“Oh no, I am late again!”

“I told you Marinette to stop having him over at night. You spend so much time waiting and then talking to him, then you end up sleeping late and then you’re late for school!”

“I know, I know Tikki! But I just can’t say no to that face of his.”

Marinette was late. Again. Reaching her class fifteen minutes late had become a routine by now. But she still whined and begged her red kwami to stop stating the obvious every morning. She didn’t feel offended but she also didn’t feel great that her kwami was far more organised than she was.

And yet she was Ladybug. Paris’s superhero. Who would ever believe that if she told them? Being the clumsy, least punctual girl in Paris, she herself found it hard to believe at times.

This was one of those times. But with Tikki around, things were far more easier than they were before. If Tikki weren't a magical creature, she would have been the best godmother in the eyes of her mother.

The bluenette clumsily ran across her room, gathering her stuff and stuffing them into her backpack. She slipped on her clothes and struggled to keep balance as she put on her shoes. Grabbing her hair ties and backpack, she ran down the stairs, stumbling at the last few steps.

“Mama! Papa! I am heading out now!” She called out and took an apple as her breakfast.

“Remember to take the poster dear!” Tom's heavy voice rang across the room.

Marinette groaned and slapped herself softly. “How am I Ladybug again?” She mumbled to herself and rushed to her room, shouting a 'thank you' to her father. She took the poster and was about to leave again when Tikki flew right up in front of her face, her little arms crossed and a disappointed look on her face. Realisation dawned on her and she let out an apologetic sigh, “I am so sorry Tikki.”

“Don’t you ever forget me like that again Marinette,” Tikki chirped and smiled, accepting her apology.

Marinette nodded and kissed Tikki softly. She took her hand-made sling bag, taking care that Tikki was tucked in comfortably this time.

“I am so late today!”

She ran out of the house, into the street and sprinted across the road to her school. The school building was devoid of any bickering or laughing of students, indicating that everyone had settled down in their respective classrooms and that the day had officially started.

Preparing herself to hear some scolding from Miss Bustier, Marinette entered the class reluctantly. But instead of meeting her homeroom teacher, she saw an unknown person behind the teacher’s desk, reading a newspaper. She looked around only to see and hear the chittering and chatting of her classmates. Marinette sighed in relief and proudly pranced to her seat.

She couldn’t be tagged late today.

She sat down on her assigned seat next to Alya and smiled.

“You are in a good mood, girl. What’s the scoop?” Her bespectacled friend nudged the bluenette with her shoulder and smiled slyly.

“I might be late but no one’s there to say anything to me today,” Marinette exclaimed and relaxed in her seat, yawning slightly.

Having run around right in the morning tired her out and the adrenaline rush had made her forget that she had barely slept for three hours last night.

“That’s right there. Miss Bustier got sick so we got a substitute teacher today. Best part, he doesn’t tell you to shut up.”

The duo started giggling, grabbing the attention of the boys in front of them.

“What are we laughing about?” Nino asked, turning around to face the girls.

"We were laughing at the size of your head Dj," Alya said bluntly, winking in the process.

Nino grumbled under his breath and came up with a sarcastic, yet sassy comment to fire at her. "At least it's big enough to harbour you and your girl issues."

"I do not have girl issues, nu uh!" Alya shot back, swaying her hand in a big fat denial.

Marinette smiled, looking at the two go on, and sighed.

"Do you think we will ever find someone like that to argue with?"

Marinette stiffened at the voice and turned to face the speaker.

Adrien Agreste.

The one and only person who could make her into a complete stuttering and hot, red mess in a matter of seconds.

She looked at him and found herself diving into his emerald green eyes. Looking at him, almost dizzily, she replied with a lovestruck smile, "I would never argue with you Adrien."

Adrien's cheeks turned red and even the previously bickering couple stopped their argument and looked at the pigtailed girl. Alya clapped her hands and grinned like an idiot while Nino couldn't help but slap his blonde friend on his back only to receive a questioning and unbelievably confused 'what was that for' look. Instantly realising the position she was in, Marinette turned the colour of her alter ego's suit.

