Guest Reviews! (Short and sweet this time.)

Dark, Chatper 3; On, no! Not with their methods. Only with their reasonings.

Guest, Chapter 3; … *promptly deletes cover image because two people have asked about it and have understood the spoilers behind it*.

Well, well, wellwellwellwell well! Let's get on with the actual story.

(:)

Beat this Summer

-Brad Paisley

Chat Noir wasn't sure why, but, once more, he found himself on Marinette's balcony. Wasn't it weird, he asked himself, that he always came here when he was feeling down?

He didn't know why, perhaps it was because, deep down, there was a tiny part attracted to her, and a slightly bigger bit who sought comfort in being around her.

Usually, she didn't even appear, blissfully unaware that he visited her at least four times a month. She had only been up and about twice, and one of those two times hadn't even been when he was upset. It had been when he was looking for August's pacifier; the poor baby had it 'stolen' by Ladybug.

Understandably, Chat Noir wasn't expecting Marinette to shove open the trap door, two minutes after his time of arrival, holding a kitchen knife with a look that could kill.

"You've got five seconds to leave before I call the cops!" She growled, eyes flashing as she searched the completely black balcony.

"Waitwaitwait!" Chat Noir cried, leaping back in surprise as he spotted the gleam of silver from the blade. "Marinette, it's me!"

"—Chat?" She was visibly confused, her threatening, angry look fading the moment her eyes met his, obviously adjusting to the dark, relaxing slightly. "What are you doing here? It's not that I'm not happy to see you, I just didn't expect…excuse me. Stay there."

She ducked into her room, reappearing a moment later without the knife and wrapped up in a coat. "It's so good to see you, I'll admit."

Chat Noir didn't really know what to say, and, was, quite frankly, frozen in shock. She wasn't supposed to figure out he was here; she was supposed to stay in the house and be oblivious or something. Not be here.

"Seriously, what are you doing here?" Marinette asked, her eyes sparkling with joy, smiling at him.

"Um…" Chat Noir – literally – shook off his surprise. "I don't know? I'm, uh, running around Paris. And uh…" He could tell her. Marinette could be trusted. "I'm temporarily leaving my role as a superhero, actually. Until everything dies down."

Marinette nodded her head as if she already knew. "Nobody has seen you since yesterday, so I kinda figured you would be avoiding all of Paris at this point. Pretty much everyone wants revenge or something."

Chat Noir nodded, cat ears pressing against his scalp. He knew he deserved being hated; he even hated himself.

The day before, Monday, he had gone so far as to give himself into the mob, believing that whatever they would do to him he deserved. He had been so sure that even Ladybug hated him.

But then she arrived, screaming threats at the crowd as she protected him, going as far as to come find him after he fled, the so-called-hero not understanding why she hadn't just allowed the mob to punish him. He hadn't understood why she was doing all those things until he finally realized; she didn't hate him. She cared for him greatly. She was like Marinette; she was for him; and didn't mind if he was akumatized.

Looking at Marinette, Chat Noir felt a relief like never before. This girl still appreciated him, she still wanted him to be okay. Still be Chat Noir. It was…nice.

Chat Noir had realized long ago how similar she was to Ladybug, from looks to personality. From her smile to the way her brow furrowed when she got mad.

He wouldn't lie; the possibility that they were the same person had reached his mind before, but, because he knew how much her identity meant to her, he discarded it, reciting every flaw with the theory.

Perhaps it was the similarity that made Chat Noir decide to tell her, despite all his instincts telling him not to; it'd only end badly.

Preparing himself, he blurted out "I lied to Ladybug."

The reaction was stalled, Marinette only blinking at his sudden rush of words. Then, slowly, she seemed to piece together just what he had said. A few minutes of only staring preceded a quiet, soft gasp. "A-about what?" She finally managed to splutter out, eyes wide in horror.

"Why'd I even say that?" Chat Noir mentally kicked himself, though his words were spoken aloud.

"Well, now I'm curious!" Marinette complained, worry playing across her features. "You have to tell me, Chat!"

"I don't want to!" Chat Noir protested, snorting with mirth as Marinette stared up at him with 'baby-doll-eyes.' It wasn't really working, since it was obvious she was actually upset and genuinely needed to know. Chat Noir gave in anyway, sobering up. "Marinette, I'm going to be completely honest. I might never become Chat Noir again."

Marinette froze completely, her body going rigid as she stared at him. Whatever the 'lie' was that she expected him to blurt, it wasn't that.

