A hiss escaped from Ladybug's lips as Chat pressed the antiseptic pad to her back. "I thought these suits didn't even come off. How the hell did it rip?" Ladybug whined.

"Well, it did, and now you're hurt. So shut up for a second, 'kay?" Chat said, worry creasing his forehead as he searched for a bandage from his bag.

"Fine." Ladybug huffed, crossing her arms and hunching her back.

The sound of ripping fabric made her jolt again. "ARE YOU RIPPING MY SUIT MORE?!" Ladybug yelled.

"Yes, now shut up." Chat said, pushing Ladybug back down by a shoulder.

"Jeez, sorry, Mr. Serious." Ladybug said, taken aback by the lack of Chat's usual playful attitude.

Chat Noir sighed. "Sorry, LB. I just don't like seeing you hurt." Chat admitted.

Ladybug finally shut up. She crossed her arms again, mouth opening and closing, poised to say something that she couldn't voice. "There." Chat finally finished.

"Thanks." Ladybug said softly.

Turning, she sucked in a breath. Chat Noir had not been that badly hurt before, had he? Ladybug grabbed a fresh antiseptic pad, pouncing on Chat as she tried to clean his face up. "N-stop- No! LB- Get- No- Get off!" Chat protested, trying to shove the spotted mass off himself.

"No! Let me help!" Ladybug cried, knocking Chat to the ground.

Landing on top of her partner, Ladybug tried again. She was acting desperately, trying to prove that she, too, could help. Chat grabbed Ladybug's wrists in each of his hands. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, trying to hold back the tears that were coming on. "Ladybug!" Chat yelled, freezing Ladybug's squirming.

"What are you doing?" Chat asked.

"I don't like seeing you hurt,  either!" Ladybug cried.

Ladybug's eyes finally opened then, and her tears fell onto Chat's leather-clad chest. "And I don't want you to think that it doesn't hurt me when I see you try to defend me! And then you just get hurt in return, and you refuse to let me help! I don't like it, Chat! I hate it!" Ladybug said, eyes wide, seeing nothing more than the torso of her partner.

The grip on Ladybug's arms loosened for a second, Chat's elbows buckling slightly, but it was all it took for Ladybug to fall flat on the feline-hero's chest. There Ladybug curled up, hugging herself as her wound stretched painfully. Chat, meanwhile, still gripped one of Ladybug's wrists, staring blankly at the sky above. "I can't stop protecting you. You should know that." Chat said quietly, the only other sound Ladybug's whimpers and the chattering of some drunks stumbling home on the streets below. 

"I know," Ladybug whispered, "But you have to let me help you."

"I don't want you to see me like this."

"Like what?"

"I don't know... weak, hurt, vulnerable."

"So it's a pride thing? What the hell, Chat?!" Ladybug exclaimed, jolting from Chat's body.

"No- Ladybug- Not at all!" Chat rushed to explain.

"Then what is it?!" Ladybug commanded, pacing.

Her fingers pressed into her temples forcefully. "I... It's silly, and it'd never happen, but.... I... I don't want you to worry, Ladybug." Chat said, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

With a stomp, Ladybug turned in a circle, battling herself internally. "You know what, Chat?" Ladybug asked, earning her partner's attention, "I care. I care a whole fucking lot. So don't ever pretend I don't." Ladybug said, taking a few strides to the boy.

"Ladybu-" Chat was cut off when Ladybug pressed her lips to his, arms snaking around his neck.

"Ladybu-!" Chat tried to begin again.

"Shut up." Ladybug said, pressing a cotton pad to his face.

"Bu-"

"Shut up so I can fix your damn face." Ladybug protested, cleaning up a scrape.

"Can I say one thing?" Chat tried.

"One. And then you shut up." Ladybug said, pulling her hand back an inch.

"Your lips are swollen. Should we take care of that, too?"