Archive of Our Own ^beta

A dark blur sped through the dark city night of Paris. The twinkling city lights were the only thing to show that something was moving, and it was moving fast.

The small figure stopped by a window, his three whispers twitching a bit, as he whispered out a “Psst.”

Except all that answered was a small rustling of wind.

The small being hissed, his green eyes glowing in the darkness. His cat ears stood up straight and annoyed. “PSST!”

“Hello to you Plagg!” A small ladybug-looking being exclaimed warmly to her fellow kwami.

“Ah!” Plagg screamed, his mouth opened revealing small fangs. “Don't scare me like that Tikki!”

Tikki rolled her eyes, “What's up Plagg?”

Plagg grumbled a bit and stretched out, floating closer to his fellow qualities, “What no apology?”

Tikki just gave Plagg a deadpan stare.

Plagg huffed, “Fine, be that way. I guess you don't want to know what I came here to tell you.”

Tikki shook her head, “Oh, goodnight then!”

“Wait!” Plagg called out as Tikki proceeded to float away.

Tikki smirked and Plagg groaned, “It's just…” the kwami of destruction grimaced, “Do you feel like the air is more charged lately? That something ominous is about to happen?”

Tikki tilted her head, “Hmm, I suppose that things have been feeling rather imbalanced lately. Wonder why?”

“Good!” Plagg exclaimed and then backtracked, “I mean that's bad! I just mean that it's good because I'm not going crazy!”

Tikki giggled a bit, and Plagg chuckled before shrieking in terror as a figure literally appeared out of thin air before him.

“I think I could help you with your little problem, I just need some help first little guardians.” A humanoid being spoke, casting a dark shadow that reached outwards as if wings were wrapping around them.

“Who are you?” Plagg asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “And what do you want?”

Gold eyes glowed from the mysterious figure’s hood, and a smirk played on the being's lips, “What don't remember me? I mean I do have many names, but does the name Thanatos bring any recollection?” the being spoke softly, an echo to his words, making the two kwami freeze in shock as his words sunk in, “And what I want to restore the natural order of the world.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A masked man smirks as he holds a fluttering butterfly in his grasp. In his other hand, he leans on a cane, his purple coat tails flaring dramatically behind him.

“Such a fragile thing…” the man says, closing his hand over the insect, “...life is.”

The soft crunch can be heard, and the man scoffs as he releases the butterfly.

The small body falls to the ground, crumpled white wings and squished bleeding abdomen left on the cold, dark floor.

“Soon, though, I’ll be the master of it all!” The man yells, a pure grin plastered beneath his silver mask.

The thousands of once docile butterflies around him startle, beating their wings around, forming a swarm of white around the crazed man.

The man’s blue eyes turn just a touch softer, instead of the icy blizzard it’s more like the falling of snow, “For Emile.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The bell for Collège Françoise Dupont went off, singling the end of the school day. The students buzzed with excitement and started to pack up their things.

Adrien Agreste, aka Chat Noir, smiled happily as he packed up his things. Father finally allowed him to invite a friend over to his home again! Really, Adrien could hardly believe it!

Adrien just hopes that Hawkmoth has no plans for tonight, for as much as he loves being Chat Noir, he wants tonight to be filled without villainous interruptions.

Speaking of his friend, well, he only just met her, but she seems really nice. And there she was, she grinned at Adrien, and huh it kind of reminded him of a fox’s grin as she plopped on his desk.

“Hey, Adrien.” Lila spoke softly, tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.

“Hey, Lila, I’m so glad that your incurable disease was actually found to be curable!” Adrien greeted the girl, “Also, I can’t believe that Father approved for you to hang out with me. He’s always so strict!”

Lila rolled her jade-green eyes, “Of course having someone over like me, someone of similar status to your own, surely helped alleviate your father's worries!”

Adrien's smile faltered a bit, something about Lila’s words just felt a bit mean, but he brushed it off.

“Well, are you ready to go, my bodyguard Placide should be here to drive us over to my estate.”

Lila smiles, a big grin on her face and grabs Adrien’s hand, “Well, we don’t want to keep him waiting!”

