Chapter Text

Chapter 1

Spring arrived in Paris with as much fanfare as it could. Flowers pushed themselves through melted soil to greet an ever waiting sun as warmth flowed across the land. Days heated, insects woke, cats carolled. Crouching on the rooftops of Paris, Chat Noir followed the line of his partner’s leg with his eyes until they settled at the join of her hips. Stars filled the night sky as they snatched a moment to patrol between his photo-shoots and her designs.

She cleared her throat. “My eyes are up here.”

He kept them right where they were. “I’m well aware of that, my lady.”

“Aaaand?”

“And, it’s not my fault you sauntered in front of me. Here I was, happily gazing out over the city and keeping a watch out for crime and bam.” He clapped his hands together. “Ladybutt.”

She laughed. “You shouldn’t let a little rear distract you.”

“I’m not distracted,” he replied. “I am purr-fectly focussed.”

“On my butt.”

Grinning, he didn’t move from his crouch. “Again, not my fault you presented it to me.”

Ladybug rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless.”

“Possibly,” he replied, jovial. “It’s certainly up for debate. Did I mention you look divine this evening?”

“Really?” she teased and tossed her head so she flirtatiously looked over her shoulder at him. “I hadn’t thought you noticed more than my butt.”

He sighed in delight. “It’s a divine butt.”

She turned, resting her elbows on the railing behind her and cocked her hip. “I have other divine squishy bits you could be looking at.”

Since she was so conveniently puffing out her chest for him, he let his gaze wander up. “Just looking at?”

“Well, we are in uniform,” Ladybug replied, with a seductively raised eyebrow. “There has to be some sense of professionalism.”

“I can be professional.”

“Sure you can.”

“I was being professional,” he reminded her. “Right up until the presented Ladybutt occurred.”

“Riiight.”

“Not my fault if you decide to be cheeky. But then, that’s something I can absolutely get behind.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “You so did not make a butt pun.”

He smirked. “I’m very good a cracking jokes.”

“Chat!” she scolded.

“If you like,” he said, flicking his eyes up to hers, then back down, “I can rack up—”

“You have been spending way too much time with Nino,” she chided. “That’s something I’d expect him to say. Not you.”

Chat Noir cringed and fixed his eyes on hers. “Too much?”

She scrunched up her nose. “Little bit.”

“Sorry.”

“I prefer charm over crass.”

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow, then smirked. “Oh, you want me to charm you, do you? My lady needs a good wooing?” Lifting from his crouch, he prowled towards her on all fours, purring. “Do you even realise how much I love you?”

Ladybug’s eyes grew wide.

Reaching her, he head-butted her knee, then smooched his way up her body. “You make me feel so lucky when you’re around.” With both hands, one on either side, he gripped the railing behind her to use as leverage and rubbed his chest up her stomach until he could kiss her neck. “I could stare at you forever and it still wouldn’t be enough. You are purr-fection, my lady, and I’m a lucky kitten.”

Hitched breath betrayed the stern gaze and showed him just how much that affected her. “What magazine did you get that out of?”

Nibbling on her jaw, he said, “Cool Cats Guide on how to seduce your Lovebug.”

She snorted and curled her hand around his bell. “I see.”

Pressing their hips together, he hovered his mouth over hers and asked, “Did it work?”

Giving his bell a shake, she pushed him away. “Catch me, and you’ll find out,” she said and threw her yo-yo.

With a Cheshire grin and a laugh, Chat Noir gave chase.

He almost had her at Champs-Elysées. His fingers scraped through her hair at Luxembourg Gardens. At Notre Dame she let his hand slide along her back before she darted away. At the Eiffel Tower, she caught him, tied him up to one of the beams with a cleverly placed yo-yo throw.

“You were too slow, kitty,” she said, sauntering up to him.

“Enjoying the chase, my lady,” he purred at her, watching her swishing hips and wishing his hands were free.

“Or enjoying the view.” She reached out and gripped his bell and he felt the zipper beneath it pull.

“Perhaps a little bit of both.” He pushed against the twine of her yo-yo, leaning his head towards her in invitation. His arms, bound above the elbow, could still reach her to pull her to him.

She let him kiss her, slow and easy, while his fingers flexed against her hips. Purr rumbling between them, he could tastes spring on her lips. Freshness of flowers and the lingering taste of sunlight. Fingers in his hair, hips against his, the sweet smell of her breath against his face. Her knee slithered between his legs and she nipped his lip, took it between her teeth, then tilted her head to push her mouth against his more. Their teeth clicked as she added spice and heat to the kiss and his heart picked up its steady pace, especially when the gentle sound of a zipper slid down his throat and chest and her hands slipped inside his suit.

She broke away from his mouth to follow the line of the zipper and Chat Noir barely managed to suppress a moan. He loved it when Ladybug was passionate. When she was coy. When she flirted and enjoyed herself. Marinette doing these things was delightful and addictive, but when they seeped through to her Ladybug side, when the duty got tangled up with affection and lust, Chat Noir lived for those moments.

It would be nice if he could hold her properly. Touch and play and let his claws dance over her suit to tease her as she teased him.

He squirmed. “Do you wanna let me out?”

“Nope,” she told his sternum.

“No marks,” he reminded her. He had the Agreste runway walk for Paris Fashion Week tomorrow night and as much as he enjoyed her love bites, it’d be embarrassing to strip for a dresser and not be able to hide it because make-up would stain the clothes.

Hooking her fingers into his belt, she stood while simultaneously brushing every part of her that she could below the belt. “You are no fun.”

Closing his eyes, he cleared his throat. “As much as I love you like this, if you keep it up, there’s going to be a quite obvious reaction and this is a skin tight suit.”

She looked at him through her eyelashes while her fingers toyed with his belt. “And how do you know that’s not what I’m aiming for?”

He blinked. Then blinked again. His body rippled with anticipation but his mind reeled.  “Ahh…”

Ladybug blinked back at him and unhooked her fingers. “Aaaannd… that’s probably going a little far on patrol.”

Chat Noir pressed his lips together and nodded. “Hot though.”

“Sorry,” she said, flushing. “Spring fever?”

“I really—” he had to clear his throat again. “— really don’t mind.”

Recalling her yo-yo, she scratched his chin. “You’re such a silly kitty. You can dish it out but the minute it’s returned, you get all tongue-tied.”

He stepped away from the beam to put a hand on her waist. “It was unexpected. I’ll be ready next time.”

“Glad to hear it,” she said.  Her eyes dropped to his open collar and she stretched out a finger to rub at his collar bone. “I may have…”

Chat Noir cringed. “You better not have.”

“Sorry,” she responded with a cringe of her own. “I forgot you had a runway. You don’t normally do them.”

“Over-protective father,” he responded. “Lots of people all at once, all doing different things. And those things can be brutal, especially when models get catty with each other. He’d much rather I do photoshoots where I can be monitored. Me too, actually. Less pressure.”

“Not to mention all the naked ladies.”

He laughed at the expression on her face. “Bugaboo, some of them have less than fifteen seconds to dress for the next walk. No one has time to notice anything.” He frowned and scrubbed a hand through his hair and to the back of his neck. “That reminds me, I need you to come back to my place tonight.”

She arched an eyebrow and her lips curled up. “The mention of naked ladies and suddenly you’re inviting me back to your place? Really, Monsieur Agreste, shame on you.”

He laughed. “No. Not like that. I need you to take Plagg and my ring.”

She stilled. “Oh.”

“I can’t wear it tomorrow; they make you take off anything personal. And it’s my father’s show, ‘it’s a gift from my mother’ guilt trip won’t work.”

She nodded. “And you don’t have time tomorrow to drop it off.”

He shook his head.

Dramatic, she rested the back of her hand on her forehead. “Such is the life of a supermodel.”

He laughed.

She took her bottom lip between her teeth and he wished they hadn’t stopped kissing. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean, I could pick it up right before the walk. I don’t like the idea of you being without your ring for so long.”

“I don’t like it either and personally, I think Plagg just wants a sleep over.”

She giggled. “You mean an invited one, not one where he sneaks in in the dead of night and thinks I won’t notice.”

 Chat Noir laughed. “Tikki is just as bad at the moment and not as fast at sneaking out at the end of the night.”

“And they think we’re the irresponsible ones.” She sighed and reached up to brush her thumb across his face. “I’ll take Plagg because otherwise he’ll just get in your way tomorrow, but I’ll come find you right before the show to take your ring, okay?”

He nodded, turning his head to kiss her fingers. “Alright. We can be cutesy about it and say it’s for luck.”

“It won’t get you in trouble?”

He heaved in a sigh. “I’m the son of the brand name.”

She was mock sympathetic. “Woe is you.”

“You got your ticket, right?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. I’m actually looking forward to the after party this time since you’ll be there.”

Ladybug turned her head and looked out at the Paris night. “And I suppose you need to turn in soon. Get an early night sleep.”

He chuckled. “I’m already ‘scheduled’ to be asleep.”  A week after New Year’s Adrien’s schedule increased, even more than it had the previous year. He was in demand. Photoshoots were scheduled in every free slot possible, even before he’d had a chance to fill it with his own plans. He was just lucky Nathalie pre-empted his father’s sudden need to take up every scrap of Adrien’s time and scheduled at least one afternoon a week to see Marinette. Or he’d never have time to even breathe.

She giggled and shook her head. “I’ll be so glad when your schedule returns to normal next week. I’ve missed you.”

Chat Noir kissed her temple. “I missed you too, Princess.”

“Race you?”

A quirky grin and Chat Noir launched from the Eiffel Tower. “I’ll beat you this time!”

By the time the Agreste Fashion Walk arrived the following evening, Adrien was already exhausted. He’d been going all day. Salons in the morning, last minute fittings, practice walk, make-up and hair redone towards evening, he’d barely had time to eat. His eyes itched from the contacts and he was hungry.

Marinette’s sneaky cookie when she arrived to take his ring wasn’t enough to sustain him. As delicious as it was, he’d practically inhaled it when she’d offered it. “I wish I’d brought more,” she said, studying him. Tikki and Plagg peeked out of Marinette’s bag at him.

“You look tired,” Tikki crooned.

“I’m fine,” he said, smiling at her. Standing in the corner of the room backstage to the Agreste walk, Adrien licked his fingers. “You look gorgeous, by the way.”

She beamed and twirled for him. A vintage style dress with a puffed skirt and a sweetheart neckline, Marinette had added her own flare to the design. “Thank you.”

Careful not to lick his lips, both from the way she looked and the cookie crumbs, he asked, “Tell me I didn’t smudge.”

Her eyes flicked up from his throat to his lips. “No. You’re fine. There’s still thirty minutes before it starts. I can get home and back with more?”

He smiled. “No. We’ll be getting ready for inspection soon. Thanks for the offer.”

“It’s mayhem back here,” Marinette said, peeking over his shoulder.

“You should see it in about ten minutes, if you think this is bad.” Lifting his hand, he slipped his ring off his finger and took hers, sliding it on her index. “Let’s hope this doesn’t go bad.”

“I’ll be within reach,” she promised, clenching her hand around the ring. Glancing over his shoulder, she said, “There’s a man glaring at you.”

He felt quite naked and vulnerable without the ring resting on his finger, but he trusted Marinette with everything he was. “Probably my assigned dresser. Bald man with a moustache?”

“No, looks like a model. He’s wearing an outfit similar to yours. But he doesn’t fit it as well.”

He didn’t bother looking. It could be any one of them and it didn’t matter to him. “Competition is fierce.”

Eyes back on his throat, Marinette hummed.

“Okay, what?”

With a thoughtful expression, Marinette said, “That would look better with the collar popped.”

Raising his eyebrow, he asked, “Yeah?”

“It’s… annoying that it’s down, actually. By the set, it’s supposed to be up.”

Extending his neck, he stooped down. “Can you?”

Marinette’s hands deftly fixed the collar, then spread her fingers over his shoulder. “Very handsome.”

“Places everyone!” The backstage coordinator yelled.

He sighed and Marinette stroked her finger down his chest. “I’ll see you after,” she said, blew him a kiss, and disappeared out the door. “Good luck.”

If backstage at the opening show if Paris Fashion Week Agreste wasn’t mayhem moments ago, it was now. Designers dashed, assistants hurried, dressers made last minute alterations, models lined up single-file and Gabriel walked the line to inspect with Nathalie at his side with her style sheet ready. His father had been working towards this for half a year, he’d let nothing stop the show now.

Adrien, pinnacle of the obedient son, kept his eyes fixed on the bare shoulders of the model ahead of him, aware that his father was steadily approaching his position. He knew his job. Even though he only had five outfit changes and some of the higher end model’s had upwards of twelve, it was still a stressful night. He hated the runway, all the quick changes and scrutiny from the other models, added with him being the son of the lead designer. Even after the runway was over, there were still lines to model, poses to take, photographers to wrangle with, parties to attend, people to smile at and pretend to be the dutiful son.

At least Marinette would be waiting.

With a sigh, Adrien shook out his shoulders and raised his chin. Do the walk. Get changed. Walk again. Rinse and repeat until everything was done. Get dressed. Join his father. Smile and play nice. Join Marinette. Eat something.

Just before Gabriel reached Adrien, Adrien’s dresser noticed the upturned collar and, grey-faced, rushed over to fix it. Adrien kept his face blank. “Why did you change it?” the man asked.

Noticing the exchange, Gabriel fixed his gaze on the collar of Adrien’s shirt. Able to read Gabriel’s moods, Nathalie offered her style sheet so he could see what the outfit had been approved to look like.

“I’m sorry, Monsieur Agreste, the collar is wrong—”

Gabriel held up a hand to the dresser and addressed Adrien, “Marinette was here.”

Adrien, seeing no need to hide it, replied, “Yes.”

“It appears the style sheet may have been incorrect,” Gabriel said told the dresser and fixed Adrien’s collar so it was up again. “Thank Marinette for me.” Moving on, Adrien heard Gabriel say, “Nathalie, make sure the style sheets are updated correctly next time.”

Two pink spots appeared on her cheeks. “Yes, sir.”

Eyes forward, Adrien smiled.

Over the course of the night, Adrien barely looked beyond himself. There just wasn’t time. He had to be concerned with what he was doing, how he dressed, how he carried himself. If something happened to the model on his right or left, unless he could directly help, he stayed out of the way. His job was to show off the clothes, it was the dressers and coordinator’s jobs to make sure everything ran smoothly.

At every walk, no matter how much preparation went into an event, there’s always, always something which goes wrong. Shoes which don’t fit or shared between models. Dresses that rip when putting them on or off. Underwear showing when it shouldn’t. Hair tangled in zippers. New dressers that get too flustered or old ones which have a bad day. Overbearing designers. Prop fails. Models in pain from wrong shoe sizes. Falls. Make-up mishaps. Even with their good luck charm sitting in the audience and soaking up the bad luck, things still went wrong, but it’s all about the cover. The presentation. No one in the audience needed to know things fell apart back stage, because the walk is all that matters. Eyes front, face carefully arranged, whole body working, lights and fashion brilliance.

Adrien wondered, as his dresser stitched him into his second last outfit for the night, whether his bad luck and lack of ring caused the tear. Rubbing his thumb against the skin where the ring usually sat made him feel better, as did being able to pick Marinette out of the crowd. It felt like a lot of little things were going wrong tonight, but he couldn’t be sure.

Gabriel inspected each model before they walked. The man had an uncanny knack of being able to pick tiny imperfections just by looking, but Adrien had never been in a runway under anyone else’s name, so really didn’t have anything to compare it to. 

“This is taking too long,” his dresser muttered.

“Just do your best,” Adrien said, trying to be supporting.

“I am,” his dresser snapped. “There. That should hold. Don’t do anything fancy.”

Adrien nodded. “Thank you,” he said and hurried back toward the line of waiting models. Flexing his fingers, he shuffled along after the models waiting ahead of him. He’d reached his father when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Something tugged at him. A warning, but he couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t something he’d felt before. Glancing over his shoulder, he looked around, trying to find what he could sense.

Nothing seemed out of place.

Gabriel clicked his tongue in disgust at the makeshift alterations to what Adrien wore and Adrien gave him a ‘couldn’t be helped’ face. Shaking his head, Gabriel tilted it toward the stage in permission.

Adrien moved past his father and put his foot on the first stair. Fixing his eyes ahead of him, he watched the model who’d just finished their walk descend on the opposite stair. A dresser hurried the model away and in the scant seconds he had to see it, he spotted the black and purple butterfly trapped in a glass jar in the dresser’s hands.

Eyes blew wide and his mouth went dry. With a rapid blink he tilted sideways to see past the curtain and verify what he’d seen. He couldn’t and the model ahead of him already moved across the stage. He had to follow. Had to make the walk and hope what he’d seen was just a prop.

He stepped on to the stage, his body on automatic and his mind elsewhere. If it wasn’t a prop, did that mean Hawk Moth was here? One of the crowd? One of the models? A dresser or a helper? Who? Which person? Did they have a chance to catch him before he infected someone?

At the end of the runway, he went through his poses and deliberately looked to where he knew Marinette sat. He slid through a clawed pose on the way through to another one and hoped she’d get the signal. Anyone else watching wouldn’t recognise it, but he was sure she would. He couldn’t see her reaction to the pose, not with the bright lights trained on the stage.

It wouldn’t have mattered, he found as he turned around to stalk off. Thick red ribbons burst from through both the side stage openings and raced into the crowd. People were plucked from their chairs and cocooned in ribbons. They split, diving for more and more people and the model on the catwalk ahead of him screamed as they took her too.

He couldn’t see Marinette. She was lost among the crowd of people. But if he didn’t want to be captured too, and therefore be useless to Ladybug, he had to hide.  Adrien dove from the stage, tearing the makeshift stitches designed to hold his outfit together. Thinking quickly, he scrambled beneath the raised staged itself. The curtain of silver material designed to hide the crawlspace flapped behind close to conceal him.

Adrien wrinkled his nose at the woody, dusty smell which had accumulated beneath the stage, and then took deeper sniff. A hint of something fresh in the air. Wholesome and wonderful and—

“Hello, handsome boy,” Ladybug cooed from further down the crawlspace beneath the stage.  “Fancy meeting you here.”

Plagg rested on her shoulder, seemingly in a stupor and Adrien pulled a face. Trust the kwami to try and get out of a battle by appealing to Ladybug. Turning, Adrien crawled towards her, weaving through the support struts. “Hello, my lady.”

“Nice signal,” she said, holding out his ring.

“Glad you could pick it up,” he replied. “It was really odd; the akuma was in a jar.”

Ladybug raised her eyebrows. “Really? That’s weird.”

“It’s entirely possible he’s here.”

Ladybug swallowed and Plagg raised his head. Footsteps thudded along the catwalk above them and Ladybug and Adrien exchanged a glance.

Sliding his ring on his finger, he smiled. “Time to get to work.”

Chapter Text

“For a ribbon akuma,” Chat Noir muttered, crouching at the end of the stage beside his lady. “She was pretty easy to wrap up.”

Ladybug scratched her fingers through his hair as she surveyed the room, eagle eyes cataloguing everything she could see. They lingered, trying to spot the jar, or Hawk Moth himself, or anyone at all looking sketchy, but all they saw were the models and the remaining fashion patrons who hadn’t fled in terror talking among themselves. Over by Gabriel, decisions were being made as to whether or not the show would or even could continue. “Silly cat. Do you have to?”

“Absolutely,” Chat Noir replied and swished his tail. Peering over his shoulder, he spotting his father finish his conversation with several people. Chewing on his lip nervously, he knew he didn’t have a lot of time before his father would come looking for him.  “I didn’t see a jar.”

“I know.”

“You don’t believe I saw one.”

“Of course I do,” she replied.

“I don’t believe I saw one,” he muttered.

Her fingers hit a spot behind his ear and his eyelids drooped. “Chat, you signalled me seconds before an attack. I think there was something that hit your senses. Besides that fight felt too easy.”

“Or we’re just very good.”

His father’s glanced around the room again and Chat Noir could tell by his stance he was agitated.  Nathalie rushed back into the stage area and shook her head.

“Time’s up,” Chat Noir murmured. “I need to jet.”

Gabriel twisted, looking over at Ladybug and Chat Noir and Chat Noir tensed in response.

“Keep calm, kitty,” Ladybug said. “We got this.”

“Ladybug. Chat Noir,” Gabriel said, lifting his hand in greeting as he strode toward them. “Thank you for your presence tonight. Your aid has surely avoided disaster.”

“Our pleasure, Monsieur Agreste,” Ladybug said smoothly while Chat Noir remained silent, hoping his father didn’t see through his disguise.

“You must have been close,” Gabriel said. “Your response time is impeccable.”

“I have always been a great fan of your work,” Ladybug said. “It is a shame that tonight has been disturbed. It was quite an extravagant event.”

Gabriel inclined his head. “Thank you.”

Chat Noir tried not to flinch as Gabriel’s eyes flicked to his briefly before they went back onto Ladybug. A bundle of nerves, he twined his tail around Ladybug’s ankle.

Ladybug pressed on, “Monsieur Agreste, did you happen to notice anything out of place or peculiar backstage this evening?”

With a frown, Gabriel said, “No. Do you think this may have been a targeted attack?”

“It’s always a targeted attack,” Ladybug said, “in some form or another. Is the show going to continue?”

“I fear not. Many of the guests have gone and some of the models are distraught. We have lost our rhythm. Not only that, my son, Adrien, was participating in tonight, and his girlfriend, Marinette, was in the crowd. As such, they are unaccounted for, as are several other models. I do not doubt Adrien and Marinette are safe and together, but I was hoping you could look for them. This… ‘Ribbon’ snatched many of my models and some of them have been located in odd locations. I… worry.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged a glance, and Chat Noir couldn’t help the pleased feeling that swept over him. His father was worried about him and Marinette. Them. As a pair.

“Of course, Monsieur Agreste,” Chat Noir said and stood. Pulling out his baton, he pretended to look at blueprints. “There are any number of hidey holes around here,” he told Ladybug, who peered over his shoulder and nodded knowingly. “We’ll find them.”

Leaping down from the stage, Ladybug and Chat Noir ran toward the closest exit.

The hug Adrien got when he and Marinette returned, pretending to have been hiding out in a closet, was the best thing ever.

Nathanaël was looking at her again.

Adrien adjusted his glasses and peered at the painting ahead of him. They were doing a report on the Louvre and had been assigned pairs. Each pair had been given three pieces of art to visit while on the excursion and later present a report on. All well and good, except that Marinette had been paired with Nathanaël for the duration. And for some reason, it just rubbed Adrien the wrong way.

Adrien found himself remembering the crush Nathanaël had on Marinette. He remembered the lengths Evillustrator went to in an attempt to woo her. He remembered Marinette’s flirting, whether fake or real, and he didn’t like it. And he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t the jealous type and he trusted Marinette.

He felt itchy. Anxious. A similar sort of feeling that he used to get when he hadn’t been patted for a while, but Marinette scratched him yesterday, so why was he still feeling the effects of it? Maybe it was because they had found no trace of Hawk Moth and his glass jar akuma, to the point where Adrien wondered if he imagined the whole thing. Hawk Moth’s attacks seemed to be on the increase, but it was spring, so he’d be returning to full power too. Just like Ladybug.

After a winter of protecting Paris almost alone, Adrien didn’t understand why he felt so disconcerted now. It was great having Ladybug back beside him full time. She was happy and playful and—

Was she giggling? Why was she giggling?

Adrien removed his glasses and pulled a cloth from his pocket so he could polish them to hide the fact that he was listening intently.

That was definitely Marinette’s giggle. Cute little noises. Noises she made for Nathanaël, not for him.

What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he care? Marinette was sweet to everyone. Nathanaël was a lovely guy, bit shy and closed off, but he seemed to enjoy Marinette’s company and she enjoyed his.

“You do realise you standing in front of that particular painting and polishing your glasses could easily be mistaken for a euphemism, don’t you?”

Adrien peered at the fuzz which belonged to Alya. “Huh?” he asked as he put his glasses back on.

She shook her head at him with a barely concealed smile. “Really disappointed in you right now.”

He took note of the painting he stood in front of and fought not to blush. ‘Turkish Bath House’, in everything the name implied. He gave Alya a disgruntled look.

With a smile, Alya shook his shoulder. “Do you want to tell me why the green-eyed model is suddenly the green-eyed monster?”

He frowned at her. “What are you talking about?”

“You were growling,” she said and put her hand on her hip. “So don’t tell me you’re not jealous Marinette was paired with Nathanaël.”

That surprised him. “I was growling?”

“Yup. Pissed off kitten noises. The whole ‘rrrrrrrrrow’ and a glare that could melt paint. I swear, if you had a tail, it’d be lashing, but the rest of you is very still. I was waiting for you to pounce on him.”

Adrien gripped the back of his neck. “Shit.”

Alya’s eyebrows rose. “Ooookay. Mr Perfect swearing is something new.”

He screwed up his face. “Sorry.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“No.”

Marinette’s peel of laughter reached him again.

If Adrien had hackles, he felt like they would have risen. “Why is she laughing?”

“Maybe Nathanaël’s a funny guy,” Alya suggested and then studied Adrien. “It’s really unlike you to be jealous.”

“Yeah, I know. I don’t…” Adrien took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Shaking out his arms, he walked away from the painting he was looking at and in the opposite direction of Nathanaël and Marinette. As Alya fell into step beside him, he said, “So, where’s this art piece we’re supposed to review?”

She shot him an all too knowing look. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk? You seem wound.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately,” he blurted, “but it’s not the first time I’ve growled at someone.”

“Oh?”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Caught myself growling at Max a few days ago, when he wanted to talk to her about the gaming tournament and when would be an appropriate time to book the computer room. And Nino yesterday and all he did was hand her a book in the library.”

“Wow. At Nino?” Alya glanced at him.

Adrien shrugged.

“Is it an LB thing?”

“No.”

“You sure?”

He scrunched up his nose. “Nope. Not at all. No idea. It’s not like there’s a manual for this sort of thing.” He rubbed his neck and just left his hand there. “I just feel so tense all the time. Like... I’m waiting for something to happen but I don’t know what it is.”

“Like… an itch you can’t scratch?” Alya asked.

“Um… sort of. I guess. I don’t know.” Scratching his cheek, he thought about telling her about the akuma in a jar and how they couldn’t figure out why Hawk Moth would do something like that. “The other night—”

“Blue ball syndrome,” Alya said with a complete straight face.

Adrien stared at her. “If you can’t be serious, I’m not having a conversation with you.”

“Hey, it’s a thing!” she protested. “You should ask Nino, he’ll tell you—”

“The last thing I want to do is talk to Nino,” Adrien said. “Especially about that stuff.”

“Don’t boys talk about sex?” Alya asked with tilted head.

“Do girls?” he countered.

“Oh yes. Absolutely.”

Adrien’s jaw dropped, then clicked as he snapped it shut.

Alya giggled. “Your face.”

“You realise... if I talked to Nino about… he’d use you as a reference?”

With a teasing smile and a hand beside her mouth, she lowered her voice to a conspiring whisper. “You realise, when Marinette and I talk about sex, we use you as a reference?”

When. She said when. Adrien stopped and looked back at Marinette’s form in the distance as he tried to process that.  His cheeks flamed and he felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Stopping as well, Alya turned to regard him with a frown. “I was under the impression you and Nino talked about this sort of thing.”

“We don’t,” Adrien replied. “Well… he does, I mostly… try and stop him. I'm all for talking about girls in general, but not... it’s not… it’s not polite to share that sort of intimate detail. I’m not comfortable with it.”

“Ah,” Alya said, nodding, then covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh! Sorry. I thought— I’ll stop.”

He swallowed. “That would be appreciated.”

Alya morphed into the concerned friend. “You should be able to talk to Marinette about it though.”

“I do,” he said and met Alya’s gaze. “I can talk to her, don’t worry.”

She nodded and changed the subject for them. “Last time I was here,” Alya said, “there was an exhibit on Ancient Egypt which had some information on Ladybug.”

Adrien raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“I bet there’s info on Chat Noir too,” she said and started walking. “Wanna take a look?”

“You mean to tell me,” he replied, “there’s information on Ladybug in this museum and you don’t know it by heart?”

“I know the Ladybug bits, not the Chat Noir ones.”

He mimed being stabbed through the heart. “Ouch. That really hurts.”

She bounced away from him and turned back to call. “So let’s check it out!”

“What about our report?”

“Everything’s on the internet these days. We can do it later. And who knows, maybe we’ll find that manual.”

Adrien snorted and followed her. The King Tut exhibit still operated, various pieces on loan and Adrien cast a disgruntled look at the sarcophagus. There wasn’t anyone else in the exhibit, so Adrien knew they were free to talk.

Alya sauntered over to a corner and gestured a piece of papyrus on the wall. “This is what I was talking about,” she said and pointed. “Look, that’s Ladybug.”

Adrien studied the papyrus. “That looks like Chat Noir,” he said, pointing at the hieroglyph of a cat-like figure with a staff.

“See, we’re discovering things already.”

Adrien shrugged. “No. Where there’s a Ladybug, there’s a Chat Noir. They’ve always been partners.” Frowning he pointed to another figure. Frills and what appeared to be a tail and maybe… a harp in their hand. At their feet rested a pentagon box with yin yang symbol in the middle. “Who do you think that is?”

“Nefertiti maybe? Aww, look, it’s Tikki,” Alya said, looking at the depiction of the kwami. “So cute.”

“That’s Nefertiti,” Adrien said, pointing to the middle. “This one has a different style.” Reaching down, he rested his hand on his bag. “Hey, Plagg, can you—”

“That is Lyrebird,” Tikki said.

Adrien frowned at his bag. “Tikki, what are you doing here?”

Plagg grinned sheepishly through the crack in Adrien’s bag where the two kwami head peeked through. “She’s just visiting.”

“She’s supposed to be with Marinette,” Adrien scolded and looked back at the papyrus. “Who was Lyrebird?”

“She was the guardian at the time,” Plagg said.

“Guardian of what?” Alya asked.

“We’re not the only ones,” Plagg said, evading Alya’s question. “There are other with Miraculous too. Lyrebird was one. Of course, that wasn’t her name then, it changes.”

“It does?”

“Of course it does,” Tikki said. “Chat Noir was Maahes and Ladybug was Kherpi.”

Alya lifted her phone and typed the names in. “Wiki says… Maahes was the Egyptian God of War, son of Bast and Pteh…” She snorted. “‘He who is true beside her’. Wow, Adrien, all the Chat’s had it bad.”

Adrien snorted.

“But he was based on a lion, not a cat.”

Tikki shrugged. “Thing always become skewed when it’s written down. Author’s embellish or lie or twist things to suit their own goals.”

Alya nodded. “I hear you. Media is problematic.” She thumbed her phone. “Kherpi was… the God of Creation and Rebirth. Brother to Ra and the morning sun. Wow. So sexist.”

“We adapt and change over time,” Plagg said. “The original Kherpi was male. The next one wasn’t.”

“The name stuck,” Tikki said.

“Khepri was a scarab beetle,” Alya said. “Not a ladybug. Did you change that too?”

Tikki nodded and pointed at the Ladybug picture. “Do you really think Ladybug could run around in that in this day and age?”

“What’s the box?” Adrien asked. “That symbol looks out of place in Ancient Egypt.”

Plagg snorted as he looked at the box. “I bet the historians are having a field day over that.”

“I’ve seen something like that before,” Adrien said.

Tikki regarded the picture. “It’s possible. There are a lot of copies of it. Have you heard of Pandora’s Box?”

Alya jerked. “That’s Pandora’s box? The box which held all the evils of the world until Pandora opened it? … Isn’t that a Greek myth?”

“All stories had to come from somewhere,” Tikki said.

“It doesn’t hold all the evils,” Plagg said.

“Just one,” Tikki replied and looked at Alya with a sympathetic gaze. “I’m sorry, Alya. We can’t divulge any more.”

Alya looked disappointed. “Aww, no fair.”

“Some things are for Miraculous holders only,” Tikki said. “And…”

“Marinette needs to hear it too,” Adrien said. “I get it.”

Alya sighed dramatically and slumped her shoulders. “And it was just getting interesting too.”

Turning away from the papyrus, Adrien said, “We should get Tikki back to Marinette.”

“And be sensible students and do our report,” she complained.

“Yup, that too.”

She looked at her phone. “Right. Soooo… Oh, Vermeer. I think I’ve seen that one.” As they exited the Egyptian exhibit, Alya’s phone rang. Smiling, she answered with a, “Hey babe.” After listening for a second her eyes blew wide and she shot Adrien an alarmed look. “Oh, shit! No, we’re safe.”

The Louvre evacuation alarm went off and Adrien clenched his hand into a fist. Reaching out, Adrien grabbed Alya’s hand and pulled her into a run.

“Okay, meet you there!” Alya said and hung up. “Akuma attack; someone at the Roman exhibit calling himself ‘Caesar’.”

Adrien nodded. “That’s right next to us. Let’s get you out of here.”

“No, you gotta go,” Alya said, pulling her hand out of Adrien’s. “They’re chasing Marinette.”

Adrien’s heart doubled its pace. He slid to a stop and looked for somewhere to transform. “And I’ve got Tikki!”

“I’ll cover for you!” Alya called as she ran toward the exit. “Good—”

The exit burst open and a man in a Roman legionnaire’s uniform marched through. Alya slid to a stop by the legionaries’ feet, before trying to scramble away. Adrien sprinted forward, vaulting over Alya’s to plant both feet into the legionnaire’s chest, forcing him back through the door. He twisted, getting his hands and feet beneath him to land. Bouncing forward, he scooped up Alya so they could run. “Caesar already has henchmen,” he muttered as they darted back inside the Egyptian exhibit to hide.

“Nino said to get outside!”

Checking for cameras, Adrien pulled Alya into a blind spot. “Call Marinette,” he said, and scooped Tikki out of his bag, plopping her on Alya’s shoulder. “Plagg, claws out!”

The second he was transformed, Chat Noir snatched Tikki back up and put her on his head so she could grip his hair and hide in its masses.

Alya blurted, “Gurl, where are you? ...”

Chat Noir peered out from where they hid. Several legionnaires walked the corridor outside the exhibit, but they’d yet to come inside. Pulling out his baton, he checked schematics.  “Tell her to get to the roof, if she can.”

“Chat says… she’s pinned.”

“Where?”

“First floor, English paintings. They’re… an office or something.” She spoke to Marinette again. “We got Tikki, don't you worry.”

“Window?” Chat Noir asked.

Alya relayed. “Yes. They can see the pyramid.”

Hooking his arms around Alya’s waist, he hoisted her over his shoulder. “Hold on.”

Charging into the hallway of civilians-turned-legionnaires, Chat Noir’s mind raced. Judging how many hops and strikes it would take for him to reach the closest exit, he twisted around to see if there was an easier way out.

“Marinette.”

“What?” Chat Noir asked Alya. “Where?”

“That wasn’t me,” Alya blurted, sounding scared. She propped herself up and pointed. “It was one of them!”

Chat Noir’s eyes grew wide. Did Hawk Moth know who she was? Was he targeting her?

Shouting in Latin, a legionnaire brandished a pilum at them and hid behind his red shield.

So… not Marinette’s name, then, but something in Latin. “I have no idea what you’re saying.”  

The legionnaire levelled his pilum and charged them.

Reacting, Chat Noir scooped up a large chair sitting in the middle and threw it at the closest window. The reinforced glass shattered beneath his enhanced strength, sprayed outward and Chat Noir propelled them through it. Baton extended, he used it as a pole to slide down and hit the ground at a run. Still running, he spun Alya on his shoulder so she was in his arms. Nino waved at them frantically from the edge of the crowd of people loitering outside, so Chat Noir made a bee-line for his friend. Dropping Alya into Nino’s waiting arms, he didn’t stop as he changed direction to head back into the Louvre. “Get out of here!”

“Wait! My friends are still in there!” Nino bellowed after him. “Alya, where’s Adrien?!”

Chat Noir dropped to all fours to gain speed. “GO!”

Tikki, gripping Chat Noir’s hair, cried, “There! Second from the end!”

Using his baton as a pole vault, Chat Noir hoisted himself up first floor and ran along the wall, leaping from windowsill to windowsill. Reaching the second window from the end, stopped on the sill and checked inside. A small office area by the looks with the door barricaded. Nathanaël and Marinette stared at him, along with Chloé and Sabrina and several other museum patrons who found shelter.

Marinette pressed her hand to the window and her smile was full of worry. Gesturing, Chat Noir motioned for her to back away from the window. Pale-faced, Nathanaël grabbed Marinette around the waist to hoist her down from window sill and drag her clear. A growl rumbled through his chest and Chat Noir bared his teeth.

He swung his baton like a bat, smashing it against the window and broke a hole in the reinforced glass. Stepping back, he kicked the rest of it down. It took everything he had not to bound into the room and tear Marinette away from Nathanaël. Bracing his legs on either side of the window, half in the room, half out, he extended his baton down to the ground and held out his hand. “C’mon! Let’s go!”

Marinette rushed to his side, helping an older woman up on to the sill. “I saw legionnaires,” she said.

“Akuma attack,” he replied and lifted the woman onto the pole with one hand. “Someone called ‘Caesar’.”

Marinette directed a young man up next, who didn’t hesitate to get to safety. “Chat, I think I saw a jar.”

Chat Noir, trying very hard not to get distracted by Marinette, gestured for the next person. “Damn.”

“I am not sliding down that pole,” Chloé complained when it was her turn. “It’ll ruin my hair and I just had it done.”

Chat Noir suppressed a sigh. “We really don’t have—”

“Sabrina,” Marinette said, escorting the girl over. “You go first. Catch Chloé at the bottom.”

“Okay,” Sabrina said and Chat Noir took her hand to help her onto the pole. “Thank you.”

Chat Noir acknowledged that with a smile and a nod, his eyes fixed on Nathanaël in case his hands decided to wander. Nathanaël withered and looked confused under the scrutiny.

“Chloé , c’mon,” Marinette said. “Time to go.”

She huffed and complained, but climbed up on the desk and went for the pole. She squealed on the way down and Sabrina caught her at the bottom.

The last two, Marinette pulled Nathanaël to the window. “Go!”

“You first!” Twisting, Nathanaël somehow managed to get behind Marinette, pushing her ahead of him. “Chat Noir, take her first!”

Oh, he was going to take her. Right after he rubbed himself all over her to tell all the other males to stay away. Wait. What?

Sensing something amiss, Nathanaël took a step backward.

Marinette blinked, then tilted her head. “Chat?”

Under a haze of thoughts he knew he really shouldn’t be having right now, Chat Noir reared his head back, then shook it to clear it. “I need her to show me where this jar is,” he snapped.

Marinette shoved at Nathanaël again, manhandling him until he was out the window and sliding down the pole. “What’s wrong?” she asked, the moment Nathanaël was out of hearing range. “That was a really… um… intense look.”

Swallowing, Chat Noir asked, “Intense good or intense bad?”

Marinette licked her lips. “Intense good.”

He extracted his pole the second Nathanaël was on the ground. Leaping from the sill, he grabbed her, plonking her in a seated position of the desk and fastened his mouth to hers. She made a muffled ‘eep’ in response and her hands gripped his shoulders, but she didn’t push him away. Stroking down her sides, he hooked his hands under her knees and coaxed her forward until her legs wrapped around his hips. Then his hands went to the small of her back to support her as he pushed against her until they lined up.

Her fingers flexed and her mouth opened allowing her tongue to come into play. She moaned and the sound of it rippled through him, setting him ablaze. Breaking from her mouth, he rubbed his face along hers and down to her neck, smothering her in his scent.

“Chat,” she said, breathless. “Not that I’m complaining, but what’s gotten into you?”

With open mouthed kisses along her neck and hips which wanted to flex against her, he mumbled, “I don’t know, but I can’t control it.” Taking a long breath in through his nose, her fragrance soothed the raging cat scratching inside him and the purr rumbled out.

Buried in his hair, Tikki took two fistfuls and yanked his head back and Chat Noir yowled. “Don’t get too comfortable!” she said. “We have a job to do!”

“Where have you been?” Marinette scolded, cupping her hands so Tikki could float into it. “I was so worried!”

“I’m sorry,” she said sheepishly.

“She was hiding out in my bag with Plagg.”

“Chat,” Marinette said and unhooked her legs from around Chat Noir’s hips. “The akuma… I’m sure I saw it in a jar. I got a weird feeling right before it, but… I couldn’t find Tikki and—”

Settled again just by being beside her, Chat Noir nodded. “I got a weird feeling on the last one. Do you think this is a new tactic?”

“The strange thing is,” she said and swallowed. “The legionnaires, they called my name.”

Chat Noir gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. “No. They speak Latin. I heard something similar too, but I’m betting it doesn’t mean anything.”

“Still, we need to find out what’s going on.” Marinette eyed him. “You seem really tense. Tikki, Spots on.”

Eyes entranced by the twirls she made when she transformed, his mouth twisted up. “I have an army of legionnaires between us and Caesar. That’ll relieve some of this tension.”

Chapter Text

Chin resting on his hands, Adrien stared at his physics homework and tried to memorise equations. Sprawling among the masses of pillows spread in their patch of sunlight in Marinette’s room, they’d started out side by side when they started their homework but gradually moved until draped over each other. Marinette lay on her stomach, her chest propped up on her elbows while she alternated between texting Alya and working on her biology assignment, while Adrien lay across her, his chest pressed against the small of her back.

Marinette idly kicked her feet and Adrien let himself be soothed by the rocking of her hips. It was nice to have this moment with her, even though they were studying during their lunch break. Tikki and Plagg curled up together on their own sunlight pillow and Adrien could hear the contented little purrs his partner made. A similar purr rumbled through him every now and then, enough to let her know she was appreciated.

Eight akuma in the four days since the Louvre and six of them had been students at the school. One or two a day and they were no closer to discovering what Hawk Moth was doing. There was no evidence of jars. No evidence of anything expect for the fact he seemed to be focussing in or around their school. If he’d figured out they attended and was focussing on them…

Her phone binged and Marinette giggled, then he heard the beeps as she typed out a reply.

“You’re very distracting,” Adrien said.

“He says as he’s lying across me,” she replied.

“You’re comfy.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Her shirt was riding up at her hip and he was both trying not to notice and trying to encourage it higher. “So what are you and Alya discussing?”

“There’s a Jagged Stone concert in a week. She’s trying to get Nino to go with her.”

Lifting a hand, he stroked a single finger along the patch of skin showing on her hip. “What do you mean trying? Nino loves Jagged Stone.”

“He keeps making excuses,” she said. “He’s doing his hair, he’s babysitting his brother, his cousin is visiting.”

Repositioning, Adrien pressed his lips to the skin spot. “Nino doesn’t have a brother.”

Goosebumps rose on her flesh. “That’s what Alya said. That’s why she’s sending me his excuses so I can laugh with her.”

Taking the shirt between his teeth, he inched it up. “Hey, you like Jagged Stone. We should go.”

“I can’t,” she said, sounding sad. “Already used up my allowance for this month.”

An open mouth kiss against her hip. “You have this rich boyfriend who would love an excuse to spoil you.”

She shivered and let out a shaky sigh. “Don’t joke. It’s not fair.”

He breathed on her skin. “So, if I just went out and brought tickets—”

A slight whine in her voice. “Adrien…” Her phone beeped again and Marinette lifted it. “Now he’s saying he’s got plans with you.”

Raising his mouth from her hip he asked, “Do you want me to find out what’s going on?”

“Would you? That’d be a help.”

Her hip was too enticing. Another kiss to her hip, then up on her waist. Twisting, he crawled up her back so he could kiss the back of her neck and slip his hand up her shirt at the same time.

“I thought you were—”

“In a sec. Gotta—” Adrien’s phone beeped and he groaned. Pressing his forehead to her shoulder blades, he then crawled back down to his original position to reach for his phone. “Speak of the devil.”

‘Dude, help me out. I need an excuse so Alya won’t buy us tickets for Jagged Stone.’

Raising his eyebrow, Adrien replied, ‘Why?’

“What’d he say?”

“Hang on.”

‘Cause I already bought the tickets for our nine month anniversary.’

“Aww, that’s sweet,” Adrien said. “Nino’s already—”

‘Don’t tell Alya! It’s a surprise.’

Marinette guessed, “He’s already brought tickets?”

“Yes, but it’s a surprise,” Adrien continued. “Nine month anniversary.”

“Ah. Okay, I’ll deal with it.”

As she typed, Adrien said, “If it’s their nine month, it’s ours too.”

“We,” she replied, “are not the cutesy couple that feels the need to celebrate every weekly milestone with great grandeur.”

He typed a quick message to Nino saying Marinette would take care of it. “Except that it’s a monthly milestone and nine months is kind of a big deal. Only three away from a year. A whole year, bugaboo.”

She wriggled her hips. “Are you getting sentimental on me?”

Putting his phone down, he smooched his way back up to her shoulders. “Absolutely.”

She turned her head to talk over her shoulder at him. “Dinner and movies?”

Purring, his pressed his lips to the back of her neck again. “How about a Jagged Stone concert? My treat.”

“We are not going to crash their anniversary date.”

“There are several nights he’s playing.” He nipped her and kept his teeth against her.

She rolled her shoulder and pressed into him. “Chat…”

Supporting himself on one hand, he caressed her ribs with his other. “Think about it.”

She tilted her head until it rested against his. “Hmm…”

“I hate loud music,” Plagg commented. “It makes my ears ring and my tail twitch.”

Adrien dropped his hand and sighed at the kwami. “You don’t have to go.”

“You always drag me everywhere you want to go, I never get a say in it,” Plagg complained. “Photoshoots, fencing practice, basketball, piano recitals. Now you’re telling me you want to go to someplace really, really noisy just to impress your girlfriend? No thanks.”

Adrien flopped away from Marinette, lolling onto his back beside her. “You’re such a downer, Plagg.”

“I like Jagged Stone’s music,” Tikki said.

“Adrien, you have to get us tickets,” Plagg recanted, which caused Marinette to giggle.

Frowning at the ceiling Adrien said, “Speaking of music, Marinette, did you know there was a Lyrebird?”

“Yes,” Marinette said. “It’s an Australian animal. Pretty cool, it can mimic—”

“No. I mean, there’s a Lyrebird. As in like us. She was on the papyrus at the museum.”

“So that’s what you and Alya were up to.” Marinette rolled onto her side so she could glance down at Tikki. “How many of us are there?”

“Us?” Plagg asked. “Or Miraculous?”

“There are seven Miraculous,” Tikki said, raising her head from where she dozed. “Five guardians and two key holders.”

Marinette sat up all the way, giving her full attention to the kwami. Following her example, Adrien sat up as well. “Guardians? Key holders?” he asked. “That box opens?”

“What box?” Marinette asked, curling her hand around her ear.

“They said it was like Pandora’s Box,” Adrien explained. “It contains the ultimate evil. Lyrebird apparently was the guardian of it back in ancient times.”

She rested her hands on her lap. “That really doesn’t sound good. Where’s the box now?”

Plagg and Tikki looked at each other. “I suppose it is time,” Tikki said to Plagg.

Plagg sighed and floated up in the air so he could address them. “Hawk Moth has the box.”

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a glance. “That’s really not good.”

Floating up so she was beside her mate, Tikki said, “The evil inside the box is never fully contained. It whispers and lurks. It can do nothing to a Miraculous holder, but to a normal person, it can corrupt them.”

“Hawk Moth is a Miraculous holder?” Marinette blurted.

“No,” Tikki said and buzzed. “He stole Nooroo from his Papillon. Hawk Moth is a person corrupted by the box, doing its bidding and wielding a Miraculous to do it. We’re not sure how he captured Nooroo and his item, or what happened to his wielder, but what we do know is their last act ensured our release to find wielders.”

Plagg said, “Or, it could’ve been Gui, we’re not sure.”

“Gui?” Marinette asked.

“Another guardian,” Plagg said. 

“It’s Chinese for turtle,” Adrien said.

“Each guardian has a purpose. Papillon was change, although her change was supposed to be for the better, not a corrupt version of it. Gui is strength. Lyrebird is wisdom. There are always two guardians awake, if we are not. Only under dire circumstances were all five are awake, but we need the box if that is to happen.”

“Why is it three different languages?” Adrien asked. “English, French, Chinese.”

“The name changes depending on the holder,” Tikki said.

“But ‘Ladybug’ is English.”

“Yes. Well… I may have cheated on that one,” Tikki said, sheepishly tapping her paws together. “I like the sound of it.”

“Strictly speaking, you call yourselves whatever we tell you your names are,” Plagg said and smirked.

“That sounds about right,” Adrien muttered.

“Be grateful, kid. I could’ve called you ‘The Big Cheese Dork’, and you would’ve gone with it.”

Adrien frowned. “Don’t push it.”

“So, you’re guardians too?” Marinette asked.

Tikki and Plagg looked at each other. “We are the key bearers,” Tikki said with a sigh. “Hawk Moth needs us to open the box.”

“Or to start the process at least,” Plagg said. “But once we’re inside it…”

Marinette shot Adrien a worried look.

“It’s never happened,” Tikki said.

“Well, obviously,” Marinette muttered.

Tikki said, “We are ancient beings. Much older than what was on the papyrus. Older than humans. We watched your species grow. For a long time, there was balance, but… evil grew. When we discovered that we could bond with humans and increase our powers… when it discovered it could bond… we chose to align ourselves with your race. Kwamis trapped the evil to the box, then vowed to aid your people so that you never have to deal with what was in that box. Myths and stories formed around us, ways for fragile minds to explain what occurred. Stories warped over time, but our duties have always been the same. That box must never be opened. We must get it back in the hands of an uncorrupted guardian.”

Marinette scratched her cheek. “If Hawk Moth is a corrupted person, does that mean we can cure him?”

Plagg looked at Tikki, who responded with a resolute, “Yes.”

“Tikki,” Plagg warned.

Adrien didn’t like the sound of the warning.

Tikki dropped her eyes. “It depends on whether he is a corrupted person… Or whether he’s the spirit from inside the box.”

“I like the sound of that even less,” Marinette said, screwing up her face. “You said this evil was trapped in the box.”

“There are circumstances where the spirit of evil can escape but not its body. Either way, he can be cured,” Tikki said.

“But one cost is greater than the other,” Plagg said.

Adrien pulled his glasses off and stared at the fuzziness of his world. “God. You two are all about cost, aren’t you?”

“Adrien,” Marinette began.

He shook his head. “I agreed to a lot when I accepted the miraculous,” he said. “But I really think you should’ve been more forthcoming with information. I’ve been Chat Noir for a year, Marinette’s been Ladybug even longer. Didn't you think we deserved to know this?”

“Do you regret it?” Plagg asked.

“Worst case scenario?” he asked, ignoring the question. “We die?”

Tikki’s voice was small and sombre. “Worst case, everyone dies. Everyone you love, everyone you don’t know, every single life form on this planet.”

Leaving his glasses on his knee, he rubbed his face. “So, we stand between it and total destruction.”

Marinette touched his knee. “Best case?” she asked, trying to keep optimistic.

“Everyone lives?” Plagg said, his voice rising at the end.

“That doesn’t sound very confidence building.”

“If Hawk Moth is a corrupted human, the best case is that we cure him and everything goes back to the way it was,” Tikki said. “If he’s… if he’s the spirit of the box, the best case is…” She wrung her paws and gave them a helpless look.

“We contain it,” Plagg said, his hand on Tikki’s back. “But whoever is possessed is already lost and… and… the two of you have to sacrifice your link to us.”

Marinette gasped, her hands covering her face in horror. “There’s no other way? We’d… we’d lose you?”

Tikki nodded. “We would… we would return to our dormant states and wait until the next calling.”

Adrien took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Shoving his glasses back on his face, he grabbed his books, thrust them in his bag and headed for the trap door. Had to get away. Had to go someplace normal and think. Needed to process.

“Adrien?” Marinette called.

Not trusting himself to speak, he waved a hand at her.

Tom was in the bakery, standing at the table in the middle of the kitchen area with the door to the hallway open. Spotting Adrien descending the stairs, Tom called out a greeting and ingrained politeness made Adrien answer.

Tom kneaded bread, which Adrien found odd since he had all the equipment necessary for bread making. Picking the dough up, Tom slammed it back on the table so it stretched then folded in half to pick up and slam again. “Are you going back to school?”

Adrien held onto the strap of his bag. “Yeah.”

“Bit early,” Tom noted.

Watching Tom’s fast, steady and controlled movements. There was a soothing, if noisy, rhythm to Tom movements and curiosity got the better of Adrien. “Why are you kneading? I didn’t think many bakers did that anymore.”

Glancing at him, Tom smiled. “This is family bread,” he said. “Sabine prefers the taste of hand kneaded bread and so do I.” Pausing his kneading, Tom said, “Do you want to learn?”

“I… don’t think I’d be very good at it.”

“That’s why you practice,” Tom said and started kneading again. “I find it therapeutic. The goal to kneading is to add air into the dough.”

Adrien watched for a moment. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Marinette thundered down the stairs, rushing so fast she fell at the bottom.

“Are you okay?” Adrien called in concern.

“Yup. Ow.” Spotting him, she picked herself up to blurt, “Adrien! We really need to talk about—” With a flush, she pulled up short. “Oh. Hi Papa.”

Tom smiled. “Hello. Where’s the fire?”

“Nowhere,” Marinette said and walked into the room to stand beside Adrien. “I just didn’t want him going without me.”

Tom’s eyebrows rose and he paused his kneading. “Everything alright?”

“Just LB stuff,” Marinette said and her hand brushed against Adrien’s. Spreading his fingers, he let her twine hers between them.

“Anything I can help you with?”

“No,” Marinette said. “Not really. We just need to—”

“Not unless you know how to defeat an ultimate evil hell bent on destroying the world,” Adrien muttered.

Marinette turned to stare at him while Tom smiled, thinking he was joking, “No. But I can bake a cake for the after party when you defeat them.”

Adrien tried to smile and it didn’t work.

Tom’s smile died. “You’re serious about the ultimate evil?”

 Marinette rested her free hand on Adrien’s elbow. “Isn’t that what all heroes have to deal with, Papa?”

Stunned into silence, Tom stared at them both.

Marinette’s phone beeped and she pulled it out of her pocket. Sighing, she said, “Akuma attack.”

“Of course there is,” Adrien muttered. “Where?”

Marinette’s eyes filled with sympathy. “Alya says at the school.”

“Again?” Tom asked. Standing, he wiped his hands on a cloth. “You’d better go then. Be safe.”

Releasing his hand, Marinette swung her bag off her shoulder, then pulled his off as well and left it in the corner of the room. Returning to take Adrien’s hands, she said, “Bye Papa.”

“Bye Tom,” Adrien said as he allowed Marinette to drag him back up the stairs.

As they climbed the stairs back up to Marinette’s roof so they could escape through her hatch, Plagg floated out of Marinette’s shirt ahead of Adrien. “Adrien, look, I know—”

Adrien tilted his head. “Plagg, Claws out.”

Plagg’s eyes widened as he tried to escape the pull of the ring and failed.

“That wasn’t nice,” Marinette said, her tone mild.

“He can have extra cheese tonight,” Chat Noir replied.

Marinette said, “Tikki, Spots on.” Stopping inside her room, Ladybug turned to wrap her arms around Chat Noir. “I’m scared too.”

Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his chin on her shoulder. “It could be anything,” he muttered. “But with my luck? This spirit boxy thing is bound to cost us everything and… I’ve already lost… and to lose Plagg? I can’t.” His voice cracked.

Fingers stroked through his hair. “Then rely on my luck.”

He squeezed her and buried his face in her neck so he could breathe her in. “You know I don’t want to lose you or Tikki either.”

“I know. Whatever happens, we’ll still have each other.”

He wanted to believe that so fiercely. “When he came to me... I was already a little bit in love with you. The fantastic Ladybug, saving Paris, saving lives and making a difference and he wanted me to help you out. To be your shield and shadow. To fight beside you and protect you. I jumped at the chance without even thinking about it. What I got in return… it’s amazing. It is. When I thought I’d lost my sight... I thought I’d at least still be able to talk to him… but… if I had to give up Plagg to save the world? That cost is too high.”

A tiny amount of humour seeped into her voice. “He’s not going to let you forget that, you know.”

Chat Noir snorted. “Yeah. Sentimental crap and Plagg don’t mix.”

“He loves you.”

“I wish he’d been honest with me from the beginning. He painted freedom and fun and you. He said he’d be with me for the rest of my life and I thought… here was someone who would never, ever leave me.”

The pain in her voice was unmistakeable. “Adrien—”

He purred and nuzzled her to show her he was okay. “But they knew. They knew this whole time what Hawk Moth was. They knew there was a chance, when this was over, we’d never see them again. And they chose not to tell us.”

She hugged him harder. “You’ll still have me.”

“And you’ll have me,” he promised.

“We don’t know anything for sure yet,” Ladybug whispered. “It’s all conjecture.”

“I know.” Picking her up so her toes dangled off the ground, he gave her a squeeze. “C’mon. The akuma awaits.”

The akuma, as akumas went, was easy. No henchmen, no destructive powers. A student wanting more diversity in the cafeteria meal and turned everyone they touched into various food dishes. ‘Fast Food’ didn’t live up to his namesake at all, but at least he hadn’t eaten any of the students he’s managed to catch. Chat Noir and Ladybug located the item with ease and released the akuma, cleansing it to return everything to normal.

Afterward, Adrien and Marinette entered class together, teasing Nino and giggling with Alya as they joined their respective best friends for the next lesson.

Except, things weren’t normal.

The knock on the classroom door surprised all the students. Adrien dropped his pen when Nathalie walked through to interrupt the class. She bowed and shot Adrien an apologetic glance. “I’m sorry. I need to take Adrien out of class.”

Adrien sat up straighter as the attention of his classmates and teacher turned towards him. Packing up his gear, he wondered what had happened to cause Nathalie to pull him out of class in such a public way. Had something happened to his father? He didn’t think so because Nathalie seemed more apologetic than concerned.

“I’ll call you later,” he told Marinette as he shared a fist bump with Nino and followed Nathalie out of the room. “What’s going on?”

“All I know,” Nathalie said as she escorted him to the stairs, “is that your father is on his way home and wants to speak to you immediately.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Adrien said.

The Gorilla, beyond looking concerned, didn’t have anything to say as he drove Adrien home. Nathalie sat in the back with Adrien, working on her tablet and refused to divulge more information.

Arriving at home, Gabriel was already there, waiting in the middle of the stairs. His hands behind his back, a stiff stance, he looked foreboding and stern.

“Father?” Adrien called and Nathalie too his bag from him. “Is something wrong?”

“We need to speak,” Gabriel said, turning to walk up the stairs. “Follow me.”

Plagg shuffled in Adrien’s pocket, peeking out of his jacket and they shared a concerned glance as they followed Gabriel through the house to his office.

Gabriel sat behind his desk, gesturing for Adrien to sit in the chair opposite. Poised on the edge of the chair, Adrien felt like he was about to get the scolding of his life.

“I’ve come to a decision,” Gabriel announced.

Adrien swallowed. “About what?”

“The akuma attacks on your school are increasing. It is dangerous—”

“Akuma attacks all over Paris are increasing,” Adrien pointed out.

“Ladybug herself said these attacks were targeted. Effective immediately, you no longer attend Collège Françoise Dupont.”

Chapter Text

“You’re shitting me.”

“Nope.”

Nino bounced the basketball once, then tossed it at the hoop in Adrien’s room. “Jesus.”

With an indifferent shrug, Adrien fetched the wayward ball and passed it back to Nino.

Nino bounced it again and took aim. “What’d you do?” he asked and threw the ball, this time it swished through the hoop.

Adrien collected it again, bouncing it back to Nino. “What could I do? When he’s like that, there’s no amount of arguing that could get through to him.”

Nino raised his eyebrows. “You tried?”

“Of course I tried,” Adrien muttered and kept his eyes on the bounding ball. “I absolutely don’t want to go back to being home schooled. At all. I worked hard to go to school and I don’t like this set back. And I’m going to keep trying to talk him out of it.”

“Dude, like, that’s really unfair.”

“Yes.”

“So, did he say for how long? Or is this like… a ‘for good’ thing?”

Adrien shrugged again. “I dunno. Until the akuma attacks stop, I suppose.”

“And there’s no telling when that’ll be.”

Adrien huffed out a sigh. “Nope.”

Nino lined up for his next shot and tossed. “What’d Marinette say?”

Grabbing the ball to bounce back, Adrien cringed. “I haven’t told her yet.”

Nino echoed the cringe. “Geez, man. That’s like… bad… nope, it’s worse than bad. You’re boned.”

He completely agreed with that. Rubbing the back of his neck, he gestured at Nino. “It’s not like I’ll never get to see her. Or you.”

“Yeah, but…”

“He made a point of saying it was the school, not the people,” Adrien continued. “You’re not banned, there’s the weekend and after school. I can go out and meet up with you guys, go to concerts and dates and such, I just… if there’s an attack, I have to come home straight away.” And then sneak out to help Ladybug.

“Still…”

“I know. It bites.”

“Hard,” Nino agreed with a nod. “I mean, I love that I get to see Alya all the time at school too. Being able to flirt with her in class and, like, perv on her in gym, or sneak off in the library to make out or—”

“You’re not helping,” Adrien muttered.

Nin smirked. “Okay, but think about all that pent up ‘I never get to see you’ sexual tension. That whole ‘absence makes the heart stronger’ shit.” With a laugh, he nudged Adrien. “Marinette’s going to be all over you.”

“Dude!”

“She is!” Nino bounced the ball, eyeing the basket. He tossed and the ball swished through. “Don’t worry, bro. I’ll look after her.”

A vibration, low and deep in his throat and Adrien dug his fingers into the ball as he collected it.

“You coming down with something?” Nino asked, tilting his head as he looked at Adrien.

Adrien shook himself and tossed the ball into the corner. Stalking across the room he flopped onto his sofa and slouched. His head flopped against the back of it and, staring at the ceiling, he groaned.

“Cheer up, dude,” Nino said. “At least your dad cares. My parents have said fuck all about all these akuma attacks on the school.”

“It’s not like it’s the school’s fault. And no one else has been pulled out of school.”

“Plus, Ladybug puts everything back to rights pretty quick. Can’t complain about that. Hey!” Nino blurted, flopping beside Adrien. “Alya knows Ladybug! I bet she could ask Ladybug to talk to your dad!”

If Adrien had thought his dad would actually listen to Ladybug or Chat Noir, it would have been the first thing he tried. “They wouldn’t make house calls for me.”

“Nah, man, Chat Noir’s one cool dude. He’d do it.”

“Honestly, I really don’t think it’d make a difference.”

A soft knock on the door, then Marinette’s voice called, “Adrien?”

Nino sucked in a breath through his teeth. “Oh, you’re so boned.” Stretching out his hand, he squeezed Adrien’s shoulder. “I’ll jet. Talk to you later tonight, okay?”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Getting to his feet, Adrien raised his voice. “Come in.”

Marinette opened the door and walked in, stopping inside when she spotted Nino walking toward her. “Oh, hello!” she said, smiling brightly. “Sorry, am I intruding?”

“Hey, gurl,” Nino said. Adrien couldn’t tell since Nino had his back to him, but he was sure Nino grinned at her.

“You don’t have to leave,” Marinette said.

“Sure, I do,” he said and turned his head to wink at Adrien. “Can’t get between my boy and booty.”

Adrien pulled a face. “Nino.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and lifted the bag she held. “Macaron?”

“Oh! Don’t mind if I do.” Nino shove his hand into the bag and extracted a few colourful treats. Stuffing one in his mouth, he booped Marinette on the nose, complete with the sound effect, much to Adrien’s ire. Turning his head, Nino frowned. “Man, I really hope you’re not getting sick with that raspy throat.”

Adrien gritted his teeth and fought to stop the growl.

With a wave, Nino said, “Good luck.”

“Good luck?” Marinette asked as Nino closed the door behind him. She huffed and headed back for it.

He called, “Leave it shut.”

Turning, she tilted her head at him. “But what about your dad’s rules? He knows I’m here, I saw him on the stairs.”

Adrien flopped back on the sofa with a groan. “Waived for today.”

“Really?” she blurted, sounding surprised.

“Yeah, I need to talk to you.”

“And I need to talk to you about the growling,” she said.

He knew that. He did. But something made him respond with a hissy, “Only if we can talk about this sudden need guys have to touch you.”

“You noticed,” she said and there was a hint of sheepishness in her tone.

He didn’t bother to hide the sarcasm. “Oh, I noticed.”

“I think it’s—”

“Did you bring cheese bread?” Plagg asked and Adrien heard the rustling of her paper bag.

“Of course I did. And there’s a few cookies for Tikki. Don’t eat it all at once.” The bag rustled again. “Now, go snuggle together and give Adrien and me time to talk, okay?”

“Oh, permission,” Plagg said and meow growled at her.

“Privacy,” Marinette called after them.

“Yeah, yeah!” Plagg called from somewhere above and Adrien guessed it was his second level. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

Staring at the ceiling, Adrien said, “Is this a good talk or a bad talk?”

“You tell me,” Marinette said. “You were the one who said you wanted to talk.” She placed the paper bag on the table in front of him and sank down in the seat next to him. “But first, you’d better smell me.”

Adrien lolled his head towards her. “Pardon?”

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed that,” she said, raising an eyebrow at him, then gestured her neck with a finger. “You are all up in this scent lately.”

Caught, he had to look away. It had been one of her greatest fears and the reason she didn’t believe he could be with her right back at the beginning. “I’m not attracted to you because of your smell.”

“I know,” she said and dropped her eyes. “But whatever’s going on, it is soothing you. And I think that matters.”

There was hurt in her voice and resignation and his heart ached in response. “Marinette, Plagg said I was immune to—”

“I will sit on you and make you,” she said.

Looking back at her, he arched an eyebrow.

She blinked. “What?”

With a slow smile, he drawled, “Is that an offer?”

Flushing, she shoved him. “Calm down, tom-cat.”

He tilted his head at her. “Tom-cat…” Blinking, his eyes widened and he sat up straight. “Oh. God. You don’t think… do male cats go into heat?”

“Have you been peeing on any walls lately?”

His eyes widened. “No! God, am I going to do that?”

Her lips pressed together in sympathy. “Male cats get territorial and possessive when they… when they sense…” She took her bottom lip between her teeth.

“When they sense what?”

“When they sense a female in heat.” Her cheeks went pink. “I think— I think I’m the one in season, Adrien. I think you’re reacting to that.”

He stared at her. “What?”

She spread her hands, then dropped them to her lap.

“Why… why’d’cha think that?” He couldn’t seemed to enunciate properly and the words stuck in his throat.

She shrugged. “I’m eating flowers again. Like a lot of flowers, not the occasional one. People reacting to me more than normal, especially… those who are attracted to me. The fact that Plagg can’t seem to stay away from Tikki and there are… there are cats outside my place at night and…”

He hadn’t realised that. “I’ll put a stop to that.”

She snorted and pressed on. “Tikki… she’s… she’s… she has this smell,” Marinette had a far-away look in her eyes, “and it’s beautiful and enthralling, but when we join… I smell like it too. I think it’s rubbing off.”

“So… Tikki’s in heat?”

Marinette lifted one shoulder and looked at him through her eyelashes. “Maybe? Maybe it’s both of us? She has mentioned that spring effects every Ladybug different. I didn’t get the mate attraction pheromones, but maybe I got… something else. Or maybe I did get it? I mean, we know they’ve had kids before.”

Adrien nodded. “Tigga.”

“And it would explain why they keep sneaking around together.”

“Did… did that happen last year?”

“Not that I know. And, I wasn’t… last year we weren’t… I wasn’t getting kissed on a regular basis, maybe that might have something to do with it?”

“Maybe.”

“Did Plagg ever go missing?”

“No. But I didn’t really… I mean, I was only just starting out. He never tells me about this stuff anyway, it’s all—” he put on a Plagg-like voice, “‘it’s the nature of the cat’, and that’s all I get out of him. He leaves me to figure out the rest.”

She glanced over to where the kwami were on the second level. “Tikki would tell me. If I ask… but… it feels…”

“Tactless.”

“Yeah. Maybe… it’s because they’ve been so close? They know where each other is?”

“Maybe. Or maybe there’s something else going on. They’re ancient beings, I wouldn’t think they’d have a yearly season, there’d be billions of them running around then. Plus, Tikki said they go dormant without wielders… maybe it just takes a while after they wake up?”

“We’ve taken on a lot of their tendencies. Who’s to say we didn’t get that too?” She twisted her fingers together, nervously. “I have this feeling… I mean… if you’re reacting to my scent and growling at everyone… it’s only going to get worse. Especially in class.”

Adrien dropped his eyes. With a huffy sigh, he bent forward to rest his forearms on his knees.

“And then as Ladybug and Chat? That scent isn’t going to be diluted and— it’s— it’s already hard to pull myself away from you and if you’re… if you’re encouraging—”

He nodded. “I get you.”

“I think… I’m not ready and I know you’re not ready, but it’s entirely possible that… we might be—”

“Pushed into something?”

She cringed and her voice gained pitch. “Maybe? … ‘pushed’ is the wrong word.”

He nodded. “We’d… let it happen? We get carried away and…”

Her lips pressed together. “Yeah… I hope that it doesn’t— I hope we can keep our wits about us but—”

“Heat of the moment.”

“Mmm.” Her hands curled into fists on her lap. “I want our first time to be something that we choose, not because of hormones.”

“Me too.” He ran a hand through his hair and gave her a wry smile. “Though, to be on the safe side, this means a conversation with your parents.”

With a resigned sigh, she gusted, “Yeah.”

“And you stop me if I do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

She smiled. “Kitty, that’s a given; There’s a little spot at the small of your back that stops you in your tracks every time.” The smile died. “It might be me you’ll have to worry about.”

“You have spots of your own.” Burying one hand in his hair, he grabbed a handful. “Marinette, I need to tell you something.”

“Okay?”

Retreating from her, he stood and stalked away, feeling the need to move. “My father pulled me out of school. He says it’s too dangerous to be there right now, with all the akuma attacks.”

She gasped, then made a mournful sound.

Clasping his hands behind his back, he paced. “It’s not fair and I’ve argued but he won’t budge. He says it’s his duty to protect me and… and… he brought my mother into it!”

Marinette was silent and he couldn’t bring himself to look at her.

