Author's Note: Friendly heads up for those who care, this chapter contains adult themes. Ooo la la.
- Chapter 19 -
Adrien would have loved to be able to stop time. Now that she knew who he was, there wasn't a single moment that he did not want to spend showing her just how much he had missed her. It was difficult to stay focused on the task at hand. And he really didn't want to.
He wanted to be with her. To hold onto her while she slept beside him. To snuggle together by a fire while counting the endless stars in the sky. To live without fear or uncertainty of what the next day would bring.
He couldn't resist her anymore. And he would never walk away from her again.
He had that day, and couldn't, wouldn't now.
For so long he had burdened himself with all of the blame. For so long he had been trapped in the misery of his past mistakes. But, with her help, he had finally made peace with his past, and with himself.
At that time, he hadn't been able to tell her how he felt; he hadn't been able to tell her that he had fallen for her. But not now, because now, he found strength in his weakness. Found strength because he knew he would not make the same mistake again.
And Marinette almost certainly felt the same. It wasn't necessarily with words, but in her subtle actions.
When he carried her as Chat Noir, she would gently nuzzle her face into his chest. With her arms around his neck, she would sometimes trace little paths along his shoulders and neck with her fingertips.
He'd look down and smile at her. Sometimes stopping altogether to kiss her lips because he simply could not resist letting the moment slip away.
With every kiss, he proved his existence. That Time had finally brought them back together again. And she was eternally thankful for what small delights it did bring her.
For now, the kisses they shared were frequent and chaste. More comforting then passionate.
And yet, as sad as it was, there was very little time for romance. A lingering, creeping feeling weighted on both their hearts and minds.
This beautiful experience that they had found once again – it would not last. It was tightening their love in a shadowy noose. Threatening to end it.
Marinette knelt in a shallow gap between the rocks. Tucking and folding herself into the small space. Letting the shadows conceal her. Her eyes blinked heavily as she fought to stay awake.
Beyond the cave entrance was a large grouping of trees. Looking ethereal with their white trunks, and golden yellow leaves. It was the salty air that turned them white. She could feel the dampness coming from the inside of the dark cave.
She waited patiently. Ears tuned in to the sounds around all around her. The insects were quiet tonight. Although bats squeaked and chirped as they clung to the cave ceiling high above.
She watched them fly in and out of the cave by the dozens. The bright moon making their tiny bodies visible in the dark sky. Watching them kept her mind occupied so that it would not think bad thoughts while Chat Noir was gone.
He had dropped her at the entrance to this cave and kissed her briefly before leaving to go patrol the surrounding area. He intended on stealing some provisions from a nearby camp of Theo's men.
He had spent two days leading the men in circles. Wearing out their horses and forcing them to eventually stop, rest, and get off their trail. While also trying to keep them from following him and Marinette to this specific cave system.
They had to take its offered path. It was the safest and most concealed way to get to the Ocean without being tracked on open ground. It was his final choke point before reaching the water.
From there, it was a toss up between stealing a boat and risking a journey across the Ocean, or heading for the uncharted wilderness of unexplored lands that would eventually lead into the icy northern hemisphere.
Both had their risks. And his careful planning up to this point would end the moment they reached the Ocean.
He pondered all of this as he quietly stalked the camp. Incapacitating only enough guards to get some supplies and hurry back to Marinette. Because it was safer to stay protectively by her side all the time now, instead of leaving her alone.
When Chat Noir finally returned, he had his arms full. Wrapped in a thick wool blanket were unused torches, a short sword, a canteen of water, and some dried meat and fruit. All stolen from the military camp, not that Marinette cared in the least.
They sat close together, chewing on the tough meat, and staring out into the white trees. A breeze played with their yellow leaves, tossing them about.
Marinette traced her fingertips along his forearm in slow, shallow strokes. Up, down and back again. Feeling the solidness of his supernatural armor and the hard packed muscle underneath.
Hovering her hand just above the surface of his arm, she could feel the magic vibrating off his skin in a consistent hum. It was so strange to be able to physically feel it. Almost like lighting trapped in a bottle.
Her eyes narrowed in determined focus as she held it that feeling. Fluttering her fingers along his arm as if playing with the sensation.
"It feels alive." She murmured in genuine amazement.
It earned her a deep throaty chuckle as he kissed her hair.
"In some ways, it is." He whispered against the side of her head.
She dropped her hand away, glancing up briefly up into his masked profile. "Does it hurt?"
"Not all the time." He answered honestly, picking up her hand and intertwining their fingers together.
