Shadybug was sulking as she paced the length of the Eiffel Tower's second level. It had been a rough day, trying to convince all of the students that yes, she was Marinette, and no, she was not nice whatsoever. And Claw-well, Adrien in this case, had done absolutely nothing to help, and the idiot was getting thrown off the Eiffel Tower the next time she got a chance. She knew better than to be in the open given the current superheroes here knew they were here, but she needed to let off steam before she interacted with Claw Noire again. Otherwise, she wouldn't be blamed for the catastrophic results. Wait. Shadybug halted. Had she just literally almost thought a cat pun to herself? A look of mild disgust crossed her face and she attempted to clear her mind. But then thoughts about doing a good deed crossed her mind and her eyes rolled back in her head a tiny bit in disgust at herself. Shadybug took a few deep breaths and then hopped off the edge of the Eiffel Tower, hitting the ground gracefully then hid behind a pillar and de-transformed. Glower in place, she walked back out into the bright sunlight and headed back to her shared hideout with Adrien. When she reached the blocked door, she sighed and kicked the door with her boot. Adrien opened the door very slightly, recognized her and let her in without a word. She stalked inside and sat down on the very comfortable couch in the one room they had. When she had deemed herself comfortable, Adrien finally spoke.
"What did you do?"
She gave him a sharp look.
"Why you always accusing me of doing something?" she said with a smirk.
"Because you're reckless."
"Yeah. That's real, coming from the professor of reckless," she snapped back. Adrien rolled his eyes.
"You know what I mean, Mari," Adrien said stiffly.
"Sure, sure. No, of course not. They know we're here. We're lying low."
Adrien managed to stifle a small look of surprise.
"We are? But you had this whole grand plan, Mari."
Mari rolled her eyes at him.
"Yeah, it failed."
"What? Since when?"
"Uh, when they discovered our presence. I'll come up with something new soon," she responded.
"You better, Shady," Adrien retorted and went over to rummage for food through the two cupboards that were randomly in the room.
"Adrien, we don't have food, because we literally just got here. It's risky to go get some. We'll go at sunset."
Adrien took a deep breath and pulled a low move on her. Her eyes widened as he stood dangerously close over her and used his looks against her in an attempt to sway her to get food sooner.
"Please, Shady," he murmured in what he hoped sounded like a deep, soothing tone. Mari was usually pretty strong with her composure, but today wasn't her day and she completely failed. A blush spread over her face so she placed her palm on his chest and shoved him back.
"That's low, even for you, Adrien," she sputtered, clearing her throat desperately.
"But did it work?"
Mari shot him a glower.
"No. Sorry. Sunset."
Adrien threw something against the wall and sat down in the only other chair in the room. She glared at him and nestled back down in the couch, intending to sleep.
"What? Shadybug gets to sleep? Why can't I?"
"You have the chair?"
Adrien shot her a very furious look. She only rolled over, but what he didn't put together was she left enough room on the couch for him to sleep on it as well.
Two hours later, he figured it out. Cautiously, he nestled down on the couch with her, and a soft, pathetic emotion rolled over him at the way they were laying together. Said pathetic emotion made him embrace her and then fell asleep.
Surprisingly, he was also the first one to wake up when the sun set. He shifted sleepily and then noticed Mari had tucked herself into him. Her eyes were closed and her glower had faded into a blissful expression.
"Mmm, Shady, it's awake time...I'm kind of hungry," he murmured. Mari shifted against him and he gasped.
"Wait-"
Too late. She rolled over and opened her eyes. And the first thing she saw was a blushing, flustered and panicked Adrien.
"What the hell are you doing?"
"Uh...nothing, uh, it's just-"
Mari realized she had absentmindedly allowed him room to sleep, and he wasn't in the wrong, but she didn't know why he was so flustered. Until she realized exactly just how close they were. Her eyes widened then narrowed.
"Were you trying something, Adrien?" she snapped and sat up, shoving him to the edge of the couch.
"N-no, never, of course not, I'm not that idiotic," he retorted, slowly coming back to himself.
"That's good to hear," Mari managed to say in a angry tone. Adrien looked at her carefully. She appeared to be recovering, but there was still a blush in her cheeks and she did not look like her harsh, fighting-and-kicking self. Granted, as Shadybug, she was stronger and even more harsh, but as Mari, she was typically mean and angry, sometimes mellow with him and quiet, but most of the time, she was never flustered around him.
"So why did you do that," Mari asked coldly as she got up and glanced outside through the one small window.
"I needed sleep. I love serving you, sure, but I do need sleep, and you left just enough room on the couch. So I took-"
"Advantage? Don't ever make that mistake again...not of me anyway."
"Of course," he muttered. Mari quietly walked towards the door and opened it, peeking out.
"It's clear for now. Hurry up. We gotta make this quick."
"Yes, of course, Shadybug."
Mari quickly transformed and scurried quickly across the street.
