Ladybug didn't regret it. Chat Noir had totally deserved that. As she fled towards her house, it was like her heart had turned to stone, and not even Chat's hurt, betrayed yowl as he fell could soften it.

But it was his fault. His stupid actions had driven her to the point where she got violent. It wasn't a usual occurrence in Ladybug's life. She was quite a sunny-natured person, and it was very rare that she had these outbursts. But she couldn't be like that all the time. Marinette's family and friends knew that when she woke up in a mood, it was best to treat her like a bomb on the verge of going off. You definitely didn't want it blowing up in your face.

Despite what her idiot of a partner had assumed, it wasn't 'that time of the month'. To be honest, that time didn't have too much of an effect on Ladybug. It was just the rare occasions when nothing went her way that made Ladybug act like this.

The superheroine launched herself into the air over her balcony, detransforming as she landed. She clambered through the trapdoor and then down her ladder. Marinette marched over to her chaise lounge, picked up a cushion, then began to punch it, using more force than was really necessary, imagining that it was her partner's face.

Tikki studied the scene disapprovingly, then spoke to her chosen. "Marinette, stop! Go back there and apologise to Chat Noir!"

Marinette looked at Tikki like she was crazy. "No way! Are you kidding? He totally deserved that!" Marinette continued her punching. She couldn't figure out that cat. Last night, he'd been so sensitive and kind. But then tonight, he'd started making stupid puns again. His chauvinistic comment had been the straw that broke the camel's back. Marinette's anger and fear from earlier, then her confusion over Chat, her guilt from telling him about Adrien, and finally more anger, had congealed into a horrible mix of emotion that Marinette couldn't identify, and couldn't stop.

"You should be used to his puns by now. He was obviously just trying to lighten the mood! I felt awkward just witnessing it! And that last comment…. well, I'll admit that it was idiotic, but he didn't think! He was probably scared and didn't know why you were like that, so he tried to pinpoint the reason!" Tikki took a deep breath. "I'm sure Chat Noir didn't mean to offend you. He probably just didn't understand."

Marinette shrugged, still fuming. "I don't care. Women should be allowed to be angry without being asked if it's 'that time of the month'. I can't believe I actually cried over that fool's feelings." She got up, and climbed the ladder to her balcony. Tikki wisely stayed behind, deciding to give the girl some space, and let her cool down. She knew Marinette was angry about the sexist comment, but she also knew that the girl's rage was more than that. It was all the negative emotions she'd been feeling lately. Marinette had needed to be angry, because it was a familiar emotion. It was just unlucky that she'd chosen to take it out on Chat.

Marinette leaned against the railing, thinking. She needed to sort out her feelings, but she couldn't. Instead she just seethed over her imbecile of a partner. Unfortunately, his fall probably hadn't injured him. He was probably just hurt that she would actually do a thing like that. Marinette tried to feel pleased that she had hurt him, but couldn't. She wasn't a sadistic person by nature, which in the long run was a good thing, but right now it just made her angrier.

With a sigh, she swung back down onto her bed, changed into her pyjamas, and curled up among her pillows. "Tikki, can I ditch Chat and fight akumas on my own?"

Tikki shook her head. "No, Marinette. The ladybug and cat miraculous are the most powerful of them all. They must always be balanced, equal. That's where the yin- yang philosophy comes from- the original Miraculous wielders. Creation and destruction, male and female. Even your backgrounds must balance out. You must work together."

Marinette groaned. "But I can't stand him."

"That's impossible. A Ladybug and a Chat Noir can never truly hate one another. It's impossible," replied Tikki.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty good at doing the impossible. You said it yourself, Tikki," growled Marinette.

"There's a difference between anger and hatred, Marinette. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Tikki." Marinette turned out the light and snuggled down, certain that sleep would not come easy tonight.

Chat Noir regretted it.

He didn't know what he'd done, but he still regretted it.

He had never intended to make Ladybug so mad. Was it the puns? Or that last comment? He hadn't been thinking when he said that. He'd panicked, and in movies, that was usually the answer. Chat had forgotten how sexist it was, and how furious his female friends, like Alya and Marinette got when people asked them that. He just didn't think when he was around Ladybug. She made him feel like he was going to faint, in the best possible way. He'd gotten better at controlling himself over the months, but he still slipped up every now and then.

Like tonight. He hated himself for his actions, and Ladybug probably did too. No wonder she preferred Adrien over Chat Noir.

It hadn't hurt when she'd pushed him. At least, not physically. He'd been expecting something, but nothing quite so dramatic. Chat Noir had cried out when he fell, but had extended his staff to keep himself from slamming against the pavement. So he was unscathed in that aspect.

The real pain came from his heart.

He hadn't believed that Ladybug would actually go out of her way to hurt him. If she'd punched him, he wouldn't have been so upset. Maybe bruised, but at least a punch was straightforward, if slightly brutal. But Ladybug hadn't even stuck around to see if he was okay. She'd completely disappeared. It was what Chat would have expected from Chloe Bourgeois. But then again, Ladybug had been really out of sorts.

With a sigh, Chat Noir wondered what to do now. He wasn't ready to go home and confront his father about choosing his partner for the dance, and with Ladybug gone, he had nothing to do.

