Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Marinette sat on her balcony chair, staring out at the Paris rooftops. The view, however, didn't lighten her current mood. Not because the stars weren't out, but because of the events at school earlier in the day.

Tears trickled down the girl's cheeks, her throat aching from the previous outburst. Though she was no longer bawling like before, her legs were still tucked under her arms, as she sniffled every so often.

A vibration from her phone jolted her awake, as her attention was now on the electronic device. It appeared to be a text message, and when she checked the contents, she was pleasantly surprised to see that Luka had messaged her.

Luka: Hey Marinette, I was wondering if we could talk since you're not in school having lunch.

Right. She had sprinted straight home when the bell had rung.

Marinette texted a quick reply back, saying she would meet him in a few minutes at the park, then began to make her way down to her room. As her weight shifted the mattress beneath her, she looked to her left, and saw the cork board with several pictures pinned to it.

Most of them were photos of Adrien, yet there was also a class photo, and a selfie of her and Alya. Just thinking about her supposed best friend brought back painful memories, and so she wiped her tear-streaked face and grabbed her purse before strolling to the park.

When she finally arrived, Luka was sat on a bench, with his guitar held in his lap. As she made her way over, he suddenly glanced up, and gave her a sweet smile. However, she didn't return it, and silently sat beside him.

After a few tense seconds, he tentatively asked, "Marinette, what's wrong?"

She didn't say anything, and only fidgeted with her fingers on her lap, looking down sombrely.

As if sensing her sadness, he questioned, "Did something happen? You can tell me about it if you want, I'll listen."

She nodded, still not making eye contact, and took a deep breath.

"Something happened at school today," she started, and glanced to Luka, seeing him listening intently. "When I walked into class...everyone was either glaring at me, or just straight up ignoring me, and I didn't know why."

Luka furrowed his brow in confusion, as she carried on. "Apparently I had been sending cruel messages to a girl in my class, and she had told everyone how I had 'threatened' and degraded her."

Marinette's bluebell eyes began to turn glossy, when she reminisced, "My best friend accused me of being jealous, and said that she 'couldn't believe she was friends with a bully.'"

A single tear dropped down onto her cheek, as she looked down sadly at the ground.

Luka, sensing that she would soon cry, placed a hand on her shoulder and hesitantly asked in a soft tone, "Why would that girl lie about you?"

It seemed that the question plucked at her heartstrings, because suddenly she choked a sob, and buried her head in Luka's chest, arms around his midsection.

Only a second passed, before he encircled his arms around her, and allowed her to cry on his shirt. Her voice was muffled, as she explained, "She makes up a lot of lies, and takes advantage of everyone because they believe her. She lied about having tinnitus, which made me get sent to the back of the classroom by myself, so she could sit at the front."

Marinette swallowed the lump in her throat, and said, "When I was skeptical, everyone chalked it down to petty jealousy, especially when I threw a napkin at her, which she caught, when she supposedly had a sprained wrist. Whenever I point something out she brings out fake tears, and paints me as the bad guy, and now her threat is coming true."

Luka froze, and looked down at Marinette, only to see her appearing to have regretted her last sentence. He didn't want to force her to tell, and so he rubbed soothing circles on her back to coax her into explaining what she meant.

The comforting gesture seemed to do the trick, when she stated, "After the whole 'napkin' incident, she followed me into the bathroom, and pretended that she was nice, but when I showed I didn't believe her, she threatened me."

She sobbed again, and Luka tightened his grip on her body protectively, to signify that it was safe to carry on.

"Lila said-" a spark of recognition let him realise that Lila was a person that his sister had frequently mentioned, "-that she would turn all of my friends against me, and she cornered me in the room."

His eyes widened, as he took in the information she had provided. Juleka marvelled at how she knew many famous celebrities at home, and hearing the girl he loved and trusted say she lied made him want to go up to her class and make them feel how his crush felt at the very moment.

It wasn't until she confessed something specific, that it made him want to actually act out what he said.

Her voice was only a whisper when he heard her say it. "I was almost akumatized."

For a split second, his heart stopped beating, before he felt his blood begin to boil. She had already been threatened by another liar before, Bob Roth, yet she'd been confident and strong.

On the contrary, seeing her so fragile and tired of Lila's lies broke his heart, as much as it broke hers. He could just about hear her sad melody over the sound of blood rushing to his ears.

Marinette began to sob again, so he cradled her gently, while she let all of the tears out. The Jagged Stone merchandise he wore was probably stained, but he couldn't care less. What mattered now was that the girl he loved was vulnerable and hurting in his arms, almost bawling.

He whispered several promises in her ear, that he intended to keep while she cried.

"You're okay, don't worry."

"They'll get what's coming to them."

"You're safe with me."

"No one will hurt you from now on."

After a few minutes, the tears ceased, and he took the opportunity to pull her hair out of her signature pigtails. His fingers thread through her tresses, stroking her head reassuringly as the trembling in her petite body died down.

"T-Thank you," she said, pulling back and staring into his eyes. Luka could drown in the ocean blue of hers, and he would have had it not been for her request of, "Can you play your guitar, if that's okay?"

Luka nodded, and pulled back, already missing the warmth from her body. He picked up the guitar he had previously placed beside the bench, and just as he was about to grab his pick, Marinette held one out for him.

