Chasing Ladybug 📸 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

6 • Then | Cat and Mouse

THEN

Marinette climbed up and opened her skylight. Cat Noir grabbed her hand and pulled her up to the balcony. To say she was nervous was an understatement.

Parked from the sidewalk, Theo raised his camera and zoomed in, spying on the pair. After they shared a moment of words, Cat Noir reached into his pocket and pulled out a necklace—the mouse miraculous.

"What's this?" The sculptor asked himself as he snapped a few candid shots of the hero and the baker's daughter.

Cat Noir grabbed Marinette's hand and dropped the miraculous in it.

Theo smirked as he whispered to himself, "So... Marinette Dupain-Cheng is the new holder is this mouse miraculous. Ladybug must have entrusted Cat Noir to deliver it to keep her identity safe. Oh, she's good."

Theo captured a few more pictures before he put his camera back in his bag.

"Well, try it out," Cat Noir told Marinette, nudging his arm against hers as she hesitated. "I know it's been a while since you used it, but you remember the transformation words, right?"

Marinette raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't think that's the kind of thing someone easily forgets."

He raised his arms in defense. "Oh, well excuse me, Miss Hero. I don't know you were such an except on these superhero things."

Oh, you have no idea, Kitty. She clasped the necklace around her neck and a ball of light shined as the kwami appeared. "It's going to see you again, Mullo."

The little mouse tilted her head at the Guardian, who had just fed her macaroons this morning, and noticed Cat Noir's presence, and instantly knew to keep her identity safe. "Hello, Marinette! It's been a while."

Marinette rubbed the kwami's head. "You too. Mullo, get squeaky!" Pink lights encased the girl as she transformed into her second superhero alter ego.

A crimson blush danced across Cat Noir's cheeks as he stared at her. She's so beautiful.

"Cat got your tongue?" Multimouse teased, a new confidence abiding in her.

The cat leaned in close until their noses were barely touching. "Race you to the Eiffel Tower," he whispered.

"You're on."

Cat Noir and Multimouse leapt off the balcony railing and raced to the famous monument. They crossed paths, each trying to trip the other.

Theo slipped his helmet on and started racing after the heroes. This was a moment he didn't want to miss.

As the cat and mouse chased each other, the sun was setting around them, casting beautiful colors of pink and orange across the sky. The two soon landed on the platform near the top, facing each other, and stepped closer together.

Cat Noir grabbed her hand and raised his arm, spinning Multimouse in a circle. He then pulled her close and cradled her face with both his hands, tracing a gentle claw along her jawline. "I'm in love with you," He suddenly said before he lost the courage to do so.

Multimouse grinned. "I know."

The space was filled between them, warm lips pressed together.

Theo took multiple pictures as he watched the new blossoming love on top of the Eiffel Tower. He lowered his camera, his eyes full of anger and hatred, for himself and Ladybug. He glared up at Cat Noir. "He lied to me," He mumbled. "He and Ladybug aren't a couple! But this cat and mouse seem to be."

Cat Noir and Multimouse became wrapped up in each other as they continued kissing.

"Why did that cat lie to me?" Theo asked out loud. "To make me jealous? To be a jerk?!"

Cat Noir pulled back and pulled out a pink rose from behind his back. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, will you be my girlfriend?"

Marinette's eyes widened. This isn't smart. This can't possibly end well. Despite the warnings, she took the rose and whispered, "Yes, Cat Noir."

They continued kissing.

Theo took one more shot of the heroes kissing before he shoved his camera back in his bag. He climbed on his bike, driving off fast as he headed back to his studio. He rushed inside and hooked up his camera to his laptop, printing out the new pictures he took tonight.

Theo grabbed the one of them kissing and walked over to the board, pinning in. He scribbled something in a post-it note and placed it on the picture: 'New Couple???'

He grabbed red string as he tied it around the thumbtack holding the picture of Cat Noir and Multimouse and dragged it across the board, connecting it to a picture of the same hero and Marinette from a few months back. The sculptor took the picture himself, when he first started following the hero, and witnessed Cat Noir saving Marinette from a certain rich blonde who had gotten akumatized—again.

"These two got pretty close fast," Theo wondered to himself. "They seem to know each other well, especially if they're smushing faces together. So, what? Did Cat Noir just give up Ladybug for this... baker's daughter?!"

Anger rose in him as he kicked a chair across the room. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng doesn't even measure up to the likes of Ladybug! An awesome, graceful, selfless, beautiful hero like Ladybug. How could Cat Noir move on just like that?!"

That made Theo hate the cat even more.

He grabbed a black marker and crossed out Cat Noir's face from the picture on the board.