Chapter Text
Max stares at his computer one last time, scanning the data he had collected and triple-checking for inconsistencies in his work.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Markov asks worriedly.
Max swivels his rolly chair around to face his robot friend. “Of course it is. The facts are all there. This proves my theory—” ‘this’ being his study— “and I’m going to tell them. What are the odds that I am wrong, Markov?”
“Approximately zero-point-zero-nine-two.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, if you’re sure…”
Max nods and pushes his glasses back up his nose, which is really only for the Smart Look and not at all because they actually fell down. He plucks a USB drive out of his laptop. It holds all the notes he made that he is going to show his classmates. He holds it up with a rather dramatic flourish. “Markov, let Operation: Adrinoir commence!”
“Does anyone know why we’re here?” Kim asks. “I have a swimming contest in an hour. I’m totally going to beat Ondine!”
“I don’t know,” Rose says. “I just know that Max wanted us to be at the park at two. Ooh, maybe he got a new puppy that he wants to show us!” Her face lights up, eyes shining at the thought.
Alix snorts. “And replace Markov? Please. Max would never do that. Besides, he’s allergic.”
Rose droops instantly, fantasies crushed. “Oh, right.”
Juleka mumbles something inaudible.
“What?”
“She said maybe he’s got some new discovery he wants to tell us about,” says Alya, who is close enough to Juleka to hear her. “I’m just wondering why Marinette and Adrien aren’t here.“ (In reality, Max actually chose to not invite Marinette because she herself is crushing on Adrien, and who would want to know that their crush likes someone else? Chloe was also not invited, for obvious reasons.)
“Probably at, like, a photoshoot or something,” Kim says.
Alya raises a skeptical eyebrow. “Both of them?”
“Well, no…”
“Everyone, settle down,” Max says, who arrived just in time to catch the end of the conversation. “Firstly, Marinette is not here because the topic I’m bringing up had an eighty-nine percent chance of being a little, if not a lot, upsetting to her. Adrien is not here because the topic concerns him.”
Alya instantly perks up at the thought of Getting Some Tea. Even better, tea on Adrien . She might even be able to use this as leverage for getting him and Marinette together!
“What you are about to see may possibly blow your mind,” Max warns. He snaps his fingers. “Markov!”
Right on cue, Markov zooms up beside his best friend. “The data we’ve collected supports a theory Max has had for a while. Three weeks, two days, and seven and a half hours, to be exact!”
“But what is the theory?” Alix says, her impatience getting the better of her. “I swear to god, Max, if this is another one of your hypotheses about the future uprise of intelligent software installed in kitchen appliances, I’m gonna—”
“Uh, no, no need to worry about that,” Max hastily interrupts her. He rubs his glasses on the hem of his shirt in much the same way that a gen z-er will Naruto-run away from a failed vibe check. Come to think of it, he notes, this gesture is also similar to the way Adrien always rubs the back of his neck whenever he feels awkward. Which is…quite a lot, actually…but never mind that. “To bring us back on topic, I have been observing the actions of our dear friend for quite some time, and have collected enough data that the answer is clear to see. It’s been right under our noses this whole time!”
This is Markov’s cue. The tiny robot holographically projects the first page of a slideshow Max put together last night. It features…
“…Adrien and Chat Noir?” Nathaniel asks.
“Precisely!” Max says. “Let me ask you all a question. Has anyone noticed how Adrien acts whenever Chat Noir gets brought up?”
Alix frowns. “Hmm…he does act a certain way. Doesn’t he get, like, all cocky or something?”
“And brings up how hot he thinks Chat Noir is,” Alya adds, grinning mischievously.
“Exactly!” Max says. “Which is why I’ve been studying him for a bit, and have come to the quite obvious conclusion that Adrien is crushing on Chat Noir.” He waits for their exclamations of surprise.
And waits.
“…Huh, I always thought he liked Ladybug,” Nino finally says.
“Maybe, maybe not!” Max says. “However, I have come up with a brilliant plan to put our collective matchmaking skills to the test.”
“Is Chat even into guys, though?” Mylénè asks. “We all know Ladybug has said she’s bi, but what do we know about Chat Noir?”
“I’ve already come up with a solution for that,” Max says. “What better way to find out than having a ‘Get to Know the Superhero’ interview, courtesy of our own Ladyblogger? If Alya’s okay with it, of course.”
