Work Text:
Chat Noir balanced on his toes in a crouch, looking over the city. It had been getting harder and harder to sleep lately. He didn't know why.
But there was no way he was going to get any sleep for now, so he was going to use his insomnia to explore the city, maybe see about trying some new things with no one there to see him.
It wouldn't be the first time insomnia got him.
He really hated how exhausted it made him during the day until he could sleep. It affected everything, made him more likely to tick off his father.
And if there was an akuma... well. Lack of sleep was not conducive to being good at fighting.
Chat Noir yawned, but didn't turn back. He had tried to sleep for a full hour. He had closed his eyes for most of the hour. He was not going to get sleep any time soon even if he laid down right where he was.
Physically and mentally exhausting himself often did the trick, but it usually didn't happen early enough for any real rest.
Chat Noir sighed and considered his next move. Then he spotted a light on.
Marinette? What was she doing up at this time of night?
He jumped over and knocked on the door.
There was no response. He poked his head in. "Marinette?"
She jumped. "I'm up, I'm up."
There was red fabric everywhere. "Uh... Marinette? What's going on?"
Marinette stared at him, then looked at the time and groaned, rubbing her face.
"Sorry, Chat... Wait, what are you doing here at this time? Shouldn't you be getting sleep?"
"Want to go sit and talk?"
Marinette grabbed some of the project she was working on. "Some night air would help, yeah."
Chat Noir helped her up to the balcony. They sat together, Marinette leaning on Chat Noir as she sewed.
"I get bad insomnia sometimes. When it's like this all I can do is exhaust myself physically and mentally in an attempt to get some sleep, but it takes so long, I really end up with like, three hours at most."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've never had insomnia. I just... take on too much and struggle to get it all done and now I've got to get this done by morning."
"Why?"
"Paid commission for an event tomorrow night, finish it tonight, fitting after school to double check there's no last minute stitching to do, and there shouldn't be, and then I get paid. And not getting it done, well. That doesn't just mean no money for my time and materials, it means possibly losing a customer and getting a bad reputation, I just had so much going on this week and all the akumas had me spinning in circles trying to keep up and now we're here, and I'm just so behind on everything. I only just figured out the best possible schedule based on when things need to be done five hours ago, and obviously this takes priority right now. Ugh, why does it have to all be red and pink though? I'm going to be dreaming of rivers of fabric that turn into blood now."
"...that's oddly specific."
"I've had it happen before. Gets old fast."
"I can imagine. Anything I can do to help?"
Marinette hesitated. "Do you know anything about making clothes?"
"Some. I can cut and do some basic stitches..."
"Okay, good, that will cut time." Marinette disappeared and came back a few minutes later. "Here."
Chat Noir blinked at the pattern pinned to the fabric and carefully started cutting.
He saw that Marinette was starting to nod off again, so he started talking to keep her awake.
She startled and then listened, sewing tiredly. Her skill was evident by how she did not make any mistakes despite her exhaustion.
Chat Noir marveled at the amount of practice that would have taken.
He handed Marinette the pieces she needed and even had to go get a few things.
He decided he would start practicing more so he could help her. At one point, he had tried to learn to sew and make clothes to impress his father but his father had not been interested.
But... it would be worth it, for Marinette.
As soon as she finished the last stitch, she fell asleep.
Chat Noir smiled at her sleeping face. "You work so hard Marinette... You always try to do things for people, make us all happy. I just wish you wouldn't exhaust yourself."
He picked her up and put her to bed. He tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
He cleaned up the mess, stacking things neatly rather than putting them away.
The newly completed dress he placed on the mannequin to keep safe overnight.
Only then did he go.
Chat Noir went home, yawning. He thought maybe he could go to sleep now.
In the morning, he would make a plan on how to help Marinette, including practicing on his own in his spare time.
But first... he had three hours of sleep to catch.
.
Adrien went to the bakery because he skipped breakfast (on purpose) before school. He asked Sabine if Marinette was up yet.
Marinette was not, so he asked if he should go wake her.
"Oh, would you? Please."
Adrien smiled and went upstairs. He found Marinette asleep exactly as he left her.
"Hey, Marinette, it's time for school. You have thirty minutes to not be late."
"Late to school...?" she mumbled sleepily. Then she shot up. "I'm up, I'm up." She started racing around her room, stopping when she saw Adrien.
