"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Hello, I'm Nadja Shamoc and I am here with Paris' own superhero, Ladybug." The reporter said from her studio that was set up for this interview. Her gaze was focused on the respectful crowd of people that had been gathered. These sorts of events attracted a lot of people to the news building, since no one wanted to miss out on what Ladybug had to say.
"Hello citizens of Paris, it's always wonderful to be here." The heroine sat across from Nadja on a stiff couch. She tried her best to not be nervous in front of others, especially when she was in costume, but she felt it might have been showing on her face. To combat this, she gave a bigger smile and waved at the audience with what she hoped was her usual Ladybug collectiveness.
"It's always great to have you on here." Nadja gave her a newscaster smile, though Ladybug could see that a hint of curiosity behind it. Despite being part of the media, the older woman could at least look genuine most of the time. "Things have really calmed down since the defeat of Hawkmoth a few months ago."
"It really has- I am really glad to see Paris finally recovering from his attacks." This was probably the best part of the current situation. After Hawkmoth had essentially terrorized the citizens for three years, Parisians had become used to bottling their negative emotions. This, in turn, created less frequent but more powerful akuma. "I'll continue to do my part for the city so it will stay that way."
"About that, Ladybug." Nadja's face morphed somewhat into something that looked like concern. "As thankful as we all are for what you do, people were asking if you might be... looking to retire anytime soon."
"What do you mean?" She asked for clarification despite already knowing the road where this was going. Of course, there was going to be a day in which she was no longer needed but she really didn't want to think about it. An uncomfortable feeling seeped underneath the surface in her mind but she did what she could to ignore it.
"Since the final battle is over and the city has recovered, some wonder whether you are… currently needed." Ladybug took a sip of her water to hide the gulp that forced its way down her throat. She didn't think that Parisians would already be questioning her presence so soon, especially since-
"Hawkmoth may be defeated but that doesn't mean my duty is over quite yet." If Bunnyx was anything to go by at least, that wouldn't happen anytime soon. Ladybug hadn't even gotten her full range of powers yet so it must not be over yet. "The moth brooch is still missing after all."
"Are you saying another Hawkmoth might appear?!" The uncomfortable feeling came back with a vengeance but Marinette only took another drink from her glass to settle her nerves. This was also was something that she expected to be asked.
"It's certainly possible but know that Cat Noir and I are doing everything we can to stop that from happening." That was all she could do, really. The last thing she wanted was to cause a panic and inadvertently help the next supervillain. At the same time, this false sense of peace could also be very bad just as well.
"...Speaking of Cat Noir, though, his fans are wondering if he is okay." Nadja paused, giving a concerned look. It was good to know that he still had a loyal fanbase that worried about him. "Why hasn't he made any public appearances lately?"
"...Cat Noir has been dealing with personal issues lately. That's all I can really say on the matter." Thinking of him, Marinette could only sigh. There was a lot she wanted to say about her kitty but, if she wasn't careful, she would give away too much. "I am sure he'll make an appearance when he's ready."
"Well, I do hope that he will be alright." Ladybug nodded as she took another drink. Thankfully, it was almost the end of the interview. It seemed like these segments would span on for at least an hour but this time, she was only scheduled for a thirty minute slot. There was very little she could do with time constraints so she was grateful for the news stations accommodations. "One last question before you go, Ladybug."
"Sure, of course." She already had the glass of water in her hands so she drank more.
"Since the arrest of Gabriel Agreste, it has come to light that his assistant, Natalie, was in on it too." Alarms and red flags went off in her mind at where this line of questioning was going. Still, Nadja continued. "Do you think that his son, Adrien Agreste, might have had something to do with his schemes?"
