Fun fact, the next blue moon is on the 31st of January, 2018. Yeah.

The fading sunlight provided more than enough light in the empty dance studio. The floor which normally shone was dotted with faint footprints of ballet shoes after three long hours of practice. The ballet students had a performance in a month, so all were working hard.

Marinette left her bag at the door to the studio and padded over to the music player, a disc in her hand. Marinette was easily the best ballerina at the studio, but refused to admit it, always constantly encouraging and teaching others. After the class ended and everyone left, every now and then, she'd put in her own music and dance her own way. Without the spotlights of the club, Miraculous, and without her Ladybug face-paint and outfit

She put the disc in the player and played it.

"Mmh, mmh, mmh, mmh (ah) Mmh mmh mmh mmh (ah) Mmh." She started with a pose, arm over her head and the other hand holding her wrist, hip cocked and one knee bent. She moved her shoulders up and down and got ready for the rest of the dance. 

"Hey baby 
Tell me your name
I got a fever for you
I just can't explain
But there's just one problem
I'm a bit old school
When it comes to lovin'
I ain't chasing you." She whirled around, only building up the dance by stepping forward and moving her body in waves.

"Ain't waiting
I'm on a roll
You've got to let yourself go." She then waved her hands as she bent her knees, lowering herself to the floor only to pull herself back up.

"Oh (talk to me)
You know that I've been waiting for you (and I noticed you, too)
Don't leave me standing all by myself (I won't leave you standing all alone)
'Cause I ain't looking at no one else (oh, baby)."

"Hey,
Get your back off the wall
Don't you get comfortable
Looking so hot," She suddenly changed the dramatic of the song by folding her arms and simply moving her shoulders in time to the beat.

"I think that I might fall (woo!)
Feeling like it's my birthday
Like Christmas day came early
Just what I want
So when we move
You move." That's when she exploded into the difficult moves - like supporting her entire body on one arm and pushing off that one arm back onto her feet where she bends her knees and is messily graceful in her movements.

She was oblivious to how her partner in ballet and the club, Adrien Agreste, although he was in his Chat Noir outfit, had stayed back to practice a dance and was now watching her, leaning on the door frame, with a light smile on his face.

"Hey
Get your back off the wall
Don't you get comfortable
Looking so hot
I think that I might fall
Feeling like it's my birthday
Like Christmas day came early
Just what I want
So when we move
You move." At this point, Marinette couldn't resist singing along with a huge grin on her face. This was her time, her song, her stage, and she would take this chance to have fun and relax. After all, Chloe was particularly difficult today.

"Oh silly
Why you afraid?
Don't be a big baby
Quit playing games
And put your arms around me
You know what to do
And we can take it down low.

"Oh
You know that I've been waiting for you (for you!)
Don't leave me standing all by myself (myself!)
Cause I ain't looking at no one else (looking at no one else, looking at no one else)
(hey yeah oh).

"Hey
Get your back off the wall
Don't you get comfortable
Looking so hot
I think that I might fall
Feeling like it's my birthday
Like Christmas day came early
Just what I want
So when we move
You move." Marinette noticed Chat Noir by the wall, and allowed her grin to grow because of how appropriate this song was becoming. 

"Get your back off the wall
Don't you get comfortable
Looking so hot (yeah!)
I think that I might fall
Feeling like it's my birthday
Like Christmas day came early (early! Yeah)
Just what I want
So when we move
You move." She made eye contact with the blond and winked, folding her arms into a pose.

"I know that you wanna
But you can't cause you gotta
Stay cool in the corner
When the truth is that you wanna move
So move." At this point, she had a slight smirk on her face. Chat chuckled as she continued dancing, this time clearly gesturing towards him. 

"I know that you wanna
But you can't cause you gotta
Stay cool in the corner
When the truth is that you wanna move
So move!" The moment she sang that, she spun away from him and swung her arms to grab her signature ribbons, and bringing them into her dance.

"Move it baby, oh!
You know that I've been waiting for you (ooh!)
Don't leave me standing all by myself
Cause I ain't looking at no one else
Looking at no one else
Looking at no one else." She once again waved Chat over, trying to get him to join in the dance. He heaved a sigh mockingly and moved to join her, to which she easily adapted. 

"Hey! Hey!
I'm ready, hey!
Boy come and get me
Don't be scared
Show me what you do
Don't you know a girl
Like a boy who moves?" She flicked his chin as he supported her, arms around her waist and along her leg, both of them low to the ground. Marinette flipped over him, forcing him to follow through and land with him bending his knees in a way that his torso was parallel to the ground and she was supporting herself with a hand and lying on his chest, legs in the air and grinning at his very close face.

