Straight to Video (Completed & Under Renovation)

Chapter Ten: an Unexpected Visitor

I knew it was late, but I really didn't feel like going home after my nightly patrol. I felt so happy and free tonight, and I didn't ever want to let that feeling go. I didn't have a photoshoot until tomorrow afternoon, anyway, so I should be able to sleep in after breakfast, as long as I'm back by seven to sneak in before it was served.
I couldn't contain my energy. I hadn't felt this happy since I recieved that response to the Valentine's poem I wrote to Ladybug. Which, let the record state, is sitting proudly on my desk to this day.
I was going to have a real party, with my three best friends, and my first sleepover, all before a fall festival!

"YES!!" I shouted, laughing -quite literally- from the rooftops.

I was going to have the time of my life!
In the meantime, though, Paris seemed to carry on as usual. No akuma tonight, which meant Ladybug and I had finished patrol early. I've been out ever since she left, not caring a bit that the starry night had turned into early morning darkness. I leaped from ledge to ledge, using my baton to spring higher, taking in the near complete lack of light across the city. Even the lights on the Eiffel Tower had been turned off a couple of hours ago. But off in the distance, over toward the school, a single window shined bright.

"Well, of course," I muttered curiously, "now I simply have to know."

Who was still awake this late, other than myself? My mind drifted to Ladybug, but I quickly brushed it off. My Lady was too responsible to be up at this ungodly hour.

I hopped across the roofs of buildings, light on my feet so as not to stir sleeping civilians. As I got closer, I recognized the building as the Dupain-Cheng bakery, and Alya's words rang clear in my mind, more real than ever.

"Between you and me, Marinette has been stressing herself out over it. That girl hasn't had a full night's sleep all month."

I felt guilty; it was a quarter past four! She shouldn't be awake this late; not for my sake. I carefully landed on the balcony, and I could faintly hear music. I listened closely, and after a long moment, I recognized it as... swing? American swing?? I scoffed lightheartedly at her interesting choice of music before deciding it was best to check up on her. She must've been up for quite a long time to have fallen down that musical rabbit hole.

I took a deep breath and tapped lightly on the trap door.

* * * * *

I opened up the rooftop door to see none other than Chat Noir, smiling his signature friendly grin in the dark of the night. He offered his hand to help me up, and I took it, shaking my head as he pulled me up to the roof. Gently, I shut the door behind me, painfully aware of a sleeping Tikki in my bed below, and the fact that I had accidentally worked way past the time I told her I would get to sleep.

Speaking of which...

"Chat Noir, why on Earth are you out this late?"

He laughed lightly, obviously not expecting the question.

"I was about to ask you the same. Are you having a party down there?"

I was offput by the odd question, until I recognized the sound of my roaring swing music coming from my open window, below.

"Ah, well, more like a party of one, if anything." I explained, pink in the face.
"I'm just trying to finish up a project I've been working on.. Even my best friend stopped texting me around midnight."

He glanced down for a moment and coughed, obviously covering a chuckle.

"I'm underdressed. If I had known we were having a party, I would've worn my Ladybug pajamas to match."

It took me a moment to process his words before I turned as red as a cherry; I was wearing my Chat Noir pajamas!!

"Oh, NO!" I whisper shouted. "Crap!!"

"No, no, I uh--" he laughed a bit, pink in the face. "I'm honestly flattered. My princess must like me a lot~"

I regret the day I designed these...

I gave him the most deadpan stare I could muster, and he grinned cheekily before giving a fake shiver.

"Don't you think it's cold enough out here without that glare?"

Oh.. Actually, now that he mentioned it, it is pretty freezing.

"Chat Noir?"

He hummed attentively in response.

I knew this was against my better judgement, but I was already up this late, right?

"Are you able to stay for an hour or two?"

"...Uh, sure? I don't technically need to be back until seven."

"Perfect. Give me just a minute to clean up and you can come down."