Archive of Our Own

Ladybug slammed her back against the concrete wall as soon as she entered the alley, breathing heavily as she peered cautiously around the corner in search for him.

At first she thought that Sandboy was back in action but after catching sight of the akumatized victim as they passed by her street she knew it wouldn’t be as easy as she would have liked.

This time it was someone calling themselves Reminiscer, having been given the ability to bring people’s worst memories to life. It wasn’t as unpredictable as Sandboy was as people’s nightmares could be quite creative but this was instead tied to their own memories.

She was close to breaking the photo where the akuma hid but the victim had been able to read her movements and retaliated, sending her crashing into a building. She didn’t know where that stupid cat was, but she needed his assistance if she wanted to have a chance against Reminicer. They were stronger together after all.

Her yo-yo and superhero abilities managed to help her dodge the shards of crystal thrown her way but unfortunately Reminicer had decided to shift targets in an attempt to create a chaotic environment for them to fight in. They released a wave a shards down the street, aiming for one small 7 year old boy, whose eyes flooded with tears as it charged at him.

Seeing the child’s face she knew without a doubt that she had to save him. She hated seeing Parisions with the look of terror, she hated seeing children looking like they were going to be forced to grow up too fast and be plagued with these fears. They were children, not that Hawkmoth cared, but she couldn’t stand by and let them take a hit no matter what.

So of course she leapt at the boy, wrapping him up in her arms and acting as a shield. Ladybug could feel the piercing pain as the shards made home into her skin before melting away and getting absorbed.

She pulled away as more tears rolled down the child’s face, incomprehensible sobs about how he was sorry started to spill from his mouth. She vaguely registered Reminicer cackling and spouting lines about how she was done for now, but she focused on giving her softest smile and ruffling the boy’s hair affectionately.

“Don’t worry about me,” She had whispered, giving the boy a quick hug and wiping some of his tears away. “Go find your parents, okay? I can handle it from here.”

After a battle with himself that she could see reflected in his eyes he shakily nodded and ran off down the street.

Ladybug let out a sigh, turning around to face her opponent, fully ready to face what she figured was going to be her class still on Lila’s side or her parents angry with her after she had made a mistake.

She didn’t expect after pulling out her yo-yo and swinging it around in preparation to hear his voice.

Sure, she knew that him and his cold, dead voice haunted her dreams and sometimes her everyday activities, but he had been defeated. She had fixed it. It also didn’t help that he technically never existed, he wasn’t part of this timeline, so why?

Her limbs locked up as she heard him cooing her name. Her body was wracked with chills when she heard the sound of him landing on the concrete behind her. Tears threatened to spill when she felt his breath hitting the back of her neck and his nails barely touching her ears.

When her tears spilled over her body was practically burning with all the panic confided in her chest. Somehow without her say her body jolted forward and she booked it. She ran and flew across the city as fast as she could, crashing into the alley she was in now.

She placed a hand on her chest as she tried to control her breathing and her vision blurring as the tears kept coming.

She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t look at him or into those eyes again. She didn’t want to be faced with that nightmare where she wasn’t able to save her Kitty. Where she wasn’t able to stop him from feeling that pain and getting akumatized. She couldn’t handle seeing all that hate directed at her. Not from him.

Still, she had to fight him. She was one of the only people that could. It’s not like she had to face him directly if she didn’t want to. As long as Reminicer was taken down then he too would disappear. He could be saved once again and Paris wouldn’t be in ruins.

She could do this.

Right?

“M’Lady~!” The soft voice whispered into her ear, a clawed hand resting on her shoulder.

Without thinking she snatched his arm and flipped him over her shoulder and crashed into the ground. She pinned his limbs down and reeled back her fist before throwing it down as fast as she could.

Before she could hit her mark, she noticed how through her tears she wasn’t blinded by white, how there were no cold, blue eyes staring into her own.

She quickly stopped her attack to stare, noting the black mask and the blond hair she had grown accustomed to. His green eyes never strayed from her own, but only flooded with concern.

“Ladybug?” He whispered as she slowly let her hold on him loosen. “What’s wrong? Who did this to you?”

The hero in question couldn’t find the answers or voice in her, choosing to stay quiet and sit up along with the other, her hand nervously reaching out and hovering close to his cheek.

He was here. Chat Noir. Her best friend and most amazing partner in the whole wide world was here, donned in black and safe.

Chat cupped her face with his hands, thumbs brushing her tears away. “Bugaboo…what happened?”

