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“Good Evening Chaton '' Marinette greeted Chatnoir at the top of the Eiffel Tower before their patrol.
He was sitting with his legs dangling and his eyes hardened.
“Hey, Chat what’s wrong?” She asked, realizing his dark mood.
He looked up at her and her heart faltered, he was angry, and he was angry at her. Marinette’s heart sank but she wasn’t too shocked he was upset. She had been recruiting other Miraculous users a bit more often.
“Do you really need an answer?” He bit out.
As much as she loved Chat she was tired. She was tired of having to be in charge of the safety of Paris when she was still in university. She was tired of canceling time with her friends because of akumas. Tired of not being able to go on a date with anyone because she couldn’t hurt anyone the way she hurt Luka in lycee. She was tired of it all and didn’t want to deal with Chat feeling a little left out.
She crossed her arms while still standing.
“Yeah, I do. You are clearly upset with me and I can’t fix the problem if you don’t let me know exactly what it is.”
Chat huffed and stood up.
“Ladybug you know exactly what it is! You don’t trust me! We used to be partners and now you have different Miraculouses users every week!” He knew he was exaggerating a bit but it was still hurtful that she no longer trusted him.
“Because Hawkmoth is getting stronger and we need the help! We are just two people Chat, we can’t do it all.”
“But why don’t you trust me?” His eyes were full of sadness and questions. His father left him in the dark and he couldn’t take it from Ladybug.
“I don’t need to know everything but I know next to nothing. What I do know for a fact you have been overwhelmed and I can’t do anything to help if you don’t let me in! How can I help if you keep me in the dark about everything?” He asked her, anger and hurt in his eyes.
“You know why I have to do this Chat.” She said quieter than before.
“Because the Guardian said so, but you know what? I’ve never met the old Guardian! And now you are the new one and I have no idea of anything unless you tell me and you keep so much to yourself now.” Adrien was hurt, he was being shut out and he was all alone like he always was. Marinette opened her mouth to respond but was cut off.
“I know he said we shouldn’t know each other's identities but you said it yourself, Hawkmoth is getting stronger, what if something happens to one of us? We would be so much stronger together if we didn’t have to dance around our identities.”
He struck a nerve. She had been carrying the weight of being the guardian for so long, gave up on romance since lying to Luka broke them up and nearly cost her her friends.
“So that’s what this is about? You want to know my identity? Again? Are you for real?” She said exasperated. She knew deep down that wasn’t his point but she was too wound up.
“Ladybug, is that really all you took away from this?” His eyes hardened. Marinette ground her teeth and put a hand to her forehead.
“I cannot deal with this, I am so fucking stressed all the time and don’t need to worry about someone knowing my identity. If it got out we both would be in so much trouble. I am doing the best I can and you need to just deal with it okay?” She snapped, crossing her arms.
Chat’s eyes narrowed into slits.
“You are just like my father, you never listen to me anymore.” Marinette didn’t know much about Chat’s homelife but she knew one thing: He did not like his father.
She deflated and put a hand on her head.
“Chat…”
“Whatever, I will leave you to patrol so I can ‘deal with it’” he turned and jumped off the roof to finish his side of the city.
__________________________
Marinette was tired. She stayed up until 1:00 am the previous night working on her current sewing project. In her first year of university she’d gotten used to sewing late into the night but mostly enjoyed the work when being Ladybug didn’t interfere.
“Ugh my knitwear professor was so harsh in the critiques today!” Marinette told Alya over the phone. She was walking from her final class of the day back home finally. She opened up her second protein bar and shoved it in her mouth between sentences. It had been a rough week with replaying every part of her argument with Chat in her head from Wednesday. She realized she let her exhaustion and annoyance at Hawkmoth get to her and she took it out on Chat who had every right to be upset she realized. She had been cutting him out. It didn’t help that her sewing work had taken a toll which then made the critique today rougher for her.
“Ugh she is the worst! She always says shit on her preferences, not on the actual creative designs.”
“At least it’s Friday! Now we can just chill out. Nino and I were thinking of doing a movie night tonight. Wanna join? Someone else is invited too” Marinette could hear the smirk in Alya’s voice and rolled her eyes. Once she realized she couldn’t date with full honesty, she had focused on being friends with Adrien.
“Alya, I will join but you gotta stop trying to push us together! I told you I want to focus on school.” And it wasn’t like she could keep up with a relationship if miraculously Adrien felt the same way about her.
“Yeah, yeah, school but I will never stop shipping Adrinette!”
Marinette went to retort but heard a rumble that could only mean an Akuma. She sighed, she really didn’t want to deal with an Akuma and she wasn’t ready to face Chat yet. She began searching for a place to transform.
“Alya I gotta go. I think there’s an akuma nearby and I should find somewhere safe.”
“Oooh! Where! I gotta get some footage for the Ladyblog!”
Marinette rolled her eyes again and her friend's willingness to put herself in danger.
“Connection- I- hear- bye”
“MARINETTE I KNOW THE CONNECTION IS FINE YOU LITTLE SHI-“ Marinette felt herself smile a little while hanging up on her best friend. She ran into the closest alleyway she could find to transform.
