A/N: [Akuma attacks mentioned in this chapter— Volpina...again. If you have not watched this episode, I suggested that you do it for the past three chapters now, so if you haven't then wow. I mean c'mon, man!]

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Chat 🧀

"Hey, Lila!" I said in the most sarcastic voice I could muster, "Long time no see. I saw your interview on the Ladyblog. Awesome job."

I extended my baton to the ground and leaned into the top for support, pretending to have a casual conversation with a 'vixen superheroine'.

"Oh, sure! I remember exactly when Ladybug saved your life and we've all been really good friends ever since! I practically flirt with you every single day. Uh, actually, when did I tell you that I'm 'madly in love with you again', Lila? I don't recall..."

At this point, she burst out sobbing with hands holding her face. But it was nothing compared to the look my princess gave me... My Marinette who didn't deserve to hear made-up stories from a liar over a trash can.

Out of anger, I continued to tease Lila, until she finally cracked, screaming 'How dare you?!' at the top of her lungs before running out of the park.

"Wait! Lila!" Théo called after her, but she was already making her way through the gates.

"Hey what was that all about, man?" Théo glowered at me, "Are you trying to ruin my chances with any girl I start to like?"

I glared back at him, remembering when I prevented him from talking to Ladybug during the Copycat incident. He had the nerve to be angry at me when, in actual fact, I saved him from Lila's claws.

"I don't put up with lies," I replied, "especially when they're about me and the people I love."

I realised what I had just said and so did Théo as his eyes had gotten wider— I had never told anyone my true feelings towards Marinette as Chat Noir. Now that I did, it felt relieving and official: I love Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Don't mess with either of us.

I extended my baton and used it to shoot me away from the park, away from what I thought would not be a problem.

***
[Please watch Volpina if you haven't so I don't have to repeat the exact details on what the characters do.]

"I am Volpina, the only superhero Paris needs!"

A crowd of witnesses cheered after another ally decided to jump into our lives and save us all from a meteorite. It was all so sudden from the news on my screen to real life, a burning object headed towards Earth at an unstoppable speed. The fact that it was pushed back by the same vixen warrior was almost impossible to believe as well.

"Volpina?" Ladybug said in a confused manner, wiping her red eyes.

She looked as if she may have been crying earlier. Gosh, it must have been an emotional day for everyone.

"Don't you think it's weird, this superhero just appearing out of nowhere?" I asked, a part of me really worried about what could be happening in Ladybug's real life for her to be acting like this.

"Well, at least she got the job done," Ladybug sighed exhaustedly, "If she hadn't been here—"

"We could have easily stopped that meteorite together ourselves," I defended.

Ladybug just shook her head, shoulders sagging defeatedly, "Whatever."

What had gotten her so down for her to be using that attitude towards me? Did I do something wrong? Why had she been crying?

Suddenly, the 'Volpina' superheroine dropped in front of us on the rooftop.

"Hey guys!" she said, "Glad you dropped in, I need a hand. Come on!"

Volpina flew off with Ladybug and me following behind her.

"I can't believe it!" I gasped, "It's Hawk Moth in the flesh!"

Hawk Moth's figure stood on a roof across from us, his back facing our way. He was holding a staff and his outfit looked dark with a purple hue. Ladybug growled, "He never shows up! Something big is going on. Really big!"

"We can take him down," Volpina said, "but it's gonna take all three of us. By the way, it's very nice to meet you Ladybug."

Ladybug raised her brow in confusion and replied, "Uhm, thanks, I guess."

"First the meteorite, now Hawk Moth appearing both on the same day. Don't you think that's a little bit unusual?" I asked sceptically.

"Why do you ask?" Volpina said.

Ladybug shrugged, "Seems pretty usual to me."

"Everything okay, M'lady?" I asked Ladybug— she wasn't looking too good.

"I'm fine," she sneered at me, "just fine. Lead the way, Volpina."

Before we could move further, I stopped the both of them with my staff. That meteorite was no coincidence; this Volpina could not just declare that she was our equal like that and how come Ladybug wasn't acting like herself? Was she not the slightest bit suspicious?

"Say Volpina, what's your miraculous?" I asked her.

"My necklace," she answered easily, "It gives me the power of flight and super strength."

She looked behind me where Hawkmoth was no longer standing.

"He's getting away!"

Volpina chased behind me, quickly heading towards a set of rooftops that we'd seen him stand on a split second before, "C'mon, let's go!"

***

I should have known that it was Lila Rossi. We were headed to Théo's house in just a matter of time. I felt so stupid: Volpina was not an actual hero at all— it was Lila, akumatized under Hawkmoth's control. 

I remember my foot being caught in one of her traps, aiming bombs and rockets at me. She almost tricked me into giving her my ring by blowing up a building with her flute, but the second I realised that it was an illusion, I threw my staff at the bombs and everything vanished.

"She's not a real superhero," I said to Ladybug, phoning her through on my baton, "She was akumatized by Hawk Moth! A girl by the name of Lila."

"I don't get it," Ladybug replied, "Why did she do it?"

I hesitated before admitting, "I think it's partly my fault. I ruined her chances with a guy she likes because I heard her saying lies about me... I saw that it hurt someone I really love and I snapped..."

There was the relieving, official feeling I had again. Love Marinette.

Ladybug was silent.

"I'm pretty sure she's going to Théo Barbot's house now, though," I added immediately, filling the silence, "I'll send you the address. Meet me there!"

***

At Théo's house, we skipped straight to the fighting when we arrived. Théo himself hid in his closet as Volpina used her illusions to make a bunch of other Volpinas to hide behind. Ladybug swatted them all away swinging her yo-yo.

