Chat Noir and Ladybug were used to the akuma in the middle of the night. It was rather regular event, once to twice per week. Sometimes they were still awake, sometimes they were just before dawn, but this one really became active in the middle of the night.
The akuma floated in the middle of the street, few metres above the road, they had two heads, one male, another female, one body with four arms and two legs. Their clothes were assembled from what both persons were wearing before they got akumatized, a pyjama, a nightgown and a bathrobe. And they wore many accessories, from both origins.
"You said you wanted to talk, now talk!" The woman head shouted.
"No, you said we need to talk." The man head retorted.
They had difficulties to look at each other at the small distance, as both their heads were attached to the same body, but they did, nevertheless.
"What are their powers?" Chat asked quietly as he landed beside Ladybug who was hiding behind a wall that supported a few chimneys on a random rooftop nearby the floating akuma.
"Except loud argument? I do not have a clue." She shook her head. "I have been here for a while and they have not used their powers since."
"Perhaps I should … " Chat Noir wanted to step out from his hiding and taunt the akuma.
"Chat, don't, we do not know what they do." Ladybug warned as she grabbed him by his tail and pulled back. He landed on top of her and they rolled away to a stop.
"They will hurt civilians." Chat complained quietly.
"Right now I need you more than that, sorry Kitty." She sighed while she was raising to her feet from her position on top of him and offered him her hand. They sneaked back to the same hiding space. Few civilians have passed but the akuma was too busy with arguing with themselves to notice.
"Huh, maybe we could use the time to talk too?" Chat grinned.
Ladybug rolled her eyes. "What is it this time, Chat?"
Chat pondered where to start. Should he mention the project or should he be more straightforward. Of course he came unprepared for the talk. It did not matter how much he wanted to talk to her.
"I noticed you minded when I called you Bugaboo, so I stopped." Chat stated simply.
"Oh, yes." Ladybug replied in a quiet voice. She was tempted to tease him with finally. She wanted to tell him that she noticed and thank him. She wanted to tell him ...
"And I am sorry for causing you pain." He continued.
She swiftly raised her eyes. "What pain?"
"When I … well I said a few things that made you angry with me and I am sorry." Chat did not know how much time he had for this conversation and he wanted to start with an apology.
"Chat it is hardly the time … " She peeked between two chimneys. " … to have this conversation ..." The akuma still argued with itself. " … while we are in the middle of a battle."
"I seldom see you otherwise. I know I will not have another chance for a while." Chat shrugged.
Ladybug sighed, she was watching the akuma. Chat Noir joined her. She knew it was the truth. She could not arrange for a meeting any time soon. It was not as if she had time to spare.
The akuma was arguing with themselves.
"Can I ask you something?" Chat asked after a few moments of silence.
"Okay" Ladybug side eyes him.
"Was I hurting you when I flirted with you?" He was sure he knew the answer and he was ready to beg her forgiveness.
"Annoyed me, when you did it in the middle of a battle, yes. Hurt me? Not really." She replied flatly. "Perhaps I got distracted by it and got hurt." She added in barely audible tone and then went quiet. She knew better, she knew that she should not have been distracted if she felt nothing for her partner. She did care for him and it hurt her to see him hurt by each failed attempt (when she took him seriously) and annoyed when he bantered in the middle of a battle, although she had to admit she sometimes did it too and that actually depended on her mood. Uh.
"I'm sorry. I won't do that again." Chat bowed his head. He was sorry. Because she got hurt, because she got distracted by him and hurt. But that addition of 'in the middle of the battle' made him hopeful.
She looked at him for a moment. Did she really want him to stop? Like completely? She was having second thoughts. Because she did it too.
"Look, it is okay, most of the time, just not … when it distracts me." It broke her heart to see him sad. Truth to be told, if they were not so good in inventing a perfect line to return to their partner, they would not be so good against Frightingale. That had encouraged Chat to push a little further and learn his lady better.
"I'm confused. I thought you liked it because you returned my banter. Then you told me to stop the next time. Then you would just smile the third time." The tone of his voice revealed that Chat was apologizing. "I'm just sorry I did not realize it sooner."
"That is okay Chat. You're good." Ladybug sighed. He was telling the truth, she was like that, inconsistent. There were times when she returned his banter even in the middle of a battle. It was easy to be annoyed by his flirting. It only started to hurt for real when she realized he meant it and that she hurt him each time she refused his advances. So, yes, maybe it was better to stop it completely.
"It is okay, Chat, just, if I tell you to stop doing something, please stop, because if you continue to do that, it means you don't respect me." She muttered with her eyes firmly on the akuma who yelled something about respect too.
"I have nothing but respect for you." He countered.
"Are you sure?" She raised her eyebrow but kept her eyes on the akuma.
"Just stop this noise." A voice yelled. It was a random Parisian civilian neighbour who had had enough of the shouting in the street in the middle of the night.
A light bolt hit the man on the French balcony and he got another head and another pair of arms.
"Hey" The other head said. "I thought I told you to tell those two to shut up."
"I have." The first head answered.
"I guess we know their power now." Ladybug rolled her eyes.
They were sneaking up to the akuma and studied them.
"The akuma could be the bracelet on her hand or the watch on his hand." Chat whispered.
"The belt, that strange brooch, the necklace … " Ladybug continued to list the items.
