Sometimes in life we all don't know what its like to be in someone's shoes to understand how hard their life is like. So, what if Marinette/Ladybug and Adrien/Cat Noir knew what their life is like by being switched?
Ladybug and Cat Noir belongs to (c) Zagtoon.
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It was an ordinary day for our superheroes saving the day from akumatized villains. But what they don't know is about each other's lives. Ladybug being insensitive to understanding Cat Noir's hard life and being forced to listening to Ladybug's order about protecting each other's identities at all cost. But he already found out by Nino that Ladybug lied and entrusted Nino and Alya by giving them the miraculous at the same time and she never told him. It made him upset and angry that she can't do the same for him.
Right now, they are dealing with Vanisher once again who is Sabrina. Probably from Chloe's selfish and obnoxious attitude that got her 'friend' akumatized into Vanisher again and it won't be easy for our heroes because she's invisible.
Cat Noir hasn't called his partner his Milady for 3 days which made Ladybug feel worried that it isn't like him. But the feline hero was not in the mood to tell her why because he became cold and distant to her but has saved her a few times from danger. He just felt he can do this on his own. If she doesn't trust him with her identity so be it for him.
Ladybug and Cat Noir are at the hotel trying to find the invisible villain before she tries to harm Chloe like last time.
"Kitty, if something is bothering you, you can tell me," Ladybug asked frantically due to how cold he was to her for the past few days.
"I rather not talk about it, Ladybug. Let's just get this over with. I have important things" Cat Noir said with the same cold voice to her and looks around in the hotel.
Ladybug felt chills go down her spine that he hasn't called her milady, bugaboo, or even said any of his cat puns. She then thought if she was too hard and secretive to him.
"Am I the cause of this?" She asked herself and kept looking.
But obviously, he didn't answer and just huffed just like she would do to him. He rather let her figure it out than just himself answering the real cause.
"Cat, don't get so grouchy at me. I told you, we can't know each other's secret identities" Ladybug was getting very frustrated by his attitude.
"Oh really? You being the guardian, you get to know our allies' identities but not mine?" He glared at her coldly.
Ladybug has never seen him so upset like this, not even that angry at her like this in her life.
"Master Fu trusted me about everything but now you can't trust me? You don't know how much I suffer in darkness, Ladybug. We've been partners for a long time and the more you push me in the dark, who knows if I'll get akumatized the same way you did to Chloe which got her akumatized into Miracle Queen. Because you don't trust anyone enough" Cat Noir said, going into Chloe's room, ignoring Ladybug.
Ladybug then felt guilt building up in her while she searched.
"She's not here." She heard Cat Noir call her.
"Perhaps she found Chloe" Ladybug said nervously by his cold behavior.
"Then let's find Chloe before she gets hurt," He said and takes the elevator to the dining area.
Ladybug quickly joined him in the elevator but he kept giving the cold shoulder, "Look, I know I'm being secretive but can we at least talk about this after we capture the akuma?" Ladybug asked but Cat Noir looks away from her, not answering her question. It made her feel guilty that Cat Noir would eventually not talk to her anymore.
As they got to the dining area, they found Chloe being chased by an invisible person they can't see. They see objects lifted like ghosts as it was tossed around.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!!!" Chloe screamed while running from objects being hovered in the air and nearly missing every hit at Chloe.
"That's it! LUCKY CHARM!!!" Ladybug used it and out came a bottle of red glitter and she caught it in her hands.
"That's enough ghost!" Cat Noir was able to hit something solid but can't see where she is, "Seriously Chloe? How many times are you so irresponsible with causing half of Paris to get akumatized because of you?!" He hissed with venom.
"Ummm, I lost count." She made an excuse.
"You're so irresponsible!" Cat Noir yelled but then he got punched by Vanisher and was lifted and tossed against the wall, "Agh! URGH!" Cat Noir got beaten by Vanisher until Ladybug managed to spray the invisible villain with glitter to reveal her body shape.
"Just because you can see me doesn't mean you'll beat me this time, Ladybug!" Vanisher cackled.
"CATACLYSM!!!" Cat Noir shouted and looked at what looked like a hair clip on Vanisher's head, "That's gotta be where the akuma is this time" He said and sweep kick Vanisher down, and touched her visible glitter hair clip with her finger, which released the akuma.
Ladybug saw it and quickly wasted no time to capture it with her yo-yo to purify it, releasing the pure white buttery freely.
"Miraculous Ladybug!" She tossed her lucky charm as it scattered into magic miraculous ladybugs to swarm to fix up the damage caused by Vanisher.
The defeated akumatized villain was consumed by dark purple particles that turned her back to Sabrina.
"Pound it?" Ladybug held her fist for her partner but he just simply pound it without saying it and just took off through the open window.
"Jeez, what's got him so hissy? I bet he's mad at you for treating him like a cat with fleas" Chloe obnoxiously said.
Ladybug just glared at her and left the hotel, though feeling guilty that her feline partner is never gonna tell him why he's like this.
-
Marinette had a talk with Alya in her room about Cat Noir's cold behavior. It's not like him to be so cold to his lady until now for the past few days.
