CHAPTER FOURTEEN:
A WONDERFUL GIFT
By the end of the week, Cat Noir was out of bed… and out of the sling.
He still needed more time for his stitches to dissolve and heal completely, but other than that, Marinette granted him permission to move about the castle. "As long as you don't fight anymore wolves," she pointed out dryly.
Cat Noir was just happy to walk around again. Now that he'd had his lifetime supply of catnaps, he felt like a new person. That heavy pall of desolation that had haunted him for months was slowly lifting away, and he felt like he could breathe easier now. The halls of the castle seemed brighter, even when the weather was grey and snowy.
At first, Cat Noir thought everything looked better because he was feeling better.
But then he began to wonder… maybe it wasn't just his body that was healing.
One bright afternoon, Cat Noir went to get some fresh air with Plagg and Nooroo. The recent snowfall had finally passed, so the boy put on his cloak and proceeded to stroll along the castle battlements. Plagg hated the cold, so he hitched a ride in Cat Noir's jacket pocket. Nooroo did some flying manoeuvres around his friend, his wings leaving a trail of purple sparkles in their wake.
They were about to head inside when Cat Noir noticed movement in the tiny courtyard below him. Peering down, he was surprised to see Marinette out and about in her cream-coloured winter attire – provided by Pollen, judging from the excessive amount of fur-lining. Marinette was kneeling in the snow, gathering up mounds of it to made some kind of model. Tikki and Trixx were with her, using their magic to carve the structure into neat shapes. Cat Noir's keen eyesight allowed him to see that it was a bunch of large walls and bulging towers.
A snow castle. They were making a snow castle.
Cat Noir leaned against the stone railing with a hand on his chin, watching his lady build her little monument.
Something shuffled inside the folds of his cloak, but he paid it no heed.
Plagg poked his big head out and glanced up at Cat Noir. "Hey, pal – why'd you stop?" When he didn't get an answer, the black-cat fairy followed his friend's gaze and murmured with a grin, "Ohhhhh… I see."
Nooroo fluttered down to sit beside Cat Noir, and he smiled down the human girl below.
Marinette straightened out one of the snow towers. After that, Tikki placed decorative rocks on top to make a stone cone.
Trixx was cutting out the square tops of the mini battlements. But then, her overgrown tail bumped into the roof of the tower behind her, and a heaping handful of snow fell right on top of her with a ploof! The fox fairy popped out and shook out all the snow, though a small bit of it remained on her snout. She let out an obnoxious sneeze, causing more parts of the ruined tower to collapse on top of her.
Tikki burst out laughing, leaning back in mid-air. Marinette just giggled and helped lift Trixx out of the snow mound, asking if she was all right. The little fox huffed indignantly at Tikki, who was still guffawing, and then proceeded to tackle her to ground. Their bodies vanished into a large hole in the little white hill.
The two fairies wrestled so fiercely, they sent large sprays of snow flying everywhere. A few of them hit Marinette, and she squealed as she shielded herself and bounded away from the battlefield. Then, she was the one laughing – though it was more like a cackle rasping out of her. And the way her cheeks were all rosy, her mouth opening wide to reveal her fair white teeth, and her eyes gleaming with mischief…
A small but hearty chuckle escaped Cat Noir, and he froze with surprise. When was the last time I ever laughed like that? he thought.
Before the spell, some of his best days were spent outside the castle, mingling with the villagers. He would watch children play, flirt with the young ladies, and then dance with women and children in the evenings. Those moments had always brought a smile to Cat Noir's face.
Now, hearing Marinette's throaty chimes – a real laugh, pure as starlight – made him feel like he was back on those cobblestone streets: listening to all the children laugh and tease each other, seeing girls smile shyly at him, and moving with elegant grace to the music.
"I haven't seen you do that in a long time, Master," Nooroo said, snapping Cat Noir back into reality.
"Do what?" he asked.
"Smile," the butterfly fairy replied warmly.
Cat Noir stared at him for a split second, and then looked back at Marinette with a soft, "Huh…"
It amazed him because Nooroo was right. Ever since he had been turned into a cat creature, Cat Noir had rarely cracked a smile. Usually it was whenever his fairy friends were around to cheer him up, but then he would slip back into his dark corner and dwell on his imminent failure.
