Chapter Text
Marinette.
Bluebell eyes flew open to the dark. It took several seconds before the gray of the bedroom ceiling came into focus. A chill worked its way up her spine and Marinette took a shaky breath. Both hands came up to rub at her face only to find black bangs were lightly stuck to her forehead.
It was just a dream, the girl letting the breath out unevenly as the growl of her name faded. “Just a dream,” she whispered in the hopes that speaking aloud could chase away the icy eyes and colder expression.
“Marinette?” a much sweeter voice coming from somewhere above her followed by a little yawn.
“Sorry for waking you, Tikki. Good night…again.” Eyelids purposely slid closed and cold blue eyes were staring back. Marinette’s eyes opened in a flash as another chill gave rise to gooseflesh. She didn’t realize she’d taken a sharp inhale.
“What’s wrong?” The pillow beside her shifted lightly as Tikki perched there.
“Nothing’s wrong. I just had a dream.”
“You mean a nightmare?”
“It…” The events of the dream were already gone upon waking. “It wasn’t a nightmare, exactly? It was…maybe somewhere between a good dream and a nightmare.” The girl rubbed at her arms to force the gooseflesh away. Cold air snuck under the covers but it failed to instill the same kind of chill the dream had. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, the girl coaching herself to center mentally. Marinette closed her eyes again to recall what terrified her so. Blue eyes framed by white glimmered in her mind’s eye. The style of white hair and shape of the white mask were hazy but the cat eyes were crystal clear even in memory.
“Chat Noir wouldn’t get akumatized, right?” Marinette forced a singular laugh as if the concept was ridiculous.
This time, the kwami came to float in front of her chosen. “Having a Miraculous doesn’t make you immune. You know that, Marinette.”
“I know that but, it’s Chat. He wouldn’t get akumatized. He’s too optimistic…right?” The only time she’d really seen him broody was during Glaciator but he’d gone back to his usual cheer by the end of the night.
“I don’t think it very likely, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Marinette sighed as she tried to imagine his face. Bright green eyes, warm skin, a smile, a mess of blond hair, and black leather. Oh, right, he has a bell, she smiled as she mentally added the white ball.
White.
Everything was white.
Except his eyes.
Blue eyes.
Marinette.
“Marinette,” and Tikki’s warm paw brushed her cheek, making the girl jump. “Did you dream about fighting him?”
“I, no?” That didn’t seem right but the events were gone like sand in an hourglass. Even the cityscape was hazy now though it had to have been Paris. Where had they been? “I can’t remember any fighting. It felt like…like when Alya and I have a fight. It was more like an argument,” except that didn’t feel entirely right, either. Maybe they had battled but it was with the knowledge that they were friends. “I didn’t want to hurt him. I don’t think he wanted to hurt me, either.”
“Did he try to take our Miraculous?”
“Maybe?” She took a measured breath and slowly let it go. “He knew my name.” Was Dream Chat so upset to learn the girl behind the mask as simple Marinette Dupain-Cheng? Why would he want her Miraculous?
Tikki gently stroked black locks. “It was just a dream, Marinette. You and Chat Noir have been keeping your identities secret specifically to keep each other safe.”
“Yeah.”
He was Chat Noir. Not Blanc.
It was just a dream.