Ladybug AU Where It's Adrien Who Gets Nervous Around Marinette. And When They're In Their Superhero Outfits,

Ladybug AU where it's Adrien who gets nervous around Marinette. And when they're in their superhero outfits, Ladybug/Marinette is kinda super in love with Chat Noir.

Adrien sat in the back of his private car, jiggling his leg. On his lap rested a parcel wrapped in pink, tied off with plain brown string. He let out a miserable sigh and knocked his head against the headrest. The Gorilla sent him a pitying glance through the rear view mirror. 

Today was the day. The day. Marinette’s birthday. For weeks he’d agonized over what to get her. He’d begged Nino for help, casually asked Alya for a hint, Googled “what to get a girl for her birthday” at least ten times, and had even resorted to asking Plagg for suggestions (“Camembert,” he’d replied).

The gift couldn’t be too expensive because that would give Adrien’s crush away. It couldn’t be too impersonal, either; anyone could get her an impersonal gift. He was hopeless at crafts so handmade was out of the question. In the end he’d asked himself what he knew about Marinette’s likes and came up with a list: fashion, the color pink, Jagged Stone, and Chat Noir.

Then he’d entertained stupid thoughts about showing up on her balcony and serenading her. Right. Like he’d be able to get more than two words out around her, even in costume. So he had settled for something both simple and personal: a Chat Noir phone charm. As far as he knew, she didn’t have one.

The Gorilla cleared his throat and Adrien sat up, scanning the front of the school. There. Marinette jogged up the steps to where Alya stood waiting for her. The girls embraced, Alya swinging Marinette back and forth a few times before letting her go. Adrien took a deep breath. It was now or never.

He got out of the car and started towards her, the wrapped parcel held behind his back. Marinette laughed at something Alya said. Gosh, she was adorable when she laughed. Her crinkling eyes, the cute little freckles on her nose, the way she showed all her teeth, her shaking shoulders. And that giggle! She could make the whole world laugh with—

Adrien tripped over one of the stairs. He yelped, but caught himself before he fell, and straightened sharply. 

Marinette and Alya stared at him. “Are you okay?” Marinette asked.

His fingers tightened around the parcel. “F-Fine. I’m—yes. I forgot there was another stair, umm, right there.”

Alya arched an eyebrow. Marinette’s smile widened. “Happens to everyone,” she said, then turned back to resume her conversation.

Adrien hurried past them and into the school. Nino stood just inside the front doors, shaking his head. “Dude, really?”

Adrien sighed. “She was laughing. Can you blame me for getting distracted?”

“I can.” Nino slung an arm over his shoulders. “The bright side is you have a whole school day’s worth of chances. As long as you don’t mess them all up, you’re good.”

Unfortunately, a girl in one of the lower years got akumatized during the lunch break, resulting in classes being dismissed for the rest of the afternoon.

~

Ladybug noticed Chat Noir was significantly less perky that night. He lay on his back with one leg swinging over the side of the Eiffel Tower, a hand on his stomach, ears drooping. They’d taken down an akuma in the afternoon—which had thrown a damper on an otherwise great birthday—but that couldn’t be the source of his mood. She poked his leg. “You okay?”

Chat sighed. “I guess.” He didn’t look at her. “Just wishing I wasn’t such a coward.”

“What are you talking about, chaton? You’re the bravest person I know.” She blushed beneath her mask. Well, it was true…

“In costume, maybe. In my civilian life? Not so much.” He gestured down the length of his body. “Despite the incredible package, I’m not as purrfect as you might think.”

Ladybug’s face reddened even further. She hadn’t been thinking about his package. No sir. Not her. She swung her legs back and forth, worrying at her bottom lip. She wanted to tell him it was her birthday. Why did they have to put that on the list of things they couldn’t know about each other?

Chat sat up. “Anyway, Paris is quiet tonight. I think I’ll go home and drown my sorrows in video games.”

“Oh. You’re leaving already?” He helped her to her feet and she held onto his forearm. “But not without a hug, right? Mopey cats need hugs. It’s scientific fact.”

Chat Noir managed a smile. “Sure,” he said, holding his arms open. Ladybug stepped into them and wrapped him up in a tight embrace. Her heart beat wildly. Could he feel it through their suits? Just in case he couldn’t, she pulled away from him before he noticed. “Thanks, buginette. I actually feel a little better.”

“M-Must be the magic,” she said. She watched him vault away from the tower and leaned against the nearest beam, holding both hands over her heart.

She’d gotten exactly what she wanted for her birthday.