"Well, Girl? Tell me everything and don't even thinking of leaving out the details." demanded Alya.

Marinette rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the soft blush creeping up her neck. "Nothing big happened between me and Nathaniel. It was just nice."

"Nice?" asked Alya, "Just nice? You went on a date with the most artistic guy in the entire school. It had to be more than just nice." And it might've been, if Marinette's thoughts weren't so consumed with Chat Noir.

Their fight and encounter on the top of the art museum left her both confused and intrigued by him. He had so little love in his life, and yet he always looked on the bright side of things no matter how bleak they seemed. He was admirable and Marinette craved to spend time with him almost as much as she once had with Adrien.

Her heart still pained when she thought of him, but she couldn't help but notice how distant that pain felt when Chat Noir was near. It was like he chased away all the rejection and humiliation, and it made her feel confident enough to be herself.

So was it the mask that made Ladybug different or the partner that had been chosen for her?

They stepped inside the classroom, waiting for Mrs Bustier to start roll call and Marinette quietly pulled her sketch book out from her bag. She opened it on the nearest clean page and started drawing, drowning out the whispers of the students around her.

Chat once asked her to design him a jacket and now that he was the only thing she thought of she could hardly deny the urge any longer.

She started with the basic outline, then the hood, adding two small cat ears for character and three paw prints along the hem for his signature. She thought back to how the ring looked on his paw, luminescent in the dark of the night. Just like his eyes.

"Sweet designs, Marinette. You must be really into Chat Noir." Alya grabbed the sketch book out from her friend's hands and Marinette's eyes widened.

"Wait, Alya –,"

The brunette moved the book towards her side of the table and small folded pieces of paper fell out onto the floor. Marinette dove to pick them up, pressing them defensively to her chest. She counted only five in her hands and her face paled. She was missing one.

If anyone saw them she wouldn't know what to say or do. What if they knew Chat Noir? What if they told him? What if he found out? "Wow, this is really amazing, Marinette." Her head snapped to Adrien.

His golden hair was neatly combed over his brows and his green eyes were wide as he stared at her sketch. Nino peered over his shoulder and whistled, "Whoa, check out the detail. If I didn't know any better I'd think you actually saw him in person."

Marinette reached out, blushing furiously and grabbed the page from Adrien's hands. She quickly turned it over and her shoulders sagged in relief. At least it was one of the subtler ones.

Chat's cheeky face grinned back out her, with two fingers pressed to his forehead in greeting –saluting her like he always did when he left. His figure was the same, slim and defined in a way that made her sigh. But she always struggled with his eyes.

They were like a cat's in every shape and form, but there was a kind of humanity that shone just beneath the surface, a kind she couldn't capture on the page. And she'd drawn him at least six times over the past couple weeks to prove it.

Marinette pressed it to her chest and smiled nervously. "Thank you, Adrien." She glared at Alya who currently held her hand over her mouth, failing to prevent her loud, broken laughter.

"Oh, come on Marinette." she giggled, "Let me see the rest."

Marinette moved them behind her as Alya reached out, but her heart stopped when someone else grabbed them from her hands.

Chloe turned the pages over, scrunching her nose as one in particular and handed them to Sabrina. "Well, would you look at that?" she muttered, "Marinette's got a crush on the kitty."

She stood from her seat and tried to grab them back, but Sabrina moved behind Chloe and out of reach. Marinette hung her head in embarrassment and her heart dropped, preparing for the inevitable storm to come.

Chloe's shrill laughter bounced off the walls and she bought her dainty hand to her chest. "I can't believe it, you poor little beggar. Isn't it bad enough you had to pine after Adrien and get rejected? Now you're going after this second rate superhero? Just, wow."

Nathaniel was at Marinette's side in an instant, grabbing her wrist reassuringly in his own, "Back off, Chloe."

She had the decency to look aghast. "What? I'm not saying anything we don't already know." She turned her attention back on Marinette and flipped her hair. "It's about time Marinette learns the truth. The only way she'll ever find love is by lowering her standards to the ones she carries herself."

Chloe took a step forward and glowered at Marinette, shoving her back into her seat. "You don't deserve either of them."

"That's enough Chloe!"

Everyone's heads snapped to Adrien. He stood from his seat and angrily sauntered to Sabrina, holding his hand out. "Give them back, they don't belong to you."

Sabrina turned her body away and scoffed, "I only listen to Chloe. Not you –," Adrien grabbed them before she could blink and walked back towards Marinette, placing them in her shaking hand.

"What?" rattled Chloe, "Don't pretend you don't know, after all, you were the one who –,"

"Marinette is amazing and she doesn't need your approval to be that way. She's talented, smart with her own ambitions and isn't half as shallow as you." Adrien glared back at Chloe and slowly, Marinette saw the colour drain from her face.

She wasn't the only one surprised. It was so unlike him to lose his temper, much less yell at Chloe. He was always calm, reasonable and slow to anger. But the fire that raged through him that day was undeniable.

"You draw beautifully, Marinette. You should give one to him when you get the chance. I'm sure he'd be flattered to know someone appreciates such a –," he glanced back at Chloe, "second rate hero." The blonde visibly swallowed and turned back to her desk with Sabrina hot on her heels.

Everyone else turned their heads away, but Marinette was painfully aware of the curious and troubled glances sent her way. They were waiting for something to happen. She was too. But she wasn't sure of what.

"Thank you, Adrien." she mumbled. He grinned back at her in an almost playful manner and she frowned. Why did that look so familiar?

Nathaniel's hand tightened around her wrist and Adrien's eyes roamed to him. Something shifted in his eyes and then walked back to Nino. Nathaniel waited until Adrien was seated and gently turned her towards him.

"Marinette, I was wondering...If you're feeling up to it that is...we could go to the art museum tomorrow. I hear they're having a new piece displayed by the artist who did the Ladybug and Chat Noir statue in the park." Marinette smiled as she remembered the incident with Theo.

Two Chat Noirs. It felt like nearly a lifetime ago.

She nodded, "Sure. I'd love to see what he came up with this time."

"Great." he replied, "It's being revealed at one. Shall I meet you there?" Marinette opened her mouth to reply, but the bell rang before she could speak and Marinette looked towards the door. Kim and Alex came in, shoving each other roughly followed by Max and Rose.

Marinette turned back to Nathaniel to say she'd see him at lunch, but she was caught in surprise when she felt his soft lips pressed against her cheek. Their faces both flushed to match his hair colour and Marinette's embarrassment multiplied tenfold when she heard the class giggle and the boys whistle.

Mrs Bustier walked in the classroom and both Nathaniel and Marinette returned to their seats. Alya smirked, "I knew it wasn't just nice."

And while Nino seemed also happy for her, she couldn't help but notice that Adrien kept to himself the entire day. He didn't speak and he didn't write. He just sat there listening to their teacher's words and Marinette couldn't help but wonder.

What changed?

Knowing Adrien, he'll probably apologize to Chloe when the day is over. XD School just started for me again and with my new years resolutions planned out I'm both excited and dreading this experience. Oh well. Fingers crossed.

Please don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed this chapter. The next one promises MariChat you won't want to miss. ;)