A/N: So, AlisonBrown101 was on the right track for the 'no bell' reason: "because they're collars and Chat Noir wants to be free so he doesn't wear a bell." But ultimtely gilly boy was the first to get it right on the money: " because he's not a tame cat, only house cats have bells." Good job to you both! :)

I'm almost at 100 reviews and this is only the 5th chapter :D *tries to perform a bow like Chat but I'm nowhere near as suave as he is so I fail* Thank you so much! :D

By the way, if any of you guys want, you're free to do fanart of this story if you wish. All I ask is that you give me credit for my story and PM me the link to see it ;)

Chapter 5

"Chat Noir." The ghost of a whisper left the designer's lips.

"Do you," Chat Noir growled, pressing Kim's head into the wall even more, "have any idea what you just did?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Kim blubbered. Now he was the one crying. "Please let me go!"

"Let you go?" Chat snarled. "Like how Marinette was begging you to let her go just now?"

Kim didn't reply, so Chat simply sunk his claws deeper into the drunk jock's neck. By now his gloves were getting covered with blood but the feline criminal either didn't notice or didn't care.

Slowly, a grin pulled at the corners of Chat's mouth. It was nothing like the flirty and playful ones he displayed to Marinette. No, this one was purely sinister.

"Let me let you in on a little secret," he said, inching his face closer to the terrified boy. "Cats are very protective of what belongs to them. And when you try to hurt those things...well..." Chat rose his left hand and trailed a clawed index finger down the shivering Kim's cheek, the action leaving a small stream of blood in it's wake.

Chat Noir smirked at the raw fear in his victim's eyes. "It doesn't end well."

"I-I'm sorry! L-Let me g-go!" Kim sobbed in terror.

Marinette could only watch the scene in stunned silence. Her hands pressed against the wall behind her, allowing her to keep her bearings.

"I think I should punish you," Chat decided. "A punishment fit for the crime."

He lowered his hand, claws stretched and hovering above Kim's private area.

Chat Noir looked back up at him and grinned.

Kim's eyes widened impossibly further once he realized Chat Noir's intentions. "No, no man! Come on, you can't do that! You understand why y-you c-can't!"

"Why not?" Chat drawled. "You had no problems touching Marinette there."

Kim paled at the new burst of fury flaming in his captor's eyes.

"Yes, I saw. You touched a place where no one is allowed to touch. And now I'm going to repay the favor."

Chat raised his hand, about to shred his target, when he was stopped by Marinette's cry.

"No, Chat!"

Chat Noir turned his head slowly back to look at her.

"Please, Chat, don't do it," Marinette begged, her sapphire eyes still moist. Yes, what Kim was going to do to her was horrible, but she couldn't stand by and let Chat do this. She didn't know if Kim could die, but she wasn't willing to find out.

"Why not? I think he deserves it," Chat retorted.

"But he's drunk! He doesn't know what he's doing."

"He knew perfectly well what he was doing!" Chat hissed, squeezing Kim's neck tighter in his hold, causing the jock to let out a pained whimper.

"Please, Chat." Marinette's voice broke. "Please don't do this."

Chat Noir stared, icy green eyes slowly thawing. Finally, he shut his eyes with a defeated growl and turned back to Kim.

"Tell anyone what just happened here, and it won't be just your dick I'll be ripping apart," Chat threatened, teeth bared.

Kim nodded hurriedly, trembling and eager to agree so he could cower in his home.

"You even look at her again, I'll rip you apart. Do we understand each other?"

Kim shut his eyes, let out a few more tears and whimpered.

"I said," Chat growled, leaning closer. "Do we understand each other?"

Kim opened his eyes and nodded more. "Yes, yes, I understand! Please, let me go!"

"Good." Chat Noir brought Kim's head back and slammed it against the wall, effectively knocking him out. As Kim lay sprawled out on the cold ground Chat picked up a gasping Marinette and used his baton to get to the top of the shop. He wordlessly carried her all the way to her balcony and set her down.

Once Marinette's feet touched the familar floor she shivered and started gasping for air. A few stray tears leaked from her eyes but she wasn't in full out hysterics. Was she going into shock, she wondered?

Chat Noir gently picked her up and opened the trapdoor leading to her warm bedroom. He placed her on the soft bed and wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

Marinette's hands grasped at the leather suit, her chest was still heaving in pants. Her eyes were open, but more tears fell from her cheeks.

Chat Noir held her slightly tighter.

"Shh, you're safe, Princess," he crooned in her ear. "I'm here, no one is going to hurt you."

She only buried her head in his neck as the memories sped in her mind. Kim flirting with her at the party, her letting him walk her home, him pulling her into the alley, him touching and kissing her, then Chat Noir tearing him off her.

How Chat Noir's green eyes seemed to blaze in anger. How his lips were pulled back into a vicious snarl. How his claws were so deep in Kim's neck, streams of blood were dripping down...

