Chapter Three

Two months after Hawkmoth's defeat

The murmur of voices quietly chattered from the TV as Marinette sat beside her window, legs tucked under the soft pink wool of her cardigan. The late afternoon sky was growing ominously dark as storm clouds rolled in. Her fingers lifted to the cool glass, tracing the faint lines that began to trail down as the rain started to fall. Tikki hovered at her shoulder, peering outside at the weather. "I guess we won't be going out tonight."

Marinette pushed up her oversized sleeves to her elbows as she picked up her phone. Within a few taps she had the weather app open and sighed. The girl addressed her kwami with resigned dismay. "Heavy rain expected to settle in for most of the night."

Tikki's delicate features were filled with sympathy as she perched on her holder's knee. Marinette laid the phone by her side, her rebellious sleeves tumbled down her arms with the movement. "If the weather is going to be bad, it's doubtful that Chat Noir be out in it."

"I suppose not." Marinette replied as she blew her fringe out of her eyes and picked up her coffee cup, cradling the warm mug in both hands. Her voice was quiet and laced with sorrow. "I thought he'd be back by now." There was an ache in her chest that had steadily grown worse with the increased absence of her partner.

She knew that he wasn't nursing any physical wounds, as her powers had healed his injuries. But that didn't mean he wasn't hurting. Chat Noir's eyes had always been expressive. Every emotion he felt was reflected there for her to see, and while he was sometimes able to conceal the depth of his feelings, he wasn't able to hide them completely. The rawness of his anguish wasn't something he could disguise from her. She'd recognised his distress in the aftermath of battle. It was why she'd reached out to place a hand on him, as he'd always responded well to her touch. Yet he hadn't at that moment. He'd flinched away like she's stabbed him with a pin.

At the time she'd thought he needed some space and so she'd done her duty, believing that she would have a chance to talk to him when things had settled. She was wrong. Whatever Chat Noir had been feeling, he'd kept to himself, slinking away to the shadows when her back had been turned. And every night since, she transformed into Ladybug, hoping that he'd finally resurface.

The patter of rain grew louder and the voices on the television fell silent. Once again precipitation had ruined her TV reception and the screen was a pixelated mess. The distorted picture made her consider her perception of her partner. Really, what did she know of Chat Noir? She knew he was dependable in battle. Personality wise he was witty and flirtatious. More importantly, he was one of her best friends. Their bond was different to any other in her life. While she'd never said it out loud, Chat Noir held a special place in her heart and only now was she regretting that she'd never really explained that to him.

Not wanting to think about something she couldn't change, Marinette's weary eyes stared at the flickering lights on the screen. "That antenna is a piece of crap. I'll have to get it fixed."

"You weren't watching it anyway."

"That's because it was more on Gabriel's trial. I don't think I can watch another segment. Seeing Adrien…" she shuddered, he was a shadow of his former self. He was still undeniably attractive but a troubled aura clung to him, his easy-going swagger was missing along with his kind smile. Just like Chat Noir, the tortured look in Adrien's eyes wouldn't leave her. It haunted her dreams most nights and she could only imagine the thoughts running through his head.

Did Adrien hate Ladybug for revealing the truth? She shook her head, that was stupid, in the few times she'd seen him as her alter ego he'd been nothing but polite. Sucking in her bottom lip, she reached for her phone again and opened her messages.

Marinette looked at the last few texts between her and Adrien. These days he had very little time for catching up. Between finishing his degree, his commitments to modelling and being thrust into the head of his father's business, there was scarcely a moment that Adrien was free. Still, she felt inclined to keep in contact as she suspected her crush needed all the support he could get. She shot off a quick message. How's your day going?

For a few minutes Marinette stared at her phone before putting it down. He probably wouldn't get a chance to answer anytime soon. She'd done her job as a friend and now the ball was in his court. Adrien's distance drew her thoughts back to her absent partner and her need to find him became more insistent. Taking a sip of her coffee she looked at Tikki. "Is there any way we can trace Chat?"

The red kwami shook her head. "Not unless he's transformed. You could use the tracker to locate him."

"I keep trying that."

"I know."

"Master Fu said he hasn't returned his miraculous. I'm assuming that's a good thing." Marinette ran a hand through her loose hair, twisting the long tresses into a tight spiral. She peered out the window briefly before staring at her kwami. "You know his true identity. Is there any way you can tell me or at least let me know if he's okay?"

Tikki floated upward with a compassionate look on her face. "He hasn't left. I know that much."

Marinette cupped her hands over her nose and mouth, closing her eyes. After a moment she began to massage the bridge of her nose with her fingertips. "Thanks, Tikki."

"Do you regret taking Master Fu's advice?"

Her hands dropped away from her face as she considered Tikki's question. Master Fu had been the one to come up with the plan of tracking down Hawkmoth. A plan she hadn't been entirely comfortable with. As usual he'd contacted them separately and discussed the idea. While she'd had her reservations, it was Chat Noir who had reassured her that it would work.

