Hold On Tight (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

Part 3: Too Hard or Too Easy?

Why did everything have to be so difficult? Ladybug asked herself this over and over as she leaned Chat gently against the Zamboni. He grunted in pain, making Ladybug feel as if she might puke. His blood was all over her hands, her arms. It was everywhere.

Volpina drew closer by the second and Ladybug knew that she needed Chat Noir for this fight.

She leaned over him, her hand touching his face lightly, leaving traces of his own blood on his cheek. She winced at the sight, "You're going to be fine. I'm going to fix this."

His hand shot out and gripped hers, "You're going to need your lucky charm." his voice was gravely, his eyes going in and out of focus.

"I'm going to need you even more." She stood, Chat offering little resistance. Throwing the hairdryer into the air, she yelled the words, millions of little ladybugs flying though and fixing everything. Fixing Chat.

He stood slowly, rotating his shoulder once. Twice. "We're all good bugaboo," he cooed, his mouth smiling, but his eyes slightly haunted. It was her fault. Again.

Later, she told herself. She'd sulk in self misery later.

Her earrings beeped, "We better get this done quick."

Chat nodded, rolling his shoulder again. Maybe the ladybugs couldn't fix everything. She wouldn't let Chat leave before she checked.

"You know Ladybug," Volpina said, twirling her instrument, "I'm getting really tired of you...how should I put it? I'm tired of you getting in my way!"

"Oh you've got to be kitten me!" Chat threw his arms up in annoyance, "Not you again."

Volpina wiggled her fingers at Chat, "Hello there kitty cat."

Ladybug's earrings beeped again, "Chat." She said with urgency.

"I got this Milady," he said, "go fuel up."

She didn't waist any time. Ladybug shot towards another building, running into the bathroom and locking a stall.

"Spots off." Tikki fell into Marinette's hands, clearly exhausted. Pulling a macaroon from her purse, Mari tried her hardest not to just breakdown right there.

"Marinette," Tikki said, noticing her expression, "Chat Noir saved you. You should be grateful, not sad."

Marinette shook her head as the kwami ate, "I'm not sad Tikki, I'm scared. In all the battles me and Chat have fought together, I have never seen him bleed."

"Don't worry Marinette," Tikki reassured as she finished the macaroon, "You're Ladybug and Chat Noir! You guys can do anything!"

"I hope you're right Tikki."

Chat was holding out as best he could but Volpina was strong. His nose was bleeding, the taste of it trickling onto his lip. Her illusions different than before, more powerful. Before, they hadn't been able to deliver tangible blows, but now Chat Noir felt like a human hacky sack trying his best to ward off the blows of the dozens of Volpinas. The real one just sat in the corner and laughed.

His shoulder killed. The ladybugs had sewn the wound shut, but he could still feel the pain there like the arrow shaft was still stuck in his skin. For Ladybug, he'd keep fighting for Ladybug.

His stick was in pieces on the floor a few feet away from him, completely useless now. And he had thought it would be a normal day.

Chat jumped, flipping over the Volpinas and onto the ice, slipping as he landed. The Volpinas followed. Blood from his nose dripped onto the white ice, turning it a murky pink. He had to do this fast, hopefully Ladybug would be out soon.

Chat raised his hand, "Cataclysm!"

He pounded his hand against the ice then jumped up into the bleachers. The ice burst apart, water flying everywhere and causing the illusions to slide into the watery dome of the ice rink. Each of them dissipated as soon as they hit the water.

"Clever Kitty," Volpina said, her voice sounding amused, "Aren't you tired of Ladybug getting credit for everything you do?"

Chat was breathing hard, his shoulder still burning, "Not really, no."

"Oh come on," Volpina slipped from amusement to silent anger, "Have you ever noticed that even though you and her fight side by side every day, you don't get even half the recognition that she does?"

"I don't need recognition."

She gave him a malicious smile, "Oh but you want it, I know you do. You want recognition from the city, and you want recognition from her. You know she needs you and you want her to know it."

Chat shook his head, ignoring the bit of truth to her words, "You don't know what I want."

"Don't I?"

Chat didn't answer, he just stared at the villain in front of him. What was she? Why would anyone choose to be akumatized? Chat Noir just couldn't wrap his head around it.

"That's what I though," She drawled, "You and I are very similar Chat Noir."

"That is not true," Chat bit out, "we are nothing alike. I'm much more charming."

Volpina snorted, "Whatever you say little kitten."

Chat knew she was trying to rile him up. He took deep breaths, one after another, and tried his best to calm down. She just smiled wider. His fists clenched.

"Okay Volpina," Ladybug said as she emerged from the door she'd ran through only minutes before. Her eyes flicked to Chat, worry blazing there. He nodded, conveying to her that he was fine, "Let's talk business."

"You know I don't wanna talk Ladybug," she hissed, "give me your miraculous and I might spare you."

"I've heard that so many times," Chat Noir countered, "it's starting to get old."

"Tell me about it." Ladybug agreed, and then she sprang into action.

Chat Noir joined in and they made quick work of Volpina. Together they were so much stronger than apart. It was an easy fight with both of them working together, almost too easy, but Chat decided to ignore that fact, the pain in his shoulder beginning to become almost intolerable.

When they had finished up, the wave of ladybugs hit him again, except this time he felt no different. The hole in his suit had been fixed, but his shoulder throbbed consistently. Chat turned to help Lila up off the floor, her face set in a scowl aimed at Ladybug's back.

"Lila," Chat said, "you have to stop this nonsense. It's getting you nowhere."

Her face straightened, she wasn't smiling, but she wasn't glaring either. "Right. Thanks for saving me Chat Noir." Her last few words came out sounding too giddy and way too fake.

"You should be thanking--" Chat turned around to acknowledge ladybug, but she was gone. He glanced around a bit frantically. Where had she gone to in such a rush? He hadn't heard her earrings beeping. But now that he thought about, he did have to get to school.
Without a second glance at Lila, Chat Noir raced toward the school.

After school was over, Adrien transformed, determined to see Ladybug again. He should've waited for Kagami, he knew that, he just wasn't thinking straight. Adrien was beyond worried about his lady. She had always been the strong one. Always. So the fact that something was going on that he didn't know about, that he couldn't fix, drove Adrien mad.

He waited at the top of the Eiffel Tower for an hour, pacing back and forth. She'd had been here yesterday, he had thought maybe she would be here today, but eventually he had to give up and go home.

On his way home, Chat noticed something. It was Marinette, she was standing out on her roof, leaning over the balcony. She looked troubled.

Marinette hadn't responded to Adrien, but maybe she'd talk to Chat. Besides, he wasn't ready to go home just yet. And maybe he needed to talk to someone too.