Mounting Pressure

Chapter 6.

Moving On.

A/N:

I plan for my story to go through either 3… or possibly 4 acts in total. We are nearing the end of act one, and each act will be around 40-55K words. This is absolutely a long fic and will go on for some time.

also, funny story. I changed the rating up to M like two chapters ago... on ao3. I just straight up forgot to do that for you guys though. Oops. I'll be honest, I don't like the UI for FanFic. Ao3 is much smoother. Yeah kids, there are boobies here. turn back, all ye kiddos under... I don't know, like 16? 18? or don't. I'm not your mother. Thanks to the person who left a comment reminding me to change it. You're right my dude. I should have paid more attention to that. My bad.

There's really not that much smut here. It's plot with a smidgin of porn.

Summary:

Nino and Alya play a game and Marinette bonds with Chat over heartache.

Nino glanced at his phone for the sixth time in the last hour. The sound of him dying in his current game rang out, but he barely noticed. Before setting the controller down, he sent his console back to the home screen and checked his messages. Nothing. He leaned back and felt the soft material of his couch on his back.

His parents were out on a trip to China for the next week. They were on break for all saints, which meant two weeks of freedom. He and Alya were taking full advantage of the empty house. The two of them rarely had a space of their own for… privacy. Alya's house was jam-packed with her siblings, and Nino's parents were pretty nosey. He was currently in a very comfortable pair of boxers.

"Still stuck on Nameless king?" Alya said and sat down next to her boyfriend in one of his shirts and her underwear. One of her more provocative pairs. She had bought the pair recently, and Nino hadn't seen them yet. He'd already been playing games for a few hours, and it was time his attention was elsewhere. Specifically, on her.

Nino was just staring at his phone intently.

"Uhh, earth to Nino?"

Alya raised an eyebrow and put her cold can of soda on his bare inner thigh, causing him to jump.

"Ahh! What?"

"You've been spacing out all day, babe. You didn't even stare at my ass once. what's going on?" She said with a sly grin and set her drink down.

Nino gave her the side eye before going back to his phone and scrolling up.

"I don't stare at your ass… I appreciate it. And… I dunno. Adrien hasn't texted me back in days, and that's not like my bro."

"Oh, of course. Appreciate. How silly of me," Alya said with a roll of her eyes. "As for sunshine… Maybe he got roped into another modeling gig. You know sometimes they just pop up." she finished and shrugged.

Nino shook his head.

"For two days straight? During break? Besides, he told me the only big things he had all month was a tournament and the charity gala. The rest of his time was just lessons or training. We made plans to hang out forever ago, and I wanted to get the four of us together to do something." Nino said with a frown.

Alya considered Nino for a moment. She hadn't bothered to mention how Adrien had seemed a little off at school. She knew the two of them were close friends, so she assumed Nino would have already noticed. Then Again, they were guys.

"Well, he has seemed pretty off lately," Alya said casually and stretched out her legs to rest them on his lap. She ensured her legs were positioned so he couldn't ignore her or her sexy attire.

Nino sighed and set his phone down to run a hand up her thigh, making her smile. He still seemed distracted, though. She'd feel insulted If she didn't know how important their friendship was. Alya let it go in stride. Jealousy was an ugly color. Now it was a game to see if she could get him to notice her.

"Really? He seemed fine to me. Well, maybe a little on edge." Nino said, staring off into space.

His hand went all the way up to her hip to rest over the red lace she was wearing near the hem of her shirt. Well, his shirt… actually, he probably wasn't getting this one back.

Seriously? Are you really going to think about "your bro" while fondling my leg? Alya thought incredulously and stifled a laugh. If she wasn't absolutely sure about it, she would almost guess her boyfriend wasn't as straight as he claimed sometimes. Well, I know he likes women, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't bat for the other team as well… Eh,Alya wouldn't mind. Whatever his interests, she knew they were in it together. They were french; such things weren't uncommon here. Besides, she was pretty confident that wasn't the case. He was just concerned for his best friend, and she could relate.

When his eyebrows did the cute worry thing, Alya sighed. It looked like she wouldn't get his undivided attention until after they talked about Adrien. Which was fair, of course. Their friendships were meaningful to both of them. It just wasn't often they had a whole house to themselves to do as they wished where they wished. Nino had promised to try out something new with her today, and Alya was damn well going to collect on it. It's not like they couldn't talk about him after.

"Yeah really! You didn't think it was odd how he not only talked back to the teacher, asked for advice, and snapped at Chloe? He even ignored the lesson like all day! He spent the first half of math texting Marinette." Alya said and grabbed his hand to get him to look at her. She slowly drew his hand up her stomach under her shirt. Maybe if he noticed she wasn't wearing a bra…

Nino looked down at her in surprise, and she stopped guiding his hand a mere inch away from her chest. Did that do it?

"Wait, he was texting Marinette, and he really ignored the lesson? Adrien?"