"Illusions," she mumbled irritatedly.

I glanced outside for a split second and jumped back. What I had seen made me want to sob breathlessly myself. No way!

"MARINETTE!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, "NOOO!"

On the rooftops, I saw Volpina holding my screaming Princess in her arms. Marinette called for me, yelling my name with such fear.

"That's an illusion too, Chat!" Ladybug shouted desperately.

I could not hear her clearly. I shut out my surroundings as Lila carried my love away, my worst fear come to light once again. I extended my staff, jumping out of the window and used all the strength and speed I had to catch up with the villain that sought to take my happiness away from me.

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Watching Volpina dangling her over the top of the Eiffle Tower literally almost gave me a heart attack. Marinette screamed and tried grabbing onto Lila for support which made me consider whether or not I should bow to Volpina and beg for mercy.

She laughed as we climbed the Eiffel Tower just meters below them. So far, I thought helplessly, if I could just get closer...

"Give me your miraculous now or I will turn the baker's daughter into my own personal pancake!"

Marinette had tears in her eyes as she begged for Lila not to let her go. It felt as if my heart were breaking as I called out to her: "It's okay, Mari, just hold on!"

I so desperately wished that Lila would allow her.

"You're bluffing!" Ladybug yelled, "It's another illusion!"

"You wanna bet on that?!"

She released her grip on Marinette, one finger at a time.

"Give her your Miraculous, Chat!" Marinette shouted.

"Don't let go!" I pleaded to Volpina.

I reached for my ring for a second but suddenly stopped myself— did Marinette just tell me to sacrifice my Miraculous to Volpina?

I looked up and cringed my eyes up at the dangling Marinette. She usually ran towards the fights or akuma attacks to help people, plus she would never allow me to risk anything for her no matter the cost. She would always exchange her life for the 'greater good' if need be so why is it that...?

"Save me, Chat!" she cried.

I let go of my ring, relieved. It was just another illusion.

"Marinette is my princess," I explained to Ladybug, "but she most definitely is not a damsel in distress."

With a satisfied smile, Ladybug heaved her weapon at the trickster who vanish with a sweep of the yo-yo's string.

I swear, I would have fainted with reassurance if it weren't for the fact that we needed to end the fight once and for all...before Volpina could get her paws on my princess again— this time, for real.

***

"Lila?" Ladybug began, kneeling down before her after the akuma had been purified.

"Ladybug?" she said, then glancing in my direction, she sneered, "You."

"You," I growled back.

"There's no need to fight," Ladybug interjected, "both of you. Chat Noir..."

She looked up to me sadly, "What you did for that girl was so sweet and protective of you, but the consequences of that lead to another akuma."

She then turned to Lila and sighed in a disappointed tone, "I did not know you before this incident... Lila, is it? I saw you on the Ladyblog and it's safe to say that I did not appreciate the lies you were telling about me."

Lila looked down in shame, holding her fox necklace close to her heart.

"I am very busy and sometimes I don't have time to make 'best friends' as Ladybug. The only partner I have is Chat and we prefer that our relationship be fixed and secure as a duo. I'm sorry."

Lila shook her head furiously before looking up to me.

"You ruined my chances of ever finding love again," she said, "I hope the same fate lies upon you some day."

Lila ran away from me as fast as she did at the park, except now she was boiling with the same anger that I had for her after Marinette cried like that— serves her right.

The second Ladybug and I were alone, I didn't speak another word before using my weapon as a stick to hurdle my way back to 12 Gollieb Street.

***

I landed with ease onto the balcony and opened the latch to the trap door. I didn't care if Marinette gave me permission to come in or not... I just wanted to see if she was okay.

"Marinette?" I asked, trembling on her bed.

She was nowhere in her room. At that moment I didn't care if her parents were in the house or if guests were in the kitchen— I wanted my princess.

"Marinette!"

"Chat, could you please stop shouting!" a female voice came from the door leading downstairs, "Gosh, you're lucky my parents are still busy with customers."

I sighed in relief and jumped off the bed to hug her. My lips touched hers the second we made contact and I had never kissed her more gratefully and passionately than I did at that moment.

She retaliated, brushing her hands through my hair and gripping my blonde strands in order to deepened the kiss.

"You are the only girl," Chat breathed in between kisses, "No other, okay? I only love you and you alone. You have my heart, Princess, you know that— mmhmnn..."

She silenced me with more kisses and soothing words. I carried her to her bed, ignoring the beeping of my annoying Miraculous.

❤️ (<3)

There came a loud knock on the trap door below, followed by Plagg's irritating voice: "Marinette's parents are closing up!"

Marinette froze from where she lay above me, her head on my shoulder. If her parents were locking up, it meant that they were ready to stop working and head upstairs to check if their daughter was okay. I acted fast, asking Marinette to keep her eyes closed while I got dressed and transformed.

I speed-changed, passing my princess her clothes in the process so that her parents wouldn't be suspicious. She kept her head in her pillow the entire time before I kissed her on her hand and jumped up onto her balcony.

Even though I noticed my father's Miraculous book on Marinette's desk, I did not bother to take it. That was something she would have to deal with the Adrien part of me at a different time.

Besides, I trusted her completely— not only with the book, but my life as well. My father could shout at me about it for all I cared. But as long as Marinette was safe and happy, with me by her side, nothing could compare.

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A/N: Please don't be silent readers🙃 we're all mad here— no need to hide it. Ha! Anyway, what did you think of the chapter and what do you expect will happen now since Marinette still has the book and Théo knows about Marichat? I'd love to know what creative predictions you come up with😉👍

17~~ Scrawls

[SPOILER: four chapters left]