Forever Mine

A/N: Okay, I've had this idea hit me like a lightning bolt when I remember watching something from "Once Upon a Time." I think it was in Season 4, when they had "Frozen" in the first half of it. So I thought I could work around the lines of a particular touching scene with Anna and Kristoff. Which one? Well, try and take a guess.

But first, let's just get this story started so that the real action can begin sooner. And, action!

Chapter 1

Moving On

Marinette looked up from her physics notes and over at the head of sunny blond hair that was sitting in front of her. But instead of feeling light-headed and her heart beating a million miles a minute and almost out of her ribcage, she felt nothing.

Yup, nothing. She never thought that it was possible. After four long and agonizing years of hopeless pining, the very thought of doing so broke the poor eighteen-year-old girl's heart.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was officially over Adrien Agreste.

At first, she didn't want to believe it. The cobalt-haired girl pretty much planned an entire future with the handsome model, with a heart of gold to match his breathtaking looks. Them getting married, having three adorable children, living in a big beautiful house and having a dog, a cat- no, don't think about that now!- and a hamster. But now, she realized what she had been doing all along was placing Adrien on top of a pedestal and admiring him from afar on some sort of stalker level.

That wasn't real love. That was idolization, and on a really high, obsessive level. She had said before that she knew him, but take away the busy schedule that she had memorized by heart and the many failed attempts to ask him out thanks to her jitters and broken brain whenever he would look her way, she practically knew next to nothing about him. The real him.

Marinette did learn a lot about Adrien over the years, though. She had learned that his favorite color was blue, he likes anime shows and classic movies, particularly of the romance genre, he loved chouquettes, croissants and macaroons, and he was a big gaming nerd.

The only thing that kind of threw her off about him was that Adrien loved puns. Almost as much as Cat Noir did. In fact, if Marinette didn't blink twice at him and bite back her tongue, she would've accidentally called Adrien one of the many nicknames reserved for her silly kitty. That would have been not only pretty awkward, but she would have also revealed herself as Ladybug.

However, as much as Marinette loved learning more about the boy behind the giant fashion billboard pictures and dreamy perfume ads, the unsettling epiphany she had about her obsession, not exactly crush, only grew in the pit of her stomach.

Slowly, she had removed all of the many magazine clippings from her bedroom walls, even the one picture that was framed on her desk, and the ones hidden under her bed and chaise, and the giant schedule that hung from her ceiling. Instead, she had three framed pictures on her desk of the times she had the most fun with her friends. The first one was a simple snapshot of her and her bestie Alya smiling and waving at the camera.

The second picture was when she and Alya went to get some ice cream from André with Nino and Adrien. Despite her and Adrien's initial embarrassment of André suspecting the two of them to be a couple, and not to hurt him and get him akumatized again, they had both agreed to share a large bowl of delicious dark chocolate and strawberry ice cream. For some reason, the dark chocolate dessert had briefly reminded Marinette of a certain black cat, but she shrugged it off. The photo showed Alya and Nino grinning widely as the latter had an arm wrapped around the former's waist, while their best friends were playfully feeding each other, laughing at each other's over-delighted expressions as the ice cream flavors melted in their mouths.

The third photo showed a triumphant duo of Marinette and Adrien high-fiving each other after they had defeated the tag team of Alya and Nino for the sixth time in a row in "Ultimate Mecha Strike III." Both of their hands looked like their fingers could interlock at any given moment, while their wrists were adorned with the lucky charms that they had given each other.

Those three pictures were some of Marinette's most treasured moments captured on film. However, besides those photos, her walls were pretty barren, and her computer background had been changed from the pink collage of Adrien with hearts everywhere to an epic background of herself as Ladybug and Cat Noir leaping across the rooftops in the moonlight.

Once class was over for the day, Marinette packed her stuff and began heading out the door. But before she could slip out of her seat, Alya grabbed her wrist. "What's with you, girl?" She asked, her eyes gleaming with a sort of fierce determination.

"What do… you mean?" Marinette asked her, pretending to be clueless.

