A/N: Adrienette in season 2 be like:

My reaction:

~|~|~|~

Days passed and Adrien would smile through each morning, knowing that he would be spending his time with the princess. Whether it be talking about shooting stars, poems or anything to do with royal struggles, they would spend hour upon hour about each topic if given enough time alone.

On one of those mornings, he felt weak in his arms and legs. After long nights fighting alongside Ladybug, he would continuously experience a wave of emptiness in his body, wincing as he got out of bed. Adrien woke up earlier than the average person and for good reason.

He wanted to train and get stronger by doing daily exercises each morning in the training room but before he did so, he checked up on Plagg. The prince would ask his Kwami about Miraculouses but once again, received no answer.

Adrien did not want to create assumptions, but he was certain that the reason he had been feeling so weak was because his powers had drained him the night before. He felt worse for Ladybug, however, because if his theory was correct then she was becoming as weak as he was— if not worse. He wondered if Ladybug trained as hard as he did, if she was as strong as he was in her real life.

The prince kept thinking about Ladybug while doing push-ups on the ground of the training room. He was sweating mercilessly, body heaving up and down and shirt discarded next to him. He lost count of how many exercises he had done, but he did not care.

He would only stop once he definitely knew that he could not handle the pressure any longer. He had to push himself. Push himself for his people. Push himself for the next war. Push himself for...

An image of Princess Marinette after the battle appeared in his head, her armour removed and for a terribly long second, he imagined another layer of clothing removed, scattered next to his bed and she was next to him... The prince gasped and immediately stopped moving, wondering why she had possibly entered his thoughts in a sinful way.

He shut his eyes hard and shook his head in attempt to deny what he had just fantasied. How did the image appear in his mind so suddenly? Maybe the movements of his exercises must have triggered it? Adrien was definitely not going to do push ups for a long time to come.

"Why did you stop?" a voice asked from the door.

Adrien turned his head to the source of noise before getting up to put on his shirt. It was just Louis Dupain-Cheng. The guard thought it was unnecessary for the prince to put his shirt back on because the sweat just allowed the shirt to seep through, exposing the scars and muscles on his body.

"Why do you ask?" Adrien retaliated.

"You're the special guest, Your Majesty," Louis answered, "If anything is on your mind you want to discuss that you want to get off your chest—"

"No, thank you."

Adrien picked up all his belongings and made his way to the door. Before he could take another step, he decided to ask the princess' cousin: "Why are you here?"

Louis answered easily, "I was actually just about to do my own exercises to prepare myself for training Marinette. I swear, she's getting stronger by the day. Honestly, I am sometimes afraid she will become a better fighter than me."

Adrien stared at him in a skeptical manner. DarkBlade would train Adrien thoroughly in order for him to be better than him or anyone for that matter. The best fighter.

"Is that not the purpose of training?" Adrien asked, "For the student to become the master?"

"Of course," Louis said, "but that does not mean I cannot be afraid of losing that power. The power of greatness in some way. You understand."

Adrien did not argue further because, indeed, he too was afraid of losing power. He turned around before being stopped again by the soldier. It was the reason he was in the training room to begin with.

"If you'd be willing," Louis blurted, "maybe you could help me train? In fact, it would be an honour to actually be fighting the Adrien Agreste. Also, I apologize for interrupting your silence earlier."

The prince just stared at the guard uncomfortably. The last time he had fought against a male Dupain soldier was during his first battle. The one where his brother was killed. Adrien should have refused the offer, but there was something about Louis that reminded him of Hugo. A sense of confidence and innocence. A sense of himself before the war.

Adrien placed his belongings down and faced his new opponent, sword out and ready. Louis grinned, unsheathing his own weapon quickly. The second their swords clashed, Adrien knew that Louis was good competition. Not as advanced as DarkBlade, but surely better than Marinette.

However, Adrien was much stronger than Marinette so Louis was only a mild challenge. Sometimes, Adrien would give the guard advice like 'keep your balance', 'don't step back there' or 'not strong enough'. That motivated Louis to fight stronger, more determinedly.

"You're a good fighter," Adrien said after their long duel, "not the best...but I am impressed. Marinette is lucky to have you as her trainer and her cousin."

Louis nodded respectfully, "The same goes for your country, Your Highness. We are really lucky to have you with us. You make Marinette happy."

Those last four words were not intended to come out of the guard's mouth but it had already been blurted out, giving Adrien a reason to blush slightly. Louis was about to apologize until Adrien stopped him, holding his hand up.

"I am glad to hear that," Adrien admitted before leaving, "So same time tomorrow?"

Louis started at the prince, puzzled, "Pardon me, Your Highness?"

"For training," Adrien explained, "Same time in this room. You and me. In order for you to make Marinette stronger than you, you would need more help yourself and, as you had mentioned, you are really lucky to have me with you."

~|~|~|~

Marinette jumped up in her seat when Adrien appeared from behind her in the library as she was reading her book. The prince laughed at her frightened expression, Marinette playfully hitting him on the arm.

"Another poem about love?" Adrien asked without hesitation, sitting down beside her.

