MLB Fanfic –

Author's Note: First off, I do not own any of these characters. Second, I wrote this long before the Episode "Chat Blanc" aired, so don't expect it to align with anything from recent episodes.

Chapter 1 – Chat Blanc

Ladybug never walked into an Akuma battle expecting it to be easy. She'd fought villains who formed bubbles that could float you up into the stratosphere. Ones who could freeze you, reverse you, or force you to sing and dance just to stay in the fight. Even Mr. Pigeon had given them a hard time the first time around.

But fighting a Miraculous holder was in a category all its own. Queen Wasp, Rena Rage, and Shell Shock had been terrifying. If there was one thing she'd learned, it was that she never wanted to fight an akumatized Miraculous holder EVER AGAIN.

But life under Hawkmoth's reign of terror rarely gave you what you wanted, so here she was fending off blows from a trusted friend.

Yes, that trusted friend was extra powerful because he was a miraculous holder. And of course, the Akuma was hiding IN the miraculous, so it could only be broken with Chat Noir's cataclysm, but overall that wasn't her biggest problem.

Her biggest problem was that the person she was fighting WAS Chat Noir, or more specifically Chat Blanc.

Under any other set of circumstances, she'd trust Chat to fight the Akuma while she went to Master Fu for reinforcements, but that wasn't an option this time. She couldn't risk Chat tracking her to the miracle box. She had to find another way, but it took all her focus just to deflect each attack.

I don't think I ever appreciated what a skilled fighter he is, she thought, dodging his next series of blows and jumping to the fourth story balcony of a nearby building to put some space between them. From there, she jumped to another building further away. "Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty, catch me if you can," she baited him, luring him away from the crowds fleeing below.

Chat fell for it, chasing after her. If she could just keep him from endangering citizens AND from breathing down her neck, she could put together a plan. It was time for her…

"Lucky Charm!" She shouted, feeling more confident as the familiar swarm of Ladybugs appeared and condensed into…

"A ring?" Ladybug barely had enough time to identify the object before Chat Blanc knocked it away with his baton. The small item flew over a row of houses before falling out of sight. Ladybug was about to go after it when Chat flipped over her, blocking her path towards the Lucky Charm. If she wanted to get it, she'd have to go through him.

Ladybug glanced around searching for a clue to stop him, and Chat took advantage of her hesitation, launching towards her.

"Cataclysm!" he cried for the fourth or fifth time since the Akuma entered his ring. It'd had unlocked an unlimited number for him, and to make things worse (or at least more interesting) Chat could tag things and then cause them to crumble later.

That's what he did now. While Ladybug dodged a blow from his baton, he tagged the ground (technically, the roof of the building) they were on. Then, when Ladybug was off-balance, he snapped his fingers, and the surface beneath her feet caved in. Ladybug flung her yo-yo upwards to catch her fall, but her partner was ready for that. He stretched out his claws towards the string.

"CATACLYSM!" He cried again, and her yo-yo gave out, falling clumsily towards the ground. Ladybug herself didn't fair much better, hitting the floor hard, but getting to her feet quickly.

Seeing that her yo-yo was at least in one piece, she tried reeling it in.

It didn't come.

She yanked it again, panic rising. The yo-yo slid uselessly across the ground. Oh-no. Just because an Akumatized cataclysm wouldn't obliterate her yo-yo, didn't mean it wouldn't render it useless.

"This is bad." Ladybug's gaze returned to Chat Blanc and the bitter smile that twisted his features. Then, focusing on his eyes, she saw the pain of a boy with a broken heart.

Pain she'd caused.

Their earlier conversation echoed in her mind.

"Come on, Bugaboo. One little kiss for your fa-fur-rite partner," he'd asked with his Cheshire grin. They'd been waiting on a nearby roof as a Celebration for Ladybug and Chat Noir commenced a block away in the park. Soon, the Mayor would announce them, and they'd make their grand entrance.

Ladybug hadn't wanted to do the appearance in the first place, but Chat had reminded her of Copycat, a disappointed artist who'd been Akumatized because Ladybug hadn't shown up when she'd promised. Ladybug had reminded him that Copycat was as much Chat's fault as it was hers.

"…If not more," she'd stressed, but Chat had said how easy it'd be for some "poor disappointed fan to be victimized by Hawkmoth just because their favorite superheroine didn't show up," and well, here she was.

Now, Chat was pushing his luck, trying to get a kiss from his Lady under the guise of 'it's just for the cameras.' Ladybug knew full-well that it'd never be 'just for the cameras' for Chat. A kiss was a kiss, and she didn't want to lead him on or give him any false pretexts when she knew she was in love with Adrien.

"No, Chat Noir, I've already told you, I'm in love with somebody else. Kissing you… I couldn't do it. I'd feel unfaithful."

"If you don't recall, you have kissed me before," he said with a widening grin. Ladybug resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sure, she remembered, even though she knew for a fact he didn't.

