Masked Persona

pensée.

Marinette made it home, humming to herself. Tikki didn't dare to speak out in public, but she did unclip Marinette's purse to look up at her confused. Why was she so happy? Tikki decided that she'd ask when she got back home.

Speaking of which, Marinette entered through the shop and greeted her parents with a smile, her parents waved, but being busy, got back to work quickly. Marinette went upstairs, and closed the trap door behind herself silently.

She placed her bag on her desk and Tikki flew out of it. "I thought you told Alya that you're tired." Marinette looked to her Kwami.

"I am." She answered. "But I have patrol tonight." Alright, Tikki was struck with confusion now.

"And you're excited?"

"Yes?"

"About patrolling . . . with Chat?" Tikki would lift an eyebrow if she had one. Marinette giggled nervously and shrugged at Tikki's question. She pretended to go back to work, but Tikki saw through her. "You're excited to see . . . Chat?"

Marinette stopped, her hands slowly dropping the papers in her hand. She never thought she'd have to hear those words. Excited, to see Chat? To be near him? Something was definitely wrong with her.

This caused her to freak out. She dropped the papers on the ground and shot her hand to her hair, she pulled at her pigtails.

"Ugh, I don't know, Tikki!" This left the said Kwami confused.

"Don't know?" She repeated Marinette's comment with a question. Marinette pulled down at her hair, her eyes still widened.

"Chat Noir is just my partner, nothing more!" She tried to tell herself. She started to pace from her desk to her bed.

"Marinette, what's wrong? You were happy just a second ago."

Marinette continued to pace but she let go of her hair and put her arms by her side.

"I don't . . . no, of course I don't!"

"Marinette."

"Chat's my partner, I have respect for him, and that's all it is!"

"Marinette."

"I like Adrien."

"Marinette?"

"I'll prove it!"

"Marinette, wait—"

"Tikki, spots—"

"Marinette, listen to me!"

She shut up after that. Tikki didn't yell, more like raise her voice, but either way it still surprised the Miraculous holder. Tikki was glad that she stopped and listened.

"Look, I don't know what you're on about, but if you get any louder your parents could hear you." Marinette looked at her Kwami, still surprised, so Tikki continued. "Now calm down. What's this about Adrien? Prove what exactly?"

Marinette looked down, then took a deep breath and looked to Tikki again.

"I'm sorry, Tikki. I was freaking out." Marinette explained, she rubbed her forehead. "I just surprised myself." Tikki was still confused, she didn't know exactly what Marinette was on about, but she understood that she had calm down. Marinette smiled at her Kwami. "Let's go help my parents with the shop, after they close up we'll go out for patrol."

Tikki nodded and went to go hide, meanwhile Marinette went down stairs to help her parents run the bakery.

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