Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Luka trailed behind the group, running the pads of his fingers against the creases of his amateur newspaper wrapping job. He traced words that he did not read, only using the soft paper as a means of distraction. He focused his hearing on the chatter before him, Marinette fumbling over her cake and talking a million miles a minute. Anything to try to drown out the sounds of muttering nurses, of children crying. Undoubtedly, the hospital was quieter than last time he'd come, but he could still hear it all the same. Triage running to the front, pulling Adrien’s ashen body from his fingers. And blood. There was so much blood. Even through his super suit, the blood caked into his nail beds. 

“You okay?” Juleka turned back, a worried glance tracing his face. 

“Hm? Yeah.” He croaked, betraying his current state of panic.

Juleka scanned him head to toe, searching for clues as to his current shade of ghost. Her eyes paused on the gift in Luka’s hand, where he'd nearly rubbed off an entire sentence, leaving a charcoal grey on his index.

“I'm sure he'll love it.” Juleka tapped the crossword.

Forcing a half smile, Luka ran his palm along the puzzle. He'd purposefully worked to preserve the games on the paper, knowing too well how time drags within these walls. Part of him yearned to tell Juleka what was actually bothering him. To unbridle himself from the images that haunted him. But it was Adrien's secret. Chat Noir's secret. The rest of the group was under the impression Adrien had gotten hurt as a bystander; they didn't think too deeply about how much worse his wounds were compared to everyone else who filled the emergency room the night Hawkmoth fell.

“What's going on?” Rose mirrored Juleka’s concerned glare.

A beat passed between them before Juleka let out a sigh. “Luka's nervous about drooling in Adrien's presence.” 

Rose's cheeks pinked as she let out a giggle. “Oh, of course! It's okay, I'm sure he'll take it as a compliment.”

Luka released a weary smile that just managed to reach his eyes, a silent ‘thank you’ to his twin. 

“Looking good, Agreste!” Nino, who led the group, screeched in a tone far too high to be believable.

Luka’s grip tightened around the package.

The group’s chattering blurred, the edges of Luka’s vision darkened. 

Breathe. 

In. 

Out. 

“Holy shit Adrien,” Alya’s voice cut through the static. “How do you still look so good after basically getting hit by a freight train?”

Freight train seemed both too appropriate yet not apt enough all at once. 

“Do I really look so bad that everyone needs to boost my ego? Should I be afraid of mirrors?” Adrien’s soft joviality tugged at Luka's heart. 

“No!” Marinette jumped in, embodying her persona as Adrien’s number one fan. “You! Oh my - seri - ah - how? Beautiful!”

Luka entered the threshold as Marinette slapped her forehead. The sheet cake in her hand tilted and started to dive towards the floor; Marinette reacted with uncoordinated gyrating movements, all but spinning the cake mid air. 

Taking a leaping step forward, Luka spread his hand, catching the cake. Adding his gift holding hand, he balanced the cake within his hold. “Careful, Marinette.” It was truly fascinating that this same girl was Ladybug. The cake had smashed a bit, but ‘18 Happy Birthday!’ was still legible. “The cake looks delicious.” Luka ignored his growing anxiety and placed the cake on the cabinet by the window.

“Thank you, Luka.” Marinette toyed with one of her pigtails. 

“Hey.” Adrien’s throat was still raw; whether it was from the breathing tubes that had been shoved down his throat, general evidence of the violence inflicted on him by his father, or dehydration, Luka didn't really want the answer. He knew it would hurt no matter what.

In sync, both Luka and Marinette spun towards Adrien.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Pale skin was coated in splotches of purple and yellow. Rough cream coloured hospital scrubs hung from his lithe frame. Long fingers trembled, an IV taped to the back of the pianist's hand. Unable to stop himself, Luka trailed the boy's forearm, recalling too vividly how his bone had ripped through his skin. Now, it was covered up with a bandage stained with brown.  

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

It shouldn't have been surprising that the man was still in rough shape. That it would take more than a few weeks to heal someone a whisper from death. But somehow, Luka held onto a shred of belief that they'd walk into the room and Adrien would be bouncing and eager to leave.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! 

His heart in his throat, Luka trailed his gaze up Adrien's body, the heart monitor getting louder in the cacophony of excitement occurring within the room. Marinette had returned to a babbling state, Nino was making snide remarks, Alya was raucously laughing, Rose and Juleka whispered to each other, Kagami spoke to the nurse about Adrien’s healing process, and Adrien - well Adrien - 

His stunning green eyes locked onto Luka’s. On a Friday, he'd looked into those emeralds as he slid their fingers together. They sparkled with hope and… something more. On a Saturday, they’d turned to dull stones. They looked past him without light, devoid of life.

“Th-nks for coming.” Adrien flinched at the words.

Had talking hurt him? 

As if reading his mind, Adrien shook his head. “Sorry, I'm getting a bit of a headache.” His brows furrowed as he rubbed his untethered hand to his scarred forehead. 

“OF COURSE WE'D COME!” Marinette burst forward, awkwardly stepping too close and then too far. “This looks so terrible. Not you - you look handsome! Well - less than normal - WAIT NO -its just because you're all - I just-”

“Thank you for the cake, Marinette.” Adrien scuttled his tethered hand to tap Marinette's fingers that now clung to the edge of Adrien’s bed. 

Sighing in relief, Marinette sat at the bedside chair, her eyes trained on their fingers.

