Inspired by Episode 16 – Animan. Companion fic to Because You're Precious.

I'll Be Here

95% of the time he looked happy. Other times he looked sad. This time, it was the other 5%.

That sudden hug was all she needed to confirm her suspicions that Chat Noir came from a complicated background.

As much as she wanted to help him, she did not dare to bring herself to ask because they had promised not to pry into each other's personal lives. She wished, from the bottom of her heart, that whatever or whoever was hurting him would come to a stop. To an end.

Although she tried really hard not to dwell into it, she could not help but notice the rare, subtle changes in his mood at times.

The other 5%.

They had been working together as partners for so long that it was hard not to.

She knew he loved her.

Very, very much.

And she did not know if she felt the same way about him. After all, if Adrien Agreste did not exist, she would have considered returning his feelings.

Chat Noir was a great companion – a partner that could not be replaced. He was different. One of a kind.

Aside from the times he placed his face extremely close to hers, Chat Noir would always keep a respectable distance away from her.

… Let alone touch her.

He treated her like glass. As if she would shatter at the lightest touch and vanish completely.

He was afraid to touch her.

Afraid of what? That she would disappear?

And she briefly wondered if something happened in his life that made him behave this way.

Why does he look so lonely? Did he lose someone important to him?

So many questions. None of which she could ask. After all, revealing their identities would be too risky. The enemy could use it to his advantage. Many people would be thrown into danger.

And so, Ladybug kept quiet and pretended not to see the other 5%, although it killed her a little each time.

She had always been very careful with the way she speaks and how she handles the akuma attacks because she did not want to hurt him but this time, she went a little too far and scared her companion to death.

So when he hugged her instead of returning her fist bump, she was pleasantly surprised that she could not move for a few seconds, her brain trying to process what just happened. When she finally came to, Ladybug wanted to throw her arms around him and rub his back to reassure him that she was alive and everything was just fine but he had let her go too soon.

The way that he averted his eyes, looking at anywhere but her, and the embarrassed grin on his face made her heart soar. And it was at that moment that Ladybug realized just how wonderful it felt to be loved by someone.

Chat Noir had seemed like he wanted to say something to dismiss the awkwardness of the situation and much to his luck, his Miraculous saved him by beeping, signalling him to leave.

"See you around, Chat Noir," She said, watching him vault himself up onto the rooftops and seeing his back grow smaller in the distance.

Because I won't be going anywhere.