3.

Marinette walked slowly towards her house. It was nearly dawn and she volunteered to go home and get some blankets for her parents; they had their first date at Notre Dame and they decided to stay there until the fire would end. The girl was absent minded, lost in her thoughts about decision and fate. In a few months she would graduate high school. She couldn't leave Paris; it was the usual target of Hawk Moth's akuma. She would try to study for a fashion degree here. Alya would also stay in Paris but Adrien would most certainly leave. He would be free from his despotic father and he could at last lead his own life. Chloe would follow Adrien to the end of the world of course, so naturally she would leave Paris as well. This last thought made her smile.

She walked, passively counting her remaining steps. She should have about fifty-six, before she reached her parents' bakery. Her life was not a choice, it was fate. She couldn't just be selfish and return her miraculous, not as long as Hawk Moth possessed the butterfly miraculous. If she managed to find him soon she could possibly consider retiring at some point… However, being Ladybug had taught her to also be herself. It was easier for her to be confident once she put the mask on. Tikki and Chat Noir were also important chapters in her life; she couldn't imagine disappointing them. Marinette thought that maybe it was fate that made her Ladybug but the fact that she kept this role up to this day was nothing but her own choice. She smiled again.

Twenty-two steps left but it was already too late when she realized that something was terribly wrong. Someone grabbed her from behind and pressed a towel on her mouth. Marinette stopped breathing at once and tried to escape his grasp but the man was stronger than her. He had no chance against Ladybug but Marinette could not transform in front of anyone. She tried to kick him but he avoided her effortlessly. Marinette had to breathe and the moment she accepted that she would have to do so even if she lost her senses, the man dropped her.

The girl fell on the ground and searched for her bag but then she saw the man flying away from her.

Chat Noir was standing above him. His feline eyes were sharp and furious. The attacker tried to move but the cat trapped his neck in his claws and smiled as he brought the man closer to him.

"You have no excuse." He hissed to the horrified man. "I will shred you into pieces and feed you to the dogs." He threatened him and then he threw him on the street again. The man screamed.

Marinette had witnessed enough. Chat Noir approached the attacker that crawled away from him. The girl had never seen her partner in this state. He resembled an akumatized person, not a hero. She run at him and right when he prepared to grab the man again, Marinette trapped his claws in her hands.

"Chat Noir, enough! Call the police instead!" she said. The green, vicious eyes were fixed on his prey.

"Let me go, Marinette." He said in a low, intimidating tone that gave her a creepy-crawly sensation. He was dead serious.

"No. Please look at me." She begged him softly. The man behind her tried to escape but Chat Noir tripped him with his stick.

"Look at me!" Marinette insisted and finally he averted his eyes from her attacker and stared at her.

His pupils moved around like he was searching for some kind of truth in her eyes. She gave him a gentle look and then she smiled.

"Call the police." Chat Noir said simply.

Marinette called the authorities and went at home while she watched her partner waiting for them with her attacker. She packed up everything her parents wanted; two blankets, some food and beverages as well. She came out when the police was about to depart, they didn't even need a statement because the culprit almost begged them to lock him up. She saw Chat Noir whispering something to him and the man shivered. The police left and Chat Noir looked at her.

It was the break of dawn, the sky had a beautiful ghostly blue shade, painted pink lavender here and there; the dark cloud of the fire could not be seen from Marinette's street. This morning resembled any other in colors but it was different somehow. It had been indeed the craziest Monday ever. The girl approached her partner.

"Thank you for your help." She said.

"You are fearless. Do things like this happen often around you?" he asked her, pointing towards the direction that her culprit was a few moments ago.

"No…"

"You should go to the hospital. There was chloroform on that piece of cloth." he explained, disgusted.

"I didn't inhale any of it; there is no need to go." She looked at his ring that had three dots left "Would you like something to drink before you leave?"

"Aren't you going to bed?" he wondered – Marinette could tell that he was still upset and serious.

"I have to return to my parents and I don't have to go to school tomorrow." She explained and grabbed his elbow almost dragging him in her house.

"How about some cookies and milk?" she purposed.

