Marinette heard a shy knock from above, and saw Tikki hide from the corner of eye. She sighed as she pulled the step ladder and climbed up to the roof, she had a feeling he would come by.

"Marinette?" Chat Noir stood in front of her, ears drooping, belt tail tucked between his legs, and refusing to look her in the eyes.

"Chat?"

"I — uh. I'm sorry for what happened earlier." He bowed his head and thrust a large bouquet of blue, pale purple and white flowers in front of her.

Marinette shook her head and tugged the bouquet out of his hand, setting it carefully on the table. She wrapped her fingers around his, squeezing his hand tight.

"It's okay,Chat."

"I shouldn't have interrupted and I'm sorry if I caused any problems for you. I-I- didn't mean to cause so much commotion. Please don't stay mad at me-"

"Oh kitty, you did cause a bit of a mess, and I was angry but I can't stay mad at you." She ran her free hand through the soft strands of his hair trying to calm him down.

"I'm really sorry! You were really annoyed. I thought you might not want to see me ever again after I wreck the dress for-" She pulled away to look at him straight in the face, cupping his cheeks with both hands to make sure he was looking her straight in the eyes.

"Chat Noir, listen to me closely, there is nothing, absolutely nothing that would make me hate you."

"I can help you clean up," he mumbled after a moment of silence, leaning more into her touch, like he was trying to soak in her warmth.

"My studio is already cleaned up, thank you for the offer though."

"I can buy you more fabric. Like those bolts of silks you have been eyeing in the store." He continued to babble, but in a more calm manner.

"You don't need to give me anything. You don't need to convince me of anything. I might get mad sometimes, but never enough that we wouldn't be friends anymore. I won't leave you, Chat."

"I can be really needy. Clingy."

"You wouldn't be my chaton if you weren't," she replied, stroking his cheek gently with her thumb. His eyes flutter shut for minute, leaning into her touch again. He covered her hand with his for a moment,and placed a gentle kiss on palm, before pulling away from her, walking towards the balcony railing a few paces before turning to face her once more.

"I usually come by really late at night."

"I can use your company while designing late at night." She walked towards him extending both her hands to clasp his.

"You would be in danger if someone finds out you are important to me." He allowed her to pull him closer.

"I could be in danger of getting run over by a car whenever I cross the street," she retorted looking up at him defiantly.

"Not the point, Marinette," he responded sourly, turning slightly away from her.

"Isn't it? Sounds to me you are trying to give me reasons get rid of you. Do you not want to stay with me?" Her hand slipped out of his hold and gently brush back some strands of hair that fell over his eyes when he turned away.

"Mari, I- it's not that." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously with his free hand. "I'm- I'm not perfect, bad luck follows me like the plague sometimes. You saw how destructive I can unintentionally be."

She lifted her free hand to cup his cheek once more and stared him straight in the eyes. "Have you seen how clumsy I am? I trip going up the stairs sometimes. And I don't need you to be perfect. You are enough, just as you are."

He leaned into her touch before wrapping his arms around her to pull her close.

"Marinette, you're amazing," he mumbled, burying his face in her loose hair.

"So are you."

She heard his breath hitch and felt him tighten his hold.

"Not as much as you are."

"Are you sure about that? I'm not the one out there saving Paris, having Ladybug's back."

"Ladybug does most of the work, I'm just there to make sure she can do what she needs to do."

"Chat, look at me," she commanded tilting his chin so he was looking down at her. "You are more than Ladybug's sidekick. She couldn't do half the things she has done without you. You are her partner, you are her pillar. You are important. She knows that, I know that, and so does Paris."

"I don't need Paris to believe that. Just knowing you believe is enough." He looked straight at her with such honesty, that she was overcome with so much fondness for this silly tom cat.

"So, no more doubting? You have me, and you won't get rid of me that easily kitty."

"What did I do to deserve having you in my life?"

"Be a superhero?" she teased

"Even being a superhero wouldn't be enough, being someone like Ladybug wouldn't be enough."

"Careful minou, remember what we said about putting others on a pedestal."

"I'm not, princess. I'm just really lucky to have you in my life." He lifted boths her hand and gently kissed her knuckles, before placing a reverent kiss to both of her palms, lips lingering longer than necessary.

A light blush graced her cheeks, and she pulled away from him not sure how she felt hearing him say it with so much awe. In the same voice that sings her praise when she is Ladybug and just managed to defeat an extremely difficult akuma. The one that sounds like she is his entire world.

"And I am lucky to have you too," she whispered shyly. Her eyes fell on the bouquet she placed on the table earlier, and she went to pick them up. "Umm… want to tell me what is with all these flowers, chaton?" The bouquet was extremely fragrant and she spotted some lilies-of-the-valley, some hyacinthe. She wasn't sure about the other flowers.

Chat coughed, cheeks slightly flushed, "Umm flowers to ask pretty girls for forgiveness?"

Marinette let out a loud laugh. "Who told you that?"

"Anime, books, comics?"

"You are such a dork! Want to tell me what some of these flowers are and why you chose them?"

He took the bouquet from her hands, touching each flower as he went. "Purple hyacinthe for regret and a wish for forgiveness, blue iris for hope, bittersweet for truth, white lily-of-the-valley for your sweetness. Well, at least that is what the florist told me," he finished off rather sheepishly.

"They are beautiful. Thank you. You didn't need to bring me flowers." She took the flowers from his hands and breathed in their sweet scent.

He plucked a sprig of the lily-of-the- valley from the bouquet and tucked it behind her ear as she stifled a yawn.

"I should go, it is late" he said, softly brushing her cheek next to the flower.

She nodded, her tiredness finally catching up to her.

"Good night, Chat."

She started to turn, but a touch on her shoulder stopped her. Marinette turned to look at him questioningly. He looked hesitant, but then quickly leaned down to brush his lips across hers once. Twice. Thrice.

"Bonne nuit, Marinette," he murmured as he pulled away and leapt off her balcony and his dark suit blended into the night.

Marinette stood there frozen, face flushed ruby red with her hands on her lips.

has stopped working.

Le fin