“I don’t know what to do. I can’t go back to that way of life again! It was so… stifling and hard and I never got to be alone! I can’t go back to that. I don’t know if I can sneak out when there’s an attack. I don’t know how this is going to work. Chat Noir is needed, I can’t leave you alone but I don’t know how to convince him the school is safe, because he knows it’s not. The attacks are going to keep coming and coming until we catch Hawk Moth and make him stop.”

Still silence.

“He said… he said it was the place, not the people. That he respects I have friends and I have you and he won’t prevent me from spending time with you and going out like a normal teenager. He just doesn’t want me in the school.”

He risked a glance over to Marinette. Her shoulders were slumped, her head down as she looked at her hands in her lap.

“Say something. Please.”

“I—” her voice broke and she cleared her throat. Looking up at him with tear filled eyes, she murmured, “Guess we’d better find Hawk Moth then.”

He puffed a breath out through his nose.

She wiped her eyes on the heel of her wrist. “As much as— I don’t want you out of our school. I absolutely don’t. But it might make this whole ‘in-heat’ thing easier?”

He knew she was trying to look on the brighter side and he appreciated that. He crossed over to her and crouched by her feet. “I’ll go stir crazy. You were… you were right when you said your scent is soothing at the moment.”

She sniffled and looked miserable.

“You don’t have to be okay with this,” he said and stood. He stepped onto the couch and sat, one leg behind her, the other across her lap. Looping his arms around her, he lay back on the sofa and pulled her with him until she was snuggled up on his chest. “I’m not.”

Her fingers stroked his chest as she listened to his heartbeat. “There’s lunch breaks, right? You could come to my place for lunch? And we can talk on the phone? And patrol together. There’s still a lot of things we can do together.”

He ran his fingers up and down her spine.  “Yeah.”

“I don’t want you to leave school.”

“Me either.”

She raised her head and rolled so her chest was flat against his and rested her chin on a curled fist. “I’m going to miss you.”

Brushing a stray piece of hair behind her ear, he tried to console her. “Nino said, ‘absence makes the heart fonder’.”

“That’s true. Are you okay?”

“I’m… in shock mostly. I didn’t think I’d ever be back in this sort of position. It’s not over,” he assured her. “I still may be able to talk him out of it. Leave it with me.”

He could see her mind working as she looked for a solution. “What if we went to him as Ladybug and Chat Noir, would he reconsider then?”

“I don’t know.”

She chewed her lip. “What if we told him you were Chat Noir?”

“He’s pulling me out of school because there have been a few more attacks on it than he was comfortable with. What do you think he’d do if he knew the chances were that I was being targeted?”

She sighed. “What if we said that akuma’s are drawn to people undergoing emotional stress? If he pulls you out of school—”

“I tried that. He’s quite convinced I am emotionally stable.”

She grumbled.

Reaching down, he cupped her cheek and smiled. “Come up here.”

Extending her hands so they were beside his head and thus supporting her weight, she wriggled up to him. Slipping the hand on her face to the back of her neck, he fused his mouth to hers.

They had time. Space and privacy and time to thoroughly kiss. Little nibbles and caresses and murmurs, sweet nothings and breath against each other’s face. Hands to roam and toy. Breaks to take with glazed eyes and smiles. Noses brushed and lips tasted. He teased her with his hands and his mouth and she teased him right back.

Slow and relaxed, their hormones today seemed to have settled, if indeed that was what was going on. They both knew they had things to face, kwami to interrogate and parents to talk to, but for now, there was no one else who mattered. Just them.

There was no urgency and although it was arousing and alluring, there was no desire to do anything extra. It ranged from quiet moments with little kisses, to teeth and tongue, grasping hands and stroking toes, before withdrawing.

It took him a while to coax her out of her brown jacket, mostly because he was distracted by her lips, and once that was gone, he inched his fingers below her shirt and tugged it up. Pulling away, she raised her arms to allow him to tug the shirt over her head. “Really, Monsieur Agreste?” she cooed. “While your father’s home? First time he waives his rules and everything.”

He smiled and slid his hands over her bare back. “I’m going to take complete advantage of the waived rules. Today, he can give me this.”

“Yes, but your shirt is still on.”

Grinning, he said, “Let me fix that for you.”

Inevitably, shed clothes had to be fixed and sore lips needed rest. Although he really appreciated the mark he left against the swell of her chest, he was sad to see it covered up.

Hand in hand, they wandered down to the aquarium to lie on the floor and stare at the fish as they talked about school and other mundane things.

That was how Gabriel found them. “Marinette. Adrien.”

Adrien sat up immediately, staring at his father as he waited down the end of the aquarium, his hands clasped behind his back. “Father.”

Beside Adrien, Marinette lifted gracefully to her feet. “Monsieur Agreste. How are you?”

Gabriel didn’t step into the tube or deviate his gaze from Marinette. “Well, thank you. Interesting that I find you both here. Enjoying the view?”

Grasping Adrien’s hand, she pulled him up too. “Oh yes, it’s gorgeous.”

“I trust Adrien has told you.”

Marinette nodded. “He did. I don’t understand why it’s necessary.”

“I do not mean it as a reflection upon you, my dear. Simply that the school is not a safe environment at present.”

“All places are dangerous,” Marinette countered. “And with every attack, Ladybug and Chat Noir are close behind.”

“How many students in your class have become akuma?” Gabriel asked.

Adrien tried to signal to Marinette to drop the issue, but she didn’t seem to see it.

Marinette hesitated. “Well…”

“More than half?”

Her shoulders slumped. “Yes.”

“I do not want Adrien to become one of that number.”

“Neither do I,” she replied and raised her chin. “Except the akuma do not strike the same person twice. If he becomes one, then he is safe from further corruption.”

“That you know of,” Gabriel countered. “It is an assumption. I deal with facts. The school is dangerous. I do not want him in there until the danger has passed.”

Adrien shot Marinette a warning glance. Stretching out his hand, he placed it on her shoulder.

Marinette cast Adrien a desperate look. “And what about what Adrien wants?”

“When he’s eighteen, he’ll get to decide. Until then he’s under my legal authority.”

Adrien squeezed her shoulder, a less subtle signal to stop and Marinette lost her confidence. “Yes. Of course.”

Gabriel switched his gaze to Adrien. “Adrien, you have a photo shoot in less than an hour. I suggest you prepare.”

Casting a helpless glance at Marinette, he nodded. “Of course. I’ll walk Marinette out.”

Switching back to Marinette, Gabriel said, “Marinette, Adrien and I will be having dinner at Le Meurice on Saturday. I would be honoured if you would join us.”

With a forced smile, Marinette replied, “Thank you. I’d love to go.”

After inclining his head, Gabriel strode away.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I just— it’s wrong.”

He wove his fingers between hers and walked her toward his door. “Thanks for trying.”

“I hope I didn’t make it worse.”

“He invited you to dinner on Saturday. I think that shows you didn’t. That gives us time to come up with a plan.”

She seemed so disheartened and he didn’t know how to lift her back up to her usual, happy self. “I guess.”

After kissing her goodbye and waving her off, Adrien sighed.

“That… sort of went well,” Plagg said from his jacket pocket.

“Maybe. Hey, Plagg…”

“Yes?”

“You and Tikki…”

“Yes?”

Marinette was right. It was hard to ask. Better to do that with Marinette. And soon. “Nothing.”

“You’re acting weirder than normal. If you have something to ask me, then ask me.”

“C’mon. We have a photo shoot to get ready for,” he responded without emotion.

The photo shoot brought a few things. Space, freedom and a sense of normality, an akuma and a fragrance that made Adrien’s head spin.

Chapter Text

La Seine was a river of chocolate. Liquid gold, with large fluffy marshmallows flowing sedately down the river. The trees scattered on the riverbanks chocolified and laden with an assortment of candy treats. Hard boiled lolly chairs and candy cane poles lined the chocolate’s edge.

“Do we have to change this back?” Ladybug asked. They stood on one of the many bridges which hung over the river, Ladybug leaning against the railing while Chat Noir crouched on top of it. Together, they watched a man lower a bucket on a rope down into the chocolate river.

“You’re the one with the magic reset button,” Chat Noir pointed out.

“I don’t know that I even want to change this back,” she replied.

“We don’t even know if it’s an akuma.”

Ladybug raised her eyebrow at him. “All akuma wants something and this one wants to turn the river into chocolate. I say we let it.”

“What about the fish?”

“You would think of the fish.” She folded her arms on her chest. “Where does he think you are?”

“In my room,” Chat Noir said. “The minute word got out about a river of chocolate, I was bundled home. Then ignored.”

She sighed.

He leant close to her. “All the better to sneak out with you, my dear.”

With a snort, she steeped her fingers against his shoulder and gave him a playful shove. “Calm down, Monsieur Wolf.”

“I was serious: what about the fish? Do you think they’re swimming in chocolate?”

Someone whooped and they turned their heads. The man who’d lowered the bucket held up a flopping, hard boiled candy-like fish.

“There’s your fish,” Ladybug said.

“Question. If people eat the fish or the chocolate, and then we change everything back to normal…”

Ladybug went green. Lifting her yo-yo, she separated it to call Alya. “Hey, gurl, can you issue a warning for people not to eat the candy fish or whatever else is around La Seine right now? … yeah, well, as much as I want to dive headfirst in too, when I change it all back… yup.” She smiled and sang, “Thank you!”

“Dive headfirst?”

She grinned at him. “Wouldn’t you?”

“Some of us have better taste.”

“Uh-huh.”

Smiling, he said, “I’m so ‘fondue’ you.”

She laughed and leaned close to coo, “Up to your old ‘Trix’ are you?”

“You’re so ‘sweet’.”

“And you’re ‘nuts’.”

He put on a sweet, babyish tone. “You’re my little sugar baby.”

With a laugh, she said, “Gob, stop it. We need to get to work.”

“And how do you purr-pose we do that?” he asked, looking back at the river. “I can’t see any akuma, just a river of ever-spreading chocolate goodness.”

“Maybe we should go with the ‘flow’,” she suggested. “Up and down the river, see if anything jumps out at us.”

“Like a candy fish?”

“Maybe. But I wonder if the chocolate goes all the way to the source, or whether it starts somewhere.” She eyed him. “Are you stable?”

He took her question seriously. “Seem to be, although you smell wonderful. You?”

She pressed her lips together and didn’t answer. “The only problem here is that there aren’t very many tall buildings along the river. I’ll have to run.”

Snorting, Chat Noir unhooked his baton and doubled it. Offering it to her on the palm of his hand, he said, “Here you go. We can play leap frog.”

“I’m not actually very good at wielding your stick.”

His mind went places it shouldn’t have and he smirked. “So practice. You have to treat it gently.”

With a flat stare, she muttered, “You totally made an innuendo out of that, didn’t you?”

Pressing his hand to his chest, he mimicked being affronted. “I would never.”

“If you mention I need to stroke it, I will throw you into the river.”

“Well, that’d be sexy,” he said, the smirk growing wider. “I’d be covered in chocolate then.”

“You’d be covered in dirty La Seine water,” she corrected. Looking at the baton in her hand, her cheeks went slightly pink.

“Whatever are you thinking, my lady?”

She tossed up her hands and shoved the baton back at him. “I can’t even think about extending it without… you know… applying it to you!”

He laughed.

“Oh, stroke your own baton,” she snapped and tossed her yo-yo.

Chat Noir gave chase. “You were the one who thought it,” he said when he caught up to her.

Running alongside the river, she turned her nose up at him. “My mind only followed the path yours set down.”

He bounced along the railing next to the river as they ran upstream. “And you’d never follow the path if you didn’t like it.”

“I’m not the one who got me thinking about baton stroking.”

With a serious tone, he said, “Keeping your baton extended is harder than it looks.”

“Chat!” she cried, exasperated.

He gave her an innocent look. “Yes?”

A stern frown and a scolding voice. “Focus.”

With a snort, he said, “Yes, bugaboo.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Stop it. I’m serious.”

“Okay.” Disheartened, he added, “Sorry.”

Another stern look, which softened. “Raincheck the conversation. We have an akuma to find.”

Easier said than done. Locating the point where the river morphed from water to chocolate didn’t give them clues to where the akuma was hiding. The river churned, a frothy foam of milk chocolate and water swirling together.

“Well, so much for this being an easy one,” Chat Noir mumbled.

“Been a while since we had a difficult akuma,” Ladybug said and glanced at the sky. Darkness had settled over Paris while they’d been locating the source of the chocolate and her face was illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamp they stood beneath. Chat Noir took a moment to watch her instead of looking for the akuma.

Entranced, he said, “You are so beautiful.”

She cast him a look, then smiled at his compliment. “I’m going to suggest something and I think we need to do it.”

“What?”

“We need to traverse the entire river, slowly, and check out the surroundings while we look for clues. But we need to be on opposite sides of the river.”

Chat Noir raised his eyebrows. “Split up? Why?”

She half turned away from him and folded her arms on her chest. Looking at the ground, the defensiveness in her stance was clear. “’Cause… you put ideas in my head and I’m finding it very distracting.”

His heart gave a flutter which travelled lower. “Really?”

“I feel… itchy today. Tense.”

He didn’t know what that meant for her, but he knew what being ‘itchy’ in the suit was like. They’d talked about this only a few hours earlier and they both needed to keep their heads clear. All playfulness vanished. “Okay.”

She shot him a grateful glance. “Thanks.”

Gripping his baton, he pole vaulted across to the other side of the river and waved at her. Clicking the call button on his baton, he waited. When she answered, he blurted, “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“No, kitty. No, you didn’t.” She sighed and gusted, “I mean, well, you did, but uncomfortable in a good way.”

“I don’t follow.”

She smiled at him through her yo-yo. “You’re usually so sweet and considerate, but every now and then, when you act like that… it really makes me wish we were alone.” Another sigh and she grumbled, “You’re my boyfriend. I’m allowed to be turned on by you.”

He smiled. “Absolutely you are.”

“As much as I like it, I don’t want to be when we’re actively looking for an akuma.”

He nodded solemnly. “Gotcha. Boundaries.”

Her smile was tender. “I absolutely get that some of it is Plagg’s influence, especially right now.”

“And some of your reactions are from Tikki.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “We really need to talk to them. I mean, if this isn’t normal, if it’s not… we need to know.”

“And, since I know our beloved kwami can hear us right now, they’d better start thinking.”

“Oh yes,” Ladybug said. “Tikki, Plagg, we really need to know why spring is affecting us so much. It wasn’t like this at all last year. If we’re going into heat or something like that, warning would’ve been nice.”

“And if it’s the two of you leaking through the suits, again, warning would’ve been nice.” He grumbled, “So many secrets.”

Ladybug said, “I know, kitty.”

“Let’s find this akuma, then have a little talk.”

As they looked for the akuma, Chat Noir filled the void by talking about what it was like being home schooled.  He told her about the various tutors he’d had over the years and how he wondered if those tutors would be returning. While Nathalie was his main instructor, there were many other specialised ones he worked with. It was a different world, a different sort of life. He knew by her comments she wasn’t thrilled by the idea of him not being in school and if he were honest, he wasn’t thrilled either. He’d fought so hard to go the first time and now to have to do it again…

“Chat?” she asked eventually. “If I ask, would you tell me about your mother?”

The shock of her sudden question made him stop dead in his tracks. Baton held in limp fingers, he kept his eyes on the ground. His mother. He’d known one day she’d ask. All anyone really knew was what was reported in the news. Of course she’d be curious. His mother was an important person in his life, it stood to reason the other important person in his life would want to know.

Ladybug blurted, “I’m sorry— you just always seem so sad when you mention her and I thought… I know you can’t talk to your father about her and I thought, if I knew a bit more—”

Lifting his baton, he walked over to the railing at the river’s edge and leant against it. “What would you like to know?”

Across the river, Ladybug copied his position. “Tell me your favourite thing about her.”

He smiled at a memory. “Her hugs were amazing. Might be why I like hugging you so much. She was… she was inspiring. She always made me want to try harder, be better than I was, just so she’d say she was proud of me. Her laugh was like a chorus of angels.” He laughed and shook his finger at Ladybug’s distant figure. “Puns. Now, puns were her thing.”

“Really?” she asked, surprised.

“I learnt from the best. We used to spend hours punning at each other. Over ridiculous things.”

“I should make more of an effort.”

“You pun,” he told her. “And that’s amazing. Geez, your whole family gets in on it.”

She giggled. Pushing away from the fence, she kept walking. “I think they do that just to annoy me.”

He followed, looking around for signs of the akuma. “They do it because they care. And because you react.”

“Well, there is that.”

“She used to love spring,” he continued. “The house would fill up with flowers. We’d go out to butterfly farms on ‘school excursions’ and spend all day having them flock to us.”

“Hmmm.”

Since her tone was more thoughtful than a noise she might make to show she was listening, he asked, “What?”

Her tone turned sheepish. “Oh, sorry, keep going.”

“Sounded like you hit on something then. Did you find the akuma?”

“No. I was thinking; Hawk Moth has to be getting his butterflies from somewhere. Maybe we should look into that.”

“Date to a butterfly farm?” Chat Noir asked.

“What do you think?”

“Sounds like a good place to start.” He cleared his throat. “Also, I have these tickets to—”

She turned exasperated. “You didn’t.”

“Nino suggested it, actually. Thought you and Alya would like to go together.”

She groaned at him.

“Can’t say no to Nino,” he quipped. “But if you don’t want to go, I can always ask Chloé.”

“That’s so sly.”

“I know. Sorry.”

“Hey, Chat?”

He studied one of the candy coated trees lining the river and wondered what the leaves would taste like. “Yessum?”

“There’s… a mound in the middle of the river. Do you see it?”

Chat Noir moved to the river’s edge again and peered at the chocolate. In the middle of the chocolate river, liquid appeared to rush over the top of something circular. It didn’t look like it was moving, but it was certainly odd against an otherwise flat surface. Even with the light of the lamps around the river glinting on the surface of the chocolate, it was hard to see the mound in the darkness. “A sunken boat?”

“Poke it with your stick,” Ladybug suggested. “And I swear, if you make a pun, I will hit you from here.”

Hanging up, he aimed the baton at the mound. He watched as the baton extended and hit the chocolate right in the centre. It felt like the resistance changed, but he couldn’t be sure if that was because chocolate was naturally thicker than water. He was about to extract it when something gripped the pole and hoisted and Chat Noir found himself launched straight up in the air. His hands clenched around his baton and he hooked his ankles around it to keep it with him and prevent being thrown.

The hoist stopped when he was vertical in the air. He slid down a bit before he wrapped a hand over the end of his extended baton. Dangling, he looked down. “Umm…”

“Chat!” Ladybug bellowed. “Are you okay?”

Something erupted from the chocolate. Large gaping mouth, dripping and oozing chocolate. It had no real form other than the gaping hole for a mouth. His brain screamed ‘shark’, then ‘giant worm’ ‘omgwhatisthat?’

He scrambled up to the top of the pole, flicking the button to shrink it as he used it as a launch pad to leap for the bank.  The pole, in its usual quick fashion, shrunk back into a baton. Below him the chocolate worm bent to follow his path and there was a massive sucking sound, as though it was trying to suck him into the cavernous hole of a mouth. He could feel the wind plucking at him and the speed of his leap decreasing.

Ladybug’s yo-yo coiled around the worm’s mouth, squeezing, and Chat Noir watched with horror as it slid through the worm’s flesh without resistance. Flesh? Chocolate? He didn’t know. What he did know was the looming mouth was on both sides of his vision and he was no closer to reaching the edge of the river.

On the bank, Ladybug wound up to throw her yo-yo again. He saw it shoot toward him as the mouth clamped shut and Chat Noir was engulfed in darkness.

Night vision didn’t help, not in pitch blackness. Slime or saliva or chocolate slithered against him and dragged him down. Even as he slid down, there was something against his wrist which held him in place. Ladybug’s yo-yo.

He slithered, dangled, and was thrown around as the worm lashed. Held by her yo-yo, he felt much like a worm on a hook would after being swallowed by a fish. At least he could breathe. Grabbing his baton, he activated the light on it. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for his night vision.

A well placed cataclysm would be the end of the worm, but he couldn’t be sure the worm wasn’t the person akumatised, or whether it was just a tool. And, if it were a tool, the akuma could just recreate the worm and then where would they be?

Something glinted in the darkness below him. He couldn’t see it well as the worm thrashed around him, wriggling and writhing, but there was definitely something down the darkness of its throat. Hoping feverishly that what glinted in the darkness below him wasn’t the worm’s stomach acid, Chat Noir put his baton between his teeth and used a claw to pluck at the string.

He needed to be lowered down to find out what that thing in the darkness was, but he also didn’t want to give up his only means of escape. Ladybug’s yo-yo was an extension of her will, like his baton. Buttons and force could be used, but her weapon would weave following her will, as his would extend to a length he wished it. 

He plucked again and then unwound the yo-yo from his wrist so he could hold it in his hand. Yanking, he plucked the string several times and hoped she got the message. She did, but it was the wrong one; she hoisted him up the throat of the worm’s neck. He yanked again, and plucked, then imagined the ‘oh hell no’ look on her face. Sliding down a massive worm wasn’t a good idea either, but he didn’t have a better plan. If this was the akuma, if this was the corrupted person, their item had to be somewhere close and this might be their only chance.

Looking down, he screwed up his face and let go.

He slid down the throat rather than falling into the void. The worm creature thrashed and writhed, the shape of its throat changing with its movement and Chat Noir found the trip down easier than he expected. And that worried him. Was he being led or swallowed?

The tube twisted and turned and fell back on itself and then emptied onto the riverbed. Chat Noir yowled as he dropped the small distance from the tube and to the bed itself, but landed on his feet. Wrinkling his nose, he shook the chocolate from his paws. The stuff was everywhere, in his hair, in his eyes, in his mouth and ewwwww. It didn’t taste like chocolate at all. It tasted like… gym socks. He scrubbed his tongue, then spat.

His bell made a sorry gummed noise as he tapped at it, the chocolate having wormed its way inside there too. He scrubbed his hands down his arms to get rid of the excess and then shook himself as much as he could.

Using his baton as a light source again, he looked around.

A small, brown stuffed teddy bear with one missing eye sat on the ground staring at him. Chat Noir stared back. “Please don’t tell me this is a child having a temper tantrum.”

When he picked up the item, the worm seemed to shriek. Chocolate arms extended from the walls, grabbing at the bear. “Mine!”

“Oh, this is a new low,” Chat Noir muttered and planted his baton straight into the ground. Extending it upward, he held his breath as he plunged through the chocolate insides of the worm, clutching the bear to his chest.

Seconds after he burst free off the chocolate, Ladybug’s yo-yo wound around his upper arms and chest and yanked. Chocolate smeared against the glass filters covering his eyes, thankfully keeping the goo from his eyes. Chocolate filled his nose and clogged his mouth. His knees hit something and he skidded and then there were fingers scooping chocolate away from his face.

“You stupid, stupid cat!” she scolded. “What were you thinking?”

Turning his head, he spat chocolate away from her. “It’s a child,” he said and held up the bear. “The akuma, my lady.” He was only barely able to see her through the smears of chocolate around his eyes. “I don’t know if they’ll be still in the water when you cleanse.”

“Stay here,” she said and snatched the bear. “Hey! Come and get it!”

Scooping more chocolate away from his face and flicking his fingers to rid himself of gunk, he heard rather than saw Ladybug running away from him and the roar of the worm as it followed. He was still trying to get clean when her ladybugs turned up a minute later to cure everything.

“Thank goodness for that,” he said, kitty sitting on the ground and repressing the urge to lick himself to make sure everything was right again. He didn’t hear her coming, so the grab by the scruff of his neck and hoist up startled him. She planted him on his feet and glared. “My lady?”

She buzzed at him. “Follow me,” she snapped, tossing her yo-yo and lifting into the air.

Confused, he did as she asked.

She didn’t go far. Enough so they were well away from the river and in the shadows of a chimney, hidden among the rooftops of Paris. As he landed on the roof behind her, she spun and stalked up to him. “What were you thinking?”

Startled by the anger in her voice, he backed away. “Huh?”

“You let go! I had you and you let go!”

His shoulders hit the brickwork. “I tried to signal to you.”

“You were inside that thing’s mouth! A giant chocolate worm just ate you!”

He frowned. “And you didn’t jump inside a T-Rex’s mouth. At all.”

“I planned that. You were gulped!”

“I saw something at the bottom and I wanted to check it out. Good thing I did, we’d never have thought to get swallowed by the worm!”

“My heart stopped beating when my yo-yo came out and you weren’t attached!” she yelled at him, her chest heaving.

“Well, now you know how I feel! I’m supposed to be the one shielding you, remember? I take the hits so you can do your job!”

“I am not a damsel in distress!”

“Every great knight carries a shield and whether or not you like it, I am yours!”

Her expression shifted, something about his words ignited something in her. Gripping his bell, she yanked him down and covered his mouth with hers. A strong fragrance –flowers heat spice– hit his nose and a quiver ran through him. It trembled from the top of his head, all the way down his spine and into his toes, before its heat spread across his abdomen.

She moulded against him so tight there was not even space to fit a breath between them. Hands everywhere, her knee between his legs and his back against the rough brickwork of the chimney. He cocooned her in his arms, cradling her tight.

She moaned into his mouth and he swallowed her sounds and took them into himself and the heat grew.

With a growl, he broke his lips away from hers and wrestled for control. He flipped his position with Ladybug, but instead of pressing her back to the chimney, he pressed her chest. Hands over her wrists, he lined his body up against her back and clamped his teeth down on the nape of her neck.

Ladybug gasped and pushed back against him and Chat Noir sucked in a ragged breath.

He wanted to flex and rub and tease. He wanted to so badly.  Somewhere in the dark corners of his mind he raged against himself. They didn’t want this. Not yet. They were worried about being pushed and not even hours later, they found themselves in this predicament. They hadn’t had a chance to talk to the kwami. They hadn’t had a chance to talk to her parents.

Some part of him didn’t care. Part of him wanted to be drawn into her frenzy. To let himself feel and lose himself in the haze. He ached.

Keeping her pinned, he said, “Plagg, Claws in!”

The kwami shot away from him, then dove on Ladybug. Now was the moment of truth. As Adrien, he wasn’t strong enough to subdue Ladybug. Or even resist.

Releasing her, he backed away, hoping she’d get the message. She pounced and spun them then he was back against the wall again.

He closed his eyes as her lips found his neck. “Marinette, release it!”

Her hands fumbled for his belt buckle.

So hard to find the words to help them. He didn’t want to stop but he knew they had to. Head reeling, Adrien gasped, “Plagg!”

The kwami bit Ladybug on the shoulder.

She jerked away from him, then continued to back away as she yelped, “Spots off!”

Marinette hit the opposite chimney as Tikki shot out and collided with Plagg. The two kwami spiralled away, circling each other faster and faster. Panting, Adrien slumped at the base of the wall and fixed his belt.

Marinette asked in a very small voice. “Did I…?”

He knew what she meant and tried to lighten the situation with a joke. “No. My zipper wouldn’t ’fudge’.”

A noise, halfway between a moan and a sob.

“Sorry, that was tactless.” He went to get to his feet. “Marinette—”

“No!” she cried and thrust her hand out toward him. “No. Just stay there.” Slumping at the base of the wall, she curled up in a ball. “Stay there.”

Something flashed in the sky above them. Twirling and swirling and amid the maelstrom of light, a yin yang symbol appeared and… Adrien averted his eyes. “Guess that answered that question.”

“And we’re stuck up here until they… finish.”

He scooted to the edge and peeked over to see if he could spot a way down. Finding none, he said, “Looks like it.”

Marinette buried her head in her knees.

Adrien looked out over Paris, at the twinkling night time lights. “At least the view is nice.”

She didn’t answer.

“Marinette, it’s okay. We stopped.”

“I know. I just need a minute okay?”

“Well, that was incredible,” Plagg announced as he floated down from the sky, snuggled against Tikki. “We haven’t done that in centuries.”

“We really don’t need details,” Adrien muttered, unable to look at his kwami.

Marinette grumbled, “A little warning would’ve been nice.”

Plagg dismissed with a smug, “You two were aware. We heard you talking.”

Marinette pinched the bridge of her nose. “‘Aware’ doesn’t really cover it.”

“We were waiting for you to ask,” Plagg continued. “We know how much Adrien doesn't like this sort of thing.”

Adrien glared at Plagg. “Really? You’re going to pull that?”

Tikki smacked Plagg. “Don’t be mean.” Turning to them, Tikki said, “It wasn’t what you think. That was a re-joining.”

“A re-joining?”

“What you two have must be pretty special,” Plagg muttered. “Or have some really intense hormones.”

“It reaffirms balance,” Tikki explained, shooting Plagg a glare. “We are two halves of a whole and sometimes we desire to return to the ‘one’ status and redistribute our energies. Humans… well… your sexual energies were too great for either of us to bear and we had to release it somehow. You were leaking a lot.”

“Horny teenagers in love,” Plagg cooed.

“Us?” Marinette blurted. “It was us? Not you?”

Tikki inclined her head.

“But you have this smell and—”

“It’s you.” Tikki floated closer. “It’s stronger when we join because your senses are stronger. I am sorry, Marinette. I should’ve discussed the possible ramifications of spring, but it wasn’t supposed to happen for weeks yet. I think it would be best to limit physical contact while you’re transformed until we can—”

Marinette stood. “Can we go?”

With a glance at Adrien, Tikki nodded at Marinette.

“Spots on.”

Adrien looked at her in surprise. “Marinette, wait—”

“I need some space,” Ladybug said and reached for her yo-yo. “I’ll talk to you later.”

Chapter Text

A soft breeze swept over the rooftops of Paris. No moon hung in the sky, but the twinkling lights held romance and shadows held secrets. Figures and shapes called in the darkness, a song inviting play and companionship. Carolling, calling and clamouring for the highest vantage point. Flicks of tails and quivers of whiskers, but among the cute and fluffy, a panther stalked.

It leapt among the clowder of cats with a roar and caused them to scatter. It chased away strays and banished them from rooftops. Yowls and hisses and fur standing on end, the flurry of kitties were not match for the black shadow. Any stupid enough to tarry received a side swipe of claws.

"Honestly," Chat Noir muttered, ploughing through another clowder to scatter then. "She's a bug. She should be attracting other bugs. Not cats." Not that attracting bugs would've helped. He couldn't exactly wage war on them like he could on the cats, and even then it really was a hopeless venture. For every cat he chased off, another took its place. "I'm beginning to think this zipper is so I can pee on walls."

"Please don't."

Whirling, Chat Noir almost fell off the railing to Marinette's terrace. "Sabine! I'm sorry! I would never—"

Sabine, her face fill of amusement, held up a hand. "I know. I was teasing." She climbed out of the Marinette's trap door and Chat Noir rushed over to give her a hand. "Thank you, dear." She puffed out a breath and looked up at the night sky. "Beautiful night."

Chat Noir leapt up onto the railing and crouched. "It is."

She walked to the railing beside Chat Noir and leant against it. "I heard about your father and school."

Chat Noir glared at a stray cat as it crossed the top of the building across from Marinette's terrace. "Yeah."

"Although I think it's a little drastic, I understand where he's coming from."

"So do I," Chat Noir replied. "That's what makes it hard."

"Tom and I discussed it ourselves a while ago," she said.

Chat Noir looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "Pulling Marinette from school?"

Sabine nodded. "Not just that. Sending her up to Mamie Dupain's. Tom went to school there. It's a nice, safe area. She loves the countryside up there, so full of flowers. She would've been happy."

Tilting his head, he asked, "Why didn't you?"

Sabine shrugged. "The world is a dangerous place. There are terrorists and criminals and murders everywhere. Stray cars. All sorts of dangers. Paris has better protection than most." She sighed. "It's hard letting a child grow into an adult, but I wouldn't want to miss it and if we sent her away, we would've." She smiled. "Besides, if we had, who's to say the danger wouldn't have followed her."

Looking at the tabby as it rubbed its face against the awning of the building opposite, Chat Noir grabbed his baton and extended it to take a swipe. "I can't exactly tell my father I'm already in danger though."

"Are you sure? If he knows you're more than capable—"

"I take fencing. I'm a champion, and apparently that's not capable enough to go to public school."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll figure it out," he said. "I convinced him to let me go to public school once, I can do it again."

"Is there anything we can do?"

"No. Thank you. I have ideas."

A black cat bounced onto the terrace behind them and Chat Noir let out a low growl and then smirked as the cat scrammed.

"Alright, what is with these cats?" Sabine asked.

He evaded. "Spring fever."

Sabine regarded a ginger cat as it slunk into view. "Is Madame Tasse's Snowball in heat again?"

"No," Chat Noir said.

Stretching out her hand, Sabine gave Chat Noir a scratch. "I suppose you'd know."

He snorted and leant into her hand.

"Vinegar and water," Sabine said with a decisive nod. "That should stop them spraying. I'll grab a squirt bottle and we can spray the walls where they congregate."

Chat Noir wrinkled his nose at the thought of the smell. "That'd be awesome."

"If people see you up here, won't they begin to suspect that you have a special interest in Marinette?"

He snorted and tilted his head to change the spot she scratched. "Literally the exact reason why Ladybug and I do so much good Samaritan work around Paris. No one should think anything of it except maybe I've helped you with something."

"Why isn't Marinette up here?" Sabine asked.

"She doesn't know I'm here."

"She does," Sabine said. "She's having game tournament with Tom and he's actually winning because she's distracted by looking out the window for you, but she won't stop playing. I told her she should tell you to come in."

"Then…" His shoulders slumped. "She's avoiding me."

"That's what I came up to find out. Why is she avoiding you?"

Chat Noir worried his bottom lip. "We had… an incident tonight. Things got out of hand and she doesn't want to see me right now. But I also promised to take care of these cats." He shrugged. "So… here I am."

Sabine removed her hand from his head. "An incident?"

"Yes."

Sabine looked out at the cats, then back at Chat Noir. "Is she in heat?"

Chat Noir fell off his perch. "What?"

Sabine tilted her head from side to side as she regarded him while he picked himself up. "Well, I suppose, technically, ladybugs don't have a 'heat' like a cat does. But spring is their mating season and she's already told us about the pheromones, it's not much of a stretch. Since you told us you take on their traits, Tom and I did some research to see what we might be in for. Considering how much you two are in danger, this 'incident' mustn't be because either of you got hurt, so that leaves one alternative." She glanced at the cats. "The signs are there. I think we need to have a talk."

"But… but… I didn't… we… we didn't do anything."

"You're looking me in the eyes, so I believe you." Smiling, Sabine held out her hand. "Come inside. I'll make tea and Tom can bring up some cheesecake."

"She doesn't… she asked for space and—"

"I'm asking you in. You're my guest."

"I'm really… not ready for… um…"

"Good, neither am I. We can both be flat-footed. Don't be such a scaredy-cat."

He smiled wirily. "How long have you been waiting for that one?"

With a fond smile, Sabine said, "Saving it up for ages."

Swallowing, Chat Noir took Sabine's hand and followed her to the trap door. Once safely inside Marinette's room and out of view of the windows, he released his transformation.

"Someone said cheesecake," Plagg said, flitting anxiously around Adrien's head. "You said cheesecake, right? How much cheesecake are we talking?"

"Patience," Sabine said, extending a finger to stroke it down the kwami's belly as she climbed down the stairs. "Tom has made several kwami sized cheesecakes."

Plagg twirled in the air and meowed in delight.

Adrien followed behind as they walked across Marinette's room, then headed down the stairs into the main living space.

"Dear," Sabine called as she hit the bottom stair, then turned toward the kitchen.

Pausing the game he and Marinette played, Tom turned. "Adrien, my boy. Cat finally dragged you in, huh?" Beside Tom, Marinette stiffened and didn't turn.

He rubbed a hand along the back of his neck. "Um. Yeah."

"Can you fetch a cheesecake?" Sabine asked. "Have a seat, Adrien, we'll be with you in a moment."

Tom's eyebrows shot up and Adrien could almost see the silent conversation he was having with his wife flit across his features. Pushing to his feet, Tom said, "I'll be right back."

"I'll help you!" Plagg offered, darting through the air toward Tom.

Heading for the door, Tom asked, "What trouble have you gotten them into this time?"

"That's a long and insanely humourous story," Plagg said and his voice drifted back through the hallway as the pair went downstairs, "About a boy and a girl and teenage hormones."

Sighing, Adrien flopped onto the sofa a distance away from Marinette. "Hi."

"Hi." Resting her game controller beside her, she hugged her knees. "What were you doing?"

"Making sure you were cat free tonight."

"You're a cat."

Plonking his elbow on the rest of the sofa, he put his chin on his fist and stared out the window and into the Paris night. "Right." He exhaled through his nose. "I don't know why you're avoiding me, but it won't help. Your mother knows."

Marinette squeaked. "You told her?"

He watched her reflection in the glass. "She figured it out."

Marinette buried her head in her knees. "Great."

"It was almost like she was expecting it."

Marinette didn't answer.

"If you don't want me here, I'm more than happy to leave. 'Cause, frankly, I've see how your father makes bread and I have no desire to be pounded like that."

Raising her head, she said, "He wouldn't do that."

He kept his eyes fixed on the window. "To you, maybe."

With a sigh, Marinette clutched at her head. "I was embarrassed, okay?" she muttered.

Turning his head, his raised eyebrow invited her to elaborate.

She stared at a spot on the floor. "We just talked about it and… I…"

"We stopped."

"I didn't want to."

He swallowed.

"I thought some of it at least was Tikki… and… you're always so… prim and proper and considerate, but you… you rarely let go like that and… when you do, it's… unbelievably hot… I… wanted to see how… far…"

He tilted his head at her. "You said not while we're looking for an akuma."

"We weren't looking for an akuma anymore," she pointed out.

Confusion settled over him as he tried to piece together what she was saying. "Am I… not going fast enough for you?"

She curled in on herself. "It was nice to feel wanted, that's all."

He jerked forward. "You think that I don't—"

"Cheesecake!" Tom announced, striding back into the room. "Marinette, fetch some plates."

Without looking at him, she bolted away. Adrien sat back and stared at her. "I really don't get her sometimes."

"Humans are confusing," Tikki said. She dipped through the air until she landed on Adrien's shoulder. "Hormones are confusing too."

"Have you had this problem with others?" Adrien asked, glancing over at Marinette as she set the table, resolutely ignoring him.

"Everyone is unique," Tikki said.

He made a disgruntled noise. "Did you two have to take classes on how to be evasive or does it come naturally?"

"We invented evasiveness," Tikki said with a giggle. Adopting a serious expression, she continued, "Every Miraculous has problems with the duality of their natures. Not every Chat Noir enters a relationship with Ladybug. Love comes in many forms, Adrien and you make your own choices."

He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means don't blame us if you can't keep it in your pants."

"Me?" he blurted, his voice rising.

"Either of you. Animal needs, human mentalities, does that ring a bell?"

"Yes?"

"So, which one is greater? Instinct or willpower?" Tikki floated off his shoulder and away. "And remember, Plagg and I are neither animal nor human, our ways are such that you cannot understand them."

Flopping his head back, he removed his glasses so he could scrub his face.

"Come on, Adrien," Plagg called. "Cheesecake!"

Exhaling, Adrien heaved himself to his feet and joined the family.

"So, Marinette," Sabine said as she slid a slice of cheesecake onto a plate. "Adrien tells me there was an incident tonight."

Tom hesitated before he took the plate and slid it across to Adrien. "Ahh. I see why you wanted cheesecake. It's time then."

"Apparently so."

"Mom," Marinette complained. "It was noth—"

Sabine straightened and gave her daughter a flat stare.

Marinette dropped her eyes. "—ing."

"I don't think the horde of rowdy tom-cats outside is 'nothing'," Sabine said.

"She's in heat," Plagg said and buried his face in his slice of cheesecake.

"Yes, thank you, Plagg," Sabine said, exasperated. "I got that."

Tikki chirped, "I believe humans call it 'ovulating'."

Sabine cast her gaze on Tikki, who stared back at her undaunted. Something seemed to pass between mother and kwami. "Thank you, Tikki," Sabine said with a more thoughtful tone.

Smiling, Tikki nodded and turned her attention to her food.

Tom sat on his stool and lifted his cup of tea. Adrien tucked his hands between his knees and stared at his cheesecake. He couldn't see what Marinette did.

"So," Sabine said and sat on a stool beside Marinette. "I guess we should have that talk then."

"I guess," Marinette said.

"So disgruntled," Sabine teased, then grew serious. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"Not really," Marinette said. "But Adrien and I do think we should talk to you about… things. We think there's a chance we might… um… let it happen."

"I see."

Adrien frowned at his cheesecake. 'Let it happen' seemed to counter what she'd said to him before, even if it was what they'd originally agreed on. Seemed she wanted 'make it happen' while he was still in the 'let it' camp.

"Well… it's… kinda hard for both of us to think," Marinette told the table. "If we… um… get too involved."

That part was true at least.

Sabine nodded. "It's a bit sooner than I would've liked and judging by the body language, sooner than either of you would've liked, but we play with the hands we're dealt with. If we have this now, at least I can say I did everything I could to prepare you. First question, I assume you've talked about it?"

Adrien nodded, while Marinette said, "Yes Mom. We have."

"Do you think you're ready for that step?"

Shoulders hunched, Adrien shook his head.

"Are you ever really ready?" Marinette asked, curious.

"Yes and no," Sabine answered with a thoughtful tone. "You can think you are and not be. You can think you're not and be. It's a uniquely personal moment, but you should never judge yourself and your relationship against someone else and theirs. It's not a race. There are no winners or trophies."

Adrien frowned, thinking how familiar that sounded. He snuck a glance at Marinette, but she wasn't looking in his direction. Was she comparing their relationship to Nino and Alya's again?

"Have you discussed protection?"

"Not really," Marinette said in a small voice. "Condoms probably."

"I suggest the pill as well," Sabine said with a tilt of her head. "Tikki mentioned ovulation and if you stop that completely, the kitty horde outside mightn't happen at all."

Adrien raised his head. "Really?"

"It's possible."

"That'd… be better," Marinette said, avoiding Adrien's gaze.

"I'll help you organise it. Have you considered the logistics?" Sabine continued and cut herself a dainty slice of her cheesecake.

Swallowing heavily, Adrien asked, "Logistics?"

"Where and when," Sabine continued. "Location is important. You want to be comfortable but you also don't want to be disturbed. For girls, it can be difficult and sometimes painful. It takes time. You'll need that. The more time you take… warming up, the better off you'll be."

Adrien stared at Sabine. He completely hadn't expected this at all. He'd expected a stern lecture and a list of cons. Not… advice or planning. And as much as he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole, he found himself intensely curious as he leant forward and listened to Sabine. "I knew it would hurt."

"Not necessarily," Sabine said. "Discomfort for sure, but… honestly, nothing has to 'break' so to speak. It's skin. It stretches. As long as you're warmed up and don't rush."

"Oh."

"Even with the best intentions, yes, it still may hurt. First time are important," Sabine continued. "They're not the end all of things, but they are a new chapter. It's not something that should be rushed into or hurried over, but it also shouldn't be built up in your mind to be perfect. It's most likely going to be awkward and confusing in parts, no matter how much you're prepared for it. If you keep in mind what you want from it, what you both want, the next time you get carried away, it'll help you stop."

Tom said, "I seriously doubt either of you are interested in a quickie on a rooftop between patrols or upstairs with us down here."

Adrien felt the blood draining from his face while Marinette shook her head frantically. "No. No, I don't want that."

"Spur of the moment is good fun and all," Tom continued, "but certain things shouldn't be left to chance. A little planning will help, even if it's not any time soon."

"Hormones are hard to deal with," Sabine said. "I do not want to know what it's like when you add a Miraculous on top of it. So we understand what you're both going through is difficult to explain. But if you have plans and ideals in place, they can circumvent the hormones."

"It's not like you'll last very long the first time, Adrien," Tom said.

Adrien shot Tom a startled look. "What? I won't?"

"It's a sensation overload," Tom said. "Just bear that in mind. And if you get her there first… well, doesn't matter then does it?"

Marinette groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Papa."

Tom grinned. "I live to embarrass you, darling daughter." Looking back at Adrien, he said, "You should practice that first, you know. The getting her there part. You'll want to at least have done that."

"You haven't touched your cheesecake, Adrien," Sabine said.

He dropped his eyes to it, then picked up his spoon. "I… er…"

"You're not on trial," she said with a smile. "This isn't your last meal."

"This isn't… what I expected," Adrien admitted.

"You went to school," Tom said. "You should know the ins and outs of sex."

Adrien's eyes widened while Plagg choked on his cheesecake. "Nice one!"

Sabine shot her husband an amused look. "Tom!"

"Sorry," Tom replied, without looking sorry at all. "This is the personal stuff they don't teach. The emotional side of it."

"You're old enough to make your own decisions," Sabine continued. "I can't stop you but I can make sure you're safe and careful about it."

"Tell that to Adrien's father," Marinette muttered. "He's apparently quite capable in making decisions for Adrien."

Sabine looked at Marinette beside her, then across the table at Adrien. "Marinette, perhaps you'd better leave this to Adrien."

"We have to do something," Marinette implored. "It's not fair."

Adrien put his spoon back down. "I am doing something."

Her eyes flashed to his. "You're letting it happen!"

"I'm not," he insisted.

"You didn't even fight him!"

"What would you have me do?" he countered, feeling anger swell inside him. She was acting like all this was his fault. "Yell? Scream? Throw a tantrum like Chloé does? Or approach it in a way I know I can get him to listen to me. I'm fighting this the only way I know how. Please don't make me fight you too."

Marinette reeled back and her face drained of colour.

"He's already compromising," Adrien continued. "I can go out. I can have friends. I can go out with friends. With you. I couldn't do that last time." Looking at his untouched cheesecake he no longer felt hungry. "I'm sorry. I need to go. May I be excused?"

"Aww, what?" Plagg mourned and cleaned his whiskers with a paw.

Sabine, who'd been looking on silently, exchanged a glance with Tom before she nodded. "Of course."

With ingrained politeness, he pushed away from the table. "Thank you for the cheesecake and the talk. Goodnight."

Tom said, "Marinette will walk you out."

"It's fine," Adrien said. "I know the way. Plagg, Claws out." Transformation complete, he bounded for the stairs on all fours and up into Marinette's room.

He'd reached her trap door when Marinette scrambled up the stairs after him. "Chat! Wait!"

Hand on the trap door, he hesitated. "Yes?"

Relieved to see him still here, she hurried up the stairs to her bed. "I'm sorry."

"It's alri—"

She hit his back full force and pressed her face to his spine, her arms roping around his chest to hold him to her. "I'm sorry. I'm frustrated and embarrassed and confused and emotional and I took it out on you."

He lowered his hand from the trap door and bowed his head. "That's a lot of feelings."

"I am a complete mess."

"Okay."

She looped her arms up to his shoulders. "Chat—"

"I really do have to go."

"Just a few minutes. Please."

He placed a hand over the top of hers. He felt so conflicted. In the space of an afternoon, his world had changed. Pulled from school, Marinette in heat, those darn cats carolling and a talk with her parents. It'd been a long and confusing day and he was tired. Emotionally, physically. Exhausted. And trying very, very hard not to react to her scent.

One thing he knew for certain, he knew why people accepted Hawk Moth's offer. To stop feeling, even for a moment, must be a wonderful thing. It'd be so easy to let it all be taken away.

"Talk to me. Please?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Anything."

He stared at her wall. "Do you really think I don't want you?"

She clutched him and made a dismayed noise.

"We're not Nino and Alya. It's okay to take our time. It's not a race."

"I know."

"We talked about it. We had a plan. We didn't go overboard in my room. But the moment we're in the suits and you pinned me against the wall and… everything got pushed aside. I wanted to. I wanted to so badly. But we talked. We agreed we weren't ready. I thought I was doing the right thing backing off." He twitched, wanting to turn around, but decided against it. "Did you lie? Are you ready?"

She pressed against his back. "Sometimes I feel like… I'm supposed to be."

He tensed. "I have never pushed—"

"Not because of you," she hastened. "Just… life. In general. Media. Friends. People…. I don't know. Kissing you and touching and exploring feels so… adult. It feels grown up and thrilling and I want to do more. I'm the one who pushed and I shouldn't have and I'm sorry."

"I let you push. I didn't try and stop you." He nodded. "Okay."

"Okay?" she blurted, her voice rising in confusion.

He felt detached and odd and he wasn't sure why. "We can do more. Just not in the suits. That's… where we seem to get into the most trouble. Tikki's right, we need to dial that back."

Her arms loosened. "Adrien? You sound strange…"

"You smell delicious and I'm… I can't… I need to get home and I need to stop thinking for a while." Twisting, he cupped her face and kissed her. He let himself deepen it until yearning settled in his belly, before he pulled away. "I love you. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

Chapter Text

Gabriel looked up from his work as Adrien strolled into his office the first thing the following morning. "Adrien?"

"Good morning, Father," Adrien sang, being as jovial as he could. He flopped on the guest chair and plopped his feet up on the desk, crossing his ankles. After tossing the apple he'd brought with him from hand to hand, he took a bite and chewed as loudly as he could.

Gabriel eased back on his chair as he regarded his son. "Did you sleep well?"

Swallowing, Adrien said, "I did." Removing his feet from the desk, he peered at Gabriel's precious sketches. "So, what are we working on today?"

His pencil was lowered onto the desk so slowly Adrien wondered if Gabriel was in sloth mode this morning. "We?"

"Well, you pulled me out of school and the tutors aren't available until Monday and Nathalie wasn't ready for it so she hasn't researched the curriculum." Reaching out with the hand that held the apple, he extended a finger toward the closest design with the intent to turn it around so he could get a better look.

Gabriel made a grab for it so apple juice didn't mess up his design. "And you have nothing else to entertain you? Can't you go watch that anime you're so fond of?"

Withholding a smirk, Adrien glanced at the clock. "It's school hours. I'm supposed to be learning. That'd look better in red." He sat back and put his feet back up.

With narrowed eyes, Gabriel said, "So, you've decided you'd like to learn my trade?"

"Marinette lives and breathes this stuff," Adrien said. "I probably should pick up a few things. You know, now I can't talk about school stuff with her anymore. And we're really not up to the stage where the condom goes on the banana."

Adrien's pocket snickered.

Gabriel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Adrien, I don't know what you think you're doing, but it won't work."

"I don't know what you mean," Adrien said. "You said I was in danger at school."

"And you are."

"So, clearly, the only way to keep me safe for ever is to have me under constant supervision. Like you wanted."

"Nathalie is—"

"You would really trust the health and safety of your only son to the hired help?" Adrien asked and fluttered his eyelashes.

"She is perfectly qualified to—"

Keeping his tone mild, Adrien pointed out, "So are the teachers at the school."

Gabriel exhaled loudly.

"The school has been attacked. My photo shoots have been attacked. The runway walk you were at was attacked. Is there really anything you could've done to prevent it?"

Placing his elbows on the table, Gabriel steepled his fingers. "Clearly the only thing I can do to keep you safe is to confine you to your room."

Adrien blinked and dropped his feet from the table. "No, that's not what—"

Gabriel tilted his head. "Or, perhaps I should send you to boarding school. You are multilingual. There are any number of countries I could send you to."

"No!"

Adjusting his glasses, Gabriel said, "Do not push, Adrien. That school is dangerous. There are more attacks there than anywhere else. It's daily. You can't tell me Marinette's parents aren't worried too."

"Pulling me out is not the solution."

"It is the only solution," Gabriel said. "And the only one I shall consider for the time being. Unless you want me to consider more drastic measures."

He swallowed. "No."

"Then please; Stop this act." Gabriel picked up his pencil again. "I trust you can find something to entertain yourself until the tutors arrive on Monday or Nathalie has reviewed the curriculum."

Bowing his head, Adrien nodded. "Yes Father."

"At least you tried," Plagg said as Adrien closed the door behind them.

"He was ready for that."

Plagg muttered, "Yeah. But hey, he practically gave you permission to watch anime."

Adrien snorted. "I guess. Marathon?"

"As long as there's cheese."

Adrien nodded and headed for his room. Halfway there, his phone shrilled and he winced. "Hi Chloé."

"Why didn't you tell me he pulled you out of school?!"

"I—"

"I had to find out through Nino! I had to talk to Nino! Do you have any idea what—"

He sighed, slipping his fingers under his glasses to rub his eye. "You could've asked Marinette."

Chloé made a disgruntled noise. "She's running late. Again."

He smiled. Sounded like his Marinette alright. "Sorry, Chloé. There's not really… I mean, I've been trying to talk him out of it."

"Do you need help? My father can talk some sense into him."

"No." Snorting he said, "But let's go spend his money. How about lunch at your dad's restaurant? My treat."

Chloé let loose a peel of laughter. "You're on. I'll even let you invite Marinette."

"You're not thinking big enough, Chlo," Adrien said with a smirk. "Invite the whole class."

"Oh!" she blurted in surprise, then snickered. "Oh, you are devious. I like it. Consider it done."

Hanging up, he smiled at Plagg, who stared at him curiously. "Well, socialisation is important. If I can't go to class, I can bring the class to me."

Plagg laughed. "Kid, you did good. Well done."

Lifting his phone, he sent of a quick message to Nino about what he'd just suggested to Chloé to make sure she'd follow through and invite the class. Nino texted back that Chloe made it sound like it was her idea.

Calling Marinette, he waited. Opening his bedroom door, he flicked his computer on and sat on the computer chair. "Good morning!" he sang as she answered. "You're late."

"Hi," she mumbled, groggily.

"Hello bugaboo." He swung side to side on his chair. "You're late."

"Huh?"

"For school." He slowed down. "You. Are. Late."

"Oh!" she blurted, more awake every second. "Ahh! I'm late!"

He heard something thump and assumed it was her down the bottom of her stairs. "Yup!"

"Are you there?" she asked as she scrambled.

"No," he said. "Chloé rang to yell at me and said you hadn't arrived yet."

"Oh. Damn. I was kind of hoping it was a bad dream."

"Yeah. Me too. I tried. I walked into my father's office today and channelled Chat Noir, threatening to spend the entire day by his side. Since school couldn't be trusted to watch over me, Nathalie shouldn't either and his only other option was to watch me himself and make sure I didn't get a paper cut."

She giggled. "What'd he do?"

He huffed. "Threatened to send me to boarding school."

"Ahh. We don't want that."

"No. We don't."

"Adrien, about last night—"

"I'll let you get ready for school. See you at lunch!"

"Wait, what? Lunch?"

"Ask Alya when you get to school. Bye!" He grinned at the phone as he hung up, then placed it on the desk beside his computer.

"She's going to throttle you for that," Plagg said.

"Probably," Adrien said and logged into his computer. "What episode were we up to?"

Lunchtime arrived and Adrien made a lot of noise about going out to spend time with his friends over their break. Gabriel had already left, and there wasn't a lot Nathalie could do to dissuade Adrien from leaving and he was certain the moment he was out the door, she'd be calling his father.

Which is what he wanted anyway. Let the man stew.

While he waited for his friends in the lobby of Chloé's hotel, he idly surfed his phone. It didn't take long before he heard the tell-tale "Adrikiiiiiins!" and was tackled by a flying bundle of blonde. She swung on his neck until he put his hands on her hips to subtly push her away.

"Hello Chloé ," he said and kissed her cheek in greeting.

"I am absolutely furious with your father," she said in a snit as she stepped back. "It's dreadful. Simply ghastly. There has to be some law we can shove in his face to say he can't do this."

"I know," he said. "Believe me, I've tried." Turning his head, he raised a fist to Nino. "Hey dude."

"Hey man," Nino said and bumped his fist against Adrien's. "How's your first day of your prison sentence?"

"At least it's not solitary."

"Or for the rest of your life," Alya said as she joined them.

"Very true," Adrien said. "I am working my father as we speak, but until then—"

"Adrien's paying," Chloé said and laughed. "Oh, I love this idea."

The rest of their classmates filed in, looking both hungry and excited to see him and Adrien made sure he greeted them all.

"We're really only here for the free food," Kim said, grinning at his own joke.

"And to show solidarity," Max said, adjusting his glasses. "After all, it's not fair."

"Nah, free foods," Alix said with a wink to show she was joking, then high fived Kim.

"I hear you with the parental unit," Juleka said and nodded sombrely. "That bites."

"Thanks," Adrien said as he looked for Marinette among the crowd. "I suppose it's something all parents worry about though."

"Not mine," Nino said.

"Mine are," Alix said. "But I've been akumatised, so yeah." She shrugged. "Doesn't strike twice."

"Practically everyone has," Nino said.

Adrien tried not to look too nervous about that.

"At the rate Hawk Moth's going, he'll run out of victims at our school," Alya pointed out.

"Hope so," Nino said, then frowned at Adrien. "You and Marinette haven't been akumatised yet."

"Neither has Sabrina," Alya pointed out. "Or Mireille. Or Max. Or Ms Bustier or Ms Mendeleiev or a lot of other students."

"Yeah, okay," Nino said.

"It's not an exclusive club, Nino," Alya said. "I don't know why you're hoping Adrien'll get taken over by a crazy butterfly."

"I don't know," Adrien joked. "Does the club have benefits?"

"No," Rose quipped. "All I got was a gift bag at the end of it."

"All I got was a massive headache," Juleka said.

"I got a lousy t-shirt," Kim added with a laugh.

"You were all useless akuma anyway," Chloé said and turned up her nose. "At least I froze Paris for two days."

"Yes, but out of all of us, Alya's the only one who touched a Miraculous," Nino said.

"No," Alya corrected. "I touched Ladybug's mask. It's not like any of us really remember what we did."

"I have never eaten here before," Rose commented. "Is it nice?"

"It's delicious," Juleka told her and reached down to take Rose's hand. "Do we go in?" she asked Adrien.

Adrien twisted to Chloé. "Hey, Chloé can you show –hi Sabrina – everyone to our table? I've already organised everything and paid for the buffet."

Chloé raised her hand importantly and snapped her fingers. "This way! Follow me."

"Alya, where's –hi Ivan, hi Mylène , thanks for coming."

Alya shook her head and smiled at him. "She's running late, 'cause she was late this morning."

He was disappointed. "Ahh."

Marinette skid around the corner and nearly collided with the Gorilla outside in her haste. Pressing her hand over her heart, she moved around him with a friendly wave and then hurried inside. Spotting them, her whole demeanour brightened as she grinned. "I'm here!"

"And, there she is," Alya said, smiling fondly.

She rushed toward them and tripped on some non-existent dimple in the carpet and went flying. Adrien scooped her up before she hit the ground. "Little eager, aren't we?" he asked with a grin.

Safe in his arms, she flushed. Lithe fingers curled around his biceps. "Hi."

Hands splayed on her back to support her, he bent over. "Hi," he said and pecked her lips. "Glad you could make it."

"Ugh, get a room," Chloé said.

"Well, this is a hotel," Adrien remarked and righted Marinette.

Marinette's mouth dropped open while Chloé wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Well, that's just gross."

Keeping his hand on Marinette's hip, he tugged her into a walk and pulled her toward the restaurant. "I'm starved."

Nino fell into step beside him. "You seem very happy today. Especially since you're condemned."

"Gotta look on the bright side of life," Adrien said. "There's always something good coming."

"Perfect attitude not to get akumatised," Alya noted from the other side of Nino.

"Huh?" Marinette asked, shooting her friend a wild look.

"They're picking on us because we haven't joined the exclusive ex-akuma club," Adrien told her.

"There's a club?" Marinette asked.

"With gift baskets," Alya quipped.

"Oh, I am so there," Marinette said with a laugh. "Hey, Chloé, want to cause another akuma?"

Chloé side-eyed Marinette, then sniffed. "If I haven't made you one by now, I don't think it's even possible. Some people aren't cut out for being one."

"Besides," Adrien said, enjoying the subtle and tentative playfulness between the girls. "Chloé's been very chill lately."

Chloe's eyes widened and Marinette clapped a hand over her face to supress the giggles.

"Nice one," Nino said and high-fived Adrien.

Alya shook her head. "Wow. Just wow."

As the group headed for the table put aside for them, Marinette took Adrien's wrist and pulled him to a stop. "Adrien…"

He faced her, keeping his back to their group of friends as they fought over seat placements. "Yes?"

She dropped her eyes. "About yesterday—"

Plagg zipped down from Adrien's pocket and phased through into Marinette's bag. Sharing a look with Marinette, he snorted and shook his head. "And they think we're bad." He cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb against her skin. "I'm fine. Really."

She covered his hand with hers. "I feel terrible."

He stepped closer to her. "Don't. I took some time to think. I had a cold shower. I sassed my father. I have a plan. Things'll be okay."

Her eyes watered and she blinked them back. "Are we okay?"

He smiled and hooked his fingers through the hand resting by her side. "We're perfect, Princess."

Lunch was pleasant. Good food, good company, Marinette's hand warmed Adrien's knee beneath the table while she chatted to Alya. Nino and Ivan had food races to see who could eat the fastest and Adrien thought it was a good thing that there was a buffet for lunch. Kim and Alix held time trials to see who could hold ice-cream in their mouth the longest. Rose and Juleka chatted to each other. Max and Nathanaël had a conversation about art in gaming which dragged everyone's opinions in. Beyond a few snippy moments, Chloé was mostly cordial and Sabrina looked like she enjoyed the company.

Standing in line at the dessert station, their second for the meal, Adrien enjoyed casually flirting with Marinette.

"You lying, cheating, asshole!"

As one, Marinette and Adrien turned their heads.

A blonde woman in a pink sundress stood with her hands on the white tablecloth of one of the restaurant corner tables. The man opposite her seemed more interested in keeping her quiet and sheepishly looking at the other restaurant patrons than dealing with her accusations.

Neither of them heard what the man said, but the fury on the woman's face multiplied as she shrieked, "'Are you on your period?' Did you seriously just ask me that? Do not dare disregard my emotional feelings or remove blame from yourself because you were banging some bitch in the next room! On our anniversary!"

"Oh, boy," Adrien said with a cringe. "Asshole."

Marinette nodded approvingly. "Give him hell."

The akuma butterfly appeared from nowhere, landing on the woman's hand and within a heartbeat the woman was covered in purple bubbles.

"Akuma!" Alya shrieked in warning and pointed. "Take cover!"

Instant, coordinated mayhem as people reacted. Because they were so far from the exit, Adrien upended the closest table to use as a shield and yanked Marinette in behind it. Further away, Nino did the same thing, dragging Alya and Mylène down behind it, signalling frantically for their other classmates to do the same. Adrien saw a flash of Alya's phone in her hand and guessed the Ladyblog upload just went live. Chloé cowered with Ivan and Kim. Sabrina hid with Alix, Rose and Juleka. Max pressed against a support pole to hide. The waiter who'd just come from the kitchen dropped their tray of food and bolted back inside. The people closest to the exit made a run for it while those too far away to escape before the change finished, hid.

The bubbles lifted up as the akuma grow and within their midst, the woman hissed, "You think it's easy being a girl?"

A massive pastel pink cobra head flared from the purple smoke, human hands plucking the man from his seat. As Adrien watched the cobra opened its mouth and breathed pink gas at the man's face before throwing him across the room. "I am Shait! Goddess of Fate!" With that, she opened her mouth and sprayed the entire room with her gas.

It moved too fast to avoid, all they could do was minimise the damage. Adrien tackled Marinette to the ground and covered her. He hooked a hand against the corner of his white jacket and covered her mouth with it while she lifted his shirt over his nose and mouth. Hoping it'd help and glad he'd worn contacts, he buried his face in her neck and she turned her face toward his. They held on as they waited.

The room went pink. Smoke wafted and he could taste it in the air. He tried to take shallow breathes to limit amount of gas he inhaled.

As the gas began to clear, Marinette's fingers flexed in his hair. "We need to get out of here," she said against his hand.

"I know." He hesitated. Coughed. His voice was strange, higher and lighter and… unbroken. He felt weird. Fuller and different and Marinette felt softer than normal.

"Adrien?"

"I feel weird."

"You sound weird." Marinette shifted beneath him, then tensed. Something poked him in the chest and he was surprised at the jab of pain. "Oh, shit. Those aren't mine."

"What?"

She yanked at his shirt and pulled it down from his face, then gasped.

"What's wrong?"

Near them, a high pitched scream and Adrien twisted his head. A woman, wearing clothes strikingly similar to Nino's, screamed at herself. Screamed at her hands, which then slammed on her chest and her eyes widened. The scream died to a gurgle. "Holy shit!"

Around her, a few other women were freaking out as they looked at themselves and Adrien spotted Chloé panicking and Mylène trying to console a larger woman.

"Shh, everything will be alright," Alya said, patting the woman who dressed like Nino on the head. "Calm down, Nino."

"I got knockers!"

Adrien blinked. "Nino? What?"

"Adrien?" Marinette asked.

He turned back at her. A lock of blonde hair fell in front of his eyes and against his nose, tickling his lips, which was odd because his hair wasn't that long.

Marinette reached out and gave the lock of hair a tug and it pulled against his skull.

Adrien frowned. "What?"

She looked so pale. "Well… I always thought you'd make a pretty girl."

It took him a moment too long to compute that, before he scrambled away from her. "What?"

She sat up, her hands outstretched to try and sooth him. "It's okay. We can fix this."

Kneeling, Adrien tugged a handful of his hair and pulled it in front of his face. "What?" Holding out his shaking hand, their nails were delicate and painted rose pink. "What?" His upper arms brushed against something on his chest, something existing in places that had previously been vacant and he hovered two hands over two breasts. His breasts. "What?"

Marinette took his shoulders. "Breathe."

He did and his chest moved up in a way it hadn't before. Panic brimmed in him.

Marinette peered over the top of him, then peeked around the edge of the table. "Okay, Shait is gone."

"Why is it always me," Adrien muttered. "Must be your turn."

"Dude! I'm a girl!" Nino blurted and tugged on a strand of long, brown hair.

"At least I'm a hotter girl that you," a women dressed in Kim's clothes said. "Check me out."

Adrien glanced over, then fixed his eyes back on Marinette. He really didn't want to see Max peeking down the front of his own shirt. Her own shirt? He forced his hands to relax onto his lap and concentrated on his breathing.

With a sympathetic smile at Adrien, Marinette shifted her attention. "Alya? You okay?"

"Yeah," Alya called back. "But I hope Ladybug gets here soon. Ladyblog is live, they should be on their way. Before the guys start… ya'know. Pack it up, boys," she said, moving up and away as she herded their friends and classmates toward the exit, "We need to get out of here. Jesus, Nino, stop touching them!"

Marinette squeezed Adrien's shoulder. "C'mon," she said and took his hand. "We can slip away."

"We might have a problem," Tikki said from Marinette's purse.

"I don't think we have a problem," Plagg said in a strange, high-pitched voice. "I look good."

Adrien dropped his eyes. Plagg's tail was fluffy, his fur seemed sleeker, shinier and he had a pink ribbon around his throat. "Oh."

"That my ribbon!" Marinette blurted.

Plagg stroked the ribbon. "It makes me feel pretty."

Rolling her eyes, Marinette got to her feet and tugged on Adrien to help him up. "We can deal with that soon, but first—" her jaw dropped as she judged Adrien's height. "You shrunk!"

He wobbled, unused to the new centre of balance and the fact his pants were too long. "I'm still taller than you."

"Oh my god, Adrien?" Chloé blurted, going white.

With a sheepish smile, he rubbed the back of his head and tangled his fingers in his hair. "Oops."

Chloé swayed and Sabrina grabbed her to hold her steady.

"We need to move," Marinette said and looked at Sabrina. "Get her out of here."

They hung back from the group of classmates, but still made it look like they headed for the exit. Instead of heading outside, they bolted for the stairs and ducked into the first empty room on the next level "Are you going to be okay?" Marinette asked.

"I'll deal," Adrien said. "Claws out."

"Spots on!"

His whole balance felt off. The heels didn't help. He flailed and grabbed the closest wall. "Claws in."

"What's wrong?" Plagg asked, innocently blinking at Adrien after escaping the ring.

"No heels."

"But you look so pretty! My other Chat Noire's loved the heels."

Adrien pinched the bridge of his nose. "No heels."

"What about a skirt?" Plagg suggested coyly.

"Can I just gave my normal suit please?"

Plagg smirked. "Are you sure?"

"With support," Ladybug said.

"Huh?"

Ladybug made a pointed glance down. "You need support."

He followed her gaze. "Oh. Right. Plagg, normal suit, for a girl. No heels."

With an exaggerated slump, Plagg heaved in a sigh. "Fine. Spoilsport."

"Claws—" Adrien's phone rang and he winced as he saw his father's number appear. "Oh, shit," he said and answered, trying to deepen his voice. "Hello."

"Who is this?" Gabriel snapped. "Where is my son?"

He squeezed shut his eyes. "It's me," he said. "I… there was an akuma and I've been sort of temporarily transformed into a girl—"

"I knew something like this would happen! I want you home, now!"

Shooting Ladybug a helpless look, he said, "Father, I can't, we're hiding, if I move the akuma—"

"Now Adrien!"

Ladybug snatched the phone from him. "Monsieur Agreste, this is Ladybug. I will personally escort your son home when this is over, but right now, we need to keep the affected together to prevent panic."

Adrien could hear his father's voice shrill through the phone. "You're risking my son!"

"The akuma is in the vicinity and if he wanders off, Chat Noir and I can't protect him."

Adrien smirked.

"Now, excuse me, Monsieur Agreste, I have an akuma to catch," she said and hung up. With a timid look, she handed the phone back to Adrien. "Sorry. I couldn't help it."

"You're awesome."

She smiled. "Hurry up. I'd really like my handsome boyfriend back."

With a laugh, he said, "Claws out."

The second the transformation was over, Ladybug giggled.

Chat Noir groaned. "What'd he do?"

Ladybug tapped her neck and Chat Noir looked down at the pretty pink ribbon which adorned his neck instead of his bell. With another groan, he said, "Let's just go."

"After you," Ladybug said, copying Chat Noir's sweeping bow with a glint in her eyes. "My lady."

He gave her a sour look. "You're not funny."

Chapter Text

Ladybug and Chat Noir hid on the rooftops above Shait to survey the surroundings and plan. Now they could get a closer look, Shait looked like some sort of naga, a tail instead of legs and head of a cobra but with a feminine torso. Ladybug watched below as she spoke, “She’s only targeting men. That’s not equal opportunity at all.” She glanced at Chat Noir and frowned. Pointing, she sassed, “The battle’s down there, kitten.”

