Mine, His

The next morning went smoothly. Marinette woke up to be ushered into the bathroom by Chat since she had to get to campus. Berry was fed, and put back into his box to rest. After a speedy breakfast, Marinette ran back up to her room to get her phone.

"Chat, did you see my phone?"

"Hmmm...Meow-pe."He said.

"What?"

"Meowpe. You know, like nope?"He explained, watching her face get more and more twisted in confusion.

Marinette was silent for a moment before she laughed lightly and smacked her head.

"Meow-pe?Come on Chat that's the worst pun I've heard all year!"She laughed more,finding her phone on the table

p.

Chat pouted. "You just have no sense of mew-mur."

"…Humour?"She asked.

He nodded.

Marinette scratched her neck. "You're paw-ful at this,even I'm petter than mew."She said.

Chat's eyes widened.

"You like pun's princess?"

"Pawsibly. Meow-be… Actually nope. Puns suck." She admitted. Chat grinned.

"That's pawsitively pawful princess, it makes me-ow sad to even hear it from mew."He said, Marinette g.r.o.a.n.e.d.

"In fact my heart feels mew-serable right meow from hearing you say chat!"

"Chaaaat!"She w.h.i.n.ed as his puns got worse.

"And meow mew are really meowing out my nyame."

"I can't even understand you now." Marinette grumbled.

"Mew should go. You're getting late, princess."

Marinette gasped, "Oh right, bye Chat!" She said beginning to run the stairs when suddenly she paused at the last step

'Everyone should feel loved.' She thought and took a deep breath.

She jumped the last step and when she was certain Chat was also on ground level, she spun around, and hauled him in for a hug.

Chat froze. He was completely stiff, not sure what to do…

It was the first time in several years that someone other than Chloe hugged him. It was a different kind of hug. It was reassuring.

It was caring.

It was simply Marinette.

Marinette adamantly stayed in that position, she had read once that when hugging someone who is emotionally conflicted, pulling away first isn't an option.

She could be late for one day, it didn't matter, she was the best in her year and her lecturers hardly even minded.

Chat didn't know how to respond. He felt uncomfortable…But…He also felt warmer.

This hug was not like the hold he found himself in on the day that he saved her from that man.

No.

This was something new entirely.A strange feeling swept through him. It started in his tummy and made its way to his c.h.e.s.t and knees, sending small electric jolts up through his arms,and a rush of heated blood to his cheeks.

His lips itched and his throat went dry.

His heart pounded wildly but his hands stayed at his sides.

He didn't move,and neither did she,and they stayed completely still waiting for the other to leave.

But Chat stayed in place and so did she, and it was worth it, because his hands moved up ,ever so slowly.

At first they were hesitant but slowly gained pace,wrapping themselves around the tiny body, hugging it in its place.

Chat's head inched down and his nose nestled her hair, happy for a moment that if he could be anywhere he'd still want to be here. His arms tightened for a moment as her hand glided through his scalps golden locks, before trailing between his ears and making swirly hair knots.

It was a moment so poetic that he couldn't describe it, and the fact that he felt…a feeling….well he wouldn't deny it.

For there was something about Marinette, that was so pure and new, traits that his dark persona was hardly used to.

Her hand wrapped around his neck in a pleasant way…but he decided to release his hold, even though he wished that she could stay. He slowly stepped backwards and she looked happily into his eyes.

All she saw though was the look of a child. A child who had received something he never knew he wanted.A child who lay longing for care, a child taken for granted…

She blinked.

"Bye Chat.I'll see you later."She said.

"Yeah,later…"He murmured and she smiled.

Ever so slowly he smiled back.

After watching her let in the bakers and shop assistants, Chat glided out unnoticed and watched her walk slowly to her university. The red-haired girl and a guy with a headphones popped up. Did they all attend the same university?

Chat detransformed and Plagg flew around.

"Urrrghh. Adrieeeen. I'm hungryyyy. Feed your wonderful kwami! Save my life." Plagg said falling into Adrien's hand.

Adrien rolled his eyes. "Plagg you're so dramatic."he said as he pulled out a wrapped piece of the best Camembert cheese. Plagg suddenly seemed to be full of energy as he pounced on the slice of cheese. Adrien waved the air. He really couldn't get over the stench, even though it had been years. Afterwards, Plagg flew into his pocket, satisfied and full. Adrien walked home with a light smile gracing his face.

