Mounting Pressure
Chapter 4-
In my time of need.
Marinette, she told herself, you are having a dreadful week.
First, she blew up on Chat after a really tough Akuma fight. She knew without a doubt she was in the wrong for treating him so harshly. He didn't create the Akuma that had terrorized Paris, and he wasn't the only one distracted by their situation. Taking her stress out on him like that was so in the wrong and made her feel so damn guilty.
She just wished she knew what was in that cat-eared head of his. She hadn't mustered up the courage to apologize to him as Ladybug just yet. The next day was nearly as bad; something was definitely wrong with Adrien. She had a rare moment of clarity from her worry and was finally able to be alone with him without making a fool of herself, and he completely shut down on her. He stiffened up like she kicked his cat in front of him.
Why did I think that? Does Adrien have a cat? She thought idly. No, and it would be in her mind's extensive list of Adrien facts if he did.
And then! Their lunch date got cut short by another Akuma! But her troubles didn't stop there, oh no.
She gets so caught up in her boy troubles she forgets to do her homework, an essay on Jules Vern. Her cycle started this morning, and that meant cramps and bloating. And dammit, that always starts at the worst time! The light freezing rain falling and the extreme chill in the air somehow made it even worse to deal with. It was unusual to get this cold so early in the year.
Luckily it was already warming up enough not to freeze into ice completely. She was putting her way back to the Bakery after making a rather large delivery to some business conference, and the bottom half of her usually very warm two layers of leggings and tight-fit jeans were wet from the slush and cold and sticking to her, which annoyed her to no end!
Before she could ruminate about her woes any further, a small boy stumbled and fell into the road just as she started to speed up. Lost in her thoughts and lousy mood, she nearly didn't break in time. But she slid into the next lane and just missed the poor boy's head with her front wheel before she spun out and tipped over.
She instinctively threw a hand out to break her fall so she didn't bash her head into the concrete and immediately felt something give with her arm. Luckily she had her helmet on, which only shook her up a bit when her head still hit the ground. She barely got a whine of an 'ow' out before someone above her yelled, "LOOK OUT!" and dropped out from the sky.
Chat Noir landed just a few feet in front of her and held his arms out, bracing himself, but she couldn't see for what yet. Her eyes winced closed for a second from the noise of an impact and the loud screeching of tires. Being so close, she could comprehend just how lucky she was. Chat Noir's back was straining as he pushed back against the front end of the car he had just caught in his clawed hands. He slid a foot backward, and his muscles bulged out even further. With her leg still under her bike and her other wrist cradled against her, all she could do was blink. In a moment, she etched every single inch of muscle definition from his back and shoulders into her mind as he strained every bit of his strength to save her.
She heard another noise of metal giving way, and the hood of the car folded inward, and the back half of the car was lifted into the air. She could see the terrified and shocked look on the driver's face with the vehicle tilted downward like that. She felt frozen there on the street for a few heartbeats and was just dumbfounded by how Chat had dived in front of a speeding car for her. Finally, though it couldn't have been more than a few seconds, the car's backend dipped back down, and she was out of danger.
As Chat heaved, he closed his eyes to the fact that he came so close to losing Marinette in a car accident, of all things. Now that she was safe, he tried to still his pounding heart from the fear. Letting his calm come back, he retreated into his polite self. His normal cat-like tendencies and relaxed persona gave way quickly to his more Adrien side, even though he was in costume. He couldn't bring himself to be Chat anymore. He's always considered Chat as a truer showing of how he was. But it had caused him and Ladybug nothing but grief. Better to keep it hidden, as he always has.
He turned and saw Marinette staring at him with a slightly opened mouth and wide eyes, cheeks pink from the cold. Knowing she was safe, a genuine smile spread across his face before the driver got out and started apologizing, 'oh my god, are you ok? I never even saw her; it happened so fast. Does anyone need a hospital?' all in a rush. He smiled and waved him off, showing he was perfectly a-ok.
He was pretty sure he had just pulled half of the muscles in his entire body, but he couldn't let the people of Paris see weakness like that. They depended on him too much. His arms throbbed, but he just ignored the pain. The bruises would fade quickly, and he didn't worry about how sore he would be the next day. It was an easy trade-off for a close and important friend's well-being.
The driver made to walk over to Marinette, but Chat told him that he would do it and to try and get his car out of the road. A Siren went off, and a local cop who had seen the whole thing from down the street pulled up. Chat strode over to his friend, worried she might have gotten hurt from spinning out on the wet pavement.
