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Chapter Text

Ladybug took a deep breath in an attempt to ease her nerves. Moments ago, she had requested she and Chat take a break in the middle of their nightly patrol to discuss something important. Here on the rooftops overlooking Paris, their relationship would change for good. He met her nervous gaze with expectant green eyes. From Chat's expression, he thought the polka-dotted heroine standing before him was going to admit to returning his feelings. Ladybug felt horrible that she was about to burst his bubble.

"Chat," she carefully weighed her words, trying to make them sting less than she already knew they would. "It's never going to happen between us. You know that right?"

The last week or so, she had noticed his feelings for her were growing at an exponential rate. His once playful flirtations began taking on a more serious tone, and she caught him sneaking glances at her more and more frequently. Perhaps she'd led him on by blushing when he called her beautiful or by becoming complacent about his advances. Sometimes she even enjoyed his attention. Even so, Ladybug would never truly see him in that way, and he was wasting his time. The longer she let this continue, the more it would hurt him in the long run.

At least, that's what she told herself. She wasn't sure she believed this was a good decision now that Chat's face was slowly contorting into a mix of shock and dispair. He tried to argue. "I know you want to keep things strictly business, but I really like you, and I honestly think maybe someday---"

She cut him off with a wave of her hand. She wouldn't be swayed. "No, Chat. I can't watch you keep doing this to yourself. I have someone I like. I'm unavailable." She'd do anything to not see the look on his face right now."You're a great guy. I'm sure lots of girls would date you. You could probably have literally anybody else. Have you considered dating one of your fans?"

Chat blinked twice before composing himself. He seemed to have decided he was going to toy with her, perhaps believing her reactions to his proximity belied feelings she refused to admit to herself. He began circling her like a predator, tail caressing her thighs. "So, who is this mystery guy, huh? The one you like." He leaned toward her as he practically purred the words. "I'm curious."

With his amused face so close, Ladybug forgot how to breathe for a moment. He knew he could illicit this kind of reaction from her without fail. Ladybug wasn't used to this kind of attention, and the fact that he was making her heart race again irritated her. She wasn't going to feel guilty anymore if he was going to act like this. Chat knew how to get under her skin in the worst way. Her words aimed to injure.

"He's smart, polite, and does well at school." She gave him a pointed look. "He's nothing like you. He even speaks multiple languages."

He made a thoughtful face before lamenting, "啊? 大姐喜欢会将很多语源的男生马。 那么幸运的人啊!"

To Ladybug's ears, what he said sounded like gibberish, but she at least recognized the musical yet stilted tones of Mandarin, the same language her mother sometimes spoke with relatives. She furrowed her eyebrows, trying to puzzle out what he'd just said.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "I didn't say anything bad."

She shook her head. "I just wouldn't have pegged you as a Chinese speaker."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, M'lady." He winked, forcing her to turn away to hide the blush it elicited.

Stop it, Marinette. You like Adrien. The way Chat managed to make her so self-conscious for even a moment made her uneasy. She loved Adrien, and Chat Noir was nothing like her refined classmate. Chat Noir was her partner in crime fighting, at times almost like a brother. He was also dangerously smooth and somewhat unpredictable. She could trust him with her life, but not her heart. Ladybug managed to pull herself together just enough to stride past the leather-clad boy leaning on his staff as though she were completely unfazed by his flirting.

"Let's go, Chat Noir. We still have more ground to cover before we finish our patrols."

~~~~
Chat Noir and Ladybug had finished their patrols about thirty minutes ago. Ladybug had gone home, he assumed, but still he needed a moment to get his thoughts together. Too emotionally exhausted from keeping up a cheerful pretense to even bother letting out his transformation, he slumped against the rail of a pedestrian bridge.

He'd done his best to hide it, but his heart had been thoroughly broken by their earlier conversation. He liked Ladybug--- more than liked her, if he was being completely honest with himself. If another guy was in his way, Chat would just have to outshine him. The things ladybug listed as qualities she admired about her crush were all things his civilian self embodied. If he approached her with that side of himself, he might have a chance at usurping his competition.

He didn't want to win her affections that way, though. Adrien may have been the perfect boy for Ladybug, but his persona was suffocating and stifling. The side of Adrien that came out when he was Chat Noir was his true, unadulterated self, perhaps with only a small amount of added bravado from being nearly invincible. He needed Ladybug to fall in love with the real him, not the two-dimensional cardboard cut-out he used to get through daily life. If she could appreciate him for who he was, he was sure he could make her happy. He wanted to be the one to do that for her, more than anything.

"Chat Noir?"

A familiar voice calling his name interrupted his ruminations. He looked up, expecting to see Ladybug. Instead, he found his classmate Marinette scurrying up to him with a concerned expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" She soaked in the sight of the slouching super hero. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright. Thanks for your concern, but I can handle myself." Chat used his signature winning smile to try to put her at ease. He didn't want to burden her with his troubles. He was sure she'd rather not listen to someone she believed to be a total stranger whine about his love life anyway.

Marinette didn't appear fooled by his act. "You're sure? you don't... It's not about Ladybug is it?"

He swallowed. She'd seen right through him. In that case, there was no point in hiding it. "You're very intuitive, Princess."

She laughed nervously. "Not really, I just..." She didn't finish whatever she was saying, leaving the silence and his imagination to fill in the rest. "Anyway, you looked a little upset, and I wanted to make sure you're okay, but since you're fine I'll just--"

"Wait." He grabbed her arm before she could run off. Paris could be dangerous at night, and he was particularly fond of Marinette. Although she was shy, she went out of her way to be kind to him at school. Sometimes they would hang out, and even though she seemed intimidated by his relative celebrity status, he knew she was funny and clever by watching the way she interacted with the rest of his classmates. He considered her a friend and he wanted to protect her. "Please, let me walk you home."

Taking a couple steps back, she removed her arm from his grasp and laughed uncomfortably. "No, really, it's fine. I live just around the corner and--"

He cut her off. He understood her reluctance. She didn't know he was the same boy she saw every day at school. She also didn't know the dangers that lurked around every corner the way he did. "I insist."

~~~

Marinette's feelings were in turmoil at the moment. After she'd parted with Chat Noir, she couldn't shake the feeling that he'd only been faking the cheerful mood he'd had for the rest of the night. Wandering around aimlessly, she had eventually found her civilian self back at the place they'd said goodbye. He was still there, looking like his whole world had come down around him. She could barely believe it was the same boy who'd been teasing her just a couple hours before. Of course, had she known he would insist on walking her home and seeing her in safely, she would have thought twice about talking to him out of costume. Thanks to him, she'd had to enter the house through the front door instead of her balcony and incur the wrath of her parents for being out past curfew. The vision of the normally playful Chat Noir slumped on a Paris sidewalk flashed back through her head. She would take the consequences if it meant she could take care of her partner.

