She was alone, as far as she knew.

There was nobody like her in the entire city, but that was a good thing. That meant they wouldn't know what to look for when searching for the cause of mysterious happenings. They wouldn't know it was her.

If she was angry, they would.

Storms whirling above her, lightning striking the ground she walked on, earthquakes shaking down nearby buildings, rain flooding the streets, tornadoes and cyclones forming in the air, sweeping up every tree and leaf, fire erupting from the ground.

She was a walking natural disaster.

She had to move continents after her last incident.

She was the definition of the calm before the storm.

But when she wasn't a catastrophe... she was a miracle.

At a caress and a whisper, she could coax blossoms from the ground. Trees grew fruit at her desire, the wind and rain bent to her will. Animals and insects listened to her sweet melody and accompanied her on journeys and trips.

And when she sang, oh when she sang... it was truly a wonder to behold. Flowers flourished at her every step, every butterfly and firefly in the area darted to her side and illuminated her in every way, the wind blew mellifluous music through the trees. It was beautiful, a marvel, utterly spectacular. She was spectacular.

Of course, only wild animals would ever witness this phenomenon.

And her pet cat, Chat Noir.

Chat Noir was a sleek, black cat with startlingly green eyes that glowed in the night. He first joined her side in Paris, hence the French name, and since has never left her side, except when she had to go to school. She listened to him talk sometimes, which would only sound like a series of meows, purrs and growls to anyone else. He had the most hilarious tales to tell, and quite a few involved her, although he usually weaved her in as a heroine or goddess. Whenever he did, he would always be rewarded with ten minutes of unadulterated attention.

She had overheard him mumbling something this morning, something about wishing to be human around her so he could be with her properly, whatever that had meant.

"Marinette! Are you even listening?"

And back to the real world.

"No, Chloe, I was not listening to yet another of your lectures of how worthless I am and how terrible at everything I am." Marinette sighed and shifted her weight onto her left leg, longing for some sunlight. "If Your Royal Highness would excuse me, I'll be going." She swerved past the blond bully known as Chloe, who scowled for the thirty-eighth time that morning. Not that she was counting.

Making her way to the library, she kept her head down, mumbling apologises to anyone she bumped into. Marinette had always been invisible, barely noticed by anyone who didn't see her regularly. She faded into the background, she melted into the shadows. Which was a good thing, should anyone find out about her powers, but it was lonely sometimes.

Entering the quiet room filled with shelves of books, she meandered through corridors framed by novels, interestedly looking at covers and titles that captured her attention. But books, however amazing, were not what she came for.

The library was a special place. At the very back, behind dusty bookshelves filled with texts on mythological creatures of lost religions, there was a trapdoor in the ceiling, and an old ladder that was constantly leaning against the wall. Through that trapdoor was a room, wooden, creaky floors, cobwebs and spiders and insects, a high, pointed roof, and a huge stained glass window tainting yellow sunlight a kaleidoscope of colours and a single white rose that glowed in the dark. It was the epitome of peace and calm, still and quiet. It was a small paradise hidden in a fast world of noise and movement.

For Marinette, it was a safe house.

She silently stepped across the wooden planks, instincts telling her which would creak and disturb the silence, and settled herself in the rainbow light spilling through the magnificent glass artwork. She placed a box beside her, which held a salad, and focused her attention on the rose. Inhaling, she cupped the bud in her palms and blew words of nature onto the bloom.

The rose suddenly emitted a yellow light, swirling around her and lifting her hair. Colour bled into the petals, ranging from all of shades of a fading sunset to the blues of the ocean meeting the sky to the deep royal purple in the sky at midnight when mist obscures the stars. The green stem grew thicker, stronger, as if fuelled with water and soil every day for months. It shone once she finished, as unreal as a picture from a fairytale book.

"Subtle, aren't you?" A rumbling voice echoed in her mind, belonging to a familiar black cat, emerald eyes blazing in a dark corner of the room.

She smiled, the movement lighting up her face. "Hello, mon chaton." He stalked towards her, pausing once to stretch his flexible body. She reached out to pet him as he curled up next to her. "What are you doing here, Chat?"

