It was a bitterly cold night in Paris, the kind that made one want to curl up under blankets and not venture outside. But Cat Noir had a duty to protect the city, and so he patrolled the streets despite the freezing temperatures.

As he swung through the city, he spotted a figure huddled against a wall, shivering. It was Marinette, and she looked like she was about to collapse from the cold. Without hesitation, Cat Noir scooped her up and carried her back to her apartment.

"Thanks kitty," Marinette said with a smile. "Why don't you come on in to warm up before you head home."

"Sure why not," he said. Marinette was a nice girl, a little awkward but still nice and pleasant to talk to.

Marinette opened the door that led to her room and he followed her inside. As soon as he entered Marinette turned on the light and he was greeted by various pictures of him on the wall. Well to be more accurate pictures of his civilian counterpart Adrien Agreste.

He chuckled a tingling going down his back as the hairs on his neck stood up. "W-Wow Marinette you sure are a fan of Adrien Agreste."

Marinette's faced reddened. "Yeah I am."

Calm down so she's a fan. Yet despite trying to reassure himself there was a red flag in those pictures, some of them were of him when he wasn't looking.

Turning around he noticed a chart on the wall. His eyes widened as he saw that it was a schedule, his schedule. "I-Is that Adrien's schedule."

Marinette nodded. "Yup I know it by heart," she said proudly.

He resisted the urge to show distress, his family always warned him about stalkers and personally he had a few bad interactions with them. Suddenly various memories played in his head. Such as the time he pretended to be a statue and she tried to kiss him or the various times she just happened to be at various places he was at with that creepy smile on her face.

No she can't a be a stalker.

"M-Marinette why do you know his schedule?" He asked carefully.

"Obviously to keep him safe," Marinette said firmly and proudly. "There are many people that want to take advantage of him, especially girls like Chloe and Lila."

He laughed nervously. "Well I think Adrien can take care of himself."

She frowned at him. "Cat Noir you don't understand, me and Adrien are meant to be together I know. I already planned our future together, look I already bought a few presents for him." She went to the closet and opened it revealing various wrapped presents. "I know he'll love them, I've studied everything about him."

His jaw dropped, he didn't know what to say to that. Calm down maybe I can make this a teaching opportunity. He had always been warned about stalkers but he never thought Marinette would be such a BIG fan of his.

Turning he saw what looked like a shrine to him along with various photos. Oh boy.

Swallowing a lump in his throat he shook his head. "You know some people may think this is stalking."

Marinette's heart made his heart break. "Stalking? How can it be stalking? I'm not harming him, I love him and that is why I do these things. I mean sure yeah I stole his phone once-"

"What?" He asked. What else has she been doing? His eyes widened at the thought of Marinette creeping on him wherever he went. Oh god. His stomach turned at the thought that Marinette had been following him around

"It was important, besides we are meant to be together," Marinette said dismissively. "Adrien doesn't mind it, deep down I know he wants me too. I mean yeah I once tried to sneak into his house but I learned my lesson, don't climb walls you can't easily climb."

His jaw dropped. Is she serious? He couldn't believe what he was hearing, yeah he and Marinette were friends and he had to admit she was kind of cute but still they weren't together and the way she talked about him made him uneasy."

There is only one thing to do. He took out his baton and started taking pictures. He snapped a picture of the schedule, the pictures, and the presents.

"Hey what are you doing?" Marinette protested.

"Adrien Agreste should know about these," He said firmly. "This isn't right Marinette."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Oh please Cat Noir what do you know?"

"I know enough," he said as he quickly left her room ignoring her protests.

Oh my god she is stalking me. His heart raced in his chest as he vaulted him. Despite being warned about stalkers he never thought it could happen to him. Looking over his shoulder nervously he scanned the area around him. Oh god how long has she been doing this?

As he vaulted over the city he saw various billboards with his face plastered on them. His heart sunk, how many more girls are stalking me?

He shivered as he made his way. As soon as he landed into his room he quickly secured it and uploaded the photos he took onto his computer. "Claws in," he muttered as soon as the process was done.

"I can't believe it Plagg. I have a stalker," he said as he slumped onto his chair. He shivered. "I-I feel so violated. I trusted her and she was stalking me."

Plagg went up to him. "It's ok Adrien, if you need anything I'm sure your family can help."

He sighed. "I don't know. Let me talk to Nino first, they have been friends for a while."

"Good idea," Plagg said.

Luckily Nino was available and agreed to meet up at the park. "Hey dude what's up you don't look too well," Nino said.

He sighed and sat across from him. "This is serious Nino. Someone is stalking me and I don't feel good about."

Nino's eyes widened. "R-Really Who is it?"

"I know you two have been friends but I have evidence," he said as he pulled out his phone and showed the pictures to him. "Cat Noir sent them to me and it's Marinette."

Nino grimaced as he explained the things Marinette said along with the other weird things he noticed about her when they were around.

When he was done he took a deep breath. "I know you and Marinette have been friends for a long time but she really crossed my boundaries. I am thinking about telling my father but I know he'll not take it well."

