Summary: Chat Noir attempts to escape the darkness that dances at the edge of his mind and ends up, more or less, falling onto Marinette's balcony.

Song: Cut by Plumb

A/N: I don't really know what this is since it went entirely different than what I was planning. Oh well. Haha enjoy and let me know what you think!

Ladybug was perfection at its finest. Beautiful and strong, fierce and intelligent. One day she had burst into Adrien's life and suddenly he was no longer content to stay behind locked doors and silent walls. He wanted the kind of freedom she had. So when his own Miraculous appeared, Adrien didn't even hesitate. He became Chat Noir and joined his lady on the roof tops of Paris.

She however, did not seem to share his feelings and instead brushed him aside, more focused on saving their city than him. And as much as he wanted to, as much as his heart hurt, Chat couldn't fault Ladybug for her focus and determination. She was meant to save the world and if his ego get bruised along the way, then so be it. He could handle it.

Or at least, that's what he told himself, but each rejection and dismissal hurt more than the last and Chat could feel himself hanging on the edge of a very dangerous and dark pit. It tempted him far more than he cared to admit and he was terrified of the day the temptation grew too great and he was too weak to resist.

Whenever that particular temptation rose and Chat heard the whispers of wings beginning to take flight; he ran. Leaping and bounding from roof top to roof top, taking chances that would normally earn him a scolding from his lady.

It was on one particular night that the doubts and ugly thoughts had grown too grand and he was more focused on losing them than where he was going, that he finally made a mistake. He overestimated himself and took a jump that was much to large even for the great Chat Noir.

It was by sheer dumb luck that he didn't fall the five stories to the ground.

In a complete panic, Chat threw out his staff, which extended automatically, and managed to wedge it in a guard rail on the nearest balcony. With a jolt, his fall was stopped and Chat prayed physics would work in his favor this once as his staff jiggled against the force of his fall before, thankfully, coming to a stop.

The instant it was still, Chat swung up onto it and scurried over to the balcony.

"Glad no one was here to see that," Chat muttered as he jiggled his staff free, his mind conjuring up a picture of Ladybug doubled over in laughter. His noise wrinkled at the sound of her giggles in his head.

"I wouldn't bet on that kitty."

Startled, Chat spun around only to see that the laughter he'd thought he'd imagined was in fact coming from a girl half emerged from a window that was oddly placed in the floor. She was half hidden in darkness, but he could easily make out her wide grin and shining blue eyes. For a second his mind conquered an image of his lady, but he quickly shook it away.

"Marinette."

"Chat Noir." She spoke. Her eyes alight with mischief as she fully joined him on the roof.

"I fell." He explained. Realizing the instant the words were out of his mouth how stupid he sounded.

"I saw that. Or rather, I heard it." She had the decency to cover her mouth as she burst into another fit of giggles.

Ears flat to his head, Chat resisted the urge to run. On any other night he wouldn't have minded that light teasing. He might even have enjoyed the way her laughter lit up her entire face. But tonight was not any other night.

"Most people would ask if I was injured rather than laugh." Chat snapped before he could think better of the words.

His tone sobered her up instantly and she tilted her head at him curiously. "Are you injured?"

Chat shrugged in reply. In truth, other than his pride, he was fine. He was never really got hurt, but it would be nice if someone bothered to ask rather than assuming he was alright.

Seconds ticked by as the silence grew between them and Chat eyed Marinette discretely, wondering what she would do.

She was thinking, debating something, if the wringing of her hands and the nervous nibbling on her bottom lip was any indication.

"Are you?" She finally asked, taking a step closer and holding out her hands helpless. "Hurt I mean?" She elaborated when he shot her a confused look.

"Oh," he paused, taking stock for himself. Other than a dull ache in his arms from the jolt of a sudden stop, he was fine. "No."

"Good. I mean, I'm glad."

She was still moving towards him, but Chat barely noticed, he was too entranced with the way she continued to nibble on her bottom lip. How had he never noticed that habit before? It was both annoying and enticing. And reminded him far too much of how Ladybug would bite her lip just before she came up with a brilliant plan to defeat whatever akuma they were facing.

"Can't have half of Paris's famous duo injured on my balcony." Marinette continued when Chat remained silent.

It was only when she was less than a foot in front of him that Chat's brain began working once more.

She was close. Too close. From this range she might recognize him.

Leaping back on to the railing, Chat flashed her a wide grin. "Not to worry Princess. I'm not so easily hurt." Never mind that a few moments ago he'd been pouting about people assuming he was infallible. Anything to put some distance between them. "I must be going though. Places to be. People to save."

Before she could say a word, Chat was gone. Eager to escape the odd feelings churning in his gut.

Blinking, Marinette watched as Chat Noir disappeared over the roof tops.

His sudden change in attitude had thrown her. She was used to Chat being cocky and flirtatious, but tonight she had seen another person entirely. He had seemed lonely, lost even. As if there was no one in the world who cared whether or not he lived or died.

It broke her heart to see her kitty so forlorn.

Part of her had wanted to shake him and scream that of course someone cared. Without him, Ladybug would be broken. She would be broken. But she couldn't do that, so instead she'd gone with the other half and attempted to tease him back to normalcy.

If she didn't know him better, she would have even said that it worked, but she had seen the panic that flashed in his eyes when she'd taken a step too close. Whether that was from him revealing too much or something else, she didn't know.

What she did know was that her kitty was not as strong as she wanted to believe. He was fragile and hurting and somehow, she had missed it. Or ignored it. Which one, she wasn't sure. Either way she hated herself for it.

"I'm sorry Chat." Marinette murmured. Her eyes still trained after where he'd disappeared.