Maybe he should get some help with the situation. He needed to visit someone he trusted, someone who wouldn't be freaked out or suspicious if he visited them randomly.

Oh… of course. Marinette.

She was the perfect choice. Chat had visited her as a superhero before, so she would most likely be fine with it. Plus, Marinette was a great listener, and actually had really good advice.

With a smile, Chat propelled himself in the direction of the Dupain- Cheng bakery, hoping that Marinette would still be awake.

She was.

Chat Noir had stopped on a neighbouring rooftop, just to see if she was on the balcony. At least something had gone well for him tonight, as Marinette was leaning against the railing, dressed in pyjamas, a familiar faraway look on her face. Chat Noir moved towards her, deliberately approaching in her line of vision, to avoid startling her.

He landed on the railing with a slight shudder. "Good evening."

Marinette turned. She went red in the face and seemed to be holding back a long string of curses. Then she took a deep breath, and calmed herself. "Hi, Chat Noir. What brings you here?" Her voice was friendly, with an undertone that he couldn't quite identify.

In response, Chat shrugged. "I- uh… had a rough night."

"Is that so?" The undertone was still there, sharper now. It bugged him that he couldn't work out what it was. "Do you want to tell me?"

"I think that would help," agreed Chat. "I came here because you're a good listener, and I trust you."

Marinette nodded. "Thanks. Now, whenever you're ready." Her voice was normal again.

Chat took a deep breath. "Okay. So, I had patrol with Ladybug. She was really quiet, so I decided to kind of break the ice with a couple of puns, because I'm legendary when it comes to puns. But… Ladybug got really mad. And then…." Chat hung his head, "I stuffed up. I wasn't thinking. I asked if she was having a bad day. She told me to back off. And then I asked her if it was that time of the month…. you know. It seemed like a logical explanation at the time. But I forgot how rude and chauvinistic it was to ask that. My friends always hate that question. So Ladybug pushed me off the building and left."

"Oh my god. She pushed you off?" Marinette sounded stunned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't think she would do something like that."

"Well, no offence, Chat Noir, but Ladybug is a girl. We operate slightly differently. I don't think you quite understood how she was feeling, but maybe she had a really bad day, and didn't really want to be on patrol, and then you kind of made her snap. She wouldn't have intended to hurt you." Marinette's voice sounded strange. Regretful? Sad? Chat didn't know.

"Yeah, you're right. She told me something personal last night. Then she got guilty, because she thought that it hurt my feelings. Maybe she just needed time away from me or something."

"And did it hurt your feelings?" asked Marinette softly.

Chat shrugged. "Not really. If she's happy, then that's all that matters."

Marinette smiled at him. "That's sweet, Chat Noir."

He smiled back. Then he noticed something. "Marinette, what's that on your arm?"

She looked down. In the moonlight, a small bruise was visible on her upper arm. Marinette laughed. "Oh, nothing. I was frustrated, so I punched my arm. Just over, uh, schoolwork. Don't worry, it's fine."

Chat eyed her warily. "Remind me not to get on your bad side. You've got a pretty good punch."

She chuckled.

Chat remembered the last time he was here, after Ladybug had stood him up and he'd been so upset. Marinette had said that she was heartbroken, too. But she hadn't said why. But then again, Chat hadn't asked.

"Marinette, why were you heartbroken, last time? Who broke your heart?" he asked.

Marinette looked surprised. Then she laughed nervously. "Oh. Right. I went out to get Andre's ice-cream with my friends. It was two couples, plus me and this other boy. He couldn't make it, so I was disappointed. I wanted to share an ice-cream with him. But I guess I over exaggerated. I probably wasn't heartbroken. Not really."

"Oh. Right." Chat sensed the growing tension in the air, and decided that he should probably leave. "Well, goodnight, Marinette." He almost added, see you tomorrow, but caught himself just in time.

Marinette nodded. "Goodnight, Chat Noir." She moved towards him, and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I hope you work things out with Ladybug," she said, slightly awkwardly.

Chat smiled at her, breathing deeply in her scent of fresh bread. "Thanks." He leapt off the balcony and disappeared into the night.

Marinette watched him vanish, then sighed heavily. Now that she'd heard Chat's side, she wondered if she'd been too harsh on him. Emotions churning like cement in a mixer, the bluenette headed to bed for the second time that evening. Perhaps this time, she would get to sleep.

HI READERS! I'm really, really happy I finished that, as it was a difficult chapter to write. I had to try and make sure the characters didn't say anything that might offend anyone who reads it. I know it had a lot of negative emotion in it, but this fic does have the 'angst' theme, and I was kind of angry when I wrote it. I was annoyed because I had a city swimming event, and missed out on second place by a millisecond (yes, I'm being serious)! But anyway, thanks for the reviews! I loved reading them! And just on the whole 'is it that time of the month' comment, it was a MISTAKE on Chat's part. While I totally agree that this is a very rude thing to ask someone, please do not let it change the way you perceive Chat Noir, or me as an author. I apologise if it offended anyone, but I needed Ladybug to get mad, and that question always makes me furious. So no offence intended to anyone! Thank you all so much!