S2EP14: Zombizou

常識をはるかに超えてつのる想い
突然変異的に勃発したバラ色の恋

もはや暴力的とも言える程の純愛
既に昭和史に刻む勢いのジュ・テーム

suki suki daisuki
jun togawa

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

Can you recall the first time you've gained conscious? The very first memory you can think of? The oldest one in the vault? Can you remember how it felt before you realized that you could retain any thought, sound, and/or feeling at your own command?

You couldn't, can you? Because anything beyond that time felt like you didn't exist-a hopeless husk that functioned on a programmed routine.

Disbelief. Annoyance. Detest. You could feel their traces as the muffled conversation around you becomes comprehensible. A blink of an eye, your world becomes clearer and these emotions begin to lose their meaning-you've grown aware of your whereabouts.

". . . The classroom is not a place for insults and defamation! Marinette, would you come with me, please?"

You flinch, mouth parted in stupor. "What?" You and Marinette seem to say at the same time, both for different reasons. For Marinette, in disbelief she's being forced to take the fall for Chloe's mess. And you, who's in shock on how it was almost the end of the day, but has no recollection of the events leading up to now.

"Alya, I'm relying on you to make sure things don't get out of hand while we're gone." Ms. Bustier turns to her calmly, awaiting for the sulking Marinette to follow her outside. "Yes, Miss."

The classroom's door closes with a thud, the sound knocking you out the tight headspace you've unknowingly been stuck in throughout the whole day. Before you could catch yourself, a voice of worry comes tumbling out, "Something's wrong." You mumbled. It was quiet and weak, yet was still heard.

Your table mate mistakes your concern as a start of a protest, riding off your comment as he announces to the class, "Yeah. It should be Chloe out there with Ms. Bustier, not Marinette!" Nathaniel announces as loud as he could, glaring down at the snobby blonde. Not even a second later did the classroom erupt with agreement, their loud chatter building up a headache.

Your brows scrunch at the mild intrusion as you took a slow step down the stairs, letting yourself fall into Marinette's seat. "Something's wrong." You repeat. It was unclear as to why you were sharing your worries with Alya, especially when you could barely describe what exactly was wrong. It felt like you've lost conscious, but how was that possible when it felt like you were aware? As if you've lost partial control of your body, mind, and decisions. Like someone else, besides yourself was holding the reins.

More than one head turns at your revelation, one of them belonging to Alya. It's almost certain you can guess who the second was. It was only natural that Alya was the one to turn and question you, but it only lasted for a second when her eyes fell on your discomforted form. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

There wasn't much you could have said or done to respond. Maybe with a shake of your head, or a simple grunt in response to let her know you were well enough to answer in some type of way. But as things usually went, you never had enough time to explain before your ache grew and something decided to happen to interrupt.

The door opens once more to reveal a feminine figure dressed in an attire that screamed villain, her skin a pale green as she waltz's into the room with a hop in her step, jumping onto Ms. Bustier's desk. "I have got some great news for you, students!" She applies another coat of lipstick before she turns. "From now on, everyone's going to kiss and feel the love! Even you, Chloe."

Count on Ms. Bustier to have an innocent motive to be akumatized by Hawk Moth, you thought with bated breath, watching as Ms. Bustier sends a kiss flying straight for Chloe. "Ah! Yuck! Ew!" She blanches, pulling Sabrina in front of her to shield herself from the visible affection, the mark sticking to her forehead.

Reapplying her lipstick upon missing her target, the sudden appearance of Ladybug with the help of her yo-yo stops her from sending another kiss. "Please, Ms. Bustier, you've gotta snap out of it!"

3RD POV

Adrien tenses at the arrival of Ladybug, looking down to his bag where Plagg is hidden, knowing Chat Noir should be here, too. But how could he slip away without being suspicious? Ladybug and Zombizou begin to fight, sending everyone running out the door Adrien held open. "Get out, quick!"

His eyes scanned each person that ran past him, making sure Y/n was amongst them, but as he realized the last person to escape wasn't her-Adrien's neck crinks with how fast he turned, noticing her lagging behind as she used the benches as support, face twisted in discomfort.

Her hand blindly feels for the last bench, tumbling forward with alarm as her hand narrowly missed it, gasping as an arm wraps around her. "It's just me! I've got you." Adrien says, his voice bringing immediate comfort as he pulls her out of the classroom, carefully bringing her down the stairs to meet with everyone. "My head feels like it's splitting into two. . ." She groans, her grip tightening in thanks as he gives her a tight squeeze in assurance.

