Running from the Night (A Ladybug and Chat Noir Fanfic)

Chapter 1

Chat Noir jumped from rooftop to rooftop. The Paris skyline brightened from the dark night sky to a colourful sunrise. His boots thudded against the roofs with every step. His heart pounded with effort as the windows to his room began to come into view. With a final leap, he soared across the gap and through the window. It was still open from when he had left his room yesterday. He softened the sound of his heavy boots hitting the ground by rolling into a somersault and gracefully standing.

"Plagg, Claws out," he said, ending in a yawn as the black cat kwami flew out of his ring. Adrien, now in his school clothes from the previous day, shuffled to his bed and fell onto it, letting his body bounce from the impact.

"You know it's already morning, right kid?" Plagg said wearily floating towards his stash of cheese. He was just as exhausted as Adrien, who merely grunted a response. Before the kwami had time to reach his cheese, a sharp knock came from the bedroom door. Adrien and Plagg both looked up towards it before sending each other a confused glance.

"Yes?" Adrien called tentatively.

"Your father has requested your presence for breakfast, Adrien," Natalie's voice was muffled through the door but sounded more annoyed than usual, "don't keep him waiting."

Adrien didn't bother to reply as he heard her heels click against the floor away from his room. He rushed to the bathroom to change and fix himself up so he didn't look as exhausted as he felt.

"I told you you shouldn't be staying out so late, kid," although Plagg was keeping his tone light, Adrien could sense the kwami was being more serious than he usually let on.

They had been arguing more and more lately about Adriens "reckless" use of the miraculous to see his new girlfriend, but Adrien was vehement that he was being perfectly careful. Still he couldn't help but feel a tendril of doubt that he had covered his tracks. It was too easy to fall asleep at Marinette's while they watched a movie or forget about the time when they had dates on the Eiffel tower. It didn't help his doubt that Plagg was the one scolding him for being reckless.

"It'll be fine Plagg, I'm sure father just wants to go over a new clothing line or tell me about scheduling changes for my photoshoots," Adrien called trying to sound casual but the doubt had crept into his throat. He finished washing his face and walked to the door of his room, letting Plagg catch up to him and hide in his pocket.

Adrien had made his way to the large doors that led into the dining room. He stopped with his hand placed on the cold metal handle. His heart had begun to race with the anxiety of what would make his father summon him to breakfast. He let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding and willed himself to calm down, there probably wasn't even anything wrong. He pushed open the door and glanced at his father. He sat across the long table with Nathalie standing at his side, scrolling through the tablet she always carried with her.

"I don't like to be kept waiting, Adrien," Gabriel's cold voice echoed in the large empty room.

"I'm sorry father, I tried to get down as fast as I could," Adrien said, not looking his father in the eye, he didn't want to see the disappointment he knew was there. He pulled out his seat, cringing as it squeaked unceremoniously across the floor.

"In fact I have been waiting for you to come home all night," Adrien's blood ran cold, he glanced up to see Gabriel and Nathalie staring directly at him, "the rules are simple Adrien yet you still manage to disobey me!" He said, his voice rising sharply.

"I-I went out to see my friends and we fell asleep watching a movie," Adrien stammered the half truth, trying to regain his composure, but he wasn't used to the fierce anger he felt coming from his father. He could deal with cold disappointment but this was something different.

"Don't lie to me, Adrien! I know you snuck out last night, and I will not have that under my roof!" Gabriel's voice raised to a yell as he slammed his fist against the table, punctuating his last sentence.

"I'm sorry, father, it won't happen again," Adrien said.

At least not that you'll know of, Adrien thought to himself.

"No, it won't. You're grounded for the foreseeable future. Your door will remain open, and you will have supervision at all times. Do I make myself clear, Adrien?" He said in a dark, quiet voice that pierced the thick silence.

"Yes, father," Adrien said numbly, "can I be excused for school now?"

He looked up only long enough to see his father give him a sharp nod before saying something quietly to Natalie. Adrien pushed himself out of the chair, any appetite for breakfast long gone. Once he was clear of the dining room, Plagg peaked his head out with a grim expression.

"I'm sure everything will be okay kid, this whole thing will blow over before long," Plagg said with a forced brightness to his words. Adrien only gave him a weak smile, knowing the kwami was trying his best to be supportive, but he knew that this was just the beginning to the end of his already limited freedom.