Adrien almost drops his bag as the girl practically runs off with him but luckily manages to hold onto all his stuff.

Adrien, though, just smiles, seemingly lost in the enthusiastic energy his friend is having for their awaited hang out.

Soon the two run out the school doors and get into the car. Adrien can barely contain his excitement as Placide drives off, for it’s as if riding a chariot to a mystical land. Like his cold and lonely home is now somewhere bright and happy to be.

Soon enough the two young teens get out of the house and Lila speaks with a huge smile on her face, “Wow! You got a nice place! It almost compares to my mansion in Spain!”

“That’s awesome!” Adrien nods to his friend good-naturedly.

Lila begins to brag about her many assets and money, but honestly Adrien doesn’t hear any of it. He feels bad, but all he can hear is a mocking buzz in his mind, as the steps to the front door seem to elongate into a never-ending staircase. As if taking one step will descend him into darkness.

Doubts begin to overtake Adrien’s mind. Is Father really alright with this? Or will they reach the last steps, and Father will turn them away at the very last second? Was this just some sort of appeasement before Father told him he wasn’t allowed to see his friends again? That he was being taken out of his school?

Adrien’s breathing picked up, thinking of the overwhelming loneliness of being locked in his home again. Of minute conversations and cold walls. Of fake smiles and the one shining light that was his modeling. But even that was all work and no play. He wasn’t allowed to have fun. Every minute of his day was scheduled from learning and lessons to sleeping!

Adrien couldn’t bear the thought that his father was just going to give him one last gift of happiness and freedom, only to take it all away again!

“HEY!” A loud scream startled Adrien out of his drowning thoughts.

Adrien looked up and Lila was staring impatiently down at him from the top steps.

Lila scowled, “Are you coming? I don’t exactly have a key to your home.”

Guilt swirled in Adrien’s gut, and he shakily ran up the steps to his friend, “S-sorry, I was just lost in thought.”

Lila searched Adrien, a piercing look that reminded Adrien too much of the nature documentaries his father had him watch as a kid — of a predator stalking their prey .

Lila nods, finding his answer satisfactory, and smiles again. Adrien deflates, the tenseness he didn’t know he had left his body.

She whispers, “Well, let’s head in.”

Adrien gives a shaky smile, his doubts from earlier still in the back of his mind. Doubts, like so many others, closed behind a dam that was already cracking at the seams.

“Let’s.” Adrien agrees and rings the doorbell.

Almost instantly, Nathalie, his father’s assistant, opens up the door. She stares a moment at the kids, her icy eyes seemingly cold and indifferent, and then she inclines her head to Adrien, “Welcome home Adrien and guest.”

Adrien smiles at the familiar bland tone of Nathalie and heads on into his home.

Then, before he can voice his worries of his father changing his mind, there the man, himself, comes in.

Gabriel Agreste, dressed in his favorite beige suit, and with a rare closed-lipped smile on his face.

“Father!” Adrien greeted happily, “You’re here!”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow and said a bit dryly, “Well this is my home in case you’ve forgotten.”

A faint blush rose on Adrien’s cheeks, “Ah, of course, Father.”

A smirk graced Gabriel's face. Adrien smiled happily, glad that his father was in such a good mood.

Lila, seeming to have lost her patience with staying silent, took this moment to introduce herself, “Thank you Monsieur Agreste for inviting me over to your home! I’m Lila Rossi in case you didn’t know.”

Gabriel hummed, surprising Adrien with a kind greeting, “Yes, of course. Now, my dear, would you mind if I speak for you for a moment in private before you and my son go off and have your fun?”

Lila grins, like a shark upon a blood infested water, “Of course.” Then, she turns to Adrien, “I’ll be right back!”

Adrien just blinked in shock as his father and Lila went off together. Has his father been replaced? He’s never that kind!

But then hope clings in Adrien’s chest like a parasite. Maybe his father finally listened? Finally started to change his tune.

Nathalie clears her throat, “Right this way Adrien. We have the activity room all ready for you and your guest’s ‘hang out’.”

