It took everything in Adrien to avoid seeing her that week. The effort had taken its toll, disrupting his fencing classes and piano lessons. But today would be different.

He sat by his desk, finishing the final chemistry question and stood up in triumph. "Plagg," he called, "I did it. I'm done." He heard a groan come from his bed and rolled his eyes, "Come on, Plagg. I followed your advice and now it's time to do things my way."

Plagg peered out from beneath his pillow and glared. "Kid, it's one in the morning. If she wants to see you now then she's just as desperate at you are."

Adrien grinned at the thought. He shrugged and reached in his pocket for a wedge of Camembert. "Well, if you don't wanna help me then I guess you don't want –," Plagg had flown across the room and was already clinging to the cheese in his hand, halfway finished.

He smirked, "Plagg, claws out!"

"Oh come on!" Plagg was sucked into the ring and in a flash of green light Adrien had transformed into Chat Noir, sneaking out his bedroom window and into the streets of Paris.

He scaled buildings, walls and ran across the rooftops, vaulting across the roads and completely immersing himself in the feel of the Parisian night. He moved through the shadows, completely unseen and unheard with a foreign freedom he'd come to treasure.

His boots landed on Marinette's balcony a few minutes later with his breathing haggard and his chest heaving. He immediately ran his clawed hand through his unruly hair and swallowed deeply, preparing himself for what he wanted to do. He took a step forward.

"Over here, Chat." said Marinette. Startled, Chat spun his head to the side and found Marinette leaning, her eyes glazing over the city.

"Mari?" he cleared his throat, "What are you doing? It's freezing out here?"

She scoffed, tightening her grip on the dark blanket draped around her shoulders. He set his baton behind him and slowly approached her. "I was wondering when you'd come." she mumbled, "I was surprised it took you this long though...I thought you wanted answers."

Chat pushed himself up, seating himself on the railing beside her with his back to Paris and his body towards her. "My kwami said you needed space. It would've been selfish for me to visit earlier if I thought you didn't want to see me."

Marinette snapped her head to him, locking his gaze with hers. "Chat." she breathed, "Of course I wanted to see you."

A moment of silence passed between them and Chat sighed. He already saw the video from Alya, but he wanted to hear from her. What exactly had he done to Marinette? "When I was Chat Blanc...Did I –,"

"No," she replied, "You didn't really hurt me. But I didn't know if you would or not and somehow that was worse." Her voice cracked, sounding weak and broken, and Chat wanted to wrap his arms around her. So that's exactly what he did.

He jumped off the railing, coming up behind her and trailing his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and couldn't help but smile when his lips brushed against her soft hair. There was just something so peaceful and fulfilling whenever she was near, like she completed a part of him.

"Do you remember that night when I took you to the art museum and we saw the stars together?"

"Yes." she replied, leaning further against him and he tightened his grip around her.

"Well I wasn't looking at the stars when I said they were beautiful, I was looking at you." He heard her chuckle softly and the small gesture made his heart soar.

"I thought I felt you staring." Her voice was soft and playful, something he treasured hearing after this past week. This was something he couldn't have as Adrien, this closeness, this trust and this bond with her.

He nuzzled her hair with his nose and breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. "I'm so sorry, Marinette. I'm so sorry for what I did –for what I became." He closed his eyes and revelled in the warmth from her skin, her gentle breathing and soft heartbeat. "I'm so ashamed of myself and I don't know how to fix this. I just wish I could take it all back and wipe the memory of that night away from your mind."

Chat's voice cracked at the end and he inhaled deeply to regain his composure. He felt Marinette turn in his arms and glanced down at her, seeing her own eyes fill with tears. "You shouldn't be ashamed, Chat." she said, "Hawk Moth used you. I don't blame you for anything."

He kissed her forehead tenderly and leaned his own against it, grasping both her dainty hands in his own gloved ones. "It was a stupid reason anyway." he murmured, "I –I just –," he scoffed and laughed humorlessly, "I don't even know how to tell you."

Marinette was quiet and calm, waiting expectantly and Chat was grateful that she was patient with him. That she understood. He sure as hell didn't deserve it.

Taking a step back from her, he let her hands fall away from him. "Marinette, Hawk Moth knows that I care for you. He knows how much I care for you and I don't want him to hurt you." He looked up beneath hooded lashes and trailed his claw along her cheek, cupping it in his hand.

He couldn't feel her skin beneath the leather, but everything in him craved to. He longed everything about her and she was all he thought about the past few days. He had to tell her. There was no other way.

"I –I want to show you who I am beneath the mask."

Marinette's eyes narrowed. "No! You can't do that."

"Don't you want to see who I am?" he asked, slightly pained at her resistance.

"O –Of course I do." she stammered, "But not like this. I don't want you to give up your secret to protect me. I can handle it, I can handle Hawk Moth."

The determination in her eyes shook his core. "Marinette," he whispered, "If I do this, we can finally be together without fear. Don't you want that?"

Her eyes welled with tears and she violently shook her head, "Not if it puts you in harm's way." And he smiled then. There was something about her protectiveness that made him sure. This was the right decision. She was someone he could trust. And it only made him want her more.

He inhaled deeply and shut his eyes to brace himself. "Plagg, claws –," His lips clamped shut and his voice died in his mouth.

Chat's eyes shot open and that was when he realized she was kissing him. Her lips were soft and warm against his, just like he'd always imagined and he immediately wrapped his arms around her to prolong the feeling.

He held her tightly against him, pressing her against every inch of him. Deepening the kiss he marveled at how she sent tingles racing through his body and made him greedy for more.

She tasted sweet, like the baked goods downstairs in her parent's bakery and her smell made him feel like he was walking through a field of strawberries. Her hands slowly crawled along his chest, brushing over his taunt muscles, over his shoulders and behind his neck to the unruly strands of his hair.

Every move she made sent fire igniting beneath his skin and his heart burst open for her. This was love. It had to be.

He pressed his mouth harder against hers and ran his claws through her hair, running his other hand over her figure. She was perfect, without fault and he savored everything about her. He wished this moment would last forever.

Marinette pulled away, panting heavily and Chat lowered his head to her neck, too embarrassed to let her see how she'd taken his breath away. He planted a soft, tender kiss near the base of her neck and her shiver sent his heart into overdrive.

"I love you." he murmured.

He was so happy to finally tell her, to finally let it out. He felt light, freer than he had in months and for the first time it felt like they were the only two in the world, a world where anything was possible as long as they were together.

"I love you so much, Marinette. I always will." He felt Marinette pull away from him and for a moment his fantasies fell flat. Her warmth escaped him and Chat Noir held his breath, panicking. Had he said that wrong thing? Don't something to make her uncomfortable? Moved too fast?

But there wasn't any anger or fear in her eyes, only shock and bewilderment. "What?" she breathed.

Chat felt his lips curl into a tender smile. He knelt on one knee and grabbed her hand in his, staring up at with as much conviction and adoration he could muster.

"I'm in love with you, Marinette Dupain–Cheng, and nothing in the world can ever change that."

Hey guys, I'm sorry you had to wait so long (even longer since I fell asleep and forgot to upload it a couple hours ago) P.S. I'm so sorry about that. I was just so wiped out today I couldn't help myself...

The AMV in this chapter was actually the one that inspired this story in the first place, so don't forget to check it out if you have the time and data to watch XD

Also, please don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed the chapter. All your comments and votes have really meant a lot to me, inspiring me to keep writing and improving my self-confidence. Your role as one of my readers is invaluable to me.

So thank you, from the bottom of my heart.❤️