He recognized it as the Jagged Stone one he had allowed her to keep, and was amazed that she had held onto it. As if hearing his thoughts, with her sore voice she teased, "Didn't expect me to keep it?"

He chuckled, and took the guitar pick, their fingers brushing ever so slightly.

He closed his eyes in concentration, and let his hands play the familiar melody of her heart, yet it was slower and more drawn out, reflecting her mental exhaustion. She leaned onto Luka's shoulder, and her eyes fluttered shut, enjoying the tune of the music.

It was as if the only people in the world were them, as everything else was merely background noise to the pair. Her breathing began to settle, until she was no longer hiccuping- though she was still sniffling frequently.

It made him think about the person who had made Marinette feel the way she did.

Lila.

His grip tightened on the handle of the guitar, but he was still careful to keep the melody going as if nothing was bothering him.

Lila had caused this. She had not only made Marinette feel threatened, but almost let her become a victim of Hawkmoth. That in itself was bad enough.

But, hearing Marinette's melody sound so hollow and lifeless was something unforgivable. She was sincere, kind, selfless, and most of all, didn't deserve the pain she was experiencing.

A slight flutter caught his attention, and he felt the pick in his grasp cause a tickling sensation against his fingertips.

Chapter Text

Marinette stared straight ahead, leaning on Luka's shoulder. The way his fingers moved nimbly to create the familiar tune of her heart let her breathe more steadily. The calmness allowed her eyes to flutter shut, as she admired the harmonious melody.

Leaves rustled in the slight breeze, making Marinette drift back into reality, where she realised that the tune was not playing anymore. However, her disappointment was short-lived, as a muscular arm wrapped around her form, pulling her in for a hug.

Though it was unexpected, she gladly returned it and opened her eyes, only to see that Luka's chest appeared different. Where his heart was, there was instead a hollow space, with four strings across it.

Obviously, it was a guitar. At least, that was what Marinette originally thought, until it dawned on her that there was no space between them for an instrument of the size.

Her breath hitched in her throat, when she met the teal eyes of her classmate's brother. The smile gracing his lips was kind and gentle - clashing with the akuma symbol hovering in front of his face.

Marinette pulled back, scooting away from him on the bench. Her breathing quickened, as her body was paralyzed in fear, and the only think that jolted her back into the real world was a wiggling from her purse.

The symbol disappeared, and when he acknowledged the distance between them, a frown etched across his now pale blue-skinned face.

The girl frantically stood up, making a run for the exit of the park. Her hair was flowing in the wind, as it drifted through her locks. Just as she was about to step onto the pavement, the strum of a guitar string caught her attention.

She stopped sprinting, listening as a slow, deep melody drifted into her ears. The way it was played gave her the impression that it was meaningful and heartfelt, and as she glanced backwards, she caught the sight of her friend standing nearby, plucking at his heartstrings.

The melody flooded her senses, making her feet move on their own accord. Slowly, she made her way to the source of the mesmerising music, where the teenager stood, smirking.

Marinette's eyes remained fixed on his, the now vibrant green of them keeping her in place in front of him. It was as if she was stuck in a web - the more she resisted, the more hypnotic the tune became, drawing her in even more.

"You don't need to resist, Marinette," Luka whispered, still performing the tune, "Give in to it..."

Her eyes begun to shut, yet she still fought to keep them open. Heartstring smiled, sensing her inner battle.

"Rest, Marinette," his smooth voice coaxed, "Aren't you tired of Lila's lies? Don't you want a break from it all?"

Heartstring watched her carefully, knowing the subject caused her strength to waver.

"It's hard, isn't it - having to hear her voice only spewing lies? Having to deal with your so-called 'friends' turn their backs on you? You never have to listen to her, or any of them again," the akuma promised, leaning even closer, "Just give in, let it flood your senses. I promise, music and me will be the only things you have to hear."

Marinette processed his words, words coated in poison, yet spoken with the softness of silk. His breath lingered on her cheek, as she contemplated the vow.

The vow to rest. To listen to the melody forever.

To not have to deal with Lila's threat ringing in her ears, constantly.

She felt herself drowning in the music, but her breathing remained steady and calm. Like the aura around them. Stress-free, and peaceful. It made her question why she resisted, when she could feel so relaxed and unbothered by those around her.

Heartstring ceased his playing, watching as Marinette swayed side to side in a trance, a small smile on her lips. It made one spread across his, as he scooped her off of her feet gently, sighing contentedly when she immediately wound her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

"I told you," he whispered, "You'll be safe from everyone, My Melody."

She found herself unconsciously agreeing, tightening her grip on her saviour as he leaped across the rooftops towards the school where her tormentors resided.

Chapter Text

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Adrien watched as Marinette practically zoomed out of the classroom, without so much as a glance at anyone. He sighed, gaze downcast as he placed his tablet and equipment inside of his school bag.

Ever since the rumour of Marinette bullying Lila this morning, she didn't speak after being accused- opting to tune everyone out as if they weren't there. Adrien saw the way her once bluebell eyes dulled to almost grey, as she sat in silence.

Plagg flew out of his jacket immediately when they were in a secluded place, and folded his arms while floating in front of his owner.

"Well, are you going to do it, or not?" he asked, annoyance laced in his tone. At his confused expression, the kwami elaborated, "Aren't you going to visit your girlfriend to make sure she isn't akumatized?"

