Shall We Dance?- A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

Chapter 6

Chat Noir balanced precariously on the edge of the Eiffel Tower, mocking himself as a tight-rope walker, both arms extended out to help keep him balanced. Ladybug sat some distance away, a furrow on her brow, and a frown on her lips. The evening was cool and pleasant for Paris in the fall. The amber glow of the lights below made the city sparkle like a sea of stars in reverse; she breathed in and brushed a stray bunch of hair out of her face as she looked out over the landscape. Normally, it made her feel better, but not tonight. Honestly, Ladybug was letting Marinette's problems invade her time. Two days ago, she'd promised herself and Alya that she was giving up on the model. She'd cleaned out her room of everything that was related to him: pictures, schedule, and computer background included. Then just yesterday, he'd wormed his way back into her affections, kindly noting that she was hurting more than she should have been and even offering to clear his schedule for her, her not Ladybug, just to help her dance. She was so torn up about the situation. It was driving her crazy and possibly Tikki as well with all the whining and complaining and fretting she's done.

There was the hard sound of metal on metal as suddenly there was a shadow on her side. She looked up. Chat was standing over her, concern on his face, his brow knitted.

"Buginette, what's wrong?" She smiled and looked back over the city.

"Nothing Chat."

"Oh no, no, no, it's not nothing." He sat down next to her, his tail swishing back and forth along the metal beam. Ladybug refused to look at him. "But seriously. What's going on? I'm your partner. You can talk to me." She sighed.

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?"

"Absolutely not," he replied smugly.

She ran a hand over her face before finally saying, "Fine. There's this thing coming up for my school and they're wanting us to ballroom dance but outside this mask, I've got two left feet and I'm a danger to anyone who's going to be my dance partner and it's mandatory that everyone dances at least one waltz and what not." Her life seemed to revolve around lies so one more wouldn't hurt anything.

Chat blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it."

He smiled mischievously and stood back up, offering her his hand. She hesitated but took it. He pulled her up before nodding to the platform a little bit higher up. "Meet me up there." She shrugged. Pulling off her yo-yo, she flung it skyward, catching on a higher beam before swinging herself around. She repeated this throw and catch several times before landing on the viewing platform with her partner. Chat's smile didn't dim as he put his baton behind his back. He bowed to her which threw her for a loop. "My lady, might I have this dance?" A stunned blink followed by a chuckle.

"And what do you know about ballroom dancing Chatton?"

"Quite a bit actually." He winked. "Waltz the matter? Don't trust me."

She rolled her eyes. "I do trust you and I think that's my problem half the time."

"My lady!" He chuckled with her before offering his hand. "Let me see how bad at dancing you supposedly are. I want to make sure that frown disappears from that lovely face."

"You've never seen my face," she countered, putting her hand in his. She hesitated at first, remembering the hand positions for the waltz, and she immediately straightened her back. Chat nodded.

"I've seen enough to know how beautiful you are and your positioning is good."

"Thanks. I have a good teacher."

"Oh? Someone I should be concerned with?"

She looked away. Chat had never made his feelings for her secret even though he technically hadn't said anything to her. She was pretty sure he tried on Valentine's Day but then Dark Cupid got in the way and by the time everything was back to normal, she'd already secretly kissed him and used Miraculous Ladybug. There was no way she was hanging around for him to finish what he started.

"No, just a friend," she muttered. He frowned, not finding her words to be heartfelt. He squeezed her right hand, pulling it to his mouth to place a gentle kiss on her knuckles.

"Well, if this friend of yours can't live up to your standards, I could always be your teacher."

"Say that after you dance with me."

"That I will then." He moved their hands back into the proper position. In the back of his mind, Chat felt that this situation felt oddly familiar.

Dancing was a very intimate situation. Two people, strangers mostly, suddenly became temporary lovers as they twirled on the floor. He had learned a long time ago, after being forced to dance with multiple young women per his father's orders, that dancing could reveal a lot about a person and at this moment, Chat Noir was remembering that lesson all too well. The fact was, he was having déjà vu as he held Ladybug close and stepped forward into the box step. She counted under her breath and he nearly shook his head. The scene was all too familiar.

So familiar in fact, that the realization wormed its way slowly into his mind's eye before it came crashing down like a wave.

As they danced across the platform of the Eiffel Tower, Chat closed his eyes and instantly, the picture of a young, blue-haired woman in unsteady high heels, pink work out pants, and a white tank top flooded his vision. He also saw her smile and the way she had flirted with him several days ago. She was the only person in the world who would feel like this; tucked in close under him, smelling of flour and sugar, holding his shoulder so delicately as if she would break him, her other squeezed tightly in his, and, goodness, the pigtails! How in the world did he miss the pigtails she always wore? And those "coincidences" from their shopping trip? God he was an idiot!

Finally, he steeled himself and thought the words he had been trying to ignore for the last three days.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is Ladybug. Ladybug is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

It was dizzying. His head felt clearer than it had ever felt; as if a curtain over his eyes had been removed and he breathed deeply to steady himself from passing out or even worse, kissing her out of the blue.

"Chatton? Are you okay?" He opened his eyes, staring into the crystal blue eyes of Ladybug. Of course the blues would match and as often as he stared into her eyes, he should have figured this out a long time ago. She smirked at him. "Is my dancing that bad it put you to sleep?"

He swallowed, his heart beginning to beat out of control, "Only in your nightmares my lady. You're dancing rather excellently."

"I forgot. Your suit has steel-toed boots. You can't feel me stepping on them."

"Even if you were hurting me, I'm sure your small frame wouldn't do that much damage." He smirked but earned a glare from her.

"Sorry for being small," she growled.

"Don't be. We wouldn't be able to dance this well if you were tall."

"Like you?"

"I walked into that one uh?"

"Yeah you did."

"Well I'm feline like our song is at an end. Do you know how to spin?"

She blinked. "S-spin?" He smirked, knowing full well she didn't, before leading her into it. Ladybug started out strong before she tripped over her own two feet and fell into him. He laughed. She glared, again, before pushing herself away from him. "Are you done making fun of me yet?" He could see a fierce blush under her mask even as she looked away in an attempt to hide it.

"I wouldn't dream of making fun of you my lady," he finally breathed. She stuck her tongue out at him and pulled her yo-yo off her hip. She started to take off but he reached out, grabbing her wrist. "Ladybug, seriously, have more faith in your dancing. You did really well. Purr-omise. Cat's honor." She hesitated but smiled.

"Thank-you Chat."

This time, he didn't stop her as she took off from the tower, leaving him leaning against the guard-fence as he watched her soar over the Paris skyline until she was out of sight.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh man. I think I'm in trouble."