What was she supposed to say next? She had no clue and neither was her brain processing at the speed with which her heart was beating. If only her heart would stop pumping at that humongous rate and let her brain do the thinking and then allow her to calm down.

"I–," she had no words to say. She knew Adrien had heard her loud and clear and denying that would make her look bad in his eyes. She felt herself getting teary with each passing second. She had messed up even the little friendship that she had developed with him.

Sensing the utter loss of words her best friend was feeling, Alya piped in. "Mari! I thought that was confidential!"

Marinette looked up at Alya with confusion plastered all over her face. Alya winked softly at her friend and Marinette relaxed a bit, knowing everything was under control.

"Confidential?" The ever confused and dense Adrien asked.

"So you see Adrien, Mari here is preparing for– her auditions at the theatre club! So that’s why she did the acting right there and, I say, she did well, right?” Alya kept her arm on Marinette’s shoulder proud of herself.

Nino nodded in complete agreement although he knew that what just happened was not an act. Adrien’s face seemed to shine with enlightenment as he processed the new information that had been fed to him.

“Well Marinette, you really did great. I am sure you will get a good spot.”

Marinette blushed a bit at his compliment and smiled, glad that things had turned out to be just fine between the two of them. She was also thankful for how adorably naive Adrien was as he didn’t question her about her ‘audition’ plans.

She kept her head on the table and yawned. The day had barely started and it already exhausted her. She closed her eyes, dreaming about the guest who appeared in her balcony every night. She had started waiting for his arrival and always felt a bit sad when he left. She talked to him for hours on end and if it weren’t for him and his timely departure, she was sure that she would never stop her midnight rants. Thinking about him made her smile and she felt herself slowly falling asleep.

But of course she couldn’t do that with her overly active best friend around.

“Mari, how are you so tired already?” The brunette asked and poked Marinette on the shoulder. “Is he still coming over and not letting you sleep?” She put forth another question when the first one was answered with a shrug by the bluenette.

Marinette looked at her friend and sighed. “Yeah he is. But it’s not his fault that I don’t sleep. So don’t blame him.” She mumbled a bit groggily and yawned again.

“I do blame him. You are barely able to sleep and are at an all time low everyday. Do your parents know that he is coming again?” Marinette mumbled a small ‘no’ and Alya groaned frustrated. “Mari, I do not have any problem with him but if his untimely visits are affecting you, I have a huge problem.”

The girl in question looked up at the journalist and chuckled. “That’s why you are my best friend, Als. But don’t worry I am fine, really. A good day’s–,” yawn, “nap on the weekends will do me good. It’s Friday today, isn’t it? Tomorrow I will–,” yawn again, “sleep during the day and make up for all the lost hours.”

Alya frowned in disapproval but Marinette dismissed it with a smile.

“I like his visits and his company. I like him.”

“Your parents don’t, do they?”

“That’s why this is a night affair, Alya.”

Marinette was excited for the coming nights. She smiled as she fell into another dream about the reason for the excitement bubbling inside her.

Marinette’s smile made him happy but this time it didn’t. Adrien sulked a bit and frowned after having overheard the girls’ talk. Marinette was his friend, a good friend but he did not like it one bit that she met up with someone every night without her parents’ consent and slept deprived herself. Even if he made her happy, she shouldn’t be meeting him that late. And if she was hiding him from her parents, then there was something really fishy going on. At least that’s what Adrien felt. He had seen Marinette and Luka together many times and that never bothered him.

Adrien thought for a bit and sighed.

It did bother him. But not to the extent at which he had a problem now. Adrien looked over his shoulder at the sleeping bluenette and smiled softly.

Tonight someone would have to entertain Chat Noir as their guest.

The day passed without any difference from the usual. Chloe had decided to pester Marinette about her ‘ugly and utterly ridiculous’ sense in make-up and failed attempt to cover the dark circles that were developing under her eyes. She had to bear the exaggerated stories of Lila about her trip to the Amazon and how she was about to drown if it hadn’t been for some handsome John Tyke and his reflexes and awesome swimming skills.

“He reminded me of a merman, you know those in the storybooks for little children.”

