A/N: Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for not updating in a while, exams have been driving me up the walls and I have 4 this week, so I can't guarantee that updates will come faster :/ Anyway, today I've good news which some of you may know.

* *SPOLER* * * GLACIATOR A.K.A THE BALCONY SCENE IS HERE! * * *SPOILER* * *

And yes, I have watched it and I'm floored! Definitely been waiting for a long time and while it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it did partly fulfill my own take on the balcony scene. I got inspired by the episode and I wanted to try and do multiple "balcony scenes" in the future with them in different situations :) Tell me what you think!

Rating: K+

Lose

Chat Noir gently pressed at the bleeding spot on the side of her stomach, biting his bottom lip hard when she hissed in pain and tensed, body lurching away from his touch at the contact of the burning antiseptic and the wound.

"I'm sorry-"

"It's fine kitty, I'm alright, stop saying that," Marinette smiled, but it looked forced and it broke his heart, "I can take a little pain," she took a breath when he gently dabbed at it, her stomach contracting as she fought to not release pained sounds.

His fingers shook and he started to apply the fresh bandage to the wound, his voice was low when he spoke to her, "I meant because of the akuma attack…" he paused in his bandaging, roll of gauze held in one hand midair and Marinette's eyes shot to his face to try and read his expression.

"…Chat Noir?" she rose an eyebrow, eyes slanting in concern as she placed a hand on his forearm.

It was shaking.

"I was supposed to take that hit princess," he chuckled and a shiver ran down her spine, the voice was his but it lacked any emotion, as if he didn't really want to laugh but did it anyway, maybe to ease his nerves or hers, she didn't know. "I have a durable suit, you're just a civilian, it could have been a lot worse than this and you know it,"

Marinette snorted, "I know that Chat but I…I just did it instinctively," she mumbled the last bit, looking away from him.

It was his turn to snort, "Instinctively?" damn his good hearing, "So, you instinctively leap into the way of danger when somebody attacks a person close to you?" he rose an eyebrow skeptically, hands methodically wrapping the bandage securely around her waist.

Marinette turned her head towards him, bluebell eyes a whirlwind of emotions, "Of course, I do, I do that all the-"immediately, she closed her mouth, cursing herself for the slip up, "I m-mean, I would do it even if I did it all the time," she cringed at her lame excuse, "You saved me too Chat Noir, I'm only returning the favor,"

His eyes hardened, "But I don't have to go to the hospital after I get hit! I only feed my kwami! But you need to go to the hospital, your injuries are far worse than an empty stomach Marinette!" the way his voice rose stunned her.

Chat Noir had never been angry with her before.

Annoyed, occasionally. Exasperated, sometimes. But never angry.

Not with Ladybug or Marinette.

Looking at him now, she never saw this side of him before. Nose flared, green eyes appearing to be glowing in his anger, fists clenched at his side and a deep, disapproving frown on his lips. Her own lips curled into a frown, "But I'll heal too! I just need a little more time!"

With Tikki's help, Marinette was sure she could speed up her recovery by a few weeks, but Chat didn't know that of course.

She only couldn't let anyone at school notice she had an injury, or otherwise she would need to do a lot of explaining when she healed in a few weeks, where for a normal human it would take months. Thankfully, she didn't know Chat Noir in her civilian life. At least she didn't know any blond, green eyed pun loving boy who made flirty remarks every now and then.

Chat's glare deepened, and he threw his arms up in the air, "Just a little longer? You could get an infection! How will you go to school like this? You can't move too much or your wound will reopen!" he paced back and forth, belt tail flicking erratically as if it had a mind of its own, "How will you tell your parents about this? They'll surely notice. What if another akuma attack happens somewhere near your school and Ladybug or I don't get there in time?" he stopped his frantic pacing, suddenly falling on one knee at her feet and resting his hands on her knees, "Don't you understand princess? I won't always be there to make sure nothing happens to you, I can't let anything happen to you!"

Marinette's eye twitched. On one side, she understood her partner completely.

He was scared, he was scared for her safety. He didn't know she was Ladybug, of course she would worry about Adrien too if this had happened to him. She had to stop giving him such a hard time, but her Ladybug side wouldn't have any of it, "I'm not some damsel in distress Chat Noir! I can take care of myself…and…and I don't need you always saving me, you have enough superhero stuff to do without me being a burden!" her face scrunched up and Marinette desperately fought the onslaught of tears she felt prick the corners of her eyes.

Chat's ears flattened against his head, "Marinette, did you hear anything I said?! I never said you were damsel in distress! Akumas target everyone randomly, you could get caught in the fray and get hurt!" he grabbed her hands tightly, green eyes boring into her seriously, "You could never be a burden princess, cat's honor,"

He wasn't lying.

Even if the phrase "cat's honor" was supposed to be humorous, it never was with him. She knew he wouldn't ever break any promises he made, especially not when he said that.

Her hands shook and Chat's fingers tightened, "But why? Why can't you let anything happen to me?!" she wanted to know. She had to know.

Fear and worry were the primary emotions battling in his big green eyes and Chat Noir carefully enveloped her in his arms, mindful of her wound, but hugging her close to him as he brokenly whispered in her ear, "I can't afford tolose you too,"

She froze in his arms, stunned to silence by his broken words.

I can't afford to lose you too.

Marinette's hands gripped at his back tightly, "Too? Did he lose someone already?" heart heavy with guilt and sympathy and a million other things she couldn't identify, Marinette sunk deeper into his embrace, noting the subtle trembling of his body and the desperate way his claws slightly prickled her as he clutched her carefully tighter to him.

"You won't lose me kitty," her whisper was met with a barely audible sob and a small nod against the side of her face.

Not Ladybug or Marinette. She vowed to herself silently, wishing she could do more than just hold him.

But she didn't know how much her presence was already reassuring him and calming his racing heart and fear-filled mind.

She had no idea how much she mattered.

Thank you kindly for reading! :) For my WeHeartIt followers, this is the chapter I've referenced in my edited (new) Marichat picture! :)