Cat Got Your Tongue? (Chat Noir x Male Reader)

Luck Or Nine Lives? (Part I)

"M'lady...Before-" Cat is cut off by Ladybug's hand covering his mouth. She turns her daggers onto him for a second and he just shrugs, taking one step back to avoid her line of fire. "Sorry, kid. Looks like you're on your own..."

He shoots me an apologetic smile from behind her, as Ladybug slowly approaches me. "What were you thinking? What if you were exposed in front of more people? Or if a camera was here to capture your identity? You have to be more careful. This is too important of a mission for-"

I shake my head, letting Ladbug's rant turn into background noise, while sliding the bracelet safely onto my wrist once more. I bow my head slightly and whisper with a small smile, "Sorry about that, Ayra. I promise, I won't let you outta my sight again."

A hand lands on my shoulder. I look up to see Ladybug's cheeks flushed with frustration and Cat tugging on his collar nervously. "Were you even listening to me, (Y/N)?" 

I sigh, exhaustion from the previous battle--and my day even before that--overtaking my body as the adrenaline starts to finally recede. Due to my weariness and Ladybug's bravado, irritation fills me. I give her my own dagger stare, and gently lift her hand from my shoulder. "Honestly? No. I wasn't listening, Ladybug. And I'm not gonna apologize for it. Or for being outed."

Cat swallows a lump in his throat at my choice of words, but I'm too annoyed to pay too much attention to it. "Despite what you may think, I didn't plan to have you all discover my identity. It just happened. A risk that any one of us faces each time we transform to save Paris. It's not like I pulled a Chloe and broadcast my identity to the whole city. It was one girl...And I'll most likely never see her again. So why don't we take it down a couple of notches, back off, and call it a day?"

Seething, I take in both Cat Noir and Ladybug's shocked expressions. Ladybug recovers quicker then Cat, rubbing her eyes in frustration. Letting out a sigh, she slowly extends a hand towards me. I stare at her a little taken aback. "Listen...I may have overreacted. But you're not my enemy...And you're right. It was an accident. I'm just worried Hawk Moth will use this mistake against you. And we can't afford to lose a hero like you, Paon."

"I'm not going anywhere. Hawk Moth may know who I am, but he doesn't know what I'm capable of."

"You mean, what we're capable of, right?" Cat smiles broadly at us, while I step closer to Ladybug.

Ayra manifests, as I grasp Ladybug's hand and shake it. My Kwami affectionately headbutts me in the cheek before putting her little hands on her hips and facing Ladybug head on, without any hesitation. "As cute as this has been...(Y/N) here still owes me a boatload of ice cream to make up for letting go of my miraculous, so..."

Cat's face blanches as he realizes that we left our ice creams to melt on the counter at the shop. I blush before I can stop myself. "Ayra's right. We'll be on our way. See you around Ladybug."

I turn to leave and an instant later, Cat is holding the back of my shirt--halting my speed significantly and with ease--while tipping an imaginary hat to Ladybug. "Don't worry. I'll make sure this little nugget gets there safely. See you soon, M'lady."

 He lets go of my shirt a few feet away, when Ladybug is sailing safely through the air via yoyo, in the opposite direction. He looks around quickly and lets out breath. "Claws in, Plagg."

Plagg dramatically plops into Adrien's extended hands, throwing a little claw up to his forehead. "Let's never do that again Adrien! Not unless you pack extra Camembert!  I won't be able to go on much longer like this."

Adrien shakes his head with a smile, before his green eyes land on me. "You wanna tell him? Or should Ayra?"

Without waiting for me to answer, Ayra flits over to Plagg, "Stop being so dramatic. Adrien and (Y/N) are treating us to ice cream! So get ready for a treat!"

Plagg instantly straightens, all 'fatigue' melted away. "Think they'll have any Camembert flavors?"

"I don't think so Plagg." I say, gently nudging him with my finger. "But I'm sure whatever flavor you get wont disappoint. Meeko's ice cream is almost as well-known as his people skills."

Plagg and Ayra hide as we round the last corner before entering the street the ice cream parlor is on. From Adrien's shirt pocket, Plagg's muffled voice carries a reply. "Fine. But I'm only going along with this because of (Y/N)...you still owe me Camembert, Adrien."

Adrien's hand catches mine as we close the distance to the shop. I feel the heat rise to my cheeks as his green eyes look at me with pure joy. "Deal. But first let's finally get you that ice cream, (Y/N)."

His smile stays planted on his face well after we enter the parlor. As we approach our new favorite cashier, Meeko remains at the counter completely unimpressed with the world around him. But as the bell chimes behind us, I watch as Meeko glances up for the first time since we've met him. He sighs, and walks toward the little window leading to the creamery. He half-shouts words to the other employees that make Adrien's face go pale. "It's that snobby Agreste dude. Be ready."

Adrien's cheeks burn with fire and he lets go of my hand, without any hesitation. He turns on a dime with pure confusion...or embarrassment taking over his expression, "Dad? What are you doing here?"

I turn slowly to see Adrien's father-a tall, slim man with a hard expression eyeing us passionately. His eyes dance from me to Adrien and back again as Adrien stands in shock. Finally he takes a single step forward, and without warning runs a hand under my chin. "Hmm."

He turns my head side to side a little rougher then I would've like but I choose to bite my tongue. He remains leaning over me, in silence before he finally speaks. "Are you a friend of Adrien's?"

I feel a sting of fear as I look over to Adrien and see how his father's presence has affected him. He seems to have completely shut down. I turn back to Mr. Agreste and a strange smile creeps across his face. "Silly question. Of course you are....you two seem rather close..."

 Adrien's entire body goes rigid at his father's inflection. I swallow a strange lump in my throat, wondering how a father and son could be so different. Adrien is full of warmth and joy while his father...Well, Mr. Agreste seems to radiate something a bit more cold, calculated, and...maybe even sinister? 

"We are, sir."

Did you just say 'Sir?'

Ugh. 

Get your shit together, (Y/N).

Interrupting my panicked thoughts, Mr. Agreste seems to lean even closer. I feel the hairs all over my body stand on end. "Hm. Now that is interesting...Have you ever thought of modelling like Adrien does?"

I swallow a lump in my throat again as Adrien seems to finally snap out of his daze. He stares at me waiting for my answer to his father's question. He looks almost as though he is afraid of my answer not pleasing his father. "No...I can't say I have...Why do you ask?"

Mr. Agreste suddenly stands up straight and turns to leave almost as quickly as he appeared. He glances over his shoulder on his way out, and somehow his icy aura seems to creep closer even as he gets further away. "Let's just say...You've simply captured my full attention, (Y/N). I'm sure you'll see me again. That I can promise..."