Continuing Tales

Smoulder

A Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Story
by MidnightStarlightWrites

Part 23 of 35

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All was quiet in the Madeline café.

Few people milled about but, for the most part it was empty. Those who had chosen to eat were out on the patio enjoying the last remnants of heat before the supposed summer storm. The café itself was small, yet still sleek and modern. One wall was nothing but glass, offering spectacular views of the countryside and the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Plush chairs and round, mahogany tables were dotted evenly around the room and small booths lined the walls.

Nathanael tucked into a cosy corner booth, a contented sigh escaping his lips as he waited for Louis to join him. His fingers absently skimmed the edges of his stitches, awkwardly shifting his arm so they weren't touching anything. Although the stitches weren't on his drawing arm, they still got in the way- he couldn't wait to get rid of them. The fact that Louis insisted on going with him to the hospital again was something he looked forward to less.

"I know I'm not seeing a frown on that gorgeous face after such a relaxing massage, hmm?" The man in question slid into the seat opposite, placing a tray of desserts and herbal teas on the table.

Nathanael shook his head.

"No, I mean I guess? I was just thinking."

"Thinking? On a spa day?" Louis tutted in disapproval, handing Nathanael his tea cup with a teasing smile. Leaning back, he started on his tulipes and sorbet, licking his spoon with a brief look of utter bliss. "Really Nathanael can I ever get you to switch your mind off and enjoy the moment?"

Poking his tongue out at Louis, Nathanael took a sip of tea and thought for a moment. Louis, too busy falling in love with his dessert, didn't notice the mischievous look on his boyfriend's face.

"Well, you see, it's so hard to enjoy the moment with these stitches, they keep getting in the way!" Nathanael began, quickly moving in for the kill before Louis panicked and carried him fireman style to the infirmary. He leaned forwards, careful not to knock anything off the table. "So why don't you give me a taste of that dessert, honey?"

Louis almost choked on his spoon.

His cheeks turned darker, his chest bent over the table as he hacked and spluttered in shock. Nathanael wrinkled his nose in delight, quickly skimming over the room to check they really were out of earshot of anyone. When he was certain that the coast was clear, he dropped his voice.

"What's the matter love? You don't want to give me something sweet?" He jutted his lower lip out in a pout.

Louis snapped up, his body ram-rod straight, gripping the table tight. Nathanael pretended to ignore this action by busying himself with his tarte. It looked delicious.

"You are evil, mi amore," Louis rasped, a slight tremble in his voice. "Evil and wicked, and quite honestly- it's entirely too hot." He looked at his dessert with a frown that was only half serious. "My sorbet has almost melted and I blame you."

Nathanael rolled his eyes.

"You love it really. You're the only one who gets to see this side of me after all," he argued gently, breaking his tarte into little pieces with his spoon before eating it. As he did this, Louis stood up and stepped towards his side of the table. Nathanael looked up when a warm hand was placed on his head, trailing through his hair.

"I love you," Louis replied huskily, ending his caress at the base of Nathanael's neck, clutching the strands of his bright red hair and softly tugging backwards until Nathanael was looking straight in his eyes. "And, mi amore, if you want something sweet, allow me to oblige."

Dropping his head, Louis pressed a soft, slow kiss to Nathanael's lips. Moving his hands to capture Nathanael's face, he used his thumbs to caress Nathanael's cheeks. Nathanael, in retaliation and mainly because he knew there was nobody looking, gripped Louis' collar and pulled him down to deepen the kiss as his eyes closed lazily.

It was just as Nathanael got into the kiss properly that Louis slipped out of his grasp. With a graceful sweep, he glided back to his chair with a satisfied hum.

Nathanael crossed his arms, about to chide him for being a worse tease than he could ever hope to be-

But he never got the chance.

Louis noticed it first, being in the seat facing the window. His eyes widened at the sounds of screams, the people running past, the black objects falling from the sky.

Nathanael span around, gripping the back of the booth and using it to prop himself up. People outside were abandoning their tables and lounge chairs, some even forgetting their belongings in the process of getting away from the unseen threat.

