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winter-literature · 11 months

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Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 61

Please note that the entirety of this story is a ****TRIGGER WARNING***** - mentions of child abuse, graphic violence, alcohol use, mental health, suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm - basically a constant blow of pain towards the characters - as well as some "steamier" moments.

Chapter Summary:

Morals, rings, and life threatening decisions.

Trigger Warning*

Suicide. Suicide warning signs.

Graphic violence.

There is a song that Adrien is humming - this is “Bullet” by Hollywood Undead. It has an exceptionally upbeat rhythm to its dark message. If you want to “integrate” more into the story I would recommend listening to it first. It will help illustrate Adrien’s emotions on an additional level.

“Tikki, we don’t have time to wait.” Serpent snarled while resting his weight on his knees, still struggling to recover from Ladybug’s cheap shot. He had crumpled over to the point that the threatening third claw on his ring was blinking inches from his face.

“Serpent,” Tikki placed herself in the space between his knees so that she could overtake the entirety of his attention, “the Kwamis need to rest and you need to hear me out.”

Growling, Serpent’s cat eyes burned into Tikki.

Attempting to bolster her own confidence, she crossed her arms defiantly. “Listen, you can take off the earrings on one condition.”

Biting his lip, he raised his brow; he wanted Tikki to show her hand before he offered any semblance of consideration.

Serpent’s ring beeped faster, landing on the second claw. Tikki pointed her head towards the ring before resuming. “Swear to me that you’ll hear what I have to say before you go on your heroic escapade. You don’t have time for me to explain anything more right now.” She paused, addressing the transformations that were already falling.

The flecks in Serpent’s eyes sparkled towards her as he weighed her proposition; Rena’s fox-tail necklace joining in on the Miraculous tune, however, left them little choice. He despised the fact that this would result in an additional deviation to their crumbling plan, but Tikki was right. No matter what, the Kwamis would need more than the lint ridden crumbs remaining within the holders pockets. The take-down was only supposed to last an hour at most, they’d already extended themselves for over five hours.

“Fine. We will take them off for now, but I-,” Serpent began to cede.

“And only myself or Sass get to handle the earrings once they’ve been removed.” Tikki added, wanting to reduce any risk of interception.

Serpent grumbled as he forced himself to begin his ascension to an upright position. “Pegasus, do you think you can transport us to the music shop?” Thankfully, the pain was starting to inkle away, Serpent could nearly stand comfortably.

“It will be cutting it close… but I think we can make it.” Pegasus preemptively opened the portal.

“Anyone who’s already de-transformed go first.” Serpent instructed before turning to Tikki. She’d obviously chosen Sass as an alternative holder since he personally trusted him. “We will hear you out. That’s all you get.” He curtley informed her before motioning to Minitorax to take Marinette through the portal.

As he continued traffic control he spoke in a rasped baritone voice. “Rena, I want you out here for as long as possible. Don’t go into the portal until you’re on your last blink or everyone else besides myself has gone through.”

“Oui, Chat.” Rena’s fatigue was pouring out. Beyond the fact that she’d erred on his name, she fell into the connotation of obeying that was used in her childhood home, ‘Oui, Chef’.

Though the number of holders on their side were diminishing, the music was growing louder. Everyone was fading quickly. Serpent was nearly lobbing people through the portal as Rena teetered towards him, barely staying upright as she held her illusion. Side stepping closer to her, he wrapped his arm around her waist, taking some of the weight she couldn’t carry on her own.

Serpent’s and Rena’s were the only jewels left beeping as Serpent used his free hand to shove Kim through the open portal. Just as Rena’s Mirage was shivering, Serpent picked her up and jumped through the portal before it zapped into oblivion.

The helicopters continued to circle as the last remnants of Rena’s Mirage faded from existence.

The portal had opened into the main room of the shop. Silent cries of relief escaped Max from his collapsed state on the floor when he saw Serpent holding Alya. Marinette had completely depleted the team.

Luka’s transformation dropped as he tightly held onto Alya, whose face was grimacing against his chest. Peering down, panic reignited him. Sweat wetted her hairline as her teeth audibly grinded together.

“Babe?” Nino stumbled towards Alya. “No! YOU PUSHED HER TOO FAR!” Nino screamed as he attempted to take Alya into his own arms. The strength differential between the two men was apparent as Nino struggled to carry her in his arms, ungracefully lowering the both of them to the floor.

Alya’s shrieks of pain incited frantic steps to shake the iron staircase, increasing the size of the audience. Helplessly, Luka bent over as Nino rocked Alya in his lap. Nino was terrified his apparition was coming to life.

Firm hands pushed through the stilled observers. “Move.” Kagami ordered as she slid through some of the holders that were craning for the best view. She’d broken through the crowd just as Alya’s shrieks lessened, devolving to silent tears within Nino’s hold. While stepping closer, she held her watch in front of her.

A mournful silence was held throughout the room as Kagami stood emotionless at her timepiece. This included Marinette, who internally pleaded for Alya to make it through. In her current bound position, she couldn’t effectively eradicate the sorrow and guilt that was prickling at her body; it was still subdued by the rings, however without the ability to spin the rings, she couldn’t provide herself a proper dose of pain management.

“What - what do we do?” Nino bawled, digging his nose into Alya’s unruly hair.

Calmly, Kagami held up a finger, watching the minutes pass. So far, they were at two.

“We need to get her to the hospital!” Marc cried in bewilderment. He did not comprehend how everyone was exceedingly compliant to obey Kagami’s single digit; he’d not been briefed that Kagami was already on her second lag of schooling to achieve her medical doctorate.

“How far along is she?” Kagami raised her eyebrows towards Nino while she observed the seconds ticking.

“Uhm - eightish months?” He stated with no certainty.

Currents of shame seeped through Luka’s body. Not only had he relied on her too heavily, but it was a reminder of how long he’d been away. Mathematically, she was pregnant slightly before he left, but she’d not yet hit the stage of showing or sharing. He’d missed all of that.

A stabbing pain wrenched at Alya’s stomach and back once again. She wanted to demonstrate a strong facade for the team, but the pain was blurring her vision as banshee wails clawed through her throat.

“Three minutes and forty seconds.” Kagami monotonically announced over Alya’s wails of pain. Her attention shot to Nino, who was desperately clinging to Alya, completely shell-shocked. “Nino, she is a bit early, but that can happen. Especially with stress and twins.”

“Wh-what?” He stuck his chin up to her as Alya’s nails dug into his leg.

“She needs to get to a hospital immediately. She’s in active labour.” Kagami tilted towards Luka. “The suit must have kept her from showing any signs earlier, it may have even inadvertently masked the rupture of the amniotic sac.”

“Ewwwww!” Plagg grumbled as he nonchalantly continued to gorge on camembert.

“Thanks for offering to help, Plagg.” Luka chuckled as the last piece of cheese passed the Kwami’s lips. “Plagg, Claws Out!”

Though Plagg was exhausted, it was muted in comparison to Sass, who was in the process of struggling to place a gummy worm into his mouth.

“Is - is she going to be okay?” Nino blubbered towards Kagami.

“Longg, bring the storm!” Ryuko offered a robotic smile towards Nino. “She should be fine as long as we get her to the proper facilities on time.” She nodded towards Serpent to grab Nino.

“ Aweh ! You guys are going to have the most beautiful babies!” Rose’s eyes glistened as the expectant parents were picked into Serpent and Ryuko’s arms.

Ryuko hastily left the premise, not concerned about waiting for Serpent, there was no need for them to run in unison, and Alya was the priority.

With Nino in his arms, Serpent addressed the group. “No one touches the Ladybug Miraculous besides Tikki or Sass. But,” the gold flecks turned to embers against Tikki, “if the earrings get within eyesight of Marinette, I would consider it a violation of our agreement.”

Nino awkwardly shifted in Serpent’s arms. It was slightly mortifying being carried bridal-style.

“Everyone should take advantage of this respite.” Serpent added before launching after Ryuko.

Adrien preemptively held a towel up to his nose as he approached the intercom. His head pounded as he ripped it from the wall. A mischievous smile spread across his face imagining how Marinette would react when he wasn’t answering her calls. She’d come to buzz herself in and be intensely perplexed that the beeps beckoned no one.

While he waited for the blood to dissipate, he grabbed the documents he’d printed to stuff into his safe. When someone would finally come to sort out his will, they’d have the information pertaining to his safe, which now held little besides official documents. That, and The Tale of the Graham De Vanilly Twins. Such a silly story, one apparently well versed by Amelie, but “ unknown ” to any of his caregivers.

Blotting the towel against his nose, he confirmed the blood had stopped. It may seem silly, concerned over spots of blood, but the concept of looking his best in his last moments seemed important.

He checked his pockets out of habit, as if he’d need to take anything else with him. But he patted empty pockets, his phone was smashed along his floor and he wouldn’t need keys to re-enter. Scoffing at his own foolishness, he stepped towards the elevator, grinning from ear to ear.

“Do you have a wheelchair?” Serpent shouted as he ran towards the neonatal care centre, Ryuko still maintaining her hold on Alya as they neared triage.

The stunned nurse scampered in the opposite direction to fetch a wheelchair for Alya while Ryuko updated the staff on Alya’s current condition and length of contractions.

“Do you think you can stand?” Serpent peered towards the paling man in his arms.

“Only for the sake of my pride.” Nino meekly joked as Serpent set him onto his feet.

By the time Nino’s feet connected with the floor, the nurse had returned with the wheelchair for Alya. As Ryuko continued to shine within her medicinal element, Serpent crouched to grasp Alya’s hand. “You’ve got this.”

Gulping down the pain induced profanities that were threatening to spill out, she took the necklace from her throat. “So do you.”

Her swallowing of profanities did not endure for long as another contraction broke her composure. Flustered, Nino trailed along with the nurse’s directing of Alya’s wheelchair. With one last break of concentration, Nino yelled behind him. “You better make sure their godfather is here.”

Claws dug into Serpent’s palms. He was doing everything he could. He wanted Adrien back too. But this changed everything.

“How’d it go?” Zoe was bouncing as Serpent and Ryuko walked back through the door.

“Um - fine. They-,” Serpent struggled to explain that they hadn’t done much. He believed that they were going to be okay, but considering Alya was screaming and Nino appeared as if he was going to faint, it felt inaccurate to state that all went well.

Thankfully, Kagami was far better equipped for such a conversation. “Statistically, they should all be of good health. It is impossible for us to say at this moment if there were any complications regarding this pregnancy, other than the fact that the birth itself is premature.”

“I’m - uh, I’m glad to hear that statistics are on their side.” Zoe’s brow furrowed in her fluster to find words. “Are you going to be back to check on their status?”

With an incredulous look, Kagami responded with a sprinkle of disdain. “That would be unprofessional. Should they decide that they are comfortable in sharing their medical procedures that will be at their own discretion.”

Blushing, Zoe awkwardly nodded. Sometimes it was easy to forget how clinical Kagami could be. To her relief, the awkward moment was short-lived; Luka was eager to push forward.

Chewing a gummy worm in his own mouth, Luka tilted towards Tikki. “Alright everyone, Tikki wants to address Marinette keeping the Ladybug Miraculous’.”

The group did not attempt to hide their groans as they sat along the carpet of the main floor. Patiently, Luka observed them as they shifted along the floor. Kagami opted to lean against the wall beside Luka, it was easier to observe the scene and they were less likely to succumb to their exhaustion. Both of them shared a scrutinous regard as Juleka walked behind Rose in an abnormal fashion, as if she was purposefully working to hide herself.

Before Tikki had a chance to begin speaking, Luka suspiciously walked towards Juleka. The gummy worm between his aching teeth acted as protection as he clenched his jaw for the umpteenth time. Seeing that Luka was headed her way, Juleka shrunk further behind Rose.

“Move, Rose.” Luka’s expression threatened her. Without hesitation, Rose jumped to the side, revealing what Juleka had been trying to mask.

Her arm dangled at a grotesquely unnatural angle as blood continued to seep through her shirt. “I-I’m fine.”

Sighing, Kagami marched towards the backroom, searching for a pair of scissors.

Registering Kagami’s movements, Luka craned his neck around her current wound. Though he could not see the injury at hand, he could tell from the discoloration of her arm that it was severe. “Juleka, why didn’t you say anything? We would have brought you to the hospital too.” Luka seethed towards Juleka, giving a side-eyed warning to Rose not to intervene.

“I wanted to fight.” Juleka grumbled.

“YOUR ARM IS BARELY ATTACHED, JULES!” He screamed, startling Rose to tears.

“Thanks, yelling at me really helps fix that.” Juleka straightened towards him. “Remember that I was the first one to actually catch her.”

“Enough.” Kagami ordered as she pulled the back of Juleka’s shirt away from her skin. Juleka pinched her eyes shut as the slicing of fabric stung multiple senses. The mere sound grated her ears as her shoulder screamed with each minute movement.

“You can leave your bra on for the initial check, are you comfortable in the others seeing that, or would you prefer to go upstairs?” Kagami asked as the splitting of fabric lifted up Juleka’s spine.

“It’s fine. We might as well get this meeting over with.” Juleka huffed, as if the entire group wasn’t focused on her.

Juleka’s shirt fell in pieces around her, leaving what was left of her shoulder facing the group. Blood continued to drip, but one of the bones was likely lodged against her veins, resulting in the slow blood flow and the blueing of her arm. The aghast expressions facing her made her self-facade of adequate health harder to believe.

“You need a hospital. There’s nothing I can do.” Kagami announced. “You are going to need a multitude of advanced surgeries. If I touch any part of your injury I may actually make it worse.”

Juleka attempted to shake her head, but it sent shocks of pain throughout her body.

“Hey Marc.” Luka beckoned him without breaking his focus from Juleka’s defeated expression. “Do you think your restoration could fix Juleka’s shoulder?”

Marc had chosen to look away when Juleka’s shirt fell, knowing he wasn’t very good with blood. His face drained white as he stepped closer to Juleka. “Um…,” his mouth had dried as he tried to consider his own knowledge of his power.

Deferred from the conversation at hand, Tikki approached to inspect the wound. “It’s definitely been longer than five minutes.” She mumbled as she circled around Juleka’s shoulder. Peering towards Luka she stated, “Your power would have been the most effective if we’d been able to notice it quicker.”

Luka raised his eyebrow towards Juleka to say ‘See, you should have told me’.

“You’re right, though.” Tikki backed away from Juleka. “Rooster’s power might be able to help. He should be able to fix some of the base structure, but she’d still need to see the doctor before it completely heals. Consider Rooster’s power as an advanced splint. The only person who can retroactively heal is-,” Tikki let out a great sigh, “a Ladybug holder.”

“Do you think you can do this, Marc?” Luka caught the attention of the paled man who was now being supported by Nathaniel.

“Uh-huh,” he said with such a level of confidence it sounded like a question.

Luka bit his lip as Rooster Bold called for the power of restoration. Unable to do anything else, Luka crossed his fingers, hoping it would bring him any form of luck.

Juleka’s eyes bulged as bones cracked back into place. Though Rose had become faint, she’d koala-ed one of Juleka’s feet in desperation to support her. Luka brought his hand out for his sister to clutch as her body jeered through its unnatural healing process.

Shaking his hand, Rooster attempted to force out any additional magic he had left, but he’d ‘restored’ it to the best of his powers ability. “I’m sorry, Juleka, that’s all I can do.”

“Thank you.” Juleka whispered as Rooster called off his transformation.

Taking off his jacket, Luka wrapped it around Juleka. Marc heaved unceremoniously in the back as the rest of the holders attempted to resume their positions. Luka briskly ran up the steps to grab one of the juice boxes Alya had forced him to stock up on before they’d had their coup d’état. By the time he’d returned, Marc was shivering in Nathaniel’s arms. Nathaniel grabbed the hovering box of orange juice from Luka’s hand with an appreciative nod.

The situation continued to falter in theatrically momentous fashion. At this point, the entire day lingered with a surreal haze, sending Luka to the edge of hilarity. Perpetually suffocating under the sensation of helplessness, Luka spoke with a manic tone that resembled a game show host.

“Alrighty~! Let’s get this meeting started!” His rolling hands furthered the comparison; what’s behind the box labelled ‘Tikki tries to dissuade the group’? Leettsss see!

“Thank you, Luka.” Tikki nervously brushed non-existent dust off her arms. “I think that it is important for Marinette to be able to transform when the rings are stripped from her.”

“Fighting Ladybug in the prison is going to be a hell of a bigger task than bringing in Marinette.” Juleka sighed, she’d already been beat up enough that merely escorting Marinette into a prison was daunting.

“Everyone, I know that Marinette has hurt all of you.” Tikki started, already wearing down at the unanimous agreement. “But, taking these rings off might kill her.”

“ Oh wow, I wonder what it would be like to almost see your holder die .” Plagg spitefully whispered so that only Tikki could hear him; his mind overfilled with images of Adrien collapsed onto the floor, surrounded by his own blood.

“Maybe she shouldn’t have put them on then.” Juleka scoffed, understandably on edge.

“Why can’t we just use Rooster’s power again?” Kim asked, eagerly holding his shins, believing he’d cracked the case.

“Um… No, Kim. He can barely fix a shoulder.” Tikki didn’t intend for her words to be slicing, but the grimace upon Marc and Kim’s face indicated she’d erred in her verbiage. “It was incredible, but… Marinette might die … Death is slightly more advanced… The only person who can retroactively heal is a Ladybug holder…”

“Why can’t we just let someone else wear it?” Luka tilted forward from the lean he’d resumed against the wall beside Kagami.

“It’s more complicated than that.” Tikki sighed. “The power will only work when the person’s heart is still beating. And it’s an advanced power, I’ve only seen a few holders ever access the ability to heal.”

“Oh man - but our bro already managed to get the levelled-up cataclysm! If anyone can do it, Luka can!” Kim grinned towards him eagerly.

Before Luka could agree, Tikki flustered under what she knew and what she was allowed to say. “Not quite…”

“Listen,” Plagg interjected, tired of the directionless conversation they’d entered, “You all think you’re special because you were hand selected through mystical forces to be granted superhero powers, right?”

Tikki grimaced at Plagg’s opening statement. Though she did not want to continue her education session, Plagg had a history of falling asleep in class.

“You were all chosen by Marinette. She saw something in you. Not some mystical destiny.” Plagg couldn’t deny that he enjoyed the discomfort that circulated the room. “But that’s not why Adrien and Marinette were chosen. Master Fu was thorough, running tests and scribbling down personality traits. So obviously, a bit bigger of a deal than having a coffee date with Pigtails. I have a savoury piece of camembert if anyone can guess why~ ?”

Rolling his eyes at Plagg’s cheeky behaviour, Luka answered. “Because you and Tikki are the original Kwamis.”

Plagg flew to tousle Luka’s hair. “Aweh, who’s a good boy? Do you want a treat?”

“Plagg. I swear to god. I don’t want your cheese. Just finish your damn story.”

“Fine, crankypants.” Sticking out his tongue, he returned to his daunting position over the group. “Master Fu gave up guardianship to Marinette because she automatically understood what most people were too stupid to catch onto.”

Plagg went to shove the camembert he was holding into his mouth before pausing to glance towards Luka. “Are you sure you don’t want it?”