He was more interested in her. “Can I do something?”

She lifted an eyebrow. “What?”

Standing from his crouch, he approached her and, wary that she mightn’t appreciate this because he was currently trapped in the appearance of a girl, angled his head down to show her he wasn’t going for a kiss. Although she adjusted her stance in confusion, she let him. Inhaling through his nose, he sniffed her neck, then dropped back.

“What?” she asked.

He smiled. “It’s gone.”

Ladybug blinked twice, then tilted her head back as she tried to smell herself. “It is?”

“Yes. I’m attracted to you, but I’m not ‘omg-hot-girl-make-her-mine’ attracted.”

She smiled at his phrasing and her blush blossomed. “‘Make her mine’? Really?”

“That’s what it felt like.”

“Are you sure it’s not ‘cause you’re a girl?” she asked, tentative. “Girl cats mightn’t react be able to—”

He considered that. “We can check later if you want, but there’s nothing wrong with my nose. You still smell wonderful and you always have, but the impulse is gone.”

“Yes, but—”

“Were there any cats outside your place this morning?”

She tapped her fingers to her lips. “No.”

He smiled. “Might be over for this month.”

She puffed out a breath. “That’s be awesome.”

Returning his attention to Shait, he crouched down. “Okay. So. If we hit her from two angles, we might be able to get the ring off her. The gas won’t work now that—”

“Can you not crouch like that?”

Chat Noir blinked, derailed from his thought. “Why? It’s comfortable.”

“It’s a very guy way of sitting. You’re…” she sighed and crouched down next to him, balancing on her toes and having her knees close together and ahead of her. “Sit like this.”

“I don’t… why?”

Ladybug went red. “Let’s just defeat the akuma and turn you back. Double team, right?”

Giving Ladybug a confused look, he said, “Yeah, if you tie her down, I’ll get the ring.”

“Done.”

Even with Chat Noir changed, they were still a coordinated team. Shait was easy to subdue. She was so hissy and focused on the male population, two girls running at her didn’t even draw attention. A well placed yo-yo throw and with Ladybug holding Shait, Chat Noir moved in.

Shait shifted and writhed and grew and then Ladybug wasn’t holding a writhing female cobra, but a male one. Chat Noir skid to a stop and stared, then bounced backward as the pink gas flamed from Shait’s mouth again and poured over Ladybug.

A yelp from inside the gas and the yo-yo unwound. A yelp of pain. Too deep to be her natural voice and Chat Noir’s eyes widened. If his girlfriend suffered the same fate he did, then her feminine suit would be too tight for—

Abandoning his attack on Shait, he bounced straight for the gas and into it, scooping the doubled-over Ladybug over his shoulder and then extended his baton to vault them away. With Ladybug’s body bent over his shoulder, it meant that her knees were… banging against something that really hurt and how did Marinette do this daily?

The moment they were on a rooftop, Chat Noir hid them behind a chimney. Plopping Ladybug on her feet, he blurted, “Release it!”

She was grey and he didn’t blame her. She was much taller than him now, which was a surprise. Although the suit had stretched, it hadn’t stretched where it mattered most. Ladybug doubled over as Tikki escaped her earrings and clutched at herself. “Oh god!”

He knew that pain. “Breathe through it.”

She croaked. “I feel sick.”

He rubbed between the shoulder blades of his girlfriend’s now broad shoulders. “I know. Um… your pants are still tight, do you want to switch clothes?”

“What I want,” she said in a voice too deep for his sweet girlfriend, “is to catch this akuma and get our bodies back. Tikki?”

Tikki’s voice was also deep for the normal kwami. “All ready, Marinette.”

“You’ll give me room?”

“Absolutely.”

“Spots on!”

Chat Noir lifted his hand away from Marinette’s back as she became Ladybug again.

With a relieved sigh, she raised her head and offered him a shaky smile. “Do I make a hot guy?”

Marinette’s brilliant eyes peered at him through a similarly shaped, yet somehow masculine face. He could only imagine what he looked like to her. It was still her, though, and he loved her. With a grin, he said, “Yup.”

She winced and straightened up, then tugged at her suit leggings to give herself more room. “Ow.”

“Easy.”

“How do you manage?” she asked, shaking her legs and scrunched up her face. “It’s just… how do you move?”

“For starters, that’s why guys ‘rearrange’ constantly. Now, stop touching it or…” he trailed off, not really wanting to spell it out for her.

Her eyes widened as she gleaned his meaning. “Is that all it takes?”

Blood drained from his face. “I am… absolutely not going to answer that.”

“Really, how do you manage with it… it’s just there and…” She took a few wobbly, bow-legged, steps. “It feels so weird.”

Chat Noir gestured his chest. “I know exactly what you’re going through. How do you cope with the jiggle? Or not bump them constantly.”

“Practice,” she quipped. “And… well, it wasn’t like they just appeared one day. We got used to it a little at a time.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, then pressed his hand to the top of his breast to rub it. Her knees had hurt. “I suppose.”

She didn’t bat an eyelid at his action. “Seems we’re learning a lot about each other today.”

“I guess. We probably should get to it.” He gestured. “It has a mind of its own sometimes and… well I don’t think you want to deal with that.”

She pulled a face. “Please no,” she said with one more tug at her leggings. “Okay. This time, no matter what Shait does, we get that ring.”

Chat Noir nodded and reached for his baton. “Agreed. All out.”

“All the way.” Tossing her yo-yo in the air, she bellowed, “Lucky Charm!”

“Duct tape?” Chat Noir said as the roll landed in Ladybug’s hand.

Ladybug peeled the edge and pulled out a strip to hold, and then plonked the roll on Chat Noir’s baton. “I think we know what to do with this.”

They fumbled and fuddled and tripped over each other. Ladybug’s longer legs made her more awkward than normal and messed up her landings. Chat Noir’s expansions didn’t allowed him the freedom of movement he was used to. But as the gas didn’t affect them anymore, they didn’t have to worry about Shait’s attacks. They just had to worry about coordinating their bodies as they ran circles around Shait stretching the duct tape between them.

When Shait was bound, Chat Noir darted in to extract the ring. Dancing away, he broke the ring and caught the akuma in his claws, tossing it to Ladybug to cleanse.

Separated from the item, Shait lost all their powers and turned into an emotionally wrought woman and the duct tape returned to the roll. Neither Chat Noir nor Ladybug were in much condition to assist the woman and they were both relieved to spot Alya rushing up to them both.

Alya’s eyes lingered a little too long on Ladybug’s new physique, prompting a growl from Chat Noir, but the two of them were happy to pose for several pictures for her blog.

To be on the safe side, they carted the duct tape a small distance away and hid, allowing Chat Noir a chance to de-transform before Ladybug cured. He didn’t want to go through the same thing she’d been through. Once she cured, she de-transformed to let Tikki eat and Plagg insisted on having something too, even though he hadn’t used Cataclysm.

Patting himself down, Adrien didn’t even try to stop the sigh of relief. “Thank you. I was a little afraid I’d have to fight around them.”

Marinette snorted at him and patted Tikki on the head as she ate. “That could’ve been comical. I was looking forward to taking you bra shopping.”

Adrien snorted and grinned at her. “Boxers or briefs?”

Her laugh peeled. “Commando.”

He almost swallowed his tongue thinking about that as her normal self.

Tikki finished her cookie and Marinette sighed as she transformed back to Ladybug. “I should get you home.”

He sighed. He got out his phone to message Nino that his father had issued his commandment, which completely sucked because he’d wanted to spend more time with their friends. “Yeah.”

“So much for lunch together.”

Adrien said, “You could still go back.”

“Or,” she said, sauntering up to him while spinning her yo-yo. “I could sneak into your bedroom and we can watch something together until I have to go back to class. There’s still an hour.”

“Snuggle?” he asked, hopeful.

“Well.” She smiled. “Other things might come up. Wait…” The smile died and, catching her yo-yo, she tilted her head to expose her neck. “Smell me?”

He dipped his head and pressed his lips to the point her neck joined her shoulder. “Hmmm.” His hands settled on her waist to pull her flush against him. “Claws out.”

“Aww, c’mon, again?” Plagg complained, seconds before he was sucked up.

“Really?” Ladybug asked.

“Gotta be thorough.”

It was faint. He suspected the scent would remain for spring, always lurking until the season was over. Although it wasn’t overwhelming anymore, if they didn’t do something it would grow again until he, and the clowder of cats, couldn’t ignore it. Then vanish just as suddenly. Needless to say, he ran his nose along her neck and jaw much longer than necessary.

“Is that a good thing?” she asked after he told her.

“Maybe your mother’s right about the pill?”

She shrugged and looped her arms around his neck. “Can’t hurt to try.”

“And now we’re aware.”

She nodded. “It’ll be easier. I hope.”

“What about you?” he asked. “Are you settled?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “You’d have to kiss me to find out.”

He was more than happy to oblige her on that.

As much as he would’ve liked to oblige Ladybug all day, he knew his father expected him. Gabriel waited on the steps of Agreste Mansion for them, regal, tall and very angry. Adrien stepped away from Ladybug the moment they hit the ground.

Bowing at the waist to Ladybug, Adrien said, “Thank you for the rescue.”

Ladybug, her eyes continually darting to Gabriel, inclined her head. “You’re welcome.”

Gabriel glided down the stairs. “Thank you for bringing my disobedient son home, Ladybug.”

Adrien saw Ladybug’s hands clench and he knew it was because of the barely concealed hostility in Gabriel’s voice.

Gabriel turned his icy gaze to Adrien. “Inside. Now.”

“Don’t fall prey to Hawk Moth, Monsieur Agreste.”

Gabriel’s eyes snapped back to Ladybug’s. “What did you say?”

Adrien shot Ladybug a sharp glance. He’d known she’d try again, how could she not. It was in her nature to try and fix things. But as Ladybug? This could be very dangerous, especially if she revealed too much.

“Fear and uncertainty are his greatest weapons,” Ladybug continued, her voice ringing with confidence. “If you chose to live in fear, he wins.”

“I’m trying to protect what is left of my family.”

“So am I,” Ladybug continued. “And hiding them away and controlling their every move doesn’t help anyone.”

Adrien wilted under his father’s sudden glare.

“That is not what I’m doing. I am protecting him. Perhaps when you finally defeat this adversary, we’ll all breathe a sigh of relief. Until then—”

“This would’ve been over long ago if Hawk Moth wasn’t a coward, Monsieur Agreste.”

Gabriel’s head reared back. “I beg your pardon?”

“The man is a shadow. He never reveals himself and sends people in pain to do his dirty work. How can I fight what I cannot see or find? I can face his akuma and heal the pain, but the source of that pain still lingers.”

“Do not offer excuses—”

“If we do not continue to live our lives as though there is no threat looming over us, then he wins. All emotions have a place and I hate that he preys upon moments of weakness the way he does. Children, Monsieur Agreste. He preys on children. We’ve had akuma who were four years old. What sort of man does that?”

A flicker of emotion from his father. “Someone who will stop at nothing.”

“Exactly,” Ladybug said. She flicked her eyes to Adrien, who let his flare in warning. “I think it’s important to show a man like that we are not afraid.” She reached for her yo-yo and spun it. “Bye, Adrien. Goodbye, Monsieur Agreste.”

Adrien gave a small wave and forced a smile. “Bye. Thanks again.”

The moment Ladybug was out of earshot, Gabriel turned on Adrien and snarled, “Our family’s business is no one else’s concern.”

Fighting not to cringe, Adrien said, “She overheard me talking to Marinette. I guess she thought she could help—”

“You’re grounded.”

Adrien felt the world drop out from under him. He swivelled to face his father. “What?”

“Grounded. No going out at all. Except for mealtimes and your lessons, you are confined to your bedroom.” He held out his hand. “No phone. No Marinette.”

“That’s not fair! You can’t do—”

“Do not make it worse.”

Adrien swallowed his words. It took so much effort, they wanted to burst free of him. His hands shook from the force of his contained fury.

Gabriel gestured with his fingers. “Phone. Now.”

Gritting his teeth, Adrien placed his phone in his father’s hand and stalked up the stairs past him.

“I do not enjoy this,” Gabriel called after him. “And I am starting to believe Marinette may not be the good influence on you I thought she was.”

Adrien bit his tongue to hold back the retort.

Nathalie waited on the top stairs, wavering between being sympathetic and stern. He brushed by her and stormed inside. Hand clenched and teeth grit, he hated his life. He stomped up the stairs and refused to look at his father as he came inside.

Nathalie, following him, said, “Adrien—”

“Leave me alone!”

“Nathalie, leave him to his tantrum,” Gabriel called. “You have other work which requires your attention.”

He slammed his bedroom door, locked it, then kicked it for good measure. The door shuddered from the force and he could tell by the startled gasp from outside, Nathalie had seen and heard his temper.  

“Calm down,” Plagg mumbled, floating out from Adrien’s jacket.

He backed away from the door and glared at it as he took several deep breaths. “I hate him right now.”

“Hate is a very strong emotion,” Plagg said. “It won’t do any good.”

“He never listens,” Adrien vented. “I am so sick of being treated like an inconvenience!”

“You have been provoking him,” Plagg said.

“Oh, don’t start!” Adrien spat and shook his finger at Plagg. “You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“I am on your side,” Plagg said, frowning at him. “He’s acting like a father, isn’t that what you wanted?”

“I wanted a father who cared enough to spend time with me. Who wanted me around! Not,” he gestured wildly at everything and nothing. “This.”

“Adrien?”

He stiffened and a shiver went down his spine. Turning, he saw Marinette standing by his open window, eyes wide and hands covering her mouth as she stared at him. He couldn’t help the words tumbling from his lips. “You had to meddle, didn’t you? I kept asking you to leave it alone and I’ll deal with it but you just had to have your say!”

Marinette paled and took a step backward. “What happened?”

“He grounded me. No phone. No leaving my room. No you.” He stalked toward his bed and flopped face first. Covering his head with his hands and arms, he groaned into the bed covers.

Timid, Marinette said, “I was trying to help.”

He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling and used his hands as a pillow. “I know.”

“Do you want me to go?”

“Nope. Get over here.”

She came, as reluctant and tentative as a mouse and he had to sit up to drag her onto the bed with him. Hands up behind his head again, he let her use his arm as a pillow and she curled into his side with her hand on his chest. 

“I’m really sorry.”

“Yeah, I know.” He huffed. “At least I know how far I can push him. That’s something, I guess.”

“I didn’t want this at all and—”

“Princess, I know.” He took a breath and let it out slowly. “I’m angry. I’m frustrated. I’m hurt you didn’t listen. But he provoked you too and I can’t fault you on what you said.”

“Adrien—”

“Just shut up for a minute and let me brood.”

Since she twitched at his tone, he lifted the arm she lay on out from behind his head and wrapped it around her. In his head, he counted, slow and steady. At thirty, he removed his other hand from under his head and stretched it out toward his pillows. At forty-five, he secured the corner of one of them with his index finger and middle finger. At fifty-five, he’d pulled it back enough so he could get a grip on it. At sixty, he whacked her with the pillow.

Warding the pillow away with her hands, she gave him an astonished look. “What?”

Scooting out from beneath her, he knelt on the bed and whacked her shoulders.

Marinette curled up into a ball and a giggle burst from her lips. “What are you doing?”

“Therapeutic pillow play,” he quipped and twumped her hip. “You have to leave soon—” he got her in the ribs— “and I don’t want to spend the whole time angry, so—” a pillow to her face. “Come at me.”

She used her hands to protect her face. “Do I get a pillow?”

He was between her and the rest of his pillows so there was really only one answer he could give. “Only if you get past me.”

She tried. Although she was lithe and quick to lunge, he had the greater reach. Every scoot she managed to get toward the pillows, was another whack by his pillow. She feigned left and he grabbed her by the hips as she tried to crawl past, wrestling her back down the end of the bed again before retreating to guard the rest of the pillows.

“You’re cheating,” she complained after several thwarted attempts to get past him.

He put a hand over his heart. “I would never.”

She lunged for his pillow the next time he whacked at her and they wrestled over that. She threw her weight at him, forcing him to lose his balance and topple backward onto the bed. Sprawled on top of him, she was able to reach one of his other pillows to retaliate with. Rolling away, she knelt to clobber him about the head and chest with her prize. “Ha!”

He blocked with his wrists and curled his knees up.  “Not the face!”

She belted him. “No way! You can’t make rules to—”

He laughed and tried to shy away. “Contacts!”

“—suit yourself—oh that’s not fair!” With a frustrated noise, she clobbered him in the chest instead.

Adrien let her get a few good hits in before he tried to take the pillow from her. She wouldn’t relinquish the pillow she had, but she left the pile unguarded. In a moment of distraction, he rearmed himself. Once they both had pillows, it was an all-out war. Pillows went flying at exposed body parts, sneaky fingers tickled spots unguarded and laughter floated above.

Two kwami watched the two teens play from a safe distance and snuggled at on top of Adrien’s sofa.

Retreating away from the bed, Marinette brandished her pillow, forcing Adrien to follow her or give up the fight. He wasn’t ready to stop, so they took the fight to the floor. He chased her around the room, across the sofa and around foosball table as she used the furniture to keep him away from her. He swiped at her legs and hips, using his longer arms and reach to hurry her retreat and herd her to where he wanted her to go.

Her face, her body was alive with laughter and he felt the anger draining away from him with each flirtatious smile and teasing quip she sent his way. Pigtails bobbling and eyes shining, she looked breathtakingly beautiful and he was so glad he belonged to her.

Giggling, she went for the high ground, climbing the spiral staircase to his second level and used the added height to whack at him as he followed. He warded away her blows with a hand and retaliated, careful not to knock her legs out from under her but still keep the pressure on.

Reaching the top of the spiral stair, she barricaded the exit with her body and kept him on the stairs, beating his head and shoulders with her pillow.

“Watch the face!”

“Oh,” she scoffed and lowered her aim to his chest. “Don’t be a baby.”

Keeping low, he pressed, trying to escape the stairs. He dodged and ducked her swinging blows then, as she drew back for another strike, he rushed her, catching her around the waist and lifted her into the air. Marinette squeaked and lost her grip on her pillow. Adrien didn’t. Carrying her further onto the second floor, he used his pillow cushion her head and collapsed them on the floor.

Breathless, she giggled merrily and he stretched out on his back beside her, taking her hand to kiss the back of it. The giggles diminished to a hum and she adjusted her head on the pillow so she could smile at him. “That was fun.”

Still holding her hand, he entwined their fingers then rested them on his stomach. “Yup. I won.”

With a snort, she said, “No way.”

“Anything that gets you flat on your back is a win in my book.”

She shoved him with her free hand. “Sweet talker.”

He chuckled.

“We should do that more often,” Marinette said.

He tilted his head toward hers. “Mom used to wage pillow war on me when I was angry. So it’s always made me feel better.”

“Ahh,” she said, thoughtful. “She and Papa would’ve gotten along. Papa loves pillow fights.”

Images of Tom dual wielding pillows popped into his head. “Oh, he’d be an absolute beast to defeat.”

“Together we can take him,” she assured him.

“Together we can take anything,” Adrien agreed.

She chewed her lip. “Adrien, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to make it worse.”

“I know.” He stared at the high ceilings. “Please let me deal with this. I know him better than you. I got to go to school once, I can do it again. I love that you want to help, but no more, okay.”

She nodded. “I promise.”

Nudging her with his shoulder, he said, “If I play petulant child and lock myself in here, he won’t notice when I go missing periodically.”

“And you have your baton, you can call me.”

“Absolutely I can.” He released her hand so he could roll onto his side and propped his head up on his elbow. Using the tips of two fingers, he trailed them along the exposed skin at her stomach. “I’ve been thinking about this whole ‘in heat’ issue.”

She adjusted her head on the pillow. “Yes?”

“One, I think Tikki’s right and we should limit contact while we’re in the suit until we have a handle on things. Especially when your scent starts to affect me again, ‘cause we both know it will. Plagg and his ‘Chat Noir is immune’ doesn’t cut it.”

She nodded. “Maybe you are,” she said. “Just not to the mating drive scent. Maybe it’s… targeting you.”

“And what about the other guys? And the cats?”

She chewed her lip. “I don’t know. Maybe I was… maybe we were reading too much into the other guys?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Hmm. Doubt it.”

“I mean… we’re… there’s lots of kissing. Maybe that’s got something to do with it.”

“Maybe. When your scent changes again, I’ll tell you straight away and we’ll deal with it properly this time.”

“Yes. Good idea.”

“Two, I am not ready. I’m interested and curious, and probably wouldn’t take a lot of prompting but… we’d be jumping a lot of steps. I think those steps would be fun to discover and learn about and spend time on.” To illustrate, he dipped his littlest finger beneath the belt of her jeans but didn’t go further than the belt.

She didn’t react to his hand as she regarded him. “I see.”

He lost his nerve. Moving away, he ventured to areas he knew he was allowed and slid his palm along her stomach and beneath the shirt, up to caresses the bottom of her ribs. “There’s really a lot of explore.”

Her fingertips rested on his wrist. “There is.”

His eyes roamed from her exposed stomach to her face and held her gaze. “I think we’d be doing ourselves a disservice if we didn’t take the time to…” Tense and unsure but willing to be game, he slid his hand back down and let it rest below her belly button, half inside her jeans, half out. “Check things out.”

She swallowed and her knees parted. “I agree.”

Aware that her actions were subtle permission, he still couldn’t bring himself to make a move. Not until everything had been said. “Your mom’s right too. If we have plans in place, if we talk about what we want out of it, we’ll have more willpower.”

Marinette nodded again. “I’ve been thinking too and you’re right. We shouldn’t go at anyone’s pace but our own.”

He leaned in and hovered his mouth over hers. “We have all the time in the world.”

“Is there a three?”

He pretended to consider. “No, I don’t think so.”

“Good,” she said and reached up to grip his head and pull him down to her. 

Chapter Text

Days passed in a blur.

Marinette’s parents, respecting Gabriel’s wishes, supported his grounding. Adrien was only allowed to see Marinette when there was an akuma. She wasn’t allowed to sneak in, he wasn’t allowed to be in her room. He supposed they felt they had to, but it didn’t make it easier.

Banned from the bakery, Adrien’s days were packed with tutors, lessons, training and distractions. The tutors issued their lessons and work for him to complete, then left him in peace, so there was still enough free time so Chat Noir could be active.

Ladybug and Chat Noir patrolled more than they usually did. Partly to spend time together, partly to reassure the citizens of Paris that even with the increase in Hawk Moth’s attacks, they were not sitting idly by and allowing it. Chat Noir and Ladybug were determined to put a stop to it. To find the villain terrorising their city and end the madness.

Not that either of them knew how they’d do that.

Hawk Moth wasn’t letting up the pressure either. Increased attacks of both kinds of akuma, the ones which sought out upsetting emotions and the ones in jar. It was several times a day and they were both exhausted and frustrated. Marinette was missing so much class and Adrien’s tutors mentioned to Nathalie that he might have some medical problem because he kept using the bathroom.

Many akuma victims were reporting butterflies in jars. What was worse, the jar victims were reporting that they had no outpouring of emotions before the akuma took them. No anger, guilt, pain, or any other emotion that Hawk Moth usually preyed on.

The more Chat Noir fought them, the more it seemed that there was a difference in the akuma too. The ones in the jars were devastating but had no real purpose. They reacted to their situations instead of seeking out revenge or attempting to get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculous. Ribbons had been a jar. Caesar had been a jar. Chocolate Worm had been a jar. The three of them, and many more jar akuma, had simply existed and tried to shape the world around them. Dangerous, but uncontrolled.

Ladybug and Chat Noir made sure to question each victim extensively after an attack, trying to glean as much information as they could. Find out whether they could remember anything, whether during or before. When that proved fruitless, they issued a warning through the Ladyblog about the butterflies in jar and asked that anyone witnessing suspicious behaviour, or anyone placing the jars, should come forward with their information, and that if anyone saw a jar itself, not to touch it and send a location to the Ladyblog as fast as they could.

So far there had been no clues. Pranksters hiding butterflies in jars to get Chat Noir or Ladybug to make an appearance, but no real clues on Hawk Moth’s location or plan.

Shait had been a direct attack. Controlled. Stronger. More focused about what she wanted. There had been others, most of them occurring to students at his school, or people close by. So much so they both had started to wonder if Hawk Moth knew where they were.

Then the bakery was attacked.

A disgruntled delivery man turned akuma and Ladybug had descended with an unfathomed and unshakable fury. Chat Noir was nothing more than a mere bystander baring witness to the woman he loved defend her family. While her parents weren’t harmed by the incident and neither one of them had been akumatised, it was obvious to them and him that the attack had shaken her. No witty banter, no sweet farewell to the renewed butterfly, just a lucky charm call then silence.

That scared him more than her fury.

With steel in her eyes, she’d turned to her family, “Are you alright?”

Chat Noir dropped his protective stance ahead of them and moved aside to allow Ladybug by.

“We’re fine, Ladybug,” Sabine said calmly, although her eyes and the clench of her forehead said so much more. “Thank you.”

Ladybug nodded, a stiff and jerky movement and she reached for her yo-yo. “Chat Noir. With me.”

He followed.

Not far. Not far at all before she broke. The yo-yo clattered to the rooftop and Ladybug fell to her knees and buried her face in her hands. Chat Noir went with her, enveloping her in his arms and cradled her to his chest. Deep, ragged breaths, like she’d torn deep inside, and then the first sob wrenched from her.

He rubbed his cheek against her hair and sat, so he could pull her into his lap and rock her. The purr tickled in his throat and vibrated into his chest, an added comfort. “They’re okay, Princess. They weren’t hurt.”

“Why is he doing this?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think he knows who we are?”

“We’ll find out if he attacks my home.”

A shuddering gasp and she gripped him. “We need to make him stop.”

“We will.”

Her earrings beeped their final, mournful tone and she faded back to Marinette. He held onto her until the redness in her eyes had faded and she was exhausted but felt strong enough to pretend to her family that everything was okay. Then he took her home and left her on her small terrace to make an appearance to his father. He crept back in the dead of night, after the time he was supposed to be asleep in his bed and spent the night holding her.

When Tom found them curled up together in the morning as he checked on Marinette before heading to the bakery, all he did was quietly wake Adrien and suggest he go home before he was discovered missing.

One Friday afternoon, eleven days into his grounding, they had a small victory as Alya managed to secure a jar with the akuma inside, found inside the school itself. They crowded into Marinette’s bedroom, Sabine and Tom included. Plagg and Tikki floated right beside the jar, peering inside and talking to each other in their croons, chirps and purrs.

“It seems such an inconsequential thing,” Tom said, hunkered down beside them as he watched the butterfly lazily flap its wings. “How can such a little thing hold so much negativity?”

“Plagg’s a little thing,” Adrien commented.

“So, what do we do?” Alya asked and looked at Marinette. “Are you going to cleanse it?”

“It doesn’t look any different than the other akumas,” Marinette said and stroked her fingers along her neck as she considered the jar. “I don’t know what I expected, but I thought it’d be different somehow.”

Tikki extended a paw and placed it on the glass. “I wonder if it tastes different.”

While everyone’s gaze was dragged to Tikki’s in shock, Adrien pulled a face. “Not again. That was disturbing enough last time.”

“How else can we analyse it?” Tikki responded, looking a t him.

“We could let it possess someone,” Alya said as she straightened from leaning over the jar. “I’ll volunteer. You already know what my—”

“No,” Marinette said with a sharp shake of her head.

“No, wait,” Alya said and waved her hands at her best friend. “And listen. You already know what I transform into, you’ll be able to see if there’s a difference in my actions.”

Pressing his lips together, Adrien shook his head. “I’m with Marinette on this one. It’s a bad idea.”

“Hawk Moth gets inside your head,” Tikki pointed out. “And you know who we are. While he may not have direct control, there’s no way of telling. There’s a chance you’ll let it slip.”

Alya looked set to argue for a moment, then realised what Tikki inferred. “I... didn’t think of that.”

Wrinkling her nose, Marinette said, “Tikki, do you have to eat it?”

Tikki watched the akuma with her ‘cookies are amazing’ hunger in her eyes. “Yes. Purifying it the normal way won’t give us any extra information. If I taste it, I may be able to sense something.”

“What about Plagg?” Alya asked and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Can’t he sense something?”

“Butterflies don’t taste like cheese,” Plagg said and turned up his nose. “I’m not putting it anywhere near my mouth.”

“Tikki doesn’t taste like cheese and he has no problem with that,” Adrien muttered to Marinette, who covered her mouth and giggled. Glancing at Marinette’s clock, he continued, “We need to make this quick. My father’s due home soon.”

Marinette nodded. “Alright, let’s take a step back and let Tikki do her thing.”

The family and friends stepped back to give the kwami some room and she phased through the glass to scoop up the akuma. Adrien, not wanting to witness this again, turned away. Alya’s noise of disgust and Tikki’s little croons were enough for him. He wandered over to Marinette’s desk to fetch one of his balls of yarn to tease while he waited for Tikki’s verdict.

Tom leant against the desk, his arms folded on his chest as he watched. “How goes the grounding, son?”

Adrien groaned. Tossing the yarn between his hands, he leant against Marinette’s desk beside her father. “I didn’t realise how good I had it.”

Tom nodded. “As is the purpose of the grounding. You’ll think twice next time.”

“Probably not.”

Tom chuckled and slapped his hand on Adrien’s shoulder to give him a shake. “Well, there’s that too.”

Adrien glanced at Tikki as she tossed the renewed butterfly into the air, then released the negative energy. She closed her eyes and licked her lips, appearing to be in deep concentration. Sighing, Adrien toyed with the yarn and waited.

Tikki opened her eyes and looked at Plagg. “They’re empty.”

“Empty?” Marinette asked. “What does that mean?”

“There’s no…” Tikki struggled for the words. “No direction. No meaning. They just are. Very strange.” She turned to Plagg and chirped at him. Plagg meowed back and then the pair began a fierce conversation of twitters and mews.

Adrien sighed.

“Do they do this often?” Tom asked.

“Enough so that I know they’re arguing over how much information to give us.” Turning, he put his yarn ball back on the desk and his eyes zeroed in on her cute, little black cat pincushion. All those pretty ornaments of Marinette’s all lined up in a row. Waiting. Taunting. Had she placed them there deliberately? Stretching out his arm, his hand covered the cat pin cushion.

“Don’t you dare,” Marinette said, breaking her conversation with Alya.

He met her glare with a wide-eyed innocent look. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Her eyes flicked down to his hand as he dragged the pin cushion toward the edge. “Adrien.”

He increased the innocence and kitty blinked at her. “Yes, lovebug?”

Sabine covered her mouth with a hand as she giggled and Alya rolled her eyes.

Marinette made a disgruntled noise. “Really?”

The pin cushion plopped to the floor and Adrien extended his hand to the next item on her desk. A small plushie of a mouse. “Still not sure what you’re on about.”

“You need a squirt bottle,” Alya said.

Marinette’s eyes flicked toward her drawers, then back at Adrien and she arched an eyebrow.

The mouse completed its journey toward the floor and Marinette walked calmly over to her drawers and pulled out her laser pointer. “Are you sure you want to play that?”

He did. He so did and he was completely prepared to call her bluff. He didn’t care her parents were in the room. He didn’t care Alya would probably video it. He didn’t care he was due home shortly. The kitten inside twitched and fidgeted in anticipation as his gaze fixed upon the pointer of the laser and willed it to turn on. He wanted to play. It’d been so long since they’d just played. Judging by the impish smile on Marinette’s face, she wanted to as well.

“Adrien, we should go,” Plagg said, breaking off his conversation with Tikki.

Disappointment surged hot and made Adrien pout. “What?”

Plagg zipped away from Tikki so he could hover ahead of Adrien. “Your father is due home. We should go.”

“Are you going to enlighten us about what you were discussing?” Marinette asked.

“Not yet,” Tikki said.

Adrien pressed his lips into a thin line. “Of course not.”

Marinette sighed and tucked the laser back into her drawer. “Alright.”

Pulling a face, Adrien bounced over to Sabine to kiss her cheek and receive a hair ruffle in return. Going by Alya on his way to Marinette, he gave his friend a smile and a shoulder squeeze, before leaning in to kiss Marinette. “I’ll see you later.”

She smiled. “Can’t wait.”

“Plagg, Claws out.” He let his claws linger on her cheek before he bounced for the hatch in her ceiling. “Bye all!”

Back in his lonely fortress of solitude, he closed the window behind him and let Plagg have some of their stash of camembert. “Are you going to tell me what you and Tikki decided?” he asked as he headed for his computer.

Plagg sighed and lolled on the centre of Adrien’s bed. “You’ll find out.”

Frustrated with the kwami’s evasiveness, Adrien gave Plagg a glare. “That doesn’t help.”

Rolling over to expose his belly, Plagg said, “I know, but we don’t want to get your hopes up that there’s an answer. There mightn’t be. But there’s a few things Tikki and I will pay close attention to over the next few akuma.”

Adrien sighed and flopped down at his chair. “And you weren’t paying attention already?”

“Not to the surroundings,” Plagg pointed out, then licked his paws clean.

Adrien tilted his head and swung on his chair. “What’s in the surroundings?”

Plagg shrugged and closed his eyes to take a nap and Adrien sighed and logged into the computer to see if Nino was online. He missed his friend and the two of them often talked late into the night. 

The second Plagg darted from the bed, Adrien brought his homework to the forefront. Gabriel opened Adrien’s bedroom door and strode inside.

Removing his glasses, he rubbed his eyes as he smiled, pretending he really had been working hard on his homework. “Hello Father.”

“Adrien. How goes the study?”

He kept his tone mild and pleasant. “Most of what the tutors issued I have already covered at school. Ms Bustier is quite competent.”

“I see. And your sciences? Math?”

“Same. It’s boring.”

His hands clasped behind his back, Gabriel nodded. “I’ll have Nathalie review the curriculum.”

Pinnacle of obedient son, Adrien rested his hands in his lap, his tone light and respectful as he said, “Father, I wish to request something.”

Raising an eyebrow, Gabriel looked down his nose at his son. “Go on.”

Smiling, he lied, “Marinette has biology project for school. She’s visiting a butterfly farm tomorrow. I was hoping I could go with her.”

No reaction. “And you would know this, how?”

He remained cordial. “You took away my phone. You didn’t take away my internet.”

Gabriel’s nostrils flared as he exhaled through his nose.

Adrien resisted the urge to wipe his palms on his jeans. Calm. Dignified. He had to remember what he wanted to get out of this conversation.  “Also there’s Jagged Stone concert tomorrow night. I brought tickets before you grounded me. It’s sort... of an anniversary and I was hoping I could go.”

“I see.”

It was so quiet in his room, Adrien could hear his father breathing as he considered Adrien’s request. Adrien fought not to move or react or resort to begging to get a taste of freedom back.

“What anniversary?”

Adrien swallowed. “Nine months.”

Gabriel didn’t look impressed. “Really?”

Adrien dropped his eyes. “It mightn’t mean a lot to you, but it has meaning to us.”

“Very well,” Gabriel said. “I shall remove the grounding on the condition you do not ditch your bodyguard again.”

Adrien smiled. “Yes, of course!”

“I expect you will continue to be respectful and dutiful.”

Earnest, he nodded. “Yes. Thank you.”

“I trust you’ve learnt the error of your ways.”

“Yes. I have.”

Gabriel turned away. “Good. See that it doesn’t happen again.”

The moment Gabriel closed the door behind him, Adrien couldn’t help the loud ‘whoop!’ he made, or the punch in the air.

Paris only had a few butterfly farms and while most of them were only open summer to autumn, there was combined flower/butterfly farm which had a setup which allowed them to produce all year around. Marinette had been prepared to go with Alya and check out the farm, but with Adrien ungrounded, the pair were more than excited to spend some time together. Since Alya still wanted to go, they dragged Nino into the adventure too. Two birds with one stone, he could spend some time with his friends before the concert and check out the butterfly farm.

Since Adrien was going out, the Gorilla had to come along as well and that meant using the car, so Adrien picked his three friends up from Marinette’s place.

“Dude, you are a sight for sore eyes,” Nino said, bouncing into the back of the car. “It is insanely boring without you at school.” He scooted over to let Alya in beside him.

“I can imagine,” Adrien said, with a smile and a wave at Alya.

“Not that having two gorgeous girls behind me isn’t fantastic,” Nino corrected, seeing Alya’s stern gaze. “But I miss you, man. I’m so glad you’re able to come tonight! It’s going to be amazing! Good music, good friends, what more can you ask for from a concert?”

Marinette slipped into the front seat beside the Gorilla and passed him a box of baked goods. “For you.”

The Gorilla smiled at her and looked in the box eagerly. “Are they—? Oh, you remembered.”

“Oh, yes,” Marinette replied. “I hope you enjoy them. I made these ones myself, so they’re not as nice as what my Papa can make, but—”

“Oh, Miss Marinette.” The Gorilla kissed his fingers at her. “Mille-feuille, lovely.”

Jealous, Adrien leant forward and gripped the back of Marinette’s chair. “Hey, what about me?”

Marinette grinned over her shoulder and lifted a box from her lap. “They’re for later.”

He stretched out his hand and squeezed her shoulder. “Can’t I have one now?”

“Nope,” she said and patted his hand. “Turn the kitten eyes elsewhere.”

With a huff, he sat back.

“Oh, look at him pout,” Alya laughed. “Marinette, don’t be mean.”

“She has treats she won’t share,” Adrien said with a playful whine.

Nino shook his head. “Pathetic, dude.”

They chatted and laughed, catching Adrien up on everything he’d missed at school while he’d been out. It was uplifting, listening to the three of them talk about what had happened and interjecting with his reactions to events, as well as flirting with Marinette in the seat ahead of him.

The farm Marinette wanted to check consisted of a series of temperature controlled greenhouses where the gardeners could grow flowers all year around. One of the greenhouses had been converted into a butterfly house, sweeping manicured garden beds of flowers and trees with hanging walkways, giving the butterflies milder seasonal fluctuations and attracting tourists to the farm.

It cost a few Euro per person to enter the butterfly house. Since it was spring, many of the greenhouses were in bloom which made Adrien wondered how many of the flowers might accidently go missing. If the gleam in his girlfriend’s eyes was anything to go by, it might be a few.

Wandering down the pathways toward the butterfly house, Adrien and Nino walked side by side talking while the girls skipped ahead. The Gorilla, decided to give them space, had retired to the shade of a tree with his baked goods and Adrien thanked his girlfriend’s foresight.

The butterfly house itself was a two story building. A raised walkway wove between trees and over manmade rivers, hanging above the garden and allowing them to walk through the trees. Many nectar and fruit feeders hung among sturdier plants offering food for the winged insects.

Marinette and Alya rushed ahead, searching out the largest congregation of butterflies while Nino and Adrien walked sedately and talked music. Nino had an audition for his DJ’ing skills at for one of the game shows and he was both excited and nervous about it.

Nino bounced on his toes and cast Adrien a look. “You gonna be able to come?”

Adrien nodded. “I’ll be right by your side to support you. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Nino grinned and puffed out a breath in relief. “It’s completely nerve-wracking but the good kind too, ‘cause I’m excited and I feel sick and, man, it’s gonna be a blast to compete.”

Adrien patted Nino’s shoulder. “You’ll be fine. You are brilliant. Have more confidence in yourself.”

“Easy for you to say, Monsieur model. You’re used to showcasing your talent.”

Adrien had to laugh at that.

“Okay. So. It’s pretty, I’ll give them that,” Nino said as he looked around. “But this is a really girly date. Butterflies, man. And flowers, as if I don’t already get enough crap about them.”

Adrien peered over the edge of the walkway and looked down at the water feature below the path. “You’ve never brought Alya flowers?”

“Not my thing,” he replied. “Mixed tapes, mash-up tunes, dance numbers; she loves those. But why does every girl want flowers?”

Marinette wanted them as a snack, but Adrien couldn’t say that so he shrugged. “Social brainwashing.”

“I hear you on that. I suppose though, if it gives you a direct line for some booty—” Nino trailed off and smirked.

“More power to you,” Adrien said and stopped walking. “Although… this place gives plenty of inspiration.”

Nino gave him a confused look. “What now?”

With a smile, Adrien nodded at the girls. Marinette had butterflies floating all around her and one had landed on Alya’s nose. Marinette lifted her hand and so a butterfly could land on her fingers, causing her to giggle in delight. “That’s why we’re here.”

Slack-jawed, Nino griped the back of his neck. “Whoa. When you put it like that…”

Without taking his eyes off Marinette, Adrien raised his fist for Nino to bump.

Smiling, Marinette blew the butterfly from her finger back into the air and watched it flutter away. Alya cupped her hands around a brilliant blue one to offer it to Marinette. “Look at this one!”

“So pretty!” Marinette exclaimed.

Alya gently tipped the butterfly into Marinette’s hands. “Hold it for me, I want to get a picture.”

Besides the two staff members wandering along the pathways ready to answer questions, there were many other people touring the butterfly house. Close to them; a family with two kids chased after the butterflies, an old Chinese man with a walking stick sat on one of the benches and a tall man with large round glasses bustled along the walkway toward Marinette. The man with round glasses held a jar in his hands and his eyes were almost predatory as they fixed on Marinette.

Adrien’s eyes blew wide and a warning caught in his throat.

Chapter Text

The man approaching Marinette was tall and thin, with a leather satchel laced across his chest and while he had the look of a scholar, there was something wrong with the gleam in his eyes. Reaching her, the man’s hand snaked out and grabbed Marinette’s wrist and she eeped in shock. Adrien bounced forward, a growl bursting from his throat.

Alya reacted before Adrien could get there. “Hey!” she said and shoved at the man. “Get your hand off her.”

Instead of reacting to Alya, the man’s attention focussed on the butterfly on Marinette’s palm. “Oh! The Polyommatus bellargus! Look at the colour on that one. That is a lovely specimen,” he continued, rapidly unscrewing the lid of his jar. “Put it in the jar.”

Marinette flexed her palm and the butterfly lifted into the air.

The man made a grab for it, dropping his jar in the process. It clattered to the wooden planks beneath their feet and rolled toward the edge of the walk way. The man dove for it, snatching it before it fell over the edge. “What did you do that for?” he demanded, then, with a sketchy glance at the staff, he lowered his tone. “All you had to do was put it in the jar.”

Marinette turned on her sweetness. “Monsieur, there’s a sign outside saying we can’t catch the butterflies.”

“Yeah, dude,” Alya said and waved her phone at him. “They’re not ours to catch.”

Adrien reached Marinette and stood close. “You didn’t have to grab her.”

The man turned skittish. “I wasn’t going to keep it.”

 “You said ‘specimen’, dude,” Nino pointed out. “That implied that you were.”

“No, I’m a Lepidopterologist,” the man said. “I’m studying butterflies and —”

“You’re trying very hard not to be noticed by the staff,” Alya said, then waved her hand to one of the staff wandering along the pathways. “Excuse me!”

The man bolted. Shoving Nino out of the way, he ran down the path toward the exit and the staff member that Alya signalled hurried toward them. “Was he catching butterflies again?” she asked as she reached them.

Alya nodded. “Yeah, tried to snatch one out of my friend’s hand.”

The staff member sighed. “Thank you. We’ll deal with it. Enjoy your stay.”

“Nino, babe, you okay?” Alya asked.

“Yeah, sure,” Nino nodded and rolled his eyes.

Alya fussed. “That was a pretty hard shove.”

Adrien looked at Marinette. “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” she said and wove her fingers through his. Standing on her toes, she whispered in his ear, “I don’t see any purified ones. I see white ones with spots or stripes or splashes of yellow, but no pure white ones.”

He leant down so she didn’t have to reach. “I noticed that too, though there’s probably a reason for that though. Maybe they don’t bring in butterflies from outside.”

“You know, I never see the purified ones in the gardens either,” Marinette said thoughtfully. “Do you think maybe they return to him?”

Adrien felt his eyes widen. “If we follow one…”

She nodded. “Jar the next one then prepare...”

He kissed her temple in an absent gesture, his mind already full of things to plan and prepare. “Good idea. Can’t hurt to try. But let’s ask a gardener.”

With that goal in mind, they wandered through the garden looking for a purified butterfly or one of the other staff. They found a man in uniform filling the nectar feeders. “Excuse me,” Adrien said.

The man turned and smiled. “Can I help you?”

“We wanted to ask about the purified butterflies.”

The man laughed. “Everyone does.”

“I suppose it would be a popular question,” Marinette said and glanced at them man’s nametag. “Wyatt, could you tell us about them?”

“Sure,” he said with a smile. “What do—”

“Babe,” Nino said and looked at Alya. “Is that why we’re here? Ladyblog stuff?”

Alya shrugged and turned eagerly to the man. “Are there any here?”

“Oh, gosh,” Wyatt said, his eyes going wide. “You’re her. You’re Alya.”

Taken aback, it didn’t take Alya long to smile. “That’s me. Ladyblogger extraordinaire.”

“Wow. Your blog is so amazing! And you’re personal friends with Ladybug.”

“And Chat Noir,” Alya said and Adrien smiled. “They’re very cool.”

Wyatt gushed. “That must be incredible. Do you get to hang out with them? Or do they just come to you when they need something.”

With a glance at Marinette and a wink, Alya said, “Bit of both. Now, about the butterflies?”

“Honestly,” Wyatt said with a charming smile. “Since it’s you, I’ll tell you the truth instead of the spiel we’re supposed to give. We really don’t know a lot about them. No one’s ever caught one other than Ladybug. They’re not on any registers, we can’t even get a clear photo of them.”

Aware of Nino’s darkening expression, Adrien asked, “So, they’re not a natural butterfly?”

Wyatt shrugged, only having eyes for Alya. “Maybe you could ask them next time you see them. I’d love the answer to that.”

“What’s the spiel you give to tourists?” Nino asked and slung his arm around Alya’s shoulders.

Wyatt seemed to notice Nino for the first time, his gaze registering the placement of Nino’s arm. “Just that they’re a magical butterfly and normal things don’t apply to magical butterflies.”

Marinette took her bottom lip between her teeth as she nodded. “That makes sense,” she murmured.

Adrien squeezed her fingers as the possibility of some hope settled in his chest. If the butterflies returned to Hawk Moth, they could track them. They could find where he was. They could end this.

Glass shattered. Adrien and Marinette spun around, instantly on alert at the noise. Adrien was unsurprised to see the Gorilla hurrying along the walkway toward them.

“Akuma!” the Gorilla called, waving his arms at them. “Adrien, we need to leave.”

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath and gripped Marinette’s hand, pulling her into a run in the direction the Gorilla suggested. “How do I—”

“You don’t,” Marinette hissed at him. “You let me deal with it.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he was relieved to see Alya, Nino and Wyatt following close behind. “Not on your own.”

“I need you ungrounded,” she said. “Stay that way.”

More glass shattered, the glass dome above their heads raining shrapnel down and people yelled in fear. They dropped to their knees, covering their heads to protect them from the falling cubed shards. In the confusion, Marinette’s hand slipped out of his. He twisted to make a grab for her, but she was already ducking away, hurrying toward the old man who hobbled toward an exit. Before Adrien could go back for her, the Gorilla scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder, his large arm outstretched to herd an equally panicked Nino and Alya toward the closest exit.

“Put me down!” Adrien demanded. “Marinette!”

The Gorilla didn’t obey. “Miss Marinette!”

She had her arms around the old man, shielding him with her body. “I’m coming! I’ll meet you outside.”

He lost sight of her as the Gorilla carted him away.

They made it outside, escaping through one of the exits and rushed down the stairs into the gardens, but they didn’t make it further than that.

The akuma floated in the air above them. Large, blue butterfly wings flapped lazily to keep him aloft, he sprouted bug-like antennae from his head and was dressed in a blue suit and tie, with a leather satchel across his chest. In his hands, he held a large butterfly net. “I am the Collector!” he cried and swooped on them.

The net fell on Alya and Wyatt first, conjuring a large jar around the pair. Sweeping the net back up again, it descended on the Gorilla and Adrien. Adrien found himself airborne as the Gorilla tossed him away. “Run!”

Adrien landed on a hedge. Flipping his feet over the edge of it, he ducked down to hide. All around him, other people in glass jars cowered in fear.

The Collector dipped away and lost interest in Adrien as Ladybug appeared, perched on the metal support beams of the shattered glass dome above their heads. Spinning her yo-yo, she launched herself at the Collector.

Crouching down, he made a quick glance around as he opened his jacket. “Plagg, we need to help her. Claws—”

“Adrien!” Nino blurted, sliding in beside him. “We gotta get to Alya!”

Face burning, Adrien let his jacket flap closed over Plagg. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, man, but she’s trapped in that jar with…” Nino’s face twisted and he mimed the quotation marks. “That ‘fanboy’.”

Adrien blinked, then suppressed a smirk. “You’re jealous.”

Nino peeked out from behind the hedge. “Dude, he has his arm around her.”

Adrien peeked out too, but his eyes were on other things. The jar itself was pretty tall, it would have to be to contain the Gorilla, with a metallic lid on top. Beyond the jars, Ladybug engaged the Collector, but it didn’t look like she needed help. Yet. Since Adrien doubted Nino would leave him alone while Alya was in trouble, he had to help. “Do you think that lid pops off or unscrews?”

“Why can’t we just break the jar?”

“Glass,” Adrien said. “You don’t want to hurt her.” He sat back so he could look around and see if there was anything close he could use. A rake or broom or anything with a long stick would’ve been handy, but there was nothing. “Okay, we need to tip the jar they’re in,” he said, coming up with a plan. “Then we can get the lid off. You take one side, I’ll take the other and we’ll push it over.”

“Right,” Nino said and darted out from behind the hedge.

Adrien made a grab for him and missed. Shaking his head, he checked on the location of the Collector, then followed. “Nino!” he blurted as they reached Alya’s jar. “You gotta be careful! We’re in full view here!”

Alya’s eyes widened as she saw them and she pressed her hand against the glass. Nino splayed his hands against the glass where hers was. “We’ll get you out, babe,” he promised.

Alya’s gaze flashed to Adrien and she tilted her head. Guessing her message, Adrien indicated Nino with his eyes and shrugged. Darting around the other side of the jar, he said, “Ready?”

“Which way?” Nino called.

He glanced over his shoulder, catching Ladybug’s eye and saw her frown. Swivelling back toward Nino, he braced himself against the glass. “I’ll push toward you!”

“Gotcha!”

Adrien heaved. Nino pulled. Alya and Wyatt set their shoulders into the jar toward Nino and the four of them worked together to topple the jar. A direct shove wasn’t working but maybe something else would. “Rock it!” Adrien called. “Push toward me!”

Alternating between pushing and pulling, they managed to get the jar rocking. If Adrien could’ve transformed, he would’ve had them out by now. Every time he glanced over, Ladybug was keeping the Collector busy, bouncing around and attacking him. Once the jar started tipping, Adrien shifted around so he could help Nino brace the jar and stop it falling completely. The jar itself was heavy and Nino and Adrien grunted beneath its weight as they struggled to lay it gently on the ground. Inside, Wyatt and Alya balanced precariously, trying to distribute their weights evenly.

In the jar beside them, the Gorilla had seen what Adrien and Nino attempted and was setting his shoulder into his own jar without caring that it may fall and break. It didn’t look like his attempts to topple his jar would work, but that didn’t stop him from trying.

Once Nino and Adrien had the jar was safely on the ground, they wrestled with the lid. Alya and Wyatt kicked it from inside while Nino and Adrien worked to dig their fingers inside the rim of the lid and pry it open. The pop it made when it came off was noticeable and the Collector turned from his battle with Ladybug. “What’s this? Four little bugs trying to escape?”

Ladybug’s yo-yo wound around the Collector’s ankle to stop him from descending on them and Adrien saw her throw her full weight and strength behind keeping him contained. “Go!”

Grabbing Alya, Adrien and Nino pulled her from the jar. Nino dragged her out while Adrien offered Wyatt his hand. “C’mon!”

Something impaled the glass behind Wyatt and Adrien saw a long, thin pin sticking through the glass, the type of pin normally reserved for pining deceased butterflies, but of massive size. It was almost like some sort of rapier. Adrien felt fear catch in his throat along with his breath. Fixing his eyes on Ladybug, he saw the same sort of dread dart across her face.

Wyatt screamed in terror and bolted, fleeing with no care for himself or anyone else.

Nino gripped Alya tight and backed away. “Adrien! C’mon!”

Alya, sensing Adrien would rather get to Ladybug, tried to urge Nino into a run.

One last, distressed look at Ladybug and Adrien turned to run with his friends. “Go! Move! Get inside!”

Instead of hurrying back up the stairs to the walkway, Nino jerked the staff door into the butterfly dome open and hurried Alya through, holding it for Adrien.

As Adrien rushed through the door, there was a cry of pain behind him. A proper cry, not a grunt of impact as the suit absorbed the damage. Spinning, he was just in time to see Ladybug on the ground, with one of the pins impaled in the ground beside her. Beside her? In her? He couldn’t tell because Nino slammed the door. “No!”

“We need to hide!” Nino blurted, grabbing Adrien’s arm to pull him.

Close to panicking, he struggled against his friend’s grip. “She’s hurt! I have to—”

“She’s a superhero,” Nino blurted, grappling with him to prevent him from going straight back out. “She can’t get hurt!”

The pain in Ladybug’s voice ripped at him. Tore him up inside and all he could think about was getting to her. Right now. “Yes, we can! The suits have a weakness!” One weakness, just one. Invulnerable to everything, except perhaps their exposed faces, Plaggs’s weakness was dogs and if those giant inspect pins were Tikki’s... it didn’t matter. Adrien had to help. He had to help now.

Nino’s voice cracked as he yelped. “What? We?”

“Nino, let him go!” Alya cried, tugging at Nino and get him to loosen his grip on Adrien.

“Claws out!”

Nino fell away from Adrien in shock as Plagg zoomed into his ring. The second Chat Noir was transformed, he leapt for the broken ceiling, grabbing onto the support beams to swing himself into the air. He arched, pointing his feet toward the fight as he propelled through the air.

Ladybug on the ground, crawling away. A trail of pins embedded in the dirt. Blood on her face. She held her side. The Collector laughed. Chat Noir roared.

Landing on the Collector’s back, Chat Noir clawed at the wings. It felt like they were made with paper as they shredded and the Collector and Chat Noir fell. Pushing off the Collector’s back, Chat Noir flipped until he was between the akuma and Ladybug.

The Collector landed on his knees. Lowering to a crouch, Chat Noir extended his arms out ahead of him and dug his claws into the soil. Tail lashing, teeth bared, thunder rolled in his throat.

The Collector, still laughing, got to his feet and extended his hand toward Chat Noir.

Hissing, Chat Noir’s claws gouged the ground as he prepared to attack.

A spiked turtle shell impaled the ground between Chat Noir and the Collector. The long chain connecting to the shell led to an aged man in a green suit that resembled Chat Noir’s, holding large, shell shield in his other hand. “Tend to your lady, Chat Noir,” the wizened man said and pulled the turtle shell spike back and the chain retracted. “I shall deal with this nuisance.”

Plagg’s rippling recognition slid along his skin. Gui. It had to be. Gui meant ‘turtle’ and everything about this man was themed turtle. But he wasn’t about to let an old turtle steal his prey. “No. This one is mine.”

“Your lady needs you.”

“Chat.”

Chat Noir glanced over his shoulder at his lady and the rage dimmed to panic. Pain streaked in her voice and embedded in his heart.

Swinging his shell flail above his head and shield protecting his body, Gui advanced on the Collector and Chat Noir turned to scamper to Ladybug. He scooped her up and bounded away. She didn’t hide the grimace of pain from his every bounce very well. Ducking down, he hid them behind a low wall a distance away. “Let me see.”

“He took me by surprise,” she murmured. Her fingers trembled. “I was stupid and was watching you.”

“Not the only one who was stupid,” he said, and nudged her hands so he could see. There was a gash along her rips. Deep and there was a lot of blood, however it looked like her suit had taken most of the damage. Tikki would be hurt, possibly badly. Chat Noir worried, but he tried to keep that from her. “I just transformed in front of Nino.”

Ladybug closed her eyes and snorted. “You really do leap before you look.”

“You were hurt. I needed to get to you. Besides, I trust him,” Chat Noir said as he cupped her cheek, tenderly touching below the gash on her face. “Ow.”

“Yeah,” she said, wincing. “I trust him too and it’s about time. Alya’s been after me for ages to let him in, but I said it had to be your choice.” Her hand fluttered over her ribs again and she sat up.

Aiding her, Chat Noir lifted his head so he could peek over the top of the wall. Gui was advancing on the Collector, but there was a stiffness in his movements. A slowness which came with age and Chat Noir worried. “I need to go help him.”

“That’s Gui.”

“Yeah,” he said, and put his hand on her shoulder. “I think the akuma is in the satchel. I’ll get it.”

She grabbed his wrist. “Wait.” Raising her hand, “Lucky Charm!” Catching the small, framed, brilliant blue butterfly in her hands, she held it out to him. “He’s a collector. He’d probably go for this.”

He kissed her, lingering too long against her lips. “I’ll be right back.”

Leaping over the small wall, he ran toward the Collector. “Hey!” he said, distracting the Collector from Gui. “Here! A gift for you!”  Throwing the framed butterfly ahead of him, he continued to run.

Catching the frame, the Collector gasped. “Oh! Morpho Rhetenor! Remarkable!”

“Cataclysm!” Chat Noir called and dropped into a slide. As he slid past the Collector, he grabbed the strap of the satchel and it crumbled away under the power of his destruction. Grabbing the bag itself, he danced away and ripped it in half. The akuma fluttered free and Ladybug’s yo-yo scooped it up. Snatching the butterfly frame, Chat Noir carried it back to Ladybug as she released her purified akuma.

“I thought we were keeping it,” he reminded her.

“Tikki’s in no shape to hold it,” Ladybug said, clutching her side. She bent over and rested her hand on the wall ahead of her.

“Next one then.” He handed her the butterfly. “Go. Heal.”

She adjusted her stance, trying not to pull on her ribs and threw the butterfly frame into the air without her usual enthusiasm. “Miraculous Ladybug.”

The butterfly dome mended and all those trapped inside the jars were released. Her powers regenerated the cuts on her face until they were a thin line, but her ribs remained injured. Although the damage was diminished and the blood wiped away, the rapidity at which it reappeared troubled him. He worried what that meant for her and Tikki and he wished he had something he could press against it to stem the flow.

Ladybug winced. “How bad?”

“It’s… not good,” he said and moved his hand to the small of her back. “We should get you home.”

“Ladybug. Chat Noir,” Gui said, commanding their attention as he dropped to a knee. “I am Gui.”

Ladybug conjured a smile and Chat Noir turned. “Hi.”

“It is unfortunate that we do not meet under better circumstances,” Gui continued.

“Please, you don’t need to bow,” Ladybug said, waving her hand in embarrassment. “I’m happy to meet you; our kwami’s have mentioned you.”

“They are the reason I have come,” Gui said and laboured to his feet. Chat Noir darted forward to aid the man. His ring gave a warning beep and Ladybug’s tone followed and Gui nodded. “As we do not have time, permit me to leave a message with your kwami.” Gui gripped Chat Noir’s arm tightly and Chat Noir felt something quiver through him.

Hair on the back of his neck rose. “What was that?”

Gui nodded and released him. “Kwami communication. I hope to see you soon.” Another nod at them both and then Gui turned away.

“What’d he do?” Ladybug questioned.

“No idea,” Chat Noir responded and spotted the Gorilla hurrying for the butterfly enclosure. “But we need to go.” Gripping Ladybug’s waist, he vaulted them away from the crowd of people outside the butterfly dome. Hurrying to the other side, they found a tree to detransform behind.

Cupping her hands beneath the falling kwami, Marinette fussed over Tikki and Plagg dove straight from the ring to Marinette’s hands. He wove around Tikki and licked the duplicate wound on Tikki’s chest, his purr so loud it quivered through his little body. With an exhausted smile, Tikki patted Plagg on the head and chirped at him.

Satisfied Plagg would care for Tikki, Adrien fussed over Marinette. Quickly removing his white overshirt, he messily folded it, stuffed it up Marinette’s shirt, then pressed his hands over the top of it in the hope he could stop the bleeding. “We need to keep people from seeing blood.”

Marinette nodded, distracted. “Tikki?”

“I’m okay,” she said. “Tired, but okay.”

“I’m so sorry!” Marinette rushed. “I wasn’t fast enough and—”

“You were wonderful,” Tikki said.

“Marinette!” Adrien insisted, vying for her attention.

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” she dismissed and pressed her elbow against her ribs to hold the shirt in place. “The brown should hide it.”

“For a little while, but—”

“Do you have a handkerchief? Something we can bind Tikki with?”

Frustrated she wasn’t taking her own wound seriously, he dug his hand into his pocket and dragged one out. “Here, I’ll do it.”

“I got this,” Plagg said, raising his face from Tikki’s chest.

Marinette chided, “Kitty drool is not a good antiseptic.”

“Kitty drool isn’t, but I’m magic.” He waved his paws at Marinette. “Be more concerned for yourself.”

“I am concerned for—”

Nino burst out from the butterfly enclosure, dragging Alya behind. With a wild glance around, he spotted them. A frown marring his face he marched stiffly toward them.

“Put them way.” Adrien straightened his spine and prepared for whatever onslaught Nino brought with him. Anger. Pain. A breach of trust. He remembered what it had been like for Alya, how long she had taken to come to terms with it and Nino had been left out for so long. He was angry, Adrien could tell.

He didn’t want to lose his friend. He had so few of them. Whatever he did, he had to make it right between them.

Stepping forward, Adrien fumbled his way into an apology. “Nino, look, I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you—”

Nino didn’t stop walking until his chest crashed against Adrien’s and he wrapped his arms around him.

Adrien tensed. “What?”

“You’re a real douchebag,” Nino said, hugging him tight. “A grade A dickhead.”

He couldn’t get his head around it. “What?”

Retreating, Nino gripped Adrien’s shoulders and grinned. “Man, this is so cool. You have to tell me everything.”

Chapter Text

Peeking through the curtain, Adrien watched as a nurse tended to cut along Marinette’s ribs. Lifting her eyes, Marinette gifted him with a shaky smile and then flopped her head back on the pillow. Adrien let the curtain fall. Walking away, he returned to the waiting area where Nino and Alya waited.

Alya and Nino had been appalled to discover Marinette was still injured from the attack, but quickly agreed to help him hide it from the Gorilla and get her home safely. Unfortunately, the four of them had arrived during a rush moment at the bakery, so Tom remained behind to serve customers. 

Sabine had taken one look at Adrien and Marinette’s faces and rushed them to the closest emergency room, somehow without alerting the Gorilla. Adrien would have to ask her one day how she did that. Nino’s presence wasn’t even mentioned and Adrien wasn’t sure it even registered on the Dupain-Cheng’s as they worried about their daughter. 

“How’s she doing?” Alya asked, reaching out to take his hand and pull him into the seat beside her.

“They’re stitching now,” he said.

Alya wove her fingers through his to show solidarity. “She’ll be okay, kitten.”

With his other hand, Adrien dragged Marinette’s purse onto his lap and checked on the kwamis. Plagg curled around Tikki, who appeared to be asleep. “Yeah, I know. I just don’t like seeing her like this.”

“I didn’t think it was possible for you guys to get hurt,” Nino murmured. Alya had explained a lot of things to him in the minutes after Adrien had transformed in front of Nino, but there were still many things he didn’t know. Adrien could tell he was bursting with curiosity.

Adrien nodded and kept his voice low. They were alone in the waiting room and voices did tend to echo but he understood Nino’s curiosity.  “Hurt. Killed.” He tapped the frame of his glasses. “Damaged. It’s dangerous work.”

Nino stared at him. “That happened because you’re…?”

Adrien shrugged. “I’m not supposed to be able to cleanse like she can, or set things back the way they were. If I do, there’s a cost.”

Nino’s eyes widened. “Chloé’s akuma.”

“Yeah.”

“Why’d you do it then?”

Adrien sighed. “Tikki’s a bug. Like an actual bug, like Plagg is cat. That… leaks into us. In winter, bugs tend to hibernate, so she was out of commission and...” he shrugged. “We ran out of time. I had to cleanse so she’d have a chance of waking up. Otherwise people would’ve started dying in the cold and… we don’t think we can fix that.”

“Wow. Dude. I had no idea. That’s harsh.” He abruptly laughed. “I spent the day on skype with you and spent half the time wishing you could be on there too.”

Adrien snorted. “Yeah. I wanted to tell you but…”

“Nah, dude.” Nino reached around Alya to whack Adrien’s knee. “I understand. Kind of explains why you’re always talking to your shirt.”

Now he had to laugh. “I must’ve looked like a real idiot.”

“I just thought you dad had a tracker on you or something.”

Adrien rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Nino tilted his head. “Does he know?”

“No way. I’d never be allowed outside if he knew I risked my life daily.”

Tom blustered into the waiting room. Flour still dusted his cheek and he wore his apron and had the look of an emotionally harried parent. Adrien stood up to face him and apologise for not protecting his daughter.

Spotting Adrien, Tom hurried over. “How is she?”

“They’re stitching her now,” Adrien said, bracing. “Tom, I—”

Tom’s eyes swept Adrien’s body. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I—”

“And Tikki? Plagg?”

“Tikki’s hurt but Plagg’s taking care of it. Tom, I’m really—”

“Good, good.” Tom scrubbed a hand over his face, then noticed an extra and his eyes widened until they couldn’t go any further. “Nino! Hello.”

Nino gave Tom a sheepish wave. “Hey, Mr D.”

Casting a sideways look at Adrien, Tom said, “Did I just put my foot in my mouth?”

“Nino saw me transform,” Adrien explained and shuffled in embarrassment. “It’s fine.”

“Ahh,” Tom said, in complete understanding, his eyes now focusing on the curtain area. Sabine had poked her head out and gestured to Tom. Reaching out to pat Adrien’s shoulder, Tom said, “Okay then. Welcome to the club, Nino, same rules as Alya.”

As Tom hurried to join his family, Nino glanced at Alya. “Rules?”

Adrien flopped back on the plastic chair and put his face in his hands.

Alya nodded. “The bakery is a safe haven,” she said, and stretched out her hand to pat Adrien on the head a few times before retreating. “Any time, any hour, as long as it’s LB related. Tom and Sabine can provide some alibis for us, but only in emergencies and you need to let them know first. Any injuries, to us or those two, go to them first unless it’s too severe. Also, there’s a handy message group I’ll add you to so you can get phone alerts and other information. These two are very good at letting us know what’s going on.”

“You guys have thought this through,” Nino said, grinning. “The perks of knowing a superhero.”

“Just wait till you get the first midnight alert,” Adrien muttered.

“Oh.” Now he pulled a face. “Ick.”

Adrien leant back into the chair, crossing his arms on his chest. “Not all fun and games, dude.”

“We’re a support group,” Alya said. “We do our parts.”

“Alya is a treasure,” Adrien said, smiling at her. “Without her Ladyblog, we’d never get to akumas as quick as we do. Or coordinating all that information people send her on the Ladyblog.”

“If I have the same rules as Alya, does this mean you have different ones?” Nino asked with a shrewd look.

Staring at the floor, Adrien nodded. “I do.”

Nino leered. “Do tell.”

Adrien raised his head. “No.”

“Aww, man, you never give me juicy deets.”

“Marinette’s hurt. I’m not giving out any deets.”

“Oh,” Nino said with a cringe. “Right. Sorry.”

They waited in silence. Alya worked on the Ladyblog and Nino ended up listening to music, while Adrien stared at the floor. Every noise had him looking at the curtain where Marinette was, but they didn’t come out. He fretted and twitched and every time the fidgeting became too much for him and he wanted to wear a hole in the floor, Alya would scratch the back of his head just enough to calm him down again.

“Why are you doing that?” Nino asked after the third time.

“He’s a cat,” Alya replied, reading her phone. “If I don’t, he’s going to start hissing at everyone soon.”

“Probably,” Adrien muttered.

“Don’t worry,” Alya said. “These ones are equivalent of peck on the cheek, not the make-out pats Marinette gives.”

Nino smirked. “Make out pats? Dude, you’ve been holding out on me.”

“Wait until you hear him purr.”

Adrien let out a low growl.

“Holy shit. You do growl. I wasn’t hearing things?”

Pushing away from the chair, Adrien gave into the need to pace. He’d done two circuits of the room when his phone rang. Checking the number, he grimaced, “Hello Father.”

“One day,” Gabriel responded with fire in his voice. “You couldn’t go one day without ditching your bodyguard.”

He hunched his shoulders and curled in on himself. “Marinette had an accident. We’re at the emergency room.”

A sharp intake of breath, then, “Is she okay?”

“Yeah. A cut on her ribs, but they’re… um… stitching her up now. She should be okay.”

“I see.”

Adrien rattled off the name of the emergency room. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think.”

“I understand. You will be returning home with her after?”

“Yes.” He swallowed. “With your permission, of course.”

“Granted.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“And the concert tonight?”

“Ahh. I suppose that depends on Marinette.”

“Very well. Please inform me of any changes.”

“Of course. Goodbye, Father.”

“You’re so meek when you talk to him,” Nino noted as Adrien hung up. “I thought… like… he’s full of confidence and cocky and with a mouth and… those puns all over the place.”

Adrien slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Gotta play the part.” With a sigh, he went to sit beside Alya again.

“He does the puns,” Alya pointed out, still on her phone.

“Anything?” Adrien asked.

“So many questions and rumours about turtle dude, but nothing else.” She rested the phone on her lap and looked at Adrien. “Any goss on that sitch?”

“Nope. None.”

“Not even a ‘between us’?”

Adrien shook his head. “His name is Gui. He’s a Miraculous as well.” He shrugged. “That’s all I really have. The kwami have been tight lipped.”

“Even to you?” Alya asked.

“Yup.”

She grumbled. “Wow.”

“They’re not exactly forthcoming with information about everything.” Staring at the floor, he rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose because it’s too much. Thousands of years and generations of wielders. There’d be too much information.”

“Wow,” Nino said. “Latest in a long line, huh?”

“Something like that.”

“So, what about this guy you’re fighting. What’s his deal?”