Tikki drifted out of Marinette's bag and perched on her desk.

"He seemed a bit disappointed, but Chat Noir is resilient. This won't keep him down for long," the little red kwami attempted to console Marinette.

Marinette, lying prone on her bed, used her elbow to block out the brightness of her room. "I hope you're right," she sighed.

"I'm sure tomorrow everything will be back to normal." Tikki flicked off the light.

Chapter Text

The next day, everything was not back to normal. The day passed like any other at first. During school, Marinette made a fool of herself in front of Adrien, who as usual was kind to her despite her inability to string together a coherent sentence. Alya was excited about a scoop she'd gotten for her Ladyblog, and Nino was pumped to have everyone hear his latest jam.

Later, while patroling with Chat, he had seemed fine. They had encountered a relatively weak akuma and managed to discern the object it had possessed almost immediately. In all of the years Ladybug and Chat Noir had spent fighting together, their team work had rarely been so on point. After Ladybug purified the akuma, they exchanged some witty banter, and Marinette began to think yesterday hadn't been a huge mistake after all.

It wasn't until Marinette was home alone with Tikki that her day took a turn for the unusual. While she was browsing inspiration photos for her latest shoe design, a small knock brought her attention to the window above her desk. There, in the darkness and pouring rain, two glowing green eyes accompanied by an impish grin peeked straight at her.

What is he doing here? The shock of seeing Chat Noir outside her bedroom window knocked Marinette out of her desk chair and onto the floor. For a moment, she just blinked at him, unsure how to react to this turn of events. Chat rapped at the window again and pointed to the latch. He wanted in.

Marinette's eyes darted from him to the posters of Adrien Agrest on her walls in panic. No one must know of her obsession with her classmate except Tikki, Alya, and her parents. She would die if Chat found out. More importantly, he would never let her live it down.

"You distract him, and I'll take care of the posters," Tikki hissed from her hiding spot behind a small, pink and black jewelery armoire.

Marinette gave a subtle nod and silently thanked her kwami for reading her mind. Marinette rushed to retrieve a fluffy pink towel from a storage bin near her vanity before climbing onto her desk and opening the window latch.

Chat Noir stepped in and reached for the towel gratefully, but instead was met with Marinette thrusting his head down to waist level and vigorously drying his hair.

"W- what are you doing?" he sputtered.

"Wouldn't want you to catch a cold, now would we?" she sang, eyes nervously following Tikki's mission progress. One poster remained on the other side of the room when Chat managed to straighten back up and grab Marinette's wrists prevent her from continuing to towel him.

"I'll be fine," he assured her, looking as though he were more concerned with her mental well-being.

Marinette had to keep his eyes from wandering away from her. More than her secret posters was at stake now. Tikki was still flitting across the middle of the room and there was nowhere to hide. Think, Marinette! Think! She took a nervous step back. Her foot missed the edge of the desk, and she lost her balance, toppling to the floor and pulling Chat with her. The two landed in a relatively intimate position, Chat's hands now on either side of her shoulders, lips just a breath away from hers. For a moment, both of them were too stunned to move. Chat regained his senses his senses and grinned.

"If you wanted to kiss me, you should have just said so," he quipped before puckering his lips playfully.

His terrible attempt at flirting brought Marinette back to reality. Faking a star-struck nervous giggle, Marinette rolled her eyes and pushed his face away so that she could sit up. She took a quick assessment of the room and found neither a trace of Tikki nor the posters. She let out a relieved sigh.

Now that the crisis had been averted, she could focus on less important things, like why Chat Noir had shown up unannounced.

"What are you doing here? Is there an akuma after me?" she asked, standing up brushing off her pajamas now wet from contact with Chat's soaked suit. It seemed strange there would be two akuma attacks in one night, but that was the only explanation she could think of for why Chat would show up at her house.

Marinette handed the towel to the still sitting chat to dry himself off with and he graciously accepted it. "It's nothing like that."

"Then why...?"

Chat smiled at her sadly. "I guess I just needed a friend tonight."

"Don't you have any other friends?" She frowned, thinking that with his wit and charm, whoever was behind the Chat Noir mask must have plenty of better alternatives to go to when he was feeling down.

He shrugged. "Not as Chat Noir. I have you, Ladybug, and Chloe, but this isn't something I can go to Ladybug about, and Chloe..." He winced, and she didn't blame him. "My other friends would ask questions, and well... I couldn't explain without giving myself away or lying."

"This is about whatever happened between you and Ladybug last night?" The guilt that had been slowly creeping back into her stomach began to churn.

"I don't want her to know, but yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Marinette hoped not. She didn't know if she could handle hearing exactly how he felt about her alter ego at the moment. She wondered if it was right that she was allowing him to come to her about problems she had created. Would he be angry if he ever found out?

Chat just shook his head, and Marinette's anxiety lessened slightly. The cat-eared boy buried his head in his knees, and Marinette knelt down next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Poor kitty," she cooed, stroking his back the way her mother sometimes did when she cried. If she could ease him through this, maybe someday he would forgive her. Then maybe she could forgive herself.

~~~~~~~

Chat Noir was glad he'd gone to Marinette with his troubles. He knew her from school, but he'd never realized she had a healing touch. The moment she put her hand on his back, his thoughts about Ladybug dissipated, replaced by older, much deeper wounds. Tears began to fall from his eyes, carrying with them thoughts of how much he missed his mom. They cleansed his anger toward his father for never being there for him yet still managing to control his life. They washed away his worries about how the secret that he was Chat Noir hung between him and his friends like a partition, keeping him from ever fully feeling like he belonged. His friends could never understand the things he was going through. He couldn't go to them for romance advice with Ladybug or for comfort after a particularly terrifying akuma attack. He suddenly realized Ladybug was the least of his problems. He'd never allowed himself to admit it, but he was actually terribly lonely.

After a few short minutes of body wracking sobs, he felt at peace. He hadn't felt so calm since before his mother died. He lifted his head once more to look at Marinette, and for a moment thought she was just as beautiful, if not more so, than Ladybug.

"Marinette," His hoarse voice whispered her name because at the moment he couldn't find the words to thank her or express how he felt.

She smiled at him, "Feeling better, kitty?"

He nodded, somewhat disappointed that she had removed her hand from his back.

At school the following morning, Adrien went out of his way to talk to Marinette. She always seemed incredulous and flustered that he would deign to talk to her, but today he found it particularly amusing. She had no idea that last night, she'd not only talked to him like a normal person, but he'd also given him a serenity fame and money never could. He chuckled, thinking perhaps he should be the dazzled one today. Marinette gave him a quizzical look at the out of place laugh, and he simply shook his head. He'd never be able to tell her what he was thinking.

~~~~~~~

"Marinette, he talked to you!" Alya squealed and gave her friend a congratulatory hug.

"I can still hardly believe it," Marinette sighed, still somewhat dazed from the experience.