His stomach twisted. Though there could be many reasons why people were panicking and fleeing, there were only two possibilities in his mind. He didn't know which one was worse.

Louis' hand was in his own in an instant, tugging him back to reality.

"Let's go," he said, voice uncharacteristically serious.

Nathanael didn't need telling twice. Allowing Louis to pull him from the booth, he followed him out through the patio doors and down the same path the others were running. Neither of them could tell what they were running from, but they were amongst those who had seen. Their yells confirmed what Nathanael thought, and it did nothing to calm his nerves. His grip on Louis tightened as they ran, as they heard people cry out a warning-

"AKUMA!"


Nino launched himself out of the water as soon as the lifeguard declared there was an akuma and they needed to evacuate. Grabbing Alya's arm, he helped her out of the jacuzzi, shaking his head in fear.

Adrien and Marinette pushed themselves out of the pool, Marinette widening her eyes in disbelief. Dread made poison out of her insides.

Of course, there was a possibility that the akuma wasn't who she thought it was, but her gut feelings were never usually wrong about these things.

She had a fair idea about who they were dealing with.

Before either of them could sneak off to transform, Alya and Nino joined them amidst the chaos. What was once a peaceful nirvana had turned into a scene from a disaster film. The sounds of thrashing water as people frantically swam to the edges of the pool, the stampeding footstep of people thundering out of the room, the sounds of the screaming outside- an endless echo drowning out the faint calming music until only terror remained in its stead.

"We've gotta go," Nino yelled over the din as Ayla fled to grab her bag from the side, making sure she had her phone. "Come on!"

"Damn it, I can't see shit without my glasses! How am I going to see when Ladybug and Chat Noir show up?" Alya bemoaned, as Nino ushered a protesting Adrien out of the room. Alya linked arms with Marinette, a silent gesture of worry. Nobody seemed to care that they were in their swimsuits, as everyone was too busy trying to get to safety. "And- you know- know where the hell I'm going."

"Babe, don't worry, I'll be your eyes!" Nino cried. He was short sighted, sure, but nowhere near as badly as Alya. Guiding both his girlfriend, and preventing Adrien from sneaking off again proved a difficult task for Nino as the four of them made their way through the men's locker rooms. Marinette looked over her shoulder wistfully, struggling against Alya's grip. They were getting further and further away from Tikki and her heart seemed to be shrinking as a result.

But over the years it had gotten harder and harder to escape Alya's attention when an akuma struck. Apparently, Marinette's excuses for sneaking away were an indication of how reckless she acted. Whenever she tried to argue how hypocritical that was, Alya always brushed her off.

Marinette's mind was working a mile a second, trying to figure out ways to get back to Tikki in order to transform. Daring to cast her eyes to a thin-lipped Adrien (whom she knew was having similar anxieties), she realised where exactly they were passing through.

The men's locker room.

His bag would be in here.

Plagg.

"Ouch!" Marinette cried out as she pretended to trip, stumbling into Adrien's side and landing in front of Nino- effectively separating the pair as they continued to run. She'd timed it well, as a family of five forced their way past them, followed by a storm of men from the steam rooms, clad only in their towels- the sight of which would have been funny in any other situation.

Marinette hid her smirk of triumph as she caught sight of a flash of blonde hair disappearing behind a row of lockers. Go get him, Kitty.

She could stay with Alya a little longer, let Chat Noir show up, and escape in the ensuing battle. It would be fine. She trusted him to hold his own for a little while.

It was only as they converged in the entrance hall that the others noticed Adrien missing.

Nino cursed up a storm, more from distress than anger, whilst Alya tried her best to grab a passer-by, a potential witness, in order to know what Ladybug and Chat Noir would be up against. But it was pandemonium, and she quickly gave up with a frustrated huff.

"Marinette!"

Marinette wheeled around at the sound of her name being called, relieved to see Louis and Nathanael hurrying towards them. The pair of them were breathless, their eyes reflecting Marinette's own sense of unease. She looked over her shoulder, hoping Chat would make an appearance soon and she could escape Alya's vice-like hold.

