A/N: Yooooo, I know, I know, long time no see. But ugh you wouldn't believe the beast of a writer's block I had with this stupid fic. I ran out of steam too fast too soon and I was getting trouble deciding where I'd take the plot so I took some time off and in the meantime I wrote a one shot about Adrien getting drunk and started a slowburner about the Miraculous wielders. Talk about procrastination, right?

Either way, I am back and ready to roll! I can't promise steady updates right now mainly because now I have two fics to work on in addition to the fact I'm moving to Denmark soon for my master's and there's just a shitton of shit I need to take care of before that happens. Also I'm like, supposed to be looking at potential thesis topics and studying math, looking for a job and stuff since I'm broke and I'm working against the clock here, so it's kind of a stressful moment for me right now. There's a lot going on right now, so best case scenario I'll be updating every other week, every three weeks, or even monthly until further notice.
Thanks for sticking around with this fic guys, I'm so happy you enjoy it, you don't even know. Reading your comments and reactions to it here and in Tumblr make my day and they're such a good break from all the stress I'm dealing with right now. So thanks 3

Marinette tossed around the bed trying to overcome the torrid atmosphere. Turned out letting Adrien join them in the pool only resulted in accelerating the cold he caught. The day ended with him running a mild fever and a congested nose that made him talk funny. That meant they would have to set their thermostat to a warm 25 degrees Celsius, which wasn't much problem for the boys given that they were sleeping alone. But Marinette just couldn't find a comfortable position, nor an effective way to regulate her temperature lying next to Alya.

She sighed and opened her eyes. She wasn't kidding anyone by pretending to be asleep.

Exasperated, she pushed the covers off from her and sat up, cringing at the sensation of her sweat-damped pajamas.

"This is not working," she whispered to herself. "Tikki, Tikki are you asleep?"

"Mmh? What is it Marinette?" said the tiny god as she poked out from Marinette's purse, which she kept by her pillow.

"I was wondering if we could go out for some air. It's too hot in here and I just… I need to relax a bit."

Tikki nodded with a knowing smile. She was proud of Marinette, of Adrien, too. Today had been a big day in their lives and things would change, it was only natural that the girl would be a little unsettled.

"Okay."

"Thank you." Marinette climbed off the bed, careful not to disturb Alya as she walked out of the room, and much more careful to not disturb Adrien and Plagg on her way out.

"Spot on!" She whispered, and welcomed the flurry of transformative magic that enveloped her body.

Comforted by the familiarity, Marinette rode the elevator to the last floor and found the door to the roof.

There was something reassuring about perching atop a tall building while everybody slept. She found security in the fact that no one in the world knew where she was. It was just her thoughts and herself -and Tikki.

Marinette scanned the darkened sea of mangroves that surrounded the hotel, glad for a slightly less humid environment. Although if she was honest with herself, the heat was only a part of why she couldn't sleep. The other, much larger reason was lightly snoring in the room four floors below. Marinette twisted her fingers as she recalled the events of the day. Her lungs filled with relief and a wide grin, she felt lighter, exhausted, but curiously also free and restless at the same time. Like a thousand Akuma had decided to make their home inside her stomach.

Adrien is Chat Noir, she thought with glee. And not only that, but he had unknowingly come to her vacation, too. Unknowingly, she had been crushing on Chat Noir. In her ignorance, she had hugged, and collapsed against Adrien's body multiple times. She loved Chat without knowing. She was Adrien's best friend without realizing it.

She sighed, suppressing an overwhelming impulse to squeal and giggle and dance around.

Chat is Adrien, she thought, sighing again. And he's with me here.

They hadn't had time to really discuss what their revelation meant. Plagg mentioned she was Adrien's girlfriend, and she would be the first to jump into that particular bandwagon, but Marinette knew there still was a conversation to be had about the subject.

It wouldn't be a hard conversation by any means, but it was a very necessary one. After all, Adrien had been hinting his intentions at Marinette as soon as they got into that plane.

