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The night was warm and the noise of the bustling city faintly reached Marinette as she sat out on her balcony, lost in thought while she awaited the arrival of a certain curious kitty cat. She’d brought up a plate of croissants, his favorite, and juice for the “hard working hero.” She rolled her eyes at the thought, smiling to herself as his boots touched down above her.
“I was beginning to think you weren’t coming,” She commented as he hopped down and took his place across from her.
“Well, being a hero is hard work. I got a little held up with important business, saving Paris and whatnot,” He boasted in mock exhaustion, taking a croissant from the plate. “You’re welcome.”
“Let me guess, cat stuck in a tree?” She cocked a brow with a playful grin.
“No!” He scoffed then more quietly added, “Old lady crossing the street.”
“How noble,” She giggled.
“So, how was your day? Talk to that boy you like?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“Uh, not exactly,” She ran her hands through her hair nervously. “I chickened out.”
“Mari!” Chat groaned, throwing his head back.
“I just panic when I see him, okay?” She hid her face with her hair. “What if I say something dumb, and he thinks I’m lame!”
“Oh, come on. No boy is that scary. I’m sure whoever he is will be thrilled that you like him,” Chat gave her a look, and she bit her lip. She hadn’t told him who she liked because if he found out he might think it’s just a silly celebrity crush, and her feelings for Adrien were so much more than that! Plus, she would die of actual embarrassment if Chat said anything to Adrien on her behalf. Besides, Chat wouldn’t tell her who he liked either because of her association with Alya. Something about it being tacky if she found out over the internet.
“Well, what about you, Mr. Smooth? Talked to the girl you like today?” She shot back, and Chat’s tail swished back and forth, his arms folded over his chest.
“Not today, no…” He conceded, pursing his lips.
“Exactly!” She stuck her tongue out.
“I just haven’t seen her! When I do see her, I talk to her all the time,” He defended. “You just need to get over your nerves.”
“That’s easy for you to say,” She hugged her knees to her chest with a sigh. He eyed her thoughtfully for a moment before moving around to sit closer to her.
“I’ll help you,” He offered. “When you see him just take deep breaths, and pretend he’s already said yes. I mean, if he ends up being your boyfriend you’re going to feel silly for being so afraid to ask him out.”
“Is that what you do with the girl you like?” She smirked.
“It makes flirting way easier. I just pretend that she thinks I’m impressive,” He said, flexing his biceps.
“And how does that work for you?” She cocked a brow, and he slumped slightly.
“Sometimes she laughs,” He shrugged.
“You need to tone it back a little,” Mari advised, thinking of his typical over-the-to behavior. “Girls don’t like show-offs. You need to show her that you can be soft and genuine. That she’s not just one of your conquests.”
“Oh?” He cocked a brow.
“Yeah, like, don’t act all big and tough. Be calm and sincere when you tell her how you feel. She’s probably used to your antics by now, so if you change and seem sweeter when you talk about your feelings, she might take you more seriously,” She explained.
“Okay, let me try something, and don’t laugh!” He requested, shifting slightly and clearing his throat after an encouraging nod from Mari. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time now…You’re the most amazing girl I’ve ever met, and I always look forward to seeing you.” He looked her in the eye, green sclera warm and loving, and took her hands in his. “I love you more than anything in the world.”
Mari felt her heart beat just a bit faster, but Chat released his hold and leaned back, awaiting her feedback. She shook herself and smiled.
“That was great!” She gave muted applause, and Chat rubbed the back of his neck.
“Okay, now you try on me,” He prompted, nudging her shoulder. She took a deep breath, following his advice and picturing being Adrien’s girlfriend, and squaring her shoulders.
“Hi, uh, you, I was just wondering if you wanted to get ice cream with me, maybe this Saturday?” She asked smoothly, voice steady and even.
“I’d be honored, Marinette, and then maybe afterward, we can get married and have babies and-”
“Chat!” She laughed, shoving him over. He laid back against her balcony, roaring with laughter before abruptly sitting up and sobering.
“Well, that’s what’s gonna happen when you do that tomorrow, so I just want you to be prepared,” He grinned.
“T-Tomorrow?” She whimpered.
“Yes! Tomorrow, no chickening out! Just do it, and invite me to the wedding,” He winked.
“Fine, but you have to confess to the girl you like tomorrow too!” Mari prodded his side.
“Deal,” He smiled, offering his hand which Mari shook without hesitation. “And don’t worry, I’ll invite you to my wedding too.”
“Oh, okay, good. I wouldn’t want to miss it,” She replied with a mock-serious nod. The two stared at each other with wide grins before Chat stood up.
“I should get going,” He stretched. “I’ll come by again to see how it went.”
“Thanks, kitty,” She said softly. “Good luck!”
“You too, Marinette,” He nodded, reaching for his staff and leaping over her head to the rooftops above.
