(Mood Music: The Lonely - Christina Perri)

This was most certainly not a good night. Marinette's bleary eyes glanced over at the clock next to her bed.

3:00 AM, it said.

She groaned inwardly. She'd woken up about an hour ago and hadn't been able to go back to sleep, despite being completely bushed.

Something just felt... off. Her stomach was churning and her skin felt like pins and needles. Should she check to make sure the front door is locked? Did she forget to do any homework? Was there a test tomorrow in one of her classes? She just couldn't think of anything that would require her attention. Why was she feeling so stressed?? Frustration had set in, and she dreaded having to go to school tomorrow (or rather, later today, in a few hours' time).

Maybe she just needed some water to calm down her nerves. Because that's clearly what it was, right? Just some subconscious anxiety, maybe about the future, or getting into a good university, or having to defeat Hawkmoth.

Well... when put in that way, she supposed there were a few rather stressful things happening in her life. But even still! She hardly ever had a hard time sleeping before, because she was always exhausted!

She slowly scooted out of the bed, careful not to wake Tikki, and climbed down from her loft. Letting out a lengthy yawn, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. Maybe that would help settle her stomach.

And yet somehow, now that she was here, the uneasy feeling intensified.

What the hell?!

The last time she'd felt this kind of unexplained restlessness and malaise was when...

...When she'd found Chat in that alley after his confrontation with Hawkmoth.

Panic sunk into her gut and she bolted towards Chat's bedroom. She reached the door and was about to burst inside, but she paused. Maybe stampeding into someone's room uninvited while they were asleep was a bad idea. Not wanting to wake him up, but not willing to leave until she was sure of his safety, she instead crouched and placed her ear against the door.

Expecting to hear nothing except maybe some light snoring, Marinette's eyes widened when instead she heard whimpering and sobbing. Needing no further invitation, she entered the room.

Chat was curled up in a fetal position facing away from the door, shaking and crying. It was too dark to see clearly, but she could tell he wasn't transformed.

Is he upset? Is he sick??

She called his name with a small voice, "Chat Noir?"

The panting and sobbing continued, getting stronger and stronger with each second that passed.

"Chat, what's the matter?" She sat on the bed and placed her hand on his back. The fabric of his shirt clung to his skin; his body was drenched in sweat.

Again, there was no response. By this point he began to toss and turn, almost thrashing in distress and terror.

He's still asleep, Marinette realized.

"Chat, wake up!" she cried, shaking him vigorously, trying to rouse him from his nightmare. "Kitty, please! Wake up!"

He turned towards her, hair covering his face and sticking to the damp skin, and she had to force herself to not look at him directly to keep his identity a secret.

Seemingly out of nowhere, he surged forward, seizing her by the upper arms, his grip tight as a vise, and Marinette cried out in surprise.

His head hung down, and he sobbed as he squeezed even harder, "No! I won't do it! I won't hurt them! You can't force me!"

She ignored the pain in her arms and called, "Chat! Please wake up! It's me, Marinette!"

"No!! I'll never hurt Marinette! Not ever!" he cried in a quivering, desperate voice; then he groaned and hissed in pain, in a way she could only describe as the sound of someone being tortured.

"I'm here, Chat! Marinette is here! You're safe at home! You're having a nightmare! Open your eyes!"

He seemed to respond slightly, his hold on her slackening somewhat, and she took this chance to slip completely out of his grip. She threw her arms around his shoulders and he seemed to go limp. She whispered into his ear, "Shhh... It's just me... You're okay... you're safe now. Everything is going to be fine. I'm here to help. Don't be afraid..." She began to rub his back, making long strokes up and down his torso, hoping that touch would help to awaken him.

Her calm reassurances and rubbing of his back continued until Chat's hyperventilating stopped, and he slowly seemed to come to. He let out a shocked gasp and threw his arms around her.

"M-Marinette?! Marinette!! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he cried, and she felt fresh tears drip onto her sleeve.

She cradled the back of his head. "Chat! Why in the world are you apologizing?!"

"For everything. For being so weak. For being nothing but trouble for you ever since I came into your life. I never meant for all this to happen. It would've been easier for you if you'd left me in that alley that first night. It would've been easier for you if you hated me, just like everyone else."

"Minou, I could never hate you," she reaffirmed fervently, which only made him sniffle harder. "No matter what you've done or what mistakes you've made, you are deserving of love. You're a good person, and more people love you than you might think. Things will get better. I promise."

She held him as he continued to cry quietly, the pair still wrapped in each others' arms in the otherwise silent darkness.

After a while, she dared to ask, "You don't have to tell me what it was about, but... How often do you have these kinds of dreams?"

She felt him hesitate, unsure of whether he should divulge this information; but a few seconds later, he relented, and answered in a small voice, "I've had vivid nightmares every night for as long as I can remember, ever since I became Chat Noir. But I haven't had one this bad since before I moved in with you guys. And... I've always been able to wake up on my own."

"Oh, Minou..." she lamented, then kissed the top of his head.

He sniffled a little, rubbing her arm up and down gently in silent apology. "Marinette, I'm sorry to ask, but... c-could you stay? Just for a little longer? I-I don't want to be alone right now."

"Of course, Minou. I can stay."

"Oh, Mari... I was so scared," he cried. "Please don't leave me."

"Never."

She closed her eyes so she could lower her head and kiss his forehead, barely able to contain her affection for him; immensely relieved that he'd finally calmed down. They situated themselves in the bed, arranging themselves into a position that would be comfortable for them both, and she was careful to avoid looking directly at him. He nuzzled into her, hugging her waist, and thanked her quietly. She ran her fingers through his still slightly damp hair, hoping to help him get as relaxed as possible.

Before long, she noted that his breathing had finally slowed, and she was content to watch his torso rise and fall in a tranquil rhythm until, eventually, she too was lulled into a restful slumber.

Meanwhile, outside the slightly ajar guest bedroom door, a certain baker pursed his lips in dismay... and regret.

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Sorry that the mountain of fluff was followed by a punch in the gut! OwO;;

Although our lovesick dorks have made some headway in their relationship, there are still many challenges ahead of them.

But they'll be fine... right??? (ﾟДﾟ;)

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P.S. In case anyone's interested, I have the entirety of the "Discordant Sonata" playlist up on YouTube. Just go to youtube.com/c/edendaphne, or just type "Eden Daphne" in the search bar and you'll find me :)