Work Text:
Price of Liberty
Don't leave. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
[ Bridgette x Felix ]
A Miraculous Ladybug one shot.
This night was the finale.
The last act to be shown and performed on stage, the curtains are to fall afterwards, and everything will return to how it used to be.
This, they’ve decided; will be the night all evil will be vanquished. The fight with the mastermind of all villainous acts had commenced ever since eight in the evening.
The two super heroes of Paris, versus the villain Papillon.
Some may say that two against one is better—and indeed it is, but this is rough on the edges. It’s a probability that Papillon will defeat them instead, especially when their time is running out and they’ve to transform soon.
Ladybug backflips as she avoids a spear that was thrown to her, now piercing the cement and creating a crack in the process. She pants and looks up to Papillon who proceeds to battle with her partner; Cat Noir. They know not to underestimate the enemy, but he’s way better than they thought he’d be.
His butterflies were used not only to akumatize civilians, but they served as good distraction, as well. Her partner was a victim of this when a flurry of black butterflies flew towards him, his natural instinct was to cover up. After they had gone and he brought down his guard, Papillon came with his staff; and had directly hit him in the stomach.
“Cat!” Ladybug exclaims as her partner gets thrown off a distance away from them. She received a simple groan in return as the black suited super hero struggled to stand up.
“You’ll pay for this, Papillon!” the dark blue haired girl growls with gritted her teeth, already beginning to spin her yo-yo as she ran forward. She threw it on a ledge above them, letting the weapon curl around the metal as she leaped into the air and began gliding around in a circular manner.
The supervillian did nothing but chuckle as he watched with bored eyes, this was taken back, however, when Ladybug’s feet collided with his chest. Pushing him off the platform and to the concrete.
He was able to stand up quickly and block a kick that came from the girl using his staff, immediately turning offense as he swung it sidewards. Ladybug ducked and slid her leg horizontally, perfectly knocking off his balance as he yet again, stumbled to the floor. She jumped back and drew her yo-yo, throwing it towards the supervillain as it tied around him. Immobilizing him for the span of the moment.
“Cat!” she yelled, gaining his attention.
“On it!” he retorts as he leaps in the air, his claws popping out even more as he tore the staff away from Papillon. With the yo-yo still immobilizing the enemy, he kicked him upwards. Ladybug seemed to take the hint and pulled back her weapon. Cat quickly spins around kicks him in the chest, his hand reaching out to take the brooch pinned at his suit. He has to take it off. Remove it, and everything will finally be over. However, he was able to take something else from the enemy.
“Go get him, Cat!” the female heroine exclaims in enthusiasm, her earrings starting to beep in the process.
Two dots left.
“Ah! I’ll leave him to you, you can do it, chaton.” she smiles at him before leaping off towards the platform.
She was just about to draw her yo-yo, when she paused in her actions. She glanced back, seeing Papillon beginning to stand up. Judging from his looks, he’s probably around the mid thirties or forties—wait, looks?
Her bluebell eyes travelled to the item in her partner’s hands, and there laid, the mask.
Judging from his position; he seemed paralyzed as he stared at the enemy.
Ladybug stepped back and frowned in worry, what’s wrong with him? “Cat.. ?” she voices out in concern, but he can't hear her. Or maybe he can, but tuned her out.
“No way..” came his reply. The cat themed super hero stumbled backwards, his eyes widening in denial. Shock captured his heart as he stared dumbfoundedly at the supposed villain of Paris; Papillon, was none other than his father. “F.. fa..” his unfinished words came out as a stutter. Albeit he was his father, he can't risk giving him his identity.
“What’s gotten you so surprised, almighty Cat Noir?” Papillon questions with a low chuckle. He picks up his staff and uses it as a cane to lean on, his eyebrow arching in amusement.
“Do you perhaps familiarize me for someone?”
Ladybug gasps in shock and horror, her hands flying up to cover her mouth. Gabriel Agreste.
She knew who her partner was behind the mask, he accidentally revealed himself after an akuma incident. Albeit it was kind of unfair that he still doesn't know who she is, he respected that at least one of them has to keep their identity hidden.
The female heroine watched with wide eyes as Papillon twirled his staff, butterflies flew around it, magically converting it to a staff with a pointed tip at one edge.
Beep beep
One dot left.
The villain raised the staff in the air, aiming for the frozen hero who stood in shock.
“No..” Ladybug utters.
Papillon smirks to himself, seeing that he has the upper hand in this finale.
“Cat! What’s wrong!?” she calls out in worry, crouching on the platform as she leaned forward. Trying to catch a glimpse of him.
“Foolish boy.” the butterfly themed villain laughs as the pointed edge on his weapon grew. Despite this intimidation, Cat never moved in his place.
Ladybug instantly understands the upcoming situations, thus, jumping off the platform as she began to dart towards her frozen partner.
Beep beep.
“What are you doing you stupid cat!” she yells out. She was far away from him, but with her rising adrenaline, with her desperation—she’ll reach him. No. She needs to reach him.
She has to reach him!
