Chapter Text
Ever since the pandemic truly began in Paris, Gabriel Agreste pulled his son out of school to resume studies at home. He said it was for Adrien’s “protection”, but Adrien knew it was just another way to control him. At least he could still participate in his classes online with his schoolmates. Ironically, it wasn’t long before the entire school turned virtual.
As evil as Hawkmoth must have been (he akumatized children and babies after all), Adrien naturally assumed that the villain would find some miniscule shred of humanity deep within himself and put off all akumatizations until after the world was back to normal.
Haha, fuck that apperently.
Good thing there was no camera on Adrien’s window and the suits had an anti-virus mask upgrade. Plagg assured Adrien there was absolutely no way he could be exposed to the virus while wearing the suit. As long as he put on a face mask before transforming into Chat and only de-transformed in places completely devoid of people, he'd be safe.
And battling akuma’s meant he got to see his lady. She was a brilliant sunbeam radiating directly into the dark cave that was lockdown. One day during an akuma battle in the park Chat half joked that they should just quarantine together. Ladybug had been complaining of allergies for a couple days, and he wanted to cheer her up.
“It kind of makes sense, M’lady. After all, we’re really the only people we see outside our homes, and us living together would definitely make battling akumas easier.” Chat flashed her a grin, “Just imagine how paw musing it would be to hear my jokes all the time!”
Ladybug shook her head, “Chat, if my throat wasn’t raw from these stupid allergies, I would point out just how bad that pun was.” She had been more irritable than normal lately. “And as for quarantining together, what about protecting our identities?”
He shrugged. “Maybe we don't actually need to hide who we are from each other, Bugaboo.”
“But Master Fu-”
“Could be wrong. I think knowing who you are would make me a better partner. It’s exhausting hiding my identity from you day after day,” he put a comforting hand on her shoulder, “and I think you feel the same.”
She seemed to lean into his hand. That wasn’t like her. “Are you feeling alright, M’lady? You’re less chatty than normal.”
“I’m fine, Chaton, just feeling run down and my head hurts. I need a break from fighting akumas, a long one.”
Chat felt her forehead with the back of his hand. Ladybug looked uncomfortable by how close he was. “I don’t have a temperature, Chat. I checked it this morning.”
It was true. Even through the leather he could tell she didn’t have a fever. Still he worried.
“Hey,” he whispered softly, “what if I handle this akuma for a while? You could rest until we need you to purify it.”
Ladybug never got a chance to respond. Their aforementioned akuma, Aunti Masker whose mission was to literally unmask all of Paris, sent a blast of strings towards them causing the pair to scramble out of the way. Those strings were proving particularly troublesome since they were trying to pry not only the face masks but also their identity masks off of Ladybug’s and Chat’s faces.
“I’m tired of being controlled!” yelled Aunti Masker, “It’s ridiculous expecting people to wear masks, and I’m here to put a stop to it. With me in charge, no one will be allowed to wear a mask!” She sent several roped towards some rather idiotic onlookers, succusefully pulling their masks off and sending them running while coveriung their mouths.
Chat jumped onto a nearby statue. “Everyone, go home! It isn’t safe here right now!” Ladybug landed next to him. “Who put a bee under her bonnet, er mask?” Chat nodded towards the rampaging akuma.
“She probably tried to go grocery shopping and refused to wear a mask.”
“And I shouldn’t have to!” the akuma screamed, “I can’t breathe in them!”
The heroes were not amused.
“Mhm, yeah. Well I can’t mask my disdain any longer ” Chat pulled Ladybug close and extended his baton to boost the pair away as another group of ropes soared towards them. “M'lady, perhaps this is the time for a lucky charm? I really want it to be the world’s smallest violin. Our friend here needs a musical accompaniment for her whining.”
“Sounds perfectly fine with me, Kitty.” She was practically resting her head on him. This really wasn’t like her. And was she looking a bit pale? Alarm bells went off in Chat’s head.
Fearing for his partner’s health, Chat carried her far enough away from Aunti Masker’s reach and set her down on a bench. “That’s it, Ladybug. You’re going to rest over here while I handle the akuma. It’s obvious you aren’t feeling well and I’m worried for you.”
Ladybug just nodded and weakly summoned her lucky charm. It was a giant spray bottle. Chat grinned under his face mask, he needed no instructions to know what to do.
It didn’t take too much longer to defeat Aunti Masker. Chat took maybe a little too much pleasure taking the villain down by spraying her directly in the face, blocking out her whining. Turns out the akuma was hiding in a forgotten mask left in her pocket. Figures.
After Chat brought back Ladybug to purify the butterfly, the villain turned out to be just another Karen upset by the mask mandate.