A muffled thud disturbed her line of thought. She smiled in advance, knowing that was the sound of someone gracefully landing behind her.

"Padon me young mademoisede, but isn't it a diddle dangerous for diddle bugs to be wandeding by demselves at dis ungodly hour of the dight? I hear dere are mean stray cats in the streets."

She smirked, only eyeing Chat Noir briefly. "This bug can take care of herself just fine, kitty cat."

He chuckled and sat next to her, letting his legs dangle on the edge of the building.

"You okay, my dady?" Chat Noir's voice sounded twangy and unexpectedly adorable because of his cold.

Marinette giggled. "Ad you okay Cad?"

He frowned. "Not fuddy. I'm sedious."

"Sorry, you just…pfff- you sound so cute!"

He pouted. "I do dot!"

She laughed. "Sorry, I can't help it!"

"My dady!" He crossed his arms across his chest to accentuate his "irritation." Truth be told, Marinette knew Chat- Adrien- better than anyone. He wasn't mad, he was just calling attention. And he looked utterly adorable.

"Aw, poor diddle kitty. Dey'd making fun of him!" She rubbed his back in circles as a signal of peace. After a brief silence, Marinette spoke, "You shouldn't be out here, Adrien. Your cold is going to get worse."

He huffed, still bent on keeping up his act and trying not to blush at the fact that his Lady -Marinette- was finally calling him by his actual name. The forms of it in the song of her voice was decidedly better than any medicine money could buy.

"It's for your own good, kitty."

"I know," he moaned as he rubbed his forehead, bothered by the congested sensation. "I just wanded to clear my head for a diddle while."

Marinette nodded and pressed her lips as she smiled. "It's been… an eventful day."

Adrien snorted. "That has do be the understatement of the year."

"Okay fine, so maybe some important things happened. But just maybe."

"Yeah, of course." He nudged her gently, a gesture she promptly returned. "Maybe. Yeah, id wasn't a big deal. Id's not like I've been waiding to know who you were for four years…" He joked. "Dodally cool with that. Yep."

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like my crush of four years turned out to be my dorky partner."

"Hey!"

She grinned. "Who is also adorable and the best luck I've ever had by far." Then she pecked him on the cheek for good measure.

Trying to be seductive, Chat leaned into her with a tiny smirk, self-conscious about his runny nose and desperately wishing for a tissue. "So I guess you could say I'm your… Ducky Charm."

"Pfff!" Marinette cackled at Adrien's poor pronunciation, Chat's advance hurdling over her head. "Ducky Charm!"

He turned bright red and sniffed, no longer able to contain the overwhelming flux of his nose. He cursed silently at himself and looked away to wipe the running tap he had stapled to his face with the back of his glove. Plagg wouldn't appreciate that much. "I didn't mean it like that, I'm sick! My dady! That was a pun!"

"The only pun that has ever made me laugh, to be honest."

"Madinette!"

She giggled. "I'm just teasing you, kitty."

"Hmm…" He wrinkled his nose, trying to prevent a sneeze that came anyway. "A- ah- ACHOO! Ugh… I'm soddy. It's just… ACHOO!…"

She rubbed his back again, trying to ease the tension of his sneezing. "I think we should head back in, Chat."

"No, no… it's okay, we can st-ACHOO!"

"No we can't," Ladybug insisted, helping her partner onto his feet.

"But we were talking."

"We can keep talking downstairs, chaton."

The promise soothed Adrien enough to give up the prospect of staying up until dawn. They usually did this sometimes after patrol if it happened on a Friday or on a three-day weekend, they'd find shelter somewhere comfy and stayed to talk about everything and nothing until their Miraculouses started beeping. Marinette always looked back fondly to those memories, but now they seemed to have an even greater meaning.

Once back in the building and detransformed, Marinette noticed she did not bring a key, which left her facing the door with her brows knitted in concentration, wondering how to proceed.

"You didn'd bring the key, did you?" Adrien chuckled, as he produced a card from the pocket of his pajama pants. "Don'd woddy, princess. I got you covered."

