#this growing feeling...

In the middle of airs, a form began appearing—almost pixelated until it was clear. Both heroes paled as it turned solid and roared.

“You’ll have to get past my guard dog.”

An Orc—green, almost grotesque looking with a large club in one hand, slapping it into the other.

“Oh… fuck me sideways.” Ladybug hissed under her breath.

Chat opened his mouth—

“Don’t even say it!” She hissed.

—and proceeded to close it once more. He wasn’t going to test her right now.

Ladybug glanced around. “You go high, I go low?” She glanced to her yoyo and to the large legs of the monster. She was frustrated and she knew she wasn’t getting back to that bath because she knew she and Chat needed to have a chat.

Inwardly, she groaned. She was spending way too much time with him.

“Got it, M’lady!” He grinned before pausing. “After this, I think we should talk.”

“We will. I promise.” In a brief moment, she wanted to pull him by his bell and press a kiss to his lips for luck. No! She was still upset with him over that stunt he pulled!

Chat noticed her hesitation but offered her a smile to calm her nerves, whether it was from their argument or the monster... Likely the latter, this was one of the largest creatures they had to fight, but it had been Max in his game inspired machine. Which they had gotten one in return.

“Hold off on the Lucky Charm, we don’t know what he has up his sleeves.” Chat said softly before he took off, using his baton to get up onto the roofs.

She set her jaw when he moved away to go after the monster the Akuma created and began running along the ground.

As far as she knew they had to just knock the monster off his feet before they’d have a chance to go after the Game Master. They couldn’t risk either of them using their special abilities. Lucky Charm and Cataclysm needed to be reserved for the actual Akuma or if it got too dangerous. With his ability to summon and manipulate the creatures in the area he was in.

Chat extended his baton, moving to attack as he heard the whisper of her yoyo cutting through the air—assuming that it hit its destination by wrapping around.

“My Orc, get Chat Noir!” the voice hissed through the air. The creature’s eyes were lively—the Game Master could see through the Orc’s eyes!

This voice caught the attention of both heroes, especially as the Orc suddenly twisted. His arm swinging as his body twisted, feet catching the string of Ladybug’s yoyo.

The monster stumbled, but not before he swung his club towards the black clad, green eyed hero.

“CHAT!” Ladybug’s voice pierced the air as she abandoned the fight, even as the Orc fell to the ground. Her ears rang with the sickening thud of the club hitting her partner.

They didn’t know the true limits of their suits. They had no idea what their bodies could take in the suits outside some abnormal force.

By the time she reached him, he was a heap on the ground. His eyes were shut and while she didn’t see anything outside of an abnormally angled leg—she still worried. It was what she didn’t see that scared her.

Her body moved to cover his carefully, hovering as her fingers touched his cheek. “Chat…” tears flooded her eyes, “please wake up.”

Her hand caressed his cheek, the gentle caress caused his eyes twitch, however they did not open even as a weak groan escaped him.

The ravenette let out a sob in relief, her fingers brushing his hair form his face.

A gentle buzz echoed in the back of her mind. Tikki. She rarely communicated when they were transformed—it took too much energy and caused too much mental chaos. Right now, it was a sense of clarity.

“He’s okay, Marinette. I can sense Plagg… He’s hurt, bad. You need to finish this.”

Blue eyes slid to the monster, he was yanking and pulling at the yoyo that had been abandoned. The beast was getting to his feet the best he could. She hadn’t even noticed shaking of the beast collapsing over and over until he realized the yoyo hadn’t broken apart under his force.

“I got it… I just... I don’t have my yoyo…”

“I know. Marinette, it’s time you have the offensive suit. It’s your turn to protect Chat.”

“Yes.” The woman nodded slowly as she stood tall, keeping herself positioned between Chat and the Orc.

A pink glow illuminated Ladybug. This made the creature roar at the bright light that hurt his eyes.

When the glow vanished, Ladybug had a new suit. Her outfit consisted of a skin tight black material, yet her body was wrapped in a red and black spotted armor. A breast plate was fit snugly against her chest and down along her abdomen to protect vital organs, yet the openings along the side left enough room for her to maneuver and twist around. The armor continues once it hit her pelvis at a thick black belt with a rounded ladybug-esque buckle, slipping down to cover her outer thighs until it reached some strong boots, her arms decorated in a similar manner with her shoulders and the outer edges of her arm reaching a set of black gloves with a silver band on each wrist.  

Her suit had not been the only change weapons had also changed. Attached to the belt was several rounded items. Taking a quick glance, she noticed each one was similar to grenades she had seen in action movies. Each one was themed after a different species of ladybug. She had a total of six, three on each side.

