6. Apology

Marinette tuned her hearing to the mindless ticking of her clock in a hopeless effort to conjure the desired feeling of sleepiness. She'd forgotten where it was located. She'd forgotten how to close her eyes and sleep. She'd almost forgotten how to breathe.

Her mind was running an endless marathon, forcing her eyes to gaze pointlessly around the darkened room. The sheets on her bed were too heavy over her resting form, causing her to feel suffocated and trapped. With a sigh, Marinette kicked them off and turned onto her side, letting out an irritated groan of frustration.

It was twelve-fourteen A.M., and all she wanted to do was sleep; to rest her eyes and shut those horrible thoughts out of her racing brain.

Well, maybe not horrible.

Staying up past her normal bedtime thinking about Adrien wasn't a terrible thing. In fact, most nights it was her usual routine to have the boy dancing in her head until the thought of his voice lulled her to a sweet sleep.

Yet, tonight there were different kinds of thoughts that flooded her mind.

The heartbreak in Adrien's voice was a hard memory to erase, especially since he'd been crying in her arms mere hours before. She could still feel his hands gripping at her shoulders and then her waist as he held onto her desperately, searching for any sign of relief to the sadness that plagued him.

The things he'd told her she knew he hadn't wanted to admit. Guilt tugged at the pit of her stomach and clenched her heart, reminding Marinette that if she hadn't of pried, he wouldn't have broken into a gentle fit of woeful tears.

Images of the smiling face she saw on billboards broken into a dripping pile of sorrow and self-pity made Marinette toss and turn, sighing left and right, laying on her stomach or switching to her back. It was no use. Her mind never tired or stilled.

By the time the clock had struck twelve twenty-five, Marinette had accepted defeat. There would be no sleeping until exhaustion settled within her bones and took hold of her body, which could either come within minutes or hours or even not at all.

She considered that perhaps working on her designs would assist her in relaxing, even if just slightly. All she needed was a distraction from the memory of Adrien's tear-streaked face.

He'd confessed more than she needed to know. Marinette couldn't help but feel like she'd invaded his privacy somehow.

Once Adrien had started, everything poured out of him like a river rushing down a current, spilling over rocky falls into a pool of frothing water. He couldn't stop once it'd been let out and she understood why: keeping everything locked so deeply inside for years without release would begin torture a person.

At least she had Alya to tell all of her secrets and emotions to. That girl would let her vent for hours and Marinette loved her for that. The only thing Alya didn't know about her life was that she happened to be Ladybug, which was considerably a large detail, but she didn't need to know. She couldn't know.

Some secrets were too big to tell.

Frustration had settled in and came out in obvious strokes as Marinette sketched harshly into her sketchbook. She'd turned on her light and now sat at her desk, pink fingernails tapping on the surface. Her hopes that sketching would relax the nervous jitters hadn't exactly come through—the sketches proved that. The lines were too dark and pressed too hard against the delicate paper which she could practically hear whining in protest.

No sleep. No sketching.

Sewing. Sewing was her happy place.

Just as she gathered up the supplies for her designs and was about to happily turn on her sewing machine (which she remembered bitterly that her parents had asked her not to use when they were asleep), Marinette froze as the faint sound of knocking came from somewhere in the room.

Confused, she opened her trapdoor and looked down in the dull room below, cocking her brow in curiosity. Nobody downstairs.

"Maman?" She called, stepping down two stairs before getting her expected reply of silence. Shrugging it off, she wandered back up to her bedroom and sighed, sitting down at her desk. Probably just hearing things because of this dumb anxiety.

Another rapping against glass.

At least this time she could pinpoint the location.

Who on Earth would be knocking on the trapdoor to her terrace? Why would anyone be up there?

Marinette felt her blood freeze as realization slapped her in the face so hard she almost fell over. There'd only be one person who could possibly arrive safely on her terrace this late at night.

She glared up at the door, hands on her hips. Why would Chat Noir have come back? What did he want? And why the heck was he visiting so late?

Climbing the ladder to her bed, Marinette opened the trapdoor and peeked her head out, blue eyes meeting glowing green. The sight confirmed her suspicions. Stupid stray, she'd just stopped thinking about him and now he was back to race in her thoughts once more. She didn't need him making her heart beat or cheeks flush. That's not what Chat Noir did!

Stupid blond hair and stupid puns that she definitely didn't like.

"Chat Noir," Marinette whispered, forcing a tired expression upon her face. Maybe she could pretend to have been sleeping and he'd go away and let her rest. "What are you doing here? It's past midnight."

Chat seemed genuinely surprised at her question, as if he didn't know the reason for his arrival as well. His gaze shifted, glancing around the terrace before he let out a soft breath and held his gaze upon her. "I know," He whispered, "can I come in?"

"What?" She couldn't keep her voice from cracking. Clearing her throat, Marinette shook her head, concerned with his desire to come inside. "Why? What do you need?"

"I need to come inside," He said with a flash of urgency in his tone. "Please."

"Is someone looking for you?" Marinette glanced around her terrace, not allowing the worry she felt to appear upon her features. She didn't need to worry about him, not now, when there was no reason for him to be on her rooftop. If she needed to transform, having Chat Noir on her terrace would only make it difficult for her. "What's wrong?"

"No," Chat shook his head, flashing her a sheepish smile. "I just came to apologize, honest."

"Apologize? What for?"

