Sorry this chapter took so long to be posted! But I hope you'll enjoy it nonetheless ^^

Also, just a quick reminder of what has happened so far: Marinette has lost her memory during a fight against Hawkmoth's last Akuma – losing her Miraculous in the process. To keep and eyes on her, Gabriel offers her an internship and moves her to his mansion. Adrien, meanwhile is growing desperate to find Ladybug all the while as Paris is controlled by the Akuma still. He ends up befriending Marinette as Chat. During one of his patrols through Paris, Nathalie finds him absent and fearing he might get distracted, Gabriel forbids Marinette and Adrien from hanging out together – not to forget that Natahlie is getting suspicious of Chat's identity as well.

What if all of Paris forgets?

Chapter Seven

.o.O.o.

Dinner that night was tense. For once, everyone attended, but it was clear from the way Nathalie and Gabriel glared at each other that they had had a fight. And the way they glared at him, Adrien couldn't help but think the fight had been around him.

It didn't help the matter that he still was barely allowed to exchange the most common of niceties with Marinette. Whenever they went off talking for longer than a minute, one of the adults would step in and the fact that they weren't seated next to each other wasn't helping at all.

There were no conspiratorial whispers. No notes they could secretly pass – unless he'd get Plagg to do the actual passing – but Adrien doubted the Kwami was willing to do that, unless Adrienw as willing to pay a hefty bribe in form of at least ten wheels of camenbert.

And anyway. How could he possibly explain to Marinette what exactly Plagg was?

No, he'd have to wait until tonight, when he could, maybe, sneak into Marinette's room as Chat Noir again.

He had done so plenty of times already – and Marinette had yet to shut him out once. Though, as her own schedule increased, more and more time was spent with her designing or doing homework.

But it was nice! He wasn't complaining! If she did homework he'd help her and if she designed he'd watch her work her magic, enraptured by the way she moved her hands or furrowed her brows or stuck out her tongue whenever she was concentrating especially hard – he simply missed their normal days. Just their – their day-to-day interactions, the first sincere "Good Morning" he'd hear to the last – and only – "Sweet Dreams" of the day. It wasn't always that he could sneak out either – his father wasn't a fool and neither was Nathalie and both of them had agreed that letting the Gorilla watch over him at night would secure their verdict.

And as lenient as the Gorilla was, Adrien did not want to be caught not being in his room by anyone.

And then there was the matter of Adrine not knowing whether Marinette actually wanted him to be there. On a rational level he knew she did. She opened her window whenever he showed up, even if she was just about to go to sleep. She hadn't told anyone of his nightly visits either, although she was under the influence of the Controller – and yet.

She stammered. Blushed. Whirled her arms around in front of her. Refused to meet his eyes. Always kept that small little space between them that had vanished after two weeks of friendship between her and Adrien.

It was as if the roles were reversed, as if Chat Noir and Adrien had switched roles and – well, he didn't like it.

To be fair, Adrien had never known her that well before this latest Akuma had come to stay – and he had always been under the impression that Marinette somehow felt – felt closer to him as a superhero (and he couldn't figure out why because shouldn't him being a superhero impress and intimidate her). But now, that the roles were reversed and Marinette had slowly but surely managed to become his best friend, the distance felt even more painful than it had been when she had put up that wall at school.

Once dinner was over, Nathalie accompanied Marinette to her room and Adrien – Adrien was left alone once more.

He swallowed the last bit of his dinner, before excusing himself – after all that had happened, not even his father's presence during dinner could bring him any excitement.

"Are you finished already, Adrien?"

"Yes, father,"

"You have barely eaten half of what's on your plate."

He knew he hadn't, but he didn't care much for it.

He wasn't hungry.

"Please remember you are on a diet, Adrien. You are expected to neither eat more than what you've been told, not to eat any less. Understood?"

"Yes, father."

"Very well. And please don't forget, that whatever friendship you and Miss Dupain-Cheng have between you, it wouldn't last anyway. I don't want you to get hurt – don't ever dependent on someone else. They might just leave."

