Patrol was happening shortly and Adrien had spent the last hour and a half preparing for it. He normally didn't spend that much time on preparations but today was different. After receiving a pep talk from Plagg, he felt on top of the world. His socked feet slid across the bedroom floor in pure bliss and the flower bouquet was swooped up into his arms. The long stemmed roses were in prime condition and Adrien double checked each bouquet at the shop to confirm that the one he chose was the nicest one there.

Tonight was the night.

Tonight was the night he finally spilled his true feelings for Ladybug.

Tonight was the night they were to fall in love and finally be together like they were in all of Adrien's dreams. Fingers brushed through the model's hair as a large breath was inhaled. He turned to his kwami who was watching him with wide eyes.

"Okay Plagg, this is it," Adrien gasped out, heart beginning to pound. "How do I look?" He posed perfectly as if a photographer was standing there causing Plagg to stifle a laugh.

"Still dorky," the small black cat sneered. A playful grin was plastered on his lips which caused Adrien to roll his eyes.

"Alright, Plagg, claws out!"

In a flash, Adrien was covered in his favourite black cat suit, ready for anything. Fingers were combing through his long strands of hair again, pushing them all into place. With a quick tug, the bowtie around his neck was straightened. He huffed, a smile growing on his face. Everything was settling into place.

A beep emitted from his phone and in a flash, he swung out the window with a dreamy glint in his eye. Shielding the roses from the wind as much as possible, he arrived at their meeting spot within seconds.

"You're late."

Chat saw the love of his life standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Fashionably," he said, smooth as all.

Ladybug must have seen how he was dressed and spotted the flowers in his hand. "Uh, what's with the accessory?" Her eyes moved from his neck to his hands. "And the flowers?"

Chat felt heat shift under his ears as he replied. "Tonight's a special night."

She lifted one eyebrow. "A special night?"

He smiled sweetly at her and nodded. "Yes. One year ago, a real sweet girl stepped into my life and that night was the first night we ever hung out together."

Ladybug cooed at him. "I didn't know there was a special girl in your life Chat. That's really sweet."

He blushed, and placed a hand behind his neck. "W-Well there is and she's wonderful. Beyond wonderful." His left foot shifted towards her and Ladybug giggled at the dreamy look on his face.

"Who is she?"

His chest rose and he had to snap into his streak of bravery. It was too late to back down now! "She's you."

The realization of what he had said sunk down into Ladybug as she fully digested what was happening. She waited and took her time to swallow fully in order to speak.

"Me?"

He nodded softly, head gently lifting up. The blush on his cheeks said it all. Chat looked his Lady in the eyes. She was there clearly stunned but he gulped and pushed through, grabbing her hand within his. Her hand pulled away slightly but he held firm and made direct eye contact. The roses were shifted from hand to hand and he curled her fingers around the stems. She accepted them without hesitation which gave him the go-ahead.

"Ladybug," Chat started. The moon was shining brightly behind Ladybug and it put a twinkle in her eyes that he couldn't ignore. His own eyes softened and the whole world around him disappeared for this very moment. All he could hear was his own heart pounding in his chest. It was now or never. He couldn't beat around the bush anymore with subtle flirts.

"Ever since we met, I always thought you were amazing," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Having her stay still and not pull away gave him the push he needed to keep going. "Fighting evil by your side, going on patrols and even getting to know each other a little more. It's been nothing but amazing." His mouth curled up in a vulnerable smile, pushing up into his cheeks that had began to blush once more.

"We're partners. You're half of me and I'm half of you." Chat looked down briefly at their hands and noticed just how small hers was in his. "It's crazy just how fast it happened. How fast you became the most important thing in my life." He sucked in a breath and he was sure she could feel his shaky hand on top of hers. Looking deep into her bluebell eyes, he leaned close, close enough to kiss her and murmured, "I love you, Ladybug. I love you more than anything in the entire world and I always will. That will never ever change."

He paused, not knowing what else to do but wait for her response. It took her a good minute to come up with the words and she gave him a sympathetic smile before speaking. He felt his heart drop down to his feet at the look she was expressing.

"I'm really happy that we've gotten to be such close partners too, Chat," she said. Her eyes were loving but that hesitation in her smile was enough to scream rejection to Chat. His ears wilted before she could say anything else.

"I hope we can always be this close too." She smiled sadly and bit her lip. "But my heart belongs to someone else. I'm really sorry."

Chat swallowed what felt like a large piece of glass down his throat. He felt it scrape down the sides as it travelled downward. His heart stung and he felt a large wave of nausea fill his throat.

His voice cracked, indicating that the flood gates would collapse at any minute. "Oh, t-that's okay. I understand." Embarrassment flooded his features as he took a step backward. She was in love with someone else and that someone else was not him. It would never be him. It was as if someone took all the strength in his body and sucked it all away. With each step he took back, he felt like he'd fall over.

