(( YOU are awesome. Yes, you, the one reading this. And not because you're reading this, but because you are YOU and you are special. Yes, YOU! This is a message for you. Because I thought you might need the reminder that you are awesome. Stay awesome. :) ))

((And if you haven't read the revised edition of Chapter 3, please do so! I mean, this might still make sense, but in the long run...it won't. So yeah. Thanks for the kind words on that head, by the way. I really appreciate all the support you guys have given me! *hearts*))


Hawk Moth had been having a good day.

No, a great day.

Split Personality, his newest Akuma, was a dream come true. It was a two-for-one deal, and Hawk Moth couldn't be happier. Randolph Gustavo had been told that he was crazy, that he was acting like a completely different person, for the last time. He was fed up. So Hawk Moth helped him…by making him into what his peers had accused him of all along: being two different people.

As long as he had differing opinions with himself, Split Personality stayed split. It was something Hawk Moth did on purpose; an angry Akuma was an aggressive Akuma, and while both sides of Split Personality fought with each other around Paris, the mess of destruction was sure to not only draw the attention of Ladybug and Chat Noir, but be so distracting that the super duo might not be able to even tell that there really were two separate beings until it was too late. It was double trouble, and for a while it seemed to be working splendidly.

Ladybug had appeared only fifteen minutes into the rampage, followed immediately by Chat Noir. But as soon as his Akuma had even noticed the team, they had run off together and hadn't appeared since. Not only was it a bit disheartening for Hawk Moth, it was absolutely insulting. This was the best Akuma he'd had in a long time! And there hadn't even been an attack since the week before! If anything, the team owed it to him to match up against his latest Champion.

Stupid teenage hormones.

Crossing his arms over his chest as he scowled, Hawk Moth watched on as both sides of Split Personality argued over where to search next. He had at least convinced them to seek out the superheroes; if the sneaky duo refused to come to him, he would come to them.

Hawk Moth opened up the talkway with Split Personality. It was like watching dual screens, and Hawk Moth blinked hard for a moment, adjusting to the weird view. Before he could reprimand both or either sides of the suddenly lackluster Akumatized victim, red and black flashed into the screens, and without warning Hawk Moth was accosted with double visions of Ladybug and Chat Noir. A very distracted-looking Ladybug and a very terrified-looking Chat Noir.

"Uh – er – get their miraculous!"

Hawk Moth closed the talkway as fast as he had brought it on and looked out of his magically magical window at the events now unfolding.

"I am Split P–" both of the personalities of Randolph started talking, but they were cut off almost immediately by a hand up from Chat Noir. The cat-like superhero was bent over, the hand not gesturing to Split Personality supporting his panting self up by his knee.

Hawk Moth pulled a face and lifted up his hands, incredulous.

Excusez-moi!?

"Hold on just a moment," Chat Noir snapped at his Akuma victim before turning sharply toward Ladybug. "Could you not ever do that again, please!?"

Ladybug giggled.

"Awwwww," Ladybug cooed, pulling Chat Noir up by a hand on each cheek. She squeezed them as she brought his nose up to hers and rubbed them together. "But I thought mew liked being close to me! Wasn't it exciting enough fur you?" As Ladybug giggled again, Chat Noir seemed frozen in place. Hawk Moth watched the heat rise to the leather-clad hero's cheeks and frowned, utterly confused.

"Ladybug, w-we have stuff to do!" Chat practically yowled at her, a squeak breaking his slightly ragged voice. He pulled away from her and waved his hands wildly in the direction of the Akumatized victim.

Ladybug sighed, but nodded, rolling her eyes in the promise. A thoughtful expression rose to her face before she bent herself into an offensive pose. The other players in this game matched her stance, ready to begin the battle. But suddenly there was a mischievous twinkling in her eyes Hawk Moth did not like.

"Race you for it," the black-spotted hero hummed friskily, sneaking a glance at Chat Noir before licking her lip in concentration. The cat-boy huffed out a laugh before pulling out his baton and looking back to the Akumatized victim.

"You're on."

As Ladybug took off, she yelled happily, "Winner gets a kiss!"

Hawk Moth snorted when Chat Noir directly tripped on air and face-planted into the roof.

qpqpqpqpqp

Fifteen minutes later, and Ladybug and Chat Noir were still battling Hawk Moth's Akuma as well as each other.