Alya raised an eyebrow and leaned across the round bistro table. "So, what did you two talk about?"

"Um..." Marinette frowned, trying to recall the details of the conversation she'd just had with Adrien. "I don't know."

Alya's disbelief was evident. "You don't know?"

"I was so shocked. It's all a blur!" Marinette's head crashed to the table in shame. She was barely a functional human being when Adrien wasn't involved, but add him to the mix and she was lucky she remembered how to breathe.

Alya shook her head, mourning the loss of her best friend's dignity. "Girl, you are a mess."

"I know!" Marinette whined. She and Adrien were in the same class, so this hadn't been the first time the two had talked. This was, however, the first time he'd not only initiated without a particular reason, but seemed determined to pry a sensible response out of her. It was almost like he knew she existed and liked her enough as a person to want to have a casual conversation. Marinette had been elated. She wondered if this was how Chat felt when she talked to him as Ladybug.

A waitress swung by, sliding Alya and Marinette's lunches in front of them. Marinette picked at her salad, mind returning momentarily to the night before. There was no way Chat had cried like that over Ladybug. As much as he liked her, she still couldn't believe his feelings for her were so strong as to warrant that kind despair. He'd seemed more like he'd lost someone important. Maybe she'd been narcissistic thinking that cat would feel anything over being rejected by her. He was such a flirt, and his fanclub was made up of much prettier girls than she. He'd probably moved on the moment she finished her little speech.

She shuddered, remembering the feeling of his tail grazing her outer thighs. Her stomach had dropped and her breath had hitched. She had been angry at herself because she only wanted to feel that way about Adrien, and she had taken it out on Chat. Chat was horrible because he loved to torture her for a reaction, but she was terrible because in that moment, she'd wanted to make him feel inadequate. She was also terrible because instead of feeling relieved that she hadn't hurt him, she was disappointed that she'd never held that kind of power over him after all. Her eyes found themselves focused on a hand waving in front of her face.

"Earth to Marinette, hello!" Marinette knew Alya used to be irritated by this sort of thing, but after years of friendship together, Alya had learned to expect Marinette's frequent spacing. Seeing she finally had her friend's attention, Alya sighed. "Is this what you did to Adrien?"

Marinette grinned sheepishly. "No, I think I had a stupid smile plastered across my face when I blanked out on him."

Alya groaned. "You're hopeless." Marinette already knew that.

Chapter Text

Yesterday Chat had forced himself to act cheerful all throughout his and Ladybug's patrol. He'd laid on the cat puns extra thick for good measure. Today, he didn't need to fake his good mood. Marinette didn't know it yet, but he was going to see her again tonight after patrol. His attempts to talk to her as Adrien had left him unsatisfied. She'd started out blustering incomprehensibly as usual, but a few minutes into the conversation, she seemed to have become overwhelmed and started zoning out with a dreamy smile on her face. It seemed that for the time being, he could only spend meaningful time with her as his mask-clad alter ego.

As the most important woman in his life came into view, he broke into a grin. She'd rejected him because he'd become pushy. If she loved someone else, he could accept that. He wasn't going to give up, but he wasn't going to put so much pressure on himself to win her over either. Like Ladybug said, there were other fish in the sea. Take Marinette for instance. She was shy, but she was compassionate. He caught himself thinking that if she ever rejected him, she'd be much gentler than Ladybug had been. Ladybug probably couldn't fathom the inadequacy he'd felt when she'd extolled the virtues of the man she loved as being nothing like him.

She gave him a weak smile riddled with something like guilt, and he realized he was wrong. She could fathom how rejection felt, and she did know how her words had hurt him. He messed playfully with her hair, though the pigtails kept it from becoming a total mess. "Don't worry about the other day. You were right. It's just what I needed to hear."

He expected relief to flood her face, and she did visibly relax. He could sense her mood hadn't improved as much as her body language would have him believe. He wanted to cheer her up. When in doubt, pull out the cat puns.

"Let's go catch some purrpetrators," he suggested, eyeing her for a reaction.

"If you keep up the bad puns, I'm going home. You can catch the akuma on your own." Her words were harsh, but he could tell she was taking the bait. A hint of a smile played across her lips. He knew she loved reacting to his puns almost as much as he loved making them. 

He continued. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'll stop. I just hadn't expected you to get so..." He paused for dramatic effect, "furrious."

She rolled her eyes. "That's it. You're on your own." With a playful grin, she swung to the next rooftop, looking back as though she expected him to chase after her. He cocked his head to the side. This was new.

~~~~~

Ladybug needed to blow off steam. Chat had said he'd needed to hear that she didn't want him, and he'd said it with a smile. He'd given up on her so easily. She wanted to test him. Maybe she was flirting with him right now, running away as he pursued her. She glanced behind her, and laughed. He was falling behind. He could never catch her. Wrapping her yoyo around a tall billboard, she swung across a wide street and onto a building on the other side. She turned around to watch Chat try to vault after. The distance between them was too wide for him to close. As predicted, he dropped out of sight before he could join her on the rooftop. Feeling the hollowness of her victory, she kept her eyes trained to where she last saw Chat. She expected to see him scramble onto the roof from the street below any moment now.

"Gotcha!" Chat Noir came barreling into her from the side, and she found herself pinned under him once again. This time, he seemed as shocked at his own boldness as their proximity. More than that, she could see a longing in his eyes that hadn't been there when he was on top of Marinette. Longing for Ladybug's acknowledgement. The same kind of longing she felt for Adrien.

Crap. Adrien.

She pushed Chat Noir off her, clarity crashing back into her. She couldn't do this to him after she'd made it clear they would never be together. It was cruel. She was cruel. She sat up, trying to stave off a panic attack while Chat sheepishly scratched the back of his head. Ladybug forced herself to remain composed as she stood to her feet.

"There's not much point in patrolling today. Akuma attacks rarely happen two days in a row." Her voice came out smaller than she intended.

Chat looked up at her from his spot on the ground. "We haven't even..."

She refused to look at him. She couldn't face him when she was feeling so conflicted and ashamed. She shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chat."

He didn't seem to know why she would apologize. To him, the chase had been a game of tag. To her, it was a symbol of how she was losing control of her emotions and betraying Adrien. When she least expected it, Chat had caught her.

Ladybug zipped home with her yoyo, not daring to look back at her partner.

~~~~~~~

A thoroughly dumbfounded Chat Noir watched Ladybug swing out of sight. One second they were having fun together, the next she wouldn't even meet his eyes. What was with her yoyo-ing mood swings? He chuckled at his own joke. Humor was how he coped.

On the bright side, he could go see Marinette earlier than he'd previously thought. He searched until he found a deserted place for Plagg to release the transformation.

As Adrien strolled toward Marinette's place, he inconspicuously asked the kwami for his take on the situation. "Do you know what happened back there?"

