Chapter 9

"I'm going to kill you," Marinette hissed angrily to Alya once she sat in her seat the next day.

Alya turned to her wide eyes. "What did I do?"

"You left me alone, you and Nino! I sat next to Adrien! He was so close to me!" Marinette brought her whisper to an even lower level. "His hair touched me."

Alya threw back her head and laughed at that last one. "Girl, shouldn't that be a good thing?"

"It is! But I couldn't handle it," Marinette laid her head miserably on the desk. "It was too much."

Alya kept chuckling but patted her shoulder in sympathy. "It's okay, I'm sure you did fine."

"Alya," she groaned. "It's not fair. Why can't I just talk to him like anybody else?"

"Because he's Adrien, the supposed love of your life?" Alya guessed with a giggle.

Marinette felt her stomach do a little flip at that. Love of her life...

Her best friend laughed at her lack of answer. However, she perked up once she saw the boy duo walk in. "And here he is, now!" She whispered in the designer's ear.

Marinette sat up like a bullet, eyes darting to find the blond. He was laughing at something Nino said, but, it looked just a bit forced. He also limped the slightest bit. Did he injure his ankle while fencing or something?

She frowned at the thought, hoping he would get better soon.

Adrien paused at his desk. His mouth tightened into a thin line as he eased himself in his seat.

"Dude, you okay?" Nino asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just hurt my leg in fencing yesterday." He gave a reassuring smile.

"That sucks," Nino remarked.

Adrien chuckled. "Yeah, it does." He turned to face the girls. "Morning, Alya. Hi, Marinette!"

"Hi, Adrien," Marinette automatically replied with a smile lighting up her face. "I c-couldn't help but overhear earlier...I-I hope your leg gets b-better soon." She felt her face warm as she said those last words. She hoped he wouldn't think she's a nosy eavesdropper or a creep.

He grinned, and Marinette's fears faded away. "Thank you, Marinette. Me too."

...

"That-That stupid, mangy alley cat!"

Marinette was seething as she paced her room that Saturday afternoon. She had stitched Chat Noir on Monday night, and he was already committing crimes again. A jewelry store had some diamonds stolen from on Friday night. He only waited four days to get back on the field, that surely wasn't enough time for his wound to heal properly.

"If his stitches come undone, I'm not fixing him!"

"Looks like the Princess has some claws of her own."

Marinette shrieked in surprise at the new voice. She glared at Chat Noir as he walked down the stairs and sat comfortably on her chaise lounge, all the while giving her a smug grin.

"What are you doing?!" She growled. "It's daylight, and you're committing crime when it's only been four days since you were stabbed. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Chat snickered at her anger, which only made the blackette's eyes narrow impossibly more.

"Relax, Princess. I made sure to hide myself well when coming here. As for my stab wound, it's feline better. In fact, I think I can remove the stitches soon. So no need to get your panties in a twist." He winked, her reaction was to huff in annoyance and turn away from him.

He frowned when she still refused to look at him. "Really, Marinette. I'm feeling better. And even at the store I made sure no one else was there. If there was I would've," he stopped, his mouth twitching. He couldn't resist. "...high-tailed it out of there, just to be safe. You have nothing to worry about."

"I'm not worried," she scoffed, turning back to face him. "I don't care."

"I seem to remember you telling me you didn't want me to be hurt? To be more careful?" He inquired lightly, a smirk taking over his features. His green eyes twinkled with sadistic delight. "I think you do care."

Marinette refused to reply, instead choosing to look away.

"Princess," he called, starting to stand. "I know you care. It's okay, I care about you, too."

She growled and stomped away, sitting with a huff in her desk chair. Chat Noir laughed at the little pout on her lips.

She left the cat to do whatever he wanted while she checked her news feed. Marinette gasped at the top story that came up. Apparently two armed men were trying to rob one of Paris's main banks. They took hostages, and the police were trying to figure out what to do to prevent any casualties.

Chat Noir noticed Marinette's pale face. "Princess? What is it?"

"Two guys are robbing the bank," she replied, still in shock. Those poor hostages, they were just innocent people who needed to take out money or put some in. Now they could possibly die because of two crazy men.

Chat Noir shuffled over. He bent his head to Marinette's shoulder level to peer at the computer screen. He hummed when he read the article, then crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Why are you so surprised? These things happen." He remarked dryly.

She swivelled around in her chair to face him with a stern look. "This doesn't happen everyday, Chat. Normally they'll go in, get the money, and leave, not take people for hostages."

"This is why it's better to perform at night, so that you don't have to deal with all the unnecessary hassle of people. Looks to me like these guys are amateurs." He scoffed. "Some people just shouldn't be criminals, it makes the rest of us look bad."

"Are you seriously worried about your ego right now?" Marinette snapped.

"No, it's already pretty well stroked." He smirked and rubbed a hand against his chest. "Paris's number one criminal, remember?"