But now…
Now, it was like he was waking up from a long, frozen slumber.
Could it really be because… because of her?
He heard Marinette laugh again as she dug a squirming Tikki and Trixx out of the snow, and even the wintry air didn't feel so cold anymore.
Cat Noir's eyes furrowed with determination, and he stood to attention. "You know what?" he said to no one in particular. "I want to do something for her."
"Ooooh, wonderful!" Nooroo clapped his hands together. "You should give her a gift!"
"He already gave her the magic mirror," Plagg pointed out.
"No, no," Cat Noir said. "I want to give her something that will make her really happy." He frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Any ideas?"
Nooroo shrugged. "Well, there's the usual things: flowers, chocolates, jewelry…"
Cat Noir shook his head. "Nah… That's too common. It has to be something special." He glanced down at his coat pocket. "What do you think, Plagg?"
Plagg swept out of his hiding spot to hover in front of his friend. "Take it from me, kid – if you really want to impress a girl, you gotta give her a cute nickname. But it has to be something that speaks to her personality. For example, I call Tikki "Sugarcube" because she's so sweet."
Cat Noir folded his arms. "Yeah, and she calls you "Stinkysock" because you remind her of week-old dirty laundry."
"See? Now you're catching on!"
Cat Noir rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Never mind. I'll see if the others have any actual ideas."
Later on, he secretly found and chatted with each of the other fairies to get their opinions on what kind of gift he should give Marinette. Tikki suggested a candlelit dinner, Trixx proposed a romantic sleigh ride, Pollen recommended a royal spa treatment "fit for a queen", and Duusu offered to put on a theatrical performance. Sadly, Cat Noir thought all of those ideas were a bit too over-the-top, and they wouldn't convey the right message.
Thankfully, Wayzz had the perfect solution to his little dilemma. "It doesn't have to be big, but it has to be meaningful," he advised Cat Noir. "Perhaps you could take Marinette's interests into consideration. What would she like to have as a gift?"
Suddenly, Cat Noir knew exactly what he wanted to do.
The next morning, Marinette received a visit from Tikki, who told her that Cat Noir wanted her to meet him in the third-floor south hallway. When Marinette asked why, the ladybug fairy merely flashed a crooked smile and answered, "It's a surprise."
The message left Marinette both curious and excited as she dressed and slipped down the hall. I wonder what that kitty's up to.
She was starting to see a drastic change in him now that he was back on his feet, and the thought of being near him didn't bother her as much as it used to. Cat Noir had even opened up a little more about the curse, though he was still ambiguous about whether or not he knew how to break it.
Marinette wanted to help him. There had to be something she could do. One night, she tried to ask the magic mirror to show her how to break the spell, but the only image she saw was her own reflection. She then tried to find the mysterious woman who had cast the spell, but the glass frosted up the moment she asked the question. It melted shortly after, but then frosted a second time when Marinette tried again. Apparently, whoever had cursed Cat Noir didn't want anyone finding out who or where she was.
Well, if Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng ever taught their daughter anything, it was to never give up. Marinette knew she would find answers somehow. She just had to keep looking. Besides, maybe the answer was right in front of her.
Marinette reached the south hallway and saw Cat Noir leaning casually against the wall. He was dressed in a casual blue tunic and pants, one hairy foot crossed over the other. When he spotted Marinette, he practically sprang to attention and stared at her with a wondrous smile.
"Wow," he said, his cat-like eyes looking her up and down. "You look amazing, Milady."
Marinette blushed and fiddled shyly with the folds of her seafoam-green, satin dress. Light and airy, it fell straight down from her hips, and the matching tight sleeves ended in loops around her middle fingers. The bodice was bathed in emerald sequins, which sparkled in the daylight coming in from the giant windows. For the finishing touch, Marinette's hair was tied back into a small braid with green ribbon twisting through locks of midnight-blue. Marinette figured Cat Noir's "surprise" warranted something nice to wear.
She thanked her host graciously and then said, "So, what's the occasion?"