She leaned her head against his wide chest, watching as he held her hand in his. It was Chat Noir's clawed fingers, but she kept having to remember that it was Adrien's hand beneath those claws. In fact, it was Adrien under all that magic.
It was still breathtaking to think about that: him being here like this. How much he had sacrificed to find her again. It was difficult to imagine that someone would ever care about her like that.
Sure, Theo cared in the way that a spoiled child cared when his favorite toy was taken away. Adrien cared about her as a person. As an individual. He always had.
She had been right to save his life all those years ago. To take a chance that the wounded soldier would be kind to her. As it turns out, not only was he kind, but selfless, brave and astoundingly persistent.
Marinette felt her eyes flutter closed. Taking in a deep, soothing breath. Even though the air exited her lips in a sad sigh.
It wasn't the moment that was sad, it was the setting. Huddled together in the shadows at the entrance of a deep cave. Daring not to talk over a whisper, in case the cavern walls echoed their voices. At first light, the plan was to go into the cave and follow it until it ended. Which, according to him, would be at the Ocean.
The sea cave was ancient. Having been formed over years of erosion and ripping Ocean tides. The water swashing into the sea cave built up continuous high pressures, which emerged in the form of water and air out of small faults and fissures in the cave walls and ceiling. These "blow holes" would serve to light their way as they moved.
The torches, which Chat Noir stole, would only be needed if they had to make a run for it tonight.
For now, the enemy slept, and so would they.
Although, not just yet.
Chat Noir shifted, sitting up, and pulled her with him until they were both standing.
With his feline night vision, he could read her surprised facial expressions. Especially when he snaked his arm around her waist, drawing her up against him unexpectedly.
Marinette barely blinked as his other hand persuaded both of their arms out to the side to hover in the air. Now unexpectedly standing together as if ready to dance.
"Remember?" he asked her tenderly. Revisiting the moment when they had once danced together.
She smiled and nodded wordlessly. Her fatigue died away as the happy action gave her a second wind while warming her cheeks. Their bodies gradually begin to sway together.
The gentle swaying lasted for only a moment, because he playfully spun her away and then pulled her back sharply.
It made her delightfully giggle. Her feet moved beneath her in sheer muscle memory to the steps of their slow dance.
"You were always a good dancer." He purred bringing his right foot beside his left, as she pulled her right foot backwards. He stepped to the right, and she followed his lead.
"You're one to talk." She countered playfully. Remembering that he was the one to first initiate their dancing – back at her little house while the rain poured outside.
He did a quick quarter turn, pulling her with him as they moved as one.
"I grew up being taught all of the finer things in life." He explained.
His hand fell away from her waist, going behind his back as he straightened up, and his chin rose. His feet glided along the ground in a few fluid masculine movements.
"How to dance."
The hand behind his back came forward, suddenly holding an imaginary sword. His stance changed, dropping lower as he rotated his hips.
He circled around her, imaginary sword at the ready.
"How to fight."
She smiled brightly at his antics.
He dropped his ghost sword and stood up fully. He made a sweeping gesture with his arm and bowed deeply before her. His feline tail coiling around his feet.
He stepped forward, taking her hand and kissing the back of it softly. His voice purred over her skin.
"How to be a gentleman."
Marinette scrunched up her nose as he kissed her hand. Her smile reaching all the way up to her eyes.
He scooped her back up into his arms, and resumed their sweet dance.
"Right." She remembered. "An officer-in-training fighting for the Opposition."
He chuckled, dropping her into a sweeping dip which made her head tip backwards.
"I'm pleased you remember." He cooed above her. His voice sounding so rich that is physically warmed her from head to toe.
It was the dancing that brought it all back. Flooding her head with memories and reliving them all over again like a fevered dream. It was all so blissfully delightful to remember. So much so that her heart felt like it would explode with the burden of all the joy.
Chat Noir pulled her into him, rocking from side to side as they both spun in small circles. The quick pace and silly spins slowing down to just the casual hug and sway of their bodies.
Her hand found his shoulder as she remembered how to draw in a full and complete breath once again.
She had always thought that her innocence had died long ago, but she had been wrong. Because as their pasts became real, she naively began to believe in her long forgotten dreams. She began to believe in a them.
She stepped closer, pushing the front of her body against his. Their noses practically touching.
Pouring every truth into her words now. Because she absolutely remembered, and loved him all over again.
"I remember everything." She told to him, her voice barely above a whisper.
He suddenly didn't feel like dancing anymore.
