Mounting Pressure

A/N

Hi, audience! Adventure here with a brand new story, 'mounting pressure!'

This should be the only long A/N in the story. Just to prep you on what to expect.

I'll try to keep this short. The main focus for this bit of work will be romance, angst, and a sprinkle of comedy. It's not just those things. I'll have Akuma battles. Confrontations, Confessions, and confections. Please review if you can. The best way for me to improve is with feedback. And I don't have a beta, so the only line between my work and you is… me.

Timeframe:

This story is taking place 3 years after the very start of the show. So the cast will start at 17. For now. I like to think the first 4 seasons of the show were let's say, 2 years long. This story takes place one year and some months after that. At the time of writing this season 5 has not been officially released yet.

Rating:

This is rated T but there might be smut, eventually. It is not the focus. Besides the chapters with obvious warnings at the very top first thing, there will be a few references and suggestive stuff. But no smut will be present unless explicitly stated in the AN at the top of a chapter. ill update this first chapter with a directory of chapters that are smut. So you can uhh… avoid them, if you wish. I really haven't decided if I will have it or not. I never got around to adding anything explicit to my last story and that might happen again here. if I do, I'll change the rating to M

Lore and canon:

It follows the show closely with most things. I plan to have it follow the canon up to the last episode of season 4. Any of the significant changes are mostly the Miraculous themselves. It's heavily implied that the Miraculous powers can evolve and change over time with mastery. My story reflects this sentiment strongly. I've also invented some of my own histories for the Miraculous and the world this story takes place in, but none of it should directly contradict established canon. much. Uhh, a few character quirks may have changed a little. But I've tried to keep it true to what I believe these characters would be like as adults.

And that's it for this long preamble to get you ready. I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1.

The sun god and the failures rose.

Marinette was drowning.

In the responsibilities of being the guardian. In her mounting school work. Her projects and commissions for her side job selling her designs online. In heartache and uncertainty. In guilt over losing the Miraculous to Shadowmoth. Or "monarch" now, she supposed. Sinking, from all the lies and secrets she had to keep. From how she has to hedge her bets about what she can and can't tell her partner, Chat Noir, or her best friend, Alya. The world was balanced on her shoulders and she was far too clumsy to keep it up for much longer.

Marinette was drowning, and there wasn't a lifesaver in sight. The words in her schoolwork started to swim across the page. Her lamp was suddenly too bright. The room was far too small. She couldn't breathe. Tikki was saying something to her but all she heard was a ringing in her ears. Marinette scrambled to her feet and dashed to her balcony, scattering the textbooks on her lap and table to the ground. She needed to be somewhere, anywhere, else. The moment she felt the cool October air hit her face she took big gulps of air, trying to steady her heart. Another panic attack. She closed her eyes and shivered from the cold.

It was close to 5 pm, but Marinette had already changed into a pair of pajama pants with a cherry blossom branch design and a T-shirt she liked to sleep in for comfort. It took a minute for the ringing in her ears to die down so she could hear.

"...-athe, Marinette. Just breathe. It's going to be ok, I promise." Tikki said softly from her shoulder. Marinette gave a shaky smile staring down into her arms as she leaned on the railing of her balcony.

"I'll be okay, Tikki." Marinette breathed out a sigh.

She had to be. She was Ladybug, and all of Paris depended on her. She couldn't afford to be overwhelmed. Not now, not ever.

"Oh Marinette, that's your third panic attack this week. Take the medication this time, please?" Tikki cooed softly with big pleading eyes.

Marinette groaned loudly and buried her head in her arms on the railing. She hated the medication. She should have never let her mother see one of her freakouts. The moment her father learned about them he insisted on her seeing someone about it. The meds calmed her down and helped, but they also slowed her mind. Made her groggy. What if there was an Akuma? What if Paris needed Ladybug and she wasn't at her best to defend it? She already leaned on Chat enough. That boy was her strength, but she couldn't push any more into his arms than she already had.

"I… I'll think about it Tikki, I promise. Just give me a moment." Marinette said with another sigh.

After a few minutes the anxiety she felt ebbed away, leaving her feeling a little more exhausted than before. The sensory overload gradually leveled out, leaving a slight headache in it'd absence. The emotions and thoughts that had set her off receded into the corner of her mind just a little less with every attack.