"Let me in," He whined desperately, his eyes softening and begging much like a kitten who wanted a treat. He was lowering himself to the ground as he attempted to convince her to let him inside her room, hands curling around the opening of the trapdoor and body pressed flat against the wood flooring. His tail flicked back and fourth in a kittenish nature; Marinette could tell (no matter how unimpressed she was) that Chat wanted to make himself cuter so she'd let him inside. For what, she had no clear idea, except that he needed to apologize something he hadn't done wrong, or at least something she didn't recall.

"I don't let stray cats into my bedroom. You could have fleas or rabies," She said, slowly lowering the door.

Chat's eyes filled with a brief flash of panic. "I can promise you I have neither. I don't bite. Don't close the door, Marinette, please."

Marinette eyed him suspiciously, scanning from his messy blond hair to his reflective black boots. "Are you hurt?"

"Marinette, I'm fine. If you don't want me coming inside, it's okay, but don't complain when photos of us talking together late at night end up on the Ladyblog and suddenly the city is convinced we're dating."

"I don't want photos of you entering my bedroom going up either, Chat."

He sighed in defeat. "Sorry. Look, I really did come for an apology. It's fine if you don't believe me, but just let me talk, okay?"

Marinette's expression softened at his sincereness. That poor cat was actually attempting to apologize—for what, she didn't know, but the look of guilt that hung on his face was enough to tell her that he was speaking the truth.

So, she nodded. "Alright, you can come in, but be quiet. My parents can't know I have a boy in my room past midnight, they'd kill you first and me second."

Chat Noir didn't make a peep as he descended into her bedroom. Marinette supposed his cat-like senses helped cloak any noise he made with stealthy paws.

"What kind of apology did you need to come inside for?" She asked as she sat on her chaise, Chat taking a seat backwards in one of her rolling chairs. He spun around before facing her, giving an innocent grin. Well, the most innocent grin that silly cat could muster.

"Last night," He sighed, "when I came here."

Marinette cocked her head curiously. "What's so wrong with that?"

"I was acting weird and unlike myself. I made awkward comments and flirted when I shouldn't have and for that, I'm sorry."

"You were flirting?" Marinette snorted, stifling back a laugh. Why on Earth would Chat Noir be flirting with her? The thought almost made her blush.

No, no. Be strong, Marinette. Nobody but Adrien makes you blush.

He nodded shamefully. "Sorry about that. Sometimes I can't help myself around pretty girls. Your eyes remind me of someone else's."

"You're doing it again."

"No, I'm not," His eyes met hers, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Stupid kissable lips. "I'm complimenting you."

No, those lips were not kissable. She had kissed him twice, both times to save him, and no matter how soft those goddamn lips were she would not kiss him again.

She wouldn't think about it.

Stop it. No. Bad Marinette!

Maybe she was the one that needed to be punished with a spray bottle.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?" Chat's voice brought her back to reality, reminding her that he was still very real and sitting in her bedroom. "I don't mean to."

"No," Marinette shook her head. "No, sorry, I'm just...tired."

She noticed Chat glance at her clock, his ears twitching. "Sorry about coming so late. I had planned to come sooner but I got a little sidetracked."

Marinette chuckled. "Busy chasing mice in alleyways?"

"No matter how tempting that sounds, princess, that unfortunately wasn't the case," laughed Chat, his green eyes glowing with amusement in the warm light of the room. "I was simply caught up."

Rolling her eyes playfully, Marinette grinned and eyed her friend with a curious gaze. "Did you just come back for more food?"

The superhero shook his head, resting his arms upon the back of the chair. "No, I didn't, but if you're offering don't let me be a rude guest and refuse a treat or two."

"A guest," she said with a shake of her head, "as if I'd invited you here."

"Were you not the one who sent the pink invitation to my mailbox? The one that said 'come to Marinette's at midnight'?"

Marinette crossed her arms and eyed him teasingly. "No, that must have been another Marinette. I didn't send any invitations."

"You caught me. I'm just an awful liar. What would Ladybug think of me now? Lying to civilians!" He pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed dramatically, leaning backwards in defeat. "What have I done?"

"Such treachery," Marinette chuckled as she watched Chat tip backwards. "You know, if you lean, that chair is going to-"

And it tipped. The chair wobbled from his weight and tipped backward, spilling Chat Noir onto her wooden floor with a soft thud. Even when falling against the floor, he was quiet.

"I warned you," She sighed.

"Cats don't listen very well."

He had yet to get up.

"I can see that," Marinette held back a laugh as she gazed at the superhero flat on his back, arms out against the floor. "Are you going to lay there all night?"

"Maybe. It's comfortable."

"I can't take care of you. Who knows how much cat food you need."

"Ouch, princess, I have more cultured tastes than cat food."

"Didn't we agree on not using that nickname?"

"Nope," Chat sat up, propping himself by his elbows. "We couldn't think of a better nickname, remember?"

"Mm," Marinette's gaze shifted to her hands as she picked at her fingernails mindlessly. "You left before we could continue the search for the most perfect nickname."

"Ah... I suppose that's true." Chat's voice grew softer, an awkward silence rising between them. Neither spoke for a moment as they relived the memory from the night before when he'd made the conversation awkward.

Clearing his throat, Chat wandered over to her desk, where the different swatches of cloth were laid out in a neat pile. "What's this?"

"Hey, no snooping!" Marinette quickly hopped to her feet and rushed over, wrapping her arms around the fabrics and carrying them off. "It's a secret. You can't know."