But Y/n wasn't the only one who seemed to be lagging behind. "I feel. . ." Sabrina uses the rail as support as she descends down the stairs, "It's suddenly gotten very warm in here." She gasps out, sitting down on the last step, everyone pausing to see what's going on. "I don't know what's happening, I . ."

Adrien's eyes narrow with suspicion, pushing Y/n behind him as he watched the scene unfold. "What's wrong with you?" Chloe demands with a stomp of her foot, approaching the sickly Sabrina as she unknowingly gives into the affects of the kiss. "Chloe. . ."

Mouth's dropped open as they watched her pucker her lips, repeatedly smacking them with a kiss in attempt to plant a smooch on Chloe. "Ugh, get away from me!" She yelps, trying to shove her former best friend off and as far away from her.

Adrien steps in to drag Chloe from underneath her, his selfless act only doing so much as Sabrina decided to change her target. "Look out!" He shouts, the infected affectionate pouncing onto the unexpected Mylene, passing it on with just one kiss to the cheek.

"Mylene! Are you okay?" Ivan suspends Sabrina in the air, looking down to his partner with worry, staring at the prominent kiss mark on her cheek. "I feel. . . feverish. . . I can't-" it disappears, "Kissouu."

Fear ridden, Y/n backs away as far as she could, bumping shoulders with Alya. "It's contagious." She muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. Adrien's eyes widen, watching Mylene crawl towards Ivan. "Don't let them kiss you!"

Their callout sends everyone into a sprint and up the stairs once more, "Run! I'll hold them back!" Ivan follows, blocking the infected from reaching around him. Adrien hesitates, looking back in guilt as Mylene and Sabrina jump on him, not a second to waste as they infected him, too. Not even five minutes have passed, and they've already lost three friends along the way. Maybe if he were transformed, he could have stopped them from turning into kissing maniacs (weird).

His hesitance didn't go unnoticed. Noticing he was no longer by her side, Y/n paused in her trek and turned to see Adrien still near the bottom of the steps. And despite her fear, she did just as he did for her, and went back to pull him out of danger's way.

"We're safer together." She says, quickening her step to catch up with the rest of the class, Adrien in tow with his hand in hers. "And out of sight." Alix notes, looking below into the courtyard as it gradually filled with the infected.

With their only exit blocked, and their decisions limited, everyone collectively agreed it was best to hide in the nearest location: the locker room. Keeping their voices down and their movements slow, they slipped by the affectionate-turned students and slipped into the locker room, each one finding a locker to hide in. Out of sight, out of mind.

Adrien holds open Y/n's as she stepped into the limited space, twisting around to face him with uncertainty. "I'll be in the one across from you, okay?" He assures, giving her an apologetic smile as she nods. And what looked like with guilt, he closed it shut, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

It was dark, where only a sliver of light managed to slip through the locker's vent. Shut closed and out of harms way, yet it only provided the irrational fears hidden in the depths of her mind the very thing it needed to take over. But was it really all it was?

Fear?

Y/n winces as the piercing headache shoves its way to the front of her mind, feeling the throb right behind her eyes. It's powerful, using ever last force it has to overpower her-to take over the reigns, but the worry for her friends gave her the needed strength to overrule its intrusion.

[No! Not yet. Not now!]

This phrase repeated itself in her head over and over again, using the strength she needed thinking of her friends remaining in danger despite their hiding spot, the throb dulling into something more bearable. Until it was nothing more than an afterthought. It was gone-for now at least, until it wanted to make itself known once more.

"Anybody here?" A voice announces into their hiding space, Y/n tensing in fear until she was able to register the voice as someone familiar. A voice Paris grew to know and love. "Ladybug!" Another voice says, one she recognizes as Chloe. A loud thud resonates throughout the room.

"Sorry! Uh. . . Reflexes." Ladybug nervously laughs, helping the poor girl out of the locker she had managed to toss her in. One by one, everyone trickled out of their hiding spots, greeting the spotted hero in glee.

"Are you all okay?" Ladybug questions, looking over the group for her closest friend, almost panicking when she noticed a certain (h/c)-nette was missing, only to have her meekly coming out of the locker she resided in seconds later. "Looks like it!" Alya confirms, making sure to keep her friend close.

