Characters: Cat Noir/Adrien, Marinette, Alya
Summary: "Of course, you always need somebody's help. Always needing somebody to hold your hand... absolutely useless by yourself..."
Pairings: Maricat (Marinette x Cat Noir)
Author's Note: I write his name as Cat Noir because where I am, the show is called Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Plus, he's a cat. Chat Noir doesn't really make sense to me. Also, sorry, no cat puns :(
Word Count: 2,268
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir or anything that goes along with the show.
~*~ Line Break ~*~
Cat Noir jumped from roof to roof on all fours, his lithe body merely a shadow against the Parisian night sky. Crystalline drops of water rained down on him but the cat themed superhero seemed not to notice. He was too lost within his mind, too deep in his troubles to notice that he was being soaked. Had he been running just for fun, he would've enjoyed the rain. Had he been out for a simple patrol he would've been grateful that his leather cat suit repelled much of the water.
To anybody watching Cat Noir, they would've seen a very dramatic seen as he stood up on his feet, lightening illuminating his body as thunder shook the city. His troubled green eyes scanned the city below him, looking for wrong-doers. It was unlike Cat Noir to go looking for trouble unless he was on patrol with his partner in crime. Then, it was his duty to look for potential akuma victims. But now he just needed somebody to fight, somebody to take his anger out on.
Instead of finding a criminal, he found a girl. Raven blue hair was plastered to her pale face, her pigtails dripping water as she ran through the downpour. Her blue eyes were filled with frustration as she tried to balance all the rolls of fabric that she carried while focusing on where she was going. She tripped over her own foot and collided with the ground, the rolls of fabric escaping her grasp and rolling away from her fallen body.
Marinette.
The name echoed in his head. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She could help him. Cat Noir knew she was a great listener and maybe she would give him some advice, make him feel less useless. Before he could listen to the rational part of his brain that pointed out that Marinette might find a superhero coming to her for help weird, that Marinette didn't know that outside of his mask they were classmates and friends, he used his staff to land gracefully in front of her.
"Need help, princess?" he asked, drawing her attention away from her fabrics. She simply nodded as she sloppily wrapped the fabrics up that had unraveled, quietly cursing how muddy her brand new purchases were. Cat Noir fell to his knees and began helping her in her quest of salvaging her new fabrics. Once everything was back in her arms, Cat Noir found himself picking her up.
"W-what are you doing?" she stammered out as the sudden movement nearly made her drop everything again.
"Home delivery via Cat Express," was all the boy said before he was off, leaping across the city with nothing but an indestructible magic staff to balance him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Cat Noir felt like traveling like this with Marinette was... right, like he'd done it before. Marinette didn't seem scared that they were cutting through the air faster than the cars were moving. Her grip on him wasn't tight. Matter fact, she seemed more preoccupied with keeping all of the fabrics in her arms than the fact that with one slip, she'd be falling to her death.
"You're a natural," Cat Noir commented as they landed on the roof - or "balcony" as Marinette called it - of her room. Despite the floor being slippery from the rain, Marinette landed with ease. The brunette girl turned to the blond boy and raised an eyebrow.
"Ok? Thanks for the ride home but I could've managed on my own," Marinette said, crossing her arms over her chest. Her tiny body was shaking from the cold rain and it was only then that Cat Noir realized that he was soaked to the bone and absolutely freezing. His teeth began to chatter.
"S-sure, y-you c-c-could've, p-princess," Cat Noir stuttered through his chattering teeth. It was only in his mind - it had to be. Because one couldn't be fine one second and suddenly turning into a human popsicle the next, right? Maybe if he thought of warm thoughts...
"Cat, your freezing!' Marinette explained, pointing out the obvious. "How long have you've been in this weather?" Cat Noir only shrugged. He was so lost in his problems that he really didn't remember leaving his manor. "Inside, now!" Marinette ordered. The boy didn't argue and made his way down the louder into Marinette's very pink room.