Thanks to the excessive amount of light in the hall, the faint pinkness underneath Cat Noir's mask wasn't hard to miss. "I, um… I wanted to show you something," he finally said, his voice going down a couple volumes. "Follow me."
He's nervous! Marinette couldn't help but grin as she stayed on Cat Noir's tail… quite literally.
He led her down the hall and stopped at a pair of large white, wooden doors with curvy brass handles. Cat Noir paused and let out a big sigh. His fingers clenched and unclenched several times, making his claws tap together.
Marinette glanced between him and the doors. "I've never been in this part of the castle before," she said. She hoped talking to him would distract him from all that anxiety coursing through him like a loose seam going off in all directions.
Cat Noir smiled at her. "I haven't been down here in ages. I spent the entire night cleaning up this room for you."
"You're… You're giving me another room?" Now Marinette was the one fidgeting. "All to myself?"
His feline smirk made her toes curl. "Not just any room," he said, standing up tall like a proper gentleman. "But before we go in, you have to close your eyes."
She raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't hide her amusement. "All part of the surprise, I'm guessing?"
Cat Noir just held up his hands in surrender, as if to say, Sorry but I can't tell you.
Marinette sighed dramatically and snapped her eyelids shut.
She heard the doors creak open. Then, she felt something fuzzy brush against her fingers. Once upon a time, that notion would have terrified her. But now, she couldn't help but smile from the softness of her cat friend's fingers. Marinette let him take both her hands and lead her forward. Her heartrate sped up several beats. Her new shoes clinked against what felt and sounded like marble floors.
The suspense was killing Marinette. "Can I open them yet?" she asked hopefully.
"Not yet," Cat Noir sang, guiding her further into the dark. After a few more steps, he stopped and release her hands. "Hold on just a second."
Marinette heard his footsteps speed away. Then, she heard the swishing sound of something heavy and flowy – like drapes.
Suddenly, a burning light shined through her eyelids, and Cat Noir yelped, "Ow! Yeah, that's bright – very bright!"
Marinette giggled and squeezed her eyes tightly closed while her friend let in some more light (and complained about it some more).
Finally, Cat Noir said in an ecstatic tone, "All right – now!"
Marinette opened her eyes.
It took a second for her to comprehend where she was, another second to wonder if she was imagining it, and a third to realize that this was all real.
Marinette inhaled deeply and clasped both hands in front of her mouth. "Oh… my… gosh!" she breathed.
The vast, cylindrical chamber was painted dusty-pink, with white marble floors and matching columns holding up the arched ceiling. Three large windows hugged the rounded end of the room, with the middle one bearing a beautiful painted-glass mosaic of the sun, moon and stars.
But the real eyecatcher was what was in the chamber. Small tables and counters stood along the walls, each one covered with various sewing tools. There were also a couple of spindles, looms, dyeing vats, and bare mannequins – all ranging from adult to children's models – scattered here and there. And in every shelf that stretched all the way up to the ceiling… fabrics! A colourful, winding sea of fabrics, richer and brighter than a jeweled treasure trove!
Marinette took it all in, her heart pounding with every breath. "This is… This is…!"
Cat Noir came to stand beside her, grinning broadly. "Welcome to the castle textile room," he said, sweeping a hand over the scenery. "This is where we used to hand-weave all of the fabrics for our clothes. And if we couldn't make them, we had them imported here from all over France… and beyond." He pointed to one of the lower shelves. "Go ahead – take a look."
Marinette rushed over and sank to her knees. Her shaking hands ran along the rolls of cashmere, linen, velvet, and silk… and she almost forgot to breathe. "I can't believe it!" she said with great reverence. She lifted her eyes to the other shelves. There was also chiffon, linen and canvas, and further down there were strips of suede and leather, as well as smaller rolls of lace and toile. It was a seamstress's paradise!
"I've… I've never seen so many fabrics in one place before!" Marinette squealed. She was going to faint. She fanned herself with her hands to try and cool down.
"Well, you told me that you liked making dresses for other people," Cat Noir said behind her. "Now… you can make your own."
