Ladynoir July 2020

Day 27 - Embrace

Ladybug grit her teeth in frustration, getting up off the ground and leaping out of the line of fire quickly.

"You okay?" Chat called out, dodging the akuma's hits and looking at her worriedly. She sighed, staring down at her Lucky Charm again and clenching her hands around it.

"I'm lost," she said in return, and he landed by her side in moments, pulling her behind cover. They crouched down, and Chat put both of his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him with a frown, feeling overwhelmed and utterly useless at the moment.

"We've both made mistakes both now and in the past," he told her gently. "What matters right now is to focus and breathe. Forget what has happened and think about what needs to happen, okay?" he said, smiling at her and lifting her heart. She searched his eyes, wondering how he always knew exactly what to say. She realized how much more lost she would be without him there with her.

"Thanks, Chat," she smiled back, watching his shoulders relax and his head tilt in relief.

"That's my bug. Let's do this," he said confidently, standing up again and offering her a hand. She took a deep breath in as she stood to meet him, the two of them peering out at the akuma and putting their brains back into action.

It wasn't hard for the superheroine after that. She felt like she could fly when she remembered the faith she'd seen in her partner's eyes. It further cemented to her how essential he was. No one would ever be able to replace him.

When the fight was finally over, Ladybug was breathless, grinning at her partner. She couldn't remember another battle that had left her feeling so high, and she knew without a doubt that it was because of him and him alone.

"Pound it!" she grinned, bumping fists with Chat. They were smiling at each other, but there was something in his eyes that caught her attention.

Before she could ask, she rushed over to the poor girl who'd been akumatized, helping her stand and explaining the situation. Chat stood nearby and watched, and when she turned to meet him after sending the girl on her way, the look in his eyes had darkened considerably.

"Chat?" she called, seeming to bring him out of his thoughts. He took a slow breath in, sighing it out and running his hands through his hair.

"Do you have time to talk?" he asked, stepping forward and pushing her hair away from her ear to check her earrings. The gentle gesture almost made her blush, but she was more focused on what he would need to talk about.

"Same as me," he told her, backing up and sighing once more. "I'm going out of town." She blinked at him, furrowing her eyebrows and feeling her heart drop. Her lips parted before she knew what to say, and for a few seconds nothing wanted to come out.

"For how long?" she asked after taking a breath. He frowned, crossing his arms and looking away from her.

"The better part of the week," he replied, and she felt a weight drop onto her chest, almost making her breathless. There had begun to be an akuma attack everyday, making her stress levels skyrocket. How would she be able to do it without him?

"I'm sorry. I can't get out of it," he told her, stepping closer and hurting her more with the pain in his eyes. She shook her head at his apology, wishing she didn't feel like she could cry.

"I understand," she said quietly, letting her eyes fall to the ground in time to see him clench his fists at his sides.

"I know you'll be okay," he said after a moment of silence. She looked up at him, wanting to believe the conviction in his voice. "You're Ladybug. You're strong and determined and so smart," he continued, sunshine returning to his voice even under the light of the moon. It made her want to smile too, but that was nothing new for him.

"Thanks, kitty," she said, letting a small smile grace her lips.

"You're welcome," he replied, letting out a breathy laugh and blinking at her through his eyelashes. She blinked back, watching as he opened his arms for a hug. It was never an option in her mind not to accept it, her heart jumping just a little at the opportunity.

Ladybug stepped forward, pressing herself onto her tiptoes and hugging him tightly. She wrapped her arms behind his neck, feeling his arms move to circle around her middle. He was warm, and it immediately made her feel safe. In his arms, it felt like nothing would ever go wrong, and that was the way she liked it.

She heard him exhale slowly next to her ear, his head coming to rest against her left shoulder. It made her face flush a little, but she was nowhere near uncomfortable.

Suddenly, both of their miraculouses beeped, and they both jumped just a little.

"I should go," he spoke against her, letting her feel his voice resonate in his chest. But the words sounded wrong to her. It was the last thing she wanted to hear.

When she hadn't moved to let him go, he placed a flat palm against the small of her back, rubbing it just a little. He was comforting her, and she didn't want him to stop. Her throat suddenly felt dry, but she let her thoughts out into the night air.

"I don't want to let go," she whispered, moving closer and feeling the muscles in his arms tense around her slightly. Saying the thought out loud made her heart race, but she didn't expect it to go much faster. That was until he pulled her even closer.

Chat wrapped one arm under her right, letting it rest across her shoulder blades and placing his hand on her left shoulder. His other arm snaked around the length of her waist, his fingers wrapping around her side to brush her stomach. She let out a shaky breath, pressing her forehead into his shoulder.

She'd never been so close to him for so long, but she wasn't finding anything to complain about. His scent was all around her, and it was pleasant and soft and made her head feel fuzzy. She could have fallen asleep in his arms if it weren't for her heart beating like she was running a marathon. She never wanted to let go.

But their miraculouses beeped again, and Ladybug opened her eyes, feeling his hold on her loosen.

"M'lady," he whispered lightly, his breath tickling her neck. She pressed her lips together, knowing he needed to go. They both did.

They both moved to pull away, and when their eyes met again, his were so warm. He stopped for a second, gazing at her so softly that she felt like she could melt, and then let his hands fall from her.

Smiling gently, he turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand, making him look back once more.

"See you soon," she spoke, squeezing his hand and feeling him return the gesture.

"See you soon, little bug." She let his hand go, watching him tear his eyes from her and disappear into the dark.

Everything inside of her felt warm and fuzzy from his embrace, but she couldn't ignore how cold she felt in his absence. 

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gosh i love making them hug i just asdfghjkl

thank you for taking the time to read! it means so much to me! <3 

mel x