Juleka and Rose caught her at the end of school, something about a music gig, and something about coming up with poster designs. Marinette can be a helpful hand... but...

Chat drifted between them. "You promised to finish that project today."

Her thoughts halted, a small blush dotting her nose. She apologized, mentioned maybe another day would be better, and walked on. Collective 'aw's followed her retreat.

Pulling up her scarf to hide the pink betraying her calm, she whispered conspiratorially, "the vengeful spirit haunts me with menial tasks."

"I'm not a vengeful spirit! And it's Important menial tasks. I want that plush. And I asked first."

A project in the works, Marinette had been fashioning Miraculous dolls for Manon to play with. Every villain Ladybug had faced, along with Ladybug herself, will now be joined by their secret feline companion. When she finishes making him of course.

"Stop acting like this project is the only thing I ever have to do to make you real. You're already a part of the team. Not completing it within the day I announced it won't hurt anyone." Besides, she has homework, and lunch, and gossip with Alya to catch up with. Her gaze went to him floating leisurely beside her, it's an odd feeling to be thinking of personal matters in his presence. They're usually in the heat of battle.

"But it will be the first time someone other than you can see me."

The words shot straight to her heart. Chat Noir is a big part of the team. She really struggled in the beginning, had it not been for the occasional Carapace appearance, she wouldn't have been able to capture a single akuma. And Carapace appeared to be on the less forgiving side of age… only coming into play when she fell into dire need. And now that she has Chat Noir, the hidden ace up her sleeve, she can safely say they can defeat anything that comes their way.

"Thank you, Chat," Marinette smiled with her sight on the walk ahead as she allowed the memories to wash over her. "I can't do this alone. And to be honest, you're the best partner I could ever hope to have. We get along like the best of friends. And in battle that means we basically read each other's mind. I only have to look at you a certain way, and you know my plan without the need to say a single word."

A black arm flew across her vision and a chill blanketed her mind. Given a moment to shake it off, she looked over to see Chat Noir with his arms clamped against his sides, a childish pout jutting, as his brown crinkled. "I want to hug you," he whined, frustrated.

She smiled, cheeks tingling. Marinette circled her arms around where his body should've been and he did the same. Their makeshift hug, Marinette thought, somehow it felt warm. Still, she could also feel the gaze of passersby judging her unique pose. So she broke away, scratched the back of her head and laughed self consciously with him before darting the rest of the way home.

"You should really clean," Chat knocked around an empty bottle in her room with what little corporal strength he had.

Marinette had barely poked her head through the trapdoor when he said this, and she sighed, there it is, a tender moment ruined. With his body having no use for doors, he didn't have to worry about following her up to her room. Simply phased through the floors.

Yesterday he followed her home with electric glee. Like a new puppy, he poked his head everywhere he could. He found her dolls, amazed at her creative handiwork, and begged for his own likeness to be added. She promised him an addition, but barely finished her words before he zipped across the room.

He hovered his paws over her computer and hurried her over to unlock it. Given a second he proved he could use it with extreme concentration. Typing one letter with every wince. And accidentally opened a lingerie site while searching his name, finding a website by the name of Le Chat Noir. Marinette watched, unfazed by all sides of fashion, and waited for the obviously unwanted tab to close. She realized, belatedly, that Chat had been unsuccessfully slapping his hands over his eyes in quick succession as they were mostly transparent anyway. Taking pity, she closed the tab for him and opened the search anew.

Tikki had yet to introduce herself. Marinette wouldn't force her. A shake of her head from Marinette's purse when she urged her to say hi was enough.

Come night time, she wasn't sure what to do. It's not like Chat could do anything as a ghost… but having someone in her room while she slept…

"I'll keep watch outside," Chat Noir had told her when she sat down for bed.

"Keep watch? For what?"

"Akuma attacks," he said, like it was obvious.

"Oh." She wanted to tell him to relax, but maybe this helps keep his drive going. She rubbed her feet together and gripped the edge of her bed. Besides, it's not like she can ask him to stay. "Um, goodnight, Chat Noir."

A soft smile creased into his eyes. The glittering moonbeams danced a waltz across his blond hair and over his cheeks. And his tail gave a small flick as he purred, "goodnight, Princess."

Pulling up a stitch in Chat's doll, Marinette winced as the memory of last night rolled to the forefront of her mind, and she absentmindedly poked herself with the needle. Putting the wounded finger into her mouth, she huffed. Chat's never called her that before. Princess. What is he doing to her? She turned to see the man himself, watching people play mecha strike online.