His hands fell away to grab onto the side of her face. Turning her head and drawing it upwards.
He closed the distance between their lips, finding hers parted and waiting for him to devour her.
Passion poured from their mouths. A breathless dance of tongues that made his magic flare and awaken. But even the beast found resolution in their actions. It filled up a different kind of ache.
Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck. Holding him tighter than ever before. She moaned against his lips, loving the unfiltered desires that they had for one another.
She had always wondered what it would be like to kiss a man whom she truly wanted. And now, with every second that their lips and tongues spent exploring, she could feel the glorious sensation building up within her.
True urges coursed through her body. Making her glow from the inside.
Her fingers fisted into his hair, and she let a soft moan escape her lips.
Chat Noir physically stiffened and abruptly pulled away from her mouth, growling against her lips before dropping his head onto her panting chest.
That noise which she had made so effortlessly for him, it was enough to awaken dark thoughts.
While he knew this was her freely giving herself over to him. He still couldn't shake the thought of what their kiss could have been – had Theo not tormented her for all those years.
He let out an angry sigh. It left his lips in an audible snarl.
"Adr—?"
He said nothing. Only sucked in another irritated breath. He had no right to touch her or even want her after what Theo had put her through. What she had endured, it was pure, traumatizing torture.
Marinette ran her fingers along the base of his neck, combing through his hair.
"What is it?" she asked him softly.
"I'm… afraid." He answered simply.
He was afraid. Afraid of her denying him because of her trauma. He hated being afraid.
He couldn't even begin to imagine what Theo had done to her. He didn't want to know. It would make him feel awful for desiring her so intensely when she was hurting.
"O-Of what?" her voice shaking.
"I-I don't want you to hurt... anymore. I don't want to force you to relive bad memories..."
She opened her mouth to interrupt him, but he kept talking. His voice sinking into a low despair.
"… But I want to kiss you. I want to hold you, and love you… I want…"
Marinette kissed his lips, stealing those sad words away. He was still completely rigid and unmoving despite her affections, so she broke away.
She took a few steps backwards, pressing her back into the cave wall and holding on to the cool stone.
Adrien was certain he had messed up, so he planted his feet and made no attempts to close that distance she put between them.
Although, as a small sob cut through the silence, he felt himself break in half. She held his heart in the palm of her hand. If she was crying because of him, she might as well shatter it against the wall because he'd never forgive himself.
With her eyes cast downward, Marinette tried to choke back her stupid reactions. She hadn't meant to start sobbing. And she was willing the tears away with every fiber of her being.
She bit down on her bottom lip as her face twisted with emotion. She knew he could see and hear her sobs.
"I-I d-don't know why… I-I'm crying." She whispered, sucking in an irritated breath as she wiped away tears. "I-I'm so dumb. T-This is so stupid!"
Realizing how terrible that sounded, she began to gesture wildly in the air, while shaking her head back and forth. Words poured from her mouth in a ramble of emotions.
"S-Sorry, no. That's not what I meant. At all. It's all coming out wrong. You're fine. This is fine. I want this. I really do. I know it's hard to believe, and I know that I'm damaged and broken. But, I've never had a say in what happened with my own body. And I want that back. I want to feel whole and alive again…"
She turned teary eyes back up to gaze at him those few feet away, and opened her arms.
"And… I… It feels… so different… with you. All I feel… is you."
He took a hesitant step forward. Her words swirling around him like music.
He turned his head and listened to the night one more time. Drawing in a breath and tasting the air on his tongue. His entire feline senses alive, and searching the surrounding area.
When nothing of alert or alarm came back, he reached for the ring on his finger, and pulled it off in one fluid motion.
As the magic fell away, his knees automatically weakened, but he moved forward towards her.
Marinette had to all but catch him when he fell against her. The sudden weight of him dragging them both to the ground.
Despite the spinning of his head or the nausea swirling in his stomach, he reached out and brushed fingertips against the side of her face.
"Y-You mean that?" he asked, his breath shaking as he fought off the spell's side effects.
She nuzzled against his fingers, burying her cheek into the palm of his hand. His hands were roughly callused from years of holding a weapon, but she still relishing in the feeling of his bare touch without the Chat Noir armor. His skin smelled like the earth after a rainstorm.
"I love you."
He traced her cheekbone with his thumb, as she whispered those wonderful words into his palm.
He kissed her again, and, this time, she did not feel any tension in his body. Instead, he poured his sensitivities into kissing her until she was breathless and gasping for more.
She reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and dragged him down on top of her. All the while hungrily nipping at his mouth. Her body lit alive with his endless kisses. She could start a fire with what she felt for him.
When his hands fisted her clothes, she gasped against his mouth, and the sensation arched her back off the ground. He pulled away from her mouth to begin peppering her neck and chest with slow, longing kisses. Savoring every time his lips touched her skin.
Her chest heaved in small panting gasps as his strong hands rolled over her body. Never lingering, only memorizing her in the dark.
Everything about his touch was alive and different. Sensual and firm, but also compassionate. She loved that he was a gentleman, who knew not to be gentle anymore.
He kept saying her name over and over, calling out to her as if in disbelief, and, each time, she answered him. His heady voice keeping her grounded otherwise she may just grow wings and float away.
With nothing but the quiet stars and a jealous moon, they stayed wrapped in each other's arms. Finding the secret wants for one another which had been locked and stolen away. And, all over again, she became his weakness, and he became her strength.
It was the warm sunlight on the back of Marinette's neck that woke her up at first.
Her nose was buried into his bare chest as she used one of his arms as a pillow; the other was wrapped around her waist. Even in his sleep, he held her.
No birds sung around them. They were all too quiet.
She turned soft, half asleep eyes up to gaze up at his resting handsome face. His mouth parted in quiet sleep. She was afraid to move. Even a deep breath might disturb his rest.
Savoring the moment, she willed time to stop, and closed her sleepy eyes once again. Drifting off easily in the blessed wave of contentment.
Please just let them have this moment. A single night was barely enough time.
But a horse whinnied sharply, as swords cleared their sheaths, and a horde broke through the trees.
Plagg stepped into a swirling mist without looking back. He walked for several seconds, unable to see anything beyond the thick clouds all around him. Any other creature that entered this fog would be ignored. But as he continued to walk through, the invisible barrier opened to him.
He could hear voices floating all around him. Whispering. Mocking. Teasing. They were all meaningless dribble, so he ignored their high-pitched words. He wasn't here for any of them anyway.
Slowly a figure materialized and stood before him. He silently hoped she wasn't too pissed.
"Idiot. You should never have come back here." She called.
So much for that.
Plagg audibly groaned in annoyance. "Well, I'm here now. So…"
"And just what are you asking me to do exactly?" her voice so irritated that every word was shrill and rushed.
Without waiting for Plagg to answer, she kept talking.
"You may find it amusing to play with the mortals, but the rest of us prefer to keep to ourselves and not mettle in…"
"Oh, please. Like any of the other's powers could hold a candle to mine and yours." Plagg interrupted her.
"Flattery will do you no good either." She snapped back.
"Look gorgeous, as much as I enjoy our little chit-chats, you know that I wouldn't be here if I did not think both of them were worthy…"
"So says you." She scoffed.
Plagg crossed his arms over his chest. "Yeah. I do say so. That should at least mean something to you. At least… it used to."
She sighed heavily, closing her eyes, and rubbed her temples.
"Why do you like to make my existence so difficult?" she moaned.
"Because, admit it, you know you like cleaning up my messes." Plagg teased.
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Used to. Probably a few centuries ago. I used to like it. Now I find it tiresome and irritating."
"But…?" he hinted making his voice playful to make her smile.
She shut him down with a flash of power building across those scarlet eyes. "No. Don't even try that attitude with me, Plagg. You made this mess, you fix it."
A little lighting bolt of energy arched across Plagg's temple and fizzled out in the misty air.
"I am chaos and destruction, I do not fix things." He warned.
She threw up her hands and turned around, walking away from him and his ego.
"You can't hide from me forever." He shouted after to her.
"Ha!" she called over her shoulder as she disappeared into the mist, and he could no longer sense her presence.
"Damnit." He cursed to himself as the metaphorical door slammed in his face and he was left standing in the dissipating fog.
Well, that could have gone better.
Author's Note: I am very sorry for the short chapter and the even eviler cliffhanger. But I've really got to focus hard on the ending - which is proving difficult to write. And yes, I'm sorry to say, but this whirl-wind, emotionally draining, tale is coming to an end. I seem to be apologizing a lot on this chapter... Don't hate me please! I sincerely melt when reading all of the love that this fic has received. I read the comments over and over again. Your reviews and likes have always been my inspiration to keep it going. And I truly appreciate all of you.
Speaking of which... User: Wrightless - I just have to say that I legit cracked up laughing at your comment. You're the best. I loved that you hijacked the last chapter and put your own creative spin on it. It was glorious, simply glorious. Thanks for being you.