"My lady-" Adrien blurted, then clamped his hand over his mouth. Something was wrong. He loathed spitting out nice words like that, and it was freaking him out. They shouldn't stay too long in this dimension. Otherwise, he'd lose his ability to be Claw Noire and have his sharper edges.
"Stop that!" she called as she vanished into a closed store.
"Wait, wait, no breaking-and-entering!"
Too late.
A lucky charm flashed through the windows and Adrien winced at the brightness.
"Damn you, Shady!" he muttered and immediately went in to the store. Shadybug emerged with a ton of food in a giant lucky charm bag.
"What-"
"Later. Let's go. Chat Noir's coming. I just got a ping."
"From-"
Her yoyo was on top of the bag, glowing dimly, alerting her to superheroes' presence. He groaned and dragged her back across the street and safely made it back inside the hideout.
"Look, successful. They'll suspect foul play, but I blocked the cameras. We're fine, Claw," she told him and went to put away the food. But his eyes were on her yoyo. It was still glowing and seemed to be getting brighter. Meaning superheroes were extremely close.
"Uh...Mari? Your yoyo keeps getting brighter," he spoke up. Shadybug whirled to face him and snatched up her yoyo.
"Lucky charm," she said flatly, the bag vanishing into a new lucky charm. A sword.
"Well, get your claws out. We're preparing."
"Of course, my-uh, er, Shadybug," he sputtered, confused by his lack of restraint on his emotions and mouth. Shadybug shot him a glare.
"Claws out," he muttered, still ultra confused. As Claw Noire, he approached the door and listened.
"Nothing here, Chat. Stop it! You're always flirting!"
"But I can't help it, my lady, you're perfect."
"Chat! Enough. Come on, let's go before you steal flowers because of your 'love' for me," Ladybug's voice rasped through the door and Claw Noire heard no more. They were gone.
"I think it's safe, Shady."
Shadybug checked her yoyo. It was dimming faster the longer the silence stretched out.
"Well, that's good, I guess."
She yawned, stretched, some joints popping from being stiff, and he had to avert his gaze as another bout of weird feelings hit him and his calm, cold expression faltered. Shadybug viewed it that way, anyhow. For his sake. But really, his expression was just a poker face and was pathetic compared to hers. She stretched higher, arching her back and relished the feeling of being limber.
"It's almost time to venture outside."
His gaze immediately snapped up and he looked surprised.
"A plan already, Shadybug? Too bad. I don't feel like helping tonight anymore," he snapped. She rolled her eyes.
"Aw, what a pity. I'm sure I could find a better sidekick to help me," she retorted then gave him a victorious smile as he reluctantly went to her side.
"That's what I thought."
"You're cold."
"Yeah, people tell me that."
"No, Shades, you're literally cold. Like, your body is radiating cold air."
Shadybug shrugged.
"Then my evilness has finally possessed my body. Nicely done," she murmured. Claw Noire gave up, throwing his hands in the air.
"Careful, kitty, don't break-" her voice cut off as she patted down her body.
"What is it now?"
"Something's wrong. My yoyo-I just had it-"
Claw Noire smirked.
"Now she's worried."
She de-transformed then re-transformed and smiled down at her yoyo.
"Perfect," she said with a bright smile, while he just rolled his eyes.
"What are we doing?"
She didn't respond, instead just marching to the door and exiting. Claw followed her, but his lack of food for the day was now also just catching up to him. His stomach growled. Very loudly. Shadybug slowly turned around and gave him a steely-eyed glare.
"What the hell did you just-"
"I haven't eaten all day, Shades," he responded instantly.
Shadybug pinched the bridge of her nose in an exasperated effort.
"Sure, sure. Right. I forgot, my poor kitty must eat at once, but of course," she hissed and stormed back inside, grabbed something that occurred with a lot of banging noises and then she came back, tossed him a box of croissants and stalked right back out the door.
"What did I ever do to you, woman?" he muttered, gratefully opening the box of croissants and wolfing several down. Shadybug was gone by the time he managed to discard the box and find a safe scouting spot.
"Gee, I wonder what she's doing. She couldn't possibly be at the Eiffel Tower, planning Paris' demise, so-"
A yoyo string wrapped around him and he was yanked backwards.
"What-" he yelped and thrashed in his new restraint.
"Sorry, but not sorry. Where is Shadybug?" Ladybug snapped from behind him. Claw Noire smirked.
"As if I'd ever tell you," he spat, and summoned up his cataclysm. "Now let me go, or I will cataclysm your yoyo,"
Ladybug's hesitation gave him all the time he needed, and he seized his opportunity to cataclysm her yoyo. Then he sprinted. Chat Noir tripped him, but he managed to stagger up quickly and shoot off.
"Damn it! My lady, we were so close!" Chat Noir exclaimed, watching Claw Noire flee.
"No. We still are. He's powerless without Shadybug. We just learned that, kitty," Ladybug responded, calmly watching Claw flee.