"A secret? Ooh." He followed her, trying to peek over her shoulder. "I like secrets, though. I'll have you know I'm very good at keeping them."

"I'll take your word for it," Marinette said, unconvinced. She set the pile down in her closet, shutting the door behind her before Chat had a chance to slip inside. "You're too curious. You know what they say about curiosity and cats?"

He nodded, his lips curling into a smirk. "Ah, but it was the satisfaction that brought it back, remember?"

"Too bad, kitty. It's a secret."

"You can trust me to protect you but not with what you're making?"

Marinette rolled her eyes and tried not to snort as she pushed past him, sitting in one of her pink chairs. "Maybe I just don't want you to look at it."

"Why?" He sat backwards in the chair next to her—both him and Adrien had a habit of doing that for some reason—and rested his head on the back, eyes wide with curiosity. "Are you scared of me?"

It was hard to hold in her laughter and in the end she couldn't. Snorting and giggling, Marinette shook her head, giving the chair he sat in a push and sending it rolling across the room. "No way! Not a chance."

"Are you sure?" He smirked, cocking his head to the side like a curious cat as he inched himself closer. "Not even a little intimidating? Are my good looks not making you at least a little flustered?"

"No. You're just a silly goofball."

"Aw, I take offense to that. I can be very serious." The words "very serious" came out sounding more like vewwy sewwious as he pursed his lips, giving a little flick of his tail. "Are you sure you don't find Chat Noir scary? You seemed pretty startled last night."

"Only because you told me my eyes sparkle like the ocean."

Chat's gaze faltered as he looked away, letting out a nervous chuckle. "Ah, well, you know. They remind me of Ladybug's."

Marinette glanced away. If only he knew.

"You don't find these scary?" He held up his hands, displaying his sharp claws which twinkled in the moonlight that filtered through her open window.

"No."

"What about these?" Chat grinned and opened his mouth, pointing to some dangerously sharp looking feline fangs that jutted from his perfectly white teeth.

"I can't imagine you have those when you're not transformed." Marinette eyed them with little interest; she'd seen them plenty of times before when Chat gave his signature smirks to her as Ladybug.

"I don't," He replied, smiling with his teeth. "They come purely with the transformation. It's pretty cool. Not scary, though?"

"You don't scare me, Chat Noir. You're probably just a housecat that lays around and sleeps all day."

"Wrong. I'm a very busy kitty."

"Doing what? Looking for mates on balconies?"

Chat gave her a flat expression, raising an unamused eyebrow. "No, I am not that type of cat."

"Oh, right. You're a scary cat. Very, very intimidating. I'm cowering in fear." Marinette gave him a smirk and giggled; why was it fun to tease him? It's not like he got offended since he threw it right back. Usually the banter only sprouted when she was Ladybug, but now her partner was here, in her room next to her civilian self without suspecting a thing. It was almost laughable.

"I am very scary," He said as he lunged, pretending to pounce. His hands never touched her.

Marinette didn't flinch. "Not scary."

"Not even the fact that I can destroy this house with the touch of my hand?"

"But," She said as she held up a finger, "you wouldn't. And that's what makes you nonthreatening. You're a superhero, Chat Noir, you care about the people of Paris and would never do anything to hurt them. You protect us, not hurt us. Nobody is afraid of you and that's a good thing. We all trust you and Ladybug." A soft chuckle slipped past her lips. "In fact, I think more girls are in love with you than afraid of you."

Chat Noir's face stretched into a wide grin of gratitude, his eyes softening as if he'd been touched deeply by what she said. Maybe he had. "You know, I think I needed to hear that."

"Feeling insecure lately?" Marinette asked, finding it hard to cover up the concern in her voice that she definitely didn't feel.

She stole a glance at the clock, which reminded her that she'd be sleeping all day tomorrow if she didn't at least attempt to go to bed soon. Yet, she couldn't find it in herself to tell Chat Noir to leave. His company was almost nice.

Ew. I do not like that he's in my room right now and I do not like that there is a high possibility of us cuddling until I go to sleep.

She disgusted herself.

"Maybe a little, but that's not a very paw-sitive subject, princess. How about we talk about you? How was your day?"

Okay, so self-image was an uncomfortable topic for Chat. She could accept that he didn't want to talk about it.

"It was good," She said quietly as she purposefully ignored the awful pun. The events from the day replayed in Marinette's head, causing her to let out a distant sigh. Adrien was on the mind again but this time it was about him snuggled up into bed and sleeping soundly. She hoped he was getting a good night's rest.

"Good? How come?" Chat's smirk was almost too big. "Not that I'm complaining. Good days are the best kind of days."

"You look amused."

"Just curious about your day. Remember, I did protect you once and I saved your life from Gamer that one time. I should know about your day if I'm going to be your guardian."

"My guardian?" She squeaked, letting out a fit of giggles. "I can protect myself!"

"Well, just in case you can't." He gave her a wink. A wink that should not have made her stomach flutter and heart swell. "I'll be there to save my princess just like a prince always should."

His princess.

Why did the thought make her cheeks flush and chest fuzzy? She wasn't his.

Damn this cat.

"I'm not your princess. I'll have you know I am very interested in somebody else."

The superhero's ears twitched in curiosity and eyes narrowed. "Who's my competition?"

"There is no competition since you were never considered."

"Is he as handsome as I am?"

"The most handsome."