"Hey, princess. That sure was a close call, is anything broken?" Chat asked politely with worry in his eyes.
She blinked a few times and tried to put her right hand down on the wet pavement for balance before hissing out in pain and nearly toppling over from the momentarily forgotten wrist problem.
"Marinette! What is it? Your arm?" Chat cried out and squatted down next to her.
His look was full of genuine concern and worry, without a single hint of playfulness. She's known Chat for over three years; even in dire situations, he would use humor to diffuse tension. That hadn't been very Chat like. Well, the saving part was all him. But he… didn't swagger. There was no Cheshire grin. She felt like he was someone else. Someone she knew somehow. Which didn't even make sense to her own chaotic mind. Of course she knew him, he was Chat. She didn't know what shocked her more. His lack of quips or her near brush with death. It made her blush for some reason. Chat! Making her blush!
"Just my wrist. No breaks, I think," she said, looking away. But that was all she could manage.
Why was she all caught up on him all of a sudden? Was it just her guilt from before? Did she think he looked cuter just then for some reason? Something else entirely? He just seemed… different but in a familiar way. It was jarring.
"Hold very still. Your leg got caught under the bike, and we need to get it off you. We'll make sure nothing is broken before we move you, alright? Just in case you need an ambulance." the boy in the slick black catsuit said slowly.
he was explaining everything as concisely as he could, thinking she might be in shock from her slightly delayed reaction. He waited for her to look at him and nod curtly. He gave one back, slowly heaved her bike straight up, and set it down before walking it over to the nearby street curb. He was back next to her side in an instant.
"Marinette, can you move your foot? I'm just going to give you a quick check-over. Push your toes forward into my hand." he said and placed his palm gently on the bottom of her shoe. She quietly did as told.
"Other way now," he said, watching her leg muscles move intently as he placed his palm on the top of her shoe.
He couldn't see her slightly incredulous look at his ministrations. He'd worried about her a lot as Ladybug. Maybe too much sometimes. But he rarely would touch her and check her over like this. She could only think of one time when her arm had nearly been broken after her yo-yo had been snatched taunt by an Akuma, and she was thrown into a brick wall at an awkward angle. She supposed it made sense; Marinette was much more fragile than Ladybug.
Chat muttered something like 'probably fine' as she tensed her foot against his hand. She took off her helmet as she reminisced, and Chat checked her over. Oh, to be a hero in Paris. Thinking about her hero side made her momentarily panic for Tikki, and she placed a hand on her purse.
"Same thing with your knee," he said, checking out any of her bones that might have been harmed. She went along with it to satisfy him and her curiosity about his actions. He was looking at her so intently, like he knew exactly what he was doing. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he never even glanced at her. It made her chest tighten a bit, if she was honest. It was a little intense to have someone so worried about you. But it made her feel bold enough to slip her purse open just an inch to see two large eyes staring at her in concern. She mouthed, 'I'm fine. Stay hidden' to her little friend and snapped it closed.
Finally, he got to her wrist and held out his hand to her. She didn't hesitate to put her hand in his. Chat was a lot of things, but a brute wasn't one of them. He gently pushed back her sleeve and glanced at her face for any show of pain. A wince. He clicked his tongue when he noticed.
He asked her to uncurl her fingers if she could, and he hummed low into his throat as he watched. It was a lovely sound to her. It sounded just like a cat purr. It was calming somehow and set her at ease a little. She tried to stretch her fingers, and her eyes went a little wider when her pinkie and ring finger didn't move like she wanted to make them to. He placed some fingertips against the ones that did move and asked her to press. Lightly! He emphasized strongly. She did and sucked in a breath. Her wrist lit on fire.
"Broken finger or two and a nasty sprain, I'd say," he said with a smile and looked into her eyes as he let her return her hand to her chest.
"Not much can be done for it, I'm afraid. But I can take you to a clinic that's close by. They're probably going to give you a finger splint and a wrap for that wrist," he said lightly.
He deliberated for a moment before deciding he would take her anyway. As a small way to repay her concern for his other self, she showed at school. He dipped down and picked her up princess-style, and she yelped in surprise. Luckily he didn't do it too quickly and was careful not to move her wounded right arm as much as possible. She promptly wrapped her left arm around his neck and clinched her legs towards his chest so her weight didn't put him off balance. But he carried her as easily and gracefully as Chat did most things. That damn cat-like grace of his got to her sometimes, as it only made her realize just how much of a klutz she was. Especially when it was Chat with Marinette and not Chat with Ladybug. She was quite flexible and strong in the suit, but out of it, she was just as clumsy as always.
