Claw Noir opened one eye from his noon-day nap, a tickling sensation waking him. He smiled as a little ladybug crawled along his finger, without a care in the world. Though seeing it made him a little sad, too.
Hesperia had been looking and looking for a Ladybug to train along side Claw Noir, but no one was quite fitting the bill. Hesperia trained and worked with a secret agency of superheroes to keep Paris safe.
Looking at Claw, you may have the impression that he would be a gang, or the Bad Boy at school, but Claw just liked having fun and under the mask, what Adrien really wanted most out of life? A nice friend. Sure, he had known Chloe since childhood but Chloe had spoiled rich girl persona and over the years it had soured their friendship. Was he destined to be a lonely kitty on a rooftop forever?
A sudden noise had Claw springing to his feet, baton raised. From his advantage point, he could see the abandoned balcony of the bakery, boarded up long ago. Someone was standing on the balcony, and Claw wanted a better look.
Leaping quietly, using rooftops as his springboard, Claw eventually came to perch on one where he could look down on the action, while not being seen.
Boxes littered the balcony and among the boxes, Claw's breath caught, was a girl! The girl got up, rubbing her sore backside and resumed with the boxes. She turned and Claw could see her face: she was lovely.
Long black hair that the girl wore in two pigtails, outfit in pink jeans and blue jacket, hair falling over one eye. But what Claw was most impressed about was her bluebell eyes, almost identical to the flowers in the nearby woods.
He debated jumping down and introducing himself right there and there, but he didn't want to scare her. The temptation was real though. Adrien had distanced himself more and more since his mother had died only three short years ago. His father had taken the brunt of it, shutting himself away in his design studio, only letting in a selected few. And Adrien was not on the list.
At first, Adrien knew the grief would be raw and painful, but Father distanced himself from son, and Adrien wasn't happy.
He watched as the girl took a broom and begin sweeping the dirt from the balcony. Until she started dancing with the broom, her eyes closed and face glowing as if she didn't have a care in the world.
Claw hoped she'd be at his school, for he'd never seen her before. Was she from another part of Paris, a different country? Ah, the curious thoughts of cat. His baton buzzed, and he gave a small groan. He was supposed to be patrolling the city, then heading back to the underground base.
With one last longing look, Claw headed to street-level.
It was cool and dark in the sewers of Paris after being out in the bright sunshine, but Claw's eyes adjusted quickly to the gloom.
"'Bout time you got back, Claw. Alya and I were getting thirsty," Nino welcomed him taking a Chocolate Frappe from the holder Claw had picked up at Starbucks.
"Sorry, I got distracted," Claw told them and Alya rolled her eyes, grinning. "So, what else is new?" "I saw a girl. I think she just moved to the abandoned bakery," he filled in his friends. "Did you chat her up?" Alya loved gossip. "No, I'd figured I'd keep my distance for now. Likely I'll meet her first as Adrien tomorrow at school."
"Hey, we could use some new blood around here," Nino chimed in. "What's this?" Hesperia walked towards them, cape billowing behind him.
"Claw saw a girl," Nino told him before Claw could speak up. "What's special about that?" he asked. "She just seemed…." Claw searched for the right word. "Captivating." "Do you think she's Ladybug potential? You've been on your own far to long, Claw."
Claw's cheeks heated, a pinprick of annoyance in his voice. "I'm not looking for a girlfriend!" "Claw," Hesperia placed his hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry. Its just as long as the Supreme is out there, Paris isn't safe, and only Ladybug can purify akuma." "Sorry for losing my temper. Shake?" he held out a black gloved hand.
"Can we order pizza?" Nino asked, hopefully. Nino loved pizza. "Sure, then back to work for everyone."
Later that evening, Adrien sat at his desk working on homework due in the morning. But he couldn't stop thinking about the girl on the balcony. Should he walk right up in the morning? Let her make the first move? Do nothing? History notes were much easier then girl problems.
A quiet knock had him setting his pen aside as his father walked into the room. "Lights out at ten, Adrien. Remember, you have a photo shoot in the morning."
Adrien groaned internally. He'd forgotten all about that! "But what about our breakfast and school?" Gabriel Agreste's eyes were stern as he answered his son. "Adrien, you know I have to much work for that silliness. As for school, you'll be dropped off right after the shoot as always. Goodnight."
