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This was bad. Even from a distance, Marinette had seen what the akuma did to people. Forgetting about being prudent and dropping inhibitions in order to take a risk was not what she needed.
When she was a superhero, she had everything under control. She had to. Everything depended on her so she had to keep her cool and take slow, measured steps to make sure she got the desired outcome.
To do this right, she had to push her feelings aside and let reason take over. It was the only way to go. She had to sacrifice some things, but this was life.
“We can’t get hit. Doing something, anything risky, sounds like a very bad idea,” she mumbled to Chat.
He just nodded quietly.
Yes, he was next to her for which she was eternally grateful. But if she got hit with him around? No. This didn’t bear thinking. She had made sure that she was always in control of her emotions when she was around him. Otherwise she wouldn’t be able to function. She had to be so careful…
“Watch out!” He cried out. She moved instinctively, letting him drag her away. Except that when they stopped behind a wall, a little out of breath, and their eyes met, it was already too late.
She could feel the magic working through her. Removing all the caution, any insecurity that could get in the way, all the fears that made her what she was.
Chat was staring at her, as if waiting for her to make the first move. There was no way he wasn’t affected as well but he was obviously a gentleman even when hit by an akuma.
And this was when she stopped thinking. He was right there and she knew what she wanted to do.
She moved closer, pulling him to her so hard that he lost his balance and was forced to hug her to stay upright. Perfect. Her hands tangled in his hair as her eyes focused on his lips. He knew. But he didn’t try to stop her.
And then she was kissing him. Warmth met her on his lips, a sensation that flowed through her, consuming everything on its way, until it arrived in her heart. This was what she had been dying to do and what she’d had been fighting so hard against. To no avail.
Of course, he kissed her back. There had never been any doubt in her mind that if she was to give in, he’d welcome her readily. This had only made resisting this almost impossible.
No longer. She surrendered to the way her lips moved against his and how natural it felt and how her whole being felt electrified. Something so simple and yet so strong.
“Oh wow,” he murmured, when they broke apart. Again a little breathless but for a very different reason.
“I wanted to do this so much.” The words fell from her mouth without her consent. Oh. It wasn’t over. “To tell you that not only can I love you back, but it’s already happening. But I was afraid. Of that horrible future that told me that us being together was wrong.”
The bitterness that filled her was in such a big contrast with the content she’d felt earlier in his arms.
“Wait, what?” He asked, looking helplessly at her.
“It was wrong, I’m sure of it now. I mean, a lot of things may be wrong. There is always the risk of something unexpected happening. But I don’t think that us being together is one of them. After all, fighting that phantom future and letting fear consume me, had only caused a rift between us. It was this that threatened to ruin us, not some kind of danger that may or may not happen. I refuse to live in fear anymore.”
She felt resolve fill her. They could do this. They could be together.
“I have to tell you something,“ Chat said then. “My name is…”
“Wait!” Her hand moved on its own, covering his mouth. She didn’t even know why she did it. After all, this was the way forward. Honesty. Secrets only stood in the way.
It was something buried deep inside of her that made her act like that. But of course she shook it off. “Sorry, go ahead.”
“My name is Adrien Agreste. I’ve always wanted you to know this. I needed this. To know that there is no more reason for me to hide from you. To hopefully see you accept all of me. To stop pretending to be this or that. To just be all of me.”
She felt her mouth fall open as she listened to him. It was unbelievable and yet so wonderful.
“I knew it was dangerous. I knew that you didn’t want to know who I am and I shouldn’t think about who you can be. And yet, I couldn’t resist. I never fully let go of the idea that you might be Marinette. I wanted you to be her.”
Marinette gasped when he said her name. They had been so close to figuring it out, admitting their feelings and being together. The secrets and caution had been all that had stood in the way.
“I am her,” she said softly. “And you are him and this is amazing.” No longer holding back. No way.
Something shifted in his eyes and then it was him who was kissing her and happiness bubbled up inside of her as she held him tightly and just let love overwhelm her.
If it was up to them, they could have stayed like this forever. There wasn’t anything else they needed.
But they still had duties.
“The akuma,” Adrien said, reluctantly letting go of her.
“Let’s go, kitty,” she smiled at him.
Risks by definition could cause a lot of trouble. But neither of them regretted taking them. And they would take more to make sure that they finally had a chance at what they really wanted.