MariChat May Day 18: Rejection. Marinette is rejected, and Chat tries to soften the blow.
Marinette sat listlessly at her desk chair with her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped loosely around them. A plate of cookies sat untouched on her desk, evidence of her mother's attempt to cheer her up. She sighed dejectedly. "I should have known better than to get my hopes up, Tikki. They've only chosen a 17 year old twice before, so I knew it was a long shot. But I'd felt so sure…"
"Oh Marinette, hope is never a bad thing." Her kwami nuzzled closer, offering comfort the only way she knew how. "You'll have a whole year to get better, and then you can apply again."
"I know, Tik. I just had my heart set on doing it this year. I guess I didn't even consider the possibility that—"
There was a tell-tale thump overhead, and Tikki dove into her hidden nest just as a shadow fell over the skylight. Marinette waved him in without rising. "What are you doing here so early? It's nowhere near dark yet," she said as he dropped in through the skylight.
"Well hello to you too, Princess."
She winced, and dropped her feet from the chair as he settled on the floor next to her. "Sorry. I don't mean to be snippy."
He folded his arms over her lap, and rested his chin on them. "What's bugging you?"
She snickered at his unintentional pun, and waved away his curious look with a blush. No way was she explaining that. She began toying with his hair absently. "I didn't get that internship."
"Wait, what?" He straightened abruptly, a surprised frown on his face. "But I thought— er, I'd have thought you'd be a shoo-in."
"Apparently, I did, too." She laughed mirthlessly. "I'd thought that I had a realistic view of my chances. I knew it wasn't likely, and I'd thought I was ok with that."
"Not so much?" He put his head back on his arms, and sighed happily when her fingers returned to his hair.
"Not so much." She agreed, running her fingers over his black cat ears, and he shivered.
"You're wrong, though. About it not being likely."
"Oh, Chat. Thank you. But I'm young and inexperienced and they almost always choose someone in their first year at University. I knew that."
"Almost always. They will take on a younger intern when there's enough raw talent, right? And you have that coming out of your ears."
She giggled, scratching his scalp gently. "I'm glad you're here, Chaton."
He melted completely against her, his purr rumbling in his chest, and his eyes slid closed. "No place I'd rather be, Princess."