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Adrien brushed his fingers against her pale skin, the moonlight from the hatch above casting a soft glow on her. He arranged the stray strands of hair on her face.
She was so beautiful. He couldn't take his eyes off her, he wanted to encrypt her to his memory permanently. He leaned down to place a soft kiss on her forehead and she stirred lightly in her sleep, a smile adoring her lips.
He could've sworn he'd give anything to stay in the moment forever. But he knew he had to go. It was about the early hours of the morning and Nathalie had told him the previous night that he'd have to be up early, she didn't specify what for though.
He sighed somewhat lovesick. It was fair to say he'd had the greatest night ever. She had kissed him. Twice! He still couldn't understand if it were a dream or not. Just if it were, then he really never wanted to wake up.
He ran his fingers along her jawline, admiring every contour on her face. She didn't know that he loved her more than anything in the whole world, loved her more than his own life. But he so desperately wanted her to know, he just didn't know how.
~Earlier~
Catnoir pulled back when they were too breathless to continue. He watched her breathlessly as her chest heaved and she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes stayed shut as she felt the light tingle from the pressure of his lips lingering, scarcely wondering how it was possible for her to feel so much from just a kiss.
Her eyes slowly fluttered open to meet his and he leaned down to rest his forehead on hers. For the next moment, there was no sound but the exchange of their breaths. Eyes boring into the other, speaking words which the lips couldn't utter.
It was the perfect opportunity. He just had to say it. He had to tell her he was in love with her. After all she had initiated the kiss, the chances of her rejecting him were slim. He slowly trailed his finger to her jawline, cupping her cheek. That was the moment, he pushed all negative thoughts aside and took in a breath.
But just as he was about to speak, she moved her hands to his chest and lightly pushed him back creating much needed distance between them. He stared at her confused for a moment but she looked away from him and bit her lips nervously.
"It's getting kinda late." She murmured and he could feel his chest ache. He didn't want the night to end.
"I don't mind." He immediately cut in almost pleadingly. He couldn't miss his chance. But he couldn't help but feel she wanted to purposely avoid the topic. She looked back to him and he could see something flash through her eyes. Then she whispered, "Okay."
"We could watch another movie, I'll just get changed." She smiled softly, trying to change the topic before turning around to walk away.
Catnoir let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. He still had time, sure he didn't want to make her uncomfortable but he needed to tell her how he felt. They couldn't just not talk about the kiss. They needed to talk about it. He needed to know how she felt.
They stayed on her bed to watch the movie with Marinette resting on his shoulder. She fell asleep halfway and he joined her after clearing up her laptop. He could hardly sleep so he spent most of the time watching her, memorizing her soft breaths and just taking her in. That was until he needed to go.
__
"How long are you gonna keep doing that?" A sleepy voice asked in the dark. Adrien recognized it was Plagg's and in a second, the black kwami was hovering over him.
He knew Plagg was referring to the fact that he'd been staring at Marinette for what seemed like forever. He just couldn't bring himself to leave. Adrien sighed, "Let's go home, buddy."
He whispered his transformation words as quietly as possible. His chest ached painfully just at the thought of leaving her. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering 'I love you' against her skin.
She shifted lightly like she was going to wake up but he sighed in relief when her eyes stayed closed. He tried to leave quietly, not wanting to wake her up.
"Are you leaving?" He turned back to her when he heard her soft whisper. Her eyes were opened a quarter and she blinked unsteadily, trying to adjust her eyes to the light.
Catnoir's heart swelled when he realized how much he would love to wake up to stare at her every morning of the rest of his life. He moved his hand to rest on the side of her face. "Yes, I need to go. I'll see you tonight."
She slowly sat upright, "I'll see you off."
"It's okay, you can go back to sleep."
She nodded in negation, "I insist."
He nodded and after a moment to stare at her, he finally withdrew his hand and opened the hatch to climb out.
The cold breeze tickled her exposed skin on her shoulder as she climbed out after him. She closed the hatch behind her and for the next moment, they just stared at the other. He wished he could read the emotions in her eyes but all he could do was get lost in them.