Alya closes her eyes for a second and huffs. What was it about friendships between men? How could they not notice this stuff? Don't you sit right next to him? Also, Hello!? Hot girlfriend right here! Your hand is on my bare skin! An inch away from my boobs! He was lucky she didn't have self-confidence issues.

"Yes, babe!" Alya said exasperated. She let go of his hand, and he pulled it away from her to rub his chin.

"Oh. Yeah, something is definitely wrong, then. How could I have missed that?"

Alya gave him a look. Damn, are you lucky you're cute.

"He hasn't answered my calls either… I'd say we should drop by, but I already know the gorilla would turn us away at the door." Nino huffed out and rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling. Alya fully gave up on getting his attention. For now. If Adrien really was ignoring Nino, it might be something serious. Maybe someone else should try. Someone they both know he wouldn't dismiss.

"Well, I know at least one person who can get his attention no matter what."

"Marinette?" Nino questioned.

"Marinette," Alya stated with a nod.

Nino scratched his neck while she reached into her jeans for her smartphone. She had to turn over slightly to reach them on the floor. Nino took a moment to sta- appreciate her very lovely behind when it came into view. Oh damn! Those are new. Nice, babe. He thought. His eyes snapped up the moment she turned back around and sat up. Alya smiled at him with that sly look of hers. Busted. Nino cleared his throat.

"Send her a text to check up on him. I swear if I don't hear from him by tomorrow, I'm going to storm his mansion, bodyguard or no bodyguard." Nino declared confidently.

Alya scoffed good-naturedly and sent her best friend a message.

"Will do. And if she can't get a hold of him, I promise to help figure something out." Alya said and placed her phone on top of her discarded pants and bra. She set it to silent as an afterthought. Alya wanted at least one night of no distractions with her man. No more games. I'm getting his attention for sure.

"In the meantime, I want you to make good on your promise."

"About going on a date? I thought we were doing that tomorrow." Nino asked, confused. She chuckled and shook her head.

Alya stripped her shirt off and laid back down on the couch in nothing but her panties. Her eyes went half-lidded as she slowly stretched a leg up.

"Not that promise, dear." She specified seductively.

She hooked an ankle behind his neck and gave him a sultry look. Alya let him 'appreciate' her near nudity for a few seconds. She loved the way he went speechless when she did that.

"The other one."

"Oh! Of course!"

Nino grinned as his head was slowly guided down. He kissed her stomach as he looped his thumbs under the red lace, and Alya shimmed her hips to help him out. She saw him toss them away over his shoulder and laughed.

After his mouth slowly trailed downwards on her skin, Alya rested her head on the couch arm and smiled while biting her lip.

Finally. Do a good job lover-boy, and perhaps I'll return the favor.

Marinette looked at her schedule and sighed before plopping down on her chaise. Between worrying about the two most important boys in her life, being Ladybug in the evenings, and her ridiculous workload for her designer job, she was as burnt out as ever. Maybe more so, since she had to try and work through the pain in her wrist. She still had that make-up math assignment to do over break as well. The teenager glanced at her clock and cursed. Merde.

Tikki floated down and landed near her hand. The little kawmi opened her mouth, but Marinette spoke up first.

"I know, I know! I should be patrolling soon. After finally making up with Chat, I shouldn't skip out on him."

Tikki went to open her mouth again.

"I'm also trying to juggle too much, and I need to take some time to meditate like Su-han instructed."

Tikki gave her a look. The little Kawmi waited to ensure she could get a word in this time.

"You're right; you shouldn't skip out on Chat… but you've also been stressing even more than usual for over a week. Three panic attacks in as many days, not to mention the sleepless nights and your wrist. I don't think you'd be at your best as Ladybug tonight."

Marinette brought her uninjured hand up to rub her forehead and bit her lip. She wanted to patrol with Chat. After what she put him through and how amazing he was, Marinette wanted to be there for him. Like he was for her. She missed him and his annoyingly endearing puns and flattery. Not to mention how he cared for her after her accident.

"I can't just skip out on him…" She said while her eyes roamed over to her well-worn design table.

She groaned when she realized her biggest order needed to be done soon. It was an almost four-hundred Euro sale. A charming dress for some socialite who likes to have a new dress for every occasion. Marinette remembered the buyer wanted it for the charity gala soon. For some reason, she was willing to pay an extra sixty Euros for a rush order to get it early, even though the gala wasn't for some time.

Marinette couldn't afford to lose her business. She was one of her best customers, even if she was rather pushy and demanding. That money would go a long way toward her college fund. Or a new design table. To fix her bike… She had to face it; she was broke and needed the money too badly to turn down the rush order.

She might be able to get it done on time if she puts in at least four hours of work for the next two days each and ship it early on the third. Thank god for the break. There was also working in the bakery for a steady income and to help her parents. It's been far too long since she had combat training and needed to make time for that. That last Akuma had nearly got the best of her when Chat lost his eyesight, and she was on her own… there was simply too much to do. She was already exhausted.

