"You're fucking kidding me." She hissed, banging her fist onto her table. "It's eight o'clock. Give me a break!"

Marinette could hear screams from the outside of her window and a booming cliché villain laugh, and let me tell you, she was so, completely, done.

"Can I just-" Marinette gestured to her math's homework.

"Nope!" Tikki brightly said.

Marinette let out a groan, "I just want a couple days off. Please?" She dragged her tired body to the middle of the room, "Tikki, transform me."

She felt a comfortable breeze of warmth envelop her body as her suit appeared.

"Off to save Paris again…" She grumbled to herself as she climbed onto her roof. "It'll be fun they said!" She tossed her yo-yo to where the shouts were coming from. "Filthy liars."

She conveniently landed behind a chimney, giving her time to assess the situation. Marinette's eyebrows furrowed, she saw sparks of orange glowing in the distance. Fire? You can't be serious.

"My lady!"

Marinette swiveled round to see a very specific black cat emerge from the shadows.

"I see you've joined the party!" Chat ginned.

"No thanks." Marinette replied distastefully, urging Chat to join her behind the chimney. "I just want a day off." She whined.

"It's bad." Chat said, "Fire. I saw it on my way here."

"Did you see the akuma?" Marinette asked, turning to look past the chimney again.

"All I know is that he's got a stick that's on fire." Chat replied.

Marinette snapped her head back to look at him, "Don't-"

"I know someone, who also has, a stick that is on fire." Chat smirked, gesturing to himself.

Marinette gently shoved him, "For god's sake." She said, "Keep it at a minimum tonight." She grinned, the stress from school disappeared, happy that Chat didn't stop poking fun. Thank god.

Chat placed a hand on his chest, "Why, Ladybug! I thought you liked my jokes." He said, jokingly offended.

"Let's go." Marinette pulled on Chat's arm and they quickly but quietly stalked towards the glow.

They looked over a roof, wide eyed, Chat whispered, "Shit."

"I know." Marinette replied, "Be careful okay?" She glanced at Chat who didn't take his eyes of the fire-making akuma.

Fire was steadily growing up against buildings, scorching curtains and twirling upwards. In the middle of it all stood a tall dark figure, violently setting everything ablaze with the sweep of his stick.

He caught Ladybug's eye, "I'm always careful." He said before sliding down the roof and announcing his presence.

"Look's like somebody is on fire!" He shouted over the roaring flames.

The man holding the smooth stick sharply turned to Chat Noir pointing it threateningly at him as he jumped onto a lamppost, "Tell that to my mother!" He shouted, throwing a spurt of fire towards Chat. "She doesn't understand! It's my dream!"

"Oh god." He murmured feeling the brush of heat as he narrowly dodged the ball of fire, "It's real! It's real fire!" He shouted, hoping Ladybug could hear him.

"I am Fire Stick!" The villain introduced himself loudly, pointing his wand towards a building.

"Fire Stick?" Chat Noir asked, "Seriously? Was that the best he could come up with?"

Chat slid down the lamppost running towards the civilians who were trapped in a building. His baton extended, reaching upwards to help the people down, helping them slide down frantically. He watched as a couple of the people ran in the opposite direction in fear.

"It looks like things are getting heated!" Chat shouted at Fire Stick, "Guess why?"

The villain whipped round and set a blast of flames towards him. Chat quickly slid down his baton, avoiding the throw.

"Because I'm burning! I'm hot!" He laughed tauntingly, bounding around Fire Stick, avoiding the flaming bursts sent his way.

"That is the worst one I've heard all night!" Ladybug yelled through gritted teeth, "You could do better."

He turned to look over his shoulder and saw Ladybug warding off the fire with her yo-yo. Her back was turned and she gestured the parents and their children to run past her.

"Once I take over this city, nothing will stop me from becoming Paris' best flame thrower!" The spandex clad villain roared at Ladybug.

"You don't have to do this!" Ladybug shouted, "I'm sure your mother will understand… your dream!"

Chat could see that Ladybug's muscles were straining from spinning her yo-yo around for so long. Soot already settled onto her suit from being so close to the flames. Beads of sweat was dripping down her forehead but she looked so determined… and strong…

"Hey!" Ladybug hollered, "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help?"

