He'd never run so fast in his life.

Running across rooftops wasn't exactly advised to begin with. He'd nearly fallen down into the street twice as a result of his scrambling haste. But, by the looks of it, he'd beat Ladybug to the mansion. His night vision, as well as amplified senses, didn't detect her anywhere, and so—propelling his staff down from the rooftop—he pushed himself over the final street and aimed for the large windows that opened into his bedroom.

One of the long, glass panes was already propped ajar, and so he easily shoved his way through. Pulling his staff in after him, he bounded down to a stop, transformation dispersing before he'd even hit the ground.

Panting, chest heaving, he did his best to gather himself. Plagg was buzzing around nearby, no doubt about to ask for camembert, but before he could, a smooth voice sent him skittering into the shadows while Adrien nearly jumped clean out of his own skin.

"Good evening."

Whipping around, eyes wide, he caught sight of the silhouette hanging upside-down before his open window. No doubt she was attached to the overhanging roof. The skies were clear, and so the moon ignited her figure, blue eyes shining as she smiled.

"L-Ladybug," he managed to choke out, still trying to catch his breath after his quick scamper across town.

"Hello, Adrien," she said sweetly, gracefully sweeping down until she was standing on the edge of the window. Her yoyo zipped in a second later, which she then hooked around her hip before she smoothly stretched down into the room. She was walking closer, a suggestive grin on her face and her hands clasped coyly behind her back.

Adrien thought there was a good chance he'd simply die of panic—panic mixed with elation—right then and there.

"H-h-hi, Ladybug," he managed to stammer out, trying his best to get his composure together and failing the closer she got. "What, uh, what brings you... here?" He smiled awkwardly. She eventually came to a stop right in front of him, so close that he had to look down in order to keep eye contact.

"I have a question for you, Mr. Agreste," she replied, reaching up and placing a gentle finger atop his chest.

He gulped.

"I realize it's late, but my schedule isn't exactly... flexible." Leisurely, she walked two fingers up to his shoulder, before trailing her nail down along his collar. "And I was wondering if you'd be interested in, well, coming out with me tonight."

"T-tonight?"

"Unless you're... not interested?"

"No!" He hadn't meant to be so loud, but his nerves were getting the better of him. "I-I mean, what do you mean by- by out?"

Her finger had finally left his person, this time her arms crossing over her chest.

"Out with me," she explained. "That is... out on a date?"

This was really happening. He was having a hard time believing it and was nearly breathless with the idea, but no matter how many times he blinked, she never disappeared. She was there, in front of him. Ladybug. Ladybug. And she was asking him on a date.

"You want to go on a date... with me?" He had to check—it just seemed so surreal.

"Of course! Haven't I made it clear enough that I'm interested?"

Right, the gifts. All of which had been marked one way or another with her signature.

"Heh, yeah, that's true..." Reaching up, he nervously rubbed at the back of his neck.

"So? Do you want to go out or not?"

"Uh..." Shit, he wanted to. But... it was nearly midnight. "It's... awfully late. I don't know that I can..."

"Nobody else has to know," she murmured, smiling a bit wider. "We'll just... go out through the window and come back. No one will be the wiser."

Something he did all the time. He knew she was right. But normally he was transformed when he went jumping out of windows.

"I... I guess that could work..." he ultimately decided, heart bolting faster as he agreed.

"Great!" Her smile went full-blown and Adrien thought he might faint then and there. "You don't need to bring anything, but if there's something you want with you, grab it and then we'll go." She winked, before whipping around and heading toward the window.

Perpetually trying to collect himself, Adrien took the moment to dash across the room. He pretended he was locking his bedroom doors (they were already locked), when in reality he was going to the shadows so as to give Plagg the chance to sneak into his night shirt. Once that was done, he padded over to her, unsure how this was going to work and honestly not caring.

"No shoes?" she asked, looking him up and down. He was wearing only a pair of blue-striped lounge pants and an old t-shirt.

"Do I need them?" he asked, inwardly congratulating himself on not stumbling over any words that time.

"Mmm," she tapped her cheek thoughtfully. "Probably not." Turning back toward the window, she leapt easily up into the open pane, Adrien's head at her ankles as she turned back around. Casting her yoyo up with one hand, she crouched down and offered him the other.

Staring at the outstretched fingers for only a second, Adrien pushed all his insecurities to the back of his thoughts and took her hand.

As if he weighed absolutely nothing, she hefted him up out of the room. He did his best to pull himself up as well, feet clamoring up the glass until he was able to balance his heels on the thin window pane.

The sight of the courtyard below was far more daunting when he wasn't protected by his suit, his gaze drifting over Ladybug's shoulder while he swayed some before her. But she was there, hardly any space between them with her feet on either side of his. If he were to fall forward, she'd catch him. She still held his hand in her own, grip firm and steady as she balanced them against the string of her yoyo.

