She didn't know what to call him. But no matter what he will always be Ladybug's partner.
Marinette was a different story.
The more she thought about her, let's say relationship, with Chat Noir the more she realized it started because of an akuma.
Said akuma was after Alya. And once she was cornered, Marinette had to choose between her identity or her safety. She chose identity. However, without the magic of the miraculous to protect her, she had gotten injured. Badly. But anything to protect Alya. If only the akuma wasn't that destructive.
Marinette's collision with a nearby wall after she took the hit distracted the akuma. Alya realizing this, ran to go find Paris's guardian angels. Luckily she found Chat Noir. Ladybug was obviously not found. Well obvious for Marinette, alarming for Alya.
Chat Noir used his cataclysm to create a cage for the akuma. It was quite the accomplishment for him, I mean creating something with the power of destruction! Clapping his hands together with a grin he turned around to find Marinette limping to the exit. His eyes trailed down where he saw her hand clutching her rib cage. He put two and two together and scooped her up, bridal style, and carried her back to her house. She made no sounds other than the airy gasp that escaped when he first picked her up.
Stopping at her balcony Chat Noir put her down.
"Thank you"
He gave her a grin that wasn't like the other ones she had seen. It was more sincere. Kind of scared actually.
Then she heard them. These footsteps that seemed to make the entire world shake. The akuma had gotten stronger and had the largest ears, that claimed to be able to hear anything and everything. Marinette assumed it was to balance the fact that he couldn't see. She thinks that the akuma was trying to hit her in the face but in the rib cage instead? Beneath the ears was the largest black choker she'd ever seen. However on the choker was this tiny red circle. Maybe a charm. She then remembered the akuma touching it a lot. What if that's the akumatized object?! Remembering the large ears she pulls Chat Noir for a hug. Startled at first, he gasps.
"Ladybug's coming, get the charm in the choker" she whispered into his ear.
With his signature salute, he jumps off the balcony.
Marinette jumps into her shower and turns it on to muffle the sounds.
"Tikki spots on!"
A suspicious lucky charm and traumatized butterfly later...
Marinette rushed home. Luckily the Miraculous Cleanse fixed her injury. However, the akuma had taken up the majority of the time reserved for homework. She was running so fast, she didn't notice the pair of acid green eyes trailing her.
Ten minutes into her homework she was stumped. Ms. Mendeleiev had assigned her one of the hardest research questions. Marinette sensed that there was some unspoken hatred because of Marinette's lack of punctuality.
"When does the sky become space?" she murmured.
"The official boundary between the Earth's atmosphere (sky) and space is called the Kármán line. This line lies 100 km above sea—"
What? , Marinette thought to herself, is that coming from my balcony?
She hesitantly tiptoed to her balcony.
She swore she saw her plant pot move.
Her gentle hand moved the large plant leaf.
"Chat Noir?"
Did he find out my identity?! What if he did! What if he wants to quit? Is there another akuma?, Marinette thought to herself, wait, why is he talking to Marinette?
"Err, hey princess." Chat Noir said
"..."
"No! Don't freak out. It's just that you took a hard hit, and I wanted to make sure you were okay, but I also didn't want to disturb you, and believe it or not this cat is clawsome at physics" Chat Noir explained.
Channeling her inner Ladybug,"so you thought the best way to do that is to watch me?" Marinette replied with a smile threatening to come out.
Chat Noir replied with a cheeky grin.
So she invited him in. And he offered to help with her homework. In between studying they would talk about anything and everything. By the time their stomachs were in pain because of all the laughter and food shared it was edging two o'clock.
"Umm, Mari I uhh have to go but IwaswonderingifIcouldcomebacksoon"
"What" Marinette giggled.
He grabbed her hand, "Can I come back soon?"
After a slight hesitation, "Of course kitty"
He kissed her hand and then disappeared into the night.
"Why are you smiling so much Marinette?" Tikki giggled.
"Uhh because I got free physics help!" Marinette said a little too quickly.
The next day Chat Noir was the talk of the school.
For all the wrong reasons.
