Chapter Text
For the umpteenth time in the past hour, Chat Noir sighed.
His view out onto the row of businesses below had grown a little too familiar. After all, he’d spent far too much time relishing this particular view this week.
All alone.
When Ladybug kept running late to patrol. If she even showed up at all…
His back hunched slightly as he glanced down at the tiny screen on his baton, searching for any sign of Ladybug on the tracker.
After a short eternity of silence, he sullenly dropped back to lie on the cold stone roof.
Baton in hand, he shut his eyes and let his other arm fall over his eyes to shut out the rest of the world forever passing him by. Looking at it was only making the fact he’d been abandoned again that much worse.
Five more minutes.
He could give her five more minutes and then he was going home and going to sleep. The fact that father had scheduled another photoshoot that forced him to get up at the crack of dawn to take advantage of the peak lighting had only made him even more frustrated than usual.
Chat sighed wearily. Just once, he would like to have the freedom to wake up to his own alarm. It would be a welcome change to have the sun nudging him awake instead of obligation to his father. Or the screams from the streets confirming that Hawkmoth’s evil wasn’t about to let him rest, either.
Of course, Ladybug seemed happy enough to forget about him from time to time… Of course, not being at her side just made him all the more anxious.
It left him that much more tired…
Beep. Beep.
His ears perked.
Grin stretching across his face in an instant, Chat Noir sat up. He didn’t even bother to glance at the screen as just let the momentum help him bound up onto his feet. From the happy chirp, Plagg sounded just as happy to let him know that all his waiting had finally paid off.
His face only fell a little when he realized the figure racing towards him wasn’t all in red.
Was that…pink?
Chat Noir blinked. Then he rubbed his eyes and blinked again. Though the battle hadn’t lasted long, he’d worked with Pigella for a little while… In spite of the purple haze that had surrounded them all mid-battle, all he could remember was pink and pigtails.
Just not at the same time.
His brows furrowed beneath the mask as the figure in pink landed on the far end of the rooftop.
“Hello,” she grinned, waving nervously.
Chat Noir’s tail swayed back and forth as he walked towards her, taking in the transformation from head to toe.
Aside from Rose, no one else wore that much pink.
Amusement sparkled in her blue eyes as he circled around her curiously. Nor did many of the other holders have blue eyes.
Especially not after Chloe was permanently off of Ladybug’s list.
Except… maybe…
“Marinette?” He whispered in hushed uncertainty, although a soft hopeful smile curved his lips.
She smiled. “What was your first clue?”
“It may have been the pink,” Chat Noir bounced on his toes, as his smile grew to echo her own. “This is your favorite color, isn’t it? I remember a lot of it in your room.”
Her eyes widened at the admission.
He flinched, shaking his head to cover the fact he was faltering. Actually have her show up had put him off his game. Keeping track of all the little white lies was getting too hard. Had he been pretending he’d forgotten her? “I still can’t believe it. Ladybug actually agreed?”
“She told me I can help with this little project,” Marinette smiled, rocking back and forth on her heels nervously. “But she told me it was really important that this whole thing stays secret.”
He nodded. “She must be worried after the last battle you helped in.”
Marinette shrugged, her eyes darting along the rooftop. “You must be right.”
He frowned. “I’ll admit, I am kind of curious why she sent you with the Pig Miraculous.”
She shook her head. “That’s just for today.”
“Just for today?” Chat echoed before his eyes grew suddenly wide. “Oh! You’re testing them.”
She smirked, setting the tiny box she’d been holding back by the chimney. “No. We’re testing them.”
He couldn’t help himself. He gaped. It had been months since he’d felt included as anything more than an afterthought.
Maybe even since Master Fu…
Her bright smile started to falter the moment she’d noticed his confusion. “Chat Noir?”
He forced his gaze away, pressing the button on the baton and stretching it across his shoulders and willing himself to smile and enjoy the fact that he wasn’t exactly alone any more. “Sow… How did you want to do this?”
Her eyes narrowed.
