A/N - Thank you everyone for baring with me over the course of July...especially those who came to join the fun of 'A Masked Mistake', once again I am thrilled with the support and comments. It truly does mean the world to us authors to hear what you think or even the slightest bit of encouragement, even a little emoji makes our day a little brighter.

Anyway, enjoy a smutty chapter in preparation for the end...the final battle begins next week.

•••••

COMMENTS [320]

WayhemAAAAA - I don't care what anyone says, I know Adrien, and I know what has been mentioned here is false. It seems Vivica is once again playing the sympathy card. Can't you all remember the 'pregnancy' announcement she made only for it to turn out to be a complete lie? I'm sorry, but until I hear Adrien's side of the story I don't believe a word of this fucked up shit!

Agrestestan28: I always knew Adrien was fake! Damn, I need to change my profile name now.

WayhemAAAAA: You're meant to be an Adrien fan but you believe this shit! You don't deserve a name like that!

Agrestestan28: Doesn't it prove how guilty he is by not revealing his side of the story? Obviously there isn't one and he's trying to find some sort of legality to help him.

WayhemAAAAA: This was posted three hours ago, the guy does have a life you know!

Bluefoxes: BISCUITS!? OF COURSE WE HAVE THEM! COME AND TASTE THE JOY OF BLUEFOXES BISCUITS WITH A FREE COUPON. JUST SEND US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND BANK DETAILS. FREE BISCUITS HAVE NEVER BEEN CLOSER.

AANumber1fan: I agree with WayhemAAAAA. Vivica has lied to us before! Adrien deserves better and if 'pyjama girl' is the one for him then I support that. They're dead cute together, she's beautiful.

whoareyou?: Okay, so maybe Adrien did cheat, but so did his new whore of a girlfriend. Am I right in thinking she's Christopher Henley's girlfriend? I reckon she used him to get closer to Adrien. A quick way to get to him. Christopher doesn't deserve that! He's such a sweet guy.

AANumber1fan: Christophers gay! It's so obvious! He was seen out with that really attractive model the other week, Frank something or other, and they looked adorable together.

whoareyou?: Who do you think you are talking to me like that?

AANumber1fan: I don't know, whoareyou?

Adriendeservesbetter: His new woman is a fucking whore! Marinette better watch out because for the first time in her life she's going to lose more than just the guy.

LadyLover007: Wow! Someone needs to take a chill pill!

WayhemAAAAA: And report!

AANumber1fan: Who let the psycho in?

Itshouldbeme: I bet it's Lila Rossi. Didn't she always want Adrien?

AANumber1fan: Or Vivica

Viv's_a_div: Absolute dumbass!

TheNextHawkmoth: Riddle me this, riddle me that, who's afraid of the big...black...cat?

Viv's_a_div: Please! That was so 1995, and the line is 'bat' you dumbass! FFS! I'm out of here!

•••••

Landing on the roof terrace, Ladybug didn't bother dropping her transformation as she lifted the skylight and made her way into Adrien's apartment, a grey mood cloud hung thick over her head and an angry stomp complimented her walk. She was fuming! There was anger and there was this.

"Marinette, talk to me please." Chat Noir was begging and as far as she was concerned he could keep begging because there was no way she was giving in on this one.

The loud thud of Chats boots landed behind her, he obviously got the message it was safer for him to say transformed.

What the fuck had he been thinking?

She stormed her way past the sofa and into the bedroom, finding her hold-all bag and slamming it on the bed before moving the chest of drawers and emptying them out of her belongings. Lingerie, tops, bottoms, socks; everything was being dumped in this bag.

"Just wait." Chat Noir's hand reached into his hair as he ruffled his already untamed locks making himself even more handsome than he already was. Damn Adrien Agreste and fuck Chat Noir, the bastard could go and jump off a building for all she cared.

"No!" she growled, continuing slamming item after item into the bag. Next stop the bathroom. "Spots off."

Marinette remained standing beside the bathroom cabinet searching for her items; her toothbrush, shampoo, conditioner, the pills she probably wouldn't need to take anymore.

She made her way back into the bedroom only to stall.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" She stormed forward, pushing a now detransformed Adrien out the way and grabbing what was in his hands, slamming it back with force into the bag.

"I'm putting your belongings back." He yanked open a draw, inserted her bras and slammed it shut.

"Like hell you are!"

