. It seemed Sunday nights were the night to be here. The guests tended to arrive on a Friday or Saturday, Sunday becoming the day they were settled and ready to party–or so TripAdvisor had told her.

"Nice dress, LB. Did you wear it especially to make your Kitty hot under the collar? I've never seen someone so wrapped around a finger like you have him." Adrien held up his beer before taking a hearty gulp.

Her face went beetroot before passing into aubergine. The temptation to stand up and throw a glass of water at his face was overwhelming.

"She may have me wrapped around her finger, but that's only because I put myself there," Chat Noir responded.

She wanted nothing less than to smack her hand against her head. What the actual hell was that? That was not a comeback in any shape or form.

"I think what he means is, he takes his duty and desire to the top level," Ladybug said, trying to pull some dignity back.

"Exactly," Chat Noir backed her. "I aim to protect M'Lady at all costs."

A smirk crossed over Adrien's face, almost as though Chat Noir had played right into his hands. "And what about your other Lady? I heard you made quite the impact on a certain designer."

She wasn't entirely sure who moved first, but the outcome was extreme as a fork flew into the air and a glass of water spilled across the table—Ladybug and Chat Noir both standing and looking at each other.

"Excuse us a second," Chat Noir said, grabbing Ladybug's hand and leading her out of the bar and down towards the small lazy river that circled the pool.

He took a deep breath, resting his arms on the fence and allowing his head to hang low.

"You can't let him get to you that way," she said, walking over and placing her hand gently on his upper back.

"I know, but there's just something about that guy that riles me up." She watched him clench his fists, the muscles in his arms tightening in effect. Seriously, these guys were going to have her in a straight jacket.

She rubbed up and down his back, her mind wondering what it would feel like without the shirt. All soft and muscular, maybe even persuading him to get a tattoo, or at least a temporary one to fulfil a fantasy.

"What are you doing?" he stammered.

Her mind drifted from her dreams back to reality, and the full realisation that her hand was on his butt—cupping it, to be exact.

She pulled her hand away from him, and took a couple of steps in the opposite direction, her heart thundering in her ears as she tried to come up with some sort of reason she was manhandling her partner.

"I, um, I..." Manically, she looked around the area. Two people walking past arm in arm caught her attention. "There were a couple walking past staring at us. I think they were expecting me to do something. I'm so sorry it was that," she whispered to him. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Chat Noir shrugged, but, instead of being completely disgusted by her behaviour, placed an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his body. "It's not the first time you've touched my butt, although I'm quite sure it's the first time it was optional."

"Yeah," she said, trying to cover her mortification.

Her head threatened to explode like a volcano. It most certainly was the first time she'd done it by choice. She couldn't help herself. And the more time she spent here with him, the more time she seemed to consider the fact that she was actually unhinged...and a pervert.

"Sorry about my attitude. I shouldn't rise to that level. It wasn't your fault, and you should never have been brought into it. I know I've already said it tonight, but after Adrien's dig, I wanted you to know you look beautiful. He could only wish Kagami looked the way you do in this dress."

"Kagami is beautiful." She couldn't help but come to her friend's defence, she wasn't happy with Kagami, but she also couldn't blame her. All was fair in love and war.

He stepped towards her, his hands framing her hips and holding her tightly in front of him. She felt every inch of the devotion in his eyes, the truth hidden in green with yellow flecks. His look sent a delicious shiver down her spine. Nobody had looked at her this way before, like she could turn the Earth and light up the moon all in a single breath. He tilted his head, his eyebrows softening as he studied at her.

"She is, but she isn't you. You're truly wonderful, M'Lady. And what you wear doesn't take that away from who you are."

She smiled. "Thank you, Chaton."

"You're welcome, Bugaboo. But you do look smoking."

They looked at each other and laughed, the tense mood broken. He held his hand out, which, as always, she gratefully took hold of. They made their way back to the table. Adrien and Kagami were whispering into each other's ears—intimate and close. Chat Noir moved forward, pulling the chair out from under the table and offering her his old seat...right beside Adrien Agreste.

Sitting down was an interesting experience. Firstly her heart wasn't fluttering as wildly as it usually did. Without considering what she was saying, she said something she was positive everyone on the table thought was weird—herself included.

"You smell different."

Chat Noir missed the chair as he went to sit down, Félix choked, and Kagami looked alarmed. Three pairs of eyes set firmly on her, her blood doing their next rapid response around her body as she attempted to calm herself down.

"I meant the food." She picked up the plate of meats and showed them around like a prize winning presentation Master Chef. "I meant the food." She repeated herself, a little quieter this time and not sounding as idiotic as she felt, though her acquaintances most likely disagreed.

Delicately, she put the plate back into the middle of the table, exchanging it for her glass of wine and downing the glass in one smooth movement.

Silence surrounded them as they all looked away from each other. She had well and truly killed the conversation.

"Ah, if it isn't my two favourite couples!" He cups a hand around his mouth and leans in closer. "Don't tell the rest." Their best buddy, Anthoney, had reappeared from wherever he'd been hiding, a welcome distraction to the constant faux pas she was making.

"Anthoney," Adrien said, his voice cold and so un-Adrien-like she wondered what had happened to him. Did he become an aloof drunk?

The manager clapped his hands together and pulled his shoulders back, taking Adrien's comment as a welcome into the conversation.

"I don't know how much you know about this island and its reputation, but we are known for having the most in-love couples come to stay, and we hold that in high esteem. So, we would be honoured if you all took part in the San Valentino couples challenge, just to prove even celebrities have a real romance too."

Chat Noir shook his head rather aggressively. "Oh, no, I don't think that would be the —"

"What's wrong, Noir? Chicken?" Adrien's smug smile sent a shiver down her spine. This was different—this was throwing out a threat.

"Please," Chat Noir responded with an eye roll big enough to cause a hurricane. "I eat chicken for breakfast."

"So, what's the issue? Afraid you two won't know each other as well as you think you do?"

Chat Noir looked at her, her eyes signalling him to forget whatever competition they had going on and not rise to the bait. He nodded, and she let out the breath she'd been holding. Once again they were on the same page.

"We'll do it!"

Or maybe they weren't.