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Marinette regretted everything.
There were so many things she could have done differently, things that would have kept her from inadvertently hurting him- but she had.
It had taken a few days to realize what had happened.
One day, Adrien was his usual kind, caring, adorable self- and then Desperada had attacked The Liberty while he’d been on it.
Maybe if it had just been that, he’d have been fine.
Maybe if Ladybug hadn’t had him on the mind when she’d visited Master Fu, she would’ve made a more responsible choice.
Maybe, maybe, maybe.
But instead, Marinette was faced with the consequences of her decision.
Ever since taking up the mantle of Aspik- which for Marinette had lasted mere moments, but for him had been much longer- Adrien had been… different. More withdrawn. Easily spooked.
The worst part was how he reacted when something made him flinch.
Every time she saw him reach for his wrist, twisting a miraculous that wasn’t there…
Marinette regretted everything.
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Ladybug didn’t know what to do with herself.
On the one hand, she wanted to go check on Adrien, see how he was doing. After all, she was the only person in the world who knew what he’d gone through.
The math had been hard to do- emotionally, at least. 25,913 loops. They could each last as much as 5 minutes, though likely averaged to less. At her best guess, Ladybug figured Aspik had been fighting Desperada for a month and a half.
A month and a half with no breaks. No sleeping, no eating. Constant battling.
With that record, it was possible he had more experience in his suit than Ladybug had in her own.
So, yes, on the one hand Ladybug wanted to check on Adrien.
But on the other, she’d caused his pain. She didn’t trust herself to try and fix it.
Ladybug didn’t know what to do with herself.
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Ladybug was out running across Parisian rooftops, in an attempt to get some fresh air and distract herself from her guilt, when she saw Chat.
Usually, he’d be running around as much- no, more- than she was. He valued the freedom his suit provided, and always made the most of it.
So when Ladybug saw him sitting quietly atop a roof, singing under his breath a sad tune, her immediate reaction was to go help him.
She’d thought he’d heard her land behind him.
She’d thought he’d heard her walk over.
She’d thought he’d heard her sit down.
He hadn’t.
The sudden hand on his shoulder sent Chat Noir in a flying panic, leaping away from Ladybug and…
...and grabbing at his wrist.
Twisting it in the familiar way one would activate the snake miraculous.
In the familiar way Adrien had been doing.
…
Oh.
...
Oh, no.
…
Ladybug collapsed.