Adrien spluttered, heat rising to his cheeks, as he fumbled, "S-she's just my friend, Plagg! What are you talking about?"

He raised an unamused eyebrow as a response, and deadpanned, "Really?" in a sarcastic voice.

"Whatever Plagg, you're right! I need to go check on her," Adrien agreed, "Plagg, Claws Out!"

Now Chat Noir, he snuck out of his school, and landed on the rooftop of it. Forest green eyes scanned the crowds of students on the ground, searching for the sight of a French-Chinese girl with pigtails.

After finding no one of the description, he extended his baton to help make his way over to the Dupain-Cheng Bakery, where he peaked into Marinette's bedroom from the balcony. It was darkened and empty, save for a few mannequins donned in sequinned attire.

Chat Noir then gracefully jumped across several rooftops, glancing around, until he spotted the familiar grey blazer and pink jeans of his classmate in the park. Her hair wasn't tied in pigtails- instead it cascaded down her shoulders all the way to her chest. Though, he couldn't wonder why she changed her hairstyle, as he was more focused as to why she was running like her life depended on it.

His synthetic ears twitched, hearing the out-of-breath panting from Marinette. It peaked his interest, and so he settled on watching her carefully from nearby, as she was heading directly his way.

However, she abruptly stopped, feet frozen on the ground. He raised an eyebrow, and scuffled sideways, as a tree was blocking his view. Suddenly, her ocean eyes flared an emerald green, as she peered over her shoulder.

Chat Noir followed her line of sight, noticing the shadow of a person standing nearby. He growled, annoyed that another branch from a tree seemed to purposely obstruct the figure.

Making sure not to be seen, he made his way to a different terrace, and managed to catch a glimpse of Marinette with her brows furrowed, almost fighting against something unknown.

That was when he took in the male that was there, his hand poised over his heart. He smiled, and lifted Marinette up from the ground. She was smiling too, Chat realised as he watched her wrap her arms around the person's neck.

The thought struck him, as he witnessed the akuma murmur something in her ear, that was buried under his neck. Marinette's lips poised into a sweet smile, nodding, her eyes the same piercing colour of his.

The, obviously an akuma, then leapt from the ground, onto a rooftop, and dashed away, leaving Chat Noir to linger on the thought that had plagued his mind a few seconds prior.

He had heard what the male had said, and couldn't help but think about the familiar voice and similar expression to Marinette as he held her protectively.

Luka.

Chapter Text

The familiar rooftop of Francoise DuPont High School came into view, as Chat Noir sneakily followed the akuma with Marinette in his arms. His leaps were steady and precise, probably attempting to lessen her discomfort from the undoubtedly bumpy movement.

Thoughts raced through the hero's mind, as he wondered how Luka could possibly have become involved. Did he find out about how they accused her? It made sense, as she might've explained the situation to him.

He was surprised, to say the least. Luka must've cared for Marinette a lot to get akumatized for her, and judging by what he'd seen at the ice rink a while ago, an uneasy feeling settled in his chest.

However, he forced himself to bring himself back to reality, as the figure landed in the corridors of the school. Chat Noir's eyes narrowed as he watched the akuma stroll calmly towards the entrance of Marinette's classroom, which he stood outside of, out of view from the people inside.

"It'll be fine, My Melody. Don't be scared," Heartstring assured, cradling her trembling body to his chest.

"W-what if she lies again?" Marinette choked, eyes glossy and flickering back to their natural bluebell.

"Ssshh..." he hushed, twirling a lock of her midnight hair around his finger, "I promised you would be safe, and I would never lie to you."

A genuine, albeit shaky, smile appeared on her face, as he began to play a short tune on his heartstrings. After bringing back the calming aura surrounding them, he rubbed her back soothingly, as she lay her head on his chest.

Chat Noir silently watched from nearby, trying to ignore the pang in his heart as he saw the akuma hold her close. Though he wanted to lunge at him, and carry his Princess away to safety, he couldn't risk her getting hurt, and so he held his breath, not interfering when Luka turned to the classroom door.

Chapter Text

Alya scrolled through her Messages app, refreshing the page every so often to see if she missed anything. She still couldn't fathom the nerve of that girl! How had she have ever been best friends with a jealous bully- so hellbent on tormenting someone more interesting than her?

Since Miss Bustier wasn't yet in the classroom, classmates were mostly crowded around Lila's desk, as she chatted about her recent trip to Achu with Prince Ali. Alya sighed in disappointment, and stood up to make her way over, only to jump in surprise when the classroom door was flung open.

There, stood an akuma, strings creating a guitar over his heart. A necklace with something triangular attached to it was hung around his neck, and in his arms was a female facing away from everyone.

The reporter swiftly pulled up her Camera app, live streaming for her Ladyblog. Hopefully Paris' heroes would see it and she could snag an interview with them, she thought.

"It's so nice to finally see the class of untrustworthy, ungrateful brats altogether," he sneered, tone filled to the brim with restrained anger.

His emerald eyes softened when he looked down to the girl in his arms, and the class watched as she glanced at them, her eyes the same colour. Then, they realised that it was Marinette, except her hair was flowing, a stark contrast to her usual hairstyle.

