Chat Noir

The first thing that hit Chat Noir was the smell. It was old, dusty, and spicy. Not exactly something he'd want bottled to sell in the next Gabriel aftershave line. It hadn't taken long to use Kaalki and transport over to the temple; it also hadn't taken half as long for Chat Noir to realise they should have said no, and remained snuggled up on their rooftop.

It was stuffy here, stifling really. And without any breeze overhead it was only going to get worse.

'Penny for your thoughts?' Ladybug asked, walking alongside him down the narrow corridor. The temple wasn't at all the grandeur he'd expected and nothing like Fu had led them to believe in the past. It was a mix and match of crumbling brick walls and long, immaculate depictions of past battles and holders. He wasn't at all surprised to see his partner had made it onto one, and all that could be seen of himself was a tail disappearing off the painting.

He turned, raising one eyebrow to his Lady.

Sorry, she mouthed back, though he was unsure whether to believe her or not. She'd been treated like a goddamn goddess since they arrived. Not that he was jealous of the attention, he had that in his normal life in the spades, but a little thank you would have been nice from someone, anyone really.

They'd been repeatedly reminded to keep the relationship aspect low-key — especially in front of the guardians. Professionalism above all, Master Fu would say, and now the new order seemed even stricter about it.

Keep it tactical. Keep it clean. And absolutely no heart eyes in ancient temples.

Which was, frankly, easier said than done when you were in love with your partner and mildly obsessed with the way they looked in a suit made of magic leather.

Chat Noir was doing his best — truly. But standing next to Ladybug while she briefed the elders, sharp-eyed and radiant, her voice smooth with command? Torture.

He had to keep his eyes front, shoulders straight, expression neutral. Because if he even glanced at her, his pupils would absolutely betray him — instantly transforming into cartoon hearts.

And it wasn't like he could help it. She had that focused look on her face, lips pursed slightly, that one strand of hair daring to fall out of her mask. It was criminal. She was criminal. Someone should arrest her.

He shifted awkwardly, forcing his gaze to the cracked stone tiles underfoot.

'Is something wrong, Chat Noir?' one of the guardians asked sharply.

'Nope!' he chirped, standing straighter. 'Just deeply respectful. And focused. So very focused.'

Ladybug didn't look at him, but he could feel the smirk curling on her lips.

Professional. Tactical. Emotionally composed.

Too bad all he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her right then and there.

'Nice place you have here,' he said, following Fu and itching to grab Ladybug's hand.

'You need to keep that sarcasm under wraps, Chat Noir. They're already weary of you.' Fu didn't even turn around to answer him, instead he just carried on leading down strange, narrow hallways.

Chat Noir sighed. 'Anything else?' he muttered. 'I may as well just turn around and go home now. Why am I even needed here? Isn't Ladybug enough?'

Fu didn't even miss a step, instead, Chat was quite sure the old Master had started to walk faster. They passed a couple of rooms, everyone inside freezing as soon as they saw Ladybug, bowing down to her and glaring at him. For fricksake! He was made more welcome when he turned up at his father's fashion show wearing a new shirt from Gucci.

'Like I'd come here without you,' she said, turning and smiling at him. 'We're a package deal. I told Master Fu that from the beginning.'

Chat Noir halted mid-step, her words still warming his insides — until a high-pitched gasp cut through the air beside him. He glanced over just in time to see a group of people in a nearby doorway shriek and scatter like pigeons.

They bolted down the corridor as if someone had yelled dragon, their footsteps echoing behind them.

'...Okay,' he said slowly, blinking. 'Why does that keep happening?'

Ladybug just raised an eyebrow, clearly not surprised.

'Seriously,' he pressed, running a hand over his jaw. 'Is it the stubble? Be honest. Do I need to shave my face? Is this a villain origin story in the making?'

She snorted, biting her lip to keep from laughing. 'It's not the stubble.'

'Are we sure?' he called after the fleeing group. 'Because this is artisanal scruff, okay? Intentional! I moisturise!'

