Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or it's characters.

Chapter 14,

Cat Noir was right. The fireflies were beautiful tonight. He had produced a blanket, from what seemed like nowhere, and laid it on the ground. She sat on the soft fabric and giggled at Cat Noir who jumped around, chasing the glowing creatures.

"Are you always so catty when you're not Cat Noir?" Marinette asked and Cat Noir turned to her.

"Are you interested?" Cat Noir asked and Marinette blushed.

"In all honesty, I'm incredibly interested." Marinette admitted and Cat Noir walked over to her and sat down.

"You are?" He asked, a little surprised. Ladybug was always so firm on them not knowing anything about each other.

"Extremely. I'm just not sure if it's smart." Marinette said.

"To trust you?" Cat Noir asked.

"To trust anyone. Your secret identity is the most valuable thing, Cat Noir. And if you start telling me personal things about you, then what if... I figure out your identity." Marinette said and Cat Noir blinked.

"Well... If that were to happen... I think I could trust you." Cat Noir said and Marinette blushed.

"I wouldn't." Marinette said.

"Why not?" Cat Noir asked.

"Because I'm a total screwup. I could accidentally blurt it out, and once it's out, I can't change it." Marinette said.

"I'm sure you're not that bad." Cat Noir said.

"Are you kidding? Even times when I try to be helpful, I just ruin everything." Marinette said sadly. She pulled up her legs and wrapped her arms around them.

"Maybe that's why I got so persuaded when Hawk Moth started talking about how much I could help people." Marinette said softly.

"Hang on. Do you actually remember your time as Masquerade?" Cat Noir asked, and Marinette bit her lip.

"It's as if I were in a dream. Some parts I barely remember, but others are as clear as a bell." Marinette said.

"Well, what do you remember?" Cat Noir asked.

"I remember hearing Hawk Moth's voice, and though I couldn't see him, I knew when he nodded or gestured or pointed. I also felt as if he actually understood the pain I was going through." Marinette said.

"Understood?" Cat Noir asked.

"Actually it was more then that... he more than understood. It was as if we both went through the same ordeal, and he knew exactly how to make me feel better, even when I didn't." Marinette said. She looked down at her hand, then back at Cat Noir.

"That may not make sense, but that's how I remember it feeling." Marinette said.

"It's alright. Go on." Cat Noir encouraged and Marinette sighed.

"I remember not wanting to fight you... and then... something happened and we did." Marinette said.

"We did, but everything is fine now." Cat Noir said.

"There was something strange I do remember." Marinette said.

"What's that?" Cat Noir asked.

"Hawk Moth said that I reminded him of someone, and these images popped into my head. Images of this really beautiful blonde woman. And I felt... Hawk Moth's emotions ." Marinette said and Cat Noir blinked.

"You felt his emotions? Are you positive?" Cat Noir asked and Marinette nodded.

"I'm telling you there is some kind of bond that links one to Hawk Moth, when they're akumatized. He knows how I felt, and I knew how he felt. At least I did when he remembered that woman." Marinette said and Cat Noir hesitated.

"And what did he feel?" Cat Noir asked, and Marinette closed her eyes to help recall the emotions.

"He was sad. He desperately misses her. But... there's also... love." Marinette said.

"Love?" Cat Noir asked and Marinette nodded a little.

"Love. Definitely love. He misses her because he loves her, and he longs to have her back." Marinette said and she opened her eyes and looked at Cat Noir.

"So...? Do you think this is an ex-girlfriend? An old flame that you were similar to?" Cat Noir asked and Marinette shrugged.

"Personally, I think it's stronger then that?" Marinette said.

"Stronger in what way?" Cat Noir asked.

"Like... his wife maybe?" Marinette suggested.

"Wife? It's hard to imagine Hawk Moth being married." Cat Noir said and Marinette looked at him.

"Maybe she died." Marinette whispered sadly, and Cat Noir leaned back on to the blanket and stared up into the stars. She laid down next to him and they stared together. They were silent for several minutes, listening to the sounds of Paris. Crickets, water from the fountain, the faint sounds of Andre singing, and the gentle wind running past each tree, flower, and blade of grass. The wind felt nice, but it was a little chilly, so Marinette shivered a little, which Cat Noir noticed.

"Cold?" Cat Noir asked, turning his head.

"Oh, uh, just a little. I'll be fine." Marinette said, looking at him with a smile before looking at the stars again.

"I wish I could offer you a jacket, but I don't have one." Cat Noir said bashfully.

"I told you, I'll be fine." Marinette said with a giggle. Cat Noir was gonna drop this. After all, he knew how stubborn Ladybug could be. However, after a moment, he saw Marinette shiver again, and he wanted to help. He held out a hand to Marinette.

"I-I'm warm. I-I don't mind, uh... sharing." Cat Noir did his best to avoid stuttering, but failed miserably. Marinette blushed. She knew that Cat Noir was in love with Ladybug, and that Cat knew she loved Adrien. Therefore this wasn't a ploy because he liked her. He just didn't want her to be cold.

"Sharing is caring?" Marinette said half-joking and Cat Noir smiled at her. Marinette sighed a little.

