"I don't steal, and I don't lie,
But I can feel, and I can cry,
A fact I bet you never knew.
But to cry in front of you,
That's the worst thing I could do."
There Are Worse Things I Could Do - Stockard Channing

    Adrien was surprised he hadn't broken the ceramic plate he was drying when he read the text. With a quick hug and short explanation, Adrien had rushed out of his father's mansion over to Nino's house. He entered the garage passcode, a separate building from Nino's house, and was greeted with an unexpected sight.

    Nino stood in the center of the garage-made-hang-out-room, wide hazel eyes looking at Adrien pleadingly. He was surrounded by plastic skeletons and fake eyeballs, a pile of dvds on the couch and candy was everywhere. Everywhere.

    "... Nino?"

    "Dude! I'm so glad that you're here!" As if his name was a trigger, he dropped the inflatable zombie he was holding, leaping over the growing pit of Halloween decorations. His arms wrapped around the slim model, squeezing him until Adrien could hear the blood pumping in his ears. Adrien tapped out, signalling Nino to step back, to which his best friend obliged.

    "What is happening right now?" Even the pool table was littered with scary props. Now, Nino wasn't the cleanest person that Adrien had ever met, but their cave was by far the cleanest space Nino had. Seeing this disarray in their cave was Adrien's first clue that something was up. Adrien glanced around the space.

    The TV on the wall was on, playing some old French classic, but no sound came from the speakers. Across from the TV was a leather-worn sectional, two pillows tumbled onto the ground and a blanket with Jack Skellington was tossed over the side like a throw blanket. The couch itself was almost completely covered with different Halloween props, ranging from a skeletal dog to fake spider webs and faux blood. The pool table and the table top soccer table had different candies and printed recipes scattered across them.

    "Alya put me in charge this year." Ah. That was all that Adrien needed to understand. The girls were almost scarily obsessed with Halloween. Every year, one of them hosts the Halloween movie marathon, which they played different slasher classics before they would go to a haunted house or warehouse that Alya had found in Paris. Last year was Marinette's turn to host, and she did not disappoint. Has she ever disappointed you? His mind supplied unhelpfully. She had decorated her entire house like on of those themed haunted houses you would find in America; she even got her parents to dress up and scare the group time from time. She had an apple-bobbing station, and they made caramel apples under Tom's supervision. Long story short, Marinette is probably the best party planner in the world.

    "Wait. Why did she put you in charge? The girls are always the ones that host the party." Adrien wasn't going to lie, he was just a tad hurt that Alya had chosen Nino to be the first guy to host the Halloween party.

    "I begged her to let me. Halloween is a little over a week away and she's so stressed about her journalism entry for School Journalism lej-Paris. She's been working on the article for her application for over 3 weeks now, and she gets scarier each day she gets closer to the deadline." Adrien had nearly forgotten about that. Alya was writing an article over an interview with Chat Noir and Ladybug, delving into how the life of a superhero can be negatively reflected onto their life as civilians. Not that she knew Adrien was Chat Noir, of course. Or who Ladybug is, considering he didn't even know who she was. Even still, both Adrien and Chat Noir gave their full support to Alya and her article. Maybe he should convince Ladybug to meet up with Alya again to help her some.

    "Our anniversary is coming up too, so I thought it would be romantic to get this done for her. Or something like that. I really have no idea what to get her."

    Adrien smirked, hooking his arm around Nino's shoulders.

    "I get it, bro, you love her. So I'll help you. What do you want me to do?" Nino scowled as Adrien drew out the word 'love'.

    "Maybe you could ask Marinette for ideas on the party because you love her." Nino mimicked him. The smirk slid off of Adrien's face as he dropped his arm from around Nino.

    "Not funny dude." Nino's laugh could beg to differ.

    "Okay," Nino said, sobering up. "But honestly, could you ask Marinette for any ideas or what she might want at the party?"

    "You already know I will."

    It was only a few days later when Adrien had gotten his chance. Since school was out until the 5th of November, Adrien had been jam-packed with photoshoots and interviews for the majority of the week. But fortunately for him, it was Thursday, the one day of the week that he never has anything to do but go to school. And since school was on break, Adrien could just relax in his apartment. With Marinette.

    So that was exactly what he was doing.

    Shivers racked through Marinette as Adrien trailed his fingers down her spine with a feather-like touch. She was currently straddling his lap, arms crossed lazily over his shoulders as their lips connected for what may very well be the hundredth time that day. His hands continued their path down to the base of her spine until they rested on her round derriere. With a firm grip on her ass, Adrien tugged the petite girl closer to him, their hips pressed flushed. Marinette gasped at the sudden contact, breaking away from his lips as she tilted her head back. Adrien moved down her neck with warm, wet kisses, leading a trail down to her collarbone. Marinette's trimmed nails gently scraped along the nape of his neck, pulling him closer as she rolled her hips against his.