“Of course!” Alya echoes. “I’ve been meaning to get an interview with him anyway, so this will be great!”
“Perfect!” Max says. Turning to Markov, he adds, “I do believe that Operation Adrinoir could be quite a success!”
Meanwhile, Nino pulls Alya aside. “Babe, what about Mari?” he says. He knows how deeply Marinette had fallen for Adrien, and he doesn’t want her to be hurt because of this.
“You’re right, I should probably talk to her about this first,” Alya says. “If this plan does work out, I don’t want her heart broken. Although, she has been eyeing Luka as well…but we’ll see. I’ll text her after we talk some more with Max.”
“Good plan.”
With that, they head back to the rest of their classmates, hand in hand.
“Hey Max!” He turns and sees Alya waving as she jogs over to him from where she was talking to Nino and the rest of their class. “Listen,” she says, “I’m all down for this Adrinoir thing, but I really gotta talk with Mari first before this interview is set in stone. I need to make sure her feelings won’t be hurt by this.”
Gah—in his excitement, he almost forgot about Mari’s crush. “Oh, of course!”
“In the meantime,” Alya continues, “I’ll set up a group chat so we can all scheme together.”
(14:46) alyaaaaa 🦊
hey m u free to talk? <3
(14:47) mari 💖💖
Yeah what’s up?
(14:47) alyaaaaa 🦊
ok so yesterday max told us to meet him at the park today
if thta makes any sense
(14:47) mari 💖💖
thta
(14:47) alyaaaaa 🦊
:(
(14:47) mari 💖💖
<3
Anyway carry on
(14:48) alyaaaaa 🦊
he had this whole thing to show us
us = the class)
about a theory he has about adrien
(14:47) mari 💖💖
Adrien???
(14:48) alyaaaaa 🦊
yeah
here’s the thing,
(15:03) mari 💖💖
Wow
(15:03) alyaaaaa 🦊
yup
(15:03) mari 💖💖
So like
Are yall gonna do it??
(15:04) alyaaaaa 🦊
maybe!
i wanted to check with u first tho
i know how much u luuuuuuuuuuv adrien ;) ;)
(15:04) mari 💖💖
:O
(15:04) alyaaaaa 🦊
>;)
and as much as i like the idea of this whole wingman thing
i love u more
besties first!
(15:04) mari 💖💖
Love you too <33
(15:04) alyaaaaa 🦊
<333
so……?
(15:04) mari 💖💖
Go ahead!
Besides, i’ve been thinking
And i think i’ve been putting adrien on like. A pedestal
And i’ve realized that i dont actually know him like i thought i did
Bc i’ve been too enamored
With the idea of him. And not actually him
Does that even make sense
(15:04) alyaaaaa 🦊
yeah i get it
(15:04) mari 💖💖
I think what he needs from me right now is a friend.
(15:05) alyaaaaa 🦊
not a girlfriend?
(15:05) mari 💖💖
Not a girlfriend.
(15:05) alyaaaaa 🦊
proud of u <3
(15:05) mari 💖💖
<33
(15:05) alyaaaaa 🦊
u know adrienette will always be my otp tho right
(15:05) mari 💖💖
:o not ladynoir?
(15:05) alyaaaaa 🦊
it’s a tie duh
one does not simply have one otp
im offended that u would think otherwise of me
(15:05) mari 💖💖
Haha
Ily
(15:05) alyaaaaa 🦊
ily2 <3
ill add u to the group chat too
(15:06) mari 💖💖
Group chat?
(15:06) alyaaaaa 🦊
oh yeah
max’s got this all planned out
(15:06) mari 💖💖
Ohohoho
(15:06) alyaaaaa 🦊
yup
anyway
its tea time!!
if u know what i mean ;) ;)
(15:06) mari 💖💖
Oh dear
(15:06) alyaaaaa 🦊
oh dear indeed >:)
so.
(15:06) mari 💖💖
So.
(15:06) alyaaaaa 🦊
whats up with luka?
(15:06) mari 💖💖
Alyaaaaaaaa
(15:07) alyaaaaa 🦊
u know u love me <3
(15:07) mari 💖💖
…………
I hate it when youre right
(15:07) alyaaaaa 🦊
hehe
now spill !!