Marinette nearly dropped her glass as she choked on her own spit. She had prepared for this question in particular. There were rumors going around that, since his son had never been akumatized, it was likely that Adrien was helping Hawkmoth. Still, she couldn't believe that one of her closest friends was capable of doing that. All she had to do was remain calm and respond accordingly-
"Adrien Agreste is still just a child! It's entirely possible he had no clue about what his father was doing! I will not stand for these baseless rumors since no proper evidence has come to light!" Ladybug knew that she should have responded in a more tactful manner. Maybe it was the fact her close friend was subjected to house arrest, how he lost everything in one night alone, or maybe it was the empty smiles and reassurances that he was fine that did it. There was also the fact that Chat had been mentioned earlier, since both of the most important boys in her life seemed to be suffering.
It might have even been just stress but, as the superhero stormed off the set, tears were leaking from her eyes. The audience and Nadja were left somewhat in shock as the broadcast was abruptly cut. Unbeknownst to her, a certain boy had been watching from the TV in his room, a small semblance of a smile gracing his lips. "...Thank you, Ladybug."
Finally back on her balcony, Ladybug took time to detransform and breathe properly. Tiki was already patting her cheek in comfort, trying her best to calm Marinette's anxiety ridden state. Interviews and appearances always made her nervous to some degree. That is why Chat always made more public appearances, as he always knew what to say and how to say it.
A couple years ago, she had a lot more confidence talking to other people. Surprise, surprise, that was something Lila had taken from her. It felt like the girl had stolen any peace of mind she could ever have. All she could do at this point was to try to calm down so she wouldn't wake up her parents, or, at the very least, not wake her mother.
She let a few tears slip down her cheeks before she opened the trap door on her balcony and climbed into her bed. Laying there for a few moments, she contemplated getting up and actually getting into her pajamas. Marinette dismissed the thought very quickly, knowing sleep wouldn't come easily to her that night. Before she could think of what to do to occupy her time, there was a light knocking above her.
Narrowing her eyes, the teenager grabbed one of her thick, harder than a brick pillows and inch-opened the trap door. She blinked upon seeing the familiar rubbery soles of her partner as he took a step back from the opening. His gaze was friendly but also brimming with concern. "...Princess?"
"What are you doing here, Cat Noir?" She poked her head out of her room but remained inside. Her kitty stood awkwardly on her balcony, as if unsure how to approach her. If you told her months ago that Chat had the capacity to turn into such a frightened mouse, she would have laughed. Hard.
"I, uh, was on patrol when I heard… the unmistakable sound of muffled crying." Now it was her turn to act awkward. Of course, he had super hearing so it made sense that he could detect even the softest sobbing. He was probably worried that she could become an akuma.
"...Oh. Don't worry Chat, I'm just fine." She put on her most convincing smile but he gave an unimpressed look. "You were probably hearing someone else that was upset-"
"-This isn't the only night I heard it." The boy gave her a somewhat guilty look as he continued his interruption. "I- er- heard it on my patrol, at least three or four times now. It was only today I could pinpoint it coming from the bakery."
"It's fine, Kitty,. I was only stress-crying." Marinette felt bad lying to him like that but she wasn't sure what she could tell him. Certainly not that she knew he was hurting, not when that conversation would tread too close to her own identity. She could have told him about Lila but really, that was really her own problem. Not a superhero's, especially one dealing with his own issues. "I don't want to be akumatized so I just need to let it out sometimes, you know?"
Chat Noir gave a sigh in either relief or defeat, she couldn't tell. His tail flicked for a moment as he contemplated something. "...At least let me help you cheer up then."
"What do you have in mind?" He was already by her side, holding out his hand in a gesture she hadn't seen from him in ages. Gently, she reached out and let him take the palm of her hand in his fingers. Chat gave a lopsided smile, not as bright as his usual ones or even his devilish smirks, but she could tell it was real and genuine. After missing maybe a few beats, she was in his arms as he jumped from the bakery patio to the Parisan rooftops.
