Chapter 9: One step forward, two steps backwards.

Ladybug and Chat Noir's POVs:

In the following days, they had recovered only one more miraculous: the bee miraculous. The situation had been similar: a senti version of Vesperia was the target. She too, had led them to the Agreste mansion, and just as they achieved grabbing her hairpin, she vanished into thin air, leaving a feather behind. Though his attempts were interesting, they seemed easy. Was it really going to be this easy? Were the sentimonsters trying to help them by sacrificing themselves? They wondered.

Ladybug's POV

A loud crash interrupted Ladybug and Chat Noir's rooftop flirtations a few nights after the last attack. Someone had just broken into a store down below. A woman shrieked and it caught both of their attentons. A tall, blue figure ran out of the window, seeming frustrated. Ladybug recognized him immediately, or at least who he was supposed to resemble. Luka.

"I swear I've done this thousands of times and yet I still can't find her. Just let me be." he grumbled. Viperion. She thought. Or at least, a sentimonster version.

"Thousands of times…." Chat mumbled "it means this has happened before" he rubbed his chin. "How are we going to stop him if he's gonna keep going back?" he shook his head

"You're right, I've never fought anyone using it. I've only ever been able to understand how to use it to beat someone. And there's no way I can just take it from him, he'll see it coming since he'll be able to restart. Don't let him see us" she pulled Chat behind a chimney thinking. "Lucky charm" she called. A black and red hair pin with a bee on it landed in her hands. She hadn't trusted anyone to hold a miraculous since she recovered the first two. She did know however, that the bee miraculous could freeze him while they took his miraculous. She could always use it herself, but she figured it would be more useful if she could be somewhere hiding to sneak up on him. And she'd need Chat there to restrain him while the bee holder used her power. She'd need to get Zoe.

"Do you want to come with me on a mission kitty?" she gave him a playful grin. It felt good to feel like the guardian again and it felt good to include him this time.

"Oh, I get to go now? Count me in!" he replied enthusiastically, and they were on their way to find her.

Landing on the Bougious rooftop, the duo made their way towards the door in perfect synchronized steps. Ladybug reached out her hand and took a shuddered breath. One knock. The curtain peeled back, and Zoe's surprised eyes moved from one hero to the next. She closed the curtains and the glass door slid open.

"Ladybug? Chat noir? What are you doing here?"

"Vesperia. Can I trust you to help us on our mission today? Ladybug held out the bee miraculous.

"I don't understand. Are you sure?" She gazed at her old miraculous, yearning to grab it and put it on immediately.

"Yes, were sure" Chat followed, nodding at her.

She looked at Chat suddenly and smirked. "So, the two of you are doing these side quests together I see" she teased taking the miraculous and placing it in her hair. Ladybug and Chat gave each other shy looks and shrugged simultaneously.

"Its new" Ladybug blushed, Just then, a yellow light flicked in front of their eyes and Pollen appeared in front of Zoe.

"I've missed you friend!" The small figure flew around playfully.

"Oh, pollen you have no idea! She scooped her towards her face and gave her a small kiss. "Pollen buzz on!"

The fight had been brief. Chat Noir distracted Senti Viperion, fighting him one on one while he grew increasingly warn out. Chat fought especially hard and extra aggressively during this battle. Ladybug took note of this wondering if there was a reason for his attitude.

Eventually, he seized him and held him until Vesperia was able to paralyze him so that he couldn't go back. Ladybug took this moment to grab hold of his miraculous, detransforming him. They meant to talk to him afterwards but just as he became a senti version of Luka, he vanished into a feather.

The trio made their way towards somewhere hidden. They found a nearby alley in between two abandoned restaurants. In the silence, they contemplated the way the sentimonster's kept being relinquished from existence, as if they were disposable, as if they didn't feel anything when they all knew they did. The group stood together in the alleyway without acknowledging the bittersweet feeling that came with the end of the recent fights.

"I knew the bee miraculous would be trusted with you again Zoe, but I do need to ask for it back. I can't risk giving them out as often as I used to. But you were truly incredible today and you helped us get the snake miraculous." Ladybug held out her hand with a halfhearted smile on her face. She wanted to gather the holders more often, but she knew it was too risky. She couldn't let the miraculous out of her sight for too long.

"I understand. I'm always ready to help" she nodded sternly wanting Ladybug to know she meant business and that she understood the risk of her regularly using the Bee miraculous. "Keep pollen safe for me will you?" she lightened the mood

"of course" Ladybug laughed a little bringing her in for a hug.

She pulled away from her, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Oh and thanks for kicking ass Chat, you're great with martial arts" she laughed mimicking some exaggerated fighting moves

Chat threw his head back and let out a heart warming laugh as he watched her. "I'm not too sure that's exactly how it looked but hey, you've got some moves yourself." He replied.

She stopped mocking him and held out her fist for a fist bump. "For old times' sake" She tilted her head and watched him. Ladybug tensed at the look she was giving him. Chat shrugged and reached his fist out giving her a small fist bump. His ring began beeping.

