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“There! You’re all zipped up and ready to go!” Marinette told Manon after giving the young girl a final once over of her costume. Manon squealed, wriggling with anticipation.
“Can we go now?” Manon asked. Marinette laughed and nodded, wincing a little at the girl’s piercing screech of joy as she dragged her babysitter out of her bedroom, down the stairs, past Marinette’s amused parents and into the streets of Paris.
Already the sidewalks were filled with kids in costumes being guided by parents and older siblings. As Marinette had expected the majority of them wore red masks with dots or black masks and cat ears. Here and there she would spot the odd fox costume or green suit with a turtle shell strapped to the child’s back, but they weren’t quite as common. Manon was no different, dressed in a red, dotted body suit and even carried a dotted toy yo-yo with her which could open to reveal a little white compartment with a glow-in-the-dark butterfly trapped in side. Manon’s birthday gift from her mother.
Marinette’s energy was slowly draining house by house and she was growing tired of squealing packs of children. She was about to suggest to Manon that they sit down for a moment to rest their legs and count their candy when the neighbourhood erupted with delighted cheers as a tall figure covering his face with a white sheet landed in the middle of the sidewalk a few metres in front of Marinette. The figure removed the sheet from his head and was almost instantly swarmed by kids sprinting from every direction. Marinette could have recognised the laugh of her partner, Chat noir in her sleep. Honestly, she may not have even needed that as his confident, sure-footed walk was even recognisable to her from a mile away. Manon grabbed Marinette’s wrist and pulled her towards the superhero.
“Marinette look it’s Chat noir!” Manon cried. Chat noir quickly looked up in search of where the voice had come from. A smirk spread across his face when he found her and noticed that she was wearing a black dress finished with a head band with cat ears and a small bell attached to a lacy black choker. The dark superhero politely made his way through the crowd of children to Marinette.
“Well well well!” Chat noir began, still smirking his face off. “I thought all the girls in Paris wanted to be like Ladybug, yet it seems one of them is more a cat person.”
“Black cats have been associated with Halloween long before you came along.” Marinette pointed out. “And what is this supposed to be Chat?” Marinette asked with a raised eyebrow as she pointed at the old sheet.
“My costume.” The boy announced proudly.
“Hate to break it to you but I’ve seen eight-year-olds with better costumes than that.”
“Me-owch!” Chat screwed up his face as if in pain. “Marinette Dupein-Cheng, fashion designer extrodinair has rejected my lovingly made costume!”
“Oh stop being dramatic!” Marinette giggled. “By lovingly made do you mean you carved out some eye holes from an old sheet 5 minutes before running out onto the streets?”
“No! I made this a whole week before Halloween thank you very much!”
Marinette playfully rolled her eyes and shook her head. “So, what was your plan for tonight? Run around with a sheet over your head and beg for scraps?”
“No.” Chat noir laughed at Marinette’s suggestion. “The plan is to make some kids night by giving them a chance to high five a superhero.”
That may convince everyone else, and it was a good point, but Marinette suspected there was more beneath the surface. So she raised an eyebrow to coax the real reason out of him.
Chat noir immediately recognised that he had been seen through “… Also I couldn’t resist joining in.” He laughed nervously.
“Not in that sheet you’re not. You’re coming back to my place so we can fix that sheet now!” Manon grumbled in protest at Marinette’s side. Chat looked at the little girl and gave Marinette a sorry expression and a sad shrug.
“Sorry Marinette, but you seem busy. I’ll be sure to visit you next year though!” He was about to pull out his baton when Marinette grabbed his arm.
“Wait! Just give me a minute.” She knelt down to Manon’s level. “You can help me Manon! Wouldn’t it be awesome to make a superhero’s Halloween costume? How many kids in Paris get to spent Halloween with Chat Noir?” Manon’s face lit up.
“Yeah!” She reached for the hero’s hand and began to lead him to the bakery. “Come on Chat noir! We’re gonna make you the best costume ever!”
Chat looked over his shoulder to Marinette with a huge grin. One Marinette recognised as pure, child-like joy.
~ ~ ~
Manon pointed to her babysitter’s couch and demanded that the superhero sit. Chat obeyed, amused by the girl’s authorative tone. He watched as Marinette walked into her bedroom after explaining to her parents why she had dragged a stray cat into their house. Marinette’s parents had confirmed that inviting Chat into her room was fine by them so long as Marinette left her room’s trapdoor open. Chat had been relieved when her parents hadn’t told her to get him out of the bakery as soon as they found out what she was doing. In fact, they’d looked proud of their daughter.
Marinette giggled a little at his slightly bewildered expression. She called Manon over to her and started whispering in the girl’s ear. Chat tilted his head in confusion as he tried to make out their conversation. The fond look in Marinette’s eyes as she looked at the girl she babysat caught Chat’s attention and he felt his heart soften for her even more than it already had. Manon listened intently, giggling and clapping her hands until eventually she even bounced on the spot.