Her partner took her to one of the abandoned buildings that they used as a quick meet-up point for patrols. Already set up was a blanket, picnic basket, and an old radio. It was the exact arrangement she had put up when Chat hinted that he wasn't eating enough at his home. "...Oh Kitty," was all she could say, touched.
"I know it isn't much but this is how my- what Ladybug would do for me sometimes." Marinnete nodded as she sat down and he began to pull out food and some plates. Carefully, he made a platter for her before putting together one for himself.
"...Thank you, Chat." She began to eat the food he must have had stored in a temperature-controlled container for it to be so warm. Soft music played from the radio as they sat in silence. Without realizing it, tears were welling in her eyes. "How do you do it?"
"...Do what, Princess?" Chat gave a concerned look as he set his food down for a moment.
"How do you talk to the public? Know what to say and how to say it?" He might not have done it recently but… he made it look all so very easy. He could wow a crowd with just a few words. She would never admit to it but she had always looked up to his charm and charisma, even if she poked fun at it sometimes.
"...It came more from experience than anything. Years of social conditioning and proper edicate does wonders for diplomacy and negotiation." There it was, little snippets from the life he had. In the beginning, Marinette would never imagine her partner being the high society type but, the more that he hinted and let slip, the more she understood that he wasn't what he seemed at times. He definitely was lonelier than he let on initially. "Though, not even that can prepare you for controversy, turmoil, or the fallout that follows. It really speaks to someone's character how they react in certain situations ..."
"...Is that why you have been avoiding the press? You're not sure how to handle it?" It suddenly made sense why he had become so camera shy as of late.
"No one can be perfect all the time, least of all me," he said glumly, as if it was something he had come to realize himself. That it was a hard truth that he couldn't do everything, be the hero that Paris needed to be all the time. She wasn't sure if she was projecting her own insecurities onto Chat or… if she saw herself in him at that moment.
"...Who says that you have to be perfect though? Every other day, you saved the city from peril! That isn't an easy job! I am sure people understand that and are willing to support you, Chat. I know I am."
"...Thanks, but I don't think Ladybug is very happy about it." Chat looked down guilty, his food forgotten even in his hands.
"Why do you say that?!" Marinette was almost appalled at what he had implied. Did he think that she didn't care about him? That she expected her partner to be better than she was?!
"...If I can't do my part, it only pushes more onto hers. She's the current guardian of the miraculous, was the one that actually defeated Hawkmoth, and we are both still trying to find the missing Moth Brooch." Chat Noir sighed again, overlooking the city. "I think she's far more tired than she lets on…."
"...Maybe. Maybe you are right." In the end, that was all she could think to say. The two of them just picked at their food before the superhero took her home. He gave a small smile as he waved before vanishing into the night. Marinette watched him go before laying in her bed and falling into an uneasy sleep.
Maybe, she should take her own advice sometimes…
It had been two weeks after the fight and Ladybug was exhausted. Every night she had been out patrolling the streets, trying to find any trace of the missing miraculous. She couldn't believe her own ineptitude at the time, failing to retrieve it right after Gabriel had been defeated. There was only herself to blame so she, alone, would bear the responsibility of finding it. At least, that was what she convinced the media about the next day, in response to her partner's apparent absence.
There had been no sign of Chat since he had fled that night from the Agreste mansion. He had been acting strangely quiet since they found out Hawkmoth's real identity. Then there was how he acted while they faced off against the villain. Words alone couldn't describe the shock and horror on his face as he stood before a passed-out Gabriel Agreste before bolting from the scene.
That was another reason why she had come each and every evening. She had been worried sick about her kitty, wondering if he was safe and sound wherever he was. He had long since hinted that his homelife was subpar, without going into any details, of course. Her mind ran through the possibilities of what happened to him, what could still be happening to him.
Ladybug had only let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he had been transformed that day. Without hesitating, she swung her yo-yo and headed to the building that her partner had perched upon. It had been lightly sprinkling for the past hour but his hair had been completely soaked. She began approaching him before he spoke, his voice strained from emotion.
