Notes: I didn't work on this at all last week bc I wasn't writing makeouts at work and the heatwave is killing me. TWO TO GO…

Marinette's 29 Valentine's Days

Day Twenty-Seven, Loop Twenty-Six: Surprise

Marinette woke up that Friday, 14 February, Valentine's Day a good half hour before her alarm went off, which was…weird, all things considered. She hadn't woken up before her alarm on any of the other Friday, 14 February, Valentine's Days before that – it had always been to the sound of her alarm beeping above her. This time, though, when she woke up, it wasn't to the sound of a jarring alarm cutting through the silence of her room.

It was to a song, an achingly familiar song, being softly, gently hummed by her ear.

Her mind was still foggy. It was earlier than it was supposed to be, and she had been up for longer than she had ever been before – the exhaustion was catching up with her. It was making it harder to recognize certain things. Taking her long to react.

So maybe that's why, even with the humming, she didn't realize what the humming implied until she felt his fingers, calloused and rough but achingly gentle as they teased along the strip of skin above her waistband, where her tank had ridden up through the night. Until she felt his nose nudging along her neck, lips following the path as his breath burned hot against her skin. Until the humming stopped and his voice washed over her, somehow engulfing her in a sense of peace and security even as it swept her better senses out with the tide.

"…is this ok?" Luka asked, his voice gruff with sleep and doing delicious things to her insides. Her brain seemed to switch on with his question, the hesitant touches suddenly nowhere near enough. His breath left him in a rush as she twisted, quickly pushing him onto his back and rolling on top of him. She was kissing him before he could recover, her hands fisting in his shirt and pulling him closer even as she pressed him back into her bed. He wasn't close enough – he would never be close enough. His hands, which had been knocked aside when she'd rolled them, found their way back to her hips, his thumbs again toying with the skin above her waistband as he pulled her closer. A needy noise escaped her as she rocked against him, and if she hadn't been enjoying kissing him so much she would have pulled away to slap him when he chuckled. As it was, she nipped at his lip and began trailing kisses along his jaw, down his neck, along whatever skin she could find.

"Is this?" she breathed. She was surprised at how…husky her voice sounded. It had never sounded like that before. If the tortured little groan he released was any indication, he liked it. His head dropped back against her pillow, angling his neck to give her better access. She rewarded him with a little bite, smiling when she felt the shudder race through him.

"Hell yes," he whispered on a sigh, and this time she was the one chuckling. She glanced up at his profile, taking in the relaxed, blissful expression on his face. His eyes were closed. They snapped open when she ran her tongue along the skin she'd been nibbling on, darting down to lock with her own. She smiled and placed a teasing kiss over the spot.

"Good," she murmured, and he chuckled as he relaxed again. A hand left her hips, sliding up her back to cup against the back of her head. He pulled her towards him, his lips latching on to a spot by her collarbone, and she whined as he began his own assault. Which…really just wasn't fair. Her tank top revealed more than his shirt did – he had an easier target. She curled against him, her forehead pressing into the pillow, and she squeaked when she felt his tongue against her. Ok…now she got it. That was kind of nice.

"You're going to be the death of me," he said a moment later. She made a noise and pushed against him. He whined in protest, but he pulled away. He was pouting when she sat up, though. "I was enjoying that, darning."

"I need to see you," she said, shaking her head. Her stomach lurched, butterflies fluttering pleasantly when she saw him bite down on his lower lip. With one hand still braced on his stomach, the other reached up to pull that lip from his teeth with her thumb. His eyes darkened, and without realizing it she bit her own lip when he lifted his head to pull that thumb into his mouth. "Luka…not helping."

"You started it," he teased, catching her wrist and kissing her palm. "I told you. I like this entirely too much. I could spend forever kissing you, Marinette."

"…sucking on my thumb isn't kissing, Luka," she said reproachfully. Her eyes widened and she froze, her cheeks starting to burn as she realized what she'd just said. What they'd been doing.

…where she still was.

