Hey everyone! So much to do and so little time! Actually, we have plenty of time, I'm just a natural dramatic. LOL I hope you are excited, I know I am! Let's keep the storm rolling!
Thanks to everyone for the reviews, favs, and follows! And a special thank you to my beta SunshineMLB!
Of course I don't own the characters silly. Just the plot!^-^ Enjoy!
Setting the Board
She sniffled slightly; her nose still stuffy from all the crying she had done last night. Most of it was a blur, just bits and pieces that hung heavily in her memories.
There had a been a surprised flash of orange, and the familiar scent of cinnamon Rena always seemed to carry.
She remembered her name, being whispered by a sad little voice who instantly flew up as a blur of red and nuzzled her cheek, further cracking the damn inside of her.
Time seemed to stand still for a while, the pain stayed relentlessly fresh, his angry words echoing loudly in her heart.
Then there was the darkness that she had been hoping for, the endless night that tightened around her as it swept her away from the world. Her own personal source of darkness, that was the only thing she had taken comfort in.
It was the tightness of his tail around her waist as he held her close. The steady beating of his heart in her ear that finally silenced the angry words. Gentle claws that ran through her loose hair that finally soothed her so that she no longer shook. Rumbling, soft purrs escaping from deep within his chest as the familiar smell of his leather mixed with his natural heavenly scent finally calmed her to sleep.
Her eyes fluttered open to the darkness of the room, her arm tightening around the extremely comfortable pillow she found herself laying on.
Her pillow moved underneath her, nuzzling closer to her as a pair of strong arms tightened around her, making her go still.
Pillows didn't have arms.
Pillows didn't move or smell like heaven.
She peered up slowly, her eyes instantly adjusting to the darkness as she saw his cat ears twitch in his sleep.
Chat.
She was in Chat Noir's room. She was in his bed, using him like a pillow.
She moved back away from him so quickly that she toppled over the side with a solid thunk to her bottom as a small squeak left her against her will.
Chat instantly stirred, asking groggily, "M'Lady, what's the matter?"
All sleepiness was gone as she said it instantly panicked, her face flushed red, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to use you like a pillow or fall asleep here I swear I,"
He peered over the side of the bed sleepily, a dazed smile on his face as he laid his head on his folded arms under him, "M'Lady its fine. You were upset." There was a slight twinkle in his eyes, "And you can use me as your Chat-pillow anytime you want."
She didn't know it was possible for her face to reach this level of red.
She grabbed the pillow that had fallen to the floor with her and smacked it down hard on top of his head.
He laughed from underneath, peering at her from under the pillow without moving it, "I'm glad you are feeling better."
She looked away from him ashamed and his voice softened, "Will you tell me what happened?"
She shook her head in silence. That wasn't a burden she wanted on his shoulders.
He sat up slightly, letting the pillow fall to the side before slipping off the bed and sitting perched next to her on the floor. He ran his hand over her head, saying it gently, "That's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he gently turned her face to his, smiling at her softly, "but I'm here if you do." He kissed the top of her head, making her feel less and less worthy of him by the second.
Here she was, getting comforted by the sweetest, most amazing guy she knew- realizing just yesterday that she was in love with him- after crying all night for a guy who couldn't care less about her.
He wiped a stray tear from her face before it could get far, and she promised herself that it would be the last one. She would never cry over Adrien ever again.
Two years was too long to let someone have that kind of control over her heart. The pain was still there, she expected it to be, but she wouldn't let herself drown over it.
She cleared her throat lightly, asking slowly, "What exactly, happened last night? I thought I was in my room with Rena."
He nodded, "You were when I got here. Rena called me and said you had come back to campus really upset, to the point where she couldn't get you to calm down."
He looked down guilty, "I'm so sorry I never met you yesterday. I should have never taken that phone call from work. I got caught up and didn't even get your messages or phone calls until closer to eleven when Rena called me."
She refused to let him feel guilty, "No, it's okay I understand. I had to stop by the office too, unfortunately."
He frowned, seeing the instant change in her demeanor as she mentioned it. Something had to have happened to her at work, that's why she didn't want to talk about it.
Identity secrets.
It made his heart twinge in guilt as he thought about his own ensuing problem that had erupted at work yesterday.
Marinette.
Kwami's he hoped he had a chance to talk to her today, so he could even try to begin to apologize for the things he had said.
Priorities though. He had to make sure his Lady was really okay.
He gave her the biggest grin he could, "Purr-chance, do you have any plans today m'Lady?"
His grin turned real when he heard her groan, "Sometimes I really think about re-evaluating our relationship."