Plagg shrugged from inside the boy's satchel and swallowed a bite of cheese. "How should I know? Girls are crazy."

Adrien had hoped that with thousands of years of experience watching human beings interact, Plagg would have something better to say than "girls are crazy." The blond boy idly wondered if interacting with the opposite sex ever got easier before deciding that yes, it did get easier, and Plagg was holding out on him as usual. Sometimes Adrien suspected the kwami intentionally kept him in the dark about anything that wasn't strictly need-to-know. He could only guess at Plagg's motivations, but he imagined after several generations, explaining seemingly obvious things to clueless humans got repetitive.

Adrien stopped outside a floral shop. He still had some time before the stores closed for the night, and he wanted to get Marinette some flowers to show her his appreciation. With the help of a friendly florist well-versed in the language of flowers, he settled on a bouquet of blue Hyacinths, purple Irises, and Hosta leaves to represent what he hoped would be his and Marinette's long-lasting friendship. Proud of himself, he prepared to visit Marinette.

~~~~~~~~~~

Marinette was trying to concentrate on coming up with a new design concept, but the bustle of the bakery below her room was seeping up through the floor, and her already frazzled brain just couldn't block it out tonight. She sighed. Tomorrow she would have to face both Adrien and Chat again. She swiveled in her chair to face Tikki, who was piecing together a puzzle on the floor.

"I've already cheated on Adrien, and we're not even together yet." Marinette pulled at her pigtails in frustration.

Without looking up from her puzzle, Tikki replied, "I don't think you can cheat on someone if you're not together with them."

Of course you couldn't in normal relationships, but she and Adrien were soulmates. She had to set higher standards for herself. Adrien deserved better than a fickle woman whose emotions could be so easily swayed, by an alley cat no less. At least now that she had some time to herself, she could finally have some time to sort through her feelings. She'd seen too much of Chat Noir in the last two days. The other day, she'd been so confident that he could never take Adrien's place. Or maybe she hadn't. Why had she felt the need to stop Chat from pursuing her in the first place? Because she hadn't wanted to hurt him? Yet, when she realized he wasn't torn up over her rejection, she'd been disappointed. Maybe she'd known Chat Noir was a threat this whole time. She wasn't sure how much more of him she could take before he broke her, Adrien be damned.

Knock, knock, knock. Marinette froze with a grimace at the sound of someone rapping on her window. Please don't tell me...

"Hello again, Princess! Did you miss me?" The glass somewhat distorted his voice. Marinette glanced back to where Tikki had been moments ago, nothing but a half-finished puzzle scattered across the floor. At least she hadn't gotten around to putting her Adrien posters back up. She wasn't sure she and Tikki could handle a repeat of yesterday.

She turned to face the window, where a beaming Chat Noir clung to the building. Today, she reacted quickly, opening the window, but blocking the way in with her body.

"Chat Noir, what are you doing here?" she hissed, despite knowing no one would hear her with the racket from the bakery.

He pulled a bouquet from behind his back with one arm and held it out to her. "I wanted to thank you for yesterday. Plus, I was hoping to spend some more time with you."

Marinette melted at the sight of the floral arrangement and stepped aside. "Come on in, Chat." He hopped off the desk and landed gracefully while Marinette pushed the window back shut. Chat's hand stretched toward her in an offer to help her down from the desk. She gladly accepted, knowing that another fall like last time was a real possibility. With his other hand, Chat handed her the blue bouquet.

"It's beautiful," she sighed, burying her nose in the flowers and inhaling deeply.

Chat startled her by cupping her chin and tilting her face toward him. "I hadn't realized it when I bought them, but they're the same color as your eyes."

Marinette blushed and stumbled back into the desk. "Y- you shouldn't say things like that to a girl. She might get the wrong idea." Chat arched an eyebrow curiously and took a step toward her. He was too close. Marinette's self-control was almost completely shot. He'd been wearing her down for the last two days, and she was ready to give in. She stifled a gasp as he leaned in toward her. There was no where left to run.  She could only arch her back over the desk, bouquet clutched protectively to her chest. He was close enough to kiss her. His gaze searched hers for a moment. Something seemed to slide into place in his thoughts, and he pulled back. Marinette's body flooded with a combination relief and disappointment, leaving her limbs heavy.

"I just came to talk," he told her with a playful grin.

"O- of course," she stuttered, watching him flop onto her chaise lounge. How could he be so cavalier when just moments ago he'd been so close? "What did you want to talk about?" She sat in her desk chair and swiveled to face him.

Chat made a thoughtful face, then decided. "Let's talk about you."

Chapter Text

Chat Noir was a flirt, but not a very successful one. Mostly, he spared the general public his playboy ways, opting instead to flirt with Ladybug and occasionally Marinette. Even if sometimes Ladybug seemed not to be completely immune to his advances, she consistently rebuffed him. He was used to the rejection. He expected it. He just had fun teasing people.

Marinette was a lot of fun to tease. Even slightly more fun than Ladybug. Marinette had practically turned to putty when he'd gotten too close. She'd wanted him to kiss her, he could tell. He'd thought about kissing her too, but he had chickened out. Marinette made him feel desired, and it felt amazing. He felt powerful. He loved his lady enough to throw himself in all kinds of danger to protect her, but she had told him he should try dating someone else. He knew no one could take his lady's place in his heart, but kind, gentle Marinette wanted him. Was it wrong to start a relationship with her when he could never give himself to her completely?

The answer was an obvious yes, but Chat Noir's rapidly pounding heart drowned out all logic.

"I want to talk about you," he told her. "What's your favorite color?" 

Marinette motioned to the room around her and shrugged sheepishly.

He laughed. "Pink. Got it. Stupid Question."

"Kind of." She giggled too. "Do I get to ask some questions?"

He opened his arms to show he had nothing to hide. "Shoot, Princess. I'm an open book."

A seriousness clouded her face. "Then... the other night. That wasn't about ladybug was it?"

"Hmm? Well yeah, it was at first, but..." He looked away from her. How could he say this without sounding lame? "I guess I had a lot of stuff built up. No one's tried to comfort me like that in years... Thank you." He risked a glance back at her, biting his lip anxiously. She was getting up from her chair and moving towards him. He sat up in shock as she knelt in front of him. Her closeness sent his heart rate skyrocketing.

Wrapping her arms around him in a hug, she rested her head in his lap. "Silly kitty. If you ever need a friend again, come find me." One of her pigtails slid down her shoulder and onto his leg.

If he was going to make a move, now was the time. He could barely breathe, but he did what felt natural. Guiding her head up with his hands, he answered, "What if I need a friend every night?" 

"Then I'll be here every night." with smiling eyes, she lifted an arm to stroke his cheek. His gaze drifted to her lips asking the question, and she parted them in answer. He closed the distance between them and kissed her. She kissed back, wrapping her fingers in his hair. The kiss was slow, sweet, and just a little clumsy. This was his first kiss, and he hoped it was Marinette's too. He liked the idea of sharing the experience together. She was the first one to pull back, her eyes clouded but content. She breathed his name, before returning her head to his lap. He fiddled with a lock of her hair, and watched her back rise and fall with her breathing. They both seemed to be taking in what had just happened. He relished the silence, broken only by her breathing, which eventually devolved into tiny snores. She had fallen asleep. He gently slid out from under her and placed her on the lounge before covering her with a blanket. They'd never gotten a vase for her flowers, so he found a cup and filled it with water. It wasn't the most elegant display, but it would do. He thought briefly that perhaps he should have gotten her a bouquet of roses instead. He shook his head, brushing the idea aside. No, if it hadn't been for those blue Hyacinths, he would never have noticed how beautiful her eyes were. He'd never have realized that she liked him, and he'd be leaving tonight not knowing the taste of her lips. He decided Hyacinths were his new favorite flower.