Chat's tail thrashed. Oh boy, making Chat Noir jealous felt so good. Who knew why in the world he was getting jealous—he had feelings for Ladybug, not for her. Unless he knew...?

No. There's no way he possibly could.

"Down, kitty. I'm pretty sure he's unobtainable anyways. Don't get your hopes up, though." Her eyes met his and wow, did those green fires burn. "I never said I was interested in you."

"Unobtainable? Is he a celebrity? Tough luck."

"Unfortunately, yes, but I'm not giving names because I don't want you attacking him out of jealous rage."

Chat rolled closer by using his feet, eyes narrowed into thin slits. "I would never. I protect the citizens, remember?"

Marinette sighed, rolling over to her desk where she opened her sketchbook to distract herself from the thoughts that raced through her head. She hoped Adrien had an okay rest of the night. He'd been so sad when he left. Adrien was a great model, wonderful at putting on a fake smile and pretending to be happy when in reality he was so very sad. Her heart clenched with sympathy as she laid her head on her sketchbook, a forlorn breath slipping past her parted lips.

"Did I make you sad?"

When Marinette looked over at the voice that spoke to her, Chat's eyes had softened into wide green circles and his lips had curled downward. "I didn't mean to. Did this guy hurt you, Marinette?"

"No!" She gasped, jolting up in surprise so hard that she banged her knee on her desk. Ouch. "God, no. He could never hurt me. He's the one that's hurting."

"Oh," Chat looked away. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"I wish I could help him." Marinette couldn't fight the sorrow in her voice. "He's... Ah, I don't know. He pretends like his life is going so well for the people around him but I think I'm one of the only people who really knows what's on. I spent all of today with him and now that he trusts me I think he finally found a way to let himself speak about everything but then he just broke and I was holding him and god I wanted to kiss him but he was crying and I didn't know what else to do besides just hug him and hold onto him but then the comforting words came out of my mouth and I..." She blinked, shaking her head as she clamped her lips together. "I'm rambling. Sorry."

Chat Noir had gone silent. With his head hung, his claws wrapped tightly around the back of her chair, eyes dull and ears drooping. His tail had stopped thrashing.

Marinette worried he'd get up and leave.

"Hey," he said in a soft voice, lifting his gaze to meet hers. "Can I take you to see the city?"

Taken aback, Marinette's eyebrows rose in surprise. "To see the city?"

"Yeah." He stood, holding out his hand in an offering. His eyes pleaded. "I want you to see it how Ladybug and I do. It's like nothing you've ever seen before, I promise. It's an ethereal feeling. You'll be so free."

Marinette knew exactly what the city looked like from his angle. Being Ladybug gave her the opportunity to relish in the glowing lights of the city of love while she and Chat patrolled, bathing in the moonlight and gentle breezes. It was past one in the morning and the only logical answer to Chat Noir was "no", but his face looked so desperate, so full of need to take her by the hand and show her Paris from the top of the world that she couldn't decline his offer.

So instead of refusing and going to bed, she stood, her hand hesitantly enveloping gloved claws. "It's safe?"

She knew it was safe. Marinette didn't know why she'd even asked.

"Of course," Chat told her as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I promise. I can carry you on my back. You've just gotta hold on tight."

"Your back," Marinette breathed, gaze turning to the floor. She trusted Chat enough to keep her safe, but the thought of swinging across buildings without her yo-yo was a little disconcerting.

Chat must have sensed her hesitation. "I promise, Marinette. I wouldn't let anything happen to you. I'm your guardian, remember?"

Marinette couldn't resist the grin that etched its way onto her features. "Yeah. Just for tonight."

Clutching onto Chat Noir as he leaped from building to building at one in the morning hadn't been Marinette's plans for the night, but she wasn't nearly disappointed.

It was different to see Paris from this point of view.

Normally, she had to watch every step, calculate every movement and leap to make sure she landed safely. It took a lot of work to navigate through the rooftops on her own, and although over the year she welded the miraculous it had become more second-nature than anything, it was different to have someone else do it all while she held on for the ride. She didn't have to worry about watching her step and she trusted her partner enough to keep her completely safe.

It wasn't too bad to be holding onto him either. There was just something so comforting about having her arms wrapped around his frame, no matter how thin it was. It made her feel protected. She didn't need any sort of protecting, of course, but as her hands curled around the fabric of Chat's suit, Marinette felt secure. A gentle sigh slipped past her lips as her head connected with his shoulder.

The city went by in a satisfying blur. Chat was incredibly fast and graceful, barely making a sound as the heels of his boots collided silently with the tiles of Parisian rooftops. It was a wonder how he could be so quiet.

The late spring air gently kissed her bare arms as her partner took her higher, his hair blowing with hers in the wind. Marinette didn't mind the blond strands in her face or the fact that her head was practically in his neck; was it weird to think that Chat Noir smelled nice? He reminded her of the wonderfully relaxing feeling that came from laying down in a clean bed after a long shower. Fresh and soothing.

She hadn't realized they'd stopped until the view became all too familiar. When her gaze scanned her surroundings, Marinette nearly forgot that she hadn't arrived on top of Notre Dame in a red suit with a yo-yo attached to her hip.

Chat Noir had taken her to his and Ladybug's meeting place.

But why?

"Marinette," Her partner chuckled, "you can let go now. Unless you enjoy holding onto me, then I don't mind."

"Oh," She breathed as she released her grasp, landing barefoot onto the roof. It chilled her skin. "Sorry."