He slowly took both of her hands in each of his. "I'll see you tonight princess." Gathering some courage, he stepped forward to wrap her up in a hug. She immediately melted into him, wrapping her arms around him as well. Her grip tightening by the second. Like she didn't want to let go.
Reluctantly, they both pulled apart, "Bye." She whispered.
He missed her warmth the second he stepped away from her. He slowly turned away to leave.
"Wait..." Marinette held him back. He was confused for a second before turning back to her.
She held her breath, and stepped closer to him. Without a second thought, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips against his, her eyes fluttering close as she placed her hands on the side of his face.
Though he was terribly shocked, he didn't waste time to think about it. He responded immediately, one of his hands finding her waist pulling her closer and the other moved to the back of her neck, tilting her head back, deepening the kiss.
His lips moved softly against hers and his tail curled around her ankle while she sunk deeper and deeper into his embrace. Her mind blank, aware of nothing else other than him, the kiss and how perfectly she fit in his arms.
She pulled back when she was out of breath and he buried his face in her neck, his arms tightening around her waist. She could feel his unsteady breaths against her neck sending tingles down her spine. She shuddered lightly when he placed a kiss on the curve of her neck.
Flustered and tongue-tied, Catnoir couldn't utter the words he so badly wanted to tell her. So he pulled back and took the time to stare at her. She smiled softly and whispered bye one last time. He hated to go and he didn't want to but he had to leave. So with a single peck on her lips, he jumped off her balcony, vaulting away into the night.
Marinette placed her hands on the railings to keep her self steady. Her legs felt weak and her heart was racing unbelievably fast. She sighed watching his figure disappear into the cracking dawn. She ran her fingers over her lips still feeling the lingering pressure and a smile made his way to her lips.
And then she whispered into the night, the words she knew she would never have the courage to say to him, "I love you."
******
Marinette gripped the railings tightly, her knuckles nearly turning white from the pressure.
"Marinette, are you sure about this? I feel like you're putting too much pressure on yourself." The red little creature hovering up to the bluenette's face, concern written all over.
Marinette nodded in negation, her gaze fixed on the night sky, eyes full of determination. He'd come by any minute. "I'm sure." She could sense the doubt in her own words. She'd spent all day prepping for this and waiting patiently for when he'd come again.
She missed his warmth, his presence and the feeling of his lips. It enraptured her and it slowly felt like it was a need, not a want.
"I can feel how nervous you are." The kwami tried again and Marinette sighed, leaning on the railings. Her mind hazy with thoughts. "I am nervous, Tikki." She admitted, her voice low.
"But this is something I need to do. I need to tell him how I feel. With Adrien, I've always been scared of rejection..." She trailed off, her voice slightly trembling... "But Catnoir... he kissed me back last night when I kissed him, I mean, he should at least feel something. I know he's in love with someone else but he deserves to know why I... kissed him. I'm just scared it'll ruin our friendship." She whispered the last part, scared that saying it would make it even scarier than it already was.
Tikki nodded in understanding and nuzzled her cheek, a simple act to offer comfort. It was easy for the kwami to figure out that Catnoir was in love with Marinette and even Plagg had confirmed it but she couldn't tell her directly. It was not her secret to tell. She just wished she could make Marinette a little less nervous.
Confessing her feelings was stepping out of Marinette's comfort zone and Tikki was worried she would back out like she always did with Adrien.
After a long while of silence, Tikki finally spoke up, "Have you considered you might be the other girl he's in love with? You know he wouldn't just kiss anyone."
It had crossed her mind a few times but she knew it was only mere wishful thinking. She nodded in negation, "I asked him as my alter ego, remember? He said it wasn't me." Her lips drew a thin line, her frown deepening. Tikki sighed seeing as she couldn't do anymore.
"I want him to love me again." She whispered after another long silence. It felt more like she was saying it to herself than anyone. "To just see I'm the girl behind the mask he'd loved for so long. I can't be that different." She murmured leaning further on the railings. The cold air slapped her cheeks lightly, he was running later than usual but she was sure he'd be there. He'd always come through at one point or the other.
Catnoir did not show up that night. She tried to reason that there had to be some reason he wouldn't come no matter how hurt she was. He did have his personal life after all, it wasn't like it was an obligation for him.
