You all thought I was going to interrupt Chat's confession. I'm not that mean. The poor kitty's been waiting a long time to get those words out. I wouldn't take that away from him. That doesn't mean I'm going to let him have a happy ending that easily though :P


Chat Noir turned his head, staring straight into Marinette's bright, blue eyes. She innocently gazed back and he felt like his heart might explode. He felt her hands run through his hair, every place they touched leaving a long-lasting warmth. "There's no doubt..." he thought. "I've never felt this way before."

"Marinette, I love you."

The words came out easier than he expected and once they did, time seemed to slow down. It was out there now, never to be taken back. Marinette's smile vanished and there was a moment of silence. It felt liked the longest moment of his life. "What's she going to say?" Chat Noir worried, his muscles tense. "C'mon Marinette! Say something!"

All of a sudden, Marinette threw her head back and giggled. "I love you too, kitty!" she laughed, patting him on the head. Her cheeks were painted a light pink from her cheers. "You don't have to tell me that," she continued on, not noticing Chat Noir's expression change. "We're best friends and partners. Of course we love each other!"

"Not like that..."

Chat Noir sat up and leaned close to Marinette, resting his hand on the tree trunk behind her. "You don't understand," he cried, the distress in his voice clear. He pounded his paw against the bark and gave Marinette a sad smile. "You don't understand...

Marinette could feel the hotness of his breath. She wondered why he was suddenly so upset. Although, he was nearly on top of her, she didn't feel nervous. Instead, she was worried. What was wrong?

She put her hand on Chat's shoulder and said, "Tell me what's wrong. Why are you acting like this suddenly? Talk to me." She brushed his hair away from his forehead and gently placed the back of her hand against it. "You're burning up!" Marinette exclaimed. "And your cheeks are all red. Are you sick? I can take you home right now."

"I'm not sick!" Chat Noir moaned, slumping to his knees. "Marinette, please listen to me. I love you..."

That's when it finally sank in for her.

"Oh Chat..." Marinette sighed, a sense of guilt overwhelming her. She had never considered Chat Noir falling in love with her. She had been so busy working past her feelings for Prince Adrien that she had never noticed. With his flirtatious nature, Marinette assumed his "advances" had been a joke, but they had been real to him.

The nicknames. The flower. The need to always be in her company. All of it. To him, it was a manifestation of his feelings which Marinette had ignored. If only she had told him the truth sooner...

"I'm sorry," Marinette continued, her voice slow and calm. She didn't want to overwhelm Chat since she knew what heartbreak felt like. "But I already have someone else that I'm in love with." Marinette's words stung her own heart. It felt wrong to tell Chat she was already in love considering that person was no longer around. It would hurt the both of them knowing that she was holding onto a love that could never come true.

"Who is he?" Chat Noir huffed, turning his head away from Marinette. He didn't want to see her face. It would make everything hurt that much more.

"Prince Adrien."

"I should've known," Chat Noir scolded himself. He buried his head in his hands and tried to hold back tears. "That was why Marinette always got upset when people talked about him. But I've never seen him before. Did he even care about her? How dare he? How dare he capture Marinette's heart and not return her love? Why did I lose to him? I must be-"

"Chat..."

"What?" he snapped.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you everything before. This is all my fault," Marinette said. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Chat Noir from behind. She rested her head on his shoulder, the leather of his suit rubbing against her cheek. "You deserve to know everything about Prince Adrien. Now is the time to come clean."

"You don't need to rub it in, princess," Chat Noir frowned. The intoxicating scent of Marinette was overwhelming him. She was so close, but he couldn't have her. She didn't feel that way about him. Had he honestly ever expected her too though? Chat Noir decided to gamble, but it hadn't paid off.

"But who is he?"

The words felt rough on Chat Noir's tongue. His throat was swollen and his eyes were beginning to grow red and puffy. Marinette pretended to not see the tears. Chat Noir wouldn't admit they were there even if she said something. His cat instincts were starting to kick in. He wanted to flee and curl up in a ball somewhere in the dark. But he stayed, his curiosity getting the better of him. Just who was this rival that defeated him in love?

