It was like I was dreaming...except I knew I was awake.
Every second was a nightmare I couldn't leave and I couldn't forget. Every instant was pain incarnate.
But that was because I was fighting the woman I loved.
And I was aware of it, but I still couldn't do anything about it because it was no longer me fighting Ladybug.
All that was left was Chat Blanc, my opposite in every way, but also the manifestation of my own pain and misery.
They were standing on a bridge overlooking the Seine, both of them breathing hard. Chat Blanc used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat off of his forehead, his green eyes fixed on every move the pig-tailed girl heroine made.
"Chat, please," she begged, her blue eyes filled with tears. "Please stop this…"
"I really loved you," I heard my voice rumble. "Really, truly. Why couldn't you just see that, M'lady? Why couldn't you just accept me as myself?"
"I-I told you… I have someone-"
"I heard you the first time," Chat Blanc hissed, his white tail flicking in irritation. "I know exactly what you're saying, but you're mine!"
"I don't belong to you, Chat!" Ladybug snapped, spinning her yoyo and taking a step forward.
Chat drew out his staff, snapping his teeth together with an audible clicking sound.
"You're my partner, not my lover," Ladybug said in a low voice. "Why couldn't you just be happy with that?"
The two began circling each other, Ladybug's yoyo spinning and Chat's staff out in front of him, ready for her attack. I knew that we'd fought before, but it'd never been like this. I always ended up victim to an akuma's powers. I was never the akuma, though I supposed this was a long time coming.
There was certainly an emptiness I felt when I was around my lady. I couldn't help it. I loved her. All that passion and fire… it'd won me over the first time I laid eyes on her. But she didn't feel about me the way I felt for her. And, over time, that'd become a form of torture.
Ladybug lashed out, then, her yoyo spinning through the air, right towards my staff. Chat Blanc dodged out of the way, a smirk on his lips and then jumped towards her, bringing the staff down on her.
Ladybug let out a squeak and dropped down, bringing her fist up to strike Chat sharply in the stomach. I felt the sharp pain as Chat gasped in surprise. He recalculated quickly and changed the angle of his swing, but Ladybug was already moving, darting around him, her yoyo swinging.
"Got ya!" she said, using the yoyo much like a lasso to wrap around Chat's body. The white cat hissed in displeasure with his arms trapped, unable to move. Ladybug approached in quickly, knocking him over, reaching for his bell. Chat Blanc's green eyes narrowed and he pushed off with his legs, throwing Ladybug into the Seline.
My lady cried out in surprise and grabbed hold of the railing, hanging on by her fingertips.
Chat pulled the yoyo off of himself, giving her a dismissive look, then picking up his staff, approaching her swiftly.
Run, Ladybug! I cried out in my mind, but there was nothing I could do.
Ladybug gave a faint smile and then put her feet against the edge of the bridge and pushed herself up and over. She was unarmed, her left pigtail falling out of the ribbon which held it, but something about her was comfortingly strong, beautiful.
If anyone could save me, it was her.
Chat Blanc began to laugh at that, his expression like he'd just seen a miracle before his eyes. "Well, my lady, I've got to hand it to you. You truly do defy expectations."
"I will save you, Chat. I promise," she said and then charged, darting under him at the last minute and scooping up her yoyo. "Lucky charm!" she shouted, throwing it up in the air.
A moment later, a nutcracker came down into her hands.
"Pathetic," Chat Blanc said, then brought his staff down on her.
At the same moment, she brought the nutcracker up and put the mouth around the bell on his neck, crushing it.
The bell gave one last, pathetic jingle before it was completely destroyed, a purple butterfly ejecting at a rapid rate.
Chat fell to his knees, the staff dropping with a clang on the bricks.
"This isn't the end!" he gasped out. "I am never gone!"
And then the entire world went black.
"...Chat.."
"...wake up, Chat…"
"Chat!"
I snapped awake to find my lady staring down at me, tears in her eyes.
"Oh thank God," she said, seeing my eyes open and I took into account where I was.
We were on the bridge above the Seline, my head in her lap. There was the distant sound of one of the boat horns blaring loudly, the moon having risen directly overhead.
"My lady?" I asked. My mouth felt like cotton. It was strangely difficult to move my lips after the incident. Was this what all akumatized victims felt like when they woke up? Akumatized… "Hawkmoth!" I exclaimed, sitting up. "Hawkmoth, he-"
She put a finger over my lips. "I know, chatton. But that can wait. You're going to be fine. I promise."
"Ladybug…" I said, not knowing what else to say. "Thank you. For saving me."
"Always," she said in response, smiling at me. Suddenly she burst into tears, throwing her arms around my neck, pulling me close. "You stupid cat. Don't you ever dare do that to me again! I was so afraid…"
"I'm sorry," I said, not knowing what else to say in response, slowly wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her close. My hyper senses picked up everything. The smell of sweat, her lavender scented perfume… I closed my eyes, letting my body relax. "I'm so sorry."
"I-I don't want to lose you," she choked out, burying her head against my chest, her forehead on my shoulder. "I couldn't stand it...I don't want to fight you like that. Not ever again."