Paris seemed quiet tonight. Maybe she should just relent and take a dose. Try to finish her homework while waiting for it to kick in and head to bed early. The thought formed a small pit in her stomach. The bed was where the nightmares were. Where she saw Chat Blanc reach out and cup her face tenderly, something dangerous in his eyes. Where the cries of the Kwamis could be heard as they slipped through her fingers one by one. She shivered from the thought before feeling something on her face.

Marinette smiled through the turmoil of her heart as the little red Kawmi rubbed a cheek against hers with a soft mewing sound. Oh, she couldn't imagine how much worse she'd be without her little friend. Bluebell eyes finally looked up to take in the Parisian skyline. The glow was especially stunning tonight as the sun started to dip down over the horizon.

"It's a beautiful night tonight… I'm feeling much better Tikki, I promise. Thanks for always-" Marinette said before trailing off, feeling something was wrong.

It was only five on an early October evening. Sunset shouldn't be for another two hours. Why was the glow so bright over Paris tonight? Her eyes widened when she focused on a far-off point near the city center. Smoke was rising into the sky at an alarming rate. It was a fire!

"Tikki! Spots on!" Marinette cried and swung herself onto the rooftops the moment she felt her yoyo in her hands.

She raced as fast as she could towards whatever disaster was plaguing Paris tonight. It wasn't long before she saw a familiar green-clad man, using a shield to help some bystanders get clear of the fire and lead as many people as he could to safety. One of the permanent Miraculous holders she trusted the most, behind her kitty. She yells over the din of panic and the orders her ally was shouting as loudly as possible over the chaos.

"Carapace!"

"Ladybug! Thank god. I have my hands full with the civilians, and I can't contact Rena Rouge! The fire isn't natural, it must be from an Akuma!" the man cried out and ran over to meet her halfway.

The pit in her stomach expanded rapidly. She gave a curt nod before using her yo-yo to snatch a man away from a piece of falling debris just down the street. The cool October air had been replaced with a burning heat that seared the exposed skin around her mask. Tonight was not going to get any better. All thoughts turned towards the coming fight as she helped evacuate every single person she could.

Where are you, Chat? I need you!

Four years.

Adrien Agreste thought walking up the stairway to his overly large bedroom.

Nearly four years of fighting for my life against Hawkmoth's victims. Four years of petty muggers and criminals. Four years of lies and secrets that I can never share… and Four years with absolutely zero progress in the love department. His walk took him into his room with a beeline for the bathroom, stripping his tie and letting it fall to the floor as he went.

Some things had changed in the years since he got Plagg and the power of Chat Noir. His powers have grown stronger. His bond with his Kwami even more so. He has grown quite close with Ladybug and several good friends. He still flirted with LB, just with less actual intent behind it.

And some things didn't. His feelings for Ladybug remained unrequited, regardless of their closeness. He was sure something had created a rift between them. Adrien had long since given up the chase in favor of supporting his lady through the fight with Shadowmoth. Them against the world, right? She relied on him now more than ever. So he buried those feelings as deep as they could go. Most days, it didn't even hurt anymore.

He was still a model if a socially stunted teenager could be considered such. The closer he got to his friends and lady the more alone he felt. He scoffed, wondering if he was the only one who could feel alone in a classroom full of friends and being adored by most of Paris. In or out of the superhero mask. He collected cold water in his hands, splashed his face, and ran the remainder through his hair.

With a sigh, he brought his focus to the mirror. He thought he looked good, considering. His white button-down shirt was undone and showed a chiseled torso and abs. He used to be painfully skinny when he was younger. It had taken a lucky twist of fate (public opinion had swung away from the too-skinny look) and some hard pleading for months with his father to change his diet and hire a personal trainer so he could bulk up at least a little.

Granted, he wasn't actually buff. Just lean with almost zero percent body fat. The worst part was always the days leading up to a photo shoot that showed off his body. No water. He's had to cut down his water weight many times in the last year. It felt like torture, literally. Just another part of life for Adrien Agreste.

But the one thing he noticed the most, was his eyes. They seemed haunted, and a little dull maybe. With the makeup off he had bags under his eyes. Did anyone at the shoot notice? Or his friends at school? He was an excellent actor by now, having many years of practice. He couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not anymore.

Adrien stripped off his shirt and walked around his room in his black dress pants and barefoot, not caring to finish changing at the moment. His day had been filled with advertisement shoots for a new cologne slogan. Simply named Adrien, the fragrance. He snorted when he plopped down on his couch face first. He wanted to bury his hands in his face and scream. How arrogant was that? It was just him making a face in a close-up shot with half his chest out. It was obnoxious. He didn't even like the cologne he was forced to champion. Can something smell gaudy?

