Chapter 5: Little Kitty on a Roof
Author's note: If anyone wants, I can make a post on my Tumblr summarising the changes that having Ladybird as a hero instead of Marinette, Marinette as a regular civilian and Lila as part of the cast from the start, would have on each episode from Origins to Style Queen.
"~Little kitty on a roof…~"
Chat Noir kicked his legs, looking out at nothing as he sang.
He'd chosen the top of the Eiffel Tower to sit, a rather predictable location in Paris, but the art piece held many memories for the hero.
There was the sound of something small hitting metal and then a chord being yanked behind the cat themed hero.
Chat Noir looked over as Ladybird dropped down to sit beside him, braids clacking as she moved.
He always found it funny how, when Ladybird needed to be stealthy, the beads magically stopped producing sound when moving against each other.
The superhero due was quiet for a minute, just enjoying the view.
"So," Ladybird eventually spoke. "You got anything on your mind?"
"It's…" Chat Noir deliberated going for the easy lie, to just say that he was fine and try to move on, but decided not to. "It's you."
"Me?" Ladybird raised an eyebrow under her mask.
"You, Kleos and all your secrets." Chat Noir vented. "You get to know the guy's identity, you get access to all these Miraculous, you get to know so much more than I do. And I don't get why."
"Chat." Ladybird sighed, having already explained things to her teammate before. "I would love to tell you, I really would, but all of it isn't my secret to tell. And only I can know Kleos' identity for the same reason we can't know each other's identities, Iris possibly Akumatising us and finding out what we know."
"I know." Chat Noir frowned, pulling a knee to his chest. "But I'm still not happy about it. So many things have been kept from me, my father just shutting me out, and I thought that being Chat Noir would be an escape from that, to have someone I can fully trust and someone who fully trusts me. But now it's happening again."
This wasn't the first time Chat Noir had divulged some of his home life to his partner and friend, though he always made sure to keep things vague enough so as to not give away his identity, Ladybird always providing an ear and encouraging him to let out how he felt.
"Hey, don't compare me to that Smegger." Ladybird used slang unfamiliar to Chat Noir.
Because of Chat Noir venting to Ladybird about his father, she had understandably built up a negative view of the faceless man, feeling no remorse in insulting him in front of his son.
Sometimes, Chat Noir thought that Ladybird took it too far, but he also appreciated how she didn't hold back her thoughts in an effort to preserve his feelings, like his other friends.
"So, what has he done now?" Ladybird asked.
Chat Noir gave a bitter laugh. "Oh, nothing much. Just that one of my friends gets to see my father than me, his own son, because she has an apprenticeship with him." He explained.
"That is so messed up!" Ladybird exclaimed.
Chat Noir nodded, feeling vindicated by his friend's reaction.
"Have you talked to him about it?" Ladybird asked.
Chat Noir shook his head. "What would be the point." He said. "He'd probably just brush me off. And that's if I managed to speak to him in the first place."
Ladybird sighed.
"You know, when we can finally reveal our identities to each other, the first thing I'm going to do is punch your father in the face." She declared.
Chat Noir laughed.
"No, you won't." He said, not taking his partner seriously.
"I'm serious." Ladybird insisted. "I'm not going to let the neglectful prick get away with how he's treated you."
"Well, I suppose little Miss if-I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-my-lucky-charm-I-use-it-for-blunt-force would be the type to follow through on that sort of threat." Chat Noir joked.
"Hey, it's worked until now." Ladybird defended herself.
As her Lucky Charm ability tended to provide her with a random item to save the day, Ladybird was left not always knowing how to use it, though she had managed to come up with plenty of creative solutions the other times. So, the heroine defaulted to the logic of 'I have no idea how to use this, this thing is heavy, time to use brute force', leaving many a villain with a bruised head before the Miraculous Cure healed them.
"So," Ladybird shifted back to the original topic. "How's things with this 'friend' of yours, then?"
"Well, I don't blame her, if that's what you're thinking." Chat told her. "I'm even happy for her. This apprenticeship really helps her. And it's not like she can control what my father does."
"Well, look at you, Mr Mature." Ladybird said, bringing Chat Noir into a one-armed hug.
Chat Noir appreciated the hug, knowing from experience that Ladybird wasn't one for physical contact.
The hero liked to imagine that his relationship with Ladybird was what having a sister would be like.