“Yes yes” she said. “I like that one!”
“What one?” Chat asked. Marinette grinned at him and straightened up importantly. Manon tried to copy her serious deminor and Chat had to hold back a laugh.
“Chat noir, Manon and I have decided on how to fix your costume.” Marinette announced, Manon giggled.
Soon Chat noir was enveloped in a world of measuring tapes, sewing materials and accessories. He felt slightly uncomfortable at first… surprisingly. After all, he was Adrien Agreste. A model! He was meant to be used to these kinds of things. But in Marinette’s room he felt like he was intruding.
However, in between entertaining Manon, he found himself watching his classmate with fascination. She was so confident in her work, knew exactly what she was doing. A confident Marinette was a rare sight to him as Adrien, it’s why he loved seeing her while he was Chat noir so much. He had to work hard to keep his attention on what she was saying rather than the way her fingers danced with the needle and fabric.
“Okay Chat.” Marinette said with a warning tone. “Stay still while I try something.” An idea popped into his head. Stay still huh? Chat noir snuck a wink to Manon, who responded with a confused frown. When Marienette went to hold up some thick string-thing next to the sheet he had draped over him he jumped from the couch with a small meow and sat like a cat in the middle of Marinette’s bedroom.
“Chat?” Marinette raised an eyebrow in confusion. He smirked waited for her to get closer. When she tried again, he hopped a little to his left. “Chat.” Marinette warned again. He could tell she was starting to understand his game. He grinned playfully and raced halfway up the ladder to her bed.
“Chat noir, hold still!” Marinette shouted, chasing after him. Manon cackled as he flew around Marinette’s room on all fours. He would taunt her by resting in one spot for a moment, almost letting her catch him before darting off again. Manon eventually took her babysitter’s side and joined the chase. Chat barely noticed the purr rising in his throat. He was acting more cat like with every dart. Eventually Marinette and Manon had him cornered, he attempted to break free by darting around them but tripped over his tail and fell on his side. His pursuers took the chance and pounced on him. They pinned him down, Marinette by grabbing and twisting his wrist in one hand and applying pressure to his should with the other. Manon chose to sit on him. He tried to wriggle free but eventually gave up when the joy of the moment consumed him.
Chat laughed. He laughed as hard as he would when he was with Ladybug. Or when Plagg discovered things like a lazer pointer. Marinette had already laughed for ages and had a stitch from running. When the laughter faded Chat realised that at some point he had subconsciously wrapped his arms around the two girls. Marinette’s head was resting under his chin and her arm was draped across his chest. He felt embarrassed, heat burned his cheeks and he prayed the mask covered most of it.
But he liked this. He liked this a lot. He knew he wanted to make up for his less than happy childhood with a family of his own, but not until now did he realise how badly he wanted it. Lying on the floor of a bedroom that actually felt like a bedroom with a girl his age and a child resting on him awoke the desire in him stronger than he had ever felt it before. In this moment Marinette reminded him of his mother… The only person he had ever known to bring out his father’s playful side. No one would believe him, but there had been a time when the Gabriel Agreste would roll around on the floor with his family. It would only be when they were alone together, for Gabriel valued his reputation and dignity too much to play in public. But it would occasionally happen. No one could coax Gabriel into relaxing like that again… Not even his own son.
He barely knew Manon, but the feeling of playing with a child in general made him so happy. Had his father felt that? Or was it a chore for him? Something he brushed off with repulse after he’d finished tickling him or giving him a piggy-back.
None the less, he wanted a family of his own. To make up for his father’s mistakes… Perhaps he would see his father’s playful side again after introducing him to a grandchild… The strange thing was, he’d fantasised that life with Ladybug before. Now... he wanted it with the girl in his arms right now. Suddenly his partner seemed like a distant memory… No… A dream or a fantasy as he held Marinette closer. Marinette was real. Marinette had given him something domestic. Something he was starving for. Of course, he still craved the thrill of being with his partner. But this moment made him wonder if hoping to have something like this with Ladybug was even plausible.
~ ~ ~
Marinette had been somewhat surprised to notice how she had ended up lying on the floor with Chat. She was even more surprised when Chat pulled her and Manon closer. She examined his face, smiling… face lit up by the warm lights of her bedroom… but he was pensieve too, like he was rethinking something. She wondered what was going through his mind right now. She knew he didn’t exactly have the ideal home life. Perhaps that was it… She decided she would ask him later. She didn’t want to remind him of it when he seemed content. Plus, she didn’t want Manon hearing about it. She nestled deeper into the crook of his neck, maybe it would comfort him… Let him know she’d seen him and was trying to support him.
“Did you want to keep working on your costume?” She asked him gently. She noticed that he tensed slightly as she opened her mouth to speak, before relaxing when he realised there was no threat.