She wasn't quite ready to share her epiphany with anyone yet, except her Kwami, Tikki. Even when she would tell Alya, she knew that she would be receiving an earful on why she moved on. The answer as to why is absolutely one that Marinette did not want to go into detail, especially because her reporter BFF is pretty nosy and much too observant for her own good.

"You've been distant for almost a whole week." Alya pointed out. "Is everything okay?"

Marinette sighed. Well, she can't tell the entire truth, but she can be blunt about parts of it. "Well, um…"

But that was the moment that she had forgotten what she would say. Classic Marinette mistake.

"Alya, I don't think Marinette's ready to talk about whatever's bothering her." Marinette's eyes immediately shifted to see that Adrien had paused in his packing to cut in. If she was still crazy about him, her cheeks would've turned bright pink and she would lose all feeling in her legs. Instead, since she wasn't anymore, she gave him a quick grateful smile.

"But she can talk to me about anything, Adrien." Alya replied, her free hand on her hip. "Right, girl?"

Slowly, Marinette pulled her wrist away from Alya's grip. "Actually, Adrien's right." She said. "I'm not quite ready to talk about it."

Alya looked at her shy best friend with wide eyes as she went to Adrien and patted his shoulder. "At least you understand to an extent." Marinette said to him, her voice not quavering once. "Thanks, Adrien."

Adrien smiled brightly at her. "Anytime, Marinette." He said.

Marinette returned the smile softly before removing her hand and walking out of the classroom. Alya shot a glance at Adrien and noticed that he was still in his spot, his eyes softened with an emotion that she can't exactly place at the moment, lingering at the empty doorway.

What felt like five minutes was only just five seconds as Adrien finished packing up his own personal things and left the classroom, ending Alya's attempt of analysis of what had happened. Realizing that she was now the only one in the room, the auburn reporter quickly shoved her things into her school bag and scurried out to the courtyard, hoping to catch up with her best friend.

Sure enough, she saw Marinette standing in the entrance to the school, waving goodbye to Adrien from where she stood. Then she turned to the side and began walking to her own home. Alya ran down the stairs, jogged over to her, and grabbed her wrist again.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng?" She demanded.

The blunette blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about, Alya?" She asked.

"Girl, I might have just been imagining it, but you were actually talking to Adrien Agreste." Alya pointed out.

"So?" Marinette asked.

"In complete sentences." She emphasized, like it was painfully obvious, which it actually was. "What happened to you? Did you drink something today that boosted up your confidence or something?"

Marinette felt a slight weight lift off her shoulders. At least Alya didn't the nail on the head yet, though she knew that she would have to confirm what was the real reason why she could actually communicate whenever Adrien was around.

"It's like Adrien said." She answered. "I'm just not ready to talk about it. I'm still coming to terms with it."

This time, Alya noticed the hesitance in her best friend's eyes. As much as she wanted to know what was eating at her, she decided that Adrien had a point.

"Okay, Marinette." Alya said at last, releasing her wrist. "I understand."

Marinette smiled a little. "When I'm ready to talk, you'll be the first to know."

Alya grinned back at her, and then Marinette began the silent walk alone to her house.

In a matter of minutes, Marinette was in the sanctuary of her room. Tikki zipped out of her purse when she laid down on her chaise.

"Are you alright, Marinette?" The little Kwami asked her charge.

Marinette gulped as thoughts she had tried to bury in the recesses of her mind all day came flooding back into its eye. Mainly those of black leather, glowing green cat eyes, and a devilishly handsome smirk.

"I don't really know, Tikki." Marinette admitted. "I really thought that talking to you about my changing feelings would help me understand them better."

"And did it?" Tikki pressed on.

"Yes, it did." Marinette replied before suddenly bringing her hands up in the air in annoyance. "But now, I can't stop thinking about him! I know I must've drawn a couple of cat faces on my notes today!"

Tikki giggled cutely. "Well, that's certainly a sign." She teased, making her Chosen blush a deep red and she covered her face with her hands in an attempt to hide it. "But don't worry, Marinette. You can control your emotions. Knowing Cat Noir and how much he cares about you, he's definitely a good example. If he didn't truly care about you, then he would've crossed the line a long time ago."

