Work Text:
Marinette breathed in the Parisian air. It had been long since she had last come up on her balcony to seek the company of the stars and the occasional horns blaring down the streets.
Things had gone back to the way they were before the entire incident with Papa Garou. It had taken Marinette a good amount of time to ensure her father that the ways things turned out to be were the best in the long run. And also that she was absolutely fine with them.
And now, looking at the stars from her balcony, all she could think about how much a dork her partner was. His sincerity and devotion to his job. It was a shame she was head over heels for Adrien.
“Hey Princess!”
Ah, speak of the devil.
“Hey Chat Noir! Fancy seeing you here.”
“Are trying to reference what I said earlier here?” He asked grinning.
“Sharp teeth, sharp eyes and sharp ears? Why grandma! Your actions look a bit suspicious to me. Care to tell me why?”
Chat laughed out loud.
“Can I be your company for the night if you’d be so kind?”
“Sure, yeah,” she said, “I wasn’t planning to do anything. You’re more than welcome here!”
Chat did a double roll, show off, and stood beside her. They looked at the stars together much like they had done so a few weeks back when Glaciator had struck their city. At least he wasn’t perched like a fucking bird on her railings today. And much like that day, it was Chat who ended up breaking the silence.
“Marinette, I am so sorry for what happened the other day,” he began slowly, “I-I’d admit I’m not the best in anything that involves social interaction-“
Marinette looked up to him. It was not very often she saw vulnerability on his face. Yet it never failed to touch her heart seeing such raw emotions on his face.
“-so I guess I never really considered what rejecting someone by saying ‘I’d date myself if I could’ could do.”
Marinette let out a snort. Leave it to Chat to be still worried about something like this.
“I don’t fault you for that Chat, I understand humour is your way of trying to be comfortable with your surroundings”
“It wasn’t even that! It took me hypothetically asking my best friend stuff for him to say how fucked up anyone saying that would be!”
“I-“, Marinette chuckled, “-would have absolutely paid to see that.”
“Hey!”
It took quite before Marinette could bring herself to be quiet again.
“Still,” Chat said, “I feel really bad for having put you through that situation.”
“I think we just established that it was okay.” She said pouting slightly.
Chat grinned. “But that would mean you’d miss out what I have in mind to make it up to you!”
“You don’t really have to do that Chat.”
“But I want to! I’ve thought this over way too much and yeah I want to do this, but only if you’d want me to. So,” he said putting his best impression of baby doll eyes, “what do you say Princess?”
“Hmmm,” she pretended thinking about his offer, mostly because it was funny seeing him start getting restless. She laughed and said, “Alright fine. But not anything over the top. Right Chat?”
“I wouldn’t give any promises Marinette! You’ve have to wait and see!” saying which he took out his baton and leapt away.
Marinette turned around smiling and went inside her room. She saw Tikki sitting on her head probably trying best to eavesdrop.
“What was that about?” Tikki asked.
“Oh it’s just Chat being Chat. Like, what’s the worst he can do, right?”
“Is this really how to plan to spend the weekend kid? You could have been stuffing on so much Camembert! But no!”
“Shut up Plagg, this is a genius idea! I’ve waited so long to do this with a genuine reason to show someone!”
“Yeah, because people wouldn’t immediately pelt you with stones if they saw you doing this on a normal day, right?
“Plagg,” Adrien pretended whining, “Why do you have to bum me out so much?”
“Someone has to put some sense into that dead head of yours.”
“Oh hush, now help me out with this camera.”
“Tikki?”
“Hmm?” She hummed while watching ‘A Bug’s Life’ on Marinette’s phone.
“Do you fancy the ladybug character or something? I swear it’s like the tenth time you are watching it again.”
“Firstly! His name is Francis, fucking respect him! And secondly, No!”
“I guess I’ll take your word for it.”
Marinette turned back to her latest project which would be a gift for Adrien’s fiftieth birthday! Hopefully she would be married to him by then, because it really wasn’t something she could give to someone without having their spouse accuse her of initiating an affair.
Hope could eventually pave the way for happiness.
Or that’s what Marinette has to chant at least ten times at night to herself so she could go to sleep without crying hoping to someday be acquainted with three lovely children and a hamster.
Suddenly a tapping noise came from her skydoor. Passing it off as just hail she turned towards the window to cherish the hailstorm without developing a pain in her neck. Before, however, she could take a step towards her window the sound of glass breaking reached her ear. As she whipped her head out of pure reflex, she saw a gloved hand, making the okay sign, retreat.
It at times paid to be so clumsy, because her parents weren’t currently rushing to see what the matter was. Well aware about their daughter’s rather graceful approach towards anything, they were probably on the way to break out the cash labelled as ‘fueling more disasters’.
Asking Tikki to hide and reminding her to take her earphones with her, she stomped with anger towards her balcony. Being careful not to accidentally cut herself with the broken glass, she slammed the door of the skydoor open.
“Why you little piece of-”
“Marinette!” Chat Noir beamed jumping up and down with excitement. “You wouldn’t believe what happened! It’s like a dream come true for me!”
Anger instantly dissipating just seeing his enthusiasm, Marinette said, “Slow your roll Chat! What’s up?”
“Remember when I said I wouldn’t hesitate to marry myself if I could?”
