#sye writes

[syeko]

Rooftop

“Doesn’t it ever bother you?”

“Hm?”

“That we can’t seem to defeat Hawkmoth?”

Her whisper is disguised as the wind rustling his hair and he keeps his eyes closed for a moment longer before responding. He faces her, eyes drawn to the slope of her nose, the curl of her hair like ink against pale skin, the reflection of moonlight glinting off her lower lip. His gaze finally settles on the sea of emotion swimming in her eyes, and he lets himself drink her in for a fleeting second.

Their last Akuma was a tough one, taking much longer than usual to deal with. Ladybug had called on her Lucky Charm multiple times, and both of them hadn’t come away from the fight without a few lingering aches and bruises courtesy of the sheer damage the Akuma had caused. It left the two of them shaken, battered and scared at moments. The sound of Ladybug screaming his name as he pushed her out of the way from what could have been a fatal blow still echoed in his ears. The violence was more than what they were used to, and Chat didn’t know if it was a one off chance, or if Hawkmoth was just getting impatient.

Chat didn’t have to ask Ladybug to know that they both thought it was the latter.

“I won’t lie to you and tell you that it doesn’t M’Lady. We’ve been at it for a year now and while we’ve gotten better and faster...well unfortunately so has he,” he sighs, fingers itching to brush the loose strands that were ruffled into her face, but he forces his hand into a fist and continues.

“But I also won’t lie and tell you that doing this,” he gestures to the smattering of fluorescent stars below their rooftop, “playing hero, saving Paris, spending time with you, wasn't the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I wouldn’t trade any second with you for Paris, for all of France.” He bites his lips, feline eyes flitting away from her gaze as it widens. His fingers twitch again and he grabs for the familiar rubber of his tail to calm him.

There’s a silence that follows his statements causing a hot coil to twist in his stomach.

“I know you probably don’t feel the same way, and I know its selfish-it’s so selfish- but-“

“Why?”

Her voice cuts through his rambling and his head snaps up, confusion making his brow wrinkle underneath the mask.

“What?”

“Why would you say all of that…for someone like me?”

“Someone like…” green eyes searched her face, “what are you talking about, Bug?”

Her breath hitches, the moonlight catches the telltale glint of tears in her eyes, and Chat feels his heart drop as he realizes that his lady was crying. Her lips are drawn back, pressed tight (though that does very little to hide their trembling from Chat’s feline senses) as she glares down at her knees, which are drawn up to her chest. The look in her eyes was venomous, but it wasn’t the loud, righteous anger that Chat had come to admire as she stared down another Akuma, another bully, another injustice that she would stop with a final snap of her yo-yo. That anger was fueled with hope, with a conviction that only the power of creation could drive as her lips pulled back in a determined smirk. He was familiar with that anger, enthralled with it on many occasions.

But looking at Ladybug now, curled around herself on a lone rooftop with a stray, he decided that this was a different kind of anger, one that he wasn’t used to seeing on his partner's face. This anger was quiet and simmering, tinged with hate, sadness and frustration; not at an Akuma, not at Hawkmoth, but at herself. His chest squeezed as he recognized the emotions storming the seas in her eyes.

She looked small in that moment, against the backdrop of a clear night sky that was suddenly way too vast and consuming in its presence. He wondered briefly if the stars were listening to them, eavesdropping, only to keep silent as they watched the heroine of Paris break down.

“I can’t figure out how to beat him, Chat. How long are we supposed to keep fighting?” She choked back on a sob, “What if one day I can’t fix everything? What if I’m not smart enough or fast enough o-or,” she sniffled, “what if I lose everyone? What if I lose you? I almost did!” He heard her voice crack, fading out as she harshly rubbed her eyes.

“Oh no, sweetheart,” he whispered, feeling the prickle of his own tears as he reached for her.

