Chat Noir X Reader: The Muse

Chapter 28: The First Kiss of the Sun (Part 2)

Chat took a step forward and the spider's purple eyes widened.

She stumbled back, all the confidence gone from her gaze as she stared at Chat's hands in fear. "You don't have the guts–"

"Try me," he said, getting closer.

The spider froze. The purple outline of a mask hovered over her face, and as she opened her mouth, a different voice left her lips. A man's voice. "Do it."

"Stop!" Hurried steps echoed from the corridor and Ladybug and Queen Bee appeared.

Chat halted and stared at them with wide eyes. His hands lost their green glow, making the room fall into darkness again.

A rumbling sound came from the spider and the scarf around her hair began to crumble like threads of cloth. Her huge body began to disintegrate, and it was about to fall on top of you and Chat, crushing you both.

Before you could even have a proper reaction other than 'well, I'm gonna die', the cat hero grabbed you by the waist and took you to a safe corner at the same time that Queen Bee flew and caught an unconscious Aimée before she fell to the ground. Safe by Chat's side, you saw Ladybug catch a dark butterfly that flew from the scarf.

You stared at Chat's troubled face as Lady used her power to purify the akuma and fix the mess it had done. The blonde stared up at the pink lights circling the room and didn't look your way.

You grabbed his gloved hand, making him finally turn to you.

"You're shaking," you said, entwining your fingers with his.

He lowered his gaze, cat ears pulled back. "It's nothing."

"Doesn't seem like it." You insisted and waited for his response. Chat's silence spurred you to continue. "Is it about what the spider said?"

The blonde sighed. "I shouldn't have reacted so strongly." He looked up at you. "But every time you get involved, I just..." He closed his eyes and another sigh left his lips.

"Hey, it's okay." You put your other hand on his face, caressing his cheek. "I'm okay. You're okay." You squeezed Chat's hand. "It's what matters, right?"

He just stared at you for a moment before a smile appeared on his lips and he squeezed your hand back. "Right."

You smiled as well, glad that he seemed to be calmer. You would still ask him about that 'god of destruction' thing, but now wasn't the right time.

The pink light faded and everything was back in place. Even the fire lighting the torches was alive again. People who once were in the cocoons began to wake up and look around. Even the ones who had been consumed by the spider had come back, which made you wonder how Ladybug's power could revert death. Did it have some sort of limit?

You decided to ask Lady or Chat that question later, maybe even Bee. There were so many questions on your mind that you'd have to start archiving them.

Chat went to help the still confused people get up and you joined him. Queen Bee was carrying them out of the maze by air one by one. Aimée had been the first one to be taken away, and you wondered how she was doing.

Chat walked to Gabriel Agreste and helped the man to his feet. He was even paler now, looking around with a hand massaging his temples.

"Ah, thank you..." The man gazed at Chat with a troubled expression. You furrowed your brows as you watched the exchange. Didn't Gabriel know about Chat?

"Chat Noir, sir." Chat said with a small smile and something akin to pity in his voice.

"Ah, yes, yes... Chat Noir." The man nodded as Chat helped him get down from the catwalk. "Chat Noir..." The man kept repeating the name over and over as Bee carried him into the air. You watched him go with a heavy heart. He really didn't seem well. Maybe it was better for Gabriel to retire after all.