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“Another flawless victory for Ladybug and Chat Noir,” Chat Noir said smoothly, leaning ever so slightly closer to the spotted heroine.
“Of course, chaton,” she said, lowering her bow. She turned and gave him a meaningful look, blue eyes sparkling behind her silky cloth mask. They were surely filled with unsaid thoughts, feelings she couldn’t share, words to never be spoken. Chat knew from years of fighting by her side that there was more to her gaze than just a casual look. He wished more than anything to know what was trapped in that beautiful mind of hers. “Those bandits never had a chance against a duo like us,” she said instead.
“M’lady we both know it was all you,” he said with an over-dramatic bow, taking her hand to plant a gentle kiss on it. “You never cease to amaze me.” Chat was still bent forward but he could see the warm pink blush spread out from under her mask. He grinned in satisfaction and stood up again.
“We’re partners Chat, every victory is our victory,” Ladybug replied. “We were bonded together by fate itself.” Chat suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her against her. In the early days of their partnership such boldness would have resulted in an arrow in his shoulder, but now they were as close as two individual people could be and such physical contact was the norm.
“We could be bonded by more, my lady,” he purred. He held her left hand up meaningfully. “If you’d only take me.” For a moment Ladybug stood silently in his arms, looking up at him with an adoring gaze as if she wanted more than anything to accept the offer.
“I can’t,” she said, the words coming out more pained than she clearly intended. “It would not- could not work.”
“Why not?” Chat asked. His eyes searched hers for a true rejection. It wasn’t the first time he asked the question, and he was sure it wouldn’t be the last. Everytime he asked he looked into her eyes, vowing that the day he saw anything less than true love for him would be the last day he sought after her. Still, her bluebells shined with all the feelings she never expressed and he knew she felt what he did. And as he did everytime he asked her, just to make sure, he added, “Do you not love me?”
“I do chaton ,” she said gently. That’s all he ever got from her. ‘I do’ or ‘of course.’ Never a true ‘I love you.’ “I just- I just can’t . It wouldn’t be possible. You are a knight and I am-”
“A Lady,” Chat finished. “It would not be ideal, but it would hardly be an unheard of match. I'm sure I could charm your father.” Especially considering the true face hiding behind his black mask. It would be no trouble at all. The real struggle would be in convincing his own father, but assuming her family was in good graces with the state it could be done. Ladybug frowned.
“You must understand Chat Noir,” she said. She was holding something back, but he could not tell what it was. “I can not marry you.” She tore away from his grip and turned but he still caught a glimpse of a tear falling down her face. She sniffled. “There was once a time I thought perhaps I could find a way- a way for us to be together. You must know, nothing would make me happier mon chaton . I have no doubt you were made to be my lifelong partner. But there are other circumstances and we must remain hero partners- best friends at most- and nothing more. I really did try to find a way. I searched for some loophole but- but-” she finally turned back to him. The tears were streaming uncontrollably down her face now. “But I couldn’t find one in time,” she said. “I am truly sorry, my knight, but I have been promised to another man. I’m getting married.”
Chat Noir instantly felt his world shatter into pieces. He had told himself many times that he would give her up should he need to, but it was only in this moment that he realized the true foolishness of that sentiment. He could never give her up. He would never give her up.
“Do you love him?” he asked desperately, choking around the horrid words. Ladybug whipped around.
“No!” she shouted. “No, not at all. I have been betrothed to him. I have not even met the man. I only just found out.” Chat Noir felt the tightness in his chest relax a bit but the pain still remained. Ladybug took Chat’s hands in her own. Annoyed that she couldn’t feel his skin, she peeled off his large black gloves. Chat starred as her dainty hands wrapped around his. Every aspect of Ladybug was elegant and beautiful, from her hair to her hands to her feet. “Chat Noir, my black knight, my dear chaton . I- I love you.” Chat jerked his head up at the words. “Truly, I do,” Ladybug said, eyes welling up with tears. “I always have. Every time you asked for my hand my entire being longed to say yes, but I simply couldn’t. And now- now it has been done. We can’t be together.” Chat’s grip tightened around her hands.
“No,” he said.
“What?” She asked in bewilderment.
“No,” he insisted. He met her eyes with a fiery determination. “Run away with me Ladybug. Run away and we can be together. We can start somewhere anew. I can take enough money for us to survive until we can become merchants or craftsmen or something or the other. My family has enough wealth, they won’t miss it. Maybe we can even start a bakery, I’ve always wanted to try it. Either way, we will do it together. It won’t be the wealth you are used to, but we can have a life.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Ladybug whispered wishfully. Her face was turned down solemnly.
