A Miraculous Tale: Hawk Moth

Ch. 5

Ladybug ran across the rooftops. It was lucky Cat Noir told me all of that, otherwise we would've had to wait until another akuma attack. She jumped up and landed next to Cat Noir.

"Got my text?" Cat Noir asked. Ladybug nodded.

"So, what's so important that we had to meet now?"

"Don't you enjoy spending time with me, Milady? We could be the cutest couple in all of Paris!"

"In your dreams, Kitty." Ladybug smiled and rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop the tiny flutter that had taken flight in her chest.

"Anyways, down to business." Cat Noir sighed. "I suppose I should just come out with it; it is rather important." He paused for a moment, and Ladybug grew aggravated.

"Would you just tell me already!" She stamped her foot impatiently. Cat Noir sighed and rubbed his head.

"You know Gabriel Agreste's son, Adrien?"

Ladybug nodded and tried to look curious, but she already knew what was coming.

"He's been spying on his dad."

"Hawk Moth." Ladybug whispered.

Cat Noir nodded. "He's found some useful information, that's why I've asked to meet you so soon."

"That's great, but it's too dangerous. He can't keep doing this."

"Why?"

"Because you're putting him in serious danger!" Ladybug asserted, worried for her friend.

"He can handle it." Cat Noir insisted.

"Okay, so maybe he can. What happens if he gets caught though?"

"He won't!"

"Cat Noir, you can't put people in danger!" Ladybug angrily retorted.

"I'm not! I know what I'm doing; it's a good plan!"

"Well, I don't think it is." Ladybug remarked.

"Why? Is it because you didn't come up with it?"

"Cat Noir, don't be so petty!"

"I'm not!"

"Ugh! Just tell me what he found out, then tell Adrien to stop spying."

Cat Noir glared at her. "Fine. Have it your way." He took a deep breath to calm his rising anger. "Hawk Moth is putting his final plan into action, today."

"Today?" Ladybug's eyes were wide.

"Yes. He's going to turn into Scarlet Moth again so he can akumatize Miraculer, Revealer, Oni-Chan, Dark Owl, and Silencer. He's also planning to use Chameleon to disguise as Chloe, so we'll end up giving the bee miraculous to the wrong person."

Ladybug's blue bell eyes grew wider.

"We need to gather the people he wants to akumatize and keep them somewhere safe, so he can't."

Ladybug was already shaking her head. "We can't do that."

"Why not?"

"It's a bad idea. Keeping them all together will just make it easier for Hawk Moth to win."

"Maybe, but we can make sure that they don't get akumatized. How can they have any negative emotions if they feel safe?"

"No. We're not doing that."

"If it was your idea we'd do it."

"Cat Noir, what is with you today!"

"Maybe I'm just tired of you not listening to me."

"I am listening." Ladybug insisted.

"You're right. You do listen, but you don't trust me." Cat Noir crossed his arms and turned away.

"Of course I trust you!" Ladybug rested her hand on his shoulder. "Cat Noir, this is..."

He cut her off as he shrugged off her hand and turned to face her. "Then why don't we do my plan? If it's not trust, what is it?" He had moved closer to her without her realizing it, and Ladybug was taken aback when she noticed their noses were practically touching. Her heart was beating much faster than before. His words had reached her ears, but she didn't know how to respond.

His green eyes had hardened, but beneath the anger they looked hurt. He nodded grimly. "That's what I thought."

"Cat Noir." She tried. He had moved away and was now standing at the edge of the roof.

"I'll see you tonight." Then he disappeared from her view. Ladybug sat down and stared at the empty space where he had been standing.

"Tikki, spots off." She felt her costume disappear as Tikki appeared.

"Marinette?"

Marinette had already placed her face in her hands. "Why? Why don't I trust him?"

"Who?" Tikki asked.

"Cat Noir. He thinks I don't trust him, and... I think he's right."

Tikki landed on Marinette's knee. "I don't know what happened, but if you think he's right, he probably is. Do you love him?"

"Yes... no? I don't know. One moment I do, and the next I don't. It's complicated."

"Love will always be complicated, Marinette, but it's something worth fighting for. Maybe part of the reason you don't love him one hundred percent is because you don't trust him."

Marinette looked up at Tikki. "But what about all the missions? I've always trusted him..."

Tikki cut her off. "Did you trust him to follow your plan and cover you, or did you trust him to handle the assignment his own way and offer advice to you when you needed it?"

Marinette looked away.

"It's not too late to make up for past mistakes. Trust him, Marinette."

"How? How do I learn to trust him? I want to so badly, but... I don't know how." Her voice had grown to a whisper.

Tikki paused. "I don't know the answer to that, but I do know you'll figure it out."

Marinette nodded. "Yeah. Come on, I think it's time to go home anyway. Tikki, spots on!"