Insufferable.

"We're meant for each other, my lady!"

The damn cat laughed at her. For turning him down again.

"You're the only one who doesn't see it."

And Alya did too, the traitor.

The shock of the whole ordeal had worn off and now Marinette was fuming. Alya gets some leeway, just a little, because she doesn't actually know Ladybug or Chat Noir, but Marinette still can't help seeing her best friend a little differently after that.

She doesn't begrudge her the picture. It's a fair bit of journalism, if spun out of proportion. If their shoes were on the other feet, Marinette probably would have taken it, too.

But how can Alya just watch a fellow girl get ridiculed like that? How can she sit by and watch and agree with a guy who refuses to take no for an answer when the girl he's pursuing has clearly and repeatedly told him to knock it off?

The picture, Marinette understands. But she had thought Alya was the kind of person to stand by her fellow girls. It doesn't matter that they're heroes, the situation is the same. If their identities have anything to do with it, it's only to stress that they should be better than that.

And that damn cat. There's only so much a girl can take. He said he understood. Marinette thinks bitterly, sitting hunched over at her desk. He doesn't understand anything.

To think I like the guy. But thanks, Chat, for reminding me why I chose Adrien over you. I might've been conflicted after that kiss if you weren't such an insufferable prick about it.

Sitting in her room, stewing in her emotions, Marinette only sees one solution to the problem. "This can't keep happening, Tikki." She says.

Tikki frowns and floats up to Marinette's eye level. "He loves you, Marinette. You know better than anyone that love makes you do crazy things."

Marinette takes a moment to temper the burning in her gut. Even Tikki didn't understand. Marinette is angry now, sure, but if this keeps going the way it is, if Chat Noir doesn't get it together, she just won't be able to work with him. He's already on her last nerve, and they both got hit by Oblivio in the last fight because of it. Not to mention that he's just… toxic. Honestly, Marinette isn't entirely sure she wouldn't be afraid of him if she wasn't a superhero. "So, what should I do? I've already talked to him about it. Several times. Last time, he laughed at me and told me we're 'meant for each other' as I was telling him no."

Tikki wilts a little under Marinette's blazing fire. "Well…" she says, clearly unsure. "I'm sure if you make him understand, then he'll respect your wishes. He's not a bad guy."

"Isn't he, Tikki? I'm really starting to wonder." Marinette bites her tongue. Hard. "Sorry. Maybe he doesn't deserve that. But I can't work like this, you know? It was cute at first, but he's just getting worse. This is harassment at this point."

"I understand, Marinette. What are you planning to do about it?"

Marinette shakes her head. "There's only one thing to do. I'll talk to Master Fu, to let him know what's happening and maybe get his advice. Then, I'll give Chat his last chance."

A small part of her wants to make it all public. She wants to call up Alya and have an interview and call out Alya for her part in the last incident. Maybe be frank with the world about how she feels about Chat Noir. But though Alya might get the hint (about herself. About Chat is much less likely) it wouldn't be the first time she was public about just how she feels about her partner in the romance department.

No one ever believes her, and it does nothing to dissuade Chat Noir. In fact, the fangirls and shippers who insist on her love for him despite what she keeps saying is no doubt encouraging him.

The public can't help. But this can't continue.

Marinette calls Master Fu that evening and asks him to meet tomorrow, and in no time she's sitting with a cup of hot tea. Hot tea is always nice. It calms the nerves. Maybe that's why Master Fu gives it to her.

Because she doesn't like what she's doing. She hates what she's about to do. "Master, we really need to talk about Chat Noir."

Master Fu nods sagely, like he expected this. "Tell me what troubles you, Marinette."

She closes her eyes. Flashes of brilliant green haunt her vision. "His crush on me has gone too far. It was fine at first, but now it's a distraction. We almost lost to Oblivio because of it."

"Marinette." Master Fu says softly. "You cannot tell Chat Noir who to love."

"I understand that." Marinette hisses. "His crush is one thing, but he's letting it interfere with our responsibilities. I'm letting it interfere." Marinette looks away, fury and shame mixed in her to create a whirling, anxious mass. "And I might have let it go, but this isn't the first time this has happened, and whatever happened before we got our memories back only encouraged him. He laughed in my face, Master. I told him to knock it off, again, and he laughed in my face and just told me that we're meant to be together." She shakes her head slowly. "I don't know what happened that led to us kissing, but I do know that it doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything about our situation, but Chat seems to think it does. Now, when I tell him to cut it out, he just dials it up! I can't work like this, Master! I hate to say it, but it's getting to the point where I just can't stand to be around him!"

Master Fu looks at her with the impassive wisdom of someone who has heard many impassioned speeches in his long life. "I see." He says. "I understand this situation is difficult for you, Marinette, but you should remember his feelings, as well."

Something inside Marinette fractures, like Master Fu's words are a sledgehammer. She grits her teeth and lets him speak.