Luka was content to fall into the background as the group inundated Adrien with the stories he'd missed. Adrien seemed more content with laying back and listening, his chapped lips breaking into a weak smile that made Luka’s heart flutter. 

While Alya inquired how much about Adrien’s healing process she could post on her Ladyblog, Nino started setting presents on Adrien’s bed. One by one, an eclectic line of presents filled the railing from the foot of the bed to the head. Sensing his moment, Luka pushed off the cabinet, his gift in hand. Lacking Nino’s bravado, he hesitated on where to put his simple present, pausing by the bedside.

“Thank you, Luka.” Adrien's untethered hand reached for the gift. His chest tight, Luka released the book, terrified that Adrien’s hand would buckle under the weight. Thin fingers coated in scarlet, dark against the marble floor. 

Breathe. 

In.

Out.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! 

“Father!” A scream of desperation and agony that would only be ignored. 

“You okay?” Adrien rested the book in his lap, his sunken sockets peering at Luka. 

He's here. He's fine. He's here. He's fine. 

“Yeah.” Luka clenched his teeth. 

He's here. He survived. 

Desperate for proof of life, Luka gently trailed the back of his fingers against Adrien’s. The blonde flinched so fast, Luka could barely register that they were colder than ice. 

“Sorry.” Luka whispered, curling his fingers into his fist. 

“No, not at all.” Adrien murmured back, bringing his hand to rest beside Luka’s. 

“Shit, you okay dude?” Nino tugged a few tissues from a box. “Here.” 

With crinkled brows, Adrien accepted the tissues, staring at them for the answer. 

“Oh, um - you got a little -” Alya pointed toward her nose. 

Blood dripped from his nostril, running down his lips. 

“Fuck, sorry guys.” Adrien huffed, patting the mess.

Blonde hair matted with blood, his forehead concave. 

Luka’s breath shallowed as his fingernails dug into his palm. 

Raspy breaths that sprinkled red against Luka’s cheeks. 

A firm hand wrapped around his elbow, another flat palm against his arm directing him back to his warm seat by the window. “Sit down, you're freaking me out.” Juleka muttered. 

Thankful for Juleka’s unquestioning support, Luka stumbled over his feet towards the cabinet. He had to keep it together. If the group knew what he'd seen, Chat Noir’s identity would be at risk. He couldn't put Adrien in danger like that. He wouldn't. 

Dabbing away the last of the blood, Adrien strove to shift the energy of the room. “I don't suppose one of those gifts is from my dad, hey?” 

Dark humour was not the right choice for the mood, especially when the knowledge was at such an imbalance. 

Adrien forced out a self deprecating laugh, leaving nothing but silence in its wake. 

The room was sucked of air. 

Glances shot across, everyone trying to have messy unspoken conversations. 

Luka surveyed the room, a luxury suite no doubt. A cabinet of blankets, extra room and chairs for guests, a mini fridge (no doubt filled with goodies), and art hanging from the walls. Only art. Some art, oddly placed where one would usually see a TV mount. Adrien had been cut off from the news. From hearing any updates. 

Was this Nathalie? The doctor? Fucking Gabriel’s dying wishes?? Could Adrien not handle it? But they didn't know the last thing Adrien saw was not just a villain, but his father. 

“It's fine guys, I'm just kidding.” Adrien shifted, not convinced by his own words. “What? Did he go to jail or something?” 

Oh.

Adrien thought the world knew.

That they'd found Hawkmoth covered in the carnage of his only son. Not that he'd ‘mysteriously disappeared’.

“Don't.” Luka warned the room. 

“What? I just-” 

“We should go.” Luka reached into his pocket for his keys. He didn't know how to explain it. How to protect Adrien, how to explain in a way that wasn't a danger to himself or his superhero persona. He needed to think. And he couldn't have anyone else spilling the beans. What else does Adrien not know? 

“You really don't know?” Marinette whispered, her fingers creeping back up to Adrien’s. 

“Know what?” Adrien’s eyes shot around the room, demanding answers. “I may look broken, but I'm not fragile!” 

“Don't, Marinette.” Luka glared at the ground. 

“But -” she resisted.  

“When it's time.” Luka’s grip tightened around his keys. “There's no TVs in here. No communication. There must be a reason why.” Luka needed everyone out. He needed to talk to Nathalie. 

The heart monitor beeped with Adrien's ire. “This isn't fair - just tell me-” 

“Oh how lovely for you all to visit!” A brightly coloured nurse clapped her hands at Adrien's door. “You should all visit again soon, but this young man needs his rest.” 

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Luka thanked his fates for the perfectly timed nurse. 

“But-” 

“Yeah, of course. Let's go guys.” Luka motioned to the door. Evading Adrien’s hollow glare, Luka squeezed the railing at the end of the bed. “Soon. I promise.”

“Luka, I deserve to know.” 

“Hup, hup, out you go.” She urged Luka out with the attitude of an off brand Mary Poppins. 

“Soon.” When Luka looked up, Adrien's pupils were dilated, his fists clenched. “Soon.” He whispered, holding back tears as he offered empty solace. 

“Thank you, goodbye!” The nurse hip-checked Luka out of the room.

“Fucks sake.” Luka muttered, pushing through the group. 

“Luka - what was-” 

“Not right now, Jules." Luka used the sleeves of his denim jacket to wipe away the tears burning at his ducts. 