Ladybug shook her head, already walking ahead. 'Maybe stop yelling about skincare in a sacred temple?'

He groaned and followed, muttering under his breath, 'If I get kicked out of the guardian order over cheek fuzz, I'm suing.'

'Please don't,' Ladybug replied, moving in closer so only he could hear what came next. 'I like the roughness, and it's always fun when you leave stubble burn marks.'

She dropped him a wink, and his chest let out a completely unintentional, utterly ridiculous purr. Not subtle. Not smooth. Just loud and rumbling like a motorboat at full throttle.

Ladybug burst into giggles.

The sound only made it worse, now the purring was vibrating his ribs like a one-man percussion section. Honestly, it was embarrassing. No wonder he had a bell. He was as domesticated as they came.

They turned another corner, and once again, the group ahead of them visibly panicked. There was a mad shuffle of shoes, a flurry of awkward gasps, and a chorus of, 'Sorry! So sorry!' as they darted out of the way like extras in a horror movie.

Chat glanced at Ladybug. She just shrugged and kept walking, calm as ever. He jogged a step to catch up.

'Seriously, do I have something on my face?' he whispered. 'Is it demon energy? It's demon energy, isn't it?'

'Or maybe it's the fact that you purr like a lawnmower in heat,' she teased, eyes twinkling.

'A very sexy lawnmower,' he muttered, lifting his chin.

A few more twists and turns led them deeper into the temple, the air growing cooler and quieter with every step. If they got left behind now, he was certain they'd never find their way back out again. It was a labyrinth designed by someone with a grudge against GPS.

Finally, Master Fu came to a stop outside a heavy wooden door — one with a gold plaque in the center and an intimidatingly large lock on the side. It radiated authority. This had to be it: the chamber where the new generation of Guardians waited.

Fu raised a hand and knocked — four slow, deliberate raps that echoed down the corridor like a countdown.

They stood in silence, waiting to be welcomed inside.

Well, Fu and Ladybug would be welcomed inside, of course. He was fully expecting to be met with a disapproving glare and a squirt from a water bottle.

Possibly holy water.

'Is there a reason they're looking at Chat like he personally offended their pet mouse?' Ladybug asked. He smirked. What a way to phrase it. What was she going to say next? He was spraying his scent all over the place?

'Black cats aren't known to be all that... friendly. Most had changed over time and became evil.' Fu didn't even bother turning as he spoke, completely avoiding the fact he'd just dropped a loaded bombshell over them.

'What?!' Chat shrieked just as the door opened and the monk on the other side jumped back screaming. 'What do you mean? Evil?'

'Comes with the job,' Fu said with a shrug, ignoring the monk cowering on the floor and continuing into the room.

'So you're telling me I'm going to turn evil?'

Fu shook his head. 'No, not you. You haven't got it in you.'

'Well, geez, thanks for the motivation. For f—'

'Language,' Ladybug hissed out the corner of her mouth.

They continued following Fu. The path was lit with lanterns either side, a soft red glow coating the walkway and bouncing off the walls. Their reflections shimmered with the flicker of the flame, growing and shrinking as they headed deeper into the depths of the room. It was vast and circular. A hole in the roof the shape of the circle allowed a beam of light in and down to the centre. A monk — a master — settled on the rock, hovering slightly, legs crossed and eyes closed. He was on a platform, surrounded by five others, each containing another monk — meditating.

Fu stopped. The sound of humming bouncing around the atrium, soft and synchronised. Incense burning strong around the room, sage and something spiced, something otherworldly.

'Are they here?' The master in the middle spoke, and Chat could tell the question was aimed directly at Master Fu, even if his eyes were still closed.

Fu bent down into a bow, his eyes remaining up and in the direction of the others.

'I have delivered you the ladybug and cat,' he announced, Chat finding it hard not to scoff.

'Delivered? What is this? Uber Superheroes?' he whispered to Ladybug. She shushed him, placing a finger to her lips. Damn, even she was taking this seriously.

'Do we need to contain Plagg?' One of the other monks asked.