~~~~~~

Marinette woke up on her chaise with a slight crick in her neck. The chaise was nice for naps, but it didn't provide enough support for a full night's rest. Why had she gone to sleep on the chaise?

As the haze of sleep lifted, the reality of what happened between her and Chat last night crashed into her like a tsunami. It hadn't been a stress-induced dream like she'd assumed when she first woke up. Marinette's scream brought her parents running to her aid. With great effort, she finally convinced them she'd only screamed because she realized she was running late for school. Unfortunately, it was only a half-lie. She really was running late. Tikki helped her gather her things while she brushed her teeth and threw on some clothing. Before she could open the doorway to the downstairs, Tikki stopped her. 

"Marinette, you're shirt's on inside out."

Marinette groaned, taking her shirt off and fixing it. "Better?" she asked.

Tikki nodded. "Much better!"

By sprinting to school, Marinette was able to make it to her classroom with five minutes to spare. In her rush, she rammed right into Adrien, who'd been standing near the doorway. He stared at her wide-eyed, face slowly turning red. Why was he looking at her like that? Did he know she'd betrayed him? Were her chances with him over now? Was she okay with that now that she had Chat?

Adrien tried to stammer out a greeting, but words seemed to be failing him today. He finally settled on "Hi", waving awkwardly. After a moment, he shifted uncomfortably as though he was waiting for her to say something. Should she get on her knees and grovel for his forgiveness for straying? Should she try to play what happened off as nothing? She'd taken too long to answer, and Adrien seemed like he couldn't stand to look at her anymore. "Um... bye." He pivoted and rushed back to his seat. Marinette walked robotically to her own seat by Alya and sat stiffly in the chair. 

Alya's eyebrows perked with interest. "What was that?"

Marinette writhed in shame. "I think he hates me."

Marinette caught Alya's leg twitch as though she'd just resisted the impulse to kick her friend. "Um, what? Why would he hate you? No way, did you see his face?" Actually, Marinette had sort of grazed over it because she was too shy to look him in the eye. "He's got it bad for you, girl. What happened?"

Tugging at her pigtails, the girl tried to recall the last time she'd talked to him. "Nothing happened. I zoned out when he tried to talk to me, remember?"

Alya shook her head. "That can't be it. No offense, but your ditziness isn't that charming. Don't get me wrong, it's cute. It doesn't explain why Adrien's head over heels for you today, though."

"He's not head over heels for me," Marinette sighed. "He hates me."

"He has no reason to hate you," Alya insisted. "Why do you keep saying that?"

The confession burst out of Marinette's mouth like water from a dam. "He hates me because I kissed someone else and somehow he knows andnowhe'snevergoingtotalktomeagainand---"

Alya shook her by the shoulders "Get it together Marinette! Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. You kissed someone?!"

Alya had spoken much too loud, and Marinette could feel the curious ears of the class, all salivating for tidbits of juicy gossip, tuned in to their conversation. She glanced over at Adrien, who seemed to have slumped even further down his desk. Nino was looking from Adrien to Marinette and back, probably putting together that she'd caused his low mood by preeminently cheating on him. Marinette had to do some damage control.

"Hahaha, yeah! In the dating sim I was playing, you can pick a character to go out with and I got to the part where they kiss!" She spoke extra loud so that prying ears could hear. The classmates resumed their conversations, and Marinette hissed at Alya. "Not so loud. And no, I don't kiss and tell. He doesn't want his identity known."

Alya frowned. "Are you sure he's not running around on you? What does he have to hide, another girlfriend? This guy sounds awfully fishy to me, Marinette."

"It's not like that. I promise. He has his reasons. You just have to trust me on this, okay?" Marinette knew her friend was dying to find out more about the guy, but this was one time she'd have to stay in the dark.

"Okay, I'll trust you," Alya sighed, "but what about Adrien? I don't think he hates you. It looks like he's finally noticed you. You've been crushing on him forever. Are you just going to give up on him like that?.

Marinette buried her head in her hands. "I don't know, Alya. This all got complicated so fast."

Chapter Text

Chat Noir waited at the usual patrol meet-up spot for Ladybug. He was determined not to be as awkward as he'd been around Marinette this morning. That had been a disaster. The sight of her had brought the events of the previous evening rushing to his head. His lips had tingled from the memory of her mouth. He'd forgotten how to speak. He'd acted like... well... like Marinette.

His thoughts faltered as the parallels of their behavior hit him, crimson color creeping up his cheeks. Did Marinette like Adrien? He'd never dared to entertain the idea before. His heart had always belonged to Ladybug. Aside from that, he was afraid of the humiliation of being wrong. Was the constant stammering and blushing a sign that she liked his other side too? No, that's impossible. She liked Chat Noir and acted completely different around him. His previous assumption about her merely being intimidated by his celebrity seemed the most logical.

A finger tapped his shoulder and he turned around. There stood his Lady, playfully leaning on her tiptoes. "Hello again, little kitty."

He basked in the affection her voice carried before he, realizing she was too close, stumbled backwards. He wasn't sure what had gotten into her today, but he wasn't complaining either. Gracing her with a sweeping bow and his usual grin, Chat greeted her.  

She let slip a small girlish giggle before recouping her composure. "Shall we?" she asked, roping her yo yo around a light post and zipping away. Was it just him, or was there a little extra swing in her hips tonight?

The two followed the usual path around Paris, talking about their favorite films. On the topic of horror movies, Chat insisted that he had never seen one that scared him, which was a huge lie. He'd only said that to save face in front of the coolest girl in Paris. He enjoyed the genre precisely because it did scare him, but he usually slept with the lights on afterwards, something Plagg gave him much grief about. He was admittedly, if only to himself, a scaredy-cat.

