Summary: Chat Noir is injured protecting Ladybug. Time is running out. Just how is Ladybug going to make sure that her kitty-cat is alright?
Author's Notes: Esh. Aeon, you got the emotions running at the beginning there. I actually had some evil thoughts. Enjoy everyone!
"Because you are my reason to stay,
Even if daylight's a lifetime away,
May the kings and the queens of the dawn,
Remember my name
As dark as the falling star.
My song for the children unforgiven."
~Kamelot, Falling Star
"Chat Noir," Ladybug cried, reaching for her partner. He lay on his side, red seeping from the opposite side, a slash the size of the scythe blade that had been used against him, evident. Panic took over her mind. She grunted as she flipped her partner, assessing him for any other damage he might have occurred in their battle with the Grim Creator, a mortician tired of only being spoken to when someone died. There was none outside of the usual bruising. She turned her attention back to the direr wound.
Chat panted before trying to sit up. Her miraculous ringed a warning and in his noble state, he tried to push her away, "LB, you have to go. You're running out of time." She glared at him, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Shhhh you stupid cat," she soothed. Looking around, she saw a nearby store where the owners were watching. She motioned to them. A large man stepped out and she quickly told him what she needed; he nodded and went to retrieve the goods.
Another ring.
He started to panic. "LB, seriously. You only have three minutes."
"Chat Noir," she snapped. The black cat hero froze, ears going straight, his face pale. Her face softened. "Chat Noir, I'm not leaving you. Not like this. Secret identities be damned. Let all of Paris know who I am. You're my partner, you're hurt, and I'm not leaving you." A warm feeling surged in his chest and throughout his body. He didn't know she cared so deeply. It was then that he realized that everything Ladybug did, whether it was the secret identities or even this, was all about protection; she protected Paris as much as she protected him. He chuckled at the irony. He was supposed to be her protector. The shop owner returned, carrying with him some cloth and all the bandages he had available.
Third ring.
Ladybug gritted her teeth, "We don't have long Chat. I'm going to bandage you up as best as I can and then take you somewhere close by so we can do a more permanent job. Can you stand?" His face was pale but he nodded. She set to work immediately, placing the rags on the opening to slow the flow of blood before holding them in place with the bandage. It wasn't pretty but it worked. She stood and then helped him. Before they left though, she turned to the owner and quickly stated, "I know a young lady near here who will come by to pay for the items." He raised his hands.
"Please! Do not consider it. Just be safe the two of you and thank-you for saving Paris once again!" Ladybug nodded and smiled, slinging her yo-yo to a nearby roof. She whispered to Chat, "Hold as tight as you can." He nodded.
She pulled and they went flying over the city skyline.
Another beep.
Chat's face was really pale now. "LB, you've only got a minute."
"Don't worry," she soothed, "The place we're going isn't even a minute away. Tikki'll hold on for me. She knows how desperate the situation is." He nodded, hiding his face into the crook of her neck. The journey ended a few seconds later just as she promised and just in time for the final beep. His eyes were still closed but he felt her guiding him gently to something to lay on which he did gratefully. He kept his eyes closed when he heard, "Tikki, spots off." There was a flash of red that he could see through his eyelids and he didn't know what hurt more: his heart or his side especially since he was finally getting the chance to see his lady's real identity.
Or so he thought. There was a cool hand placed on his face very gently. He could feel a thumb move under an eye and over the mask. "Wait here Chat," she soothed. "I have to go get my supplies and then I'll come back to fix you up right away."
He nodded but said nothing. A soft exchange was had between the girl and her kwami before the sound of an opening and closing door alerted him to her absence.
Chat mused as to opening his eyes or not.
A location could tell him a lot about his lady but he knew, deep down inside, that she wasn't ready for this. This was forced. This wasn't right. It made him a little uncomfortable to thing that it was his carelessness that was causing her to reveal who she truly was; if only he had moved a little faster…. He sighed. There wasn't much he could do about it now.
His own miraculous started to beep.
He flinched at the sound. There had actually been no need for cataclysm this time around but he knew that Plagg had taken a serious hit for him when he'd gotten the injury or else, it would have been fatal. He was mildly surprised that he'd held on this long.