“Why didn't they tell him?” Alya ‘whispered’ behind him. 

That's what he needed to find out.

A bonus picture of my art of Adrien in the hospital wearing a Chat Noir Toque:

Chapter Text

“How can I help you, sir?” The garbled voice on the intercom asked.

“I need to speak to Nathalie Sancoeur.” Luka growled, his foot resting on the hot cement to balance his bike. 

Stuck on the other side of the wrought iron gates, he watched as shadows moved across the windows. Unsurprisingly, the lights on the top right were out; the man of the house was confined to a hospital bed. It was fascinating how a castle so beautiful could look so much like a prison; one only Chat Noir could escape. Who would Adrien have been without the occasional break within his supersuit? 

“Um, yeah, she’s not expecting you.” The garbled man interrupted Luka’s thoughts. 

Dumping his bike on the ground, Luka wrapped his hand around one of the bars. “NATHALIE!” Shaking the fence, he screamed out as loud as his lungs would let him. “NATHALIE! ADRIEN DESERVES BETTER THAN THIS!” 

“Sir - please - don’t-”

“NATHALIE! NATHALIE SANCOEUR!”

“If you could just call back, we can set an appoint-”

“IF YOU DON’T COME OUT HERE, I’LL TELL ALL OF PARIS WHO YOU REALLY ARE!” 

People began to pause, curious at the hysterical yelling blue haired man trying to rip down the gates at the Agreste manor.

The gates gave with a small pop, finally letting Luka past the threshold. Trembling, Luka wiped the sweat dripping off the tip of his nose. With a grunt, he threw his bike on the ground, pacing up the excessively large set of stairs to the entryway. Before he could raise his fist to the grand walnut door, it swung open. Nathalie stood with the door in her palm, an echo of what she once was. The braces on her hips seemed to be the only things keeping her up, her face smeared with exhaustion of someone who either just woke up, or who had not slept for days. 

 “M. Couffaine, how can I help you?” She stood on the threshold, blocking the path into the house. 

“Yeah - you can start by telling me why Adrien doesn’t know his dad is dead.” Luka’s jaw clicked. He squared his shoulders, edging into the small space Nathalie gave him. He wasn’t leaving without his answers.

Pausing, Nathalie’s grip stiffened on the door, her head bowing to scan Luka’s stature of disheveled urgency. With a soft click of her tongue, she released her grip and let the door swing open the rest of the way. 

Before the sun was off Luka’s back, he started grilling into Nathalie. “Why haven’t you told him yet?” Adrien was confused, hurt, and alone - he absolutely did not deserve that. Luka didn’t want him sitting there for one second longer than he had to, wondering why no one thought he was mature enough to handle the truth that lay beyond the confines of his newest prison. 

Cracking her lips to speak, someone interrupted her with a tap on the shoulder. 

Opening her mouth, someone tapped her on the shoulder. “Mme. please, can you sign this?” 

“Oh!” Another pudgy man from across the parlor exclaimed, elated that he’d found himself in Nathalie’s crosshairs. “I also have this for you to review, please!” 

“Mme. Sancoeur, have you seen the budget proposal for next quarter?” 

Nathlie’s weary eyes scanned over documents and signed what she could while Luka glared on. The room was alive with business, people crisscrossing the room, yelling as if they were at the New York Stock Exchange. A lot of things must have fallen to the wayside while Gabriel was fighting high school kids.

“Nathalie.” Luka interrupted after the seventh worker had stepped in front of him. 

“Let’s go to Gabriel’s office.” Nathalie signed another document, her head tilting toward the door on Luka’s left.

Nodding, Luka stomped forward to the door. Opening it with a shove, the room behind him gasped. It was understandable that Nathalie wanted some privacy, but a warning would have been nice. Plastic sheets covered the room and it reeked of industrial cleaner. Most of the furniture had been taken out, the wall furthest from him still in a state of disrepair. It was a nauseating realization to learn that’s where the bullet had landed after… well… The desk no longer stood, but it was clear that was the last place Gabriel sat as a living man.

With a gentle thud, Nathalie closed the door from peeping eyes, the clatter of the business falling to a deafening silence.

“Sorry… It was the only way to get out of… well all that.” Nathalie brushed at her pantsuit as she limped into the office.

“Are you… are you going to keep living here?” The ire had dissipated from Luka’s core, instead focused on the crumbling drywall.

“That’s what he would have wanted.” 

It only took a few syllables to remind Luka why he was so enraged to begin with. “In the same house that he nearly killed Adrien in the foyer?”

Nathalie rolled in her lips, her cheeks burning red. Luka didn’t particularly have the time or patience for her embarrassment.

Huffing, Luka pointed toward the door, accentuating his rage. “The room where Adrien’s mask FELL and he looked in his father’s eyes and BEGGED for life? You want to live HERE? Everything is just going on life nothing fucking happened? Quartley reports and whatever else fucking bullshit? Do you even care?” 

“You don’t understand-”

“Fuck you, I don’t understand. Adrien begged for life and Gabriel crushed his skull.” Luka’s stomach flipped, the grotesque image coming back to him with ease. Parts of a human he never thought he’d see. “Fuck.” Tears were running down Luka’s face, his breath stuttering in his chest. The desperate whisper of ‘Claws Out’ - the last words Adrien spoke before his eyes lost focus. Forever etched in his mind would be the unholy sound of the supersuit desperately holding together what it could, only to fall halfway there. 