He purred at her touch, his words coming out slow and languid. "Wherever the wind blows, I follow. The wind follows my lady, so I follow my lady." She laughed softly, the sound filling the otherwise silent room.

"Whoever said cats weren't loyal has certainly never met you, mon minou." She giggled as his purr increased in volume due to her pets and praise.

"The blond girl, Chloe was it? She seems rather eager to set a storm on her home." Chat Noir growled out the name of the mentioned, disturbing Marinette with the malicious tone to his non-existent voice.

"She isn't that bad." She reassured the cat, trying to get him to relax once more.

"She deserves to have her eyes clawed out." He grumbled, reluctantly relaxing against her once more. "I am simply concerned for your safety."

She smiled affectionately, rubbing his neck. "I know how to control my anger, Chat Noir. And besides," she paused to swallow a gulp of water. "I have you to remind me of who I am, don't I?"

She didn't know, but he smiled. Chat Noir was an amalgamate, able to transform from human to cat. Two years ago, at her arrival to Paris, he had sensed a magical presence and gone out to search for it as a cat, stumbling across her dance and song in a forest clearing, and instantly fell in love with the wondrous girl. As a human, he kept a close eye on the lady of his heart, closer than she would expect at least. He longed to reveal himself to her, one of his kind, but never found the courage.

"I will always be there to protect you, my lady." He purred once more, rubbing against her side before standing and stretching. "I'll be off, and you should be too. I'll be at your balcony this evening." He padded away to wherever he came from, a corner in the room, and gave her one last lingering look as she smiled her dazzlingly beautiful smile at him once more.

"See you later, chaton." She whispered aloud, standing up herself, collecting her things and moving down to descend the ladder.

He watched the space she once occupied for a moment, dreaming that he'd revealed himself and explained himself and she accepted him, but jolted back to reality as the warning bell sounded. Almost silently, he crept over to the window, which was open a crack, and leaped down to the back of the school. Once safe on the ground, he transformed into Adrien Agreste, model and student seated directly in front of Marinette, the object of his heart. With a love-struck sigh, he swiftly walked around the building to weave between people, making his way to class once more.

Marinette seated herself beside Alya, the only girl she talked with, removing her things from her bag and waiting patiently for the teacher. As per usual, Nino came in, waving at Alya and ignoring her, followed by Chloe, who regarded her with a sneer, Sabrina, ignoring her too, and finally Adrien. Adrien had always fascinated Marinette somewhat for the sole reason that he seemed to be fascinated with her. Every day, he helped her as much as he could, saving her from Chloe's wrath or picking up the spilt contents of her bag, as well as making conversation with her, not minding her quiet voice or her tendency for silence. He always greeted her with a smile and a wave, and until now, has never been called out for it.

Just as he waved to her, earning a shy smile and a nod in return, Nino turned to him, brow furrowed in confusion. "Are you two friends?" He looked between the two, barely noticing how Marinette paled and withered at the sudden attention. She had never dealt with attention very well, being used to blending in to the background constantly, and Nino's loud voice had attracted the notice of a few more of their classmates.

Adrien glanced at her worriedly, ignoring Nino's question for a moment. "Are you okay?" He asked gently, emerald eyes shimmering with concern. She let out a breath and a shaky smile.

"I will be." Her melodic voice held a light and easy lilt, informing him not to worry. He seemed to receive the message, turning back to Nino.

"I'd like to think we're friends." He once more turned his eyes to her, this time hopeful and asking, almost like a puppy begging to play. Or a cat.

Letting out a small laugh at the thought of her cat with puppy-dog eyes, she nodded. "Either we're friends or as close to it as you can get." Her normally quiet and timid voice now was louder, clearer and more confident. Nino looked slightly taken aback but eventually laughed.

"Well, I can't exactly call you the mysterious lone wolf of the school anymore, now can I?" He grinned, satisfied when his comment earned another chuckle from the introverted blunette. Alya then piped up.

