Chapter 1

Hardship of Heroine

Hi! I decided to start that fic inspired by a video, I advise you to check it out, If Chat Noir Was a Villain (AU) by Ari. I advise to check out the rest of the channel there are some really good vids.

Also English isn't my first language, don't hesitate to point out mistakes.

A sinister voice echoed through the Louvre, piercing through the silence.

"Ladybug…My Lady, come out…"

It was the middle of the day, and the usually crowded museum was deserted, except for two souls. The very soft sound of a shaky breath was briefly heard and died in the silence. Marinette shivered in fear and did her best to silently walk toward the exit while hiding behind everything she could see. Only a few minutes…But a few minutes could be so long…What would Cat Noir do if he caught her?

He used his Cataclysm only two minutes after me. Or was it more than that? She couldn't be sure, but he had some times ahead to catch her.

"Come out to play, the cat is going to catch you little mouse!" It was followed by a mischievous laugh.

A shiver ran through her and she prayed he wouldn't see her. Putting a hand over her mouth to remain as silent as possible, she continued her progression. Cat Noir really knew how to sound threatening when he wanted, he didn't have to really make threats, it was mostly underlined. But maybe that was why he was scary at times. She had been able to stop the new villain, the Pharaoh, but once again Cat Noir was the biggest threat to her. This one was no akumatized victim who just needed to be separated from an evil butterfly, he was a super-villain and he still had his power while her Miraculous had reached its limits. Tikki was in her bag, exhausted, she couldn't transform again.

She leaped behind the closest statue as she heard him getting closer. She had been able to get away from his sight just before she turned back to normal, at least he hadn't seen her face for now. But she wasn't out of the bushes. He couldn't find her like that, she wouldn't be able to fight him!

"MY LADY!"

She stopped breathing and stilled completely. He was close! Did he see her? Was he behind her?! She turned her head but saw no one behind and was relieved. Her breath stopped again as she saw his dark frame entering the corridor.

"COME OUT!"

The way he yelled made her guts tighten. But now, if he was yelling, it meant he was impatient, maybe he was going to reach his limits too! She hunched a bit more as he crossed the corridor hurriedly. He advanced toward the statue. Oh hell!

A big noise was heard from afar and she was startled but didn't make any sound. Cat Noir ran in that direction and Marinette waited long enough for him to be away to start running again. From afar, she heard: "Police!"

The cops! They would surely try to get Cat Noir. She doubted they would get him but at least it would keep him away from her. She sprinted out, and she eventually crossed a few policemen but she simply told them she had been hiding, too terrified to move out of her hiding spot. They lectured her on the necessity to evacuate a building when the alarm was heard and she listened with relief. They had believed her, and she was away from Cat Noir. She found Alya out, with Alix's brother.

"Are you sure there is nothing I can do for you, I'm so sorry," he was saying to Alya.

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize anymore, you weren't yourself anyway."

She guessed he was, he had after all tried to sacrifice her to the Sun God while being akumatized. But as Alya said, it wasn't his fault. Once she saw Marinette approaching, she stopped paying attention to the young man.

"Marinette! Where have you been?"

"I was hiding, I thought you were behind me, then I couldn't see you anymore and I tried to look out for you."

"I was recording everything, it's gonna be a success!"

"I'm sure of it."

They heard Roger, Sabrina's father, yelling to his men because Cat noir escaped them. Marinette wasn't surprised, but still disappointed, she had a bit of hope that maybe, just maybe her enemy wouldn't be able to torment her anymore.

"Well, can I drive the two of you somewhere?"

The two gladly accepted, a drive home would be nice after all. Still, Marinette promised herself she would patrol to try to get a sight of Cat Noir. For now, he was surely a civilian again too, but he could reappear soon. Alya happily spoke to her during the drive, and she did her best to focus but it was difficult. Cat Noir…He and Hawkmoth wanted her miraculous and she had no idea why. Who were they? What were they doing right now? They were in the shadows, waiting for the next occasion to attack, and it seemed like all she could do was wait and stay on her guards. It was frustrating as hell!

Her only consolation was the fact she still managed to save people, and her foes didn't know her identity either. As she was in her room, Cat Noir's voice seemed to haunt her. My Lady…She laid in her bed and felt the need to hug her pillow. That taunting voice, and that surname he had given her…Sometimes it could have seemed like he was trying to seduce her, he was always kind of flirty. She didn't know if he was calling her like that because he wanted to mock her or because he was some kind of gentleman-type criminal. Anyway she had been terrified when she had been powerless while he was searching for her. She swore she would never be that vulnerable again!

"Marinette, you're okay?" Asked Tikki

"Yeah…I should have backed off sooner, he almost got me."

"Everyone makes mistakes, don't worry. Yous till beat him and that villain, as Ladybug, you're almost unstoppable."

She smiled at this. Yes, as Ladybug, she was incredibly strong. But Marinette wasn't, and she had to be careful that Cat Noir would never get to her.

"I have to train and get better. Pharaoh almost sacrificed Alya, if Cat Noir hadn't bumped into him by accident, she would have died!"

"It's good if you train, but don't blame yourself."