"Hey! Hey!
I'm ready, hey!
Boy come and get me
Don't be scared
Show me what you do
Don't you know a girl
Like a boy who moves?" At this point she had leaped off him and pull him up too, only to land in a hand-stand, elbows supporting her as she jumped back onto her feet.

"Hey,
Get your back off the wall
Don't you get comfortable
Looking so hot
I think that I might fall
Feeling like it's my birthday
Like Christmas day came early
Just what I want
So when we move
You move." They were now performing like they did at the club - but Chat didn't know she was Ladybug, his partner, and she didn't know he was Adrien, her ballet partner.

"Hey! Hey! I'm ready, hey!
Boy come and get me
Don't be scared
Show me what you do
Don't you know a girl
Like a boy who moves!" They finished with Marinette on her toes, leaning back so her head was upside-down and facing Chat, while he held her arms and stared back at her face.

"Well that was certainly fun, Princess." Chat grinned, his black face-paint already dripping slightly from his sweat. Marinette knew he was referring to her usual top, which was a long sleeved pink sweater with 'Princess' in cursive, and returned the grin.

"That it was, kitty cat, especially once that song was getting entirely appropriate for the situation." She laughed as he flushed slightly red and moved to replace her ribbons, and get a drink of water. "Water?" He nodded, and she handed him a cup.

"Did you just inadvertently call me hot?" He said with a smirk as he took a sip and recalled some of the lyrics. Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Maybe, but you know you're hot, so that really doesn't matter, pretty boy." She poked his nose and went to get her music out, sliding the disc back in its case and putting it back in her dancer bag. "What are you doing here, anyway? I can't imagine you'd put on that disguise just to watch me dance."

He shrugged and laid an arm over her shoulders after she slung her bag on. "I have a solo dance to practice and I'm going to the club right after this. You wanna come with me? I could use some company, especially seeing as Ladybug won't be there." He winked at her. She giggled. Of course Ladybug  won't be there, she was planning to go there as Marinette and join Alya and Nino for a night.

"I made plans to go with Alya and Nino, excuse me, Lady Wifi and the Bubbler," she let out a quiet laugh at their names. "But sure, I'll let you tag along." She suddenly frowned. "Actually, do you mind if I stop at home so I can change?"

Chat chuckled. "I don't mind, Princess. Don't look so distressed. In fact, I'll even escort you there."

She scoffed, playfully folding her arms. "Is that just a way to see my apartment?" He smiled.

"Maybe." He grinned as Marinette lightly slapped his arm before tugging on it.

"It's this way." 

As they walked, they chatted (heh) and joked, laughing and groaning at puns and stories. Some would stop and stare at them, I mean, a guy dressed up as a cat was walking with a random girl, wouldn't you stare? But the two were so wrapped up in each other that they wouldn't notice.

"And don't get me started on Alya and Nino's relationship. They so obviously like each other, flirt all the time and then they don't do anything about it! It's so frustrating! Me and Adrien talk about it all the time!" Marinette was currently ranting about how some people in her troupe needed to get together. She had mentioned Max and Kim, Rose and Juleka, and now Alya and Nino. Chat took note that she didn't mention him.

"And what about Adrien? Who'd you think he needs to get with?" Chat smirked as Marinette blushed pink.

"I don't know who he likes, but I sincerely hope he doesn't go for Chloe." She shuddered at the mention of the blond brat. "Honestly, either she changes or she's better off alone." He grinned.

"That I can agree to. Did you know she goes to Club Miraculous every now and then? Calls herself Ladybug's biggest fan." At his words, Marinette rolled her eyes.

"Of course she does. She goes on and on about how I should be more like Ladybug, of course she'd go and watch her. I wouldn't be surprised if Ladybug disliked her as much as I do."

"Speaking of, why don't you like Chloe?" Chat's eyebrows furrowed as Marinette glanced at him incredulously.

"Have you seen Chloe? She acts like she owns the world and everybody on it, she constantly puts down everyone and acts like she's never done anything wrong, she manipulates the instructors by using her father's position as Mayor as a threat! The only reason she got into the studio is because her dad pulled strings, she doesn't have any real talent." Marinette ticked things off of her fingers as she listed them. Chat nodded but continued.

"Yeah, but there's something that started hate. Otherwise you'd just ignore her." He nudged her shoulder. "Come on, we're friends. You can tell me."

Marinette sighed. "Chloe and I used to be friends. She wasn't as bad back then as she is now. But... one day, she wanted to go on a piece of play equipment. The swings. I was on one, and told her she could go on after me. Being spoiled as she was, she wanted to go on right then and told me I should get off to let her on. When I didn't..." She trailed off, tears pricking at her eyes.