"Come sit over here," Marinette said, patting the grass beside her. Chat Noir gloomily slumped over, taking his place beside Marinette. With their shoulders touching, Marinette interlocked her hand with Chat's and squeezed it tight. The conversation was going to become emotional for both of them. Right now, they needed each other's comfort.

Chat Noir rested his head on Marinette's shoulder. He was already emotionally exhausted from rejection. "Chat..." Marinette choked, it now being her turn to tear up. "If you're willing to listen, I have a story for you..."

The day started out peacefully. The sun was shining and the air was warm. Marinette left for lessons with a smile. She was excited to discuss the new book they had started for class. It was another fairytale which were Marinette's favorites. Nothing made her feel like a princess more than reading about one.

When Marinette arrived at lessons, she was struck by the regal carriage waiting outside the hall. It had intricate golden carvings and was accompanied by two, white horses. The coachman was idly sitting in front, watching the horses. If Marinette hadn't known better, she would have thought he was a nobleman. Even he was dressed to the nines.

"That's not Chloe's carriage," Marinette frowned as she tried to puzzle out who the carriage might belong too. "Even she's not this eccentric. She normally walks to class though she probably wishes she could have a horse drawn carriage drag her everywhere."

Marinette entered the hall, taking one last look at the carriage. "It truly is a carriage fit for a princess," she imagined. "It'd be a dream come true to ride around in one of those. Though I think I'd want mine to be pink! I bet Alya and I could ride around the city for days without ever getting bored!"

As she neared her classroom, Marinette could hear the excited murmurs of her classmates. Curious, she carefully opened the door and peered inside. Her classmates were huddled in a circle, something important clearly in the middle of them. Amidst the crowd, Marinette could see a bright, yellow dress accompanied by a gaudy ponytail. For once however, Chloe didn't seem to be the center of attention. Instead, she seemed to be fawning over whatever was in the middle.

"Everyone back off!" Chloe suddenly yelled, smacking her lips together. "Give Prince Adrien some space. He obviously isn't used to being around common folk like you."

"Prince?"

The students returned to their seats, revealing what had been at the center of their fervor. There was a handsome, young man with silky, blonde hair hanging uncomfortably onto Chloe. He was dressed in clothing that probably cost more than the entire bakery. But that wasn't what struck Marinette most about his appearance. It was his eyes, his brilliant, emerald eyes.

"Who's that?" Marinette thought, still staring from the doorway. "He's gorgeous, but it looks like he's friends with Chloe. They do say looks aren't everything. I guess that rings truer than ever. What a pity... He really is cute."

Suddenly, the boy walked over to Marinette's usual seat and leaned over the side, a grotesque twist appearing on his face. "Chloe?" he said, rolling his eyes over to her. "Are you sure about this?" He poked his finger at something on the seat that Marinette couldn't see from afar. Whatever it was disgusted him as evident by his expression.

"What do you think you're doing?" Marinette shouted, racing over to her desk. Her scream startled the boy who quickly pulled his hands away from her seat. He looked nervously at Chloe, but she offered no help. Instead, she gave Marinette a devious glare and sat down. Marinette looked over at her seat and found it covered in dirt and mud.

"I-It wasn't me!" the boy cried, shaking his head. "I swear! I was trying to clean it up, but-"

"I don't want to hear it," Marinette sighed as she took out her handkerchief. She used it to wipe away the grime, effectively ruining it. It could probably never be used again. Marinette turned to the boy and growled, "You're a friend of Chloe's, I'm sure. Good thing I didn't expect much out of you anyways."

"But-"

"I'm not in the mood for excuses. If you'd please leave, I'd like to sit down in peace."

The boy tried to protest once more, but Marinette sat down and turned her head away with a huff. She didn't have time to deal with him or Chloe's nonsense. She came to lessons to learn and learn she would. A scowl still on her face, Marinette pulled out her book and pretended to read. Internally though, she was still fuming and having a hard time containing her rage. The previous incident had made her unbelievably mad.

"I see you've all met our temporary student," Miss Bustier announced, standing up at the front desk. "Please welcome Prince Adrien. We're very lucky to have him with us today by Miss Bourgeois's request." Prince Adrien stood up and bowed, something he was experienced in from his attendance of multiple social events.

