Ladyblood

15 | That Damn Smile

a.n. : just changed Kagami's hero name from serpent to Dragon. boring, i know, but not many other names appealed to me.

Marinette's POV

I'm stunned.

Luka, the quiet little guitar playing guy in my classes says he's going to end me. The guy who helps me in algebra and writes songs just to hear the melody ring in his ears. Huh, that's a surprise. I thought he liked me. Maybe he likes someone else. I wonder who.

I broaden my shoulders and take a firm stance, tilting my head up so I can look down on him. "Wow, I truly didn't see that coming. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask for the snake miraculous back now. Sorry 'bout that."

He doesn't move.

I play with my hair and shift my weight from one foot to the other, looking carelessly down at my nails "Common, let's get this going. I don't wanna be out here more than I have to~"

"I already told you. I'm a hero."

"You, a hero?" I scoff. "Pathetic. Give me the miraculous. The dragon one too. Now."

Viper puts an arm in front of his new partner. "Absolutely nobody will touch her."

I pout. "Aww. Will this change your mind?"

I quickly tackle him and knock him off his feet. His face slams into the ground. He tries to fight, but I instantly grab his head and force it into the wet dirt. I grab my knife in my back pocket and switch it open, slowly glazing it across his neck. He's obviously hurting, but refuses to let me hear him suffering. He swiftly pushes off the ground with his arms, and I jump off his back.

"Fine," I giggle. "We'll do this the hard way."

Chat jumps in front of me, and swings his bat toward Dragon. She nimbly does a back handspring to doge the attack, and she's quickly ready to fight. She balls her hands into fists and punches Chat off of his feet. He hits the ground. Hard.

I quickly dash with my knife in front of me. It slashes Dragon's arm, and she stumbles a few steps before falling to the ground.

I cackle. "How do you like that, Dra-"

BAM. With one swift hit to the head, I fall to the ground. I roll over to my back, and see Viper standing above me. He quickly jumps and elbows me in the ribs.

"Ughh..." I grumble. 

He gets up and repeats the attack, and I immediately hutch over to protect my chest. He stumbles back and I shoot up from the ground, slowly shuffling toward him.

"You and me..." I say, trying not to sound out of breath. "...we aren't that different. You're ready to hurt anyone who you don't agree with."

Viper's doesn't move, but I see the emotion and fear in his eyes. 

"No, you're wrong." He protests. "I'm saving Paris. You're hurting it."

I hold my chest and limp, trying to play with his emotions. "Look at me. I'm pathetic. Just a little teenager, and you're ready to punch me to the ground because we have different opinions."

"NO! You're wrong!" I hear a girl scream.

I swiftly look behind me. Dragon slowly gets up; blood dripping down her arm. She slowly raises her arm, then points it directly at me. Her glare pierces my soul. "Who do you think is the evil one here, Ladyblood?"

I put my hand on my hip. "Hawkmoth."

"What if she's not a problem anymore?"

I hesitate. "What do you mean by that?"

Luka pushes off his knee and rolls his shoulders back. He looks at me through the corner of his eyes. He brushes the blood off of his mouth and smirks. I take a step back still on guard. What aren't they telling me?

Dragon takes a confident step towards me, then another. "How do you know that Hawkmoth is still here? What if we made a plan with her to end you?"

"I-I don't understand. Why would Hawkmoth want to kill me?!"

Dragon smiles a manipulative smile. "You'll find out soon enough."

I don't understand anything. What do they mean that Hawkmoth wants to kill me? What did I ever do to her? Why would I be the one to blame? I'm saving the city. If anyone is akumatized, they're evil and sinful. They disgust me. I don't care who they are. I will kill them. Why does that make me the bad guy?

I open my mouth to ask another question, but something stops me. Chat grabs my shoulder. I jump and whip my head around to look at him, but I don't see him in his normal confident face. He's scared.

A purple outline of a butterfly floats in front of his eyes. He's about to be akumatized.

My heart skips a beat.

"CHAT!" I scream. 

I jolt towards him and grab his shoulders. He's terrified. He crumbles and melts to the floor, and I do the same. My hands grasp his face, and I feel the tears running down his face. 

"WILD CHAT! PLEASE!"  I wail. "DON'T DO THIS TO ME! DON'T DO THIS TO ME!"

He grabs my back and gives me a tight bear hug. He clings to me. I wrap my arms around him slowly hug him back. He cries onto my shoulder, and I do the same to him. I run my hands through his golden locks of hair, desperate for this to be some sort of nightmare. This can't be real. I couldn't find the will to live if I had to end his life.

We cling to each other tightly. All the memories of us hit me like a truck. The memory of when I first met him, the memory of us in the bathroom, and the memory of him smiling his dangerous smile at me in class.  That stupid smile. 

I remember the feeling of security when he would carry me after a long battle home. I would be tired and scared, but he would convince me that we are doing this for Paris. I remember the smell of his cologne when I would kiss his neck. We would skip class and run to the bathrooms to make out. I remember when he first told me he loved me. My heart jolted when I saw the blood on his hands, but he swore it was because he loved me, and only me.

He pulls away in the middle of my thoughts. I look up at him with childish eyes filled with fright. I'm terrified. He puts his hand on my cheek, and two teardrops slide down his face. His lips tremble but forces a weak smile.

"I love you."

He kisses me.

In an instant, I'm hit by a wall of darkness. It ruptures from the ground and swallows him whole. I fall back onto my hands, and my mouth falls wide open. My eyes grow wide as they slowly look at what sits in front of them when the darkness fades. He's in front of me. Transformed. He's attire is white. His eyes glow a striking blue.  He's stronger and taller. His eyes are filled with murderous emotions.

But his smile is the same. 

That damn,

stupid

smile.