"Y-you don't have to carry me like this. I'm a tough girl; I can walk." she huffed out and pouted a little in his arms.
But she made no move to force her way down. He surmised even tough girls like to be treated with softness and care. His heart may belong to his lady even now after… everything. But he would never leave Marinette to suffer an injury alone.
"Only treating you like you deserve, princess." Chat replied with ease. He could be smooth when he wanted to be. Marinette wrinkled her nose at the thought.
He gave her his first Chat grin of the day, and she instantly felt a little more at ease with him. She had felt off-kilter throughout the entire situation without it. It had always been the first thing he showed her when they met. As Ladybug or Marinette. Her eyebrows lowered a bit when the grin was gone so quickly. He just calmly walked her down the street like it was the most natural thing to do.
She knew she should feel super awkward being carried like this for the whole world to see. But she was in a lot of pain and maybe a little shell-shocked by her close call. It was certainly not how she saw herself going out. Either way, she nuzzled into his shoulder to keep the wind off her and let the superhero carry her away to where she knew not. She felt worried for him, without that grin of his. She hoped her words to him as Ladybug weren't the reason for his shift in demeanor. But a small part of her was dismayed at how she couldn't think of anything else that could be affecting him so strongly.
She loved the boy, yes. They have been through so much together. He was her partner and friend. He never shied away from any task or threat, especially if she asked it of him or it concerned her. She trusted him with her life… just not her heart. However much she loved him, she wasn't in love with him. She couldn't be. Her time with Chat blanc had made that painfully clear. No, Chat was the one boy in the whole world she couldn't, shouldn't love. Besides, No matter how much she tried to let go, Adrien still held her heart even if she refused to admit it.
For his part, Chat merely smiled a small smile when he felt her clutch to him a little more. He hunched over slightly and turned to keep her out of the wind as best he could, feeling protective of her. So few people have shown him the care and kindness that his friends have. It meant everything to the teenage boy at seventeen.
Marinette and Adrien were friends, he thought. Right? Like, actual friends? Eighty percent of their interactions started with her visibly uncomfortable with him and ended with a quick dash away on her part. It… stung a little sometimes. He was sure she felt intimidated by him for the longest time or couldn't stand him. But then why would she show such genuine concern for him so easily and sincerely?
Sometimes it felt like she could see right through him in ways no one else could. She saw straight through him just the other day before class, and the only other person who could do that was Ladybug. Even then, it was very rare for Ladybug to show that level of concern while on the job. Nino has told him a hundred times that Marinette's actions weren't out of hate or fear. But any time he pressed even just a little on why she was like that, he'd sigh heavily or roll his eyes. "You need to figure it out for yourself," he'd say solemnly. If Alya were around, she would snort and call both of them idiots!
Maybe… maybe it was time he pressed her about it. Of course, he couldn't do so right then, with his mask on. But he drove the thought home and made sure to remember to try and figure out how to go about talking to her as Adrien more.
She felt small in his arms just then, being carried so effortlessly. And safe. That wasn't a feeling she was accustomed to. Either of them, actually. She had grown out a bit in the last three years, but Chat had her beat by several inches now. His figure was leaner than ever before and much more defined than when they met. Whatever he did out of costume must be just as demanding as his superhero time to be so fit. His skin-tight suit left little to the imagination.
Thank god she had her mother's hips and a decent bust now. The baby fat in her cheeks had receded slightly, giving her a more mature look. She hadn't been jealous of Alya exactly, and she was her best friend. But puberty hit that girl like a truck; Marinette, like a mild breeze. And her stress and worries hadn't let her feel safe in… god, for over a year. And why was she thinking about any of this at all while in Chat's arms? Why! Marinette screams internally as she feels his collarbone against her cheek.
She whined low in her throat at the heat she felt on her face and the feeling of sleek, solid black material against her skin. She closed her eyes to try and get her bearings and slow her heart rate a bit before she was expected to talk again. She would not start stuttering with Chat after all this time. No. Way. In hell.