He stilled slightly, feeling his heart skip a beat as he said it lightly, watching her face carefully, "I guess it just depends on how you want our relationship to change m'Lady."
She was in the middle of shaking her head when she froze, her eyes dropping to her hands, "I guess that would depend on what our relationship is now."
His conversation with Marinette echoed in his mind, 'Take your own advice Agreste. I'm sure the girl you mentioned earlier would love to know how much she means to you.'
He put his clawed hand over hers, asking as his heart thundered wildly, "Lady," she looked at him in shock at hearing him call her that, "I," his phone began to ring and he stopped, staring into her eyes in regret.
She smiled and told him, "I know. Answer it."
He stood and reached over the bed to the nightstand, grabbing the annoying device that ruined everything and answered heatedly, "Hello?"
Nathalie was instantly running through his schedule for the day, reminding him that he was supposed to be spending time with Lila. He contained his growl and told her hard when she was done, "Send me the schedule please. I'll be at the office in twenty." He hung up and repeatedly pounded his fist into his forehead, "Why, why is this my life?"
Lady touched his arm softly, asking worried, "Everything okay?"
He nodded, "Yeah, it will be all right. I have to go though. My father is having me escort one of the most annoying human beings I've ever had the displeasure of meeting."
She said it a little shocked, a small smile finding its way into place, "That sounds, very out of character for you."
He smirked slightly, "Trust me, if you ever have the misfortune of meeting this girl, you'll understand why." He let his forehead rest against hers, "But I have you, and that's how I'll get through this awful day."
She let her eyes close and told him, "I'm just a call away if you need me to come to your rescue Kitty."
He chuckled, pulling away from her before caressing the side of her face, "Our conversation is not over."
She nodded, "Whenever you are ready."
He leaned down and pressed his lips softly to hers, hearing a happy sigh escape her as he pulled back, "I'll text you when I can." He stared into her eyes and told her seriously, "And try to have a good day. Don't let whatever happened yesterday weigh you down purrincess." He lifted her hand and kissed it with a small bow, telling her the truth, "It broke my heart to see you that upset."
She blushed slightly, "I'll be okay. That was a one-time occurrence, I promise."
He smiled, but his tone was serious, "I'm glad, but if I ever find out who upset you like that, they will wish they had never met you."
She said it quietly, "I'm sure he already wishes that so don't worry."
Chat's tail snapped angrily and she told him quickly, "Really it's fine Kitty, I'm fine. You have to go, don't you?"
He hesitated but then nodded, "Unfortunately. This conversation isn't over either." He reluctantly left the room to start what was no doubt going to be an extremely long day.
Lady sat on Chat's bed for a little while longer, trying to decide what she was going to do now.
...
Adrien moved away from the small crowd of people hovering around Lila, taking the chance to text Alya and Nino to check on their progress, "Can either of you get a hold of her yet? I'd really like to talk to her."
Alya's response was almost instant, "No, she isn't responding to either of us. Sorry Sunshine."
"Yeah bro, we are heading to the bakery now to go check on her. Think you can sneak away?" Nino chimed in.
"No, still dealing with my Italian leech problem." He sent the text quickly as he heard the familiar, arrogantly confident clicking of her heels coming back towards him. He slid his phone back into his pocket, turning to face her seconds before she grabbed a hold of his arm, "What were you doing?"
"Checking the schedule." He lied easily. "We still have some time before we have to meet with my father before going to lunch."
Lila pulled him with her down the hall, saying it happily, "I'd be happy to do anything that would make you happy Adrien."
He kept smiling even though his thought nearly slipped out, 'Except let me leave your sight.'
She trailed a finger in a light circle on his chest, making him lean away from her as far as he could, "Please don't." He asked hard.
She just shrugged, "The offer stands."
He tried it anyways, "Monopolize someone else's time then."
She shot him a hard glare before looking behind him slightly, a wicked smirk entering her eyes.
He turned and saw Mouse concentrating on something on her tablet as she walked, oblivious to everything else around her.
He smiled instantly before it fell in guilt, Lila's voice dripping in sweetness, "Oh Mouse, I'm so glad I got to see you again."
Marinette looked up, blue eyes meeting green ones before she pointedly looked away from him with no expression on her face.
He tried not to let it get to him. He deserved nothing less.
"Is that so?" Marinette asked somewhat coldly. "Why?"
Lila was all smiles, squeezing herself closer into his side, "Adrien here was telling me about how incredibly talented you are. I mean you are working with Mister Agreste directly on the Fall line, it's very impressive. I am totally honored to be wearing the highlight piece you helped my Adrien work on."
Adrien saw Marinette's shoulders visible sink, "Y-You are wearing it?"
