*A/N I don't own these dorks. This was a hard chapter.


Chat hesitated for a moment before he leapt to his feet, getting in a ready position to possibly fight whoever was sneaking up on him. His baton twirled in his hand dramatically before the figure chuckled slightly, stopping him.

"Sorry to frighten you, kitty," Ladybug apologized. She stepped out of the shadows so he could see her better.

"No need fur apologies, my lady. I was simply too deep in thought to realize it was my very own spotted beauty approaching," Chat smiled, standing up straight and putting his baton away. He bowed slightly, hearing her giggle. The sound was music to his ears.

Ladybug walked up past him, sitting down on the roof facing away from him and pulling her knees to her chest. Her shoulders fell as she let out a long breath. He wondered why she wasn't out patrolling like she always told him to do when she would stumble upon him lying around lazily, as she was now.

"How was your patrol, Ladybug?" Chat asked, setting a hand on his hip and glancing down at her fondly, though slightly patronizing.

"Paris is safe," she told him swiftly. Her head leaned over her should to look at him better. "How are you, Chat?"

"My half was safe, as well," he grinned proudly.

"How are you doing?" Ladybug asked him again.

He peered down at her in confusion, "I finished my patrol."

His lady huffed, blowing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm trying to have a conversation with you, kitty. Do you want to talk or not?"

His mouth dropped open. She had been asking about him. Not the patrol. Chat's head began to spin with excitement. This was… new. He plopped down on the roof an appropriate distance away from her, crossing his legs in front of him. The hero felt his tail wave madly before dropping down with a soft thud.

"I take that as a yes?" Ladybug smirked playfully.

Chat felt a wide smile on his face, "Tell me about you first."

"Huh?"

"How are you doing today, my lady? Please tell me you're feline fantastic," he winked. This whole situation felt like a dream. Just the two of them, Chat Noir and his beautiful lady, speaking casually on the rooftops of Paris with no other cares in the world. Chat felt so absurdly content; he figured it must be a crime to be so happy.

Ladybug was reachable now, as if a wall was being brought down gradually ever since they had spoken of her crush nights ago. The hero gulped, hoping the mystery boy wasn't the reason his lady had sought him out. His heart wouldn't be able to handle her gushing over him.

Ladybug smiled at her feet as she muttered, "Something amazing happened today, Chat. I… I think he might have noticed me."

Of course, Chat thought to himself. He felt the night settle heavily on his shoulders with the thought of Ladybug smiling and talking to this boy that was not him. His throat tightened, and Chat Noir knew it was time to bite his tongue. The silence lasted a moment too long, but he couldn't help it. Chat knew that if he spoke too soon he would only say something bitter about the crush, and that would probably send him back to square one with his lady.

After that moment of silence was over, Chat raised his eyebrows and said carefully, "Your blind prince has finally seen the light?"

"I'm not sure about that," Ladybug answered easily, stretching her legs out in front of her so that her toes were almost brushing against Chat Noir's crossed legs. "But things are going to change now. I… I feel it. Or, you could say, I'm feline it." She laughed, nudging his leg with her foot jokingly.

Chat turned away from her, trying to hide his face from her. He knew he looked sad. Part of him wished his claws would reach up and rip the expression from his face forever, the frown so permanently etched on his features due to Adrien. He hated that frown. It was not supposed to be worn by Chat Noir.

"Chat, is something…"

"Wrong? I'm tired of everyone asking me what's wrong? Is something up? Why are you acting so weird?" He sighed, his hand creating a tight fist and pounding against the roof lightly. "Isn't it natural that something should be up? I'm a hero of Paris. There's… there's always something up."

There was silence on Ladybug's end, but Chat refused to look at her, embarrassed by his ramblings. He loved her too much. Why wasn't she speaking? He wanted her to help him, but how could he expect Ladybug to help him when she was the problem?

Not being able to help himself, Chat glanced up at the girl next to him, and the look she gave him told him it was his turn to speak now. She would listen to him. But he had no clue what to say.

"Ladybug," he murmured, "I like this girl. No, I… I love her with all my heart. So why does it hurt so much to be around her sometimes?" He felt his ears droop, but the relief Chat felt over expressing his feelings to her in this way was incredible. He wished that he could admit them fully, but he wasn't brave enough.

I love you, Ladybug.

He closed his eyes and imagined saying it to her.

"You told me, Chat," Ladybug started after a while, breaking him from his imagination.

His eyes slowly opened, looking away from her. When he refused to meet her gaze, he felt Ladybug's hands grab his cheeks and pull his face up to meet her gaze. Chat hadn't realized she had gotten so close to him.

"Chat, you told me to go after what makes you happy, even if there is pain along the way. I did, or, well, I'm trying to do that. And I know that there will be days when he still won't notice me, and I'll still be invisible, but I know that if I get at least one more moment like I had today, I can make it okay. I'll be okay so long as I can have him near me because I'm happiest with him. Whenever and however."

