They ran along the outskirts of the city, deliberately zig-zagging in a meaningless pattern, desperate in their attempt to prolong the inevitable. Ladybug cherished the feeling of the wind in her hair. With each swing of her yo-yo, she breathed in the night, the smell of the open air so familiar yet indescribable. She looked over at Chat, knowing exactly where he was instinctively. The pinging of his baton against the ground and the swish of his suit as recognizable as her own heartbeat. His eyes told her without a word that he was just as restless as she was, just as determined to remember every breath, every moment.
Because this was the end.
They both knew it had been coming for almost a year, but some time in the last month it had finally become real. Every patrol, every battle took on a new meaning as they realized it could be their last.
And tonight it really was.
Tomorrow they both left for university. Both having chosen schools abroad, they knew what that decision entailed. Hawk Moth was still a threat, and just because they were moving on, didn't mean Paris needed the miraculous any less.
Paris needed Ladybug and Chat Noir, it just couldn't be them anymore.
They'd both come to the tearful conclusion what seemed like ages ago that the miraculous had to be returned to Master Fu, no matter how it tore at their hearts. Not only were they leaving behind this chapter in their lives, but they were leaving behind forever their most trusted friends. Ladybug didn't know what the protocol was for after a miraculous holder willingly gives up the position, but she doubted it included lunch dates to catch up with her kwami.
And yet, Tikki had been a staunch supporter in her decision. Marinette knew past Ladybugs had died rather than give up their miraculous; so a part of her was proud of her choice. At least she wouldn't do that to Tikki. She wouldn't make her friend watch another one of her bugs fade before her very eyes. That didn't mean her heart felt any less hollow at the idea of forever being separated from her closest friend and confidant of the last three years.
Then there was Chat. They had never revealed their identities to each other, and despite there being no reason for that to change now, she felt panicked at the idea of losing him too. It felt so...unnecessary. Here was the only person who understood this side of her life, and yet tomorrow he could easily vanish from her life completely. Was she really prepared to let that happen?
No. She looked over at him in a panic as if to prove to herself that he was still there. That is wasn't too late. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to him too. If nothing else they could be a comfort to each other in the days to come... but that wasn't the whole of it.
She loved him. Honestly, she had from the beginning, despite her unwillingness to believe his feelings were sincere. Even now, when they were both dating other people and admittedly in love with them, she couldn't deny that Chat held a part of her she'd never give to Adrien. She couldn't. Adrien was Marinette's world and had been for the last two years, but Chat held all the parts of her she had to keep secret from the rest of the world, including her wonderful boyfriend. Ladybug was for Chat only.
As they flew across Paris, she let herself hope that maybe it was the same for him.
Hours later, they slowed, both exhausted beyond comprehension, but unwilling to waste one moment of the time they had left. She wasn't ready to go home and release her transformation. She never would be. How was she supposed to face Tikki yet, knowing this was the end? Chat leaned over and took her hand, reading everything in her eyes that she couldn't bring herself to say and without a word they headed to their roof. She didn't know when they'd started thinking of it like that, but somehow they always ended up in the same place: the lycee roof. Another thing stained with her past. Another place that would soon no longer be hers.
Paris felt full of them recently. She'd been so eager to move on, to explore new cities and have new adventures, but the more she reflected on it, the more she realized how much this city had shaped her. She'd spent her entire life here, and Paris had made her who she was just as much as any person had. This is the place she was made.
Then she looked over at Chat, his face similarly pensive and she corrected that. We. This is the place we were made. Two kids, just at the cusp of adulthood and figuring things out as they went along. Paris' unlikely heroes that were somehow exactly the heroes that Paris deserved...the heroes it needed. Paris was their city, and protecting it over the years had made her who she was. The miraculous was exactly what she needed and she was exactly the person meant to wield it... but that was then. Now, it was time to move on and give that honor to another duo. Maybe there were two out that that needed it just as much as she and Chat had.
They sat on the ledge one last time, legs hanging precariously over the multi-story drop, but her heart wasn't racing. She felt at peace as they stared out at the flickering lights, Chat's head dropping to her shoulder as she wrapped a comforting arm around his waist.
"Remember that first akuma?" Chat broke the silence, but she could hear the nostalgic smile in his voice.
"I was terrified. I thought a huge mistake had been made," she responded with a small laugh at her younger self.
"You were a force," he responded immediately and Ladybug smiled. "I was an idiot, trying to show off with my cataclysm like I had any idea what I was doing."
"Um," she reached down and flicked his bell. "I think you forget that we met by me literally crashing into you and tangling us in my yo-yo."
"I'd tangle with you anytime, M'Lady."
She snorted at his response, but leaned to lay her head on top of his.
"You gave me that pep-talk though, and I knew it would all be alright," she murmured, looking out at the darkening horizon over their city.
"You were meant to be Ladybug, anyone could see that. You just needed to hear it." He said it softly, but she felt tears prick at her eyes remembering his exact words that day so long ago. It was the moment he ceased being a stranger and became her partner.
"And you were meant to be Chat Noir."
"I don't know about that. It's been a bit of a learning curve. I'm just lucky to have the best Ladybug," he chuckled slightly but she squeezed his waist.