"Uh. . . Adrien? He still hasn't come out of his locker." Nino notes, everyone suddenly keen on the fact the golden boy of Paris was missing from their group. A soft thump could be heard amongst their shock, Y/n's heart dropping into her stomach. She knew what this could mean, especially when it came from Adrien's hiding spot.

Before Ladybug could investigate upon her own worry for the precious blond that takes up the space in her heart, Y/n was already opening the locker, putting herself in danger. "Kissy-boo. . ." The infected Adrien croons, reaching out for his personal victim as the remaining of the class shrieks with ghastly terror.

She stood in shock, her own safety an afterthought as she stared at the boy she had selfishly developed feelings for, fall victim to Zombizou despite her attempt to keep him safe. "I'm sorry-" The locker was slammed shut, Ladybug quick to pull Y/n out of reach and into her side with furrowed brows-but don't be mistaken, it wasn't in spite.

"Oh, man. Adrien must have gotten kissed on the stairs while saving Chloe." Alya says, face pinched with guilt as she recalled no one making sure Adrien was behind them. "I didn't make it in time." Y/n mumbled, eyes turned down to avoid meeting anyone's eye in shame. "I thought I had pulled him away in time. . . It's my fault he's infected."

Ladybug's firm hand on her shoulder makes her flinch, eyes widening when she looks up to meet with an even firmer gaze turnt to her. "It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault except for Hawkmoth's." She says, hoping her status as Paris' beloved hero would drill it into her head almost instantly. Her gaze softens, "You went out of your wake to make sure Adrien was out of danger despite your fears. That's hero material, if you ask me." She winks.

A hero! Y/n couldn't help but to feel so giddy hearing that come from Ladybug herself, even if the guilt was eating at her little by little. It definitely meant something coming from the hero herself, so it had to be true. Right?

The moment was lived and the moment was short, nothing you aren't a stranger to, as the infected affectionate gather outside of the locker room. It was sure that they've heard the commotion-the banging around, the shrieking.

"Kissou! Kissou!" They puckered through the glass, many faces twisting into distaste at the act, no sign of dignity left in them as they tried with all their might to get into the room. "We need to head to the roof!" Ladybug demands, pushing open the window whilst whirring her yo-yo. And one by one, she took everyone up to safety, missing the affection by a single hair as she escaped after them.

Adrien's kwami flies out of his pocket, perching on his shoulder, his next statement said with a tilt in his tone and a knowing look to spare his holder. "Admit it. That was all just a ploy to get a kiss out of her." Plagg insists.

"Don't be ridiculous, Plagg. How could I think of kissing her when she looked so sad?" Adrien frowns, feeling the all familiar grasp of guilt wrapping it's metaphorical arms tight around him, but he just had to keep telling himself repeatedly that he had to get Adrien out of the picture so the cat could come out to play. "Besides, how else would we work under the radar?"

"So, you're not denying that you've thought about it before-" Adrien was quick to say the transformation phrase to remove Plagg from the conversation, not sure how long he could take it inside these lockers confinements with the newfound heat that belonged to embarrassment.

But now that he's transformed transformed, Chat Noir has the freedom to leave his tight spot with a bang. The locker's door was slammed opened, calling for the affectionate's attention as he expertly maneuvered around them, "Sorry guys, no autographs this time!" and make his exit.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

"Yet again, it seems citizens of Paris are in great danger. Since this morning, a strange disease is spreading."

Ladybug stares intensively at her yo-yo turned phone, brows furrowed with frustration as she listened to the Nadja's latest coverage on Paris' current akuma attack, trying her best to keep her phone at a manageable distance for the two girls stood beside her.

Although her gesture was greatly appreciated, Y/n couldn't find it in herself to retain the news report, her eyes distant and mind elsewhere.

"Heys guys, I'm all for our French greetings, but let's hold off on the kisses for now, huh?"

The girls heads turn at the new addition to their group, seeing the ever so charismatic cat lighting up the mood as he taunted the infected down below. "I'm glad you're here, Chat Noir. Check this out." Ladybug greets, hold out her phone to him watch.

"Hordes of kissing zombies are spreading throughout Paris! Let's go over to Mayor Bourgeois, live from City Hall."

