Based off idea that akuma exposes either Chat Noir or Adrien Agreste's neglection by his father.

First published Miraculous Fanfic.

"Oh great. Another one. Can't a cat cat-ch a break?"

"Not with our luck Adrien." Plagg deadpans.

"At least this akuma was nice enough to wait until my photoshoot was over. This is the third one this week." Adrien sighs.

"Maybe Papillion is getting desperate," Plagg says, "I wouldn't put it pass him."

"Oh well. Plagg, Claws Out!" Chat Noir scales the nearest building with his baton, leaping and pouncing through Paris, looking for his Lady and the newest akuma. He hears screaming in the distance. "Well I think we've found it." Chat bounds off towards the Effiel Tower. "LIVE YOUR DARKEST FEARS! SUBMIT AND YOU'LL BE FREED!" Yells what is obviously the akuma. Chat Noir lands next to the akuma just as Ladybug pops in.

"A psychiatrist that went psycho. The irony," His Lady sighs.

"You could say he's the Psychoatrist," He purrs.

"Lucky guess, that's actually what he's called," She deadpans.

"We all know you're the lucky one, my Lady," He states, a massive smirk on his face.

"Well considering how cheeky you are, I doubt there is anything this akuma can do to you."

"Why do you say that my Lady?"

"Well unless you have some secret soul-crushing fear under those ridiculous puns, none of his powers will affect you too bad, being that his power is making you live your 'darkest fears,'" She finishes in a mock "spooky" voice.

Chat pauses for a second, nearly dropping his happy smile. He then continues on with a massive smirk, looking slightly forced.

"This Chat is afraid of nothing other than losing you my Lady." He states, dead serious, regardless of the teasing smirk he wears like a mask.

"…Is there something you aren't telling me Chat?" Ladybug askes quietly.

The mask falters. It's porcelain and easy to break if the right places are hit. He smiles anyway, though it is less of a smirk now. It reminds her of Adrien quite a bit, but she focuses less on this fact, slight traces of worry etched on her face for her partner, wondering what he could possibly be hiding under such a happy, and she grudgingly admits, pleasant attitude.

"Shall we go? I don't think the akuma is gonna wait for us."

"Alright Chat. Just don't do anything stupid."

"Since when have I done anything stupid?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

"Point taken."

The heroes dash towards the akuma, signaling each other along the way. Chat distracts the akuma, giving his Lady the time she needs to sneak up on it. His Lady stumbles along the way, a clattering noise attracting the akuma to her before Chat can react. Without thinking, Chat hits the akuma upside the head with his baton.

That was a mistake.

The akuma turns towards him immediately, grabbing his wrist, hard. "Let's see what you've been bottling up, shall we?" The akuma actives a power looking similar to cataclysm. Chat struggles until everything goes dark. He is alone, in the dark. This isn't what scares him. It's his father in front of him. Gabriel walks towards Chat, the way he does when Adrien screws up. Big time. The darkness becomes Monsieur Agreste's office. He knows this isn't real. He knows this isn't his dad. He is scared regardless.

"D- dad?"

"…." M. Agreste keeps walking towards him.

Adrien tries to back away.

His feet are planted still.

M. Agreste stands towering above Adrien, a look void of emotion.

"You aren't good enough."

"W- Wha-"

It hits him like a shot through the heart.

"I'll try harder! I'll be better!" He pleads.

"No."

"D-dad PLEAS-"

"You are useless."

"I'm sorry!"

"You are worthless scum."

"Dad-"

"You are not my son. You are nothing."

Ladybug watches in horror as her partner is trapped by the akuma, plunged into his darkest fears. The akuma simply drops him and laughs, "Let's see what's wrong with you, hmm?" Chat simply slumps to his knees in front of the akuma.

Surely he'll be fine, if he can smirk and make wise-cracks the silly Chat surely doesn't fear anything that unbearabl-

"D- dad?"

Her thoughts as broken as she hears that single word. She looks at his face etched with fear and guilt. She realizes they know nothing about each other. She looks on in horror, questioning why someone would fear their own father.

"W-wha"

"…" There was a brief silence before Chat's face contorted to pure horror, and he started to plead desperately.

"I'll try harder! I'll be better!"

Lady- Not Ladybug. Marinette in the suit of a confident heroine cracks. Her heart broken at these simple words, a horrified bystander to the emotional suffering of her partner all this time, not even questioning why her partner was so eager to give his life other than believing it was simply his want to protect her.

"Chat…"

"D-dad PLEAS-"

"Chat it isn't real!"

"I'm sorry!"

"Chat PLEASE!"

"Dad-"

Chat's eyes dull.

"It seems he's finally broken!" The akuma exclaimes.

Ladybug has had enough. Quickly, she spots the akuma clutching onto a pink paper slip she assumes is a termination slip. She rips the paper from the akuma's hand, shredding it in the process. A black butterfly flies out, and she purifies it. Not even bothering with the confused person in the akuma's place, she grabs her broken Chaton and swings off, ignoring the reporters and anyone else in the process of getting to their spot on the Eiffel Tower as possible. Due to her not using Lucky Charm, she has an unlimited amount of time on her hands. They land.

She looks down to the shivering Chaton sitting next to her.

"Chat…?"

His look is blank for a moment, before he blinks away forming tears.

"I'm fine my Lady. Were you worried about me?" He jokes. She wonders how she never noticed how fake his smirks were until now.

"Chat you are not alright."

"…"

Chat turns his face down.

"Chaton… Please tell me what happened."

He sits in complete silence.

"Chat, you're not perfect-"

"Don't you think I know that already….?" He whispers.

"Chaton, no one is perfect. Just tell me what's wrong…" She pleads with him.

"Home isn't a very happy place for me…"

Ladybug simply looks to him with tear-filled eyes as her chaton looks up at her. His eyes widen. He stutters.

"I- I'm sorry, I've s- I've said too much I just- I- Bye."

"Chat wait!"

But it was too late.

He ran away.