My Kitty

19| Farewell, My Kitty

Marinette and Luka have lost sense of time. They chatted non-stop and strolled around the theater, their drinks in hand. When she'd seen everyone run out, panicked, her heart dropped to the lowest pit of her stomach. Chat Noir was in there all alone.

She knew she had to do something, and fast.

Rushing in, she could see him struggling. Her chest tightened. "Chat Noir!"

"Marinette, move!" In his haste, his staff slipped to the floor and only then did she realize, she hadn't transformed!

Before she tore her eyes away, before she hurried to find a safe place to hide, she caught sight of the worst possible thing to happen. Her scream was caught at the back of her throat, and Chat sunk to his knees. The main door creaked shut behind her, and Marinette found herself unable to walk properly through the hallways. Her vision nothing but a blur.

She locked the bathroom doors, "Tikki, we have a kitty to save." Her kwami gave a firm nod. "Spots on!"

Ladybug headed back to where the villain was, as quick as her agility could carry her. Her breathing was ragged, burdened with worry over her partner. Throwing the doors open, her eyes widened when they fell upon Chat Noir fighting for his life. Though he was weak, and trembling, he was trying his best to keep his miraculous out of reach.

She swung her yo-yo directly towards Heartbreaker's waist, encircling her. She rendered her totally immobile, and yanked her back, flinging her to the other side of the room.

While the villain slumped to the concrete, her face twisted with pain, Ladybug had Chat Noir lean against her. "Please, hold on for a little longer," she begged, hoisting the two of them up, with the aid of her magical weapon, and through the large gap in the ceiling.

Escaping was the better option at the moment. Especially when Chat was stumbling with each step he took. He was in no state to fight alongside her, barely able to remain conscious. He clutched his chest, and dug his claws into himself. With the intent of ridding his body of such an unbearable ache, only to end in further pain.

Atop a higher roof among the city, shielding them from view, Chat Noir's knees gave up on him. He almost collided with the ground, but Ladybug wrapped her arms around him; gentle and caring. Slowly, she lowered the both of them down, till he laid shivering in the comfort of her chest.

The angered breeze blew at their hair, ice cold against their faces. And tears began stinging her eyes. The moonlight fell upon them in glittering curtains, and city lights dimmed as chaos reigned over parisans, who rushed into the safety of their own homes. While Paris' beloved superheroes remained unmoving.

"M'lady... I tried. So hard." He choked out, his voice rasping with the multitude of his bottled emotions.

"Shhh." She lightly rocked them back and forth, tightening her hold on him. "You did well, my kitty."

"You-you don't understand. This akuma..." He sucked in a sharp breath, his heart aflame. His ears flattened against his head. "It's mine."

"What?"

"I should've called you." His eyes drooped; dazed. "It's all my fault."

"No, no, no, stop." She cried. "Just stop." Resting her forehead against his, she didn't know if she could pull him any closer. There was no space left between them, yet she felt the need to lock all the gaps. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Chat Noir."

"Hey," he whispered, his tone soft and reassuring. "I trust you to bring me back."

"How could I?" She raised her head to look at him clearer. "How could I when-when... you won't be with me?"

Chat curled into her further, shrinking into himself. He could feel the strings of his heart tear, one by one. Snapping, and breaking apart, splitting his beating heart into two. He winced, hissing in pain. "Is Marinette okay?"

She nodded. "I brought her to safety."

"Thank you..." Silence overwhelmed them, and for a while, all they did was hold onto each other for what seemed to be forever, before Chat blurted the unexpected. Words she never wanted to hear again. "Ladybug... you should take my miraculous."

"What? What are you saying?" She shook her head, the reality of the situation still hard for her to fathom.

"If you left me here, someone could take it from me. By that time, I'd be dead." He winced at the harshness of his words. "It'll be safer with you."

"There's no way, Chat Noir!"

"Everyone is dying! All you really care about is our secret identities?"

"No, that's not it. I... I can't do this without you." A tear rolled down her cheek, trickling down to his, and she wiped it away. She felt like the worst partner ever. Having him fight all alone while she was outside, enjoying her time with Luka. Even though she was supposed to be with him.

The guilt was eating away at her, from the inside out. If he was dying from a broken heart, she was sure her demise would be no different. Except, the potent villain wouldn't be the reason. The mess she'd created would be the assailant instead.

Without him, she was nothing.

"M'lady..." He whimpered, "Please, take it." He lifted his hand higher, with great effort, only for her to push it away.

"I'll call for help-"

"No, Ladybug! There's only one way to save Paris. You can give it to someone else."

"I said I'll call for help," she growled, "And I'm gonna bring you back and everything will be alright." Her voice cracked. "Chat..."

She stared into his eyes, her brows knitted together at the sight of his discomfort. How she wished she could take that pain of his away.

Overwhelmed with the entanglement of her emotions, Ladybug found herself entranced by his beauty in the moonlight. And without properly thinking, she leaned down and pressed her quivering lips to the frigidness of his own.

Both their eyes fluttered shut, relishing the wave of peace that veiled them. The feather-light touch provided them warmth that countered the blistering wind of the night. It was like everything fell into place, and all the puzzle pieces found their match. For her more than him.

The kiss seemed to last for minutes never ending. It was like the world surrounding them, and all the chaos had dulled into nothing but a void where only they existed. Contrary to their beliefs, however, it was short and sweet. Yet somehow managed to voice all of their hidden feelings for one another, bringing even the deepest and utmost layered ones over to the surface. It happened in a moment where each thought they'd never feel the pleasure of seeing the other anymore. A moment of vulnerability and despair.

And as their lips moved together in sync, Ladybug realized, he gave her meaning.

Adrien was her first love. But she couldn't dare say it was 'love'. It was simply her being naive and lustful towards an image that he portrayed to the world at the command of his father. She never loved who he was as an individual, because she didn't even know how he truly was like. She was infatuated by the idea of him. Maybe it was just admiration, and she was so blinded by it that she failed to notice... Chat Noir.

She loved his humor, loved his courage, loved his flirting, and most of all, loved the entirety of him as a person. She knew exactly who he was, and adored every part of him. She couldn't imagine going a day without him by her side, couldn't bear the thought of him being mad at her, couldn't find it in her to accept his absence. Ever. This was love. This was what she was running after but couldn't quite grasp the meaning of.

Adrien never made her feel that way. Chat Noir did.

Pulling back, he swallowed the throbbing lump lodged in his throat, "Take it... take it, Ladybug... I beg you." With one last smile, and a softened gaze, he saw her hesitate before her fingers grasped his ring, slowly sliding it off.

"I love you," she whispered. "I love you, Chat Noir."

And as his costume vanished, bursts of lime green light blinded her. She squeezed her eyes closed, and allowed her sobs to rule her, at the agonizing loss of her partner. The one she loved dearly. And the one she had failed.