Chat noticed this and rubbed her arm comfortingly. "It's okay, she isn't here now." He murmured softly, getting her to glance up at him.

She smiled gratefully, taking a breath before continuing. "She waited until she could reach me, then... pushed me. And kept pushing me, even with me screaming at her to stop. I fell off eventually, and broke my arm and my leg. She didn't say sorry, just sneered and went on the swing." She dropped the smile as Chat sucked in a breath. "I didn't get over my fear of heights for years, and I'm still not over what she did to me."

Chat frowned. "She actually did that? And got away scot-free?" He growled, to which Marinette placed a hand on his arm, calming him down.

"Don't do anything to her. She doesn't deserve it." She smiled lightly as he relaxed, and lead him into a building. "My apartment's in here."

They went up to the 12th floor, and she opened the door to her and Alya's apartment. 

Inside was amazing. Marinette's creative streak had come in handy, as they had decorated it themselves. In every room there was a feature wall, which started the whole theme of the room. The living room was obviously Parisian, the feature wall painted with an image of the Eiffel Tower, and every trinket was picked to fit with the theme. Copper wire light fixtures and colours of the sunset were the most obvious, but other decorations were more subtle, like the lamps that curved out, like the Tower itself. 

The apartment had never ceased to amaze Adrien, and Chat Noir was no less, staring in awe. "Are you sure this isn't a display home?" Marinette laughed and went down the hall. 

"Look around, but don't touch my mannequin!" She hollered, earning an absent nod as he turned his attention to said mannequin. It had an exquisite dress adoring it. It was a light silver high-neck trumpet dress, covered with delicate lace that sparkled like crystals embroidered on the material and had a tulle train. As a model, Adrien knew it must have taken ages to complete.

"Princess, did you hand make this dress?" He almost touched the tulle before remembering her warning.

"Yup. Don't touch, I have to turn it in to my design class in a week." She came out tying her hair into a high ponytail, and Chat was left slightly breathless and slightly flustered. She was wearing a pair of pink denim shorts, with long pockets sticking out from under the hem. She also wore a crop top, similar to the sweater she was wearing earlier, except it was black with a pink tiara in the middle. Her pretty eyes were framed by a swirling pattern, probably drawn with hot pink and royal purple eyeliners, and iridescent glitter. "Come on, kitty cat, we have places to be."

"U-uhh... yup."

She giggled, flicking his bell as she walked past. "What happened to your usual articulate self?" (HERCULES REFERENCE)

"Uhh..."

"Exactly."

~*~

Miraculous was pumping with music, as usual. Chat Noir had cheesily introduced her as Princess, to which she rolled her eyes and giggle every time he mentioned it. DJWifi, found together at the bar, had greeted the blond before fist bumping Marinette, going on and on about how awesome that place was and how she should come more often.

And that was when the first clue dropped.

"I could've been coming here longer than you, just wearing a different costume and mask, and you'd never know." 

Chat Noir blinked several times, digesting the implications of that statement. Lady Wifi and the Bubbler immediately asked her a million and one questions, which she deflected with ease, but Chat's mind was sent to his partner. Marinette could be Ladybug and nobody would know!

ChatNoir.exe has crashed. Would you like to restart the program? (THE GOOGLE SUGGESTION FOR ChatNoir.exe IS CHATTAHOOCHEE WHAT EVEN IS CHATTAHOOCHEE

IT'S A RIVER

A RIVER)

Marinette chose to restart the program by tipping a glass of water over him. He jerked up with a yelp, scowling at her. "Rude, just rude, Princess." She laughed, the sound ringing like a bell among her friends.

"You are not taking any cat naps on my watch." She winked and slid off her stool. "I'm going to watch some of the dancers. Come find me after you've rebooted." With the second flick of his bell that night, she sauntered away, a delicate hand on her swaying hips. 

In that moment, Adrien knew he was completely and totally screwed. You weren't supposed to drool over someone while you were in love with someone else! You weren't supposed to have vivid daydreams about an extraordinary normal girl while you loved a normally extraordinary girl! Ugh. Why did he have to have a thing for blue eyed, black haired girls?

Stop. Wait a minute. (fill my cup put some liquor in it)

Ladybug and Marinette had blue eyes and black hair. Ladybug and Marinette were unnervingly good at teasing him. Ladybug and Marinette were short, slim and curvy. 

He got up to try and find Marinette, only to see her... completely wrecking Queen Bee in a dance-off.

Ladybug and Marinette were awesome dancers and had a grudge against Chloe. 

