Sometimes he just wanted to shield her away. Hide her from the world and it's cruelty, after all wasn't that what the knight supposed to do? Protect the princess?

Sometimes he'd feel conflicted, didn't he love Ladybug and if so why did he care for Marinette so much, she was only a good friend right?

When he talked to her as Adrien, she spoke less, she'd stutter and trip over air, act shy and nervous but when he talked to her as Chat Noir, she'd tease him, laugh and share her ideas. She captivated him when she talked of her future, sometimes he'd come to see her for a few minutes, only to lose track of time as she talked .

When he'd tell her that she'd laugh and say "Silly Kitty", gently ruffle his hair with a bright smile and send him away with a wave. He'd never really thought about why he called her a princess, it just came naturally, like when he called Ladybug his lady. Marinette had all the qualities of a princess, she was gentle, sweet, plus she liked him, after all you'd have to be blind if you didn't see the Adrien's poster all over her walls. At first he didn't know how to respond to her affections but these days he found himself thinking more of Marinette than Ladybug.

Even his father remarked his goofy smiles, dreamy looks and cheerfulness.

Sometimes Nino would catch him staring at her but wouldn't say a thing after all it was his choice to make. One day it hit him, he was in love with Marinette. His heart started fluttering when she was around, he'd glare at Chloe for hours after she said something particularly nasty to her, maybe it was time he let go of Ladybug and moved on to something else.

He'd confess to Marinette, not at school but at her house as Chat Noir with a bouquet and chocolates, so that if she rejected him he could eat all the chocolates and die of diabetes.