“If you don’t mind... can we stay like this... for a little longer?” He sounded worried, to reassure him that it was fine with her she tightened her hold on him.
“Manon do you wanna ask Mum and Dad if they have any spare crossants left?” Marinette asked.
“Sure!” Manon replied. The girl got up and run down the stairs with loud thumps. After she was gone Chat chuckled.
“How do you know me so well?” He said, amazed.
Marinette giggled “Even if I’d never met you before in my life I would still offer. Papa’s baked goods make everything better.”
“Oh... You picked up on that too?” Chat said. He seemed uncomfortable, guilty that someone had noticed his sadness.
“I did.” Marinette said simply. “But I won’t ask why. Not tonight. I won’t spoil tonight, tonight belongs to us three.” Chat sat up, bringing her with him.
“I like the sound of that.” He smiled. It soon turned into an uncertain look. “By the way... Can it be ‘us three’ more often?”
“What? You mean you want to babysit Manon with me more often?”
“Yeah! If that’s okay?”
“Sure, that’s fine.” Marinette shrugged. “I mean I don’t have a way of contacting you but you could stop by and check if she’s here whenever you want. If she’s not here feel free to stay and chat.” Manon came back with some croissants and Chat’s face lit up. “After this can we get the costume on you without the having to chase you down first?” Marinette asked.
“You mean that’s not how you’re supposed to try on Halloween costumes?” Chat faked a gasp.
“No.” Marinette shook her head. “Definitely not!”
~ ~ ~
Manon proudly lead the way back into the streets… after boasting about how cool the little paw prints Marinette had stitched onto the hem of Chat’s costume was to Tom and Sabine of course. Chat noir took in the happy neighbourhood. Being safe and isolated in his father’s home meant he’d never really felt the togetherness of having neighbours. The closest thing was Natalie and the Gorilla- sorry his bodyguard (his father criticised him calling him that but Adrien had seen his bodyguard smirk when he first used the nickname).
Listening to the laughter and watching families and groups of kids walking around together made him decide that when he had his own family, he would make sure they lived in a place like this.
“Ready show Paris your new and improved Halloween costume?” Marinette asked.
“Mmm I dunno.” He pretended to think it over. “I mean, I kinda wanna take these two girls on the ultimate trick or treat.”
“What do you mean ‘Ultimate trick or treat’?” Marinette asked, her voice laced with suspicion. Chat pulled out his baton and pulled Marinette closer.
“Hey Manon, wanna piggy-back ride?” he asked the little girl.
“Wow wow wow kitty!” Marinette placed herself between the two.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you suggesting you go pole-vaulting around Paris with a CHILD hanging onto your shoulders?!”
Chat shrugged with a grin. “She looks pretty strong to me!”
“Chat!” Marinette scolded. “That’s so irresponsible!”
Manon flexed her non-existent muscles. “I’m strong Marinette! Look!”
Marinette frowned. “I’m the babysitter and I say no! If you fall we are all going to be in trouble! Chat and I will have our whiskers torn off by your mum and you could end up in a hospital!”
Manon giggled. “No I won’t!”
Marinette groaned and buried her face in her palms. Chat noir chuckled and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Come on, I won’t go that high. If either of you let go you won’t get badly hurt.”
“Either of us?”
“Scared of heights Princess?”
“Not at all!” He didn’t need to know that she was Ladybug and had practically flown around Paris with him thousands of times before. “I’m scared of being liable for Manon ending up in a hospital!” She threw a soft punch at his chest.
“Listen, I will take responsibility for everything that happens. I assure you, it’s not the first time I’ve done something like this.”
Marinette tilted her head. “Really?”
Chat noir nodded. “I’ve transported child akuma victims to their homes through piggy-back all the time. Some of them actually prefer it since they feel more in control of the situation.”
“Huh…” Maybe as Ladybug she would have to try that someday. How did Chat get all these good ideas? “…Alright… but I’ll walk.”
“What?! I thought you just said you weren’t afraid of heights?”
“I’m not! I just don’t think it’s smart to be carrying two people at the same time!”
“Oh come onnnnnn!” Chat noir rolled his eyes with a grin. “I’m a superhero!”
“So what?! Superheroes have limits!”
“Yeah. But I’ve stopped buildings from falling on people.” Chat pointed out smugly.
“…touché.”
Soon Chat noir was bending down to allow Manon to climb onto his back. Then he extended his arm to Marinette, who reluctantly approached him to cling to his torso.
“You really sure about this?” Marinette asked.
“Of course! And I promise if it gets too hard, I’ll just take you one at a time.”
“Alright…”
Chat noir clutched her close to his chest and stretched out the baton, lifting them above the roof of The Dupain-Cheng bakery. He then leaned forward slightly and landed them safely on the roof of the next building.
“Who’s ready for the trick or trick of a lifetime?”