Tethered Souls | A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

An Unexpected Visit

Chat Noir woke to the sound of soft humming. He tried to stretch but failed to consider the fact that he had quite possibly broken a few of his ribs the day before. Pain struck him and he let out a groan. He carefully sat up and swung his legs to the side of the chaise where he slept the night before and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked up at the source of the humming and saw Marinette working on something at her desk, occasionally glancing over at an open sketchbook in front of her. She was holding up a large piece of red fabric and must have been completely lost in thought because when he greeted her with a simple, "good morning" she nearly jumped out of her skin. Chat let out a laugh but quickly let it die because, if he was being honest, even breathing too deeply brought a considerable amount of pain. He must have shown it on his face because Marinette was already at his side, the design she had been working on cast aside on her desk.

"I knew you should have slept on the bed. I told you that you would sleep better there," Marinette said, knitting her eyebrows together.

Chat raised his eyebrows as he glanced at the time displayed on Marinette's computer. "It's almost 3:00, Purrincess, I'd say I slept just fine," he said grinning, "Besides, I didn't want to have to go up and down the steps to your bed."

Chat Noir tried to stand up but was struck by a feeling of dizziness followed by a ringing in his ears. Marinette allowed him to lean on her as he regained his balance. Marinette pursed her lips as she studied him but all she said was, "Let me change your bandages?"

Chat Noir followed her to the vanity in the corner of her room. He lifted his shirt when she asked him to and they sat in silence as she got out her first aid kit again. Chat looked over at her as she unwound some gauze from a roll in the kit and couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. His life would be so much easier if he could just understand what women were thinking. Marinette reminded him of Ladybug when she was concentrating like this and it was making him nervous.

"It's only a minor head injury, you know. I'm going to be fine." He said, trying to guess what she was thinking about.

Marinette only gave a "mhmm" as an answer as she re-bandaged his cut. It was at this moment that Chat Noir wished that he could read minds. Chat looked down at Marinette as she finished rewrapping his bruised ribs and he saw her. Really saw her. Her dark hair brushed into her bluebell eyes, the slightest dusting of freckles across her nose that he had only just noticed because of how close she was to him. And, the way she chewed her bottom lip when she was really concentrating was actually pretty cute. He had known Marinette at school, but only as sweet, clumsy, stuttering Marinette who could only get out a few words to him before getting flustered. When she was talking to Chat Noir, she was an entirely different person. She was witty and smart and beautiful in her own way. He wondered why he had never seen this side of her before as Adrien.

Marinette suddenly stood up and announced that she needed to run downstairs to the bakery. She said something about needing to help her parents with an issue and just like that, she was gone.

Chat Noir touched the gauze that Marinette had just used to cover his stitches with his fingertips before pulling the black sweatshirt back over the wound. Then, he made his way over to the desk under her bed. Adrien reached up carefully to take off the mask Marinette had given him and inspected it. The stitching was so delicate, and every rhinestone had been placed with intention. It really was no wonder she had won his father's contest. He placed the mask next to an open sketch book. Adrien didn't mean to intrude, but the drawings on the open page were amazing. There were sketches on there of a beautiful red sundress with a tiered skirt. On the model Marinette had drawn, the fabric draped off the shoulders and laid perfectly on her upper arms. Her designs were so unique. He glanced over at the mound of red fabric that Marinette had discarded earlier and picked it up gently. It wasn't near being completed but the work that Marinette had already put into the dress was impressive to say the least.

Adrien grabbed the mask off the desk, walked across the room to the chaise and slumped back into it. He knew that if Marinette came back without him hearing her come up the steps, he would at least have the time to put the mask back over his face before she could see him. He stared up at Marinette's ceiling while he wondered how long he could get away with staying in her room before his father noticed that he wasn't at home. Adrien was toying of the idea of 2 to 3 days when he heard someone call out, "Chat?" Adrien looked in the direction of the voice when he saw a girl in a red and black suit climb through the trap door over Marinette's bed.

"Ladybug!" Adrien exclaimed, looking around Marinette's room desperately for his kwami. He spotted him laying lazily on an empty plate on Marinette's desk.

"Plagg, claws out!" Adrien said quickly and with a burst of green light, he was transformed into Chat Noir. Chat noticed that while he was transformed he wasn't in as much pain as he had been when he was in civilian clothes. He made a mental note of this, then used his staff to reach the top of Marinette's bed where Ladybug had just slipped back through the trap door leading to the balcony. Chat followed and was greeted by a troubled Ladybug.

"Good afternoon, M'lady, to what do I owe the pleasure of-" Chat was cut off by Ladybug practically pouncing on him. He was taken aback at first but he quickly embraced Ladybug in return.

She abruptly reeled back and exclaimed, "Chat! I am so sorry, did I hurt you? I was just worried and when I saw you I couldn't help myself." Chat Noir assured her that he was going to be fine but Ladybug started again, "Chat, I'm so sorry. It was my fault you got hurt yesterday. I-" This time it was Chat's turn to cut her off.

"Ladybug, what happened wasn't anyone's fault. It's just what needed to happen to save Paris... with a mishap or two." he said as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Ladybug scowled.

Cat Noir laughed, "That's my bugaboo."

"Don't call me bugaboo, Cat Noir, this is serious. You cannot keep sacrificing yourself! Not for me, not for Paris, I- I don't know if I will always be able to save you! I just don't know if we will always be this lucky. You have to promise me that you won't do something like this again."

Cat Noir's ever-present grin started to fade, "Ladybug, I can't make you that promise."

"Why not," Ladybug stated, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Because, m'lady," Cat Noir said, his charming smile dancing on his lips once again, "I will always put your life before mine. Paris needs Ladybug more than it needs Cat Noir, you're the only one who can purify the akumas and return the city to normal,"

Ladybug's stern expression shifted, "Well maybe... Maybe I don't want to be Ladybug if I can't have you by my side," She said dismally, walking to the edge of the balcony to look over the skyline.

Chat followed close behind and perched himself on the rail to look out next to her, "Don't talk like that m'lady, I'll be alright. Marinette says I have a mild concussion and a few bruised ribs. It's not that serious." Chat noir bluffed.

Ladybug narrowed her eyes at him. How could she possibly know if I was telling the whole truth or not? Chat thought to himself and wished once again that he could read minds.

Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo and slung it out in front of her, "I just needed to make sure you were alright. I'm... glad you're doing better." she said softly, giving him a faint smile before allowing herself to be swept off her feet.

Chat Noir felt his face fall as he watched Ladybug soar across the Parisian skyline, leaving him standing alone on the balcony.

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Author's note:

I try to only use "Chat Noir" and "Ladybug" if Marinette and Adrien are actually transformed or in a disguise, for future reference!