"You know me well," Marinette chuckled, "On the Balcony by DH Lawrence."

"Read it to me."

Marinette stared at him before raising her eyes as if waiting for him to say something else. Adrien shrugged his shoulders and asked, "What did I say wrong?"

"Does the term 'please' seem foreign to you?"

Adrien resisted the urge to burst out laughing. Of course Marinette would reprimand him on silly things like not kindly asking her to recite a small poem. Adrien considered himself somewhat of a gentleman— he thanked many people for their services to him, he apologized whenever he stepped out of line...but he would never say the term 'please'. Whatever he said would be an order. No questions asked.

"I do not beg," Adrien replied, "nor do I plead. I find it cowardice."

"There's a difference between cowardice and respect."

The prince kept his mouth shut, looking down to the wooden surface of the table. He knew she was right— after getting to know her after the passed few days, Adrien made himself accept the fact that the princess was rarely wrong.

With a long sigh, Marinette diverted her eyes back to her book and started reading the end of the poem 'On the Balcony':

Adown the pale-green glacier river floats
A dark boat through the gloom - and whither?
The thunder roars. But still we have each other.
And disappear - what have we but each other?
The boat has gone.

"What does it mean?" Adrien asked.

Marinette closed the book and explained, "It's about two people who love each other despite their horrible surroundings. As if to say that their love is not determined by their struggles."

A moment of silence passed and Marinette glanced at Adrien before facing back to her book. They both thought about the battle in that moment, the consequences of war and family problems. A series of struggles that led to them meeting one another.

Adrien cleared his throat, "Does that entire book hold poems about romance?"

"Indeed. Here."

She handed Adrien the book which he accepted, confused.

"You may borrow it if you find interest in them," the princess said, "unless you're a man who despises love for the sake of his masculinity, then you could give it back."

The prince raised his brow, realising that those words were being said to tease him. He chuckled before leaning towards Marinette— a bit closer than necessary.

"For the sake of my masculinity?" he challenged with a smirk.

Marinette laughed, "Either yours or mine."

~|~|~|~

That night, Adrien read the book of poems with his Kwami blabbering on besides him. Plagg kept teasing Adrien about his relationship with the princess. Adrien rolled his eyes, irritated at Plagg's failed attempt at mocking him.

"Oh, Marinette," Plagg tried imitating, dropping the pitch of his voice down an octave, "I, Prince of the Agreste Kingdom, have feelings for you but I'm too strong and manly to ask for your hand in marriage."

The cat Kwami kept petting Adrien's head, pretending that the prince was Marinette. Adrien slapped Plagg's hand from his head and glared at him, free hand gripping the hilt of his sword besides his bed.

He knew there was no use in threatening the Kwami with a weapon, but the thought of him slicing a wound through the catman's chest gave him satisfaction. Adrien sneered, "If I had the opportunity to strangle you, you'd be dead by now."

"Don't tell me you haven't thought about asking her," Plagg shot back, his normal voice coming back.

Adrien ignored him once more, turning a page in the book. The prince had thought about asking Marinette for her hand once, but he did not want to rush her into any unnecessary drama. He had a few more days to decide— four more if he was certain— and he doubted that his parents would mind if he'd ask to stay for maybe another week after that...

"Are you not going to save the people of Paris tonight?" Plagg asked suddenly.

Adrien shook his head, "I believe the Miraculous does something to my body in order to make me weaker."

The prince glanced at the catman and searched for a hint of confirmation. The look in his eyes said it all.

"Why did you not tell me in the first place?" Adrien said angrily, "My strength is getting weaker by the day because of you and you don't even tell me!"

"It's not like it would make a difference," Plagg defended, "Even if I told you, it still would not have prevented you from being your Chat Noir self and you know it."

Adrien wanted to disagree with all the confidence he had, but Plagg knew the kind of person he was. Being a part of his Chat Noir character gave the Kwami full access to all the prince's personal emotions and thoughts. He probably knew him more than he knew himself.

"Does Ladybug know?" Adrien sighed, pitiful to the woman under the mask.

Plagg looked elsewhere before answering, "Ladybug doesn't get weaker."

Adrien's eyes widened, his eyebrows narrowing in confusion, "Elaborate."

"Ladybug represents creation," Plagg explained, "Black cats represent destruction. You're the complete opposite to her so therefore while you get weaker..."

He did not need to finish that sentence. Adrien already knew what he meant. The prince slowly got up from his bed and started to pace. The girl under the mask did not get weaker like him. No, she was lucky, just like her ladybug alter ego. Meanwhile, he was the only one who had to suffer— all his hard work getting stronger, after all his battles and training...

Out of complete frustration, Adrien hurled the book of poems toward his Kwami. It passed through Plagg's body easily, hitting the wall with so much force that two pages fell out. The prince breathed heavily, trying to calm himself down.

Plagg did not say a word as Adrien walked to the damage he had caused, carefully picking up the book with shaking hands. Adrien closed his eyes and sighed before asking defeatedly, "Why does all the bad luck have to come to me?"

