For what felt like the thousandth time, Ladybug crept to the edge of the rooftop ledge. Far enough that she could see out and hopefully spot her absent partner, but wouldn't be seen in return.
Red wasn't exactly the best color to try to stay undercover.
The yoyo chirped noisily at her side. Quickly, she opened the cover to answer it.
"Rena!" She smiled, ducking back down against one of the decorative upper spires of City Hall, clutching her yoyo phone screen in hand.. "What do you have for me?"
Rena grinned. "We spent the afternoon walking around outside of the touristy areas. I figured whoever it is behind the mask was going to try for a low profile and would dodge the likeliest locations."
Ladybug frowned. That was certainly possible… "But if you've had reports of the white butterflies making it to all these locations...it means whoever it is must be travelling, right?"
"Seems like they're pretty used to it, anyways." Rena Rouge shrugged on the tiny screen. "Or maybe they're meeting up with someone who is there first."
Ladybug's eyebrows rose beneath the mask. That was an interesting thought. After all, Mayura had long been working with the original Hawkmoth.
Rena smirked. "My newspaper contact was going to reach out to the local source tomorrow to ask a few prying questions."
Ladybug's lips curved upward. She had no doubt that Alya would be pulling a bit of double duty on this trip. "You think she can pull a little more information from him?"
Rena practically snorted. "I think I might be able to pass along a few good, anonymous tips…"
Ladybug had been so engrossed in the call, she failed to notice a certain cat, creeping along the crest of the rooftop. Not until he lingered close, leaning in to press an absurdly gentle kiss to her forehead.
She glanced up from the screen, beaming at him and that endlessly fond expression in his stunning green eyes.
After her run-in with Adrien, Marinette decided to get all dressed up beneath the mask with Chat Noir. He wouldn't really know, but even now it was a lovely extra confidence boost.
"You seem to have acquired a stray cat." Rena snickered.
The mirth didn't fade from her expression, though she shrugged. "It's all the years I've spent frequenting the rooftops."
Rena snorted. "Seems like he needs a little attention…"
"Purrhaps…" Ladybug smiled coyly.
Rena quirked a very familiar eyebrow. "I'll leave you to it."
Her eyes strayed over to where Chat Noir had cuddled in beside her, already feeling his warmth. "Message if you find anything more."
"You got it!"
Sliding the yoyo closed, Ladybug pressed her lips to his cheek before resting her head on his shoulder. "I see you got in safely."
"Sorry," he murmured, chest rumbling in a quietly reassuring purr. "Had to wait a little while for a taxi so late in the evening. And then I had to get everything settled at the hotel."
"I did manage to sneak in that nap, so I'm all yours for a little while at least."
He pulled away slightly, in silent question.
Her smile was the plain answer before he half-pounced in, pressing his lips to hers.
Kissing her like he feared she was going to start running away from him again.
Ladybug grinned into the kiss as the tips of Chat Noir's claws inevitably wove their way into her pigtails. There were far worse ways to spend an evening with Chat Noir. She'd already lived through far more than her share of those days.
Pushing his arms slightly, she shifted to balance herself over his lap to meet his ardour at a more comfortable angle. It was kicking her libido to a place they were definitely not going to be able to deal with.
After all, that was one of the hardest things about the masks they wore. After all, the masks couldn't exactly come off.
While all of their friends and fellow holders could be open and honest with their partners — with more than a few even seriously talking about marriage —, kissing and cuddling like this had to be enough for now.
It was only with days like today when the doubts started to creep in that she started to feel her resolve slipping.
Of course, duty had the very nasty — if not always literal —habit of calling, if the sudden chirp of her yoyo was any indication.
Reluctantly, she forced herself to pull away from Chat Noir, to regain her bearings.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh?" she chuckled, a little breathlessly.
"Is that even possible?" The sheer yearning in his green eyes was making her very much tempted to ignore the incoming call.
With one final, reckless press of her lips to his, Ladybug leaned back to settle against the wall beside him. A shaky grin curved her lips as she opened the phone and slipped her free hand into his.
"Hello, Ryuuko!" Ladybug smiled. "You're right on schedule."