"Anyway," Chat Noir decided to change topic. "What's on your mind?"
"What do you mean?" Ladybird asked.
"Something's clearly off in your life." Chat Noir said knowingly.
"And what makes you say that?" Ladybird asked in disbelief.
"Because whenever you've got something on your mind, you chew your hair." Chat Noir pointed out with a grin.
Ladybird paused and realised she had been worrying the beads of one of her braids between her teeth without thinking.
The heroine quickly spat her braid out.
"I thought I'd stopped doing that." She muttered quietly to herself.
"So, what's wrong?" Chat Noir asked again. "If I have to divulge all my nasty feelings, you have to do it too."
Ladybird sighed.
"My breasts are too big." She said simply.
If Chat Noir had been drinking something, it most definitely would have ended up spat down onto any hapless pedestrian passing under the Eiffel Tower. As it was, he just settled for choking on his own spit instead.
"Uh…" Chat Noir mumbled between coughs.
He had no idea to respond to his friend.
Did he assure her that her breasts weren't too big? Would that end up offending her?
Ladybird didn't seem to notice her partner's inner turmoil.
"None of my tops fit me right anymore." She continued to complain. "I go to zip up my jacket and it fits just fine until I get to my chest, then it's suddenly all tight. And when I look at them in the mirror, it doesn't look like they belong there at all, just lumps of fat glued to my chest."
Tears peaked in Ladybird's eyes as she explained her body issues.
"Hey, it's alright." Chat Noir tried to comfort.
Chat Noir was well aware that he wasn't the best educated on world issues, but he knew enough when it came to matters of body and gender, and Ladybird's explanation brought some recognition.
"Do…do I need to start calling you a different name?" Chat Noir asked his partner.
"No." Ladybird sniffed and shook her head. "I know that I'm female. I just get these moments where I don't like my body. I mean, why would anyone find breasts attractive? All they are is a big pain in my…chest."
"Aw, come here." Chat Noir said, bringing Ladybird into a hug.
He then snickered at how Ladybird's arms stuck out awkwardly, just letting the hug happen.
When the two parted, Ladybird let out a yawn.
"Tired?" Chat Noir asked.
Ladybird just hummed in response, giving neither a yes nor a no.
"Well, someone needs to stop going to bed so late." Chat Noir joked.
"Meh." Ladybird responded.
"So, you have been staying up late then?"
"Meh."
"You can use words you know."
"…Meh."
The two heroes then laughed before lapsing into a comfortable silence.
Chat Noir eventually climbed to his feet.
"I need to get back, before I'm noticed missing." He said.
As he extended his pole all the way down to ground level, Ladybird also stood.
"I can't let you in on the secrets myself." Ladybird reiterated what she had told her partner. "But I can try to get them to tell you instead. Though, I make no promises."
"Thanks." Chat Noir smiled. "Bye."
With a wave, the hero jumped onto his staff and began retracting it, the magical weapon taking him down from the Eiffel Tower.
Adrien yawned into the back of his hand as he walked into the courtyard.
'I guess I should take my own advice about not going to bed late.' He mused to himself.
Due to having his eyes closed to yawn, Adrien wasn't looking where he was going, sure that his path was clear from his prior glance.
So, of course, he ended up knocking into someone because he'd neglected to check his sides.
Thankfully, it was only a soft impact, so nobody ended up on the ground this time.
"Sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." The person he bumped into apologised.
"It's alright, I wasn't either." Adrien returned.
He looked down to see Marinette, noticing that she was holding herself weirdly.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm fine." Marinette stood up straight, only to then wince. "I've just decided to take up exercise. You, stay healthy and all that."
"Ah." Adrien nodded in understanding.
He could now recognise how he would hold himself after a gruelling fencing session in Marinette, familiar with the ache of exerting himself.
"Yeah, I've also heard that exercise is good for managing stress." Marinette added.
"Father isn't working you too hard, is he?" Adrien worried.
"No, I'm fine." Marinette waved off. "And I'm grateful for the experience I'm getting."
"Are you sure?" Adrien questioned.
He knew enough about Marinette to know that she had a bad habit of overworking herself.
"I said I'm fine." Marinette rolled her eyes.
"So, you're not going to fall asleep in class and then jerk awake, shouting about lapels?" Adrien raised an eyebrow.
"That was one time." Marinette pouted.
"It was still hilarious." Any annoying voice interrupted. "Second only to the accidents your clumsiness causes."