"The master picks whoever deserves the role," Plagg said, almost in a whisper, "You must've been a truly horrible person before you received the Miraculous. A very destructive person. The Miraculous takes your strength away and, with that, your arrogance."

The prince nodded his head, convincing himself that he really did deserve the cruel person. Verily, he was an arrogant soldier before the battle until he had gotten his Miraculous and his whole life had changed. He had learnt to respect his people more, finding the importance of perspectives and kindness.

"She is able to give you strength," Plagg said.

Adrien turned to him, expecting the Kwami to explain once again, which he did.

"Whenever you touch Ladybug or her true self, you become stronger as well."

The prince thought back to the time in battle where he pushed Marinette's elbow and drove the sword into Roger Carpenter's chest, when he caught her during her training and the time he carried her as Chat Noir. The same wave of determination passed him each time.

"Does she get weaker if I touch her?" Adrien asked.

"No, you are just able to stop her from getting too much power," Plagg replied, "You balance each other out, you see. So you can equally protect each other."

"She will become as strong as me."

"Eventually."

Adrien glanced down to the book in his hands and caught a glimpse from the title of the two broken pages, 'Ode to a Naked Beauty'. With a sinful thought his his mind, this time it was of a specific female vigilant, the prince shut his eyes tightly.

Plagg noticed this act of resistance and acknowledged, "You know who she is."

"So do you," Adrien said, opening his eyes again.

"Then why are you still standing here?"

~|~|~|~

Ladybug had just used her Lucky Charm and felt the need to sit down. Resting upon a roof top, she wondered silently where Chat Noir was. Probably still protecting his people in the Agreste Kingdom, she thought.

The female vigilante got up, intending to head back home, until she was stopped by a dark figure with haunting green eyes. Ladybug gulped at her partner's intense stare and admitted, "I didn't thinking you'd be able to make it tonight."

She could tell he wanted to say something to her, but he seemed tense, uncertain. Marinette asked if he was alright, but he did not answer her. Ladybug rubbed the back of her head, "Listen, I should probably be heading back home."

There was an awkward air between them as Marinette walked past him, yo-yo ready to swing her to the castle. She smiled at him, "Let's call it a night—"

Before she could leave him, a strong hand gripped her arm. Out of shock from the wave of electricity that passed through her body, Ladybug let go of the yo-yo. They both stared down at the gloved palms of Chat's hand, exposed fingertips holding her arm and slowly making their way towards her hand.

"N-no!" Ladybug gasped, pulling her arm out of his touch with force, "I— I am in love with someone else."

Chat stared at her as she picked up her weapon, stepping away from him. Ladybug held her breath, waiting for his response. She definitely knew that her sudden outburst was probably the worst thing to say because there was a possibility he was only stopping her to say something relating to his country, not about how much he fancied her.

"In love with someone else?" Chat asked, "Is that so?"

Ladybug folded her arms embarrassingly. She could not believe her mouth— how dare she allow such words to escape? How could she think for a second that Chat Noir liked her as more than a partner? She opened her mouth to apologize, until the cat-like hero surprised her once again.

"What if I told you that I know who that is?"

Ladybug froze, staring down at her yo-yo. There was no possible way that he knew who she loved. He must have been bluffing, testing her.

"What if I told you," Chat continued, "that I know what you believe in and what your occupation would have been if not for who you are now?"

Ladybug shook her head, "That's impossi—"

The puzzle pieces slowly formed in her head, answers coming to her from all over the place. Heavy breaths left her, making her feel faint. Ladybug reached towards her forehead, making sure she did not have a headache so that great hallucinations were appearing.

Before she could lose consciousness from the shock of her discovery, Chat was right in front of her. He reached his hands to each of her arms with a sturdy grip to support and protect her if she ever did decide to faint again. He bent his head down to her ear, lips almost touching her earrings. Ladybug shivered at the contact.

"What if I told you," Chat whispered, "that if I had to choose between following my head or my heart in a time of need...?"

She reached over the hood of his black cloak and clasped her hands behind his neck, hugging him tightly.

"It would be my heart."

Was this actually happening? She felt her body relax once his hands slid behind her waist, comfort reassuring her that she was in safe hands. Yes, this was definitely not a dream. He rested his forehead against hers and Marinette stared at those green eyes that belonged to a prince.

"Adrien," Marinette said, a laugh of disbelief.

"I am in love with you too, Princess."

Once their lips touched, it felt as if the world was exploding. A whole series of thoughts passed through Marinette's head in that moment, but the second he moved his hands to her spine, her mind had become blank.

~|~|~|~

A/N: *squishes everything together at once* Need to finish this fanfic because there's only a few chapters left. Uhm, no pressure (note the sarcasm).

Woah, that was a long chapter. Okay, let me know what you thought about '11~~Protection' in the comments below 💬👇
I'mma just slide in a sin scene in the next update, if that's okay... because that's one of the main reasons y'all reading this book right now and this is a sin book for a reason.
What did you think of the kiss?
Excited for the 'scene'?
Should I probably add Emma is the midst of it all?
Lastly, I would like to say thank you for the reads, votes, comments and everything! You guys are miraculous!

12~~ Closer