#mlb catwalker

i think it would've been way better if catwalker stayed for longer, and the reason why things ultimately wouldn't work out is because:

firstly, even if catwalker is just as kind, loyal, supportive—and frankly more focused—ladybug misses chat noir not in spite of but because of his antics and humor, and because he's her friend. ladybug being distracted because she’s crushing on him can work, but i don’t think it should be the main thing that throws the whole arrangement off balance. anyway typical moral about acceptance and friendship and treasuring your loved ones, and such.

secondly, adrien and chat noir are both parts of his sincere self. it's not a clearcut, black and white mask vs true self situation. when he's adrien agreste, he at least isn't wholly alone, he does have caring peers that aren't just megafans and sycophants, despite his BUM ASS FATHER colder homelife and busy, boring schedule. he's able to find some semblance of enjoyment in everyday life with his friends, especially nino, though he could definitely be a little less lonely, what with the polite distance he seems to put up. but it's when he's chat noir that he's able to let loose entirely, free from his confines—his status as an agreste, the heavy weight of his piece of shit father's expectations. he tends to exaggerate a bit, it's blatantly just him doing what he thinks is #kool, but that’s what makes his chat noir act akin to his id or something. as unrestrained and unfiltered as a person can get. the whole thing is, essentially, a form of stress relief. a way to escape being so prim and polite and perfect!

so, like. what do you think happens when he cuts off his stress relief. what happens when he does indeed have to act prim and polite and perfect all the time, just to appease the people he cares so deeply about, his father and ladybug. oh, with the added bonus of having a veeery very busy predetermined schedule that he genuinely can't afford to excuse himself out of, the general stresses of fighting akumas and sentimonsters, having to keep MULTIPLE identities secret, and keep in mind, he has no alya or any confidants other than plagg about the whole thing, or hell even any other hobbies that he actually enjoys that could substitute as his stress relief. haha!! so yeah no um there’s no way he’d keep this up in the long term.