Note:

There has been some confusion over the nickname Buginette. "Buginette" is the French dub's equivalent of "Bugaboo", much like "Chaton" and "Minou" are used in the French dub, and "Kitty" is used in the English one. The suffix "-ette" is a diminutive, so Chat's essentially calling her "Little Bug" in a cute, affectionate way. I hope that helps clear things up :)

Ladybug leaned backwards onto the closed door with a mighty "PHEW!", closing her eyes in thankful reprieve. The talk with her parents had gone much better than she'd anticipated, despite the ridiculous and abrupt parting. All that was left was to convince Chat to stay. Maybe he'd listen to Ladybug, since her words carried more authority than Marinette's due to her status as a protector of the city.

"So, you found me," Chat's lilting voice brought her back into the moment. She opened her eyes and saw him across the room, arms crossed and leaning against the far wall. He wore his usual carefree smirk, but she noted his tensed shoulders and the position of the cape, purposely positioned to hide the bandages and bruises on his arm. Trying to downplay the severity of his injuries, she realized.

Ladybug put her hands behind her back and pursed her lips, replying impassively, "I did."

Nervous butterflies filled her insides. Chat had told her as Marinette that he didn't want Ladybug to find out he'd been hurt. Would he be upset that she'd shown up out of the blue? The thought of him not wanting to see her sent a cold, uncomfortable trickle down her spine. This wasn't how she wanted their partnership to kick off. Instead of a joyous flurry of excitement and camaraderie, it had all turned somber and ominous, with the added burden of having to be even more cautious and alert than ever from now on.

UGH, this was so hard!! She hated that she couldn't tell him her identity, or know his. It would make things so much simpler if there didn't have to be any more secrets between them. Fu had explained why he shouldn't know her identity; the risk of akumatization was still too great. But why shouldn't she know his? Wouldn't knowing who he was in real life make it easier for her to be able to look out for him? She made a mental note to visit Fu as soon as Chat recovered so they could discuss the matter further, along with the myriad of other questions about their current situation.

Putting those concerns on hold for a later date, Ladybug asked Chat hesitantly. "How are you feeling?"

Smiling wide, he replied, "Great! Fit as a fiddle, Bugaboo! Don't you worry your gorgeous little head; I'm always ready and at your service." As if to demonstrate, he stepped away from the wall, and bowed with a flourish.

"Is that right?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Of course! See for yourself." He shifted his stance, suppressing a wince that she might've missed had she not been looking closely; and he stood hand on hip in the trademark cocky pose she'd seen countless times before, almost imperceptibly bearing most of his weight on one leg.

"Uh-huh..." she replied skeptically, eyeing him up and down. "So why are you walking with a limp?"

Chat's face scrunched up like he'd sucked on a lemon. Shrugging, he fumbled out, "I– uh... stubbed my toe on the bedpost?" He pointed back towards the bed and gave her the phoniest, most ridiculous cheshire grin; and had it been any other occasion, she would've busted out laughing at his antics.

Instead, she frowned. "Chat..." she said with a disapproving tone and he winced in response.

She walked slowly towards him, stopping just past arm's length.

"You know you can tell me anything. The most important part of being partners–of being friends– is trust and honesty." She lifted her hand, placing it gently on top of his hidden arm. Her voice got softer, more solemn; she continued, "I'm sure you've had to hide a lot of things from Hawkmoth; out of fear. But you have nothing to fear from me. I promise."

He looked away, expression changing completely, becoming downcast. Looking almost ashamed somehow, which made Ladybug's heart ache. Chat slowly removed his cloak, revealing the heavily bandaged arm underneath, and set the garment down on the bed.

He bit his lower lip, absentmindedly rubbing his wounded arm. "How did you find out that I was... th-that I wasn't okay?"

"I–" Ladybug's gaze dropped, staring intently at the floor. "I don't really know how to explain it, but... I could feel that something was wrong. Like an intuition, or a sixth sense. You and I are linked, and that connection is stronger now that we're officially a team," she explained. "I just couldn't shake off that vibe, that feeling of wrongness. I had to look for you and see for myself. Your signal drew me here, and the Dupains explained everything."

"I had no idea..." Chat said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I'm really worried about Pl... my kwami. Plagg. He's..." He cleared his throat; his hands fidgeted restlessly with the belt around his midsection. "I-I can't detransform. I have no idea how long I'm gonna stay like this. Th-that's never happened to me before. Keeping up the transformation is... i-it must really be taking its toll on Plagg and his powers." He looked at her with eyes full of concern and fear. "I just... I don't want anything bad to happen to him." His eyebrows quirked upwards, as if daring to hope for answers. "Has... the Guardian ever mentioned something like this happening in the past? With other miraculous holders?"

She nodded. "I'm told that it's a failsafe to protect the wielder. You'll remain transformed until you're fully healed." She disliked having to omit so many of the details, like Fu's involvement in this case and the special potion that he prepared for Plagg, but there was no way to share that without revealing her identity.

He breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's really good to know. Thank you," he uttered with a tiny smile.