“Yeah and I am hoping you didn’t discover time travel to bring your past self to the present to get married.”
“Oh.” Chat slowed for a minute mumbling something which very much sounded like ‘shouldn’t have spent that juice to spy on Ladybug's favourite stray cat’.
Coming back to their conversation he said, “No but this is something even more awesome! While sure I can’t find people with the same level of awesomeness as me,” he winked and pointed his thumbs towards himself, “but you’d be pleased to know that I found someone very close to that! And damn Marinette, he’s such a good find.”
Marinette was highly doubtful of Chat’s claims. But Adrien’s fiftieth birthday was so far away and a good story, regardless of its authenticity, sounded pretty good to her. So she decided to humour him and asked him to go on.
“Right here-” he brought a pen drive out of his pocket, “is the recording of my marriage to someone who is definitely worthy of this piece of evidence that god exists.”
“I’m…” Marinette was at a loss for words. “Did someone really agree to do that?!”
“Now Marinette, being one of the superheroes of this city kind of shoots up my top bachelor ratings. The guy was practically begging me to not turn my proposal down by saying this was a prank!”
“No way.”
“Yes way!”
“And that’s the video?”
“I brought it just for you!”
Marinette wordlessly took the pen drive and made her way into her room motioning him to follow her as well. Chat Noir was absolutely at cloud nine which honestly made her feel apprehensive about looking at the video. As they reached her computer she started waving her arms in a certain manner to tell Tikki that she should absolutely see whatever the heck was happening. And like most times, she forgot that it probably seemed pretty weird to someone other than the two of them.
“Why are you dancing like a monkey? Is it like a ritual that you do to turn your computer on or something?”
Marinette pretended clearing her throat and sat down, “Let’s go with that.”
Chat sat on the other chair and rolled it a bit, looking around the room and commented, “I totally forgot you had all those pictures of him. It'd probably stress you out then”
“Oh right. That’s, yeah, a thing. And no Chat, nothing could ever.” She deflected not wanting to admit her crush to him. “So shall we?” she said clicking to play the video.
“This is going to be so fun!!” he said while bouncing on his seat.
‘A complete dork’ Marinette thought as she turned toward the screen.
A hand obstructed the leans. “Is this thing on?” a strangely familiar voice asked. As the hand was removed Chat Noir was visible on the screen in front of a rock climbing wall.
“Yeah babe, doing a fantastic job there!” He said to someone off-screen.
He looked towards the camera now, waving and said, “Well hi there! It’s a really special day for me today and it’s a wonder I haven’t cried yet.”
Dork.
“Today, this video, shows you how much I’ve developed as an individual. Since the beginning of my strange career, I have been very much in love with my beautiful partner. And fully realizing that she values our identities very much and doesn’t want to have any sort of romantic relationship with me, with a heavy heart I’ve decided to let her go. While she’ll always be in my heart-“
“Hey!”
“-as a well respected co-worker. Geez let me finish! So yeah I am moving forward. And here, today, is my marriage to my match! Honey would you-?”
“Sure sweetheart.”
And entering the screen was Adrien Agreste decked in his best suit with his hair slicked back looking good.
What?!
“Here ladies and gentlemen,” Chat said with so much love in his eyes, “my fiancé!” While we’re both aware we are still not legally eligible to marry legally we’ve decided to exchange rings today-“
“Hence promising our love for one another.” Adrien completed looking towards Chat with such a soft expression.
What the fuck?
“Honey can you get the rings I kept by the door for us?”
Adrien pecked his cheek and went to grab the rings.
Marinette slammed the pause button and looked towards Chat with anger oozing out her eyes, regretting not having killed him at first sight.
“You’re going to miss the main thing Marinette!” He beamed at her, loving her reaction to it, and resumed the video.
“I have probably cried buckets today,” Chat said, “for I had always dreamed about finding my true love. Today I’ve had what life was so cruel to not give me these few years-“
“Aw sweetheart,” Adrien cooed wrapping an arm around Chat, “I thought we agreed we’d let the video thing slid smoothly. Here!” he gave him the rings, “why don’t you go first, ‘kay?”
Chat looked like someone had gift wrapped him the stars. He nodded plucking a ring from Adrien’s outstretched hand and slowly slide the ring into his finger. After an exchange of a longing glance, Adrien did the same and the both of them started jumping with excitement.
“Can we-?”
“Sure honey, just let me end this real quick.” He turned towards the camera and said, “So here we have it folks, the union of the dashing Chat Noir and the handsome, beautiful Adrien Agreste. Please do not feel compelled to give us any gifts! We’re more than fine with your best wishes! Till next time!” He saluted.
The video ended. And so did Marinette's hospitality towards Chat Noir.
Marinette silently turned towards Chat. He seemed to be waiting for her reaction wearing the biggest smile on his face.
She promptly screamed at his face.
Chat fled not wanting be in the presence of her parents a second time while being the reason of the distress.
As the rushing of her parents downstairs and Chat’s attempt at a smooth flee registered in her brain, all Marinette could think of was skinning Chat Noir alive the next time she saw him. And definitely taking a holiday.
She didn’t ever think there’d come a day when she wanted to punch Adrien straight in the face. Yet here she was. At least he’d have totally deserved it.