His words swept through Marinette's veins like a gentle tide settling along the sand. Slowly, she turned to face him. "You… You mean… All of this… is mine?" she stammered in disbelief.
Cat Noir spread out his arms. "It's all yours," he confirmed with a smile. "Use it whenever you'd like. I mean… if you want to. But only if you like it." His forehead creased with worry. "Do you like it?"
Marinette gaped at him for a moment. Then, she walked towards him, one slow step at a time. She didn't stop until she was right in front of Cat Noir, who leaned back a bit with apprehension.
Finally, she smiled big and bright and threw her arms around his neck. She had to jump to do it, so now she was dangling with her feet hovering a few inches off the ground. Cat Noir jerked back at bit, catching her in his own arms on sheer instinct. She felt him holding his breath.
"It's wonderful, Cat," Marinette sighed into his shoulder, choking on the words as she shed a few tears of joy. "No one's ever done something like this for me before. Thank you. Thank you so much!"
His body relaxed a little, and then his arms gently pulled her closer, as though he wanted to savour every moment of their embrace. He sighed against her…
… and then, his chest started to rumble. It was a low, vibrating sound, almost like…
Marinette blinked and pulled back so she could see Cat Noir's face, which was slack with shock. "Did I just hear you purring?" she asked him.
Cat Noir's eyes darted to and fro, and then he let out an awkward chuckle. "What? No, of course not! That's… ridiculous." He set her back down on her feet and stepped back, folding his arms tightly around himself as though to stifle that unusual sound. The skin on his face was beet red.
Marinette clasped an elbow in one hand and put the other hand to her chin, hoping he wouldn't notice the way she was grinning at him.
Cat Noir coughed into his hand and started backing towards the open doorway. "So… feel free to get settled in. I'll just be… bobbin along." His fangs glistened as he snickered. "Get it – bobbin?"
Marinette scoffed at him. "That's terrible," she said.
He shrugged. "You're right. I'll go now. Just don't get lost in the sheer madness of all this, okay?"
She laughed, despite herself. "Knock it off!"
"All right, all right… I'll cut it out."
Marinette reached for the closest thing she could get her hands on – which turned out to be an actual bobbin wrapped up with red thread – and threw it at Cat Noir's head.
He ducked and zipped out of the room with his tail between his legs, his obnoxious cackling sounding through the hall.
Marinette shook her head, biting her lip to try and hold back her mirth.
And as she explored her new workspace and started drawing out ideas in her head, Marinette realized that for the first time since she set foot in this castle, she was truly and unconditionally happy.
"Ooohh! Did you see that?"
"I know, I saw it!"
"See? I told you it would work!"
Across from the textile room, the seven fairies observed the whole scene from behind a painted vase on the other side of the hallway. Even after Cat Noir left, they remained hidden and watched Marinette twirl merrily around while she unrolled and assessed some rolls of fabrics. The rich colours and textiles caught in the sunlight, and that seemed to make the girl even happier.
"She even laughed at his puns!" Nooroo squealed, his wings fluttering wildly.
"And she hugged him, too!" Pollen whispered, literally buzzing with excitement. "She actually hugged him!"
Duusu sighed dreamily. "C'est l'amore," she cooed, clutching her tail feathers in her own embrace.
"Now, now, take it easy, everyone," Wayzz said, not unkindly. "There's still work to be done. But I've got to admit it: they're both on the right track."
"Then, let's keep it that way," Plagg said, his green eyes watching Marinette like a cat on the prowl. "We've only got a couple more months until the last petal falls, so we've gotta make every moment count."
The other fairies nodded and proceeded to fly down the hall… all except Tikki and Trixx.
"I still don't see how that is better than my sleigh ride idea," the fox fairy whined, pointing at the textile room. "I mean… What pretty girl in their right mind enjoys making clothes?"
Tikki rolled her eyes with a grin. "Come along, Trixx," she said, tugging on her friend's tail. "There's chores to be done in the kitchen."
Trixx complained the entire way, her voice fading as she shrank away. "But I don't get it! Isn't she a baker's daughter? And what was all that stuff in there anyway? Tikki, are you even listening to me? Ti-kki!"