"She was never a loner, she always had me. Get your facts straight, Nins." She threw a smile at Marinette and slung an arm around her shoulders, not knowing how the warm feeling in Marinette's heart spread like water throughout her body. She may be alone in that she was one-of-a-kind, but she wasn't truly alone. "Guess you can't hide in the library anymore, huh? You're now obligated to come hang out with us, your friends."

Marinette's mouth dropped open into a surprised 'o' shape before twisting into a smile. "Well darn, I was aiming to be the mysterious lone wolf 'til the ends of my days." She clicked her tongue, suppressing a grin as Alya snorted with laughter. "I may never be a cliché again."

Alya nudged her with her elbow. "Don't worry, it was just a phase, dear." The four of them laughed at the accurate imitation of every parent ever.

There was an unidentifiable warmth in Marinette's heart, spilling out like mist curling through her blood and flesh. It felt safe, tranquil, like a hot spring in the depths of a dense rainforest. It filled every inch of her being, leaving her fingertips tingling, and it didn't seem to be dissipating. She bit her lip, glancing momentarily at the three friends who had accepted her into their group filled with laughter and teasing and fun.

She decided this feeling had no use dwelling on, and that she should focus on her new... friends.

Friends.

She'd previously assumed she's only ever have her family and Chat Noir for the rest of her life. She'd never let herself think about the possibility of friendship. Now... she wasn't any more alone than her friends.

~*~

She let out a sigh of contentment, stretching her arms above her head and basking in the gentle sunlight. School had finished around fifteen minutes ago, and she had two hours to do as she pleased before her parents insisted on her presence at home. She sat at the edge of a fountain at a local park, simply enjoying the outside world before resigning herself to a life indoors.

"You there!"

At least, she was planning to simply enjoy the outside world, but apparently, life turns plans up on their heads, and someone else decided she should do something. (twenty one pilots)

Cracking open an eye, she watched as a very French photographer, with a striped shirt, red neckerchief, and a moustache, approached her, brown eyes set on her bluebell orbs. "Yes?" She smiled politely, trying to take what little delight she could from the rays of sunlight hitting her back.

The photographer gasped dramatically, hand almost hiding the upturned corners of his mouth, but not nearly concealing the sparkle in his eye. "I need you to help with Monsieur Gabriel's photoshoot. You would be perfect with Monsieur Adrien!" He then held his fingers together in the shape of a frame. "Have you ever considered becoming a model? You are very photogenic."

Her back straightened. "Adrien?" She questioned, glancing towards a set up in near the trees. Sure enough, there was the tall blonde boy standing, a makeup artists carefully brushing his cheeks.

"You know him? Great! You will work well together! Now come!" The photographer gestured for her to follow him as he practically bounded back towards his set. Startled out of her peaceful reverie, she abruptly stood and trailed with a resigned sigh.

"Why do I even try?" She muttered as Adrien took notice of her. With a bashful smile, she lifted a hand to wave as the photographer talked at a million miles per hour to makeup artists and a wardrobe handler. He instantly beamed, excitement shining in his eyes as she approached. "Hey." She said timidly, earning a brighter smile from the boy.

"Hey there." He couldn't tear his eyes away from her, admiring her beauty in the dappled sunlight underneath the leaves of the tree. Her eyes glittered, skin practically glowed in the crisp air, and soft, pink lips curled in a small smile. "He picked you, I'm guessing?"

Marinette nodded, tugging a little at her sleeve. "Yeah. Apparently I'm photogenic." She shrugged her shoulders, letting her arm hang by her side. "Whatever that means."

"Means you look really good in photos." 'But you always look gorgeous, so there's no surprise.' He added in thought.

Marinette's eyes went wide and a light blush invaded her face. "Uhm, thanks." She dropped her gaze to the ground and shuffled her foot slightly. Adrien groaned.

"I said that aloud, didn't I?" His flat voice earned an amused nod from her, and a small giggle when he slapped his forehead. "Well, it's the truth, so pretend I meant to say that." He opened his eyes to see his lady with a shy smile pulling at her lips as she gazed at him, and the sight took his breath away. He couldn't help the love-sick smile that grew on his face, completely enraptured by her beauty.

