He paused.

It had been a normal day. At least, normal for him. After school, he'd gone to fencing practice and then he'd gotten an alert about a villain on the loose. Ladybug had already been at the scene, but together they'd taken him down and then he'd left before his ring ran out of time.

So that had left him finishing fencing practice. He'd managed to escape his driver because he wanted to walk home. Now, he was perched on someone's porch as Chat Noir, because he'd wanted to take the scenic route.

Except that he recognized this roof, and this porch decorated with flowers.

It was Marinette's house.

He felt creepy just sitting there on her roof, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to leave. His bright green cat eyes scanned over the quaint little home, and he remembered the various instances when he'd been in Marinette's house, both as Adrien and Chat.

Marinette had always seemed like a nice, friendly, kind girl. She stood up for others, had creative ideas, and seemed to get along with just about everyone. A lot of boys had crushes on her, he knew, but she'd always kindly turned them down.

Adrien had wanted to become friends with her, despite their not-so-nice first impressions. But she would never speak to him. Lately, she'd spoken to him more and more, especially when he'd come over for the video game tournament. But she always seemed on edge and nervous when he was around, and so he'd decided that he scared her, which made him rather sad.

What would she say to Chat Noir? He recalled instances when he'd spoken to her as Chat. She'd teased him and had been funny and witty. Also, he found he really enjoyed her company.

It had made him feel a little guilty because he remembered his love for Ladybug. But it wasn't like Ladybug would actually be jealous…

He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the door open and soft footfalls as someone walked out onto the porch. "Chat Noir?"

"Ah!" He nearly fell off the roof as he whirled around. Marinette stood there, looking puzzled. Her head was tilted and her eyebrows raised.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Princess!" He stuttered, regaining his composure. "I'd forgotten this was your house! I was just patrolling and stopped here to rest."

She seemed to believe him. "Oh, I see. Where's Ladybug?"

"I don't know," Chat admitted. "She left after the fight today."

"Mmn. Everything quiet on patrol?"

"Yep, not a peep. Not even a mouse, or I'd be sure to catch it," he joked.

Marinette laughed, and he found himself smiling. "That was a bad one, Chat."

"But you laughed."

"Oh, hush. I was remembering something else."

"Sure you were," Chat winked.

Marinette grinned at him, and it struck him that he could never banter with her like this as Adrien. The thought saddened him.

She noticed his change in expression. "Hey, are you okay? You look a little down."

"Oh, well...I was just thinking that…" What could he say? 'You don't talk like this when I'm Adrien.'? It sounded stupid and would give him away.

After a few moments of silence, she sighed and opened the door all the way. "Do you want to come inside, Chat?"

He looked up in surprise. "What?"

"My dad just made some fresh cookies," Marinette said. "You look like you could use some chocolate."

"Chocolate's bad for cats," Chat joked as he jumped off the railing. "But I'll take you up on your offer."

"I could make tuna sandwiches instead," Marinette laughed as he followed her inside. "Just kidding. You need the sweets, anyway."

He looked around. Her room was just as he remembered it.

"Wait here, I'll go get them," she told him as she left the room.

He plopped down on her bed and gazed out the window, thinking about the day's events. He'd attempted to flirt with Ladybug again, but she'd brushed him off and left quickly.

Chat sighed. Why didn't anything seem to work? Why couldn't he find Ladybug's true feelings? Was all of his attempts in vain?

"I'm back," Marinette's voice rang out as she opened the hatch leading downstairs. In her hand was a plate of warm chocolate-chip cookies. "Is the kitty hungry?"

"You bet he is," Chat winked as he lifted off her bed and bounded over. Scooping Marinette up with one arm and the plate with the other, he bounded back over to the bed, ignoring Marinette's squeals of protest and setting her down next to him. He set the plate in his lap and purred as he bit into the first one.

"Selfish kitty, those aren't all for you!" Marinette laughed as she tried to claim the plate back.

He held it aloft, out of her reach. "Sorry, Princess, but you did offer."

"I did, didn't I?" She huffed. He found it adorable.

