16. Chapter 16

WHAM.

Plagg looked up at the sound of a loud thud resounding from the other end of the room, glancing over just in time to see his chosen hit the floor. The teen was staring at his annoying little sound box again, the kwami noted with distaste, reluctantly moving from his comfortable position to see what it was this time that had his charge so worked up.

“Oh, do I even want to know?” the tiny cat muttered, hovering with arms crossed over the practically-frothing boy beneath him.

Adrien couldn’t hear. He was slumped over, legs crossed on the hardwood floor as all the blood in his body seemed to rush towards one of two places. Half of it filled the capillaries behind his ears, explaining the loud boom of his heartbeat as it echoed throughout his head. The other half was predictably occupied squarely between his legs, reminding him once again just how restricting denim could be on a semi.

[ I can only afford one, so chose carefully. ]

[ image ]

The text was innocent enough. In fact it seemed downright casual out of context.

Of course that context being the picture nestled right beneath said message.

‘The picture Ladybug sent me so I could help her pick out some lingerie…’ Adrien managed to process through the haze that surrounded his head. The first wicked whispers of lust made his cognition slow to a crawl as half-formed images of her lace wrapped body began to flood his every conscious thought.

Seeing the tiny ‘viewed just now’ alert pop up on his side of the screen, Adrien knew he needed to respond quickly, lest she take his pause as a sign of reluctance. With an incredible strength of will, he somehow managed to string together a coherent sentence, eyes never leaving the image in question as numb fingers reached out to tap at the screen. ‘She wants me to decide what she wears. Choose what she puts on under her clothes…’

[ Perhaps my choice would be easier if I were to see them on my lady… ]

That was lie. Adrien knew nothing could make the decision easier.

Because he could picture so clearly in his practiced mind’s eye how each bra would look perched up under her breasts. How they’d looked trapped beneath his wandering hands or bunched up to the side as the fabric was shifted in favor of a lovelier sight. Of how they’d look slipping off her pale shoulders before being tossed at the foot of his bed. So the obvious answer was “get all three”.

Although apparently that wasn’t an option, and after what seemed like both a second and an eternity she replied, the messages rolling in like a flood that seemed to sweep Adrien up along with it.

[ oh im sure you can use your imagination… ]

[ though perhaps this would help in the decision making process?? ;) ]

[ image ]

Ladybug was strong. Like insanely strong. As Chat Noir, he had seen her scoop up civilians three times her size with ease, seen her tip busses and break down doors like they were nothing.

And in that moment, it felt like she had poured every ounce of her strength into a swift punch to his chest.

Adrien had to manually force the air back into his lungs, swallowing hard as he let his eyes rove over the image. ‘Any time now I’m going to wake up with soiled sheets and this will have all been a dream where-‘

She was on her knees.

Granted the tops of her knees were the only body parts visible in the entire picture, but the sight of them drove Adrien to near madness. Because up until this point, the only exposed bits of skin he had been able to glance off his lady were portions of her face and neck, the rest being covered by her damnable suit.

 But this, this was his first real glimpse at new territory.

So drawn in by the folded appendages edging the frame, Adrien almost completely missed the rest of the picture. He hissed another sharp intake of breath as his eyes alighted on the 3 pairs of panties laid out gingerly on the ground before her kneeling form.

 ‘Boy am I gunna be pissed when my alarm goes off.’

They very obviously matched up to 3 bras she was deliberating over, and each sexy little number conjured new and even filthier images to flash across his mind.

 The first pair was blue, in the same swirling pattern as the cup-less bra. They were cut wide, in an appealing boy short pattern he knew would stretch so nicely around her sinful hips.

The next pair was a bit frillier, and the idea that his rough and tumble Ladybug was a girly-girl at heart sent a rapid wave of tingles down Adrien’s spine as he shifted pleasantly on the floor. The lavender bikini had little sections of mesh running down the sides and the subtle floral pattern was off-set by two tiny pink bows pinned at each hip.

Of course the allure of both previous panties combined couldn’t stack up the sheer physical, visceral reaction Adrien experienced as he took in the final garment. Although perhaps describing it as such was a stretch; The so-called “garment” before him was little more than a triangle of lace-trimmed fabric with two miniscule straps hanging off the edge.

