This is a pretty loose take on the prompt…

"Than you, Ma'am!" Marinette chirped as the elderly school librarian handed her a stack of books. She shuffled them back and forth as the tower in her arms began to dip to one side, then placed her chin on the top to hold them steady. Yeesh, did I get enough fashion books? she thought to herself, but couldn't really help the smile that followed. There were always things she hadn't read before when she went on a hunt through the stacks.

Stepping carefully toward the library's double-doors, she passed Nathanael, who sat hunched over a book at one table. "Oh, Catman, you're like an older Chat Noir with a bad upbringing and poor life choices," he muttered to himself with a chuckle. Marinette paused, her ears perking at the name Chat Noir. She couldn't help it. She leaned over his shoulder, straining past her armful of books to see what he was reading.

"What's that, Nathanael?" she asked. The boy started suddenly and slapped the pages closed on a comic book.

"Oh! Hi, Marinette. It's nothing. Just a comic book I like. It's called Secret Six." He moved to one side and slid the small volume over so she could see the cover. Oddly colorful characters in energetic poses were splashed across the scene.

"Is it good?" she asked.

"Yeah, it's the best. I don't think you'd like it though," Nathanael smiled up at her nervously and tried to return to his reading.

"Why not?" Marinette was piqued. Who was Nathanael to say what she would or wouldn't like?

"Well… it's only about bad guys. No heroes in it." He shrugged and turned back to his page once again. Marinette could see the conversation was over. Hmm. Must be really good, then.

"Okay, well, thanks, Nathanael," she replied and walked away, Nathanael barely giving her another glance. Staggering over to a different table, she set down her obscenely large stack of books and doubled back for a few more items before leaving.

At home, Marinette struggled to get the books up to her room, spilling them across her bedroom floor as soon as her arms came above the hatch. "Oof! Well, I guess I'm set for the weekend, Tikki," she winked at her kwami, who giggled in reply.

"I think your new designs are going to benefit from all this research, Marinette. You've had some great ideas lately!" Tikki flew close and nuzzled Marinette's cheek.

"Well, I do have the best cheerleader in the world," Marinette smiled. "First, though, I think I'm taking a break. Now, where are those…" she sifted through the scattered volumes, unearthing several trade paperback collections and stacking them on her lap. "The library didn't have an extra copy of the one Nathanael was reading, but I got every other volume of Secret Six! Tikki, I haven't read comic books since I was eleven. I hope there's more to it than magical ponies or crime-fighting night stalkers."

Marinette tucked the volumes under her arm and climbed up into her loft, Tikki floating along behind. She flopped onto her bed stomach-first and flipped to the first page. Within minutes, she was hooked. "He is like a Chat Noir who makes poor life choices!" she breathed, enraptured by an illustration of green eyes and tawny hair.

Hours later, Marinette was pulled from her thoughts by a tap on her skylight. Startled, she yanked her head back, only to see Chat Noir's bright smile illuminated by her lamp. Had it gotten dark already? She smiled and rose to her knees to lift the latch on her skylight. The young hero tumbled in, dropping into a neat, cross-legged seat on her comforter.

"Good evening, Marinette. Whatcha got there?" his eyes followed her hand as she guiltily tried to hide her comic book behind her back. Marinette could feel a blush heating up her cheeks.

"Nothing!" she replied, but Chat reached around her with a grin and relieved her of the thin collection.

"You read comic books? You're every teenage boy's fantasy, Mari." She rolled her eyes and frowned, making him laugh. "The Secret Six. Who are they?"

"It's really good," she defended, "It's not like typical hero stuff. Not that I'd want you or Ladybug to act like these guys, but the stories are amazing and the characters-"

"Like this guy?" He pointed to an illustration of Catman and Marinette's cheeks colored again. Fortunately, Chat Noir didn't notice. Surely it wasn't normal to have a crush on a comic book character, thought Marinette, alarmed.

"Um, sure. That's Catman. He's the team leader."

"Uh-huh. Cat-like powers and instincts? Feline-themed costume? Possibly a protector of the innocent? You want to tell me something, Marinette?"

"Okay, okay, yes! He kinda reminds me of you. Clearly you are much nicer - usually, anyway." Marinette crossed her arms and tried to look indignant, but her heart wasn't in it.

"Hmmm. Okay, seriously, we are not at all alike," he protested, flipping through the pages one at a time. "I've got way more style than this guy. Yellow and brown? What kind of a color combo is that? Yuck." Chat Noir stuck his tongue out to emphasize his point. Marinette snatched the comic book back, slapped it closed, and stuffed it under her pillow. For later, she promised herself.

"It's true, you are sartorially superior, Chat," she agreed, happy to steer the conversation in another direction. "Speaking of which, do you want to see the designs I'm working on?" Chat Noir nodded enthusiastically and they exited the loft, Marinette casting one last longing glance at her pillow as she descended. I'll be back soon, I promise, she thought toward the hidden stash of comics, then went to entertain her uninvited guest.