Marinette decided that after the surprise visit from Adrien and the awkward encounter between the two of them, she needed to go on patrol and get her mind off of things.
"I'm assuming we're going out tonight, Marinette?" Tikki Asked. Her kwami could always read her so well. Marinette nodded with a small smile, and Tikki readied herself.
"Yep. Tikki, spots on!" The pink kwami spiraled through the air and into Marinette's earring. The girl then transformed in a blast of pink light into her fierce alter ego, Ladybug.
"Are you upset about Adrien, Mari?" Tikki Asked her internally.
"I just need to go out," she answered, "get some fresh air, you know? Besides, I haven't patrolled in a few days."
"Okay, whatever makes you happy," Tikki said sweetly. Marinette went out on her balcony and began to leap through the Parisian sky, making her usual rounds. She always passed Alya and Nino's apartment, and made her way past her parent's bakery. She then made her way around the streets, and stood in the Eiffel Tower, looking over Paris with a feeling of pride. She decided to make a quick run by the Agreste estate just to see if all was well. She quickly leapt by the giant glass windows in a flash of pink and black.
Just then, Adrien had turned over in his bed to face out his window and look at the night sky. He blinked at a familiar sight leaping through the air.
"Is that...?" He sat up slowly, prompting Plagg to look out the window himself. The kwami flew to the window to see what Adrien was talking about. He turned back to the boy.
"It's her! It's really her!" He said excitedly, thinking fondly on the prospect of possibly seeing Tikki again. Adrien leapt immediately to his feet, and without thinking...
"Plagg, claws out!" He said loudly.
"Wait! Kid don't you think-" but it was too late, as he'd already gone into Adrien's ring and transformed him into the devilishly dashing Chat Noir. He immediately went after who he could only assume was Ladybug, vaulting himself from building to building, nostalgia flooding him at the feeling of the night air on his face and body. And then he saw her. Sitting, leaned forward resting her chin in her hand, looking somewhat bored, swinging her legs over Paris in the Eiffel Tower. She was beautiful under the dim lamplight. He landed on a nearby building, watching her for a while, admiring the beauty he had missed so much.
"Well, since we're here, are you actually gonna go talk to her? Or are you just gonna be a creep all night?" Plagg jibed.
"Shut it, Plagg," Adrien said quietly, "I'm going." He readied himself mentally and physically, feeling oddly nervous. He took a deep breath, and vaulted himself up onto the tower, landing silently. He walked up behind her and leaned against a beam, picking his tail up and spinning it around in a circle. He was shrouded in shadow, making his green eyes glow brightly.
"Is m'lady feline lonely tonight?" He said flirtatiously, a small smirk on his face. Ladybug's head shot straight up as she took in a sharp breath, but she didn't turn around. That familiar voice, it couldn't possibly be...
"Chat Noir?" She said softly as she turned around to look at him. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He'd... definitely grown up, that was for sure. She hadn't seen him in about three years. He'd gone completely radio silent. He smiled at her.
"Miss me, bugaboo?" He said, stepping out into the light, fully revealing his dark figure. Ladybug stood up and immediately ran to him, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly.
"Oh my god, Chat!" She let go and took a step back. As she looked at him, her warm smile faded into a deep frown. Her eyebrows furrowed and she crossed her arms. Chat's head tilted to the side in confusion, noticing her quick change in demeanor.
"M'lady?" He said inquisitively. She shook her head and stepped toward him again angrily.
"Where the hell have you been?!" She said, jabbing him in the chest with a long finger. His ears flattened against his head in fear, and he began taking small, slow steps backwards with his hands up defensively. "I haven't seen you in years after you suddenly stopped showing up one day. You never answered my calls. You just left with out saying a word to me. And you have the audacity to show up here again, with your stupid flirty self and terrible puns, and just think I'll welcome you back with open arms?" She stood below him, her blue eyes boring into his green, fire burning within her. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow expectantly.
"I-I... Ladybug, I'm sorry," he said defensively, "I had matters of my own to attend to, and... I'd honestly thought we had disbanded before I left."
"Disbanded? What does that even mean?"
"Well, you know, akuma attacks hadn't happened for a really long time, and... I don't know... we stopped seeing each other all the time like we had," he explained. "I wouldn't have left if I had known you needed me, Ladybug."
"Of course I needed you, Chat! How could I not?! We were partners! A team! You don't do that to your partner like that!" She scolded him. He shrunk back. "You should have told me."
"Well what did you want me to do?!" Chat defended himself. "You're the one who always argued keeping our personal lives out of this work, are you not?! I wasn't about to disclose my personal information with you, especially after you told me so adamantly so many times that it would 'be a bad idea.' So, I'm really sorry. I'm a dick, I guess, for doing what you wanted." They both sat at an impasse for a while before Chat sighed. He walked past her and sat where she had just been. Her eyes followed him, then so did she. "I wanted to tell you... I just couldn't. You have to understand that." She hung her head a bit, thinking for a moment.
