"C-Chat Noir…"
Marinette couldn't believe the scene unfolding in front of her eyes, staring as Chat Noir stood protectively in front of her. She had dreamed too many times the moment they would meet again. But as the years went by with not even a word from him – not that she expected one, but a girl could dream - she had started losing hope. But now…he really had come to save her, just as he had promised.
"You remembered..." She murmured, hastily wiping away a tear that had escaped from her eyes. This wasn't the time for crying, she told herself firmly. They had enemies to defeat. But even with the three dangerous criminals standing in front of them, she had a feeling that everything was going to be okay because he was here.
Chat Noir's green, catlike eyes flickered to her, wordlessly telling her to hide. Getting the message, she nodded and limped toward the back of the warehouse so she could hide behind one of the metal poles. She winced as she moved, the kick that the Bubbler had landed on her side still sting in pain. She would probably be sore for days. But at least she had only gotten injured. This was nothing compared to almost losing everything, to being sold. She shuddered at the memory. A new wave of determination swept through her, and she clenched her hand into a fist. They were going to win if it was the last thing they did.
"Mime, Bubbler! Get him!" Hawk Moth ordered, pointing at Chat Noir. The cat criminal was lounging lazily against his staff while waiting for Hawk Moth's next move.
The Mime pulled out a small, curved knife while the Bubbler readied his taser, then they both lunged for Chat Noir.
"Tch, making your lackies fight for you, Hawk Moth? That's not very nice," Chat Noir drawled, shaking his head in mock disappointment. He leapt for the Bubbler with his staff extended, easily knocking the criminal's taser out of his grasp with a flick of his wrist.
"You bastard," the Bubbler cursed, glowering at Chat Noir as he tried to get his weapon back. The cat burglar took this opportunity to lower his baton to the ground, successfully making the Bubbler trip over it. He let out a yelp of pain as he crashed face-first onto the ground.
"Who's the bastard now?" Chat Noir taunted, a Cheshire grin spreading across his lips.
For a moment, Marinette was completely mesmerized as the fight in front of her took place. She had no idea just exactly how skilled or powerful Chat Noir was, having only heard of his exploits from Alya or on the news. But now, seeing how easily he could dodge the Bubbler's feeble blows, and how his strong muscles rippled as he swiped at the Bubbler with his staff, it definitely looked like he had the upper hand. And it wasn't just that. He was grinning, as though he was actually enjoying the fight.
Just as things seemed to be going their way, Marinette gasped when the Mime started running for Chat Noir with his knife pointed straight at him. But he was too preoccupied with the Bubbler to notice.
"Chat Noir, look out!" she screamed. Without thinking, she jumped out from her hiding place to shield him from the knife. At the last minute an idea suddenly sprung to her mind, and she held out her bound hands in front of her. If the Mime aimed just in the right place…She smirked as he slit the ropes that were tied around her hands, finally freeing her.
The Mime growled in frustration and swung his knife at her again. Marinette's eyes widened. Now that she was completely defenseless, she had no way of blocking his attack. What could she do?
Just then, Chat Noir spun around, one arm reaching out for her and pulling her against his chest while blocking the Mime's attack with his baton at the same time.
"Didn't I tell you to hide, little lady?" Chat Noir hissed, so close to her ear that she could feel the heat of his breath. She shivered at their proximity.
"But he was coming after you," she protested, her cheeks no doubt tinged a light pink. "I couldn't watch you get hurt like that. And besides, now I'm free." She held up her hands in front of him triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear.
He blinked at her incredulously, then sighed and shook his head. "You're pretty crazy, you know? And thanks for the concern, little lady, but I can pawdle it. Get it? – I mean handle, but cats don't have hands, they have paws, you know?" – Despite the seriousness of their situation, Marinette couldn't help but snort at that – "Anyway. Now, go and hide. This fight will be over soon, I purromise."
Did he really just make freaking cat puns in the middle of a fight? Marinette rolled her eyes at him, then nodded and quickly ran back to her hiding place. She suddenly felt cold now that she was no longer enveloped in his warmth.