Adrien shrugged. “All I can tell you is he wants our Miraculous.” He sighed and huffed and got up to stalk around the empty waiting room.

Nino watched him. “Dude, you’re like a caged animal.”

The words burst from him before he could stop it. “It’s my job to protect her and she got hurt from a hit I should’ve taken!”

“You weren’t even transformed,” Alya pointed out. “And you know she hates it when you take hits meant for her.”

“She was distracted because she was watching out for me,” he grated out. “I’m her shield and I wasn’t there!”

“You’re her partner,” Sabine said. “Not an inanimate object. Partners work together. You were doing your job, she was doing hers. Don’t fault yourself on that.”

Adrien spun to see Sabine standing in the middle of the doorway to the waiting room, with Tom peering out from the curtain behind her. “But I wasn’t. I was helping Nino and Alya, I wasn’t—”

“And you don’t think that helped her? She wasn’t worrying about your friends because she knew you’d take care of it.” Sabine stepped further into the room and opened her arms. After a moment’s hesitation, Adrien darted into them and buried his face in her neck. “Don’t feel guilty,” Sabine said, stroking the back of his head. “It’s not your fault. These things happen.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s a cut,” Sabine said. “Marinette’s okay. She’ll heal.”

“I know. It’s just…” He pulled away, had to step back.

Sabine touched his cheek, understanding. “It’s hard to watch a loved one hurt.”

“Yeah.” Embarrassed about his reaction, he dropped his eyes and rubbed his neck. “I guess now I know what she went through.”

Sabine laughed and the touch on his cheek turned into a pat. “Oh, honey, not even close.”

“Is he being a snarly cat again?” Marinette asked.

Adrien locked his knees, his eyes fixed on Marinette over the top of Sabine’s head.

Alya bounced to her feet to smile. “Girl, you had us all worried. Don’t blame him for being hissy.”

Nino stood. “How’re you feeling?”

“Sore,” she said, wincing as she pushed her arm into her jacket and Tom stooped down to help her. “Stitched though. I gotta be careful for a while.”

“No extracurricular activities, if it can be helped,” Tom instructed.

Nino looped his arm around Adrien’s shoulders. “We’ll take care of it, Mr D,” he said with a grin, then looked to Marinette. “Are you going to have a wicked scar?”

Marinette laughed. “Probably.” Moving to Adrien’s side, she brushed her fingers against his hand. “How’s Tikki?”

Adrien rested his hand on her bag as it hung on his shoulder. “She seems okay. Sleeping.”

“We should get her home.”

He nodded, his eyes still fixed on her. All he wanted to do was gather her into his arms and never let go.

The Gorilla arrived as Tom was filling in the last of the paperwork. Although he cast a stern look Adrien’s way, he inquired after Marinette’s health and offered to take them home. Nino and Alya took their leave then, since not all of them could fit in the car and Adrien promised to call Nino as soon as he knew if Marinette felt well enough to attend the concert. Personally, he didn’t think it would be a good idea anymore, especially if she got bumped or jostled.

He suspected, by the look in Nino’s eye, he was going to interrogate Alya for as much information as possible. 

Back at Marinette’s home, Sabine and Tom, with a warning to Marinette to take it easy, reopened the bakery and Adrien followed Marinette up the stairs to her room. After arranging Tikki and Plagg on her chaise, she went to her dresser and pulled out a clean shirt.

“Are you really okay?” Adrien asked.

Marinette pulled her bloody shirt off and Adrien’s eyes zeroed in on the patch on her ribs. “I’m really okay,” she said.

“How many stitches?”

“Ten.” She giggled and fussed around with her shirt and he was sure she took more time than she needed to put her arms through. “I’ve had more falling over and bumping my head when I was little.”

“Yes, but—”

Pausing, she looked at him. “Adrien, it’s not your fault.”

A lump swelled in his throat. “Feels like it is.”

Dropping her shirt on the floor, she abandoned the pretence of changing. Crossing to him, she lifted his hand, directing his palm to just below the bandage. “This is my fault. Not yours.”

“But—”

“No buts, Adrien. We’re a team. You get hurt. I get hurt. I know this is the first time I’ve been hurt and that’s a scary thing, but I’m okay.”

He sighed and bent down to rest his head on hers.

She ran her finger up his chest to his ears and scratched him. “Stop taking the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

His purr tickled his throat. “She says as she stands half-naked in her room, petting me and then expects me to be able to have a coherent thought.”

“That was the idea,” she said, smiling. “Or would you prefer me to get completely naked?”

He jolted. “You’re hurt.”

“Only my ribs,” she teased. “I’m sure if we’re very careful—”

He kissed her to stop the teasing. Careful about the placement of his hands, he slid them to her back, then down until he cupped the back of her thighs. As her arms looped around his shoulders, he lifted her into the air. Directing her legs to his hips, he smiled at her sudden anticipated giggle. Only mild contact while in uniform and his grounding had meant it’d been a while for both of them since they’d had any quality make-out time and even with her injury, he was going to make the most of this time.

“Marinette, Adrien,” Plagg said. “Before you get too enthralled in that gross grooming you insist on doing, there’s a few things Tikki and I need to discuss.”

Adrien sighed. “You couldn’t even give us ten minutes?”

“I know what you two are like grooming.”

“Spoil sport,” Marinette muttered.

“And you forgot my cheese,” Plagg reminded them. “I am so weak from hunger.”

“Yeah, you sound weak,” Adrien muttered. He sighed and carefully placed Marinette back on the ground. “I’ll get snacks.”

“I’ll get dressed.”

As he moved toward her attic door, he complained, “Aww.”

She picked up her discarded shirt. “You can undress me later.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

He raided the fridge, grabbing Plagg’s stash of cheese and a few cookies for Tikki, as well as some macarons for him and Marinette. With two glasses of milk, he carried his spoils back up the stairs. Setting the tray on the chaise, he said, “I assume it’s about the message?”

“Yes,” Plagg said and dove on the cheese with a vigour.

Adrien sat on the chaise opposite Marinette, with Tikki’s little nest between them. Picking up the plate of macarons, he handed Marinette her milk and offered her the plate.

Smiling her thanks, she took a few. “What did the kwami tell you?”

“His name is Wayzz,” Tikki said.

“And he didn’t tell me much,” Plagg continued. “Except where to find him.”

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other. “Where to find him?”

“You have a decision to make,” Plagg said. “We need to talk to Wayzz and we can’t do that properly in the suit. Which means, we need to tell you where Wayzz and his wielder’s civilian home is. But we can’t ask you to expose your identities to Wayzz if you’re not comfortable with it. Tikki and I can go alone.”

“No way,” Adrien said. “Especially not with Tikki hurt.”

“I am fairly certain he knows who we are anyway,” Marinette said.

Adrien raised his eyebrows at her. “Oh?”

“I’ve… seen him before,” she evaded. “Untransformed.”

“I see.” Looking at Plagg, Adrien said, “Does it have to be today? I don’t like the idea of meeting him when both Tikki and Marinette are hurt.”

Plagg rubbed his chin. “Tomorrow would be fine. But we should talk to him before we attempt to keep a purified butterfly to track.”

“You heard that,” Adrien said with a nod. “What do you think of that plan?”

“It’s a good one,” Plagg said. “And I can’t think of anything better.”

“Nooroo does have the ability to conjure butterflies,” Tikki pointed out. “But I never thought they’d be able to find their way back to him.”

Marinette scratched her chin. “Tikki, the butterfly you said was empty… what if that’s because they’ve already been used to create an akuma, and Hawk Moth’s recycling?”

Tikki and Plagg glanced at each other. “That would make sense.”

“Maybe that means there’s a limit to the amount of akuma Hawk Moth can create,” Adrien said.

Marinette smiled. “It also means we can definitely follow one back to him.”

“Sounds like we have an actual, bone fide plan to deal with Hawk Moth.” He sat back. “Wow. Look at us. Coming up with plans.”

“Will wonders never cease.”

Lifting his glass of milk, he titled it at Marinette, “Here’s to a plan.”

With bedroom eyes, she clinked her glass against his. “Can we go back to our gross grooming now?”

More than eager, Adrien eyed Plagg. “Anything else to discuss?”

The kwami groaned and pawed at his face, then buried his nose in Tikki’s neck. “Save me from teenage hormones.”

In the end, they decided not to go to the concert. Adrien worried she would bump her stitching and although Marinette was disappointed, the anaesthesia had started to wear off. After a little deliberation, they decided to offer their tickets to Ivan and Mylène. Adrien stayed for dinner, chatting and laughing with her parents until he headed home at eight. Although Marinette and her parents planned a movie night, Adrien really didn’t want to push his father too far the first night the grounding had been lifted.

Adrien sought Gabriel out when he returned home, finding him, as usual, in his office. Poking his head in the door, he waited for the signal to enter. “Hello Father.”

Gabriel looked up, then placed his pencil on the table to give Adrien his full attention. “How is Marinette?”

Seeing that, Adrien walked into the room. “She’s fine. In a little pain, but okay.”

“I am glad to hear that. What happened?”

He forced a sheepish chuckle. “She fell down the stairs.”

Gabriel’s eyebrow rose.

“She can be clumsy,” he explained. “She was carrying too much stuff for her designs, fabric, pins, and scissors. She fell and landed on her scissors wrong.”

“That could’ve ended up very bad for her.”

“She was lucky,” Adrien said with a shrug.

“How was the farm?” Gabriel asked.

“Oh, awesome,” Adrien replied, deciding not to talk about the akuma attack. “That’s why she was carrying so much. She got inspired by the butterflies and wanted to do everything right then.”

“Butterflies are inspiring,” Gabriel said.

Adrien raised his eyes to the golden picture of his mother behind Gabriel’s desk. He didn’t really like the picture much. He always felt that it, like the photographs of him on the wall, were for show. Prized possessions, ornamental. Pretty to look at but held no true meaning. The ones his mother smiled naturally were Adrien’s favourite.  “They are.”

“What did she decide?”

“She was trying to decide between shoes or a scarf. She’d never done shoes before.”

“Shoes can be irksome,” Gabriel said with a wrinkle of his nose. “If she would like some pointers, I am happy to schedule some time to aid her.”

Adrien pulled out his phone and swiped it a few times, before holding the picture out to Gabriel. “Preliminary design.”

Taking the phone from him, Gabriel studied Marinette’s butterfly shoe design. “Adventurous, since this is her first time.”

“She never does anything by halves. If she wants to do something, she goes for it.”

“You two make a good match then.”

“I like to think so.”

Handing the phone back to Adrien, Gabriel sat back on his chair and turned it sideways so he could look at Adrien’s mother’s portrait. “She would’ve liked her.”

Returning his phone to his pocket, Adrien nodded. “I like to think that too.”

Turning back, Gabriel picked up his pencil again and Adrien sensed a dismissal.

“Goodnight, Father.”

Gabriel nodded and Adrien made sure to close the door quietly behind him.

“It was nice to get out,” Plagg said with a yawn as Adrien wandered through the silent hallways of the mansion. “See Tikki and Marinette.”

“Yeah,” Adrien said. He bounced up on to the railing and slid down the stairs to his level. “I feel like I’ve actually done something for once. We have a plan. A goal. Things are looking up.”

“Can I have some cheese?”

Adrien laughed and flounced into his room. “You can have all the cheese you want.”

“I’m gonna hold you to that, you know.”

He vaulted over the back of his sofa and flopped on the cushions, switching on the television. There wasn’t anything interesting on, but so loaded up his on-demand shows and loaded up the latest episode of the anime he was currently watching.

As an episode finished, his phone rang, flashing Chloé’s face. Smiling, he answered with a, “Hey.”

“Ahh, the exile,” she said and he could hear music in the background. “I see he gave your phone back, I thought I’d get message bank again. How’s solitary?”

“I got off on good behaviour.”

“And you didn’t call me so we could celebrate? I am appalled.”

“Well, we’re talking right now,” Adrien said and switched his channel over to a news report. “What’s been happening?”

“Alarmingly little,” Chloé replied and he imagined she was checking her fingernails. “Sabrina’s got us tickets to tomorrow’s Jagged Stone concert, so I suppose I’ll attend that. Since you’re free, you should join us.”

He sighed and tilted his head back until it rested on the back on the sofa. “I was supposed to go tonight with Marinette.”

“And yet, here you are, talking to me. Tragic.”

“She hurt herself. Sliced her ribs up pretty bad. So we decided not to risk it today.”

“Ahh.” The implication that Chloé bit her tongue to keep herself from saying something cutting was clear to Adrien. “Well… there’s still tickets available. I suppose I could put up with her as long as you save me a dance.”

“And I suppose she could put up with you.”

“I am a delight,” Chloé told him, regal.

Adrien snorted. “I’ll see how she is in the morning.”

“Don’t leave it too long,” Chloé said. “Shall we do lunch tomorrow?”

“Hmm… I have a shoot first thing, but sure, sounds great.”

“Ugh, models.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Adrien said with a light laugh. “Us models. Always with the good looks and fancy clothes and taking photos.”

“Don’t forget the posturing.”

“Adrien,” Plagg said, staring at the television. There was something in Plagg’s voice. In his stance. Something which chilled Adrien down to his core.

Adrien lifted his head. The phone slithered out of his hand and fell on the cushions of the sofa.

On the screen, captured by the late night news helicopter, Marinette’s home was a smoking pile of rubble.

Chapter Text

Marinette wasn't answering her phone. It rang out, then went to message bank. Adrien hung up and rang again. He paced, quick, tight steps, wrought with the need to do something, anything. Half his attention stayed on the television screen, the other half on his phone. "C'mon, c'mon!"

He dialled Sabine's phone. He dialled Tom's. He redialled Marinette's. He begged and pleaded with the ringtone for them to answer.

Plagg floated before the screen, staring. Perfectly still, he hadn't even quivered a whisker in the time the news report had been playing.

'Explosion' rattled around in Adrien's brain. 'Fire' settled in his belly and made it churn. 'Every effort' stole his breath. 'No sign of life' made his knees weak. The unanswered phone broke his heart.

He needed to know. More than what the news was telling him. He needed to see it with his eyes, to feel it beneath his claws, otherwise he'd never believe it was anything more than a bad dream. Sending a quick message to Alya, he turned to Plagg. "Can you sense them?"

Plagg didn't answer, didn't even look in his direction and Adrien didn't know what that meant.

"Plagg!" Still nothing. "Please. You can sense Tikki, I know you can! What's happened?"

Plagg opened his mouth, then closed it. Shaking his head, he turned. "I can't… I can't…"

"You can't… you can't sense her?"

His door banged open and, as Gabriel strode through, Plagg warped into Adrien's shirt.

Gabriel looked from Adrien to the television screen and back, then beckoned. "Let's go."

Adrien didn't need to be asked again. He bolted past Gabriel, feeling his father's fingers brush against his back. He sprinted for the car, his father's clipped footsteps behind him. The Gorilla was ready, holding the car door open for Adrien as he arrived. Even as he waited anxiously for his father to catch up, Adrien loaded up the news feed on the screen ahead of him.

It had to be a trick. A lie. A nightmare. It wasn't gone. They weren't gone. Marinette would've gotten them out. She'd be fine. She had to be.

Marinette only lived around the corner. It barely took a few minutes to drive there. Tonight it took an eternity. The car moved too slow. Fire engines screamed, police blocked off the road and diverted traffic. The Gorilla was forced to park near the school. He'd barely stopped the car when Adrien shoved the door open and bolted.

The news hadn't been lying. The bakery was gone.

Staring at the devastation, Adrien's lungs locked.

So quick. So quick! He was here less than an hour ago and it was gone.

Tom's ovens in a row, blacked and broken, a standing testament to what once was. The back wall of the bakery crumbling. The two stories above now nothing more than rubble, a broken mismatch of brick and wooden planks. He saw… a table. A chair. A scrap of cloth from their sofa. Marinette's dressmaking mannequin. A shattered flowerpot from her terrace.

Neighbours milled, clutched at dressing gowns and each other. Soot covered firemen. Stern faced police. The park was full of watchers, fire dancing on the pale faces which bled together in the crowd. Not that face. Not the face he wanted. Where? Where? Surely she hadn't been inside.

Her name tore from his throat, echoing into the night.

A fireman turned, catching him before he could bolt into the rubble. "Easy kid, it's not safe."

The words escaped in a rush. "Did you find them? Are they safe? Where are they? Are they hurt?"

"Friend of the family?"

Adrien struggled, trying to get past the man. "Yes! Where are they?"

The fireman used his body to get between him and the rubble and hide his view. Two hands on his shoulder, trying to forced him back. "Lad, come away."

"Remove your hands from my son," Gabriel said. Extending his hand, he gripped Adrien's shoulder and pulled him from the fireman's arm. Leaving his hand on Adrien's shoulder, Gabriel stood by Adrien's side and stared at the devastation. Giving the fireman a look, Gabriel said, "Where are the occupants?"

With a regretful look, the fireman shook his head, "Monsieur, I'm sorry, I don't have an answer for that—"

Gabriel's grip tightened on Adrien's shoulder. "Calm yourself."

Aware that the sudden keen had come from him, Adrien tried. He clenched his hands into fists so hard his nails dug into his palms. His eyes darted around, looking from rooftop to rooftop in the hope he'd see her familiar form.

Adrien stood still and straight and tall, his father's hand never leaving his shoulder. He drew strength from the touch. Drew control. Detached and on hold, he waited. Breathed. Time ticked on and nothing.

Where, where, where? What had happened? Was it Hawk Moth? Something else? An akuma?

What if it wasn't? What if this was natural? Something that'd gone wrong? Had he… was she gone? Had he lost her?

Firemen worked to clear rubble and extinguish the remaining fires. Shouts and calls as they looked for bodies beneath the rubble. Bodies. Bodies beneath the rubble. That meant… No. Don't think. Don'tthinkdon'tthink.

The crowd of onlookers grew. Familiar faces appeared. Juleka. Ivan. Max. Kim. Fear and desolation on their faces. Questions hung in the air around him, but he couldn't hear them. Didn't have answers.

Alya's arrival broke Adrien's mask of control. Her scream ripped through the night air and tore away his composure. Nino. Nino was there. Holding onto her while Alya broke in his arms. She broke and he broke and Adrien watched as Alya fell to the ground in despair and could do nothing.

He couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't console his friends. It was wrong. So wrong. She wasn't here. She wasn't coming. No one knew what had happened. She wasn't coming because she was under that rubble and he'd kissed their last kiss and left her to die.

Adrien closed his eyes and swayed. Gabriel's grip became firmer. "Come away, Adrien," Gabriel said.

"I…"

Gabriel coaxed, drawing Adrien away. "This isn't doing you any good."

"..."

"Adrien. Come."

He went, because he didn't know what else to do. Everything felt so surreal.

He was only vaguely aware of curling up on the backseat and his father talking to the Gorilla. Just as he was only barely aware that his father was driving and the Gorilla left standing on the pavement.

He would've given anything to make it all better.

"We'll see about that."

Carried and lifted and his father's arms. A spiralling staircase, then a room full of butterflies. White and fluffy and… what?

"What if I told you I can make it better?"

Adrien blinked and focussed. His father's face took up his vision. Icy blue eyes, a hunger in them Adrien didn't recognise. The floor beneath him was wooden. The room held a purple hue. A circular window with a beam of moonlight filtering through. Somewhere… not anywhere he'd been before. "Where are we?"

"What if I told you I can make it all better?" Gabriel continued, his hands on both of Adrien's shoulders. "I can bring Marinette back. I can bring your mother back."

His pocket hissed.

"What?"

A necklace dripped from Gabriel's fingers into Adrien's knees. Marinette's necklace. The one Adrien had given her for Christmas. Adrien stared at it, his mind refusing to piece together this particular puzzle. His fingers trembled as he picked up the delicate pendant and cradled it in his palm.

"You are perfect, Adrien. Perfection, in every way which matters, and you came from me. I sculpted you, made you who you are." Gabriel stood and waved his hand. "But you could be so much more. I was going to make you extraordinary. Wondrous. Miraculous."

Adrien's breath caught in his throat. "No."

A smile. Sinister yet proud. "But then, you already are Miraculous, aren't you, my son?"

Adrien's eyes went wide as Gabriel spread his arms and was engulfed in butterflies. "No."

Hawk Moth emerged from the kaleidoscope of butterflies. Regal and tall, the very height of elegance and Adrien lost the ability to think. It was too much. "The kwami have been lying to you. It's not a box of misfortune but a box of wonder. They're trying to keep it for themselves. With both Miraculous, we can do magnificent things. We can bring her back. We can bring them both back."

Adrien couldn't breathe.

Hawk Moth extended his hand to Adrien and implored, "Give me your Miraculous I can take all the pain away."

Adrien lifted his hand.

"Adrien, no," Plagg pleaded from his pocket. "You can't."

"I can make it better, son. That's all I've ever wanted. To make it better."

Adrien tilted his hand, looking at the silver ring on his finger. This is what Hawk Moth did. Silky voice, seducing his victims into giving away everything. Adrien wanted it. He wanted it so badly. Take the pain. Make it better. Bring Marinette back. Bring his mother back. He didn't want to be alone.

"Together, my son. We can return everything we've lost. With Ladybug's Miraculous we can recreate. Take my hand. Give me your Miraculous and I promise it'll be over soon."

A deep, shuddering breath and Adrien reached.

Plagg, urgent in his pocket, whispered, "How do you think he got the necklace?"

Adrien halted. The seduction in Hawk Moth's voice broke as thoughts trickled into Adrien's awareness. A maelstrom of images and thoughts and puzzles all adding up at once.

The attacks on the school. At the butterfly farm. At the restaurant. All the direct attacks had been to places Adrien was. Where his father knew he was. The fashion walk, the first of the void butterflies. Gabriel had wanted to be there to see what had occurred.

His father had pulled him from school, after he'd been the one constantly sending attacks. It hadn't been out of concern, like Adrien had thought.

What had his father offered him? Tiny morsels of affection. A hug. A kind word. A consolation. A pep talk. Titbits about his mother. An extended hand of friendship to Marinette and her family. Enough to satisfy. Enough to bring the false hope his father cared. Enough to let the loneliness fester but never take control. Enough to keep him stable, but pliable.

Because Hawk Moth's plans weren't ready.

And now they were. Winter was over. The empty akuma were working. Hawk Moth renewed his attacks and set his plans in motion.

Then came the pushes. Pulling him from school. But that hadn't been enough. Grounding him the first time he'd stepped out of line. Still not enough. Hawk Moth assumed his emotional stability was Marinette. So he went after her. Only Ladybug had reacted oddly when the bakery was attacked. Had, at that point, Hawk Moth suspected and targeted the bakery to test it? Then the butterfly farm confirmed it? Or had he known before?

His father had released Adrien from his grounding so he could spend one last day with her.

One last moment before it was all torn away.

His father had been trying to akumatise him.

He couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Cold splashed over him. Betrayal drilled holes in his heart.

Images melded. His father was Hawk Moth. His father. The man who'd been terrorising Paris, who'd been spent the past few years sending akuma after innocents. His father. His father, who'd taken Marinette away, just so he could offer her back. His father, who'd changed after his mother's disappearance, because he'd been corrupted by the box. Or worse. Or worse, this was the spirit of the box and his father… was already gone.

His father… how could he even fight this?

Marinette wouldn't want this. She wouldn't. Tikki said worst case everyone died. Nino. Alya. Chloé. They were all at risk. He couldn't help Hawk Moth, not now. Not ever.

Not even to get Marinette back. Not for his mother. Not for his father.

Adrien's eyes flicked to the broach on Hawk Moth's neck. A Miraculous. The butterfly. Nooroo. If he could get it, then all this would be over. And it didn't matter if he died in the process. It just mattered that everyone he loved would be safe. Everyone left, that is.

He had to make Hawk Moth believe he was on his side. Get close enough to snatch Nooroo from Hawk Moth's neck.

"What do you need me to do?"

Plagg moaned in distress. Hawk Moth's eyes flared in triumph.

Adrien dropped his hand to his knees and then pushed himself to his feet. He kept his stance defeated, his head down, an image he'd worn a thousand times in front of his father. Marinette's necklace held in limp fingers, its chain dangling against his knee.

"Don't do this," Plagg begged. "Please don't. You're better than this."

Adrien's chin hit his chest and he closed his eyes. He tucked Marinette's necklace in his pocket and clenched his hands.

Hawk Moth's hands fell on both of Adrien's shoulders. "You need to fetch Ladybug's Miraculous from the rubble. The public trust Chat Noir. They won't say anything if he's there to help."

Low. So low. His father wanted him to search through the rubble, find… find her body and take her earrings. This was… this was going to break him. Swallowing, he nodded. "Of course. Plagg, Claws—"

"I won't help you."

"You are his master," Hawk Moth told him, his voice ringing with authority. "They are mere tools and you hold the key. Dominate him. He cannot disobey you."

He hated himself. He loathed. He wasn't worthy to wear the suit. Not anymore. After this… after this he'd give it up. He'd free Plagg, no matter what it took. But right now, he needed to transform. He needed to be quick enough to snatch the broach and run. There was no time to explain it to his friend. No time to reassure. Not time to feel.

"Claws out."

Plagg's high pitched wail of denial followed him into the ring. Chat Noir stood there, in Adrien's defeated stance, hating the feel of the suit against his skin.

"I knew you wouldn't let me down."

He gathered himself. One strike. That's all he needed. One moment to free Nooroo. Find the box. Get out of here.

He lifted his hand.

A yo-yo twined around his wrist. He barely had time to raise his eyes and stare at the woman standing at the base of the circular window before he was airborne. She swung him around, using the same hammer throw technique she used to use when they were still learning about each other and forging their alliance. There wasn't time to be elated that she was alive. There wasn't time to scream for joy and kiss her. Any moment now, she would release him at Hawk Moth and…

She released him straight into the wall. No time to brace or twist his body to take the impact on his hands and feet. His shoulders smashed against wood and his head collided with the wall. Crumpling to the ground, stars danced in front of his eyes.

Ladybug launched herself at Hawk Moth.

Her yo-yo lashed out like a whip, striking again and again at Hawk Moth. His head. His arms. His legs. He ducked and wove, dancing around as he avoided her. Some hits connected and caused his father to grunt in pain. Others were deflected by Hawk Moth's cane. They circled around each other, Hawk Moth's feet firmly on the floor while Ladybug used every other available surface a purchase to strike at him.

Chat Noir pulled himself up to his knees, his hand on his head as he tried to stop the dizziness. She was alive! And here. And… witnessed him give in. Did she think he'd do that willingly? Did she think he meant it? The singing in his heart turned to dread.

Lightning fast attacks. Ladybug and Hawk Moth clashed. Both faces, impassive, a single minded determination to destroy each other. His girlfriend, his father.

Chat Noir got between.

The string of Ladybug's yo-yo sliced his cheek as he deflected her hit. Hawk Moth's cane rammed into his ribs and he was sure he felt something creak. He didn't blame Plagg in the slightest for letting that blow through, he'd hardly done anything to prove himself.

He staggered, suppressing the pain as much as he could. Hands out stretched, he stood between his father and his girlfriend. Blood trickled down his cheek and he ignored it. "Stop!"

The yo-yo twined around his ankles and he was airborne again. Moments later, he re-greeted the same wall as before and this time, Plagg didn't take any of the impact. It jolted through him and stole what little breath and hope he had remaining.

She couldn't even look at him. Wouldn't even listen. Treated him like a ragdoll. Why? Why?

Chat Noir coughed. Spluttered. "Plagg, work with me," he whispered, spitting blood on the floor. He wiped at the cut on his cheek, then inspected his glistening fingers with a wince. He used the wall as leverage to hoist himself up and Plagg fought him all the way. "I'm trying to get Nooroo. It's called a diversion."

The sudden strength to his limbs told him his kwami was back on board. A small relief, overshadowed by the sounds of fighting.

Hawk Moth launched a counter attack, using the cane as a sword and Chat Noir saw why his father always insisted on his fencing lessons. His father was a master at it. The cane sliced through the air, bludgeoning against Ladybug and, although she was fast, she couldn't dodge all his hits. She cried out as he caught her injured ribs. Her body curled around his cane and he batted her away.

As she hit the ground, her yo-yo flashed out, catching Hawk Moth's ankle and she yanked him off his feet to prevent him from advancing on her.

Ladybug groaned and hoisted herself up. Her hand pressed against her ribs, her shoulders hunched in pain. She spun her yo-yo as she prepared to attack again. Hawk Moth leapt to his feet and stood straight and tall, one hand behind his back, the other holding up his cane as a defensive weapon.

"Cataclysm!" Chat Noir cried and slammed his hand into the floor. The remaining butterflies in the room took flight, swarming out the window and into the night. His power surged, cracked the floor and sliced a chasm between his father and Ladybug.

Ladybug didn't look toward him. She didn't stop. She leapt over the chasm without a care in the world.

Hawk Moth braced, twisted the gem on the top of his cane and withdrew a rapier.

Chat Noir leapt, interposing himself between the two again. He caught Ladybug mid-air, his arms encircling her and his back to his father to take the slice.

The hit didn't come from Hawk Moth. It came from Ladybug. Two feet rammed against his chest and he felt his damaged ribs creak. Chat Noir hit the ground hard, skidding away from her and curled into a ball.

Ladybug landed beneath the circular window. Emotionless eyes fixed on Chat Noir as Ladybug extended a finger. "Stay away from me."

"My lady—"

"No. I'm not your lady. You made your choice. Shown the true shade of your fur, your lies are as black as your heart."

Chat Noir sucked in a breath. "No, I—"

"It's always you, isn't it? Poor little kitten taken over by the akuma. Always me who has to rescue you. I was so blind to your act, but now my eyes are open."

Strength drained from him. Where'd the trust go? What happened to make that hard earned trust and faith in him evaporate? Why didn't she believe he'd acted with good reason? Or… was there a message in her words? Something he wasn't seeing? Something was wrong. Something was so wrong.

Did she think he was Hawk Moth's instead of hers. He hoisted himself to his feet, staggering toward her. "Ladybug—"

Ladybug's hard gaze slipped to Hawk Moth. "Your reign of terror is over." A quick spin and throw and Ladybug hoisted herself out the window.

"Get her Miraculous!" Hawk Moth demanded. "Get it and we can bring your mother back!"

Chat Noir spun, his arm extended and swiped at Hawk Moth's neck. Something tore and the Miraculous came free in his paws. He twisted and spun, using the movement to hide the fact he was storing the Miraculous in the pockets on his chest. With a growl, he lashed out again, intending to rake his claws down his father's face.

Hawk Moth caught his wrist. Hawk Moth. Not Gabriel. He didn't de-transform. Lifting Chat Noir up until his toes barely touched the wooden floor, Hawk Moth sneered, "It won't work."

Chat Noir gaped. "What?"

With a smirk, Hawk Moth rested the tip of his rapier against Chat Noir's neck. "I can still come after you. She'll never trust you again, Adrien. You lost her. The yin yang is broken and the taste of betrayal was so sweet." Hawk Moth licked his lips. "Now, you are my instrument whether you like it or not."

Short, panicked snatches of breath. "No—"

"You can have that pathetic Miraculous. I have a better prize."

"I will never—"

"You no longer have a choice." Still holding Chat Noir, Hawk Moth flipped his rapier, catching it by the blade. "Did you ever wonder why your kwami picked you? It wasn't because you were unique. It wasn't because you were meant for Ladybug. He picked you because of her."

The large purple jewel on the end of the rapier began to glow. As Chat Noir watched a woman's form appeared. Tiny and trapped, encased in the gem. His mother. She banged against the side of the gem, her face stricken. Her eyes landed on Chat Noir, her mouth forming an 'o' of surprise. She mouthed his name and his heart shattered into a million pieces.

Tears slipped down Chat Noir's face. "She's alive?"

Leaning in close, Hawk Moth leered, "If you want her to stay that way, bring me Ladybug's Miraculous and surrender yours, and you may have one of your parents back. Fail and you lose them both. Forever."

A haunting realisation. "You're the spirit in the box."

Hawk Moth released him, and laughter followed Chat Noir as he fled into the night.

Chapter Text

Chat Noir didn’t make it very far. Far enough to be out of sight. Far enough that he wouldn’t be found. Collapsing on a roof, he curled up into a ball and sobbed. He pulled at his hair, buried his face in his knees and keened. Tears stung the cut on his cheek, each wretched sob stabbed at his chest, but he couldn’t stop.

Curled up tighter and tighter, until he couldn’t breathe. Until his muscles ached and still he curled up.

“I don’t want this. I don’t want this. Oh, god, what do I do?”

Tiny paws rested against his hands and a purr rumbled. “I’m so sorry.”

Plagg. His transformation must’ve worn off. Adrien curled up tighter, shying away from Plagg’s touch. “Don’t touch me. I don’t deserve it.”

“Kid, that’s not going to happen.”

He rocked, a self-comforting motion which did little to serve his needs. “My mother. He has my mother.”

“I saw. I saw everything. Let it out,” Plagg soothed and rubbed himself against Adrien’s forearms. “Let it all out. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

Adrien’s head shot up. “And you!” He cupped his hands underneath Plagg. “I made you transform! I made you and I hate myself and it was the only thing I could think of! And I couldn’t tell you because—”

“I figured that out too,” Plagg reached up to touch Adrien’s uncut cheek, then rubbed his face against Adrien’s nose. “I understand. I’m not angry. You did the right thing.”

Adrien babbled. Sometimes coherently, but mostly it was a messy string of words which made no sense. Half formed thoughts and feelings which washed into words and slipped from him mouth into the world without acknowledgement.  His chest ached. His throat felt raw. Stomach clenched and dizzy and breathless and his hold on the world was flimsy at best.

When there were no more words and no more tears and no more anything and he was wrung dry, he lay on the roof in a ball and stared at nothing.

Gradually, a song drifted into his awareness. Sweet and low. A song Adrien hadn’t heard in ages. A lullaby his mother used to croon when he was sick or upset. It wasn’t her voice and it wasn’t Plagg’s. But if he closed his eyes, he could pretend.

The song rose and fell, sliding over him and cleansing the hurt. Not gone, the pain lingered, but the tones made life bearable. Memories filled his mind of happier days, when her smile lit up the room and her hugs meant the world to him. She spun circles around him, lifted him in the air and smothered him in love.

She hadn’t meant to leave him. She hadn’t meant to go. She’d been captured and trapped and it was up to him to save her. Somehow.

Plagg’s purr filled the spaces between the croons. A constant rumbling warm seeping through Adrien’s skin. Time plodded on and with time came fatigue. Adrien’s breathing quietened. His mind became less chaotic. Eventually he unfurled from the tight ball he’d been in and looked up at the blurry purple kwami floating in the air above him and serenading.

Seeing that he had Adrien’s attention, Nooroo said, “You are Félicie’s boy. Thank you.”

“You knew my mother.”

Nooroo smiled, “She was my choice. My Papillon.”

Nothing was going to surprise Adrien today. Not anymore. He felt… numb… and full at the same time. A clarity which only came from grieving to exhaustion.

“And you are mine,” Plagg said. “My choice. Don’t believe him. Don’t you dare.”

Adrien sat up. Removing his glasses, he cleaned them of tears so he can see. “Plagg—”

“He’s the master of manipulation,” Plagg continued. “He will twist anything to his advantage. I didn’t pick you because you were her son. I picked you because…” Trailing off, Plagg wrung his paws.

Adrien tilted his head and waited.

Plagg scowled. “Gah, you’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Plagg—”

“You have a good heart. One of the best. You’re kind and selfless and everything I’m not.”

Adrien poked him with a finger. “I love you too.”

Disgruntled, Plagg pouted. “I didn’t say that.”

Sighing, Adrien looked up at the stars. “Marinette hates me. I deserve it. How am I going to explain this? She’s never going to believe me.”

“Adrien—”

“Don’t try and sugar-coat this,” Adrien said. He touched his cheek and winced. “I am royally screwed no matter what I do.” He twitched. “It was so… weird though. Even for her. She was… I dunno. Every other time, she’s given me the benefit of doubt and this time…” he snapped his fingers. “Gone. Like that. So wrong.”

“She used desolation,” Plagg said.

Adrien dropped his hand. “She what?”

“Oh no,” Nooroo said, his paws fluttering to his mouth.

“It’s… her version of cataclysm,” Plagg said. “She destroyed her home.”

“Why?” The word tore itself from Adrien throat.

Plagg shook his head. “There wasn’t time for Tikki to tell me. We touched only for a moment. All she told me was that Marinette used desolation and she sacrificed her heart.”

Adrien gulped in a breath. “Are Tom and Sabine safe?”

Plagg wrung his claws. “I… don’t know.”

Adrien clutched at his head. Mind, body or heart. That was the cost. Adrien had sacrificed body when he’d used his version of Ladybug’s cleanse, taking all the bad luck into himself to store. He’d made her promise never, ever to do her version. And she had. And she’d sacrificed her heart. He closed his eyes. She would. She would be the one who sacrificed her heart. Body and mind could still work without compassion and emotion and… love. “Okay, what do we do?”

“You’re… taking this better than I expected.”

“Plagg, I literally can’t even right now. Tell me what to do.”

“You cataclysm her heart. Wipe the block the magic cast over her emotions clean. Most bugs pick heart, it’s the… easiest to recover from.”

Adrien blinked at Plagg. “That would’ve been nice to know before I went blind.”

“No… Adrien, different costs for each of you. Body is easiest for my kittens, but it’s the one thing you need. Heart is easiest for bugs, but it’s the one thing she needs.”

“Cataclysm her heart? I can’t do that, it’s too risky.”

“Alternatively, you can try to make her feel,” Plagg said, with a shrug. “Anger. Love. Sadness. Fear. Anything that elicits a strong emotional response. It rarely works.”

“Right.” Adrien slapped his knee and laid on the sarcasm. “Simple then.”

Plagg gave him an unimpressed look. “Adrien.”

“No, I’m just going to walk up to her and make her feel. When she doesn’t have a heart. Easy.” He grabbed a handful of hair and tugged it to make sure he was awake. “Fuck my life.”

“Which is why you cataclysm her heart.” Plagg said. “And focus on—”

“Royally screwed. I’m royally screwed,” Adrien muttered and hauled himself to his feet. “You watch, next I’m gonna fall from this roof trying to get down. Death by gravity. Perfect way to end a shitty day.”

“Is he always like this?” Nooroo asked, floating beside Plagg.

“Sometimes he’s worse.”

“We need to find some cheese,” Adrien said, peering at the edge. “And Nooroo. What do you eat?”

“Pickled chillies.”

Adrien stared at the butterfly for a moment too long. “Right. Couldn’t be something easy, could it? Noooooo.” He sat on the awning and flipped so he faced the wall. Reaching down with his shoes, he found toeholds in the wall. “Well… guess we’re going home.”

“Er, is that a good idea?” Plagg asked, floating down to sit on Adrien’s shoulder.

“Nope,” Adrien said lowering down and dug his fingers into the joins in the brickwork. “But I doubt he’ll expect that.”

Plagg floated down beside him. “I really don’t think—”

“I need money, I have some on me but not enough if I need to lie low for a while. Food. A change of clothes. A first aid kit. I’ll be quick. Besides, he thinks I’m going to work for him.”

“And you’re not?”

He didn’t answer that because there was no real answer. “Once I’m back in the suit, finding Marinette will be easier.”

“It’s easy now. I know where she is.”

“That should’ve been what you led with, Plagg,” Adrien muttered. He tried to reach too far for a handhold and winced at the sudden burst of pain in his chest.

“Not broken,” Plagg said with a sheepish smile. “I’m really sorry.”

“I didn’t give you any cause to believe in me. The bruise isn’t going to look pretty.” Adrien paused. “Neither’s my face… do you think, if I went looking like this, she’d have some sympathy for me?”

“Risky,” Plagg said. “It’s easier to cataclysm her.”

“Like she’s going to let me get close.” He heaved in a sigh. “If she kills me, then she kills me. At least I won’t have to make a decision or betray someone.”

“That is a very morbid outlook.”

Thinking he was low enough, Adrien released the wall and jumped down the rest of the distance. He landed wrong and ended up soaking his jeans by sitting in a puddle. “Great. Perfect.” He sighed and staggered to his feet.

The mansion was empty, to Adrien’s relief but he didn’t want to stick around. He didn’t bother cleaning up, he just shoved a few changes of clothes in bag, emptied a jewellery drawer in case he needed to sell some things to survive for a while, and gathered all the spare cash he could find. Cards would be no good. That was trackable and he didn’t want his father to find him.

Hitting the kitchen, he gave both kwami something to eat while he stocked up on camembert and jars of chilli. “We may have to ration,” he said. “This stuff is expensive.”

“I’ll make do,” Plagg said.

Adrien peered at him. “That’s a first.”

Plagg gave him a look. “Kid, there is clearly something not right with you at the moment. I’m trying to make things easier.”

“I’m okay.”

“You are not,” Nooroo said. “Your aura is most peculiar.”

Adrien fussed around with the bag, then thrust his hands into his pockets. His fingers curled around Marinette’s necklace. “I’m… very numb.”

“You are fragile,” Nooroo said, then looked at Plagg. “It is a bad idea to go to Ladybug now.”

“We don’t have time,” Plagg replied. “Heart eats away at everything. The longer she’s like that, the harder it’ll be for her to come back.”

“The best thing about Marinette is her heart,” Adrien said, hoisting his bag onto his shoulder. “Let’s go.”

“Do you even know what you’re going to do?” Nooroo asked as he floated over.

“Not a clue. Thought I might wing it.”

“If we get in quick and cataclysm her, it’ll be over,” Plagg promised.

Adrien shook his head. “No. It’s just beginning.”

Hiding in the collar of Adrien’s shirt, Plagg gave him directions. It wasn’t that far from where he lived and Adrien made sure to keep his head down as he walked. The cut on his cheek was obvious, as was his dishevelled look, but most of the neighbourhood’s attention was on the bakery. He wished he had his phone to call Alya, but he seemed to have misplaced it somewhere. Maybe in the back of the car.

Standing on the empty street opposite the place Plagg had instructed him to go, he sighed and stared at the door.

“You okay, kid?”

Adrien bent his arm across his stomach. “I’m… I don’t know.”

Tiny paws patted his cheeks. “I hear you. You can do this.”

“Can I? She said she didn’t want to see me again. She thinks I’ve gone rogue… If she has no heart… how can I reason with her?”

“We don’t. We cataclysm her,” Plagg reminded him. “Then deal with the aftermath.”

He adjusted his bag, wondering why Plagg was so set on the cataclysm. “Right,” he said and walked toward the door.

It was locked, and the sign in the window said ‘closed’ but he knocked on the door anyway. After a moment the blinds hanging in front of the glass in the door lifted, a lot lower down than expected. Adrien smiled at the eyes which peered at him. “Um… hi, I’m looking for—”

“We’re closed,” a gruff voice said through the door, then a finger pointed. “Emergency room’s—”

Plagg rose from Adrien’s collar. “Open up, Fu.”

The blind closed, then the door unlocked and opened, revealing an old Chinese man in a red floral shirt. Adrien recognised him from the butterfly house… which meant it was entirely possible this was Gui.  In the small foyer behind him was an open wooden door and a flight of stairs. 

“Hello Plagg. It’s been a while.” The man turned his gaze to Adrien. “You would be—”

“Adrien!”

Adrien jerked forward at the sound of Sabine’s voice. Two rapid steps inside, brushing past Fu. “Sabine?”

“Spots on!”

Adrien backed away, dumping his bag on the ground to give himself more room. “Claws out!”

Ladybug slid into the tiny foyer through the door, her yo-yo spinning and ready to attack.

Chat Noir held up his claws. “Bugaboo—”

She launched her yo-yo at him and he threw himself underneath it, skittering across Fu’s wooden floors.

“Marinette!” Tom boomed. “What are you—”

Bolting across the floor, Chat Noir hid behind Fu. “It’s not what you think!”

“Stop this!” Tom continued, standing behind Sabine.

“Well, hello Nooroo,” Fu said, mildly. “It’s been a long time.”

Throwing the yo-yo again, Ladybug looped it around a lamp post outside, then got Chat Noir’s ankle and heaved.

“Oh shit,” Chat Noir complained, his claws scraping the pavement as she dragged him. He floundered, grabbing at the lamp post itself and hung there as she tried to pull him in.

Ladybug wound the string of her yo-yo along her arm as she stalked toward him. “Traitor!”

“Do you want something to eat, Nooroo?” Fu asked.

“No, thank you. I’m fine. They certainly are energetic.”

“I’m sure they’ll finish soon. Let’s go find Wayzz. He’s missed you. We have been worried.”

Releasing the lamp post, Chat Noir used her yank to gain momentum as he bounced toward her on all fours. Leaping, he spring-boarded off her shoulders and dove inside Fu’s house with her yo-yo still around his ankle. With a yowl, he made a beeline for Sabine as she stood in the doorway Ladybug had come from. She gasped, startled, and stretched out her hands for him. He couldn’t tell if it was to ward away or hold onto him.

Ladybug yanked again before Chat Noir reached Sabine, dragging him back toward her. He flopped flat on the floor and made her work for it. “You used us! You used me!” Ladybug snarled.

Scrambling back on all fours, he darted by her and sling shot out the door again. “You gave up your heart!”

She spun, the twine of her yo-yo curling around her legs but she didn’t seem to notice. “I am protecting my family!”

He went back for another pass and dashed back inside, winding the yo-yo string around her further. “So am I!”

“You’re in league with Hawk Moth! I saw you!”

Was that anger? That was a good sign, right? He had to make her feel anything and that was a better alternative than using cataclysm on her. Any emotion and as emotions went, anger was a good one. Ladybug yanked him back and he went willingly. Instead of darting past her again, he jumped and landed with his feet on her shoulders, looping as much of the yo-yo around her as he could.

She made a grab for him and tangled herself further. “Stop moving!”

He leapt off, unhooked the yo-yo from his ankle and yanked it tight.

Ladybug eeped, her arms and legs restricted. She wobbled and scowled at him. “Let me out!”

Chat Noir released the yo-yo, knowing she’d be magically untangled in seconds. He slumped, kneeling on the floor by her feet. “He has my mother.”

In the background, Sabine gasped.

The yo-yo unwound.

Arms across his stomach, Chat Noir bowed his head and closed his eyes. “He’s got my mother. She’s alive and trapped and I don’t know how to help her. He promised me if I gave him our Miraculouses, I could have her back. I can’t believe him, because my father—” his voice cracked and his throat felt raw but he continued talking anyway, “—is Hawk Moth and he’s the spirit of the box and they said there’s no coming back from that. I’ve lost him and I’ve lost him for a while and I’ve been living with that thing. Every move he’s made since my mother disappeared has been to manipulate me into becoming an akuma and you just don’t understand how much that hurts. I thought he loved me! I can’t fix this. I can’t face it, not alone. And you gave up your heart. You gave up your kindness and your love and you can’t understand. No matter what I do, I’m betraying someone.” He slipped of his ring and the transformation faded. “My mother or you. What would you choose?”

“Adrien?” Plagg asked, shocked. “What are you doing? We need to use cata—”

Head bowed, Adrien cradled the ring on the palm of his hand and offered it to Ladybug. “I can’t do this alone. If I can’t do it with you, I won’t do it at all.”

He closed his eyes and waited and struggled to remain composed. All or nothing. She would either take the ring and he’d never have a chance of repairing things, or she’d find it in herself to remember what they once had.

Ladybug grunted. Her yo-yo clattered to the ground. Adrien glanced up to see her clutching at her chest with her eyes scrunched closed. Her hands quivered, her knees shook and she doubled over. One hand landed on his shoulder to keep herself standing and he reached up for her. A gasp and a shudder and her eyes welled with tears. “Adrien?”

He dragged her into his lap and clutched at her.

“Oh, God,” she moaned. “Adrien, those things I said—”

He shook his head and made a noise of denial that stopped her talking. A gaspy breath and he buried his face in her neck, to hold her as tightly as he could. She grabbed him and hugged him hard and it didn’t matter that her knee dug into the bruise on his chest. She was here and she was becoming whole and the world could collapse around them and it didn’t matter. He was home.

Another pair of arms encircled him from behind and Adrien stiffened for a moment before he recognised Sabine adding herself to the hug.

The front door creaked closed before another, much larger form lowered down to the floor and his huge arms drew them all in.

It was a long time before any of them could bring themselves to move. 

Chapter Text

Fu’s place was a massage parlour. A small room downstairs with a floor mattress for his business and a small apartment where he lived above it. The business side of the parlour itself was Chinese themed, with swirling murals of cranes standing over ponds, and incense and gongs, everything one might expect when receiving ancient Chinese massages, but his apartment above reminded Adrien of Marinette’s place, a mix of French and Chinese cultures.

Which brought back haunting memories. “Your bakery,” he mumbled to Sabine as she cleaned the cut on his face. “Your home.”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Sabine told him. She tilted his face away again so she could see his cut.

Fixing his eyes on a mural on the wall, he swallowed the lump in his throat. “But—”

“We have an unpurified akuma in a jar,” Tom said, cuddled up to Marinette on the floor by one of the walls. “When we’re ready, Tikki says she can convert its energy to fix the bakery.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Adrien asked. “Keeping an unpurified akuma?”

“Separated from a host object, they’re pretty harmless,” Tikki piped from her spot on the table, amid the mass of snuggling kwami. They were all over each other, a big kwami reunion. Chirps, purrs, skitters, small moans from Wayzz, and a cornucopia of other animal noises had been occurring all night.

“The jar will keep it contained,” Nooroo said.

“Even if she can’t revert everything,” Sabine said. “We have insurance. We’re alive and that’s all that matters.”

“What happened?” Adrien asked.

“Hawk Moth walked into our home, dropped two jar akuma and then stood there and watched while they took my parents,” Marinette murmured. “I followed one back to his base.”

Adrien exhaled through his teeth. “Oh no,” he mumbled and looked at Sabine in distress.

“We’re okay,” Sabine soothed. “It was unnerving, but I don’t remember it.”

“No one ever does,” Adrien said. “Then the damage to your home was—”

“Me,” Tom said. “Well… some of it anyway. The rest was—”

Marinette said, “Hawk Moth left when it became dangerous and I destroyed my home to hide the fact I was getting us out of there. I hoped I could get the drop on him.” Marinette sighed. “Didn’t work.”

Adrien stared at her. So few words for what must have been traumatic. “Marinette—”

“No. I’m not telling you. It’s not fair. Not after everything you’ve been through tonight.”

“You’ve been through a lot too,” Adrien mentioned.

Marinette raised her head from her dad’s chest. “You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.”

Adrien pressed his lips together and dropped his eyes.

“Exactly,” she said and offered him a small smile. “Let’s not add more to it. Not tonight.”

“You should’ve called me.”

“Our phones were still inside,” Sabine said. “We had to get somewhere safe.” She cast a glance at Marinette. “I thought she was going to get you.”

Adrien closed his eyes and adjusted the ice-pack on his chest. “Has anyone told Alya?”

Sabine nodded, her finger’s cold against his cheek as she applied the last of the bandage. “Ladybug left a message on the Ladyblog that she’d be in contact.”

He was relieved at that. Thinking Alya could be still enduring was painful. By extension, Nino would know they were okay. “Good.”

“Tea,” Fu announced as he carried a tray into the room. Placing it on the table, he set out the cups, then rested a plate of food near the four snuggling kwami. “Special recipe for dreamless sleep.”

“Thank you for opening up your home to us,” Sabine murmured as she packed up the medical supplies.

“It is my pleasure,” Fu said and swapped the supplies for a cup of tea. “There is much to discuss.”

“Tomorrow,” Sabine said and patted Adrien’s knee. “The authorities know we’re alive. They know it’s an akuma attack. We’ve done all we need to do. Everything can be sorted out tomorrow.” She picked up a cup and planted it in Adrien’s hands. “Drink and sleep, that’s what you need.”

He had so many worries. Thoughts churning around inside his head. “I won’t be able to sleep.”

Sabine patted his knee again. “You’ll be surprised what grief and exhaustion will let you do.”

“I have money,” Adrien mumbled. “And jewellery to sell. I raided my room, I didn’t know what else to do and—”

Sabine cupped his chin and dragged his eyes up to meet hers. “I know you must be really scared right now, Adrien, but no matter what, you have a place with us.”

Tears pricked his eyes again and he bowed his head to hide them. “Thank you.”

“I have the guest bedroom set up for you and Marinette, Sabine,” Fu said. “The bed is not big but it is comfortable. Tom and Adrien, the massage bed downstairs is quite—”

“Adrien and Marinette can take the guest room,” Sabine said. “Tom and I will sleep downstairs.” She smiled and spread her hands at Fu as he looked at her in surprise. “Saves them from having to sneak.”

“Not tonight,” Adrien muttered, too emotionally drained to stop his tongue. “I don’t mind sleeping downstairs.” Marinette’s eyes widened and hurt splashed her face. Adrien ducked his head in response and refused to look at her.

“You are both injured,” Sabine told him in a tone which told him there was no use arguing. “Neither one of you is sleeping on the floor.” She touched his chin again. “Kitten, I think you need to be petted and I don’t think you want to snuggle Tom, do you?”

There wasn’t really anything he could say to that.

Fu and Sabine chatted to each other like old friends, gossiping about many things, from the bakery, to Marinette, and to the ancient Chinese traditions and histories in each of their families. At some point they slipped into Chinese, but Adrien really didn’t listen to their conversation. Tom and Marinette murmured together on the floor and the four kwami’s conversation hadn’t stopped. Even with the chatter, Adrien felt so alone.

After draining his special sleeping tea, Adrien excused himself and followed Fu’s directions to the guest bedroom. Dumping his bag on the end of the bed, he rummaged through for his toothbrush and a change of clothes. Finding he didn’t pack his pyjamas, he grabbed a shirt and boxers, then found Fu’s bathroom.

He didn’t actually think he’d sleep. Stare at the ceiling in the darkness, maybe, but sleep seemed far outside the realm of possibilities. Repacking his bag, he put it on the floor and stood there, staring at the bed. The quilt covering it was red with a large oriental turtle in the middle. A nice looking bed. Intricate patterns in the stitching. A good thing to get lost in.

A soft knock on the door frame and Adrien turned his head to it.

Marinette hugged the doorframe to her chest as she looked at him uncertainly. “Safe to come in?”

Dropping his eyes, he nodded.

“I don’t have to—”

“Do you want a shirt?” he asked. “I have spare.”

She hesitated. “Please.”

Picking up the bag, he unzipped it. “At least, I think I do. Not quite sure what I grabbed.”

“Adrien—”

He found a clean one and offered it to her. “Here.”

She took it with one hand, then reached over to close the door with the other. Placing the shirt on the bed, she wriggled out of her pants, then pulled her top over her head.

Adrien’s eyes zeroed in on the bandage on her chest. “You’re bleeding.”

“It’s old blood,” she assured him.

He couldn’t quite believe her. His hand reached for her, then hesitated. “He got you on the chest.”

“Tikki gave me extra protection. I’m fine. Mom checked me.” She reached for his hand but he pulled it out of reach. Hurt, she mumbled, “I’m really fine.”

Adrien swallowed and ducked his head. “Okay. Oh. Um.” He retrieved her necklace from the pocket of his jeans and held it out to her. “Here.”

Marinette’s eyes filled with tears as she took it from him. “Where…?”

“He… um… used it to try and convince me you were… um…” He choked on the mountain in his throat and stopped talking. Moving away, he picked a side and pulled back the covers before he climbed into bed. Removing his glasses, he left them on the small bedside table and stared at the roof.

The Marinette-blur fussed around for a while, then she switched the light off. Padding across the room, she slipped into bed beside him and fluffed her pillow.

Adrien lay there with his hands on his chest, staring at the roof and trying very hard not to think while he waited for Marinette to settle. She sighed, a long exhale, rolled onto her side and stopped moving. He concentrated on his breathing, trying to give the impression he was going to sleep but he didn’t close his eyes. Reshuffling, he tucked one hand under his head and then tapped out a beat with his index finger on his chest.

Marinette’s toes touched his calf then withdrew.

Adrien blinked and did nothing.

Tentative, her toes brushed against his leg again and stayed. Fluttering ever so slightly, he could feel the each movement of her toes against his skin. He didn’t pull away and neither did she, but the tension in him felt like it grew.

Her fingers touched his hip, just enough to brush her nails against his skin. Testing boundaries or seeing if he was receptive to her, whatever she was doing, he was completely focused on it. 

He sniffed and swallowed, twitching the leg furthest away from her but otherwise remaining still. The touch on his hip became firmer and her fingers slid onto his stomach. They rubbed, backwards and forwards, gently coaxing up his shirt so she could brush her fingers against his skin.

“I don’t—” he squeaked as his voice cracked and he cleared his voice to try again. “I don’t know how to be okay for you.”

She shuffled closer and he could feel something soft against his bicep. “I’m not asking you to be okay.”

He tilted his head toward her. “What are you asking?”

Lips against his the top of his shoulder. “I’m not asking anything.”

Her foot hooked over his leg and tucked between. Her fingers tracked circles around his belly button. Sometimes they dipped against the elastic of his boxers, but never further. Some of the tension in him leaked away, but none of the grief and uncertainty he was hording did.

Swallowing, he said, “I thought you were dead.”

The fingers on his stomach stilled. “I’m not dead. I’m right here.”

He slid his hand down until it covered hers. “You gave up your heart.”

“I know.”

“You promised me you wouldn’t.”

Something wet against his shoulder and her voice trembled. “I know. I’m sorry. I never meant to—”

“My mother is alive.”

“Adrien—” It was her turn for her voice to break.

“My father is Hawk Moth.” He lifted his hand out from behind his head to pinch the bridge of his nose. Clenching his eyes shut, he said, “I don’t… I can’t…”

“Shh. I don’t and can’t either.”

A burst of laughter, out of place and odd, but still somehow fitting. A noise from her that could’ve been a muffled sob.

They dipped into silence as he struggled to squash his emotions. He wiped his face with his free hand and sniffled.

After a while, she slipped her hand out from beneath his to start up her finger stroking again. Little brushes and nudges, her breath warm against his neck and her body pressed into his side. Adrien listened to the sounds of the room. Down the hall, he could hear the muffled voices of Sabine and Fu still speaking.

“What do you need?” she asked, eventually. “I-I don’t know how to… I mean… Papa said—he said grief does crazy things to people and I should just take whatever comes and be there for you.”

He adjusted his head on his pillow. “Is that what you and Tom were talking about?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not the only one hurting. Your home, your family—”

“The bakery is fixable. My family is safe. You… What can I do to help you?”

“Is it alright if I hold you?” he whispered.

A gusty breath. “I wish you would.”

“I’m so afraid you’re going to disappear.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

He lunged towards her and she moved to accommodate him. After the initial tackle-grab-and-clutch, which turned out to be pretty uncomfortable, they shifted into a more natural position. Tucking one arm beneath her head, he gathered her into his arms. She slung her knee over his hip, her calf pulling him closer, while the foot beneath her tucked itself between his legs. A tangle of limbs, hands in awkward places, and it didn’t matter because he had to stay as close to her as he could. One of her hands found the nape of his neck and travelled up so she could scratch her nails against his scalp.

A spluttering purr concealed a sob.

Her voice was so soft he might’ve missed it had her mouth not been at the base of his ear. “I doubted you.”

“You never did,” he whispered and held her tighter.

“I did, I—”

He made a noise of denial. “Your mind took presented facts and viewed them without taking emotion into account. You never doubted me.”

“Adrien—”

“I refuse to believe anything else. The best thing about you is your heart,” he said, repeating what he’d told Plagg. “I don’t doubt if you were in complete control, you would’ve seen.”

“The look on your face— I did that. I broke—”

“I knew there was something wrong,” he whispered. “I knew the trust we had in each other couldn’t break that fast.”

“I hurt you and you… there was a moment you believed me. You can’t tell me there wasn’t.”

He swallowed. “You did, and I did… but, lovebug, I am so emotionally compromised right now you could tell me the sky is green and I’d believe you.”

“The sky is green.” A hint of humour.

He snorted. “I believe you.”

“I love you.” A dash of faith.

He softened his tone. “I believe you.”

“We’ll get her back.” A promise, clear cut and ringing with hope.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he mumbled, “I believe you.”

Light kisses peppered his neck and jaw as she sought out his mouth. He waited until her lips brushed against the corner before he turned his head and greedily devoured her. A muffled squeak quickly swallowed. Desperate to feel, desperate to reconnect, he bent the arm she lay on at the elbow so his forearm could hold her head closer. He wanted to lose himself in her, to stop feeling, or maybe to feel something else entirely, he wasn’t sure.

Grief nipped at ragged edges and made him raw, but love bloomed between them, enveloped and covered them in a blanket. Fuzzy and numb, she kept him from breaking on the rocks, held him steadfast against the swell of the ocean threatening to pull him under. He didn’t even think she knew how much she tethered him right now.

She pulled him closer, rolling onto her back. He followed her coaxing, settling on top of her and she hooked her legs around him. As her mouth opened under his, her nails raked against his scalp, sending bursts of heat through his head and down his spine. Her lips and her hands and her thighs gripping his hips and the heat generated between them and Adrien lost the ability to think.

She was anxious and needy and all he wanted to do was get as close to her as he could. His hips flexed, pressing against her and her calves pulled him even closer. He broke away from her mouth to scrape his teeth along her jaw and suck on her neck. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she arched her chest into him.

Guessing what she wanted and more than eager to supply, he nibbled his way back to her mouth as he propped himself up on one elbow. As he fumbled to drag her shirt up, Marinette let out a hiss of pain she tried to hide as a gasp. Clarity returned as cold splashed over him and he pulled away.

She whined, her legs locking him in place to prevent him from leaving. She wasn’t done and, if he was honest, neither was he, but his intent had changed. Ducking his head down, he kissed her with more love and less frenzy. Back to the slow, easy, let’s-make-out-until-our-lips-are-numb kisses rather than I-need-to-be-closer kisses of a moment ago. He brushed the back of his other hand against her face, gentle strokes and touches to sooth and tease.

Soft and easy, Marinette was just as into the gentle kisses as she had been the passionate ones. She thrummed at him, following his lead and didn’t try to coax more. Feather light touches against scratching spots, gentle noises as they slowly dipped to light kisses, face rubs and nuzzles.

“We should sleep,” he mumbled.

“We should snuggle,” she returned.

“As my lady wishes,” he replied. He shifted his chest to the side to take his weight off both their injuries and tucked his head into the curve of her neck. He closed his eyes and let the gentle caressing of her fingers and the sound of her breathing follow him into sleep.

Adrien was still curled around Marinette when Sabine came to wake them in the morning.

After a quick breakfast, Sabine and Tom went out to make some necessity purchases, like a change of clothes and toothbrushes, while Fu, Adrien, Marinette and the kwami all went downstairs to Fu’s parlour to talk.

Fu sat in the middle of the mattress with his hands on his lap. Four kwami lolled on the mat around him, their eyes fixed on Fu with almost a reverence. “Many things came to light last night,” he began.  “Many hurts, many old wounds and many new ones. We will each have our turn to speak.”

“Okay,” Marinette said.

“I am Fu,” he said. “My kwami is Wayzz, the turtle. When I become Gui, my powers involve strength and shielding. I am, as you are aware, old, but my true age would most likely unnerve you. My… tendency as Tikki has said you call it, is longevity. I usher in new guardians and mentor them and often see them leave.”

Adrien swallowed at that prospect. A glance at Marinette and he saw her misty eyed.

Fu’s eyes went to Adrien. “As such, it is normally I who hold the box. And I am ultimately responsible for your father’s… loss.”

Adrien sat forward. “He’s not really gone, is he? I mean, we can save him. There has to be a way we can.”

Fu ignored the question and Adrien didn’t like the implications of that. “Your mother, Félicie, was Papillon, the inspiration. She fell in love, married and had a child. As such, her role as guardian was to inspire instead of protect. However, once a year… I am an old man,” Fu said with a smile. “Sometimes Wayzz and I like to explore the world so we gave the box to her to watch.”

He tried to steer the conversation back to his father. “And my father found it.”

“I do not know what occurred that night,” Fu continued. “That would be Nooroo’s story to tell. But yes, the box fell to your father and Félicie disappeared.”

“Trapped,” Adrien corrected. “Not disappeared.”

“Something which I did not know,” Fu pointed out. “Or I would have come forward sooner. We are guardians, while you are the key bearers. Hawk Moth needs both of you to open the box.”

“We know,” Marinette said. “We don’t intend on letting that happen.”

“We told them what they needed to know,” Tikki informed them.

“Very well, we do not need to repeat it.” Fu turned his eyes to Adrien. “Would you tell me what happened while you were in Hawk Moth’s lair?”

Adrien swallowed. “He… ahh… told me he wanted to make me exceptional. Miraculous. But, I’m already Miraculous, and we can’t become akuma. At least, I assume he was trying to make me one, it… fits… with his behaviour since mom vanished. He promised he would… give my mother back if I brought him both Miraculouses and he seemed pretty sure I would.” He looked at Marinette. “He said our yin yang was broken.”

Fu nodded. “He would have sensed the imbalance in Ladybug, but perhaps not understood why. It is fortuitous that she gave her heart before venturing to his lair. If she had been whole, he never would revealed your mother and we would be heading into this final battle blind.”

Adrien gripped his knees. “Hawk Moth thinks I’m with him. We can use that.”

“That’s dangerous, Adrien,” Marinette said. “I don’t want to risk you like that.”

“He knows you’re Ladybug,” Adrien pointed out. “He knows I’m Chat Noir. He’s aware of Gui, which might be why he attacked when he did. Or he knew you were injured and thought it was the perfect opportunity.” Adrien stroked a hand through his hair. “He willingly gave me Nooroo and didn’t change back when I removed the Miraculous.”

“That troubles me,” Fu said, scratching his chin.

“We have to come up with a plan, and soon,” Adrien pressed on. “Otherwise, that thing inside my father will make a fuss and I’ll be forced to go home. I can’t exactly tell the authorities ‘he’s Hawk Moth and I’m afraid for my life’. We have to take the fight to him.”

“That won’t be easy,” Plagg said.

Adrien looked at Nooroo. “What can you tell us? Is he the spirit of the box? Or is he a corrupted person?”

Nooroo looked to Tikki, who took a breath. “Adrien,” she began, wringing her paws.

Realisation gutted him and Adrien shut his eyes. “Oh no.”

“There has to be a way,” Marinette said and he heard her crawling toward him. Hands on his upper arm and he leant towards her. “We can’t just give in.”

“We’re not giving in,” Plagg said. “Not ever, but we have to be realistic and—”

“Realistic?” Adrien snapped, snapping his eyes open so he could glare at his kwami. “We are going to have to give up our Miraculous to beat this. We have to give up you, Plagg. My father is gone, my mother is trapped. How much more realistic do you want to get?”

Fu frowned and shot a look at Plagg.

“What do we have to do to get the spirit back in the box?” Adrien asked.

“You have to combine us,” Tikki said.

“Combine you?” Marinette asked. “How?”

“Cataclysm to lucky charm,” Plagg said. “While in proximity of the box and Hawk Moth. We’ll do the rest.”

Adrien frowned at the lack of information. “And that’s all you’re going to tell us, isn’t it?”

“It can’t be that easy,” Marinette said.

“To get him back in the box, yes,” Fu said. “Combining the yin yang is enough to make him flee the host but it also burns the host body.”

Marinette frowned. “Is that what separates us from  our mirac—”

“Don’t call him ‘host’,” Adrien snapped. “That’s my father.”

Startled, Marinette said, “Adrien—”

He growled. “No. No, this sucks.”

She tried to soothe him. “Yes, I know and—”

“I am not going to sit here and casually discuss ways to kill my father. There has to be a loop hole,” he bargained. “A way out. A way I can save both of them.”

Sympathetic, she opened her mouth to answer, “Adrien—”

“My father is the strongest willed person I know. I refuse to believe he gave into this evil spirit— box— thing.” He jumped to his feet. “And I’m going to prove it.”

“What are you doing?” Marinette asked, scrambling after him.

“I’m going to talk to him. I’m going to make him believe I’m helping him and I’m going to find out what he is once and for all. Plagg, Nooroo, let’s go.”

“What?” Nooroo blurted and dove behind Tikki. “I don’t want to go back.”

“He gave you to me. He’ll expect to see you and if he doesn’t, he’ll suspect. I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never let him get you again.”

Still looking concerned, Nooroo lifted into the air and followed.

“That is a really impulsive and rash idea,” Fu advised. “You are not equipped to—”

Adrien spun to stab his finger at Fu. “One, that’s my father. I am the only one equipped to deal with him. Two, Chat Noir is all about being rash and impulsive. I’m the one that takes the hits and is the distraction so she can do her job. So let me do mine and take this hit. Three, I’ve got one thing going for me that he’s never seen before.”

Pale faced, Marinette hugged her arms to her chest. “What’s that?”

“I’m angry.”

Chapter Text

In hindsight, swinging into Gabriel’s office in Agreste mansion as Chat Noir wasn’t the best idea. This whole idea was risky, one slip up and he’d risk exposing himself and Marinette to this monster. Despite this, he felt he had to take a chance. He needed to know for sure. Corrupted man or spirit of the box and the only way to find that was to make the man believe Chat Noir would grudgingly work for him.

Gabriel, it seemed, had been expecting him. He stood impassively, hands behind his back as he watched Chat Noir prowl further into the room. “A bit dramatic, don’t you think?”

Chat Noir ground his teeth together. He vibrated with anger but he held himself carefully in check. He had to get information, not rake his claws down his father’s face. “Hardly.”

“Dispensing with the pleasantries, are we?”

He curled his hands so his claws pricked his skin through his suit to remind himself to keep calm. “You’re not one to talk.”

“You could at least be civil. I am your fath—”

“But you’re not, are you?” Chat Noir spat. “You’re not my father, and therefore can’t say jack to me.”

“Such a lack of respect,” Gabriel said, mildly. “Your mother would be disappointed.”

Chat Noir bounced forward and shook a finger at Gabriel. “You’re the one holding her hostage. You might have my obedience, but you can take your respect and shove it up your ass.”

Gabriel’s eyes widened.