"They look like they got assembled from two persons." Chat smirked.
"That's because they were." Ladybug elbowed him.
"Oh yes." He was rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"So, how do we sneak up to someone with two heads?" She asked exasperatedly.
They did sneak up and have stolen the items, one by one, it took a lot of their time and many attempts, both recharged once, he used cataclysm on her bracelet, she tried a lucky charm and failed. Then Chat used his cataclysm the second time as they tried to capture the akuma by collapsing a tent onto them. It did not work and he quickly vaulted home to recharge Plagg and take more cheese.
There were two items left to snatch when Chat got hit, only because he threw himself in front of Ladybug to protect her.
Their bodies merged, there was only Chat's pair of legs, two heads and four arms, one Chat's hand held a baton, one Ladybug's arm held the yoyo.
"Finally together." Chat grinned. It was like a reflex to him. He was tired. They were in the middle of a battle. It was just something he did.
"You just can't stop yourself can't you?" She retorted, but she sounded just tired not angry.
"I'm sorry." His head hung low. He was such a disappointment to himself. He made a promise and broke it in the span of a single akuma battle.
"Old habits die hard I guess." She smiled back, she was tired, but it was a smile.
"It was just a joke." Chat winked. "It really was, I didn't mean ..."
"Yes, yes, okay, I get it." She rolled her eyes.
"Thanks." he relied sheepishly.
"You're welcome." She smirked.
"Now, where were we with the akuma?" He sighed.
"Well, two more items to go and we are just one target now." Ladybug sighed.
"I am sorry that I hurt you, Ladybug." He repeated.
"Not now Chat." She whisper shouted.
"Yes, sorry, two items." He replied.
"Not calling our powers if not absolutely needed." She warned.
"Any idea what happens if they hit us twice?" He added.
"Nope." Ladybug smirked.
"Let's go." He smirked.
"You did not hurt me, by the way." She said casually while they were mid air.
"What?" Chat whispered. It was her who always complained that he distracted her while talking in the middle of the battle.
"Your flirting, it did not hurt me, it is just distracting." She repeated.
"But it is my job to be a distraction." He protested. Then he remembered his own initial intent. "Sorry." He muttered.
"I guess you are just too good at it." She said to herself, but Chat was too close not to hear.
They chased after the akuma. In the end she called for the lucky charm and got a hand mirror.
"Finally." Chat smirked. To him, it was clear.
"Something to deflect those rays?" She asked herself more than anyone else.
"Why is it so small?" He complained.
She narrowed her eyes. She was looking for clues, until she saw the akuma.
"It is not a shield it is a clue." Ladybug whispered. "There is the a handle of the same shape sticking from that pocket."
"You have not spotted it before, My Lady?" He teased.
"Now you are pushing it." She retorted.
"Okay, Let's go for it." Chat walked along the rooftop towards the akuma.
"Get their hands busy." She ordered.
Chat used cataclysm on the street light on their way. The akuma caught the pole, Ladybug wrapped the akuma and their hands to the street light, Chat jumped and clawed the pocket. The mirror fell to the ground and broke.
"Seven years of bad luck." Chat teased.
A violet butterfly floated out and she cleaned it. She tossed the mirror she had into the air and a swirl of ladybugs washed over the city. Ladybug and Chat Noir split into two bodies. They faced a young couple. They had one of those middle of the night arguments that they both refused to finish.
Their miraculous beeped for the first time just before they jumped to a rooftop nearby and bumped their fists.
"Um, could you please, sort of, tell me what I do wrong, because I am not good at this stuff, you know?" Chat pleaded for instructions, preferably nice, simple and clear.
Ladybug rolled her eyes. "You know when you try to kiss me in the middle of a fight?" Chat looked down in shame. But then there was light glimmer in his eyes and a twitch of a smile, because she added "Only 'in the middle of a fight?" he asked.
"You annoy me to pieces." she whisper shouted. "Please stop giving me roses." She added in calmer tone "And please do not call me Bugaboo."
"I'm really sorry. I just recently learned that what I did could be sexual harassment." Chat Noir was determinedly looking at his boots.
"Disrespectful? Yes. Sexual harassment? I would say no. Save the kissing attempts. Well even that."
She was waving her hands nervously. Chat looked at her.
"We are friends Chat. Friends can tell each other anything." She smiled. He was hurting because he believed he hurt her. She realized she did not want him to suffer.
"Anything?" He beamed at her. But then he sighed. He knew there was more.
"Just please do not refer to us as a couple." She whispered with so much pain in her voice that he felt it.
"I'm so sorry. I did not know that that possibility hurts you so much." Chat turned away.
Ladybug felt pain in her chest. It was very familiar pain. She had several options. She could remain silent. Let him believe what he just said was true and let them both live with their pain. She could tell some lie that would make them feel better, or at least him, but she had no idea what. Or she could tell him the truth.
"It is not the possibility that hurts me Chat. It is its absence." She stared right into his eyes and hoped he got the message.
Chat stared into her eyes, her blue eyes and her face that he could clearly see in the darkness.
"We can't be a couple Chat." She whispered. Her earrings beeped again. She swung her yoyo away.
Chat stood there for a few moments before the signal from his own miraculous reminded him to move, more confused than ever, his tired brain refused to process everything he just heard and saw.
But he stored the information for later. He was definitely going to process it. Soon.