"Sounds tasty and responsible – I'm still on duty you know." He agreed, pointing his black leather ears. She rolled her eyes. Marinette wanted to tell him that he was overly violent with a civilian, even if he was a criminal. He should have arrested him and get him to the police, not assault him. She also knew that she had suppressed the shock of the incident at the back of her mind; she would probably freak out sometime later.

Once they were inside the patisserie, she got him the milk and cookies and he grinned.

"Thank you, Meowrinette." He purred.

"You are welcome. Could you stop calling me Meowrinette?"

He winked at her. "How would you like to be called by me then?"

"Marinette." She said simply.

"Everyone else calls you Marinette." He said indifferently while biting the cookie. Marinette thought that he usually called her Ladybug but it was not something she could tell him.

"They call me that because it is my name."

"Well, I think we know each other long enough to have pet names, don't you think?" he said with a sly grin.

Marinette frowned and he laughed playfully. She could imagine that her partner was about her own age. He was indeed too old to wear such a costume, what was his kwami thinking? His ring beeped, leaving only two dots.

"I will have to bolt soon, Meowrinette. Do you need anything?" he asked her while staffing the last cookie in his mouth.

"I need you to stop calling me that and get some rest." She commanded him.

"Meow little lady, aren't you a little bossy to your first aid kitten?" he teased her.

Marinette shook her head. "Would you rather a belly rub?" she snorted.

"A belly rub would be purrrr-fect."

"In your dreams."

Chat Noir blinked and smiled. "You are such an enigma, Meowrinette. I thought you were a quiet little lady but instead I see you are feisty. Don't get me too excited, I might snatch you" he teased again with a mischievous smile.

Marinette squinted.

"Go now before you lose your transformation and become helpless against my wrath." She said smoothly.

He laughed and got up, his leather outfit emphasizing his flawless physique. Marinette sighed.

"We will meet again kitty soon, little Meowrinette." He greeted her.

"I am not little." She mumbled as the shop's bell announced him out.

(A few days later)

Right after Monday's events, Ladybug and Chat Noir had to deakumatize four different civilians that were traumatized by the fire. All four of them held the superheroes responsible for the accident since they "did nothing to save it". Marinette stayed calm and dealt with the crisis but she was under great sentimental pressure about the matter. She told no one of the attempted assault against her although Tikki advised her to talk to Alya; the kwami was worried that if Marinette got too secretive she would eventually feel very lonely. The girl assured her supernatural friend that as long as she could discuss everything with her, she would not feel alone.

The weekend finally arrived and Marinette was exhausted and cheerless. Adrien was his usual perfect self at school, having completely forgotten about the locker incident. She somehow hoped that maybe something could change between them but everything was the same. However, sometime at Saturday morning her phone rung and she saw his name on the screen, with one of his vogue catalog pictures that she really loved and had picked to appear when he called.

Panicking, she ran upstairs, closed the hatch of her room and picked up.

"Hello?" she answered the call nervously.

"Marinette?" It was him. His voice was perfect on the phone as well.

"Heeeeey, Adrien..." she tried to lower her voice.

"Is it a bad time?

"No!"

He giggled on the other side of the line "Cool. I was wondering if you have anything scheduled for tonight."

Marinette felt sick, then dizzy and then her legs went numb. Was he asking her out?! Tikki got out of her hiding place and looked at her with widened eyes.

"Marinette?"

"Yes! I mean no!"

"Uhm, so, I was thinking if you would like to meet with me to play some games at Max's place…" he said hesitantly.

"Sure!" she tried to say casually although she failed to do so.

"Great! Does 8:00 pm work for you?"

"Aha."

"Very well. I'll see you there!"

"Aha! See you!" she said and threw her phone on the bed, staring at it in horror.

"What have I done Tikki?" she whispered dramatically.

"You have agreed to go play at Max's place with Adrien." Said the kwami calmly. "You have done this before with Adrien and Max, don't freak out."

"YES! But I have never kissed Adrien before and now it's going to be weird and he is obviously trying to prove that we are still friends but I don't want to be friends with him, however, I can't do anything else because every time I see him I swallow my own tongue and either way he is too perfect to ever notice my feelings for him-"

"STOP!" yelled Tikki. "You are driving me crazy, Marinette! You are overthinking this!"

