Tom knocked on the door, and Marinette hurried to let him in. After a lot of loud talking and poking that made Chat hiss repeatedly in growing annoyance, the nurse decided that this was nothing to worry about.

"Plenty of rest will cute this quickly enough. Let him stay here and sleep for a while. Paris will understand."

"Oh, but-"

"Don't interrupt the nurse honey bun. He can stay here. He can sleep. Come on, let's leave him alone." Tom laid a hand on her shoulder and walked her towards the trap door to leave.

"Mari wait," Chat groaned.

She ducked under her father's arm and hurried back to him. there was a fear in her eyes that he had never seen before. Anywhere.

"What is it honey bun?" Tom asked, concerned. Chat waited for her to answer her father. she didn't. Tom came closer. "I'm talking to you chat."

Chat felt his chest glow at being called honey bun. The only time he heard anyone use it as a pet name were her parents for her, and that time Rose was sad and Marinette called her honey bun to make her smile. It was as if it were saved for important people. people who needed it. people they loved.
And they loved him.

"Can I talk to princess- um, Marinette, alone please?" he asked, quietly.

Tom nodded. "I'll be downstairs. Shout if you need me."

Marinette watched him wander down the steps out of her room before turning her attention back to Chat.

"What is it kitten?"

"Will you look after Plagg for me?"

Look after his kwami? It'd be an honour. Marinette turned her back so he could transform. Adrien pulled Plagg's jumper from his pocket so he wouldn't get cold. Plagg rubbed his head against Adrien's hand gently. Adrien pushed him towards Marinette. Plagg landed in Marinette's hand.

"Hello," he smiled.

"Hello. Nice to meet you," she smiled.

He nodded. Tikki fluttered over to the plush cat that Adrien had given Marinette for Christmas. It sat proudly with her other cat teddy on her bed (which Chat still teased her about) right beside the teddy bear which held a heart shape between it's paws that was printed with Ladybug spots. Chat was a little less enthusiastic about that, because Nathanael had given it to her. Tikki picked up the cat and carried it down to Adrien. She had to stay quiet so Adrien wouldn't hear her, but she beamed at Plagg as she tucked the toy cat under his arm, so he wouldn't think he was alone. Then Tikki landed in Marinette's hand beside Plagg. Marinette held the two kwamis close to her chest as she hurried down the ladder again.

"Marinette?" Plagg asked as they wandered down the ladder.

"Yes Plagg?" She asked.

"Do you have any cheese?"

"I have loads. Cranberry, Apple & Gouda Puff Pastry Roses. Cheddar Cookies. Cheddar Choux Fritters. Apple and Cream Cheese Pies. Ricotta cheese fudge. Parmesan Popsicles. Pumpkin Baci di Dama with Mascarpone Filling. Peach Cobbler with White Cheddar Biscuit. Goat Cheese and Guava Pasta Panna Cotta. Cranberry Parmesan Shortbread Cookies. Caramelized Pecan Brie Bites. Parmesan Vanilla Pound Cake. Deep Dish Poppy Seed Cheesecake. Probably more."

Plagg was practically drooling in her hand. "Camembert?"

"I have baked Camembert."

"This is heaven."

Tikki and Marinette watched Plagg as he devoured the entire pot of baked Camembert by himself. It was difficult to decide if it was more disgusting or impressive that he could do that. Plagg decided that he liked Marinette. He couldn't move without feeling sick, and his belly peeped out from underneath his jumper, but he liked it here.

"My belly hurts," he whined.

"I'm not surprised! You ate that faster than what should be physically possible!" Marinette smirked.

Plagg groaned again, clutching his belly in pain. Marinette took pity on him. She scooped him in her hand, and gently, very gently, she rubbed his belly with her thumb.

Plagg groaned. "Stop."

"I'm helping your muscles break down the food so it's over faster, stop complaining," she explained gently.

Plagg still groaned. Tikki shook her head, smiling at how ridiculous he was being. Marinette hummed quietly as she drew circles in his fur with her thumb. After a minute or two Plagg let out a massive belch that stank of cheese. Marinette and Tikki shared a look of repulsion. Plagg, however, gave a contented sigh and leaned against her fingers.

"That's better, thanks Marinette," he said.

Marinette smiled softly, and leaned down to kiss him between his tiny ears. "You're welcome Plagg."