Chat wasn't shocked to find his Lady loved horror as well, mostly because he couldn't see her fearing anything. She was always so collected. He imagined her seamlessly flirting with the guy she liked, the opposite of how he'd behaved this morning. She probably always knew just what to say and never stuttered. She was beautiful, intelligent, and confident. Did the guy she liked return her feelings? She hadn't said they were together. Maybe he didn't. 

What an idiot, thought Chat. If Ladybug chose me, I wouldn't hesitate to sweep her off her feet. Even with her mask off, my heart knows my Lady. I would certainly fall in love at first sight.

But he had Marinette now, and he shouldn't be thinking about his undying love for Ladybug.

Everything seemed quiet for the evening until a flurry of thin, white, rectangular objects sped past them from below. One grazed Chat's exposed cheek, leaving it stinging. He briefly questioned if he was bleeding. With his cat-like reflexes, he caught the offending paper, reading it aloud. "All work and no play makes Phillipe a dull boy." The entire page was covered with repetitions of that single sentence. Chat didn't like this. It reminded him too much of a certain American horror movie. That one had kept him up for a week straight a few years back.

Levitating into view was a rubbery middle-aged man. Between two tufts of red "hair" sat a white conical cap. The figure, while differing significantly from its movie counterpart, brought to mind another American horror film. Chat Noir really didn't like this.

 The man began talking, revealing a set of razor sharp, yellowing teeth. It was the stuff of Chat's nightmares.

"Chat Noir, Ladybug. You're here at last." The man jovially raised his suitcase, which looked completely out of place next to his pierrot-like outfit. "Good, now give me your Miraculouses and we can have this all over and done with. You can go back home and do as you please. I, Secrescary, will free you from the bindings of your jobs."

Chat wanted to hide his fear, so he did what he did best at times like these: made puns. "Quit clowning around." He extended his baton, attempting to swipe at the man and barely missing. 

The man's deceitful painted smile only slightly shifted as his real mouth dissolved into a grimace. "If that's how you want to be..." The metal briefcase flew open and papers sped like daggers in their direction. Arm around Chat's waist, Ladybug's yo yo jerked them to safety. Their departure had been too abrupt for Secrescary to follow them with his eyes. His cold, violet gazed searched for the duo.

Helping Chat regain his balance, Ladybug asked, "Where do you think the akuma is hiding?"

Chat frowned. "We can try the suitcase. That's his weapon. Sometimes the akuma is in the weapon." It was pure speculation, but without any prior knowledge of this man, speculation was all they had.

Ladybug nodded. "Distract him. I'll use my lucky charm."

The incantation rung in his ears as Chat jumped back into the man's line of sight. "Hey, Bozo! What do you do if you get chased by a mob of clowns?"

Instead of playing along, the man released another flurry of papers. Chat dodged them with a somersault before finishing his joke. "You go for the juggler!" He used his baton to propel himself forward, knocking the clown off his feet, but getting a face full of paper in the process. He could feel the paper cuts marring his flawless skin. He hoped the miraculous Ladybug spell would undo the damage, or he'd have a lot of explaining to do both at home and at school.

Chat stole a glance at Ladybug, who was eyeing a joke squirty flower skeptically. It looked like he had a bit farceur to go before she was ready to use it.

Spinning his baton, he warded off one assault after another, occasionally attempting to land a hit on the furious funny-man.

Ladybug called out to him "Chat, I need to get close to him!"

"Can do, M'lady!" he called back. He held up his baton, and her yo yo lassoed around it. Using the staff as an axis, she swung around Chat and closed the space between her and the clown before he had a chance to react, spraying him with the eyes with her gag flower. He sputtered in shock, dropping the briefcase. Ladybug quickly retrieved the suspect item and advanced toward her partner. Chat knew what to do.

"Cataclysm!" he shouted, one hand raised in the air, ready to strike. A familiar dark magic flowed though him and filled his senses with decay. He was the only one who could perceive the rotting stench, the stagnant air, and the graying colors as the energy began to leak from his body. He could feel the cuts on his face begin to fester. It was unpleasant, and the faster he dispelled the energy, the faster the world around him would return to life. He swiped at the suitcase in Ladybug's hands, and it crumbled beneath his touch. Instead of an akuma, the only thing that fell out was a book, worn from years of love.

"P-please!" the Secrescary begged. "That's a first edition signed by the author!"

Ladybug smiled reassuringly as she ripped the novel in two, releasing the corrupted butterfly.

Chat watched in awe as his Lady purified the delicate bug and set it free. She'd been amazing, as always.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" cried the magical superheroine, releasing millions of her namesake to fix the damage of the battle. He shuddered as they scuttled over his face repairing his wounds. They may only have been ladybugs, but they were bugs nonetheless, and Chat sometimes had nightmares about this part of their battles. They departed from his face leaving him with a strong desire to scrub his skin clean, even though he knew it was probably even more flawless than before.

They pounded fists, and Ladybug picked up the now good as new book, handing it to the man now looking confused in the middle of the street. He perked up at the sight of what must have been his most valued object. Another man, more sharply dressed, ran out of the office-building and up to their victim. 

"I'm sorry, Phillipe! I didn't realize this movie premiere was so important to you." The prim man adjusted his tie uncomfortably. "Of course you can have tonight off. You work hard anyway, you've earned it."

Phillipe looked as though he were going to burst with happiness. Chat's ring beeped, and he parted ways with his Lady. He would have to feed Plagg first, but afterwards he intended to visit Marinette again. He felt invincible having faced his fears and survived. He thought he'd see how she felt about watching a scary movie.

Chapter Text

Marinette was expecting Chat Noir to show up at her window this time. She'd even brushed her teeth and applied flavored chap stick just in case last night hadn't been a total fluke.

Which, now that she was about to see him again as herself, she was convinced it had been. What if he told her the kiss had been a mistake? What if he decided to pass her up for Ladybug? Was it idiotic to be jealous of her alter-ego? She cursed herself for allowing some of her flirtatious energy to leak out as Ladybug. The sight of him had conjured the desire for more kisses which, combined with the confidence of anonymity, had made it hard to contain herself. She nervously bit her lip and glanced up at the window. She would simply have to swallow her worries for now. He was here.

She motioned to him that the lock was already open. Chat slipped inside, stiff posture and eyes nervously darting everywhere but her face. Even his breathing was ragged.

Marinette winced at his apparent discomfort. "Is everything okay?" 

"Yes, I..." He was practically shaking. "M- Marinette," he stammered, "about last night..." He fidgeted like a little boy confessing to having broken a lamp. 

Her heart sank. Everything about him was screaming that this conversation could not end well.

"I just..." He shook his head, unable to get the words out. Instead he settled with, "Can we watch a movie?" 

The rigid pair sat a polite distance apart on Marinette's chaise. Chat had picked out a scary movie, prompting a knowing smile from Marinette's lips. About five minutes into the film, Marinette decided she needed to know where they stood. She couldn't wait for Chat to find some courage. She timidly slid hand over the fabric between them, inching closer every few minutes. No response. Every moment, every inch, brought her heart closer to beating out of her chest. She glanced over at him, wondering if he noticed her hand ripe for the taking. His eyes were firmly set on the movie. Come on, you stupid cat. Take it.