“Sit down, Luka.” Nathalie pulled up a chair, ushering him over to it. 

He couldn’t sit there. He didn’t know whose blood was on it. What had happened on that chair, what horrors it had seen?

“Fuck no.” Luka aggressively shook his head. He didn’t dare to try and count, this room was full of triggers. Instead he focused on Adrien. Looking at the stars with the whole - nope. Not a good one. 

“Luka, sit - this chair is new, I swear.” Nathalie tugged his sleeve and forced him down. 

Luka was aware of his high pitched breathing, but all he could do was ignore it. 

“Here, smell this.” Nathalie offered a plush toy. Luka let out as much of a laugh as he could muster, accepting the teddy. It was refreshing, a delicate aroma of lilacs on a spring morning. The material was soft, changing shades as he rubbed it. Cracking his eyes open, he looked at the doll. It was a simple pink teddy bear, nothing special, but it seemed to do the trick. “I - erm - I’ve been trying a few things to prepare when Adrien gets home.”

“Well this - I mean it’s nice.” Luka set down his anti-panic attack bear. “But he needs support. You have to care about him at least a little, there was a reason you called me, wasn’t there? To save him?” 

“Ah yes - you were the closest.” Nathalie affirmed, pressing buttons and pulling on books. 

Luka pulled the pink teddy bear to his chest. There was something horrific about that statement. Though it was Plagg that had found him, had she known? Were they privy to their plans? How long had they known their identities? She’d so confidently shouted his name as he walked through those cursed walnut doors on the night of Hawkmoth’s fall.  

“Why did you come here, Luka? It couldn’t have been just to yell at me.” 

The bookshelf whirred, lowering to make room for a hidden shelf. It was barren except for a chest that could easily be mistaken as a large jewelry box. The wood was raw, painted over with a dark tint to appear sleeker, but the splinters still showed. It was a strange contrast compared to most things that existed in this mansion. Nathalie pulled the chest out of the shelf and waddled over to the seat in front of Luka’s. With a heavy pant, Nathalie rested it on her lap, her icy eyes meeting Luka’s. 

Ignoring the elephant in the room, Luka pressed forward. “Adrien has been cut off from hearing anything about his father’s death, why?”

“Well yes…” Nathalie tapped on the chest, evading Luka’s scrutiny by watching her own drumming digits. “I thought it would be best for him. It was such a horrific injury… as I’m sure you know. I just… I wanted to be able to tell him in the right way. I didn’t want him to have to hear it on the TV, or spilt from gossip. Adrien knows what really happened that night, how he learns the conclusion should be handled delicately.” 

“I agree. So, why doesn’t he know?” Luka leaned back in the chair, the pink teddy bear still against his chest. 

“You see, I’ve been preparing for him to get back. I’ve been ensuring that the house is more accessible. I’m setting up the best regimes for him. Luka, I am truly doing my best to ensure that he has a safe place to come home to.” 

“Have you ever considered politics?” 

“What do you mean?” Nathalie’s brows furrowed, her fingers pausing. 

“Why. Haven’t. You. Told. Adrien?” Luka enunciated each word.

Bowing her head, Nathalie’s tone softened. “I don’t know if he’s ready to see me yet. I really did the best I could. Gabriel with those - … I tried to make it stop. I thought if I helped him that he would finally give up the power. But I was wrong. I could never have expected-” Nathalie raised her chin, tears trailing her cheeks. “I failed Adrien. I want to tell him, but I don’t think he’s ready to see me yet.”

“And you thought leaving him in isolation would be the best way to get him back on your side?” 

“Well… Now that you’re here, I thought - maybe you could…” Nathalie cracked open the chest, pulling out a black and green gift with a letter taped to the top. 

“Is that… A birthday gift?”

“Yes. Well and - I put in - just - I explained the situation a bit.” Nathalie rubbed her finger along the edge of the envelope.

“Jesus. No wonder they call you sans coeur.” Luka rubbed his face into his palm. 

Sniffling, Nathalie returned the gift to the box. “I just thought it would be best. It may help take the sting off.” 

Luka blinked in silence. The sting off? 

Ignoring the blatant tension, Nathalie kept on. “There is also something else. I wasn’t sure how to do this, but I feel like you coming here was a bit of fate.”

Fate was a funny word to use in this situation. It was more a gross mistreatment of her godson that had brought him there, but tomato to-mah-to.

Nathalie pulled out a burlap sack that clattered in her hand. 

“Are we going on an Adventure, Huck?” Luka raised an eyebrow at the bag that probably used to hold potatoes. 

“This is hard for me too, Luka.” Nathalie angled the bag for Luka to see into the bottom. 

The edge of the turtle Miraculous caught his eye, it clattered against the bracelet that Juleka had worn as Tigress. “The Miraculous.” 

Sass, who was hiding in Luka’s jacket pocket out of fear, squiggled around Luka’s body, crawling up and out the neck of his top. “Luka, we must return these to the Guardian.”

“Yes.” Nathalie assented with Sass. “I must also warn you, the source of Gabriel’s power can also be found along the Kwami’s.”

“The Butterfly Miraculous?” Luka craned his neck, trying to see deeper into the bag. 

“No… We may have lost track of the Butterfly Miraculous.” Nathalie shut the bag, returning it to its place in the chest. 

“You lost them?” 

“Well, I hadn’t been using mine for quite a while-”

“That is not an excuse.”

