Chapter Three
A/N: This chapter gets EXTREMELY fluffy. You have been warned.
Also, I honestly don't know what's going on with my spellcheck... so sorry about spelling errors.
Cat Noir screams.
The electricity in the air fades and so, too, does the reaction between Cataclysm and Wyvern's Aftershock. Adrien lands heavily on his feet, wavers, then sinks to his knees. His right arm hangs limp and cold at his side, the fingers tingling slightly. He can't seem move them.
Wyvern laughs softly and nudges the dazed hero with the toe of her boot. With almost no resitence, he slumps to the ground, staring mindlessly into the distance.
"Cat Noir?!" Heart hammering, Ladybug doesn't think as she pushes away from her struggle with the villain's Claw and races to her partner's side. "Cat Noir?! Are you alright?!" When she shakes his shoulder, he gives a little moan and blinks tiredly. "Come on, snap out of it!" she urges.
Just as his eyes are coming back into focus, they hear it. His ring doesn't beep, it...screeches. Cat Noir flinches in surprise and tries to twist his hand around to see it, his stomach churning when he realizes his entire arm seems to be...paralyzed.
But whether or not she's picked up on that troubling revelation, Ladybug does it for him. She turns his hand right side up and her eyes widen at the sight of the green paw insignia on the ring visibly glitching. The image shakes and bends, the pads disappearing and reappearing seemingly at random.
What on earth did Wyvern do to him...?
Speaking of which.
Ladybug turns and rises to her feet. She doesn't have her yoyo so she can't wrap the fight up herself, nor does she think she could without Cat's help. But they have to get out of here if the way Cat Noir's ring is shrieking gives any indication. He could lose his transformation at any time.
So that just leaves one option.
"Hey, Lizard Face!"
Wyvern scowls.
Ladybug scoops up Cat Noir's staff from the ground and, even though it doesn't activate at her touch like it would for him, she twirls it expertly and sprints forward. She might not officially be able to use Lucky Charm...but she's always been good at working with odds and ends. And right now, Cat's staff is all she's got.
They clash a few times, but Wyvern's attacks aren't as severe as before. The akuma is panting heavily and there's a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Seems like Aftershock takes quite a lot out of her. Ladybug, on the other hand, is pumped with adrenaline. A few good strikes to the gut and chest and Wyvern is staggering away, one arm folded protectively around herself.
Hawkmoth's glowing mask appears over her face and she grimaces. As it disappears, Wyvern lunges forward again, her hand aiming directly at Ladybug's earings...but she's struck down by the furious hero.
Ladybug swallows, not liking the thought of leaving Wyvern here to recover and regroup...but one look at Cat Noir and she decides she doesn't care. As quickly as she can, she helps her partner to his feet and together, they hurry away into the dark alleys.
"Wyvern! What are you doing? Go after them!"
"Relax, Hawkmoth..." She mutters, clutching her head as it pounds from the roar of his voice. "They're heroes, remember? And heroes never cower in fear of the villain for long. They'll be back. And when they do, I'll take their Miraculouses as promised." But for now, I need to rest... Flexing her fingers, Wyvern frowns. They tingle a little and the tips of her gloves are stained black. Seems a little of Cat Noir's attack got through after all.
Wyvern hasn't followed them. Half of Ladybug is relieved. Now all she has to worry about is her partner, who is sitting, hunched over against a brick wall. His right hand draped lifelessly across his stomach. The other half feels guilty. If Wyvern goes on to terrorize the people of Paris because she couldn't stop her...
The thought sends a chill down her spine.
"Cold, M'lady?"
Ladybug returns her attention to Cat Noir, who has a crooked smile on his face despite the nerve-wracking keen of his malfunctioning Miraculous. His green eyes seem to glow in the dim light. Just like a cat's. He grins and pats the ground beside him with his good hand.
"We don't have time to snuggle right now," she mutters. "We have to get somewhere you won't be found when you lose your transformation."
"Actually, Ladybug, I was thinking that you looked tired and should sit down for a while..." he corrects her, completely serious.
Oh.
But then the facade breaks and he's grinning brightly again. "Got your mind on snuggling, do you, My Lady?"