Chat Noir was angry to have his own words used against him. His lady could follow his advice because she was strong. Ladybug could go after her happiness because she could handle the pain of being without her prince; the few moments with she had with him were enough for her, enough to mask any pain. But Chat was so utterly weak and selfish. He couldn't believe that he would be able to settle for those few moments in a sea of pain. Just being around her wouldn't be enough for him. Not forever.

Ladybug's breath hit his nose, and suddenly, the hero was so painfully aware of how close to him she actually was. Chat could reach up and brush his lips against hers at that moment if he so desired. He desired. He wanted to kiss her badly. So badly that he felt himself unconsciously leaning towards her.

If Chat followed her advice, to go after his happiness, he would lose his best friend. Ladybug would choose her crush over him; she had made it clear that her heart belonged to another. They wouldn't meet like this anymore, and Chat would have to move on, as impossible as the thought seemed.

If he didn't follow the advice, his heart would continually ache around her, knowing that perhaps her lips were pressing against someone else's. But he would still have these moments on the rooftops at midnight when he could see her blue eyes and kind smile inches away from him.

Gulping, Chat stopped moving towards Ladybug. Instead, he took the hands from his face and returned them to his spotted beauty, darting his eyes away again.

There was no choice.

He couldn't lose her.

Even if she dated her prince, he knew he needed to be in her life. He smirked to himself, finally realizing what Ladybug had meant. The few moments were worth it, and maybe he could be strong enough to endure through the pain just so he could see her smile at him once more. Even if it meant he would never move on.

His eyes rose to meet her strong gaze, and Chat felt himself shrink away shamefully. Ladybug looked so concerned for him, and he just kept thinking about himself. They had barely spoken about her. The familiar guilty feeling from earlier in the day returned to his stomach. And just that feeling made Chat realize Ladybug's crush might not be the only reason he was distraught tonight.

He began to fidget. "You asked me how I was doing. And, well, something else is up. Aside from…" Chat trailed off. Exhaling, he said, "Ladybug, I hurt the feelings of a girl who had done nothing wrong to me ever in her life. How should I make it up to her? How can I?" Chat Noir chuckled to himself, looking over Paris once more, "I guess you can't really help if you don't know the situation."

"And I shouldn't know."

"Right."

"Because our secret identities."

Chat Noir nodded sadly, standing up and turning his back on Ladybug. Her voice was gentle and lovely and made him want to be at her side and hear her speak to him all day. It was as if she was begging him to love her, and he was obeying without argument. Chat sneered. Her special boy out there would soon realize how wonderful she was and return her affections, leaving Chat Noir in the dust with his broken heart.

"Thank you."

Chat tilted his head slightly towards her.

She stood up, smiling at him. "Thank you for your advice and for being here for me. I don't know what I would do without you, Chat. You're… you're one of my best friends and my partner. Whoever you are under your mask, I'm glad you're the Chat Noir I met."

Chat ground his teeth together, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. His hands balled up into fists clutching at his tight costume as he spun to face her. "Ladybug, I…"

Her head tilted to the side, patiently waiting for him to continue.

His hands loosened at his sides. How could he have done that? How could he spoil her happiness? The little smile on her face, obviously over her prince, her oblivious boy… how could Chat Noir express his feelings when she was obviously so happy at the moment? No, he wouldn't do that.

Why did she have to say something like that to him now? When he was at his weakest. When the words I love you were on the tip of his tongue, dying to be spoken.

"I'm glad you're my lady," he whispered instead. His decision was to enjoy the few moments he had with her. So Chat could never tell her how he felt. Yes, it would mean more pain for him, but he'd rather live in misery than without her.

Ladybug smiled widely, taking a few steps forward to set her hand on Chat's forearm. "Partners forever, okay?"

His voice stuck in his throat as he whispered out, "Okay."

At that, her arms slid around Chat's neck, and she buried her face into his chest, holding him tightly. He stood stiffly at first, not being able to comprehend her touching him like this. She was all business, never play. Yet here she was, speaking of her feelings and secret identity and hugging him. Tightly.

Before she could tug away, he embraced her back with his hands wrapped around her waist. His nose was in her hair, sniffing her unconsciously and being warmed by presence. The warmth made him want to cry.

Adrien was never held like this.

He felt her fingers twist a lock of his hair and stay there before she began to loosen her grip around him. She pulled away with a tiny curve of her lip. Chat kept his hands lightly on her hips, not wanting her to go. Her hand set itself on his shoulder before sliding down his arm to grip his hands on the small of her back. And then, as if she had never been there, she was gone, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as she returned home.

Chat Noir watched her go, the warmth of her continuing to spread through him like a wildfire.