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Marinette was going to die. There she was, on a plane to New York, hugging Adrien Agreste, the love--her friend. He'd thanked her for convincing his dad to let him come on the trip with the class for French-American Friendship week, and the soft look he gave her was enough to make her knees weak. But now? The only reason she hadn't collapsed was because Adrien was holding her close.
It was amazing. Adrien was warm and smelled like cologne and-- wait, why did he smell like Camembert? Adrien was not supposed to smell like Camembert. The only person Marinette knew that smelled like that was Chat Noir and there was no way that Adrien could've been him. Besides, Chat was in Paris, that's where he was meant to be, and that's where he was. If he was in New York then who was protecting Paris? There was no way that Adrien was Chat; it didn't make sense. But no matter how much Marinette pushed the thought aside, it kept nagging her.
As Adrien's warmth and confusing smell left her, she was met with a concerned look. "Are you ok, Marinette? It looks like something's bothering you."
She forced a smile, shaking her head more to clear her mind than to answer his question, "Everything's fine, don't worry."
Before he could ask anything else, the plane shook, sending them flying as screams arose on the plane.
Marinette was literally flying, Adrien holding her close to him as they slow danced in the moonlight. She was sure then that she'd died, there was no other explanation. The way Adrien had looked at her, asking her tentatively if she wanted to dance, that must've been what killed her. Now she was in heaven, her arms wrapped around his neck and his around her waist.
But what threw her off once again was his smell. Why in the world did he smell like Camembert? Did he have an addiction to the cheese or something? Was Camembert addictive? Did he just carry it around all the time?
Or maybe it was just a new scent that was being tried out in expensive cologne. Yeah, maybe that was it. After all, what did Marinette know about cologne? That had to be the most plausible explanation. So then why was something in her gut telling her that wasn't the answer?
Because he's probably your partner, a treacherous voice called out from the deepest corner of her mind.
She told that voice in her head that it was out of its mind.
The museum was shaking, and the other heroes needed help. Marinette had no other choice than to transform. As she stepped out from behind the pillar, she was met with Chat Noir. But he wasn't supposed to be there, why was he in New York? Who was protecting Paris from the villain wreaking havoc there?
Was that why Adrien looked guilty? a treacherous voice in her head asked. She mentally waved the thought aside. Adrien was not Chat Noir. But where was he?
"Where's Marinette?" Chat asked her, breaking her out of her own thoughts. How did he know she was there?
"I took her to safety."
She watched as he relief washed over him momentarily. It confused her. Chat only knew Marinette from the few times they met when she was a civilian. There was no reason to be so worked up.
Unless he's Adrien, the treacherous voice supplied.
But there was no way that could've been the case. Once again she shoved the thoughts aside, even though the coincidences kept adding up. Another pillar crashing to the ground brought her back to reality.
They were in the New York sewers, recharging their kwamis after Chat made a mistake and almost killed one of the other heroes. Had Marinette not been able to use her miraculous cure, the mistake would've been horrible. Chat's bare hand appeared, placing his ring down on the ground.
"I can't be Chat Noir anymore, I don't want to hurt anyone else," his footsteps were hurried as he left and she didn't think before looking and yelling,
"Chat, wait, don't go!"
Adrien stood frozen in front of her, not looking behind him. Marinette was crying, her whole body shaking because she couldn't do this without her partner with her. The fact that he happened to be the love of her life didn't even matter too much, she just didn't want him to leave.
Her arms snaked around him, and she buried her face in his chest as she sobbed. "I can't do this without you, I need you with me," she was barely able to whisper. "Please, don't go."
His arms wrapped around her tightly, warm and safe. She realized then that he was shaking too. "I killed someone," he murmured, his voice breaking, "I did something horrible, Marinette. I don't deserve the miraculous, I don't deserve to be here, I don't," he tried to stifle a sob, "I don't deserve you."
She looked up at him, shocked to find him looking so small. She held his face, wiping away the tears that never stopped, "Kitty, no, don't say that. You made a mistake, and it was my fault. If I hadn't snapped at you, if I had thought before speaking and letting my temper take control, then none of it would've happened. In the end, the not reason you're in New York is because of me. I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I should've thought of something else to tell my dad. Maybe I should've pretended to be sick or something. I couldn't even believe that he'd cleared my schedule, and I couldn't think of anything to say--"
Marinette place a finger on his lips to stop him. "Stop that. Stop making it all your fault, ok? We both messed up, but it's ok now."
After a pause, she moved her finger, and he whispered something so quietly she almost didn't hear him. "It was enough to lose your trust."
Why had she told him that? God, what was she thinking? He looked to utterly devastated, so completely broken...and it was all because of her.
"Gosh, I'm an idiot," she muttered. "I shouldn't have said that, I was just mad. It was my fault you ended up here in New York, I can't be mad at you for that. Now I know the reason you're here, and I'm so sorry that I said what I said. Knowing the reason you're here, I regret the words leaving my mouth. I still trust you, chaton, and I'm so sorry to have snapped at you."
It seemed that was enough for him to break down again. Clutching her close to his chest and burying his face in the crook of her neck as he shook with sobs. It made her cry too, because she didn't want to hurt him, and she hated that she did.
"Does this mean you'll be Chat Noir again?" a voice asked, uncharacteristically tentative. Marinette looked at the source of the voice, finding Plagg hovering with the ring in his paws.
"Can I be?" Adrien asked her.
"Is that what you want?" she asked, hoping with everything she could that he'd say yes.
He looked wary, but slowly nodded. "I'll just be careful."
Marinette didn't think she'd ever be happier to have her partner by her side.