I'm so sorry I missed the last two days. I just didn't have any time at all to even think about these chapters, let alone write them. I'll try to get back on track as soon as possible. I do have the next few chapters planned, just need the time to write them!

Thanks you as always for your support and reviews. I've loved reading all of them.


Day Twenty-Three: Earth and Water

It was Sunday evening, and the dawn would bring with it the first day at Lycée. Thankfully, Marinette had successfully procured her place at her preferred one, the arts Lycée by the Louvre. Although she was looking forward to starting—finally, a school without Lila and her ridiculous stories!—there was trepidation too. What if she wasn't good enough? What if she somehow made so many egregious errors in her first week that they kicked her out.

What if they realised she was a fraud with no real talent in art after all?

Marinette shook her head as she sat at her desk, packing her bag for tomorrow. She wasn't a fraud; she'd gotten in on her own merits, and come tomorrow she would be accepted as someone deserving to be there.

Still, as excited, and nervous, as she was to starting school again and finally have something to do with her time outside of akuma attacks and the odd commissioned piece, it would suck having to spend evenings once again stuck in her room finishing homework. And so, after zipping up her rucksack and double-checking the outfit she'd laid out already on her chair for tomorrow, she clambered up to her bed and opened the balcony door.

"Fancy an evening run?" she asked Tikki, who was reading Marinette's new textbooks. Textiles for Every Occasion.

The kwami perked up. "You know what to say!"

"Tikki, Spots On!"

Freshly invigorated, and hoping no one was currently looking at her balcony, Ladybug climbed through the trapdoor into the warm evening. She was lucky; the streets beneath were empty. And so, with the bright light of the full moon guiding her, she leapt off her roof, flicked her yo-yo, and flew.


Paris had always been beautiful at night. After all, it was the city of lovers; to be beautiful at night was a requirement. In Ladybug's opinion, the most beautiful part of Paris at night was the Seine. And her favourite part of the Seine was the old, stone bridge near Notre Dame. It was here she eventually came to rest after swinging and leaping across the Parisian skyline, energy spent.

She settled down on the bridge, feet dangling over the edge, and watched the water distort the moon's reflection. Something about the way the river rippled and swirled had always calmed her. Its lilting rhythms and sighs stilled her heart and made her think back to simpler times, when all that mattered in life was the feel of her parents' hands around hers, the anticipation of ice cream from André's cart, and the sunshine glimmering on the water below.

Now, of course, it also made her think of music. Of gentle, probing melodies played with expert hands; of the sharp sshhngg of fingers moving up strings; of soft chuckles and hums vibrating in a warm, beating chest. Of the houseboat moored further down the river, bobbing on the water, brimming with music.

Ladybug felt a too-wide smile slip across her mouth as her thoughts drifted to Luka. He had improved so much over the summer. It was strange to think that only a few months ago, at the height of spring, he'd been on the brink of having a breakdown over the guilt of having a monster for a father. Therapy had helped set him straight, escape his father's long shadow, and the realisation that Jagged Stone was his real father had pushed him into the light.

Not that Jagged Stone knew, of course, having disappeared shortly after they found out to perform a selection of shows in the South of France. And Luka wasn't sure he wanted to tell him.

"Ma doesn't want me to," he'd said. "Says he'd be a terrible father figure, which I can see. Besides, Jagged Stone's like a river. Flows where he wants. I don't think having a son he didn't know about would stop its course."

Marinette knew what he meant. Jagged was a river: wild and untamed, although Penny was doing a good job at reining him in. But Luka, steady, reliable Luka, was like a rock, and the river would simply pass him by.

Maybe, one day, things would change.

As Ladybug sat and pondered, she noticed a figure on the skyline, launching itself from roof to roof with the same joyful abandon she had earlier. At first she figured it was Chat Noir, but she noticed the figure didn't have a baton.

Viperion, then?

She wasn't sure what to think of the new hero. She trusted him, to some extent. It was difficult to have the same trust of him as she did Chat Noir as she simply hadn't known him as long. But he was friendly enough, if a little distant. Competent in his role, if somewhat hands-off in close combat. Clever, if hesitant to voice his ideas. She figured he was still getting used to the job, still developing his relationship with them, still finding his place in the team.

Then again, his power was reliant on his ability to stand back and observe, choose the right moment to reset, know what to change to fix the future. It wasn't a task she would choose for herself.

Soon enough, Viperion spotted her and, after a short hesitation, joined her on the bridge. He sat down, making sure to keep a bit of distance between them.

Had it been Chat Noir, he would have shuffled as close as he could.

"Hi, Viperion," she said. "What are you doing out?"

He shrugged, staring at the river as it snaked into the horizon. "Not a lot. Just wanted to get out for a bit. Lycée starts up for me again tomorrow. You?"

"Same," she replied. "Thought it'd be nice to make the most of today before my evenings are all taken up with homework."

"Yeah, I feel you."

She smiled. Even superheroes had the mundane nuisances of real life to contend with. "I'm sure Chat Noir's out here somewhere with the same idea. He must be starting Lycée tomorrow too. Or at least returning."

