Chapter 12:

NOTE: M-rated content in this chapter.

(Seriously, this whole chapter is basically one big M-fluff. Enjoy!)

Marinette dropped her transformation as she fell to her knees again, wrapping her arms around Adrien's lifeless body and clutching him to her chest. Her small frame shook violently as she was overcome with sobs. She buried her face in his hair, desperate to etch his scent into her memory.

"You had to, Marinette. He was so proud of you. We both are. Ladybug- you, you saved the whole world." Tikki, hovering beside Marinette, knew her words would likely fall on deaf ears, but she had to try to comfort the young girl who had accomplished the impossible. Marinette's reply was not unexpected… and Tikki could not hold her choice against her. She was proud of her chosen, and could not ask her for anything more.

"I'm done, Tikki. I can't do this anymore." Marinette continued to shake as she held on to her lost love, as if his physical presence was the only thing holding her together.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not… I'm not strong enough," she continued, her voice breaking as she felt her shattered heart fall to pieces. "I can't do this alone. I can't be Ladybug anymore. I quit." She collapsed in on herself, the last of her energy consumed, as her very will to live, let alone fight, faded away.

"…Over my dead body."

The words did not arise from beside her right ear, where the bug kwami had come to rest on her shoulder. The voice was not that of the tiny goddess; it was not melodic and comforting and gentle. It was low and deep, spoken with a trace of a lilt suggesting some private amusement.

The form in her arms began to quiver, unable to contain his light laughter at his own dark pun. Marinette gaped in shock, releasing her vice-like grip on him to look at him fully.

And there he was, looking at her as if nothing had happened. Adrien was sitting up, grinning at her with that stupid, cocky, half-smirk that revealed him as Chat Noir more than pointed black ears ever would, that annoying cheeky attitude that she adored with every fiber of her being. Without even thinking, she shoved him by the shoulder, knocking him back onto his elbows.

"That is not funny, you silly cat!" Despite her words, she felt her face pull into a genuine smile, tears falling anew for a completely different reason. Tikki, relieved to see that Adrien was alive, flew off in search of Plagg, excited to be reunited with her other half.

"Then why are you smiling?" He countered, sitting up again and pushing himself close to her.

She was suddenly aware of their proximity, and felt a warm blush rise in her cheeks. Out of habit, she looked down, attempting to hide her face from him.

"What's the matter, Princess? Chat got your tongue?" Adrien placed one finger under her chin, gently lifting upward to force her to meet his eyes. The beautiful emerald green was burning with a familiar fire, igniting a heat in her that caused her face to burn even more. Leaning in so close that he brushed her nose with his, his eyelids falling half-closed as he shifted his gaze to her lips, he purred the last words: "Can he?"

Her heart throbbed with happiness when he kissed her then. It was not the demanding, lustful kiss that they had shared before, but something soft and reassuring. He simply placed his lips gently against hers, as if to affirm that he was really there with her. She felt his hand tremble slightly as it left her chin, his fingertips softly tracing the angle of her jaw to the curve of her neck, the reverence in his touch revealing that, despite his levity, he was painfully aware that they had almost lost each other.

As she returned his tender kiss, her fingertips flitted down his chest, his crisp shirt revealing no trace of the gruesome stain that had dampened it moments before. Her nimble fingers deftly undid the buttons as they traveled, eager to touch him, to confirm that he was real, that he was alive. Within seconds she was rewarded for her efforts, and she rested both palms on his exposed chest. She felt the tension she hadn't realized she was holding on to melt away as she took in the warmth of his skin, the rise and fall of his breathing, and the strong, steady beat of his heart.

Adrien broke the kiss to meet her eyes again. It was his turn to feel a flush burn his face, surprised but not displeased that she had so quickly moved to undress him. As she stared at him, her expression divulged a combination of adoration, relief, and contentment.

While her clear blue eyes gazed at him with innocence, the feelings stirring within him for her were anything but. In the blink of an eye, he shrugged off his suit jacket and the unbuttoned shirt and wrapped his arms around her, one palm lying against the bare skin exposed by the low back of her dress and the other scooping around her hips, and pulled her into his bare chest. He leaned the side of his head into her temple and inhaled deeply, enjoying the way they fit together and taking in the scent of her hair.

