(Author's note: This gets heavy in the middle but don't worry, it ends with some fluff :)
Chat Noir:
During
Grabbing
grasping
slipping
edge
of the cliff
edge of insanity
screaming your name
"I'll be okay"
no
you won't
you're falling
stop falling
I'm crying
stop
crying
don't go.
10 Minutes Before
It was just another day
school
photo shoots
back home
I'm tired
but better
better than usual
there hasn't been an akuma all day,
which means
tonight
there will be one
and I have many puns and pick-up lines
regarding the stars
like the beautiful stars in your eyes when you smile
or how my love extends beyond the moon
beyond Jupiter
beyond the edge of the galaxy
beyond-
Plagg groans.
"Just write
to infinity and beyond
and get it over with, would you?
And turn the TV on.
I'm bored."
I sigh
do what he asks
"Anything else, your highness?"
"Yeah.
Turn the TV off."
I glance at it
the news channel shows
a warning
another akuma attack on the city
I smile
I shouldn't-
but I do.
6 Minutes Before
The akuma is a girl
who would maybe look cute in the day
but now is tinted green
and I can't tell
if that's my night-vision or not
but she's standing in the street
laughing evilly
they all do that
as if they could win
as if anyone could beat you
you haven't arrived yet
I won't wait
smiling
leaping off a roof
"It's a little late to be up, isn't it?"
"Oh,
aren't you just a
dream."
she giggles
raises her blanket
pulls it over her head like a ghost and-
disappears
oh boy.
"BOO!"
I pivot
behind me is the girl
blanket clutched between small hands, fanged teeth grinning-
Wait.
"Who are you?"
"Your Worst Nightmare!"
laughter
and my stomach sinks
this may not be as easy as I thought.
3 Minutes Before
We stand shoulder-to-shoulder
touching
sharing support
facing the akuma
ready for
anything
she might throw at us
her blanket is tied like a cape
and she pulls it in front of her
so we can only see
her eyes
you bite back a yawn
I bite back a grin,
"You go around behind, and
I'll distract her.
The usual."
you shrug
I take it as a yes.
I step forwards
hand behind me
ready to grab my baton
smiling at the girl
she smiles back
I wish she wouldn't-
it gives me goosebumps.
Her outfit is as black as mine
so we would make an awesome team at hide-and-seek
I point this out to her.
"Oh. . .
but I'm not the one who's hiding
or the one
you'll be seeking."
my smile fades.
nodding slowly I
pull my baton out
she's
too creepy to talk with.
I run at her,
hoping to maybe corner her
against a house
because I could see you coming
standing on the roof
at the ready.
The girl laughs
and doesn't flinch as I run closer
and closer
smiling at me
(should I stop?)
…and closer
(nah.)
I leap, hoping to pin her under me but
she winks
poof
and
the night goes black.
During
Hands sweaty
"Come back!"
you haven't fallen yet
but
I miss you already
beautiful dark hair
blue eyes
welling
tears
spilling
beep-beep
time's up
mask off
-oh no
I can't look
close my eyes…
". . . Chat . . ."
…and open them.
30 Seconds Before
What?
I look around
and it is so dark
but I blink, and it is tinted green again
and I can see
but barely
I climb to my feet
and I ache,
like I'd just carried the weight of the world.
The city lights are in the distance
was I thrown?
teleported?
I start walking back-
"Chat!"
whip around
your eyes are wide
so are mine
"How-"
and then the ground shakes
and you fall
before my eyes.
But then I'm there
grabbing
grasping
slipping
edge
of the cliff
edge of insanity
screaming your name. . .
During
"I'll be okay"
no
you won't
you're falling
stop falling
I'm crying
stop
crying
don't go.
Snatching at the grass
dirt
rocks
anything
please don't go
I'll pull you up
ground slipping
you shout
"Let me go before
you fall
too."
not too
nobody is falling
especially not you
Hands sweaty
"Come back!"
you haven't fallen yet
but
I miss you already
beautiful dark hair
blue eyes
welling
tears
spilling
beep-beep
time's up
mask off
-oh no
I can't look
close my eyes…
". . . Chat . . ."