She slapped her cheeks to bring her back to her senses. Stop thinking about that, Marinette! She should be thinking about how to help Chat Noir, instead of how his strong arms had been wrapped around her body...
Marinette groaned. She really wasn't helping, was she?
She shook her head, biting her lip as she studied her surroundings. If only there was something she could use to help him with…Her eyes lit up as she spotted the taser that had been abandoned in the corner of the warehouse. If she could reach it, she'd be able to use it as a weapon.
With a smile, she raced towards it.
"Not so fast!"
She sucked in a breath when the Bubbler appeared out of nowhere and grabbed her wrist to stop her. She was sure Chat Noir had knocked him out, so when had he regained consciousness?
His eyes were filled with loathing as he glowered at her. "You're not gonna win, bitch."
"I might not win by myself," she agreed. "But we are going to win together."
Right on cue, Chat Noir's baton extended in her direction and flung the unsuspecting Bubbler to the ground. He struck the other criminal a second time to make sure that he was completely unconscious, before jerking his head back to avoid a blow from the Mime.
Seeing her chance, Marinette dove for the taser, gripping the black handle tightly as though she was never going to let it go. She tipped her head to one side, her mind whirling. Now that she finally obtained the weapon, what could she do with it? She knew she wouldn't have a chance if she tried to attack the Mime in close range – she wasn't that strong, and she had no experience in hand to hand combat. But what if she struck him from afar? She wondered if there was anything she could use to keep the taser activated long enough for her to throw it at the Mime. As she studied the room, she noticed Chat Noir's long, black belt that streamed out behind him as he fought. It looked more like a cat's tail than an actual belt.
"Chat Noir! Can you throw me your belt?" she yelled at him.
"I didn't know you were into that kind of thing, little lady," Chat Noir called back teasingly, his suggestive comment making her cheeks burn.
She pouted at him. "This is hardly the time! I meant I needed it to help you!"
He raised an eyebrow questioningly before he untied the belt and tossed it to her while slashing the Mime's arm with his claws at the same time. Marinette managed to catch it in one hand. Now that she had the belt, how could she keep the button on the taser activated?
"What can I use…" She mumbled out loud to herself. She needed something small so that it could stay lodged in place, while carrying enough weight to keep the taser on. She smiled when she realized that she had carried the answer with her all along…
She quickly unclasped her necklace, her neck instantly feeling bare without its presence. She reassured herself that this was what she needed to aid him in the fight.
She carefully pressed the ring against the white button then wrapped the belt around the handle, securing it to make sure it would stay in place. She grinned proudly at her handiwork when the taser began to buzz.
"Chat Noir, duck!" she yelled, and then, threw the taser at the Mime with all the force she could muster. She held her breath as she watched the weapon soar through the air. Please make it, please make it! She begged, crossing her fingers behind her back.
There! She thanked the gods when the taser struck its target in full force, and the Mime's body jerked violently before he collapsed onto the floor.
"I'm not a duck, I'm a cat," Chat Noir reminded her slyly as he sauntered over to her side. "But I'm impressed, little lady. You got him good."
Her cheeks warmed at his praise. She hurried over to retrieve the taser and unwrapped his belt from its handle. The ring rolled into her palm, and she held onto it tightly. This was the second time his ring had saved her. She smiled fondly as she tied the necklace back around her neck before walking towards Chat Noir.
"Here," she said, handing the belt back to him. She took a deep breath, debating on what she should say. It was funny how despite longing for their reunion for all those years and thinking of all the things she would say to him when she saw him again, she was at a loss for words. "Chat Noir, thank you. I – "
"Damn bastard. He's already gone." Chat Noir growled suddenly as he swept his eyes around the room.
"Who's gone?" Marinette asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"Hawk Moth," Chat Noir elaborated, nodding at the wide-open door. "He must've escaped during the commotion."
Marinette's eyes widened in surprise. How could she have forgotten about him? Well, not that she could blame herself. After all, she did have many problems she had to deal with, like how to beat those criminals, and Chat Noir…
"I'm so sorry! I can't believe I didn't notice," she groaned out loud, burying her face in her hands.