"The Ladybug and the Black Cat are two halves of a whole. The best of them are perfect matches for each other. They balance each other. I would advise you to consider how he balances you, and how you can balance him."

Tikki nods along eagerly. "He's right, Marinette! You two work so great together! I'm sure if you helped him understand, you'd solve everything!"

It's Marinette's turn to speak, but she's using all her energy to keep her tone neutral. "With all due respect, Master, if that's true then you made a mistake." She reaches up, hearing Tikki's gasp, and fondles the stud in her ear. "And you should give these to someone else."

"No!" Tikki screams. Marinette doesn't take the Miraculous out, she never intended to, but it still surprises her when she feels Tikki trying to push her hand away from her ear. "You're Ladybug." Tikki says, frowning deeply. "It has to be you. I want it to be you."

"Well, maybe I'm tired of being the one that has to fix everything." Marinette said, glaring at Master Fu. "Balance should be equal, not opposite. I can't be the one that puts all the effort into keeping our partnership together. Chat has to work at it, too. I've already talked to him about this. Many times. He refuses to listen, and this can't keep happening. One of these days it's going to get us in trouble, and we won't be able to get out of it. Not to mention that I shouldn't have to deal with this. I'm tired of being told that I'm the one wrong here. There's nothing okay about what Chat is doing."

"Marinette." Master Fu says calmly. "I fear you're angry, and you're letting emotion cloud your judgement."

"I'm letting emotion cloud my judgement?!" Marinette stands and roars when she hears those words. "This is my fault? Why does that only apply to me? Huh? Why doesn't Chat have to calm down? Why should I be the one who always has to be careful and 'remember his feelings' when he can't remember mine? I do remember his feelings! It kills me every time I have to turn him down because I know it breaks his heart! And yet, he keeps pursuing this, and he keeps letting it distract him, but I'm the one who has to remember him and I'm the one who's emotions are out of line?!"

"That is not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?!"

"I only meant that I believe you should try to look at the big picture."

"I am." Marinette crosses her arms. "And this can't continue. I'm going to give Chat one last chance, and if he does this again, then this is over."

Alarm sent Master Fu shooting out of his seat. "What? Marinette, you can't consider giving up your Miraculous."

"I won't if I don't need to." Marinette says firmly. "But the partnership is over. If he keeps showing up and bothering me after that, then one of us is giving up our Miraculous. Him or me, makes no difference to me."

"Marinette, I urge you to reconsider this!"

"I've considered and reconsidered this for a long time. Even before Oblivio. I just didn't think it'd be necessary until after that. I'm telling Chat the deal tonight, but I wanted you to be informed." Marinette turns and stalks to the door. "Thank you for the tea."

Tikki thinks she is being unreasonable. Master Fu thinks she is being unreasonable. Alya is on Chat Noir's side, too. Marinette can't wrap her head around it. Am I really the one in the wrong, here? I've tried time and time again to get him to stop, but he keeps pursuing me. Now he's so smug and confident that he'll get me, too. That's the worst part. It was tolerable before, but now… It's like he thinks he's entitled to me. Because of "destiny" or something.

Well, if destiny wants me to be with a guy who acts like that, then destiny can go jump off a cliff. God, I hate that I like him. If it weren't for Adrien… well, glad to know I dodged a bullet. He can be so sweet, but sometimes… sometimes I wonder if he didn't remember everything, and if he didn't trick me while I had no memory. Marinette shivers. More and more, it seems like something he'd do.

Am I really in the wrong for wanting to be left alone? For wanting to be able to do my job without his comments? Without him talking about how we're a couple or how we're obviously going to be?

Marinette shakes her head and takes to watching the lights of the city. It feels wrong. The people she trusts most told her not to do it. But letting it continue feels worse. And now I have to break his heart again. Badly, this time. Because he's so bold now that I have to bludgeon him with it to even hope that the message will get into his thick skull. On one hand, Marinette felt bad. She never wants to break his heart. It breaks her own heart every time she does. On the other hand, he'd had so many chances at this point that she thinks he deserves a little bit of bludgeoning.

"Good evening, my lady!" The rolling purr sends a chill down Marinette's spine. "You look absolutely radiant in this light! As in any other, of course. Still, this does flatter you."

Marinette's voice is quiet. She can't force out much more sound than that. It's harsh, though. Harsher than she means for it to be. I guess I'm still a little angry. "Sit down, Chat."

He sidles up right next to her, pressed up against her. His expression is delighted. "As you wish! It's always a pleasure to share your company." Marinette sits stiffly, wanting to give him a bit of a chance. To read the situation, or to back off just a little.

No such luck. She resorts to glaring at him. He still doesn't get the hint. So, Marinette moves and puts more distance than even she thinks is necessary between them. Chat Noir slides right on over. "So, what's up?" He asks.

With a huff, Marinette stands and paces the platform they're on. "Chat, we need to talk about boundaries."

