Ladybug exhaled and watched her breath flutter out as a steam cloud. It was too damn cold. Chat Noir was supposed to be meeting her for patrol but he'd been a no show. That in itself was surprising. As she was contemplating this unusual event, her yoyo buzzed with an incoming phone call.

Her fingers were trembling as she answered, not from unease but rather from the cold. Chat Noir's masked face flashed upon the screen. His usual smirk was replaced with a frown. "I can't meet you tonight, I've been grounded."

The heroine lifted an eyebrow. "What did you do?"

Chat Noir rubbed his nape with a sheepish dip of his masked eyes. "I didn't get my homework done."

"That means I'll be patrolling alone?"

"I'm afraid so. Sorry."

"It's okay, Chat. It happens to the best of us."

He let out a resigned sigh. "I know, but it still sucks. Call me if you need me and I'll find a way to sneak out."

"Alright, take care."

With their phone conversation over, Ladybug closed her yoyo and moved into action. At least a brisk run across the rooftops was bound to warm her up.

An hour later Ladybug had finished her patrol route. The exposed skin on her face burned from the chilling wind and her eyes were watering as well. Lifting an arm to ward off the nasty weather, Ladybug unintentionally surpassed her destination of home and somehow ended up on a building opposite the Agreste mansion. Squatting down and curving her back to the wind, Ladybug ducked her head in order to catch her breath.

Snow flurries were being whipped through the air, making her shiver and she wiped her nose with the back of her gloved hand. Looking up, the heroine had to blink away the flakes to determine where she was. Light shone from the expansive windows opposite, drawing Ladybug's gaze. There was Adrien's room, lit up like a beacon promising warmth and sanctuary. Not that it was really an option, or was it?

The occupant of the room was partly raised from the piano stool, where he'd been sitting, staring at her in his frozen state. Not that he was actually freezing, the lucky boy was nestled within a climate-controlled room that was probably sweltering in comparison to the outdoors. Ladybug lifted her hand and waved to him.

Adrien shot to his full height and waved back with a smile. His expression had her heart pounding as she gazed at him in appreciation. That's when the flakes in her hair decided to slip, clump together and plonk on her nose. The heroine shook her head like a wet dog, trying to eradicate the dripping cold. Unfortunately, the cool droplets made the skin on her face ache more.

Misery had her shoulders sagging as she attempted to wipe her face with her already soggy gloves. She really needed to get home. But her attention was diverted from her sorry state by the call of her name. Adrien had opened one of the huge rectangular windows, standing on his toes as he called out again, "Ladybug, over here!"

The blonde was waving frantically, signalling for her to come inside. She didn't need to be asked twice. Ladybug made a running jump, but her foot slipped on the newly forming ice upon the shingles. She landed on her back with a grimace yet was thankful she hadn't fallen to the ground while trying to cross the gap.

Frantic calls were shouted her way. "Are you alright, Ladybug?"

She lifted her arm and gave him a thumbs up. Although she let another minute pass before rising to her feet. This time she used her yoyo to swing across the divide, landing a little unsteadily on Adrien's windowsill before dropping to the floor with some finesse.

Adrien's hand was immediately on her arm. "That was a nasty fall."

Ladybug waved him off as her cheeks heated with embarrassment. "I didn't notice the ice."

He lifted his hand, running the back of his knuckles along her cheek. "You're freezing." Suddenly she was pulled into his arms, the back of her head cradled by his wide spread fingers as he held her close.

The initial shock had her standing stiffly. But his body heat and tender touch had her relaxing, leaning into him. Ladybug closed her eyes and burrowed her face into the crook of his neck and wrapped her arms around his waist. For a brief moment, Adrien's chest stopped moving as if he'd ceased breathing. As her fingers walked their way to the small of his back, Adrien exhaled heavily.

Being held this close to her crush was a luxury she intended to fully enjoy. Her own heart was racing but at the same time she wanted to snuggle into him and go to sleep. The brush of his hand on her along her spine made her wince, reminding her of the bruising that was probably spreading across her back like a spilled slushy.

"Sorry," Adrien said in reaction to her flinch. There was a husky note to his voice that was unfamiliar but most welcome.

