Oh my, wow. I honestly touched and surprised at the amount of support for my little drabble here… Thanks so much :3

I could feel the butterflies (so to speak) in my stomach doing loop-de-loops as my brain tried to process this information in the split second it had.

Right in the room next to me was my lady, my Ladybug –the most kickass creature to grace the planet with her absolute purrfect presence –without her costume. By accident, I had stumbled upon the identity I had so long pursued – quiet, unassuming Marinette.

"Chat? Are you still there?! Are you okay?"

"Sorry. Cat had my tongue. Meet you there?"

"I'll be right there!" Call ended. Normal voice, shaky voice, shy voice calling "Adrien?"

I tried to keep the excitement concealed as I called back, "Marinette! I'm fine, but you should stay inside! It's not safe!"

"Come inside!" her voice was something filled with worry. "You'll get hurt!"

I racked my brain for a quick, convincing excuse. What did I say? I couldn't feasibly climb down this building as Adrien – I quickly looked down at my catty exterior, grinning. "Don't worry Marinette! I see Chat Noir! I just waved him over, he'll help me down! Stay inside!" There. She had the opportunity to not feel like she comprised or ditching me. And Chat could always tell Ladybug Adrien was safe – you know, so she could pass it on to Marinette.

A moment later I propelled myself across the roof, my adrenaline pumping as hard as I'd ever felt before.

Ladybug had arrived mere moments later, and after a brief string of pleasantries (flirting, so to speak), she shrugged me off and we finished off the rather flashy akuma – I probably won't ever look at fireworks quite the same.

"That's the second one just today," I heard my lady sigh as she secured her yo-yo back against her hip. Everything she did was magnified ten-fold with my new found knowledge. She caught me staring, a slight scowl creeping onto her face. "Oh, stop fawning Chat. This is serious. Hawkmoth is unusually active."

"My heartbeat is unusually active right now as well, which is almost just as serious," I found myself saying with no qualms. Being Chat was definitely a different experience than just being Adrien. Adrien wouldn't say such things…. But Chat? No problem.

A slight smile twitched at the corners of her lips, but she reigned them back in as a familiar beeping sound emitted from her earrings. "Well, It's time for me to disappear. Make sure to get a check on those heart problems, silly kitty."

"The only problem is when you're gone." I grinned widely, garnering an eye roll in response.

"Bye, Kitty," she stated in a firm tone before vanishing over the rooftops.

I watched her fade from sight, the familiar sadness of being left alone creeping in. I was so lost in thought I startled when Plagg wheezed into my ear.

"Plagg, don't do that!" I swatted him slightly, but not so much as to knock him from my shoulder where he rested with a deflated sigh.

"I know what you're thinking, and it's an utterly awful idea."

"But just think- extra cheeese for you and no fighting!" I raised my eyebrows, knowing extra food was also the way to Plagg's heart.

He blinked at me slowly, his voice hesitant as he replied, "I don't know. The powers are for serious problems. No leisure activity. It's a strain to do it too much."

"But if we're quick-!"

"You could just go over as Adrien."

I glared at the black blob on my shoulder, and I found myself scoffing. "Go back as Adrien? No way… She barely talks to…well…me." I gestured down to my t-shirt clad figure. "But Chat! We know Marinette knows Chat – both as herself and Ladybug! And I can finally figure out what she likes, what makes her tick!" I reasoned, nodding my head at my own sound logic.

"But this seems wrong. You're using Marinette to get to Ladybug…"

"But she is Ladybug! Don't you see?" Slow blink back at me. "Oh, what do you know? Come on, let's go get you a snack."

After multiple snacks, I finally managed to get Plagg to comply with my plan willingly. It was a lot easier to have full control when he wasn't fighting me about it – I wondered if that ever happened to Ladybug.

But once I arrived back at Marinette's, I couldn't think of an excuse as to why I, as Chat, should be prowling on her roof at night. Just tossing out the old cat in the dark excuse seemed trite, and I had simply settled for a moment of watching her shadow against the window. My heart began to speed up at such a simply activity until I simply couldn't contain myself, springing across the rooftops. I managed to latch myself directly under her window, giving a gentle tap and adding a pitiful meowl for good measure. I heard a scuffling from inside, and the curtain was soon pulled back just enough for me to see the shocked expression on her face. I grinned, gesturing for her to open the window. She took a moment to peer around her room before shooting me a curious look. After a moment's hesitation coupled with a pitiful pout on my end, the window was opened and I slunk in before she could change her mind.

"Chat?" she asked curiously, the simple act of my name being said sending shivers.

"Marinette, my sweet," I purred, the sound coming from deep in my chest. Her eyes widened, and she hesitantly took a step back.

"Is…something wrong? Are you looking for Ladybug?"

"Everything is the cat's meow! Couldn't be better!" I dropped down on the floor beside her bed, and waited for her to finally roll her eyes and come sit on the edge of the bed above me.

"What do you need, Chat?"

I pouted.

"I can't just visit?"

"I don't – I mean, I suppose so, but you can see why'd I'd be skeptical," she explained, tugging at the end of a pigtail absentmindedly. "So nothing's wrong, you're sure?"

"Not a thing, my sweet Marinette." I gave a sincere smile, and she seemed to relax, finally.

"Good." She took a deep breath and finally seemed to relax back into a less tense position. "So any particular reason why my room caught your fancy?"

"Well, uh-" excuse, excuse, mayday! "I was actually stopping by to tell you Adrien was safe. I know I plucked him from your little balcony earlier this evening. If you were interested." That was my best excuse, really?

"Is he? Thanks goodness! I was worried….I was going to text him about our project, but then there was the akuma and…" she paused.

"And?" I pressed, leaning toward her, curious if she'd reveal so easily.

"I was scared. I didn't have time to think," she finished, looking away.

I grinned. Marinette was shy, as much as I really knew about her. And some deep, primal part in me wanted to push her until she rebuffed me like Ladybug – or better yet, allowed what Ladybug didn't.

"Scared, where you?" I spun to face her, resting my chin on the bed in front of where her legs where cross. "No need to be scared, not when Chat's here to protect you, my sweet." I crossed my arms up under my chin, my elbows just making contact against her bare knees in her sleeping shorts. She blinked.

"Really now?" she smirked, shaking her head. "Doesn't Ladybug help?"

"Oh, we work together to save the city. But in this situation, I'm here to just for you. I can protect you from the darkness, nightmares," I explained, crawling up on the bed and wrapping myself behind her, my body long enough to curl her into my arms and chest with room to spare. "I'm your cat for the night, and cats crave cuddles."

I expected a hot retort, an elbow to the rib maybe- I was braced for impact. I was not braced for her response, however.

"…Yeah, I guess I can trade cuddles for nightmare relief, you silly kitty."