Notes:

Who's ready for some Ladynoir angst?

Part 7

Marinette finished with the dance preparations about an hour later. She kept replaying her time with Adrien to pinpoint what had made him mad at her. She sniffed her blazer as she walked home but found only the constant smells of sweets that were embedded in her very soul from living above a bakery instead of body odor or some other nasty smell that might have chased him off. She knew she had the beginning of a few zits from her tear fests, but unless her concealer was flaking they should have been covered. As she entered her home, she still had no idea what she had done.

Pushing it on the backburner, Marinette greeted her parents as they closed the bakery for the night. As she slipped into the familiar role of helping her family, she glanced at the ornate clock hanging on the back wall of the shop. It was a little after six so it was too early to call on Chat. She needed to clear some of the air between them after her actions Monday and then she still needed to think of some way to broach the topic of their…relationship.

As much as she wanted to fight it, Marinette supposed it was her destiny and she needed to own up to it. She had thrown her temper tantrum like a toddler and after last night with Chat-

She almost dropped the bowl she had been cleaning.

Her tiny mother swooped in and snatched the bowl before Marinette could damage it. "Are you okay, dear?"

Marinette mumbled out an excuse about a headache before tossing her towel into the sink and sprinting to her room. Once there, she collapsed on the floor and Tikki appeared before her voicing the same question her mother had minutes ago.

"Adrien's mad at me because I told him about last night," Marinette wheezed out passed her dry lips. "He must find me so fickle to cry one day about a boy and then be over it the next. Not that I'm over it," she hastily added at Tikki's confused look. "I mean, I'm still upset that I'm being forced to be with Chat and I can't just stop my feelings for Adrien, but to Adrien it must have looked like-"

"Marinette," the kwami interjected. "I don't think he's mad at you. From what I've seen, Adrien is a sweet boy. I think he's just concerned."

"He danced with me," Marinette whined. "And then he ran away! I don't want to chase him away! I don't want him to hate me!" She pulled on her pigtails. "I want to be selfish just this once, but if I do…" The tiny girl visibly deflated with a heavy sigh. "If I'm selfish, Adrien will get hurt and Paris will never be safe."

Tikki floated closer and hugged Marinette's cheek with her stubby paws. "Oh, Marinette…"

"Tikki," she mumbled. "Spots on…"

XXX

Chat joined her atop the Tower minutes after she arrived. As usual during their joint patrols, she reached into the bag from her family's bakery and handed him a chocolate croissant. Chat practically purred in delight as he plopped down next to her and took the sugary treat. She grinned as he slowly ate the delicacy. When Chat was eating, he was quiet. And sometimes, most of the time, that was a good thing. Especially today. Her nerves were frazzled after dancing with Adrien. And she wasn't quite sure how to act around Chat considering her revelations about him.

Thoughtfully, he swallowed his bite and licked his lips. "My Lady," he began. With a sigh, she hummed for him to continue. "Tom and Sabine's daughter, Marinette…"

She tensed. "Um, what about…her?" He tossed the last bite of his snack into his mouth. Chat's silence was eating away at her as he leisurely ate. "Chat!" She finally snapped.

He swallowed. "She…I think she hates me? Like, both Chat Noir and regular me? And I don't know why. Does she know who I am?"

Ladybug snorted. "I doubt it."

He wiped at his mouth with the back of his gloved wrist. "Whatever the reason, there's something wrong. She's…" His hand dropped to his lap and fisted. "I think Hawk Moth is targeting her."

Ladybug blanched. "What? Chat, I really doubt that-"

"Monday night I found her crying," he interrupted. "I was patrolling and I ended up at her house. She was talking to herself and she kept apologizing and using my name," His face heated and he avoided her gaze. "I ended up on her balcony and we…kissed," he peeked at her from the corner of his mask. "And I kissed her last night, too."

Ladybug looked hard at her lap. Drawing in a deep breath, she let it out through her nose slowly. "Why are you telling me this?" She whispered lowly.

"Adrien Agreste."

Her head snapped towards him so quickly her neck popped. "Adrien?" Her eyes were wide.

Chat nodded. "I'm upset about what happened Monday on the Tower," he admitted. "I know you like Adrien and it was really stupid of you to do what you did." Neither hero could meet the other's gaze as they watched the city below them. "I wish you had listened to me," she barely heard his murmur. "I wish you had trusted me. But you didn't and we can't change what happened."

Guilt flooded her. It was stupid of her. It was part of the reason he had found her crying that night. She had caused an akuma and nearly got herself killed. She should have never acted that way. Especially considering the entire cosmos wanted her to be with the guy beside her. No matter how much she fought the pull. "Adrien-"

"Let me finish, Ladybug."

