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“It’s… it’s my fault. I didn’t transform back before I went to find him,” she said, her voice sounding as hollow as she felt. She had made a mistake and this time she couldn’t fix it, she couldn’t take it back, there was no saving the day this time.
“What?” Aqua Noir asked, taken aback by her words. It was exactly what it sounded like. She had fucked everything up and now even her partner, the one person who always believed in her, knew it. Maybe now he would finally see her for what she was: a mess. It was what everyone else always saw. But there was just something so terrifying about Aqua Noir knowing, too.
He always saw the best in her, even when she didn’t, and now that wasn’t so true. He didn’t even love her anymore. Why would he have unwavering faith in her if his love had faded away into nothing? He loves someone else, now, she thought bitterly. Probably Ryuko. The moment when he stops calling her m’lady, he starts flirting with Ryuko. That was no coincidence.
“I was… confused. I’m sorry. I’m such a failure,” she said softly. Tears welled up in her eyes and Aquabug put her head in her hands before Aqua Noir could see her at her lowest. She had always thought that her worst moment was when she was about to give up while they were fighting Stoneheart for the second time. But then he had believed in her and told her so and suddenly with the warmth blooming in her heart, she couldn’t bring herself to disagree.
But that was then and this was now. She had hit rock bottom and now he was witnessing it. And at the smallest chance that he still loved her why would he continue to after watching her break down? Tell me that it’s not my fault.
Aqua Noir swam closer to her, close enough to make her brain go fuzzy, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Kind words, soft eyes, a pounding heart, and a monster made of stone flashed through her mind.
“Hey! The important thing is to save Master Fu before the sentimonster destroys his shield. And we’ll need a focused Ladybug for that. Forget what happened, okay?” he said. Ladybug. Was that all she was to him now? Pushing the sharp pang in her heart away, Aquabug stared at him for a moment.
He didn’t care. He didn’t care. He didn’t care. He didn’t care that she had fucked everything up. She gazed into his eyes and before she could stop herself, she pulled him into a tight hug.
She sank into his arms letting herself get lost in his comfort. Her head was right next to his and her cheek was brushing his and if he declared his love for her right now she would accept it. The rose, the love poem, his confession, whatever it was she would say yes. All he had to do was say the word and she would be his. Tell me that I’m all you want.
He said nothing, opting to just hold her close. She borrowed her face into the crook of his neck and squeezed her eyes shut. The moment slipped away and Aquabug came to her senses. She couldn’t love him. There was too much risk, too much danger, what was she thinking? Where were these thoughts coming from? She didn’t love him and that was fine because she couldn’t love him.
She pulled away, before she could do something stupid, and smiled at him. They could never be together. All she had to do was let herself fall and they had the power to destroy everything, including each other. Even when I break your heart.