Sighing, Nathalie pushed up her glasses. “Luka, I understand it isn’t an excuse and I truly am doing my best. When Gabriel finally realized what he had done… He dropped everything, he didn’t want to even look at them. And I was so busy with… well - cleaning up.” Nathalie turned her cheek, evading the judgment seeping from Luka’s pores.

“The clean up of Adrien’s blood or Gabriels?”

Her fingers clung to what little fabric they could. “Yes? Both?” 

Luka could hear the discordant instruments falling over each other. Her anxiety screeched, the guilt a pounding drum keeping an erratic beat. 

“Were they in this bag?” Luka’s tone evened out, forcing himself to offer the patience she sought. Whether he believed she deserved it or not was irrelevant, he needed to get all the information he could. For Adrien.

“After you left… All the Miraculous, except for the Dog, of course, were on the floor… beside where, well-,” he word went unexplained, the lingering knowledge of Adrien’s limp body enough for them both to grasp. “When I came back after the… the gunshot.” Nathalie gulped, haunted by reminders of what she’d seen. “When I came back, most of them were still there… except for the Butterfly.” 

“You understand how hard it is to believe, considering you were an assistant to a super villain who beat up teenagers as a hobby, right?” 

“I am being honest, Luka.” 

Nothing about Nathalie truly felt ‘honest’, but at least he could bring something to Marinette and Adrien. Some shred of hope to Ladybug and Chat Noir.

At the end of the day, at least some were better than none.

Frustrated, Luka reached for the chest. The reality of the returned Miraculous wouldn’t feel real until the holders got reunited. Pushing his feet into the ground, Luka forced himself from storming out. Instead, he paused, watching tears trail down narrow cheeks. 

“You should still visit him. I may not like you, but you’re the last family he has.”

“Soon… Please just.. Just tell him that I’m getting his home ready for him.”

“This isn’t a home. I don’t think it ever really was. It was always just a place of business with locks on the windows.” Resting the chest on his hip, Luka reached to the chair for the pink teddy bear. “I’m taking this too.” 

“Of course.” Grabbing the arm of the chair, Nathalie forced herself up. Her elbow wobbled as her bionics whirred. “Thank you for doing this, Luka.”

“I shouldn’t have to.” Luka spun on his heel and marched out of the office, the resonance of a skull cracking turning to a distant echo. 

Chapter Text

Even under the moon, hot august air clung to Luka's face. His thumb left a damp mark on the page of the book he hovered over his face. The bench shook with the ferocity of his bouncing knee. Nervous, he kept re-tilting towards the book, trying to better feign reading. Each time the wind ripped through the leaves, Luka would flinch; the shadows that crept along the bricks sent a jolt up his spine. Though most people walked past him without a second thought, he was terrified of someone seeing him stalk Marinette’s roof. In part the fear was of accidentally making himself look suspicious, the other part was scared he'd accidentally bring attention to Marinette changing into Ladybug, or worst of all, of missing her jump from her roof from someone stealing his attention.

Luka tilted his wrist within his vision to check his watch. Ladybug was expected to meet Viperion in seven minutes. Had he already missed his moment? Was she waiting?

A snap of red disappeared as fast as it came. If Luka had blinked he would have missed it. Shoving the book into his back pack, he swung it over his shoulder. He had to work fast, he couldn't risk Ladybug checking her comms and finding Viperion in her home. 

Sneaking into a nearby alley, Luka checked over his shoulders. Confident the coast was clear, he gave his jacket a little shake. 

Sass shot out of the inside pocket of Luka’s denim coat. He turned in the direction of La Boulangerie, his tail ticking back and forth. “Are you certain this is the best way, Luka?” 

“No.” Luka shook his head with vigor, tightening his grip around the straps of his backpack. It felt wrong keeping so much power in a bag he'd once carried to school, but it was the least conspicuous option. “What I am sure of is that the Kwami's don't feel safe. It's time for them to go home.” 

The Kwami’s hadn't spoken to him, but he could feel the tension relax. From an eerie synthesizer to a jumbled crowd of excited kazoos.

“Thank you, Luka.” Sass bowed his head.

“It’s the right thing to do, Sass.” Checking his watch it warned him that he only had five minutes until he was expected to meet Ladybug. “Shit - Sass, Scales, Slither!” 

Slipping into his second skin, Viperion set his Second Chance - one could never be too careful.

With ease, he scaled the buildings and leapt onto Marinette’s rooftop patio. Familiar with his surroundings, he pulled the hatch and slid into the shadowy pink room. 

Moving quickly, he took the burlap sack from his bag. The medallions of the Kwami's clinked together as he held the bag to his chest. Turning on his heels, he scanned the room for the best place to leave the Miraculous. It was astonishing how in the past years so little had changed. Every sheet and accent was pink, even under the dark of night. Countless pictures from their high school days were pinned to the walls, a disproportionate amount of them being shots of Adrien. Drawn to their young faces, Viperion brushed the photo of himself and Adrien in front of the Eiffel tower. Even with a veneer of dust, Adrien's green eyes still sliced through. The cherry blossoms were still fresh in his memory, blooming them into spring. Marinette was grinning ear to ear as she pointed the camera towards them. As far back as then, Luka’s heart was in his throat. He hadn't grown into his bisexual identity yet, all he knew was that the boy beside him was extremely gorgeous and made him choke on his heart. 