It was tiny. It was black. And it was everything his testosterone fueled mind could dream up and more.

“You maybe want me to leave the room for a few minutes there champ?” Plagg interjected, eyeing the way Adrien’s hands clenched up his sides with a knowing look. He had thousands of years of experience with hormonal teenage boys, and the kwami could tell by now when they needed their alone time.

Adrien just looked up distractedly, shaking his head as if to clear it before giving his friend a stiff nod. Plagg didn’t need to be told twice, zipping out the door to take a little stroll around the downstairs kitchen. ‘Maybe two or three strolls’ he snickered to himself, recalling his chosen’s flustered appearance ‘Boy is he going to kick himself when he finds out who she is…’

At his kwami’s departure, Adrien finally let slip the groan that had been sitting on the edge of his tongue since the beginning of his and Ladybug’s little exchange. Reluctantly, he peeled his eyes off his phone screen, but only long enough to stand, shut the door, and flop face down on his bed before letting his gaze snapped back to the task at hand. It had been nearly 3 minutes since she sent the last picture.

Adrien had only just began to formulate a appropriate response (one that didn’t include him expressing his desire to remove each pair of panties with his teeth) when he was interrupted by another blip.

[ you alive there kitty? ]

Now that was debatable.

[ more than you know… wow ladybug *heart eye cat emoji* ]

[ im guessing you approve of my choices? ]

[ to put it lightly ]

[ shit, honestly you’d look amazing in all of them ]

[ that’s not very helpful! ]

[ well then, which one is your favorite? ]

[ I like them all, that’s why I picked them ]

[ I want to know which one you think is the best… ]

There it was again. She was asking which one he wanted her to get, and the insinuation was doing things to Adrien. At this point his whole body was lit up like a livewire, and had his sole focus not been captured by the conversation before him…

Well lets just say his hand would be doing something far different from texting.

His answer was instantaneous.

[ I always thought you’d look great in black ;) ]

‘Especially in such a small amount of black…’ He smirked down at his phone.   

Her reply was swift, the contents of her message prompting Adrien let out an un-manly choking sound he would find the time to be embarrassed about later.

[ I need you here. Now. ]

Holy shit.

‘Theres no way-’ Adrien’s brain shut off mid-thought, dazedly watching as an address quickly followed her text. ‘God, she’s serious!’

His pulse doubled, tripled. Wide eyes re-reading the message over and over. If he was turned on before, the sensation paled in comparison to the raw bite of arousal that socked him right in the pit of his abdomen. Adrien was now convinced he was not, in fact dreaming by the way his body reacted. Feeling real and intense and so, so ready.

[ shit shit wow ok ]

[ On my way! ]

He sprung up, actions guided solely by his down-stairs head as he fumbled on his shoes and made for the door. 

She needed him.

She needed him now.

And God, did he need her too.

Adrien was far too gone to even consider her words could possibly have any meaning beyond the decidedly less-than-innocent insinuation his brain (dick) would have him believe.

In fact it wasn’t until Adrien had made it halfway down the hall that he began shake off his cloud of mind-addling lust to think of the logistics. His feet slowed, pausing in the corridor as he exhaled a short breath. ‘How was this even going to work?’ He pulled out his phone once again, desperately attempting to ignore the pictures as he typed with jumping fingers.

[ wait, so do you want me to come in costume or??? ]

[ because we can definitely turn of the lights if you want our identities to remain a secret ]

[ or perhaps blindfolds if you prefer ;) ]

‘Now that was a thought and a half....’

Adrien groaned at the particular mental picture, envisioning a slip of cloth covering the area her mask usually occupied. The rest of her body would be left bare, miles of smooth pale skin for him to tease and-

[ ??? ]

{ ok I have no fucking clue what you’re talking about but obviously I need you to come in costume ]

[ unless of course you have some other plan for taking out the akuma?? ]

Yikes.

Just…

Yikes.

Adrien felt the palpable thrum of his body fall silent, slumping against the wall as he visibly winced.