His father made sure he got a large chunk of money into his account after every job, but Adrien couldn't care less. He couldn't even spend it if he wanted to. His father would flip out if he did. What was the point of being wealthy if he couldn't use it for the people he cared about? He was lucky Nathalie had that falling out with his father some time ago. He had pleaded to her for help several times since, and she had been much more willing to keep his counsel and help him out.

Adrien reached into his pants pocket and idly brought up a banking app on the phone his father didn't know about. He checked the current amount for the account he and Nathalie set up to siphon money into twice a month. A little over two hundred thousand now. in just a few months he'd be eighteen. Adrien hadn't decided yet if he would actually cut ties with his father, but he fantasized about it enough. He even went so far to set up a safe house not six months ago in case of an emergency. He was adamant to be prepared for it when the time came. He turned the phone off and set it on his coffee table, letting his hand fall over the side of the couch.

God, he was tired. Tired of modeling for a company he couldn't care less for. For a father whom he only talked to once or twice a month if he was lucky. Tired of being hounded by the press and the circling rumors of him auditioning for a part in an upcoming movie or which girl may have caught his eye. Tired of having to use concealer for his baggy eyes and malnutrition. He was tired of feeling so lonely it hurt. He looked over to his giant window and the Parisian skyline beyond. He was tired of being Adrien. Luckily he had a good solution to that last problem, if for none of the others.

"Bad day, kid? Take a load off, you need it." Plagg said, zipping out of the pocket of the shirt he had discarded.

Adrien grunted as he walked over to the window and threw it open, letting the cool air blast him in the face. He sat down on the window seal with a leg up between him and the next window. He took in this view for a few minutes before transforming whenever he could. It helped him remember why being Chat Noir was important in the first place. He pulled out the lucky charm he kept on him at all times, rolling it over in his hands. The large green bead in the middle was nearly half the size it was when he got it, having rubbed it with his thumb so many times. It was one of the most important things he owned. Just a bit of string with a few beads and things really, but someone special had given it to him.

All of this was a common part of his pre-Chat Noir routine. Plagg recognized it immediately.

"Ah come on! It's not a day where you have to patrol! Leave it to Ladybug and get some sleep!" Plagg whined, but Adrien just stared out over the city from the Agreste mansion. They had both been up since five A.M. and it was going on past 5 P.M.

"I need to go out and clear my head, Plagg. Get some fresh air. It won't be for long." Adrien said softly with a smile to his Kwami. He was glad for Plagg's care, even if he had a harsh way of showing it most days.

The black Kwami knew the kid was exhausted, in more ways than one. If he doesn't stop pushing himself like this, somethings gonna give eventually. Miraculous magic can do a lot. Even make miracles. But it couldn't do everything. Especially when that wasn't the Kwami of destruction's job. Plagg shot Adrien a look of long-suffering acceptance when the kid turned back to the window.

"Yeah, ok kid. It's not like we could relax for a change. Don't bother listening to the millennia-old being of magic…" Plagg muttered.

Despite his complaining, Plagg quickly flew over to the hidden trove of his favorite cheeses and started to scarf them quickly. He'd need the extra energy to give to Adrien if he was going to have to transform for him tonight. Adrien thought he was just being a pig, but without those extra calories, he wouldn't be able to keep the kit on his paws as Chat. Well, he was also a pig. He adored cheese. But his chosen didn't need to know about the rest of his reasons. Plagg's had to give his chosen more and more of his vitality with each passing week. It was starting to worry the Kwami. Just because some civilizations had considered him to be a deity didn't mean he was a god.

Adrien absentmindedly twirled the bracelet he got from Marinette in his hands, eyes unfocused taking in the view. He loved the warm glow of the lights over Paris. He thought it was funny that he lived in the most romantic city in the world, as one of the most desired men in the city (as stated in several magazines. Not his words, he swore.), and he still had zero luck in the love department.

It was thoughts of Ladybug that got him through the day. He didn't love her in the way he used to. Adrien knew now it had been an unhealthy obsession. It was the small things now, like her smile and laugh. The way they could joke around together and just be. Adrien didn't have to talk a certain way or act properly. She understood him as no one else could. Except maybe Marinette. But his classmate had made it quite clear they were to stay friends. He was more than happy to fill that role with her anyways. Was the Adrien Marinette knew even real? The only time he didn't feel like a fake was with a mask on. The irony of that wasn't lost on him one bit.

