Chapter 23 – Pain
For a brief second, the pain of Ladybug's words eclipsed the pain Cat Noir felt from his wounds. She didn't want or need his help. She didn't want or need him.
He tried to get up again, to show her he wan't useless, but a piercing glare pinned him to the ground. She stared down at him only long enough for him to hope she would take her words back, and then she picked up her Lucky Charm, turned her back on him, and strode through the door without another sound.
As soon as she was gone, before he could change his mind, he said, "Claws in." Excruciating pain raced through his body. It seemed to start at his heart and radiate through his veins. Gasping, panting, Adrien flopped his head around as best he could, looking for Plagg.
"I got it already, kid," he said, mouth full. A large bite was in his wedge of cheese. "Don't move."
"Hurry." The loudest voice he could muster was a whimper.
Plagg didn't stop chewing to answer.
Adrien gasped out the words, "Claws out," and Cat Noir sighed in relief as the pain eased, though he didn't move from his fetal position on the floor. He didn't have the energy. Sweat dripped off his nose and hit a loose strand of red thread, as thin as a string.
Ladybug left him. Just like everyone else always did. All of this, the pain, coming to help her, and she'd lost her faith in him anyway. He wasn't sure if he was more angry at her or just hurt that she didn't want him.
Through the window, gray clouds covered the sky. As if things weren't already bad enough, it had started snowing. Winter did seem to sneak up on him at the worst times. The roofs would be slippery. And Ladybug didn't do well in the cold. Or with slippery roofs. And she didn't think straight when she was upset.
He... he should go check on her. An image of her face danced through his mind, features contorted in outrage that he would dare to ignore her order stay out of her way. And she obviously didn't need his help.
He twisted. Now that he'd felt the extent of the damage without the suit, and now that he could properly think again because he was back in it, Cat Noir had a better picture of his injuries. His ribs were definitely bruised, probably broken. But it didn't feel like anything worse than that. He hadn't felt any blood, and he could breathe just fine.
There was no way to know if Ladybug would be so lucky. She had how much time left now? Maybe two minutes. What if Dodgeboy hit her? What if he hit her when she wasn't transformed?
Cat Noir rolled, knocking hanging bits of yarn out of his way as he crawled to the door and used the handle to pull himself up. His ribs ached, it was a struggle to even walk, never mind fight, and she was going to be furious.
But he wasn't going to let her get hurt, not as long as he had breath. Even if she hated him for it, he wouldn't let anything happen to her, so he stumbled into the hallway, into the courtyard, and vaulted into the open air, pushing himself to find her in time.
Author's note: Who wants to know what Ladybug's thinking right now?