"And that's round three for the bug!" Ladybug slammed her deck of cards down between her and Chat Noir.

Chat Noir slumped his shoulders and pouted. "I think you have an unfair advantage, M'lady. You quite literally have the power of luck on your side!"

Ladybug smirked. "I'm surprised you didn't make a cat pun with the word 'literally.' Impressive."

"I don't make puns when I feel like there's been an injustice," Chat crossed his arms.

"You realize our luckiness and unluckiness only apply when we're fighting villains, right?" Ladybug laughed.

He chuckled. "I'm not sure I believe that. How do I know you're not just lying to make me feel better?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." Ladybug dangled her legs off the Eiffel Tower. "You'll never find out."

Chat Noir took a sip of his strawberry smoothie. "You know, patrol has gotten a lot more boring lately. I don't even remember the last time there was an Akuma attack," he snickered.

Ladybug blinked. "Whoa, me neither. I know it's been at least three or four days," she giggled. "We've usually been getting at least one Akuma daily this year."

"Shadow Moth must've finally gotten a hobby," snickered Chat, twirling his baton.

"You're gonna end up dropping that thing from the tower if you keep spinning it like that," Ladybug playfully warned.

"So?" Chat replied smugly. "I'll just get it back."

Ladybug sat crisscross. "What if it hits a poor, innocent civilian on the head? Imagine the headlines!" She teased. "Superhero Chat Noir gives unsuspecting civilian a concussion!"

"Woooow, you are hellbent on making me a bad guy, huh?" Chat teased back.

"I think you're secretly evil, and the only thing keeping you from turning into a total villain is your Kwami," Ladybug giggled, scooting closer to him.

Chat Noir let out a short laugh and then looked off into the distance as the sun set. "Speaking of villains...do you really think Shadow Moth took a break?"

Ladybug bit her lip. "Um...maybe. He seems like an old man, after all." Deep down, Marinette was anxious. What if Shadow Moth had a bigger plan? What if he captured all the miraculous again, but they didn't get them back this time?

Marinette couldn't afford to think that way. She already had so much going on inside her head. "Chat Noir?"

"Yeah, Bugaboo?" Chat replied casually.

She smiled affectionately at the nickname. Over the years, Ladybug had grown increasingly fond of all the names Chat Noir made up for her. As of lately, there were too many to count. He somehow managed to come up with a few new nicknames every year—watermelon, polka dots, blueberry, etc. but Ladybug's favorites would always be M'lady and Bugaboo.

"Do you ever get stressed out about the future?" Ladybug asked.

Chat quirked an eyebrow. "Like future villains?"

"No, not just that," Ladybug shook her head. "Like—our futures in real life, as our civilian selves."

"Oh, yeah. A lot, actually." Chat Noir scratched his head.

Ladybug leaned back against the iron bars. "Do you still want to be a chef?" She remembered him telling her that a few months ago on one of their patrols.

Ladybug was much more lenient about sharing some things about their personal lives nowadays, although she'd never share details. Don't get her wrong, she'd had the urge, and she was sure Chat did, too, but she'd always stop herself.

Ladybug and Chat Noir had built a trust like no other. In some ways, the two superheroes trusted each other more than their civilian friends.

"Nope," Chat answered his partner's question. "I think I prefer baking—like cakes and croissants and whatnot." Adrien's mouth watered at the thought of the Dupain-Cheng's pastries. He remembered a couple of times when he stopped by as Adrien and then immediately came by as Chat Noir so he could get the extra sweets. Plagg always made fun of him for it, but it was sure as hell worth it. Plus, he loved spending time with Marinette.

As Chat Noir, Adrien witnessed a side of Marinette that he'd never seen before. She was much more confident and, dare he say it, levelheaded. There was nothing wrong with Marinette when she was with Adrien, but she always seemed jumpy and unsure of herself around him, even after she started talking to him more.

"Pfft, of course," Ladybug replied to Chat's comment. Only a glutton like you would want to bake so you could eat your own food all day."

