"Ch....Chat?" Marinette shakily called, trying to twist the doorknob once more. "Have you found the key?" She didn't dare fully turn away from the akuma in her room, the half spider, half human creature that was tying up her parents.

"I can't find it, Princess!" He yelled back, sounding panicked and scared beyond belief. Marinette closed her eyes, feeling a shudder wrack her body, opening them to see keys dangling from her unconscious mother's finger.

"You can stop looking, I know where it is, and you're not getting it any time soon." She sighed, resting her other hand on the wooden door as she heard footsteps approach the door. "I... I don't know what to do, Chat." She choked out, tears forming at her eyes. "I'm scared."

"I... I am too, Princess. I promise, I'll find a way to save you." She heard his voice, sounding like it came from just the other side of the heavy wood. Please, save me.

He was standing, helpless, a hand pressed to the door as if he could feel hers through the three-inch thick slab. Already used cataclysm, no windows in that room, no keys... Damn it, she's counting on you!

"Chat... it's noticed me." Her trembling voice only struck even more fear through him. "It's... I'm not going to get out in time."

"No, no, no, Marinette, you'll get out, just... stall for time. Please." He rested his forehead against the door as he released his transformation, letting Plagg recharge. "I don't want to lose you."

He sounded so broken, so fragile and so small, it reminded her how young he was. How young they both were, yet they were still destined to save the world, save their city. The saviours of Paris, a couple of teenagers terrified to lose anyone. Terrified to lose their friends, family and loved ones. Terrified to lose each other.

The human-spider-creature thing approached, blinking its eight huge, blank eyes and seemed to stretch its fingers out, testing the air. Its long, spindly legs tapped against the polished floor, giving off black mist that swirled menacingly across the surface, reaching like hands towards her feet. Marinette closed her eyes and willed herself to be still, still as a statue. Playing dead. Do spiders see movement, or was that the T-Rex from Jurassic Park? How would she get out of this?

"Please... save me..." She whispered, voice thin and raspy and shaking in terror, pressing against the door behind her.

She fell backwards.

Into strong arms.

Marinette sucked a breath in and tore her gaze away from the monster, gazing at her hero. He was staring at the monster, no trace of fear in his handsome face, oh no, he was furious. His iridescent, enchanting green eyes blazing with a ferocity unlike anything she had ever seen, his mouth set in a determined scowl... until he looked down at her.

In an instant, every ounce of anger melted away from his expression, leaving behind only a relieved gentleness, and an aching, burning new feeling she had never seen before. She smiled softly up at him, reaching up to trace his jawline lightly with her hand, cupping his cheek, before rolling out of his arms to collide with the ground. She pushed herself up and stood behind Chat Noir as he spun his staff in front of him. She only just managed to make out what he growled at the akuma.

"You'll pay for making her afraid."

~*~

All was quiet, calm, in the cold Parisian night. The akuma of the day had been cleansed by Ladybug, having shown up late, and the spotted heroine had gotten quite the talking to from Chat Noir, berated for showing up late and endangering his Prin- three citizens. Marinette now sat on her balcony, with two blankets and two mugs of hot cocoa, one of each warming herself. She was hopeful he would show up so she could thank him properly.

She stared at the stars, watching them each shine, shimmer and glimmer against the night sky. A smile rested on her face, happy to be safe in her home, her parents lively as ever, lights still flickering from the bakery downstairs and voices wafting up, her father's joyful singing echoing throughout the house, mingling with her mother's laughter. It truly was a beautiful night.

"Wait up for me, did you?" A voice with a teasing and cocky tone to it came from behind her. Her smile grew.

"And what would you say if I did, Chat?" She turned around to be faced with the blond superhero, leaning against the wall comfortably, that ever present smirk on his face. But there was something sincere about this expression, something hiding just beneath the surface that was a genuine smile, calling out a true content. He pushed off the brick and moved to lean on the railing of the balcony beside her.

"I would ask, 'Why would you wait up for an alley cat like me?'" He threw her a grin that subtly contained a small sadness, betraying his insecurity. She grabbed the nearby mug and handed him the warm drink.

"Because you're not just any alley cat." She answered softly, an earnest smile gracing her features. He seemed to be taken aback with surprise before he relaxed, letting out a laugh and sipping the cocoa.