"Some prince," Marinette groaned. "What kind of prince bullies innocent girls? I'd rather have a mouse rule the kingdom than a rat like him."

The rest of class was ruined for Marinette. She couldn't concentrate. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed how Prince Adrien kept glancing at her. He tried to make eye contact, but she always looked away. His presence fueled Marinette's anger even more. She almost ripped the page of her book when turning it out of rage. Things were made even worse when a crack of thunder accompanied by a rough flash of rain stormed through.

"Wonderful..." thought Marinette. "I didn't think to bring an umbrella. It was so nice when I left. I might be going home wet today."

Miss Bustier let the class out early, but Marinette stayed behind to clean up her desk. There was still some dirt on the ground and she didn't want to leave a mess for Miss Bustier. The poor teacher did enough already by teaching Chloe. She didn't deserve a dirty classroom as well.

Once everything was clean, Marinette headed to the front of the building and looked out the window in distress. The rain was really coming down, forming puddles on the ground. She opened the door and stepped out underneath the awning. She stuck her hand out, her fingers getting stung by the rain. The storm was even worse than she thought.

"Maybe I should stay here for a while," Marinette pondered, taking a step back. "I don't want my books to get all wet. Perhaps the rain will let up soon..."

"Hello..."

Marinette recognized the voice instantly and shrugged away. "He's the last person I want to talk to," she thought, giving a little grunt to emphasize her distaste.

Prince Adrien stepped forward and opened his black umbrella, looking back at Marinette with a sad smile. "I just wanted you to know," he began, catching Marinette's attention. "That I was only trying to get the dirt off your seat. I swear..."

"What's he talking about?" Marinette turned to him and found herself captured by his gaze. Prince Adrien didn't look as cocky anymore. Instead, he just looked sad. Marinette felt her anger simmer down as she continued to listen.

"I've never been to school like this before. I've never had friends. It's all sort of... new to me." Prince Adrien glanced back at her and smiled. It was a happier smile this time. Then, he extended his arm and offered the umbrella to Marinette, shielding her from the rain.

The way he stared at her shook her heart. Everything came crashing down in an instant as a clap of thunder filled the air. His smile was so innocent, so pure. He clearly had no ill intentions. Marinette wondered how she had let herself misjudge him. The boy she was watching was filled only with kindness.

Marinette carefully reached her hand out to grab the umbrella. For a moment, their fingers touched and she felt a spark of electricity run through her body, causing her to flinch. Unphased however, she reached again and took the handle of the umbrella from Prince Adrien's hands.

All of a sudden, the umbrella snapped shut and closed on Marinette's head. "Darn my bad luck," Marinette cursed as she fumbled with the umbrella. Thank goodness it was hiding the embarrassed blush on her cheeks. She would absolutely die if the Prince saw her. As Marinette tried to push the umbrella open, she was interrupted by the sweet laugh of the Prince.

Perfection.

That was the only word Marinette could use to describe it. It wasn't too loud or too soft. It wasn't annoying or obnoxious. It wasn't snooty or cold. It was just perfect and it fit the Prince perfectly as well.

Marinette lifted the umbrella and saw the Prince's smiling face, instantly liking it more than his frowning one. She found herself caught up in his laughter and began to giggle herself. It was contagious. Within seconds, they were laughing together out in the rain without a care.

"See you again... Marinette?" Prince Adrien asked, checking if he remembered her name correctly.

"That's right..."

"Marinette? What a fitting name for a beautiful, young lady. Until next time!"

As he started to walk towards the steps. Marinette slowly nodded, her heart still reeling from shock. The Prince smiled and waved good-bye before heading towards the carriage below. As Marinette watched him walk away, she attempted to say her good-byes accidentally dropping her bag in the process.

"Uh-huh!" she stumbled, nearly tripping over her feet without moving. "See you a-a-again!"

"Woah... Why am I stammering?" Marinette wondered as Prince Adrien entered his carriage. "I've never acted like that before. It couldn't be-"

As much as she wanted to deny it, the signs were obvious. The blushing. The heartbeat. The stuttering.

It was love.