Ladybug reached out to one of the personas of Split Personality, stretching to grab the watch she had spotted there. Before she could get very far, she let out an "oof!", Chat Noir suddenly using her shoulders to leap over her. After a swift kick into the yellow and purple villain, Chat Noir rounded on Ladybug, wasting no time before pulling her into a headlock and giving her a noogie. She screamed in protest at his knuckles ruining her hair before twisting her legs up behind her around Chat Noir's neck.

Hawk Moth cringed at the sight; no one should be able to bend like that.

Ladybug's momentum and weight pulled a slightly-choking Chat Noir to the ground. The two "superheroes" continued for another full minute shamelessly wrestling around, laughing, Chat Noir occasionally letting out very cat-like mews and meowls.

What was annoying to Hawk Moth about this little game – other than having to endure watching a hormonal rampage by the two heroes he most desperately wanted to destroy – was how they were practically toying with Split Personality just as much as they were with each other. Hawk Moth was beyond done with this. When the other side of Split Personality came up to the wrestling pair, reaching a hand to pull up his fallen persona, Hawk Moth opened the talkway once again.

"Just get those Miraculouses NOW!"

"We're trying!" the two sides growled together. Their forms buzzed for a moment, connecting for a second into one form before splitting again. One face held anger, the other something akin to a frightening confidence. Hawk Moth broke the connection and stomped around his lair, disturbing the fluttering butterflies around him. The battle was forgotten for a moment, the sounds floating in the background as Hawk Moth's thoughts started to drift. He tapped his cane into the ground impatiently; the frustration was building, and he felt like he was missing something important, an explanation he couldn't grasp for the strange display of behavior he had witnessed.

The superheroes seemed completely comfortable with each other. And it didn't seem like it was in the way they had been before, merely working well together. Chat Noir, he had always noticed, was extremely and irritatingly flirty with Ladybug, but Ladybug had always brushed him off. Today, though, Ladybug seemed to not only be reciprocating the black cat's feelings now, but appeared to be actually shocking her partner with its ferocity.

A smile pulled on Hawk Moth's face. It would take some finesse in finding the right victims, but he could use this information to his own advantage. The closer they were, the bigger the feelings. And the bigger they are, the harder they fall. Suddenly their game was not only intriguing, it was a welcome relief to the butterfly-themed villain. He cackled again, already planning the next string of attacks he could use to take the heroes down.

Bringing his attention back to the fight, he realized how close to the end it was. Split Personality had formed together. Apparently the two heroes were too great of opposing forces to keep the Akuma arguing with each of its sides. And, true to suspicion, Chat Noir and Ladybug were working better together than Hawk Moth had ever seen them. As he watched from his window, Chat Noir grabbed Ladybug and threw her, spinning her into the air toward Split Personality. At the end of the arc, Ladybug's foot came out and landed a sound kick into Split Personality's jaw, sending him flying. The two superheroes grinned at each other before tearing off after him. There was another scuffle before Ladybug pulled free. As she broke out, and before Chat Noir could grab onto the watch himself, Ladybug grabbed his tail and swung him soundly away. Though he caught himself mid-air and landed deftly, turning to Ladybug again, the red-clad heroine was already preparing to purify the Akuma.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug yelled, throwing her yo-yo into the air (they had not used their special powers for this fight). All watched in wander as the spell of ladybugs blasted through Paris, righting all that was amiss.

"W-What happened?" A righted Randolph Gustavo asked tentatively, holding a hand to his head and looking around.

The super duo shared their first bump wordlessly, and at the lovestruck expression in their eyes, Hawk Moth grinned devilishly.

"I know another one of your many secrets now, Ladybug," Hawk Moth spoke to the open air. "Soon, you and Chat Noir will be closer than you could have possibly imagined…to meeting your doom!"

Hawk Moth felt more confident than he ever had before in his quest for the Miraculous stones, and the cackle he emitted was long and loud.

qpqpqpqpqp

"Bein joué," Chat Noir whispered, mostly to himself, watching Ladybug as she comforted the lastest victim. News reporters and rescue crews were just starting to come up to the roof where they had all been perched. One among them was a certain Alya Césaire. Smirking at the powerhouse that was his red-haired friend, Chat tore his eyes away from the incoming crowd back to Ladybug. Shining eyes met his own. Two years later and her gaze was still enough to make his breath catch. Of course, Ladybug had never looked at him quite like that before.

