Ladynoir July 2023

Sewers

I haven't done a one-shot focusing on a mutual reveal yet, and that is a travesty. So I have set out to fix that problem. -Colorado

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The sewers below Paris were a drab place. It was dark, it was grimy, and then there was the smell. Oh Good Lord, the smell. But when you're a superhero aching to get away quickly and quietly, sewers become your safe haven. It was almost funny how many times Ladybug and Chat Noir had been down in the sewers. But if it ain't broke, then don't fix it. So whenever they were in a pinch, Ladybug and Chat Noir continued to use the sewers as their own special place. A place where they could easily detransform behind a wall and no one would see them. At least, that's what the sewers were supposed to be. For all of her complicated plans and carefulness, Ladybug had never considered a day where the sewers would be different.

And that was her fatal mistake.

Hawkmoth had sent out an akuma that was powerful, a bit too powerful for Ladybug's liking. It was nothing she and Chat Noir couldn't handle, but they had both used their powers. So, doing what they do best, the two ducked down into the sewers to find a place to detransform.

"We haven't been down here in a while, have we?" Chat said as they ran towards their favorite spot.

"It hasn't been needed, thank the Lord. It's convenient, but there's only so much of this smell I can take." Ladybug wrinkled her nose. Chat Noir laughed, but she knew he agreed.

"And yet you've swam in this water before, multiple times," he teased, leaning closer to her. She pushed him away by the nose.

"I'll do what I have to to save Paris. If that means swimming in dirty sewer water, then I'll do it. Doesn't mean I have to like it though," Ladybug grumbled. Chat Noir only grinned, that traitor. "But considering you're simply an alley cat, I'm sure you're used to the smell," she teased him.

"I'll have you know this alley cat only spends time in the sewers when he's with you," Chat Noir said.

"Really? You're not setting up base camp in one of the utility rooms?"

"Not yet, but that might actually be a good idea, Bugaboo," he purred, and Ladybug resisted the urge to laugh again. She couldn't give in that easily.

"Well, I-." She came to a stop, Chat Noir coming up besides her. "Oh no," she groaned.

"Well, I guess that's what we get for assuming everything would be the same," Chat sighed, looking at the sight ahead of them.

The tunnel that led to their go-to wall had been blocked off with a myriad of tape and construction signs. Chat Noir's ears flickered.

"I can hear voices, there must be workers down here right now. So that spot is pretty much out of the question," Chat Noir gulped, looking as nervous as Ladybug felt. She glanced down at his ring, he only had two minutes left, and Ladybug knew she was close behind.

"Did you see one of those worker locker rooms as we were getting here?" Ladybug asked, thinking of another place they could detransform in peace and quiet. "We could shove ourselves into the lockers. I know it's not very practical, but it would work, wouldn't it?"

Chat Noir nodded, although he didn't look pleased. She knew he didn't like to be cramped, but this was an emergency.

"Come on, I think there's one this way," he grabbed her hand and they began to take off. They ran with all of their might, trying to make it to the locker room before the inevitable.

"Worst case scenario we destransform at a random wall and close our eyes," Ladybug called to him as their jewelry beeped again. One minute left.

"It won't come to that," Chat promised. Ladybug bit her lip, he seemed confident enough, but with their wall being blocked off Ladybug was on edge.