Hold On Tight (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

Part 2: Delusional

Chat wanted so badly to walk Ladybug home, to make sure she was safe and alright. Obviously that didn't make sense because because he had no idea where she lived and she was a superhero, he knew she could handle herself. But she had seemed so sad, he had noticed the fact that she'd definitely been crying before he'd gotten there. He had decided not to mention it.

Ladybug wasn't the kind of person to cry, she didn't break easily, Chat at least knew that much. He also knew that he was going beat up this son of a gun who had hurt his Lady. They had to be stupid or clueless to not be in love with her.

Chat shook his head, trying his hardest not to think about Ladybug. He was dating Kagami, well, Adrien was. He knew he should at least try to let go of his feelings for Ladybug, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not when he might finally be getting through to her. She had let him hold her today, whether it be out of the need for comfort or something else, Chat would never forget the way it had felt to just sit with her in his arms. He could still feel the heat of her cheek on his shoulder.

Chat pole-vaulted through his window and into his room. "Claws In." Chat Noir shifted back into Adrien, reaching for his phone. The screen was alight with messages, all of them for Kagami. He tried his hardest not to grumble. Adrien liked Kagami, he really did, but he never would have estimated how clingy she could be. There were about thirty messages telling him to call her, to say goodnight. Adrien knew he should call her right away, but he didn't have the energy.

Swamped with homework, he texted, I'll call you first thing tomorrow.

He was dating Kagami. He hadn't even known how it happened. Adrien just remembered her implying they were in love after the Heart Hunter attack. And then Boom they were dating. The first few days had been great, and Adrien had almost convinced himself he was in love.

And then the constant texts and calls had come. Adrien didn't miss the way Kagami glared at other girls when they looked at him, she had stopped talking to Marinette all together, though he wasn't sure why. Then again, Marinette had been oddly quiet as of late, her behavior almost identical to Ladybug's. The few times he had tried to approach her, she had mumbled an excuse and walked off. Maybe there was tension between Kagami and Mari, maybe that's why she didn't hang out with him anymore. Adrien just wanted his friend back.

Adrien's phone buzzed and he looked at the screen.

Text or Call me if you need help. See you at fencing practice tomorrow, I love you.

I love you. Adrien had never once said those words back to Kagami, no matter how many times she had said them to him. He just wasn't ready yet. Ladybug had rejected him enough times for him to get the picture, and at first Adrien had hoped that, although he would always love Ladybug, he could move past her with Kagami. He hadn't. If anything, he loved Ladybug even more now than he had before. It was incredibly inconvenient.

"Ahhhh Cheese," Plagg drawled from inside Adrien's cupboard, "How I've missed you so."

"Plagg," Adrien said, giving his kwami a weird look, "It's only been like 3 hours since we were last here."

"3 painful hours away from my camembert," Plagg threw a slice in the air and ate it in one gulp.

"Well I'm going to shower, so try not to stink up the room with your cheese." Adrien teased.

Plagg flew in circles around the room, his energy restored, "No promises."

Adrien wasn't even able to make it all the way to the school before the akuma made its pick of the day. He whipped out his phone as Nadja Chamack came on screen.

"Don't be bemused it's just the news. We're getting raging reports that a new villain is on the loose. The akumatized victim is calling himself the Magician of Misfortune and is currently threatening to make the Eiffel Tower vanish in a puff of smoke if Ladybug and Chat Noir do not give up their miraculous, but where are our daring heros? Oh! Here comes Ladybug--"

Adrien shut off his phone and shoved it in his pocket, dashing toward and empty ally. Plagg appeared in front of him, grumbling. "But I just woke up." the kwami complained.

"No time to lose Plagg," Adrien countered, "Ladybug needs us. Plagg! Claws out!"

In seconds Chat Noir was shooting across the roofs of Paris on his stick. By the time he made it to the Eiffel Tower, Ladybug and the Magician were already locked in an intense battle. The Magician was shooting at Ladybug with his wand, puffs of sparkling smoke just missing her and making whatever it touched disappear. Chat jumped into the fray, knowing his stick wouldn't do much against this villain.

"Took you long enough kitty," Ladybug teased, jumping out of the way of another puff of smoke.

Chat dodged as well, barely moving in time, "Sorry milady, just took a little cat nap."

"I guess I did keep you up last night so I'll forgive you this time kitty," Ladybug nodded at him toward a building, then shot off in its direction, drawing the Magician there.

"You should be thanking me for my purr-fect advice."

Ladybug didn't respond as they ducked into the ice-skating rink, crouching behind a Zamboni. She was looking around the room for something to use, Chat realized.

"Got any ideas?" he asked. She nodded, calling her lucky charm. A wireless hairdryer fell into her hands and she stared at it puzzled. Chat wondered what she was thinking about.

"I got it!" she cried out, just as the door to the ice rink opened.

Footsteps sounded at the entrance, "I know you're in here heroes, you can't hide for long. All I need to do is flush you out with my wand."

Ladybug turned to Chat quickly, "The akuma is undoubtedly in his wand--"

Chat saw it almost too late. There was a strange figure standing high in the surrounding bleachers, a crossbow in his hands. And it was aimed directly at Ladybug.

Chat had just enough time to throw himself in front of her as the figure released the crossbow bolt and it ripped into Chat Noir's shoulder.

He cried out, slumping backward into Ladybug as she caught him with strong arms, "Chat!" she cried, her voice filled with shock.

She whipped around, her yo-yo slicing through the illusion of the magician. Chat watched weakly as her weapon wrapped around the figure's crossbow, yanking it from his grip. Ladybug snapped it over her knee, searching for an akuma but finding nothing. Chat turned his eyes toward where the figure had been, but it was gone.

Ladybug's attention shifting back to him. She gripped his hand with hers, her other hand pressing against his shoulder. He hissed in pain. The arrow had gone straight through and now was on the floor a few feet away.

"Chat," she scolded, her voice hitching. Chat realized she was crying. His lady was crying. Again. "Why did you do that? You stupid kitty."

He cried out again as she pressed harder against his wound, staunching the blood. He spoke through his teeth, clenched in pain, "Had to...save you."

Blood flowed through her fingers, her hands trembling against his skin, "I could've handled it."

"You would've been killed." Another tear slipped down her cheek and Chat moved to wipe it away, but the movement shot pain down his arm. He let out another hiss.

They stared at each other, both of them having a hard time trying to tear their eyes away, "Oh Chat."

Footsteps broke through their silence, short and moving quickly, "How touching," a female voice drawled, "The Cat jumped in front of the bug and yet the bug still doesn't love the cat."

Volpina.