He Saved Me

Chapter Thirteen

Chat Noir hung up before Marinette could argue. Hawkmoth unraveled the chains from the post and dragged her along like a dog on a leash. 

"Your 'knight in shining army' must really care about you", Hawkmoth turned to look over his shoulder as Marinette tried to keep up with his pace.

Marinette glanced around the building she was walking out of, memorizing every inch of it.

"Took me a while to get to you", Hawkmoth admitted.

"What?" Marinette stopped looking around and look straight ahead at him.

"Who else would it have been?" Hawkmoth grinned evilly.

"Why?" Anger boiled inside of Marinette.

"You'll see."

They finally arrived at the top of the Eiffel Tower and to their surprise, Chat was already waiting for them. As soon as his eyes landed on Marinette, he threw his arms around her, petting her head and his head buried in her neck.

"Did he hurt you?" Chat Noir whispered. Marinette shook her head in response and hugged him tighter.

"Okay", Hawkmoth awkwardly attempted to get their attention. "Sweet reunion, but, I'm kind of late for a meeting so let's get this over with. But first", he lifted his finger in the air as if he just made a new discovery. "Let me reveal to you as to why I've been targeting our little princess over here."

"Don't call me that", Marinette shot back.

"Geez, okay", Hawkmoth rolled his eyes. "Anyways. I feel as though I'v had this sense that there was something suspicious about you, Marinette. You seem to avoid every akuma attack and you're very secretive. It's almost like you have, I don't know, a double life?"

Chat Noir's jaw dropped and he immediately glanced at Marinette, who managed a straight face. 

"I don't see how avoiding akuma attacks and seeming 'secretive' - as you say - would necessarily mean that I'm ladybug?" Marinette folded her arms.

"You're aware that I can see what my akumas see, right? So how is it that every time I send out multiple akumas, you somehow know how to prevent it from getting to you? And how strange that every time Ladybug appears when an akuma is attacking you, you're nowhere to be found?"

"Intuition?" Marinette shrugged her shoulders, attempting to act confused to his question. "And how do you expect to find me when I'm hiding?"

Hawkmoth laughed. "I don't think you understand. I've sent out akumas to watch you. Marinette goes into a building, Ladybug comes out the other door."

"Ladybug hides her, that's why", Chat Noir jumped into the conversation, nonchalant. "Anyways, I really don't have time for this bullshit. You want my miraculous or not?"

"If you want your 'princess' back, then the answer is yes", Hawkmoth extends a hand, expecting him to drop his ring on it.

Chat Noir glances from his hand back up to his face. "How long exactly are you planning on keeping your arm extended like that?"

"Until you give me what I want", Hawkmoth said through clenched teeth, clearly losing his patience.

Chat Noir folded his arms and leaned up against a post. "Let's face it: you need my side of the deal more than I need yours", he quickly glanced over at Marinette and winked, letting her know he didn't mean what he said. "How about we make this a little more interesting."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Rock, paper, scissors", Chat Noir grinned.

"You're willing to bet all of this over that?" Hawkmoth narrowed his eyes.

Chat Noir bit his lip. "Let's see: If I win, I get to keep Marinette. If I lose, I won't give up my miraculous."

Hawkmoth thought for a moment. "Deal."

Marinette bit back a laugh. There was absolutely no way he missed that.

Chat Noir walked up to Hawkmoth. "We'll play 3 rounds, unless someone has won twice in a row. You know the rules, grandpa?"

Hawkmoth ignored him and just rolled his eyes.

---

"Yes!" Hawkmoth cheered when he got two in a row. "That means I win."

"Damn it", Chat Noir faked. "But you won nothing."

"No, I get your miraculous", Hawkmoth argued.

"No, you don't. I clearly stated 'If I win, I get to keep Marinette. If I lose, I won't give up my miraculous", Chat Noir smiled.

"I win either way", Hawkmoth bared his teeth. "You are welcomed to leave, but she stays. And I know you won't let that happen."

"She's coming with me", Chat Noir defended. "I'll be damned if I leave her here with a creep like you. Disgusting how you've been targeting a teenager - willing to let her get injured - just for a couple of jewels."

"Try to take her", Hawkmoth shrugged. "I dare you."

Chat Noir thought for a second, wondering how to go about this. Also wishing that Ladybug would somehow show up even though she has no idea what's going on. Unless-

"Well? Do you need to think about it or?" Hawkmoth asked impatiently.

"Kitty, look at me", Marinette pleaded. "Just go, you need to protect your miraculous at all costs."

"But I protect you at all costs", Chat Noir argued.

"Or you could just give me the miraculous and be done with it", Hawkmoth suggested.

"Shut up!" Chat Noir and Marinette shouted at Hawkmoth in unison.

Hawkmoth rolled his eyes and backed away from the conversation. Chat Noir and Marinette returned to their previous conversation.

"You have to, I'll be okay here. Once you come up with a plan, come back. He's not going to hurt me, he's just using me for leverage", Marinette explained, keeping her voice low so Hawkmoth wasn't in earshot.

"I'm not willing to risk that", Chat Noir whispered angrily, upset that Marinette would even suggest that at all. 

"Then what's your plan?"

"I don't have one yet, just hold on", Chat Noir faded out of his words and leaned back up to look at Hawkmoth, who was inching closer to them. 

Hawkmoth cleared his throat. "Are you two done yet or do you need more time?"

Marinette was about to speak, but Chat Noir beat her to it. "I'm going to leave."

Hawkmoth's face expression went to shock and back down to an evil smirk. "Of course, see you very soon."

Chat Noir was on his way out but turned his head to say one more thing: "Not as soon as you think."

Marinette watched him leave, knowing he had a plan. Although, she sort of wished she knew what it was so she was on the same page as him. But, it might be better if she didn't now for now.