"O-oh my God," she squeaked. "You…you were sucking on my thumb."

An absolutely sinful look crossed over his face, and before she could properly process that look he had tugged her back down and was kissing her again, their chests pressed flush together. Her hand slid up into his hair as the other pulled on his shirt, and she whined as his found their way back to her waist, wrapping around her to squeeze her tight. He broke the kiss, lifting his mouth to her ear and nipping at the lobe.

"I could suck on more than your thumb, Marinette," he whispered. She wasn't sure how to describe the noise she made, but it had him laughing and rolling them onto their sides so he could curl around her, snuggling close. She whined and tugged on his hair, but it was hard to be mad at him when he sounded so…happy.

God, he made her happy.

"Shut up, you…you…pervert," she grumbled. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I'm perfectly innocent here."

"Of course, darning," he murmured, nuzzling her neck. She groaned and squirmed, but that only made him laugh more. Somehow she ended up on her back, and he was settling over her as he resumed his attack on the skin along the straps of her tank. One hand stayed on her hip, gripping firmly, but the other skated along her arm, running feather-light touches up to where her hand was resting by her head. She sucked in a breath when his fingers threaded through her own, squeezing tightly. His thumb rubbed against her the back of her hand, and somehow – even with him kissing her chest and the rest of him nestled between her legs – there was something about that simple gesture, the hand-holding, that was completely overwhelming. Her breath hitched, one leg bending to press her knee into his side, and he squeezed her hand again.

I'm here, the touch said. I've got you.

She had been so scared.

"Hey, hey," he said softly, his voice soothing despite the edge of panic she could hear lacing the edges. She gasped in another breath – when had breathing become so difficult? – and curled against him, every limb but the hand he still held wrapping tight around him as she pressed her face into his shoulder. She felt her tears burning, soaking into his shirt, as sobs shook her body. She clung to him, to that hand, gripping him like he was a lifeline. He curled around her, shifting to lie beside her and pulling their joined hands between them. He squeezed her tight, whispering reassuringly as he nuzzled against her. "It's ok. Everything's fine, darning. I'm here."

"But you weren't," she gasped, the hand against his back scratching as it tensed, bunching the fabric of his shirt in a tight fist. "Hawkmoth had you, and I couldn't get you back, and –"

"But you did," he cut in, dropping a kiss against her hair. "You saved me."

"You were so pale," she continued as if he hadn't spoken. "And Juleka was so scared, and I was so scared, and the Captain called Officer Raincomprix, and –"

"…she what?" he asked, coughing as he tried not to laugh. "Damn. I would pay good money to hear that phone call."

"It's not funny!" she whined. He didn't even try to hide the laugh that time.

"It kind of is," he said, making her whine again. "Marinette. Darning. Look at me."

"…no," she grumbled.

"Please?" he sighed, kissing her head again.

"My eyes are puffy," she said. "Crying makes you ugly."

"You could never be ugly," he said, sound so certain, so emphatic, that she almost believed him. "Look at me. Please? I need to see you."

Her heart lurched at the echo of her earlier words, and with a shaky breath she pulled away. Just enough to peek up at him, but it was enough that he could tip her head back and kiss her. She whined, but he chuckled as he pulled away. He dropped another kiss on the tip of her nose.

"See? You're gorgeous," he said. "Marinette, I'm fine. A little tired – ok, more than a little tired – but otherwise good. You got me back. You got us back. I'm sorry for scaring you like that."

"You were so pale, Luka," she whispered, bringing a hand up to press against his cheek. He leaned his face into her touch, and she bit her lip. "So still. I thought…"

"Sass overworked himself trying to keep the transformation up through the reset," Luka said. When she continued to bite on her lip, he bent down and kissed her, gently working her lip from her teeth and sucking on it. The whine she made that time was more needy, less upset. He smiled against her lips before pulling back. "He was trying to protect my identity. He had to tap into my energy, so we're both a little tired, but no worse for wear."

