Work Text:
Sometimes, nighttime patrols reached the hour when the night swallowed up the distant stars into small, buried asterisks in the sky. Those nights took the longest for Ladybug to scour through, trying to protect the little lights that could be snuffed out of the city. Tonight could have been one of those nights, but the newly installed street lights shone through the block as a guiding beacon.
Chat had whistled appreciatively once they saw the stream of light but he didn’t stay for long, an early morning appointment dragging him back home. But Ladybug let the warm, steady streetlights take her away.
Underneath one lamp, she could breathe in relief at how bright but not blindingly bright it was, like the small shine reflected in Nino’s glasses when he video called to share a new movie he found or like the twinkle in his triumphant smile when he arranged the beat drop to land at the perfect timing. It was a gentle, warm light that Ladybug was content to look at before the moment was gone altogether.
But what if she could keep that moment, tucked inside her gallery?
Without a second thought, she took out her phone and positioned it to capture the beautiful array of street lights. It took a few minutes of bending down and stretching to form a worthy angle but once it was done, Ladybug couldn’t help but marvel at the photo. She had to send it to Nino.
Wait. What if he’s asleep? Her mind raced around that possibility for a moment before a memory surfaced—the week when she had bouts of insomnia every night. Ambient noise playlists in Youtube wouldn’t ease her circular, paranoid thoughts to sleep nor did complete darkness in her room force her tearful eyes shut. Instead, it was the rhythmic keyboard clicking from Alya’s research, the soft snores from Adrien already deep in sleep, and the gentle lofi beats from Nino’s latest song that pulled her to rest. Their video calls would span for hours but by the end, she would always find herself asleep with the comfort of her friends on late nights with her.
With the memory pushing her worry away, she quickly opened up their messages and sent the picture to him.
[2:08 AM]
marinette sent an image
mari: it’s a really pretty view out here!
if youre still awake though, please go sleep
nino: nah, you alr know my sleeping habits
mari: well someone has to be the responsible adult here
nino: says the one who sends the pic :P
wait howd u even take it
Ladybug’s fingers stilled. Oh. How was she going to explain that she was outside at 2 am, leaning on a lamppost located kilometers away from her house? Bakery excuse?
[2:11 AM]
nino: bruh are you outside rn??
mari: dw that was taken like wayy before now!! like when my parents went to negotiate with flour suppliers at 4 am and i went with them!
nino: hmm and u decided to share it now because ?
Because...because it reminds me of you.
There’s no way I’m saying that! Her cheeks burned red as she tried to shake away the thoughts from her mind. It would never work, she knew, her budding feelings for Nino would keep growing and growing. And she honestly...didn’t mind it.
Because liking him meant trying to see the world as he does—with appreciative eyes for the lights in everyday life like the ordinary but still, beautiful street lights in front of her now. And liking him meant caring for each other even if it led to her embarrassing explanations...
With slight courage in her, she glanced back at the mess of a conversation in her hands and found her answer.
[2:15 AM]
nino: i mean i rlly love it sorry im just worried if youre actually out rn it’s been really dark these days
mari: issoki! but yes, dw i’m safe!
thank you as always nini!
*nini
*ninI
autocorrect pls stop
nino: lmaoo its fine
i like you
That was it. She was dead. The night sky (and an already giggling Tikki in the back of her mind) would be the sole witnesses to her demise from him!
nino: I MEAN I LIKE IT
WAIT I
HAHWUDJDJDK
With a kickstart to her heart, Ladybug rose from the dead. Gosh, she really liked this boy.
mari: HAHSHDHHD no worries!!
i like it too :>