Under The Mask 🎭 (a Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic)

-28- Ladybug's Mistake

"We can't even get close enough without this clown throwing things at us!" Cat Noir shouts to his partner, saving a family from a flying ice cream stand. He gestures for them to run. "How can we defeat her?"

"Watch out!" Ladybug shouts, throwing her yo-yo to a little girl hiding by the fountain, and stops a bicycle from hitting her. She hands the girl back to her parents. "We'll think of something, Kitty!" She shouts back. "We always do—" A billboard ad of Adrien distracts her, and a rush of anger fills her. Why didn't he ask me to stay?!

"Ladybug!"

Focused again, she turns around and watches as a civilian gets struck by a flying tree. They fall unconscious. Ladybug's eyes widen. "NO!" She runs over and kneels beside the man. She can't tell if he's alive or not. As she stares down at the victim, crying, Doctor Kinetic starts to walk up behind her, lifting a school bus over her head. 

"Watch out, Ladybug!" Cat Noir tackles her out of the way, and they roll into an alley. "What are you doing?! Doctor Kinetic almost got you!"

Ladybug stares at her feet as she keeps sobbing. "Cat... I-I couldn't save him in time." Guilt slowly eats at her. If she hadn't been distracted by that Adrien ad billboard, she would have had time to get the civilian to safety.

Cat Noir looks at the victim in the street. "Milady—"

"I wasn't fast enough!" She cries out, shoulders shaking.

"You have to focus, Ladybug! I don't know what has got you so distracted, but put it on the back burner for now. Paris needs us right now!"

Ladybug covers her mask with her hands and cries into them. "He wouldn't be hurt if I weren't such a lousy superhero!"

Cat Noir grabs her shoulders. "You're the best superhero ever, Ladybug! The best I know. You're strong, and brave, and confident, and you always do what's right."

"Does that look like I did something right?" She shouts, pointing towards the victim. "I'm not like anything you say!"

"Of course you are."

"No, I'm not!" She turns her back to him. A final decision is made now. "Maybe it'd be better for everyone if I just disappeared."

Cat Noir's eyes widen. "What are you talking about?"

"I-I don't think I can do this anymore," Ladybug whispers, looking up at her partner with teary eyes.

"Milady—" Cat Noir reaches for her hand, but she steps forward and grabs her yo-yo.

"Let's just defeat Doctor Kinetic, Cat Noir."

Cat Noir sighs. "As you wish, Milady."

***

Ladybug holds the red and black spotted marker in her hand. "Please... fix everything." She throws it up in the air. "Miraculous ladybug!" She watches the damages get fixed and turns to the victim, waiting. A wave of red magical ladybugs passes him and his eyes blink open. She breaks into a smile, crying again.

"Huh?" The man whispers, sitting up. "Where am I?"

"I am so sorry!" Ladybug cries, helping him stand. "You were struck by Doctor Kinetic, and I didn't save you in time."

He coughs. "No, it's my fault, Ladybug. I should have been hiding, but I wasn't. Wrong place, wrong time, I guess."

Ladybug shakes her head. "I wasn't fast enough—"

"I'm fine, really. You brought me back." He stands and offers her a smile. "Bye, Ladybug. Bye, Cat Noir!"

Cat Noir waves and faces his lady, offering his hand. "Pound it!"

Ladybug stands still, ignoring his victory.

"Milady?"

"I was reckless today. I was distracted," She whispers, hoisting her yo-yo back at her hip. "Cat Noir, that man could have died because of me."

"But he's fine now! You heard what he said. He doesn't blame you, so neither should you," He tries to reassure her.

"But I do. If I was fast enough, strong enough, smart enough, none of this would've happened!" She starts to walk away, and Cat Noir follows. "I won't make the same mistake again."

Cat Noir's afraid of what she means. "Milady..."

"I'm done being Ladybug."

Cat Noir's eyes widen, and he jumps in front of her. She stops walking abruptly and runs into his chest. "Milady, no! You can't." He grabs her hands. "I can't be Cat Noir without you!"

She smiles, and it fades fast. "Sure you can, Kitty. There'll be someone else with the ladybug miraculous."

"No future Ladybug could compare to you, Bugaboo."

Ladybug laughs. "Can I be honest about something?"

Cat Noir slowly nods. Is she going to reveal her secret identity? 

"I always liked that nickname," She admits with a shrug. "I don't know why I pretended I didn't."

Cat Noir smiles.

"I'm going to give my miraculous back to Master Fu. I'm sorry, Cat Noir. I'm sorry that you never got to learn my identity and I'm sorry loving me was a waste of time."

"Please, stay. Stay!" He begs, on the verge of tears. "What am I supposed to do without you?"

She avoids eye contact and says, "I am just going to keep making mistakes, Cat Noir. What happened today was—"

"An accident! Superheroes make mistakes."

"I am not allowed to make mistakes!" She finally meets his eyes. "I am Ladybug! I have to be perfect!"

Cat Noir frowns. "Deep down none of us are perfect, no matter how hard we try to be."

"I wish I could believe you, Kitty." Ladybug grabs her yo-yo, ready to leave.

"Wait!" Cat Noir thinks of an excuse to keep her here, even for just a minute. He isn't ready to say goodbye yet. "What did you want to talk about?"

Ladybug shakes her head. "It doesn't matter. I already made my decision. I'm leaving."

Cat Noir's heart sinks. Marinette's going to New York. "Milady—"

"This will be the last time we see each other. Goodbye, Cat Noir—"

"No, it can't end like this!" He grabs her arm and pulls her back and they kiss.

Rain starts pouring as they're connected and Ladybug gives in, giving Cat Noir everything he's ever wanted. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him closer. She wanted to stay like this forever. Cat Noir holds a tight grip around her waist, hoping it'll make her stay, but after a minute she pulls back.

"I love you, Milady."

"I love you, too Kitty."

"Then why can't you stay?"

She takes another step back. "I'm sorry." Swinging her yo-yo, she hooks it on a building nearby, and throws herself across the city.

"Milady!" Cat Noir watches her leave and starts crying. He punches the wall as the transformation falls and he's grateful that his hand was still covered by his magical suit. He kicks the trashcans in the alley, screaming.

Plagg waves around in his face trying to calm him down. "Adrien, getting angry isn't the solution! If Hawk Moth—"

"I don't care about Hawk Moth!" Adrien shouts at his kwami. "I don't care if I get akumatized. Let him!" He leans against the wall and sobs even harder.

Plagg rests on top of his head and nuzzles into his wet hair. "I'm sorry, kid."

"I already lost Marinette. I can't lose Ladybug, too."

Plagg frowns and hugs Adrien closer.