"...Why… why did it have to be him?!" Chat Noir cried out into the night, causing Ladybug to freeze in place. She stood there, not knowing if she should go over to him or run away herself in that moment. Cat had decided for her, as he grabbed onto his baton, and vaulted away into the night.
She stood there in the drizzling rain, her pounding thoughts screaming at her. His words were on repeat her mind and a cold dread washed over her. Gabriel had to be someone close to Chat for him to say something like that… but her brain utterly refused to connect the dots further.
The sound of a lighting strike had Marinette jolting awake in her bed, dripping wet. She had stupidly left her skylight open as some rainwater had gone into her sheets. Closing the hatch, the bluenette got up to change clothes and get a new bedspread.
Once again, Monday came with morning class. Marinette groaned as Tiki somehow managed to convince her chosen to get up on her second alarm. In a haze, she dragged herself out of bed, changed her clothes, and at least attempted to do her hair properly. By the time she was downstairs, she thought she looked decent enough, even if she was so very tired. The look that her mother gave said otherwise though. "...Oh Honey, are you alright?"
"Perfectly fine, Mom." She gave her best, most convincing smile but the older woman just frowned deeper at her. Taking a glance at the mirror hanging on the wall, the teen finally understood her mother's concern. She had somehow managed to put everything she was wearing on backwards, her pigtails were uncharastically uneven, and the lack of make-up showed the dark bags under her eyes.
"Here, let me help." Sabine grabbed a spare hairbrush that she kept hidden for mornings like these. She had long suspected her daughter was dealing with too much on her plate. It was the little things that gave it away; how she had been caught nodding off during dinner, how she would keep herself locked in her room busy with projects and homework, or how her reaction time on videogames had suffered.
At first, the older woman took small measures to lessen the load for her daughter. She hired extra help in the bakery so she didn't have to ask Marinette to fill in before or after school. The chore list that she put up to be done became smaller and yet, progress was still slow. When Marinette blamed lack of sleep on insomnia, they went to a doctor and she was prescribed medicine. When those didn't work, she gave her daughter herbal tea and helped meditate with her. When she became too busy for that, she allowed the teen to start drinking coffee, in reasonable intakes of course.
Looking at her child, it seems that still wasn't enough. More drastic measures needed to be taken if only for the sake of her wellbeing. If not, Sabine was scared that she might lose her only daughter. "Marinette, I want you to take tomorrow afternoon off. To do nothing at all but rest."
"...Huh?" Marinette gave a confused look as Sabine tied her hair in their familiar ribbons. It seemed that she had been lost in thought or, maybe, too tired to even think properly. It was hard to tell.
"You've been taking on so many responsibilities and for that I am happy, but you also need to take care of yourself too. I don't want to see you burn yourself out at such a young age." The mother was very much of the opinion that children should be able to enjoy their childhood while it lasted.
"...I'll be fine Mom, I promise." That was yet another empty promise to add to the pile. Ever since becoming Ladybug, her life had been chock full of those, along with plenty of lies. It never ceased to make Marinette feel any less guilty about it though.
"I am serious, Honey. I will ground you if you do not take a break. Even if grounding means shoving you out of the house to do something less productive." Sabine gave her a soft smile, tucking a stray strand of hair out of her face. "Now go on up stairs and get changed again so you can make it to school on time."
"...Okay." Marinette thanked her mom and went back to her room. She righted her clothing and put on a concealer to hide her eye bags. Grabbing her purse and her bag, she made it downstairs in time to have breakfast and coffee with her mom. Kissing her parents goodbye, she ran off towards Francois Dupont with plenty of time to spare, for once.
Maybe, if she listened to her mom's advice, things wouldn't have gone so poorly that day.
Yet another chapter is done, though this one doesn't leave me quite happy. Timing really isn't my forte. Oh well, just something to work on for future chapters.