"Chat…"

Chat needed nothing else but to leave. "No no, I'm all good," he lied and flashed her the fakest smile he'd ever made in his life. His trademarked toothy grin grew on his face as a pun spilled from his lips. It was the only thing right now that would postpone the eventual emotional outburst. He couldn't let her know how he was feeling. He knew she wasn't buying it but she also didn't try to pry either.

"I hope you have a great night! It was pawsitively wonderful!" Chat called out to her as he planned his escape. He had forgotten that patrol was still to occur. Tears began filling in his eyes and were blocking the view of Paris. The sight of Ladybug holding his large bouquet of roses was enough to tear on the wound on his heart. The second he turned his back on her, he heard her cry out his name.

"Chat, wait!"

A hiccup filled his throat as he sprung off the building, successfully landing on another roof. His cheeks were wet now but that didn't stop him from charging through the city. He needed to get home. He needed to take a real hot shower. He needed to…

Chat didn't know what he needed.

Within a few minutes, he entered his room through the window and crumpled in a pile on the bed, freely letting the waterworks flow.

"Pl-laaaa-g," he sniffled and buried his face in his pillow. "Claw-claws in."

His kwami floated out beside him and begin giving Adrien hell about wanting camembert. "Finally, I am STARVING, you know that! I can't wait to have-" His mouth stopped moving as he studied his chosen's current condition.

"Adrien…?" Plagg floated beside Adrien's head which was face first into the pillow. All he could hear were muffled cries and mumbling of words he couldn't make out. Plagg's ears tilted downward and he frowned, not liking what was going on.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Plagg asked. "If you want me to stop bugging you so much about camembert I can make that happen!" He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

His attempts at cheering the boy up weren't working so giving up, he sat down next to the side of Adrien's head and began gently stroking his hair.

"She doesn't….Plagg!"

Plagg tried to come up with what his chosen was saying. Adrien's words were suffocated by the pillow. "Sorry Adrien, I can't hear you."

The mess of puffy eyes and a runny nose greeted Plagg when Adrien turned his head to the side. The entirety of his face was soaked and he could barely speak without being interrupted by hiccups.

"She-she doesn't lo-lo-love me Plagg!" he gasped out, choking on his hiccups. "I-It's over. I have to give up but, but...I can't! I CAN'T!" His face slammed down on the pillow again and Plagg pressed his lips together, unsure of what to say. Adrien loved Ladybug more than anything else and to have her not reciprocate his feelings…

The sounds of Adrien's crying and wailing caused Plagg to cringe. He hated crying. His tiny paw tapped on the boy's head. "Hey, hey, why don't we do something? Something to take your mind off it huh?" Plagg offered, the boy's crying lightened a bit to some mere sniffing but he remained face down on the pillow.

"We could play a video game together or watch a cool guy movie or even go out to eat somewhere delicious!" Plagg brainstormed some ideas, hoping one would spark happiness in Adrien. Adrien was a sweet boy and to see him so broken almost killed Plagg. It was bad enough he had to see Adrien's Dad hurt him multiple times a day.

A beeping sound filled the room which forced Adrien's crying to stop. Plagg watched as he patted the bed for his phone and when he found it, the sound ceased.

Adrien sat up, wiping his nose with his sleeve and took several large breaths to calm down. Without a word, he went to the bathroom, leaving Plagg on his bed alone.

His hands cupped under a stream of cold water and splashed his face. His skin was boiling so the cool liquid really helped bring down his body temperature. After a few more splashes, he patted his face dry gently with a towel and stared at himself in the mirror, unhappy with what he saw.

"What about me makes me so unlovable?" he asked himself. He lifted a finger and rubbed around his puffy eyes. The fingers made it down to his jawline and down his neck.

"Adrien!"

The voice came from outside his bathroom door.

He put all movements to a halt and turned his head around to respond. "Yes?"

The other voice called back. "It's time for your piano practice."

He grabbed a kleenex to blow his nose with. "Thanks Nathalie!" He blew in it a few times to regain a nice path to breathe.

Once he felt cleaned up, out of the bathroom he went and sat himself right in front of the piano. He felt like skipping out on it and going for a big run as Chat Noir but he already skipped his practice twice this week and knew if he didn't keep up on his skills, his father would notice immediately.

His fingers automatically slid along the keys to emit a charming sound. He only hit a few keys before having to get up to blow his nose again. Plagg sat down on the piano to watch and flashed him some supportive kitty grins. Adrien hardly smiled back but was thankful for his kwami's support. All he could muster was a soft and gentle pet on Plagg's head.

His fingers returned to the piano and he closed his eyes and began to play.

Plagg always tried to guess which song he would choose to practice but this time he didn't recognize it. It didn't sound like anything his father ever wanted him to play. He jumped when he heard a muffled voice spew from the sad boy's lips.

