Author's Note: It has been a long, long, long time between updates. Just over a year since the last one to be exact. The reason being that I lost the story notes on how I wanted to finish this one. While I knew the rough direction, I couldn't remember the steps to get there. Now with time, I've decided on a new path to get to the ending. So here we are, with a long due update. I hope you enjoy (although I suspect many a follower will probably need to go back and refresh themselves with the story - sorry!)

Chapter Thirteen

Adrien took a moment to consider how to answer Marinette. Green eyes studied their interlaced fingers while he contemplated what to say. He ignored the way her blue gaze was boring into him, awaiting his response. Honestly it was quite simple yet his childhood friend had always been a point of contention with Marinette. "The reason. I haven't informed Chloe of our relationship is because I hardly see her."

A dark eyebrow quirked as Marinette gave him a look of quiet disbelief. "You honestly expect me to buy that?"

"I do," he said shifting closer to his girlfriend. "While Chloe will sometimes blow up my phone with texts and phone calls for the most part she is far too caught up in her own dramas to bother me."

"What about last year? She went with you to one of the Marvel movie premiers."

The model gave her a cynical look. "Do you honestly think Chloe had any interest in seeing one of those movies? She's there to be seen, and what better way of gaining attention than going with her famous friend."

Marinette's lips pressed together in a hard line but she was no longer glaring. "That does sound like something she'd do."

"She was also between boyfriends and wanted to make her ex jealous. I doubt that it worked. While Chloe's always spouted about there being chemistry between us, it was pretty obvious on my part that it was one-sided. Have you seen some of the shots they've got of us together? I look like I'm trying to extricate myself from a boa constrictor."

At that Marinette laughed. "Yeah, pretty much like our school days."

"Exactly. I've never been attracted to Chloe and I never will be." A slow smirk spread across his lips. "Although seeing you riled up with jealously is kind of hot."

Blue eyes glowered at him, yet the look was ruined by the smile stealing across her face. "Your Chat Noir is showing again."

Adrien glanced down at himself. "Nope, no tight black leather. You wanted to get me out of my costume anyway." Again, she cracked up as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I am irresistible, there are magazines out there which say as much."

"And not conceited at all." Marinette snorted.

"No, I'm all modesty and the like."

Rolling to her back, Marinette shook her head at her boyfriend's sarcasm. "I'd slap you but you'd enjoy it too much."

This time it was Adrien's turn to laugh. "As long as it's playful slaps and not a full out uppercut. I know how hard you can punch, milady."

"I've only punched you hard when you've been brainwashed by akumas, even then I try not to hurt you."

"Sure, sure. Admit it, you secretly enjoy taking your frustrations out on me."

She pouted, "Not really. But there were times when you'd been overly flirty and I had taken some miniscule satisfaction from smacking you down a peg."

"I knew it," he chuckled as he drew her hand to his lips and kissed her soft skin. "Wicked woman."

"It was when you were being obnoxious," she whined in her own defence.

Adrien rolled himself over her, straddling her hips with his knees as he grinned down at her. "You know what would have shut me up with much more efficiency?"

Marinette's eyebrows lifted with mock curiosity. "I can't imagine."

"Kisses. On the mouth. Slow hot passionate kisses." Placing his hands on the mattress either side of her, Adrien dipped his head down to trail the tip of his nose along the length of hers.

"I beg to differ. That would have only egged you on to misbehave."

A throaty chuckle sounded from her partner. "You're probably right."

"So, slapping you is the much more productive solution."

"Mm," he rumbled as he continued to hover over her. Marinette was distracted by the taunt lines of his arms, displaying his muscle definition as they braced the weight of his body. All the while, Adrien continued to study her with his heated gaze. "But not as fun as kissing."

"You have kissing on the brain."

"I'm near you, I can't help it."

She understood the sentiment. "Well, I'm apparently irresistible too. I just don't have the magazine declaration to prove it."

