I find myself in a blur of colors and light. The dark ruby sky above is filled with indigo clouds. I felt no wind trying to blow against me, nor could I hear a single sound — the bustling city of Paris was seemingly paused in time. As I try to catch my breath and breathe heavily, I'm crouched down on a bland gray office building, looking at what lies ahead of me. I can feel my limbs being sore as I make any movement.
Before me stands two figures: one an enemy, but the other is a person I've come to know for such a long time – my partner. I see them so close to each other; each of them wrapping their arms around each other with their heads leaning in and giggling away. I feel a heavy lump in my throat as I try to find the right words to say. To see her smiling and blushing like that; to see her showing genuine feelings toward him. Suddenly, I feel this burning feeling in my chest that I can't seem to shake away. I'm trying to move closer to them, but my legs were constrained by an unknown force. The more I struggled to move, the more I felt myself ache. I was fixed in my place.
Soon enough, they make their way closer to me and stand right before me, hand in hand. She walks toward me and crouch down to see me eye-to-eye; her piercing blue eyes captivate me and make my heart hurt all the more. Those eyes always made me feel so vulnerable, as though she saw right through me, knowing all the things that ran through my head and all the feelings I had for her.
Suddenly, she lets out a laugh that I have never heard from her. Venomous. Bitter. It was unlike many of her laughs before – those sweet giggles that were emitted every time I did something silly. I bit down on my lips, in fear of what's coming next.
"Aw, poor kitty," she jeers, "Well, you should've seen this coming, right?" It's getting harder for me to breathe and I hesitate, trying to find the right words to say, but nothing comes out, and I'm left hearing her talk. "After all, what can you do for me anyways?" Her words continue to tear at my heart, as I look down, away from her as she talked. The more she talked, the more I felt my body quiver from fear and sadness. The more she talked, the more it began to break away at me and make me grow so vulnerable. Everything just seems to echo in my mind.
"But…" I managed to stammer out, "I'm your partner, Ladybug! We're supposed to have each other's back, right?" I tried to laugh it out weakly, to make light of the situation, but she's still peering through me with the same eyes – uninterested and uncaring. My lips begin to quiver and I gulp at her unresponsive self. "You and I – we're a perfect team!"
"As if!" She brushes me off easily. "You really are just a poor kitty, aren't you? Just believing everything's all good." She touches my face and rubs her thumb against my cheek. "You're so naive! I actually don't need you; in fact, all you do is weigh me down."
"Ladybug…" My voice begins to fail me, succumbing to my weak state. My whole body seems to be all wracked by not only the physical pain, but the emotional damage that she's taking out on me.
"All you do is get in the way. I've never liked being around you whatsoever. " She stands up and walks back next to him. "I'm glad I found someone better than you. Someone actually helpful. Someone who really does care." Then, I see him wrap his arms around her waist and pull her closer. This time when she giggles, it's the sweetest laugh I've ever heard from her – nothing like those laughs she had with me. Never did she laugh like that with me; and it was all the more reasons to make my heart hurt. I never felt this feeling before – where my chest is burning and body feels so weak; where my heart longs and craves but hesitates; where my mind dreams of but cannot make a reality.
As he is whispering words I cannot fathom, she giggles softly – more lovingly – and start to lean in closer to him. Was it that he was more impressive than me? Was it how passionate and straightforward he was when he proclaimed his love for you? Was it how much he showed you that he loved you? My heart feels terror as she turns to me one last time, laying her head against his chest.
"What's the matter, Chat? Afraid of losing something you already lost?" She giggles. I feel tears well up in my eyes.
"Ladybug, I loved –" I tremble, "No, I love you." She scoffs away at my feelings.
"Oh, Chat," She wraps her arms around Evillusionist's neck, "It's a little too late to say that." Slowly, they both lean in toward each other, heads tilted and eyes closing. My breath grows unsteady as I let out a cry.
"Ladybug!"
A sudden rush of air rushes over me, and I find myself in bed, sheets thrown off the bed the moment I jolted up in sitting position. I try to catch my breath as I take in the scenery around me. Beyond my window were the sites of Paris, the city's lights continue to brighten the streets beneath the tall Eiffel Tower. In my room, the power light off the computer screen flickers away like a firefly.
I check my phone to see what time it is: 1 AM. I still need to sleep, but I couldn't shake away that dream. I didn't want to sleep, knowing that there was a possibility of slipping back into that dream… or that reality.
I hear a whistle and suddenly I hear Plagg's voice.
"Yo, Adrien, you okay?" Plagg questions, a odd sense of worry in his voice.
"Uh, yeah, I'm, uh, good." I whisper back, hesitantly.
"Bad dream, I'm guessing?" He sits himself on my shoulder, causing me to slump my shoulders.
"Well, you know, how they go," I shake my head and run my hand through my messy hair, "I just can't stop thinking that maybe…"
"Adrien, you know better," I feel Plagg's hand pat my cheek, "Ladybug needs you as much as you need her. You both are a great team! And Paris wouldn't be safe if it weren't for both of you working together!" He floats in front of me and pats my nose. "You're doing fine as Chat Noir! And Ladybug thinks so, too!" I let out a short chuckle at the thought.
"Thanks, Plagg," I use a finger to pat his head, "You always know what to say."
"'Course!" He playfully replies, "Trust me, you're doing perfectly fine as Chat Noir! Man, the many times you saved Ladybug, too! Don't forget that! She honestly would be grateful having a partner like you!" I smile and laugh bashfully at his comment. Soon, he smiles as well.
"Ah! There's the Adrien I know!" Plagg chirps, "But now that we're all happy and stuff again, I'm getting a little hungry, so you think we can go get some food? Maybe some cheese?"
"In the middle of the night? You have such a weird eating schedule, Plagg," Again, I laugh with a lighter heart. No longer was I trembling or fearful. Now, I was cheerful, ready to try again. Ready to take on another dream, whatever it may be. Ready to show her that I love her – but of course, after I finish serving this cat some stinky cheese first.