Day three! I really like this prompt, although my initial idea was not the same as the final result, but I really like this. Hope you all enjoy! -Colorado

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The night Ladybug gave in, she had a plethora of excuses lined up in her mind. Chat Noir had worn her down, she was tired and wasn't thinking correctly, it seemed like a good idea and there was no harm in it, etc.. Yet as she dropped down into her bed that night and faced a questioning Tikki, she knew she had given in simply because she wanted to.

When Chat Noir had first discovered a messaging app a few months ago, he had immediately brought it up to Ladybug.

"We could contact each other as civilians! How many times have the two of us been in danger because one wasn't transformed?" He had said.

Still, Ladybug was skeptical at best about it. What if someone found the app on their phones and connected the dots? What if Chat Noir came across Marinette again and saw the messages? What if they got hacked and all of a sudden their identities were revealed to the world? It was simply too risky. 

But the seed had been planted in Ladybug's mind, and she found herself wanting to talk with Chat Noir more than usual. When she woke up from a nightmare she couldn't help but think about how nice it would be to hear his voice. When she saw a silly shirt she knew he would adore, she fought the urge to send him a picture. And of course, whenever he couldn't respond during an akuma attack because he wasn't transformed, she found herself warming up to the idea. 

So here she was, downloading a messaging app and looking up the account name Chat Noir had told her about. It didn't take long for him to accept her request and it took him even less to send her a message.

23:34

CoolestCat: Well hello there, My Lady

Lucky: hi, chat noir.

Lucky: are you sure this app is 100% safe to use?

CoolestCat: Of course! I have this friend who's a tech genius look into it, this app is safe. 

Lucky: alright, but for the record i think this is going to end poorly

CoolestCat: And yet you still gave in. That's a win in my books 😽

Lucky: yeah, yeah, don't get a big head about it

Lucky: like you said, this will come in handy when there's an akuma and we aren't transformed

CoolestCat: Also just to chat!

Lucky: we'll see chat noir, we'll see

CoolestCat: I'm sure I can wear you down eventually

Lucky: if you say so chat

Lucky: now it's late and i have school tomorrow, so goodnight

CoolestCat: Goodnight Ladybug! ❤️

But that was only the beginning. What could Marinette say? She finally had the opportunity to talk to her partner whenever, how could she not use that to her advantage? But still, she had a job to do. So Marinette reasoned that she could absolutely talk with Chat Noir, but just after patrols and akumas. She was just making sure he was okay! Absolutely!

 22:12

Lucky: hey, you get home safe?

CoolestCat: Yep!

CoolestCat: What about you?

Lucky: home, safe and sound

CoolestCat: It was a quiet night tonight

Lucky: honestly?

Lucky: im grateful it was

CoolestCat: Oh? Are you getting a bit tired? I can take more patrols for you

That was sweet of him, Marinette couldn't help but smile.

Lucky: no no

Lucky: i just have some civilian projects i need to finish up before i go to bed

CoolestCat: Don't you have school tomorrow?

Lucky: yep!

Lucky: i'll be fine, probably will be late again but...

CoolestCat: Won't you be tired?

Lucky: nothing a bit of coffee won't fix

CoolestCat: Bugaboo... that's not very healthy.

Lucky: if you're trying to convince me to go to bed, calling me bugaboo won't help

CoolestCat: 😿

CoolestCat: Seriously Ladybug, your health is important! You must get between 8-10 hours of sleep a night!

Lucky: i'll get at least eight hours tonight! i'm hoping i'll finish up around 11:30

CoolestCat: Alrighty My Lady, I'm going to hold you to that

Lucky: besides, you were literally falling asleep during patrol today, are YOU alright?

CoolestCat: I'm fine, although honored that you're worried about me

Lucky: you're my partner, of course i'm worried about you

CoolestCat: don't worry, i'm going to bed right now

Lucky: alright, if you say so

It was like once she started, she just couldn't stop. Talking to Chat Noir was addicting! Besides, if the two of them could find companionship in each other, then it's less likely that they'd get akumatized. Boom! That's still Ladybug related, isn't it? Oh how she loved loopholes (she didn't notice how Tikki would shake her head whenever she tried to justify talking to Chat Noir). 

12:06

CoolestCat: Hey, are you still up?

Lucky: yeah, unfortunately

Marinette, despite her best efforts, had failed to fall asleep and decided to get some air out on her balcony. 

Lucky: what's up?

CoolestCat: I'm not sure how much I can tell you because of identities and all that, but...

Lucky: But...?