“You only get to use them once, you need to make them count. Tear gas, sleeping gas, a powerful flash bang, a smoke screen, an acid bomb, and an explosive.”

Marinette paled a little at the last two: Acid and explosives? What did Tikki expect she’d do?

“Mild Explosive.” Tikki corrected in her head.

Her head turned and she frowned before she set her jaw and turned back to the large monster. Tikki knew she’d do anything to protect Chat.

Anything.

Her fingers went to her belt, grasping a rounded shape. In the back of her mind she heard Tikki breathe out. “Flash bang.”

Her eyes caught the bright yellow coloring, it was decorated in small, symmetrical black spots. Each item represented a breed of Ladybug.

Her lips pursed. This monster wasn’t smart—just strong. If she could blind him, possibly she’d blind the Game Master. It was likely the young male was watching her through the eyes of his summon.

Her feet began moving before she could doubt herself.

Her body was moving swifter, similar to the nature she noticed Chat had moved. Her suit, while thicker than the other suit, advanced her physical strength, speed, and stamina.

Her eyes slid to the ground between the Orc’s legs. Her yoyo laid on the stone, useless and unraveled. She needed to get it.

She counted off the distance in her head. She had ten feet left before she’d throw it.

Seven feet…

Five feet…

Three…

One.

With a sharp twist, she twisted the black cap off and threw it. The yellow ladybug print flash bang rolled before bursting. She wanted to shut her eyes, yet the moment it left her hand, her mask shifted on her face.

Lips parted in awe. Thick lenses covered her eyes. The high collar of her suit seemed to spread until a mask covered her face and connected with her mask.

“Marinette, you don’t have long! Go!”

Tikki’s voice broke her from her awe after the science fiction like costume alteration took place. The magic in the lenses allowed her to see through the bright flash and she ran. Sliding on her feet she scooped up the yoyo and threw it once more. It circled around cement posts that came up from the ground—usually used to stop cars from riding up onto the sidewalk. She knew they wouldn’t hold his weight if he tried to break through, so she moved quickly.

Once she was sure it was snug, she had it pulled taunt as a tripwire. She was alone and had one shot. If he came across the prone form of Chat…

She shook her head, trying to shake off her worry. She’d never let that happen!

With a probing hand, she ran her fingers over the remaining five items at her waist.

She was memorizing the way Tikki read them off. From left to right: Explosive, Tear Gas, Smoke Screen. Flash Bang, Sleeping Gas, Acid Bomb.

She snagged the Explosive; a black item with two red spots on either side, pretty, yet fitting. With a twist and throw, the explosive went behind the Orc that was roaring and rubbing at his eyes, fist still clutching at his Club, causing it to swing haphazardly in the air.

The Explosive startled it, and the Game Master.

“What are you doing!?” The voice echoed through the air as the monster tried to run away from the bomb that exploded behind him. His body jerked forward and feet caught the string of her yoyo.

The crash shook the earth below her. This time with no distractions, she actually noticed it. Nealry losing her balance as the concrete posts groaned and cracked before the massive body crashed into the ground. Club flying through the air to crash.

When the creature was unable to pick himself up, desperately grasping at air to get the club, she realized like the akumatized items, the monsters needed their own items. After a minute of grasping, the green flesh began to fall apart in pixels—no they weren’t pixels but dice!

Thousands upon thousands of green dice began falling from the body until they were spilled out over the ground.

When the debris cleared, her mask and the lenses began shifting back to normal. She almost wanted to pout, it had been amazing, yet she had more important matters...

“No! NO! NO! NO! NO! It isn’t fair! Hawkmoth, this isn’t fair!” Ladybug wanted to snicker, she could practically see the villain jumping up and down and stomping his feet while his voice echoed through the city like a loud speaker.  

The male was still out of it, likely still in pain. When her fingers brushed his cheek to cradle his face, green eyes fluttered open. Dilated pupils looked to her, unfocused and his hand moved to her wrist.

“M-m’lady?” His voice was quiet, yet the sound of his own voice made him wince. The tantrum flooding the air made his body shudder with pain as it acted like a jackhammer in his skull.  

“Shhh… I’m here. Let’s move you somewhere safe.” Her voice was a whisper, soft and quiet causing him to practically melt at her care and caution.

“Let me help… I don’t want you fight—…”

She held a finger to his lips, “No, Minou. Not this time. I need you safe… I could have lost you… and you’re still hurt.” Slowly, she moved to pull his arm over her shoulders, pulling him to his feet. It took a few attempts, but soon he was able to get his footing.

