Chat Noir walked into the motel room, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw the single, king-sized bed sitting innocently in the center of the room. To anyone else, a single bed would be perfectly normal – this was the perfect size for a single person, or even for a couple. But for the two of them, this was no doubt especially dangerous.

"Mmph! Why'd you stop, Chat Noir?" Marinette complained, accidentally crashing face-first into his back due to his sudden stopping. Her cheeks reddened at the contact and she leapt back to create some distance between them.

"A single bed, little lady? I didn't know you were that bold," Chat Noir purred, turning his head to catch her gaze. He remembered how sassy she had been as a little girl, and how she was even now, not backing down even when she'd faced dangerous criminals. And the best part was that he was the one who was able to get her so ruffled up. It was so tempting to tease her to see her reaction.

"I-what-no! It's not my fault the receptionist told me they didn't have any more rooms with two beds!" she spluttered, her cheeks burning even more.

"That scheming old geezer," Chat Noir muttered. This had to be Master Fu's doing. He would never tell Marinette his connection to the old man, at least, not yet. Master Fu was his mentor, the person he turned to when his father wasn't there for him - which was almost all the time, now that he thought about it. The reason why he had become a criminal was to get away from his father, to get the freedom that Adrien could never experience.

As Adrien, he was forced to live a perfect life and be wary of every move, due to his constantly being under the spotlight. And he hated it. He felt like he was trapped, locked away in his room and not having a say in what he truly desired. His father decided all his coursework for him, whether it was fencing, piano, or Chinese, and even scheduled every aspect of his daily life - it was photoshoot after photoshoot after photoshoot. He had even been homeschooled until he finally obtained the courage to persuade his father to let him attend a public school.

That was what led him to sought out his freedom, and he found that in the form of Chat Noir. As Chat Noir, he could do everything he ever wanted without being judged. He could steal and get away with it. He could flirt with any girl without her being labeled as his latest fling.

It thrilled him.

And that was what he desired more than anything else in life.

As for his relationship with the motel receptionist...He'd stumbled into Master Fu's hotel one night, after he had almost gotten caught in one of his earliest crimes of robbing a jewelry store. The old man had let him stay the night and even took care of his injuries. In return, Chat Noir offered to keep him company, and they had formed a bond over the years. While Master Fu wasn't exactly supportive of Chat Noir's "part time job", he was understanding of the criminal's desire for freedom. And that was all that mattered.

Master Fu was the who let him stay at his motel all those years ago, after he had been injured by Hawk Moth and had nowhere to go. After leaving Marinette's bakery that night, he had staggered to the motel, still delirious from the pain.

"Chat Noir! What happened?" Master Fu asked, running to his side as he collapsed by the motel's reception desk.

"H-Hawk Moth. I was ambushed on the way back. He sent four of his underlings after me," he managed through gritted teeth. The pain was killing him. He'd managed, somehow, to hide it in front of Marinette, but now he felt even worse. "I can't go home yet. If my father finds me in this state, he would definitely start asking questions. Can I crash here for the night?"

"You know you're always welcome here, Chat Noir. But what of your injuries? That looks bad. You should get it treated." Master Fu bent down next to him to inspect the wound, then looked up at him in surprise. "Someone's treated it? You didn't go to a hospital, did you?"

"Of course I wouldn't go to a hospital!" Chat Noir snapped irritably. The pain was making him crabby. "Who are you taking me for?"

"I have complete faith in you, Chat Noir," Master Fu said. Chat Noir narrowed his eyes, not knowing whether to take the old man's words as a compliment, or if he was just being sarcastic. "Are you going to tell me who the lucky guy who treated your wound was?"

He debated if it would be wise to tell Master Fu about Marinette. She was just an innocent little girl, she had nothing to do with his world, and he didn't want to drag her into something she wasn't prepared for. But Master Fu just so happened to be the type who would not give up until he discovered the truth. It would be better to just tell him now, otherwise he would just find the answer himself, no matter what it took for him to do so.

"A girl helped me," he admitted finally.

"Oh, a girl, huh?" Master Fu repeated, his eyes twinkling.

Chat Noir scowled at him. Of course the old man would be interested the moment he mentioned someone of the opposite gender. "It's not what you think! She's only eight!"

"She's got good needlework," Master Fu remarked, eyeing the delicate stitches Marinette had made. "And she's only eight? I'm impressed."

"I suppose," he agreed, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible as he ran a hand along the stitches. They were a little shaky, but she really had done a good job for someone so young.

"Will I get to meet her one day?" Master Fu asked suddenly.

"No. At least, I hope not. I don't want to get her involved." Chat Noir said firmly, making up his mind. He would see to it that she would never need to call for him.

The receptionist merely grinned at him. "We'll see, Chat Noir. We'll see."