Any other day, Chat Noir would have apologised profusely and been embarrassed about his language, but today, when he was riding this anger, he didn’t care. It was thrilling to see even the slightest reaction from this father. Because he knew if he remained in the suit any longer, he’d give into the temptation to scratch and bite, he allowed his transformation to fade. Plagg, ever the actor, gave him a sulky look and dove to hide in Adrien’s shirt with Nooroo. “I couldn’t find her, before you ask. She’s gone to ground.”

“Locate Gui,” Gabriel suggested.

Adrien narrowed his eyes. “That turtle guy? I doubt he’d know. We’ve never met him before.”

“Your kwami will know where—”

“Won’t talk to me. Cat’s got his tongue. Really not surprised.”

“Give him to me,” Gabriel said. “I’ll make him talk.”

“Not going to happen,” Adrien countered, putting his hand over his pocket as both kwami twitched. “I have absolutely no assurances you’ll keep your word and give my mother back if I help you and I have him whispering in my ear that you’ll destroy the world if I let you.”

“They would say anything to deter you.”

“So, I’m guessing, would you.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “You want assurances.”

“What I want,” Adrien spat, “is to speak to my father.”

“Your father is gone,” Gabriel said, dryly. “I exist in this shell now.”

Adrien glanced at the table and the sketches which lay strewn about atop of it. “And yet, you’ve spent the last what… year and a half? continuing to live his life. Running a business. Watching his son. Playing family man. How much of that was a lie and how much was his influence?” Grabbing a handful of papers from the desk, he threw them at his father. “These are fall designs. Long term, future goals. They didn’t come from you.”

“I have all his memories,” Gabriel said. “And I am very versed in hiding.”

“You can stand there being all regal and acting like you don’t give a shit but I’ve seen you flustered. I’ve seen you in a panic over a failing show. I’ve seen you angry.”

Gabriel’s voice hardened. “And you’ll see me angry again if you keep up this insolence.”

“I’ll take anger over apathy any day. You’re not the spirit of the box. You’re a corrupted man trying to play with the big boys.”

Something hit him directly in the chest. Lifted him up off the ground by then neck and held him there. Shadows all around, swirling and snapping at him, but he could only see them out of the corner of his eyes. If he looked directly, there was nothing there. It terrified him.

“Your father may have tolerated these emotional outbursts but I never will,” Gabriel snarled.

The shadows tightened around his neck. Coiled and cut off his air supply. Adrien gurgled and kicked his legs, realising he may have taken this a step too far.

Gabriel jerked and Adrien fell to the ground on all fours, coughing and spluttering. Adrien glanced up to see Gabriel rubbing the palm of his hand before returning to his stiff, hands-behind-back position. “Get back out there and find me her Miraculous.”

He rubbed his neck. “No.”

Gabriel seemed to grow and shadows danced on his face. “You dare—”

“I’m tired. I need a shower. I need some food. I need a nap. Then I’ll go get your Miraculous.” He sat back on his feet and smirked at Gabriel. “And since I’m your son, unless you want me to call the authorities and claim abuse, and blow your cover wide open, you’d better back off and pretend to be parent.” Pushing himself up, he stalked for the door. “Thanks for the talk, ‘father’. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

“That was really, really, scary risky,” Plagg whispered as Adrien made his way through the otherwise empty house.

Adrien gusted out a breath and rubbed his shaking hands together. “No kidding.”

“Are you okay?”

“Nope. I completely wasn’t expecting those shadow hand things.”

“He’s been out of the box too long,” Plagg murmured. “Are you convinced now?”

Adrien locked his bedroom door behind him, then sagged against it. “My father’s still in there.”

Plagg zipped out from Adrien’s shirt with Nooroo not far behind him. “You must’ve been watching some other argument, then.”

“It’s not your father,” Nooroo advised. “Not anymore.”

Adrien sighed. “I can’t believe anything else,” he told them. “He stopped the shadow things from attacking me. Did you see the way he looked at his hand?”

Plagg looked at him, then slowly nodded. “Alright, kitten. He’s still in there. We’ll do whatever we can.”

“Thank you.”

“But if we have to make a choice,” Plagg said and then left it hang.

Adrien nodded. “I’ll make it.”

Plagg glanced around the room and shuddered. “We shouldn’t stay here long.”

“I need a shower.”

Plagg gave him the stink-eye. “We don’t have—”

“He expects I’ll be here for a while,” Adrien said. “I have time for a shower.”

With a roll of his eyes, Plagg flopped on the bed. “Models.”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Adrien muttered and headed for the bathroom. “Not all of us can lick ourselves clean and does so at every opportunity.”

Nooroo tried to follow. “You shouldn’t be alone.”

“Uh-ah,” Plagg called. “Bathroom is a kwami free zone. You don’t want to see those hormones.”

Adrien’s stomach dropped in embarrassment. “Jesus, Plagg, get your mind out of the gutter.”

“Teenage boy,” Plagg crooned in a sing song tone. “I’ve heard your—”

Adrien shut the door. Sighing, he scrubbed his hands over his face, then winced at the cut on his cheek. He took a moment to inspect it in the mirror before he stripped. He removed Nooroo’s broach from his pockets, then dumped his dirty clothes down the chute before hitting the shower.

Scalding hot water, his skin would be raw when this was over, but it was the only way he could wash the conversation he’d had with his father away. He stood, arms braced on the wall ahead of him, his head down and let the water roll from his shoulders and spill down his back.

“Adrien?”

Adrien blinked and jerked his head up. “Marinette?”

“Yeah—” she drawled, then eeped. “I mean— yes. Um. Hi.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face to clear it free of water and grabbed his glasses off the shower bench before peeking around the corner. “What are you doing here?”

She skittered back a few steps, her cheeks red and he wondered how close to the wall which separated the vanity from the shower she’d been. “Plagg said you were in the bathroom, I wanted to… I… um… hi?” she finished and waved.

Water droplets dripped from his hair and dusted his glasses. “Hi. It’s dangerous to be here right now.”

She had all the subtleties of a moose floundering on ice as she leaned sideways to try and sneak a peek. “You didn’t think I’d let you come in here without backup, did you?”

He raised an eyebrow to show he was onto her actions. “No, of course not. I was counting on it.”

She couldn’t maintain eye-contact, they kept slipping down. “Those… shadow things were scary. I nearly broke cover.”

“Don’t blame you. Eyes up here.”

She narrowed her eyes at him playfully. “Oh, if that was me, you’d be looking too.”

He winked. “Okay, you got me.”

“A few of the things you said got me thinking though…” she waved her hand. “Anyway, everywhere is dangerous right now. I feel safe when I’m near you.”

Smiling at her, he said, “I’ll be out in a sec.”

She walked her fingers along the vanity bench and peeked through her lashes at him. “Or I could join you.”

He wasn’t sure, but he was fairly certain he squeaked at her.

“Well, it seems unfair,” she said, sidling closer. “You’ve seen me naked and…”

“… and?” Was that a voice crack? That was a voice crack! Why couldn’t he talk normally?

She bit her lip. “Maybe it’s time to return the favour.”

He swallowed. “Your stitches.”

“Water proof bandage,” she replied.

“I… ah… can’t see very well in the shower.”

Her expression turned coy. “You’ll have to… feel your way around then, won’t you?”

Now the swallow was a gulp. “I thought this was just playful banter. You’re serious?”

“I’m curious.”

How did she manage to pull of that look? Through the eyelashes cuteness and innocence coupled with a sultry smile. His knees felt weak and he gripped the wall. “There will be a… definite reaction. If you’re not ready to see that… um…”

“I’m curious about that too,” she said and her blush bloomed. “I mean, it’s not like anything’s going to happen, but… it can’t hurt to look, can it?”

He was going to have to scoop his tongue up from the floor soon. He felt incredibly nervous and so ready for this too. “Okay,” he squeaked, then cleared his throat a few times. “Okay, come—” Nope, still squeaky. With an embarrassed and sheepish smile, he beckoned. “Ahh, squeaky ‘okay’ is it.” 

Marinette giggled.

Stalking through the mansion some time later, Adrien fought to keep the grin off his face and play petulant child.

“Leaving already?” Gabriel called from his office as Adrien bounced down the stairs.

Rolling his eyes, Adrien sauntered over to the office door. “Yup. Bye.”

“I do not appreciate this new rebellion.”

Adrien narrowed his eyes. “What are you going to do about it? Take away my Miraculous? Wait, no, you’re going to ground me again.” He waved his hands. “Wait, wait, I got it. You’re going to try and kill my lady again.”

“I can make your life difficult.”

“You’ve already made it difficult,” Adrien said. “You tried to turn me into an akuma. That is some long term, serious planning that went into that.”

Gabriel pressed his lips together.

No denial. Nothing. Having not really known what he expected, Adrien moved past Gabriel toward the window. “Let’s not pretend you care. I think we’ve moved beyond that, don’t you? Claws out.” Chat Noir turned, making sure Nooroo’s broach was stored properly and the kwami tucked away safely. He bounced up on the window sill and readied his baton.

“You have until sundown,” Gabriel said. “After that, I will come for her myself. I will not be kind.”

Chat Noir hunched his shoulders. “Gotcha.”

“For your mother’s sake, be careful.”

Startled, Chat Noir glanced over, but his father had already turned away. “You heard that, didn’t you, Nooroo?” he asked as he vaulted away.

“I would not trust his lies.”

Chat Noir sighed. “I guess so.”

“I have been a witness to him since your mother disappeared,” Nooroo continued. “There were days where he fooled me too…” Nooroo’s voice became softer and considering. “But he did… there was compassion for you. The way he talked about you to others, he… lit up. Perhaps…”

Hope swelled within him. “There is something there.”

“I do not know,” Nooroo replied.

Within the privacy of the shower, Ladybug and Chat Noir had arranged to meet on top of the Eiffel Tower where they could look over everything as they talked. Chat Noir sat on the metal framing at the very top of the tower and hung his legs over the side, grinning at Ladybug.

“That is a very silly grin, Chat.”

He didn’t even bother to hide the smile. “It matches yours, my lady.”

She giggled. “Such a smug kitty. There’s a pun about a cat having its cream in that somewhere.” He raised his eyebrows at her and her eyes went wide and her cheeks red. “Not like that! Oh my god.”

“You said it!” he protested.

She covered her eyes with her hand. “We’re back to baton stroking, aren’t we?”

“Looks that way.” Looking out over Paris, Chat Noir rested his hands on his knees. “I miss the simple times. You and me. Hot chocolate on your terrace. Scratches in the moonlight. Sneaking around.”

Ladybug reached out to take his hand. “Before or after we found out who we were?”

“Both. Sometimes. I dunno. Things certainly got complicated.”

“I like where we are.” A heartbeat. “I mean, I don’t like what’s happening, but I like where we are as a couple.”

“Don’t worry, Princess,” he said and lifted her hand to kiss the back. “I knew what you meant. I do too.”

She tilted her head at him. “Did you get what you wanted from confronting your father?”

“I’m not sure,” he said with a sigh. “I’m not ready to give up on him.”

She nodded. “So we won’t give up.”

He pulled a face and lifted his ring hand to peer at his palm. “Cataclysm to lucky charm. Do you think that’s where we lose them?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a really swell idea,” Ladybug said with a grimace. “There has to be another way.”

“I want to believe there is but… lovebug, he said I had until sunset. Then he was coming after us.”

She nodded. “Great. More pressure.”

“We work better under pressure.”

“Not this much.” She sighed. “I have a few questions for Fu. Do you think you can sit through another session?”

“As long as he doesn’t call my father a ‘host’ again.” He lowered his hand and faced her. “Do you trust Fu?”

She gave his question the full weight of her consideration. “He let us stay overnight, he’s a miraculous wielder, and the kwami are comfortable around him.”

“But do you trust him?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “He appears out of the blue, right when Hawk Moth launches his big attack. It’s almost too good to be true.”

Chat Noir nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’ve been fighting this battle for the last one and a half years. No help until you and we didn’t… we didn’t click for a while.”

He smirked. “You thought I was an akuma.”

She laughed. “I did! We’ve been trying to figure all this on our own. We worked hard and we figured it all out but we really could’ve used some pointers. Direction. He’s supposed to mentor.”

“To guardians,” Chat Noir pointed out. “We’re key bearers.”

“We don’t even know what that means.” She sighed. “I just feel like… we’re always behind because we don’t know enough. But I don’t know if we should automatically believe everything Fu says. I feel… we should listen to our kwami over him. And even then… you know?”

He did know.

She glanced at Chat Noir. “Speaking of, Nooroo, can I ask you a few things before we go back to Fu?”

The kwami floated free and Chat Noir held his free palm out so the kwami could flutter above it. “How can I help you?”

With a gentle smile, Ladybug said, “Papillon’s powers. Fu said inspiration, but Tikki and Plagg told us it was change. Can you tell us about it?”

Nooroo inclined his head. “There are two powers, in essence, inspiration and change,” he began. “Inspiration comes from a blessing by a pure butterfly, which alights on an uninspired person and leaves them invigorated.”

“That would be handy,” Chat Noir noted.

Nooroo smiled. “The second type is change, where the butterfly is absorbed by a person and becomes a champion.”

“And Hawk Moth twisted the champion part to create akuma,” Ladybug said. At Nooroo’s nod, she continued, “What’s this champion’s role?”

“Protect the Papillon. I am…” he looked nervous. “I am not a strong kwami, not like Tikki and Plagg. Not a fighter. My powers are designed to help others.”

Chat Noir scratched his cheek in thought. “Does this protection last if the Papillon isn’t transformed?”

“Yes.”

“Is it like the akuma? Break the item and the champion reverts to normal?” Ladybug asked.

Nooroo nodded. “Papillon can pull the butterfly out and release it when their job is complete, but if someone breaks their item, the butterfly will escape.”

Ladybug made a noise to show she understood. “The akuma’s forms, how much like the champions are they?”

“The akuma were warped forms of the champion. Normally a champion’s personality remains intact. But the akuma’s powers were what they would’ve been as a champion.”

Ladybug broke out into a grin. “Can you become a champion only once?”

“Oh, no,” Nooroo said. “Often it’s the same champion, usually my chosen’s significant other or close friend. The more times they transform, the greater skill a champion has.”

Ladybug was getting that eager look in her eyes, like she was onto something and Chat Noir watched her with half-lidded gaze. He loved her like this. So alive, confidence streaming from her pose and her words and… just beautiful.

“Just to clarify, if you say, made Alya a champion, she’d still become Lady Wifi, but a better version with her own mind and thoughts.”

Nooroo frowned as though he didn’t recognise the name. “Oh, yes, Lady Wifi, yes.”

“Awesome. What about the empty butterflies?” Ladybug continued. “Are those forms the real ones?”

“No. They were environmental based and… I am still uncertain how he did it. I can only guess it was part of his powers. This is… the first time the spirit has had access to my Miraculous.”

Ladybug nodded. “One last question. Can anyone use you? Or does it have to someone chosen?”

Nooroo fluttered, staring at Ladybug. His eyes flicked to Chat Noir, then back again. “I am uncertain if I should answer this question.”

“We know you have no reason to trust us,” Ladybug said. “But… to rescue Adrien’s mother, your Papillon, we’re going to need all the help we can get. If someone could ‘borrow’ you, or borrow your powers—” she left that hanging.

“My Papillon is still alive. I cannot bond with another while she is. While you two carry a part of each other, the rest of us are not interchangeable. Adrien’s father was… a special case.” Nooroo took another glance at Chat Noir, battered at his face with his paws and heaved in a sigh. “I want to help… there… may be a possibility, but I need to discuss it with Tikki and Plagg.”

Ladybug finally looked at Chat Noir, then had to look again. “What’s that dopey expression for?”

Chat Noir smiled. “You have a thought.”

She preened, returning his smile with a full bodied one of her own. “I do indeed.”

“You’re beautiful.”

She flushed, and shoved at him. “Flirt.” Seriousness returned to her face. “We need to talk to Fu, and I would like an answer to the borrow question.” She reached down and stroked Nooroo’s head. “Thank you.”

Nooroo pressed himself against Ladybug’s hand. “I hope I helped.”

“You did indeed.”

“You shouldn’t be afraid of trusting Fu,” Nooroo continued. “There is no malice in his aura.”

“Where was he when Glacia covered Paris in ice for two days?” Ladybug asked, her tone mild. “We could’ve used back up. We needed options and it would’ve been nice to know there was someone else there. There’s so many times we could’ve used his experience or even just learnt more about ourselves and what we could do with his help. But he chose to hide himself away until right now.”

Nooroo wrung his paws. “I was under the impression Tikki and Plagg asked him to stay away.”

Ladybug lost her smile. “I see.”

Chat Noir sighed. “Time to go have a talk, I think.”

Squeezing Chat Noir’s hand, she said, “Different routes, just to be safe. We can’t be seen together.”

He leant in to kiss her. “Meet you there.”

“Race you!” she said, and leapt over the edge.

She won, of course. But Chat Noir always did like coming in behind Ladybug.

Neither of them were expecting Sabine’s wrath though. Arms on her chest, a wooden spoon in her hand, she scowled at them. “Where have you been?”

Ladybug and Chat Noir pulled up short and Chat Noir had the urge to duck down behind his girlfriend and cower. They’d managed to slip into Fu’s place without being seen and yet somehow Sabine had known. “Umm…”

She waved her arms around in lecture mode as she descended the stairs down to the foyer. “Fu said you waltzed off to confront your father, without a plan and without back up and—”

“I had a plan,” Chat Noir said at the same time Ladybug said, “He had backup.”

“— you can’t just go throwing yourself into danger right now, you need time to—”

“My father’s still in there,” Chat Noir said.

Sabine lost her anger to sympathy and stretched out her hand to touch Chat Noir’s shoulder. “Honey,—”

“He had fall designs on his desk, Mom,” Ladybug said with absolute assurance.

Sabine frowned in confusion. “I don’t—”

“He’s planning ahead,” Chat Noir continued. “Looking at the future. He’s been living my father’s life for ages. Building the business. Taking care of me. Yes, he might’ve been doing a horrible job but there were… there were moments! I even… I even think he might have been enjoying designing.” Chat Noir looked past Sabine at Fu, who waited with his hands behind his back in the massage room. “Could this great evil be… not so great? Could he really take someone’s life for this long and not feel something for it? Want to protect it?”

“You love your father,” Fu noted.

“Yes, I love my father,” Chat Noir said, wondering why that was even a question.

Fu scratched his chin and glanced between Chat Noir and Ladybug. “There is much to discuss.” He stepped away from the door. “Please, release your transformations and let us talk.” He nodded to Sabine, “We won’t be long. I have clients soon.”

Sabine pressed her lips together and accepted the kiss on the cheek from both Ladybug and Chat Noir as they made their way to Fu. “I’ll make snacks.”

“How many times has this evil threatened to escape the box?” Marinette asked the second her transformation released. Tikki turned to stare at her before flopping into Marinette’s palms.

Fu eased down on the mattress. “Never in my lifetime,” he admitted and pointed to a stack of books behind him. “I have historical records from other guardians you could study if you wish more information.”

Marinette gave the books an eager look.

“It used to try and escape a lot,” Plagg said, darting away from Adrien to flop on the mattress beside Fu. “But this is the first possession in about five hundred years. This is… also the longest it’s been out.”

“Lucky us,” Adrien muttered. Instead of sitting, he leant against the wall and crossed his arms on his chest.  “You might’ve told us this from the beginning.”

“You weren’t ready and we weren’t sure—”

“Don’t tell me you weren’t sure,” Adrien said. “Nooroo told us his Papillon is alive and he can’t bond with another while she is. You knew the spirit was out and you knew it wasn’t a corrupt person.”

“Adrien,” Marinette soothed.

Tikki rushed, “No that’s not true. We didn’t know she was alive. Yes, we may assumed that she wasn’t because the pattern was different. The attacks were slower and less focussed and we needed more time to study and there was no way of knowing if Nooroo had been corrupted or not because that was a possibility too. The seven of us are not the only kwami bound to an item. There are others and sometimes they are corrupted or broken or forced to do things they don’t wish to do and we had to rule out those possibilities too and—”

“It was nice being out of the ring,” Plagg muttered. “Cheese and technology and catching up on what’s changed in the world… we didn’t want to have to go back so quickly.”

Adrien nodded. “That, I’ll believe.”

Plagg didn’t look at Adrien as he turned to Fu, “He had shadow hands.”

“That will make this fight more difficult,” Fu said, stroking his beard. “Many things about this trouble me.”

“What other powers does he have?” Marinette asked.

Plagg shrugged. “It depends on… many things. That he has shadow hands is enough.”

“Is it possible the spirit isn’t evil?” Adrien asked.

“Adrien,” Tikki said and shook her head. “Evil cannot change like you’re suggesting.”

“Five hundred years, you don’t think maybe it’s kind of relieved it’s free? You guys are.”

“I understand you want your father saved,” Tikki said, floating up to him. “I do too. But it’s never been done before.”

He folded his arms on his chest and scowled at the floor, accepting Tikki’s comforting cheek nuzzle with a half-hearted one of his own. He wasn’t angry at her, just the situation and the darling seemed to realise that.

Marinette asked, “Tikki, how do you trap the evil the first time?”

“The Song of Many Voices,” Tikki said, floating away from Adrien. “Kwami sang him to sleep and Plagg and I wove the box around him. The five guardians gave up their freedoms to help us contain him.”

Marinette tapped her chin as she thought. “If the evil escapes, do you think it’ll give up Gabriel’s body in favour for the body in the box? Could that be a way to free Gabriel?”

Adrien jerked his head up.

Tikki glanced at Adrien mournfully. “It is possible. That is assuming Gabriel is just suppressed and not been wiped from memory. But there aren’t enough kwami anymore to fight him if he escapes. We are so widespread and there are many who are asleep and—”

Marinette pressed on, “But what about an army of people? Could people sing this Song of Many Voices?”

Wayzz, floating by Fu’s shoulder, said, “Without powers, they’d be helpless against him.”

With a triumphant look, Marinette looked at Noorro. “Not if we could give them powers.”

Nooroo shook his head. “I can make one champion. Not an army. And that’s only with—””

Marinette bounced up and down on her toes in excitement. “So, what we need is a champion who can make other champions!”

Adrien pushed away from the wall and pounced on Marinette. “Juleka!”

She snapped her fingers and pointed at him in excitement. “Exactly.”

He laughed, plucked her up and spun her around. “You are brilliant.”

Fu, who’d been otherwise silent and watchful, pointed out, “Nooroo doesn’t have his Papillon.”

“Well,” Nooroo said, wringing his paws again and fluttered away from Plagg. “Adrien is blood family and—”

“Oh, hell no!” Plagg yowled.

Adrien blinked and plopped Marinette back on the ground. “What?”

“I do not want your glitter-sparkles all over my boy!”

“It would be one transformation,” Nooroo whimpered, flitting away. “There would be no chance of—”

“I’ll be smelling mothballs for months!”

“As opposed to mouldy cheese?” Tikki asked, giggling behind her paws.

Plagg bared his teeth at his mate. “Oh, don’t you start. If Nooroo wanted Marinette, you’d react exactly the same way.”

Tikki shrugged. “Ladybugs and butterflies are bugs. I wouldn’t mind.”

Plagg smirked. “Okay, what about Floova? Do you wanna smell fox? Next time she wakes up, I’m going to ask her to—”

Tikki folded her arms on her chest. “Now you’re being ridiculous.”

“I can use you to transform?” Adrien asked, butting in.

Plagg spun on Nooroo. “See what you did? You gave him ideas!”

“Would I get bug tendencies too?” Adrien asked. “I don’t know if I could handle—”

“No,” Tikki assured him. “It requires consistent transformations. One and you should be fine.”

“Do you think it would work, Tikki?” Marinette asked. “If we had an army to back us up?”

Tikki paused. “It… might? It does seem a better plan than going in alone. But, this whole plan hinges on you releasing him, then rebinding and that is be more dangerous than—”

Ignoring Tikki, Marinette ran with it. “Adrien and I will look through Fu’s books, but even if we don’t release this evil and rebind, having an army of champions sounds awesome.” She clapped her hands. “Okay, first step, recruit, then we’ll have to tell them why we need them, I’ll have to—”

Adrien watched Marinette, smiling to himself. In the background, Plagg and Nooroo still argued, but their language had changed to chirps and meows. Whatever Plagg was saying, he was clearly angry, while Nooroo became exasperated.

Fu shoved several books at him. “Read this first,” he said, holding up a book with a leather bound cover, and then put it on top of the pile of books Adrien now clutched.

Startled, Adrien nodded.

Marinette ticking off things on her fingers as she thought of them. “Let’s get Juleka and a few others on board first. Alya and Nino for sure. Rose’d be good too, cause imagine if her powers worked! Straight asleep, then we could figure out what to do. Nathanaël! Chloé. We need Chloé. God, I never thought I’d actually say that. Kim and Alix, although… Alix’s powers might be tricky—”

Fu said. “Do not get your hopes up, there are elements and leaps of faith in her plan which are not possible, but the army will, if nothing else, give you the confidence you need to face this enemy. The books will explain.” He put another large book on top of the pile. “This book recounts the previous encounters with the spirit, written by the wielders. And this one,” a third book, “details information about the kwami and their powers. Tikki will be the one to teach you the song, if that is your decision.”

“What?” Adrien said, glancing over at Marinette.

Fu said, “I can only show you a path, you are the ones who walk it. Be careful that you choose the right one.”

“—how’s that sound?” Marinette finished.

Adrien hadn’t been paying attention to the last part. “Ahh…”

“Read,” Fu said and bundled them both toward the door. “I have clients. You may use my apartment. Wayzz can answer any questions you may have.” Fu bowed, then closed the door.

“Huh?” Marinette asked, startled.

“I guess we go upstairs,” Adrien said, his eyes following the four kwami as they darted up.

“What was that?” Marinette asked, staring at the closed door.

“Fu said we’d find the answers we need here.”

“Huh. Really?” Marinette asked, taking a book off Adrien’s pile. “What’s all this?”

“Reading material,” he said and told her what Fu had told him.

“Wow.” Marinette trotted up the stairs, flipping through the pages. “Okay then—”

Adrien stayed at the bottom of the stairs. “Thank you.”

She paused, turning. Tilting her head, she gave him a confused look. “For what?”

“For… believing he’s not gone. For doing everything you can to help my mother. For your faith. For being so… positive about all this. For just being you. I know… I know I’m barely holding it together and am probably pretty hard to predict right now and… it really helps that you’re so strong.”

She smiled and bounced back down to touch his cheek. “You’re such a sap.”

He leant forward until he could rest his head on hers. “I’m flip-flopping emotions. From pouty to angry to sad—”

Her lips twisted up into a smirk. “To sexy and horny.”

He chuckled. “I guess. That’s got to be hard to keep up with.”

“You’re doing fine. I know how hard this must be for you. But we can do this. Together.”

“Together.”

Pecking him on the lips, she turned to bounce back up the stairs. “C’mon, we have work to do. Tikki, I need to call Alya.”

While Adrien sedately followed Marinette up the stairs to where her parents were, Tikki zipped Marinette’s side. “Of course.”

“Spots on.” Transformation complete, Ladybug opened her yo-yo and dialled Alya as she walked into Fu’s main apartment. The second Alya answered, and before she could gush at Ladybug in a panic, Ladybug said, “Tell me there really is an ex-akuma club.”

Chapter Text

Adrien pulled his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. He sat back from the table and stared at the ceiling to take a small break.

They were on a deadline. Since they only had six hours left to come up with something before Hawk Moth or Gabriel or the great evil came looking for them, they’d split up the tasks. Marinette had gone to see Alya and meet with Juleka over the possibility of making her a champion so that she could make others into champions while Adrien had hit the books. Everything hinged on Juleka’s permission, they couldn’t do it without her and they weren’t going to be Hawk Moth and force or manipulate her.

Adrien and Marinette, or Chat Noir and Ladybug, couldn’t be seen together so it was better that Marinette went on her own to see Juleka and he researched.

Normally, he enjoyed studying. But this…

So many different languages. A lot was Chinese, which was okay, but the Ancient Chinese was giving him a headache. He wasn’t aware of enough of the grammar rules and constantly asked Wayzz to check his work. There were also a plethora of other languages. Japanese. Korean. Russian. Hindi. Spanish. English. Egyptian. Each Miraculous had written their confrontations with the great evil in their language and while Adrien was versed in Chinese and English, there were a lot of holes. Then there were the repeats, information partially translated into a different language so he’d get through translating a sentence only to realise he’d already read it.

There was enough information though to get a picture and it was better that he gather it all. Especially since Marinette’s written Chinese only consisted of a few rudimentary sayings and her name and while her English was better, it wasn’t as strong as his.

Wayzz did what he could, the turtle kwami spoke and read many languages, reading over Adrien’s shoulder as Adrien jotted down notes. Plagg, having completed his tantrum, dozed on a cushion while Nooroo had gone with Marinette to help explain.

Adrien hoped she was having better luck.

Replacing his glasses, he reread the passage he’d been concentrating on.

There had been many instances in the past where the guardians had tried to hide the box. They’d hid it away in the pyramid, buried it with a Pharaoh, but without the constant contact of a guardian, the evil had been able to reach beyond the wall and corrupt several tomb raiders enough to steal the box and tamper with it before it was recovered.

A guardian had hidden in the ranks of the Knights Templar and tried to hide the box among the stolen treasures. Again, the evil’s reach grew and corrupted those around it. Some of the most terrible atrocities in the Crusade had been as a direct result of the box. All throughout history, the pattern repeated. Wars. Corruption. Treasure hunters. The box kept trying to escape the guardians. Created more wars. Devastation.

It was evil. If they didn’t stop it, it really would destroy everything. The Song… to try it, they risked letting the evil loose and that would cause greater destruction.

An idea half formed in his head that perhaps his father had been holding this evil back for the last year. Focussing on other things. Keeping it from its goal. It was the only thing which made sense to Adrien on why there world hadn’t been plunged into another war. In the past, the evil hadn’t needed its body to start one at least, especially with a man in Gabriel’s position. It should’ve started something, instead of designing. But… a lot could change in five hundred years and that line of thinking only opened up more questions.

Possession only happened when an uncorrupted person touched the box itself. A corrupted person was taken from a distance, twisted and warped and always trying to get the box for themselves. Possession occurred under a guardian’s nose. It was always a family member or loved one. Almost always. Adrien supposed that made sense.

He wondered why previous guardians had tried so many times to do the same thing only to have it fail,  but he guessed it was because they didn’t have access to this sort of research. Or they didn’t believe their kwami. Which didn’t bode well, because right now, he and Marinette weren’t really listening to theirs either.

Adrien reached for a cookie to nibble on while he read.

The fox kwami had been stolen before, like Nooroo had, but Tikki and Plagg had been awake and active for a long time, their Miraculous were ready to retire. The battle had been fierce, but quick. It had ended in a joining of cataclysm and lucky charm. The possessed person had been lost.

The bee kwami had been taken on multiple occasions and Adrien could see why that would be. Swarms looked inviting. Lyrebird… not so much, but their powers seemed to revolve around song and healing. Possibly not useful for an evil force. Kwami were always recovered quickly, even if the box wasn’t restored. Sometimes Tikki and Plagg had been active for a while, sometimes they hadn’t.

Two things remained the same. It ended with cataclysm to lucky charm. The possessed person was always lost.

“Nooroo’s never been taken before,” Adrien noted.

Wayzz made a soft noise of agreement. “The evil doesn’t always take a kwami. It has its own powers.”

Plagg muttered, “Let’s hope Nooroo doesn’t get taken again. This has been the most drawn out battle because of him.”

Adrien nodded and lifted a page on his notepad. “Teleportation. Shadow hands. Shadow form… that doesn’t sound good. Mass manipulation. Voice manipulation… is that like… he can manipulate you with the sound of his voice?”

“Yes,” Wayzz said.

As he read, Adrien discovered that once a kwami been released from their duties, either by their wielder or their wielder’s death, they had to sleep in their items for a while to recuperate. It wasn’t an endless stream of wielders, like he’d thought. There were years of breaks between them. The last Ladybug and Chat Noir had been seventy-five years ago, and even then it was only a short venture. No wonder Plagg and Tikki wanted to stay out for a while.

“Why was it so short?” Adrien asked. “It doesn’t say either of the wielders died, I thought that was the only reason you would leave.”

“One of many. You both have to want us,” Plagg said. “I cannot stay without Tikki. She cannot stay without me. If one wielder decides to turn away, we both must go. There has to be a balance.”

“I thought… you could stay if one of us died?”

Plagg looked at him. “Death is different. One person can wield us both for a while. We stay until we’re no longer needed.”

Adrien swallowed at that prospect. “Do you experience the time passing while you rest?”

“In a sense. We dream. We hear things from the active guardians. We experience each other, but there’s always a distance we can’t cross.”

“Lonely.”

“Sometimes,” Plagg said.

Cataclysm and lucky charm. Their ultimate attack. Although the records lacked description of what occurred, the results were always the same; No matter what, it would force the evil back in the box. But it also drained the kwami to the point they couldn’t retain their forms anymore. It broke the link between them and wielder and forced them to return to their sleep.

There was no other way to get the evil back in the box. If they separated the evil from his father, they had to use it to contain the evil once again or it’d find another host. Because that had happened too. Once it had voluntarily left a body, deceiving Ladybug and Chat Noir, and found refuge elsewhere.

Maybe if they were quick, they could get the evil to leap from his father and catch it before it could possess anyone else. Too risky, he decided. If they weren’t quick enough, or if it failed, it could leap into someone else and they’d be destroyed. And they’d still lose Tikki and Plagg.

All records said Tikki and Plagg returned to their items for at least a generation after each encounter with a possession. The corruption could be dealt with once Ladybug rested her hands on the box, but the possession required both Tikki and Plagg’s powers to be combined.

“There’s no other way?” Adrien asked. “We can’t get the energy from somewhere else? What if we had masses amounts of cheese and cookies available?”

“This is the way it is,” Plagg said. “We can’t ask others to make a sacrifice we wouldn’t make ourselves.”

“This isn’t fair!” Adrien shoved himself away from the table and stalked over to the window. “He said there was answers!”

“Just because the answer isn’t the one you wanted,” Wayzz said, his voice calm and even. “Doesn’t mean it’s not an answer.”

Adrien gripped the window frame and hunched his shoulders. “But I don’t want to give up Plagg!”

Plagg floated down to rest on Adrien’s shoulder. “I don’t want to go. But once the evil is back in the box there’s no need for us to be here anymore.”

He rested his head against the glass. “I need you.”

“You have Marinette. You have Sabine and Tom. You have Alya and Nino. With luck, you’ll have your mother. Your world is so much bigger than when we first met, kitten. You don’t need a cranky old tom like me.”

“You said you’ll be with me for the rest of my life.”

Plagg floated down to press two paws to Adrien’s chest. “And I will be. And you’ll be with me for the rest of mine. I’m sorry, kitten, this is the way it’s gotta be.”

“It sucks.”

Now he floated up to nuzzle Adrien’s cheek. “It does.”

“What if we just don’t put him back in the box?” He was grasping at straws, he knew but he had to ask. “What if we made a deal?”

With all the patience of a saint, Wayzz said, “What did you learn about its history?”

Adrien exhaled noisily through his nose. Wars. Devastation. Death. “I’m going to have to kill my father.” He said it out loud because he had to. He had to listen to the words. He had to hear them for himself. He had to let the truth in them settle in his stomach and— he doubled over. “I feel sick.”

“You don’t,” Plagg said. “You’re not.”

Wayzz said, “He’s already—”

“Please don’t,” Adrien whined. His hand slid against the glass as he dropped to his knees.

“Oh, honey.”

He choked on the sob, trying to stop it from escaping but Sabine heard it anyway. Rushing over, she dropped down to wrap her arms around him. She didn’t say anything, just held onto him while he struggled to gain control over himself.

After a time, she began to talk to fill the silence. “You know,” Sabine said, her voice soft and low. “When Marinette was a baby, she had colic. It’s… a type of pain babies get and they cry and cry and cry. Tom and I spent hours walking and rocking her to try and get her to sleep but she couldn’t. I was exhausted. Tom was exhausted. Marinette was exhausted. Tom was still trying to keep on top of the business and training apprentices and… it was so stressful. When she was about four months old, Tom and I made the decision that we were going to spend the week with Mamie Dupain. At least there’d be another person on hand to walk her and maybe Tom and I could get some sleep.”

Sabine settled down on the floor, drawing Adrien against her chest and he found himself soothed by her voice as she spoke.

“Mamie Dupain lives in Colmar and it’s quite a trip to get there with a newborn. Oh, the countryside is lovely. Colmar itself is gorgeous… well Mamie’s a bit eccentric. Lovely in small doses. You’ll get to meet her soon. She’s coming to visit during summer and she’s looking forward to meeting you. Marinette’s gushed about you forever and she wants to meet this boy who stole her granddaughter’s heart.”

Adrien swallowed.

Sabine’s hands stroked his hair and found the scratching spots which helped him relax. “We took the train and Marinette settled. Something about the clacking and the huffing and the rocking. She slept solidly and Tom and I drifted off too. We were just so exhausted by that stage. Marinette woke up about halfway there and fussed a bit. I fed her, then I left Tom to get a little more sleep while I walked her for a while.”

He nuzzled a little closer to her.

“The trains came off the rails. An accident. There’d been a car on the tracks and the train couldn’t stop in time. No one was killed, but many people were injured. While Marinette has a tiny scar on her hand from it, I got my foot caught between the seats and broke my ankle. Now, imagine. Tom is this big, burly bear, asleep on the train, forced awake when it crashes and finds that his wife and newborn are missing. What do you think he does?”

“Went to find you?”

Sabine nodded. “Big, growly bear, stalking up and down the overturned corridors of the train, howling my name. He must’ve been a scary sight for some people.”

“I can imagine.”

“I’m stuck. Marinette is screaming. The carriage we were in was on its side. People are coughing and bleeding and trying to get themselves and their families off the train. There’s smoke and broken glass and creaking metal all around me. I didn’t have a clue what was going on. When Tom found me, I told him to take Marinette and save himself.”

Adrien nodded.

“It wasn’t much of a decision. I wasn’t in danger, not really. But at the time, it felt like it was the most important decision of my life. We thought it was the end of our world. He was leaving me to die. I was leaving him to raise Marinette alone.”

“But that didn’t happen.”

“I was rescued and Tom saved Marinette. Doesn’t mean the decision doesn’t haunt us. But, Adrien, it’s my belief that… most parents will sacrifice themselves for their children. There’s always some who won’t but for most of us, it’s instinctual. We want our children to live. We want them to grow and love and be safe. I believe your father would want that too and with this evil, you can’t do that.”

“But... we don’t know…”

“Give him the choice, love.”

“But—”

“I don’t believe a parent’s love is weaker than this great evil of theirs. I saw enough of him to know he loves you, even if he can’t show it because this evil has its claws in him. Give him a reason to fight, even for a moment. Perhaps all you need is a moment. Life is full of moments. Good or bad, you can always get through them. And I know things seem bad right now, but we can get through them.”

“It’s hard to see beyond the pain when your paw’s caught in a trap,” Adrien muttered.

“Good advice.”

“My mother said that to me once.”

“I’m looking forward to meeting her,” Sabine murmured. “She sounds like an amazing woman.”

Adrien smiled. “I can’t wait to introduce you.” He snuggled closer. “Can we… um… can I stay here for a while?”

She hugged him tight. “Of course you can.”

When Marinette flounced in a short time later, grinning from ear to ear, Sabine and Adrien were still curled up on the floor together. They’d moved so they sat side by side beneath the window with Adrien resting his head on Sabine’s shoulder. Plagg launched himself from Adrien’s shoulder and dove for Tikki’s bag.

“She said yes!” Marinette blurted, her entire body smiling. She was excited, bouncing around and spinning in circles.

Adrien raised his head. “Huh?”

She didn’t appear to notice him cuddled up to her mother. “Juleka!” she blurted. “She said she’d be our champion. She didn’t even hesitate!”

“That’s great.”

She talked, waving her arms around as she did and walked around the room. “I mean, I outlined how dangerous it was and she just said ‘you and Chat Noir looked out for us, it’s time we looked out for you’. Then Alya and I send an email to all the ex-akuma who we thought could help, detailing what’s going on and that we need help. Anyone who accepts is going to meet us under the Eiffel Tower at five. We made sure everyone was aware that— oh…” The excitement in her died as she saw him. “Oh, Adrien.”

“I’m okay. Just overwhelmed.”

Sabine gave him one last pat on the head before she stood. “I’ll get snacks.”

Marinette didn’t move toward him. Her stance shifted, timid and unsure. Like she knew the answer to the question she held in her heart and as much as she didn’t want to ask, she had to. “It’s bad, isn’t it?”

With a mournful sigh, he gave her the truth. “There’s… no way we can keep Tikki and Plagg with us.”

She wilted. “No.” Her gaze cast out over the table and all the research. “You’re absolutely sure?”

“It’s never… they… it’s the way it is.”

“But… that’s not fair.” She picked up the closest book and opened it to a random page. “There has to be something you missed.”

“Feel free to look,” he mumbled. He removed his glasses and folded them, then tucked them into the collar of his shirt, reducing his world to blur for a while.

“We can’t just admit defeat! Adrien, get up, we need to—”

He kept his patience. After all, he’d been where she was too. “Just because the answer isn’t the one you want, doesn’t mean I didn’t find the right one.”

“But—”

“We can’t keep them and we can’t use this Song of Many Voices. It’s too risky to let him out of the box even for a moment. He’s… pure destruction without a good heart and empathy to temper it. Wars have broken out because of this box. Rome. Greece. Egypt. India. Crusades. Huns. Vietnam. Shogun. So many instances of war, we can’t let it happen. His powers, Marinette, the scope of them is just insane. We only have a chance when he’s not at full strength.”

A soft noise as she lowered the book back on the table. “I was so hoping…”

“Me too.”

“There’s… nothing?”

“There’s cataclysm and lucky charm. There’s us.” He sighed. “It’s not like they’re dying. We just… aren’t able to be Ladybug and Chat Noir anymore.”

She flopped down beside him, copying his position and rested her head on his shoulder.  “We knew that day would come.”

He leant into her. “Just not… this soon. And I didn’t think I’d have to give them up.”

“And your father?”

Adrien pressed his lips together.

She gripped his arm and curled into his side. “I’m so sorry.”

“I have to focus on my mother,” he said. “I need to concentrate on getting her back. Everything else can… I dunno. I mean… it’s already done. No one’s ever come back from a possession… so he’s already…” Adrien sighed.

Tikki and Plagg zipped out of Marinette’s bag and alighted on the respective knees of their wielders. “Plagg thinks you two should stay out of the final battle,” she said. “And I think that would be a good idea.”

“What?” Marinette gasped. She jerked her head up and scooped Tikki up in her hand.  “No!”

“You don’t have to do this,” Plagg said, his eyes fixed on Adrien. “Give your Miraculous to Fu. Nooroo can stay with you for protection and, after you make the army, Fu can deliver us to the final battle. The binding comes from us, we can do it even when not in the suits. You don’t have to be there and see.”

Adrien shook his head. The thought of that was worse than the thought of seeing. He’d never be able to sit idly by and wait, not when he knew he could help. She’d never be able to and he wasn’t letting her go alone. Not ever.

“You’ll be vulnerable,” Marinette said. “We couldn’t. I couldn’t, I need to be there to help.”

“I won’t let my lady go in alone.”

“We don’t want you to have to live with this,” Tikki said.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Adrien said, “I need to hug my Mom. I need to protect my friends. I need to be there.”

“We need to see this finished,” Marinette said and took his hand to clutch.

“Yes,” Adrien agreed. “We do. We know what we need to do.  We need to use the army, rescue my mother and bind the evil back in the box.”

Marinette nodded. “Sounds pretty simple.”

“And it’s not like we’ll never see you again,” Adrien said. “Next time you wake, we can mentor your new wielders.”

“It doesn’t work like that,” Plagg mumbled and dropped his eyes.

“Well it should,” Marinette said, a slight scold to her tone. “We went in blind. Your next wielders should have the benefit of our experience.”

“Technology is way better than it was seventy-five years ago,” Adrien said. “You can find a way to contact us. Or… once news hits of a new Ladybug and Chat Noir, ‘cause we know it will, we’ll find a way to tell you we’re okay. Deal?”

Tikki and Plagg exchanged a glance and Tikki nodded. “Deal.”

“So. One last day with us,” Marinette said with forced cheer. “What do you want to do? Something fun.”

“Beyond eating and napping,” Adrien said, pre-empting Plagg.

“Aww.”

Tikki blurted, “A picnic. In the gardens. Flowers and food and a nap in the sun.”

“Somehow that’s still napping and eating,” Adrien said and stretched out a finger to rub Tikki’s head.

Marinette smiled and blinked back tears. “Sounds nice though.”

They went to Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, five humans and four kwami, for fun, games and a picnic in the sun. Manicured lawns, cultivated flowerbeds and majestic trees all around a central lake. They found a secluded corner of the garden to spread their blanket, well away from the crowd of Parisians out for some afternoon sun. Sabine made sandwiches and cut up fruit. Tom wandered the garden looking for an ice-cream vender and came back grinning broadly with his many purchases. Adrien lay in a patch of sunlight with his head on Marinette’s lap and accepted morsels of food she gifted to him. Fu and Wayzz wandered among the flowers and seemed to be in deep conversation. Tikki curled up against Marinette’s neck, while Plagg sprawled on top of Adrien with his belly exposed for scratches. Nooroo flittered among the tree above their heads, hidden from view from ordinary passers-by.

It was peaceful and relaxing. Lying on his back with the warmth of the sun fanning his face, smelling in the strong fragrance of a mixture of flowers mixed in with Marinette’s natural scent. As she munched on marigolds she’d purchased from a florist and fed Tikki parts of torn flower, she asked the question floating in both their minds.

“Will the tendencies fade?”

“Gradually, over time,” Tikki said. “But there will always be something of us in you.”

“You’re stuck with the purr, kid,” Plagg said.

“Good,” Adrien said and let it tremor though him and Plagg’s sung in answer. “Speaking of, you’re starting to smell delicious again.”

Marinette grumbled. “I’m barely finished… but thanks for the heads up.” She sighed. “The nurse said it’d probably take a full course before ovulation stopped. We’ll have to endure.”

He nodded.

Neither of them mentioned the fact it mightn’t be needed anymore.

Alya and Nino joined them before the afternoon waned. Fu, Wayzz, Sabine and Tom strolled around the park somewhere, leaving Adrien, Marinette and the three kwami to bask in the sunlight.

“To be honest,” Alya said as she flopped down on the grass beside Marinette. Adrien, not really feeling like talking, kept his eyes closed and tried to keep dozing. “This is not what I expected you to be doing.”

“We’re... there’s not much left we can do,” Marinette said, giving her friend a one armed hug. “There was no point sitting around and staring at each other. We can’t let Hawk Moth get in the way of living.”

“Is he asleep?” Nino asked. “Babe, that looks comfy.”

Alya made a disgruntled noise and shifted. “Knock yourself out.”

Marinette ran her fingers through Adrien’s hair. “I’m glad. He didn’t get much sleep last night.”

“Ahh,” Nino breathed as he settled down on Alya’s lap. “Yeah, he’s got the right idea. So comfy.”

“For you, maybe. Take the headphones off, they’re digging in.”

Nino rearranged. “Better?”

“Thank you.”

“How’s he doing?”

“I’m fine,” Adrien said, keeping his eyes closed. He lifted his fist for Nino to bump in greeting. “Hey.”

“Hey, faker.”

“She’s comfy and I was cat-napping. Not my fault you’re noisy.”

“Some of us are still cat-napping,” Plagg muttered and burrowed deeper.

Nino said, “Heard about your dad. That bites.”

Adrien nodded. Marinette would’ve told Alya, who would’ve told Nino. While he appreciated the sentiment, he said, “Trying really, really hard not to think about anything right now, bud.”

“I hear you. Sorry, dude.”

Alya, all business, said, “I’ve gotten replies from Alix, Kim, Rose, Chloé, Mylène, Ivan and Nathanaël. Sabrina and Max would like to come too, but since they hasn’t been akumatised, they wasn’t sure if they had a champion form. I said to come anyway, it couldn’t hurt. There may be more who are going to meet us there, but those for sure.”

“Would be good if we could get Theo,” Adrien mused.

“I don’t think I could handle two of you running around,” Marinette said.

Adrien smirked. “I bet neither could Hawk Moth.”

“Duuuude,” Nino crooned. “Trickster Chat Noir. You could so prank him. Make him see double.”

Adrien snorted. “Absolutely, Bubbler. If you came too, we could triple team him.”

“I can’t wait,” Nino gushed, then hurried to cover himself. “I mean, I know things are bad, but having powers, epic battle against good and evil. So cool.”

Adrien opened his eyes to frown at his best friend. “It’s dangerous. This evil wants to survive. He absolutely does. If we use cataclysm to lucky charm…” He swallowed. “There’ll be a death. As much as we don’t want to think about it, it could happen. There’s no assurance that he won’t kill one of our friends or us… and when… we combine our powers, our kwami… and we’ll be revealed and…”

Marinette soothed by stroking his head. “Adrien.”

“Everything’s dangerous,” Nino said with straight-faced assurance and a seriousness rarely seen. “Everywhere in Paris has been dangerous because of this stupid box and this ancient fight and just because Marinette can put everything back the way it was, doesn’t mean people weren’t getting hurt. We can help, even if it’s to take one hit so you guys don’t have to. We can funnel civilians. We can tag team. We can be a cheering squad, whatever you want, but we’re going in.”

“We got your back,” Alya said. “All the way.”

“Thanks, guys.”

Above him, Marinette leant over and rested her head against Alya’s shoulder.

They stayed like that until Fu came for them. “It’s time.”

Chapter Text

A gentle breeze trickled over Paris, bringing with it the blessed scent of spring. A day ripe with sunshine and heat, it didn’t feel right that they stood on the precipice of battle.

Hidden among the framework of the Eiffel Tower, Adrien stared. “You’re serious. That’s your transformation phrase?”

“Absolutely,” Nooroo said.

“Told you,” Plagg muttered. “Glitter and sparkles.”

“There’s no glitter,” Nooroo said, rolling his eyes.

Plagg smirked. “But there are sparkles.”

“I can’t imagine my father saying that.”

“He… well… he didn’t need to transform to use me,” Nooroo said. “That was one of his powers. Being the ultimate evil means you don’t have to follow the rules.”

Adrien ignored Plagg, who was being bitter and spiteful about having to share his wielder and constantly complained. Keeping one hand firmly on a beam, he asked Nooroo, “What’s your weapon?”

“My champion,” Nooroo replied.

Adrien frowned and glanced over the edge. “Then how am I supposed to get down.”

“I’ll carry you,” Ladybug said with a shrug.

Plagg snorted while Nooroo beamed happily. “Oh, you’ll like this,” Nooroo said. “All my wielders do. Ladybug, he’s going to carry you.”

She tilted her head at Nooroo. “He is?”

“Trust me. Transform and leap. I promise, you’ll love it.”

Adrien shared a raised eyebrow look with Ladybug, then shrugged. “Alright.” Raising his hand in the air, he cried, “Butterfly Prism Power!”

Ladybug burst into laughter so hard she had to double over and clutch her stomach. “Oh god.”

He grinned at her and joined in on her laughter. “Couldn’t help myself.”

“You are such a dork,” she said, wiping away a tear.

Plagg pawed at his face in frustration. “You mean ‘an idiot’.”

“What is ‘butterfly prism power’?” Nooroo asked in confusion.

“Kid’s a Sailor Moon junkie,” Plagg said, scowling.

That didn’t seem to help. “What’s Sailor Moon?”

“Oh, kid,” Plagg said, shaking his head. “Adrien can educate you later.”

Still chuckling, Adrien said, “Okay, okay.” He wiped the smile from his face and took a deep breath, shaking out his arms. “Nooroo, flutter away.”

With a gleeful giggle, Nooroo dove for the broach pinned at Adrien’s neck. The transformation felt different than Plagg’s did. Whimsical and lighter, the suit wove itself around him instead of sparking into existence. He didn’t feel as strong as he did as Chat Noir, but he felt light. Hopeful.

Deep purple, the suit itself was much like Chat Noir’s and Papillion supposed that was part of his own personality more than anything. Separate gloves and boots, but without the belt for a tail, he also had a lavender mask and Nooroo had given him corrective lenses. Touching his hair, he was surprised to find it was swept upward instead of ruffled, but he was pleased he wasn’t trapped beneath a hood. The Miraculous broach was pinned to his collar, holding a long, gossamer scarf in place. With shimmering jewels embroidered in the fabric, the tails of the scarf trailed down his back almost to his knees.

Smiling, he looked at Ladybug. “Well?”

“You look better in black,” Plagg muttered.

“And with bed-mussed hair,” Ladybug added and flexed her fingers. “I just want to mess it up.”

He smirked at her. “I see.”

She blinked and smiled. “Looks good though!”

Papillon bounced on his toes. “It feels… weird. Lighter.”

“Pick her up and let’s go,” Plagg complained. “I don’t want you in that for long.”

With a laugh, Papillon stepped forward and scooped Ladybug into his arms bridal style. With a giggle she wove her arms around his neck. “You’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

“Oh, yes.”

Pouty Plagg settled on Ladybug’s chest. He huffed and harrumphed and folded his paws on his chest. “Moth balls. Ick.”

“Just jump?” Papillon asked.

“Just jump.”

Papillon leapt. He hung in the air for a glorious moment, the scarf trailing behind him before there was a whoomp. He jerked back, his feet kicking as the soaring leap became a glide. A quick glance over his shoulder and he saw the two tails of the scarf were huge sails, catching the breeze. “Holy shit.”

Ladybug cooed, “Oh wow.”

“I can fly!”

“Float,” Plagg grumped.

“Glitter sparkles,” Ladybug said. “Now I see why.”

“I don’t care! This is amazing!” He tilted, spiralling down toward the ground where the ex-akuma club waited for them. Faces peered upward, hands pointed and they moved around beneath him as the pair spiralled down.

“It’s not fast,” Ladybug noted. “Wouldn’t be very good in battle.”

Papillon laughed and repeated, “I don’t care!” He angled his head down to capture Ladybug’s lips in a searing kiss, before breaking away to whoop.

Plagg groaned. “Ugg... idiot. Seduced by a couple of sails on his back.”

“C’mon, Plagg. This is pretty cool,” Papillon said.

Below, Nino waved frantically. “Looking good!”

“It’s amazing!” Papillon called down, still looping down.

“Show off!” Alya called, her phone up and recording.

Gliding in, Papillon ran forward a few steps before stopping to lose some of the momentum from his flight. The scarf-wings fluttered behind him and fell against his back again. Still holding Ladybug, he danced in a circle. “Oh, man, that was so cool. Bugaboo, take us up the top. I wanna go again.”

Ladybug ruffled his hair. “I’m glad you’re enjoying this, my pretty little butterfly, but—”

He stopped. “Nope.” He shook his head. “Nope. Nooooo.”

Ladybug frowned. “What?”

“Kitten,” he said and bumped his head against hers. “Not ‘butterfly’. Not ever.”

“Yes,” Plagg murmured. “Good.”

“Look at you, pretty boy,” Alya said, lifting the end of his scarf. “Wow.”

“Don’t knock it,” Papillon said and placed Ladybug on the ground. “I look good.”

Ladybug rested her hand on Papillon’s chest and smiled. “Alya, can you take a picture? I want to remember this.”

Papillon, following her lead, swung his arm around Ladybug’s hip and smiled.

“Gurl, I got you,” Alya said, snapping several.

“Look at him posing,” Nino said, peering over Alya’s shoulder at the shots she was getting. “It’s completely natural, isn’t it?”

“Absolutely,” Papillon replied.

“To business?” Ladybug asked, seeing the rapidly approaching ex-akuma club.

Papillon nodded and Plagg zipped beneath his scarf to hide.

“Where’s Adrien?” Chloé asked Alya the moment she reached them. “You said he’d be here.”

Alya glanced at Papillon. “I said he might be. Just wait.”

“I don’t want to wait,” Chloé snapped. “I’ve been calling him since last night when Marinette’s bakery blew up. No one will tell me anything. Is Adrien okay? Is Marinette? What’s going on?”

“Is that… genuine concern I see, Chloé?” Kim asked, raising his eyebrow at her. “Wow. Didn’t know you cared.”

“Oh, bite me,” Chloé snapped.

Sabrina put her hand on Chloé’s shoulder and patted her ineffectually. “I’m sure they’re okay.”

“Adrien’s fine,” Ladybug said. “So is Marinette. And I’ll be fixing her home in a moment. With their permission, we left it broken to hide our plans.”

“So, you’re really going after Hawk Moth?” Nathanaël asked.

“We all are,” Nino said. “That’s why we’re here.”

Ladybug nodded, beckoning for people to gather around. She moved toward the centre to take the lead, while Papillon hung back to watch. 

Papillon smiled at Juleka and Rose as they joined the semi-circle. His eyes alighted on everyone as they huddled close to hear what was going on. Ivan and Mylène held hands. Max stood beside Alix while Kim rested his elbow on Alix’s head. Chloé tried to look like she wasn’t paying attention as Sabrina focused on Ladybug.

It was strange, as Papillon passed his eyes over his friends, it was like a filter came down in front of them. He could see the ghost of their champion forms wrapped over the top of them and had the sense of what their powers would be. Max and Sabrina were especially interesting, since neither of them had fallen to an akuma.

Glancing at Ladybug, he wondered if she released her transformation, whether she’d have a champion form too.

Ladybug spoke, “We need help. As I said in the email, Chat Noir managed to secure the ability to create champions, which is what Hawk Moth twisted into akuma.” She pointed back at Papillon. “That’s Chat, by the way. He’ll change back soon. Juleka has very kindly offered to be our champion, and as you know, her ability is turn others into their champion form, but with your own minds intact and not warped like he did. We hope that with your support, we can take down Hawk Moth once and for all.”

“Yeah!” Kim said, punching the air. “We get to help take the bastard down.” He reached over Alix to high-five Max.

“There’s more to it,” Ladybug said. “We only get one shot at this. If it doesn’t work, the whole world could be in danger. I have positions and plans in mind for each of you, if you decide you want to help and once we see your proper champion forms and—”

“They’ll be different?” Mylène asked.

“A bit,” Papillon said, stepping forward. “Akuma were warped versions so you should have better control and abilities in champion form. Your powers, for example, won’t be based on creating fear in others.” He raised his eyes to study Mylène’s form, who seemed a much softer, cuddlier version of the Horrificator. “It’s based on courage actually. Valiance, you’ll inspire people.”

“That’s a relief,” Mylène said.

“You’re sure?” Ladybug asked, curious.

“Believe it or not, but… I’m actually getting a clear read on what people’s powers would be as a champion. It’s pretty cool. Alix,” he said, looking at the skater. “Your powers as Time Breaker won’t steal the life from others to use. You’ll be able to have short burst of time freezes, instead of going back in time.”

“That’ll be handy,” Ladybug said.

“Wow. Yup. Thanks,” Alix said with a relieved puff. “I was really worried I wouldn’t be of use.”

“Nathanaël, yours is the same,” Papillon said. “Kim, you have light arrows instead of hate ones. Nino, Alya… same as what you had before, only Nino you’re less… colourful... wow he really didn’t like you, did he?” Before Nino could question, he continued, “Sabrina and Max… wow, okay, I can’t wait for you two to see these.”

Sabrina and Max looked at each other in excitement.

Ladybug cleared her throat and Papillon rubbed the back of his neck, “Sorry, my lady. Please continue.”

She smiled at him, then turned her attention back to the gathered people. “If all goes well, this will be the last time Ladybug and Chat Noir will appear in Paris and…” She turned her head and held Papillon’s gaze. “Due to the nature of this battle, there’s a very high chance you hear and see things of a personal nature. We’d like to ask for your discretion.”

Papillion dropped his gaze and turned away.

“There is also a chance we’ll de-transform in the middle of battle and there are certain things we’d… not like spread around, but you’ll need to know.” Ladybug turned away from Papillon. “Firstly, this is extremely dangerous. We’re fighting a great evil and we have no real idea of the extent of his powers. But, Chat and I also can’t just waltz up and use our ultimate power on the evil. We need to find a box first and Hawk Moth’s got that very well hidden. We have an idea of where it is but we need a chance to find it. The only way we’ll be able to locate it is if he’s distracted. Second, he’s also got one of our loved ones hostage, we need to rescue her before we vanquish him. So this battle… will be long and possibly drawn out. When we have the loved one and the box…” Ladybug swallowed. “Chat and I will combine our powers and… we don’t know.”

“There’s… also a large possibility any injuries during this battle will remain,” Papillon added. “So be careful. There’s no cure coming at the end. Once we’ve done our ultimate attack, we’re giving up our powers. We’ll detransform and we’ll need to be protected, so be ready. Our civilian identities are—”

“Wait,” Alya blurted. “What? You never said you had to give them up!”

“We were hoping there would be a way around it,” Ladybug said. “But there isn’t. We have to sacrifice our Miraculous to end this evil. This is dangerous,” she continued while their friends looked at each other nervously.

“But that’s not fair,” Alya wailed. “You guys have done so much for Paris and you don’t even… what about… but…” her eyes filled with tears. “Plagg… Tikki…”

“We know,” Ladybug said and stretched out her hand to rest it on her best friend’s shoulder. “We know.”

“Not another crier,” Plagg muttered from Papillon’s shoulder.

“She’ll miss you too,” Papillon murmured. “You’re leaving a lot of people behind, Plagg.”

Plagg grumbled and hid beneath Papillon’s scarf again.

Clearing her throat, Ladybug continued, “And we hate asking you to risk yourselves. While your champion forms will protect you, you’re still at risk. If you feel you can’t do this, there’s no judgement. You can opt out at any time, even in the middle of battle. Chat and I will manage. Um… any questions?”

“What’s this evil?” Sabrina asked. “You never really said.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of Pandora’s Box?” Ladybug said. “It’s… similar. Except this evil is always trying to escape the box. It’s our job not to let it and Hawk Moth… is basically under the evil’s spell. We have to...” she paused and glanced at Papillon.

“We have to break the spell,” he said. “Then… everyone will be free and safe. If we don’t, everyone’s in danger.”

“Chat and I are… going to wait over there. If you’re still willing, come and stand with us and we’ll give you more information. Juleka, that goes for you too. If you don’t want to participate in the fight, you can take cover until it’s over but we’d like for you to change people for us.”

Juleka nodded.

“I’m not risking my life,” Chloé said. “Or my nails. I just got a manicure. I don’t care who you are beneath that suit.”

Papillon cleared his throat. “Chlo…”

“I don’t even know why I’m here. Adrien’s not here and you promised me he would be. What do I care about any of you?”

“Thanks, Chloé,” Kim muttered. “Way to take one for the team.”

“From what I know of Pandora’s box,” Nathanaël began. “It housed all the evil until Pandora opened it. Then the evil got loose. What happens if your evil gets loose?”

Papillon swallowed. “Wars. Death. Destruction. It’s… this box is woven throughout history. All the worst wars, all the atrocities, it’s all involved somehow. It can manipulate from a distance and it can take over people’s minds. If we don’t win today… it’ll be bad. That’s all we know.”

“So, we’ll be saving the world,” Alix said.

“Did you not hear what he said?” Chloé blurted. “We might die.”

“We might not,” Alix countered. “Life is a risk, this sounds like a blaze of glory.”

“Don’t you have anything you want to protect, Chloé?” Ivan asked with his arm around Mylène.

Chloé glanced at Sabrina.

“Um…” Max said, raising his hand. “I can’t help but notice… this is all Ms Bustier’s class.”

Kim glanced around. “Yeah. Why is it just Ms Bustier’s class? I mean, except for—”

“Marinette and Adrien,” Ladybug said. “We know.” She glanced at Papillon, who nodded. Looking back at Kim, Ladybug gave a wave. “Hello.”

Papillon offered their friends a two fingered salute. “Hey.”

Kim’s jaw dropped. Ivan’s eyes widened. Chloé squeaked and covered her mouth with her hands. Max double took and swayed on the spot. Juleka smiled and nudged at a pale-faced Rose. “Told you.”

Kim stepped forward, gesturing at Papillon with both hands. Then at Ladybug. Then back at Papillon. “Agreste! Are you serious?”

Alix’s eyes were wide. “No way.” She looked at Alya. “Did you know?”

Alya smiled. “Absolutely.”

Kim palmed his face with both hands. “Pretty boy Agreste is Chat Noir.”

With a smirk, Papillon said, “You think I’m pretty. Aww, Kim, sorry. I’m spoken for.”

“Adrien?” Chloé blurted.

“Hey, Chlo,” Papillon said with a smile. “Surprise.”

“So cool,” Ivan said.

“Wow,” Sabrina said. “I never would’ve guessed.”

“No wonder you were always right there and knew exactly what to do,” Nathanaël said.

Chloé jerked her finger at Ladybug. “Oh. God. You… I… how… what?”

Ladybug pressed her lips together in a thin smile. “Come talk to us when you’re ready.” Turning, she strode away and, with a frown at her sudden change in attitude, Papillon fell in behind her. She walked to the shade of a tree and paused beneath. She rested her hand on the bark and stared away from their classmates. “I’m having second thoughts.”

“I can see that.” He stepped up behind her, looped one arm around until his hand rested on her belly and then put his chin on her shoulder. “If we fail, no one will be safe.”

“We don’t have the right to ask them to do this.”

“No,” he murmured and nuzzled her neck.

“We’re behind you all the way,” Alya said from behind them.

Ladybug closed her eyes. “Alya—”

“You are my best friend and if you think for one second you’re doing this without me, when I know I could help, then you don’t know me.”

“And where my lady goes,” Nino said, just as confident as Alya was. “I go too. Deal with it.”

Papillon rested his head against Ladybug’s shoulder for a brief moment and stepped away. Offering Nino his fist, he said, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Nino gave him a firm, understanding nod. Over Nino’s shoulder, the others still conversed and talked among themselves and Papillon wondered what they’d chose. Beyond that… “Sabine and Tom are here.”

Ladybug’s head snapped around. Sabine and Tom walked toward the group, followed closely by Gui. “What—?” She jerked her body to follow the direction of her head. “No. They can’t.”

“Don’t think that’s your choice.”

She wasn’t listening. Striding away from him, Ladybug moved to intercept her parents. Papillon hurried to catch up.

Ladybug’s hand slice the air as she vetoed their presence. “No. No. You can’t be here.”

Tom raised his eyebrows. “That is not up to you.”

“You said anyone could be a champion,” Sabine pointed out. “We’re not letting you do this on your own.”

“But I can’t… I can’t protect everyone!” Ladybug blurted. “You’ll get hurt or—”

Sabine dropped her eyes to Ladybug’s ribs. “I am not patching you up again knowing I could’ve been here to prevent something.”

“Besides,” Tom said, his arm around Sabine. “I am super-baker, remember?”

Ladybug blinked back tears. “But Papa, I can’t lose you.”

“And you think we can bear you lose you?” Tom returned. “If he wants you, he has to get through me. That’s the way it should be.”

The filter across Papillon’s eye shadowed the form Tom would take as a champion. Papillon let his eyes trail over the towering form in awe. “Ahh,” he said, fumbling for her shoulder. “Lovebug?”

Ladybug glanced at him. “There is nothing you could say that would—” She frowned. “What are you looking at?”

Papillon kept looking up. “You should let him.” Flicking his eyes to Sabine, he said, “You should let both of them. Trust me.”

Ladybug shook her head. “I can’t—”

“It’s not up to you, daughter-mine,” Tom said and stretched out his hand to draw Ladybug in for a hug.

A shudder ran through Papillon’s suit so strong it made him gasp and Nooroo dragged his attention away from the Dupain-Cheng’s and toward Agreste Mansion. “Oh.”

“What’s wrong?” Ladybug asked with a hint of panic.

Something lurked at the edge of his senses. He wasn’t sure what, or what Nooroo was trying to tell him but the kwami was afraid. Terrified. “I think…” He pressed his fingers against the Miraculous broach. Something fluttered against his fingers as Nooroo provided him with a white butterfly. He dragged his hand away to stare at the insect which fluttered in his palm.

Plagg zipped away from Papillon’s scarf, a sense of urgency in his motions as he also looked back toward Agreste Mansion. “We’re outta time. We need to do this now.”

Dread settling in his belly, Papillon jerked his finger at Ladybug. “Restore your home,” he said, knowing she already had an unpurified butterfly in her yo-yo to use. “I’ll change Juleka.” He didn’t wait for her to reply as he rushed over to where their friends were. “Juleka!”

Among the group still discussing what they would do, Juleka looked over. Giving Rose’s hand a squeeze, she turned to face Papillon. “Is it time?”

“I need to do this now,” he rushed. “If I change you, you can change whoever wants to join us and—” Another warning shudder from Nooroo and the sky seemed to darken. Clouds formed from nothing and gathered above their heads, blotting out the sun so rapidly no one could mistake it for a natural weather phenomenon. Something crawled through the air and brushed against the suit, something Papillon couldn’t see. Something stalked. Something knew they were there and they were preparing.

He was coming.

The civilians scattered around the Champ de Mars halted and looked around in both curiosity and fear. Streamers of shadows seemed to rise from the ground, great transparent hands reached for the sky to pull at the clouds. They congregated at Agreste Mansion, waving and wafting and moved forwards, springing upward and Papillon got the sense of someone walking slowly toward them with the shadow hands rising in their wake.

Maybe they shouldn’t have met so close to his home.

Behind Papillon, ladybugs scattered, brushing against his cheek as they sought out damage, racing off to focus on the bakery.

“Holy shit!” Kim blurted, taking several steps backward as he looked at the sky full of hands. “What is that?”

“What’s going on?” Ivan demanded.

“He knows,” Papillon breathed. “He’s coming.”

“Sabrina, we need to get out of here!” Chloé blurted, gripping her friends arm as she backed away. She stared at the sky, pale against her yellow jacket. “Sabrina! C’mon!”

Sabrina shook her head at the sky. “Wait—”

“This isn’t our fight!”

Alya dashed over. “Do it now!” she said and gripped Papillon’s arm. “Juleka, me first! I can warn people.”

Swallowing, Papillon cupped his hand over the butterfly and focussed. He wasn’t quite sure how this would work, but he trusted Nooroo to guide him. A flash of light between his palms and, as he lifted his hand away, a delicate lavender butterfly flapped its wings.