The cold was worse the next night so she wrapped herself up in a blanket as she waited for him. And she waited and waited until she was too tired to stay awake.
When he hadn't shown up the first two nights, she tried to convince herself that it was fine. But when he didn't come the third night, she couldn't help the sinking feeling in her chest, the ache stirring up in her while she tried her hardest to stay strong.
The kwamis knew she was hurting so they tried to give her space while Tikki went up to her.
It was 2 in the morning when she was curled up in her blanket, sitting upright on her bed, her fingers moving steadily as she wrote in her diary placed on her laps.
"Marinette, are you okay?"
She only nodded in negation, flipping her diary close, cocking the pen and dropping them aside.
"Do you wanna talk about it?"
"No." She whispered, eyes glassing over and opened her palm for Tikki to get on. She lifted her to her face and the kwami nuzzled her cheek, "Let's go to bed, Tikki."
Tikki watched her shifting uncomfortably in the bed. She knew how much Marinette missed sleeping next to him. Unfortunately there was nothing she could do about it.
****
"That's not a smile." The man behind the camera complained for what would seem to be the hundredth time. "You're not even trying." He pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly annoyed.
The blonde sighed, running his fingers through his hair. It was the 7th take still they didn't seem to be making any progress. The cold had picked up a bit compared to when he'd first got there though it was already the 29th, luckily it wasn't snowing heavily.
But that was even the least of his worries. There was a permanent sinking ache in his chest and nothing seemed to take it away. He missed her so much. And what was worse... he didn't get the chance to tell her he was leaving. The thought of how she must've felt waiting for him while he never showed was wrenching.
It was not okay. He couldn't focus on anything else. He felt horrible.
The photographer groaned, his brows furrowing in annoyance, "Let's take a break. We'll resume in seven."
Adrien sighed and went back to sit down. He couldn't even flash a smile for the camera. The photoshoot was the least of his concerns. Only Marinette was. Marinette. How would she be feeling? Not knowing somehow made his stomach twist up.
"Is something wrong, Adrien?" His head snapped up immediately to see Nathalie staring down. Feeling a bit relieved, he sighed, rubbing his hands awkwardly, "No, just tired."
Though his expression gave him away, she didn't want to press further if he didn't want to talk. So she offered him a smile, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Try to lighten up. It'll all be off your tail soon."
He managed a smile back and sighed. "Nathalie..." He called her right before she walked away.
"Yes?"
"When do we get to go back to Paris?"
She thought for a while, "There's a flight for us scheduled for the 31st unless your father changes his mind or there are weather discrepancies. But after the event tomorrow, your personal schedule would be clear." She Iooked down at the tablet in her hands to confirm then nodded at him. He nodded back with a smile.
Just a few days more.
Just a few days and he'd get to be with her again.
*****
On the morning of the 31st, Ladybug was sitting on the edge of a random rooftop. Her feet dangling below.
The wind blew against her bangs softly and she closed her eyes letting her thoughts wander about. She didn't know how long it was that she spent sitting there and she had no clue what the time was.
She only got up to leave when the dawn fully broke and the morning was getting clearer.
Sliding in through the hatch and landing on her bed, she de-transformed and went straight to the bathroom without a word. Tikki on the other hand slept off immediately having spent most of the night powering Ladybug.
When Marinette got out and got dressed, she heard her phone pinging. When she picked it from the table, she saw a message from Alya. She clicked on it.
You gonna tell me what you were doing sitting out there in the cold at 5am in the morning or I'm going to have to force it out of you?
Her face twisted up reading the message, her brows furrowing. She really wasn't in for talking. She wasn't ready to talk about it with anyone.
Couldn't sleep.
She texted back and put her phone away.
She really didn't want to think about it. About him. But no matter how hard she tried, any time she closed her eyes, every second of the day, she was thinking about him. Wishing he were there with her. Missing him.
She groaned into her hands as she climbed up her bed. She knew she wouldn't be able to enjoy the New Year's Eve like she used to.
__
"And you're sure you don't want to go?" Sabine asked again for the umpteenth time.
"I'm super sure, mom." She forced a smile trying to sound convincing although they all knew she was fooling no one.
Neither her parents spoke for a moment then Tom dropped a tray of sweets on the table, "Not even if a certain blonde will be there."
