Chat Noir couldn't resist checking on his princess that night. He'd spent the entire day at school thinking about her fiery personality, her goodwill and her beauty that he hadn't been able to see until now.

She'd still been quiet around him, but things had been better. At least, they would be, if Nathaniel wasn't always around to claim her as he own. Alya thought it was sweet, but she told Nino that Marinette didn't seem as excited with him as she once was with Adrien.

It made him feel a bit better, especially when Nino commented on how wrong the two looked together. But the fact remained. At school she was with him, spoke to him, hung out with him and even invited him to sit closer to her and Alya.

Now things would change. It was night time in Paris, his time, and he wouldn't take the time he had with Marinette for granted.

He landed effortlessly on her balcony and strolled over to the trapdoor. His shoulders were no longer tense and the smell from her parent's bakery sent his mind at ease. This place was second, more favorable home to him and his visits like second nature.

He gingerly knocked against the glass pane and took a step back for his princess to allow him inside. The latch swung back and Marinette peered outside. She nearly took his breath away.

Marinette's pale face was flushed with a soft tint, her plump lips darkened into a seductive shade of red. Her hair was down, with drops of water dripping along her shoulders and the scent of her strawberry shampoo hit him hard. Her smile dazzled him.

Chat's hands itched to grab her and kiss her. To wipe away any memory of Nathaniel from her mind and make it so that his name was the only one she remembered. Something he'd only ever thought of doing to Ladybug.

"Chat." she breathed, "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight." She hurried back down and Chat slid through the doorway onto her bed.

Her room was mess, with clothes thrown carelessly on her chaise and all over her floor. Chat watched as she buzzed around, muttering to herself and glancing around the room in a panic. He pushed himself off the railing and dropped to the floor on her level.

"Hey, watch it!" she reached down and yanked a shirt out from beneath Chat's silver-tipped boot. He stumbled forward and frowned uneasily as she hurried away again. "Um, what exactly did I get myself into?" he asked.

Marinette didn't answer and he took a step to the left, barely dodging her as she piled the clothes in her hands and raced back to her wardrobe. She shoved them all inside and groaned, leaning against the doors to keep them shut.

That was when he noticed her dress. It was a dark shade of blue, bringing out her eyes even more than usual, with a thin red ribbon around her waist. It was sleeveless, showcasing her bare shoulders and dipping down into a heart shaped neckline that hinted just a bit of cleavage.

Chat would've been flustered, but there was something more important on his mind.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked, grimacing at the unease in his stomach. There wasn't anyway. She couldn't be.

Marinette brushed a strand of her behind her ear and smiled sheepishly. "Um, no reason." she mumbled, "Why? Does it look bad?" Her eyes went wide and her delicate brows furrowed, "I mean –it's not bad, right?"

She ran towards her full length mirror and started prodding at the dress, brushing her hands all the way from the tight bodice, to the ribbon around her waist and the flared out hem. Chat momentarily imagined his hands their instead of hers and shook his head harshly to rid himself of the thought

"I was worried about the make-up. Maybe I overdid it? I could always change the ribbon, maybe adjust the hemline?" she rambled. "Maybe make it shorter...?" Now that caught his attention.

Chat Noir strolled confidently to her and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his chest. He dipped his head down, making sure his breath touched the shell of her ear and glanced at their reflection in the mirror. They were perfect. They always were.

"I think you look pawsitively purrfect." He murmured. Her felt Marinette shiver in his arms and pride swelled within him. If only he could have this with her as Adrien, without the mask or gloves to keep him from feeling her. Like she wanted in the first place.

Marinette's voice shook. "You –You really think so?" she stuttered. Chat turned her in his arms and smirked, playing with the loose strands of her hair between his claws.

"Would I lie to you, Princess?" Her face erupted in crimson and Chat leaned his head down to hers, not yet pressing their heads together. She felt so warm in his arms, so inviting. He longed to touch her, caress her soft skin and run his bare hands through her hair.

The urge was so strong he'd almost kissed her then and there. But he wanted to play it out just a little bit longer. He wanted to see how Marinette really felt about him as Chat Noir –if she felt the same. And if she understood that Adrien was the mask he wore and that Chat Noir was the man he really was.

"So I'll ask again, Princess." he whispered, "Why are you all dressed up?" His hand trailed down her arm and Marinette's breath went ragged when his tail circled around her ankles, pushing them impossibly closer.

