With What Little Time We Have 🕰️ (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

09- Midnight

Midnight.

You'd think this would be a time people would be sleeping. Well, normal people with normal lives, at least. That wasn't the case for Marinette Dupain-Cheng. No, not at all. Living a double life as a superhero did have its up and downs, and lately all she had seen were the downs.

Screams from Parisians outside caused Marinette to jump awake. She checked the time on her phone and groaned, and regrettably climbed out of bed. "Another akuma attack," She mumbled to herself as she rubbed her eyes. She grabbed her purse from her desk, made sure there's food, and slipped it over her shoulder, not even bothering to change out of her pajamas. "You ready, Tikki?" She asked with a yawn.

Tikki nodded, sleepy, too. "Us kwamis need sleep, too, you know."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Marinette." Tikki glared outside. "It's Shadowmoth's."

"Tikki..." Yawn. "Spots on." The red and pink light blinded her for a moment and Marinette considered climbing back in bed just for a quick nap. No, she couldn't do that. She had a duty as Paris' superhero to protect, well, the people of Paris. She climbed through the skylight onto her balcony and stared out at the park, where the new supervillain wreaks chaos. "I hate you, Shadowmoth."

She threw her yo-yo across, jumped off, and accidently let go a second too early. She tumbled into the hood of a car and fell on her back with a weak groan. "I hate everything," She whispered, and reached for her bug phone. She called Alya and was surprised when she answered. "I need you."

"I'm on my way."

After hanging up, Ladybug snuck towards the park, and hid by the entrance, and ducked down as the villain looked her way. She studied him closely. He was covered head to toe in a brown suit, bright as it glowed, and he held what looked like chalk in his hands. He aimed it at a civilian and casted a white glow over him. The man stopped running and exploded into dust.

"Woah, that's new," She whispered to herself. "I wonder what stupid name he gave himself."

"Ladybug! Cat Noir! Come and fight me if you dare! You don't stand a chance against The Professor!"

"The Professor?"

Cat Noir dropped in beside her. "I know. What a stupid name, right?" He grinned at her and flirted, "You look lovely as night, Milady."

"Not now, Cat Noir," Ladybug snapped, and she looked around for Alya. "Cut it out."

His eyes widened, shocked, and felt hurt at her sudden angry outburst. "I-I'm sorry. I was just trying—"

"I don't care."

Cat Noir crossed his arms. "What's up with you, Miss Grumpy Pants?"

"Can we just get this over with so I can go back to sleep?"

"Oh..." He finally understood. "Still have trouble sleeping, huh?"

Ladybug turned with a glare. "Obviously!" She paused, realizing her tone, and sighed. "I don't want us to fight. Can we fight him? Please, with no stupid jokes or puns tonight?"

Cat Noir resisted the urge to tell her it was actually morning and nodded instead.

"Thank you," She whispered.

Rena Furtive ran across the roof of a building in front of them and dropped down in the park.

Cat Noir pouted. "You called Rena Furtive? You don't think we can handle this bozo ourselves?"

"You know, it's not a bad thing if another hero helps out, Cat Noir," She explained, unfazed by his jealously. "Saves us from doing most of the work."

"But we're a team!"