This obviously hurt Kim's feelings and his pride.

Other than Chloe and Lila, Marinette had spent five full minutes alone with Adrien Agreste. Luckily she was feeling very tired so her stuttering and mumbling was dismissed by Adrien and he didn’t mind her. Alya had also clicked a picture of them sitting together, leaving Marinette to whine how horrible she looked. There was no akuma attack and Marinette was grateful for that.

When the day ended, she was forced to promise Alya that she would sleep and be better by Monday. Marinette did not know how she would fulfill it, but she vowed to at least try.

And with this the day switched into night. It was past midnight and all of Paris seemed to be asleep. All except for Marinette.

She sat wide awake in her balcony. As she came closer to seeing him, she felt more energy seep into her and it made her heart flutter. She never knew she’d become so eager to talk to someone and sacrifice one of her favourite things to do just to talk. Alya was her best friend but he had become more than that. He was her–

“Chat Noir?”

Perching on the railing of her balcony, and then jumping and landing with a thud right in front her was the black, leather clad, cat themed superhero.

“The one and only.” He grinned and sat down, cross legged, in front of her.

Marinette looked at him, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

Chat Noir took it as a casual question, ignoring the fact that she radiated a vibe that clearly said ‘you are not expected here’. “Dropped by for a visit, why? Were you expecting someone else, Purrincess?” He said slyly, leaning in to get a closer of her face which was now flushed with embarrassment.

“H-how did you–,” she started but was interrupted by his gloved finger, shushing her.

“So I was right!” He then clapped his hands together and passed her his cheshire grin.

“Wait– so you did not know?” Marinette asked incredulously and groaned when he shrugged.

“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. But what’s more impawtent is that mew are waiting fur someone. Now who is this special purrsonality fur whom my little lady is not catnapping?” He asked, his voice filled with an emotion that was more than just curiosity.

She raised her brow, not ready to believe that her crime fighting partner was actually sitting right in front of her and asking her something that was certainly not supposed to be in his list of things that needs to be taken care of.

Chat was her friend, both in and out her Ladybug suit. No matter how many times she warned him as Marinette as well as Ladybug that befriending a civilian might risk their identities as well as their safety, he hardly ever agreed with her and always gave his ‘Chat’s honour’ that he would take care of both the girls and never let anything happen to either of them.

“Are you– jealous?”

The superhero’s eyes shot open, his ears and tail stiffened automatically. He looked away with a huff and shook his head no. Marinette smiled and grabbed his face by his chin and turned it to face her. She looked in his eyes and for a moment found herself mesmerized by them. Chat Noir felt himself relax as well, the blue of her eyes making him feel at peace. This was the first time he had seen the colour of her eyes up close and he never felt the way he was feeling now.

Both the teenagers tried to make heads and tails of the unknown stirr inside their hearts and stomachs, never budging from their position. The breeze of the night and the warmth they felt in each other’s company, made the moment an even more intimate one. Their love for their alter ego’s was a ‘on-top of the world’ feeling but right now, they just felt safe and loved.

Marinette blinked her eyes and shook her head softly, snapping out of her trance. No matter how amazing this was, her heart belonged to Adrien and she would never be able to let go of him.

“Chat, I–,”

The hero knew what was coming so he interrupted her, not wanting to hear her. “I– I know, princess.” He sighed and smiled sadly. He backed off, the warmth they shared dissipating into the cool air around them. “Your heart belongs with someone else and so does mine. I just– felt safe, so I stayed there. I am sorry.”

A wave of guilt and regret passed over Marinette as she realised that Chat never meant to do something of that sort. Hearing the sadness in his voice, made her feel worse.

“Oh you silly Kitty,” she mumbled. She put her hand on the back of his head and pulled him back towards her, this time keeping her forehead on his. She closed her eyes, determined not to fall for his eyes and smiled softly.

Chat Noir looked at her the whole time. The proximity they shared made him smile and feel more comfortable. The emptiness he had felt all day when he was at home was filled in a matter of seconds by the girl in front of him.

