C'mon guys. Now I feel sad that guys didn't connect the dots with that certain reference to the ghoul boys. So to redeem yourself, I've made another fandom reference in here. Have fun finding it!

"Plagg, what am I gonna do?!"

The kwami groaned and lifted his huge head. What was his deal now?

"Marinette likes someone and it isn't me!" Adrien lamented.

Plagg barked out a laugh and slumped back onto his pillow. His kitten. So very blind.

"Plagg!"

"Nothing." Plagg drawled. "Do nothing."

"I have to woo her." Adrien said with determination.

Plagg raised a hand in the air. "Look how well it worked with Ladybug, but I'll say go for it. Not like they're the same person anyway."

Adrien bemoaned at his misfortune. Of course, with Ladybug immune to Chat's advances and Marinette on occasions looking like she'd rather be anywhere but talking to Adrien, it looked impossible to make his classmate fall for him.

It was time for the last resort.

"No."

"Please, Alya."

"Nope. I'm under silent oath. I'm not gonna tell you."

"I'll give you an opportunity to interview the dynamic duo."

"...how are you going to do that?"

"I have my ways."

"Tempting. Very tempting. But still no."

Adrien watched her walk away with a pout. But of course, she wasn't the only one who knew his lady's secret crush. If there was one person who knew Marinette way before her best friend, it would be his best friend.

...

Nino knew what was coming when he saw the determined expression on Adrien's face. "Dude."

"The bro code, Nino."

"Adrien, c'mon man. I promised Alya."

"You broke the bro code, Nino. Now you gotta pay for it."

"Can't it be anything else but this?!" Nino cried. One look and Alya would know that he had spilled and then she would wring his neck and hang him on the side of the Eiffel tower in nothing but his birthday suit.

Luckily for him, Adrien's car had arrived and he pushed the model boy inside the car before sprinting away.

At least the moanings are muffled this time, Plagg thought to himself as he gobbled on his cheese, waiting for Adrien to finish his ranting in the pillow.

"What am I going to do." Adrien mumbled.

"You know, nothing is gonna happen if you sit around and do nothing."

Strange words coming from the laziest kwami in existence. But then again, Plagg would rather go out than having to listen to one more lovesick rendition of unrequited love.

"Plagg, transformez moi!"

A few seconds later, Chat Noir was bounding through the night under the light of the waning gibbous.

...

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Marinette wasn't surprised by the tapping on her skylight. She had anticipated it.

"Are you sure about this, Marinette?" Tikka asked in concern, hidden behind the computer screen. "You know what happened with Chat Blanc-"

"I don't know what happened, but I'm not going to let it happen. Chat Noir is not a supervillain. He can't be. The only thing terrible about him are his puns." Marinette said as she walked up her bed. "Besides, it's rude to turn away a stray."

The last part, she said a little louder, giggling at the pout on the feline superhero's face. Opening the hatch, he jumped inside, saying, "Am I just a stray to you, Marinette?"

Marinette just gave him a cheeky grin. Chat put a hand on his heart. "And here I thought we bonded! I cradled you in my arms!"

"Now don't go quoting Lion-Go on me, kitty." Marinette said as she closed the window. "Also, what kind of cat visits another house when he has his own home?"

"Well," The question surprised him, and for a moment, he reverted to his closed self as he commented offhandedly, "this princess tower is better than a cold marble palace."

Marinette stopped. She abruptly looked at him, but he had already leaped down, avoiding her gaze. Watching her partner carefully, at his hunched shoulders and the way he held himself closely, she climbed down and approached him. "Chat Noir...you know you can tell me anything."

Chat Noir looked over his shoulder. Her face was open to him, willing to listen. He wanted to take her in his arms, declare his love, and reveal his secret. But..he couldn't.

She likes someone else. He couldn't do that to her.

And so he turned around and gave her his reassuring Adrien smile.

Marinette's eyes widened. He was closing her off again.

"I know. But I'm-"

She slapped her hands on his mouth. There was an unusual anger in her eyes. "Don't say you're okay. Don't," she hissed, "don't shut me out. I'm your friend. Let me be here for you."

If his eyes were misting, he'd say that was because of the bird feathers. Even if there were no bird feathers. Gently removing her hands, he gave her the genuine smile as gratitude filled his heart. "You're my best friend."