The silence was comfortable as he finished off the cookies and she doodled in her sketchbook. As he was licking the last crumbs off his gloved fingers, he peeked behind her shoulder and his heart nearly stopped.

It was a picture of him.

She was sketching him, Chat Noir, and he was shaken. He looked...different. Not physically, really. In fact, she had captured his likeness quite well. He's posed leaning against his staff, and his legs are crossed confidently. His arms are resting on the staff.

What's different is the face. He had his mask, but it looked small and insignificant. His eyes were tired and sad, and begged the viewer to help him. His mouth was drawn into his face and his lips were pressed together. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears, and everything about his face was crying, Help me.

"Nosy kitty, aren't you?" Her voice startled him, and he reeled back.

"I apologize, Princess, but it was a picture of me." He paused for a second before continuing. "Do I really look like that?"

"Not to brag, but I think I've captured your likeness pretty well," Marinette murmured as she shaded part of his costume.

"That isn't what I meant."

His tone stopped her. She stared at her drawing before finally looking up to meet his eyes. "Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes. You look tired, worn down, beaten. You look like you've never had any help in your life. You look like you need to sleep for a thousand years." Her tone is matter-of-fact, but also sympathetic. She looked at him with such pity and concern that his heart melted.

"You don't need to worry about me, Princess. I'm quite fine, just need a catnap," he joked, but her face grew stern.

"Please, Chat...I-I may not be Ladybug, but if you need to talk about something...I'll listen."

The mention of Ladybug brought a tight feeling to his chest. "Oh...well, I suppose my lady is part of the reason my eyes look like that."

She set down her sketchbook. There was another emotion in her eyes. It sort of looked like anger, but...not quite. "What did she do?"

"It isn't her fault," he laughed humorlessly. "It's just hard when someone doesn't reciprocate certain feelings, you know?"

Marinette's eyes at that moment was something Chat carved into his memory. She looked pained, concerned, angry, sad, surprised, and understanding all at once. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as her blue enveloped his green, and she swallowed thickly.

"It's awful, isn't it?"

Those four words made his own eyes widen and his heart leap into his throat. "You...know how that feels?"

"There's this boy," Marinette started. She paused, taking a moment, before continuing. "I...really like him. But I don't think he feels the same way. So, I can't tell him. I don't want...I don't want him to feel guilty for not feeling that way."

Chat tilted his head. How could this boy not like Marinette? Sweet, kind, gentle, always-smelling-like-cookies Marinette. Of course, he couldn't say that, because Adrien knew Marinette, not Chat Noir.

"I'm sorry, Princess."

"Me, too, Chat."

The pair sat for awhile, and finally Marinette spoke up. "Do you...would you mind if I...drew you?"

"You already did," Chat blurted, before wishing his tongue was cut off. "I mean...why?"

"I just…" she shrugged helplessly. "I like drawing you. It relaxes me."

"Go for it. You're pretty good."

"Thanks."

She scribbled in her book as he stared outside into the sky. It was dark already, and he knew he was supposed to be home, but he didn't care. He was relaxed where he was.

And he really doesn't want to go.

He teased her from time to time as she drew, begging her to let him see it, but she refused. "Not until it's done," she insisted.

"Okay, okay, I surrender," he laughed before checking the clock. "Not that I'm not having a great time, my Princess, but I need to get going. It's late even for a cat, and you need your rest, too."

"You're right," she agreed, setting her sketchbook down.

"But don't worry. I'll be back so you can finish. Besides, I want to see it," he told her, winking. Her blush is the last thing he sees before swinging out into the nighttime.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"You could've at least knocked," was all Marinette said as Chat landed gracefully in the middle of her room. It had been two days since he'd first talked to her out on the porch, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't missed her.

He'd even attempted to talk to her in school as Adrien, hoping to improve his relationship with her, but she'd just stuttered something and practically gone mute until he offered a disappointed goodbye and left her there.

Why would she joke around with Chat but not with Adrien?

"Why, Princess, but what would be the fun in that?" He teased her as he studied what she was doing. She was sketching again, and her eyebrows were knit together in concentration as she furiously erased something. "No, no," she muttered anxiously. "It's not quite right."

