Chapter Eleven

Marinette's mind kept turning the conundrum over in her mind as her fingers flew over the game controller, pushing the buttons. And noticing how Adrien's brow furrowed with concentration, even as he grinned, trying to beat her.

The problem isn't just Alya, she thought. She couldn't help thinking back to the argument that had started all this.

"How long have you known that we might have longer lives because of our kwamis?" she heard Cat Noir's voice accusing her.

If I live longer because of being Guardian…the idea of living a lifetime longer than Cat…Adrien…was intolerable. But if she gave up being Guardian to simply be able to share her life with Adrien…she never forgot that way the light went out of Master Fu's eyes…that light of love and knowledge of the secret, as his memory vanished. The idea of her having to forget all of this…

Beep.

She was dead.

She laid down the game controller. Adrien was gaping. "I beat you!" he reached out to touch her forehead. "Have you got a fever?" he teased. She laughed, batting his hand away, but there must've been a distracted light in her eye, because his mischief faded away and he caught her fingers, intertwining his fingers with hers, tilting his head as he studied her. "What's on your mind, Bugaboo?" he asked softly.

Nothing, she wanted to say. But her mouth was dry. She turned to look at him fully, let herself see him, let her mind run its course. Her mind conjured the image of her, young, watching him fade…her heart hurt in her chest. Her mind conjured too the image of a dark butterfly landing on her ear…she raised her fingers to her earlobe convulsively, and her heart skipped a beat, feeling nothing there. She swallowed hard, closed her eyes to calm herself… Now that we know who we are…we are more vulnerable. If Nooroo gets taken by someone who's corrupt…

Adrien's fingers tightened on hers, bringing her back to the moment. She drew a deep breath, feeling solemn.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her again, serious.

"Questions. Worries," she said. She switched the game controller off and put it into the box. "Adrien…I think I need to talk to Master Su-Han…somehow."

"I'll go with you," he said immediately, but she shook her head. "I think it needs to be just me. I need you to stay here…in case anything happens. Either so you can lead the heroes, or let me know so I can return to help."

He regarded her, perplexed, looking tempted to argue.

"Ladybug and Cat Noir sneaking off together won't improve the situation," Marinette said gently.

His shoulders slumped. "You're right." He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and his mouth formed a determined line. "I'll keep Paris safe tonight milady. You do what you need to do—" he captured her mouth in a kiss. "Just get home safely, as soon as you can. Paris needs its Ladybug, but I need my Marinette."

Her cheeks heated at his words and she returned his kiss. "I'll get home as swiftly as I can," she promised.

They sank back against the couch, Marinette resting her head on Adrien's shoulder, his arm curved around her. She tilted her head up slightly in time to see his eyes flutter shut. A smile curved her lips and she snuggled closer. With one hand she took out her phone. She could send a message to Master Su-Han with that…he'd always known who she was, anyway, tracking her with his staff when he'd first met her.

Master, I need to talk to you. Is there a way? Are you near Paris currently? She texted, and sent. She leaned back against Adrien, his sleeping breath slow and even. His closed eyelids flickered for a moment as though with a dream. She brushed her lips along his cheek light as a butterfly's wing. For all the fear…it felt astonishing, freeing, to be with him, and know that he knew who she was…to know who he was. All this time…we've been running together. Every time we gave each other tiny gleans of our lives, we were talking about each other. Warmth rushed through her, remembering how he'd told her about the girl he was dating… "She's amazing….I could talk about her for hours…" Her. He'd been talking about her.

The buzz of her phone woke her from her reverie. She raised it to see the screen.

I am not in Paris right now. You can either come to me, or I will send a messenger.

She debated it. She had never seen the temple…some of her was tempted to go. But at the same time, she was afraid to leave Paris…what if something happened? What if people needed Ladybug?

How do I find you? She sent the message. T is a big place.

Borrow K. K will know.

Kaalki, the kwami of teleportation. She took a deep breath, her eyes flicking to Tikki…her kwami was curled up on Adrien's bed, dozing with Plaag…she smiled, amused, and was regretful about having to wake her precious kwami…but then Tikki opened one eye, and drifted over within a moment. "What is it, Marinette?" the kwami queried.

Marinette explained softly. "I'll have to transform…I need to send Pegasus a message. I think…we're going to have to go to Tibet."

Tikki perked up, excited.

"Tikki, spots on," she said quietly, one eye on the door. She kept her body angled low to conceal herself just in case. For a moment she felt self-conscious, transforming even as Adrien was snuggled against her. But she didn't want to wake him. She slipped her bug phone free and flicked through the contact list. Called the number for Pegasus. Even if Kaalki's holder Max wasn't transformed, Kaalki would sense her trying to contact him.

Then panic rushed through her. "What have I done?" she whispered and twisted free frantically. If Pegasus teleported to Ladybug…he'd find her snuggled with Adrien Agreste!

She ran across the floor of Adrien's bedroom, up to the window and leapt, up through the window. She went up to the roof, ducking behind a chimney, her heart hammering as she saw a helicopter in the distance.