Chat Noir smiled innocently. Had she noticed the pun?
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, I’ve not really seen the powers for this Miraculous in action.” Her lips pressed into a thin line. “I guess it must have happened when most of the class was under or Alya would have pictures.”
Chat Noir smiled a little too brightly. Thankfully the class was akumatized or under the influence of one often enough that people weren’t watching him that closely. “That sounds about right.”
One arm crossed over her chest as her free hand pressed a gloved fingertip to her lips. “Then, what do you think we should do?”
He smiled softly, setting one end of the baton on the ground to balance against as he leaned forward, mulling over what he knew aloud for her benefit. “From what little I saw, it seems like Pigella’s powers were really effective at reaching someone in a low emotional spot. Which on its own is good for the Akuma.” He confided. “But to be honest, I am a little worried about the defense…”
Her brows clearly arched high behind the pink and white mask. “You think Ladybug would bring her out with the whole team?”
Shrugging, Chat Noir frowned. “She’s been bringing out nearly everyone else thus far. I’ve had more trouble getting away lately, but I’m not even sure she’s noticed.”
“Chat…”
He glanced up at her expectantly, noticingly belatedly that her hand reached out towards his shoulder, before it fell uselessly to her side.
There was a sad, weary smile on her face. “Do you want to try to spar?”
How was it that Marinette was so good at pulling him out of his funk? “That would be swine.”
She rolled her eyes and groaned, as she tugged the tambourine from her belt. “I thought you were supposed to trying to attack with your baton.”
He spun his baton to set himself up in a defensive position for her to try to attack. “I can dual wield.”
Her eyes fell on the tambourine, eyeing it carefully as she considered how to disarm him with little more than a tiny percussion instrument.
He was like a kid at Christmas…
At least, like he was a few years back.
It was a pure delight that she was verbally sparring with him. Ladybug always seemed to frown on it, even more so lately. And Kagami had been super serious during most of their bouts.
Marinette was clever enough that he was always sure she could. It just puzzled him to no end that she just always seemed more anxious around him without the mask.
“I’m ready whenever you are,” he assured with a growing smirk. “Go hog wild.”
“Are you sure that’s Kosher?” A smirk of her own tugged at her lips as she tested a tap against one end of his baton, near his hand.
“Hogwash.” He beamed, readjusting where his hand was placed and spinning the baton around a few times as more of a shield.
She shook her head in disbelief, as she scanned for an opening. “How do you always have this many puns at the ready?”
“Without the mask, I usually have a lot of demands on my time,” he grinned. “But even if I have to sit still, my mind doesn’t.”
“You actually have a whole book of these written down somewhere, don’t you?” she snorted, feinting to the right before spinning to tap his left hand.
“Sure!” He grinned disarmingly, as he shook off the tiny strike. Tiny as she was, it seemed like the heels gave her a little more room to strike and he was underestimating her slightly. “It’s on my desk at home. Right next to my Ladybug shrine.”
Surprisingly -- to them both -- that was the first time she faltered. “Sometimes, I really can’t tell if you’re joking, Chat Noir.”
“Ah, Marinette.” He goaded, lightly tapping the baton to her shoulder. “You’re never boaring.”
“Well, that’s Un-porcine-ite,” she snorted, as she blitzed forward to tap the Tambourine to his unguarded ear. “For you.”
“Okay, okay,” Chat Noir conceded, wincing as he put his claws up. “I think you’ve proven that can be wielded if you’re determined enough.”
Frowning, he noticed that she was about to lean back against the messy concrete. Black hid that well, but pink might not…
“Wait a minute.” Chat extended the baton, wedging it between the chimney and the balcony for them both to lean against.
“Thank you,” She smiled softly. “It’s just too bad your baton doesn't have a bench mode, too.”
Chat Noir beamed, leaning back beside her. “I'll have to ask Plagg.”
“Oh… is Plagg your…” Nibbling at her lip, she trailed off.
“Kwami.” Chat nodded. “Yes, he is.”
“You could probably coerce him with cheese.”