Chat felt his hands clench. How could they think he was a villain? True, Feast was only unleashed a few years ago, but someone only needed to pull up a Paris news outlet to see how loved he actually was. He was the number two superhero in Paris and the number one bachelor (Ha! Take that Adrien Agreste).

'Plagg is in safe hands. This cat holder is wise and a fighter for the greater good.'

He wanted to kiss Master Fu. Ignoring the many, many times the guy had knowingly shit on him, it was good to see he had his back where it mattered.

'Very well!' The master in the middle began to hover towards them. Legs still crossed and eyes tightly closed. It was freaky to say the least. Yes, they'd seen some weird stuff over the past nine plus years, but this was a whole over type of strange. This wasn't someone possessed by random magical powers.

His legs straightened and he lowered himself down to the ground, eyes finally opening and causing Ladybug to take a step towards Chat. This master's eyes were red. Not in a funky red eye situation, more of a hidden murderer situation.

'Come and take a walk with me. Fu, stay here.'

Chat and Ladybug exchanged glances.

'It's okay,' Master Fu said. 'I'll see you shortly.'

Nodding, they began to walk behind the Master, down a thin corridor and away from the lit room. This one was narrower than the rest, the roof slightly too low and causing him to bend so as to not hit his head. They continued in silence, the hard footsteps and steady breathing the only evidence of anyone down here.

Finally, they reached a chamber. Four pillows placed around a table not taller than Ladybug's knee.

The Master indicated the cushions on the floor. 'Take a seat.'

Chat itched to reach out to his partner. To hold her hand and steady both of their nerves. He was just glad they were here together, that no matter what happened they could fight their way out. The joys of being a badass!

They moved, sitting beside each other on the cushions. A fireplace he hadn't even noticed whooshed to life beside him, scaring the hell out of him as it flickered through different blues and purples. Once again, red lanterns lit the room, but this time the walls were marked with carvings, engravings of sorts. Past ladybugs and cats depicted in red and gold battling the evilest of creatures from myths and legends: the hydra, Medusa, the seven deadly sins. Nothing there about them though. Nothing to say that their battles have been worth it.

'Thank you for coming.' The Master sat opposite them, pouring out steaming liquid into three shot sized glasses.

'We didn't really have a choice.' Ladybug crossed her arms over her body.

The Master nodded again. 'I am Su-Han, a celestial guardian of the Miraculous. Firstly, I would like to thank you for saving us from the sentimonster, Feast, Ms. Bug.'

Before he could speak up she beat him to it. 'It was both of us. We're a team, we work together.'

'My apologies. We're just not so used to having a cat with such... efficiency.'

What the hell did that mean? Everything inside him tensed, and he was quite sure his hands had started pulsing with power. Whether he'd caused that or Plagg was yet to be decided.

'Chat Noir is more of a hero than I ever could be.' He felt Ladybug's hand find his leg under the table, giving it a small, reassuring squeeze.

'Very well.'

'Is that why you brought us here? To take my Miraculous?' Chat Noir asked, his hand landing on top of his partners.

'If he gives up his, then I give up mine. We're a package deal.'

Su-Han nodded. 'That works out a lot easier then.'

'What does that mean?' Chat shifted a little in his seat. They don't actually want them to give up their Miraculous' do they? 'You know she's been the best Ladybug you've ever had. Why would you risk it when Hawk Moth is still out there?'

'That's the exact reason, Chat Noir. It's been ten years since this battle started, yet you are still in a stalemate. Which is why we have an ultimatum for you. Either give up your Miraculous' and we find someone more worthy to end the war, or cross into a spiritual soul bond. The bond will upgrade your powers and allow you to keep your Miraculous'.'

Ladybug shook her head, her eyebrows pulling together. 'Wait, I'm confused. What is a spiritual soul bond?'

But Chat Noir understood. He knew exactly what that meant. 'They want us to get married.'

