Chapter Text
Ladybug always thought of Chat Noir as a pretty easy-going guy. He never really was phased by anything, and nothing ever got to him accept a blow to his ego. He was a little reckless sometimes, and his puns did bother her, but hey, he was her partner. He still cared about Paris as much as she did, and was always right by her side. Often he would be there to comfort her when she felt down, give her confidence, and take hits for her (which she didn’t like, but Chat insists is only necessary for her to be able to purify the akuma). He was a steadfast anchor for her to hang onto, no matter the puns.
So when she heard quiet sobs and a lot of things being hit on her way to nightly patrol, she thought it was an akuma.
Ladybug snuck behind the giant chimney on top of the roof the supposed akuma was on. She pulled out her yoyo and was about to text her partner until she heard the akuma speak.
“I hate him! Why can’t I be like everybody else! It’s not fair!” Ladybug suddenly froze in recognition of the voice. That was no akuma. That was Chat Noir. What happened?
She came out from behind the chimney. “Chat? What’s wrong?” She asked in a concerned tone, startling him.
“L-Ladybug? Oh, hi, um...H-How much did you hear?” Chat Noir cautiously spoke, body rigid.
“Enough to know that something’s made you upset. Why are you crying?”
“Oh, heh, it—it’s not that bad. Just a little family drama, you know,” Chat said, scratching his neck. He tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace.
“Kitty, look at yourself. It’s easy to tell that it’s a lot more than ‘not that bad’,” Ladybug said in a soft tone. She had never seen this side of him. She just kind of assumed that nothing in his life would make him feel this way, although now, in this moment, she could never be more wrong. “Come, sit next to me. Tell me what happened.” She sat down on the edge of the roof and patted the spot next to her. Chat came over and sat down.
He took a few moments before finally opening his mouth again. “It’s just—my father. He...He found out that I’ve been sneaking out at night to go to patrol.” Chat wiped his eyes with the back of his gloved hand. “I had to lie and tell him it was to see my friends, and he got really mad. I’ve been homeschooled all my life, and when I ran away to go to school, I got in major trouble but he eventually let me enroll anyway. I was ecstatic because I’ve been locked away all my life, with no friends except for one my father thought would promote better connections for himself. He reprimanded me and told me that he already let me see my friends in school everyday, and—and...”
“And then? What happened? It’s okay,” Ladybug comforted him. She had no idea his life was like this. He just seemed so...happy all the time.
He took a deep breath, then spoke. “He said that I’m a disgrace to our family and that he’s pulling me out of school.” Chat’s voice was raw and full of sadness and anger. “That I should be grateful for all that he’s done for me, and, giving me no chance to argue or at least say something, sent me back up to room. That’s when I transformed and came here. It was too lonely all by myself.” There were a few seconds of silence before he suddenly spat out, “He’s kept me locked up in our home, thinking that’s the best for me because I don’t get to choose. He decides my after-school activites, my hobbies, and even who I should be! And he never cares about what I have to say. To him, I’m like some—some—puppet he’s just pulling the strings with!” Chat Noir was breathing heavily, eyes starting to fill with tears again. As Ladybug was starting to understand the full extent of his words, she realized why Chat was so outgoing and a little reckless at times while using the ring. Being Chat Noir was also an escape for him, an open window where he could go out and be himself without being repressed at home. She felt angry and sad for him after hearing him pour out his story. He didn’t deserve the life he had now. And to think that she had thought his life was happy and full of fun. She’d spent her time confiding in Chat Noir, and never noticed that he needed the same too. Someone who could understand him, and listen to him. But maybe she could fix that.
“Chat. Look me in the eyes,” Ladybug said, grabbing his shoulders and turning him towards her. He looked up, emerald-green eyes full of sorrow. She let her thoughts come tumbling out.
“You are not a puppet. You are not a disgrace. And, most importantly, you are not alone. You are who you say are. No matter what everybody else says, especially your father, you are you. You’re the brave, caring, outgoing, pun-loving Chat Noir, and my partner. I couldn’t ask for anyone better, because you are one of the best people I know,” Ladybug said, smiling. Chat Noir seemed a little shocked at her words. He blinked, like he didn’t believe she actually thought of him so highly. “In fact, if something happened to my silly kitty and he couldn’t be Chat Noir anymore, I’d follow suit.”
“You really think so? Like, you aren’t just lying about all this to make me feel better?” He asked, a hint of a smile on his lips.
“Of course not! I’m telling you the absolute truth. And even though I can’t be there the whole time to help you through this, just know that I’ll at least be here, every patrol. If anything happens, let me know. I’ll always listen to what you have to say, even if your father doesn’t.”
Chat Noir’s face lit up with a giant smile. Ladybug pulled him in for a hug, and he squeezed back and buried his face into her shoulder. She felt Chat’s muscles relax, and his breathing slow.
“Thank you, Ladybug. Thank you so much,” Chat murmured into her shoulder.
“No need to thank me. I don’t mind your company at all.”
They stayed like that for a while, arms around each other and squeezing. Both had smiles on their faces, eyes closed, relishing the presence of each other. It was just her and her kitty, and she wouldn’t be content with anyone else. They probably would never have left each others’ arms if they didn’t have patrol to do.
Too soon, they broke apart. They still had to fulfill their duties as superheroes. Chat stood up, an amused glint in his eyes, any traces of the miserable, sobbing Chat gone.
“Ready for patrol, m’lady? First one to the Eiffel Tower wins!” And with that, they took off and disappeared into the starry night, laughter echoing through the air.