I think y'all will like this chapter 🤔
(p.s sorry for my reluctancy in updating. I've been gone all spring break with minimal reception. The chapter has just been sitting in my notebook all week.)

Also, if I refer to Chat as Adrien it does NOT mean he is out of costume, or that anyone in this chapter knows his identity. He is Chat throughout the entire chapter.

(There is like, something that could be considered along the lines of sin in the last few paragraphs of the chapter. You have been warned!)

**disclaimer: by sin I do not mean a sexual situation. The characters depicted are minors, after all! let's keep that in mind ladies and gents.

                                 ~✯~

                           /I can't stay\

It was inevitable they'd run into some unfriendly faces on their way to the exit. Nothing was ever that easy, after all.

As Chat limped close behind, two figures could be made out in the darkness the four ran through blindly. A breath of desperation escaped Chat's lips. There was no way he was going to catch a break, even with the numbness overtaking his pain. The shards were still lodged into his skin, as attempting removing them would probably cause him to pass out due to the bleeding.

Brown and silver eyes pierced through the darkness filling the hallway leading toward the exit. The two figures took a fighting stance. It was no doubt Saud and Jacob.

Though they had often times helped Chat, or taken a certain liking to him, they had absolutely no intention of letting him pass. Even if that meant exterminating him for good.

Realizing Chat was injured and Andres barely plausible, the two relaxed a bit, lowering their weapons to their sides and gazing darkly as they approached. Not much of a fight was expected.

"Why do you not rid yourself of this girl, Chat Noir?" Saud's deep voice echoed through the thickening silence. He began to approach them slowly, knowing they were nearly powerless in their state. His footsteps echoed eerily. "Why did you waste your time, put your life on the line? Did I not tell you the price of.. distractions?" He almost looked as if he had pity on Adrien.

He now stood inches away from Marinette. Chat's jaw clenched when Saud grabbed her chin, examining her closely. Everything seemed frozen, and Chat clutched his gut in an attempt to keep himself on alert. He wouldn't let him get away with touching her.

Marinette was shaking in fear under his intimidating touch. "After all.." Saud breathed, kneeling down to her height so that they locked eyes. Her electric blue orbs fought with his brilliant silver in what seemed to be a deadly staring contest, as neither dared to blink.  "How could a face like this ever love a killer?"

In an instant after uttering these words, Saud was thrown against the wall violently. It was not enough to knock him down however, as he quickly regained his posture. Chat spoke darkly.

"She is not something to simply be retired."

The cat bandit ignored the pain surging through his back muscles, and his brain had suddenly taken over his body as he shifted into a fighting stance.

Saud almost looked amazed, or rather surprised, but didn't respond and instead took his chance to take a slash at Chat. He very slowly and barely dodged it, and it skimmed his torso. Suddenly Saud looked up, a smirk playing on his features as his gaze fell upon Marinette again.

Chats eyes glowered with a burning hatred as he realized what he was doing, running to stand his ground in front of Saud, his back facing Marinette. He dug his fingers deep into his knuckles, allowing his claws to swiftly retract out of his gloves. He nearly growled in protectiveness. "Don't get near her."

Saud had no emotion within his features as he fought Chat, them being rather unequal in fighting skill due to the cat's weakened state. His orbs were empty and cold, but full of wisdom and a story. Knowing there was no way he could beat Saud on his own, he attempted to use this.

"You don't need to do this, Saud! I know how the grandmaster hurt you," he said, exasperated and out of breath due to his now challenged lung span. "you can even escape this madness now, he's probably even dead-"

Saud exploded into a cry of anger and suddenly lunged at Chat with fierceness in his eyes, their blades crashing with a loud CLANG that swept alarmingly throughout the air. A trickle of sweat decorated the foreheads of both fighters.

"It's not that simple, Chat Noir. I can't turn my back on him." He seethed, his strength overpowering Chat's and pushing him slightly off balance.

Chat had seen the files of all members of the base. He knew almost everything about them. "Saud, he killed your mother!"

Darkness encased Saud and anger quickly surfaced once more at her mention. "You know nothing about me, you pest," their blades disconnected as Adrien was now completely thrown backwards.

Chat swallowed as he slowly stood up, coughing up a lung. "My mother, she's gone too.."

"I don't care, you motherfucking cat! He is my new family!" Based on the look he gave Chat, he was completely brainwashed. He truly believed the grandmaster cared about him.

"It doesn't matter, you can leave him! Look what he's done to you!"

"No!" Saud yelled, grabbing Chat by the shirt collar and throwing him toward the nearby wall with ease. A new thirst for blood overtook him. "I'll avenge him."

Saud was suddenly shoved to the side, when his blade had been centimeters away from piercing Chat. Chat blinked wildly as he realized Marinette was responsible for doing so. Her chest heaved, her eyes sparkling with remnants of lost tears. Saud stood up, wiping the blood off of his lip.

She had punched him.