"Stop being so dramatic." Blocking her way, he restricted her movements, stopping her from getting any of her other belongings.

"Dramatic? Me? Oh come on! Have you ever met yourself, you hypocrite?" Her fists clenching and shaking from their tight hold. "How dare you!"

She went to step around him, only to be blocked, once, twice, three times. Her jaw tightened and her breathing enhanced itself in an irregular rhythm. The resounding sound of a slap was heard before an intense tingling took over her now red hand. A red hand that matched perfectly with the imprint on Adrien's face.

Slowly, Marinette looked at Adrien's face, noticing how the force of her hand had turned his head to the side, his own hand cupping the newly positioned injury, his little finger trailing down to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.

He slowly turned his head to face her, his tongue protruding out of the corner of his mouth licking the crack on the side of his lip caused by her. He tapped the back of his hand against the cut once more, his eyes firmly set on hers; both breathing heavy, the air between them intensifying as the reality of what she'd just done settled between them.

As she looked into his vibrant green orbs everything that had happened seemed to have finally caught up with her. Once again her love was risking himself, putting himself in the line of fire to save the day and she was fed up with it. She'd had enough of Adrien using himself to get them to the endgame, to make sure she survived. Did he not understand there was no point in her surviving without him? That life without Adrien, without Chat Noir, was pointless.

She'd tried without living with one part of him before, only to cling onto the other with all her strength; needing and wanting to be with Chat Noir when life made the cruel decision to take Adrien from her. Marinette knew now, more than ever, that she couldn't live without him and knowing he was once again putting himself in danger killed her; made her grieve for the life they would never get to share.

His plan was great, amazing even, and she was certain it would work, the only problem? He was the bait. Chat Noir was the bait.

She held it strongly in front of their friends. Keeping her voice determined and steady, the leader they wanted her to be. But the side glances from Luka told her he knew, as always he was in tune with her, full well her mannerisms were giving her away, Adrien too caught up in answering questions and giving explanations to notice her strange demeanour, that was until they left 'The Liberty'.

To say he chased her through the skies would be unjust to the game they played. If only she was Multimouse at the time, the phrase cat and mouse would have been perfect. She'd forgotten how fast he was, faster than her, meaning she had to push herself to her maximum to keep their distance. To keep him away from her as long as possible.

Once again she was stuck between love and hate.

They remained staring at each other until Adrien took his tongue to his lips once again. The unseductive movement as a cause of healing made way for her own tongue to explore her own lips, before it made its way to exploring his.

•••••

Adrien licked the slight blood sitting in the corner of his mouth. He wouldn't say he deserved the slap, but he definitely understood it, after all, he promised he'd never leave her again only to make a plan where he could be leaving her permanently. He knew the plan was good and he had a couple more aces up his sleeve, ones he wasn't informing her of yet. But this would work. It had to.

They stood glaring at each other, her own tongue mirroring his and licking along the bow of her top lip stirring the need in his stomach and groin. Fuck, even crazily angry at him she was sexy, and he couldn't hold himself back. Lunging forwards, he cupped one hand around the back of her head, threading his fingers tightly in her hair as his other hand supported her lovely back, aggressively pulling her into him; her body pounding off his.

Adrien pulled on her hair, removing her lips from his as his grasp pulled on her hair, tilting her head back and revealing her neck. Her eyes closed, a moan escaping through barely opened lips as he licked the length of her neck, his grip keeping her where he wanted her as he began to devour her neck; sucking and biting causing his erection to grow ever more painful in the tight confines of his trousers.

"You're a fucking bitch sometimes, do you know that?" he growled.

He pulled her tighter into his body, pushing his increasingly hardening length into her stomach; her hands finding his ass and squeezing tightly causing him to grind into her and bite harder. She was going to be littered with bruises to accompany her spots but he didn't care, the wild noises echoing in her throat was everything he needed. As another groan made its way up her throat he swallowed it himself, suctioning his mouth over hers as his tongue tasted as much Marinette as possible.

"You bring it out of me, Chaton."

He let go of her hair, her head lolling forward as her eyes opened and, by the looks of things, gave him a clue to how aroused she actually was, and God was she aroused. The blue of her Iris had been submerged into a sea of black, the darkening only making her body all the more appealing to him.

