Hello everyone, as you've noticed, I've begun to rewrite this story. I honestly wasn't happy with how I originally started to write it, and I felt I could do a much better job. Not to mention, the plot and characters were everywhere. For this rewrite, I'll be editing more thoroughly and making the chapters longer and just a better quality in general. I know this story has potential if I just try my best. Anyway, onto the revised story.

~~~

"Marinette? Have you shut the curtains yet?"

Marinette flinched and looked away from where she'd been staring out the window. "One second, Maman." Stealing one last glance through the glass, she shut the curtain.

She sighed, walking over to the couch, and slumped into it.

"Is everything okay, Marinette?" her mother asked from the kitchen.

Marinette looked up again and ran her fingers through her hair. "Sorry. It's just I'm starting to get fed up with this entire curfew situation." Marinette grabbed the TV remote off the couch and flipped the channel to the news station, the chattering of the hosts filling the living room.

"Oh, dear, the curfew is only there to keep us safe," Sabine said with a smile, setting down the tray of pasteries she'd baked for dessert. "And I'm sure the police know what they're doing."

"But six'o'clock?" Marinette asked, gesturing an arm. "That's a little unreasonable, don't you think?"

Sabine's jaw tightened, but she kept a smile on her face. "If the police think it's neccesary-"

"They're probably right," Marinette grumbled. "I know. It's just frustrating."

Marinette felt the couch shift as her mother sat down and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Everything will be okay, Marinette. I'm sure this will all be settled soon."

"Yeah, but-"

"...theft has been reported," the newscaster droned.

"Another one?" Sabine questioned, looking to the TV.

Marinette reached for the remote again and turned up the volume.

"...several pieces of jewelry were stolen, along with two historic vases. The museum curator says she doesn't know when, or how, the items were stolen because the guards were on duty. They are currently being questioned. Though we were not given the exact details of the case, police are under the impression that criminals working for Chat Noir are to blame for the artifacts being stolen-"

Marinette let loose a snort. "Why do they say that every time? Practically all crimes are for him these days. It's pretty much a given."

Her mother shushed her and pointed to the screen, where it showed pictures of what was stolen. The jewelry was indeed beautiful, and no doubt worth more than her family's entire house plus the bakery. But the piece that caught Marinette's eye was a silver tiara covered dozens of tiny pink quartz shards specked with pearls and diamonds.

Immediately, she got an idea for a dress design: pink, made of a faux silk, with a sweetheart neckline ripped in a darker shade of pink-

"Sabine? Will you come help me put away these macarons?" Tom's voice sounded from downstairs.

"Coming, dear!"

Sabine stood from the couch and strode towards the stairs, leaving Marinette to her thoughts. Marinette muted the TV, watching the screen but not really seeing.

Crime. Paris had become the City of Crime. Her beautiful city of Love and Light had been transformed into something sinister, dangerous, and terrifying. What had once held such hope and wonder now housed despair and apprehension.

Marinette glared as they showed his picture on screen, one of the very few one's that actually had good quality.

Chat Noir.

Marinette ground her teeth as she took in the black leather ears sticking out against his blond, unruly locks. She clenched a fist as her eyes roved over the golden bell at his neck and the leather belt at his waste that imitated the tail of the creature he was so fond of portraying. And she recoiled as she saw the black mask that trimmed the slitted green eyes she hated and loved so much. The eyes that had refused to stop appearing in her dreams no matter how hard she tried not to think about them.

No, she didn't actually know Chat Noir. She knew the name, the idea, and what chaos he'd brough to Paris.

But in Marinette's dreams, she knew him intimately. She knew the curved of his body and the feel of his chest beneath her hands. She knew the rasp of his voice as he panted in her ear. She knew his soft spots and how much he liked his neck kissed. She knew the feel of his incisors against her neck as he bit down and claimed her...

The effect was almost immediate. Blood rushed to her cheeks and she brought up a hand to her neck, fingers brushing the place he'd bitten time and time again. Her chest shuddered as she found nothing. Real, real, this is real.

Marinette slammed her finger down against the off button of the remote and his image blinked out. Marinette panted, heat rising in her stomach.

She got to her feet and walked away, the image of his eyes still fresh in her mind. She hated Chat Noir. She really, really, did.

~~~

Marinette arched against the wall, the feeling of his hand between her legs sending sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body.

"Beg," that voice she loved so much demanded. "Beg me for more."

Marinette bit her lip, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes as he dragged the back of his finger against her slit.