"We've got to evacuate as soon as possible," Louis said, his face sterner than Marinette had ever seen it and she blinked- taken aback at his seriousness. "There's an akuma."

"Yeah, bro, we know. Have you seen Adrien?" Nino asked, his face a grim line. "Man needs a tracking device I swear to god…"

They were interrupted with the sound of a young girl screaming, the five of them snapping their heads towards the sound.

It was a girl, no older than nine, crying on the floor as a fresh surge of spa-goers ran towards her. Marinette's eyes widened.

Before the little girl could be trampled, Marinette dashed forwards, scooping the girl into her arms and pulling her back to the side- where the rest of her friends were.

"Are you alright?" she asked the girl, checking for any injuries as she leaned down to the girl's eye level. Nino and Alya backed off a little, making sure the girl didn't feel too crowded. Nathanael kept his eyes glued to the door in case the akuma victim came their way.

The girl nodded through her tears, blonde ladybug-style pigtails bobbing as she did so. Her chin wobbled as she fought to calm herself down.

"My sister is trapped, p-please ask Ladybug to help her! All of them are stuck in the day-care- the lady just left us! She left us, and I can't find my mum or dad anywhere, then- then I fell," the girl warbled, trying to be strong despite her obvious distress.

Marinette glanced over at the group, watching their stunned, horrified and downright angry reactions to the news. The people in charge of looking after the children had abandoned them just like that?

"I've got to find my cousin," Alya growled bitterly, "you would have thought we'd see her today anyway but apparently, she's too busy."

Nino clicked his tongue.

"Yeah, too busy hiring useless cowards!"

Louis stepped forwards, fist clenched as he laid his other hand on the girl's shoulder.

"I'll go," he said, "I'll get your sister. I'll get them all."

It was then that Marinette remembered Louis' father was a policeman. Indeed, though he'd lost his father at a young age, he seemed to have learned a thing or two from his example.

"What? Louis no!" Nathanael cried, rushing towards him and leaning into his line of vision. "You don't know what this akuma is. They're dangerous! Trust me, I know."

Louis smiled reassuringly.

"Someone has to do something, someone has to get those children," he reasoned, "these people haven't done their jobs, and the police and Chat Noir and Ladybug aren't here yet. Who else is going to help? I am not my father, Nathanael-" he stood taller as he said it "-I will come back."

"You're not leaving me like that," Nathanael shot back, his face grave, "I'm coming with you. We'll do this together."

They shared a silent conversation which lasted no longer than the speed of a lightning bolt. Louis nodded.

"Guys are you sure?" Nino replied, his voice dropping as the sounds of the screams subsided. Marinette hoped that meant the akuma had chosen the opposite direction to strike. It would mean they were safe for the time being…

But that could also mean Chat was already fighting him and she would have no idea.

Damn it! So much for my brilliant plan.

"We'll meet you outside!" Nathanael called as the pair began to head back, following the signs towards the day-camp. They rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

As Nathanael ran after Louis, he wasn't quite looking where he was going, and managed to smack straight first into a small, Chinese man, sending them both tumbling to the floor like bowling pins. He blinked, dazed for a second, before pushing himself off the man, horrified by his clumsiness.

"Are you alright? I'm so sorry!" He gasped, pulling the old man to his feet and ignoring the pain in his arm as he did so. The man was so small; Nathanael was surprised he hadn't broken all his bones with the force of his fall.

The man brushed his colourfully patterned shirt and fixed him with a reassuring smile.

"I am fine, young man, and tougher than I seem," he said, his voice the kind of quiet calm which can only be achieved through age and wisdom, even amongst such widespread panic.

"Nathanael!"

Louis was dashing back towards him, having only just realised Nathanael wasn't close by.

"You have to stick by my side!" He cried, "If we're going to get the children together, you can't leave me without saying. We're a team."

Nathanael nodded.

"Yeah, I know hun, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going and I tripped" Nathanael apologised, turning to look at the old man- who was gazing curiously at Louis. "Are you sure you're ok Sir?"

