Marinette locked herself inside the bathroom stall and let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding, her mind whirling as she thought of the information she had just inadvertently stumbled upon.
Perhaps she was just in denial, but she still couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that Chat Noir and Adrien could very well be the same person...She had never imagined Adrien, with his sunny, cheerful disposition, as the type of person to ever dabble in crime. But no matter how much she wanted to deny it, deep down, she knew that this was most likely the truth.
And that brought her to her current dilemma, which was...How in the world was she going to act around them both now without giving the fact that she knew the truth away? If only she could discuss this with Chat Noir...but the last thing she wanted to do was to reveal the secret to him, considering that the cat burglar might distance himself from her again just when they had finally revealed their feelings to each other.
She was torn, and now she didn't know how to act around them without being awkward about it. What was she going to do!? If only she were an actress like Lila, or a smooth talker like Adrien...
Suddenly, there was a light knock on the bathroom door. The designer froze, wondering why anyone would be knocking when there were multiple stalls inside the bathroom - it wasn't like she was hogging the entire place to herself...
"Anyone home~?" a very familiar but very unexpected voice called out coyly.
Wait a minute...She knew that voice! Her eyes bulged in surprise as recognition dawned upon her. What the hell was Chat Noir doing here, inside the girls' bathroom no less!? And though she didn't want to admit it...this just made the theory that Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person even more plausible. After all, how else was the thief able to show up so soon after she had just left her friends behind?
"C-Chat Noir?" she almost choked on her words, unable to believe her ears. The last thing she expected was for him to appear in front of her just when her mind had been filled with thoughts of him. It was almost like magic. "W-What are you doing here?"
"A little birdie told me that my princess was upset, so I personally came to check on you," he explained, and she could imagine the sly smirk on his face as he spoke. The designer had a feeling she knew who said birdie was, but she kept this to herself. "It's not about our plan, is it? If you're uncomfortable going through with it, I'll manage myself - "
"No! It's not that! And besides, it would be too risky if you showed up at the police station!" she blurted at once, concerned about his wellbeing. But she couldn't help herself from feeling bubbly and warm inside at the thought that Chat Noir truly cared about her, risking everything just to come and check in on her. Even though he was a thief, he really wasn't as ruthless as the tabloids painted him out to be. She felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world because he trusted her enough to show her his true, caring side, a side that he didn't reveal to anyone else. "And how did you get in here, anyway? What if someone saw you?"
She heard a chuckle erupt from the thief. "Relax, little lady. Don't forget who I am. I locked the door on my way in, so no one will come in here for a while. But that's besides the point. Is something bothering you?"
"I..." she had never felt so conflicted, torn between her desperate desire to confront him and her resolve to maintain the status quo. If she revealed that she knew the truth, he would no doubt no longer want to be involved with her. She had to be careful...Finally, she decided to ask tentatively to test the waters, "If...If you found out something that you're not supposed to know, what would you do?"
There was a long silence, so long that Marinette wasn't sure if he was still there anymore. Finally, she heard a sharp intake of breath from the thief. "Oh? That's an interesting question, little lady. Before I answer it, I'd like to tell you something interesting in exchange. How does that sound?"
"S-Sure," she accepted, wondering why he was suggesting to tell her a story at all.
Chat Noir inhaled deeply, as though he was mentally preparing himself, before he finally began his tale. "A long time ago, there was a young boy who was trapped inside his house. By trapped, I mean that his father was strict with him. He had to stay in his room, and was forced to study and learn all sorts of subjects. Piano, Chinese, fencing, you name it, he probably knew it. He had no freedom. And...There was one place he wasn't permitted to enter at all costs. Unfortunately, he stumbled into that secret place one day. And there, he saw something...something that he shouldn't have seen."
Marinette's breath caught as she listened to his story. She couldn't help but wonder who this boy he was talking about was, and she had an inkling that the thief was referring to himself. But she didn't dare interrupt him to ask. She was just glad that he was sharing this story with her and telling her more about himself, something she had longed for since she was a young girl...
As Chat Noir continued his tale, he could vividly recall everything that had happened on the fateful day he had stumbled into his father's basement and discovered his secret.