"I said beg," Chat Noir repeated against her breast, teeth dragging on her skin.

Marinette whimpered when he took the hand away. "Please," she mewled, her body writhing against the alley wall in search of that delicious hand. "Please, Chaton. I need you."

"Need me to what?" he prodded, running his tongue along her collarbone.

"Fuck me!" she cried out. "I need you to fuck me."

Glowing green eyes finally stared up into hers, filled with lust and desire. "Who am I to say no to a Princess?"

The hand returned and Marinette cried out in bliss, throwing her head back, as the hand returned and his teeth bit down on her neck.

~~~

Marinette gasped, sitting up in her bed as she was thrown from her dream, drenched in sweat, her breath ragged.

As quickly as she could, Marinette stumbled out of bed, flying down the steps to her bunk, before hurling into the sink.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she was sick, her dinner making its way out into the porcelain.

When her stomach finally settled down, Marinette sniffled, tremors running through her limbs.

Marinette crumpled the the floor and started crying without knowing why. But she was used to it now. This had happened every night and she never knew why. Every night she dreamt about him, their bodies tangled against one another, the rhythm of him inside her, and the feeling of his lips and teeth touching every part of her. Afterwards, she'd always wake in a cold sweat before becoming sick to her stomach and falling to the floor to cry.

She still had no clue why she cried. All she knew was that she was overcome with this pang of longing, like she needed to be somewhere else, with someone else, doing something important. But she had no idea what or who she was longing for.

This had started several months ago.

Before Chat Noir had even appeared in the first place.

Minutes or hours later, Marinette picked herself up off the floor and cleaned up the sink before crawling into bed once again.

But even under the covers, she couldn't close her eyes. She lay awake, trying to force away the still-fresh images of her body pressed sensually to Chat Noir's.

But no matter how hard Marinette tried, she couldn't shake away the feeling. She didn't fall back asleep that night.

She never did.

~~~

The next day, it seemed the entire school was buzzing with the news of "Chat Noir's" latest heist.

Marinette wanted to roll her eyes every time someone said Chat Noir had been the one to steal the artifacts. It wasn't him, she wanted to say. It was one of his workers.

She'd long-since learned to keep these corrections to herself.

"Girl, you look like shit," Alya said, surprising Marinette by slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Please tell me you didn't pull another all nighter."

Marinette gave her a sheepish look. "What? When inspiration strikes, I've gotta design."

Alya narrowed her eyes. "That's fine as long as inspiration chooses to strike during the day and not at two am."

"Do I at least look okay?" Marinette asked, self consciously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"M, you look like you got run over train."

"That bad, huh," Marinette murmered, heat rising to her cheeks in embarassment.

"Are you kidding?" Alya asked with a laugh. "The 'I've been dead for five days' look has never looked so good."

Marinette laughed alongside her friend as the two of them made their way up the stairs of the school and into class.

"Love the look today, Dupain-Cheng," an obnoxious voice trilled the second they walked through the door. "I though make up was in style, but I never would have thought hitting yourself in the face could have the same effect."

"Shut up, Chloe. She was just up late last night," Alya told the mayor's daughter, her grip tightening on Marinette's shoulder.

Chloe ignored her, instead walking right up to Marinette and squinting her eyes. "You know, if I try not to look, I almost can't see those hideous dark circles."

Alya tensed and opened her mouth to say more, but Marinette interrupted her and said calmly, "Thank you, Chloe. I'll keep that in mind." Without another word, she grabbed Alya by the wrist and pulled her to their seats.

"Girl, I don't know how you can stand her," Alya hissed. "She deserves a piece of my mind. And believe me, I have plenty to say."

"After a while, all her insults sound the same," Marinette shrugged. "You'd think she'd find something original to say by now, but I guess not.

Alya just shook her head. "If only I had your courage."

Marinette's heart sank at the compliment and her face fell. If only you knew how little courage I actually have. Luckily, though, Alya already turned away as the teacher walked into the room and started her lesson.

Class zoomed by, and the next thing Marinette knew, it was time for lunch.

"Are you going to eat in the cafeteria today?" Alya asked as the two of them packed up their things.

"Actually," Marinette answered. "My parents wanted me to make some deliveries, so I'm going to go home for a few minutes, eat, and then head out."

"Dang," Alya said, shaking her head. "Rain check?"

"Definitely, " Marinette said with a smile and the two friends parted ways.

Marinette watched the sky as she walked across the street between the school and her home, staring into the blue. It was such a happy color. Maybe if she looked long enough, she could be happy, too.