“PLAGG!” Luka shouted back, acutely aware that time was ticking by.

“Well,” his voice slightly muffled by the piece now in his mouth, “don’t get mad at me later for not sharing.”

Plagg found it amusing how similar Tikki and Luka’s stares of fury were. “Okay, okay. To level up, you gotta be a proper fit with your Kwami.”

Plagg pushed his paws together, twisting them to accentuate his point. “So, no. No one here would be able to achieve a master level of Tikki. Especially Luka.”

Offended, Luka shot his arms out. Instead of explaining, Plagg simply snickered.

“Well… It may have taken Luka a long time to get the advanced cataclysm , but he has Sass! He just did it with Plagg.” Kim widened his eyes and jetted out his chin in disbelief that the Kwamis hadn’t realised this.

Man, it’s a good thing he’s pretty. Plagg’s amused snickers increased to laughter as Tikki continued to fume.

“Why did you decide to go to Luka? Considering the situation, it would have made sense for someone else to take over the Miraculous of Destruction. Unless there was an underlying reason.” Kagami’s deductive skills were beginning to ignite.

“Oh, she’s a smart one, isn’t she?” Plagg grinned towards Tikki, who did not find it nearly as exciting as he did.

The entire room turned towards Kagami, but her focus lingered on the man beside her. Intelligent, self-destructive, protective. “Did Master Fu consider Luka as a possibility over Adrien?”

Zooming over to Kagami, Plagg tapped her on her head. “Do you want a piece of cheese?” Her glare of disapproval indicated not.

Luka’s hands were twitching as his anger spilled out. “What you’re telling us is that it’s either Ladybug’s death or Adrien’s and we just need to deal with it? Since there’s another holder selected by Master Fu for Plagg, Adrien’s life just doesn’t matter?”

“No!” Tikki flared. “What I’m saying is if you just let her hold the Miraculous it will keep her from dying!”

Collecting herself, she re-started her argument. “What is supposed to make you different, what makes you heroes, is the fact that you will not take human life for granted. Marinette may have lapsed in her ability to withhold herself from dark magic, please don’t prove she also erred in judgement in her selection of holders. The split from the rings will be undoubtedly excruciating. With the extent to which the magic runs through her veins, she will likely die within a minute of the ring being stripped.” Tikki surveyed the expressions of the group.

Irritated, Kagami spoke up, feeling that Adrien deserved more retribution than was being given; Tikki was splitting Marinette from the deeds that she’d done. “You can’t blame it all on the rings, Tikki. They may have magnified her willingness to act on certain actions, but she was stalking Adrien long before Gabriel passed. Furthermore, it’s going to be a greater onus bringing Ladybug to Felix than Marinette.”

“You’re right.” Tikki’s breath hitched as she considered her own part in that. “She should have never done that. It wasn’t right. But that is what we need to deal with after the battle. After we’ve saved Adrien. The wrongs she committed before the rings were under the false illusion of love. She doesn’t deserve to have her actions dismissed, just as much as she doesn’t deserve to be sent to execution out of vengeance.”

Noting Tikki’s struggle, Sass strove to be the voice of reason. “I have seen the destruction that these rings have caused, I also agree that Marinette already had wronged Adrien long before the rings came into play. But I am more than aware that, even of that very crime, the majority of the holders within this room are not innocent. When Marinette stalked Adrien, it was supported as a joke or as a mission of true love.

“Since then, I’m sure you all understand those actions were wrong. If you believe Marinette deserves the death penalty, you need to consider your own standing.” Sass paused to examine the resonation of his words within the room. “The rings have a thrall, they encourage people to use them, they offer a disillusioned concept of serenity; when Ladybug was given these rings, she was dispirited. I can guarantee that everyone in this room has made a reckless decision out of weakness. Plagg - you destroyed the dinosaurs-”

“I WAS A KID! How many times do I have to apologise for that? Come on!” Plagg rolled his eyes.

Undeterred, Sass continued. “Luka, you fell to vices that nearly killed you.”

Juleka shot her gaze up to Luka who dropped his head in shame. He knew that his hospital visit would come up eventually, however, he was certainly not expecting it to have an audience. Sass said it as a reminder that even the greatest heroes are flawed.

“You speak as if we’re sending her to the gallows. These actions all suffer consequences. If it is a ‘vice’ as you so eloquently framed it, we would merely be taking away her fix.” Kagami continued to push back.

“When it comes to yourself, you so easily can find the grey within morality. It is ignorant to consider anything in this world as dichotomous, there is not a being on earth who is purely good or purely evil.” She found it troubling that they were overtly willing to toy with the life of another. She thought the amount of times she’d schooled Plagg on morality that she’d be able to steer a group of adults in the same direction; she hadn’t expected the depth of their thirst for vengeance. Attempting to reason on Kagami’s playing field, Tikki retorted in terms of narcotics. “If she was a regular addict - she’d be given methadone! Because it would be immoral to let someone die!”

Bored, Plagg rolled his eyes at Kagami’s attempt to maintain a spirited debate with Tikki. Afterall, it wasn’t Kagami they needed to convince; the only person with real pull in the room was Luka, and everyone knew it. Though Plagg prickled on the edge of revenge himself, he knew that Tikki always made the right decisions. They were caught in a cyclone of debating an emotional topic using logic. Wistfully, he started mumbling, interested to see if Luka would catch on to his method.

“If an animal had done this - we would call it mad and shoot it.” A quote from ‘The Wars’ by Timothy Findley, reflecting the cruelty of humans.

“Her actions don’t mean she deserves to die!” Tikki spun towards Plagg in revulsion, but Plagg was fixated on Luka. Tikki didn’t grasp that he wasn’t speaking about the actions of Ladybug, but to the group rationalising sending Ladybug to her death. Kagami huffed, irritated that her argument had been completely ignored.

Cerulean eyes met Plagg’s fixed gaze, confirming he’d immediately recognized the quote. The copy of ‘The Wars’ he’d given to Adrien had been long worn out before it rested on the stand beside Adrien’s hospital bed.

Scoffing, Luka retorted with the book’s opening quote. “In such dangerous things as war the errors which proceed from a spirit of benevolence are the worst .”

“I doubt we’ll ever be forgiven. All I hope is - they’ll remember we were human beings.” Plagg remained still as he laid down his attack. Morality is never black or white, but malicious deeds done under the guise of heroism do not come without a price.

Perplexed beings swung their heads back and forth from Luka to Plagg.

“Do you think we’ll be able to save him, if we let her wear the earrings?” Luka spoke to no one besides Plagg.

“I sure as hell hope so.” Plagg’s face gave no tells of emotion.

Tikki turned to the other holders as if they could explain it further, but they all shared the same perplexed visage as herself.

“When we’re ready to go, she’ll get the earrings. Someone get her some fucking food and let her piss so we don’t start breaking Genova convention.” Luka spat before storming out.

“What? He’s just deciding for us now?” Zoe scanned in confusion. “I thought this was a team decision?”

Plagg stood corrected, one person didn’t understand that Luka held the voting power of the room.

The sky was a brilliant sapphire blue as the sun threatened to rise. This was one of Adrien’s favourite moments of the day; when the sky teases dawn. The word still sleeps, but the reality of morning itches at the seams.

He’d considered this day over and over in his head, trying to pinpoint how to perfect it. Granted, his current plan relied on the assumption that Nathalie truly pined for Gabriel.

Nevertheless, with Luka coming back, it facilitated his plans. He was able to separate himself from the shop without worrying where it would end up. And his last straw, the one who he’d feel most guilty about leaving behind, abandoned him to join the very same man that tore his heart out. He was incredibly ‘lucky’ that this timed up so well with Nathalie’s business trip, leaving the old Agreste manor vacant.

Luka had made everything easier.

Happily humming through the desolate streets, he gazed at the architecture around him in wonderment.

My legs are dangling off the edge

The bottom of the bottle is my only friend

I think I’ll slit my wrists again

And I’m gone, gone, gone, gone

“Hey,” Juleka popped her head out the backdoor to join Luka in the brisk dusk air.

“How’s your shoulder?” Luka asked, sending a huff of smoke to dance in the wind.

“Amazing.” Juleka grinned while rotating her shoulder, but it fought back with a slight click.

Sticking his cigarette between his teeth, he pulled her shoulder into his hands, checking Rooster Bold’s work. There were bright pink scars creeping out of the KT tape along her shoulder, marking where the bone had broken through her skin.

“Does the ta phe help f ?” Luka spoke around the cigarette in his teeth. (Does the tape help?)

“I think so. No matter what, it feels a hell of a lot better than before.” Juleka mumbled. Goosebumps spread across her skin at the reminder of her skin pulling back together over her shoulder blade.

Satisfied with her answer, he released her, allowing himself a moment to flick the ash off the edge of his smoke. “Lucky that Kim constantly keeps KT tape on him. It shouldn’t surprise me, that guy lives and breathes athletics.”

“Lucky we had Rooster Bold.” Juleka smirked at her brother; it was her way of saying thank you without actively verbalising it.

“Yeah, we were seriously underutilizing him in the old days.” Luka chuckled.

A few ticks of silence hung between them before Juleka started shifting her shoes against the gravel. “So… What’s your plan?”

Biting his lip, Luka pressed his thumb against his forehead to push the stray hairs out of his face, carefully aiming the ember away from his chaotic mess of blue. The moment his thumb left, his hair sluffed back immediately. Figures.

“I don’t know, Jules.” Luka inhaled once again, hoping his last vice would aid in forming clarity. “It seems like whenever I plan anything it goes to shit.”

“Well, considering the shelf-shaking snores from Ivan, I doubt we’re going to be able to make it to the prison tonight.” Juleka stated in hopes that she could reignite the gears to turn in Luka’s head.

He nodded as he slid down the wall to sit on the concrete ground. “Leaving Adrien for this long without Plagg is dangerous.”

Crouching beside him, she rested her head against his shoulder. “Do we have any other options? Marinette’s muted, but if Tikki wants to put those earrings back in, I doubt we’ll be able to keep her mouth shut.”

Beyond the state of exhaustion, Luka hadn’t noticed that he’d been crying until a tear dripped onto his hand. “We need to get to Felix before the sun comes up. Without Rena’s experience with the Mirage , it’s going to be a hell of a lot harder covering our tracks behind bars.”

“Then you better get some sleep. We’ll deal with this in a few hours. You’re useless to Adrien in this state.” Juleka eyed the ash growing on Luka’s unflicked cigarette.

“I’ll try, but I can’t promise you anything.”

Adrien’s steps echoed the nearly empty remains of his childhood. Nathalie may have bought it, but only a couple of rooms had anything in them. He wasn’t entirely certain why she decided to keep it, but it was poetically perfect for him now.

He paused before the grand steps that led towards his family portrait. It was hard to imagine what his parents would think of him now. Especially when that very same photo had been looking down on them when Gabriel had nearly taken Adrien’s life in the battle of the Miraculous. Would his Mother understand? Would Gabriel shake his head in disappointment before coldly storming off? This will look terrible on the business.

Shaking his head, he dismissed those thoughts. He didn’t need to be pulled down by any additional guilt. He’d had enough of that for a lifetime.

Today was supposed to be a happy day.

He was finally going to be free.

Sleep was dangerous. The animal memory in you knew that. No matter what your mind said, your body didn’t listen. Part of you stayed awake. (Excerpt from The Wars by Timothy Findley).

“I hate you, Luka Couffaine.” Adrien’s voice echoed through the darkness.

‘Where are you?’ Luka was frustrated that the words refused to pass his lips.

Adrien crawled to whisper in his ear as he grasped at the necklace Luka had around his chest. “You’re too late.”

“What do you mean?” Luka attempted to reach out to touch the man, but his limbs did not respond.

“Goodbye Luka.” With the necklace in his paw, Chat grinned towards him, his throat draining over his chest.

Luka awoke with a jolt, slamming his head against the door behind him. The only perceptible light was basking in from upstairs, a yellow tint of the street lamp before the window. His violent wakening hadn’t managed to incite any form of stir in the shop filled with the thrum of sleeping bodies.

We keep failing. I can’t do this anymore. We have to end this.

Luka had spoken so quietly, Plagg hadn’t heard the calling of transformation, he only felt it as he was throttled across the room. Sass and Tikki jumped at their brother’s disappearance.

“You follow, I’ll stay with the earrings.” Tikki reassured the thoughts she knew were flashing through Sass’s mind.

Serpent couldn’t deny that he was impressed at the creativity of the holders. Once their transformations had worn off, so had the materials that ensnared Marinette. They’d managed to take one of Luka’s coats and created a make-shift straight jacket. Her hands were bound with his Agreste Industries tie and one of his socks was duct taped to her mouth. Though dishevelled, her eyes were now lazed in bliss; a glassed expression he’d become too familiar with. It was commonly found within the circles of the rich and famous.

“Did someone give you pain killers?” His nose nearly pressed against hers as he stared into her blissful detachment.

The edges of the tape lifted, indicating the mischievous smile below.

“That’s what they do, Luka. She might have been able to stop herself if it wasn’t for the euphoria.” Sass quietly explained, hoping a calm demeanour could edge some of the anger out of Serpent’s burning eyes.

“Cataclysm.” Luka whispered, ignoring Sass. She’d been tormenting Adrien and literally getting pupil popping pleasure out of it. He didn’t want to toy with fate anymore; or more specifically, he didn’t want fate to keep toying with him.

“Luka, don’t do this.” Sass put himself between Serpent and Marinette’s hands.

Flickers of forest green were seemingly bioluminescent as they swam around Serpent’s hand, weaving in and out of ebony ink.

“We both deserve this.” Serpent tilted Marinette’s hand to grasp a clearer view of her fingers.

“You don’t deserve to die and Adrien can wait until tomorrow to get his retribution.” Sass had faltered from his monotone voice, exposing the inflections of fear with each syllable.

The golden flecks, that now shone yellow against the nocturnal light, swam within Serpent’s iris’.

Oh. Sass realised. ‘ Both’ doesn’t refer to him and Adrien, but to him and Marinette. A death sentence for both that hurt the one he loves.

“Luka.” Sass perched himself on Marinette’s hand, finally inviting her resistance to ease. “This way will offer no retribution. You will not die a hero. Your name will only be remembered as the one who brought hell to Earth.”

“My legacy won’t matter when I’m dead. Get out of the way, Sass.” Serpent hissed towards the Kwami, who regrettably had no choice but to obey.

“You don’t think so?” Sass whispered directly into Luka’s ear. “It doesn’t bother you that Adrien will never know you strove to help? Only that you snuck behind the backs of the holders and sabotaged any chance at a normal future for him?”

The swirling ball of destruction microscopically shrank; it wasn’t enough to indicate to Luka that his wavering intentions were on display, but enough for Sass to know he was getting to the boy.

“If you want to protect Adrien, follow the plan. Don’t allow yourself to die as an executioner.” Sass pressed his paw against the edge of Luka’s cheekbone. “You owe it to yourself and to your family.”

“Everything’s gone wrong.” Serpent’s palm shook, his body wanting to will what his mind was disallowing. “This is the only way I know she’ll stop.”

“It wouldn’t be fair to the other holders. They laid their lives on the line too, Luka.” Sass’ voice continued to soften.

Serpent grimaced at the reminder of the building filled with the people who accepted him, who respected him, who’d followed him into the fire.

“It wouldn’t be fair to Adrien.” Sass accentuated his closing argument.

The room fell back to black as Serpent’s cataclysm fell.

Adrien paced around the office. Though he believed that Nathalie would have kept his father’s gun, he didn’t think she’d leave it in the safe behind his mother’s painting.

The gun would have marked the ending of her and Gabriel’s tumultuous time together. Hiding it behind Emelie seemed like a slap to both relationships.

Kneeling, Adrien pushed against the false wall below the bookshelf, revealing the second safe.

Alright father, let’s see if I can crack your code.

Adrien leaned into the six digit pin pad. First, he entered the gate code.

*Access Denied*

Hmmm…

N O O R O O

*Access Denied*

Yeah, that one might have been a long shot.

N A T H A L I

*Access Denied*

N A T H A L E

*Access Denied*

See? Maybe you’re not as sentimental as they say.

E M E L I E

*Access Denied*

I can break in if I really have to… But it would be a lot easier if I could just figure it out. I wonder if…

“Why - Why - must you always call me in the middle of the night?” Chloe whined on the other side of the phone.

“Maybe I just like hearing your voice.” Luka teased as the night sky haunted him; it had already passed its darkest point. The sand was slipping.

“I think you underestimate my willingness to murder you.” Chloe’s tone was stern, knowing that he wouldn’t take it seriously.

“I need you to do something for me.” He smiled at how comfortable his and Chloe’s relationship continued to become. If they all came out on top, he could imagine Adrien hovering over his shoulder trying to learn how to make french toast; or maybe, Adrien would be too focused on some ridiculous formation of yellow fruit.

“Colour me surprised, what do you want, you has-been ?” Chloe’s smirk was nearly audible.

“I need you to go to Adrien’s.” Luka inhaled his smoke as he patiently waited for Chloe’s response.

“Do you remember the last time you sent me on this adventure? It didn’t exactly end well.” Chloe scoffed at his request. “If you want to go so bad, why don’t you just fly your ass back and check on him yourself?”

“I am back, Chloe.” Luka’s eyes met the horizon once again. Tick tock.

“And instead of a drink, I get a *gasp* three am call from you to check on your ex-boyfriend? What game are you playing?”

“I need you to come get my phone first.” Luka continued explaining his plan before she had the chance to reject it.

“ Oh thank goodness, I thought I was only doing one thing. I feel much better now.” Her eyes rolled heavily back into her head.

“And my car.” Luka smirked before taking another drag.

“Is Adrien going to be on Dateline ? Are you making me an accomplice to a crime, Couffaine? I will rat you the fuck out.”

His face cracked as he released a rare laugh of sober joy. “Chloe, if I was going to commit a murder, I’d tell you about it first. You’d be way more helpful that way.”

“True. Where are you?”

“I’ll send the address to you right away. I’m going to leave my car unlocked with the keys under the driver's wheel.” He continued to delegate.

“You’re not even going to be there?” Real irritation was starting to bite at her words.

“I have a plan to save Adrien. When you get there, just tell him that you love him and you want to take him to the music shop. You can also say some foul words about Marinette, I’m sure that will help.”

“Oh, I can definitely do that. Why am I taking your phone and car? Aren’t those pretty standard necessities for someone of your *calibre*?”

“It will get you into Adrien’s apartment without having to break-in. Don’t try the intercom, trust me.”

“...”

“I swear, you won’t end up on Dateline .”

“... You owe me a drink after this.”

“You’re the best!” Luka sniggered as his farewell.

“Don’t worry, I’m well aware. I’ll try not to hit too many curbs with your shitty vehicle.”

He crunched his unfinished smoke under the sole of his shoe before tossing it in the coffee tin by the door. A warmth of confidence spilled over him as he went to wake up the group; they once again had a plan - and this time it would not collapse. He wouldn’t let it.

Curiously, Adrien punched in one last guess.

A D R I E N

*Access Granted*

Well isn’t that precious.

The safe made a satisfying click as he pulled it open.

