Over the year, Marinette became close with Chat Noir, not just as Ladybug, but as herself. They had become friends over the many late night visits.
She remembered a day vividly, playing the memory in her head.
One night she was walking home and there was her Kitty, utterly concerned for her. He was worried that something would happen to her. Something about, 'a beautiful young lady such as yourself should not be out by herself and defiantly not on a full moon.' Apparently Chat was upset about it being a full moon, said that it brought all of the boozed and crazy people out.
'Kitty, I'm a big girl. I recently turned sixteen. I can take care of myself.'
'Please Princess, I don't doubt you, really, I am worried though. What if someone hurt you? I couldn't live with myself.' Chat had grown close to Marinette as Adrien. The two were actually great friends.
'Well luckily for me, I have one of Paris' beloved heroes to protect me.'
'Yes, well I heard a bit of sarcasm but, I'm serious. I, from now on, will no longer let anyone even so touch my Princess.'
She remembered seeing something in his eyes that night. She had never noticed how green they were. They were also filled with sadness and despair. Something she hated to see. First Adrien and now Chat.
He insisted on walking her home and after that, he kept showing up. Each day a little more sadness disappeared, slowly but sure enough, it was leaving. That made her happy.
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It was tonight when she remembered the moments with her partner, some happy, some sad.
She played another memory in her head.
Chat had come on a slightly cold, Thursday night around eight. His face seemed to brighten when she let him in like the nights before, yet it wasn't like the nights before. He was constantly asking questions about her day and avoiding any that she threw at him. That night he was wearing two masks. One that hid his identity and one that was trying hopelessly to cover the pain. It was falling, exposing the sadness that he attempted to conceal. She took notice and couldn't help but ask, she wanted to remove his masked pain and mend it. 'Chat, what is it, please talk to me. I'm here for you no matter what. Let me be there for you, I hate seeing your pain that you try so hard to contain." Marinette let the words spilled from her without a thought. "Please take comfort in me," she gazed up at him. His eyes slowly filled with tears. He bit his lip to try and calm himself. It didn't work. How did she know, how does she see right through me? 'I just,' his head fell and his eyes closed, letting droplets escape. She walked to him, and rapped her arms around his frame. 'Shh, it's okay Kitty, I'm her and you can tell me anything. Just let it out, please allow me to help.' He hadn't felt like this since his mother. He hadn't hugged anyone like this since his mother. No one had been concerned for him since his mother. He hugged her back and buried his face into her neck, happy she was there. A sob eluded from his quivering mouth. After that, he soon let it out. They found themselves on the pink chase, holding each other. He told her everything, about his mother and father and feeling rejected, he did leave out some details so she wouldn't connect her to Adrien. He told her how he didn't have a place, that he wish he could just stay Chat Noir, he didn't have a home, not really. 'Chat, you'll always have a place with me. This is your home, always remember that, Princess must take care of their Knights.' She smiled down at the boy who was curled against her chest. He held her, her words were true. He never wanted to leave this cute, adorable girl, his safe heaven. The girl that could see through the fake smile of a model.
oOo
It was tonight when Marinette, with the help of Tikki, sorted out her feelings for Chat Noir. Could she love him? Yes, because she does love him. Him and Adrien who both have green eyes and a fake smile.
"Tikki, what should I do?"
"You could always tell him who you are behind the mask."
"You're okay with him knowing? I thought you didn't want anyone to know."
"Marinette, what is your heart telling you to do?"
"What if he's disappointed?"
"He comes back every three nights, I'm pretty sure he likes you." The kwami Beamed with a smile.
"I can't think about this right now Tikki, it's all too much." The blue eyed girl grabbed her pink jacket and began to put it on.
"Are we going out? You do know that it's nine-thirty at night right."
"Yes Tikki, I know," she rubbed the red creature's cheek with her index finger. "I just want to walk, maybe I can think of some designs.
The kwami smiled back and flew into the small purse.
oOo
As Marinette continued walking, she continued to think of her partner. As she recalled one memory, she smiled.
It was either a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Alya had I trusted her best friend with taking care of her new kitten, Minou. It was tiny and grey, laced with black stripes and completely adorable. Marinette was happy to take care of the little fur ball but, someone else was not so happy. Chat Noir had come for a visit and had seen the little 'pets' curled up in her arms while she was giving it pats.
'Where are my pats?' He wasn't ashamed at that question while she was utterly surprised.
Chat was winey and pouty all day. Once the little kitten fell asleep, she finally gave into Chat's fussiness. She beaconed him into her lap and he happily did.
They talked while she rubbed, scratched, and petted. She moved her hand up to his hair and began to finger through his matted mess.
'Chat, did you just purr?'
'Princess, let me make it known to you that I am a cat, hence the name Chat Noir. So yes, I did just purr, but to be fair you were scratching behind the ears.' His reply made her giggle. He secretly smiled and then continued on with conversation.