With one last comforting hand on Randolph Gustavo's shoulder, Ladybug rose and started toward Chat. Chat absentmindedly struck a model-esque pose, one fisted hand on his hip, and within a moment, Ladybug was close enough to stare up at him. She flicked the bell on his suit again. Chat hummed happily before remembered something…

"Well, Minou," Ladybug all but whispered to him. "I believe I won our little wager. When do I get my prize?"

"Er…" Chat responded dumbly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alya pause mid-step. When he flicked his full gaze to the reporter, her eyes were sparkling…with excitement. He looked from her to Ladybug and back again…and back again…and again. Aw, crap.

Of course the biggest LadyNoir-shipper would be around when Ladybug is being completely flirty with Chat Noir.

"Uh…n-not here?" He didn't mean for it to come out as a question, but everything that had just happened in the last hour or so – really, in the past few hours, including school – were flooding back to him. His carefree behavior during the battle suddenly seemed careless, and he mentally slapped himself in the forehead while outwardly pulling a protective arm around Ladybug. He almost desperately looked around as if an answer to his predicament would pop out and smack him in the face.

"Why not?" Ladybug drew his attention back to her, pulling at his bell again. The hand that had circled her around her shoulders flexed betrayingly.

"R-Reporters."

Ladybug smirked at him. "Let them see."

"NO. Ha! I mean, n-no…I-I'm uh…shy?" He pushed against her before taking a step back. His smile was plastered on his face, a mask to hide the ridiculous sweat pouring from everywhere all of a sudden. The thoughts of Marinette's little kisses all morning pooled distractingly into his mind. And, however enjoyable those little moments and gestures had been, in that moment the only feeling pulsing through his mind was panic.

Ladybug would kill him if she was caught on camera doing…er…something quite compromising to her character.

So when Ladybug took another confident step toward him, Chat did the only logical thing he could think of: run.

qpqpqpqpqp

Chat Noir landed hard into the darkened alleyway, dropping gracelessly into the tiny rocks his feet skidded on. Laughter rang behind him, and for the third time in the last five minutes he cursed himself for growing a little broader rather than leaner in the last year; he just wasn't fast enough.

Scrambling to his feet, Chat, breath catching painfully in his chest, flattened himself against the wall, willing himself to blend into the shadow. In front of him, a lithe figure alighted, landing without a hint of a stumble in the same place he had so eloquently crashed just a moment before. He pursed his lips to keep himself from muttering something whining and spiteful; his brow, however, furrowed in frustration. When he drew his attention from his momentary side-glance back to his pursuer, every muscle in his body tensed. She was gone.

Not for the first time in the last and most 24 unsettling hours of his life, Chat found himself gulping again. It was becoming a knee-jerk response; when she was there, gulp. When she disappeared, double gulp. Why the double gulp? The first was for the question, "Where did she go?"

The second was in preparation for when she would magically drop in and startle him witless.

Chat's kitty ears twitched. After another few minutes of waiting and hearing nothing, not even with his advanced senses, he moved cautiously away from where he had firmly planted himself against the wall in the alleyway. Before he had a chance to even snicker at the irony of a black cat hiding among the garbage bins, there was a scream. It pierced his ears until it was suddenly cut off with a hand over his mouth.

It was, of course, his scream.

qpqpqpqpqp

It was too easy, really. Even without this strange force pulling her toward him in whatever direction he went, two years of fighting and patrolling alongside her partner had given her intimate details about his habits and particular behaviors.

Dark alleyway? Predictable.

Somewhere in the back of her mind were voices screaming about school and responsibilities. But her foggy focus easily replaced all thoughts that didn't revolve around Chat Noir out of her head. The only strange and recurring thoughts that tended to sway her resolve on finding and snatching up her crime-fighting partner were the ghost traces of the memory of another blond-haired boy and pastries.

But Ladybug really had no attention to give to that topic right now. Chat was right to her left, but trying to become one with the darkness. She needed to vacate the area. As fast as she had landed, she stealthily leapt up and away from the slightly distracted kitty in the alley, wondering, again, why her thoughts of Adrien kept battling with her reality that was Chat Noir.

How could Adrien possible even compare to her minou?

Inside the confines of her supersuit, Ladybug's heart started to race almost painfully. Her partner, her tall partner, her tall, dark, and handsome partner…

…Who was finally stirring right below her.

As her partner oh-so-cautiously took a tentative step away from his hiding place, Ladybug lowered herself the rest of the way from where she had been hanging right above Chat to land directly behind him.

"Hey, Kitty," she purred in his human ear.