It was all basic information to him, considering he was one of the many to first witness it as it happened. Yet, he hums in interest, acting as if it were all news to him. But even that was hard to keep interest in when all he could be worried about was how Y/n was doing, the girl spaced out as Alya tried to silently console her.

"We advise all Parisian's to remain inside at all times." Mr. Bourgeois says, ironically going against his suggestion as he is seen outside giving a speech to a semi-small gathering. And just as anticipated, Mr. Bourgeois is attacked by no other than Mr. Rogers, tackling him off camera as a loud smooch was heard.

"Daddy?!" Chloe exclaims, shoving Chat Noir out of the way to take his place as she watches the rest of the report in distress.

"It seems we're having," a flying kiss comes floating her way, Nadja trying her best to swat it away with her clipboard "a slight technical issue-!" The kiss lands on her cheek, her figure slouching as another joins her.

"I took care of your father, Chloe. Show yourself!" Chloe's lip wobbles before she runs away with her hands over her eyes. "Unless, my sweethearts get a hold of your first, because very soon, the whole city will be hot on your heels!"

"Chloe. Always Chloe! You only think about yourself!"

"I don't see why we don't just give them what they want!"

"Yeah, good idea!"

Chloe scoffs with a cross of her arms. "Is it my fault that I'm better than you?" Y/n sighs heavily at the situation, a bit annoyed at her response. It's not that she was disappointed or even shocked, more as annoyed that it had nothing to do with the onslaught she was receiving.

"Sorry to disappoint you guys, but Chloe doesn't deserve to get hit any more than you." Ladybug shuts down the argument, but was quick to reveal her intentions with a smug smile. "And we need her as bait to lure Zombizou when the time is right."

"Uh, thanks?"

Rose turns her head at the commotion going on a ways beside them, seeing the infected affectionate's piling on one another to climb up on the roof. "They're coming!"

"We've gotta evacuate!" Ladybug announces, looking around for their next escape when she spots the bus. "Over there! Chat Noir, do you know how to drive?"

"You should know the answer to that, LB. I can do anything." He grins.

"Kitties first, then." She gestures, giving him the go ahead to proceed with their plan.

The others watched a little confused as Chat Noir leapt off the roof with a twirl of his staff, landing on top of the bus's roof. But as he extended the said staff back to the school and tossed his belt to Ladybug, they began to put two-and-two together on what the plan was.

"Um. . . Max and Kim, you go first." Chloe says, rejecting the idea of sliding down at such speed and height almost immediately, even if it meant saving herself from falling victim to those icky affectionate's.

Ladybug rolls her eyes, kneeling in front of Y/n as she wrapped the belt around her waist. It was obvious Chloe wasn't the first on her mind to get to safety as she tightens it carefully, giving her a reassuring smile as she lifts her up to the staff.

It didn't take a genius to see how terrified Y/n was to go through with this, but with the affectionate's just about successful getting on the roof, they both knew there wasn't any time for stalling and/or consoling. So, with a confirming nod and eyes screwed shut, Ladybug allows her to slide down, holding onto the belt just as tightly.

The feeling of falling was unpleasant. Her stomach felt like it had been turned inside out, her heart just about in her throat, but luckily it didn't last too long. The next thing she felt was warmth and familiarity-but it was odd. With her eyes close, she could just about imagine the face that belonged to this displaced familiarity.

"Chat, the belt!" Ladybug calls back to the pair, anxiously awaiting for the return of the vital item of their plan. Right. Chat Noir. She knew that, didn't she?

Peeking open an eye, she stares back at his with curiosity, wondering if he'd ever put her down. "R-right." The cat stumbles, placing her down as he unwrapped the belt and threw it back to his partner. "Get inside, the others will soon follow." He says, pulling at the screen that granted access to the bus.

And with his help, she was lowered into the bus with gentle hands, not hesitating to provide help of her own to pull the others inside as they were lowered in as well. One by one, her classmates where safe and by her side, a comfort she'd soon lose once she realized Max, Kim, and Chloe were still missing.

"What's the hold up?" Alya asks anxiously, grabbing onto Nino as Y/n ran up to the windows to look for herself. She watched as Max fell victim to the affection and Kim heroically turning his back on his best friend in order to save Chloe and lose himself in the process. It didn't stop there.

Rose, Juleka, Alix, and soon enough Alya and Nino. One by one, they lost what felt like everyone. She knew in the end it would all be fine, that Ladybug and Chat Noir would come out on top like always and finish the job. But with her best friends gone, standing amongst hero's and Chloe in the elevator that took them up the Eiffel Tower, she couldn't help but to feel all alone. She was alone.