Chat Noir leaned toward her and patted her head. "It's not your fault, Marinette. You were great."
Her heart somersaulted at his words. He'd just called her Marinette. He had called her Marinette. Not little lady, but Marinette. She blushed, deciding that she liked how her name sounded from his lips. Her cheeks flamed as she recalled how he had promised he would call her by her name when they met again. He really had kept his word…
"Shall we get out of here?" Chat Noir asked, offering her his hand.
Marinette hesitated, gazing worriedly back at the limp bodies of the Mime and the Bubbler lying in a heap on the floor. "Will they be okay?"
"Let's just say the Paris Police Prefecture will get an early Christmas present," Chat Noir said slyly. "C'mon, let's get you out of here. Same place, right?"
She nodded, surprised that he actually remembered the bakery. She reached for his hand, letting out an embarrassed squeak when he effortlessly scooped her into his arms, bridal style.
And then they were flying.
Chat Noir leapt out of the building through the hole he had created, using his staff to propel them through the air. Marinette squeezed her eyes shut and clung to him tightly as he sprang from one roof to another, each leap making her stomach drop. She definitely preferred to having both her feet on the ground than in the air, that was for certain.
She breathed a sigh of relief when he stopped at a public phone booth, where he asked her to call the police to report the location of the two criminals. But just as they resumed their journey back to her home, he stopped and scanned the area warily.
"What's wrong?" Marinette asked as she felt his body tense.
"Someone's coming," Chat Noir whispered, covering Marinette's mouth with a gloved hand.
She stilled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him before darting behind a tall, brick chimney. They stood with their bodies pressed together, holding their breaths as they waited for whoever it was to pass by.
They were so close that she could hear the pounding of his heart. Her breath caught. Was his heart beating so fast because of their current situation, or was it because she was so close to him? She was suddenly very glad that it was dark so he wouldn't be able to see her flaming cheeks.
"Do you see them?" an unfamiliar male voice spoke nearby, breaking Marinette out of her daydream.
"Not a hair," a second voice answered the first. They sounded close, too close. If they took even one step further, they would see the two figures hiding behind the chimney…
Chat Noir tightened his grip on his trusted weapon as their footsteps approached.
"Damn. We were so close, too. Maybe they went that way?" The first voice suggested as their footsteps rapidly faded into the distance.
Chat Noir let go of her as soon as the other criminals had gone. "That damn bastard doesn't know when to give up, does he?" he muttered, more to himself than to her. He then turned to her and added grimly, "We might have a problem, little lady. It looks like Hawk Moth's lackies will be scouring the streets for you tonight."
Marinette wrapped her arms around herself, her heart sinking in dismay. If they headed for the bakery, there was no doubt that the criminals would follow her and discover where she lived. Maman…Papa… She couldn't get her innocent parents involved in her troubles. "If that's the case, then I can't go home," she decided out loud. "If I do, they might come after us and hurt my parents. I can't let that happen."
His eyes softened, just a little. "You really do worry more about others than yourself, don't you? Well…if you insist…there might be one other way," he said, tapping his chin with his finger thoughtfully. "They'd expect me to take you home, right? But instead, we'll stay at a motel and make our move in the morning. How does that sound, little lady? Will your parents let you stay out for the night…with a criminal like me?"
Her heart jumped at what he was suggesting. If they followed his plan, that meant that she would be staying with Chat Noir, alone, in a hotel room. The rational side of her insisted that this was a bad idea - this was Chat Noir, she reminded herself. At the end of the day, he was still a criminal. But she couldn't deny that he had saved her that night. And that showed that he really wasn't a bad person, right?
"I…yes. I think I can come up with something," Marinette said before she could change her mind, then frowned. "But would it be safe for you to be out in the morning?"
Chat Noir smirked at her, revealing two rows of perfect, white teeth. "Who are you taking me for, little lady? No other criminal would dare to wander the streets of Paris in the daytime. But you're forgetting that I'm Chat Noir, Paris's number one. I'm not afraid of a little sunlight."
