A/N Written for Marichat May day 15th prompt 'Found'. You guys asked for more Miraculous one shots so I hope that you enjoy it!
Marinette sunk into her mattress. It had been another long night fighting an akuma and sleep was calling her. She was about to rest her head against her pillow when she heard the furniture on their roof being moved around. Fearing that it was burglars or that Hawk Moth had somehow followed her back to her home, she got out of bed and crept up the stairs to the roof.
She peaked out of the hatch to find Chat Noir standing in her garden. For a second, her mind panicked, assuming that he had finally figured out her identity. Then she noticed that he didn't seem to be here for her and was instead searching around the roof.
"What are you doing?" Marinette asked, climbing out of the hatch.
Chat Noir jumped at her presence. If he had been a real cat his fur would have been standing on ends.
"Err nothing, just admiring your beautiful garden." He stammered, his green eyes wide with panic. Then his eyes narrowed as he leant against his staff. "Although its nothing compared to your beauty of course."
Marinette rolled her eyes. And she thought she wouldn't have to put up with his flirting as a civilian. Usually he only flirted with Ladybug. Although she had noticed that she had started doing it with civilians too. It was strange to see him telling other people his puns and for them to actually laugh instead of seeing how bad they were. She shook her head. She couldn't be jealous of herself. Besides Chat was welcome to flirt with whoever he wanted. She wasn't interested in him like that anyway. She liked Adrien, as she kept reminding herself.
"Oh really? Then why are you rearranging it?"
"Well along with my fiendishly good looks, one of my other super powers is interior designing."
"I think you mean exterior designing"
"That's err…yeah what I said."
Marinette noticed the way his green eyes wouldn't meet her own whilst his posture slunk forward, and ears drooped. She had never seen this side of him before, not as Ladybug. He always seemed so confident.
"What's wrong?" She asked, walking over so that she was stood beside him.
He sighed.
"Nothing, I just lost something, and I think I dropped it around here."
Immediately her eyes went to his finger worrying that he had lost his ring, despite him still standing in his costume in front of her. But no, the ring was firmly on his finger.
"What did you lose?"
This time he properly looked away from her, his cheeks blushing red.
"It's something kind of important."
"Is it to do with your superhero duties? I promise I won't tell."
He looked back at her, a smile in his eyes.
"I know you wouldn't."
Now it was her turn to look away. It felt different, Chat trusting her in her civilian form. When she was Ladybug, their relationship had developed and become closer over time, but from the beginning they had been expected to trust one another. Whilst as Marinette he had no obligation to her and their friendship had flourished all on its own.
Suddenly she something under her garden chair caught the moon's light. She bent down to find a necklace on the floor. In her hand she found a ladybug shaped pendant made of crystals attached to a silver chair. It was beautiful.
"Is this what your looking for?" She asked, holding it out towards Chat Noir. His eyes lit up and he reached out a paw to take it, when he froze. He stared at the necklace for a stretched moment before his eyes and paw dropped.
"Are you alright? Is this not yours?"
He shook his head.
"It was never really mine. I bought it for Ladybug, as one last act to show that this flirting isn't just a character with her. That I am truly in love with her." He sighed and leant over the edge of the railing, his eyes staring down at the street below. "But I lost it and missed my chance. Not that I had a chance in the first place, she has made it very clear that she is in love with someone else. So, I've decided to give up hope."
Marinette gazed sadly at her chaton. Although she had known that Chat liked her she hadn't realised just how deeply and that his flirting was more than just playful banter. She joined him to look down at the street and placed a hand on his arm.
"I know how you feel. I'm in love with someone too. I've never felt this way about anyone before. And I know in my heart that he is the one. But he doesn't even know I exist."
As usual her thoughts drifted to Adrien Agreste. His model looks, kind heart and shy demeanour that made her want to dive into his emerald eyes. She shook those thoughts out of her head. Chat Noir was right, there was no point loving someone who didn't love you back. She needed to find someone else and move on. She looked back to Chat only to find that he was already looking at her, an expression of shock on his face.
"What?"
"You are one of the most courageous and smart and beautiful and inspiring people I have ever met. I don't know how that boy can't notice you."
A genuine smile then graced his face. It was the closest to his usual self that she had seen him act all night.
"Why don't you keep the necklace."
Marinette gaped at him in shock.
"I can't. You bought it for someone else. Besides it looks really expensive."
"I'm not going to use it, and neither is Ladybug. Now please if you'll allow me m'lady?"
Chat Noir held his hand out. Slightly startled at him calling her m'lady, she obliged. He took the necklace from her hand and walked behind her. He clasped it around her neck. She could tell that she had guessed right when she thought it looked expensive. It was heavy but no so much that it was uncomfortable. When she turned around, Chat Noir's mouth dropped open and his eyes darted around as though he couldn't distinguish her from the night sky.
"What is it now?"
"Nothing just… you look like starlight."
Somehow, she managed to stop her own mouth from falling open too. Marinette had never had someone look at her or call her anything like that before. She didn't know how to respond. So, she settled for just deciding to thank him for the necklace, but her gratitude was cut off by a loud yawn.
"Sorry." She blushed.
"Don't be. It's my fault for keeping you up. I'll let you get some sleep."
Marinette nodded was headed back to her trap door when she spun around.
"Chat Noir wait!"
The superhero was already perched on her railing ready to jump but stopped at her voice.
"If you ever need anything, even if it's just to talk, I'll be here."
He flashed her his signature grin and saluted before leaping over the rail.
Rolling her eyes at his antics, she went back inside to her bed.
…...
The next morning, Marinette woke up half thinking that the events of last night had been a dream. That was until she felt the weight of the necklace around her neck. She smiled down at it before that calm transcended to panic when she looked at the time on her alarm clock.
Grabbing her things and getting changed in record time, she sprinted out of her house. Miraculously she made it before the bell rung. She slowed her pace to s stroll to try and hide the fact that she was late again. Just as she was walking up the steps she heard someone call her name.
"Hey Marinette!"
Her heart froze as Adrien Agreste headed towards her. His hair glowed golden in the morning sun and his teeth matched its brightness as he smiled at her.
"I like your necklace." He told her. She continued to stare at him, not fully believing that he was actually talking to her without Alya or Nino's influence, when she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to reply.
"Your welcome- I mean thank you! It was err a gift."
"Whoever gave it to you must really care about you."
Marinette thought back to all the times Chat Noir had been there for her. Not for Ladybug, for her.
"Yeah." She sighed. "I like to think they do."