She rolls her eyes and takes a step forward, offering him her hand. He takes it. As Cat Noir unsteadily gets to his feet, he winces and rubs his paralyzed arm and his ring gives another sharp screech. The pads are flicker rapidly in and out now, going from four to one to two to four to three...
"How's your arm?"
He looks up and Ladybug is frowning deeply at it. That frown where her eyebrows curve like loose U's and her lower lip puckers out a little. A sad, pouty frown. He swallows the lump in his throat and forces a smile, ignoring how she makes his heart flutter in his chest. "I can't move it," he admits, trying his hardest to flex his fingers but they don't move even a twitch.
"Is it...broken?" she asks, gently probing the limb with fingers as light as butterflies-or...maybe not butterflies but...
"I don't think so, just kinda...paralyzed."
Ladybug gulps. Paralyzed. "Do you think releasing your transformation will fix it?" Her voice is a full octive too high.
"I don't know. Maybe."
Ladybug's expression twists into one of deep concern. He can almost see how hard her heart is beating.
"Ladybug, at the very least your healing light will fix it," he consoles her. "We just have to figure out a way to defeat The Wyvern."
"I need my yoyo for that..." she says, remembering the way it soared into the distance. "I guess we both need to transform."
"Seems like it." His ring shrieks again. Loudly. It hasn't been five minutes yet but...he can sort of feel his transformation beginning to wear off slowly. Like his senses are dulling and the supernatural strength of his muscles is beginning to wane.
A little pang of disappointment goes through him when he, despite the tanglible way his transformation is ending, he still has no feeling in his arm.
"I better go," he says. "Before I blind you with stunningly good looks."
Ladybug gives a little laugh and nods her head. "Will you be able to make it...?"
"Worried for me, Ladybug?" With a wink, he takes his staff into his good hand and prepares to vault away. But she grabs the crook of his elbow to stop him. "Uhh...Ladybug, I know you love spending time with me but I really have to-"
"I know, just...I've been thinking... Do you remember that girl from this morning? The one who tried to help us beat Guerrila?"
Cat Noir raises an eyebrow. "You mean the one who got me clobbered by a hunk of wood? Yeah, I remember her."
Ladybug dips her head in thought. "I think that might be Wyvern's true identity... The thing she threw at Guerrila looked just liked Wyvern's weapon. That claw she uses to fight."
"You're right..." he mutters, thinking back on the girl. He vaguely remembers thinking her familiar looking. Perhaps she goes to his school. Though he can't recall her name... Just then, his ring starts to spark and screech so loud it hurts their ears. "I really have to go now!" he tells her, vaulting up onto the roof. "Feed your kwami! We'll meet at our usual spot. See you tonight, Partner!"
And then he's gone, his black suit melting into the darkness of the Paris skyline. But Ladybug stands there for a while longer, staring at the spot where he disappeared. But her mind isn't there, in the alleyway. It's back several hours in class, Adrien's perfect, beautiful face smiling apolgetically at her.
Thanks. See you tonight, partner.
...
...OH GOD SHE FORGOT ABOUT ADRIEN!
"Ohh, Tikki...oh no...oh no oh no oh no...he probably thinks I'm a flake or an airhead or...oh god he probably hates me..." Marinette tries calling him again. This will be the fourth time in five minutes. Under normal circumstances, she would be worried about appearing creepy for so many calls (and a text) but right now, she's just concerned with why Adrien isn't answering.
Her kwami is nestled within some shrubs, watching her pace through the park as she munches on a chocolate chip cookie. Sure it's dark and cold and a teenage girl with no jacket walking in circles in an empty garden is probably pretty weird but that's the last thing she's worried about right now.
On top of Adrien likely thinking her irresponsible, at the very least, there's also Cat Noir to worry about. What if his arm really is paralyzed? What if transforming doesn't fix it? Sure, her healing light probably will but...there's always the chance that...that it...
The sudden chirp of her loud ringtone startles her out of her thoughts. Marinette fishes her phone out of her pocket and her heart gives a little jump at the sight of the contact.
Adrien.
Oh god.
She fumbles answering the phone and is so frazzled she doesn't even say 'hello'. "Adrien! Oh I'm so sorry! I completely forgot about our study dat-uhh! Our...study...thing... I forgot we were supposed to-to st-to study. Ohhh I'm the worst partner ever!"