"Youuuuu and IIIIIII…"

Adrien opened his eyes, glancing at the piano keys as a guide to ensure on hitting the correct notes. "We're like fireworks and symphonies exploding in the sky. With youuuuu…"

He sat up straight and his eyes drifted shut again. "I'm aliveeee… like all the missing pieces of my heart they finally-" He choked and felt his eyes filling with tears again. His fingers stalled and he simply coughed before trying to catch up to where he left off. "So stop time right here in the moonli...ght…" A wrong key was pressed as he froze in place, spotting teardrops exploding on his keys. He hiccuped again as the tears fell freely. He gasped and wiped his eyes with his sleeve.

"Maybe you should play a different song?" Plagg asked in a soft voice.

Adrien didn't respond and placed his fingers back on the keys, returning to where he had stopped. "Cause I don't ever wanna close my eyessss…" He sniffled but didn't stop playing. "Without you, I feel broke, like I'm half of a whole. Without you, I've got no hand to-"

He stopped playing as his entire body shook. His hands covered his eyes as he quietly wept.

"Adrien…?" Plagg said out loud. He sighed, knowing that playing piano was not helping in the slightest. "Let's go for a run. Are you feeling a good run?"

He lifted his head up to look at Plagg. "Maybe if I… I-I play for her, she-she'd f-fall for me."

"Adrien…"

The kwami looked up at Adrien with sad eyes, almost regretting what he was about to say. "I don't think there's anything you can do."

Plagg felt a twitch of guilt as Adrien looked like a bus had run over his entire family.

"B-But what if I-"

His breathing increased as he began listing a bunch of things that could woo Ladybug. "What if I, if I made something for h-her or helped her with some big task like-" he sniffed loudly and wiped his eyes on his sleeve that was soaking wet. "Building a large treehouse! Y-Yeah she probably likes that. Or, or maybe really taking charge next akuma battle!" A fiery look appeared on his face. "Y-Yeah that would do it, I'm sure of it!"

Plagg smiled sadly, not liking where this was going. "Look, kid." He floated in front of Adrien's face. "You can't force someone to like you. Ladybug just wants to be friends right? At the very least, having her as a friend is nice, right?"

Adrien unwillingly shook his head yes and frowned, eyes gazing down at his piano keys. "I-I guess…" He sat back up straight and his fingers found their perfect place back on the piano.

"Adrien you-"

"I don't care Plagg," Adrien cut his kwami off. "I can't give up. Ladybug doesn't like me right now but maybe if I change a few things, I can win her heart."

"Change what?"

Sounds began to flow out of the piano and they sounded beautiful. It was as if a spark grew within Adrien and he proudly played flawlessly. Plagg flew back to his spot and watched, happy that his chosen wasn't crying anymore. He knew it would take a few days to heal from the initial sting but at least things were looking up for the time being.

Adrien started from the beginning and didn't flinch once. Each note was hit with precision and he looked like he was actually maybe enjoying himself.

"I'm just a sad soooooonnngggg…" His voice wasn't as crisp as it was normally, given that he was in tears a few minutes before but he still sounded nice. His voice filled with true, strong emotion. "I'm just a sad soooonnnngggg…"

His fingers danced across the keys and he paused, sucking in a breath. A soft feminine voice beat him to the next verse and he almost played the wrong key in shock.

"With youuuuuu… I faaaallll... "

He continued playing but turned his head towards his window so sharply it hurt his neck a bit. His mouth opened wide as he gawked at her, not sure if he was dreaming.

"Ladybug!?" He let out but she didn't answer and continued singing the song instead.

"It's like I'm leaving all my past in silhouettes up on the wall," she smiled at him as she sung, her voice bouncing off his room's walls. Adrien could barely focus on hitting the notes correctly. She had a voice of an angel.

"With youuu, I'm a beautiful mess…"

He snapped out of his staring trance and joined in with her. Their voices connected and rode together in perfect harmony like they were meant to be together. Adrien's heart was pumping strong and he felt his once sturdy hands turn to a shaky mess but the tune remained steady.

Ladybug walked towards him, still singing. Their voices matched with perfect timing but Adrien's faltered for a brief second when Ladybug leaned up against his piano. He couldn't believe what was happening right now. Not only was Ladybug here IN HIS ROOM, she was also singing with him! Butterflies grew in his stomach and he felt like he was falling in love all over again.

"So stop time right here in the moonlight cause I don't ever want to close my eyessss…"

When the next line came up, Adrien noticed he was the only one singing. His volume faded a bit but he continued playing. He glanced over at Ladybug who was watching his every movement and he felt a blush rise up on his cheeks. This was it! This was how he was supposed to win her over! Impress her Agreste!

"Without you, I got no hand to hold." He looked up at her and she had a sweet smile on her face. What was that? He blinked twice to make sure he saw correctly. Were her cheeks pink or was he just imagining things?

