a criss-cross love.

[meouch]

[ it's all very cliché, adrien supposes, but black cats aren't meant to be very lucky and that's just how it is. when plagg had responded to his inquiries about akuma and ladybug's dealing with them ( "i could do that too, now?" ) with a somewhat aloof and cryptic hum, that had been the first unlucky cliché. when he slipped into the mornings or nights when the hints of trouble finally reached his ears a step too late, as everything slipped back to normal and his lady was nowhere to be found? the second. sometimes he got there first ( three ); his steps were light enough that he could dodge a strike or two or five waiting for her to arrive, until time started ticking. when he had to go, it left him with no other choice but to leave the akuma for her, gift card and all.

for the Lady. cue cat print in the bottom right corner. plagg had gagged a bit.

but, well, fortunately... his streak of "why this" doesn't last. it ends tonight, because maybe it's a stroke of ladybug luck that gets him noticing that movement of red in his peripheral vision as he lounges amongst the shadows on an akuma-free night. a day that had started maybe a little too difficult ( hence why he's even out here ) might actually end up being better than he thought.

or maybe not. see, in the mind of chat noir, he always thought finally managing to meet up with ladybug would entail falling into step with her on the rooftops, maybe offering a smooth greeting towards her--you know, very chat noir things.

he doesn't do that. actually, she's quite fast, and the thought of losing her ( fourth ) again frightens him. she may have already noticed him with the small amounts of noise he lets out when he uses his staff to vault over obstacles with a somewhat shaky ease, or maybe when he almost almost loses his footing in his panic. either way, she'll certainly notice him when he lets out a half urgent: ]

Wait!

[ that's a more adrien kind of introduction, isn't it, and deep within him he knows plagg is snorting.

nailed it. this is the fourth. ]

Comments

[buguette]

[Though Marinette isn't sure if she likes all the attention Ladybug's been drawing, it was inevitable that people would begin to notice the akuma and her after the first couple of times. The red outfit is pretty hard to miss, especially during the day. And they aren't the only ones noticing things. Marinette has been, too--that she might not be the only one running interference with the akuma and whoever Hawk Moth is. Twice now she's arrived at the scene to find a note waiting for her, and the akuma more worn down and easier to defeat.

Though it's somewhat of a relief to finally run into the mystery person, Ladybug shifts into a wary stance when she turns to face him. She has to fight the grin that threatens to escape a second a later. The ears sitting atop his head. The tail. That explains the little cat print he'd always left when they missed each other.]

Yes? [She asks, just a touch impatiently--something she wouldn't have done as Marinette, but feels perfectly fine doing as Ladybug. Ladybug has to save Paris from the newest akuma, after all, and she's not yet experienced enough to feel completely comfortable in the pursuit.]