Noir Spots

Death To the Bug

boom chicka boom boom

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All Noir could see was brilliant, inviting pink.

She barely had a second to scramble backwards and squeeze her eyes shut before the glow of a lost transformation disappeared.

Noir was breathing heavily, heart racing at the thought of her partner in civilian form. Every hair on her body was standing up and desperately telling at her to look, look, look.

But she couldn't look. She couldn't. She wouldn't. It was an invasion of privacy, a betrayal of the highest caliber.

But the pink was so tempting, so sweet...

And the little voice in her head was screaming for her to look.

The voice sounded suspiciously like Plagg.

Look, kid! I'm so bored and I really want you to spill the tea!

The tea? Noir tried not to laugh, this was a serious moment.

I've been watching a lot of RuPaul lately. Plagg admitted

How would you even do that?

We all have our secrets. Noir could almost hear Plagg's smirk.

Is that why my Netflix account is full of recommendations to watch a bunch of lgbtq movies?

No?

"Ladybug?" Noir whispered. "Are you okay?"

Tell her she's spicy.

Noir was so close to smacking herself upside the head.

A few sniffles and squeaky murmurs from what Noir assumed was Ladybug's Kwami, came from a few feet away.

Open your eyes you boring little rat.

"I am not a rat!"

Noir grimaced. Why did she say that out loud? Ladybug was having a panic attack and Noir was arguing with a tiny cat in her head.

"Rat?" Ladybug whispered, her voice was barely a whisper.

If you're a rat then she's a little mouse. Maybe she has some cheese for me. She sounded hoarse but the lack of sobbing and hiccuping was a good sign.

"Plagg! It was Plagg!" Noir tried to laugh it off it off but I came out as more of a choking noise.

Ladybug let out a small laugh.

After a few moments of silence, Noir couldn't take it anymore. "Is--is there anything I can do?"

It took a few minutes for Ladybug to respond.

Each second was agonizing, Noir couldn't stop focusing the little ticks from the clock as each and every second stabbed her cat ears. Those minutes were the worst of Noir's life.

"Claws." Ladybug whispered, her voice was so quiet that without her enhanced hearing, Noir would have missed it. "It's the claws."

The hero took a deep breath, allowing the words to wash over her like cold water. It wasn't her that was the problem, it was the claws that must have reminded her of Chat Noir.

She could fix that.

"Claws in." Noir whispered, really hoping Ladybug still had her eyes closed.

Her eyes better be open.

Shut up.

"Do you..." Chloé paused, feeling vulnerable without her suit. "Do you want a hug?"