Chapter One

"Pound it!" Ladybug caught her breath as her Miraculous finished fixing the damage caused by the latest Akuma. Her eyes were bright with adrenaline and a huge smile split her face. Chat Noir's expression matched hers.

Then their Miraculous beeped, signaling that they only had a few minutes to get away before the transformed back.

At that sound, Chat's face fell to a grimace. "Hey, what's wrong, kitty?" His partner said. Usually, she would be flying away to avoid being caught by someone mid-transformation, but something in his expression made her pause. He was in pain.

"It's…It's nothing, really." He sounded like he was trying to convince himself—and failing.

"Don't give me that." She answered with a frown. "I know when you're hiding something from me. Do you…" She looked over at a clock on the side of a nearby building. "Is there something wrong? At home, I mean?" He had told her before that his home-life was a little strained. She always had this worry in the back of her head that it was worse than he was letting on.

He crossed one arm over his chest, wrapping a hand around the opposite upper arm and looking like a kicked puppy—or a kicked kitten. "You know me too well, Milady." He said with a wry smile. "I don't think I really want to talk about it. But I just…If I go home right now, I'll be all alone. And I don't want that. Not now."

"Is there a friend you could stay with?" She asked, an idea churning in her mind.

Chat thought about it for a minute. Nino had gone to visit his uncle for the weekend. And Marinette was studying at her house with Alya. Even Chloe was busy, still on a week-long ski trip with her father. He shook his head. "No, not near here. They're either out of town or busy studying for finals next week." He sighed.

"Come with me." Ladybug said softly, making a decision, knowing it could change everything if they didn't trust each other as much as she hoped. She took his hand and tugged him forward. He gave her a confused look, but didn't hesitate to follow her. As soon as she saw he was coming along, she let go of his hand and swung her yoyo, pulling herself up into the Paris skyline and racing along buildings in the growing shadows. The sun had set sometime during their battle with the akuma. She spared only a couple of glances back as she ran, assuring he was still behind her, using his baton to swing himself along the roofs.

They reached their destination as the last warning beep sounded from her earrings. "Ladybug?" He said, bewildered that she would remain there with him this close to transforming.

"Look, Chat. I still think we need to keep our civilian identities separate and secret. But you need a friend right now. So." She gestured to the empty roof to the high school, out of view of anyone, unless they were specifically looking there for them. They had managed to lose the reporters, and they were alone. The sun had fully set; the only lights in the city were coming from the street lamps, and frosted windows, and her eyes. Chat couldn't take his eyes off hers. She was, right then, more perfect than he ever thought anyone could be. "So," she continued. "Sit with me. We'll let our transformations fall. We'll sit up here. We can talk if you want. Or we can just sit here, until you feel better, okay?" He nodded, not trusting his voice. "Come on, then. We'll sit back to back." She frowned. "Again, I still think it's best to keep our secret. So, Chatton, no peeking, alright?" he nodded again. He knew the amount of trust she was putting in him. She was trusting him with her safety, and the safety of her family. She was trusting him with everything. He wasn't going to jeopardize that for an instant.

They sat together on the roof, in the dark center of the flat surface, where the lights on the corners of the building didn't quite reach. "Uh, Milady? I wouldn't sit that close just yet." He said, clearing his throat when his voice cracked. She made a curious sound in the back of her throat. "I was wearing a backpack, so it might throw you forward. Or me. Not sure at the moment."

"Ah, okay." She scooted a few inches forward, and took a deep breath. "Ready?"

"Yeah." He said. "And, Ladybug?" She turned to look at him, meeting his eyes for an instant. "Thank you." He tried to pour everything he could into those two words—every bit of love and respect and gratitude that he felt.

"Any time, Chatton. What else is a partner for?" Her words were quiet and filled with just as much affection for him. They turned away again, and let their transformations fall. He could see the red light mixing with his green, and had to fight the instinct to turn and look at her. He felt the weight of his backpack settle on his shoulders, and immediately shrugged it off, pulling it around to his lap. Ladybug scooted back to lean against him again, the touch sending little electric shocks along his entire body. He felt her shiver. "Wow, it's actually kind of chilly up here." She said.

He felt a bit of tension release in his body. He realized he had been half-afraid she would be someone completely different when she was de-transformed. But that was her voice, the voice that had been at his side for two years as they battled akumas. She was still his Ladybug, his partner, his love. His Lady. "Guess those suits protect us from more than damage, huh?" He joked.

"Ya got that right, kid." Plagg's voice grumbled from beside him.

"Plagg?" Came a small voice from behind Chat.

Adrien watched his Kwami's face light up, and the change was instant and beautiful and surprising. "Tikki?" Plagg's voice was full of wonder and hope. "Is that really you?"

"Plagg," came a soft sigh before a red Kwami flew into Plagg's arms. The two embraced, hugging each other so tight that it was like they were trying to absorb each other.

"Finally, " Plagg answered her sigh, relaxing for what Adrien thought might be the first time since he'd met the god. Plagg met Adrien's eyes. "Took ya long enough, kid. Thanks for this." The pair disappeared into Adrien's backpack, pushing the edge of a blanket out of the bag.

Adrien smiled and tugged on the corner, pulling free a black and green fleece blanket, which he three over his back. Marinette squealed in surprise and jumped back against him as the blanket settled around her, and laughed as he tugged on it, pulling the edges together over his chest and locking them into a cacoon of warmth. "I can't have my Lady cold," he joked.