When Alya came to pick up her kitten, Marinette couldn't help but tell her friend everything. She immediately regretted it because Alya asked the same question that Marinette had already answered twice. 'No, Chat Noir and I a re not "together" we are just friends. No secret dating. How many times are you going to ask that. Let's see, you asked when I revealed my identity to you, when I told you of the first late night visit with Chat, and now today!'
oOo
Would it really be so bad to be secret dating? She pushed the thought out of her head as someone started to speak.
"It does concern me you know," the ladybug called from her place. "What Chat Noir said a while ago, it isn't safe out here."
"Tikki, I'll be fine. You know, I'm Ladybug,"
Tikki just gave her a smirk. "Chat wouldn't be happy if he knew about this.
"Ah, yes well the cat isn't here is he."
Tikki just giggled and pointed upward. Sure enough, the black hero was atop of them. He truly was a shadow in the night. He was hard to track, he was moving fast.
"Kitty?" Marinette called to him but there was no response. He continued jumping, not acknowledging that she was there. He passed the rooftops above her and didn't stop. Well, he did. He concluded his movement on a well lit roof, it was Le Grand Paris? And there was another figure, blonde pony tale, Chloe? Why was Chat talking to Chloe?
Sadly, she didn't have time to think about it as a scream surrounded the whistling wind. She ducked around a corner and transformed.
She was already at the seen when Chat Noir showed up. "You're awfully happy Chat,"
"Yep, know let's finish this, I have something to attend to." He smiled his Cat like grin, proudness written all over his face. What is this Kitty up to?
oOo
After the akuma was cleansed, Marinette decided not to think about Chat Noir and Chloe. Of coarse this was not the the case. She barely slept at all. Her parents had to wake her up thirty minutes before school.
She sleepily walked down the stairs to the main floor, fully clothed and backpack ready. "Some birthday," she yawned. "I didn't sleep at all last night."
Tom walked up behind his daughter and embraced her in a huge bear hug, "happy birth day!" He let her down and she turned to her mother, rapping her arms around her.
"Here, now hurry or going to be late, again." Marinette turned back to her father who held out a bag with the bakery symbol on it. "There's extra for Alya."
"Thanks papa," she planted a kiss on both of her parents before leaving for school.
oOo
When she entered the school, Alya was waiting for her in the courtyard. "Happy Birthday Girl!" Alya gave her friend a hug and grasped a bag decorated with polka-dots. "Here, it's a gift from me, Nino, and Adrien."
Although Marinette and Adrien became closer as friends and she had her stuttering under control, she still couldn't help the red that burned her cheeks.
"Your hopeless, why won't you just ask him out already?"
"It could ruin are friendship if he rejected me. Plus, you know perfectly well why." Marinette humphed
oOo
Kitty021: I might have forgot to mention something, Alya knows that Ladybug is Marinette. She simply just figured it out, she was mad at first but then warmed up to the thought. She still continued her Ladyblog though. Alya also knows about Chat's late night visits and Alya knew Marinette liked him before she herself did. With that said...
oOo
"Yay, you finally admitted it!" Alya jumped up and down and received a few stairs from classmates.
"Shh, Alya are you crazy? Someone could hear you."
"I'm just happy for you. Do you think he'll get you something for your birthday?"
"I doubt it. He probably forgot about it. I only told him once and that was months ago. He's a cat, not an elephant."
"Happy birthday Mari," Adrien chimed cheerfully from behind.
"Thanks," she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear out of nervous habit.
"Same," Nino walked up to the group. Marinette replied with a smile.
"Okay, now let's get to class, I don't want to be late." Alya complained.
"You all go ahead, I need to talk to Chloe about something."
"Chloe? Why Chloe?" Alya questioned.
"Um it's about school? Okayseeyoulaterbye!" Marinette ran to the lockers where she saw Chloe before.
"That girls a terrible liar." Nino remarked.
"Come on let's just go," Alya grabbed Nino's wrist and dragged him with her. Adrien followed.
oOo
"Chloe?" Marinette walked though the door and closed it quietly.
"What could you possibly want?" She scoffed.
"Um well I kind of wanted to talk to you about someone."
"Go on.." She looked down at her newly manicured hands.
"I was walking last night and I saw you and Chat, I know it doesn't concern me but I wanted to make sure he was okay, he didn't respond when I called his name. Does he see you often?"
A devilish grin appeared on Chloe's face. Chat Noir had surprisingly visited her last week asking for a favor. He wanted a neckless that had the name 'Princess' constructed on it. He said it was for someone close. She helped him and he came last night asking for it. It wasn't finished so she said she would give it to him the next day. It was actually safe in her pocket as she spoke with Marinette. Marinette must be his, 'close friend,' she obviously doesn't know about the gift. Why not have a little fun. Why would he do that for her anyways?
"Yes actually, he comes over at least three times a week. We are very close. So close that he even had this personally made for me." She pulled a box from her pocket and open it with a snap. "Princess is his nickname for me."
Marinette's eyes widened. It wasn't anger her face showed, it was sadness. "But, that's what he calls me," her voice turned into a whisper.