"Not like him to miss an opportunity to see you," Viperion commented.

"Yeah," she said sourly.

Viperion seemed surprised. He looked at her, head tilted, small frown playing on his lips. "Trouble between you and the cat?"

"You've seen what he's like. Always flirting and calling me nicknames…"

"I thought that was just part of your relationship with him."

"Unfortunately, it is. Doesn't mean I like it. I mean…" She sighed.

It felt strange talking about him. Because Ladybug didn't often talk to people, especially about her relationship with Chat Noir. And Marinette could hardly bring it up. But Viperion, he'd seen it first hand. She found herself wanting him to know. Because maybe someone would be on her side. See her annoyance instead of Chat Noir's love-sickness.

"It's just so annoying!" she finished.

"So, it's not put on?"

"Huh?"

His frown deepened. "I assumed his flirting and you getting annoyed with him was just an act. You know, for the media?"

"The media don't seem to acknowledge my annoyance," she muttered. "They just see his flirting and decide we're meant to be together or whatever, with no regard to what I want, or how I feel. I mean...look, nobody knows this but…" She paused and glanced around for anyone who might be loitering and listening, but they were quite alone.

Viperion looked around too then leaned closer conspiratorially.

"I have a boyfriend," Ladybug said. "As a civilian. I feel so bad every time Chat flirts with me, but I feel like I can't tell him I'm seeing someone because, well, you know how unpredictable he can be. He might go off on one of his hissy fits and refuse to work with me. He's done it before."

Viperion pursed his lips and sat back, leaning against his hands. "Does your boyfriend know?" he asked. "That you're Ladybug, I mean."

"No, of course not. We have to keep our identities secret, remember?"

"I know," he said. "I think you should tell Chat Noir that you're seeing someone. It's disrespectful to your boyfriend. And to yourself. Chat Noir will get over it; his feelings aren't any more important than yours. I'd hate to see your partnership break down because of resentment on your side."

"But it might break down because of him."

"And that'll be his fault. Don't sacrifice your well-being because of his immaturity," he replied. "And remember, just because you're Ladybug doesn't mean you're not your civilian self too. You're still dating someone, and you shouldn't stand for people incessantly flirting with you. I have a girlfriend, and if someone tried flirting with me as Viperion I'd say something."

Ladybug hummed thoughtfully. "I think you're right," she admitted. "Okay, next time I see him, I'll tell him. But...you'd better be ready to pick up the slack if he acts out because of it." She nudged him playfully; he nudged her back with a laugh.

A familiar laugh that made her mind twinge, but she couldn't for the life of her work out why.

"So, you have a girlfriend then?" she said. Because she loved romance, and even if she couldn't know who she was, she still wanted to hear more. "What's she like?"

The change in Viperion was instantaneous. His cheeks took on the slightest pink hue, and his smile spread into a sort of love-struck grin. "She's amazing," he sighed. "She's creative and clever. Beautiful… She, well, she actually kind of reminds me of the Seine. Like, everything she is, all her emotions, her talents, her passions, they just flow together to create this living, feeling person."

Ladybug looked out over the river and tried to imagine such a person that encompassed it so romantically. She would have to be pretty amazing, whoever she was. Part of her wondered if—or hoped that—maybe Luka spoke about her that way too. That maybe he might one day strike up conversation with a stranger somewhere and tell them that his girlfriend was beautiful and amazing and like the Seine.

She smiled. "That's so sweet," she commented. "She sounds wonderful."

"She is," he agreed. "I feel like the earth in comparison. Too rigid. Too...still."

"Well, I think it's important to have both in a relationship," Ladybug said. "A water person and an earth person."

Viperion chuckled. "Sounds like a fantasy book."

"I don't mean like magical people," she replied laughing. "I mean it's good to have someone a bit more, well, free-flowing and out there and adventurous, and then someone to anchor them, keep them steady. Without the river, the earth is dry. Without the earth, the river wouldn't exist."

"Very poetic," he said. "I see what you mean. I'm just concerned that I might be holding her back. I mean, I try to support her in her dreams and hobbies. I want to, but what if I can't?"

"I don't think you'll hold her back. And—" she smiled— "for what it's worth, I think you're like the water too. You're fast, fluid. You can adapt quickly, and you know how to alter the flow to help us win battles."

"As Viperion, maybe," he said. "I don't know what you're like as a civilian, but as Ladybug, I think you're like the earth. Steady and calm and anchored. Immovable. You make a plan and you stick to it."

"Maybe that's why we work well together," she said, giggling. "What do you suppose Chat Noir is then?"

"Fire," Viperion responded without pause. "He's bright. Powerful, but unpredictable. And, as you know, not easily tamed."

"You know, you're really observant," she said. "You read people so well...I'm worried if you ever met my civilian self you'd know I was Ladybug straight away."

"If I do, I won't tell," he teased, winking.

She giggled again. She hadn't noticed before, but he was so easy to talk to. As though they were friends from a long time ago, another life. "Your girlfriend is lucky to have you."

"I'm sure your boyfriend is lucky to have you too."