Hey! Super sorry for the lack of updates. Complications, final projects, late internet bills...

Just please enjoy and forgive my carelessness!

"Watch out Chat!"

"Hah! Much obliged My Lady!"

The leather clad blonde rolled aside to dodge an oncoming slew of soccer balls. The akumatized soccer mom named who would've guessed it, Soccer Mom laughed at them as she stood atop a jeep. Ladybug observed her design. On top of her referee uniform she saw a purple whistle hanging around her neck swinging back and forth as she laughed heartily. "The akuma must be in there." she turned. "Chat the akuma's in her whistle!" He nodded and turned back to the havoc wreaking mother.

"Ha ha! You're more agile than my own cat that's for sure! But whether you like it or not, you'll be playing with my balls soon enough."

"Uh...do you want a chance to rephrase tha-Oh God!" he leaped around on all fours like the kitty he was as another wave came down on him. Ladybug intervened the path of black and white by spinning her yo-yo. The sports equipment deflected back at the villain knocking her right off of the car.

"Are you okay Chat?" she looked back with concern. "Yes. Thank you Ladybug." he smiled at her. She had been surprisingly protective of him throughout the fight. Chat used his staff to propel himself on top of the jeep where Soccer Mom once stood. He leaned over the side with his staff at the ready but saw nothing except concrete.

"Heads up Furball!"

Chat turned to his left only to be met with a barrage of soccer balls that slammed him against the nearest mailbox. Ladybug gasped and ran over to check on him.

"Chat!" she got on one knee and began inspecting his body. "Urgh...I'm fine Ladybug. You know I've been through worse. We can't lose Soccer Mom." he held his gut but struggled to his feet. She helped him stand up and put her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you sure you're fine? Nothing broken? Do you need a bandage, or an ice pack, or-"

"Ladybug. Seriously, you never worried this much before well...tonight?" he eyed her suspiciously. She simply grinned back at him. "Don't be silly. You're my partner and your safety is my main concern. Now let's go!" she launched her yo-yo and swung away before he could object. He looked down, shook his head a bit and followed her.

Lady landed on the roof of an apartment building and began to scope out the streets. Chat fell in place at her right side. "Uh, oh! There!" He pointed to the alleyway Soccer Mom was running down. "Good work! As expected of you." she gave him a sweet smile and Chat raised an eyebrow in response.

"Er, thanks. C'mon!"

Soccer Mom hit a dead end and turned only to face the two heroes. "Sorry ma'am but we're gonna have to red card you." Chat brandished his staff.

"I'm not hitting the bench just yet!" the temporary villain exclaimed. Ladybug readied herself as she materialized a large soccer cleat that hovered in the air. But to her surprise, she levitated it right over Chat. Soccer Mom smirked before slamming her arms down making the shoe follow suit.

In that moment Marinette's eyes widened in pure horror at the sight. Before she could even register the words in her mind she shouted;

"Adrien, watch out!" as she lunged at him wrapping her hands around his waist as he was saved from being squashed like an ant under a boot. Chat was frozen. He had heard her loud and clear. Ladybug had pushed him out of the way of danger countless times but this time was different. She had yelled out his real name instead of Chat. His shock was interrupted by pain as he tumbled to the pavement with his pig-tailed partner on top of him.

He blinked a few times before opening his eyes and staring right at the girl on top of him whose features were fixated into a look of regret. She looked to the side and nearly bounced off of him.

"That does it. It's time to throw in the towel Soccer Mom!" she flung her yo-yo towards a fire escape that was right above her causing it to come right down and hit her right on the head. While she was groaning on the ground Ladybug took this chance to use her power.

"Lucky Charm!"

After a cavalcade of red lights flew around, a red and black polka dotted car tire fell out from the air.

"A car tire?" she should have gotten used to the randomness of the items her powers provided her with by now, but she couldn't shake off the initial surprise that came before realizing how they would aid her in battle.

"What do you reckon-" she started but stopped when she noticed that Chat didn't look the least bit surprised. He didn't look like any emotion to be honest. She at least expected him to make a crack at the aloofness of her Lucky Charm. Something along the lines of-"Once we're done playing soccer we can head down to the old swimming hole and make a swing." or something like that.

"Chat?" he didn't reply. She tried to place a hand on his shoulder but he jerked away making her flinch. "Ugh..." she heard Soccer Mom start to regain her bearings. She couldn't waste another second and decided to analyze their surroundings.

"Ah I got it!" she proceeded to run up the side of the wall and hop onto the fire escape. Soccer Mom composed herself and aimed a few balls skyward. Ladybug leaped off in a graceful flip and held the tire in front of her with both hands. She landed on the woman's shoulders entrapping the middle portion of her body in the tire. She struggled in her rubber restraint as the heroine gave a victorious smile and snatched up her whistle. With a drop and a stomp she whipped out her yo-yo.

"No more evildoing for you little akuma." she began to recite her mantra not noticing that Chat was standing still and sending her a look that would've put his father's stoic demeanor to shame. She finished things up with a shout of "Miraculous Ladybug!". The cars and buildings were restored to their former glory and the woman known as Soccer Mom reverted back into a 30 something year old woman wearing a sweater blouse combo with light blue jeans. She took in her surroundings with a confused expression.