Lila was practically beaming, "Of course I am. Adrien and I are going to be modelling them together. It will be just perfect don't you think?"
Marinette glanced at him with a sweet smile that sent his stomach lurching, her voice nothing short of serious, "Oh it will be perfect. You two are perfect for each other after all."
She pulled out her phone as it began to ring, saying it sweetly, "Excuse me, I have to take this."
She started to walk away and Adrien told Lila hard, "You just can't help yourself, can you?"
She asked innocently, "What ever do you mean Adrien dear?"
He pulled his arm out of hers forcefully, "First, I'm not your dear, I'm not your anything. I have a girl in my life and you will never come close to her. Two, I'm talking about your sick enjoyment at hurting other people. Mouse has never done anything to you,"
Lila said it quickly, "Oh but she did. She has always been a thorn in my side and now she knows how it feels, that's all." Lila huffed slightly, "As for having a girl in your life, please, you could at least try harder to lie. If you were in a relationship everyone would know about it by now."
"One of the reasons I'm not taking that step with her." He said frustrated, "I'd never drag her into this god-awful life."
Lila crossed her arms, "You have it better than most. If you don't capitalize on it, it is your own fault."
"Mister Agreste." Marinette's voice cut through before he could respond.
He instantly turned, frowning as he told her, "You don't have to call me that."
She said it evenly, pulling a black portfolio folder out of the bag at her side as she did, "We are work associates, not friends. It would be wrong to call you anything else."
He flinched and she held the portfolio out to him, "They are finished, so feel free to present them to your father at your earliest convenience. I know you and Miss Rossi are extremely busy so I won't keep you. Please excuse me."
He was barely opening the folder when she turned and walked off. He saw the beautifully created designs in much greater detail, notes and colors, fabrics and small pieces of details on the other page.
She had finished everything, and a day early.
He snapped the folder shut and rushed after her, calling out quickly, "Mouse wait."
She stopped and turned back to him, avoiding his gaze, "Yes sir?"
His voice dropped to a whisper, "Marinette stop that please. We worked on this together, we should both,"
"They were your ideas. I was simply the hand that put them to paper and I already let your father know that. You deserve the credit." She lifted her eyes to his, saying it softly, "It would be ridiculous to think otherwise."
He felt a lump form in his throat, forcing it out, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be." Her voice was sad, "It's my own fault for thinking we could ever be friends. I told you before, you are the great Adrien Agreste," her voice dropped slightly, "and I'm no one special. Let's leave it at that."
"That's not,"
"Mouse, you ready?"
Their attention moved to the voice behind her.
He hated seeing the smile erupt on her face, "Felix hey. Yes I'm done I think. Unless Mister Agreste needs me for something?"
"Oh, don't you worry about him little Mouse. I'll make sure to take care of all his needs." Lila said reattaching herself to his arm, making him cringe internally again.
He hated her energy. It was dark and volatile, and everything he had spent almost his entire life trying not to be because of his Miraculous.
Felix's eyes widened slightly, "Lila Rossi, I didn't expect to see you here."
Lila smiled, "Oh I'm going to be here for a while don't you worry. I've spent too much time away from my Adrien as it is. It's nice to see you again, Felix."
Adrien asked Marinette instantly, "What are you doing with him?"
Felix answered before she could, "It's not any of your business. It's personal. If you are done holding the Mouse hostage,"
"She's not a hostage." He said hard, but Felix just smiled, "Oh good. Let's get going then, shall we?"
Felix held his arm out politely to Marinette who smiled hesitantly before putting her arm in his. They walked off and Adrien's stomach turned angrily.
Lila warned him as she clicked her teeth in disapproval, "Skirting a very thin line there Adrien. For the little nobody being your friend, it sure sounds like you were a little jealous there." She said it happier, "Of course nothing is going on between you after all. I mean if there were, she'd be out of a job."
Adrien stayed silent, still seething as he watched Felix and Marinette disappear down the hall. The folder like a ten-pound weight in his hand.
He couldn't wait for the day that Lila went back to Italy, or for the day when his cousin returned to London.
…
Felix looked extremely smug from atop the circular platform as she corrected his alterations, telling him carefully, "You really love getting under Adrien's skin, don't you?"
Felix let out a small laugh, "If he didn't make it so hard, it wouldn't nearly be as fun."
She shot him a hard look and he said it quickly, "I'm kidding, sort of. He needs to learn to loosen up a bit."
She asked curious, "Why do you care if he knows that I'm fixing your suit alterations or not? It's not like it would make a difference to him either way anyways."
