Cat Noir felt rage in him that Ladybug was still in his way and had no business in trying to stop him, no matter how long it took. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close in an attempt to kiss her again.

"Nuh-uh!" Ladybug dodged.

"You stalked me a lot, time for revenge" Cat Noir smirked before trying to claw her.

"Oh, now you wanna play rough?!" Ladybug drew her yoyo.

"Yes, I do! For messing with my job!" He missed her by punching the brick wall, "Now I'm so pissed!"

"Time to chill out!" Ladybug grips him from behind.

"Get off!" He slipped through her grip like a cat and punched her gut.

"OMPH!" Ladybug held her stomach to soothe the pain.

"Stop wasting my time" Cat Noir picks up the money sack.

"I'm....not through....yet" Ladybug groaned.

Cat Noir groans in frustration that she won't leave him alone, "How about half? I keep the half, you take the half. That way we both get what we want"

"What?" Ladybug raised a brow.

"So we're even" He tossed some euro bills to her.

"Seriously Kitty?" Ladybug was baffled.

"You won't leave my ass alone" Cat Noir scoffed.

"Well, as long as you don't kick mine," Ladybug said.

Cat Noir rolled his eyes and held out his spray paint to do his paw logo on the alley wall that Cat Noir was here and it was a message.

"There, looking pawsome as always," He said.

"Graffiti is illegal," Ladybug said before leaving.

"Not in some areas," Cat Noir said.

"Your ass is so mine for the taking when you are in prison, thief. I can haunt you beyond my nightmares!" Ladybug yelled.

"As if, Bugaboo!" Cat Noir swung away.

Ladybug can be so clueless to think he's like the rest of the criminal organization but he works for no one but himself. He's no pawn to anyone. Cat Noir was never the type to frighten innocent people like an inhuman person.

What he wants is to escape this hellhole life from his father giving him rules and orders until one day he thinks his teenage life was never that great anymore.

"Whoever's behind that mask, I hope it's no creep from my school," Ladybug said.

She headed in the other direction, looking at the bunch of euros he gave her. She asked herself why he steals things to get money. He was only a kid and could barely ask for money from his parents.

"Whoever he is, he must have parent issues," Ladybug said.

She came by the bank to drop off the money, hoping the bank people would know that she only got half of it, "I did what I could but he got away with the rest he stole from the criminal gang" She explained.

"That's fine. The cat never robs banks that often. Just regular robbers but there was one who acts like a mime to create invisible objects we can't see" The banker said.

"A mime you say?" Ladybug said.

"Yeah. Unlike regular mimes, he can mine objects rather than just gesture them. And that lady magician does all the talking" The banker said.

"She must be his accomplice," Ladybug said.

"They are hard to capture. Especially with that lady's magic spells like witchcraft, she can make inanimate objects come to life" The banker said.

"If I see them, I'll be ready," Ladybug said.

Walking out of the bank, she walks past the alley until being startled by the feline leaning against the alley wall with his arms crossed his chest.

"Argh! Come on. Do not sneak up on me like that!" Ladybug glared.

"Do you ever stop bitching about me?" Cat Noir chuckled.

"What are you doing here?" Ladybug asked.

"I know the mime and the magician. They are wanted criminals and no cop can ever catch them. Not even you. I outsmarted them once when I stole their stolen money" He puts his hood down before pulling Ladybug in the alley for a private talk.

"Are you suggesting we team up?" Ladybug guessed.

"I'm suggesting that you don't try anything suicidal, milady. Those crooks are as dangerous as I am. The mime is not just any mime. I've seen his invisible objects but they never hide from the visible shadow you see" Cat Noir explained why the mime is too dangerous to get close to, "He can mime weapons to kill you like a grenade, a gun, a knife, anything you don't know or see"

"Got it. And the magician can put spells on us" Ladybug said.

"She does all the talking. More like a witch than a magician. She's crazier than Harley Quinn style. Lucky for me, I lived to tell the tale. Like I said, I work with no criminal type. Just me and my nine lives" Cat Noir chuckled.

"I know. Well, you better not play dirty" Ladybug said.

"Meow, you think I'm crazy?" Cat Noir paced her like a predator, "Puuuuurrrrrr" He purred near her neck.

"No, but you're so unpredictable," Ladybug said.