"Ugh, once it was to save your life," she said referencing how she'd saved him from Dark Cupid's arrow. "And the second time it was when I couldn't remember that I'm in love with…" she stopped short of saying Adrien's name. "Uh… someone else." She heaved a sigh of relief that she hadn't spilled the beans. "Anyway, it looks like we should get down there." She said, changing the subject. She'd been following the Mayor's speech on her bug-phone, and he'd just announced them.

She was just about to swing away on her yo-yo when Chat caught her arm. "Ladybug, I…" His face had lost its mirth. Looking her in the eye, he said, "I really hope that whoever he is, he appreciates how amazing you are."

Ladybug gave a forced smile. "I… It's… complicated." She admitted softly, before swinging away and landing on the stage set up in the park. For a moment, Chat was left behind on the roof. What did she mean when she called the relationship 'complicated'? He wondered. Was there any guy in Paris who couldn't see how incredible she was? He shoved the ludicrous thought from his mind and went to join his Lady on the stage.

Not far from the roof top where the superheroes had spoken, a mechanical window opened, illuminating the city's greatest supervillain.

"A celebration for Ladybug and Chat Noir, so many hearts swelling with joy… but not one." Hawkmoth observed. Even without his ability to detect strong negative emotions, he could've guessed the effect this rally would have on his dear Lila Rossi. He savored her rage at being forced to attend this ridiculous function. Under other circumstances, she would've used her talent for lies to get out of it, but one phone call from Gabriel Agreste had changed her mind (after all, Adrien would be there, and Gabriel would appreciate knowing someone was keeping an eye out for his son)

"Go, my little Akuma and evilize her!"

Chat Noir tried to focus on the rally, but his mind kept returning to what Ladybug had said.

"It's complicated? How complicated could it pawsibly be if she really loves him?" He mused silently. As the minutes wore on though, he felt more and more unsettled. It was one thing for the relationship to be complicated because the boy didn't know her identity as Ladybug. But Chat hadn't asked about her relationship. He'd just expressed a hope that the boy appreciated her. What could be so complicated about that?

Ladybug wouldn't stay in a relationship with a guy who didn't value her, right?

She certainly wouldn't forfeit a guy who loved her (like Chat did) for a guy who, what? Ignored her? Hurt her?

No, Chat Noir thought, shaking his head to clear it. That couldn't be it at all, but it still left him with more questions than answers. He needed to talk to her. Unfortunately, Ladybug was actively avoiding him.

But Chat was determined. After the fifth or sixth attempt, he finally cornered her. "Ladybug, could you just answer one question?"

"I won't tell you his name."

"That's not what I was going to ask for." He was kind of surprised that she'd even think it. "I just," he sighed, knowing that Adrien Agreste was bleeding through the persona of Chat Noir. "You know that I love you, right?" she didn't answer, so he went on. "That I'd do anything for you? Can you at least tell me if he loves you as much as you do him? I mean, surely you wouldn't give up on someone as cat-astic as myself for someone who doesn't love you back?" Ladybug looked away, and Chat felt a sinking feeling in his gut. "right?"

Unable to look him in the eye, she simply repeated, "It's complicated." After another pause, "I should go." She flung her yo-yo and let it pull her away.

Behind her, Chat was in shock.

In a corner of the park, Lila Rossi was having a terrible day. Part of her (a large part, if she was being honest) actually hoped she could be akumatized so she could demolish every one of the thousand things with Ladybug's face plastered on it. To make matters worse, she couldn't find Adrien anywhere.

So, when she saw the little black butterfly coming, it felt like her prayers had been answered. "Choose me, Hawkmoth, and I promise you won't be disappointed." She murmured. Oh, it was possible the Akuma was meant for someone else, but her heart sang that this one was hers.

It headed straight for her… until it didn't. The Akuma fluttered in midair, and then flew off. "What?!" she almost cried aloud. Tracking the Akuma with her eyes, she wanted to see who Hawkmoth believed would be a better ally than herself.

Then, when she saw the intended target, she had to admit she understood. If she were in Hawkmoth's shoes, she would've made the same decision.

For his part, Chat Noir never even saw the Akuma coming.

Ladybug knew an apology wouldn't be enough to bring her partner back to his senses, but she had to try. It was certainly better than sitting back and letting him take her miraculous.

"Chat, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you." As she spoke, she tried to take stock of her situation and any possible advantages that might be in her favor. So far, she'd lost her yo-yo and her Lucky Charm. Chat Blanc had managed to cataclysm her right arm and both legs, and while they hadn't crumbled to a million pieces, they were effectively useless. As it was, she was crawling away from him with just her left arm in working order.

Ok, so things weren't looking good, but there had to be a way out. She glanced around hoping for inspiration, but in moments, her back was to a wall, and Chat Blanc was crouching over her, that same pained expression contorting his features.

"Cataclysm," he breathed, as the tears streamed down his face, and dark energy engulfed his hand. "Goodbye, My Lady." He sneered.

Ladybug gulped.

Was this it? Would this be the end for Ladybug and Chat Noir?