He cupped her cheek with one of his hands, finger sliding against the hollow of her cheekbone as he stated, "Don't worry, My Melody. They'll get what's coming to them, along with Lila for what they did to you."

Alya internally raged, thinking as to how insensitive Marinette was to have someone humiliate Lila for her so that she couldn't take the blame.

"Luka?" Juleka murmured, though it was crystal clear in the relatively quiet classroom. A smirk played on his lips as he answered, "Not anymore, sister. It's Heartstring now, and you all will pay for harming Marinette!"

The tension in the air was so thick that a knife wouldn't be able to cut through it. Inspecting the female more, the class saw how she almost seemed unaware of the stares of everyone around her, until a shrill voice broke the silence.

"It's not true!" Lila cried, tears streaming down her cheeks, "S-she must've lied to get you akumatized! She's probably working for Hawk Moth!"

The feral growl that ripped from the akuma's throat signified that she had said the wrong thing, as he placed Marinette down gently onto the teacher's desk, before his fingers played a tune on his heartstrings.

The music was hollow, and the class felt as though their hearts were as heavy as a ton of bricks, as most doubled over from the pain. They attempted to cover their ears, but to no avail, as their backs straightened, and mouths clamped shut without control.

Alya felt her hands tilt the phone in Lila's direction, making her confused as to why the akuma made them. The reporter's eyes briefly flickered to Marinette, only to see the girl obliviously swaying side to side as if the melody was sweet music to her ears.

Everyone's bodies were stiff, forced to look in the direction of Lila as Heartstring grinned and hissed, "Let's see Lila Rossi. How do you feel about Marinette? What is it really like between you two?"

The Italian's face paled significantly, and Alya felt her muscles tense in frustration as she watched Lila unfairly being tested for something that wasn't wrong. Well, he would see the truth, Alya thought.

He did, and so did everyone else, as they listened to the long list of interactions between Marinette and Lila.

Lila had threatened Marinette in the bathroom, saying she would turn all of her friends against her.

Lila had snuck her fox tail necklace into Marinette's locker to frame her for stealing.

Lila had placed a test answer sheet in her bag to make it look like Marinette had cheated on a test.

Lila had faked a knee injury, saying Marinette pushed her down a set of stairs. That, along with the other supposed breaking of school rules got her expelled.

The most shocking discovery was when Lila revealed that the story of Marinette bullying her was a hoax.

The class sat in horror, gazes alternating between the Vixen and Marinette, who's eyes were still an unnatural green.

Alya's hand trembled, phone dropping onto her desk. The sudden noise in the classroom made a few people start, faces clearly ridden with guilt. There was no time for everyone to think about their actions however, as a leather-clad figure cleared his throat at the entrance of the room.

Heads turned to Chat Noir, as he joked, "Though I'd love to play Truth or Dare with you all, I think it's time I step in to ruin the fun." He leaned on his baton, smirking, but it was a strained smile.

He turned to Marinette briefly, noticing the way Heartstring tensed before lunging at him. Thankfully, he saw the attack coming, and dodged just in time. Chat leaped into the courtyard of the school, the akuma following suit.

A purple symbol flared over Heartstring's face, no doubt Hawk Moth demanding for the miraculous.

As expected, Heartstring faced Chat Noir, eyes catching onto his ring, before nimble fingers reached up to his heart. Chat, sensing he would use his instrument, threw his weapon at his hand, successfully surprising him as he charged forward.

His claws were ready, aimed at the guitar pick strung around his neck. Luka swiftly sidestepped, missing Chat Noir by an inch, and proceeded to slide his foot underneath his leg, tripping him over.

Chat yelped as Heartstring held him down on the ground, fingers ready to grab his ring. With his baton out of reach, he did the only thing he could think of.

"Cataclysm!" He yelled, as destructive energy bubbled from his fingertips. Luka leaned back, intent on not getting touched by the force. Chat smirked, and reached for his baton, but was interrupted by the faint voice of one of his classmates.

"Marinette, you need to hide! The akuma might hurt you if he finds you!" Alya warned back in the classroom, pulling on said girl's arm. She stayed put on the desk, murmuring under her breath.

"He said he'll protect me."

"Girl, we need to go! I don't want my best friend to get hurt!" she exclaimed, arms waving in the air.

Marinette blankly stared back at Alya, before saying, "I'm not your best friend. You made that very clear."

Her mouth dropped open, prepared to deny when Heartstring appeared in the doorway. Instantly, Marinette went to his side, ignoring the incredulous stares of Alya, and Chat Noir behind them.

"I'll get you out of here My Melody," he vowed, nose nuzzled in her hair as he swept her off of her feet and jumped away. The wind blew through her tresses, as she peeked over the akuma's shoulder and saw Chat Noir tailing her.

She buried her head in his chest, eyes tightly shut as she tried to block out the memory of Alya suddenly saying they were best friends again, when she had said earlier that they weren't. Tears pricked in the corners of her eyes, as the calm atmosphere began to dissipate.

Her attention was focused on his heart, as she now noticed the hollow space of it. Without any strings.

Chapter Text

The only thing he could hear was the blood rushing to his ears, and breaths coming out in pants. He vaguely realised that the direction they were heading was towards Marinette's balcony, and so Chat Noir sprinted directly onto it before they could.