Adrien had to swallow the urge to slam the door behind him as he wordlessly left the dining room, and although he barely managed to keep himself from doing so, the anger kept simmering within him.

The utter helplessness he felt didn't help.

His father was a hypocrite – a damn hypocrite. Had he not shut the entire world out simply because his mother had-had vanished? Was his father that self-centered he believed his own son a carbon copy of himself?

Marientte was the only thing he had been able to look forward to those past few months and his father had taken that away on a whim, simply because he hadn't been able to stand the loss of his mother and now feared the same would happen to him.

Which was ridiculous. Marinette would never just up and leave – she wouldn't be able if she wanted to, not as long as the Controller still haunted Parisian streets.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

Once Adrien had entered his room, he threw himself onto his bed, muffling any sobs that might or might not escape his lips.

If he didn't know there was already an Akuma active, he might just have been afraid to get akumatized himself – but as it stood, for now, at the very least he didn't need to keep his emotions in check.

"Kid", Plagg said, floating next to him, but Adrien ignored him.

He hated this. He could transform, of course – but shouldn't have to sneak out just to be able to meet a friend!

"Kid..."

"What do you want, Plagg?", Adrien's muffled voice almost hissed and at any other time, Plagg would have taken that as a reason to go and float off, leaving his charge to his own misery.

But Plagg, for all his faults and selfishness, knew pain better than anyone else. He was the entity that was supposed to inflict it, after all – and he knew his chosen was hurting.

He didn't need anyone else to lecture him on his manners.

"You know, pigtails isn't the only person you can talk to, right?"

That made Adrien sit up and Plagg blinked once in surprise. Well, that had been easier than expected, he had thought he'd need a little bit more…

"Chloé's great, Plagg, but – I don't think I need her kind of friendship right now."

Oh. Nevermind then.

Letting out a huff, Plagg floated away, before letting himself theatrically fall into Adrien's schoolbag, hoping his charge would figure it out already. Plagg had never been good at dishing out advice and he really hoped this would suffice and he could go back to napping.

"My schoolbag? You mean Nino?"

Huh. Perhaps this kid wasn't as dense as he had expected.

"I – I don't know, Plagg – we've texted sometimes, sure, but – that one spark igniting our friendship is just missing and I – I don't want someone to exchange formal niceties with."

Adrien fell back into his bed – and Plagg rolled his eyes.

"So? What stops you from meeting him in person?"

"I don't know – maybe the person who always keeps me from meeting my friends?"

Touche – though Plagg could have done without the snark.

"Pray tell, Adrien – now that you've finally realized what an insufferable jerk your father is – have you ever considered lying to him?"

.o.O.o.

The meeting Adrien had managed to schedule was awkward, to say the least. They were sitting in one of the publically endorsed cafes the Controller had yet to drive out of business and whilst Adrien would like to claim it was entirely the tense atmosphere's fault that haunted every nook and corner of Paris he had to admit it was partially his, too.

He just didn't know how to talk to Nino. It was like back on his first day of school, as he desperately tried to find something, any topic of conversation – knowing so much more about their relationship made it all the more harder. Adrien couldn't ask about the class – he didn't know any of them – or Alya or any of their lessons – he couldn't ask questions that went too far – they didn't know each other that well. In the past, it had been that much easier. They had started off with school and had just – eventually they had simply become best friends.

Things hadn't been hard. They hadn't needed that one specific interest to start off a conversation – they had had school and then they had cared for each other to not mind if Nino rambled on for hours about some unimaginably specific problem relating or if Adrien spilled tears over some small detail that had gone wrong and spoiled the one dinner he had had with his dad that month.

It hadn't mattered.

And now it did.

Adrien didn't want to exchange another flurry of "How are you?"s and "Are you alright?"s again – they could do that over text, they had done that over text and-

And it'd still be better than this. Anything to escape this desperate silence that had them engulfed – he was almost tempted to bite his nails.