Since that day, Marinette kept track of everything the Prince did. She clipped newspaper articles of him to her walls. She made drawings of his face so she could never forget. She had even designed a special outfit just for him though she knew he would never wear it. His umbrella was kept at her bedside. Marinette planned on returning it the next time they met. When that would be, she didn't know. Prince Adrien only came to class that one day, but Marinette felt hopeful they would meet again.

Everyone around noticed how Marinette had become even cheerier. Her parents didn't question it and neither did Alya or Nino. Marinette's good mood seemed to brighten the entire world. It even seemed like all of Paris couldn't stop smiling. Everything was perfect until that fateful day.

Word spread by mouth quickly, but it reached the papers the following morning.

Marinette ran downstairs for breakfast and found her parents in a somber mood. "What's wrong?" she asked, grabbing a strawberry tart. "I've haven't you two this upset since they ran out of sugar at the market."

"Marinette..." Tom began slowly. "I don't know if this will mean much to you, but Prince Adrien passed away last night. A visitation is being set up for him tonight. The entire city is shut down to honor his highness."

"W-What?" Marinette's world came crashing down. "Dead? He can't be dead... It's impossible! No! It can't be true?" Giant tears came trickling down her face accompanied by heavy sobs. "No! They're lying!"

Before her parents could ask what was wrong, Marinette bolted to her room and locked the trapdoor shut. She locked the windows and closed the curtains. The entire room was consumed by darkness. Marinette sat on her bed surrounded by unfinished designs and half-drawn portraits as she tried to contain her sobs. Beside the bed, sat a black, umbrella that no longer had an owner.

"It isn't true," Marinette sobbed, her face buried in her pillow. "There must be some mistake..."

That was when it began to rain. It wasn't a light shower, but a downpour exactly like the day she met him. Marinette's parents left at noon to pay their respects. After they left, Marinette managed to pull herself together and decided to head to the visitation. She wouldn't believe anything until she saw it with her own eyes. There had to be a mistake, but she grabbed the umbrella just in case.

Marinette arrived at the palace at 1:00. The line reached out the palace gates and winded around town. She patiently waited her turn, but on the inside, Marinette thought she might die. The rain stung at her skin while she waited. She didn't use the umbrella. It didn't belong to her and she wanted to return it in good condition. The line moved slowly, but eventually she made it to the front.

Waiting for her was a black casket decorated with white roses. It was closed, but Marinette knew what was locked inside. She imagined Prince Adrien's body cold and lifeless like a porcelain doll. The truth could be denied no longer. Inside that black coffin was the love of her life and he was dead.

The tears wouldn't stop flowing. Quickly, they began to mix with the rain. Marinette fell to her knees and set her head against the coffin, her cheek against the cold wood. Her voice was shaky as she whispered, "I'll miss you..." She hoped that somewhere up in heaven Prince Adrien would hear her words.

Marinette looked down at the umbrella in her hands. With a sad smile, she set it beside the casket. "I thought I should return to this to you, but I never had the chance."

The smell of roses was thick and making Marinette's headache from crying even worse. She had already spent a few minutes mourning in front of the casket and the guards protecting it were urging her to move on. Marinette slowly stood up and brushed her hair back. Her eyes were red and swollen, but she pretended not to notice. "I have to be strong..." she repeated to herself. "He wouldn't want anyone to cry for him. He would much rather we smile."

And then she left the palace gardens, people watching her as she walked away. On the outside, she looked like she was coping okay. However, Marinette felt broken on the inside. He was the first person she had ever loved and he was taken away before she had the chance to tell him her feelings. Her heart was shattered, leaving Marinette wondering if it could be healed. Someone else would have to glue the pieces back together for her. She didn't think she could recover.

That was until a certain black, cat stumbled into her life...

"And that's the story," Marinette sighed, wiping away stray tears. Just thinking about it still got her emotional. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, Chat. It's hard to talk about though... Even after a year, he still won't leave my heart. I guess I'm pretty pathetic in that sense."

"You're not pathetic!" Chat Noir exclaimed, now feeling guilty about making Marinette cry. "If anyone's pathetic, it's me," he thought. "I'm such an idiot. I should've realized she had feelings for this guy. And why did I ever think she might fall in love with an alleycat like me?"