Suddenly finding herself in the lap of a half-naked Adrien Agreste, Marinette's feelings of relief flipped instantly to something else. The adrenaline surging through her system intensified all of her emotions: first insurmountable grief at the loss of Adrien, which assuaged into a flood of relief and gratitude that he was OK. But now, his breath hot on her neck and muscles tensing under her fingertips, the rush of desire for him was so overwhelming it made her head spin. A sudden awareness of her sex consumed her as blood rushed to it, causing it to throb pleasurably and eliciting a small gasp from her.

Adrien felt something primal awaken in him when he heard Marinette sigh. He swore he could feel a pulse of heat from her body, and her scent was suddenly engulfing him. Something rumbled in his throat: a growl, a purr, a sigh of his own, he wasn't sure. He dove for her neck, licking and kissing with such intensity that he would almost certainly leave a mark.

She didn't care. Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled at this back, trying to somehow bring him closer, as she kissed and nipped at his shoulder. She shifted her weight in his lap, the voluminous layers of her skirt providing an unwelcome barrier between them.

Simultaneously dissatisfied with their current position, the lovers broke contact only for a moment to stand. Standing at full height, Adrien was even more gorgeous than she remembered. His skin glistening in the subdued lighting filtering in from the street (the bakery was dark, as it should be in the middle of the night), the definition of his muscles accentuated by shadows, and those insanely green eyes dilated with desire, she thought for a moment that she might collapse at the sight of him.

Gazing at his beautiful partner, Adrien was lost in the depth of her eyes. He felt a rush in his groin as she broke eye contact to let her gaze travel down the length of his body. Her sharp inhale when her eyes met his unmistakable desire for her was not lost on him. The way her hair fell to frame her perfectly oval face, those beautiful wide eyes accentuated by long dark lashes, her rosy pink lips swollen from kissing him… he couldn't help but take her into his arms and kiss her senseless again.

Desperate to taste her, he opened his mouth to her, moaning with desire as she dipped her tongue into his mouth. Her hands were in his hair, scratching his scalp and causing a sensation that was absurdly pleasurable. Impulsively, he grabbed her by the hips and brought her to him without breaking the kiss, the contact sending a thrill through them both.

The throb between Marinette's legs had grown to the point of an ache, accompanied by a feeling almost like an itch, a need to be touched, and the layers of material between them prevented her from achieving the relief she so fiercely desired. Releasing her hungry fingers from his now very tousled hair, she reached behind her back to unfasten the hook-and-eye and release the zipper securing her dress. His hands, already at her hips, eagerly aided her in removing the offending fabric. Having not worn a bra with the gown, she stood before him clad only in black silk panties, which she noticed with a tinge of embarrassment were slightly wet.

She pressed herself against him, claiming his mouth again. He reeled at the feeling of her soft breasts against his bare chest, trying to communicate with the kiss how wonderful she felt against him. Intent to bring her the pleasure he was enjoying, he reached a hand between her legs, caressing her through the silk of her panties.

Moaning with pleasure into his appetent mouth, Marinette instinctively arched her back, pressing against his roving fingers. This is the touch she wanted, that she craved, and the contact felt fantastic. Responding to her, he hooked his fingers around the fabric, probing into her opening uninhibited by the barrier of the panties.

Her breath caught in her throat at this new sensation, a welcome invasion into her most private area. He paused, attempting to gauge her reaction. Emboldened by her lust for him, she responded to his hesitation by stroking his length softly through the fabric of his pants. Fascinated by the feel of it and her own daring, she grasped the base lightly before diverting her attention to the pants themselves, her fingers reaching for his belt.

He caught her hands as they reached for his pants, his voice rough with passion.

"Marinette, I…" he swallowed, having difficulty forming a coherent thought let alone words in his current state. "If you… God I want you so badly, I don't know if I can control myself if we… maybe we should stop." He didn't want to move too fast, to do anything she might regret.

She met his eyes with firm resolve, the wording of her reply mimicking his earlier pun: "Not on your life." Nearly losing him had reaffirmed what she had always known somewhere in her heart, something that had scared her initially but now made her feel fulfilled. She and Chat were meant to be together. They were two halves of a single whole, and nothing that brought them closer together could ever be wrong. "I want this, Adrien… my Chaton… I want you." Her statement was resolute, her certainty unquestionable.

