Chasing Ladybug 📸 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

A Retelling: 16 | Mistaken Identity

Adrien rolls over and yawns into his pillow, grabbing his phone and peeking a look at the time: eleven-forty-three a.m. I might as well get up now before Nathalie comes storming in. The model sits up, stretching his arms over his head, and he calls Marinette as he walks to the bathroom.

He sets his phone on the counter, grabbing his toothbrush, and frowns when the call doesn't go through. He tries again, and after a moment, it goes to voicemail again. "That's weird," He mumbles, toothpaste foaming around his mouth and he bends forward to spit and rinse his mouth out.

"What's weird?" Plagg calls out to him, nosey.

"Usually Marinette answers on the first ring."

"Maybe she's finally sick of you," The kwami jokes.

Adrien rolls his eyes, stepping out and closing the bathroom door. "Or maybe her phone died."

Plagg peeks his head out from the cheese cabinet, phasing through the wood, where he's currently residing in. "It's Saturday. Why don't you just go over and check on her if you're so worried?"

"Well, my photoshoot isn't until one, and it's only eleven-forty-five..." Adrien whispers out loud as he checks the schedule on his computer. He shrugs. "Why not? Plagg—"

"Wait, I didn't mean now!"

"—claws out!"

Cat Noir runs towards the window, about to jump when he hears a small cough behind him. He abruptly stops, running into the wall, and spins around fast.

Nathalie stands by the door with wide eyes. So it's true. "Adrien..."

"How much of that did you see?"

"You're Cat Noir?"

Shit, this isn't good. Marinette's going to be pissed! "Nathalie... can you just pretend you didn't see anything?"

"You think this is something I can just forget about?" She asks, walking over to him. "I-I mean... you're Cat Noir..."

"Please don't tell my father," The hero begs, eyes wide and hopeful. "I know he's protective of me, and he if finds out, he'll make me give up my miraculous to Ladybug."

"I won't tell your father," Nathalie assures him. Because I don't have to. "Uh, where are you headed? There wasn't an akuma alert."

Cat Noir pounders over what lie to tell her. "Uh... I-I'm just meeting up with Ladybug... you know, for patrol."

"It's dangerous being a superhero, you know."

"I've been doing this for years, now, Nathalie. I think I've got it handled."

Nathalie nods. "Right..." She glances at his glove, where his ring sits on his hand. "Would you like breakfast before you go?"

"No, thank you, Nathalie," Cat Noir answers. "But... you can keep a secret right?"

"I'm capable of that, Adrien."

He smiles. "Okay. I'm going to go now."

"Don't forget about your photoshoot!" Nathalie shouts as the hero dives headfirst out the window.

The assistant holds the tablet tighter to her chest as she leaves Adrien's room, walking down the hall back to hers. She closes the bedroom door behind her and walks over to a painting, pulling it back to reveal a safe. After entering the correct code, she opens it slowly and gathers all the secret material inside. Is this enough evidence? She wonders to herself, glancing around the room. Maybe Gabriel's office has more.