"Without you, I feel torn like a sail in a stooooooorm," he sucked in a breath and looked down at his fingers as they moved. "Without youuuuu… I'm just a sad song."

The next handful of lyrics sung by both of them were filled with so much passion and intensity. The two seemed to get lost in their own little world as they filled the air with bittersweet romance. Adrien's volume raised back up to match Ladybug's and for the first time that night, he was smiling.

"Without youuuu… I'm just a sad sooooonnngggg…" Ladybug's bright eyes met his and he smiled, blushing a bit more. "I'm just a sad soooonnngggg…"

A few last keys were hit before Adrien's hands stopped moving. The two stayed quietly until the sound faded into the background.

Both Ladybug and Adrien had extensive smiles on their faces and neither could speak. What they just shared was truly magical, like sparks fly magical. For Adrien it was a dream come true. Ladybug was in his bedroom voluntarily singing with him!

Adrien noticed that he was staring at his Lady and panicked a little bit. With a shy chuckle, he cleared his throat and placed his arm around the back of his neck. "S-Sorry."

She appeared to be just as nervous and mimicked the movement. "I-It's okay!" She swallowed and flashed him a blushy smile. Was Ladybug blushing? At him no less!?

Adrien's brain still couldn't put together any theories of why she was here in his bedroom singing along with him? He froze, eyes in shock. Did she know he was Chat Noir? He did leave quite abruptly. Did she follow him?

He inhaled a sharp breath, waiting for her to say something about it.

"You have a really nice voice," Ladybug admitted, acting as casual about it as she could. Adrien took this time to spill his feelings about her voice.

"You have a lovely voice too Ladybug," he said, voice full of genuine honesty. "You sound like an angel." His eyes expanded widely after realizing what he said out loud. "I-I uh mean your voice sounds really beautiful." He chuckled awkwardly, hoping he didn't creep her out.

Instead, her cheeks were bright red and with her hand, she swiped her bangs out of her eyes. "Thank you very much Adrien."

Adrien was sure that he was gleaming like an idiot at her but he couldn't help it. Sure she broke his heart just moments ago but he felt enlightened. There was something about the way they performed together that really felt like it was meant to be. Maybe he did have a chance with her. Did he have more of a chance outside of the mask?

She looked behind her shoulder at his window and smiled sweetly at him. His eyes followed to where she was looking. The burst of red by the pane was enough for his heart to sink down. At the very least, he was happy that she kept the flowers.

"Sorry for bursting in on you," Ladybug said. "I just heard you from outside and was curious." She rubbed her chin. "I had no idea you played piano or sung s-so lovely."

At the compliment from his soulmate, his cheeks reddened and he rubbed the back of his neck, looking at her, then the floor, then her again. "I-I just play for fun." He mentally slapped himself. What type of response was that?

She giggled lightly, placing a hand on her mouth. "Well you're an expert if you ask me."

Adrien waved a hand in front of his face. This was surreal. He was expecting Nino to remove the costume and jump out at him.

"You're wonderful at what you do too," Adrien stated as if it were a fact. "Beyond wonderful."

He watched in horror as Ladybug's eyes widened and she pressed her lips together rather roughly. Guilt washed over him. Did he say something wrong?

"Sorry Ladybug, did I say something wrong?" He wondered. He shrunk down, afraid to have hurt her even if it was by accident.

"No no," she waved him off. "You just reminded me of something that happened between me and a very good friend."

Adrien's ears perked up in wonder. Was she talking about Chat Noir?

"Oh," he said. He wasn't sure if he should cross that line with her. After all, she was very secretive with him when he's Chat Noir. What were the odds of her spilling things to him, a mere civilian? "Sorry to hear that?"

A weak appreciative smile grew on her face. "It's all good. Don't worry about it." Her head turned in the direction of the window and before he knew it, Ladybug was by the sill. "Anyway, I know you're a model and all and are probably really busy. I should be on my way."

Adrien practically ran over towards the window. He wasn't expecting her to leave so soon!

"Wait Ladybug!" he screeched to a halt in front of her. His eyes travelled to the floor as he spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for upsetting you. I didn't mean to. Honest!"

"Don't worry Adrien," her foot perched on the sill. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just remembered that I have somewhere to be," she assured him. She flashed him a wink. "You know, superhero stuff."

A nervous chuckle escaped his lips. He didn't buy it for a second. She had put on her typical act and being Chat Noir, he could tell something was bothering her but she wouldn't admit to it. Of course he couldn't say anything so he played along with her. "Ah I bet being a superhero is a busy job."

She nodded. "Thank you for giving me a nice break. It was fun."

Adrien's face flushed. "Thank you as well Ladybug. I had a really nice time." He felt the urge to say more but he knew it would be better if he stopped while he was ahead.

"Have a nice night!" With a wave, she swung off. A smile grew on his lips as a glimpse of the red roses accompanied her. His hand was still waving moments later and he was caught gaping at the window when Plagg poked his head out from his hiding spot behind the sheet music and yelled at him to attend reality once more.

