27 June 2019

Prompt: On the Line

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug

Character/Pairing: Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng

Rating: T / PG-13 / Teen

Notes: I don't really know where I was going with this. Might be fun to flesh it out more later.

Ladybug was going to be sick. She felt her stomach knotting as she watched the footage. If she didn't act – and soon – then Luka would…

"Woah, m'Lady, wait!" Chat cried as he grabbed her shoulder. She jumped, not even realizing she had taken a step towards the door. "You can't seriously be considering this."

"Hawkmoth has Luka," she said, glaring at Chat. He glared right back.

"Ok, sure, Luka's great and all, but he's not worth handing over your Miraculous!" he said. He hoped he sounded as annoyed as he felt. She had been so…so…so stupid lately, and it was driving him nuts. He was the impulsive one, the risky one. She was the level-headed leader so he didn't have to be. She –

"He knows my identity," she said quickly. The words were worse than a slap in the face. They were a knockout blow to the gut.

"…what?" he asked. He was surprised he sounded so calm, so quiet. He would have thought he'd be shouting by now. He shook his head to clear it.

"Luka knows my identity, Chat," she said desperately, "and while I doubt he'd intentionally tell Hawkmoth –"

"How the fuck does Luka Couffaine know your secret identity?" Chat spat out. He looked furious. He was furious. Betrayed. "You won't even tell me your identity, and I've known you from the beginning!"

"Well, you know Luka's Viperion, and he's very intelligent," she said, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. She looked like she was as guilty as he was furious.

"No, I don't buy it," Chat said, folding his arms over his chest. "You told him. No way he figured it out on his own. I've been trying for years and –"

"Maybe he's just smarter than you," she huffed. His eyes flashed in annoyance.

"Ladybug," he groaned, "you'd risk everything for a guy just because he knows –"

"We're dating, ok?!" she snapped, and that brought him up short. He didn't know what was worse: that she was being so reckless or – "And yes, I would risk everything for him because I love him!"

…ok. That was worse.

"But…you can't be," he said, miserably. Dazedly. He couldn't put the pieces together. None if it made sense. Ladybug was dating – in love with – Luka? Luka knew who she was? But Luka – "Luka's dating Marinette!"

"Chat, we don't have time for this!" she said, exasperated. "Luka –"

"No! No!" Chat said, waving his arms. "Because Marinette's my friend, and if you're telling me Luka is two-timing her I'm gonna let Hawkmoth do whatever he wants, because Marinette doesn't deserve –"

"I'm Marinette, Chat!" she cried. He stopped breathing.

"No, you're not," he said weakly, shaking his head. "No, you're not. That's not even funny. Don't –"

"Why would I lie, Chat? What do I have to gain by lying to you about this? Now, please –" she tried, but he kept shaking his head.

"Because it was bad enough that I lost Marinette to Luka, but if you're telling me I also lost you because you're Marinette and I was too stupid to see –!"

Aw, hell. Chat Noir was going to be sick.