"What was that?" Marinette asked now, breaking him out of his thoughts and bringing him back to their current situation. No matter how he looked at it, there were two of them, and only one bed.

Damn it.

"Nothing," he dismissed her concern quickly. She didn't have to know that he was friends with the receptionist who forced this predicament upon them for his own amusement. Knowing the old man, he probably had even installed security cameras somewhere in the room and was watching them right now. He loved Master Fu, but sometimes he wished the old man could go to hell. That bastard. "You take the bed. I'm just gonna keep watch anyway."

She shook her head stubbornly. "You were fighting for me, Chat Noir. You must be tired, too. You should take the bed and get some rest. I'll...sleep on the floor."

She was concerned about him, Chat Noir, France's most wanted criminal...Just the thought made him feel strangely warm inside. But he quickly shook his head to get these foreign emotions out of his mind. No, he had vowed to keep his distance from her. And that was just what he was going to do.

"You're not arguing with me," he insisted, striding forward so that he loomed over her petite frame. Her eyes widened as he approached her, and she backed against the wall behind them. "I got this room, so I'm deciding how the bed should be used. And you're taking it."

"But - "

"No buts," he interrupted, pressing a clawed finger against her lips to prevent her from protesting. "You go ahead. Let me just check something, then I'll be out of your way. You won't even notice that I'm here."

Judging from the evil looks she was shooting him, she clearly wasn't happy with his decision, but he shrugged and headed into the bathroom. He glanced quickly around the tiny room - it really was a small space; he made a mental note to complain to Master Fu and have him remodel the damn motel - grunting in satisfaction when he saw that there weren't any suspicious cameras hiding in the corners, and returned to the bedroom.

"I'm off, but call me if you need me, alright?" he informed Marinette, who had now slumped down on the bed and was staring into the distance. She hadn't seemed to have heard him return. "Little lady?"

"I...they almost kidnapped me and sold me, didn't they?" she whispered, more to herself than to him. Her entire body shook, and she hugged herself a little tighter.

He stopped in front of the door, his heart twisting at how terrified she must have been feeling. She really had put on a brave front when fighting those criminals. But now that the adrenaline was gone, everything must've hit her at once.

Dammit. He was determined to keep his distance, but how could he when she was hurting so much?

His feet seemed to move of their own accord. He didn't even notice until he found himself sitting down on the bed next to her.

"It's okay," he reassured her, one hand reaching toward her without thinking. She flinched at his sudden contact, but to his relief, she didn't pull away. He took this as a sign to pull her closer towards him. "You're forgetting who I am, little lady." He lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her usually bright bluebell eyes stretched wide with uncertainty. "I made a promise to protect you, and I'm intending to keep that promise. I won't let some lowly criminals kidnap you."

"Thank you, Chat Noir," she said softly. "I...if I was gone, what would my parents think? They'd be so sad. Alya, too."

She was more concerned about her parents than her own feelings. She really was too selfless for her own good.

But...what could he say to make her feel better? To lighten up the mood, he reached up and flicked her forehead. She yelped in surprise and glared at him, clutching her forehead gingerly. "Hey! What was that for?"

"Didn't I just say that I'll be here to protect you? I won't let those bastards take you away. So stop worrying about your parents and your friend, and worry about yourself for once, okay?" he said gruffly. "Go get some sleep. I'll be right here."

She tried to smile, but her smile turned into a giant yawn instead. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was until he told her to get some sleep. "Sleep sounds nice," she mumbled, collapsing onto the bed in exhaustion. She hesitated, then turned to gaze back at him, suddenly feeling rather shy at what she was about to ask him. "Chat Noir? Could...Could you stay here with me tonight?"

Chat Noir raised an eyebrow at her. She hastily corrected herself and added, blushing, "N-Not like that! I mean, I just don't want to be alone tonight..."

In the back of his mind, he decided that he liked seeing how rosy her cheeks turned because of him. Quickly dismissing the thought, he nodded and smirked at her. "Well, if you put it that way, I don't mind staying here."

She smiled for the first time that night and snuggled into the blanket, sighing contentedly as warmth enveloped her. Chat Noir gazed at her fondly as she escaped into the world of dreams, oblivious to the thoughts whirling in his mind...

At least, Chat Noir had expected her to have fallen asleep. But how could she, when the man she'd had a crush on since childhood was sitting so close to her? She cracked one eye open and peeked at him, breathing out in relief when she saw that his back was facing her.

She took this opportunity to study his physique, noticing how broad and strong his back was, and appreciating how his sleek leather suit accentuated the sturdy muscles in his arms. He had definitely changed from the boy she'd met as a child. With the moonlight seeping through the window's blinds and casting a shadow over him, he appeared...almost lonely.

Her heart ached for him. She wondered what his life was like during the daytime. Did he hang out with his friends? What about his family? She longed to learn more about him, but he seemed to have shut himself off from her. Would he ever open up to her?

