Chapter Nine – Below the Surface

Lazing with Chat Noir while watching a movie gave Marinette a deep sense of contentment. Honestly, he was like a living cat pillow although not nearly as soft. It was why she found herself adjusting her position against him while hoping to avoid an elbow to the ribs. She probably needed to use an actual cushion yet she preferred laying her head upon her akuma fighting partner's shoulder.

Blue eyes were beginning to hood with heavy lids. The usual anxiety Marinette carried with her on a daily basis, coiled tight in her chest, had loosened and with it came the lull of sleepiness. The hand she'd been using to reach for more popcorn dropped slowly to rest on Chat Noir's belly. Her fingertips absently trailed along the muscular abdominal contour above his navel as she tried to stay awake.

A black gloved hand clamped over hers, stilling the movement of her fingers and startling Marinette enough to shake her drowsy state. Heat flared in her cheeks as she realised how she'd been touching Chat Noir. She didn't dare look at him, instead she dug her teeth in her bottom lip as she considered what to say. "Sorry," she croaked in embarrassment.

"It's okay, you fidget when you're tired." Was there a distinct note of strain in Chat Noir's voice or was she imagining it? He let out a chuckle that sounded a little forced. "You were just rubbing the same spot a little too much."

Marinette felt as though she should offer some sort of retort but all that came to mind was, "Oh." From there the pair remained quiet as they watched the remainder of the movie, with the exception of laughing at the comedic antics of the film. Yet the feeling of ease had dissipated. There was a tension in the air which the girl couldn't fathom how to remedy. Had she crossed a line in physical contact which Chat Noir took offense to? She hadn't meant to make him feel uncomfortable. Even now she could feel how tense he was as she lay against him.

This need to fix whatever she had done wrong continued to plague Marinette even as the movie came to an end. Chat Noir's frame remained rigid as the credits rolled. His gloved hand holding the popcorn bowl was so taunt the tips of his claws had finely scraped the surface of the plastic. Was something more going on with Chat Noir? Perhaps something else had triggered this strange response.

Feeling the need to confront the situation, Marinette shifted her position on the chaise in attempt to view his face and look him in the eye. As she moved, Chat Noir's whole body stiffened more. Confounded, Marinette paused and let out a heavy sigh which rustled his hair. This in turn made Chat Noir shudder. Dawning had her sitting back. He was uncomfortable with her being so close to him. Yet it never seemed to worry him before. If anything, he had welcomed her nearness.

With brow furrowed, she asked, "Are you okay, Chat? Have I been too much in your space?"

The superhero's feline eyes seemed overly bright and his Adam's apple bobbed. "I'm fine. Everything is fine. Situation normal. How are you?"

Marinette's eyes narrowed. "You're acting weird."

Chat Noir quickly dropped his legs to the opposite side of the chaise and glanced over his shoulder. "I'm just overtired." He made a show of stretching his arms and spine. "I should go home."

And before Marinette could make any further comment, Chat Noir raced like a black streak up her loft bed ladder and to the skylight.

"Are you sure everything is alright?" She called as she climbed up behind him.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Clawed hands were furiously working her skylight window latch open. "I'll see you next week?"

Was there a touch of pleading to his voice? And if so, why? "Um, yeah. I don't have any other plans."

"Good, I'll see you then." With that, Chat Noir scurried out her skylight as if his she'd brandished a squirt bottle aimed his way.

Still utterly bewildered by his odd behaviour, one final scenario entered Marinette's head. Raising her hand to cup over her mouth she exhaled hard then sniffed at her own breath and winced. "Ugh, maybe that was the problem. Note to self, eat less garlic prior to movie night."

FYI... I totally borrowed Han Solo's line there, well at least a version of it as it might not be exactly what he said when trying to placate the Empire while helping Luke break out Princess Leia from the detention block on the Death Star.

Now then, my posting may be a bit more erratic. We have lots of bush fires locally and combine that with end of year Christmas chaos and I have limited time to write. Also please direct lost rain clouds down under, we bloody need them.

Thanks for reading! :)