[Marinette's POV]

Chat came to visit me as soon as I got home. It was as if he just knew I'd be there. I told him all about my experience at the marine biology camp and showed him all the photos of the aquarium before Aquamarine destroyed it. We talked until late at night after my parents had gone to bed so we decided it was safe for him to come inside. I had hoped to teach him how to make dessert using a blender because I thought it would be easier but that didn't exactly turn out...

"So I just put all the ingredients in and press the button?" Cat Noir says. "Seems simple enough."

"Chat wait, the lid!"

I rush forward but it is too late. The cake mix splatters everywhere. Cat Noir flails his arms blindly until eventually reaching the off button. I wipe the batter from my eyes and flick it onto the ground.

Cat Noir grins and starches the back of his neck. "Hehe. Sorry?"

How can I stay mad at that face?

I smile and flick some batter at him. "Idiot."

"Don't worry, I'll get it for you." Cat Noir says, stepping towards me.

He takes my head in his hands and gives my cheek a big, long lick.

"Ew!" I cry as I push him away. I laugh and rub my cheek. "Gross. You're gross!"

"Well you're delicious." Cat Noir says as he licks the cake mix off his fingers.

I laugh and shake my head. "Come on, let's get this cleaned up."

Cleaning up took quite a while considering Cat Noir and I kept getting into sponge fights. By the time we had finished it was already morning.

"You should probably get going. My dad always wakes up early to open the bakery." I tell Cat Noir. "But don't worry, I won't let you go home empty handed. You like croissants right?"

Cat Noir's eyes light up. "How did you know?"

I smile as I slip a few croissants into a brown paper bag for him. "Does the name Floraison ring any bells?"

"Oh right. Ladybug brought me here while I was a kid didn't she?" Cat Noir replies.

"Little minou, you were so cute!" I say.

Cat Noir groans in embarrassment. "Please don't."

I giggle and hand over the bag, which Cat Noir gladly takes.

"Well, I guess I'll see you next time...whenever that will be." He says.

"You know, you don't have to only come over when my parents aren't around." I reply. "We might not be able to cook but we could still talk and just hang out. Y-You're welcome whenever is what I'm saying."

Cat Noir smiles and pulls me in for a goodbye hug. "Thanks Mari."

I smile as we pull away from each other. Cat Noir brings two fingers to his forhead and salutes me before disappearing into the night.

Tiki zooms out from my purse. "You're inviting him to come over even more often now? You two sure have grown close. Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"It's not like that, Tiki." I assure her. "Remember what Cat Noir said about only having one friend when he was turned into a child by Floraison? I know he's probably made a lot more friends now but sometimes he just seems so...lonely. I mean, the fact that he continues to visit me is proof enough. He's always chasing after Ladybug but I continue to push him away. This is my chance to be there for him. Maybe he just needs a friend...and I want to be that friend."

And friends we were. Cat Noir's visits became more and more frequent throughout November. I started anticipating them and even looking forward to them. I rushed home from school as soon as possible every day and stayed up late at night just in case he showed which more often than not, he did. Our discussions got deeper. He even confided his endeavours with Ladybug to me. He talked about all their missions and told me about his endless chase for her. He even asked me for advice on how to win her heart. It was weird, talking to someone about how they can get your attention. I didn't really know what to say. I think Cat Noir would die if he found out he was saying all of this to Ladybug, which made me think that maybe this is a breach in trust. I've been loving the honesty and comfort between us. I talk to him just as I would talk to Alya. I thought that we trusted each other completely but in fact I'm just lying to his face. He begs me to keep these secrets and trusts in my support but I feel as though it's a betrayal of trust that I'm allowing him to tell me these things when he has no idea Ladybug is also hearing all of his thoughts and feelings. I feel sneaky and conniving because he is trusting Marinette with these things, not Ladybug. And although I can't help it, I feel like I'm being two-faced.

But I try not to think about it because I treasure the relationship we have built and I love the time we spend together.

It's a lazy Sunday afternoon. Cat Noir and I are sharing the foldout lounge chair on my balcony. It's comfy lying against him, I could fall asleep if I'm not careful.

"It's going to start getting cold soon." I say. "What if it gets too cold for you to come out and visit me?"

"Not possible. I'll just wear extra layers." Cat Noir replies.

"What if there's a snowstorm?" I continue with a giggle.

"Wouldn't phase me." Cat Noir says simply. "Nothing's cooler than I am."

I let out a soft laugh.

"Maybe I can catch Ladybug under a mistletoe." Cat Noir says dreamily.

"You and your romance fantasies." I reply. "If you like a girl you should just kiss her."

What am I saying? We're talking about me here!

Cat Noir seems to find my response amusing. "If I just grabbed Ladybug and kissed her she would beat my ass."

I laugh. "Well, okay, maybe that was a bad suggestion because she might think you're a playboy. But what I mean is, you don't need elaborate strategies to get her to like you. You should just act like yourself, like the way you act around me."

"Sounds cheesy." Cat Noir scoffs.

"Nothing's cheesier than the pickup lines you're already trying on her." I retort.

"Hey, puns are who I am. If Ladybug really liked my true self then she would have fallen for me already." Cat Noir sighs. "Maybe who I am just sucks."

"Well, I like you for you who are." I say.

The words just left my mouth without command and oh boy do I regret saying them. That sounded so suggestive. Luckily, Cat Noir doesn't think much by it.

"Really?" He asks with a chuckle. "Puns and all?"

"Puns and all." I answer with a smile.