Lost in her thoughts, Marinette almost fell out of the bed when her phone suddenly started ringing loudly. She'd completely forgotten about it! She grabbed it from her bag and stared at it as though it was a bomb that was about to explode - curse her phone for interrupting the peaceful moment!

Chat Noir spun around at the noise, relaxing once he realized that it was only her phone. He nodded for her to answer it, and she picked it up, letting out a breath when she saw that it was only Alya.

"A-Alya? What's up?" she asked, trying to sound as normal as she could. But even though she tried her best, her voice still sounded a little strained. She groaned inwardly, hoping Alya wouldn't catch on.

"Girl, do you know how late it is!? Where are you? Your parents are worried sick!" Alya demanded instantly.

Marinette glanced guiltily at Chat Noir, knowing that there was no way she could tell Alya the truth. She didn't want her friend to worry about her. "I...I forgot to tell them that I'm spending the night at a friend's," she lied.

"You forgot? Who's this friend you're staying with?" Alya asked.

"A...boy." Marinette choked out. Well, at least that part wasn't a lie, she told herself in an attempt to feel better. Only she didn't feel better, not at all. But knowing Alya, if she told her that she was staying with a boy, her friend would no doubt be eager to help her hide the truth from her parents.

She sneaked a glance at Chat Noir, who appeared rather amused by her uncomfortable squirming. She groaned inwardly.

"A boy, eh? Is this that boy whom you have a crush on, or is this boy Adrien Agreste?" Alya pressed, instantly interested.

"Neither!" she spluttered at once. "It's...someone else." She couldn't very well tell Alya that it was the boy she had a crush on in front of Chat Noir! That would be too embarrassing. "But anyway! Do you think you could help me? Say...can you tell my parents that I'm staying with you tonight?" she pleaded. "I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

Alya took her time in answering, and Marinette had a feeling she was doing it on purpose to spite her. Finally, after a pregnant pause, she said, "Alright, but you owe me big time for this, Mari."

Marinette would've hugged Alya if she was with her. "Thank you, thank you, Alya! I promise you can have as many macarons from the bakery as you'd like!"

"You have to tell me all the details, too!" Alya implored.

"N-Nothing's happened, really!" The bluenette denied at once, waving her hands in front of her furiously.

She almost squeaked when she suddenly felt Chat Noir lean in toward her, his eyes sparkling with amusement. Oh no. She didn't like that look one bit. "Nothing's happened, you say?" he said slyly, purposely brushing his lips against her ear and sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. "Then...who has been staring at me for the past, let's see, thirty minutes?"

Uh oh. She'd been caught.

"Who's there?" Alya breathed in excitement, having heard Chat Noir's comment. "Let me talk to him for a second, Marinette!"

"N-No!" Marinette squealed, raising her arm to keep her phone away from the thief. But Chat Noir was faster, and snatched it expertly out from her hand. He must be getting back at her for her earlier staring, Marinette thought with a groan.

"Hi, is this Alya?" he asked casually, as though he wasn't France's top wanted thief currently sitting on Marinette's bed.

Marinette wanted to bury herself inside a hole and hide in it forever.

"Yes!" Alya gushed from the other end of the phone. "Who's this?"

"Oh, don't mind me," he said, clearly enjoying himself as he winked at Marinette. "I'm a friend. We're just working on some...homework together."

Marinette hid her face behind her hands, her face feeling hotter than a million suns. She couldn't bring herself to listen to the conversation anymore.

"Well, if you do anything to hurt her, I won't forgive you!" Alya warned threateningly, jumping into her protective big sister mode. As an only child, Marinette was appreciative that Alya always went out of her way for her.

Chat Noir's grin spread wider across his lips. "You don't have to worry about that, Alya. I won't hurt her, I promise." Even though Marinette knew he was just playing along, his words still made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. "But isn't it getting a little late? She needs her rest, you know."

"Oh! Of course! I'll leave you two to it, then," Alya said suggestively. "Tell her I said bye!" With that, she ended the call, leaving the two of them alone to their devices.

Marinette glared at Chat Noir as he lazily tossed her phone back to her. "You did that on purpose, didn't you!" She accused, pointing a finger in his direction.

"I wasn't the one who was staring," he drawled, raising an eyebrow at her.

"I wasn't!" she said quickly, blushing under his questioning stare. "Urgh, you're impossible! I'm going to sleep!" She fell onto the bed dramatically and turned her back to him.

And this time, she really did fall asleep.

A/N: I'm so, so sorry for the delay! I just started a new job and things have been pretty hectic, but I'm back with another chapter! Hope this was worth the wait~ :) I also wanted to say thank you for all your wonderful reviews so far! You've all made my day!

Next chapter preview - everything goes back to normal for Marinette, or does it? She's missing a certain kitty very much...

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