Warning: blood, gore, near-death experiences.
She stood there. Frozen. Bleeding, bruised, searing burning unbridled pain racing through her body. Yet she stood.
"The Miraculous." The man, Strongman, grunted.
"Don't do it Ladybu-" a voice called, but was cut of by the sound of a straggled cough. The akuma cursed man's grip tightened, fingers wrapping easily around his neck. Her partners neck. She was frozen. Years pricked her eyes.
"I-if I do. Will you let him go?" She begged, tears falling fully now. She couldn't imagine life without her partner, she wouldn't let him go out, not like this. She was going to try everything in her power to save him.
"Yes." The man agreed, picking the slightly limp hero up off the ground by his neck, showing his beaten face to the spot clad girl. It was worse than she thought. A black eye, cuts all along his face. She wasn't any better, her arm was bleeding profusely, the cut on her forehead blinded her with blood and caused her to choke on it every so often.
"O-okay." She reached up to her ears. "Put him down first..." His grip tightened, "put. Him. Down." She hissed and brought her hand away from her ear, stepping back. Her partner fell to the ground, coughing and wheezing and gagging. The villain picked him up by his arm.
"I'll give him to you when you give me the Miraculous." He said more firmly and squeezed the leather clad hero's arm until there was a sickening crack and an ear piercing scream.
"Okay! Stop just stop please!" She begged him, bawling at the sight of her partner. Her hands flew to her earnings and undid them. A flash of soft pink light and a small girl fell to the ground limply.
All her adrenaline and power had worn off, leaving the girl in burning pain and on the ground. She tightened her fists and managed to stagger up, holding her bleeding arm. "Y-you want my Miraculous?" She asked, meeting her partners eyes with a sorrowful look. "Then go get it!" She hissed and whipped the two small objects across the park, one landing in the fountain the other among the grass. The cursed man bounded after them with the orders of his higher up. Leaving the two heroes behind.
Marinette fell to the ground, now he knew. What a fool she was. She closed her eyes and laid on the gravel of the park, she heard scraping and grunting as it came closer and closer. Someone lifted up her head and placed it on their lap, her eyes fluttered open.
"It was you. All this time...it was you." The figure said, he forced a chuckle, "stupid Marinette. Don't go risking your life for me." Her vision came back into focus as she saw her partner above her. "We need to get you out of here." Marinette opened her left hand to reveal a pair of red earrings. "But-"
"Pebbles." She coughed up blood, "I threw pebbles." He grinned at her,
"You've been sitting behind me this whole time and I had had no idea."her eyes widened, did that mean he was...but her thoughts were clouded when he brought her up to his lips and crashed them together. It was a messy, hot, insane kiss. The type as though the two knew that they probably would not live to see tomorrow; and they were okay with that. It was their job.
"R-ready for round two kitty?" She coughed and staggered up off of him.
"Always, Princess." He smiled and took her hand in his. She transformed back into her suit.
"Let's go."