Chat dramatically placed a hand on his chest. "That's so rude, M'lady. I'm just waiting for you to tell me your dream job so I can make fun of you."

Ladybug frowned. "I'm not even sure, myself. I know I want to enter the fashion industry but can't decide which area."

"I'm sure you'll figure it out, Bugaboo," Chat smiled, confident in her. "You're really smart, and I can't even make fun of you for what you wanna do because fashion SUITS you so well."

"Ugh," Ladybug groaned into her hands, stifling a laugh. "You just had to get one out."

"Of course," Chat Noir winked.

Ladybug sighed. "But in all seriousness, I feel like my friends have their lives together, and me? I'm far too busy, and my life is too chaotic."

Chat gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand. My life is like that, too. I have way too much to do this Summer, and what's even worse is—" he cut himself off. Did he want to tell her about Italy right now? He figured he probably shouldn't, considering he and Plagg hadn't devised a full-fledged plan to get him out of it yet.

Chat didn't want to see the disappointment and sadness in Ladybug's eyes if he had to go. He wondered if he would have to give up his miraculous so she could find a new Chat Noir. The thought was unbearable.

"What's worse?" Ladybug brought him back to the present.

"I..." his voice trailed off. "It's nothing. Just some stuff going on at home."

Ladybug placed her hand atop his. "I'm sorry, kitty."

Chat put on a smile for her. "Thanks, Ladybug. You're my best friend in the whole world, you know that?"

"And you're mine," Ladybug smiled back.

Then, something within her shifted.

The feeling in Marinette's chest was so familiar yet so distant and buried. She felt it as she stared into his striking green eyes. Her heart beat her chest black and blue.

Chat Noir cleared his throat and awkwardly pulled his hand away. He had told Ladybug his romantic feelings for her disappeared, but they weren't completely gone. A part of him still dreamt of what it would be like to kiss her and remember it. But he was more than happy with their friendship. Adrien couldn't risk staring into her bluebell eyes anymore, for he feared it would set him back to square one.

Ladybug swallowed and quickly changed the subject. "I'm so glad I'm finally done with high school."

Chat's eyes went wide. Had Ladybug ever shared her age with him? He didn't think so because he would've definitely remembered. "No way! I just graduated, too."

"Oh, wow. We're the same age, then," Ladybug breathily replied.

"I was betting on a year difference at most, so I was pretty close," Chat Noir smirked.

"You've thought about it?" Ladybug asked.

"And you haven't?" Chat stood up and swung his baton around more. "Come on, watermelon. We've known each other for over four years."

"Ok, ok," Ladybug rolled her eyes. "I've thought about it, like, once."

"Suuuure, keep telling yourself that. I bet you've thought about it every day, and you're too embarrassed to tell me," said Chat. "Who wouldn't think of me all day?"

"With an ego like that, you're going to be disappointed a lot," Ladybug giggled. She stood up with him and smiled at the broader view of the sky. "I love this type of sunset, with the purples and pinks."

"Yeah, it's beautiful," Chat nodded.

"Sunsets are so romantic, aren't they, M'lady?" Ladybug half expected Chat to use that same pickup line he used when they were fourteen, but nothing came out of his mouth.

Why did Ladybug want Chat to hit on her again? She thought they agreed to be friends so long ago. Why was this feeling poking its head out now of all times?

Marinette promised herself she wouldn't focus on guys after high school until she finished college and got a stable job. Her crush on Adrien proved to be unhealthy and destructive. Marinette still liked him, but as she got older, she learned to prioritize, and that helped her get over her crippling fear of talking to him.

Alya was still persistent in getting Marinette and Adrien together. Still, Marinette had told her multiple times that Adrien should love whoever he wanted and that he didn't have to love her just because she loved him.

"If you'd stop treating your friends like fictional characters, that would be very helpful," Marinette had said to Alya one day when she brought Adrien up at a sleepover.

"But you guys are not fictional, which makes it even better!" Alya had squealed.

Ladybug wanted to facepalm then and there on the Eiffel Tower, but she knew she'd look crazy, especially since her partner hadn't just made a pun.