Well, aren’t I a smart cookie? Adrien grinned at the contents of the safe. A matte handgun sat atop a stack of papers.

The metal cooled Adrien’s fingers as they skimmed the barrel of a gun. He’d done his research enough to understand the mechanics of the machine. He couldn’t help but wonder if Nathalie had provided the police with a replacement, considering Gabriel’s licence was provided due to ‘being exposed to exceptional risk’ as a corporate head. Although neither Gabriel nor Nathalie liked to play within the rules of the law; if they had, he wouldn’t have been so confident that he’d find the gun.

It was fascinating that the entire office had been sanitised, leaving no surface uncleaned, yet the gun remained filthy. The dried stains faded like dust against his touch.

Clicking the door shut behind him, Luka checked the time on his phone, 3.07 AM. He strode around the main room, flicking on all the switches. The groans layered as he stepped upstairs, applying the same technique to the upper level.

“Rise~ and shine~ beauties~ !” Luka smirked before bounding back downstairs.

“Did you know that sleep deprivation is a form of torture?” Zoe grumbled as she pushed herself to a seated position.

“You got nearly four hours! You’ll be fine!” Luka waved off her groggy comment.

Several of the holders attempted to sneak an extra few moments of blissful sleep, but once the Kwamis joined the wake-up brigade, no one was safe.

“Do you have a new plan yet?” Kim asked before a lion’s yawn leapt from his mouth.

Luka nodded his head in elated excitement. “Trixx!” He shouted into the room.

“What do you want?” Trixx was grumpier than Chloe from being woken up.

“Who in this wonderful room do you like the most?” Luka grinned towards the Fox Kwami.

“Not you right now, I can tell you that.” He huffed.

“Perfect, because that sounds like too much to focus on anyway!” Luka gestured to the room, indicating that Trixx needed to make a selection.

“Hey Kagami, have you ever saran-wrapped a toilet bowl before?” Trixx yelled across the room, jolting holders that were slipping back to sleep.

Gaping, Luka anticipated for Kagami to aggressively belittle the Kwami for such ‘petulant’ acts. His jaw nearly fell to the floor when not only did Kagami stay silent, but one of the edges of her lips flicked upwards.

“Her.” Trixx pointed towards Kagami. “Definitely her.”

“It would be an honour.” Kagami bowed as Luka removed the Miraculous off his own neck.

Much to Luka’s amusement, Kim was bound like a tightened spring, awaiting to hear the rest of the plan. “Kim, can you help?” Luka passed a broom over to him.

Bewildered, Kim took the broom and started sweeping. “How does-,” His cleaning duties were cut short as Luka banged on the ceiling above him. With gleeful comprehension, Kim joined him in the final warning towards the holders upstairs.

“I’m going to shove that broom up your ass, Kim.” Juleka warned as she descended the steps.

“Careful, Rose is right behind you! Wouldn’t want to make her jealous.” Kim chided as he smashed the broom above him again.

Rubbing his temple, Max stood beside Luka, knowing that he’d be an integral part of his plan. “How many people are going over?”

Luka scanned the room to ensure that everyone was present. “It’s a beautiful day to commit a federal crime!” He beamed towards the group. “Everyone will need to be suited up. Myself and Kagami are the only ones going into the prison. Max will hold up the portal. Everyone else will keep Ladybug detained and push her arm through. Her earrings will only be allowed back on once the first ring has left her finger. We will come back to help kick some Bug ass and hopefully by then, Chloe will bring back our last piece of the puzzle. Plagg, Sass, Unify!”

Still crouched beside the safe, Adrien released the magazine. It was nearly fully loaded, missing only one bullet.

Convenient. He thought as he rammed the cartridge back into the gun.

Stepping towards the desk that replaced his fathers, he broke back into his morbidly upbeat hum.

I gotta take this opportunity before I miss it

‘Cause now I hear the sirens, and they’re off in the distance

Believe me when I tell you that I’ve been persistent

‘Cause I’m more scarred, more scarred than my wrist is

Agitated, Felix stood by his prison cell’s window. In two hours the other inmates would start waking up and their day would begin. He was certain after the information that he’d handed Alya that they’d come to him. Unless they found out something he’d not even known. He’d even been so polite as to excuse himself to bed early when he saw the breaking news of the superhero revolt. Yet still, his cell remained empty.

I wonder if they did just kill her after all. Guess Luka has more balls than I thought. Heh.

A sneer spread across his face as feet softly landed behind him.

Guess not.

Ryuko Miraged the edges of the cell while the portal continued to crackle open beside them.

“I thought you weren’t gonna come.” Felix bit his lip in anticipation, watching indigo blue pick at the edges of the sky.

“We brought you a - ah!” Serpent attempted to speak smoothly as he held Marinette’s hand out, but was interrupted by her blind slap. He sent her a warning with a harder dig of his claws.

“Aweh, how poetic. Lover boy took over the kitty cat.” Felix grinned at Serpent Noir.

“Felix, take your damn ring.” Serpent pulled Marinette’s fisted hand further through the portal.

Felix looked at her hand and back to him. “You’re lucky she wore them on different fingers, or you could be facing a whole different problem.”

Serpent hadn’t even thought of that. If the ring forged from love was above the one from pain, they would have needed to find Adrien first. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case.

The sky was rapidly beginning to shift, now nipping towards a shade of navy.

“Felix, we don’t have the time for this! Take your fucking ring!” Serpent hissed at him.

“This isn’t what I wanted, though. I wanted the rings destroyed.” Felix stepped towards his bed so that he could dramatically cross his legs, thrilled at the state of impatient exhaustion.

“Felix! You know what will happen if we destroy those rings!” Serpent’s rage flamed as he pulled Marinette’s arm another few inches further. From what Alya had told him, he thought Felix would be far more cooperative.

“What’s in it for me?” Felix’s emerald eyes gleamed as he leaned forward.

“You get your fucking ring back.” Serpent Noir growled as he forced Marinette’s hand open.

“There’s a reason I gave mine back to Gabriel. They’re cursed. I have no need for them.” Felix cocked his head in amusement.

“He wants out.” Ryuko grit her teeth.

Felix tilted his finger towards her. “Bingo.”

“JUST TAKE THE FUCKING RING!” Serpent Noir shouted at him.

Felix clicked his tongue while shaking his head at him. “If you want to save your little boyfriend, you know my terms.”

“I’ll take him out.” Pegasus spoke on the other side of the portal for the team. “For Adrien. We can take down Felix again. It’s easier than taking down demons or a satanic Ladybug.”

“They’re going to know if he’s missing, Pegasus.” Would it work if he forced Felix’s fingers over the damn thing?

“Oh, don’t tell me you didn’t pick up a few extra Miraculous’ before you went to Japan?” Felix beamed, revealing to the holders that he knew every card they held.

“You’re fucking slime, you know that?” Serpent sighed at him. “Pegasus, take a vote. If the majority rules, pass the Peacock through.”

“Ha! You’re so cute with your democratic process.” Felix giggled as he transitioned legs. “So, do you guys come here often or just dropping by?”

“Don’t test me, Felix.” Serpent warned, his pupil’s constricting.

“Is that a promise, or a threat?” Felix flirtatiously retorted.

Interrupting Serpent’s ire, the Peacock brooch slid through.

“Ryuko, do you think you can handle another, or should I test it out?” Serpent rubbed the base of his free thumb along the smooth surface of the brooch.

Duusu answered for them. “Serpent, Felix is an identical representation of Adrien. You are going to be the one who can most easily replicate his liking.”

Groaning, Serpent handed Marinette’s hand over to Ryuko. It was easy to fall back to the memories of Adrien. His laugh, the natural cowlicks of his hair that he fought with every morning. Calling on the union, he motioned towards Felix’s pillow.

“Oh - it’s almost like I knew!” Felix covered his mouth and pulled out a feather he’d already prepared.

Instead of clapping back, Serpent kept picturing Adrien in his mind's eye. The stunning sparkle of his emerald eyes. How his eyebrows crinkle when he’s working out a problem. His perfect posture as he played the most beautiful music Luka’s ever heard. The Peacock Miraculous was strange, and felt unlike any other sensation he’d had from Plagg or Sass. He could feel the warmth of Adrien’s memory flow from his neocortex, through his collarbone, down his arm, and into the feather in his hand. With the other powers, they were simply prepared, called on, but Serpent just kept feeling through Duusu’s power, hoping that he would register the moment it was complete.

Until he felt an indication, he remained dazed deep within his reverie. The way his fingers fumbled on guitar strings. How his cheeks flushed as he shared his song with the world. His face contorted with hurt and anger as he threw Luka’s hoodie against him. How peculiar Adrien had been during fashion week, emanating a refined sense of concentration, pride, and detachment. How somehow, even his snores were beautiful.

Serpent’s palm gently warmed up. Opening one of his eyes, he saw the feather had turned purple. Removing his glove, he spun one of the rings on his own hand before dropping the feather into it.

Placing the ring against his lips, he softly brushed the cool metal before whispering its command. “Bring my creation to life.”

Serpent’s heart dropped as Adrien stood in front of him, bug eyed and confused. “Luka?”

“No.” Serpent shook his head. “Your name is Felix and I need you to stay here a while, okay?”

Concern spread on senti-Adrien’s face before he nodded. Diligently, he sat down beside Felix, a near perfect replica. Ryuko cleared her throat, trying to bring everyone’s attention back to the matter at hand .

“There. You got what you wanted. Now take your fucking ring.” Serpent pushed the tears away from his eyes.

“I’m not that stupid.” Felix stood from the bewildered new lifeform. “I won’t take it off until I’m on the other side of that portal.” A mischievous smile spread from ear to ear. “Plus, her screams will carry right through that portal.”

“Serpent! I’m running out of juice!” The edges of Pegasus’ portal cracked to prove his point. Ryuko’s fox necklace was also threatening depletion.

“This is a stupid idea.” Serpent announced before he took his free hand to hold Felix’s and walked them back through the portal.

Comfortably slouching in his chair, he pulled the slide of the gun back. The heavy weapon shook in his hand as he started to raise it.

He gave a last smirk to his mother’s portrait. He hoped that he’d get to see her again, but it there was a heaven and a hell, she’d definitely go to heaven. And… well… he wasn’t certain about himself.

Breathe in. He set the barrel against his temple.

Breathe out. He shut his eyes as his grip steadied.

“It’s so nice to see everyone again.” Felix’s joy vehemently rippled over the holders as he stepped into the shop. “I see you replaced the counter.” Felix pointed towards where the fresh counter stood, having witnessed the destruction of the last.

“Shut-up and take the ring off.” Serpent seethed as the rest of the group tensely observed.

“Absolutely, my king!” Felix dramatically bowed before he slid the ring of pain off Marinette’s finger.

Fire surged through Marinette’s veins.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Her shrieks bled as her body convulsed.

Vesperia stumbled as she attempted to shove the second earring through Marinette’s lobe. It had barely clipped before Tikki shouted towards Marinette to call for her transformation.

The suit helped, but her veins still burned. Her body still shook. She could barely see through the pain. Writhing in Minitorax’s arms, she forced herself to the side, vomiting along the ground.

Rubbing his temple, Serpent scanned the room for Chloe. “Has Chloe come back yet? Did she even take the car yet?”

The overall consensus was that no one had a clue.

“Can someone call her? I’m stepping outside.” Calling off his transformation, he dashed from the group as quickly as possible. He wondered if, ethically, he would have truly been better off taking his and Marinette’s life. Instead, he’s assisted in a prison break and torture. At what point would he cross the line into villain?

The spark wheel of his lighter kept digging into his thumb as he anxiously fought against it. If he wasn’t desperate for nicotine, he would have thrown the lighter across the street. With a final strike, the flame on his lighter came to life. Inhaling, he slid down to the ground.

He’d barely sat down before the door creaked open beside him. “You’re a real daredevil, hey?” Zoe attempted to lighten the mood before sitting beside him.

Resting his forearms against his knees, he raised an eyebrow before inhaling a stinging cloud of tar.

“We’re almost there.” Zoe shook his shoulder. “You did it, Luka. You’re gonna get your man back.” She repeatedly pushed at him playfully, finally forcing a smile to his face. “Oh - there it is - you big grumpy pants!” She pouted as she poked at his smile.

Gently shoving her away he rolled his lip between his teeth. “Do you think he’ll really take me back, after all this?”

“Luka, I can barely find a guy that is willing to buy me tampons. ” She snickered at him as her hair fell across her face. “You went to hell and back for him. I’m sure once everything’s on the table he’ll be thrilled to take you back.”

Tires screeched down the edge of the road harmonised with metallic clinkings of gravel striking buildings.

“Speak of the devil.” Luka stood from the wall, brushing the dirt off his jeans. Clenching the smoke between his teeth, he attempted to smooth down his hair. With all the insanity, it felt childish to concern himself over his looks, but he wanted to look good for Adrien. Maybe that way, he’d hate him less.

The Impala drifted as it swung into its spot, screeching to a halt. Tilting his head, Luka examined the driver - Chloe was alone and terrified.

Author's Note:

Important note on suicide: Why did I choose to have Adrien so happy? This is a common symptom with people who have decided to end their lives. The last day is seen as freeing, or the general point when they decide to organize their suicide. If someone you love suffers with depression or suicidal thoughts, please be aware of the ‘rapid transition’. Please reach out to your local community resources if you are struggling. It is stronger to ask for help than to suffer in silence. For anyone who’s lost someone to suicide, I am terribly sorry. It takes the lives of too many people before their time. Please remember that someone’s suicide is never your fault (excluding egging someone on to do exactly that). Even in this extreme case- where Adrien is controlled by dark magic - it is still not for others to take blame. He still had not sought counselling, nor did he search for any appropriate coping mechanisms. Help your people whenever you can, but don’t hold their breaks as your faults. And - get some damn counselling. Everyone needs counselling. - Theme: Addiction

Falling to vices at your darkest times. This was hinted at during the Akumatization of Belle. That it doesn’t matter what social class you’re from, addiction is a violent disease and preys on vulnerable moments. Addiction can cause people to do things they wouldn’t in the right mind, submit to violence, hurt the ones they love. Families are destroyed by addiction far too often. It is important to remember that people are more than their addictions. I am a big fan of prevention. How do you work to prevent addiction?

Continual mental health practices Affirmations/gratitude even in the darkest of times

Understanding any substance you’re considering 3.Should you choose to use it, take every possible precaution to keep yourself safe 4.COUNSELLING I find scare tactics (such as the Montana Meth Project) hurt more than they help. They mark addicts as demonised versions of themselves by partaking. Though I have already stated that addictions can blur the users own sense of morality in desperation for the next fix, the campaign didn’t adequately acknowledge why people get addicted. To treat addiction you need to treat trauma. To close up the addiction section I will say, please refrain from addictive substances. If you’re using to forget, please find a different outlet or coping mechanism. - Theme: Morality/The Wars Obviously, this book is very important to me and I often use it as a pivot point in considering the societal perceptions of morality; and how they’re not as definite as people like to believe. I highly recommend it. In this section, however, it was primarily used to illustrate the reminder that every human is capable of doing human things. I say human because torture and pre-mediated murder tends to be pretty damn rare in the animal kingdom, as is the ability to rationalise it to yourself and others is a purely human way. “This was/wasn’t wrong because…” I think it is extremely important to consider all perspectives of a situation and dissect it from there. Understand why people are doing things, and consider why you think that’s either right or wrong. The idea of morality is many things. One thing it is not is simply black or white. - Notes specific to story:

It’s been important to me to show the friendship rekindling with Luka and Zoe. Even though they obviously have history, that doesn’t mean they can’t come back to being friends. There’s a reason there was attraction and even more reasons why it didn’t work. I love the fact that they’re choosing to move past it and grow allowing a more meaningful friendship to flourish.

Chloe - I just love the sass I can put into her character. Once again, we see the fierce loyalty she holds for her friends (even though this has been misdirected before) and the fact that she has grown so much from the snippy girl in high school.(~therapyy~)

What did you think of Luka’s dark moment? Questioning taking Marinette’s life with his own? Ooh the morality conundrum (haha)

Why so many smoking scenes? Luka is cutting on his other vices and stepping away from the group is a good way to try to manage his own demons. However, it is not supposed to be a romanization of smoking. It’s gross as hell and has way too many health complications. Don’t smoke. - Okay… I think I got most of the notes down that I wanted 😂 Thank you again for reading!

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

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winter-literature · 11 months

Text

Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 59

Chapter Summary:

Plagg follows through with his mission and the team deals with an Akuma.

Chapter song (included in body) - Die First by Nessa Barrett

Darkness enveloped Adrien as he cloaked himself within his heavy duvet. The light switches in his house were only flipped when Marinette graced him with her presence. He lived perpetually in perilous black seas; the cool ebony was the sole place he could remotely feel at peace.

Peace; such a paradoxical term to describe Adrien’s state. Obscured from the world with a constant throb aching at his head. What did peace truly define under Adrien’s cove of blankets? Peace equated to stillness, to blood staying within his body, to silence. Or perhaps, peace was the characterization of the paralysing exhaustion finally erasing his last will to object.

Whatever denotation ‘peace’ carried, Adrien’s definition was never without pain and never offered respite.

Plagg bounced on the soft fabric, collapsing the cave that Adrien had created. “Hey, kid! Get up and stop sleeping your day away!”

Adrien turned over.

Sighing, Plagg hoped that perhaps the numbing medication would help to dispel the turmoil brewing within the broken shell of Adrien. “Here, take your meds for the day.”

Bony fingers stretched over the puff of the blanket to accept the small pill. He re-established his barrier as he popped the medication past his lips. His mouth was dry, but the journey for water was too insuperable. The small pill grated along his throat as he forced it down.

“Feel better, now?” Plagg resumed his disruption of Adrien’s fabric shield.

Instead of responding, Adrien curled deeper into his abyss.

Adrien could tell that Plagg was under the covers before he spoke, his luminous green eyes tearing past Adrien’s eyelids and stabbing at his ache.

“Adrien, you know there’s no point in hiding from me. I can see through the dark and transemulate through objects.”

“Plagg… Everything hurts.” Adrien squeezed his lashes together, wanting the glow to stop lacerating his head.

“Then be an adult and take a tylenol!” Plagg tried to rip the blankets off of him.

The ‘harsh treatment’ was one of desperation. Plagg knew that Adrien’s ailments were truthful, but he couldn’t fathom leaving him in this state. He wanted to leave him in one piece.

Squandered of any energy to resist, Adrien merely rolled onto his stomach, accepting the chilled air of his room to bite at his back.

“Adrien! Come on! Do you want to play a video game? Something?” Plagg wanted one last good memory before he left. He contemplated opening the blackout curtains, but he wanted to bring the man to life, not maim him.

“Plagg! Why are you being so needy today?” Adrien groaned into his pillow. His fingers felt weak as they attempted to curl into the cushioning below.

Stale air stood between Plagg and his holder. Plagg watched the gentle raise of Adrien’s back with each breath. Submitting to the pain made Adrien weaker than Plagg ever imagined possible.

“I just want to have at least one good day with you.” Plagg bowed his head. It was the honest truth, but in the right context, it was the beginning of the end.

“We have good days, Plagg. This just isn’t one of them.” Adrien refused to look up from his place in the bed.

