The following morning, Marinette was quite a bit more cheerful and contempt, while Adrien took a bit longer time to gaze at her, not even realising it, but thinking about how to 'Chat' when he comes again. And how to apologize for stealing her bed.
As evening came, so did he visit her balcony again, and she welcomed him "So, how is my hero doing today?" - "I wa…" and his brain process was interrupted by her hand again. *...Dammit, she's got me wrapped around her finger, LITERALLY... No! I can't say THAT to her either...*
The moment was interrupted as his belly answered her with a roar of a hungry Plagg (MroOOowoo), making Chat blush. Damn, all his preparation went to waste, as he was just awkwardly standing there. "Ha-ha, akuma - hunting got you hungry? I'll bring you some treats".
Well, there was only one thing left to do - improvise. "Yeah, fighting crime alongside the most wonderful lady in the world sure rises appetite" he hinted with a grin, making Marinette heckle and blush. *He just brings you closer with his cuteness and flatters you when you're defenceless! That damn cat~*
Chat looked around her room while she was downstairs, and found something surprising he didn't notice before - photographs of Adrien all over her wall. *Whoa,... how did I miss that?...* He was flattered, and wanted to cheer her as much as she cheered him, but he couldn't date her… and also he was feeling naughty from finding such a secret.
With a wild grin, he quickly found a pen and autographed the best picture. *Wait, is that lipstick?... Oh, My, Gosh, she's just like me and Ladybug posters!* His smile was no longer restricted as a grin.
Marinette came back with sweet pastry and saw the mischievous face. *Oh no, what is he up to? I just can't leave him in my room for a minute*.
"Soooo you're a fan of Adrien, huh?" Marinette gasped and launched the tray, nearly falling herself *correction, I CAN'T let him into…!* but both treats and Marinette were caught by Chat, who's grinning face got too close to hers, making her blush and stutter.
He giggled at her 'designer inspiration' from Gabriel Agreste's 'work' excuse, but if he countered it with the lipstick fact, she would either find the new autograph immediately or faint, so he've let it slide.
They silently sat down and she gave him a cinnamon roll, making him pleasantly smile as he ate. *Gosh, he's so nice when he's silent, I should shut him up with sweetrolls more often*.
"So, what do you like in Adrien?" - "Huh?" - "Well, I told you a bit about Ladybug and me, so why don't you tell me about him?" - "Oh,...*grabs her pigtail* well…. … I'm … *double face-palm* I'm a complete failure! I can't even talk to him normally, much less invite him to a date! Oh and don't even ask about the story with his phone!" Marinette pomfed a pillow into her face while Chat got his ears and eyes shap, targeting to solve problem with self esteem and romance, nearly forgetting they're talking about him. Nearly.
"Oh, princess, now you HAVE to tell it, you can't just tease me like that!" - "Uhh, alright, but don't hate me for that!" - "I would never!" -
"Soo I tried to invite him over a phone with Alya's help once, she even wrote down a speech for me, and I would go to a movie with him which is a perfect option since I can be close to him without talking at all, but he didn't answer, instead I got to his voicemail, got scared by plan failing, said a bunch of nonsense, asked him to call me back and threw my phone onto the sofa! Then I looked at Alya's disappointed face and asked if she expected me to say 'hey, hotstuff, I'd ask you out, but I've got such a stupid crush on you, that the only way for me to talk to you without foaming out of my mouth is through this stupid phone',... *deep sigh* and then the phone said 'message sent' " - "HA HA HA*holds pillow tight to cry with laughter* *I don't remember any of that!*" -
"Chat!" - "I'm soo haha sorry, princess, pfft, but I didn't promise not to laugh!" Marinette makes an angry face "Don't worry, at least you didn't end up saying 'I loathe you' like I did on Valentine's day" For hearing which Marinette rolled her eyes, taking it as a good point.
"So, did he get the message?" - "Oh god, no. Here comes the stupid part. Well, relatively. Since he didn't pick up his phone, he was busy, so... I used that time to sneak to his locker… *gestures parallel palms going down like locker walls* … took his phone *same gesture to the side* *Chat grins*... spend whole evening hacking it *Chat burrows his head into the pillow*... erased the message and returned the phone the next day without him noticing! As if it was never missing! *Chat breaks into laughter again* Am I a villain?" - "No, my princess, you're the cutest!" Chat comforts her, holding his palm on her cheek, gently rubbing her single tear off with his thumb.
Their eyes met in compassion, and Marinette laid her head on him (ending up between him and the pillow), giving him a hug. He was glad he could support her, and she was glad he could be freely himself around her, not trying to impress her like Ladybug. She valued that relationship and didn't want it to change. Yet she wanted to fulfill his dream, but she could only do that as Ladybug.
"Chat, you're my best friend, you know that?" He didn't expect that, since it's just the second time he came to her, but it made him happy. "And you are mine, my purrinces~" and Marinette giggled. "But alas, it is getting late, so I suppose it is time for me to leave" - "Sweet dreams, Chat Noir" he was stunned again by her warmth and couldn't help but to blush "You too, princess".
And with that, he left, his heart still burning, much like after leaving Ladybug after each fight, but this time he knows a place he can always come to.