Read the AN at the end of this chapter for a bit of an explination...

Kid looked up from the folder full of files on the cheapest real estate she could afford to convert into her new shop as the flight from Americas landing was announced over the PA system. She had been waiting in the uncomfortable metal chair for hours, since she had gotten off the phone with her grandfather, and finally the wait was over. She stood and made her way to join the small crowd forming near the terminal and watched the plane slowly make its way to a stop through the large wall made up of windows. Her hands clenched around the folder as her heart pounded against her rib-cage in an unsteady manner. He was back in Paris, her little brother was home, but he had been gone for so long that she doubted he even considered it home in the first place. She scanned the faces of the people piling out of the plane and strained her memory for an image of his face.

He had been young when they were separated by their greedy aunt, barely five years old with big silver eyes and a head of unruly black hair. He looked a lot like their father back then, everyone said so, yet they often mentioned that he had the heart of their mother. A kind yet shy boy who didn't even struggle against the older woman who yanked him from their grandfathers home twelve years ago, he would be seventeen now and she had it under good authority that he had grown into a tall quiet young man.

What she wasn't expecting was the young man with long black hair that cowed about his shoulders and half his face like a waterfall, wearing a dark black leather trench coat that dusted the floor when he walked and having what appeared to be a permanent scowl set in his now deep grey eyes.

"Cain?" She asked as the boy approached her while sliding a dark grey wool skull cap over his head.

"Yeah?" He looked up slowly and their eyes locked. A moment of confusion passed over his face before he blinked and his eyes were cold and lifeless looking once again, "Chi?" He asked uncertainly.

"Call me Kid kiddo." She stated with a warm smile. He simply shrugged and turned his head towards baggage claim without another word. The glint of light off of a shiny black feather hanging from his ear caught her eye and she felt her smile slip into a worried frown. So he ended up getting the Raven Miraculous from their aunt in the end. She wondered why her grandfather even gave it to the greedy woman in the first place as she followed him while he moved to gather his luggage.

"My friends in New York called me Crow." He stated after he slung a duffle bag over one shoulder and turned to look at her once again, "Aunt Tara told me that you were having problems with your business before I left." He added as he looked around them, scanning the crowd with his cold eyes.

"Oh, uh yeah. You know the fashion designer Agreste?" She asked as they made their way towards the doors leading out of the airport.

"Not really, I don't follow that kind of thing." He shrugged and adjusted the duffel bag on his shoulder as he spoke.

"Oh well, all you need to know is he's a rich jerk who bought my shop out from under me, pops did tell me not to rent but I didn't listen, anyway it's all good now. Ladybug helped me work through some stuff and all." She scratched her chin and watched him from the corner of her eye. He had peeked up at the mention of Ladybug and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

*"Sounds like someone needs to kick his pretentious ass."* she raised a brow at his muttered English but decided not to push it, she personally didn't know enough English to tell what he was saying but could make out it had to do with an ass of some kind. Her look didn't go unnoticed by him and he smirked and shrugged his shoulders once again.

"I hate to be that guy but, you probably want to use French from now on." She sighed as they crossed through the sliding glass doors and out into the Parisian sunlight. His smirk turned into a frown and he lowered his head slowly as a red tint dusted his cheeks. He scratched his chin and grumbled to himself about being so far away from home as he followed her to a waiting rust red pickup truck.

"Thought you drove a motorcycle." He stated as he tilted his head slightly to study the vehicle.

"I do, this is Kevos. He offered to help me pick you up." She stated as a man wearing a plaid red and orange shirt and sporting a brunette man bun hung his head out from the drivers side of the truck and shot the boy a friendly wave.

"Kid he's adorable! Look at that hair!" Kevo cooed around a hearty laugh and she noticed her brothers cheeks darken once again before he looked down quickly. She raised an eyebrow at his actions and felt her lips pull into a small smile.

"Don't let him see you blushing or he will go out of his way to embarrass you in front of Mari later." She whispered after turning her back to her best friend so he couldn't read her lips.

"Mari?" Crow was obviously confused by the word which made her smile even more.