Ladybug.

He called her Ladybug.

Tears welled in her eyes. She had truly hurt him. Her lip quivered and she bit down on it. She would not cry in front of him. Ladybug didn't cry.

"I know how you feel about Adrien because…" He finally looked at her and she saw the serenity in his chemical eyes. "I like Marinette. I don't know when it happened or why, but I love her and she's in danger."

Ladybug closed her eyes against the warmth dripping from her eyes. She could not hold the boiling tears back any longer.

He'd fallen for her twice.

He'd fallen for her on both sides of the mask and she could not stop thinking about another guy. She kept overthinking their time together when they were Chat and Marinette. She kept pushing him away as Ladybug. She had to be literally the worst person ever.

But something else he had said finally plucked at her mind. She roughly scrubbed away her tears with her palms. He said nothing as she collected herself. "You said," she hiccupped. "Does she know your civilian side?" Did she know this sweet, kind boy?

He nodded. "Yeah, but I swear I've not told her anything."

Ladybug inched closer to him and peered into those eyes. She forced herself to make a connection. To see the boy who set before her. The boy who visited her. "I know what I did was…wrong," she started sluggishly. "I don't expect you to forgive me or understand. But Adrien and I…" She licked her lips. Would she be revealing herself if she admitted she knew Adrien? If Chat knew Marinette, if wouldn't be hard to guess he also knew Adrien. This was a big risk. Could she take it?

"I don't want to know," he looked away from her and lithely pushed himself to his feet. He stepped a few paces away. "He's a model, so I'm sure you have a massive crush on him. And if that's what I was competing against…" He shook his head, his shaggy hair brushing his shoulders. "Just please," he whirled around to face her again. "Just please, help me save Marinette."

Her throat tightened at his begging. "I can't save her, Chat. She's not in danger."

"Yes she is!" He insisted. "Hawk Moth is using her as bait to lure me. And I'm certain he'll use Adrien against you."

"No one is baiting Marinette," Ladybug snapped. "Maybe she's just going through a really hard time! And Adrien is perfectly safe! I'm not gonna let that happen to him again!" She flipped onto her feet. "I asked you here to talk about something important, but I can see now's not the time."

"You don't know Adrien!" Chat screamed at her. He honestly screamed to the point his voice cut out from the roughness of the air pushing out. "You don't know a thing about him! But I know Marinette! I know she's not been herself lately. I actually talk to her! You…you…" He cut off on a growl. He turned, his hand reaching for his baton.

"I know Adrien better than you think!" She hollered back. "I know he's impossibly lonely and kind. He's super smart. I've been in love with him for months! You have no right to tell me I don't know him!" She paced after him and gripped his firm shoulders and roughly twisted him to face her. "And yes, I would give up my Miraculous to keep him safe. I'm aware that it's stupid and brash, but I've been watching him. I won't let Hawk Moth use him against me again! But you," she jabbed a finger in his chest. "I should have never trusted you to watch protect Marinette! She's just some stupid, silly girl! And she will never love you!"

POP.

Ladybug stumbled backwards, her hand flying to her stinging cheek. The horror in her eyes reflected in Chat's. Chat's hand still hung in the air from his slap and his terrified eyes traveled to it; his mouth hanging open. Ladybug let out a barely contained sob as she continued to stagger backwards drunkenly. Chat watched silently and numbly as she vaulted away with her yo-yo.

XXX

Chat had hit her.

Marinette was borrowed under her blankets with Tikki resting by her side. The kwami offered her menial warmth and comforting friendship she was certain she didn't deserve. She did, however, deserve Chat's wrath, but she never expected him to physically hit her. Was that the proof of his feelings for her—for Marinette? Was their partnership over? Their friendship?

The girl let out a choked sob as more tears freely poured across her cheeks.

"Marinette," Tikki began pitifully.

Marinette shook her head against her drenched pillows. "No, Tikki. I deserve this."

"No, Marinette, you don't," the little ladybug tried again.

"Tikki," Marinette muttered dishearteningly. "I hurt Chat. I was wrong."

She heard scratching from the trapdoor above her and knew it was a certain stray begging to come in. Marinette kept quiet and prayed he would leave under the impression she was asleep. He scratched again with a whisper of "Princess?"

Marinette sniffled. Would he still call her that if he knew who she really was? That she was Ladybug? "Go away, Chat," she pled.

His scratching paused. "Princess-"

"Just leave, Chat Noir!" Marinette yelled through her tears.