He flinched at the first relatively small jump-scare, and her mind wandered back to their earlier conversation. "I haven't found a movie that can scare me, yet," he'd said. She held back a disgruntled snort, realizing of course he'd lied to save face. She should have known Chat would try to look cool in front of Ladybug.

Half way through the movie, he still hadn't taken the bait, but she wasn't ready to give up. She needed to know he'd rejected her without a doubt. She performed a final inspection of his state. Still absorbed by the long-haired spirit on the television, his hand was resting beside him on the lounge. If her hand got any closer, it would touch his. She prepared herself with a silent breath. She let her fingers briefly flirt with his thumb before surreptitiously bringing her hand back to a safe distance. Take. It.

He looked down at her waiting hand, a look of comprehension flooding him. A nervous smile touched his face, but as he laced his fingers with hers and brought them tentatively to his lips, he relaxed. Soon, his arm was around her shoulder. Then they were laying down together, eyes on the movie but barely paying attention. Then he was hiding his eyes behind her back because the movie had become too much for him. She stroked the hand sitting on her hip in a gesture to comfort him. After a few minutes, she told the quivering Chat that the scary part was over and he could look again.

"No way!" he protested, his breath tickling her spine through the fabric of her shirt. "I can still hear the creepy music!"

Marinette sighed. This guy, who'd taken hits for her multiple times as Ladybug-- this guy-- was afraid of fictional ghosts that haunted places on other side of the world.

It was kind of pathetic, but also kind of cute.

Chat's nerves from earlier in the morning had come crashing down again on him at once the moment he arrived at Marinette's window. This time, they were accompanied by doubts about what had happened last night. What if now that she'd had time to think about it, she decided the kiss was a mistake? What if she'd just gotten caught up in the moment and now she never wanted to see him again? 

He'd tried to bring up last night and ask her how she felt about it, but his mouth refused to cooperate. He'd resigned himself to an awkward evening. Then Marinette had brushed her hand against his and he knew it was an invitation. It gave him the courage to take her hand, which had eventually devolved to this.

They were laying on their sides with the credits playing, and Marinette rolled over to face him, resting a hand on his cheek. "Was that too scary for my little kitten?" she cooed mockingly.

It had been pretty scary, and he'd acted like a total coward. He could fight akuma all day, but actual ghosts freaked him out. With an exaggerated pout, he nodded pitifully. She laughed and ruffled his hair.

 "It's alright little chaton. I'll protect you." 

Chat knew he was a thousand times more powerful than Marinette would ever be, and that if something ever happened he would be the one protecting her, but he appreciated the sentiment anyway. It did make him feel a little safer. He expressed his appreciation with a kiss. One which she returned with a surprising amount of gusto.

He was one happy cat.

The next few days were a confusing mess. He had to convince a perceptive Nino that the reason he'd been acting strangely around Marinette lately wasn't because he'd kissed her. Marinette's escalating discomfort around him didn't help his case. He'd thought he'd seen the full extent of her shyness before, but now she would run away if he got near her. It stung just a little. The teacher had paired them together for an assignment, and when he looked over, her face had turned blue instead of the usual red. When he tried to get her attention, she seemed to realize she'd forgotten to breathe and took a gulp of air.

The only reason Nino had backed off about the whole kiss thing was because Alya had told him to. Adrien could tell he was dying to have answers, but if Alya the blossoming journalist could reign in her curiosity, so could Nino.

After school, he attended his usual extra-curricular activities. Monday was Chinese, Wednesday basketball, and Friday was fencing practice. The days in between he would go home and practice one of the activities for an hour. At six, he would meet Ladybug at the Eiffel Tower for patrols. She was mostly the same as usual, but there were moments when he was sure she was flirting with him. Those moments made him question his loyalty to Marinette, but he hadn't faltered yet. He did begin to wonder, if he had the choice, would he still choose his princess? He wanted to believe the answer was yes, but when he caught his Lady looking at him the way he had looked at her for so long, the answer seemed less and less clear.

After patrol, he would stop by the flower shop near Marinette's house and talk with the sales lady. If his Princess's flowers had begun to wilt, he'd buy a fresh bouquet. The friendly florist and the evenings at Marinette's house were what kept him from losing it. They would cuddle, talk about everything and nothing, and sometimes they would even kiss. Marinette ensured the kisses were kept short and sweet, but he wouldn't have minded kissing all day. It was his favorite activity. He wondered if perhaps he could trade in Chinese for a class on kissing, with Marinette as the instructor, of course. Not that she knew what she was doing any more than he did, but as far as he was concerned, she was the best kisser in the universe.

He knew Ladybug wouldn't appreciate him seducing a civilian in his Chat Noir costume. His identity would have to come out sooner or later. For now, Marinette was his secret, even with Ladybug's waxing curiosity about his love life.

All he had to do was not screw things up royally. That should be easy, right?

Chapter Text

School was Marinette's least favorite activity lately. Sure, Alya, Nino, and Adrien were there, but lately Adrien inspired more nightmares than daydreams. She wanted him. She was happy with Chat, but when her kitty wasn't around, Adrien consumed her thoughts. Since she started her relationship with Chat, instead of finding the model's presence merely intimidating, she'd begun to cease functioning entirely. He'd mostly given up on talking to her ever since she'd nearly suffocated working on a school project with him. Sometimes, when Marinette caved to the desire to lose herself staring at the back of his head, she caught him looking at her. He would always blush and turn back to his work. She could not continue to live like this. Her fingernails were chewed to the quick, and she'd had to take up the habit of chewing on pens instead.

As if Marinette didn't make her own life hard enough, Chloe had become even more insufferable lately. Rumor had it her father was low in the polls for the next election cycle. She was probably feeling the pressure at home and taking it out on every available outlet. Even Sabrina seemed to be avoiding her. Marinette almost felt sorry for Chloe until the blonde bully turned her target in Marinette's direction. Before school had even started, she approached the perfectly guiltless student and leaned listlessly over the table, supporting herself with one hand.

"Really, Marinette," Chloe sighed dramatically, feigning pity. "Adrien doesn't have time to waste on your pathetic groveling. You're just embarrassing yourself."

Marinette could not recall a time when Chloe would ever have seen her do something that could be construed as groveling. Not that she was above groveling, but even if she had tried, her attempts would have been unrecognizable as anything but her usual babble. She almost raised an eyebrow in confusion before remembering who was talking to her. It was Chloe. Chloe had her own reality unbound by events that actually happened.

"Adrien belongs with someone like me, who won't embarrass him in public," she continued, batting her garishly blue eyelids.