Not caring whether pink glowing particles began to envelop and transform her back in her usual casual attire, along with her mask slowly vanishing, she ran forward.
“Move!” she shouts.
“Bridgette!” Tikki, her kwami, cries as she followed the girl despite being exhausted.
From afar, she can hear Papillon’s wicked laughter as he threw the staff accurately with such precision.
Bridgette can feel tears running down her cheeks as she ran faster, her mind seemed to act on it’s own. Momentarily playing the memories they had fighting crime, and when she first heard his laugh and saw his smile.
It was a memorable memory.. and she isn't going to throw it away. She won't let the villain have the last laugh. Félix Agreste deserved something better, he lived and grew without a mother by his side, only having a stone faced father who pushes him to his career despite the blonde's dislike for it. Seeing him smile was enough for Bridgette to know that deep down inside, the cold hearted blonde had a soft side. He was just afraid. Afraid that everyone who dared to make friends with him, disappear like his mother did. He deserves to live, he deserves a better life than this.
“Felix!!” she screams. She leaps forward, her arms outstretched as she takes him in a light embrace. Just in time as the staff pierces through her chest.
“Ha.. !” she gasps out, her bluebell eyes shrinking. Tikki squeaks in horror, her tiny hands flying up to cover her mouth as she flew backwards in surprise.
Cat Noir snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a light press on his chest, thus transferring his gaze down.
“Lady—”
His words were cut off when the girl raised her head, her glassy eyes and pretty visage now unmasked before him. She smiled at him, causing blood to prickle down the sides of her lips. Her brows creased low, symbolizing how much she’s in agony as of the moment.
He basically felt his heart drop.
Casual white shirt covered by the usual black blazer accompanied by simple shorts.
From his peripheral vision, he sees a blob of red—Ladybug’s.. !
“C–.. Cat.”
He looks down once more whilst blinking.
“Bridgette.” he spoke in shock.
He hears a couple of footsteps padding rapidly, by then, he knew Papillon—his father, was able to escape. He didn't care, not now.
Not when the truth was shown in from of him.
He takes notice that she has her arms wrapped around him, the staff directly pierced through her torso.
She took the hit.
In order to save him.
“N–no..” he gasps out.
The truth of it all caused his heart to race as the said girl fell down to her knees, her eyes closing in the process.
He gasps, and catches her before she can fall to the ground, careful not to touch the staff.
“R-.. remove it.” she mumbles weakly.
Chat shakes his head, “Removing it will only cause you to bleed more. I can't possibly—”
“No one escapes death.”
Came her hushed, shaky whisper.
The blonde resists the urge to tear up, refusing to believe how true her words are. However, if that’s what she wants..
With a trembling hand, he takes a grip of the staff, trying to dismiss the shaky pained breath that came out from the dying girl. With his eyes closed, he pulled it out as fast as he can.
Clank!
He reopens his eyes, the wound located on her torso is extremely open and large. She has no chances of survival.
For some reason, his heart broke.
Bridgette Dupain Cheng—the girl who endlessly stalked behind him with a smile, who stuck by him albeit his harsh words. The girl who was able to smile even in the darkest moments, the one he rejected several times; was the superheroine who stood by his side fighting crimes whenever the night comes by.
Who had his back whenever he needed it, who bluntly stated that her first kiss is reserved for someone special—he never knew it was him all along. He never knew that she, was the heroine all this time. And this time, this was her last act of saving him. Of sticking by his side.
She was the one he loved all along.
Ladybug—was still Bridgette.
“Chaton..” she whispers out.
The mentioned blonde immediately snaps his gaze to her, who has her eyes half lidded. Trying to stay awake for the mean time.
“Felix..” she smiles painfully, her tears streaming down even more.
It pained her to know that this will be the last time she’d be seeing him. She didn't fear death, not at all; but the thought of never seeing him again was the one that feared her.
“I’m sorry—I know you’d probably h–hate Ladybug now that y–y–you know that it was me all a–along.” she struggled to speak, taking deep, seemingly painful breaths now and then.
The blonde remained silent. He can feel the tears building up, but he refused to let them out. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he pressed his lips together to a flat line.
“You.. saved me.” he mutters in disbelief, his hand lingering at the back of the girl’s head to support her.
Bridgette laughs, only to cough up blood in the next few seconds. The pain is simply unbearable, she wondered how she was still able to stay awake.
Her smile brightened, the same usual smile she gave him whenever she greets him in the hallways. Whenever she hands him a gift.
Whenever she sees him any day.
“Of course; I love you.” she confesses.
Ah, how many times have he heard that confession? How many times did he not felt the same way? How many times did he reject her because of his pride? His ignorance?
But why?
Why now?
Why is his heart breaking?
“Bridgette..” a soft voice came out from the silence.
A red kwami flew towards the dying girl, her large eyes filling with tears. It surprised them to see how a kwami is able to cry.
“Tikki,” she smiles sadly. Chat looks at the kwami with dull, empty eyes. But she knows that there’s something more in them that she can't pinpoint what. The latter hugs the girl’s cheek, weeping softly. Bridgette had been great, and served the city of Paris well. She was the best chosen in her eyes.