Saud still laughed in amusement at the sight of the fragile girl before him when he regained his posture. "Why so quick to protect him? Is he not the one who landed you here in the first place?" He smirked, knowing he was getting into her head. He turned to face her, but she did not falter and challenged his cold gaze with one of her own. Tilting his head, he grinned eerily. "You don't even know the real him.." he saw it to be rather pathetic that Marinette thought she actually had some sort of fighting chance against him.

"Maybe not," she muttered, eyes falling as she remembered the horrifying experience she had partaken here, "but regardless, he's sacrificed everything for me. I won't let you hurt him." Her fists clenched and she stood her ground in front of him.

Chat's heart began to pound wildly. She cared about him enough to put her life on the line to protect him? The one who had kidnapped her?

He laughed again. "It is a crime to defend someone who is guilty, Ms. Marinette."

She didn't answer.

The con approached her with an amused grin while Chat was still behind her, attempting to stand up, his whole body contracting and only pulling him down. His stomach churned at the sight of Saud cornering Marinette against the wall.

She managed to maneuver herself around him, barely dodging another lunge from his blade. She thrusted her arm forward, catching the side of Saud's face who was completely unprepared for any resistance. He clutched the side of his face once more in near disbelief.

He cried out in anger and grabbed her arm quickly, folding her other behind her back so she couldn't move it any further. He began to twist her arm slowly, causing her muscles to contract at his harsh attempt to break her arm.

She seethed, barely kicking him off of her before he could disfigure her forearm, causing both of them to tumble about the ground.

Saud stood up first, suddenly grabbing Chat's fist in his own who was expectantly behind him. He had tried to throw a punch at Saud but had been easily countered since he was so weak. He tossed the cat bandit over his shoulder.

Before Chat could compose himself he was punched straight across the face, causing him to completely lose his balance. The attention was now back on him. His back hit the ground harshly, and the cascaded shards of glass on his back only tore further into his flesh, causing him to scream out in pain. He felt paralyzed, his eyes blurring and shapes dancing across his vision. His adrenaline had almost drained. Saud laughed in victory, knowing there was now nothing more Chat could do in such a pathetic, nearly immobile state.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Andres was lost in a battle of his own with Jacob, so he would offer no help. Things were hopeless. Chat felt pathetic. Deep in his mind he could picture the grandmaster's cold grin, informing him that this is exactly what he knew would happen. That there had never been but a sliver hope for reform- for change.

Saud's blade pressed carefully against Chat's neck, barely cutting the skin above his adam's apple. This was it. As Saud's muscles tensed as if going to deliver the final blow, Adrien closed his eyes and accepted his death. He could only pray that Marinette was miles away from here by now.

The impact never came, even if Adrien was splattered in blood. Opening his eyes, he was overtaken with disbelief. Two hands grasped the ends of the blade, momentarily struggling to pull it backwards. The action was reversed and the blade sliced through the nimble muscle of Saud's neck, immediately killing the bandit.  Saud fell, nearly decapitated, straight onto Chat. Even through the splotches of grey his brain provided him with, he could faintly see the blue of her eyes.

Marinette had killed him. A crimson red splattered all over her face and chest, horror engulfing her big blue eyes. She wanted to scream at the sight- but she couldn't. Not now.

Chat shoved the lifeless body of Saud off of him, his body tensing at even the simple action. All he could think was to grab Marinette by the shoulders and pull her toward him into a hug while tears lightly shed from her eyes. He couldn't imagine what she had just experienced- just to save his life.

"Thank you," he breathed silently, while she accepted the momentary hug without hesitation. She nodded slowly, her adrenaline sill through the roof and her heart pounding wildly. She couldn't tell if it was because they were so close, or because she had just killed someone.

Andres ran toward them, his face bruised purple and dark red blood decorating his forearms, leaving behind him what was once Jacob. Due to such malnourishment, Chat was amazed he had defeated him with nothing but a couple of scratches and trails of blood. He grabbed Chat by the arm, engaging in the difficult struggle of helping him stand.

His legs straightened when a second wave of adrenaline hit, allowing him to balance on his own. "Let's go," He sputtered, voice hoarse as he wondered when his body would finally give out.

Meanwhile to Marinette's aching stomach, the sight of Chat both spitting up blood and watching it seep through his shirt made her insides churn and flip. She was ultimately responsible for the shards in his back, and the pain in his eyes. He had thrown himself in front of her one too many times, and for what? To limp around like a living zombie, barely able to utter coherent words? If he didn't get any medical attention soon, she feared greatly for his life. And if they faced anyone else, she could guarantee he wouldn't be any less reckless.

Chat wiped the blood off of his mouth. They neared the door and he limped, the sour stench of death lingering behind them.

He and Andres met each other's eyes, knowing very well there were going to be reinforcements behind the door. The world seemed to spin, as if the nightmare for them would seemingly never end. It was almost as if they shared a telepathical goodbye, as it was highly likely they wouldn't make it out alive. But that made them no less deterred to protect their companions. They nodded at one another, mouthing a quick "two minutes."