"No. You are my perfect Chat Noir. I can only be who I am because I know the best has my back. We're a team. That's what made us great."
Her fervent words hung in the air between them until she felt him nod against her neck before they both sank back into silence, melancholy seeping into their reminiscing at her use of past tense. It had made them great.
"I'm afraid I'll forget," his voice drifted up to her in a whisper. "It feels so much a part of me right now that it seems impossible, but this feeling...I'm afraid I'll forget what it was like to be him."
Ladybug held him tighter. It was impossible to put into words, the sensation that was wielding the miraculous, but Chat didn't need to. She understood. It was empowering and humbling. Invigorating and sobering. Chaotic and peaceful. It was a million paradoxes wrapped up into one, but it was also who they were. It could be overwhelming, and at first Marinette had definitely focused on that aspect. But when she was able to move past that, it was like.. waking up and realizing this was who you were always meant to be.
"I'll remind you," she vowed and he lifted his head to look at her. She met his eyes, her decision made. "We won't let each other forget, okay?"
He stared at her in silence, searching her eyes.
"Does-Does that mean what I think it means?"
She nodded, smiling as he reached up to brush her bangs out of her face.
"I refuse to lose two people tomorrow. I can't-I have to say goodbye to Tikki, but I refuse to say goodbye to you," she choked out the last part.
He framed her face with his hands, his thumbs brushing away errant tears as he leaned to touch his forehead to hers.
"I promise you'll never have to."
At his whispered vow, she closed the gap between them, hugging him to her chest with a fierceness and trying to think past the bittersweet emotion that tainted all endings. In that moment, nothing else mattered. It didn't matter that neither of them was available... That they were both leaving tomorrow to locations that could be on opposite sides of the globe from each other... Or even that life wasn't a fairytale and this could very easily blow up in their faces.
What mattered was that he was her partner. What mattered was that she loved him. What mattered was, in that moment, she never understood someone so fully and knew she'd never connect with another human being more. She loved Adrien, but in that moment she needed her partner; the only one who could understand the significance of tonight. The only one who would understand the emotions battling through her body. Maybe it was wrong, but on the precipice of losing him forever, she decided to allow him access to all the vulnerable corners of her heart the way she'd never allowed anyone before and probably wouldn't ever again.
Then, before she lost her nerve, she pulled back and released her transformation. When she opened her eyes, she looked immediately for Tikki, seeing her kwami hover just above Chat's shoulder. She had tears in her eyes, but a proud smile on her face as she gazed with maternal affection at her charge. Marinette managed a watery smile back, grateful that she gathered enough courage in time to share this moment with her. Then she looked to Chat. Tears were streaming down his face but his smile was luminous.
"Marinette," he said her name like a prayer, shaking his head in disbelief.
"We-We know each other?"
He nodded, pursing his lips to try and control his smile but laughed nonetheless at her question, his head tilting back joyously before he looked back at her. He shook his head in disbelief again.
"I love you," his hoarse whisper was said with the fervor she'd dreamed of, but dared not expect. His hands moved to frame her face before he continued. "I've loved you, Ladybug, from the first moment I saw the determination in your eyes fighting Stoneheart." His thumb caressed her cheek as she leaned into his hand. "And I've loved you, Marinette, from the moment you grabbed my hand on the dance floor two years ago."
She stared at him, processing his words, but not letting herself believe it. She knew without a doubt what dance he was talking about-she wasn't in the habit of forcing strange men to dance with her-but it hadn't been Chat's hand she'd grabbed...Or rather, she hadn't realized it had been Chat's hand...
"Whe-When I…"
"When you saved me from having to dance with Chloe again," he smiled at her and she reached up and laid her hand against his, watching through a watery gaze as he released his transformation.
"Well, your face said you desperately needed a rescue," she whispered back, her voice a bit choked. "I am a superhero after all."
"You're my hero," Adrien murmured to her. "And nothing that happens tomorrow will change that."
He tilted her chin then and kissed her slowly, with the reverence of her boyfriend but the passion of her forbidden love.
"Adrien?" She whispered when she pulled back, still in disbelief as she tentatively raised a hand to touch her boyfriend's face. Feeling the familiar slope of his cheekbone, her hand sprung back to cover her own mouth in surprise. "You're-You're real. You're Chat."
"Took you two long enough," a gruff voice remarked, pulling Marinette's attention away from her Kitty as her eyes met those of a small floating cat.
"Plagg...Seriously? They were having a moment." Tikki's exasperated voice sounded from nearby.
"Yeah, well the idiots could have had this moment two years ago, but nooooo. You and your secrecy."
"Ugh, we are not having this conversation again."
"It's not a conversation. If it were a conversation you'd actually listen to me, but you never do."
"Because you're usually wrong and even more usually distracted by cheese."
"Priorities, Pinky."
"You're insufferable."
"I love you, too."
Marinette sat gaping at the banter between the two, obviously old friends, and then looked at Adrien. His jaw was slack and his eyes darted between them. She couldn't help but giggle. He looked at her then, and she saw her tumultuous emotions reflected in his eyes as she reached over and grabbed his hand. She turned to where the kwamis were and met Plagg's eyes.