He screamed. Like, bloodcurdling, I'm-being-attacked-in-my-bed scream. Ladybug grabbed him to her and covered his mouth with her hand. It was a strange position: she had to stand on her tiptoes and push her arm up at an odd angle to reach his mile-high head from behind. A giggle escaped her when he pulled away from her, hands outstretched in a defensive position.

"You know, this isn't the first time you've ran away from me when I tried to kiss you." Ladybug took a step toward him. His head bent to one side in confusion as he took another step back. The gesture was incredibly endearing. The pain in her chest grew and she put a hand there to try to futilely calm her rapidly beating heart. She laughed again, almost breathless from her internal and outward struggle. "I caught you then, too." She stopped her current pursuit to pause, tapping her chin as she took a moment to think on it. "Actually, you were the one who caught me."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered nervously.

Ladybug giggled again. "No, I don't suppose you do…" she almost whispered. A smirk made its way to her face, and she mimicked a pose often used by Chat himself when flirting shamelessly with her. Fingers laced behind her back, Ladybug bent forward a little before taking a step toward the cautious kitten, raising back up and staring straight into his eyes as she continued to come closer. Her next words she spoke before she could help herself, which, honestly, was about 99% of what was going on at the moment. The difference though was the secret-not-so-secret wish she hoped wouldn't show too much in her tone. "But I bet you wish you did."

It worked. A good, solid ten minutes into this chase-down and she had finally caught him. Not physically – not yet – but he lowered his double staffs to really look at her for the first time, and she could see it. She could see the interest, the burning behind the light in his eyes. She bit her lip and looked away, her hands in fists. When she bashfully flicked her eyes back up to him, to her Chat, the butterflies in her stomach swirled excitedly.

"I, uh…"

Chat cleared his throat and backed up again. His heel hit the back of the wall; a quick glance behind him seemed to confirm that he was trapped. Ladybug smirked, taking the last step forward to close the distance between them.

Ladybug was so close now. Her heart continued to beat wildly. Chat had stopped running, and he wasn't moving, and he was here and she was here, and she couldn't help inching closer, hands on his stiffened chest, hot breath on her face, eyes closing…

qpqpqpqpqp

Noooooo, nonononononono.

YEEESSS but NOOOOOO.

"IIIIII thought you had a thing for Adrien!" Chat burst out, hands pushing gently across her shoulders.

Ladybug's eyes burst open. Her left one twitched, and, even though her face was on Chat, he could tell that her gaze wasn't focused on anything present. She blinked once. Twice. A third time sent her eyelids into a flutter, some semblance of focus coming back into the blue depths.

Chat didn't know what to think.

She smirked.

And Chat was now very, very confused.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing away Chat's hands from her shoulders. A shiver went down his spine from where she touched him.

"Adrien who?"

Chat blinked. Ladybug laughed.

Chat narrowed his eyes, hands going to his hips.

Is she serious right now – IS SHE SERIOUS RIGHT NOW!?

"Wha-? Wh-Wh-What do you mean Adrien who!? Adrien Agreste!"

ME! HELLO!? CRAZY BUG-GIRL CAN'T –

Ladybug snickered. Then she blinked again, slowly, and Chat couldn't help but think how much that look was supposed to be meant for Adrien, not Chat. It was a strange feeling of internal…jealousy? That seemed to be the closest thing to it…though being jealous of yourself was, admittedly, weird. Her fingers traced a circle at the hair hanging at the nape of his neck. She, at least, seemed to be completely deprived of any and all internal struggle, and Chat was becoming a little miffed at that.

"While he is paws-itively delightful, he's not as puurrrr-fect as you."

Chat sputtered, grabbing onto her arms and pushing her away. He tried hard not to let himself look too offended, but wasn't sure how victorious he was at this current endeavor. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he really cared. Ladybug only blinked at him before leaning forward again. Chat pushed her back to arm's length again.

"Delightful?" he finally choked out at her. "That's all you have to say after – er – I mean,"

"Chat, what are you alluding to?"

"Nothing, I mean, well, you're Ladybug, right?"

"Well spotted."

Chat closed his eyes for a moment and pursed his lips.

I shan't laugh. I shan't!

"So I'm sure you've, uh, k-kissed him or something, right?"

Ladybug shrugged.

Chat flushed, lips pursing further before morphing into an angry scowl. "Seriously? You've kissed Adrien Agreste and all you can do is shrug?"

Well, I mean, not really kissed him, but…little kisses, right?

"What's it to you?" Ladybug finally asked playfully. "What would it matter if I had kissed a thousand guys? Nothing would compare to you."