    "Marinette," Adrien's hot breath panted against the shell of her ear and Marinette could hear her heart beating wildly.

    "Marinette," Adrien repeated, meeting her for a sloppy kiss. His teeth snagged her lower lip, keeping a hold on it as she began to pull away. He let go and he heard the satisfying smack and grinned. "Let me be your tutor."

    Marinette, who was merely centimeters away from reconnecting with Adrien, paused. She placed her hands on his shoulders, leaning back and looking straight into his hooded, green eyes. Almost instinctively, Adrien wrapped his arms around her waist in order to keep her on his lap. He tried his best to convey his sincerity to her, pressing a butterfly kiss on her shoulder. Looking up at her, Marinette saw the intensity through his thick, curved lashes, and his messy hair that was mussed over his viridescent eyes.

    "How did you even know that I needed a tutor? Did Prof. Mendeliev ask you?" Adrien wordlessly shook his head, burying his head into the crook of her neck. It was a comforting position that unfortunately didn't last for long. He sighed once Marinette pulled back again. This time, Adrien straightened himself up so that he and Marinette were at the same height. It was a little amusing that even when she sat on his lap, he was still taller her than her. Musing on that thought, Adrien confessed how he got his information.

    "Mm," Marinette hummed in response. "So you were eavesdropping on our conversation the other day?" If Adrien had been Chat Noir at the moment, he was certain that his faux ears would have flattened.

    "Yes," Adrien admitted, curling around her even tighter, tucking his head onto her chest with his eyes screwed shut. This time, Marinette didn't move him away. Instead, she carded her fingers through his long blond hair (he would have to get a haircut when the winter shoot was over. It was starting to become too long for him to like). Almost suddenly, a tender moment was created between the two. A feeling of protection washed over Adrien as Marinette cradled him to her, and a feeling of being wanted -needed- overcame Marinette as he clutched at her tightly.

    "So you know what I don't like in a tutor, then. Hmm?" Adrien murmured a quiet yes. Playing with the ends of his hair, Marinette rested her chin on top of his head as she continued. "Okay."

    Adrien paused. Regretfully, he pulled back so he could look at her.

    "Okay what?"

    "Okay," Marinette shrugged, her arms still resting on his shoulders. "You can be my tutor."

    It took a moment, maybe too long, but Adrien finally processed what she was saying. With a wide grin, Adrien squeezed Marinette closer to him, planting kisses all over her face as his fingers danced along her sides. Marinette giggled hysterically in his arms until she managed to wiggle her way out. Rolling over beside him, Adrien ended his tickle assault as Marinette tried to catch her breath. Her cheeks were flushed a rosy red and her eyes sparkled, reminding him of that night on the Eiffel Tower with Ladybug. The thought didn't ruin his mood, however. Instead, it only made him smile even brighter.

    Then a pillow smacked him square in the face for Marinette's revenge. He raised the pillow in retaliation, but seeing her almost iridescent grin, Adrien dropped the cushion and laughed with Marinette. He didn't dare bring up the topic of being her tutor, probably out of fear that she would change her mind. Instead he decided to change the topic altogether.