Her phone chirped Alya's message sound, and Marinette wearily pulled it out.

Alya : Hey, girl. Nino's having a meltdown about Adrien. Apparently, he hasn't answered his phone for a few days and skipped out on their "bro time." Think you could try and talk to him? Let me know what's up.

Marinette frowned and sat up in her chaise. She knew Adrien would never ignore them on purpose. He did seem off at school, but the last time they talked was… the phone call after Disabler? He seemed fine then. Or at least better after talking for a while. Was something still bothering him? She quickly brought up Adrien's contact and sent a short message.

Mari: Hey Adrien, hope you're not too busy. If you have time, I'd like to talk. Drop me a message when you can.

She set her phone down after checking the time. She was already a few minutes late to the meet-up time with Chat, and Marinette knew she would worry about Adrien (and her ridiculous workload) the whole time if she went. She cursed and told Tikki she was right and transformed.

After pulling out her yo-yo and sending a quick apology text to Chat, along with a promise to make it up to him, she de-transformed and made her way to the unfinished dress. Any work she got done now was less work for tomorrow.

Tikki did her best to amuse herself with a movie on Marinette's computer and a few sugar cookies while her chosen worked over the course of an hour. Eventually, Marinette rubbed her eyes and set the dress down. She had already redone the same stitch work three times. The dress would just have to wait until she got a good night's sleep. Time to tackle that math assignment. She dragged herself over to her vanity and pulled out her school bag.

Her homework was only out for ten minutes before a soft knock sounded out, and Tikki instantly zipped to one of her hiding places. Marinette glanced at the trapdoor leading into the bakery and called out, "come in!" probably just her mother checking up on her or her father coming to deliver some pastry for her to try.

She tapped her pencil against the desk and tried to solve the second problem. A voice she didn't expect called out behind her, and she nearly fell out of her chair.

"Evening, princess."

"Chat! Hey!... uhh, what are you doing here?" Marinette said when she turned around and glanced at her clock. He should still be patrolling for at least another hour and a half.

Chat Noir gave her a sheepish smile.

"I thought I'd drop by and talk. Unless, of course, you're busy and you prefer I…" he said and nudged his head towards the trapdoor he had just entered. The one that leads to her balcony. Marinette blinked.

"No, no. Come on in. I was just trying to do a math assignment." Marinette said. Chat perked up and leaned over to look at the paper in front of her.

"Oh? Would you like some help?" Chat asked.

Marinette raised an eyebrow at him.

"You any good at algebra?"

Chat gave her a small smile.

"Better than most," he said smugly and walked over.

Chat looked down at the work with a critical eye and mumbled something. Marinette leaned back to give him access to it, crossed her arms, and smiled. Uh-huh. There's that ridiculous overconfidence of his. I bet He's just as bad as I am with-

"You're close on the second problem, but x can't equal 9. If you plug it into the original equation, there's a problem here. So, x can only equal 4. You need to redo this part and pay close attention to the fraction."

Marinette blinked at him. Then looked at her sheet. She leaned forward and re-did the part he pointed out… well, I'll be damned…

"Huh. not bad," she said and looked up at him. Marinette promptly rolled her eyes at his smug grin. Insufferable cat…

In only thirty minutes, the entire sheet was finished with his help. Chat stood behind her while Marinette leaned over her desk. He went out of his way not to answer any of the questions outright but was surprisingly good at explaining the needed processes clearly. Marinette put her pencil down and smiled up at him.

"Thanks, Chat. You've saved me a lot of time with this. How can I pay you back?"

Chat gave a single-shoulder shrug, sat on the floor, and leaned against her desk. Marinette rolled her chair back a bit, so she was facing him.

"I… just wanted to talk. Didn't want to be alone right now. Keep me company, and we'll call it even." He said and smiled at her.

Marinette had been so caught up in getting through her work so fast that she hadn't noticed how Chat looked. He was pale, looked even more tired than she felt, and his smile never reached his eyes. He was even more withdrawn than the last time she had seen him. Now that she thought back, his smug grin had disappeared almost instantly. Marinette was still tired and behind on her work, but she felt like he needed her. She wouldn't turn him away. Workload or no workload, her friends should come first. Always. Oh, kitty…

"Sure. Something in particular you want to talk about? Or just anything?" She asked.

Chat hesitated for a second not sure how to answer. His eyes roamed over a familiar book of hers.

"You said your sketches are for fashion, right? Can I see some of them?" he asked.

Marinette paused a bit but couldn't see any harm in it. She was usually pretty shy about showing others her work like that, but she trusted him. He got fully absorbed in flipping through her sketchbook. A few pages had somewhat artful shots of Adrien in various poses, and Marinette quickly flipped the page for him, mumbling about how he would have been a great model for her work. Chat let it go in stride. He was a model after all, and he had to admit, some of her work was on par with a few of the best-designed outfits he's ever modeled. You really are talented, princess. The more I learn, the more I'm impressed. Chat asked her why a certain outfit had a cut-off on the left sleeve.