"My knight in shining armor." As if on cue he sneezed raucously, face contorted and hair in a mess. "Who is apparently dying, come on."

Marinette brought Adrien back to the futon against his will. She plumped the pillows so he'd lay down in a position that didn't make him cough and tucked him in bed, then brew water on the electric kettle of the kitchenette to prepare him a cup of chamomile tea.

She handed the beverage to him along with a pill of Maxilase from her first aid kit. "Drink it, but be careful, it's a bit hot."

Adrien nodded and dutifully gulped down the pill to then remit to down the rest of the brew with little sips, sighing with relief as the water vapor unclogged his respiratory system. "Can we turn down the AC? It's too warm."

"You're supposed to be sweating, chaton," Marinette said, delicately pushing back Adrien's damp bangs from his forehead.

A fuller sigh escaped his nose as he delighted in her touch. He threw his head back and relaxed, disposed to enjoy Marinette's gesture.

"What's that?" he asked with a raspy voice and pointed at the small, green cylinder on her hand.

"It's a cold rub," Marinette said, still petting his hair. She handed it to him to ease his beckoning hands.

"It smells minty," he pointed out.

"That's the idea."

Handing the vial back to her he asked, "What is it for?"

Marinette couldn't help but frown. "You rub it on your chest and your back to help you breathe better," she explained. "…You had never seen one of these before?" There was a drop of worry in her voice.

"No."

She wasn't thinking, really, when she blurted out her next question. "Didn't your mom use it when you got sick?"

Fuck. Ugh, MARINETTE YOU IDIOT.

She realized a fraction of a second too late.

Adrien looked down with a shy smile and Marinette instantly knew she struck a very sensitive string. Adrien never talked about his family, much less his mother. All Marinette knew both as Ladybug and herself, was that Adrien- Chat- had lost his mother a few years ago, and judging by the silence that overtook him every time conversation drifted into that topic, he loved and missed her very much. That was all. He never mentioned how or why she died. He never told stories of his childhood like Nino and Alya did. His answer was always the same when they touched the subject: smiling, he would say, "I just don't like to talk about it."

"I'm so sorry. You don't have to answer that. Sorry." She cursed under her breath. "I'm sorry, Adrien."

Silent, he found the hand that had suddenly jerked from his head, to intertwine it with both of his atop his stomach.

"I don't remember getting sick very often before she disappeared, but when I was little I remember she would give me spoonfuls of warm honey and lemon. She turned on a vaporizer I had… it was like a car, or something, I can't remember. She would crawl into my bed with me, and she'd sing to me until I fell asleep." His voice was soft and his eyes fixed on a point on the quilt as if to not lose himself in the nothingness.

"She disappeared when I was eleven. My dad thought I was old enough to take care of myself by then, so he'd only have Natalie fix doctor's appointments for me and I just had to follow my prescriptions. I never really thought about using remedies."

"Adrien…" Mari murmured, voice quivering. "You don't have to-."

"It's okay," he interrupted. "I want you to know."

He locked his eyes with hers, allowing Marinette to see how his mask of polite smiles wilted and dissipated. Much like Chat's façade of extravagant flirting hid the fact he truly did love Ladybug, Adrien's smile hid something heartbreaking: his loneliness, his pain. And Marinette saw. She saw all in those depths of green. The vulnerability that she sometimes managed to notice in Chat's glance but was always too scared to ask about. The pain behind that kindness.

Emotion pricked her eyes, menacing to materialize into droplets of water and salt.

She hugged him tightly instead, choosing him as the channel for the vast compassion that swelled her chest in that moment of realization.

"Adrien…" she sighed his name.

"I'm sorry," he said, voice quivering. "I'm not supposed- I mean, I don't want you to- it's okay, you don't have to worry, I'm fine. Can we talk about something else, please? I promise I'm fine."

She squeezed him tightly. "Liars are losers, chaton."

