A/N: Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy the chapter.

Song Rec: Love Somebody Again by Forest Blakk

Early the next morning, Adrien stuck his head into her room. "Hey, you good here? I gotta go to work."

Marinette blinked her eyes sleepily, taking a while to comprehend his words. "Yeah, I'm fine," was what she meant to say, but whatever came out of her mouth probably sounded more like incoherent mumbling.

Adrien let out a snort. "If you need something, send it to my communicator, I'll have Plagg let me know." He shut the door, throwing the room back into darkness.

Marinette slept for another couple of hours before finally waking up.

As she was getting ready (not that there was much she could do, having only brought the clothes she had been wearing while transformed), she finally processed what Claw had told her before leaving.

She didn't know why she was surprised to hear he had a job. After all, he had told her he did "nothing important," not "nothing at all."

After learning about Shadybug's own past in this world and the circumstances that had led to her spending nearly all of her time transformed and wandering the city while finding abandoned places to sleep, Marinette supposed that her worry that Claw was living similarly had sunk in.

Checking the clock, she was surprised to see it was only eight in the morning. Where did Claw work that took him out of the house that early? She thought she might die if she had to wake up so early every day. Thankfully, her university classes so far had been carefully planned to avoid her least favorite part of the day.

After wandering into the living room, Marinette noticed Claw had left something for her on the table, the clutter and trash pushed away from it.

Picking up the credit card he'd left with a frown, she read the note below:

For clothes and whatever girl stuff you need. I'll be back around 3:30.

She stared at the card, debating. While she wasn't a fan of freeloading off of him, she admitted to herself that she did need to gather some essentials, as well as a few outfits to get her by.

But first, she could at least make herself useful.

Placing the card back down, she got to work on gathering up all the trash she could find and stuffing everything inside a couple trash bags she fished out from beneath the sink. Then, she made a pile of the clothing by the side of the room, and finished up by organizing whatever was left.

It was a small place, so it didn't end up taking very long at all. The surfaces still remained covered, as she hadn't wanted to put anything where it might not belong, but it was a huge improvement to have the trash and clothes cleaned up.

With a satisfied nod of her head, Marinette left the apartment, credit card in tow.

Marinette was back in the apartment by three, and looked up from the couch when the door opened.

Adrien walked in, looking surprisingly disheveled, with a layer of dust and dirt covering him. He took one look at the place and froze. "Did you clean?" The disgust rolled off every syllable as he glared at his marginally-cleaner living space.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you want me to teach you how?"

He ignored her jab, walking in and immediately tossing a lunchbox on the table, scattering the objects she had organized. "How am I supposed to find all my shit now?"

"Oh relax, I didn't actually put anything away." She glared at him as he slipped off his boots, tossing them into the middle of the walkway, a cloud of dirt coming to rest on the floor.

Whatever. She wasn't his mom.

Instead, Marinette focused on him. "You look like a mess. What is it you do?"

Adrien shrugged, walking past her as he continued to eye the living room. "I work in construction."

"Oh," she responded, surprised. Not a career she would have thought for Claw Noir.

Her reaction didn't seem to bother him at all as he flopped down on the couch, closing his eyes as he relaxed.

She tried to recover, anyway. "Do you enjoy the work?"

He shrugged again. "Yeah, it's fine. Keeps me busy and not thinking."

His answer worked through her, curiosity continuing to motivate her to ask more questions. "I don't know why I thought you went to University."

"Oh, I did."

That one surprised her. "You did? What for?"

Still sounding like he didn't have a care in the world, he drawled, "Mechanical engineering."

It took a beat for her to respond. "You went to school for engineering? But why only construction? Did you graduate?"

"Yup. I couldn't be bothered to get my PhD afterwards."

Marinette felt stupefied. Engineering was not an easy degree to get, and yet Adrien made it sound like it was barely an achievement at all. "You didn't like it? Why did you decide to finish the whole degree instead of switching?"

He didn't answer right away this time, and Marinette took a few steps closer.

Adrien's eyes were open, staring at the ceiling with a hint of tension in them. "I liked it, eventually. But getting my Miraculous became more important. I managed the last couple years to graduate, but gave it up after that."

There was something else there, she could sense it. "That's really admirable that you still graduated. What kept you going?"

The silence that followed made her believe that she'd finally gotten to the right question. Eventually, Adrien let out a breath. "My mom. She died before I left lyceés, but she always encouraged me to pursue what I loved. I guess finishing the degree felt like keeping my promise to her that I would." He followed up the soft words with a harsh laugh, getting to his feet in a sudden burst of movement. He threw his hands up and looked at the ceiling with a sardonic twist of his mouth. "Sorry Mom, got part way there and quit. Not surprising, I guess. But hey, at least I'm helping save the world now. So guess that's a gold fucking star right there."

