My Beta/Sister kindly pointed out to me a couple of minor plot holes to do with the timing of the days here, I guess mistakes happen when you don't write regularly and forget where you're up to..? Anyway, I've gone back a few chapters and changed some times around, hopefully it's all ok now so if you're confused then either go back or just ignore time, time isn't real anyway :')

Nathaniel packed up his notebook. His head was spinning with all the terms that Marinette had used during their lesson, and his thumbs already stung a little from accidently stabbing himself with a needle a few times. They'd started with the basics of threading needles, learning about some fabrics, and about how to find the best point to start working on.

'Anyway, I think that's probably enough for today.' Marinette finished. 'Um, do you want, like, homework or something?' She asked with uncertainty.

Nathaniel looked at the long list of equipment she had written down for him, and waved it at her.

'I think this shopping list should keep me busy for a while.' He said and grinned at her, folding it away into his bag.

Marinette grinned back, then yawned and stretched. Nathaniel sneakily glanced at her as she did so. Cute!

'So, do you want to have another lesson sometime?' She asked him.

'Um, I don't mind. If you have time. That would be great. But it's ok. I know you're busy.' He stuttered at her.

Marinette shrugged and took out her timetable, looking down at all the weekends for the rest of the term.

'We have the same classes, right? Maybe we can have lessons on every second Saturday?'

Nathaniel nodded, trying to hide a large smile from forming. He hid behind his fringe to hide his face as best as he could before answering 'Yeah, that'd be great.'

Marinette stood up and put away her own box of sewing supplies.

'I'm just going to go to the bathroom if that's ok? You keep packing up I'll be back soon.'

Nathaniel finished packing up the final few pencils and zipped up his bag, waiting patiently for her to come back. Then he saw a piece of paper on the floor under Marinette's desk, and decided to be helpful and pick it up for her. He bent over to pick it up, and as he straightened he turned it over.

On the piece of paper, which he now saw was a glossy poster, was a modelling photo of Adrien.

He jumped a little. In the corners he could see where someone had drawn little absent-minded love hearts, clearly not from the original poster design. His heart skipped a beat. Why is this here? But he could already figure it out.

Marinette at that moment came back into the room. She saw Nathaniel standing next to her desk staring at one of her posters of Adrien, his cheeks turning a dark pink. She sprinted across the room and took it out of his hands in a rush.

'UM, I can explain! This is also fashion! Adrien is fashion! Able! Fashionable! His dad you know?' and she waved her free hand around, drastically trying to cover up.

Nathaniel's heart felt like it had now fully stopped beating, and was starting to sink. He recognised that reaction all to well, and now he knew. Marinette saw the recognition in his eyes and gave up her explanation.

'Please don't tell him? I'm, just, not ready for him to know.'

Nathaniel nodded numbly.

'I...I understand. It's ok, I won't tell him, you can trust me.'

Marinette looked relieved.

'Thank you Nathaniel! I know, you're a great guy, I trust you.'

The next few minutes of saying goodbye and walking home were a blur for Nathaniel. His heart was broken.

As the sun set, Adrien finished his homework and impatiently looked at the clock. He still had some time to go until he met up with Ladybug, and he wanted to meet with Marinette first. After meeting with Ladybug yesterday he had gone straight to Marinette's house, but her light had been off so he had assumed he was asleep and gone home. Tonight he was going to try to get there earlier to check up on her.

As he glanced at the clock again, Nathalie knocked politely on the door before entering.

'Good evening, Adrien. Have you completed your homework for tonight?' She asked in her usual robotic voice.

'Yes Nathalie.' He responded, equally as wooden.

'Excellent. Here is your timetable for tomorrow. I recognise that it is a Sunday, however your father has requested that you attend an extra photo shoot at dawn tomorrow as part of the 'New Day' promotion.'

Adrien nodded resignedly.

'Thanks Nathalie. What teenager doesn't love to wake up at dawn on a Sunday.' He said jokingly.

'The photo shoot is at dawn. Therefore you will be required to be awake and ready to leave the house at 5am.'

Adrien cringed and nodded again.

'Thanks. Goodnight Nathalie.'

'Goodnight Adrien.'

As the door closed behind her, Plagg zoomed out from behind a cushion.

'An early morning again? Ewwwww! Do these people not understand that we need our beauty sleep?! Let's just stay here and sleep!'