Adrien adopted a fixed expression while Marinette grimaced, both turning to see Chloe walking over.
Chloe wasted no time in shoving past Marinette, pushing the girl away, while latching onto Adrien's arm.
"Adrien, any word on whether you'll be coming to my birthday party?" Chloe tugged on Adrien's arm as she spoke.
"I should be able to, though father doesn't want me staying for too long." Adrien told his childhood friend. "And I'm not allowed to eat anything."
"That is so stupid." Chloe complained. "As if I'd let anything horrible to eat at my party. Tell him that everything at my party is perfectly fine for a model's diet."
"I'll try." Adrien sighed, unsuccessfully trying to subtly shake Chloe's grip.
"I've got my best outfit picked out for the party, so we'll need to go through your wardrobe to make sure that your outfit will pair with mine perfectly." Chloe went on.
"Chloe, your birthday's still over a week away." Adrien pointed out.
"The best parties are always properly planned." Chloe told Adrien matter-of-factly. "I'm not going to let even the smallest detail go wrong this year. Mother needs to see just how fabulous everything is. With her home, I can already tell that she's going to give me the best present ever."
"I'm sure she will." Adrien forced a smile.
Knowing Chloe's mother, he somehow doubted it.
Rather abruptly, Adrien found his other arm being latched onto, equalling the weight pulling at him on both sides.
"Oh, I know this really famous and popular party planner who could help with your party." Lila told Chloe as she gripped Adrien's arm tightly. "They'd be really busy at such short notice, but I could try and put a word in."
Chloe scoffed dismissively, putting Adrien towards her.
"Daddy's already hired the best in the business." She said. "I don't need pathetic handouts."
"Ah, you must have hired the person I was going to suggest then." Lila smiled, pulling Adrien towards her as well.
Lila then turned her attention towards Adrien.
"Maybe I can get them to plan your next birthday party instead." She suggested.
Adrien returned a fixed smile.
"I don't think that my father would allow a party." Adrien rejected. "I mean, Nino had to get Akumatised for me to get my last birthday party."
"If we team up and work on him together, I'm sure that we can convince your father to allow you a party next year. You know, I can be very convincing and charming." Lila boasted.
"Yeah, as charming as a snake." Chloe snapped back.
"Just because I'm more popular than you, doesn't mean that you have to take it out on me." Lila faked being hurt, pulling Adrien closer to try and get him to comfort her.
Adrien sweat dropped at the two arguing girls, looking over towards where he'd last seen Marinette, hoping that she'd save him, somehow. Unfortunately, she was no longer there, having abandoned Adrien to the mercies of Chloe and Lila.
'Traitor.' Adrien internally pouted at his friend's abandonment.
Adrien's saviour turned out to be the bell, providing Adrien with the excuse he needed to extract himself from Chloe and Lila's death grips so that he wouldn't be late for class.
Once in his seat, Adrien rubbed his arms up and down to try and get the circulation going in them again, while Nino patted his back in sympathy.
After classes let out, Adrien managed to dodge both Chloe and Lila, hiding away in the male changing rooms until it was time for his fencing practice.
"I don't know why you're complaining." Plagg commented as Adrien pulled on his fencing kit. "Many of my kittens loved to have women hanging off them."
"I'm just not comfortable with it." Adrien told his kwami. "I'm not attracted to either of them and they never ask."
"Then just tell them to leave you alone, and shove them off if they don't listen." Plagg advised like it was the most obvious choice ever.
"But I don't want to be rude." Adrien protested. "And I don't want to hurt them."
"Kid, don't sacrifice your comfort for the comfort of others, especially if they're those girls." Plagg advised, grabbing some of his camembert from Adrien's bag.
"Does that mean that I can stop buying you that cheese because its scent makes me uncomfortable." Adrien pointed at the cheese.
"Never!" Plagg gasped, quickly swallowing his cheese whole as if Adrien would take it from him.
Rolling his eyes, Adrien grabbed his fencing helmet and foil, walking out into the courtyard where his fellow fencers were practicing.
"Adrien, you are my partner today." A fencer dressed in red approached Adrien.
"Oh, sure, Kagami." Adrien said, pulling on his helmet.
The two got into position before attacking.
Adrien was glad that Kagami had joined the club after the whole Riposte Akumatisation incident, as she always provided him with a challenge when fencing.
