Marinette rolled on her side, her hands brushing over the bed sheets, and groaned out. Her entire body felt sore, her limbs numbed and her back burning. She felt hot, too hot, and every breath she took made her stomach lurch.

A hand lay gently on her shoulder and Marinette lolled her head back as two luminescent eyes came in to view. "It's okay." he whispered, "Just rest."

"Chat?" she asked, her throat dry and voice soft. He gave her a small smile and pressed something moist and cold against her forehead. She flinched back and touched it lightly, the cloth soft and welcome against her scorching skin.

She felt so tired and with Chat nearby it was easy to be seduced to sleep, but she remembered how she got here. And how he'd found out her secret.

"Hawk Moth," she rasped, "Did he -?"

"He's been taken care of." replied Chat. Marinette wanted to feel comforted by his words, but a bigger part of her was worried. He'd been so enraged when he'd arrived to save her and it was how Chat had dealt with him afterwards that troubled her.

"How?" she asked. Chat sighed and pulled himself closer until his side was lightly pressed against the length of her body.

"You saved my life again." he said, "Just like that first time. You were always so brave and selfless. I don't know how I never noticed it was you, Milady."

Marinette closed her eyes and frowned, "I'm sorry I never told you. I'm so sorry -," He kissed her tenderly and she felt him smile against her lips.

"Don't be sorry." he said, "Sure I was shocked and confused in the beginning, but I was happy. I was so happy to know I fell in love with the side of you without the mask."

She smiled shyly at him, "You're not disappointed?"

Chat smile fell away and his eyes hardened, "I'll never be disappointed in you, Marinette. Hell," he chuckled, "You've made me fall in love with you twice." He brushed her hair back from her cheek and kissed it. "And I relive that feeling every day when I'm around you."

Marinette frowned, "His kwami –,"

"He went home." He smirked then, "For something with such small wings he doesn't seem to have a problem with long distances." Marinette snorted and stared up at Chat Noir expectantly, waiting for him to tell her everything.

"I had to grab his pendent and Plagg's powers fused with Nooroo's. I had the power to destroy memories." His voice softened and his eyes dulled, "Hawk Moth wouldn't have changed his mind. It was the only way."

"You saw him? Where is he now?" she asked.

Chat Noir tilted his head to the side and flickered his ears. Marinette smiled cutely and he returned it. "He's at home in bed, waking up from what he thinks was just another bad dream in the Agreste manor."

"Agreste? You mean?" The look in his eyes said it all. "You're sure he won't remember?" 

Chat Noir shook his head and Marinette frowned. "I can't imagine what Adrien would've felt if he found out." Her heart pained for him. Her feelings might've died with Chat Noir's arrival, but he was still her friend and she cared deeply for him.

"I wouldn't worry about him." replied Chat, "He's stronger than he looks."

Marinette pressed her body against him, "No one's that strong, Chat. Not even you." The light in his eyes dimmed and Marinette grabbed his gloved hand in her own.

She hated the look in his eyes, but she wanted him to know. He didn't need to pretend around her. She was there and she wasn't going anywhere.

"Marinette." said Tikki, "You should really go back to sleep."

Chat Noir's warm breath washed over her hair and her eyes stung from exhaustion. But she didn't want this moment with him to end just yet. "I'm not tired." she muttered.

He laughed, "You're not fooling anyone, Purrincess." He sat up from the bed and she quickly reached for his arm. Holding on tightly, she let her hand trail down to his and intertwined their fingers.

"Stay." she whispered.

His brilliant green eyes were dazed, his face tranquil, as he stared down at him. Slowly, he climbed back on the bed, crawling over to her and pulled her close with his hands laying loosely around her. Marinette snuggled closer, unaffected by the pain or the way his cold leather suit made her shiver.

"Chat?" she mumbled, listening to his heart. He hummed in response and she allowed her eyes to drift shut. "You know my secret. When will I learn yours?"

She felt his lips against the nape of her neck and she again. "Soon," he breathed, "Tomorrow."

"But I don't want to wait that long. I'll be itching all day to see you."

"But you will." he replied, "And you'll recognize me from the moment I walk in the room."

Marinette wasn't sure what to think. Chat Noir was cunning, flirty and filled to the brim with inside jokes. All she hoped was that Chat Noir wouldn't come transformed in the classroom to greet her.

She'd die from embarrassment.

"Promise?" she whispered.

He pressed another kiss to her shoulder, "Only if you promise to sleep."

She didn't need to promise.

She was already dreaming about them together.

