The world tumbles around them, and it feels almost like a novice mistake as buildings crumble, and suddenly he can't help but fall forward, not able to catch himself in time.
The Akuma dodged his attempt to knock them down a few pegs, dodged his means of cornering the Akuma with a distraction, and Cat Noir stood back as the world fell into despair around him.
Destruction rang clear down the Parisian streets, and Cat's stomach drops as he takes in the damage around him as if it's mess is something more than it is; it certainly feels that way when he sees a little girl lost in the wreckage, a little hurt, but not to worrying degrees.
Cat nearly stops helping stop the agile Akuma to start searching for the little girl's parents with thoughts of his own life with just a father, an often absentee one anyway, and he feels a little broken inside when he turns away from her search to locate Ladybug, who is standing a decent distance away, a frown on her face, and shifting her posture to a stiffer one.
It aches to think that for once, she may be reigning in her feelings for his sake, and he wonders just how much of that she'd seen, "Go, your timer's counting down." Her voice is tired like she can't quite find the energy to say the words, but Cat Noir follows her command without fail.
He can barely feed Plagg with shaking hands, his Kwami uncharacteristically silent, as he hears the little girl scream out for her mom and dad, and suddenly her screams shift to a shrill shriek, and Adrien breaks down, isn't quite able to breathe.
He ignores his Kwami's call and walks towards the little girl, all crouched down by a bloody hand, fingers limply twitching, and Adrien doesn't think, just lifts the fallen building off of the man before her, helping get him further out of the pile; his tongue feels heavy in his mouth when he tries to reassure her that her daddy will be fine.
Adrien's heart feels like a weapon in his chest, and he wonders if Ladybug can dimly tell who he is now from where he came from and how he reacts to the destruction; he can't even think to tell her that or otherwise.
His fingers shake, and it's horrifying to realize what he caused as he stands up on shaky legs, tongue so heavy now that it stopped, and starts digging through the rubble, faintly hearing Plagg's slightly louder calls for him, "Kid, Kid."
Every call feels like a dagger in his heart, too much of a reminder of the girl behind him, as he finally pulls her mother out of the rubble, less bloodied, but her heart is so faint in her chest that Adrien's heart feels like it's falling down, down below him in a sea of despair.
He stands shakily and returns the mother to her husband and her daughter, "L-Ladybug's got this taken care of. Everything will be okay."
Adrien feels broken, hollow, and can't even utter a kind word about his alter ego as he moves back towards the alley under Ladybug's call of his superhero name.
When he transforms and returns to her, his heart can barely feel relief to be by her side, but he pauses long enough to hear her, "That was kind of you. Thank you. It may have helped save their lives."
The 'may' will have to be enough for now, but Cat Noir is relieved that his Lady can see him at all despite how broken he's felt since the buildings fell around him.