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The sound of Paris at night had become calming over the years. An ambulance rushing back to the hospital, laughs from people on their way to the bar after a day of work, a plane flying over the city. Adrien felt at peace. After so many years of patrolling with Ladybug, the routine became part of him, almost a part of who he was.
Sure, those patrols hadn’t always been welcomed. Some time around when Adrien learned about Monarque and how the whole battle had gone down, he almost renounced his Cat Noir persona again.
He had been so mad.
Sure, he had been mad at Ladybug for not telling him sooner about the truth, but he had been mad at himself.
Why hadn’t he been strong enough ? He just stayed there, trapped in that white room, listening to daddy dear. Of course, now he knows about the twin rings and the power they had over him, but then, he kept replaying the events, trying to figure out where he messed up, where he could have done better.
Fortunately, those days of self doubt were over.
Well. Almost.
The sound of Paris had become soothing again, like when he was a mere 15 year old, discovering freedom for the first time.
‘’Hey !’’ Ladybug greets as he lands on their usual rooftop near his old collège.
‘’Good evening, My Lady, how are you ?’’
‘’Oh, I’ve been better.''
''Why ? Are there any development on the missing Butterfly Holder ?''
''Oh, no, you know I would've called you immediately. No, I just have so many deadlines for my classes. Plus my boss at work is just killing me’’ she says while stretching.
Cat can’t help but laugh. ‘’God, L.B, when did we become so boring ? Remember a few years ago when our lives were just about homework and silly crushes ?’’ He sighs as he sits next to his partner.
‘’Aw, you want to make a pillow fort and play truth or dare ?’’ She laughs.
‘’Honestly ? Bring a good bottle of wine and count me in’’ he replies.
The last months had been so quiet, almost too quiet. It reminded Cat of that time they lost the Miraculous box and Monarque had gone radio-silent while preparing for his next move. But that didn’t mean they would bring their guards down. On the contrary, every night, the heroes of Paris were patrolling on a tight schedule. Each of the Miraculous Holders had been divided into duos, making it way easier for everyone to keep up with their secret life. This new tactic was great, but that also meant that Cat and Ladybug would only see each other a few nights a week. Theoretically, this was a good thing because parisiens were safe and didn’t need heroes to protect them. But sometimes, at night, when it had been awhile, Adrien would miss Ladybug’s company.
‘’And you ? How you’ve been ?’’ Ladybug asks while brushing Cat’s hair with her fingers.
‘’Fine. I’ve had meetings this week, but I’ve been good’’
‘’I’m glad to hear that, Kitten’’ she says with a smile.
Oh how he remembers being so in love with that smile. He had been such a dumb teenager, in love with the first girl that had been nice to him. Sure, he did like her for other reasons, but looking back, Adrien can’t help but cringe. Ladybug had told him so many time that she wasn’t interested and yet, he kept pushing.
Another ambulance siren screams in the night.
Adrien did consider becoming a paramedic. He loves helping people and isn’t scared to jump into action. But Plagg had remembered him that he needed to be available to also save Paris from it’s Akumatized villains which he obviously couldn’t do if he was in the middle of helping someone else.
Instead, he decided to work in a Child Protective Service organisation, finishing his Lycée with a BAC in Humanities, Literature and Philosophy and now studying in psychology.
Quite ironic.
‘’You’re awfully quiet, Kitty, is everything alright ?’’
‘’Yeah, I’m just enjoying the night with you, My Lady’’
‘’Such a romantic, my Kitten’’
‘’Always has been and always will be’’ Cat replies with a smile. ‘’That’s what makes me irresistible’’
‘’Yet, you can’t find a girlfriend’’
‘’Ah ! Rude !’’
‘’Oh, no, I forgot, you’re just too scared to ask your friend out. Right ? That girl from collège’’ she teases.
‘’I already told you, I missed my chance with her’’ Cat replies, laying on his back.
He looks at the dark sky. Thick clouds are covering the city: it will rain soon.
‘’Have you tried to talk to her about it ?’’
‘’How ? ‘Hey, remember how you had a crush on me and that we often laugh about how silly it was ? Yeah, please forget that and make out with me’, he says, that’ll do it’’
‘’Honestly, what’s the worst that could happen ?’’
‘’She says no and I ruin a friendship with literally the most perfect human being on this planet ?’’
‘’And here I thought I was the most perfect human being in your eyes’’ Ladybug sighs. The young hero brings her hand closer to him and traces her partner’s left cat ear with her finger. She smiles, softly ’’You used to have a crush on me, right?’’
‘’Mmmh’’
‘’And we never dated’’
‘’Such a shame, we would have been such a purr-fect couple’’
Ladybug pushes his face with her hand and shakes her head. ‘’My point is: we’re still friends and partners. Sure we’ve had poorly timed… Love interests… But we’re over this. Our bond is so much stronger than this. And if that friend of yours is really the ‘perfect human being’, she’ll understand that’’
‘’I guess so…’’
After all these years, Ladybug still always found the right words. She really was incredible. He wishes he could be more like her. Sure, he is confident and funny, but her rationality and poise are desirable.
Rationality and poise.
Cat remembers the first time they met and smiles softly. He keeps a fond memory of that day. Being able to grow as a hero but also as a person with her had been a delight. Sure, it hadn’t always gone smoothly, but in the end, he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
Sometimes, he wonders if he’ll ever have to give up his Miraculous for good. If one day, when the Butterfly Miraculous is be safe, he’ll put his ring away and leave his hero life in the past. Would that mean that he’ll never see her again ? Maybe when they give their Miraculous to the next guardian, they’ll be able to reveal their identities. Or would he, as a 70 year old, still fight crime alongside his Ladybug ? It’s silly to dwell on these thoughts, Adrien knows. Still, it brings a smile to his lips.
‘’What are you laughing about?’’ Ladybug asks, looking down at him.
‘’Oh nothing, just thinking about how you’ll look as an old grandma screaming ‘Lucky charm! Lucky chaaaarm !’ ‘’ he chuckles, bringing his arms in the air to mimic her.
‘’You’re so fucking stupid, Cat’’