Infinities → Miraculous Drabbles

(What A) Catch - Ladrien

22/02/17

Swinging through the sky after their obligatory akuma duties, Paris's heroes were so set on winning their race against each other that the warning beeps of Chats miraculous were simply swept away in the wind.

At first, the feline suspected he heard it, but dismissed it for what he thought would be a harmless minute.

But in reality, it was three minutes later as he sprung for the top of the looming Eiffel Tower - the grand finale, that his time ran out.  Instantaneously, a neon flash surrounded him and he was falling into the empty grasp of endless blue. His leather suit disappeared along with his pole and any air left in his lungs, leaving him to reminisce his short life in a matter of seconds and shallow gasps as the ground rushed up to meet him. Had any Chat Noir died as stupidly as he was?

Unknowingly for him, he'd been too busy contemplating his own life that he never noticed Ladybug speeding towards him, yo-yo wrapped loosely around the beam of the Tower. Suddenly,  a strong, slim arm plucked him from the fall, emerald irises meeting blue as the duo swung high into the air before descending again, a precarious swing above Paris. Nausea crept onto Adrien like a tidal wave, initiated by the height and the fear of falling.  Again.

Adrenaline coursed through Ladybug's veins as they swung, her metal grip pressing Adrien's back tightly against her spandex suit whilst hurriedly tugging at the string in a vain attempt to slow down.  How and why he'd been falling from the sky was not something she could even start to ponder right now. All she could think about was how her heart was beating a tattoo inside of her chest and how the emerald green of his eyes were starting to match the colour of his face.

"Uhm-m, well, a-re you okay, Adrien?" she attempted to ask breathlessly, suddenly very aware of how close the two were. 

Adrien grimaced, shifting slightly and diverting his gaze from the sky to Ladybug. "I think I'd be a lot better if I wasn't dangling in middair, but thanks." He attempted to offer a smile.

"Oh! Yes! Of course. We'll head down right away." Ladybug stuttered, dragging her eyes away from his greening complexion and up to her yo-yo.  As they swung underneath the Eiffel Tower once more, Ladybug unwound her yo-yo in one swift movement, sending them hurtling towards the courtyard below. Poised, she hit the ground running, slowing to halt. 

Alas, she was not Marinette - she was Ladybug, and that meant she had to keep her cool. Superheroes do not become flustered over models! she scolded herself silently as she set Adrien on the ground. 

"A-are you okay, Adrien?" the spotted heroine asked, for the second time that day. Dammit, I need to control my stutter. 

Adrien tried in vain not to blurt a certain cat pun ('I've been feline purr-fect since you caught me, bugaboo.')  whilst trying to rearrange his jumbled thoughts. Brushing an imaginary dust off his jacket, he gave Ladybug a bright grin. "Yeah, I'm okay," he murmured. "Peachy. Just a bit shocked, I suppose. Thanks for catching me."

"I-It's no problem," stuttered Ladybug, avoiding Adrien's gaze as a pink blush painted her cheeks. Why are crushes a thing? "It's my job, after all."

Adrien couldn't help but chuckle. "Do you always go round, catching people?"

"Not until now." She admitted, a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. 

It was just their luck that the small chat they started was cut by a harsh ring, blaring from Adrien's pocket. Startled by the noise, Ladybug sprung back, and the model couldn't help but laugh as he pulled out his mobile. The smile on his face was wiped and replaced by a frown when he saw the familiar contact, and reluctantly swiped to accept the call. After a minute of nothing but silence from Adrien's end (and the faint yelling coming from the otherside), he hung up. 

"Gotta go. I'm 10 minutes late for my photoshoot. My father is going to kill me for this," he muttered, eyes downcast as he shoved the phone back in his pocket. Coincidentally for him, the warning beep of Ladybug's miraculous sounded, and they sighed in unison.  

"Looks like we both have to go. I'll guess I'll see you another time - and Chat as well, thinking about it. I don't know where he went in the end," she mused. 

Adrien's eyes widened, panic setting in.  "His miraculous probably ran out, right?" He tried to suggest as nonchalantly as possible, paranoid for his secret and diverting his gaze. Thankfully, Ladybug's nod of agreement made him relax again.

"You're right. If anything, he'd be wondering where I went." she mused. 

Both wanted to strike up a new conversation, but Adrien's familiar limousine pulled up, the faint angry face of his father staring daggers through the window. He sighed in regret.

"See you around, my lady," he whispered, his hand brushing against her suit-covered one and sharing a spark which made both of them jolt. Their eyes met once more before he broke contact, jogging towards his limo. 

Ladybug could only gulp and stare after him as he sped to his car, opening and closing the metal barrier between them. "Au revoir, Adrien," she whispered, staring down at where their hands had touched briefly (and making a mental note to never to wash that hand again). What a day, and what a catch... 

old draft i had back in September, i've tried to revive it to this state so?? forgive the cheesiness ahaha, hope you liked it x