Ladybug placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped back. "It's okay, I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I'm really going to be feeling it tomorrow. I should go home and sink the bath."

Green eyes darted towards his bathroom door and back. "There's a bath here you're welcome to use."

She smiled at the kind gesture. "That's very nice of you, Adrien, but I'd have to drop my transformation."

He nodded in understanding. "True. I didn't think of that." Something in his tone and the way he wouldn't look at her suggested otherwise.

Ladybug quirked a masked eyebrow. Did this mean Adrien was interested in Ladybug, or was he merely being a horny teenage boy? A smirk threatened to spread across her lips.

For once she had the advantage. The mask boosted her confidence. "Maybe you're right, a bath would be divine."

Adrien made a choking noise and thumped his chest with a fist in attempt to dislodge whatever was making him splutter. "You changed your mind?"

"I'm so very cold."

"Right," he said grabbing her hand and dragging her towards the bathroom. "I can fill up the bath. It's a spa, so I could turn on the jets."

With a wrinkle of her nose, Ladybug shook her head. "Might make my back worse."

"True," Adrien said with a nervous nod as he turned on the water. She cocked her head to the side to watch him as he adjusted the temperature and stepped back while the tub began filling. "So, um, it'll be a while before it's full."

"Not to worry," she said as she patted him on the shoulder and turned her head to look out the window. The wind was still fierce and she sighed as she brushed her gloved hand over her face only to flinch. "I wish I'd had something to cover my exposed skin," she uttered out loud.

Adrien stepped closer and his fingertips skimmed her cheeks. "Windburn," he stated with a sympathetic look. "I've got something to help with that."

Before Ladybug could react, Adrien took her by the hand and led her to the vanity. There he rummaged through the cabinet drawers until he pulled out a pot of skin cream. "This stuff works wonders," he claimed as he dipped his fingers in the white concoction and lifted it near her face. "May I?"

"Sure," she said, raising her chin.

The cream was cool against her skin as Adrien applied it with unsteady hands. His green gaze continually wandered between her eyes and his ministrations. Ladybug tried to keep her own breathing steady but it was hard when Adrien's was verging on erratic. It made her wonder, how deeply was he attracted to her as Ladybug? He sure as heck didn't act like this around her when she was Marinette.

Ladybug decided to test it out. Adrien's fingers were currently heading toward her jaw so she tilted her chin higher. There was a slight hesitation and glance at her lips before he adjusted to her new position and resumed applying the cream. Interesting, but still not conclusive. So, Ladybug parted her lips, licking the top one. Adrien became motionless, his eyes entranced and his nostrils flared enough to be noticeable.

"Something wrong?" she asked innocently.

"Uh, um, no."

"My lips are really dry. Do they look chapped?" Ladybug had to refrain from smiling as those green eyes zeroed in on her mouth.

Adrien's voice dropped an octave as he rasped. "Not chapped, but…"

He was mesmerised by her mouth. She had to prompt him. "But?"

"They are dry. I-I can fix that." The model finished rubbing in the cream on her face with rushed hands. Then he turned and rifled through the drawers again, producing a tube of lip balm.

Removing the lid, Adrien gently took her chin in one hand and held the lip balm in the other. Slowly tracing her lips with careful precision, despite the slight tremor in his hands. He eased the tube away from her lips but didn't let go of her chin. Instead he continued to stare at her mouth in apparent indecision.

Ladybug pursed her lips together, rubbing them on one another to spread the balm over her dry skin. "How do I look?" she couldn't resist asking.

Adrien swallowed, hard. "Beautiful. So very beautiful."

The pair gazed at each other, slowly leaning closer. Then an insistent tickle high in her nostril had Ladybug twitching her nose. Lifting her soggy glove, she wiped at her nose trying to stifle the sneeze that was coming. Instead, she turned away to cover her face as she lost the battle.

"Bless you," Adrien said gently as he placed a hand at her back. Ladybug flinched at the contact, again he'd found her bruised flesh. "I'm sorry," he winced while pulling away.

She waved him off. "How's that bath coming along?"