“No, not anymore.” Not while I have to watch you suffer. Completely under the thumb of someone else.

“PLAGG! If you need cheese or something, just go to the fridge.” Adrien pulled his pillow over his head.

Adrien’s hairs attempted to cling to the pillow as Plagg ripped it away.

“No! You are behaving like a child!” Plagg bellowed at him.

The words lanced Adrien’s head, finally igniting emotion.

“ME?” Adrien stood from his bed to get the pillow, wobbling with his hand on his temple the entire time. “You won’t even let me fucking sleep, Plagg! Go watch Lucifer or some shit if you’re that bored!”

His hair was as chaotic as his eyes as he seethed towards his Kwami.

Plagg sputtered excuses, trying to prevent Adrien from falling back to the mattress. “Adrien, I can’t be all cooped up all the time. I'm starting to go bananas!” Plagg spun in the air, as if to emphasise his own descent into madness.

“Stop.” Adrien pulled the pillow back over his head.

“Adrien, if you can’t treat me with the proper respect a Kwami deserves, then you don’t deserve the title of Chat Noir.” The acidic words poured from Plagg’s mouth as he crossed his arms.

Startled, Adrien brought his head out from under the pillow. “Plagg… I just have a headache. What are you talking about?” His words were drawled from his difficulty in combining syllables.

“Oh - of course, because you ALWAYS have a headache.” Plagg started inkling. It was not intended, however, it worked with the portrayal of anger that he was already emitting.

To Adrien, the ebony rage was provoked by himself. Plagg didn’t correct the conclusion he saw drawn on Adrien’s contorted face; that the rage he felt was caused by the ones who subjected him to debilitation.

“Plagg, I don't know what else to do!” Adrien’s voice cracked as he trembled below his Kwami.

“If you give me up I can find a healthier holder.” Plagg shut his eyes; he couldn’t bear to see the heartbreak he knew would paint Adrien’s expression.

“No… Plagg… you’re all I have.” Adrien shuffled to the end of the bed.

“That’s not how it’s supposed to be, Adrien! I am not meant to be the only thing in your sorry pathetic life! I need someone who can actually… who will … who can be okay.” Plagg’s attempted bravado broke as tears welled down Adrien’s face. “I’m sorry, Adrien.”

“I love you, Plagg.” Adrien’s gaunt face was magnified in the dark.

“I love you too, kid.” If Kwamis could cry, Plagg would be bawling.

“You are free to find another holder.” Adrien took the ring off his finger. “Make sure you find someone strong.”

“Thanks kid, I will.” Plagg peeked over his shoulder as he floated out. He will be strong. The strongest holder I’ve ever had. Because I’m coming back to you kid. If I need to be apart from you for more than a day we’re going to get a rerun of the dinosaurs. I promise.

Lingering ammonia prickled at Luka’s nose as indigo flowed down the sink. Once the water started to run clear, Luka fluffed a towel over his hair. Electric blue stood up as if he’d played with an outlet.

A fragmented smile pricked at Luka’s lips. He was finally starting to look like himself again.

“Luka!” Plagg shouted as he dropped the ring onto the edge of the counter.

Rubbing the towel behind his ears, Luka stared at the familiar ring on the counter. It was done.

The victory was sour and morose.

“Hey Plagg.” Luka continued to dry his hair, not removing his gaze from the daunting reality of the jewellery he was now in possession of.

“We gotta go right now kid, Lila took her chance when I was leaving.” Plagg waved his paws for him to put on the ring.

Luka groaned as he grabbed the ring off the counter. Adrien getting Akumatized was not how he wanted to start this battle; although it was a convenient way to get everyone together.

“Plagg, Sass - unify!”

“Is that?” Carapace turned to Rena.

“I think so.” Rena mournfully agreed.

“Is that Sandboy?” King Monkey kicked in, not understanding the conclusion that Carapace and Rena came to.

“No.” Serpent Noir stepped on the scene. “That’s Lila’s unimaginative way to reuse Gabriel’s designs.”

The group paused in awe. Serpent Noir’s green hair was slicked back. His suit was a blend of Chat Noir and Viperion; the angled piece in the centre, originally from Viperion’s suit, was an emerald green with a gold trim. Nearly the rest of the suit was Chat’s black. Instead of a bell, the diamond symbol hung from his collar; however, the diamond shape was golden to match Chat’s bell instead of yellow as it was originally on Viperion. His plugs had an image of a snake on one side and a cat on the other. The ears were the same as Chat wore them, however, his tail had reverted to the way Chat’s tail used to look; it was plain black, without a single stud. The most unique part, however, was a golden three clawed mark over his chest.

The claws embodied Luka’s reasoning and decision to wear the Miraculous. They worked to explain his own heartbreak and that this choice tore Luka apart just as it had Adrien.

“What the fuck.” Ladybug spun her Yo-Yo on top of a roof, seeing the new addition to the team.

“Chat Noir couldn’t handle his responsibility.” Rena hurriedly explained. “Plagg chose his holder.”

Rolling her eyes, Ladybug watched Sandboy/Adrien float through the sky. He sat on a cloud, his eyes were unnaturally large. They mimicked the night sky, black with stars twinkling within.

“My nightmare’s come to life; it’s time for you to suffer the same strife.” He mimicked the boy that Adrien had been in high school. Perfect tousled golden hair and flushed cheeks. He wore a white long sleeve shirt and white pants as he floated over the group.

“Does anyone see the Akumatized object?” Serpent Noir shouted. “Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT give into your nightmares. Remember that they are just illusions.”

“Sure,” Chat Noir spoke from beside Serpent Noir. “Tell yourself what- ever~ you need.”

“Do you think it’s possible he’s on a blanket or a pillow that’s keeping him up?” Vesperia offered, trying to ignore the fact that it sounded like everyone was laughing at her. All telling her in symphony that she never belonged and to go home.

“Pegasus, can you bring me up there?” Serpent Noir shouted.

A young boy stood beside Pegasus. “Why did you leave me? You never loved me!” The boy was bawling onto the roof.

Clenching back tears, Pegasus nodded.

As the portal opened, Serpent Noir popped his head through to watch Adrien pass below. The familiar pattern of Adrien’s sheet was sitting underneath him before the cloud.

“You were right, Vesperia.” Serpent Noir stated as he pulled his head back through. “The blanket he’s on has been Akumatized.”

“Ladybug? Can you call for your charm?” Serpent Noir looked up to her, but she was bound and chained.

“Ha, isn’t it ironic that her biggest fear is something she’s doing to me?” Chat Noir spoke beside Serpent Noir.

You’re not real. Serpent Noir continued to chant to himself as he surveyed the scene.

“You’re gonna kill me, you know?” Chat Noir continued to try to antagonise Serpent Noir.

Serpent’s eyes met Carapace’s struggle to focus. Beyond dealing with a shared nightmare with Alya as a future parent, he kept being pulled by Serpent’s nightmare. Serpent kept evading Chat’s image, but Carapace struggled to see anything besides Chat’s deeply slit throat that continued to leak as he chided Serpent.

Chat leaned into Serpent Noir, “I hate you, Luka Couffaine.”

If it’s in the blanket I can try to cataclysm the cloud. We need Vesperia to stop him from moving. And Pigella can distract him with her gift.

“Isn’t it fun to see? See the way that you’re killing me?” Chat Noir continued to taunt.

“Pegasus! Get Vesperia up there and stop him from moving! Then you’re up Pigella!” Serpent Noir shouted. “Carapace, once he’s frozen I want you pull Rip Off Sandboy closer to us so we can get to him.”

“Why don’t you just cataclysm him? Finally give me some peace.” Chat rested his head on Serpent’s shoulder.

Pigella nodded through grit teeth. Any excuse to try to flee her nightmare was a saving grace. Doctors kept pulling at her and chanting, “It’s back! It will never leave!”

She soared through the air to show Rip Off Sandboy his gift.

Serpent Noir couldn’t decipher which nightmare was worse; Chat whispering words of animosity beside him, or sitting idly to the projection of Adrien’s greatest desire.

Adrien was standing in a black suit with a violet sheen as he fixed his cuffs. Something caught his attention, inciting a massive grin. “Well don’t you look handsome?”

Bashfully, Luka returned the smile as he wore a black tuxedo, with an emerald sheen, that had coattails featuring rainbow peacock feathers. “You ready to do this?”

“Almost.” Adrien pulled Luka against his lips. “I can’t believe you came back.”

“Of course, I love you.” Luka held Adrien’s head tight to his chest. “I could never leave you.”

“Well now you can’t!” Adrien snickered as he unclasped the necklace he wore, taking the ring off to put in a plush box.

“Hey, we still have to walk all the way up the aisle, you know?” Luka’s cocked grin took over his entire face.

Adrien silenced his jesting with a warm kiss. “To the rest of our life.”

Exhilarated, Luka tugged Adrien’s hair as he sprinkled kisses against his lips, unable to pull away. “I can’t wait.” A last kiss for good measure before they turned to walk down the aisle.

Clenching through the emotional turmoil of his nightmares, Carapace focused on bringing his Shell-Ter down.

Serpent Noir breathed through his desire to crumble towards the roof. Of course, in Adrien’s dream, Luka would wear the same suit design that he’d held to his heart countless times. The drawing itself was starting to crumple and fade from Luka’s obsession to keep Adrien close.

With a heavy heart, Serpent called for his Cataclysm . The calling of his weapon was barely a whisper as the forest green spiralled with ashen black in Luka’s palm. He touched the blanket, releasing the butterfly as well as Ladybug’s confinement.

Instinctively, Serpent Noir caught Adrien. Sunken eyes stared towards Serpent Noir. “You? You took Plagg?”

Adrien started to cry as blood leaked from his nose.

No… You weren’t supposed to see this. I am so sorry. I promise I will save you soon.

“You will understand soon, Adrien.” Serpent endeavoured to meet his gaze, but Adrien’s nosebleed only started to worsen.

Swallowing glass, Serpent motioned Adrien to Rena. “Can you please make sure he gets home safe?”

“Hey! I can take him home!” Ladybug shouted as she started bounding towards Rena.

Rena lunged her arms around Adrien and fled to Adrien’s house. Adrien had already lost consciousness; he was becoming too weak to handle any amount of blood loss.

“Carapace, throw a Shell-ter around Ladybug.” Serpent sighed at their reality. “We have a prison visitation to get to.”

“Thanks Rena.” Adrien crawled back into bed.

“Adrien, we’re going to fix it.” Rena put her hand out to Adrien who pulled his returned blanket over his face.

“Of course. I’ll see you on the other side.” Adrien mumbled from under his cove of protection.

“I will see you soon.” Rena promised before jumping back out the window.

Adrien waited until he was certain that Alya was gone. He knew that she would try to work against him and he didn’t have the energy to fight. He set out the clothes that he would wear. His lilac shirt and a black suit jacket with matching pants. Steam started to run from the shower as he brushed his hair.

Once he was cleaned, he styled his hair to the best of his abilities. He wanted to look as perfect as he possibly could in his current state.

After all…

He needed to look nice.

Today was going to be his last.

Nodding at his reflection, he opened the drawer on his desk, taking out the letters he’d prepared.

Author's Notes:

If I die first is another song that was eerily close to the situation between Luka and Adrien

In the first scenario, Plagg was harsher and Adrien was drinking, but it didn’t work quite right. Plagg breaking down his bravado and Adrien understanding that Plagg loves him but he has to go was so much more poetic.

THE LETTERS HAVE COME OUT.

Oh my god - the nightmares. My heart hurt and I loved it and I just AHH SUFFERING

So warning, I’ve been told that incoming chapters are trauma inducing, so I will try to offer some positive reinforcement with the chapters. I apologize in advance if I hurt you.

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

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winter-literature · 9 months

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Head-Canon: That moment when you realize you’ve awakened someone’s sexual identity 😂 🏳️‍🌈

The comments on this post include winners such as:

Actually had a situation like this happen. Girl wanted to see me and a friend do gay stuff and she’d let us both do stuff with her. We ended up just liking the gay stuff tho and just stopped inviting her to hang out.

(Comment to above) She girlbossed too close to the sun.

So. I love this. There are so many possible ideas from this. *Ok Fire*

Death Note: Misa using the fact that L said he had feelings for her to try and make Light both jealous/work for it. They obviously find that *oh wow* gay stuff is… kinda fun? 🤣

Death Note: AU where Misa is dating a fancy politician (Light) and their marriage is starting to sour. She tries to use the affection of a messy black haired man (L) to make Light jealous, but it seems the interest wasn’t quite what she thought it was before. Light comes home early and Misa tries to play it off as if they’d been caught in the thick of it. ‘Prove your devotion to me by proving you would do anything. Kiss this handsome dishevelled man!’

Miraculous Ladybug: Marinette can’t decide which man she likes most. She decides to try and use spin the bottle to help her determine her feelings. Instead, Luka and Adrien find their own feelings.

I feel like there’s some good shared trauma/bullying opportunities here too, but that got too dark too quickly 😅

I sincerely hope this post helped someone’s writers block, because we all know I’m f***ed right now 😂😭😭

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winter-literature · 8 months

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When I started Tumblr I thought I would focus on maybe one or two ships.

Lukadrien was the first I posted about.

Lawlight is my first OTP (and Death Note is the first anime I ever loved, so that made sense).

I was satisfied with this angle of content… but then…

OOOOH SHINY!!!

ARE THEY GAY?

Yes? AMAZING.

HOW ABOUT THEM?

No? LET’S MAKE THEM GAY.

…

Okay, okay. We’ve got Link Click (Cheng Xioshi x Lu Guang), Ajin: Demi-Human (Kei x Kaito), Given (Mafuyu x Uenoyama), Yuri! On Ice (Victor x Yuri)… okay, seriously, that’s enough.

…

LOOK, SK8 INFINITY (Reki x Langa)

…

Erased (Satoru/Kenya)

…

I JUST CAN’T STOP! MAKE THEM ALL GAY!

MAKE THEM ALL GAY.

#that sounds gay I’m in #let’s make them gay #fanfiction #fan fiction #Lawlight #lukadrien #a03 writer #a03 #otp

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winter-literature · 1 year

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Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 50

The Mirage Known as Fashion Week

“You do this for all your employees, Mr. Agreste?” Luka’s dry tone was particularly nasally.

Adrien held Luka’s fingers flat against his palm. Jolts of electricity surged through both of them, their cheeks simultaneously reddening. Both pretended not to notice.

Disclaimer:

Chapter Summary:

Before Luka leaves to search for answers, he must fulfil his contractual obligation of fashion week. Putting on a fake smile is a lot harder when the love of your life is within feet of you and you can't touch them, you can't hug away their pain...

The buzz of people blurred past Luka's vision. Slight nods of assent or the restringing of an instrument blended into the mirage known as Fashion Week.

"Doesn't she, Luka?" Rose's eyes vibrated as she waited for him to answer. Luka hadn't realised she'd been speaking.

"Huh?" Luka half sparked to consciousness, not fully aware that he was in the process of working on the strings of a dress.

"Doesn't Juleka look gorgeous?" Rose nosed in closer to Luka's face, trying to analyse his emotional state.

"Oh, uh, of course." Luka agreed, knowing no matter what his sister would be draped with pride and beauty.

"Is he awake now?" Juleka chuckled, shaking the strings in Luka's fingers as she did.

Sighing, Luka continued his work. He didn't know how he missed the fact that he was working on Juleka's dress.

"We might have woke him up too soon." Rose whispered. After years, Rose had still not learned that whispering was ineffectual around Luka. His ear was too trained from living with Juleka to not understand hushed voices.

Adrien was making one of his routine visits, ensuring everything was in order. From a standing position, he was pushing his palms against the table, reviewing a document with Marinette. His perfectly golden hair had grown out, the sides were shaven, but the hair on the top was spun into a bun that slightly bounced as he spoke.

The violin string snapped as Luka saw what Rose was talking about. Jade eyes shot in his direction, reacting to the sharp noise.

Luka grimaced under the gaze of Adrien, well aware of the light red mark on his face from the pressure of the string.

"You alright, Luka?" Adrien politely inquired.

"Fine!" Luka dug in the pocket of his bag for his arsenal of back-up strings, hoping Adrien's glance would drop by the time he pulled out an a-string.

The serious watch continued as Luka's fingers trembled while spinning the peg. He realised he should have taken out the broken string first. His shakes increased as Adrien left his post, stepping towards them.

"Take five, Couffaine." Adrien ordered as he took over the removal of the snapped string from the violin.

Clenching his jaw, Luka passed the string to Rose before storming out.

"Fashion week is crazy!" Adrien beamed as he put his hands in the air, still riding off the high of his second Paris fashion week.

"Oh yeah? It can't be any crazier than an Akuma battle." Luka brushed his lips against Adrien's neck.

"You would be surprised. At least you have an idea of what to expect in an attack. Plus, any mistakes you make are fixed by magical insects." Adrien giggled at the comparison. "Everything is so intense! Time goes by so fast and it feels like people never stop yelling. The first Fashion Week I headed after my father, I thought I was going to die."

"Mmm... we can't have that, now can we?" Luka pulled Adrien in closer, adoring the light twinkling in his eyes. Most of the business bored Adrien, but the hectic moments of bustle seemed to energise him.

"I'm so happy you're going to be there for the next one. It will be way better with you there." Adrien kissed the tip of Luka's nose.

"I can't wait." Luka ran his fingers through Adrien's hair as the sweet taste of euphoria caressed his tongue.

Luka stormed out the propped door to join the other disgruntled staff inhaling the brisk autumn air with a crisp backing of nicotine. Shoving the soft filter in his mouth, he watched the flame suck into the tip of his smoke.

"My boy! When did you pick up this nasty habit?" A familiar voice beckoned to Luka across the smoke pit.

Of course you're here. Why did I not assume that you would be added on to the crap pile I already have to deal with?

Pulling the smoke out of his mouth, he rested his hand on his jeans. "Seemed like a better vice than opioids."

Their relationship had been getting progressively better, but today was not the day to test Luka's luck.

"Ouch," Jagged Stone held his hand that carried his smoke over his heart as he walked to Luka. "I've been clean for years now, Luka. Trust me, this," Jagged waved his smoke, "is nearly just as bad. You're too young to throw your life away."

Snarling, Luka spit towards the ground. "Little late for advice, don't you think?"

Jagged's shoulders relaxed as he reevaluated his approach. "Luka, your mum and I are really worried about you. She says you've taken the break-up really badly."

Taking another drag, Luka shook his head. "Don't voice my shit here. It's no one's business," he inhaled again, "not even yours."

Defeated, Jagged nodded his head. "I get it, Kid. Just know that I'm here for you if you need. Oh- by the way, I love the new do!"

Jagged held his middle and index fingers on both hands together as he motioned towards Luka's hair. He was still sporting a similar hairstyle to their last night in front of the mirror, the night where Adrien stood iced on the dock of The Liberty. Maybe it was his form of the classic break-up chop, or the fact that it was time for a change. He didn't think the shag worked the same without shots of colour. Now, the sides had a fade shaved into them, the hair on the top of his head was longer and pushed back. The look was maintained partially by gel and partially by a nervous smoothing back of his hair in a constant need to control something. There were always some hairs that would jet forward, but he wouldn't feel like himself if there wasn't at least some disarray. Though seemingly contradictory, it was a form of controlled chaos.

