Uptown, Downtown (Chat Noir x Reader) - Book 1

34 | The Mad Hatter

The silence around you felt like a warning; a thousand unheard screams telling you to turn around and run away, out of this city, and back to England. There was nowhere to look without being reminded of your dangerous situation.

"I still don't understand why you get to have her," your mother pouted, referring to Ladybug, who you were currently carrying on your back.

(You'd picked her up after seeing that she was bleeding, and taken the chains off her.)

"You shouldn't treat her like that," you spoke without thinking.

"She can treat whoever she likes however she likes," this new voice was familiar, yet also had an edge of insanity you found very unsettling.

You slowly turned around, to see your father, decked out in a blazer and coat, with a top hat and a cane, very much reassembling the iconic Alice in Wonderland character. Not daring to take your gaze off him, you watched him approach.

"Afterall," he laughed, "she is The Queen of Hearts, and I am The Mad Hatter. We answer to nobody, and we will do as we like."

"Quite right, dear," your mother agreed, prancing over to him, and looping her arm through his.

"I wouldn’t say that," you mumbled, "you're both still under Hawkmoth's influence. You're not completely free to do whatever the hell you like."

Your parents exchanged a look, one of untold secrecy, before grinning, and looking back at you. "Ah, my (Y/n), still so sharp!" your mother exclaimed, with too much enthusiasm.

"Maybe you're right," your dad shrugged, "we will see. But for now…" his eyes narrowed, like a fox closing in on its prey, and he lifted a hand carelessly, "I can do anything I want."

All of a sudden, Ladybug was lifted from your grasp, and dragged through the air, over to your mum and dad. You cried out, rushing forwards, but was met with a strange force that held you in position, so you could only watch helplessly as the heroine was pulled over to them.

Your mother smiled sweetly at you, before reaching up, to take off Ladybug's earrings; "Don't touch her!" you yelled, struggling in vain against something you couldn't see.

However, someone came to your aid. A blur of black barrelled past, catching Ladybug, and touched down next to you — all of a sudden, the awful sensation holding you back was released, and you toppled forwards, just about steadying yourself. You looked to your left, and found Chat Noir, holding Ladybug tightly, with a fury in his eyes you didn't see too often.

Especially considering he was — well — Adrien.

"What do you think you're doing?" he spat, practically bristling with anger.

"Oh, the cat boy," your father remarked nonchalantly, leaning on his cane.

Your mother shook her head disapprovingly, "You should've just stayed hidden, love, it would've slowed us down to take your Miraculous."

You ran over to Chat Noir, ignoring your parents' sneers, and checked over Ladybug, examining the cut on her forehead, from where she was bleeding. "It's not too deep," you confirmed.

"Thanks for trying to protect her," Chat Noir murmured, reaching out and holding your wrist gently.

You blinked, heating up a bit at the contact, before trying to smile; "No problem."