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“You want to know a secret? I love chouquettes!”
Adrien couldn’t help but look at the clip in horror. He did not realize that he had gotten that close to Nadja Chamack, and he certainly did not notice the blush that appeared on her cheeks because of it. He was just messing around! Why did someone have to catch that moment on film?
The whole interview had been a disaster, but it was this tiny moment before the interview even started that went viral. Not all of the photos of him and Ladybug, but a seven second clip that has been taken wildly out of context and completely misinterpreted.
“You’re looking awfully shocked Adrien! Surprised that Ladybug is in competition with a reporter for Chat Noir’s affections, huh?”
Adrien flinched at Nino’s comment. “Competition? I’m sure he was just messing around. There is no way that he was flirting with her or anything.”
“C’mon Adrien,” Nino laughed, “You see how close he got to her, and the effect it had on her as well. Can’t blame her honestly. She is definitely not the first woman I know that isn’t immune to his charm.”
“And men definitely aren’t immune to Ladybug’s beauty!” Alya piped in. “But this is crazy! The whole internet has jumped on top of this video! They even have a ship name. Chatmack!”
Sometimes Adrien really hated how well the Miraculous hid their identities. If the magic didn’t work so well, Paris would not currently be shipping a 15 year old with someone twice his age.
Luckily, he was saved from having to think of a response to the ship name of him and Nadja by Marinette who tumbled through the classroom door right as the bell rang. Why couldn’t Paris become obsessed with shipping Chat and Marinette instead of Chat and Nadja.
Ladybug! Him and Ladybug, not Marinette. Definitely Chat and Ladybug and not Chat and Marinette. What would that ship name even be? Marichat?
“Girl! What are your thoughts on this?” Alya asked while showing her phone to Marinette.
Adrien grimaced as the clip played again. This whole thing is definitely changing his opinion on Chouquettes.
“What the f- what was Chat thinking!”
“Marinette! Class has started and I need you four to be paying attention!”
The four all gave a sheepish acknowledgement. Adrien was more than happy that they could move on from this whole fiasco. He had to admit that Marinette’s reaction was rather strange though.
To his surprise, the topic of ‘Chatmack’ was not brought up the rest of the day. He hoped it would be the last he heard of it as the topic died down.
…
Oh, how naive he was. He might have been able to escape the topic with his friends at school, but not with…
“Chat! What on earth were you doing? You know better than to flirt with middle aged women!”
Chat didn’t know what to make of Ladybug’s expression. She didn’t look angry. Instead, it was more of a look of exasperation. That mixed with a look of questioning everything she knows.
“Why m’lady, are you jealous?”
That comment was met with a very unamused glare from Ladybug. He thought he saw a slight bit of panic in there as well, but he was probably just imagining things.
“Hehe… Sorry. I assure you that I am probably far more mortified by this whole thing than you are disappointed in me that I let this happen.”
Ladybug softened at this. “Chat… were you not trying to flirt with Nadja?”
“Please Ladybug, I know that you are well aware of how the Miraculous magic works. You probably don’t want to know this, but I am only 15. Why on earth would I flirt with a single mother?”
“You are the same age as me? I mean, I’m not just a teenager! I mean, haha… shoot.”
Chat blinked.
“Aw f- dang it,” Ladybug sighed, “At least we don’t have to question how inappropriate it is for you to flirt with me now. We can leave it at ‘terrible time and place’ and not ‘questionable pedophile’. This whole thing is really messing with my emotions.”
“You know Bugaboo, if we hung out more outside of Akuma attacks, then I might be able to hold it back a bit while we are fighting. Just a thought.”
“Please Kitty Cat, if your natural state of being led to ‘Chatmack’, I don’t think that you are capable of holding back your charm.” Ladybug blanched. “I mean annoying flirtations and compliments.”
This whole day was seeming more and more like a fever dream to Chat. In fact, he is now certain it is a dream. Everything is just realistic enough that he was almost tricked by his subconscious into thinking this was all real. But no, he won’t be so easily fooled. He knows that Ladybug would never be so easily flustered by him being shipped with someone else. No sir.
“Why M’Lady, I had no idea you felt this way! I am being absolutely spoiled in this little dreamland of mine. Why, the only thing that would make this better is if you were Marinette Dupain-Cheng and were secretly crushing on Adrien Agreste!”
Ladybug went as red as her suit. No, even redder than her suit.
“You stupid Cat! Did you just reveal both of our identities in one fell swoop?”
“Only in this dream of mine, Lovebug. I know I am going to wake up in just a few moments and have all my hopes dashed away. But for now, can I enjoy this moment? Will you let me kiss you?”
This time Ladybug went pale. Then with a look of determination, she pressed her lips to his.
“See you when you wake up, Handsome Boy. You’ll find not much is different from this little ‘dream land’ of yours.”
With that, she zipped into the distance, leaving a very content, but saddened Chat. Why couldn’t real life be this good?
…
The next morning, Adrien woke up to more “Chatmack” drama. Nadja had released a statement saying that the moment met nothing, and all the replies to her post were of envious fans of Chat’s. He really was starting to get uncomfortable with how many middle-aged women (and sometimes men), who were trying to get some from Chat Noir. It is like that small moment with Nadja made everyone realize that the heroic cat boy went around in a leather suit. He was used to being a teenage heartthrob as Adrien, but he was not used to being a sex symbol as Chat.
At least he had that good dream last night where Ladybug kissed him. Although he isn’t quite sure why his brain threw in Ladybug being Marinette in the dream. Weird.
Getting to school was as uneventful as ever. There were only two fangirls who tried to throw themselves in front of the limo instead of the usual six.
A big surprise came when he saw Marinette was already in her seat when he walked into class. Adrien was almost always the first to arrive out of the group, but Marinette had all her stuff out already like she had been in class for a while.
“Will you sit by me today, Adrien? I Purromise I don't bite.”
Adrien felt a little like a dog with how his head tilted at this, which is an unacceptable thing for a cat such as himself. He nodded and sat by Marinette all the same.
“I cat believe what Chat has gotten himself into with Nadha. Like, you have to be kitten me with how far the internet has gone with the whole ‘Chatmack’ thing. It was just an innocent gesture by my favorite superhero, don’t mew think?”
Okay, he thought last night was a fever dream. Clearly his fever is only getting more intense. He had to come up with something to respond with, he couldn’t become speechless at cat puns. His reputation would be ruined.
“Favorite superhero, huh? Princess got a crush?”
Surprisingly, Marinette doesn’t even flinch at the nickname slip up. She gives Adrien a grin that sends a chill down his spine.
“Purrsonally, I think there is a better ship than ‘Chatmack’. I call it Marichat…”
“That’s what I was thinking yesterday!” Adrien exclaims, but then he realized what was just said, “I mean, Chat definitely belongs with Ladybug, uh huh. I wasn’t thinking about you and me. No wait, you and him.”
“Chaton, you are a mess.”
The next thing he knew, Marinette was kissing him. Who knows why, but he can’t complain about the result. He’ll have to talk to Ladybug later though. Hopefully she wouldn't be upset that Marinette kissed him right after she did.