I don't wanna lose control

the final stand pt 1

Chat Noir's pov

My lungs were burning, the last of the sludge being coughed up as Ladybug helped me stand up, the blood gushing from the cut above her eye dripping onto my suit with sullen thuds.

I watched as Ladybug de-akumatised Lila and noticed how her fingers shook and trembled and how her grip on her yo-yo was shaky and blood filled. She gave me a smile as the glowing butterfly flew away off to who knows where.

"What now M'lady? I have a feeling something bad is going to happen. Tonight feels... Finite. It's going to end." I asked and watched as she cast her gaze to the sky.

"The final battle or something kitty. At least I hope so. We should follow the butterflies, they all seem to be going somewhere."

"Seems like our best bet." We walked silently, Ladybug reaching up to wipe her eyes every now and then.

"Where do you think they are going?" I asked as, once again, i noticed Ladybug lifting her hand up to her side before dropping it heavily.

"Hopefully towards Hawkmoth. I am so done with these akumatisations. I mean Lila? Really? Of all people, he managed to manipulate the pathological liar into thinking she was going to be his big "weapon". Kind of ironic." She huffed and spun her yoyo playfully around her fingers.

"You aren't scared M'lady?"

"We are going to win kitty. I have too much to lose," then she turned to look at me, "besides, its about time I learn who's under that mask"

She reached up and tapped gently against my mask and smirked at me.

"Will Master Fu let us?" I asked, running my hand through my hair to try and disguise my blush.

"With the threat of Hawkmoth gone, I am sure."

I looked up from Ladybug to track where the butterflies were flying. Except they had begun to circle a house. Or, well, a mansion to be more specific. The darkness of night shrouded the manor menacingly and i stopped in my tracks.

"M'lady-"

"That's the Agreste residence." She said, voice flat. "You, you don't think that-"

"Adrien isn't hawkmoth." 

"Chat, I know he is your friend but they are circling his house." She turned to me and pointed to the very obvious swarm of butterflies.

"He isn't hawkmoth M'lady. I know it. He could never do that. Hawkmoth must be just.. in his house?"

"Chat if it isn't Adrien who is hawkmoth, could it be his father?"

"Gabriel Agreste is away on a business trip. Has been for a while now. It can't be him." Father still hadn't returned from his business trip. However; I didn't actually see him leave.

"Well we are going to find out anyway." Ladybug said confidently as she walked towards the towering gate. She lifted her hand gently to the buzzer, using her left rather than right to prevent smearing blood all over it. "Hello? Is anyone home?"

The house was silent. Obviously I wasn't in it but Nathalie had to be. Also the gorilla. He had been there when I left.

I reached forward and pressed my hand against the gate. And it opened with an eerie screech.

"What the-?" I exclaimed. The gate was never open. Never. Father insisted against it to stop me from getting out without permission. It was obviously all for naught since I got out anyway but still.

"Errr... I guess we just go in?" Ladybug suggested as she stepped past me and entered the premises.

The air felt different from when I had left earlier. It was darker and the only light coming from the pulsing bugs in the air. None of the lights in the house were on and the sleet and wind obscured the view.

"Why would Hawkmoth be in the Agreste's mansion is what i want to know." Ladybug stated as she came up to the large door.

"It's big?" I suggested but part of me wondered whether it was because of me.

If Hawkmoth knew who I was, then the best place to be after a failed akumatisation would be my house. It would make sense to hurt my father to get to me. Luckily he wasn't here. 

If I thought the house was lonely in the day, it was now the definition of solitude. I never came downstairs at night, everything i needed being in my room and seeing the empty stairs curling itself up the wall menacingly made me gulp. Shadows seemed to move unexpectedly and without thought for the low, natural light coming in through the windows. The picture of me and my father on the wall was even more creepy than usual. Having to look at your own face the entire time is quite unnerving.

"I've never actually stopped in here." Ladybug said quietly, looking around the practically empty space.

"You have been in Adrien's house?" I asked.

"A couple times, mostly saving him," she gave a small laugh and looked around, " Where should we go? Maybe we should check on Adrien?"

"Why do we need to check on Adrien?" I asked because I'm pretty sure we had bigger problems than whether Adrien is in his room. Especially because i wasn't.

"He could be hurt or akumatised, we don't know. With him being scarlet moth right now, he could akumatise multiple people at once, including Adrien." She started up the stairs and I looked every direction to find a distraction, my eyes catching on something red in my peripheral.

"M'lady look." I pointed towards the red glowing doorway to my father's study.

"What the hell is that?" She questioned.

I shrugged and we began to creep towards the door.

Inside my Father's study, a large hole was in the ground, red light spewing from it.

"A Hole?" I asked stepping towards it.

"No..." Ladybug stepped over the where the hole was in the ground, "It's an elevator. Seems like Gabriel Agreste was hiding something.

I stood, staring at it. I knew my father had secrets being kept from me, but a secret elevator was practically ridiculous. How much about my father did I actually know? How much has he been lying to me about?

"Can you see the bottom M'lady?" I asked as i edged slightly closer.

"I think so? I guess we will find out." and just as suddenly as she said it she stood back up from her kneeling position and jumped down the elevator shaft. 

She is going to give me a heart attack one of these days.