Tikki had warned him about ladybugs and bad luck, how harsh that bad luck can be. Despite this warning, Adrien never really thought about it.
He probably should have.
In the fight with Timebreaker, Ladybug wasn't paying attention, he didn't see the piece of the broken watch that had caused Timebreaker. He slipped in the piece, send him stumbling to the ground.
The akuma charged him as Ladybug scrambled to get up.
He wasn't going to escape the akuma's clutches, he instinctively knew this.
She was going to get him.
He was going to fade and disappear.
Fear shot through him as that dark glove came down.
His breath sucked out when she slammed her hand down, body going stiff, his blood turning cold.
Only, she didn't touch him.
She, she touched… she….
A cry ripped out of Ladybug as he felt a slight jolt wash over Chat's body. A body that had draped over him, her face pressed against his neck, her ears down and flat on her head. As Timebreaker withdrew, Ladybug scrambled for Chat, breathing fast as her body started to feel flimsy against him, nothing more than warm air under his hands. Just barely anything solid under his touch.
There was a cackle above, a cackle that brought Ladybug's furious eyes up. Timebreaker flashed him a mocking smile. "Looks like her time is out!" With a cackle, Timebreaker turned and skated away, rollerblades glowing, sparking for travel.
Ladybug snarled after her, withdrawing from the frozen, fading Chat.
"You're not getting away this," he growled, his yo yo echoing his fury in a loud hum. He shot it out after the akuma.
Chat jumped out of hiding, diving at the twin Timebreakers and scattering them. She eyed them with a grimace, ears perked up. Ladybug had already appeared, throwing his yo yo at one with the angriest cry she's ever heard.
With a great flip, she landed right next to Ladybug, missing his gasp. "You ok?" she asked.
Ladybug froze a moment, eyes wide then. She jumped when he whipped towards her. "Chat!" Ladybug cried, grabbing the cat and hauling her up into a tight hug, earning a surprised mew from the cat. Instinctively she started to wiggle and squirm against him.
"Ladybug! Akuma!" she cried.
"You're alive!" he cried back.
She paused.
Alive?
Of course she was alive!
What was he going on about?
She shook her head, tensing when she saw the akumas charging at a group of fleeing civilians. "Akuma! They're getting away!" she called.
She nearly slumped in relief when they were tripped. And another Ladybug dropped down beside them, looking very off put. "Hey!" Ladybug cried, pointing to the one clutching her. "Who's this?!"
Chat had no idea how to answer.
The Ladybug that held her wouldn't answer, he just hugged her tighter.