She walked closer to the Fire Stick, her cheeks flushed and her bright eyes glittering with fire.

"She will never understand!" He screamed, angrily throwing more fire at nearby buildings.

The smoke was quickly building and people around them were already coughing harshly. Chat ran towards Ladybug, slowly dragging her away from the flamethrower, he took her to an alley corner to recover.

"Take a break before you faint." Chat muttered.

Ladybug coughed, her blackened hand coming up to cover her mouth. Chat rubbed her back soothingly, "Any idea where the akuma is?" He asked whilst looking over his shoulder tentatively.

Ladybug shook her head, her eyes screwed shut as she continued to cough. "We have to get those people out of there." She said between trembling breaths.

"I'll do it." Chat immediately said, "You stay here."

"No, I have to go with you." Ladybug urged, "You could get hurt."

Chat waved his hand at Ladybug dismissively, already walking away, "Don't be silly, I'm hotter than fire!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes.

Chat was busy distracting the villain whilst people ran the other way. The fire was crackling now, licking away the buildings, the smoke becoming so thick that it was hard to see the moon and the stars.

"Give me your miraculous!" The flamethrower said.

Chat scoffed, "If it hasn't worked before, it isn't going to work now!"

"I think I know where the akuma is!" Ladybug shouted on his right, "Try the stick!"

Sure enough, due to the tight spandex he wore, didn't leave much imagination or anything else that could possibly contain the akuma.

Chat immediately ran towards the flame-throwing villain with the intent of throwing a kick aimed at his stomach.

"Chat! The fire!" Ladybug screamed.

Chat twitched away as a ball of flames narrowly missed him. "Good call!" He yelled to Ladybug as he quickly ran away from Fire Stick.

"You can't beat me!" Fire Stick cried.

"You can't beat fire with fire!" Chat yelled back.

"Your arm!" Ladybug shrieked.

Chat frowned, 'My arm? What about my arm?'

"It's on fire!" She pointed.

"Shit!" He yelped, frantically patting it down, "Shit, shit shit shit."

Ladybug watched with amusement as Chat ran around large circles trying to pat down the small fire that started on his arm. At the corner of her eye, she watched as Fire Stick whipped his wand at Chat Noir whilst he was busy running and yelling towards her.

Suddenly everything was in slow motion.

As if on instinct, Marinette automatically started to sprint towards Chat and blocked him from the out coming shot. She grasped his body to hers as they tumbled onto the floor. She felt fire slowly caress her skin, seeping through her thin suit. She screamed and grabbed hold of Chat's hand, who turned his confused gaze towards her.

"No, no no." He muttered with concern, desperately trying to beat the fire out as quickly as possible.

The side of Marinette's Ladybug suit was completely burned off but luckily the fire only licked her skin but it still hurt like a bitch. She grimaced; tears of pain was leaking out from her tightly closed eyes. Marinette tightly curled her hand around Chat's bell dragging him down to her mouth.

"Use Cataclysm on the post." She managed to hiss between her teeth before being subjected into another wave of pain after she attempted to hold onto her burn. Bad idea, Bad idea!

She could feel Chat's pained gaze focused on her face and she clenched his hand tighter, "Go." She said, forcing it out between breaths.

Chat felt waves and waves of guilt crashing onto him as he dragged himself from Ladybug's form; writhing in pain from the burn. He shouted, "Cataclysm!" and dragged his claws onto the lamppost, and watched as it fell on the akumatized victim. Satisfied, he scampered back to Ladybug who was lying on the floor, watching her pained expression with frustration.

Marinette opened her eyes, gazing tiredly into the night.

"Why?" The tiredness and shame of Chat's voice made her rip her gaze from the smoke that was furling into the sky.

"What?" She croaked, "I have to get up, we have to finish." Marinette said determinedly, not waiting for Chat to reply.

He grudgingly offered his arm and pulled her up, knowing that nothing would stop her from finishing this mission. Chat supported her, throwing one of her arms around his shoulders and carefully holding her waist, avoiding the burn on the side of her rib cage.

"Lucky Charm!" Marinette threw her yo-yo into the air, praying that what ever she received would help this end quicker. She grabbed the item that came from the sky.

"A fire extinguisher?" Chat sourly said.