The initial embarrassment quickly faded as Marinette recalled all the times Cat Noir flirted with her as Ladybug. True, he had shown no signs of stopping and it really got on her nerves, but he never went too far. That proves how much their partnership and friendship means to him.

That was just one of the reasons why Marinette had fallen for Cat Noir. His flirty Casanova attitude sometimes still got her annoyed for the past few years, but now that, along with his gentlemanly behavior, made her blush as red as her Ladybug suit. He also protects her with his life, and he respected the boundaries she had set up between them; which she now wanted down.

Even from Day One, Marinette knew that her black cat partner was attractive. Their suits leave little to the imagination, and it only got worse over the years. His arms now have a new definition to them, and the muscles were pretty firm and strong. His jaw had sharpened where it could cut glass, and his blonde mop of hair looked even more wild; it was just so enticing to run his fingers through it to see if it was as soft as she imagined.

But what drew her in about him the most was how… real he seemed to be. To Marinette, he was more within touching distance than Adrien ever was, no matter how many times she tried to deny it. Cat Noir may seem like a dorky goofball of a stray, but she had learned that underneath the dark mask and the cheesy puns, there was a sensitive and caring young man who valued her friendship more than anything in the world, even if she never returned his affections. He was much more human than she had ever expected him to be, with flaws and insecurities like a normal person.

And it wasn't just as Ladybug. As Marinette, he has shown a lot more of his sensitive side to her, even if she is a civilian from his point of view. He would even visit her almost every other night to quietly hang out or just to talk about whatever's bothering him or when he somehow knows that she's being bugged by something. Marinette would never admit it aloud, but she would keep track of when he would drop by so that she can eagerly wait for him on her balcony with a plate of treats. The poor cat had admitted once before to her that he hardly ever ate much due to some stupid diet that he always has to be on, so Marinette would watch him eat as much pastries as he could until he felt like he could burst at the seams. A growing teenager becoming a young adult who's also a superhero under the radar needed the energy. She spoke from experience, secretly being a superhero herself.

A long while back, she had once admitted that if Adrien wasn't in the picture, she would've given Cat Noir a chance a long time ago, but that was when she couldn't imagine a world without the blond model. However, a sneaky but irritatingly charming black cat had snuck his way into her heart without her noticing until every last wall around it was destroyed by his Cataclysm and her heart, pure and raw, ready to be stolen. Now, what she wouldn't give to have his strong arms around her waist, holding her in a protective and loving embrace, his leather palms emitting warmth through the spandex of her suit; or maybe even through the thin cotton of her shirt, her arms entwined around his neck, the intensity of his emerald green eyes boring through her, those perfectly full and exquisite peach pink lips of his coming down toward her face slowly to capture her own…

Marinette felt her pulse immediately spike up before her teenage, briefly hormone-controlled mind could continue the fantasy that was unfolding in her brain; and she could feel it. The room suddenly felt hot, which did not help her current situation. If she thought she was completely lovesick for Adrien before, then these long-buried feelings for Cat Noir had made her condition three times worse.

The blunette took a deep and slow breath to help reduce the rapid beating of her heart and the fire burning in her cheeks. "Okay." She said. "I have to tell him."

Tikki looked over at her Chosen, her big blue eyes wide. "Are you sure, Marinette?" She asked her cautiously. "The many times you've tried to confess to Adrien have all been…." She paused, trying to figure out the right thing to say.

"A disaster?" Marinette dryly suggested.

"Questionable." Tikki decided to say. "So, are you sure that Cat Noir will be different?"

"I know it will be, Tikki." Marinette replied confidently. "And for two reasons: one, I can actually talk to Cat."

"That's true." Tikki said.

"And two, he's in love with Ladybug." Marinette added. "So we'll both be happy."

Tikki seemed to be pondering on that second reason. "Well, about that…"

Marinette felt a worried chill go down her spine when she heard the hesitance in her Kwami's voice. "What?" She asked.