A shuffle downstairs tore him from his reverie, reminding him of the time slipping away.  

“Where should I put you?” He theatre-whispered into the bag.

Breaking the silence, someone within the burlap responded with a whisper. “On the desk is fine, we'll find our way.”

Setting down the bag, he let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized how heavy the weight of the Kwami's truly were. How Marinette carried it through high school, he had no idea. 

But mixed in relief there was a longing, a sadness. He'd never spoken to Marinette about the intricacies of losing the Miraculous; she still believed her identity to be unknown to him. Was this ungraspable sensation something she struggled with when she lost the Kwami's? It felt… alluring. As if something within the bag could promise him happiness and serenity. All he had to do was -   

“Marinette? Are you home?” Sabine called from below the floorboards. 

Snapping his hand back, Viperion jumped away from the bag. Re-rooted into reality he slithered out the top hatch, dropping it without a sound. Still rattled from the draw within the burlap sack, Viperion worked to put as much space between himself and Marinette's house as possible. After all, Ladybug was expecting him in less than a minute. 

“Where is he? Maybe Sass decided to run away with Plagg? Maybe just nobody wants to do this anymore because they just hate me and I can’t lead. Yeah? Maybe? Ugh - I just -” Ladybug kept muttering at a mile a minute as she paced around the ledge of the Eiffel tower. 

She'd been off for a while, but as the days kept passing without Chat Noir, her stress grew. Her once hectic orchestra was now one set of symbols smashing and a gaggle of children playing off-beat recorders. It intrigued Viperion how her stress leeched from Ladybug so differently than it did from Marinette. The young girl was always frazzled and stressed, but Ladybug used to remain calm in the face of it all - seeing the mask chip the past month was unsettling. Her posture slouched more, she shook her head to rattle out negative thoughts, and she bit at her nails. 

Using the softest voice he could muster, Viperion announced himself. “Hey, Ladybug.” 

It appeared, no matter how docile he spoke, she would still soar two meters in the air. “AH!” She landed back down on the railing, gripping for dear life.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” Viperion offered her a hand, to which she responded with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry - I'm just a bit - on edge.” Clasping his hand, she pulled herself off the railing. 

Sliding down to his butt, Viperion patted the metal beside him. “Wanna talk about it?” 

“No - yes - I don't know.” Ladybug sunk down beside Viperion, their legs dangling side by side off the edge. 

“You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.” Viperion rested his chin atop the bar, staring out at the city. He found Ladybug was more likely to open up when he looked away. “But I'm here to listen, if you need it.”

Ladybug rubbed her nose, letting out a few sniffles. A comfortable silence fell in between them. It was familiar now, a month of watching the city side by side; they were the only Miraculous holders left. At least until Chat Noir came back.

A little smirk picked at Viperion’s face as he watched M. Ramier feeding his crowd of pigeons. No matter how many fines he got, or how many times he got Akumatized, he'd consistently be there the next day, feeding his friends. The holders always watched him closely, his bleeding heart an easy target. 

“Do you remember the first time you guys fought Pigeon Man?” Viperion tried to break the ice, knowing the feline was the leading reason for her mental breakdown.

They’d fought him since Chat Noir’s fall; it was different. In a way, it felt more professional, the atmosphere heavier. There was a shared sentiment of eeriness with taking down such an unserious villain in such a serious manner. Without Chat’s jovial commentary, the win felt hollow. 

“Hmm.” Ladybug’s frown melted, a fond expression taking over. “The first time we fought him he threatened us with bird poop.” A warm laugh rolled out of her chest. “And Chat Noir couldn't stop sneezing - the whole situation was just… so ridiculous.” 

Letting out a noisy exhale from his nose, Viperion soaked in the story and what it meant to Ladybug. Each fond story was filled with a hue of despair.

“You know he'd be here, if he could, right?” Viperion rolled on his chin, peeking over at Ladybug.

Clenching her lips, she nodded. “I just - I know Plagg had to go back to China, but just - why now? When I need Chat Noir the most? I don't have him, I don't have Ad- my other close friend. I just feel so lost. Maybe if I just knew who he was then I could -” 

“I'm sure he'll be back soon.” Viperion squeezed Ladybug’s hand, offering what little reassurance he could.

Sass and Plagg decided telling Ladybug that Plagg needed to leave on urgent mysterious Kwami business was the best idea. If they said Chat Noir was hurt, it wouldn't take long to connect the dots - only one person was still hospitalized from the last showdown. 

“I never realized how much I would miss him until…” tears built up, reflecting the yellow lights of the city below. “... Until he was gone.” 

“He'll come back when the time is right. Who knows, maybe he'll be even stronger than before.” Viperion knew no matter what, Chat Noir would come back changed. 

“Yeah… I hope he comes back soon. The wins aren't the same without him.” They felt empty and devoid of joy. They were too easy, leaving a tension throughout the air, and without Chat Noir’s mood to lighten the load, it kept growing heavier. 

Paris didn't notice, but Ladybug was quick to catch on. It was more than Chat Noir’s disappearance, the villain had changed. Suddenly they were easier to take down, the puzzle and mystery had disappeared. There wasn't much of anything fueling them, there were even times that their Akumas would fall before the heroes arrived on scene. On camera, she kept her visage. She told the press they would keep Paris safe. That every day they got better at fighting Hawk Moth. But once she was out of the public lens, she made countless comments on the shift; once she'd gone as far as saying ‘if it wasn't for The Collector, I would have thought Gabriel was Hawk Moth.’ 