"Am I?"

"Yes. Just go and have some nice time with your schoolmates. You know, I believe that if Adrien experienced the real you, he would certainly fall for you!"

"You think?" the girl wondered.

"Yes, I do." Said the kwami patiently.

"Ok. Oh no…"

"What is it?"

"What should I wear?"

(Saturday, 7:57 pm)

Marinette waited for Adrien outside Max's place. She wore bleach wash boyfriend jeans, her white fabric shoes and a pale purple butterfly sleeve top. Tikki was hidden in her bag and Marinette was focusing on being normal. She envied Alya; she would never bite her tongue around a boy. Marinette sighed.

That was when Adrien arrived, surprisingly on his bike. Marinette thought that he had probably evaded his bodyguard again. He was wearing dark blue skinny jeans and a long, irregular, loose dark red long sleeved shirt with crew neckline and velvety texture. He also wore black trench boots and his usual silver ring. Adrien rarely dressed in dark colors but they suited him perfectly. When he saw Marinette he smiled widely and approached, leaving the bicycle outside the small garden.

"Hello!" he greeted her.

"H-hey Adrien…" said the girl as casual as possible –which was not even remotely enough-. Not only did he look like a model he somehow also smelled like a model. Of course, Marinette thought, he was actually a model, so…

"Shall we?"

"Of course"

Marinette went ahead on the stairs leaving Adrien just one step behind. He casually followed her but she was so conscious of his presence that she tripped on her own legs, almost losing her balance. He casually held her by her elbows, quietly giggling.

"Everything all right?" he asked mischievously.

Marinette could not believe herself. She was Ladybug. She could run and tumble on rooftops effortlessly. Why was she the worst, exclusively in front of him?

"I'm s-sorry. I am not usually like this." She said miserably, ascending faster the remaining staircase.

"I know you for four years; you have always been a little absent minded." He remarked coolly.

"Well it makes sense but honestly I can be very focused." She pouted.

"Really?" he teased her and she turned towards him, surprised. He almost never teased her. She looked at his familiar eyes, shining with the light of a thousand emerald stars. She was hopeless.

"R-Really." She replied hesitantly.

He shot her his usual killer smile and Marinette stared at his face in awe. His smile faded softly as they were now both standing outside Max's door, in the dark hallway. Something changed.

Marinette felt the same mystical vibe that made her lose all sense during the locker room incident. She didn't form any thoughts; she only looked at him, entrapped in his gaze. His expression became unreadable and without even realizing it, they both came closer to each other. There was some kind of energy between them that she could not explain but she knew that he also could also sense it. He frowned, obviously confused-

Suddenly the door opened making them both jump away of each other.

"Guys, here you are! What took you so long?" Max said casually fixing his glasses on his nose. "Come in!"

Marinette almost ran inside avoiding any further interaction with Adrien for the evening…

(Sunday, 4:35 am)

(He had his claws out, transformed into Chat Noir. Marinette was standing in front of him as he was leaning against the wall of his room. Her eyes had lost their warm and sweet aspect; they were dark and intriguing. He grabbed her waist and brought her closer to him as she reached up in order to playfully bite his chin. Next she kissed him on the part of his neck that was exposed and continued, trapping the zipper of his leather suit with her teeth. The tip of her nose ringed the bell on his collar and he lowered his face to see her angelic expression. She pulled the zipper down, descending on her knees and tracing his skin with soft fingertips…)

Adrien woke up in the middle of the night, all sweaty and… excited.

"What the…" he mumbled immediately removing his shirt. He threw the bed covers away and got up.

"Hey!" Plagg complained. "What is wrong with you?"

"Not now." Adrien replied sharply as he got in the bathroom.

"You are so weird!" yelled the kwami from the bed.

Adrien looked at his reflection in the mirror. There were obvious signs that he was aroused. Was he out of his mind? He frowned and took the rest of his clothes off as he got in the showering room. He turned the water on and got under the rainfall showering system.