Adrien sighed, tears stinging at his eyes. Mother, his kind and gentle mother loved having breakfast with him, always making sure they had snack together when he got home. "Mother would never call me silliness," he muttered, wiping at his eyes.
The rattling of his trash can had Adrien peeking into the can. "Plagg, of all the places to eat cheese, why the trash can?"
"Easy," his Kwami mumbled, spitting cheese chunks everywhere. "Its quiet, stinky and I can feast on my cheese!" "Oh, Plagg," Adrien sighed, getting into his pajamas before flopping down in bed.
"You okay?" Plagg flew out of the can and settled on Adrien's pillow. Adrien loved it that his Kwami could sense or tell when he was upset.
"Why doesn't Father want to spend time with me? What did I do wrong?" Adrien cuddled his Kwami close, the tears now flowing freely. Plagg tried to wipe them away the best he could. "Because you remind him so much your mother, Adrien."
Adrien fell asleep quickly, and the gloominess of his room vanished. Instead, the day was bright and sunny and he was on the balcony with mystery girl.
Oh, how they laughed as they drank coffee and munched cookies, the scent of sweet flowers fragmenting the air.
Adrien's body twitched and rolled, craving love in his sleep. Eventually, he settled down and slept dreamless the rest of the night.
The photo shoot in the morning seemed to go by in a blink, and the closer he got to school the more baited his breath became.
Everyone seemed to be at lunch, all for two. Sabrina and Chloe were leaning over a seat, and Adrien spotted chewing gum.
"Chloe, what are you planning this time?" he asked, suspicious as he walked into the room. Chloe looked up for a moment in panic, then screeched happily. "Adrikins! The new girl is so dull and she tried to sit in my seat. Of course, I have to get my revenge."
Before I can reason with her, the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch, and the students trickle back in. Chloe scampers to another seat as I glare down at the offending chewing gum.
"What did you do to my seat?" a quiet voice asks. Adrien whirled around to find the mystery girl staring at him with her arms crossed. "See, I was trying to remove the chewing gum," Adrien stammered. She sighed, turning to go.
"You don't have to make excuses, I know your friends with Chloe." She sat down across from him, now refusing to look in his direction. Adrien sighed. Great, just great. Did he just blow an opportunity of making a friend even if he didn't do anything?
His hands shook as they always did when he got upset. Then Teacher called order. "Marinette, you didn't properly get to introduce yourself this morning. Would you like to now?"
Marinette, Adrien repeated to himself, committing the name to memory. Well, now he could put a name with the face at least.
Marinette's voice was soft as she spoke of her home. But she spoke in a different language then she spoke to Adrien in. Madrian. Was Marinette from China, and why did she move here?
"Speak English!" Chloe snapped. Marinette flushed, stumbled, then switched over to French. At least I'm able to understand, Adrien thought and he raised his hand, turning in his seat.
"Chloe, have a little compassion? If you moved to a strange country with a foreign tongue wouldn't you speak in the language your most comfortable in?" Chloe only glowered back, and Adrien stared her down.
Marinette left before Adrien could try again, but he wasn't going to give up. Besides, Marinette had only met Adrien Agreste, not Claw Noir.
He hoped Marinette liked black cats, for he was about to head over.
An hour later, Claw sat once again perched on the rooftop above her, then sucking up his courage he leaped down and landed with a thump!
"What's a Princess doing up here all by herself without a Prince?" he asked. Marinette turned and shrieked, tumbling backwards onto her rump. Oops. "I'm so sorry! Here," Claw held out a hand, helping Marinette to her feet. "I'm no damsel in distress," she said, brushing off dirt, "but thanks for the heads-up."
She was feisty, and he liked that. "Allow me to introduce myself," he said with a sweeping bow. "I'm Claw Noir, Paris's superhero."
"And what are you doing hanging about on my balcony?" Marinette asked. "Your balcony is one of my prime napping spots at least until you showed up, Princess."
"Is this happening?" Marinette asked, softly. Suddenly, she dived tackled Claw to the ground as a fluffy ball and claws leapt towards them.