Marinette's blue eyes glittered and he couldn't help but to lean in and kiss away the crease in between her eyebrows. She squeaked adorably and he chuckled. "Chat! Wha-"

"I lost my mom last year and now I rarely see my father."

Marinette froze.

"When I do see my father, it's either because he finally has time to clear his schedule to eat with me or if I did something to displease him."

She did ask for it. But the truth still hurt.

"I miss my mom. She made father laugh like he had no worries. She loved me so much. I never wanted to leave the house because she was there."

Chat Noir gazed down at her, eyes filled with an intensity that sent her heart fluttering.

"When she - father was devastated. He buried himself in work. I was miserable. But then I got to go to school."

The corner of his lips lifted as he rested his hands on Marinette's shoulders.

"I made new amazing friends, though it was off to a rocky start since I had never been around that many kids my age. Then I met Ladybug."

Chat Noir smiled.

"I fell in love with the most amazing girl. She was smart, sweet, and brave. So so brave. She was scared, but she stood up for what was right. She's amazing."

Marinette turned red. Ladybug red. It was adorable.

"I made a special friend at school as well. She didn't like me much at the start, but I think we're on good terms now. She's a bit clumsy, but she's brilliant and clever and crazy talented."

Marinette raised an eyebrow. That sounded familiar, but she couldn't place a finger on it. "Who…?"

He grinned. "That's a secret."

"Fine. Keep your secrets." Marinette said with an eye roll and a half-smile. But it faded as she looked at him in contemplation. She had guessed that his family situation wasn't the greatest, but to think it was like this - if he came to her home because this was the warmest place he knows, well, she was gonna stuff him with cookies and soft things and so much comfort, he would never feel cold again.

And in this particularly cold night, she did just that. Holding up one finger, she rushed into her trunk where a bunch of comforters and blankets were kept and spread it on the ground. Deeming it soft enough, she threw her pillows over the edge, one of them hitting Chat Noir in the nose. She just gave him a teasing smirk when he glared at her, rubbing the sore spot.

"Grab my laptop." Marinette said as she climbed down to the kitchen. Before Chat Noir could say anything, she had closed the hatch.

Snatching a plate, she piled it high with cookies, cinnamon buns, and croissants that the bakery hadn't sold for the day. Sabine raised an eyebrow as Marinette walked back to her bedroom. "You know your stomach will hurt if you eat all of those before bed."

"Well, I was hungry again." Marinette stammered, sidestepping around her mother and quickly rushing in her bedroom. Closing it behind her, she breathed out a sigh of relief as she turned around to where Chat Noir had already booted up her laptop and leaning against her cat pillow.

Chat Noir's eyes lit up at the sight of the pastries piled high. Marinette conceded the plate to his grabbing hands and snickered as he stuffed a cookie one after the other in his mouth.

Flopping down beside him, she grabbed a spare blanket and tucked it over the two of them. "So what are we watching?"

"Cats Musical."

She shot him a deadpanned look. "You've got to be-"

"Kitten you." Chat Noir purred. "We're watching the Aristocats."

That wasn't any better, but she decided to humor him. With just a snort at the pun, she settled beside him in comfortable silence. The Aristocats moved on to The Lion King which then turned into a Disney marathon. With the night growing older, so did Marinette's eyelids start fluttering shut.

He felt her head fall on his shoulder. Shifting a little until she was in a more comfortable position, he leaned back and rested his cheek on her hair. Feeling a tad bit braver, he gently took her hand and entwined their fingers together. She nestled closer to him and his cheeks warmed.

And on this cold night, warmed by the scent of chocolate and vanilla, he couldn't help but be content. A feeling entirely new and foreign to him, but a pleasant, wonderful feeling nonetheless.

Pressing a kiss on the top of her head, he closed his eyes and dozed off.


But of course, morning has to arrive ;)

I was writing that Chat Noir monologue, then I was like - damn this is also perfect for the reveal. But then I was like, I don't even know if I'm still gonna do a reveal in here, so I put it here. If imma add a reveal scene later on, I'll make a new one. But we'll see ;)

Once again, thanks for reading! Thank you for the kudos and the comments! Tell me what you think once they wake up (it can go so many ways). Of course, we all know Plagg's gonna have a kick at all of this

ANYWAY

Thanks for reading! See y'all next time!