Chat Noir looks to her in worry, feeling like he couldn't do anything with Chloe in his arms. "It doesn't matter that we're the only ones left, milady, since you'll fix it all in the end anyways!" Chat encourages the spotted hero, knowing she could use the uplift, too.

"Only the best remain." Chloe smugly grins, mouth puckering when she spots the (h/c)-nette in the corner of her eye. "And Y/n, too." She hums, looking off to the side as she readjusts her grip around Chat Noir's neck. His eyes slanted at the suggestion she was anything lesser than, ready to reprimand her himself, when another spoke before him.

"No. You can't say that." Y/n glares at the floor below them. "You don't deserve to say that about them when every single one of them sacrificed themselves to keep you safe."

"Y/n-"

Chloe flinches under your glare, feeling out of her norm as guilt began to bite at her security, seeing the clear sheen in her eyes. "And what did you do in return?" "You ran. You ran away without a second thought given to those who saved you. So, no. The best don't remain. Just the hero's, and the cowards."

The blonde bites down her tongue, deciding to remain quiet for the remainder of the lift, Y/n's words repeating themselves in her head the whole way to the top of the tower. A coward.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

The doors open, the remaining four running out their enclosure with Gustave's office in mind. "Straight ahead!" Ladybug calls out, yelping in surprise at the infected affectionate's loitering about. Jumping over them, she turns around at the call of her name. Her fear multiples by tenfold as she caught Chloe in her arms, helplessly watching the affectionate's closing in on Chat Noir and Y/n. As much as she wanted to dump Chloe then and now, she knew it was in her interests to get her to safety first. So, she did what she could in the moment: she left.

"Y/n!" Chat Noir shouts, using his now freed arms to focus on getting her out of this mess, swinging his staff around fervently, but the window of opportunity was small.

With a guilty conscious, Chat Noir extends his staff towards the clueless girl, catching her off guard as the force of it shoved her onto the ground in time before they piled onto him. "Chat?!" She yells in shock backing away in fear as his stature grew weak and wobbled back in and out of balance.

Using himself as a border, with his staff to keep him in place, he looked to her in guilt. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt you on purpose." He apologizes instantly, shocking her in silence. Her heart warmed at the thought of Chat's need to apologize to her when in such a predicament, when he just sacrificed himself to save her.

Ladybug soon joined then after, running up to the girl still on the floor, quick to check her for kiss marks before pulling her up. "Go! Find Chloe in Gustave's office." She demands, pushing off into its direction. "But-"

"Go!" She shouts one more time, the authoritative undertone enough to get her moving as she ran to the office, sparing Chat Noir one more worried glance before she was out of sight.

"Chat Noir. . ." She mumbles worryingly, cupping her partner's cheek. "Don't worry about me, milady. I'll just stay here and chill, okay?" Chat attempts to comfort, but his acceptance of his predicament sent Ladybug into a spiral. "No!"

"You're the only one who can fix this for us," Chat casts a glance over Ladybug's shoulder, "you're the only one able to keep her-them safe. No more arguing!"

Ladybug readjusts herself, aligning her goal with his as she backed away sorrowfully. "I'll keep her safe." She says determinately, before running off to join the two.

She pushes open the door, brows furrowed in frustration as she announces her presence, "It's just down to us three." The room is silent. "Y/n? Chloe?" Moving further into the office, she spots the (h/c)-nette first, sitting beside a sniffling small table, but upon following her pointed finger, she realized Chloe was hiding under the said small table.

Chloe lifts her head at the approaching footsteps, it falling back into the comfort of her arms as she mumbles, "At least I won't be in your way now. Good luck!"

Y/n bites at her cheek in guilt, feeling she had a hand in this sudden display of self-loathing. She really didn't mean to say all those things she did on the elevator-especially in the presence of Paris' hero's-but the weight of lost of everyone dear to her, plus her classmates, piled on her until she couldn't carry it anymore. She wrongfully took it out on Chloe when she shouldn't have.

Before she could open her mouth and relay the thought process she just had to Chloe, an evil cackle was heard from outside the office. "Hand over Chloe and your Miraculous!" Zombizou demanded, feeling victorious at the sight of Ladybug alone without her sidekick. "Then, I might just let you witness the final triumph of love!"