"Girl, it's probably because you don't trust him enough. Remember the times with Chloe and me that got akumatized because you couldn't trust us enough?" Alya reminded her and her BFF solemnly nodded, "Well, you're gonna have to talk to him until he's in a better mood. I know you're scared of the Cat Blanc story but he's never been akumatized in his life"
"But how will I trust him to reveal my secret?" Marinette asked.
"Well, do you ever understand what he's going through?" Alya asked.
"If he reveals his Identity maybe I can get through him understanding his pain," Marinette said.
"Girl, you need to give him some space. He's probably upset right now. Reminds me of the time Adrien was wearing black for a few days instead of his usual clothing, he looked upset for whatever reason." Alya said.
"Alright. I'll let him be for a while until he's calm down." Marinette reluctantly agreed.
"I don't blame you but you know that your kitty hates secrets. Don't make the same mistake. You trusted me, why not trust him?" Alya suggested.
"Good point there," Marinette said.
-
With Adrien, he laid on his bed thinking about Ladybug, while he still felt upset with her, he couldn't let go of her. As much as he wants to know who she is behind the mask, his kwami cat couldn't tell him either. The last time he nearly manipulated into telling him what she was hiding, he failed.
"Still cold about Ladybug?" Plagg asked him.
"I just wish she could trust me enough and see that I'm living in the shadows as a civilian I wonder if she sees me as a partner or a burden?" Adrien said.
"Maybe because you flirt too much?" Plagg guessed.
"No, I believe she's hiding something I don't know. Whenever I ask her, she gets a fearful look." He tried to piece it together.
"You sound just like your opposite twin cousin" Plagg criticizing him.
"I'm nothing like him. But I'm trying not to be him too. I wish just for once Ladybug trusts me one hundred percent." Adrien said.
"But she told you, secret identities must be kept secret at all costs" Plagg reminds him.
"Yes to the public but each other in the team? I know my best pal Nino is Carapace" Adrien said.
"But he doesn't know you're Cat Noir. You've been living that rule too you know" Plagg said as he munched on 5 pieces of Camembert cheese.
"At least he told me the truth, which did shock me but Ladybug never told me. I hate secrets" He growled and went into the bathroom to take a bath to calm down from his anger triggering an akuma to feed on his negative emotions.
He turned on the water to fill the bathtub and went to his sink cabinet for bubbles for his bath. Once the water is filled up and turns off the running water, he pours bubbles in the bathtub and strips of his clothes, getting in the water with a sigh of relaxation.
The kwami cat went through the walls to talk to his owner, "Kid, you know Ladybug is gonna feel guilty. Why don't you tell her why you're upset?" Plagg suggested.
"Not in the mood, Plagg. Every time I offer her a rose, she rejects it. Whenever I ask her to go to the movies with me, she refuses. Whenever I ask her for a rooftop dinner, she still refuses. No, Plagg. I'm tired of rejections. Even if she's in love with a boy, I don't see anything all lovey-dovey in herself. She's probably afraid to tell the boy her secret" Adrien said, using his breathing exercise to calm down.
"Alright, give her some time then," Plagg said.
"Good idea." Adrien agreed.
"But you don't know her life. If she knew your life, she would understand why you've been kept in the dark" Plagg said.
"I guess so. I'll give her a chance to explain the next time we meet." Adrien said.
"And if she scolds you again?" Plagg wanted to know what will his master do.
"Then I guess I'm giving her the cold shoulder. I'm not cruel but she should know what rejections make me feel. She's very insensitive and I don't like that" Adrien said, relaxing in the bathtub.
-
The next day, it was very quiet without any akuma. This means the heroes can finally relax, except that Ladybug still hasn't got the guts to ask Cat Noir because she's too focused on patrols while Cat Noir is still angry at Ladybug for not settling down like last time when she got him and herself in trouble by her talking too loud at the movie theaters.
"You know what, I'm leaving. It seems you don't want me around, Ladybug" Cat Noir groans in anger and was about to leave.
"Cat Noir!" Ladybug's voice came, he turns around and sees her.
"Oh, it's you Ladybug. I forgot you're here" He glared sarcastically.
"Are you still angry at me?" Ladybug asked nervously.
Cat Noir hissed lowly like a cat, "Does that answer your question, Ladybug?" He crossed his arms and looks away.
"Look, I'm sorry I kept you too deep in the dark. Shadow Moth can't know who we are. And....I can't explain why" Ladybug refused to tell him about her encounter with Cat Blanc from the alternative timeline.
"For how long, Ladybug? By the time we are older, it will be too late. We can't protect each other's identities forever and there's also something that you can't protect me what hurts the most and you know what that is?" He glared coldly at her which made her step back a little.
"Cat Noir, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings" Ladybug trying her best to not get upset with him.
