Work Text:
They collapsed against the wall in unison, a pile of limbs and spandex and sweat mingling as they used each other for support, savoring each gasping breath they could catch. From this corner of the rooftop, they were just barely concealed from civilian view. And they just needed a second to breathe.
Chat’s eyes remained trained on the sky as he absentmindedly used his clawed fingertip to trace one of Ladybug’s polka dots near her ankle, which had ended up draped across his legs. His limbs felt like jelly, and even small movements ached. Even with the protection of the suit, his skin would become a canvas of scrapes and dark bruises once he transformed back.
“We have four minutes,” Ladybug groaned an unpleasant reminder. “Maybe three. I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Can’t we hit snooze, just this once?” Chat teased. Granted, if their Miraculous did have a snooze function, Plagg would likely be the one asking for the few extra minutes of sleep, not him.
Ladybug used her arms to push herself upright, cringing at the way her joints creaked and ached. She cradled Chat’s right hand in both of hers, drawing a thumb across the blinking paw print on his ring.
“Four,” she confirmed. “What about me?”
Careful as he always was, he brushed away the stray hair that had escaped its ties to take a better look at her earrings, red and shiny with three black dots remaining.
“Looks like you’re going to have to cut your power nap a little short,” he said.
She made a sound somewhere between a sigh and a groan as she flopped forward, burying her head in the crook of Chat’s neck, her entire upper body laid across his. “No fair,” she whined. “Wake me up in two minutes. Don’t let me sleep in.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he breathed, looking back up towards the clouds and pointedly trying to ignore the way his heart raced with her so close. His hand, still awkwardly occupying the space where she was a moment before, reached for the closest distraction - the limp ribbons that barely hung on to Ladybug’s pigtails.
They were playing a dangerous game with their Miraculous so close to timing out, they both knew that. Still, Chat found himself less compelled to run back to his average life after each akuma attack. To his surprise, the first time he decided to stick around and just decompress, she obliged to stay with him. More often than not, their few precious seconds of rest were more out of necessity than their own personal satisfaction, but he enjoyed their time together all the same. And on days like this, when he’d been beaten and bruised and utterly exhausted, he could still manage to find peace with her at his side.
His clawed fingertips toyed with the ends of her ribbons, the shiny red fabric twisting and weaving between his black gloves.
“Could I play with your hair?” the question slipped from his lips before he could think it through.
Ladybug froze.
“I’m sorry,” he said too quickly. “I didn’t mean to- I shouldn’t have- ugh, I mean…”
She pulled back to get a clearer look at his face. Then her head tilted, questioning. A giggle slipped from her mouth, and another, until she was forced to raise a hand to her mouth to cover her laughter.
“Sure, chaton,” she uttered her permission so quietly he had to question whether or not he was imagining it.
He stared intently at the tiny, delicate piece of fabric pinched between his fingertips, which gave away at the slightest pull. Her dark hair fell in waves, just barely brushing her left shoulder. Carefully, he started to untangle her locks at the ends.
Ladybug sighed, leaning into his touch while moving back to rest her head against his shoulder once more.
“You’re trying to make me fall asleep for real, aren’t you?” she asked.
Truth be told, he’d stay there all day and night with her, gently dragging his fingers through her hair, even if it meant she’d fall asleep right where she was and he’d have to stay perfectly still to let her rest for hours.
His free hand moved to her side, taking her waist and pulling her even closer. The irritating beep of her earrings was muffled by the lack of space between them, and for a fleeting moment he let himself wonder what could be so bad about just staying right there, the two of them side by side, forever.
Her breathing slowed as her eyes fluttered open and shut, fighting the waves of weariness that tore through her.
He reached and pulled at her right ribbon, freeing the rest of her hair and gently but quickly ridding it of any large tangles. Each pull of his fingertips made his heart pound harder, enough so that he was sure she could hear it.
A few moments later, satisfied with his work, he tilted her chin up with his fingertip so their eyes could meet.
“I think nap time is over, my lady,” he said quietly, and right on cue, her earrings rang out their warning once more.
With her hair floating loosely around her shoulders and her heavy-lidded eyes gazing at him like that, it was a wonder he could ever bring himself to leave her. But the ever-present single dot left blinking on her Miraculous meant that they both had to say goodbyes they weren’t quite ready for just yet.
“I’ll see you soon,” she smiled, leaning forward and placing a kiss on his forehead. It was spoken like a promise.
And in one exhausted blink, she flung out her yoyo and vanished across the rooftops.