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Adrien has absolutely no idea how to do this. He’s a superhero, which means he’s good at thinking on his feet, and extremely bold gestures. Ladybug would vouch for him.
But, evidently, he can’t apply any of these skills in real life, as himself. Even when he’s trying to propose.
He and Kagami have been together for years now. And Adrien feels deep in his gut that it’s time. He wants Kagami Tsurugi to become Kagami Agreste. Or Kagami Tsurugi-Agreste. Or even stay Kagami Tsurugi if a name change doesn’t suit her. She can be anything she wants, he just wants her to be his. For the rest of their lives.
But all of that’s irrelevant if he can’t even figure out how to propose! Plagg, of course, was of little help. Even though his kwami had calmed down over the years, he was still crass and rude and totally out of his depth when it came to anything involving deeper emotions. Longg wasn’t of very much help either, despite the dragon kwami’s attempts.
He wants it to be special, but he also knows that Kagami won’t appreciate something too huge. She’s a simple woman, who values directness and honesty over anything. But Adrien wants to do something nice for her. She deserves it, deserves more than just him randomly getting down on one knee in the middle of something mundane.
The Chat Noir in him wants something big, bold, and flashy. The Adrien in him...also wants something big, bold, and flashy.
So he agonizes over it, as one does when they’re trying to propose to their amazing girlfriend of several years.
And Kagami, the intuitive person she is, catches the way he is around her in preparation for his proposal. She prods, she calls him out, and does all the things that make him love her.
Except, right now, it kind of annoys the hell out of him, because at this rate, she’s going to figure out his plan before he does.
“Kagami,” he snaps at her when she asks for the hundredth time, while they’re laying in bed after a long day. It’s true he wasn’t listening, but he couldn’t help it! “There’s nothing wrong, okay? Can you just- leave it?” His tone is annoyed, but also a little desperate.
Kagami’s expression shutters for a moment, and Adrien opens his mouth to take it back, but she silences him with her eyes before he can even open his mouth. Always one step ahead.
“Fine. I will put the topic to rest. But you cannot avoid whatever is bothering you forever, Adrien. And when you can’t, I will be here to listen.”
And with that, she rolls on her side, shuts off the lamp on their bedside table, and curls up in a way that makes Adrien suppose she’s done talking to him and is going to go to sleep. So he wraps an arms around her, closes his eyes, and tries to ignore the sinking feeling he has in his gut.
Proposing shouldn’t hurt the one you love.
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Two days later, they’re on patrol. Things have been tense since that night. Kagami is respecting his boundaries, and Adrien is too distracted by his planning to notice how she pulls further and further away from him
Chat feels the ring box burning a hole in the pouch on his belt where it’s stored as they jump across rooftops, Ryuuko is far ahead of him, deafeningly silent.
He’s lost in thought again, and it nearly causes him to run into Ryuuko, who is stopped on the roof of the new Agreste mansion, which had been built after the arrest of Adrien’s father.
“Kaga- er- Ryuuko? You okay?” Chat asks after a moment of her not moving.
“No, I am not,” She says, blunt as ever, looking up at Chat with striking eyes that pierce into his soul. She looks...sad, almost,
“You...something is wrong. And you told me not to push. But I am going to push, because you won’t talk to me. And you are distant, and distracted.” Ryuuko speaks quickly, possibly the most anxious Chat has ever seen her. Her eyes say anger, but her demeanor speaks of hurt.
“I’m not one to jump to conclusions, Adrien,” She lowers her voice, using his name, because this is too important a conversation to use aliases, “but if you can’t trust me, if I’m a problem...then perhaps we should not be an...us.”
Chat’s heart breaks in two, and he immediately shakes his head. The guilt he’d initially tried to push down wells up full force at the resignation in her tone, the defeat in her usually perfect posture.
“Ryuuko- Kagami- no...no. It’s not that. I promise you it’s not that. Kaga, I love you with all my heart,” Chat’s voice softens impossibly and he grips Ryuuko by the arms so she’ll look at him. His expression is full of adoration and remorse.
“Y’know what? Fuck it. I tried to plan and plan to make it perfect-” He turns to grab the right from its pouch.
“Adrien, what-” It’s Ryuuko’s turn to be shushed, and Chat places a clawed fingertip to her lips.
“Nothing about my life will ever be perfect without you.” He grips her hands in his as he drops on one knee. Ryuuko lets out a barely audible gasp, and Chat knows that she knows what’s coming. She doesn’t say anything, which he takes as a sign to continue.
“Kaga, the first day we met, you knocked me off my feet...literally. And ever since then, I’ve been scampering after you like a desperate alley cat. You’ve been there for me whenever I needed you, always sure of me, even when I wasn’t sure of myself.” He takes a deep breath,
“You taught me to never hesitate. And...I’ve been doing that a lot recently, with you. But I don’t want to hesitate anymore, because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I want you. Every day, for the rest of my life.”
Chat lets go of Ryuuko’s hands to open the ring box, revealing a gold band decorated with rubies and black and white diamonds, a large pearl in the middle.
“Kagami Tsurugi...will you marry me?” He holds his breath. Waiting.
She doesn’t cry, doesn’t cover her mouth and squeal...but she does break out into the largest smile Chat’s ever seen.
“Yes.”