It had been dark and a streetlight had shone harshly on her partner's blonde mop, his bangs had thrown jagged shadows across his features but his green feline eyes had glowed with confidence. "I understand why you're nervous, bug-a-boo. This will be like Stoneheart, but we're not novices anymore."

Ladybug chewed the inside of her cheek. "But leaving an akuma uncleansed, it multiples, remember."

Strong hands came to rest on her shoulders while cat ears swivelled to face her. "I remember but it's the best way to find Hawkmoth. With its host out of action, the butterfly will return to him. It makes sense."

"I don't like it, it goes against everything we normally do."

"Yes, but maybe we need to do something different. We've been fighting Hawkmoth for years and every time we think we're getting close something happens and we're back to square one."

Ladybug looked at her toes as she considered his words. "If we do this, one of us needs to avoid using their powers. One of us needs to track the akuma while the other has a chance to recharge."

"The logical choice is me. You'll need to use your lucky charm to fix the damage done by the akuma. We'll just work around the fact that I won't be able to use cataclysm."

A frown continued to linger on her face as she looked up at him. "You really think this will work?"

Chat Noir cocked his head to the side, the light shifting brightly to his mask. "Outrageous improvisation seems to do the trick for us most of the time."

His lopsided smile was contagious. "True. Are you ready to take on Hawkmoth?"

"Are you kidding?" he laughed as he snagged his baton and twirled it through is fingers. "I've been waiting to kick his butt for years." Then his expression turned sultry as he leaned close. "Besides when this is over we can finally shed the masks."

She couldn't help but laugh at the wiggle of his covered eyebrows. "Is curiosity getting to you, kitty?"

An arm slipped around her waist as he pulled her body to his. "Well I am a cat, so yes."

Ladybug used her index finger to push his nose and make him step back. "Let's concentrate on this idea."

As usual Chat Noir let her go and accepted the rebuff. "Alright."

"Knowing Hawkmoth, the timing will be terrible. He really doesn't consider anyone's schedules."

"He's a baddie, I'm sure it's part of their secret code. How to be a villainous douche, the Hawkmoth chronicles."

Ladybug shook her head in amusement at her partner. "You really should write children's books with that imagination of yours."

Chat Noir shrugged as he extended his baton into a staff, leaning on it with clasped hands. "It's a possibility, but I'd much rather use my imagination in other ways." His pearly white grin made her snort.

Marinette chuckled at the memory but it soon disappeared. Chat Noir had been so cocky, at least at the time. She lifted her gaze to Tikki, realising she hadn't answered the question. "No, I don't regret taking Master Fu's advice. I just wish I'd paid more attention to Chat."

An imagine of his masked visage flashed in her mind, and of the mirth disappearing from his eyes. She'd been racing across Paris in hot pursuit, using the tracker on her yoyo to locate him. Her arms had been extended above her head as she swung around that final corner, catching sight of her motionless partner standing on the footpath. Chat Noir bristled as he eyed the tall perimeter wall of the Agreste Mansion, his tail flicking aggressively as he glared at a high circular window.

When he turned to look at her, she was shocked by the hostility in his eyes. "The akuma went in there." Even his voice had changed. Gone was the playful tone, instead there was a hard edge to her partner's comment. It made her really look at him. Feline ears were laid back, and his messy mop of blonde hair seemed wilder. He gave off the vibe of a cat with his back up, ready to attack. When his lips parted, his teeth were gritted and she expected him to hiss.

Disturbed by her partner's edginess, she returned her gaze to the building and her heart squeezed in her chest. Ladybug spoke her thoughts out loud. "I guess this means it's either Gabriel or Adrien."

Chat Noir's head had spun to her so quickly she stepped back. "You don't seriously think it would be Adrien?"

Despite the harsh set of his features, Chat Noir's eyes held a vulnerability she didn't understand. Was he friends with Adrien too? Her jaw clenched. "No, Adrien doesn't have a mean bone in his body. It would be completely out of character for him."

Chat Noir closed his eyes briefly as if savouring her words. When he opened them, the backs of his gloved fingers stroked her cheek. "Thanks, milady."

She didn't know why he thanked her, nor did she have time to seriously ponder it. Instead Chat Noir had pointed to a smaller window high in the mansion. "We need to go in through there." Before she could respond, her partner was bounding his way up the wall.

Ladybug had silently followed. She'd watched as he'd levered the window open with his claws, then he'd held out his hand to help her inside. It was dark when her feet hit the floor. It made the slight noise of Chat Noir sliding in behind her seem loud as he closed the window. His hand had immediately found hers. After years of working together, they instinctively knew their individual strengths and when to support each other.

Chat Noir's night vision gave him the edge as he steered her around the obstacles in the room. Though she managed to run into the broad expanse of his back when he stopped suddenly to open a door. She'd expected a teasing comment, instead she felt him shift slightly. "You need to follow me without question from here on in."

"Okay," she'd replied, wondering again why her partner was so grim.

