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Marinette gasps as she applies alcohol to her wound, a nasty gash on her left thigh. The liquid burns and she bites her lip to keep quiet, thankful she chose to do it outside instead of in her room. The groan and slight scream she uttered earlier were sure to have woken her parents.
Tikki’s blue eyes swim with tears, “Marinette, I’m so sorry!” The kwami fetches the bandage wrap to help her holder.
The blue haired girl forces a smile, “I’ve told you it’s okay, Tikki. It’s not your fault.” The bruises all over her body ache but the tear in her thigh is the most painful. She could barely walk and when she landed on the balcony ten minutes ago, she screamed in pain. She only detransformed so Tikki could get her medical supplies.
“But…” Tikki trails off as Marinette shoots her a glare. It’s all because of the imbalance between the ladybug and black cat miraculouses. The two holders are supposed to work together, in harmony, but every night Ladybug has to go out and fight Chat Noir. The trade off for restoring everything the way it was and healing everyone, is herself. Her miraculous cure doesn’t work on her and she has the bruises to prove it.
“Let’s just finish this as quickly as possible and-“
“Marinette?”
Chills go down the girl's spine at the deep voice she knows all too well, the voice coming from behind her. She motions for Tikki, who’s directly in front of her, to phase through the ground, to the safety of her bedroom. The little god does, not without casting a worried glance to her holder.
‘Okay, breathe, Marinette. Let’s figure out why he’s here, how he knows my name, and try to make it out alive. With this injury, I don’t know if I can do much.’
“Marinette.” The voice is closer now. She turns her head behind her, to the railing he now sits on. Black leather wrapped around a muscular body is the first thing she sees before her eyes trail up to his neon green ones. ‘ Of course, he’s fine.’ She wants to curse him and whoever gave him the miraculous. It almost feels as if fighting him is pointless, since he sustains absolutely no injuries.
“Marinette, are you okay?” His voice is soft. She’s never heard it sound so gentle, it makes her want to throw up.
“How do you know my name?” Her blue eyes drill into his green ones, anger rising in her body. ‘Why is he here? Oh god, did he find out…’
Chat Noir freezes, “You won a Gabriel Agreste contest, right?”
Marinette’s face twists into one of bewilderment, “You… you’re into… fashion?” She kind of feels sick at having something in common with him. If he paid attention to a measly class contest, he must be really interested. And the fact he can identify her makes it even worse.
“You can say that. But that’s besides the point,” The cat jumps off the railing and walks up to her, “What happened? How did you get hurt?” His voice holds tones of worry and even more confusion swirls inside of her. He stares down at the wound, pale skin marred with ruby red blood.
“I tripped.”
“I’ll ask again, what happened?”
“I tripped.”
An unamused look takes place on his face, “You tripped and it was enough to give you a wound that goes across your whole thigh?” He points at her leg. She must be a sight, her denim shorts are hiked up enough to access the wound, alcohol, bloody gauze, and bandages are scattered around her. This would be embarrassing, showing so much skin, but she can’t feel anything but fear at the moment.
She doesn’t break eye contact, voice steady, “Yes.”
He scowls, a dark look in his eyes. ‘ There, that’s the Chat Noir she knows.’
“Let me help you.” He crouched down. This is the closest they’ve ever been without trying to harm each other. Marinette’s face is as hard as stone, guard up high.
“No.”
“Do you even know how to take care of this?”
She wants to laugh, cry, scream, hit him, because yes . She knows all too fucking well, thanks to him! The very guy, who’s supposed to be on her fucking side, but instead helps the villain trying to take her miraculous. The numerous scars and phantom pains she feels are all because of him. A strained grimace stretches across her lips,
“I do, why are you here?”
“This needs stitches. Do you want me to take you to a hospital?”
“No, why are you here?”
Chat Noir sighs, as if she’s the problematic one. ‘ Calm down, Marinette, can’t get akumatized can’t get akumatized cantgetakumatizedcantgetakumatizedcantgetakumatized’ The words play over and over again, a mantra of reason.
“Can you chill out? I’m not going to hurt you.”
The designer truly can’t hold in her reply, “Really?” She guffaws sarcastically. If he knew who she was, he would never say that. ‘ Okay good, that means he doesn’t know I’m Ladybug.’
He shoots her a glare before he sighs for the tenth time, “Are you Ladybug?”
She stills, blood freezing and heart thumping loudly in her ears, “I-“
“Exactly, you’re not. So that means I’m not going to hurt you. Have I ever purposefully hurt a civilian, especially one who’s already injured?” His arms cross over each other as he stares down at her.
Marinette thinks back to every fight. Yes, he’s always hurt her… but truly he hasn’t hurt anyone else on purpose. Civilians have been caught in the crossfire before, but Chat Noir has never inflicted pain on the innocent. ‘ Well, except her, but to him she’s not innocent.’
“Exactly, I haven’t, so I’m not going to hurt you, I just want to help you.” He replies after she keeps silent. The girl is tense as he sits beside her but she grabs the bandages before he can. Chat Noir sends her a questioning gaze.
“I’m not letting you touch me, especially not there!” She glowers at him. Marinette is baffled to see a sakura pink hue run across his cheeks as he stutters, “O-oh, right, of-of course. Is there,” He clears his throat, “Is there anything else you need?” There’s nervousness apparent on his features and one of his hands rub at the back of his neck.
The sapphire haired girl stares at him with nothing but puzzlement and then she shakes her head. “No. You can go.” She begins to unravel the wrap, holding down the gauze on her thigh. She grits her teeth at the pressure.
“Marinette, you seriously need stitches.” He voices his concerns.
“And you seriously need to mind your own business.” Her voice is full of nothing but hostility, “Why are you even here? Why do you care? You don’t know me, you’re a villain .” She’s tired and in pain, all because of him.
The cat beside her tenses. There’s silence as she continues to wrap her wound until he speaks, “Do you think I wanted to do this?”
Marinette pauses, turning to face him. She’s once again shocked as his eyes shine with tears. Chat Noir is… crying…? ‘ What the fuck.’
“I… I don’t hurt innocent people Marinette. I don’t cause havoc because it’s fun. I don’t even… I don’t even want to hurt Ladybug, but she’s the one who doesn’t give up. She’s the one who is elongating this terrible game, she is to blame. She’s selfish, why does she need her miraculous? She… She’s annoyingly kind and frustratingly powerful. I can never win, but I have to.” His words evolve from a trickle to a waterfall in seconds, every word a wave full of pain and suffering.
She’s annoyed by his words, but the way his voice cracks and how he’s showing such vulnerability… she does something she never thought she would. Her small hand grasps his. He tenses, but then easily relaxes, intertwining their fingers. Blue eyes watch his side profile as he stares at nothing, eyes unblinking. He’s… he doesn’t want this? Then…
“Then… why do you do it?” If he doesn’t want to, why? Is he being threatened? She always thought the villain duo worked together because they wanted power.
His eyes pierce hers. Chat Noir opens his mouth to speak but the words never come out. He closes his lips and shuts his eyes. When he opens them again, he carefully looks over her, and then the assortment of items around her.
“If you don't need me, I’ll go now.”
She wants to push him for more answers but she decides to keep silent. Marinette shakes her head and he nods, “Thank you… for listening. I’ll see you around, Marinette.” And then he’s gone, vaulting off of her roof and into the night.
Marinette stares at the place beside her, the space Chat Noir occupied. ‘Chat Noir… maybe there’s a way I can restore the balance and find out what’s really going on.’
She’s decided.
She will get Chat Noir on her side.