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"Don't be bemused, that's just the news! Today Multimouse, also referred by people as 'Kleptomousiak' struck again, cleaning the whole Egyptian section in the Louvre..."
Adrien clicked off the television, turning his eyes towards his girlfriend, Marinette. She sipped her tea, eyes closed and body relaxed. He stared at her, waiting for the force of his gaze to draw her out of her solitude... but it never did. Finally, with a sigh (perhaps a bit louder than it needed to be), he tossed the remote onto the couch and leaned back, head resting on the back of the couch and his own eyes closed.
"Is everything alright, dear?" Marinette asked, finally acknowledging his unease.
"Yes." He lied. Like he always had to. How could he tell his girlfriend that he knew she was Multimouse... and that the reason he knew was because he was Chat Noir. It's not like Chat Noir was tasked with stopping the little thief from her meticulous and perfect heists. Of course when there was a mouse problem, people called in the cat.
"Hm." Marinette quietly sounded, before setting her tea on the table and turning her body to face his. "You are not very convincing... Did you know that you are a terrible liar?" The playful smirk on her face gave him shivers.
Could a mouse hunt a cat? The thought thrilled him... and terrified him.
"Oh?" He kept his words short. Less for her to use against him. Oh, how he loved this woman...
Marinette smiled sweetly, "What's on your mind?"
"Just the news. A lot of things happening in the world."
"Is it about this Manymice person?"
"Multimouse." Adrien corrected automatically, cringing at his response and commending her on a well-placed lie. She was so good at this.
"Oh. That's right. She's the one that creates illusions."
"No. That's Rena Rouge. The fox."
She nodded, "Of course. Silly me. I don't pay much attention to all those heroes and villains."
If Adrien had not been completely certain that the girl beside him with the infamous Multimouse, then he would have believed every word she said. She was so good at lying, that he sometimes had to double check his own facts to make sure he wasn't going crazy. "That's a shame. Well… I, for one, cannot wait for Chat Noir to catch her."
She nodded again. "If she is so bad, then I think I'd have to agree." She picked up her tea again and took a sip, closing her eyes and once more resting back on the couch beside him.
Adrien watched her, carefully. No sign of tension. No fear. Around her neck a pretty necklace she had mysteriously received just a few months after they had started dating. Around the same time he had found his ring. He hadn't questioned it then... but sometimes he looked back and tried to put all the pieces together.
"Adrien..." Marinette opened her eyes and looked at him thoughtfully, "What do you think Chat Noir will do when he catches Minimouse?"
"Multimouse..." He blushed as he realized he'd corrected her again. "Oh... um... I think he'd kiss her."
She raised a brow at that, though a smirk found its way onto her face. A slight chink in the armor of her resolve.
Adrien nodded, trying to not sound as if he was flirting. He was probably failing. "Yes. Not all cats eat the mice they catch. Some play with them."
Marinette gave a small hum. "I didn't know you were such an expert on cats." She took his hand, and he wondered for a moment if it was just his imagination when her finger ran across his ring. "I've always wanted a cat. A black one. Maybe with green eyes." She glanced his way, a small giggle as she spoke. "With a bell around its neck."
"Oh? Why the bell?"
"How else will I know when he's on my tail?" With that last parting comment, Marinette let go of his hand and sauntered out of the room and into the kitchen, leaving Adrien to stare at her swaying 'tail' as she left.