After a few questions, Marinette started opening up about the pieces she was proud of. Once she started, Marinette went on for some time about several different subjects Adrien was only vaguely aware of in the fashion industry. As a model, he just wore the stuff, not make it. Still, he happily sat back with a smile and listened. Just hearing her talk helped.

Marinette blushed after realizing she had gone on a rather long-winded explanation for her choices in fabric for a recent piece and decided it was time to change the subject.

And they talked. After a while, Marinette went downstairs, grabbed the two of them drinks, and joined him on the floor. She couldn't remember the last time she just sat down and talked with him like this, and Marinette could tell something was still wrong with him throughout. He never made a single pun. He complimented her several times, but each one was polite and without any flirting whatsoever. Chat had retreated even further away from her, and she didn't know how to reach him.

When they eventually had a short lapse in silence, Marinette couldn't help but ask the question she'd been burning to ask since they started. Did she have something to do with why he was still down?

"So… how are things between you and ladybug?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise before giving a warm smile.

"Things are going well. We had a bit of a rough patch for a bit, but I think we're ok."

Marinette smiled in response but felt her heart squeeze. If it's not Ladybug, then what's wrong, kitty? After another short silence, he asked a question of his own that took her by surprise.

"Did you ever have any luck with buttercup? And those 3 suns of yours?" He questioned softly.

Marinette blushed before covering her face with a hand and groaned. Chat couldn't help but chuckle a little. He didn't mean to make things awkward, and it was a serious question. But now that he knew she felt that way, he couldn't help but want to tease her a bit.

"Ugh, don't remind me. So embarrassing…" She muttered.

"Hey, don't be embarrassed. It was from the heart. Now how did it go…"

"Don't you dare," Marinette said with narrowed eyes.

"They shine so brightly that whenever I see you, they make me melt into- urk!" He tried to recite before getting a swift kick on his leg.

"Don't make fun of me, Chat Noir!" She said and crossed her arms with a glare.

Chat raised both his hands in submission.

"Ok! sorry, sorry... But seriously, it wasn't that bad. I was honestly just curious if you ever got his attention, and I wasn't trying to antagonize you."

Marinette dropped her glare after a few seconds and sighed. She drew her legs up and wrapped her arms around them before resting her cheek on her knee. She considered the boy in front of her. He didn't seem like he was having a laugh… What does it matter… It's been years, and Adrien and I will never be anything more…

"No… It never worked out with him." she almost whispered.

"I'm sorry to hear that, princess. The guy must be a fool not to see how amazing you are." Chat said with complete honesty.

Marinette blushed again and buried her face in her knees for a moment, but his words vexed her.

"He's not the fool, Chat. I am. I never even told him how I felt." she said in irritation. Adrien was the kindest, most sincere person she's ever known. She wouldn't let anyone bad mouth him. Even her partner. Chat just tilted his head a bit.

"Oh… Why not? You're so talented and headstrong about… almost everything. Amazing really. I bet he would be ecstatic to hear your confession."

"You don't know what you're talking about. It could never work between us; not all of us can profess our undying, eternal love from the rooftops like you," Marinette snapped at him.

When Chat chuckled lightly, she was taken aback. Marinette looked at him curiously. Was he making fun of her again?

"What's so funny?" She asked cautiously.

"Nothing. It's just that I haven't done that in a long time, princess. Things never panned out for me either, you know." Chat said softly.

Marinette considered him closely. He didn't look upset or hurt at all. Wistful, maybe. The two of them lapse into another silence. She thought about Chat's words and tried to think back to the last time he tried to confess to Ladybug. Not just a flirty remark but an actual confession. Surely it hadn't been that long… like when… no, that wasn't right. When was the last time?

"Do you not… still love Ladybug?" She asked hesitatingly. Chat smiled and shook his head a bit.

"I do. It's just not the same kind of love anymore." He explained softly. He had a faraway look in his eyes, and he grimaced a bit like an errant thought crossed his mind.

Marinette felt her heart skip a beat. She opened her mouth but had to swallow before asking her next question.

"What… What changed? Did she hurt you?"

Chat's eyebrows lower as he thinks about it for a few seconds.

"Nothing like that. At least, not anything I can blame her for… I changed, I suppose. After Shadowmoth became Monarch, things felt different. We were older and more experienced. She needed me. I think a part of me will always love her, but what I wanted from her wasn't fair. She has so much riding on her now. And she… just never felt the same." he explained and shrugged.