Someone had captured a picture of Chat Noir running away from the akuma while holding Marinette. Luckily for Marinette, the way Chat Noir was carrying her covered her face. Unfortunately, they had captioned the picture "priorities".
Marinette was sure that the original photographer meant no harm, yet it soon spun out of control.
People then started to point out how distracted Chat Noir would get. And how clumsy he was.
It's not his fault, his power is bad luck, Marinette thought, but no one else knows that.
But the worst part is, it got to him.
Now there was always a kind of droop in her kitten's ears.
And during their , let's say night rendezvous, she would try and cheer him up but it would never really work.
And then people took it to far. They were saying how Ladybug would be way better by herself. Of course, she was furious, but Chat Noir would never want to talk about it, claiming that he was fine.
Marinette did her best but her kitten had been broken.
Tap tap tap,
It was routine now, she got up to her balcony door already smiling.
"Chat Noir, a little late isn't it?" she asked.
"Late for Chat Noir not for me"
That's not right, Marinette thought.
She opened her balcony door with a gasp "oh no" she whispered.
For her kitten was covered in white; his eyes with a deep vengeful purple.
"New and improved princess, call me Chat Blanc" he purred while letting himself in.
"Cha—"
He cut her off with a kiss; it was desperate. His arm grabbing her waist as he kissed her again.
No, I can't do this to him. He doesn't know what he's doing. Stop it, Mari!
Pushing on his shoulders, she looked him straight in his dark eyes
"You have to fight him, don't listen to Hawkmoth Chat Noir" she cried.
"I told you to call me Chat Blanc".
"Now I need to get you out of here Marinette".
"What? Why? Chat Noi— Blanc?" Marinette asked.
"Oh Marinette, an ungrateful city like Paris doesn't deserve a princess like you. Plus I can't go without my one and only?"
"Go?"
"Paris can handle themselves and even if they can't then who cares!" Chat Noir scoffed.
"But what about Ladybug?" Marinette asked, grasping at straws.
"Right now Ladybug is the only thing that's trapping us in this city, all I need are her earrings, then we can be together in peace. Don't you want that Princess?" Chat Noir inquired.
"Uhh… Yeah" Marinette whispered.
"Then let's go find Ladybug"
"W-wait I um I think that I think that um I should go get your favourite pastries first…" Marinette stutters, and without waiting for his answer she goes downstairs.
Think Marinette, stall him, figure out your options! You need to save him.
A brief intermission while we go into Marinette's mind
Option #1-Reveal
I can't do that, what if Hawkmoth is watching. I just can't risk it.
Option #2- Play-along
What if I just go with him? Wait that's crazy! What would I do after?
Option #3- Knockout
What if I just hit him really hard? If he goes unconscious I'll have more time to think. It's crazy yet it's the best plan I have so far...
Marinette nervously climbs up her stairs, keeping her plan in mind. When she first gets in her room she glances at her chair. Then at Chat Blanc, who seems to be going through her closet and are those sniffing sounds she hears?!
It's now or never Marinette, you have to do this, Marinette thinks.
Marinette tiptoes across her room, carefully not to make a sound, she picks up the chair.
What are you doing! This is crazy! What if he seriously gets hurt, Marinette argues with herself as she puts the chair down.
Think Marinette think, she screams in her head but deep down she knows that she's too scared to come up with a plan. She's terrified for Chat Noir, not just as her partner but maybe even partner. He's human like everyone else. Like me.
As she scans the room, trying to come up with something, it catches her eye.
The one thing that can save Chat Noir. That can save Paris. That can save me. She remembers it with pride. How could she not? It was really the thing that made her Ladybug.
Yes; her lucky charm would be the miraculous octagonal box in which her earrings came in.
If I use my hands to cover it, it won't be seen. And if it can hold the miraculous it can probably withstand an akuma until I can transform. Right? But where would the akuma be? Think. Probably his bell because it hadn't changed. Come on I can do this.
It had been a couple of minutes since she had snuck into her room. She looked over at Chat who now seemed to be going through her photo albums.I really hope that you don't remember being akumatized.