She heard another rumble that was much louder and felt larger than before, she was much closer to the Akuma than she thought.
“Tikki, Spots o-“
It all happened in slow motion yet all too fast for her to process.
Instead of a rumble, or even a crash, it was like an explosion. The world was all clean and ordinary one second and in the next it was as if a bomb had exploded on the building she was next to.
Marinette was thrown into the wall of the building opposite the one that had just erupted.
Slowly, Marinette opened her eyes, she hadn’t been knocked unconscious but was so disoriented from the blast it felt as if she had. After a few moments her whole body felt like a bruise, her head ached, her legs, and especially her left arm and abdomen.
“Marinette! Are you okay?” Tikki asked, her large eyes swimming with concern as she looked over her chosen, eyes bulging even more after taking a look.
“Fuck… Tikki…” Marinette coughed and looked around as the dust settled. Her head was pounding, she reached her right hand up to her head to see if there was a bump forming but felt a stickiness instead. She flinched at the touch and brought her hand down. Marinette went to move but realized she couldn’t. It was then she felt an incredibly sharp pain in her side that she hadn’t fully registered yet.
Marinette looked down and her left arm was stuck between some debris, it hurt and she later suspected her wrist might have been broken but that wasn’t the sharp pain that caught her attention.
When she looked down she felt the entire world spin. A pipe around 3 centimeters in diameter was protruding from her left side. The world continued spinning, she truly was about to faint.
“Tikki….” She mumbled.
“Tikki.” Her voice hit an odd pitch. Tikki may have been saying something but she couldn’t hear it. It felt like someone had put ear muffs over her, everything sounded muffled.
“Marinette” she heard through the fog,
“Marinette! Look at me!” Tikki nearly shouted.
“I am okay. I am okay. I will be fine.” Marinette mumbled mostly to herself taking deep breaths to not pass out or vomit.
She tried to control her breathing but it was difficult with all of the dust in the air.
I’m fine. It will be ok. I am Ladybug, it's just a scratch. It really isn’t that bad. It hasn’t hit anything vital. I will be okay. She reassured herself of these things to keep calm.
“You need to transform and the second you do it you call Chat. You got that? Don’t hesitate for a second, you transform and you call him. I know you two aren’t on the best of terms but that doesn't matter. You tell him where you are and you keep it together. I know you are scared right now but the fastest way is to get it over with and defeat the Akuma.”
Marinette’s breathing became erratic again. What if he didn’t come? What if he was still too mad?
“Marinette, stop that. I know what you are thinking and Chat was upset but he still cares about you. If he was hurt you wouldn’t care about a little fight, you would care about him.” She felt a few more tears fall off her cheek but nodded. Tikki was right, she needed to have more faith in her kitty.
Marinette focused on her kwami, still breathing in and out, and nodded. She had to purify the Akuma because that was the fastest way to heal.
“Marinette. Repeat what you are going to do right now.”
She took a deep breath in.
“I am going to transform.” Tikki nodded.
“I am going to call Chat and tell him where I am.”
“And I am going to keep it the fuck together because I am Ladybug and I have to purify the Akuma.”
“Yes you will.” Tikki said with the most affection and encouragement. Marinette’s lips tilted up, Tikki was the only thing keeping her from losing it entirely.
Marinette focused all her energy at staring at Tikki and keeping herself calm. She could do this. She could do this.
“Tikki… I'm scared” Marinette whispered to her kwami. She felt a warm trickle down the side of her face.
“I know Marinette. But you are so strong and I know you can and will get through this” Tikki flew over and kissed her chosen’s dusty forehead.
“Now tell me what you are going to do next.” Marinette looked up with determination in her watery eyes.
“I am going to transform. I am going to call Chat and we are going to purify this Akuma.”
“That’s my Marinette. You can do this.” Tikki bumped her little head gently against Marinette’s cheek.
“I can do this.” Marinette whispered. She took a deep breath.
“Tikki, Spots on.”
____________________
Adrien had just finished up a paper for school when he felt the first rumble. A moment later the Akuma alert went off on his phone. He let his head fall to the table, he did not have the energy to talk to Ladybug or get into another fight. The way she brushed him off had really hurt him and as much as he still loved her, he wasn’t sure he could deal with feeling so utterly useless and unwanted.
He sighed and pushed his chair back.
“Plagg, we gotta go.” The small god of destruction was currently taking a cat nap in a small patch of dwindling sunlight.
“Can’t we just let the Akuma run around for a little bit? I just got comfortable in my sunny spot.” Plagg whined. Adrien rolled his eyes, all the destruction in the universe, wrapped up in the tiniest little toddler of a Kwami.
“Come on Plagg, I think this one is actually causing some damage.” As if on cue he heard a rumble and looked out the window just in time to see a puff of dust erupt across the city. Adrien and Plagg’s usual banter immediately came to a halt. People could be hurt.
“Plagg, Claws out!”
Adrien jumped from building to building closer to the dust cloud to find the Akuma.
When he was a few blocks away he could hear:
“I am the Demolisher! You destroy my family heirlooms and I destroy you!”
