Hiraeth || Miraculous Ladybug

Four - Comfort

Ladybug landed on the roof where her partner Chat Noir was scheduled to meet her. As she waited for him, she kicked small bits of debris off the roof to the empty street below. Just now that she was alone again, she felt the tears perk up in her eyes before getting too heavy and running down her cheeks in a continuous stream. She wrapped her arms around her knees and drew them to her chest, and dropped her head onto her arms and cried. She cried with nothing holding her back. She was so scared, so terrified. She knew she had let Chat Noir and the rest of her team of friends down. Now, all she could do was wait to see what the others had to say to her, and who the Miraculous would fall into the hands of besides Felix. 

Her muffled cries silenced quickly and her breath caught in her throat. She heard footsteps on the roof behind her, though she didn't lift her head to see who was there. Chat Noir stood on the roof beside her, staring out into the sky, before dropping down and sitting close beside her. He assumed she would need comforting, part of the reason he sat so close to her. He wrapped a muscled arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side comfortingly. " 

"I-" Her voice caught and choked. "I am so sorry, Kitty. I failed you. I failed us." He could hear the crying in her voice and it broke his heart. 

"I'm not mad at you, M'lady. It was an accident." He squeezed her shoulder and she finally lifted her head, meeting his green gaze with her blue gaze sadly. "We will get them back, one by one. I will stay by your side until the end, as your loyal partner. As your friend." He swore to her. 

Ladybug nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. He has such a sincerity that reminded her so much of Adrien. It was hard not to believe or trust anything that would come out of his mouth. She would be lying if she said she didn't catch herself getting lost in Chat Noir's eyes more than once. She broke herself from her thoughts when she saw movement. The boy in the black cat suit stood in front of her, and reached out his clawed hand to her. Her blue eyes widened as she met his gaze, and rested her hand into his. He gently pulled her to her feet, and into his warm embrace. His arms wrapped around her tight, which she returned with a soft blush on her face. Burying her face into his chest, and breathed in his scent and relaxed into his arms. She felt like she could stay like this forever, and decided she would if it was possible. 

☼ ☼ ☼

Chat Noir accompanied Ladybug back to the school, neither of them had felt overly safe with her being alone in the Paris streets at night after Hawkmoth announced his plan now that he had each Miraculous in his possession. Ladybug turned to face him. "Thank you for taking me here, Chat. I live nearby, so I can get home by myself from here." She reassured him quietly. 

"I wish I could take you all the way." He murmured worriedly. He may know Ladybug's identity as Adrien, but she wasn't aware that Adrien was Chat Noir, so there was no way she would know that he knows. 

"I'll be okay, Kitty. Thank you." She reached up and gave him a kiss on the cheek to show that she was grateful. "But please, please be safe getting home." She begged him, her blue eyes gazing up at him in concern. It made his heart melt. 

"Don't worry about me, Bugaboo. I don't live too far from here." It was his turn to reassure her. He knew Ladybug was aware of his feelings for her, but he admits he was grateful it was night and it masked the blushing on his cheeks. "Goodnight, M'lady." He excused himself, giving a small smile and launching himself into the distance with his baton. 

"Goodnight, Kitty." She called after him gently, and watched him go. When he was out of sight, she leapt onto the balcony of her apartment. She slipped in through the trapdoor and collapsed onto her bed, calling off her transformation. Marinette pulled Tikki into the palms of her hands and held her close. "I don't know what I would do without you," She admitted quietly. "You're my best friend." The small Kwami yawned and snuggled deeper into Marinette's body, but she knew that Tikki felt the same way about her. As Marinette settled into bed, her mind flashed to when she revealed her identity to Adrien earlier in the day, and her hands flew up to cover her face in embarrassment. 

☼ ☼ ☼

For the first time, he truly saw who she was behind the mask. His eyes widened in surprise, shock, and admiration, to see his school friend Marinette sitting in front of him, in place of where his lady was supposedly sitting. He reached out and cupped the side of her freckled face with his palm, almost as though he was scared she would fade away, that she was a dream, that Shadowmoth had gotten her. His eyes teared up and Marinette jumped back into a standing position, hurt filling her eyes. 

"Are you that disappointed that I'm Ladybug?" Her voice broke in shock. Adrien was the last person she assumed would be disappointed in her, after everything he has said throughout the day to reassure her. 

"No! Marinette, it's not that!" He promised and took her hands in his, standing up in front of her and looking down at her hurt face. He pulled her tightly into a hug; it seemed like that's all he did now, was hug Marinette. His gaze flashed with a sudden sense of sadness, which was quickly masked before she could notice. He wanted to tell her so badly, that he has been by her side as her partner for so long. Despite how badly he wanted to tell her, he kept it to himself to keep from possibly stressing her out further. Maybe one day, he thought. Maybe one day he would be able to tell her. 

Her hands clutched the sides of his collared shirt, hesitant to hug back but when he continued speaking, she returned the affection. "I am so happy that it is you. You're strong, you're brave, you're determined, and you are so beautiful. Paris is so lucky to have you as their protector." 

Marinette wiped at the tears that formed in her eyes, and her face burned at the compliments coming from the boy she's been crushing on forever. Adrien leaned back to finish wiping away her tears, and to truly look at her. He doesn't understand how he didn't see it sooner, it is so obvious now that she's in front of him. 

"Beautiful..?" She echoed, skeptical of the sudden compliment. 

"So beautiful." He repeated and cupped her face again. She smiled and turned her head away again, the smile faltering. He noticed and turned to look at her again. 

"Why did you tear up when you saw it was me..?" Her voice was a mere whisper, any quieter and you wouldn't be able to hear it. 

"Because it's you. You're the one constantly risking their life for Paris, despite how risky it is. You're the one who's been hurting because you've had to deal with this all by yourself. It's not fair."  He sighed and turned his gaze back to the darkening sky outside his window. Marinette copied and watched the sky. 

"Marinette, I need you to talk to Chat Noir, let him help you so you aren't dealing with this all by yourself. I promise he will understand, he cares about you." Adrien's voice sounded desperate, which pushed Marinette to respond. 

"Thank you Adrien, for everything."  She pressed her face into his chest for one last hug, she didn't know when she would get to hug him like this again. Adrien didn't complain, and held her as equally tight. Together, the two watched the empty streets before Marinette would have to leave to meet for her patrol with Chat Noir. 

☼ ☼ ☼

Marinette finally drifted into sleep, Chat's words being the last thing on her mind. She believed him, and trusted him with her life. I will stay by your side until the end, as your loyal partner. As your friend.

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