the heart i know i'm breaking (is my own)

2

I didn't have it in myself to go with grace

Her throat ached from screaming his name. She'd been chasing him across the rooftops, trying to catch up, trying to make him see reason. Nothing of the confident leader seemed to be left in her. Hair flying loose and wild, eyes a bloodshot red, shoulders sagging. If the civilians saw her now, they wouldn't find their beloved heroine. In her place, they'd see a broken girl. A girl who was afraid. A girl who was desperately in love.

Once, she would've been horrified at herself. She'd have tamed her hair and pulled at her cheeks and smiled like everything was fine. Would've waited for her partner in the shadows of the night to shout at him, to scream and cry and throw her arms around him, shaking with relief.

Not anymore. This was going to be her fall from grace, and yet she couldn't care less.

And you're the hero flying around saving face

"Hello there, citizens!"

Cheers rose in the square, and she whipped her head around, eyes searching. There he sat, devilishly handsome like always in his ink black suit, feet dangling in the air from his spot on top of the statue. His hair glinted against the daylight, and even from afar she could see the light grin he wore. Everything about his posture showed ease. She'd looked at him enough times to know his eyes would be bright with confidence. This was him. Him at his strongest.

And it all looked- it all looked so normal, so wonderfully everyday that despite herself - despite everything - she dared to hope. Maybe this wouldn't come crashing down. Maybe this could be over before it began. Maybe she could breathe again.

(She was a damned fool to hope for it.)

He stood up, his balance precarious, but she knew from firsthand experience that it came naturally. In this moment, left in nervous anticipation as his face sobered, she waited with bated breath just like everyone else; a lonely little ladybug drawn to the warmth of her black cat. His presence called to her like a magnet, always had.

"This is my city. Our city. And I gave you my word of always protecting it, come what may. That time has arrived. No enemy shall destroy our land."

And if I'm dead to you why are you at wake

He didn't seek her out. Only he could have, given the way she had hidden herself amongst the rooftops, but his eyes didn't stray from the people gathered around. She had been wrong. It wasn't she who was one with the crowd. It was he.

But why do this alone?

"It's okay to be afraid. But it's unforgivable to be a coward. Stand strong. We will brave this. It is my promise to you. I will fight against any and every foe."

What about them against the world?

Cursing my name
Wishing I'd stayed

And then it happened.

It came as quickly as lightning. His eyes locked onto hers, her heart speeding up under his stare, body tensing. There was nothing familiar about this. This was cold and unforgiving. This was a set jaw and clenched fists.

This came as devastatingly as lightning.

"I will not bow down, not spare any mercy to the enemy."

This was him dealing his bone-shattering blow.

Look at how my tears
ricochet

"Not even if our enemy is Ladybug herself."

AN: good old angst :)