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Marinette glanced over her shoulder; her pace quickening as she cracked open the double doors to the locker room. She slipped inside and closed them softly behind her. Running between the rows of student lockers, a quick glance told Marinette that she was alone. Tikki’s small voice floated from her purse, and her big eyes shone up at her holder with concern.
“Is this really a good idea, Marinette? What if someone sees?”
Marinette hissed at the kwami to be quiet and resumed her trek through the metal forest. She knew she could get in so much trouble for this, but she didn’t care. Something had to be done. She slunk slowly towards her target. Keeping half an eye on it while making sure no one approached her unannounced, she inched towards the end of the aisle. When she reached her destination, she sighed with relief and pried the door of the locker open. Saying a quick thanks to whoever decided the lockers shouldn’t be locked, as the name would suggest, Marinette peered inside the gloom of its innards, eyes darting, seeking their goal. Marinette did a small dance of victory when she spotted it: Adrien’s red sweater.
Marinette had seen him wear it to school a few days ago and never bring it home. She knew that it was one of his favourite sweaters but seeing as the boy had forgotten it in his locker, she hoped he wouldn’t miss it too much if it . . . disappeared . . . for a few days.
Marinette knelt and zipped open her backpack. Glancing around one last time, she stuffed the bundle of red fabric into it and zipped it back up just as quickly. Marinette scanned the locker to make sure that nothing was out of place and closed it softly before running to her own locker to stash her bag.
Marinette silently cheered herself on for pulling off her little ‘heist’ and walked towards the double doors leading back into the courtyard. She almost skipped her way to class, thinking of the treasure she had stowed away in her locker.
Marinette didn’t see the figure exit the bathrooms and enter the locker room after her. She didn’t see the blonde search through his locker for a certain, now missing, red sweater. Nor did she know that a small deity had seen the whole thing and knew who was responsible for the 'theft’.
oOo
The bell rang shrill and loud, announcing to the students that they were free for the day. Marinette filed out behind her classmates, ecstatic to get home. She waved a hurried goodbye to Mme Bustier and hopped down the steps into the courtyard. Grabbing her bag, Marinette flung it over her shoulders and waited with bated breath for Alya to arrive. When the redhead finally stepped through the doors, eyebrow quirked, Marinette’s face broke into a mad grin.
“I take it the mission was a success then.”
“Yup!” Marinette chirped. “See you tomorrow!”
“Wow. That’s it?” Alya called after the retreating form of her best friend. “Glad to know you love me!” She chuckled and began packing up her things.
Marinette sprinted down the front steps of her school. She spun on her heel when she reached the bottom and raced toward the bakery. Several of her classmates hollered their goodbyes at her but she only raised her hand in farewell, not pausing for a moment.
Flinging open the doors of the bakery, Marinette called to her parents that she was home and hurried up the last few flights of stairs that separated the teen from her room. Finally reaching the bakery’s peak, Marinette closed her trapdoor and crawled onto her balcony. Only there did she open her backpack.
The crimson fabric gleamed up at her, and Marinette smiled softly. She brushed her fingers over its smooth weave, sighing at the feel of it. Bringing the fabric to her nose, she inhaled deeply and smiled. It smelled wonderful. It smelled like Adrien.
After a few more sniffs, Marinette hugged the sweater to her chest and crowed with delight. She squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her body around the softness and the smell of the fabric. Sighing once more in pure bliss, Marinette pulled the hoodie over her head and wrapped her arms around herself.
Fall had sprung all over Paris and it wasn’t incredibly cold, but Marinette was still happy for the warmth Adrien’s hoodie brought her. She pulled out her phone, having completed her homework for this very reason, and sighed contentedly as she scrolled through her collection of photos of Adrien.
The sky slowly darkened and before long, Marinette was yawning into her sweater-clad hand. She curled up on her chair, turned off her phone, and decided to rest a while before heading to bed. Moments later, the heroine was asleep.
Far across Paris, on the other side of the Eiffel Tower, a dark shape darted between the chimneys of the dusk covered skyline. He chuckled to himself as he remembered the story Plagg had told him. One of a missing hoodie and a raven-haired girl. He launched himself toward the bakery and just before landing on that very girl’s balcony, he spotted a figure curled up on the pool chair Marinette had placed on her balcony a few years ago. The figure was wearing a red hoodie, and she curled herself around it as if it was her most prized possession. Even in sleep, Marinette seemed to smile and clutch it tighter to her chest.
The setting sun dusted her cheeks with a warm glow, intertwining with her freckles, and her dark hair shone almost blue in the fading light. Chat Noir brought his hand to his heart as he felt it speed up at the sight of her.
Marinette pulled her knees closer to her chest and murmured something in her sleep. Chat Noir found himself smiling and paused.
Marinette was beautiful.
The red of the fabric looked wonderful on her, even more so than her regular pink attire. He found himself wondering what this girl thought of him. Was he worthy of being near her? He reached his hand towards the fabric on her arm and brushed his fingers lightly against it. She could keep the hoodie. He smiled softly. It looked better on her anyways.
“Good night, Princess.” He whispered . . . and disappeared into the ever-darkening sky.