This is a secret santa gift I wrote for potatomi on our Discord server!
It's a fluffy, comforting little drabble, for a smile on Christmas ;)

"You could have died!", Chat Noir growled as he dabbed at Marinette's knee with a cotton ball, trying to clean the open wound. She hissed, grabbing her pillow tighter.

"But someone had to protect you!"

He bared his teeth and looked up to her with an angry as well as hurt expression, his green cat eyes narrowing.

"That's Ladybug's job! You have nothing, nothing to do on a battlefield!", he snapped, making Marinette recoil, "What you did was rash and careless. I can take a hit like this, I have an enforced suit! Why do you think I take all the hits for Ladybug?!"

She gulped, biting her lip as he continued spreading the stinging alcohol on her skin.

"But she wasn't there yet.", she tried again, only to have him groan.

"That doesn't matter, Marinette! You shouldn't have run in!"

"But the Akuma almost got you!"

"I DON'T CARE!", he yelled.

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows as she leant back, her arms loosening around the pillow. Her set jaw relaxed, though, as she saw tears shining in Chat's eyes, his hands trembling.

"I-… I don't care…", he whispered, stopping his work on her knee. She gulped and placed a hand on his shoulder, surprised when she felt that he was trembling on his whole body, "I-… I don't care… If the Akuma was about to get me… All-… All I care about is-… That you're okay…"

She sighed, her hand slipping up from his shoulder to caress his cheek, making him look up to her.

"Chat…?"

"I-… Marinette, I-… I can't lose you… I can't…", he whispered, now laying the cotton ball aside to get a bandage out, softly beginning to wrap it around her knee despite his trembling fingers.

She sighed once again, leaning forward to press a kiss to his head. He looked up, sniffling.

"Chat… You won't lose me… Ever."

"Then-… Then don't try to save me…", his eyes pleaded her to listen to him, "Please… I'm a superhero and you're not… I-… I can't-…"

"I know, Chat.", she mumbled, cupping both his cheeks with her hands now. He leant into her touch, a steady rumble beginning in his chest. His hands on her knee stilled, holding the bandage to keep the tension but not continuing.

"Please, Marinette.", he desperately whispered again, his voice vibrating because of his purr, "Please."

She nodded, her hands now slipping up into his hair to scratch him just behind his human ears. The purr got louder, making his chest vibrate against the thin layer of bandage that he had already applied. His chin rested on her thigh and she placed her head on top of his, nuzzling her nose into his hair. They remained snuggled up like this until his hands began working again, continuing to wrap her knee.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?", he asked, his nose brushing over her stomach. She shook her head by millimeters, making him feel it.

"No. Nowhere else. Promise.", she replied, reassuring him with her gentle voice.

"If Ladybug hadn't shown up-"

"But she did. And now stop thinking about what could've been. Alright?"

He sighed, moving a bit to the side to enable him to apply the bandage without being in the way with his chest. She pressed another little kiss to his head, her thumbs brushing over his cheeks.

"I can't lose you, Marinette…"

"You already said that.", she commented smugly, making him lean back and look up to her with a deadpanning gaze.

"Well, and I'm saying it again. Marinette, please stay out of the battle. Ladybug and I will take care of the Akumas and you don't need to save me."

She shook her head, now kissing his nose and making him blush.

"Well, bummer that we have the same motivations then. I can't lose you as well."

He only groaned again in annoyance, rolling his eyes but she cut him off before he could even say anything.

"Chat, I don't care what you have to say about me being a civilian. I will always, always protect you, no matter what."

He had no idea yet what that meant but he decided that trying to reason with her would be pointless. If Marinette could be something very vehemently, it would be stubborn. And it could be hell if she wasn't willing to make up her mind.

"Just try and stay away next time?", he asked, hopeful.

She grinned as she leant down to him, her breath tingling his lips.

"If I stayed away nobody would purify the Akuma, Chaton."

As he realized what she meant with this he tried to part from her but she muffled his surprised shriek with a kiss.