Ladybug could feel a shaky smile forming on her face and she opened her mouth to respond, to tell him that everything was okay now, but all that came out was a sob.

Chat Noir pulled her into his chest without a second thought, hand rubbing circles on her back as she cried in his hold. Whoever did this he would make sure paid for it in full.

They stared like that for a minute as she did her best to calm down, sobs turning into sniffles and tears slowing to a stop. She let out a sigh as her partner spoke up.

“Do you want to talk about it?” His voice was quiet and gentle, but she could still feel the rumble of it as she had her ear against his chest.

“No, it’s..” She started, her voice cracking. She tried clearing her throat before starting again. “No, it’s okay. We have a job to do first.”

His hold slipped to holding her elbows as she pulled away, roughly rubbing her fists against her eyes to get rid of the remaining tears.

“Just, please don’t leave my side.” The spotted hero murmured, pushing herself to her feet as Chat followed in suit.

“Of course, M’lady.” He smiled, slipping his hand into hers and leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead. “I’ll be here, forever and always by your side.”

Ladybug gave a slight tug, leading the both of them out of the alley as she gave a quiet thanks.

The two of them jogged down the streets as Ladybug steeled herself and gave him the rundown. Bad memory villain, don’t get hit by the shards they throw, and break the photo holding the akuma.

She could see that the cat was listening but keeping an eye out for anything even moving. There was no doubt in her mind that he had figured out she had been hit and her memory was hunting her down. It’s not like she didn’t appreciate the support in keeping an eye out for him, but she would rather Chat Noir didn’t see him at all. If he did then she definitely had some explaining to do.

As they rounded a corner she could hear a faint shuffle coming from above her. She turned her head to meet cold eyes glaring into her own, turning her blood cold on the spot.

As if they were one Chat Noir turned his head to look as well, but Ladybug yanked him forwards.

“Don’t look back and keep up!” She called hoping he trusted her enough to follow her instructions. “We need to find Reminicer and it will all be over.”

She could feel her tear ducts trying to let the warm liquid spill out once more but she kept them at bay, trying to form a plan in her mind instead of thinking about her worst nightmare trailing behind them.

Chat Noir pulled her back, causing her to stumble before he wrapped an arm under her legs and leapt onto the buildings above.

“I trust you, Ladybug, but can I just ask; what exactly is chasing you?” He glanced down at her in his arms as he leapt over a chimney. She didn’t quite answer but her hold on him tightening was a good enough answer for the time being. “Right.” Chat Noir nodded and put all his strength into leaping across the rooftops in record time.

The spotted hero bit her lip and tried to ignore the screams of ‘Ladybug’ calling after them. She was thankful he hadn’t called her by her civilian name yet, but like he did before she knew he would do it eventually to try and get to her.

Her partner landed with a practiced ease and was about to cross over yet another street before the building below them started to crumble.

Chat tried to regain his balance and keep running but it all came crashing down faster than he could react. He pulled his lady closer and dropped into a roll across the ground, stopping with himself propped above the other protectively as the rest of the building came falling down around them.

Once nothing else had hit his back he opened his eyes to see Ladybug with her own squeezed tight, nose and brows scrunched cutely. He made a mental note to remind her later of how adorable she truly was.

“Are you okay, Bugaboo?” He asked, lips curling into a frown as he brushed the debris out of her hair.

“Yeah.” She replied, eyes shooting open and trying to push herself to her feet. “We need to go, now.”

The black cat nodded in agreement and helped pull her up, a dark shadow walking towards them through the surrounding cloud of dust catching his attention.

Ladybug followed his gaze and immediately let her hand not already in his own grab his forearm and start tugging him away. “Let’s go.”

“Not finished running away yet?” His voice called out through the dust, causing them both to stop in their tracks and it became clear that Chat had started to recognize that voice if his expression was anything to go by.

For the first time that day she wasn’t able to avoid looking at him or simply catching a quick glance at him, but instead she was forced to watch as he came within view.

She could feel Chat Noir beside her freeze up and she couldn’t help but do the same.

He was exactly as she remembered, from the white clothes and hair, to the piercing blue eyes that cut through her very soul. Her poor Kitty was truly here.

Chat Blanc narrowed his gaze and looked her partner up and down. “I don’t appreciate you galavanting around with this thing.” He started, mouth curling into a snarl as his eyes met with the green pair of his own. “I don’t share.”