"Distract him." Marinette ordered, trying to overlook the tears welling up in her eyes as Chat gently removed himself from her, running towards the Fire Stick.

She watched as the Fire Stick angrily pushed the lamppost off his body, and began to aim tired blasts of fire towards Chat who would leap away and say something snarky.

Ignoring the agonizing pain on her side, she ran towards him, putting the fire extinguisher on full blast as he tried to block her with a wall of flames. She fell on her thigh, skidding across the concrete. She bit the inside of her cheek as the burn emitted out another slap of pain. Marinette slid between the legs of Fire Stick, her arm reaching up to snag the stick from him.

Marinette quickly stood up, snapping the cane with her knee. She released the purple akuma, letting it drift before purifying it.

Adrien watched Ladybug quickly purify it, "Bye bye little butterfly." Her eyes tiredly followed the white buttlerfly as it flew away. "Miraculous ladybug!" She yelled as she threw her lucky charm in the air, watching as the magic swept over Paris, mending the damaged buildings and stray fires.

Adrien watched as Ladybug tiredly stumbled towards him, he lifted up his fist as they always did at the end of the missions.

"Good job." She said, forcing a smile onto her face, before grimacing at the pain when her fist touched his.

Adrien's ring beeped. "Promise me you'll meet up with me in two hours."

Ladybug winced, "It's nearly ten Chat."

He grabbed her shoulders. "Promise me." He said.

"Alright!" She said, "Now go before your transformation wears off."

His ring beeped once again, "You'll be okay going back home?"

"Oh my god, just go." Ladybug gestured, "I'll be fine."

Adrien gave Ladybug another doubting gaze before prancing away.

"Oh no! Did I do that?" The tall gentleman quickly ran towards Ladybug.

"It's fine!" She replied, giving him a smile, "Are you okay?"

The akumatized victim nodded, her earrings emitted a ringing beep. "Guess I have to go! Bye!"

Marinette dropped her positive attitude, wincing with each step she took. Thankfully the akuma attack didn't attract many reporters or fans, and her earrings rung with the same beep as Chat Noirs. Groaning, she slowly limped to a dark alleyway, leaning against the wall as Tikki flew out.

At least things with Chat Noir weren't awkward. She didn't know what she'd do if there would be tension every time they met. Marinette was thankful that they both unconsciously agreed to pretend like nothing had happened.

"Marinette!" Tikki immediately said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Tikki." She tensed as the new fabic settled over her skin, "Just did something stupid."

"You and Chat Noir have to be more careful! With Hawkmoths akuma's becoming more and more dangerous, we can't risk something like this! It could've been worse!" Tikki rambled.

"I know, I know. But I had to! You know I did." Marinette protested.

"I'm really worried about you two." Tikki sighed, "Come on, let's get back home before we have to meet up with Chat Noir again."


Marinette waiting on their usual meeting point, a rooftop close to where they first met, carefully built away from the public eye.

Her Ladybug suit repaired itself when she put it back on, but her burn still throbbed underneath. She didn't dare touch it.

"My lady."

Marinette turned towards the sound of Chat Noir's voice and noticed what he was carrying, "Are those bandages?" She asked, "And… is that aloe vera?"

Chat's mouth was tugged to a frown, "Yes." He replied, "Now show me the burn."

"Chat, this isn't necessary."

Chat's ears visibly flattened, "What wasn't necessary was you throwing yourself in the line of fire!"

"You would've done the same for me!"

Chat's mouth opened but she stopped him bringing her hand up, "No! You can't be the only one who can take punches and falls! I care about you too!"

His eyes narrowed, "Fine! Take a punch for me Ladybug! But don't get yourself fucking burnt."

"I couldn't just stand and do nothing!" She spat, "You would've done the same for me and you know it!"

"My suit is thicker than yours Ladybug!"

"What difference does it make? Can't you just say thank you?" Marinette turned to walk away.

Chat reached to grab her arm, pulling her back, "I don't want to see you hurt." He said in a small voice.

Marinette's eyes softened and she pivoted her body back towards him, "I know. But it's our job to help Paris and we're going to get hurt no matter what."

"If I had just paid more attention-"

"No, this akuma was extremely dangerous and one of us would've gotten hurt anyway."

