Tethered Souls | A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

The Lion King

Ladybug slid down the side of a building just a block away from her parent's bakery. Her eyes brimming with tears. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and pulled her knees up to her chest. Ladybug was confused. Ever since she was thirteen, keeping Marinette and Ladybug's lives separate had been easy. She hardly ever came into situations where she needed to overlap the two. But, ever since she made the decision to bring Chat back to her room after he got hurt, her two worlds had merged into one very complicated world. She had tried to keep them separate, the best she could. As Marinette, she was able to fill the role as caretaker. Marinette wasn't supposed to really know Chat Noir, so she couldn't have feelings for him. Of course they had met a few times before, but mostly in passing like the time her classmate Nathaniel had gotten akumatized and sought her out for a date, or the time her dad had gone into protective mode and been akumatized, or one of the many times Chat saved Marinette from being crushed by a flying object before she could transform into Ladybug. They weren't supposed to know each other, but they did. Ladybug, no Marinette, did know Chat. He was her partner, she trusted him blindly and he trusted her too. They had been through life and death situations together more times than Ladybug cared to admit. And, up until this point, Ladybug didn't think that she reciprocated any of Chat's feelings towards her, but after he had gotten hurt because of a decision that she made, Ladybug couldn't deny that she cared for him any longer. And, maybe she cared more than just a partner or even a just a friend.

Ladybug propped her head up on her hands as she tried to sort out exactly what she was admitting here. And, what did these feelings for Chat mean for her feelings for Adrien? Sweet, caring Adrien who she'd had a crush on for years but could barely say two words to. Did having feelings for Chat mean that she didn't have feelings for Adrien anymore? Could you even have feelings like this for two people at the same time?

Ladybug sighed. Right now, the only thing she was certain about was that she cared for Chat Noir. Period. She would fulfill her role as "nurse Marinette" for the time being and let her emotions sort themselves out later.

Ladybug wiped her eyes once more for good measure, took a deep breath, and de-transformed from Ladybug, back into Marinette. She walked the short distance back to her parent's bakery, and made her way up into her room to check on Chat. But, when she opened the door, he wasn't there. She started to feel a bit panicked. Had she waited too long to come back? Had he decided to leave without saying goodbye? Marinette's panicked feelings began to subside when she saw the door to her balcony propped open. She climbed up to see Chat Noir, still fully transformed, perched on the railing overlooking the setting sun right where Ladybug had left him.

Marinette walked over to join him. He looked over at her but didn't say anything. After a short while of simply enjoying each other's company, Marinette heard Chat say her name. She looked over to him and he asked, "Could I stay again tonight? I don't think I'm quite ready to be alone."

Marinette looked him up and down before replying, "Dressed like that? I don't know Chat, I'm not really supposed to take in strays,"

The grin that spread across his face rivaled the Cheshire Cat's, "Maybe you should have thought about that earlier, Princess."

Marinette smiled as Chat climbed off the balcony railing and started towards the trap door. After she and Chat were perched comfortably on her bed, Marinette had an idea.

"Chat?" Marinette asked, "How do you feel about a little movie night?"

"What? Are you going to put on a horror movie so you have an excuse to cuddle up to me? Hmm?" Chat smiled, leaning in so he was only inches from her face.

Marinette's face felt hot and she looked away, "What- no- why- why would you-" Marinette stuttered. She looked back over at Chat to see a look of glee on his face. "Fine! No movie night, and, you know what? I changed my mind. You cannot stay another night. I am kicking you out," Marinette stated, crossing her arms and facing away from him.