"Ok." She simply said and she moved closer to Cat Noir. Cat Noir wrapped an arm around Marinette and Marinette laid her head and hand gently on Cat Noir's chest.

"The stars are exceptionally pretty tonight." Cat Noir said, glad that Marinette couldn't see the blush on his face.

"They really are." Marinette whispered. She smiled when she noticed the sound of Cat Noir's heart beat. It calmed her in a way she's never known.

"Do you ever look at the constellations and think about the stories behind them?" Cat Noir asked.

"Sometimes. I know a few stories, but they tend to be bittersweet." Marinette said.

"Like what?" Cat Noir asked.

"Um... like Perseus and his wife. He sees that she is tied up to a rock as a sacrifice to this sea beast. He kills the creature, and saves her. But, uh... her parents are upset, she he kills them. Or maybe the gods kill her parents because their daughter wasn't sacrificed. So they die, but Perseus can't marry the girl because she's engaged to someone else, so he just kills the fiancé and marries his wife." Marinette said.

"Well, that's one story." Cat Noir said.

"And then there's the Leo story. The hero Hercules was told to do 12 impossible tasks. One of which was to kill a lion. It was impossible because no weapon could pierce it's skin. So Hercules has no choice but to chase the creature for 30 days until the poor thing dies from exhaustion. Hercules wears the lion like a coat, and it helps to protect him when he fights the Hydra. But when Hercules survives, Zeus decides to honor the lion's life by creating the Leo constellation." Marinette said.

"Running until you die?" Cat Noir said.

"Some people say Hercules used his brute strength and strangled it instead; but I heard chasing first, so..." Marinette said.

"Ok. I don't mind the story about the sculptor." Cat Noir said.

"Sculptor?" Marinette asked.

"Yeah, wanna hear it?" Cat Noir asked.

"If you like it, then sure." Marinette said and Cat Noir smiled.

"There once was a sculptor named Pygmalion." Cat Noir started and Marinette giggled.

"Is it time for a bedtime story already?" Marinette asked and Cat Noir hushed her.

"You told your stories the way you wanted, I get to tell this story the way I want." Cat Noir said, and Marinette giggled again.

"Fair enough. Continue." Marinette said, nuzzling his chest a little as she got more comfortable. Cat Noir's whole face must have been red by now.

"Pygmalion was the most talented sculptor in all of Cyprus. His statues were the most beautiful and realistic in all of Greece. But Pygmalion grew distasteful of the outside world and wanted nothing to do with it. He just help up in his studio creating his statues. And one day, he is asked to create a statue of a beautiful woman. So he goes to work. And as he is sculpting, he tries to create a woman, who was unlike the women of his town. A woman of kindness and morals, and held a sweetness to others. The exact opposite of everyone he has ever known. When he was done, he stepped away from the greatest masterpiece in Greece's history." Cat Noir said, and he laid his free hand on his stomach.

"Isn't that a little prideful?" Marinette asked and Cat Noir shrugged.

"Maybe a bit. Anyways, the second he set eyes on his creation, he instantly fell in love with the statue." Cat Noir said, and Marinette bit her lip.

"Poor dude." Marinette commented.

"Yeah... well... He was so in love with the statue that he stopped sculpting and went out and bought her the fanciest chocolates, and dresses, and perfumes. He was trying so hard to find a gift that earned the statues love." Cat Noir said.

"That must have been hard. Trying so hard to... um... earn the statue's love." Marinette said, as she realized why Cat Noir likes the story so much. It was similar to his love for Ladybug.

"That's why Pygmalion would go to Aphrodite's temple every night and prayed to this Goddess of Love; asking her to make Galatea fall in love with him." Cat Noir said.

"Galatea? That's the name of the statue?" Marinette asked and Cat Noir blinked.

"Oh... did I forget to say her name earlier?" Cat Noir asked and Marinette giggled.

"Yes, silly. Just finish your story." Marinette said.

"Aphrodite took pity on Pygmalion, and when he got home, he discovers that Galatea has come to life. They get married, and have children, and for the rest of their lives they thank Aphrodite for allowing them to be together." Cat Noir said.

"Ok, that's not so bad." Marinette admitted and Cat Noir smiled.

"I'm glad you liked it." Cat Noir said. They laid like that for what seemed like an eternity. Enjoying the bliss of each other's presence and warmth. It would be a shame if it had to end. But Cat Noir knew this had to stop; because he was getting so comfortable that he nearly fell asleep twice.

"It's getting late, Bluebell." Cat Noir said, but Marinette didn't move.

"Marinette?" Cat Noir asked. The hand that rested on his stomach reached up and grabbed her hand.

"She's asleep, Cat Noir." Tikki said, poking her head out of Marinette's purse.

"So, that's where you hide." Cat Noir said with a smirk. He slowly pulled away from Marinette.

"Are you going to wake her up?" Tikki asked and Cat Noir rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't know. She's been through a lot. I think she needs her sleep." Cat Noir said, kneeling beside the sleeping girl. He put his hands under the blanket and scooped up it and Marinette.

"Careful." Tikki couldn't help but say.

"Always with... Milady." Cat Noir blushed. It was the first time he called Marinette that, and she'll never know. Cat Noir took Marinette home.