Chapter Text
Even under the moon, hot august air clung to Luka's face. His thumb left a damp mark on the page of the book he hovered over his face. The bench shook with the ferocity of his bouncing knee. Nervous, he kept re-tilting towards the book, trying to better feign reading. Each time the wind ripped through the leaves, Luka would flinch; the shadows that crept along the bricks sent a jolt up his spine. Though most people walked past him without a second thought, he was terrified of someone seeing him stalk Marinette’s roof. In part the fear was of accidentally making himself look suspicious, the other part was scared he'd accidentally bring attention to Marinette changing into Ladybug, or worst of all, of missing her jump from her roof from someone stealing his attention.
Luka tilted his wrist within his vision to check his watch. Ladybug was expected to meet Viperion in seven minutes. Had he already missed his moment? Was she waiting?
A snap of red disappeared as fast as it came. If Luka had blinked he would have missed it. Shoving the book into his back pack, he swung it over his shoulder. He had to work fast, he couldn't risk Ladybug checking her comms and finding Viperion in her home.
Sneaking into a nearby alley, Luka checked over his shoulders. Confident the coast was clear, he gave his jacket a little shake.
Sass shot out of the inside pocket of Luka’s denim coat. He turned in the direction of La Boulangerie, his tail ticking back and forth. “Are you certain this is the best way, Luka?”
“No.” Luka shook his head with vigor, tightening his grip around the straps of his backpack. It felt wrong keeping so much power in a bag he'd once carried to school, but it was the least conspicuous option. “What I am sure of is that the Kwami's don't feel safe. It's time for them to go home.”
The Kwami’s hadn't spoken to him, but he could feel the tension relax. From an eerie synthesizer to a jumbled crowd of excited kazoos.
“Thank you, Luka.” Sass bowed his head.
“It’s the right thing to do, Sass.” Checking his watch it warned him that he only had five minutes until he was expected to meet Ladybug. “Shit - Sass, Scales, Slither!”
Slipping into his second skin, Viperion set his Second Chance - one could never be too careful.
With ease, he scaled the buildings and leapt onto Marinette’s rooftop patio. Familiar with his surroundings, he pulled the hatch and slid into the shadowy pink room.
Moving quickly, he took the burlap sack from his bag. The medallions of the Kwami's clinked together as he held the bag to his chest. Turning on his heels, he scanned the room for the best place to leave the Miraculous. It was astonishing how in the past years so little had changed. Every sheet and accent was pink, even under the dark of night. Countless pictures from their high school days were pinned to the walls, a disproportionate amount of them being shots of Adrien. Drawn to their young faces, Viperion brushed the photo of himself and Adrien in front of the Eiffel tower. Even with a veneer of dust, Adrien's green eyes still sliced through. The cherry blossoms were still fresh in his memory, blooming them into spring. Marinette was grinning ear to ear as she pointed the camera towards them. As far back as then, Luka’s heart was in his throat. He hadn't grown into his bisexual identity yet, all he knew was that the boy beside him was extremely gorgeous and made him choke on his heart.
A shuffle downstairs tore him from his reverie, reminding him of the time slipping away.
“Where should I put you?” He theatre-whispered into the bag.
Breaking the silence, someone within the burlap responded with a whisper. “On the desk is fine, we'll find our way.”
Setting down the bag, he let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't realized how heavy the weight of the Kwami's truly were. How Marinette carried it through high school, he had no idea.
But mixed in relief there was a longing, a sadness. He'd never spoken to Marinette about the intricacies of losing the Miraculous; she still believed her identity to be unknown to him. Was this ungraspable sensation something she struggled with when she lost the Kwami's? It felt… alluring. As if something within the bag could promise him happiness and serenity. All he had to do was -
“Marinette? Are you home?” Sabine called from below the floorboards.
Snapping his hand back, Viperion jumped away from the bag. Re-rooted into reality he slithered out the top hatch, dropping it without a sound. Still rattled from the draw within the burlap sack, Viperion worked to put as much space between himself and Marinette's house as possible. After all, Ladybug was expecting him in less than a minute.
“Where is he? Maybe Sass decided to run away with Plagg? Maybe just nobody wants to do this anymore because they just hate me and I can’t lead. Yeah? Maybe? Ugh - I just -” Ladybug kept muttering at a mile a minute as she paced around the ledge of the Eiffel tower.
She'd been off for a while, but as the days kept passing without Chat Noir, her stress grew. Her once hectic orchestra was now one set of symbols smashing and a gaggle of children playing off-beat recorders. It intrigued Viperion how her stress leeched from Ladybug so differently than it did from Marinette. The young girl was always frazzled and stressed, but Ladybug used to remain calm in the face of it all - seeing the mask chip the past month was unsettling. Her posture slouched more, she shook her head to rattle out negative thoughts, and she bit at her nails.