He blinked. “You’re not wrong.”
She flinched before sitting down on the extended baton beside him. It was sometimes harder remembering what she had to forget. “I remember Mullo liked cheese. And Daizzi seems to be happy with anything.”
Groaning as she sat down post-sparring session. “Why did Daizzi think heels were a good idea?”
He chuckled. “I’m not really a fan of heels myself. They take way too much getting used to.”
She shot him a startled look. “Oh, yes. Reflecta, right?”
He nodded. “Of course, on the plus side, it does make you feel like you could probably pull off the catwalk in this…”
“Yeah,” she smiled softly, offering him a macaron from the tiny box that sat by the side of the roof, otherwise forgotten. “Except that no one else is actually going to get to see me like this.”
He frowned, nibbling on the offered sweet. “What Miraculous is Ladybug sending next time?”
Marinette crossed her arms over her chest. “Honestly, I’m not sure I should tell you.” She scowled. “You’ll just have puns ready.”
He cackled. “I’m going to have them anyways. But if Ladybug really wants this to be secret, it would be better for me to plan the best places to train to stay out of sight.”
She sighed. “That’s not all that unreasonable. I’ll ask next time if I can give you her plan.”
He swallowed the rest of the macaron. “Then at least we should name your transformation.” he winked. “In honor of the sparring at least. I need to call you something and it is probably safer not to mention your name. ”
She laughed. “I don’t think it would be worth it.”
“Are you saying you’re not creative enough to come up with one?”
Marinette rolled her eyes. “I’m more afraid of what you might have.”
“Hmmm.” He tapped a finger to his lip thoughtfully. “What about… Bacon bits.”
“Oh, that was definitely not worth it.” She gaped at him. “Wait! Chat Noir!”
“What?” He was surprised that she had fallen suddenly out of the rhythm of the fight.
Her pout was plain on her lips. “Was that a short joke?”
He snorted, grabbing his midsection as he doubled over in laughter.
She smacked at him, nearly missing. “Rude.”
He gathered her up in a big hug. “Sorry. I really am just…happy you’re here. It’s gotten really lonely out here lately.” He murmured, his chin dipping nearly to her shoulder. “Besides, I figured Piglet would be right out.”
Her pout was unrestrained. “Maybe it’s all the puns.”
She probably hadn’t realized, but that might have been her most effective strike yet…
He got quiet… She’d put her finger on the pulse of what he’d been worried about. She’d found it so easy to shut him out. So easy to bring in new members.
He’d been really worried he’d been doing his best…trying to keep everything the way it always was… only to find he’d only found the wrong buttons.
“Do you ever take things seriously?”
He shrugged. “Wearing this is usually the only time I have the luxury not to.”
“What?” She frowned. “Are you serious?”
He shrugged. “Every family is different. At least as far I’ve been able to tell. I’ve just usually got a lot of responsibility on my shoulders.”
“Clearly, that bothers you.”
“That's why I love coming out here.” He stared out across the glowing rooftops. “I just miss having my best friend next to me while I do.”
She was silently staring at him when he finally noticed her silence. “I guess that makes sense why Ladybug mentioned you needed a friend, too.”
“Oh…” Chat Noir felt a heavy lump welling in his throat. He frowned, hadn’t he swallowed the macaron?
Belatedly he’d noticed she was holding out a pink box in her hands.
“You didn’t have to use the powers.” He smiled ruefully. “You could have just asked.”
“Sure I do.” She leaned against his shoulder, nudging him the slighted bit. “That’s part of my job right now. It's much easier if I can help.”
Sighing, he finally accepted the box.
“Chat Noir, what is it that you want out of all of this training?”
Instantly, he was lulled, as if he was half-dreaming.
“I kind of wanted to see you again as the Fox Spirit…” he murmured, only distantly aware of his words. “Or as Multimouse…”
It wasn’t until he blinked and found himself alone on the roof again, feeling surprisingly well rested.
Only the remnant of her parents' bakery box as proof that it hadn’t actually been a dream.