Finishing up his smoke, he returned to the mad house.

"Take five, Couffaine." The words felt cold as they left Adrien's lips, but it was how he would approach any other employee that was clearly on edge.

"You know how to string one of these?" Juleka mocked as Adrien pushed the edge of the string through the peg.

"Juleka," Adrien once again leaned towards a formal dialect, "I've spent almost every day for nearly the past three years with your brother. Do you really think I wouldn't have learned to string a violin by now?"

He wove the string with a steady hand and expert capability, silencing Juleka's teasing.

Not wanting to make his model uncomfortable, Adrien continued speaking. "You're leaving for another international shoot soon, right? Are you excited?"

"I'm scared to leave Luka." Juleka admitted, her brother was making a rapid downward spiral.

"Yeah, but he's going to be going on tour, so there's not much you could do anyway. I wouldn't worry too much, things are looking up in his life." He tightened the peg, finishing the task. "Plus, I heard he finally shed off his drama queen of a boyfriend."

Juleka chuckled, effectively soothed by Adrien's self-deprecating humour. "Yeah, I don't know how Luka could handle such extensive hair care seminars!"

"Hey, obviously it worked! He's going to have to be batting away all the men and women now that he's looking so sharp." Adrien briefly smiled at his own comment.

"I think he needs a slut phase." Juleka stated confidently.

Adrien was scanning her dress for any imperfections as he responded. "Ew, too far Jules, too far."

Rose smiled sheepishly at their back and forth, it was comforting to see their friendship shining through the post-break-up tension.

Adrien repositioned a few strands of hair before resting his hands on both of Juleka's arms. "You're good to go! See you in half."

"Adrien?" Marinette called. "Can you grab me a coffee?"

Confused as Adrien stepped away, Rose peeked towards Marinette. "Don't you guys have people specifically for that?"

"Yeah, but I like it better when Adrien gets it." Marinette nonchalantly replied as she called the next model in.

"Oh, I would have gotten you a coffee too if I knew you needed one." Luka furrowed his brow at Adrien standing in line.

"Next!" The clerk called.

"May I have a large chai tea latte with coconut milk, please?" Adrien ordered before turning his attention to Luka. "It's fine, I wasn't expecting to grab one."

"That's not your regular order." Luka chose to drop the second half of his line, 'you would normally say it has way too much sugar and not enough caffeine.'

"Yeah, I already have one going. This one's for Marinette." Adrien tapped his card before walking to stand by Luka.

The lid popped off Luka's drink, sending nearly an ounce of hot liquid down his fingers. "Ow - fuck!" He rushed to the counter to pull out napkins. As he tried to wipe himself and the cup, Adrien was tilting over the counter's edge.

Why does she have to do this shit? Luka screamed internally. This whole fucking show she keeps demeaning him with trivial requests. 'Adrien, take this to the garbage', 'Adrien, get me some 4-ply toilet paper', 'Adrien, can you bend over so I can show off the seams on your butt'. How is no one else calling her out on this shit? It's not a good look to have the CEO fucking bending over for a cackle of ogling models.

His infuriated line of thought was broken by Adrien's touch. Wordlessly, he took the paper towel wetted with cold water against Luka's skin.

"It's okay, I like taking care of you." Luka reassured his Prettyboy while he ran a damp towel over his face.

Adrien groaned. "I feel like a damn damsel in distress when you dote on me like this."

"You'll always be my damsel in distress," Luka teased. "Plus, you have a weird way of always missing some. You'd think after this long you'd know how to wash your face."

Giant emerald eyes glared at him in feigned irritation.

"Like I said," Luka smirked at Adrien's childish grimace, "I love taking care of you."

Adrien's face blushed as he got lost in Luka's smile.

"You do this for all your employees, Mr. Agreste?" Luka's dry tone was particularly nasally.

Adrien held Luka's fingers flat against his palm. Jolts of electricity surged through both of them, their cheeks simultaneously reddening. Both pretended not to notice.

"It doesn't look like you suffered any significant burns. Your skin might be a bit sensitive, but nothing requiring additional attention." Adrien lowered his hand, signalling Luka to hold the weight of his own fingers. "It's a good thing your drinks are overflowing with sugar or it might have been worse."

"Large chai latte with coconut milk!" The barista set the cup on the counter.

Lifting the cup to Luka, Adrien bid adieu. "I'll see you back in there, Couffaine."

Luka swore he used his last name on purpose. Twisting the knife already lodged in his stomach.

When Luka reentered their area, Adrien was in the process of finishing an imitation of Chat's moonwalk.

Well, this can't be anything good. Luka controlled the urge to squeeze his cup, not wanting to invite the same fate as two minutes ago.

"That was so good, Adrien!" Marinette clapped.

"Whatever brings the mood up, right?" Adrien beamed. "All I have left to check is the piano piece, are you okay to confirm that one, Marinette?"

"Absolutely!" Marinette hopped up, genuinely thrilled.

As Adrien walked towards the door, his face dropped. Luka watched as Adrien's jaw clenched and his eyes grew jaded. He paced by Luka with such speed it lifted the stray hairs off Luka's forehead.

Setting down his coffee, Luka looked towards Marinette, who was happily humming as she verified each hem. He scanned to see if there would be anything instrumental that required his attention. Deciding he should be clear, he spun to follow Adrien. He could tell when the man was attempting to manage a panic attack.

Dropping his head to the ground, Luka checked to see if there were any other feet besides Adrien's in the stalls. Confident that they were the only two in there, he dead bolted the door behind him.

"Who's there?" Adrien's back straightened, still with one hand on the toilet bowl. He heard the locking of the door and was understandably on edge.

"Thought you might want the extra privacy." Luka leaned against the blue painted stall.

Adrien scoffed as he rested his head on his forearm. He wanted to sound strong, to seem resilient. This was extremely hard to convey when struggling to breath and crying non-stop between spouts of puking. "Thought you would give me privacy by locking yourself in with me, because that makes sense."

"I know you don't want anyone seeing you like this." Luka flatly responded, nuzzling his head against the door.

"How did you know I w-was-," Adrien's breath hitched, devolving into sobs.

Adrien was gasping and twitching as a nightmare overcame him. Luka tried to calmly talk him through it, to let him know that he was there.

Luka felt helpless as Adrien ran to the bathroom. Part of Luka wanted to believe it was only this bad because of Gabriel's memorial that day, but Plagg's expertise in care demonstrated otherwise.

Adrien didn't want Luka seeing him like this, he didn't want Luka to know how broken he was. But Luka was there to stay.

Luka's palm was lifted by the seizing of Adrien's back, but his touch seemed to provide soothing relief. He kept rubbing his back and whispering that he was there.

Adrien used the back of his hand to wipe the bile from his lips. He rested his face on his forearm against the toilet seat, wanting to fade away completely.

Instead of fading away, warm hands circled his waist. The pain melted as Adrien allowed himself to fall back into Luka's hold. Tears still trickled, but the intense emotion had changed. As Luka rested his nose in Adrien's hair, Adrien stopped caring about his sweat, his clammy skin, or his drooping posture.

Plagg welcomed Luka to 'la maison Agreste' as he dropped off a bottle of water.

As Adrien gulped the water, Luka ran his nose in the crook of Adrien's neck. He could feel Adrien's pulse stabilising.

He wanted to say it then, he was ready for it, but he knew the moment wasn't right. But he was certain, he loved Adrien.

Setting the bottle down beside him, Adrien backed further into the blue haired man behind him. Even the man's breath was calming. It made his existence tangible.

Adrien had no idea what he had done to deserve this man, but he thanked the universe for bringing them together. He brought his hand up to push Luka's face harder into his temple. 'This,' he thought to himself, 'must be what love feels like.'

"I've known you for a long time, Adrien. I can tell when you're trying to subdue a panic attack." Luka's hand pressed against the stall door.

"I- I don't understand what's happening." Adrien's sobs fell harder, encouraging another fit of vomit.

"You've got this, Adrien. You've been to hell and back. This is nothing but a hiccup." Luka tried to reassure him.

"No! This is hell!" Adrien's back arched as he pushed his forehead into his arm, desperately wanting his torture to stop.

"Adrien~," Luka elongated his name.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE, LUKA?" Adrien shouted in fury.

"I... I just wanted to help." Luka bit his trembling lip.

"Don't lie to me." Adrien allowed his body to limp around the porcelain. "You made it pretty clear you have no interest in me anymore."

Luka's palm against the door turned to a fist as tears fell against his restraint.

Thumbing his own tears, Adrien fired one last shot. "I'm sure Zoe, or whoever else you're fancying nowadays, needs your attention more than I do."

Not wanting to leave, Luka counted down from ten. Once he reached one, he would force himself to leave.

Trembling, Adrien listened to each of Luka's receding steps.

I'm caught in a hurricane I'm leaving here dead or alive And I know that I'd be willing to feel the pain If it got me to the other side 'Cause it only hurts, hurricane Yeah, I can feel it hurt, hurricane

Hurricane by Theory of a Dead Man

Author's Notes:

Going back through this story has been a journey of itself. I think this is my favourite chapter in this entire series. Trying to get better, but everything is getting worse.

Originally this was wrote with "Hate Me" by Blue October in mind - but it just didn't end up being the right quote, and it broke my heart 😭

Here's a line for you anyway, "An ounce of peace is all I want for you; will you never call again?"

The only flashback that is a direct retelling of a scene from the story is the last one. The first time that Luka sees Adrien's bad panic attacks in action. The one where Plagg thinks this kid's not half bad.

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

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winter-literature · 11 months

Text

Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 60

Chapter Summary:

The battle against Ladybug takes full swing.

Chapter song (included in body) - Glory and Gore by Lorde

“TRAITOR!” Ladybug cried as she whipped her Yo-Yo against the walls surrounding her. The lime prison Shell-ter shattered with ease.

The onus’ they had already prepared for were Ladybug’s extended experience and that her power was expected to subjugate the lesser Miraculous’. Their unforeseen handicap was the lack of edge the counter Miraculous would carry; Luka was far too fresh a holder to be an even opponent. Unfortunately, the carry-over experience in between the Miraculous’ was minimal, particularly in regards to Creation and Destruction.

The weakened walls of Carapace’s Shell-ters were an extension of himself. He’d already been emotionally drained from Rip Off Sandboy’s vivid hallucinations, physically exhausted by the length of the battles himself, and was tapping on the edge of his tank with repeated exertion of his power.

Without proper pockets to tap out his anxiety, the inner skin of Serpent Noir’s cheek had gone raw from compulsively gnawing at it as he struggled to break down the problem. Ignorantly, he believed that sheer numbers alone would lead to a rudimentary takedown. The second error was the fact that he miscalculated the unified front; there was constantly someone requiring a pause from battle to de-transform.

Tapping his fingers along the heel of his palm he contemplated using the power of destruction, but he knew there would be no going back if he did. Would the others ever forgive him if he went rogue? If he Cataclysmed the last breath from Ladybug?

As tempting as it was, he knew that the cost of any life could not be underestimated. Beyond the judgement of others, he realised he could never live under the weight of that sin.

Once again, translucent green shards hailed from Ladybug. Knowing that Carapace was out of juice, Serpent Noir attempted to divert the exertion. With their current modus operandi, Carapace was the most befitting holder; therefore, it was imperative that Carapace was performing at the highest possible calibre.

“Vesperia! Stun her!” Serpent Noir instructed as he bitterly kicked the Shell-ter fragments before him.

Ladybug’s face cringed as Vesperia’s stinger sunk into her shoulder. Her iced expression of contorted discomfort sent a jolt of hope through Serpent; he finally had a brief moment to disarm her. Before his fingers could brush the edge of her Yo-Yo, the venom dissipated.

Vindictively, Ladybug spun backwards to smash her Yo-Yo against his face. Covering his throbbing cheek with one hand, he flailed backwards onto the tilt of the roof. His body spiralled tumultuously down the roof, his protective palm shielding his face numerous times. A spur of luck enabled him to catch one of the divots of the roof before continuing his descent. Blood spat from his mouth as he shrieked in desperation at the sight of Ladybug shrinking.

“PEGASUS! STOP HER!”

Igniting into action, Pegasus took the offensive lead by tossing a portal while Carapace crouched beside a chimney.

Rena blanketed Carapace with a Mirage as she knelt to the ground, attempting to reserve what energy she had left. She watched helplessly as Ladybug escaped every portal. Even if Pegasus dropped her directly into Serpent’s arms she could wile her way out of it. The portals were dispersed so expediently that Pegasus was nearly depleted before Serpent even had a chance to formulate a plan.

Recalculating, Serpent modified from grapple to strike; he shot his baton out, effectively jamming her ribs the moment she materialised through the portal. With a breathless grunt she halted mid air and plummeted to the roof below.

Extending his baton further, he slammed it against her torso while shouting towards Vesperia. “Stun her again!”

Ladybug was a rabid dog thrashing against Serpent’s baton. As he approached, he increased pressure against her hips. Her detainment was nearly palpable until the cursed call echoed through the streets.

*Lucky Charm!*

A pebble fell from the sky. Confused, she rolled it around in her fingers, it looked like a mechanism of some sort. Vesperia’s venom stunned her once the charm was safely clenched in her fist.

What the hell is that? Serpent attempted to analyse the glimpse he’d seen of her charm as the group closed in on the stilled, fallen hero. Maybe the Charm is starting to falter because she’s going against the team? Maybe we have something on our side from within Ladybug’s power.

Feigning frozen defeat, she laid limply against her entrapment; she needed them with their guards down and as close as possible.

Crouching to grasp Ladybug, Serpent’s baton slightly angled upwards from her hips. Her hair ran through his fingers as she spun out from under the weapon and smashed her pebble towards the ground.

Ominously dense smoke misted around the holders, completely whiting out their vision. Quick-wittedly, Carapace threw a domed Shell-ter over them. Though he would imprison the entire team; Ladybug would be imprisoned with them, her powers already exhausted.

Serpent watched as smoke swirled against the glassy edges of their confinement. His jaw clenched as a brief flash of red shot from the other side; she’d already made it past the edge of the Shell-ter before it was raised.

“She escaped.” Serpent growled.

Irritated, Carapace dissipated his field of protection. By the time the dome fell, Ladybug had fled from their field of vision.

Relying on her transformation still being up, Serpent Noir swiped out his GPS from the top of his baton. Ladybug was far closer than he thought. He barely saw her location pin by the time a zipping noise reeled from behind him.

A booming crack resonated as Ladybug’s Yo-Yo struck the back of Serpent’s skull. For a brief moment, Serpent’s vision flashed to black while he collapsed to his knees.

“How dare you? You steal my Kitty’s power and then go after mine?” Ladybug seethed as she threw another Yo-Yo, striking Vesperia.

“Ladybug, your time is OVER!” Purple Tigress screamed as she threw her clout.

As Ladybug toppled to the roof, she entangled Purple Tigress into her weapon.

“I made you.” She spat towards Tigress before she swung her in the air and whipped her across the city.

“NO!” Pigella shrieked in horror as Tigress spun through the air, flailing out of sight.

A paralysing level of panic pumped through Serpent Noir. His plan was crumbling, and the ones he loved were paying the price. Gears were jamming in Serpent’s foggy mind as he struggled to consider any form of strategy.

*Lucky Charm*

“Agh!” Serpent Noir couldn’t mute his rage. He hadn’t even considered that the smoke bomb would have given her a chance to recharge her powers.

Maniacal laughter emanated from Ladybug as she caught her newest charm. It was poetic, in a way, that she’d spent so many years fighting Papillion and his illusions to get this charm. An identical charm had been held by several of Papillion’s villains; it had even been held by Chat’s personified nightmare. She bit her lip in exhilaration, sharing the same conclusion as Serpent, as she gripped the infamously enormous red and black spotted jagged sabre. She’d become the monster she’d worked tirelessly to battle.

Terror and anger fueled the wind summoned by Ryuko, tearing shingles off roofs and swinging the hoods off the tips of chimney ends. Ladybug’s balance barely wavered as the attack struck her.

Stunned, Serpent watched as Ladybug started charging forward with her deadly weapon in hand.

What do we need? What are we missing? We need a - oh god dammit.

Serpent Noir frustrated himself with his own obliviousness.

*Second Chance*

Strumming his harp, Serpent crouched to analyse the scene. He decided that surveying the attacks would be the best method to find the crack, the flaw, the missing link they needed to win.

Ladybug bound forward towards Ryuko but, to Serpent’s surprise, Pigella was the first to intercept her trail. She was fighting for Tigress, who was still out of sight. Smothering her vindictive urge to vault Ladybug across the roof, Pigella attempted to use her power of gift to distract Ladybug.

The iridescent white box had barely cracked open before Ladybug sliced her Charm through the illusion. The great size of the knife maimed more than the projection, striking Pigella who stood defenselessly behind it. The sabre slid through Pigella’s skull with abhorrent ease. Pigella’s decimated body hadn’t even struck the roof by the time Ladybug spun for her next opponent. The game was easier when they came to her, it meant she didn’t need to exhaust herself, merely pivot in a circle to remind them who was the most powerful.

While Serpent called on his Second Chance , he gulped in horror. Ladybug ported a joker’s smile while blood dripped from the tip of her blade as Pigella’s body sagged against the roof.

*Second Chance*

Steadying his voice, Serpent rolled his fingers along his harp’s string as he dictated the battle forward. “Pigella, stay back. Someone else try.”

Accustomed to working together, Pegasus portaled Vesperia and King Monkey behind Ladybug. They thought they may still have the element of surprise as Ryuko shot towards Ladybug.

Again, they were fighting the strength of Ladybug’s experience. Instead of sneaking up, the hushed crackle of the portal told Ladybug their exact location. Her psychotic gaze didn’t falter from Serpent as she swung the sabre behind her. The weapon effectively beheaded them before they could step forward.

Pausing, she grinned up to Serpent. Her eyes glinted in amusement as she challenged him to call upon another Second Chance. Her eyes told the story her mouth did not, ‘keep trying, I’ll keep tearing them down.’

Incensed, Serpent spun his bracelet again while internally yelling at their villain. This is not a fucking game, Ladybug. Jesus Christ.

*Second Chance*

“Pigella, Pegasus, Vesperia, and King Monkey, you’re out. Someone else try to take bat, please.” Serpent started to chew at his thumb. They were quickly running through options. The sheer amount of names he had to spit out alone built fear within the holders while bolstering Ladybug’s confidence.

Facing her fears, Polymouse scurried around her. She thought that with so many pieces of herself, she could have an advantage against Ladybug; especially when working with the contrasting power of Minitorax’s growth.

Ladybug hopped over her knife as she spun it below her, effectively hitting each mouse that was trying to climb to her feet. Minitorax bellowed as he recoiled to strike her.

Ladybug’s fatal flaw was assuming her power would override Minitorox’s. She’d become too confident. Once her sabre slammed into him, he grew larger.

A flash of panic backed Ladybug’s eyes as Minitorax teetered towards the ground. His pain was from loss, but she knew it wouldn’t last. Ladybug knew Serpent had witnessed the same result as she did.