His heart was thundering against his ribs as her words hit him, splintering into a million shards and piercing through his skin. The suit did nothing to hide the tremor of his fingers and he hoped she didn’t notice as he brought his hands up to cup her face, the pads of his thumbs settling gently on her cheeks. His breath caught in his throat as she looked up at him, but he swallowed back the butterflies climbing up his throat.

“Ladybug, Bugaboo, light of my life, my precious Lady,” he breathed into the space between their noses, “you’re worth so much more than you can ever know. You’re so strong and smart and brave, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone as wonderful as you m’Lady.” He smiled softly, “Paris loves you, your friends love you, and...and I love you. So much. Everyone believes in you, you will take down Hawkmoth, and I’ll be right there by your side, Bugaboo. You’re not going to lose me, I meant everything that I said before. I wouldn’t give up a second with you for the world.”

“Chaton…” her voice shook as it barely tumbled past her lips.

Chat shook his head slightly.

“I love you, Ladybug. A-and it doesn’t even have to be romantic,” he pushed down the now familiar pang in his chest, “but you’re my best friend, you’re my family, and I wouldn’t be where I am right now without you.” He poured as much conviction, as much love and care and emotion into his words as he could because he needed her to understand just how wonderful she really is. Her eyes glittered, the blue of her eyes captivating and he found himself unable to look away. It wasn’t often they got quiet moments together, where jokes and lighthearted jests weren’t used, and Chat didn’t want to waste it.

He took a chance and leaned his forehead against hers, allowing himself the barest of smiles when she didn’t pull away. And if he imagined that she pushed herself closer to him as well, no one had to know.

“If the stars were to align again, if we had to do this all over again, I would still stay for you.”

“Why?”

If he wasn't so close, he could have missed her question, the warmth of her lips grazing against his skin. He tasted the vanilla and sugar in her breath, felt the flutter of her eyelashes against his cheeks. Electricity coursed through him as he brushed a strand out of her face. His fingers were light, the tips of his claws barely grazing the mask around her eyes.

“Because you’re worth staying for.”

[syeko]

I’ve discovered that writing them being silly is a comfort. Also I miss MariChat :(

[syeko]

Taking Care of You Ch. 2

Find it on AO3 or down below the cut!

@marichatmay

The black leather clad superhero stuck out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of pinks and whites of Marinette’s room. From the walls and the bedding and the furniture down to the sweats and fluffy socks she was wearing, a swirl of pinks and whites that was just so very Marinette, and if he wasn’t feeling as cagey as he was, he would have commented something. Instead of a pun however, he busied himself by fidgeting with his tail, the leather a comfortable weight in his palms as he watched Marinette. The horrible itch from earlier had subsided somewhat, but it was still very much there, preventing him from standing still as he watched Marinette make her way around her room, hands grasping at various items. A closer look confirmed that the pile materials his classmate was in the middle of picking up seemed like assorted fabrics and discarded sheets with notes and designs scribbled onto them.

“Sorry about the mess, Chat,” Marinette broke the silence, a soft upturn of her lips accentuating the smattering of red across her cheeks. She fiddled with her fingers, the action so familiar to Chat from their shared time in the classroom. He’d always found it endearing, the movements bringing a small smile onto his own face.

“There’s nothing to apologize for, Princess,” he cocked his head to the side, green eyes sweeping over the fabrics and papers, and a small puddle of shame pooled in his stomach, “Were you in the middle of working on something?”

Marinette waved a hand, “Not really, nothing was coming together anyways,” she shrugged, “you just so happened to drop by at the perfect time, I could use a break.”

He blushed, an apology on the tip of his tongue, but the light huff of her laughter cut him off before he could say anything.

“Before you ask, no Ki-Chat, you aren’t bothering me, and no I’m not lying,” she crossed her arms loosely, “I really could use a break from designing, and what better way to do that than with the best cat in Paris?”