"Well, you have been noticing that Cat Noir isn't flirting as much with you recently, right?" Tikki asked.

Marinette nodded. "Yeah, but I asked him about it a couple of days ago. He said that he was just thinking about something."

"Well, do you think that the reason why is because….he may be moving on from Ladybug?" Tikki suggested with an awkward shrug of her tiny arms.

The blunette felt like everything came to a screeching halt. "Cat Noir moving on from Ladybug?" She asked in disbelief. "No way! No one is as stubborn as that kitty-cat."

Tikki looked displeased as she crossed her arms. "You are pretty hard-headed yourself, yet you have moved on from Adrien." She pointed out.

Marinette felt her face flush in embarrassment for a second, but then felt her blood freeze. Her Kwami had a point. If she could move on from Adrien, the boy that she had been obsessively in love with since the beginning of their collège years, who's to say Cat Noir hasn't done the same with Ladybug, and he apparently was enamored with her for just as long?

The young woman groaned dramatically and collapsed onto her chaise. "You're right, Tikki." She said. "Maybe he did move on, just like I did. Great. When Ladybug finally realizes that she's in love with him, the cat has moved on. Just my luck."

Tikki came over to her Chosen and patted her cheek comfortingly. "Don't give up just yet." She said. "I was just saying it as a possibility. Maybe he hasn't quit on Ladybug yet."

"You think so?" Marinette asked, her spirits starting to soar.

The Kwami nodded. "It might be so. But you'll never know until you tell him the truth about your feelings."

Marinette nodded, a determined grin forming on her face. "The second I get the chance, I'll take it." She said confidently.

"Well, maybe you should tell him after your next patrol." Tikki suggested.

"When will that be?" The blunette asked.

"Tonight." The Kwami answered, a smirk on her face and her tiny little arms placed on her sides.

"TONIGHT?!" Marinette squawked loudly, her face turning bright red like a cherry, quickly pressing her hands to her heated cheeks. That soon?! What was her Kwami thinking? She then slapped her palm to her forehead in realization. "Oh, no! I forgot!"

Tikki giggled. Even though her Chosen had been in the superhero business for a while, and it was her idea for her and Cat Noir to start doing patrols in the first place, she can still be a little scatterbrained.

Marinette immediately jumped off her chaise, almost losing her footing for a second. "I'm going to be late! Tikki, spots on!"

In a little swirl of red, the Kwami was magically pulled into Marinette's left earring, turning both studs of jewelry a bright red color with five simple black dots. In bursts of pink sparkles and light, Marinette felt her everyday clothes being replaced with cool spandex, covering her from her neck to her toes, feeling almost like a second skin, along with the same magical material plastered over her eyes. She loved this feeling. It was the freedom to be who she wished she could be.

In a matter of seconds, the beloved superheroine Ladybug was leaping through the air, from rooftop to rooftop, then swinging across wide areas with her yo-yo. There was nothing quite like it, being able to do impossible stunts knowing you can do it and almost never trip and fall. As Ladybug, she felt confident, powerful.

Soon, the black-spotted heroine had reached a particular rooftop where she would usually meet up with Cat Noir before scouring the city for Akumas. She had only planted her feet on the roof for a few seconds when she heard a similar thump a few feet away.

"Running a little late, M'lady?" A voice asked, the cheekiness in it making her heart continue to race at a faster pace. She turned slightly to face the voice.

There he was. In all his cheeky and black leather glory. After four long yet incredibly fun years of battling super villains, the results certainly showed off their superhuman fitness. But Ladybug has taken more notice of it in her partner than in herself.

He was pure muscle.

Ladybug unconsciously swept her tongue briefly to wet her suddenly dry bottom lip. Cat Noir didn't have enormous muscles like a bodybuilder or like the guys that would be on national fighting shows, but his biceps seem bigger than when they were younger teens because of the skintight leather. The extra snacks that he got from Marinette certainly helped build up his figure. The curvature of it was so smooth and enticing, and it only got worse as her eyes tempted her to look further down.