Adrien felt a spike of rage at Hawkmoth for causing such a dangerous Akuma just from a broken item. He was just about to jump in and announce himself when his baton rang. Adrien was not proud of what he did next: he hung up. He knew she would call again but he just wanted one time to know he was still upset with her and he deserved better.
The call came in immediately and he took a deep breath and answered.
“What-” His stomach dropped. The anger disappeared immediately and was replaced with absolute ice in his veins.. Ladybug’s hair and face was covered in dust. Her bangs were sticking to her head on one side and there was a trail of blood down the side of her face. His heart was pounding, she was hurt. And he had hung up on her when she needed him.
“Ladybug, how bad are you hurt? Where are you?” He looked up and around to see if he could see where some of the dust clouds had come from.
“The alleyway by a bookstore, I’m sending my location. I need you here right now.” Adrien’s heart was breaking, he could tell she was keeping herself together as best she could. He had never seen Ladybug so vulnerable, he prayed she was ok.
“I will be there as fast as I can.” He checked the location she sent.
“Chat… P-please don’t hang up. Ok?” He could have sworn he saw her lip quiver for a moment. Adrien felt the worst kind of guilt in his stomach, she thought he would hang up on her again.
“I won’t leave you My Lady, I promise.” He immediately sprang into action, he ran as fast as he could, propelled himself off buildings farther than he normally would, until he found a crumbled building and a spot of red.
“Ladybug, I’m here I-“ He landed on his feet and scanned Ladybug and felt a spike of fear.
Ladybug sat there in an odd position, one arm holding her yo-yo ready to defend and the other arm obscured by a rock that seemed to be holding her in place.
If it weren’t for her bright costume it would have been hard to spot her in the rubble and dust. A small layer had already dusted itself on her costume, muting it slightly.
“My Lady…” he whispered.
He slowly approached her unsure of where to help her without hurting her.
“It happened right before I could transform,” She told him quietly, wincing as she spoke.
He kneeled down to take a closer look when he gasped feeling absolutely nauseous. Through her costume was a pipe half a meter long through her side. A rumble was heard nearby.
His hand ghosted above her head where she was bleeding and his eyes hardened. Hawkmoth had hurt Ladybug. He had hurt Ladybug. He would do everything to defeat the akuma to help her heal.
Adrien scanned her over and took a deep breath.
“I will try and pick up this rock first, Okay Ladybug? If I can’t lift it or it hurts you more I will Cataclysm it then recharge.” He stated pointing to the rock pinning her in place.
She nodded and closed her eyes.
“Do it.”
He didn’t count down, he walked around to the side and made sure to get each hand in a good position and took a breath in and lifted it straight up and threw it across the alleyway.
Ladybug let out a small yell which ended in her gasping for breath.
He looked down at her arm and her wrist was bent at an odd angle. Adrien’s heart was shattering for her, he wished he could do more to heal her pain or take it on himself.
“You’re doing great Bug, just keep focused on your breathing.” He told her as he carefully removed the debris from around her, he needed to see what was behind her before getting her up. He managed to clear out a small space beside her.
“I’m going to check on something, and then we will get you up.” he kneeled down beside her and used his baton as a flashlight to see her back. To his horror yet relief, the pipe had gone through her back but was no longer connected to anything else. She would be able to stand up without it being removed.
Adrien moved back in front of Ladybug, crouched down and took her good hand into his.
“This is going to hurt but I am going to pick you up okay?” Ladybug nodded and he brought her hand to his lips to give it a small kiss. He squeezed her hand before letting it go and standing up.
“I am going to pull you up from your armpits, okay?” She nodded again.
_________________________
Chat Noir looked her in the eye and pulled her forward and upwards. She let out a strangled noise at the pains that shot through her whole body. She gasped for air yet began coughing more, pain lacing up her ribs and side.
“You okay to stand?” Chat moved his hands from her armpits to her shoulders. He carefully brushed a lock of hair from her forehead on the uninjured side.
“Keep holding me for a second.” Marinette had to know but she didn’t have the words to ask. She used her right hand and slowly reached back to her left side to confirm what she suspected. Her hand made contact with the end of the pipe.
It went all the way through. Marinette’s world spun again and she thought she would be sick.
“Ladybug! Ladybug! Stay with me, stay standing, you will be okay!” Chat said panic seeping into his voice as his hands moved to hold her back and shoulders to keep her standing.
“Out..” She mumbled.
“Chat, get it out. Get it out right now!” Marinette said to Chat. She was hyperventilating.
Chat’s eyes were full of fear and worry. After a moment they focused on her with determination.
“Ladybug, You cannot remove the pipe because you need to stay conscious. We cannot remove it without causing you more harm.” She knew Chat was right, she forgot that she knew you’re supposed to keep an object that has impaled you in so a medical professional could take it out. It didn’t help though.
“You are going to have to tough it out and get through this so you can purify the Akuma and be healed. It is going to be hard and it will hurt but you are the most amazing person I have ever met. I will be here with you every part of the way and we will get rid of this akuma fast.”
Marinette felt her chin tremble and she bit her cheeks to not cry. She couldn’t break down, not yet. She loved Chat, he would get her through this.