After a few minutes, Kagami managed to hit first, prompting them to stop.
"One point to you, Kagami." Adrien lifted his helmet to get a brief breath of fresh air.
"You're off." Kagami pointed out without preamble.
"What?" Adrien cocked his head in confusion.
"Your fencing, you're not as on point today." Kagami said simply. "Something is distracting you from our fight."
"Oh." Adrien said.
Though Kagami could come across as cold, Adrien appreciated how straight-forward she was. She reminded him of Ladybird in a way, though Kagami could related to Adrien in a way that his partner couldn't.
"I've just got a lot on my mind lately, with my father. You know?" Adrien scratched the back of his neck.
Kagami nodded understanding, thoughts of her own mother sometimes distracting her at inopportune times.
"Agreste, Miss Tsurugi, I do not see you fencing!" The fencing instructor shouted from across the courtyard.
Sighing, Adrien lowered his helmet and the two readied again, though it didn't stop them from speaking.
"You know my friend, Marinette?" Adrien asked as he went it for a jab.
"Vaguely." Kagami parried.
"Well, she's got an apprenticeship with my father, which means that she's getting to see him more than I do." Adrien repeated what he had told Ladybird as he was forced on the defensive.
"I see." Kagami thrust forward. "And what is Marinette's view on this?"
"What do you mean?" Adrien parried and then thrust.
"Have you communicated to Marinette about your issue?" Kagami pulled back to avoid being hit.
"No." Adrien admitted as he was put back on the defensive. "I don't want to put any unnecessary baggage on her, she's already busy. And this apprenticeship is important to her, I don't want to make her feel guilty for having it, or think she has to quit for me."
The match ended with Kagami sliding past Adrien's strike and once again hitting him.
"That is foolish." Kagami stood up straight. "From what I to understand of friendships, failure to communicate properly can lead to misunderstandings, which can then lead to strains in that friendship. Mother has warned me a few times about how failure to communicate led to the loss of allies. Marinette would likely appreciate knowing of how you feel, so that she does not accidently say or do something to hurt you.
"Yeah, I guess that you're right." Adrien agreed.
For someone who was more alien to the concept of friendship than Adrien had been when first joining a public school, Kagami could sometimes offer wise advice in the field.
"I'll talk to Marinette later." Adrien said.
"Good." Kagami nodded.
She then got into the ready pose, Adrien copying her.
The two then started their third round.
Adrien stretched as he walked into the male changing room.
He and Kagami had practiced for longer than the others, meaning that he was the only one there as he pulled off his uniform.
"You seem to be getting close to your new friend." Plagg poked out of Adrien's bag to tease.
"Yeah, Kagami's nice once you get past her initial coldness." Adrien said, not getting what Plagg was hinting at.
"So, think you'll date her?" Plagg decided to go for a more direct approach.
Adrien frowned at his Kwami before thinking.
"I haven't known Kagami for long enough to say." He said. "I mean, she's cute. But I don't know if we'd match in that way."
"What about Marinette then?" Plagg continued to tease. "You've said that she's cute before, and you like to be around her."
"That doesn't mean that I like her in that way either, Plagg." Adrien rolled his eyes. "Not every boy has to want to date every girl he's close with."
"What about-"
"That's enough out of you." Adrien pushed Plagg back into his bag. "I am not talking relationships right now, especially not with you."
Picking up his bags, Adrien walked out of the changing room to go meet with his driver in front of the school.
Author's note: Please comment
Some more character interactions. I hope I've properly set up the Chat Noir/Ladybird dynamic, with them being like close siblings instead of romantically interested.
If Chat did gain a crush on Ladybird, it would have been quickly snuffed out with Ladybird's tactless demeanour and lack of social awareness.
(Nadja's attempts to spin them as being in a relationship in Prime Queen would have ended much more poorly for her in this version.)
Ladybird is definitely comfortable enough with Chat Noir to divulge how she feels about her body and doesn't care about how uncomfortable how it would make him feel.
Part of their interaction was based off of a running joke I have with my mum. When I don't want to do something, I'll sometimes respond with something like "meh", mum will reiterate and add to what I have to do, with me continuing to not speak properly in response, until she says "you can use words you know". It's all a joke and I will end up doing what I have to do.
And though Gabriel isn't a villain anymore, that doesn't mean that he'd not still a neglectful walking piece of garbage, and I'm not going to let that go unaddressed.