‘Akuma. Of course she was talking about an akuma you jackass.’ He felt his face flare up, the heat oh-so-different from the flames that had consumed him just minutes ago (although the same small, warm feeling still swirled restlessly somewhere behind his navel).

[ oh, definitely yeah. Ill be right there… ]

The phone went to sleep with a finalized click, sitting heavily in his coat pocket. Adrien burrowed a knuckle into the side of his blushing forehead, grinding his teeth at his own one-track mindedness before skulking off in search of his kwami.

‘You’ve kissed the girl a total of what? Three times? And suddenly you expect her to just immediately invite you over for sex? Get a grip, Agreste…’

Adrien’s body felt tight, movements stiff as he made his way towards the kitchen. He was embarrassed of course. Embarrassed he had made such wild assumptions and mad at himself for the completely un-called for sense of disappointment he couldn’t quite stomp down.

As expected, the tiny black cat was near comatose in an empty container of cheese, still somehow managing a chuckle at Adrien’s flustered appearance. “Looks like someone’s still a bit wound up. Trouble in paradise Lover Boy?”

“Just get in the ring.”

Marinette jerked at the far-off sound of people screaming, her already rapidly beating heart seeming to click into a new rhythm. Her eyes rolled so far back into her head she swore she could see her own sinful thoughts fleeing at the realization that her little play time was over.

‘Right at the good part’ she thought petulantly, cheeks warming as she tried to stamp down the vestiges of her former flirtiness in order to focus on what she was 90% sure was an Akuma. With reluctant hands, she reached out to shift the focus of their conversation with a sigh. ‘Saving Paris is more important than teasing your boyf-‘

No.

‘Saving Paris is more important than teasing your partner, Marinette’.

[ I need you here. Now. ]

“Honey, are you still in there?” Her mother’s worried voice carried through the curtain to the dressing room. “I think we should probably be getting out of here…”

Marinette jumped as another crash shook the floor beneath her, quickly forwarding Chat the address before she swooped out of the stall. “You’re right, better leave this mess to Ladybug.”

‘Whenever I get the chance to transform that is.’ she thought with a wince, silently strategizing ways to slip past her mother without arousing suspicion. The pair made their way hurriedly out of the store, getting swept up along with the crowd of people all rushing towards the elevator. Angling her head over the railing to her left, Marinette spotted the aproned akuma, as well as an alarming amount of white paper cups, stalking around the first floor of the shopping center.

The phone in her pocket hadn’t stopped buzzing for about the last minute solid, prompting Marinette the stop just short of their destination as she fished the device out. ‘Why in the world would he think I wanted him to come out of costume?’ Apparently the boy had yet to learn that the middle of an attack wasn’t exactly the best time to flirt.

“Get in here.” Mrs. Cheng said, gesturing for her daughter to join her in the rapidly filing elevator car. Marinette glanced up, mind skipping over whatever mindless drabble Chat was sending her just in time to see the metal doors begin to slide shut. ‘Oh, how convenient.’

“Ill meet up with you later Mama, Ive got to use the bathroom anyways!” She tried reassuringly, shooting a thumbs up as she watched her mom’s eyebrow draw together tightly just a second before the elevator closed completely.

Well, she would catch hell for that stunt later, but Marinette had bigger problems to deal with at the moment. Absent mindedly responding to Chat’s confusingly jumbled texts, the teen ducked into the nearest storefront, placing her phone in the clutch at her side while simultaneously rousing the sleepy kwami from her spot within.

“Lets go Tikki, spots on!”

A flash of warm light, a few bounding leaps, and one perfectly executed drop in later, Ladybug was in the thick of battle. The akumatized barista wasn’t much of a conversationalist, preferring instead to let her unending supply of coffee cups do the talking as she wreaked havoc around the main floor of the mall.

After about 15 minutes of skirmishing, Ladybug found herself one again buried under a mountain of white cardboard as the akuma continues its chaotic spree. Before she could tunnel herself out however, a black-gloved hand snuck its way into the pile, pulling her out by one delicate wrist.

Ladybug popped up, blinking hard as she found herself standing just inches away from Chat’s smugly grinning face. She quickly schooled her expression, putting on her best I-definitely-wasn’t-just-sending-you-racy-pics look before stepping around him primly. “Nice of you to show up, Chat.” She said casually, tossing the remark over her shoulder before bounding after the Akuma.

