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Dying was an odd sensation, he realized as he stared up into starry blue eyes. Sometimes it was painful, stealing the breath from his lungs forcefully, dragging each moment out in utter agony. Sometimes it was warm and soothing, like sinking into a warm bath, surrounded by a feeling of love he never wanted to end.
The oddest thing about it, in his case at least, was that he had glimpses into the past of his forebears. The ones that held the Black Cat Miraculous throughout history.
The most surprising was Lady Morgana of Arthurian legend. It was one of the few times the Black Cat was pitted against the Ladybug Miraculous, her half-brother Arthur in that case.
This time was the latter feeling, warm and loving. It might not be a romantic love, but the most pure kind of all, one shared between kindred souls. After all, what was creation without destruction and vice versa?
It still made him wonder though. Who would he see this time as he slipped away?
“Chat! Stay with me!” Ladybug’s cries brought him back to the present and he gave her a tired, wan smile.
“Necklace. Akuma’s in the necklace, my lady,” he whispered. He lifted one hand, gently cupping one cheek, his thumb smoothing over the curve of it to wipe away the tears there. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Chat!” Her voice was muffled as his eyelids grew heavy.
Any minute now.
“Chat, NO!”
The last thing he felt was the warmth of her tears falling against his cheeks and mouth.
“CHAT!”
He couldn’t see them yet, but he could hear the murmurs as Plagg’s memories rose to the surface again. “You know, my lady,” he began, his voice deep,rich, and full of charm. “I can’t help but wonder how many times it’ll take until you realize that the gods, the Fates themselves, wish for us to be together?”
Her reddish brown hair tumbled in the sunlight as she peered over the cliff. Red spotted armor, very much in the fashion of Ancient Greece was the first thing Chat recognized. Another Grecian Ladybug and Black Cat?! Yes! Some of these were his favorites!
“Are you still trying to bed me, Mávro Liontári? I thought we had daemons to deal with, not your insatiable libido,” she teased, turning sky blue eyes his way.
“Bed you? I’m trying to woo you, sweet lady. I will always find you somewhere in time, after all. Our souls are forever intertwined by the threads of Fate. It doesn’t matter who holds our miraculous, it will be us in some way, shape, or form,” Mávro simpered with a bow, holding out one clawed hand to her. “My darling Paschalítsa, all I wish is to spend what is left of my time with you before I appear at the River Styx.”
Paschalítsa shook her head with a small smile. “Is that so? You know what it takes for me to agree to your hand in marriage, Hippomenes,” she cooed, referring to him by his real name.
Mávro grinned ear to ear, his green eyes glittering with glee, and he preened, running his hand through brownish blonde locks. “That I do, fair Atalanta. A foot race. Shall we settle those terms after we deal with the daemons?”
“If you’re up for losing. Just remember what the price is should you lose. I don’t want to lose my partner after all,” she said with a nonchalant shrug.
Mávro took her by the hand, his other arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her close. “I aim to win, my lady. And I told you already, I will always find you somewhere in time.”
“Chat!”
His green eyes snapped open as he sucked in a deep breath. His lungs burned, and coughs racked his lithe frame as he sat up. Ladybug’s hand was on his back, rubbing soothing circles there to help regulate his breathing again.
“Did you get it?” he asked, his gaze worried as he checked her over for any lingering injuries.
“I got the akuma, and it’s already been cleansed, Chat,” she replied. There were still tears in her eyes, and he gave her a shaky grin as he reached up to cup her cheek.
“I’m okay, LB. Good as new, alright?” he whispered, hoping to prove to her he really was fine and dandy.
Ladybug shook her head as she burst into sobs again, her arms wrapping tight around his torso as she pulled him in. “You stupid cat! I can’t—” She hiccoughed, and Chat nuzzled her hair as he returned the embrace. “—I don’t want to lose you! What if the cure doesn’t bring you back?!”
Chat pulled back, cupping her cheek as he smiled once more. Protecting her was his greatest honor, after all. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. “My lady, I will always return to you somewhere in time.” Ladybug was wordless for a moment as she weighed his words, her bright blue eyes locked to his. Chat caressed her cheek once more before continuing. What were those words that Mávro said to Paschalítsa again? “You and I? Our souls are forever intertwined by the threads of fate. Even if it’s not the me you see now, or the you I see here before me, just know that I will always love you and yearn to be at your side.”