"Here, hold this for me," Cat Noir held out the shoe box, miraculous box still balanced on top, as Marinette climbed through the trap door.
"Is this… my akuma?" she asked, giving a disgusted look at the shoebox in her hands. Cat Noir couldn't imagine how it felt to say that, but it probably was not a good feeling.
"Yeah," he answered casually, trying to brush it off as no big deal. He reached forward to pick her up, as he had so many times before, then stopped, blushing. This was his lady; holding her wasn't something he felt he could do casually anymore. "May I?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes," Marinette nodded. He lifted her up gently in his arms, just as he had before, but this time he felt nervous. He had finally found his lady. As he leapt off into the night, he fought the urge to grip her more tightly, desperate not to let her go, or to kiss her on the cheek, longing for the warm touch of her skin. He found that he was shaking a bit and began to wonder how long he could trust himself to carry her this way. He had always loved Ladybug, but he felt much closer to her knowing who she really was, and knowing he already knew her so well.
It wasn't long before they landed on top of Master Fu's apartment building. He put her down immediately, almost too fast, worried about his self-control. She eagerly stepped down and put some space between them. She needs some space now, Cat Noir nodded to himself, I get that. Still, all he wanted was to get closer to her.
"Let's go in," he said kindly, smiling at her, "Master Fu is waiting."
"No," Marinette shook her head, "Please, I have to do this myself." There was pain, regret, and worry in her eyes. It pained him to see, and pained him more that she didn't want to share those feelings.
"All right, m'lady," he sighed, accepting her choice, "I'll just wait for you up here."
"Cat Noir," Marinette had a pleading, almost desperate look, "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, but I've had a long night and I need time to think. I'd like to go home alone tonight."
"Oh." Cat Noir could feel his strength leaving him and a sharp pain in his chest. He knew she wasn't rejecting him, she just needed some space right now. Still, he had been hoping that he could talk to her as her for the first time. Well, as Cat Noir, that is. Still, he had to respect his lady's wishes. Imposing on her would not have been constructive.
"All right," he agreed, "Good night, m'lady. I'll see you around!" He gave her a wink and tried to smile, then turned and jumped off into the night without looking back.
"Here, hold this for me," Cat Noir said as Marinette climbed onto her balcony. He held out the shoe box and miraculous box for her to take.
"Is this… my akuma?" she asked hesitantly. It felt like something so dirty to hold, a dark reminder of her failure that night.
"Yeah," Cat Noir reached out to pick her up, then hesitated, blushing. "May I?" he asked politely.
"Yes," Marinette nodded. She felt a shiver run down her spine as he lifted her, so delicately, and jumped off into the night.
He had held her before, both as Marinette and as Ladybug, but somehow it felt different now. As Ladybug, it was always in the heat of battle, there was no time for him to be careful or gentle. As Marinette, he had always been respectful and delicate. Now, however, she could almost sense the tension and excitement coursing through him, knowing that she wasn't just a civilian anymore, but his lady. Marinette felt so exposed and vulnerable, almost like she was being taken advantage of, though she knew those thoughts were ridiculous. She held tight to the boxes she had been entrusted with, trying not to think about it too much.
Soon they alighted upon the roof of Master Fu's apartment building. This time Cat Noir put her down quickly, almost as though he couldn't trust himself to hold her any more. Marinette graciously took a couple steps away, trying to get some breathing room.
"Let's go in," Cat Noir smiled, "Master Fu is waiting."
"No," Marinette spoke softly, shaking her head, "Please, I have to do this myself." I have to face my failure now, and the consequences, Marinette told herself, I don't want him to see that.
"All right, m'lady," Cat Noir's shoulders seemed to droop a bit, "I'll just wait for you up here."
"Cat Noir," Marinette said gently, hoping she wouldn't come across as rude, "I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me, but I've had a long night and I need time to think. I'd like to go home alone tonight."
"Oh," Cat Noir's smile faded and his whole figure seemed to deflate. She understood that he probably really wanted to spend time with her now, to grow closer to her, but Marinette was not in the mood, not after everything that had happened that night. That, and she probably wouldn't be leaving by way of the roof…
"All right," he said, "Good night, m'lady. I'll see you around!" He gave her a last, playful wink before turning and jumping off into the night.
With a sigh, Marinette turned to the stairwell door, steeling herself for what would come next. She knew what she had to do.