"You won't. I promise," I said. "Even if you don't see me that way, I learned my lesson. I can't-"
She raised her head then, catching my lips in hers.
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what was happening.
The soft feel of her lips against mine, the taste of her mouth…
"Chat, kiss me," she mumbled, putting her lips back against mine again.
A shiver of excitement went up my spine, my heart pounding in my chest as I was all too eager to obey. I put my lips against hers, pouring all my love and feeling back into her the way she seemed to be pouring hers into me. I became hungry, an intense need taking over me, my hands searchingly travelling over her body, crushing her close to me.
Beep! Beep! Beep! She drew back then with a gasp. "I'm sorry!" she squealed, putting a hand over her ear, her cheeks a bright crimson color.
"You...you should probably…"
She gave a small nod. "Yes...but… chatton? I… nevermind. I'll… I'll talk to you tomorrow."
She disengaged, standing up quickly and running off, leaving me sitting, alone, on the bridge, my lips tingling from where she kissed me.
And all I could think of was What the hell?
I arrived home less than ten minutes later, sighing as I sat down on my bed. "Plagg, retract claws," I said tiredly.
The suit vanished in a matter of moments, leaving my little kwami hovering in the air with a disapproving scowl on his face.
"Adrien," he said sharply. "What were you thinking? Getting me involved in your drama like that… I'll have you know it was very rude. And quite distressing."
"Yeah yeah. I get it," I muttered. "Will cheese make up for it?"
Plagg opened his mouth as if he was going to continue lecturing me, then clearly thought better of it, his black ears flicking up at the mention of cheese. "Maybe," he said in response, zooming over to sit on my couch, clearly thinking. "How much camembert are we talking?"
"Heaps," I said in response, laying back against the mattress, staring up at the ridiculously high ceiling.
A whole house could probably be fit in the size of my room. It was too big, too expansive, and, if it wasn't for the little kwami, I knew it felt way too empty to be comfortable. I supposed it was my father's way of making up for the fact that he was never there, but I hardly needed the space. Especially when it was just me.
"I can work with that," Plagg said. He zoomed over to my desk on the other side of the room. "Hey, Adrien, your phone is full of texts. Maybe you should answer them." He flew back, holding the phone in his little paws.
I took it from him and scrolled down the list. There was Nino at the top, not surprising, and then Alya… she usually only texted me when she had Ladybug related stuff or when she was trying to set me up with Marinette… but the text that concerned me was one from my father, plus over ten missed calls.
I opened it up, rather curious at what could possibly be so important.
Dad: Adrien, I came by your room but you weren't in. Where are you? Why aren't you picking up your cell phone? I'm getting rather worried about you.
I was a little surprised at the message, reading it over again to make sure that I wasn't misinterpreting it.
No. That's what he wrote.
Worried about me? He came by?
I sat up, then hit call.
Ring…
Ring….
"Adrien?" there was something in my father's voice that usually wasn't there. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was relief. "Adrien, are you okay?"
"Um….yeah. You came by my room?"
"Yes, Adrien, I wanted to talk to you. Come downstairs, would you? I would rather talk in person."
"You're here?" I asked with surprise.
"Of course I am. Come on down."
Click.
I immediately got up, running to the bathroom and making sure that my hair wasn't messed up and I looked presentable before darting towards the door.
"What's going on, Adrien?" Plagg asked.
"Just stay here for a little bit. I'll bring up some camembert."
"Oh well. I'm not going to argue," Plagg said with a shrug, disappearing back into the couch.
I paused momentarily then opened the door, navigating to the stairs. The house was as expansive as my room. Huge, and just as empty. I could never quite get used to the feel of it, despite having lived here practically my whole life.
My father was waiting for me at the entrance, looking like he was mulling things over in his head.
"Dad... " I didn't know what to say. It was so rare that he was here…
"I'm not going to ask where you were," Gabriel Agreste said, clearing his throat. "But, I… I want you to know that I'm going to try to be here more often. It's wrong for me to leave you alone like this."
"N-no, I'm okay. I promise," I said, though the prospect excited me. My father...actually wanted to be here?
He shook his head. "It's not right. So it's not going to happen anymore. You're my son. There's no reason why I shouldn't be here. There's no excuse."
"Did something happen?" I asked.
"It's not important," Dad said dismissively. "I… I'm going to be here for breakfast tomorrow. I hope you'll join me."
"Y-yes. Of course I will," I said in response.
This was much too good to be true. He probably had the best intention, but I doubted he'd actually show up.
"Go get some sleep then," he said. "And make sure you have your cell phone on you when you sneak out. It's dangerous. I may need some way to contact you."
"Um… alright," I said, not giving him a promise but…
Dad turned and opened the door. "I mean it this time," he said quietly. "Your mother… she shouldn't come back to a broken home."
I felt my throat constrict. "Dad, she… "
But he was already gone, the door closing behind him.
I stood there in silence for a moment, then turned back towards the stairs.
Mom had been missing for a while but Dad still seemed convinced she was coming back…
Who knew? With all the oddities taking place today, maybe the sudden appearance of an absentee mother was possible.
Wouldn't that be a dream?