"It's what Ladybug goes as outside the mask. She doesn't live with me anymore but she still comes over to hang out almost daily. I told her to come a little late today since I was picking you up." He physically paled at her words and she shrugged off the sight, wondering just why the mention of Ladybug would cause him to look so terrified. She didn't have to wonder for long however because his next statement cleared it up for her perfectly.

"I thought I wouldn't be seeing them outside the mask." His words prompted his kwami, a small creature resembling a jet black bird who's eyes blended in perfectly with its feathers, to poke its head out of his coats collar.

"Who even said that they would let you join them? Plagg certainly won't be happy to have me around again." Caww, she remembered the grump of a kwami from her youth and smiled brightly down at him as he spoke.

"They have to let me join them! I know more about this then they do certainly. I've had you since I was ten." Crow huffed back at the raven kwami without a heartbeat in between their words. Kid chuckled as the two continued to argue and led them into the truck. Kevo didn't give the kwami a second glance as he cranked the vehicle and pulled out of the airport parking lot. She knew that it would be an interesting day, for her at least.

"Marinette watch out!" She barely registered Alyas voice before she was slipping on a piece of newspaper someone had left on the stairs leading up to the floor her old apartment rested on. She waved her arms at her sides as she tipped forward and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, preparing for the inevitable fall that would follow. However she did not fall for long as a hard muscled back met her face. A blush bloomed across her cheeks instantly and she began to stammer as she pushed herself off of the person she had sent sprawling onto the floor.

"Hey Bug, I thought I was the only late one." She peeked up immediately at the deep yet playful male voice that filled her ears. Suddenly she wasn't a stuttering mess anymore and was instead wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as a happy squeak left her lips.

"Chrissy! It's been too long!" She and Alya cried out as one.

"It's been a week kiddos." He chuckled as he ruffled Marinettes hair playfully. Alya huffed beside her until she received the same treatment from the man who had come to be much like an elder brother to the two girls.

"Yeah but you take us to the good places for lunch, Kid just thinks crackers and beer will do." Alya stated as she joined in on the group hug. He chuckled and shook his head slightly as he steered the two girls towards the front door of Kids flat, it had been a bit over a month and there had been no akuma sightings really since Fangs Way. He was grateful to the two of them and offered to pay for lunch a few days after the battle and had been doing so on each of their patrol days ever since.

"So has Chat asked Mari to move in and watch over the bakery?" He asked as they neared the painted door. Marinette paused long enough for him to sense she was uncomfortable with the questions and looked to Alya who simply shook her head slowly.

"Even if he wanted to the girl has refused to tell anyone but me where she's living now. Of course he doesn't need to know the reason behind that." Alyas sly grin was not missed by Marinette who stuck her tongue out at her.

"I should have just stayed with Kid for all the sleep I get lately." She rolled her eyes at her best friends feigned gasp and felt a small smile creep across her lips.

"Uh, I don't think that would be a good idea since your room is taken." Chrissy stated as he rang the buzzer in their coded way. She was about to ask what he was talking about when the door creeped open to reveal a messy head of tousled black hair that settled over a pair of deep grey orbs that Marinette immediately felt herself being swallowed up in. The orbs- er, eyes, belonged to a boy who seemed to be around her age and looked like he could be Kids doppelgänger or even her son. His heart shaped face and long eyelashes gave him a soft feminine look, even if the stern set of his brow and thin line to his lips made him appear older by comparison.

"What?" He demanded in a voice that she vaguely recognized. It was smiley yet gravely and made her think of loud bass and long guitar solos for some strange reason.

"Geez Crow nice to see you again to." Chrissy stated as he ruffled the boys hair and moved past him into the flat. The girls tilted their heads in confusion at this action and stared at the boy who stared back at them.

"Are you coming in or what?" He snapped as he stepped back away from the door to give them room. Alya cast her a sideways glance that told the young designer she didn't approve of his attitude before striding into the room, "miss Fox." He stated as she passed him.

"Uh, um, I-" Marinette began.

"Ladybug I really can't leave the door open all day." He deadpanned as he rolled his eyes at her and stepped back even further into the room. She lowered her gaze from his cold dead stare and stepped past him slowly as she felt the heat rising to her cheeks. Halfway into the living room she paused as his hushed whisper reached her ears, "thank you for helping my sister." She turned to face him fully and opened her lips to explain that it wasn't just her who helped Kid, but was stopped by a pair of strong arms wrapping around her chest as she was pulled backwards into the much plumper chest of the woman who had snuck up behind her.

