Marinette woke up, and squinted. What happened? Why was she at her Uncle Hawthorn's? Oh right.
Nathaniel.
She couldn't wrap her head around it. Why was Chat there in the first place? Why did he seem so protective over her? She was grateful, but she didn't get why he jumped away when he'd killed Nathaniel. Almost like he'd never killed anyone before. But that was ridiculous, because he had killed plenty of officers before.
"Goodbye Uncle, I've got an interview." She lied, leaving the house.
"At nine thirty in the evening?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She nodded, smiling slightly.
"Alya, you know..." She blushed.
"Off you go. You're nineteen, you have your own mind." He smiled slightly.
Well, she wasn't planning on seeing Alya.
She planned on bumping into Chat. If her suspicions were correct, he would be watching her from a tree. He knew her routine, and as much as that scared her, she truly believed he wouldn't hurt her. She would be dead if he really wanted her to be. She stood, in the driveway outside her uncle's house. She smiled slightly. The bluenette lifted her head, and looked up in the tree.
Cat in a tree.
She giggled.
"Aren't you coming down?" She asked, He peered down, and shook his head.
"No." He answered shortly.
"I never really thanked you- not properly." She smiled; it lit her whole pretty face up.
"I killed him, I didn't do anything heroic."
"Who knew what he'd have done if you hadn't been there, Chat." She offered him her hand. He took it, leading her down the road to an abandoned alleyway.
"Hey, it's all in a days' work." He wrapped his arms around his waist, to preserve heat in the winter's night, "Listen, I know you won't believe me, but-" She sighed, and he hadn't realised the tears running down her face.
"Chat, I'm sorry." She sniffed, wiping her eyes.
"Don't ever be sorry." He answered, "talk to me." She looked in to his emerald eyes, a sad smile on his lips. He held her shoulder, a tender gesture that comforted her and persuaded her to speak.
"I thought he loved me! He always was there, Uncle Hawthorn approved. and I never ever suspected there being another woman." She began, "let alone Chloe, the selfish cow. I don't know what he wanted from me..."
"Your hurt, pain and anguish. Which he would've got if he survived. But he didn't, so it doesn't matter. I wouldn't let you ever hurt." She blushed, and he leaned in, and she felt uncomfortable. She moved away quickly, not bothering to look at the hurt in his own expression. She'd only just got over a break-up, for God's sake. She couldn't be bothered with another love affair.
"So, you're the mafia leader?" She asked him.
"Naw, it's actually Hawk Moth. Him, Volpina, Bubbler, Lady Wifi, Mime and myself are a part of the Opposition, our formal name. Y'know, you'd make a purrfect addition." He grinned, winking at her. Marinette laughed loudly, way too loudly.
"No I wouldn't!" She chuckled. He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, you would. Look at you." He sounded in awe of her, "You know, take these." He handed her a simple shoe box. She eyed it in curiousity.
"What is it?" She asked him. He shrugged. Then his face turned sincere, and urgent. She felt scared of him, suddenly, with his eyes narrowed. She turned around. A man with orange hair and a cap stood in front of them. His face grew taunt, and pressed her in his chest, so she wasn't visible to the officer. "Cha-"
"Look who it is." The man replied coldly. Chat raised his gun, but the aftermath of yesterday stuck to him. He couldn't kill again, certainly not in front of her. He merely smirked, cockily. Marinette struggled against him, feeling claustrophobic.
"Captain Roger. A pleasure." He grinned, and winked, "My little girl's a little hormonal, you see, so I should be off to... y'know, please her, like a real man can." Marinette spluttered- he was lying to her dad's boss? Shit, that was bad, very bad, but not as bad as the fact that she hadn't told her uncle that she was meeting Chat Noir. She stayed still. Suddenly they were lifted into the air, and she shrieked.
"Chat!" She shrieked, clutching his suit tightly. He landed perfectly on the rooftop. He watched her recover, smirking, and trying not to laugh. "It's not funny!" He tried to compose himself, but she smacked his arms.
"It is, just a little." He grinned, and she rolled her eyes.
"No," She smiled herself, "maybe just a little, but you got sidetracked." He looked at her, sighing.
"It's yours." She started to speak, but he cut her off, "This is for when you're ready. Don't open it til you are. Trust me you will know." She smiled, and he helped her down to the house.
"Thanks." She smiled more, holding the box.
"I'll see you around, princess."
She was glad that it was dark so he couldn't see her blush.