Chat didn't show he could hear the noise the girl in his arms had made, but it made him anxious. His super hearing wasn't something most people knew about him. If he was focusing, he could pick up a pin drop from the next room and through a solid wall in his Chat Noir transformation. And he was very focused on his current mission and the girl in his arms.
He bit the inside of his lip and went a little faster, hoping to get Mari the help she needed. She must be in a lot of pain from the sound of her. He made sure to use his cat reflexes and took great care not to jostle her in any way. After only five minutes or so with a quick jog, he came upon a small clinic he had visited as Chat Noir once.
He's had to visit a few clinics over the last three years. His Chat transformation could speed up his healing time by a lot now, so it wasn't something he did unless it was pretty serious. Or if he was helping someone else there like he was now. When he first started as a hero, it took him a week to heal a sprain or a few days for a bruise. Fast, but not so unusual anyone might notice. Now he was sure a broken bone could heal in just about two weeks. Maybe ten days if it was a clean break. It meant he had to be very discreet with his injuries, even the terrible ones. Hard to explain how a model might crack his ribs.
Unfortunately, Marinette didn't have the luxury of Miraculous healing, as far as he knew, anyway. There was that time she had the mouse Miraculous. Adrien Knew Ladybug was much more careful with the Miraculous now that Shadowmoth had most of them. So he assumed she hadn't handed one over to Marinette. He felt a little relieved at the thought.
Marinette was a pretty tough girl. Clever and Kind. Willing to stand up and protect her friends. All the best hallmarks of a Miraculous holder. Still, he hated the idea of her fighting for her life against the villains he had to fight regularly. I wouldn't wish the stress of this life on anyone, let alone someone as amazing as her. He thought.
He walked into the clinic, sat her down carefully, and grabbed a form for her. After helping her fill it out (she was right-handed of course, the arm she landed on) and after waiting for almost two hours, she was in the backroom with a doctor for another hour or so. The clinic had been virtually empty except for about four other people waiting before them. They all seemed shocked at seeing Chat doing something as mundane as sitting in a local Clinic waiting room. He had to sign a few things and answer questions as naturally as possible with a sly smile and wink. Especially the ones that might reveal too much about himself.
The last thing he wanted to deal with was other people. But he was Chat Noir, the hero of Paris! So he played the part expected of him… as he always has for most of his life, no matter how down he felt.
He waited patiently and thought about how fortunate he had been today. Either him or Marinette. He had been patrolling near the center of the city and had just taken a break on a particular roof LB and he had used many times in the past as a resting spot. The smell of the five-star kitchen below was pleasant.
He looked down in time to spot Mari about two minutes before the boy fell over. He wasn't watching her or anything. He was just lost in his thoughts, and her pink scooter caught his eye. He had already started jumping down the moment he saw her swerve. And when he saw her begin to flip her scooter over, he used his pole to push himself even faster. If he had been just another five seconds later, Marinette wouldn't have gotten off with a hurt hand and a scratched bike.
As he suspected, Marinette returned with a splint on her last two fingers and her wrist tightly wrapped. She seemed to be sending a message on her phone and was irritated at how she had to use her left hand for it. Her eyebrows nearly disappeared when she finally looked up and saw that he had stuck around. He didn't say anything about leaving, but she had expected him to once he got her to a doctor. She'd seen him take people for medical attention many times. But he never stuck around once they got the help they needed. What game was he playing now?
"Well, thank you, sir knight, for saving me once again. We really need to stop meeting like this," she said lightly and walked out, not waiting for him. She knew he'd follow if he had already stuck around this long.
"Where are you going now?" Chat asked softly.
Marinette couldn't help but glance at his expressionless, serene face before answering. He had matched her pace in a single moment and copied her stride. It made her feel he didn't want to let her out of sight, and it brought a light heat to her face at the thought.
"To check on my scooter, then I'll head home. They gave me a few painkillers and a small script for more, and I should be able to make it on my own," she said just as softly.
"I'll walk you home, princess. After all, there's no way of knowing if you'll be able to stay out of trouble long enough to get there," he stated with a slight smirk.
"And what makes you think I'd let such a flirtatious stray follow me all the way home, Kitty cat?" she teased him lightly with a flick of his bell, trying and failing to coax out his usual puns and flattery.
After she said that, Chat tipped his face skyward and away so she couldn't see the ghost of a smile on his lips.