"Positive," the old man replied as Louis tugged Nathanael away. "Good luck on your quest gentlemen."

The pair didn't stop to bid the man a proper goodbye, didn't notice the way he continued to stare as they hurried off down the path towards a smaller building and the sounds of children's cries.

Back in the entrance hall, Marinette was doing her best to sneak away, but it was to no avail.

"Go back and get your phone later!" Alya snapped as she dragged her towards the exit, Marinette trying desperately to dig her heels into the ground. "Come on, if we don't hurry we'll miss Ladybug and Chat Noir arriving! I want to see where the action is!"

"Can't I just catch up with you? I need my phone to message my parents! They'll want to know we're safe!" Marinette argued, getting more and more at her wits end. God if she'd left Chat alone with the akuma when she knew she could help…

"Just borrow mine and use it before the action starts!" Alya shot back with a cry of exasperation. "So you don't have your phone, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Alya's right," Nino agreed, placing his arm around the young girl (whom they now knew was called Tina) and grinning at her in what he hoped was an encouraging way, "we've got to go now. Ladybug and Chat Noir will be here soon, and they'll beat that akuma before you know it. Don't worry Marinette, it's gonna be fine!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that."

Marinette's insides turned to ice.

The four of them turned at the sound of the dark, deep voice, and subconsciously moved closer together for safety.

Heart dropping when she realised she was right, Marinette gazed at the akuma with fear in her nerves and fire in her eyes. She wouldn't let him know she was terrified. She wouldn't let him know how vulnerable she felt outside of her transformation, as his eyes fixated on her and she realised he'd been searching for her.

She wouldn't give Sebastian the satisfaction.

"There you are beautiful," he said, traipsing towards her, arms linked behind his back. Sebastian's akuma form was clad in a dark grey suit with an ugly pinstriped vest. His face was a pale, sickly grey. "I've been looking for you. You see, I have powers now, I'm better than all those other guys. We can be together."

Nino marched in front of the group, spreading his arms to block the girls from the akuma.

"Run. I'll hold off this fuckboy until the LB and Chat get here," he murmured, tilting his chin back towards them so that they could hear him, but Sebastian couldn't.

Unfortunately, Nino didn't account for the akuma's heightened senses, and blanched when Sebastian laughed- a horribly forced sound which sent shivers through all of them.

Tina whimpered.

"Hold me off? Typical white knight nonsense, same as that idiotic Chat Noir," Sebastian sighed, shaking his head. Marinette's eyes widened in alarm.

So, he and Chat had come to blows already…

She couldn't let herself think the worst. Her Chat was stronger than that.

"You girls are lucky to be in the presence of someone like me," Sebastian continued with a smirk that could only be described as slimy. He bobbed his head towards Nino. "This guy would drop like a fly, I'm the only one who can protect you here so choose wisely despite what your baser instincts might tell you."

Nino snorted, shooting Sebastian a scathing look.

"Really laying the nice guy thing on thick eh my guy?" He scoffed, rolling eyes. "What's next, hiding a fedora under there?"

Sebastian glared.

"Enough of this," he growled, removing his hands from his back and placing a small grey hat on his head. The hat glowed black and he pointed his arm straight at Nino.

Nino simply gaped at the fedora now resting atop Sebastian's head.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" He shrieked, half hysterical, his arms limp at his sides and his jaw slack.

"NINO LOOK OUT!" Alya cried, elbowing Nino out the way just in time for a blackened rose to materialise from Sebastian's hand, shooting straight towards them.

It struck Alya in the chest and she fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Alya!" Nino cried, darting towards her to help her up, even as he trembled from head to toe. "Babe are you ok?"

Alya shoved Nino off her, glancing at him with curled lips, her eyes now turned a steel grey colour.

"Get off of me you douche!" she sneered. "We're over. I can't believe I ever fell for a guy like you in the first place."