Felix hummed in thought, but there was no real hesitation there, "He doesn't deserve you, you know. He's an idiot who has gone too long without realizing what an amazing person you are. It's only now that he's found himself losing you because of his big mouth that he,"
"How do you know about that?" She asked quickly in horror.
He smiled somewhat apologetically, "My uncle told me. Even he is upset by the things Adrien was saying about you."
She looked down and finished off the hem of his pants, saying it softly, "It doesn't matter anymore."
Felix said it quickly, "If that were true, you wouldn't still be upset."
She stayed silent and he kept going, "You can see it all over your face. You don't know whether you want to be upset or angry at him, or just give up all together. Which, will never happen given that you are working for the very company that he will inherit one day." Felix smirked slightly, "Unless my uncle passes it to you when Adrien proves his incompetence yet again."
She said it instantly angry, "Don't you dare talk about him that way. You have no idea how hard Adrien works, or what kind of pressure Gabriel puts on him! He has never and will never be incompetent!"
Felix kept his face perfectly stoic, "Adrien is never going to love you."
Her throat tightened but she forced it out, "I don't care. I have someone in my life who cares about me for being me, who has seen me since the moment we met."
She added it somewhat slyly, "He's my knight in black armor, and if Adrien is meant to just be someone I work with, that's fine."
Felix didn't look away from her for a solid minute before telling her, "You hide the pain well you know. I almost believe you." He touched under her chin, and a shockwave of nerves spiraled down her entire body.
"But you and I both know it will never be fine with you. Seeing him every day, watching him falling in love so easily with someone else, never realizing what you kept from him all this time, it will eat at you and eat at you, until the pain is set so deep that you'll never heal from it. You'll never be able to let someone else in because he, will always be that dark shadow at your back you'll never be able to shake."
He let go of her chin and she said it defiantly, "I've already let someone in. I refused to really accept it but today it happened. Today I looked Adrien in the eyes, and all I saw in his place was the guy I want to be with. Some part of my heart will always cling to Adrien, but I know who I'm in love with."
Felix scowled slightly, but it only lasted long enough for her to realize he had even done it, "Suit yourself Marinette. You went from a Prince to Knight, so let's hope he doesn't have a lost love like yours that magically reappears one day to take him from you."
A twinge of fear overtook her, knowing that there was no way Felix could really know what he was saying.
Her voice shook, "He'd never hurt me like that."
Felix shrugged, "If you say so." He took out his phone and started texting quickly, not looking at her again as he told her, "Thank you for doing the alteration for me."
He was walking toward the door when he stopped, his voice hard in a way he had never directed at her before, "You know, you never thought Adrien would hurt you either. Look where that got you."
He closed the door behind him, no longer waiting for a response to the text and making the call instead.
"Captain, it's rare you call during the day." A light, familiar voice said evenly.
"Did you get my message?" He asked sternly, making his way down the hall back towards the lobby.
"Yes sir. He's ready. He was just waiting for the call."
"Good. Go. If I don't hear anything in the next ten minutes, I will make the lot of you wish you had never been born." He threatened.
Riposte answered evenly, "He's already heading out. You should hear something in about five."
He clicked off and immediately dialed her number, hearing her answer annoyed, "What do you want?"
"The board is set, you have five minutes. I made the call." He hung up on her with great satisfaction and made his way out of Gabriel.
He was done waiting for Hawkmoth to deliver his bug. Now, he was going after her himself.
And this was the one fight he wasn't going to miss.
...
Chat hissed in annoyance, the large boulder-man yet again increasing in size as he knocked it in the back of its head with his baton.
Viperion was next to him in seconds, grabbing him and jumping back with only seconds to spare before the boulder-man spun around and slammed his fist into the ground.
Chat asked evenly without looking at his lieutenant, "Chanced it huh?"
"I didn't think you'd appreciate being a Chat-cake." Viperion said, hoping to get any other emotion out of his friend besides cold indifference.
Chat flinched at the pun, wanting to instinctively laugh and fist-bump his lieutenant for his brilliance.
Instead, he opted for the cold indifference he'd had with him the past week, "Yet you think I'd appreciate you treating my Lady like she's the plague when you should have never opened your mouth to begin with."
Viperion sighed heavily, "That's not why I said something."
Their eyes were following the boulder-man's movements, trying to figure out what exactly he was after.
Chat said it frustrated, "We don't have time for this. Find that damn akuma so we can get the hell out of here."
Viperion warned him as he jumped down, "Stop hitting it! You are just making it grow stronger!"
"Then find a solution snake!" Chat called back, making Viperion flinch at the harsh name.
Chat had called him a lot of things, but never snake.