Reminding her of another green eyed blonde she had feelings for certainly wasn't helping. She looked away from them before nodding in negation. "I don't feel like going." She whispered.
Sabine sat across from her on the table, "Hunny you know if there's something wrong, you can talk to us. Me and your dad are ready to listen. You... haven't been yourself lately."
She gathered a small breath before turning to her mom, forcing a smile again, "I don't know what you mean." She shifted her gaze uncomfortably, "I feel fine."
She took hold of one of her daughter's hand in hers and smiled, "You always look away when you're lying."
"We know you sweety." Tom also stood close to ruffle her loose hair. A small smile graced her lips for a moment, "There's a surprise." She mouthed sarcastically.
"Okay, here's a deal, we won't bother you about it, I want you to talk to us whenever you feel is best. But you simply can't sulk around tonight, okay? I want you to be happy."
Her gaze shifted for a moment then she smiled, looking up again, "Okay."
They had dinner as per family tradition and as usual they fed her up with stories, either of their teenage times or their relationship. She felt a little more happy being able to laugh and share the moment with her family.
They told her about the first New Year's Eve they spent together and she couldn't help but feel a twig in her chest. She would've wanted that with Catnoir, she didn't dare deny it.
As it sensing her mood switch, they stopped.
"So are you still not interested in meeting up with your friends. I mean, isn't there a certain someone you want to spend midnight with." Tom smirked knowingly and Marinette groaned, "Papa!"
"C'mon hunny, you're 16 now, it's totally okay if you kiss anyone you're interested in." Marinette blushed at her mother's statement, her skin feeling hot just remembering the feel of his lips.
"You know kiss at midnight has brought a lot of couples together. Destined couples." Tom teased even more and she buried her face in her hands while her parents laughed heartily. Not exactly how she panned the night out, but good enough.
*****
Adrien stared at his phone, his eyes nearly burning holes in the screen. Any moment now the text would come in. He just had to wait.
"You know you're too desperate sometimes." Plagg zipped around the blonde before landing on the table in front of him.
Just a second later, a text from Nino came in. He immediately read it.
Nah, dude. She's not coming.
Adrien sighed in relief. If she wasn't there then she'd be home and he could go see her. He quickly texted back,
Okay, you guys have fun. I'm tired from the trip, I don't think Nathalie would let me go.
A quick reply came back and he finally dropped his phone. Feeling much relaxed, he ate dinner quickly, eager to go to her.
It was already evening by the time they got to Paris and he quickly texted Nino who told him about the hangout and all he wanted to know was if Marinette was going to be there. Luckily she wasn't and that would mean she was home. He vaguely wondered if she was expecting him. Part of him found it flattering but still he knew it must have been very disappointed in him. He didn't want that. He needed to fix it.
After a quick dinner, he hurried to his room ready to transform before Plagg stopped him. "Aren't you forgetting something?" The kwami gestured to the clock.
It was still only a few minutes after 9. He groaned and flopped down on his bed. Knowing her, she would definitely be with her parents, it was way too early.
He needed to wait. He could wait. Just a few hours.
****
After trying and failing many times to convince her parents that she just wanted to go to sleep, she finally succeeded. She yawned as she climbed up the stairs to her loft after changing into her pajamas.
The amount of nights she'd spent awake took a toll on her and she thought she'd fall asleep the moment she lay down. Unfortunately, she never had that much luck. She tossed and turned. She was exhausted yet she couldn't sleep. It was almost torturing how one person could dominate her mind so much.
Giving into her restlessness, she climbed out through the hatch and onto the balcony. It wasn't as cold as she'd expected it to be, but she shivered nonetheless. She wrapped her hands around herself. Hopefully her body would succumb to tiredness soon. At least she hoped.
She watched the sky, admiring the twinkle of every star. Somehow it made her think back to him. He had that twinkle in his eyes when he was smiling. She leaned further on the railing and sighed. She could see the lights on the Eiffel tower in a distance, she didn't exactly feel the need to celebrate.
"Not exactly the best night to be alone, huh?"
Her head immediately snapped up at the sound of the voice. She almost lost her footing, gripping the railings tighter when she saw Catnoir climb down the railings. She placed her hand on her chest to calm her racing heart.