"So you don't know, huh? Well here's what it is. My isolation. You don't know what that's like. I've been isolated my whole life. It's so hurtful and painful to feel so alone in the dark. But at least I have my kwami to be there for me at all times whenever I'm alone" Cat Noir explained and decided to leave because he can't bear the pain he's feeling, "That's all I ever wanted, Ladybug. To get to know you, spend time with you, even have dinner with you. But you never did any of that for me. You're focused on being the guardian, patrolling, and duties, that's all you do." He sheds a tear and looked back at her, "Patrol is over, Ladybug" He pole-vaulted away to de-transform somewhere else.
"Cat Noir, wait!" Ladybug tried to call him but he's already gone. He hopes that the akuma doesn't akumatize him. She looked around but saw no akuma anywhere.
"What have I done?!" Ladybug sat down in tears, "I should have known he was lonely and isolated from the beginning. I'm not worth being the guardian, it sabotaged my relationship with him." She thought.
-
Ladybug made it back home and de-transformed into Marinette, burying her face in the pillow muffled crying. Her kwamis saw her crying and flew up to her to ask what's wrong.
"Marinette? What's wrong?" Wayzz asked.
But all they got was a loud muffled crying scream which made them back off.
"She's....having a difficult day with her partner. Cat Noir is....still upset with her" Tikki explained.
"I'm not worth being a guardian! I ruined everything with Cat Noir!" Marinette screamed in her pillow.
She heard Alya coming in from the trapdoor on the floor of the room, "Marinette?"
"Go away!" Marinette screamed.
"Let me guess, Cat Noir scolded you again? Marinette, I told you to talk to him, not focus on patrolling" Alya sighed and shook her head.
"Yes, but I screwed it up not telling him the real reason, that I faced him akumatized in a deleted timeline." Marinette sat up, her eyes are puffy from crying.
"You know what you need? Chinese dinner at the Chinese restaurant. Adrien will be there and he is getting to like them" Alya said.
"What?! Since when does he like Chinese food?! I mean no! I mean...is he going there alone?!" Marinette straightens herself up and climbs down the ladder.
"Yeah, but first, let's get you cleaned up," Alya noticed her eyes and face filled with tear stains.
-
Marinette and Alya made it to the Chinese restaurant filled with Chinese culture. It reminded Marinette of the time she followed Adrien to Shanghai but failed due to Fei stealing her stuff.
"Told ya he likes Chinese food. Remember in Shanghai?" Alya reminded her BFF.
"Yeah...but....it wasn't a date" Marinette looked stressed.
"There he is. He's eating noodles with chopsticks. I told ya he likes Chinese" Alya dragged Marinette to where Adrien is sitting.
"Hi Marinette, hi Alya." He noticed them.
"Oh hi Adrien, How are...I mean good evening Adrien." Marinette stammered as usual.
"No bodyguard? Seems like you're getting the freedom you need" Alya said, making Marinette sit down since she's standing there like an idiot.
"My father wants me to learn about Chinese food and stuff. I'm starting to like the noodles and the Jiaozi. So what brings you here?" Adrien asked shyly.
"Well just felt like having Chinese food," Marinette said.
"Oh, I got extra noodles I was about to leave out but do you want them?" Adrien asked, sliding the Chinese box to her.
"I'll leave you two alone," Alya said and leaves the seat which made Marinette very uncomfortable to be alone with the boy she has a crush on.
"So gorgeous of you...I mean so kind of you" Marinette nervously said as she ate noodles with him across the table.
"You're welcome Marinette." He replied.
-
After finishing the noodles Marinette was chatting with Adrien.
"So how's your Chinese going?" Marinette asked him.
"Going much better. I hope one day I can teach you some" Adrien said.
They both kept fortune cookies for each other just to read their fortunes when they get home.
"Heh, my Chinese is bad but you speak perfectly the time you spoke with my uncle," Marinette said, blushing madly.
"Well, the books did most of it," Adrien said.
Marinette stared at his fashion of black clothing since he hasn't worn his old one. She thought that maybe something is making his life complicated.
"New style I guess?" She asked.
"It's just something new I'm trying," Adrien replied solemnly.
"You okay, Adrien? You sound.....sad. Is your father giving you a hard time?" Marinette asked in concern.
"No, it's complicated. I rather not say. I gotta go now. I'll see you at school tomorrow" Adrien left the restaurant.
-
At home, Adrien was in no mood to patrol with Ladybug because he doesn't wanna face her again. He may feel a little guilty yelling at her but at the same time, upset that she's too insensitive.
"Maybe I was too hard on her. But she needs to learn her lesson." He spoke quietly.
"What if she gets akumatized?" Plagg said.
"She won't. Ladybug and I have never been akumatized" Adrien said, opening his fortune cookie and reads the slip.
"A journey soon begins. Its prize reflect in another's eyes. When what you see is what you lack. Then selfless love will change you back" He read the fortune but rolled his eyes that it's probably just a riddle or just a fake fortune.
-
Marinette was home, finishing up her designs in her sketchbook, and changed into her pajamas. She nearly forgot that she didn't read her fortune from her fortune cookie.
She opens it and reads it.
"No matter what, friendship is what makes you happy and secured." It read.
"I hope it gets fixed soon." Marinette sighs and goes to bed.
What they don't know is that they both read the fortune cookie at the same time and something changed them.