"If that's the case," she mumbled, blushing.
Chat Noir stretched his arms high into the air. "Come on, let's go before Hawk Moth sends more criminals after us. May I?"
She nodded, and he scooped her into his arms again before running and leaping for the next rooftop. It didn't take long before he landed nimbly in front of an old, battered motel. According to a bright neon sign, the name of the motel was Motel Akuma. Talk about conspicuous, Marinette couldn't help thinking as she took in the scene in front of her.
"They won't look for us here," Chat Noir said as he gently set Marinette on her feet. He unzipped a pocket hidden in the side of his catsuit and pulled out a few bills. "Can you get a room for us, little lady? I would go myself, but with this catsuit and all they'd probably catch me before I could say 'mouse', if you know what I mean. This should be enough…but if not, give me a call."
Marinette reached for the bills, then wavered as the news article on him robbing the Paris National Bank flashed through her mind. This couldn't be part of what he had stolen, could it?
"It's not what you think, little lady. I may be a criminal, but I do make my own money, you know." He reassured her, as though he had read her mind.
Marinette groaned. Was she that easy to read? She flushed in embarrassment, quickly taking the money from him before she opened the double glass doors and walked into the small lobby.
There was a typical front desk in the back of the lobby, as well as a few chairs that looked like they were about to fall apart. The room was empty - Marinette wasn't surprised that there was no one there considering how late it was - besides the receptionist, an old man wearing a red Hawaiian shirt, who was sitting behind the front desk and typing away on a keyboard.
She approached the front desk hesitantly.
"Can I help you?" The man asked, gazing at her through dark brown eyes. Marinette noted that his name tag said Fu.
"I-Can I get a room? With two single beds?" she stammered, playing with her fingers nervously. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling that he was looking into her very soul.
He turned to the computer and typed away furiously for a few seconds before glancing back at her. "Sorry, I'm afraid we're out. But we do have a room with a single king-sized bed if that works for you?"
A single bed… Marinette instantly blushed as she imagined having to share the bed with Chat Noir. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "I-No-Yes!"
"Excellent! That will be one hundred Euros for one night," Mr. Fu beamed at her.
She took out the bills Chat Noir had given her and counted them carefully. One hundred…two hundred…three hundred... her eyes bulged. He had given her five hundred Euros, which was definitely more than enough to pay for the motel. She picked out one of the hundred bills and handed it to Mr. Fu. He grinned at her and deposited it into the cash register.
"Are you here with him?" he asked suddenly, not looking up from where he was getting out the key.
Marinette's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't possibly know she was here with Chat Noir, could he? "I-I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled, not meeting his eyes. She was terrible at lying, but there was no way she could tell him the truth, either. Who knew what he would do if he found out she was in cahoots with a criminal like Chat Noir?
"Well, if you say so," Mr. Fu said. She thanked the gods that he didn't push it further, but his eyes were glinting knowingly as though he knew exactly what she was hiding. She gulped as he gave her the key card, and practically ran out as soon as he bade her good night.
She didn't stop running until she was far away from the lobby, but she couldn't resist glancing back in the direction she had come. Mr. Fu...who on earth was he? She shook her head. She could worry about that later. It was late, and getting some sleep was definitely more important than thinking about the strange motel receptionist.
Just as she was debating if she should call for Chat Noir, he dropped down in front of her out of nowhere. She yelped in surprise and clutched her chest with one hand.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes. He didn't sound very sorry at all.
"Showoff," she muttered, rolling her eyes as she held up the key card for him. They quickly located the correct room and stopped by the door.
"Shall we?" Chat Noir asked, grinning as he took the card and unlocked the door.
Marinette followed him slowly, then paused by the doorway when she remembered that they had gotten a room with a single bed. Just what exactly had she gotten herself into?
A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay! I was traveling, and then I had interviews for a new job OTL. Thank you all so much again for your patience and support! Hope this chapter is worth the wait :)
Next chapter preview - Marinette spends the night with Chat Noir...What could happen? ;)
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