"Who are you?" Her voice was stern and cold, her narrowed eyes only emphasising her hostility towards the newcomer on the roof.
The figure opposite smirked, the tip of a pointed fang slipping passed his lower lip and glinting in the moonlight. His green eyes glittered with something akin to mirth, but there was something darker lurking there too. Ladybug's stomach twisted painfully. She had to clench her hand into a fist to distract herself from a sudden desire to vomit.
The boy took a step forward and the silver bell under his chin tinkled softly. The end of his white belt that acted like a tail flicked steadily, a small crack audible with each movement and oh so obvious in the dark Parisian night. If he was a real cat, Ladybug had the feeling he would be quietly fuming.
The boy reached a long arm towards her, his white clawed glove catching her under the chin. He tilted her head up but held it at an angle that was uncomfortable. His white leather suit disappeared from her view until all she could see was his face; the snow white eye mask and unnaturally green eyes.
"Oh, come now. Surely that's obvious, my Lady."
Ladybug felt tears well up in the corner of her eyes. His 'my Lady' had the same purr like lilt to it.
Now the boy's eyes narrowed. He cocked his head to one side and his blond hair flopped over itself, making his normally windswept hair simply messy. He frowned and Ladybug felt the tip of one of his clawed fingers dig lightly into her skin.
"You never shed tears for me when I was Chat Noir, why bother now when I'm the improved Chat Blanc?"
His new name made her heart pang. How was any of it an improvement on her partner?
"Why?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Chat Blanc's hand dropped from her chin and he examined the white ring on his finger.
"Do you know how hard it is to listen to the whole of Paris compare you to your vastly superior partner? Oh no, you wouldn't, because that's what people are doing to me in regards to you!"
The genuine anger in his voice wasn't something she had ever heard from her partner before. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised – akumas fed off of negative energy so for this to have happened he must have been full of negativity. But they had seen each other just yesterday. Surely she wasn't so oblivious to miss how bad he was feeling...
"Chat," She tried, "No one says-"
"What do you know!" He snapped, "Everyday I hear it: 'Don't you think Ladybug could do so much better than Chat Noir?' or 'If Chat Noir was as good as Ladybug then they'd defeat the villains faster'. I'm sick of it! Even you do it with your snide jabs about needing to protect me!"
His voice rose with every word until he was shouting, spittle flying from his mouth in the process. The mirth had left his eyes completely and it was the first time Ladybug had honestly been scared by an opponent. She took a few steps back across the roof but, whether he was doing it consciously or not, Chat stepped forward an equal number of steps.
"I can't even escape comparisons when I'm not Chat!" He cried, hand grabbing his staff and brandishing it in front of him, "All my father does is compare me to what he was doing when he was my age, pushing me harder and harder to achieve something he deems acceptable. I'm sick of it!" He snarled and his sharpened teeth were visible once again.
Glancing behind her, Ladybug tried to determine if she could run away. Suddenly there was a blur of silver in front of her eyes and Chat's staff slammed into the ground with a metallic clang. It was tilted towards her, blocking her exit.
With a gulp, she turned back to her partner who seemed to breathing heavily.
They stood in silence for several moments. Chat Blanc seemed to be focusing on steadying his breathing, but his bright eyes never left her. She, in turn, seemed to shrink under his gaze. No longer was she the brave Ladybug who would take on those terrorising Paris without batting an eye. No, now she was simple Marinette Cheng in a red and black suit she didn't deserve; weak little Marinette Cheng who couldn't help one of her best friends yet again.
"Just once I wanted to be the hero in white. The hero everyone marvels over and wants to be like." His voice was cold, broken even. Did he really think so little of himself?
"Please," Her voice cracked and she winced, "This isn't you – let me save you."
There was a bark of laughter and she flinched involuntarily. "You'd love that; I'm sure, my Lady. Proving yet again what a useless 'Kitty' I am."
Chat paused suddenly, apparently considering something.
"I don't need saving, Ladybug, I'm better like this. Like this I'll make everyone happy. But since it's you, I'll give you a hint," He held up his right hand and pointed at the ring that enabled him to transform, "The akuma you're after is in here. I'm sure it's probably traumatised Plagg by now."
Ladybug heard a small, telepathic cry from the kwami in her earring.
He grinned as if something about their situation was funny. "Of course, can you guarantee that my Miraculous will mend with your 'mysterious cleansing light'? And regardless of if it does, are you prepared to see what kind of disappointing person I am behind the mask?"
Ladybug wanted to yell and tell him that the boy behind the mask was surely as wonderful as the boy in the mask. Something inside of her suddenly seemed to wake up and she felt her usual, confident smile work its way on to her face. It seemed to take Chat Blanc as well, further adding to her growing confidence.
"To get my Kitty back, I'm prepared to take the risk."
Chat blinked, momentarily stunned by her change on attitude, before a cocky grin appeared on his face.
"Then bring it on, my Lady."
oO-0-Oo
This idea came to me when going through a list of bad luck omens. I really wanted to write something for this show, but I was hoping it would be a little happier if I'm honest. I also think I took a few liberties with how Chat was acting under the influence of the akuma, because I don't think he'd be able to remember much besides what had upset him, but oh well.