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“Come on, you can’t be serious, Chat.”
“Completely serious, Plagg just floated there, directly over my father’s head. Holding this piece of cheese that I swear I gave him six months ago, judging from the stench coming off of it. My father just kept sniffing the air and desperately trying to figure out where this awful smell is coming from and all I could do is stand there. Doing this confused little half-smile like an idiot and pretending I don’t smell anything.”
Chat groaned, burying his face in both palms as Ladybug dissolved into a cackling fit. Every time she glanced back at his face she lost it again, and only managed to gain control by tilting her head back to stare at the stars overhead.
“My Lady, it’s not funny, he says that I can’t be trusted to keep my room clean and he’s sending people to scour it! They think I left some horrifying pair of socks in a corner or something now!”
His pleading did nothing but send Ladybug off into another laughing fit and he threw his hands in the air as she fell backwards onto the roof. He tried to frown but the grin that wanted to escape at the sight of how freely happy his Lady was at the moment wouldn’t let him. Eventually he gave up and let the toothy, lopsided grin take over his face.
He watched her clutch at her stomach and roll slightly on the roof. Her head was thrown back and showing the column of her throat and Chat marveled at how carefree she seemed for once. She was amazing when he saw her in battle, an avenging storm, a force of nature. But that was professional Ladybug. These little moments where he got to see her let go for a moment, to simply exist? He treasured them, storing them close to his heart and locking them away so he would never forget.
Ladybugs giggles finally subsided, leaving her hands spread wide on the rooftop while she enjoyed the late summer breeze that helped to cool the warm night. Chat closed his eyes momentarily when it ruffled his hair.
He dropped back, allowing Ladybug’s arm to soften his fall, and she laughed again before pulling it free to poke him in the ribs. Chat grinned at her, poking back at her ribs with a knuckle so he didn’t accidentally hurt her with his claws.
Their hands settled to the roof with a collective sigh, both heroes staring up at the night sky. Chat had hoped for stars earlier when he realized the night would be so clear. But he didn’t mind the light pollution blocking it out now. Ladybug joining him on his trip out to stargaze more than made up for the lack of view.
“I told you my embarrassing kwami story, My Lady. Now it’s your turn. What terrible things has Tikki done that make your life difficult?”
Ladybug chuckled. “Tikki isn’t nearly as difficult as Plagg, Chaton. She eats cookies and gets crumbs in the bed sometimes, but my parents really don’t notice a missing cookie or two. And Tikki knows how to hide quickly when someone walks into the room unexpectedly.”
Chat stuck his lower lip out dramatically, mock-pouting at the teasing tone in her voice. “There has to be something, I can’t have all the bad luck!”
“Well you are the black cat here.”
“My Ladyyyyy,” Chat whined, widening his eyes and allowing his lip to quiver.
“Okay, stop with the kitten eyes, let me think!”
Chat dropped his sad kitty face immediately but kept his eyes wide and expectant. They’d made a deal to not ask any revealing questions about each other but kwami antics were fair game. And since Chat cherished any bits of information Ladybug was willing to give, he loved the little stories they exchanged.
Ladybug tapped her lips with one finger as she thought, finally letting out a little noise of triumph after a few moments. “I’ve got one! Okay, so Tikki sleeps in my bed with me, but not when I have my best friend over. So when I have her over, Tikki stays in my loft while my friend and I watch movies and sleep in sleeping bags on the floor. I usually leave my phone up there so Tikki doesn’t get too bored.”
Chat nodded, thinking about how bored Plagg sometimes got when waiting in his bag all day for school to end.
“Well, my friend and I are talking and doing hair and apparently Tikki got so excited about the game she was playing on my phone that she launched it off of my loft and managed to hit me in the back of the head.”
Chat lost it, picturing a tiny red version of Plagg chucking a phone at Ladybug. Ladybug took the opportunity to sit up and pout as Chat gasped for air.
“It took ten minutes to convince her that I’d just headbutted her in the back of the head because a bug bit me and not because something was just upstairs from us.”
“Oh my god, you said a bug bit you?” Chat’s cackling echoed off the nearby buildings and it was Ladybug’s turn to bury her face in her hands.
“I’m spending too much time with you.” The muffled response filtered out from behind her hands.
“No such thing.” Chat sat up, patting her on the shoulder and giving her what he hoped was a placating look.
Ladybug removed her hands from her face and smiled at Chat. “Yeah alright, now we’re even on embarrassing stories.”
“Not even close, My Lady, I have so many more. Wanna hear another one?”
“Always.”