Heartstring abruptly stopped on the nearest rooftop, glancing around to find a safe placed to hide His Melody.

The hero vaulted over to the two, noticing how Marinette's irises flickered from emerald to bluebell when she caught sight of him. He grinned, seeing the akuma's eyes narrow dangerously when he appeared.

"Princess!" Chat Noir called, to which she perked up, "You need to fight whatever spell he has on you!"

Heartstring gripped her tighter, eyeing her for any reaction. "Spell?" Marinette murmured quietly, but with his enhanced hearing, Chat heard it.

"Yes, your eyes are green, and you're with an akuma! I need you to come here so I can save him!"

"Don't listen to him, My Melody. He only want to harm you, just like that liar," Heartstring hissed, anger aimed at the other male.

"H-he's lying?" Her eyes widened, the green overtaking them again. So that was the key, Chat thought. She becomes more vulnerable on the topic of Lila!

Chat Noir was still processing what Lila had admitted back in Francoise DuPont, especially for how she'd threatened Marinette.

He remembered how he was poised outside, ready to grab his Princess, and yet he stayed hidden, and listened to the confession. The fact that he had ever believed that liar could have ever changed made him sick to his stomach, and so did the knowledge that he'd indirectly caused the akuma.

If he had just exposed Lila, or stood by Marinette...

The voice of Heartstring broke him out of his thoughts. "Go down, Marinette, and hide!"

Said girl was placed gently onto the ground, and Chat Noir watched as she sprinted to the edge of the rooftop, and began to climb down the fire escape. The akuma gave him a smug grin, before holding his right hand out in the air.

Before the hero's eyes, a sword materialised from thin air, in the grip of Heartstring. The blade was a dull grey- the hilt of it sporting a shattered heart. A ray of sunlight hit the tip of it, making Chat gulp.

Dang. That looked sharp.

Instead of lunging at him, Heartstring simply brought the sword down to the ground in a swift movement, making cracks slither their way across the rooftop.

Chat Noir extended his baton upwards, allowing him to leap into the air, and over Luka. Both males made eye contact as Chat plummeted downwards, and Heartstring realised too late where the hero was headed.

"No!" he yelled, but he wasn't fast enough. When he reached the fire escape where Marinette had previously climbed down, there was no one in sight.

~*~*~

The wind blew against his blond hair and faux cat ears, as Adrien fell closer and closer to the ground. His slit eyes scanned the fire escape, noticing a short girl with flowing hair clambering down it.

His fingers nimbly extended the staff, making it even longer, so that it hit the ground. Then, he used the momentum to jump onto the steps in front of Marinette, forcing her to stop, unless she wanted to run straight into him.

"Let's go!" Chat Noir exclaimed, scooping Marinette up bridal-style, before leaping towards the entrance of her bakery. He entered without a second thought, blatantly ignoring the confused stares of customers as he sprinted past.

He felt Marinette squirm in his hold, making him reflexively grip her tighter, as he made his way to her bedroom. By the time he was stationed outside of the trapdoor leading to it, she was already out of his hold, and at the opposite side of the room.

Chat took a tentative step forward, as he asked, "Princess?"

To his surprise, she jumped at the nickname, and pushed herself into the wall behind her. He raised an eyebrow, and before he could question what was wrong, she exclaimed, "I won't believe any of your lies!"

It took a moment for him to register why she'd think that. Since her eyes were still an unnatural emerald, he guessed that she believed what Heartstring had told her before.

"Listen, Marinette. I'm not a liar, I swear," he persuaded, taking note of her flickering irises, "I know that Lila is a liar, so you don't have to worry about me believing her."

It dawned on him that bringing up the Vixen was not a good idea, as the green immediately came back, with no blue in sight.

"Just hear me out, okay?" Chat Noir tried again, hoping that his explanation would set her free, "I know that you want to be with Lu-"

"Heartstring," the girl snapped.

"-but you need to remember that he's not the only one on your side! I believe you, and sure, Lila got what she deserved, but at the cost of Luka being akumatized!"

Marinette tilted her head as he spoke, and so he took it as an invitation to continue. "You can stay with Luka, and listen to his music, just like before. However, you have to come around, and realise that we need to get him out of Hawk Moth's clutches!"

At the mention of the villain, bluebell overtook her irises, but before he could celebrate the temporary success, his ring beeped, signalling that he was running out of time to stay transformed.

"Y-You can detransform in my bedroom if you want," Marinette suggested in an unsure voice, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Chat Noir flashed her a genuine smile. "Thanks, I'll be back after I feed my kwami."

He made his way into her bedroom, not noticing the way her breath hitched in her throat at the reminder of Tikki.

A green light shone inside Marinette's room, as Chat muttered, "Claws in."

Adrien caught Plagg in his hand, pulling out a wedge of Camembert from his jacket pocket with the other. Immediately, the black cat swallowed the cheese whole, ignoring the way Adrien's lip curled in disgust.

"Good to know you managed to get your girlfriend back," Adrien guessed Plagg said, though it was hard to tell when he was practically inhaling the food in his mouth.

"Shut up, Plagg!" Adrien said, said kwami snickering in amusement.

Chapter Text

As soon as Chat Noir shut the trapdoor to her bedroom, Marinette felt her kwami nuzzle her cheek, as she exclaimed, "Marinette! You're okay!"

