The wind was cold, and Ladybug was tired. Not of Chat, or the conversation, she just needed sleep.

"Chat, I want you to know how much I appreciate you doing this for me. It really helped," said the superheroine sincerely.

Chat smiled at her, his teeth very white in the dark. "Anything for you, my lady," he said, standing and stretching. His partner stood too and moved closer to him.

"Thank you, Chat Noir." She hesitated, then quickly leaned in and pressed her cold lips to his cheek. "Goodnight!" The red-suited girl leaped off the building, drawing her yo-yo as she fell, and zipping off into the night.

Chat lifted his gloved hand to his cheek and traced a clawed finger over the place where she had kissed him. He could still feel her lips, and the place burned, even though Ladybug had been cold. Chat kept his finger there for a moment, then smiled.

He was making progress.

MLBMLBMLB

Marinette tossed and turned, burrowing down into her pile of pillows, her pink duvet clutched tightly around her. She'd been in bed for twenty minutes, and still felt exhausted, yet she couldn't seem to sleep. What was keeping her up?

The bluenette let out a loud groan, slightly muffled by one of her large pillows. Sensing her chosen's frustration, Tikki floated over to the girl. "Marinette, what's wrong?"

"I'm just so exhausted," moaned the girl, "but I can't go to sleep."

"What are you tired of?"

Marinette put her head in her hands. "Being awake. And of being so ridiculously confused and hurt." Her silky locks cascaded over her pale hands. "Adrien acted like he hated Ladybug, then he said he thought she was amazing. I wasted a year being in love with a selfish liar, and now…. now I just don't know!"

"Marinette?" said the kwami gently.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you should talk to Adrien, about why he did those things," suggested Tikki.

Marinette shook her head. "Remember what happened last time I tried to get answers? I just got more confused and hurt."

"Yes, but you were Marinette then. Maybe Adrien will be more honest if he knows he's talking to Ladybug," argued Tikki.

Marinette sighed. "I just don't know. Maybe I should forget about Adrien, and like someone else, or just don't love any boy again. Except….I don't know if I can get over being hurt. I'm over Adrien, just not the pain," she added quickly, causing her kwami to smile sadly. Marinette was still in denial, and it hurt Tikki to see it.

"You'll get over it, Marinette," the kwami assured her. "Every single Ladybug I've ever had has been hurt just as badly as you, and they always moved on. What boy did you have in mind?"

Marinette looked away, staring at the empty spot on her corkboard where Adrien's photo had once been pinned. Tikki tried to guess the girl's thoughts.

"You seemed pretty comfortable with Chat Noir this evening," she said lightly.

Marinette blushed, her cheeks matching her duvet. "It was just a cheek kiss! And I was only thanking him for cheering me up. Tikki, we're French. People kiss their friend's cheek all the time," she said defensively.

Tikki grinned cheekily. "I think Chat has more in mind than just friendship."

Marinette shrugged. "Yeah, well….I think I may have burned that bridge when I told him that there was another guy." She looked regretful for a moment, then her big blue eyes widened. "Just like Adrien did," she whispered.

Tikki tilted her head to the side. "What?"

"When Adrien rejected me, he said there was another girl! I never even thought about it. I'm going to ask him who it is like Chat did to me." She looked like she was trying not to hope, and Tikki felt her heart wrench. Oh, Marinette..why can't you just be truthful to yourself?

"Are you sure?" asked Tikki worriedly. "It might be safer to just forget, and give Chat a chance."

Marinette heart fluttered against her will at the thought of Chat Noir. Yeah, she'd kissed him. And yeah, he was cute. But that didn't mean anything!

"Tikki?"

"Yes, Marinette?"

"Spots on."

MLBMLBMLB

Adrien was still dizzy from his evening as Chat Noir when his beloved swung through his open window.

"M'la- Ladybug!" The blonde model scrambled to his feet with a huge smile plastered across his face.

The hero's bluebell eyes narrowed. "Hello."

Adrien crossed the room unable to wipe the beam off his face. "What are you doing here?"

She glared at him. "I'm not here for small talk. I just need you to tell me something."

"Anything," he told her, smiling.

She looked at him suspiciously. "When you told me that you d-didn't love me, you said that there was another girl. My.. my friend wants to know who." She stared at him defiantly.

"You want to know who I like?" Adrien wanted to scream, You! But he couldn't.

Ladybug's lips quivered as she continued to glower at him. Adrien stared at them dreamily. Those lips had touched his cheek… so beautiful, soft and pink…

Then he realized that Ladybug was waiting for him to answer. "Um, ah," he stuttered, trying to think. Her lips were so pink….pink...Marinette…

"Marinette," he blurted. "Her name is Marinette." He stared at his lady lovingly. She had kissed him!

Ladybug gasped. The scowl fell right off her lovely face, and she looked like Adrien had slapped her with a dead fish. Then she swallowed, trying to regain her composure. "V-very well. I'll tell my friend." She straightened and drew her yo-yo. Adrien's eyes followed her hand and rested on her slender waist. Ladybug noticed and flushed pink. "Goodnight, Adrien." She swung out the window, and Adrien flopped back onto his bed, a lovesick smile on his face. Seconds later, a black creature came to a halt in front of his face.

"What do you think you're doing?" Plagg hissed. "That wasn't part of the plan!"

Adrien shrugged. "How much harm can it do? I doubt Ladybug even knows Marinette."

"But you don't like Marinette," Plagg insisted. "You lied, and that's going to come back and bite you. It's called karma, Adrien."

He shrugged again. "Karma's been on my side lately, except for the whole Chloe thing. I'm not worried."

Plagg cursed under his breath, and silently prayed that Adrien wouldn't do something to make this worse.