Why was his mind tricking him like this? He was in love with Ladybug. Marinette was his friend, yet he never had sexual dreams with Ladybug. Should he reconsider his feelings? Did he have a change of heart? No, this couldn't be it. He belonged with Ladybug. It was a matter of time for her to realize it and he had no problem to patiently wait; he enjoyed a good hunt. But there was something about Marinette… The way her eyes had locked on him, the way she claimed him with her kiss… He knew there was something more between them after they kissed. A strange, compulsive tension. He remembered his dream and his stomach twisted with desire.

He got out of the shower wearing nothing but a towel, his wet flaxen hair dripping on his chest and back. Should he explore his instinct? Could he do it responsibly? He doubted that last one.

He walked out of the bathroom, put on his work-out clothes and left his bedroom. Nothing better than exercise, he thought.

(Monday, 9 am)

Marinette got late at school, no surprise there. She managed to get through the first period uneventfully while listening to Alya's narration of her weekend, until Adrien turned back from his seat and passed her a note. She almost bit her tongue.

The note wrote: "Can you meet with me in the library?"

Marinette's heart stopped and then raced. She looked at his smiling face and nodded in agreement. He nodded back and turned to face the teacher again. Alya stared at Marinette and the girl numbly passed her the note. Alya's eyes popped open and she gave her thumbs up.

Once the bell announced the end of the class Marinette got up and went in the library, walking slowly and carefully listening to what Alya said.

"Don't freak out, he probably wants your help with literature."

"He is a top student, I could use his help instead." Argued Marinette.

"I know, that's why I want you to try and ask him something now." Said Alya, smirking playfully.

"What?"

"Ask him to the movies."

"What?! Alya…"

"Come on, girl! Trust me! He has no reason to refuse. It is a casual thing to purpose to a friend! We go to the movies all the time." Alya explained impatiently.

Marinette sighed. "All right."

"What?"

"I will ask him to the movies."

"Wow girl, I had a full argumentation in my head. This was easy." She said surprised.

"You were right. He will go away and I will only see him at reunions, so maybe I could at least try…" mumbled Marinette.

"Way to go girl! Go get the man!" she cheered.

"Quiet!" pleaded Marinette.

She went in the library alone but she didn't see anyone there but Juleka. She wandered through the shelves searching for him while mastering up the courage to be casual in front of him. She found him browsing in front of the greek mythology section. She nodded to herself and she headed his way. He noticed her and turned to look at her.

"Hey." he said in a low voice.

"Hello." She whispered.

"How about-"

"What do you-"

They spoke at the same time and Adrien giggled softly. Marinette smiled awkwardly. "You go first." She said.

"Ladies first" he replied playfully.

"Ok." She stared at her hands. "Movies…would you like, to go?"

"Do you want to go to the movies? Which one?" he said kindly, smiling at her.

She looked back at his emerald eyes. She took a deep breath.

"Any movie." She admitted shyly.

He stared at her, his gaze reminded her of something but she couldn't put a finger on it; she felt her cheeks blush.

"Any movie?" he repeated slowly.

She didn't respond. Did he understand? Was this the moment of embarrassment she was terrified of, all these years that she loved him?

Adrien's eyes restlessly searched her features.

"Hey, Marinette, are you…asking me out on a date?"

Marinette almost choked on her breath.

"Y-yes."

He was obviously taken aback.

"I see." He said coolly. Marinette was feeling dizzy by that point. "Let's do this."

She froze.

"What did you say?"

"I said that I would like to go on a date with you, even if it is any movie." He repeated timidly.

"Really?"

"Yes" he giggled, biting his lower lip.

Marinette bluntly stared at him in disbelief. He didn't look away.

"Ok." She said hesitantly and felt so awkward that she just blurted out: "So what did you want to say? Do you need help with literature?"

He laughed quietly.

"No"

"Then wha-"

Her question was interrupted by his lips, briefly touching hers. He then stopped and looked at her. She was shocked and red but stared back at him. He then came closer and kissed her again, deeper this time while pressing her body against the book shelves. Marinette closed her eyes and lost her mind in his embrace. She kissed him back, hungrily, without even realizing that she grabbed his waist and pulled him even closer.

Some moments or years later he violently left her and she almost stumbled. He looked at her face and then her lips, obviously confused.

"I need help with this." He declared breathlessly.