"Ah, Princess, you seem to be the only one who thinks that." His smile dropped, eyes downcast. "Ladybug showed up late today, yet she still got all the credit. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just a sidekick."

"I don't care about Ladybug."

Her words pulled his head up as easily as a hand, glowing emerald eyes wide and mouth open in shock. She simply smiled at him.

"My best friend loves her enough for the both of us, I guess." With a roll of her eyes and a slightly bitter smile, she took a sip from her mug. "But Ladybug isn't who I look up to."

"W...why not?" He paused, while eager for her to answer, hesitant to hear an answer he didn't like.

"There's someone better." She looked up to the stars once more, the lights reflecting in her eyes as blue as day. "There's someone kinder, braver, stronger, passionate, funnier, friendlier, smarter, and so much more deserving than she'll ever be. That person, he's my hero. My knight in shining armour, always there to save the day. He fights for the people, he fights for his friends, he fights for me and he fights for her. He's more real, more loyal, more... more miraculous than she is. No, Ladybug doesn't come close to my hero." She finally glanced at him, practically radiating affection as she stared into his glassy eyes. "Chat Noir, Ladybug doesn't come close to you. My hero."

He closed his mouth, lips curling upwards, set down his mug and pulled her close to his chest. She sighed contentedly and wrapped her arms around him after placing her mug down too. Snuggling into his chest, she inhaled the familiar scent of pine and cheese. He set his chin on top of her head, enjoying the way she fit snugly against him like a puzzle piece.

"While I'm here confessing things, may I confess one other thing?" Marinette mumbled, lifting her head to look at him. He quirked an eyebrow, silently approving her request. "I really shouldn't be, because there are so many risks, so many dangers and so many variables, but I am falling in love with you." She whispered, listening as his heart sped up and his breathing quickened.

He couldn't believe his ears, he couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. Did she really mean it? Would he ever know?

Would he simply trust her words?

"It's impossible not to, and I've tried, I really have, but I'm falling in love with you and I can't ignore it any longer. And I'm sorry if it's hard on you, because you love Ladybug and you always have." She let out a small chuckle. "It's hard on me too, because I've had a crush on this guy in my class named Adrien for the longest time and I don't know if I'll ever truly get over him." She closed her eyes, a swift lightness invading her head, letting out another sigh, this one filled with a deep sadness and longing. "What a happy life I could've had if I'd simply not put on those earrings."

She pulled away from him, wiping at her teary eyes. He felt cold without her warmth against him, but even the sudden chill couldn't wipe the smile from his face. He just stared at her, grinning with the greatest happiness in the world. "How did I manage to do that?" He let out a laugh at her confused expression. "How in the world did I manage to make the same beautiful, amazing girl fall for me twice?"

Her cerulean eyes widened as she absorbed the implications. "W-what?" He laughed again.

"Plagg, claws in!"

With a bright green flash, the person in front of her changed from the lovable hero she adored to the memorable classmate she pined after. Chat Noir had reverted back into Adrien Agreste, who stood there with the sweetest, most genuine smile on his face as he gazed into her eyes. She gasped, covering her mouth, tears overcoming her eyes more rapidly. With a breathless laugh, she jumped right back into his arms, embracing him in a tight hug as he lifted her off the ground and spun her in a circle.

Giggling giddily as he set her down, she beamed up at him before tugging him by the collar down to meet her lips. He was startled for barely a moment, before melting into it and cradling her in his hands.

Pulling away, she giggled again. "You were Chat this whole time?" He nodded, much to her delight. "You should probably know I'm Ladybug, then."

"What." He said flatly, mouth dropping. She laughed and gently pushed his chin up. "You mean to say, the girl I've been trying to find all this time was right behind me all along?"

"Yup." She grinned as he playfully groaned. Marinette pulled him down for a short, sweet kiss once more, watching him pull away with a dazed expression. "I love you."

He blinked, breaking into a slow smile. "I love you too."

Finished 14/07/16. 

GUESS WHO'S BACK BACK BACK BACK AGAIN GAIN GAIN CAITLYN'S BACK BACK BACK TELL YOUR FRIENDS FRIENDS FRIENDS

OKAY I will write as much as possible to try and get all those one-shots y'all are excited for out, but here's the three I finished (I have 3 more I started on holiday). Hope you enjoyed the fluff in this one!!