Usually on days when Chat Noir's patrol duty was particularly slow, he would ramble to Plagg about Ladybug. But luckily for Plagg, today wasn't usual, as Chat's mind was still reeling from the earlier events with Volpina having been akumatized all along.
"You know, if Ladybug hadn't have been so hesitant toward her, Volpina would've had me convinced that she owned a miraculous just like us," Chat said softly to Plagg as his eyes wandered over the sparkling city of Paris. "It's almost like she has a sixth sense or something, just another reason why Ladybug is my lady, and also the love of my life."
"Puh-lease," Plagg retorted, "You don't even know the girl. Not to mention that you haven't even seen her eat cheese yet. What if she doesn't like it?!"
"I think that you're the only one with that standard, Plagg," Chat Noir chuckled at the kwami and his insane love for the dairy product. Still, no matter what Ladybug did, his love for her only grew stronger. Despite Plagg's joking manner, he was ultimately right: Chat had no idea who Ladybug really was. Alya's LadyBlog only had so many hints on the masked hero's true identity, and it was that she was probably in high school due to her book having been dropped once. It pained him that even her biggest fans couldn't figure out who she was, and yet oddly made him even more attracted to her and her mysteriousness.
"I still don't understand why we have to patrol the city in the middle of the night. Most akuma attacks have been during the day and Hawk Moth is probably sleeping right now anyways, which is what we should also be doing," Plagg hinted to Chat Noir, knocking him out of his daze.
"Fair enough, but you and I both know that it's safer to be out here. Plus, I kinda like seeing Paris at night. The city is asleep and wide awake at the same time," Chat replied, still staring out into the bright, twisting streets.
"But all your friends are asleep, so why does it matter?" Plagg whined back to the kitty.
That reminded him. Chat liked to check on his friends at night, and no, not in a stalker-like manner. It was nice seeing them so relaxed, and also helped to occupy him from his boring duties throughout the night.
Chat grabbed his stick and began hopping and flipping throughout the streets of Paris. First stop was Chloe's house. Although Chat Noir could never tell another soul, he had pictures of Chloe without her hair and makeup done (and they were hilarious).
He landed on the glistening roof of the mayor's mansion and hopped over to Chloe's window. He peered in to see her popping a face full of acne, which she covered up surprisingly well with makeup during the day. He almost let out a laugh before clamping his hand over his mouth. Her ponytail swiftly turned and Chat had just enough time to jump onto a nearby roof. That girl sees and hears everything, I swear, Chat thought to himself.
Next was Nino's house, which was not all that exciting. He just stayed up playing video games all night, and as Chat arrived and peered through the window, Nino was indeed playing video games. He let out a quiet chuckle as his friend lost a game and let out some swear words. Despite being horrible at video games, Nino still played them all the time, which Adrien could never quite understand but also never questioned.
Chat leaped off of Nino's roof and headed to Marinette's house. He loved visiting her at her house, because first of all, the bakery beneath her always smelled amazing. And second, she was never wasting her time. Marinette was either doing homework, discussing something serious with Alya, designing stunning gowns and skirts, or baking for the next day. Chat Noir always enjoyed watching her design clothing. She seemed so at ease, and it helped that she was extraordinarily talented.
As his glowing green eyes peered into her room, he saw her sitting on a fuzzy chair reading some book titled, Matched. He watched as her blue eyes scrolled across the pages and her eyebrows furrowed together in focus. During the school day, Adrien always felt bad about talking to Marinette. She seemed scared and startled, and he didn't mean to make her upset. Adrien assumed it was because Marinette loved his father's fashions, but he was never quite sure. Just as the cat was thinking, he shifted out of his daze and saw two blue eyes staring back into his own.
"Chat Noir?" Marinette's muffled voice called from the other side of the glass. Well shit, he thought to himself. She looked confused, but thankfully not angry. Her hands turned the window lock and she lifted the glass pane upward.
"Hey, princess," Chat said as he grinned towards her.