"I know... I'm sorry. I've just..." she sighed, then looked up at him warmly, "I've really missed you, kitty. Paris isn't the same without my other half by my side." He looked down at her bright blue eyes and smiled.
"I've missed you too, bugaboo." They looked at each other for a moment, and Ladybug oddly enough found herself swimming in Chat's green eyes. He laughed and held his arms out. "Well, are you gonna give your kitty some love now or what? " She laughed too and wrapped her arms around him. She really had missed him a lot. And although it did hurt a bit that he'd left so silently, she understood why she did it, and figured she would probably have done the same.
"I can't believe you're back, Chat. Paris really has been dull without you in it, you know?" Ladybug said as she pulled away from the embrace.
"Yeah, I am purr-etty claw-some," He said with a smirk. Ladybug punched him in the shoulder as she rolled her eyes.
"Oh my god, I may have missed you, but I did not miss your terrible puns," she sighed.
"Aw, bugaboo, that's pre-paw-sterous! Puns are all part of the package! Can't have Chat without his fur-nny phrases!" He winked and gave a confident finger gun.
"Wha- was that supposed to be the word 'funny?'" She raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, duh, why?"
"Oh god, that's awful," she laughed, "seriously, you're terrible. Your puns are so lame."
"Oh come on, m'lady! Don't be a hater," he said, narrowing his eyes and leaning forward towards her. She leaned back as he did this and put her fingers to his mouth, gently pushing his face away with an eye roll.
"Oh, kitty, don't think you're gonna get a kiss now, silly," she shook her head.
"Aw, but your kitty wants some lovin'!" He wined jokingly.
"You haven't changed a bit, Chat Noir," she sighed, shaking her head as she looked at him. Her eyes fell to his arms and her eyebrows raised the slightest bit. He had definitely toned up. A lot. She cleared her throat and looked away. Chat raised an eyebrow, noticing this.
"Oh? You're sure about that, bugaboo? Nothing has changed?" He said, faking nonchalance as she flexed a bicep. She looked at him dead in the eyes.
"No," she deadpanned, "you're still a complete child."
"I don't think either of us are children anymore," he said seriously, looking her back in her blue eyes. They then trailed slowly down her neck, to her chest-
"Eyes up here, chaton," she said, lifting his chin with one finger. He hid the small blush that had settled on his face. She stood then, and his eyes couldn't help but quickly find their way down her whole body. She had definitely gotten older. She then held her hand out to him. "Hey, since you're home... why don't we patrol together, like we used to?" He grinned widely, taking her hand. He felt like a kid again just hearing those words.
"Hell yes! I've missed that so much," he said warmly as he stood.
"Well, lets get going then," she said. She jumped off of the ledge and free fell for a while until she threw her yo-yo to a telephone pole and whipped herself over a few buildings. Chat watched after her with loving eyes for a second before vaulting off the side himself, following quickly after her. They went all over Paris, past the bakery and the school, and past city hall. He'd missed this. The wind in his hair, his lady by his side, and the familiar sights of Paris. This was by far one of the best feelings he'd ever known. Finally, they ended up in the park sitting on one of the benches.
"This is amazing. I don't know how I lived without doing this for so long," Chat said, looking around, his eyes finally falling on Ladybug. She smiled at him.
"I don't know how I've done it without you for so long," she said," it was so boring." She crossed her legs and sighed. Chat turned on the bench, putting his feet up on it and laying his head back to rest in Ladybug's lap. Her eyes widened a bit in surprise, but she smiled, beginning to run her fingers through his hair. It... felt somehow natural. He looked up at her and blinked, surprised by her action. He closed his eyes with a smile, melting into the feeling. Suddenly, a low sound came from deep in his chest. Ladybug jumped a bit and lifted her hand.
"Did... did you just purr?" She said in confusion.
"Um..." Chat's face went red and he looked away. "N-no, I didn't..." Ladybug raised her eyebrow and smirked slightly, resuming the petting. The sound came again, and he looked up at her in embarrassment, but she didn't seem to even really notice or mind. He let out a small sigh of relief. He melted into the feeling again and purred freely. They sat like this for a long time, neither of them talking, but both basking in the feeling of being reunited. Finally, Ladybug spoke.
"Chaton?" He said quietly.
"Mm?" He mumbled, seeming nearly asleep.
"It's two in the morning," she chuckled. "And, my legs are asleep."
"Aww... but m'lady..." he groaned."
"Come on, get up," she coaxed. "You need some sleep, and so do I."
"Okay," he relented, sitting up and stretching in a feline-esqe manner. The two stood up and looked at each other again.
"It was good to see you again, Chat Noir," she said with a sweet smile. He smiled back.
"You too, Ladybug." With that, she bounced away and started off toward home. He watched her as she flew through the air, and then turned on his own way home. Once he got there, he detransformed and flopped down on his bed with a long sigh. Plagg floated down near his head.
"Well, kid, how do you feel now that you got to see the love of your life?" He jibed.
"Amazing," Adrien said lovingly as he turned over on his back and looked up at the ceiling. He had no doubt in his mind that he'd made the right decision by coming back home. She was here, and that was all he needed.