This attempt at an insult would have stung a lot more if Chloe weren't prone to childish temper tantrums and attention seeking in public. Instead, it left Marinette stifling a snicker.

 "It's really trashy of you to go after him even though you're so below his league." Chloe leaned in menacingly, her lips pulled into a cruel smile. "Of course, what can we expect when your mother is---"

Marinette tensed and stood to her feet. This little tirade wasn't amusing anymore. Chloe was about to cross the line.

"Chloe, that's enough!" Before Marinette had been able to fire back a retort, Adrien had stepped in. He moved toward Marinette protectively, acting like a wall between her and Chloe. 

Deep hurt flashed across Chloe's face. "But Adri-kins, I was just protecting you! "This little gold digger thinks she can use your influence to get into the fashion industry." She reached out to Adrien, but he took a step out of her reach, forcing the petite girl behind to fall back as well.

"Not everyone is as conniving and manipulative as you, Chloe," Adrien said through gritted teeth. Marinette had never seen him lose his cool like this. Even his fists were clenched.

Chloe dropped the wounded puppy act. "Why are you siding with her?"

"Because she's my girlfriend!" As soon as the words came out, the blood drained from his face.

The words didn't register in Marinette's ears at first. Adrien had a girlfriend? Who was that little seductress? Foul temptress! Ladybug would hunt her down and---

Marinette had been the topic of the conversation. Adrien had just called Marinette his girlfriend. 

"I-- I'm...?" Marinette choked on the words. Marinette did not recall the conversation where they had confessed their undying love, and she was pretty sure she would remember the moment her life had been culminating toward. She interally prayed she actually had amnesia and that moment really had happened.

The class had fallen silent, riveted by the fight before them. Nino's voice was a knife though the tension, "Get some, Marinette! Whoop whoop!"

The playful interjection seemed to bring Adrien back from the edge of panic. He collected himself and amended. "She's my friend. Who's a girl."

Marinette breathed a sigh of mixed relief and disappointment. Of course she wasn't Adrien's girlfriend. She would know if she were.

Chloe's eyes narrowed and her voice dripped with venom. "I see."

It seemed for once, she had nothing else to say. She returned to her seat silently, and the class chatter rumbled back to life. 

Marinette had never seen Chloe speechless, but if the look on Adrien's face was any indication, she should be concerned.

Adrien wanted to bang his head against a wall. He was such an idiot.

Nino bit back laughter, patting his friend's back. "Dude, it was just a Freudian slip. Happens all the time. Don't worry about it."

Adrien pursed his lips and slammed his locker shut, half tempted to toss Plagg in there for the rest of the school day. He could feel the little black kwami still rolling in his pocket with barely restrained laughter.

How was he supposed to face Marinette after he'd called her his girlfriend? She was kind of his girlfriend, but she didn't know that. Even as Chat, it wasn't official. Whatever they had, he sensed neither of them were confident about committing to it. That was fine. Marinette thinking he was some crazy guy that was so obssessed with her that he ignored reality and referred to her as his girlfriend, however, was not fine. He groaned, eyeing a girl's lunchbag lustfully. A paper bag would be great right now, and that one looked as though it would fit over his head beautifully.

"Come on," Nino said, prodding Adrien forward with a finger, "your reputation with Marinette will be even worse if we keep her waiting."

"You know," Adrien proposed, "We could always just not show up."

Nino shook his head. "No way. Nuh uh. I am not standing them up. Hell hath no fury like Alya Cesaire."

The two boys walked to a nearby cafe, Nino practically dragging Adrien along. If Chat Noir and Marinette were unofficial, Nino and Alya were officially unofficial. The two rarely went on dates, opting instead to hang out at school. Adrien supposed they were more comfortable exploring their relationship that way. He doubted they'd even tried kissing yet. They're missing out, he thought, memories of Marinette's soft, warm lips making his legs turn to jelly.

Before Adrien could collapse, they reached the cafe. He peered in the window and saw the two girls talking animatedly about something. As much as he wanted to know what had sparked the passion in Marinette's eyes, his legs started to carry him back toward the school.

"Nope," He said, "can't do it. See you back at school."

Nino grabbed the back of his shirt collar and dragged him through the door. "Come oooon, man, you can't leave the ladies hanging!"

Nino finally released him, dropping him in a seat next to Marinette. His skin tingled at her proximity, and his stomach did back flips as she give him a tiny wave of welcome. He shouldn't have been thinking about kissing her moments ago. She looked too tempting. His eyes fell to the salad she was eating, and he tried to break the ice with a pun.

"You look radishing today"

She raised an eyebrow. Crap. That's something Chat Noir would say. And it was lame.

"I- I mean... Your salad looks good."

"Oh, I um... thank you." She gave him a polite smile and turned back to her food, visibly tense. If she hadn't already been acting like this around him lately, he would have thought it was about this morning.

Nino, reading the situation, took over the conversation. "So, Marinette, what were you and Alya talking about just now."

Alya nearly choked on her food in excitement, so Adrien guessed it had something to do with Ladybug.

"We were talking about whether or not Ladybug needs Chat Noir," Marinette answered. "Alya thinks she doesn't because she can handle the akuma on her own. I say she does. She could handle most akuma on her own, but I think it probably gets pretty lonely keeping her identity a secret from her friends." A tinge of sadness clouded her face. He wondered if she was imagining what it would be like. "He's the only one that understands what it's like having multiple identities. Not to mention, if something happens to Ladybug, Paris is doomed. We don't know what the akuma will do when they accomplish their goal. Chat Noir risks his life protecting Ladybug, and every time he saves her is a time when she would have failed. There are a lot of times that Ladybug wouldn't have saved the day if Chat Noir hadn't been there."

Adrien couldn't help but be flattered at the look of fondness on her face as she talked about his alter ego. A lot of people said he was disposable, and he kind of was. He could only give his life for Ladybug once, and if that ever happened, he hoped to make it count. He couldn't protect her anymore if he were dead.

"Whatever," Alya huffed when she finished chewing. "Ladybug is super powerful and she could handle whatever the akuma throw at her. She chooses to keep Chat Noir around, which is what makes their partnership so special."

Adrien looked at Nino, curious to hear his input. "What do you think, Nino?"

Nino shrugged. "It's probably a little of both. He makes her job easier and acts as a safety net."

Both girls groaned at his non-committal answer, even though Adrien thought it was probably the closest to the truth.

Alya turned to Adrien. "And you?"

Adrien thought for a minute. He'd throw his life away for Ladybug, but was he really unnecessary? He always kind of knew she didn't need him the way he needed her, but if Chat Noir wasn't necessary, what was his purpose? He stuck with something safe. "I don't know. I don't think it matters. They get the job done in the end."

The answer elicited another groan from Alya. "You two will make great politicians one day."

Marinette laughed. It was more restrained than the ones she gave Chat, but it made him smile nonetheless.