Chapter 1

Superhero - Hayd

Overflow was quite strange. No stranger than most other Akumas, really, but it always struck the duo over the head by how unusual they could get.

Overflow dealt with stress, particularly with making any stress in one's life reach an over all high, just like his name suggested. Eventually, the stress one witnessed overwhelmed them so much that they ended up collapsed in the middle of the street.

Chat Noir glanced at Ladybug as she whipped around a pillar, trying to avoid the beam of red, blaring laser that flashed after her. She already had too much stress in her life, she really didn't need to feel it pressing her into overdrive. He had to take the hit for her if the time came - which it usually did - to save her from the pain. Even if she wasn't already filled with stress he'd protect her, but this just made him more desperate to do so.

He ducked underneath a bright beam fired his way, growling underneath his breath. He glanced about as Ladybug vaulted over another projectile, trying to put his 'rarely-used brain' - as Ladybug called it - to good use.

He evaluated the battle site, spotting two buildings that he could support his baton between to give himself the high ground. The staff would also cross above Ladybug, letting her have a chance at catching her breath as well. He backflipped, dodging around a laser, using his momentary height advantage to adjust his staff properly.

He landed on his feet, naturally, and watched as the baton steadied itself, the ends already imbedded in the two buildings.

Ladybug took note of the pole and its purpose immediately, vaulting on top of it to avoid another shot, stopping atop it just long enough to inhale sharply before cartwheeling across it to land beside Chat Noir, who deflected a laser with his second baton.

"Can you hold Overflow off long enough to-"

Both pulled the limbo at the same time as a rusty beam of light sailed overhead.

"-for me to summon Lucky Charm?" Ladybug finished, snarling at Overflow angrily.

"You got it." Chat Noir nodded, tossing his baton towards the Akuma as Ladybug left the arena, providing an ample distraction as Overflow snapped his attention to him. "Yo, Overflow! What happened to get your tails in a twist? Did you leave the sink running or something?"

"Wha-? No!"

"So there's no need to finish the punch line." Chat Noir grinned, hoping Ladybug was around a corner when he dodged the next laser and that she wasn't right behind him.

"What punch line?" Overflow asked, genuinely curious as he fired a couple of shots at Chat Noir.

"You know the 'you better go and catch it'!" Chat Noir said, finishing the joke with an air pump even as he bounced off of a couple walls. "Though one usually uses that when referencing refrigerators."

Overflow stuck out his tongue, brow pinching together. "I hate that joke; it's awfully trite." He growled, firing a few shots at Chat Noir, which the feline tried to dodge rapidly.

"Well, that turned into quite a stressful conversation." Chat Noir teased, swinging onto his previously set up baton.

"Shut up!" Overflow snarling, firing an entire bargaide laser.

"Chat Noir!" screeched Ladybug as he stumbled slightly in surprise, coming out from around a corner with a currently unrecognizable Lucky Charm clipped to her belt.

His eyes flickered over toward her, widening for a split second, then he felt a blast rock into his side, sending him sprawling across the ground.

He jumped to his feet, grinning at Ladybug confidentially. "I'm fine, Ladybug-!"

You have to work harder so that Father looks at you again. Work harder to help Ladybug. You can't fail. Not again. Work hardermovedosomethingyou'renotgoodenoughunderappreciatedyoudon'tdeserveto

A pain in his chest blossomed, spreading across his wholebody, overwhelming him with the absolute...stress of it all. Chat Noir kneeled over, a cry sounding from his lips as he clutched at his chest. His legs slipped out from underneath him and he crashed into the ground, the weight from all the stress and all his doubts crippling.

"Chat!" Ladybug cried again, ducking underneath a blast, then tried to reach his side.

"No!" He barely managed to protest. Can'tsaveheryou'renotworthitwhydoesshekeepyouaroundyou'dbebetteroffdead- "Stay away! Don't let him get you, too!"

Ladybug froze, eyes sliding over to Overflow as he aimed again at her, his red eyes alighting with a fury nobody should ever feel. She reached for her yo-yo, eyes widening.

Chat Noir grabbed his second baton, tossing it toward Overflow with as much flamboyance as he could muster. It connected with Overflow's arm, sending his aim way off target, the red beam crashing into a building on the far side of the street.

Noyouhavetodisarmhimnotdistracthimyoucan'tevendothatrightLadybugdoesn'twantapartnerlikeyoudobetter-

Chat Noir hissed between his teeth, clutching at his temples, claws digging into the area right above his ears. SHUT UP. PLEASE.

Tryagainyouhavetodobetteryou'reworthless-

Overflow pointed his arm at Ladybug again; this time the heroine was ready. Her yo-yo was swinging in a circle, and her knees were bent, prepared to launch her out of the way if need be.

Chat Noir was without ammo now, the baton above him too high for him to simply grab out of midair, and certainly too high for him to reach with his current position sprawled across the ground. His second baton was on the other side of Overflow, and he couldn't…move…

Ladybug let out a cry, and his eyes flickered back over to her.