He really couldn't help it. He had just had the happiest morning he had in a long time.

And he revelled in that happiness.

He entered the mansion and happily went to his room before flopping onto his couch. Plagg flew out and lay in Adrien's hair.

"Someone's in a good mood."

"Shush you." Adrien said grinning widely and covering his eyes with his forearm.

Plagg lifted up his chosen's forearm up and he peered down at the young man's happy face. He smiled too.

This was good. A happy Adrien was a calm Adrien.

Generally Adrien was never happy.

He turned in a fluid motion and caught Plagg with his hands.

"Plagg she hugged me."He said with a bright smile.

"She did." Plagg said, nodding.

"And she didn't pull away."

"Yes, she didn't."

"It made me really happy…"

Plagg tilted his head.

Adrien stared through the window.

"But now…"He began to frown.

"Chloe." Plagg said nodding.

"I can't believe she told everyone that…that…URGH!" Adrien growled, punching the side of the couch with his large fist.

"Do you want to speak to her?"

"What good will that do?" He asked Plagg with an exasperated look.

"Well for starters you'll know what exactly she's told people." Plagg reasoned. Suddenly his phone vibrated for a while before staying still on the table it lay on.

Adrien reached for it and g.r.o.a.n.e.d when he noticed 53 missed calls and 136 messages from Chloe.

He scrolled through everything distastefully. Unsurprisingly, each text was about herself, about her hair,how she hated the 'peasants', how her nails were looking so amazing. In fact there wasn't even a text that said 'Good Morning.'

It just started from, "Oh my Gosh my hair is absolutely ruined. The weather here is disgusting."

The phone began to ring, he looked at Plagg, Plagg looked back at him with determined eyes, and he waved his hands, telling Adrien to answer.

Adrien swiped the screen.

"ADRIKINS! I'm so annoyed!" Chloe shrieked.

"Good morning, Chloe."He said calmly.

"Urgh, these lower class weirdo's are so creepy.I can't believe they call this a five star hotel."

"I'm sorry that it upset's you." Adrien said with a frown, walking over to his window.

"And worse, that stupid baker didn't fall into my trap!" She screeched and threw something which sounded like a pillow.

Chloe had always talked about this 'Baker' person to him. She had never given him a name. He knew it was a girl though, and that Chloe hated this person with a passion.

"I should have seen it coming. That imbecile is always late for everything."

Adrien frowned…This was frowning all too familiar.

"The one who rises to make some bread. What were her parents thinking when they named her. Idiots,all of them,Oh , I'll get her."

Adrien froze.

His brain going into overdrive.

'Some bread' in French was the words Du Pain. 'The one who rises' was indeed Marinette in French, and Marinette's last name was Dupain-Cheng…So if he translated the Cheng from Chinese it would mean 'to make some bread'. So Chloe was literally talking about Marinette.

He felt a surge of anger.

"What did you do?"He asked,closing his eyes.

"I got someone to put superglue on her seat. But she took so long to arrive that it dried and her pants didn't tear off like it was supposed to." Chloe ranted.

Adrien exhaled in relief, his princess was fine.

"I'll get her tomorrow."

That's what you think.

Adrien smirked, knowing that he could ruin her plan.

Plagg stared at him and Adrien remembered why he answered the call in the first place.

"Chloe, some rumours have been circulating, I want to know if they're true or not."He said suddenly.

"Urgh Adri-honey you know better than to speak while I'm talking to you." She berated.

"My apologies, but I really have to know the truth. You see Chloe, people are saying that you have told all of Paris that we are in a romantic relationship."

"Of course, we've been together for 6 years." Chloe said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Chloe, we have had a deal for six years, and telling people that we are together was not part of it."

"Awww Adrikins, you forget that you got me pregnant, that makes you and I a couple."

Adrien snarled.

"I don't know where you got that messed up reasoning but need I remind you that you say I can't wear a c.o.n.d.o.m and you also refuse to use any contraceptive. How does that make it my fault?"

"Oh Adrien stop being so melodramatic, why do you care so much about what people think all of a sudden?" She snapped.

He paused. Well he didn't care about what people thought.

He cared about what Marinette thought.

"Chloe, I'm asking you to please revoke all those lies that you've spread."

"Okay, fine, then I tell them how you mercilessly r.a.p.ed me all these years."