Marinette was nervous when she returned to school the next day. Her mom and dad had been a bit worried when they saw her limp, but Marinette blamed it to falling down the stairs. And honestly, it didn't take much to convince them. Her clumsiness probably held the world record.

 "Don't worry, Marinette. There's nothing to be nervous about. The balance is restored. Hawk Moth is vanquished and there's nothing that could possibly go wrong today."

"I know, Tikki. I mean –I'm going to see him without the mask today." She breathed out deeply and sighed, "Finally."

Tikki giggled from her purse. "Oh I'm sure you'll like him."

Marinette stopped near the school steps and frowned, "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Tikki smiled brightly, "You'll see. Now hurry. Alya will be waiting for you inside!"

"Wait, Tikki –," The kwami dived back in the bag and snapped it closed from the inside. She felt an arm sling itself around her shoulders and hissed.

"Marinette? You okay?" asked Alya. Marinette slowly removed Alya's arm from her shoulders and sighed.

"I fell down the stairs yesterday and it's still tender." she wheezed.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. But you'll never guess what I recorded yesterday." Alya held up her smartphone and Marinette glanced down at it. Chat Noir was alone outside the abandoned section of the museum, watching it crumble to the ground.

"He totally destroyed a section of the museum." said Alya, "The cops want him arrested, but all his fans are going against them." Marinette's eyes widened and then softened as sympathy took over. He'd had to deal with everything on his own. Overpowering Hawk Moth, saving her and making sure Gabriel wasn't recognized. She regretted that she couldn't be there to help him.

"I'm against the cops too." said Marinette, "Chat Noir's always had a good reason for the things he's done. This wouldn't be any different."

"Of course you'd say that." Alya winked and Marinette's face reddened.

"Wh –What do you mean?"

"Girl, you're like the number one Chat Noir fan since your crush on Adrien. If you sided with the cops I might be seriously worried about those stairs taking a toll on your brain." Marinette laughed and Alya joined in.

She checked her phone again and placed in her back pocket. "Class is starting now, come on." Marinette followed hesitantly behind, glancing at every boy they passed. The school was huge. How would she find him? And how was he so arrogant about it?

It couldn't be that obvious? Right?

Marinette sat in her seat just as the bell rang and Miss Bustier started roll call. Marinette gave her name in and started surveying the classroom for any Chat Noir candidates. It couldn't be Kim, his hair wasn't right. She could hardly imagine Max with his bad sense of humor and after her first encounter with him to take down Stone Heart she doubted it was Ivan.

Nino was out of the question as well. He had the swag and the humor, but she couldn't imagine him with blonde hair or Chat Noir with his repetitive nicknames. Marinette sighed. Those were all the boys she could think of. Maybe he was an in another class with her?

Her eyes fell on the vacant seat in front of her and her heart faltered. It couldn't be...

"Did Adrien come to school today?" she asked.

Alya glanced at his seat and shook her head. "No, I haven't seen him anyway." Marinette felt a pang of guilt. Gabriel must've been having trouble adjusting back home and Adrien might've offered to stay and help. She could picture it. He was sweet and kind that way.

"All right, class. Let's start where we left off. Open you books to page –,"

"Sorry I'm late!" Marinette snapped her head up to see Adrien barreling through the door. "My father had a bad morning and I had to help, but I'm here now."

Miss Bustier nodded to him and smiled, "All right, Adrien. Please take a seat." He turned towards Marinette and her breath caught in her throat.

His perfect blonde hair swayed over his forehead in a sort of messy way and his green eyes sparkled with joy and light as they landed on her. His high cheekbones and lean body looked just as tall far away and the depth of green in his gaze left her mouth dry.

But it wasn't his looks that took her off guard.

It was his hoodie.

He took his seat beside Nino and fist bumped him. "Are those cat ears on your hood?" asked Alya.

Adrien smirked, "Yep and I think they're purrfect."

Alya and Nino laughed at him, but Marinette was frozen in place, her mind racing. He glanced at her from over his shoulder and her face erupted in red.

She'd been so blind. She'd been such a fool.

Her most trusted partner. The boy who'd loved her all along. He was right in front of her.

And she'd missed him every time.

I fell in love with this idea when I wrote about Marinette making the hoodie in chapter 29. It seems like such a long time ago now that I think about it XD

I also wanna thank you guys for all the reads. 20K! It's insane, especially since this story has only been up for about 3-4 months. Honestly this is all because of you and I'm so glad you love it as much as I do.

Please don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed this chapter. It holds a special place in my heart.