"A thousand – UGH!" Chat scoffed, choosing to ignore her sultry, lilting tone. His arms crossed in front of him. "Like you would know what I compare to anyway!"

Ladybug laughed.

And laughed.

Chat's scowl deepened.

"Chat!" she said between deep gasps. "Chat, oh my gosh, you don't know! Haha!" She put a steadying hand on her chest. The moisture from laughing so hard was making her eyes glisten. A finger wiped under at the tears leaking out across her flushed cheeks. Chat stiffened, a momentary desire to be the one to wipe that tear away making his fingers tingle. "Chat Noir, you," – Ladybug stuck a finger in his chest hard enough to push him back against the wall again – "were my first kiss."

Chat's first thought was that she could be teasing, but she didn't seem to be.

His second thought was that she was completely deluded.

Suddenly Chat grabbed at both sides of her face, boring into her eyes, searching for answers that weren't there. "Completely miffed" would be an underwhelming descriptor for his present feelings for his present predicament. With a sigh, he eased his grip on his Lady…and noticed for the first time the tenseness with which she had gripped his hands against her face. Her breathing was coming in deep and slightly raspy. She was biting her lip; there was no trace of a teasing smile there, no hint of laughter in her countenance, only that familiar fire in her eyes. Chat felt his tail flick out behind him, a whipping motion to mimic the intensity he felt in his chest again.

Gall, I love this girl.

He leaned into her, unable to deny her anything she wanted, even if it was due to something he did, even if it was his fault and she would figure it out sooner or later, even if she would absolutely kill him for it. But for all of the "this is a bad idea" his brain was trying to remind him of, the desire in her eyes was winning him over.

But…

Their slow decent into this present abyss had taken two years, and as much as he was dying to just have the feel of her on him, he couldn't do this. He couldn't give into this desire without knowing for sure she would want this too. The odd mix of hesitancy and fervor twisting in his gut made his heart break a little more. The battle for some semblance of regained sanity raged somewhere in her, and the guilt inside him was becoming too much.

He was saved a moment later by the rushing of footsteps and breathless voices.

"-right here, Nino! I swear! I heard a scream and – YES!"

Alya came barreling around the corner, phone in hand, followed closely by Nino. Their chests were heaving from the exertion, but Alya looked like she had just won the lottery.

Chat couldn't think. And he didn't have time to do so.

Before anyone else could react, Chat grabbed three things:

Ladybug's yo-yo.

Alya Césaire.

And Nino Lahiffe.

Beyond here, he hadn't thought through much else beyond escaping.

Four screams broke through the Paris air. Chat was overwhelmed, Ladybug offended, Alya beside herself with excitement, and Nino, covering his eyes, terrified for his life.

Chat vaulted with his friends through the city, Nino almost crying with fear. He took a huge leap as they passed over the Seine, trying to use the height to heft the other two into a more comfortable position. He pushed Nino onto his back; the DJ immediately looped every appendage around Chat, one arm pulled tight around his neck. Chat almost laughed when he realized Nino was probably using his other hand to hold onto his hat, terrified though he was. Alya he pulled up closer into his armpit to give his hand more leverage. Just as they were all "comfortable" enough, Chat, preparing to catch them by the bank and push them into another arc through the city to a who-knows-where destination, accidentally dropped his baton into the river. Still a good hundred feet or so up, the three suddenly silent friends looked into the river before all screaming at once.

"WE'RE GOING TO DIE!" Nino wailed into all four of Chat's ears.

"YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT!" Chat yelled back.

"USE THE YO-YO!" Alya screamed out, pointing with one hand to the tool in Chat's hand and keeping a death grip on her phone. Chat looked at her dumbly for too long; Alya grabbed the yo-yo herself and yanked her hand back before grunting all of her force into tossing the magical object. Chat's now two-armed hold tightened around Alya as they all continued to scream before the yo-yo finally found purchase somewhere.

Somehow, the threesome lived.

And somehow they all crashed landed on Alya's balcony.


(( I hope this makes sense! Haha it's late here, and I didn't have time for much editing. Thanks for reading! And thank you so much for the favorites and the follows! You guys are AWESOME. Leave a review, I love to hear from you!))

(( You can check out my tumblr account (callmeakumatized or search for Maki Makes Magic) for artwork on my October short fic. That I haven't posted yet but hopefully will on Monday. o.o;; Thanks for your support. I lurve you guys. n.n ))