Sitting in the back of class had its perks. Luna got to watch a rather cute redhead sketch anything and everything around him, morphing the world into a rather intriguing fantasy. She entertained the idea of flirting with him to see what sort of reaction she'd get, but the intense look in his eyes told her she was likely to be ignored. So instead, she pulled out a puzzle cube and toyed with it while she thought of her night job. The buyer was getting impatient. She had managed to negotiate another week for the deal, but she doubted he was going to give her the same courtesy if she failed to get the piece a second time.

The biggest problem was Paris' residential guardians. There was very little doubt they'd try to interfere again, and her eyes sparkled at the thought of facing them both. Her brief dance with the black tomcat had left her itching for round two. Still, she knew she had to play it smart. If what the would be reporter said was true, she was dealing with beings that could practically perform miracles. The only advantages she'd have against them were the ones she herself set in place. Her fingers worked the puzzle in a whirlwind, twisting the jumbled colored squares faster and faster. A plan began to form in her mind. She'd need a day or two to set it up, and it certainly wasn't perfect. At the very least, it promised to be an entertaining run. Luna couldn't help but smirk to herself as she set her solved cube at the corner of her desk.

"I'm telling you, this thief's gonna be trouble."

Ladybug glanced at her partner crouched beside her. She wasn't the least bit surprised to see him on her night of patrol; Chat tended to pop up now and then in attempt to woo her. What did surprise her was his unusually serious tone. Raising a brow beneath her polka-dotted mask, she leaned against a pillar of the Eiffel Tower where they were perched.

"I can't see why she would be, chaton," she told him. "It sounds as though you were just caught off guard."

Chat hunched his shoulder in a pout. Ladybug smirked at his childishness. If she was being completely honest with herself, she'd say the expression was rather cute. She shook her head, instead, not daring to indulge his antics.

"That's not the point, Milady," he insisted. "...well, actually, it might be. She isn't on of Hawkmoth's victims. This Spades character knows what she's doing."

"So we just be extra careful around her," Ladybug said with a shrug. "But really, Chat, she's just a thief. She's not exactly putting people in danger, is she?"

Her partner shook his head, green eyes distant with thought. Ladybug watched him for a moment. Something was definitely off with her chaton. For the past year or so that she'd known him, she couldn't remember him being this quiet. She chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought of what to say. Finally, she sat down beside him, letting a leg dangle over the edge.

"Alright, Chat. What's wrong?"

She watched as his ears perked up and those wide, shining eyes blinked at her. "Huh?"

"You've been acting odd from the moment we met up, tonight. Is everything alright?"

"Y-Yeah! Of course it is!" He rubbed his neck, not quite meeting her gaze. "Why do you ask?"

Ladybug leaned closer to catch his eye. She stared at him with concern. "Because you're not being very 'Chat-like', right now. This whole time, you haven't given me a single one of your ridiculous puns. It's not like you."

Chat looked as though he was replaying their conversation in his head. He took a sidelong glance at his Lady. The ears on top of his head flattened out. "Not even one?"

"Tell me what's wrong, chaton."

"Nothing, Milady. I mean, I... I can't really talk about it."

Ladybug pursed her lips. They were partners, through thick and thin. Their relationship was bounded by a trust with their very lives. If he wasn't willing to tell her what was wrong, then... "Does it have to do with your civilian self?"

"More or less," he admitted. "I... guess I kind of feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick, lately."

"Have you talked to anyone else about it?"

"I don't have anyone who'd listen." It was a partial lie. He was sure Nino would be more than willing to lend an ear, but he didn't want to burden his best friend with his first world problems. He doubted the dj would understand him, anyway. There was always Plagg, too. Though the kwami would probably just tell him what an idiot he was being before either napping or gorging himself with his favorite meal.

"You can't just bottle it up, Chat."

"I know. I'll figure it out, bugaboo." He gave her a sincere smile. "I hope you can furrgive me for worrying you. Though I can't say I mind the attention."

Ladybug gave him a playful shove before reaching up to scratch behind a false black ear. She smiled as he closed his eyes, leaning into her touch. "There's the Chat I know and love." She regretted her words at the sight of his ears perking up. "Just as a friend, chaton, nothing more."

"No need to hide it, Milady. We both know how purrfect we are for each other." He took her hand and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. She was about to shove him away again when those bright green eyes caught hold of bluebell ones. There was so much tenderness, so much gratitude behind them that she was stunned silent.

"Thank you. Really. It means a lot that you care."

His words hurt more than they should have. "Of course, I care," she whispered. "You really thought I didn't?"

Chat shook his head. "It not that. I just have very few people that really do." Another pang went through Marinette's chest. In that moment, she wanted nothing more than to pull him close and stroke his head until that empty look he had was gone for good. She had nearly reached for him, too, but the boy got to his feet before she could.

"I think that's enough sad talk for an evening, don't you? We are supposed to be pawtrolling, after all." He offered her a hand, which Ladybug took, gratefully. She was still more than a little bothered by their discussion, but Chat had a point, so she let it go. For now.

"As I recall, I'm the one on patrol, tonight. I think I can handle things on my own."

"So quick to shoo me away, bugaboo? An extra set of cat eyes wouldn't hurt, and seeing as I'm already here, I might as well lend a paw. It's the least I can do for you."

He bowed with a flourish that had the red-clad girl rolling her eyes. "Alright, Chat. Just this once." She took out her yo-yo and swung out into the night air, her partner trailing close behind.

Spades watched the duo traverse the rooftops with a smirk. Tapping her goggles, her vision soon zoomed in on the girl. So that was Ladybug. Spades wasn't sure if she was disappointed or not. Most of her intel gathering had hyped the heroine up to be something straight out of a comic book. She had a bit of a feel for her personality from the Ladyblog videos, and the thief suspected she could handle herself against Ladybug about as well as she did with Chat. Though, watching the way they moved together, it was clear the bug was the one running things. Which meant their dances would be more mental than physical, which was as much a shame as it was a thrill. She'd love to get a better look at those curves under that spandex, maybe even cop a feel if she was lucky, though she wouldn't complain if it was the feline that she had under her fingers the most. She licked her lips at the thought.

Soon, the pair was far enough away that her goggles couldn't pick them out anymore. Stretching, the thief stood from her hiding place, grinning like a fool. A blank playing card danced between her gloved fingers as she made her way to a sleeping young girl's house. As she reached her roof, Spades pocketed the card and slinked down to the back door. The lock was easily picked, and soon the thief was making her way through the home of her classmate, silent and slow. The night vision of her goggles allowed her to find Alya with ease. The blogger slept soundly in her bed. Spades watched the rise and fall of her chest for a brief moment, counting the beats. When she was sure the girl wouldn't wake, she crept closer and set a note by Alya's glasses, as well as her signature calling card. Luna smirked to herself. The teen would probably think the note was a prank, but she counted on Alya to do a little digging of her own. Once news got around of Chat's encounter with a certain thief, there was no doubt the reporter would do exactly what Spades wanted. Her job done, Luna left the home and locked it, once again disappearing into the shadows.

Time for the game to begin.