"She didn't…she didn't do anything to you?" Marinette asked, and despite himself Luka had to laugh. "Luka!"

"Sorry, but…it's a little hard to have pure thoughts when a gorgeous girl is wrapped around you," he teased. She snorted, and he bent down to kiss her again. She whimpered when he grazed his teeth along her lip. "I was unconscious through most of it, darning. You're the only one doing anything to me."

"Lu-Luka!" she squeaked, gasping as he started kissing along her neck again. She lightly slapped his back, but he just chuckled. "Pure thoughts? Who are you, Grandpa Roland?"

"I hope not," he snorted. "I don't think your grandfather should be –"

"Do not finish that thought, please," she begged. She squirmed as he started rolling them again, pressing her onto her back and into the bed. "I'm so glad you're ok."

"I knew I would be," he said. "I knew you'd find us. You're so amazing. You always save the day."

"I didn't know that, though," she said quietly. He pulled away, squeezing her hand before he finally released it. He cupped her face in his hands and stared down at her, and for a moment she was distracted by his kiss-bruised lips, the flush on his cheeks, and the fire in his eyes.

"I did, and believe in that," he said fiercely, "even when you can't believe in yourself. I believe in you. Let that be enough, Mari. Let me be enough."

Her breath caught in her throat again, and when his thumb brushed beneath her eye her skin felt wet again. She closed her eyes and nodded, focusing on the feel of him around her. The steadying calm he seemed to bring with him. She took a deep breath through her nose, and when she released it she let go of the doubt and uncertainty. He was right. She was pretty amazing, and she was going to win. She –

A buzzing above their heads distracted them. Her eyes popped open in time to see his flick upwards, his thumbs still rubbing absently against her cheeks. He rolled his eyes before looking back at her.

"It can go to voicemail," he grumbled.

"Wh-" she started, but he swooped down and started kissing her again. Her phone continued to buzz, but it was a distant sound in the back of her mind – until the buzzing was replaced by her alarm. She groaned, but when she went to reach for her phone Luka caught her hand and squeezed.

"Stay with me," he murmured against her lips. She whimpered as the alarm cut off – Tikki? Sass? – and the buzzing resumed. "Please, darning. Be selfish with me. Just a little longer."

It was so tempting.

But she knew the alarm meant her mom would be coming up soon. The buzzing was probably Juleka, panicked and desperately trying to find her missing brother. The missing brother that was currently toying with her waistband again, his fingers dipping along her skin to mold his hand against the curve of her ass. The Captain was going to call the police any minute. Not on her, but…

God, touching Luka was going to be a problem.

She should have known that. They were both touch-oriented. Of course touching – more…intimate…touching – would come with…

Her phone started buzzing again, and she groaned.

"Luka, I have to answer it," she said.

"Do you have any idea how many times Juleka and Rose have woken up together?" he asked, nudging at the spot below her ear with his nose. "She can give me this. Besides, I was just kidnapped. I'm traumatized. You're making it better."

"Luka!" she scolded, and he chuckled as he pinched her ass. She jumped, squeaking in surprise, but then his hand was cupped against her and pulling her hips against his own and…

"…still ok?" he murmured, his voice a deep rumble that was turning her insides to jelly. It shouldn't be. She knew she should tell him no, to slow down, that they had responsibilities and family and Hawkmoth…but he made such a compelling argument. She wanted to be selfish with him.

"Hell yes," she sighed, and his low chuckle had her toes curling – until the chuckle turned into a yelp and her phone was falling on her face. They looked up in time to see Tikki zipping back into her nest, and she groaned as she picked up the phone.

"…voicemail," Luka said, though by his tone it was more of a pleading whine. She swallowed thickly, watching the colors swirl on her phone, and cleared her throat before accepting the call.

"H-hello?" she asked. She winced at how her voice sounded, cleared her throat a second time, and pointedly ignored Luka's smirk as she tried again. "Hello?"

"…Marinette?" Juleka asked. She sounded…well, she still sounded upset, but she sounded suspicious, too. Crap. "Are you…ok?"