She giggled, but her smile soon turned to a frown, as she realised, "Oh no! I need to get Luka back, Tikki!"

Tikki nodded in understanding, and replied, "Yes, you need to transform so you can capture the akuma. We have to wait for Plagg to charge, though."

Marinette pulled out a cookie from her purse, allowing her kwami to nibble into it as they waited for Chat Noir to transform again. As they waited, she pondered on how to free her friend Luka, and explain to her partner as to why she didn't help him- as Ladybug anyway.

Soon, he came down from her bedroom, and came up to her. "Don't worry, me and Ladybug will get Luka back safe," he assured, making her smile in gratitude.

He gave her a two-fingered salute and began to make his way to a nearby window, when she called, "Chat Noir?"

He turned to her, confusion in his eyes, as she said, "I think the akuma is in the guitar pick around his neck, and it should be easy to break since he doesn't have any weapon to use."

Chat grinned at that, and laughed awkwardly, rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Yeah, about that..." he chuckled, "I used my power on his heartstrings, but he has a sword that can create cracks in the ground."

She inwardly groaned, wondering how much harder it would be to break his possessed item, even with the two of them.

"Stay safe, Chat Noir," she bid, sending him an, albeit nervous, smile.

"You too, Princess," he said, before jumping out of the open window he was perched on. A gust of wind blew into the room, making Marinette shiver, and go over to close the window.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed, "Tikki, Spots On!"

A skintight red suit formed over her body, covered in black spots that were evenly spaced out across her figure. A yo-yo materialised at her waist, as she now adorned a spotted mask and red ribbons.

She leaped into the sky, using her yo-yo to latch onto a chimney and swing in the direction of the visible wreckage. Cars were upturned, lampposts were fallen, and cracks were spread across the, now empty, roads.

In the distance, she noticed a figure clad in black leather charging at a person with vibrant blue hair. He wielded a sword, and swung it at every angle in an attempt to hit Chat Noir. Thankfully, his reflexes allowed him to dodge most of the lunges, but when his foot almost slipped off of the roof, Heartstring used the momentary distraction to his advantage.

The akuma roughly pushed Chat's hip with the hilt of his sword, making him double-over in surprise, giving him the chance to kick him in the stomach.

The blow blew him back at least a block, leaving him to land on his left arm. He let out a pained grunt, as a stiff feeling settled in his joints, and his breathing became uneven.

Sprinting towards Heartstring, Ladybug catapulted herself up onto the roof he was on, following silently behind when Luka landed in front of the winded hero. He clutched his side, wincing as he pushed himself up.

"That's enough!" Ladybug intervened, realising the extent of the injury inflicted to her partner. She flung her yo-yo, wrapped it around Heartstring's waist, and then proceeded to fling him into the distance.

With the akuma out of sight, she scrambled to Chat Noir, picked him up, and walked a short distance, before easing him onto flat ground. Well, it was the flat roof of a building, and his back was leaning on the chimney of it.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help, Chat Noir," she apologised sincerely, "I got held up in my civilian life." It wasn't a complete lie, right?

"No sweat, Bugaboo!" he said, only to wince when the movement of his stomach sent pain rippling through him.

Ladybug pushed him back into the chimney gently, and advised, "Be careful. We have to find a way to defeat the akuma, but if you're injured it would be a lot harder."

"That's the thing!" Chat exclaimed, trying to stand again, only to be nudged back down, "He's after a girl named Marinette, and judging by how angry he was after I took her to safety, he's going to look for her soon."

As if hearing the conversation, the voice of Heartstring echoed, "Marinette! Where are you, My Melody? I need to keep you safe!"

Ladybug faintly blushed under her spotted domino mask, touched by how much Luka cared for her. In the distance, car alarms could be heard, and the ground began to slightly vibrate with the sound of rumbles.

"Right, I know what to do," Ladybug enthused, holding a hand for her partner to take. Graciously, he intertwined their fingers, and winced as he stood.

"We need to lead him away from Marinette's bakery, so that we don't have to worry about her when we fight the akuma," she explained, in a confident tone.

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Chat Noir agreed, only to wonder out loud, "How did you know where I left her?"

"Oh! U-um...I just guessed, ya know? After all, she...she lives there, so I just assumed she was there," Marinette fumbled, attempting to come up with a reasonable excuse.

Thankfully, he only nodded, and pulled out his baton. With a thoughtful expression, he questioned, "Where should be lead him?"

She smirked, and replied, "I'm thinking the Arc de Triomphe."

Chapter Text

Heartstring slammed the tip of his sword into the ground again, cracks forming from the point, slithering their way across the road. He shouted for his Melody at the top of his lungs, ignoring the pain it brought his ribs, that had been bruised from Ladybug throwing him minutes prior.

Everyone in the vicinity had evacuated, and fled a safe distance from the akuma and his destructive power. Around him, car alarms blared, and trees collapsed.

A purple symbol flared over his face, as Hawk Moth said, "Maybe it would be a good idea to go to them, instead of them coming to you. That way, you can get the jewellery easily, and you can protect the one you love without their interference."

Luka nodded in agreement, as he began to make his way to a different part of Paris, intent on getting rid of the obstacles that stood between him and Marinette.