A moment of comfortable silence passed before she was whisked away to change into a set of designer clothes. He sighed absently, daydreaming of scenarios where she fell for him and he took her out on a date and they got married and lived together and had three kids named Emma, Hugo and Louis and they had a cat and a hamster and... okay this was getting obsessive. But what can a cat do? He'd been pining after her for two years.

He waited barely fifteen minutes before she came back. And not for the first time, and certainly not the last, Adrien found himself speechless.

Yes, she was undeniably gorgeous without makeup or stylish clothing. Yes, she managed to make him star-struck every day without batting an alluring eye. Yes, she could've vastly overtaken him in the model industry.

None of these facts mattered the moment he saw her.

Every single flaw, no matter how endearing or loveable, was brushed away. Her lashes curled up, longer and thicker, drawing attention to her stunning eyes. Her natural blush was still prominent, only now it was amplified. Her hair, normally pulled back in two adorable twin tails, now hung in soft curls, brushing her shoulders. Her perfect, pink lips were filled out with a stark red, contrasting against her pale skin, making her look just that much more kissable.

And that was just her face.

The dress they put her in, oh, that was just unfair. The tight bodice hugged her curves, sweetheart neckline just bordering between revealing and modest, the skirt spilling out like water to reveal smooth, toned legs. Red splashed across her skin, the long sleeves slightly too long, touching at the bottom of her palm, making her seem like Snow White, blood red lips and skin as white as snow and raven hai- well, blue hair. And there was the addition of being absolutely gorgeous.

He had a feeling he would enjoy this photoshoot much more than an average day.

"Adrien?" Her sweet voice cut through his thoughts like a knife through butter, washing waves over the coast of his mind. In an instant, his photoshoot was forgotten as his head was filled with only his princess.

"Uh-h, yeah?"

"You're staring."

"O-oh! I-uh, I'm sorry, heh." He rubbed the back of his neck, internally bristling and cursing the heat he could feel enveloping his skin like a turtleneck. "Y-you just look... really beautiful." His smile felt much too bashful and his face felt much too open, but the sight of her azure eyes widen and her cheeks grow slightly pinker than they were was worth the exposure.

"Oh! Umh, thanks." She shifted her petit foot and bit her lip, which should have been illegal considering how adorable and contradictorily sinful that made her look.

"Okay! Monsieur Adrien, and... I'm sorry, what was your name again?" Vincent, the photographer, ruined the moment and simultaneously fuelled his blush by ushering both of them together towards the area of the shoot. He let out a small sigh, oblivious to the quizzical glance from Marinette beside him before she answered Vincent's question.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng, monsieur." The sweet sound of her songbird-like voice at least pulled him back into focus.

"Mademoiselle Marinette, merci. Now, Monsieur Adrien and Mademoiselle Marinette, the look we are going for is light and natural for the upcoming Spring Show. I need playfulness, I need contentedness, I need teen love and affection! Can you do that?" Vincent, overenthusiastic as he was, threw out his arms to emphasise his words before leaning towards the two.

Marinette, as always, calmed him with a steady smile and let her luscious lips form words that were all too distracting. "I can certainly try, monsieur."

"Eccellente!" His Italian heritage came out as he pushed the two into a gazebo. "Now – Adrien, take her into your arms, as if she is your one true love and she has escaped you one too many times. Marinette, laugh as though he is tickling you and try to get free from his embrace." The eccentric photographer instructed, snapping pictures of Adrien breaking out into a grin and tickling the blue eyed beauty as told. Marinette let out a startled stream of laughter as she wriggled in his arms and pushed away, resulting in a chase around the gazebo and Vincent having the time of his life, capturing every single moment of the two, ranting about how natural they appeared and how well they worked together.

The photoshoot went on like this, and soon the two teens forgot they were in a photoshoot at all. They were just having fun, warming both their hearts in a way the spring sunlight never could.

It was like the calm before the storm.