"Fine!" Marinette said. "I'm f-fine!"

She glared at Luka as his fingers danced along her sides, a smirk gracing his lips. He couldn't quite sit up properly with how low her ceiling was, but that also meant he was sitting back and pressing into her in ways that were entirely too distracting while his sister was on the phone. She was going to kill him, if he didn't kill her first.

…if Juleka didn't kill both of them first.

"You sound weird," Juleka said. Marinette put a hand against Luka's chest as he tried to bend towards her again.

"Do I?" she asked. She gasped when he took her hand, nuzzling his face into her palm. He needed to shave. She didn't think she'd ever noticed him needing to shave before. She tried to cover the gasp up with an exaggerated yawn. "S-sorry. Just woke up. What's up?"

"Uh-huh…" Juleka said, sounding thoroughly unconvinced. "Ok. Damn. I was hoping…I mean, I wasn't hoping, because gross, but…we can't find Luka."

"O-oh?" she gasped. Her eyes narrowed at his smirk, his lips curled around the thumb he'd popped back into his mouth. She yanked her hand away and slapped him, turning fast enough that she sent him tumbling to his side behind her. She prayed Juleka couldn't hear his chuckle trough the phone. "What do you…"

The bastard.

He had no sooner hit the mattress than he'd curled around her, his arms snaking around her waist and his hands sliding up along her stomach, beneath her shirt, to press with his fingertips resting just below her breasts. She bit down hard on her lip when he dipped his head towards her, his mouth ghosting little kisses along the back of her shoulder that left her a little breathless. His hands flexed against her, and there was no way to disguise the horrifyingly indecent sound she made.

There was a beat.

A beat in which she felt his lips curl against her skin and the beginnings of a chuckle rumbling in his chest. He was pressed so tight against her it was impossible to miss.

A beat in which she could practically see the realization dawning on Juleka's face.

And then the hammer fell, Juleka screaming louder than she'd ever heard her as Luka's hands retreated from under her shirt.

"OH, GROSS, MARINETTE!" Juleka screeched in her ear. Luka was laughing in earnest now, hugging her tight as he pressed his face into her back. "LUKA, YOU ASSHOLE, I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!"

There was a loud clunk like a phone dropping – Marinette refused to believe Juleka had thrown it – and then more shouting. She could hear Rose and the Captain in the background, then the Captain was shouting in her ear, and before she could fully realize what was happening or what the Captain was saying Luka had plucked the phone from her fingers.

"Yeah, Ma?" he answered, the ghost of a laugh still in his voice. He sobered immediately, pressing his forehead against her shoulder blade. "Uh-huh. I know. Sorry. Yeah. Sorry. I know. Right. We are. Will. We…yeah. Ma!"

There was a moment where Anarka continued to rant (because the Captain didn't lecture, not like her mom did – would, if they didn't stop being so loud and she caught him up there), and Luka hummed, and then he sighed heavily.

"…aye, Captain," he said. "Love you, too."

He hung up the phone and blindly dropped it on her shelf. She rolled in his arms, but before she could ask what the Captain had said (because she hadn't understood a word of it, her mind buzzing with white noise as she tried to not spontaneously combust) he was pressing her into the bed again, his mouth back on hers.

He pulled away before either could get too carried away, though, sighing as he dropped his forehead against her own.

"It's really hard to remember that, according to all of them, we aren't actually together yet and I shouldn't be here," he said.

"…to be fair, you shouldn't be here anyway," she said after a moment. She swallowed thickly. She didn't miss the way his eyes locked onto her neck, watching the way her throat moved. It was kind of nice – empowering – knowing she was as distracting to him as he was to her. "H-how are you here, anyway? Shouldn't you have woken up in your own bed?"

"…beats me," he said. He dropped back down beside her, resting his head on her chest as he snuggled into her side. Her hand automatically came up to toy with his hair. "I don't remember you finding me, darning. I think I was unconscious?"