"I just don't want people to know… I don't want them to worry about me and I- I don't want it to affect me, it happened, and that's it. It doesn't matter how much- how much I cry about it that's not going to bring her back. And it's certainly not going to make my dad talk to me."

She sighed, swallowing the lump on her throat. She could swear she felt her heart shatter at the sound of Adrien's broken voice.

She gently rubbed his back, giving herself mental hell for having such a loose tongue and such a stupid brain that she blatantly walked Adrien into talking about the thing that made him hurt the most.

"I'm not people, Adrien. I'm your partner, I care about you and I worry about you, whether you want me or not."

A restrained sob escaped him as he constricted his arms around her.

"And you don't have to carry that weight alone. Not anymore, at least."

"It shouldn't be your fault that I'm so weak."

Marinette had to tear herself apart from Adrien in order to look at him squarely. "Listen to me, Adrien. I don't know where you got that idea, but it's about the stupidest thing you've ever said."

He widened his eyes in surprise.

"I don't want to hear you saying that ever again because not only it's a lie, but it couldn't be further from the truth." She brushed his cheeks with her thumbs, wiping away the tears that were now beginning to dry. "You are the strongest person I know."

He hiccupped.

"You know how I know? Because you're in pain, in more pain than any of the akuma victims we have ever fought. And yet you're Chat Noir, you save people, Adrien. You have never been akumatized. You are kind, and gentle, and confident. And somehow, despite your own darkness, your light is enough to completely outshine it. You are stronger than me, stronger than anyone I know. So don't you ever say you're weak for missing your mother, for wanting to keep your family together."

"Marinette…"

He pulled her into his arms again, with a new wave of tears helplessly rolling down and dampening Marinette's hair.

"You really think that?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Thank you," he muttered.

She simply squeezed him and inhaled the scent of his shirt. "I'm sorry I brought it up, chaton. I wasn't thinking."

"No, it's okay. I'm- I'm glad you did. I don't usually talk about this with anyone. Nino knows a bit but I don't really like people seeing me cry."

"He's been your best friend for years, Adrien," she said softly. "I'm sure he would not mind keeping that secret for you."

"I know but- it's just not comfortable. I don't like it. I don't like to be a burden, is all."

"You're not a burden, Adrien," she said softly. "Especially not me." She looked up at him intently. "You can trust me."

"I know," he muttered. "You're my lady."

A smile flashed across her lips. "And you're my cat. And I want to love all of my cat, not just the parts he thinks are lovable."

He sniffed and kissed the top of her head, then he laughed, spotting the cold rub innocently sitting on the table next to the futon. "All this ordeal for a stupid cold rub."

Marinette giggled too, wiping away the tears that pooled on the corners of her eyes. Fanning her face with her hands and blinking back, she separated herself from Adrien and sighed.

"You should take off your shirt," she suggested.

Glad that their conversation was finally turning a little lighter, he gave her a meaningful look. "You should at least buy me dinner first, m'lady."

She rolled her eyes. "You don't want me to help you rub this on your chest so you have a decent night's sleep? Okay, fine by me."

"I'm joking, Mari." He chuckled and slipped out of his white cotton shirt, revealing the defined shapes of his pectorals and the receding bruise on his shoulder.

Marinette gulped, in retrospect, this wasn't ideal.

Well, yes and no.

Yes because Adrien's naked torso was within inches of her reach.

No because Adrien's naked torso was within inches of her reach.

Eager to overcome what he considered a very embarrassing episode, Adrien seized the opportunity to lighten the mood.

"Like what you see, m'lady?" he said cockily, stifling a laugh at Marinette's ogling.

He didn't think it was possible, but the blush that tainted her from the roots of her hair to the collar of her neck acquired a deeper shade.

"I-the-naked-you." She shook her head, grasping the fact Adrien- Chat was doing this on purpose. She rolled her eyes and threw one of the loose pillows at him. "Dork."

Okay yeah, but a very hot dork.

With the pillow still on his face, Adrien laughed heartily, all tears behind.

