"i'm going to follow this invisible red thread until i find myself again... until i finally figure out... who i'm meant to be." - jennifer elisabeth

☾ ☽

     Ladybug knew something was wrong with her partner when he stopped calling her "My Lady". It was easy to spot out, almost like a splatter of color on a black canvas. He'd call her that every time they were together. She simply pretended to not acknowledge it; there was a job more important to focus on. Besides, even if she did bring it up, she knew that he would somehow tease her for noticing. She began to feel a light throb of pain in her chest as the slipped into the Cliffhanger's house. Why? It's not as if she had physically hurt herself.

     When the Cliffhanger began explaining why she became Akuma-tized, she said a sentence that almost caused Ladybug to burst into tears on the spot. "People are rude, insensitive, and only think for themselves without knowing that the person on the other side is a human being too." Ladybug's heart nearly stopped. It was almost as if that sad, black haired girl was speaking directly to her. Those words impaled her mind like a javelin, echoing and telling her that it was her harming the person on the other end of the string.

     "Get to the computer at all costs!" Ladybug swung her yo-yo at the electronic device. The Cliffhanger immediately swirled around in her seat and typed in a couple words. Instantly, a rectangular jail cell encompassed the heroine, lock included. "Goodness, this author is detailed with her work..." She muttered under her breath while kicking at the bars in futile.

     "You'll have to do better than that," The masked girl sang lightly, "I was top in my class for most words typed in under a minute."

     Ladybug ground her teeth together, trying to figure out a way to get out of the situation she was entrapped in. Chat Noir flung his baton, and it spun back like a boomerang while nearing the computer. The Cliffhanger muttered a few words under her breath in frustration and leaped out of the chair, kicking it out of the way. The baton clattered onto the ground.

     Is it too soon for me to use my Lucky Charm? Ladybug thought to herself while reaching towards the lock. She realized that it wasn't a lock that required a key; it consisted of four dialing numbers. Realizing that this could be a possible escape route, she looked around the room if she could find anything that stuck out. Chat picked up his baton and extending it fully. He swung it at the Cliffhanger without any hesitation, and within a few moments, a shield with the Triforce popped out of nowhere into the girl's hand and she blocked the blow. Using the shield as a perfect use of lift-off, Chat launched himself over the Cliffhanger's head like a pole vaulter.

    "Cataclysm!" He shouted, and his right claw flared with black. As soon as his hand made contact with the computer, the electronic crumbled into dust. Much to his dismay, no Akuma fluttered out of the rubbish.

     The Cliffhanger jumped out of her chair, keeping herself a safe distance away and whipped out her phone. "Hawk Moth, there's more than one way of writing things down," She rolled her eyes; an action she tended to do quite a bit, "We authors have to carry something around when we get an idea." She stopped talking for a while, "Well why don't you come out and get them yourselves! Goodness, you're just as lazy as I am-."

     "The phone! Try to get the phone!" Ladybug shouted as she continued to fumble with the lock. Chat Noir nodded, although anxiously looking down at his ring which began the dreaded countdown. He held out his baton again and began using swinging it like a baseball bat; the Cliffhanger attempting to block off his attacks with her new shield. Ladybug's eyes continued to wander around the room, and suddenly a list taped on the wall caught her attention. Written down were a list of dates, but only one was highlighted in green.

     Red String, it said, chapter one published: January 11th.

     "Hm," She murmured and began to twist the numbers on the lock. "Zero, one, one, one."

     The lock popped open.

     "Yes!" She squealed and kicked the door open. Ladybug jumped out of the jail cell and began spinning her yo-yo around. She threw it at the Akuma-tized writer. Before the Cliffhanger could unlock her phone because the device couldn't detect her own fingerprint (it didn't deserve to be called a "smartphone"), Ladybug got a hold of it and yanked it to her. She threw it onto the ground, and it smashed into pieces. No Akuma.

     "You two owe me so much money right now," The Cliffhanger whined, "Now I've got to find a piece of paper and pencil; nobody uses those anymore! They're just as old as cavemen!"

     "Oh no, you don't," Ladybug threatened, "Lucky Charm!" She tossed her yo-yo into the air. What fell from her special move was a small pair of ladybug scissors. "These are tiny!" She said, pushing the blades to a closed position, "What am I supposed to do with this?"

     "Not entirely sure," Chat held his weapon close to his chest as a stance of defense, "But one thing's for certain, she sure knows how to write litter-ature." Before Ladybug could groan at his terrible puns, she noticed something. The Cliffhanger, who was trying to find a pencil that's lead wasn't already broken, was rubbing a black, rubber bracelet hanging on her left arm with her index finger and thumb.

