Demigods: In Paris (a Miraculous Ladybug and Percy Jackson crossover)

Chat Noir has issues

Marinette hurried home, finishing her ice-cream. Spending time with Alya was always great, and those Americans they'd met seemed nice, but she just couldn't get her mind away from Chat Noir. He'd been even flirtier that usual today, even inviting her to spend some time with him away from akumas. She loved him, she did - he was a great friend, always funny and supportive, but not like... that. She knew it was hopeless, but she would not give up on Adrien.

Much as she'd love to get to know her partner better outside the battleground, she had to admit that she was afraid. What if it wasn't just shameless flirting? What if he actually felt something for her? She couldn't lead him on like that, so she'd declined, but his parting words had stuck in her head anyway.

"I'll be waiting on the Eiffel Tower anyway."

Should she go? Should she stay?

Marinette knew the answer. She wasn't brave enough to go. It was too dangerous, too unknown. Besides, the less time spent as Ladybug, the better. Her best friend was relentless with her investigations into the heroine's identity, and Marinette knew it wouldn't take her much longer to finally connect the dots. And whilst Alya laughed it off and teased Marinette for her lateness, it was a strain balancing her alter-egos. She was always late for one thing or a no-show at another, and if an akuma showed up she had to drop everything at a moment's notice.

"Mom, Dad! I'm home!" She called through the empty shop as the bell tinkled. Mrs Dupain-Cheng popped her head around the corner.

"Hey sweetie! How was your day with Alya! You stayed away from the fight, didn't you?"

"Yeah, we got there just as everyone left. Oh, and we meet some nice American tourists."

"That's great! A chance for you to practise your English, no?"

"Um, they're fluent in French, but I guess I could try to have a conversation... That is if we see them again."

"How long are they staying?"

"A couple of weeks, in the mayor's hotel. Maybe we'll meet them at the weekend."

"That's great honey. Maybe you can invite them to your birthday sleepover! Well, I have to finish these pastries..."

Marinette scooted past and climbed up to her room. It was almost dark, so she took her sketchbook outside to watch the sunset. Tikki popped out of her purse.

"What's wrong, Marinette?" She squeaked, taking the cookie Marinette handed her.

"It's Chat. He said he wanted to meet me and I don't know what to do, Tikki!"

"It's your choice, Marinette."

"I'm going to finish my homework first," she decided, gazing at the Eiffel Tower in the distance. "And then... I guess I'll see."

An hour of struggling with algebra had fried Marinette's brain enough that she couldn't justify why she'd decided to go. She just had to get out.

"Mom, dad, I'm going to bed."

"Okay honey. Goodnight."

"'Night. Tikki, spots on."

Ladybug looked nervously at the sketchbook, where she had unknowingly doodled Adrien's face. Or was it Chat Noir? In the shadows shrouding him, it was hard to tell. She shook her head, and leaped off the balcony, swinging her yo-yo and jumping from building to building. It was a short enough journey to the tower, and Ladybug spent it wondering what she would say to Chat Noir. What he would say to her. What if to was a bad idea to get to know each other better? What if he discovered her secret identity?

Ladybug was nervous. But they were Marinette's worries. She had to shake them off. She was a super hero. She shouldn't be worrying about things like that.

She reached the Eiffel Tower. The lights weren't on yet, so it was dark and shadowed. She peered up at it, then shot her yo-yo up to the platform where they sometimes sat on patrol. Dark as it was, it was obvious that Chat wasn't there.

"Okay," Ladybug gave a nervous chuckle. "Hiding. Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

She was met only with silence.

"Chat? Are you there?"

Nothing.

"This isn't funny. Come out, kitty."

She wandered around the platform, peering up to the scaffold-like structure above. She was expecting to see the familiar black-clad hero perched on a beam, grinning crookedly down at her, but there was nothing.

She looked again, frowning. He'd said he'd be here. And though that seemed like not much of a big deal, Ladybug knew Chat. Or she thought she did, anyway. If he said he was going to be here, he was going to be here.

Ladybug waited, playing idly with her yo-yo. Maybe his timer had run out and he'd gone somewhere private to refresh it.

It was only when the lights finally came on, flooding the tower with brightness, that Ladybug accepted Chat wasn't coming. Clearly she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

She was just readying her yo-yo to swing away when it lit up with a message. From Chat Noir.

Ladybug.

I know you won't see this until you transform, but as soon as you do, it's urgent that we meet.

Chat? She sent a quick reply.

Milady? You're there?

I waited for you at the tower. What's wrong?

I need to explain face-to-face, but I'm not allowed to leave my house. Can we meet tomorrow? He'll have to let me out for school.

Meet you during lunch break at the Eiffel Tower?

Too obvious. How about that street next to the hotel?

I'll be there.

I have to go. He's coming.

Can I help? Where are you?

I can't tell you that.

Why not? Chat?

Chat?

He was gone. Ladybug closed the phone and swung away, a million worries flooding her mind.