His head tilted like a cat's might as he looked over the city, thoughts going quiet as he examined the view. Something was off. He's seen this picturesque view a thousand, thousand times. His instincts started screaming at him. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and his eyes widened by a fraction. The glow he loved so much above the Parisian skyline. It was wrong. It was too bright! And growing! Was that smoke!?

"Plagg! Claws out!" Adrien cried and leaped from the window before he had even finished transforming. His lucky charm was shoved safely back into his pocket. Plagg was only halfway through his third piece of camembert when he got sucked into Adrien's ring with a yelp.

Before he hit the ground he drew his baton to pole vault to the next rooftop. A quick flip in the air that would put most acrobats to shame had him clear the small chimney with ease. His adrenaline kicked in within a second as he raced across his beloved city. Why hadn't he gotten an Akuma alert on his phone? Was he too late? That was a really bad sign. It meant there was too much chaos for the alert to get out. That or the fire he expected to see wasn't supervillain related.

He didn't panic. At least, not yet. But it wasn't long before he heard the screaming. It made his hackles rise and set anger to roll around in his stomach as it often did. Hawkmoth has only gotten more brutal and desperate over the years. That made him a hundred times more dangerous. Adrien- now Chat Noir- looked on in horror as his fear was proven true.

A roaring fire was engulfing the city, block by block. It was spreading far too fast to be natural. He tried to circle the fire, frantically looking for what he was certain he would find. His enhanced ears picked up something above the chaos, insane laughter. Some maniac was spreading the fire from a golden staff and monologuing. Chat landed on a rooftop that was mostly untouched and within earshot of the Akumatized victim.

"PARIS WILL BURN UNDER THE CLEANSING FLAME OF EQUALITY! NO LONGER WILL I ALLOW THOSE ABUSERS AT THE TOP DICTATE MY LIFE!" the man said with a crazed look in his eye.

Oh boy. This one wasn't going to be easy. The Akuma with control over a basic element were some of the most powerful. And dangerous. Shadowmoths victims have only gotten stronger over the last three years. His powers at manipulation of the heart were becoming an art form, the bastard.

The man's face was framed with a radiant crown of red fire; his torso was covered in a classic blood-red toga, with fire sputtering in and out of life around it. The toga ran down to sandals with a horse design on the sides. In his hand was a thin staff with a burning flame at the head. He was airborne and just lazily floating along indiscriminately setting everything on fire that he could. Time for some classic Chat banter.

"Hey, hot head! Hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to Furnace other people's homes?" Chat called out with a grin.

His hope had been to distract the guy and pull all of his ire onto him, sparing the civilians. Worked like a charm.

"Ha! Chat Noir! Joke all you want but I'll be taking your Miraculous for Shadowmoth! Then I'll get my revenge!" the fire guy said, and reeled a hand backward to gather larger gouts of fire in his palm.

"You gotta be kitten me! Can't we just oil get along?" Chat said as he backflipped away from a fireball that was sent his way. The fire landed right where he was standing just a moment before, and started to spread across the rooftop quickly. It seemed his puns would continue to go underappreciated as he was soundly ignored.

"None may stand above me! For I am Helios! Those fools at the museum with rue the day they fired me! Now it'll be their turn to be fired!" the guy said with a manic laugh.

This one has completely lost it. He must have been seriously attached to the job. Thinking quickly, he rolled to the side and dropped down into an alleyway, and started running in the direction of the Seine river. A large source of water was his best bet without Ladybug here. He sincerely hoped she was on her way. Chat didn't let himself think of the other possibilities. Like him being too late.

"Not too bright are you? You want my Miraculous? Then come and get it!" Chat Noir yelled smugly and ran as fast as he could.

Chat only knew the general direction to the river down here in the alleyways and backstreets of Paris. He took several turns to make a beeline to his biggest hope. He was pretty confident he was heading in the right-

Shit.

Dead end. Chat almost face-palms at his costly mistake.

"More like a cornered mouse than a cat!" Helios yelled. Chat whirled around at the sound of the voice.

The Akumatized nut-job was floating over the mouth of the ally, collecting fire with his staff above his head. Chat Noir slammed his Pole into the ground and had it extend him skywards, but he wasn't quite fast enough. Just after the fire hit the back wall behind him it shot skyward. In another second his goose would have been cooked, but a yo-yo wrapped itself around his waist and hauled him up even faster than the fire. Just after he crested the roof and was tossed over from the momentum, the fire went even higher into the sky over the alleyway as it acted like a chute for the heat and flame. The flames that had been spreading seem to be concentrated near them now.