She tensed for a second like she would argue before relaxing and snuggling down into the blanket. "So what is it that has you hurting, chaton?"

Adrien sighed and let his head fall back to rest on her shoulder. She leaned her head against his, and they both felt the shiver of rightness at the contact. Adrien didn't realize just how touch-starved he was. This was the best feeling he'd had in a long time. "Like I said, it's really nothing."

"No offence, kitty, but bullshit." He blinked in surprise at the ferocity behind her words. Marinette bit her tongue. "Pardon my language, but I'm tired of you lying to me."

"I'm not - "

"Chatton," she warned. "I need to know. Is someone...is someone hurting you? Is that what's going on?"

He understood the rage hiding in her tone then. "No, milady," he said quietly. "I'm just...lonely. That's all.

Marinette exhaled slowly, feeling relief settle on her at his admission. She had always feared the worst. "What about your family. Aren't they there for you?"

He shook his head, looking up at the stars above Paris. "Not really. My mom was but…she's gone now," he said wistfully.

"I'm sorry, Chatton," Marinette said, putting all of her feeling in the words. She couldn't imagine her life without her parents. They may be crazy, but they were there, and they loved her. It was sometimes the only thing that kept her going, when life got crazy. For Chat not to have that…She pressed against his back more firmly, making sure he knew she was there, and she wasn't leaving.

"Don't be." His eyes were still on the dark sky, spotted with light. He was searching for her there. She was a pure enough soul, maybe she became a star, to guide him. He sighed. "That was a pretty tough fight," he said, changing the subject. He stretched a bit, feeling his spine realign and sensing for the first time the bruises over his body.

Marinette laughed. "Transforming twice each, and fists of actual steel? Hawkmoth has moved on from just annoyances to full-on villains. That guy could really pack a punch." She rubbed her sore shoulder, feeling the muscles zing. "You aren't too hurt, though, are you? I saw him knock you pretty hard a few times."

Adrien shook his head. "Your Miraculous Ladybug healed the big stuff, and the suit protects me from too much. I'll be sore for a few days, and I may have to hide a couple of nasty bruises, but I'll be fine."

"Good," Marinette sighed. She closed her eyes and settled against him. The night was cold, but there under the blanket with her partner, the long night of fighting and the previous long day of studying non-stop was catching up to her. She was completely at ease with him. That should have scared her, but it didn't.

Adrien felt himself doing the same thing, mind drifting. Almost at the same time, the pair started to slump to the side, laying back-to-back on the roof, curled up under the fleece. Neither noticed themselves falling asleep…

Marinette woke up shivering, her teeth chattering. Instinctively she curled in on herself, pulling her head under the blanket and shutting out the bright morning light. There was a groan behind her, and tension on the blanket, as something warm moved against her back. She froze, eyes snapping open. Within seconds she was out from under the blanket and on her feet, looking down. Cursing herself, she looked away, remembering at the last second what happened the previous night. She had fallen asleep, next to Chat Noir. And there he lay, un-transformed and vulnerable.

She wasn't fast enough.

The blanket covered his face. That wasn't what caught her eye. His hair was a mess, peeking out of the top of the blanket, resting on his muscular arm. What caught her eye was the blanket itself. It was lime green, plush fleece, lined with black stitching, with a large black paw print in the center. She recognized it instantly.

Because she had made it.

For Adrien. Her eyes darted back to the blanket, then to the backpack, which she recognized. She realized that the scent she'd fallen asleep surrounded by had been his cologne. She realized that Chat Noir's voice was Adrien's, just less…strained, more natural. Sadder.

Adrien Agreste, her crush, the love of her life, was none other than her adorable, dorky, lovable partner. She was shaking now for an entirely different reason. He shifted, groaning again in his sleep, seeking her warmth. She darted to his backpack and unzipped the main pouch. The Kwami stirred awake, blinking up at her. Tikki looked confused at her, then to Plagg, then back up at Marinette, startled.

"Tikki, I hate to break you two apart, but I need to get out of here, now." She nodded. "Tikki, spots on." She felt the glow settle on her, and the suit warmed her achingly cold body. She sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry Plagg," Ladybug said as she crouched once more by the backpack.

Plagg smirked, hovering in front of her face. "You know," he said.

Ladybug gulped. "Yeah, I, uh." Plagg laughed maniacally. "Look that's not the point. I know. But I'm having a bit of trouble processing it, so please, can you wake him up, when I'm gone. And tell him…tell him I regret nothing, but I had somewhere to be urgently."

Plagg froze, then narrowed his eyes in a glare. "You have to tell him."

Ladybug's eyes widened. "You know? You know who I am?"

Plagg slapped his forehead. "Of course I know, dummy. More importantly, he needs to know, before he drives me insane."

Ladybug shook her head vehemently. "No! Don't tell him! You can't! Not yet, at least." She blushed. "I…I will tell him, eventually. I just need, I just need a little time, is all."

Plagg glared some more, crossing his arms. "You have a week. And then I'm telling him, whether you want me to or not."

"I don't know if that's-"

"One. Week." He repeated, flying into her face. She gulped, then nodded. "Good, now get out of here before I change my mind." She turned to leave. "And Ladybug?" She looked at him over her shoulder, readying her yo-yo. "Thanks for last night. It meant a lot to him. And to me." His voice was softer.

Ladybug smiled. "Of course. He needed me. I will never turn him away like that." Without another word, she was off, disappearing into the dawn.