"I told Ladybug it'd only take a few weeks for me to return, but it may be longer. A few months, a few years, maybe never… I guess it's not technically a lie since I didn't realize how drawn out my absence would really be until after we parted ways, but…" Chat Noir shuddered, squeezing his eyes tightly together. "I really, really want her to be happy. And I…I don't help in that. My ego tells me I do, and that she's happy being my partner, my leader, but I don't think she is. She could be happier, at least. I want her to be the happiest she can be, and I just hold her back! Who knew it would take being akumatized to realize it?" Chat Noir snorted bitterly before continuing. "I guess I've always known it but didn't want to accept it. I want her to be able to choose her own partner, because she knows what she wants and needs. I kinda want her to pick that boy she likes; I'm sure they'd be an amazing duo."

He turned his attention to Marinette, ready to continue, when he realized with surprise that tears were flooding down her cheeks. She wasn't sobbing or hiccupping, just standing there, staring at him. "H-how can you know that? You don't even know who he is!" She pointed out, sorrow in her eyes while maintaining a blank face.

"No, but if she likes him, that's okay." Chat Noir gently made his way over to her, drying the tears that were covering her left cheek with his right hand's index finger. "She's an amazing judge of character." Chat Noir wasn't sure what he said, but Marinette's face was beginning to crumple from its stoic expression. "A-are you okay, Marinette?"

"I'm fine." Marinette sniffled, ducking her head to avoid his gaze, pulling away from his touch. "You're just…so selfless. I… L-Ladybug is an idiot for taking you for granted! She…she needs to open her eyes and realize how much you matter to her!"

How big of an idiot was he? Chat Noir mentally chastised himself, slightly annoyed.

How could he forget about Marinette's crush on him? He knew she had claimed that they weren't in love with each other – following Weredad - but Marinette wasn't the type to give up on a crush just because they rejected her. Sure, she might have said that, but how much did she actually mean?

Chat Noir shouldn't have come back here. Here Marinette was, ranting about how idiotic Ladybug was for ignoring him, for taking him for granted.

As Adrien, he had listened, and he had watched her. 'Studying' as Alya would call it. Adrien called it 'observing'.

Adrien had learned - from observing - that Marinette was the type of person to never doubt her thoughts. If someone doubted her, she'd probably scold them for doing so, or do something so absurd to prove them wrong she'd seem crazy.

So, Chat Noir was sure, if he told her not to be like that about Ladybug, she'd probably tell him that she had every right to think Ladybug was an idiot.

Marinette calling Ladybug an idiot was one of the reasons Marinette couldn't be Ladybug.

After a few minutes of Chat Noir trying to decide when would be the best time to interrupt Marinette's ranting to tell her he should get going, she finally stopped without him even intervening.

"Tell me one thing." She finally said, moping away her tears as she uttered one last hiccup.

"…what would that be?" Chat Noir didn't want to talk more. He had already revealed too much, most of the words not even supposed to leave his mouth.

"Why did you risk coming out into town when the mobs were trying to kill you?"

"They don't show up at night." Chat Noir explained, relieved for an easy answer. "I figured if I wasn't going to return as Chat Noir, I might as well do one last run around town. For…nostalgia, I guess. Take my mind off…things."

Marinette cocked her head, eyes narrowing as she gazed up at him. "Off of what things?"

Chat Noir fiddled with his ring, looking away nervously. "Leaving. And stuff."

"You wouldn't come out on your last night to forget it's your last night. There's more to it."

Chat Noir didn't respond.

"Chat?"

"I'd better go now." He frowned, rising to his feet. "Finish up my tour of the purr-fect city."

"Chat Noir, don't ignore me!" Marinette snapped, reaching out to grab his tail a second too late.

Chat Noir was gone, like a cat into the night, pun completely intended.

As Marinette called something frantically after him, Chat Noir touched his ring, tears welling at the corner of his eyes.

Ladybug would be happier without him. He knew she would be.

Perhaps he was being a fool, trying to play matchmaker with her and whatever boy she liked, but that'd only nudge them into spending more time together. Maybe she'd stop being so serious and laugh, be carefree for once. He always liked her smile. And he knew she liked smiling, but thought it was her duty to remain serious.

Maybe being with whoever the boy she liked would help her be more cheerful, less stressed, and free.

He couldn't help her, couldn't make her happy.

He'd only make her more stressed if he stayed. Because, now, everyone was out to get him and anyone who stood up for him. If he was gone, Ladybug needn't worry about appearances and being next to him.

If he were gone, nobody would question it. Everyone would respect Ladybug for – supposedly – sending him away.

Without his flirtatious and nosey attitude, she'd be more at peace, he was sure.

She'd be happier.

So, what if it made him unhappy? Other people mattered more than him. Other people should be happy. He had lived all his life making people happy at the sake of his own joy, so why start being selfish now?