Adrien eyed her with concern, his hand partly raised as if he wanted to touch her again. Instead he lowered it to his side and moved toward the bath to gauge its depth. "Half way there."

Ladybug sidled up to him and arched up on her toes to inspect the bath. The water would easily come to her waist when sitting. She was sick of being cold, it was deep enough. "It'll do," she said looking at him meaningfully.

Adrien merely stared back as if mesmerised by her very presence. She cleared her throat, eyeing the bath and then pointedly looking toward the door. The blonde shook his head in a fluster as he registered her subtle hint. "Oh right, I'll leave you to it."

As soon as the door closed, Ladybug stepped into the vast bathing area. There was a set of glass doors that could segregate the bath/shower space from the rest of the bathroom. She decided it would be wise to close them. While she trusted Adrien, he did seem awfully eager to be near her.

Once it was done, Ladybug dropped her transformation and pried her wet clothes from her skin, dropping them to the floor with a wet splat. Tikki shivered in mid-air and flew to the bunched towels, snuggling within their folds.

Marinette pulled the ties from her hair and dropped them with her clothes and climbed into the bath. She flinched initially as her toe touched the warm water, and it took the gradual submersion of her body to adjust to the change in temperature. Eventually she sank down on her back, raising her knees so she could dip her head under the water. Allowing her hair to fan out like seaweed as she stared through the water.

Slowly she breached the surface to sit up. Her hair dripping down over her face as she heard the outer door to the bathroom open and close. Marinette was about to question why Adrien had returned when she heard him shout out. "Yes, Father. I'm taking a bath."

Blue eyes widened as Adrien's footsteps drew closer. Then he knocked on the glass doors separating them. "Sorry, I've got to pretend I'm in here."

With wariness Marinette turned her head, glad that her hair was obscuring her face as she peered from the corner of her eye. Adrien had his head ducked down, clearly attempting to give her privacy. Yet the insistent fidgeting with his ring and tapping of his foot gave away his agitation.

Marinette pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. Gathering her nerve, she continued to peer at Adrien through her wet locks. "Since you're here, could you take a look at my back and tell me how bad it is?"

The foot tapping stopped and Adrien's chin shot up as he stared at her with wide eyes. The moment his gaze fell upon her shrouded face he looked away but opened the dividing doors. There was a jagged edge to his breathing as he neared, climbing the first two steps of the bath swiftly yet also with caution.

Leaning forward, Marinette exposed her bare back for his inspection. There was a sharp intake of breath behind her, then she felt his fingers gently brush the wet strands of her hair from her shoulders to her nape for a clear view. She could hear him cringe. "Wow, you've done a good job."

"Am I wearing a kaleidoscope on my back?"

"Starting to." His fingers gently caressed her skin, low on her ribcage. "The worst is right here."

"At least it's not my kidneys," she said with a snort that verged on amusement.

"This isn't funny." Adrien snapped. "You shouldn't have been out there alone."

"Chat Noir would have been with me but he couldn't make it."

There was a troubled edge to his voice. "You should have called and insisted."

"It's not his fault. Besides there were no akumas just bad weather. I was on my way home but managed to overshoot the mark."

"You live nearby?" he croaked.

Marinette faced away from him and chuckled, "I'm not about to tell you. Secret superhero business that is."

"And yet here you are, sitting naked in my bath."

There was something raw in Adrien's tone and she eyed him sideways. "You invited me."

"My motives were not completely pure."

"You're male, I'm not surprised."

His laughter was low and throaty. "What can I say? I wanted a chance to live the fantasy."

"Fantasy?" Marinette turned enough to shift her shoulders, not considering the possibility of revealing more of her features.

Adrien was perched on the edge of the step, leaning towards her as if captivated. "I dream about you all the time."

"Oh?"

Green eyes dropped to her lips, unhindered by the wet tendrils of hair dangling in the way. Adrien shuffled closer, his gaze firmly affixed on her mouth. "I want to be close to you. To know you. To kiss you."

A blush warmed her cheeks. As much as she longed to kiss him, she didn't dare. Adrien didn't know that Ladybug was Marinette and she was meant to keep her true identity a secret. Turning away, she laid her chin between her upraised knees. "I can't kiss you, Adrien. Not like this."