Chat Noir pulled Ladybug closer and rested his hand on her head. “Good thing you have nothing to share.” He smirked, making sure his lady was in his arms, twisting her head so she didn’t have to look at what was most likely himself in white. “She’s mine.”

The other didn’t seem convinced, instead raising his hand with a small white orb forming at his fingertips. With a flick of his finger the small ball of light was sent at the two of them and Chat Noir couldn’t hold back his snort.

“You’re kidding right?” He laughed, trying to cover his mouth with his hand before his smile could grow too wide. “I don’t know why M’lady is so scared of your rip off firefly wannabe tricks but,”

Ladybug twisted her head around to catch her loving partner about to poke the white ball without a second thought and the amusement playing around in Chat Blanc’s eyes.

Before he could get closer she harshly pulled him to the side with all her strength, causing them to stumble over each other and collapse on the sidewalk.

She knew too well the power Chat Blanc held.

Her Kitty opened his mouth with no doubt some sort of retort or complaint on his tongue but when the other’s attack plopped gently on the ground and sent a spider web of cracks down the street and cascading along the buildings as the ground shook like there really would be no tomorrow he swiftly shut his mouth.

“…Oh.”

The both of them scrambled to their feet and leapt onto the nearest building, booking it across the rooftops and away from the villian donned in white.

Chat Noir gave a hesitant smile at the other. “So, any ideas on where this Reminicer is hiding?”

Ladybug held her face in thought, brows furrowed as her mind raced for an answer, only to be interrupted by a blood curdling scream and a classic villain laugh.

“I’m going to take a wild guess and say that way.”

“My lady’s genius truly knows no bounds.”

Ladybug refrained from rolling her eyes and pulled out her yo-yo and let it fly in the direction she assumed they would be in. It wrapped around one of the many wifi signals around the city and she gave it a sharp tug as Chat Noir raced forward with the help of his staff.

Before her feet could fully lift off the ground a clawed hand sunk into her shoulder, ripping her away from her yo-yo as it was sent flying across the Paris sky. Her back hit the roof with a cry escaping her and the one she’s been running from all night towered over her.

“Finally, some alone time.” Her akumatized partner kneeled beside her, taking one of her hands in his and placed a kiss on the back of her hand. “Don’t you want us to be together forever, M’lady? I can make that happen.”

Ladybug tried to pull her hand away with a protest on his lips but he closed his hand around hers and pulled her arm back behind him so she fell closer to him.

His white clawed hand cupped her cheek. “I can make a world just for the two of us, we’ll be happy there.” He smiled, tilting her face up. “Together forever, right?” He breathed against her lips while tears made their return on the other’s face.

She couldn’t help but cry once again. Call her weak or whatever you’d like, but even if he wasn’t real, the pain he once felt was. Her partner in crime was suffering then and this form of him here was too. He just wanted them to be happy, just wanted to keep her safe like she did him.

“I-I’m sorry-“ She stuttered as Chat Blanc started to close the remaining gap between them.

Before his lips could capture hers he jerked back and pulled his hand away from her cheek and snatched the pole trying to slam down on his head with a snarl.

“Don’t touch her” Chat Noir growled, retracting his staff to a shorter length and leaping at his akumatized replica.

Chat Blanc leapt back, pulling Ladybug along with him. He spun her around and into his embrace, holding her like to let go would be the death of him. After catching a glimpse of Chat Noir’s expression, she didn’t disagree.

“There’s no need for you here.” The white cat spoke up, flicking another attack at the other who slammed his staff against it, but the power burst sending him stumbling for purchase.

“Please, Chat.” The red and black spotted hero pleaded, untangling herself from his embrace. “Stop this, we can help you.”

The memory still held one hand on her arm and let it slip down and slot his fingers in between hers with a fond look. “I don’t need to be helped, or saved, or whatever you two think I need. All I need is you, Mari-“

Ladybug kicked her foot up and slammed it into his chin, his head flying back and grip on her falling.

The wielder of creation shuffled back before Chat Noir slid in front of her, staff pointed at his copy with malice written all over his face.

“I forgot to mention earlier, b-but he also knows my civilian identity.” The girl rushed to inform him, watching as the cat across from them brought his head back down and held his face in his claws.

She could see her cat flinch but he said no complaints or insults directed at her.

“Dang it.”

“Oh?” Chat Blanc mused, eyes crinkling with delight. “Are you two not as close as you thought, alley cat?”

