Ever since his mom died, Cat Noir has been struggling. He's so good at hiding it that no one knows. Not even his closest friends or his father. But then unforeseen events lead his condition to worsen drastically, and it's only a matter of time befor...
Cat Noir sat down, avoiding Ladybug's eyes. He didn't want to know what she thought of him now. He didn't want the way she looked at him to change like this. Ladybug was the first one to know about everything that had been happening since his mom died.
Well, almost everything.
"Kitty."
He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze.
"Cat Noir." To his surprise, she knelt knelt in front of him, placing her hands on his shoulders. Finally he looked up. Her expression didn't hold pity, condescension, or any of the things he feared it would. She was dead serious. "How long has this been going on?"
"...um... since my mom died, why?"
Ladybug's eyes widened, and she pulled him into a hug. Once more he was surprised by his partner's reaction. "Why-- why didn't you tell me?!" She choked out, her voice cracking, and Cat Noir felt guilt flood through him. She spoke again. "Maybe you should tell your father about this. He could help you."
The Cat froze for a moment. Ladybug noticed. "What is it?"
"That... won't help. If he knew he would just lock me up. Keep me away from the world and all my friends, to keep me "safe". But they're all I have to live for right now."
"Oh kitty, I'm so sorry." Ladybug hugged him again, her voice wavering. She hesitated. "I... I can think of another way to help you, but... it would involve revealing our identities, and that...well... it isn't my call to make."
Cat Noir was sure he had misheard her. He must have, because she would never tell him who she was. Right?
"I think... is it alright with you if I explain all this to Master Fu? If he knows why, he might be willing to make an exception to the identity rule."
He blinked a few times, then nodded slowly. If it meant knowing the real name of the girl he loved, he would tell everyone all his darkest secrets.
All of them? You haven't even told Ladybug the whole truth yet. He mentally shook himself to dislodge that thought and the guilt that followed it. Ladybug helped him up, and they swung through the city to where Master Fu lived.
When they were sure no one would see, the two slipped inside the building. Cat Noir sat down while Ladybug disappeared for a minute.
"I found him, " she said softly when she returned. She helped him up once more, keeping a hand on his shoulder for moral support. "This way, Kitty."
They pushed through a door, and the man they came to see looked up from where he was meditating, clearly surprised. Ladybug spoke first. "Master, I need to talk to you. It's urgent."
He nodded, standing up to close the blinds. "You made sure you weren't followed?"
"Of course. We wouldn't want to put you in danger."
Master Fu smiled, still going around the room to make sure no one could see or overhear them. Cat Noir felt Ladybug's gaze on him. She spoke in a low voice.
"Hey, would you rather wait somewhere else while I explain everything?"
He hesitated. "Yeah, actually, if that's okay..."
She gave him a reassuring smile, before stepping away to talk to the Master.
"Is it alright if Cat Noir waits in another room? What I want to talk to you about-- it's something very personal he told me about. I don't think he needs to hear it again."
"Of course, " Master Fu replied. Finished checking the windows and door, he went over to the black cat. "Come this way. I think I know the best place for you to wait."
The superheroes exchanged confused looks. Cat Noir shrugged and followed the man, Ladybug trailed behind. They were led into a small room. Cat Noir stopped in his tracks, and Ladybug edged around him to see what was there.
Food. Mainly pastries, stacked on the shelves and packaged in boxes. The whole room was like a giant pantry. Ladybug glanced at Cat Noir's face and had to struggle not to laugh. He looked like he had just discovered the biggest treasure chest in the world-- mouth hanging open and eyes wide and gleaming. Master Fu smiled.
"Help yourself, " he said with a knowing chuckle. "Ladybug, come this way."
When they were back in the other room, he sat down on the floor again. "Now, what is this all about?"
Ladybug explained everything. She had to stop a couple times to take deep breaths and blink back tears: it was just as hard to talk about as to hear it from her partner's own mouth. Perhaps because it was still difficult to believe. She couldn't wrap her head around it, even now that she had seen his suffering with her own eyes.
"Master, I-- I think I can help him, but for it to work we'd find out each others' identities. I'd be willing to take that risk. But I can't risk all of Paris by giving up my Miraculous. So I came to ask what you think.
Can we reveal ourselves?"
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