He walked her backwards, his mouth searching for hers again in wet, sloppy and rather unattractive kisses. Saliva trailing from one mouth to the other as they hungry ate at each other and took what they wanted, and at the moment they wantedeverything. Every breath, every taste, every moment.

"You're a dick do you know that? And I fucking hate you!" She grabbed a chunk of his hair and pulled him hard into her as he slammed her back to the wall, hoisting her up and guiding her legs around his waist as he pressed himself into her, the huffed moan leaving her mouth enough to make him grind into her; an automatic reaction to the woman of his dreams.

"I hate me too."

His hands slid down to rest on her slender waist, the bare skin a comfort to his hands as her top rode up towards her chest. He pressed his hips hard against her sex, rolling them in delicious circles as he heard small, quiet curses leave her mouth. He pressed harder, enticing a loud 'fuck' from her luscious, tasty lips; lips he desired elsewhere.

Adrien moved his hands lower, holding her against him and the wall so he could remove her top with the other. Lifting the vest top over her head and throwing it to the floor, he moved in, sucking her now pebbled nipples through her bra as he bucked his hips into her hard and with vigour.

"You can do better than that, Agreste." Her voice was huffed and slightly husky from the exertion of the movements, Adrien's hands moving to in between them as he pushed her harder against the wall; her stability held from the pressure between the two.

His hands fumbled as they messed firstly with her skirt, hoisting it up and over her hips, before taking them to the thin straps of her thong and pulling it apart; not giving a shit about ripping it like a feral creature, the only thing that mattered right at this moment was getting inside Marinette.

Adrien removed the destroyed fabric and threw it over his shoulder, Marinette's hands clutching his hair, and kissing him fiercely as though she wanted to hurt him, to leave her own marks on him, making sure he never forgot her.

"Fuck, that was hot." Her sex filled voice made his cock twitch in his bottoms once more, his hands fumbling for his own belt and jeans.

"Not as hot as what I'm about to do to you," he whispered against her lips, pushing his lower clothing down and palming his hardened length, before giving it a couple of pumps and aiming it right at her opening.

He looked up into her highly aroused eyes, waiting for any indication she wanted him to stop. What he saw was black. Black pools of desire, open and ready to let him in.

Taking that as his cue, he plunged into her hard and deep. Her own slickness welcomed him with a tight squeeze and incredible dampness. Fuck, it was good without a condom. Marinette slammed her head back against the door, top teeth biting her lower to keep from screaming, an action he had to repeat as a rumble came up from their joined bodies.

Grabbing a hold of the join of his shirt, she clenched the fabric and pulled it apart, ripping the buttons from the shirt and sending them flying around the room, each hitting off objects and clanging on the lights. If it was any other day he might have cared, it was a nice shirt after all, but right now all that mattered was the lust he was feeling for his partner, and a need to show her just how much he wanted her.

The husked sounds of breathing echoed around the room, Adrien moving his hands to under her thighs and hoisting her into a position where he could get deeper, could become one with her. His mouth moved to her bra again, pulling the material down between his teeth, his tongue licking a long hard stroke over her breast as he felt her breath hitch in her throat.

Adrien pulled his hips back, removing his length from Marinette; feeling the loss of heat instantaneously, but it wasn't for long. He slammed himself fully back into her, hard and aggressively, her moaning out 'again' spurring him on. The next slam causing a slight scream to sneak past her lips, the slam of flesh to flesh echoed around the room as her door vibrated aggressively on its hinges.

A large amount of air left his lips as he levelled up ready to do it again, Marinette's grunt had him pounding his balls against her ass. He licked up her neck, as he continued to pull out and slam in, his dick getting closer to escaping each time.

"I hate you, Adrien Agreste."

He slammed in harder, her words only pushing him on and into an intense need to have her clawing at him; gripping onto him hard her fingers dug into his shoulders, his mouth moving to lick over her tender, unveiled nipples.

"I hate your face."

Slam.

"I hate your smile."

Slam.

"I hate – I hate..." he heard her voice stutter in her throat. The clear emotion broke down her anger, as her body lost all tension and her head fell onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his warm skin, "I'm so, so sorry."

He held himself inside her, and, even though it pained him to do so, he stopped moving. His arms wrapped around her tightly, allowing her to release her buried emotions.

Marinette kissed the side of his neck. "I can't lose you again."

•••••

Adrien knew her too well.

