Chapter Fourteen

Patching up things with Marinette turned out to be easier than Adrien initially imagined. While she still had a nervous energy when around him, she did relax enough that they were able to fall into a comfortable dialogue on a variety of things that carried them through lunch and into the late afternoon.

Adrien was so used to seeing Marinette wound up tighter than a clock spring that it was almost a shock to see her relax. Her eyelids hung heavily as she sipped the remainder of her coffee, her ankles were crossed as she propped her feet on his knee. Earlier he'd offered her a foot massage which she'd hesitantly agreed to. Now he sat with his hand resting on the top of her bare foot, while she appeared on the verge of dozing off. It was the sort of peace he'd been lacking for a long time and he was tempted to close his eyes too.

The buzz of Marinette's phone had her shooting off the sofa. "Something up?" he asked as he straightened and massaged his nape with his thumb and forefinger.

"It's just a reminder. I've got some stuff I need to do tonight."

"Oh," he said as he shuffled to the edge of the seat and prepared to stand.

There was a touch of alarm to her voice. "You don't have to go. It can wait a little while anyway."

A lazy smile stretched across his face. "Marinette, you're one of the most considerate people I know."

"It doesn't hurt that you're pretty," she teased then slapped her hand over her mouth.

Adrien cracked up. "Ah, now the truth comes out. I'm just eye candy to you."

"I didn't mean it like that." She insisted while her cheeks remained pink.

"I know, but a boost to the ego never hurts. Anyway, I should get going. It's been fun catching up. We should do this more often."

Marinette toyed with the handle of her coffee mug, glancing at him shyly. "I'd like that."

"How about next week? You can check out my new place. I'm not living in the mansion anymore."

"You're not?"

"No, I wanted my own space. Besides there were too many memories I'd prefer to forget at the mansion. Let me know a time that suits you and I'll text you my address." At her heart-warming smile, Adrien pressed a kiss to her cheek and said goodbye.

Returning home with a yawn and a stretch, Adrien kicked off his shoes and tossed his jacket over the back of a dining chair. The resulting grunt from said garment made him smirk. "Sorry Plagg, forgot you were there."

"My butt, you did." His kwami huffed.

The model chuckled as he headed to the kitchen, switching on his TV as he walked through. Flicking open the dishwasher, he began unpacking it and let his mind wander with the mundane task. Was Marinette right about Ladybug? Had she been waiting for the opportunity to find Chat Noir? Could Plagg's continual nagging about getting on TV be the answer? If it was, he would never admit it to his kwami, the little twerp was smug enough already.

Yet the idea of being captured on film as Chat Noir sent chills up his spine. It was one thing to be constantly badgered as Adrien Agreste, it was a part of his life that hadn't ceased since he'd first stepped on the catwalk. But with Chat Noir he had a choice. No one had seen hide nor hair of the cat themed superhero. There was a certain mystique about Chat Noir these days, and for him to suddenly return, it would be the news story of the year. The thought made him shudder.

For months now, he'd managed to keep such a low profile as Chat Noir that no one had caught him on film leaping across the rooftops, much to Plagg's dismay. Chat Noir was so secretive that not even Ladybug had caught wind of his night time escapades, if she was still around. Perhaps he had been too sneaky.

Yet this was the one facet of his life that he had all to himself. Did he really want to break away from the obscurity? As much as he wanted that part of his life to remain private, there was a deeper yearning. He longed for the carefree days when he raced across Paris with his partner. When he'd been reckless and fancy-free. When nothing seemed impossible and he'd been caught up completely in his infatuation of Ladybug. He snorted, maybe it was his hormones that had made him feel invincible, he had been a teenager after all.

Wanting to think about something else, Adrien turned his attention to the TV. Plagg had been pawing the remote, changing the channels, but now the screen sat on one station. Again, that last photograph of Ladybug and Chat Noir flashed up and he groaned. "When will they get tired of showing that thing?"

"When they've got something new to show," Plagg added as he pointed to the screen. "You might want to watch this."

The image changed to a panning shot of the Eiffel Tower and Adrien watched as Ladybug's lithe figure swung across the screen. The camera zoomed in closer and his lungs seized. "Is this live?"