She snuck up behind him and gave him a hug. I guess she scared him because he kinda choked when she did. Well, I'm going to have to really sell it, aren't I?
"Salut Chat Blanc" she purred into his ear.
"Hey, Mari" Chat Blanc squeaked.
Keep this up! You can do it! It's for him. Do it for him.
"Oh chaton, cat got your tongue" she purred.
Chat Blanc took a deep breath and turned around, his cheeks still stained with his blush…
"No, but he can take yours"
Deal breaker! What do I do? Keep calm. This is exactly what you wanted okay. He's coming down to kiss you so you can take the bell. No, what if Hawkmoth does something to Chat to make him catch it. There's no way I can beat Chat in a fight. Plus the box is on the table, I can't risk the akuma getting away. He's coming closer! What do I do?!
Marinette's brain moving a thousand miles a minute finally comes up with a plan. Not really. Because of the practice she's had before; she put her finger to his lips and pushed him away
"I can't kiss you, Chat Blanc, that would cheating against the man I love," she admitted.
"What do you mean! I'm the man you love! He said that if I got Ladybug's miraculous than you and I could be together in peace outside of this ungrateful city!" Chat Blanc screamed.
I can't do this. But I have to! Keep going, Mari!
"I'm sorry but I love him too much for there to be any doubt" Marinette declares while she walks to her balcony, grabbing the box with her.
"Who is this so-called man! I need to know!" Chat Blanc says while he storms off to the balcony with her.
Marinette cups the sides of his cheeks and looks him straight in the eye "I love Chat Noir, he's the love of my life" she admits while her cheeks go red. Probably because she really did love Chat Noir but she'd never tell him that.
" He's not coming back now. Chat Noir wasn't good enough for anybody. Not good enough for Paris. Not good enough to keep up with Ladybug. Not even good enough for his own father! How could anybody love him!" Chat Blanc said with tears in his eyes.
" I love him!" Marinette screamed.
"He's so sweet and kind. He brings a smile wherever he goes and to whoever he talks to. He's Ladybug's hero. Chat Noir is a hero to Paris! And Chat Noir is my hero!" Marinette cries. With tears down her face, she goes and wraps her arms around Chat Blanc. Her head resting in the nook of his throat. She could feel his tears go down her scalp as she tiptoes up to his ear and whispers "You're my hero".
Chat Blanc was now sobbing as she kept on whispering "you're my hero Chat Noir". After they had both taken a couple of deep breaths the balcony grew silent. With only the sniffles of the pair in the air. Marinette grew bold, "give me the bell, then we can be together in peace."
Chat Blanc's arm went up to his collarbone, trembling as he forced his arm. Marinette could see the butterfly's outline on his face. With a grunt, he ripped off the bell. They both put their hands on the golden object. Marinette grabbed her box. Their fingers touching as they cracked open the bell. Shock grew on their faces as they realized it wasn't an akuma that was inside the bell. It was thousands of purified butterflies, all surrounding Chat Blanc changing him back to his original form, then disappearing off into the night.
What happened? Why was the akuma already purified?, Marinette thought.
Locking eyes with Chat Noir all he could say was "what happened?".
"I don't know, somehow your akuma was already purified."
Hearing the word akuma had triggered Chat Noir's memories of the night.
"Marinette I got akumatized! I can't be a superhero! What if I had hurt Paris?! What if I had hurt you?!" Chat Noir worried. With more memories flowing in like how he had kissed her. Oh god, I kissed her! What's wrong with me!?
"No matter what Chat Noir, no matter what goes wrong…" Marinette said.
She tiptoed so now they were the same height, she whispered into his ear "You will always be my hero".
Well, that hit me right in the feels. I don't know why but I had this idea that if you broke your deal with Hawkmoth, like willingly giving your akumatized object, your akuma would be purified? I don't know, and who better to test this idea than on Chat Noir;) I'm trying to find my writing style so that's why the format of this story was really weird. Although I really enjoyed writing inside of Marinette's head. And as you can see my grammar skills are the worst so I'm kind of looking for a Beta. Ciao!