     "Nino is freaking out about the Halloween party. Got any ideas?"

~~~~~

    The next night found Ladybug and Chat Noir sitting on top of the Notre Dame, patrolling. Chat Noir had been acting strange since they first met up (she didn't know that his father failed to show up for their rescheduled dinner). She could tell something was up by the lack of puns and the over-exaggeration of his usual flambouncy. He kept chattering away about this mugger he had caught earlier that night, his arms gesturing wildly as he spoke. This was an obvious attempt to keep his mind off of whatever it was that was upsetting him. It was not working too well, seeing as his shoulders were still tense and his brows were still pulled together, even if it was just barely. So she decided to step in.

    "Chat Noir." Ladybug said, placing her gloved hand over his mouth in an attempt to silence him. "I have something that I want to show you."

    He hummed in response.

    "Is that so, M'Lady? And what may that be?"

    She sent him a wink and a "You'll see," before throwing her yo-yo and taking off. He followed after her, staying close as his baton launched him off several roofs. However, when Ladybug stopped suddenly on an abandoned production facility, dropping through an open sunroof window, he wasn't prepared. His feet landed harshly on the asphalt on the roof, his legs giving out from the sudden pressure and he collapsed on the ground, skidding to a stop.

    Getting up, Chat Noir grumbled as he rubbed his sore chin. He jumped through the window Ladybug had disappeared in. Dropping soundly on one of the many crates in the room, Chat Noir was greeted with the sight of a spotted yo-yo coming straight for him. With a yelp, he lunged out of the way. The crate behind him splintered into hundreds of shards of wood as the yo-yo broke through. The weapon retracted back to Ladybug's awaiting hand, his partner grinning wildly.

    "What the hell, LB?!" He shouted, his arm raised in defense as he warily watched his partner, confusion covering his handsome features. His eyes followed the yo-yo as Ladybug let it fall out of her hand before yanking it back up to her palm.

    "Fight me."

Ladybug stood twenty feet away from him, lazily swinging her weapon, standing in a position where she was ready to attack.

"I'm not sure I understand, LB-"

Another crate shattered. Quickly reacting, Chat Noir braced his baton in front of him, reflecting the yo-yo back at Ladybug. He shot backwards when his partner dashed at him. Swinging her leg in the air, she managed to hook her knee around his neck and pull herself up his shoulders, maneuvering herself around him until the sudden drop of her body pulled him to the ground with her landing on top of him.

He really didn't know what had taken over him. At first he was certain it was anger. Why would his partner attack him out of the blue like this? But no longer than the thought had occurred to him did it fall out of his head as he grinned. He rolled them over until he had her pinned to the ground underneath him, his knee pressing against her forearm to keep her in place.

He didn't notice that she had thrown her yo-yo until it reared it's hard casing against his head. The shock of being hit gave Ladybug the opportunity to shimmy her legs between them and push him off her, her feet firmly planted on his stomach. She launched him across the room where he landed on a few crates, letting the momentum propel her into a backwards handspring to pick herself off the floor.

The two teenagers watched each other from opposite sides of the open space. Ladybug kept her yo-yo spinning by her side and Chat Noir held his baton in front of him.

He wasn't sure who was the first to move. Maybe it was him, or maybe it was the both of them. They met in the middle of the room, his staff raised to strike. His wing came to a dead stop when the hard steel met Ladybug's raised leg. She used the weight of her body to lower the baton, shifting on her foot as she twisted around.

He blocked the oncoming hit, his hand wrapping tightly around her fist. Ladybug did the same thing when Chat Noir threw his other fist at her.

Now, they were in a battle of strength. Although they were both pushing the hardest they could, neither superhero budged. Whenever one would get the upper-hand, the other managed to put them back on even ground. Eventually, they both leapt back. Ladybug landed on a crate, giving her the advantage of a higher ground.

Without a moment's rest, she launched herself off the wooden box, her yo-yo prepared in her outstretched arm. SHe threw her weapon at Chat Noir, who raised his baton to block it. He wasn't prepared when the indestructible string wrapped around his staff and pulled his weapon out of his hand. Ladybug let go of her yo-yo, letting both of their weapons fly past her as she approached Chat Noir at a faster rate.

The two collided painfully. They rolled together on the concrete floor, pebbles and splinters of broken crates digging into their backs. Grabbing her discarded yo-yo, Ladybug pulled herself out from underneath Chat Noir, away to a safe distance. Both Ladybug and Chat Noir panted heavily as they stared at each other.

Eyes never leaving the other's, the duo ran back for another fight.

~~~~~

    After sparring for hours and hours, Chat Noir and Ladybug leaned against each other with aching bodies, the latter's eyes closed as her head rested against her partner's shoulder. The silence that surrounded the duo was comforting; the warmth blooming in Chat Noir's chest, spreading to the tips of his fingers despite the cool, autumn air. Chat Noir didn't mind the ache in his bones, or the fact that his body was totally going to be littered with bruises and scratches. It was a rather pleasant distraction from everything else that had been on his mind that night. He wasn't sure how his Lady knew that he wasn't feeling his usual self, it had almost become a sixth sense to him to know how his lady is feeling.

    Apparently it was the same way for her.

    Chat Noir groaned as he shifted his body just a little to move into a more comfortable position, his partner groaning as well. He popped his back before settling back against the partially broken crate, Ladybug falling back with him. A particular spot on her lower back hurt, a throbbing pain as she settled herself against the wall; however, the pain disappeared when Chat Noir slid down onto her lap, his arms looped around her waist.

    "Do you want to talk about it?"

    Adrien's head laid on her lap, staring up at the ceiling. Several metal beams crossed each other, creating an almost trance-inducing pattern. At the very least, it served as a solid distraction from the true meaning behind her question. She honestly wants to know why he is so upset, but he can't really tell her anything on the chance that it could reveal their identities to each other. Anything that he got to tell her about his life outside of Chat Noir was vague.

    In reality, he didn't truly know Ladybug and vice versa; but he supposes that the limited knowledge they did have were the most important parts of them. But even if he could express how he felt, and talk to her about his father, what good would it do? Telling her won't change anything, his father will still be distant; his father will still miss the dinners that he himself arranged; his father will still appear as dead as his mother. Talking about it won't change anything.

    "Chat Noir?" Ladybug's gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he glanced up to meet her blue eyes, which reminded him so much of a beautiful, cloudless day in spring, right after it rained. Her blue eyes could quite possibly stare into his soul if he hadn't looked away like he did. Talking about his situation wasn't going to change anything.

    "I don't have anything to say, LB."

Hey guys! I know, it's been a while. But! I ended up getting a scholarship to the college I've been wanting to go to for forever, so I'm okay with it!

As always, I love reading your comments!

Until next time, peace!