"I was pushing my feelings onto her without considering hers. It was completely one-sided… I realized that if I really did love her, I should put her happiness above my own and respect her feelings. Even if that hurts. Even if that meant we could never be together. After I accepted that, we became even closer friends. She opened up to me more… Over time, my feelings… changed. Now I'm trying to move on and be the partner she needs instead of chasing the relationship I want."

Chat looked into her eyes, and she took a minute to process what he said. Is that really any different than how I feel about Adrien? How many times have I just wanted him to be happy? To see him smile and try to move on? Like an idiot, I always thought Chat's feelings were more shallow than that. But now… He really does love her, doesn't he. Oh, Chat, I'm sorry I could never be what you wanted. We can't be together, and I never even explained why. Ever since Chat Blanc… Marinette sighed and got up to sit next to Chat on the floor. She put her arm over her knee and put her head on it.

"Was there ever anyone else?" She asked softly.

Chat scrunched his nose up for a second. His hand went to where his pocket would typically be on instinct. Where he always carried something important to him. When he noticed, he shifted around until both of his legs were bent in front of him, and he put his elbows on his knees.

"Not… really. At least, I don't think so. A girl confessed to me once, but that didn't work out. I almost tried to ask a classmate out another time, but she told me in no uncertain terms that we were friends before I could even ask." he answered thoughtfully. Chat glanced at her.

"You?"

Marinette shook her head.

"No. I went on a few dates with a guy who confessed to me before he left Paris. But it just didn't feel right. He was great, but I just couldn't…" she tried to say but floundered.

Chat grinned for a second and nodded. He understood.

"Move on?"

Marinette sighed. "Yeah…"

Chat patted her leg lightly.

"I really did mean what I said, Princess. Any guy would be lucky to have you… I know you called him buttercup because you didn't want to tell me who he was. Is there any way you could tell me now? I have to say, I'm more than a little curious about the guy who can capture your heart." He asked and looked at her.

Chat had such a soft, caring look on his face. Marinette looked away and took a deep breath, thinking. It's not like it's much of a secret who I used to like anymore. Almost everyone in my school knows, thanks to Lila. Everyone but Adrien… What does it matter if I tell Chat now? I know he won't make fun of me for it, and I can trust him. After what he just told me, am I any different? Maybe… Maybe talking about him could help me move on. Perhaps we can both move on. After almost four years, it's time.

She got up and walked to her bookshelf for one of her early sketchbooks. It was a well-worn pink one that she's looked over many times. Marinette slowly flipped over to the last page, handed it to Chat silently, and sat back down. She turned away the moment her hand left the book, and chat took it with interest and looked it over.

It was a two-page spread, and Adrien recognized the scene depicted instantly. It was from his first day at public school. The day Marinette had thought he put gum on her seat before they became friends. It showed the two of them on the steps, with Adrien passing her an umbrella in the rain. It was a day he would never forget.

Adrien leaned forward and focused on it. You don't mean to say… He glanced over to Marinette and then back to the book. She was still turned away, so he flipped to the previous page. It was a sketch of him sitting in his seat at school, turned around smiling. Next page, Adrien was sitting on a bench. Next page, Adrien holding his hand out like to help someone up. Next page, Adrien in her derby hat. Next page…

More than half the book was just him. Adrien couldn't breathe. Each and every picture of him looked incredibly detailed and painstakingly made with care. Many of them from moments he could clearly remember. Others were just Adrien in his day-to-day life, but glamorized. Most of them were old. He looked around 14 or 15, and there were occasional little hearts around his face. Just in case he wanted to try and pretend it wasn't him, a few pages had photographs of him stuck to them for reference. Every single one felt like a blow to the gut, and he could swear one of them had smudges from tears.

Chat glanced at the bookshelf. There were at least eight other sketchbooks. How… How many more has she drawn? He thought back to the first one he flipped through. That whole book only had two of him, but they were recent.

It took a moment for his mind to start working again. He wasn't sure if it ever could work properly again. He felt like his entire world just got turned upside down. He nearly started questioning his entire life for the last four years.

Oh… oh, I really am an idiot. All this time, Marinette? Why wouldn't you just tell me!? I thought that you- We could have-... No… I would have turned her down. You mean the world to me, but Ladybug was the only woman I ever really... I'm so sorry Princess If I had known, then I… I don't know what I would have done. Something, hopefully.

His tail curled around, and tapped the page. Adrien's eyes go wide. He almost curses out loud. Plagg! Plagg must have known somehow. Oh, that little- How often has he tried to get me to notice her? "You could do a lot worse, kid."... Motherfucker, Nino, and Alya too! No wonder Marinette's best friend called us idiots. And what would Nino say? "You need to figure it out for yourself." Well, that's done now! Did everyone know but him!? I literally called myself a fool, didn't I? And I deserved it. Merde.

Chat thumped the sketchbook against his forehead. He couldn't believe it, and the absurdity that he really was that oblivious made him laugh. When Marinette turned back towards him, she looked extremely hurt, and Chat panicked.

