Chapter Two

In the following three weeks leading up to the mayor's charity ball, Chat Noir noticed something interesting. In every encounter with Ladybug, be it akuma fight or scheduled patrol, she would take a moment to really study his face. At first Chat thought he'd been imagining things, but then he'd caught her turning away in a flurry with a slight blush to her cheeks.

It made him wonder if she was trying to piece together his identity. Or perhaps she was scrutinising his features for a more intriguing reason. Was it possible that she was taking a deeper look? Pushing away the mantle of friendship to see him as a man rather than just her akuma fighting partner. Chat Noir could only hope. But given their past track record he wasn't overly optimistic.

Instead he focussed on the one thing he thought would make a difference, alluring her as Adrien Agreste. Already he had his suit picked out for the night, one that accentuated the broadness of his shoulders and back. The trousers were snug across his ass too. As a model he knew which of his attributes to flaunt.

Heck, he'd been posturing as Chat Noir for years in the hope that Ladybug would be enticed, well at least when he wasn't dating Kagami. Being faithful was important to him, and that's what really stung in his breakup with Kagami. She'd strayed while they'd still been together, only dumping him when she was photographed with her new beau.

Adrien had been hurt by her betrayal, yet he hadn't been as upset as he probably should have been. Their relationship had been dying slowly for some time. It ending had been something of a relief.

Some might have considered a month and a half too soon to move on, but when it came down to it, Chat Noir was only picking up from where he'd left off. Ladybug had always entranced him. To the point it she had been an awful distraction when he'd first taken on the responsibilities of being a superhero. But the longer they were together, he forced himself to focus on what was important. His role was to protect and support his partner, and it was a job he took seriously.

Age and maturity had given him a different insight from their early days. While Chat Noir continued with the playful banter even now in their partnership, he knew when to be serious. From the corner of his masked eyes, he snuck a peak at Ladybug and tried to ignore the intense yearning that flowed through him. She was watching him again but he didn't move from his current stance. He wanted her to look her fill. Damn, he hoped she was undressing him with her eyes.

It took all he had to keep his cat ears forward, yet his tail twitched against his will. Stupid magical belt. It was the tell for many of his moods. Letting out a sigh, Chat Noir dropped his head and briefly shook it. He needed to push these hopeful delusions away. Ladybug was not interested in him. She'd plainly stated it when he'd asked her outright. The only hope he had at turning her head was as his alter ego.

Her voice broke through his inner conflict. "Chat?"

Turning his head to the side, those feline eyes locked on his partner. "Yes."

"Are you alright? You looked a little lost."

Chat Noir didn't move. Instead he watched as Ladybug approached him. Her steps were light and fluid as a dancer's. Yet she hadn't always been so graceful. His gaze hungrily raked over her lithe body but didn't linger. Closing his masked eyes, Chat Noir's nostrils flared as he sucked in a steadying breath. He needed to shelve his desire for later. Or maybe he needed to get laid. The problem being that there was only one woman he wanted pressed naked against him and he was fairly certain she wouldn't be receptive to that idea.

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. "I miss sex."

Ladybug baulked, and her gaze darted away from his as she dipped her chin. Clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand. "Oh."

"More accurately I miss the intimacy of being close to someone you care about. If I really wanted to, I could find someone to have sex with but it would only be a physical release. I want that emotional connection. That need to be close to the person I'm with. To see her looking at me like I matter."

A myriad of emotions flitted across Ladybug's face far too swiftly for Chat Noir to read. "You miss your ex."

Chat Noir shook his head. "No. We lost that connection some time ago." He wanted to add more. To admit that it was her that he wanted, her that he cherished but Chat Noir knew the drill. She'd swat away his declaration in a heartbeat and he didn't think he could take it right now.

The warmth of Ladybug's hand touched his elbow. "You'll find someone, Chat. I know it."

For a long moment they stood staring into each other's eyes. Was she hinting at something or was he deluding himself again? Wanting to test her out, Chat Noir leaned forward with the intent of kissing her on the forehead. As expected, Ladybug's eyes widened and she danced out of his reach. She let out a nervous giggle. "Well I think patrolling is done for tonight. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at the ball."

"I'll be there, with bell on." He smirked as he tapped the bell at his throat, "At least for some of the night." Then he threw her wink and watched as she darted away.

Marinette reefed at her pigtails as she paced the floor of her bedroom in a tizz. "Why did I agree to this, Tikki? Why?"

The red kwami eyed her chosen and considered whether or not she should point out the truth. She decided to hedge a little. "You wanted to challenge your partner?"