The tip of his finger touched the curve of her shoulder, slowly skimming down her arm. "Does that mean you want to kiss me?"

His touch made her skin tingle and she smiled into the shadow between her knees. "Maybe."

Warmth from his whole hand encircled her arm and she heard him shuffle behind her. Adrien's faint shadow fell over as he stood. Marinette's brow furrowed, his hand was still on her arm as he bent forward. His opposite hand landed on her other shoulder and the touch of his breath stirred the hair at her ear. "You're welcome to kiss me anytime you want." Marinette's spine became rigid. Then he spoke again. "O-or is there someone else you want?"

Digging her teeth into her bottom lip, Marinette considered her answer. "You're a sweet guy, Adrien. As nice as… Marinette. You two would make a cute couple." She screwed up her nose in concern that she'd gone too far.

"Marinette? She is nice, but she's just a friend."

Disappointment threatened to crush her chest in a vicelike grip. So, it was true. Adrien was attracted to her as Ladybug but not as Marinette. Her throat tightened as she stifled the sob threatening to slip from her lips. Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, she closed her eyes and calmed herself. "I've warmed up now. It's time I got out of the bath and headed home."

"Um, okay." Adrien uttered sounding as stunned and dejected as she felt.

"My family will notice I'm absent if I stay too long," she added in attempt to make him feel better.

The warm hands released her and she heard him descent the few steps and slip out the doors. "I'll be in my room," he uttered as he closed the glass doors and departed.

Tikki emerged from her hiding place and gave Marinette a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Marinette," she said in a hushed voice.

"I should have known," she replied just as quietly as she rose from the water and plucked a towel from the rail to dry herself. Marinette took a moment to breath in the familiar scent that was Adrien as she swept the towel over her face. She dressed with haste and transformed back into Ladybug.

Adrien was standing at his foosball table, staring blankly at the tiny figures mounted across the playing field. Though his head jutted up as he heard the door open and he plastered a smile on his face that didn't reach his eyes. "All done?"

"Yeah," she replied as she sauntered towards him. Her eyes drinking in their fill, knowing that she had to let him go, that her crush needed to end. If Adrien wasn't interested in Marinette, then he couldn't love Ladybug. Despite this, she walked directly to him, encroaching into his space as she looked deeply into his eyes.

It was clear he was confused by her proximity, so she cleared her throat and spoke. "Thank you for everything. I appreciate it, Adrien." She cupped his cheek with her gloved hand and her heart pounded as he leaned into hold. Admiration shone from those green eyes and she decided to taste those lips, searing a memory of what could never be.

With her free hand, Ladybug latched onto Adrien's shirt collar and pulled him down so she could kiss him. There was no resistance, just a moment of surprise when her mouth met his. Closing her eyes, Ladybug relished the contact but didn't deepen the kiss. Their mouths moved briefly against each other before she retreated back to look at his dazed face.

Ladybug watched as he touched his lips in awe. She understood his reaction, it was the same as the one she was concealing. With a bravado she didn't feel, she released his collar and dropped her hand from his face. There was a slight crack to her voice as she spoke but she hoped he missed it. "One kiss, as requested."

Those green eyes widened as she stepped around him, walking to the window. She glanced back at Adrien, nodding at the exit that was currently closed. Confusion was practically written on his face but he fingered the remote to open the window at her silent request.

Pulling her yoyo from her hip, Ladybug turned to face him. Inwardly hating the reality of the situation. Adrien had no idea her heart was breaking or that for her this was the final time she'd look upon him as her crush. It was time to move on, maybe Chat Noir was right. Maybe there was meant to be more than just battlefield comradery between them.

With a tight smile she waved farewell and sprung out the window into the cold. Her voice was a faint whisper in the chilling wind, "Goodbye, Adrien."

Bittersweet, I know. Should a write a second chapter from Adrien/Chat Noir's point of view? I have no doubt the boy would chase after her. Let me know what you think in the review box below.

Thanks for reading, reviewing favouriting and/or following :)