"I'm surprised," Chat said as he sat, gazing out at their beloved Paris. "You didn't scream at all. I figured you'd be at least a little scared, but you seemed so comfortable up there. You're not afraid of heights?"

Marinette shook her head as she placed herself beside him, hugging her knees to her chest. She missed having her arms around him instead. "No. I've never really been. I find it fascinating."

"Isn't it pretty?"

"Hm?"

"The view," Sighed Chat, placing his arms behind his head as he laid back against the roof. "It's my favorite, right here. I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"What about the view from the Eiffel Tower?" Marinette asked, turning her eyes to the blond boy lying next to her. "Surely the city is prettier from there? I would think so."

Chat nodded. "Oh, sure, but that's not why I like this place."

"Oh? How come?"

Chat Noir almost looked dazed. His eyes glowed and his chest expanded as he let out a long sigh, lips curling upward into a sentimental grin. Marinette knew that look. She'd had that exact look on her face countless times before when she'd been thinking about Adrien. It was the expression of a person in pure, unadulterated love.

"This is my favorite spot because it's where I meet Ladybug every other day for patrol. Coming here is always an amazing feeling because I know I'll be seeing her. Honestly..." He sighed again, closing his eyes against the blue moonlight that washed over his frame like a gentle wave. "She's everything to me."

Marinette had to look away. Her cheeks burned with blush and damn it she was trying so hard not to just jump off the church and dive straight into the Seine. Of course he'd fallen for Ladybug. Who hadn't?

Everyone loves Ladybug.

But what about Marinette?

"You, uh..." She cleared her throat to dissolve the waver in her voice. "You really like her, don't you?"

Chat almost laughed. "Marinette, I don't think 'like' is the right word to use. I love her." His tender smile faded and his eyes grew dull as a thought passed in his mind.

Marinette didn't know what it was, but it must have been something that made his heart hurt. Poor chaton.

"I don't think she knows that. I'm pretty sure she thinks I'm nothing but a silly flirt. It's not true, though," He sighed, "it isn't. I only flirt with her because I love her and I want her to know that. I want her to know how much I care about her. I can't stop thinking about her, all the time, and you—I mean, this girl, this other girl I've been spending time with lately, she... She's making me reconsider everything. It's scary, but at the same time comforting, because..." His sad gaze turned to the sky as a small smile graced his features. "I know I at least have a chance with her. I think we both like each other. I'm just not sure how to go about it."

Jealousy. Pure, seething jealously swarmed within the pit of Marinette's stomach and burned at her insides. She hated it. She hated that jealousy for making her want to scream and cry and throw him off of the roof in frustration.

Stupid Chat Noir for not realizing Ladybug was sitting right next to him.

Stupid Chat Noir playing with her emotions and making her blush.

Stupid!

Marinette swallowed the lump in her throat and forced a smile because fuck if she was going to let Chat Noir make her unhappy. Her heart belonged to Adrien and Chat Noir being in love with someone else didn't matter, even if that stupid feeling of jealousy burned a hole in her chest. She had no reason to be jealous. She didn't like her partner that way. They were friends and that was all.

Stupid.

"Well," She said in a quiet voice, faking a yawn to cover up for any tone that would give her bitterness away. "Maybe you should talk to Ladybug about how you feel instead of flirting. Buy her gifts or write her love letters or be romantic or something. Girls like that kind of stuff."

"I've tried. The love letter didn't work out and I don't really see how I can buy her a gift when I only see her in the suit. She doesn't have pockets."

"Then just kiss her." She surprised herself at this statement. No, no, bad idea, bad idea, don't take her advice, Chat please—

"No, Marinette. I won't kiss her unless she wants me to. I'm positive she doesn't." That frown was something she wanted to wipe off of his face. Maybe kiss it off. No, slap it off.

"Then ask her first," She replied, "ask her to kiss you. Even if she says no, you still took a chance, right?"

"Maybe," He sighed, "maybe. I'm too torn."

They lay on the roof of the church for what seemed like hours. Marinette's body finally began to feel sleepiness creeping up on her, taking hostage of her mind and beginning to coax her into a deep sleep. She needed to rest.

She needed a pillow.

Scooting closer to Chat, Marinette gently laid her head atop his chest, her eyes so heavy that they closed within the moment she had support. Chat's arm hadn't hesitated to wrap around her.

"Tell me about this boy you like," he said in a quiet voice, knowing very well that she was about to drift off.

"Why?" Yawned Marinette, blinking open a weighty eye. "I thought you liked Ladybug."

"I can't help my curiosity," Chat gave her a grin. "You said I could be your guardian, so I ought to know what this boy is like just in case I've got to put him in his place."

"I only said you could be my guardian for tonight," She reminded him as she opened her second eye, narrowing them. "I don't need protecting from him. He's the sweetest guy in the world."

"Do you really know him?" His tone came off harsher than he had intended; she could tell by the way he bit his bottom lip and glanced away nervously. "Maybe... Maybe he's not who you think he is, you know? Maybe he's not as great as you made him out to be."

"What does that even mean?" Marinette lifted her head from Chat's chest, gazing at him with disbelief. How could he think he had the right to say that? "I know him more than you think."

"Tell me what he's like, then."

"Why does it even matter?" Marinette scoffed, sitting up completely. "I shouldn't have to prove anything to you."

"You don't have to," Chat said, keeping his voice at a calm tone. Marinette could learn from him how to stay relaxed in situations that made her skin crawl. "I'm just asking you to."