With an open search engine, she let him type whatever he could with that hint of a touch that he has. His interests kind of line up with hers, she's discovered. Not that she's given many thoughts to his person. Her mind has been fogged with knowing what in the world he is. Not that she's any closer to that… but looking at him now, he's probably the same age as her. Who is he behind the mask?

Chat squeaked, a pop up ad on a manga site he chose offered him a good time ten kilometers away with some very risqué photos. Marinette rolled her eyes and got up to close it.

"Sorry," Chat murmured, his back turned to the screen. "Back home, my father has systems in place that prevent ads like this, so I'm bad at avoiding them."

"You don't get better at avoiding ads," she giggled. "You just learn what sites are safe."

"Do you read manga?"

"No, sorry, I usually spend my free time checking out the latest fashion." She opened a paper box next to her desk filled with magazines.

A blond boy pictured on the cover of the magazine at the top stared back at Chat Noir with his arm behind his head. Chat deflated. The last magazine to come out since…

"This features the Agreste collection," Marinette announced since he hadn't looked away. "I'm a huge fan of his works. His attention to detail can get me to stare at his works for hours. Although this isn't his latest, it's been almost two months, and he hasn't released anything new for some reason."

Chat went quiet. The silence stretched long enough that Marinette could sense his unease through the stale air. The timing was so odd though, she couldn't imagine what would possibly upset him now of all times.

"Marinette…" he finally said. "I have something to tell you…"

A creaking interrupted them. Marinette looked down to see a flower blooming it's happy little head through her floorboards.

"What in the world…?" Marinette reached for the white flower, flinching back when its golden center split down the middle and parted to reveal a sharp set of carnivorous fangs. "Gah!" She yelped. Vines slithered up from its sides, and she took wide steps back as more vines joined and towered over her.

At her side, Chat raised an arm to shield her, only to curse his form a moment later as a fluttering leaf phased right through him. "Marinette, you have to get out of here," Chat demanded with a shaking voice.

Marinette surveyed her windows, too high of a fall. If the plants were coming from down below, her trapdoor wouldn't be an option. That leaves her hatch to the roof, which was currently being blocked by this growing green monster.

"Marinette!" Chat shouted.

"You can intangibly go through anything, Chat, I'm very solid, just give me a second to think!" Marinette ran to her vanity, and found scissors. There's no way she can get close enough to cut it, and they're too small to do enough damage fast. An umbrella caught her peripheral vision. Perfect!

"An umbrella!?" Chat sputtered, flabbergasted.

She stabbed the umbrella into the center of this vined wall. It did nothing.

"Marinette!" Chat reached for her.

She opened the umbrella and leapt through the hole it created. Darting up the stairs, she was outside a second later.

"That was close." She told Chat when he phased through the roof.

Chat stared at her, dumbfounded. "Close?" He asked. "Close!?" He shouted. "Marinette that was reckless!"

And that ticked her off. "How is that any different than how I am as Ladybug?"

"You're powerless as Marinette!"

"So?"

Chat exhaled sharply and turned away. "You scared me, okay?"

She quieted.

Chat clenched his fists. "I'm invincible, but knowing that you're not, in a situation like that?" His eyebrows creased and he took a deep breath. "You're precious to me, I can't lose that."

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry you felt that way, but in that situation, I had to act."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm just mad at myself I guess."

"You shouldn't be." She cracked a sympathetic smile and transformed into Ladybug. "You and me? We got this." She opened the hatch to a lake of swirling vines and flowers. "Whatever this is."

"I've never seen you transform, that was beautiful," Chat rushed out as he ran by before diving in. "I'll scout ahead!" His head popped back out two seconds in. "OH MY GOD YOUR PARENTS!"

Ladybug waved him off. "The Patisserie is closed. They went out for dinner already."

"Oh." He disappeared again. The vines didn't seem to have a mind of their own, so Marinette was left in silence to stare down at this winding greenery flooding her room as she waited for him.

She crouched down, resting her arms on her thighs. She yelled into the mess, "thank you for your service, vengeful spirit!"

Somewhere unseen, his voice echoed back, "I'm not a vengeful spirit!"

A/N
It's been awhile! I'm still alive. I hope you all are well. I'm going to pretend like I'll update this soon. I hope you will too.