Adrien stretched and yawned as he walked along. It had been a very long day. Just over twenty four hours ago, Hawk Moth had unleashed an akuma on a deliveryman who had been let go from his job after being accused of delivering several important packages late. Adrien barely had enough time to get back home to turn off his alarm clock before school. Another akuma attack just over an hour ago kept him up just over twenty-four hours straight.
The ground was still wet, with puddles here and there from a storm that had passed through, and half the streetlights were dark.
"I just hope Ladybug, whoever she is, was able to get home safely," he muttered.
"Don't worry, Spots knows how to take care of her chosen," Plagg said, downing yet another chunk of camanbert.
Adrien smiled slightly at Plagg's calling Ladybugs kwami Spots. Thanks to Adrien's de-transforming and four chunks of cheese, Plagg was his usual rambunctious, annoying self.
"Plagg, someone's coming," Adrien whispered when he saw someone across the intersection he was approaching. Someone he recognized almost instantly when she walked under a working streetlight. "What is she doing out here this time of night?" he wondered as it was almost two in the morning. It was Marinette, his classmate. The one who made him feel wanted and able to make mistakes and not be judged.
He watched as she walked along, everything about her body language expressing tiredness if not near exhaustion. Head down, shoulders slumped, and shuffling her feet. One thing that he thought was odd is that she seemed to be talking to her purse as she walked. He also noticed that she had walked into the intersection without looking.
What tiredness he felt vanished as a chill washed over him as adrenalin was dumped into his system. A large truck was rapidly approaching the intersection, heading straight for her. With the streetlights out it was dark enough that the driver didn't see her.
"Marinette, look out!" he shouted.
Her head snapped up and she looked to her right and saw her peril.
"Move!" Adrien shouted, starting to run in her direction.
Marinette turned to run, and when he would look back on this, he saw that she turned toward him. Unfortunately after only three steps, the toe of her left foot caught behind her right and she fell to the pavement, her arms flailing, but unable to regain her balance.
"Nooooo!" Adrien cried as he saw that the truck wasn't even slowing. "Plagg, claws out!" he shouted.
Marinette raised her head, and looked toward Adrien. She knew the truck couldn't stop in time, and that she wouldn't survive the hit. She managed to unsling her purse, and threw it, knowing that Adrien would take care of it, and Tikki. Her eyes widened when he heard his shout.
As she watched, Adrien, her classmate and crush. The boy that made her heart race and her brain short circuit, was running towards her. In mid-stride he changed into Chat Noir, her friend and partner, well Ladybug's partner, but that was splitting hairs.
Once the transformation was complete, Chat put on a burst of speed, and snatched Marinette's purse out of the air. As he ran, he scooped Marinette up from the pavement and into his arms. A step later he dove for the safety of the sidewalk on the other side of the intersection. Knowing he couldn't control the landing, he curled his body around hers, holding her tightly to him. His right shoulder didn't quite clear the curb and he felt and heard the crunch of bone breaking. Ignoring the pain, he held onto Marinette, shielding her body with his own as he rolled, and finally came to a stop.
Marinette was jolted from her shock at seeing Adrien transform into Chat Noir when he scooped her off the pavement.
"Hold tight," she heard him say, then felt the sensation of free fall as he leapt for the opposite sidewalk. She felt the impact of his landing, and heard his grunt of pain, but with his being curled protectively around her she couldn't see anything.
Coming to a stop, Chat let out a breath that he had not been aware that he had been holding. He carefully straightened his body, giving Marinette room to breathe and he looked into her face, instantly drawn into the twin lakes of her bluebell hued eyes.
"You, okay?" he asked softly.
"Yeah. I. . . I think so," she replied, unable to tear her eyes away from his emerald green ones. "Hey, you're hurt!" she said when she saw him grimace as he moved to a sitting position with his back against a building.
"Yeah," he groaned as she shifted, "But hey, I did what I wanted to and you're safe. This will heal."
"Silly kitty," she said, her fingers flicking the bell at his throat, "Honestly, how bad is it?"
He captured her hand with his left, and his lips brushed her knuckles. "From how it felt, I'd say the shoulder is broken. I'll stay in the suit about an hour and it'll heal, I'll just be sore for a few days. Umm. Look I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone about who I am. I know I can trust you." he said as he handed her her purse.
Marinette sat back, and saw his confused face at her dry chuckle. "You have no idea, chaton." she said softly, fingering the clasp of her purse. "You up to traveling?"
"I know a place I can hide out for a while, then I'll go home." He arched an eyebrow when she smiled shyly at him, her cheeks brushed with pink.
"What if I can give you somewhere more comfortable and secure than the school to heal."
"Wait, how did you. . .?"
"Brace yourself for a shock." she said as she stood. "Tikki, spots on!"
Chat Noir watched as a flash of red streaked from her purse to her left ear, pink light flowing from the top of her head down, her hands forming her mask then the power washed down to her feet, transforming her from Marinette, into his partner, Ladybug.
She laughed softly as he sat there, his mouth hanging open, What's the matter, partner, cat got your tongue?"