She waved after him with a smile for a moment before taking a deep breath. Tomorrow. Tomorrow was the day Adrien was going to find out her feelings, and thinking about it sent a rush of blood to her cheeks from her rapidly beating heart. No! Everything would work out, and they were going to be together. Positive and confident!
At least, that’s what she chanted in her mind over and over for the rest of the night, but as she watched Adrien walking in after lunch the next day, she felt herself clamming up. Stay positive. Be confident. She thought, wiping her sweaty palms on her pants before approaching him.
“H-Hey, Adrien,” She called out, heart erupting in her chest when he turn to her, eyebrows raising curiously.
“Hey, Marinette, what’s up?” He smiled, and she tugged on her blazer. Deep breaths. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before responding.
“I-I was just, um, if you want to, do you, um,” She clasped her hands behind her back to hide how badly they were shaking. “Do you wanna get ice cream with me this weekend?”
Adrien’s eyes widened in surprise. He didn’t realize the boy she had a crush on was him! Stupid! He’d let her practice and taught her how to be confident, and now she’d worked up the courage to ask him out. He felt both proud and immensely guilty which almost led him to accept, but he remembered his promise to her the night before and glanced away.
“Oh, uh, that sounds like it’d be a lot of fun, but…” He fished for an excuse. “I can’t eat ice cream, it’s uh, model diet, you know?”
Duh! Of course he couldn’t eat sweets! She was so stupid! Stay calm; try something else.
“Oh, right…” She laughed. “Well, h-how about a movie?”
“Look, Marinette-” He started, but his voice caught in his throat as realization and hurt flashed in her eyes. “You really are an incredible girl, and it means a lot to me that you’d even ask, I just…I already have feelings for someone else.”
“Who? Chloe?” Marinette blurted before she could stop herself.
Adrien didn’t know whether to laugh or gag at that. Probably gag, but the hurt in her eyes was getting worse by the second and so was his guilt. Jeez, he felt like such a jerk.
“No, no, no!” He insisted, holding up defensive hands. “She…She doesn’t go here. You wouldn’t know her.”
“Oh…” She winced. “I…sorry.”
She turned and rushed away before tears could spill down her cheeks in front of him. Adrien felt terrible watching her go, and he wish it had been anyone else but him.
Marinette ducked into the girl’s room, grateful that it was empty so she could cry in peace. It’s not that she resented him for loving someone else, but it still hurt that she wasn’t going to compete with whoever he loved. She was probably a super gorgeous model, and she was just…Marinette.
“Are you okay?” Tikki asked, nuzzling her cheek.
“Yeah,” She nodded weakly, wiping an arm over her face. “I mean, I’m heartbroken, but I want him to be happy.”
“Marinette…” Tikki’s voice trailed off as she looked up at her owner worriedly.
When her phone buzzed in her pocket, she pulled it out with a sigh. It was Alya asking how it went. How was she going to tell her she got rejected? What would she say? What was Chat going to say? She hoped he was having better luck than her.
He likes someone else. She typed. With a sigh, she got up and splashed some water on her face before heading out to the courtyard to join everyone else. She was going to be fine. Alya would likely come over and let her cry it out then tomorrow, she would move on.
“Chloe!!” A demented voice shouted followed by a loud crash.
“An akuma?” Marinette gasped, jumping back inside the locker room. “Now?”
“You’ll have to pick up your moping later, Marinette. We’ve got to transform!” Tikki instructed.
“Right! Transform me!”
It was, admittedly, one of her worst battles. She didn’t have patience for the villain’s monologues; lucky charm almost failed, and she captured the akuma without her usual enthusiasm. Oddly, Chat Noir was quiet as well which made her worry that he’d gotten rejected too.
“Ladybug! Can I ask you a few questions for my blog?” Alya asked hopefully, holding up her phone.
“Uh, sure,” She nodded, but a hand snaked its way around her wrist.
“I need to talk to you,” He said quietly, and she turned apologetically to Alya as he dragged her off.
“What’s up?” She asked, cocking a brow.
“M’lady, I need to tell you something,” He started, taking her hands in his and looking her in the eye. “I love you.”
“Ladybug felt her stomach drop to her feet. How could she have been so blind? Of course he’d been talking about her, and she’d told him to go for it! Her mind was a frantic river of confusion and guilt, and she felt like she was getting swept away between Chat’s confession and Adrien’s rejection.
Beep-beep!
She touched her earrings absentmindedly and shook her head.
“Chat…This isn’t a good time. I-I have to go,” She turned away reaching for her yoyo, but he grabbed her wrist once more with a pleading look.
“Then meet me tonight on the Arc de Triomphe at 11,” He asked, and she nodded before swinging out.
Chat watched her go, heart pounding in his chest. She’d seemed distracted the whole battle, not that he’d been any better. Marinette’s hurt expression kept replaying in his memory over and over, and he hoped Ladybug showed up to take his mind off of it.