*****

Ladybug

This was meant to be the best week of her life. She was meant to go on holiday to an exotic place, all expenses paid, with her amazing boyfriend. But low and behold, Lady Luck was now at a smelly ancient temple being told if she wanted to keep her job she needed to marry her partner.

The marriage bit wasn't the bad bit; it was the fact she was being told that was what she had to do.

'Watch how many times you walk over that spot. This place is so old you'll probably fall in and end up in some ancient Samurai tomb.'

She loved that Chat Noir — her partner, her boyfriend — was trying to help her, that he was trying to make her feel better, but that still didn't stop the fact that someone else was telling her what to do. Not only that, the marriage came with one huge clause in their contract: No identities to be revealed.

'Marrying me isn't that bad, Bugaboo. I swear I'm house trained. I can pee in the toilet and everything.'

Ladybug sighed, walking over to the strange cot bed he was sitting on and collapsing down next to him. She took his hand, threading their fingers together. He seemed so unsure at the moment, like he was about to lose her. But it would take a hell of a lot more than this.

'Marrying you isn't the problem, Kitty. To be honest, it would be a dream come true.'

'That's nice to hear.' She could hear his smile without looking, the warmth in his words. The love.

'Well, I am a catch.' She took the moment to look at him, dropping him a quick wink.

The next breath he took was like it was the first inhale of oxygen since they arrived here. 'It's the fact they're making us do it. I mean, I'm not going to lie, I had my nails especially done for our vacation because I thought you might have proposed. But that doesn't mean you have to propose just because some old man who experienced a Thanos blip told you to.'

Chat chuckled, and slid his hand from hers. He began rummaging around in his pocket before pulling his hand back out, clenched in a fist.

'What if I wanted to because I wanted to?'

'Then it would be a dream come true.' She smiled at him widely, because there was nothing else she would love more than to be married to this man. She might have joked she was the catch, but anyone could tell she was the one shooting above her league. Beautiful, funny, kind, caring and the body of a Greek god. Yep! She had hit the jackpot to have him fall in love with her.

Chat shuffled a little, messing with something in between his hands. 'What if we did it? What if we got married?'

'I told you, I'm not doing it because Grandpa out there told me to so I could keep my earrings.'

'What if we did it our way?' He moved again, dropping down in front of her on one knee. 'How about if I propose to you right here, right now, because I've had a ring in my drawer for three weeks and had the whole thing setup tonight to do it.'

'Chat?' Her voice was shaky as she said his name. She couldn't actually be this luck, could she?

'How about if I tell you I am so madly, and deeply in love with you, I couldn't bear to live another day without knowing you were going to be mine forever, that I have worried every single day that you would find someone better—'

'That's a long time to worry, Chaton.'

'Tell me about it,' he chuckled. 'I love you so much. You're all I think about, and all I want to think about. I am consumed by you: heart, body and soul. So Ladybug, please, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?'

Stretching out his clenched fist, he turned it over and opened his palm. A small, nondescript ring was sitting pretty in the palm of his hand. 'Because of not revealing, and I didn't want to pressure you, I got you the most bought engagement ring in Paris. I thought this way it would blend in. You could even wear it on your right hand so nobody knows you're engaged until you want to announce it.'

Tears welled in her eyes. He'd thought of everything. And even though the ring was ordinary, one seen as costume jewellery to the many women of Paris, it was the thought behind it that had her heart sparkling. It was a delicate white gold, thin, with a cluster of pink cubic zirconias in the middle. It was worn by Juleka Couffaine during Milan fashion week and since then everyone wanted it. They'd been mass produced in their thousands.

'I promise this is just a holding ring. I'll get you a better one in the future.'

Taking the ring out of Chat Noir's hands, she slid it onto her finger and smiled. 'It's perfect. You're perfect.'

'So, is that a yes?'

'It's one hundred percent a yes! I love you!'

He stood up, sweeping her in his arms and pressing a long drawn out kiss to her lips. Marrying her Kitty was going to be the greatest day of her life, but she was doing it her way. She'd only have this day once, and she was going to make sure she was in charge.