Trapped

Category: Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug y Chat Noir

Genre: Drama, Romance.

Classification: K+

Words: 723

Paring: Adrinette, LadyNoir

Ladybug passed her fingers across the stinging pain she felt in her right arm and felt it damp. She didn't know if it was still bleeding, but she didn't want to find out. She wanted to cry. It wasn't because of her wounds, but because everything that had happened. Chat Noir's back pressed against hers was probably the only thing preventing her to break down.

The abandoned building's floor was full of sharp and dangerous things that could hurt anyone who wasn't careful, and thanks to her twisted ankle, she had been completely dependent of her partner and his night vision, so she had let him guide her in the dark across the room. He had suggested to carry her in his arms, always with that flirty smile he wore even in the most difficult of times, but she knew his shoulder was wounded too, so she declined it. Instead, she leaned on his good shoulder and limped until he helped her sit on a clear spot near a corner.

Outside, police sirens and ambulances screamed in the night waking up and alerting Paris. Everyone was probably wondering where were their heroes, and why didn't they show up and save the city. But they couldn't. Their transformations were about to wear off and they couldn't even leave the building, because the moment they did, the Akuma, who had turned out to be the most lethal of all that they had faced, would find them, and steal their Miraculous Stones. That would be the end of Ladybug and Chat Noir. And of Paris, for all that matter.

She was scared, and felt lost. And just to remind her of the impossibility of the situation, her earrings beeped and another dot disappeared, leaving only one left. In the silence, she could hear another beep and she knew Chat Noir was running out of energy too.

"What do you suggest?" she asked her partner in a whisper that he was able to hear only thanks to how close they were sitting.

He didn't answer immediately.

"I think it's better to wait here" he said at last "At least until things calm down"

Ladybug thought that too, but she had felt insecure about saying it out loud, and feeling insecurity wasn't something she was used to when she was wearing the red suit. She nodded once to let him know she agreed and they stayed silent again.

Chat Noir sighed, and then leaned to support himself on his left hand just to realize he had put it on top of Ladybug's. He attempted to quit it quickly, because he didn't want her to think he was taking advantage of the situation. It was pretty obvious that their transformations were about to fade in a few minutes and they couldn't do anything about it. But she took his hand before he could move it away, and even laced their fingers together. He then knew she was more scared than she seemed.

He was scared too. He didn't know if Nino, his father, Nathalie and Cloé were safe. Would Alya and Marinette be okay? The two of them had been spending time with him and Nino, and Adrien was happy to have more friends. Ladybug surely had people she cared about too.

Neither of them had mentioned the elephant in the room, but they didn't need to. Chat Noir decided he would keep facing the other way, only feeling her back against his, hopefully giving her comfort and taking some for him in exchange. And maybe, with both of their luck joined, things would turn out fine at the end.

The earrings and the ring seemed to synchronize in a last beep and Plagg and Tikki came out of the items.

Marinette felt his claws and the leather disappear to leave a simple hand holding her, the hand of a normal boy.

Adrien felt the spandex evaporate under his skin to leave just a cold hand pressed against his, and for the fist time, he noticed the contrasting difference between their sizes.

The kwamis snuggled towards them, completely exhausted and feeling guilty. Tikki murmured and apology. Without cheese or cookies, they could only relay on rest to recover.

Adrien and Marinette didn't say anything else, but they kept holding hands and feeling their mutual heartbeat until the sunrise came.