"I-I'm sorry for not reaching out any earlier", Adrien pressed out when the silence became too heavy to bear, the second time that day – but the guilt was crushing him still.

It had been months and he – he had never asked to meet before. He – of course, he could cite Nathalie and the Controller but-

He should have asked earlier. No matter how uncomfortable it might have felt to simply ask out of the blue, no matter how strange it might have seem – he should have done more – had gotten too lost in his quest to find Ladybug and too comfortable to have just that one friend in Marinette for now.

"Don't sweat it, dude!"

Once again, Nino didn't seem to care.

"It's no biggie – I understand. Really, don't sweat it!"

Adrien pressed his lips together and Nino tried to keep his smile intact – until it slowly faded.

They were seated outside, viewing one of parks that had been kept open still – a few, courageous joggers were passing them by but other than that, not many others had found their way outside.

"I'm – I'm glad."

They fell silent once again – and it was Nino who eventually ended up saving the day.

Adrien shouldn't be surprised though – Nino had always had that way of staying calm, hardly ever breaking a sweat. The only time Adrien had ever noticed Nino getting nervous was when he had asked Marinette out on a date.

For some reason, that memory felt incredibly sour now.

"Did you listen to my Soundcloud? Any songs you particularly liked?"

At that, Adrien's entire face lit up, because of course he had! Plenty of times in fact and-

"They're great! I've recommended them on SoundCloud and – well, I'd recommend them everywhere else, but, uh..."

Social Media had been massively restricted while The Controller ruled Paris – it hadn't been fully shutdown, most chatting apps like Whatsapp still worked, but major platforms such as Instagram were subjected to censorship and strict monitoring. Every post needed to be approved now, not only by his father, but by The Controller, too.

Adrien hadn't even dared to bring up Nino's music – and perhaps, it was for the better. The request would have shut down anyway and it would have made sneaking out today much easier.

Officially, he was taking a walk.

For once his father had let him.

"I am aware that this punishment may seem harsh, Adrien – but it is for the best. Distraction leads to failure and an Agreste can never fail", he had said, before waving them off – and his father had almost looked guilty in doing so.

As if he actually regretted what he was doing.

Which would be a first, come to think of.

"Yeah, no – I get it. Kind of sucks? But there's not much we can do about it – the Controller's right after all, can't waste too much of our life on the internet, can we?"

Oh.

He forgot.

Nino – Nino was just as brai-influenced by the Controller as everyone else was.

Shouldn't he – shouldn't he be suspicious of Adrien then? After all, the Controller regularly warned of strangers.

"Why – Why did you meet me today?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you agree to meet up? I – we haven't seen each other in moths – hardly saw each other before that – and then – out of the blue – here I am!"

Nino may not have minded – but it had been a terrible thing to do anyway.

"You seemed like a nice dude – I wasn't going to judge you for having a weird life."

"But yo – you didn't know me!", Adrien protested.

He didn't know why, though. Nino was clearly willing to just let it go and for once he wanted to be selfish and just let it go as well.

Especially, when Nino shrugged yet another time.

"True, dude – but you seemed like a nice guy and I – I just had a good feeling about it? I don't know, man – I've always been good at judging people. Just don't forget to text again and we're all good! So, anyway – what was your favorite song? Man, I have so many stories to tell about all of them..."

.o.O.o.

Chat Noir started dropping by more and more often and everrytime he rapped on her window, Marinette would startle, before ushering him inside, scolding him for getting both of them in trouble.

"If anyone ever sees me talking to you, I – god knows what might happen!"

Of course, Chat knew nothing would happen, because he'd be damned if the Controller would ever get his hands on Marinette. She had taken in a strange stray cat once again, a second time already, no questions asked and it just showed what a great friend she was.

He knew it was foolish, but Chat couldn't help and hope that, maybe, Marinette remembered him. Parts, at least, remembered the times he had saved her or whenever he had dropped by on her balcony.