He shifted to wrap an arm around her good side and said to her in a lowered voice,
“I won’t let anything else hurt you, My Lady.” He cupped her cheek with his other hand and brushed away the single tear that had fallen out. The world had stopped spinning. It was her and Chat and she would be okay.
______________
They landed on a nearby rooftop and Chat slowly let Marinette go. She had slowly started to compose herself as they moved.
“Her name is the Demolisher, someone destroyed a family heirloom so now she’s destroying Paris.”
“Is there any way we can contact Rena or Caparse?” Chat asked.
“It will take too long to figure that out. I trust you.” Marinette said looking deeply into Chat Noirs eyes.
“Please don’t do that right now Ladybug, I was stupid, you need help-”
“I trust you and I dont want to wait for the whole process of tracking them down. We can do this.” She smiled ever so slightly.
“Okay… I will find the akuma and get it to you to cleanse. Don’t do anything you don’t need to, I will make sure we defeat her as fast as we can.” She nodded.
“I’m going to fight with you” She decided. A broken wrist, a pipe impaling her and a probable concussion wasn’t THAT bad…
“Ladybu-” She held up her good hand.
“I will help you in whatever way I can. I need you to keep fighting, if I need to stop or get hurt further, Paris needs you to keep fighting…” Chat swallowed, and nodded, he understood what she was saying.
“You be careful okay?” She told him playfully, nudging his arm. Chat’s serious look melted a bit into a small smile.
“Of course, My Lady.” He quickly and gently grasped her good hand and once again brought it to his lips for a quick kiss before leaving her on the roof.
Chat jumped from their position down to the street below where a woman wore a suit from the 1920’s with a black fedora, her skin was gray as if she was just out of a black and white film. She had a slick black cane with a large broach with a brilliant emerald stone. The only thing that wasn’t in black and white.
Hawkmoth was lazy in his design today, it’s for sure the emerald Marinette thought to herself.
She took a deep breath and took her yoyo from her side for the first time since calling Chat and she threw it to an adjacent building to swing down to Chat. As she threw she felt the pull in her side but it was just prickles. Swinging with only one hand was more difficult than she thought. She had kept her bad arm tucked to her chest.
I can do this. It’s just a discomfort. I can do this.
Chat looked over at her with a concerned look that turned slightly into a proud one. She could tell from his brows he was nervous about her fighting but his smile showed how much he believed in her.
“I am Demolisher! I-“
“Yeah yeah, someone broke something of yours, you are mad, you want to destroy Paris and get our Miraculous. Did I leave anything out?” Chat quipped as he normally would.
She looked enraged at Chat and turned to Ladybug when a butterfly appeared over the face of the Akuma.
Hawkmoth is plotting since Ladybug is hurt, Chat Noir thought, he gripped onto his baton tightly and charged. They realized at the same time, she should have stayed hidden.
He brought his cane up to strike the Akuma when the butterfly disappeared and met his baton with the cane.
“Lucky Charm!” Marinette cried out, she wanted to end this fast.
A slingshot fell into her hands.
“What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?” She mumbled, didn’t the magic know she couldn’t use both hands?
Marinette looked around trying to formulate a plan when she saw the Akuma raise her cane with the emerald facing Chat who had been thrown to the ground.
“Chat!” Without thinking she threw her yoyo and wrapped it around Chat and tugged him back. After a quick tug he managed to flip backwards closer to her.
A medium sized crater was where Chat had just been.
“Thank you Bugaboo.” He released himself from her and looked at the slingshot that hung onto her yoyo.
“Any ideas?” He asked. She looked around quickly and noticed all of the rocks that had just formed from the crater. She then looked at the emerald.
“I think so. We need to destroy the emerald, I need you to distract her then get back to me.” Chat Noir saluted her and vaulted towards the Akuma.
As Chat distracted the Demolisher, Marinette gathered a few rocks from the crater.
“I don’t think so!” The Akuma yelled and Marinette instinctively jumped out of the way before a blast of green light hit where she had just been.
“Ladybug!” A voice cracked.
She had pulled Chat out of the way and he was larger than her, he was able to use the momentum of the blast to flip away, but she wasn’t suspecting it and it knocked Marinette down.
She felt a blaze of pain rip through her side and wrist. The part of the pipe extruding from her front had hit the ground first, and it had not only sent a reverberating shock through her whole body but had also twisted sideways a bit. Instead of rolling as she normally would have the other side of the pipe stopped her pulling in the other direction.
She couldn’t breathe, and when she took the first gulp of air she involuntarily let out a scream.
______________
Adrien had thought the Akuma was still chasing him when he heard her say,
“I don’t think so!” He turned and slowly he saw Ladybug jump out of the way but the force of the impact was sure to throw her.
“Ladybug!” He screamed, his voice cracking at the sudden urgency.
As if in slow motion he saw her fall, he saw the pipe hit first and twist her.
He felt every hair on his body stick up when she opened her mouth and screamed. He had never heard anything like it, his blood turned cold. Adrien wanted to go to her aid but he needed to defeat the Akuma and she would be healed. He forced himself to ignore the small puddle of blood coming from Ladybugs abdomen and looked next to her. He saw the slingshot and rocks and knew what to do.