Her hands pressed against his chest and the heat coursing through them made his breath hitch. He quickly lowered his head to her neck and nuzzled it with his nose. He chuckled softly, "This couldn't have all been for me, could it?"

Chat wouldn't lie. The thought that she'd tried so hard to impress him gave him hope. But that wasn't the reason at all.

"I'm going on a date." she replied. Her voice was clear and strong. And all Chat's fantasies shattered around him. He withdrew from her as if her skin burned him, only stopping when he reached the other side of the room.

He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to.

"What?" he asked, his voice breaking as the shock and numbness settled through him. Nathaniel had beaten him to the punch. And there weren't any words to describe exactly what Chat wanted to do to him in that moment.

There wouldn't be any consequences. There rarely were with Chat and who would really believe him. He could find him, hunt him before their date. All it would take was one quick –,

"I'm going on a date with a friend of mine." She played with her hem nervously and chuckled, "He's taking me out tonight."

Chat's ears were ringing. All he could hear were her gut-wrenching words, echoing over and over in his mind like a tragic nightmare. "You can't." he rasped, "You can't go."

Marinette's head shot up. Her eyes were narrowed and the blushed faded from her cheeks, "Why not? I don't see anything wrong with it."

"Don't see anything wrong with it?" he scoffed. His eyes surveyed the room anxiously, scrambling for any reason –any excuse –for her not to go. His eyes settled on her rubbish bin and the torn image of his face that she'd so emotionlessly shredded. There.

He stormed over and grabbed it. "What about him?" he asked, holding it out to her, "What about Adrien Agreste? I thought you said you loved him?"

Marinette took a step backward and winced as if she'd been punched. She inhaled sharply and Chat felt a pang in his chest at the pain in her eyes. "That's not fair, Chat. You know it's not!"

"Isn't it?" he seethed. He tossed the picture to the side and stormed towards her, his emotions hinging on barely suppressed anger. "You told me you loved him and yet you're already moving on. Just that like that?"

The defeat in her eyes made his heart clench and his eyes narrow. So it was true then. He should've known.

Adrien was a model, an icon for her favorite brand. She never loved him, she loved everything he represented and his gut burned at the loss of her. She was just like all the others and he'd so easily fallen for her little charade. He should've never started coming here.

"You never loved him? Did you?" he seethed.

"Of course I did!" she cried, her brilliant blue bell eyes welling with tears.

"And then?" he persisted, even though he could feel something in him urging him to stop. "How can you just pick up and move on so quickly? You're lying!"

He took another step forward, backing her further into her room and towering over her meek figure. Was their friendship just another lie? Was everyone out there meant to use him? His father for his image? Natalie for a job? Marinette was a ticket into the fashion industry?

Chat shut his eyes tightly, willing the image of her to burn from his mind. The thought of her plotting to make him fall for her as he'd so easily done these past few weeks stung him. He swallowed deeply to clear his throat of all the other things he'd wanted to say.

Instead his voice dropped in defeat. "You're just like them then." he whispered, "You're just like all the other shallow fans who wanted to use him. You don't love him, how could you?" Adrien was unlovable.

He heard it before he registered what had happened.

Marinette had taken one large step and slapped him across the face. His head snapped to the side and he stumbled back in shock, tripping over a scarf she'd carelessly left on the floor. But Chat didn't want to get up.

His body felt too weak, too used and drained. He felt betrayed and he didn't know how to fix it. He didn't know what to do.

"How could you?" she hissed, "How could you say that to me? I thought you knew me better than that. But you don't know me at all!" Large tears streamed down her face and Chat's heart wrenched at the sight. But his pride was in the way and he wouldn't fall for it again.

"What am I supposed to think?" he asked, "You said you loved him. Do you even understand what that means? It means you treasure that person. That you care for their well-being above your own. That you don't want anyone else!"

"He rejected me!"

And just like that Chat was swept up out of his thoughts back to reality in front of him. Marinette was a mess. Her eyes were puffy and red from all the crying. Tear strains ran down her cheeks dripping onto her dress and her pale sin was flushed from anger, swallowing up her adorable freckles.

And that was when he realized exactly what he had done.

I know a lot of you either feel sorry for Chat or hate his guts right now. Sorry about that. This just goes to show: Jealousy makes you nasty. I wonder what wonder what will happen now ;)

And thanks so much for all the reads you guys. I can't believe that over 500 people have read the first chapter to this story. This is awesome! Thank you ❤️ 

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please don't forget to vote or comment if you did.