Nino's tried to cover the hurt on his face, and Marinette moved to shield Tina, who was now clinging to her arm. She whispered instructions to the girl to run towards the exit and wait for them just before the entrance to the car park. In the ensuing panic of Alya's bewitchment, Tina was able to sneak away unnoticed, which made Marinette breathe a little more easy- at least for a second.

"Don't you see?" Sebastian was imploring to her now, getting closer as Nino was distracted by a snarling Alya, trying to scratch her way out of his desperate hold on her shoulders. Marinette stepped backwards, swallowing thickly. Where was Chat? "I have all the power here. I'm the best choice for you. These types of guys seem nice but they're weak, and where's that pretty blonde of yours? Abandoned you at the first sign of trouble I bet. Typical, but you females never see it until it's too late."

"He didn't abandon me!" Marinette found her inner anger, her inner Ladybug, and her fingers clenched, itching for a fight. "And what did you do to Chat Noir, Sebastian?"

"He's distracted right now, by my girls," Sebastian replied with a wave of his hand, fixing his gaze on Alya and clicking his fingers. Alya immediately stopped struggling against Nino, instead she stood straight like a soulless tin soldier awaiting her orders. It was a sickening sight. "They actually listen to what I say. They're busy getting his miraculous for me." He chuckled, "And my name isn't Sebastian anymore, it's Nice Guy."

Marinette stopped worrying for Chat enough to force down a shriek of laughter. It was the worst akuma name she had ever heard. But she had to hide her amusement. It wouldn't do to make the akuma angrier, and she had to think of a way out of the stupid situation she'd gotten herself into, find a way to transform and get to Chat Noir before it was too late.

"Come with me, Marinette," Sebastian said, his voice taking a smooth, seductive stance which made bile rise in her throat. She hated the way her name sounded on his tongue, it didn't belong there. "Let me prove that my name isn't for show. I am a nice guy, I promise. I'll treat you right."

"You know," a voice from behind Sebastian called out and Marinette's eyes lit up. Her heart felt like it was going to burst in relief, "there's a saying about nice guys."

Chat Noir extended his staff, swiping it to side until it struck Sebastian and sent him flying into the marble counter. The force of the impact cracked the marble, sending clouds of dust in the air.

"They finish last," Chat smirked triumphantly, twirling his baton with pride.

"Chat!" Marinette cried, stopping herself from rushing towards him and throwing her arms around him. Nino was here. It would raise questions.

Chat locked eyes with her and leapt over to them. Nino used the time to try to snap Alya out of her trance, calling her name over and over, waving a hand in front of her face. But whatever Sebastian had done with that click seemed permanent, at least until Ladybug used her Miraculous Cure.

"We've got to get you out of here, safe," Chat said seriously, eyes sparkling behind his mask. "He's after you."

"Chat Noir, you've gotta do something!" Nino span around, desperate. "My girl, she's under his spell and I can't- I can't- she's- I don't know what to do."

Marinette felt a wave of sympathy at the helplessness in Nino's voice, but pride rose in her at Chat's confident, reassuring gaze. She noticed the brief glimpse of worry as he looked at Alya, his friend, but he quickly masked it.

"We'll fix it, I promise," He replied. "See if you can carry her out of here and I'll-"

But they never got to find out what Chat was going to do. The force of several blood red roses hit him as though they had the weight of boulders behind them, and he smacked into the opposite wall.

Marinette turned to Nino and screamed at him to take Alya and run to where Tina was. She ignored Nino's protests, already half way towards Chat by the time he'd realised what she was doing. Instinct guided her. Chat needed to be ok, needed to cover her whilst she snuck away to transform.

Just before she got to Chat she felt something heavy tackle her from behind and she fell hard to the floor. Still in her bikini, she winced as her exposed skin rubbed against the tiled floor, burning.

"I will have you! One way or another, you're going to be mine!" Sebastian spat, the air around him seemed energised by his madness, and Marinette briefly saw the glow of a purple butterfly around his eyes. He lifted one hand up, using the other to press against her chest, pinning her.

Marinette struggled against his hold, trying to grab anything sensitive, anything which might give her a brief advantage. But then his hand began to glow, and Marinette saw the black petals forming in front of her eyes.