~*~*~

Ladybug watched as the akuma symbol fizzled out, Heartstring beginning to jump onto nearby rooftops. She gripped her yo-yo in her palm, saying, "He's coming your way, Chat. Get ready."

Luka leaped closer and closer to the chimney Chat Noir was crouched behind, and when he passed it, the hero extended his baton, tripping him over. He let out a grunt when his face made contact with the roof, then scrambled up, looking around.

On top of another chimney, Chat casually sat, legs dangling off of it. He gave the akuma a good glimpse of him, then started to run in the direction of the Arc de Triomphe.

Chat smirked when his faux cat ears twitched at the sound of Heartstring's footsteps following.

Chapter Text

"Where is Marinette?" Heartstring bellowed, as he chased after Chat Noir. The two had been sprinting for well over five minutes, with Chat's legs beginning to ache, while Luka seemed to not even break a single sweat.

In an exasperated tone of voice, the hero answered, "I told you, she's safe from you!" The reply only seemed to make Heartstring angrier, as he shouted, "She needs to be protected from all the lies!"

The akuma unsheathed his metal sword, and swung it at Chat whenever he got too close. Thanks to his enhanced reflexes, he managed to barely dodge the strikes, still running to the Arc de Triomphe.

When it came into sight, he plastered a strained grin on his face, before leaping onto the monument and taunting, "Well, Heartstring. I for one believe that Lila was telling the truth!"

This seemed to stop him in his tracks, as he began to comprehend what Chat had just claimed. Before anyone could react, the sword in his hand whistled past the hero's head, missing his face by an inch.

He gulped, getting into a battle stance as Heartstring landed in front of him. "Hand over you ring, Cat," he spat out, obviously angry because of his earlier words, "Don't make me want to fight you more than I already want too."

"Too late," he grinned, before pulling out his baton and charging. Without the sword, the akuma seemed weaponless, as Chat began to swipe at him. However, as Heartstring stepped back at a particular strike, he held his hands out, two daggers with a broken heart at the hilt forming.

"Again?" Chat Noir exclaimed, "Sorry, My Lady! Looks like we can't disarm him like we wanted to!"

"Indeed you can't," the villain hissed, throwing the daggers in the other male's direction. Thankfully, a zipping sound reached their ears, as a yo-yo slammed into the weapons, changing their course.

Ladybug swung from a lamppost, performed a flip, and stood beside her partner, in a defensive pose. "We don't have to fight, Heartstring!" she claimed, "You've already helped Marinette!"

His hands clenched into fists, as he hollered back, "Who's to say it won't happen again? If her best friend betrayed her, then who else can she trust? Certainly not the classmates who abandoned her for that liar!"

Marinette was taken aback, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything as he continued, "Taking her somewhere physically safe doesn't mean she's fine emotionally! So, Ladybug and mangy alley cat, we do have to fight, if I want to keep protecting My Melody." His voice took a darker tone at the end, a shiver rolling down Marinette's spine because of it.

"I'll try not to take that insult to heart," Chat joked, "Though that really plucked at my heartstrings." He placed a clawed hand against his chest in mock hurt, Ladybug groaning inwardly at his puns.

The infamous akuma symbol flashed over his eyes again, a scowl growing on his face at Hawk Moth's encouragement. He held his hands in front of him, thin spikes appearing in each one.

He launched an assault with them at the duo, the spikes continuously forming from his fingertips and palms every time he let go of one. The heroes dodged every incoming object, flipping and spinning their weapons to create a shield for themselves.

Ladybug's eyes roamed her surroundings, taking in how there seemed to be no civilians in sight- probably having evacuated earlier. She breathed a sigh of relief, rushing forward with her yo-yo spinning in a shield to block the spikes.

Marinette swiped the yo-yo sideways, hitting Heartstring's hands, giving them a break from the relentless attack. Ladybug attempted to make a swipe for the pick around his neck, only for Luka to grab the incoming hand, and twist it around.

She let out a yelp, roughly taking her arm out of his hold, and shouting, "Chat, distract!"

Almost immediately, he extended his baton outwards, it slamming into the akuma's chest, pushing him back. They males both began to fight on the ground, parrying each other's attacks in an intense match of fencing.

Weighing out her options, Ladybug only had a split second of thought, as she shouted, "Lucky Charm!"

She threw her yo-yo up, it twirling around in the air before a swarm of magical ladybugs formed a fishing net from thin air, landing it in her hands. Her eyebrow furrowed in confusion, as she glanced around, letting out a thoughtful hum.

When her eyes caught sight of the structure of the Arc de Triomphe, and the ground beneath the arch, a smile made it's way onto her lips.

"Chat, get ready!" she commanded, landing on the ground where Heartstring and her partner were throwing punches at each other.

Chapter Text

"Chat, get ready!" The hero heard his partner shout, as she set foot on the ground beside him. He looked around in confusion, before his eyes caught on to the spotted fishing net in her hands.

They were right beneath the arch, he realised, as he glanced upwards. Ladybug met his gaze, giving a subtle nod. He grinned, continuing to swipe his baton at Heartstring. The villain had opted on a sharpened blade, the signature broken heart at the bottom of it.

The males kept swiping and dodging, Chat Noir ever so slightly leading Luka to where Ladybug was. When he was close enough, Chat made his weapon stretch out, vaulting over Heartstring to the side of his partner.