"Yep," Plagg said as he settled in and rested his chin on his paw. "See she knows the importance of television coverage."

Adrien threw his kwami an annoyed glare but his gaze was drawn back to the screen. There was no doubt that this was new footage, as this Ladybug held a maturity that was new to him. Her face was a little thinner and her figure was more curvaceous than he recalled, but it was definitely his lady.

Plagg popped his little black face up. "Can I have some cheese before we go out?"

The model's hand rested at his nape as his eyes nervously darted over the screen. "I don't know what to do. It's a media circus out there. Look at all the helicopters!"

"You want to see her, she's right there."

Adrien's hands began to sweat and he rubbed them on the thighs of his jeans. "I know but I wanted to do it in private."

"So, go out there and draw her away. You've both got trackers."

Feeling frazzled, the model ran a hand through his hair. "Do you think she's out there for me?"

Plagg didn't even hesitate in his answer, "Yep."

"Alright then, claws out."

Knowing that his location could be tracked at any moment, Chat Noir sped across the rooftops and far away from his home. If Ladybug was planning to seek him out, it was going to be on his terms. He avoided going anywhere near the Eiffel Tower as the media steadily continued to gather. If there was going to be a reunion, it was going to be a private one.

Determined to remain unseen for a long as possible, Chat Noir swiftly travelled through the shadows to a quieter part of town. Buildings shifted from residential to commercial premises and eventually the hero stopped at his intended destination. Standing atop of a three-storey office block, Chat walked along the roofline of his usual haunt. There were no security cameras and the top two floors were currently vacant. Its neighbouring buildings were all lower and with cameras so archaic their wires had splintered.

Staying away from the edge, Chat opened his baton to its tracker. He tried to ignore the way his heart leapt with joy when Ladybug's beacon flashed brightly on the map. For years he'd hoped to see her icon, and now it was there he felt suddenly anxious. "Maybe this was a mistake," he muttered to himself as he studied the distant bright lights of the Eiffel Tower and glared at the helicopters buzzing around Ladybug's location.

Running a trembling hand through his messy hair, Chat Noir glanced back at his baton. Ladybug's beacon showed her in the same location, she hadn't moved. Was she waiting for him to come to her? It wouldn't be unexpected, it was the way the majority of their partnership had worked.

As he considered calling her, his cat ears pricked up. The pitch of the helicopter engines had changed. Lifting his head, his eyes widened as he watched the helicopters begin to move. A single look at his baton told him why. Ladybug was heading towards him and the helicopters were following her trajectory.

Clawed fingers snapped the baton closed and he extended it into a staff. His tail twitched as he considered what to do. A second pair of helicopters began to shadow the first, and Chat Noir's heart raced with panic as he decided he wasn't going to stick around. As much as he longed to meet up with Ladybug he wasn't about to be grilled by the media.

His choice of location hadn't been by chance. Chat Noir was very familiar with the area and had a number of exit strategies in place. There were two subway stations nearby, all he had to do was make his way across the rooftops and into one of the conveniently dark alleyways to transform back and get away via train.

With this in mind, there was no flair to the superhero's movements as he sped away. He'd learnt when to show off and when to be serious. If Ladybug did manage to catch a glimpse of him, she'd probably be surprised at his lack of fancy acrobatics.

The thumping rotors were growing louder. Chat finally found the alley he was looking for. With his staff standing vertical he prepared to descend when a familiar yoyo string shot by him. Cocking his head to the side, Chat Noir locked eyes with Ladybug seconds before he dropped.

His feet hit the ground with a heavy thump and he ran. All the while he could hear his partner's pleading calls to stop as he wound his way through the dumpsters. Then he heard the spin of her yoyo and his right foot was yanked out from under him. A yowl escaped Chat Noir as he kissed the dirt. The moment he was down, he rolled and reached for the yoyo entangled around his ankle. His clawed fingers had barely touched the string when she suddenly stood over him.

Ladybug was panting heavily as she rested her hands on her knees. "Why did you run away? I thought you wanted me to find you."

