I was planning on going somewhere entirely different with this, but then my hand slipped. Also, I should explain that I'm totally down for S2 to shift the love square and have Mari fall for Chat and Adrien fall for Mari. I'm Marichat trash and I just can't help myself. That being said, I own nothing. Also, I'm still contemplating continuing this because I really want to see my original idea come to fruition, but I'm not entirely sure yet.

Reach for the Stars

"So she likes Adrien. What's the big deal, kid?" Plagg asked as he munched on his precious cheese.

Adrien scowled at his guardian. "Isn't it obvious? She likes a poster boy. Mi'lady…" He folded his arms on his computer desk and burrowed his head in them. "She's a fangirl," he mumbled into the desk.

Plagg downed another slice. "Well, you're a fanboy," the tiny cat belched. "Why not just tell her you're Adrien. She'll swoon right into your arms. Mission accomplished." He turned to the next package of camembert.

"But I wanted her to love Chat," Adrien grumbled. He lifted his head and gazed into the footage playing on the LadyBlog. It was a review of the fight from earlier. He had long since muted it and set it on replay. Ayla had somehow followed the fight to the Eiffel Tower. She had filmed it, but they had been so high up her iPhone had only managed to pick up spots of color. But Adrien knew.

He knew that Ladybug was willing to sacrifice herself for Adrien.

Why would she do that?

Of course, Plagg was right. He could have just walked out of his bathroom earlier tonight and told Ladybug the truth. But was that really how Adrien wanted to win her love?

"Why are you tormenting yourself, kid? She was willing to die for you. If you hadn't of threw your baton, Ladybug would have given up her Miraculous. She would have plummeted to her death without her powers." Plagg floated up to Adrien's eye level, blocking the boy model from watching the scene play out again. "And then she rushed back here to make sure you were safe. Meanwhile, you're such a dumbass you don't even revel yourself to the love of your life."

Adrien glared at the tiny cat. "She was willing to die for Adrien."

"You are Adrien!"

"But she doesn't love me! She loves Adrien!"

Plagg facepalmed. "You're such an idiot." He sighed. "Fine. Give her up. She's just another hormonal teenage girl drooling over a teen model. Why don't you just go after your other girlfriend."

Adrein's scowl grew. "Marinette is not my girlfriend."

Plagg grinned. "I didn't even say her name. Maybe I was talking about Chloe. I mean, you did think she was Ladybug." The devious cat flew away from Adrien's slap, causing the boy to grab air.

"I like you much better when you're eating cheese," Adrien grumbled.

"Maybe you should try it. Give up on girls. Believe me, kid, they're nothing but five thousand years of high pitched personified sunshine."

Adrien groaned. "What are you even talking about?"

The cat kwami finished his last cheese wheel. "Nothing. Just forget about it." Another belch. "So, you gonna go see your girlfriend?"

His green eyes went back to the screens once more. The red dot that was Ladybug was about to hand over her earrings. Adrien clicked out of the LadyBlog. His mother's face smiled kindly at him. But all he could see was Ladybug's smile.

He needed to get away from her.

"Plagg…claws out."

XXX

The cool Parisian air whipped around him and further tousled his blonde hair. His leather cat ears swiveled, picking up sounds his human ears could not. Everything was calm tonight and he was glad.

He was further glad Ladybug had messaged him soon after she left his place that there would be no patrol tonight. He needed this one moment. He needed this one moment alone. Then he would help her tomorrow with a grin on his face.

He raced across the rooftops and made it to the bakery in less than five minutes. He hid in the shadows of a chimney across the street. At this hour, it was no surprise that the bakery was dark and locked up for the night. In the above apartment, the only light that shown was from Marinette's room. He smiled. It was so typical of her. She was up late on a school night finishing either homework or a design.

He wasn't stalking her. He just…He just…

He was just making sure no more akumas came after her. Yeah. That was totally his reasoning. She was usually caught somewhere in the middle whenever an akuma appeared. Maybe Hawkmoth was targeting her? But why?

He settled into his usual spot and got comfortable. Well, as comfortable as he could get on a brick roof. Usually he left with a sore butt and neck, but by the time he ran back home the exercise had the kinks worked out.

His night vision was helpful these nights. But, tonight he didn't need it. He could see perfectly into her room thanks to her desk lamp. As she turned away from her desk, he could finally see that she wasn't working on homework or a design. She had been writing in her diary. And judging by the way she stretched her wrist, it had been a lot. The teenaged boy in him was curious. What did she write about? Why did she feel the need to hide her diary in such a clever pink box?

He watched as she closed the box and stretched. She walked over to her chaise and stroked a red stuffed animal before climbing the stairs to the trapdoor. He tensed as she climbed onto her balcony. It was always risky when she was out. He always feared that she would find him and call the police.

Help! Chat Noir is stalking me!

Patrolling. Not stalking. He was doing his duty as a superhero.

But, even if she did catch him, he doubted she would call the police anyway. She would probably frown and tell him to beat it. He always wondered why Marinette was different around Chat than Adrien. She was a bumbling (cute) mess at school, but so witty during a fight. Well…He grinned as he thought about the Puppeteer incident. She'd been caught off caught and it was cute.

Personified sunshine.

Plagg's words from earlier came back to him. And those words exactly summarized Marinette. She may be hidden from him at school, but when the clouds cleared, boy, she was something to be reckoned with. She could motivate a room full of people, she would stick up for the bullied kid, and she was just so perfect. How had he not seen it earlier?

He frowned. Of course, he had been blinded by Ladybug. He thought back the when they first met. Not the gum incident, but instead when he had explained himself outside the school during the rain. When he had first seen her bluebell eyes. Another pair of bluebell eyes flashed before him and he shook his head. No. Ladybug loved Adrien.

He should be ecstatic. He should have fist pumped the air and swaggered out of his bathroom and confessed everything earlier. But something held him back.

He didn't want his Lady to love that side of him. He wanted Ladybug to love this side of him. Not the stalker—patrolling—half of him, but the side that was free of Adrien's restraints. The side that could say and do whatever he wanted. He didn't want Ladybug to be chained down by Adrien's rules and lifestyle. He wanted her to be free with Chat. He didn't want to hold her back or chain her down. He wanted her to be free to spread his wings and fly.

But that was the problem, wasn't it? She had wings. She could soar for the sky. She could reach for the stars. But he couldn't. Either as Adrien or Chat. Adrien had a strict schedule. Adrien had a steady line to walk. Chat was a cat in the night. He could pounce and reach, but he would never be able to reach Ladybug's level. He would always fall and land on his feet. Because cats belonged on the ground and ladybugs belonged in the sky.

Chat felt his heart ripple. His chest heaved and he let out a broken gasp. That was it, wasn't it? Why Ladybug never returned his advances? She knew that Chat would just hold her back. It was no wonder she would risk her life for the golden boy of Agreste. She thought he could take her to stars.

But she was so wrong. So, so wrong. Adrien would keep her tethered to the ground more so than Chat. And his heart ached for her. He loved her more than his own life, so he knew what he had to do.

Chat stood from the shadows and watched Marinette. The tiny girl curled up on the bench and gazed up at the stars above.

He had to let her go.