Ladybug grinned at a job well done. "Good job!" she turned to Chat with her fist in bumping position but he didn't respond. Instead he looked at her like a father getting ready to drag his daughter into a dark corner to scold her.

And then he grabbed her arm and led her towards a dark corner to scold her.

"Hey!" she protested as he took her down an alleyway that was adjacent to where they were before. He stopped when they reached a dumpster and he let her go making her face him as she stood against the brick wall.

*beep* went her earrings.

"Uh, Chat? You know that I'm going to transform back soon? Just because you didn't have to use your power that doesn't mean you can just hold me up like this." she was starting to get a little nervous.

"Well in that case you'd better be quiet and listen so I can get through this." he shot back harshly. She flinched and gulped just the slightest bit. Was Chat actually...furious with her? He had gotten annoyed with her a few times for sure but she'd never seen him express genuine anger towards her. Unless you count the times he was possessed by akumatized villains and was basically out to kill her. She didn't.

"What was that?"

Her eyes darted around for half a second as she contemplated what he meant. When she did they widened. "W-What was wha-"

"You called me Adrien!" he almost shouted. "I-I'm sorry. It just slipped out. But Soccer Mom doesn't remember any of that and there was no one else around. It's alright." He shook his head. "It is anything but alright. Is that why you were fussing over me earlier? Because since I told you, you can't stop seeing me as some helpless little model boy?" he inquired. Now it was her turn to shake her head. "Of course not! I know you can take care of yourself I just..."

"What? You just what?" he crossed his arms.

She bit her lip and hesitated but another spot disappeared from her earring prompting her to go on. "I just didn't want you to get hurt." she said honestly. "Ladybug, we've been doing this for what feels like forever. I've been through so much with you. You've seen me take more punches than I can keep track of. Why don't you think I can take it now?"

"It's not that I don't think you're tough...I just can't help but worry about you."

"My Lady..." he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up into his extraordinarily green eyes. "We're partners. We each go into the fray and help each other out. On the battlefield, we're equals. I don't want you giving me special treatment just because you know who I am now. And..." he looked towards the ground for a second before looking back up with an inquisitive glance. "Why would knowing that I'm Adrien Agreste make you any more concerned about my safety than normal?"

"Because I..."

*beep*

"Because I...b-because I l-love you..." she confessed bashfully. Ladybug closed her eyes while Chat looked shocked for a moment before hardening his features once again.

"Who?"

"W-What?"

"Who are you in love with?" he asked again.

"Um, you?" she said as if it should be obvious.

"No...say my name."

"..."

"Say my name right now."

"I-I love you..."

He waited patiently.

"Adrien."

Resignation settled on his face as he backed away from her and turned around. "I knew it. I suspected it when you kissed me. It was only after you found out..."

"Chat?" she placed a hand on his shoulder but he jerked away. "Don't you mean Adrien?" he spat still refusing to face her. "You love Adrien. Not me."

"But you are Adrien. You're the same person! I love you!" she practically yelled feeling tears start to prick up in response to his coldness towards her. "No. You love a part of me." he clarified turning his head and sparing only one eye's gaze towards the confused and downtrodden girl. "You can love Adrien as much as you want but when I'm Chat you only see me as a partner. Now that you know we're one in the same you're trying to see me as Adrien at all times."

"But wearing a mask doesn't make you a different person. I know you act different when you're Chat but that doesn't mean you're not Adrien anymore." she tried to reason placing a hand on his shoulder.

"That's not the point. If you really love me then you'll love all of me. You should be able to say 'I love you Chat' instead of replacing my superhero name with my real name."

"I can! I love you Chat! There. Happy?" she stated bluntly starting to feel her own annoyance rise.

"You didn't mean that."

"Oh? Do you want me to prove it?"

"How do you intend to do that?" he challenged turning around to face her.

"I'll let you know who I really am."

He wore a look of disbelief at her offer. "W-What?"

"What the hell did I just say?" she thought to herself after clamping her hand over her mouth.

"Ladybug..." he tried to put his words into sentences.

"Look Chat...I just...I really want to prove that I don't care about whether you're Adrien or not. And I also...would like to know if you care about whether I'm Ladybug or not." he saw a doubtful look flash for just a second. He frowned.

"Ladybug..."

"Please Chat just...let me do this for you." she begged.

*beep*

Chat instantly clamped his eyes shut. He caught a glimpse of a bright red engulfing his Lady but that was it. "Chat?" he felt her put a hand on his shoulder again. Except this time it felt softer as it fell onto his leather suit. Like bare flesh. "Don't you want to see me?" the girl who had just traded her red bodysuit for a white flower printed shirt and pink jeans implored him with a quirk of her eyebrow. He shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Well, you said that we shouldn't know who we really are."

"Um, I think that ship has sailed don't you think?" she refrained from adding 'Adrien' to the end of that sentence.

"I know but...I still...I'm not sure if I'm ready to know who you are yet." he said honestly. Marinette cocked her head now curious. "And why would that be?"

"What if...what if I don't deserve you?"