…and open them.
Marinette?
No no no
"It's okay-"
it isn't
it really isn't
I'm yanking
weak
I'm too weak
can't do it
I have to-
"Chat."
I'm crying too hard
can't speak
my baton gone
must've
been lost in the fight
so useless
trying to tell your kwami to find it
she's buzzing besides me
but I
can't speak
sobbing
stop
crying
I'm pulling
almost have you
have you
love you.
An explosion
rocks the ground
we fall
back to the edge
edge
edge of insanity
"Marinette, I can't-"
I can hear the akuma
behind us
in the city
cackling.
Angry
grabbing your arm
"You're hurting me, Kitty."
STOP
stop being so calm
you can't-
I can't-
oh-
"Marinette-"
"It's okay."
stop saying that
I can't
can't speak
can't think
can't save you.
"NO!"
your Kwami squeezes its eyes
I grab your hand
but it's harder now
you don't have
accelerated strength
So
you
try
to let go.
I grab your arms
try
to pull you up
by the elbows
the cliff shakes
your Kwami is crying
They can cry?
not as hard as I am
trying to pull you up.
Come on
no
don't push me away
No
why is your Kwami-
NO
"The cliff, Chat-"
NO
I can't even talk
sobbing
tugging
yanking
NO
come back
come back-
NO
Slipping
slipped
No
Ladybug-
Marinette-
no.
I can't talk
or I'd
tell your Kwami to leave me alone
pushing me away
from the cliff crumbling under my feet
from you
Ow
she poked me?
accident
earrings-
Earrings?
your Kwami is holding your miraculous
they saved it
why couldn't they save-
…no.
I-
I couldn't-
I messed up
I couldn't save-
. . .
Choking in this suit
I hate it
black and dumb and useless
Deactivate
Plagg is crying
and he has feelings
and I wish I didn't
as I am pushed away
from the edge
from you
Marinette
Marinette, I love you
and yet I am
blinking
stumbling
away.
I'm sorry.
Ladybug:
10 Minutes Before
It was a long day
but a quiet one with no akumas,
so I'm glad.
I'm tired anyway,
but I have homework
and that
comes first
so here I am,
scribbling math problems.
Tikki
is doing her best to
stay up with me
but she keeps nodding off
until I tickle her awake.
I'm almost done when-
screaming
echoes through the street
Tikki jolts awake
"That's…
just your music, right?"
I laugh nervously
because
it isn't
and we both know it.
5 Minutes Before
It's so dark out here
like all the street lamps
just quit
and I want my flashlight
but someone might recognize it
just possibly
because I wrote Marinette on it
(with swirls and hearts and glitter)
so I leave it at home.
I follow the yelling
my stomach flipping
because I am going to trip spectacularly
and I'm too tired for this
but here I am
anyway.
Chat is on the ground
I can see his bell
shining
they're arguing
she laughs and disappears
she reappears, screeching:
"Your Worst Nightmare!"
so I throw my yo-yo
and join him.
3 Minutes Before
We stand shoulder-to-shoulder
except I'm leaning on him
just a little
the girl glares at us just a few feet away
I yawn
Chat is beaming
"You
go around behind, and
I'll
distract her."
and I'm too tired to argue,
so he runs with it.
So, with a zip! I am above,
on the rooftops
again
and wait for the mocking
arguing
teasing
But they barely talk
before
he whips out his stick
runs
leaps
freezes midair
and falls to the ground…
g.
During
"CHAT!"
I run off the roof
stumbling
slipping
frantic in the dark
and he's face-first on the ground
so I grab him
flip him over
his eyes are closed
his eyebrows scrunched
he's frowning
mumbling
but
breathing.
I laugh in relief
someone else laughs, too
and oh.
ohh, all those words my parents
would never let me say
all of them
are running through my mind
and
still hunched over my partner,
I turn
the girl grins.
"What did you do?"
"I warned him! It's
his
worst nightmare."
giggles
she giggles
and my stomach flips and my head is buzzing but I'm standing anyway
standing very still
her smile fades
and I know it's not okay
(Tikki told me countless times)
not to take out anger
on a villain
but
there is a lot
she scared me with that move
I thought he might've been-
well.