Using the softest voice he could muster, Viperion announced himself. “Hey, Ladybug.”
It appeared, no matter how docile he spoke, she would still soar two meters in the air. “AH!” She landed back down on the railing, gripping for dear life.
“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.” Viperion offered her a hand, to which she responded with a sheepish smile.
“Sorry - I'm just a bit - on edge.” Clasping his hand, she pulled herself off the railing.
Sliding down to his butt, Viperion patted the metal beside him. “Wanna talk about it?”
“No - yes - I don't know.” Ladybug sunk down beside Viperion, their legs dangling side by side off the edge.
“You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to.” Viperion rested his chin atop the bar, staring out at the city. He found Ladybug was more likely to open up when he looked away. “But I'm here to listen, if you need it.”
Ladybug rubbed her nose, letting out a few sniffles. A comfortable silence fell in between them. It was familiar now, a month of watching the city side by side; they were the only Miraculous holders left. At least until Chat Noir came back.
A little smirk picked at Viperion’s face as he watched M. Ramier feeding his crowd of pigeons. No matter how many fines he got, or how many times he got Akumatized, he'd consistently be there the next day, feeding his friends. The holders always watched him closely, his bleeding heart an easy target.
“Do you remember the first time you guys fought Pigeon Man?” Viperion tried to break the ice, knowing the feline was the leading reason for her mental breakdown.
They’d fought him since Chat Noir’s fall; it was different. In a way, it felt more professional, the atmosphere heavier. There was a shared sentiment of eeriness with taking down such an unserious villain in such a serious manner. Without Chat’s jovial commentary, the win felt hollow.
“Hmm.” Ladybug’s frown melted, a fond expression taking over. “The first time we fought him he threatened us with bird poop.” A warm laugh rolled out of her chest. “And Chat Noir couldn't stop sneezing - the whole situation was just… so ridiculous.”
Letting out a noisy exhale from his nose, Viperion soaked in the story and what it meant to Ladybug. Each fond story was filled with a hue of despair.
“You know he'd be here, if he could, right?” Viperion rolled on his chin, peeking over at Ladybug.
Clenching her lips, she nodded. “I just - I know Plagg had to go back to China, but just - why now? When I need Chat Noir the most? I don't have him, I don't have Ad- my other close friend. I just feel so lost. Maybe if I just knew who he was then I could -”
“I'm sure he'll be back soon.” Viperion squeezed Ladybug’s hand, offering what little reassurance he could.
Sass and Plagg decided telling Ladybug that Plagg needed to leave on urgent mysterious Kwami business was the best idea. If they said Chat Noir was hurt, it wouldn't take long to connect the dots - only one person was still hospitalized from the last showdown.
“I never realized how much I would miss him until…” tears built up, reflecting the yellow lights of the city below. “... Until he was gone.”
“He'll come back when the time is right. Who knows, maybe he'll be even stronger than before.” Viperion knew no matter what, Chat Noir would come back changed.
“Yeah… I hope he comes back soon. The wins aren't the same without him.” They felt empty and devoid of joy. They were too easy, leaving a tension throughout the air, and without Chat Noir’s mood to lighten the load, it kept growing heavier.
Paris didn't notice, but Ladybug was quick to catch on. It was more than Chat Noir’s disappearance, the villain had changed. Suddenly they were easier to take down, the puzzle and mystery had disappeared. There wasn't much of anything fueling them, there were even times that their Akumas would fall before the heroes arrived on scene. On camera, she kept her visage. She told the press they would keep Paris safe. That every day they got better at fighting Hawk Moth. But once she was out of the public lens, she made countless comments on the shift; once she'd gone as far as saying ‘if it wasn't for The Collector, I would have thought Gabriel was Hawk Moth.’
“I hope he comes back soon, too.” Viperion agreed. Adrien had gone from one cage to another, Viperion desperately yearned to see the sparkle in his face that his super suit gave him.
“We've got movement.” Ladybug’s back straightened, her eyes darted forward.
“I know it was you, bitch!” A booming voice echoed through the streets of Paris. People scattered like rats, running through any door they could find.
“Remember when the villains were child friendly?” Ladybug stood up, brushing off her suit.
Viperion always felt nervous when she pointed out the differences between the Butterfly Holders, too much or too little could spill a secret. “Oh what a time.” Sarcasm seemed safest. “Where do you think he's headed?”
“To the bitch, of course.” Ladybug tapped her chin, observing the villain.
The Akumatized Villain made Viperion’s stomach twist in a way he couldn't explain. Even hunched over, he still stood ten feet tall. His shoulders were broader than a quarterback’s, his face longer than a horse’s. An unearthly smile crept up to the top of his ears, showing off his brown teeth. His black suit had a satin sheer, magnifying his triangular shaped torso.
