"Hold still would you, Mari!" Cat said, as he held Marinette's leg in front of him, and a nail polish brush in the other. His tongue poked out the right side of his mouth. "Sorry, kitten. I'm ticklish!" Marinette giggled, but tried to hold still as Cat worked. "I've fought easier akuma villains," he muttered. "Tell you what, if I ever get a akumatized I'll ask Hawkmoth to give me the power of super-tickling," she said, her bluebell eyes were lit up mischievously. "I hope that never happens, Princess, but thanks for the warning." He bent over her feet to concentrate on painting her toenails.
It was a Saturday, and Mari and Cat were hanging out in her room, bantering like they always did.
Mari felt the warmth of Cat's hand on her leg, steadying it. She blushed slightly. "So, I started a new project for a client," Mari told him. "Good! What is it?" he asked. "One of the girls at school asked me to make them a cat blanket," she said.
It was good money, having clients ask for clothes, etc. from Marinette. It was her dream to be a fashion designer one day. It was hard sometimes, juggling life as Ladybug and Marinette, but with Cat she felt that nothing could stop her.
"There, I think that should be good," Cat said. He blew a little on her foot to make the nails dry. "I have a portable fan. We can position it so it's directed on my feet," Marinette said. Cat went to her closet and then opened the door. He disappeared a moment, then came out with the portable fan. Plugging it in by Mari's bed, he accidentally switched it on to high. "Cat, turn it down!" Mari's shouted, to be able to heard over the fan. Cat quickly flicked the switch to "off."
Mari caught a look of herself in the mirror and gave a little squeak. "Princess?" Cat said. "My hair," she said, giggling. It was blown straight back from the power of the fan, giving Marinette a slightly exotic look. "Could you brush it out, Kitty? Or do you want me to do it?" Mari asked. "Are you doubting my hair-brushing, skills? I'm a model," Cat huffed, turning on the fan to the lowest setting, and grabbing the hairbrush from her desk. He climbed up onto the bed behind her, looking at the slightly "hairy" brush. A gleam came to his beautiful green eyes. "I may have to shave some of your fur, love," Cat said, pointing to the hairbrush. He started combing her long black hair in smooth strokes. "What did you eat for breakfast? Catnip?" Mari turned her head slightly to look at him, and small "ouch" come from her. "that's what you get for not staying still," he whispered in her ear, setting the brush down for a moment. "And I had kibble for breakfast," he said, in a haughty voice. "Packed with a side of sarcasm," Marinette muttered beneath her breath. Cat's breath hitched. "You asked for it!" he said, gently flipping Mari on to her stomach and began tickling her. "I take it back!" she squealed happily. After scuffling a few more minutes, Cat started on her ponytail. "And...done! Can we watch a movie now? The one about the fish?" Cat asked. "Of course we can," Mari stood up and adjusted her pink top and shorts. She felt Cat's eyes on her as got the movie ready.
She flopped and down next to Cat as the movie started. These were the moments that she would treasure and keep in her "green glass bottle" of memories. She lay with her head on Cat's stomach, enjoying the movie, but the gentle rise and fall of his stomach and his breathing were a lullaby that she could not stay awake for.
Marinette woke to the sound of Cat Noir. "Can you purr any louder?!" she teased. He did, butting his head against her stomach like a real cat. She ran her fingers through his soft blond hair. "Your hair is very fluffy this morning." "Happens when it rains," he explained.
He and Ladybug had been caught out in a rainstorm the night before, and instead of running for cover, they had danced with each other in the rain. "What are you thinking about?" Cat asked, slipping his hand in hers. "the rain. It's such a peaceful thing." Was Cat thinking about last night too? She decided to continue the banter. "I could get some hair gel," she said, slyly. "And you could get a scratching post to sharpen her claws," he said, leaning forward to kiss her.
They broke away slowly, foreheads resting on each others. "Love you, Kitty," she said. Cat's throat tightened, she was his sunlight in the murkiness of downpours. "do you know how happy you make me?" he whispered. "I just listen," Mari shrugged. "and do you know how much I value that?" he asked.
Growing up with a father who ignored him after his mother had disappeared, meant many days of Adrien Agreste masking his real feelings, hiding the hurt. He had done everything his parents wanted him to do. When he became Cat Noir he finally felt free. But being with Marinette? That was a different kind of freedom, one who he could truly be himself with.
"Would you like to make some hot chocolate?" she asked. Cat Noir knew that "making hot chocolate" was Marinette's way of coping or talking about difficult things. "of course, sweetheart."
He led her downstairs to the kitchen. He got the milk out of the fridge, while she grabbed the chocolate powder out of the kitchen. He watched her sure hands stir everything together and set it on the stove.
He wrapped his arms around her. "What's bothering you?" he asked. "the other day at the career fair my shyness took over. I-I just wish," she turned, burying her face into Cat's chest.
He knew what she was thinking. Wanting to do something so bad, and others telling you to go a different path. "Plus, Adrien looked so sad the other day, and I wanted to cheer him up," she whispered.
How much love did this girl have in her heart? Her love for people was endless. He wasn't exactly sure what to tell her, without revealing his secret identity. "For all I know, Adrien is shy too, dear," he whispered.
"Really?" she asked. She poured the hot chocolate into two mugs squirting them with whipped cream. As Cat sat down next to her, he could tell she was thinking hard. "Sometimes we wear masks even when we're not wearing them," Cat told her. He squeezed her hand. "You'll think of something," he said.
They sat there in comfortable silence, drinking their hot chocolate. It was nice to have a friend who understood you, with or without a mask.