"That was a close call kitty, you alright?" a female voice said softly when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

he gasped for air on all fours. His super suit was smoking and he could smell burnt leather. But it seemed like besides the feeling of burning lungs from breathing in the heat, he was ok.

"Of course my lady! Good save, you always know how to light a fire in my heart!" he said a little out of breath. Not one of his best lines, but considering the circumstances, it would have to do.

Ladybug rolled her eyes with a small smile and shook her head, knowing if he was well enough to flirt and pun, he'd be fine.

"Good! Let's regroup while we can. Sorry I took so long Chat, I was evacuating civilians with Carapace." Ladybug said and helped Chat to his feet.

They both looked over and saw the Akumatized victim rise above the rooftops and they took off running in the opposite direction together. After three years as partners, their actions were perfectly in sync. Chat supposed that's what happens when you learn via trial by fire. Heh. That's a good one. He thought with a grin.

"So we have the turtle out to help us today?" Chat said hopefully. It wasn't often the others could come out and help. The french superhero team has been spread pretty thin these days.

"Yes, but his hands are full. He's doing a good job using his shield to save those that are getting caught in the fire. And I haven't seen any of the rest out yet. We're on our own with getting the Akuma today." Ladybug said after a long jump to the next roof.

Chat for once didn't have a quip for that. They both knew getting close to this guy was going to prove dangerous. Ladybug landed on a poorly maintained roof with loose tiles and slipped for just a moment, but that was enough for Helios to line up a shot. Acting instinctively, Chat Noir dived over and tackled Ladybug out of the way from a large wall of flame. They both tumbled into another alleyway and Chat used his baton to stop their momentum by catching it on a fire escape. The heat was getting intense, and his grip would have slipped from sweat without the magic of the suit. The moment they were near the ground they both let go and rolled on impact, jumping up into another sprint.

"Any ideas yet, Bugaboo? I'd bet one of my nine lives that the Akuma is in the staff. He was ranting about the museum before you showed up, it must be a display piece." Chat said glancing back as Helios followed them in flight.

"My thoughts exactly, kitty. As for getting close enough to do something about it, I'm at a loss." Ladybug said.

She grabbed Chat's shoulder and pushed him against a brick wall as another fireball came roaring down the street. She twirled her yo-yo to catch the flames, but she just spread them around instead of putting them out. With Ladybug so close, Chat heard her mutter damn before grabbing his wrist to continue running. She leads him into a dizzying amount of turns into the back streets before stopping to let the two of them catch their breath. Chat peeks around the corner to see the self-proclaimed sun god howling in anger that he lost them. He sighed and looked back to see his partner deep in thought.

Ladybug shakes her head and calls out her lucky charm. After a small swarm of magic passes them a large blanket lands in her outstretched hands.

"No offense my lady but I think we're warm enough," Chat says lightly with a raised eyebrow. She inspects it for a minute before looking up.

"Have you ever seen a blanket like this before?"

"What, you mean a red one with spots? Can't say that I- wait a minute, that's a fire blanket!" Chat says after he reaches out to feel it.

"the kind used to smother flames? Now how will that help us, besides the obvious…" Ladybug muttered and ran the blanket through her hands.

Chat just shrugged and turned around to leave his lady with her planning. He trusted her to pull through with a plan. His job was to make sure she stayed safe, nothing else. He peered around the corner again and froze. Helios was making his way towards them, blasting every hiding place they might be in. Chat grit his teeth at the sight.

With a cackle, the Akuma victim melted a car into a puddle of molten metal, and a mother and her young child dashed away from it with a scream. Chat stood frozen for only a moment more before jumping out with a curse, drawing his baton. He heard Ladybug yell his name but he ignored it, knowing she'd either figure out a plan to save his ass again or follow him into the fray. Either way, he couldn't let that mother and child be hurt. Ladybug's magic could heal even the worst injuries, but it doesn't heal the trauma of being burnt alive. A fact he was grimly aware of. A flash of the many times he's woken up gasping for air from nightmares of his various deaths rolls through his mind.

