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bananaJoe; XD That was kind of my plan, to surprise my readers. I really enjoy Linken Park! He's very talented. (Of the few songs I've heard. I'm more of a Sleeping At Last girl.) Cup of noodles? With Soda? I should try that! Sounds delicious!

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Thank you all for your reviews, follows, and favorites!

And a special thanks to Manpersonthing for being my 100th follower!

Love ya'll so much!

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Happy Valentines Day!

This is a romantic chapter, and I didn't even realize that it was going to be released on V-day. XD

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Hearing

-Sleeping at Last

Aspik showed up exactly on time, landing lightly on top of the Eiffel Tower. He inhaled deeply, grinning as the icy cold air touched his lips and entered his lungs. It felt cleansing, the sharp coldness jolting him awake. "Hello, Dotty!" He called, spotting his partner – and girlfriend! – sitting off to the side. He had been brainstorming for the last week about a new pet name for her and could not think one up for the life of him. Freckles? Apple? Maybe…Spots? Spots was good. He shoulda said 'Spots'.

Ladybug hardly regarded his presence, the only clue a slight head tilt. Her legs were drawn up to her chest, arms crossed against her knees and her head resting atop it all. She faced the opposite direction of the sunset, and, instead, preferred to face the moon as it began to glow in the twilight sky.

His brow – or, at least that which could be seen of it – furrowed in confusion, and he slipped down beside her, watching her face in worry.

Everything from her nose down was covered by her arms, and her eyes were screwed tightly shut. He could tell she was trying not to cry, eyebrows quivering and eyelashes fluttering as she tried to stubbornly remain glued into her own world.

Aspik ground his teeth together, anger churning at her stomach. Whoever dared hurt her, dared make his girlfriend upset, well, they would pay. Maybe Chat Noir could pay that person a visit and Cataclysm them – one death couldn't ruin his reputation anymore – or perhaps get Bananoir to sit creepily in the middle of their room. Aspik might be able to toss him off the Eiffel Tower. He just needed to know his victim.

He scooted close to her so that their legs almost touched, tucking one arm behind her back and leaning against her.

She inhaled sharply, hands curling into fists as they gripped her forearms. Her blue eyes opened, flickering up toward him. Aspik didn't miss the flash of disappointment in her gaze as she stared up at him, as if she had wanted him to be someone completely different, but, instead, got him. It was replaced quickly by slight gratitude, drowned down by exhaustion. "Hi, 'Pix." She murmured, using her own nickname for him. (He loved how cute it sounded. Like a pixie.)

"Hi, Spots." He whispered, titling his head against hers. She returned in kind, cheek nestling against his shoulder. "Are you okay? You look…" he didn't complete the sentence. Every adjective could be interpreted as an insult, and that was not a thing he wanted to have on his 'Being a Boyfriend' record.

Ladybug seemed to realize the same and didn't try to fill in the empty space with adjectives, opting to nod instead. "I know what I look like… And right now, don't think I am. Okay, I mean. I don't think I'm okay, and I know it's showing through what I look like, and I'm sorry, because you don't deserve to have to deal with an upset girlfriend. I wish I could fake being happy, but I can't and-"

"Well, if there's anything I can do to help…" Aspik said thoughtfully, squeezing her shoulders gently as he tried to comfort her, trying to behave as Chat Noir had so many times in the past when he was trying to cheer her up.

She relaxed, tension leaving her shoulders at the gentle movement. "You're so good to me, 'Pix. I'm not…I don't think…you can't help me, really. I can't tell you, even though I want to, and I'm…" she went rigid again, inhaling sharply. She shivered, shoulders trembling as she tried with all of her might not to cry.

"Hey." Aspik said, withdrawing from her side and adjusting his position so that he could face her properly. "It's okay, you know. I won't judge if you tell me." He tilted her chin up so that he could look at her properly. "If I can't handle a bad day now, how will I be expected to in the future? In sickness and in health, you know."

She didn't laugh like he hoped she would. Instead, she dipped her head and avoided his gaze. "I don't…not want to tell you. It's just…unfair. Unfair to…to…"her hands curled into fists, and he could practically feel her glaring daggers. "to him."

Aspik, if he had been Chat Noir, and a real cat, would have bristled. He knew she was referring to his original alter ego, but he didn't know why she sounded so angry. She understood his reasonings, right? She understood why he left, right? Right, of course!…She had never seemed so angry at him, before. He didn't understand why she was acting so sour.