*Second Chance*

Optimistic energy fueled Serpent as he set aside his harp, he was confident they were going to be able to make it through.

“Pegasus, grab Minitorox and bring him to Ladybug!”

The familiar tone of the portal alerted Ladybug, to which she cockily threw the sabre behind her. The halt of the blade forced her to spin towards her attacker.

Minitorax stretched out his arms to pull her into his hold. She frantically struck him repeatedly, causing him to grow with each hit. Minitorax would be effective, but if she kept attacking him, he would become hazardously oversized.

Okay… Serpent thought as he observed Ladybug thrashing. We will still need the team working to subdue her and we want to get the knife from her. We can keep using Shell-Ters and Vesperia… but the damage…

Each time Minitorax took a step, houses crushed beneath him. There surely wouldn’t be a Miraculous Ladybug to fix everything this time. How were they going to take down Ladybug and keep the city safe?

They needed to be able to clean up; they needed another power.

Serpent’s face lit up as the idea struck him. Pressing the communicator, he spoke to Rena. “Rena! Do you know where Ladybug’s Miracle Box is?”

Rena was standing in a fighting position beside Carapace with her flute in hand. Not taking her eyes off the enemy, she nodded. “Yeah, what are you thinking?”

Instead of answering her, he ensured to address everyone. “Who knows where Marc is?”

“He’s in Japan finishing up his degree with Nathaniel!” King Monkey responded.

Serpent Noir scanned the group again, putting the plan together in his head before he called again for a -

*Second Chance!*

Wind lifted Serpent’s stray hairs as he stood gallantly atop a chimney. It was time for Ladybug’s demonic reign to come to a close.

“No one except for Minitorax can touch Ladybug. NO ONE ELSE is to get into striking distance. Pegasus, Rena, King Monkey - I have a different plan for you.”

Holders immediately threw their attacks towards Ladybug, doing their best to keep her subdued.

“Pegasus- take Rena and King Monkey to get Marc. Rena, we need Rooster Bold, but take any other Miraculous you think we may need.” Serpent nodded towards Rena. He wanted to be as covert as possible, praying that Ladybug would not hear them and empty out her Yo-Yo.

As the holders slipped into the portal, Serpent relayed another message. “This plan will expire my Second Chance , everyone please keep this in mind. We only have one shot at this.”

The three of them took a moment to feed their Kwamis as Alya unlocked the Miraculous box. Pushing the button at the top, she watched as the small drawers popped out. Before the drawer could fully open, she grasped the golden claw from its place.

Orikko jumped in joy. “Alya! It is so good to see you! What plans do we have today?”

“You will see,” Alya promised as she scanned the remaining jewels.

Barkk smiled at Alya as she slid the thin necklace against her throat.

“Alya! We hurry, we don’t have much time!” Pegasus beckoned her as he held open his portal.

Not yet… I’m missing one… Alya rescanned the nearly empty box; her adrenaline was causing her to miss the simple objects in front of her eyes.

Exhaling in relief, she pinched the black horned jewels. Ziggy bounced up beside Alya. Before Ziggy could ask Alya any questions, Alya nodded towards Pegasus. “Ready!”

She’d taken two steps before turning backwards, grabbing the last Miraculous just in case, the Miraculous of the Peacock.

Barkk would help them get the sabre. And she couldn’t imagine that Marc would want to come without Nathaniel and vice versa. Plus, the more holders in the battle, the better.

She clung to Pegasus’ and Kim’s hands for support before they stepped in unison into the portal.

Ryuko used her power of water to throw Ladybug to the river. Minitorax was rapidly running after her as she collided against the surface of the Seine. Without Peagus’ portal, Ladybug was perpetually just beyond Minitorax’s grasp.

Gamifying it, Ladybug turned her attacks against the team. Carapace struggled to return to his exhaustive play of reanimating Shell-ters in an attempt to protect the others.

“Come on.” Serpent Noir whispered to himself, trying to will the same advanced cataclysm that Chat Noir had been able to conjure.

Carapace was offered a momentary respite as Ryuko returned to the offensive line.

Don’t be bemused, it's just the news! Breaking news, something seems to have gone awry in Paris’ favourite Superhero team! Chat Noir is nowhere to be seen, but we believe that Viperion now holds Chat’s power. Is Ladybug fighting to protect her fallen partner? Or has Ladybug upset the team? We can’t tell for certain, all we know is that today is a dark day for our heroes.

The TV played in the background of Marc and Nathaniel’s apartment; they often kept it on to keep them close to home.

The mention of Ladybug broke Marc’s attention from his project. Furrowing his brow, he watched the screen. He couldn’t fathom a reason that his friends would all go against Ladybug. The fact that Chat was gone incited an additional layer of tumultuousness.

“Nat, look at this.” Marc tapped Nathaniel out of his daze.

Nathaniel’s eyes shot up as Ryuko blasted Ladybug into the Seine.

“What the?” Nathaniel’s brows furrowed as he stepped closer to the screen. “Do you think she’s Akumatized? And… it looks like Luka came home from his tour…”

Nathaniel pointed towards Serpent Noir in recognition and bewilderment.

“Why would the whole team go against Ladybug?” Marc tilted his head as he struggled to understand the broadcast.

They were so enthralled, they did not notice the three new people standing in their apartment.

“Because Ladybug got involved with some real bad juju.” Kim announced their presence.

“Real poetic King Monkey.” Pegasus rolled his eyes.

“The team needs you.” Alya held out the jewels in her hand. “For Adrien, for Ladybug, for the world. Please help us.”

The men shared a look of consideration to each other. “Hey, at least we’ll have a chance to get some new content!” Marc smiled towards Nathaniel.

“I don’t know.” Nathaniel bit his lip as he studied the jewels in Alya’s palm. “We let go of the responsibility because of the stress. Fighting Ladybug seems like the epitome of stress and trauma.”

Marc caressed Nathaniel’s cheek. Nathaniel was mixed to leave their Miraculous world behind; Marc understood that his fiancées trepidation was based in fear for Marc’s own health.

“This is the final boss.” Marc whispered before brushing a kiss against Nathaniel’s lips.

Running his thumb along Marc’s temple, Nathaniel gazed into his eyes. He wanted to read the certainty behind them, the stress when they were younger had nearly destroyed Marc. “Are you sure you want to go back?”

“Of course! This is just like our last issue, calling upon an old friend to take down the evil villain!” Marc reassured him while turning towards Alya. “Let’s put things straight.”

The jewellery had barely passed his second knuckle by the time Orikko was spinning in elation.

“Oh, it is so good to see you again, Marc!” Orikko smiled in elation. “You’d never believe what has happened!”

“It’s good to see you too, buddy!” Marc grinned before calling on his transformation.

Nathaniel fastened his jewels while smiling towards Ziggy. “I thought I’d never see you again, Nathaniel! Oh my, so much has happened, it was horrible!”

“We’ll have time for that later Ziggy! Right now, we have a battle to get to.” Nathaniel called upon his transformation, ready for action.

Pegasus opened the portal out of Ladybug’s sight, but within earshot of the team.

“We’re here.” Pegasus announced to Serpent Noir.

Excluding Ladybug from the group comm, Serpent Noir made his announcement.

“Rena, cover anyone who needs to refuel. Rooster Bold, call on the power of restoration, we need to fix the destruction. Caprikid, we need something to shut her up.”

Serpent checked his GPS for Purple Tigress. His stomach churned as the map came up blank.

If she was in a grave state, Roaar would tell us, right? A memory was triggered of Anarka attempting to apply pressure to Juleka’s wound, only to have her hand sink into the depths of his fading sibling.

Shaking off the thought he hid with Zoe as she fed Pollen.

“How you doing?” She asked with a weary glow.

Sass and Plagg were basically having a competition to see who could eat the fastest.

“Fine.” Luka dropped his head as he stuffed a gummy worm in his mouth. “It will be worth it once we’ve won.” Sass finished his meal even before Pollen, knowing that he could give Luka an additional edge no Cat Miraculous holder had yet thought of.

“I don’t know how much longer I can do this.” Rooster Bold felt his power growing weary as Minitorax continued to destroy the landscape around him. Ladybug was putting on a performance akin to Harley Quinn, taunting and acrobatic.

Caprikid eagerly wanted to help, but all he could do was chase them around, holding the ball gag and rope in his hands as he went.

“Kitty Thief is so scared he had to drag himself all the way to Japan, hey Caprikid?” Ladybug jeered from her momentarily seated position; it was more satisfying teasing from a still position while they stumbled over each other to get to her.

Growling, Caprikid sped up, aiming directly towards the mocking pest. Rooster Bold intercepted him, panting a warning, “she’s too powerful, wait for the rest of the team.”

“Better listen to your girlfriend!” Ladybug cackled at her mockery as she rolled forward from her seated position, holding the sabre above her head as she fell towards the couple.

Throwing Caprikid to the ground, Rooster rolled them out of the way; she’d been close enough that a few of his sliced red hairs took flight as he shielded Caprikid.

Sneering at the panic she induced, she seized at the knife that had lodged deep into the ground from where they were standing. Though Minitorax was exhausted, he was only a few moments away, she couldn’t relish in the moment as she’d hoped.

Nearly pushing herself off balance, relief flooded her as the weapon slid from the ground. Her moment of victory quickly faded as Rena’s smug voice carried through the wind.

“Fetch.”

Before the weapon had left her palm, Ladybug spun to her escape.

“Go refuel, Minitorax.” Serpent Noir commanded before beginning the charge forward.

“TRAITORS!” Ladybug screamed as she ran atop buildings.

A blip distracted Serpent as he ran forward; Purple Tigress was back online and was almost directly in Ladybug’s path. His eyes shot to the roof she hid on, noting the edge of her tail flickering from behind a chimney.

“Tigress, if I send her your way-” Serpent couldn’t finish his sentence, because Tigress was already stalking her prey.

“I’m ready.”

“CATACLYSM!” Serpent shouted, a small ball of death bouncing above his open hand.

“Hah! Like you could catch me!” Ladybug spat behind her as she confidently stride forward.

Her earrings rang as a pipe beside her descended to dust. Nearly frozen in place, she craned to Serpent, who already had another weapon in hand.

“That was a warning shot.” Serpent slowed as everyone else kept hounding forward.

“How? It took Chat years!” Ladybug stumbled backwards, falling onto the roof by Tigress.

“I had a bit of extra time.” Serpent winked at her as he threw another, forcing her to dodge closer to Tigress.

Ladybug didn’t register the flash of violet until a thin cord coiled around her. Tigress winced as she pulled her tail tighter. Recognizing his cue, Caprikid bolted to shove the ball gag in her mouth. Serpent watched menacingly as the additional rope was tied around her; the rope’s threads were bursting as Tigress’s tail was chinking.

“Fuck!” Carapace had no more vernacular left as he joined the hogtie.

Calmly, Serpent hovered over her, resting a knee on the ground to either side as he slid off his own belt. The rest of the crew stepped back from their attempts to subdue her.

Disquieted bluebell eyes voiced what Ladybug was working to deny; she knew she’d been defeated. As he knotted his belt, he smirked. “Your reign is over, my liege.”

Her erratic movements stilled as her stomach flipped. Serpent’s eyes were vicious. They were a far darker green than Chat Noir’s were and the flecks of gold flickered with ire. He unabashedly lowered himself to her ear, nearly completely on top of her.

Frantic heartbeats pulsed through Ladybug. It had been years since he’d been this close; the only times they had been in such a compromised position he was always exceedingly gentle and compassionate. She would have never believed that Luka would be the one to enact vengeance against her.

His lips brushed her ear as he hissed. “Never. Fucking touch. My boyfriend. Again.”

Stupified, she hadn’t noticed his hand lower to her hip, easily pulling off her Yo-Yo. Enraged at the rueful incapacitation, Ladybug released another wave of fervently tossed limbs, landing a solid knee between Serpent’s legs.

Serpent dropped to the ground beside her, giving her the chance to jolt to her feet; but Rena had already begun swinging the spotted Yo-Yo. Ladybug was helpless as she fell to her own weapon.

Groaning, Serpent attempted to stand through the throbbing pain that had surged into his lower stomach.

Ladybug’s snickers at Luka’s grunts rolled around the gag in her mouth as her earrings frantically beeped.

Carapace’s fingers nearly grasped the jewel as Serpent staggered upwards.

“Wait.” Serpent gulped down the urge to vomit. “Rena, please *uggh* protect - hide - fuck.”

Ladybug’s laughs masked the frantic increase of her beeping Miraculous as a protective mirage covered them. Leaning against Vesperia, Serpent’s hand rolled for Carapace to continue as he pretended to regain composure.

The last beep timed before his fingers touched the jewellery.

“WAIT!” Tikki shrieked, protecting Marinette’s lobes.

Other holders Miraculouses were beeping as an orchestra of groans responded to Tikki's plea.

Adrien tapped the letters along the piano before setting them down. It was strange the decisions that seemed to plague him at this moment. Should he stack them? Put them side by side? He decided that laying them on top of one another and letting them naturally slide was the best decision.

The piano, however, always felt like the right place. It lived as his symbol of heaven and hell.

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

0 notes

winter-literature · 11 months

Text

Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 58

Chapter Summary:

The group discusses possibilities going forward. How will Luka and Alya solve the problem of the rings?

The song is the same as the last chapter - Angel With A Shotgun

I'm an angel with a shotgun

Fighting til' the wars won

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe

Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab

Luka was greeted by Alya's snort. "What? Did you steal Adrien's aviators? How's that disguise working for ya, Johnny Cash?"

"Shit." Luka held his smoke between his teeth as he let out a raspy laugh.

"You ready to start a rebellion?" Alya shoved her hands in her pockets as they stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Do you think they'll really go for it? Chat Noir and Ladybug are the staples that created this group." Luka paused at the front of the store. They'd all be going in the back, but he still couldn't fathom that Adrien had bought this shop for him. It was more than perfect. The only thing wrong with it was that he and Adrien didn't get to work on it together.

"I think we can't make it seem like it's a choice. Because," Alya paused to rub her belly, "it's really not."

Holding his arm stiff, Luka tensed his muscles as he helped Alya to sit atop the cafe counter. Thankfully, Alya squeezed Luka's shoulder before tilting her head against the beam beside her. Luka stayed with his back against the edge of the bar, monitoring as more holders continued to trail in.

Clenching his jaw and fists, Luka forced himself to focus on them. On each holder's noises, their laughters, their breaths, any mannerism that could pull his attention. But no matter how hard he tried to distract himself, memories of Adrien kept slipping through.

What he'd done to renovate.

His blonde hair spread against his chest on the couch.

I hate you, Luka Couffaine.

"Hey," Alya's soft voice barely broke through the surface of Luka's reverie. "Are you okay?"

Luka's movements were languid as he nodded in assent. "Yeah... This is... It just feels like the worst form of betrayal I could ever do to Adrien." He finished his words with a harsh gulp, amplified by Zoe bashfully turning away as his gaze landed upon her.

"Alright everyone!" Alya announced as the last holders sat down. "Today's meeting will discuss the future of the Miraculous team. As I'm sure you all have noticed, neither Chat Noir nor Ladybug have been invited to this meeting."

Juleka intertwined her hand around Rose's, she had no idea how long Luka had been back, but he hadn't said anything to her. He looked significantly different. He held himself in a further slouched position, his hair had a shot of blue against black, a musical tattoo crawling up his neck, and looked generally dishevelled. His stance was staggered, as if he'd already been drinking.

"Are we getting rid of Ladybug?" Kim surprised the group by being the first to ask the question.

"Um... It's a little bit more complicated than that." Alya's face dropped as she turned towards Nino, "We also need to take over the Miraculous of Destruction."

The room immediately started to clamour.

We can't do that to Chat Noir!

He's been there since day one!

The team won't be the same without him!

Juleka and Rose were the only ones who stayed frozen to their spot. Luka was, of course, wearing his aviators. He needed to obscure how much this decision anguished him; he wanted to appear strong for the group.

The entire subject, however, was too suspicious for Zoe. Her and Adrien may not be best friends, and her heart may still be fluttering by Luka's enthralling presence, but having Chat's ex vie for his source of power didn't seem right. Stepping through the calmour, Zoe closed the space between herself and Luka.

"Luka, why are you taking Chat's Miraculous?" She was forcing him to look back at her, to know she would stand up for Chat regardless of any of the drama that existed in their civilian lives.

"We are about to get to that, IF EVERYONE WOULD SIT DOWN AND LISTEN!" Alya shouted over the complaining holders while side eyeing Zoe.

Zoe wasn't ready to accept this yet. The taking of Chat's Miraculous was obviously big news, what wasn't right was Luka standing at the front of this room. His judgement was too clouded to head this decision.

"Luka, why is it that you leave the team for so long for a music career, and when you suddenly decide to come back, you are aiming to take away Chat's Miraculous? You seem like the last person who should be making this decision."

Sucking in his cheeks, Luka responded to her in a raspy voice. "Because I have no choice."

Zoe was close enough to see what the others couldn't. The tear that fell from under the mirrored sunglasses. The golden chain that was mended in their battle against Second Chance, peaking out from under his shirt collar.

"Well... Whatever the reason is, it better be good." Zoe ceded her attacking position and sat down by Nino. At least he evidenced this decision was not one taken lightly; that his decision was not one made from malice towards his ex.

As they waited for the explanation to continue, Zoe gave a briefly awkward side-hug to Nino, who had already started to weep.

"So," Alya continued, "I'm sure everyone has noticed that Ladybug has been a bit more of a ... difficult person to work with over the past year."

"She has started getting better though!" Mylene squeaked before cowering into Ivan.

Luka's teeth were aching from how frequently and feverently he'd clenched his jaw, but it was the only tactic he could think of to fuel out some of the anger before he spoke. "Has she? Because, from what I saw, she nearly killed Felix and has been treating Chat Noir like her toy."

His voice still snapped as a whip towards the group.

Boiling, Juleka challenged her brother's lash. "You've been gone! How are you supposed to know anything about what it's been like on the ground?"

Hiding his seething rage from Juleka was next to impossible; for better or worse, she always tore out his authentic self.

"Because this is why I had to fucking leave, Jules! This! If we're going to fucking save the world and save Chat Noir - I HAD TO LEAVE."

Juleka, along with the rest of the room had effectively been hushed.

"Thank you, Luka." Alya nodded towards him as he returned to his relaxed position on the bar. "There is a reason our Ladybug is not our Ladybug anymore. When the Miraculous' were returned, she was given an additional set of power."

"But... Wasn't she weaker when she came back?" Kim questioned.

"Yes, she was. Because the powers have an addictive euphoria and they were clouding her abilities. We think that once she managed her addiction, once she found balance, she was able to start gaining her time back." Alya paused to let the murmurs die down once again.

"What these powers do - is control a specific set of people. This explains why Felix was so easily caught. And it is also the reason why Ladybug has been able to control Chat Noir."

"How do we know if we're going to be safe?" Max asked, worried for himself and his family.

"Yeah, what magic is this?"

"The magic that Ladybug uses is in a set of rings. Luka and I know precisely who they affect, but this will not be shared until everyone has come to a consensus. What we can tell you is that we know that no one in this room, or their families, can be controlled by these rings. The only danger the rings are to you is the end of the world and the possibility of Chat Noir being forced to kill you."