He remembered, still – vividly. It hadn't happened nearly enough and he planed to remedy that one all of this was over. Marinette had always had a smile and pastries to over and whilst he had never stayed for long, he had enjoyed the few spare minutes he had gotten with his friend.

For now, he was glad he had something quite like that. She started to slowly loosen up around him as well – and it was great. Chat had always known that Marinette was amazing – the way she talked, the way she took control of situations, no matter how dangerous, the way she took everything in stride and the kindness with which she did all of the above – a skill-set only rivaled by Ladybug herself – but her stutter and that invisible wall she had put up between them had always kept him from getting to know her better.

He didn't know why she had put it up, of course, but he would tear it down to the best of his ability. They had become great friends those past few weeks and he wouldn't let this friendship be taken away from him, no matter what.

But for now, he was content with just relaxing in her room. They were playing Ultimate Mecha Strike III again – his favorite pastime. Not because he won, but rather because Marinette would put her all into it and there was something so fascinating about watching her get fully immersed into a seemingly meaningless task.

Almost like Ladybug.

Chat deflated. He had to stop comparing them to each other.

"Ha! Take that!", Marinette whisper shouted as she beat him yet again, jumping to her feet to do her little victory dance.

"Defeated, Boohja, Marinette style!"

Victoriously, she pushed her fist up to the air as Chat Noir watched her in amusement. She was whispering for the most part, seeing how people couldn't really know about him being her.

Marinette fell back into the cushions of the sofa, stretching her arms in a wide arch.

"It's great to have you here – I've – I've started to feel a little bit lonely those past few days..."

She smiled at him – until she didn't, her expression turning somber. Tentatively she asked:"You – you've been here quite a lot, too."

She was frowning and Chat wasn't sure whether to interrupt her to to let her keep going – would she-would she figure him out?

"Why – why are you here?"

Chat didn't answer immediately – and Marinette seemed to interpret his silence for something. She ripped her eyes wide open-

"I-I don't mean it like that! I-I glad am you here that are! Glad are you here! Glad that you're here! Very much so, I just..."

She trailed off – her panic retreated and she was biting her lips now.

"But why? What made you come today? These past days?"

"Why, I saw a lonely princess in her tower and what a knight I'd be if I didn't stop by!"

He smiled brightly at Marinette – who was blushing now (which she had done a great many times, had she not?)

"P-p-princess?"

"Purr-inces", Chat corrected her.

They fell silence, Chat contemplating Marinette's vastly different character once again – he had expected her to maybe roll her eyes at him, not to stammer and blush (prettily) at a simple pet name.

Marinette seemed to be lost in her own thoughts, too – neither of them picked up the discarded controllers.

"Where you – where you, uh, where you looking for Ladybug again?"

Oh.

Chat's ears dropped. His eyes shied away from her.

"Yeah."

"Oh."

They fell silent for a few moments, controllers forgotten at the Television displayed the starting menu with all its vivid colors.

It made Chat want to vomit, almost.

"Don't you know her real identity?"

Chat chuckled dryly at that. He moved to sit down at the ledge, his legs dangling from the roof and patted the spot next to him, a warm smile convincing Marinette that it was fine. He wouldn't hurt her. Whatever had happened to him must have been truly horrible.

"No. Ladybug didn't want – doesn't want? - us to tell each other's civilian names. She was scared that if we knew and one of us gets mind-controller or whatever, the other one would be in danger too."

Another dry chuckle escaped his throat.

"I guess she wasn't wrong – but then again, that makes finding her all the more difficult."

He leaned back into the cushions closing his eyes, trying to recall the little of her face he knew. The lines were blurring already and he was all the more thankful for the pictures they had taken with his baton together.

"She has black hair, blue eyes – she's pretty small, I could always tease her about it."

Without looking, Chat threw his arms over his head to cushion the incoming pillow he knew would hit him.

"Hey!", Marinette exclaimed and soon enough, the expected pillow hit him.

"I'm small, too! There's nothing wrong with being small!"

She – playfully, of course – hit him with yet another pillow, before sitting back.