He remembered the jolt of shock that seemed to electrocute him as his eyes fell on the lifeless figure of his mother, lying in a field of flowers as though she was merely in a peaceful slumber. He remembered how his body had stiffened in horror as he watched his father dress up in a dark suit that every Parisian recognized, an outfit that belonged to an infamous criminal by the name of Hawk Moth. He didn't know what his father had been plotting, but he knew it must've been something incredibly evil...
After that incident, even though he had only been a young boy of twelve, he knew he had to stop his father no matter what the cost. Ever since then, he researched the art of thievery and trained hard to hone his skills, often late into the night. Then, one day, he had managed to learn what his father's next heist was going to be. Knowing that this was his chance to act, he sneaked into the museum everyday until he had memorize the guards' patrol schedule by heart. And on the eve of the robbery, he followed his father to the museum, and while Gabriel had been busy distracting the guards, he dove straight for the timeless pendant and snatched it from right under his father's nose. After all, if he had stolen the prized possession before his father, that meant he had defeated him in something, right?
Furious by his failure, Gabriel, no, Hawk Moth had ordered his men to chase after Adrien. He had fled away at top speed, and that was when he had stumbled into Master Fu's mysterious motel and met the strange, old man...
Master Fu had revealed to young Adrien that the reason Hawk Moth was after the jewelry was because of a legend about the Miraculous - which told that whoever collected all of the Miraculous, special pieces of jewelry that were rumored to possess magical abilities, could have a single wish come true. However, the Miraculous had been placed under a shape-shifting spell by the first guardian, and took on appearances different from their true form in order to be kept hidden from the public. The spell could be broken only with the current Guardian's touch.
Master Fu was the newest guardian, but since the Miraculous had become lost over time, he had been on the hunt for them ever since. He employed Adrien to help him track down the Miraculous, and in return, gave him freedom as a thief and the opportunity to overthrow his father...but that was a story for another day.
And speaking of Adrien's father, even though he had found out his old man's true identity, he had never revealed this secret to anyone, not even to Master Fu. Because in his world, knowledge was power. If Hawk Moth found out that someone knew who he was, he would no doubt order his men to take them down. And Chat Noir didn't want to expose anyone, especially those he cared about, to that risk. If they were able to finally defeat his father, he promised to himself that he would reveal everything to Marinette. But only then. For now, just a part of the truth will do...
"It was something his father had never meant for him to find out. But now the boy knew, and it was too late. Since then, the boy made a vow to stop his father and to prevent any more tragedies from occurring. But this was something he could do only because he had made that accidental discovery, all those years ago. Without knowing the truth, he wouldn't have become who he was today. So, I'd say that even if you do find out something you're not supposed to know, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Does that answer your question, little lady?" His voice softened as he finished his story with a question of his own.
Marinette sniffled, her heart aching for the boy. It was only then that she noticed the silent tears that were falling from her bluebell eyes. She didn't know why, but in that moment, she longed to see Chat Noir more than anything else in the world.
Without thinking, she flung open the door in full force and found herself face-to-face with her thief. He was lounging casually against the porcelain wall and wearing his trademark sleek, black leather suit. But what made the designer stop in her tracks and her heart skip a beat was the intense fire burning in his eyes as he directed his gaze at her.
His eyes stretched wide when he noticed the tears trailing down her cheeks. "You...why are you crying, Marinette?"
"I...I don't know myself," she mumbled embarrassedly, ducking her head in an attempt to hide her expression. Not that it did any good, because he had already saw her cry. "I...I just...that must have been so rough for the boy..." She couldn't bring herself to ask whether he and the boy were one and the same. But if he was...did this mean that he had known the truth of his father's identity all along? He must have shouldered this burden all by himself, for all this time...her heart filled with sorrow as she imagined how terrible his childhood must have been.
"Don't feel bad, Marinette," Chat Noir murmured, reassuring her as much as he was reassuring himself. His voice was rough, as though he was pretending that his past wasn't bothering him at all, but she could see a faint grief reflected in his apple-green eyes. While she had no idea what the extent of the truth he knew about his father was, she couldn't imagine how hurt he must've felt when he found out that his own family had been lying to him, had betrayed him like that..."What happened already happened. You don't have to worry about him."
