Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug

Chapter 3: Homework

"Princess." The nickname comes out like a purr from his throat, vibrating in his chest and through the air. She doesn't even bother to look up. It's just Cat Noir. Marinette knows his voice like the back of her hand and Tikki's favourite rosettes. Just her partner and his puns and weak worry and a lonely heart that wants some company late at night.

"Kitty, have you finished your homework?"

"As much as I'm pleased that you care about my education, I don't think that should've been the first thing you said to me."

Marinette sighs, spinning in her chair to see her leather bound kitty, hair ruffled from his trip through the city streets. She doesn't always see him after a mission, but when she does there's always a reason. He might not always talk about it, but normally just being around her seems to lighten whatever load he's carrying and that is enough for her. "Hello, Cat Noir." He grins and waits for her to give him permission to sit on her bed, which she does with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm just going to finish this question and then I can get you some tea, alright?"

"Take your time, Princess. I've got all afternoon."

"Shouldn't you be doing something like patrolling? Or perhaps working?"

"How do you know I have a civilian job?"

She pauses, pen hovering over the next line for a split second before continuing on as before. He has mentioned a part-time job to Ladybug, not Marinette. She has to be more careful. "Lucky guess."

"You've been making quite a few lucky guesses these days, Princess. I'm surprised you haven't made one of those on my identity."

"I'm not interested in knowing the civilian version of you," Marinette says, pulling her eraser out of her pencil case to remove an incorrect preposition. She has long since given up trying to fool him with the 'devoted fan' routine. He sees through it too easily, and one confrontation is all it takes for her to relax and be herself around him. No pretenses. "Besides, secret identities are secrets for a reason. You wouldn't want me making guesses."

"Why not? They're always interesting. I've been told that I'm apparently hundreds of years old. As old as Ladybug. It makes me pretty knowledgeable."

"You are not hundreds of years old," Marinette mutters as she pens the new line down.

"And why is that?"

"You're too much of a dork. You'd be way more mature if you were that old."

"That's quite the assumption."

"But I'm sure I'm not wrong. Besides what would you do if I guessed correctly? I could tell Alya. You know, my best friend that runs the Ladyblog?"

"You wouldn't let the cat out of the bag that easily."

Marinette sees something come down and tickle her nose. She swats it away and frowns up at Cat Noir, who holds his tail over her. "What?"

"That should be Zweig."

"What?"

He completely ignores her ladder and jumps down next to her, a hand on the desk while his arm curves around her shoulder. "See? Right there?" He points to the question with his right hand, inadvertently pulling her a little too close to his chest. "That question asks about biographies on Balzac, the French writer. The best known one is by Zweig, an Austrian author."

"Stop peeking at my homework," Marinette grumbles, her cheeks uncharacteristically pink, but she still erases her previous answer and writes the name instead. "How do you even know that? It's so random."

"Well, Balzac's work is classic French literature. That's why you're learning about it in school."

"Ugh. See, this is why I would turn you in. You interfere with my studies."

"By giving you the right answers?" Cat Noir scoffs. "You couldn't give me up even if you tried."

"And why is that?" Marinette challenges, trying her best to stare him down despite the pink on her cheeks because god damn his face is closer than she thought.

"Because you like me too much."

She stretches and gets to her feet. She feels the pressure wash off of her once his arm is no longer around her body. It's never bother her as Ladybug but as Marinette, the action is uncharacteristically affectionate. She'll over analyze it later. But for now… "I'll be right back with tea."

"All right. Oh! Do you still have some of those macaroons from the last time I came to visit?"

He looks so excited at the prospect of macaroons that Marinette can't help but be a little endeared. "...Yes?"

"Could you bring those as well?"

Marinette rolls her eyes, mumbling something under her breath about snacks and stray cats before leaving her room. There's still a faint smile on her lips that she can't get rid of, though, but she doesn't think too much about it.