Andres turned to his son, kneeling down to his height and grasping his shoulders. Their eyes locked. He didn't hesitate to confess everything. "Son, I'm so sorry I got you into this mess." He spoke, hugging him tightly as if he'd never again let go. His son accepted the embrace slowly, barely blinking away the tears that overtook his eyes.

He spoke again, this time a bit more hesitantly. "There's going to be more of them, Jon, and I don't want you getting hurt. You know what that means.. as soon as we go out there, you're going to run home, and never look back. Don't worry about me. Chat and I have each other's backs, we'll meet up with the two of you later. But for now, you forget about the both of us and don't ever stop running. Understood?" He held a stern expression, one of seriousness and concern. He still saw the image of his son forever burned into the back of his mind- tortured, bloodied and bruised. And he had been targeted because of him, his decisions, the lifestyle he had chosen and fled away from his own family for. He couldn't bare to let it happen ever again.

It was time to end this cycle of violence and murder they'd once contributed to.

"Yes, dad," he said,  never before using the term in the presence of his real father. And yet, even though he was a near teenager and had always only had one parent in his life, it still felt so oddly natural rolling off of his tongue. Happiness engulfed him as he realized that when this was all over, they had a chance at becoming a happy.. normal family again.

Andres stood up, patting his son's shoulder, barely allowing tears to surface.

Something about their whole display made Chat's heart burn, his stomach sink. Maybe it was the thought of his own father, who had never gave him any sort of care, any compassion. What Andres and his son had formed in only a couple of hours he would never be able to achieve.

Pushing these thoughts away, he turned to Marinette. "You know the same goes for you, Mari." She blushed a bit at the nickname, but decidedly ignored it. This was no time for hormones to overtake her. "Take him, and get out of here. Out of this hell that I've brought you into. I'm so damn sorry, Marinette. You're the last person that could ever deserve this and it's all my fault. I don't ever want you to return here." He closed his eyes, almost as if begging her to leave him behind. "So please run, and don't even think about turning back."

Marienette's heart soared at his words. She blinked back into reality, remembering Chat's heavily injured state. He was going to fight yet again? "What about you? You can barely walk,"

"I'll be fine. Just please, listen to me. Promise me you'll leave." He begged with his eyes. Within them, she saw a certain passion brewing that she had never seen before. It made her heart pound, her senses go wild. Her eyes suddenly wandered up and studied every part of his face, unselectively ignoring the scratches and flaws that had come about.

The curve of his jawline stretched up and behind his ear, where golden blonde hair was neatly tucked and knotted. His mouth moved in sync with the rest of his facial expressions, his eyebrows and temple only further emphasizing the care in his words. His shoulders were broad and joined perfectly to the sides of his neck. And his lips, his lips...

He was rambling on about something, but she wasn't listening. Her heartbeat intensified as she realized this may be the last time she'd ever see him. He was already hanging on the stages of death, blood seeping from several parts of his body at an increasingly alarming rate.

Would she ever know the reason he saved her? Would she ever see him again after she ran, ran away like a coward.. when she could just as easily stay and try to help him? There was no way he was going to survive. Even if he made it out of the base, he'd surely bleed to death. She couldn't leave him.. but she had to make that promise.

That was why she pulled him down by his tattered collar to meet his lips.

Eyes widening, Chat leaned backward, completely caught off guard until he realized what was happening. His chest suddenly tightened, and his hand instinctively brushed the side of her face before grabbing her cheek and staring intently into her blue eyes filled with wonder. The kiss was anything but innocent, Chat immediately returning the kiss as their lips smashed together, pouring out the passion they'd been holding in for all too long. Her hands wound their way up into his hair and ran through the tangles while he gripped her waist aggressively. He was desperately trying to get the message across to her that she was his- so long as she was in his arms, within his care- nobody would ever touch her, harm her, cross her. In these couple of seconds both felt that there was no further communication needed other than the connection of their mouths, body pressed against body. The pain surging through Chat's body momentarily subsided as the only thing he could think about was that the girl in front of him was kissing him.

Marinette could scarcely taste the sour essence of blood of the edges of his mouth, but didn't care. All she wanted to do was get lost, lost in his eyes, in his lips.

It was almost as if the memory of all that had occurred in the past had dissolved, replaced by only quickened heartbeats and unspoken apologies.

When they pulled away, both breathed heavily due to their lack of air. Andres drug them back into reality by snapping his fingers, pointing toward the door.

A small smile was visible playing on his lips, though he tried to encase it with an annoyed glare. "Uh, lovebirds? The sirens are still blaring. No time to suck each other's faces off, we need to go."

=================

longest chapter yet! And wow, we're like 26 chapters in and they finally kissed! What a landmark lol

(Sorry. I've never been good at kissing scenes.)