Adrien didn't often say he had good days. Except today. He got to see Marinette, and talk with her, and eat cookies with her after a long night fighting with Copy Cat.

How could it not be a good day?

"What are you thinking about?"

Adrien sat up from laying on the couch to look at Master Fu, the short man who had taken him in all those years ago. He couldn't help but smile at the memory of Marinette's reaction to saying he had a master. She'd been ready to fight, it seemed. For him. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" the man repeated, his lips turning up in a knowing smile.

"Nothing."

"So," Master Fu said, stroking his beard, "you call a meeting with Miss Marinette 'nothing'?"

Adrien's smile disappeared in a second. "How did you—"

Master Fu laughed. "My boy, I am much older and wiser than you realize."

"I never said I you weren't." Adrien knew full well the man was wickedly sharp for his age. There was no hiding anything from him. Even when it came to sneaking the cookies Marinette had always left out for him.

Master Fu hummed. "I am happy to see you in good spirits. You come home angry far too often."

"Can you blame me?" he challenged. "I'm fighting my dad who has the Butterfly Miraculous. It took everything I had not to just blurt it all out to Marinette."

"But you did tell her something."

"I told her about the akumas," Adrien admitted. "I told her that there was ancient magic at work here. I told her my ring gave me my powers. Maybe it was too much, but I trust Marinette. And she wanted to know what was going on. I don't blame her. This city's been torn apart countless times over far too many years. I'm sure a lot of people want an explanation, but they aren't going to get any. And I asked Marinette to keep it all a secret. I don't believe she'll tell anyone."

Master Fu stroked his beard again, this time, his face was solemn. "I trust your judgement, Adrien, when it comes to this girl."

"Thank you, Master."

"Did she believe your explanation?"

"I believe so. To be fair, she has known of me ever since we were young."

"True," Master Fu said with a nod. "It's easier to believe once she'd seen as a child."

"Exactly."

Master Fu hummed. "Then I'm glad you have someone who believes in you."

Adrien chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Honestly, I am, too. It's… it's nice, for once, to have someone who… who believes."

"Someone other than me."

"No offence meant," Adrien said.

"None taken," Master Fu assured. "I'm simply glad that you have found someone other than me to rely on."

"I wouldn't say that," Adrien dismissed.

"Oh?" Master Fu challenged. "Why not?"

"Do you think I want to drag her into my problems? No. She's just a friend who I talk with. And honestly… I really need that right now. That sense of normalcy."

Master Fu hummed. "You should go back into the town during the daytime."

"I'm really tired in the morning after fighting all night."

"Not tired enough to spend time with Miss Marinette first thing in the morning."

Adrien frowned. "That's different."

"How so?"

"She…" Adrien paused, formulating his words. "She knows I…"

Master Fu smirked. "Well then, since you can't give me an answer, maybe you can introduce me to her."

Adrien's brow furrowed. "What? Why?"

"I'd like to meet the girl that has distracted my pupil so greatly," he said. "So, tomorrow morning, we shall go pay her a visit. I have been wanting a croissant for a while, and heaven knows I cannot make them."

Adrien chuckled. "Cooking and baking was more Mom's thing."

Master Fu hummed his agreement. "Very much so. She was a wonderful woman."

There was a silence that slipped between them.

"I'll leave you to rest up, Adrien," Master Fu eventually said. "I'm going out to town to survey the damage of the night."

"There's not much," Adrien said, standing from the floor to head to his bedroom. "Copy cat was out, but I stopped him fairly quickly. He was disoriented after I beat him when he almost got Marinette."

Master Fu grunted. "At least you got him this time. Last time, he got you."

Adrien could feel the pain in his ribs at the mere mention. "Don't remind me."

"I will, only from the standpoint of I need you to be your best. But worry not now. Get some sleep. You've earned it."

"Thank you, Master."

It had become a ritual for Marinette to sit up on the rooftop at dawn and wait for Chat Noir to come visit her after his patrol. She relished the time she got to spend with him. Every day, she got to unfold the mystery that was Chat Noir a little more, and she learned that behind that fierce expression and impressive fighting abilities, there was a very boyish young man.

He loved puns and jokes. He loved banter and to jest. The little things made him happy. It was like… like he never got to experience those things when he was little.