Adrien smiles and Nathalie can’t help but smile a bit back as Adrien laughs, “Awesome!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adrien really wondered what Father and Lila were talking about because it must have been at least half an hour!

Luckily, Adrien knew plenty about having patience and biding his time, but come on!

Thankfully, his prayers were soon answered as Lila soon entered the room, a giant grin on her face.

Adrien asks, his voice full of curiosity, “What did you and Father even talk about?”

Lila grins, a wide cheshire grin, “Of nothing much! Just a bit of an opportunity you see.”

Adrien pouts, “Oh c’mon, is that all you're going to tell me?”

Lila comes up and boops Adrien on the nose, “Yep! You’ll just have to wait and see!”

“Alright! Fine!” Adrien throws up his hands dramatically.

Lila smirks confidently, “So are you ready to lose some games?”

“You’re really that sure you’re going to win?” Adrien smirks, a defiant challenge dancing in his emerald eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Mission accomplished.” Lila spoke up beside Gabriel holding a shiny silver ring in her fingers.

Gabriel grinned, “Fantastic!” Then, he muttered to himself, “Really, what was that boy thinking playing superhero? I’m glad I decided to install those cameras. Almost gave me a heart attack when I saw Adrien, or rather, Chat Noir, jump out of his bedroom window!”

“Now, I just need the Miraculous of the Ladybug, and all my plans will be complete!” The man laughs evilly.

Lila won’t admit it, but she feels a bit unnerved by the man. Still, this will all be worth it. The fame and fortune that will soon be coming her way! She can almost taste it!

Little do the two of them know, but there are other forces already in play. Ones that wanted to prevent such a disaster from happening.

Of the small black kwami that stayed just out of sight but saw everything happen. As the girl gave his boy drugged food and slipped the ring right off Adrien’s finger. How Plagg was forced to disappear, unable to help Adrien.

The kwami felt like screaming, but for now a dangerous and honestly disastrous plot began to take root in his mind.

Plagg was the kwami of destruction after all. And he would rather the world burn than allow Adrien to be hurt!

So, the miniature god spoke, an almost desperate plea heard in his tone, “Thanatos, for the part of my favor for helping you some time ago. I ask you, please, if you can hear me… please help Adrien Agreste.”

The shadows seemed to darken, and the kwami, despite the cold never having bothered him, shivered. Plagg grinned, glad that he seemed to have been heard.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Adrien’s face scrunched up in fear, as his dreams become consumed by nightmares. He dreamt of his miraculous finally falling into Hawkmoth’s hands, and the world was forced into an era of darkness and destruction. Of all his friends and family falling dead before his feet, as he could only uselessly watch.

But then a bubbly voice drifted through his dystopian nightmare, “Wowza! Now that’s a nightmare if I’ve ever seen one kid!”

Adrien blinked up in shock as he saw a man-a being-floated above him laying on a tuft of fluffy white clouds. The being has light grey skin and hair similar to clouds. The being lazily blinked his two brown eyes at Adrien.

“Huh? No wonder, my brother wanted me to wake you up! Well, off you go!”

“Wait!” Adrien yelled, as his world seemed to vaporize around him, “Who are you?”

“Huh? I’m Hypnos, silly!”

“What?!” Adrien screamed and opened his eyes seeing the remnants of the card game laid around him.

“That was a really weird dream.” Adrien muttered to himself.

“So, it was.” A being spoke up, deep and fathomless.

Adrien swore his soul left his body for a full minute there with how shocked he was.

Adrien glanced over seeing a very tall humanoid man before him. He, like the Hypnos in his dream, had grey skin, but his hair was a short and straight silver cropping. And his eyes were gold!

“I must be going crazy!” Adrien spoke up, completely believing he was hallucinating.

“I’m afraid not, young one. However, I don’t have time to really dispute your claims, as your so-called friend stole something of value from you.”

“Huh?” Adrien spoke, nervously going to twist his ring, but found that it wasn’t there.

“What?!” Adrien screamed, disbelief and betrayal clawing up his throat, “She wouldn’t.” Tears formed at the corners of his eyes.