However, she managed to keep her eyes up on his face instead of looking down and ogling the slight yet succulent curve of his hips and thighs. His beautiful green eyes seemed brighter as the sunset hit him, and the light made his golden blond hair shine like there was a halo above him.

"Enjoying the view, Bugaboo?" The darn alley cat smirked, his emerald cat eyes twinkling with mirth.

At least Ladybug was grateful that she didn't blush this time, but she rolled her eyes to retaliate his flirt. "In your dreams, Kitty." She said, before turning towards the sunset. "This is a view that I prefer."

Cat Noir came up beside her. "It is beautiful." He agreed. "But it pales in comparison to your own beauty, M'lady."

Now Ladybug felt her cheeks turning red under her mask as she whipped around to face him. This time, the gentleness and sincerity in his eyes spoke that he really meant it. She played it coyly as she bopped a finger on the tip of his nose.

"Charmer." She teased.

His perfectly full lips curled up to make a Cheshire grin on his face. "I do try my best." He said, his eyes becoming half-lidded.

Good grief, was he trying to make her melt into a red and black spotted puddle? Apparently, he was trying his best without playing dirty or being too sensual for the moment, because he had backed away an inch from her to lift one of her hands up to those peach pink lips of his and softly planted a kiss on the back of it. More than ever, she wished that there was no spandex coating over her hand just to feel the tingles that he placed there better.

She wanted no more pushing him away. No more late-night pining and moping around, knowing that there was someone out there who would love her unconditionally. She wanted dancing on the rooftops on a moonlit night and secret romantic outings planned with him, where no Akumas or super villains can find them. She wanted a future with him. A life with him.

"Ladybug?" Cat's voice pulled her out of her reverie. "You okay? You were a statue for a good fifteen seconds there."

Ladybug felt her cheeks starting to match her costume again. "Uh, s-sorry!" She said, mentally scolding herself for stuttering. She realized that Cat Noir had already let go of her hand, and she missed the warmth of his leather glove.

"Is everything okay?" He asked. But then a smug grin came onto her face as he stepped back and flexed an arm. "Or have you finally noticed that I'm the cat's meow?"

Ladybug giggled. Even if he didn't know that he kind of got it, she knew that he was trying to bring things back to a normal ground.

"You just keep telling yourself that." She teased, placing her hands on her hips.

"Me-ouch!" He said, dramatically placing a hand over his chest. "You wound me, M'lady!"

Ladybug rolled her eyes playfully. "You'll heal, you big baby."

Cat had a mock glare on his face. "I happen to be a legal adult now, M'lady. No need to put on the claws."

Both of them laughed as they got ready to jump off the roof. "Up for a race, kitty-cat?" Ladybug challenged.

Cat Noir just smirked cockily at her, his cat eyes glimmering mischievously. "Sure, if you can cat-ch up!" He then leapt away with a spring of his baton and started running on all fours.

"Hey!" Ladybug called out after him, quickly recollecting herself from the super bad pun that he had made. "No head starts!" She immediately swung after him with her yo-yo, laughing.

Apparently, patrol was temporarily postponed for an impromptu game of tag as the two Parisian superheroes jumped over alleys and raced across the tops of the buildings, laughing and whooping loudly. Ladybug would try to tag him, but right when she would get the upper hand, Cat Noir leaped or dodged her, laughing.

"Not quite there, Ladybug!" He playfully jaunted, then jumped toward the next roof.

Ladybug regained herself after her latest attempt to tackle him, giggling uncontrollably from the fun and adrenaline. "Get back here!" She shouted, swinging her yo-yo to continue the chase.

Soon after, that alley cat had disappeared when she arrived at a large flat roof. Catching her breath, Ladybug scanned the area, wondering where Cat had vanished. Eventually, she saw two black triangular tips peeking out from behind the entrance that led down inside the building. She smirked and then quickly ran to it.

"Gotcha!" She exclaimed, ready to tackle her silly partner, only to see that there was nothing there.

Before she could even comprehend her confusion, she was the one that was tackled by that darn tomcat! They both rolled around in each other's arms, laughing jovially until they eventually came to a stop, with Cat Noir carefully hovering above Ladybug, his arms holding him up and his hands beside her head. He grinned mischievously, his dazzling white teeth sparkling in the fading sunset.

