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It was a rainy day today, Marinette almost decided that it wasn’t worth it to go patrolling tonight, but if she didn’t show up for the nightly patrol, her love-struck feline companion would likely stay up waiting for her into the crack of dawn. As much as she found his advances annoying, the heroine did not have the heart to make him wait like that. Despite his annoying affection, Chat Noir wasn’t a bad person. In fact, he was almost the opposite of a bad person.
She waited at the tower, where they would usually meet up. Ladybug didn’t mind the rain; it was very cooling and somewhat refreshing. The smell of rain reminded her that when she got back home, her warm cozy bed and a cup of hot cocoa would be waiting for her. Feeling eager to get this patrol over with, she sat patiently by the edge of the tower, trying to keep herself dry. Tikki had transformed into a towel to wipe off most of the water off her. And so, the heroine waited a bit. She had expected the black alley cat to stride up there to meet her, but strangely, her slinky catty friend did not arrive.
Ladybug silently wondered if Chat Noir had decided that patrolling was useless, but he wouldn’t do that to her, especially with that ridiculous infatuation he had. As she waited in silence, she started to get ideas that perhaps that her catty partner had gotten himself into trouble. She had tried calling him with the communication device they had, but he hadn’t picked up. After waiting around fifteen minutes, Ladybug decided to search for her companion, in fear that he had gotten hurt somehow.
“Chat!” She called out through the rain, which had grown slightly in intensity in her wait. When there was no response, Ladybug had gotten a little bit worried.
“Paris is a big place.” A little voice in her head reassured her. “I’m sure he’s just gotten held up by something.”
“But Chat is never late, Tikki.” The heroine told her kwami. “He’s always on time for a patrol. He said that he would never make a...” Ladybug swallowed, grimacing. “...a lady wait.”
Her mind recoiled at the memory of the sly cat flirting with her, but she pushed the thoughts aside. It wouldn’t do her or Chat any good if she dwelled on those thoughts too long. He could be in trouble. Mixed up with an akuma perhaps? Or maybe met a couple of criminals he couldn’t handle? What if Hawkmoth had managed to capture him? Anything seemed possible in her vibrant imagination. With that worrying thought, Ladybug leapt off the tower to search for her missing companion. For the next few minutes, she spent time jumping from building to building, calling out to Chat Noir, hoping he would answer. He never did. Eventually she got so wet that she had Tikki transform into an umbrella.
After a good search, Ladybug got the impression that perhaps Chat wasn’t in trouble at all, and had gone home. Maybe he hadn’t even left home. Maybe he has gotten down with flu or something, but considering the time where the cat had actually had the nerve come to meet her at the tower when he was on the verge of collapsing from a fever dismissed the idea. Even so, she continued to look a little longer, but Ladybug could find neither hide nor tail of the slinky black cat. She almost gave up, deciding to patrol Paris herself when she noticed a dark figure hiding in a tree in the park she was standing in. Taking a closer look, Ladybug approached the trunk of the tree, realizing who was hiding in the leafy branches.
“Chat, is that you?” She asked the shivering bundle in the tree.
There was a pause. “M-my lady?” A shaky voice called out weakly.
“That’s Ladybug to you, alley cat.” Ladybug responded with a huff. “What are you doing in a tree?”
“Oh...” Her companion shifted his weight, causing the tree to shake in the change of weight and rustling the wet leaves. “I’m just...patrolling the greenery, darling.”
It took a lot for Ladybug not to snap back. All things considered, he sounded very tired and feeble at this moment; like he was about to fall apart any second. She gave a resigned sigh. “I don’t believe you.” She snorted from the shelter of her umbrella. “Don’t lie to me, kitty cat.”
When there was no answer, Ladybug took a staggering leap up into the tree right onto the branch Chat was on. The masked hero flinched at the sudden appearance of his friend and shifted a little closer. Only then did Ladybug realize what was wrong. The poor alley cat was huddled close to the trunk in an effort to get dry, his ears flat against his soaking hair. Water dripped off his leather suit while his sentient belt-tail wrapped miserably around his body. Chat Noir was shivering desolately, teeth chattering quietly as droplets of rain filtered in through the sky peeking through the branches of leaves.
“Hello, d-darling. Welcome to a c-ca-cat’s humble abode.” He greeted awkwardly, trying his best to smile. “I don’t look so good, don’t I?”