"It's what I do. When I'm unpredictable, you have no idea what comes next" Cat Noir chuckled.

"Your claws are too predictable when you claw someone's eyes out, pussycat. Don't even think about" Ladybug was gonna punch him but he caught her wrist.

"And yet I can read your moves and I just caught your wrist" Cat Noir smirked and then blocked her kick with his upper thigh to protect his groin, "Too puuuuurrrrrrdictable"

"Just what I thought" Ladybug then reached and scratched his chin.

"Puuuuurrrrrr" He purred but he was not dumb enough to fall for it as he still moved her hand away, "Charming of you with your lovely hand but I'm a wild cat and wild cats don't like to be petted"

"You can't resist chin scratches, Kitty" Ladybug said.

"Enough" Cat Noir said.

"Okay," Ladybug replied.

"And I already told you, I'm no villain. I don't kill children or innocent people. Sometimes I do kill criminals if they try to kill me. That's another reason why black cats are bad luck" He pinned her against the wall before slowly giving her a lick on the cheek, "Meow, you taste like luck"

"Ladybugs represent luck" Ladybug replied.

"You didn't flinch. You're strong I see. It's like you do have a thing for sexy thieves" Cat Noir smirked seductively.

"Heroes don't fall in love with bad guys" Ladybug pushed him off.

"The circle of life has no rules, my dear. Change is nature" Cat Noir pinned her again, "You were so despuuuuuurate to get to know me"

"Just to get you behind bars" Ladybug blushed red.

"That I'm not in yet. Good and bad luck we both are, milady. There are times when a hero can team up with thieves. Does Batman and Catwoman ring a bell to you?" Cat Noir chuckled.

"Ah yes, even Spider-man and Black Cat," Ladybug said.

"Meow. Always watch your back" Cat Noir licked her cheek again before leaving.

"See you soon, Pussycat" Ladybug swung home.

The feline chuckled before spray-painting his logo on the wall again, letting Paris know he's the top thief in town. If any other criminal dares to kill him, they will regret it.

Ladybug arrived home and unmasked herself, laying on her loft bed, "Who the hell are you, Cat Noir? Why are you not so cold-hearted like the rest of them?" She asked herself why he never took any chance to kill her.

After switching to her night clothing, she hides her suit under her bed. She can't believe she felt no panic attacks from that kiss. She doesn't even know him but the way he kissed her, she couldn't lie to herself that she liked it but at the same time she still wants to kick his ass.

"You really are a strange guy, Kitty," She thought.

The only question is who does she like? Adrien or Cat Noir?

-

The next day was a Saturday and Marinette was heading to the park. Being aware of the crooks showing up, she'll be ready. She hates to trust a thief she barely knows but if he has known the criminal world, maybe she can learn from him well, that is if he can trust her without being thrown in jail.

"Okay, he could be anywhere" Marinette sat on a bench.

While in her thoughts, she noticed Adrien. He was trying to clear his mind from being neglected again that his father has no time for him which is becoming too repeated every day of his life. Was grief getting the best of his father or was it just too much to bear?

"Hey Adrien" She called for him.

"Hey Marinette" Adrien greeted.

"What's wrong?" Marinette can tell he looks very upset like something at home made him wanna go outside.

"The death of my mother never left my father. He has no time for me these days" Adrien said.

"I'm so sorry. I mean there are hundreds of those who lost mothers or wives too. Grief can be hard but talking to someone about helps cope with grief" Marinette said.

"Thanks, Marinette" Adrien smiled.

"Does it feel unsafe for your father to not have therapy?" Marinette asked, knowing that people who grieve will need therapy sessions so they don't get driven into madness from never moving on in life.

"Clearly he needs it," Adrien said.

"So why didn't he go to one?" Marinette asked.

"I wish I could answer that," Adrien said.

"Everyone says you got the beauty of your mother. And yet you're so sweet to everyone, even if they don't deserve you for you" Marinette said.

"Dad says I remind him of her," Adrien said.

Marinette felt sad for him and why his father spent less time with his son. And Adrien needed attention from the only parent he had left before he never gained a teenage life before it was too late.

"He'll come around," Marinette said.

"Yeah, until I'm grown up and he'll still see me as a 12-year-old" Adrien sighed, knowing that his father hates changes.

"Never mind," Marinette said.