     She was fidgeting with it when we first met her as well... Ladybug opened the scissors, well knowing what she had to do.

     "Ah, a pencil!" The Cliffhanger rummaged through the drawer of a nearby desk, "Its eraser sucks, though. Woah-!" She yelped as Ladybug's endless yo-yo wrapped around her body and pulled her over to the superhero.

     "Hold it," Ladybug gave Chat Noir the end of the yo-yo and began to place the scissors against the bracelet.

     "No!" The girl yelled, struggling against the bonds, "Please don't cut it! It's the only thing I have left of her!"

     Ladybug squinted at the begging girl, "Of who?"

     "My friend..." The Cliffhanger whispered, tears streaking from the single eye they could see, "The one who motivated me to write. She was the one who taught me everything; she gave me confidence and assurance. This is the only thing left that ties us together."

     The pain grew.

     Ladybug was instantly reminded of the red string; her head hurt as she recalled cutting the thread with her own scissors. "I... I can't do it," She switched the scissors with the yo-yo Chat was holding, "You cut it. I can't."

     "What?" Chat Noir asked while she pushed him over to the crying author, "But I don't-."

     "Just cut it and it'll be over!" Ladybug shouted. The two stopped their actions, surprised with the superhero's sudden outburst. "It'll be over..." She repeated, her voice dropping into a mumble that was barely audible. Without questioning anything, Chat placed the bracelet in between the blades and severed the rubber.

     The Cliffhanger's shoulders shook as the remains of the bracelet fell onto the ground, and a purple butterfly finally emerged.

     "You've done enough harm, little Akuma," Ladybug swiped her finger across her yo-yo, and it opened to reveal a white, glowing light. She wound it up, whirling it by her side, "I'm freeing you from evil!" Throwing the yo-yo, the contraption caught the butterfly and closed. "Gotcha," She said, and tapped the yo-yo, releasing a white, pure butterfly from the trap. "Bye bye, little butterfly." Chat Noir handed her the scissors, and she stared at it in the palm of her hand for a quick moment before throwing into the air and repeating her popular catchphrase. "Miraculous Ladybug!"

     The stream of ladybugs burst against the ceiling, restoring everything in the room to its proper form. The computer was completely fixed and stood upright back on the desk. The rubber bracelet was mended again, ready to be worn.

     "Good job," She held up a fist for a job well done, but Chat didn't reciprocate. He simply climbed onto the windowsill and bounded off. Ladybug saw that he sat on the roof across, possibly waiting for her. She bent over, picking up the bracelet and crouched to the girl who was sitting on the ground, obviously confused about what was going on. Her outfit remained the same; the only thing that disappeared was the other half of the mask.

     "Ladybug?" She asked, wide-eyed and shocked, "What are you doing in my room?"

     Ladybug gestured for the girl to hold out her arm, in which she did. She placed the bracelet back on the girl's wrist, "I believe this belongs to you."

     "Thanks," The short haired girl smiled, rubbing the bracelet again, "I wouldn't know where I'd be without it. One thing's for sure: I most definitely wouldn't have written Red String."

☾ ☽

     Meanwhile, on the other side of Paris, an extremely frustrated villain was about to explode. He chucked his cane across the room, causing many butterflies to flutter around in a panic. The soles of his shoes were being stomped into the ground so many times, they were beginning to form an imprint in the floor. "This one was by far the worst Akuma out of all my trials!" He roared, upset that he didn't have a table set up in his hideout to flip. "She didn't even get close to the Miraculous!" One more stomp. The floor creaked. "I've learned to never grow desperate ever again."

     He took a breath, calming himself. There were going to be other chances; he was sure of it.

     Hawk Moth snarled as his window drew to a close, "Remember this, Ladybug, it will soon be me hanging you on the edge!" As soon as the dramatic exit closed, he covered his mouth with his elbow and coughed; the constant yelling he did really took its toll. He then escaped from the herd of butterflies, finding and placing his gloved hands against the wall, and shuffling awkwardly in the darkness as of being unable to see a thing.

☾ ☽

     "My Lady-," Chat Noir reached out a hand but instantly drew it back. The two were perched on the roof together, and one red-clad superhero was most definitely ready to take her leave.

     "Yes, Chat Noir?"