CoolestCat: I'm a part of my family's business, and a pretty significant part at that. But I'm not super attached to what I do, much to my father's dismay. He's been making me attend to more and more duties and I'm just exhausted. I don't know what to do anymore.

Marinette felt a pang in her heart. She had no idea about Chat Noir's home life. She always imagined it being warm and welcoming like hers and Alya's and Nino', but it sounded more like Adrien's. That thought sobered her up quick.

Lucky: do you think you can talk to him about it?

CoolestCat: Absolutely not. He's not an easy man to talk to, he'd probably just threaten to take stuff away

Lucky: What about your mom? 

Chat Noir took so long to respond, typing and deleting his message that Marinette had begun to seriously debate if calling him was better. Anxiety rose up in her and she decided to focus on the stars above her. Her phone pinged and made her jump. Marinette's eyes scanned the message and felt her heart sink.

CoolestCat: She's not in the picture anymore

Lucky: i'm so sorry chat, i didn't know

CoolestCat: It's okay, I didn't expect you to know

CoolestCat: There's really nothing I can do about the situation, I just needed to vent

Lucky: well feel free to *bug* me whenever

CoolestCat: 🙀

CoolestCat: did you just PUN???

Lucky: yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head

CoolestCat: Thank you, Ladybug, seriously

Lucky: anytime, chat noir, seriously

CoolestCat: told you that i'd wear you down

Lucky: i suppose you did

CoolestCat: I'm feeling a lot better now, I think I'm going to go to bed

Lucky: goodnight chat

CoolestCat: Goodnight My Lady ❤️

It was there Marinette swore to the stars that she was going to be there for her partner, no matter what. Chat Noir was hurting and she didn't know anything about it! But she knew about it now, and she'd be damned if she let him continue to suffer in silence.

12:17

Lucky: i think you're rubbing off on me

CoolestCat: Oh?

Lucky: one of my friends made a horrid cat pun today and i actually laughed

CoolestCat: Ha! I always knew you found my puns funny

Lucky: that might be pushing your luck a bit chaton

CoolestCat: Once you start laughing at cat puns there's no escape. I bet in a week you'll be making the puns yourself

Lucky: yeah right! i'll take that bet, loser gets the other ice cream

CoolestCat: You're on!

CoolestCat: I think you're rubbing off on me too

Lucky: oh?

CoolestCat: It's past midnight and I'm not even tired. What is this?

Lucky: HA! welcome to having a shitty sleep schedule chat, it's a pleasure to have you here

CoolestCat: If it means I get to be graced with your presence, I'll happy join the shitty sleep schedule club 😽

Lucky: your such a flirt

CoolestCat: Only with you, My Lady

'Yeah,' Marinette thought as she stared at her ceiling, a dumb grin on her face, 'only with me.' 

12:31

CoolestCat: okay this feels weird

Lucky: YOU TURNED OFF AUTO-CAPS!!!

CoolestCat: i got tired of you bullying me about it on patrol 😿

Lucky: im so proud of you, they grow up so fast 

CoolestCat: it just looks so strange

CoolestCat: informal

CoolestCat: like it would piss my father off

CoolestCat: i love it

CoolestCat: you must be a bad influence on me, my lady

Lucky: shut up chat, i'm an amazing influence

Lucky: if your father gets pissed about you turning off auto-caps then maybe he deserves to be pissed off

CoolestCat: you may be right about that

CoolestCat: have you made a cat pun yet?

Lucky: omg chat, it's only been a day! no i havent made a pun yet

Lucky: and i wont ever pun

CoolestCat: you literally punned just the other night

Lucky: yeah because i wanted to cheer you up

CoolestCat: uh-huh, absolutely no other reason

Lucky: nope!

CoolestCat: either way i get to take you out for ice cream, so i cant complain 😽

Lucky: silly kitty 

CoolestCat: your silly kitty tho

Lucky: apparently 

CoolestCat: goodnight bugaboo, don't be late to school tomorrow

Lucky: i make no promises

12:24  

Lucky: i saw this today and thought of you

Lucky: *blackcat.jpg*

CoolestCat: awwww! i love them

CoolestCat: you may have some competition, my lady

Lucky: you can tell the cat i humbly withdrawal from this competition

CoolestCat: 😿 you wound me bugaboo

Lucky: i can practically hear your laughter through the screen chat, your fine

CoolestCat: you mean my tears, right?

Lucky: sure

CoolestCat: did you pun today?