The blond's grip on his staff tightened but he managed a smirk in response. “We might not be civilian identity close, but we’re closer in other ways that you could only dream of.” He said, wiggling his eyebrows along with his words.

Ladybug was more than tempted to smack him upside the head for even suggesting those types of things but if his goal was riling up Chat Blanc then he was doing a great job.

“I’m sure.” His cold voice hissed. “I take it you don’t know, but we’re in love. Isn’t that right, Mar-“

Chat Noir spun his staff between his fingers and swung it at his opponent's side. It clashed against the other’s own staff and they leapt right into a dance, both swapping from defending to being on the attack.

“I take it that any addressment that doesn’t sound like ‘alley cat’ or ‘Ladybug’ is to be stuck down, M’lady?” The black cat questioned, sweeping his leg out only for the other to jump above it and dive forward with his claws out.

“Please.” Ladybug danced around them as they fought, she didn’t want to get in Chat’s way since she couldn’t fight without her weapon.

Like reading her mind, her Kitty kicked the other in the chest and shoved him away, giving him enough time to unzip one of his pocket zippers and pull out her yo-yo. He tossed it into her waiting hands and gave her a wink as he leaned lazily on his staff.

“I can take care of Mr. I-don’t-drink-my-respect-women-juice over here while you go handle getting that akuma, sounds good?”

She was about to disagree and refuse to leave his side, but she knew where he was coming from. Not only did she not have to be by her worst memory any longer but she could also put an end to all of this so that this long, dreadful night could be over.

“I’ll see you soon, Chat.” She spun around on her heels and raced across the rooftop, calling out behind her, “Please be careful.”

He watched her leave with a lovestruck look as she still looked so radiant in the night, surrounded by the thousands of lights flickering around the city. “I always am.” He smiled before having his feet taken out from under him and Chat Blanc’s grip on his collar being the only thing keeping him upright. “I take it you don’t want to instead bond over our love for our loving and caring partner in crime?”

“It’s time to shut you up for good.”

“…Is that a no, orrr?”

The sight from the Eiffel Tower was one that she could never get over. It was beautiful during the day and mesmerizing during the night. Watching over the city made her beyond thrilled and only stilled her will to protect it.

Chat didn’t seem to mind it either, taking in the sight with fond eyes before flickering over to her.

Ladybug let out a breath, eyes drawn back to the city. She could feel the other’s stare and the endless string of questions running rampid in his mind

Still. He waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts.

It was one of the many things she loved about him. He was there for her no matter the time of day, always ready to give her space or a shoulder to cry on.

She hated how she had obviously failed to do the same for him. She failed him.

“Bugaboo?” Chat called, fingers brushing some runaway strands of hair out of her face. “Your face will stay stuck like that if you keep scrunching it like that.” He joked, shuffling closer.

The spotted hero let her head rest comfortably on his shoulder and he brought a hand up to wrap around her shoulder.

“I’m sorry.” She murmured, eyes falling shut as her mind screamed at her.

“You don’t have to tell me your name if that’s what you’re worrying about.” He let his own head rest against hers, watching as the people below bustled about. “I understand.”

She screwed her eyes tighter together, and bit back the urge to scream and yell about how it wasn’t okay and about how much she truly appreciated him and all he did for her.

“I want to tell you.” She whispered. “I-I don’t know if I can do it right now, but I promise that I’ll-“

Chat Noir let out a small laugh before shushing her. “That’s more than enough for me, M’lady. I’ll always be here by your side, so you can take your time.”

“It’s not fair to you though, Chat..”

“What’s not fair is you torturing yourself over it.” He twirled a finger around one of the ribbons in her hair. “I’m telling you now that it’s okay, if that changes then I’ll tell you, but for now please just take things at your own pace.”

She opened her eyes and searched for his free hand, taking it in her own without a single complaint on his part.

Even if he was content to sit like this for the rest of the night, she knew that if ever there was a good time to spill, it was now.

Chat Blanc had disappeared along with the rest of the memories. He was gone and Paris was safe another day. Her Kitty had protected her through it all, not demanding an explanation during the whole ordeal. He deserved the truth and keeping the secret haunting her these past few months would not make her feel guiltier than she already did.

“Bunnix visited me one day,” She started, fiddling with his fingers and testing how sharp his nails were. “She took me into her burrow and into the future.”

“The future?” Chat Noir repeated when the silence had stretched a second too long.

“Mhmm. I always thought that it would look like technology had taken over or that ourselves would still look like the dorks we are, but..”

