This follows on directly from chapter 6 so better make sure you've read that one first
Day 7 - Mari Protects Chat
"So once again," Marinette said, clearly frustrated with the reporter she was currently addressing, "Chat Noir simply saved me from an akuma. He was not then, nor is he now, interested in me."
"So why did he carry you for so long?" came a shout from the back of the crowd.
Marinette gritted her teeth and took a deep breath before continuing. She had asked for this to be arranged to help Chat and fix his reputation. It would not do anyone any good if she lost her temper. "I was being targeted by an akuma who could move fast. There was no way for me to avoid being caught and possibly harmed if he hadn't carried me. And the akuma was making it difficult for us to escape."
"So, an adult did not flirt with you, is that what you're saying?" a particularly slimy online journalist asked. Clearly looking to get a reaction for his little digital tabloid, Marinette thought.
"Just how old do you think Chat Noir is?" she asked him.
There was a murmur through the crowd she was still surprised had gathered in the numbers before her. She'd only asked maybe half a dozen of the local news outlets if they wanted her story on the rumours circulating. Legally they couldn't harass her for information because she was a minor, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to speak to them as long as her parents agreed. Maman hadn't liked it but Papa had agreed on the condition that he was present during any questions. However, when they'd shown up to the pre-arranged meeting place, they'd been shocked to discover that somehow word had gotten out that she was speaking and it appeared to have turned into a whole mini-press conference.
"Are you trying to say Chat Noir isn't an adult?" Mrs Chamack asked her gently and Marinette was glad the woman had agreed to come. She was so much more gentle and understanding than a lot of these vultures, but she did suspect that was only because she knew Marinette personally.
"All I'm trying to say, is you'll probably find it harder to pin down an exact age you all agree on for him. Ladybug too." She smiled. "Their powers and costume are granted by powerful magic and we don't understand everything it can do. You'll find that a lot of young people think the two of them are young too."
"Marinette!" Chat said, appearing on her balcony and scooping her into a hug before she'd gotten a chance to prepare herself. She dropped the watering can she was using and watched as it clattered away to the floor, draining onto the concrete.
"Um, Hi Chat," she said as he let go, a huge smile taking over the majority of his face.
"You were fantastic!" he cried, and she placed her finger against her own lip and shushed him, lest people notice him up on her balcony and start the rumours all over again. "I haven't had a single nasty thing shouted at me since they printed and aired the stuff you said. A couple people even asked me what age I was – not that I told them of course, but-"
She watched him fondly as he continued to garble out every little thing that came into his head, his manic joy contagious and uplifting. She couldn't help but laugh a little and watched as he cut off mid-sentence and, upon seeing her laugh wasn't a mockery of him, laughed along with her.
"Thanks, Princess."
"Don't mention it Chat. It was my turn to protect you."