But he isn't mad, like she'd been fearing he would be. Then again, she can't picture an angry Adrien. What would that even be like? Instead, he gives a light laugh and she hear the smile on his face when he speaks. "Seems like it slipped both our minds tonight. I was just calling to apologize for missing it."
"Wha-really?"
"Ha, yeah... The shoot ran a little longer than expected and while I was on my way to your place they called me back again... I really am sorry, Marinette."
"It's-it's no problem! Like you said! It slipped both our minds."
"You want to try again for tomorrow?" he asks and she notices he's slightly out of breath, but she doesn't question it. He must be walking home.
"Sure! I promise I won't forget this time!"
Adrien chuckles again and says, "Me too. Uh, goodnight."
She can't help but blush for some reason. "Uh...g-goodnight, Adrien..."
Click.
Marinette bites her lip and feels it quiver in a mixture of relief and excitement. Adrien isn't mad at her. She doesn't have to cancel with him and struggle to come up with a dumb excuse why. Everything is okay.
Well...
Everything except the really important things.
"Tikki? You almost finished?"
Her kwami has just swallowed her last bite of cookie and gives a cheerful nod.
"Alright then. Spots on!"
A flash of pink lights the park and Ladybug reaches around behind herself, feeling the familiar presence of her yoyo. With a smile, she pulls it off her waist and lassoes it to the horn of a gargoyle posed atop the nearest building. The Eiffel Tower glows warmly in the distance.
Cat Noir is already there when she arrives, perched between two cross-sections of steel with one leg dangling casually over the edge. He's facing away from Ladybug when she lands so she can see the fingers of his right hand slowly, and with much difficulty, beginning to flex.
To say she feels relieved is an understatement.
"How does it feel?" she asks without preamble, apologizing when he jumps in surprise. Cat Noir stands up and leans his hip against one of the beams, his stance a little too non-chalant for someone who's arm just got trashed in a fight with a possessed villain.
"It feels fine now, transforming did the trick for the pain but..." he lifts his arm, holding it out for her to see. "I can move it now but the finger are a still a little lazy..." He demonstrates the weakness in his fingers and Ladybug sighs softly.
"I'm sorry, Cat Noir...I just hope my healing light fixes it."
"It will," he assures her with a crooked smile. Then, he gracefully kneels on one knee and presses a kiss to the back of her hand. "No need to worry, Lovebug."
"I am not your Lovebug."
"I dunno, My Lady, it sounds too much like your name to be a coincidence, don't you think? It must be fate."
Ladybug groans when he leans in close, grinning from ear to ear. "Then what makes you think I'm your Lovebug?" She takes her yoyo and whips it around a lower section of the tower, gliding down toward the rooftops below them. Cat Noir follows her with a laugh.
"Because Ladybug and Cat Noir have always worked together. For thousands of years. If that's not destiny, I don't know what is!" Ladybug suppresses her amused grin as they reach the rooftop and he sticks close behind her, walking almost in her footprints.
"You're hopeless," she tells him, scanning the dark horizon.
"Hopelessly head over heels," he counters.
"Sure, Romeo. Let's just get looking for this akuma."
"Very well, Juliet."
The heroes bound across the frosty rooftops, nearly a month of winter giving them pleanty of time to practice treading on the slippery shingles. Their breath puffs out in steady, white clouds and Cat Noir shivers a little at the cold, his nose beginning to run. Sniffling, he slides to a graceful stop beside Ladybug, who has stopped to look out over City Hall, searching the street below for any sign of akuma activity.
"Where would she go?" Ladybug wonders out loud.
Cat Noir hums and crosses his arms over his chest, rubbing them through his leather suit. The street looks green and white in his night vision and he doesn't see any movement. Wherever she went, it's not here. He sniffles again.
Ladybug looks over at her partner wearing a curious little smirk. "What's the matter? Kitty got the sniffles?" she teases. Cat Noir gives a mocking laugh.
"I told you. I hate winter."
"Aww, it's not that bad."
Cat Noir gives her an incredulous look. "Please don't tell me you like the winter time."
Ladybug rolls her eyes and gives a half hearted shrug. "I don't hate it. I mean there's snowmen and hot chocolate and-" At her partner's blatantly open mouthed revulsion, she stops and grins impishly. "What? It's kinda nice..."