Overflow was forcing all his energy towards one very long, concentrated blast, which was making her slip backwards, her yo-yo's shield beginning to falter, unable to keep spinning against the strain against it.

Ladybug pushed herself out of the way, leaving her yo-yo behind as she leaped, dropping it to the ground.

Her feet landed against a wall, and she jumped again, landing safely on Chat Noir's baton, looking around urgently to get a better feel for the battle field. She dodged another blast, cupping the pole of the baton with her hand so that she slid down it like a zipline.

Chat Noir caught sight of her Lucky Charm, brow furrowing. A plate? What's she going to do with that?

Nothingthatincludesyoubecauseshedoesn'tneedyouyoudon'tworkenoughtobeworthyofbeingherpartneryoushoulddienobodywantsyouanywayyou'reterribleathidingyouridentitytoo-

He crumbled further in on himself, watching Ladybug dive for Overflow, arm outstretched to grab the stress ball that he held in the hand that was not shooting the beams of stress.

Overflow jumped backward, slapping her to the side best he could, sending her tumbling across the ground.

She's getting too sloppy. Chat Noir realized. Too reckless; Overflow's going to take advantage of that, and he'll-

Overflow shot the laser, and Ladybug didn't have enough time to dodge. It surrounded her, looking as if it were burning into her soul, her very being. When it finally faded, a faint whiff of steam or smoke rose from Ladybug's sprawled body, and fear gripped Chat Noir's heart.

He couldn't get to her; he couldn't save her. Ofcourseyoucan'tyoucan'tdoanythingyou'reweak-

Then, Ladybug was pushing herself to her feet, her eyes alight with an icy fire. "You can't knock me down!"

How-?! That didn't even affect her! Chat Noir started, waiting for the paused delay from the impact to finally set in, shoving her to the ground like it did for him, too.

But nothing happened.

Itonlyhurtyoubecauseyou'reweak-

Instead, Ladybug grabbed the plate, holding it like a shield, taking a mighty step forward. She didn't waver at all.

"Wha-? Stay back!" Overflow howled, firing blast after blast at her.

Ladybug deflected them with the plate, knocking them from side to side with ease. One or two hit her on the chest but did nothing more then delay her advancing progress by pushing her a foot or two backwards.

She growled at the inconvenience, narrowing her eyes. "You're only stalling the inevitable, Hawkmoth." She hissed, approaching Overflow like a juggernaut.

Overflow was trembling, his fires becoming more rapid for several seconds before slowing again when he realized she was right. He couldn't stop her.

Ladybug came upon him angrily, breaking the plate across his head and snatching the stress ball from his hands.

Chat Noir blinked, clarity washing over him as she marched back over to her yo-yo. Being Ladybug, being the Guardian…being team leader, bearing the knowledge that one of her team betrayed her, she's…she's under as much stress as she could possibly be under. And I'm…I'm barely under any. This is nothing.

You've never helped her.

I know.

You can't help her. You're worthless to her. It'd be better if you weren't her partner.

I know.

"Bye-bye, little butterfly." Ladybug said, yanking his thoughts back to her, his shoulders sagging as he watched her release the purified Akuma into the sky. Her voice lacked enthusiasm, the joy that she usually held. She was in pain, and he hadn't even noticed until now.

Ladybug opened her hand, revealing a large fragment of the broken plate she had smashed. "Miraculous Ladybug." She said, dejectedly tossing it into the air, the magical insects swarming the streets. They passed over all the people noticeably sprawled here and there across the street, and then spread into the great beyond.

Chat Noir gasped in relief as he felt them swarm around him, pulling his stress from him and destroying it. He shoved himself to his feet, his eyes connecting with Ladybug, the two approaching one another cautiously, as if not certain if they'd hurt the other.

"Pound it." They chimed together, tapping their fists against one another, silence filling the void around them afterwards.

Chat Noir rubbed his arm, trying and failing to break the awkwardness between them.

Ladybug looked as if she was worried that trying to help him would hurt him somehow, her gaze fixed firmly on the ground. Or perhaps she was scared of what he would feel about her being immune.

Chat Noir hesitated, then took a deep breath. Com'n, Chat, you're the brave one. You should be the one to do this. "Okay." He said, causing her to snap her head up to stare at him.

The feline smiled down on her, spreading out his arms wide. Her eyes widened, then began to tear up, and she launched herself into his arms, sniffling. He wrapped her up firmly in a hug, sighing into her hair. Her dark locks ruffled in the breeze, and she hummed back, burrowing herself harder into his chest.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, squeezing her. "I didn't know you were under that much stress. I didn't…I didn't realize."

"Not your fault." Ladybug whispered. "Never is. You're my partner, and I don't blame you for any of it."

"You should." Chat Noir hissed, and she tensed against his arms. "I don't know anything, and I don't even try to help, but I need to. It's because I'm your partner that I should step up."

"You don't have to."

"No." He agreed. "I need to."

"You and me against the world?" She giggled, shoulders hunching.

"Bug," he said, quietly, "I wouldn't have it any other way."