Plagg's tail dropped in surprise as she kissed him as gently as she had kissed Chat. A purr escaped Plagg. Tikki's eyes widened. Plagg blushed. Now he could walk again, Plagg decided it was time to go. Adrien needed to get home so his father didn't worry. Marinette protested, but Plagg insisted.

"Is Chat going to be ok?" Tikki asked Marinette hopefully.

Marinette's heart beat faster anxiously. "I hope so."

"Don't worry, he's strong. He'll be fine," Plagg said.

Marinette closed her eyes and let Plagg guide her over to where Adrien was sleeping on the sofa. Tikki tied a scarf around Marinette's eyes as a blindfold. Plagg padded up and down Adrien's chest to try and wake him up. She leaned down and shook him to wake him up. Adrien groaned.

"What's going on?" He groaned.

"Plagg says your father will worry if you don't go home. I'm sorry I can't come too. Text me when you get there. Plagg, make sure he does," Marinette said.

"I'll text you myself if it keeps that camembert coming!" Plagg promised.

Adrien scoffed. "Pig."

Plagg blew a raspberry. Tikki giggled their relationship was so different to hers and Marinette's. then again, Chat was so different to ladybug. After a moment or two there was a flash of green. Marinette's shoulders dropped as the tension ran from them.

"Thank you for helping me Marinette," he said.

"Please be careful kitty." She said.

She heard his footsteps edge away, and raised a hand to her scarf to take it off of her eyes. Then he paused, and glanced back.

"You said if I stayed awake you'd tell me who Louis was."

Her hand hesitated beside the scarf. "Yes I did."

"Will you tell me before I leave?"

"Oh... right... um..." Marinette shifted, awkwardly.

"Shall I ask Tom to bring the spatula of destiny?" He gave a crooked smile that she could hear, even though she couldn't see him.

She took a deep breath. "He's Adrien. Adrien Agreste."

There was a long silence that made Marinette frown. She raised her hand to her scarf and yanked it down so she could see again. The room was empty. She frowned.

"Where'd he go?"

He was on the balcony. He was shocked and confused as to how he hadn't noticed this before. Adrien was so desperate to talk to someone about all this that he yelled for Plagg to transform him before he reached his bedroom window. He barely made it in safely, falling across the floor as he did. Plagg went crashing into the sofa. From where he had landed on the floor, Adrien stared forward, dazed.

"Louis... is... me?!"

The very idea seemed unfeasible to him, and yet, the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. She was too anxious to talk around him, she was always complimenting him, smiling shyly, always trying to spend time with him. Marinette, his princess, was in love with him...
Somehow it wasn't as terrible as he thought it should be. The idea that she loved him made his chest warm, even though it shouldn't. He knew a lot of girls had crushes on him, he was a model, it came with the job, but he never imagined Marinette of all people to be one of them. He had known her for so long and yet had no idea about this key element of their relationship. He felt like an idiot to have missed it.

"Should I tell her I'm in love with Ladybug?" Adrien asked.

Plagg raised his head from where he had landed on the sofa. "That's your first question?"

"Should I?" He repeated.

Plagg sighed and laid his head back on the sofa. "Of course. If you love Ladybug so much there's no chance of you falling for Marinette, she deserves to know."

"What do you mean if? Of course I love her. I've always loved her," Adrien said.

"Then why did you ask Marinette to kiss you?" Plagg challenged, calmly.

Adrien couldn't explain that one. He bit his lip and sat up. Before he had to explain himself, a knock on the door interrupted them.

"Adrien your father would like to see you immediately," Natalie stated.

"Alright, I'll be right there," Adrien called.

Plagg stood up. He frowned at Adrien, stubbornly. "Marinette said text her when you get home."

"I'll text her in a minute," Adrien said.

Plagg flew in front of him, to stop him walking out. "Now! She told me to make sure you did it, and she fed me, so I don't want to upset her, do it now!"

"Alright! I'll do it on my way to his officer."

Plagg nodded firmly. He picked up Adrien's phone, which he had left on the table, and pushed it against his chest. Adrien frowned. Plagg never usually cared about people like this. Marinette must have done something special. Or fed him. Yeah, she probably just fed him. Plagg watched from Adrien's pocket, ensuring that Adrien typed texted Marinette immediately. It wasn't until they reached the door that he slipped deeper into the pocket.
Adrien adjusted his outfit to try and make himself neater. He tugged his collar up and ran a nervous hand through his messy hair, careful not to touch the plaster the nurse had placed on his cut. It was red with black spots. Why the elderly retired nurse who lived alone only had Ladybug themed plasters, they didn't question, but it made Adrien smile. Like a little piece of his lady was by his side as he reached for the handle to his father's office door.
When he stepped inside, Gabriel had his back turned to Adrien. He was admiring the huge portrait of his wife hanging on the wall. Adrien gazed at his mother again. Every time he came in here his heart ached. He missed her beyond belief.