"Got you, M'lady." He teased.

Ladybug only chuckled breathlessly in response, her cheeks flushed pink not only from their playful chase, but also because of their proximity. They have been close like this a few times before, but now that Ladybug has come to terms with her feelings for her black kitty, she now was a little more conscious of the heat that was radiating from his body.

However, the moment had ended all too soon for her as Cat Noir carefully got back on his feet while not trying to straddle her, and then held out a clawed hand down to her. Ladybug took it gratefully, and he pulled her up.

"That was fun, M'lady." He said once his partner was back on her feet. "But I think we should start patrol. Paris might need saving."

Ladybug giggled. "Look at you, being so serious." She teased.

Cat Noir dryly glared at her. "Ha, ha." He laughed mockingly, though he understood her little joke as his mouth curled up to show an impish grin. Usually, Ladybug was the serious one of the duo while he made the wise cracks.

The two superheroes laughed for a few brief moments before getting to business. "You're right, though." Ladybug said. "We should get started."

"You take the east side of the city, I take the west?" Cat Noir asked, his roguish grin slightly less obvious, but still attempting to turn on the charm.

If Ladybug could see herself now from four years ago, she would've thought that the clouds had turned cotton candy pink when she saw herself actually returning her partner's obvious flirts. But now, she felt her cheeks slightly flushing under her mask and she returned the smile.

"As usual, kitty." She said.

Cat Noir's grin turned more friendly and soft. He then twirled his baton between his fingers. "Meet you at the Eiffel Tower."

He then extended his baton and began jumping into the last rays of sunlight in the western horizon. Ladybug took a couple of extra seconds to look in the direction Cat Noir went before swinging off in the opposite way.

Meet you there. She thought, an excited smile working its way up on her face and her heart already beating at thrice its normal rate before she even started running. And you'll finally get your wish, Cat Noir. Ladybug has finally fallen for you.

Patrol was fairly quiet that night. Not that Ladybug was complaining. This beautiful night didn't deserve to be spoiled by an Akuma attacking. Hawkmoth had been quiet for about two weeks. As much as she loved swinging across the city and being in her spots and mask, she gets exhausted and annoyed having to fight Akumas, if not also terrified for her life, Cat Noir's, and the lives of innocent civilians.

The red-clad, black-spotted superheroine was sitting on one of the main giant beams of the Eiffel Tower, where it was high enough where no one can see her, her legs dangling down as she waited for her partner to make his cheeky appearance. However, her mind was racing still as she thought of what to say to him, professing her love.

"Hey, uh, Cat." She began. "Well, um, remember why I kept turning you down? Because I was in love with someone else? Well, I, uh, came to the conclusion that he's never going to notice me, and I want to be with you instead."

Ladybug shook her head rapidly, mentally scolding herself for her choice of words. "No, that sounds like I'm using him as a replacement; a rebound. And not only is he irreplaceable, but he deserves so much better than that."

She cleared her throat and tried again. "Um, Cat Noir? There's something I've been meaning to tell, no, uh, talk to you about. Well, you see, the guy that I like, I'm over him now. Why? Well, um, it's because, no matter how much I tried to deny it, you've stolen my heart, piece by piece, for all this time. And I want to be with you, no matter what happens and no matter the dangers that we'll face because it will always be us against the world."

She cringed slightly. "Where am I going with this?" She groaned, placing her hands over her face. It was pretty sappy and romantic, and Cat Noir would be proud of her for her declaration, but it just didn't feel right. It didn't seem to do him justice.

The black-spotted heroine took a deep breath and removed her spandex gloved hands away from her masked face. "Okay, Ladybug." She told herself. "You can do this."

This should be pretty easy. She is just going to tell her superhero partner and her best friend on both sides of the mask, even though he doesn't know that himself, that she's over her previous obsessive crush and that she's so very much in love with him that he'll always have her heart, no matter if he still wants it or not.