"What isn't right?" He asked, jumping up to join her on the bed.

"I'm working on your sketch," she replied absently, tapping the pencil against her leg. "But it isn't right. I need you to model for me."

"Gladly, Princess. What pose?" He struck a ridiculous Titanic-esque pose.

She laughed heartily before shaking her head. "No pose, you silly kitty, I just need to study your face."

He paused. "My face?"

"Yes." She studied him for a moment, and he felt himself flush. The intensity of her stare directly into his eyes made him fidget.

To keep his mind off of it, he decided to study her, using the excuse that he was just looking back at her to make it easier for her. She had beautiful black hair and cute freckles. He smiled. Her hair reminds me of Ladybug's. It's even styled in the same way…

He felt goosebumps start to crawl along his arms. Wait.

His eyes dropped from her hair to her eyes, which were currently studying her sketch, drawn into a frown.

Her eyes.

Her voice.

Her smile.

How could he have been so stupid?

Okay, so he had to go a little easy on himself. Adrien could never get to know her like this, and he'd never actually spent time with her as Chat until now. But now that he could see it, there was no denying it. He actually felt his heart drum a little faster in his chest.

Marinette is Ladybug. Ladybug is Marinette. The girl I love...she's been with me this whole time.

He was so absorbed in his revelations that he almost didn't hear her. "It's done! You want to see it? I even colored it for you."

Chat's eyes snapped back to her face. She was grinning and holding the picture aloft. "Huh, kitty?"

He reached out and took it, taking a moment to breathe before studying the picture in his hands. It was much different than the first one. This time, instead of his superhero pose, he was in Marinette's room, sitting on the couch. His legs were draped comfortably across the couch and his arms were resting against the back. His head was tilted slightly but facing the viewer directly, and he was smiling. His eyes were full of laughter and happiness. He had a toothy grin and his face was slightly flushed. He looked as though the viewer had just said something funny and he was having the time of his life.

Chat's chest ached. "It's...marvelous."

"I'm glad you like it," Marinette said quietly. "...Adrien."

His head whipped up and he felt like his throat was blocked. "W...what?"

"While I was drawing you," Marinette explained, her face becoming red as she rubbed her neck nervously, "I noticed that...a lot of your features….were features I'd drawn before. But it was still different."

"I don't know what to say," Chat told her, completely bewildered. "But I suppose that's fair enough...Ladybug."

Marinette's eyes widened, panicked, before settling back into a resolved state. "I should've known you'd figure it out, anyway."

His ring beeped, but this time he waited in silence for the transformation to wear off. He didn't have anything to hide anymore anyway.

"You said you've drawn me before. When?"

She blushed. "I-I drew Adrien all the time. I found it enjoyable." She flipped a few pages in her book before holding it out to him. There were sketches everywhere, of all different settings and poses. Most were candid, quick sketches, but some were detailed and obviously put a lot of effort into. He was speechless.

"Marinette...these are…"

"I know it's sort of creepy," she apologized hastily. "I'm sorry! I really am. I just liked drawing you so much, because you didn't show many emotions, but yet I could see them...but only when I drew you."

It was true. He felt his transformation wear off and Plagg landed on the bed beside him with a disgruntled grunt. But he was engrossed in the sketches. Even though he looked totally normal in them, his eyes always gave away whatever emotion he'd been feeling at the time of the sketch: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, confusion, determination, etc.

"I don't think they're creepy at all," he finally said. "I think they're wonderful."

He locked eyes with her, the eyes he knew so well. "Thank you," he said with utmost sincerity, "for capturing me as who I am."

The pair of superheroes looked at each other, and as they smiled slowly in peace, Marinette was mentally taking a snapshot of the scene to draw later.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

So here it is. I hope you enjoy it.

It's rough, it hasn't had much editing, and past/present tenses are a pain, but I like it. I've read so many serious MariChat fics that I needed to write something to remember the tone of the actual show: lighthearted with deep messages mixed in.

Thank you for reading, and please review!

Bye now.