Ladybug smiled back tenderly, noticing the way some of the tension left his shoulders, his posture relaxing somewhat. Chat's concern for his kwami touched her, reminding her of her own relationship with Tikki. It made her feel better that they'd had each other throughout these horrible past few years.

"I'm really sorry I didn't contact you. I didn't want you to worry. You've already been through so much because of us– because of me. Yesterday I promised that I'd never give you any more trouble again." He swallowed thickly, looking away, blinking rapidly as if trying to fend off tears that were threatening to form. "But I guess I can't even do that right. I'm sorry."

Chat's entire person radiated shame and self-loathing. It was obvious that he placed her well-being above his own, both physical and emotional, as if his own was irrelevant or unimportant.

But how could he possibly be upset at himself for almost dying? Why in the world would he be apologizing and thinking that he was an inconvenience to her?! Was this something he had to do often back at home with his father?

Her mind stopped in its tracks. Her brows furrowed, realization dawning upon her like freezing rain.

She understood.

This was all he knew.

Apologizing was second nature to him. Apologizing for any actions that were perceived as mistakes. Apologizing for having opinions. Apologizing for having feelings. Years upon years of having to hide his inner self for fear of repercussion.

Chat having an opinion was of no matter to Hawkmoth. As far as he was concerned, Chat's emotions were inconsequential, trivial at best.

And the worst part was: Chat had believed him. He'd had to ignore his thoughts and beliefs since who knows when, convinced that his feelings truly did not matter. She realized this now, and it hurt. The fact that he'd managed to avoid becoming a cold, cruel person in spite of this was astounding, to say the least.

When was the last time his emotional needs were met? Did he even know, or remember, what that was like?

Ladybug's skin felt icy, yet her insides were scorching with fiery indignation. Towards Hawkmoth. Towards herself. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest and she couldn't contain herself anymore.

She cried, practically yelling, "NO, don't you be sorry!!" She surged forward, crossing the remaining distance, her own eyes quickly becoming wet.

Chat's confused gaze shot up to meet hers, eyes still glossy.

"This was all my fault! I shouldn't have left you all alone after the akuma attack! It was.. UGH!! I was so stupid!!"

Ladybug crossed her arms tightly, curling in on herself, as if she was trying to become as small as she felt inside.

"I got so distracted by everything that had happened and didn't even consider that you'd be in such danger. I should've met up with you later and figured something out, helped work out an escape plan, or something! I should have known!! I should've– AUGH!!" She covered her face with her hands with a choked sob, tears finally falling freely. "It was my fault that you got hurt! I'm the one who needs to apologize!!"

Chat paled, stiff as a board as he watched her crying, shaking form.

Hands shooting up to grasp her shoulders, he exclaimed in distress, "My Lady, no!! No, please don't think that! There's nothing for me to forgive! You had no way of knowing! Oh, please don't cry, Bugaboo... Not for my sake. It wasn't your fault. Never!"

He pulled her into his arms, both of them trembling slightly. He gingerly stroked the back of her head as she lay against him, sobbing quietly.

"Hawkmoth is to blame here, not you," he cooed. "You've already done so much for me."

"But I could have prevented this! I almost lost you!" she insisted, sniffling and hiccuping uncontrollably.

He squeezed her tightly. "Hey, I'm still here. It's okay. It was a close call, but I'm alright now, I promise," he reassured her. "There's nothing you could've done to prevent it, believe me. He would have found me sooner or later; of that I'm sure."

"I should've at least been there with you when you faced him," she retorted.

She felt him shake his head. "I'm glad you weren't. I couldn't live with myself if anything had happened to you, too."

"You... you don't think we could have defeated him, together?" she asked hesitantly, looking up at him through a blurry lens of damp eyelashes.

"It's hard to say." Chat frowned, his view distant. "I found out that he's done... something to augment the strength of his miraculous. Something risky and unnatural. I don't know what or how. But it's affecting him; him and his miraculous. He's immensely powerful, but also incredibly unpredictable. Volatile. I think he's losing control, not just of his powers, but of his own mind."

Ladybug wasn't sure how to respond to this revelation. An intense chill gripped her, clawing insistently from the back of her neck, and she couldn't help but nuzzle closer against Chat's warm chest, careful not to irritate the deep gash on his torso.

What could Hawkmoth have done to achieve such a feat? And why? A storm of questions inundated her brain, the sheer amount almost dizzying. There was so much uncertainty and danger in their future, and, truth be told, she wasn't just scared; she was absolutely terrified. What could two not-quite-adults possibly do against this kind of a threat? She hadn't felt this unsuited to bear the title of Ladybug since the day she first accepted the earrings.

As her tears slowed and her sight became less obscured, she froze as she caught sight of what was poking out from under Chat's collar. Deep purple, almost black bruises around his neck, the passage of time having darkened them to their current sickly hue. She hadn't noticed them last night, as he was so covered with blood, dirt, and scratches that one could scarcely tell one wound from another. And they certainly weren't this color.

Her stomach twisted and her eyes widened in horror as she realized the implication of such an injury. How could that monster do such a thing to his own son?!?

