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“Chat I’m so tired,” Ladybug sighed as they sat atop the Arc de Triomphe.
Chat hummed in response as Ladybug rested her head on his shoulder her eyes glazed over in contemplation.
“Everyone’s always watching,” Ladybug said as she fiddled with the end of Chats tail.
“Yea” Chat responded choosing his words carefully. As Adrien, he had always been under the scrutinizing eye of the media. He wasn’t really accustomed to not being under its oppressive gaze.
“I’ve read the Ladyblog it speculates about whether we’ll come out at night, or how our love lives are going,” Ladybug grumbled as she slumped more into Chat Noir.
Chat sat there silent he could sympathize though he never had the chance to feel out of the spotlight. Supermodel and Superhero didn’t leave much room for negotiation.
“Everyone wants to be right, and it's just frustrating having random strangers dictate what I should do, how they would handle an Akuma, or how we should be dating,” Ladybug went on.
“Well, if I am being honest Milady, I’m in on that second group of people for obvious reasons,” Chat Noir shot her a grin wiggling his eyebrows.
Ladybug let out a snort and turned her head back to the glow of the Parisian skyline.
“How have you been handling the attention Chaton because it seems I have been handling it poorly,” Ladybug asked looking up at her partner.
“Milady you just need a new perspective is all,” Chat Noir said nudging her shoulder.
“For instance, everyone may be looking to see what you will do, but it's because they want you to come through,” He said looking into her eyes. “No one wants a magical butterfly terrorist destroying their city so every time they see you everyone hopes it’ll all work out.”
Chat Noir continued as Ladybug looked bewildered into his eyes “They don’t have magical suits to protect them, so they hold out for us to save them, when it comes to the people who protect you, you want to know what they do no?”
Ladybug sat speechless as she had never looked at it like that “That’s—"
She was cut off as Chat finished “And plus everybody wants a little romance.”
Ladybug deadpanned as she looked up at her partner. His antics always were poorly timed such as now in an important conversation. Though she had to think her kitten did have a lot of insight into media scrutiny she didn’t expect from the alley cat.
“Chat how do you know how to frame all this,” Ladybug questioned.
Chat’s face went pale as he sputtered “W-well I have no idea what you mean. . .”
“Chat?” Ladybug said with an aggressive tone. His behavior wasn’t doing him any favors.
“Fine” Chat relented “I’m not necessarily the same scraggly alley kitten before you when I’m a civilian.”
Ladybug looked at him quizzically gesturing for him to continue.
“I’ve lived my entire life under media supervision, Chat Noir is my escape and even then, I just get more media attention. It’s moments like these that we sit atop monuments and just talk like people that I live for Bugaboo,” Chat said glancing out over the city with a small smile.
Ladybug felt something run down her face leaving a wet streak in its stead. Her kitty had made her cry. While he hadn’t explicitly said his civilian life was bad. The lack of privacy, the structured life, and no freedom. It hurt just to listen to. She could only imagine what he had gone through daily.
“How do you manage it” she choked through her tears.
Chat Noir turned to her in surprise “Milady what’s wrong?”
“I-It’s just—” Ladybug tried but was cut off by sobs.
Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her as she cried rocking her soothingly as her tears soaked into the leather of his suit.
“I managed it with a smile and fake happiness,” he responded to her question “But now that I have you,” he continued “I have actual happiness.”
His words rung in Ladybug's head making her sob more. Chat Noir chuckled “Ok Maybe I’m not the best at this whole comforting thing.”
Ladybug let out a watery laugh slapping him in the chest. Chat Noir gasped in mock offense at his Lady.
“Milady how rude, I spill my secrets and you have the audacity to hit me? You wound me.” Chat Noir said draping over her dramatically.
Ladybug pushed him off, settling once again on his chest. She snuggled up to him and sighed once again her thoughts still racing from the information she had just gotten from her kitten. It threatened to spill her tears once more.
Chat Noir stood from his position and started to dust himself off. Ladybug was saddened by the sudden lack of him to lean on but also proceeded to stand.
“You know Milady we should go see a show sometime’” Chat said unholstering his baton.
“Sure kitten it’s a date,” Ladybug said wrapping her arms around his torso.
She could feel Chat go stiff under her touch and then relax. He pushed her away and looked into her eyes with such desperation.
“Milady you shouldn’t tease me like that,” He said with sadness in his tone.
“Ladybug leaned in her breath ghosting his lips “Who said I was teasing you?”
“You what—” Chat began as he was cut off by his lady pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
He melted at her touch, sadly though the kiss was withdrawn before he could respond in kind. Ladybug giggled stepping back a healthy blush dancing across her face.
“I should be going then,” Ladybug said as she cast her yoyo out.
Chat watched as she disappeared in the direction of the sunset. His brain had failed him and apparently. . . He had a date to plan.