     "A certain Princess told me to be myself around you..." He scratched the back of his neck. Ladybug raised an eyebrow, remembering the talk they had earlier in her room; he would've never realized that she was on the other end of that conversation. "Ah, but don't be getting jealous," Chat flew back to his original demeanor and gave a seductive wink while clicking his tongue, in which Ladybug simply rolled her eyes. "I may call her Princess, but My Lady will always be in my heart."

     "Or will be heading home," Ladybug stopped his steady stream of flirts by twirling up her yo-yo; ready to take off into Paris' night sky.

    "Please wait!" Chat grabbed her arm. His voice cracked, and Ladybug caught it. She turned around, and to her surprise, found a cat with puppy eyes. "I... I really need to talk to you. Last time you didn't even show up to our evening patrol."

     The pain grew more.

     "Better hurry it up," She pointed at the countdown on her earrings; only two minutes left. She moved her index finger to his ring; one minute left. Block out the emotions, Ladybug.

     Chat shuffled his feet before finishing his thought. "My Lady, I was able to see the red string too," He said, not removing his strong eye contact away from hers, "I saw it. No joke."

     Time froze.

     Ladybug just wanted to let the topic go. She was afraid. Afraid that he knew. She knew he most definitely knew. However, she tried to deny it.

     "String? Did you get lucky and figure out who you ended up with?" She gave a fake chuckle by covering her mouth with her gloved hand. "Probably with a ball of yarn in the craft store."

    Chat Noir refused to add onto her jokes. "No, I knew who was on that end," He looked at the ground while shuffling his feet. "She was everything I ever wanted. She made me feel content with myself. I enjoyed being by her side. I admired her confidence; how she could hold her head up high even when people try to tear her down. I marveled her strength and self-assurance. And I loved the way she smiled; it made me feel warm inside and out."

     "Chat-."

     "And I knew she didn't want me. She even told me that herself."

     Something went off in Ladybug's head. "Wait a minute, I never told you anything-." She stopped her words. She had just validated that she didn't want him. "No, Chat, I mean..." Ladybug closed her mouth. There was nothing she could take back now. She hung her head while instantly shaming herself.

     The laughter coming from Chat Noir sounded dead as if it were hanging itself from the edges of his lips. "And since she cut the string herself, I can no longer remain with her." The grip on her arm slipped. He released her, with his own arm dangling lifelessly by his side. "See?" He gave a half-hearted smile, "I knew." The pain in her chest swelled. She saw his green eyes water over. "I know I can't do anything to fix it, but just allow me to be myself around you right now, okay?"

     "Chat Noir, you're already doing that," Ladybug said, "And how did-."

     "No," He interrupted her while holding the hand that held his Miraculous, "I'm about to." Before she could add a final word in, the final print on his timer disappeared and a flash of neon green blinded Ladybug's sight. She closed her eyes; not wanting to be blinded. The moment lasted only a few seconds, but Ladybug kept her eyes closed. She understood what just happened, and she didn't want to see any of it. "My Lady," A soft voice came from in front of her, "Please open your eyes."

     "No."

     "Why?"

     "Because we aren't supposed to know each other's identities. I won't ruin that relationship."

     "But you already did."

     The pain in her chest burst. The agony flooded her veins, and it coursed and pulsed through her body. Her lungs lost the capacity to hold oxygen. Her legs felt weak; she wanted to collapse. Even though her eyes were closed, she could feel the sting of tears behind her eyelids. How she wished she could turn back time and stop herself from cutting that string. How she hated herself because of her selfish actions and the pain she inflicted onto Chat Noir. The regret felt worse than any physical pain that could be inflicted upon her in any Akuma fight.

     Ladybug knew he wasn't going to move from that spot, and there was no possible way she could leave without being able to see anything. She cracked her eyes open, just a bit. Everything was a blur; not enough to make anything out clearly. She widened her eyes and instantly regretted it.

     Standing right in front of her on the rooftops of Paris was the face of a person she least expected, and of the one she most definitely didn't want to see: Adrien Agreste.

---

just wanted to say a quick thanks for everyone's kind and supportive words during the last few chapters. i wouldn't have continued/finished this book if it weren't to them; you know who you are.

btdubs, people have been messaging me about someone reposting red string on fanfiction.net which turns out that i'm copying myself... so if you see red string posted by someone named "ryoma and oz" on ff.net or "imaginationskies" on archiveofourown.com, that's me. anywhere else is copying. don't be hesitant to message me if this happens ^^

(and if you weren't following me already would you mind checking out my profile and clicking on that follow button because i am so close to 1k and have a whole thing planned out if i ever reach that goal-.)

xoxo,
arisa