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He didn’t know quite how it started. Well, no, that was a lie. He knew exactly how it started. He just didn’t know why it had continued. It should have happened only once, right? Anything more, well, wasn’t that just creepy?
The first time it happened, he was on patrol. He was alone that night as Ladybug had patrolled the night before. He was on his way home when he was passing the Dupain-Cheng bakery. He hopped on the railing of the balcony to catch a quick breath, but right before he jumped away – he heard a noise.
Toss one way, turn the other. A shudder, a whisper.
Chat slinked off the balcony and crawled over by the latch door to Marinette’s room. He pressed his sensitive cat ear to it, listening carefully. After a few moments of listening to the restless sleeper, he opened the door.
She was beautiful in the moonlight. The pale light washed over her face and caught against her hair in a way he had never noticed before. It struck him. He stared in awe for a moment before her tossing snapped him out of his trance.
Marinette was asleep. That much was obvious, but what hurt his heart was her shuddering, turning, twisting, and kicking. A small tear rolled down her cheek. It glistened in the moonlight like a liquid diamond.
Trying not to think of how creepy it was, Chat lightly and soundlessly dropped onto her bed. He eased himself in a sitting position beside her and gently stroked her hair and her back, trying to rub away her distress.
Marinette was such a sweet girl – the sweetest he knew. Whatever plagued her, she didn’t deserve it.
She shuddered for a moment but rolled over and snuggled against him. He blushed and looked away. “Little kitty on the roof,” he quietly sang the lullaby his mother once sang each night to him, “all alone without his lady.” He repeated the song a few times, eventually adding his own verses in and eventually transitioning to some old folk songs, and even humming classical piano pieces! All because Marinette seemed to like it, to be comforted by it.
It made him happy. After she hadn’t stirred for five minutes, he brushed a chaste kiss to her forehead and disappeared in the night.
***
“How did you sleep, Marinette?” Adrien asked the next day.
Marinette smiled at him, “It was weird. I’ve been sleeping terribly these past few weeks, but last night… I slept really great.”
He smiled.
***
He guessed he came the second night just to check on her. He didn’t expect to stay… to cuddle… to sing… to hum… to press a light kiss to her forehead after she was sleeping soundly.
That’s probably why he came the third night, and the fourth, and the fifth. Just to make sure she was sleeping.
Then he started coming even when it wasn’t his patrol nights. He didn’t know why he came. Maybe it was habit? Maybe it was because she comforted him as much as he seemed to be comforting her?
In school she was happier and bubblier. There were no shadowy bags under her eyes. When he asked she said she slept wonderfully.
He had taken to singing this one song to her… he couldn’t remember what it was called… it was a duet. It was by Lou and Lenni Kim.
She seemed to like it.
He kissed her cheek.
***
A few weeks later he spent all day modeling and running around town – and he also fought an akuma. When he got home he was so exhausted he just collapsed on his bed, asleep. He didn’t visit Marinette.
“Are you okay?” He asked her guiltily the next day.
“I’m tired,” Marinette admitted, “These past few weeks I’ve been having this really good dream each night, and it’s been helping me sleep. Last night it didn’t happen, and I had trouble sleeping instead.”
Adrien frowned, “I hope your dream comes back.”
***
She tremored when she snuggled against him that night. He heard her whispering something, but he couldn’t quite make it out.
“Princess?” he whispered, setting his head next to hers, trying to listen. He watched her lips tremble.
“Kitty, kitty, don’t go. Don’t ever go, chaton, don’t go.”
Chat’s eyes widened and he gulped. He blinked after a moment and shook his head. Could it truly be? He stroked her hair lovingly, beaming at her. Of course. It couldn’t be anyone else.
“I’ll never leave you, m’lady, never.”
***
He saw her on patrol the next day. He could see it all so clearly now. She was Marinette. Ladybug was the girl who sat behind him in class and always stuttered and never seemed to know what to say to him. She was his everyday Ladybug, she was Ladybug. She was his lady.
At least now he understood why she had trouble sleeping.
***
“I’m going to tell you something and don’t tease me,” She told him one day.
“I would never tease you,” Chat promised, “Well, unless it is something that absolutely requires teasing.”
Ladybug glared at him. He apologized. She smiled a sweet Marinette smile.
“I used to have bad dreams every single night, but lately I’ve been having a really good dream. It’s always the same, but now I’ve been sleeping well again.”
“What’s this dream about?” Chat asked, curious.
“This is the part where you don’t tease me,” she reminded him. She smiled at him though, “It’s about you. You’re there. You’re comforting me. You sing me songs and talk to me and snuggle and kiss me on the cheek. I can’t ever really focus on you that much, but all I really know is that you’re there and it makes me feel safe.”
Chat blinked and looked away. She remembered that. Every night. She remembered him coming to visit her and thought that he chased her nightmares away. He was supposed to be bad luck. Maybe he was starting to be good.
“I guess that you’re my own lucky charm,” Ladybug smiled at him, “What I’m saying is thank you for always being there, even in my subconscious.”
He hesitated before smiling awkwardly, “Of course, bugaboo.”
***
“I will love you, for infinity,” he finished the song softly.
He felt Marinette stir as he stroked her back. He froze, turning perfectly still. He watched in horror as her eyes slowly opened and focused on him. He prepared for the shouting and the shoves and the cussing and the fact that it would never be the same with his lady again.
What happened surprised him.
She smiled groggily. She looked deliriously happy, “It wasn’t a dream.” She mumbled, “Kitty.” She touched his blonde hair and grinned as it bounced.
“Um… I saw that you weren’t sleeping well,” Chat fumbled, looking away, “And I thought I should comfort you because, well, I do care about you, Marinette. It wasn’t supposed to be creepy or anything I just wanted you to sleep.”
She smiled, “Thank you.” He made a conscious effort not to smile at her adorableness.
He blushed and looked away. “I’ll go-”
He moved to get up but she pulled his arm down, “No!” she said quickly, eyes panicked. “Stay! Stay with me.”
“Of course, my lady,” he said automatically.
They stared at each other in horror when they realized what he said.
“How?” she whispered.
Chat frowned, “I swear it was an accident. You were talking to yourself one night. You called me kitty and chaton and kept begging me not to go. Only one person calls me that. You really confirmed it thought when you told me about your dreams.”
“I wondered why that made you look so flustered,” she murmured. She pulled up the sheets and nodded to them, “If you hang out here so much you might as well get comfortable.” She pointed to the other pillow, “That one is yours.”
“With you?” Chat looked at her curiously.
“Silly cat,” she muttered. He awkwardly slid under the covers with her but tried to stay a respectable distance away.
He gasped when she rolled over to him and snuggled against his chest. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. He heard a faint buzzing noise and smiled. He had heard Ladybug buzz before, like when he purred, but it was so infrequent. He smiled. “Buginette.”
She smiled at the new name. “Get some sleep,” she whispered against his suit.
“I don’t need sleep,” Chat mumbled, “I don’t really sleep at night. It’s a cat thing. I take a lot of naps during the day.”
She giggled, “Sing me that song then. The one you always do.”
“Of course, my lady.”