"What are you doing here? Aren't you on night patrol?" Marinette asked curiously.
"Well... I get claw-fully bored," Marinette rolled her eyes at the kitty's pun, "Also, I just like to check in people that have been in danger before. Need to make sure that they're still doing okay without my assistance, good looks, and charm," Chat Noir smirked. Marinette gave a small smile in return, along with her usual look of annoyance. "Mind if I come in for a second, princess?" The kitty asked.
"Sure, just don't mess anything up," Marinette said as the cat entered through the window and tripped over a pile of books. The girl laughed, "Okay, just don't mess up anything else."
Chat Noir looked around her room and was startled at the amount of pink that surrounded him. He also noticed how much her room was a reflection of her, with designs scattered all over her desk and posters of famous designers.
"Wow, you have a lot of talent," Chat said to Marinette as he studied a design of a red ball gown.
"Thanks. I wish I could get people to notice, though," She said as she sorted cut-outs of models from magazines, "This boy at school has a father who is a famous fashion designer, but I can never talk to him without stuttering. I guess meeting Gabriel Agreste is highly unlikely for me, but still. It would be amazing to talk with him about designing."
"It's okay, he's not the most friendly person," Chat replied without thinking, but then caught his slip-up, "Uh, I mean, that's what I've heard at least."
Marinette nodded, "Either way, it would be an honor. But it won't happen because I can't talk to his son, Adrien." Her head tilted downward in shame before popping right back up after Chat replied with, "Why can't you?"
"Why can't I?!" Marinette asked in disbelief, "Well, for starters, he's the most amazing person on this entire planet. I'm just clutzy Marinette who draws stupid little skirts in her notebooks, and he's gorgeous Adrien who models and has a famous father and–"
"Stupid? Marinette your designs are amazing!" Chat said to the rambling girl, "And I bet that Adrien thinks so, too." Marinette's eyes seemed to thank him, but she didn't seem to fully believe him. And despite his quick response, Chat's mind was racing on the fact that Marinette didn't talk to him during school because she liked him. Adrien, his boring persona only used to maintain his father's public image. He was still blushing at her kind remarks, but thankfully Marinette was too busy sketching to notice. She wasn't his dream girl, as that spot was taken by Ladybug, but she was very pretty. Not to mention that her talent was amazing, and she always tried to help those around her. Chat admitted to himself that he had slight feelings for the girl, but wouldn't make any advances just in case Ladybug ever returned his feelings for her.
"Sorry Chat Noir, but I think I'm gonna go to bed now. It was nice talking with you, and sorry that you had to listen to my rambling for ten minutes," Marinette laughed.
"Hey, no biggie, don't worry about it. Un-tail next time, my princess," Chat said as he swooped out of her window and onto the streets below.
Marinette didn't expect to see the cat and his puns for the rest of the day, but wasn't too upset about it. His flirty nature and cocky smiles were a lot easier to laugh at when they weren't fighting against Hawk Moth's akumas.
"What was he doing here?" Tikki asked as she flew out from inside Marinette's lamp.
"I'm actually not so sure. He said he was bored, which was probably true, but I don't know why he chose to visit me," Marinette said as she fixed the pile of books that Chat tripped over.
"Maybe Chat Noir knows that you won't freak out about seeing him," Tikki thought aloud, "He rescued you from Nathaneal as an akuma before, remember?"
"Oh yeah. You're probably right, Tikki," Marinette said back the the kwami. But in her mind, she wondered if it was something more. Maybe the kitty just wanted a friend.
"You should get some sleep, Marinette. It's already 10:30 and you have a test tomorrow," Tikki warned.
"Okay, but I can't promise that I still won't have trouble waking up tomorrow morning," Marinette replied as the kwami smiled back at her.
"Fair enough," Tikki said softly. Marinette laid her head onto the pillow and fell asleep almost instantly. The last thought to cross her mind was two sparkling green eyes staring back into her own.