“So let’s do it,” Chat said. He reached up to cup her face and wiped away her tears with his thumb. He smiled, trying to meet her eyes but she wouldn’t look at him. “Let’s run away, my lady.” Somehow she only sobbed harder.
“I can’t,” she insisted. “I can’t.” She finally looked up at him. “I-I..” she sucked in a breath. “I am not a Lady.” Chat blinked. That was not what he was expecting her to say.
“Then what-”
“I’m a Princess,” she blurted, looking at him fearfully. Instantly Chat’s eyes blew wide in shock.
“Do you just mean you are of royal blood or-”
“A real princess, by title,” Ladybug clarified. Chat stared at her for a moment. He couldn’t believe it. A princess. They were of the same status. Chat grew more frustrated as he considered the idea. They could have easily married if it weren’t for the ridiculous secret identities. For all he knew she was-
Oh no.
“You are… you are not a princess of the Agreste Kingdom, right?” He asked hesitantly. Chat Noir loved his lady but he was not comfortable with the idea of her being so closely related to him. It couldn’t be, could it? He tried to remember the princesses- there couldn’t be many- but he was drawing a total blank. Why couldn’t he remember his own cousins? What if Ladybug was one of them? What if she was his aunt? How old was she exactly? Was he sweating? Oh goodness-
“No,” Ladybug replied, not seeing Chat’s panic. “No… I…” She took a deep breath and slowly removed her hands from Chat’s. “I can’t say. Our identities must remain secret, for our own safeties, and for all those we protect.” Chat grit his teeth. It always came back to this, to their secret identities, to the fact that Ladybug would never let up, to the fact that he would never give up.
“You know I would tell nobody,” Chat said. “And I trust you more than anybody.”
“Then trust me on this,” Ladybug insisted. “You can not know who I am. You already know too much.” Chat shook his head, his frown deepening.
“Why?” he asked. “It is not as if I do not know what you look like. There is no magic blinding me to your face, or your voice. Just a thin piece of fabric and your own stubbornness.” He gestured to her mask as he said it. “All I ask is a name.”
“Why can’t you understand this is best?” Ladybug asked.
“Why can’t you understand I love you too much to let this happen?” Chat Noir shot back. “Why must you marry this man? Are you the crown Princess?” Ladybug glared at him.
“Stop trying to extract more information from me,” she said tersely. She shifted a bit before adding, “But no, I am not. My father is the younger brother, so he passed the princess title to me but I am far down the line of rule and it is unlikely I will produce an heir, for my kingdom at least. Nonetheless, I have a duty to my kingdom to marry my betrothed. A prince. Our marriage will calm decades of tension between our two kingdoms and strengthen both rules as a result.” She pursed her lips. “I’ve said too much, but I hope you now understand.”
“I could never understand something that kept us apart,” Chat replied. “But I trust you to do what you must. I just wish you trusted me.” Ladybug’s eyes widened.
“I do trust you!” She exclaimed indignantly. “More than anyone! I just- I can’t- ugh!” She stared at him intently. “I can not explain myself any further. I must go. Goodbye Chat Noir.” The way she said it was too ominous. It felt like a goodbye that would last much longer than just until the next fight.
“Goodbye my lady,” Chat said, watching as she ran off.
That night Adrien could only think of his lady. A princess, he repeated in his head over and over. A PRINCESS. This whole time, she had been in his reach. If he had just known who she was, they could already be married. His father would surely approve. Instead, she was marrying another man and there was nothing he could do about it. He didn’t even know her name. He sulked in his bed chamber bitterly, and would have continued to do so if he hadn’t then been called into his father’s Council Chamber.
“Father,” he greeted curtly as he approached the cold man. He eyed the King warily. “You wanted to speak to me?”
“Yes,” King Gabriel said, gazing down at some messages. “You have been betrothed. The wedding shall be in 4 weeks time.” Adrien choked on air.
“ What?” he asked. His father looked up.
“Is there a problem?” The King asked in annoyance. Adrien shook his head rapidly.
“No- I mean yes- I mean, to who!?” he demanded, growing more agitated by the second. This can’t be happening, he thought. King Gabriel just blinked, not seeming all that interested in his son’s foolery.
“Princess Marinette of the Dupain Kingdom.”