Dear Reader,

Here is short story number three in my quest to upskill my writing – again I've gone over 1,000 words but I figure 1,300 isn't too bad. All feedback is appreciated, please let me know of any areas where I could improve. I hope you enjoy…

The chill in the air had Ladybug shivering while she rubbed her palms against her upper arms. Beside her stood Chat Noir with teeth chattering, as he steadily edged closer to her. His need to be close wasn't new, although she wasn't sure if it was in an effort to get her attention or simply some warmth. Normally they would have been dancing across the skyline as they patrolled, but they'd had a tip off to stay vigilant around the Louvre.

So, the pair had paced restlessly around the vicinity for the last three hours. But so far, the only thing to change was the weather which had grown gradually colder. Chat Noir let out a sigh and Ladybug watched the steaming vapour float away from his face. As she gazed upon him she noticed that there was sleet in his blonde mop and she raised a hand to touch his hair. Feline eyes snapped in her direction and she chuckled.

"What?" he asked as his masked brows lowered in a perplexed expression.

"I was checking to see if your hair was frozen solid. It feels a little crisp." Ladybug smirked as she poked it.

Chat Noir returned her smile, but there was a gleam of cheekiness in his eyes. "If you wanted to stroke my hair, all you had to do was ask." At that he lowered his head, cocking his face to the side as he wiggled his eyebrows. Even his kitty ears swivelled backward to give her better access.

With a roll of her eyes, Ladybug relented. She parted her fingers to comb them through his wild fringe. Sure enough, there was a faint crinkling at her touch and his hair snagged on her fingers as she pulled. Chat Noir hissed briefly but didn't complain as she tugged her fingers free. "Yep, it's partly frozen."

"Damn, I knew it was cold but I didn't realise it was that cold."

"Maybe we should go inside. We're not going to be any use if we both get sick."

A lopsided smile, flashing a hint of teeth, shone on her partner's face. "There's another alternative."

Before she could protest, Chat Noir sidestepped behind her to wrap his arms around her waist and pressed his chest to her back. All resistance to his actions died on Ladybug's tongue as the warmth of his body gave her a sense of relief against the cold. Yet she could feel the tension in his muscles as he waited for her to push him away. Just this once she decided to keep him close. Going so far as to lay her arms over his while she leant into his embrace.

The side of Chat Noir's face shifted to rest against her ear and she felt the heat of his breath as he exhaled. "Better?" he asked with a touch of insecurity.

"Much," she admitted as she snuggled into him. When her shoulder blades rubbed on his chest Ladybug drew her bottom lip between her teeth to stifle her chuckle as he began to purr. "You like that, kitty?" she teased.

Chat Noir dipped his head and his cheek slid against hers. "Being allowed to hold you this close without you running away is definitely a plus in my book."

This time Ladybug did chuckle. "Flirt."

"Only for you, milady."

"Spoken like a true Casanova," she grinned as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"A true Casanova would have spun you around in his arms and kissed you by now." Chat Noir uttered with a touch of irritation.

"Given how cold it is, we'd probably end up frozen together."

The purring restarted and ramped up a notch. "I don't have a problem with that."

"I do, I'd much rather be home in the warm. Heck, the old cliché of lying on a rug in front of a fireplace is sounding downright heavenly."

"Mm," Chat Noir agreed. "Especially if it was with you."

"You have a one track mind," Ladybug said with a shake of her head.

"What can I say? Alone time with you is one of my top priorities."

His admission didn't surprise her. For years Chat Noir had been trying to convince her that they'd make a great couple. Even the media was on board with his opinion. Ladybug didn't bother responding. Her reason for pushing Chat Noir away had been waning for some time. Adrien Agreste was a rarity in her life these days. Gabriel had pulled his son from high school due to the severity of akuma attacks, and her crush had been forced into a reclusive lifestyle.

Oddly enough, she sometimes saw hints of Adrien in Chat Noir. At first, she'd refused to acknowledge them but as time passed she found herself intrigued by the little things he did. Part of her wondered if Adrien was hidden beneath that black visage. Last week, Chat Noir had been flung across the sky by a particularly nasty akuma and had landed hard against a billboard of the younger Agreste. Both picture and hero were displaying matching profiles and Ladybug couldn't help but notice the similarities.

Her cheeks burned at the thought and she was glad Chat Noir couldn't see her face. Imagining it was indeed Adrien holding her, Ladybug shuffled herself from side-to-side against her partner, pressing even closer. An audible swallow sounded from Chat Noir as his body reacted to her movements despite the cold. She paused and blushed harder. That hadn't been her intent.

"Maybe we should go inside," she suggested and his clawed fingers tightened their hold on her elbows.

The rough timbre of his voice surprised her. "Can it be somewhere together?"

"I can't take you home, Chat Noir."

"Then come with me, my home is currently empty. I don't want to be alone. Stay with me."

Against her better judgement, Ladybug turned within Chat Noir's arms to face him. The exposed tip of his masked nose was pink but his green eyes shone with hope. Ladybug cast him an amused smirk, deciding it was time to give in to her partner. "Alright."

Feline eyes widened in shock and his nostrils flared as he sucked in a breath. "You're saying yes?"

"That I am."

No sooner had the words left her mouth when Ladybug was swept up into Chat Noir's arms, then he raced across the rooftops with an urgency that made her laugh. "What's the hurry?"

"I need to get us home before you change your mind."

Her laughter continued until they reached their destination. The moment Chat Noir launched through the long rectangular window Ladybug could no longer ignore the clues she'd been piecing together for the last twelve months.

Dipping her head to conceal her smile, the heroine sauntered to the lounge as Chat Noir thumbed the remote to re-close his window. Making herself at home, Ladybug eased onto the white leather seat and dropped her transformation just as her partner turned to face her. The remote slipped through his fingers to slap on the floor but he didn't seem to notice.

"Marinette?" he gasped.

She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knee. "Yep. Now where's this fireplace?"

Chat Noir's pinched features relaxed at her tone. His stunned expression shifted to a smile as he released his transformation and it didn't fade as Adrien held out his hand to his partner. "Come with me, milady and I'll warm you up."

Elation shone from his eyes as she placed her hand in his. "Lead the way, hot stuff."

From here, I'll let your imagination take over. Thanks for reading, please let me know what you think in the review box below.

Allow me to give an upfront thanks for favourites, follows and reviews. I'm sure there will be some more short stories to come (don't worry, I haven't forgotten my longer ones). Cheers :)