Marinette landed in her room and fell back against her pillows with a groan. How could she face Chat again? After everything with Adrien, she wasn’t prepared to handle this. She’d just show up and let him down easy, and hopefully he wouldn’t be too heartbroken.
She checked her phone and found a series of worried texts from Alya. Oh yeah. Another thing to deal with.
Oh, girl, I’m so sorry! One read.
Are you okay? Read another.
My heart hurts. Marinette responded and within seconds she had a reply.
I’m mandating an emergency sleepover tonight. Just you and me.
Crap.
How was she supposed to meet Chat if Alya was attached to her all night? She’d have to figure out a way to sneak off.
Alya arrived shortly after with a large duffle bag full of spa products and their favorite movies as well as a very tight hug. Marinette played along, letting Alya comfort her and give her loads of advice while she watched the hours tick by. Soon it was almost time to meet Chat Noir, and Marinette deployed her best excuse.
“Hey, Alya, I’m really tired. It’s been a long day, so I think I’m gonna go to bed early,” She said, rubbing her eyes for good measure. It wasn’t technically a lie because more than anything, she wanted to crawl in bed and forget the whole day ever happened.
“It’s Friday night, Mari. Forget boys and just have fun. Besides, you promised to watch Moulin Rouge with me,” Alya pouted, and Marinette knew there was no getting out of it.
“Alright,” She sighed, taking her place on the couch. Hopefully Chat would be okay.
The cat in question stood atop the Arc de Triomphe next to a small table with candles and two silver platters. He checked the time on his staff, pacing nervously. She’d be arriving any minute now, so he sat down and tried his best to remain calm.
After several minutes, his frayed nerves forced him to his feet once more, and he resumed pacing along the length of the table. She was probably just running late. Yeah…very late. He glanced down at his staff again.
11:22.
As more time past, Chat’s ears drooped sadly with each glance at his staff, and around 1AM, he accepted that she wasn’t coming.
“Cataclysm,” He said dejectedly, touching his palm to the table and sitting with his feet over the edge.
When his transformation released, he passed Plagg a piece of Camembert then leaned against his fist, staring out at the traffic below. He supposed he deserved this for rejecting Marinette, some sick form of justice the universe was serving him. He hoped she was okay…If she felt anything like he did in that moment, he’d never stop feeling guilty for it.
“Let’s go, Plagg. Transform me.”
His staff carried him passed Marinette’s house, and he stopped in his tracks when he spotted her small form curled up on her balcony. Guilt crept over him, and before he knew it, he’d landed beside her.
“Chat…” She gasped, eyes filling with tears when she saw him. He must be feeling as terrible as she was, but at least he hadn’t rejected someone he cared about while being rejected by the one he loved most.
“You too?” He asked with a grimace. Those eyes would be the death of him.
“Yeah…” She whispered as a single tear slid down her cheek.
Without much thought, they found themselves in each other’s arms, tightly embracing as pain overcame them. Both felt the weight of being rejected by the people they loved most, and both carried the guilt of causing the pain of the other.
“Chat…” Mari started after a while, pulling back to look him in the eyes. “She’s stupid, whoever she is. You are amazing and funny and brave and kind and any girl would be lucky to be with you.”
“And you’re so sweet and talented and beautiful and the most endearing girl I’ve ever met. That boy is an idiot for not seeing that,” He breathed, cupping her face tenderly.
As his finger trailed along her cheek, he had to wonder if he’d been chasing the wrong girl all along, and something about the look in her eyes made him think she felt that way too.
Slowly, he leaned down and felt her breath swirl around his face as her head tilted ever-so-slightly. For the first time in a long time, Chat didn’t want to think about Ladybug, and Marinette didn’t want to think about Adrien. In that moment, the only person that mattered was the person in front of them. Chat closed his eyes and pressed his lips timidly to hers, sinking against her when she kissed him back.
Something changed in both of them, and in an instant, their hearts jolted with something new. Chat pulled her in closer, and Mari wrapped her arms around his neck, lacing her fingers in his soft, golden hair. For the short lapse of time, their hearts beat as one, and everything in the world felt complete. It felt safe and warm and –
“What the hell is going on?” Alya shrieked, and Mari shoved away from him as if she’d just been electrocuted. Her best friend stood in her trapdoor, adorned with a bewildered expression, and the two guilty parties shared the same humiliated flush.
“Good night, Chat Noir,” Mari said quickly, rushing forward to shove Alya back inside.
“Good night…princess,” He smiled to himself after they disappeared inside before vaulting himself off, lips still tingling from their kiss.
“Rebounding on the superhero?” Alya cocked a brow. “How’d you get that lucky?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Marinette mumbled, switching off her light and crawling under her sheets.
“Is he a good kisser?” Her friend giggled, scandalously, prodding her side.
“Good night, Alya!” Mari buried her face in her pillow, face beet red.
“Fine,” She sighed, rolling over. “You can tell me all about it in the morning.”