Marinette stepped back with satisfaction from her full-size corkboard ('stalker-board') with a nod to herself. The board was papered in photos of Chat Noir (with a few of Ladybug thrown in), linked with strands of different coloured yarn and colour-coded post-it notes. Adrien sat back on her computer chair, with a plate of macaroons on his lap. Marinette's parents had thrust the plate of treats into his hands before going up to Marinette's room to 'study.' Adrien munched a particularly good strawberry macaroon, while Marinette hummed and hahed over the growing web on her board.
"Hey!" Marinette announced suddenly. "There is a pattern here! He always shows up in this quarter...Oh no...wait...oh...the map was just upside down." Deflated, she pulled the map from the collage, and readjusted it, pinning it carefully, and then rubbing her thumb and forefinger over her chin mumbling to herself.
"Seems like you've been busy," Adrien observed cautiously. "When did you have a chance to do all of this?"
"I was working on it all night, and most of this morning too," Marinette admitted. "I thought I was getting somewhere, but then I totally hit a wall. I wondered if maybe taking some time and approaching it again I might see something, but now I wonder if I should just start already again," Marinette lamented to the wall in question.
"What are you doing anyway?" Adrien wondered.
"I uh...um...well...it is research," Marinette wrung her hands together, and shifted on her feet.
"Research huh," Adrien repeated, raising an eyebrow and setting the macaroons to one side. "I know Alya wanted you to help with her blog, but don't you think you're pushing yourself a little too much?"
"I've barely scratched the surface!" Marinette turned back to the board with a crazed look in her eye that made Adrien unnerved. "I know him better than anyone! What could I be missing?!" she muttered to herself, running her fingers through her hair, making her ponytails stick out in a frazzled way.
"You think you know Chat Noir better than me?" Adrien stood with a smile, and stepped across the floor slyly to stand next to her in front of the cork-board.
"Nino says you're a big fan of the Miraculous heroes and that is so totally awesome Adrien," Marinette smiled at him sweetly, but then she patted his shoulder dismissively, and sighed, "but this is serious. I need someone who knows Chat Noir's mannerisms, his habits, his hobbies, and all of that. I need more than just a fan. I need Alya."
"Hey! I know way more than Alya!" Adrien protested loudly.
"I didn't mean to make it sound like I wasn't grateful for you trying to help me out. It is just that Alya is the Ladyblogger and has spent a lot of time finding out all about the heroes of Paris. Maybe I'll just wait till she gets back after her date with Nino..." Marinette glanced at the clock on her phone.
"You don't need to wait around for her! I'm right here! Ask me!" Adrien crossed his arms, and pouted at Marinette.
"Hmm," Marinette put her hands on her hips, and looked at Adrien's face. He stood defiant, and confident as if gearing up for a fight. She had never seen him like this before. She wasn't sure how to take it. "You really think you know about Chat Noir?" Marinette asked calculatingly, watching him closely.
"Try me!" Adrien smirked, and flipped his blonde hair out of his eyes.
Marinette narrowed her eyes at him, feeling herself drawn into his challenge. "What is Chat Noir's favorite music artist?"
"Jagged Stone. Come on give me something a bit harder," Adrien responded easily.
"What is his favorite video game?" Marinette asked.
"Too easy! Megastrike 3 of course," Adrien replied flawlessly without a pause.
"Favorite toys as a child?" Marinette stepped forward.
"Cars," Adrien said quickly, and then squared off in front of her.
"What is he allergic to?" she countered.
"Pigeons," Adrien moved closer. "Are you really going to just ask me these trivial questions? Give me a challenge at least!"
Marinette clenched her hands, and swallowed hard. If she had been the Marinette from a couple weeks ago Adrien's direct response would have made her swoon, but this wasn't that Marinette. This Marinette was on a mission, and Adrien had no idea how important it was that she find out everything there was to know about the partner that she had kept at arm's reach for so long. "Fine," Marinette said through her teeth, "What was the first villain Chat Noir and Ladybug every faced?"