As if to validate her words, she returned her attention to his belt. He watched her intently as she slowly, purposefully slipped the strip of leather through the securing loop and removed the metal tooth from its position, sliding the freed buckle over the smooth leather strap. Her deft fingers then addressed the clasp of his pants, releasing it and lowering the zipper with a languid slowness that threatened to drive him mad. He had never witnessed a more sensual act in his life, and he had seen his fair share of eroticism given his glamorous "show-biz" rearing.

Dragging her hands over his hips, she slipped the pants off of him. She let her eyes slide down his body, appreciating the deep V carved by his musculature that drew her attention to the large bulge contained by his black boxer briefs. She used her thumbs to trace the V shape down his abdomen, eliciting a twitch from his manhood and a stifled moan from the man himself.

Watching his beloved Marinette marvel at his body was more than Adrien could take, her curious touches driving him wild with need. He brought her gifted, tantalizing hands to his shoulders and, in one smooth motion, reached behind her and lifted her thighs so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Stepping free of their discarded clothing, he pinned her back to the wall, kissing the small indentation where her collarbones met. She let out a soft yelp as her back collided with the wall, which melted into a sigh he trailed kisses down her chest.

Taking advantage of her elevated position, she placed a kiss on his temple before taking his earlobe in her teeth, as he had done to her what seemed like an eternity ago. She flicked his earlobe with her tongue before sucking on it gently, earning her a low rumble of appreciation from him.

Not to be outshone, Adrien dipped his head away from her marvelous mouth, dragging the tip of his tongue over one of her perked nipples before taking it into his mouth and sucking gently. He caught it in his teeth without biting, swirling the tip of his tongue over the soft bud.

She gasped in response, driving her hips forward reflexively and causing a heavenly friction between them. They both groaned as the delicious agony tying knots in their nether-regions continued to build. As Marinette ground her hips against him again, the soft sounds of her pleasure just audible to his ears, Adrien didn't know how much longer he could last.

Suddenly Marinette found herself back on her own two feet, with Adrien trailing tickling-light kisses over her taut stomach as she ran her fingers through his golden hair again. Without warning, a new sensation threatened to take her legs out from under her, as his warm, wet tongue found the sensitive nub of flesh between her legs and began to tease it gently.

She cried out, fingers tightening in his hair, but he steadied her against the wall with a strong arm, as the other hand slid her panties over her perfectly formed legs and aided his access to her core. He gently licked the soft folds, then separated her inner lips with his fingers before plunging his tongue inside her, sucking softly as he explored her sex. Her hands fell to his shoulders to brace herself, unable to support her own weight, as she was swept up in the pleasure of him. Sensing she was nearing her peak, he focused his mouth on the swollen pink bud, replacing his tongue with his fingers to penetrate her, gently but insistently, matching the rhythm she had inadvertently begun thrusting her hips to.

Whimpering in ecstasy, Marinette felt herself explode with bliss as her walls rhythmically tightened around his fingers, as if she was trying to draw him into her. Her legs wavered as she attempted to remain upright, riding her climax as it shook her to the core.

Regaining herself, she urged him to stand, so that she could remove his underwear and undress him fully. As he stood, he caught her lips in a kiss again, and she detected traces of her own sweetness on his tongue. Sliding his underwear down his muscular legs and glancing at his exposed erection for the first time, she felt a flutter of nervousness. She wanted to show him the same pleasure he had given her, but she was horribly inexperienced in sexual matters. Crouching in front of him, she tentatively stroked the shaft of this unfamiliar part of him, causing it to twitch. She wrapped her delicate fingers around the heavily veined organ, surprised that something so firm could feel so soft. She brought the other hand to the head, again in awe of its velvety texture, before giving it a lick on a whim. His moan snapped her back to the reality of exactly where she was and what she was doing… and to whom she was doing it. Glancing up, she saw that Adrien had braced a hand against the wall and was breathing heavily, his expression revealing a state of tortured bliss. Had she really had such an effect on him, on her unattainable Adrien, on the provocative Chat Noir? Without taking her eyes off his incredibly sexy face, she wrapped her lips around the head of his penis and sucked gently. He gasped, leaning heavily into his arm for support. She continued her experimentation, reaching her tongue out as far as she could and dragging it along his shaft until she reached the ridge where the shaft met the head, exploring the tiny shelf with the tip of her tongue while continuing to gently suck on the tip. This time he groaned her name loud enough for her to hear, and she felt his member pulse against her tongue as his legs threatened to give way.

