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The red beam of light that hit Ladybug full in the chest sounded like a train whistle full of marbles, shrill and garbled.
Ladybug dropped down on the nearest building to check that she wasn't… full of holes? losing her powers? slowly turning into a stack of pancakes? She wasn't sure what this akuma's deal was yet. Fortunately, it looked like the blast did nothing except make the akumatized man glow an even brighter shade of yellow and laugh even louder. She'd have to make sure there weren't any delayed side effects, but until one appeared she needed to get back into the fight. The yoyo whistled through the air as she threw it to a neighboring building and launched herself toward the akuma.
Chat Noir bounded into view. "Imagine getting upset over dead batteries. This guy's the next Mr. Pigeon."
Ladybug landed on the roof and surveyed the area. "Oh, don't even joke about that." Stalled cars littered the street. Traffic signals were dark. Everything had been drained of power. So why hadn't she been affected?
The akuma took off down a side street, and Ladybug and Chat Noir were fast behind him, swinging and leaping and soaring high above the streets.
Ladybug was four stories high, mid-swing, when her earrings started beeping frantically and the power started draining from her suit. The transformation slid up her legs as she started to drop to the ground. "Chat-!"
He caught her before she'd even finished calling his name, landing on a roof where they'd be out of sight, wrapping an arm around her head while she buried her face in his shoulder to protect her identity. Another shrill cry shrieked toward them, and Chat Noir grunted.
"Did it get you?"
"Yeah," he said, still running. His footsteps echoed on metal roofing.
"You probably only have 30 seconds."
"Hang on. I see an open window."
She hung on as he jumped, landed on the window ledge, and then slipped into a room.
"All clear," he said as he unwrapped his arms from her. "No one saw."
"Thanks," she whispered. The room was quiet, some sort of office building full of empty desks and black computer screens.
Tikki zipped into her purse for the spare cookies as Chat Noir's ring sounded its own alarm. Marinette closed her eyes but didn't turn away from him. Green light bled through her eyelids.
"I guess we know what that beam does now," she said.
"I guess it's a good thing you got hit first," he joked. Clothing rustled. He was probably getting something for Plagg.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey, we both got hit. No biggie," the unnamed boy said.
"Not about that."
"Oh."
What face was he making at her right now? Was he frowning with disappointment? Smiling at her lovingly? Annoyed? Happy? Angry? Tired?
"I, uh, hope I haven't been making you feel pressured or anything. Especially by what I just said. I didn't mean it that way. It's a big decision, and I just want you to be happy."
Marinette heard the strain in his voice, thin and pleading, but she couldn't imagine a face to match the sound. Today, for this fight, it was good that he already knew who she was. Knowing had been helpful, not dangerous. And maybe it was stupid to have one data point count for so much in this decision, but hadn't the arugment been building for weeks?
Marinette stumbled forward and grabbed for him blindly. Her hands found his shoulders first, then moved up to his neck, the tips of his hair. She gently held his face as she opened her eyes and blinked against the sudden sight.