"Thanks..." Marinette patted Chat Noir on the head and took a deep breath. "But you see now. I'm sorry, Chat. I do love you love though! I love you so much, but just not romantically. You're my best friend and my partner. I'm willing to trust you with the world. Even if I don't love you that way, you're more important in my life than Prince Adrien ever had the chance to be."

"Princess..."

"So please don't take this to heart. I don't want our relationship to change. You're my Chat Noir and don't ever forget that."

"..."

"Please say something," Marinette begged. Chat Noir wasn't facing her anymore and she couldn't make out his expression. She prayed that his feelings weren't hurt too bad. His confession came out of nowhere and she wasn't prepared. Hopefully the words she chose were just right.

"Marinette..." Chat Noir said slowly, keeping his back to her. "Could you ever love someone like me?" He tried to hide the desperation in his tone.

"I've never thought about loving anyone else. It's been a year and I haven't completely moved on. I wonder if I ever will... so I can't promise you that," Marinette professed honestly. "Besides you and I both know that apart from your miraculous powers, you're actually-"

"Don't say it," Chat Noir cried with an edge of bitterness. He knew he wasn't like her. He knew he wasn't human. But he spend so much time in his half-human form and she never treated him like a pet. She always treated him as an equal, like a human being. Over time, he started to forget. The line between human and cat started to blur. That's probably how this mess called love started. But now that line had been straightened out and was all too clear.

"Chat..."

"I can't take this anymore. I can't look her in the eyes..." Chat Noir thought. His chest hurt so bad he thought he could be dying. "I didn't expect it to hurt this much. Is this how Marinette felt? I don't think I can handle it. If I turn around and see her face, I-I... I just can't!"

Chat Noir stood up suddenly, startling Marinette. "What's wrong?" Marinette asked, standing up too. "Please look me at me!" She put her hand on his shoulder, but he brushed it off. Having her touch him was a luxury he felt like he didn't deserve. After all, he wasn't the one she loved.

Slowly, Chat Noir began to take off the cloak that was hiding his cat-like features. He folded it and turned around, setting it in Marinette's hands. "Thank you..." he murmured softly.

"Chat! What are you doing? People can see you! And what do you mean by that?" Marinette cried, feeling extremely worried. Chat Noir had never acted this way before.

He looked down at her with his large, green eyes. His lips grew into a sad smile. "Marinette..." he whispered in a voice so low Marinette could barely hear him. "I'm sorry..."

"I don't underst-"

All of a sudden, Chat Noir took off running. "W-Wait!" Marinette cried, chasing after him. "What's he doing? Chat! Stop!"

Chat Noir sprinted as fast as his legs would carry him. "I'm sorry, Marinette," he thought, his tears flying off his cheeks from the wind. "I don't think I can be around you anymore. It hurts too much. It might be selfish, but it's all I can do. Ladybug doesn't need her Chat Noir any longer."

He turned a sharp corner into a vacant side street. After making sure no one was around, he transformed into a cat, his true form.

"Chat! Please come back!"

He could hear Marinette's voice, sharp and clear. Quickly, he jumped onto a nearby trash bin and launched himself onto the roof of a nearby building. He shuffled up the shingles and looked down on the street below. Marinette came barrelling through, nearly tripping over the street's brick walkway.

"Chat! Are you here?" she screamed, her voice beginning to go hoarse. "Chat!"

Chat Noir watched her search the street in vain. She would never think to look up. He was so close, but she would never notice.

"Good-bye, my lady."

He turned tail to leave, taking a final glance at Marinette. He wanted one last look at her beautiful, blue eyes. Satisfied with that, he began to dart across the rooftops. He didn't know where he was going to go. It was just like the past. He was now a normal alleycat living on the streets trying to survive. But now he had some memories to hang on to. Something to keep him warm at night. Some were bittersweet, but they were better than what he had before.

Chat Noir understood what Marinette was talking about before. She said she couldn't let go, that her heart couldn't move on. He felt the same. He wondered if leaving her would make a difference. Would it dull the pain? Marinette had become such an important part of his life. That could never change even when they were apart. Even years from now, Chat Noir wondered if his feelings would ever change. Would his heart continue to latch on to what it couldn't have?