Thank you for all the support. I am so sorry for the delay. I hope you all enjoy!

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Adrien's heart beat erratically in his ears. His breath quickened and he fought had not to blush, though he didn't know if he was successful or not.

He swallowed hard, "o-oh, t-that girl that was here earlier."

His heart leapt at her next words, "yeah. Yeah that was her."

His fingers itched to touch her cheek. She liked him, she loved him? It was too good to be true, right?

It had to be. I mea-

"She was really sad."

Oh. Yeah. He had been so caught up in Marinette… he'd forgotten that he'd become single by breaking up with someone… really amazing. He bit his lip.

"Is she going to be okay?"
Marinette nodded, "of course. She's just hurt right now. I think it was the only reason that Lila got to her like she did. She was confused."
Chat Noir shook his head, "but how could she believe that you'd hurt her like that."

Marinette bit her lip and blushed, "she knew, hell everyone knew, I liked her ex-boyfriend a lot. Before they'd started dating. I guess she believed that I'd broken them up."

Kagami… knew? Everyone knew? A subtle anger built up in him, all the times that Kagami had tried to keep him from Marinette…. Was because she knew he liked him? He had been really worried about Marinette and it seemed that everyone was keeping them apart for selfish reasons. Sure, Kagami was probably upset that he cared so much, but Marinette so clearly needed help.

"Kitty?"

Oh yeah, he was having a conversation with someone, "yeah, sorry. Even if you did like him… You said yourself… you couldn't date him, right?"

Marinette nodded, "yeah, that's right. Especially now."

Uh-oh, "especially now?"
Marinette rubbed her lips together, "yeah, I mean, he's my friend's ex-boyfriend."

W-was that all he was now? Someone one of her friends used to date? He ground his teeth. He hadn't known. If he'd known he would have chosen her, every time. He was suddenly angry at everyone; Alya, Nino, Kagami, even Marinette. If it had been his choice, he would have chosen her. Had it been his choice? It seemed that everyone had pushed him and Kagami together, even Marinette. He loved her. He loved Marinette. He knew that was true. So, she wasn't going to date Adrien because he'd dated a friend? No, no, Marinette told him that she couldn't date her prince because people could get hurt. Was she talking about Kagami? Had he'd entered a losing situation without even realizing it?

"Wow, did we stay up too late last night? You seem really out of it, kitty."

Chat Noir rubbed his lips together, "so, what are you going to so, now that your prince is single again?" He hadn't meant for so much anger to leak into his words, but it was there nonetheless,

Marinette's eyes widened at the sudden change in mood, "u-um. I'm not sure. I mean he's my friend, and there were other reasons it wouldn't work out between us, so I guess this just adds to those?"

Her voice went up a few octaves towards the end of her sentence. Her reply made Chat think, dispelling some of his anger,

"like the reasons you told me before?"

Marinette nodded, "yeah. And I mean, I never told him I liked him, and he seemed so happy with Kagami, even when they were just friends… I didn't want to ruin that."

Oh… Marinette had given him up, because she thought he was happier with Kagami? That… made a lot more sense. Had she always cared about his happiness like this? He thought back, yeah. I mean she'd gone ice-skating with he and Kagami just to make him more comfortable… had she loved him then? Had she helped him get a date with another girl while she loved him? He spoke his next words without thinking,

"you really care about his happiness, huh?"

Marinette nodded, "he has a hard life. He's so kind, but I rarely see him happy. I remember one of his birthdays, I snuck him a gift, but I forgot to sign it. I guess it got all mixed up with his other gifts because the next day he'd thought his father made it for him. He was so happy. It was oe of the most genuine smiles I'd ever seen from him. I didn't have the heart to tell him I made it. He still thinks his father made it to this day, but his smile is so wide every time he wears it… I can't take that away from him… and I wasn't going to risk his happiness with Kagami just because I liked him."

Chat's eyebrow knitted together. That blue scarf was from her? It had been the only outlier of his birthday gifts, the rest had been pens and fashion books, gifts that were so… Gabriel… but that scarf… his eyes widened… that warmth… that classic Marinette warmth. He'd felt it in the scarf, hell, it'd smelled like her. How could it have taken him this long to figure it out? Why didn't she just tell him? He'd been holding on to that scarf because he'd thought it meant there was hope for his father. But no, his father had just stolen it from Marinette. And she'd let him hold onto that hope because it'd made him happy.