It made him want to flirt with her for a moment after hearing she so expected it. Probably some remark about how a knight ought to move heaven and earth for a princess… But no. His emotions retreated further down, and Adrien was again at the forefront. He had no intention of ever showing his playful side again. It never once worked out for him with Ladybug. A few stammers. A blush if he put enough into it or put enough truth behind his flirting. But in the end, it always backfires, or he makes things worse. And no one else he knew could he trust to show his genuine feelings to. He felt a twinge of pain at the thought.
He could almost hear a whisper in the back of his mind; no one will ever accept your true self. It takes some control for his face to remain still.
"Then I shall simply have to control myself, prin- Marinette," he said softly and looked into her eyes with only the barest hint of a smile. Maybe just a tiny bit of flirting and a few puns. It was how he showed affection, after all. She blushed lightly and nodded at his reply. His lack of playfulness was starting to seriously make her worry. The trek to her bike was primarily uneventful and over very quickly. But her heart sank when she saw it wasn't in great shape. The right mirror was smashed from the accident, and long scratches ruined the beautiful pink color it used to be.
"Sorry, princess. I can get you home a lot faster if you want. We can stash it in that parking lot for the night." he says with concern when he sees her eyes go misty.
She sighs heavily and walks the scooter over to an open spot in the very back of the lot. She looked around and got the street name to remember where it was. After walking back and being asked if she was ready, Chat Noir knelt, put her on his back, and told her to wrap her legs around him tightly since she couldn't use one of her arms. It wasn't as pleasant as her last trip via superhero, but it was much faster, with him able to jump and climb over the top of Paris easily. Even with Marinette, he hardly seemed slowed down at all.
Her guilt got so bad she almost blurted out her sorry right there and then. He was a kind and caring person, to go so far out of his way for what must be just another civilian to him. She resolved to force herself to seek him out later as Ladybug and apologize for her behavior earlier in the week. She'd explain how the stress and worry of being the guardian had made her snap that he meant the world to her as a partner.
Chat Noir got lost in thought while making the trip and nearly did a front flip over a chimney like he usually did. He stopped himself just in time, but It caused him to stumble at the last second, and he had to balance on the edge of a long drop. He felt Marinette's grip tighten for a bit, and she buried her face into his shoulder, but she didn't make a sound. He chuckled; She was a lot tougher than she looked. Almost every Miraculous holder took months to get used to their powers and the feeling of leaping over rooftops from such a height. She must have genuinely trusted him to protect her. It warmed his heart.
Marinette clutching onto him also had the unfortunate side effect of making him all too aware of her breasts being pushed against his back, and he knew he was blushing from the contact. Damn magic skin-tight suit. He could swear it responded to his thoughts by becoming lighter. It felt like it became his own skin. He then noticed that she had a lot of muscle definition since her legs were wrapped around him. She had well-toned, beautiful legs. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, focused on jumping, and quickened his pace. He was not going to start creeping or fantasizing about Marinette. The girl was an angel and deserved better than that from him. Everyone deserves better than me, but her even more so. He thought grimly.
Once they reach the Bakery, he kneels down for her, and she thanks him for the trouble, but before she can take a single step towards the door, it opens on its own.
"Marinette! What happened? I got a text from you saying you were in an accident and had to go to the clinic right before I saw you on the news!" Sabine Cheng said in an overly worried voice and wrapped her daughter in a big hug.
It took only a few seconds before her father, Tom Dupain, came out and put the rest of his family into a giant bear hug as well. Chat merely watched with the same small smile he used as Adrien to hide inside. With both masks firmly in place, his literal mask and the mask of Adrien, his chest felt heavy. Like his heart had turned to stone and was trying to drag him down to the bottom of the Seine river. He wished he had that. With every fiber of his soul, he wanted someone to see him as he was and love and accept him for it. For just one day, he wanted someone to understand the pain in his chest. To just… Care. Why were these feelings so much worse lately? He couldn't stop thinking about them.
Once again, a tiny voice in his mind intruded into his thoughts. You're alone. All alone, and you'll never have that. He abruptly turned to leave after that thought nearly brought out tears. But he only got a single step away with his baton out before someone called after him.
"Wait! Monsieur Chat!" Sabine had said loudly and stopped him.
Chat stiffened and turned, keeping his smile in place. His eyes flickered over to Marinette, and she was looking at him with a goofy smile that dropped quickly when she saw his eyes.
Dammit princess, stop looking at me like that, he thought.
