Isn't it sad when you get hurt so much, you can finally say "I am used to it."

"I wonder if there is a painkiller to cure a hurting heart?" A voice broke the stillness of a calm and starry Parisian night. Cat Noir sat in silence all alone. He was broken.

"I am disappointed in you." Gabriel's voice played in his head.

"Your indecision is hurting me, Adrien." Kagami said in a cold voice.

"I can't be in love with you Cat Noir." Said Ladybug.

Ladybug's voice played in his head like a recording. Her words hurt him more than anybody else's.

Words don't have the power to hurt you unless the person who said them means a lot to you. Love is lethal, it hurts more than anything.

"I miss you, Mom." He mumbled.

"Cat Noir?" A familiar voice asked. "What are you doing here... crying?"

He whipped his head to find Marinette, staring at him intently. Her bluebell eyes reflected concern. Until then he hadn't even registered himself crying, he didn't even register sitting on her balcony.

"I am sorry, I'll be leaving." He replied in a weak voice, standing up.

"Cat, wait!" She said abruptly.

He stopped in his tracks and turned around to face his classmate slowly as if he was unsure of the situation.

"Would you like some cookies?" She asked him nervously.

"I couldn't bother you..."

"Oh, chaton! You can never bother me." She walked up to him, grabbed him by his arm and made him sit on her chair.

"You don't have to take care of me." He said, looking down at his hands. The last thing he wanted was to bother Marinette with his issues.

"I want to, Cat." She said with a soft smile "Wait here, I will get you something."

She went inside, leaving Cat pondering.

She wants to take care of me?

It had been a long time since someone wanted to take care of him willingly. In fact, he couldn't remember anyone wanting to take care of him except his mother. A small smile crept his face, the first time in forty-eight hours.

Someone cares...

He was happy to learn that someone cared about him as a person and not because of his Agreste status. His train of thoughts was stopped by the person herself as she brought him a plate of cookies, croissants and a glass of milk. She put it in front of him and sat across him. He gladly accepted and started munching on the cookies.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what got you all down tonight?" She asked.

He stiffened visibly at the question. His feline ears pressed flat against his blonde locks.

Marinette noticed his change in demeanour. "I know it's not my place to ask, but I am just worried Cat. I mean, your usual glint in your eyes is gone, your arrogance and not to mention your inevitable puns."

"So, my purr-incess misses my puns... that's cat-tastic." Cat smirked, hiding his pain by his schooled expression.

Marinette simply rolled her eyes. I spoke too soon.

"Please Cat, don't run from your problems. You can tell me anything. Besides, your smile isn't genuine like it usually is."

"Hmm... you have been observing me?"

"Don't try to change the subject and cut the act. Tell me what's going on."

Cat sighed in defeat. He wasn't fooling her. His facade never worked on his princess... never had never will. "It's a long story princess."

"I have all night." Marinette crossed her arms.

"Fine but you have to listen from the beginning and no interruptions."

She nodded.

Cat put down the glass and took a deep breath. "It all started when my mother left when I was barely fourteen. She was an amazing person, I remember having tons of fun with her. She was the glue of our family. She made me feel loved and I had not a single thing to worry about. But the day she left..." Cat had tears in his eyes and his voice cracked. Marinette squeezed his hand reassuringly. He smiled gratefully and squeezed back. Marinette gestured him to continue.

He got a hold of himself and continued.

"T-The day s-she left, whatever held our family together snapped. M-My father became distant and cold. He locked himself in his office and just took to doing his work. I c-can't even talk to him without making an appointment. He didn't even tell me what happened to my Mom." Warm tears fell cascaded down his cheeks from brimming eyes, he sniffed, "I... I don't know if she is even alive or not. My father changed my schedule entirely and overworked me. I have numerous lessons and I even work for his company. I have to put up an act of being a perfectly happy boy that everyone wants to be with. I am never alone but I am lonely." He laughed sarcastically. "T-Today h-he told me that I- that I am a dis-dissa-disappointment." He broke down.

Marinette was in tears herself, how can someone be so cruel to someone who was so kind. She moved closer and hugged him. "Shh... don't cry Cat, you are not a disappointment, in fact, you are quite the opposite. You are an amazing person, an amazing superhero who saves people at least three to four times a week. You live up to the expectations of Paris. People look up to you. I am pretty sure you do the same in your civilian self. Your father is a jerk if he doesn't see how exceptional you are. No offence." She rubbed circles on his back.

Cat smiled a little. "None taken. But, those things that you said about me, you really mean it?" His eyes sparkled.

"Of course I do, silly cat. You are funny, easy to talk to and an honest person."

"I wish he knew that." Cat Noir chuckled sadly.

"Anyway, part two of my story... I have one messed up love life."

Marinette tilted her head curiously although she was wincing inside. She might have an idea about that part of his life.