Chat dared to take his arms away from his face and looked at her, grinning widely.

"Small like a mouse", he purred, staring down at Marinette now – who was blushing furiously, with her mouth hanging open.

Chat fell back into his seat, glad they had managed to break the tension – and picked up his controller.

He was ready to get his butt kicked again.

Though Marinette had yet to make a move.

"A-Are you okay?"

Had he gone too far? He hadn't meant to make her fell uncomfortable – he had simply stated the truth!

Marinette was cute.

And small.

And had a very boopable nose.

"Alright I am – I am alright! I'm pref – I'm fine! Nothing the matter, everything's in order perfect – in prefect order!"

Well – she could have told him she was lying instead. But if Marinette didn't want to tell him, he wouldn't push her for it.

Not that he got to do that at all – at first it was a simple, well, feeling – and then his ear twitched.

It twitched a second time right after.

Without thinking, he pressed his hand against Marinette's mouth, eyes trimmed on the door, intently listening to any sounds that his ears could pick up.

"Can you hear that?"

Footsteps. Marinette froze – seemingly have heard them now as well – and looked at him. Her blush was gone (and Chat almost found himself missing it).

Then she cursed.

"Damn it", she hissed, whirling around as her eyes locked on the door.

It was late, yes – but not that late.

Someone must have heard her.

"Quick, hide!", she whispered when the steps grew louder. Frantically, she grabbed for the remote control and a controller – she didn't have to ask twice. Without hesitation, Chat dove behind the small couch, pressing himself to the floor as flat as possible.

The door opened up a few tense moments later and albeit he couldn't see who it was, Adrien was almost certain it must have been Nathalie.

His father would never concern himself with such menial tasks.

Silently, Chat prayed that Natahlie wouldn't insist on checking the room and – and if she did, he could – he could de-transform!

Adrien being found would be so much easier to explain than Chat Noir.

And Marinette would understand.

Surely, she'd understand.

She had to. She – She had to, if she cut him off too – if it wasn't just his dad and Nathalie and a dumb rule and his own carelessness – he-he wouldn't know what he'd do.

"Marinette?"

Nathalie knocked exactly three times before opening the door – Chat pressed himself flater against the floor.

"Is everything alright? I heard a loud noise coming from your room."

Cold eyes scanned the room and Marinette knew what Nathalie was on the lookout for – she-she really hoped she wouldn't find Chat, god, what would happen if Nathalie found Chat and-

Chat was faring no better – but he knew he had to calm down. He had to keep his tails from twitching and lashing out, keep his ears flat against his head and-and he'd be fine.

"I slipped!", Marinette exclaimed, her voice screeching and high-pitched and Chat flinched at the pain it caused his ears.

Damn super-hearing.

"I, uh, slipped?", she repeated, more composed this time:"I slipped and startled – everything's alright!"

Marinette's smile looked wonky at best, but Nathalie simply raised an eyebrow, before nodding.

"Very well. But do keep it down – and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow will be busy. Rest well."

And the door was slammed shut and Nathalie left.

Chat Noir stayed hidden for just a little bit longer – he knew Nathalie well enough to know she might very well wait in front of the door.

She hadn't.

Marinette turned back to him, her tension melting away once she saw the way he was hiding behind the couch, his ears pressed flat against his head.

She giggled.

"You look ridiculous, kitty", she said, as she knelt down next to him, carefully extending her hand, her eyes searching his expression for any signs of discomfort.

One of his ears popped back up.

Marinette was caught by a fit of giggles again, finally allowing her hands to sink into his head and to slightly scratch his ears.

The other one popped up to, before twitching ever so slightly – he was blushing, Chat knew that, but – it felt nice-

(Ladybug would sometimes scratch his ears just like this and perhaps it was unfair of him to put these expectations on Marinette, but really, he was too deep now to regret it)

-and – and she looked so happy.

Seeing Marinette happy made his stomach feel all giddy and sometimes guilty.

He was almost certain his father overworked her.