Lucky: i did not, looks like you'll be paying for ice cream

CoolestCat: i've still got a four days, you'll pun sooner or later

Lucky: god your just as bad as my friend, you two would get along swimmingly

It was an odd realization that Adrien and Chat Noir were so alike, it was something Marinette had been picking up on recently. Ever since Chat Noir told her about his home life she kept on noticing things Adrien said that reminded her of Chat Noir and vise versa. It was beginning to drive her just a little crazy.

CoolestCat: well maybe one day i can actually meet them

Lucky: as soon as Hawkmoth is defeated i promise

CoolestCat: you and me against the world, right my lady?

Lucky: as always kitty 

12:10

Lucky: so i think you may have a point with the 8-10 hours of sleep thing

CoolestCat: haven't you heard? since i joined the shitty sleep schedule club i no longer believe that 8-10 hours of sleep are necessary

CoolestCat: im a rebel now, bugaboo

Lucky: your literally a superhero

CoolestCat: i can be both!!

Lucky: whatever you say, chaton

CoolestCat: now why do you bring up the 8-10 hours of sleep?

Lucky: you know that friend who likes to make cat puns? (no i still haven't punned by the way)

CoolestCat: you mean my new best friend? yeah

Lucky: he's been super sleep deprived recently, he nearly fell asleep today in class! and that wouldn't be a huge deal except his dad is a pain in the ass and who knows what he would do if he learned his son was falling asleep in class? all this to say that i need a voice of reason so i can convince him to get a proper amount of sleep. 

CoolestCat: maybe he's staying up to talk to the love of his life like someone else i know 😽

Marinette laughed, for some reason, the idea of Adrien talking to whoever he was in love with didn't hurt as much as it used to. Maybe that's why she didn't tell Chat Noir that his new best friend was technically The Other Boy. It just didn't seem as important to bring up anymore.

Lucky: you flirt, but this is serious!

CoolestCat: im sure your friend is honored to know youre worried about him. maybe if you tell him your concerns he'll listen to you, if not, i know you like to swear by coffee, you can always bring him some

Lucky: you think so?

CoolestCat: i know id love it if one of my classmates brought me coffee. ive been staying up too late too

Lucky: then you should go to bed!

Lucky: then you should go to bed!

CoolestCat: but i love our midnight talks

Lucky: me too kitty, but still! go to bed!

CoolestCat: alright, alright, goodnight bugaboo, talk to you tomorrow ❤️

Lucky: goodnight chat :)

 12:08

CoolestCat: you know what i just realized?

Lucky: ?

CoolestCat: when we made our bet, it was technically wednesday morning, not tuesday night

CoolestCat: so do we go out for ice cream on tuesday or wednesday?

Lucky: wednesday. you gave me a week exactly and i intended to keep to that. i will tell you a bit after midnight if i made a pun that day and when we can go for ice cream wednesday afternoon. deal?

CoolestCat: deal.

CoolestCat: so have you punned yet?

Lucky: nope! and ive only got three more days so

Lucky: looks like youre paying

CoolestCat: you know its kinda funny that ive been trying to take you out for ice cream for forever

CoolestCat: and yet it was you who brought it up 

Marinette felt her face warm up, it had never occurred to her that she was the one to turn his joke into something real. It just seemed so natural, so easy. She and Chat Noir hadn't been able to talk like this before, something about it just felt different. Perhaps more genuine. Chat Noir was the exact same, but there was something about talking to him while she was detransformed that was thrilling.

CoolestCat: Ladybug?

It was then she realized she had been so deep in thought she had forgotten to reply.

Lucky: still here, sorry

Lucky: i suppose i just wanted to hang out with you, you mean a lot to me chat noir

Lucky: itll be nice to spend some time together

CoolestCat: that's what im saying!

CoolestCat: im very excited, regardless of whether i win or lose

Lucky: its already saturday, technically sunday

Lucky: im winning 

CoolestCat: literally its win-win for me, either i get to spoil you OR i get to live with the satis*cat*tion that you punned

Lucky: boo that was horrible

CoolestCat: you know you love me

Lucky: go to bed, chat noir

He didn't realize that she didn't deny it. 

12:36

CoolestCat: are you magical? like even without being ladybug?

Lucky: what???

CoolestCat: you know how we were talking about your sleep-deprived friend the other night?

Lucky: yeah

CoolestCat: well one of my classmates brought me coffee today, she's an absolute angel

Marinette fought down whatever emotion was rising in her. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but she knew she didn't like it.

Lucky: oh? does the kitty got a crush?

 CoolestCat: you know my heart belongs to you

Marinette wasn't relieved, nope! Absolutely not! That would just be absurd!