The fact that it was Ladybug, and not him making the pun shook him from his shock. "Nice one, Milady."
"Well, I'm entitled to say a few seeing as I let the cat out of the bag." she quipped, then grew serious as she held out a hand to him. "Let's go get you settled."
He took her hand and she helped him to is feet.
"Ohh. Wait wait wait," he said grimacing in pain.
"Right," Ladybug said, seeing that his arm hanging down was putting strain on the injured shoulder.
"Lucky charm!" she cried throwing her yo-yo up. A moment later a triangular bandage, and a roll of gauze fell into her hands. She used the triangular bandage to make a sling for his arm, and they both were aware of their closeness as she tied the knot at the back of his neck, having to stand on her tiptoes to do so. She then used the roll of gauze to bind his arm against his side. "Better?"
Chat let his arm go limp and felt only the slightest of twinges from his shoulder. "Much mon sauveur." he said.
Ladybug nodded, and suppressed a yawn. She draped his good arm over her shoulders, and put hers around his waist, pulling him tightly against her. "Okay, on three we jump. Our target is that balcony across the street."
"Right," he said then listened to her count to three and they jumped together. He grunted slightly when they landed from the jolt of pain from his shoulder.
"Chat, you okay?" Ladybug asked.
"Holding you this close, never better." he replied with a cocky grin and a wink.
Despite herself she chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "Wait here," she said, then went down through the sky lite. A moment later she returned with a blanket. "Fortunately it's not supposed to rain tonight, and it's the beginning of the summer so it won't get cold," she said and guided Chat to a chaise lounge under a small awning. Realizing she didn't need to be Ladybug any longer tonight she handed him the blanket. "Tikki, spots off," she called and Chat watched the magic flow from her feet to her head, returning her to being Marinette.
"Hey! Are you alright?" Chat asked as he put a steadying hand on her shoulder.
"She is simply exhausted," a voice said.
It was then that Chat noticed a kwami that was red with black spots and blue eyes was floating just off Marinette's right shoulder. "You must be her kwami," he said. He smiled as Tikki giggled.
"Yes, and my name is Tikki," she said with a small bow.
"Pleased to meet you, Tikki."
"I want to thank you for saving my chosen, and at the cost of your secret."
He glanced over at Marinette as she was spreading the blanket on the chaise, "My pleasure, and I'd do it again without hesitation, for anyone."
Chat was surprised at the sly look Tikki gave him, "Not for anyone, I think, at least not giving away your identity."
Chat watched as Tikki flew back over to Marinette, then walked over himself. Even with Plagg giving him power at Chat Noir, he was tired and sleep sounded like and excellent idea.
"I assure you that it will work," he heard Tikki say as he walked up.
"Okay, then," Marinette said, "Tikki, spots on."
"Whats up?" he asked after the transformation.
"Tikki says there's a way that I. . . we, can add to Plagg's healing of your shoulder.
"Well, let's give it a try." He said then watched as Ladybug nodded then crossed over to his right side.
"Oh, yeah, afterwards, give this to Tikki." she said handing him a cookie. "Okay, so stand still," she instructed then put hand hands lightly on his shoulder.
After a moment he noticed that the shoulder felt warm, and he could just turn his head to see a reddish glow coming from her hands. As he watched she lowered her head so that her forehead was just touching his shoulder. The glow faded after a moment, and she sighed when she raised her head.
"That should do it, now we all need to get some rest."
Chat nodded his agreement and settled down on the chaise, and found his attempts to help pull the cover up with one hand only got in her way so he lay still and let her do it. Then she dropped her transformation.
"I'd better. . . better, get to bed," Marinette said drowsily, and he saw she was swaying on her feet.
"Marinette, sit before you fall over," Chat said, and patted the edge of the chaise by his hips.
"Yeah, okay," she mumbled, and he could tell she was having trouble thinking.
He watched closely as she slowly sank onto the chaise.
"I'll just sit here a moment, then. . . umm, yeah, go to. . . to."
As he watched her struggling to put a sentence together, he also watched her slowly lean to one side, then end up laying beside him, her eyes closed even before her head reached the pillow.
"Just so you know, your shoulder has been completely healed," Tikki said, "Yes it will be sore for a few days, but that's all."
Chat shrugged his shoulder, about all he could do with the way it was currently bandaged.
"When you drop your transformation, then sling and bandage will vanish as well," Tikki said, then he could tell that she was blushing slightly. "It has been a great many years since I have seen Plagg, and I would very much like to."
Chat smiled, and held out the cookie. "This is for you." he said. "Plagg, claws in."
"Plagg!" Tikki cried when the black kwami appeared. "It's been to long!"
"Yeah, yeah, long time no see, Spots," Plagg said, and Adrien smiled at his reaction to Tikki hugging him.
Adrien shifted so he was laying on his side facing Marinette's back, and he kissed the back of her head. "Good night, Princess."
"Mmmmmm, Adrien," Marinette sighed, then snored softly. Surprisingly, Adrien found the sound soothing and he drifted off to sleep.
~fin~