“Purrincess,” he started, barely able to control the chuckle that was bubbling inside him. On receiving a hum from the girl, he grinned and chuckled softly, “my heart is doing catwheels.” His chuckles turned into a hearty laughter when he heard her groan. He loved every bit of her reaction. It was so similar to his lady’s reaction but yet so different.

Marinette opened her eyes, meeting his orbs that shone brightly against the background of the night. “Your puns are horrible,” she said, keeping her gaze fixed into his eyes.

“And pawmazing,” he added, his smile reaching his eyes.

Marinette rolled her eyes but started giggling soon after. Chat smiled at the girl and kept his hand on her cheek. The action was a casual subconscious move of the hand and it made the girl blush a bright red. She was determined to not fall for his eyes but he was making it impossible.

Marinette found herself leaning into the warmth of his hand, even though it was gloved. Right then she realised that if she had never met Adrien, she’d most probably be loving Chat Noir. She was wondering if he felt the same for her and Ladybug at that moment.

And Chat Noir was actually thinking that. Ladybug was amazing but Marinette was more free and that made her amazing as well. Of the two, Marinette embraced her personality while Ladybug kept their interaction limited to only superhero stuff. He had fallen for Ladybug and had been left heartbroken as well, but Marinette was always there, picking up pieces and making him smile.

They both wished that the night would stay like that forever. But their moment was interrupted by a little mew that seemed to come from behind Marinette.

Marinette immediately backed off and turned around, smiling brightly and forgetting all about Chat instantly. “Milo!” She exclaimed with delight and picked up the little pawed guest in her arms. He was a black cat, with a white patch around one of his eyes. He seemed to be only a half year old and was wearing a white collar with a grey tag on it which read ‘Milo’.

“Wait– so this is whom you were expecting?” Chat Noir asked, pointing at the cat who was now comfortably cuddling in Marinette’s lap.

“Yeah! His name is Milo. He has been coming over for weeks now. I found him here one night and well, we became good friends, after sharing some cookies and milk. So he comes over to pay me a visit. Isn’t that right, Milo?” She scratched Milo behind the ear and he let out a purr.

Chat Noir looked at her and brought a hand to his face when he put all the pieces together. He was worried and overprotective of her but that was okay and normal of a good friend. But he had been jealous for the whole day after hearing about Marinette’s ‘midnight visitor’. In other words, he had been jealous of a cat and he had whined so much about it to Plagg. Chat Noir felt so embarrassed and agitated at the same time. He shot the happy kitten a glare and huffed in annoyance.

Looking at his sudden change in demeanour, Marinette asked him what was wrong.

“I am so hurt that my purrincess is letting my enemy come so close to her!” He exclaimed and frowned.

Marinette started laughing at his childish behaviour, offending the superhero more. It was then that he decided to take the matter into his own hands. He picked up Milo from his princess’s lap, receiving an angry meow from the cat, and hugged him to his chest while scratching him behind his ear to calm him down. Months of spending time with Plagg had taught him that. He then laid his head in her lap and looked up at her surprised and red face.

“Now it’s purrty acceptable.” He grinned and closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath and then sighing happily.

Marinette giggled and pet his head softly, feeling amused by his ability to purr so naturally. “Little green-eyed Kitty Noir,” she mumbled to herself.

“You said something Purrincess?”

“Nothing at all, Chat.”

♡

The night was beautiful. Calm and serene. Complete in itself.

Under the sky a black cat and a girl met, unaware that their hearts were connected and fates tied together.

Their story was just beginning.

☆

A/N: Hiya guys~ This was my first attempt at writing a Miraculous based one-shot and I really hope you enjoyed reading it! This started as a Marichat story originally but in the end I added a sprinkle of Adrienette.

Please do let me know via the comment section and feel free to click on the little star to vote if you liked reading this. Is there someone who needs to read this or is also a die-hard shipper? Then tag them down below. Let's grow the Miraculous community together~

Also constructive criticism is much needed and much appreciated. I am willing to take requests, so if there is any ship you want to read a one-shot of, please PM me! Let's surprise the others~

Well until next time,

Happy reading~ ♡

Word count (exc. A/N): 3356
Date published: 07.10.2020
Image credits: Artist from Pinterest.