He poked out from his hideout playfully, like a cat, and then hid back.

Marinette took the pillow to reveal him looking back at her with a sheepish smile.

"Hold still," Marinette instructed as she opened the vial and scooped a healthy amount of the oily concoction with three of her fingers.

"Does it hurt?" Adrien asked. "Because if it hurts, I don't want it. It's the same reason why I avoid syringes as much as possible."

"You know," Marinette said, a smirk curling on her lips. "For someone who gets his face stuffed with pavement practically on a daily basis you're a bit of a… scaredy cat."
He smirked. "That was a purrible pun, my lady."

"What can I say, I learned from the worst."

Marinette went ahead and spread the rub on his chest as he narrated an anecdote about the last time he had to take a vaccine. It involved him being twelve years old and locking himself in a closet, and him running around the doctor's office once the nurse finally managed to open the door. She was glad for the hilarity of the story because otherwise it would have been very difficult to ignore the way his muscles felt under her fingers.

Adrien had grown up ever since she met him, there was no denying that. And the years only seemed to grace him as they passed by. His last growth spurt left Marinette barely able to reach his shoulder and the exercise he got from being Chat Noir defined the sharp lines of his body. He had bulked up a bit, too, built a bit of muscle. There was a time where she would tease Chat about being thinner than his own baton, but those days were gone and past. Apparently, Gabriel Agreste decided Adrien was finally old enough to shed the good boy look and go for a more masculine appearance, much to Marinette's undoing.

At one point Adrien decided to stop talking and simply close his eyes. He relaxed into his pillows and focused on the sensation of Marinette's hands against his skin. Warm and slender, they trailed his chest with dedicated attention, leaving behind a fluttery sensation.

He sighed, welcoming the comfort. But more than that, the relief, the overwhelming happiness, the assured certainty that he no longer would be alone the moment his claws came off.

He opened his eyes slightly and focused on Marinette's concentrated expression. She didn't notice he was looking at her, which was good because that way he could absorb every detail, engrave every aspect about her. Her freckles like cinnamon sprinkled over the frothy foam of a cappuccino. Her thick eyelashes, framing a blue so true that could contest against any shade the sky could provide. The tip of her pink tongue, poking from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes, narrowed in focus as if she were painting some sort of intricate art piece.

His heart swelled with affection for her. Now that he knew this was the girl behind Ladybug's mask he really couldn't fathom how he didn't notice sooner. It obviously was Marinette. Of course it was her. Because he spent entire hours, nights, days, weeks, months, years, wondering what Ladybug was like in her civilian life. He imagined her being just as headstrong, and sassy, and selfless. Marinette was all those things and more. She was sweet, and kind, and brave, and compassionate. Ladybug, he discovered as soon as he learned her identity, was but the tip of the iceberg when it came to Marinette. She was amazing by herself, but Marinette was incomparable.

Of course Ladybug was Marinette. He should have put the pieces together sooner. As Chat he immediately clicked with her when they first met each other, like two pieces of a puzzle. When Mari and him started talking, about a year ago, he realized Ladybug was no longer the only person he felt immediately connected to. She met her match with Marinette. But of course, they were the same person all along.

Adrien couldn't help but smile at the thought, he smiled at her. The first reason why he fell in love with her was because she was fearless, she became the hero Paris needed despite her insecurities. The second reason why he fell in love with her was because she was resourceful. There was no unsolvable problem, not to Ladybug. The third reason why he fell in love with her was because as the months turned into years, as Chat learned that Ladybug loved fashion design, that her favorite color was pink, that she knew how to bake cookies, that her birthday was during November, that her favorite beverage was cinnamon apple tea, that she liked the smell of damp earth, that she hated spicy foods and liars, that she broke her left arm when she was eight, and she was secretly afraid of spiders, the sight of Ladybug, her voice, her smile, became the sight of being home. That was the biggest reason why Adrien fell in love with Marinette. Because she made him feel like he was home, and it had been years since he had somewhere- someone- to belong to.