That was a lie, his father would go ballistic and have the best lawyers in the country issue a restraining order and

Nino sighed. "Dude I knew she had a thing for you but didn't know it was this bad." His friend looked him in the eyes. "You deserve privacy. I know Marinette is a good person but if you aren't comfortable you have a right to set your distance."

"Thanks," he said. He was relieved that his friend trusted him.

Nino stood up. "I'll go talk to her. You should tell your family."

"R-Really? You know my father he'll go ballistic," he said.

"Someone should know, Maybe you could convince him to not bee too hard on her," Nino said. "Either way you have a right to set your boundaries. I'll try to talk to Marinette."

He nodded. "Thanks. I'll going on that."

His mind raced as he thought about how he should go about it. "Are you sure you're going to tell you father?" Plagg asked.

"I don' t know," he said. "I don't want to escalate things. Maybe I can convince Nathalie to be a little kind to her."

It wouldn't be easy, Nathalie was just as protective of him as his father and there was always the possibility of her just telling him. He didn't want Marinette, but he wasn't going to let her continue her behavior around him if he could help it.

As soon as he got home he found Nathalie looking at her tablet. "H-Hey Nathalie can I speak to you for a minute," he said as he nervously fidgeted with his hand.

Nathalie raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

He took a deep breath. "I have a problem I want you to help me with but you have to promise not to flip out or tell my father."

"What is it?" Nathalie asked as she set down her table.

He took out his phone. "I have a classmate who has an unhealthy obsession with me, here have a look."

Nathalie looked at the photos as he explained the things Marinette told Cat Noir. When he was done Nathalie frowned. "We should tell your father."

"Wait!" he said. "I know he'll freak out, maybe you can just talk to her family and warn them. It won't look good for us if we escalate things too much, you know how father is. Please I don't want draw too much attention to it."

He gave her his best begging face. "Just change my schedule around and make sure no one else knows about it."

Nathalie frowned but sighed. "Fine. I'll go see them personally, but I hear anything bad your father will have to know, and it won't be pretty."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Nathalie."

She smiled at him. "Why don't you stay home tomorrow, I'll sort things out with this girl's family and the school."

/

When Marinette finished getting ready for the day she walked down but was surprised to see her parents sitting across from Nathalie. "Hello sweetie why don't you have a seat," Her mother said.

"Uh what's going on?" She sat next to her parents, Nathalie's gaze was anything but friendly. Oh no did something happen to Adrien?

"Sweetie have you been stalking Adrien Agreste?" Her mother asked.

She stared at her mother in shock and laughed. "What? No."

Nathalie took out her tablet and showed her various photos. Her eyes widened as she saw pictures of her room. The photos, the gifts, the shrine, the schedule.

Cat Noir you traitor. She thought Cat Noir would understand, after all he loved Ladybug so much.

"Wait I can explain!" She said quickly.

Nathalie cut her off. "Adrien likes his privacy and this news shocked him. Since you are former classmates I'll settle things personally instead of getting his father involved." Nathalie's brow furrowed. "You don't want his father involved."

She flinched under her gaze as her father turned to her. "Marinette this isn't healthy. You can be his friend, you can have a crush on him, but you cannot stalk him."

"I'm not stalking him! I'm just keeping him safe from liars," She said her body shaking.

Her mother shook her head. "We have to clean up now."

"What do you mean?" She asked as they all got up. "Wait don't!"

She tried to stop them as they headed to her room with a trash bag. "Wait please no!" She begged.

"Sorry sweetie this isn't healthy." Her mother said as she looked at Adrien's schedule and tore it down. "You have to respect his privacy.

Tears fell down her face. How could they not understand that she and Adrien were meant to be?

"The official pictures can stay but everything else must go," Nathalie said as she oversaw her parents take down the things she made for Adrien.

Her father extended a hand. "Your phone."

"Wh-What?" She gripped her phone tightly.

"Marinette dear you have to delete all the photos," Her father said.

She tried to protest but her father took her cellphone from her hand. "No please," she begged as her father deleted all the photos she collected of Adrien while her mom did the same to her computer.

When all of her Adrien memorabilia was in a big Nathalie turned to her parents. "Alright this is satisfactory. I'm afraid I'll talk with the school too but other than that everything is fine for now. I'll do my best to make sure no negative attention comes to your daughter."

"Thank you," Her mother said firmly. "It won't happen again."

Nathalie nodded. "I hope not. If it does, I'm afraid Mr. Agreste will not be pleased if he found out that she has been crossing Adrien's boundries."

When Nathalie left her parents sat her down. "Marinette please sweetie you have to respect people's boundaries."

"But I love him," She muttered. It wasn't fair, why couldn't they see that she meant him no harm? She wanted to cry and scream at how unfair it was.

Her mother sighed. "That maybe true but it doesn't give you the right to stalk him."

"But I'm not-"

Her father cut her off. "If you want to remain friends with Adrien you have to respect his boundaries and treat him like a normal person."