"Uh... Good morning Adrimine, I mean, Adrien." She turned bright red.
Adrien smiled. "Good morning Marinette. I was just stopping by to get something for breakfast and asked if you were up, and you weren't so... I'll go wait for you downstairs and we can walk to school together."
"Oh! That's a great idea."
Adrien waved and walked downstairs. After last night, he was worried about Marinette.
.
Marinette sat down on a chair. "Adrien came to wake me up... and Chat Noir helped me make a dress... Am I dreaming?"
"No Marinette, but you better get going so you don't make Adrien late to school," Tikki said.
Marinette squeaked and started scrambling around her room.
Becoming the Guardian had really messed everything up. She was just a teenager, she couldn't balance school, helping her parents, her fashion design, a social life, Ladybug, and the huge responsibility that was being a guardian. Not on her own.
That was why she told Alya, but there was still so much she needed to figure out before it all settled down.
Maybe Chat Noir could be more helpful than she realized. He didn't have to know she was Ladybug, if he wanted to help her as Marinette with other things, that was great, and maybe there were things she could have him try so that she didn't have to as Ladybug.
Especially now that she knew he had insomnia.
Chat Noir was the kind of person that always needed something to do or he would get annoying fast. Of course that would carry over to his sleeping habits.
Giving him a way to help would make him happy and take off some stress.
"Hey Marinette? You know Chat Noir tucked you in last night."
Marinette froze. "What?"
"Yeah, he gave you a kiss on the forehead and everything."
Marinette turned red to the delight of all the kwamis.
"I am going to go to school, you all stay out of trouble."
Marinette let out a breath as she joined Adrien. She took his offer of breakfast as she waved goodbye to her parents.
Oddly, this time her mind wasn't as on her crush on Adrien as usual. Instead she was wondering why Chat Noir had kissed her forehead. He wasn't actually into her like that, was he?
Well, she wasn't getting anywhere with Adrien despite breaking up with Luka If Chat Noir was interested... Maybe he would be good to date.
Oh, what was she thinking? He wouldn't be interested in her, he was only interested in Ladybug, and it was complicated since she was Ladybug anyway. She couldn't date him. Could she? And why did he kiss her forehead if he wasn't interested.
"Marinette? Are you okay?"
Marinette groaned. "No, sorry, Adrien, I haven't slept in days, but who's counting?"
"You were sleeping this morning."
"Only because I couldn't keep myself awake anymore. It caught up with me."
"Oh, I'm sorry. Anything I can do to help at school?"
Marinette was so tired, she couldn't even be awkward that he wanted to help her. "Just keep Chloe off my back. I will go feral if she says one more thing about me."
Adrien nodded. "We don't want to see what you're like when you're feral."
Marinette blinked, a flush hitting her cheeks when she realized what she said. "Sorry. I really need more sleep, but there's not enough time in the day."
"I'm sure it'll be okay, Marinette. You're good at figuring things out." Adrien spotted Nino and walked over to him.
Marinette stared after him.
"Marinette? Helloooo."
"Hi, Alya. I haven't gotten enough sleep, please leave a message."
"Come on girl, did you just walk to school with Adrien? Tell me all about it!"
Marinette sighed and told her it wasn't that big a deal.
"Wow, you really are tired. When are you going to sleep?"
"As soon as I figure out the best way to rebalance things and if there's anything I can cut out."
"You know you can call on me for help."
"I know, I know. I just need to figure out what I even need help with, now that the most urgent thing- the charms- is done."
Alya nodded. "You're brilliant Marinette, I'm sure you'll figure it out."
Marinette watched Alya walk in and sighed, slumping. Chat Noir was confident in her, as Ladybug and Marinette, but she didn't feel so much like there was all this responsibility she was shouldering alone when he said it. It felt like they were a team.
This was why she was getting so little sleep.
Time to give Chat Noir something to do with his insomnia. Easy enough as Marinette, but how to do so as Ladybug... stumble across him and admit to struggling with balancing everything and needing help?
Yeah, it would be believable.
Thinking was so hard on so little sleep.
Marinette was looking forward to getting at least six hours a night again. That would feel like a luxury.
At least her lack of sleep was her own fault. Poor Chat Noir, dealing with something he was unable to control.