It was like he'd never grown up even though he'd matured past his years.

He was a mystery, but she loved that about him.

He landed on the roof with a much heavier thunk than normal. She smirked, "Given up trying to sneak up on me, Chat—"

She froze.

She had spun to look at him, only to take in the sight of an exhausted Chat Noir, bent over and leaning on his knees, blood dripping down his temple. Yet, he still gave her a smile. "Hey, princess. Good morning."

"It most certainly is not!" she cried, quickly scrambling to her feet and over to him. She took his cheeks in her hands and maneuvered his face so she could get a better look at the gash on his temple. "What happened?" she asked.

Slowly, like he was pained, he stood to his full height. He was nearly a full head taller than her, and she felt so small compared to him. "An akuma," he said. "A new one. I don't have a name for it yet. But it handed me my tail. It got away. The destruction is going to be a little more than normal, just to warn you. I couldn't stop him before he was called back to his master right before dawn."

Marinette took a moment to process that information, but the blood trail dripping down his cheek called her back to reality. "Come on. We'll patch you up."

"I'll be fine. My master will."

"It's bleeding bad. Come on. Let me help you."

"It's fine," he argued. "I just—"

She grabbed his hand, halting whatever he was going to say. "Please," she begged. "Please, come down and let me help you."

He looked like he was going to fight back, but with a sigh, his body slumped in surrender. "Okay."

With a smile, Marinette tugged him down the hatch into her room. He'd grabbed the cookies she had out for him, bringing them down. The moment he reached the bottom and looked about the room, he froze.

"Sit on the bed," she said. "I'll be right back."

"But this is your room," he countered, not moving from his spot.

"So?" she asked.

She swore his face got red under the mask. "It's improper."

She had to admit that technically, it was. But that didn't matter to her when her friend was bleeding so badly, it was dripping off his cheek and down his suit. "We aren't going to do anything improper. So, take a seat, and I'll be right back up with some things. Please?"

He remained frozen in his spot, staring off with her. But once again, he surrendered with a sigh and took a tentative seat on her bed.

She grinned. "I'll be right back, okay?"

He nodded, then opened the little handkerchief that he'd wrapped the cookies up in to eat one.

Satisfied that he would stay there, she slipped downstairs to collect medical supplies she would need. After scavenging the house and finding what she could, she returned to her room, pleased to see Chat was still sitting on her bed while finishing up the last cookie.

She took a seat next to him.

"You really don't have to do this," he said quietly, not looking her in the eye. "I don't want to burden you or take anything from you."

She reached around to cup his jaw, using it to guide his face towards her. "You sacrifice daily to protect this town," she said. "It is the least I can do to clean your wounds."

She was sure he was blushing this time as he averted his gaze to the floor. "Okay," he whispered.

With a smile, she reached to grab the washcloth from the small bowl of water. As carefully as she could, she pressed the cloth against his skin to clean his wound. He flinched at the contact, but forced himself to stay still.

"I'm sorry."

"I've had worse," he dismissed.

She didn't want to ask what 'worse' had looked like. Instead, she cleaned the wound and wiped the blood off his face before reaching for a bandage. She did the best she could in wrapping the bandage around his head. He didn't protest.

"Is that comfortable?" she asked. "Not too tight or anything."

"No," he said. "You actually did a good job."

She grinned in satisfaction. "Good."

"Now, I should go," he said, standing. "Thank you for your kindness, Marinette. You didn't have to."

"But I wanted to," she said, standing and walking over to him. "To thank you. For everything. I wish I could do more."

He looked at her curiously. "More?"

She nodded. "You do so much for protecting our town, and no doubt it would be worse if it weren't for you and your sacrifices. I wish I could do more to support you than just give you cookies."

Slowly, his expression melted into something soft. He took a moment to engulf her in a hug, pulling her close and cradling her carefully. "The cookies mean the world to me," he said. "A nice treat after a long night. And the fact that you care about me at all… that's enough for me. Thank you for everything, Marinette. I'm the one in your debt."

She scoffed, hugging him tighter. "Hardly."

He chuckled, then pulled away. "Until I see you again, please, stay safe."

"I will."

With a smile, he scampered up the ladder and quickly disappeared from sight.