Cat Noir sat down on the carpet, not wanting to wet the girl's furniture. He desperately wanted to detransform and get out of the suit of wet leather.
"Stay here," Marinette said firmly as if she was afraid that he would dash back into the freezing rain.
As if.
Marinette disappeared through her bed room door, leaving Cat Noir alone to his thoughts.
What are you doing, Adrien? he thought to himself. It almost felt wrong to think of himself as Adrien while dressed Cat Noir. Even he would admit that his two personas where total opposites. Do you expect her to listen to all your woes? To help carry your burden? Why would she? What have you've done for her in this suit? Saved her from a few akumas, nothing she probably couldn't have done herself. You're a superhero and she's not... pretty pathetic that you would need her help. Of course, you always need somebody's help. Always needing somebody to hold your hand... absolutely useless by yourself...
When Marinette came back, Cat Noir was making his way up the ladder to her balcony.
"Cat!" Marinette chided. She carefully put down her load before making her way to his retreating body. Grabbing the tail of his cat costume, Marinette pulled Cat Noir back into her room. "I told you to stay here!"
"Why do you care?" Cat Noir grumbled. Marinette's eyes widened at the sudden change in his tone.
"I care because you'll get sick in that downpour. What's with the attitude?" Cat Noir shook his head, ashamed that he let his bitter mood - which had come back at full force - get the better at him.
"I-I'm sorry. I'll go." Cat Noir made another attempt at the ladder just to be led back.
"Stop. Sit." Marinette ordered sternly. As Cat Noir sat back down - this time on the chair by her computer where Marinette had ordered him to - he couldn't help but wonder who was this girl. Yes, he'd seen Marinette like this when it counted, an example being when Darkblade attacked. But where was this girl when they talked as friends? Where was this leader when he was simply Adrien Agreste, part time model? And why was she replaced with a timid child that could'nt complete a sentence?
It was like replacing Ladybug with an abused child.
Marinette handed Cat Noir a warm mug of hot chocolate, little white marshmallows floating in it's chocolaty depths. Cat Noir vaguely noticed that she had changed out of her sopping wet clothing into pink pajamas.
"Tell me, kitty. What's wrong?" Just like he had guessed, Marinette was completely willing to listen to his problems. And with that little question, the cracked dam burst and Cat Noir was ranting his troubles.
"It's... it's just... I'm tired of not being appreciated! With the mask or not, no one cares about me. My father is never there and nobody but my friends cares about me as a person. Famous with or without the mask, do you know how hard it is to find someone who likes you for you? And then to find out that few people like you no matter what you do? Everyday I risk my neck to save Paris and Paris doesn't care. In their eyes I'm just the sidekick, the unimportant sidekick. I know, Ladybug would probably be offended if she heard me now. So many times have she told me that we're a team, that I'm not just a sidekick but I can't help but feel that hero-sidekick is the dynamics of our partnership.
"One time Ladybug was MIA during an akuma attack and I took down the villain all by myself. I fault him, found where his akuma was hiding, and destroyed the butterfly with my cataclysm. It seemed to have the same effect as purifying the butterfly except, you know, one less butterfly for Hawkmoth to use. Ladybug came at the tail end and cast her Lucky Charm simply so she had something to throw in the air and clean the mess up with - to this day I wonder what that whistle could've been used for. She did hardly nothing, yet guess who's name the citizens chanted!
"And you don't even want to know the crap people talk about me when I'm not in costume. 'Cat Noir is weak. Cat Noir is nothing without Ladybug. Cat Noir doesn't deserve to work with ladybug. Cat Noir is gay because what boy wears a cat costume'. What is that last one even about? A cat is an animal, what does that have to do with my sexuality? Would you rather me be the ladybug? It hurts to hear all this and then to realize that all of it - except for the gay cat one - is true! I am weak on my own. I will never be as good as Ladybug! I don't-"
"Cat! Cat Noir! Stop!" Marinette interrupted. Sometime during the rant she had gotten up from her bed and kneeled by Cat Noir's side. Her blue eyes brimmed with tears and it was only then that Cat Noir realized that he had begun crying as well. His hands tightly squeezed the mug of hot chocolate, spiderweb cracks spreading on the cup while the brown liquid spilled onto his lap.