He saw that look with concern etched in every feature of her face. The same look she had a few days ago in class. Only this time, it was for Chat instead of Adrien, which almost made it worse.
"I can't thank you enough for saving my daughter, for the third time no less! Or for what you do for all of Paris. Would you like to come in and have some freshly baked sweets? From now on, Chat Noir eats at our Bakery for free." Sabine says glowingly at him.
The feeling in his heart turned into something even more painful. Something he's had precious little of late. Hope. But Marinette already had a trying day, and he didn't want to impose on her life and home any further than he had to.
"That's quite alright, Ma'am. I only did what we all should do. Help someone in need when they need it." he said lightly and leaned on his baton. Keep the mask on Chat. Don't let it slip. Not for a single second. Not now, not ever again.
"Sabine," she beamed. Chat blinked.
"What?" he asked, not understanding.
"Please call me Sabine. And I won't stop you from going if you feel you must, but you look tired, dear. Are you absolutely sure I can't tempt you with some traditional Oolong tea and fresh macaroons? Surely even superheroes need rest!" She said warmly, striding over to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.
Chat was at a loss from the familiarity of her words and touch. It didn't help that her husband had picked up on his wife's plan and walked over to place his hand on the boy's other shoulder and try to steer him towards the door.
"And call me Tom. I've always loved the passion fruit macarons with my wife's famous oolong tea. But if it's made at a bakery, you'll find no better than at Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie! You can have your pick of the whole store!" the large man said, grinning ear to ear.
Chat lets himself be taken hostage by Marinette's parents, unsure of what to say or do to escape from such affectionate gestures. Even if it was for his Chat side, he couldn't deny he was happy about it. Marinette held the door open for them as Chat was taken unceremoniously inside and placed at a small table in the back of the store where the family usually had dinner. The wife busied herself by opening a cabinet and taking out an old traditional Chinese tea set from the top shelf. Chat watched with interest as she prepared it, having never seen it made like this before. Tom had gone around with a large plate and grabbed one of everything in the store that was fresh. By the time the four of them were seated, the table had an impressive spread put over it. The very middle of it was dominated by a plate of perfectly stacked passion fruit cookies.
"I was worried half to death when I saw the top post on the news feed," Sabine said.
She pulled out her phone and showed it to the two teenagers in front of her. She may not know much or anything at all about most of the superheroes of Paris, but she knew a teenager when she saw one. The poor boy looked exhausted. Like he'd been up all night for a few days. Surely as a hero, he would be given good care and love, she thought.
The app said BFM Régions at the top, and right below that the first post said, 'Chat Noir saves local girl from speeding car,' and a video was under it. It seemed it was taken from a camera on a nearby street corner. How did they get this so quickly? It only happened a couple of hours ago.
It started right before Marinette had almost sped up into the small boy. It was silent with no sound, but Marinette nearly winced again when she saw Chat drop down and catch the car. She would be hearing the noise of screeching tires at night for a while. Another trigger to add to the list.
Ugh, it even showed him checking her over. It ended after Chat swooped down, picked her up in a single motion, and walked off-screen. Now being carried like a princess for the whole world to see made her groan. She buried her face in her hands and knew, she just knew, she'd be getting a call from Alya soon, and this would be all over the Lady blog in a matter of hours if it weren't already. Chat chuckled at her reaction and patted her shoulder softly.
"At least it got our good side," he said smugly.
Marinette scowled at him, which brought out his Lopsided grin again. Easy for him to say. Every angle is a good angle for him. The man was a perfect specimen, adored by all of Paris. He wasn't the one on blast in the media being made to look like a damsel in distress, either. She sighed and took the phone to scroll down and see the comments. Most of them were just fangirls swooning over him like love-sick teens with a few scathing remarks about her; she rolled her eyes.
She stopped at one and read with a raised eyebrow. 'What a plain-looking girl. Can't believe Chat even noticed her.' her lips thinned, and her eyes turned hard, but she eeped when she saw a black glove reach over and scroll down a little to read the following comment. As his clawed finger swiped he muttered, 'how rude. She's not plain.' Which made her realize Chat had leaned in right next to her face to read the article with her, and she had subconsciously leaned in as well. It was something she did with Alya so often that she didn't think anything of it.