For the remainder of their fight, Marinette tried desperately to convince herself that her flushed face was as a result of physical exertion and had nothing to do with that fact Chat Noir’s eyes seemed to cling to her body with each move.

Every flick of her wrist, every pivot or roll or jump she made brought his gaze down heavily upon her. Just green, green, green, pressing and caressing her every curve. It wasn’t hard for her to imagine what exactly was running through his mind as Chat continued to mentally grope her.

‘I always thought you’d look great in black’

He was uncharacteristically quiet during the fight, though not so much as to avoid letting slip a horrendous coffee-themed pun or two as the heroes beat back their adversary. By the time Ladybug conjured her lucky charm, she was sure there was something off about her partner, caught between being turned on by the intensity of his gaze and worried about his lack of banter. ‘Never thought I’d see the day I actually wished Chat Noir was louder…’

But in the end, what mattered was stopping the akuma.

After her convoluted plan to somehow snag the barista’s nametag pulled through with a little help from her lucky charm, Marinette turned to destroy the cursed object only to find it has disappeared under the mountains of cups.

“What is it?” Chat yelled, still trying to distract the Akuma while she sifted through the mess.

“The artifact is somewhere under all this!”

“Can you find it?”

“Working on it!” Ladybug replied, panic starting to settle in as she heard the third beep of her miraculous. ‘come on, come on…where the hell was it?’

Suddenly, the mass of cups were scattered into the air, flying across the mall at the forceful swipe Chat’s baton gave as he touched down next to her. “Need a paw?” he asked, shooting her a grin before lashing out with another powerful sweep.

In no time at all the floor was clear, allowing Ladybug to easily spot the discarded name tag before stomping down upon it.

“No more evildoing for you!” She announced, quickly cleansing the akuma and tossing her charm up to erase of signs of their confrontation. With a victorious grin, Ladybug turned around to give Chat a fist bump…

…immediately seizing up at the borderline feral way he regarded her. His clawed hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, eyes gliding up her body before boring in to her own.

Marinette swallowed hard, speaking with a bravado she didn’t know she possessed.

“Why aren’t you kissing me right now?”

Chat gave a shiver, tilting his head curiously before responding in a measured tone. “Because I don’t trust myself self to stop by the time your miraculous starts to wear off.”

‘Ah.’

“Well then, ugh, it’s a good thing we have a patrol planned tonight.” Ladybug said in a voice barely above a whisper, loving the way his lips twitched at the reminder. “So there will be plenty of time for you to not stop kissing me then.”

Marinette could help the way her stomach flipped as he brought her knuckles to press delicately against his lips in a gesture they had played out a hundred times before, reveling in the new-found heat it spark in light of their earlier conversation.

“I look forward to it as always My Lady.”

His eyes were dark. Not the kind of dark that hinted at anger or fear, but a sort of carnal expression that made Marinette wish she had the guts to drag him into the nearest changing room and let him dress her up in whatever he wanted, masked or otherwise.

In an effort to avoid any hormone-fueled follies on her part, Ladybug turned and fled, making sure he got a good view of her hips as she slipped into a deserted restroom.

Click.

The door closed with a sound of finality, Marinette sliding down the surface as her transformation melted around her. For a long minute, she sat in silence, allowing a pleasant heat to simmer low in her stomach as she tried to steady her breathing. When she did move, it was to retrieve her phone, navigating back to their last conversation as she re-read Chat’s messages with a much clearer head.

‘Something about the way he responded was off, like he-‘

“Oh dear, you’ve really got it bad don’t you?” Tikki said, voice unreadable as the kwami gave her chosen a lopsided smile.

Marinette could only nod dazedly, thighs pressing together as she slowly came to realize exactly what the messages implied her partner had in mind when she had called out for him.  She flushed from head to shoulder, recognizing how he could have gotten the impression her message was asking for more than just help with the akuma. ‘Chat had been more than ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice and just…’

She buried her head in her hands, groaning out at the events of the day and at her own clumsiness when it came to texting.

‘Although the blindfold idea was an interesting one…’