I'm
just boiling over
and
she was giggling at the pain.
Chat Noir:
During
I'm stumbling through the dark
alone
the kwamis disappeared
don't know where they went
don't know how long they'll take
don't really care.
My arms are tingling
as if they fell asleep
while I'm walking
just
gave out on me
oh well
doesn't everything?
I follow the city lights
everything looms
and somehow
I find myself home
don't know what else to do, so
I raise my hand
knock
no-one answers
keep knocking
inside are footsteps
they open the door
It's Nathalie
and she is scowling.
I stand very still
waiting
maybe for a rebuke
for leaving the house so late
or a concern
it doesn't matter
just something
a reaction
but she is just frowning,
looking around the porch
sighs angrily
closes the door.
I knock again
hands sweating
she swings the door open
Father's voice from inside:
"Who is it?"
she shakes her head
"There's Nobody here"
and slams the door.
Oh.
maybe-
maybe it does matter.
Ladybug:
During
The girl has backed away
ran down a side street
so I pull Chat
carry him carefully to the side
he's crying
whispering, again and again-
"I'm sorry."
I'm scared
I don't know what it means
but I will find out
or
better:
I will cleanse the akuma and undo it all
where everything gets fixed
I nod
that will work
that has to work
and run after the girl.
It's still so dark
shadows
no stars
just
things on the ground,
waiting
to be tripped over
and after the third time
I angrily yell
"Lucky Charm!"
and I'm rewarded with night-vision goggles.
She's in the park
head whipping back and forth
like she's looking for someone
I don't say anything
just walk
she pauses
turns
waves
raises her blanket-
-which I knock
to the ground
with my yo-yo.
Before she can move,
I have it
she shrieks-
I tear it
out comes the butterfly
swish
purify
swish
good-bye.
The Akuma de-transforms
into a girl
roughly my age
looks nice enough
and her actions?
probably just Hawkmoth,
not her
and she's lost
and confused
and I should guide her back to her house.
". . .Ladybug? Where am I?"
But.
But I want to go back
to the street
she was just
used.
Help her.
I don't want to…
but it's my job.
"You
were akumatized by
Hawkmoth.
Where do you live?"
Fake smiles
as we swing
questions
"Did I hurt anyone?"
fake answers
"No."
and it's hard to lie
because I've never really had to
but-
"You had an awesome costume,
though.
Too bad
nobody got to see it."
And then she is gone
and my earrings are beeping
but I don't care
and then I am down the street
unable to see anything.
Chat Noir:
After
There is a rush
a quick flash of pink light
then the darkness returns
only slightly
marred by stars.
I blink and realize
my costume
somehow,
I must've put it back on
but why?
I'm
choking in this suit.
I hate it.
black and dumb and useless
as that fellow
who couldn't-
Anyway.
the girl
who is invincible and amazing and strong and stubborn
doesn't need this suit anyway
or anyone in it
yet
as I close my eyes to de-transform
I hear her voice.
"Hey!
Chat!"
so I open my eyes
and
and she is there
you are there
smiling and stumbling slightly
as you put your yo-yo away
"You're okay!"
but then
your smile fades
as I gawk at you
you
who's standing there
a little flushed, maybe
but
standing there.
Your head tilts to the side
when I don't respond
with a joke
("Of course I am! I have nine lives,
you know.")
or a wink and a head toss
something I used to do
but I can't do anymore
because
because you fell
but you didn't fall?
because you're standing right there?
and are you okay?
because now you're frowning
looking really concerned
because maybe I'm not okay?
Ladybug:
After
"Kitty?"
he stares at me
looking
like he'd seen a ghost
he's still on the ground
on the sidewalk where I'd dragged him
but he doesn't even notice
his eyes are watering
and he's whispering
"Ladybug."
Is-
is he playing,
being dramatic
like yesterday,
when he pretended to swoon when I smiled
then tripped and fell off a roof?
that was funny
but this isn't funny
and my throat is dry
because
"What happened?"
