CHAPTER 15: Don't be bemused

[PROMPT: Loyal partner]

Don't be bemused, it's just the news. We learned tonight from a source very close to our beloved heroes that the loyalty between the two partners took a step further, and they finally gave their hearts to each other. Let's hear more from that source while we're showing you this sweet photo of our newly minted couple cuddling in the private plane, which took them to Istanbul for the filming of the couple's last scenes of "Ladybug and Chat Noir: Rise of the Last Heroes." Coming to theaters next summer.

"They both are utterly ridiculously in love. They're teasing each other all the time, cuddling, laughing and looking at each other with lovesick gazes. Chat Noir is a real gentleman, and I must admit I truly don't know what he sees in Ladybug; the girl swears like a trucker all the time, and she hasn't half the class that he does."

As soon as Ladybug and Chat Noir got off of the plane, reality caught up with them.

"I swear I'm going to kill her!" Ladybug shouted as she lunged forward, only to be swiftly held back by her partner.

"Uh-oh, hold on Wednesday Addams, you're not going to do anything to Daddy's Rich Girl."

Chat's arm wrapped around her middle, her stomach knocking against his forearm as her body almost folded in two around it—her feet were even off the ground. His other arm came to wrap around her waist, pressing her back flush against his torso.

"Calm down, M'Lady. She's tormenting you just to get this kind of a reaction. She's not worth it, and you're smarter than that."

Calm down? CALM DOWN? What the @faxku#c! How could she calm down after that?

First, she was swearing only with Chat Noir, Alya, Tikki, and maybe with all the other rascals (kwamis), and also… Okay, well. She did swear like a trucker but she was putting in a lot of effort to stop!

Second, how could Aimée fucking Bourgeois dare to ruin the big decision she had finally made? She wanted to open up to Chat Noir, alone, far from prying eyes, far from Paris. Not exposed to the whole fucking world! They weren't even a couple! Not yet.

No, she didn't care that the world thought that Ladybug and Chat Noir were together now. But. BUT! She was a control freak and this… this was clearly out of her control! The place, the timing, the way it had been done… everything was OUT of HER freaking control.

She hated Aimée Bourgeois. She hated her for taking away something from her that she had unconsciously waited years for. Years of denial, repressed feelings and pain. Years of slow realization, admission and longing. In one photo on social media, Aimée just took that right away from her.

She was fuming!

"M'Lady…" The extreme caution in her partner's tone told her that he had indeed noticed how much she was pissed off. "Listen to me, Bug. We both know the picture has been taken out of context and that it is just fake news."

She turned around to face him, knowing that her anger and frustration were still written all over her features. He must have thought the 'couple' thing was where her anger stood right now. It was palpable in his serious stance and the hurt shooting across his gaze. Oh, dammit. He was hurt by her reaction.

Not only had Aimée ruined everything, but Marinette kept ruining everything. By seeking to control all aspects of her life, including her own happiness, she found herself bound hand and foot by her tangled emotions, unable to break free.

She could feel the sting of tears burning her eyes. It was too much of a blow to handle and somehow, a wave of emotions was taking hold of her whole being. Her body tensed, her fists and jaw clenching as she tried to hold back the tears.

There were so many things that she wanted to say right now. That she wanted to shout for the whole word to hear. Like the fact she wanted to kill Aimée, for a start. (Scratch that. She had already said that one out loud).

Yet the words were stuck in her throat like a pill that hadn't been swallowed with enough water.

Eventually, when she couldn't fight anymore, unsaid words melted into sobs, breaking down under the pressure that she had put on herself.

"M'Lady… It's okay, don't cry." Chat's soothing voice broke through her sobs. His arms wrapped around her petite frame, not a single second of hesitation in his move (if the media wanted to talk, so be it).

She was very grateful to feel his loving embrace cradling her safely.

"I'm here, I'll always be here, and you know it," he reassured her. "I'm your loyal partner, and as much as I'd like to help you hide the body, I think there's a more civil way to deal with this."

A watery chuckle merged with her sobs and she did her best to wipe her tears away with her hand. Chat always had the words to make her laugh and feel better, even when she was a complete failure.

"Now, if we really don't find another way, just know that I'll be there to dig the hole, or burn the body, whatever you prefer, M'Lady," he whispered while leaning in and resting his chin on top of her head. "We'll make a statement once we're back in Paris. Not to announce we killed her, of course, or it'd make no sense to hide the body if we admit the murder…" He chuckled lightly. "...but we'll make sure to tell the world there's nothing between us." His voice faltered with his last statement so did her breathe. "Don't worry," he added. "Let's get into the limo and go visit that butterfly farm now."

"With Aimée?!" she instantly spit out, her gaze shooting to his. There was now way that she would lock herself in anything smaller than a private plane with a couple breaker of a couple who were not yet a couple but somehow a potential future couple… or something along those lines which started to get confusing. Oh gosh, her mind was word vomiting nonsense even when she didn't open her mouth. Great!

"And Emilia, Zack, and Antoine. Enough people for you to easily ignore her. We already discussed that. Together, we can do it. You can do it, LB," Chat encouraged her.

Yes, she could. She could do it for him. If she still couldn't give him what he waited for from her (and what she waited for from herself once she'd overcome the 'control freak paranoia'), she owed him at least that very effort.

But she still hated Aimée with all her might.