"Did something happen?" He asked gently, getting more curious by the second. "Why would it be unfair to Chat Noir?"

She stiffened; obviously surprised that he had guessed so easily who it would be unfair to.

"You can tell me, Ladybug. We're partners after all, right?"

She nodded slowly.

"You don't have to tell me everything, just…insignificant details."

"I-I…" she shuffled back, sobbing slightly. "I can't tell you… I'm so sorry, you don't deserve this, you don't deserve me, a-and, I just…I'm sorry…"

"Shhh, shhh… It's okay." He said once more, hunching his shoulders and leaning forward so that he could look her directly in the eyes, comfortingly wrapping an arm around her. "I'm here for you no matter what, alright?"

She nodded stiffly, resting her head in her hands, the sobs she had been trying to contain finally released into the twilight air.

He pulled her back to him, this time lifting her into his lap. "If you want to cry, you may. I'm not going to judg-" the word wasn't even fully out of his mouth before she began to profusely wail, shaking her head as if she was trying to stop herself.

"I just miss him so much, Aspik!" She sobbed, pounding one fist weekly against his shoulder. "He was supposed to always be there for me, but now he's gone! He left me, and for what?! Because he…he…I don't know why anymore! Why'd he have to be so selfish?! Can't he see that I miss him?!"

"Oh, Spots…" he murmured, wrapping her up tighter as he felt a pang a guilt bury itself in his chest. He hadn't meant to make her upset; he had thought it'd make her happy. No, he knew it'd make her happy, if she only gave it more time. She just had to get out all her upset feelings, and then she'd calm down, and feel better, and…

Sweet Kwami on a cracker, he had no idea how to help her through this.

"You know that Chat Noir didn't mean to hurt you, right?" He questioned, swallowing down his worry that she'd explode on him in anger. He really didn't want to see her furious; he knew first-hand how she acted when she was.

She growled deep in her throat, obviously not wanting to discuss it that much. "Well, of course he didn't, but it's still so selfish! He left me alone with little to no warning, just because 'Oh, Paris doesn't like me anymore'. Does he really care so much about what people think of him?! It doesn't matter what people think of him! It only matters what he thinks of him!"

Aspik inhaled sharply, processing her words carefully. "Maybe he doesn't like himself, either."

"Are you kidding?" Ladybug growled, hands balling into fists as they wrapped around his back, hugging him even as she clenched her hands. Her fingers dug into her palms, and she trembled. "He's so big and full of himself…there's no way he's…he can't…"

"Those who smile the biggest are the ones who hurt the most." Aspik quoted the old maxim, squeezing her more ever so slightly.

"He'd tell me." Ladybug said with false confidence. "If he struggled with self-doubt, he'd let me know. That is, unless…"

"Unless…?"

"Oh my Kwamis." Ladybug hissed, tone low and threatening. "That stupid alley cat! I'm going to wipe that O'Malley smirk off his stupid, stupid face when next I see him! He's been suffering this whole time, hasn't he, and never told me! Blanc just pushed him over the edge, and he fell off a cliff I didn't even know he was standing on!"

Aspik frowned down at the locks of hair his nose was pushed into, wishing he could just transform into his original alter ego and say everything was okay. He would stare into her big, bluebell eyes and swear wholeheartedly that he could handle everything himself; he would never let a drop of stress land upon her pretty little head.

But he had to show self-control. For her. "He loved you so much." He whispered, settling for a milder version of his first thought process. "He probably just didn't want to worry you more."

"Wow." Ladybug sarcastically grumbled. "That sure worked out."

Aspik exhaled through his nose with mirth, the slight chuckle released hardly noticeable, even to him. Her sassy retorts, no matter how dark, were sorta cute. "It would make his day if he knew how worried you were about him."

She just sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry…we shouldn't…I don't want… no talking about it…"

"As you wish." He agreed, mimicking Westley's tone.

Ladybug took no notice of his reference, which was unusual, because… well, he knew that if he was Chat Noir she'd probably punch him lightly in the arm and scold him. As Aspik…she laughed. It didn't make much sense, but who was he to judge? She was incredible, and he was a mere sidekick.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, pushing him away weakly, shaking her head. "I-I can't… I have to…" She stood up, leaving him behind with a sorrowful look backward. "I have to go. I'm sorry. I just…need some distance."

"Of course." Aspik nodded, offering her a small bow in a Chat-like fashion. "I'll be here when you're ready."

She offered him a sad, small smile, then sighed through her nose. "Thank you." Then, she jumped away, flying into the sky and out of sight.