Troublemaker

2 - Balcony Scene

"But why do you think he thought exactly that you think he thought?"

"If you're so smart, tell me what he could think!" she suggested and Cat Noir grinned. Well, who would know that better than him?

"Have you tried to assume that Adrien thought that it was just a huge misunderstanding and Jagged Stone just jumped to conclusions?"

"No..." she whispered. "I haven't..."

"You know... That boy is worried about you."

"Really?" she looked at him in surprise. Had he talked to Adrien? "How do you know that?"

"I know him a bit. Maybe even quite well. He told me." He muttered. Somehow, he couldn't lie to her, when she was looking at him like that.

"I don't buy it, Cat." She said.

"Believe me, Princess! He is worried. And I know that he's denied all rumours spread by Chloe."

"Chloe is a pig!" she muttered, and Cat laughed loudly hearing that.

"In my opinion she's jealous. For a moment you were more popular than her. I think she would kill for such a publicity."

"Thank you for that publicity! I'll pass. And you don't know her." Marinette murmured. "She won't miss an opportunity to tease me. I'm not sure if I was more afraid of meeting Adrien or her... She can be so mean! I... I can't deal with her."

"I think you deal with her quite well..." Cat Noir answered with a smile.

"No, I don't." she shook her head. "And now you tell me that she's been spreading rumours about me. Well, I should have foreseen that. Huh... No. I will never go back to school. I'll ask my parents to move me somewhere else. It's insufferable!"

Her eyes were tearful again. She couldn't stop them. Imaging happy Chloe telling Adrien new pathetic details of the story of Marinette's crush was more than she could stand...

He felt his heart bled when he saw her suffer. The only thing that came to his mind was... to kiss her.

He leaned in and kissed Marinette. Just like that. It was a kind of an impulse, but he didn't think about it temporarily. A moment before their lips met, he told himself it was a friendly gesture to comfort her. But all thoughts left him when they kissed. Actually, he was only feeling. He felt a wonderful joy and... happiness?

The kiss was interrupted by Marinette. She looked at him outraged.

"Cat Noir! What the hell was that?"

He looked dazed at her. Oh, God... What was that? What had just happened? And... Why she was angry at him? Oh, right. He was Cat Noir. He forgot himself for a moment.

"I... don't know..." he answered quietly. "I wanted to comfort you..."

"Oh..." she sighed. Damn it, the first two kisses in her life and both with Cat Noir! Life was so unfair! She looked at him and touched her lips unconsciously.

Cat Noir wanted to do the same. He still felt the kiss on his lips. Weird...

"Will you go back to school, Marinette?" he asked hopefully after a while.

"I don't know..." she whispered.

"Please. Do it for..." he stuttered. "... for your friends."

"I... I have to think about it."

"Don't think about bad things, Marinette. You have friends who will support you. They won't let hurt you."

"Yes, I know. But... Even Alya won't protect me from..." she stopped.

"But Adrien will." He answered with a smile and took a step toward her. Instinctively she moved back, and her hand went to her lips again.

"Adrien?"

"Yes, Adrien!" he laughed. "He will support you no matter what! And all those people will leave you alone."

"But... Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Trust me, Princess!"

"OK, then."

"So... Will you come back?"

"I... I guess so..."

"Great!" he grinned. "Mission accomplished!"

"Mission?"

"I was to bring you back to life." He smiled slyly, acting like classic Cat Noir.

"Oh..." she sighed.

She hoped that was Adrien who had asked Cat Noir for help. Although she wasn't sure if she liked how it was gained. But maybe... if Cat Noir told Adrien about the kiss, Adrien would feel a bit jealous? No... It must have been Alya who asked for help. She was the one who had been visiting her for the last few days.

"Take care of yourself, Princess!" Cat Noir jumped on the railing.

"I'll try." She smiled shyly. "Thank you, Cat."

"You're welcome!" he saluted her, grinned, as usual.

"Only... Maybe... Don't kiss me anymore..." she whispered.

He almost fell off the balcony.

"What?"

"I mean... I'd rather... you wouldn't kiss me again..."

"You didn't like it?" he asked in astonishment.

"It doesn't matter if I liked it or not." She replied, and he noticed with an unknown hope that she didn't give a definite answer. "I'd prefer to keep my kisses for... for my special someone. And you're already taken, remember?"

"Oh, right!" he laughed. "I have to run, Princess. See you soon!"

"See you soon, Cat."

"See you tomorrow..." he whispered when he reached the neighbouring rooftop. And he smiled to himself.