He brushed past her, and Marinette reached out a hand. "Claw—"

He ignored her, continuing back to the bedroom. "I gotta take a shower before we go see His Highness."

Marinette hesitated, but ultimately stayed where she was, waiting until he reappeared. He looked at her once, his hand on the bathroom door. "You get what you needed today?"

"I did. Thank you, Claw. And I'm sorry."

His mouth quirked up on the side. "Nah, don't be. You're here now, so I have hope that I can at least put all this Supreme shit behind me. It's gotten real old."

He disappeared into the bathroom.

Marinette focused on preparing her story while she waited.

Finally, he came back out. "I set up a meeting. You ready to keep up the charade?"

"I'm ready."

His expression shifted to something more grim. "Shady is a bit of a favorite of the Supreme, so you might get some leeway. But he's not going to be happy that she's—that you've been gone."

Marinette nodded, all her intel from Shay sorting itself in her mind.

They left the apartment again, Marinette following him as they made their way through the city. It was still early evening, so it wasn't until they began to reach the outskirts of the city that they found a place to transform. Marinette brought forth her Shadybug disguise perfectly.

Finally, they made it to a nondescript building. Claw did some sort of complicated knock before the door opened, revealing a blonde woman in a black and yellow swirled suit. The Bee Miraculous, Marinette mused to herself. Perhaps Chloé? She recalled from Shady that her villain name was Hornette.

The woman's sneer at Claw certainly fit with what she might've expected from Chloé. "Look what the cat dragged in."

Claw Noir pushed by her. "That's what you came up with? Bee-itch, I am the cat, dumbass."

The bee-holder turned her eyes on Marinette. "And you. Finally decided to show your face again? The Supreme is pissed at you." There was a satisfaction in her eyes, a certain smugness at apparently getting to see Shadybug taken down a notch.

Marinette leveled her gaze at the woman.

Then she walked right on through the door, completely ignoring her. She heard Hornette huff as she followed them inside.

They passed through into a small entry room that was surprisingly elegant. Marinette had been expecting creepy warehouse vibes for the villain hideaway, not abstract paintings and fancy couches, like some sort of high-end waiting room. She and Claw waited in the center as Hornette went to the door on the other side.

She turned and glared at Marinette. "You're up first."

Marinette clenched her jaw, trying not to hesitate as she walked forward, entering through the door.

Ah, Marinette thought as she entered the next room. This is more like it.

In contrast to the waiting room she just left, this one did indeed have the exact vibes she'd expected for a villain's hideout. The mostly empty room with peeling wallpaper was shrouded in darkness. A single lamp stood in the corner, its feeble light not doing much to illuminate the area.

"Well," a deep voice rumbled, and Marinette tried not to startle as she turned to the far corner, the shadows seeming to swirl around the figure she hadn't noticed. "You have returned to me much later than I was expecting, my dark little insect." Marinette dropped her head in respect, holding still as the Supreme spoke.

After a moment of silence, he continued, his voice remaining smooth and relaxed. "I allowed you to leave the city as a privilege. You have always been...special to me." The Supreme began to walk slowly, the shadows continuing to keep him obscured, no matter how close he got to the light. "The others require so much coddling, so much control. And yet you...You have always performed perfectly. You show promise unlike your peers. Which is why I've allowed you more freedom, more choice. I allowed you to leave the city to cure your restlessness.

"But you were not supposed to disable your communications completely for so long. Explain yourself." His voice turned harsh, the anger within his last question piercing her like a thousand tiny pinpricks against her skin.

Marinette crossed her arms, though she kept her head down. "I was too distracted to realize how much time was passing, and I didn't notice my communicator stopped working. I should have checked in sooner." She didn't apologize, knowing that wasn't something that Shay would do, even when faced with her superior.

The Supreme made no noise for a time, before letting out a sigh. "I'm impressed by your ability to hold your tongue. Very well. This will not happen again, or I will be forced to take back my precious gems from you. You know very well that you would be nothing without those earrings." Marinette clenched her jaw, knowing that it had been true for Shay—at one time, at least. "I trust that you have learned from your mistake."

"I have." The less she said, the less chance she would be discovered.

After another unnerving moment of silence, he said, "You may go." She turned on the spot, but before she could reach the door, he asked, "Did you curtail your boredom in your time away?"

She looked back. "It was fine. But I'm ready to get back to it. You got anything for me?"

Though she couldn't see the Supreme's expression, she imagined him smiling. "I might. Send in your partner, first. I need to talk to him."

After nodding, she opened the door.

Claw leaned against the wall as he waited for the false Shadybug to get through her meeting. He wasn't really worried; he doubted this one would last very long, and the little bug seemed determined enough to either get it right, or talk herself out of any mistakes.