The door opened again. The voices returned and he could hear his lady approaching his spot on the lounge. She touched his face again.
"Chat," she soothed. He turned his face into her hand. "Chat, you're going to have to detransform. I'm going to have to see the injury entirely." She paused. "Open your eyes Chat and look at me."
"It's not right," he whispered over his miraculous beeping for the second time. There was a sigh.
"Chat, I don't care. I need to help you. Please, open your eyes. Look at me."
There was something in her voice. Something warm, loving. It made him jerk a bit. Their usual conversations were banter, quirky quips shot back and forth, sometimes a little fun flirting, but this, this was something completely different.
It made him wonder what his chances were.
He took a steadying breath and slowly did as she asked. The world was fuzzy at first. He could see colors and shapes but not much detail. Slowly, it came into focus. He could see the sky and buildings, trees every now and then, the railing of the balcony he was on, the plants that went with it. The place looked familiar… then he turned his head.
His eyes went wide. No sound could leave his throat.
Sitting next to him, gently stroking his cheek, was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
A red kwami, he assumed Tikki, floated next to her head and both were staring down at him with concern in their eyes. His heart twisted. Marinette. Marinette. Mari. She was his lady. He gently reached up and held her hand still against his face. Her face turned to confusion more.
"My lady," he whispered, "My princess." She smiled softly.
"Hi Chat," she greeted.
Another beep. She looked down at the ring on the hand that held her own. It only had two pads left. Tikki flew closer to him.
"Hello Chat Noir," she greeted, "I would say it's a pleasure but the circumstances are horrible." He nodded, silently agreeing. She continued, "Go ahead and release Plagg. He took a lot of damage and is going to need a little time to recover." He nodded again. Without releasing her hand, he cleared his throat, "Plagg, claws in."
Marinette watched as a green light washed over him, removing the suit and revealing the face of Adrien Agreste.
Her mouth went slack. Tikki smiled over at the black kwami that appeared and took him by the hand, leading him down into Marinette's room to rest and recuperate with some cheese she'd managed to get from her parents.
The silence between them was deafening.
Adrien looked up at her worriedly. Her mouth was open, eyes wide. If his face could get any paler, he was sure it would have by now. She was looking at him like someone who hated him. Tears welled up in his eyes as he managed, "I'm sorry."
Marinette shook her head. The expression disappeared. "For what?"
"That it's me."
She almost didn't hear the words as soft as they were. Marinette blinked, realized what he had said, and smiled, bringing their hands down so that they were being held properly. She didn't look him in the eye as she said, "I'm sorry Adrien. It was my expression wasn't it?"
"I know you don't like me," he breathed. His heart felt like it was shattering in two.
"I like you Adrien," she returned. His hand squeezed hers. What? "I really do. I've liked you for a long time now. I was just a bit shocked to see that two of the people I value the most are really just one in the same. I owe you so much. Words can't even cover what I'm feeling right now. I will tell you this: I'm happy right now; possibly the happiest I have ever been in my whole life."
"Really?"
"Really," she assured him. She released his hand and started reaching for her medical supplies. "But now I feel there's a little more pressure with this."
He raised an eyebrow at her. "How so?"
She smirked, holding up what she needed to sew the wound closed, "Honestly. I'm working on my long term crush and do you think your dad will be pleased with me if I do a horrible job and leave you with a scar?"
"I don't know. I think it'll make me look tough."
"In your dreams alley cat. Now up with the shirt. I need to start working before you bleed out." Adrien raised his shirt a bit and Marinette had to fight really hard not to watch the movement. When it was out of the way, she started to clean the wound but had to stop as he shot up on the chair, wide eyed at her, "Did you just say I'm your long term crush?"
"Kitty?"
"Did you?"
"Kitty."
"Mari, answer me."
"I'm not telling you," she growled, shoving a rag in his mouth, "Until this is done. Lay back, relax and don't move. This is going to hurt."
Adrien grumbled, doing as asked. As his eyes closed, the dreams of the future suddenly looked a lot brighter than they'd ever looked before.