Well, shit.

Adrien was royally screwed, and not in the way he wanted. (wink wink) And now that he knew who she was, he would have to tell her who he was! Why was life so complicated?!

Well, he had one less problem. He was actually in love with one person instead of two. Now how to break it to her...

(what even is this so far I originally planned this to be angst and fluff and just plain old Marichat but it's slowly turning into trash)

~*~

It well past midnight, 3 in the morning to be precise. The four friends with melting masks of mixed paint and sweat had called a taxi, dropping off everyone one by one. Well, actually, it was two by two. Alya was staying with Nino and Chat still needed to talk to Marinette. Marinette and him were responsible drinkers, both only having a couple of light drinks, unlike the currently completely drunk Alya and Nino. 

Chat paid for the taxi, despite Marinette's protests, and helped her out of the cab. 

"Is there any reason why the kitty cat is sticking around?" Marinette nudged his shoulder playfully, jerking him out of his thoughts.

"Uh, yeah, actually. I, um, need to talk to you."

Marinette's grin melted away into concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just... can I tell you a story?" Chat took her hand and pulled her towards a bench underneath the stars. She sat patiently as he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Once upon a time... there was a boy. His mother and father, well, together they were wonderful people. Loving, caring, all around amazing parents. They would dance together, they would play music, they would joke and laugh and smile. The mother would bake cookies, and the father would pull her into a dance while they were in the oven. The little boy loved his father and mother a lot. But..." He trailed off, suddenly hesitant to reveal such a thing to her. He had never told anyone about this before, and letting someone know, now after all these years, it was... terrifying.

"Chat, it's okay." She interrupted his thoughts and doubts, placing a hand on his with a soft smile. "It's just me."

He smiled back gratefully, gripping her hand in his. "But the mother disappeared one night." At her soft gasp, his smile slipped away once more. "His father was never the same. He became overbearing, controlling and cold. He stopped dancing and forced his son to dance instead. His son was eager to please, eager to put a smile back on his father's face. So he tried his best, practiced endlessly. But nothing he did would ever make his father smile." He was unaware of the hot tears beginning to drip down his cheeks. "Years went by like this, dancing ballet and only ballet in the hope that one day, his father would smile. Until... until he met a man named Plagg."

Marinette sucked in a breath. Plagg was the co-owner of Miraculous.

"Plagg talked of a club, a club where you could hide your face and disappear beneath a mask. Let you inhibitions go, become who you want. So the boy, now 15 going on 16, tired of being controlled by his father and tired of trying so hard, he asked if he could join. So he donned a mask and joined as the Chat Noir, symbol of the bad luck that had seemed to plague his life for so long." He let out a dry chuckle. Marinette clutched his hand tighter. "And then... he met a girl."

Ladybug.

"She was... confident and playful and fun and bursting with this energy, this happiness... I admired that because she was everything I wished I was. She was allowed to make mistakes, but she didn't. She was amazing. And I... the boy... for the boy who had been controlled for so long, someone who had no desire to manipulate him, well... what else could he do?" His voice cracked. "He loved to be near her, he loved to talk to her, but most of all, he loved to watch her dance. Because she would dance with an energy and emotion he hadn't seen for a long time. She... she reminded him of his mother."

"Chat..." A barely audible whisper escaped her mouth.

"A year went on, and while he tried to find her, she would always manage to stay two steps ahead. By now, he'd memorised all her moves, every dance, because he loved to watch her more than anything."

Memorised... her moves... damn it!

"And he loved her. One day, he met another girl."

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit.

"She had just as much fire in her as L- the other girl, but was... softer. More human. More loving. The boy would be lying if he said he didn't have a small crush on her too. He found himself longing for the two girls to be one and the same. But that wasn't his luck - it couldn't be that perfect, could it?" He smiled, gentle and loving, but still staring at the ground. "Then he saw her dance. And in his heart, he knew - the one he'd been looking for had been right behind him the whole time."

"Chat, who are you?" 

His head jerked up to see Marinette standing in front of him, eyes hard and jaw set and arms folded. Her stance was strong and powerful, but still held a softness behind that facade over her face. 

"It's only fair, if you've figured out who I am, that I know who is behind my partner's mask."

Her lips quirked into a warm smile. 

He returned it.

"I am your partner both without the mask and with.

I am the one you trust to catch you whether it's at the club or on the stage.

I am completely, head over heels in love with you.

I am yours."

"... Adrien?"

"Oui, ma belle aime?"

"Je t'aime aussi."

ugh i feel like that slowly turned really crappy and i don't know how to fix it. whatever. here ya go