"No one would ever love me for who I am behind the mask…"

She was beautiful even when crying, Chat thought.

"Go away Chat," Ladybug growled through her tears. She hadn't looked around, but he guessed she must have heard him land on the creaking metal. His Lady was furiously wiping her tears away as new tracks travelled down her mask and skin.

"What's wrong?"

"I said go away!"

And she lashed out with her yo-yo. It hit Chat squarely on the chest and caused him to wobble on his perch. In most situations, this would have been fine. But they were half the way up the Eiffel Tower on a relatively thin piece of metal with a very long drop beneath them.

"Of course they would, my Lady, I bet if I met you without the mask that I'd fall in love with you all over again!"

Chat steadied himself.

"My Lady, I just want to help."

"Chat," she spat the word like venom. "Are you male under that costume?"

"Yes?" he replied, nonplussed.

"Then go away!"

"Why?"

"I've sworn off the entire male species," she muttered darkly. Chat quickly came to the obvious conclusion that a boy had upset her. He obviously wasn't the only one that had had a bad day.

"I'm not the same Chat. Without this mask, I'm awkward. I'm a mess."

"Who hurt you?" he asked quietly.

And she broke. Her angry tears gave way to sobbing.

"It isn't his fault," she managed. "He doesn't have to love me back… But it hurts…"

He could tell she was trying to pull herself together, trying to be reasonable, trying not to cry and failing miserably at all three. Chat crept closer now he was slightly more sure Ladybug was not going to push him off the tower.

"You confessed?" he prompted gently.

"I asked him out." She hiccoughed. "We were good friends. But he doesn't like me like that. He…" More tears. "He likes someone else."

Chat cringed. It had been a bad day for love all around.

"Do you want a hug?" Chat offered.

"I don't believe that. You're amazing!"

Ladybug didn't answer verbally, but threw herself into his arms and sobbed into his chest.

"It's… It's just…" She hiccoughed again. "I could finally talk around him. And he'd been so friendly to me. And Alya said I should ask him. Even Nino thought it had been a good idea..."

Chat froze at the words that had spilled carelessly from her mouth. He knew that in her anguish that they had slipped out.

But how common were those names?

"And now she keeps looking at me with pity…" Ladybug tried to slow her breathing. "He told me about the other girl… She sounded so perfect and yet she didn't notice him. But how can she not? He's so…"

"Only with the mask…"

Chat remained still. Too many pieces of the puzzle were slipping into place.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"What are you sorry for?" she asked as she pulled away in surprised and wiped her face. "You've nothing to be sorry for! You've been such a good friend!"

Chat pulled her back into a hug without speaking. He could not speak. His heart was sinking.

For he had not fallen for his Lady without her mask. He hadn't even tripped.

Author's note: Oops. This isn't quite as angsty as I would like, but ah well. I had a bad day and wrote this. Please review :)