~*~

Marinette went home with a silly grin and a spring in her step. Perhaps it was the scent of blooming flowers that brought up her mood, but every time she stopped to smell a tulip, her mind was filled with another smell that was now associated with warmth and safety. Perhaps the sunlight that was filtered through the leaves, casting a breathtaking assortment of greens against the pavement, but every time she felt the rays on her body, she could only think of a certain smile stretching on golden skin. Perhaps it was simply the thought of finally having friends, but her head was occupied with daydreams of one friend in particular.

Maybe she was drunk on the afternoon she'd had, but she couldn't think of a reason why (of which there were a multitude) having a crush on Adrien was a bad idea. She'd cross that bridge when she was thinking straight once more, she guessed.

The smell of smoke filled her nostrils.

She should've known.

Marinette's eyes widened with panic and she sprinted back home, wishing and hoping and chanting with every thundering step that her foster parents were alright, that it wasn't their quaint little patisserie, that Tom had remembered to turn off the oven, that Sabine hadn't turned off their water system for plumbing repairs today-

"PAPA, MAMAN-" She cut off her yell as she rounded the corner to see the flames devouring Tom and Sabine's Boulangerie Patisserie. Her legs stopped working, her mind stopped working, she just...

stopped.

And that's when the rain started.

~*~

Adrien glanced up at the once blue sky to see the sudden storm rolling in, fear settling in its uneasy throne once the thunder and lightning started. Such a storm... she told him, or rather Chat Noir, about this. Her emotions, they were a plague. Her powers, they were not given by God, they were a curse from a demon. She had described herself as apocalyptic, and he'd never believed it.

But that storm... it wasn't forecasted.

He transformed into his sleek feline form and bolted down the familiar route to where he knew she'd be.

~*~

She was barely aware of the rain. The ground was shaking ever so slightly, cracking around her feet while policemen tried to question her. She couldn't respond- she wouldn't respond- she couldn't hear, she couldn't breathe.

A thought occurred to her, and her eyes shot open as fast as she stood, dashing closer to the sizzling fire to see if her parents were okay.

"My parents! Are they okay?!" She shouted frantically, pulling at her hair as she whirled around to face the policeman behind her.

"Your parents? This was your house?"

"Yes! Foster parents Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng, owned this bakery and the house above, please, are they okay?!" She pleaded desperately, the rain falling harder in her panic.

"We evacuated all the customers but I'm not sure, you'll have to ask the firemen-" He couldn't finish the sentence before she tore towards one of the firemen.

"Please, did you evacuate a large man with a moustache and green eyes and a small Chinese woman with black hair?! Their names are Tom and Sabine, they're my foster parents!" The wild look of panic in her eyes elicited a startled and worried response.

"I think we evacuated a large man, but the woman you described wasn't- no, wait, what are you doing, that building is unstable!!" The fireman let out a shout of shocked alarm as she bolted inside, the ground shaking slightly more with every step. She was doing well, controlling her powers, considering the situation – but depending on the outcome of this quest, that could all change.

Marinette ran up the trembling stairs, screaming out for her maman.

All she wanted was her maman...

~*~

He shouldn't have left her alone, he shouldn't have let her alone, he shouldn't have left her alone.

The ground was shaking, a minor earthquake growing stronger every moment. At the sight of her wrecked home, he understood immediately, and weaved his way through the crowd of people to dash inside when he could not spy Marinette. She had to have gone inside to look for Tom or-or Sabine. God, the thought of them not making it-

Just find her, Adrien. Just focus on finding her.

He heard her despairing wails long before he saw her. Her screams for her mother, her tear-choked words... he followed them up the stairs and around the corner to see Sabine crushed beneath a fallen rafter and trapped by sinister flames. And... Marinette, trying in vain to free her.

MARINETTE! His mental voice, if reached her ears, did not seem to affect her. MARINETTE YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!

"NO!" Her ragged scream, broken by sobs and hoarseness. "I HAVE TO GET HER OUT!! SHE HAS TO LIVE!!"

YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET HER OUT ALONE! Chat Noir stopped suddenly. I have an idea. Hold on, milady.