They were moving out of the area, she needed to get him somewhere safe.

“…Your suit changed?” He blinked rapidly, as if he was trying to make a filter vanish before his eyes.

“Yes. I’ll explain everything.” She noticed his suit had changed too. She’d have to ask Tikki later, the Kwami went silent in the back of her mind.

His changes were subtle, silver lining peeking through outlining shapes of muscles. Armor, like hers, just hidden. Her hands felt something solid, at first, she thought it was just him. She wasn’t going to lie, and she wasn’t that oblivious to think he hadn’t gained more muscle mass and firmer since she first met him. She realized it was form fitting armor like her own. Contorted to the shape of his body.

She had moved him to an alleyway, setting him against a wall. She was kneeling next to him. “I’ll be back, I promise.”

His hand moved to take hers, “M’lady….” He moved to hold her hand to his cheek. “You probably don’t need it, but good luck.”

She faltered, remembering her thought before the fight. How she wanted to kiss him for good luck.

Her other hand moved to his other cheek, cupping them both, having him look at her. “For luck…” She whispered and closed the gap between them. Her lips pressed to his gently.

He was shocked, but kissed her back. He wasn’t too sure at this point that he hadn’t died. Every dream was coming true in this moment. If it wasn’t for the pain he felt when he tried to draw her into his lap, he would have truly thought he was in heaven.

“Non.” She scolded lightly, tapping his nose when their lips parted. “I have an akuma to cleanse. You need to stop straining yourself.”

His eyes watched her, his lips parted as he watched her get up. He wanted to follow. He didn’t want to risk that being their first and last kiss!

“Stay, Chat… I’ll be back.”

“Famous last words, M’lady.” His tone was different. He had faith in her, but now her leaving felt all the more real and it hurt.

“I can’t lose. I have too much to lose… and I’m not going to lose you… and you won’t lose me.” She paused to give him a smile and a light wink, trying to calm his nerves despite her own, before she took off.

His face was red, but his lips tilted up into a smile.

Ladybug had that same determined look when she left him to go after The Game Master as she had they day she defied Hawkmoth on the Eiffel Tower for everyone to see.

The poor kid was screwed.

Psst... I know this is late.

Here to make up for it: It’s on AO3 too

This Growing Feeling...

His hold wasn’t hard, nor his tugging forceful. His hold was just firm, very different compared to his usual gentle grasp.

“Chat?” She voiced her confusion, he turned a corner and guided them to a lone rooftop.

“Not yet.” He spoke firmly. This caused her to blink, very confused.

“Do I know you?” Came from him after a moment.

“W-what?” She was so confused, blinking at him.

“You’re so quick to run from me, yet you say you’re mine! I know nothing about you, your fans know more about you then I do!” She almost flinched.

“Chat, come on… you know me…” She reached out.  He jerked away in response.

“No, I don’t!”

This made her pause, he just seemed to want to argue. Her lips pursed in annoyance, she had no idea what caused this, but she was putting an end to this petty crap.

“What’s my favorite color? My favorite place? What am I afraid of?”

“Pink. The Eiffel Tower. Spiders, and letting people down. I mean I don’t even know your age!”

“Yea—When did I tell you I was afraid of spiders?” Her eyebrows shot up under her mask. The stupid cat knew her better then she thought he did.

“You freaked out a bit when one was on your yoyo last month. I saw the look of horror on your face when you tried to hide the fact that you let go to escape it.” He explained off handedly, almost as if he hadn’t realized he was answering her question. “I don’t know anything about your family other then you have both parents and that they’re pretty supportive! I don’t know where you want to go to University! I don’t know what career you want other than that it is creative!”

Ladybug swore under her breath, she had tried to be smoother than that. She had been toying around with her yoyo—mainly because she got heavy into Overwatch and was lowkey obsessed with Widowmaker at one point. Until she came nose to nose with a little black spider and let go. She tried to catch herself, and he gave her a look, but she just laughed it off as “Clumsy me!”

Her thoughts turned back to the ranting male. She listened for a moment before she couldn’t take the questions.

“You’re an idiot.” She said simply.

He quickly went quiet, looking at her.

“You can tell when I’m upset, even when I’m faking it. You know my likes and dislikes, you know my greatest fears, Chat. You just want to argue, because what? You got it into your head that you don’t know me?” She asked him, shaking her head. “The same damn age as you.” She remembered when he told her he was fifteen when they first started.

