Chat Noir X Reader: The Muse

Chapter 58: The End of the Quest

A/N: dun dun dunnn is this the real life or is this just fantasy?

yes, it's real dear readers, I'm...✨back✨ from the pits of despair. Just graduated after so fucking long, finished all my internships, and I can finally sleep more than 5 hours per night. This year was tough (I think I say this about every year hm), but I survived!! I hope you all have been well. I missed you ❤ also, a big thank you to my beta reader Natasha (tumblr: isknowplaces) that still decided to stick with me after all this time, you're the best!

I had to read some romances first before being able to write how I used to (only reading scientific stuff messed me up), but I think I'm back to normal now, heh. Anyway, enjoy the new chapter!

----------

Time seemed to fly as you and Chat searched for Nathalie Sancoeur's whereabouts. You asked Alya for help and she gave you all the information she could find, especially about Nathalie's family. From the photos, you noticed her husband, Gerald, had a striking resemblance to Gabriel. And her daughter's name, Gabrielle, seemed to further prove that even with her memory erased, Adrien's father never really left Nathalie's mind.

However, after two days of analyzing CCTV footage and working with the police, your search ended in a place you seemingly couldn't escape.

"It ends here," Chat muttered, gazing at the looming building of the Wang Fu clinic.

The place had been closed for investigation. The windows, which always had seemed to gaze at you, now seemed hollow, lifeless. You couldn't feel anything from this place anymore, just emptiness.

Ironically, it mirrored what you felt inside. You had just met another dead end. The CCTV footage you had found showed that Nathalie had entered the clinic, but never came out, just like Marius.

"She probably left with the others," you said, turning your back to the clinic and staring at the swaying trees. "To wherever they went to."

"She probably did." Chat's voice sounded distant. "I guess... our search is over for now."

A heavy sigh left your lips. You hoped Ladybug and the others had better luck with their quests. They had to, otherwise Hawkmoth would...

"Hey, chérie." Chat blocked your view of the trees as he stopped in front of you.

"Yes?" You raised your eyebrows.

"Say..." He scratched his neck. "Since we're done, I was thinking... Well..."

You waited as he struggled with his words. Ever since the animosity between Chat and Luka had ended, the blond had been acting stranger than usual. He acted skittish – transformed or not, you would often catch him spacing out, and it became normal to hear him and Luka talking in whispers in the kitchen. You had tried to ask him what was going on, but he just grinned and said it was because of the mission. You pretended to believe that and kept an eye on him. If things got too suspicious, you would call Marinette.

"So, uh, classes will begin soon and we still haven't finished the Muses," Chat finally managed to say.

Your eyes widened a little. That wasn't what you were expecting to hear, but he was right. You still had to finish two Muses.

"And... And I was thinking we could finish them today at the studio." He shot you a grin. "What do you think?"

Your fatigued muscles protested just at the proposal, but you had to finish the project, and focusing on something other than Nathalie and Hawkmoth could prove to be good for your worn-out mental state.