Dreams of You

Chapter 7

Adrien

"I hate lying to you, my Lady. Please, don't make me do that again."

Ladybug chuckled, slowly running her fingers through Chat's hair, his head safely nestled in her lap. "And you were so good at it, I actually believed you."

"I hope we're talking about Marinette-you here, not Ladybug-you?"

"Yes, Marinette-me. Don't worry, but to be on the safe side, maybe you should lighten up on mentioning your 'good friend Ladybug' so much from now on. We would have avoided this whole fiasco in the first place if someone had been a little more discreet."

"Someone thought that maybe the names Ladybug and Chat Noir would spark some memories or feelings in Marinette; but, since it's obviously not the case, I should hold my tongue." Chat grinned a teasing smile, satisfaction and mischief lurking in his eyes. "Jealous Marinette is really hard to woo."

Ladybug gasped, an adorable pout on her face. "I wasn't jealous! I reacted that way because I thought you were in love with someone else, and that meant I can't allow myself to fall for you. That's not jealousy, it's decency."

Chat caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. With the lightest of touches to her fingertips, he smiled against her skin. "So, you're falling for me already?"

"I was until you mentioned moving back to Paris in a few months. That's kind of a deal-breaker in my case. Both here and there."

"One thing at a time." Chat closed his eyes, snuggling his cheek in Ladybug's palm. He wasn't sure how much warmth and love a human hand could hold, but there was a whole universe hidden in his Lady's. "First, we make you fall for me. Then, we worry about living arrangements."

"Sounds like a plan." Ladybug bopped his nose with her finger, sending a pleasant shiver down his skin. He almost purred. When she got back to brushing his hair with her hands, he did.

"Chat?"

He hummed, too busy relishing in her touch. He wasn't extra needy but he could never get enough of Ladybug's caresses.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. Anything I can tell you, I will."

She brushed his bangs away from his forehead, her voice soft but tense just a tiny amount. Most people wouldn't catch it. "So, magic? It really does exist, doesn't it? I never believed in it."

Chat lips tingled with amusement. "I heard that only a few people outside the palace walls believe, but I was still shocked at just how small that number is. And while I get that there are only a few active magic wielders at present, and even those few are keeping out of the public eye, there is enough evidence out there to prove magic is real."

Ladybug huffed. "I'd like to see you live your whole life in a non-magical world, hearing a multitude of conspiracy theories about anything one can think of—Planet Nibiru that's about to crash into Earth, lizard-like people ruling us in human guises, aliens among us, ancient monsters in woods and lakes, not to mention the fake moon landing and claims that Prince Charles is a vampire—and still believe in magic just because of a few legends and a couple of rumours. Most people are tired of it all and refuse to believe in anything they can't see. And, as you mentioned, those magic wielders aren't exactly publicly active."

"Okay, fair, but you can't blame them for choosing to hide either. " Chat peeked one eye open to watch his Lady. "Magic is rare and powerful, but it isn't omnipotent. Not usually, at least, and not in the modern world where a press of a button can wipe out a continent. If wielders go public, they're vulnerable. They become targets, threats and outsiders. They're either hunted or cast out, so it's safer to stay hidden."