"You're going to need to hold on to me, okay?" she said quietly.

Adrien snapped his gaze back to hers as she spoke, hanging on every word, every breath, every subtle move that passed between them.

"I'm strong, I promise. I won't drop you. So I need you to wrap your arms around my neck." Nodding, Adrien did as he was asked without qualm, unable to stop himself from blushing as he situated himself close enough to link his arms together behind her head. She smiled up at him in the same moment, her newly freed arm arcing around his back, pulling him even closer. Close enough that their chests bumped, Adrien's heart jumping erratically in his chest.

He hoped she's couldn't feel it. Hoped she couldn't see just how flushed he was either.

Not that it mattered.

"Ready?"

He nodded.

It really was a different sensation, his feet leaving the ground without his powers at his disposal. His stomach felt exposed, flipping as she lifted them up off the ground. The night breeze knocked hard against him, clothes loose and allowing for more air circulation than he'd expected. But it was thrilling at the same time. Exciting, because he knew he could trust the girl that was pulling him quickly up onto the roof of his own house.

They flew a few feet up past the ledge, Ladybug arcing them in for a gentle landing that she took first, before Adrien stumbled backwards following. She held him steady, however, arm tightening around him as she pulled her yoyo in.

"Now," she started quietly, Adrien's arms still wrapped around her as she peered up at him, "the next leg of our journey is going to be a bit more challenging."

He cocked a skeptical brow.

"But, so long as you trust me, we should be fine."

"Of course I trust you," he said a little too quickly. "I-I mean, you're Ladybug. Of course you're... trustworthy..."

She simply smiled.

"Then this is what I need you to do: I'm going to need at least one arm for my yoyo." She held the weapon up. "Which means that you're going to have to help me by holding on, okay?"

"Like we just did," he replied.

"Something like that, only a little more securely." She smirked, winking at him as she did. "Keep your arms wrapped around my neck." He nodded, pulling himself a little closer so as to get a better grip. He could feel her breath splashing against his neck, her body heat warming up through him as they stood pressed together front to front.

Their gazes were locked together, noses so close that Adrien would only have to lean just slightly down in order for them to touch. But the very thought sent a nervous spike through his whole body, so instead he pulled up a small smirk and dared to push out a bit of Chat-like confidence.

"Ready when you are, Lady Luck," he said simply, once again giving himself a mental pat on the back for keeping his words together.

She rolled her eyes, grinning as she did, before tossing the yoyo out behind her head. She didn't even look back at it, though Adrien could see that it'd hooked to a tall building two streets over.

"Then let's go," she said.

The pressure around his waist tightened, Adrien's breath escaping—pushed up by his stomach—as she surged them off the roof. In one swift twist, she'd turned so she was facing forward through the air, Adrien left with a view of the ground dropping away below. Pushed even closer to her, his chin wedged its way over her shoulder, hands grappling tighter as the vulnerability of his position was plastered to his back with the wind.

Yet, despite his racing heart, his body reacted defensively—much like he was accustomed to doing as Chat when she grabbed him and took off through the air. Back somewhat bowed, he wrapped his lags around her thighs, clinging to her as they arced upward, only for the yoyo to be pulled loose and tossed out again, yanking them higher and higher.

Until—the landscape below familiar—Adrien realized that they must have been headed right up the side of the Eiffel Tower. They were rising swiftly and steadily, the supports of the tower soon coming into view despite the darkness.

She took them all the way to the top, circling slowly around before she landed on one of the outcroppings that, though big enough for people to stand on, weren't accessible to the general public. No safety railings, no formal seating. Just empty platforms most certainly not made for midnight dates.

Ladybug wasn't bothered, stepping down easily despite how Adrien still clung to her. She strapped her yoyo around her waist with a giggle, reaching up to cradle him up under his behind and across his lower back, since he was still wrapped rather tightly around her.

But the trip had been quite shocking to his system—a problem that didn't exist when he was Chat Noir—and it took him a moment to recover as he stared down her back at the Parisian streets so far, far below.

Not that he was worried. He had Plagg with him, after all.

"You alright?" she asked, snapping him from his thoughts.

"Oh, uh, y-yeah," he fumbled out, leaning back so he could look at her. She still held him aloft in her arms, the way he shifted awkwardly causing her to laugh. "I- I can get down."

"You sure?" she teased—he knew Ladybug's teasing voice.

"Yeah," he said flatly, "I'm sure."

More laughter, but he ignored it, only blushing a little as she finally let him slip his legs down so he could stand. Clearing his throat, he brushed off his pants as she stepped back, twirling before she once again gripped her hands coyly behind her back. She watched him for a few seconds while he collected himself, saying nothing until he finally turned to her.