"Bug! I see you met my brother. He just got in today." Kids low alto voice soothed Marinette and she found herself smiling brightly up at the heavily pierced woman.

"He looks a lot like you." She stated with a warm laugh that bubbled up from her chest. Kid did not wait for her brother to respond to this show of affection before she dragged Marinette backwards into her bedroom. The room was full of boxes, the sight causing Marinettes heart to drop into her stomach. Kid was in the process of moving to a new cheaper flat that was close to her school, her business was downgrading and she would be working out of her first floor now much like Marinettes family had before they too were foreclosed on.

"Just sit anywhere, the boys are having one final gaming tournament to say goodbye to the place." Kid stated as she lounged across a few boxes. Alya was already there, leaning over Chrissy's right shoulder as he struggled to beat Kevo in Ultimate Mechanics Strike 3. Marinette stood in the doorway awkwardly as she took in the sight, how could they all act so normal when Kids life was literally in boxes all around them? She could feel her pulse quickening in her head as she studied each and every box around her, taking note of Lamb Lamb sitting on top of one filled with Kids bedclothes. She didn't feel she belonged in this place, she shouldn't have come, it was bad enough that Kid was suffering like this but she knew the older woman wouldn't show it around others. She had to find a way to get out of there before the lump growing in her throats was joined by the tears that already stung as they threatened to fall from her eyes.

"Hey sis we're out of pasta and I am not eating your crap for dinner." Her eyes widened as Crows voice filled the room.

"Dammit, it's like being thirteen all over again! Little kids aren't allowed in here Cain!" Kid called out with a big goofy smile plastered on her face. Anyone could tell just by looking that she was happy to have her little brother back again.

"Whatever, I'm going shopping." He stated in a cold flat tone as he crossed his arms and stared down his sister, "just wanted to know if you wanted anything." He grumbled after a few seconds as he broke their small staring contest.

"Do you even know where the store is?" Kid chuckled as she mimicked his crossed arm stature.

"I can show him around!" Marinette called out a bit loudly as she noticed him frown all the more at his sisters words. Alya looked up from the screen and shot her a curious glance that she waved away as her face flushed light pink as she realized how her outburst must have seemed to them, "I- I mean I do know the place, Paris, heh, lived here all my life and all." She stammered quickly as his eyes locked onto her.

"You're weird." He stated flatly before turning his back on everyone in the room and taking a step out of the door, "well, come on then Bug girl." He called back after a few seconds of her standing there in shock.

"Weird is a good thing to us Fengs." Kid cried out through her laughter when Marinette ran to catch up to him.

"My passport says I'm a Smith." She had reach him just in time to hear him grumble the words as he slid his arms into a long black trench coat. Worry filled her as she pondered the siblings relationship. Kid seemed over the moon to have him around her, yet he acted as if he couldn't stand the young woman. She found herself pondering why he disliked his older sister so much as she followed him out of the building and through the darkening streets of Paris.

Chat leapt from rooftop to rooftop as the crisp night air flowed through his hair. Alya had mentioned earlier that day that she was joining Marinette on a trip to her ex roommates house so they could help the woman pack up. When he asked where they would be meeting she simply shrugged him off and told him that if the young designer wanted him to know where she was staying then he would know. It was so frustrating to him; first his Lady kept secret friends from him only to bring those friends into the group, then his girlfriend kept secrets as important as where she was staying from him. He needed this patrol to clear his head after nearly a month of trying and failing to figure out if his hunch was true. Of course if Marinette was Ladybug then he would be ecstatic? He would be in love with only one girl then, but at the same time if they were on in the same then that would only mean she was keeping two very large secrets from him that she trusted to another.

"I said I would carry the damn bags, stop being stubborn." He stopped running across a rooftop and his ears perked up at the vaguely familiar male voice. Where had he heard it before?

"Me stubborn? Look at you! I'm carrying two bags to your six so just shut it and walk." He felt his eyes nearly pop out of his head at the sound of Marinettes voice. She was so full of confidence and sass, and while talking to another boy no less.

