Cat's Eye (Lukadrien)

Volume 1, Chapter 1

"Are you sure that it's not the idea of her that you like?" the kwami replied, "Think of it like Kagami's brie and Ladybug is camembert. You like camembert, but you can't have it. So you go for the cheese that you think is closest to camembert - which is brie. Maybe you should try looking at something new, rather than a replica of something you were wishing to have."

Adrien paused for a moment. Despite his cheese-based analogy, the Kwami might actually have a point. He snorted. "That's surprisingly profound Plagg."

~

The sound of paper ripping filled his room, as Luka threw his latest composition in the bin. Ode to Blue, written for Marinette. Juleka had warned him, but of course, he hadn't listened. He'd heard what she said - how the girl was insufferably and helpless in love with Adrien, to the point that even Juleka (even as one of Marinette's close confidants) thought it was getting a little weird. An ache grew in his chest, and began strumming out some chords that resonated with that ache. He couldn't blame her. He didn't even have a chance to compete with Adrien; the model had practically all of Paris fawning over him. God, even Luka would admit that the boy was gorgeous, with deep emerald eyes and golden blond hair that was both somehow always perfectly arranged.

Not to mention his demeanour. He'd turned up at Francoise Dupoint, and already the whole school knew his face. It was impossible not to, really, given how it was plastered across the billboards of the city and in everyone's social media feeds. Even without that, he'd turned up with Chloe of all people proclaiming him to be her best friend. The most popular girl in school, who not only organised all the school events (and thus chose who was and was not invited) but ran her own event organising business. If you were on her good side, you'd have invitations to some of the most exclusive events in the entire city.

Juleka had said that the first day he'd walked into the classroom, she'd been terrified. His face was so intimidatingly handsome that you could barely muster the will to approach him, and he'd spoken with such a formal, mature demeanour that everyone else had felt inadequate.
The blue haired boy shook his head and turned back to his guitar. Composition takes time after all, and Luka had never been very good at verbalising his feelings in a way that he was happy with. Song writing was cheaper than counselling after all, and it helped make the thoughts in his head more manageable, but Luka was picky about what aspects of himself, his creative works, he let other people see.

~

Adrien shot up, as the akuma alert rang. Ever since the creation of the Akuma App (to allow people to evacuate from areas, and keep people updated on the next Attack), it had been easier than ever for Adrien to get to the centre of the conflict on time. On the other hand, it had really done a number on his sleep schedule. Even just the toll on his sleep from being Chat Noir had a noticeable enough effect on his skin quality that Natalie had raised concerns. Not significant enough for anyone else, but as a model even the smallest details counted. If only Adrien's father would pay one millionth of a fraction Nathalie did, he thought dryly.
"Plagg, claws out" he ran to his window, throwing himself out partway through transformation, and swiftly using the staff to shoot his way across the city. Something about the rush of throwing himself out of that window, out from the prison of a house he lived in, with such utter abandon, made Adrien feel alive in ways he'd never been able to until being Chat Noir. Not since his mother disappeared, anyways. As he slunk across the rooftops, the glimmering lights of Paris dance around him like stars, details vivid in the night in a way that was unique to the power of the Cat Miraculous' night vision power. Ladybug preferred the day, where she could see every variable from afar and account for it. In contrast, Chat preferred the night, where the rush of the unpredictable made his own fighting style shine. Where Ladybug planned, Chat lived on instinct, darting and improvising without need to stop and plan. Something Adrien was never allowed to do.

He landed soundlessly near the iconic Eiffel tower, just in time to see Ladybug been thrown towards him from by the side of the river Seine.

"Hello milady. I knew you were pleased to see me, but you didn't need to throw yourself at me, you know" the blond winked.

The blue haired girl rolled her eyes, "Chat, I need to be serious and following my instructions, okay? The akumatised victim is called Juleka. I can't keep having you going off on your own. You're a loose cannon."

He pointedly ignored her critiques, "Well, what's the reason for the negative emotion, bugaboo?" he flicked her nose.

Ladybug gritted her teeth, but proceeded on, "I think it's to do with her brother, Luka, who was rejected by some girl called Marinette." The pair looked up as a voice echoed out from atop a familiar looking boat.

"Marinette, come out, you coward! I am Nemesis." The villain had an X symbol of her chest, with a seemingly ripped piece of paper embedded within it. "You've hurt my brother for your obsessive crush on another! I won't stand idly by any longer."

"See that one her chest" Chat began, "I bet that's where the akuma is."

"Most likely" Ladybug replied, "I've already got Marinette to safety - we should be good to just go for the akuma." She commanded, as she leapt forwards, yoyo spinning in her left hand at such a speed that it whistled.

~

Chat rolled his eyes. Ladybug didn't need to tell him what to do. They were partners after all, and he was just as capable as she was. Still, he followed suit, attempting to jump straight onto the boat, but Nemesis moved in front of him. He ducked, as a bolt of energy shot over his head and immediately struck back with his staff. He darted forwards, towards the boat. He bounces directly of a barely visible wall. Nemesis had created a shield dome around the boat, allowing nobody in or out. Taking advantage of his momentary surprise, Nemesis lunges. He's hit with a sharp bolt of purple energy. Knocked to the side, Chat stands. The wind out of him, he barely dodges her next bolt. Without the added protection of his miraculous, he'd probably have broken a rib. A yoyo was flung in from the side, wrapping around the arm of the villain. The creation hero pulled Nemesis away. Just in the nick of time too. The second bolt slammed into the ground, rather than his skull. He stole a sharp breath, as the pounding of his heart slowed by a fraction.

"Cataclysm" Chat shouted, his chest still aching from the impact. He slammed his hand against the energy shield, causing it to blacken and crumble. Dust scattered all over the ship.

"I'm going to look for Luka," he shouted.

"No! We should stick together to take down Neme-" Ladybug's voice cut out interrupted as she parried Nemesis' bolts of energy.

Chat darted left, and using the staff, bridged himself over onto the boat. In the corner of his eye, he could see Ladybug weaving her way around Nemesis. She edged closer, trying to get at the Akumatised object.

The blond hero entered through the somewhat destroyed boat - it was nowhere near enough to sink it, but the damage done was significant enough that the hero had be tread carefully to avoid impaling himself of stray piece of broken wood, as he traversed through the long corridor. Nemesis must have broken some kind of gas container, because the entire ship was drenched in a wretched stench. Chat placed his staff to his mouth, to operate as a kind of ventilator. Luka wouldn't have that luxury - time was of the essence to find him and get him out.

He heard a cry from outside: Ladybug. He faltered for a moment, but continued onwards, pushing through the debris to find the remainders of Luka's room. The taller blue haired boy was collapsed on the bed, likely passed out from the gas. Chat took his staff from his mouth and placed it in Luka's for a moment, before picking him up and carrying him out back through the path he'd just carved. His ring beeped, there was only had a single dot left - he needed to hurry. Chat came out onto the deck, taking his staff and shooting himself with Luka in his arms across to a backstreet. The blue haired boy woke up, as Chat put him down.

"Thanks" he said groggily.

"Welcome" the hero replied. As the he reached for his staff, his ring beeped a final sound. He had just a moment for the panic to set in before the shimmering de-transformation occurred.