Eighty-Seven: What Now?

Chat and Marinette consider the future.

About a month and two dozen akumas after Master Fu vanished, I landed on the balcony of our apartment about an hour after midnight, pleasantly exhausted from the physicality required of Ladybug's most recent Lucky Charm; I knew I was too keyed up to try for sleep, so I twisted around a bit and sat along the wrought iron, watching the shadows dance across the building beside ours. Still keeping to our identity protocol, Ladybug and I had parted ways once the dust had been cleared up at the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle. I had to admit, over the past few months the creativity Hawkmoth had been demonstrating was a bit troubling; the wooly mammoth of a sentimonster had been enormously difficult to take down. My Cataclysm was at best a minor irritant to most we'd encountered, but with my ability to call upon it more than once, I'd taken to using it as a way to enhance my protection of Ladybug while she figured out her Charm. You cannot believe how handy it can be to bring down a building or two in order to slow a sentimonster – especially when the Miracle Cure can restore them right as rain afterward.

As the wind ruffled my wild mane, my thoughts turned toward more mundane matters, like the kettle of tuna fish Master Fu had left us with. Thirty days wasn't a lot of time to adjust to a new normal, but given how we'd been babysitting the Miracle Box for a few months before that, essentially not much had changed – other than the fact Marinette could no longer look forward being relieved from the tremendous responsibility the Box entailed. Honestly, I'd long assumed Master Fu would turn the box over to Ladybug once he deemed her ready; I was doubly glad it had happened after Marinette and I were together as a couple, for I knew she'd need all the support I could give her – and then some.

Not that it was strictly necessary; even if she didn't realize it, I knew deep in my feline soul Marinette was the best person for the gig. No one else came close; on that point, Master Fu and I were in total agreement.

One thing that had concerned me a bit was how we had sidelined the planning of our wedding. It was almost as if both of us had some unresolved questions about what life would be like with Marinette as Guardian; for me, it was mostly my usual concerns around protecting her, and how the Box was complicating that. Marinette, on the other hand, seemed hesitant to even discuss the issue; I'd chanced to bring it up a week or two earlier, since I'd wanted to block out some dates for a possible honeymoon trip, but she'd turned away the question with a let's talk about that later-type of response. While I couldn't blame her – there truly was a ton of stuff on her plate now – I worried deeply that maybe, just maybe, she had grown tired of her kitty entirely, the ultimate nightmare scenario for me.

Sighing, I pulled a knee up to my chin. There was no way I would press the issue, but I did find myself sad that the head of steam we'd gotten up after that fateful night we'd had dinner with her parents had completely dissipated. And for once, I didn't seem to have an idea how to restoke the fire to get the water bubbling once more.

The lock of door to our apartment clunked open, and a moment later I picked up the unique scent of my fiancé through the open slider of the balcony. Smiling, I waited as I heard her soft footsteps across the living room, bringing her to my side. "Hey, kitty," she said softly as she snuck her arm beneath mine.

"Princess," I said fondly before kissing her on the top of her head.

"Cosmic thoughts?"

I started to reply and then wondered if I should tell her what was top of mind. Not truly able to keep my feelings from her – my tail was already twisting tortuously – I sighed. "I'm thinking about weddings," I replied. "Specifically, ours."

"Ah," she sighed. "That's my fault," Marinette continued. "I've been so caught up in my change of status, I've sidelined everything else."

"You have," I smiled slightly. After a deep breath, I added quietly: "Even a certain insanely handsome feline."

Marinette looked at me, startled. "I-what?" she stammered.

I slipped off the railing smoothly and pulled her into my arms. "I get it," I said softly. "Being Guardian is a big deal. But you aren't doing this alone, Milady. I'm here for you."

She blinked. "I've known that for a long time," Marinette said after a moment, then reached up to push back a bang of my mane. "I've just been a bit distracted, that's all."

"I, uh, am used to being that distraction," I replied quietly. "Is it possible for me to be jealous over a mystical piece of furniture?"

Marinette smiled the smile she saved just for me. "Nothing could ever replace you, kitty," she said softly as she reached up to run a finger along the edge of my mask. I closed my masked eyes at her electric touch. "Not even a magical mystical piece of furniture."

I opened my eyes. "Then tell me what is truly bothering you."

Marinette looked away. Taking a deep breath, she turned back toward me. "I'm concerned that… being Guardian has changed our relationship."

Arching a masked eyebrow, I asked: "In what way?"

"Well, for starters I could demand you turn in your Miraculous," she said slowly.

"You could," I nodded. "And if you did, I would do it."

She looked at me. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." I ran a paw through her hair. "In case you'd forgotten, I would do anything for you."

"For Marinette? Or for the Guardian?"

"There's no difference," I replied softly. "You are you."

"Being Chat means everything to you," she countered. "You'd let me take that away from you?"