He hoped the redness continually permeating his cheeks wasn't visible in the darkness.

"So?" she asked. "What do you think?"

Eyebrows inching upward, he made a show of looking around. He knew exactly where they were (aside from the obvious, that being the Eiffel Tower). Ladybug had taken him to the perch the two of them—when he was Chat—had basically claimed as their own. It was where they met up for patrols, where they hung out afterwards. It was where Paris looked first if they were needed, where reporters waited to get a glimpse of them.

It was, rather, "their spot."

Which left Adrien torn between being flattered and being offended. Part of him was thrilled that Ladybug would drag him—powerless—all the way up to the top of the tower. But another part of him was growing continually more irritated.

This was their spot! Not a place to bring strangers on dates! But he couldn't very well say anything, not without giving himself away.

So he settled for a tense "it's lovely" as he looked her way again.

"It's my favorite place when I'm transformed," she explained, peering out over the city. "A lot of good memories here."

Adrien hummed, doing his best to keep the growl out of his tone. It wouldn't do to be annoyed over the situation.

"We can't stay long, of course," she continued, turning back to him. "I have to go to school in the morning and so do you." She winked.

Adrien pushed his hurt feelings to the bottom of his chest in favor of trying to enjoy himself. He was on a date with Ladybug. Letting it go sour would be a regrettable decision.

"How much do you know about my schedule?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, just enough to get what I want."

"Oh really?"

She smiled, before gesturing toward the middle support of the tower. There, sitting on the supports, were two pink cushions and a large platter covered with plastic wrap. Careful not to do something stupid like fall off the tower, Adrien toed his way over, Ladybug doing the same until they could both sit comfortably atop the cushions.

Legs crossed beneath him, Adrien watched as Ladybug carefully pulled the wrapping away to reveal a delicious looking chocolate cake. The frosting was chocolate as well, the decorations done with white and sprinkled with twisted bits of peppermint.

Imprinted into the top was the logo of the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

Which didn't seem like a big deal to Adrien at first—it was a very popular bakery throughout all of Paris—but as she carefully began to cut into the cake with a knife she'd had stored nearby, his thoughts began to catch up.

She knew where he went to school—the gifts were proof of that. And, as Chat, he'd told her that it was Marinette Dupain-Cheng that sat behind him in class.

His blood ran cold. Did she know? That is, that he was Chat Noir?

Yet, she wasn't acting as though she did. Her expression was clear, if not rather pleased, and he couldn't imagine she'd have gone through all this trouble for her silly partner.

Right? And why keep it a secret?

"You want a piece?" she asked.

"Uh, y-yeah, of course," he replied, taking the slice she offered to him on a red paper plate, a fork handed over as well.

No, she... she probably didn't know. Just because she knew where he sat and went to school didn't mean she'd paid enough attention to know that Marinette was in his class. Maybe she didn't even realize the Marinette Chat had talked about and the daughter of the Dupain-Chengs was the same person. Sure, he'd told her the name, but it was an insignificant detail to remember.

She probably didn't know...

"You're awfully quiet," she mentioned, snapping him out of his thoughts as she sliced a small bit of her own cake with her fork.

"Oh, I, er, I was just... thinking..."

She slipped the thin slice of cake between her lips before shortly swallowing. "Can I ask what about?"

"Um, j-just," pull yourself together, Agreste, "curious about- about why you're, you know, interested... in me." Which was something he was curious about, even if he hadn't been consciously thinking about it.

"Why shouldn't I be?"

"Well, I guess that... makes sense." His mood dropped a bit more. "I am famous, and a model, and, yeah, that's reasonable." She was Ladybug, most incredible woman in all of Paris. Why would she be interested in any less?

"That's not what I meant," she corrected strictly, drawing his gaze her way again. "I don't care that you're a model. Or that you're famous."

"Oh..."

"I like you for you," she finished.

Swallowing his third forkful of cake, Adrien carefully considered what to say next. "But you don't even know me."

She grinned, the expression sending a paranoid jolt through his whole system.

Did she know? Did she not? What was going on?

"Maybe I don't," she agreed. "But, then again, maybe I know you better than you think I do."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's that mean?" A small smirk pulled at his lips. "Have you been keeping tabs on me, My La- Laaaaadybug." He cleared his throat and shoved another piece of cake into his mouth.

"Of course not," she said, nose curling just a bit. "But how do you know we don't know each other better than you realize?"

A statement that only posed more questions. Was she hinting that she knew he was Chat Noir? Or... Or was she implying that she knew him as a civilian?

"Do we know each other?" he dared to ask.

