A Lonely Cat Noir

A Salty Sixteen

When Cat Noir was making his way back home, you would usually find him jumping heroically from rooftop to rooftop, racing against the clock to make sure his secret identity would remain a secret. 

That wasn't the case this night. 

Cat Noir was in no rush. He merely walked across rooftops, particularly noting the different tiling used, and careful to be a little light-footed when it came to the older ones. Some houses had chimneys fuming out smoke and laughter. Some were cold and stone empty. He held his head tilted slightly up, gazing out at the cloudy sky. Though the sun had set, the sky was still lit up as though it wasn't quite ready to say goodbye, it didn't last very long, a little while later Cat Noir was still making his way across rooftops, though now he was in the dark.

It sounds rather amusing, Cat Noir making his way home. However, he was feeling quite the opposite of amused. 

As he arrived at the blue-roofed house, two streets away from his own. The common anxious thoughts mingled at the back of his head. What if they'd found out he'd been sneaking out of the house? What if he was never allowed out again?! 

He shook his head as if saying 'don't be stupid', he knew very well they weren't stupid thoughts. He jumped out off the blue-roofed house and onto a streetlight, sliding down it firepole style.

He walked on the sidewalk, in the shadows of the dimly lit street. The seconds felt solid, he could feel every single one go by. He smelt the cool air around him, he could feel the dampish air cling to his face. Perhaps it would forevermore be night. Perhaps he'd walk on this path at the beginning, and never get to the end.

Yet he found himself jumping through his open window, into his cold lightless room. Classic music was still playing on his piano... no one had come to check on him.

"Claws in Plagg", he said, a soft whisper he could barely hear himself.

Adrien sat down on his bed as Plagg hunted around in his drawers for cheese. Ladybug hadn't needed him tonight, she and Rena had sorted everything out. Cat Noir hadn't even used his power. He'd just kind of stood there, watching.

The day had been a long one, in the morning his friends from school had surprised him with presents and cake. It was nice that they had thought of him. They'd thought of Adrien, the boy from school. That's who'd they'd thought of.

The more and more Adrien had been Cat Noir and Cat Noir had been Adrien. The more he noticed flaws in the way he pulled it off. They were different. Adrien was not a real guy, he was a people-pleasing daddy's boy. 

He always faked everything, his kindness, his smiles, his laughter. There was a reason people fell in love with Adrien and not Cat Noir. 

Cat Noir's personality, Adrien's real personality, was obviously not a likable one. The only person who had somewhat liked his real personality, Ladybug. Was too infatuated with Rena Rouge to talk to him anymore. Perhaps it's a little mean to say it like that, but it's simply the truth. 

Adrien laid down, crawling into the cold sheets of his bed. The heaviness of the day clouded his thoughts, and he began drifting off.

A silent whisper called out, "happy birthday Adrien". It had been Plagg. Adrien fell asleep.