"Powerless? Without me? How cute of you to think so. He was a distraction," a cold, sharp tone seethed from behind Ladybug. Both superheroes whirled around. Shadybug stood with her yoyo spinning in a calm shield, her eyes narrowed slightly. She was alone. Ladybug used that against her and signaled for Chat Noir to attack. Both attacked at the same time. Shadybug gracefully dodged and tripped Chat Noir, sending him slamming down onto the ground, then used his staff to hit Ladybug in the face. Ladybug gasped and staggered back. Then something hit her in the back of the head, and she collapsed forward.
"Oops," Shadybug purred, covering her mouth delicately with her other hand. Claw Noire stood behind Ladybug, but he didn't look pleased. Shadybug felt a happy wave of satisfaction roll through her at seeing the others collapsed.
"Don't. Please," Chat pleaded.
"Claw? Would you do the honors?"
Claw Noire didn't move. Shadybug met his stone gaze and for once, she flinched.
"Claw Noire? What are you...uh...planning?"
Claw Noire still didn't move.
"Venom?"
Nothing. The villain refused to respond to Shadybug. Shadybug sighed, pinned Chat with one hand and flipped up into a handstand and pulled off a manuever that stunned all three. Her hands firmly planted on Chat's back, she flipped backwards, then spun low, kicking Chat in the chest and effectively knocking Ladybug out. Then she rose, wrapped her yoyo string around Chat and waited expectantly. Claw Noire stared at her for a bit longer.
"Claw, what did I do?" Shadybug asked, now confused more than normal. He ignored her and crossed his arms. Groaning in exasperation, she threw her hands in the air then picked up Chat, did a twirl and seized Ladybug's unconscious body, then jumped off the roof. Chat staggered to keep up.
"Where-"
"None of your business."
She blinded him with a bright flashlight on her yoyo and he yelped in utter surprise. By the time his vision recovered, he was restrained in a dark room.
"Hello?"
"I'm still here. Don't yell," came a voice-cracking tone from his left.
"Uh...I can't see?"
"I care because why?"
Shadybug was alone. He could see that much.
"Uh...Because...uh...I'm your hostage and you should treat me better?"
Shadybug cackled, but it fell weak. Chat squinted to see her expression. Her face was a bit scared.
"It appears the evil Bug is scared, how come?"
"Why the hell would I tell you? That's none of your business and it will stay that way."
She hit him in the head and silently approached the solo window in the room. Claw stood outside, stonefaced, but when he saw her slightly stressed expression, smirked.
"You didn't lose me."
Shadybug glared at him.
"Gee, thanks. For freaking me out like that," she managed to snap in her normal angry, harsh tone. Claw rolled his eyes.
"Since when do you ever miss my presence? Aren't I just a thorn in your side?"
Shadybug looked offended then quickly cleared her expression.
"Yeah, but a comforting thorn, and when said thorn is gone, it's an emptier place," Shadybug managed to say with a straight face. Claw raised an eyebrow, his fists clenched.
"Oh? Interesting," he spat at her. Shadybug ignored that one.
"Can we...just deal with this right now?" she asked hesitantly.
"Of course, as the Shades wants," Claw Noire snapped, but gave her a overdramatic bow. She gestured him inside and both turned to Chat Noir, who suddenly panicked and started wriggling in the restraint, but Shadybug smoothly stopped his attempts to escape with a quickly blow from her heel in the groin. He gasped and doubled over, groaning in pain.
"That's new, Shades. Kind of low for you, don't you think?"
Shadybug shot him a pretty angry glare.
"I know what I'm doing, Claw," she snapped. He backed off, but sneered as Chat failed over and over to give her any information on Ladybug's control on Paris.
"Damn it. Fine. You be that way. We can do this the hard way," Shadybug snarled, "Lucky charm."
A sword hit Chat in the head, knocking him unconscious.
"Why would you do that?"
Shadybug ignored Claw and stalked out of the room, slamming the door, effectively ending the conversation. Claw watched her go then sat down reluctantly, and watched Chat's expression smooth over as he was lost to the void of unconsciousness. Shadybug was now beyond angry with Claw and his flaky presence currently. As a sidekick, she knew she expected too much from him, and that part was on her, but the fact that he wouldn't speak to her about some things was getting on her nerves.
"Shades," a quiet voice spoke up from behind her. Shadybug turned around and hit Claw Noire in the face. He didn't really look fazed, he just seized her hand and slammed her up against the wall. With a gasp, she wrapped her legs around him and using the wall, flipped him and they crashed onto the ground. A gasp whooshed out of him.
"What-"
"Why are you being this way? Why are you hiding? Claw, tell me."
"I'm just the sidekick, so why do you care?"
Shadybug sighed. The truth came spilling out of her mouth.
"No, you're not just a sidekick to me. You're...a partner to me, whether or not we're both so full of hatred for each other, you are my partner. You're Claw Noire to me, you're-Well, you get the idea. But Claw Noire, do you remember our motto? You are mine, and I am yours. That's how I keep it. How I want it to stay, no matter what mood we're in, I have your back. Do you have mine?"
Silence fell. Then,-
"Yes."