"Just a Friend?" Book 1 of "Secrets Unraveled" Trilogy (MLB FanFic) |COMPLETED|

Chpt 21: So this is why superheroes aren't supposed to share too much!

Ladybug and Cat Noir met that night to patrol the city again. They crossed the city from rooftop to rooftop, pausing occasionally to look down- things seemed a little calmer, at least they hoped that was the case. They eventually stopped on a building overlooking the Seine River and stood next to each other companionably for a while. Eventually Cat Noir turned toward her and asked "Do you miss being Ladybug? I mean, the way you were using your powers just a few weeks ago?"

Ladybug thought about the question. "My life- my normal life- has been really busy these past few weeks and a lot of things have changed, so I guess right now I haven't missed it. Not being Ladybug has kept things a little more simple. But, I think I would miss it. I feel more confident as Ladybug, which I like, and I get to solve problems that are important. I know I would miss my kwami as she's a really good friend."

"Yeah, I would miss my kwami, too. He's kind of a grumpy imp, with a strange interest in stinky cheese and socks- though, the sock thing did kind of help me out." Ladybug gave him a confused look. Cat Noir rushed on, hoping that Ladybug wouldn't press for more information about that. "But anyway. . . I like the freedom of being Cat Noir. It's not like my normal life. I would miss almost everything about it." He turned back to look over the river.

"What wouldn't you miss?" Ladybug asked him. She vaguely realized that they probably shouldn't be sharing so much with each other since their identities were supposed to remain a secret, but she found she enjoyed talking with him. And what was the likelihood they really knew each other anyway? she thought. Paris is a really big city!

"The secrets," he said quietly. "I've never liked keeping secrets and now that I have someone new in my life, I'm hating the secrets even more." Cat Noir wondered why he was even thinking of talking about Marinette with Ladybug, but he hadn't been able to tell anyone else about his new relationship with Marinette yet. He obviously hadn't been able to talk to Marinette's mom, like he would have if it were anything else. He wanted to share his secret with someone. And who would Ladybug tell? he thought. And it's not like Ladybug would be jealous. Maybe she would even feel relieved that I wasn't interested in her like that anymore.

Ladybug wondered who Cat meant by someone new. A girl? A feeling of jealousy welled up. Jealous, thought Ladybug, of a girl that Cat's interested in? That makes no sense. When have I ever been interested in Cat? Her mind, though, brought up that scene on the rooftop not so long ago, when her Marinette self had acted like she was going to kiss Cat. She supposed she had been a little interested in Cat Noir and the thought of kissing him had briefly flitted through her mind. She liked Cat better when he was around her and not Ladybug- when they talked about things and he wasn't always trying to kiss her or touch her or say some annoying thing that for some reason he thought was cute. Ladybug had told him she wasn't interested in him like that! Though, recently when they've had this time to actually talk as superheroes, he hadn't been so over the top. They had even had some conversations which she really enjoyed. But she and Adrien were in a relationship now. I can't possibly still be interested in Cat! she thought, feeling a little guilty.

To distract herself from her own internal discord she said "If this person cares for you, they will be patient and accepting of who you are, even if they don't understand everything about you." She had a feeling she was saying this to reassure herself as much as him.

"Do you really think so? That a person would be accepting of me having to leave unexpectedly with only a lame excuse to give them?" he asked her doubtfully, but still with a little bit of hope in his voice. He'd been grateful that he hadn't yet had to lie to Marinette so he could race to save the city as Cat Noir. How would that go? he wondered.