A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this bit of fluff between Marichat. What do you think will happen next? Penny for your thoughts? ~MH~
Chapter 2: A Late-Night Visitor
The next night, Marinette heard a soft voice calling out her name. Feeling groggy and unbeknownst to her, she called out Adrien's name. Slightly sitting up, she slowly rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Huh? Tikki? Was that you?" A second later, she heard a soft tapping on her hatch door leading to her terrace balcony that held many of her plants. Her eyes now completely open, she got off her bed and tripped over a shoe. She was so tired last night after patrol with Cat Noir, that she forgot to take off her shoes. They must have slipped off in her sleep.
Tentatively, she opened the hatch and she found bright green cat eyes staring back at her. Surprised, she almost lost her grip and fell off. "Good evening, Purrincess," greeted none other than Cat Noir. "May I join you down there?" He waved his hand indicating her room.
"S-sure." Marinette climbed down her ladder and crossed her room to sit in her desk chair. Cat Noir sauntered over to her chaise and crossed his legs. "Well, what brought on this late-night visit?"
"Can't a cat just come see his purrincess when he's lonely?" Marinette noted his eyes seemed sad. Lonely, huh? Must be hard being in love with someone who's in love with someone else… I should know after all. Marinette cast her eyes down, feeling guilty for the pain she's put her precious partner through. Sometimes she's wondered if she should really tell him about her secret identity. She knows she's been the one to tell him that neither of them should reveal themselves to the other, as Ladybug, of course, but what if Cat Noir knew the truth about Marinette? The girl he visits every other night or when he's sad or angry is actually his superhero partner, Ladybug? And crush?
Would he still love the girl under the mask? And if Cat Noir revealed his true self, could Marinette come to love him just the same? Could she ever come to see Cat Noir as someone other than a superhero, her partner, and best friend? Could she give up the love she feels for Adrien and try falling for someone who actually notices her, loves her? No no no, thought Marinette, shaking her head to clear those thoughts away. Cat Noir loves Ladybug. She looks at him, his sad eyes. "What about Ladybug," she asks.
Cat Noir's sad green eyes finally rose up to meet her blue-bell ones. "I wish I could, honestly, because when I'm around her, all I feel is giddy and happy and it feels like I have butterflies in my stomach. She makes me so happy but we never get the chance to really just sit down and talk. To get to know one another, albeit, revealing anything about ourselves can be dangerous for her, for me, for our families and friends...but, I just can't help but want to know that girl. The girl who I'm so desperately and head-over-heels in love with. I don't care who she is under that mask, but she just doesn't seem to get how genuine my feelings are for her. I just don't know what to do anymore. How can I make Ladybug fall in love with me? I wish I could reveal myself to her, then maybe..." Cat Noir seemed to whisper that last sentence.
Sighing, Marinette got up from her chair and cautiously sat down next to her heartbroken partner. Slightly hesitating, she moved her hand to rest on his shoulder. "C'mere," she whispered, as she pulled Cat Noir into her arms for a hug. She hugged him tightly to her, surprise evident in his bright green cat eyes. Her hand moved to his hair, stroking it gently. She slowly started to rub his leather cat ear. A new sound started to reverberate through his chest. Suddenly, she pulled back. "Are you purring?"
Cat Noir's face became a dark shade of red. He was blushing. Averting his eyes from hers, he murmured, "Maybe…" He took a chance and slightly glanced at her. Her face held a light blush on her cheeks.
"Ah-hem." coughed Marinette. She glanced back at him for a split second. Weirdly though, she burst out laughing. "That's such a cat thing to do," she says while continuing to laugh. Cat Noir blushes even harder. "It's so you and I just can't seem to help myself but find it so cute. Haha, you're such a cute kitty." She continues to laugh and she reaches up and scratches him on the chin.
Stuttering, he says, "W-well, I am technically a cat…"
"What a purrity cat you are, too."
His green cat eyes widened at her cat pun. "Purrincess, did you just make a pun?"
"Hmm," she says, "Paw-sibly, yea." She winks at him. "I think my sweet kitty is rubbing off on me." Marinette scratches his chin once more. Cat Noir suddenly stands up and pulled Marinette into a tight embrace. "Thank you," he murmurs into her ear, sending delectable cold chills through her.
"F-for wha-what," she stammered, suddenly her shy self again.
"For being there for me when I'm down. For making me laugh and smile." His arms tightened around her, and hers tightened around him.
"Oh, Kitty," whispered Marinette. I wish I could- Before Marinette was able to finish her thought, there was a loud explosion towards the west of her home.
"Akuma!" both Marinette and Cat Noir said in unison. They looked each other in the eyes. His green cat eyes versus her blue-bell eyes. For a split second a familiarity flashed between them. A confusion that both shook off. "Well, Kitty, it was paw-some seeing you, but I think your duty is calling."
"Haha, there you go sur-purr-ising me by making more cat puns. And here I thought I was the only punner. Haha." Saluting her goodbye, he climbed outside with his last comment slowly fading. "See ya later, Purrincess."
"Yea, see you later."