He was reading intently mere inches from her face, and she got lost in his green eyes for a moment. She snapped out of it and threw the phone upwards when she flailed her arms. Chat heard Sabine sigh heavily as he merely reached and plucked the phone out of the air before it could hit the ground. He handed it back to Sabine with a grin when he saw her eyes were full of surprise. Everyone had gone quiet after he handed it back. It seemed the entire family was used to Marinette being a bit accident-prone around the house.
"The costumes' not just for show," he said shyly.
"He saves phones and people! What a hero!" Tom said jovially at the look on his daughter's face. The parents couldn't help but chuckle.
Chat didn't notice how slowly his guarded expression faded over an hour. His hands became more animated as he told puns to uproarious laughter from Tom and many eye rolls from the ladies. They asked him questions about being Chat Noir that he tried to answer as truthfully as possible, sprinkling in the occasional white lie or deflection when needed to protect his identity. Such things had become second nature to all the miraculous holders.
After a while, Marinette just sat there and smiled at the scene in front of her. Chat was currently telling them about a particularly bad Akuma they had faced a few months back and how they managed to eke out a win even though it nearly cost Chat his life. Her eyes narrowed when she noticed he had left that last part out. Near the end, he dived in front of an attack meant for Ladybug, and his head became trapped inside a living shadow that nearly suffocated him. She had cried a lot during that time and for several days after whenever she thought about it. Even with the ladybug cure he wasn't breathing, and she had to give him CPR. The smart-ass had made some crack about buying him dinner first after she brought him back coughing and hacking up a storm. Such a freaking jerk. Smarmy jackass…
Marinette reached into her bag, pulled out her sketchbook, and flipped to an empty page. Luckily she was well-practiced at drawing with her left hand. She recalled the scene from her near-fatal accident and tried to recreate it. His slightly unkempt hair. His cat ears laid down flat on his head. His shoulders showing his muscles as he strained against a deadly force. How the lines in his back shook from being pushed to their upper limits. She had gotten completely lost in thought and hadn't noticed it went quiet around her. Her eyes were drawn up in concentration, and she nearly didn't notice the hand on her shoulder until Chat's face leaned in right next to hers.
"Wow, Prin- Marinette. You're really talented. This is good." Chat said with a hint of awe in his voice. His eyes flicked over to her parents when he nearly called her the little pet name he liked for her. He had a feeling they wouldn't appreciate someone in a mask being so forward with their daughter of 17. It wasn't like they knew who he was or anything about him. And there was that Weredad incident to remember. Adrien had to suppress a shudder. Better not to do anything that might be misconstrued as romantic interest.
"O-oh! U-uh, thanks Chat! It's n-nothing! I usually just use my skills for hot people. I mean fashion! Hot fashion!" Marinette stammered out way too quickly. She had been thinking about his muscles a little too closely while trying to capture the moment. How they looked. How muscles like that might feel under her hands. How his hands would feel on her. How his arms would feel- Nope!
She wanted to bury her face and never show it in public again! Why was she acting this way around Chat, dammit! She'd been pining for Adrien a long time and was a healthy teenager, but there was no way she was that thirsty! Stupid! Chat blanc! End of the world! Remember Marinette?
Her face flushed when he simply chuckled lightly and gave her shoulder a light squeeze. Adrien had always thought her shy side was cute, and she was usually a lot sassier with his Chat persona, though. He guessed he was too close to her personal space, so he let go and sat back down to avoid making her uncomfortable. Marinette swallowed and counted to three with her eyes closed to get a grip.
"Would you like it? As a small thank you for saving me?" Marinette said. Chat's eyes lit up in a way she hadn't seen in a long time. Probably for the best she didn't hang onto it anyways. If the last few minutes were any indication of what effect it might have.
"Really! Oh, that would be great! It's very flattering, Marinette. I'd love it!" Chat said happily as she carefully ripped the page out and handed it to him.
He carefully slipped it into his skin-tight suit near his heart. He had to unzip his body suit slightly to do so. Marinette's eyes widened as she watched him do it, catching a glimpse of his bare chest. It made sense, though. Unless you concentrated on having them, the suit didn't come with pockets when they transformed.
"I think I should get going, however. It's getting late, and I'm sure you'd like to rest after such a harrowing day. Keep safe, Marinette." Chat said fondly and got up and stretched his arms above his head. He leaned forward like the big cat he was as well. She always wondered how much of his little cat-like idiosyncrasies were him or his cat Kwami seeping in.
"I'll walk you out," Marinette said, hopping up. Her parents busied themselves with cleaning up the table now that their guest was leaving.