So
I crouch next to him
and he glances away
scoots away
leans on the building behind us
his voice cracks-
"the Akuma…"
"She's gone. I healed her. Everything's
normal
again." I smile
he doesn't
he closes his eyes
and asks-
"It was fake?"
"Yeah.
Wait-
what happened?
what was fake?"
his hands ball into fists at his sides
glares across the street
I wait
but I won't wait for long
because
after that heart-attack
I need to make sure
Is my partner okay?
because right now
neither of us
look exactly
okay.
"Fake."
he laughs
no humor
"A game."
and he chokes
the laugh
melts
into a tear
his eyes closing, mine
widening
"Chat-?"
my stomach flipping uneasily
He glances at me, then back across the street
my gaze fades to my feet
"You-"
his breath catches
I look up
"-you died."
Chat Noir:
After
I try to talk
but everything shudders instead
I can't
just mouthing words
they won't come out
I can't
even look back you
I can feel your gaze
concern
I'm such a jerk
making you worry like this
it's so late
school tomorrow
so
I just wave at my throat
"can't-"
your hand on my shoulder cuts me off.
"Just a second."
and you're gone
again.
The street is empty
and dark despite my night-vision
it looms, almost
with buildings everywhere
inside them?
people
families
kids sleeping before school
(I'll be exhausted)
parents sleeping before work-
oh
oh no no no
my father
he'll check my room after an Akuma attack
and he's going to find it empty
because I'm right here
and
in so much trouble.
I'm climbing to my feet,
shaky
dizzy
when you're back
carrying a pink blanket,
two pillows,
and a tired smile.
You make me sit back down,
prop the pillows against the wall
we share the blanket longways
our feet sticking out
because it isn't made for two.
I take a breath or two
finally get some words out
"We can't stay."
"We can."
a small smile
matter-of-fact
you nestle in, curl your legs up
our knees brush
my heart bounces
maybe
maybe we can stay
just once will be okay
just a break
just a rest
just a talk
just
just one night.
So I talk
it takes forever
my voice cracks again and again
and again and
again.
I feel like I'm punched in the stomach
again and again
and again and
again.
I break off and cry and can't talk
again and again
and again and
again.
But you wait
right next to me
patient
never interrupting
even at the part
where your mask comes off
you listen
and when I'm finally done
when the last dumb bit is out
when I finally look up at you
your red-rimmed eyes meet mine
when we both try to smile it away but can't
you lean closer
and under the blankets
where no-one can see
you grab my hand.
"It's okay."
Ladybug:
After
We sit there for another hour
or three
and the stars grow dimmer
the sky brighter
it's time to go
but
we're not ready
so
maybe just a few more minutes…
When I left to get the blankets,
I let Tikki recharge,
but that was hours ago
she needs sleep
his kwami needs sleep
I need sleep
he needs-
oh.
He is asleep.
Maybe half an hour ago he leaned his head on mine
I didn't say anything
because maybe we could both use a break
and I'm glad I didn't
but now
well,
school's about to start.
Gently,
I let go of his hand
tap his shoulder
tap
z z z
tap
z
tap.
tap.
tap.
his eyes flutter open
"Kitty. . ."
"…oh. Sorry…"
he scoots away, rubbing his head
he glances back
green eyes almost red from the night.
We stumble to our feet, taking
s h a k y
breaths.
I gather my stuff
he rubs his back, stiffens.
"My baton…?"
it's across the street
still there from when he was hit and dropped so still
it flashes in my face
horrible reminders.
And then,
even though neither of us wants to,
we have to go our separate ways,
back to our houses
our schools
our lives
maybe today Hawkmoth will sleep in?
ha,
Hahaha.
anyway.
as we step away
back to the routines
which will be different, because it's not just a
"See you later, Kitty."
it's also something else
and whoop, Tikki might not like it
and if she doesn't,
oh well
because
because it'll have to be okay,
and I know it'll be okay,
when he says
"Bye, Princess."
The End
(Author's note: Fun fact! I used the word "can't" 22 times!
... yeah, sorry.)
