Archive of Our Own ^beta

The patrol had been pretty quick and uneventful and the team set off back to their homes with whoops. Ladybug sighed contentedly. Viperion hung back until the others had left.

“Hey Ladybug, do you have a minute?”
“Sure Viperion” she smiled.
He didn’t smile back. “When are you going to tell Chat Noir what really happened in the final battle with Monarch?”
“What, I… I… I have told him” she stuttered. “Gabriel Agreste died when Monarch…”
“We don’t have time for the story you told everyone else Ladybug. I know Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth and Monarch and whatever other names he used.”
She stared at him, wide eyed. “What? How?” she whispered.

“I found out from you. In a loop.” Viperion replied, grim faced, holding up his bracelet. "I need to know why you haven't told him."
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re using the snake miraculous to get information? That’s not how the bracelet should be used. You know that.” She approached, determination in her eyes. “Give me your miraculous Luka.”

“Take it off me now and you’ll remember that Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste.”

She laughed, “Ha! You seriously that will distract me? There’s absolutely no way they’re the same person”. She advanced on him, yoyo spinning as he backed away across the roof.

“How do you think Chat Noir ended up in New York?” He called to her. “You persuaded his dad to let him go.” Ladybug spun her yoyo at Viperion, and he jumped, diving out of the way. “Why was Chat Noir roaming the streets of Paris on Christmas Eve rather than staying in with his family?” She attacked again and he used his lyre to bat the yoyo harmlessly away “and oh yes – wasn’t that when Adrien went missing?” Another attack – another block. This was the first time they’d sparred and certainly the first time she’d meant it, but he knew her moves. She doubted this was the first time for him.

“I know them both. They couldn’t be more different. What are you trying to achieve? If this is a prank it isn’t funny” Ladybug snarled, charging at him.

“Don’t you think the model Adrien Agreste, so controlled, so watched by everyone might want to let loose given the chance?” Viperion countered. Ladybug advanced. Just a little more push and she would have him pinned she thought. Inches from her face, Viperion asked, “Don’t you think he’s heroic?”

Something shifted in Ladybug’s mind. She felt a mental click and lost her footing, falling to a knee.

“No that’s not possible” she replied, confused as images of the two boys overlapped in her mind “I’d know. I would.” She sat back on her feet, head in her hands.
Viperion knelt next to her and took two photos out of a pocket, one of each boy.

“The glamour has broken hasn’t it?”

With shaking hands she took the two photos. There, unmistakenly was her boyfriend in both images. “This can’t be” she muttered. She looked up at Viperion. “Why are you doing this?”

“I’m doing this because you’re hurting him. He thinks that his father was a hero. The last interaction he had with him was being locked in a room by him, shouting at his father after trying to escape. He’s so depressed Ladybug. He’s broken by how he treated his father ‘the hero’ in his last moments.” Viperion grimaced as he spat out the word. “It’s destroying him, trying to reconcile the public ‘hero’ with the abuser he faced at home.

“Abuser?” Ladybug’s eyes got even wider.

“Of course he was an abuser! He threatened to remove him from school for any small transgression. Isolated him. Neglected him. He controlled how he acted, who he could socialise with. His dad was literally going to arrange a forced marriage for him. That is abuse Ladybug”.

“but… but he loved him.”

“and it was still abuse”.

She looked up and repeated, “Why are you doing this, Viperion?”

“I see how depressed he is when comes to join the band. He thinks he should have saved him as Chat Noir. I can see how wrong this is going to go and I have to stop it. I need something that will convince you to tell him the truth. It has to come from you. What can I tell you that will make you share this with him?” he said urgently.

“No. I won’t tell him” Ladybug stated.

“You have to. Right now, he thinks that his father was a good man who cared deeply, just not about him. What do you think is going to happen after he’s had months or years of gaslighting himself when he discovers you lied about all of this?”

“He won’t find out”. Ladybug’s mouth set in a hard line.

“Adrien isn’t just your sweet, caring, forgiving boyfriend that you can talk round when this comes out. He holds the miraculous of destruction. He’s impulsive, he acts out.
Who else knows? Natalie? Tomoe I assume? And oh yes, you’ve already told me that Felix and Kagami know. You really think all those people will keep quiet? What about the new Hawkmoth? They must have been close to the battle to get the Butterfly. You’ve told me that too. What do they know?” Ladybug stared at him, a hollow feeling growing in her stomach. “How will he react when he founds out you’ve lied about this – something so key to his life story so that you can protect him? Do you think he’ll appreciate you treating him like a delicate, sensitive person unable to face the truth? Would Chat Noir want that? Being lied to by his girlfriend, his partner and his friends? A few hugs won’t resolve this when it blows up in your face.”

Ladybug began to sob. “I don’t know what to do Viperion! No matter what I chose, Adrien was going to suffer. Gabriel just wanted to be remembered as a good father. How could I even… Would I tell Adrien first? Or Chat Noir? It’s too much, I don’t know how to start.” She rubbed her face, pacing back and forth.

“Ladybug, focus.” Viperion held her face and stared into her eyes. “ What can I tell you that will make you share Hawkmoth’s identity with Chat Noir or Adrien?”

“There’s… there’s nothing!” She looked at Viperion with despair. “I’ve planned to keep this secret forever. I thought it was for the best, I wanted to protect him. You’re right, he needs to know, but apart from telling me his identity, there’s nothing else that will persuade me to tell him.”

“Then we have to tell you his identity then.” Viperion said grimly. “There’s only a few seconds left Ladybug before I have to reset. If there’s anything else I need to know, tell me now.”

She grabbed his arm, “You cannot tell me his identity! I can’t know it. The World depends on it” she pleaded.

“Why Ladybug? How is keeping your identity secret more important than Adrien knowing the truth about himself?”

Ladybug stared in terror.

“Fifteen seconds left Ladybug. I am going to tell you his identity. Persuade me not to.”

“You can’t! He… We…” Ladybug stuttered.

“10 seconds. 9. 8. 7…”

“Chat Blanc!” Ladybug screamed.

“Second chance!”

----

Viperion hung back again while the others left.

“Hi!” Ladybug called out. “how was your patrol?”

“It was good, I learnt something new today.” He looked thoughtful, staring off into the distance.

“Oh really? Anything you’d like to share?” Ladybug beamed at him.

“Honestly, I’m kind of tired. I think I’m going to head home.”

He looked up, his piercing eyes meeting hers. “Another time though, I’ll definitely share it with you.”