Ladybug took one last deep breath to steele her nerves, which were making her fingertips buzz with anxiety. I can do this. She repeated the mantra in her head. I can do this. I can do this.

"Something bugging you, Bugaboo?" A cheeky voice came up from behind her.

Ladybug yelped as she jumped up to her feet and almost off the beam. She whirled around to face her partner, his hands up in defense.

"Whoa there, M'lady!" He said. "Don't go flying off like that."

Ladybug let out a sigh of relief as she rubbed the back of her head nervously, a bad habit she picked up from either Adrien or Cat Noir. Well, a lot of people have pretty similar habits.

"You scared me, Cat Noir." She said. "Sometimes, you act too much like a cat."

Cat Noir chuckled sheepishly as he also rubbed the back part of his head with his right hand. "Eh, sorry about that, LB."

Ladybug laughed breathlessly. "How was your side of the city?" She asked.

"Quiet as a mouse." He answered.

"Did you want to chase the silence away?" Ladybug teased.

"Tempting, but no." Cat Noir answered, ignoring her joke. "I don't mind the quiet right now."

"Me neither." Ladybug agreed. "Hawkmoth seems to be taking a break. But who knows how long this will last?"

"Should we increase patrols, just in case?" Cat Noir suggested.

"That might help a bit." Ladybug said, considering the idea. Not only will they be more alert for an Akuma in the future, but it will also give her more opportunities to see her kitty more often. "If Hawkmoth doesn't send out an Akuma first thing in the morning."

Cat groaned at the thought. "That would be a nice wake-up call." He muttered sarcastically.

The disdained look on his face almost made her giggle, though she herself would not be very happy if Hawkmoth decided to unleash an Akuma first thing the following morning. Battling a super villain before breakfast; just another day in the life of a secret superhero.

The two superheroes then sat down on the giant iron beam together, falling into a comfortable silence. Ladybug snuck a glance over at her partner's face, catching every little detail she could before she got caught. The way his emerald eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of the night, the way his sunny hair seemed softer because of the city lights shining down below and the starlight above.

Wanting to test something, Ladybug leaned her head over and made herself comfortable resting on his strong right shoulder. She felt him tense up for a second, but then pulled her closer to him and rested his head on top of hers.

He's not over me. Ladybug realized with pure joy and relief. She closed her eyes blissfully as she listened to his steady pulse, its rhythm like a lullaby.

However, the moment had to end as Cat Noir stood up, Ladybug following him. "I hate to leave so soon, but this cat has a pretty busy day tomorrow." He said, and gave her a playful wink with a two-fingered salute that sent a wave of pleasant warmth through her cheeks and down to her toes.

"I'll see you tomorrow, M'lady." He said, and then turned to jump off the tower's steel beam.

Ladybug felt her heart beat faster in a panic. She can't let him leave just yet! Not when she had resolved to tell him tonight. If she waited any longer, then she would never have this courage again, and just keep holding it back until he is no longer within reach anymore. She pushed him away too many times; not for one more second will she hurt him.

"Uh, wait!" She exclaimed, quickly grabbing his bicep. The way it felt almost made her lose her focus by how firm it was, more than she had imagined.

Cat Noir turned to face his partner, his face having surprise and confusion written all over. Ladybug suddenly didn't know what to do next, now that she had his attention back.

"Um… Cat Noir? I, uh…" Ladybug looked down at the beam under her feet, then back up at her partner. The endearing way that he tilted his head, his cat ears copying the little movement instinctively, was too much for Ladybug's heart to handle any further. Every movement of his had been driving her completely nuts all evening. So for once, she listened to her heart instead of her head.

She pounced.

The superheroine quickly trailed her hand that was holding her partner's strong upper arm up to grab the bell near his throat. Then, before she could chicken out, she used her other hand to cup his cheek, and she closed her eyes before bringing him closer and finally planting her lips on his.

A/N: Yeah, how was that for a first chapter? I think it was pretty good, if I do say so myself. Well, the next chapter will follow up, and then soon, the real clincher will come into play.

Until then, I'll see y'all! Please leave a review about what you think. They are highly appreciated.

Got to fly! ;)