Miraculous (Angel-Demon AU)

Chapter 4: Marinette

"I said I'm not from here. I'm... from above, if that's how you want to call it. And nobody is meant to know, so thankyou very much."

There was a pause. Chat pronounced every word ever so slowly and almost in a whisper, as if he were still trying to believe it. "You mean... you're an angel?" I was very surprised he had got to that conclusion all on his own and so quickly. I was about to make some precisions, but then I thought it simply wasn't worth it.

"Yeah. Yeah, an angel." It sounded good, especially in this era, where such words were so theatrical.

Against all expectations, Chat Noir dropped silent. I had expected him to besiege me with questions, at the very least, but, instead he said nothing. We spent some more minutes staring into the distance, my rage disappearing as I realized what I'd just done. Chat Noir knew my secret. Or rather, he knew our secret. I waited for him to say something, anything, but all he finally said was "I see". I thought I'd never see him again either because he'd consider me nuts or because he'd be too afraid of me, yet he took leave with a "See you tomorrow, m'Lady", even though he didn't sound half as cheerful as he usually did.

The next days he had been oddly non-flirtatious with me, to the extreme point where I began exasperated.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" I spat one day.

A big smile covered his face. "Did you seriously just say that?"

"Now, what is happening? If you don't wanna see me again fine, but just say so, don't be all depressed and slumbering for having to be around me. And, just for you to know, angels don't bite!"

His smile turned exasperatingly sad.

"But demons do."

"Maybe, but I'm not one, dude."

A few seconds ticked by, his eyes not letting mines look away. He was too sad, too serious to be Chat Noir. "But I am, m'Lady."

Too serious.

And so it began. We'd known, if not our human identities, our respective species, which was quite a big step, considering we were the only creatures on Earth to know each other's identity. At first, of course, I felt wary. Had I been saving the world beside a demon all along? How much "devilishness" was in him? Was he a spy? Would he try to bring me to the dark side?

But it wasn't too hard to push aside all my suspicions. I had trusted my life to him when I had thought he was no more than a human with a kwami. I could trust him now that I knew he was a demon fighting not only against his people, but against his own nature in order to be... good. He had to be, otherwise he wouldn't have ever told me what he was.

Furthermore, I had learnt an endless list of reasons why an angel was banned from being any kind of superhero or activist in this world, having been told over and over again that our mission was not to change things, but to inspire through the smallest of actions those who actually owned the world, the humans, to change it for good. But I had been chosen. My kwami, the Master... they thought that me, as Marinette, was the most suitable person to be Ladybug. I had tried to reject it but... now I simply couldn't.

And, if I had to fight against all those thoughts, who knows how many rules Chat Noir was defying by being a miraculous holder?

"...Whereas for me", he continued "I would have no arguments in my favour. Not in my world. If only my father knew what I am doing right now, simply patrolling a city to stop any kind of harm from reaching it, he'd probably have to kill me."

I froze, blown away by the life-less tone with which he had said those words.

"What?" he caught sight of me "It's not like we die forever, we can be born again or simply stay up there doing something (well, down in my case)" he joked without too much enthusiasm "Although maybe that wouldn't be my case." Chat started to fidget with his staff.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't think people like me get to be reborn again. What would be the point, if you're incapable of... being evil, basically? And if I stayed on the other side... I don't know what would happen either."

There was something he wasn't telling me, but I didn't insist.

"You could try coming to my world." I tried

He gave a sly look in my direction, knowing I meant good, but wasn't in a position to promise him anything. He came closer to me, bent over me, as I was still sitting down.

"Thank you" he whispered, though nobody could hear us, and I knew he meant it.

"I-I'm sorry, Chat. I wish I could do more for you..."

He smiled, and this time, though small, his smile was honest.

"You are doing more than you realize, m'lady."

I wondered whether I had seen his eyes watering, but had no time to check it, since he quickly closed them and came even closer in order to leave a kiss on my forehead. He had kissed me before -no, not that kiss in ninth grade, that was... a misfortunate accident-, but it had always been in a playful, flirty way. But this time his gesture was so soft, so premeditated and fond, that I felt myself blushing as he left his lips resting on my forehead for long-lasting seconds, my heart shamefully racing.

After a long time that, strangely, felt too short at the same time, he moved aside, turning his back on me. Only once he was some steps away from me and standing away from the circle of light that the lamp post projected he turned slightly sideways to wave away goodbye and wish me "sweet dreams, princess", and immediately melted into the darkness as I heard his miraculous beep for the last time.

I stayed there a few minutes more, sitting like an idiot at the top of a lonely building as I unconsciously drew my hand to my front, where Chat's lips had been, searching for something that still hadn't quite disappeared. What was it, exactly? I blushed again before any words could take shape in my mind. Jeez, I really was a jerk. I shook my head as I searched for my yoyo with numb fingers, suddenly aware that I would soon turn into Marinette and would have no way of coming down the building or explaining how I'd got up there when they found me.

I've got no time for this, I told myself. And by "this" I didn't know whether I meant giving Chat some psychological therapy with his demon issues, patrolling one day away from graduation and prom, or simply sitting around thinking about how much I enjoyed the rare occasions when Chat and I could have some therapy sessions, where he would set aside his playful manners and show himself as someone I was actually willing to get to know better.