"Sorry for... startling you." He walked closer, each breath sharp from racing through the rooftops. She straightened up and for a brief moment, she thought her mind was playing tricks on her.
He walked up till he was right in front of her. It wasn't exactly the reaction he was hoping to get out of her but to be fair, he had no idea how she would've reacted to him just showing up.
What he didn't expect though was for Marinette to place her hand on the side of his face. He felt tingles where she ran her fingers through his face and he leaned into her. Then she removed her hand suddenly.
"I missed you." He sighed, smiling softly as he leaned closer to her. Despite her inhibitions, she let him lean in all the way caught in his gaze.
Sensing her consent, his hand rested on her cheek and snaked into her hair as he closed the gap between them.
She melted against him and closed her eyes when his lips pressed against hers. Sinking into the familiar warmth, she couldn't help but kiss back, her lips moving softly against him as her fingers grazed his shoulders.
Then suddenly the realization hit her and she pulled away from him. She moved her hands to his chest to push him lightly creating distance between them as she shifted her gaze. His smile dropped, hurt at her withdrawal, "I'm sorry, I should've asked first." He turned away, "That was stupid."
Realizing what he'd said, he quickly corrected, "Nothing that kissing you was stupid, I loved that...I just mean...doing it right now was..." He trailed off not knowing exactly how to go on.
Her brows furrowed as she frowned, "Why are you here?" She mumbled, her hands moving across her chest.
He was shocked at her question and for a moment, couldn't reply. "I just- I thought-" He fumbled around with words. He thought she'd be happy to see him and it stung badly that she wasn't.
She looked away, her hands dropping to her sides, "Maybe you should go." She whispered, her tone more sad than upset.
"Are you mad at me?" He asked suddenly and she tensed up for a second before looking up to him, narrowing her eyes at him, "What do you think?"
He sighed, although he didn't expect her to be upset with him, he knew she had every right to. Nathalie telling him their flight was already scheduled that morning was a shocker to him too. He didn't have the chance to let her know. "I'm sorry." He sighed.
"Do you know how long I waited for you every night and you didn't show? I thought something might've happened to you or that you didn't want to see me again. And now you just come back suddenly telling me you missed me?" Her voice cracked at some point as she whispered the last line more in disbelief.
He nodded in negation, he needed to fix things. She couldn't think that. He held her hands in his, "Princess, I'm so sorry. I swear I had no idea I was going to leave the city, it just came up and I couldn't avoid it, I couldn't tell you either." He squeezed her hands lightly, "I'm really really sorry." He didn't let his gaze leave hers hoping she'd be able to see how sincere he was.
Marinette sighed faintly. She wasn't even upset at him. Her emotions were just all over the place and everything was a mess. If anything, she missed him more than anything. She missed his warmth. "I get it. I'm sorry for overreacting." She muttered, looking away but then he pulled her in for a hug. She melted against him, wrapping her hands tightly around the small of his back, sinking into that scent, that warmth she'd been starving for.
"I understand you have your personal life, I was being irrational." She pulled away to look at him but he only smiled down at her, his hand moving to rest on her cheek, "It's okay. What matters is I'm with you now." He rubbed her cheek softly with the pad of his thumb. She relaxed for a moment before tensing up again.
"I know... It's just..." She trailed off lowering her gaze, "I just thought you were avoiding me because of.. you know...what happened that night...when I..." She rubbed her arm nervously. She couldn't look him in the eye, it would just make her even more nervous. She'd already made up her mind she would tell him how she felt, she had to at least start somewhere. At least she wasn't stuttering, it was a good score. "...when I... I.. kissed you."
Catnoir was much more relieved. He was scared she would brush off the topic but it seemed she wanted to talk about it as much as he did. It was his chance. He'd tell her he was in love with her.
"I was scared I'd ruined our friendship." She whispered. Voicing out her fears and feelings to him felt so foreign but she wasn't going to back down no matter how scary the thought of rejection was.
She felt his gloved fingers trail her jawline, exciting her skin, he lifted her chin up so he could meet her eyes, "You would never-" He whispered.
She looked away, her cheeks feeling flushed, "It hurt not knowing how you felt about it.. because... because.... it meant something for me." She whispered the last line, lowering her face against to hide the blush on her cheeks.