"Now, now, Mr. Agreste." Reaching out, she tapped him on the knee. "Don't try to jeopardize my identity. That would be quite dangerous."

"Ah, of course." He finished his slice of cake, setting the plate aside a second later. She was still working on her own, but wasn't too far behind. "I wouldn't dare put you in danger."

"It's not me I'd be worried about," she said quite seriously. Because it was him, Adrien, that would be in danger if he held that secret. She didn't know he was Chat Noir—didn't realize that he'd been spending a good chunk of his time dedicated to protecting her, putting himself in harm's way if necessary.

What would she think if she knew he was Chat? Would she no longer be interested in him?

This was stressful...

"You do look tired though, huh," she murmured a second later. Adrien immediately perked up, but she went on before he could deny the statement. "It is late. Maybe I shouldn't have dragged you out here." She smiled gently.

"No! I-I mean, it- it's totally worth it. A date with Ladybug? Like anyone would say no to that..."

"Of course," she said quietly, glancing away. "Who would say no..."

Adrien blinked, realizing his mistake too late. "Not- Not that- That's not what I meant. I mean, you are Ladybug, but that's not... all that you are..." He wanted to say more, his tongue twitching with the words, but his cowardice stopped him. He didn't know who she was as a civilian, so he couldn't claim that as reason enough. That left only revealing himself.

Which he was too afraid to do.

"I didn't say yes just because you're Ladybug."

"Then why did you?"

"I..." What did he say? No words would come, not ones that he dared say.

Yet, despite the gravity of their conversation, she offered him a warm, understanding smile. The sight of it was like a blade cutting the tension, though Adrien couldn't place why. It was like she knew so much more than he did and he was but a fish floundering on the shore before her.

Which was, really, a familiar feeling. Though usually he was wrapped in a black super suit when it hit him.

"Thank you," she said a moment later. "For coming out with me. Despite it being so late."

"Um, sure..." Was that it? Was this the end? He'd imagined plenty of dates with Ladybug, but they'd never been this short or seemingly heavy. He'd always managed some incredible jokes, had her laughing. Had her smiling wide and falling for him just as quickly as he'd fallen for her.

But, for the first time, he was wondering if that was even possible. She hadn't fallen for Chat, why would Adrien be any different? Had their short time atop the Eiffel Tower made her realize that she didn't, in fact, like even that side of him?

Did he fail at every turn?

The thought was so disheartening that it dried his throat, his teeth gritting together as she stood. She was focused out on the horizon, the city lights reflecting lightly off her pale skin.

She seemed so distant as he looked up at her. So completely unattainable.

And, if only to make the whole situation even more bittersweet, she turned to him with that pretty smile. The same one that was always sending his heart into his mouth no matter how many times he saw it.

"I hope you enjoyed the cake," she said, stepping away from her cushion and toward the edge of the tower. "It wasn't much," she said over her shoulder, "but I had fun."

"So did- Hey, wait!" Surging to his feet, Adrien stumbled after her, his heart rushing with him. "You're going to leave me up here?"

She was poised on the ledge, hand on her yoyo—quite as though she intended to take off at any moment. But he'd reached out and gently taken her by the shoulder. Not forcefully, of course, but questioningly.

Asking so much more than he let on.

Still smiling, she twisted so she was facing him. They were nearly chest to chest, only centimeters keeping them apart.

A light breeze filtered its way through the darkness, Adrien's bangs falling into his eyes as it softly moved her pigtails out behind her.

"I think," she murmured, reaching up and pushing his hair back out of the way, "that you're probably more than capable of getting home on your own."

She blinked, those blue eyes sparkling equally with the stars.

"Don't you agree, Mon Minou?"

Gaze growing wide, Adrien gaped, his thoughts coming to a complete standstill as the endearment echoed almost violently inside his head. He was completely victim to her, unable to do anything more than watch.

Watch, and feel, as she laid a gentle hand across his cheek, the chill of her suit sending sparks through his whole body.

Her smile widened just a little more, cheeks hardly pinking beneath her mask. He wanted, more than anything, to lean forward. To take those soft lips with his own, damn the consequences.

But even as his defenses fell, shattering around his feet, and beckoned him forward, he watched her lean back. Her fingers slipped from his cheek and her body stole the air from his very lungs, dragging it away as she tipped off the ledge.

Awestruck, he could do nothing but stare as she caught the wind and fell away.

It was seconds too late that his scrambled thoughts finally jolted into working order. Leaning out over the edge of the tower, he searched, looking everywhere he could in the darkness.

But she was gone.

Which one are you looking more forward to?

The Miraculous Movie or Miraculous season 4

So here's the double update I promised you. Thanks so much for the nice comments. I recently saw a new notification in my inbox and that gave me the heart to continue updating. You know who you are!