"You're alright, Princess," came his soft whisper again. "Nothing is going to harm you."

If Chat Noir didn't show up...if he really followed through with his previous vow to her...

Marinette roughly pulled away from his hold to look in his surprised, yet slightly hurt at her sudden reaction, green eyes.

"I'm sorry, Chat," she apologized sorrowfully.

His eyes widened at her words. "What are you sorry for?" he questioned, her apology not making any sense to him.

"I'm sorry about what I told you. I'm sorry I got in that stupid argument with you. I'm sorry-"

Chat half-smiled and pulled her in for another hug, cutting off her apologies.

"It's going to take more than a little catfight to get rid of me," he whispered sweetly with a chuckle.

Marinette sighed in relief and smiled, tightening her hold on him.

Until she remembered a crucial detail about their argument.

Once again she pulled away, but this time she eyed him with a grin. "Wait here."

Chat Noir stared after her in puzzlement while she quickly descended the steps leading to her bed. She took a moment to take off her shoes before opening her trapdoor, then quietly padded through the house until she reached the bakery.

In the back she found just what she was looking for. There, covered by a clear lid, was a plate full of the leftover multi-colored macarons from that day. Marinette gingerly took the plate so as not to let any fall and went back to her room as quietly as she could.

When she opened the trapdoor she found Chat Noir exactly where she left him. He was sitting indian-style on her bed, back and head pressed against the wall. But when his ears perked when he heard the soft creak of the trapdoor open and he still looked at her with curiousity swimming in his eyes.

Marinette swiftly hid the plate of pastries behind her, climbed up the small staircase, and sat in front of him.

With a sly smirk, she pulled out the plate from behind her back and presented it to him.

"I think you've done more than enough to deserve these," she prompted shyly.

His mouth was parted slightly in surprise. He closed his eyes and shook his head with an amused snort.

Finally, his gloved hand took a blue one and he sunk his teeth into it. He moaned appreciatively and smiled.

"Thank you, Princess."

"You're welcome. I'm sorry they're not fresh, but they were only made a couple hours ago and next time you'll get warm pastries but this is all we had and-"

He switched the half-eaten macaron to his left hand and used his right to stop Marinette's ramble with a finger to her lips.

"Any treat from you is a blessing, Princess." His eyes shined with warmth. "These are delicious, thank you."

He removed his finger to allow her to respond. She said no words at all, she gave a smile smile and looked away, a blush dusting her cheeks.

After three more macarons and some small talk, Chat began to notice Marinette try to hold back a yawn. Her eyes were beginning to droop, too, her usually vibrant eyes now dulled with fatigue.

Chat chuckled softly. "I think it's time you get to bed."

"No, no." She shook her head and stifled another yawn. "I'm not tired."

A corner of his mouth quirked up at the sight. "Ok. So, you wouldn't mind just laying down? I mean, it's comfortable, right?"

"Yeah." She shrugged, laying down to prove her point. "It is. But I'm not tired."

"Of course not," he denied, shaking his head. "And what's a blanket, too? Anyone who lounges needs a blanket, right?"

She paused. Then, "I guess so."

Chat hid a smirk as he grabbed her pink blanket and pulled it over her, reaching to just over her shoulders. "There, now. Comfortable, right?"

"Yeah," she agreed. She let out a quiet sigh and closed her eyes. "Comfortable."

"And how about a little darkness?" He reached over her form to turn off the small lamp on the shelf above her head that was in the wall. "Peaceful, hm?"

"Chat?" She asked, her voice lowered due to her half-asleep state.

"Yes?" He replied in a smooth whisper.

"You..." She snuggled into the pillow, her eyes not opening again. "You tricked me."

Chat grinned at her declaration before brushing his lips over her cheek. He delighted in the soft skin.

"Good night, Princess."

...

That Monday, Marinette noted that Kim still looked terrified from Friday's events. He wouldn't look her in the eye, and if she happened to be in the same area as he was, he'd quickly hurry to his destination with his head bent down. His nose would almost touch the books that were pressed to his chest.

In fact, Kim hardly talked to anyone. When they would ask what was wrong with him he would only shake his head in response. It was like he was a foreign exchange student who didn't know a single word of French.

Marinette felt bad for his horrified state of mind, but some twsited part of her deep down took pleasure in it. Whenever those kinds of thoughts would present themselves in her mind she immediately squashed them down with thoughts of a smiling Adrien.

Alya was at first apologetic about her disappearing act on Friday and of how she wasn't there to see Marinette home ("By the way, how did you get home?" "Oh, I just walked.") but she was quickly forgiven.

"Dude, what the hell is wrong with him?" Nino inquired at his bench, peering around to look at the slightly trembling jock. The DJ's lips pulled back in confused disgust by how Kim seemed to be clutching his lower area for dear life.

"I have no idea," Adrien answered in all-too-innocent tone. He turned his head the other way to hide a devious grin.