Chasing Ladybug 📸 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

A Retelling: 3 | Cat and Mouse

Marinette climbs up and opens her skylight. Cat Noir grabs her hand and pulls her up to the balcony. To say she's nervous is an understatement.

Parked from the sidewalk, Theo raises his camera and zooms in, spying on the pair. After they share a moment of words, Cat Noir reaches into his pocket and pulls out a necklace—the mouse miraculous.

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

Cat Noir grabs Marinette's hand and drops the miraculous in her hand.

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

He captures a few more pictures before he puts his camera back in his bag.

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

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

He raises his arms in defense. "Oh, well, excuse me. I didn't know you were such an expert on superhero things."

Oh, you have no idea, Kitty. She clasps the necklace around her neck and a ball of light shines as the kwami appears. "It's good to see you again, Mullo."

The little mouse tilts her head at the Guardian, who then notices Cat Noir's presence, and instantly knows to keep her identity safe. "Hello, Marinette! It's good to see you again!"

Marinette rubs the kwami's head. "You too. Mullo, let's get squeaky!" Pink lights encase the girl as she transforms into her second superhero alter ego.

A crimson blush dances across Cat Noir's cheek as he stares at her. She's so beautiful.

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

The cat leans in close until their noses are barely touching. "Race you to the Eiffel Tower," He whispers.

"You're on."

Cat Noir and Multimouse leap off the balcony railing and race to the famous monument. They cross paths, each trying to trip the other.

Theo slips his helmet on and starts racing after the heroes. This is a moment he doesn't want to miss.

As the cat and mouse chase each other, the sun sets around them, casting beautiful colors of pink and orange across the sky. The two soon land on the platform near the top, facing each other, and they step closer.

Cat Noir grabs her hand and pulls Multimouse in. He cradles her face with both his hands, tracing a gentle claw along her jawline. "I'm in love with you," He blurts out before he can change his mind.

Multimouse grins. "I know."

The space fills between them, warm lips pressed together.

Theo takes multiple shots as he watches the new blossoming love on top of the Eiffel Tower. He lowers his camera, eyes full of hatred and anger as he glares up at the cat. "He lied to me," He mumbles. "He and Ladybug aren't a couple! But this cat and mouse seem to be."

Cat Noir and Multimouse become wrapped up in each other as they continue kissing.

"Why did Cat Noir lie to me?" Theo asks out loud. "To make me jealous? To be a jerk?"

He shoves his camera back in his bag and slips on his bike, driving off fast as he heads back to his studio. He rushes inside and hooks up his camera to his laptop, printing out the new pictures he took of the heroes.

Theo grabs the one of them kissing and walks over to the board, pinning in. He scribbles something on a post-it note and places it over the picture: 'New Couple???'

Theo grabs red string as he ties it around the thumbtack and drags it across the board, connecting it to a picture of Marinette and Cat Noir from a few months back. He took this picture himself, following the hero as Cat Noir had saved Marinette from a certain rich blonde who had gotten akumatized—again.

"These two got close pretty fast," Theo wonders 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 rises in him as he kicks 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 grabs a black marker and crosses out Cat Noir's face from the picture.