“I’m afraid she has and already she has given your miraculous to the villain known as Hawkmoth… your father.”

“No… No, no, no!” Adrien yelled, “That can’t be true! He not! He can't be!”

The being simply gave Adrien a deeply sad look, and Adrien knew, his soul knew, that this being wasn’t lying.

“I… I,” Adrien huffed, “Why did you tell me this? Why help me?”

“Well, Plagg was quite instant.” The being spoke, a soft fond tone in his voice, “And well, while I am Death, I don’t exactly want to have to collect a myriad of souls your father would surely release early to the Underworld.”

Adrien looked down sadly, but then he thought of the being's words. Of death, and the similar being from his dream, Hypnos. Then, everything clicked, and Adrien spoke elatedly, “You’re Thanatos.”

“Indeed child.” Thanatos smiled a bit at the brilliant mind of the Plagg’s chosen holder.

“Now, I believe it’s time to get your ring back.” Thanatos spoke.

Adrien looked out to the dark hallway in fear.

“Don't worry. I will be there, and my oath swears that no harm shall come to you.” Thanatos promised.

Adrien smiled up at the god, “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was no fight much to Adrien’s surprise despite Thanatos’ promise.

No, he simply walked into Hawkmoths, his father’s, lair and it was as if he was one with the shadows and took his ring right from his father’s hands without either him or Lila noticing.

Adrien felt elated as he held the ring on his palm. His connection to Plagg just a breath away. Adrien didn't even realize how much he already misses his cheese-loving friend.

Adrien slipped on the ring, the familiar thrum of power whirring through him once again. His kwami burst back on the scene. The kwami instantly blended into the shadows as if it was second nature.

“Adrien you’re okay!” Plagg exclaims and rushes over to hug the boy, making a soft purring noise.

Adrien huffs fondly, “It’s all thanks to you, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if you didn’t call in a favor from the literal god of death!”

An amused chuckle surrounds the pair in silence, encased in the shadows, as if in an abyss of silence and solitude. One akin to death.

Plagg floats back, leveling Adrien a concerned look, “Hey, where’d that infamous confidence go?”

“It went away when you were stolen from me!” Adrien shouted back, his eyes instantly darting to the ground in shame.

“Hey,” Plagg said softly, “It’s okay, there’s nothing you could have done. If anything, I should have been the one to notice something sooner. I was stupid to not look more into that girl’s character.”

“No, I was just being so stupid and naively hopeful.” Adrien shook his head in disagreement.

“Awe, c’mon Adrien, let me have this. As your senior by several years, I decree that it’s my fault and you can’t argue about it,” Plagg points out and Adrien snaps his mouth shut, shooting the kwami a glare.

Then, as if molded out of the shadows Thanatos appears before the two. They definitely didn’t scream, no siree.

Thanatos smirked a bit, “So what are you going to do about them?” The god pointed to the now freaking out pair of supervillains who finally noticed the ring was gone.

“Uh,” Adrien and Plagg seemed to falter simultaneously.

Then the Kwami and boy looked at one another, and Plagg spoke up, “You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Adrien nodded, popping his knuckles, “Just another day for a superhero, kicking villainous butt!”

Then, the boy lets out his signature battle cry, “Plagg, claws out!”

And, as is the power of magic, the normal attire Adrien was once wearing shifts to the black suit of Chat Noir.

Thanatos smiles happily as he watches the united pair fight together seamlessly. He might have helped the fight go without going awry and kept a rather persistant assitant away, but all and all it was the pair that defeated their villains.

In the end, Lila and Hawkmoth, or rather, Gabriel now as his kwami has been taken from him are tied up, being glared out by a rather angry Chat Noir. And Nooroo floats freely, staying far away from the man who abused his abilities and talks happily to Thanatos.

Meanwhile, Adrien’s transformation is about at its limit, and he should transform back soon.

Adrien ignores it though, as now that the adrenaline has started to leave his body, can feel anger light up in him. All-consuming and toxic as he stares at Lila, one who thought was his friend. Someone he thought he could trust .