There was a knock on the door, and Adrien's father entered the room. "Adrien?"

Adrien stood to attention. "Yes, Father?"

"Miss Bourgeois has booked a fitting appointment for you and herself on Tuesday. I understand that this will clash with your fencing, so I expect you to work twice as hard at your next lesson to make up."

"What is the fitting for, Father?" Adrien asked. He was still feeling lightheaded after his brief talk with Ladybug.

Gabriel looked at him sternly. "Where is your head, Adrien? You and Miss Bourgeois are to be fitted for your outfits for this upcoming dance. Of course, we already have your measurements, but we need to make sure that your suit will compliment whatever gown Miss Bourgeois chooses. I will not have my son clashing with his...date."

Adrien blinked, then sighed. He didn't feel dizzy anymore, like his father's statement was a bucket of cold water that had been tossed over him, effectively waking him up. "Father, about Chloe…"

"Speak, Adrien."

"Must I go to the dance with her, Father?"

Gabriel stared at him. "Of course you must, Adrien. Miss Bourgeois is a suitable partner. And from what she has told me, I thought you would be delighted to go with her."

"And why would you think that?"

Gabriel looked slightly surprised. "Miss Bourgeois informed me that you two were...what did she call it? An item."

Adrien's mouth fell open.

"I assume that means that the two of you are romantically involved. While I am displeased that you did not inform Nathalie or myself of this, I will still allow you to go to the dance with her."

"But, Father, we're not 'romantically involved'! Do I even get a say-"

Gabriel held up his palm, silencing his son. "No buts, Adrien. I am trying to do something kind for you, and this is the way you react? I have half a mind to forbid you from going, but I won't. You will attend this dance with Miss Bourgeois, and you will be present for the fitting on Tuesday. That is final, and I will not hear another word about it."

Adrien opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. "Yes, Father," he said dejectedly.

Gabriel nodded, then turned and swiftly left the room.

MLBMLBMLB

Marinette bounced up and down, clutching a throw pillow to her chest and giggling happily. "He likes me, Tikki! He likes me! He likes me! He likes me!"

Tikki floated around the excited girl, smiling at her delight, yet inwardly worrying for Marinette. What in the world did Plagg think he was doing? He knew Marinette was Ladybug. And Tikki knew that Adrien didn't like Marinette, or at least not in that way. Tikki could tell these things, and she knew that Adrien was still in love with Ladybug, yet he'd treated her like dirt. Then as Chat Noir, he was as worshipping as ever. Tikki was very, very concerned about how Adrien's next actions would affect Marinette. Right now, she was on cloud nine, about as happy as she could get. But if Adrien hurt her again….well, so far Tikki had prevented an akuma. But it was draining her powers, and if Tikki's powers were weak, then so were Ladybug's. It was possible that Lucky Charm wouldn't work, or her suit would stop protecting her. If Adrien hurt her, he would put Marinette, and subsequently Paris, through pure hell. Hawkmoth would take advantage of Ladybug's weakness…

Breath, Tikki, the little kwami told herself. If worst came to worst, she would find Plagg, kick the daylight out of him, then make Ladybug and Chat go to Fu's. He would know exactly how to solve this mess, without anyone getting akumatized.

Tikki turned her attention back to Marinette, who had collapsed onto her desk chair and was twirling lightly on it, beaming. She looked up at Tikki, eyes bright and shining. "I'm going to ask him to the dance, Tikki!"

Tikki bit her lip. "Marinette… he said that he's going with Chloe, remember?"

Marinette just laughed. "But he doesn't like Chloe, he likes me! I'm sure he'll say yes." She giggled again.

"Well, if you're going to the dance, then maybe you should start working on your dress," suggested Tikki practically.

Marinette's eyes snapped wide open, and she scrambled to her feet. "Oh my gosh, you're right!" She rushed over to her mannequin and quickly pulled out her design book and sewing kit. A minute later, she was seated in front of her sewing machine, furiously working on her gown's skirt, mouthful of pins, and fingers busily darting all over the place.

MLBMLBMLB

Marinette had been over the moon all weekend and had spent all of Sunday and most of Sunday night working on her dress. Tikki expected her to be slow getting out of bed on Monday, but in fact, she was quite the opposite. The girl leaped out of bed and quickly began to pick out clothes. "Today's the day, Tikki!" she cried. "I'm going to ask him to the dance."

Tikki frowned. "Be careful, Marinette," she warned. "I don't want you to get hurt again."

Marinette tittered. "You worry too much, Tikki! He likes me, it'll be fine."

Tikki wanted to tell her chosen the truth; that Adrien wasn't actually in love with her. But that was against the rules. Tikki wouldn't break the rules unless it was an emergency, and this didn't qualify.

"You fell back in love with Adrien awfully quickly," she commented instead.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Silly Tikki! I didn't hate Adrien. I was just being ridiculous. I'll always be in love with Adrien!"

Tikki had wanted Marinette to be honest with herself, but not like this. The girl was drunk, she realized. Drunk on euphoria. And when Adrien hurt her, she was going to have a horrible emotional hangover.

Please, for Marinette's sake, don't let her get hurt, prayed Tikki.

Hi! Hope you liked the chapter. As you might know, I usually do my writing at night. But it was messing up my sleep schedule, so I was constantly tired and wasting my day by sleeping. So I'm going to start waking up early to write and going to sleep at a normal time. This will mean that I will probably update at around 6:30 (my time) which, for the majority of my readers, who are North American, I will be updating at around four o'clock in the afternoon (I think). Just to let you know!

Thanks for the reviews, favourites, follows, and reads!

~Miss Eucalypt Writes.