"But...I do worry! I only wish that there was something I could have done for him," she protested. If he was going to be vague about the boy's identity, she was going to play along and pretend that she didn't know anything, either. "And since...I can't do anything for him, can I give him a hug?"
Taking Chat Noir's hesitant nod as permission, she reached her arms toward him and closed the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around him, drawing him as close to her as possible. She leaned her head against his chest, wordlessly telling him that she was there for him, and that everything was going to be okay because together, they could do anything.
"I can't tell you everything yet," he said softly. His voice sounded apologetic and remorseful, making her heart ache for him. She couldn't imagine how hard it must be, just to talk about his past.
"But I can say that...the reason I kept my distance from you was to protect you. The world of crime is much, much darker than anything you can ever imagine. Just possessing knowledge that you shouldn't have could cost you your life. That's why I didn't want you to get involved. But you...you're too kind, Marinette. You're always smiling and trying your best, and inspiring everyone around you with your hard work and dedication. You're always caring and thinking about others more than yourself. You inspired me, and that made me care about you. I couldn't push you away anymore...I realized how much I needed you."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Marinette could only nod in response to his confession. She knew he had reasons for pushing her away, but she didn't expect that everything he had done with what he thought was best for her sake. And not only that...to hear how much he needed her was what she wanted more than anything else.
He drew in a shuddering breath as he added, "But once everything's over, I'll tell you whatever you wish to know. And that's my promise to you."
"I'll hold you to that," she murmured, her lips lifting into a small smile. She was already grateful that he had accepted her for who she was, and that they could finally be together. She would wait, however long it took, so that she could stay by his side. She felt something warm brush against the top of her head, and her cheeks heated as she realized he had kissed her.
"It'll be our new promise," he teased with a smirk, referring to the promise he had made to her all those years ago. He gently took her hand in his and brushed his lips against her fingertips, the action sending pleasant shivers tingling down her spine.
She could kiss him right then and there...but that was when she remembered that they were still at school, and in the girls' bathroom no less. Her cheeks reddened at the thought, and she quickly shook her head. Just then, the bell rang, signaling that the break was over.
"As much as I want you to stay, I'll let you go back to class," he said reluctantly as he pulled away from her.
She instantly felt a little lonely at the thought of him leaving her, but inclined her head reluctantly. She knew she would see him again soon. "For the record, I want to stay too," she told him shyly. "And thank you, Chat Noir, for telling me about the boy, and for making me feel better. Lots better. I'm glad I got a chance to see you today."
"Well, then I'm glad I came to visit," he remarked with an impish grin. With those parting words, he leaned in and brushed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. And then he disappeared from the bathroom, leaving Marinette feeling lightheaded and breathless as she returned to the classroom.
At least she knew now that she would be able to act the same as she always did around the two boys (or were they technically one boy?) she held dear to her heart. Chat Noir...he truly was kind. He had always been protecting her, but not only that, he looked out for her, too. He had a way with words, knowing exactly what to say to assuage her fears, and his words were like magic, captivating and entrancing her. He was the one who gave her strength when she wavered. With Chat Noir by her side, she felt as though the cloudy haze shrouding her mind had finally cleared.
He was right. Even if she knew the truth, she didn't have to act now. She would keep the secret to herself, and keep pushing on. She had her own battles to fight, too, and she would fight them to the best of her ability so she could stand proudly by his side...
That was what she wished for more than anything else.
A/N:Thank you all for your continued support of this story! (I'm still studying for a test, and updates will be slow for a while, but I haven't forgotten the story, don't worry!) Oh my goodness, we're at 200 reviews! I can't thank all my dear readers enough!
I really enjoyed writing this chapter, hope you like my version of the reveals (I wanted to try something different haha)!
A macaron for your thoughts? :P I truly appreciate everyone for all your love and reviews for the story so far!
Next chapter preview - Chat Noir's plan is set in motion. What will happen next?