Chapter Text
Ladybug took a much needed break on a random rooftop in the middle of Paris. That last akuma a few hours ago had really taken it out of her. It had thrown her multiple times across whole city blocks as she and Chat tried desperately to get to the corrupted object. Her calves ached from running, her arms from throwing her yo-yo around, her butt from a few not-so-soft landings. Sitting down and hanging her feet over the edge, she let out a sigh of relief. Stress melted out of her muscles at the chance to relax.
She always hated having to fight an akuma right before patrol time. Sailing through paris sounded awesome until you had already done it two or three times over in the past twelve hours. Sure, they could call off patrol on days like this, but what if that was exactly what Hawk Moth was counting on? No, they remained committed. They had agreed to meet right here at the normal patrol time, fatigue notwithstanding. Hopefully they could make things quick, do a good once over, and go their separate ways. She didn’t not want to see Chat or anything, she just had something else on her mind. She was debating doing something, and wanted to do it before she lost her nerve.
Chat bounded onto the roof, landing in elegantly feline fashion.
“Evening, my Lady.” he purred, sitting down next to her. “Come here often?”
“Maybe too often.” She quipped back with a giggle. “Feels like we were just here.”
“We basically were.”
Ladybug sighed. She had nothing else really to say to that. It was absolutely true. She started to wonder if the only reason she wanted to do that crazy thing was because she hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in about a week. She still had to go home and do homework tonight too. Chat’s eyes looked pretty bloodshot, he was probably in the same boat as her. She didn’t realize she was just staring at his face while she was thinking about all of this, so she turned away with a blush of awkward energy.
“Sorry, I just spaced out.”
“I don’t mind being the center of your attention.” the cat said with a toothy grin. It melted into a look of genuine concern when she didn’t immediately roll her eyes in mock disgust. “Is there something you needed to talk about?”
Ladybug let out a sigh. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to tell him. He was probably her best friend (Or at least, second to Alya). She felt like she could trust just about anything to him, except for the elephant in the room.
“If it’s about your civilian life, you don’t have to offer any details. I just want you to know you can vent to me.” It was like he could read her mind. She looked up, feeling guilty for the way his eyes shone with sadness as he read her face. She decided that surely she didn’t have to be a complete stranger to him to keep their identities secret.
“It’s... about a boy.” She winced as she was afraid to break his heart again. The face that he made didn’t make her feel any better.
“A boy, huh? Has some dummy gone and broken your heart? I can defend your honor! Just say the word, Ladybug!” He pulled his staff our defensively, looking for an enemy that was obviously not there. She almost chuckled as his eyes darted back and forth.
“N-no, Chat!” she said as he set the baton down and rejoined her on the edge of the roof. “I haven’t even told this boy I like him yet. We’re in the same class. I’ve liked him for months now, but I just can’t get up the courage to confess to him..,” Letting it out now, she suddenly felt all her vulnerability come to the surface. She didn’t usually have any of those feelings as Ladybug, the magic making her confident enough to climb Mount Everest.
“I was going to talk to him right after patrol tonight, just come up to his window like a cheesy movie and…I don’t know what I’d do after that.” She turned away from him, tucking her legs to her chest like she did on her bed at home. She wouldn’t meet his eyes again after saying something so embarrassing.
“You must think I’m so lame. The hero of Paris, preoccupied with a teenage crush.”
There was a long pause, agonizing them both.
“Last I checked, Ladybug is just a girl underneath the mask. It’s not strange that she would be in love with someone, just as so many boys are in love with her.” She opened her gloved fingers from around her face to see Chat looking at her with an earnest smile. “Whoever the guy is doesn’t know how lucky he is to be the crush of the Miraculous Ladybug.”
She almost wanted to cry. He really was such a good friend to her. She knew that he had just as strong feelings for her as she did for Adrien, and he knew that she knew that. She threw her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. She felt his hands return the hug, touching her back cautiously but with care.
“Thanks, Chat. I don’t deserve you.” she mumbled into the leather on his skin.
“You deserve the world, my Lady.” The cat stood up, taking a glance across the skyline that was quickly darkening in the orange dimness of dusk. He took his baton out once more, making it long enough that he could lean his chin onto it as he stood there. “I don’t see any akumas. How about I take care of patrol tonight, and you go talk to this boy?” He punctuated this offer with the Chat Noir Wink and Smirk (Registered Trademark, Total Dorks Incorporated).
“A-are you sure, Chat? I kinda sprang this on you, and I never meant to shirk my hero duties just to…” A clawed finger met her lips, and she was instantly silenced.
“You’ve taught me that love can wait, but that doesn’t mean it has to. Go now, I’ll be fine. If there’s trouble, you’ll definitely know. And I’ll call you, of course.”
This was a terrible idea. Tikki seemed to be subconsciously giving her two cents. No. No. No. Nooooo, Marinette.
“Yeah...yeah, ok. Be safe tonight, chaton.”
He held up his hand in comedic fashion. “Cat’s honor.”
Feeling confident enough in that, she turned away, looking for his house. Seeing the direction she needed to go, Ladybug threw her yo-yo and prepared to swing away. She looked back at her Kitty, seeing her partner ready to go to the moon and back for her.
“I’ll let you know what Adrien says!” she said before she really knew what she did. She didn’t even notice her mistake, giddiness already building in her stomach. She flung herself into the sunset, slowly disappearing to Chat Noir.
“Good luck, Ladybug! I hope he…” His hand was waving after her, but it stopped halfway through.
“Wait...Adrien?”