He knew what it would take for her to drop her defences, and he'd done it in a matter of minutes. She'd gone from seething to having an emotional breakdown far too quickly for her own liking. Her sorrowful tears now falling onto his bare neck as he held her tightly in position. He was still buried deep inside her as she released insecurity and hurt, tear after tear down her face and into his tanned, perfect skin.

She'd just got him. She couldn't lose him already. That wasn't fair.

Marinette felt him move around and thought he was most likely removing his shoes before stepping out of his discarded jeans and boxers, his shirt still hanging open in front of him, her own nipples pressed tightly against his firm chest and her head buried from his sympathetic, loving gaze.

"Speak to me, love."

His smooth, caressing voice was matched with his hand softening over her hair, soothing her in a way you would a small child; so different to the hard, out of control thrusts he was just attacking her with. God, she hated yet loved the man.

The big, dumb dodo of a man who, once again, was using himself as bait and sacrifice. Others had put themselves forward, Félix included, but he just had to say no, believing no one else should put themselves at risk for his fight. But it wasn't just his fight. They were a team, it was them against the world. She couldn't live without him.

"Marinette?"

She shook her head in the crook of his neck, before feeling the warmth of him leave her, sliding out of her and lowering her feet to the floor.

Grasping onto the edges of his shirt, she clenched it hard in her fists, her head seeking solace in his muscular chest as his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"Why does it always have to be you?" Her whispered voice was laced with emotion, her nose sucking up a rather haphazard amount of snot before she continued. "I've just got you."

His hands began to move up and down her back, and from the rise and fall of his chest she knew he wasn't fairing much better than her, only a slight consultation considering her own internal breakdown. As one of his hands sprayed out on her lower back, the other cupped her head into his chest, his lips pressing sweet indications of love into her hair, time after time again.

They stayed in the position, the sound of horns and chatter down below the only sign time was still passing as they remained attached to each other, basking in the warmth and love they felt.

"Why does it always have to be you?" Her voice broke away to more tears streaming down her face. Her body shaking erratically against his as she cried so many tears she thought she'd dehydrate.

"I know, Mon amour, I know." He kissed her head again only making her heartache more. It was their turn, it was meant to be their chance to have the happiness everyone else seemed to have. She had to sit there as couples cosied together, each knowing their partner was fighting but without a huge obnoxious target on their back. The others had a choice. They didn't. Even Alya and Nino left together amicably, talking about their future.

Future. God she hated that word. If it wasn't a cat dressed in white, it was no cat at all.

"What if I can't save you? We don't know what this is, and as much as I trust Jess and her research, I don't know if I'm willing to just trust it. It's your life we're playing with here. I just...I just," her body shut down on her as her knees gave way and she crumbled, the only thing stopping her from sinking was the hands of her partner and the grasp on his shirt.

Closing her eyes, her senses went on high alert, smelling the movement of him before his hands scooped her up, cradling her into his body. Once she was level with his neck, she buried herself into him once again, one hand on his heart allowing the steady rhythm to soothe her and regulate her own.

"Why don't we get to choose?" He held her tighter as she cried, her hands tightening even more on his shirt, and even though they were practically naked it didn't matter. Sexual desires pushed aside for something else. Something more.

"M'Lady, I know this is hard. It's tearing me apart to see you like this, but please, you've trusted me for years; trust me again now. Don't let the face under the mask be a reason to lose hope. It's still me."

"But this time you're mine," she responded only to be met with a huffed laugh from his mouth.

"I've always been yours, Bugaboo."

He stroked through her hair, her head still moving with the motion of his chest as she felt him breathe. Felt him alive. "I've never lost faith in you, Kitty. But you're mine, and I don't care how selfish I sound, having you here is more important than whatever Lila's plan is."

"Which is why–" he placed a finger under her chin, lifting it to meet his face, her eyes taken in by the ferociousness of his. "Which is why we're going to win. We'll defeat Lila, you'll once again take the glory for being the best fucking hero Paris has ever seen, and I'll marry you."

Her eyes widened, a hand shooting up to cradle his face. "What?"

"I know you heard me." His hand placed gently on top of hers, pulling it down into their lap, his finger tracing over her bare left ring finger. "Once we're through this I'm going to propose." He lifted her hand to his lips, delicately placing feather-like kisses to her bare flesh. "And it'll be the best damn proposal you've ever had."

"With monkeys?"