“What’s wrong, Chat?” she asked gently, although she already had an idea why he was so miserable. “Can’t stand the rain?”
The blonde teen looked away, avoiding her gaze, tucking his knees closer to him. “Cat’s don’t like the rain, s-we-weetie.” He said after a while, twitching his ‘tail’ irritably. “And apparently, Chat Noir doesn’t too.”
“Makes sense, you look more straggly than you normally do.” The girl sympathized, shaking her head. The cat titled his head slightly at the comment, but did not respond. “Does water negatively affect you?” She edged closer so the edge of her umbrella could protect him from the rain.
“When the rain s-s-started, it was fine. It was like taking a s-shower.” Chat explained, trying to calm his gittering teeth. “B-but after I didn’t d-dry up after a while, I started to f-feel a bit sick.” He skootched a bit closer to Ladybug, trying to take advantage of the umbrella she had managed to pull through the jungle of leaves. “My b-body felt really heavy. It was l-like I couldn’t m-move. I really t-t-tried to go to the tower, but I felt too w-weak .”
Water, water was his weakness. Ladybug almost laughed at how funny the weakness was. Of course, she should’ve known. A person who took the mannerisms and appearance of a normal housecat probably had the same strengths and weaknesses a one would have. Chat Noir was dragged down by water, as a cat normally was, that was only natural. Ladybug wondered what other weaknesses he would have now that she had this knowledge. Chat Noir would probably be afraid of dogs then and maybe he’d be attracted to mice. Maybe she should try bringing a laser pen to see if that would affect him. Before Ladybug could allow her creative ideas to test on her partner to get away with her, she turned back her attention to the shivering blonde cat-boy.
“C’mon, Chat, let’s go to the tower.” She told him. “It’s dry there and we can wait for the rain to stop. It’s better than this mangy tree shelter you’re hiding in now.”
He blinked, somewhat in disbelief. Gauging how wet he was with the description of how water affected him, Chat would mostly be dead weight. Perhaps he could take a few steps on his own, but Chat had gotten so pale during their conversation, Ladybug started to wonder if his skin was becoming transparent. He really was unlucky to be caught in the rain. Good thing she was here with her good luck in play. It would counter his bad luck.
“You can hide under my umbrella.” Ladybug said to her companion. He twitched one of his cat ears. “Let’s try to go the tower.” When the dark-colored feline didn’t move or respond she sighed. “For me, okay?”
Twitching his ear again, Chat Noir seemed to be deep in thought before he sluggishly shifted position onto his hands and feet. “A-anything for you, my lady.”
-~*~-
The journey to the tower was terribly painful and long. Chat had taken so many breaks during the relatively short walk, or climb, to the tower, Ladybug would’ve just stopped and picked him up bridal style to their location. But if she did that, the lovesick tom would never let her live it down. It was no lie that Chat would compose an epic to tell her about the time she came to his rescue. As much as Ladybug felt sorry for the wet mongrel, she still had her dignity left. After all, if she was going to carry anyone, she would carry Adrien. Now that would be a dream come true.
She had dragged the soaked cat-boy into the shelter at the tower’s sides, where the walls curved in and the rains could not reach. After collapsing on the ground, Chat had curled up into a wet little ball and fallen into a light doze, shivering lightly from the cold and water. The heroine was tempted to wake her friend up, but considering how tired and weak he was, she was willing to let it slide. A little catnap wouldn’t hurt.
“Tikki, how are you doing?” She asked in a small voice, trying not to wake her sleeping companion up.
“A little tired, but not as tired as Chat is.” The kwami replied, giggling. “I know what you’re thinking. I agree, I think a thermal blanket would fix him right up.”
Ladybug smiled. “Thanks, Tikki. I’ll be sure to put extra marshmallows in your hot cocoa when we get home.”
Tikki summoned up a blanket and with nimble fingers, Ladybug gently tucked it around the sleeping form of Chat Noir before going to sit against the wall nearby. She decided that she would wake for Chat Noir to wake up from his little catnap; just until his skin stopped being so transparent. Although she wanted to get mad at the cat-boy for being so stupid for going out in the rain despite the fact that it would hurt him, she couldn’t make herself feel that way. The reason he had tried so hard to get to the tower was because of her, and she felt a twinge of guilt for letting his fixation with her pressure him to go against his physical limitations. She silent wondered if the water could potentially kill him if he gotten wet enough. Thank goodness she wouldn’t have to find it out.