"Being your husband means more," I said firmly, before giving her my best wolfish smile. "Of course," I added slowly, drawing my claw tip gently down the skin of her arm, eliciting a slight shudder from Marinette in response, "you'd have to be willing to give up what Chat brings to the table during our nocturnal romps…"

Marinette had to swallow before saying: "Be serious!"

"I am being serious, Princess," I replied. "I'd give up everything if it meant I'd be able to spend the rest of my life with you."

She looked at me. "Conversely… if I told you I needed you as Chat indefinitely, and that might involve you getting injured – or worse – would you do it?"

"Absolutely," I answered with no hesitation, before cocking my head at her. "Is this what it's all about? Are you worried about getting into a situation where I might get hurt?"

She looked away. "Maybe."

"That's always been the case," I replied. "From day one. That hasn't changed."

"Yes, it has," she replied quietly as she looked into my feline eyes. "Before, it was Master Fu. Now… now, it's my responsibility. It's on me if you get hurt." Marinette looked away. "I can't imagine ordering my… husband… into harm's way."

My masked eyes widened. "Milady…"

"And what if… what if I told you even if we did marry, we'd not be able to start a family—"

"Mari," I interrupted, "why would you think that?"

She turned back to me, and I could see tears and fears in her deep blue eyes. "How can I be a mom when I have these responsibilities? How could I ask the father of my children to risk the possibility of making them orphans?"

"Being Guardian hasn't changed the danger we've always faced as holders," I said slowly.

"Hasn't it?" she asked. "Not only do I have to protect Paris, now I have to protect the Box and its secrets. There's nothing normal about that – and no way we could ever have a normal life while it's in my possession."

I could hear her heartrate was elevated, and given how wide her eyes were, it wasn't hard to see she was on the verge of a full-on anxiety attack. While I'd thought she was struggling a bit, I cursed at myself internally for not seeing the signs earlier. Pulling her into my black-cladded chest, I hugged her close and leaned down to an ear.

"Milady, I hate to break this to you, but there is nothing normal about our lives."

"Chat—"

"Mari," I said, pulling back a bit, "you willingly moved into an apartment with a human-sized feline. I think we can handle whatever new normal being Guardian represents."

She looked at me, and after a moment, a slight smile appeared. "I did, didn't I?"

"Yes," I smiled.

Marinette leaned her head into my chest. "I'm overreacting, aren't I?"

"Not really," I said softly as I stroked her hair; her heartrate had notched down a bit, so I added in some purring to try and calm her further. "Maybe just a little. But that is totally you."

"I suppose it is," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm at my wits end, I guess."

"Milady," I said softly, "we do this together, like always. We've been handling Hawkmoth for more than a decade now; I'm pretty sure we can handle the Box – or," I added quietly, "having kittens."

Mari looked back at me, the fear there again. "I just don't know if we can."

"We can. You can," I said. "You forget I've seen you in action for years. There isn't anything you can't do, and of that I am defelinely certain."

"You have that much faith in me?" she asked quietly.

"And more," I replied as I hugged her close. "We just take it slow, that's all."

Marinette stepped out of my embrace and moved to the railing, then leaned against it on her arms. "You would still marry me, knowing I'm Guardian? And all that entails?"

She asked the question so quietly, my feline ears had to strain a bit to hear it. Leaping to the railing, I settled into a spot just in front of her. "Yes," I replied. "I would." Putting my paw on her hand, I smiled at her. "Is that what you were worried about? I'd say 'no' because of your new duties?"

Marinette searched my eyes. "Yeah," she said quietly.

I let my tail curl around her waist in a gentle embrace. "Oh, Mari," I said softly. "You can't get rid of this alley cat that easily."

"But—"

I put a claw tip to her lips. "I would marry you in a heartbeat. I would follow you to the ends of the earth if that's what you wanted. I. Love. You," I added. "And have for a long, long time. Does being Guardian complicate our lives? Sure. Does it mean I love you less?" I shook my mane. "Milady, the fact that you are so willing to do what it takes to keep this city safe endears you even more to me."

"Are you sure?" she asked again.

I took both hands into my paws. "My destiny is to be by your side, come hell or highwater. Always."

"Always?"

Leaning closer, I pressed my lips to hers and gently gave her my answer. Pulling back, it wasn't hard to see both of us were breathing a bit heavy. "Always," I emphasized.

"All right," she smiled finally before getting an impish look in her eyes. "How would you feel about continuing this discussion in the bedroom?"

I smiled slyly. "It depends. How much feline attention to the matter are you willing to entertain?"

Mari smiled wider. "I think I would purrfer as much focus as you can muster, kitty. Can you do that?"

Sliding down from the railing, I scooped her up into my arms. "I believe I am up to the challenge."

She giggled as we started toward the bedroom. "I thought I saw that you were."

"Madame," I said with mock affront, "were you ogling me just now in my skintight costume?"

"Guardian's prerogative," she snorted as she chuckled.

"I think I am going to like this new chapter," I said as I pushed the door to our bedroom open with a boot. "Really, truly enjoy it…"