“I hope he comes back soon, too.” Viperion agreed. Adrien had gone from one cage to another, Viperion desperately yearned to see the sparkle in his face that his super suit gave him. 

“We've got movement.” Ladybug’s back straightened, her eyes darted forward. 

“I know it was you, bitch!” A booming voice echoed through the streets of Paris. People scattered like rats, running through any door they could find. 

“Remember when the villains were child friendly?” Ladybug stood up, brushing off her suit.

Viperion always felt nervous when she pointed out the differences between the Butterfly Holders, too much or too little could spill a secret. “Oh what a time.” Sarcasm seemed safest. “Where do you think he's headed?” 

“To the bitch, of course.” Ladybug tapped her chin, observing the villain.

The Akumatized Villain made Viperion’s stomach twist in a way he couldn't explain. Even hunched over, he still stood ten feet tall. His shoulders were broader than a quarterback’s, his face longer than a horse’s. An unearthly smile crept up to the top of his ears, showing off his brown teeth. His black suit had a satin sheer, magnifying his triangular shaped torso.

“Is he going to the Agreste mansion?” Viperion asked as the villain jumped from roof to roof. 

“An actual goal? Maybe Hawk-moth 2.0 is getting stronger.” Her statement was distant as she analyzed the villain, predicting his next moves. “I'll go North, you go South. Once I call for my Lucky Charm, call for your Second Chance.” 

“Got it.” Viperion affirmed, shooting from the tower. 

“I'll end you! I'll end you, Nathalie Sanceour!” The man screamed, shaking the blackened paper as a threat. 

What had Nathalie done to piss this guy off? 

“See that letter in his hand?” Viperion asked as they got closer. 

“Yeah, I'm thinking maybe he got fired?” Ladybug responded. “Lucky Charm!” 

Shrugging, Luka called for his “Second Chance.” All they really needed to know was that Nathalie had sent him a letter. Unlike Hawk-Moth, the new Butterfly holder hadn't learned how to integrate the Akuma into the villain’s outfit. 

Out of the corner of his eye, two red dots flew from the sky into Ladybug’s open palms. With furrowed brows she looked back and forth from the Charms to the scene. 

“Rings?” Ladybug queried over the comms. It was the first time since The Showdown that she'd gotten anything besides a horseshoe. 

“Maybe he's married? And Nathalie told his wife?” Nathalie did have poor judgment, her getting caught in a marriage scandal wouldn’t surprise him in the slightest. Maybe this Akuma was a casualty of her trying to clean up her act. 

The villain dove head first into the observatory at the Agreste mansion. A street shaking boom was followed by the sharp screeching of metal on metal. Landing on the ledge of the observatory, Viperion froze before the carnage. Steel was bent and disfigured, chunks of the wall hovering over the threshold of the explosion. Hesitant, Viperion stepped through the gaping hole, Ladybug right on his heels. 

Satin Suit was deranged. In one hand, he still clung to the letter, if it wasn't for the Akuma’s magic it would have been torn in his fist. The other hand clawed into the floor, leaving gouging marks in its wake. He panted frantically as he tried to work a hole through the metal. 

“Hey!” Ladybug swung her Yo-Yo in the air, picking up speed. “Leave the floor alone!” With a practiced toss, the Yo-Yo wrapped around the man's wrist. Giving it a small tug, Ladybug pulled his hand away from his destruction. 

Her face twisted into thought, Ladybug crouched down beside the man, his splayed hand in front of her face. Squinting, she slid the ring onto the man’s fingers. 

A silence filled the room, magnifying their every breath. The late night breeze whirled through the observatory, whispering the dust up from the carnage. 

Satin Suit fell backwards, his body suddenly slack. The quick shift startled Viperion and Ladybug, together they hopped a step back. A neon purple outline appeared over the man’s face, illuminating his black beady eyes. 

Letting out a harrowing laugh, he pulled himself up. “Are you asking me to marry you, Ladybug?” He held up his ringed hand, the Yo-Yo string a slack bracelet around his wrist. “Thought you'd be the type to buy a guy a drink first.” 

Straightening, Viperion scanned the man. This was the first time the new villain behind the scenes had introduced himself. Why now? A sneer took over the man’s face, something underneath it deeply unsettling in a way Viperion couldn't understand. 

“Who are you?” Ladybug reefed on her Yo-Yo, forcing the man to stagger forward. “What did you do with the old Hawk Moth?” 

The man showed all his teeth in unsettling amusement. “I go by many names… but let's keep it simple. At least for now.” He let out a sardonic chuckle. “You can call me Hawk Moth” 

“You are NOT Hawk Moth!” She tugged again at her hold, her face reddening to match her suit. 

“Look at that, our little Ladybug is growing up into such a smart young lady.” He ripped back on the cord, making Ladybug stumble over her feet. 

Viperion wanted to know more. This was their first real breakthrough. But they were heading towards the realm of uncontrolled variables; without Chat Noir it wasn't a risk worth taking. His watch began flashing, the seconds flying by. “Ladybug, we're almost out of time.” 

Growling through clenched teeth, Ladybug stomped the letter, the Akuma flying out. 

The villain's mouth gaped in elation. Giving a little wave, he bid a harrowing farewell. 

“Bye, bye!” 

Time slowed as Viperion’s clock ticked its last seconds.