Chat Noir's cat ears pivoted as he looked to the sky. Floodlights from the helicopters were lighting up the next block. He eyed the street and was thankful to see a broken boardroom table with the upper legs snapped so the tabletop propped in a triangular shape against the wall, plus it sat beside the next dumpster, offering a level of shelter from the bright lights. Tugging the yoyo free, he launched to his feet and snagged Ladybug's hand.

His partner continued to shout questions at him as he ducked under the make-do shelter. With a tug on her hand, he pulled her close and wedged her against the wall as he covered her brightly coloured suit with his black one. It was an impulsive move of protection, gleaned from their akuma fighting days, so ingrained in him that he hadn't thought twice about it.

While his head was tilted up so he could peer through the small gap between the wall and the broken table, Chat Noir was fully aware of how close he was to Ladybug. He relished the feel of her body pressed to his. Their breathing was still irregular and her breasts pressed to his chest every time she inhaled.

"Why are we hiding, Chat?"

He lowered his head and his masked visage hovered near hers. Chat Noir's breath caught in his throat, she was so devastatingly beautiful. It took him a moment to process her question. "Because I like my anonymity."

Ladybug's masked eyebrows lowered in annoyance. "You mean you've been hiding from everyone on purpose?"

"Now is not really the time to discuss this."

"You've got to be kidding! This is the first time I've been able to talk to you in three years!"

"Settle down," he snapped. "If you'd allowed me to break your golden rule, you'd know exactly why I didn't want to be found."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Again, this is not an appropriate time to talk." His head turned as he tracked the helicopter lights.

Suddenly her gloved hands were on either side of his face, turning his head back to her. "Chat, I didn't know what happened to you. You were a mess. I wanted to know if you were alright."

Green eyes narrowed. "I wasn't, okay."

"I could have been there for you."

He snorted. "I needed you in my personal life, but you've never wanted a part of that."

"I'm here now."

Chat Noir knew she didn't deserve the attitude or hard stare he was giving her, but he wasn't exactly comfortable with their current situation. The helicopters were starting to move away and he glanced into the darkening alley.

"Chat." She said as fingers curled into his wild hair. "What happened to you?"

"Betrayal happened to me."

Her hands dropped to his shoulders. "You don't think I betrayed you?"

Softness filtered into his voice. "No, milady."

Ladybug perked up at his endearment. "I didn't think I'd hear you call me that again."

"Well you always warned me off using bugaboo."

"It didn't stop you though."

Amusement sparked in his gaze as a smirk ghosted his lips. "Not when it got a reaction out of you."

Her fingers linked at his nape. "I've missed you, kitty."

"I'm sure you tell all the boys that."

Ladybug grinned and rolled her eyes. "How many other cat themed superheroes do you think I know?"

He shrugged. "Well there was Copycat. I distinctly remember your admiration for his fighting ability."

"That was a long time ago, and he was akumatised, so therefore not a superhero."

"Does that mean I'm your one and only?" While he said it teasingly, he was surprised when she looked away. It was only then that he noticed the blush at her cheeks. Maybe he'd struck close to the truth there. Interesting, he'd have to explore that later.

With the helicopters drawing away, he took it as his cue to move away from her but her hands at his nape held firm. She was looking at him intensely, drinking him in as if parched. "Chat Noir, in the time we've been apart I've come to realise that I never appreciated how important you are to me. I searched for you for years. Why didn't you come to me?"

"Because I couldn't." He sighed. "If you want to understand why, then I'll need to reveal my identity to you."

"I did say I was okay with that in my voicemail messages or did you ignore them?"

"I listened to every single one."

"You did?" she looked shocked but also thrilled. "I left a lot."

"You did, but now you're changing the subject."

"Very well then, I'm giving the all clear to go ahead with revealing our identities."

"Alright then, come with me."

To think that last scene was one of the first I wrote. I've been looking forward to positing it for ages. I hope you enjoyed it. Next chapter, Chat Noir's about to pour out his heart to his partner.

Thank you so much for your support, as usual your reviews, follows and favourites mean a lot. Until next chapter, cheers :)