"Who do you think you are, my mother? Let me carry my own fucking bags for two stupid blocks."

"Oh what are you scared Kid will see you letting me carry two stinking bags and think less of you?"

"I don't give a flying fuck what Kid thinks! Give me the bags Marinette! You don't have to try to help everyone and I don't need your help! I don't want it! Why don't you just scuttle back to wherever you came fr-" a loud echoing smack cut off the male voice as Chat finally located where they were coming from. A tall dark haired boy in a black trench coat who had three bags of groceries draped on each arm was holding his cheek as he glared down at Chats pigtailed princess who was staring up at him with her fists clenched around the handles of two bags and placed firmly on her hips.

"Stop it, you stop it right now. This isn't America and I am not some little girl who's going to cower at you if I think you're angry at me. I said I would help you and I will weather you like it or not." Chat leaned against a chimney as he studied her annoyed and slightly red face from afar, "now you can either take my help like a man or you can spend today running from a black and purple butterfly because you can't keep your stupid anger in check. I thought you were like Kid but obviously you are a case of nurture over nature."

"Sh-shut up. You don't even know what I've been through in America."

"You're right, because I totally didn't try to ask you in the deli isle." She huffed as she turned and continued on her way towards Kids place. The boy grumbled something that Chat could not make out as he rubbed his cheek and looked down at his feet. The black clad superhero was just about to leave when the other male looked up and locked a pair of cold grey eyes on Chats glowing green ones. The superhero felt his eyes widen then narrow as the other males lips pulled into a devious smile.

"You want to be called Mari right?" He called out as he looked away from Chat. Marinette stopped short of the curb and turned to look wryly at the boy.

"Yes?" It sounded like a question more than an answer.

"Well, Mari, when I uh go to your school call me Crow alright." He was running to catch up with her now and Chat was fallowing each of his steps on the rooftops above, "you're annoying, don't get me wrong, but I think we could be good friends like you and my sister." Chat could feel a low growl escape him as the male, Crow, draped his arm across Marinettes shoulders.

"Now who's weird." Her words were cold but the soft chuckle that followed told Chat she really didn't mean it. The strange male joined in and soon they were both chuckling as they crossed the pedestrian crossing while chatting about things that the cat themed male couldn't quite make out.

Chat followed the two of them until they made their way into Kids building then simply sat on a roof overlooking it waiting to see his princess leave. The sun dragged slowly across the sky as he waited and he passed his time wondering just who the strange new male was in her life. He said he would be attending school with them so he supposed he could corner him as Adrien and tell him to leave her alone, but wouldn't that raise questions that he was no where near ready to answer? The day turned slowly into dusk as he pondered these thoughts and he could hear Plagg complaining in the back of his mind already about how tired he was of holding the transformation. With a sigh he leapt down into an alleyway to detransform and feed the cranky kwami before heading home.

"Took you long enough!" Plagg snapped as he floated out of Adriens ring.

"Sorry, patrol was a bit-" the blonde began as he searched for a slice of cheese to give the floating black cat.

"Don't even make up excuses kid, I saw you spying on you're girlfriend and I felt your jealousy." Plagg snapped as he crossed his arms, "all month you've been sneaking around and getting yourself worked up over a problem that could be solved by, Meow?" Adrien took a step back as he watched Plaggs eyes widen and the small black cat creature actually acting like he looked. He could feel a cold sweat dampening his brow as he slowly turned his head to face whoever had caught him talking to his kwami, excuses already racing through his mind as he did so.

"Oh hell no." Alya stated as she stood there with her arms crossed before her chest.

"I-I can explain." Adrien stammered as he moved to hide Plagg from the dark skinned girl who's eyes were already narrowing at him angrily.

"Oh please do Chat Noir, explain to me how you could toy around with my best friend before I kick your ass." She snapped as she took a step closer to him.

"I never toyed with her!" He exclaimed before looking down quickly to avoid her gaze, "I wasn't trying to hurt her I- i-"

"Oh Alya can't you just let him process this before he blows a fuse?" He looked up quickly to see a fox kwami floating beside Alyas head as the girl stared him down.