"I know him," She sighed, gaze glued to her home that sat peacefully across the Seine. "I know he pretends to be happy and I know he's hurting inside and I know that he wants nothing more than a good life and I know that he deserves it. He does too much for others without thinking about himself. He dislikes his job but he does it because he's pressured into it and all he wants to do is become a teacher. He likes physics. His favorite color is green, not dark green, but a warm summer green that reminds him of sunshine. His favorite food is the chocolate chip cookies that we make at the bakery." Marinette paused, turning her eyes away. "In fact, he probably wouldn't like me sharing this information."

"No, no," Chat was smiling now—the smile was small but it was there. "Continue. It's cute to see you talk about the guy you like."

"Cute," She breathed, "cute. It's just the truth. He needs a person to be there for him and help him get through life sometimes and I-" Marinette let out a rigid sigh. It wasn't fair to Adrien that she was sharing his personal information with Chat Noir, even if he was a superhero. It just wasn't right. "I want to be that person."

"You love him."

Marinette couldn't move her tongue to form any words. She felt far too tired as her head found Chat's chest once more, using it as her pillow. His heartbeat calmed her. The only thing she could do was nod as she closed her eyes.

"Princess, let's get you home," The black cat spoke as Marinette felt herself lifted off of the chilly roof. "You need to sleep in a bed, not on the roof of Notre Dame."

Marinette nodded once more as she buried her head into the warmth of his chest. The smell reminded her of Adrien. Maybe they used the same brand of soap.

She hadn't even realized she'd been placed in her bed until a chill appeared at her side from Chat beginning to climb out of her room.

"No," She whispered desperately, reaching up with a weary hand. "Stay."

"Stay?"

Marinette nodded yet didn't open her eyes. "Stay."

There was a brief moment of hesitation, but as his gloved hand enveloped her own, Marinette smiled. Chat's movements were careful not to disturb her as he slipped underneath the blanket, his arms weaving around her waist in an innocently intimate hug. Marinette found peace in pressing her forehead against his chest, the rhythmic beating of his heart lulling her until her body felt as if it'd melded with the bed completely.

At least they didn't have to worry about his transformation wearing off. The miraculous didn't sound its warning beeps until they'd used their special powers, so Chat Noir could lay with her all night without issue.

"Okay," Breathed Chat, his voice soft and heavy with exhaustion of his own. "I'll stay."

Marinette grinned and reached up slowly, gentle fingers weaving through his messy blond hair. She brushed through any small knots that had formed from the wind blowing against it, fingers soothing and soft against his head. She knew exactly where to scratch him to hear that wonderful purr.

Her fingers scratched behind his cat ears, which twitched as Chat titled his head forwards in submission. The purr she'd wanted to hear so bad rumbled up from his chest moments later, much quieter and softer than she was used to hearing. Poor kitty must have really been tired. His head found its way into her neck, the vibration of his quiet purr tickling against her shoulder. Marinette would have giggled had she not been so tired.

The purr became much deeper as Chat's breathing slowed, signalling that her partner had fallen asleep. It wasn't long before Marinette followed suit, arms draping around his chest and lips stretched into a warm smile.

"Goodnight, chaton," She whispered moments before she slipped into slumber, her body still and absolutely content.

Adrien hadn't expected to wake curled up next to Marinette with her silky bangs brushing his face.

Who knew how they'd ended up in such a position. It'd been so late that he barely remembered slipping into her room when she'd asked him to stay. His arms were wrapped around her waist as he held on to her petite body, while hers had found comfort in being around his torso. Her head was pressed against his chest as she slept, and as he turned his attention to the feeling of their legs tangled, he realized his tail had weaved around her as well.

Sleeping next to Marinette had felt so nice. Nicer than any feeling in the world.

Innocent, pure sleep with the girl he'd began to fall so hard for had become his new favorite thing.

He'd never been cuddled like that before and hell, he didn't want to leave, and it pained him to know that he had to. Her parents couldn't find him here.

Thankfully, his transformation was still in tact, and by taking a quick glance around the room he could tell it was still very early. He could leave without being noticed. All he needed were photos of him leaving Marinette's bedroom when the sun had barely risen. Ladybug would kill him.

Sighing, Adrien disconnected his body from hers, trying his best to slip out unnoticed. He didn't want to wake her; she looked so adorably peaceful with one of her pigtails untied and black hair spilling over her shoulder.

Just as he thought he'd made it, Marinette stirred, blinking open those sparkling bluebells. It took her vision a moment to focus on him and he froze, unsure if she'd be unhappy to find that he'd actually stayed.

"Chat?" She yawned, rubbing her eyes. "You're leaving?"

Mon dieu, the pink rays of dawn that flickered through her window had a way of playing with her gorgeous features and illuminating that soft skin.

"Yeah," Adrien whispered, leaning down to pull the blanket back over her since it'd fallen when he'd gotten up. "I've gotta go before anyone sees me."

Marinette nodded, eyes blinking slowly. Her voice still had the thickness of sleep coating it. "Will you come back?"

Adrien's cat ear twitched as he grinned, his gaze full of warmth and affection for the designer girl he'd fallen for. "Anything for you, princess."

His lips connected with her forehead before he lifted himself out of her bedroom, longing tugging at his heart stronger the farther away he bounded from the bakery.

Yes, he'd go back. He'd go back as often as he could as Adrien and as Chat Noir.