“You know,” Chat said, picking up the woman’s mask on the ground, “with all the hard work Ladybug and I put in to keep citizens like you safe, we’d really appreciate the same level of respect from you. Honestly, wearing a mask during a plague is the bare minimum.” He held out the small piece of fabric which the embarrassed woman immediately put on.
Turning to his partner, Chat held out his fist for the pound it. Just as Ladybug put out her own fist and walked closer, she stumbled into him and passed out.
Chat caught her in a panic. “My lady? Ladybug wake up!” Her miraculous beeped, three minutes left before she transforms. Not knowing what else to do, he vaulted the both of them out of there using his pole, heart racing.
Chat made it far enough away to a dark rooftop before Ladybug’s transformation gave out. If this were any other day, Chat would close his eyes out of respect for his partner’s secret identity. But he knew something was going on and she needed his help, so instead he kept them open as the magic revealed who Ladybug really was.
Much to his surprise, lying unconscious in his arms was a very sick Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
~~~
Ladybug was Marinette, Marinette was Ladybug...and she was sick.
Chat kept repeating the words in his head in an endless loop. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around it. It was a lot to take in.
“Chat noir!” A red dot flew in his face, snapping him out of his mental crisis. “You need to take Marinette home and get her parents!” Tikki hovered over the girl’s unconscious body.
“Tikki?” Chat blinked in confusion at the kwami. “What...what’s wrong with her?”
“We can talk as we go, so let’s move!”
Chat hoisted the girl in his arms once more and began running across the rooftops towards the bakery where he knew she lived. “Tikki, talk to me. I thought it was only allergies?”
The kwami settled to rest on Marinette’s cheek, stroking her forehead. “We thought so too. She took a test just in case a couple days ago and it was negative, but today her symptoms worsened. Congestion and headaches. Marinette was going to take another test today, but the akuma attack changed her plan.”
Holding his partner a little closer, Chat picked up speed and leapt over an alleyway. “Do you think she has the virus?”
Tikki’s head drooped. “I’m afraid that’s very possible. Chloe came into the bakery a couple days ago and took off her mask when Mari was taking her order. Marinette got mad and told Chloe off, but that girl just got in Mari’s face saying how it was ‘utterly ridiculous to cover up a face like hers’.” The kwami balled her tiny fists in anger. “I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s how Marinette became exposed.”
Chat grimaced. Of course it was Chloe who got Mari sick. She had posted photos on her account of her partying a week ago and no one was wearing masks or distancing in the photos. He would have to deal with Chloe later, right now he had to focus on Mari. Thankfully his suit offered protection from getting exposed.
They landed on the bakery’s rooftop moments later. Chat was about to jump down to the first floor to bring the girl to her parents, but hesitated.
“Chat, why are you stopping? You need to get Marinette’s parents!”
The hero looked between kwami and girl, trying to decide. If he brought Mari to her parents, he would have to explain that she was in an akuma attack and that might blow her cover. “Tikki, is there a testing site near the park?”
“Yes, who do you ask?”
“Well you said M’lady, uh, Mari was going to get tested today, right?”
The kwami nodded.
Chat felt the girl stir in his arms and nestle closer to his chest. “Ok then, just be sure to update Ladybug when she wakes up.” He held her a bit tighter.
“Update?”
Chat leapt off the roof, the bluenette securely cradled bridal style in his arms, and landed in front of the bakery door. He pushed the door open with his foot. “Mrs. Cheng, Mr. Dupain!”
Sabine rushed out from behind the counter wearing her face mask, “Chat, what’s wrong?” Her eyes fell to the unconscious girl in his arms, “Oh Tom, come quick! It’s Marinette!” She motioned for Chat to follow her up the stairs. “Chat, help me get her upstairs.”
He followed Sabine and gently set Marinette down on their living room couch. Tom ran over from the kitchen. “What happened to my little girl?” Both parents hovered over her.
“Marinette must have been going to get tested near the park, but she got caught in the akuma attack and passed out while running away. Ladybug and I found her after, and since my miraculous wasn't running out I was able to bring her here.”
“She had been complaining of allergies, but maybe…” Sabine started to stress cry. Tom comforted his wife while offering Chat a small smile.
“Thanks for bringing her home, son. Now get out of here in case Mari has the virus, I wouldn't want you to get exposed.”
“It’s ok, Mr. Dupain, with my suit there’s no way I could. But I’ll get out of your hair.”
Chat moved to the open window, looking back once more to see Tikki hiding behind the couch. She motioned for him to go. He left knowing all he could do now was wait to hear how his partner was doing.
His partner…
Ladybug .
Maybe now he could set aside time to properly panic over the revelation that his Lady was also his Princess.