"You were," she confirmed. He absently kissed her, and she tried to ignore the fluttering in her stomach as his nose brushed against the underside of her breast. Her hormones were driving her crazy – he was driving her crazy. "I was fighting the akuma. She had you on the couch. And…she threw me at you, and she was about to attack, but…it was Hannah. We were at Hannah's flat. And Hannah attacked the akuma. And the akuma freaked out and started to reset, and all I could think was I couldn't lose you again. So I just…grabbed you and held on."

"Makes sense," he murmured. She could feel him relaxing against her, like whatever energy he'd had had disappeared at the Captain's reprimand. Like the past few days – weeks – were catching up to him again. He nuzzled his face against her a moment before settling, his arms wrapped tightly around her. "It's probably a bad idea, in the grand scheme of time things, if you attack a past self. Paradoxes and stuff."

"…what?"

He hummed, nonresponsive, and when she looked down at him his eyes were closed. She shook him lightly, and he grumbled that he just needed five more minutes. Her phone buzzed above them again, but she ignored it. Had he just said past self? As in Hannah was the akuma's past self? As in…well, it wouldn't be their first akuma from the future, and Time Tagger had manipulated time, too, so it would make sense…

"Luka," she said, shaking him slightly. He raised his head, cracking an eye open. She brushed his bangs back from his face. "Star, focus. What do you mean, she was attacking a past self?"

"Hannah's the akuma," he said. He frowned, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked away, as if chasing a thought. "It's…hazy, a little, but Hannah is the akuma, Mari."

"Are you sure?" she asked. She tried to push herself up, but he grumbled and refused to move. She sighed and settled for scooting up on the pillows. His head landed on her abdomen, and he rolled his eyes as he shifted so it was on her lap instead. He smiled after a moment, blinking up at her.

"Hey, you," he said. She rolled her eyes and sat up before she reached down to brush her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and sighed, relaxing into her touch. "Yeah. I'm sure. It was…weird, Mari. I saw it, though. We were at Hannah's flat. I think. She took us there, and they started fighting…she scared Hannah, and Hannah refused to leave. Didn't want to help the akuma hurt anyone, because akumas always hurt someone. Hannah got really upset, and…you know how it goes."

"Hawkmoth," Marinette said, and he hummed. He reached up to catch her hand, linking their fingers and squeezing. He let go, and she continued brushing it through his hair.

"That feels so good," he sighed. Her lips quirked in a smile.

"Focus, star," she said. He nodded.

"Sorry. Just…God, I am so tired all of a sudden," he said. He cracked his eyes open and grinned up at her. "Easier to remember that when you're not busy distracting me."

"You were distracting me," she huffed. He laughed and reached for her other hand.

"You started it," he repeated, his tone teasing. He closed his eyes again and nodded. "Anyway. She got upset, and then one of Hawkmoth's butterflies flew into her necklace, and…there were two of them? But then the first one just handed me over, told her I was leverage, and then she just…vanished. I've never seen anything like it, darning. It was weird."

"…wait, so when Hannah was akumatized…" Marinette started, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Same akuma. The only way I could tell them apart was because the one hadn't let me go yet. So however it's working, the akuma and Hannah are the same person."

"Same person, different timelines…" she murmured, remembering Timebreaker and the Multiple Ladybugs. She shook her head, trying to clear the time headache before it could set in. "So that means…"

"You have to get to Hannah first, Marinette," he said. He sighed and opened his eyes. "Which means, as much as I've enjoyed this morning, we probably should've transformed and left first thing. Ok. Give me a second. Hey, Sass?"

Marinette's eyes widened at that. She hadn't seen Sass all morning – but perhaps he had just been giving them time. Glancing at Luka's wrist, she saw the silver bangle of the Snake resting like it had always belonged there, so she knew Sass had to be somewhere. Tikki had made herself scarce, too. When she finally spotted the kwamis – or, rather, when Tikki emerged from her nest and she caught a glimpse of teal behind her – Sass was curled up, fast asleep. Tikki handed Marinette her phone.