"I'm supposed to protect you!" He croaked, "And now you're burned "

Something inside Marinette cracked. She didn't ever realize that Chat Noir would care so damn much about her. "We're partners Chat. I look after you and you look after me." She placed a hand on his shoulder, "We protect each other."

Chat smiled forlornly, "Right."

"Now, are you going to help me with the burn or not?" Marinette asked bursting the tension.

"Yes!" Chat snapped back to his usual self, "Sit on the ledge." He directed.

Marinette slowly settled onto the ledge, "I've cleaned the burn." She said, "Wait, are you going to rip the suit open?"

"Mhm." Chat hummed, sitting behind her, cutting her suit open carefully with his claws. "Hope it's no problem for your kwami." He said, "And your suit repairs itself so, eh."

Chat hungrily stared at the exposed flesh of his lady. It would have been a prettier sight if it weren't for the burning red strip across her side.

"It doesn't hurt that much you know." She whispered craning her head back, watching Chat closely.

"Right…" His eyes scanned her burn.

"Okay fine, it hurt a lot but it isn't that bad." Marinette paused, "And besides, you know that the burn doesn't really affect my citizen form."

"I pictured a lot worse." Chat said, unscrewing the tub of aloe vera. He brought his arm around her, "And of course I know, but I can't have an injured Ladybug running around, can I?" he curled it around her stomach, bringing her closer to his chest.

Marinette gulped, leaning back into Chat's chest, Chat Noir's going to rub aloe vera on me. Oh god, kill me now.

"Okay, I'm just going to-"

She hissed when she felt the cool sensation spread, numbing the sting. She tipped her head back onto his chest and moaned, "God that feels so good."

Chat watched her with guarded eyes, gently dabbing her burn lightly. Marinette remained oblivious with the fact that the hand on her waist tightened. Marinette's hand suddenly jumped to grip Chat's wrist when she yelped. He quickly withdrew his hand, "What?"

"Your claws grazed the- uh…"

Marinette hadn't realized the closeness between her and Chat Noir's face until she looked up. She looked up into Chat's emerald eyes drowning in their depths, bewitching her.

"Ladybug?"

Marinette jumped, removing her gaze from his eyes, but dragged them back up, unable to stop herself. "Grazed the burn." She breathed.

He nodded, his eyes dilating, "Sorry." He said in a hushed voice.

They stared at each other, frozen. "Bandages!" Marinette said in a shrilled voice, "Bandages!"

Chat averted his gaze, his jaw clenching, "Right."

Marinette was dying. Not literally, metaphorically. She wished the ground could swallow her up. 'Smooth Marinette. Real smooth.'

She awkwardly lifted her arms allowing Chat to gently place a large bandage onto her.

Adrien's hands shook as he stuck the bandage onto Ladybug. His head was basically leaning onto her shoulder, looking downwards as he carefully smoothed the bandage over her. Control yourself. He scolded.

His head came back up to look at Ladybug, 'TOO CLOSE.' His mind screamed. Their noses were teasingly brushing each other, his breath caught, "I'm done." He whispered.

"You did great." Marinette replied faintly, her eyes flicking to Chat Noir's lips.

"I know."

They leant in agonizingly slowly, both of them desperately yearning for the unforgotten desire. Marinette's eyes lazily slid closed, her head twisting higher in attempt to meet Chat Noir's lips quicker.

She didn't know what she was doing, and she was so close she could feel Chat's warm, shallow breaths on her face.

A car alarm blared, causing the pair to dart away from each other. Chat fell backwards.

Marinette felt blood rush up to her cheeks when what she almost did hit her. In the face. Hard.

"I-" Marinette started, "I-I'm going to go home. I've got a lot of work to do… math homework… you know, school." She quickly rattled, "And it's late, so, it's like what? One?" She forcefully laughed, "That's late! I've got to sleep, home…" She walked to the other side of the roof, avoiding eye contact with Chat Noir at all costs. "Good morning! Night! Have a good night!" She crazily laughed a good bye before swinging away.

Adrien lay dazed on the floor, "Oh my god." He muttered, "Did that just happen?" His voice was loud and echoing in the silent night.

He got up, brushing himself off as he walked leaning on ledge watching Ladybug's hurried attempt to get away from him in the distance.

"God, what the fuck am I going to do."