Alya scanned the silent room. The holders were clearly terrified at the realisation, holding hands or pulling into themselves, waiting to hear Alya's next words.

"The issue is that these rings cannot easily be taken off. We can't slide them off in her sleep, or else we will be maimed ourselves. Our suits will not protect us." Kwamis were floating more intently, specifically interested in Sass's nods of verification along Alya's words. "With my conversation with Felix I was able to figure out a key piece of information, there are only two people in this world that can take off the rings, and they can only take a specific one. Felix is one, Chat Noir is the other."

"Do we have to break Felix outta jail?" Trixx didn't particularly like that idea, but it would be more amusing than dealing with the garbage villains that Lila released.

"It is a possibility, but - as our duties as Miraculous holders, and as representatives of Paris, letting a terrorist lose is not an optimal decision. But, none of them really are. If we cannot get the rings off by the specified holders, then we need to deal with the alternative consequences. The rings themselves hold chaos, stronger than anything we've ever faced with Gabriel. These creatures have the power to bring mayhem to the world; for the last centuries, they have only lived in two places: fairy tales and those rings.

"There are two ways we could sever the ring's power without releasing dark creatures." Alya held up her fingers to the group, choking on her heart that was beating in her throat. Eyes stared upon her as she tried to gather the words, but nothing wanted to come. She hated that any of these were options.

Squeezing her knee, Luka took over. Tearfully, Alya thanked him. "As you can see, we don't have any options that are good. I don't want anyone thinking we are offering these out of our own agendas, they are awful."

Rose hid further under Juleka's arm. Juleka was in a stunned silence, whereas Rose was already allowing her tears to fall.

"One option is to kill the holder of the Ladybug Miraculous, only when their soul has left their body can someone take off the ring without injury. The second is to kill both Felix and... Chat Noir." Luka's head craned to the side as the words left his mouth. He hated that idea. He hated saying it out loud. Dear god he hoped no one would ever take him up on that option.

Nino saw his pain reflected in Luka's. In a moment of impulse, Nino stepped up towards Luka. Luka's body was stiff as Nino held him in an embrace. There was a moment of silence as Luka relaxed in Nino's hold, his glasses skewed position against Nino's shoulder. The tighter Nino held, the more Luka couldn't stand on his own. They sniffled together under the burden of the decision they were forced to make.

With one last squeeze, Nino patted Luka's chest. "We'll figure it out Luka, we'll save him. I promise." Nino nodded before returning to his seat.

Rubbing a kleenex against his nose, Luka took a deep breath before continuing. "Before we start discussing the options, I want everyone to know what I think is our best option. I want to cataclysm the rings."

"Do you think we could handle the beasts?" Nino tentatively questioned.

Roarr centred herself in front of the group. "Listen, every Kwami has fought creatures. Nearly our entire existence has been spent fighting these creatures. I can't say that it will be easy, or that people won't get hurt, but this is what we were made for. This is why we can be held by humans. We weren't brought into existence to fight each other."

"There is another stipulation though." Sass floated beside Roarr. "Every attack up to this point against the rings has been reflected. Meaning that we believe the cataclysm will destroy it, but we also believe that the holder using the cataclysm will be equally affected by it."

Luka grimaced, he was hoping that part would stay hidden; but Sass did not approve of Luka's attraction to self-sacrifice.

Juleka could feel knees from the holders on the couch behind her protesting, but all she could focus on was Luka. She felt like she was falling and couldn't find a hand hold. "NO!" she screamed over the other dissenters. "You... you can't." She wanted to fight him, she wanted to shout and never stop.

"Jules," Luka's voice was as soft as it was broken, "it's the only way he'll be free."

"This isn't fair." Juleka mumbled as Rose tried to hold up her weight.

"The only one that makes sense is getting Felix and Chat Noir to take off the rings." Kagami spoke over the clamour regarding Luka's self-sacrifice.

"The only issue, besides breaking Felix out of jail, is that we would have to be completely covert. Ladybug will still have the power to tell them to back off." Luka pitched in the additional complication.

"Who says we have to break him out?" Zoe furrowed her brow. "We just have to bring Ladybug to him."

Heads nodded throughout the room.

Sighing, Luka gave in. "Alright. Does everyone agree that we will try to capture Ladybug and bring her to Felix?" And basically gag her and hope for the best.

"It feels wrong going against Ladybug." Kagami spoke. "I know it's the obvious solution, but it still feels wrong."

"Hopefully," Sass began, "we will be able to get our old Ladybug back."

"All right. If anything goes wrong though, I'm going back to the original plan." Luka sipped at his coffee cup, with only a slight backing of Jamesons. "Before we discuss the logistics of that plan, we need to discuss the second point of this meeting - taking Chat Noir's Kwami."

"I thought we just figured out a way where we didn't have to do that?" Nino huffed as he lifted his hands only to drop them in his lap.

"He's already kept it for too long." Alya lowered her gaze. "The balance is shifting. Plus, capturing Ladybug would be nearly impossible with Chat by her side."

Sass took the stage again. "If we are successful, we will be able to bring back our Chat Noir. But right now, strange things are beginning to happen all over the world. If the balance isn't restored soon, nothing will be able to survive on this planet."

Luka was resigned as the rest of the room discussed semantics. This was all old news to him. His daze was interrupted by Alya shoving him.

"Huh?" He noticed everyone was looking at him.

"So should we go after their civilian selves?" Nino asked again.

"Since we cannot simply take the Miraculous' off without it turning into a legitimate battle, it will need to be done in stages. Plagg already knows he needs to get his holder to rescind ownership. He will manage that part and come to us. Only then will we start going after Ladybug." Luka tapped his fingers on the cup as he spoke.

Nino's face dropped, "Luka, that will destroy him."

Luka bit his lip as tears began to noticeably fall. "I know, that's why we need to make sure everything is perfect."

"Who are they? Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Zoe turned to Luka and Alya, both who were barely keeping it together.

"Until we have Plagg, Ladybug's identity will stay secret." Alya rubbed her legs, even admitting they were going to share Marinette's identity felt awful.

"And Chat Noir?" Zoe specifically looked to Luka, seeing how the mere name seemed to be tearing him apart.

Pulling his hair back, Luka was glad for the glasses so he could shut his eyes to the reactions. "Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste."

Zoe froze. The tattoos, the fling with Adrien, a love worth fighting for, every hiccup and struggle. "I'm so sorry!" She burst into tears as she lunged towards Luka. "I can't believe you had to go through all that, I'm so so sorry."

Her sudden jump had shocked Luka, but he accepted the warmth. He held her close as his pain leaked through his eyes. Through his shakes. At least now everyone knows.

"Did Marinette say you two couldn't be together?" Juleka looked on in confusion. It was upsetting that Adrien was in that state, but it didn't exactly negate everything he'd done.

"No," Luka rasped as he pulled from Zoe. "The rings belonged to Gabriel first."

He felt the room still as they stared at him again. It was fucked up. And it wasn't his fucked up story to tell. But then they'd understand everything. "Gabriel -," Luka sipped his coffee from a shaking hand.

Come on. You've got this. He tried to comfort himself. Breathe in, breathe out.

"Gabriel was a homophobic piece of shit." The words stung him again, causing his chest to seize. "He - he said - Adrien c-," Alya rubbed his back, letting him know that she could take over. Luka nodded as he pressed the back of his wrist to his lips.

"Gabriel told Adrien that he could only be gay in his own private space."

The crowd gasped as Juleka's face turned white.

Allowing the shock to dissipate first, Alya continued. "When he goes against these rules, he gets nosebleeds, and several have already almost killed him."

Luka slid down to the floor, unable to hold his own weight. He'd been a part of that. He'd been a part of almost killing Adrien.

Juleka crawled over the floor and pulled him against her chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Setting his coffee on the ground, he pulled himself closer to Juleka. He held so tightly he thought Juleka would burst. Instead of bursting, she rocked Luka as they sobbed together.

The rest of the semantics of the battle to come could wait. Nino helped to lower Alya off the bar.

"Let's get some food and come back guys." Nino stated as he wiped his flushed cheeks.

After the violent sobs were gone, all that was left was a silent trickle. Luka's head rested in Juleka's lap as she pulled off his glasses.

She ran her hand across his face. It was the most familiar he'd looked in a long time. His bravado, his secrets, were all shed. Leaving nothing but her broken hearted brother.

"I'm so sorry, Luka. How long did you know?" She continued her caresses of comfort.

"Not long enough." Luka ran his ring along the golden chain.

"Fucking Marinette."

Luka let out a sob ridden laugh, "Fucking Marinette."'

It had been so long since she'd seen him smile. She hated that he'd fought this battle alone.

Author's Notes:

Review of options:

1. Kill ladybug - temporary, rings will still find a way to wreak havoc (similar to 4)

2. Kill Felix AND Adrien - power on rings will be broken, creatures will be trapped in ring and only those with a blood connection will be able to hold them

3. Destroy the rings and release mayhem (where Luka would probably die)

4. Break into jail to get Felix to take off his ring and continue to gag Marinette so they can go to Adrien to get him to take off his own ring.

Angel With A Shotgun has been in the chapters several times for a reason. I really believe that this song is Luka's current theme song. He is willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING for his love. His morals (honesty) and his life. As long as Adrien can make it through.

This is the "calm before the storm". Next three* chapters are battles (subject to change depending on editing). We are there guys. We're facing the beast.

AHHH - I can't believe we're here. I am so happy that people have enjoyed my story up to here, I'm praying I don't disappoint!

Thank you again for reading, y'all are beautiful 💕💕

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

#lukadrien #luka couffaine #adrien agreste #everyone needs a hug #post canon #aged up characters #lgbtq #lgbtq fanfiction #bad dad gabriel agreste #mental illness #secret relationship #everyone is insane #fan fiction #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fan fiction #mlb fandom #viperion needs a hug #mature #Spotify

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winter-literature · 11 months

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Le Chat Et Le Serpent - Chapter 57

Chapter Summary:

Luka flies back to Paris; Adrien is getting ready to let go of his heartbreak.

This chapter is wavering in feelings and thoughts, and that unreliability is intention. Our mind and our hearts often work in opposition.

Chapter Song (included in body) - Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab

Don't you know that you're everything I have?

And I, want to live, not just survive, tonight

And I'm gonna hide, hide, hide my wings tonight

Angel With a Shotgun by The Cab

Rattling ice cacophonied Luka’s anxious shaking knee. Through the plane window, the Eiffel Tower appeared to grow with each second. His departure was fueled by impulse and gusto, enervated from too many months away; he’d forgotten to consider how his return would conspire.

Flustered at the assumed decline of Adrien’s well-being, he solely considered the relief that would finally wash over his Prettyboy. He had actively refrained from dwelling on the toll that separating him from Plagg would have; though this thought always fought to resurface when he realised it could be the sole time he would actually get to see Adrien, as himself, again. If he took Plagg himself, could he call on a Second Chance? Declare his romantic tragedy only to erase the man’s memory?

Which was more selfish, to see him one last time or to never get lost within his jaded eyes again?

Initially, he thought he would leave for only a couple of weeks and show up at his door. He’d shower him with adoration and solutions. Now, all he carried back with him was devastation.

Luka hadn’t even taken a moment to plan where he would stay. Did he have anywhere he could call home besides Adrien? Would he survive Anarka and Juleka’s wrath if he returned to The Liberty ? Perhaps staying at a hotel would be the ideal choice…

There was no doubt on where he wanted to be. To visit Adrien one last time before suffering an instrumental divide, before the darkness was released, before he took his final breaths.

Deeply exhaling, he gathered up his belongings. The next two days, or the last days of his life, were going to be gruelling.

To keep Adrien safe, maybe the best option would be a hotel. With a bar. That way I won't have to risk a midnight wander falling to the siren of gemstone eyes.

Tugging at his shirt collar he strove to centre himself, but he already felt like he was dipping into a dream.

Tomorrow, he will ignite the rebellion. Tonight, all he wanted was a feigned moment of normalcy.

Stepping onto the street, the lights seemed to flicker; his body moved of its own accord.

Bright streets fade to blind ebony

Familiar places distort to strange

Helpless

As my consciousness begins to slip

Limbs severed; ignorant to thought

Wade deeper into the uncanny

Powerless

As I meekly drown within her chasm

Sanity has no home for me; I’m lost in the waves of the perilous black sea

Aggressively nailing down the loose floorboard that had been hidden under the couch, Adrien finally prepared to say goodbye. He ran his finger along the box that was hidden below; it was time to finally let go.

There were certain methods that Adrien had implemented to evade the endless aches and plagues that inhibited his day to day life. He did not fully comprehend the spell he was under, but he had become proficient at experimenting with how to survive under constant control. If he dutifully obeyed Marinette, he would not bleed or black out. He’d acquiesced to her imposed isolation; he informed her of each phone call and never buzzed anyone into his apartment (at least, not himself directly); he maintained the secrecy she requested. Everything else tended to consist of general one off requests; these were simpler to abide by, his body would often move of its own accord. But there was always one command that hovered out of his grasp of comprehension.

It appeared to exist before Marinette’s reign; he speculated that it was likely correlated to the ring’s previous owner, his father. Distant memories of lost designs linger at the back of his mind. Rainbow feathers in a veil-less wedding had been smeared and faded, and in the last year, finally disappeared from their last place of obscurement. The prolonged rules donned by Marinette, the ones that regulated his daily functioning, tended to only be effective when spoken directly to him. Or at least, if there were any other everlasting ones, he hadn’t noticed. Which led Adrien to believe he either did harbour a truly neurotic terror towards his own sexuality, or it was a curse that carried forth past Gabriel’s last breath. Though he couldn’t be certain which was reality, he did know that even the memory of Luka was excruciating to him.

Fleeting reveries of Luka, a guitar, a stray blue hair, or any form of snake memorabilia, nearly sent him into convulsions. Despair was constantly painted upon his face; mourning the loss of a boy he’d once turned away. The fact that he no longer worked to cover his heartbreak was likely why anguish followed him everywhere. To wear his heartbreak on his sleeve brought the private out to the public; he could no longer internalise who he was. This was magnified by the prolonged threat of a heteronormative relationship. He knew who he loved and he was tired of performing a role he had no interest in. Since Gabriel’s archaic rule went against his very existence, there was only one place left where he was free from torment, the last cove on earth untainted by Marinette or Gabriel; the music shop he’d bought for Luka.

The only enchantments that thrived within these walls were the fantasies of him and Luka. Hidden under floorboards and deep within drawers. But Adrien knew what saved his headaches also shattered his heart; he would have to let this place go. Forced to throw away his clinging faith that Luka might come back; even more, forced to expel the idea of happiness or safety.

Newly secured nails sealed this concept. Removed from the skeleton, the necklace was to remain exposed within the corpse of the partially constructed shop. Though poetic, his heart could not bear to cataclysm the gift, so he hoped someone would find it and release him of his misery.

Tapping the newly chipped hardwood with one hand, he teased the opening of the rectangular box with his other. Perhaps, one last night of fantasy would help to ease his sorrow.

Timorously, he slid the necklace around his throat. With a breath of relief, he slid the ring along the chain. He didn’t know if he could ever truly stop loving Luka, if there would ever be enough closure, or one last goodbye. The visceral dropping of his stomach worked to remind him that it was easier to believe that he was gone. That the man was long detached, in distance and in heart, travelling down a road without an open passenger seat.

Desperately, he wanted to be angry.

He wished to only feel wrath.

But Luka had always been too sweet.

Learning that Luka knew Marinette’s identity offered a brief moment of irate solace, but the silence following brewed nothing but longing. Adrien believed that, to Luka, he was merely a spec in his past as the man who could never demonstrate his love. The type of friend you’d only pick up for on a drunken whim.

Twilight crept in as he pressed the ring against his chest. Tonight, he’d let his heart flutter a final time, before he finally said goodbye.

To Luka.

To the shop.

To any momentary break from a life long migraine.

With heavy eyelids he laid upon the red velvet couch, to dip into one last reverie.

Pressing his palm against the metal door, Luka ran his finger from his other hand along the spotted key. He knew he shouldn’t be here, he’d told himself he wouldn’t come here, but the urge to see the place Adrien bought for his music shop was immutable. He needed to know what Adrien’s last gift to him was. It was a high risk game and depended heavily on Marinette not infiltrating the shop and Adrien turning his back towards it.

But it wasn’t rationality that brought him here. Nor was it a drunken mistake. He hadn’t had a sip since he got off the plane; with barely a buzz it was hard to chalk it up to the liquor.

Irrationality told him he needed this. That he needed to feel like Adrien was close one last time before he disappeared.

Please work.

Luka nervously slid the key into the lock on the back door of the shop. Without complaint the deadbolt turned with ease.

Using his phone as a flashlight, he found the nearest light switch. There was a desk to his side with a few shelves around the room, and a door cracked to show the outline of a bathroom sink. He pulled papers out of the desk, wanting to make sure Adrien still owned the store and he wasn’t breaking into a shop under a different name.

All the papers were under Luka’s Agreste Industries credit card, as far as documents were concerned, Luka was part owner.

Well, I guess I can’t break in if I’m technically an owner. The last property tax payment was less than a week ago… and he’s still paying utilities… That man. I must have been right though, Marinette must not know that he is actively caring for this property.

Luka ran his finger along the printed transactions again. He told him to sell it for exactly these risks. All of these could have been a nosebleed that led to his demise.

Luka didn’t think he ever realised the meaning of bittersweet until he turned on the lights to the main room. The shop itself was narrow. From the smell of fresh paint and supplies scattered around the shop, Luka could tell that Adrien was actively renovating it. New carpets had been laid and peg boards were being installed on one side, empty shelves on the other. Stepping towards the iron spiralled steps, there were two open doors leading to empty rooms, which Luka assumed were for lessons.

The steps would still need some work, they felt brittle and uneven. A huge window sat across from the stairs, letting the moonlight bask on the mini cafe with only a coffee bar and a couch in the middle of the room, with an arm dangling over the top of it.

Shit.

There’s someone here.

Luka carefully tried to step back down the stairs. The slight buzz he had, however, caused him to trip. He clung to the railing, trying to catch himself. His butt slammed onto the step as his feet splayed out flailing to catch anything. Fortunately his grip on the railing prevented anything other than a few bruises; his fist clung around the bar as his behind throbbed, one of his shoes had fallen to the floor below.

What the hell is it with my shoes? Do I need to start buying different laces?

“Luka?”

“Sorry! Just - uh - stopped in!” The blood continued to pool in Luka’s head from his precarious position.

Warm hands helped to pull him up from his dangled stance. He blinked his eyes forcibly, he must be having a nightmare. A ghost of Adrien sat in front of him. He was sheet white with sunken dull eyes, his cheeks caved in like the rest of his body, his once golden hair an unkempt hay that mimicked adolescence. Luka pushed out his fingers to the silent boy, pressing against his cheekbone. It was still soft and warm. A pair of green glowing eyes in the corner told Luka the truth he didn’t want to know.