Adrien ran to her as fast as he could and picked up the slingshot and a rock near her. It must have been the adrenaline that his hand was so steady.
“Demolisher, meet pebble.” He mumbled to himself as he put the pebble in the slingshot, pulled and released.
The pebble flew through the air and sliced right into the emerald on top of the cane and a little black butterfly flew out.
He heard a whimper and turned to Ladybug who was laying on her right side, the pipe sticking up and bent oddly behind her. He ran around to her side and plucked up the yo-yo.
“You will be okay soon Ladybug.” He took the yoyo and threw it at the Akuma. He crouched down to Ladybug and held it to her good hand so she could work the purifying magic.
“Bye-bye little butterfly” She whispered as she tapped the yoyo, releasing the purified butterfly back into the world. She moved to sit up to better throw the sling shot but the movement hurt too much.
Every gasp of pain that Adrien heard out of Ladybug broke his heart more and more. He quickly positioned himself next to her to help her sit up.
She took a deep breath.
“Miraculous Ladybug!” She screamed as she threw the sling shot with all her might into the air. The little ladybugs flurried around her, the small puddle of blood, and the damages all around the city, leaving them as if nothing had occurred. There was no trace of blood or dust on Ladybug, they even fixed the emerald cane that had exquisite details.
Suddenly, reporters surrounded them, he had no idea where they came from. Adrien knew they needed to comfort the victim but he also needed to make sure Ladybug was okay.
He looked up at the reporters and spotted Alya.
“Ladyblogger, Alya!” Her eyes met his and she pushed her way to the front.
“I need you to go check on the Akuma victim, No interviewing. Just help her back, no questions. Can you do that?” Alya’s worried expression changed to one that was determined and she nodded.
“You can count on me! Make sure she is okay.” Adrien nodded, he knew which ‘she’ Alya referred to. Without wasting another second he wrapped his arms around Ladybug, who didn’t protest, and vaulted them away from the swarming reporters.
He found a secluded rooftop and gently put down Ladybug, who had yet to say a word, against a chimney. Her earring however began beeping, she only had two minutes. He hadn’t used his cataclysm so he still had time.
“Ladybug, are you in pain?” Her glazed eyes suddenly became focused and suddenly urgent. She looked around the rooftop and rotated to the edge and vomited.
Adrien was startled for a second and then went over to gently pull her pigtails out of the way. He gently began rubbing her back with his other hand.
“I’ve got you bug, I’m right here.” He murmured. She heaved again and her earrings beeped. One minute. He could feel her tense up but he also could tell she might not be done.
“I will keep my eyes closed, I won’t look and I won’t leave you and when you are ready you can transform again. I’m not leaving you until I know you are okay.”
He heard her whimper.
Then through his closed eyelids he saw a flash of pink followed by the sound of His Lady being sick.
________________________
Marinette used her sleeve to wipe her mouth. Tikki looked relieved and concerned at her.
“Thank you, Chat.” She croaked.
She shakily pulled herself back from the edge of the building and sat back against the chimney Chat had initially put her against. She trembled as she opened her purse to get the extra cookies she kept in there for Tikki and her water bottle to rinse her mouth.
Tikki quickly ate them and nodded at Marinette.
“Spots on.” She murmured. After a flash of pink she told Chat he could open his eyes.
“Are you feeling any better? Are you in pain?” He gently moved a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She felt her cheeks warm a bit at the gesture and also because he had just seen her lose her lunch… Well her protein bars, which had felt like a lifetime ago.
“A bit. I’m sorry you had to see… that.” She motioned her head to the edge of the building.
Chat Noir’s hand found hers and she looked up to find him looking at her in a way she had never been looked at before. His eyes were full of concern and caring so deep it took away her breath.
“My Lady, I don’t care. I would have done the same had I gone through what you just did. I will gladly hold your hair back any day.” He smiled at her while squeezing her hand.
Suddenly the emotions came back, she bit the inside of her lip to keep it from trembling but not well enough. Chat’s eyes softened, he moved to sit beside Marinette but to her surprise he scooped her up onto his lap and held her as she trembled.
“You are safe now, Ladybug. You don’t have to worry about anyone but yourself. You can let it out now.” Just being told it was okay to lose it broke the floodgates. She had been keeping it together and not letting herself freakout because she had a job to do.
She broke down into Chat’s arms and sobbed. She had fought an entire Akuma while being impaled and with a broken wrist. A fucking pipe through her body and a useless, floppy, hand. It hurt like hell and she kept it together to save the victim.
Chat's arms wrapped around her and hers around him and he rested his head on top of hers.
“You’re safe now..” He told her as whispered other consoling things and gently rubbed her back. It was mostly to her but a little to himself that she was okay.
Chat closed his eyes and held on tightly, he hoped she couldn’t tell her trembling apart from his. He had been so scared when he got the call from her and saw the blood dripping down her face. It had terrified him more to see her laying crumpled in the rubble of the building. To see her with a pipe going in one side of her body and out the other. Her hand had stayed at an odd angle the whole battle. She could have been killed had it hit her in the wrong spot. His chin trembled and two tears found their way out, he couldn’t lose her. He didn’t care at all about the stupid argument they had.