Adrien snapped back into real life and closed his window tight. Plagg almost fell off the piano from such sheer volume of his voice.

"Plagg! Ladybug kept the roses!"

The black kwami raised a finger to his ears and pretended to clean it out. "What was that? I didn't hear you the first time!" he yelled back, voice dripping with sarcasm.

His chosen didn't seem to hear him in the midst of his Ladybug daydream. He twirled around in the middle of his room and sighed. His eyes were all glazed over and a dopey smile rode on his face.

Plagg merely rolled his eyes. "I hate to burst your bubble but her keeping the roses doesn't erase the fact that she rejected you."

The word rejected stung Adrien's heart once more but he did his best to push the feeling of hurt away. "Yeah but her keeping the roses means something! If she hated me, she would have thrown them away."

Plagg sighed, not liking what was sinking into Adrien's head. Plagg couldn't deal with another heartbroken Adrien. "Look," he started, knowing very well that Adrien would not be happy with him after this conversation. However, he knew Adrien needed to hear it. "I know it seems like things are looking up but Ladybug clearly has an interest in another gu-"

Adrien gasped loudly, his bright grin was increasing in length. "What if I pursue her as me?"

Plagg's mouth opened in shock. This was NOT what he was planning!

"She's not interested in Chat Noir but she spent time with me voluntarily as Adrien! Maybe Adrien can win her over!" He clasped his hands together and sighed like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

"No! Adrien!" Plagg flew over and pulled on Adrien's cheek. "That is not a good idea!"

Before Plagg could do anything about it, Adrien plopped in his rolling chair and clicked a bunch of links before pulling up the Ladyblog.

"Adrien!" Plagg pulled on the sleeve of his shirt. "Just think about what you're doing for one minute!"

Adrien's eyes were glued to the screen as he clicked and clicked, link after link. He pulled up articles and photos. Various flashes of light flickered in Plagg's eyes. The longer he stared at the screen, the more his eyes hurt so he resorted to sitting on Adrien's pillow. It was no use to stop the model from doing whatever he had set his mind on.

Adrien's eyes scanned each article and he went into his bookmarks to pull more information about Ladybug. He had to know everything about her if he were make her fall for him.

Plagg's eyes drifted off as he almost passed out from exhaustion. He bolted awake after hearing a bang in the room. He sprung up into the air and glanced around at what may be the cause of the sudden noise. Adrien was at his desk, head buried in his hands. He was sprawled on the desk mumbling to himself.

"Adrien?"

Adrien turned his head slightly to look at the kwami. "What's the point in even trying with this?"

Plagg was about to ask for clarification until Adrien continued speaking.

"If she doesn't like me as Chat Noir, why would she like me as Adrien?" He threw his arms up in the air. "This is pointless! Ugh, I'm such a loser!" He sprawled back forward on his desk in a powerful huff, shifting the entire setup.

"H-Hey kid," Plagg stuck his hands out and flew by his head. "Why don't we do something else for a while?"

Adrien got to his feet suddenly, ignoring Plagg. "I'm going to bed." In a sluggish movement, he made it to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He ruffled around in there for a good ten minutes and Plagg was beginning to wonder if he was okay. Luckily, Adrien appeared fine. Well, as fine as he was going to be given the circumstances. He emerged from the bathroom and went to change into his pajamas.

Plagg flew back over to Adrien's pillow to get comfy but he did a pit stop along the way once he caught his chosen acting weird. Adrien was stuck staring at something in his hands.

"Hey Adrien, let's go," Plagg tugged on his shirt's collar in the direction of the bed. "Change into something else."

Adrien sadly tossed the red spotted clothing back into the closet and sucked in a breath before changing into a plain black shirt with black plaid pants. Once he slid into bed, the waterworks began and Plagg tried his best to be comforting. He petted Adrien's hair and sighed. "It'll get better."

He didn't respond but instead curled in a tighter ball, clenching the pillow like it was his lifeline.

The gasping and muffled sobs continued well into the night. Plagg knew that Adrien would be getting little to no sleep tonight and he'd be completely dead for school the next day.

When Nathalie woke him up the next day, Adrien could see that today was going to be absolute torture. Not only did he have to go to school on three hours of sleep but tonight was also a patrol night so he had to see her again.

He painted on his camera ready smile and nobody sensed a thing wrong with him. School carried on as normal but every now and again he zoned out, head tilting towards his desk. Everytime a loud sound emitted in the classroom, it jerked him awake.

"And that is why the pentagram was created and is used today," Ms. Bustier finished writing on the chalkboard and paid attention to her students that were furiously taking notes on their tablets.

Everyone except Adrien.