Hornette had her leg bent and propped on the wall behind her as she smirked at him. "How does it feel, knowing you both are finally going to get what's coming to you?"

Claw didn't look at her, squinting at the ceiling. "What was that, Plagg? No, I didn't hear anything, just an irritating buzzing noise."

She let out a scoff. "Ignore me all you want. I know I can't wait to see what punishment the Supreme is bestowing on your precious partner."

"Like I give a fuck what he's doing to her. I'm more annoyed that I had to come here in the first place and have to listen to your stupid voice, Hornet."

"It's Hornette," she said through gritted teeth.

He laughed, cruelty dripping down from the edges of the sound and sending the woman into a frenzy.

"Fuck you, Claw. You think you're untouchable, but you aren't. Just watch."

"You're just jealous because you can't rise above being a simple little errand bee, forced to play butler to the Supreme's whims while the rest of us get to have fun."

"I am not a butler," she seethed. "I'm important. I get to order all you other little peons around without having to get my hands dirty."

"How many times did you have to tell yourself that in the mirror before you bee-lieved it?"

Hornette opened her mouth to respond when the door opened, and faux-Shady walked out, her face neutral.

Well, that was quick. And to his relief, it didn't seem like she had actually been punished in any way he could tell.

She met his eyes and motioned for the door. "Your turn, Fleabag."

He turned a gloating expression on Hornette, who stared at Shadybug in dismay.

Claw laughed as he walked to the door, striding in and stopping in the middle of the gloomy room, ready to get on with it. "Yeah, boss?"

The door slammed shut behind him.

The Supreme hovered in the corner as always. "Claw Noir. It took you far too long to track down your partner. That displeases me greatly."

He shrugged. "She's good at staying under the radar."

The shadows licked along the ground as the Supreme moved. "From this moment on, she is your responsibility to keep in line. I know your secret. I know what you care about most in the world." Claw sucked in a breath, startled as the Supreme continued. "You two really do make the perfect team. She cares about nothing, and does a wonderful job for me with very little incentive. And you. Destruction is in your blood."

Claw remained cool on the outside, but the truth in that statement caused his own hatred to well up within him.

Destruction is in your blood.

What had happened to his mother had been the prime example of that.

The Supreme hadn't halted during Claw's bout of self-hatred. "I so helpfully allow you to wield it in my service as well. Like your partner, you also care for very little, with one exception. You care for her."

Claw remained staring into the darkness of the Supreme's visage, holding back his surprise.

Because of course, he was right. He hadn't realized the Supreme had found out that little weakness of his.

"And so, I must unfortunately remind you what is at stake if you allow her to run off again. I will take her Miraculous, and I will punish her harshly. In front of you. Do you understand?"

Claw ground his teeth together for a moment. He needed to keep Marinette out of any discussions about his weaknesses. It didn't matter that she wasn't Shay, he still felt responsible for her safety while she was here.

Plus, he was already growing fond of her. She had the same spark that Shady had, even if the kindling she had surrounding it was more of the goodie-two-shoes variety.

Claw let out a laugh, extending his staff to lean casually on it. "Not to tell you how to do your job, your Supremeness, but it'd be a better incentive for you to threaten me with punishment. I care more for my own skin than anything else."

Of course, even his sharp eyes couldn't see through the strange darkness to make out the Supreme's reaction, but a low chuckle echoed through the room. "If you're so eager, then both of you will be punished. Satisfied?"

Claw sighed, keeping his tension carefully hidden. "Whatever, it doesn't matter. She won't do it again, I'll make sure of it."

"See that you do. Now, I need you both to pay a visit to a friend of mine tonight."

After receiving the location, Claw left the room, spotting Hornette waiting for him. She took one look at him, displeasure pulling her mouth down at his lack of visible punishment, before rising stiffly to her feet. "Just get out, Claw. I'm sick of looking at you already."

"Feeling's mutual." He didn't see his new partner anywhere, so he left quickly.

Outside, he spotted her waiting on a nearby rooftop and jumped up the side to join her. "Didn't feel like sticking around, Red?"

She pursed her lips. "I had to get out of there before I made things worse with her. We'll probably want her on our side eventually."

Claw grimaced. "Yeah...I hate to burst your bubble, but I don't think that'll ever happen. We both—" he pointed between them, referencing Shadybug, "—really hate her guts. And the feeling is mutual."

She sighed. "Yeah, I figured. I think she might be Chloé, by the way. Do you know Chloé Bourgeois?"

"Chloé Bourgeois? HA! No fucking wonder." He and Chloé had been friends once, when they were young. That had ended once she had turned into a raging bitch, too stuck up to see past her own nose.