Papillon released his butterfly. Focussing on Juleka, he willed the butterfly into the red rose she had pinned behind her ear. As it landed, a voice in his head, in hers, as Nooroo showed him what had to be done. A binding contract, an exchange. “Will you be my champion?”

Juleka took a deep breath and smiled. “I will.”

Strength escaped Papillon, rushing into her and he fell to his knees. Juleka spread her arms as ribbons of white light engulfed her, swirling up her body and transforming it. Purple and black, clockwork and gears, Liberator formed out of the light in her steam-punk costume. “Wow,” she said, peering at herself. “Rose, when you said it was gorgeous… I never expected—”

Alya bounced forward and extended her hand. “Me. Now.”

Sensing her urgency, Liberator gripped Alya’s hand. “You will be liberated.”

Papillon bowed his head and rested his hand on his palm. “That’s immensely draining,” he mumbled. He staggered up, resting his hands on his knees before he straightened.

“Thank you!” Lady Wifi sang and danced away from Liberator. A flick of her wrist and a screen appeared in the sky, its light bright against the rapidly darkening sky and Lady Wifi filled the screen. “Yo, peeps. Ladyblogger extraordinaire here, coming at you live from the Champ de Mars,” she said. “You might have noticed the sky and I’m currently Lady Wifi.” She saluted and winked. “Ladybug has a message. It’s time. Get inside. Stay safe. Look out for each other.” She smiled and swivelled the phone just in time to catch Liberator changing Nathanaël into the Illustrator. “Calling the following ex-akuma club members; Copycat, Mime, Monsieur Pidgeon, Stormy Weather, Dark Blade, The Pharaoh, and Roger Cop. We weren’t able to get hold of you and we could use the back-up.”

Mylène smiled at the camera and held up a peace sign before she was engulfed in Liberator’s white light and she emerged as Valiance. Still purple, with dreadlock-tentacles as hair, but somehow her appearance was softer and more confident. She towered above them and smiled. “This feels good.”

Lady Wifi smiled. “If you want to help, seek out this lovely lady. Otherwise, wish us luck.” She flipped the camera back to her. “One way or another, Hawk Moth’s going down. Catch-ya on the flip-side.” 

Papillon glanced over at Chloé and Sabrina. Chloé tried to drag Sabrina away, but Sabrina was staring dumbfounded at the sky. Sabrina’s eyes dropped to Valiance and she squared her shoulders. “We have to help,” Sabrina said and stepped into the line behind Max.

Liberator changed Kim into; “Ranger!” he cried as he flapped his wings and rose into the air. “Oh, man, this is awesome! Agreste, you’ve been holding out on us.”

“Sabrina!” Chloé complained and stamped her foot. “Don’t be stupid! We need to go!”

“You go!” Sabrina said. “I’m staying.”

“Chloé,” Papillon started.

She thrust her finger at him. “You don’t get to talk to me. You’ve been keeping secrets and lies.”

Papillon shrugged. “You keep saying you were one of the most powerful akuma. Prove it.”

Chloé threw up her hands, then folded them on her chest. “You are so infuriating. Both of you. I hate you.”

Sabrina smiled. “No. You don’t.”

“Yes. I absolutely do. Who has he got?” Chloé asked.

“Huh?” Papillon asked.

With a scowl, Chloé pointed. “Marinette’s parents are right there. She said Hawk Moth had a loved one. Who?”

Papillon swallowed. “My mother.”

Chloé stared at him, then nodded. “Right,” she said. “Get out of my way. Juleka, my turn.”

With a smile, Papillon leant in to kiss Chloé’s cheek. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she muttered, then wrapped her arms around his neck. “You get hurt and I will pay for someone to bring you back to life, just so I can freeze your ass.”

He picked her up off the ground to hug her.

“Get off me,” she complained and battered her hands at him. “I have to go queen up.”

Smiling to himself, Papillon turned away and walked toward his lady.

Ladybug put herself between them and the Mansion, watching the progression of shadows slowly approach. Papillon looked at Plagg as the kwami sat on his shoulder. “Are you ready?”

Plagg floated forward and booped Papillon on the nose. “Always. Even if you smell like moth balls.”

“Plagg—”

“I know, kitten,” Plagg said and left his paw on Papillon’s nose. “But we don’t do goodbyes.”

With a watery smile, Papillon said, “Flutter over, claws out.”

Nooroo fled and Plagg entered their respective Miraculous in the space of a heartbeat. There wasn’t even enough time to warp back to Adrien. The change from Papillon to Chat Noir felt seamless, but it wasn’t. Strength returned, familiarity settled against his chest and Chat Noir smirked, cupping his hand to catch the falling Nooroo. “Thank you.”

Nooroo smiled. “Good luck.”

Straightening his shoulders, Chat Noir tucked Nooroo into his pocket and walked to Ladybug’s side as she stared at the approaching shadows. Stretching out his claw, he took her hand. “This is it.”

Fingers curled around his, she didn’t take her eyes off the approaching storm. “This is it.”

“Nice show, huh?” Chat Noir said, trying to be blasé. “My old man knows how to make an entrance.”

“Uh-huh,” Ladybug replied, her voice trembling.

“Especially superfluous when I know he can teleport.”

“Oh. He can?”

“Yup.” Chat Noir lifted her hand to his lips. “I love you.”

She turned to face him. “I love you too.”

He glanced back. “The army needs its leader and you need to tell them whose body we’re fighting.”

She followed his gaze. “I know. They look very imposing.”

Ranger floated above, his wings outstretched and arrows ready. Dream Twister floated on her pink cloud by Liberator’s side. Glacia frosted the ground beneath her misty feet. Valiance and Stone-Heart and their massive forms edged the group. Time Breaker chewed and popped gum as she waited for instructions, her stance betraying her nerves. Illustrator sketched various weapons into existence. New champions, Max and Sabrina, or Gamer and Chameleon, studied their forms. Gamer’s form consisted of him in a large, grey Mech-suit, which almost looked like it was straight out of Max’s favourite game, with a large sword between his hands. Chameleon’s ever-shifting rainbow suit solidified and she vanished from view, only to reappear by Glacia’s side.

Gui stood in the background, his hands behind his back, and watched.

Lady Wifi and Bubbler stood at the head of the group, hand in hand as they smiled at Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Ladybug’s eyes drifted to her parents. “Wow. I see why you wanted them.”

Chat Noir grinned. “I know, right?”

Dragon and Phoenix. A representation of yin and yang in themselves. Dragon, heavily armoured and themed in striking golds, whites and blues, he was a massive warrior-knight with a dragon on his shield and the very earth at his fingertips. Phoenix burned above her husband, golds, reds and oranges intermingling as she sang. It was hard to look at her, the fires of her soul so bright.

“Your parents are a-meow-zing. I totally see where you get it from—”

Ladybug pressed her hand to his chest. “Oh, thank god.”

Chat Noir blinked and dragged his gaze to her. “What?”

“A pun.” She splayed her fingers across his heart. “I was worried.”

He adjusted his weight. “I didn’t realise I was worrying you.”

With tear bright eyes, she nodded.

He kissed her. Because he had to and he wanted to and some part of him said it would the last time this Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a kiss. While they would always be Chat Noir and Ladybug in their hearts, even if they couldn’t don their suits anymore, the time for fun and games, of laughter and swinging through Paris together was over. He’d miss it. He’d miss her and Tikki and Plagg. He’d miss the freedom. He’d miss being part of something bigger. Something important.

Chat Noir turned and reached for his baton. “I’d better go and say hi to dad. There still might be a way for me to blindside him and get the box.” Lifting her hand to his lips again, he murmured, “Forgive me for anything I do or say.”

“Of course. I’ll—”

“You must really think I’m stupid,” Hawk Moth said.

Chapter Text

Shadow hands covered the sky and forests of arms stretched upward. They erupted from all around, random tree arms wafting in the spring breeze. Several interposed themselves between where Ladybug and Chat Noir stood and Bubbler and Lady Wifi, and further arms separated Bubbler and Lady Wifi from the rest of the army.

Drawing her away, Chat Noir tightened his arm around Ladybug and extended his baton into a staff.

Hawk Moth waited, his stance casual as he rested the end of his cane on the ground. He was back in uniform, the deep purple with his head covered and Chat Noir thought he couldn’t look less like Gabriel if he tried. “I would ask how you did it, my dear, but I think that’s obvious.”

She swallowed, both her hands curling on his Chat Noir’s chest. “Did what?”

Chat Noir was proud of the evenness of her tone. If he tried to speak right now he’d probably squeak.

“Adrien was emotionally stable this morning,” Hawk Moth continued. “So… sassy and full of himself. It was quite obvious you had a plan. After spending a year with Nooroo, I can feel when he transforms.” Lifting his cane, he spun it. “Quite ingenious, really. Creating an army to help.”

Ladybug shifted, curling closer to Chat Noir and he felt a trickle of sweat dribble down his back. Something felt wrong about this whole situation. He shuffled, pulling them further away from Hawk Moth and risked a glance around.

The army couldn’t get past the arms. He could see them trying, but the arms kept shifting to prevent them. To keep them separated. To split the army up too, by the looks, as there was already a divide in them. Chat Noir felt exposed. They needed to regroup and the battle hadn’t even started. Glancing back, he risked a glance at the mansion. The arms clustered around it even more than they appeared here and there wasn’t a need. Unless… Hawk Moth was trying to protect something inside.

“My lady—” he whispered.

“I see it,” she returned.

“Congratulations, you would be the first to reach beyond the guardians for allies.” Hawk Moth tucked his cane under an arm and applauded. Three claps, each a precise strike against his palms and Chat Noir felt the shock of each clap bolt through him as though each strike as a blow against him. By Ladybug’s flinch, she felt the same. “It won’t help. All it’ll do is make me create my own to counter. So, children, shall we dance?”

Hawk Moth tapped his cane on the ground and vanished.

Gripping Ladybug’s upper arm, Chat Noir pulled her toward the army. “Bunch up!” he bellowed and gestured wildly as he ran. “Nino, move!”

“Where’d he go?” Lady Wifi blurted as they ducked out of the way of a shadow arm.

“Doesn’t matter,” Chat Noir growled.

“Everyone group together!” Ladybug cried and Chat Noir released her arm. Her yo-yo soared ahead of them, slicing through a shadow arm and causing it to dissipate. “Guard each other.”

“Are we fighting these?” Illustrator called, erasing one with his tablet and pen.

“No idea,” Ladybug replied and raised her voice. “Be ready! Protect Liberator, if she falls, so do all of you!”

Ranger fired off his light arrows at several arms. The arrow tore through each one and the arm wisped away. “They don’t seem too hard.”

The army circled together, heroes standing with their backs to the middle. Ladybug charged into the centre of the champions and Chat Noir slid to a stop, ushering Bubbler and Lady Wifi in before he plugged the gap in the circle with his body.  Gripping his staff, he braced. He’d fight, Ladybug would coordinate, the two things they were good at.

Bubbler joined Chat Noir on the outer rim and they shared uneasy-but-game smile.

“Don’t say that, you idiot,” Glacia snapped at Ranger. “You’ll jinx it.”

“I don’t have any attacks!” Chameleon said, sounding both frustrated and scared. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Stay beside me,” Glacia said. “I’ll protect you.”

“Stay watchful!” Ladybug warned.

“I need to be moving,” Time Breaker said, nervously with her skates skittering backward and forward on the spot. “I’m a sitting duck here!”

“Let us find out what we’re dealing with,” Ladybug called, patting the air in Time Breaker’s direction.

“He has many powers,” Gui said, his shield and flail ready.

Chat Noir recited, “Teleportation. Shadow hands. Shadow form. Mass manipulation. Voice manipulation. And he said ‘army’. This can’t be good.”

“Dragon to the battlefield,” Dragon announced and posed. “This is going to be off the hook!”

Ladybug stared at her father and Chat Noir snorted. “Nice one.”

“Papa, not now! Stand ready,” Ladybug called. “Once we know, we can react.”

Bubbler swore beneath his breath and changed his grip on his bubble blower.

Laughter filled the air and sent a chill down Chat Noir’s spine. Rippling and taunting, Hawk Moth’s voice wafted through the circle. “My dear, you are so naïve.”

Twisting as she tried to find the source of the laughter, Ladybug raised her voice. “And you’re still a coward!”

Chat Noir grit his teeth, wondering if it was a good idea to taunt the ultimate evil.

“You called me a shadow,” Hawk Moth crooned. “You were so very close. Such temptation. I had you in my sights, all I had to do was reach out and snap that pretty, little neck of—”

“You wanna talk naïve?” Chat Noir snapped. “You could’ve had me anytime. You barely even noticed!”

“Don’t be stupid, Adrien,” Hawk Moth crooned. “I allowed you to keep the ring because it meant I had better access to her. Once I had hers, yours would’ve been easy.”

“Bullshit,” Ladybug snapped. She adjusted her stance, balancing her weight on her back leg as she spin her yo-yo and looked for a target.

“Language,” Phoenix chided, fire pouring from her fingers as she ignited another shadow arm.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir. You are useless unless you are so helplessly entwined with each other you cannot think for yourselves anymore. I needed you pliable. It shall make my victory so much sweeter.”

“In your dreams,” Dream Twister called. “You gotta get through us first!”

“That, child, won’t be a problem.”

The shadow arms thickened and became doorway of murk. Through the murk stalked faceless warriors of gloom, each almost a perfect, grey-scale image of Hawk Moth himself. They kept coming marching through the arms and headed toward the group. So many arms and so many warriors and Chat Noir didn’t even know where to start.

“Oh, not good,” a voice muttered and Chat Noir had no idea who’s it was. It was possible it was even him.

Ladybug took a moment before straightening her shoulders. “Illustrator: weapons, barricades, shields. Papa!”

“On it!” Illustrator cried, scribbling furiously.

“Right!” Dragon shouted. “Everyone push out as much as you can, we’ll fortify behind you!” The man descended on Illustrator, hunkering down to give him specific instructions.

Ladybug continued, “Lady Wifi, can you pause any of the arms?”

“I’ll try!”

Chat Noir left the decisions up to Ladybug and made his own. Spinning his staff above his head, he stalked toward the nearest arm. Bubbles on his left and fire on his right, Chat Noir charged into the fray and battled the shadow soldiers. They were as insubstantial as mist, anything connected with them and they vaporised.

And then came back. Retook their forms within one swipe and the next. “Really not good!”

He extended his baton, using it like a massive sword to sweep his staff through the ranks of the soldiers, forcing as many of them to become mist as he could. The only thing he had going for him was the fact that between one swipe and the next, they couldn’t press forward. He could hold them at bay.

Which wouldn’t help when his arms got tired.

“Glacia, I want a two circles of ice around us, as far away from us as you can manage. Patches of space between the circles and a path in the inner one for Time Breaker to get through!”

“Ugh. Alix, with me!”

Time Breaker laughed. “Oh, this will be fun.”

“Everyone else, thin their numbers while we set up!”

“They keep coming back!” Chat Noir bellowed over his shoulder.

“Can they touch you?”

“Rather not find out!”

Bubbler’s bubbles went straight through the soldiers without pause. A quick double and Chat Noir tossed the extra baton to his best friend with a hasten instruction. Together, they worked out a rhythm and imitated windscreen wipers, sweeping their elongated staves across the field. Shadow soldiers dissolved and reformed, but remained in the same position. It kept most of the soldiers on their right side at bay, while on their left, Gui’s flail did a similar job.

A quick glance as Chat Noir completed a sweep gave him a clearer picture of the battle.

The fortifications in the centre were not even close to being complete. Illustrator and Dragon seemed to be having some sort of argument, Chat Noir wasn’t quite sure what about. A second glance saw Ladybug heave a piece of the fortifications and throw it at the shadow soldiers, only for it to go straight through them. The argument had to be about effectiveness against the shadow soldiers.

Glacia had encircled the entire thing with a ring of ice, pushing it out as far as she could, with an ice-free path in through the middle. She’d left several paths winding back toward the centre for those of the army currently engaging to get back inside.

Dream Twister’s smoke bombs didn’t stop them and Glacia’s ice only slowed them down, the soldiers walked through both. Stone-Heart and Valiance did what they could, but both of them were close combat. Valiance’s goo didn’t seem to work against the soldier’s either. Chat Noir couldn’t see Chameleon, but that wasn’t a surprise.

What he did see filled him with a little hope.

When Ranger’s light arrows or Gamer’s sword struck a shadow, it dissipated. Phoenix’s fire worked too, but between her, Ranger and Gamer, the warriors numbered couldn’t be diminished as fast as they marched through the shadow arms. Lady Wifi’s pauses littered the field as she threw them at as many warriors she could but Chat Noir noticed one of the shadow warriors broke her pause to reactivate his companion.

“Time Breaker!” Chat Noir bellowed back, still swinging his staff. “Give everyone a Ranger arrow! Stab them!”

“I can create copies of his arrows as weapons!” Illustrator called.

“And the fortifications out of light and fire!” Dragon cried, inspired.

“Do it!” Ladybug called as she ran to aid Gamer with his side of the square.

“It’s really very simple,” Hawk Moth crooned, his voice as insubstantial as his shadow warriors. “Give me your miraculous and this will all be over.”

“This is hard work,” Bubbler muttered.

“Keep at it.”

“How long until your arms get tired?”

“Shut up!”

Bubbler shot Chat Noir a look. “I didn’t say anything, bro.”

Shaking his head, Chat Noir said, “Not you.” He felt rather than saw Ladybug at his shoulder. “The books said nothing about this.”

“Could it be an illusion?” she asked. “Can he do that?”

“No idea,” Chat Noir replied, still swinging away. “But in his study, the arms weren’t an illusion. I have no desire to test it.”

“By all means,” Hawk Moth crooned, right in his ear. “Find out. I relish the chance to have my hands around your neck again.”

Chat Noir flinched and twitched, pulling his head away from his father’s voice.

“Papa and Illustrator have almost finished the fortifications now we know what’ll help,” Ladybug said. “We’ll regroup in a sec.”

Another sweep to halt the onward progression of the shadow soldiers. “We need a better plan.”

Her yo-yo shot out, the cap already open so the purifying light spilled forth. It slammed into the nearest shadow warrior’s chest and burst. Liquid lightning, her purifying light bolted from one shadow warrior to the next. With one curving movement, she disintegrated a triangle of shadow warriors ahead of him.

“Well, aren’t you superfluous?”

Chat Noir sucked in a gasp of breath and retracted his staff to a baton. Straightening out of his defensive stance, he took a few steps forward. “That works.”

She placed one hand over her ribs. “Yeah, but I can’t be everywhere—”

Time Breaker flickered ahead of Chat Noir, a cheeky grin on her face as one of Illustrator’s copied light weapons was planted in his hands. A cylindrical cover for the end of his baton by the look and Chat Noir hastened to fix it onto his baton. Beside him Bubbler also received the gift of a flashing smile and a sword.

“She will always be stronger. Smarter. Better. She doesn’t need you.”

Chat Noir ignored the voice.

“Oh, wow,” Bubbler said, admiring his sword. “Trippy.” He turned to call. “You own that, Alix!”

Ladybug continued as though she hadn’t been interrupted,  “—we need to find the box and that gem your mother is in.”

Chat Noir nodded.

“Keep at it,” she said and gripped his shoulder before she ran back to the centre of the circle.

With a curt nod, he said, “Yup. Let’s kick some ass, Nino.”

“I lived with you for over a year and you didn’t notice. Poor little blind boy.”

Bubbler laughed. “Right behind you all the way.”

With Illustrator’s new addition to his baton, it ripped through the shadow soldiers. Instead of standing still and imitating windscreen wipers, Chat Noir and Bubbler engaged the shadow soldiers. Slashing and cutting, leaping high and dashing low, he chopped and stabbed and sliced the shadows in two. Even though they vanished without a sound or any real resistance against his baton, it was still satisfying to feel like they were making headway against the shadow army.

Bubbler, his face lit up with glee, copied Chat Noir’s movements as best he could. He lacked the finesse which came with training, but the sword was just as effective against the shadow soldiers. All he had to do was cut and cleave and the soldier’s fell.

“Face it, Adrien, you will always be second best.”

Chat Noir grit his teeth together and sliced his baton upwards through one of the shadow men’s faces. What was Hawk Moth’s game plan? Tire them out? Wreak havoc on his mind?

Spinning and twirling as he moved from shadow to shadow, he watched their small fortification take place. High walls made of light and fire, four guarded entry points where the shadow men funnel to a point and dealt with. A place to regroup, to hold out until they could come up with a plan. Stone-Heart and Valiance, now with light weapons from Illustrator, were able to help Gamer and Ranger force back the soldiers. Dragon was steadily ploughing through the ranks of shadows to get to Phoenix’s side. Glacia built herself a tiered pillar of ice in the centre of the fortifications in the centre to act as a look out and she and Ladybug stood on top calling out instructions. As Chat Noir glanced, Lady Wifi seemed to be scrolling through an array of holographic screens projected from her phone, possibly looking for people who needed help. Illustrator had drawn her a wifi tower so she could operate better. Dream Twister and Liberator were on the rose-pink cloud, Liberator with a bow to rain arrows down on the shadows.

“Bubbler!” Time Breaker blurted, skating up to them. “Ladybug wants to know if you have to see people to bubble them!”

“Nope,” Bubbler replied, chopping downward with his sword and ending the existence of another shadow.

“There’s a bunch of civilians trapped beneath the Tower,” Time Breaker told him. “Hoist away!” She shimmered and time jumped away from them.

Chat Noir took up a defensive position ahead of Bubbler. “Don’t take them too high.”

“Nah,” Bubbler said, grinning with confidence and pulled his blower from his back. “Dude, I got this.”

“She cries for you.”

Whooshing from behind him when Bubbler activated his abilities and Chat Noir clenched his staff tighter as he cut the next enemy down.

“Her precious little kitten, lost and alone. She weeps.”

“I’m not alone.” He cut sideways, his baton entering a shadow at the shoulders and cleaving it apart. A step forward and the next shadow lost its legs.

“Your father is so disappointed the rodent you call friend is more important than your dear, sweet mother.”

His chest heaved and his stomach rolled but he didn’t stop attacking the shadows. “Stop it!”

“Don’t you want to save her?”

Side slash, scurry forward, backward slash, pivot and slice. He had to concentrate on his actions, his movement. Remember not to kick, remember to use the end of his staff and not spin it. He had to concentrate on the fight and not the voice haunting his every move. “I know what you’re doing!”

“It would be so easy to put down your weapon. I could give her back to you. I promised, didn’t I?”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I’ll even let you keep sweet Marinette. I want my body back, then everything can go back the way it was. Your parents. Your girlfriend. Her parents. I don’t need sacrifice, Adrien. I just want to live.”

“Adrien? Where are you going?”

“I read about you,” he snarled, diving deeper into the swarm of soldiers. He spun and twisted, delivering blow after blow against the stream of never-ending shadows. “You’re death incarnate. Destruction without empathy. I won’t help you.”

“Are we so different? You cause destruction. Just because your precious girl can fix it doesn’t mean you haven’t thought about pressing your hand against a beating heart, just to see what it could do.”

The thought of that made him sick. Chat Noir spun, lashing out in anger. “I would never!”

“Chat Noir! Don’t go too far in!”

“It lives in each of you humans. That little slice of evil. That ‘what if’ mentality. So juicy and corruptible.”

“Stop it!”

“Bad luck kitty. Everything you touch turns to dust. She will too. You can’t stop me, Adrien. You can’t contain me. You’ll lose everything if you try.”

He couldn’t block it out. Words crawled inside his head and made themselves at home. “That’s not true!”

“Your mother didn’t love you enough to choose you over her Miraculous. Your father didn’t love you enough to choose you over surrender. She didn’t love you enough to keep her promise. Poor little rich boy.”

“Ladybug! Something’s happening to Chat Noir!”

He pressed his hands to his ears. “Shut up!”

“You sacrificed your body and lost everything. Only half of what you used to be. Battered and broken, what do you have to offer her?”

The baton clattered to the ground as Chat Noir clawed at nothing. He spun, swiping and growling, searching the voice in the shadows. A shape, a form, a scrap of colour. Anything that could lead him to where the voice taunted so he could stop it.

“Poor blind, broken thing. How can she love you? How can she feel anything for you other than guilt? She sacrificed her heart and lost nothing she wasn’t prepared to lose. She sacrificed you so willingly.”

“No!” The cry ripped itself from him. He pawed at the seed of truth trying to take root in his heart. Shadow closed around him. Pushed and pressed, engulfing his vision. Faces all around. Claws gouged and cut down the shadows surrounding him, only to be replaced by another looming soldier. He raked and clawed, going for the faces, lost in a haze of anger and despair. “Leave me alone!”

“Why? This is much more fun.” The shadow hand hit him in the chest, plucked him from the ground and tossed him. Shadow soldiers reached up for him, gnarled hands and laughing faces and in the centre of them, purple. The real Hawk Moth.

He crashed to the ground and was grabbed by shadow. Arms held behind his back, elbows locked in place, an invisible pressure slithered around his neck to keep him malleable as he was forced to his knees in front of Hawk Moth.

“I know what you think you have to do, Adrien,” Hawk Moth crooned. One hand behind his back, he bent at the hips to be face to face with Chat Noir. Taking Chat Noir’s chin between his index and his thumb, he said, “Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re capable of killing this body.”

Chat Noir struggled and hissed through his teeth as his arms were almost twisted out of their sockets.

“He’ll scream. He’ll scream and he’ll die and it’ll hurt and it’ll be your fault. Because you have to kill your father to stop me.”

Chat Noir swallowed the bile in his throat. Looking up, he met his father’s gaze. “Then give me another choice.”

Hawk Moth laughed and shook Chat Noir’s chin. “There is no other choice. Here’s what you’re going to do: you’re going to—” The hand on his chin released and Hawk Moth slammed both hands on Chat Noir’s shoulders with a grip that pinched through the suit. His voice changed, from silky and seductive to frantic hushed whispering, “Go to my office, there’s a safe hidden behind her portrait. It’ll have everything you need.”

Chat Noir fought to keep his expression still as he studied Hawk Moth. No longer malicious, eyes darted around, sweat dotting his cheeks, lips quivering with effort.

He was so insistent. “Adrien, do you understand?”

Chat Noir’s mouth felt dry. “Father?”

“Don’t you listen to her. You are stronger than that. Don’t you dare listen!”

“…how?”

“Oh, Adrien, I’m so—” the frantic expression slipped away and silk was back. Standing up straight, Hawk Moth raised his hand and the shadows hoisted Chat Noir to his feet. “Bring me her Miraculous and I’ll—”

The freight train that was Dragon’s fist slammed against the side of Hawk Moth’s face. Chat Noir watched the skin of his father’s cheek pucker before the man spiralled away.

Fire burst on either side of Chat Noir, reducing the shadows that held him to dust. Free to stand on his own, his feet still wouldn’t hold him and he dropped to his knees. Bubbler grabbed him, forced him to run or be dragged. It was a struggle to put one foot ahead of the other through the path in the shadows which had obviously been forged by Dragon. Chat Noir and Bubbler had barely taken ten steps before they found themselves hoisted under Dragon’s arms and carried.

Feet thumped against paved stones and he was jostled and squished against Dragon’s massive chest as the champion clunked with every step. Flame blasted overhead as Phoenix kept their path free of shadow soldiers.

The fortifications swam into view as Dragon charged for them. Ranger laid down cover fire, taking out the closing ranks of shadow soldiers.

Dragon tossed them inside the fortifications, turning to face the shadow army with his shield ready and his wife floating at his side.

Cat reflexes kicked in to help Chat Noir land on all fours, but Bubbler ended up face planting beside him. “Ow…”

Chat Noir stayed still, trying to process what had just occurred.

“Bro, you okay?”

He looked at Bubbler without really seeing him.

Bubbler waved his hand in front of Chat Noir’s face. “Dude, this is a really bad time for you to go catatonic.”

Chat Noir snorted, then burst into hysterical laughter.

Bubbler stared at him and breathed out, “Dude…”

“Chat!” Ladybug cried, sliding down the side of Glacia’s ice lookout tower. “Are you hurt? What the hell were you thinking, rushing off like—”

Kneeling, he reached up and gripped her elbow and tried without success to contain his glee. “I know where the box is.”

Chapter Text

“No, absolutely not.” Ladybug made an cross with her arms to illustrate her point. “You just ran into the middle of them, Chat. Without caring about yourself and now you want me to let you go home?”

He understood where she was coming from, but that didn’t stop him from presenting his case. “What part of that made you think you had a choice?”

Her eyes blew open, then immediately narrowed. “I need you here! I’m not letting you go in on a hunch!”

“It’s not a hunch,” Chat Noir said, exasperated. “I know where it is.”

Ladybug shook her head. “It’s the most heavily protected place right now and—”

He stretched out both his hands to rest on her shoulders, then slid them up to cup her neck. Stepping closer to her, he let their hips bump together and their stomach’s brush. “I love that you’re worried but this is my job. To take the risks.”

She curled her fingers around his wrist. “I thought you said your job was to be my shield?”

“My job is whatever you don’t want me to do,” he replied. “Because usually that’s the right course of action.”

“Cat logic.” She sighed. “Chat, he just had his hands on you and you want to go back in.”

“Yes.”

“And how do you know for sure? How do you know this isn’t a fool’s errand?”

He swallowed. “You trust me, don’t you?”

“Chat, that’s not even a question.” She reached up so she could clutch at his arms. “What if it’s a trap? A ploy to split us up.”

“And what if it’s not?” he pressed. “Please, bugaboo, I need to check it out. I’ll be right back,” he promised. “I’ll take Lady Wifi, she can phone us in and out of there before he even realises we’re gone.”

Pressing her lip into a thin line, Ladybug gave him a resigned look. “I can’t lose you.”

“I’ll be quick.” He struggled to find a way to make her feel better about his. “Look, Nooroo, what do you think?”

The kwami peeked out from his hiding place. “I never knew where the box was kept. I didn’t know about a secret safe. He’d want to keep the box close. I think… we should try. We need the box.”

Chat Noir grinned in triumph. “See?”  He could see she wavered, so he pushed forward. “Make some noise. Keep his attention. I’ll get the box and that’s one less thing to worry about. I can sneak in and out and he’ll never even know we have it. We’ll have the element of surprise back.”

She growled under her breath. “If you’re not back in five minutes—”

“You come rescue me. I expect fanfares and trumpets and riding in on your gallant white steed.” He jerked his thumb to where Dragon fought.

She mock scowled at him. “Papa is not a steed.”

She bent her head forward to bump her forehead against his chin and he pressed his lips to her hair before breaking away. “Alya! We have a mission!”

Lady Wifi looked up from her projections of holograms. “Oh?” she asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I need you to take me into the belly of the beast,” Chat Noir said with a grin.

“Not helping!” Ladybug called. “Ranger! Gamer! We need to make some noise. Glacia, I need you to be showy! Ice for days!”

With a wicked grin, Glacia raised her arms. “That I can do.”

“I need to get into my father’s office,” Chat Noir told Lady Wifi. “And back here as soon as I can.”

A couple of flicks and she brought up a closer look at Agreste Mansion. “Is there a cell phone in your father’s office?”

“Mine is in the house somewhere. Or the car. Somewhere close.”

Lady Wifi chewed her lip and glanced over at the congregation of hands surrounding Agreste Mansion. A few more screens flicked and she pointed to a screen which showed his cell phone on his desk. “I can get you there.” She pointed to another screen, this one of the outside of Agreste Mansion. It was thick with shadow people and wafting arms. “But I don’t like the idea of going in there right now.”

Chat Noir knew that, but he also knew they had to go in. “The box is in a safe inside. We need it to end this. Someone has to make a run for the box. We need to be fast and invisible.”

“I’ll go with you,” Chameleon announced, appearing by Lady Wifi’s side. “I can shroud us all.”

“You can?” Lady Wifi asked, not at all startled by Chameleon’s sudden appearance and Chat Noir wondered how often she just popped up.  

“Apparently,” Chameleon said and shrugged. “I don’t do much good here, but if we need to go somewhere we don’t want to be seen…” She spread her fingers. “I’m your girl.”

Lady Wifi turned her head. “Illustrator, can you draw me a phone to get back to?”

Illustrator looked up from his tablet. “Sure can!”

Stretching out her hands, Lady Wifi placed one on Chat Noir’s shoulder, the other on Chameleon’s. “Let’s go.”

Phone travel was nothing like what Chat Noir had ever expected it to be. His entire body pricked with pins and needles as they appeared in his bedroom, but his vision, it was like someone had changed a channel and he briefly saw black and white fuzz. Picking up his cell on the computer table, he idly noted all the missed calls and texts from Chloé, Nino and Alya before he put the phone back down.

“Whoa,” Chameleon said, looking around. “Wow, Alya, that was cool.”

Lady Wifi gave a smug smile. “I know, right?”

“Where are we?” Chameleon asked, still looking around. She walked in a circle to gape at the room. “This place is bigger than Chloé’s. It’s amazing!”

“My room,” Chat Noir replied. He bent over the back of his computer chair to flick on his computer.  

Lady Wifi picked up the sea-shell frame picture of Marinette he had on his desk. “I recognise that frame,” she said. “One of Marinette’s first attempts at a DYI. She said it went missing.”

Chat Noir smirked. “She threw it at a cat serenading on the balcony. The cat just decided to keep it.”

Lady Wifi snorted. “Before or after you started dating?”

“That one was before. I have others she threw at me after.”

With a snort, Lady Wifi lifted her phone, then pulled a face. “Ick. What’s your wifi password?”

Rattling it off, he brought up the house’s security feed on his computer.

“It’s hard to imagine you serenading Marinette,” Chameleon said.

“I’m a good singer,” Chat Noir replied. His eyes roamed over the cameras, seeing nothing inside.

Lady Wifi laughed. “He yowls.”

He ignored that. “Odd.”

“What?”

“I expected this place to be crawling. Do the shadows even appear on the cameras?” he asked, straightening up. “I saw them on yours before.”

“Special magic cameras,” Lady Wifi said with a pat on his head. She swiped her phone. “Let me.”

Chat Noir bounced to the door while she brought up her cameras. Opening the door a sliver, he peeked out and had to bite the inside of his mouth to keep from making a sound. Shadows. Everywhere. Soldiers stood on the step, arms brushed against the ceilings in the foyer and wove against the railings. They brushed and bumped together, the gaps between them small. It’d be tough to get three of them through, let alone just him.

He closed the door and pressed his forehead against the wood. “Well, shit.”

Lady Wifi murmured, “That’s an understatement. I told you this was a bad idea.”

He turned around and moved back to Lady Wifi’s side, looking at her projections. “Still had to try.” He scratched his chin as he studied the layout of the mansion and the positions of the shadows on her screens. “This is going to be tricky.”

Chameleon peered over Lady Wifi’s shoulder. “You’re pretty wiry though, right, Chat? I heard cats can wriggle through anything.”

“Yeah.”

“Where do we need to get to?” Chameleon asked and Chat Noir pointed to the level lower. “Think you can get through that with me on your back? I can shroud us both if you can navigate down there.”

Chat Noir breathed in through his nose then exhaled noisily. “Well, we have to try.”

“Take your phone,” Lady Wifi instructed and Chat Noir reached for it. “Call when you have what you came for, I’ll come back for you.”

Chat Noir nodded. “Good luck.”

“Stay safe,” she replied and warped out through her phone.

Twisting, Chat Noir presented Chameleon with his back and dropped into a crouch so she could climb on.

Hesitantly, she rested her hand on his shoulder. “What’s the best way?”

“Well, you’re small,” Chat Noir replied and pointed to each part of his body while he spoke, gesturing to show her what he meant. “Hook your legs around my waist and cross your ankles. Arms around my shoulders from beneath. Put your head on my shoulder and… hang on.”

“You seem pretty sure.”

“I do this with Ladybug,” he said, then elaborated. “Not the sneaking, but the carrying. She can’t see in the dark and… well… when the lights go out, this is the easiest way to get around. I won’t be able to hold onto you much, I tend to use everything to move around, so it’s up to you to hang on.”

“Right.” She climbed on and tried to position herself as he recommended.

“Um… excuse the hands,” he said, a slight flush to his cheeks. He helped her as best he could, readjusting her weight until they were both as comfortable as they could be given the situation.

“… We won’t mention this to Marinette.”

“Or Chloe,” Chat Noir said.

A hint of humour. “Oh, definitely not.”

He peered at his arms. “So, are we hidden?”

“Absolutely,” Chameleon replied. “Part of the magic is we can still see ourselves. Doesn’t work on sound, but if you’re concerned, find a mirror.”

“I trust you. I’ll go slow.” He prowled toward the door on all fours so he could give Chameleon a feel of what he would move like.

“It’s kinda really weird how the knowledge comes with the champion form,” Chameleon mumbled.

“Instinctual,” Chat Noir replied. “A lot of what we do is. It got me the first time too.” Reaching up, he rested his paw on the door handle. “Ready?”

“Yes,” she whispered and rested her cheek on the back of his shoulder.

He creaked the door open and hesitated as the shadow guarding it turned to look. Scooting away from the door, he crouched as close to the wall behind the door as he could. The shadow soldier walked through the door to investigate.

Chat Noir held his breath when the shadow soldier appeared to look straight at him. Chameleon’s arms tightened. They hung in the moment, poised ready to flee or fight, depending on whether or not the shadow soldier saw them. With bated breath, Chat Noir willed it to turn away.

The eyes drifted over the room and Chat Noir relaxed. He moved forward, inching around behind the soldier as it prowl further into his room, looking for whatever opened the door. 

They froze as they exited his bedroom, pausing while Chat Noir scoped out the positions of the soldiers and the directions they faced, trying to find the best path down to his father’s office. None of the shadow soldiers patrolled. They all stood still, staring straight ahead and although every possible angle had a soldier staring at it, Hawk Moth hadn’t counted on Chameleon. Taking a deep breath, he patted Chameleon’s hand to let her know he was moving and began.

Twisting and turning, he wound around the ankles and legs of the shadow soldiers, never coming close enough to touch and brush, but always passing by with a sense of heightened anxiety. He stayed as low as he could, moving quietly across the carpeted floor. It was slow going, as much as he wanted to bolt through, they risked everything by being here. Had it been him, he would have, but with Chameleon, he couldn’t take risks.

Communication was conducted via patting hands, waves and points. Chameleon stayed glued to his back, barely shifting from her position. She flowed along with his every movement, at times it felt like she wasn’t even there. He knew this must be hard for her and he tried to make it as easy as he could. 

It was slow going. He hesitated far too long each time the glassy eyes of the soldiers twitched in their direction.

Inching down the final stair, they slid around the legs of a soldier and hid behind the railing at the bottom. Off the carpet, Chat Noir had to be careful about the placement of his claws. A random click against the marble would give them away. Pausing, he scoped the room again and saw nothing different. More shadow soldiers, staring off into nothing, alerted to any visual clue but not the invisible pair. With a pat to Chameleon’s hand, he crawled forward.

Shoes clicked across the floor and Chat Noir froze, swinging his head toward the dining room. Out of place and overly loud in the silence of the mansion, the sudden noise scared both of them. Chameleon lifted her head from his shoulder and tightened her grip on him. He recognised the sound of those clipped heels. Nathalie.

Except it wasn’t Nathalie which strode across the foyer and paused in the centre. The long sleeves of her costume draped down to the floor and, as she lifted an arm, almost looked like butterfly wings. Black on the backside and striking red on the inside of the wing. The rest of her suit was tight fitting and sleek black to offset the red stilettos she wore. Furry red antennae uncurled from her head. He’d seen a moth like that at the butterfly house, but he struggled to recall the name. Something like cinnamon.

Chameleon’s breath puffed against his neck and then she bit her lip.

The feelers on Nathalie’s head fluttered. “I can smell you.”

Akuma. A jar version, if Chat Noir had to guess. And jar versions were environment, which meant... Hawk Moth had akumatised her personally to leave behind and her appearance was based on him and a mixture of her own personality.

He crawled away, backed them into a corner to hide. He could see his father’s office door from here. Given the chance, he could slink around the side of the room and make it, but he wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t be caught. “Nooroo?” Chat Noir whispered, keeping his eyes on the akuma as her feelers flicked in the air.

“He made hundreds of jars,” the kwami whispered, sounding exhausted.

“What do we do?” Chameleon whispered.

“We wait,” Chat Noir replied.

While he waited, hoping she’d lose the scent of him and leave, he fretted. Hundreds of jars. They could be anywhere, scattered across Paris, lying in wait. Even if they defeated Hawk Moth, the akuma could still wreak havoc on the population of Paris. Without Ladybug…

The akuma clipped her way to the base of the stairs, her shoes echoing through the foyer. “You can’t escape from Cinnabar.”

Chat Noir looked over Cinnabar, trying to see what her item would be. What would she value enough to hold an akuma? Or, since it was an environmental one, did it matter. Her glasses. Her glasses were the same as the ones she normally wore. Even though her make-up was striking red and black and similar to a moth’s marking, the prim glasses remained.

Now, he just had to get her alone.

There were no shadow soldiers in his room. If he could get her up there without alerting the soldiers he was here, he could battle her without any extra difficulties. Or perhaps…

Would his father really have sent him into a trap? Or was the office also void of soldiers?

Cupping his hands beneath Chameleon’s thighs, he slowly stood, keeping his eyes on Cinnabar. He was the night incarnate, cat stealth and reflexes and—

Chameleon stretched out her hand and threw a coin in across the other side of the room. Cinnabar’s head snapped toward the noise the coin made as it plinked to the ground. She swooped across the room, the sleeves of her outfit like great wings and vanished from sight around the other side of the stairs. Chat Noir used the distraction to scurry for his father’s office.

Ladybug’s luck was with them today, it was free of shadows soldiers and they managed to slip inside before Cinnabar noticed.

“Watch the door,” Chat Noir whispered as he closed the door behind them as quietly as he could and locked it. “Stay hidden. I think the akuma’s in her glasses. If she comes in, let me be decoy and you snatch. Try not to alert the other shadows.”

“Okay,” Chameleon said and he felt her slip from his back.

Turning, Chat Noir looked to the portrait of his mother at the end of the room. He had to be quick. They didn’t want to get noticed, not now. When he reached the portrait, he ran his fingers along the edges of it until he found the catch which allowed the portrait to swing away from the wall.

A simple coded safe but Chat Noir didn’t have the code and nor was there time for him to work it out. “Nooroo, can you phase through?”

“Of course,” Nooroo said and disappeared into the metal. Moments later the safe door clicked open.

The box rested in on a shelf. Small, inconspicuous, its ornate trimmings gave no clue to the evils which lurked inside it. How was something so small supposed to contain a body? Resting against it was a stack of three white envelopes, the facing one had Adrien’s name on it.

Nooroo gave the envelopes a mournful look, then drifted back to Chat Noir’s side.

With trembling fingers, Chat Noir plucked the envelopes up to look at them. Soft, cursive writing, calligraphy written by a careful hand, he could recognise his father’s handwriting anywhere. One for him. One for his mother. And the third, much thicker envelope, for Marinette. All three sealed with wax and a press which looked like Nooroo’s broach.

Turning over the envelope with his name on it, he ran his thumb beneath the wax.

Nooroo fretted, “We don’t have time—”

“I know.”

Adrien,

Your mother is trapped in the gem on the handle of my rapier. Get it to Ladybug; she can break the gem and retrieve your mother.

Do what must be done.

-Gabriel.

Chat Noir flipped the paper over and stared at the blank back of it. Flipping it back over, he reread it. “That’s it? That’s all he has to say?” Out of spite he checked the weight of the other two envelopes. “He’s got more to say to Marinette than he does to me!”

“Adrien—”

“There’s no plan! I thought he had a plan! There’s no… there’s nothing here I didn’t know already!”

“Maybe it was written hastily—”

“It’s all so detached!”

“Perhaps he doesn’t—”

“He doesn’t care about me at all.” The truth of that sat heavy in his heart and Chat Noir slumped against wall beside the safe.

“Or, perhaps he knows what you have to do and doesn’t want emotion to cloud your judgement,” Nooroo murmured. He gave Chat Noir an ineffectual pat on the cheek. “I’m sure he had his reasons.”

He thought about that for a moment. “You think… he doesn’t want to make this more difficult for me than it already is?”

“Wouldn’t that be a better thing to believe than he doesn’t care?”

The door handle jiggled and Chameleon lost her invisibility for a second so she could cast Chat Noir a worried glance. Chat Noir unzipped a pocket at his chest and shoved the envelopes into it. Spinning, he reached back into the safe and grabbed the box.

Fire and electricity shot up his arms as the box reacted to his touch and he almost dropped it. He could feel the waves of darkness and chaos which oozing for the box now he touched it and he felt the same darkness in him respond to it. A kindred spirit of sorts. A calling and a yearning and a need to protect—

Plagg shuddered and stirred and then Chat Noir’s hand stroked the box of its own accord. The fire and electricity dimmed until it was a muted simmer, wavering on the edges of his awareness.

Lifting his hand, he stared at his palm. “Okay, that was weird.”

“Plagg always…” Nooroo stiffened as the door handle rattled again, then dove into Chat Noir’s pocket to hide.

The door burst open from a fierce kick from Cinnabar and Chat Noir threw himself down behind the desk, hoping to coax her further into the room without alerting the shadows soldiers.

“Naughty little child, thought he could hide from me. I’d know your scent anywhere, Adrien.”

Chat Noir peeked around the corner and rested the box on the floor behind the desk. “I’d never hide from you.”

“You’re hiding now,” she sneered, stalking further into the room. “I’m supposed to look after you.”

“How very moth-erly of you. Hate to bug you, but can we drop the act?”

The door slammed shut behind her and locked. Cinnabar spun, her arms raised dramatically. “Another child playing hide-and-seek.”

While she was talking, Chat Noir thrust himself out of his hiding place, bounced across the room and pounced on Cinnabar’s back. They scuffled and he battered at her face, trying to snatch the glasses without hurting her.

Cinnabar grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him from her back. “You’re not Adrien,” she muttered and went to toss him away.

The glasses vanished from her face and seconds later there was a sharp cracking sound. Cinnabar dropped to her knees in shock, releasing Chat Noir as she did so. Engulfed in the purple and black, she lost her abilities.

Seeing the butterfly flutter free from where the crack came from, Chat Noir lunged for it and caught it in his paw. Chameleon appeared, grinning and Chat Noir lifted his free fist for her to bump. “Nice one!”

“That was insanely cool,” she replied.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he handed it to Chameleon. “Here.” Plucking his baton from his back, he called Ladybug. “Send Lady Wifi for Chameleon,” he said the instant she picked up. “I’ve got the box and an akuma and I don’t think I want to risk bringing that through one of her warps.”

“An akuma?” Ladybug blurted, gesturing widely off-screen. “Now?”

Lady Wifi blinkered into existence from the phone Chameleon held and Chat Noir shooed her. “Take her and go. I don’t trust an akuma through it, the last thing we want is for either of you to be taken over.”

“What about you?” Lady Wifi asked as she reached for Chameleon.

“I’ll be fine, I’ll just vault back. They can’t fly, I’ll go over their heads.” Talking to Ladybug again as he walked back over to fetch the box, he said, “Nooroo said he’s hidden hundreds of akuma round the city.”

Ladybug scrubbed a hand over her face. “Well, shit.” She cringed. “Sorry Mom!” Talking to Chat Noir again, “Look, just get back here. Copycat, Monsieur Pigeon and Mime have arrived and we think Roger Cop is close.”

He waved as Chameleon and Lady Wifi blinked away. “On my way.”

“What’s going on?” Nathalie asked, from the floor. She blinked in bewilderment and looked around.

“A war,” Chat Noir replied, stooping over to pick up the box. With a wince at the way it made him feel, he tucked it under the arm which held the akuma in its claw. “Stay here. Don’t leave the room. Don’t even look out.”

“But—”

“Just don’t argue,” Chat Noir replied and headed for the window. “Trust me and stay hidden.” Readying his baton, he launched himself from the window to make a run for Ladybug. Extending the end of the baton to the ground, he rocketed into the air and swung. Lifting the end of the baton, he retracted it, then swiftly angled the end of the baton ahead of him and extended, pulling himself forward to continue his momentum. Difficult while only using one hand, but Chat Noir was used to it.

From this height, it was easy to see what they faced. It was also easy to see how far Hawk Moth’s power had stretched.

And it hadn’t stretched very far. Far enough to look like the numbers in his army was never-ending, when in reality, all the numbers congregated around the mansion and Champ de Mars. The rest of Paris was unscathed.  

“Hmm,” Chat Noir mumbled and pointed his toes skyward to spring toward his next vault. He soared high, waiting until gravity caught him again and pulled him down, before he extended his baton to the ground once again.

Three more vaults and he landed in the middle of Illustrator and Dragon’s fortifications and slid to a stop. He straightened, his eyes taking in the battle.

Everyone worked hard. He could see they tired, none of them used to this sort of prolonged battle. Despite having powers, chests heaved, limbs shook and feet moved as little as possible. Stone-Heart blocked one entrance while Valiance took a break. The shining Dragon blocked another. Phoenix blocked a third with her flame while Gamer rested beside her. Bubbler and Lady Wifi worked together to stem the tide of soldiers at the final entrance. Time Breaker slumped in the middle, panting heavily. Glacia impaled the soldiers with ice shards from above and while the shards didn’t do more than slow them down, it gave there others more time to deal with them. Ranger, Liberator and Dream Catcher fluttered above, thinning the herd with their weapons from Illustrator.

Copycat, still fresh, bounded outside the fortifications, swiping at any soldiers who came close. Mime was busy riding an invisible bulldozer through the ranks and Chat Noir was pleasantly surprised at its effectiveness. There was just something comical about the shadow soldiers being bunched up together in a pile and pushed away and Mime looking like he was having a grand old time, his lips pursed in a silent whistle. And Monsieur Pigeon and his horde of pigeons, staying away from the fortifications, rained feathery death down upon the soldiers, who, as Chat Noir was pleased to discover, shared the same feather allergy as he did with his father.

Disbursement by sneezing, complete with the comical screwed up faces before they vanished. There didn’t seem to be a better way of getting rid of the shadows. Chat Noir could deal with the tickle in his own nose to watch that all day.

Gui… the old man looked exhausted as he spoke to Ladybug in hushed tones.

Ladybug turned to smile at him and her eyes landed on the box. Her body jerked forward, her hand outstretched. By the wild look in her eyes, it hadn’t been her who moved. “Tikki? What?”

Plagg lifted Chat Noir’s arm and presented the box with two hands so that Ladybug could rest her hand on it. As their fingers touched, a quiver ran through both of them. Gentle, endearing, kwami communication. Something Tikki and Plagg had never needed to use before. Chat Noir met Ladybug’s surprised gaze. “That’s twice now.”

From within the battlefield erupted an inhuman keen. 

Chapter Text

The keen chilled Chat Noir down to his very core. Ached and yearned, full of frustration, anger and pain. Keeping his hand on the box, he stepped closer to Ladybug while he looked for the source of the sound. “I guess… he knows.”

Her shoulder pressed against his upper arm. “Sounds like it.”

The keen dimmed into a strangled noise, before that too died and they were left with silence.

Not complete silence. Chat Noir could still hear the ragged, exhausted breathing of their friends. The clink of Dragon’s armour. The whoosh of Phoenix’s flame. But everything else had stopped. Twisting, he looked out of the fortifications and into the army of shadow soldiers.

Not one of the soldiers moved. Bubbler waved his sword through one of the shadows and it dissipated without reacting to Bubbler’s presence. Pointing his blade at the ground, Bubbler looked around for some advice. “Ahh… what now?”

With a moan, Gui staggered to slump at the base of Glacia’s tower. His chest heaved with effort and sweat dotted his face and clumped his hair together. His flail and shield clattered to the ground on either side of him.

Chat Noir and Ladybug exchanged a troubled glance and rushed to his side. “Are you alright?” Ladybug asked, dropping to her knees.

“I’m sorry,” he panted. “I am not as young as I used to be.”

Ladybug stretched out her hand and squeezed his shoulder. “Rest. You’ve already done so much for us, you didn’t need to come.”

“It was my honour,” Gui said, resting his hand over his heart and inclining his head.

“We have the box,” Chat Noir said, holding it in both hands.

Gui waved his hand at Chat Noir. “Ladybug should hold it,” he said. “I shall sit this next part out.” He tilted his head and frowned. “Is that an akuma?”

Chat Noir lifted his curled hand. “Yeah,” he said and gently delivered the butterfly to Ladybug’s yo-yo. “According to Nooroo, Hawk Moth made hundreds of them.”

Gui scratched his beard. “Hmm.”

“What are we going to do about them?” Ladybug fretted. “If I’m no longer Ladybug, how will—”

Gui interrupted, “You need not worry. The new guardians will be able to take care of them.”

“Oh,” Ladybug mumbled and Chat Noir rested his hand on her shoulder. He knew how she felt, that sudden hot surge of disappointment that it would be someone else’s problem. That they wouldn’t be in a position to help. They wouldn’t be needed.

She gave him a torn, tear-bright look, then blinked rapidly and he watched her bury the pain deep. They could weep over it later, alone in the dark, and mourn their loss but right now they had a job to complete. A city to save. A legacy to leave behind.

Her eyes drifted downward until she frowned at his chest. “What’s that?”

A bitterness filled him, as much as he didn’t want it to. Extracting the three letters from his pocket, he handed them to her without a word.

“Yo,” Ranger called, flying overhead. “Boss-cat. What do you want us to do?”

Leaving the box with Ladybug, Chat Noir stood and walked away from Ladybug and her envelopes. He had no desire to see what was oh-so-important his father say to his girlfriend and not to him. Striding forward, he slipped outside the fortifications and came to stand beside Copycat. “Hey. Thanks for coming.”

Copycat grinned at him. Their costumes were exactly the same, except that Ladybug had tied a ribbon around Copycat’s wrist. “Ladybug’s wish is my command.”

Chat Noir growled at him and Copycat’s ears went down and he hunkered. “I was joking, man. I know you and she are like, together for reals now.”

“Sorry,” he lied. “Mind if it’s own. You know how it is.”

“Why’s this akuma got it in for you, specifically?”

Chat Noir shrugged, not bothering to correct Copycat’s assumption of an akuma. “Voices in your head?”

Copycat gave him a look. “Voices?”

“Guess not.”

“Nah, man, but the soldiers really don’t like me.” Copycat grinned. “We should prank them. Double team.”

Chat Noir laughed. “As awesome as that would be, I think he can tell the difference.”

“Man, that sucks.”

Chat Noir nodded. Holding out his fist for Bubbler to bump as he joined them, he watched the motionless soldiers. “See anything?” he called up to Ranger.

“Nope.”

“Stay alert.” Reaching for his baton, Chat Noir planted it on the ground and extended straight up so he could get a better vantage point. Using his feet to hold onto the baton, he surveyed the battlefield. Below him, his friends gathered. Stone-Heart and Valiance stood side by side, surveying the frozen army of shadow. Mime wandered toward Valiance’s side, smiling at his daughter. Time Breaker skittered nervously on her roller skates. Gamer rested his sword on his shoulder. Lady Wifi kept checking her cameras, on the lookout for trouble. Phoenix and Dragon joined Ladybug. Ranger flapped until he was by Chat Noir’s side. Illustrator fixed the fortifications around them. Dream Twister and Liberator sat together near Glacia’s tower, keeping their distance from battle. Far above them, Monsieur Pigeon called his bird friends and Chat Noir felt his nose tickle in response. Hopefully the man had been warned to steer clear of him.

None of the shadow soldiers moved.

But they were all looking at him. Staring upward, their gaze unwavering. Piercing right into his very soul.

“That’s… creepy,” Ranger said and scooted away.

Chat Noir nodded.

“I’m not going back.”

Chat Noir didn’t reply. “I can’t see the real one. Run a sweep over, see if you can spot anything.”

“What am I looking for?” Ranger asked, with a sharp back wing before he rose higher. 

Chat Noir shrugged. “Anything out of the ordinary.”

“Chat?” Ladybug called from below. “Can I come up?”

He glanced down, seeing her spinning her yoyo below him. Extending an arm out straight, he waited until her yo-yo twined around his wrist before he hoisted her up to him. When she reached him, he sat her on his knee and put an arm around her to hold her. “Where’s the box?”

“Gui is protecting it. We can’t use it until we have your mother and I don’t want to be tempted.”

“She’s mine.”

Ladybug’s fingers drifted up into his hair, a comforting gesture for both of them. “That is really unnerving. All those eyes.”

“I can see you.”

Chat Noir made a small noise of agreement.

She asked, “Do we know where the real one is?”

“Ranger’s scouting.”

“She plays because it keeps you complacent. Silly kitty who likes his pats.”

Chat Noir frowned and moved his neck forward so Ladybug’s fingers were no longer in his hair.  Staring out at the soldiers, she didn’t seem to notice his twitch, moving to compensate.

“You are more like me than you know.”

He growled, low and deep in his chest.

“Chat? What’s wrong?”

“How could creation love destruction? There’s no balance. Everything she does is about fixing your mistakes.”

His hand clenched around the baton. “I’m fine.”

Her fingers brushed against the nape of his neck and she toyed with the ends of his hair. “Chat, the letter said—”

“Even your father cares more for her than he does for you.”

Chat Noir flinched. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Hurt splashed in her voice from his tone and her fingers stilled. “Chat—”

His claws pricked her back as he scraped his fingers along her spine. “Tell me why you gave up your heart.”

“Yes,” Hawk Moth crooned. “Listen to her lies. You’ll see.”

Ladybug tensed up completely and he felt the pull of her fingers in his hair as she reacted to his request. “What?” she squeaked.

Chat Noir turned his head to face her. “Tell me. I want to hear you say it.”

She blinked her wonderful blue eyes at him. “Now?”

He nodded.

The voice in his ear was triumphant. “She so willingly betrayed you. She’ll never tell you the truth.”

“This is hardly the—”

“Marinette,” he said and leant forward until his head rested against hers. “Please.”

She swallowed. “Tikki said I had to give up the thing I valued the most. If I didn’t, desolation wouldn’t work.”

He nodded, keeping his eyes locked on hers. “Your love for your parents. For Tikki. For Alya and Nino.”

“My love for you,” she said with another heavy swallow. “For you most of all.”

It hurt to hear her admit she sacrificed it knowing what it would cost. A lanced pain in his chest swelled and lurked in wait.

“If she was so willing to give you up, was it really a sacrifice?”

“Why?”

She studied him, her eyes flicking all around his face as she struggled to understand what he wanted. He kept his expression impassive and, although his stomach churned, he didn’t let her know how much hinged on her answer.

“Because I trusted you would keep my heart safe and return it to me.”

“Lies. She only says what she thinks you want to hear.”

He closed his eyes and bumped his nose against hers.

Frantic, she blurted, “I didn’t know you were hurt. I hoped I could trick Hawk Moth. He knew where I was and who I was and I thought— I held out as long as I could and you didn’t come and I was— I didn’t have any other option, it was already so damaged and it was coming down, but not fast enough and I had their butterflies and— I thought—I-I held out as long as I could,” she gripped him with both hands and her voice cracked. With a broken sob, she mumbled, “P-please, Adrien, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s all a facade. She needs you to defeat me and she’ll say anything to make that happen. When Plagg and Tikki are gone, she’ll have no more need of you.”

“Everything you’ve said has just that little grain of truth. Just enough for me to want to believe you.”

She gasped, “No, Adrien—”

Removing his hand from her back, he put a finger to her lips. So close, his finger brushed against his own as he did so. Tilting his head, he listened.

“I told you. All I want is my body, then everything can go back the way things were. Paris will be safe. You’ll have your mother. You’ll have your father. Your family. Everything will be perfect. No one will ever leave you again. Just give me the box.”

Chat Noir frowned. “You’re twisting all my insecurities and throwing them back at me. That’s all you do. Wriggle inside my head and plant ideas. Seeds of doubt.”

A shocked noise from Ladybug, quickly stifled. 

“Free me and this will go away. I will spare you the pain of having to kill your father.”

He rested his forehead against Ladybug’s. “Such a tricky little thing. Access to all my father’s memories and with his voice, the perfect way to slice your way in and do your damage. Our powers might be cut from the same cloth but I’ll never use mine the way you do. I use my destruction to protect. You use yours to hurt but you can’t use her to hurt me.”

“She does that enough on her own.”

“Yes, she can hurt me and I’m also willing to bet there are times I’ve hurt her.” He kept his eyes closed. He didn’t want to see the dismay splashing on her face.

It was in her voice instead. “Chat…”

“Why would you allow yourself to be open to that pain?”

“You don’t understand forgiveness, do you? Or love.”

“Human trivialities.”

Her fingers brushed his cheeks. “… he’s in your head, isn’t he?”

He nodded, rubbing his face against hers. “Do you feel remorse?”

“Stupid human child, are you trying to forgive me?”

“I’m trying to understand.”

“I am what I am. I am what they made me.”

He frowned. “They made you?”

“You really are stupid, aren’t you? Don’t procreate. You should’ve taken your father’s offer to show you how to use a condom.”

Chat Noir’s eyes flashed open and he lifted his head away from Ladybug’s. She wore the most peculiar expression on her face as she watched and listened to his one-sided conversation without interrupting, but Chat Noir couldn’t concentrate on that for the moment. “That was him. He’s still in there!”

“Surely you don’t think I’d care if your rub your genitalia against her, do you?”

Chat Noir laughed. It bubbled up from within him, bursting from his lips and flowing into the world. The spirit didn’t have complete control over his father. There was still hope.

Sullen silence for a moment, then, “It’s time to end this. Everyone is forfeit.”

The shadow soldiers below broke into a sprint. The steady march was gone, now it was a frenzy of shadow soldiers all trying breach the fortifications at once. Those running beneath them passed straight through Chat Noir’s baton and continued on undaunted.

Their friends took refuge within the fortifications while Phoenix’s fire blazed in a circle around it. The shadow soldiers passed through the fire undaunted. Gamers’ sword went through the soldiers. Illustrator’s weapons did nothing. They poured over the fortifications and swarmed inside. Their friends would be overwhelmed in seconds.

Ladybug threw her yo-yo into the air and unleashed the excess purification energy she’d stored from the akuma. White purifying light bolted out from her yo-yo and lightning struck the battlefield. Shadow soldiers disintegrated into nothing.

And were replaced by more.

So many. There were just so many. Too many for the energy stored in her yo-yo to make a difference. The soldiers streamed out of the arms as fast as she could destroy them, and destroying the arms made more reach for the sky and their gloom open.

Chat Noir tightened his grip on Ladybug, preventing her from leaping from his arms and into the fray. He didn’t know what else to do, if they went down there, they’d be taken too. Then there’d be no chance to save anyone.

Bubbler tried to reach Lady Wifi, their fingers outstretched and grasping as they screamed each other’s names. If she could touch him, she could get him to safety and Chat Noir knew she’d never leave without him. Watching Bubbler disappear beneath a mound of shadow soldiers broke him. And Lady Wifi too. Her high pitched scream haunted the battlefield before she too was buried.

Ladybug’s scream pierced. “Alya!”

Glacia shrieked and grabbed onto thin air, engulfing herself in solid ice in an effort to protect herself and Chameleon. Copycat was buried under a mound of soliders. Dream Twister rose high into the air to spirit Liberator to safety. Stone-Heart bellowed in fury as Valiance was overrun and even with his size ever-growing, he disappeared beneath the shadow. Mime’s imaginal constructs stopped working against the shadows, and although Monsieur Pigeon’s birds still caused them to explode in a sneeze, there were just too many to make a difference and not enough birds.

Chat Noir couldn’t see what happened to the rest of the champions. There was no time to think. No time to react.

“He’s been toying with us,” Ladybug moaned. “This whole time, he’s let us think he’s winning… Papa!” A high pitched shriek and she struggled in Chat Noir’s arms as she tried to get free. “No!”

Chat Noir flicked his eyes to Dragon, just in time to see Dragon overwhelmed by soldiers and he disappeared beneath gloom. Phoenix flittered above, raining down her fires as she tried to free her husband. Ranger circled, his arrows ineffectual and Illustrated stood on a hoverboard near Ranger.

A dome appeared in the centre of the fortifications. Bright green and glowing and the soldiers piled onto it, unable to breach. Gui, protecting the box.

“What do we do?” Ladybug shrilled. “What do we do?”

“I don’t… I don’t…”

“We have to do it. We have to do it now.”

Lucky charm to cataclysm. They had the box. It was right there. Right there. They could combine, it was close enough. This could all be over.

“Oh, god.”

He froze. Detached. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t. He couldn’t. His mother and his father? Hawk Moth was trying to force their hand. Make them react before rescuing his mother. Take as much from him as he could in one fell swoop.

Why?

Why?

It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. He couldn’t do it. Couldn’t. Not now, not ever.

“Adrien!” His name scorched from her lips in a wail. He knew she didn’t want to make this decision either or force him, but they couldn’t lose her family too. That wasn’t fair. If the worst came to the worst, he’d still have them.

Right?

Would they really take in a lost kitten? Did he really want to ask them to?

“I challenge you.” The words burst from him without thought.

The shadows stopped moving and their heads twisted up to face Chat Noir and Ladybug. The mounds covering Stone-Heart and Dragon continued to move and Chat Noir could hear the bellows of them men beneath them as they roared in defiance. Not dead. Only contained. But he had to move fast to save them all.

“What?” Ladybug blurted. “No, you can’t.”

“You and me. You know fencing, we’ll have a sword fight. If I get the gem, I win and you go back in the box.”

Hawk Moth scoffed, “Hardly a fair fight.”

“Not with that cat-itude.”

“What?”

“It’s hardly a moth-stake.” He nudged Ladybug. “Fur-real, he’s being a scaredy-cat.”

She narrowed her eyes at the puns, her face calculating as she tried to decipher his meaning.

“Ugh. I do not understand this preoccupation you have with word play.”

“Puns are paw-some.”

“Very well, child,” Hawk Moth said. “You may have your way. A challenge it is. If I win, I get to skewer you.”

He seriously doubted his father would let that happen. All play and banter disappeared. “Let my friends go.”

A moment’s consideration. “No. But they will witness.”

Shadows parted and formed a ring beneath them, a silent wall of eyes staring upward.

People were moved, shoved toward the ring. Dragon yelled and grunted as he was borne forth from the shadows. Arms trapped behind his back and barely able to move as the shadows held him at bay, he was forced to move forward. Shadows shoved and prodded Stone-Heart to make him move toward the ring, and the others made to follow. Chat Noir was relieved to see Lady Wifi and Bubbler side by side.

“This is not a good idea,” Ladybug said.

He allowed a lop-sided and hopeful smirk to bloom. “Trust me.”

“He’s listening, isn’t he?”

“Yup.”

“And puns mean a plan.”

“Yup,” he said and this time popped the ‘p’.

She puffed her bangs away from her forehead. “Okay.”

“Thank you.” Turning his head, he called, “Illustrator. Floating platform, please.”

Looking bewildered, the champion did as he was asked and Chat Noir leapt to it, retracting his baton as he did so. “You stay,” he said, planting Ladybug on the platform. Unclipping Nooroo’s broach from his throat, he placed it in Ladybug’s hand. “Nooroo, you stay here too.”

The kwami crept from his hiding place and alighted on Ladybug’s shoulder. Wringing his paws nervously, he didn’t say anything.

Chat Noir brushed his fingers down her arm until he reached her hand. “Promise me, no matter what, you stay up here and safe.”

“No.”

He grumbled and rolled his eyes. “Fine. Not no matter what. But mostly stay.”

A tiny smile, Ladybug’s eyes tracked her mother as Phoenix came up to join them. “Mostly.”

Shaking a finger at Ranger and Illustrator as they alighted on the platform too, he said, “Protect her.”

With an uneasy glance at each other, both Ranger and Illustrator nodded. “Sure.”

Keeping his gazed fixed on hers, he lifted her hand to his lips. “My lady.”

“What’s going on?” Phoenix asked.

Chat Noir turned away. Extending his baton until it touched the ground, he swung around it and slid down into the centre of the circle. Retracting his baton until it was a staff, he hooked it over his shoulders and waited, watching the shadows on the outskirts of the circle. Turning slowly, he locked eyes with Bubbler and Lady Wifi as they stared at him.

“What’s going on?” Bubbler called.

“I challenged him. One-on-one.”

Lady Wifi whistled through her teeth.

“Just stay, this’ll be over soon.”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish,” Hawk Moth said from behind him and Chat Noir spun to face him. Hawk Moth calmly fixed his glove, his cane tucked under his arm. “You can’t win.”

Chat Noir raised his staff. “We’ll see about that.”

“You’ve never beaten me before in a duel.”

Chat Noir snorted. “We’ve never duelled.”

Hawk Moth gave him a stare.

“And my father hasn’t paid any attention to my training since you took over his body,” Chat Noir said, raising his staff to use as a rapier. He widened his stance, he turned side on to Hawk Moth and raised his back hand to act as a balance. “You have no idea what I can do now.”

“Oh, child, we’re not fencing,” Hawk Moth said and pulled his rapier from its cane sheathe. “You have no idea how badly you just failed.”

He bristled and adjusted his grip on his staff. “Stop kitten around and show me.”

Hawk Moth lifted his blade to those standing above. “If any of you so much as move, I will have my shadows shred your friends.” Dropping his blade down to point it at Chat Noir, Hawk Moth lunged. Chat Noir slipped into an easy parry, the rapier sliding down his staff before it was batted away. Next strike, Chat Noir riposted, smacking the end of his staff into Hawk Moth’s shoulder to force him away.

Hawk Moth’s unimpressed expression gave nothing away, and he repaid Chat Noir’s smug look with two slashes toward Chat Noir’s face, forcing him to backflip away. The slashes shocked Chat Noir, it wasn’t an allowed move during fencing combat. Not fencing, he reminded himself. Fighting for his life.

They lunged and clashed and danced around each other, testing skills, defences and reaction times. It had been over a year since he’d duelled his father, and while Hawk Moth was right, he’d never won, he now had Plagg’s heightened abilities backing him up. Everything was on alert and flooded with adrenaline. Staff to rapier, Hawk Moth was quick, but so was Chat Noir.

Nothing seemed to rattle Hawk Moth. Arrogance shone from his face, his stance oozing confidence and weapon pointed lazily at the ground between clashes. None of the strikes Chat Noir made against him made a difference. He couldn’t bring himself to put any strength behind the blows, or do any real damage.