“Aww, Purrincess, do you really think I’m the best cat in Paris?” He grinned, the compliment, as silly as it was, making his heart swell, the butterflies in his stomach fluttering. Just as quickly had the feeling come however, it was dampened by a reminder of the mess he’d made outside and the time he was taking away from his friend. No doubt she had much better ways of spending her time than with a stray cat, but the promise of help with his…problem kept his curiosity peaked, and he would be lying to say that he wasn’t eager to feel normal again.

“Don’t let it get to your head,” Marinette grinned before moving to her chaise, legs curling up on the cushions before she patted the spot next to her, “Come.”

Chat couldn’t help but raise a masked eyebrow at the request, but he obliged after a moment’s hesitation and an encouraging smile from the girl clad in pink. The confidence and authority she radiated, even in worn sweats and a t-shirt was new, at least towards him. Well, Adrien him. He was well aware of Marinette’s leadership and quick thinking capabilities spurred on by her undying resolve for justice, but he was hardly on the receiving end of such confidence. In fact, in most cases, it seemed like the midnight haired girl wanted nothing more than to scurry away from him at every given opportunity.

Shaking his head minutely to dispel the sidetracked thoughts, he focused on making his way over to the (once again, pink) chaise, sinking slowly into the soft cushions below. The sunlight from her window spilled into the room, warming up the seat just so, the temperature soothing his nerves and his muscles as he wiggled on the spot. The itch was back, simmering and swirling underneath his skin, but this time, it was accompanied by the almost instant drooping of his eyelids.

Everything was so deliciously warm, and cozy. The cushion was just the right amount of bounce and firmness, and had he been alone, he wouldn’t hesitate to sprawl himself all over the chaise, relishing in the space and the comfort. But, as much as he wished to, he forced himself to stay upright, blinking the haze away harshly in order to focus on his friend so she could fix whatever was wrong with him.

“So, what’s the plan?” He turned to face Marinette, surprised to see her giggling softly. He frowned, not following the reason for her laughter. Not that he minded hearing it, and the realization made him blink with a start. Before he had time to dwell on the revelation however, she reached out to place a warm palm against his shoulder.

“You’re such a cat,” she snorted softly before her expression settled into something more serious, “I think that’s the problem actually.”

He felt his nose scrunch up, trying and failing to keep his mind off the tingling sensation from where her skin was making contact with his suit.

“I’m sorry, Princess, but I’m not sure I quite follow?”

Her lips pursed, the thumb and pointer finger of her free hand curling around her chin. The action sparked a vague feeling of familiarity, and he was reminded fondly of a similar pose his Lady would don as she was coming up with a plan or thinking over new information.

“Well, and I’m only speculating here again, of course, because you know Alya, my friend, I’m sure you and Ladybug have seen her around a lot, she runs the Ladyblog you know so we talk a lot about this stuff so it’s not weird or anything-“

Chat blinked as her palm slipped away from his shoulder, her rambling and the gestures so characteristic, borderline comical, that he couldn’t help but splutter out a chuckle.

“You’re rambling, Marinette,” he patted her knee, offering a quick smile to placate the blush that stole her cheeks, “I know you’re only trying to help, so don’t worry okay?”

After a second of staring at him, wide-eyed like a deer caught in the headlights, she nodded slowly, the pink receding from her face and once again replaced with firm determination.

With a steady breath, she continued.

“I think that there are some spillover effects from the Miraculous. We know that the Miraculous are in some way representative of certain animals, Ladybug being well…a ladybug and yours being the black cat. Your powers are reflective of certain qualities related to those animals- kind of like instincts or behaviours? So what’s to say that the effects of the Black Cat Miraculous don't just pertain to agility or night vision?” Marinette paused to shrug, “It could be very possible that you’re experiencing the less uh…pronounced behaviours that have just been building up over time?”