"No, no! Please don't take that the wrong way! I wasn't laughing at you or your feelings! I swear! I was just surprised!" Chat rushed out in worry.

Marinette tilts her head and scrunches her eyebrows as if to say, then what?

"It's just that… uh," Come on, Adrien! Think! "That's umm, A-Adrien Agreste, right? The fashion model?I just never expected to know him, you know? I've talked to him a few times before. Decent guy." Chat said quickly. Seriously? That's the best I could come up with?

Marinette considered him for a moment but then dropped it, and Chat nearly exhaled explosively before stopping himself. Smooth, Agreste. Real smooth. Decent guy? Decent guy, my ass. You idiot… He took a deep breath.

"So… Adrien was really your buttercup?"

Marinette put her head back down and nodded against her knee but didn't answer. She looked so hurt. Or distant, or… Dammit. I am such a… You have to do SOMETHING Agreste… Then an idea struck him like lightning. He looked over at her clock. It was late, but no so late were he couldn't figure something out. If we leave now, we should be able to catch most of it.

Chat hopped up, and Marinette was taken back. He held his hand out to her, like to help her up.

"Let me take you somewhere." chat asked seriously.

Marinette looked from his hand to his face and shook her head.

"Oh Chat, I'm not in the mood to go galavanting around Paris. It's late; maybe you should just go." She said tiredly and looked away.

"Princess." he pleaded softly and waited for her to look back at him. His hand was still extended.

"Let me show you something. It's a place I've never told anyone about, not even ladybug. We can talk afterward and… I think it might help. Please?" he begged softly.

Marinette looked at him for a few seconds, then sighed while taking his hand. His grin split his face.

"Thanks, princess. You won't regret it, I swear. Do you have a warm coat?" He asked and pulled her up.

She looked down at her clothes and considered them. She was wearing a simple shirt and shorts. Not the best outfit for flying around Paris in the cold.

"Let me change. Turn around." Marinette said and walked over to her closet.

Chat's eyebrows disappear into his hairline when he sees her pull out a pair of pajama pants. She puts her hands on the side of her shorts to pull them off and raises an eyebrow at him. His entire face goes red, and he swiftly turns around. Oh man… She'll probably kill me if she ever figures out I'm Adrien. "Remember when you told me you've loved me for years and then stripped? Yeah, hilarious!" Why was everything about being a hero so damn complicated?

Adrien closes his eyes when he hears the soft rustle of clothes behind him. His damn enhanced hearing was painting a vivid picture for him, and he nearly covered his ears. He's had to share changing rooms with other models for the runway before. Even female ones. But this was beyond different. This was Marinette! A friend. A very adorably cute friend. A friend who was apparently in love with you!

Right after he had just discovered that one of his best friends had been deeply in love with him, perhaps to the point of pure heartbreak for years, he was listening to her change while she thought he was someone else. His mind instantly recalled how she clung to him when he carried her home and the feel of her breasts on his back. Her amazing smile and how she could always tell when something was wrong and- Stop thinking about her!

Marinette was kind of embarrassed that Chat was only five feet away while she changed. But she was just too tired and down to care much. It wasn't like he would peek at her; she knew him better than that. And if he did peak, she would kick his golden-haired ass from one side of Paris to the other. She changed quickly and was only in her underwear for a few seconds, but she watched Chat's back the entire time to make sure he couldn't see. Even if she wanted him to see her like that, she was currently wearing a worn-out pair for comfort, not sexiness. But I don't want him to see it! At all, she thought with a slight blush.

She put on pajama pants, then a pair of jeans over those. A long sleeve shirt with a coat over that, and thick socks.

"Ok, you can look."

As Marinette sat down to put on her shoes, she looked over at him and wondered why he waited an extra twenty seconds before peeking to ensure she was decent. She almost snorted. It was the exact reason she didn't mind changing near him. For a guy who could say the cheesiest lines, wax poetically in the moonlight, and chase a girl rather single-mindedly for years, he sure was innocent. He really is cute sometimes. And a total dork.

"O-ok. So uh, ready to go?" Chat said with a lopsided smile. His face still felt flushed, and he was glad his mask hid it. It/s just Marinette, Adrien. You've known her for years. No reason this has to be awkward…

"Yeah. Alright, Chat. So where are you taking me this time?" she asked lightly.

Chat gave her a wink and hopped up to open the trapdoor to her balcony. Marinette shook her head lightly with a small smile. Chat and his theatrics. She followed him up, and Chat motioned for her to join him. When she got close, Chat wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled out his baton.

"Hold on tight, Princess. Let me know if you get scared or need a break for any reason. We're going pretty high up to save time. Are you afraid of heights?" He asked calmly.

Marinette huffed and wrapped her arms around his nech carefully. Her wrist wouldn't need much more time to heal, but being jostled around wouldn't help.

"Don't worry about me, Minou. I'm a tough girl, remember?"

