Chat made sure that he waited until Marinette's parents had turned off their bedroom light before vaulting his way toward her patio. He touched down as softly as possible and stowed his baton, looking around in a cursory and entirely instinctive way; he had to be sure there were no Akuma threatening his city before he went to comfort his Lady; responsibilities were still responsibilities, and she would have his hide if he were careless on her behalf.
Ever so lightly, he rapped on her skylight with a curled finger. It felt strange, visiting her like this in the dead of night, even though he did it before. Previously, she'd been up on the patio and it had only been happenstance. Now, calling on her like this seemed more like a tryst, especially since he knew her identity, and she, his. Blushing furiously at his own thoughts, Chat shook his head to dispel them just as Marinette climbed up and joined him.
"You alright, Chaton?" She asked in bemusement, which only caused him to blush deeper. Thankfully it was dark enough that he hoped most of the colour was hidden by his hair and mask.
"Just fine, milady," He replied. Wordlessly, and before truly asking her, Chat scooped Marinette up and settled with her on one of the lounge chairs, smiling to himself at the soft squeal of protest that escaped her. "Marinette, I was thinking about what you told me today," He said, looking at her seriously, watching every trace of embarrassment leave her face in an instant as she gazed back. "What you talked about… Well… That future has already changed, hasn't it? Because of what you did, and how I found out." He took her pale hand in his, mindful of his claws. "So… So now that I know about what could happen… Maybe we don't need to worry as much about it happening."
"What are you trying to say, Chat?"
"Maybe… We could give it a chance?" He knew her answer in the way her body tensed and the way she looked away, but he refused to let go. "Marinette, just-"
"Chat, you don't understand..." She bit her lower lip, clearly fighting with herself.
"I don't want to lose you, Marinette."
"I don't want to lose you either!" Marinette cried, wrenching her hand from his and bringing both of her fists down against his chest in futility. "Chat you don't understand, you were insane. Chat Blanc was insane and heartbroken and alone you were so alone and I can't… I can't do that to you!"
"You won't," Chat caught her fists before they struck him again and brought them to his lips instead. "I trust you. I've always trusted you, Marinette. With and without the mask." He watched as tears spilt over again and gently brushed them away. She trembled in his arms and he frankly couldn't blame her; from what she told him, she'd fought against a version of him that he never wanted to discover. He had faith, though, that she would keep him from it. That he would keep himself from it, knowing now that it was a possibility at all.
Chat didn't think that time was finite, and he didn't think that there was a be-all-end-all. One drop in the pond and all that. So with him finding out about Marinette and Ladybug differently, and her finding out about him differently, all of this must have changed things for them, right? It all must have affected something in time and space enough for them to have a second chance, right? Chat hoped beyond hope that his philosophical ramblings were true and that it meant he and Marinette still had some semblance of a chance. He wasn't about to let go of her now that he finally, finally knew who she was and knew just how close she'd been this whole time.
One thing was certain, though.
The next time he saw Bunnyx, they were going to have words.