He was having major difficulty staying focused. Yesterday's events were dominating his mind and he had given up on taking notes at least a half an hour ago. His lips chewed the tablet pen as his thoughts were once again based on last night's occurrences. Sure he was miserable as all hell but the fact that Ladybug had entered his room unannounced and stayed there long enough to sing with him was mind shattering! His brain couldn't come up with a reasoning for such an action!

The bell rang indicating that it was lunch time and he shoved his things into his bag as slowly as it was possible. Could today just last forever so he didn't have to suffer through the pain of patrol that tonight?

"Hey girl, want to go to the plaza with me?" Alya asked Marinette who had her head down focused on note taking. "I really need to grab an iced coffee."

To his surprise, Marinette's usually cheery voice was replaced by a duller sounding one.

"I guess so."

"Hey!" He watched as Alya placed a supporting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Cheer up girl! I'll buy you one too!"

Marinette gave her a soft smile. "It's okay Alya. I'm not really feeling it today." She slid her book into her backpack. "I'd rather just go home for lunch. I'm sorry." She sucked in a breath and zipped up her bag before slipping it on her shoulder. She pushed by her friend and left without even saying bye.

Stunned, Alya turned to face Adrien and shrugged her shoulders. "There's something bothering that girl but she won't tell me a thing so I can't help!" Frustration was thick in her voice.

"I'm sure she'll come around," he said, sliding his bag on his shoulder also. The Gorilla was sure to be there waiting for him by now. "I'll see you after lunch." With a wave, he was off and ready to be driven home.

Being in his room alone was enough to bring the ache back into his fragile heart. The piano was still there from last night but he wouldn't dare touch it today. He was supposed to but he just couldn't bring himself to do so. School wasn't over so he couldn't go back all teary eyed.

Instead, Adrien went to the dining room to eat something. His appetite barely existed but his arms were shaking so it was better to plop a piece of food in his belly. Anything was a decent idea at this point.

When his meal arrived, it turned out to be larger than his stomach had room for. A steamy hot slice of roasted chicken was served on a really ancient china plate. The chicken's skin was lightly peppered with a variety of spices and an array of roasted vegetables were surrounding it. To the left side, a soft, yet crusty slice of bread was topped with the camembert Adrien had requested the other day.

He opened his shirt and snuck the camembert in for Plagg.

"Finally some food!"

With a roll of his eyes, Adrien dug in and consumed as much as he could before the nausea from everything that had happened lately settled in.

Nathalie entered the room and took away Adrien's half eaten plate and replaced it with a small delicate bowl of a fresh fruit salad for dessert.

The small strawberry was stabbed with the fork several times and Plagg heard Adrien's sigh. Peeping out of his chosen's shirt he looked up. "You doing okay kid?"

"I guess."

The strawberry rolled off the fork and hit one of the grapes in the bowl. The grape was much harder to stab so Adrien huffed and allowed the fork to clang against the dish as it fell.

"You should really eat," Plagg simply said and remained in his personal pocket.

Adrien said nothing and stared down at the full dish of fruit, resisting the urge to pick at it some more.

Soon Nathalie entered the room again and took away his dish without speaking to him which for once Adrien was grateful for. His head sank down and his forehead was resting on the large empty table.

His watch beeped which emitted a groan from the boy.

Back to school.

His body painfully stood up and he looked arguably worse than he had prior. With a quick step, he fixed his Chat Noir styled hair and swooped it back to its regular presence. Plagg attempted once more to get Adrien to answer to him but was met with silence. Plagg was counting his lucky stars that there were no more tears but he knew that Adrien would break eventually whether that be today or tomorrow. One could only hold in so much heartbreak. He hoped school wouldn't be the location of the meltdown.

When Adrien returned to school, the girls were there behind him and like she was that morning, Marinette was quiet. It was mind boggling because she was always so bubbly. Whatever was on her mind must be big. Maybe it was something about one of her fashion projects?

He strongly considered saying something to her but resorted to sitting down in his seat. After all, he wasn't in such a good state of mind himself.

"Okay class!" Ms. Bustier found her place up at the blackboard and scribbled some messy notes. "Please turn to page 118. We're learning more about the Ancient Greeks this afternoon."

Why were the Ancient Greeks so incredibly boring? Adrien was thankful that he had already studied them at home with Nathalie before so he could give in to his body failing him. His eyes drifted closed and snapped back open with a nudge from his best bud.

"Dude, you okay?" Nino whispered to him while taking notes. "You've been passing out all day."

Adrien nodded and whispered back. "Yeah I'm alright." He was lying, sure, but at least he wouldn't be dragging anyone else down along with him.

The rest of the class went by especially turtle slow. For once, Adrien was eager to go home and rest. Unfortunately, going home also meant seeing the love of his life sooner. Maybe he could shrug her off? He never missed a patrol night so what was missing just one?

He shook his head. Sure she broke his heart but that didn't mean he had to react badly to her. He still loved her with all his heart.