"So L-Ladybug rejected me again. I was honestly very hurt so, I asked this friend of mine for a piece of advice and she told me that the biggest mistake one can do in fencing, we are like fencing partners," he clarified, "Is not choosing the wrong technique, but choosing the wrong target. She told me to change targets so, I did and asked her out. I honestly thought it would work but I just feel like living a lie and then a few days ago Ladybug told me that sh-she can't love me."

Marinette gulped.

"So now not only my love interest friend-zoned me, but also I am messing with my friend's feelings. Don't get me wrong... I like her, I do, but, it just feels so wrong..." He started tearing up again.

Marinette felt terrible. She broke her Kitty's heart so many times. She didn't know he had so much on his plate. His life didn't sound like the carefree life she had. She had to do something. She had to heal his wounds. She held his hand and caressed his cheek with her free hand.

Cat Noir's electric green eyes met her blue eyes. They were wet, just like hers.

"Need an advice chaton?"

He dumbly nodded.

"Just live your life, kitty. Live it to the fullest and enjoy being a kid. Take a break from this romantic drama and hang out with your friends. Be a little rebellious every once in a while, but, a good rebellious and not the 'I got a nose-ring because I wanted to' rebellious. Eat, laugh and just chill."

"It's easier said than done, princess." He chuckled.

"No Cat Noir, it's not." Marinette took a deep breath. "Sometimes we choose the harder way because we think it's for the greater good, but we fail to understand that sometimes the easier choice is the right thing to do. You have a right to live, Cat and if others don't care then to hell with them."

"Wow, you really can open up therapy classes, princess."

She playfully punched his arm.

Cat got more serious "But, what do I do with my girlfriend?"

"Well, she wasn't entirely wrong but she forgot one small detail - you don't change targets on your will, kitty, it happens on its own. Your heart will barely register that you are falling for someone. That person will become an integral part of your life without you noticing. She will complete you, your true soulmate. You will find it very easy to be yourself with her. You'll see stars when she will kiss you. You will find your world in her eyes, her laugh would be music to your ears and before you know it you will change targets." She smiled at him. "Who knows, that girlfriend of yours might be her? But until then don't lead her on."

Cat smiled widely at the bluenette. "That's actually very good advice, princess. Thanks for listening to me. But, I can't really hang out with my friends that often. My father would just lock me in my room." He shuddered. "Besides if I am my true self around them they might figure out my identity."

Marinette looked at her partner, she wanted to help him so bad. His dejected tone stirred a dangerous thought inside her head. "Then just come here."

Cat looked at her questioningly.

Marinette continued "You can come here any day, anytime. Consider me your friend, chaton. We can do all the fun stuff together like playing video games or just goof around. I won't judge you. You are more than welcome to hang out at my place. I would always listen to you. And don't worry about your secret identity, it will remain a secret."

Cat looked at her in awe. "You would really do that for me?" The disbelief in his voice was more than detectable.

She nodded and the next thing she knew she was taken into a bear hug.

"Thank you so much, princess. It means a lot to me. I broke your heart and you are still being nice to me." Cat looked at her guiltily.

Marinette smiled sheepishly. "Well... you- you barely made a dent. See that day, I sort of... lied. You just came out of nowhere and started making assumptions. I mean, who gets suspicious of people in their own house?" She made weird hand-gestures. She had to think of a lie and that too quickly. Too bad she wasn't good at lying. "I am friends with Ladybug and wasn't sure whether to trust you with that information or not so, I kind of distracted you with that love thing. I am sorry, I really am. If I knew that my dad would get akumatized and you would get in trouble then, I would have just come clean. I knew you loved Ladybug so, I thought you would not show up but, you proved me wrong and came after all."

Cat just sat in silence and Marinette died inside. She hated lying, but she didn't want him to think that he had hurt her and what she told him was a half-truth. "But it doesn't mean that if I don't have any romantic feelings for you then I don't care about you. I do. I really do." She admitted in a small voice.

Cat Noir observed her for some time and smiled. "Well, I am glad you told me the truth."

Marinette flinched but she knew she couldn't tell him the entire truth. They got up as Cat Noir prepared to leave. Without any warning, he hugged her.

"Thank you, princess, for everything." He whispered into her hair.

"I will be looking forward to your visits, kitty."

"Me too princess, me too." He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles and then proceeded to extend his baton.

Marinette saw him running over the rooftops and disappearing into the darkness. She sighed happily and went to bed.

Neither of the superheroes knew what fate had planned for them. No, they were clueless.

Love is not only something you feel, it is something you do. People love you not because of who you are, but because of who they are when they are with you. Love is what you've been through with somebody. Love is when you meet someone who tells you something new about yourself...

•°•°•°•°•°•°•
Edited: February 11, 2020