She hurled the fishing net over the akuma, watching as he yelped in confusion, before slamming her yo-yo into him. He fell over, and Chat Noir ran to one the Arc de Triomphe's walls.

"Cataclysm!" he yelled, thrusting his hand into the structure. Cracks started to form around his clawed fingertips, as they spread upwards and everywhere on the arch. All at once, debris began to crumble, in big and little chunks.

The duo leaped onto the side of the monument, witnessing the rocks fall onto where Heartstring was. When the noise and dust finally settled, the two made their way to the centre of the wreckage, where there appeared to be an area without rock covering it.

There, was a thrashing akuma, attempting to escape the fishing net, yet failing, as the debris kept him trapped. Ladybug strolled over to him, Chat Noir holding him down as she pulled the pick off of his neck.

Dropping it onto the ground, she crushed the necklace under her foot, seeing the infected butterfly reveal itself from the crack in the pick. Immediately, she grabbed the yo-yo from her waist, trailing her finger across it.

"Time to de-evilise!" Ladybug shouted, as she aimed the yo-yo to where the insect was fluttering away. The weapon closed around the trapped akuma, as she exclaimed, "Gotcha!"

Pushing the top of the yo-yo, she whispered, "Bye-bye little butterfly." Chat Noir threw the rubble off of Heartstring, allowing his partner to pick up the fishing net, yelling, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

It split off into a swarm of ladybugs, that began to make their way across the city, repairing any damage that had been caused. They made sure that all of the debris from the Arc de Triomphe disappeared, the monument now standing tall in all of its glory.

They both turned to Heartstring, as a flood of purple bubbles covered his body, before disappearing and showing a dazed Luka. He glanced around, before murmuring, "W-where am I?"

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir cheered in unison, connecting their hands that were held into fists. Ladybug briskly walked to Luka, helping him up off of the ground.

His eyes widened when he caught sight of the heroes, as he questioned, "Did I get akumatized again?"

She nodded, but was quick to reassure, "Don't think that's a bad thing. In fact, it was very noble of you to get akumatized."

Chat Noir raised his brows in confusion, as she explained, "You became an akuma to protect the one you loved, didn't you? That's what I call having a good heart."

She poked his chest. "Luka, you're an amazing person, and Marinette is so lucky to have you as her friend."

Her smile was comforting, as Luka began to relax his shoulders. "Do you know where she is?" he asked, peering around.

"She's at the park near her bakery," she answered, not noticing how Chat's brows rose even further, "She told me how she wanted to talk to you, and I'm sure that it won't be to scold you. Trust me."

After patting his shoulder, Ladybug started at the beeping that resonated from her earrings. "Bug Out!" she smirked, latching her yo-yo onto a lamppost and swinging away.

Chapter Text

Marinette sat on the edge of the foundation in the park, the sound of water flowing and birds tweeting the only noises. She glanced around, trying to spot vibrant blue hair, and a Jagged Stone shirt. As she looked around, she caught sight of the bench where Luka was akumatized for the second time, and smiled faintly at the memory.

The fact that his main goal was to protect her sent a new wave of pink across her cheeks, but before she could think of it anymore, she heard a calm voice say, "Marinette?"

Turning around, she saw Luka, with a concerned look occupying his features. Giving him a small smile, she patted the space next to her, allowing him to sit down too.

After a tense few seconds, they said in unison, "I'm sorry."

Shocked at each other's words, they both faced each other, Marinette questioning, "Luka, why would would you be sorry?"

"Because..." he took a deep breath, "Because I got myself akumatized and needlessly put you in danger, when I should have rejected what Hawk Moth offered. Knowing that you probably got hurt- just...I feel so guilty, and I understand if you're angry at me."

Marinette's mouth hung open, staring at Luka's face. He took her silence as anger, and was about to say goodbye, when she said, "I'm not angry at you." He turned to her, as she elaborated, "Not at all."

"Luka, I wasn't in danger, at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite, because you wanted to protect me," Luka blinked at her, as she explained, "You became akumatized all for me, and I'm just so happy that someone actually cares about me as much as you do."

Her voice was barely a whisper when she added on, "Especially because of what happened in school."

A pair of arms wrapped around her huddled form, pulling her into a wide chest. Marinette wound her arms around his waist, burying her head further into him, and murmuring, "Thank you, Luka."

He simply leaned his head on hers, as he replied, "You deserve to be cared about."

They stayed like that for a while, until a buzzing noise broke the serene silence. Reluctantly, Marinette leaned back, still in Luka's embrace, and pulled out her phone. Her breath hitched when she saw the caller.

Alya.

Luka caught onto her tense state, and asked, "Who is it?" She turned the phone around, watching how his nose wrinkled in displeasure, before saying, "Will you answer it?"

Only five seconds passed, but by that time, she had rejected the call, and already leaned forward into Luka again. A muffled voice said, "I want to hang out with my real friend right now."

She felt Luka smile on top of her head, and pulled back, pressing a lingering kiss on his cheek. His skin flushed, as she smiled sweetly, and stood up.

Turning to him, she suggested, "Why don't we get some ice-cream for the two of us?"

He smirked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and whispering, "I know the perfect cart to get them from."

They both began to walk to Andre's, now hand in hand, not noticing the slit green eyes that watched the whole interaction.