After a while her breathing had evened out and she had stopped shaking. He loosened his grip on her but still held on. He gently stroked her silky hair.
Marinette felt safe in Chat’s arms in a way she hadn’t felt before. He knew somehow how much she needed to let out all the emotions she held in all day. She could fall asleep in his arms if she let herself.
“Chat,” she croaked and looked up at him, she could see his eyes were a bit red and her heart hurt to know he had been crying with her.
“I-” she tried. “I am so, so sorry about our fight, even before the akuma I wanted to tell you that you were right.” Chat shook his head.
“No, it’s okay Ladybug I trust you.” She closed her eyes and shook her head.
“No, it’s not okay. You were right, I have been overwhelmed and I haven’t been treating you as my partner. I forget that I don’t have to carry the world, that you can help me. I trust you Chat, more than anyone.” Chat smiled at her and put his forehead against hers.
“Thank you, Ladybug. You are right that I am right, let me help you in whatever way I can.” he gently stroked her back.
Neither really knew how much time had passed, the sun was setting just after the battle ended and it had been dark for a bit.
Chat’s ring began to beep.
Marinette leaned back in to hug him again.
“Thank you.” She rasped quietly. Chat squeezed her tightly.
“Anything for you, My Lady.” He pulled back and kissed her forehead. She felt her heart expand at the simple gesture. She gently pulled back and the two got lost in each other's eyes for a moment until his ring beeped again.
“You should go, Plagg is going to be annoyed he’s been working so long. Give him the good cheese for me okay?” She shifted and began to stand up, Chat immediately stood up making sure she didn’t falter.
“I will. You go home and sleep. You’ve had a day, go and sleep and then eat a good meal.” Chat instructed.
She quickly raised a hand to Chat’s shoulder and stood on her toes to place a very tight lipped kiss on his cheek. She didn’t want any of her horrible breath to linger.
“Thank you Chaton. See you soon.” Marinette threw her yoyo and swung away leaving a surprised Chat Noir behind, a hand placed where her lips had been just a moment ago.
___________________________
Marinette landed on her bed and detransformed. She was so grateful that her parents happened to be gone this weekend for their anniversary. She didn’t want to have to explain her puffy eyes or where she had been.
“Marinette, are you okay?” Tikki asked, floating beside her as she walked down from her bed.
She thought for a moment, she would be.
“I’m feeling a lot better thanks to Chat. He… he was really sweet, he knew what I needed.” She felt her cheeks redden slightly. She had really tried to ignore it the past few months but her feelings for a certain mangy cat had been growing. Perhaps that was why she had become more and more normal around Adrien. She always loved Chat but she couldn’t imagine anyone knowing her like he did, being able to read her face, hold her hair back and not be absolutely disgusted.
“I think I will shower and go to sleep. I will feel better tomorrow.” As she said that she felt her phone buzz.
8:00 PM: Alya: Hey, we still doing movies tonight?
8:15 PM: Alya: You there?
9:00 PM Alya: I love you girl but I think Nino and I are going to just stay in together tonight. Reschedule for movies tomorrow?
9:02 PM Alya: Getting footage for the vlog today was a lot more than usual, you know?
9:15 PM Alya: You good?
9:30 PM Alya: If you don’t respond in 5 minutes I am calling, If you don't pick up Nino and I will be coming over in our pajamas.
Marinette’s lip twitched ever so slightly, she could see Alya marching over in her fluffy fox slippers.
9:31 PM Marinette: I’m here, phone died.
9:31 PM Marinette: Tomorrow is way better, it was a Day.
She thought to herself, she realized then that Chat had had Alya comfort the Akuma victim because she couldn’t. She wondered what the fight had looked like from the outside. After that thought she shook her head, better not to dwell on that.
9:31 PM Alya: Phew, thank you we are very comfy rn and I didn’t want to move but I would have for you :*
9:32 PM Alya: Movies tomorrow, get some sleep girl, lord knows you need it XD
Alya was right. Marinette brushed her teeth and hopped in the shower. The dust and blood may have been cleansed by the miraculous ladybug but she needed to clean away the thought of it and the dried tears on her cheeks. The tears that Chat had brushed away,
After, Marinette put on her pajamas and pulled the covers up around her. Tikki flew up and kissed her forehead.
“Goodnight Marinette, I am so proud of you. I love you” Tikki placed another kiss and floated to her little bed Marinette had made her.
”Goodnight Tikki, Love you too.” She mumbled, already falling into a deep sleep.
Around 11:00am Marinette woke up. It was a slow process, she kept her eyes shut for a bit feeling heavy the way one feels after a deep sleep. She slowly peeled her eyes open and could already tell they would be puffy for a bit of the day. Marinette couldn’t remember the last time she had gotten so much sleep, she usually stayed up late doing work or just having time for herself and playing games. Her body felt like it was weighted down to the bed, so instead of getting up she felt around to find her phone.