“Is he going to the Agreste mansion?” Viperion asked as the villain jumped from roof to roof.
“An actual goal? Maybe Hawk-moth 2.0 is getting stronger.” Her statement was distant as she analyzed the villain, predicting his next moves. “I'll go North, you go South. Once I call for my Lucky Charm, call for your Second Chance.”
“Got it.” Viperion affirmed, shooting from the tower.
“I'll end you! I'll end you, Nathalie Sanceour!” The man screamed, shaking the blackened paper as a threat.
What had Nathalie done to piss this guy off?
“See that letter in his hand?” Viperion asked as they got closer.
“Yeah, I'm thinking maybe he got fired?” Ladybug responded. “Lucky Charm!”
Shrugging, Luka called for his “Second Chance.” All they really needed to know was that Nathalie had sent him a letter. Unlike Hawk-Moth, the new Butterfly holder hadn't learned how to integrate the Akuma into the villain’s outfit.
Out of the corner of his eye, two red dots flew from the sky into Ladybug’s open palms. With furrowed brows she looked back and forth from the Charms to the scene.
“Rings?” Ladybug queried over the comms. It was the first time since The Showdown that she'd gotten anything besides a horseshoe.
“Maybe he's married? And Nathalie told his wife?” Nathalie did have poor judgment, her getting caught in a marriage scandal wouldn’t surprise him in the slightest. Maybe this Akuma was a casualty of her trying to clean up her act.
The villain dove head first into the observatory at the Agreste mansion. A street shaking boom was followed by the sharp screeching of metal on metal. Landing on the ledge of the observatory, Viperion froze before the carnage. Steel was bent and disfigured, chunks of the wall hovering over the threshold of the explosion. Hesitant, Viperion stepped through the gaping hole, Ladybug right on his heels.
Satin Suit was deranged. In one hand, he still clung to the letter, if it wasn't for the Akuma’s magic it would have been torn in his fist. The other hand clawed into the floor, leaving gouging marks in its wake. He panted frantically as he tried to work a hole through the metal.
“Hey!” Ladybug swung her Yo-Yo in the air, picking up speed. “Leave the floor alone!” With a practiced toss, the Yo-Yo wrapped around the man's wrist. Giving it a small tug, Ladybug pulled his hand away from his destruction.
Her face twisted into thought, Ladybug crouched down beside the man, his splayed hand in front of her face. Squinting, she slid the ring onto the man’s fingers.
A silence filled the room, magnifying their every breath. The late night breeze whirled through the observatory, whispering the dust up from the carnage.
Satin Suit fell backwards, his body suddenly slack. The quick shift startled Viperion and Ladybug, together they hopped a step back. A neon purple outline appeared over the man’s face, illuminating his black beady eyes.
Letting out a harrowing laugh, he pulled himself up. “Are you asking me to marry you, Ladybug?” He held up his ringed hand, the Yo-Yo string a slack bracelet around his wrist. “Thought you'd be the type to buy a guy a drink first.”
Straightening, Viperion scanned the man. This was the first time the new villain behind the scenes had introduced himself. Why now? A sneer took over the man’s face, something underneath it deeply unsettling in a way Viperion couldn't understand.
“Who are you?” Ladybug reefed on her Yo-Yo, forcing the man to stagger forward. “What did you do with the old Hawk Moth?”
The man showed all his teeth in unsettling amusement. “I go by many names… but let's keep it simple. At least for now.” He let out a sardonic chuckle. “You can call me Hawk Moth”
“You are NOT Hawk Moth!” She tugged again at her hold, her face reddening to match her suit.
“Look at that, our little Ladybug is growing up into such a smart young lady.” He ripped back on the cord, making Ladybug stumble over her feet.
Viperion wanted to know more. This was their first real breakthrough. But they were heading towards the realm of uncontrolled variables; without Chat Noir it wasn't a risk worth taking. His watch began flashing, the seconds flying by. “Ladybug, we're almost out of time.”
Growling through clenched teeth, Ladybug stomped the letter, the Akuma flying out.
The villain's mouth gaped in elation. Giving a little wave, he bid a harrowing farewell.
“Bye, bye!”
Time slowed as Viperion’s clock ticked its last seconds.
The man spun on his heels, moving like a gazelle. His magical suit fell off in pieces, black shards crumbling to the ground. His sharp features were enunciated by the purple light that continued to frame his face.
Viperion shifted his weight, turning to catch the man.
Ladybug threw her charm into the air.
“No-” Viperion gasped, his hand stretching to catch the decaying coat tails.
“Miraculous Ladybug!” Ladybug unknowingly signed the man's death sentence.
He soared through the hole in the observatory, his back shoe barely crossing through before a river of Ladybugs mended the wall shut behind him.