Chat Noir shifted towards her in his sleep, twitching his belt-tail slightly to curl around him tighter. Ladybug almost thought he looked cute. He looked like a small kitten sleeping by the fireplace, trying to heat up on a cold winter. Except Ladybug was the fireplace and instead of winter, it was just a regular rainy day; though it was kinda cold. She reminded herself to tell Chat that he didn’t have to go patrolling with her when it rained. The heroine could make do without her sidekick for just one day. She rather have a lonely patrol than a sickly partner.
“He looks much better now.” Tikki commented. Ladybug looked over at him and she sighed in relief.
The cat hero did not look as pale as he did when she had found him hiding in the tree. In fact, most of his color in his face had returned. Although he still looked a bit sickly, Ladybug had to admit that he looked much better. His suit had dried itself under the heat of the thermal blanket.
“That’s a relief.” She said, laughing quietly to herself. “You really outdid yourself with this blanket, Tikki. Nice job.”
“Hehehe.” Tikki laughed, her adorable voice ringing in her head. “I’m glad you noticed.”
-~*~-
By the time, Chat Noir started blinking his owlish green eyes open, the rain had mostly stopped. It was still dark out, probably because it was still late at night. Ladybug could’ve been home stalking-er...observing Adrien’s Facebook page for updates on what he’s doing. Even if the handsome blonde boy wasn’t doing anything, she could always scroll through her personal album of him. That was always an enjoyable pastime.
“You awake, alley cat?” She asked the black cat, who sat up, the thermal blanket resting across his shoulders.
“Ladybug?” He asked a bit dazed. “Where am I?”
“At the tower. You fell asleep.” She told him. Then she crossed her hands, trying to appear mad. “I can’t believe you had the nerve to fall asleep for almost an hour.” He winced, but he was cut off by a catty yawn.
He rubbed his eyes, careful about his ‘claws’. “Sorry, Ladybug, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” He apologized, smiling charismatically. Chat’s smile was genuine, unlike those haughty boisterous smiles he would do to try to get her attention or something of the sort. Chat was genuinely thanking her.
“T-that’s alright, Chat.” Ladybug was surprised. This was new. Chat wasn’t flirting with her. In fact, he was talking to her as if his obvious crush on her was non-existent. She wondered if it would stay that way. The heroine rather liked it. “Are you alright now?”
The cat-boy shrugged the thermal blanket off his shoulders, hopping on his hands and feet, stretching much like a cat would after a nap. His ‘tail’ twitched contently as he yawned again, his sharp cat-like teeth shining in the moonlight. He blinked sluggishly, his green eyes peering at her curiously.
“Much better.” Then he looked away, appearing to be deep in thought. Then he looked back, grinning flirtatiously “Sorry you had to get your pretty paws wet, my lady.” He apologized “Are you okay, sweet cheeks?”
Ladybug sighed. So much for the not-flirting Chat. “It’s alright, I’m fine.” She gave a yawn herself, trying to makes sure he felt guilty. “I’m a bit sleepy. I think we should just skip patrolling today I’m not in the mood and I don’t think you’re fully recovered.” She stood up, recalling the thermal blanket. “Go home, Chat Noir.”
“Alright.” He replied curtly, nodding his head. “A lady as pretty as you should be granted her beauty sleep.” Chat continued.
“Cut it, alley cat.” She said in a threatening tone, although there was no real threat behind it. “Just because you almost died from a little rain doesn’t get you any special privileges.” She eyed him carefully and he smiled the iconic Chat Noir smile.
“As you wish, my lady.” He said with a bow. “Thank you for rescuing me from the rain. Cats don’t like the rain.”
She laughed before she waved her hand. “I’ll see you tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain okay?”
“You got it, darling.” Chat replied, winking, giving her a cheeky salute. “Until we meet again, my lady.” Ladybug didn’t even bother to respond to those sassy attempts.
She jumped off the tower, parting ways with her feline companion. As she made for home, she thought about that small moment in time where Chat Noir didn’t try to woo her. It strangely reminded her of Adrien, her ultimate crush. The way he spoke to her, Ladybug guessed. She sighed to herself. If her partner didn’t try so hard to impress and flirt with her, perhaps she wouldn’t be so willing to turn down his affection.
Maybe she should bring a spray bottle of water that folks use to scold their pets. Perhaps a few weak puffs of water would work on Chat as a scolding mechanism. After all, cats don’t like water, or the rain.