Repeated Melodies (soulmate au): A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

Part 5: Chats Have Nine Lives

The only time that Ladybug had ever been scared of an akumatized victim was with Stoneheart, when she was first starting out as a superhero. The whole time she could feel the terror in her body and the echoing thoughts in her head telling herself that she wouldn't be able to do it, that she would let Paris down. But she hadn't been scared since Chat Noir had given her that pep-talk in front of the Eiffel Tower. Ever since Stoneheart had been defeated, she had jumped into akuma battles with excitement, the thrill of it feeling more like a roller coaster ride than a life or death situation. This akuma, however, was completely terrifying.

They called themselves the Grim Reaper, the name itself sending shivers up Marinette's spine. They spoke in a low, whispery voice that sent goosebumps tingling across her arms and they looked menacing as they moved in a sort of dance toward her, black cloak dragging along on the ground behind them.

But no matter how scary they looked, and made her feel, Ladybug couldn't help but feel like this akuma would be easy to defeat since they moved at a sloths pace. Ladybug was much faster than a sloth.

Right now she was perched on a desk across the room from him, waiting for her partner to return from evacuating the students. At this point, she was thinking he'd be back before the akuma got even remotely close to her. The logical part of her brain kept telling her that this was going to be easy. She kept wanting to crack a smile at how pathetically slow this akuma was, but there was also another part of her brain screaming at her to run. Part of her was overcome with terror for what seemed like no reason but a creepy appearance and a horror movie like approach. But it was still there in the back of her mind and Ladybug would soon learn that she should've listened to it.

The plan was, right now, to wait until the akuma got closer to her and then make a beeline (or a bugline as Chat Noir would say) to the other side of the room while she waited for her partner to come back. Then, they would figure out where the akuma was, capture it, and save the day just like every other akuma they'd fought. The only problem was, Ladybug hadn't counted on the akuma having the power to control shadows and darkness.

She had kept her bluebell eyes trained on the black cloak, watching it as it drew nearer. She had not been watching her surroundings and didn't notice how the shadows were surrounding her, getting closer and closer to the unsuspecting heroine. And then the coldness enveloped her, sending a wave of terror so strong through her that she let out a desperate cry for help as the shadows continued to engulf her. The akuma was closer now, it was right in front of her face so that Marinette could hear the low whisper and feel it's cold breath on her face as it spoke.

"I will show you your worst nightmare..." It was the last thing she heard before everything revolved into blackness.

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She was sitting in the middle of the street, the rough gravel of the road digging into her thighs, legs tingling from the weight that was keeping them pinned down and had caused them to fall asleep. That was the least of her worries.

From the sight of her hands covered in her red and black spotted suit, it was clear that she was Ladybug at this moment. This horrible moment. Because her red and black spotted hands were wrapped around the form of a body, her fingers sticky with the blood that blended perfectly with the color of her costume. It was leaking out of a cut in the leather fabric, oozing all over her lap in big gushes. Her eyes were on his pale face, his glossy green eyes that were thick with pain and his wild blond hair that was matted and patterned with dirt. And he was dying. Her kitten was dying in her arms.

"Don't cry," he told her, his voice taking on a gentle tone that she had only heard a few times before. He raised one of his clawed hands to brush away her tears.