Marinette rolled her eyes. When she turned back to the computer screen her mouth dropped at the update.

The men demanded the police leave in ten minutes, otherwise all the hostages would be killed.

She looked back at Chat Noir, to see that he opted to recline on her chaise lounge again. His eyes were closed in bliss as he relaxed. Marinette bit her lip in hesitation. He said he was feeling better...and he's the only one who could sneak in there and help.

But that's the thing. Would he actually help? She highly doubted it, but she had to try. She didn't want those innocent civilians to die, even though she didn't know them.

"Chat?"

He opened an eye, a corner of his mouth turned up. "Yes, Princess?"

"You did say you were feeling better, right?"

He grinned. "I'm feline purretty well."

Marinette frowned, still wondering if she should ask him. All too quickly her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes gleamed in determination. Those people were unknowingly counting on her.

"Could you go help the hostages? The men said they'll be killed if the police don't leave in ten minutes."

Chat sat up and looked at her as if she grew two heads. "I'm a villain, not a hero, Princess. I don't save the day."

Marinette wasn't giving up. "You're the only one who could sneak in there and help. Please, Chat, people can die!"

He faltered for a second before shrugging his shoulders indifferently. "People die everyday."

"Chat!" She couldn't believe how insensitive he was being.

"Marinette, I'm a criminal. I'm no hero, I'm not helping."

"Please, Chat!" She pleaded. "What if it was me in there?"

He glared at her before laying back down on the chaise. "That'd be different."

"How different?" She demanded.

"Because I care about you. I told you before I could give two shits about anyone else. Why do you want me to go help so bad, anyway?"

"Because they're innocent people! And now they could have their lives taken away all because of money. I know you're not a hero, but..." She trailed off, hanging her head low. She willed the tears not to come.

Well, she tried. It was stupid of her to even consider that he might be willing to help.

"...I'll help."

Marinette brought her head up so fast to look at him it was a miracle she didn't break her neck. Chat Noir had his arms crossed and his mouth was set in a thin line. He held a clawed finger up.

"On one condition."

Marinette hurriedly nodded. "Anything!"

His mouth curled into a vicious smirk. "I want the value of all the banks in Paris."

Her jaw dropped at the condition. "H-How...?!" She didn't have that kind of money, she doubted even Chloe had that kind of money!

"Clock's ticking, Princess," he informed her lightly. "This offer won't be on the table for long."

She bit her lip in panic. The only thing she could do was bake...but she'd be baking for him for years. Still, it was a small price to pay for people's lives.

"Okay," she decided. "I accept."

The smirk curled deeper. "Excellent. I'll be back later, Princess." He rushed over to her to take her hand and give it a parting kiss. He raced back up the stairs and hauled himself out of the trapdoor above her bed.

She felt herself deflate in her desk chair, still in disbelief of what happened. She was indebted to Chat Noir, to give him the value of all the banks in Paris. She couldn't even begin to imagine how many pastries she'd have to make him.

Marinette brought a hand to her forehead. Years. It would take years to make all those pastries. How much of a sweet tooth did he have?

Idly she began to check the article for updates. Lo and behold, soon it was written that at the last minute, when one man was screaming that he was going to kill every hostage, his voice suddenly stopped. Everyone was confused, no one knew what was going on.

A few minutes later the hostages ran outside, safe and completely unharmed. When asked what happened, they said that they were sworn to not say anything. When police and reporters pressed for details, they only shook their heads and thanked the 'hero' that saved them.

Marinette couldn't help but smile. She indirectly saved ten lives today. And any minute now Chat Noir was going to come back and tell her exactly what and how many pastries he wanted.

She was confused when seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. Before long Sabine called her down for dinner, and Marinette walked down in a puzzled haze. Maybe he changed his mind, relinquished their deal out of the good of his heart?

Marinette mentally snorted at that. He does have a good heart, she knew, but from his wicked smirk when she accepted the deal she knew she wasn't getting out of it.

"You okay, Mari?" Tom asked her. "You look like there's something wrong."

"No, Papa, I'm fine," she replied without missing a beat. "Just worried about a test on Monday."

"Well, make sure you study hard, then," Sabine told her gently. "Honestly, though, a test on Monday is pretty cruel."

Tom laughed. "It is. I remember I'd goof off during the weekend and then I'd fa-"

Sabine cut him off with a harsh look.

Tom choked and quickly backpeddaled. "And that's why it's important to study, so you don't end up like me!"

Marinette giggled at her parents's antics. "I'll study, don't worry."

...

It was around 11:00 when she heard the unmistakeable tapping on her glass trapdoor. Sighing, she opened it and Chat Noir dropped down on all fours, just like his namesake.

He grinned. "I've come to collect, Princess."

A/N: I'm so cruel with these cliffhangers xD