"Trixx, great now he knows who I am to." Alya huffed and glared at her own kwami before turning back to Adrien with the same cold glare, "do tell me how buying her old place and flaunting it as Chat Noir wouldn't hurt her." She stated in a cold flat voice as her fists clenched dangerously.

"So she is Ladybug?" His heart swelled with joy even as his head told him he should be afraid of the very angry girl before him, "I just, she needed a place and I wanted to-" he sighed and covered his eyes with one hand as Plagg floated down to rest on his shoulder, "I wanted to give her her home back." He felt his eyes water as he spoke, "you can't tell her who I am, she doesn't know that I am Chat and I need to tell her myself." He was red faced and sweating by the end of his small speech, but Alya was at least standing less threateningly before him.

"I'll tell her." She sighed.

"Wait don't-" he began urgently but she simply held up her hand to cut him off.

"I'll tell her that Chat bought the place with her as Marinette in mind. I will get her moved in and set it up where she watches over the place during the day for the 'superheros'" she made air quotations around the word before continuing, "you have a week, seven days from now, to tell her who you are so all the shit can end and we can be a team or I will tell her myself that Chat and you are one in the same. Got that." She moved close enough to poke his chest roughly as she spoke and he rubbed the spot as he nodded slowly. She turned and walked out of the alley calmly without saying another word to him and as he watched her go the weight of the timeline he had been given weighed on his shoulders, causing him to slouch sadly against the wall beside him.

He received a text from Alya shortly after he got home that night, she wanted him to come to the park as Chat after school and give Marinette the keys to the old bakery. She added that he could reveal himself to her at that time but he chose to ignore that suggestion as he pulled himself into his shower, ignoring Sabines calls as she stepped into his bedroom looking for him to take him to dinner. He had been eating a lot better since his girlfriends parents started working for him, but he wondered how long they would stick around after finding out what he did for her. They may want to join her in their old home and he would not stop them if that were the case.

His eyes closed as the water hit his face and he heard the door shut behind Sabine as she exited the room. He ran his hands through his hair a few times before letting out an exhausted sigh. Marinette was Ladybug, Alya (who was defiantly Volpina) confirmed this for him. So why did he feel so scared to tell her who he was? Would she reject him after finding out he was indeed Chat Noir? Did she even have any feelings towards Chat anymore after being with Adrien for so long?

"You look exhausted kid." Plagg stared around a bite of cheese.

"In more ways than one." He sighed as he leaned against the wall of his shower.

"It's cold~" Crow complained as he stood between Alya and Marinette later that night, "isn't it supposed to be like summer here? Come on." He frowned as he nestled himself further into his long trench coat and gave the raven haired girl a stern pout.

"Are you sure your sister deserves the name Kid and not you?" Alya asked as she chuckled lightly. He continued to cast his pouting face at Marinette rather than look at the girl who was currently picking on him.

"In New York I would just be in my nice warm apartment around this time of night." He stated firmly. This time the small ravenette laughed lightly at his words while she covered her lips with one hand.

"In New York its daytime right now." She stated as her laughter died down into giggles.

"You are not helping out at all bug." He grumbled as he crossed his arms momentarily, only to shove his hands back into the warmth that the pockets of his coat shortly after. The three of them were currently standing in an abandoned alleyway, hidden from prying eyes, so that the girls could witness his miraculous transformation. Marinette was actually freezing as well, hence her choice to bring two scarves and a pair of mittens on top of her wool coat that she had reviewed the last Christmas. She could only assume that his kwami being a bird affected him in much the same way as her kwami being a bug did to her. Long story short, this bug hated the cold weather with a passion.

"Get it over with and give me some candy please." Caww stated through his chattering beak as he nuzzled into his chosens neck for warmth.

"Fine, Caww, transform me." He was covered in what appeared to be feathers made of shadows themselves before they faded away to show him in a skintight suit with patterns of feathers engrained into it. A hooded cape rested on his shoulders as a equally dark mask rested over his eyes, forming a beak like shape as it rested over his nose. He lifted the hood from his shoulders and quickly draped it over his head to preserve some warmth from his own body heat and followed this action by pulling what appeared to be two grappling hooks that were similar to a birds talons from his hips.

"Nice~" Alya practically purred, "what are you called, like this?" She asked as she motioned to his entire body with her hand.