"What?" Marinette said as she finished applying the rub, finally noticing Adrien's gaze on her.

"Nothing."

She smiled. "You should turn around, I'll put it on your back too."

Adrien complied, not because the remedy would help more than it already had, but simply because he wanted to extend Marinette's contact as much as he could.

He couldn't help the low, relaxed moan that escaped his lips as Marinette spread the mentholatum on his upper spine. Her hands travelled to his shoulder blades, his neck, his forearms, the sides of his torso… He inhaled with a bit of surprise when he stop feeling the light pressure of her hands and instead felt how her slender arms snaked under his arms as her frame pressed against his bare back.

The gesture did not imply eroticism as it would be expected due to the minimal clothing they wore, rather it was like Adrien often described his hugs with Ladybug, an embrace that took him home- that took both home. He sighed as she did, sensing her body relax atop his.

As if they had rehearsed, they murmured at the same time, "I'm glad it was you."

Giggles followed, Marinette squeezed him. "Jinx, you owe me a soda."

"Just a soda?"

She rolled her eyes and released Adrien from her grasp when she felt he was trying to turn on his back. She let him go briefly. As soon as he was comfortable again, Marinette turned off the lights and crawled up next to him, able to ignore the torrid temperature of the room.

Adrien cradled her in his arms and pulled her close to snuggle against the crook of her neck.

"You feel like home," he murmured, finally giving release to the words that itched on his tongue every time she was in his arms, but now with the security that those words were welcome. It was a liberating relief.

Marinette simply scooted closer to him, letting go of a timid whimper, lulled by the steady beat of Adrien's heart.

Unbeknownst to the pair, Tikki and Plagg hid safely on the opposite side of the futon, smiling brightly at each other, celebrating the victory once again. A thousand lifetimes, a thousand years, a thousand places, and yet love always conquered with cosmic precision. They always came back together. They had learned to trust the process.

"I told you they'd come around," Tikki whispered.

"They've been the worst by far," Plagg complained, although not really. He was also happy. He was one part of the coin, after all. And yeah, Adrien wouldn't be the first nor the last ridiculously lovesick bearer he'd ever get, he knew for a fact. They still got on his nerves, all those Cats, but that didn't mean he wasn't happy for his Adrien.

"The worst?" Tikki laughed. "Don't you remember India?"

"Oh my god, yes. Those two idiots."

"And Palestine."

"That time with the Inquisition."

"Second World War."

"I'm just happy all this is over, I'll finally have my peace," Plagg said.

Tikki glared at him with a smirk. "If that lets you sleep at night, keep lying to yourself."

Plagg grumbled as he found a more comfortable position next to his partner. "You're annoying when you're a know-it-all, Tikki."

"Yes, but you still love me that way."

"Know-it-all."

The pair of kwamis fell asleep to the sound of Marinette and Adrien quietly murmuring things to each other and a brewing storm in the background, feeling relieved that yes, one of the biggest hurdles was finally overcome.

A sudden flash of electric light flashed outside momentarily lighting the room, closely chased by a rolling thunder, and seconds later, the quiet murmur of rain.

Adrien and Marinette locked their attention on each other's gaze, unwilling, and quite possibly unable to look away from each other.

A second thunder roared in the distance, and Marinette jumped.

"Coup de foudre," she muttered, without really realizing she was thinking out loud.

Adrien nodded with a smile and gently brushed her cheek with his knuckles, delighting in the odd familiarity of the scene as he leaned into her.

"Coup de foudre…" He cupped her face as he pulled her into a kiss.

Marinette inhaled, as the storm roared outside time and time again. Yes, she felt the lightning bolt. Much like the storm, not once but twice, thrice, too many times to count. It's as if the storm knew what it felt to fall in love. It didn't happen all at once. No, it began with the wind, with the promise something was brewing. It continued with the playful droplets igniting her skin with gelid kisses. It escalated into a steady pour, heavy and enveloping. It built up, and rolled, and brewed, and swished, until there was so much energy floating around it condensed and materialized into the bolts of electric blue, sky connecting with the earth. Opposites of sorts connecting as the whole planet tremored with an exclamation.