She whimpered softly, trying to choke back another sob.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair!!

Why should he have to suffer so much more than she ever had?? Or more than anyone else she knew, for that matter? How could the universe be so unjust, so incredibly cruel?!

Her eyes conjured up a new flood of tears, and she didn't even register that she'd reached up to stroke the bruises on his neck, pulling down on his collar slightly so she could examine them; caressing them as though she could make them disappear if she only wished for it hard enough.

Chat gasped slightly at the contact, cheeks reddening at the intimacy of her touch. She could feel his chest rise and fall, his breathing shifting into a new rhythm.

She spoke, voice soft and airy, almost a whisper, her breath ghosting against his neck, "I wish I'd known it sooner; known what you've had to go through all these years."

Chat smiled sadly, letting out a short, thoughtful noise. "To be honest, I'm not sure if I would've been ready to accept your help back then. I think I had to figure out for myself just how far my father had fallen. That we were chasing after something that wasn't meant to be."

Ladybug made a mental note to ask him about said objective some other time, when he wasn't under such physical and mental stress. Surely the goal was something extremely significant for Chat to have blindly obeyed Hawkmoth for all these years. But what was it?

Ladybug pressed her lips together into a thin line. "I just... Hawkmoth needs to be stopped. I won't let him hurt you again. I need to be better. I need to do more."

"You're already doing plenty, Buginette. And you've managed it all by yourself all these years; don't sell yourself short," he replied earnestly. "You've helped me so much already. Way more than I deserve."

A sharp pang of sorrow struck her heart upon hearing him speak this way yet again. Before the night of their ballroom dance, she'd thought that Chat's ostentatious bravado and cockiness were merely due to arrogance and egotism. It had made it easier to fight when she believed her enemy was just a rotten smart aleck.

But now she knew better; it had all been for show.

Did he have any other loved ones in his personal life? She really hoped so. Although, she suspected that if he did, his past actions would make him feel like that love was ill-deserved.

If only there was a way that she could help him realize how genuinely amazing he was. Just... how wonderful and unique and precious. This desire, this need to make him understand this, took root inside her heart, almost like a tangible weight that would refuse to go away until appeased.

Ladybug gently cupped Chat's jaw and turned his head down to face hers. "Kitty... That isn't true. You deserve so much more. You're kind, selfless, and brave. I've never met anyone like you. Or anyone who's overcome as much as you have. The only thing you don't deserve is the horrific treatment you've suffered at the hands of that monster. Your worth is immeasurable, whether you realize it or not." She paused, her eyes bored fiercely into his. "But I know it."

Chat gaped at her, his face full of emotion. "Ladybug..." he murmured, voice rough and strained, as if he were trying to hold something back.

Ladybug stared into Chat's impossibly green eyes, which were currently looking at her as if she was the dearest treasure he'd ever held. The chill down her spine changed into an almost overwhelming heat, and yet she couldn't help but immerse herself in the fire of his gaze.

She stroked his cheek with her thumb, her brows turning upwards sorrowfully. "If only there was a way I could help make up for what you've lost. Some way to help the other 'you'. The one behind the mask." She sighed and whispered, "I wish I could tell you who I really am..."

Chat's face reddened further and she felt him stiffen a bit. "I-I..." he trailed off, unsure of how to reply.

He swallowed thickly, and seeing the movement of his Adam's apple was enough to make Ladybug become hyper-aware of how far she'd gotten into his personal space. She jolted upright, apprehension drenching her like a bucket of water, and her hand jerked back as if shocked by electricity. She winced, internally freaking out that her words and actions were unwelcome or too forward.

Why did I even bring up our identities?? God, I must be making him so uncomfortable!! Why do I always blurt out stuff like a total idiot when I'm with him?!

"S-sorry, I shouldn't have–" she stuttered, looking away and wiping furiously at her tears. She started to step away from him, immediately missing the comfort of his broad, warm chest.

"Wait!" Chat interjected. He stopped her from pulling away fully, holding her hand and keeping her close, almost touching. He gently lifted her chin with his other hand, so she would meet his eyes again. She left out a soft gasp, her cheeks heating up under his intense gaze.

"My Lady..." he uttered longingly, voice low and thick with emotion.

Piercing emerald eyes held hers captive, so mesmerizing and beautiful that she wasn't sure she'd be able to look away even if she desired to. It felt as though he was staring past the mask and straight through into her soul, able to understand it. Able to understand her.

~(Art by Corgi-likes-chat)~

He continued fervently, "I swear to you that as soon as you feel it's safe to do so, I'll be the first to reveal my identity to you. Just say the word. I trust you, one hundred percent."

A pleasant wave of goosebumps covered her entire body, and she could only reply with a timid smile, a bright blush creeping on her cheeks yet again.

This wasn't how she'd planned for their reunion to go. There'd been a lot more tears and a lot less professionalism than she'd expected. Regardless, they'd cleared the air and paved the way to move forward. Together.

Ladybug squeezed his forearm lightly, trying to blink away her remaining tears. "I'm sorry... I'm supposed to be the one comforting you, not the other way around."