His eyes widened hearing that, he needed to be sure he heard right, "You mean that?"
She wrapped her arms around herself and nodded. She swallowed the lump in her throat, she needed to tell him. "It meant so much to me... so much." Gathering up her wits, she looked up at him, "I really like you, Catnoir. And... and not just as a friend... as much more." Her cheeks heated up as she spoke. "I love how you make me smile and these past few days I've spent with you mean so much to me."
He stopped breathing for the next few seconds. It was a dream or at least it had to be a dream. She actually felt something for him! She liked him! He had to hold it in unless he was going to cry.
Mistaking his silence and shock for rejection, Marinette sighed, "I know you're in love with someone else and I shouldn't burden you with my feelings, I'm sorry." She looked away.
Seeing she was misinterpreting the situation, he smiled softly and held her hands in his, "Princess-"
But she only rambled on, "I don't wanna lose you as a friend, I just thought you should know..."
He tried again, a little louder, "Princess.."
Still her nervous rambling did not stop, "But it's fine if you wanna forget about it. It's okay, I..." She was cut short when he placed a finger on her lips. "Princess..." He chuckled and she frowned wondering what was so funny. He moved his hands to rest on her cheek, "Just stop talking for one moment."
He carefully caressed her cheek before leaning all the way to press his lips against hers. Her resolve dissolved, her whole body surrendering the moment he moved his lips against hers. It was soft and sweet, just him trying to tell her how much she meant to him. He pulled away to look her in the eyes, softly trailing her jawline.
Her lips were slightly parted trying to catch her breath, her eyes twinkling and the moonlight glowing on her pale skin. She looked more beautiful than ever. "I love you." He whispered ever so softly.
Her eyes widened and she stepped back for a moment. "What‽"
At first, he thought he'd scared her with the sudden confession but he was relieved seeing it was only confusion etched in her features and then he smiled stepping closer to her again, "I'm in love with you." He whispered again.
Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears, and she prayed desperately that this was not some trick of her imagination, "B-But.."
"When I used to come here at first, I just thought maybe it was because you'd given me care and affection, something I hadn't gotten in a long time. But then I slowly realized there was something about you that kept me coming, that made me eager to see you and hug you...To just be close to you." He brushed her bangs, arranging her stray hair, "..But then I realized it was you I needed. I'm in love with you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng and nothing can change that. Ever."
A tear dropped from her eyes and he quickly wiped it, his face contorting with worry. "Are those happy tears?"
She nodded and he smiled relieved, pulling her in for a hug. She held on tight to him afraid that she would wake up and it would all be a dream. She pulled back just to look him in the eye and then she slowly whispered, "I'm in love with you too."
"S- Seriously?" He murmured almost losing his footing, "Y...You m-mean that?" She nodded happily, "Yes..I love you, kitty."
He swallowed her gasp of surprise into the kiss when he suddenly slammed his lips on hers. She gave a satisfied hum as her fingers slipped into his hair, threading through his locks. Her back arched into him when he tilted her head back to deepen the kiss.
Meanwhile in the distance, fireworks shot up in the sky. It was already midnight.
Every single touch of his was becoming slowly desperate like he was getting enough but barely enough of her. When he pulled away for lack of air, he moved his kisses to her jawline, placing soft kisses till he stopped at her neck. Her toes curled feeling the heat of his breath on her neck.
They both tried to catch their breaths wrapped up in each other. Silence unless the echoes of their breaths and the distant sounds of music. He withdrew a little to rest his forehead on hers and their eyes met.
"Hey..." She whispered.
"Hi.." He chuckled softly.
"I..uh.. haven't asked, how was your trip?" She was still out of breath.
"The ending was worth it." He pecked her lips softly. "Extremely worth it."
"It's cold out here. We should go inside." He continued after seeing her shiver.
When they withdrew completely, they noticed the fireworks in the distance. "Hmm..I guess it's a new year." He sighed happily.
A thought crossed her mind as she remembered her parents words from earlier about couples kissing at midnight. "Destined..." She whispered and smiled to herself.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Everything's perfect." She smiled and placed a soft kiss on his lips.