This chapter switches perspectives a lot, try not to get whiplash.

[Adrien's POV]

It's after school and I'm watching Marinette from afar. She is talking to Louis. They still catch up every now and then but I don't feel petty or jealous about it anymore. I think the petty jealousy I used to feel just proves how flimsy my relationship with Marinette was. I was too cowardly to admit my feelings so I knew it would be easy to lose her. I realise now that Marinette isn't something I can just claim, I would be the luckiest man alive if she would have me.

I sigh as I tear my eyes away from the bluenette beauty. It is time to see my lady—my, er, other lady; my first lady...Ladybug and I have patrol together.

[Marinette's POV]

I'm talking to Louis when I see a familiar black figure jumping across the rooftops. My heart skips a beat and before I know it, my legs are pushing off the ground.

"Uh, sorry Louis, I gotta go!" I yell as I sprint off into the city.

I know exactly where Cat Noir is heading—The Eifel tower, our meetup spot for patrol, and I'm going to take a short cut to beat him there.

I take a sharp turn and sprint through an alleyway out into the next street over. Adrenaline courses through my veins as I run. My mind is racing with thoughts of Cat Noir. I have to see him, I have to talk to him, not just as Ladybug. Even if I choose Adrien in the end, I have to confront Cat Noir about my feelings. I need closure. I'm tired of waiting around.

Cat Noir drops down from a building just ahead. He is just about to vault off on his staff again but before he has the chance, I throw myself at him.

"Cat Noir!" I shout as I tackle him to the ground.

[Adrien's POV]

"OOF!" I stare up in shock at the girl who had pinned me to the ground. "M-Marinette! What are you doing?"

My god this girl is crazy! So strong and determined.

It's amazing...

"I'm not letting you get away!" Marinette says, her breathing heavy. "Chat...why haven't you come to visit me?"

My eyes widen as I stare at the flushed face of Marinette. Oh no, what do I do? I really want to kiss her. She told me she is in love with Adrien but she kissed Cat Noir. Clearly I'm not the only one confused about my feelings. Dragging on this strange relationship will only make things more confusing. If I choose Ladybug, I certainly can't be sneaking into another girls room regularly. Even if I choose Marinette in the end, I couldn't date her as Cat Noir. It would never work out. She would need to let me go and focus on Adrien.

I sit up, forcing Marinette to slide off of me. I gently push a lock of hair behind her ear and caress her cheek. I gaze into her enchanting blue eyes as I absorb each and every detail for what may be the very last time.

"Sorry, Mari, but we lead completely different lives. You shouldn't wait up for someone walking a separate path."

I get up and offer Marinette a hand but she stays seated on the ground, staring up at me with an expression I can't depict. I sigh and retract my hand.

"Please, you have a life of your own that you shouldn't neglect." I say sorrowfully. "Now, I have patrol so I need to go, okay?"

Marinette nods silently. It feels cold to turn my back on her. It pains my heart to leave...

[Marinette's POV]

I reach out my hand as Cat Noir turns his back to me.

Wait.

I scramble to my feet as he vaults away on his staff.

Please.

"Tiki, spots on!" I order before perusing the cat who had stolen my heart.

Come back.

I'm not done talking to him. I'm not done spending time with him and baking with him. I'm not done hugging him. I'm not done telling jokes with him and laughing with him.

Cat Noir...

It's not enough. I want to see more of him. I want to love each and every bit of him, every second of every day. Surely, he wants to see me too.

Cat Noir knows as well as I do that a relationship between a superhero and a civilian would never work; but what he doesn't know is that I'm a hero too. We're partners, we were always destined to be so. Ladybug and her kitty. Cat Noir and his bugaboo.

I had thought this over a million times in the past month. I thought I was going to confront Cat Noir as Marinette and rationally sort things out from there. But I'm growing desperate. My yearning heart has decided for me. This all started with Ladybug, and now it's going to finish with her.

I land on the top of the Eifel tower with a huff, my heart pounding and my chest heaving.

Cat Noir turns to greet me with a smile. "Ladybug!"

My heartbeat quickens. My body moves on its own once more, wanting what it desires. I take Cat Noir's hand and bring it up to my lips, planting a sweet kiss on his knuckles.

"My kitty," I say softly.

Cat Noir's cheeks flare up as he stares at me.

[Adrien's POV]

W-What?...

WHAT?!

Have our roles suddenly switched? What the heck is going on? My heart won't stop racing. There is no use trying to hide my blush, I'm too far gone.

Ladybug...My Lady...S-She just called me her kitty. She held my hand and kissed my knuckles and called me hers. This is everything I've ever wanted...

But then, why do I feel a strange discomfort in the pit of my stomach?

Ladybug takes a deep breath and squeezes my hand. "Ch-Chat, show me who you are."

I shift back in surprise, pulling my hand from her grip. "What?"

"We're going to anyway—We promised, remember? Once we catch Hawkmoth we're going to live on with our civilian lives together." Ladybug says. "So why not now? Why not just reveal our identities to each other right now? I want all the time I can get with you, Cat Noir."

