Talk to Me, Princess | Marichat - Miraculous Ladybug

Chapter Nine - You Should Really Learn to Knock

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," a deep voice reverberates throughout my mind, it's Hawkmoth using the Akuma to contact me, "you've been scared for a while now, with lots of negative emotions running through you. You're scared you're making the wrong choices, and that your time is running out. I can give you the power to ascend all these scary thoughts, to become so much stronger, both emotionally and physically. All I ask is for only one thing in return."

Clutching my head, I try to picture ripping the Akuma out of me. Where did it land? I need to get rid of it. Chat Noir is now holding my face, eyes laser focused onto me. He's saying something but I can't quite make it out.

"Fight it, Princess. Stay with me. You've got this. You're good, you're too good for Hawkmoth to use."

"No, Hawkmoth. I want nothing to do with you!" I exclaim, feeling this ripping sensation as the Akuma expels from me. I gasp, it's mildly painful. I drop to my knees like I just finished an exhausting sprint, but Chat Noir catches me quick and lowers me onto his lap as we take a seat on the ground.

Breathe in and out, Marinette. Everything is fine, I did it.

I actually did it.

"-safe, you're okay. You did amazing, Princess. I'm so proud of you. I can't imagine what that must have felt like, but I'm here for you no matter what. I've got you, just like I promised I would. Hawkmoth can't control you." I tune into the comforting words Chat whispers in my ears as I lean into him. He supports me entirely, his arms wrapped around me in the most warm and comfortable way. My heart rate slowly decreases, and I feel myself calming down.

"I did it, I actually did it." I say quietly, my voice just barely above a whisper. "That was really scary, honestly worse than almost falling off the Eiffel Tower."

"Really?" Chat questions and I pull away to look up at him. His expression is a strange mix of relieved and concerned at the same time.

"Yeah... if I fell off the Eiffel Tower, I would just die. But if Hawkmoth got to you because of me..? All of Paris and even the world would be affected. He can't ever get ahold of yours and Ladybug's Miraculous."

"Two things can be right at the same time. I agree that Hawkmoth can't ever get ahold of the Miraculous' but that doesn't mean everyone else is expendable. Especially you. You're more important than you think, Marinette. When you talk like that, as if just dying is no big deal, it breaks my heart. You matter so very much, to so many people." He leans in, his forehead pressing against mine. Tears slip down my cheeks, but they aren't of sadness. I feel loved right now. "I will make Hawkmoth pay for trying to use you."

"Chat..." I whisper, feeling the warmth of his breath on my face. I could kiss him by just leaning in ever so slightly. Our lips are just mere inches apart.

But now is not the time for that. I give my head a mental shake, tossing those thoughts in a compartment to consider another time. Wrapping my arms around him, I give him a quick and strong hug.

"Thank you. Again. For looking out for me." I say carefully, standing up on my shaky legs.

"Anytime, Princess." He stands up as well, pausing to look around.

"Want to watch a movie?" He asks after a moment with a sweet smile, nodding towards the bed. "Or do you want to talk about things?"

"A movie would be good. You can choose." So we make our way over to the bed and lean back against the wall with the laptop between us once again.

To my surprise, he picks an animated film. One that I've heard of many times before, but I've never actually seen.

"This is by a very famous studio called Studio Ghibli. It's my comfort movie, to be honest. Want to watch?"