With a yell he slammed his baton into the small of Helios's back and passed him, grabbing the mother's hand on the way. He pulled them along and heard a roar of anger behind him. He passed a small shop of some kind when Ladybug caught up to him and picked up the kid. She looked back behind them and jumped into the building, Chat followed her instinct a moment later. Another large fireball zoomed down the street just where they were a moment before, leaving streaks of fire just outside. The building ended up being a pub. Ladybug quickly placed the child behind the bar.

Chat ran towards his partner and placed the mother next to her kid. Ladybug hesitated for only a moment before coving the pair in the fire blanket. He couldn't hear what she whispered to them as he strained his senses for the Akuma. The fire on the street was blocking him from seeing or hearing anything, and all he could smell was burning wood and spilled liquor. His improved cat senses would be utterly useless here.

A rush of fire blasted through the door and caught Chat in the chest, sending him ass over end to the opposite side of the bar. He collided with Ladybug and their limbs got tangled as they rolled over and over. Chat hugged her to his chest to protect her and felt the wind knocked out of him as his back slammed against the hardwood floor.

Ladybug's face was an inch away from his and his hands had landed on her waist. He could see the sweat drip off her face as they locked eyes. Chat's mouth opened before he could stop it.

"Don't tell me you're getting all hot for me now? At least get me a drink first," he said, before snapping his trap shut. Not the time, Adrien!

Ladybug must have had the same thought. She grimaced and pushed his face away while trying to get back up. Chat's eyes go wide when he sees a flaming staff swing right for her head, Helios right behind her. He drags her back down on top of him and extends his baton into the stomach of the villain. Thinking quickly, Ladybug rolls onto her back and slings her yo-yo at a sprinkler right above the villain's head. She knocks it clean away and water begins pouring onto his head, dowsing him.

Helios screams as the water drops on his head and the flames rolling over his body flicker out. Chat sweeps his baton through his legs, tripping him. The staff flies from his hand to rattle across the floor towards the bar while the three fighters scramble to get back up.

"LB the staff! I'll hold him!" Chat yells and tries to pin the now smoking and damp Helios.

Before he could get a good hold the villain reels a fist back and clocks him right across the chin, and Chat sees stars. He flails a hand out and catches some part of his foe's robes and yanks as hard as he could, hearing a yelp. Another fist comes flying toward his face, but Chat was ready for it this time. He throws an arm up and catches the inside of Helios's arm with his own, stopping the blow completely. With an artful twist of his body, he sends a counter kick and his foe flies across the room to slam into the wall.

Ladybug lets out a cry when her hand gripped the staff, her palm smoking. She may as well stick her hand in a forge. She miscalculated, that's what the fire blanket was for. With a grimace, She rears her foot back for a soccer kick.

"Chat!"

Panting, Chat looks over just in time to see Ladybug send the staff his way.

"Cataclysm!"

Chat reached the hand that was now swirling with destruction energy and caught it deftly out of the air. It burned for a moment but he grit his teeth until it crumbled to dust, releasing the trapped Akuma within.

His partner purifies the butterfly and then calls out the healing powers of Ladybug. She walks out of the bar without another word, leaving Chat alone with a very confused dapper looking man, a small child, and his mother. Chat sighs and walks over to the poor guy to get him on his feet and explain what happened to him. After telling him that his passion shouldn't be tied to a job and the usual spiel about keeping your emotions in check, Chat walks out and takes to the nearest rooftop.

He doesn't have to look around much to spot his lady a few roofs away and makes his way over. Her arms were crossed in front of her. That was definitely an angry stance for Ladybug. He's seen it a lot lately. He pushes down his unease and tries to be as chipper as he could after their short, but tough fight.

"Great teamwork as always, my lady. We were on fire tonight." Chat says with a grin.

Ladybug doesn't say a word in reply. Was she… shaking? His grin drops into a look of worry. She wasn't just angry. She was pissed. Did he go too far with his jokes lately? He recalled everything he'd said tonight through his head, wondering where he went too far.

She had nearly cost them the fight, almost lost her partner twice, and had panicked nearly as much as in her early days. She had even misunderstood what the lucky charm was for. Her panic attacks were getting worse, and she couldn't help the frustration of it all get to her. She wanted to cry. To lash out. To throw her earrings away. Why did so much have to depend on her?!

"My lady, I…" Cat Noir said softly, holding a hand up to her shaking shoulder.

"NO!" Ladybug said harshly and jerked away.

