A/N: [Akuma attacks mentioned in this chapter— Rogercop and Copycat. If you have not watched these episodes, I suggest you do.] What if Théo wasn't a sculptor?🤔😏

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Chat 🐱

I was exhausted the next week after the Evillistrator incident, even though the akuma attacks had decreased in number over the month what with Rogercop (Sabrina's father) being the only akuma attack that week.

The next day after we fixed the Rogercop situation, there were rumours spreading around school that Nathaniel was chosen to design a statue in honour of Ladybug and Chat Noir. It turns out, the rumours were true: there was going to be a statue reveal at the 'Place des Vosages', a park next to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery.

Nathaniel stated that he owed the superheroes (Ladybug and me) a huge debt after purifying him of Hawkmoth's akuma and wanted to make it up to them (us). Soon, the Evillistrator incident had been forgotten because Nathaniel was then mostly known as Paris's 'Sculptor'. I couldn't wait to see his art after it was done.

I had to do a photoshoot for my father after school. Vincent (the Italian photographer who works for my dad's company) told me that a 'surprise guest' was waiting for me at the Eiffle Tower— the venue I was going to model at that day.

When my driver dropped me off at my photoshoot, I was so shocked to see the one-and-only Théo Barbot posing for the cameras in front of the Eiffle Tower.

He wears a purple shirt with two loosened buttons at the top, gray jeans, a black leather jacket and combat boots. His brown hair is messy, but stylish and his hazel eyes finishes the look perfectly, like it always had.

Théo is a Spanish model who likes to travel the world. He had stayed in America for majority of his life, until he started learning French and decided to visit Paris for a few months.

Théo and I had met each other before, five years earlier, when we were twelve. My dad and his uncle used to be the best of friends when they were our age... I didn't like Théo then. I thought he was my friend, but he'd always tease me.

He was an arrogant and rude child, but many girls still swooned over his adorable, dark hair and hazel eyes. Théo could also sing really well (whoopie) and turn many people against me.

Mom used to tell me to give him another chance before she went missing. She used to comfort me and assure me that he was just trying to be funny because he wanted to make me laugh. Théo modelled for popular, kid magazines like I did and we would always have bets on who could get more sponsors for each photoshoot— not your average twelve-year-old competition.

Five years later, I could now tell that Théo looked completely different to when I previously saw him— his face appeared much more mature and he grew up to my height (I remember being much taller than him). He changed from adorable to hot damn just before my very eyes. I walked up to the area in which he was modelling a and he turned in my direction as if he knew I was there.

"Adrien Agreste?" Théo gasped and stopped posing.

The group of photographers that were flashing their cameras turned to me and put down their equipment. Vincent came over to me from the group and asked, "What took you so long? We thought you weren't going to come."

"School," was all I could answer because I was still in shock from seeing him.

Out of all the 'surprise guests' that I thought would appear, it just had to be Théo Barbot (basically my arch nemesis). I really hope he's changed, I thought as Vincent guided me to a bench near the Eiffel Tower, It's been five years so he's bound to change, right?

I was wrong the second my photoshoot ended.

"Well, well, well," Théo said in an American accent, smirking his way towards me, "if it isn't the Agrestive Blonde."

That was his nickname for me after a whole series of insults he'd say about me in public. Over the following years, I sometimes read up on a few articles from social media about him in Spain or America— Théo Barbot: Celebrity Player Quits Singing Career; Barbot the Barbarian; Théo no longer our Hero— which were mostly negative. How could I even think, for a second, that he would possibly have changed?

"Théo!" I gasped in false joy, "I've heard a lot of stories about you ever since we were twelve. How have you been?"

"Ugh," he groaned, sitting down next to me on one of the benches, "Spain and America was tiring. Literally every chick I dated there either wanted to 'start a relationship' and 'get married' or whatever. They should know I don't settle..."

He pushed the fringe of chocolate-brown hair from his face and rolled his eyes, making me internally sneer at his arrogance.

"Not to mention my concerts," he continued, "People just couldn't get enough of my singing once my voice cracked so I just decided to quit my singing career and focus on modelling, you know?"

Théo spoke to me as if his success was the most natural thing in the world, like I would know exactly what he's talking about. He bragged about himself even more than Chloe Bourgeois (and here I thought something like that would be impossible).

"Hungry eyes need to be fed," he laughed, winking at me in a joking manner, "And what about you? Any inspiring stories you'd like to share?"

I shrugged modestly, imagining what his reaction would be if I said something like, "Oh, I received a magical ring to turn into Chat Noir, Paris's superhero and saviour. I have a Miraculous Kwami and everything! So cool, lol!"

But, of course, I did not say anything near that. Instead, I told him about my school and the new friends I had like Nino, Chloe and Alya— for some strange reason, I didn't mention Marinette. Anyway, I spoke about the akuma attacks that always happen in Paris, which Théo surprising took an interest in. He wanted to know more about Ladybug and Chat Noir, though.

"I checked out the 'Ladyblog' once," he admitted, "If you ask me, Ladybug looks finer than most of the girls I dated combined."

I pulled a fist in each hand angrily. Oh no, I should not have brought up Ladybug— not the one I love. I knew that Théo would now probably make a rude joke about her appearance and personality and what he would do if he had a shot with her.