“Adrien.” Luka’s voice cracked as he took Adrien’s slim face in his hand, touching it only for a moment to see if he was real. He couldn’t decide which emotion had caused his voice to crack. Was it seeing him again? Knowing that his skin was against his? Was it how much weight he’d lost? How he looked like he was about to disintegrate? Or, was it relief that he picked him off the stairs instead of pushing him down? The answers weren’t readily available, all he knew was that he wanted to curl around the man and protect him from all the harm that afflicted him.

Sass was already leaving Luka’s side. No matter what they could do at this point, they had to discuss the removal of Adrien’s Miraculous. The two Kwamis sat in silence for a moment, watching the men realise they were before one another. They both knew that they should stop them. Tell them that anything might only cause further pain. But both Sass and Plagg had spent too long watching their holders burn through the gates of hell. If both of them were on the brink of death, they deserved at least this moment.

“What are you doing here?” Adrien wanted to rebuff Luka’s touch as much as he wanted to pull him in. He despised that even in this moment, he felt calmer merely because Luka was there.

Of course. Adrien thought while scanning Luka’s dishevelled state. Of course you come the day I’ve decided to let go. Why would you come here? I hate how much you still affect me.

“Sorry, I uh, I came in late and was trying to find somewhere to hide before facing tomorrow.” Luka smoothed back his hair, accidentally pushing off the sunglasses he’d forgotten about.

Would it be the truth if I told him I wasn’t holding on to a shred of hope that I could see him? Fuck. What am I doing? This is selfish. I should never have come here. Oh… my poor angel… what has she done to you?

Adrien’s bony fingers reached out to Luka’s face. Stubble prickled at his fingers as silver eyes watched him. Adrien’s lips were chapped as he voiced the question still plaguing his mind, “Why did you come here?”

Luka’s heart was trying to jump out of his chest, constantly beating towards Adrien. “It was a mistake.” The words stung his lips.

“What was a mistake? Keeping the key? Coming here instead of getting a hotel? Or seeing me?” Adrien’s hand slowly moved behind Luka’s neck. He could smell the rye and smoke that tarnished Luka’s breath, but none of that seemed to matter.

In my darkest moment you found me. How do you have a way of endlessly saving me while perpetually maiming me?

Have you come to say goodbye?

Or have you come because you knew I wouldn’t be able to resist you?

“Yes.” Luka answered all and none at the same time, bringing his lips to Adrien’s wrist. It was an intangible fantasy, Adrien’s skin was under his lips. Unable to stop himself, both from lack of control and because of the fact that this was the one thing he wanted most in the world, he kissed up Adrien’s arm, navigating himself to Adrien’s body.

Luka, don’t do this to yourself.

Just one more.

This is a dangerous game.

Just one more kiss.

Maybe it will take the pain away.

For both of us.

“I hear you’re a pretty popular guy now, real lady killer.” Adrien whispered as Luka’s lips crossed his shoulder and onto his collarbone.

Luka’s bottom lip rolled on a thin metallic chain that adorned Adrien’s neck. The darkness of the room aided Luka’s current endeavour to deceive himself that should an encounter occur, it would be simply to alleviate their angst. That they were two people by chance who found a sedative within one another.

It’s difficult to believe your own lies when you know the propositioned relief is the ignition to your pain.

“Lady killer,” Luka mused at the descriptor. The tabloids only seemed to catch the fangirls at the bar. Granted, Luka knew that Adrien would start to catch on if the majority of people that spent the night in his hotel were all imitations of himself. He didn’t want to discuss the people who couldn’t be Adrien. Instead, Luka focused his response on the reason why Adrien would perceive him as a ‘lady killer’.“I don’t know how you managed it. All of the cameras, all of the time.”

Fingers started moving without thought, desperate to continue their cold conversation without the insulation of a jacket. Dishonestly, Luka told himself that his strip was not with intimate intent. That it was for Adrien’s bare forearms against his jacket; a piece of thoughtfulness for Adrien and not how much he yearned to feel Adrien’s heartbeat against his.

He was aware that his argument was weak and laden with fallacies.

I swear. Luka lied to himself again. Nothing more than the jacket.

Validity, in his own arguments, continued to shatter as Adrien unzipped Luka’s hoodie. The clanking of the metal zipper against the floor ignited Luka forward, but Adrien had other plans in mind.

Meeting his hands behind Luka’s neck, Adrien dug his elbows into Luka’s chest. Luka craned to reach Adrien’s lips, but the ghost kept his hold. “I’ve never known anything besides a life with cameras.”

Adrien pivoted his weight against his elbows and flipped Luka onto his back, pinning him. This move had effectively knocked the wind out of Luka, as well as pulled him away from the edge of the stairs that he kept teetering before.

His elbows were sharp against Luka’s chest as Adrien restated his question. “Why did you come here?” I need to know. I need to understand if we’re worth fighting for. I’ll drop everything, if you tell me that you’re here for me. If you’re drunk and lonely then just one night it will be.

“Whe- *cough*-did you get so feisty?” Luka ran his hands down Adrien’s back, gripping at his hips.

Hay hair tickled Luka’s face as Adrien lowered his head. “When all control was taken from my life.”

Silver flickered through Luka as he stared up at Adrien, who stayed constantly just out of reach. A mischievous smile crossed his lips as he refused to answer by asking the same question. “Why did you come here?”

Releasing the pressure from his elbows, Adrien set his fists on either side of Luka’s head. Through clenching teeth he voiced the reason that shamed him. “It’s the only place I can exist without a headache.”

Luka’s jaw clenched. That cunt took away the safety of his house.

Him and Nathalie had already discussed this in detail. It was one of the reasons he needed to leave in the first place. But hearing it from Adrien’s ghost made the reality sting deeper.

Adrien’s hair continued to cascade as he stared down at Luka. Luka hated seeing him like this, helpless, angry, and tormented. He wanted to tell him that he’d make it better soon.

“I’m sorry.” Luka clenched back his urge to ascend to grasp Adrien’s face. “I shouldn’t have come back.”

His Prettyboy’s head dropped not to meet lips, but to laugh. Laugh at his own ridiculousness at thinking he had any form of hold on Luka. “You’re right.”

Releasing his pin on Luka shame seeped through Adrien’s body. Will Luka think it’s pathetic, if I ask for one last night? One more time to say goodbye? Will he understand that I just need one fucking night to forget how much I hate this world?

Luka wanted to look away from the pain taking over Adrien’s face as his Prettyboy started to step to his feet. But he couldn’t. Paralyzed, he watched as droplets grew in his jade eyes.

How many days do I have left on earth? Will one night, one day, take him away by the morning? When I’m gone, and he learns why, would he hate me more for leaving or for staying?

The moonlight glinted at the jewel Luka had missed before. The necklace that his lip had grazed. His subpar stoic demeanour further cracked. “No.” Luka barely whispered as he drew Adrien back down.

“Luka,” Adrien’s hushed rebuff was as weak as his will as he slid back to the floor. He hated how little he protested, Luka had already made it clear he shouldn’t have come back.

Luka must know. He had to have seen the necklace. How much I’ve missed him. But… he didn’t miss me. Adrien’s thoughts started to cloud as Luka’s hands ran along his sides below his shirt. He just needs someone to help him get through the night.

Luka wanted to wait, wait until he could tell the gears had stopped turning in Adrien’s mind; but his hands kept running along skin. Adrien felt more broken than he did. It’s okay, tonight, we can be broken together.

Luka grabbed the back of Adrien’s head and tore it towards him. The taste, the hit, the craving he’d been trying so hard to find a duplicate of struck through Luka. No lips were ever as sweet as his Prettyboy’s.

These lips. Luka thought, are worth dying for.

One last moment of happiness. Adrien thought as he tucked his necklace into his shirt, before everything falls apart.

“Don’t.” Luka grabbed Adrien’s hand before slipping the necklace back out.

“Luka.” Adrien clenched his teeth as anger started to take over. “You don’t get to do that.” He purposefully unclasped the necklace and set it on the counter.

The threat of tears prickled at Luka’s eyes as he pulled Adrien closer, sinking back into their euphoria. How was it, that after so much time, so much pain, and so much destruction, this still felt so natural? His soul was as wounded as a deer on the grill of a semi; but his body was a sports car driving along the coast. They’d fallen right back into their mutually shared unhealthy coping mechanism of one another, letting their flesh say what their lips could not; Luka could nearly make himself believe that it was a simple matter. He could pretend the tension derived from a simple lover’s spat that morning.

“I missed you.” The whispered words slipped out of Luka’s lips, landing against Adrien’s. Fuck.

“Don’t. Don’t say that to me. I already warned you.” Adrien pulled away, unbuckling Luka’s pants.

Luka watched as Adrien shook his head, releasing the button on Luka’s jeans. He knew it was dangerous but now that it had been said, he needed Adrien to believe him. “I did .” I missed you so fucking much I learnt I can never live in a world that doesn’t have you in it.

“Before Fashion Week, I thought we were going to make it. That no matter what it took, we were going to figure it out together. And then you stopped.” Adrien grit his teeth as Luka’s fingers trailed back up his shirt. “And then I had some crackpot idea, that just maybe… just maybe we’d find each other again.” And even worse. For a second, I thought this could have been that moment.

Luka hated this, Adrien’s face was so far; he couldn’t wipe away his tears. Instead, he just kept gripping his fingers into Adrien’s back as he listened to him speak.

“But then - then you never texted me back. You ignored me. You left. And you fucked anything that moved.”

“I couldn’t handle being so far away from home.” Luka tugged harder, bringing Adrien closer. This was home. Adrien was always his home. Even though the ghost was thin, his flesh still gave the same high that no one on the planet could match.

Adrien brought his lips to Luka’s once again, entangled with the pleasure and pain that his sweet euphoria brang. “I hate that song.”

“Me too.” Luka demanded Adrien’s lips once more he continued his thought. “When I wrote it, I didn’t think that I’d ever have to actually fucking hear it.”

Scoffing, Adrien pulled at the hem of Luka’s shirt as his face hovered inches from his heartbreak’s. He didn’t want to ask Luka to hear more about the song. He already believed it to be about him; but it was easier to convince himself it was about anybody else. “You tell me, how many marks will I see when I lift your shirt? How many lovers' scars have you earned while you were away?”

The concentration on Luka’s face answered the question. He’d been promiscuous, he had no idea who had scratched him, or if he had hickies; he had sex to forget Adrien, and drank to forget the sex.

“I hate you, Luka Couffaine.” Adrien bit Luka’s neck. Though Adrien’s teeth had been against his skin countless times, this was different. Adrien was releasing anguish, telling him he loved Luka, and hated him for letting go. That he wanted to be the only marks across his body. He was supposed to be special. Now he felt like nothing but the lapdog you forgot to take for a walk.

Adrien’s slight smirk was not felt by Luka’s burning skin; a proud smile that he’d finally worked up enough courage to feel the intoxicating sensation of rage towards the man below him. His teeth grew deeper as Luka’s back arched at Adrien’s contact.

Should I stop this?

Am I supposed to run away again?

It’s so hard to leave when all I want to do is stay….

But…

He said he hates me.

Maybe that’s a good thing.

My cue to go.

I did it right.

He hates me.

He hates me?

The proclamation pierced as Adrien’s teeth released from Luka’s throat.

Grabbing Adrien’s face, he looked deep into his emerald eyes. “Don’t fucking say that.”

They shared a moment of silence. Of looking past each other’s masks.

Luka listened to Adrien’s song. The sad piano was gone. His song was eerily similar to his own, there was only a violin playing one slow note back and forth. Adrien was falling apart.

“You don’t like that? Your leaving was torture.” Adrien tore off Luka’s shirt. “Seeing your lips pressed against someone else’s mouth on the front paper was agony. Hearing songs that mention things about me made me feel crazy . You telling me you miss me was murder. The easiest thing about this, Luka, is finally being able to hate you.”

Luka unbuttoned the top of Adrien’s jeans as he ranted; Adrien’s jeans were of the same design and fade that the boy had worn in high school.

“I tried. You need to hate me.” Luka spoke honestly; Adrien’s lips running against his ribs was making it increasingly difficult to conjure words. “We will never work.” He ended with a lie.

Love is a fiend, a fire.

“Then it shouldn’t bother you when I say it.” Adrien stood from Luka, leaving him cold. Whenever he stepped away, Luka was always stunned at the severity of which he could freeze. His iced loneliness was shaken as his remaining shoe was tugged off his foot.

A heaven, a hell.

Adrien finished his argument as he crawled back on top of Luka. “It means you succeeded.” And it makes leaving you in the morning easier to palate.

Luka pulled Adrien against him. “You’re right.” Black fingernails wrapped around blonde hairs as Luka tugged Adrien’s lips back to his. Through broken breaths he added, “But can we pretend not, just for a night?”

Where pleasure, pain, and sad repentance dwell.

The morning sun made it impossible to deny. Had Adrien woke up and Luka wasn’t sprawled snoring on the couch, he could have ignored it. He could have fooled himself that it was merely a dream. But in the broad daylight, there was no denying it, Luka Couffaine had stayed the night.

Kneeling in front of the couch, Adrien gently moved Luka’s hair to the side. It was a nostalgic comfort to see his hair so dishevelled. This was the messy face he truly used to believe that he would wake up every morning to. It was odd the things that hurt the most. Adrien would have never guessed that bed head would have been one of them.

Luka slightly twitched at Adrien’s touch, to which Adrien receded in fear of waking him up. For both of them, he knew this moment wasn’t supposed to live in the rising of the sun.

Goodbye my love.

You’re the most beautiful Lost Boy I’ve ever met.

“I hate you, Luka Couffaine.”

“Can we pretend not, just for a night?”

Luka fell off the couch as he pulled at his chest. His forehead was on the ground as he violently sobbed. He lifted his gaze, trying to find his liquor bottle. He wheezed as he crawled around the floor.

Where the fuck am I?

“SASS?” Luka yelled, giving up on his search for the bottle and leaning against the wall wiping his slowing tears.

“Good morning, Luka.” Sass hovered to the window. The day was bright, yet it felt the darkest he’d ever seen.

“Are we back in Paris?” Luka’s brow furrowed at Sass.

“Luka, I understand if this is too much for you. Perhaps we can speak to Juleka about taking over the Cat Miraculous.” Sass was scared. Luka was constantly living too many personalities: the rockstar, the superhero, the alcoholic, and the boy who left his heart in Paris.

“ Stop , Sass. I just woke up. This nightmare was different… it’s just taking me a little longer to get my bearings.” The horror was not in the grotesque as usual, but in the pain of what couldn’t be.

Smoothing his hair back, Luka peered down at the cars below. The street seemed familiar, they were definitely in Paris. A dawning realisation came over him, he must have drunkenly gone home with someone, someone that was comfortable enough to leave him unattended. He didn’t remember going to a bar… but he also didn’t remember stepping off the plane.

Fuck. I didn’t go home with someone I know, did I? Maybe that’s why my dream was so terrible… Dear God, I hope it wasn’t Zoe. That would be a disaster.

Luka pulled out his phone to send a message to Alya. While he figures shit out, he might as well try to gather the team for the coup d’état they were going to have to establish; Alya, being one of the few who knows Chat Noir’s identity, was the clear choice to contact first. He wasn’t ready to deal with Juleka’s rancour.

The message from Adrien was still an unopened notification on his screen. He couldn’t open it nor delete it. Adrien’s voice trickled into his head, his nightmare not ready to leave.

“I hate you, Luka Couffaine.”

Luka batted at his head. He did not want to hear Adrien’s voice attacking him right now. He needed to focus. It would be a lot easier if he knew where the damn alcohol was. Why was there a coffee bar without even a bottle of wine? What a waste.

Irritated, Luka slid his foot into the shoe that Adrien had gently set aside for him.

Where the fuck is my other shoe?

Pushing his hand under the couch, he found nothing but dust bunnies.

“What are you looking for, Luka?” Sass interrupted Luka’s frantic hunt.

“My other shoe…” Luka trailed off as he continued to rescan the room.

“It fell downstairs when you fell down the stairs.” Sass explained, in a slightly disappointed tone.

Well, that would explain why I feel so sore. I must have fallen on my back, it feels scratched to shit.

“Thanks, Sass.” Luka headed towards the stairs.

A flash of a ghost of Adrien shot through his mind, sending chills down his spine. He was glad that Adrien only existed in his dreams, the mere memory unnerving.

Scanning around the base of the stairs he found nothing. Looking beside him he saw the two rooms.

Huh, those would be good for lessons. This doesn’t look like someone’s house…

He stepped out to see his shoe on the counter. It was beside a white coffee cup and a wrapped sandwich. The night came crashing together. Illusion collided with reality.

No…

For some reason, it brought him more pain that the dream he so desperately wished to be real, was.

He brought the cup to his lips. The familiar aroma of Nutella and oat was a sweet reminder of better times.

Adrien… your sentimental side will kill you. Luka bit his lip. Did Adrien get a nosebleed to do this? Had he seriously managed to hurt Adrien within minutes of being back in Paris? It was a reminder as to why he was supposed to leave, he could never stay away from Adrien.

Alya: Thank god you’re back. Do you know about the *** thing*** that’s been going on with Adrien?

Luka tilted his head at his phone. ‘The thing’. Was this her way of trying to determine if he knew about the creepy family magic?

That would certainly make the conversation a lot easier.

A smile stretched over Luka’s lips, things were truly starting to fall into place. His briefly elevated mood was squandered as quickly as it came, his heart sinking at the words sharpied onto his cup.

Goodbye, Luka.

His eyes fell to what the cup had been set on top of. A golden necklace curled around Adrien’s keys to the shop.

« Tu m’as manqué. »

« Je te déteste, Luka Couffaine. »

Author's Notes:

So this chapter was really interesting because I really liked the concept because I’m my own fucked up headcase and had a conversation of, “you don’t think it’s normal to see someone after months and your mental health has gone to such shit that you lost nearly 20 pounds, tell them you hate them, and then just have sex to try and make the pain go away while ignoring the fact that that person had literally driven over your heart? That’s like… not the first reaction? Huh.” This ended up making this chapter a bit longer for sure, but I think it brought some really cool elements into it. That I am now going to share with you.

Did you recognize the Richard Barnfield quote? “Love is a fiend, a fire, a heaven, a hell. Where pleasure, pain, and sad repentance dwell.” - this quote was used the first night that Luka stayed over. The birthday night where Adrien brushed him off and then destroyed Gabriel’s office. Their first ‘fight’ and their first silent ‘let me just take away your pain with my body warmth.’

Disassociation - tried to make the little excerpt as tangible as I could. The sudden feeling that you’re walking into a realm and then you wake up realizing you auto piloted so hard and aren’t actually sure how you managed to get there - must have taken the magical dark sea way!

I loved the idea of comparing the shop to a body and describing more of how it’s a safe place and what it means. Also it gave me a chance to be like - he’s not in denial anymore. He knows he only wants dick. That’s literally who he is. He now can barely survive in a house where he no longer considers it is private domain.

Again - we see that Adrien suspects. He’s pretty damn sure he knows there is something wrong with the rings, that his dad did something, but he was really left out of the loop. He should have hung out with Felix more.

Thank you again to all who have been reading! This story means a lot to me and the fact that anyone has read it makes me joyous!

Disclaimer * The characters and original plot were written and created by Thomas Astruc. This writing is merely an interpretation in a sad gay type of way.

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