"Nice to meet you, Plagg," she smiled in his direction and thought she saw the hint of a smile on his lips too.
"You too. Officially, at least," he added, and Marinette saw where Chat got his mischievous smirk from. "I've been stealing cheese from your bakery for years now."
"Plagg!" Adrien's eyes went wide but Marinette laughed.
"Oh, please Adrien. Let's not pretend you don't swipe at least three croissants every time you come over. Besides," she looked over at Plagg and winked. "You should have asked for our camembert loaf if you had turophile at home."
"Camembert?" Plagg's eyes went wide, and Marinette smiled.
"Yeah, that and rockfort. For some reason, my father is determined to find redeeming qualities in the worst smelling cheeses. Those are his two favorites, though."
"Adrien," Plagg floated over and sat on Marinette's shoulder. "We've been through a lot together, but I'm sorry. I'm leaving you."
Marinette saw the look of annoyance on Adrien's face, and played along.
"Aw, Kitty, don't be jealous," she reached up and scratched Plagg's ears. "The kwamis just like me best."
She heard a low purr vibrate from her shoulder and grinned wider.
"Like kwami like holder," she remarked and was rewarded with Adrien's blush, but he managed to smirk back.
"He's ridiculous," Tikki squeaked and came to rest on the top of Adrien's head. He tried to look up, but it just resulted in his eyes rolling towards the sky comically and made Plagg snort at his antics.
"Don't worry, Plagg," Marinette cooed but shared a smile in Tikki's direction. "I'll make sure you can have free reign of the Dupain bakery whenever you want."
Plagg sighed and leaned into her neck and she looked to smile back at Adrien. Then she caught the expression on his face and reality set back in. Here she sat, Chat de-transformed into her boyfriend and surrounded by their kwamis on the last night they would all ever be together, and she was making promises she didn't know if she could keep. Who knew who Plagg would be with next? The whole 'secret identity' thing might make it a bit difficult for Marinette to give away a lifetime supply of camembert loaf.
Then she started having second thoughts. Her program in New York was one of the best, and she had gotten that full-scholarship, but Paris was the fashion capital of the world! She didn't really have to leave to pursue her dream! Maybe she could just take a year off to figure it out and she could still be Ladybug.
And Adrien didn't need to leave either. So what if he'd gotten into that fantastic business school? His father was rich, he could go anywhere! They could just stay, and nothing would have to change, and she wouldn't have to say goodbye to Tikki tomorrow, and this wouldn't have to be the first and last time she ever met Plagg…
"Mari!" Adrien yelled her name and her eyes snapped to his, realizing he'd said it a few times already. His hands were on her shoulders, but she'd been so lost in her freak out she hadn't even seen him move.
"Stop. Take a breath. I can feel your meltdown from here." She stared at him and tried to mimic the steady rhythm of his breathing.
"I-I just-" she began, but took another steadying breath. "It's a lot. I feel like knowing it was you this whole time should make it easier, but instead it makes me feel like an idiot for missing out on this for so long." She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes. "I don't want it to end."
"It has to, Bugaboo. Everything-"
"Marinette?" Tikki floated down from Adrien's head, cutting off his attempt at comfort and looked seriously into her charge's eyes. "It's time."
"Tikki," she whispered. "Maybe it's not time yet. I could postpone everything for a year…" A burning sensation crawled up the bridge of her nose and she knew she was on the verge of tears, but her kwami just shook her head.
"No, Marinette. You are going to do such amazing and wonderful things with your life, and I will always cherish that you were for a moment my Ladybug, but it's time for the next adventure now. You've made your decision, and...and I'm so grateful. Thank you," Tikki continued softly and came to rest her forehead against Marinette's. "For making the choice, because I don't know if I could have."
Tikki whispered the last part and Marinette couldn't hold back her tears any longer. Tikki had told her about past Ladybugs, ones who had died in battle or hung on to the power too long and Tikki had to leave with the miraculous for their own safety. Everytime she spoke of it, Marinette could tell the kwami was deeply affected. In a way, this decision had been Marinette's last gift to her friend. That didn't make it any easier.
"I'm going to miss you."
"I love you Marinette, and I am so proud of you." Marinette felt Tikki's small hand stroke her brow and she took multiple deep, fortifying breaths before opening her eyes. Looking past her kwami, she saw Adrien and Plagg having a whispered conversation of their own, but then Adrien met her eyes.
The four looked at each other, mentally drained and not quite at peace, but in agreement that this was how it needed to be.
"One more run?" Plagg spoke softly and the rest smiled.
"Tikki," Marinette looked at the small red god with a pained smile. "Spots on!"
"Plagg, claws out!"
She turned and held out her hand to Chat. He pulled her close, kissing her soundly.
Tomorrow, they would part-from their kwamis, from their home, and for a time, even from each other- but right now, the night still surrounded them. Whatever the next day brought, in this moment, it was all still theirs. They still had their Paris.
Hand in hand, Paris' duo ran one last time, flying across the rooftops and chasing the moon into the horizon as if they could stop the night from ending.
And, for a few hours, they succeeded.