"You asked to see me, father?" Adrien said, quietly.

Gabriel did not turn. "I did. As you are well aware Paris fashion week is in six weeks. I expect you to be sticking to schedule changes, no matter how sudden or drastic, is that understood?"

Adrien bowed his head. "Will that mean I have less time to spend with my friends?"

"Yes. And you won't be able to run off every Thursday to wherever it is you go." His voice was cold and hard and made Adrien's heart beat harder. "Where is that Adrien?"

Adrien was done for, but he wasn't about to start telling his father the truth about becoming Chat Noir once a week to go and waste time messing around with Marinette.

"Nowhere."

"Don't lie to me Adri-" Gabriel turned. His expression did not change, nor did his tone, but Adrien knew he cared by the way he stopped his sentence. "what happened to your head?"

Ah. Yes. The cut on his head. The one he got because he was distracted while fighting beside Ladybug, too busy thinking about whether or not he could get her to fall in love with him and keep Paris safe. Because he constantly put himself in danger, and defied his father's orders and broke the rules to save Paris from Hawkmoth. Whom he was speaking to now.
How could he get out of this one?

"I... fell..." Adrien said, slowly.

"Good one," Plagg muttered.

"You fell. When? Where? Why wasn't I informed?" Gabriel demanded, without changing his tone.

Adrien thought on his feet. "I fell... in... fencing."

"And you cut your head on a sabre?"

"Through the mask. It will heal."

"When?"

"W-w-when? I d-don't know."

"The final designs are due in three weeks from now Adrien. I cannot present you to the world looking like this. If you aren't healed by the time the final designs are complete I will have no choice but to find a new model to wear it," Gabriel said firmly.

Adrien didn't like modelling. It wasn't something he wanted to be when he grew up. And yet when his father threatened to take it away, he had never been so desperate to do something.

"But father-"

"Hats are out of style. It wouldn't be covered."

"But I can't force myself to heal faster!" Adrien whined.

Gabriel was unfazed. He knew his son was Chat Noir. He had for months now. Ever since, he was keeping a harder eye on Adrien to try and figure out who Ladybug was. This was the perfect opportunity.

"Then let's hope Ladybug's magic charm can fix this."

Adrien bowed his head but his correction slipped out despite himself. "Lucky charm."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a lucky charm. Not magic..."

Gabriel stared at Adrien, with a completely natural expression, which made Adrien sink back into himself. He couldn't stand up to his father. Not even if he wanted to.

"I will find someone at the end of the week to replace you. You will still attend the fittings and practice runs, is that understood?" Gabriel asked.

Adrien bowed his head. He was still feeling groggy from the blow and shocked that Marinette loved him, and gutted that his father would replace him so easily.

"Yes father."

"Fine. Leave me now."

Adrien stood tall as he left his father's office. He wasn't supposed to show any emotions. They were a sign of weakness. As soon as that door shut between them though, he sank in on himself, utterly hurt. Plagg peaked out of Adrien's jacket to headbutt his chin gently.

"Let's go nap. Sleeping makes everything better."

Adrien awoke from his nap to find Plagg curled in the crook of her arm, texting Ladybug on his phone. More accurately he was texting Tikki because Marinette was busy watching the video Alya and Nino had made together. It was a little video about the dangers of fireworks that they had made over new year's. Ladybug and Chat Noir had the honour of setting off the first fireworks, because they were supposed to be turning on the Christmas lights for the city, but Jagged Stone suddenly became available and took their place.

"What are you up to?" Adrien groaned.

"Marinette says she hopes sleep helps," Plagg said.

Adrien sat up with sleepy urgency, hoping that he hadn't heard Plagg right. "You're texting Marinette?"

Well what was Plagg going to say? No, I'm talking to her kwami, by the way, Marinette is Ladybug?!

"She says rest up or her papa is not going to bake cookies for you anymore," Plagg said.

Adrien patted his belly. Maybe that was for the best. He had put on a pound or two from all those cookies. There's only so much fat racing around Paris can burn off, and he had to lose weight before Paris Fashion Week. If he could go. Adrien felt queasy. His father wouldn't hesitate to replace him...