The man spun on his heels, moving like a gazelle. His magical suit fell off in pieces, black shards crumbling to the ground. His sharp features were enunciated by the purple light that continued to frame his face. 

Viperion shifted his weight, turning to catch the man.

Ladybug threw her charm into the air. 

“No-” Viperion gasped, his hand stretching to catch the decaying coat tails. 

“Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug unknowingly signed the man's death sentence. 

He soared through the hole in the observatory, his back shoe barely crossing through before a river of Ladybugs mended the wall shut behind him. 

“NO!” Viperion screamed, charging at the steel. He gripped his bracelet, attempting to twist it back, but it was too late. He’d missed it. 

“Viperion?” Ladybug's earrings started beeping. “What - where'd he - what -” 

“No…” Viperion pressed his palms to the cold metal. The villain, no, the man, had slipped right past his fingers. No one could survive a fall from this height. “Fuck.” Viperion slid down the wall, pressing his forehead against it. 

“Is - is that - is that him?” Ladybug’s voice shook.

Swinging his head over his shoulder, Viperion’s eyes bulged at the sight of Ladybug. Tears streamed down her pale face, her hand pressed against the window, her lip trembling. 

“Don't.” Viperion scrambled to cover her eyes. 

“He - he - how could he-” Ladybug’s chest convulsed. 

“We need to get out of here. Now.” Viperion lifted Ladybug into his arms. 

Clenching the Guardian to his chest, he bound from roof to roof. White flashes from reporters blended with the red of emergency vehicles. Not daring to look down, Viperion pushed forward, desperately trying to escape the public eye. 

Atop a tall building, Viperion set down Ladybug, her earrings urgently beeping at them. 

“Go, refuel.” He instructed Ladybug. “I'll be right here.” 

It seemed ridiculous, sending Ladybug away. But her conception of secrecy was important to her. It offered her comfort, a form of safety. 

Sitting with his back against the chimney, Luka held out a handful of gummy worms for Sass.

“Has anything like that ever happened before, Sass?” Luka scrapped his shoes against the cement, fragments of rocks rolling under his shoes.

Around a mouth full of worms, he gave a soft answer. “These powers are dangerous, they can save lives just as easily as they can take them.” 

“Fuck.” Luka rubbed his face, trying to scrub on a stoic expression for Ladybug. 

 Stepping beside him, Ladybug stared blankly towards the horizon. 

“Lady-”

“Don't.” Ladybug’s lip shuddered. 

Standing to Ladybug’s level, he reached for her hand. “It wasn't your fault.” 

“Stop.” Ladybug inhaled with three big sniffles, a hysterical sob itching to escape. “Chat… Chat could have saved him.” 

“We don't know that - that was an impossible situation, you have to know that.” Luka manœuvred to meet her eyes, but they stared through him. Why did the people who matter to him keep looking at him with empty eyes? Distant expressions as their souls struggled to stay in their bodies. 

“Chat would have saved him.” Ladybug nodded through her raspy words. 

“Ladybug -”

“I'm going home. I'll talk to the press tomorrow. I can't right now.” Ladybug pulled her hand away from Luka’s. 

“Do you think that's best right now?” Luka forced himself upright, his shoulders trying to square under the weight he held. 

Ladybug's eyelashes fluttered off tears. “Goodnight, Luka.” 

The zip of her Yo-Yo cut off any response before it could reach Luka’s lips. Frozen to his place, he watched as the red dot disappeared. There was truly nothing he could do besides offer empty platitudes. Alya would have undoubtedly seen the news, hopefully she could offer the solace that Luka couldn't muster. 

Consciously clenching his chest, Luka forced his erupting emotions down. Where did he go from here? Should he stay above the city, away from the sounds of panic? Or maybe to his ship, where he could drink away this nightmare of a fight. Besides Ladybug, no one knew his identity. No one could understand the emotional toll he'd just endured. 

Well, nobody besides Chat Noir.

“Sass, Scales, Slither!” His body moved without giving his mind a chance to catch up. He zipped to the hospital without truly understanding how he'd gotten there. 

Under the veil of night, Viperion scaled the wall and slid open Adrien’s window, the safety’s breaking under his strength. 

Still crouched on the windowsill, Luka dropped his transformation. 

“Whoa - you look terrible!” Plagg greeted him as he stretched his long legs to the floor. 

Luka's shadow stretched across the room. It bent across the floor, over Adrien's bed, and up the wall. Was he a monster? 

“Something terrible has happened.” Sass hovered beside Plagg. 

“Dinosaurs bad, or ate too much dairy kind of terrible?” 

“Another human has died.” Sass motioned for Plagg to follow him, the both of them floating out the window. 

Luka remained a statue, standing in silence, hypnotized by his own shadow. 

“Hmm?” Adrien rolled over, his movements heavy with sleep. “Luka?” 

The statue crumbled. “I - I didn't know where else to - I'm sorry I just -”  

“Hey, it's okay - c’mere.” Adrien waved Luka into his bed. 

Blindly sobbing, Luka kicked off his shoes and crawled into the single bed. 

“I've got you.” Adrien rubbed his thumb across Luka’s glistening cheek, breaking through the tracks of tears. 

Luka’s sobs turned into a high pitched wail. But Adrien didn't push him away, instead, he pulled the blanket over them and pulled Luka into his chest. Luka cried until he fell asleep in warm arms.