Adrien smirked. "Maybe not, but how about my endorsement?"

"I suppose that'll do."

With that, the model lowered his head and kissed his girlfriend. Her hands lifted to glide into his hair, holding him close as their mouths moved together in languid ardour. Adrien sank down over her, settling in for a long session of making out when his phone pinged with a reminder. A groan escaped him but Marinette continued to kiss him.

"I better check that," he uttered between the press of their lips.

One of her legs hooked over his. "Do you have to?"

"Yeah, remember I had to schedule some photoshoots with Nathalie? Well, one of them was only an hour and a half after your presentation."

Marinette groaned as she released him, dropping her leg and arms to the mattress.

"I'm sorry."

Blue eyes rolled. "And here I was thinking your schedule wasn't nearly as crazy."

"It's not. But the next couple of days are busy."

"Great," she grumbled.

"I promised you Valentine's Day and that won't change." Adrien picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. The apology in his green depths was enough to have her disapproval crumbling. Honestly, those eyes were her undoing when he gazed at her with any sort of intensity.

The dark-haired girl gave a resigned nod. "Okay. But it better be something special." She emphasised her point with a poke at his chest.

Cocking his head to the side, Adrien gave her a smile that warmed her very soul. "Don't worry, it will be."

Marinette couldn't help but wonder what he had planned. The promise he'd made had been of a homecooked meal and a movie. That in itself was nothing fancy but then this was Adrien. The man was a romantic. She could imagine scatterings of rose petals and the illumination of candles.

While her mind wandered, Adrien pushed himself up off the mattress and to his feet. Holding out his hand, he helped her up and tugged her into his arms. "I'm sorry I can't stay longer. I really wanted to."

She smiled into his shoulder. "I wanted you to as well."

"I'd promise no interruptions but Hawkmoth tends to bother us at the most inconvenient times."

Returning his smirk, Marinette rose to her tiptoes and placed a peck on his lips. "I'll consider it a promise with an out clause."

"That's most generous of you, milady."

"Isn't it just." Again, they got caught up in staring at each other. Eventually, Marinette shoved him back with a playful twinkle in her eyes. "Go, you don't want to evoke the wrath of Nathalie, or worse your father."

A visible shudder went through Adrien, though it was more for show than anything. "Heaven forbid, however," he turned with a smug look on his face, "the old man approves of you as my girlfriend. Even invited you over for dinner in like two months. He's busy until then."

Placing a hand over her heart, Marinette gave him a teasing look. "I'm humbled to be bestowed such an honour."

"I think he was glad to finally discover that I'm not asexual."

At that Marinette burst out laughing so hard she held here belly. "You, asexual? Now that's hilarious!"

"I'm almost certain he was ready to add another clause to Nathalie's contract stating she needed to bare an heir for him since I've supposedly shown little interest in anyone. Particularly those of a breeding age that are female."

"Oh my gosh, you're kidding me, right?"

"This is my father, the Agreste name must live on." Adrien added with pomp and followed with an eyeroll.

"You're in your early twenties, it's not like you're pushing forty."

"I know but this is my father we're talking about. I don't even try to understand his logic anymore. It's far too cold and calculating for my liking."

"He does know you've dated, right?"

"Half the time I think he's hardly aware that I'm breathing. As long as I jump when told, he's satisfied.

"He really is a knob."

"That is undoubtable. And now, I better go. Plagg!"

The black kwami zipped into the room with an unimpressed expression on his face. "What? Aren't you two still busy with the face gnawing and body pawing? I was in the middle of a brilliant dream."

"It's time for us to go."

"Bah, always when I'm in my happy place." Plagg grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Tikki floated in. "Don't believe for a second that he needs more cheese, he ate a whole wheel of camembert after you dropped your transformation."

"Tattletale," Plagg sniped at his counterpart.

"Glutton."

"Goody two-shoes."

"Slob."

Plagg cracked a grin and opened his mouth to counter but was cut off by Adrien.