Reaching out to his free hand, she urged him back down to the ground. Face-to-face, his green eyes were on fire, his beautiful features flushed, and he had broken out into a light sweat. His hands trembled as he cupped her precious face, kissing her blushed lips gently.

"God Marinette, do you know what you do to me?" he whispered the question as his emerald eyes seared into hers.

She smiled coyly, surprising herself as she channeled some of Chat's confidence into her reply: "No, but I know what I'm about to do to you."

She positioned herself so that she was on her knees, straddling him. With one hand resting on his cheek to encourage him to keep his eyes on her (watching his face in ecstasy was better than any erotic fantasy she had ever concocted), she reached the other hand down to grip him, and guided herself onto his length. As the head of his penis penetrated her, she shifted her weight instinctively to accept him, causing a wave of pleasure to crash through them both. He reached for her, providing some support for her weary legs. Releasing him from her grasp, she brought both hands to his face, and kissed him deeply.

Adrien had intended to let her dictate their lovemaking, afraid to go too fast, to be too insistent, to push too hard and cause her discomfort. However, as her tongue probed his mouth, instinct kicked in and he guided himself into her. When she gasped he froze, searching her face for any sign of pain or displeasure. What he saw was exactly the opposite: eyes fluttering closed, chin and chest held high, Marinette looked like a goddess in heaven. He began to move inside her, drawing soft sighs of contentment from his love as she met his steady rhythm. Dropping his lips to her shoulder, he placed several kisses there as she picked up the pace, rocking and grinding against him. Holding her by the hips again, he helped her bounce up and down as she thrust forward. They fell into a delicious rhythm of quick thrusts and slow withdraws, her nails digging into his back as she felt her climax build again. A strong pulse of his manhood buried deep inside her sent her careening over the edge, and as her sex squeezed him in orgasm he quickly followed, biting down a little too hard on her shoulder, the slight, sharp pain of his teeth only heightening her pleasure. Completely spent of energy, they collapsed together, he on his back and she onto his chest. They felt so wonderfully complete that they did not even bother to separate themselves, and instead basked in the private paradise that the two of them shared.

As their racing hearts and ragged breathing calmed, Adrien placed a hand on the cherished head that rested on his chest, as if to verify that she was not just a dream that would momentarily disappear.

"Princess," his voice was hesitant, as if he was frightened of breaking the wonderful spell he was caught up in. "…Will you be mine?" He knew he didn't deserve her, and good luck was not familiar to him. Marinette's love for him was difficult for him to believe, even when he had experienced it firsthand.

Snuggling into him, Marinette sighed happily. "Til death do us part," she mused aloud. When she recognized the significance of her phrasing, she winced outwardly, hoping she hadn't ruined the moment.

Chuckling lightly, Adrien nuzzled her hair, again reveling in her scent. She felt his lips graze her forehead as he softly replied, "Not even then, my love… not even death could steal me from you."


Author's note: AAAHHH you guys, your reviews are amazing! Seriously you make it so much fun to write :-3 My sincerest apologies for the stress of the last chapter's ending... hopefully this one was worth the wait! -Floof

In answer to some of the guest reviews for this chapter (that I moderated because they contain massive plot spoilers!), I wanted to point out some details that are apparently too easy to miss. First, her parents: at the end of the last chapter, it states that her parents were restored to sleeping in their beds, where they were when everything went down. Next, also tucked into chapter 11, Adrien was present but "back seat" for the events of the story (similar to the kwamis' usual stance), and heard Marinette tell Ruin she loved him. Also, he remembers what went down because it was Plagg, not Adrien himself, that was akumatized. Lastly, the "Where's Plagg" question... is a mystery that will be answered in the next chapter. I'm glad poor Tikki isn't the only one who remembered him!