Simply nodding, she started to do her homework. She would patrol over Paris and train later at night. She practiced her reflexes and her speed for a long time that night, as well as some moves. She had to get better, she had to be stronger.

When Marinette woke up the next morning, she was tired as hell and she only had the strength to stop her clock alarm. She didn't have enough sleep, just like the previous night, and the others since a month. At her side, Tikki yawned as well and Marinette took her in her hands gently.

"I don't want to go to school."

"I know. But don't worry, the week-end is coming soon and anyway you'll see your friends."

Yeah, it was at least that. Alya was all excited that morning because of Ladybug's last exploit, for once Chloe and she agreed that her fight against Cat Noir and the Pharaoh had been amazing, but the rich brat still had to add that she was Ladybug's biggest fan. It always made Marinette laugh inside, to think that Chloe was unknowingly her most fervent admirer.

"You must have been so scared," Mylene commented.

"I was, I mean that guy wanted to sacrifice me! Oh, sorry Alix."

"It's okay," the girl assured her. "My brother isn't the first one and surely not the last."

"Oh no, remind him I have no grudge against him, I know he wasn't himself. I know it sound crazy, but it was almost worth it, it was just incredible to see them fight so close," Alya added, "I really feared for her at a point, I really thought Cat Noir was going to manage to knock her down!"

Marinette feigned to pay attention, but in reality, she was dozing and looking at Adrien at the same time. Only a few words kinda woke her up. "I wish I was her," Rose said, "She has adventure and everyone loves her!"

"Except Cat Noir," Adrien reminded, speaking for the first time.

Marinette smiled at him. She didn't like it when people would say that Ladybug had a great life with adventure, glory and all. They didn't know the other side of being a hero. They didn't know how hard it was to hide her secret identity from her parents and everyone else, to hardly sleep at night because you she had to finish homework she couldn't work on because she had spent too much time training, patrolling or fighting villains. And the pressure, the horrible pressure to know she had to save Paris from them, and the danger like yesterday to fall into their hands. And they didn't know how hard it was to fight Cat Noir. That's why she was thankful toward Adrien to remind them of that. He really was perfect…

"Marinette?"

She jumped on fright as Alya's voice called her back to reality. "Oh, sorry? What…"

She understood as they saw they were entering in class, she didn't even notice the teacher had arrived! She focused as much as she could on the lesson but she was shivering because of the lack of sleep and the cold. It was spring, and the wind was still fresh and chilling. Good God, couldn't they warm the rooms a bit more!

Looking at her from his seat, Adrien wondered what was wrong with her. One thing was sure, he was as tired as she was. He had to speak to her, it wasn't the first time she looked exhausted and it seemed to be getting worse. When they had lunch with Nino and Alya, she seemed like she didn't dare to look at him. Why was that? He wondered sometimes if she was just shy or if she didn't like him.

He looked at her with gentle eyes and murmured: "What are you doing of your night?"

"What?!" She blushed like crazy.

He was embarrassed when he realized his sentence could be wrongly heard. "Hum, I mean you look tired! I was just concerned."

"He is right," Alya pointed out. "I thought you were going to sleep in class."

"Oh, well…I just have difficulty to sleep, yeah! And my homework and helping my parents at the bakery, it's not easy. I also couldn't help but think of what happened in the museum. You…You look a bit tired too. Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, it's just the photo shoots and all the extra-scholar activities my father wants me to do. Sometimes it's a bit overwhelming."

"I imagine…" She didn't know what else she should say.

"You thought of what happened in the museum? You were worried for me?"

"Of course Alya!" Marinette genuinely exclaimed. "Cat Noir and that guy were around, it was dangerous!"

"It's okay, Ladybug always wins, and anyway Cat Noir does huge mistakes. At a point, Pharaoh had almost gotten her but Cat Noir had jumped on him, he was trying to catch her but in the end, the two villains just ended up bumping into each other! When I think about it, it's also because of Cat Noir's clumsiness that she could save me!"

It wasn't clumsiness, I wanted you to live. Adrien wished he had been able to voice that out, but he couldn't. Instead he feigned to be amused and then reminded Alya she should have ran out like everyone, Marinette agreeing with him. Of course, the girl didn't regret her choice, the images she caught were worth it according to her. Ladybug always wins…Yeah, until now she managed to be victorious each time, but what if she failed one day?

At the end of the day, the young girl still felt brighter: class hadn't been so bad, no villains today and more importantly Adrien had noticed her, he seemed to care enough to see whether or not she was tired!

"You two have gotten closer, you really have to trust yourself a bit more and be more relaxed around him. Maybe you could try to do some activities with him?"

"I can't, I'll find a way to be ridiculous around him, he'll be better than I."

"So what if he is, there is no shame in not being the best in a domain."

She wasn't sure, but she could keep that idea in mind. Alya would definitely approve it, in fact Tikki and she would have been great friends if only they had been introduced. Yet, she really feared to ridicule herself. She sighed and focused on homework again until her parents called her for some help in the bakery. She was still a bit tired but she would deal with it.

Next chapters should be longer, this one is mostly introduction. Don't hesitate to tell me what you think!