I can't think straight over the sound of my pounding heart. My head is spinning.

"N-No..." I breathe shakily, taking a step back.

No? Why no? What's wrong with me?

"I-I mean," I stammer. "What are you saying? I don't understand."

"I'm saying I want to be with you Chat, with and without the mask." Ladybug says genuinely.

I have always dreamed of my lady gazing at me so lovingly like she is now, but for some reason I find myself lowering my head to avoid her eye contact. This is all so sudden. This is...what I want, right? But I have this off-putting feeling— The feeling that this is wrong...

"I'm not afraid anymore!" Ladybug persists. "I would give anything to be with you. My identity, and all the flaws and insecurities that come with it. All of my time, energy and attention, and all of my love."

Oh, how happy those words make me. My pining heart has finally been put to ease. Everything is clearer now. Now that the opportunity has presented itself right before me, I suddenly know what to do. With the answer standing right here in front of me, I finally know what I want.

And then, I spill the words I never thought I'd say. "I think I'm in love with someone else."

My chest feels lighter, as if a great weight has been lifted. My heart is no longer tearing at the seams. My mind is clear and my feelings are true. I can't help but smile as my thoughts are stolen by Marinette, my precious princess.

Ladybug, however, looks utterly shocked. I try to calm the happiness bubbling up inside me so I can let her down easy.

"W-Well, truth is, I know I'm in love with someone else—someone amazing. She accepts me for who I am and cherishes me unconditionally, she always has. But I don't want you to think that my feelings for you weren't genuine. I meant every single word I ever spoke to you. I love every second we spend together. I really do love you, Ladybug, and I probably always will. You'll always hold a special place in my heart as my very first love, m'lady. But I'm pledging my loyalty to another woman."

[Marinette's POV]

My lunges collapse in on themselves. My heart shatters like glass. I'm too shocked to even react. I just feel...empty. Completely gutted. Winded like I have taken a blow to the chest. I put everything on the line only to get it cut right off. Now I'm falling...and I know it is not going to be a soft landing.

I guess I...I guess I just assumed Cat Noir would be there, like he always is...but I took him for granted...I was too late...

Suddenly it all comes crashing down on me. Ch-Chat, he...he's in love with someone else. It all makes so much sense—why he hasn't come to visit Marinette, why he never calls me his lady anymore, why he hasn't made any flirtatious puns...I-I'm not his lady anymore. He is in love with someone else. Someone else is standing beside him as his woman.

It hurts. My chest is aching. It hurts so bad, as if my heart has been torn right out. Tears begin to spill from my unblinking eyes. The cold sting of rejection has my every nerve shaking. I can barely hold myself up...my hands are trembling. I can't breathe.

"Ladybug..."

Cat Noir reaches for my hand but I pull back. He looks hurt and guilty. I hate seeing those beautiful eyes laced with sadness. But I don't want him to touch me, I don't want him to even look at me. If he does, I'll fall in love with him all over again.

"Excuse me..." I whisper, my voice quivering.

I leap off the Eifel tower. For a moment, I just let myself fall. I close my eyes and feel the icy wind slice across my face. I almost don't have the strength to pull up. I have fallen into a cold, dark, bitter abyss and I don't have the will to climb out. I want the pain to just be over and done with. I want to stop falling.

But then I think of Cat Noir. If I give up now, I'll never get to see him again. I'll never get to hear his jokes or fight beside him. I wouldn't be there to fist bump him in celebration. I wouldn't be there to stand beside him as Paris's protector. We are partners, I can't abandon him. I can't abandon Paris and Tiki, my parents, Alya and Nino and Adrien...

I sling my yoyo onto a nearby building and pull up just before I can hit the ground. I grit my teeth in frustration, my tears flying free in the wind. How pathetic...The very boy who threw me down this hole was the one to pull me out. I want to hate him...but I can't. That's the worst part. I can't even blame him. I've rejected Cat Noir so many times, he was bound to move on. I mean, that's just the same as what I was doing, isn't it? I was sick of chasing after Adrien so I dared to love someone else.

Adrien...

My chest tightens. It hurts so much that I have to stop, collapsing onto a rooftop below me. I fall to my knees and slam my fists down. Every heartache I have ever experienced comes flooding out in cold tears. I screw my eyes shut and listen to my wretched wails as I scream out into the night.

"Why does it always end like this?" I cry in frustration. "Why does my love always end in rejection? I'm never good enough! I'M SICK OF IT! It hurts, I'm sick of it! I'm tired of hurting..."

Not even Ladybug was good enough this time. I hate this feeling—that I'm never enough. I hate all of these feelings tearing at my heart. I hate love! I wish I never felt it. I wish I didn't have to feel anything...

I feel weak, as if my heart is being drained. A cold voice ripples through my mind,

"Black Beetle, I'm sure you know who I am. Don't worry; I'll make sure you'll never feel again..."

And then suddenly...

I feel empty.