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Marinette was proud. She had every reason to be. She’d gotten herself together and her life in order when things had reached a tipping point, so for two years now her life was much easier. She separated her time between school, the bakery, her friends, her hobbies, babysitting and most importantly being a superhero and the guardian in a more even manner. It took effort and there were times when everything got hopelessly tangled, but it was much rarer.
She’d stopped stalking Adrien, she’d go as far as to say her childish crush on him was in the past. They were friends and everything was so much easier when she wasn’t trying to confess all the time or running in panic of saying something stupid to him.
All in all, she was happy with where she was. Yes, they still hadn’t defeated Hawk Moth, but they were holding their ground and getting better all the time.
There was only one small part (or not so small) part of her life that she couldn’t control fully and at times it drove her mad. Her relationship with Chat had undergone some major changes as well over time. They were great partners, they worked to boost their strengths and eliminate their weaknesses together. They were much closer. He’d taken a step back, giving her space and respecting her boundaries. And it worked.
Or so she thought in general. But why was it that as more time passed, it got harder to avoid inappropriate thoughts about him? It should be easier. They were growing closer, they should feel more comfortable. And most of the time they did, but Marinette felt this tension build inside her. Sometimes she would find herself looking at him and wondering “what if”. This was the most dangerous path her mind could take and yet she couldn’t resist. The truth was she longed for something she’d never expected to need from him. The irony wasn’t lost on her, it was happening when he was over her and they were doing great.
Marinette usually managed to keep this to herself, she had a lot of practice after all. But one night, with the darkness thick and impenetrable around them, she felt bolder.
It was really dark. The moon was a barely there sliver in the night sky, further obscured by wispy clouds that also hid the stars. On the rooftop they were sitting on, a huge chimney blocked the main sources of light and basically cut them off from the world.
She could barely see his silhouette but she wasn’t afraid. With him there with her, there were very few things that could scare her.
“So, kitty, do you remember when we were 14 and you had a thing for me?” She said, the cover of dark making it easier for the words to form.
“Oh yes,” she heard his chuckle and for a second wished that she could really see his reaction. “I did a lot of stupid things back then, there is no way to forget.”
“Well, it’s a good thing then, that you got over me and things run more smoothly?” She was trying hard to sound carefree, to make the question innocent. But she could hear the tremour in her own voice and wondered if he could pick up on it.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?” His timid reply made her close her eyes as a flash of pain sliced through her. Yes, she’d been the one who wanted it and she should be happy about it, not feel wretched. She didn’t say anything. But he must have heard more than she suspected in her earlier question. “A lot of things have changed, yes, but how I feel about you is not one of them, m’lady.”
She couldn’t believe the wave of relief that washed over her. She hadn’t known so much hinged on her belief, somewhere in the corners of her mind, that this was true. It felt so unbelievably good to hear it. Things had changed and it was alright, because she was no longer the confused girl she’d been.
“Good,” she said, the word loud in the darkness. “This means you can put me out of my misery. I’ve been wasting too much time imagining kissing you and only you can put an end to this by making it reality.” The words hung between them for a moment. The ball was in his court so she could just wait.
It was the air near her moving and the warmth she felt press into her arm that alerted her to his much closer presence. True to his name, he’d moved unheard and unseen in the dark.
“I hope you mean this because I’m not one to miss an opportunity,” he whispered in her ear and she felt a tingle all the way down her spine and to the tip of her toes. Talk about electric.
“Yes, I do,” she said, turning her head to where she hoped she could find him.
It was unnerving, how she couldn’t see a thing. She knew he had no such problem so she’d have to leave the initiative to him.
She felt his nose brush hers and held her breath, waiting for the touch she longed for. But when it came, it was a fleeting sensation. His lips barely glided along hers and were gone again.
Marinette felt a whine rise in her throat.
“Stop teasing me,” she said, surprised by how short of breath she sounded.
“I’m not teasing you,” she could hear the smile in his voice and could feel the gust of air on her lips, making her shiver. “I’m just relishing the moment.”
“Make it quicker,” she said, trying not to sound too impatient but she was.
“Now, bug, you can't make me rush this. I’ve waited too long.”
“So have I,” she admitted, hoping he couldn’t feel the heat from her cheeks.
The next kiss was firmer, but was over too quickly again, doing close to nothing to sate her hunger. If anything, it only whetted her appetite. This time it was an embarrassing whimper that escaped her mouth.
“Don’t make me beg for it,” she whispered, although she was sure she’d do it. She knew he wasn’t torturing her on purpose. Was it any surprise that he’d take it slow, give her time to react? This was him after all. And it wasn’t like any of them knew what they were doing. (She didn’t and really, really hoped it was true for him too). But her nerves were taut as the strings of a bow.
When he kissed her for the third time and the touch of his lips lingered, she let out a small sigh. Yes, her whole being wanted to scream. This was more like it. She revelled in the softness of his lips and how warm they were and still wanted more.
Her hands, which had gotten tangled in the string of her yo-yo as she fiddled with it nervously, tentatively found his face and snaked into his hair, pulling him closer. It was his turn to gasp in surprise and she made the most of it, tilting her head for better access. Oh . Her whole being melted at the first taste of him, it was so completely overwhelming and so much better than anything she’d imagined.
When they finally parted, trying to catch their breath, she rested her forehead against his. She felt light-headed and giddy and her heart was full to bursting. All because of a kiss!
“Well, one thing is for sure, this was definitely worth the wait,” Chat said and in his voice she heard it all, everything she felt.
She laughed a little, the sound happy and light.
“I couldn’t agree more,” she said as she leaned in for another kiss. Everything was in perfect order, finally.