As Marinette was guided to the restroom one thought went through her mind at a very fast pace, Why does Chat's touch keep doing that to me?
Upon reaching the restroom the server explained that they were individual bathroom stalls with toilets and sinks. Marinette was to go in, close the door, then remove her blindfold before doing what she needed to do. After she was finished she was to put the blindfold back on and open the door. The server would wait for her and lead her back to the table.
Marinette took off the blindfold and stared at herself in the mirror. "What have you gotten yourself into?" She mumbled to herself.
She ran some cool water and splashed it on her cheeks to try and calm herself down. When Chat Noir had held her hands before she knew he was Chat Noir, she had felt shivers run up her spine. His touch had been electric to her. At the time a traitorous thought had popped up, wondering if Adrien would make her feel like that.
Then when she realized that he was Chat, she thought that his touch wouldn't bother her anymore. In front of her was her partner and friend. But as the evening went on they kept bumping hands as the talked. He would often stroke or caress her for the briefest of moments before taking his hand away. He possibly thought she didn't notice. But, in reality, it still sent little shivers through her every. single. darn. time!
I'm still in love with Adrien, I can't seem to get over him. She told herself. Why am I letting Chat do this to me? I could just keep my hands to my side of the table and the touching would stop. So why don't I? Arrugh! Chat was frustrating her in a very unusual way. Again.
Back in high school she had off and on thought that Chat was nice when he visited her. Even after the Weredad fiasco. If it hadn't been for that, if it hadn't been for her loving Adrien, back then she may have dated him. As Marinette or Ladybug. She knew that way back then. She was shocked to find it still true.
She couldn't hide in the bathroom any longer, so she put on the blindfold and was escorted back to the table. The sever offered the cloth that had been left for her and Marinette re-wiped her hands and handed the cloth back.
"All better my lady?" Chat asked her after the server had left.
"Yes kitty." She said and really hoped that he couldn't feel the heat from her cheeks.
"I hope you don't mind, but when they took away the dishes from the last course the server asked if we would like some coffee. I took the liberty to ask for a light coffee for you."
Marinette didn't mind. They had both refused the wine that was offered with each course. They had been drinking water and she could use something strong right now. "It's fine."
The server came back and announced. "The desert and cheese tray is to be shared. Your coffees will arrive after to round out the meal."
From the sound of it a single large plate was placed on the table between them. So much for keeping her hands away from Chat's.
"Well, please excuse my fingers if they get on something before you take it." Chat had almost purred out the line. It was flirting, defintely flirting. She could dismiss the flirting. Right?
"No problem kitty." She almost stammered. She put her hands forward and felt for the plate. She explored with her fingertips and found that there was different slices of cheese, small tarttlets and mini-pastries. She picked up a piece of cheese and a pastry.
"So how long will you be in university kitty?"
"About three years total. You?"
"Maybe two and a half."
"Ah, you'll be out in the workforce before me." Chat had brushed her hand again while he was looking for a bit of dessert.
"No! Umm not really. I'll have that intern position for a year learning under professionals. Then I'll come back for a half year of more business studies and my final portfolio presentation." Marinette felt a little more relaxed talking again. She was mostly ignoring the occasional touches that happened while they were reaching for the desserts.
"Well, what happens then? Your own fashion line?"
Marinette smiled. "No, before I get my own fashion line I'll spend a few years making a name for myself, if not in a fashion house then maybe with that online store. Then who knows. What about you? Straight into the family business?"
"Paw-sibly." Both of them chuckled. "Right now I'm really enjoying myself. I have less restrictions then when I was a teenager. Though I'm trying to find more time to play video games."
"Oh really? Which ones?"
"Well, there's Rhythm Bust, Rageblood, KartSkool and Ultimate Mecha Strike V."
"Ultimate Mecha Strike V?" Marinette gasped. "When did that come out?"
Chat brushed her hand again as she was about to pickup a piece of cheese. "Just last month. I have a friend that is usually very good at the series and I want to beat her at it."
Marinette knew that he meant her. They would occasionally play when he visited her during high school. She was going to have get a copy for herself now. "So you need to level yourself up before you challenge her? She must be pretty good, or you're just that bad." She teased.
"Naw, she is good. She is pawsome at games. She plays against her dad all the time and that's how she gets so good."
That's right, dad might have a copy already, Marinette thought. "Well I hope that you get in some practice and have some fun battling against her." She now wondered when Chat might come over to play video games.
"Are you any good at it my lady?" Chat inquired.
"Me? Um why would you think I play video games?" She stammered a little.
Chat brushed her hand again with his. "Well you sounded so surprised that the next version was out. I thought maybe you had played them in the past." It felt like he leaned towards her a little, "Were you good?"
"Y-yeah Kitty. I used to play lots of video games. I was alright at Ultimate Mecha Strike II and III. I played some video games before I started university. Now I just don't seem to have the time."
"I know how that can get. I barely get enough time to hang out with some of my civilian friends, like Nino. Finding extra time for video games on my own is tough. School work has to come first sometimes."
Marinette felt around the plate and couldn't find any more cheese or pastries. Or so she thought. She had her fingers on what felt like the last of the jam tarttlets, just as Chat's fingers wrapped around hers.
"I guess this is the last one my lady." A chill went up her spine and back down as Chat said that. All the breath fled from her lungs and she hastily dragged in some more.