"Plagg pass my phone," he said.

"Can I say goodbye to Marinette?" Plagg asked.

"I have to call Ladybug!" Adrien complained.

"What? Why?" Plagg asked urgently.

Adrien sighed. "You know why Plagg."

"But-"

"Pass the phone Plagg."

Plagg begrudgingly allowed him to take the phone from him. Adrien had to lean forward to take it. The phone number he had for Ladybug was only for emergencies. This wasn't a real emergency though. He hesitated to call. She didn't hesitate to pick up.

"What is it kitty, is it an akuma?!" She asked urgently.

He felt guilty to put that panic in her tone. "Um, no... I need your help for something."

"Oh kitty!" She huffed.

"Please?"

Maybe it was the desperation in his tone, or maybe it was just curiosity to know what he so desperately needed her help for, but for some reason, there was a pause before her reply.

"Meet me on top of the arc de triomphe in ten minutes."

"Yes! Thank you! I love you!"

He froze. This wasn't how he pictured telling her he loved her. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or terrified that that was on the table now. He desperately clawed onto the phone to hear her reply. That's when he realised she had hung up. He dropped the phone into his lap.

"Do you think she heard me?" He asked nervously.

"No. She hung up. Didn't you hear her call Tikki before she did?" Plagg asked bluntly.

"No..."

"Oh. Sorry Adrien."

"It doesn't matter. Come on Plagg, we have to go. Claws out!"

Ladybug was already waiting when he arrived. She was whirling her yo-yo impatiently, obviously eager to get back to whatever she had been doing. When he landed, he was greeted by a familiar view, albeit slightly darker, since it was later than he was usually here.
Adrien thought back to the end of May, or maybe it was early June. It was a picture-perfect afternoon. He and Marinette went for ice cream, as they often did around Mother's Day, because they kept bickering over who got to pay. The pair of them stood on the top of the arc de triomphe, counting how many different colours of cars passed by, and making bad jokes worse, until the police made them move on.
Then they edged out to the outskirts of the city. It took a while, their ice cream had melted, but they found an open field framed with trees. They sat on the grass, lounging back in the lush greenery, staring into the deep blue, pointing out clouds that had funny shapes, and trying to guess which Jagged Stone song the other was humming. They made jokes no one else knew, and had a cartwheel race, and climbed a tree to see who could go higher. When he slipped and almost went crashing down to the ground six feet below them. His nine lives flashed before his eyes. With no regard to her own safety (again) she darted down to latch onto his arm. He was completely at her mercy as she heaved him back up to sit beside her on the branch. Tikki helped a lot. He didn't know that. They sat close enough that if one of them fell the other could catch them.
Stretching behind the leaves and onwards forever, the sky was blue and perfect. Behind sweeping white cotton clouds, the sunshine dawned on them like halos. He could practically feel the sunshine on his face, warming him to the bone. It felt like the contentment would go on forever. Safe in their tree. Two friends on a perfect day. Talking about nothing. Knowing there's nothing they couldn't. discuss.
They were happy then.
They were free.
Right now there was nowhere else he would rather be, if only to feel that free again. Even with his lady standing before him, he felt no better.

"What happened to your head?" Ladybug asked.

"I... fell while I was fencing. Why, do you want to kiss it better?" He winked.

There was less flirt than usually. He wasn't really feeling it. She could tell. Marientte still wasn't sure what happened. The best she could figure out was that he had been hit by something, probably one of the geologists rocks, probably because she told him to get his head in the game and he didn't. Part of her felt guilty. Even though she had helped him, she had still, to some extent, caused this. She yanked her yo-yo into her palm and rested it on her hip.

"Why are we here Chat?" She asked, not unkindly, but enough for him to know she wasn't pleased to be there.

"Listen, I know it's a long shot, and I know it's stupid to ask, but I need you to help me heal my head," He explained seriously.

Ladybug frowned. He couldn't tell if she was confused or just uncertain about whether or not it would work or, if it did, how safe would it be?

"How would I do that?" She asked.

Chat gave a small, sheepish shrug. "Your lucky charm can heal anything."

Ladybugs eyes widened. Now he knew what she was feeling. That alarm in her eyes, that was fear. Fear that this wouldn't be safe. That made him feel uneasy.

"We don't know if it can save people," she said.

"It saved your arm from the pixelator!" He insisted.