"Oh?" He stands, too. "What's wrong?"

"I've told you over and over again. I like someone else. And I really don't appreciate you dogging me about it. You know we're not going to happen, so stop pushing me."

Chat Noir chuckles, that same chuckle he had when Alya had shown them the picture. "Come on, my lady. Everyone knows we're meant to be together." The absolute confidence with which he said that might be impressive if it was in any other context. "You're the only one who doesn't see it."

"And you and I are the only ones who matter, Chat! It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I'm saying it's not happening, and I'm one the ones who's part of this. Why can't you see that?"

"Oh, I know, my lady. But you'll come around. You already did, when we couldn't remember! So, I know you already love me! It's just a matter of getting you to realize it!"

Marinette's whole being itches to give him that bludgeoning in a much more physical way than she intended. "Say that you're right." Marinette says instead. "Say I did fall in love with you when our memories were gone. Do you really think that kind of attitude is what made that happen?" She doesn't give him a chance to answer. "No. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, Chat. I've always said that if it weren't for the boy I like – that if I hadn't fallen in love with him first – I'd have fallen for you."

"Aha! You see! Even you can admit it!"

"Shut up!" Chat balks, seeming to finally learn to read the room. Marinette growls under her breath. "I would have. That doesn't change the fact that there's another boy I like. And this." She gestures to him. "Whatever chance you had is gone now. Your behavior towards me was inappropriate to start with, since I'd already told you I'm not interested, but after that kiss you've been nothing but a self-righteous, entitled, asshole to me! You've repeatedly ignored me, made advances on me after I told you they make me uncomfortable, and lied to the world about our relationship."

"My lady, you know I jus-"

"Shut up! I'm tired of listening to you when you refuse to listen to me! This is your last chance, Chat Noir. Either you respect me, and my decision, or this partnership is over. I can't keep working with you hounding me. It's distracting, and it's dehumanizing, and I'm not putting up with it anymore."

"What? My lady you can't be serious! We're Ladybug and Chat Noir! We're partners! It's how we're meant to be!"

"I don't care!"

"It's destiny!"

"It's still a relationship! Destiny isn't an excuse not to put any effort in!"

"I've been putting effort in! My lady, you're everything to me! I don't want anything more than to be with you."

"No, you're not!" Marinette screams at him, and he seems more offended than scared now. "You're putting effort into creating something I don't want! You aren't actually putting any effort into our partnership! You act like your destiny means I don't have a choice!"

"Of course, you have a choice! I just…" Chat trailed off, looking for his words. "I love you."

Marinette shakes her head. "If I have a choice, then listen to it. I made it already, but you don't listen."

Chat's voice breaks. "I can't just give up on you. You're everything."

"Do you know what I've been thinking, recently? I thought I'm glad that I met that other guy first. Because if that was how you acted when you didn't get your way, then I really dodged a bullet. I used to love seeing you, you know. Even the flirting was cute and fun and…" She sighs and shakes her head. "But you couldn't accept that I wasn't ready to think about you that way, and now I don't think I ever will."

"Please, don't say that."

"We're not going to be together like that, Chat Noir. The sooner you understand that, the better. I do love you, as a friend, and I would hate to lose you, but I can't take this. I can't take your smug entitlement, and I can't take your advances. I can't take feeling like an object. So, this is how it is. Either you get that through your head and fix it, or we both lose each other for real. If you can't accept that, then this partnership is over, and if you can't accept that, then you're going to have to find yourself a new Ladybug."

"What? No! You can't seriously be thinking of giving up your Miraculous! My lady, that's insane!"

Marinette crosses her arms. "That's all I have to say."

"I'm so sorry!" Chat Noir grabs her hand, and she can't help but make a face at him. She pulls her hand away and he recoils like she just slapped him. "I'm so, so, so sorry, my lady! I would never want to make you feel that way!"

"You did." Marinette says coldly. "And I know you don't mean to. I don't want an apology, Chat, I want you to respect my decision. Stop saying you're sorry. Next time we see each other, show me instead. Can you do that?"

"Of course!" He nods vehemently. "Anything! Just please don't leave me."

"That's up to you, Chat."

Chat Noir is quiet for a long moment. "I'm so sorry." He whispers. "Can you ever forgive me?"

She wants to. She wishes she could. "We'll see. Maybe if you earn it."

With absolute conviction, he says, "I will. I'll do anything it takes."

Marinette leaves wondering if he really understands. She had to threaten him for him to even take her seriously, and even then, she's not sure how seriously he took her. Even at the end he acted like he was more concerned with keeping her around than how she actually felt. She tries to remind herself that he's a good guy, that he loves her with all his heart and that he wants nothing more than for her to be happy… but she's left having a hard time believing it.

What he really wants is for her to be happy with him, and that's not even almost the same thing.

We'll see if things get any better. Marinette thinks. Please, Chat. I really don't want to say goodbye.