Cat Noir worried his partner was past being rational. His mind scrambled for something. Anything! He felt panic tighten his throat. He saw a rose sticking out from a nearby hanging garden. If he wasn't so terrified he probably would have felt bad about picking someone else's roses without permission while on a random balcony, but in this instance he plucked it without a second thought. It wasn't meant as a romantic gesture. Adrien's just always loved roses and assumed others might like to see them when they're upset as he did. His love of flowers (roses especially) was one of the few things he kept alive in his mother's memory.

"I'm sorry, Bugaboo," he said as sincerely as he could and held out his pilfered offering.

Ladybug saw the hint of red out of the corner of her eye when he tried to lean around her and show the flower to her. Her jaw clenched. This bastard! When will he take a hint!? She thought and whirled around with tears in her eyes.

"Your flirting nearly cost us our lives! Civilian lives! We almost lost tonight, chat. All because of your damn flirting!" she yelled at a near scream.

Ladybug swatted the rose out of his hand hard enough to bruise his wrist with her enhanced strength. The boy in the black catsuit did his best to control the shock on his face. The red rose petals were whisked away in the cold breeze.

"Just… stay the hell away from me Chat. stick to east Paris for your patrols from now on." Ladybug choked past her angry tears.

she crossed her arms over her torso and held herself tightly. She felt utterly overwhelmed with her life and partner. She knew she was venting her frustrations on the poor boy. The worry of nearly failing and losing her partner or those civilian lives made her feel sick. The stress of being Ladybug was making her feel sick. Had she been just a tiny bit too slow she would have lost everything. Four years later their war with Shadowmoth raged on. And the longer it went on, the more likely it was for them to lose. All it would take is one time. Every fight felt harder than the last one.

His flirting had been a constant for the last several years. The back and forth was just another part of their dynamic. One she didn't mind in their downtime. Sometimes she even welcomed the distraction. He usually knows where to draw a line and reign in his antics. But they were older now.

How long will the two of them keep making the same mistakes? Over the years there have been a frightening amount of times that Shadowmoth nearly won. The line between the end of Paris and a madman's rise to power was distressingly thin. eight people now, with several of them out of the country at the moment. The two of them, currently standing on a balcony in the waning light of a brisk autumn evening, are at the forefront. Always.

The better the duo got at fighting Shadowmoth, the better the villain got at controlling people. He could eke out the absolute worst in people now. And with those stronger emotions came deadlier powers from his Akuma. His victims rarely didn't actively seek out the death of others anymore.

Last year when Shadowmoth got the miraculous box it was a constant uphill battle. His schemes got more unhinged and dangerous. They have only been able to retrieve six of the other seventeen in the last year. The Dragon, Snake, Turtle, Mouse, Fox, and Tiger Miraculous. A small number compared to what Shadowmoth still had.

"Ladybug, please. You can't just-" Cat Noir pleaded.

"I can, and I will… why did you have to be my partner…" ladybug said roughly and swung away into the night, tears trailing behind her.

Cat Noir watched her disappear into the brightly lit cityscape of Paris and let his hand fall from where he had reached out to her. He stood there long enough for the night to turn cold and his shock to fade. He just felt… empty. Lost. like his world was crumbling around him because it was. No matter how badly he'd messed up Ladybug had never turned him away so harshly before.

The worst part was, he felt like he deserved it. He should have shelved his feelings for Ladybug a year ago. He should have pulled his head out of the daydream he was always in. she doesn't love you, Adrien, he thought to himself harshly. She never will, you lovesick fool. And he was a fool. The biggest idiot in all of Paris. He felt overwhelmed and extremely tired all of a sudden. He turned around and made his way back to the Agreste mansion.

Monarch paced his butterfly lair in annoyance. Mere moments ago Ladybug had managed to save the day once again. And once again his plan was thwarted by mere children. As he de-transformed he walked slowly back to his study. Face not showing a hint of emotion, he adjusted his tie. He walked over to his top-of-the-line handcrafted cherry wood desk and placed his hands on it. After a few heartbeats, he scattered everything off its surface to the side. He threw a heavy piece of stationary and it smashed into the glass coving for a painting he had received as a gift from a politician. All his power and wealth were useless to him. What good was any of it if he couldn't have Emilie by his side? Emilie…

Gabriel sighed and sank down to the side of his desk to sit with his back against it. He felt so empty all of a sudden. The rage he usually felt with such a loss bled out of him quickly. That wasn't like him. He frowned. Because that's not me. He thought absentmindedly. Someone close was feeling intense emotions. Someone he could use.