Her heart stopped.

Oh god.

He was going to-

"GET OFF ME!" she screamed. Miraculously wiggling her arm free, she slashed her fingers against his eye, making sure to bury her nails deep and not let go.

Sebastian howled in pain and Marinette was grateful akumas had some form of weakness outside of their akumatised object, even if they seemed invulnerable to most people. It was only a second, but it was a second she took full advantage of. Placing both her palms on his shoulders, she shoved him off her with all the force she had, and scrambled to her feet, where Chat was waiting.

She'd never seen Chat look quite so venomous as he did looking at Sebastian. He looked like he wanted to murder him.

Before she could say anything, Chat scooped her into his arms and ran towards the exit, only to be blocked by a wave of girls. One look and Marinette could tell they were the girls Sebastian had talked about. Their dead-eyed, obedient stares would haunt her in a way the Miraculous Cure would never be able to heal.

"Not these again!" Chat cried, spinning around and hurrying to the other exit towards the tennis courts. But that was blocked too.

"Chat, the roses!" Marinette warned as Sebastian sent a whole sea of blackened roses their way. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck as Chat sprang into the air, almost to the ceiling, dodging every single one as he ran through the doors of the men's locker room. Sebastian was close on his tail, screeching the whole way- all manner of false gentlemanly behaviour thoroughly gone from his countenance.

"YOU WILL BE MINE!"

Chat kicked the doors of the jacuzzi pool open, effortlessly breaking a lounge chair into pieces and wrapping the metal leg around the door handles to seal them shut. From the other side, Sebastian slammed against the door, the sound so loud that it seemed to make everything inside of Marinette jump a foot in the air.

As Chat looked for another way to hold the door until Ladybug arrived, Marinette turned heel and raced into the ladies' locker room opposite them. She wasted no time searching for her locker, despairing at just how maze-like the dumb changing room was, how all the lockers looked the same. This was impossible.

She was just about to give up and trust that she was alone, that all the other women had fled, so that she could yell for Tikki, when a voice startled her.

"What are you doing?"

Marinette jumped, surprised to find Chat by her side, his face pale.

"Chat-"

"You can't just run off like that, Princess," he replied shaking his head. Whatever ideas he had, whatever suspicions, however sure he'd been a few days ago- it didn't matter. Not now. "You saw what he almost did to you. He's after you, Marinette!"

He stepped forward, clasping her hand in between his own.

"Please don't leave my side, don't leave my sight like that until I know you're safe," he begged, breathless and desperate. "I promise I'll protect you from that bastard, I promise he won't hurt you. You mean too much to me. So just stay by my side ok?"

It wasn't fair.

As Marinette looked up at her partner, her love's, face she realised just how desperately unfair the situation was. This wasn't what she'd wanted at all. This wasn't what she'd wanted for them.

But then, when had things ever gone her way? She should have known better.

God, it was so unfair. He didn't deserve this.

"I won't leave your side," she whispered, throwing her arms around him. He caught her, body tense for a second before he relaxed into her embrace.

Marinette allowed herself a second to breathe. She knew the akuma was out there waiting, she knew he'd be coming to get her. But, just for a moment, she let herself drown in Chat's comforting warmth, to feel the softness of the hairs on the back of his neck, to bury her cheek in his strong shoulder. She allowed herself to feel him, be comforted by the fact that- no matter what happened- she was so glad it was him.

"I'm not going anywhere Adrien."

She heard Chat inhale sharply, and took a step away from him to meet his eyes, to see the look of shock and confusion in them, his lips parted.

"Marinette," he choked, "what-"

She shook her head.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want you to find out this way. I didn't want it to be like this, after you tried so hard to find me," she said, wrapping her arms around herself. Marinette took a deep shuddering breath, and watched Chat's eyes widen further as the realisation of her words struck him.

The final barrier was gone.

"Tikki!" she yelled, her voice echoing around the empty changing room. "Spots on!"

Smoulder

A Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir Story
by MidnightStarlightWrites

Part 23 of 35

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