10:00am: LADYBLOG UPDATE: Ladybug Impaled.
10:04: ALYA: Yo girl, when you get the chance check out my latest post, it was so intense yesterday.
10:32: ALYA: What do you think???
10:45: ALYA: Marrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiinneetetetete
10:57: ALYA: :P
Marinette took a deep breath and put her phone down and slowly began moving her muscles to get off her bed. She hadn’t slept past 9am in years, she always had something she needed to do.
“Marinette! Did you sleep well? I’m impressed and proud you actually let yourself get the rest you needed.” Tikki teased lovingly.
“Yeah, I needed to reset I think after everything yesterday.” After stretching for a second she went to the bathroom to rinse off the sleepiness and hopefully reduce the puff in her face.
Oof my eyes look like they have been stung by bees
As Marinette got changed she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hand brushed over the unblemished skin, no sign at all that the skin had been pierced. Once she got dressed she picked up her phone to respond to Alya
11:24 MARINETTE: Would you believe me if I said I just woke up?
11:25 ALYA: LOL nope
11:25 ALYA: what have you been working on all last night and this morning?
Marinette rolled her eyes and sighed.
11:26 MARINETTE: I legit just woke up, I was exhausted after classes and the Akuma and decided fuck it I’m going to sleep
11:26 ALYA: :O ! :O
11:26 ALYA: You’re not just pulling my leg?
Mari: ha. ha. I sleep in sometimes.
Mari: like once in a blood moon
Mari: I was tired!
Mari: we still on for movie night take 2?
Alya: Yep! Sunshine said he’s still free, we start at 8?
Mari: Sounds good!
Alya: Lmk what you think of my post when you get the chance!
Marinette put her phone down as she walked down to the kitchen to grab a croissant and returned to her room. She had a bunch of work that she was now a bit behind on. She sat down at her desk and looked over at her Kwami and smiled. Tikki was in her usual spot, a little bean bag Marineet made her with a small tablet resting against the wall for her to play games and watch shows. It always made Marinette smile at how adorable it was that a literal god just enjoyed chilling out on her little beanbag chair.
Getting back to her work she thought about all she had to do:
First she had to work on a presentation for her Fashion History Before 1600’s class. Second, work on a pattern for her draping class which she had to create a fitted top, put it on her dress form, draw a bunch of random lines on it that will then be cut out, cut out the shapes, make a pattern of said shapes with seam allowance, then cut the pattern she just made out of regular fabric and sew it all together to make a form fitted shirt with unique seam lines.
As she worked she thought about Chat. How she would share the load with him. It frightened her when she realized the fact that if something happened to her as Marinette, he would have no idea and vice versa. But then she thought about Chat, what if he got hurt and one day didn’t show up? It terrified her. She paused sewing.
“Marinette?” Tikki looked over at her from her mini bean bag at the abrupt stop.
“I’m in love with Chat Noir.” Marinette whispered. Tikki smiled softly and paused her show.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t know, I just- he-” She stumbled over her words as she leaned back thinking about his arms wrapped around her, hands brushing away a stray tear. Her cheeks heated up.
“Oh this is baaaadddddd.” she said quietly, eyes widening. Her heart sped up as her brain went to thoughts of kissing and Chat. How was she going to act around him? What about her identity?
“Lets talk it out okay?” Tikki flew down to her, she loved all her Ladybugs and especially Marinette, but a small part of her that sounded a bit like Plagg was saying FINALLY!!!!
Marinette sighed and ran a hand through her bangs.
“Ok so, like, identities? Master Fu said we needed to keep them secret and I agree, it is for the best that we don’t know…. Right? Like what if we got hit with an akuma and we say the others secret identity, its just too dangerous!” She stood up and began walking around her room in circles, as Tikki watched her ramble her thoughts out.
“But also what if something happened to one of us? What if I had been knocked out? I mean I guess you could have found him and told him I was hurt but I don’t know… But also what if knowing each other's identities helps us out? We could strategize together and ohhhhhhh.” Marinette’s eyes widened.
“Oh it would be so nice to have someone to always verify where you were during an akuma attack. We have been fighting Hawkmoth for years and we haven’t gotten any closer to finding him, maybe this would help us somehow to find him? We’ve only strategized on patrol and- oh! We could text each other instead of waiting to be transformed…” Marinette’s voice became very quiet.
“I could have a real relationship, I could go on dates, and never have to lie to my partner about why I needed to leave for an akuma. I could go on dates with Chat, who ever he is…” Marinette’s heart grew yet clenched. She thought of the faceless man that is her partner, in regular street clothes. Holding hands, watching movies, cooking. Everything.
“Am I being selfish Tikki? I can’t tell if I want to tell him because it is what is right or because I want it for myself?” Tikki thought to herself.
“Marinette, you are the guardian now. Master Fu made those rules because he thought they were what was right. I have had Ladybugs in the past know their Chat Noir’s identities and it went really well. I have had a few where it was dangerous. You and Chat Noir are one of the best duo’s I have had in many, many years. I wholeheartedly trust your decision Marinette, I believe there is good to come from both options.” Tikki flew up to her Chosen and kissed her forehead. Marinette sighed feeling a little better.