"Oh, uh, my name in New York was Raven." He scratched his chin with one of his hooks as he spoke, "but I dunno if I'll use it here." He looked down as he pondered his own words, missing the shrug that the girls shared between themselves. Marinette was about to speak up when an of beeping sound filled the alleyway. He gave them a sympathetic smile as he pushed the ends of his hooks together and pressed a hidden button to reveal a screen on their joined part. A relatively cute girl an a deep green mask appeared on the screen, she did not look happy in the least.

*"Raven, where the hell have you been for the last week? You can't just slither away without warning my little bird boy."* She stated before hissing slightly at the sight of the two girls looking over his shoulder, *"what the hell? Who are they?"*

"English?" He heard Marinette whisper to Alya over his shoulder, he had to ignore it though or face even more of his old partners wrath.

*"H-hey Viper what's up? I uh, I'm not really in New York anymore, I kinda sorta moved to France."* he stated in English as he nudged the girls away with his elbows.

*"France! What the hell! First of all why didn't you tell me, second of all WHY THE HELL DID YOU MOVE ACROSS THE FUCKING WORLD ASSHOLE!"* Viper exclaimed from the screen.

"She's a snake so hissy fits are a given." He shrugged at the two girls beside him as they giggled at his words.

*"You just told them I'm throwing a hissy fit didn't you!"* Viper accused as she narrowed her eyes at him. He did a double take and raised a brow at her when she yelled this, Viper didn't speak French did she, *"Fucking knew it! You're a jerk in multiple languages!"* she yelled the words once again.

*"Love you too Viper."* he grumbled as he rolled his eyes, *"Is something wrong? I can't really help from here."* he added as he watched her lower her head to hide her face behind her long red bangs.

*"Can't a girl worry about her partner?"* she asked slyly.

*"You literally threw me off of the Statue of Liberty last time we saw each other."* he stated flatly as the girls behind him looked at one another in confusion.

*"Yeah I did, but-"*

*"The time before that was the Empire State Building."* he deadpanned.

*"You had that one coming."*

*"You tripped me when we were on the edge of the Macy's sign."*

*"JERK YOU CAN FUCKING FLY!"* she shouted before coving her mouth with one hand and looking to her left quickly. He raised his brow at her actions before letting out a slow sigh.

*"Jackal is there I assume."* he stated around a poorly held back groan. She nodded and closed her eyes as she let out a slow breath.

*"You may not like him but at least he didn't move across the freaking globe."* she added after a moment of tense silence between them.

*"I'm glad you still have a partner Viper. I'm sorry I left but I have family issues to sort out."* he stated softly. She nodded before making a small surprised o with her mouth and resting her finger on her chin as it slipped into a smile.

*"Here I thought my little birdie was Chinese or something and it turns out he's French."* she chuckled gently.

*"I'm kinda both."* he didn't hide the goofy grin on his face as the second of the dark clad heroes of New York made his presence known behind her, *"I am a two in one kinda guy. Always ready to sweep you off your feet."* he shot her a wink as he watched the brunette male behind her turn as red as her hair.

*"Shut the hell up!"* he chuckled as he heard Jackal yelling this while his thumb pressed firmly on the hidden button to hang up on them.

"Old friends?" Alya asked as she raised her brow. He turned to look over at her before shrugging his shoulders and settling his face into a firm frown.

"Old life." He answered as he looked down at his hooks and furrowed his eyes at the thought. Marinette, who was no stranger to secret affections, saw the way he had looked at the girl he had called Viper and felt her heart pang for his sake. Her hand found his shoulder and she patted it reassuringly.

"It will be okay, it's not like she's going to forget you." She assured as she gave him her best friendly smile. He looked down at her with a terrified look in his eyes as his brows shot upwards towards his messy black hair.

"It's not like- I don't really- uh, I dunno what you're talking about." He pouted as his exclamation turned into a soft mumble and he looked down at the ground. He slid his hooks into their holsters before grabbing his cape and spreading it dramatically. Marinette hadn't noticed before that it was split down the middle and connected directly onto the spine of his outfit, the look it gave off was very reminiscent of the bird he got his name from, "I don't want to talk anymore. Gotta fly." With that he waved his arms downward and shot up into the ever darkening sky.