It had quite upset him, back then, though he'd never admit it. He hadn't had many friends at all growing up. There was overly strict homeschool for you.

"You do know her, then?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah, at one point. I say we write her right off the list. There's no fucking way she'll join our side." He frowned, thinking back on his discussion with the Supreme. "I think we need to be very careful about how we approach this. The Supreme knows more than I even realized."

Marinette nodded slowly in agreement. "We'll need to take our time working on bringing anyone we can to our side. I'm ready for it."

"You also need to be careful around my place. Just in case His Highness ever decides to check in on me. He hasn't before, but I'd rather be careful."

"Actually, Shay told me she thinks I look different enough from her civilian form that I could pass off as someone unknown, if I'm ever seen with you. I should be fine, though yes, I'll be careful."

Claw nodded, satisfied. "Alright," he said, shifting to the next objective. "Follow me; we have our first mission. Shouldn't be anyone there tonight, we just have to destroy a bit of property. Should be fun."

He didn't bother waiting for her reaction, taking off and heading through the streets towards the shop the Supreme had told him about.

After making sure no one was around, he crashed through a window, the familiar rush causing his blood to sing at the destruction. He smashed through the display case at the front, only belatedly realizing he was not supposed to be having as much fun as he was with this.

Ah, fuck it, he thought, cataclysming a chair into dust. Gotta do it anyway, might as well keep having a blast with it.

Then he noticed that his partner wasn't as enthusiastic as she should have been. The little bug was looking around warily, her eyes pinched as she took in the destruction.

Claw Noir stood up straight and walked over to her. "Snap out of it, Red. You're falling out of role."

She pursed her lips. "I know, but no one else is here, I just can't—" she cut off with a shriek as his foot connected with her chest, the blow sending her hurtling through the air and into a group of tables with a crash.

Before she could recover, Claw landed on her, holding his staff against her neck to keep her down. "Listen, Ladybug, I get that you come from the right side of things in your world. But you have to remember that right now, everyone in this city is counting on you to be Shadybug. If you don't find a way to embrace the darker side of yourself, no one here is going to believe you, no matter what words come out of your mouth."

She was glaring at him now, which was an improvement, but Claw needed to make sure she understood. "I don't care if no one is watching; practicing in moments like this is how you'll sell it later. You never know when someone is watching. I told you before, he's got eyes everywhere in this city." She wasn't glaring any longer, seemingly working through something internally. "I know you don't like it, but sometimes you're going to have to do some shitty things for us to defeat this guy." He released her, reaching down to help her back to her feet.

There was conflict in her eyes as she looked up at him. "Maybe. But I have a limit."

His mouth twisted. "That's terrific. Maybe all of Paris will cheer you on for having principles when you're dead and they're still suffering."

She huffed, turning on the spot to kick an upended chair into a different section of the display case, causing the glass to shatter.

He grinned at her as she let out more steam through carefully controlled destruction. "Welcome to infiltrating an evil organization, Red."

Despite her shaky start, Marinette impressed him with how quickly she turned it around. She remained focused, even ordering him around until the place was destroyed.

Once they had finished, Claw turned to leave, only to find himself shoved against the wall, Marinette glaring up at him through Shady's eyes. "Listen to me, Claw Noir. I don't care what you think is best, there are still lines I won't cross. I'd rather take on the Supreme directly if I have to, rather than lose myself here."

Admiration for the woman flared up within him, even if he thought she'd get herself killed for it. "Fortunately for you," he drawled, not bothering to resist against the hand she had holding him against the wall, "Shady was allowed to turn down things she didn't care to do. Maybe you'll luck out." If she wasn't so lucky, however, he knew he would step in. It wasn't like he'd never done something bad for someone else, even if the only other person he'd done that for had been…

Had been Shay.

Aw fuck, it was happening again, wasn't it?

Claw tried to deny it. He was simply responsible for the little bug, had to watch out for her in this world that wasn't like her own. He'd merely been teasing her about wanting a kiss, nothing to it.

It didn't matter that she had that spark of her own, a confidence that kept kicking in once she made it past an obstacle. It didn't matter how admirable it was that she was resolute in her desire to stick to her morals in what ways she could, despite being in the lion's den. Not to mention the fact that she had come to his world in the first place, determined to save it even though she wasn't even from here.

Damn it.

Well, he might as well lean into it.

Not like he wasn't used to unrequited feelings.

A grin slowly fell into place as his eyes dropped to her hand still on his chest. "Gonna let me go Sweetness? Or did you have something else in mind? I know a better spot—we knocked out the windows here, after all. Unless you're into that sort of thing."

Her hand dropped away, moving to punch him in the shoulder. "Claw, I swear—" He didn't bother to shield himself from the hit, laughing as she spun around and took off into the night.