Her mouth twitched anxiously. He was right about that. Theoretically it would work. But then again, if it did, it should have already fixed his head. Ladybug raised her hand to draw him nearer.

"Let me see," she said.

Chat stepped forward obediently. He closed the gap between them as he did. She raised her hand to the plaster, and hesitated, waiting for permission. He winced, but allowed her to continue. Gently, very gently, she peeled back the plaster. He winced harder as she tore it off.

"Sorry!" She winced back.

He didn't reply but he opened his eyes enough to let her know he wasn't mad. Carefully, she raised her hand to his head again to check the cut. It had only been a few hours since she last saw it, and yet she could see the beginnings of a scab forming around his cut.

"Chat it isn't too bad, that should heal within three weeks. Four at a push!"

Chat groaned and took a step back sulkily. "No that's too long!"

"For what?" She asked.

Chat frowned sadly. "I can't tell you."

Ladybug sighed. She didn't like seeing him like this. He was desperate. That was dangerous. He, like anyone, was foolish when he was desperate.

"This isn't safe chat," she said.

Chat raised his eyes but not his head or voice. "Please ladybug? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Marinette felt her heartstrings tug for her poor desperate friend. He needed her. No one else could help. Dangerous or not, she wanted to help. She needed to help. But it unsettled her. She sighed.

"You're going to get us both into trouble one day."

Chat's ears flicked, "You'll do it?"

"If it's this important how can I say no?" She shrugged.

Adrien's heart lifted. He was confident she could do this. He could feel it. And if she could do this, his father would have to let him model the final designs for Paris fashion week! He could drag Marinette along! She wanted to be a fashion designer, this would be perfect for her! All thanks to his lady. Chat darted forwards and threw his arms around Ladybug. She blushed behind her mask.

"You have no idea what this means to me!" He beamed.

Ladybug eased him back gently to arm's length, blushing slightly. He gave her a lopsided smile, which made her smile back involuntarily. He was looking more like himself now.

"Wear the plaster when its healed, ok? Just in case someone asks where the scar came from," she said.

He frowned. "Oh do you think it will scar?"

"Chat I don't think this will work! a scar is the best you're going to get," she said, seriously.

Chat bowed his head. "Oh..."

Ladybug's hand lingered on her yo-yo for a moment. "Do you still want to try?"

Chat straightened up, putting on a brave face. "Yes. Definitely, yes."

Ladybug nodded. "If it doesn't work, don't blame me."

The lucky charm that she was given was another plaster, which she pointed out to him could be a bad omen. He insisted she try anyway. Ladybug took a deep breath. She threw it in the air, and the pair of them were enwrapped by the glow of lights. They hit against Chat's forehead, and it burned! Like a white-hot blaze welding his flesh shut. Chat hissed with pain, and cried out urgently. He doubled over in pain and Ladybug darted forward to hold him up.

"Kitty?! Are you ok Kitty?! Oh I don't like this!" She whined anxiously.

Adrien was in so much pain he couldn't feel the desperate grab of her hands, or how her fingers dug into him. She clawed at him, desperately trying to hold onto him, trying to find a way to stop him hurting. The bright lucky lights twirled around them again, and vanished as quickly as they appeared. Chat was weak in her arms, and she was anxiously fussing over him trying to check if he was still alive. He was breathing fine, by himself, but he was unconscious.

"Come on kitty, wake up... wake up honey... please wake up! Please..."

Her earrings beeped to let her know she had to leave. She needed to get away from here, so no one would find out who she was. She groaned inwardly.

"No, no, no! I can't change while he's like this!"

There was only one way around it. Ladybug scooped him up and carried him back to her room. She laid him down on her mattress, and climbed down from the bed, transforming back into Marinette as she did. Chat stayed on the mattress, unconscious, but shifting uncomfortably. She sat down in her chair, and stared up at her bed, watching him. Marinette had a face like someone trying to straighten a corkscrew with telekinesis.

"What are you more confused about, your powers healing chat, or the fact he's in love with you?" Tikki asked, between mouthfuls of cookie.

"He didn't mean it like that Teak," Marinette said.

"It sounded like he did."

"He didn't."

"Are you sure?

She wasn't. she wanted to be, she wanted to know for certain that he was just joking around, and that he didn't love her. That Betty wasn't Ladybug. But she couldn't be. She had never been less sure about anything.
Well, except for one thing.
Adrien seemed so much less appealing when Chat was around.