He'd never wanted to touch her more than he did now. He'd never wanted to hold her this much… to kiss her. He couldn't… could he? I mean she still had to love him… Adrien right? Shit, what would it look like to her if Chat Noir kissed her… not good, right?

"I-I'm sorry if I made you mad, Chat Noir. I promise I didn't mean to."

What? "No! No, Princess. I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you at all. I… I feel bad for your situation. And for your prince. He's really… he's really unlucky."

Marinette raised an eyebrow, "unlucky?"

"He doesn't get to call you his."

Marinette blushed a deep shade of red. Chat Noir was saying this to her? Handsome, clever Chat Noir thought Adrien was unlucky because he didn't have her? No. That was too much. That was too good to be true. Hell, this whole experience was too good to be true. Chat Noir staying up late with her, holding her, bringing her ice-cream, watching movies with her, Chat Noir caring about her.

Marinette let out a biting laugh, "he's doing just fine, kitty. Don't worry about him."

Marinette's heart leapt in her chest when Chat Noir put his hands on her cheeks, "I seriously doubt that, Princess. He has to know how unlucky he is. And that's coming from a black cat."

Marinette could barely form words, "B-black cats aren't unlucky, kitty, remember?"

He stared at her with such sadness in his eyes, Marinette couldn't help but put her hand over his and lean into his palm.

His breath left him, and he spoke as he felt her nuzzling into his hand, "I may start believing you."

She let out a breathy laugh onto his fingers, "good."

He moved his hand to her chin. He couldn't, could he? He should just stop now, right? He was Chat Noir, not Adrien, and she was a civilian. If he wanted to pursue her, he'd need to do it as Adrien, right? No… no, he couldn't have her as Adrien, hadn't she said that much? He had to know… if he couldn't he had to know right now,

"are you ever going to be his Princess?"

Marinette put a hand to his cheek, her breath stuck in her chest, "I-I don't think so, kitty."

He descended onto her without a moment's hesitation. Without allowing her any time to second guess. Any time to over think. Any time to worry. It was incredible. The spark and the tension that had been growing between them exploded as she put her hands into his hair.

They parted for a breath for just a moment before their lips met again. Thoughts sped up, and Marinette's mind began working again. She rested her forehead against his,

"we-we can't be doing this?"

Chat put his hand on the back of her neck, his breath tickling her lips, "why?"

Why? I'm your guardian. I've seen you as Chat Blanc. I'm putting you at risk. I'm pretty sure I'm falling in love with you and I'm going to stuff you so full of sweets your staff won't life you up anymore. I'm Ladybug and you Chat Noir, I've been fighting this for years! I was just talking about the person I used to love and you kissed me, you masochistic cat! Take your pick! I can list about a hundred more. I cannot believe we're doing-

"It's dangerous."

His claws rubbed gently against her scalp, fighting the urge to pull her back in, "dangerous? Hawkmoth?"

Marinette nodded, fighting not to kiss him again, "yeah, sure, Hawkmoth. He could find you here."

Chat purred against her forehead, "well, I'm sure not going to tell him."

"N-neither am I, but what if he finds out… or…"

He stopped rubbing her scalp, "do you actually not want to kiss me? I'll stop if you-"

Marinette shook her head keeping her forehead against his.

"are you just looking for excuses?"

She nodded quickly, looking at his lips.

"Do you actually think this is dangerous?"

She nodded again.

"Talk to me."

"What if you get hurt?"

Chat brought her closer, "what if you get hurt?"
She gave him a confused look, "what?"

He smirked at her, "I'm a superhero, I'm indestructible, remember? You on the other hand-" He brought her injured arm up and kissed it, "are very destructible."

"You cocky cat, this was an accident and you are not indestructible."

"If it makes you kiss me again, I'll be indestructible."

Marinette considered him. She wanted to. She really wanted to. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a smiling Tikki. Oh, great so she approved… Marinette bit her lip, "no Achilles heel?"

"not on these paws."

"Completely indestructible?" She leaned forward again.

"Skin of steel." She could feel his breath on her face.

She met his lips again.