“Chat, you know me well. You don’t even realize it… so this?’ She moved her hand between them. “This argument you want? No. Just no. I get enough fighting with my friends, classmates, and Akuma. I am not doing this with you!” She raised her voice, tears beginning to well in her eyes.

“You said you’d be patient, and I know it’s hard… but I’m not ready!” Tears fell and Chat wished he could take everything back. His cat ears plastered to his ears in shame. “I care about you, idiot. I want to be with you… but you deserve to know me and I’m trying! I’m trying!”

He took a step towards her, and his heart broke at what she did—she took a step back, away from him.

“No. I’m mad at you… I’m hurt. I know a lot of this is my fault, but you dragged me up here to argue about how you don’t know me. If you thought, at all, this would end well… then you were right… you don’t know me.”

He knew it wasn’t going to end well, but he hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t been thinking.

“J-just… go home Chat Noir.”

“It was… I didn’t know how old you were… and everything just came out.”

Ladybug paused, looking to him, “Now you know for sure—but somewhere in the back of your mind you knew how old I was. At least the general age.” Alya’s finding her school book so long ago had practically told them hold old she was. She may have joked about being Tikki’s age, but she used to talk to him about school work on bad days. Physics—something he offered to help her in.

“I…”

“Don’t apologize right now, Chat, please. I’m going to go home. We’ll talk when we are both calm.”

Psst... I know this is late. 

Here to make up for it: It’s on AO3 too

This Growing Feeling...

When the song switched he didn’t recognize it. It wasn’t a French song, but an English one. He wondered if she knew English at that point. It wasn’t uncommon, but it wasn’t something everyone spoke.

He understood the words of it and moved to sit next to her, causing her to jerk a bit and her lips turned into an annoyed frown at being startled. Blue eyes shooting a small glare before shifting to share her makeshift pillow.

“What’s the name of this song?”

“Ride or Die by Mable, now shh.” She said quickly.

Chat noted that she was shifting a little bit, nothing too obvious, just shifting with the music.

“I need your touch.” Her voice was very soft, almost a whisper.

“But don't call it love

You know I've got no time for that

You know I've got no time for that, Oh.”

He noted her voice wasn’t what he assumed it would be like. Soft, unpracticed. He doubted she sang much outside of these little whispered chords.

It was cute. Her whispering along to the song.

He got the meaning, he could have been wrong, but it was his interpretation of it.

“So, does this mean you’re my ride or die?” He chuckled, earning another annoyed look as the song ended and another began.

“If you’re just realizing that now, after everything we’ve been through, I should start looking for someone else to be Ride of Die for.” She yawned and turned onto her side, tired, but not wanting to go home just yet. Her eyes shut, listening to the melody of the next song.

“No, I knew you were. It’s just nice hearing it.” His arm wrapped around her hugging her from behind.

He didn’t see her cheeks flush or how her eyes shot back open from the contact.

She had been open with him last week, and was getting more comfortable with him on a more physical level.

She was giving him a chance, and it made her feel very warm and fuzzy about the fact that she did. He made her so happy…

Yes, she was sad that she let go of Adrien, but Chat had been so much. He was her ride or die, the guy she’d stand by till the end.

They had been that way from day one, and now that she noticed these little things of how close they really were without the obliviousness of it all—she was happy knowing he’s the one she’d die for.

Glancing back at him, feeling his arm around her, she bit her lip and shifted closer into his embrace.

Bonus:

“So, a Chat Noir Hoody, hm?” He chuckled.

“Shut up, cat.” She growled. “Respect the hoody and me not bringing up and I’ll let you keep using it as a pillow.”

“Oh no, no no no, Bug. You went out and entered that raffle on the Ladyblog~!” He teased her, earning a glare from blue eyes. Her cheeks a flaming red.

“I swear, if you don’t shut up…”

Her threat hung in the air until he just grinned and she began inching away.

“I’m glad you missed me so much, Bugaboo. I bet you sleep with it.” His lips stayed in the shit-eating grin before he swiftly kissed her cheek.

Her face almost matched her suit at this point and she yanked her jacket from the ground and snatched up her iPod to get ready to go.

The female shrugged on the black hoody and popped up the hood, a smirk gracing her lips, “I’m the cat’s meow, aren’t I?” She hadn’t waited on a response before she took off.

One second…

Two….

Thr—…

“That was a shitty pun done by Copycat and you know it! My puns are a million times better!!” Came the blond’s cry of outrage.

Adrien seemed so pissed when Theo said “I’m the Cat’s Meow” or something along those lines. 

He hates that pun because of it.

Also I started a Ko-Fi page...