Return of a Killer

Realization

Chat Noir wanted to hold Ladybug, he was afraid that if he let her go, he'd have nothing left to hold himself together. But, he was afriad he'd hurt her. He felt her arms around him, giving him a slight squeeze. Her touch gave him a little flutter of calm in the chaos of his mind. He wanted her to be safe, to just focus on her. Ladybug cupped his face in her palm, wiping his tears away. Her voice was a ray of soft sunshine peeking through the storm as she asked, " Chaton, are you okay?"

His vision came into focus, and he whimpered as he shook his head no. Ladybug draped her arms over his shoulders, running her fingers through his hair. Chat Noir let out a short, quiet purr. Ladybug knew just what to do. She gently stroked his hair, dedicating some time to making sure that he was the one who felt loved and safe. He laid his head on her shoulder, his body easing as he purred, the sound steadily growing in strength as she whispered, " I want you to be safe too, Chaton. You're my favorite kitty, and I won't let you get hurt like that." she rested her head on his as he rubbed up against her. 

" Hurt like me?" Chat Blanc seethed. The yo-yo and its cord lay as a useless heap of ash on the floor, and Chat Blanc was standing. Ladybug and Chat Noir held one another protectively. Niether would let the other be harmed. Chat Blanc suddenly calmed completely, his expression suddenly going completely blank. He simply walked towards the door and said, " I'm going." 

Before either Ladybug or Noir could say anything, the white cat was gone. They looked at each other, and Noir shook his head no. He held her tightly, enjoying having a moment alone with her. Ladybug felt a deep-seated worry, but it was muffled by Chat placing her hand back on his head. He rested his head on her shoulder again, and his arms lazily looped around her waist. 

Ladybug went back to petting her kitty, but her mind was on Chat Blanc and his bell. The akuma wasn't in said bell, so where was it? When he transformed after swallowing it, the bell had returned, and it didn't have an akuma inside it. It didn't seem plausible that the akuma could disappear with transformations. So what was the one thing that didn't disappear? 

The ring. Chat's miraculous. That would allow him to transform and detransform while keeping the akuma intact, and something like that would likely corrupt a kwami inhabiting that miraculous, explaining the faceless cat. 

" I know that look. Figured it out already, bugaboo?" Chat asked, looking up at her. Ladybug nodded, satisfaction filling her. " So, what clicked?"

" The akuma's in his ring, that's why he can detransform and possess a corrupted kwami. I'm going to need you, Chaton. Same as always." she explained, giving him a little scratch under the chin. After a little purr of satisfaction, he gave a firm nod. 

Both Ladybug and Chat Noir turned to the window, only to witness a skyscraper toppling to the ground.