Cat's Eye (Lukadrien)

Volume 1, Chapter 8

It didn't take him long to make it back to Desolater. Although maybe he'd done an extra few cartwheels and swings than was necessary to get across a rooftop. Not a big deal, boys need fun sometimes.

"Hey, nasty!" Chat extended his staff, whacking Desolater in the face, "Come and get me." Adrien could practically feel Plagg inside of him cringing at the lack of creativity in the delivery, but again a superhero can't have great lines all the time alright – he'd like to see what Plagg would come up with if the roles were reversed. You can't exactly integrate a cheese pun into every one liner.

There's a pang of offence within him. Apparently Plagg disagreed with that sentiment.

"I'll make you suffer!"

Chat backflipped, dodging a trio of blue sadness bolts that came crashing towards him. "You know, Hawkmoth really needs to get more creative with the way powers are manifested you guys – it's always energy bolts! I'm not a rookie - I've long since graduated from basic evasion techniques."

Chat darted round the right, trying to flank her from the side to pull her attention away from behind, where Ladybug was probably repeating the usually spiel to Luka about lending miraculous, trust and all that nonsense. Well, not nonsense but Ladybug could maybe streamline it a little – it's always poor Chat who has to take the beating whilst she's doing it and a little more urgency would perhaps be appreciated. Although, he must admit he is very curious which Miraculous Luka is going to get - so much so he has to actively force himself not to look back at them. Doing so would defeat the purpose of being a distraction.

Desolater screamed, creating the same sonic force as earlier. Thankfully Chat had learnt from his mistakes and by spinning his staff he was able to shield enough of himself not to get thrown against the wall again. Adrien did not need more back bruises.

"Nice try," he winked, "You know, maybe if you weren't so dead set on being miserable, that guy would like you back."

Desolater stopped dead in her tracks, head cocked, "Guy? What guy?"

"Um," Chat chuckled, "Well that's a bit awkward. I thought this was about that model Adrien and the guy in the cover with him?"

"What? Ew no."

Damn. Well, that was a major blow to the ego. Guess he'd been worrying about Kagami's feelings for nothing. Adrien could practically feel Plagg laughing his head off. He was not looking forward to the smug jokes about this later.

"Then..." Chat parried a punch, sweeping underneath to attempt to knock her over, "Not to pry or whatever, but... why are you sad?"

The sweep was a dud, with the villainess simply jumping over, leaving Chat looking rather silly looking on the ground. Still apparently, he'd done something right (as a hero, not as a human), because Desolater started sobbing. This of course meant that, she wasn't attacking so Chat supposed this counted vaguely towards a positive direction for the fight. The purple mask outline had appeared around her face though, so Hawkmoth was talking to her too, so Chat couldn't really count on the breakdown lasting that long, not with him interfering.

"It's this girl," Desolater began, "I really like her but she-"

Bam, Ladybug swung in with a kick, knocking Desolater straight in the jaw.

"Second Chance!"

Great. Now all that emotional distraction went to waste! Thanks Ladybug. Chat finally got to look though. Sometimes he needed to satisfy his catlike curiosities, like for instance about Luka's miraculous and-

OH!

Before him landed a boy dressed in tight fitting scales that fused with an ombre effect into the skin. In one hand was a lyre, and as the boy stood, he shook a lock of hair out of his eyes.

Damnit. Chat was so gay.

Maybe fight now and be gay later, Plagg supplied helpfully, especially not when I can hear your thoughts right now. God, I forgot how bad the inside of teenager's heads can get.

Right. Chat had been too busy being gay to actually focus on which miraculous Luka had been given. He didn't look like Luka, of course. The miraculous magic made people's faces register as a different person under the mask, but with the context clues even someone as oblivious as Chat could put two and two together.

What were he'd said again? Second dance?

Second chance, Plagg supplied grumpily, probably hungry, it's the snake miraculous.

Before Chat could even register it, not-Luka-but-sort-of-Luka (now Chat really needed the hero's name), had knocked him out of the way of a stray blue energy blast.

"Okay, Chat I'm on like take 10 of this."

Chat went to open his mouth, only to have Luka place his finger over it.

"Sh. Let daddy do the talking. Name's Viperion. Akuma's in the mirror earrings and not the actual mirror, and Kagami has a crush on Marinette."

"Wh-what? Daddy?" he choked, "WAIT? Kagami's gay?!"

Nope. Chat could not afford to have a flirting panic right now, he needed to focus on the mission-

"Not so loud! Are you trying to out her?" Viperion hissed, "Nadja's about to come round the corner with her recording crew, so watch what you say. She's going to get blasted by Desolater, but we're going to take advantage of the momentary surprise. I'm going to kneel so you can use my shoulders as a springboard to get in and cataclysm her right earring, got it? You went for the left last time."

Chat nodded, "Gotcha." The Snake miraculous power really was useful for finding the optimal strategy, especially if its user remained far enough away from the battlefield to not become out of operation themselves. Still, having used the Snake miraculous once himself, Chat doesn't envy Luka. The constant repeating of time over and over really took its toll, and being its usually user just showed the sheer determination Luka was able to embody.

"In three, two, one, now!"

On cue, the reporter barged round the corner, microphone in hand.

"Nadja?" Viperion exclaimed loudly, "What are you doing here?! It's not safe!"

With a smug glint in her eye, Desolater turned to blast the reporter, as Chat somersaulted over Viperion's shoulders, cataclysm still in hand from before.

Desolater spun, stunned by the sudden movement. Before she could react, Chat lunged. He took the earring in hand, crumpling it to dust. "Ladybug! Akuma at 9 o'clock."

"On it!"

The familiar whir of the Yoyo flew across Chat's vision, capturing the purple butterfly mid-flight.

"Gotcha! Bye, bye little butterfly."