Their hands remained locked together as Chat took the lead. His greater height made it difficult for her to see where they were going, but there was no hesitation in his navigation. It was like Chat Noir knew exactly where to go. Again, that niggle ate at her. Did he have a relationship with the Agreste family outside the mask? Or was it his heighten senses that imparted the knowledge of where to go?

The boom of Hawkmoth's voice had stopped them in their tracks. All questions of Chat Noir's unexpected awareness of the mansion evaporated. "How dare you enter the premises!"

Chat Noir had dropped into a defensive stance as he extended his baton into a staff. Hawkmoth had lifted his cane, stripping it of its exterior to reveal a sword. They moved so swiftly that Ladybug couldn't ascertain who lunged first. But the sound of metal clashing resonated through the room as they came furiously together.

As if to echo that moment, a crack of thunder brought Marinette back from her reverie. It took her a moment to realise she was in her own apartment, so vivid the memory had been. Now she had time to think and reflect. She turned to her kwami. "Chat Noir had some link to Adrien."

Tikki remained quiet as she hovered before her.

"Do you think it's possible he's been in contact with Adrien since?"

"I can't answer that."

Marinette let out a frustrated growl as she pulled her sleeves over her hands. "I don't understand why he isn't back."

"We can only be patient, Marinette. I'm sure Chat Noir will return when he's ready."

"But why is he gone? I don't get it. Something really upset him in that last battle but no matter how many times I replay the event over in my head, I just can't figure it out."

"Whatever it was, there's no point in beating yourself up about it."

Marinette dropped her legs out from under her cardigan and hoped she hadn't stretched it out of shape. "I suppose you're right." At that moment her phone beeped and she welcomed the zing of delight. She had a message from her crush.

Day has been crazy busy. Just got home from the office, now I must eat and exercise. I'm told loss of muscle mass is a big no-no for a male model.

Her fingers were quick to type a response. Do you get to sleep at some point in time?

Sleep? What is that? I have moments of unconsciousness. So far, I've managed to avoid face planting in my food but who knows what the future holds.

Live dangerously, try sleeping in your bed. She smirked as she inwardly finished that response with an invitation for him to sleep in her bed. Thankfully her fingers didn't type that out.

I'm seriously tempted but suspect Nathalie has me under surveillance.

Aren't you her boss now?

Good point. I think I'll eat first, then sleep. Fingers crossed that soup isn't on the menu. Drowning doesn't seem like a good way to go.

Marinette was busy smiling at the screen when her phone rang. "Hey there."

Adrien's voice sounded thick like he was getting a cold. "I've lucked out, no soup."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Instead it's risotto, could be a potential choke hazard."

"Hmm, have you heard of this method called chewing?"

A rich chuckle sounded on the end of the phone. "Is that what I've been doing wrong."

"So, it would seem. Although a gluggy risotto is criminal. How long since it was made?"

There was the sound of cutlery clinking against ceramics. "It's hot and the consistency doesn't resemble dried silicon so I think I'm okay."

"Should I stay on the line to ensure your safety?"

"Please do, I've been abandon to eat at the table alone as usual."

"There's one problem." She said as she gathered her sleeve between her fingers.

"What's that?"

"You can't talk while you're eating, so I'll have no idea if the risotto attempts anything shady."

"As I see it, we have two options. Video call or you come over."

Marinette glanced out the window at the pouring rain. If she attempted to visit him she'd end up soaked. "Given the current weather, it might have to be video call."

A heavy sigh sounded. "Yeah, I guess you're right." A thrill of excitement shot through her at his clear disappointment. Moments later Adrien was on her screen and he looked very tired. Dark circles underscored his eyes and his hair was limp. He lifted his spoon. "The risotto is behaving itself so far."

"But you never know when it'll turn." He was busy chewing so didn't answer. "How many hours are you doing a day?"

Adrien smoothed his eyebrows with his thumb. "I seem to be averaging about ten hours in the office. Another two doing study, but it depends on my modelling schedule as well as the trial."

"You're going to burn yourself out."

He looked away from the screen. "Probably, but I don't know what else I can do."

"Can you defer your studies?"

"There's not much point, I've only got a month to go."

"Can you get someone else to model?"

"No, I need to be the face of the company right now. My image has been linked to the Gabriel brand for so long that if I distance myself from it, the business will suffer."

"What about managing the business? Surely you can get some support there."

Adrien raked his fingers through his hair. "A number of senior personnel gave their notice. They didn't want to be associated with the scandal."

"Wow."

"Yeah. Can't say that I blame them though." He shovelled another spoonful of risotto into his mouth.

"Adrien." He met her gaze. "Do you want me to come over?"

A warm smile spread across his face as he chewed. After swallowing, he answered. "I'd love you to, but you're right, you'll get drenched if you do."

Her heart ratchetted up a notch at his words. "Then I'll keep talking to you."

Appreciation was written all over his face. "Thanks Marinette, you're the best."

So close, yet so far. Marinette has no idea how close her partner actually is.

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