Searching for more photo opportunities? She thought, annoyed. More though, she was annoyed at herself. She should never have done that…if anyone had seen her whipping out of Adrien Agreste's window…she could imagine the sensational headlines… Ladybug cheating on Cat Noir with Adrien Agreste… that would be more than a cat among the pigeons…

She gritted her teeth and crept to the edge of the roof, eyed the nearest roof, checked around again and then leapt.

In the distance she saw a flash of purple leap to another rooftop. Distracted, she turned, and then ran after it. It was only when she was a rooftop away that she recognized it…

Argos.

He was standing still, visibly annoyed, and waited for her.

She groaned, wishing she could turn and pretend that she'd not seen him, but it was too late. He flicked his fan, waiting impatiently.

"What on earth were you thinking?" he demanded. "Ladybug, leaping from—" he dropped his voice "my cousin's window?" his eyes were angry though too. "And photos with Cat Noir? What are you playing at, Marinette?"

She flinched at the use of her name. "It's…not what…" she struggled. "It's not what they think. There's nothing going on between me and Cat Noir. I'm with Adrien."

He regarded her very seriously, frowning. "My cousin's heart is no small toy."

She closed her eyes in frustration.

Argos's voice was quieter, trying to be kinder. "What happened?"

And she hated that she couldn't just tell him the truth. She sighed. "Cat Noir and I were just training. We trained a bit too long…and were tired by the end. We fell asleep on the bank of the Seine. There was nothing romantic about it."

"Bull," he said bluntly. He jabbed his fan towards the nearest billboard. She flinched, confronted with the evidence. "Cat Noir was kissing you. And you were kissing him back."

She froze.

"You are playing with fire," Argos said quietly, viciously. "I can't just watch you use my cousin. I thought you were better than this, Marinette. You need to make a decision by tomorrow. Otherwise I will tell Adrien."

She swallowed hard. "Argos…"

"No excuses," he said. His voice was low. "I came out here to make sure no one spotted you leaping from my cousin's window. That is the only way I will protect you…protecting my cousin's reputation."

And that sent gratitude through her, that Felix cared that much about Adrien. "Thank you for that," she said.

And at that moment, Pegasus appeared behind them, a portal spinning closed as he stepped out of it. "Ladybug?" he queried. "I got your message…" his voice trailed off as he saw Argos. He regarded the hero curiously, then switched his sharp gaze to Ladybug, deciding to wait.

"Argos, I'll try to talk to you later," Ladybug said wearily. "I'm sorry for the confusion. Cat Noir and I are not dating. But I have to take care of something right now. Thank you for covering for me, for my mistake." She waited. Argos gave her another glare then took off, leaping to another rooftop, his coat whipping out behind him.

"Thanks for coming, Pegasus," Ladybug said tiredly.

"Are you okay, Ladybug?" Pegasus asked, looking concerned.

She wished she could speak honestly. All these lies were starting to feel like a ball of lead in her gut… "I need to borrow Kaalki," she said miserably. "I have to go somewhere far away. I'll get back as soon as I can…"

He didn't look happy about it, but he nodded. "Of course, Ladybug." He walked to the rooftop edge, then jumped down, to the walkway below, and jumped from there to the ground, waited for her to follow. When she landed, he stepped back against the wall and removed his glasses. Moments later, her clever classmate Max was holding out his precious Miraculous to her.

"Thank you, Max," she said quietly. "I'll get them back to you as soon as possible."

"Take care, Ladybug," he responded just as quietly. "Safe travels." He smiled at the kwami, Kaalki, who hovered by Ladybug's shoulder. "I'll see you soon, my friend." Kaalki whickered fondly. "Of course."

Ladybug waited until Max left the alley, then put on the sunglasses. She hesitated, then typed out a message on her bug phone. Sorry I left you so abruptly, she sent before she could let herself think about it.

"Tikki, Kaalki, unify," she said quietly, putting on the sunglasses. Moments later she was Pennybug. She opened the portal, feeling the idea of where it needed to be…and stepped in.

And sank into snow.

She climbed out with a gasp and stared at the landscape surrounding her. In the distance there was a mountain, and on that, the temple. It had many flat roofs. She saw a few small figures moving along them. She wished she could transform to Lady Ice…that costume was warmer. But this was snow…ice skates wouldn't help her. At least she could teleport…

She opened another portal, meaning to go straight to the gates of the temple…

The portal only took her ten feet forward. She groaned in frustration, her teeth chattering with the cold.

Her bug phone buzzed.

I'm sending someone to escort you, the text said from Master Su-Han.

She sighed in gratitude and opened another portal. It must be a safety precaution…another ten feet forward, appearing on the craggy slopes. Exhaustion crept through her. She couldn't do that many portals…Kaalki had limits…

In the distance she saw a figure dragging a sledge. She dragged in another breath…the cold air coated her throat, making her cough. She opened another portal, taking herself closer to that figure. She sagged visibly in tiredness as she stepped through…she raised her hand to make another portal…then dropped her hand. She took a faltering step forward. She could see the figure trudging forward faster as though they sensed her exhaustion.

Her surroundings swam. She took another step, then the powdery snow crumbled before her and she fell, the snow rising up to meet her.