"Your mom's been texting you," she said. She glanced back at the cubby she usually slept in. "Sass is exhausted, Marinette. He overexerted himself trying to stay transformed past the resets. He needs to rest." Her eyes darted down to Luka, who seemed to have fallen asleep in Marinette's lap. "They both do."

"…Maman?" Marinette asked, taking her phone. She squeezed Luka's hand before letting go and unlocking her phone.

SC: Anarka called this morning while Juleka was trying to reach you.

SC: I trust you're being safe, but I expect a full explanation later as to how Luka snuck up to your room without our knowing.

SC: You know we love Luka, but we need to talk about boys in your room, Marinette.

SC: (…but it's Valentine's Day and I'm trusting this was a one-time surprise. I trust you both. So hurry up before you're late for school.)

Marinette wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at that. She looked back down at Luka. His eyes were open again, and he was watching her with a stupid little smile on his face.

"…what?" she asked.

"Is my sister still yelling at you?" he asked. She shook her head and showed him the messages. "…ah. Ma S is yelling at you."

"You know, as much as I want to see Saturday, it might not be a bad thing if I don't purify the akuma today," she said. He chuckled and pushed himself up, raising his arms to the ceiling in a stretch.

"We can deal with the fallout," he said. "Ok. Let's go –"

She grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her, kissing him hard on the mouth. He blinked at her when she pulled back.

"Nuh-uh," she said firmly. "You stay here and rest, ok?"

"I'm fine," he insisted, but she shook her head.

"Even if that's true, Sass isn't," she said. "Transform when he wakes up in case another reset hits, but sleep, ok? I'll go deal with the akuma. If we're lucky, you'll still be here when I get back. If not, you can help me tomorrow. Either way, you two need to rest, and I'm not giving her another chance to take you."

"Marinette –" he started, but she pulled him towards her in another hard kiss before pushing him back into the bed. He blinked up at her as she called for Tikki to don her spots. When the light cleared, Ladybug was sitting on his thighs. He swallowed thickly, his hands holding onto her knees.

"That's an order, Luka," she said. There was no room for debate in her voice, so he nodded mutely. "Good. Now rest."

"…have I told you yet this morning how incredibly hot you are?" he asked.

"Rest, star," she said, taking his hands off her knees and squeezing before she opened the hatch to her roof. "There'll be time for that later. If Maman finds you up here before I get back, tell her you got sick and I went to school without you. I snuck out the back door or something."

"…aye, Captain," he said sleepily, and her lips twitched with a smile. What had Dingo called her? A little Captain in Training? Maybe he'd had a point. She climbed onto her balcony, giving him one last look before she closed the hatch. "Hey, darning?"

"Yeah, star?"

"I love you," he said. Her heart fluttered in her chest. She'd never get tired of hearing him say that.

"I love you, too," she replied, and once he had curled onto his side – her pillow hugged tight in his arms and his face pressed against it – she closed the hatch, grabbed her yoyo, and bounded away.

The run to Hannah's was shorter than she remembered, or maybe that was just because she was…she wasn't sure what she was. It was some weird mix of being insanely focused and incredibly distracted.

On the one hand, it was still Friday, 14 February, Valentine's Day. It felt like she had been fighting this akuma for ages. On the other hand…she was closer than she had ever been to catching it. While she still didn't understand how, thanks to Luka getting captured they now knew for certain Hannah was the akumatized victim. And while she may not know what exactly was triggering Hawkmoth's manipulation, they also now knew the pendant that was triggering the resets was the akumatized object. If she could just get to Hannah or break the pendant, then all of this would be over. She could purify the akuma and free them from this stupid time loop.

…they'd make it to Saturday, and maybe she and Luka could go on an actual date.

So she had a plan. She knew what she had to do, and she was focused on that as she ran. But…there was still a nervous energy thrumming beneath her skin, and it felt less like the need to punch an akuma and more like calloused hands dancing along her sides.

