Chapter 15 – More Than Empathy

Marinette didn't know what to do. Never in her entire partnership with Chat Noir had she ever seen him this upset in either of her personas. The guy wasn't just crying, he had the full body lurching with each sob action happening. But she didn't understand. What had she said or done as Ladybug to cause such a terrible response in her partner?

Under other circumstances she would have consoled him with the possibility that he was wrong and there could be a solution. But she couldn't seed his emotions with a hope that was potentially untrue. Ladybug did love him but only as a friend, perhaps even like family but not as a sweetheart. Not in the way he wanted. Although a niggling thought at the back of her brain insisted maybe she was in a touch of denial. With Adrien out of the picture she'd started to notice just how handsome Chat Noir was, even if she was trying to ignore it.

Marinette raised her hand to touch him, unsure how to offer comfort when he was so upset. A hand to the shoulder? Stroking his hair? Those feline eyes must have noticed her hesitation, a gloved hand reached out to grab her wrist, pulling her close as he enveloped her in his arms. She immediately held him in return, smoothing her hand in slow circles against his back with one hand while combing her fingers through his hair with the other.

The whole time Chat Noir held onto her as if his life depended on it. His arms were locked fiercely around her as he gradually calmed. Marinette remembered how he'd purred for her when she'd been upset and so she hummed for him. The tune was one her parents had sung to her when she was little, a soothing melody meant to relax the listener.

Chat's head lifted from her shoulder from where his face has been nestled. "Are you trying to put me to sleep?"

The faint humour in his tone was reassuring. "If it makes you feel better."

He sniffed. "It's helping but I doubt I'll sleep tonight."

Marinette adjusted her legs beneath her, both her knees were sore from sitting on the hard floor for so long. "Why were you so upset?"

Closing his eyes, Chat Noir exhaled a long slow breath. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"But Ladybug did something to cause this?" She needed to know, she was honestly baffled.

"I read things wrong. Thought I had a chance, tried to kiss her and when I got shoved away I realised she will never love me. I've been so stupid to hope." He snorted at his own ineptitude.

Marinette considered his words, at how similar his situation was to hers with Adrien. As Ladybug she'd always assumed Chat Noir's flirting was simply part of his character. A trait so ingrained that she never took him seriously. On a number of occasions, he'd claimed to be in love with her and she'd thought it a passing fancy. Only now when she witnessed the depth of his distress did she realise how deeply Chat Noir cared for Ladybug.

Regret began gnawing at her insides. She was the reason for his emotional pain. Perhaps she should have been more upfront with him in the beginning of their partnership as Ladybug, instructing him to stop the flirting. But no one could truly influence another person's infatuation. Had someone told her to stop pouring over images of Adrien while enamoured she would have ignored them.

Marinette understood his heartbreak all too well. "Do you want to come inside for some hot chocolate?"

A weak smile tugged at his lips. "That sounds wonderful, princess."

Figured I couldn't leave you hanging too long with a sad chapter (probably helps that I wrote another three) - short word counts make all the difference XD

Thanks for reading :)