"well looks like my time is up. I'd stick around but I wouldn't want to cause a cat fight" He stared down at his hand before taking Zoe's and planting a very small kiss on hers to be his usual flirty self. "Ladies" he said bowing his head with lowered eyes. He winked at them both before saluting and jumping into the air. Ladybug wanted to smack him in the head. Her heart raced and her face burned with anger. She looked at Zoe to make sure she couldn't see it but she had been looking after Chat's direction smiling. What the heck was he thinking? Did he not know that it would make her furious? Were her feeling a joke to him? Ladybug fumed as she swung after him without even saying goodbye to Zoe.

With her eyes searching for his figure in the dark, she darted across buildings. Her yoyo attached itself aggressively to streetlamps as she grunted. her hands grew clammy, and she bit her lip nervously. A massive pit grew in her stomach. She landed clumsily onto a nearby roof to catch her breathe. She hadn't used her lucky charm since she recharged so she had time to compose herself as Ladybug. She'd have to talk to him tomorrow since he probably already transformed back. She wanted to ask him to hangout after the battle, but she was too late and too angry to even want to anymore. Why would he kiss her hand like that? Why was she looking at her ktty like that? Suddenly she had the urge to publicize their entire relationship and hang billboards of them kissing everywhere. Thoughts raced through her mind and she grew more and more overwhelmed. Suddenly, she began crying and fell to the ground huddling her knees to her chest. Images of losing Chat in a battle, images of him as Chat blanc, him sacrificing himself, and him kissing other girls all swirled around her anxious mind. "jerk" she spoke to his imaginary figure.

"Who me?" a teasing voice rang behind her as she felt a familiar figure sit beside her.

Gasping at his sudden appearance she turned towards him and quickly turned away getting up. "no. I'm fine." She crossed her arms and pouted.

"My ladyyy.. I know I didn't find you on the roof angry crying over nothing. I know an unhappy bug when I see one. You're mad at me" he sang trying to tease her

"Is this a joke to you?" she turned scorning him.

"What? No! I'm sorry Bugaboo I didn't mean to make things worse. I just wanted to cheer you up. Seriously what's wrong? How can I make it better?" he softened his tone walking towards her

"Nothing. You. Ugh. I'm overwhelmed. And I hate that you look the way you do and act the way you do it's so… infuriating!" she growled clenching her fists to her sides

"You don't like my looks or my personality?" he stood dumbfounded

"No, I do! And so do other people. Ugh. I just hate that you have to be you all the time" She looked to the side

"Should I pretend to be someone else then? Jeez ladybug sorry I feel comfortable around you" his voice grew irritated

"Around me? Or around all girls?" she crossed her arms

"What? Is this about me being friendly with Zoe? Oh, please I'm always like that. And it never bothered you before so I figured to keep things under the radar I would"

"Are you like this as a civilian too? Kissing everyone's hands willy nilly like it means nothing? And I suppose you have nicknames too! For all of them! I know you have fans too…maybe even then huh?" She cried

"My lady" he giggled "Are you jealous?" he tilted his head in amusement.

"Stop smiling I hate this. I feel so…" she stomped her foot as he laughed. "Quit it! It's not funny!" He took another step towards her and picked her hand up to kiss it. She yanked it away and pouted. "Ok so I'm jealous. and to be fair it did bother me in the past. I just never said anything. But now it's even worse. I- I hate this feeling." She spoke of her feeling of jealousy, but it really was that mixed with her fear of losing him. Whether it be in a fight, a breakup, or to an akumatization, she didn't want it to happen.

He touched his chin thoughtfully. "Ok Ladybug I understand." He looked at her seriously. His gaze held her steady, and she relaxed. Then his face changed slightly, and a sly grin grew on his lips. "You want me all to yourself" he placed his baton on the roof and stood it up so he could lean against it with his hands.

Her eyes shook a little. "don't rub it in. of course I do." she sighed.

He leaned forwards towards her more. "I, Chat Noir, do solemnly swear, that there will be no more flirting with anyone bugaboo. Just with you. Even if it means pretending to be rejected again" he spoke calmly. "But I will be flirting extra hard with you and I know it'll be hard for you to pretend to resist me" He closed his baton and stepped towards her again. This time she didn't move, and he placed his hands on her hips.

"Deal. And I think you'll be surprised at how good I'll be at pretending. I have plenty of practice" She flicked his bell matching his energy

"Oh yeah?" he cocked his head and her legs weakened. She loved it when he said that. Her face flushed read. "Let's see how long that self-control lasts" he leaned in and grazed her lips lightly with his trying to get hers to open. She allowed this and he let his tongue slip in, pulling her into a deep kiss. She obliged and melted into him. He broke the kiss first.

"Stay with me tonight" he breathed against her mouth.

"Not tonight kitty I have to stay with my parents sometimes" she joked

"mmmmmm parents are so last year" he groaned

"if only I had an excuse to move out." She sighed kissing him again. "but alas, I must get back to them"

"evil parents, keeping you away from me" he nuzzled her, suddenly thinking of his evil parent. It made his mood shift briefly but he swallowed the thought and continued kissing her to numb it. "Five more minutes" he pleaded

"You get four" she teased continuing to kiss him, her fingers trailed through his hair.

They stayed like this for about ten minutes before she finally made her way home. She may be scared to lose him, but he was certainly nice to have, even if it overwhelmed her.