The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

I don't want to lose you

"Ch....Chat?" Marinette shakily called, trying to twist the doorknob once more. "Have you found the key?" She didn't dare fully turn away from the akuma in her room, the half spider, half human creature that was tying up her parents.

"I can't find it, Princess!" He yelled back, sounding panicked and scared beyond belief. Marinette closed her eyes, feeling a shudder wrack her body, opening them to see keys dangling from her unconscious mother's finger.

"You can stop looking, I know where it is, and you're not getting it any time soon." She sighed, resting her other hand on the wooden door as she heard footsteps approach the door. "I... I don't know what to do, Chat." She choked out, tears forming at her eyes. "I'm scared."

"I... I am too, Princess. I promise, I'll find a way to save you." She heard his voice, sounding like it came from just the other side of the heavy wood. Please, save me.

He was standing, helpless, a hand pressed to the door as if he could feel hers through the three-inch thick slab. Already used cataclysm, no windows in that room, no keys... Damn it, she's counting on you!

"Chat... it's noticed me." Her trembling voice only struck even more fear through him. "It's... I'm not going to get out in time."

"No, no, no, Marinette, you'll get out, just... stall for time. Please." He rested his forehead against the door as he released his transformation, letting Plagg recharge. "I don't want to lose you."

He sounded so broken, so fragile and so small, it reminded her how young he was. How young they both were, yet they were still destined to save the world, save their city. The saviours of Paris, a couple of teenagers terrified to lose anyone. Terrified to lose their friends, family and loved ones. Terrified to lose each other.

The human-spider-creature thing approached, blinking its eight huge, blank eyes and seemed to stretch its fingers out, testing the air. Its long, spindly legs tapped against the polished floor, giving off black mist that swirled menacingly across the surface, reaching like hands towards her feet. Marinette closed her eyes and willed herself to be still, still as a statue. Playing dead. Do spiders see movement, or was that the T-Rex from Jurassic Park? How would she get out of this?

"Please... save me..." She whispered, voice thin and raspy and shaking in terror, pressing against the door behind her.

She fell backwards.

Into strong arms.

Marinette sucked a breath in and tore her gaze away from the monster, gazing at her hero. He was staring at the monster, no trace of fear in his handsome face, oh no, he was furious. His iridescent, enchanting green eyes blazing with a ferocity unlike anything she had ever seen, his mouth set in a determined scowl... until he looked down at her.

In an instant, every ounce of anger melted away from his expression, leaving behind only a relieved gentleness, and an aching, burning new feeling she had never seen before. She smiled softly up at him, reaching up to trace his jawline lightly with her hand, cupping his cheek, before rolling out of his arms to collide with the ground. She pushed herself up and stood behind Chat Noir as he spun his staff in front of him. She only just managed to make out what he growled at the akuma.

"You'll pay for making her afraid."

~*~

All was quiet, calm, in the cold Parisian night. The akuma of the day had been cleansed by Ladybug, having shown up late, and the spotted heroine had gotten quite the talking to from Chat Noir, berated for showing up late and endangering his Prin- three citizens. Marinette now sat on her balcony, with two blankets and two mugs of hot cocoa, one of each warming herself. She was hopeful he would show up so she could thank him properly.