"Well, do you have a neckless, no, well we know who he likes, no loves now don't we. Why would he care about you anyway? Your just plain, old Marinette. Look at you and look at me. Isn't it obvious who he would choose."
"I, I," Marinette couldn't think of words to say. She was used to Chloe's words but once Chat was thrown in. He gave her a neckless. What was I thinking he could love me. How could anyone love me? Her eyes swelled with tears as she ran out of the locker room and they swelled even more as she ran to her home, sneaked passed her parents and up the stairs.
oOo
Once she returned to the safety of her room, she collapsed to the floor and let it out. Her cheeks were instantly marked with salty tears.
"Marinette," Tikki appeared out of her bag.
"Tikki, how could I have been so stupid? Of coarse he doesn't love me. He would never talk to me again if he knew who I was."
"Don't say that, Chloe is just lying like always." She tried to comfort the crying girl.
"She can't be lying! She has the neckless. Why do I do this to myself? Why do I love? It only ever ends in pain. Adrien never reciprocated my feelings, now Chat. Why do I keep hurting myself. I let them in, trust them, care for them, love them. Why do I give them the power to brake me? Why can't one person I care about just love me back?" Marinette pushed herself off of the ground and onto her shaking legs. She filled with range, not at Chat nor Adrien, but at with herself.
She ripped the perfectly plastered posters of Adrien into shreds. She let them fall from her hands and left them on the floor where they laid.
She walked to her desk with red puffy eyes. She grabbed purple scissors out of a dotted coffee mug. She then made her way to her mannequin.
Placed on the mannequin was a neatly made dress. It was a perfectly made silk, black dress. Around the bottom of the him was bright green lace. Also, a thin line of bright green ribbon tied around the waist. The famous paw print, also the color of the ribbon and lace, was sewed on the side, a few inches above the lace.
She took the dark shade of scissors and pierced the newly made dress. The dress that resembled Chat Noir. In a matter of seconds, the once beautiful dress was tarred into shreds and rags on the ground. Yet, she wasn't finished. She walked back to her desk, put the scissors back in there place and then reached for a black headband that held two, tiny yellow bells that jingled when that were moved. She tore the attached bells off of the headband and then succeeded to throw the headband out of the open window.
She sat against the chase and pulled her legs to her chest.
"Marinette, that took you weeks! Why did you do that?" The little red bug grew even more worried.
"I'm dome Tikki, I'm done with it all."
At her response, Tikki grew worried. She knew what was coming. "Marinette, you half to transform now."
"Tikki, I said I'm done, I meant what I said. No more Ladybug." She clasped the chiming objects in her hand, making her buckles go white.
"No," the kwami gasped. She turned to the window where the wind blew in. The wind was not the only thing that entered the room. A small purple creature flapped its wings.
Tikki flew to the crying girls forehead and gently planted a kiss. She then moved to her ears and removed the miraculous stones. "I'm not giving up on you Marinette, you'll get through this and I'll be there to help. Please remember that." After those words, she exited the open window and scurried as fast as she could, doing her best not to be seen.
oOo
Marinette cried silent sobs, sniffling, her cheeks were scared with red and wet trail marks from wet droplets. She barely opened her eyes, only to look at the shimmering bells.
Then her eyes widened (if possible) as she spotted the evil creature. "No!"
It was to late.
The purple butterfly flew into the shining objects. The scared eyes disappeared as they were replaced with angry ones. A devilish smile grew on her lips. As did the familiar butterfly symbol.
"Ah, Princess, you have been unfairly treated. Chat Noir upset you, gave your nickname to someone else. He broke your heart and I now give you a chance to break is. You shall be the only Princess. No one will deprive you of anything from now on. Will you accept my offer and in return help me?"
His cold voice and offer was very appealing. "Yes Hawkmoth."
Black bubbles and violet light surrounded the girl. She transformed into an evil enemy. Wait, that's odd, she was wearing her usual Ladybug suit. "Hawkmoth?"
"Princess, I give you the power to choice your appearance."
The grin reappeared. "Thank you." In another flash of light, her suit was transformed. What was once red was now purple. Her lips turned a dark shade of red and she never removed the dark smile.
Princess grabbed a piece of the shredded ribbon, attached the golden bells to it and tied it around her neck.
oOo
Kitty021: So, that was that. I tried to include every thing in MariChat week.
Day 1: secret dating
Day 2: cat costume
Day 3: sin
Day 4: kittens
Day 5: trust me
Day 6: don't touch her
Day 7: purring
I know you're all thinking 'there was no sin' and really, you're right. I do not like thinking of Adrien and Marinette like that so, I decided not to do it. Sorry. But, I think I've sinned by making Marinette akumatized.
I'm not sure whether to continue this or not. It depends on what you all think. If I decide to continue this, I will say in my other story, "Secrets," that is currently being written. If I continue this story, I will post the next chapter of "Princess" soon after the last chapter of "Secrets" which will hopefully be soon because there are only two more chapters following "Secrets."
Don't forget to review and tell me what you thought! ;)