"Fine," she muttered.

How could they not see it? She loved Adrien and wanted to protect him and remember him.

"Calm down Marinette you can try to explain to Adrien later," Tikki said as she rushed to school.

"I will," she said firmly. "I-I'll do my best."

However, when she arrived at class her teacher looked up at her. "Marinette moves seats with Alex."

Her eyes widened. "What? Why?"

"You are not allowed to work with Adrien or be near him for the time being," Ms. Bustier said.

Her face reddened as she heard snickers from Chloe and some of her other classmates. Alya gave her a sympathetic look but she noticed Nino frown at her as if she did something wrong.

As soon as it was time for lunch she quickly told Alya and Nino what happened. "I can't believe Cat Noir would do that?" She shook her head.

Nino frowned. "Marinette Adrien spoke to me, he was not happy that you invaded his privacy."

Her face reddened. "But I didn't mean to. Besides I wasn't hurting him."

Nino cut her off. "That isn't for you to decide. He feels uncomfortable that's why he isn't here today."

Her heart sank. Adrien is gone because of me

"Marinette I know you like him but come on your actions around him and others near him have been a little questionable," Alya said calmly. "There is a difference between a crush and an obsession."

She didn't know how to respond. How could she not be obsessed with the boy she loved? I mean sure she may have nearly climbed the gate of his house among other things but it was in the name of love.

"Come on Marinette I'm sure Adrien will forgive you in time," Nino said. "But you have to give him space."

"Fine," she muttered.

She pent up her frustration at the situation till her patrol as Ladybug, because oh boy was she going to give it to Cat Noir.

Cat Noir grinned at her on a rooftop. "Hey my lady."

She frowned. "Don't hey my lady me."

"What happened?" Cat Noir asked.

She took a deep breath, her brow furrowed. "You told on Marinette Dupain-Chang? She's heartbroken because Adrien thinks she is a stalker."

Cat Noir frowned his postured turned rigid. "Well I'm good friends with Adrien, he was not happy that his privacy was violated."

"That's not the point she loves him!" She protested. "Marinette and I are friends and I know she would never cross any boundaries."

Cat Noir raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Having a complete schedule and shrine along with trying to isolate him from his female friends isn't crossing boundaries?"

She scoffed. "What do you know? You never respect my boundaries."

Cat Noir frowned. "What do you mean?"

She folded her arms. "You don't know how to take no for an answer and don't respect my privacy or personal space."

Cat Noir avoided her gaze as if contemplating something. "I never intended it to be like that." To her surprise his voice was soft almost as if he were contemplating something big.

"Well it was," she said firmly. "You know I can patrol by myself."

Cat Noir opened his mouth but said nothing as she flung herself into the night.

/

Adrien sighed as he took deleted a few pictures of Ladybug. "Are you sure kid?" Plagg said.

He nodded. "I've been thinking about what she said to me last night. I would be a hypocrite to get angry at her for invading my privacy when I don't respect her personal space."

Taking a deep breath he looked at the few posters and pictures of Ladybug and took them down. "I do like her but maybe I should respect her personal space some more. I want to start over with her just as partners for now."

Plagg nodded. "I agree."

The past few days he had ignored Marinette at school while adjusting to a completely new schedule. So far she hadn't been stalking, that knew of.

True to her word Nathalie didn't tell his father, instead they heightened security around his photoshoots and the home while the Agreste brand warned against harassment. He also talked to the head of his fan club Wayhem about what happened. Thankfully his biggest fan was understanding and even posted on various bloggs about maintaining privacy.

Personally he thought Marinette was a good person who was just misguided, he could see them becoming friends in the future under the right circumstances.

All that's left is to settle things with Marinette. He took a deep breath as he got ready for school, Nino agreed to set up meeting with him and Alya present.

His heart raced in his chest as he was dropped off at school. "Hey dude are you sure about this?" Nino asked. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

"I'm fine," he said firmly. "I just want to get this behind me."

They found Marinette and Alya in an unoccupied room. "H-Hey Adrien," Marinette said avoiding his gaze.

"Marinette," he said.

He and Nino sat across from the girls. Marinette avoided looking at him her eyes were red. "I know these days must not have been easy for you but I was not happy about what you were doing."

"But I wasn't stalking you," Marinette protested. "I-"

He cut her off. "I don't mind you being my friend or my fan but you have to respect my privacy and my relationships with other girls do you understand."

Marinette's expression deflated as she sat down in her chair. "I-I understand."

"I don't want to be hard on you but I won't tolerate this behavior anymore," He said firmly. "In the future if you want to be friends just talk to me."

Alya nudged Marinette. "I'm sorry Adrien I didn't mean to invade your privacy." Marinette swallowed a lump in her throat. "I-I would like to be friends with you in the future."

"I would appreciate that," he said.

He stood up and extended a hand. Marinette smiled at him and shook his hand. His trust in her may have been shaken but he sincerely hoped that they could be good friends in the future.