Summary: Chat loves Ladybug but sees the way her face changes when she talks about Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It's going to hurt but maybe he can be strong enough for his two leading ladies...
Author's Notes: As requested by DigimonDavis on AO3!
Chat was torn. Rightfully so. As he sat with Ladybug on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, he couldn't help the sensation of jealousy and sadness that grew in his chest. The sun was setting over the horizon, casting their shadows backwards over the metal beam they sat on, warming their faces and creating a gentle glow about the area. His legs swung peacefully back and forth as he contemplated how to bring up the topic he wanted to discuss. He would never feel right with himself if he didn't. Finally, he just decided to go for it. Clearing his throat, Chat made sure to catch her attention so that her bluebell eyes were on him as he stared off into the horizon, "So, I was wondering if you've noticed a certain civilian that keeps getting in the way of our rescues." Ladybug shrugged.
"Civilians are always doing that though. It just comes with the job."
Chat flinched but didn't let her see it. "Yeah but I was talking about a certain one. You know: dark hair, bluebell eyes, wears pink all the time..." She blinked.
"Sorry Chat. I haven't been noticing." He rolled his eyes.
"It's alright LB. You don't have to lie to me."
She raised an eyebrow at him, "Lie to you?"
"Sure. I mean... I know you've been watching Marinette..." Ladybug sputtered and tipped forward, almost right off the edge of the tower. Well that was sudden. Chat's face was flushed and he was refusing to make eye contact with her; it didn't take Ladybug very long to figure out what he was hinting at. The idea was ludicrous for various reasons. One being that she couldn't date herself but the other being that something in what she'd said or done had given him the wrong impression. She thought back. She did. Really hard. It didn't do much good considering she kept having to force down a giggle at the mere thought of what he was hinting at. Ladybug turned away, covering her mouth with her hand to keep the sound down. Her shoulders shook. Chat, seeing this, jerked in surprise. He reached out a comforting hand but found himself stopping. He was torn, honestly so, between his selfish desires and his selfless ones. Had he said something wrong?
Ladybug turned back, wiping her eye. An evil idea came to her mind and she had to again cover her mouth to hide the grin that came with it.
This was going to be good.
"Chat," she whispered, "Marinette is sweet and kind and really good at baking. I could sing her praises all day if I could!" (Did she sound like she was pinning for herself?)
Chat's ears fell. He knew it. Ladybug really did like Marinette. His heart tore in two and it was a wonder she didn't comment on the sound; he could hear it perfectly happening and he felt like that old meme where everyone pointed out the precise moment when someone's heart broke. It was another wonder that no one was pausing him and going, "Hey look. That's where his heart broke." He swallowed it down. It lodged at the base of his throat making him feel heavy, weak, and tired all at once. He deflated.
"Yeah, she's a really special person. You should... you should check up on her. Make sure she's alright. I think she got hit with some shrapnel earlier when that akuma blasted the sidewalk." Ladybug shrugged. Yeah, she'd gotten hit but it was nothing. She barely felt it earlier but checking before transforming had revealed a rather large black-and-blue that was appearing on her side and it was going to sting that night when she took a shower but otherwise, it was nothing.
"She looked fine to me. I don't think it did too much damage to her system."
"But still... you should... you should go check. Just to be sure."
Ladybug rolled her eyes. "Chat, are you shipping me and Marinette together?"
The cat hero turned his face away. It felt hot. Not from the sun, he knew, but from the will to keep himself from crying. Oh god. When he started, he thought he might have been able to hold it together just for their sake but the longer they talked, the longer this went on, the more he realized that he was a fat liar and he wasn't going to keep it together.
He wondered how bad he looked right then.
"Y-yeah. Kind of," he managed to choke out. Ladybug had turned away too. She had to fight for a whole different reason. This was getting better and better.
"I like it. What would our ship name be? Ladynette? Maribug?"
"I like..." The words stopped in his throat.
Ladybug either ignored it or didn't hear it. He wasn't sure. She just kept swinging her legs against the beam, smiling out into the sunset. "Say, why don't I take Mari to some of the most romantic places in Paris? Like the top of Notre Dame or maybe even here? The view from this spot of the Tower is the best one around."
Chat coughed to cover the strangled noise that came from his throat. Marinette here? At their spot? He rubbed his chest, hoping the feeling would go away, but of course it didn't; it stayed firmly in place, growing larger and darker the more he thought about the two ladies he liked, cuddling in their spot, petting each other's head, talking soothingly to each other, comforting each other when they were feeling down...
Kissing each other softly.
Why had he brought it up? He was a fool and now he had to suffer through the pain of his heart not breaking once but twice.
