Chapter Text
Killua really hadn’t planned on spending his free afternoon running away from the Mayor’s akumatized daughter- but, well. That’s just the kind of thing he’d gotten semi-used to since becoming Chat Noir.
“KILLUA ZOLDYCK!” came the horrible ear-piercing wail. The sound made Killua want to cover his ears as he pelted down the cobbled street but he resisted. He had to find a place to transform as soon as possible, or else that girl would terrorize the entire city-
“COME BACK HERE AT ONCE!!!!”
“Why don’t you try and make me, huh?!” he hollered over his shoulder and smirked at the shriek of rage that echoed off crooked rooftops and looming skyscrapers.
He didn’t have anything against the Mayor’s daughter, really. She was a pretty but shy girl whose parents- along with Killua’s own mother and father- were adamant on setting her up with Killua.
And that was about as likely to happen as Killua giving up on chocolate.
THUMP.
The pavement shook underneath his feet and he nearly stumbled. Shit. He couldn’t afford to lose his footing now; if he did, he would be caught by the newest akuma victim before he could change into Chat Noir.
Civilians screamed and pushed him to the side in their attempt to get away from the chaos unfolding behind them. Killua did his best to duck around them while simultaneously peering down alleyways, searching for a hidden place to transform.
He cursed under his breath. None of these would work. Not as long as people were still running around in masses like this-
A sharp, sizzling noise filled the air. Nearby buildings took on a greenish hue and Killua’s hair stood on end.
“WATCH OUT!”
Killua’s heart leaped at the familiar call. He twisted on one foot just in time to see the one and only Ladybug drop from the sky. He landed right in front of Killua, planting himself in between the silver haired teen and the akuma laser-beam weapon aimed in is direction.
The Mayor’s daughter released the trigger with a scream that was more of a yowl than anything, but Ladybug’s yo-yo was already spinning through the air in a blur of scarlet red and scattered black.
Ladybug’s weapon deflected the laser with ease, shattering it upon contact and scattering its remains harmlessly into the air. Killua let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
Thank god. Ladybug was here and he could take care of the akuma so Killua could finally transform-
Ladybug whirled around. Killua had a split second to register to the determined glimmer in his brown eyes before Ladybug swept Killua’s feet out from underneath him. The next second, they were soaring through the air.
Killua gasped instinctively at the sudden height and his stomach rolled. Yorknew stretched out below them in all its glory.
Killua knew this sight by heart; he’d jumped higher than this with Ladybug as Chat Noir more times than he could count. But being here now, held tenderly like damsel in distress by freaking Ladybug as his civilian self, had to be one of the most mortifying things in the entire world.
Or maybe fate was just another old lady who hated him.
“Don’t worry, citizen!”
Killua’s head snapped up. Ladybug beamed at him, his dumb classic ‘hero smile’ in place.
“I won’t let you fall,” Ladybug continued proudly. He landed on another rooftop and leaped again before Killua could protest.
A wave of prickling irritation washed over Killua. What the fuck. He hadn’t asked to be carried in bridal-style away from the akuma! Who did Ladybug think he was?!
“Let go of me!” he said loudly over the whistle of wind.
Honest surprise flitted across Ladybug’s face. “I- but, I must protect you-”
“You did that already!” Killua snapped. He tried to squirm his way out of Ladybug’s iron-like grip but the superhero didn’t loosen his grasp on Killua’s arm and legs. “Just- put me down! NOW!!!”
“I can’t do that! You’re in serious trouble! That akuma villain is after you.”
Killua snarled, “I- don’t- CARE! Put me down already!”
“But-!”
They were falling back down towards the rooftops again. Killua saw his chance and took it.
Seconds before they landed, Killua elbowed Ladybug in his chest. Hard.
Ladybug inhaled sharply at the unexpected jab and his hold loosened. Killua twisted, prying Ladybug’s hands off him and throwing his own hands out to brace for impact.
The palms of his hands scrapped across jagged pebbles and tiny rocks as Killua landed on the newest roof. He managed to land on his hands and feet though- fingers splayed out flat against the cement, sneakers pressed securely into the ground as his legs curled into a squat- just like a cat should.
He looked up just in time to see Ladybug land nimbly a few feet away. The troubled expression on his partner’s face was almost funny enough to make him laugh out loud.
“Why did you do that?!” Ladybug asked, sounding truly upset. “You could have gotten seriously hurt if we were higher up!”
Killua barely resisted rolling his eyes. He wasn’t so stupid as to try that at a height that would have killed him!
“Yeah, well.” He stood up gracefully, ignoring the stinging pain in his hands. That was going to hurt tomorrow. “If you had let go of me like I asked we could’ve avoided that whole thing. But nooooo, you had to go and be a hero.”
Ladybug puffed out his cheeks indignantly. “I am a hero! I’m Ladybug! And as Ladybug, it’s my job to protect civilians from danger-”
“I didn’t need your protection,” Killua cut in. “I was doing just fine on my own before you showed up.”
“No, you weren’t! You were about to get hit by that weapon and you would’ve been injured if I hadn’t stepped in!!!”
Killua huffed. “I would’ve survived.”
“You don’t know that!”
Ladybug’s bottom lip was stuck out in a full pout now. Killua eyed Ladybug’s white-knuckled fists at his side, the rigid firmness in Ladybug’s stance.
It was clear that Ladybug wasn’t gonna leave anytime soon. Killua bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from groaning. Great. This was just fantastic.