"Daisy already has a dress for the wedding."

For the first time in what felt like forever, Marinette laughed, nuzzling into his bare chest. "That's too soon Kitty, but I appreciate the sentiment." She exhaled loudly, feeling her chest deflate. "I'm an idiot." Her whispered words were more than just a statement, they were an announcement of her every action since that night with Adrien three years ago.

"No, you're not."

"I am," she whined, "I should have known you wouldn't have abandoned me the way you did, I definitely should have known Vivica was a hoax, I should have known Dominic was a sentimonster. I should have reached out to you! I shouldhave done something."

"Marinette, you didn't know. You couldn't have known, it wouldn't have been safe anyway."

"Did you really sleep with her?"

Adrien dropped his head onto her shoulder, his cheeks warming up with awkwardness. "Yes, father had promised Nadja Chamack an exclusive interview if I didn't go through with it. I called out your name; visualising it was you was the only way to go through it."

"Don't be embarrassed, Kitty, look at me with Dominic."

He pressed small kisses to her neck, an action of love and devotion, an action proving they were together in this. All was forgiven, but until this was over it wouldn't be forgotten.

"Make love to me, please."

His lips left her neck, the stare boring into her blue glistening eyes. Her hand reached out tentatively for his neck, stroking over his cheek with her thumb before rotating on his lap, lifting her skirt once more.

"I love you," she uttered, only to be met with a kiss she swore she'd never forget. She didn't want to think too much about it, but the kiss felt like their last.

One to live or die by.

•••••

Adrien managed to sneak out the house once Marinette passed out. It may have taken a couple of rather intense orgasms but he knew she'd be out for the night. She was a heavy sleeper and a bit of additional non superhero activity made all the difference.

He knew everyone would be doing exactly what he just did; making love to their lady for what could possibly be the last time. Once again he was deceiving Marinette, but this plan couldn't work if she knew. Once again, he had to hide the truth, but this time he wasn't alone.

Fully transformed as his alter ego, he bounded through the night, springing from one rooftop to the next on his way to 'The Liberty'. Dropping down into an alleyway close by, he released his transformation and headed in search for Luka and the rest of the guys.

It was two in the morning, and the darkness of night was still hiding Paris from the shadow's of a future unknown, a tomorrow where once again the city of Love will be turned upside down and covered in heroes and villains alike. The pressure of victory or failure put on the shoulders of a normal woman coated in magic and given the gift of luck, and unfortunately, her equal, her partner, would not be on her side.

He pulled his jacket tighter around him, blocking the cool early morning breeze from hitting him and making him shiver more than he already was. A shiver from fear and anticipation; a heart aching with the sheer pain of what was about to happen.

The pounding of his feet against the wooden plank was not inconspicuous and he knew anyone within a five metre radius would hear his approach, he didn't care though. All he cared about was getting onto the boat, seeing if Nino had pulled through before heading back to the apartment and showing Marinette just how much he loved her time and time again.

Adrien settled against the edge of the far side of the boat, unsure whether it was port or starboard, and watched the rippling of the waves, his mind running back to the many conversations the previous day. She was brilliant, as always. Marinette, his Lady, took control and made sure everyone knew what they were doing and when. She turned the simple plan into one of precision and perfection.

Turning his back on the water, he slid himself down to sit against the side, his head cradled in his hands as he mental berated himself once more for the way he had lied to Marinette.

The floorboards bounced as someone walked towards him, taking the space beside him and shielding the light illuminating the area from the cabin.

"You don't have a choice."

The voice was soothing, but Adrien couldn't lift his head. He was still self doubting himself for what he came up with, doubting that this would work. He pressed the heels of his hands aggressively into his eye sockets and rubbed, the slight pain an indication that this was his reality right now, not a dream.

A second thump of soles filled the air, the deck once again bouncing from the regular impacts of someone walking, a newcomer finally stopping and seating himself the other side of Adrien. He felt a hand slam on his shoulder, the slight shake and rub comforting him and letting him know for once he wasn't alone.

"Do you have it?" The first spoke again, the second taking his hand from Adrien's shoulder and messing around in his pocket. There was fumbling, crunching and a slight curse before the hand left his pocket.

Adrien lifted his head coming face to face with Nino and Luka's hands, a small ziplock bag between them filled with wax; joined, not too long after, by an additional six pairs of feet.