She checked the time, 5:00, three hours until movies, but then again depending on how things went she might not attend.
“Tikki Transform me!”
Marinette took a deep breath and opened her yoyo.
Are you free right now or in the next hour? - LB
Suprisingly, a response came back within a minute.
Sure, I’m in our spot at the Tower. - CN
Marinette’s heart was fluttering. Was this really happening? Was she really about to go reveal her identity to Chat Noir and also tell him she’s in love with him?
She climbed up onto the terrace and swung away.
_____________________
It was a lovely evening, a light breeze was passing through and the setting sun warmed Adrien’s face. He ditched all of his obligations that afternoon to clear his head. He had trouble falling asleep the night before. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her laying in a pile of rubble, blood streaming.
He sighed and laid back, his feet dangling off the edge of the Eiffel Tower. A moment later his baton buzzed. Ladybug wanted to meet. Adrien’s heart slowly sped up not knowing exactly what to say when she got there.
A few minutes later he heard a small tapping noise on a beam nearby. Adrien looked over and saw Ladybug looking rather meek.
“Mind if I join?” He nodded and scooched over a little so she could lay down next to him.
“Hi.”
“Hi”
After a moment Adrien had the audacity to say-
“Chat got your tongue?” a hand immediately whacked him in the arm. Followed surprisingly, by a giggle then a sigh.
Ladybug sat up.
“Chat…” Adrien sat up next to her, everything feeling clear in the crisp air. He saw her hands grip the edge of where they were sitting.
“I know I already said this but I am sorry. I am so so sorry, I was absolutely cutting you out and I know I was saying things that hurt you.” She paused to breath when a hand gently covered her own.
“Thank you, My Lady. Your apology was accepted already yesterday though.” Adrien brought a leg up so he could fully face her. He gave her a small smile to which she returned her own shaky smile.
“I want… I want to tell you who I am.” Adrien’s heart was going to beat right out of his chest. He wondered if she could feel his heart through their hands.
“Ladybug, don’t do this- I mean, it's not because-. What I’m trying to say is-” Ladybug flipped her hand to hold his.
“I am doing this because you were right. I was so…” She looked at their hands then back to his eyes.
“If you were lying in a pile of a building and I didn’t know, if I couldn’t find you. If I lost you…” Ladybug’s grip on his hand tightened.
“This is because we need each other. I am the guardian now and this is what will be best for us. We have been working together for so many years, it is right. Now I’m comfortable revealing my identity but if you’re not-”
“My Lady, it would be utterly rude of me to have pestered you for so many years then hold back on you now.” Adrien couldn’t believe this was happening.
“Okay”
She opened her mouth and closed it and looked down again.
“Ladybug, what else?” She looked back up to Adrien and he could have sworn he could see a blush under her mask.
“Before we detransform. I want to tell you one more thing.” She said quietly. Ladybug took a deep breath and fully turned to face him.
“Chat Noir. Whoever is under your mask… I love you. You are my best friend, you have seen me at my worst, you believe in me more than I have ever believed in myself. I know it is unbelievably selfish of me to have taken this long, and if you no longer feel the same way-”
Ladybug was cut off by a pair of soft lips on hers. After a moment he pulled away.
“I have loved you since you stood up to Hawkmoth after Stoneheart. I literally said, ‘whoever she is beneath that mask, I love that girl.’ because you are amazing, you are strong, you are stubborn, you admit when you’ve made a mistake, and you are braver and kinder than anyone I’ve ever known.”
He could see tears lining Ladybug's eyes. She let out a nervous laugh.
“I love you kittycat.”
“I love you Ladybug.”
She giggled and scooted away from the edge and pulled his arm with her.
“If were going to power down, we should probably get away from the edge.”
Both of them could feel their hearts beating through their whole body.
“Ready Chat?”
“Ready.”
“Tikki”
“Plag”
“Detransform me”
_______________________________
“Hey babe, do you think I should pop one more bag of popcorn?" Nino asked Alya who was placing blankets and snacks out for their little movie night.
"Nah, I think we're good with two." Right as she said this the microwaved beeped and her phone chimed.
Nino took the bag of popcorn out and began pouring into the bowl that had the first bag of popcorn. Content with the decision made, he picked up the bowl to join his girlfriend on the couch when said girlfriend shrieked. Absolutely startled by the sudden scream, Nino lost his grip, tried to re-grab the bowl and subsequently flinging popcorn all over himself, Alya, the couch, and the floor.
“Jesus fuck Alya! What- I- WHY?” Nino put a hand over his heart, feeling it pound in his chest. Alya however, had not noticed the popcorn rain that had just occurred and began jumping up and down with excitement laughing.
“IT HAPPENED! IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!” She yelled as she shoved her phone into his face. It was a text from Marinette.
8:03: MARINETTE: Running a bit late, we will be there soon ;)
Followed by a selfie of Marinette smiling widely with Adrien kissing her cheek lovingly.
“No. Fucking. Way.” Nino pulled the phone closer to make sure the photo was real. Alya continued squealing and jumping.
“Took them long enough!”