Marinette arrived home around sunset. They had a long day at the rink, and the tumble she took with Adrien had left her quite sore.

To relax, she went onto her balcony to listen to the sounds of the city, to breathe in the fresh air, and just get lost in her thoughts.

Once the sun was past the horizon, only the faint glow of light remaining in the sky, an unexpected visitor decided to drop in.

"I'm so sorry! Did I scare you?" Chat Noir apologized after he had hopped down onto the railing and saw her start. "I really shouldn't come up from behind you like that," he facepalmed.

"It's alright," she shook her head. "What's on your mind, Chat?"

"I…" He began. He wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say to her, now that he was there. Marinette waited patiently. "I stupidly revealed myself to Ladybug."

"And it didn't go well?"

"Well, it didn't go how I was hoping. Not really sure what I was hoping for, exactly, since I didn't even think about revealing myself, but I hoped it would work out in some way that would mean that she loved me, too. She said the only way we can be together is if I figured out who she is. Ladybug wants me to find her."

Marinette was struggling under her calm exterior. The instinct, the desire to burst out her identity rose to the surface and was trying to fight its way out. She swallowed. "Oh?"

"I want to find her, more than anything. But there are millions living in and around Paris."

"Did she give you any clues?"

"She said she'd see me today, even though we don't have patrol."

Marinette smiles. "Then how do you know she didn't? Maybe you saw her and didn't even know it."

A look of realization washed over his face. "You're right! ...But I'm not sure if it'd matter, anyway." Chat's face fell.

"Why's that?"

"She wants me to be open to seeing other people. And I get where she's coming from, if I'm going to find her…But doesn't that mean she doesn't really like me?"

Marinette sucked in a deep breath in preparation and to keep her cool. "Is there anyone other than Ladybug that interests you, Chat Noir? Just take a minute and think about it."

He didn't really have to think about it. The first girl that came to mind was the girl he was standing with now, pouring out his thoughts and feelings about another girl with. A girl that messed with his head and heart. A girl that made him question everything.

"There is this one girl at school, but…" he rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he avoided eye contact.

"Chat Noir, when you love someone, you want what's best for them, even if it comes at a cost to you. Ladybug must want the same thing for you and doesn't want you to give up on living and experiencing your life. That's why she's letting you go. If she didn't love you, she wouldn't be willing to give you up."

"You think so? How do you know she loves me?"

"She asked you to find her so you can be together, didn't she? Ladybug's not the type to play games or lie. You just have to believe in her and the love you two have."

It was absolute torture not being able to tell him everything. She could feel that desire burning, clawing its way up her throat. So instead of telling him, her feelings of aching and frustration swelled and escaped through the silent tears that ran down her face. She quickly brushed them away when he wasn't looking.

"What about you, Marinette?"

"Hm? Me?" She blinked. "W-What about me?"

"Didn't you mention that you were having heart troubles, too?"

"Oh. That," she sighed.

Chat Noir turned to her, his undivided attention all for her. She glanced up into his eyes, studying them, wondering what she should say.

"You're still dealing with that, aren't you?" his cat ears drooped. "I can tell...I shouldn't have brought it up, I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay, Chat. I am. I... haven't told him how I feel," she admitted, breaking away from his gaze. "I've tried, but there's always something that keeps me from it right before I get there. I've failed more times than I remember even," she laughed without humor. "Maybe it's for the best, I'm not sure he'd really be interested in me anyway."

Suddenly, Chat Noir took her by surprise and reached for her hand. Marinette's bluebell eyes grew wide and a gasp escaped her lips as his hand closed around hers. "Don't think that, Marinette. You're so wonderful, who wouldn't love you?"

She smiled to herself a moment, but then the words echoed in her head again. "He... told me he loved another girl once," she shrugged. "It's fair to say he doesn't feel the same about me as I do him, right?"

While she knew that girl was Ladybug now, that did little good for her. Though it made her happy it was Adrien that had loved her all this time, that doesn't mean the girl he'd move onto from Ladybug would be her. Kagami appeared to be taking that place. But did he love Marinette too? Did he feel that strange pull towards her that she always felt towards Chat Noir that even Tikki was kept in the dark about over the past year?

"Oh...I've been there," he turned to lean on the railing. "But that doesn't mean he can't love you. Or doesn't love you." Chat offered.

"He's just… so kind and good. Very smart, very talented," Chat listened, his mind thought of Luka as the guy she was describing. She continued on. "We've been through a lot together and I've loved him since the day he gave me his umbrella."

...Umbrella?

She watched the switch flip in his eyes as it clicked. She was talking about him. And she wanted him to know it.

"U-U-Umbrella?" he stammered.

"Yeah, pretty silly, huh?"

"No! Not at all," he smiled nervously. Suddenly he felt guilty. Marinette had just confessed to him, but she didn't know that's what she was doing. He was working hard to calm down, to slow his heart down and bring back his composure.

"What I said before… I meant it. You're a wonderful person, Marinette. You never know what could happen. Things are mysterious that way," he winked at her. "Anyway, thank you for listening to me, it really meant a lot. I don't get to talk about Ladybug with anyone but my Kwami who doesn't really understand human relationships. So thank you," he pulled her in for a hug.

The thought of revealing her identity pulsed through her mind again. Tell him, tell him, tell him. It repeated with every quick beat of her heart. She lightly pushed herself out of his arms. "Of course, Kitty. Anytime," she smiled widely, a bit too widely even.

"See you later, Marinette. Sweet dreams," he waved before heading in the opposite direction of his house. She figured he would loop around to try to throw her off.

"What did you think he meant by 'you never know what may happen', Tikki?" she asked her Kwami who had just stuck her head out of her bag. "I think he knows it's him who I was talking about. Oh my gosh, what have I done?!" she threw her hands up to her head and slid them down to cover her eyes.

"I think he's right. You never know what may happen and the world works in mysterious ways," she giggled. "Maybe you'll find out tomorrow what he meant by that."

Marinette turned back to the city lights, the corners of her mouth slowly inched upwards. "Maybe you're right."