Stray ~ A MariChat Love Story (Complete)

Chapter 34: Chat Blanc

Marinette paced back and forth in her room, her mind racing.

She didn't understand at all. How could he have found out her identity? She'd been so careful. She wracked her brain for any explanation or clue as to what had made him say her name, but she kept coming up blank.

"Marinette, this isn't going to help anyone." said Tikki, flying up to her face. "You have to calm down."

"How can I, Tikki?" she asked, "I failed. This was a secret I was meant to take to my grave, but Chat found out. He found out anyway and I just don't understand how."

Tikki shook her head and sighed. "Marinette, I don't know why he said your name, but I'm certain he doesn't know it's you beneath the mask."

"How can you be so sure? You know the way he looked at me. He had to know..." It didn't make sense at all. Tikki flew back up to Marinette and hovered in front of her smiling cheekily to herself. Marinette's eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking, Tikki?"

"Well, maybe he was thinking of you while he was kissing Ladybug?"

Marinette's jaw dropped and her neck flushed dark red. "What?" she asked, voice raspy.

Tikki gave Marinette a reassuring smile and patted her forehead. "Think about it, Marinette. Why would he call you Ladybug after he called you by your name? He doesn't know."

Marinette couldn't believe it. She didn't want to. It was too unrealistic. Too good to be true.

She glanced at the roses on her desk and her heart fluttered. Could he really be in love with her? The real her?

She couldn't deny the waves of pleasure she'd felt during their passionate kiss. The ways his hands caressed her through the suit and the way his mouth molded against her own.

Marinette walked towards the flowers and brushed her hand tenderly against the petals.

She grinned madly. "Could he really..." Could he love her true self more unconditionally than the side everyone else favored?

Marinette pulled a rose from the vase and glanced back at Tikki, but the kwami's expression was pained.

Her skin turned a paler shade of red and her eyes were frantic. "Marinette," she wheezed.

Marinette dropped the rose and rushed over to Tikki, barely capturing her in her hands before she hit the ground.

"Tikki!" Marinette pulled her kwami closer to her face and frowned, "What's wrong? What's going on?"

Tikki rolled on her side and frowned. "Don't let him see me. Please, Marinette. Hide me."

"What?" she asked. Marinette heard the familiar knocking on her balcony and glanced down at Tikki again. She pursed her lips and nodded.

Hesitantly, she grabbed her diary box, opened it and set Tikki comfortably inside.

The knocking echoed again and Marinette frowned. "I'm coming. Hold on." She placed her diary box in her bottom drawer and climbed up the stairs. She opened the latch to her balcony with a small smile on her face.

"Chat –," She looked up at him and all the words died on her lips. Chat's suit was stark white. His messy blonde hair was a shade paler and his wonderful green eyes were now tinted purple. He stared down at her with a forced smile and crouched down in front of her.

"May I come in, Purrincess?"

Marinette couldn't speak. She couldn't move or function. He grinned at her, but it didn't reach his eyes. They were hollow and blank as if he didn't feel anything at all. No amusement, no jokes and no puns. He snapped his fingers and sneered.