"No!" Marinette protested, then shook her head. "Yes. I don't know."

"I think you do know."

Blue eyes were filled with turmoil as she looked to her kwami. "I can't be with Chat Noir."

"But you've thought about it." Tikki prompted.

An exasperated snort sounded from Marinette. "I'd be lying if I said no." Gnawing on her bottom lip, she added, "I never expected him to grow up to be so, so… hot. Damn, it was so much easier when he was an obnoxious flirt."

"Was Chat ever obnoxious?"

"I suppose not. But it was so much simpler when he'd flirt and I'd turn him down. I didn't realise how much I'd miss his attention when he started dating. Heck, I was with Luka when it all began. I vividly remember how downtrodden Chat looked when I told him I was seeing someone." Marinette knew she was underplaying it. Chat Noir had appeared completely gutted when Ladybug revealed that nugget of information. Never had she seen her partner look more defeated than in that moment.

When he'd come to her a month later stating that he'd found someone too she'd been utterly relieved. Assuming that having someone of his own would cushion whatever blow she'd given him when delivering her own news. Yet there had been a hollowness in his eyes when she'd smiled and congratulated him. As if it wasn't the response he'd been seeking, and deep down she suspected it wasn't. Chat Noir was probably hoping for a reaction of jealously but she hadn't felt it at the time.

It was later when he was less playful and refrained from flirting that Ladybug realised how much she enjoyed Chat Noir's attention. But what stung the most was when he stopped calling her 'milady'. Somehow it felt as though she'd really lost him, even though he was still by her side whenever she needed him.

When her relationship with Luka came to an end and she expressed it to Chat Noir, she'd half expected him to end his own relationship to pursue her again. But that didn't happen. He'd remained with his girlfriend for another 18 months. And in that time Ladybug began to see her partner differently. While Chat Noir was still flamboyant and cheeky, he was also more serious when they were on their own.

This new maturity had her intrigued. She liked the comfort of being able to speak to him without the worry of him taking it as an open invitation that she was interested. If anything, Ladybug had become closer to Chat Noir. The sense of trust between them growing stronger because of it. Though perhaps it had always been that way for him. And it saddened Ladybug to think she'd taken so long to reciprocate.

But the moment Chat Noir had called her 'milady' again, something shifted inside Ladybug. The old endearment tugged at her heartstrings. When he admitted he was single again something akin to panic had stirred within her. She had accepted the status quo and now it was shifting again. Ladybug didn't miss the heated glances Chat Noir tossed her way when he thought she wasn't looking. Hell, she'd been doing the same to him. All because he'd put it out there that he wanted to seduce her.

Now she was in a quandary because she wanted him to do so. But her turbulent emotions and need for professionalism held her back from saying so. Ladybug and Chat Noir had to work together and a rift in their relationship, if things went sour, would leave the door wide open for Hawkmoth to gain the advantage he'd been seeking for years.

Drawing in a deep breath, Marinette knew what she had to do. She had to resist the temptation to be with Chat Noir. Even if she had no clue who he was unmasked. Surely his brazen style of flirting would stand out to her. No doubt his alter ego would saunter up to her and state some corny pick up line to try and win her over. When it came down to it, Marinette was feeling more and more confident that she'd be able to wheedle out her partner from the crowd and thwart his seduction before it really got started.

Regardless of her intent, Ladybug felt her heart thunder when she eyed her partner the following evening. He was waiting on the opposite rooftop to the Le Grand Paris. With his back to her, Ladybug was able to admire Chat Noir's physique as it was illuminated by the streetlights and spotlights below. Cat ears pricked up and pivoted her way as he turned his head and smiled.

"Fancy meeting you here, milady."

And there it was again. The use of his old endearment, causing her pulse to spike as it rumbled from his lips. She smiled in return, "Indeed kitty."

His masked eyebrows quirked at her sultry tone and his slit pupils widened a little further. "You're looking as ravishing as ever." There was no subtly in the way his gaze smouldered over her body.

Ladybug snorted. "I look exactly as I always do."

Chat Noir dropped his left shoulder and leaned down to look at her. "And I've always wanted to ravish you."

"You're laying it on thick tonight, Chat. I suspect I'll have no trouble picking out your alter ego."

At that Chat Noir gave her an enigmatic smile. "We'll see."

Now then, this story was meant to be a short one but it keeps growing. My aim had been 3 chapters but I've already drafted 4 full ones and the start of 5, yet the story isn't done - apparently it has a life of its own. Let the game begin...

As always, thanks for reading, supporting and reviewing :)