Chat gave her a smile and extended his baton to propel them into the air. He focused on keeping his movement as steady and consistent as possible, so the ride wasn't too unpleasant for her.

Adrien's day hadn't been very pleasant until he stopped by her bakery. He had to prove to Nathalie he could play the three pieces of music flawlessly for the gala, and he kept making mistakes he hadn't made in years from frustration. It took hours. Plagg had spent the rest of the day silently hovering over him and watching closely, which put his already frayed nerves even further on edge.

When it was time to go to the dojo for his kendo class, he wandered aimlessly around town since his teacher had yet to allow him back after his shameful display. Adrien made it as far as a nearby fountain before someone recognized him, and a small mob chased him down the streets. He had to duck into a supermarket and hide in the walk-in beer cooler for ten minutes.

Nino texted him, wondering why he wanted to skip out on their plans. Adrien couldn't think of a way to say, "Sorry man, but my temper has been near uncontrollable lately, and I'm afraid I'll snap at you. Oh, and I've been spiraling into a deep depressive state, and I can't find the energy or willpower to care about anything… So next time?" Without sounding like an asshole, so he ignored him. Of course, this was so unlike him that Nino started to worry about him, which only made him feel worse, and he doubled down on the ignoring strategy.

After feeling frustrated and dealing with the self-loathing all day, he got a message from Ladybug telling him he was on his own. Getting to talk things out with his partner was the only thing he had to look forward to.

He needed to go to someone who he could just… be with. Someone who wouldn't judge or make him feel like a burden or failure. If he was candid with himself, the only person he even considered or wanted to be around was Marinette.

It hadn't taken long for her to somehow make him feel… well, if not better, more relaxed. Something about her smile just set his heart at ease. Hearing her talk about her interests so excitedly was like a balm for his nerves… Boy were those feelings suddenly in a new light.

Learning about her unrequited love the way he did was certainly a shock, and he was still processing that. Adrien had no idea what he would do about that bit of information. He didn't know what he wanted to do about it. He wasn't lying earlier when he said he was moving on. But he also used the word trying. Marinette was always someone important to him, and Marinette was… What was Marinette to him?

He didn't really know. He looked down into her face after a long vault with his baton. She was completely calm as she clung to him, several stories in the air. The girl must have nerves of steel to be so high up without any powers to protect her if he made a mistake. Did she really trust him that much? Did he deserve that trust after breaking her heart for so long?

He used the baton for another vault. He tried to fight the urge to look at her again but failed miserably. He could count the freckles around her nose if he wanted to, and he had never noticed the small bunch under her left eye before. His eyes were drawn an inch lower to her lips.

"What?" Marinette asked curiously when she noticed he was suddenly staring.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. Just making sure you were uhh… handling the trip ok." chat said and snapped his eyes forward.

He felt her arms tighten, and she turned her head to stare forward again. Chat's mind wandered for the rest of the short trip. The more he thought about their relationship, the more confused he felt. But this wasn't about him right now. He was taking her somewhere to make her feel better. Adrien would sort out his own heart later. Eventually, they landed on top of an out-of-the-way theater hall. It was in a part of Paris Marinette hadn't been to but a hand full of times in her life.

Chat stopped and smiled for a few seconds with a tilt of his head. When Marinette gave him a look, he walked forward and held out his hand to her; she huffed and took it without a word. He led her to a cracked window looking into a large attic that was obviously being used as a storage space. It was completely dark inside, so after Chat forced the slightly stuck window open, he stopped.

"Ok, Princess. This is it. Stay close and hang on. I can guide us through easily enough, but I don't want you to trip." He said softly and led the way in.

She fumbled her way into the dark, holding his hand. It went on long enough that she started to get a little annoyed. When he offered to take her somewhere, Marinette hadn't expected an attic space with cobwebs. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped, and she could just make out something with her ears. What was that?

"Be careful, and sit next to me. I want you to hold my hand just in case." Chat whispered.

Chat moved a tarp to the side, and Marinette could suddenly see. They were now above a large, brightly lit stage. Chat hopped down to a plank and held both of his hands up to her. The drop was about waist height. Marinette shuffled forward and let him grab her around the middle to carefully hoist her down. He smiled at her and sat down, ensuring his hand never left hers. It was over a fifteen-foot drop from where they were. If she fell, It wouldn't be hard for him to catch her, but he didn't think Mari would enjoy that much.

Marinette was instantly captivated by what was happening on stage and slowly lowered herself to sit next to Chat. A man and a woman were singing a beautiful duet. Chat had taken her to a musical.

The man sang with a powerfully clear tenor expertly complemented by the women's alto. They danced across the stage with a grace that spoke of a thousand practiced routines. Chat glanced at his plus-one and grinned. Marinette's wide eyes were glued to the set, and her mouth was slightly agape. Chat leaned back and relaxed to enjoy the music. His tail crept up and wrapped around Marinette's waist. It had a mind of its own sometimes.