It wasn’t very fair. Staff against rapier. Bludgeoning weapon against a sword. While the rapier was mainly a thrusting weapon, its edges were still sharp and Chat Noir had no desire to find out what would happen if it sliced his face. Or his throat. Anywhere vulnerable.

Chat Noir was also preoccupied by the gem on the hilt. His mother. His mother was beneath that dome. Was she thrown about as the rapier sliced through the air to be deftly turned away by his staff? Was she spun in a circle when Hawk Moth took a step back to reconsider and change his grip? Could she see him? Could he see her?

Mid-thrust, Hawk Moth shifted his grip on his rapier and Chat Noir was slow to counter. The hilt slammed into his nose as the same time he felt something shred the front of his suit. Plagg shrieked and pain cut its way across Chat Noir’s chest.

Above him, Ladybug screamed his name. Phoenix burst into flame. Dragon roared in defiance and struggled against those who held him.

Staggering backward, Chat Noir raised his staff to counter the sudden barrage of blows Hawk Moth made against him. Each block and parry he made increased the pain in his chest. Ducking below a stab, he managed to land the end of his staff against Hawk Moth’s stomach and extended his staff to shove Hawk Moth away from him.

Something wet dribbled down his front and he glanced down to see four slash marks in his chest, four great gouges in a suit which wasn’t repairing itself, with his skin torn beneath. The suit had taken the brunt of the blow, but the cuts were still deep. “What?”

“I said we’re not fencing. We’re fighting for your life. Not mine. No rules, Adrien.”

He held a hand against his chest to stem the flow of blood. “How?”

Hawk Moth held up his hand, showing off four wicked teeth connected to his fingers. “Dog teeth.” He gestured the rapier. “Insect pins. Did you really think I’d come unprepared to exploit your weaknesses?”

Plagg wouldn’t be able to regenerate such large gouges in his suit for a while. Chat Noir was at a disadvantage now, no more indestructible suit to hide behind.

Ladybug landed beside Chat Noir, her yo-yo spinning. “You bastard, that wasn’t fair.”

“No,” Chat Noir said, moving to stand between her and Hawk Moth. “Get back!”

“No rules,” she said. “No more games. We do this together.”

Hawk Moth laughed. Taking a small step backward, he rested his weight on his back leg, spread his arms and bowed. “As it should be.”

Ladybug went high. Chat Noir went low. Spinning her yo-yo above her head, she leaped for Hawk Moth, then threw it as Chat Noir made a swipe for Hawk Moth’s legs. He vanished before either of them could hit him but neither of them stopped. A crackle to the air as Hawk Moth reappeared behind them and Ladybug and Chat Noir changed their trajectory seamlessly to intercept him.

Chat Noir blocked the rapier strike while Ladybug’s yo-yo twined around Hawk Moth’s wrist and yanked him off balance. Spinning, Chat Noir dropped to sweep Hawk Moth’s legs out from beneath him. Hawk Moth vanished mid fall, reappearing behind to thrust his rapier at Ladybug. Since he was already low, Chat Noir planted his hands on the ground and flipped his legs up, kicking Hawk Moth’s wrist before the strike against his lady could connect. Completing the handstand, Chat Noir whirled, staff at the ready.

Ladybug looped her yo-yo around Hawk Moth’s ankle and yanked. Once again, Hawk Moth vanished, reappearing behind Chat Noir to aim an elbow at his head. Chat Noir lurched forward, bending as Ladybug’s yo-yo shot over his head and smacked into Hawk Moth’s face.

The man staggered away, checking his nose for signs of bleeding.

Pulling it back, Ladybug cupped her yo-yo in her hand and smirked. Chat Noir skid into her side and crouched by her feet. Ladybug’s fingers scratched against his skull as Chat Noir extended his hands forward on the ground ahead of him and growled at Hawk Moth.

People were shouting and cheering, calling encouragement and Ladybug’s parents were telling them to be careful.

“I’d forgotten what fighting you was like,” Hawk Moth said and circled them. “Pathetic.”

“We’re not the pathetic ones,” Ladybug scoffed.

“Sore loser,” Chat Noir mentioned.

“I haven’t lost yet,” he said and charged.

Ladybug and Chat Noir were in sync, moving around each other, reacting to the threat as though they were one form. One mind. He was an extension of her and she was an extension of him. She swayed and dipped, he clawed and struck. She soared high, he scrambled low, perfectly in tune, every action complementing their partner’s movements. A set up to strike, a reaction to a throw, a retaliating blow, every movement a carefully crafted choreography of trust and faith. A yank from a yo-yo or a parry from a staff, the pair of them pressed the attack.

Hawk Moth moved from offensive to defensive, no longer trying to attack them, only trying to keep them at bay.

Ladybug rolled over Chat Noir’s back, tossing her yo-yo to force Hawk Moth to dodge to the left, straight into an extended baton. He picked her up and threw her over Hawk Moth’s head, so her yo-yo could zip into the back of it. They were all over each, using their combined skills to enhance and attack Hawk Moth.

The man didn’t like it. “So much trust and faith in each other. So pitiful.”

“You’ve underestimated us humans and our capacity to love and trust each other,” Ladybug said as she dipped low and gave Chat Noir something to rebound from and attack Hawk Moth.

“We are one,” Chat Noir agreed, using his lady’s hands as a launch pad. Springing high, his claws lashing out for Hawk Moth’s face.

Hawk Moth ducked out of the way and now he was sandwiched between the two of them. Opposite sited, they pressed their attack. Kicks, punches, baton strikes and yo-yo throws, they made him separate his attention to keep track of both of them at once.

“You can’t win,” Hawk Moth said, vanishing again and reappeared behind them. “Ladybug and Chat Noir always lose.”

“According to history, we never lose. Not against you,” Ladybug replied, spinning her yo-yo as she waited for Hawk Moth’s next move. “We are always victorious.”

“And yet, should you win, you cease to be.”

Chat Noir said, “We’ll always have each other.”

“Pretty, little lies,” Hawk Moth sneered. “I have your family at my mercy. How long do you think you will last when your survivor’s guilt takes over? You can end me, but I’ll take them both with me.”

Prowling in front of Ladybug protectively, Chat Noir growled, “You’ve underestimated family. The family you have,” he met Ladybug’s gaze with a tender smile. “And the family you choose.”

“Family you choose?” Hawk Moth scoffed. “Family is a lie. A human construct to make you weak, to hide your true potential and keep you bound—”

“It’s never a lie,” Chat Noir said, standing. “Family is love and friendship and—”

“You don’t get to talk to me about family.” Rage simmered beneath the carefully crafted speech as Hawk Moth shook his head. “Who do you think put me in that box?”

Chat Noir sucked in a breath. “What?”

Ladybug’s yo-yo stopped spinning. “What did you say?”

Deep inside the suit, Plagg stirred and spoke to him for the first time while transformed. A single, mournful word full of longing and shattered dreams. A word which changed everything.

Tigga.

Chat Noir took a step toward the man in surprise. “What?”

Hawk Moth lurched forward and pierced Chat Noir’s unprotected chest with his rapier.

Chapter Text

Screams all around him. Gasps of shock which drowned out his gasp of pain. Betrayal as deep as the blade.  Although, the shock of metal forcing its way into his body through the gouges in his suit stole his breath Chat Noir was no stranger to pain. Calamity had driven home just how much he could take and this… didn’t hurt. It was odd and awkward pressure, so he figured he was running on too much adrenaline for it to be painful. It would incapacitate him, fairly soon for that matter, but not before he’d done what he needed to do.

Such a precise blow. Straight through the gaps Hawk Moth had made with his dog tooth glove. Through the ribs. Right hand side. What organs were there? Not his heart. Liver maybe? That was… survivable. Right? Lungs? Oh god.

The rapier clattered to the ground, falling from limp fingers and lay discarded between them. Hawk Moth looked appalled. White face, mouth open, eyes too wide for the mask. His breath stunted and his hands shook. “Adrien—”

Chat Noir’s knees buckled and Hawk Moth caught him. One hand on the small of his back, the other cradling his head. Wet against his chest, streaming down over his ribs and dripping to the ground. He didn’t understand why his legs wouldn’t hold him up. It didn’t hurt. Not really. Why wouldn’t his legs hold him?

Hawk Moth looked devastated. “I didn’t— I couldn’t— I couldn’t stop her.”

“Get away from him!”

Hawk Moth jerked his head up to Ladybug. His hands clenched tightly on Chat Noir’s back. “Take him!”

Chat Noir raised his hand to grip his father’s arm. “No.” They needed to act. They needed to act quickly. Before he fainted. Before Tigga wrestled back control over his father. Tigga, Plagg and Tikki’s daughter, how messed up was that. This great evil was their daughter. Corrupted by… he wasn’t sure, but Plagg had implied it had been something like Calamity. They’d known this whole time and they never mentioned it.

He couldn’t think about that. There was still a world to save and he didn’t have time. But his father was there, right there, and in control and there was so much Chat Noir wanted to say. “Father—”

A wariness in Ladybug’s voice as she realised. “Monsieur Agreste?”

“Marinette,” Hawk Moth said and begged as he held Chat Noir out. “Please. Just take him.”

Her hands slid against Chat Noir’s back as she offered her strength to support him.

“I’m dangerous,” Hawk Moth told him, passing Chat Noir completely into Ladybug’s arms, then scurried backward. Without his father’s support, he crumpled and Ladybug went down with him, cradling his head against his chest.

“Oh Chat, oh god. Hang on!”

The rapier lay discarded on the ground. Breathing hurt. The ground was rough. Ladybug’s knees dug into his back. His mother was right there, inside the glass. Churning thoughts and shattered hearts and no time. “The gem.”

Ladybug’s hands fluttered around his chest before she pressed them against the wound to try and stem the flow of bleeding. Her touch sent a stabbing pain sweeping through him and he moaned, stifling it as much as he could. “Mom! Help!”

Hawk Moth clawed his face, his eyes wide. A strangled noise from his throat. Was Tigga wrestling for control? “Get the—” He thrust up his hand toward Phoenix. “STAY BACK!”

Fire burst beside them, Phoenix pausing as shadows rushed toward her.

“I don’t have control over—“ a shudder and he sneered, holding his hand out at Phoenix. “There’s more than one way to skin a cat.” Shadows gathered beneath her, grabbing hands and twisted faces and Phoenix ceased moving out of fear.

Releasing one hand from Chat Noir’s chest, Ladybug twirled her yo-yo above her head to protect them.

“No one move!” Gui bellowed from a distance, his voice slowly approaching as he spoke. “Do not approach. Do not provoke! Stay where you are!”

“I need an akuma! I can fix this with an akuma!” Ladybug appealed to Hawk Moth. “Where’s the closest one?”

His sneer faded back to dismay as his father wrestled control from Tigga. “No. There’s… I can’t— I can’t hold on long enough for you to get it. You need to—” A warped sneer appeared for a brief moment. “-die- release Félicie and bind us both.”

Still twirling her yo-yo in defence, Ladybug stared at him. “You know what that means.”

With regret, Hawk Moth said, “I’ve always known.”

Chat Noir closed his eyes. He was so tired. Exhaustion dug its claws into him and sank toward the depths, dragging him with it.  

“Don’t sleep. Don’t sleep!” Ladybug cried, shaking him with her knees. “Chat! Don’t leave me!”

He forced his eyes open. “The gem.” Chat Noir reached back to grip Ladybug’s arm. “Get her out.” So hard to breathe. “We have to… we have to—” he raised his ring hand and open and closed his hand.

Ladybug shook her head. “If we do that, I won’t be able to fix you! No, just hang on, we’ll think of something.”

“I’ll be okay.” Chat Noir fixed his eyes on his father, watching him shake and work at keeping Tigga suppressed. Keeping himself in control. “Gotta do it before Tigga takes control again.”

Ladybug’s face twisted and her eyes filled with tears. The yo-yo slowed and landed in her hand. “Oh god. Tikki and Plagg. This is their daughter. Their daughter is this evil and they didn’t tell us.”

Among everything else they didn’t mention, it seemed inconsequential right now. “Please,” Chat Noir whispered. “Let her out.”

“Nath!” Ladybug cried, twisting so she could look up at Illustrator. “Can you do anything? Can you erase the wound?”

Illustrator wrung his hands. “I— no— i— it doesn’t work like that.”

Hovering above, Phoenix called, “How about a pressure dressing?”

Illustrator put pen to tablet immediately and Chat Noir felt them appear, winding around his chest to keep pressure and help stem the flow of bleeding. Holding onto his chest, he rolled away from Ladybug and forced himself to his feet. Bad idea, the pain he’d been staving off slammed into him and he collapsed back onto his knees with a cry. Various calls of his name, from all quarters and he ignored all of them. On three limbs, one hand to his chest, he dragged himself to the rapier. “We need to finish this before I can’t anymore—”

Ladybug flicked her yo-yo and snatched the rapier to stop him from moving. Once she had it, she swivelled to face him. Meeting his eyes, Ladybug took a deep breath and clamped her hand over the gem.

A loud crack and a shockwave riding on a beam of light hit them. Chat Noir dug his claws into the ground to keep from sliding away, clenching his eyes shut so the light didn’t blind him. Cries from all around as people reacted to the light and Ladybug cried out. He couldn’t move, couldn’t get to her side, all he could do was dig in and wait for it to be over. The shockwave died but the light didn’t. Shining brightly, Chat Noir squinted, seeing a woman’s form engulfed in light.

Someone grabbed him.

A voice, right beside his ear. “I’m sorry.”

“Father?”

“You must be quick. I can’t hold her.”

“I don’t want to—”

A hand stroked his hair, a loving gesture full of words unspoken. “I know. I’ve seen what she can do. It’s taken all my strength to hold her at bay. For the greater good, you must.”

“It’s not fair.”

“I’m so sorry, my son. Be strong.”

Tears stung his eyes and his throat felt raw and Chat Noir leant into his father’s embrace before it was gone. He bowed his head so low his forehead scraped against the ground. It wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair.

Someone grabbed him again and flipped him onto his back. “This is all your fault,” Hawk Moth hissed.

Hands closed around Chat Noir’s neck and cut off his air supply. The suit did little to help, there was too much exposed skin at his neck.

“Contained and condemned to a stupid lie. Fashion greatness, recognition by deed, it wasn’t enough. Wasn’t enough. His futile attempts to harness me, to keep me at bay, all of them because of you. I toyed because it amused me but now it simply annoys me.” Hawk Moth lifted him up and smacked him back down on the ground. “If you die, I’ll be released from his prison.”

Stars dancing from the blow, Chat Noir slashed at Hawk Moth’s face with his claws. They caught the edge of Hawk Moth’s hood, which was as invulnerable to damage as Plagg normally was.

The light around them died, allowing Chat Noir to see. Tucking his feet up, he planted a knee against Hawk Moth’s chest, trying to use the leverage to shove the man away.

Rage made Hawk Moth stronger. Spittle dripped from his mouth as he bared his teeth to apply all the pressure he could on Chat Noir’s neck. Chat Noir raked his claws down his father’s arms and slashed at his face, wriggling as much as he could to get free.

“Without you, there will be nothing else to save. Nothing to protect.” He laughed. “If I’d known how close my father was, I would’ve done this at the beginning.”

“Tigga, stop,” Chat Noir choked out. “Please.”

Hawk Moth smirked. “So. They told you. Oh, this makes it so much sweeter. How does it feel, Dad, to have another kitten die by my hands?”

Chat Noir bared his teeth and growled, expelling the last of his air from his lungs.

Hands on Hawk Moth’s back, a massive shadow looming overhead as Dragon tore Hawk Moth away from Chat Noir. Coughing, he gulped in breath and stared up at the sky. His throat hurt, his chest screamed at him and all he wanted to do was sleep. Vaguely, he could hear Ladybug’s voice calling for him. He needed to answer. Everything he was demanded he answer his lady.

Rolling onto all fours, he struggled to rise. Then she was there, pushing him up, her arms wrapped around him and her face in his neck. On his knees, he clutched at her. Squeezing as tight as she dared, she choked out a sob. “Are you okay?”

He breathed her in and let her scent engulf him. “Y—”

The shadows were gone. Wiped away by the light, their absence allowed the champion army to act. They surrounded Hawk Moth to keep him at bay and give Chat Noir time to struggle to his feet.

But Chat Noir couldn’t see that. All he could see was Félicie crumpled on the ground ahead of him.

“Mom!” The cry ripped out of him as the floodgates opened and he tore himself from Ladybug’s arms. All the suppressed emotion about where his mom had been and what he’d done to drive her away came crashing down. It felt all so surreal. He hadn’t really allowed himself to believe he might get her back and there she was. Lying peacefully on the ground before him. He couldn’t get to her side fast enough. Snatching up her hand, Chat Noir pressed it to his face. “Mom. Wake up!”

A nightgown. Satin and pale lavender and the smell of freesia, it was her favourite nightgown. She’d tucked him in and kissed him goodnight and that was the last he’d seen of her. She looked exactly like he remembered her. Chat Noir reached down with a claw and smoothed Félicie’s hair, then curled a strand around his finger. Nooroo curled up in a ball on Félicie’s chest, his broach resting in her hand.

Chat Noir watched as his mother took a breath. Then another. So peaceful and calm. He flopped, all strength leaving him. He wanted to sit beside her and remember every moment. Engrave every second onto his heart for all time. Pressing his face to his mother’s hand again, he struggled to control himself.

Phoenix touched Chat Noir’s back as she sank down beside him and he cast her a watery smile. Leaning sideways, he rested his head on her shoulder and let her support him.

“She’s alright,” Phoenix murmured, stroking his hair. “She’s just sleeping.”

“Your lady needs you.” Gui’s knees creaked as he lowered himself to the ground by Félicie’s head. “Go,” he said, holding out the box. “I’ll take care of her.”

Chat Noir turned his head.

The champions were trying to contain Hawk Moth. They were spread out, trying to get their hands on him as he taunted them via teleport. Popping in and out, smirking and jeering and lashing out at the back of heads. Ladybug’s yo-yo would be scant seconds too late to contain him but that didn’t stop her from trying.

“Why doesn’t she just teleport away?”

“Energy has a limit,” Gui said. “Now the army is gone, he would be nearing the end of his.”

“She.”

Gui inclined his head. “She.”

“You should have told us.”

“We are bound by rules,” Gui said.

He didn’t really care about the rules. So many of them ended in lies. Lifting his ring, Chat Noir glanced at the five prints. “Any chance she could…”

“She doesn’t have an item,” Gui told him. “That’s why she possesses.”

“Oh.” His legs didn’t want to work properly, so Phoenix helped him stand. Once he was, he gently pulled himself away from her support. “Stay with my mom, please.”

Grey eyes so full of sorrow and knowledge. “Everything’ll be okay.”

Nodding, he kissed her cheek. His voice had shattered into a million pieces but he still found the words he needed. “Thank you.” Taking the box from Gui, Chat Noir began his long walk to Ladybug.

Carrying the box with one hand, the other pressed against his chest as he made his way through the champions. Bubbler joined him. Not to help him walk but to offer silent support. Most of the champions he passed seemed to realise something heavy was about to go down but there as an air of confusion as to what. They watched him approach in silence. He didn’t blame them since they hadn’t had a chance to explain what would happen.

Each step felt heavier than the last, the fate of the world rested on his shoulders. It all came down to this. A moment he’d honestly hoped would never arrived.

He faltered, wincing in pain and Bubbler put his hand on his back and took the arm which held the box. Looping it over his shoulder, he said, “I could really go for a pizza ‘bout now.”

Chat Noir winced out a laugh. “With anchovies.”

“Oh, you would like the ones with fish on them,” Bubbler scoffed.

“And you’re a pineapple lover,” Chat Noir replied and pulled a face. “Ick.”

“We should go. My treat.”

Chat Noir nodded. “Sure. All you can eat?”

“Definitely. We’ll undo our belts and live there for a year.”

“That sounds like an amazing plan.”

Dragon and Ladybug stood at the head of the champion army, keeping Hawk Moth at bay. They fought him in unison, taking turns to strike while the other darted away and looked for a better angle. Bouncing around each other, they worked much like they did when playing games, calling out their attack moves so their partner knew what they were doing and could respond accordingly. Not as in-sync as Chat Noir and Ladybug but close.

Chat Noir took a moment to watch. Ladybug was too focussed. Too intent on Hawk Moth. Vicious in her attack, she held nothing back as she went for him. So much suppressed pain in her movements and he wondered if she’d torn her sutures.

Hawk Moth took all of their attention and they took all of his. They didn’t notice his approach.

Without a word, Bubbler lifted Chat Noir’s arm from his shoulder and fell back, waiting on the outskirts of the circle of champions which had formed around the fight.

He couldn’t think about what he was going to do. Didn’t want to. Wanted to sleep for a million years. Be somewhere else, not here.  Not when he was about to lose both Plagg and his father.

Hawk Moth made a swipe for Ladybug’s face and she danced away. Dragon must have seen Chat Noir, because he moved in to command Hawk Moth’s full attention, shield flashing in the sunlight as he smacked Hawk Moth with it.

It was here. This was it. No backing out. No second thoughts. No way out. He was so tired. He wiped all the blood away from his palm as he could as he didn’t want to waste his powers on dissolving that instead. Raising his hand above his head, Chat Noir called, “Cataclysm!”

Ladybug’s head snapped to his. Devastation etched into every part of her. “Adrien…”

Hawk Moth froze. “No!”

Chat Noir extended his right hand to her and ducked down to bow. “Goodbye my lady.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Goodbye my kitty.” Reaching for his hand with her left one, yo-yo in palm, she cried, “Lucky charm.”

Closing his eyes, he kissed her fingers and murmured, “Bye Plagg.”

Ladybug whispered her own goodbye to her kwami. Soft and mournful, her fingers curling around his.

Their suits unravelled and became the piercing green-yellow and vibrant pink glow of transformation. Flowing up their legs and through their bodies, the colours merged at their joined hands to create the ball of light. Without Plagg to support him, Adrien felt all strength leave him and he dropped to his knees, barely managing to hold onto Marinette’s hand.

Marinette sank down with him and placed the box between their knees. One arm extended so it looped around his waist, she held him up. Her other hand coax their joined hands up higher and Adrien looked up to watch.

The pink and yellow lights swirled around each other, dancing and merging and Adrien recognised the same symbol in the he’d seen when he and Ladybug had become a little too frisky in their suits and Tikki and Plagg required a rebalance. He briefly wondered if they’d done that so he and Marinette would recognise them like this.

Beams of light appeared, connecting them to the swirling light above them. Yellow for Adrien’s heart light and pink for Marinette. Metaphorical chains, something which would be broken before long.

Above them, a being floated from the light. An entirely impossible being. Twice the size of Adrien. Black and red, a sharp bug-like head with pointed cat ears. Bright red antennae which flowed half the lengths of its body, ending in black tips. Insectoid wings buzzed on its back, a ladybug carapace lifted to reveal them. Spotted red carapace protected parts of it, while other parts were covered in soft flowing black fur. Six limbs, two arms and four legs, although their hands and feet were the same shape. Cat claws rested on the end of each limb and it had a long red and black tail. An alien blend of both kwami.

Was this their ultimate forms? Or was it just the one they appeared as when joined? Both Marinette and Adrien’s heart lights joined with the creature’s chest.

Marinette’s arm around him tightened. He looped his free arm around her hips to bring her closer to him. Glancing over, the champions were all shielding their eyes and Adrien wondered if they could even see Plagg and Tikki’s form. Or if it was just them.

Paws landed on the ground ahead of them and Adrien heard a blend of Tikki and Plagg’s voice in his head, “Tigga.” Extending a claw, it beckoned. “The world is not ready for you, little one, and you are not ready for it.”

Hawk Moth shook his head, but the voice, when it echoed in his head, was feminine. “I’m not leaving.”

“Let him go.”

“No. He’s mine. You always take them from me, just when I start having fun.”

“You know how this will end.”

“Then do it. Be the cause of another death.”

Resting his head on Marinette’s shoulder, Adrien looked at his father.

“Why must you always cause so much pain?”

“Why do you always insist I am not ready for this world and I must return to my prison?”

“You steal life!”

“Destruction is supposed to!”

“Only when tempered by empathy, something which you fail to remember. You weren’t supposed to destroy. You were meant to create!”

The light had finished syphoning away from them. The only way they were connected with Tikki and Plagg anymore was through their hearts and their Miraculous.

Marinette whispered, “Does it… sound to you like they’re… Tigga sounds young. She sounds like Manon.”

“Disciplining a petulant child by sending it to its room.”

“Only this child kills.”

“And humanity is her playground.” Tearing his eyes away, he turned his face toward her neck and leant on her heavily. So tired. “No wonder they didn’t tell us.”

“They are ancient beings. We’d be kidding ourselves if we thought all of them would be benevolent.”

“They said Tigga was corrupted. If she had Tikki’s power of creation and used Plagg’s destruction…”

Marinette shook her head. “And the only course of action was to lock her in a box?”

“I’m too tired to think,” he mumbled. “Does it matter anymore?”

“They’re as human as we are,” Marinette noted. “They can screw up parenting too.”

Conversation between Plagg, Tikki and Tigga ascended beyond what he could understand. Whispers and chimes in his head, growls and chirps.

He’d thought it’d at least be mercifully quick. Maybe it was selfish and bad, but he just wanted this over. Not this… lingering. And waiting. He felt a little silly, clinging to Marinette like his world was going to end when all that was happening was a scolding conversation. His chest ached and his clothes felt wet. Dizziness nibbled at the edge and he wondered how much longer he had to last before he could sleep.

When the combined forms of Tikki and Plagg struck, Adrien wasn’t ready.  A sudden roar which made him jerk in shock. Marinette’s hand found the back of his head to keep his face turned away.

A scream made Marinette flinch and he clutched her tight. She whispered under her breath, telling him it was okay. That it would be over soon. That she loved him. That she was so, so sorry. By the tilt of her head, she watched. He couldn’t bring himself to.

Another scream pierced then something else filled the air. A cry to battle. “Come forth, my champion!”

Marinette sucked in a gasp.

Adrien jerked his head from Marinette’s shoulder. Papillon stood there, in all her glory. Sparking blonde hair, her lavender, tight-fitting suit, Instead of a scarf like he’d had, his mother had a gossamer shawl draped around her neck and down to her arms. One hand extended toward Hawk Moth, her face determined. “Gabriel! Fight it!”

Twisting around, Adrien looked the other way. The Tikki-Plagg combination had its claws phased into Hawk Moth’s body, rummaging through it like it was searching for something. Convulsing, his face was twisted in agony, his mouth hung open in a silent scream. But the suit… The suit was different. The hood was gone, his father’s white upswept hair. The lapels were longer, spiking over his shoulders and giving way to a shortened gossamer scarf.

His parents matched too. Just like Dragon and Phoenix. Just like him and Marinette. His parents matched.

His father was his mother’s champion. He didn’t know why he hadn’t made that connection before. Was the power of a champion enough so that he could survive?

“Be strong!” Papillon called, walking briskly forward with Gui at her side. Behind her, Phoenix joined Dragon, Lady Wifi and Bubbler. “Endure for a little longer.”

Eyes lolling, Hawk Moth met Adrien’s stricken gaze. A grim determination filled him as he raised his hands and gripped the forearms embedded in his chest.

Tikki-Plagg made a scratchy sort of twitter. Their grip on Hawk Moth changed, from harsh to gentle, their middle limbs lifting off the ground to add support to Hawk Moth. Leaning back, they strained as they pulled. His face twisted in pain, Hawk Moth’s head dropped back, his body going limp beneath Tikki-Plagg’s claws.

Adrien shook his head, refusing to look away. His eyes riveted on his father’s still heaving chest. “No.”

A ghostly form appeared above Hawk Moth’s chest. Deep burgundy in colour, fangs snapped and paws clawed at Tikki-Plagg as Tigga tried to free herself from their grip. Tikki-Plagg bopped Tigga on the nose. “Hush.”

“Why?” the form asked. “I’m a good girl, I’m just like you, Papa. Why lock me away?”

A paw stroked Tigga’s face. “I know, little cub,” Plagg’s voice said. “But you weren’t meant to be like me. I can’t use my power to create any more than you could use yours to destroy.”

“I hate you.”

Sorrow etched lines on Tikki-Plagg’s face. “I know.”

Tigga began to struggle, trying to get away rather than fight back. “Why is he better than me?”

Tikki-Plagg shook their head, their voice back to the dual blend of Tikki and Plagg. “It doesn’t work like that.”

Listening to them, an odd thought occurred to Adrien and he spoke without really meaning to. “How can creation love destruction?”

“What?” Marinette asked.

Words poured from him, filling empty spaces, and taking what little strength he had left. “Tigga taunted me with that. How can creation love destruction? What if that’s not her question?  What if it’s ‘how can destruction love creation’?”

“I don’t understand.”

“Tigga’s like me,” Adrien said and his words slurred. “All I wanted was my father’s love. Only Tigga went too far to try and get it.” He sighed. “No wonder Plagg understood me so well.” He nodded. “No wonder she hated me.”

“Adrien?”

He sat back on his haunches, dropping his arms from Marinette. “Hard truth, I suppose.”

“I don’t—”

“Marinette?” A wave of dizziness swept over him he couldn’t ignore. “I don’t feel good.”

Marinette’s expression went panicked. “Adrien—”

He collapsed sideways.

She went with him, her face white and her hands trembling with fear. “No. Please. Chat, stay with me!” Her hands went to his side to discover what his black shirt had been hiding. Looking at the blood welling between her fingers, she jerked her head up. “Mom! Nath! The bandage vanished!”

Footsteps running but Adrien kept his eyes focussed on Marinette.

Phoenix fell to her knees behind Adrien while Papillon skidded in near his head. Papillon gasped in horror and covered her mouth with her hands while Phoenix went for the hem of Adrien’s shirt. “Honey, I’m gonna lift this, okay?”

“What happened?” Papillon demanded, then cried out as Phoenix hiked up his shirt. “Oh god!”

Phoenix checked his front, then because he was on his side, checked the back of him. “It’s through. Adrien, you should’ve said.”

He hadn’t known.

Marinette scooted around Phoenix so that she could be by Adrien’s head too. Adrien lifted his arm so he could clutch Marinette’s hand. He turned his eyes and smiled at Papillon. “Hi Mom.”

Papillon’s lips quivered and her eyes filled with tears. “Hi kitten.” She took his other hand and lifted it to her mouth. “Oh, you look so grown up.” Her other hand reached down to cup his face, tapping the frames of his glasses. “And glasses? When did that happen?”

Adrien allowed himself a tired sigh, only vaguely aware of Phoenix talking to Illustrator while gesturing his chest and back. “Few months ago. Mom,” he said and twisted his head to Marinette, “This is Marinette. She’s my girlfriend.”

Papillon lifted her eyes to Marinette with a watery smile. “And Ladybug too. I leave you alone for a while and look what happens. Saving Paris and meeting a nice girl. Marinette. How lovely to meet you.”

With a shuddering breath, Adrien could see Marinette was trying to keep her eyes away from his chest and give him something normal to cling to. “Nice to meet you too, Madame Agreste.”

More shadows to blot out the sun. Lady Wifi and Bubbler hovered nearby, Bubbler’s arm around Lady Wifi. Dragon waited, keeping an eye on Hawk Moth. Glacia and Chameleon off to the side, Chameleon trying to comfort a crying Glacia. Others beyond that, watching, waiting.

“And this is her mom, Sabine,” Adrien continued, looking at Phoenix.

With a smile to Papillon, Phoenix leant over so she could get his attention. “Honey, this might hurt. Illustrator’s going to put on another pressure bandage.”

Adrien nodded. Marinette brushed his hair away from his forehead and squeezed his fingers.

“We need to get him to a hospital as soon as possible,” Phoenix murmured and Adrien stiffened as he felt Illustrator’s pressure bandage wrap around his torso. Papillon kissed each one of his fingers on the hand she held.

“We’ve already called 112, Ms C,” Bubbler said. “But they can’t get close until we give the all clear.”

Phoenix nodded. “Where are they? I’ll carry Adrien—”

“I want to stay.”

Papillon shook her head. “Adrien, that’s not a good idea. You’re losing a lot of blood. We need to—”

“I’m still connected to Plagg,” he mumbled and took his hand out of his mother’s to show Phoenix the thread. It wove itself around Marinette’s then looped its way to the Tikki-Plagg combination. “This isn’t over and I need to see it through.”

“Ahh,” Illustrator interrupted, backing away. “Guys, that light shows coming over here.”

“Lightshow?” Marinette asked, peering in the direction Illustrator looked. Bubbler and Lady Wifi cringed and backed away too, their faces averted. Dragon, with his face turned to the side and squinting, stayed where he was. “What?”

“They don’t see what we see,” Papillon explained. “Only Miraculous holders can see kwami in their true forms. All others are blind to it.”

“I wondered if they could see,” Marinette said. “There was… a lack of reaction at Tikki and Plagg’s appearance.”

“Sabine,” Tikki-Plagg murmured and extended a claw to rest on Phoenix’s shoulder. The woman startled at the touch. “If you please. I need some space. I won’t be long.”

Patting Adrien’s cheek, Phoenix nodded and moved aside.

The great combination of Tikki and Plagg loomed over him and Plagg’s voice said, “Hey kid. How’re holding up?”

“Least I’m not blind this time,” Adrien said and tried to smile. It died before it had a chance to form. The words caught in his throat but he had to ask, “My father?”

A snort and a snuffle as the Tikki-Plagg hunkered down and tilted their head at Papillon. “I did not think it possible to coax a champion to rise beneath her. Risky.”

“Did it work?” Papillon asked.

“He lives. I cannot say the state of his mind, but he breathes. It was enough to protect his body.”

“Oh thank god,” Papillon breathed.

Adrien muffled a sob and pressed his face to Marinette’s hand. Strength rapidly drained from him, but his father… his father was alive.  The relief from that was palpable. He’d thought… he’d thought… he’d been so prepared to lose, he hadn’t allowed himself to believe that they might come out of this intact.

Mostly intact.

Fingers ran through his hair to comfort him as Marinette let out a stifled noise of her own.

Tikki-Plagg cautioned, “There will be scars.”

“Of course there will,” Papillion said, the relief in her voice evident. “Will you help Adrien?”

A regretful swing of their head. “I cannot. I must put Tigga back in the box.” Extending their paw, they allowed Marinette, Adrien and Papillon to see the burgundy light nestled and asleep. Something small and fluffy with a long, striped tail.

“Oh, she so cute!” Marinette cooed. “A red panda?”

Tikki-Plagg nodded.

“How does a cat and a bug make a panda?” Marinette waved her hands and pointed a finger. “No, forget that. You should’ve told us.”

Ignoring the question, Tikki-Plagg said, “We only wish to say goodbye. We should not linger, we only sap Adrien’s strength. Where is the box?”

“I have it,” Gui announced. “And I am not going to allow you to do this again.”

Chapter Text

Tikki-Plagg slowly stood from their crouch beside Adrien. Every action careful and controlled, an animal preparing to strike. “I beg your pardon?”

Papillon stroked her fingers down Adrien’s face. “Gui, we need to get Adrien to a hospital.”

“What’s going on?” Marinette asked.

Adrien couldn’t see Gui, but he could hear the quiet confidence in his voice. “The turtle is the timekeeper,” Gui said. “Since the beginning, Wayzz has tended the chronicles. Diligent. Steadfast. He has recorded everything. Including the musings of the other guardians.”

Tikki-Plagg prowled. “Now is not the time for this. Adrien needs—”

“Over the last hundred years, I have spoken to all the guardian kwami. I have spoken to all the wielders, and we all agree. It’s time for Tigga to get her miraculous stone.”

Tikki-Plagg tilted their head. “Is that so?”

“You are never there for the aftermath,” Gui pointed out. “At a time when she is most awake and most receptive. Where she has tasted freedom and she wants to keep it.”

“She talks through the box,” Papillon said. “If you’re willing to listen.”

“You think I don’t listen?” Tikki-Plagg crooned, sounding dangerous. Paw over paw, low to the ground, Tikki-Plagg channelled the cat’s defensive stances. “You think I don’t long for the day where we can be together? Do you think I want this? I hate this! I hate that she won’t talk to me or no matter what I do she continues to hate and fight. But we have no choice! If she is allowed to run free as she did in the beginning, she will destroy everything! The binding was the only thing which allowed us to spare her. The others would’ve killed her!”

Gui held his ground. “If anything, this time shows how much she can be tempered.”

“This time?” Tikki-Plagg hissed.

“No wars. No death. No massive destruction. This time, Plagg has done more damage than Tigga has. Damage that you always fix, Tikki. Why should Tigga’s damage be any different?”

“Um, excuse me,” Adrien called, each word an effort. “Stabbed here. And she tried to strangle me. And that’s not even going into the psychological abuse I was subjected to as she tried to turn me into an akuma.”

Papillon’s head reared back and then snapped over to Gui’s. “She did that?”

Gui waved his head from side to side and admitted, “Well, there have been some… hiccups.”

“Hiccups?” Papillon echoed. “I wouldn’t say that was a hiccup. Why weren’t you watching him?”

“I was. There was a lot you missed,” Gui said. “It’s a learning process for Tigga. If you’d been there to guide her as well as Gabriel, things may have been—”

“The point is, I wasn’t!” Papillon said. “If you thought she needed guidance, you should’ve provided it not left her there.”

Hunkering over, Tikki-Plagg bared sharp teeth. “You knew where she was this whole time! You released her deliberately!”

“No,” Gui replied with haste, his hands gesturing to placate. “It was an accident. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t take this time to assess her. A time you have also taken yourself. You must agree that this time was different. This time she changed. She tried something new. Yes, it still wasn’t right but she tried. That should be encouraged. Directed.”

“And you think, based upon what’s happened this singular time and disregarding all the other destruction she has caused, she should be allowed to bond with a stone? Humans are not a plaything and should not be treated as such!”

“I think, as her parents, you shouldn’t be so quick to rush back to your stones,” Gui said.

Tikki-Plagg’s prowling ceased. “You think I want to leave?”

“You always leave a mess behind,” Gui scolded. “Wielders damaged and confused, because you never explain what they’re getting into. Most of them don’t even find out what she is, you keep this ‘great evil’ charade going. And then there’s the aftermath of Tigga’s corruptions. You leave that to the guardians and retreat and they have to deal with the confused and the heartsore. Yes, it’s been a while since you had to bind her, and Wayzz knows it hurts, but if you could only see her afterward, you might understand. She wants to change, but she doesn’t know how and the corruption inside her festers. She needs guidance. She needs someone who understands destruction and someone who is creation to temper the storm she carries.”

Tikki-Plagg remained silent. 

“I’m not saying she must be released yet,” Gui continued. “But it should be considered. Rules discussed in place and agreed to. What if she’s allowed a wielder, someone known to you and someone with the strength of will to temper her corruption? If she is only allowed to bond with one while you are active, it may give her a chance to grow.”

“And what if she destroys the wielder?” Tikki-Plagg asked. “She has hurt so many.”

“As have you.”

Tikki-Plagg hissed. “I have loved! I have protected!”

“Love doesn’t mean they are immune to hurt,” Gui chided.

“Do you know how many kittens I have lost to my daughter?” Tikki-Plagg spat. “Trying to keep the humans safe? And you want me to let her free without consequence?”

“Of course there’ll be consequences!” Gui snapped, then made his voice soothing. “Which is why you do it slowly. In stages.”

“It’s not something we expected you to jump on immediately,” Papillon said. “You view time differently than us. But the guardians want you to start thinking about it.”

“Creation and destruction must balance. Two halves of one whole. She destroyed her partner.  She will never be whole.”

“She can be whole within herself. She still carries the seed of creation. Just because she’s chosen destruction as her path doesn’t mean she cannot do both.”

“And that is dangerous.”

“I’m not saying it’s not,” Gui said. “I’m saying this cycle must break. It’s not working.”

“We never expected it would work,” Tikki-Plagg snapped. “We simply wanted to keep her alive.”

“Use some of the human techniques you've learnt instead of trying to teach her the kwami way,” Gui said. “You always do so well with your kittens and your buglets because you recognise they’re a difference species and have different needs. Tigga has different needs too.”

Tikki-Plagg paused and tilted their head in consideration.

Gui continued, “You are the strongest of the dual-kwami. Creation and destruction. If you cannot guide your own daughter free from her corruption, what hope do we have of rehabilitating the others? Nooroo and Wayzz will bind her this time so you can—”

Tikki-Plagg took a step backward and shook their head. “It is our burden—”

“Their powers will bind her just as well. Perhaps better, because she will not fight them. You’ll be able to speak to Tigga straight after an escape, guide her through her mistakes, instead of allowing her to fester until you wake again. Perhaps it will make a difference this time. Something has to change.”

Unable to keep his eyes open any long, Adrien let them close.

“You know what this means,” Tikki-Plagg cautioned. “You’re giving up your tendency.”

Gui said, “I am old. Tired. I have seen the world and watched it change. I have buried grandchildren. I would like the chance to grow old at a rate which matches the people around me rather than lingering as I do. If I am lucky, I’ll see Wayzz rise again before I go,” Gui said. “I can still pass on my knowledge. I can still teach and protect.”

So hard to breathe, the pain nibbling at the edges had him in its embrace. He sunk.

“And Nooroo?”

“He’s spoken to you?” Papillon asked.

Gui’s voice filtered in from far away. “Nooroo has been greatly stressed over the last year. Creating so many akuma and trying to counsel Gabriel and keep Tigga directed. He needs to recharge. Even without binding Tigga, he will ask to be released.”

“We cannot ask this of you. It is our responsibility to—”

“Ladybug and Chat Noir are still needed—”

“Adrien?”

Marinette’s voice. So far away. But he had no strength left to answer.

…

…

…

A fluorescent light buzzed. Air-conditioning hummed from a vent. A smell of… he wasn’t quite sure. A soft murmur of voices. “The room’s covered in flour, there’s not a single item where I left it, something’s in the oven and I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be but it smells bad, Marinette’s stark naked and sitting on a mound of dough, Tom’s covered in god-knows-what and he looks up at me and gives me the cheesiest grin I’ve ever seen from him. ‘Hi honey, we’re making bum-cakes!’”

Rambunctious laughter, somehow achingly familiar, coaxed him toward the surface.

“He looked so pleased with himself I didn’t have the heart to scold him.”

“They always do! A little bit of parenting time and they expect to be praised for it.”

“And the next time Mamie Dupain visits—”

“Oh no!”

“Marinette’s toddling around, singing at the top of her lungs and bashing a pot with a wooden spoon. She can barely string five words together and mostly what I could get out of her was gobbledygook but this time, clear as day—”

“Bum-cakes!” A peal of laughter, tinkling like bells.

“Mamie Dupain, straight-faced, gets out of her chair and goes ‘Tom! You heard the girl. We’re making bum-cakes!’. I about died!”

“Mamie’s are the best.”

“Oh they are.”

“When Adrien was little—”

Nope. He didn’t want to be awake for this. Nope nope. He wanted to say: ‘Something tells me it was a bad idea to let you two meet,’ but what came out was nothing more than a groan.

Rustling of cloth as the two women leapt to their feet and he felt both his hands being taken. Cracking open one eye, he peered at the fuzz above him. He didn’t recognise the room, but he recognised the women. “Um… hi?”

“Oh,” Sabine said, then gently prompted, “He needs his glasses.”

“Oh!” Félicie blurted and released his hand. “I forgot!” She scrambled for something then he felt metallic frames being slid on. “It’s going to take some getting used to.”

“You’ll get it,” Sabine soothed.

Blinking a few times, he smiled at them. “Hello.”

Félicie took his hand again and lifted it so she could kiss his fingers. “How are you feeling?”

He drank in the sight of her as he considered her question. It was still hard to believe she was here. “Um… kinda numb? Very tired.”

“That’s to be expected,” Félicie said. “You were very lucky.”

Why was he already falling asleep again? With a tired sigh, he asked, “Where are we?”

“At the hospital,” Félicie said. “You lost a lot of blood, but the doctors say you’ll be fine.”

“You’ll have quite the scar,” Sabine said.

“There goes my swimsuit career,” Adrien mumbled.

“Please don’t tell me he asked you to swimsuit model,” Félicie said. “We agreed—”

“I was joking, Mom.” A grin crept on to his face. “It’s nice to say that again.”

Fingers brushed against his forehead. “You’ve been through so much.”

Closing his eyes, he breathed out slowly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. Go back to sleep. We’ll still be here when you wake up.”

“Mari?”

Sabine said, “I sent her home to shower and get something to eat and Tom will try and make her nap. She’ll be back soon.”

“’Kay.”

“You’re going to be fine,” Félicie soothed. “This hospital has the best doctors in Paris.”

“’Kay.”

As he drifted off to sleep he realised he couldn't feel a ring on his finger.

Next time he woke, it was dark, and there was a nurse doing routine checks on him. Félicie wasn’t there and neither was Sabine or Marinette. They wouldn’t be, he supposed it was outside visiting hours.

“How are you feeling?” the nurse asked. He couldn’t see her well, but her voice was soft and kind and her hands were warm against his pulse.

“Tired,” he replied and lifted a hand to his chest. It tangled in some tubing connected to his wrist, so he lifted the other one. His whole chest had felt numb until he poked it. The pain had been a surprise and he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t even sure why he’d poked himself. “Ow.”

“Careful. Do you remember what happened?”

He did, but he didn’t know what story had been woven. Whether or not he had been Chat Noir was public. What they’d been told. So he gave a tired mumble of some nonsense that even he couldn’t figure out what he said and closed his eyes.

“They said you were in the final battle against Hawk Moth. Your whole class was as well as a lot of old akuma victims.”

“Um… I think so.” He swallowed, feeling sluggish as his mind tried to think of something to say. “Yeah. That’s right. Alya said Ladybug needed our help.”

“Very cool,” the nurse replied, checking the IV bag. “Although, perhaps not so cool since you got hurt.”

“Yeah.”

She wrote something down on the board at the end of his bed. “We don’t often see injuries after an akuma battle, but I suppose a final battle is a little different. From what I’ve seen, Paris is amazingly lucky.” She sighed. “The doctor will be by to see you in the morning and check on your post-op progress. In the meantime, my name is Sasha, I’m on duty tonight. You have a catheter in, so no getting out of bed and don’t tug on it, that’ll just turn out bad for you. It’ll probably come out in the morning. I’m going to put my buzzer in your hand as I leave. Call me if you need anything.”

“Where’s my mom?”

“I believe she went home. Do you want me to call her?”

“No. That’s okay.”

She patted his ankle. “I’ll leave you to sleep.”

Shoes shuffled on the floor as she walked away and the door clicked closed. Raising his right hand, he stared at the empty space on his finger. “Plagg?”

Nothing. The hum of the air-conditioning. The drip of the IV. A beep of some equipment somewhere. Murmur of late night voices on the ward. But no sarcastic voice telling him to shut up. No little black figure zipping out of hiding asking for cheese.

Tears stung his eyes. “Oh.”

His exhausted body pulled him toward sleep before he was ready but it was better than being awake.

Third time he woke to Chloé’s shrill voice echoing loudly in the lonely room from the hallway. “Do you know who I am? I’m Chloé Bourgeois, the Mayor’s daughter. I don’t care that it’s outside visiting hours. I have to go to school soon and I want to see my best friend before I do so. Adrien Agreste. I’m sure you’ve heard of both of us and how famous and powerful our fathers are. Now which room is he in? ... No, I will not be quiet, I will stand here and shrill loudly and wake up all your patients until— Marinette! Tell them who—”

The shrillness died. Adrien fumbled along the tray table beside his bed for his glasses, then reached for the bed controls to angle the bed higher and sit up more.

The door clicked open, followed by Chloé’s shoes clicking. “Are you alright? You look dreadful. Those bags under your eyes are awful.”

Instead of insincerity or scorn in her tone, all Adrien could hear was concern. Seeing them, Marinette did look tired and harried as she stumbled into the room carrying a bunch of marigolds, a large wicker bag and an awkward looking paper bag. Although Chloe didn’t help her, she was willing to hold the door open. They hung in the doorway so they could talk without disturbing him, not realising he waited.

Listening to them talk without being aware they had an audience was interesting and Adrien was glad the politeness they seemed to share when in his presence wasn’t all feigned.

“I know, I didn’t get much sleep, there’s just been so much going on,” Marinette said and shifted her weight from foot to foot. “Media releases and questions to answer. It’s just a bit stressful.”

“I can understand that. I told my father that it would make me so unhappy if he didn’t keep his media under control. Told him to leave it to the Ladyblog and wait.”

“Seems to be working. Thank you.”

“Well, good.” Chloé reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. “I’m going to set up an appointment with my spa for you. The facials are divine and the masseuse is to die for. My treat. You can even take Alya, she’d probably never get a better one. Sabrina loves it when I bring her along, they pamper so well.” Chloé swung shut the door behind them. “I mean, not today, of course. But soon.”

“Thank you, Chloé,” Marinette replied and rested the large wicker bag she carried on the bench opposite the bed and placed the flowers beside it. “I really appreciate it.” Lifting the paper bag, she turned toward the bed. Seeing Adrien awake, a smile bloomed, spreading across her entire face and making her breathtakingly beautiful.

He couldn’t help but smile back at her, lifting his hand to wave.

“Think nothing of it. I have to make good on the ‘best friend to Ladybug’ claim. Oh! Adrikins!” Chloé rushed across the room and pulled up short as she remembered he was hurt. Bending down, she peppered his cheek with kisses. She patted his arm then took his hand, dragging the closest chair to the side of the bed with her foot. “How’re you feeling?”

“Not awake enough to tell you yet,” he replied, his eyes following Marinette as she moved around to his other side and left the paper bag on the bed by his feet. “Someone decided to sass the nurses.”

Chloé cringed. “Oh. You heard that.”

Lifting his hand, he closed it around Marinette’s when she slid her hand into his. “I don’t think there’s anyone on this floor who didn’t.”

“Well, I have to go to school soon and I wanted to see you before I did. Since no one expected Marinette will go, someone will need to give everyone news of how you’re doing.”

And Chloé would love being the centre of attention.

Chloé squeezed his hand. “What did the doctors say?”

“No idea,” Adrien said, leaning into Marinette as her lips brushed his cheek in greeting. “This is the longest I’ve been awake.”

“Oh, really?” Chloé asked.

“Yeah. I’m exhausted.” He eyed the IV bag. “And I’m not sure how much of that cocktail is making me drowsy.”

“Your body’s working pretty hard to try and fix itself,” Marinette said and leant on the bed beside his hand.

“Why didn’t that light fix him?” Chloé asked. “I thought that’s what you always did at the end? Put things back the way they were.”

Marinette stretched out her hand and touched Adrien’s bare upper arm. “Dog teeth and insect pins. The cure’s done all it can.”

Adrien’s smile died. “Did they—”

“Pretty pointless if it can’t cure everything,” Chloé pointed out.

Marinette stroked her fingers along, up to his shoulder, down to his elbow, while he watched her. “Everything has a weakness.”

Chloé huffed.

“It increased his ability to heal, Chloé,” Marinette said and lifted her hand to his head. “With luck, he won’t have scars. And the more akuma we get, the better he’ll heal.” Nails against his scalp behind his ear and Adrien pressed into her hand.

“I suppose that’s better than nothing. Scars would ruin his modelling career.”

“You know I only do that as a favour to my father,” Adrien mumbled. “Don’t really care.” Flicking his eyes to Marinette, he asked, “Where is he?”

She didn’t stop scratching him but her expression went sympathetic. “One floor down. Your mom’s there at the moment talking to the doctors.”

Chloé continued as though Marinette hadn’t spoken. “The media’s going nuts over the whole battle thing, Adrien. So much speculation. Kim’s really living it up, raking in the interviews and such.”

Adrien frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Everyone’s been briefed,” Marinette murmured. “No one’s going to give away our identities. But that doesn’t mean they’re not enjoying their sudden rise to fame. No one has footage of the battle except for Alya and she’s hoarding it. While she was Wifi, she cut all the feeds to help cover. We didn’t want anything leaking. She’s waiting on you so we can discuss what we want to release.”

“Thanks. How’d you explain the injury?”

“Exhaustion,” Marinette said. “We said we were among the champions. Gabriel too… Several of them have cuts and abrasions which hadn’t been fixed and you and Gabriel took the worst of it. Alya leaked a few pictures of the shadow army so most know what we had to deal with. With winter, people know the cure doesn’t always work so…” she shrugged. “Best Alya and I could come up under duress.”

“Paris is celebrating,” Chloé announced. “Daddy’s going to have a party to honour our heroes finally defeating Hawk Moth. There’s going to be a public holiday and everything.”

Adrien tilted his head and leant against Marinette’s hand more. He was too tired and sore to purr properly, but he felt a little rumble of appreciation form in his throat. “Oh?”

“Can you please stop feeling him up in front of me?”

Adrien blinked open his eyes. “Huh?”

“Such a cat,” Chloé scoffed. “I really don’t know why I didn’t see it.”

“Sorry,” Marinette said, flushing. Extracting her hand, he caught a flash of a silver ring on her finger. His eyes snapped to it. “It’s a habit, I wasn’t really thinking.” He blinked at Marinette and tugged her hand, trying to get a better look. As he ran his thumb along the base of her fingers, he found the ring and raised his eyes to Marinette’s in question.

Chloé huffed out a sigh. Releasing his hand, she stood. “I’d better get to school. Anything you want me to tell them?”

“Do you think you’ll be up to visitors?” Marinette asked Adrien. “Nino and Alya said they’d be by during the lunch break, but some of the others want to visit too.”

“Um… yeah, I think so.” Blinking, he looked at Chloé and thought about her ability to organise people. “I don’t think I could handle a group though.”

Chloé nodded. “I’ll make sure they don’t overwhelm you.”

Leaning back on his pillows, he gave a tired smile. “Thanks for coming, Chloé. It’s great to see you.”

“Oh, I know,” she told him and flopped her hand at him. “Don’t forget you owe me a lunch date.”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

The flopping hand gestured at Marinette. “Bye Marinette. Text me if you need anything. I’ll send someone for it.”

“Thanks Chloé. Bye.” Standing, she went to the end of the bed to get the paper bag. “Your mom said she’ll be up after she’s talked to the doctor about your father. I don’t have much more information than that but I know he hasn’t woken yet.”

“Oh. That’s… not a good sign, right?”

“I’m really not sure. I brought your quilt,” she said, changing the subject with a smile as she pulled out the cat quilt she’d made for him as a Christmas present. “Thought that might make you feel a little less like you’re in a hospital bed.”

Returning her smile, he watched her spread it out over his legs. “Thanks you.” He waited for Chloé to shut the door behind her, then made a grab for Marinette’s hand as she neared. “Are they’re still here? What happened? Did they bind her? Why do you have my ring?”

“Whew,” Plagg announced, popping his head out from the wicker basket. “I thought she’d never leave. How’re you doing, kid?”

Adrien’s gaze swung to Plagg and he felt his jaw drop. Smiling, Marinette crossed the room to extract Plagg and Tikki from her basket. “I have your ring because you had surgery and they made us remove it. Plagg wouldn’t let it go to anyone else.”

“No one else has access to the amount of cheese bread you do,” Plagg said. “Or belly rubs.”

Marinette carried them across the room and placed them on Adrien’s lap. “He’s nursing his own teeth marks too. So Mom’s pampering him.”

Tikki rose straight up so she could be level with Adrien’s face. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t do more to help you, Adrien.”

He stared at both of them in amazement. “You’re still here.” He reached out to cup Tikki. “You’re both still here. I thought—”

“We established that,” Plagg said, curling into a ball. “Is there something wrong with his meds?”

“Give him a chance to process,” Marinette scolded as she took Adrien’s hand. “There was a bit of mayhem after you fainted, but ultimately, Nooroo and Wayzz rebound Tigga. They have returned to their items.”

Some of his excitement faded as he considered that loss. “Oh. Damn.”

“It was their choice,” Marinette said.

“We weren’t ready to leave,” Plagg mumbled, closing his eyes. Making himself a little den in Adrien’s blankets, he promptly fell asleep.

“We owe you an explanation,” Tikki said, bashful.

“But not today,” Marinette said, scratching Tikki’s head with a finger. “And not here.” She coaxed Tikki from Adrien’s hand and left her to curl up with Plagg. “You have to concentrate on healing first. Do you need anything?”

“I could go for a hug,” Adrien replied. Lifting his arms brought half the tubing with him but he didn’t care. He did care about the sharp pain in his chest. With a wince, he amended, “A careful one.”

Smiling, Marinette leant over so he could wrap his arms around her and he lifted away from the bed so she could get his arms around him. Burying his face in her neck, he breathed her in and let her scent work its magic. “I can’t believe we made it out of that. I was expecting… well, I don’t know, but it wasn’t this.”

“Me too,” she replied.

“We got my mother back and we survived. Seems to amazing to be true. I’m half afraid I’ll wake up and find this is a dream.” He pulled back so he could stroke her face and press their foreheads together. “And you’re okay? Your sutures, did you hurt them?”

“I’m fine,” she assured him and helped him lie back against the bed again.

“It’s really over? We did it?”

She brushed her fingers across his forehead and she bent over to kiss the middle. “We still don’t know about your father and there are hundreds of akuma in jars out there somewhere, and Tigga needs to be discussed.” Her lips lingered against his skin. “But Hawk Moth is gone.”

Chapter Text

Adrien’s room slowly filled with flowers. Despite visiting, Chloe still sent the largest bundle of flowers money could buy and deliver. There were also well wishes from photographers, models, designers, random people from school or teachers and members of the Agreste fan club. Marinette diligently read him all the cards and set the flowers around the room, including the fan club message, although she put on a fake accent and spoke through her nose to amuse him for that. Most of the names she read out he didn’t even recognise, but she noted that a lot of the flowers were simply labelled; “Agreste.”

“Your father’s nurses mustn’t be accepting flowers,” she said.

“Well, that makes me feel a little better,” Adrien said, noticing how Marinette’s little bundle of marigolds was gradually overrun with expensive and completely unnecessary flowers. He was about to suggest she bring them over to put at his bedside when she tore off a marigold and popped it in her mouth while arranging another bunch.

“Ahh,” he murmured.

“Hmm?” she asked, peering over her shoulder at him.

“You brought snacks.”

Glancing down at them, she looked back and gave him a wicked smile. “Did you think they were for you, kitty?”

Even in his exhausted state, he wasn’t going to admit to that. “No.”

A soft giggle. “Macarons are the way to your heart, not flowers.”

He brightened. “Did you bring some?”

“I am waiting on clearance from your doctor, but yes.” She winked. “I gotcha covered.”

With a dopey grin, he said, “You’re amazing.”

“I know.”

Lifting his head from his pillow, he patted the bed, looking for the nurse call buzzer. “Where is it?”

She cocked her head at him. “What are you looking for?”

“Call button.”

She laughed. “You can wait.”

“I don’t want to.”

She reached into her wicker bag and pulled out the blue macaron box with Tom and Sabine’s label on it. Lazily opening the lid, she bent over it to inhale the scent of them deeply. “Mmmm. Smell that?”

“Oh. Don’t you dare tease me—”

Pulling out one of his macarons, she lifted it toward her mouth in an exaggerated fashion. “Oh, this is going to be delicious.”

Félicie walked through the open door, hesitating as she saw the flowers. “That’s more than I expected.”

Marinette, her eyes as wide as they could go and looking like she’d been sprung with her hand in the cookie jar, slipped the macaron back in the box and whipped her hands behind her back. “Hello Madame Agreste.”

“Hello Marinette,” Félicie said with a smile. “Adrien! You’re awake.”

He grinned at her. “Hi Mom.”

“How are you feeling? Has the doctor been by? Can I get you anything?”

“Sore. Tired. No, he hasn’t. And—” he flicked a glance at Marinette to tease her. “I could really go for a macaron.”

Félicie looked confused. “Macaron?”

“Marinette’s being stingy and won’t feed me one.”

“You have to wait for permission from the doctor,” Marinette murmured.

Félicie spotted the box and brightened. “Oh, may I?”

Bashful, Marinette moved away from the box. “Of course.”

“Hey,” Adrien protested. “No. They’re mine.”

Félicie plucked one out of the box and took a bite. “Oh, I haven’t had one of these in years. Delicious.”

“Moooom.”

She licked her fingers clean, slowly and deliberately taunting him. “Yes, darling?”

He flopped back on the pillows. “No fair.”

Smiling, she stepped forward so she stood at the end of the bed. A delicate eyebrow rose as she studied the quilt, but she said, “Your father’s in a coma.”

Adrien swallowed and felt his good humour fade.

Marinette stiffened. Casting Adrien an uneasy look, she mumbled, “I’ll be outside.”

“No,” Félicie said, holding up her hand to prevent Marinette from leaving. “No, dear. Please stay. Are the kwami here?”

Tikki phased out from beneath Adrien’s quilt to hover above his knee. “We are.”

Félicie nodded. “There’s… something going on inside his head. They said a small bleed but it wasn’t… to be honest, I’m sort of reeling with too much information. It wasn’t big and there doesn’t seem to be damage, but they’re not sure why he’s not waking up. Tikki, is there anything you can do?”

“If we can find an akuma in a jar, yes. I can use the champion energy stored in the akuma to boost his natural regenerative abilities.” Tikki wrung her paws. “If Tigga used her destruction on Gabriel, I could help, but I cannot reverse what Tigga has done if she created the injuries.”

Félicie nodded. “I understand. And if you can’t find an akuma? Nooroo was never taken before so I assume you have another way.”

Tikki inclined her head. “I do.”

“The put-everything-back cure comes from lucky charm,” Marinette explained. “I can call it and release without an akuma. But Tikki’s still drained from joining with Plagg and purifying as much as she could after the shadow army. And I’m pretty sure calling lucky charm right now would be purely for selfish reasons and it wouldn’t work as well.” 

Tikki nodded.

Marinette reached for her phone. “I’ll see if Alya’s had anything come through the blog yet. We’ve put the word out about the jars.” Typing a message, she smiled at Adrien. “We can give you a boost too.”

“Thank you.” Félicie spread her fingers out and ran her hand over the quilt. “This is gorgeous. Where’d you get it?”

“Marinette made it for me for Christmas.”

Félicie blinked and turned to Marinette. “You did? You sew?”

Marinette’s flush deepened. “Yes. That was my first attempt at quilting.”

“She’s an amazing designer, Mom,” Adrien said. “She’s even won a couple of Father’s junior designer competition.”

“Oh really?” Félicie asked. She moved around the bed and sat down beside Adrien, taking his hand. “Is that how you two met? Through the competition?”

Adrien smiled at his mother’s complete lack of subtlety. “Adrien and Marinette met in school.”

Félicie gave him a surprised look. “He let you go to school?”

Adrien nodded.

“Wow. That’s a change. A big one. Are you enjoying it?”

Adrien cringed. “Well, he forced me to leave recently too. To be honest I don’t know how much has been him and how much was Tigga.”

Marinette shot him a look and he frowned at her, wondering what the look meant.

Félicie asked, “So if Adrien and Marinette met in school, that implies Ladybug and Chat Noir met some other way?”

Marinette giggled and moved to sit on Adrien’s other side. “I thought he was an akuma.”

Adrien laughed and winced at the splash of pain it causes. “She did. Thought the baton was my item and tried to break it.”

“Only after you came in full-flirt. You have to admit, the puns and the flirting, I was right to assume something was up.”

He shrugged, smiling as he remembered the expression on Ladybug’s face when he finally convinced her he was there to help her. “So, I came on a bit strong.”

Marinette smiled at him and reached over to scratch him behind the ear. “Only a little? Silly kitty. You were stumbling over your own puppy feet.”

“You can’t blame me, I was a little I was star-struck. You were so famous.”

“I was famous? Look at you, Monsieur Agreste!”

Félicie tilted her head. “You didn’t… you didn’t appear at the same time?”

He leant into Marinette’s fingers, sad when she extracted them. “No, Marinette has a few months on me.”

“I had to make sure I had the right kitten,” Plagg said, his voice thick with sleep. “Especially since he was your son. Miraculous don’t often follow family lines.”

“You knew?” Marinette asked.

“Could smell bug on him,” Plagg said, and yawned and Adrien felt coaxed to yawn too. It was draining being awake but he wasn’t ready to rest. “Bug that wasn’t Tikki. Very faint. Not so faint anymore. Ick. Needs a wash.”

“I knew you’d be Chat Noir one day,” Félicie said. “Or at least, have the option. It’s your champion form.”

“It is?”

She smiled. “Ultimately, it was one of the reasons why we bought the house. There was a little girl in a park nearby whose champion form was Ladybug.”

Adrien and Marinette exchanged a surprised glance.

“But don’t tell your father,” Félicie continued with a conspiring smile. “He still believes we bought it for the views.”

“You… knew?”

She nodded. “Champion forms aren’t always set in stone. They’re… a potential. Your friend, the Illustrator one, he has two forms. As does Chloé. Chloé’s closer to her potential than she was before, which is surprising.”

Confused, Adrien said, “I didn’t see two forms. I borrowed Nooroo, but he only showed me one form.”

Félicie smiled. “Nooroo said you’d make a good butterfly, my little cat-erpillar, but you still have a long way to go.”

Adrien snorted. “Cat-erpillar. Oh, nice one. I should’ve thought of that.”

“Oh. My. God.” Marinette pressed her lips together and gave the impression she’d just sucked on a lemon as she struggled not to laugh.

Félicie had no such trouble. Her laughter chimed, tinkling like diamonds over stone.

“I told you,” he said, nudging Marinette. “Puns are the greatest and Mom’s puns are amazing.”

“Do insect puns bug you, Marinette?” Félicie asked with an innocent expression.

Adrien grinned. “Wasps the problem, lovebug?”

Marinette huffed and tried to look cross.

“I spi-der a smile,” Félicie teased.

“Un-bee-lievable,” Adrien said. “She hates puns.”

“Puns just need to grow her,” Félicie said.

Adrien grinned, “Good thing I’m a fun-gi.”

“Mosquitos are very attracted to you, dear heart,” Félicie replied.

“Oh, those are fighting words, Mom. That ant gonna fly with me, you moth do better.”

Marinette covered her face with both hands and moaned against her palms.

“Don’t be insect-ative to bugs,” Félicie mocked.

“Leaf me alone.”

“Iris my case. You’re running dry.”

His face was almost splitting, he was smiling so hard. “Water you talking about. I’m pumped for this.”

“Now you’re just fishing for puns.”

“You took the bait.”

“It’s all a fluke. You’ll sink soon.”

“Don’t play koi with me, Mom. I learnt from the best.”

Pleased, Félicie sat back. “I am pretty good, aren’t I? It’s a shame you don’t like them, Marinette, the banter can be quite fun.”

Rolling her eyes, Marinette finally replied, “I’m just a little sluggish when it comes to puns.”

Adrien laughed with joy which quickly turned to a cringe in pain. “Ow.”

Marinette, completely embarrassed, fussed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean— are you okay? Do you need water?”

“No,” he said, rubbing his chest around his wounds but never touching. “I like it when you pun.”

“That’s why I do it so rarely,” she admitted. “You have to earn it.” Reaching for the water on the bedside table, she poured him a drink. “Here.”

Taking the cup, he lifted his head so he could sip. “Thanks.” Turning his eyes back to his mother, he asked, “Mom? Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“What was it like for you? Being stuck in the gem?”

Félicie’s smiled dropped. Marinette suddenly looked everywhere but at him, hunching her shoulders to make herself smaller. Reaching out, he tucked Marinette’s small hand beneath his so she wouldn’t make for the door.

Félicie’s hands lowered until they rested on her lap. “What did he tell you happened to me?”

Adrien shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what he—”

“It does matter,” she replied and her eyes filled with tears. “Whatever you may think now, for the last two years the lie you’ve been living with is your truth. You believed it. You believed I abandoned you or left or were killed or whatever lie he fed you and that would have affected you more than you know. You’ve been living with a man who up until a few days ago, you believed with your whole heart was your father. He looked like him, he acted like him. Your father has been doing god knows what to you since I’ve been gone but you said… you said he was trying to turn you into an akuma.”

“Tigga did that,” Adrien protested. “Not—”

“Your father did it.” Félicie shook her head and one of the tears in her eyes spilled over. “Whether he was in control of his own actions or not, it doesn’t matter. Your father did it. We have to deal with that. As much as I love the man, if you no longer feel safe, I will do everything in my power to make it so you can feel safe, even if it means I have to leave him. So, please, kitten. Don’t lie. Don’t sugar coat. Don’t rationalise it away. You’ll do more harm than good.”

Adrien closed his eyes to stop tears from falling. “I don’t want to believe he’d hurt me.”

“Whether you want to believe it or not, there’s a good chance that man is going to wake up and feel like he did those things to you.”

Closed eyes didn’t help and the intense pain in his chest wasn’t from the wound. “Mom. Stop.”

“I don’t know if it helps,” Marinette said in a tiny voice. “But he left messages for both of you.”

“What?” Félicie blurted and her voice splintered in the middle of the word.

Marinette coaxed her hand from Adrien’s with a gentle movement and a pat to show she’d be right back. “Adrien found letters in his safe along with the box. One for you and two for Adrien.”

Adrien’s eyes snapped open. “Two? No. One was for you.”

Marinette had several pieces of paper in her hands and a white envelope. Clearing her throat, she read, “‘Marinette. My apologies for the deception. I cannot take the chance that Adrien will not be able to do what needs to be done and I will not allow my words to sway him in any way. He will not read a letter addressed to another, no matter how much he might want to. Please give this to him after.’ There’s more but…” she shrugged. Walking back to the bed, she held out the white envelope to Félicie, then held the papers out to Adrien. “I didn’t read it.”

His hands shook as he took the papers from her. Running a finger beneath the lens of his glasses, he looked at his father’s careful handwriting.

Marinette,

My apologies for the deception. I cannot take the chance that Adrien will not be able to do what needs to be done and I will not allow my words to sway him in any way. He will not read a letter addressed to another, no matter how much he might want to. Please give this to him after.

I deeply regret not having the chance to get to know you better. My son has been happier than I have ever seen him and I know that is due to you. You have a fantastic eye for fashion and I wish you well in your chosen field. I expect great things from you.

-Gabriel.