Lucky: you flatter me chat

CoolestCat: you deserve it, seriously

CoolestCat: you save paris on the near daily, your genuinely kind, courageous, what you do with your lucky charm, im amazed every time i see it. but i also love your laugh, the way you tease me, even your stubbornness i love. i just love everything about you, even if you don't feel the same way. your friendship is more than enough for me. 

Lucky: chat... idk what to say

Marinette could tell tears were welling up in her eyes, what was happening to her?

CoolestCat: you dont have to say any my lady, i just needed to tell you

Lucky: thank you

CoolestCat: for what?

Lucky: for being you

CoolestCat: anytime, my lady 

Marinette didn't know what else to say, staring at the ceiling above her. There was something inside of her that was brewing, something that she felt like she should stop, but couldn't. She glanced over at the pictures besides her bed, Adrien's face filled her vision. Something about it didn't feel right anymore. Her phone buzzed in her hand.

CoolestCat: im guessing your asleep, ill see you tomorrow for patrol, goodnight ❤️

Marinette let out a sigh, she was so screwed.

12:01

CoolestCat: i just want to say that im sorry again

Lucky: and like i told you, you have nothing to be sorry for

CoolestCat: confessing my love to you in a caffeine-crash state and making you uncomfortable is definitely something to be sorry for!

Lucky: it uh, it didn't make me uncomfortable

CoolestCat: it... it didn't?

Lucky: no, i thought it was sweet

CoolestCat: oh

CoolestCat: but what about the other boy?

Lucky: what about him?

CoolestCat: is he still in your life?

Lucky: yeah, hes one of my best friends

CoolestCat: oh

Lucky: whats oh?

CoolestCat: im not sure, im confused

Lucky: so am i

CoolestCat: so just to make things clear: me confessing my love to you in a very cheesy paragraph does not make you uncomfortable 

Lucky: correct

CoolestCat: and the other boy is in your life still

Lucky: also correct

CoolestCat: huh

Lucky: what? 

CoolestCat: nothing, i think im just getting my hopes up for nothing again

Lucky: oh

CoolestCat: so have you punned yet?

Lucky: um, no?

CoolestCat: cool so im still winning

Lucky: losing, youre technically losing chat

CoolestCat: thats what you think

Lucky: ???? 

When Marinette didn't get a response, she decided to go to bed. Why was Chat Noir being so weird? And more importantly, why was she being so weird? She glanced over at her pictures of Adrien again, something about it felt wrong to her. Sitting straight up she grabbed her bulletin board.

"What are you doing, Marinette?" Tikki asked, yawning.

"Just some... redecorating." Marinette climbed out of bed and ran over to her computer.

Something was changing, something she couldn't quite place, but all she knew was that she should take down some photos of Adrien and put up some photos of her and Chat Noir.

19:18

CoolestCat: can we talk? please?

Lucky: i suppose

CoolestCat: just what was that, Ladybug?

Lucky: You sacrificed yourself again! I was worried!

CoolestCat: yeah, and yet you've never KISSED me before!

CoolestCat: please my lady, tell me what's going on

Lucky: honestly chat? i don't even know. what i know is that talking to you is the most fun ive had in a long time. what i know is that the thought of you loving someone other than me makes me feel a bit sick to my stomach. what i know is that my feelings for the other boy are dimming and things dont feel as important with him anymore.

Marinette gasped, the tears falling down her face and onto the chaise lounge where she was seated. All at once, it clicked. Everything made sense.

Lucky: what i know is that i love you.

CoolestCat: can we meet, please? i need to tell you this in person

CoolestCat: and i need to hear that in person

Lucky: eiffel tower?

CoolestCat: on my way.

12:00  

Lucky: I love you Chat Noir, I'm sorry i never realized it before

CoolestCat: I love you too, My Lady. (also you turned on auto-caps for me? aww i feel honored)

Lucky: (shut up)

Lucky: you know what else i realize now?

CoolestCat: ?

Lucky: its wednesday, i won our bet :)

CoolestCat: oh no, i get to spoil my wonderful girlfriend on our first date. whatever shall i do?

Lucky: dork

CoolestCat: your dork

Lucky: my dork

CoolestCat: so meet up around 11 and we'll go find Andre?

Lucky: cant wait my sweet chaton ❤️

CoolestCat: me neither my lady ❤️

Although Marinette would never tell him, giving in and downloading that messaging app was the best damn decision of her life. 

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There's something about chat fics that I love so much. I tried a different format in this one, with mixing the messages with some exposition and I really like how it turned out! Plus, who doesn't love Ladybug slowly falling for Chat Noir? Thanks for reading! -Colorado