"Claws out!"

The black kwami wailed in annoyance as he was sucked into the ring miraculous while Tikki giggled.

"That shut him up," she smirked.

Chat Noir stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders. "No doubt he'll be grumpy when I drop my transformation but that's nothing new."

Marinette reached up to trace the edge of her partner's mask, still amazed at how different her boyfriend looked in his superhero guise. Those feline eyes gazed at her with adoration as she touched him. The rumble of his voice made her jump. "You're going to make me want to miss my appointment."

Dropping her hand, she cradled his chin. "I wouldn't want to tarnish your reputation as a professional."

The flash of Chat's perfect teeth showed with his grin. "It would be worth it."

Shaking her head, Marinette gave him a quick kiss goodbye. One that lingered far longer than intended as Chat Noir wrapped her in his arms, almost as if he didn't want to let her go.

"Valentine's Day," she reminded him as she gently pushed on his chest.

Feline ears turned back slightly as he nodded. "Until then," he gave her one last kiss for good measure and stepped away. "I love you," he stated as he reached the door.

"Love you too," she replied as he backed out the door and waved goodbye.

While Marinette didn't see Adrien over the following days, he did ring and message her when he could. For the first time in ages, she found herself wanting there to be an akuma attack just so she could see her partner.

Alya had been teasing her nonstop about her supposed Chat Noir fetish. Claiming she had no idea her straight-laced friend was into such things. Then of course she asked where Adrien had gotten the costume because it looked so much like the original. Marinette merely reminded her best friend of who Adrien's father was.

From there Alya had gone on and on about the pictures of Ladybug and Chat Noir trending on the internet. A few showed the duo in close proximity, eyeing each other with appreciation. The tags claimed there was a definite change in their dynamic, being a shift towards romance. While there was nothing concrete, the images had Alya speculating.

"I bet they're secretly already a couple," she beamed. "I mean it's reasonable for them to want to hide such from Hawkmoth.

"I suppose," Marinette replied as she sipped her coffee. Not wanting to protest too much nor encourage.

Alya zoomed into one particular photo. "Look, Chat Noir clearly has his hand on her hip and Ladybug has her hand on his shoulder. That's not something they normally do."

"You really need the context to know exactly what was going on."

"I guess," Alya sighed. "Everyone can see they'd make a great couple, even Chat Noir but it's Ladybug who refuses to take the next step. Almost as if she refuses to see him in that way."

Holding her mug in both hands, Marinette considered what to say. There was truth in her best friend's words. Up until recently Ladybug had rebuffed the idea of being with Chat Noir. "She's always wanted to protect him."

"Yeah, but there's a major flaw in that logic."

Marinette raised an eyebrow in query.

"Not knowing each other's identities means that neither Ladybug nor Chat Noir would know if anything bad happened to their alter egos. We know both are tough as nails when transformed but they are only human when they're not. For example, if Chat Noir were killed in a car accident tomorrow while out of costume, Ladybug would never know."

"That's awfully morbid," Marinette said while trying to hide her sudden pang of grief at the thought. The idea of losing her partner in such a way and not knowing would have been unbearable prior to learning his identity but now it was even worse. The scenario made her realise just how much she loved him, all of him.

Alya seemed to notice her sombre change of mood. "I'm sure that will never happen. I mean they're both superheroes for a reason."

Somehow, the dark-haired girl managed a crooked smile. "Yeah. It's just depressing to think about."

"I know, I'm sorry. You know me, I go off on these tangents without thinking." Alya sank back in her chair and looked out the window. "Still, I can't help but hope that Ladybug and Chat Noir are finally in love with each other."

Following her friend's gaze to the clouds outside, Marinette couldn't resist adding, "Miraculous things happen."

Will Marinette resist the temptation to visit her boyfriend prior to their Valentine's date? Especially after Alya's dark thoughts? Find out next chapter.

I must say a big thank you for being so patient. As always your support is much appreciated :)