Over the years he's found that different emotional ranges from his pawns meant a wide variety of powers. Anger or rage was useful, but he preferred to coax out deeper traumas if he could now. the emotion of loss begins to overwhelm him. It was a rare victim that felt such negative emotions it could bleed over to him. He didn't let himself become excited from what might be his greatest Akuma yet, but he did quickly go back to his lair.

"Nooroo, dark wings rise," he said softly and stalked forward to his favorite spot to peer into the hearts of others. But what he saw made him stop, slightly stunned.

"Adrien…" he whispered when he felt who the emotions belonged to.

His son was in his room. It seems they had an outburst at nearly the same moment as his son's desk now mirrored his with his boy's stuff also scattered all over the floor. Gabriel Agreste pondered the boy's emotions and absentmindedly rolled his ring on his finger as he did so.

He was profoundly lonely and in emotional anguish. He was experiencing true heartache. Seeing his son mirror the very same emotions he felt for his wife made him contemplate their relationship. And his own muted heartache that had never truly gone away. He kept the boy on a short leash, true. But all that he did was for them. For their family. He would surely forgive his father for any perceived wrongdoing once his mother was back. He desperately believed that. He had to.

He raised a hand and a butterfly landed on his palm. But… to use his son like this. Even Gabriel felt distaste for the notion. But he had come up with a few new tricks in the last year. He made a decision and covered the butterfly with another hand. Besides, should his plan work, none of what transpired would be remembered. A new reality will be created. All will be right with the world. Perhaps it's time for his son to help with his plans. One way, or another.

"Fly away, my little Akuma. And bind to my son's heart. Should he break he will bring the Miraculous to me." the stern man said with a level voice.

His enemies have shown him over the years that control over the Miraculous was dependent on one's strength of character. And none had more than him. He was Monarch. The master of the Miraculous now. He was Gabriel Agreste. A titan of industry and the top fashion designer in all of Paris. His newest power allowed him to send an Akuma to lie in wait within a person's heart. Once settled he could watch them force negative emotions to grow ever stronger until it boils over and they turn into Akuma all on their own.

He couldn't actively watch his victims this way, but he could feel their emotions and toy with them. Send them whispers. Nudge them down darker thoughts. It was a newer power of his and he hasn't properly tested it yet. Either way, with his son's condition he made no move to darken the boy's thoughts. But merely lie in wait, and observe to see if his attitude worsened. He didn't relish the thought of using his son in this way. But surely as an Agreste, his power would be much stronger than any other when Akumatized.

He sighed and cut the connection to his son while the boy cried on his bed. As he felt the connection disappear he returned to his room and retired for the night.

Adrien was curled up on his bed letting his tears fall freely. The lucky charm Marinette had given him years ago clutched in his hand. It usually helped him remember he wasn't alone anymore. For once, it didn't seem to help.

"Kid, you need to calm down. Everything's going to be ok. It wasn't that bad, she'll come around." Plagg said, floating next to his holder's head.

Plagg could feel that it wasn't going to be ok. He'd felt his users fall to despair before, and Adrien was frighteningly close. He's seen Adrien at some pretty low points, but tonight was the worst yet. Plagg knew it wasn't that what happened was particularly bad for either of the holders. The stress of the job and being a soldier in a magical war was simply taking its toll. As it always does. There were some very good reasons why the miraculous hadn't been given to children for over three hundred years.

"Shut up, Plagg" Adrien hissed out.

For the first time since being together, Adrien had given a direct command. Plagg's mouth opened to try and soothe the kid, but nothing came out but a few bubbles. Adrien stops crying enough to look up in horror at realizing what he'd just done. Plagg was his friend. He had never given a command to Plagg before. Adrien's face twists into a pained look. He couldn't deal with Plagg's sass or pep talks tonight. He just wanted to be left alone.

"Go away. Now."

The little Kwami looked on sadly and tried to fly closer, only to be stopped by an invisible force. He tries to fight it knowing it was in vain. Being unable to speak or move closer, he turns around to float away to his spot on the bookcase. He curled up in the scarf that was his bed facing away from his master. Adrien was so upset he didn't notice the little black butterfly landing on his lucky charm. Nor the faint outline of a purple butterfly that appeared over his face like a mask for a quick second.

After finally tiring himself out with his tears, he starts to drift off. But he had an intrusive thought out of nowhere. It felt almost foreign.

You are unloved. Failure… Failure… Failure…

The next morning would find Adrien exhausted, miserable, and with no memory of those words in his mind.