Adrien pursed his lips. Of course she would lie. There was nothing he could do without tarnishing his father's name.

"Don't-"He started but was interrupted.

"I will not speak about this over the phone."

"Chloe, I'm not trying to start an argument, I just need you to make it clear to Paris that we are not together."

"You are not the boss of me Adrien Agreste, I can destroy you ,remember that."

Adrien exhaled. If there was ever a time he wished he could use cataclysm on her, it was now. Right on that smug face of hers.

"Chloe!For the love of… Chloe, this is going too far...I'm tired of it...Do you even think about how this makes me feel?"

"Feel?You don't feel anything."

"I'm feeling tired of this. I don't understand Chloe, I do what you ask me to,I never say no.I stay quiet. So why do you keep putting more and more strain on me?"

"Because you belong to me,I can do whatever I want."

"NO,I don't! I don't even like you!"He yelled.

"Of course you don't like me, you love me!Who wouldn't I'm Chloe bourgeous!"

Adrien blinked back angry tears.

"Chloe I've had enough of this."

"I hear you say one more thing and I will end you, all of Paris will despise you. Everyone will be disgusted by you...Oh and your father will hate you more than he already does!One word from me and all the privileges you have will be gone.I will make sure that the world knows you're disgusting. You think anyone will believe you? You think anyone will believe a boy nobody has even spoken to outside the studios? Think carefully about what you're doing,Adrikins."She said in a sickly sweet voice.

His body shook from his anger.

He wanted to retort.

To tell her that she could tell the whole world if she wanted to.

But he couldn't. He pictured the world, hating him, Marinette disgusted by him, his father so utterly disappointed with him.

And his retort died in his throat, as it always did.

"Now I'm tired of discussing this. I have more pressing matters. Have you been by the Boulangerie Patisserie lately?"

Adrien pushed his anger aside forcefully when he heard the name of Marinette's parent's bakery.

"I can't say I have…"He said.

"Well I sent two guys there yesterday to ruff the baker up a bit, but that stupid pompous Chat Noir attacked them! Can you believe it?"

Adrien blinked, so she sent those guys.

"Anyway, rumor has it that her window guards were destroyed. The moron hasn't even put another set up. I mean how daft can you be?"Chloe said with a laugh.

"Hmmm…"

"I think I'll send in two more guys today. Oh!Got to go Adrikins, I have a massage waiting!"

With that she cut the call.

Adrien looked up at Plagg and sighed, he remained quiet and thoughtful for a minute, Plagg chose not to say anything.

Marinette's safety was being jeopardized daily. It frightened him.

"Plagg…Maybe it's safer if she gets new guards." He said.

Plagg flew around his head.

"How will you get in?" He asked the blonde.

Adrien frowned for a moment.

"It's very easy for someone to get to the third floor of the building. But the fourth floor, well it would be impossible for an ordinary human to get up to it. If I remember correctly, she does have a trapdoor leading to her personal balcony on the fourth floor."

"Okay so where is this going?" Plagg asked. Adrien sighed.

He walked over to the wall and tapped a button.

"Sir?" A butler's voice called through the intercom.

"Hello there, I need you to see to it that the third floor window on 12 Rue Gotlib street has new indestructible guards. Have it done by noon."

"Right away sir. "

"And nobody will hear about this."

"Hear about what? I haven't heard anything."

Adrien smirked.

The call ended.

Adrien sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"So much trouble for a girl." Plagg teased, propped up on his elbows. Adrien blushed, forgetting about the phone call with the thing.

"Whatever, she's just a friend." Adrien said with a huff.

He paused,realization dawning on him.

A friend...

"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm tired loverboy ."Plagg said with a yawn.

Adrien spluttered and turned red.

Plagg laughed. "Go to sleep Adrien, you need it if you plan to stay up all night again."

Adrien nodded and flopped onto the couch. Plagg lay spread-eagled next to him.

The two drifted into a dreamless sleep.

When Adrien woke up, it was 2:30 p.m and he felt so well rested. He stretched his arms above his head and took a shower.

Walking over to his mirror he inspected his back eye. The suit had accelerated the healing rate but hadn't fully removed it. There was no swelling at all, just a dark purple ring around his eye.

Unconsciously, he found himself smiling at it. Marinette really had a tiny fist didn't she?