The little red creature gets her point, and nods in affirmation.
Thus, Bridgette looks up at her partner. Her vision beginning to fade in and out.
“I know that you may not like this, but,” she reaches out a bloodied hand towards him, her tears spilling past her eyes.
Chat didn't budge when he feels her weak tug at him downwards, Tikki parts away from the girl’s cheek and watches as their lips connected softly.
When they pull away from each other, Bridgette chuckles one last time.
“Thank you so much, Felix,” she mumbles. Her hand falls to the side as her vision blackened once and for all. She got what she wanted, along with what he was desiring for ever since the beginning.
She would be at peace..
And he could be happy.
The day before.
Memory
"Here!" The navy blue haired girl giggles as she stretched her hands out to the blonde, a present gripped by her said hands. It was like any other gifts that she presented to him, pretty boxes that varied from size, wrapped in either pastel pink, blue, or green wrapping accompanied with a frilly silver ribbon. What's inside is different each time, one time it was her homemade sweets—which were surprisingly delicious. Other times it would be cloth`es or accessories she made herself; she was a good seamstress. She desired to be a designer in the future, too.
".." Félix stared blankly at her, his annoyance rising as the seconds passed by.
"Will there ever be a time where you won't annoy me?" he questions.
Bridgette's cowlick stands up straight, indicating her bafflement. Her eyes widened, pulling her hands back as she gripped the gift tighter in her hands. "E-eh.. ?" she mutters.
"Look," Félix sighs as he wraps his fingers at the top of the gift. A twinge of hope ignited at the girl's chest, however..
"Leave me alone." he snaps harshly, throwing the box to the ground. The contents collided with the concrete; chocolate chip cookies. Bridgette looks down, she made them herself, those were his favourites, she heard from a café the blonde usually goes too.
"I'm tired of you, I'm sick of you. Do me a favor and never approach me again." his words stung.
The girl felt her heart breaking.
Of course, this happened one way or another, but this time.. it hurt. It really hurt. As the love of her life walked away with his back on her, she tried her best not to break down into tears then and there.
—
When she, as Ladybug, met up with Cat Noir -who she knew is Félix due to an incident-, she was hesitant. Her partner asked her if there was something wrong, it pained her so much that he can move on about it without a doubt in his mind.
He never cared for her.
He never did..
End
Ah, yes, those were simply hours ago when she approached him with hesitance. Even if he was able to break her heart, she still loved him. Even in her dying moments, she won't let go of him. He would forever be the one who stole her heart.
"Smile, Félix.." she mumbles with never ending tears pooling out of her now dull bluebell orbs.
Alas, before she can fully depart. She managed to say two words that meant the world to him, and words that he desperately didn't want to hear, as well.
“You’re free.”
She granted his wish; never show herself to him again. She granted his desire; his curse was now gone.
Cat Noir watches with wide, tearful eyes as he took notice of the lightness against the bridge of his nose and the item clutched at the dead girl’s hand.
His mask.
One can remove the other’s mask, it was something that is kind of unreal in the first place.
Suddenly, he feels something slipping off his finger. Afterwards, a green glow enveloped him, though this time; softer than when he transforms.
He finds the ring on the pool of crimson, he was dressed back in his usual attire, and not in the outfit of a super hero.
She freed him from his curse.
Such action—such revelation caused his tears to finally spill down past his eyes. His shoulders began shaking as little sobs escaped him harshly, it was out of character, but he can't help it.
She saved him.
She freed him.
Despite everything that he did to her. She still managed to remain as the kindhearted sweetheart she truly is. Even managing to confess her never ending love to him in her last moments.
“No..” he sobs.
Regret.
"Leave me alone."
Anguish.
“No, please.”
He takes her in his arms, his regret eating him whole as he sobbed and buried his features at the crook of her neck. She was gone.
“Come back.. !” his voice cracks.
Guilt.
“I’m so sorry.”
He cries out, for the second time, he broke. First was when his mother disappeared and had left, probably even died.
And now; when he lost someone he deemed annoying, but was actually so important.
“Bridgette..” her name rolled off nicely in his tongue, as if he was meant to say it so softly.
But no.
She can never hear him again, she won't be there to greet him anymore. There will no longer be anyone who will actually prove that he belonged in the world, that he had purpose.
That there is always someone waiting.
Smiling.
Just for him.
Come back..
Regrets, really are only to be noticed in the end. The pain in his heart will never reside. He may be free from his bad luck, but that freedom gave away someone more important that he can never take back again.
He lost her. What he said to her the day before, will become reality. He remembered, even when he was meters away from her when he walked away; he turned around. And saw her in a fit of tears, on her knees and sobbing, the discarded gift scattered beside her.
Forgive me.
“Please..”
And despite his pleas, his cries—the smiling sweetheart will never return.
In the finale of this play, the curtains will finally close. For the enemy had won, and the heroes had to fall.
It was a show of broken hearts, the one who refused love—had been the one who suffered in the end.
Félix Agreste, the person free from bad luck; is now the bearer of guilt.
He would indeed forever be, the loser in the game of love.