The bell rang and Adrien slid backwards into his chair. It was over. He could finally nap. His head was spinning and he was beginning to doubt his ability to walk to the car. He noticed Marinette get up noticeably faster and without a word to anybody, even Alya, she zoomed out the classroom door. Whatever was bugging her, Adrien hoped that it would clear up soon. He hoped the same thing for himself.

By the time Adrien returned home, he was ready to pass out and never wake up. Looking at his phone, he rolled over onto his stomach. Only three more hours until patrol. His feelings hadn't improved from yesterday but at least the urge to cry had faded. Or so he told himself.

He was staring back at Plagg sideways, his eyelids becoming ever so heavy.

"Adrien, wake up!"

Tossing and turning, Adrien forced his eyes open to see Plagg pulling on the nape of his shirt. "Patrol is in ten minutes!"

Panic set in and Adrien burst upwards, brushing his hair with his fingers. It probably looked all messed up! He had to look good for-

His fingers stiffened and he removed them immediately. He no longer had anyone to impress. His mouth frowned and he glanced at his miraculous. As much as he did not want to do this patrol, he knew that it was his duty as Chat Noir to protect Paris! Love drama could not get in the way of superhero duties! He bit his lip and felt sick to his stomach.

Adrien looked at Plagg with a pleading expression, hoping he'd give him permission to skip out on patrol that night. All Plagg gave him was a knowing look that gave him his answer.

Adrien sighed. "Let's get this over with. Plagg, claws out!"

After the transformation occurred, he stood on his window sill, perched like the cat he is. He couldn't do this. He just couldn't do this. But he had to. For Paris!

The usual spring in his step vanished from his movement towards their meeting spot. His muscles were weakening and the urge to go back grew the closer he got. Was it too late to go back?

Chat's heart shattered into a million pieces when the sight of polka dots filled his eyes. Swallowing, terms of encouragement were the only drive to continue moving forward.

"Hey Chat," she simply said, taking a stand next to him on the rooftops. It seemed as though she was keeping her distance and it only made the situation worse.

"Hi Ladybug," he said, rather emotionless. Being warm only hurt too much.

"Ready to do patrol?"

He nodded, eager to get it over with.

Without another word, Ladybug jumped off the building and he followed her, trying his hardest to ignore her cinnamon scent that trailed behind her softly. As they raced around Paris, Chat had no easy time forgetting about her or even seeing her as just a friend. She would forever hold a special place in his heart and he couldn't ever love anyone else.

When they landed on a far rooftop, they took a quick pause to catch their breaths. Chat Noir couldn't stop himself from thinking out loud. It was piercing his mind, trying to figure it out.

"So," he let out, unsure of whether to continue. "That guy you like… What's he like?" He couldn't imagine how special this guy could possibly be. The guy probably didn't even realize that someone as perfect as Ladybug was crushing on him. His fingers curled into tight fists at the thought of innocent Ladybug pining over some loser who didn't even know she existed.

Ladybug stopped moving completely and dug her heels into the shingles. "Oh Chat, I know you don't want to hear about that," she stated as if it were obvious but he shook his head.

"I want to know."

"Why?"

She was challenging him and he knew it. Ladybug wasn't one to just share information willingly.

"I'm just curious," a smirk escaped his lips and he couldn't bite it back. "I am a cat after all."

She rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips. "You know the saying 'curiosity killed the cat,' don't you?"

He nodded and sucked in a breath as his foot slid closer to her. Getting near her… it was an impulse. "Don't worry about me. I'll be good."

She sighed sadly and gently bit her lip. "I-I shouldn't. It would only-" A gasp escaped her lips when she felt a pair of warm paws around her hands.

"I just want to make sure he'll treat you right."

Those words were delivered with such care and love that Ladybug felt her own eyes gather moisture. "Chat…"

His eyelids fluttered open and closed as he kept his eyes on her. A light chuckle emitted into the night air and he quickly wiped his own eyes. "Come on LB. Let me in." His eyes stayed stuck in place, even though hers left his and visited the roof a few times.

"I'm sure he'll treat me right," she finally said. It was too hard to get Ladybug to give details about anything but that didn't stop him from trying.

"Is he in your class? Is he smart? Is he nice? Is he good looking? Is he captain of the football team?" The more the questions carried on, the more the playful grin on Chat's face grew. The more questions Chat asked, the redder Ladybug's face got.

"He's really nice," she sighed happily. "He cares a lot about everyone and always sees the best in all around him. He really inspires me."

That was not what he wanted to hear.

"Sounds like a g-great guy," Chat clamped his mouth shut in fear that saying anymore would break him enough. What he was doing was absolutely killing him but it was necessary to get over Ladybug or at least put his feelings to bed. That's what his head was saying to him so it must be true, right?

He sniffed and pretended like this was a light conversation. "I-I hope it...um…" He cleared his throat and tried again. His voice was giving out and he was struggling to get any clear sentence to form.