Once they stepped outside the front door, Chat pulled out his baton and was about to use it to spring himself away before Marinette called out to him, and he felt a tug on his tail. Why did that feel so familiar?
"Wait! C-chat Noir? Is… everything ok? You seem a little off today. If you ever need to talk or get something off your chest, you can talk to me, alright? Even superheroes need someone to confide in." Marinette said shyly and let go of his tail. Without Alya, she would have gone mad by now. It only just occurred to her that he might feel that same pressure. Maybe she was the bad partner.
Chat's face slowly morphed from a slight shock to a genuinely huge Cheshire grin. And for the first time that day, it stayed up and he seemed genuinely pleased. Chat was touched. In his superhero persona, he had talked with Marinette several times over the years and even confided with her about a few things, but he wouldn't say they were close. He knew that was merely how Marinette was. Kind and caring to a fault. Willing to reach out to a stranger, even one in a mask. He walked back over to the lovely girl with a heart of gold.
"I'd… like that princess. I'd like that a lot. Another time, perhaps. Get some rest and heal up. I'll stop by again to check on you. On your balcony, perhaps after my patrols. But for now, I think I better go." Chat said fondly and put the Chat Noir charm to work. He slowly grabbed her non-injured hand as he talked and bent down to give it a soft kiss, never breaking eye contact with her. He could just make out the light blush of red when she rolled her eyes and giggled. She took her hand back and gave him a playful push to the shoulder.
"Oh, get out of here, you giant flirt. I'll hold you to that, though," she said with a laugh in her voice. Chat Noir gave her a lazy two-finger salute while backing away, using his baton to send him onto the nearby rooftops easily, and making his way home.
Once he crawled through his window, he went to his computer and pinned up his new drawing. He dropped his transformation and wobbled his way to his bed. He heard Plagg scoff the moment he materialized.
"And here I thought you only had eyes for Ladybug." The black Kwami said smugly. Adrien couldn't help but wonder why his partner had such a shit-eating grin when he said that.
"Oh stuff it, Plagg. You know I only have one woman in my heart." Adrien said with a roll of his eyes and a long-suffering sigh. He swore every now and then he'd hear comments like that from Plagg whenever he talked to Marinette for any length of time.
"Hey now, Marinette's a fine girl. You could do a lot worse, kid."
"I know that Plagg but it's not like that. She's a pretty girl with a big heart, but even so, we're just friends. Have been for years now, and I doubt she'd appreciate any romantic advances. From Adrien or Chat Noir." he said and face-planted onto his queen-sized bed. He chuckled a little at Plagg's loud groan.
"I swear, you're the densest holder I've ever had…" Plagg muttered and zipped up to his little room hidden behind a bookshelf. Adrien only heard the first few words as he let his exhaustion catch up with him.
Marinette was brushing her hair right before going to bed herself, humming slightly as Tikki lay down on her computer table.
"Marinette, was that a good idea? To invite Chat over like that?" Tikki said worryingly.
"I don't think it could do that much harm… after all, I'm pretty sure no one knows his secret, Tikki. He's got no one to confide in like I do. I don't think I would have made it this far without Alya…" she said, trailing off and setting her brush down with a small sigh.
"Besides, he knows the rules about our identities. I was just offering him someone to vent to if he needed it... He seemed so off lately. Which is kinda… definitely, my fault." Marinette said with a frown and looked over to Tikki.
"Every Chat Noir is made of strong stuff. You two have one of the strongest bonds I've ever seen from the ladybug and cat Miraculous, so I'm sure it'll work out. Be sure to talk to him as Ladybug soon. Just be careful, alright? When I told you to talk with him, I didn't mean as Marinette," Tikki said, kissed her holder on the cheek, and flew off to her little bed of a scarf.
"I will. Goodnight Tikki." Marinette said with a Yawn and crawled into her bed.
The two defenders of Paris were fast asleep less than five minutes after crawling into bed. They both dreamed of running over rooftops and laughing with their partner. But soon, Marinette's turned into a nightmare with a Chat Blanc and a broken city. While Adrien's turned into being abandoned by every last person he cared about and left all alone in a dark cage. There was even a moment when he heard Ladybug's voice but turned to see Marinette trying to help him. These nightmares were not new to the pair, more like old friends at this point. But no matter how often they have them, their sleep is never any less fretful. Both of them would wake up groggy the next day and already exhausted. Again.