Adrien shook his head.

'No time for that sorry Plagg, it's time to go see Marinette and Ladybug.'

'Ah yes, your two favourite girls. No wonder you're so excited. But think about this: sleep is great!'

Adrien ignored him.

'Plagg, claws out!'

10 minutes later Chat Noir was sitting across the road from Marinette's house, studying her balcony for signs of light or movement. It was dark again, but he could see that the lights were on in the levels below, and sure enough a few minutes later he saw Marinette arrive back in her room carrying a plate with a few cookies. He took out his baton and zipped over to her balcony, politely knocking on her door twice. Then he grinned and mischievously followed that by a quick funky rhythm too.

Marinette opened the doors and stepped out, crossing her arms jokingly and shaking her head at Chat.

'Chat Noir, I should have known. What are you doing here?'

Chat felt a huge grin growing on his face. It was always fun to visit Marinette, as both Adrien and Chat she was his best friend and confidant.

'Good evening Princess.' He gave a low bow. 'I just wanted to check up on you after the akuma attack yesterday. I…' He hesitated briefly, remembering the purpose of his visit. 'I'm really sorry Marinette. I took you all the way over to some building to keep you safe, but I forgot to come back. I wanted to apologise last night so I came over but I guess you were asleep. Can you please forgive me?'

Marinette blushed at the heartfelt apology.

'It's ok, Chat. I know how busy you are. I was just disappointed I didn't get the chance to say thank you. So yeah, thank you for saving me.'

Chat looked relieved.

'Any time, Princess. So how's your knee?'

Marinette looked down at the injury. It had almost fully healed by now, but she had kept the limp up at school all day yesterday and today with Nathaniel and her family, in order to keep their suspicions low.

'I'm alright Chat, it's almost gone now.'

Chat was sure she was just trying to make sure he wasn't worried. After all, he knew how recently she had gotten the injury and there was no way to heal that quickly unless she was healed by magic. He knew all too well that fact, as the shield for Ladybug he had rapidly learned that injuries healed quickly due to the power of the kwamis.

He held out his arm to her now.

'Nonetheless, Princess, I would be honoured to escort you to that chair over there.' He purrrred at her.

Marinette snorted but held out her hand haughtily.

'You may escort me.'

They giggled over their fake snootiness as they stalked over to the chairs and sat down, Chat even going so far as to pull the chair out for her.

'I feel flattered to have a visit from a superhero such as yourself.' Marinette said to him, battering her eyelids at him in an exaggerated stereotype of the girly characters from superhero movies. Chat played along, leaning back in the chair and putting his hands behind his head.

'You know us heroes, never too busy to spare time for you civilians.' He said smugly.

'Oh of course, such generosity. So humble.' Marinette laughed.

Chat looked past her into her room, noticing the boxes of materials and equipment lying on her desk. He realised it would be a fun opportunity to find out how Nathaniel was progressing with Marinette. What could be more subtle than a superhero wingman?

He indicated the stuff in her room.

'Looks like you've been working on something in there?'

Marinette looked at where he was pointing.

'I was teaching Nathaniel sewing stuff. It was pretty fun, and I've been a little re-inspired by revising my old notebooks again with him.'

'Nathaniel, huh? A friend? A boyfriend?' He winked at her.

Marinette laughed it off.

'No way, just a friend. He even found a picture of the guy I like in my room! So there's no way that there'll be anything more.'

Chat masked his surprise behind his...mask. He knew that Marinette had liked someone, but not that she was the type of girl to leave photos of the guy around her room.

'You have photos of him just lying around?' He asked her in surprise.

'No, not exactly. He's, um, you know, a celebrity, so there are posters. It's not that weird!'

'You have a crush on a celebrity? Don't you know that's never going to work out?' Chat teased her, then instantly regretted it as hurt flashed across her face. 'I'm sorry. I know I'm not one to talk, at least you know who this guy is. I don't know anything about Ladybug.'

Marinette looked down at the floor.

'It's ok Chat. I know you didn't mean it.'

Chat was going to say more, then his alarm went off on his baton to signal it was time to meet Ladybug.

'Sorry to leave you Princess, but it's time for me to meet up with Ladybug now.'

Marinette nodded, standing up and walking towards her room again.

'See you later Chat.'