He glanced at Plagg who was still asleep. He chose not to wake him up. He would never say it, but he knew that holding the transformation for that long was really draining Plagg's energy. He decided to read a book. After strolling up and down the shelves a few times, he settled on Pride and Prejudice.

He had read the book many times, but it never ceased to be amazing.

He curled up in his reading corner and opened the book.

About 3 hours later, he closed the book and ate a quick dinner. It was time to go check up on Marinette.

"Plagg?" He called, waving some Camembert in front of the kwami's face. Plagg's eyes shot open and he jumped on the cheese.

"Camemberrrrrtttt!"He squealed, swallowing the piece whole.

Adrien chuckled. "Ready to go?"

Plagg looked at him with a mouth full of cheese, nodding.

"Plagg, Transform me."

In a swirl of green light,he transformed and leaped out the window.

It was dark out, and eerily quiet.

He quickly darted across the rooftops and made it to the bakery, easily landing on Marinette's balcony, silently. He could hear Marinette moving about in the room below, humming happily.

Chat looked around the darkened streets.

He could make out the shapes of criminals, lurking in street corners in the distance. Thankfully not anywhere near the bakery. Still, he kept a watchful eye on the streets, expecting Chloe's cronies to emerge from any direction.

He stood on the edge of the balcony wall and jumped down onto the cold streets below.

"-why do I have to whack her? You whack her." He heard someone say.

"I don't wanna whack her, you whack her!"

"Okay maybe it will be easier if we can't see her face, she's got those innocent bluebell eyes, you know?"

"I know...Such a lovely bluebell...We should put a sack over her head."

"I don't think we should do this…"

"Me neither…She's such a cool person…"

Chat frowned as he heard their words. It seemed that perhaps Chloe was blackmailing them too.

Chat turned in the direction of the voices.

He made out a tall blonde man, about his height and another tall man with black hair.

They froze upon seeing him.

The raven-haired man gasped, stepping back.

"Oh shit."

"Hello, kittens." Chat said,tilting his head.

"Chat Noir…We were just…"The blond who spoke looked at his friend and stuttered.

"You were just what?" Chat asked,stepping towards them.

"Leaving!Yes we're going, don't mind us!" The black haired guy said with a laugh laced with anxiety.

"Not so fast.I'll let you live, if you tell me exactly who sent you." Chat asked,wanting to be certain.

Without hesitation, both boys replied at once.

"Chloe Bourgeois."

Chat smirked.

He pulled out his baton, and pressed record.

"Okay,say it again,who sent you to this bakery,and asked you to attack the inhabitant?"

"Chloe Bourgeois…She blackmailed us." The blond said as the black haired boy nodded quickly.

"Thank you, now scurry off before I change my mind about letting you live." He drawled. The boys wasted no time, running away immediately.

Chat smirked at his video footage.

Well, perhaps he could use this to his advantage…

He placed his baton behind his back and hopped up to Marinette's balcony once more.

The stars were out, forming little twinkling dots against a canvas that was painted matte black. A cool breeze tickled his skin, and he watched the Eiffel tower shine just as beautifully in the distance.

He sighed. Without most of its inhabitants, Paris was a wonderful place.

He closed his eyes, focusing on hearing Marinette in her room.

"What do you think Berry?"

A little chirp was heard.

"Well, I hope he comes a little later so that I can finish it without him seeing it. Where is that alley Chat anyway?" She asked berry.

Chat blushed, his eyes widening.

His princess was concerned about him.

"URGH,how is he even supposed to get it now that some person put these guards here!"She huffed.

"Owww!Stupid needle!"She hissed.

Chat smiled a little. Marinette was so thoughtful and caring. It was so pleasant that he didn't even know how to react.

He sat down on the sofa that seemed to be not used in years and took in the dejected look of the balcony. There were various rose bushes, and flower pots, but all the plants were dead.

Chat frowned,a sad feeling washing over him.

It was clear that Marinette really loved this balcony,her sofa looked worn from being sat on constantly, and a faded spot on the floor near the balcony wall revealed that Marinette must have stood there a lot.

So why did she stop coming up here?

Then it hit him like a bucket of ice water.

The crime.

It must have scared her to the extent of making her stop coming up to the place that she clearly loved so much.

He couldn't be one to talk though,seeing as he was the most brutal villain in Paris.

He chuckled a little, she was overly cautious, this level was inaccessible unless you had some sort of power.