But that didn't matter right now, because right now she was smiling and scratching his ears just the right way and-

And he started purring.

Of course he started purring.

Chat ripped his eyes open, frantically trying to suppress the sound, but to no avail, as he looked at Marinette,

Her lips were pursed and she started at him in shock – which slowly morphed into amusement – before morphing back to shock.

Marinette glanced at her hand, still stuck in his hair, her eyes widening even further (he wasn't entirely sure how she managed to do that) and Chat could pinpoint the exact moment Marinette realized what she was doing. Loudly, she shrieked – hopefully Natahlie wouldn't come to check again – before falling backwards, scrambling away from him.

"Am so I so- I so sorry am – I'm sorry! So, so sorry, I – You looked cute – I mean, you always look cute – not like that! Not like that! – but you looked like extra cute – not that I ever pay attention! Because that'd be weird! And we're friends! And that'd be weird! And anyway, I'msosorryIdidn'tmeantomakeyouuncomfortable."

Chat pondered for a few seconds what Marinette might have tried to say, until he settled on accepting that she'd always be a mystery for him – then he pondered whether it'd be weird of him if he requested her to start petting him again.

He was a cat, after all.

Sort of.

He could always blame Plagg for any cat tendencies – would Plagg be mad if he told Marinette about him?

"You-You should probably go now", Marinette murmured after a few moments of silence and Chat's gaze snapped to her.

What? No! Was she – was she mad, had he done…

"I'm worried Natahlie might come back and – well..."

She trailed off.

Chat was a looked for criminal. She-She didn't quite understand why he was searched for, but he was and Nathalie was bound to call the robots should she find him in her room.

She didn't want to Chat to be sent outside of the city walls.

She didn't want to go herself either.

"Oh – Oh, of course, yeah, I should probably leave."

Chat got up, shaking out his head – Marinette tried her best to suppress her blush once again, but she failed miserably – but by now, Chat had probably seen her blush more often than not, so perhaps he wouldn't notice – before holding out a hand for Marinette to take.

She did. After pondering whether he legs would or would not give in if they touched.

"Thank you for letting me in again, Mari – It-it means a lot to me. And thank you for listening – I don't have anyone to talk to about Ladybug and she – she means a lot to me. I miss her a lot."

Ladybug's name left a bitter taste in Marinette's mouth – though it shouldn't.

Whoever this Ladybug girl was, she must have been – she must be pretty great. Chat had never said a single bad word about her.

He didn't talk much about her in general – but whenever he did, he got that faraway look of yearning and it broke her heart everytime she noticed.

"Do-Don't worry. You're-You're welcome."

She was whispering, her voice a soft breeze but he was smiling that damned sincere smile of his and she could hear yet another shot in the dark.

It was unfair.

So unfair.

She accompanied him to her window, watched him as he climbed upon the window sill – she had done so plenty of times already.

It always left her cold and miserable whenever she watched him leave.

"Visit me again tomorrow?", she asked, just as he was about to extend his baton, looking up at him from hopeful blue eyes, cheeks blushing furiously. To be fair, her gaze made a blush creep up on Chat's cheeks as well, so they were almost even – and he got flustered, almost – he did almost fall from the window sill, though.

"Of course – anything for you, princess."

Her eyes widened again and she stumbled backwards, just barely managing to catch herself before tumbling to the floor.

"G-G-Great! Safe stay – stay safe! Stay...stay safe, Chat – and-and good luck finding Ladybug!"

Her eyes shied away from him, for just a moment, before returning again, flickering with uncertainty.

"And-And I-I don't know what's going on – but everything will be alright eventually!"

"The-The Controller will – he's good – he will forgive you, won't he?"

- He had to, had to, because – because he'd never do anything bad!-

.o.O.o.

He had been looking for Ladybug again – there wasn't much else to do, after all. He had sneaked out to meet Nino and on his way back he had looked for Ladybug.

For two hours.

And then he had remembered it was almost dinner time and he'd have to be home on time – if Natahlie failed to find him where he ought to be yet again, there was no way of getting out of it.

