A late submission for @mlweeklyprompts
I blame @quickspinner for showing me the video that got this idea stuck in my head.
They were *supposed* to be doing a group training exercise, but it had all started to fall apart the moment that Chat Noir and Roi Singe had started discussing the things their prehensile tails could and could not do. Ladybug should have known better, bringing the two of them along together, but Chat had matured into a solid team leader, and they generally alternated running groups for training. They’d all gotten in on the challenges in the beginning, as they’d started out fairly tame, even Viperion, who was more know for his calm was out there bench pressing cars with Chat and Roi. Roi definitely was reassessing Viperion after that.
Ladybug herself had participated in a few of the challenges; races and such, and the occasional bench pressing of cars. She handily won any feats of flexibility, and had therefore been banned from any further competitions, when Roi came up with a brilliant plan. “So… have you seen the challenge where you have to put a shirt on while doing a handstand? We could do that but with all our clothes. Shirt, pants, and shoes.”
Ladybug rolled her eyes, but it was Chat who scoffed. “Magical suits, remember? They don’t come off.”
Shoulders slumping, Roi looked around. “Yeah… but Spiderman did it, and HE wears a super suit.”
Resting her hand on his shoulder, Ladybug met his eyes. “Roi, Spiderman’s suit comes off. It’s just clothing, not magic. Besides, it was the actor who did it, not Spiderman.”
Chat’s eyes lit up. “Wait here, guys. I’ll be right back!” Before Ladybug could protest, Chat was over the edge of the building, bounding off into the night.
Less than five minutes later, he returned with a nondescript pair of jeans and a t-shirt, as well as an extra-large pair of work boots. The jeans and shirt were large enough to fit Ladybug’s father, and she had no idea where Chat had acquired them from until she got a glance at the labels. There were a few fashion houses that were staging a “Big is Beautiful” show over the next couple of days, and these must have come from one of the clothing racks.
Eyes narrowed, she glared at Chat for a few moments, before asking very slowly and softly, “did you steal these?”
Shaking his head quickly, Chat looked back at her with wide, too-innocent eyes. “Of course not! I just temporarily liberated them. I’ll put them back when I’m done!”
Ladybug just sighed heavily.
“Me first!” Roi Singe snatched the clothes from Chat Noir.
“One moment!” Chat called out, a grin spreading across his face. “For a challenge like this, we need a worthy prize.” He smirked, sure that he would win. Turning to his partner, he asked, “Ladybug? Will you be our judge?”
She sighed once again. “Do I have to?”
“It’s only fair. You can tell us which one of us demonstrates the most flair.” Chat’s smile grew wider, remembering how all three of her teammates had watched Ladybug lifting the car, muscles bulging on her tiny form. “And reward that winner with a kiss. Bestowed in whatever manner you choose.”
Looking resigned, Ladybug clarified the terms. “Whatever manner I choose?” Chat nodded fervently, surprised that she was willing to go along with it, but not complaining. “So if I decide I’m going to blow you a kiss, that would be fine?”
Chat chuckled. “Of course Milady! Any sort of kiss from you would make this kitty’s day.”
“You haven’t won it yet.”
“My turn!” Roi was ready to go, having laid out the clothes in front of him in what he thought was a fairly easy layout.
He struggled and was breathing heavily by the end, but within four minutes was fully dressed albeit with shoes untied. Grinning proudly, Roi Singe dropped out of his handstand, showing off his prowess before stripping back down and passing the clothes over to Chat.
Chat was much faster and more graceful as he dressed dropping to unlaced, booted feet in half the time that it took Roi, striking a couple of poses, before stripping and handing the stack to Viperion.
Viperion looked at the bundle of clothes in his hand, and then at his three companions, ending with Ladybug. He looked back at Chat, just shaking his head. “No,” he said as if wondering how anybody could ever consider doing the challenge, folding the clothes he found in his hand, his expression fluctuating between puzzled and bemused. “No,” he repeated, shaking his head, handing the neatly folded pile back to Chat.
Ladybug smiled, walked over, and kissed Viperion’s cheek, before winking at him. “Well, I think we’re done for the day.” Pulling out her yo-yo as the three boys just stared at her, she called over her shoulder, “Chat, don’t forget to put those clothes back exactly where you got them!”
With that, she tossed her yo-yo towards the next building and was gone, before any of the others could speak.
Chat was still staring at Viperion, stupidly. “But you didn’t even try!”
Viperion grinned back. “I guess I had the most flair. Not to mention common sense.”
He jumped to the edge of the roof, then called over his shoulder as he leaped for the next building, “Chat! Don’t forget to put those clothes back where you got them!”
Roi’s laughter followed him as Viperion disappeared from sight.
Grumbling, Chat turned to Roi SInge. As the monkey hero opened his mouth to speak, Chat shot him a look that had him closing it again. “I still beat you, ya know.”
Roi shrugged easily; a testament to how much he had matured as well. “True. But at least I don’t have to put the clothes back.”
Chat heard his laughter echoing off buildings as he, too, leaped away into the night, leaving the black cat to return the clothes to the place he’d borrowed them from.