"Stoneheart," Adrien answered, remembering back to the first day he had met Ladybug as Chat Noir. His heart swelled in his chest, when he started to think about how it had also been the first moment that he had met Marinette. Who knew that soon after he would be picking chewing gum off of the seat of the very same girl who had captured his heart as she stood against Hawkmoth at the Eiffel Tower.
Marinette thought carefully. Honestly she was pretty impressed by Adrien's knowledge of Chat Noir. "What is Chat Noir's weakness?" Marinette posed.
Adrien laughed, and cockily held up three fingers, "Chat Noir only has three weaknesses: puns, croquettes, and of course Ladybug."
Marinette stood rooted in one spot. Her mind had left her room, and was re-living each time Chat Noir had sacrificed himself for her. Each time he had blocked a blow meant for her. Each time he had rushed to her rescue. Finally she thought of their conversation on the balcony last night; how he was determined to give up his miraculous to protect her. "Ladybug is his weakness isn't she..." Marinette said quietly, feeling a prick of tears at the corners of her eyes.
"Uh..no...no...that's not what I meant! Not in a bad way!" Adrien held up his hands, trying to assure her that he had only been joking.
"No, but you are right!" Marinette angrily brushed the unshed tears from her eyes. "Every time he is at risk it is all because of Ladybug!"
"It is his job to look out for Ladybug though. Chat Noir is her shield, so that she can fix everything. That is what makes them such great partners!" Adrien coaxed.
"That is where you're wrong," Marinette closed her eyes shaking her head. "Partners stand side by side, together. Chat Noir is always jumping ahead trying to sacrifice everything for her. If he realized she saw him more than her protector, but as her equal, as her other half...maybe then he would wouldn't be so quick to cast him in front of any danger coming their way...if he did that she wouldn't be left alone to fight without him!" She choked on the sob in her throat.
The two of them stood quietly beside each other for a time before Adrien sighed, and put his hand on Marinette's shoulder. "Chat Noir would never abandon Ladybug," he said softly.
Marinette shifted on her feet, and turned her gaze to a photograph of Chat Noir looking out at her. "He always does what he thinks is right. Once he's made his mind up about something he is so determined. He's so...so...
"obstinate?" suggested Adrien ducking his head.
"...irresistible," sighed Marinette with dreamy eyes, not hearing Adrien at all.
Adrien's ears pricked, and he slowly turned his head towards Marinette. A red glow heated up his cheeks, and he fidgeted, not quite sure what to do with his hands. How he wished he could lift Marinette off her cute little ballet flats and twirl her around. Hold her and tell her he was right in front of her. In the end he settled on hastily picking up a loose pile of photographs and scribbled notes from Marinette's desk, and pretending to scan through them for clues.
"You uh...sound pretty taken by him," Adrien said, trying to keep his voice sounding nonchalant. The break in his voice was his only giveaway.
"I...well...he is...I mean, of course I admire him and think it is pretty cool how he has saved the city countless times. Everyone in Paris is crazy about him," Marinette tented her fingers, and looked up. She gave a sideways glance over to Adrien. Was Adrien...jealous of Chat Noir?
"Well he is pretty lucky to have your attention," Adrien flipped through the photos of Chat Noir. Then he paused. "Are you like trying to get to know him better or something?" Adrien asked, looking back up at Marinette.
"I told you, it's research," Marinette gathered the photographs and papers Adrien had been shuffling, and held them to her
"You know, some people might stay that I have a lot in common with Chat Noir," Adrien leaned in towards Marinette, coming eye to eye with her.
"HA!" a bark of a laugh sprang out of Marinette, and she covered her snickers behind the stack of photos. "You and Chat Noir!" Marinette wheezed through her muffled giggles. "You are totally different!"