Viperion strummed his lute lightly, watching Chat engaging the Akuma without landing any blows. This wasn't going to get them anywhere, Viper thought, but there was nothing on the Akuma that looked like it would be housing the negatively infected butterfly. Where the hell could it be?
Viper's communicator beeped and he saw Rena come up as he answered it, "Rena?"
"We have a problem. A big, BIG problem. Lady is heading your way and she is going to be in the cross-fire. Can you intercept her?" Rena asked slightly panicked.
He nodded, "I'm on my way, which direction is she coming from?"
"Straight ahead of the giant boulder. I'm sorry, I didn't think she would willingly run head first into the fight."
"Nothing we can do about it now." He was already moving when he hung up on Rena, his eyes darting around as he looked for the person who shouldn't be there.
He found her almost instantly, knowing that he wasn't going to make it in time to stop the giant's fist from slamming into her. Viper looked for Chat Noir, seeing Chat slowly getting up from the ground and clutching his stomach in pain.
He called a Second Chance, hearing his communicator beep. He answered quickly, already moving, "Rena. Lady's heading this way. We'll get her, don't worry."
He clicked off before she could respond, knowing that she would piece together that he had used his ability.
Viper found Chat about to charge towards the boulder giant and jumped in between them, taking the full force of the blow that had been meant for Chat Noir.
Chat caught him in the air before he could slam back into a building, instantly scolding him, "YOU IDIOT! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!"
Viperion groaned, grabbing at his stomach as everything in it threatened to come back up, "Lady, on your six. Ten seconds."
Chat instantly turned and was already running, calling out to her in a panic, "LADY MOVE!"
She stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening as the rock giant turned to her with a raised fist.
Chat had never felt himself move faster as he slammed into Lady at full force, knocking them both out of the path of the falling fist seconds before it left a giant crater in the ground. He cradled her tightly against his body, trying to protect her from as much of the impact as he could before they rolled to a stop when his back slammed against a building.
He groaned and Lady asked panicked, "Chat are you okay!?"
He nodded, telling her hard, "What the hell are you doing out here!"
She glared at him, both of them getting to their feet as she told him, "I came to tell you that I have an idea! You can't hit that Akuma without it getting bigger, but it hasn't opened its right hand once! The akuma isn't on him, it's probably in whatever he is protecting in his hand!"
Chat grabbed her suddenly and shot them up to the rooftops on his baton, narrowly missing another swipe of a rock covered fist.
Rena dropped down near them, saying it hard, "I can't believe you! Have you lost your mind Lady!"
Chat gave Lady a face that said, 'See, I'm not the only one who thinks so'.
Lady turned to Rena and told her the same thing, "We have to find a way to get it to open its hand. I'm sure the akuma is in there."
Rena looked at Chat who said it heavily, "We have to try something."
Viperion made his way over to them, saying it relieved, "Good, she's okay. Good."
Chat looked straight at Rena, "Get my lady out of here. She doesn't leave your sight."
Lady stood defiant, "I want to help!"
"I don't want you to get hurt!" He told her quickly, "We can handle this. You've done enough giving us something to go after, but you aren't ready to be out here."
Viperion blinked a few times before looking around quickly, Chat catching the subtle cue instantly, "What are you looking for again?"
Viperion instantly moved Lady between him and Chat, Rena quickly moving into place so that they were standing around her protectively, their backs to her, "We are being watched. It has been a blur the past dozen times I've tried to stop it but we keep failing. Keeping her between us stalls it, we have another minute or so, but I don't know how to stop it beyond this point. It's relentless."
Rena asked worried, "What are you trying to stop?"
Viperion looked over and caught Chat's eyes for a fraction of a second, "They are trying to take Lady."
Chat instantly put his hand behind him, Lady putting her hand in his as she took a step closer to him. "It's another distraction. Of course, it is."
Viperion was scanning everything in sight, waiting to see the blur moving towards them.
But it never came.
He tagged the time before Chat told him, "I'm getting her out of here and back to campus. Can you two hold off the Akuma until I get back?"
Viperion warned him, "That's not going to work. Last time you tried, it didn't go well."
"Time's change." Chat said easily.
"I'm not going to watch you get nearly snapped in half like a twig!" Viperion said angrily.
Lady squeezed Chat's hand, telling him as she realized what they had to do, "I need to be the bait."
"Not happening." Chat told her angrily.
"Listen, this will work, trust me." She almost begged.
The three experienced holders exchanged small glances before nodding.
Chat smiling slightly, "Tell us what you want us to do."
She quickly gave them the plan, convoluted as it was, but it would work.
She hoped.
Thanks for reading! More is coming soon so don't fret!
Feel free to leave a comment or review if you want, it brightens my day to hear from you guys!
Au Revoir for now!