She landed on the rooftop of the flower shop across from Hannah's building and had to smile.

She actually felt hopeful. And happy. It was a weird feeling, after all this time.

"Ok, Hannah," she said, her eyes narrowing on the door of the building as it opened. Geoff walked out alone, his eyes locked on his phone and a miserable frown on his face. She looked up to the third-floor corner window, then over to the glass doors of the balcony. She couldn't see anything through the curtains, but she knew Hannah had to be inside. And if Luka was right – if what Hannah had told her before and what she had witnessed yesterday was right – the akuma was in there, too. "Let's finish this."

She threw her yoyo, latching onto the rails of the balcony above Hannah's on the fourth floor, and then she was airborne. She crashed through the door, tucking into a roll and coming up swinging her yoyo. There was a familiar scream, and when she looked up she saw Hannah pressed against the wall, her eyes wide and terrified. Her mouth was hanging open, and her face was pale.

…she didn't see the akuma.

"Hannah!" Ladybug called, her eyes still scanning the flat. "Where's –?!"

Someone slammed into her back, tackling her to the ground and narrowly missing the coffee table with her head. Ladybug was pretty sure it was an akuma with flaming hair and glowing eyes. She twisted, grabbing at the arm that had looped around her neck and heaving. The akuma went flying over her head, and Hannah screamed again when the akuma crashed into the coffee table. Ladybug grabbed for the heart-shaped pendant around her neck, but the akuma screeched and swiped a flaming hand at her. She flipped back and swung her yoyo, but the akuma dodged when she tried to lasso her with it.

It was more of the same, in the end. She chased the akuma around the living room, into the kitchen (she winced when the akuma threw her into the oven with enough force to crush it – not so much because it hurt (her suit protected her from most of that), but because she knew it was a really nice oven and hated to see it destroyed), and through the back hall to the bedroom. Past pictures Ladybug barely caught glimpses of, of smiling faces and happy times and…was that Geoff? But every time, before she could focus too closely on the pictures, the akuma would pull her back into the fight. Through it all, Hannah stayed huddled against the wall, crying and shouting out when the fight brought them too close. She never interfered – she seemed too scared to. And while the akuma made the occasional grab for her earrings, on the whole she remained on the defensive.

It was…weird.

Even when the purple butterfly mask indicating Hawkmoth was communicating with her appeared, all she did was growl, make a half-hearted grab for her earrings, and retreat to the balcony. Ladybug was preparing to follow after her when a purple butterfly flew past her head, flapping a lazy path towards Hannah. Hannah watched with wide, horrified eyes as it drew closer, and Ladybug cursed as she recalled her yoyo. Before she could throw it after the butterfly, the akuma screeched and grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back.

"Hannah!" Ladybug shouted. "You have to fight it! Don't let Hawkmoth take control!"

"It's too late, Ladybug," the akuma whispered in her ear, and was it Ladybug's imagination or did the akuma sound like she was crying? "Hawkmoth has already won. You can't stop this."

"Hawkmoth will never win," Ladybug bit, turning to glare at the akuma. With a cry, she broke the akuma's hold and spun, her fingers locking around the pendant. The akuma's eyes widened as she squeezed. "And I will stop you!"

…except nothing happened.

Ladybug's eyes widened as the akuma started laughing. She loosened her grip on the pendant, but when she removed her hand…there was no pendant. Her eyes snapped back up to the akuma, but the akuma was already fading, disappearing into nothing. Ladybug cursed and spun around, but Hannah was no longer huddled against the wall, either.

The akuma stood in her place.

"I'm sorry, Ladybug," the akuma whispered, closing her eyes and bowing her head. A crack echoed through the flat, and Ladybug sucked in a breath as she saw light spilling from where the pendant had split. "I'm so sorry."

"Hannah, no!" Ladybug cried. She sprinted towards her, but she was too late. Even as she reached out, her fingers stretching towards the glowing pendant, light engulfed her, knocking her back.

She had failed. Again.