Chat Noir eventually put the twirling to rest and laid his chin on his hands over the baton. "Wow, what an eventful day," he sighed.

Ladybug let out a small laugh. "Right? I'm so exhausted." She found herself staring at the way Chat's suit gripped and outlined every crevice of his muscles.

Saving Paris had certainly done him good. And puberty. Marinette wanted to smack herself. She needed to stop. The last time she had these thoughts about Chat Noir, she nearly cost them a battle with Shadow Moth.

Ladybug thanked god she wasn't LadyNoire at the moment. LadyNoire scared her. It made her like Marinette but without any filter whatsoever. She wondered if Chat Noir's holder was always so egotistical and confident without Plagg. He had to be.

But Marinette wasn't confident without Tikki—without Ladybug. "Maybe they wouldn't be such big fans if they knew who was really behind the mask." Marinette remembered that night. It was the first time she'd seen a hint of insecurity from Chat. So maybe he wasn't as confident without Chat Noir. And then...

And then they kissed.

Ladybug now knew what the feeling in her chest was from. It was the first time she kissed him without having to save his life.

That night was like magic. Marinette had let go for the first time in her life. She had (unintentionally) left Tikki and Alya behind to get ice cream with Chat Noir, but Andre had ruined their date by saying, "Chat Noir! You are supposed to be in love with Ladybug, not Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Never Marinette!"

But the love-obsessed ice cream man didn't ruin their night entirely.

Kissing Chat Noir was...god, Marinette would have it inked on her lips for the rest of her life if she had it her way.

Unfortunately, Ladybug never let Marinette have her way. Thanks to her foolish actions, she was almost akumatized. That would've been the end of the world—all because she liked a boy.

How did Marinette manage to bury her feelings for four years? She had no idea. She figured that she just went back to the mindset she had before those romantic feelings for her partner had emerged. Ladybug was supposed to be a professional and save Paris. If she focused on her love life, all hell would break loose.

Emerged.

Marinette thought about that word. Maybe her feelings never suddenly changed. Maybe her feelings were always there, but something was keeping her from giving in—

—something much more complicated than her love for Adrien.

//**\\

"Spots off," Marinette said as she landed on her bed. She dragged her hands down her face, yawning. She froze when she realized just how hot her face felt. Only one person could make Marinette this flustered.

"Oh god, Tikki, do you think he noticed my face?!" Marinette panicked.

Tikki looked at Marinette flatly. "Marinette, your face should be the least of your worries after what I heard tonight." The Kwami crossed her arms.

Marinette laid back in her bed, taking deep breaths to cool off. "What do you mean, Tikki?"

"Really? Well, for one, you told Chat Noir that you graduated high school. And you told him your dream job!" Tikki scolded.

"Oh, come on," Marinette waved her hand. "That's not detailed at all. And I figured we were close in age, anyway."

Tikki flew in front of her holder's face. "Marinette, you have to be more careful. I'm serious. I noticed you two have let your guards slip over the years, and now, it's more slippery than ever!"

Marinette giggled. "Relax, Tikki. We just trust each other more than ever now. Can we not be best friends?"

"I never said that," Tikki grumbled. "Trust is good, but not the trust past saving Paris and each other as superheroes."

"If you're worried about me telling him my identity, I promise I won't." Marinette hugged her small black cat pillow and blushed.

Tikki stared at her. "You better keep that promise. Remember, this is the end of the world we're talking about! There no time for blushing and daydreaming about each other!"

Marinette sighed. "I know, Tikki. I'm not going to do anything. Besides, Chat Noir doesn't like me anymore."

Tikki wasn't so sure. She knew Chat didn't have romantic feelings for Ladybug anymore, but just because he had to turn down Marinette all those years ago didn't mean Adrien's feelings ever left.

That night, Marinette took a cold shower. But not even that could cool her down. This was torture. There was no way she felt completely normal for most of the day until she looked into that stupid cat's eyes. How was it possible that Marinette could flip the switch just like that?

Unless—again—that switch was always ready to flip.