“…I get it.” Chat sighed. “I always knew I would turn out to be unbelievably handsome, but if you’re willing to wait then-“

He doubled over with a choked laugh as his partner removed her fist away from his stomach.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Please continue.” He coughed out, wiping away the tears at the corners of his eyes. Her superpowers really packed a punch.

“Idiot.” She muttered, dropping her head back on his shoulder. “…but it wasn’t the future I was expecting. If anything, it was the end.”

“How could the future be the end?”

“Him.” She stressed, “I was brought into the future where the world was flooded, buildings in ruins, and the moon cut in half. The world was so quiet, Chat, everyone was dead.”

He stayed silent, choosing to once again play with her ribbons as she continued on.

“Everyone was turned into a statue, myself included, fading into dust at the lightest touch underneath the water’s surface.” She slotted their fingers together. “In the middle of it all was him, donned in white and singing by his lonesome. When I called out to him he was so excited to see me, so happy to finally see someone in that world.”

Ladybug let a silence fall between them as she tried to not let herself fall apart. She could do this, she was strong. She was Ladybug.

“He said he could fix everything then, now that I was there. All he needed was my miraculous and the world could be saved.” She squeezed his hand tighter, trying to ignore all the fine details about that day that her mind threw at her. “He tried to take them from me and when I talked about him being akumatized he cried for me to save him. He looked so hurt, Chat.”

Her partner pulled her closer as he heard her breath hitch, rubbing soothing circles on her back for the second time that night.

“I wanted to help him, I wanted to save him, I-I really did. I’ve done research since then an-and do you know how lo-long it would take for not only for the world to flood b-but for algae to then gro-grow on allthe statues?! Too long, w-way too long!” She cried as Chat wrapped her in his embrace, letting her cry into his shoulder. “H-he was all alone knowing he delivered the final blow to the world, bu-but it was all my fault! ‘It was our love th-that did this to the wo-world, M’lady’. I did nothing to h-h-help him, I couldn’t stop him from getting hurt!”

“It’s okay, Bugaboo.” The blond whispered, feeling his own heart break with every word as she continued on.

“I couldn’t save him fr-from being akumatized, all I did was be useless and go and die!” She knew she was making a mess of his outfit but she couldn’t find it in herself to care at that moment. “I ca-caused him all this pain with our l-love, failed to p-protect him, left him al-alone for days and weeks, a-a-and when he finally was able to see me again I lo-looked at him like he was a monster!”

The cool night air did nothing to help cool her burning cheeks or calm her down, only providing a quiet space for Chat to hear all of her sobs and cries as she screamed out into the world.

“I didn’t wa-want to fight him, but the-there was no other option! I-I-I ju-just-“

“It’s okay, M’lady.” He pulled back to let his hands cup her face, not wiping away the tears as he assumed more would just take their place. “Everything is alright, Paris is still thriving and living on, right?”

Her lips wobbled and he could feel the warmth of her tears seeping through his gloves.

“I-I couldn’t save you, mon chaton.”

Chat leaned forward and pressed kisses on both sides of her face and one final one on her forehead. “I’m right here, I’m safe. Since neither Paris nor I remember it I can only assume that you did save me, Ladybug, you came back to us and thanks to you we aren’t living that timeline right now.”

“Bu-but!-“

“I can’t take away what you had to see and experience, but I know that I’ll do everything in my power to keep Chat Angsty from happening here and now.” His mouth naturally fell into a smile as she let out a choked laugh.

“Chat Blanc, you m-mean.” She giggled, her sobs falling away from sight.

“Oooh,” He dramatically rolled his eyes with a knowing smile, “is that what his name is, how dumb. I don’t know who thought of that.”

Ladybug snorted and pried his hands off of her and jabbed a finger into his chest. “Uh huh, laugh it up, but I remember how you thought you were a genius for coming up with ’Black Cat’.”

“What can I say, my genius knows no bounds.” He laughed, grabbing the hand jabbing at his chest and placing another kiss on the back of it. “But in all seriousness, M’lady, I’ll always be here whenever you need me. Together we’ll defeat Hawkmoth and if you decide to reveal your identity before, after, or even never, I’ll always be by your side as your charming, funny, Chat Noir.”

Her eyes crinkled in response, smile lighting up his entire world. “Thank you, Chat.” She grinned, pushing herself up to press a kiss of her own to his cheek. “You’re the best partner one could ask for.”

“It’s us against the world.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”