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug calls out, a bottle of make-up remover resonating from her magical ladybug's.

Chloe peeks once more, crawling out from her hiding space when she saw she had to rely on a bottle of make-up remover to save her life. "How are you going to save my life with that?!"

Ignoring her question, Ladybug uses her lucky vision to spot out the key items to help her win this fight-the scarf around Gustave's statue. Before she could look for more clues, her vision was interrupted as a faint "Cataclysm!" could be heard from above. And next thing she knew it, Chat Noir comes crashing down through its destruction.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug cheers in relief, unable to hide the proud smile on her face as he straightens himself out, but it would soon would be wiped away once she realized his hazy hues was replaced by a wicked love spell. "Kissou."

Chat Noir's eyes trained on the target before him-the only one he thought there was-but he would soon be proved mistaken at the sound of a gasp coming from behind the spotted hero, the sound making his ear twitch in realization.

Diving past the hero, Ladybug's lips parted in shock as her cogs began to churn. Aiming her yo-yo at the love-crazed cat, she whirs him around to face her, hoping her interrupting his plans would get him annoyed enough to take out his frustration on her. "Don't worry, kitty, you'll get your kisses soon enough!" Ladybug grins, dodging each attack as she grabbed ahold of Gustave's scarf, lathering it in make-up remover as she's chased around the room.

Y/n blinks, shock written all over her face at being personally targeted by Chat Noir. Looking to her left, she found Chloe standing beside her, fear evident but she stood her ground. The blonde scurries away, with Y/n surprisingly in tow as she was dragged by the hand, and back under her hiding spot.

"I'm sorry!" Chloe announces to no one in particular, both her hiding buddy and Ladybug looking to her in shock. "What?"

"This is all my fault." Chloe frowns, hugging herself for some form of comfort as Ladybug continued to multi-task. "Awesome," Ladybug drops her focus to her yo-yo as she wraps the scarf around it, "but nows not exactly a good time." She mutters, not one to take Chloe's apology-heck anything she says at this point-to the heart.

"I don't mean to be this way-I don't want to be this way. But what's the point when that's all anyone is ever gonna see me as? The rich, cowardly, mean girl." Chloe says, hiding her emotions by turning away from anyone's view.

Y/n's stomach hurled up to her throat. This was different, Chloe is different. How can something she knew for sure suddenly morph into something she hadn't dared to think of? This girl she was seeing was completely different from the one had confirmed Chloe to be nothing more but a mean girl in such a short time span!

And so, just like before, she opened her mouth without thinking about what it could mean for Chloe. "You're wrong." The blonde looks to you in confusion. "If you show them what they want to see, that's all they're going to believe you as! But-But, right here? Right now? I can tell you with full believe she is nothing like the girl before me."

"I was wrong to think of you as anything less, to make such assumptions without getting to know you. . . But if there's anything I know about you, it's that you love to show everyone how utterly ridiculous they're being." She grins, never the one to see herself saying Chloe's infamous catchphrase without mocking it. "So prove it-prove them how utterly ridiculously wrong they are about you."

Her mouth parts, unsure if she should say something so offhandedly rude, or maybe even express her deep and utter gratefulness to the girl before her. But it didn't matter what choice she made when Ladybug's yelp cuts through their intervention.

"Ladybug!"

Ladybug stares up at the girl with worry as her figure wobbled under Chat's weight, his arms and legs wrapped around her as he pressed an onslaught of kisses on her cheek. "No!"

Yet again, she stood on the side lines as she watched someone other than herself sacrifice themselves to ensure her safety-even if it wasn't direct motive, she knew it was true for the others. Why couldn't she been more like her? For crying out loud, she just threw herself in front of Ladybug to interfere the Chat's ridiculous kiss attack!

She huffs with frustration, climbing out from underneath her hiding spot as she stomps her way to the pair with a mantra on her lips. "Chloe?! What are you-" Ladybug's mouth drops open comically, her face twisting into disturbance as she watched Chloe wrap herself at the pair, using her own weight to keep them taught. "Prove how utterly ridiculously wrong they are!" Chloe shouts, eyes screwed shut as she tries to block out the kissing going on.

Being nice and heroic is one thing, but affection? PDA? Kissing of all things? Yeah, no, now you're just pushing it.