On the next page, it began;

My son,

Swallowing hard, he glanced over to his mother, who read her own letter with one hand over her mouth and tear-bright eyes.

Head down, Marinette murmured, “I’ll… get some coffee.”

It was ridiculous and needy but he couldn’t bear to be separated from her. “No. Please. Stay,” he whispered.

“Chat…”

“Please.”

She sat and extended her hand so it rested on his thigh. Turning his gaze back to the paper, he forced himself to read.

I suspect by now you know most of what’s happened. The ‘why’ would be confusing. Possibly the ‘how’. I hope at least I’ve been able to ensure your mother gets back to you. That should, in part, make things right.

If, by some quirk of fate, I have not been successful and you do not have your mother, know that she loved you very much and it was never her choice to leave you. She has been trapped in a gem on the hilt of Hawk Moth’s weapon and only Ladybug can remove the spell trapping her.

Should you have lost us both, Nathalie has my last will and testimony. She will know how to enact it. There are several trust funds for you which will be released periodically until you’re twenty-five.

Your mother was a Miraculous holder. Keeper of inspiration, Papillon is my muse in all things and I was her champion. Together we kept watch over the box and contained other kwami corruption from spreading. The box, if you have not been made aware by now, contained the body and spirit of a corrupt kwami by the name of Tigga who I inadvertently released when trying to prevent Nathalie from touching the box.

It was an accident. She was putting away my designs and your mother was saying goodnight to you and, in her distraction, had not stored the box properly. One touch and Tigga struck. Nathalie does not remember it. There is no blame.

Your mother found me while Tigga was digging in her claws and tried to help. Tigga was faster. She ripped Nooroo from the suit and stole your mother.

Tigga was pliable, there is no better word for it. She did not know the world. She did not understand technology. So new and fresh, so she allowed me to remain to aid her learning instead of tearing me to shreds as she has done others.

I kept her interested in fashion, in design and showing off my work, in the hope it would keep her attention from you. I fought for control so I could permit you to enter school so you’d be away from her for the majority of the day. I increased your photoshoots, your training, anything to get you away from me. Our interactions were closely choreographed so I could be in control and she didn’t seem to notice.

Over the past few months, her interest in you has grown. Or, I should say, her interest in you and Marinette.

I tried and I failed to keep you from her.

I grew weaker and she grew stronger. The times I could break free from her control lessened until all I was allowed were the times she permitted. She grew angry that she couldn’t thwart Chat Noir and Ladybug and started looking for better ways, better akumas to help her defeat them.

It wasn’t until the Christmas Party you and Marinette attended together where she realised you could be groomed. I made the mistake of forcing control to check on your emotional wellbeing and when you didn’t become akumatised, when Chloé’s pain was greater than yours, she decided she could use you to create the ultimate akuma.

Then it didn’t happen. She took everything away she could and you were steady. Tigga started to wonder why Nooroo’s powers could never reach you no matter how angry or upset you were. When Ladybug overreacted to the bakery being attacked, she had an inkling and she removed your grounding, just so she could test it.

She’s ‘allowing’ me the freedom to write to you. Perhaps she thinks it’s the closure I need to stop fighting her. Perhaps she’s gathering her strength. Perhaps this is just more fuel for her to use against me. But I can see what’s coming. It’s going to happen soon. She’ll launch her attack and she’s going to hurt you and I’m going to do my best to stop her.

I know what it will cost. I am sorry. It is necessary.

I have included a list of approximate akuma locations. It is… incomplete as there are gaps forming in my memory. I suspect this is caused by prolonged exposure to her. I have also included ramblings of moments Tigga allowed me to be free, scattered thoughts and emotions I had and what you were doing at the time. I hope this offers some comfort. She was not in control all the time, but it was enough to do some damage.

Marinette may be interested in the half finished designs. She is a unique and spirited person and will suit you well. I am glad I got to see you fall in love.

I haven’t been a good father to you. I can be overbearing and overprotective, a trait Tigga mimicked with every encounter so as to not draw suspicion. Being trapped inside my own head has made me see just how far away I pushed you. I’m sorry for that. So wrapped up in my designs and my wife and my life, I missed out a large part of it.

I am so proud of you. My perfect son. It has been my pleasure to watch you grow and take your first steps toward the man you are becoming. Keep taking those steps. Keep growing and being magnificent.

-Your father.

Adrien opened his hands and let the papers flutter out of his hand and fall onto the blanket. Fingers slid beneath his glasses, pushing them up his forehead, so he could cover his eyes.

The bed rocked as Marinette sat on the edge and Adrien felt her arms wrap around him to draw him in. Very gently, she rocked him and stroked his hair and scraped her fingers along his skull, crooning under her breath. He curled against her, his knees bumping her back and hung on.

When Nino and Alya arrived during their lunch break, Adrien had, after being checked by the doctor, managed to fall into a fitful doze. Nino, not one for being quiet at the best of times, laughed the moment he entered the room. “Dude, are we in the right place? Or is this the florist?”

“Nino, you’ll wake him,” Alya scolded.

He laughed again. “Look, you can tell Marinette’s been here. Half the petals are gone of this one.”

“Nino!”

Nino was practically bouncing. “But look! Nibbly little bug that she is.”

“You are absolutely hopeless.”

“And noisy,” Adrien muttered.

Nino brightened. “Dude! You’re awake!”

“I am now.” He squinted at them. “Hi.” Fumbling for his glasses, he offered Nino his fist to bump. “Good to see you.”

“Didn’t mean to wake you,” Alya said, moving in to kiss Adrien on the cheek. With a narrow eyed look at Nino, she said, “My idiot doesn’t know the meaning of quiet.”

“Useless sound,” Nino dismissed. “Music is great, the louder the better. Speaking of,” he continued, reaching into his pocket. “I got you some tunes so you don’t get bored. Where’s your phone, I’ll transfer them.”

“Um, there,” Adrien said, pointing to the tray table.

“You’re going to go deaf by the time you're thirty,” Alya complained as she passed Adrien’s phone over and then looked at Adrien. “You’re looking better.”

“Sore,” Adrien said. “But okay.”

“And not about to do any modelling any time soon,” Nino commented.

“I can handle that.”

“Alix, Kim and Max are going to come in about thirty minutes,” Alya said. “Chloé’s been a busy bee and organised a visiting schedule for us.”

He wasn’t surprised, but it felt appropriate to act like he was. “Really?”

“Yep. Funnily enough, people are listening to her.”

“She completely vetoed your fan club coming,” Nino said. “They wanted to be first in line and she told them under no circumstances were they to come. With Kim and Ivan backing her, dude’s formidable.”

Adrien snorted. “Oh, what a shame.”

“We thought you’d approve.” Alya not-so-subtly glanced around. “No Marinette? Kinda surprised.”

He shook his head and pressed his fits into the mattress to sit up further. “We got some of the locations of the jar akuma. She’s gone to grab some of them.”

Alya tilted her head and reached for her phone. “I didn’t hear anything,” she muttered, sounding put-out.

Sighing, Adrien said, “My father left a note, detailing where some of them are.”

Nino and Alya went still and looked at each other and Adrien could see the silent argument they had about who would ask. Nino lost. “How’s he doing, dude?”

“He’s in a coma. I really don’t have more information than that. So what happened after the battle?”

“Aww, dude, it’s been really insane!” Nino said. “After you fainted, Marinette went a little crazy.”

“She what?”

“Nino!” Alya said. “Don’t tell him that!”

“Why not? She did!”

“She didn’t. She got cross.” Alya sighed. “You know how she gets. She told Tikki and Plagg you needed to help straight away and standing around discussing something when it was clear everyone had already decided was a no brainer, and if they made you wait any longer, they weren’t going to have items to come back to. Your mom backed her up.”

“Oh.”

“She would’ve made a good kitten,” Plagg muttered. “She’s got claws.”

“We’re still not sure what was being discussed,” Alya said. “We could only hear Gui. But Nino and I could guess. The rest of the champions made up stories to go along with it. Some of them have been entertaining.”

“I suppose you’re probably not going to tell us,” Nino said.

“Not sure I understand it myself,” Adrien replied with a shrug.

“Our classmates are sort of still reeling from knowing who you guys are,” Alya continued. “Swapping stories and stuff. It makes sense, all the absences and excuses. “

Suddenly nervous, Adrien said, “They’re not going to say anything, are they?” It had been okay to tell them, when he and Marinette had thought they wouldn’t get to be Ladybug and Chat Noir for much longer, but now, it seemed like it may be a decision that would come back to bite them.

“Dude, Kim might ask for a ‘favour’ later but most of them seem pretty okay with it.”

Alya shrugged. “There’s enough of us to say they’re lying if someone blabs.”

“True.”

“Oh, hello!” Félicie said, entering the room with a bagel in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. “I didn’t expect visitors already.”

Smiling, Adrien said, “This is Alya and Nino.”

Félicie put her food down on the closest bench, brushing her hands free of crumbs so she could extend a hand to Nino, who was closest. “Pleased to meet you… Bubbler, right?”

“Yes Madame,” Nino said, adjusting his cap furiously and Adrien suspected he was torn whether or not to remove it.

“And Lady Wifi,” Alya said, extending her hand across the bed.

“You run the Ladyblog, right?” Félicie asked as she shook Alya’s hand. “Sabine told me about you.”

Grinning, Alya gave Félicie a smart, two fingers salute. “That’s me.”

“Thank you for keeping Gabriel’s involvement quiet.”

Alya glanced at Adrien. “You’re welcome. I’m surprised you’ve had time to look at the blog.”

“So much to catch up on,” Félicie said. “And not much else to do while waiting for doctors or watching my boy sleep. But Sabine said it would be one of the quickest ways to find out what he’s been up to lately.”

“That’s true.”

“Oh, boy,” Adrien muttered. “How much trouble am I in?”

Nino grinned and tapped the back of his hand against Adrien’s leg. “Mama’s boy.”

He returned the grin. “Shut up.”

Adrien’s phone rang and Nino, initially startled by the ringing, fumbled it over. Glancing at the number, he smiled and answered instead of allowing it to through to messages. “Hey.”

“Hey. Brace yourself.”

“That sounds decidedly naughty,” he teased.

Ladybug laughed. “Perhaps. But I have three purified akuma here, ready to go and I’m directing all the luck I can to your hospital.”

“Three akuma?” he asked, giving his mother a startled look. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

“Nope, but I’m doing it anyway.”

“Okay, hang on.” Addressing his mother, he said, “Ladybug’s about to release some energy.”

Félicie nodded and waited.

“Expect a few miraculous cures,” Ladybug said and, as she hung up, Adrien could just make out her cry of lucky charm.

“Think she’ll be able to help?” Nino asked, curiously.

“I think she’s going to try,” Adrien replied. “The cure didn’t work so well on the dog teeth before, or the insect pin akuma for her, but neither of those are on Father.”

“Might help with your stab,” Alya noted.

Opening his mouth, the ladybugs which raced into the room stalled what Adrien was going to say. They whizzed around him, little legs and wings brushing against his skin. A tug on his arm as the IV was miraculously removed and a tender tug lower as the catheter vanished. The ladybugs swirled, concentrating on his chest and Adrien felt the pain diminish.

They raced away, zipping through the door and leaving a few ladybugs crawling on his chest. Fumbling for his chest, he lifted the edge of the bandage back so he could peer beneath. Smooth skin. Pink, newly formed scars from the dog teeth, but smooth skin where the surgery sutures had been. Gently coaxing a ladybug onto his finger, he lifted it up. “Thank her for me,” he murmured and watched it take flight.

“Did it work?” Félicie blurted, rushing forward. Her hands hovered over his chest as though she was afraid to touch him.

“Seems to have,” Adrien said and sat up. He stretched his arms above his head. He twisted his torso. With a broad grin, he announced. “No pain!”

Nino whooped and then held out his hand for Adrien to high five. “Awesome, dude!”

A nurse rushed in. “There was a light, we saw ladybugs, did you—”

Adrien just grinned.

The nurse stared at him, then at the others in the room. “Okay. Would you mind leaving please? I need to check. To be sure.”

Looking at Félicie Adrien said, “Go check Father.”

She looked torn. “Adrien—”

“Go,” he said and lifted his blankets a fraction. “Nino, see if you can find me some pants.”

“Okay!” Nino said in an overly bright voice and extended his arms to his girlfriend. “Alya, time to clear out.”

“Aww, but—” Alya glanced at Félicie and rethought any objection she had.

Nino shook his head and gestured. Walking around the bed, he herded both women toward the door. “We’ll be outside.” He tipped his hat to Félicie. “Madame, I’ll watch Adrien if you want to go check on your husband.”

She shook her head. “I’m staying here.”

Adrien smiled. “Go, Mom. I’ll be fine. Ladybug fixed me. I need to know if she fixed him too.”

“Then we’ll go down together,” Félicie said. “But I’m not going.”

Nino looked between mother and son, then shuffled Alya toward the door. “We’ll be outside.”

The nurse seemed astounded as she pulled away the bandages and checked him over. “That’s amazing. It’s almost all gone. There’s not even residual bruising. There’s not even a sign you were ever stabbed.” 

Adrien felt a swell of pride for his girlfriend. “Yeah.”

She probed one of the pink slashes on his chest, left over from the dog teeth. “And you feel okay?”

“I feel great. Tired, but great.” The pride turned a little to worry. It’d been more than five minutes. Ladybug’s powers would have worn off. Why wasn’t she here yet? Surely she would’ve come straight away. “Do you think you could get me something to wear? I’d like to go and see how my father’s doing.”

The nurse nodded as she walked toward the door. “I’m sure we have something for you. You’re not discharged though, so don’t leave.”

He smiled. “Promise.”

Félicie rested her hand on his shoulder as her eyes skipped over his chest. “She’s amazing.”

“She is.”

“They both are,” Plagg mumbled.

The nurse came back in a few minutes later carrying a pair of blue scrub pants. “Here. Do you want a wheelchair for the trip down?”

“Nope,” Adrien said, giving her his best smile as he took the pants from her. “I can walk.”

She shook her head. “Alright, but be careful. You’re really lucky, you know.”

“I know.”

“I’ll go home and get you clothes after we’ve seen your father,” Félicie said and wrinkled her nose at the clothes. “I hate seeing you in something so unsophisticated.”

He snorted. “Thanks Mom.”

She turned her back on him as he slipped out of bed to get dressed. Cold floor against his toes and his knees felt shaky, but he was certain it was a side effect from blood loss and painkillers. Pulling up the pants, they both heard the bellow from the hallway outside. “Adrien!”

Adrien’s heart leapt to his throat and his lungs locked up. Félicie flew to the door and thrust it open. “Gabriel! Here!”

Adrien turned and barely managed to brace himself as his father barrelled into the room. Hospital gown scarcely clutching his form and hair sticking up waywardly, Gabriel heaved in a breath as he spotted Adrien. Without pausing, Gabriel marched across the room and enveloped Adrien in his arms.

Melting into his father’s embrace, Adrien struggled to contain the emotion brimming inside him. A small reposition, a soft moan of her name from Gabriel and Félicie added herself to the hug. Cheek pressed to his father’s chest, he listened to his father’s heartbeat. Through the gap formed by his parents, he spotted an exhausted Marinette tucked under Alya’s arm, leaning against her best friend and smiling.

With a smile, Adrien closed his eyes. 

Chapter Text

Adrien moaned.

A soft little noise, a breathy gasp in the otherwise silent room. He twitched and wriggled, sinking deeper into the soft pillows. Extending his arms above his head, he lifted his hips as every single muscle in his body tensed, then he relaxed with a sigh.

So comfortable. Silky soft and heavenly to lie in. Pillows for sprawling. Cushions for lounging. Places to bury beneath and curl and a patch of sunlight that was divine. Now that both parents knew his tendency, (the purr had both shocked and delighted his mother), his room had been outfitted with a cosy cat-nap zone. Adrien and Plagg took great delight to sprawl on its cushions during the hour it had sunlight.

It had quickly become routine in the Agreste household. The moment sunlight poured through the window and bathed the cat-nap zone, Adrien would burrow under the pillows. He even had tiers. Several false floors bolted to the wall and piled on with cushions in case he wanted to snooze up high.

In the weeks following the battle, there was talking. Lots and lots of talking. Adrien talked to his mom. He talked to his father. He talked to Tom and Sabine and he talked a lot to Nino and Alya. He talked to Master Fu. He talked to Marinette. He couldn’t go a day without someone wanting a heart-to-heart over what had occurred. He understood why they did. Every day, a bit of tension he held in him bled away and he felt safer in his own home. It would take time for things to be back to normal, but it was slowly getting there.

Adrien knew his father had nightmares. He knew his father blamed himself for Adrien’s injuries, even if Ladybug could magic them away. His parents were trying to keep that from him, but he knew. He overheard the hushed conversations. He saw the redness in his father’s eyes and the yawns. He saw the lingering gaze on his chest and the tightness in Gabriel’s eyes. He saw the anger and frustration in Gabriel as his father struggled. He saw the way Gabriel’s hand shook when he tried to design. Gabriel took time off and the fashion world reeled with rumours of a breakdown. What self-respecting designer would take time off in spring, especially in Paris? Félicie’s sudden return was also slated as the reason for the sabbatical. Despite Ladybug’s press release that Gabriel aided in the final battle, people believed the stint in hospital was because of something else. Everyone had a different explanation for why Gabriel had sudden pulled himself from the line-up but the Agrestes didn’t listen to any rumours or make any announcements. People could believe what they liked.

Félicie and Adrien hadn’t been sure how to help Gabriel either. Gabriel was a proud man. He wouldn’t take his troubles to a therapist. Neither of them knew enough about the design process to offer anything which could help with his blockage. And they didn’t understand what he’d been through with Tigga, who was somewhat of a touchy subject for both male Agrestes. Something had to give though as one afternoon, Adrien came home to find a trashed office and his father in a drunken stupor.

Félicie hadn’t allowed Adrien any more than a glimpse of his father at his worst. He’d been allowed on his first ever (with permission), sleepover to Nino’s house. Max and Kim were called in, and they’d made a boy’s night of it.

When Adrien had mentioned his father to Marinette, his girlfriend had gone quiet and hugged him. A few days after that, Adrien came home to discover his mother on her knees in front of the keyhole to Gabriel’s office. She’d shushed Adrien immediately and gestured for him to take a look. Inside, Gabriel, with his arms outstretched, modelled for Marinette as she pinned a bright red vest together. Surprised and concerned, Adrien and his mother had eavesdropped and shared whispered observations as the pair inside talked. Adrien could tell how awkward Marinette had felt around his father, but she asked for advice and showed Gabriel some of her designs and he gave her a little bit of insight.

Being busted by Gabriel and Marinette at the door toward the end of the session wasn’t fun. Hearing his father join in with Marinette’s laughter was.

It wasn’t much. It would take months before things felt right. But it was a start. And, to Adrien, starting was all that mattered.

Adrien returned to school. He saw his friends. He returned to modelling, attending his extra lessons and fenced. He patrolled with Ladybug and searched for the jar akuma. He felt like he understood his father more and his father understood him. His father was trying and that felt good. He felt a little like his mother was trying to catch up on two years of love all at once and spoiling him, but he didn’t mind.

The first time a jar akuma alert had come in while they were in class, Chloé had stood, dramatically declared there was a bee in the class, poor Sabrina was highly allergic, and they must all leave immediately. The next akuma alert, Juleka had faked an asthma attack, allowing Marinette and Adrien to slip out unnoticed. Max hacked into the school alarms and could set off the fire alarm at a whim. Kim and Ivan got into a mini brawl during sports so Adrien could slip away. Alix had feigned an ankle sprain to help out Marinette. Alya had leapt to her feet in the middle of science and declared there was an akuma heading for the school and they all needed to evacuate.

His father had even turned up during class and lied about a photoshoot Adrien was supposed to be doing with Marinette to get them out of class so they could attend an akuma. Marinette was completely mortified by the fact that Gabriel actually went through with the joint photoshoot too, and her face was plastered on a billboard along with Adrien’s representing some of Gabriel’s jewellery line.

Marinette and Adrien hadn’t expected this sort of generosity and friendship from their classmates. It was mollifying. Of their own volition, their classmates had worked out a system to keep them out of class so they could transform.

Having Ladybug and Chat Noir turn up to Kim’s birthday party, or Nino’s DJ sessions, or Max’s gaming competitions, or making public shopping appearances with Chloé, or posing for pictures with Juleka, more than made up for their friend’s help.

Of all the heart-to-heart talks Adrien endured in the weeks after the battle, Plagg and Tikki’s talk been the most enlightening.

“Say that again?”

“Kwami aren’t born,” Tikki said, as patient as ever. She floated above Adrien’s knee as they sat on Marinette’s chaise in her bedroom. “We are woven into being.”

Adrien raised his eyebrows. “You’re… born from will?”

“In a sense. Kwami aren’t just a positive force, we have our opposites. There has to be a balance. For song, there is silence. For inspiration, there is mediocrity. For illusion, there is truth. Plagg and I came from two great beings in perfect balance, life and death.”

“Child of death,” Plagg muttered and cleaned his whiskers.

“And I am a child of life,” Tikki said. “We were the first of the dual kwami, woven at exactly the same time, to share a life and be each other’s balance. Not all kwami have a partner, even if they have an opposite. Most don’t…” She shook her head. “Dual kwami can be most dangerous and powerful. There are… so few of us anymore.”

Marinette squeezed Adrien’s hand as she stared at her kwami in silence.

“Tigga… was the first of a second generation of dual kwami. I have other children, just as Plagg has other children, but Tigga was our only child woven when we were joined. She was woven to balance the child of despair and hope, Ewynn.” Tikki sighed. “So generous and kind and Tigga loved her so much.”

“Tigga wasn’t in balance,” Plagg said. “Something went wrong or we went wrong or… she didn’t balance and we didn’t realise. Creation and destruction warred within her, so… when it became too much for her to deal with, Life and Death bound her and left her only with creation. But… leaving her only with creation caused her to be out of balance with her partner... and when they joined… Tigga unwove Ewynn.”

With a somber look, Tikki said, “Tigga blamed herself. It was an accident, we knew and tried our best to console her. But Ewynn’s weavers blamed Tigga too. She became unstable. When she… was at her worst, she used her version of calamity.”

“She blamed me,” Plagg said. “She said I was the reason she wasn’t allowed her destruction half. That it was my fault because I didn’t want to share my gifts with her.” He sighed. “She corrupted. Wanted to destroy everything. Wanted everyone to feel the pain she did.”

“You had to lock her in a box to contain her,” Adrien said.

“Why didn’t you just tell us from the beginning?” Marinette asked. “We would’ve helped.”

“Because humans… past humans don’t talk about these things,” Tikki said. “Look at your histories. Anyone different was ostracised. People were outcast. Stoned to death. Murdered as children if they were disfigured. Left in the woods to die. Sacrificed on altars to gods. Kept in institutes for their entire lives and ignored. Even our wielders endured scorn from their peers. Look at the Salem witch trials. We learnt not to tell. Humans will fight with to their last breath against a ‘great evil’ but a kwami who is corrupt? No one listened. No one cared. Other kwami wanted her destroyed and there were humans that agreed, but we couldn’t. Not our Tigga. But we didn’t know how to help her. This… helping the disadvantaged mentality is so new and so different.”

“I… didn’t think of that,” Marinette admitted and Adrien agreed.

“We lied to protect her,” Plagg said. “We lied to protect you. Half-truths and evasion techniques, all this we learnt from humans.” He stretched and yawned lazily. “You only have yourselves to blame.”

“Plagg,” Tikki said, exasperated. “Stop being mean.”

“You said we had to be honest.”

“You can be so frustrating sometimes.”

Plagg rolled his eyes and winked. “You love me.”

Huffy, Tikki continued, “We bound ourselves to items so we could aid the humans and protect them from her. Not many kwami were willing to put themselves into service and help us keep her contained. Even… even the guardians we have now aren’t the same as what we had in the beginning. Lyrebird… You could… if you were inclined, make us do whatever you wanted.”

“We would never,” Marinette said, aghast.

“Many have,” Plagg said.

“And many more have sworn to protect us,” Tikki said, glaring at Plagg. “When we created our stones so we could act through you. Humans were so new and untested, but gradually more and more kwami allowed a miracle stone to be constructed. But… stones corrupted. Humans corrupted. So many kwami have fled to the ether.”

“We want to help Tigga,” Plagg said. “We always have. But she’s… taken a lot too. We understand that. We know we can’t rush this. She sleeps. She wakes. She sleeps again. She is bitter and angry and we don’t know where to start but we hope, if we just try to talk to her, if we keep trying, something may change.”

“It’s a good way to start,” Marinette said.

Tikki nodded. “Adrien, you are our main concern right now. It wouldn’t be fair of us to ask you to have contact with her if you do not want it or… can’t handle it.”

Adrien tilted his head and didn’t answer.

“We can communicate through the box,” Tikki said. “But… communication for us will be so much clearer if it’s through you. Both of you. Transformed.”

Adrien clicked his tongue. “Ahh.” Rising from the chaise, he released Marinette’s hand and put some distance between him and the kwami.

“I don’t expect we’ll release her in your lifetime, Adrien,” Plagg said. “There’s a lot to make up for and a lot she needs to prove. But... we’d like for you to help us start the process.”

“We understand if you can’t. You bore the brunt of her anger and… we know what that can do to a person.”

Adrien narrowed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at Marinette, who watched him impassively and didn’t offer hints to how she might be feeling. He glanced at Plagg, whose entire being said he wasn’t waiting for Adrien’s answer and Adrien didn’t believe it. He looked at Tikki, waiting earnestly and hopeful. “Not… not now,” he said, finally. “Eventually, because I do want to help. But not now. It’s too…” He didn’t have the words, so he shrugged.

“Fresh,” Marinette supplied.

“Yeah.”

“That’s all we can ask for,” Tikki said.

Adrien knew the discussion would continue, but they’d also respect his need to have very little to do with Tigga for the time being. Even knowing her box was currently locked away in his father’s safe was unnerving. But that was a discussion for another day.

Right now, he lolled in his cat-nap zone in his bedroom. Dozed and dreamed and relaxed.

Félicie would normally be the one to join in his cat nap zone, her butterfly tendency just as drawn to light and heat as he was, but Gabriel was a becoming frequent visitor too. Things had been tentative between him and his father and Adrien honestly believed time in his cat-nap zone helped. The three of them would sprawl out and doze or talk or just enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes they would talk about what had occurred while Tigga had taken control. Other times, they talked about school or fashion, or Adrien’s hopes and dreams. Yet others, there was no need for words at all.

Cat-nap healing, his mom called it. And as much as Adrien tried to ignore his parents being all cuddly and smooching in his cat-nap zone, there was no way he was going to crawl between them and stop it. At least, not again. The looks on their faces the first time he wriggled between them was enough to satisfy him for a lifetime.

A sigh and stretch and toes touched his calf. A form rolled toward him and sleepy fingers slipped under his shirt to stroke his belly. Adrien tilted his head until he could nuzzle hair and purred.

The cat-nap zone was even better when Marinette joined him. She did so infrequently and he thought it was because she was trying to give him time with his family. Which, while appreciated, also made the time they spent together more special.

“We have to get up soon,” she mumbled.

“Noooo,” he moaned and wrapped both arms around her. “Don’t make me.”

Squished against his chest, she murmured, “This was your idea.”

He mimicked a mini tantrum. “Sleeping. Can’t make me move.”

“Is that a challenge?”

He kept his eyes closed. “Sleeping.”

Her weight shifted and fabric rustled, then she straddled his hips. Two hands dug their way under his shirt to expose his stomach. “That really sounds like a challenge.”

He didn’t peek as his hands settled on her thighs by her knees. “Take it whatever way you want.”

She bent over him, her knees gripping his chest and her weight on the arm by his shoulder. To his surprise, her teeth found his neck. A little nip before her lips kissed their way across his jaw, then took his earlobe into her mouth. A gaspy breath in his ear at the same time she rolled her hips.

“Gonna play it like that, are you?” he mumbled and let his hand slip up her thighs and beneath the pink, polka dot skirt she wore.

Opened mouth kisses against his jaw. “Mmm-hmm.”

He cupped his hands around her upper thighs, feeling her move and shift against him. “Skirts are amazing for easy access.”

A breathy sigh against his neck. “Which would be the reason I wore it.” A kiss on his chin that left him wanting. “That, and it does a wonderful twirl when I spin.”

That sounded intriguing. Just like the lace he could feel at the tips of his fingers. “Planning on twirling?”

“Planning on dancing with me tonight?” she countered.

The weight of her chest pressed against his and he slipped one hand out from her skirt to trace it up her side. “Of course.”

She peppered kisses across his cheek. “Then I’m twirling.”

“Assuming I ever wake up.”

One on the tip of his nose now.  Lips so close he could smell the macarons on her breath. “You seem to be doing a lot of talking for someone who’s sleeping.”

He faked a snore which was totally spoilt by the fact he was gently caressing her outer thigh and dipping his fingers along the lace hidden beneath her skirt.

“I seem to remember Sleeping Beauty was woken with a kiss.”

He smirked and puckered his lips in invitation.

“Good thing you’re neither.”

Affronted, he snapped open his eyes. “Hey!”

Marinette giggled as she hovered her mouth over his. “Your face.”

He mock scowled at her. “So mean. I may un-invite you.”

She teased him by brushing her lips against his as she spoke. “I’ll have to take my easy access skirt someplace else then.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“And you might have to dance with Chloé instead.”

“I was planning to anyway,” he muttered.

“Just Chloé. All night. And you have to watch me mffft—”

She hummed against his mouth, sinking into the kiss. Her chest pressed against his, squishing her breast against his hand while her mouth opened for his tongue. The more lazy kisses, the more heat between them swelled, especially when she ground her hips and brushed against an expansion.

Kissing her wasn’t like it used to be. Not an instant blaze, a burning inferno which made his head spin and his heart race. She still blazed against him but for different reasons. Now, their heat was more of a constant simmer which gradually boiled. There were few tentative touches, he knew where his hands were allowed and what would make her moan instead of a squeak of surprise. His heart didn’t race at the thought of touching her breast or pushing a boundary. It raced because of her noises and her body pressed against his. The tingles in his belly and lower were no longer a will-she won’t-she feeling but a want and a waiting as she teased. When she pulled away he didn’t worry that he’d hurt her or overstepped his bounds, he knew she needed a moment to reposition a sore muscle or lick her lips. Staring at her in a kiss haze was just as amazing.

Gripping the skin of her upper thigh, he pushed up against her and coaxed her to roll. Ulterior motive for her to be beneath him: One, it left her hands free to seek out his scratching spots and roam across his body and two, it gave him better control of his hands. Especially the one up her skirt.

Because it was still new, he asked, “Is this okay?”

She bit her lip and extended her neck for him to kiss. “Absolutely.”

“Tell me if I do anything you don’t like. Or do like.”

There was something delicious in seeing her spread out on his cushions in his cat-nap zone. Pink kiss-swollen lips, flushed cheeks and eyes sparkling with want, she met his purr with her thrum. Nose along her collar bone, lips against the exposed skin on her chest. The combination of her muted seasonal scent mingled with arousal marked the area and he knew he’d never allow anyone else on his cat-nap zone. Ever. She moaned and he devoured and tasted and wanted so much more. 

Nathalie’s voice over the intercom broke through his haze. “Adrien, Nino and Alya are here.”

Marinette gave a muffled sob of frustration and Adrien buried his face in her neck. “No fair.”

He flopped away. Sitting beside her, he brought up his knees and wrapped his arms around them to hide as he wrestled with control.

Marinette brushed her palm against her face. “Talk about timing.”

“We knew they were coming.”

Marinette sat up and fixed her clothes, smirking at him. “Should’ve started earlier instead of napping.”

He laughed. “No way. That was the best nap.”

She shuffled toward the edge of the cat-nap zone and slipped her feet back into her shoes. Standing, she brushed lint off her skirt and fixed her hair.

“Did I mention you looked amazing today?”

“I think you could tell me again,” she replied, smiling. “I like hearing it.”

“Dudes!” Nino said, strolling into Adrien’s bedroom. “Who’s ready to par-tay! Seriously, this is going to be an absolute blast! Whoa, dude,” he said, spotting the cat-nap zone. He bounced across the room, his eyes wide as he took it all in. “I dig the mods! Three levels of snuggles.” He twisted so he could include Alya in the conversation. “Babe, look at all those pillows! Dude, like, it’d be perfect for a little bit of nookie, we could totally—”

Adrien growled, deep and low. His lips twitched away from his teeth.

Marinette shot him a surprised look, then sidestepped so she was between Nino and Adrien. “Um. Nino, how ‘bout we step away from the cat-nap zone.”

Nino held up his hands in submission and took an exaggerated step backward. “Roger that, dude. Stepping away from the zone.”

“Nino, you have all the subtly of a brick,” Alya said, exasperated with her boyfriend. “You don’t use someone else’s bedroom for nookie, you know that. Especially a tom-cat’s private snuggle area.”

“That the point of a teen party though, dude,” Nino said, waving his arms around. “Adrien’s house must be full of hidey holes.”

“It is, but my bedroom is off limits,” Adrien muttered. Pressing his fists into the cushions, he scooted to the edge of the zone. “As is my parent’s bedroom. And Father’s office.”

Nodding sagely, Nino said, “I hear you.” He looked at Adrien, then Marinette and his eyes blew wide. “Dude, did we cock-block you?”

Marinette went pink. Alya pressed her lips together and struggled not to laugh. Adrien grumbled and shoved his feet in his shoes, “Really? You know it’s not like that.”

“Sorry, bro! You should’ve put a tie on the door or something!” Nino said, smirking.

Marinette made a sort of moaning sound and appealed to Alya with her eyes.

“Stop embarrassing them, Nino,” Alya said and rolled her eyes. “We have a party to go to.”

Félicie, in one of her better moments of spoiling him, had suggested he invite all his friends from school who participated in the battle for a party. And anyone else he cared to invite. Chloé, upon hearing this, suggested he invite their entire year and Adrien, never having been allowed a party before, was completely on-board in reaping the benefits of his parents’ indulgence.

Adding to the fact that his parents were going out to dinner together tonight, and thus wouldn’t be home, Adrien was thrilled he was finally going to experience a teenage no-parents party.  Even if it was confined to the ballroom of the mansion and the Gorilla had several other bodyguards with him to make sure no one went into areas deemed out of bounds or got their hands on any alcohol.

While Nino had offered to DJ for them, something which Alya pouted over because she wanted to dance with him, Adrien also hired Theo to DJ for the night so he could spend some time with both Nino and his doppelganger. There was also a karaoke machine and a stage, as per Alya’s want, and Adrien couldn’t wait to hear Marinette try it out. A variety of snacks, including a lot of baked goods from Tom and Sabine, spread across one of the walls, copious amounts of disco lights, a punch bowl with its own bodyguard watching it. With Nathalie around to escort his friends to the ballroom, everything seemed set.

Tikki and Plagg had decided they’d rather not attend, and instead were going to spend the night snuggled up together in Adrien’s room for their own private kwami get together.

Taking Marinette’s hand, Adrien escorted his friends down the stairs so they could head to the ballroom while Nino talked and joked loudly about how awesome the party was going to be and what rocking tunes he had ready to play for people.

Hearing them, Gabriel poked his head out of his office. “Ahh. Marinette, Adrien, do you have a moment?” He blinked and smiled. “Good evening, Nino, Alya.”

Alya smiled and waved. “Evening Monsieur Agreste.”

“Hello, sir.”

Nodding, Adrien said to Nino, “You know where it is, right?”

Nino nodded. “We’ll meet you there soon.”

Walking into Gabriel’s office, Adrien was surprised to find his mother, Sabine and Tom sitting on the sofas in the sunken area to the side used for informal design discussions.

“Hello, dears,” Félicie said with a smile. “All ready for the party?”

Why was his hand suddenly clammy? Or was it Marinette’s hand? “Yes,” he said, feeling excited. “It’s going to be a blast.”

“I didn’t realise you were going to be here,” Marinette said.

“We thought we’d take the opportunity to chat,” Sabine said, gesturing herself and the other parents in the room. “Before we head out to dinner.” Both were dressed up, Tom looking uncomfortable in his suit and tie and Adrien thought he’d be more comfortable if they were all going out for pizza instead of dinner. He hoped Gabriel and Félicie took into consideration that the Dupain-Chengs existed on a tight budget.

Tom sat back in his chair and extended an arm behind Sabine. “And make sure you were aware of the rules.”

It wasn’t just her hand that was clammy at all. Marinette and Adrien exchanged a glance. “Rules?” Adrien asked and was pleased to hear his voice didn’t squeak.

“You’re a young couple and in love, there will be certain urges,” Gabriel said, completely straight faced.

Marinette’s hand quivered in his, but Adrien caught Félicie’s sudden smile which was quickly smothered by her hand.

“Is this about how a condom goes on a banana?” he said, tilting his head as he looked at his father. “‘Cause you’ve already done that talk.”

Marinette made an odd choking noise while Félicie’s laughter chimed. “Oh, that sounds like an interesting story.”

“It doesn’t protect much on a banana. Plagg said that’s how you ended up with me,” Adrien continued, using the same baffled tone. “Purr-haps you and Mom are the ones who need to learn.”

Tom snorted. Félicie’s laughter wasn’t muffled in the slightest. Sabine looked amused. Gabriel remained impassive. “I see the Chat Noir sass never fails you. Last time we had this conversation, you pulled all the tricks in the book to get out of it.”

Adrien shrugged. “Judging by Mom’s face, you really didn’t call us in here to make sure we knew the ins and outs of sex, so to speak.”

Tom laughed. “That’s my line.”

“You’re messing with us,” Marinette said, narrowing her eyes. “That’s not nice.”

“Believe it or not,” Sabine said. “We have discussed the two of you, just so we’re on the same page.”

Gabriel continued, “Your mother and I are aware of how committed you both are. We are also aware of Marinette’s Ladybug… complications.”

Félicie’s smile was soft. “Butterflies have a spring fever too. So I understand. They were especially hard to deal with when they first started.”

Adrien nodded. “You’d like assurance we're not going to do anything stupid or rash.”

“Yes,” Gabriel said.

Adrien placed his free hand over his heart and bowed at the waist. “We’re not going to do anything stupid or rash.”

Marinette added, “We have goals and things in place to help dilute the scent.” She glanced at Adrien and smiled. “There have been no cats carolling this month at all, not even this one. We’ve discussed what we want out of our time together and we’re not going to let them go too far until we’re really ready.”

Adrien asked, “Anything else?”

Tom slapped the arms of his chair. “They’ve got things sorted, I think. Look at them, Gabe. Eye contact, relaxed stance. They’re not doing anything they think they shouldn’t be.”

“Hmm,” Gabriel said with a decisive nod. “I suppose you're right.”

“Enjoy the party, dears,” Sabine said.

Marinette released Adrien’s hand and bounced across the room to kiss her parents. Félicie stood and approached Adrien for a hug. She brushed her hands cover his face and cupped his cheeks and lifted his chin up. “I really hope you have fun tonight.”

“Oh, I plan to,” he said with a smirk. “All sorts of nefarious teenage shenanigans. Drugs, sex and rock and roll.”

She laughed. “Of course.”

A glance at the still seated Gabriel and Adrien saw him take Marinette’s hand as he spoke to her. There was something about the way Gabriel looked at Marinette now, so different than when Tigga inhabited his head. Now, he looked at her like he really saw her and was interested in what she had to say, rather than tolerating her.

Félicie said, “I was young once, you know.”

“You? Never.”

She brushed her hands across his forehead. “You have a good head on your shoulders. Just remember to use it.”

With an exasperated sigh, he said, “Did you really discuss Marinette and my sex life or lack thereof with the Dupain-Chengs?”

She kissed his forehead and her smile said it all.

“You are so embarrassing.”

“I have two years of Mom embarrassment to catch up on.”

Kissing her cheek, he said, “You don’t have to catch up all at once.”

“More fun that way,” she said.

Glancing at Tom and Sabine, Adrien lowered his voice and wondered how he should phrase this. “Mom, they’re not accustomed to the same kind of places we are.”

“Our treat, dear heart,” she whispered and fixed the collar of Adrien’s jacket. “Sabine voiced the same concern. Next time, we’re going to the markets and strolling down La Seine.”

Adrien snorted. “Sounds amazing.”

“This is… Gabriel’s way of saying thank you. They were there for you when we couldn’t be. Sabine has been a pillar of strength especially because… well, I feel like I’m trying to slot myself back into your life. You’ve done without me for nearly two years and grown so much I feel like I let you down. To know that she was there for you when you needed a mother is such a comfort.”

“No, Mom, you didn’t—”

She didn’t let him continue. “They didn’t have to take you under their wing but they did and they love you dearly. That means so much to both of us.” She lifted her fingers to the frame of his glasses. “Especially since we weren’t there for this.”

He shifted his weight, uncomfortable and desperate to reassure her. “Mom—”

Marinette bounced back over to him. “Ready?”

“Have fun,” Félicie said and stepped away, preventing Adrien from saying anything to her admissions. Pressing his lips together, he decided to address it later. Nodding, Adrien waved to Sabine and Tom, herding Marinette out of the room so they could head to the party.

“You were… almost relaxed in that conversation,” Marinette noted.

“They’re gonna keep coming at us about sex,” he replied. “I may as well give the appearance I’m comfortable with talking about it with them. Maybe they’ll shut up then.” Dipping his head down to her ear, he whispered, “Or we could tell them that less than ten minutes ago I had my hand up your skirt?”

Marinette went red and smacked him on the chest with the back of his hand. “Don’t you dare.”

The front door creaked open and Chloé poked her head in, beaming as she spotted them. Her usual yellow striped self, she wore a matching shirt and skirt ensemble for tonight’s party. “Adrikins!”

He grinned. “Hello Chlo. You look amazing.”

“Oh, pssh,” she said and flopped her hand at him. “I know. I always do.”

Wearing an aqua sundress, Sabrina bounced in. “Oh, this is going to be awesome! I love parties. Is there cake? Tell me there’s cake.”

“There’s cake,” Marinette said. “From my bakery.”

Sabrina bounced forward and took both of Marinette’s hands. “Oh, amazing! I love your cakes.”

“Hello?” Nathanaël called, poking his head through the door. He seemed relieved when he saw them in the foyer. Leaning back, he called, “They’re here. Come on!”

“Oh, yes,” Chloé said with a small cringe. “They were all congregating at the gate. I was going to tell you.”

Adrien snorted and released Marinette’s hand so he could let everyone into the mansion. “Hi Nath, thanks for coming. Chloé, can you lead the way to the ballroom?”

“Sure,” Chloé said, beckoning. “This way! Keep your greasy fingers off the paintings, they’re worth more than you all combined.”

Adrien made sure to greet every single person who came with a bright smile while either Marinette or Chloé escorted to the ballroom. Some guests, he hadn’t had much to do with, like Aurore or Mireille. Others, like Max and Kim, lingered in the foyer to chat with him before heading to the party. Most had dressed up, losing the casual school clothes in favour of dresses, trousers and button shirts. Max even wore a tie. Alix looked dashing in her shirt, pants and vest.

Félicie, Sabine, Tom and Gabriel came out of Gabriel’s office as Ivan and Mylène, the last of the party guests, arrived. “Have fun, Adrien,” Félicie said as she breezed to him and kissed his cheek. Tom offered up a wink and a hand to the shoulder, while Sabine kissed his other cheek.

Gabriel, last out the door, gave him a hug. “Enjoy yourself tonight,” he said. “But please don’t destroy the place.”

“Promise.”

Gabriel cupped Adrien’s chin. “We’ll be home in a few hours. Be mindful of your bodyguard.”

“Of course.”

Gabriel considered him. “This is a bad idea.”

Félicie trotted back to take Gabriel’s elbow. “Come. We’ll be late for our reservations.”

Huffy, Gabriel let his wife pull him away and Adrien closed the door behind them.

Marinette was already dancing with Nathanaël when Adrien arrived in the ballroom. While the tom-cat in Adrien bared its teeth, her seasonal scent was no were near as strong as it had been, so he could tolerate the dance. Besides, Nathanaël danced awkwardly, had no idea what to do with his hands and was grinning like an idiot. Harmless fun. Nino and Alya danced near them, so it was almost like a four-way dance.

Dance music pounded, most of his friends were already dancing and those who weren’t snacked or chatted instead. The Gorilla stood by the entrance to the ballroom, his companion bodyguards for the night at each other exit, except for the bathrooms, to ensure no one would be sneaking off to other areas of the mansion. The Gorilla nodded at Adrien and clasped his hands in front of him as he stood by the door.

“Dude!” Kim said, lifting his hand for Adrien to high five. “This place is tripped out. Awesome mix.”

“Should be a blast.”

“Adrikins!” Chloé sang and bounced for him. Grabbing him by the lapels, she tugged him toward the dance floor. “Dance with me.”

Since Marinette looked like she was enjoying herself, Adrien nodded. “Okay, sure.”

Chloé paused and pointed a finger at Kim. “You. You can dance with me next.”

Taken aback, Kim could only nod.

Adrien enjoyed dancing with Chloé. She swished her hips and raised her hands above her hair. She laughed and giggled and touch his hands to raise them up but she always remained a respectful distance away, and certainly didn’t try anything. When the song wove its beat into the next one, she curtsied, gave him a wink, sauntered over to Kim and dragged him into a dance. 

Adrien danced a three-way with Rose and Juleka next, talking and laughing with them over the top of the loud music Theo played. Aurore was snagged him for a dance as he made his way across the room to Marinette, Alya and Nino. He didn’t really mind as he knew once he made it to Marinette, he wouldn’t want to dance with anyone else.

Out of the corner of his eye or with each spin of his partner, Adrien watched Marinette dance. Arms raised, eyes closing as she swayed to the music. Always a smile for whatever partner joined her for the dance, and if one didn’t, she’d dance alone or include herself in with Alya and Nino. She was right about the skirt twirling, when she spun, it was eye-catching.

Adrien wasn’t the only one who noticed. None of his classmates would dare approach Marinette to dance with anything other than friendship intentions, but the rest of students in his year had no such qualms. He didn’t mean to growl, really he didn’t, but when Mylène gave him a stunned look and said, “I hope that’s not for me,” he knew he had to get to Marinette’s side soon.

He ducked his head. “Sorry, it’s not.”

“Go dance with her before you burst,” Mylène said, smiling.

“That wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

“Quick, he’s getting handsy.”

Adrien spun. Forgetting to be polite and thank Mylène for the dance, he shoved his way through the dancers, managing to step on Rose’s foot on the way through. Clearing his throat loudly, he dove between the boy trying to get his hands on his girlfriend’s swishing hips and put his own there instead, spinning Marinette away.

“Hey!”

Adrien ignored the guy, focussing on Marinette. He pulled her hips closer to hers, then slipped his hands to her back. The music was hard and fast, a moving cuddle didn’t make sense right now, but he didn’t care.

“I was wondering how long you’d take,” she said and wove her arms around his neck.

“I was trying to be polite and dance with everyone.”

“So was I,” she replied, toy with his hair at the nape of his neck. “Some of my best dance moves wasted.”

“Doubt it.”

Marinette smiled.

“Not a slow dance, dude!” Nino said over the top of the music as they bopped along to the beat. Gripping a giggling Alya, he spun his girlfriend in a circle, then ground against her. Alya turned her back on Nino and moulded it against his chest. With a wink at Adrien, Nino’s hands fell to Alya’s waist to hold on to her gyrating hips.

Adrien rolled his eyes and looked back at Marinette. “So, show me these moves.”

Releasing him, she ran a finger up his neck to his chin and flicked it off the end. “You can’t handle these moves.”

“Show me anyway.”

Hands in the air, Marinette let Adrien brush his hands over the more platonic areas of her body while they danced. She bounced, swishing her hips and drawing line of sight straight down to her navel and back up the middle of her body as she extended her arms above her head again. Adrien was riveted, drawn in to her mood and her smile and those sashaying hips. He couldn’t keep his hands or his eyes off her and she didn’t seem to mind.

She was giggly, changing the tempo of her dance along with the music and it always took them a moment to realign with each new song. Most of the songs Marinette knew the chorus to, singing along as loud as she could and sometimes Adrien joined in when he knew the words.

It was so much better to dance with her. To drag his hands across her belly as she spun and perhaps run his thumb along the underside of her breast. To plant a kiss on her shoulder as she draped her back against his chest and lifted her arms to fall back across his neck. To feel the hips grinding against him in time with the music. Oh, that was bliss.

Switching partners with Nino, Adrien danced with Alya and laughed along with her as Nino did this funny sort of jig dance with Marinette which involved moving his legs too much, his arms not enough and pulling faces. Chloé sidled in for another dance, leaving Marinette to dance with Kim.

A slow song finally made its way into the set and they gravitated toward each other. With a smile, Marinette looped her arms around his neck. Adrien let his hands roam up and down her back as he rested his head against hers. Her shirt was damp and he could see a glisten to the skin of her neck which made him want to taste. They swayed from side to side along with all the other moving couples around them.

“Enjoying yourself?”

He dragged his lips across her forehead as she moved it down to rest against his neck. “Immensely. You?”

“I could go for some punch.”

A slight surge of disappointment. “After this?”

“Oh yes.”

Nino, of course, took this opportunity to not-so subtly make out with Alya. If Adrien was more open to public displays of affection like that, he probably would have too, but the walking cuddle felt just as good. He could handle a kiss or wanting to touch her like he was, but eating Marinette’s face in public was a line he wouldn’t cross.

Of course, he didn’t expect to slowly rotate in his cuddle-dance with Marinette and discover Chloé taking a page from Nino’s book with Kim.

His eyes grew wide and his limbs felt weak. “That’s… new.”

Marinette raised her head from his neck to see where he was looking. “Hmm-mmm.”

“Did you know?”

“I knew Kim had feelings for her, but not the other way around. It happens that way sometimes.”

“It does?”

She brushed her fingers across his cheek to get him to look at her instead of Chloé and Kim. “You, my darling, are oblivious to these things sometimes.”

Keeping his eyes on Marinette, he nodded in the direction of the new couple. “That seems pretty obvious.”

Her lips crinkled up. “Jealous?”

“No.” He considered. “Are you?”

She snorted. “Why would I be jealous of Kim and Chloé?”

“No, the exuberant kissing in public thing. I mean, I know we kiss in public, but we don’t kiss like that.” He paused then ducked his head in embarrassment and lowered his voice to whisper, “His hand is up her shirt.”

She laughed at his expression. “Got an eyeful, did you?”

“Don’t laugh. I have to rearrange all my thinking now. Innocent Chloé...” he clicked his tongue. “For shame. What shall I tell her father?”

“Hardly innocent.” Marinette giggled merrily then pulled at her bottom lip with her teeth.

He tried to gauge her expression. “Is that… is that something you want?”

She peered at him. “Is that your way of asking if you could put your hand up my shirt?”

“No,” he said. “Just curious.”

“I’m not big on the displays either,” she replied. “You can kiss me, but I don’t want your tongue down my throat or your hands anywhere they shouldn’t be in public.”

He wrinkled his nose. “I wouldn’t even consider doing that.”

With a small flush, she admitted, “Maybe a little tongue… and a side-boob brush.”

He laughed. “I suddenly have the urge to succumb to peer pressure.”

Marinette rose up on her toes, her eyes glazing. “It’s your party. You can sin if you want to.”

He bent down so his lips brushed hers. “I thought it was cry if you want to.”

Her fingers increased their pressure on his neck and pulled him down the rest of the way. Her mouth warmed beneath his and the tip of her tongue brushed against his lips. She slid one hand down between them to rest over his heart, then curled her fingers, clutching his shirt. His hand stroked from the small of her back, all the way along her side, seeking out the side-boob brush she’d requested, until it reached her neck. Cupping it, his thumb caressed her jaw.

They swayed, tiny sidesteps so that they were still dancing even with their mouths fused. His purr rolled between them, quiet and sensual, for her ears alone, a reverberation in his chest she could feel through her fingertips.

“Go Adrien! You hit that!” Nino declared.

With a chuckle, Adrien pulled back. Watching Marinette’s flush creep across her face, he joked, “And again he blocks me. This is going to become a thing.”

Alya smacked her boyfriend. “Nino!” she scolded.

“Oops, sorry!”

Slow dancing gave way to Alya’s karaoke machine while Theo took a break. Adrien fetched some punch and then wove his arm around Marinette’s hips as they watched Ivan take to the stage to sing ‘I’ll make a man out of you,’ with Mylène. The entire year took turns to embarrass themselves and whoever sang last got to pick the song for the next person. That’s how Kim came to sing ‘I’m a barbie girl’, Alya got to croon ‘Fever’ and how Adrien was dragged on stage to duet ‘I need a hero’ with Nino.

The pair of them laughed more than they got the words right, Nino, with dramatic flare, posed and flexed as much as he could between warbling lines, while Adrien copied Nino’s flexes with flexes of his own, prompting his best friend to pretend to swoon. Both of them knew the chorus though, belting it out to each other as loud as possible and dancing across the stage.

Nino, true to his devious nature, chose the next song and dragged Chloé up on the stage, planting her in the middle. Her face went bright red as ‘Hollaback girl’ started playing. “I’m not singing that!”

Marinette rolled her eyes, made a disgruntled noise and slipped from Adrien’s arm. Snagging Alya, she joined Chloé on the stage and the three of them made a spectacle of themselves. By the time they reached the spelling portion of the song, everyone was laughing and joining in. Kim whistled and clapped, calling out, “Nice one, babe!” to which he received a scowl and a finger point from Chloé.

Marinette picked the next song, gesturing to Alix. “This one’s for you!”

Upon hearing the ‘Let’s go’ at the start of the song, Alix clapped her hands and bolted for the stage and, to Adrien’s surprise, his friends watching started grinning and spread out. “What are we doing?” he asked Marinette as she returned to him.

“Dance along,” she said, winking at him. “Follow Alix.”

“But it said I already knew what it was,” Adrien said, echoing the words of the song. “I have no idea.”

The first step conducted by Alix and the rest was almost in sync, but Adrien floundered. Oh, he’d heard this song before, but he had no idea there were dance moves to go along with the Nae Nae.

Marinette laughed and winked at him as he struggled to follow along. “Show me some of that Chat suave!”

“This is not funny!” he complained, watching her switch through the steps seamlessly. Still, seeing her laugh at him and continue to dance, was pretty fun. By the third Nae Nae, he had that part of the dance down though. The transitions mucked him up and he was never sure what was coming up next, but he enjoyed himself. Alix whipped and bopped up on the stage, getting right into the song, throwing her body into every movement with gusto.

“Gonna have to practice, dude!” Nino called, laughing at him.

“Give me Gundam Style anytime,” Adrien countered.

Nino’s forehead creased. “Don’t you mean Gangnam?”

“Nope, I’m totally gonna dance anime style.”

Nino shook his head. “You are such a weeb.”

Adrien gave him a two fingered salute.

When Alix was finished, Adrien leant close to Marinette and asked, “Did you want to do a duet?”

She shook her head. “No. Cause they’ll expect something sappy like ‘Don’t go breaking my heart’, or ‘Come what may’ or something.”

“Aww, really?” he asked, disappointed. He’d want to sing with her.

“I love you,” she said and cupped his cheek. “But I don’t want to serenade you in front of all these people.”

He nodded. Rubbing his chin, he hit on an idea. Grabbing Marinette’s hand, he tugged her onto the stage. “Alix! Don’t pick anything.”

She pouted, her hand hovering over the screen. “Aww, but I had a good one lined up.”

“You can do it after this,” he said. “Please?”

With a shrug, Alix moved aside. “You’re the party boy.”

Marinette laughed when she saw his selection. Even harder when he whispered in her ear what he wanted to do. “You’re on.”

“Oh, this is going to be sappy,” Kim heckled.

Adrien just winked at him and handed Marinette a microphone.

“You’d better make this worth my while,” she said.

“Make it husky.”

She shooed him with her hand and faced their friends. Clearing her throat, she shook out her arms and waited for the music to start.

When it did, there was an air of general confusion. People exchanged glances or murmured to each other. Alya clapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from smiling and Nino danced in a circle before he fixed his eyes on the stage and waited.

“We clawed, we chained our hearts in vain, we jumped never asking why—”

She was untrained, but could still carry a tune. The tremble in her voice only added to the rawness of the song. As she sang, Marinette prowled across the stage, gesturing and singing to Adrien in a way that reflected the lyrics, getting further and further away from him as he waited. When she was far enough away, she shot him a look, and he nodded to her. 

The moment ‘I came in like a wrecking ball’ belted out, Adrien darted forward, dropped to his knees and slid across the stage. Passing Marinette, he spun on his knees and shucked off his jacket while he locked his gaze with hers.

Their friends went nuts, screaming and cheering. Marinette went pink, but she didn’t drop a note. The jacket was flung over his shoulder as Marinette prowled toward him. Adrien knelt on one knee, the other offered her a seat. Spinning, she sat, pressing her back to his chest as she sang a line and then was gone from him before he could take her in his arm. The ‘wreck me’ section of the song, she lifted her foot to plant on his knee, and he cupped her calf.

As he leant in to kiss her knee, she lifted her foot to his chest and toed him backward. He hadn’t been expecting that, falling flat to the stage with her foot on his chest. Cat reflexes kicked in so the fall at least looked elegant and graceful and Marinette laughed at him.

She danced away from him and Adrien rocked back onto his shoulders, thrust his legs into the air bounced to his feet to prowl after her. She skipped across the stage toward him, her fingers steepled on his chest and caused him to dance backward or be pushed over. She twirled, her skirt flowing around her and giving him a lovely view of her legs, then skipped away and he was forced to chase again. They spent the entire rest of the song playing an odd game of cat and bug. She’d let him catch her, but never land a kiss, all the while their friend screamed their appreciation.

When it was over and they accepted their applause, Adrien slung an arm around Marinette’s shoulder and kissed her cheek. “Well done.”

“Man, that was so totally amazing!” Nino blurted as Adrien and Marinette joined them again. “The way you just slid across the stage, so slick. Did you practice that?”

“Nah. These moves are all natural.”

Alya hugged Marinette. “Gurl, that was incredible. So very sexy and the way you made him chase you. That was hot and you know it.”

Flushed, Marinette fanned herself. “He upped the ante with that jacket toss. Whew.”

Adrien perked up. “Like that, did you?”

“You’re hot and you know it,” she replied.

“Drink?” Adrien suggested as Max took the stage. “To cool down that… thirst.”

Marinette narrowed her eyes at him and glared. The half-smile which formed told him she was most amused. Offering her his elbow, he escorted her over to the punch.  

Nathalie waited by the snack tables, looking stern and foreboding as ever. “Your father wishes me to tell you he and your mother have returned from dinner.”

A quick glance at the time told him it was just before ten. They’d been dancing for a long time and he hadn’t realised it. “Thanks,” Adrien said and grabbed the ladle for the punch. Scooping two cups, he passed one to Marinette. “Did they want to see me?”

“Not as yet. How long do you think this will last?” Nathalie asked, her eyes roaming around the room.

“The party?” he shrugged. “Until people get tired, I suppose.”

“Your DJ is booked until eleven,” Nathalie said.

“After that, Nino will probably take over for a while,” Marinette said and sipped her punch. “Though it’ll probably break up around midnight.”

“Several—” Nathalie cleared her throat “—‘couples’ have already tried to sneak off. Please inform your friends anyone who manages to slip past and is found outside the ballroom will be escorted from the mansion.”

Adrien nodded. “I already did, but I’ll spread the word.”

Nathalie nodded. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”

“Thank you,” Adrien replied. Glancing around the room, he saw most people were enjoying themselves and Theo was getting ready to start another set. Nino and Alya were laughing and talking to Rose and Juleka and Max was singing on stage. Leaning down to Marinette, he whispered, “Wanna sneak off for a bit?”

She looked at him with her big, beautiful eyes. “Nathalie give you ideas, did she?”

“Oh, I had ideas before,” he said and nibbled on her ear. “But she reminded me. Music room is next door, c’mon.”

Taking her hand, he strode for the door, looking stern. “We’ll be right back,” he told the Gorilla.

The Gorilla looked at him. Looked at Marinette. Smirked. Then opened the door. Adrien chose to ignore the smirk or the knowing looks.

The music room adjoined the ballroom. A small room which housed a few chairs and the grand piano, which was moved into the ballroom as needed. The acoustics in it were amazing, so Adrien always loved to practice in there whenever he could.

Giggling, Marinette walked further into the room while Adrien shut the door. He left the lights down low, music was always more romantic in dim light.

“So, what are your plans, Monsieur Agreste?” Marinette asked as she stood in the centre of the room, swinging her arms as she depicted the very definition of innocence.

He crossed the room to the piano and sat down, patting the seat beside him. Resting his fingers on the keys, he started slow. Simple, echoing tune which had no real form beyond being pretty. Easing into Trois Gymnopedies, he leant into Marinette as she joined him. Soft, sweet and gentle, they could sway to the music from the piano itself.

Marinette pressed into his side and rested on hand on his thigh as she listened. There wasn’t much room on the seat and that was fine by him. Her fingers doodled little patterns on his leg. “I was joking about you serenading me, you know.”

He smiled. “I know.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, she watching his fingers glide across the keys. “When you said you played, I didn’t realise…” she trailed off. “You’re perfect, you know.”

“Nah,” he said. “It’s all a ploy. A façade. Every bit of it.”

“I don’t think so.” She listened for a while and then closed her eyes. “Beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

He slipped into Angel Eyes. Livelier and with a lot more variation in tone, but still just as sweet and pretty.

She listened with her eyes closed, dipping along with the movements of his body as he played for her. Feeling silly, he slipped into some of the more romantic and beautiful Final Fantasy music.

Marinette snorted as she recognised the tune. “You’re adorkable.”

He laughed.

“Why haven’t you played for me before?”

“It was hard. Music was…” He shook his head and corrected himself. “—is one of the things I share with Mom. Playing without her… it made me feel closer to her but it was also very emotionally draining.”

“Oh.” Clearing her throat, she tried to help by joking, “Manly tears?”

He played along. “Very manly. So manly and macho you would’ve swooned.” The smile died and he grew serious. “I guess I didn’t want you to see me like that. Now,” he glanced at her and winked. “I get to seduce you with music.”

She laughed. “You don’t need to seduce me.”

“Oh, but I want to,” he said, and, clearing his throat, he switched songs to La Vie En Rose. He wasn’t a singer like his mother but he could carry a tune. Because he hadn’t warmed up, his voice was husky as he sang, “Hold me close and hold me fast, the magic spell you cast—”

Marinette lifted away from his shoulder. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at him and she made a muted squeak, covering her mouth with her hands.

He poured his heart and soul into his music and his voice, a desperate attempt to show her what she meant to him. Each word had to be a perfect representation of his feelings, each note had to echo his love for her. Music and song, in perfect balance, all for her. Sometimes music could speak for itself and convey, but for a song like this, the words were lifted from his heart and offered up to her.

Marinette’s hand fell from her mouth and to her lap. Her half-lidded eyes filled with tears and her smile, the soft crinkle at the edges, it was beatific. He’d known music could entrance, but he’d never seen it happen before. Not by anything he’d done. It felt amazing.

He didn’t want the moment to end. He wanted to keep that expression of love on her face as long as he could, so instead of allowing the song to drift to a close, he repeated it. Leaning forward so his forehead brushed hers, his fingers flowed across the keys like silk and the huskiness of his voice only added to the raspiness of Marinette’s breath.

Soprano soared over the top of his voice, melding and enhancing to create a beautiful blend of voice and music. Stunned, Adrien’s fingers hit a wrong note, but he recovered quickly. Straightening, he turned his head to see Félicie standing just inside the doorway, smiling as she sang with him. Gabriel stood behind her, his hands resting on her hips.

“When you kiss me heaven sighs—”

Félicie swayed in Gabriel’s arms as she sang and Adrien could see Gabriel was just as entranced with his wife as Adrien was with Marinette. Turning back to the piano, he concentrated on the piece, letting his mother’s angelic voice flow over the top of him. As embarrassing as it was to have been sprung serenading Marinette, the fact his mother sang eclipsed everything else he felt.

“And life will always be la vie en rose.” The last note rang out, filling the space in the room and taking his heart with it.

Adrien didn’t stop playing, shifting into a melancholy instrumental piece that he didn’t have to think too hard about playing. He didn’t want this moment to end. He didn’t want to ruin Marinette’s mood or his own, or the emotions which were bubbling up inside him from singing with his mother again.

Félicie said, “That was beautiful, Adrien.”

“We didn’t mean to intrude,” Gabriel said, clearing his throat and Adrien heard a roughness in his throat. His father was just as emotional about this as he was.

“I haven’t heard you play in so long,” Félicie explained. “I had to.”

“I know the feeling,” Adrien said, staring at his moving hands.

“I think we spoiled a mood, dear,” Félicie told Gabriel, the apology clear in her tone.

“No, it’s okay,” Adrien replied. “Nothing’s spoiled.” He glanced as Marinette, seeing her sitting so still and straight, she almost seemed frozen. “I think we broke Marinette though.”

On cue, Marinette squeaked. Her hands clenched and a blush bloomed, spreading across her entire face. Another squeak and she covered her face with her hands. Tilting toward him, she buried her face in his arm to hide.

“Yup,” he said and kissed the top of her head. “She’s broken.”

Félicie laughed. “Goodnight, dears. Enjoy the rest of your party.”

“Night, Mom. Night, Father.”

He waited until the door clicked closed and beyond before he allowed the music to dissipate. Sitting still, he rested his hands on his knees and waited. “Well… that was embarrassing,” he said after she made no move.

Marinette mumbled something.

“Pardon?”

Her hands gripped his shirt and her head lifted away just enough so he could hear her gush, “That was amazing.”

Lifting his hand, he took a strand of her pigtail between his thumb and index finger. “You’re amazing.” Leaning over, he kissed her head, then her forehead, coaxing her face away from his arm so he could find her lips. A delighted noise, her lips parting as she sank into his embrace and Adrien was swept away.

Epilogue

The city glowed. Soft and warm, a slight glimmer from puddles of water on rooftops caused by the dusting of rain they were gifted with. On any other day, Chat Noir wouldn’t have ventured outside unless absolutely necessary, but today, Master Fu had sent for them, so he lingered on the rooftops and watched the shimmering lights as he waited for his lady to answer the call and join him.

Summer holidays weren’t too far away and he was looking forward to them. So many things had been planned. A graduation ceremony as they finished at Collège Françoise Dupont and headed off to their next school. Mamie Dupain was coming to visit and he was both excited and nervous about that. There was also the ever-present akuma jar hunting and patrolling. There had been a promise of a weekend visit to the beaches of Normandy with Nino, Alya, Marinette and several others as a graduation gift.

There was also Marinette’s birthday to look forward to, and the amount of teasing for her dating a younger man from Nino to endure.

A hand slide down from his shoulder, nails pricking at his skin beneath the suit and a tingle followed their trail. Down his spine, flowing across the small of his back and settling on his rear. Glancing over his shoulder, he raised an eyebrow at Ladybug. Her eyes were fixed on her hand, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. With a grin, he said, “My eyes are up here.”

“I know,” she replied.  “But—”

He snorted. “Butt.”

“Yes. Exactly. Your suit is so… tight. Did you change it?”

“Nope. It’s always been this tight. You’re just giving yourself permission to look.”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“You can thank Plagg for that.”

“Thank you Plagg,” she said, flicking her eyes up to meet his as she gave a naughty squeeze. “But it’s not just him. You fill it so well, especially after that growth spurt.”

“No,” he said with a wink. “You’re just shrinking, my lady. Teeny, tiny bug.”

Displeased, she pinched him. Hard.

He jumped, but didn’t turn. If she wanted to play with his backside, he’d let her. “I thought we weren’t going to get amorous in the suits.”

“Not amorous. This is me, admiring your trim physique and assets.”

“That’s you, admiring my ass,” he corrected with a smile.

“Like you don’t do the same.”

The urge to turn and grab his own handful was too great to resist. Twisting around, he made a grab for her. She eeped as he pulled her flush against him. He leant against the railing and spread his legs so she could nestle between them. With a squeeze, he murmured, “All hail the divine Ladybutt.”

“What do you think Fu wants us for?” she asked, putting her finger on his lips as he bent down for a kiss.

“Hey. No fair. Why do you get to play and I don’t?”

“Because your play usually ends with something very noticeable in your pants that you probably don’t want to show to the great guardian, especially when you’re in skin tight clothes.”

Grinning, he flirted, “You like my noticeable growths.”

“Yes,” she teased. “So much better now you can reach things on the top shelf to push off.”

With a flat stare, he deadpanned, “So sass. Much wow.”

“Look at you, being a walking meme. I suppose it’s better than the puns.”

“That sounds like the purr-fect invitation,” he crooned.

“And I regret everything.”

“Now who’s the walking meme?” he asked, rubbing his nose against hers.

Smacking the palms of both hands against his chest playfully, she adopted a serious expression. “C’mon kitty. We have a job to do before we can play.” She stepped away from him and unwound her yo-yo.

He prowled after her. “But you are going to let me play?”

She winked and launched herself over the edge of the building. “Only if you catch me.”

The race was short lived, as it would be since Fu’s pallor wasn’t a great distance from either of their homes and Ladybug had a head start. From her over the shoulder smile at him as she strolled through Fu’s front door, Chat Noir knew a playful chase and romp across the rooftops of Paris was in store for him after their business was complete.

Fu stood in the middle of his massage parlour as Chat Noir and Ladybug joined him. He looked older than he had before, but a peace and an acceptance radiated out of him.

“Master Fu,” Chat Noir greeted. “You look well.”

Fu inclined his head. “My story is nearly over, but there is still time to impart my wisdom. For two, the story is about to begin.”

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged a glance.

“It is time,” Fu said and held out his hands. As he opened them, Chat Noir saw two pieces of jewellery resting in his palms. A fox tail necklace and a dainty golden comb. “The next guardians have been chosen by their kwami.”

“Awesome,” Chat Noir said, staring at the jewellery.

Ladybug smiled. “So, what do we do?”

“You must deliver these to the chosen ones,” Master Fu said and smiled. Placing the fox chain in Ladybug’s hand and the bee comb in Chat Noir’s, Fu continued, “I believe you know the new fox and bee guardians as Nathanaël and Chloé.”