Chat once told her that the sweets she brought have become something of a guilty pleasure for him. He didn't think he would like them too much, but every time she brought them, he couldn't help himself and gobbled them up.
For Ladybug, if she had to have a guilty pleasure, it had to be, well, him.
Her partner.
Her minou.
Her shadow.
Her support.
Her sanity and courage in this chaos of facing akumas every few days to a week.
Yes, he can be a grump, and a butt, and sometimes such a cat Ladybug sometimes thinks she should bring a spray bottle to patrols; but, she was finding herself adoring him more and more.
So little unnerved him.
He was calm, poised, smart, brave, strong, and...
She could list on why her partner was so amazing. Why she was so lucky to have him by her side. Glad to have him by her side.
There was no Ladybug without Chat Noir.
And there was no Chat Noir without her.
They were partners, through and through.
She couldn't be without him, and him with her.
Partners that probably shouldn't be more.
They were active to stop Hawkmoth and save Paris, not become something more.
Even Tikki backed the idea.
"It's amazing that you've realized your feelings Marinette! But, be cautious with this. You and Chat shouldn't reveal each other."
"And our duty's more important."
"/t it^ prime prime Tikki confirmed. "Please be careful and cautious about this."
Marinette tried.
Ladybug really, truly tried.
But despite her best effort, Ladybug can't help but be
drawn to her dark counterpart, desire to be by his side.
Press at his warm, firm side, run her fingers through
the wild pale mane, flick his ears to see them twitch,
and partly annoy him, or do it with he's being a butt;
and every time she met those silver eyes, a jolt went
through her, and the silver just seemed to swallow up
her world and...
He sent a spark of energy through her, a want to move to be near him, to be in touch, to, to do something. What Ladybug couldn't name. And probably shouldn't pursue but...
Where sweets were his guilty pleasure, he became hers.
She was guilty of falling for this grumpy, coy cat.
And she didn't regret it.