Taking as deep a breath as the smoke clogging the air would allow, Chat Noir transformed.

~*~

Have to get her out, have to get her out, have to-

Familiar hands gripped the beam along with her, a familiar voice grunting as he helped her lift the beam off Sabine.

"No... time. Marinette, grab her." He wheezed, sweat glistening on his brow. Marinette chose to focus on Sabine, lifting her by the arm and letting Adrien take her other side. The three of them rushed out of the house, dodging the flames before the house and bakery collapsed.

A blur of police and ambulances later, and she, too, collapsed, the storm fading into a mere pattering of rain against sizzling wood.

~*~

He wouldn't leave her hospital room, clutching her hand as oxygen was pumped into her lungs.

"Please be okay." He whispered, over and over. It had only been a few hours, and even less time since he was allowed in her room.

Apparently an oven had been left on while Tom manned the counter, and the plumbers (who had turned off the water system to do repairs) has accidentally hit a pipe and caused a gas leak. Sabine was upstairs, and the fire trapped her inside. She had minor burns, a rib was broken from the collapsed beam as well as lack of oxygen. Marinette, not being home, of course wouldn't have known anything, but her being the person she was, she ran inside to help, sustaining minor injuries and lack of oxygen.

They didn't ask how Adrien got in there, but he has a story to say he was still inside and Marinette woke him up.

He was so tired.

Maybe a nap wouldn't hurt...

~*~

Marinette woke to find a weight on the side of her bed. After abruptly realising she was in hospital with a mask on her face, she carefully took off the mask and sat up, seeing a mop of blond hair at her side. Of course, she only knew one person with golden hair such as his, and the recent discovery of a crush (which she pushed aside while worry and fear clouded her mind) brought a blush to her cheeks.

By the rise and fall of his back, though, it appeared he was asleep. She didn't know how long he'd been asleep, but she had to know.

Because one minute, Chat Noir, her beloved cat was there... and then there was Adrien.

"Adrien?" She coughed and gently shook him. "Adrien, wake up."

"Mmm...mar...?" He mumbled, raising his head slowly to reveal half-lidded eyes and messy hair. "Mar?"

Marinette nodded, and he jolted awake suddenly, rubbing his face and running a hand through his hair. "Marinette! You're awake! I should go call the nurse-"

"No! Wait." She caught his arm and pulled him back down onto his seat. "Please..."

He took one look at her and sighed in resigned defeat. "I can't say no to those eyes." He sat back down, uncertainty dancing in his green-as-grass eyes.

"Explain." She demanded, refusing to let his uncertainty or her crush affect her tone. "What happened with Chat Noir?"

"I..." He hesitated, still unsure.

"Please, I need to know. I have to know."

He met her bluebell orbs, and with a deep breath, he finally spoke. "I am Chat Noir." Ignoring her shocked and slightly indignant expression, his eyes shut and shoulders drooped. "I'm an amalgamate, I can turn into a cat at will. I stumbled across you while in my cat form, singing in that field... and I guess I just... couldn't bring myself to leave you. I watched over you as Adrien and Chat Noir, because... it was nice to have..."

"... someone like me." Marinette finished, a teary smile on her face. "Oh, chaton. What would I have done without you?" He opened his eyes with a yelp as she pulled him down into her arms, holding him tightly as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

He contemplated telling her how he felt.

But looking down at her, shaking in his grip, hair messy and falling out of her pigtails, eyes red and glittering with hope and joy and relief and everything he loved about her, knowing that she'd just nearly lost everything...

He let it be, for now. He'd tell her his feelings later, once she'd recovered.

~*~

Maybe it was the warmth of his embrace, the arms in which she found comfort and acceptance. Maybe it was the sudden cloudiness in her mind, clouded with his smell and his feel and his eyes and his smile. Maybe it was just the shock of it all.

But she swore she could feel herself falling for him.

Maybe, just maybe, after such a shaky beginning and dramatic plot... she'd get her happily ever after.

yeah so i started this like last year and i finished it just now and i'm proud of it. good night guys (idc what time it is for you, it's night for me)