He'd be with Marinette all day if he could.

The sun had began to cast a perfect painting of orange and pink hues across the glowing sky, bright and welcoming the light to another day. Dew made the roofs of buildings slippery but it wasn't something Adrien hadn't become accustomed to. He knew his footing by memory and he could navigate through the city without a problem, even if the paneling and shingles were wet and concrete a bit slippery.

All the way home he felt torn between completely indulging in the love he felt for Marinette and accepting that she was the one for him or whether Ladybug was the one to pursue. Both were equally beautiful and each had their own qualities that caused Adrien's heart to thump and melt with every word, every touch; it was hard to choose just one.

Yet with Marinette, he had a chance. She knew him as Adrien and if what she said last night had been true, she loved him as Adrien as well. 

He didn't have too much time to think about it. As soon as he climbed back in through his window and destransformed, Plagg began whining and begging for cheese.

"Plagg, it's six in the morning," Adrien sighed, kicking off his shoes and sitting upon his plush bed, which bounced lightly from his contact. "Can't you let me sleep a little longer?"

"Well you wouldn't be so tired if you hadn't gone to see your girlfriend last night," The Kwami hissed, "get me some cheese."

Adrien narrowed his eyes. "But I'm tiiiired," He whined, smirking as Plagg groaned in annoyance. "See? It's not fun when other people whine."

"I don't whine." Plagg crossed his tiny arms in defiance.

"Can you at least say please?"

"Fine, lover boy, please stop stalling and get me some cheese."

Close enough.

After sneaking downstairs to feed his Kwami, Adrien slumped back into bed and sighed, attempting to steal at least another hour or two of sleep before he was whisked off to an important photo shoot. It was most likely going to be a long day; he didn't doubt that when they said it would start at nine, it would go on until five or six in the evening. This was what his father had been preparing him for. A new line called for outstanding photos, and disappointing his father was not an option.

As he rolled out of bed an hour later, Adrien groaned. Today is going to suck.

Adrien was positive that'd been the longest photo shoot of his life.

Hours had dragged on into exhausting clothing changes and it was hard for him to keep the expressions on his face that the photographer had instructed. Normally, Adrien was very good at his job and could get through most photo shoots without a hinder, yet the desire to curl up in bed and sleep was so unbearably strong that he'd fallen asleep in the limo on the drive home.

The shoot had certainly lasted longer than he expected.

Now, with a burst of energy pulsing through his muscles, Chat Noir vaulted from buildings and bounded over alleys, letting out satisfied sighs and cheerful shouts with each leap. The wind blowing through his wild hair and night air brushing his skin made Adrien want to scream with joy. He was finally away from that damn photographer and his father and it felt so good to run and jump and simply flee!

There'd be no visiting Marinette tonight, but another blue-eyed, black-haired girl would greet him shortly.

As always, he landed at the meeting place first, heels clicking against the roofing of Notre Dame and hands connected behind his back. Waiting on Ladybug was never a problem. He was always early and she was rarely late.

She arrived right on schedule, placing her yo-yo on her hip as she stood next to the boy who towered above her. Adrien chuckled. She was so tiny, and he still wasn't done growing.

"What are you laughing at?" The scarlet superhero eyed him with a grin, placing a hand upon her hip. "Something funny?"

"You're very tiny," He said triumphantly. "It's adorable. Are you going to grow any taller?"

Ladybug huffed, blowing her bangs out of her face. "Probably not. Does that amuse you, tomcat?"

Adrien nodded, smirking down at his partner. "A little. I could grow to be above six foot, you know. I'm already close. You'll always be a cute little bug."

"I may be short but I can kick your ass," She reminded him, giving him a gentle shove. "Don't tempt me, Chat."

"Wouldn't dream of it. You could kill me with those arms."

Ladybug laughed and shook her head, handing him a box he'd yet to notice until she'd presented it to him. The logo on the front was all too familiar.

"What's this?" He asked as he opened it, pupils growing into black eclipses at the sight of four frosted cupcakes. "Cupcakes?"

"They're for us."

"Us?"

Ladybug nodded, giving him a shy smile. She'd never been shy around him before; she didn't have a reason to. So why did she seem so hesitant about gifting him with treats?

"What for?" He grasped one of the vanilla cupcakes, topped with what he guessed was cream cheese icing. That's what it'd tasted like, at least, and it was amazing; Marinette's parents did not disappoint.

"Well," Ladybug rocked on her feet, clasping her hands together once he'd grabbed hold of the box. "I usually pass the bakery on my way to meet you, and I was thinking about what you told me the other night, and... I figured you deserved a little something special. I picked them up on the way. You should have seen their faces when Ladybug walked in and asked for some food!"

Adrien laughed, imagining a very surprised and excited Marinette hurriedly gathering up some cupcakes for Paris' superhero. Ah, Marinette. His heart fluttered.

"I bet she was surprised," He chuckled, only noticing the heat in his cheeks when he went to wipe some icing that had strayed from his cupcake.

"Who?"

"Marinette," His voice was muffled as he took another bite of his cupcake. "I bet she was surprised to see you."

"Oh! Oh, yeah," Ladybug let out a laugh that seemed quite forced. "She sure was."

"Which one do you want?"

"Huh?"

"The cupcakes, silly," Adrien chuckled, holding out the open box to her. "Which one do you want?"

"The red velvet cupcakes have always been a favorite of mine," Ladybug said as she took the cutely decorated cake from the box, biting into it. "Not only because it's red."