The man would take great strides to be by his partners' side, only for her to dance away at the last second. It was a chase, and he was fairing poorly. Or so it would seem to those that didn't know the story. Chat knew it quite well, as It was a play his mother had taken him to as a child. If memory serves correctly, they were at the end of the second act. The woman was dancing away, not because she didn't love him, but because she loved him deeply. She was afraid of where their love would lead because she had received terrible news just that morning.

The duet ended on a high note, and the scene changed with the drop of a curtain. Marinette's eyes were drawn to Chat as he waved to someone on the side of the stage. Mariette looked down to see a man in a beret smiling up at them. The director, maybe?

The curtain came back up quickly. It had the woman from before with two other women, all sitting around a faux living room. The song was upbeat, and the three sang of the lead's possible romance. The lead sang about how their love could never be, but her friends would chime in on why that wasn't so. That such love was worth any risk. She sang of how they didn't understand, for there was another…

The music turned forbidding as a fourth ominous figure crept on stage. A tall man with a deep voice in a tailored suit who was twice her age. The man was a rich and powerful magistrate. He approached the lead and took her hand, forcing her into a dance she obviously didn't want. He sang of destiny and what was right. On how she must be his, for only he could give her the life she deserved. He had paid her father a fortune for her hand in marriage and would take it soon. The song ended with a held note as he told her she was his.

The scene changed once again, with the woman's lover taking center stage. The music turned soft and spoke of longing. His voice grew ever louder as he sang about his love with the arrogance of youth and that no force could keep them apart.

Halfway through the song, the lead came out again. His chase was more sincere this time. Twice she denied him, and twice he sang of their love being true. On the third time, the music quieted, and they held their positions with him on one knee and the woman hesitating.

Chat saw Marinette lean forward, utterly absorbed. The woman relented, taking his hand and the song finished with a few lines from their earlier duet.

The play continued with another two songs. Marinette Gasped at the appropriate times and aww'd at others. The whole time Chat sat next to her, paying more attention to her than the play. Eventually, the finale started.

The next scene showed the two of them creeping away in the night. They didn't get far before the ominous man appeared next to one of the lead's friends. The man gave the woman a large sack of coins, and she ran off after selling out her friends. He approached the lovers and tore her from his grasp. The two men began arguing, and weapons were quickly drawn. The two circled each other with swords at the ready.

The music turned frantic, with jagged notes springing forward with every clash of their swords. The cruel man laughed and overpowered the younger boy, sending his sword across the stage. He struck once, but it wasn't an instant kill. The young man fell, and the music hit a crescendo as the other man drew his sword back to finish the job.

Marinette gripped Chat's arm and looked on unblinking.

The woman appeared from behind and ran him through, saving her lover. She runs to the young man's side, and they sing one last sad song. His wound was too great. He tells her her freedom is worth his life and that she must live on and find love again. She holds him in her arms as he Succumbs to his wound. The last sound you hear is the woman crying out.

The music tapers off, and the curtain falls. A crowd the two onlookers couldn't see claps loudly, and a large cast takes the stage for a bow. Marinette didn't recognize several of them. They must have arrived halfway through the play. Chat taps her arm and points back to where they came in, and she nods at him.

The two creep back through the attic and into the night's open air.

"That was beautiful, Minou. Thank you, how did you know about it?" Marinette said. Chat smiled and shook his head.

"We're not done quite yet, princess. We have one more stop. We'll talk there." He said softly and held out his hand again.

Marinette smiled and took it. Chat sprang from the roof and aimed for one of his favorite spots to think. That play meant the world to him, but he had never shared it with anyone else before. Not even Ladybug. It was too close to his heart for that. It was the last play his mother took him to before she got sick. She could never understand the meaning behind it because it had too much to do with his civilian life. A taboo subject for the two of them. For the longest time he intended to take her to see it once their fight with Monarch ended and they could reval their identities to each other… Since that never happened…

But Marinette? Maybe he could get away with sharing a little more of himself. Maybe… It was time he let someone else in. he had to force himself not to stare as he carried her away over the top of Paris.

Ending Notes:

So… yeah, I was a theater kid. I know this wasn't exactly an award-winning play script, but I'm not a damn playwright. I know it was cheesy and tropey and stuff. I like those tropes, though. I really didn't want to use an existing play for that scene. Hopefully, it didn't come across as hot garbage. Let me know if it did.

If you're enjoying the story so far, the next chapter shouldn't be as much of a wait this time. Maybe… 5-7 days? I'd really appreciate a comment if you have any criticism whatsoever. Good or bad, feedback helps me grow. I've had a lot of fun writing this story, but without enough feedback, I may just put it on the back burner after act one instead of turning this into the 150k word total fic I had planned. Not much point in posting if no one wants to read it, ya know? I'll write it nonetheless. I'll just not post it as often since I'll prioritize other works.