"..."

"You're already so amazing. If I find out that you're civilian form is even better than that then..."

"Chat. You said it yourself. If you love someone you'll love all of them right?" she asked not just to reassure him, but herself as well.

"T-That's true." he admitted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a hypocrite. I'm just so conflicted about all of this."

"Psst!" Marinette jolted as she heard a tiny and familiar voice call to her. "Are you really going to let him know who you are?" The girl just looked back at her with determination in her bluebell eyes.

"Please just give us about...40 minutes okay?" she whispered.

"My Lady? Who are you talking to? Is that your kwami?" his eyes were still shut. He heard two voices whispering but didn't catch what they were saying.

"Yeah. She was just leaving." she gave said kwami a begging look prompting her to sigh and float away. But not before turning around.

"If I come back and you two are fooling around you'll be getting a stern talking to!" she playfully threatened. Both of the kids faces flared up as Tikki made sure to proclaim this loudly enough for both of them to hear. Marinette waved her hand in the universal "Yeah. Yeah. Get out of here already gesture." The small red luckster flew off leaving her alone with Chat.

"Chat aren't you going to open your eyes?"

"I-I'll do it once I detransform too. It's only fair."

"Sure." she nodded.

"Plagg, claws in."

She watched as the all too familiar green light went around him and magically brought about the model who's face was on every other bus stop and billboard in Paris. And along with him came a small feline like creature that she had only met (face to face) once before.

"Aw you gotta be kidding me!" the black kwami exclaimed.

"Plagg don't start. Just give us some privacy." he warned.

"Jeez, I don't know. Seems like things are gonna get more interesting here from the looks of it." he said with a tiny raised brow.

"Look we obviously have a lot to discuss so get out of here. There's camembert at home." Adrien told him off.

"Don't worry. I've got this." she whispered to him making him 'hmm?' in question. She turned to Plagg. "Hey Plagg. It's nice to see you again." the kwami nodded.

"Likewise. Even if you are a bit under-dressed." he said referring to her street clothes.

"I must say...even though I've seen you before, I didn't notice just how cute you are."

"C-Cute?" he asked taken aback.

"Yes. I thought my kwami was adorable but just look at your little ears..." as she said this she reached up and scratched behind his left ear making him sigh in contentment. "And your eyes are the most gorgeous shade of green. Oh and your teeny tiny tail..." she played with the end of said tail making the "cute" creature flinch but then relax into her touch.

"W-Well thanks so much." he said in a surprisingly grateful tone. "Why can't you be more like her Adrien?" the boy who was still blind to everything around him (but had a pretty good idea of what was going on) just huffed.

"As much as I'd love to have you stick around, Adrien and I need some time to ourselves. So can you be a dear and give us about 40 minutes alone? Pretty please with a slice of camembert on top?" the blunette batted her eyelashes at the tiny embodiment of bad luck.

Plagg actually blushed a little bit as he averted his "gorgeous" cat eyes. "Um...sure. Just make sure he comes home in one piece will ya?" She smiled happily while deviously smirking on the inside as her charm had clearly worked.

"Aww! Thank you so much Plagg!" She then scooped him up in her palms and planted a kiss on his little black cheek with an exaggerated "Mwah!"

Plagg almost resembled a certain other kwami as his formerly midnight black complexion turned tomato red. "Y-Yeah I just...you know...see ya back at home Adrien!" he stumbled before deciding to cut his losses and fly off making the victorious Marinette laugh in triumph.

"He's so adorable when he's embarrassed..." she said to the blonde who looked astounded at this development even though his eyelids were still tightly clamped.

"Why...you little vixen! You have to teach me your ways. I can hardly get him to stop bugging me for cheese when I'm in the bathroom for God's sake!" she smirked in response.

"Sorry, but I don't think it's gonna work as well coming from you."

"Are you saying I'm not pretty?" he quipped.

"No. I'm saying I'm prettier."

"Hmph! I'll have you know when I put on a bit of lipstick and some nice heels I can make cars stop." he continued.

"Yeah...because you can't stop falling all over yourself when you cross the street." she said referring to the time he turned into Reflekta.

They both shared a laugh as they kidded around with each other like they normally would. After they stopped they remembered their current situation.

"..."

"..."

"I'll...look at you. I'll see if I can accept you as your normal self before we try to form a relationship." he explained.

She puffed her chest out ready for him. This had to stop. They were halfway through ending this nonsense and it was time Marinette played her part. The only way they were going to get over this was if they talked about it. She reached her hand out and cupped his face. She then leaned in and put her plump pink lips on his thinner ones and melted into him. After a few seconds she leaned back and watched his eyelids reveal two perfect green orbs that had dilated at the sight before him.

"Marinette?!"

Okay. So I guess I'm gonna make this fic just a teeny bit longer than I expected. I wanted to get out a new chapter and I know how much you guys love cliffhangers so this is all I wrote. I also did some re-writing since I got some very good criticism and I'd realized just how weird this was getting. :/

Also, sorry if the villain or fight sequence wasn't up to par. I'm not an expert at writing stuff like that...yet.

As always: Fav, Follow, and Review!