Not Who You Think (inspired by Kuro Neko)

Not Who You Think

Author's Note: For the sake of this story, Shadowmoth is very dumb and therefore doesn't realize things that should be completely obvious to him.

(Then again, isn't he always?)

Not Who You Think

By: Christina Cheng

Cat Noir landed on a small spire overlooking the glass rooftop where Ladybug and the other heroes had gathered below, one hand leaning against the pole while the other clutched something closely behind his back.

He waited, keeping out of sight, until all the heroes had jumped off in different directions before making his way to the place where they had just been.

His hand trembled slightly as he looked down at the rolled sheet of paper in his hand, then announced, "Claws in."

His transformation faded, and a small black kwami burst out of his ring.

"Adrien, please, you don't have to do this!"

Adrien avoided his gaze as he tucked the letter under a nearby pipe to keep it from blowing away. "We already talked about this, Plagg. It's the best thing for Ladybug...and for me."

Adrien held up his hand and carefully began sliding off his ring.

Plagg flew in front of him, his eyes pleading. "But what about me, Adrien? Please reconsider."

Adrien hesitated for a moment, as the ache in his heart grew deeper, and he once again realized the consequences of what he was about to do.

"I'm sorry, my friend. But I have to give up on everything. Including you."

Squeezing his eyes shut, Adrien tore off the ring, and winced as he heard Plagg's desperate cries be suddenly cut off. Adrien tightened his fist around the miraculous, and stood still for a moment - a small figure alone on the roof, the silence echoing in his ears - before gently placing it beside the letter and heading towards the stairs.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladybug felt her yo-yo buzz against her hip as she finished collecting the last of the miraculouses she had given out. She gave a quick wave to Max before pulling herself onto a nearby rooftop and swinging in the direction of the building where she had met all of the other heroes earlier.

She already knew what the message said, since Cat Noir must've set it to automatically repeat every few minutes, and it had been going off ever since she had de-akumatized the recent villain. She felt a little bad about leaving him out this time, but there were already so many heroes she had to keep track of, and it didn't seem necessary to wait for another to show up...it was his own fault for not being there.

She landed on the roof, half expecting him to start apologizing for his absence, but instead found the roof to be empty. She was about to leave, figuring he had given up on her coming, when something caught her eye.

A small piece of paper, tied with a strand of red thread, fluttered gently in the wind, and next to it something black glimmered in the light of the afternoon sun.

She walked cautiously over to it, then felt the breath catch in her throat as she noticed the green paw print on the side of the ring.

She hastily pulled the letter from its place and unrolled it, as if in a dream.

Dear Ladybug,

I'm sorry I can't be the partner you want me to be.

Furious, Ladybug crumpled up the letter and squeezed it tightly into her fist.