"I love you, Adrien," she said, like thunder itself, loud and clear. Unexpectedly confident, even for herself.

Adrien's heart stumbled, words failed him, and could do little except breach the space between them with a kiss.

This kiss was different. It wasn't unsure or giddy or surprised. It was more than words could say. It was like lightning itself. Adrien felt electrified, alive, overcome with the ecstatic relief of a need finally met, of being able to breath after being mangled by the sea. Of knowing that after all these years, he was loved back, that there had been no need to be afraid in the first place.

It was needy, and hungry, and all-consuming.

He couldn't fathom breaking apart, yet eventually they did. With lips swollen, and ragged breaths, and tousled hair, and a nonexistent distance between them, part for air they did.

It scared him, if he had to be frank, the fact Marinette could make him feel so strongly. But it was a fear he could get used to.

Still in an embrace, they remitted to listen to the rain quietly as their fingers ghosted around each other playfully before intertwining.

Adrien sighed and asked with a husky voice, "So… what is gonna happen now?"

"What do you mean, chaton?"

"What are we going to do tomorrow? Like, can I hold your hand in front of Alya and Nino? Can I kiss you, or like… you know, calling you my-my uh…"

"Your what?" Marinette asked with feigned innocence.

"My uh.. Gi-girlfriend."

"What makes you think we're dating? You haven't even asked me. I could very well turn you down."

Adrien had to pull away from the hug to try and find her eyes among the lightening-lit darkness.

"You're kidding, right?"

She looked very serious about it. "I can't date Adrien Agreste."

Adrien looked puzzled at her.

"See, my boyfriend Chat Noir, he won't like it a lot, I think…"

Adrien chuckled. "I don't think he'll mind. I mean, plus I am a supermodel, what is he, really?"

"He's Chat Noir."

"Psht. Just a mangy cat."

Marinette giggled. "Perhaps, but he's my mangy cat. Sorry Adrien, no. I already have a boyfriend."

He snorted. "You're a dork, princess." Then he pecked her on the head. "Seriously though, what are we going to do about Alya and Nino?"

"Well, they'll be freaking ecstatic when they find out," Marinette said pensively. "That doesn't mean they have to find out right away…"

"We could prank them," Adrien suggested. "Just like, we wake up tomorrow and act like a freaking married couple out of the blue and see what they do."

Marinette giggled. "Alya is going to die. She's been my wingwoman for like, years."

"Really?" Adrien giggled.

"You didn't notice?"

"Not really, no."

Marinette chuckled and kissed his forehead. "Oh, chaton."

"I can't wait to see their faces tomorrow."

"We should film it."

They laughed at the idea, quickly dropping the subject as sleepiness draped over their bodies. Marinette sighed, snuggling close to Adrien's chest, suddenly haunted by the idea of how much she'd miss sleeping next to him once they went back to France. A single night was enough to become addicted. One became used to good things too fast, but for the moment being, that was for the best.

She fell asleep lulled by the rain, Adrien's heartbeat, and his voice occasionally whispering sweet nothings in her ear, wondering what ever did she do to deserve such good luck.

a/n: Thanks for reading, guys!

You can follow me on Tumblr for fic status updates ( .com). I usually am online a lot in there, way more than here, and like, I answer questions about the fics and stuff, so hit me up! (ALSO YOU SHOULD COME AND JOIN THE SHITPOST PARTY WITH ME)
Also, if you didn't listen to the AtP playlist on chapter 3 ( user/1278525189/playlist/6CW2ewYYqv7mVUMwVIA5G9), you should totally check it out because I've been adding songs to it and now it's like, my go-to soundtrack for when I'm writing this thing. So yeah, just fun fact for you there.
Okay, end of psa, coccinelle out.
Until next chapter!