(Adrien can’t even bring himself to look into his father’s direction).

“You, you,” Adrien can hardly speak, his anger swallowing his very being in an inferno of red, “you conniving, lying, manipulative b-bi-, ugh! B-word!”

Adrien chastises himself momentarily for not being about to swear, but all too soon the fury steals his thoughts away. Igniting under his veins and spewing out from his throat, like a roaring dragon.

Lila looks outraged, her eyes like green fire wanting to lash out and strike him — not that she can as she’s tied up. However, a glare sent her way from Gabriel stops her. Those blues are cold and merciless as death that makes even the coldhearted Lila shiver.

“Now, Adrien, that is no way to speak to your friend. And such uncouth language young man! I taught you better than that!” Gabriel scolds, his tone like a normal dad.

Adrien swallows the bitter taste that those words left on his tongue and spits back, finally looking in his father’s icy eyes, “You hardly even cared to see me once mom died! So don’t act like a caring father now!”

Gabriel is taken aback, “I’m doing this for Emile!”

“What?” Adrien asks in shock.

Gabriel grins, thinking of having his son at his side, “Indeed. You see with the miraculous that you and Ladybug possess we can bring your mother back to life! The miraculous of life and death working tandemly together, so we can all be together again.”

Except, Gabriel's grin fades as Adrien isn’t joyful upon hearing his plans. No, it's as if the boy is afraid and sad.

“No Father! Do you know what kind of price that would cost? How many lives would be lost?”

Gabriel scoffs, “I’ve long since stopped caring about the blood that stains my hands. In fact, if it wasn’t for Ladybug,” the man sneers, “I’d already long since been considered a killer.”

Adrien stands there in complete shock, barely not even registering as he detransforms with a loud ringing blaring in his ears like a discordant drum.

A murderer. How did Adrien not notice? How could he not notice that those people weren’t just hurt, but dead? How could he still look his father in the eyes every morning and believe he was an innocent person, when all he even is-is a coldblooded killer?!

“Hey kid,” Adrien faintly hears the voice of his kwami, “You’re alright.”

Adrien looked at Plagg, tears streaming down his face, and he spoke in a hoarse voice, “I don’t think I am.”

“Oh kid,” Plagg heart broke, and he turned a harsh glare on the man who called himself a father.

“You disgust me!” Plagg growled and Gabriel simply rolled his eyes, “And just so you know, so if you ever get your hands on what you seek. The price is much worse than some random lives. No, to save what you love, you must in turn, lose what you love.”

Plagg let his words sink into Gabriel, and horror began to show on his features, and Plagg grinned a mean smile, “That’s right, to save your beloved wife, you would doom your son. Think she would ever want to still be with you after that? Could you even live with yourself after? After sentencing your son to death?!"

Gabriel choked, raw with grief he hadn't let himself feel. The desperate hope that his Emile could be saved. That any price was worth it. But Gabriel learned that the price, the horrible cost, was his son, and that was too much.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel whispered a broken sound. A sound of a man who had completely given up.

“You should be.” Plagg simply said, but didn’t bother looking at the man, as the kwami simply watched concerned as Adrien still seemed out of it.

“Hey! I know this is heavy and all," Lila spoke up, “But will I still get my fame and fortune?!”

“SHUT UP!” Everyone shouted, even Adrien.

Lila snapped her mouth shut really quick; her eyes wide in shock.

Adrien huffed and looked at the pair his father and his classmate made as a couple of defeated villains and he turned his back on them, his emotions too strained. He looked over to Plagg, hoping his voice didn't break, “What now?”

“Well, I think it’s time we call Ladybug.” Plagg spoke up sheepishly, whike his voice was uncharacteristicly soft, “But whatever happens, know that I’ll always be here for you.”

Adrien smiled and whispered, “Thank you.”

The kwami saw the tears in his boy’s eyes and instantly went over and hugged him. The destruction calling to set the world aflame for all those who hurt Adrien. But Adrien was just so good and kind, and simply hugged Plagg back, tears slipping through the boy's eyes.

“I’m here.” Plagg promised, holding his boy protectively.