So, unwillingly, he had slunk back towards home – until he had heard loud screaming.

It had been just when his Miraculous had timed out, too – curse his bad luck – but that didn't stop Chat from running towards the sound – it was far off still, perhaps his super-hearing wasn't that bad after all – and before he knew, he had scaled a wall and was in the many, many alleys Paris had to offer, his transformation half undone.

He might be looking for Ladybug and Paris might hate him, but he was a hero still.

He had run the last few meters towards the commotion as Plagg hurried to gulp down his camenbert – or, where he thought the commotion to have been.

Things had fallen silent already when he arrived. Eerily silent and he had been afraid of what he might find and when he had peeked around the corner, he had seen-

Marinette.

. O .

A few, sparse sparks jumped through the air and displays and buttons flickered uncontrollably.

That was it. Sparks and flickering light and – and two utterly terrified people.

"Y-You..."

The man trailed of, his voice quivering and shaking as much as he was, whilst Mariette's hands were trembling from the way she clutched the crowbar in her hands.

The man stumbled back.

"Y-You – You – You de-destroyed them!"

She had. Her eyes were blown wide open as she stared at the instrument of terror in her hands.

She-She had, but she-she hadn't wanted to, she had simply – simply followed the, she had!

"No! Don't I didn't do anything, let go off me!"

She had never wanted to encounter these robots ever again, with their piercing eyes and the everlasting dread that followed them around wherever they went.

No one knew what happened outside the city.

She hadn't wanted to – hadn't wanted to break the rules, but, but…!

She had been on her way back home, they-they'd have dinner soon and she'd -she'd have to attend and she had, had minded her own business, had done nothing wrong!

But then she had heard the shouting.

Paris had grown quiet. Quiet and empty and it had been so weird and without thinking, she had ran.

Found the alley, someone who was seemingly being arrested – what for she did not know but – he must have been innocent, these people were always innocent – and then-

She had acted without thinking. Snatched up a sturdy bat of sort that was leaning against one of the dumpsters and had-had-

Sparks chose to erupt in that exact moment and Marinette flinched, grasping the crowbar in her hands even tighter.

And here she was now. Standing atop a pile of scrap metal, eyes blown wide as she realized what she had done.

She was done for. She was absolutely done for, the robots would find her and pick her up and-and-

"You – You..."

The man interrupted her and Marinette's head snapped up, eyes staring straight at him.

She swallowed.

God, what had…

"You-You destroyed them, you – you destroyed all of them."

She had, she, oh god, she had and-

Marinette whirled around to face him, stretching her hands towards him – and he froze, his eyes wide.

They flitted to the windpipe in her hand. He gulped once and pressed him against the wall – and Marinette finally reflected on how she must look to him. Messy hair, a flushed face – she-

"I'm not dangerous! I – don't tell anyone! Promise you won't tell anyone!"

His eyes had yet to stray from her hands – but he nodded. Slow at first but then faster and faster as he backed away from her. And once he had put enough distance between them, he turned and ran.

Marinette couldn't blame him.

She – she'd probably run from herself as well.

. O .

There was no one but Marinette in that alley – Marinette and a heap of scrap metal that looked uncomfortably much like a patrol of robots.

She was clutching something heavy looking.

Adrien gulped and – completely forgetting he wasn't Chat Noir right now – stepped into the alley way.

He didn't have the time to announce his presence.

Marinette whirled around in a flurry of limps and – then she just stared. Stared at him with even wider eyes.

"Marinette?"

His gaze fluttered towards the robots on the floor – and his simple gesture sprung her into action. She stepped in front of the heap of metal, as if trying to hide just what had happened, her hands still clutching the crowbar, her entire form shaking.

She looked fragile almost, if it weren't for the way she stood and for the way the terror in her eyes barely masked the sheer determination her stance commanded.

She looked powerful – and Adrien wondered, if their roles would have been reversed, if, had she been just at the right time at the right place, if she might have become Chat Noir instead of him.