Killua cared about Ladybug- he did, honestly. How could he not care about his ridiculous partner after running around Yorknew and saving akuma victims with the guy for the past couple of months?
But this was just annoying. How the hell was he going to transform with Ladybug standing right in front of him like this?! Revealing his true identity was out of the question.
Maybe if he played nice, Ladybug would leave?
“Okay,” he amended. “Okay. Maybe you did help. A bit. But that’s over now, so, thank you very much, you can go back to saving the rest of Yorknew now-”
“I’m not gonna leave you!” Ladybug said, abashed.
…what?
“Why the hell not?!”
Ladybug slapped his hands on top of Killua’s shoulders. He stared intently at Killua’s face, gaze never once wavering, and Killua instinctively leaned back. What was up with that expression?
“You seem to be confused,” Ladybug said slowly and Killua barely held back a shriek of rage. “There is no need to worry, Killua. I swear I will keep you safe from the akuma!”
Killua’s eye twitched. “I already told you,” he grounded out. “I don’t need your help! You did your job by shielding me from the laser beam- now go and save someone else already! You’re supposed to be the hero of Yorknew, aren’t you?!”
“You do need my help,” Ladybug insisted stubbornly, fingers digging into the soft cotton Killua’s purple sweatshirt. “The akuma is after you, specifically! So you’re the one who needs the most help right now. Chat Noir can take care of everyone else while I take care of you.”
Chat Noir won’t be able to do anything if you keep hanging off me like this!!! Killua thought shrilly.
He knew the akuma wanted him, but Killua had never seen Ladybug so dead-set on keeping a specific civilian safe before. This was crazy! And there was no point in trying to dissuade him, either; once Ladybug wanted something, he refused to let it go. He almost reminded Killua of Gon in that way.
Gon.
Killua’s heart fluttered. Gon was home with Aunt Mito right now. Killua knew that because he had actually been headed there to do homework before the akuma attack hit. For Gon’s safety, at least, Killua was grateful. There was no way Killua could have kept track of him with Ladybug on top of him like this.
So. Ladybug was the real problem, here.
Killua refocused on his superhero partner. Ladybug still had all of his fierce attention aimed directly at Killua. The spotted mask did nothing to hide the intensity of his look. It was almost annoying, actually.
“Would you stop-” he impulsively tugged at Ladybug’s red and black bandanna, relishing the startled cry that followed, “-ogling at me like that?! I’m not gonna disappear or anything!”
Ladybug stuck out his tongue childishly. “You’re so mean, Killua! I’m trying to save you and you just-”
“Saved,” Killua corrected him. “I don’t need saving any more, Strawberry.”
Ladybug’s mouth fell open. His hands slid off Killua’s shoulders and Killua breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Finally.
“Did- did you just…call me strawberry?!”
“Mhm.” Killua folded his arms with a smirk. “S’not my fault your outfit is red and has black spots all over it. Plus, y’know, your hair kinda looks like leaves the way it flops over like that.”
Ladybug’s expression was a hilarious mix of emotions, like he was too confused at the comparison to be offended. Killua’s grin widened. He couldn’t help it. Ladybug was made it too easy not to tease him and hopefully Killua’s comments would be enough to make him push Killua away for good.
“What, no comeback to that one?” Killua jeered.
Ladybug’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth-
“WHERE ARE YOU KILLUA ZOLDYCK?!”
The bellowing roar was loud enough to make air tremble. Killua clapped his hands over his ears, wincing, but Ladybug’s head snapped around to find the source of the noise instantaneously.
“COME OUT, PRETTY BOY! NO ONE IN YORKNEW SHALL BE SAFE UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!”
Ladybug ran over to the edge of the roof, leaning over as far as he could without falling over. He was searching for the Mayor’s daughter, Killua realized as he lowered his hands.
“Killua…” Ladybug said lowly. He turned back around and Killua’s heart started to race at the dark intent in his eyes. Ladybug was getting serious, now.
“I’m gonna draw the akumatized victim away from here, okay?” Ladybug told him. “She’s gotten too close to us. I thought Chat would’ve gotten here by now but…well, he’s late sometimes.”
And who’s fault was that?! Killua thought as he clenched his jaw. He was going to sit Ladybug down and have a conversation with him later about shadowing civilians. It wasn’t good for the rest of Yorknew if they concentrated on any one specific individual.
(Killua didn’t let himself think about what he would’ve done if Gon had been the one in danger. Killua would never let that happen to his best friend. Never in a million years.)
Killua blinked when Ladybug suddenly appeared in front of him again. Ladybug grabbed his hands without warming, squeezing them lightly and giving Killua a smile bright enough to rival the sun.
“I won’t let her get to you,” Ladybug swore. “I pinky promise! So stay here until I come back, okay?”
Killua didn’t have time to react to that before Ladybug had dropped his hands and was flying over the rooftop edge.
“H-Hey!” Killua shouted at Ladybug’s retreating figure. “Don’t treat me like some kind of weak, fragile thing, damnit!”
But Ladybug was already gone. In the distance Killua could already make out the scream of the akuma. Ladybug must have found her.
“Stupid,” Killua muttered, shaking his head. Ladybug owed him big-time for the amount of shit he’d just put Killua through.
At least he’d finally left Killua alone.
“Stay here, my ass.” Killua twisted the miraculous ring on his finger and savored the rush of warmth the flowed through him at the glowing light. “As if I’d let him have all the fun! CLAWS OUT!”