He hadn't spoken to them the rest of the night so both girls were quite surprised to see his mess of dark black hair in the crowd at school the next day. They were equally surprised to see that a certain blonde was standing before him with their arms crossed angrily as Crow did his best to smile in a friendly way at them. Marinette felt her cheeks warm at the sight of the two of them. Clearly the blonde was making her new friend uncomfortable but the thought of why had her blushing like a mad woman.

"Yo boys what's up?" It was Alya who called attention to the two of them in the end. Marinette felt her heart skip a beat as Adriens beautiful green eyes locked onto hers before he flashed her a bright smile that warmed her all the way down to her toes.

God she loved him.

"Hi." She gave Adrien a small wave, ignoring Crow who was being crushed in one of Alyas one armed hugs. Marinette was too busy being lost in her boyfriends eyes after so long apart to even notice the whispered conversation between the two or the devious look on Crows face as he eyed the blonde.

"They are a thing." Alya stated as she rested her elbow on Crows shoulder.

"It looks like she's a bit more into the thing than he is." Crow shrugged as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He felt his smirk pull into a full on grin when the blonde moved closer to the girl in question shortly after he whispered the words. The two shared a devious look before it was cut short by yet another voice.

"Babe are you seriously hanging on another man over there, you're breaking my heart!" Nino exclaimed as he rushed forward frantically at Alya.

"Never honey!" Alya exclaimed as she leapt into the DJs waiting arms.

"Now that's how you mutually couple." Crow chuckled as he crossed his arms and shot Adrien a playful wink. Adrien turned pink at his words and wrapped one arm around Marinette who squeaked and jumped in response to the sudden contact. He continued to chuckle as he walked past them towards his classroom. It was empty, which was a very good sign. He made his way up to a desk in the back and claimed a seat there before stuffing his hands in his coat pockets and propping his feet on the seat of the desk ahead of him. He knew from earlier that he shared homeroom with the girls but in the classroom he liked to be less obvious to people around him. Marinette had explained they sat in the second row of seats and that he could sit one row behind them with their friend Ivan, but honestly he preferred the back, especially if it was close to an exit like this classrooms back desk was.

"Excuse me but, that's my seat." He glanced up at who the soft shy voice that interrupted his thoughts had come from and his heart nearly stopped in his chest. Beautiful deep red hair hung before sky blue eyes that were surrounded by lovely long dark eyelashes. He felt himself take in a shaky breath as he watched those eyes look down shyly away from his face.

*"oh damn."* he whispered to himself as he felt his cheeks warming, "I-I heh, I mean uh, s-sorry I'm from America um, eh-what did you say?" He asked quickly in sloppy French. He rested his cheek on one hand as his elbow hit the table but the fabric slid causing his head to tip forward. He shot up straight in his seat then and clasped his hands together, hoping that the lovely red head had not noticed his fumble.

"Y-your in my seat?" It sounded more like a question than a statement.

"Shit, sorry." He felt like someone could fry an egg on his cheeks at this point as he slid over for the red head to sit beside him, "oh I'm Cain, er, you can call me Crow though. I'm new, the new kid, in your class um." He groaned and his his face behind one hand as he looked away from his new desk companion, "sorry about babbling, I'm usually not like this." He added softly without looking at them.

"It's okay. It's your first day here and all the way from another country. You must just be nervous. Maybe a friend could help. I'm Nathaniel, I can help you with your first day jitters." He turned to take the hand offered to him and shook it slowly.

"F-first day jitters. Yeah, that's what it is." He chuckled nervously as he felt his kwami snicker inside his coat.

Dialogue surrounded by *" "* is in english in this story while the rest is meant to be in french. Since I write the story in english I had to have a way to differentiate the two languages. I know I focused on the new OC this chapter but I needed a bit of build up for him in later chapters. I am sorry if this upsets anyone and I actually did have a version of this chapter where he just appeared in the classroom one day and didn't gove him a lot of backstory. I liked this version better but if anyone wants to see the other version let me know. I am sorry for my absence but like I said I had multiple versions of this chapter written and had to figure out which one I wanted to present to you all.

I hope that you all will continue to enjoy this story in the future,

Much Love;

AD