"Marinette?"

His voice sounded hoarse and scratchy and fully unlike the way he wanted to sound.

Perhaps he should be thankful for being able to press out that simple question already.

He almost didn't dare to speak to her.

"Adrien, I-"

Her voice was trembling, trembling so much, but it sounded cold almost, calculated – Adrien shuddered, shuddered and marveled and tried to find whatever thoughts he might have left to think.

. O .

"I-I..."

Marinette was panicking. Controller, what was she doing?! She-She...She had almost attacked law enforcement! She had...She had...She had attacked law enforcement.

Panicked, her eyes snapped to Adrien.

She had attacked law enforcement and there was a witness.

Adrien.

Her friend.

Marinette started shaking uncontrollably.

"Ma..."

"You can't tell anyone!"

Her head shot up and the pipe felt to the floor, clattering.

She balled her hands into fist, begging her body to stop shaking.

"You-You can't tell anyone!"

Her voice was trembling still and Marinette hated it – as much sense as it made.

She had attacked law enforcement. She had-She had...Controller, she was…

Frantically, Marinette stepped closer, snatching Adrien's hands between her as she stared at him from wide eyes.

She had to calm down. Appear – appear confident, as if everything was ok, she – she could do it!

She couldn't. She absolutely couldn't, there was no way she'd get out of here, he'd-he'd tell The Controller and she'd get sent god knew where and-

You can do this! You can do this, you're, you're – you're Marinette, you can do this!

She could do this.

Her eyes snapped up and finally she let her hands relax.

She could do this, she had...she could.

"Adrien, this may be scary and confusing, but I promise, everything will be alright."

Finally, she allowed herself to step away from the rubble, every step driving home just how silly her behavior had been.

She couldn't cover this up.

But she didn't need to. She had done nothing wrong.

"These robots were harassing an innocent man. I had to stop them, so I did – but don't worry, everything is alright. Do you trust me?"

All Adrien managed to do was nod at that – and of course there wasn't much else.

He was scared, too. He had just witnessed his friend destroy law enforcement. Of course he'd be scared.

Marinette stepped closer still.

"Do you trust me?", she asked, her gaze searching his, until they finally locked eyes. His were blown wide open and the more she stared into them, the less tense she became.

Everything was fine.

She – She could trust Adrien. She knew that.

"Do you trust me?"

"Y-Yes", Adrien croaked out.

"That – that's great! I – Thank you for trusting me."

She smiled, that soft, warm smile that he was so used to, filled to the brink with gratitude and love and that one specific mix that just always managed to overwhelm him.

If he had been able to breathe before, it would have most certainly taken his breath away, but as it was, she had stolen that the moment he had peeked around the corner.

"I-I will go back now. Back home, that is, to the mansion – you can come with me?"

Though that might be weird. And why was Adrien here anyway? Wasn't he supposed to be at home?

It didn't matter, as Adrien was already vehemently shaking his head. Marinette deflated at that – he-he wasn't mad at her, was he? He – They'd be okay, wouldn't they?

"Will you be fine on your own?", she asked, though, perhaps, she had wanted to ask something else entirely.

He nodded.

"Are you sure you'll be fine?"

He nodded again. Unable to find any words while also unable to look at anyone but her.

"Alright – I-I'll see you around then? And don't tell anyone? Please?"

Another nod. Marinette smiled. And then, quickly, she hugged him, holding him close and Adrien let out a strangled sound.

"Thank you. Thank you so much – you have no idea how much that means to me!"

And she let go again, stepping back. She waved at him one more time, before calmly leaving the alleyway,

Adrien felt his face heating up as he watched her go, color steadily rising to his cheeks and for a moment he considered whether he may have become sick – maybe the cold and wind outside had done it's fair share of damage.

Until he realized that what he was feeling wasn't a fever.

Worse.

He was blushing.

Now, there's only one question left to ask – was their last interaction Ladrien or Adrinette?

Anyhow, I hope you enjoyed the chapter ^^ Please leave a review if you did!