A/N

After some discussion in the comments, I added a paragraph to the end of "Chapter 11: Band Aid" to explain how Adrien wanting Marinette to quit the band is not a strong deviation from Adrien's canon personality traits. It is his "Protecting" trait that is being "tainted" by his jealousy.

I'm quoting it here as most of you have already read that chapter. This follows Marinette asking him to trust her.

"I trust you, Marinette. I don't trust Luka," Adrien glanced at the older boy sitting on the floor. He pulled away, still holding on to Marinette's shoulders. "You have no idea how desirable you are. I'm not trying to control you, I need to protect you. The only way I know is by keeping you away from him."

And now - let's see how far he really trusted her.

Chapter 13: Mixed signals

"Wow. I think that was a record. Pound it!" Ladybug called holding out her fist. Chat ignored it and propelled himself to the nearest rooftop without a word. Ladybug grunted, threw her yoyo up to follow him.

She was in her room when the akuma attacked, reviewing the pictures she took with Kitty Section, contemplating more adjustments. She needed to let go and stop being a perfectionist or drive herself crazy. But she just couldn't help herself. Fortunately, she was saved by an akuma alert. She berated herself for referring to the akuma as 'Fortunate' - people suffer. Although, this time they didn't. By the time she arrived at the scene, Chat was already there, plowing into the akuma. He was on fire, coming at the akuma from all directions, landing blows harder than she's seen before. At first impressed, she gradually began to worry. She didn't mind the akuma getting decimated, she worried what made Chat so ferocious. She only needed to capture the escaping butterfly.

"Chat," she called after landing on the roof. "What's wrong?"

She followed him pacing between the ends of the building, muttering to himself.

"Chat!"

He stopped, looked up at her for a moment then his whole body sank to the floor, the strings holding him up severed. He sat on the floor, his body drooping. Ladybug sat next to him, placing her hand on his back.

"I'm here, Chat. How can I help?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to do. It wasn't supposed to be like this. I believed we would be happy. We were happy. At least, I thought we were."

This sounded an issue with that girl again. When Chat told her he had a girlfriend she was so delighted. Admittedly, a selfish part of her was relieved he moved on and she would not need to reject him again and again. More than anything she was glad he was happy. She never expected him to end up with a bitch who would chew him up and spit him out. In the past two weeks, she watched as Chat went from giddy with contentment to mopping and complaining. Now he was letting out his frustration by beating up the akuma. At least it's better than pushing his friends to the floor. She wished Chat could give Adrien some behavior lessons.

"What did she do?" she worked hard to keep any bitterness from her voice. Chat loved this girl and did not like Ladybug saying bad things about her. Even when he was the one suffering for it.

"It's was my fault. I knew this would happen. Well, not this, but I worried I would mess it all up somehow. I'm not good at relationships. I'm not even sure if I was too protective of her I pushed her away, or that I was too lax and so she strayed."

This is so like Chat to blame himself? He's been defending this girl every step of the way and now he thinks he is at fault when things fell apart.

"What is it Chat? What did she do?"

"She cheated on me."

"Oh my god!" she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "I'm so sorry. This is terrible." She briefly entertained the thought of visiting this girl as Ladybug and putting her in her place. A fantasy. Besides abusing her power she would need to know Chat's identity.

"I still can't believe she did it. She promised she wanted to be with me and only me. Was I not enough for her?" Chat snuggled his head into her chest.

"She's the problem, not you," Ladybug caressed his golden hair. "You are more than enough, you are wonderful. You're the best partner I could ask for. Brave and strong while kind and caring. You always put others before yourself. You've sacrificed yourself for me so many times I lost count. How could someone think you are not enough? She should thank her lucky stars she had you. Instead, she cheats? This is unbelievable."

Chat shifted, lifted his head up, his wet eyes level with hers.

"You really think so?"

She nodded. He looked so broken, her heart broke with him.

Chat smiled and leaned in. She thought he was coming in for a hug and wrapped her arms around him. He kept on coming and before she realized it his lips were on hers. She pulled back in surprise.

"Chat! What are you doing?"

The hurt and shock in his eyes only slightly damped her anger.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he looked down. "Your words went straight to my heart. When I looked at you it was like a flower blossoming within me. It is strange. You remind me so much of her that for a second she was the one comforting me. At the same time, you're Ladybug, which I shall always love. The two of you together - I just couldn't stop myself."

"You're hurting, I understand. But you can't kiss me, even if you don't see yourself with a girlfriend anymore. I have a boyfriend, remember. I meant what I said, I think you are wonderful. But my heart belongs to him, it always had. If it didn't, I would have given it to you. He," she shrugged, "got to it first."

"I know, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking," Chat snuggled deeper into her chest, looked up with his green eyes I wish you were my girlfriend. You'd be loyal."

A/N

Next Chapter: Shattered pieces