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“Mousebug” Hood dropped down to sit next to her.
“I told you, It’s Lady Mouse, or Multibug.” Marinette rolled her eyes at the anti hero. He had started finding her on patrols once he caught sight of her a few months ago.
“And I told you that I’ll use your name once you tell me why a French hero is in Gotham.” He held out a mini bottle of the wine that he had noticed her drink once. She never accepted the beer he offered, but a glass of wine was much more her style.
“Why does it matter? Not like Bats can keep me out of the city if he tried.” She turned to look at him and saw that he had taken off his helmet. He was still wearing a domino mask underneath, but it was different from the others she had seen him in, this one showed his eyes.
“You know, I wouldn’t tell the big bad bat even if you told me.” He was looking her straight in the eyes and she could see the truth in his eyes.
“We’ll never know, because I’m not telling.”
He gave her a sad smile and then looked out over Gotham again. “I never asked, why this building?”
“Huh?” She looked back at him again.
“Well there are a lot of tall buildings in Gotham, but you pick this one on the edge of the city in one of the worst places. Why?”
“Oh.” She tilted her head and realized something. “You can't see it can you?”
“See what?” he was looking at her again.
“The stars.” she said it like it explained everything, but he still didn’t seem to realize what she was saying, so she continued on. “This is the tallest building that’s the furthest out of the Gotham smog. From right here you can see the stars that fall over Gotham.”
Hood looked out over the water and finally looked up instead of down. There over the city were so many stars, he never realized that there was little enough light pollution in this area that he could actually see quite a few stars.
“My team and I used to pick times for us to go out and watch the stars, there’s too much light in Paris to see them properly, but when we would travel to the countryside we could watch them easily.”
Hood was looking at her again. “Why are you always sad when you talk about them?”
“What do you mean?” Marinette smiled at him trying to hide her grief.
“Mouse, you’re crying.” He reached out a hand and cradled her face in his hand so he could wipe away her tears.
“Oh…” She tried to smile the tears away but she knew it wasn’t working. “I just miss him.” she whispered out.
“Who?” Hood’s voice was as quiet as hers.
“My partner.” Her voice shook and she tried to keep going without sobbing. “He… he died.” She took a shuddering breath and added on, “His father killed him.”
Marinette wasn’t sure when she and Hood had become friends, but this was the first time since Adrien died that she had been able to say it out loud. Even Alya couldn’t get her to talk about the final battle and she and Nino had been there.
She was sobbing into Hood’s chest now, she didn’t know how long she had been crying, but there was a wet spot forming on his shirt. She felt Plagg purring from inside her jacket and knew he was hurting too. It had been so long ago and yet eight years still felt like yesterday.
“I’m sorry Bug. I never knew.”
“Ladybug and Chat Noir disappeared after the final battle, so no one noticed that Chat was gone, and who would suspect that Adrien Agreste was both Hawkmoth’s son and Chat Noir.”
Hood took in a deep breath and hugged her tighter. “You can rely on other people. You don’t have to shoulder your grief alone.”
She disentangled herself from him and gave a wry smile. “Don’t I though?” She was still shaking, but she looked out across the sky and smiled. “He’s up there watching out for me, so I can do this. But there’s no one who I can really rely on anymore.” She took a few steps toward the edge of the roof. “Gotta go, but it was nice seeing you again!”
“Wait! Bug!”
But she was already gone. The moment was over, next time she saw Hood they would bicker and she still wouldn’t tell him why she was really in Gotham. He would make jokes about not working with Batman, she would call him out for the bat on his chest, he would claim it’s a bird for Nightwing and Robin, and they would leave it at that. The same fight another day. Maybe next time she would make cookies, it was her turn to bring snacks to the rendezvous after all. They never called it that, but they both knew that that’s what it was, a time for their slowly building friendship that neither of them would admit to.
A breeze picked up by her and tears came to her face again. Thinking of Adrien would hurt less one day, but seeing Hood’s eyes helped, he reminded her so much of her partner in that moment that she was able to say it out loud to someone, so maybe she should admit to her growing friendship. Maybe Hood would be the one to help her heal.
Marinette looked up at the sky and sent out a little prayer. “Kitty, I know you’re up there. I miss you so, so much, but I’m gonna live my life for you okay?”
Past the smog the stars shine just a bit brighter for a moment. Out there in the constellations a Black Cat is content in the knowledge that his Lady will be just fine. After all, she is no longer alone.