"Cat Noir, none of that is true. You are an amazing superhero, with or without Ladybug. She needs you just as much as you need her. Do you know how many times you saved her butt? Dark Cupid, Timebreaker, Reflekta - just to name a few. All times you jumped in front of danger for Ladybug. Ladybug is lucky to have you. Just as Ladybug said, you two are an unstoppable team! Don't let the others make you forget that. They may not realize how lucky they are to have you and they might never realize it until it's too late. But don't let that stop you from saving Paris because Paris needs you. Fighting for people even when they don't want you too is what makes you a true superhero. Do you understand?" Cat Noir nodded dumbly as he stared wide-eyed at the girl. "Great. Now wipe away those negative feelings before Hawkmoth gets you!" she joked.
Cat Noir gulped. Looking back, he doesn't know what made him do it. Maybe it was the hype of the moment. Maybe it was the fact that she was there for him when it felt like the whole word was against him, even when she had no obligation to be. Or maybe it was because at that moment, Marinette Dupain-Cheng reminded him so much of Ladybug, it was scary. But before he could stop himself, Cat Noir find himself leaning closer and closer to the brunette.
He kissed her.
It was a blissful moment. A scary, blissful moment of perfection. Cat Noir never wanted it to end. He never wanted to separate their lips whether she was kissing back or not. But all good things come to an end and a particular loud crack of thunder brought Cat Noir crashing back to reality.
Cat Noir's eyes flew open as he jumped up from his seat. His heart was pounding as he started at Marinette. Gingerly, the girl brought the pads of her fingers up to her lips.
"C-cat?" His head spun as he realized what he just did. He gritted his teeth in anger. He always ruined everything!
"I-I'm so sorry, Mari. I didn't - you just - it was... I'm sorry!' And with that, Cat Noir ran. There was nothing Marinette could do as the boy practically lept up the ladder like the cat he was and dissipated into the rain.
~*~ Line Break ~*~
Adrien Agreste leaned heavily against his hand the next morning, willing himself not to fall asleep. Class will be starting soon, he tried to remind himself but it was no use. After his little show in Marinette's room last night, the blond boy got little to no sleep. He couldn't stop think what to do about it. Apologize for kissing her? Avoid her? Pretend it never happened? The only silver lining he could find was that things wouldn't be awkward - at least, not from her end - when he was Adrien and not Cat Noir. Adrien didn't randomly kiss Marinette. Adrien was safe.
"Do not tell me nothing happened, I saw Cat Noir leave your room last night!" Alya squealed as Marinette and Alya walked into the classroom. Adrien's back erected as he was shocked awake.
"What was you doing outside my house in that storm?" Marinette replied, avoiding her friend's question.
"Not important. The important part is that something happened between you and Cat Noir. Spill!" Marinette rolled her eyes. It also looked like she got zero sleep.
"Alya, stop! Just drop it! Nothing happened last night, alright?" she snapped. Whether it was because she was pissed about the kiss or simply upset with her friend's constant questioning, Adrien didn't know. He prayed that it was the latter.
"Fine, be that way. But you can't stop me from thinking about it! I wonder what the ship name would be? Mari-Noir? Catinette? Oh! Maricat! I like it!" Marinette groaned but Adrien couldn't help but chuckle at the idea.
Maricat? Almost as good as Ladynoir!
~*~ Line Break ~*~
Author's Note:
I got the whole "gay because of cat suit" thing from my mom. Everytime I watch the show she has to make a comment like that even though she's one of the biggest gay rights-supporters I know. Honestly, I can not watch two minutes of Cat Noir without hearing a comment like that. Always saying he looks feminine as Cat Noir and as Adrien and that she would have no problem about him wearing a skin tight suit if he actually had muscles. God, I wish I had a tv in my own room where I can watch my show in peace!