Marinette's POV
"Marinette!" She heard a voice call from down the stairs.

"Are you awake? Alya's here."

"Yeah Maman," I yawned. "I'm coming-"

She froze as she felt what was under her hand. It felt like- hair. Of course. The stupid cat slept in.

"Girl! You won't believe this!" Marinette heard Alya making her way up the stairs.

"Chat... Chat!" She whisper yelled, forcing the superhero up.

"What?" He mumbled, still half asleep.

"Alya... hide!"

The moment he registered the message, the teenager jumped down, quickly finding a spot in the closet.

The moment he closed the door, another one opened.

"Marinette! Guess what Nino got me!"

"What?" She questioned, watching her friend spin around in excitement.

Alya eagerly pulled out a necklace placed around her neck as she grinned.

"You've heard of a promise ring, right?"

"Yes..."

"Well, let's call this a promise locket."

Marinette's face lit up in excitement as she opened the locket.

"Alya! This is beautiful! Is that picture from-"

"Our two year anniversary." She answered, beaming at the gift.

Marinette wrapped her arms around her best friend before noticing the clock ticking across the room.

"Oh my gosh, Alya. I have to get dressed... I'm going to be late!"

"No problem, girl. While you get ready, why don't I help you choose an outfit?" The brunette made her way towards the closet, placing her hand on the handel.

"No!"

"What?"

"Sorry, it's just... I already picked out what I was going to wear last night. It's almost like the closet will just hand it to me when I open the door. Don't worry! Give me five minutes, and I'll meet you downstairs."

"Okay girl, suit yourself." And with that she made her way down towards the bakery.

The moment she left, the blond boy stepped out of the closet with a few hangars in hand.

"I was thinking the jeans... they might be cute with this shirt, and I really liked those flats you had out! It would accent it all nicely-"

"Thanks!" The bluenette yelled, grabbing the hangars from Chat's hands as she slid into the bathroom.

"Won't your parents be worried, kitty?" She asked from behind the door, hurriedly pulling on the outfit her partner had arranged.

"I've actually been leaving the house pretty early lately. You know, going on a run before school. They won't suspect a thing."

"Good. I'll see you tonight?" She asked as she exited the bathroom.

"See you tonight, Mari." He smiled as he climbed up the bed, examining her outfit. "Not too shabby, if I say so myself." He smirked.

"Yeah yeah, great job. Bye."

And with that he was out the window.
- • - • - • - • - • - • -
"Lookin cute, girl!" Alya commented as the girls began their walk to school.

Marinette has been in such a rush that she had barely given any notice to the ripped black jeans, flats, and simple striped shirt Chat had picked out.

"Yeah," she blushed. "I guess I do."
- • - • - • - • - • - • -
"Thanks for your help this morning." Marinette smiled as she and Chat took over the kitchen later that evening. Her parents would be gone for the night, so they decided to sneak down and grab some macaroons and croissants.

"No purroblem." He practically purred, causing her to roll her eyes.

"So," she began, grabbing pastries and desserts from all kinds of racks, "how're things with Ladybug?"

"Fine." he replied, referring back to the akuma attack this afternoon.

"She didn't blatantly reject me... so that's progress."

Marinette felt awful as his voice deflated, clearly dejected from his numerous chases after his partner. After her.

He loves Ladybug, not me. Besides, I love Adrien.

"Well, that's good!" He gave a weak smile in reply.

"And how about your crush, anything new there?"

"Not really." She admitted.

The two stood in silence until Chat finally spoke up.

"Did you grab croissants?"

"Of course I did. Chocolate and regular."

"This is why you're so amazing princess."

"I try." She shrugged, giving a brief curtesy for dramatic affect before losing her balance and tumbling into the boy in front of her.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She apologized as the platter of pastries clattered out of her hands and onto the ground, failing to notice her own compromising position.

"I'm such a klut-" it was then she froze, not daring to move as she realized Chat had tumbled down with her, and she had landed directly on top of him.

She could hear his deep breathing and his racing heart as she looked into his inhuman eyes, amazed by how beautiful and natural they appeared.

She couldn't help but wonder what they looked like without the mask, were they still such a brilliant shade of green?

She felt herself grow weak as she continued to study his features, noticing he was doing the same.

"Princess, I think I'm about to do something really stupid..."

"And what would that b-" she was cut off by the sudden warmth of his lips against hers, his hand on the back of her head, pushing her forward as she deepened the kiss.

In the heat of the moment, it was impossible to think about Adrien or anything else for that matter. As much as it shook her to admit it, she didn't want this to stop. This feeling of care and passion, the way she felt so loved in his embrace.

They only ended it as the teenagers ran out of breath, splitting apart, panting as they finally registered what they had just done.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed, as she simultaneously scrambled off of his chest. "I don't know what I was-"

"It was my fault too. If I hadn't been such a klutz..."

"I... I think I better head out." He anxiously took a step back, not even bothering to grab one of the croissants he had earlier been begging for.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." She quietly replied, watching him scramble back up the stairs.

"Tikki," she whispered, as the kwami flew out of her hiding place, "what did I do? What about Adrien, what about-"

"Breathe, Marinette. It's okay."

The girl, despite knowing better, couldn't help but place a finger over her lips, hoping to feel an echo of the warmth she did as they were pressed against her partner's.

What have I done? And more importantly... why couldn't I stop?