Ladynoir July 2023

Night

Day six! Gotta admit, this one-shot isn't tied quite as well to the prompt as the others are in the series, HOWEVER, I still really liked the result. I hope you all enjoy! -Colorado

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The night had always been comforting to Chat Noir. Maybe because he cared a bit too much about the "handsome hero in the night" image he sometimes portrayed. Maybe it was because the night gave him freedom that the day never really provided. Maybe because Paris was just more beautiful at night, the City of Lights truly living up to its name. Or perhaps the reason he enjoyed the nights so much was because of his partner. He got to see a different side of her at night. A side of her that was much more human than the Ladybug who went up against akumas. A side of her that was much more Marinette.

A goofy grin fell over Chat's face just thinking about it. This would be their first patrol since revealing their identities, since he learned the partner he was oh so in love with was also his amazing classmate. He always thought Ladybug had been the lucky one, but perhaps it was him who was lucky all along.

They had only figured out their identities yesterday out of pure luck. How was he supposed to know they would both choose to de-transform in the locker room? Marinette had, of course, freaked out about it, muttering something about Bunnyx coming. He wasn't quite sure what that was all about, but Bunnyx never showed up. 

Marinette seemed to be doing a bit better today, she at least was able to hold a conversation with him in class. Her stutter had slowly disappeared over the course of the day. While Adrien was of course grateful that they could hold a solid conversation now, he sort of missed the stutter. It was cute. Not that he could ever tell her that. She still had whoever the other boy was, and Adrien would never want to make her uncomfortable. So here he was, knowing that both girls he had loved were one and the same, and also knowing they would probably never love him back romantically.

But still... no one else got to see Ladybug like he did. Chat's mouth curved into a grin.

'Take that, the other boy.' He thought, swinging his legs back and forth on the rooftop.

He heard Ladybug's yo-yo swing over to him, and quickly tried to wash the lovesick look off of his face. 

"Good evening, Chat Noir," Ladybug greeted behind him and wow, that was Marinette's voice! How had he never noticed that before?

"Good evening, My Lady." He stood up, turning to face her. It was a surreal experience seeing Ladybug but also seeing Marinette all at once. Same eyes, hair, voice, even the nervous smile on her lips was familiar.

"It really is you, isn't it?" She whispered, echoing his own thoughts.

"It is." He picked up her hand and placed a light kiss on it. It must have been the light, but Chat Noir could've sworn he saw Ladybug's face flush. "I know, I'm simply irresistible underneath the mask." His joke got Ladybug to roll her eyes before she looked back over at him and let out a squeak. 

Oh how he loved this girl, this blend of Marinette and Ladybug that stood in front of him. Just when he thought he couldn't love either of them more, the universe had to go and prove them wrong.

"Silly kitty," she muttered, pushing him away by his nose as she had done oh so many times before. But everything seemed different now, that wasn't just Ladybug, it was Marinette!

Marinette who had risked stealing a camera just so Juleka could get over her fears, Marinette who had fought for Mylene and Ivan to have their happy ending, Marinette who had kissed him on the cheek on Heroes Day after he called her their everyday Ladybug. Ha! How right he was.