“NO!” Viperion screamed, charging at the steel. He gripped his bracelet, attempting to twist it back, but it was too late. He’d missed it.
“Viperion?” Ladybug's earrings started beeping. “What - where'd he - what -”
“No…” Viperion pressed his palms to the cold metal. The villain, no, the man, had slipped right past his fingers. No one could survive a fall from this height. “Fuck.” Viperion slid down the wall, pressing his forehead against it.
“Is - is that - is that him?” Ladybug’s voice shook.
Swinging his head over his shoulder, Viperion’s eyes bulged at the sight of Ladybug. Tears streamed down her pale face, her hand pressed against the window, her lip trembling.
“Don't.” Viperion scrambled to cover her eyes.
“He - he - how could he-” Ladybug’s chest convulsed.
“We need to get out of here. Now.” Viperion lifted Ladybug into his arms.
Clenching the Guardian to his chest, he bound from roof to roof. White flashes from reporters blended with the red of emergency vehicles. Not daring to look down, Viperion pushed forward, desperately trying to escape the public eye.
Atop a tall building, Viperion set down Ladybug, her earrings urgently beeping at them.
“Go, refuel.” He instructed Ladybug. “I'll be right here.”
It seemed ridiculous, sending Ladybug away. But her conception of secrecy was important to her. It offered her comfort, a form of safety.
Sitting with his back against the chimney, Luka held out a handful of gummy worms for Sass.
“Has anything like that ever happened before, Sass?” Luka scrapped his shoes against the cement, fragments of rocks rolling under his shoes.
Around a mouth full of worms, he gave a soft answer. “These powers are dangerous, they can save lives just as easily as they can take them.”
“Fuck.” Luka rubbed his face, trying to scrub on a stoic expression for Ladybug.
Stepping beside him, Ladybug stared blankly towards the horizon.
“Lady-”
“Don't.” Ladybug’s lip shuddered.
Standing to Ladybug’s level, he reached for her hand. “It wasn't your fault.”
“Stop.” Ladybug inhaled with three big sniffles, a hysterical sob itching to escape. “Chat… Chat could have saved him.”
“We don't know that - that was an impossible situation, you have to know that.” Luka manœuvred to meet her eyes, but they stared through him. Why did the people who matter to him keep looking at him with empty eyes? Distant expressions as their souls struggled to stay in their bodies.
“Chat would have saved him.” Ladybug nodded through her raspy words.
“Ladybug -”
“I'm going home. I'll talk to the press tomorrow. I can't right now.” Ladybug pulled her hand away from Luka’s.
“Do you think that's best right now?” Luka forced himself upright, his shoulders trying to square under the weight he held.
Ladybug's eyelashes fluttered off tears. “Goodnight, Luka.”
The zip of her Yo-Yo cut off any response before it could reach Luka’s lips. Frozen to his place, he watched as the red dot disappeared. There was truly nothing he could do besides offer empty platitudes. Alya would have undoubtedly seen the news, hopefully she could offer the solace that Luka couldn't muster.
Consciously clenching his chest, Luka forced his erupting emotions down. Where did he go from here? Should he stay above the city, away from the sounds of panic? Or maybe to his ship, where he could drink away this nightmare of a fight. Besides Ladybug, no one knew his identity. No one could understand the emotional toll he'd just endured.
Well, nobody besides Chat Noir.
“Sass, Scales, Slither!” His body moved without giving his mind a chance to catch up. He zipped to the hospital without truly understanding how he'd gotten there.
Under the veil of night, Viperion scaled the wall and slid open Adrien’s window, the safety’s breaking under his strength.
Still crouched on the windowsill, Luka dropped his transformation.
“Whoa - you look terrible!” Plagg greeted him as he stretched his long legs to the floor.
Luka's shadow stretched across the room. It bent across the floor, over Adrien's bed, and up the wall. Was he a monster?
“Something terrible has happened.” Sass hovered beside Plagg.
“Dinosaurs bad, or ate too much dairy kind of terrible?”
“Another human has died.” Sass motioned for Plagg to follow him, the both of them floating out the window.
Luka remained a statue, standing in silence, hypnotized by his own shadow.
“Hmm?” Adrien rolled over, his movements heavy with sleep. “Luka?”
The statue crumbled. “I - I didn't know where else to - I'm sorry I just -”
“Hey, it's okay - c’mere.” Adrien waved Luka into his bed.
Blindly sobbing, Luka kicked off his shoes and crawled into the single bed.
“I've got you.” Adrien rubbed his thumb across Luka’s glistening cheek, breaking through the tracks of tears.
Luka’s sobs turned into a high pitched wail. But Adrien didn't push him away, instead, he pulled the blanket over them and pulled Luka into his chest. Luka cried until he fell asleep in warm arms.