The wingman visits by NiuNiette

Chapter 11: White is not the color of purity

Marinette ran as fast as she was able to towards Eiffel, hoping she would arrive there on time – meaning before this whole deal would get bigger than it already was – to safe Adrien. She was afraid the akumatized Chat Noir would blurt out her identity as Ladybug, as people where not their own selves when they were under the control of akuma. While Chat Noir was careful with their secret identity, akuma didn't care about that, nor did Hawkmoth. It chilled Marinette's heart to think that Hawkmoth might already have plans to get Chat Noir's ring, now when the man knew who Chat Noir was.

Would this be end of it all? End of their careers as heroes?

End of Adrien as Chat Noir?

End of them as a team?

End of their deep connection?

Horrible feeling of guilt in Marinette's chest grew stronger and heavier the closer she got the famous tower. She was completely out of breath when she reached the edge of the huge mass of people swarming around the root of Eiffel, helicopter's sound heavy in the air, people's voice ringing over the sound of the blades. They were talking, gasping, yelling, asking, pointing out different things, and Marinette's ears caught multiple questions from their mouths as she squeezed herself through the thick wall of people.

"Where is Ladybug?"

"Isn't that Chat Noir?"

"Who is this Marinette?"

"Do you think he's going to destroy the tower?"

"We should call Ladybug here!"

Fidgeting furiously, bangs gluing against her moist forehead Marinette pushed and pushed forward, finally managing to make it to the front row. She could see Chat Noir's tiny figure against the sky, his jingle bell glittering in the bright sunlight which didn't fit the scene at all. Marinette hoped the bright weather would make the scene and Chat Noir's behavior look less alarming than it actually was, as the thing which they now didn't need was a panic striking through Paris. She should try to handle this as quickly and smoothly as possible. She was ready to call Tikki out, as if this turned into a fight, she would be no match to Chat Noir without Ladybug's luck.

"Chat! I'm here!" she yelled from the top of her lungs, cupping her palms around her mouth.

He didn't hear her so she ran closer to the tower, avoiding the polices patrolling the scene, and yelled again, this time louder.

"I'm here!"

People around her turned to look at Marinette, pointing at her with their fingers and nudging each other as they whispered, "Is that the girl? Just a normal girl! What's going on? What can she do?" Someone shouted at her that she should stay away from this and wait Ladybug to arrive, to which someone else's voice echoed loudly over the crowd stating that they hadn't seen Ladybug in ages and there was no guarantee that she would come here. Marinette's worry was becoming denser as she listened how people started to get restless behind her and she feared her thoughts of the panic spreading among Parisians would come true soon.

She cupped her hands again, inhaling deeply for the next shout, but Chat Noir's jingle bell flashed differently in the sunlight and his outstretched frame soon drew against the partly cloudy sky as the cat spread his arms and jump down from the tower. Marinette followed his downfall, her heart beating faster and faster. She squeezed her palms into fists, trying not to let the nervousness get her. She had no idea what to do and she hoped she could improvise something which could save Chat Noir.

Marinette didn't care anymore if people would see her as Ladybug, if she wouldn't get change to transform somewhere in secrecy in a case of a fight breaking out between Chat and her. As long as they wouldn't get to know that Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste, already hunted by the media due his modeling career and famous father, Marinette would be happy and sacrifice her Ladybug identity for him. He had always kept her safe. Always looked after her and even gone against his own will in order to protect Marinette, keeping his identity secret from Marinette, just like Tikki had noted last night.