"That sounds like a wonderful plan my lady," he noted. "Marinette would be one lucky girl."
Did he sound cheerful? He tried to. After all, he was going to see this through; he made his bed, now he had to lie in it and accept fate.
"Just think about it," she chirped, "We could have picnic lunches up here and I could take her shopping and we can have slumber parties. It'll be great."
He'd have to stop flirting. He couldn't flirt with his prin- Marinette or Ladybug anymore.
"Oh what about I take her on a tour of the city afterwards? I bet she's never seen Paris through the eyes of a superhero before... it would be a lot of fun."
He wouldn't be able to hang around after an akuma. They'd want some time to themselves of course. He'd be the awkward third wheel. He would be... he would be...
Useless.
Ladybug kept going, spouting off pointless plans for dates that would never happen. Learning to bake with Marinette. Eating her special cookies. Smoothie dates. Chat curled his hands at his side, shaking, and sure that if the suit wasn't there, his skin would be bleeding. He bit his lip. That did bleed.
The silence grew between them. Ladybug turned to look at him and nearly fell off the tower again. He looked the worst she's ever seen him; face red, eyes filled with tears, and she was pretty certain that if the mask wasn't there, he'd look even worse than what she was seeing. Her face fell. He wiped quickly at his eyes when he noticed she was looking. "S-Sorry. I think it's all a great idea." He let out a wet laugh and continued wiping, "You two would be great together. I'm sure she'll have a lot of fun doing…everything…." It was her turn to reach out a hand. Chat sniffled. "I'm sorry... I just... I know you two will be great but I can't... I can't stop crying." He sat up, trying to look determined, "I will be happy for the two of you. You two deserve it. You're amazing girls and you should be together and... and..." The tears were falling harder than ever and he was having trouble wiping them away. "I should be happy for you two but... it hurts LB. It really does. I love you both so much that I'm scared..."
Suddenly, a set of hands were around him. Ladybug pulled him to her, nestling his face in the crook of her neck, rubbing gentle circles on his back. She rocked him a bit.
"Oh Chat. I am so sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I am so sorry." His sobbing didn't subside. Her face twisted with her heart; why had she done that? She'd known about his feelings. She'd seen it. She just hadn't seen how deep it truly was.
She squeezed him tighter.
His crying just wouldn't subside.
If anything, it got worse; his claws dug into her back as she continued to rock him. She didn't know what to do. This had been a line she'd never meant to cross. When had Chat come to love her so much? Both of her nonetheless.
Ladybug cracked a soft smile, "Chat? Chat? Will you look at me a second?"
He shook his head and held tighter to her.
"Now you're just being childish. Chat, look at me, seriously. Marinette and I can't be together." That got his attention. His head shot up and she could see the very distinct red circles around his eyes even though she was very sure they were altered with magic. The color matched what was on his cheeks. She continued to smile, brushing a bit of hair out of his face. It fell back instantly. "Chat," she whispered, "Marinette and I can't be together." He squeezed her shoulders.
"Please don't tease me," he begged.
"I'm not," she promised. Taking a deep breath, she whispered, "Tikki, spots off." He gasped, covering his mouth. Pink color washed over her and as the suit disappeared, Marinette replaced where Ladybug once was. He blinked confused.
"You… but… but…you…," the words struggled to come out which caused her to laugh.
"You see? Ladybug and Marinette can't date because we're the same person." She ducked her head, abashed. "I'm sorry for teasing you like that. I just… well, maybe it's cruel to say but I didn't see how much you really care for me. I owe you so much and the only thing I could think to make-up for it was… well, showing you who I am." She leaned her forehead on his. "Forgive me?" He laughed this time. Leaning back, he covered his eyes with his hands and he continued for some time. Eventually, she asked, "Chat?"
"Forgive you," he managed, "My lady, there's nothing to forgive! I just can't believe I tried to hook you up with yourself." Marinette snickered.
"Yeah. It is a little ridiculous in retrospect." She poked his nose, "Kitty, do me a favor?"
"Anything."
"Don't ever try to hook me up again." She stood then, smirking at him as she transformed back, giving him a wink, "I think I'm good at getting my own dates. Like Friday."
"Friday?"
"Yeah. Friday when we go to the movies. Sans suits of course." He blinked and smiled back at her, standing as well.
"As you wish my Lady. Friday it is."
"Friday," she confirmed before swinging off into the Paris night. Chat watched her go happily. Then his ears fell as he realized…, "Hey! Ladybug! You don't know who I am!"
He could hear her laugh all the way back at his spot which caused him to shrug and take off for his own home.