He heard Marinette go downstairs and put the T.V on.

"-seems that Chat Noir is becoming even more brutal with his attacks.A man was found yesterday evening outside a jewellery store. The store wishes not to be named but the owner has said that he had never seen something so disturbing before. The man was found, completely covered in blood and claw marks with deep slashes. Paramedics were able to revive the man and risked their lives by going to the scene to retrieve the man during crime time. Here's what one of them had to say: "It was really bad, his face was unrecognizable, it was hard to even tell if he was human. Most of his ribs were broken. His arms and legs looked fractured too. His jaw seems to be dislocated. It will be a miracle if he survives this to be honest. We aren't sure about the state of his internal organs but if the outside was anything to go by then his insides may very well be mutilated too." The wife of the victim was distraught and devastated. Here's what she had to say, "My husband is a good man. He's a great father and an amazing husband...Chat Noir, you are pathetic-"

Chat couldn't help but snort at her words. The silly woman didn't even know the truth.

"-and words cannot describe just how vile you are. You really deserve to rot in hell you demon. You are the worst kind of evil-"

Chat chuckled. "Awww, how you flatter this cold heart." He said dramatically to himself.

"-and someday you're going to realize exactly how it feels for someone you love to be hurt!..Mark my words. I'm not afraid of you. You're just a monster!Monsters will ALWAYS be defeated."

The women's voice was cut off as Marinette turned off the T.V, she was quiet for a moment

Chat frowned at the woman's words about someone he loved being hurt…It caused a weird feeling to pool in his tummy.

Marinette came back to her room and continued to work silently.

Chat decided not to enter her room till she was asleep. He was weary of what she would think of him after she heard that broadcast. After 6 hours of laying on the couch, he heard her even breaths from below.

She was asleep.

He used a claw to pick the lock on the trapdoor, it was a complicated lock, and he let out a meow of frustration,it opened eventually and slowly, he peaked inside.

He wasn't as precautious as Marinette, so he closed the trapdoor behind him, not locking it.

He knew the crime game, and nobody would be able to reach the balcony, and frankly, if you had not been inside Marinette's room, you would never know there was a trapdoor there.

Chat tilted his head as he bent down to take in his princess's beautiful sleeping face. She looked exhausted, and her fingers had plasters on them.

He picked up one of her hands, inspecting the damage. It didn't seem so bad, just a few pokes.

Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he sighed.

He had no right to be here. He was everything that she was not…

And yet he couldn't find the strength to run off. He knew they still weren't close…But for the first time in a long time, someone treated him like a person…

It was overwhelming…but it made him feel good.

His eye caught sight of something in her left hand. It was a little gift-wrapped package.

He picked it up and stared at the label curiously.

It was labelled :For Chat.

Below the beautiful writing was a little smiley face with blue pigtails.

He had never gotten something in gift-wrap.

Gift bags yes, but not gift-wrap.

Gift-wrap meant you took time and effort to cover the gift.

It made Chat feel incredibly excited and special.

He smiled at the sleeping bluenette appreciatively and slowly opened the gift-wrap, refusing to tear it, and having every intention of keeping the wrap forever.

Finally, he saw what was inside.

Two beautiful hand-made plushies, one was Chat Noir, and one was Marinette.

The smile on his face couldn't be contained as he placed a gloved hand over his mouth as a small laugh escaped.

She had even gone as far as making his mouth look like a horizontal 3, with a snuggle tooth on the plushy. But what really amused him was the tiny plushy quiche and the tiny pan. He picked up the Marinette plushy. It was beautiful, but it didn't do her justice.

He still loved it regardless. He looked down at Marinette whose eyes were still closed.

Words could not describe what he felt right now. In fact,he wasn't even sure what he was feeling.

It was okay though, he didn't need words.But he found himself learning close to her face, and with a quick glance at her closed eyes, he placed a slow,gentle kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you." he said, backing away slowly.

He jumped down to the chaise, taking his plushies with him, hugging them all protectively.

He lay down on the chaise and continued to smile, but he turned when he heard the slow, sleepy voice of Marinette.

"You're welcome,Chaton."She said.

Chat blinked.

Chaton?

Hmm…

He was not prepared to be friendly to the rest of Paris.But Marinette was a special case…Well,in such a case, then her Chaton - and hers alone- he would be.