"I-I hope it works...um uh, works ou…"

A pair of warm and soft gloved hands grasped his own together and light bluebell eyes were gazing within his. Looking down at their clasped hands, light wet spots appeared on her suit material.

A light voice whispered and it only made the water load increase. "Hey."

He couldn't look up. His eyes remained glued to her hands, watching the red colour darken from the dampness he was causing.

A hand released from the pile and it ran through his bangs, just brushing against his left ear. "It's okay." A petting sensation was felt atop of his head which only made him sob harder. He let go of her rather roughly and buried his face into his hands. Ladybug couldn't see him like this!

Chat needed to get out of there. His nose was beginning to plug up. "I-I need to-"

Without warning, his body was shoved into her chest and with arms wrapped around him, he finally cracked. Pushing all of his emotions back today finally gave out on him. Heavy sobs continued for a good few minutes. All of Chat's pent up feelings from that day of school were finally letting loose and he had zero control on what would happen next.

"I'm so s-s-"

Stopping his crying temporarily, Chat heard Ladybug's voice crack like his and a sniffle left her nose. The grip on his back tightened and he felt her head weight land on his shoulder.

"I'M SORRY CHAT!"

Sobs loud and strong enough to rival his own were launched into the night sky. Her entire body was shaking and she was gasping violently.

"I-I'm SO sorry! I-I didn't mean to, mean to hurt you!" she wailed into his shoulder, gripping it tighter.

He was astonished at what was happening. Ladybug was crying? All because of him!?

Chat's eyes resumed the water works and he held her tenderly. His emotions were pushed back once again and his focus was exclusively on her. He did this to her. He hurt her. "It's not your fault Bug. You didn't do anything wrong." His cheeks were soaked to the brim but he took his turn with the petting and patted her hair with a soft touch. "I'm sorry for getting so uptight about it. I shouldn't have made it as big of a deal as I did."

Ladybug sniffled and spoke, buried in his suit. "I should have, have been more c-careful about your feelings. I-I was really… really mean! A-A-And look what it caused!" Her fingers dug into his shoulder blades as she sobbed harder.

He let out a sad laugh. "You weren't mean at all! I'm just a sensitive alleycat. A stupid sensitive alleycat."

"I-I don't… I don't…" she coughed, choking on the moisture buildup in her throat. "I don't want this to change anything between us. I like what we have!"

Chat's stomach clenched up as extra hot tears rolled down his cheeks and onto her suit. She actually liked what they had? That sentence alone brought joy into his veins and the sad tears changed to bittersweet tears.

"I like what we have too, Bugaboo."

The two stayed still, frozen like a statue while they cried it out together. Ladybug broke apart first and looked at up Chat into his eyes. He could barely stand to look at her tear stained and puffy face. It hurt his heart to see her in such a state.

She took a moment to wipe her eyes and clear her face the best she could. "I may like this guy, but you're irreplaceable, Chat." Ladybug smiled softly and looked down briefly. "He doesn't have the bond with me like you do." Her voice was still quivering.

Chat didn't quite understand. "But you like him and want to...you know...date...him." He clenched his teeth together, forcing his brain to not think about Ladybug dating another guy.

She smiled a little wider. "Yeah but that doesn't mean that this bond we've formed means nothing or needs to be erased." Her eyes sparkled as her lips formed the largest smile he'd ever seen in his entire life.

Chat couldn't believe his body hadn't run out of water yet. Fresh tears were forming for what felt like the millionth time but he didn't touch them. He tilted his head down and they fell down to hit the ground.

Her voice quieted down. "I was really scared that you'd leave and quit being Chat Noir," Ladybug admitted. She tucked her chin down as if she was embarrassed by what she said. "I hope that never happens."

Chat Noir felt his head being tilted upwards by a finger on his chin. Big bluebell eyes were awaiting him. They were a little red but were still beautiful. She was breathtakingly beautiful, even after she had cried. He opened his mouth to tell her that he'd never leave or quit but she beat him to it.

"It's like you said earlier," she said, pulling the line from memory. "We're partners. You're half of me and I'm half of you." She smiled sadly and slid her finger off his chin. "Whenever you leave or are upset, it's like half of me is missing."

"Ladybug…"

"I'm sorry Chat. I really, truly am." She took a step backward with her hands behind her back and almost bowed her head. "I really hope you can forgive me."

A face full of tears awaited Ladybug when Chat leaned forward to hug her once more. Even though her heart didn't want him in the way he'd wanted it to, it did want him in a way and that way was incredibly precious. Why had he been so selfish to ignore that? Being her partner in crime was an honour.

"I'll always forgive you. We're a team."

The look on Ladybug's face spoke a million words. Even though Chat's declaration of love didn't go as planned, it reminded him of what he did have. Ladybug's partnership and the bond that the two had formed together over the past year was worth the world to him. He had to keep that safe.