Adrien stared at her stunned, and then sputtered, "what do you mean totally different? We're not THAT different! You don't have to laugh!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Marinnette tried unsuccessfully to wipe the smile off her face and look back at him seriously. "It's just that you and Chat Noir, Chat Noir and you...don't you think that is just a little far fetched!"
"It's not that unbelievable," Adrien pouted, "Clara Nightengale thought I made a pretty good Chat Noir for her music video."
"I mean sure, you both have the blonde hair, those dreamy...I mean greeny...I mean green eyes, but that is not a lot to go on when you're trying to sift through a city of over two million people!" Marinette pointed out.
"Wait are you trying to track down Chat Noir?" Adrien's mouth dropped open.
"I uh..um...well...I..." Marinette froze, realizing that she had been put off guard by Adrien and said too much. "Ha ha...what makes you say that?! That would be silly! As if I could ever find Chat Noir!" she tried to patch up her mistake.
"There is a reason the heroes wear masks, or have you forgotten!" Adrien said with more bite in his words that Marinette had expected. "If he wasn't around and you just let things be, maybe you could see what is right in front of you!" he continued, facing her with frustration in his every fiber.
"And what exactly is in front of me?!" Marinette demanded back, facing him head on.
"The one who loves you!" Adrien exclaimed.
Adrien and Marinette stared at each other in a stand off against each other, each with their mouth slightly parted and their eyes wide. Adrien's sudden declaration was a surprise to both of them. Adrien hadn't planned for it to come out that way, and Marinette certainly had never imagined that this would be the long awaited day the Adrien Agreste would confess his love for her!
"Wh...what did you say?" Marinette squeaked.
Adrien took a deep breathe, and stepped forward taking her hand softly in his. "I said that standing in front of you is the one who loves you," he said.
"You...you...love me?" Marinette's eyes got even wider, but she looked more alarmed than pleased.
"With all my heart!" Adrien, brought her hand to his heart, and moved his other hand to her waist bringing her closer.
"Meep!" Marinette made a high pitched chirp, and her face went red. "Adrien I...I..." she stuttered.
"If you ever doubted my feelings for you, I want to make it clear now!" Adrien whispered softly, bringing her closer and tilting his head towards hers.
"Adrien!" Marinette moved her hands in front of herself, keeping him at arms length. "I care about...I care about you so much. You have no idea how much I have wished to hear you say you loved me, and how much I had always wanted to confess to you too," she said with clenched eyes, as if unable to say what she knew she had to right to his face. Then she opened her eyes, and Adrien was shocked to see her eyes glistening, like she might cry. "Adrien, I will probably always love you, but right now my heart is torn. There is someone..." she let the stinging words drift from her lips.
"Your heart belongs to someone else?" Adrien's voice asked with a raspy croak.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she held on to his wrists. "I don't want to ever hurt you...I know it's selfish, but even though there is someone I'm waiting for, I don't want to loose your friendship either!"
"Your friendship means everything to me," Adrien said softly, and lifted her hand to his lips. Pressing his lips against the back of her hand, he looked up at her. "You'll never loose me, but I'm also never give up trying to win your heart!"
"But Adrien!" Marinette gasped at him.
"I hope to see you again real soon Mari! Good luck with your research," Adrien squeezed her shoulder and walked toward the hatch. Adrien lifted the hatch, and then turned back with a pause. "If you're really stuck on finding out what Chat Noir is really like, you should talk to a friend of his."
"Wh...what? You know a friend of Chat Noir?" Marinette managed to respond.
"If you ever come across him, he calls himself 'Shadowcat," Adrien supplied, and then left her as she crumpled down to her knees on the floor.
oooooooo
Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read my story so far, and especially those though who have left such wonderful reviews! Shout out to Ryuuzaky, kalisfandomstories1004, Lunar Jellyfish and Liventmenow for the reviews and for being such loyal followers for this story:) It means so much to hear from you and I take your words to heart. I hope everyone keeps following this story! Shadowcat is about to make another appearance!
Off to write some more;)
