Dabble in Drabbles 14.3: Love in Time
Marichat because it's the day of love! :D
Summary: And in that moment, time stood still.
How does one make time stand still?
How does one stop the clock from ticking to the next second? To just press pause?
Three different ways.
Chat discovered how to stop time in three different ways.
And wished rewind could happen instead.
1. A kiss
It was an accident. A pleasant and wonderful one, but an accident nonetheless.
(It was intentional. A pleasant and wonderful one, but intentional nonetheless.)
He wasn't complaining though. From the way his eyes shone and the way his smile showed his pearly whites, one could tell that he was enjoying this.
They were on Marinette's balcony, wrapped up in her blanket and talking. Talking about anything. Talking about everything.
Although it was Marinette was the one doing most of the talking and Chat just watched her with amused affection.
("He's really handsome! And nice and modest! He doesn't brag, he's always polite, and he treats everyone fairly, even Chloe.")
Her eyes were bright and he swore that it shone even more than the stars in the sky, even more than the reflections of diamonds, even more than the light from the Eiffel Tower. Her cheeks were painted with the pink of a virgin rose. Her mouth was a tantalizing temptation.
Adrien would never do these things, think these thoughts.
But this wasn't Adrien. This was Chat Noir.
And Chat Noir would do these things, think these thoughts.
"Princess, I'm going to kiss you."
"What?"
He leaned forward and his lips touched hers.
Time stopped.
The next tick of a clock never came. Everything faded. Only this moment revolved in the space of time.
It was light, like the rays of the early sunrise, like cotton candy, like the shyness of a first kiss.
It was sweet, like the taste of honey, like a Valentine's Day poem, like the sugars of a first kiss.
It lasted only a second. But in the matter of a second, it was an eternity.
He pulled away.
She grew mad. "You can't do that!"
"I just did." He replied cheekily.
"You know I like Adrien!"
"I know."
"Then why?"
"I was curious."
"Curious?!"
"I did warn you that I was going to kiss you."
"You didn't give me time to reply!"
"You could've pulled away before I did."
"I – argh!"
Marinette's cheeks were flushed and she had a small pout on her face. "You're my friend Chat."
"I know." Chat replied.
"Friends don't kiss."
"Are you sure?" Chat asked, and Marinette stiffened at the solemnity of his tone. "Because before you love someone, you start first as friends."
Marinette stared at him. "Then…"
Chat smiled as he stood up and stretched lazily. He gave her a wink. "I'll be waiting, princess."
2. Confession
"I'm sorry."
That's what she said.
Everything froze. Nothing moved.
Time stopped.
Only those words resonated around him, inside him, through him.
Two words directed to the half of a whole.
He knows. Of course he knows.
His princess wanted the prince charming, not the knight.
But if her prince was her knight, would she love him still?
"I'm sorry."
That's what he said.
She's crying. He's crying.
They're both crying.
Because they're friends.
They loved the other half of the other without knowing the other half.
And it's frustrating.
Why couldn't the half be one whole without keeping any secrets?
They couldn't help being friends.
They couldn't help being in love with each other.
They couldn't help being in love with each other while loving the other half they didn't know.
Two people.
Four personas.
One large heartbreak.
3. Death
The darkness edged at the sides of his vision.
But all he saw was red. Ladybug red.
My Lady.
And time stopped.
The clock of Adrien Agreste, the seconds of Chat Noir, dissolved.
Only Death could truly stop Time.
Rewind.
...28.29.30.
...59.60.
...31.30.
...5.4.
3.
2.
1.
0.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
Chat opened his eyes, and saw the face of a crying Marinette. She had him wrapped in her arms, her body wracked with heavy sobs.
"Bring him back. Bring him back. Bring him back. Bring him back."
"I'm back."
Marinette's eyes fluttered open. Chat reached out his hand to touch her face and was shocked at his bare fingers.
Chat had returned to being Adrien.
"Chat." Marinette grabbed his hand and held it tightly. He squeezed back. "Adrien."
"Looks like the cat's out of the bag, princess."
"Je t'aime."
His eyes grew wide.
"Je t'aime." She repeated. Her tears still streamed down her face and fell on his cheeks. "Chat Noir, je t'aime. Adrien, je t'aime."
She cried harder, like her whole world had collapsed and was suddenly pieced back together.
"Je t'aime."
"Je t'aime aussie."
Adrien wrapped his arms around her neck and held her, like she was the whole world to him.
I love you.
Je t'aime.
Love.
Amour.
Time stopped. Love moved.
And everything was alright in this broken world.
How does one make time stand still?
How does one stop the clock from ticking to the next second? To just press pause?
One loves.
Well well well, look who was bitten by the love bug.
Technically, it is Marichat. I didn't say it wouldn't be angsty fluff.
Happy (very late) Valentine's day!