"I thought pink was your favorite color." Adrien sat on the roof, memories of the night before crawling their way back into his head. Sitting in that same spot with Marinette had been incredibly relaxing and he hoped she'd enjoyed it as well.

"It is, but pink is a shade of red. Actually, a tint. I know my colors. You're talking to an artist." Ladybug took a seat next to her partner, who grinned and scooted closer with a smirk on his lips. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because," Adrien sighed, turning his gaze to the sky. "The moonlight really does make you look like a goddess. You're amazing, you know? Beautiful and extraordinary."

"I'm surprised you're giving me actual compliments instead of flirting," Ladybug chuckled, peeling back the wrapper from the cupcake the more she ate of it. "Thank you."

"Well," Adrien thought back to Marinette's advice: be romantic and stop with the useless flirting. Or, at least try to. Completely stopping would be out of the question. Chat Noir was a natural flirt at heart. That'd certainly been obvious when he'd straight up flirted with Marinette and made the situation awkward. "I'll put the flirting on hold for you to the best of my ability."

"Will you?" Ladybug raised an eyebrow, unconvinced as she took another bite of her treat. "I feel like that's too ambitious of you. Besides, if you stopped completely, then I'd probably miss it just a little bit."

"Would you?" Adrien smirked, reaching for the second cupcake in the box. It was devil's food—one of his favorites. His mother used to buy him miniature cupcakes in that flavor. "Would you become de-purr-essed if I stopped?"

"That pun was the only thing that's depressing."

"Aw, Bugaboo, I'm hurt. I'm trying here. Don't shut meowt." Adrien grinned as she gave him a shove, laughing once his face collided with the cupcake he was about to take a bite of. "You didn't just do that to me!"

Upon surveying the mess on his mouth and cheeks, Ladybug snorted before bursting into full laughter, collapsing against the roof of the church. "Wow," She gasped through her fit of giggles, "now that certainly put the icing on the cake of my night."

Adrien's heart stopped before his frosting-coated lips broke into a full grin. "You made a pun! Okay, now you have to kiss me."

"Not before you clean your face."

"What if you did for me?" He gave her a suggestive smirk and waggled his eyebrows, causing his partner to laugh harder in return. That was a definite no.

"I am most certainly not. How are you not surprised that I didn't flat out refuse a kiss from you? Too distracted by the pun and the opportunity to flirt?"

"I-" Adrien's eyes widened in realization as he licked off whatever frosting that surrounded his mouth. "Would you?"

Ladybug gave him a look of faked deep thought, her eyes narrowing before she shook her head. "Mm, no. The setting needs to be more romantic for a real kiss."

"I can make it romantic," He suggested, scooting in closer to her and laying on his side with his head propped in his palm in the most suggestive position he could manage. "You said you're an artist? Draw me like one of your French girls. Get it? Because we're French."

"Okay, now I'm definitely not kissing you," Ladybug snorted, giving him a push. "You've still got chocolate on your face, by the way."

"I lost my chance at kissing Ladybug and I have chocolate on my face. What a terrible night. You know what would make me feel better?"

"What?"

"A hug. Come here." Ladybug squealed as Adrien wrapped his arms around her, purposefully pressing the corner of his mouth against her cheek only so that she could suffer through the crisis of having frosting on her face as well.

"Hey!" She giggled and he was quite frankly surprised she hadn't pushed him off yet. "No, down kitty!"

"Oh, no," He feigned a gasp, letting himself drop on top of her. "Oh, my muscles! The aching pain, they've stopped working. I'm weak. I'm so sorry, I've fallen and I can't get up. If only there was someone here to give the kiss of true love to heal my broken body!"

Ladybug, now underneath him, cupped his cheeks with her gentle hands and smirked so suggestively that Adrien nearly had a heart attack. What was she doing, gazing at him like a lion that'd cornered its prey? Her thumbs stroked his cheeks as she leaned in, lips approaching his in seemingly slow motion.

Oh my god, Adrien thought as his heart hammered in his chest. She's going to kiss me. She's actually going to kiss me. I didn't think-

As their noses brushed, Ladybug's smirk grew, her lips parting as she whispered in the silkiest, sweetest voice, "No."

Then she was off, slipping out from underneath him and laughing as she swung across the rooftops of Paris.

"Hey!" Adrien screeched, stumbling back to his feet. "Oh, my Lady! Come back!"

As he raced after her, the laughter that bubbled up in his chest was nothing but pure bliss. He cherished her friendship more than anything else in the world, and he wouldn't give it up for any reason, not even a relationship. If she didn't want more with him, then that was fine. He'd be by her side no matter her decision.

And, besides. He always had Marinette.

As he crossed her terrace to catch up with his fiery partner, his heart leaped in his chest from the memory of falling asleep there the night before. If there was one place where he'd love to be every night, it was curled up in Marinette's bed, doing nothing more than innocently sleeping next to her.

Maybe that's what love really was. Not pining after a girl who barely knew a thing about him, but a girl who begged him to stay when they'd both needed to sleep.

Talented, sweet and confident Marinette was the girl he'd fallen for. Ladybug would always be his best friend, but he couldn't force her into anything she wasn't comfortable with. Marinette loved Adrien. Marinette had admitted to a crush on Chat Noir.

Marinette was the girl for him, and he couldn't be happier with that decision.

The only thing Adrien needed to figure out now was how he'd tell her that.