Chat was taken aback, feline eyes wide as he processed what his friend was saying. The fact that Marinette was able to figure out something so quickly, much quicker than he himself could, from so little information was both astounding and terrifying. Marinette was smart and resourceful, he knew that, but if she had managed to figure out this much, it made him wonder what other information was out there waiting to be analyzed and figured out.

Hawkmoth had to have internet access after all.

The thought made him twitch, tail settling between his clawed fingers once more as he worried his bottom lip. The original reason for his presence in Marinette’s room was forgotten for a moment, he couldn’t but worry about the implications of this revelation.

“Chat...?”

Marinette’s voice was quiet as she looked at him with worried eyes, and he mentally smacked himself for letting a civilian worry. He boxed away his worries, making a note to bring it up to Ladybug at some point; maybe the two heroes would have to have a talk with Alya and other news reporters on the dangers of speculation and posting information online where villains could no doubt use to their advantage.

“Ah, my a-paw-logies Purriness, I was just blown away by your deductions. Tell me, have you ever considered forensics or law, Mademoiselle Sherlock?”

He grinned when she rolled her eyes, reaching out to flick his bell. The sound sent a wonderful shiver down his spine.

“That depends. Are you willing to be my Dr. Watson?”

“Well if you’re paw-sitive you can handle the galaxies inside this brain,” he winked.

Marinette pressed a flattened palm to her chest with a drawn out gasp, “However will we all cope? Imagine the headlines!”

Chat swiped a hand through the air, “I can see it now, ‘Local Cat Discovered to Have Infinite Braincells’.”

Marinette copied the gesture, barely suppressing her smirk, “‘Scientists Discover that None of Them Are Actually Functional After Testing’.”

“Hey!”

“I’m teasing,” she laughed, reaching up to scratch a spot behind his ears in apology. The change was almost instantaneous, surprising Marinette with just how fast his body froze for a moment before his eyes fluttered close. He leaned into her hand, and from this close, the young designer could see the ripple of his muscles relaxing underneath his suit, slumping against her.

Not that she minded too much.

Her earlier deductions, while not explicitly sourced from the internet, seemed to be right as a familiar low rumble filled the room, causing her lips to twitch fondly. Chat Noir had begun to purr again, the vibrations echoing in her own chest. She thanked Lady Luck that her Kitty’s eyes were still closed, because at the moment she was absolutely certain her poor cheeks were burning.

But this wasn’t about her, she sighed internally, carding her fingers through silken gold. The sunlight reflected against his hair, highlighting the gold of his eyelashes against the deep black of the domino mask. She traced patterns through the stray strands atop his head, discovering with suppressed delight that the spots behind both Chat’s human and cat ears had the same effect, and the longer the scratching and rhythmic movements went on, the louder the rumbling got.

Her eyes softened at the innocence of it all, recalling how he had purred earlier when he was caught red-handed on her balcony, no doubt in an effort to self-soothe. The initial sound had been quiet, hesitant and tinged with low notes, giving away the boy’s embarrassment at what occurred and Marinette marveled at the reminder of how sensitive Chat Noir could be. Now however, the vibrations were loud and light, and with a uncontrollable flutter of her heart, she couldn’t help but be proud that she was the cause of such a blatant display of relief and trust from her partner (despite him not knowing that she was his beloved Lady, but she’ll count it nonetheless).

Gently guiding Chat’s head to her lap, she realized with another powerful thud of her heart that the poor kitty had fallen asleep, she relaxed back against the pillows on her chaise. She’d doubted for a moment if leading Chat to her room and exposing so much was a good idea, knowing that with every encounter with the black cat, she ran the risk of compromising their identities. The familiar twinge of anxiety made her frown, and she knew that she would no doubt be hearing from Tikki later on about the unexpected development between her civilian identity and Chat Noir, and Marinette couldn’t help but dread the coming conversation. However, with a glance down at the serene expression on her partner’s porcelain complexion, she pushed her worries aside, saving them to card over later. For now, her kitty needed her, and she wouldn’t let him down.

In or out of the mask.