"Ohhh, Ladybug..." his tone is almost disappointed and for some reason, she laughs at his over dramatization of such a silly, pointless fact about her.
"I'll have you know winter is my second favorite season." Then she freezes. (No pun intended.) Wait. She shouldn't be talking like this. Sure, the conversation seems innocent enough now but all it could is one misplaced fact and suddenly she'd might as well have 'Hi, my name is Marinette' written on her forehead.
However, Cat Noir doesn't seem to mind where this is headed at all. His miserable expression has brightened into one of genuine curiosity. "Really? And what is the Lady's first favorite season?"
She almost answers him. But... "Uh, nevermind, Cat. I don't really like where this is headed...if you know what I mean."
But Cat Noir just scoffs. "I know I'm brilliant and amazing, M'Lady, but I doubt even I could figure out your secret identity just by knowing what season you like."
Well...he does have a point. She sighs. "Okay, okay. It's spring. Now come, let's keep looking." Ladybug starts walking and does her best to ignore how he happily trots after her, seeming to glow from knowing this one, small thing about her.
Honestly, he's such a dork. Ladybug grins as she swings away on her yoyo, Cat Noir close behind her.
"What's your favorite color?"
Ladybug sighs exhaustedly. It's been an hour of fruitless searching through the darkened city. She's cold, tired, and frankly a little cranky. And so far, her partner has pestered into telling him her favorite food, book, movie, and even a few of her hobbies. "Cat-"
"Oh come on. I'm not gonna suddenly know who you are because you tell me your favorite color is red."
"That's not the point. The point is we should be...wait. What makes you think my favorite color is red?" She turns to face him and Cat Noir looks as cold and tired as she feels, but he's smirking at her, his hands folded innocently behind his back.
"Well...I figure someone who wears as much red as you do-"
"I didn't choose my costume," she reminds him.
"-must at least kind of like it."
Marinette pauses. "Red is a...nice color. Not my favorite though."
"Then...what is?" His smile widens but Ladybug rolls her eyes. The answer is right there on the tip of her tongue but the gleam in his eyes and the smug smirk on his face makes her bite it back.
"Aren't we getting just a little too familiar for one day?" she asks him as they walk along the rooftops side by side. "Besides, you've asked me tons of questions this evening and I still know nothing about you." Good thinking, Marinette. Distract him-
"Mine is blue," he says suddenly and the way he's staring into her eyes makes her feel...fidgety. She turns away and offers a slight hum of recognition but her heart is thumping a little too quickly. Must be the cold... "So...? Don't leave me hanging."
She moans and shakes her head. "Fine. But this is the last one."
"Deal!"
Ladybug stops her steady retreat and he stops beside her, one eyebrow raising under his mask. She purses her lips for a moment, and then plants her hands on her hips. "Okay. Listen very closely, Cat Noir, because I don't want you to take this the wrong way and inflate that already massive ego of yours even more."
He tilts his head, his bell jingling. "Okaay."
She hesitates a moment before muttering, "Green."
For a second, he doesn't react at all beyond a thoughtful nod of his head. And just when Ladybug is about to sigh in relief that he hasn't appeared to make the connection, a huge grin crosses his face.
"I always knew we were a purrfect match, My Lady."
Ladybug frowns. "I told you not to overthink it."
"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"
"Oh geez. You are the biggest dork I've ever met."
"Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May."
Marinette can't help but laugh, despite her embarrasment. "You read Shakespeare?"
"But of course, My Lady! My father insists I be well read."
"What about your mother?" She blurts out the question before she really thinks about it...and instantly regrets it the moment Cat Noir's light expression darkens and his smile fades from his face. "I...I'm sorry...that's none of my business..."
His smile returns, softer this time. Sadder. "It's okay. She's just...not around anymore." Is all he says before they continue wordlessly through their patrol, Marinette silently kicking herself for ruining the mood and being the reason behind the first genuine sorrow she's ever seen on his face.
She's such an idiot sometimes.
Wyvern watches the two figures patrolling below her and flexes her fingers, The Claw retracting with the movement of her arm.
"Now's your chance, Wyvern. Take their Miraculouses and your wish will be fulfilled."
As the violet masks fades from her face, Wyvern smiles. "Yes, Hawkmoth."