The shock and utter horror Ladybug held on her face fell in reverence, quick to use this distraction to deal with the root of the problem. She jumps through the hole Chat carelessly made with his cataclysm, finding herself face-to-face with Zombizou.

"You're all alone, Ladybug! Except my love and give me your Miraculous!" Zombizou demanded, who had no room to whatsoever as she was oblivious to her downfall. "This isn't true love!" Ladybug shouts, aiming her yo-yo straight for her lips.

Zombizou shields her face, leaving room for error as the yo-yo whizzes pass her lips, successfully wiping her lips free of enchanting lipstick. She grins in faux victory, believing Ladybug had missed and left an opening wide for her taking, but as she attempted to send a kiss flying, she realized her mistake.

That wasn't her only mistake made.

Revealing the object of her akuma, Ladybug throws her yo-yo once more, stopping Zombizou from reapplying her lipstick. And with just one great tug forward, she was able to kick it out of her hands, allowing her to break it and free the akuma.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

At the toss of her lucky charm, thousands of tiny ladybugs were released to repair any damage inflicted amongst their battle, at last freeing everyone from their love-hazed prison.

⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

There was no telling when the love-hazed Chat Noir understood just who was in his clawed grasp, but somewhere amongst the mindless kisses did they slowly bleed into something more. Zombizou's intentions were strong, and so was her spell; looking into the depths of the victim's soul, the charm reveals its deepest desires and brings it forth to surface. And with shame or fear no longer a factor, the charmed surrenders and thrives in it.

A kiss pressed into another, it's location never changing, hazed Chat Noir dares to open his eyes. The heart claimed only seemed to grow in size at the girl in front of him, his onslaught slowing as they grew with purpose.

His hand smooths over her neck, goosebumps developing in its wake as it moves up to cup her jaw. He tilts her head the slightest bit, pressing a matching set of kiss to her left cheek. But with these, they grew closer and closer to where he wanted them most.

One kiss, two kisses, three kisses, he pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips, smiling in overwhelming love at they lifted with her own smile. And with just one more kiss. . . her hand reaches to wrap around Chat's wrists, pulling it down so she could stare into his matching hued eyes.

So much adoration, so much warmth-this is all they ever wanted and it was only natural to seal their mutual feelings with the kiss they've been longing for. They grew closer and closer, their lips only centimeters away from touching was when their worlds fell apart with two simple words,

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

2ND POV

One moment you were annoyed, then the next you felt like you were on cloud nine. Your chest felt full of warmth, so much content-it wasn't a foreign one. You've felt this way before-but why? Weren't you still stuck in another dimension? Far from the boy you could only feel this much content with?

Your eyes open, face flushing in embarrassment as you register the face in front of you as Chat Noir, who you looked to be centimeters away from kissing. "Oh my god!" You shout, impulsively shoving at him, but that only seemed to make matters worse as the both of you were tethering at the edge of falling on your-butts.

"What is. . ." You look down to what was keeping you from creating safe distance between you and Chat Noir (which at this point should be miles away from each other), only to see a blonde head of hair.

"Oh, YUCK!" Chloe gags, releasing her hold around your legs as she scoots away in terror, because she vaguely remembers feeling content hugging you.

[What's going on?!]

It's what was running laps through your mind as you stared at each other ludicrously, slowly beginning to put the pieces together on what exactly went down and why you were even in this position in the first place. But something was off.

For one, your memory felt like it had holes in it. Some of the details and events were missing. But on the other hand, you remember oddly feeling like you belonged. Like you were meant to be this close with. . . Chat Noir? But why? And why him of all people?

"I'm just gonna-" Chat Noir motions to outside, prompting to meet up with Ladybug and to help the victim of Hawk Moth. . . Ms. Bustier?

"Right. Right. . . Yeah." You nodded ridiculously, hugging yourself as you and Chloe followed after him.

━━━━━━━━ 𝑻𝑶 𝑩𝑬 𝑪𝑶𝑵𝑻𝑰𝑵𝑼𝑬𝑫
(sept.27) back to only (probably) disappear again lol. how many times have I used the word 'realized' in this chapter? wish I was old enough to take a shot each time

sorry to those who thought this would be the chapter peter jumps in to save you, we've got a few more to go until that happens <3 I wonder why? *wink wink* *nudge nudge* (I'm terrible at leaving visible hints and clues I'm sorry)

published on 9/27/23
edited on x/x