"She has one sexy body, let me tell you that," he laughed, "and what man doesn't love a woman with a little bit of sass, am I right? God, if I had a chance with Ladybug..."

I managed to breath evenly, calming myself down so that I wouldn't punch the living daylight out of him. I was wrong again: Théo had changed— he'd gotten worse.

"Anyway... What were you up to today?"

"Fencing and school."

"Boring," Théo yawned, stretching his arms in front of him, "My uncle and I were looking around our new, rented house for a can opener and we saw a whole bunch of chains in the basement."

"Awesome," I said, horrified when he said 'new, rented house'. That would mean that Théo was intending to stay in Paris for who knows how long.

"Uncle allowed me to keep the chains in my cupboard just in case robbers breaks into the house or something."

An awkward silence throbbed between us and I felt as if he could hear my heartbeat slow down— like all the time I was wasting talking to Théo Barbot.

"Do you have my number?" he then asked suddenly.

I stared at him in confusion and replied, "Your number? No...why?"

"We haven't seen each other in, like, five years! C'mon, Agrestive Blonde, let's get in contact again like old times."

I couldn't say no or tell Théo that I hated the old times— he would probably tell his uncle about what I say to him, who would then pass the news onto my father. He had the power to make me grounded for a whole month! I hoped Théo was no longer an 'uncle's boy', but I wasn't willing to find out.

I took out my phone to check my number, but just before I could enter my password, Théo stole the device from my hand.

"Hey!" I complained as he stared at the digits on my lock screen where it showed a wallpaper of me and my best friend, Nino, posing for the camera.

"What's your password?"

Why, you little... I glared at the ground as I mumbled out the digits. He grinned like he was enjoying himself by making me miserable.

"Okay, got it," Théo said, "my number's on your phone and I sent myself a message of your number through to my phone."

"Great," I said half-heartedly.

It all my will power not to spit the sarcasm I felt inside onto his model/singer/Spanish-American face!

***

The Park Statue Reveal came up after the following four days. Everyone was so pumped up about it— especially Nathaniel, of course, since he was the artist who designed it. Ladybug and I promised to the public that we'd make an appearance once the statue was revealed so I had to go to the park as Chat Noir after my fencing lessons.

I rushed into the locker room and took my phone out of the locker. I had received two new messages and one missed call from an unknown number. I checked the messages first, which was from none other than Théo Barbot:

__________

Théo: Hey, Agrestive, guess who's going to the Statue Reveal?
__________

I groaned aloud, "No, why him?"

Plagg, my kwami, jumped out of my bag and asked what the matter was.

"Theo's going to the park," I replied.

"Oh, the guy you hate?" Plagg said.

"I didn't say I hate him."

"You didn't say you like him either."

I shook my head and checked my second message:

________

Nino: What's taking Ladybug and Chat Noir so long? We've been waiting here forever :(

________

I realised that the time was actually quite late so I ignored the unknown voice mail for now and shoved my phone back into the locker. I immediately ordered Plagg to transform me and ran towards rooftops  which led me to the park.

***

The crowd screamed loudly as the white sheet was removed from the bright, golden statue of Ladybug and me, Chat Noir. It looked so meowjestic and purrecious, the design really showing the essence of our characters. I had to hand it to Nathaniel— his work was quite impurresive.

Ladybug could not make it to the event, which made everyone a bit disappointed. Before I knew it, the crowd began to disperse and a few Chat Noir fans lined up to ask meow few questions, which I easily answered. Once I reached the last fan, I was surprised to see Théo at the end of the line. Who knew, right?

"Chat Noir," he began, taking an envelope out of his pocket, "my name is Théo Barbot. I know you're a bit busy, but I need to ask you a favour in reference to Ladybug."

I tilted my head to the side in question, waiting fur Théo to carry on. In actual fact, he was nervous— something I had never seen before. It amused me so much that the boy who treated me horribly a few years ago was meow asking me for a favour.

"You see, recently I have had these feelings for Ladybug and I stayed up whole night writing this letter to her... I think she's the most amazing woman and it would mean a lot if she'd get to know me better... Please, if it's not too much of an inconvenience, could you give this to her for me?"

I suddenly grew angry at every single word he just said: feelings, Ladybug, letter...? Théo was going to tell my lady that he liked her over a letter! But what if Ladybug actually does like it— what if she accidentally falls in love with Théo instead of me after reading the letter? No way was I going to let that happen. Ladybug and Théo does not sound right in the same sentence.

"Is it one of those love letters to Ladybug?" I asked, cringing in a fake manner, "Oh, man... I'm sorry to tell you, but Lady and I? Yeah, we're a 'thing'."

Théo frowned, "A 'thing'? You're dating?"

"Yeah, she doesn't read any of the letters she receives because they're all the same. Besides, she and I are like this."

I crossed both my fingers, enjoying the lie I was telling because I finally got to make Théo Barbot feel miserable after all those years of teasing and calling me names as Adrien, pretending he was my friend. I gave him a devilish smirk, letting him know that I enjoyed his misery.

Suddenly, Théo glared at me and stuffed the envelope in his pocket in jealousy. He apologised for his inconvenience with a sneer, storming out of the park. I just shrugged and glanced at the statue behind me in admiration, thinking that Ladybug would never have to worry about him.

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