Like expected, Marinette didn't hear anything of Adrien, which made her a bit sad when she thought about his super busy life. However, Chat Noir seemed to have time for Marinette each day, as he sent her short emails every day, usually around evening. Five days passed while Marinette and Chat Noir kept changing emails, Marinette feeling light and happy every time he had replied her. The messages weren't anything big, just daily conversations and Chat Noir's usual flirts, but Marinette was happy they had this connection. She wanted to ask many times some personal things from Chat Noir about him and his human life, but she always pushed those thoughts away, reminding herself that they had to keep their relationship professional, with or without feelings which went beyond their work. But there was something Marinette couldn't push away from her mind: Chat Noir's arm without leather and claws, the bare human hand in her hold.
Marinette woke up from her day dreaming when people around her started to make their way out from the lecture room. She realized she had missed about half an hour of the lecture. Gathering her stuff into her bag Marinette hoped she hadn't missed anything important during her day dreaming. It was still somewhat awkward for her to admit that she was thinking so much of Chat Noir these days. She actually stopped to think if she was shallow somehow, for forgetting Adrien so quickly. Well, not really forgetting him. Adrien still made her heart skip a beat, but Chat Noir made it happen twice easier.
"Tikki," she whispered when she was sure no one was seeing or hearing them. "I can't stop thinking of him and I feel bad about it."
"Why?" Tikki's muffled voice came out from the narrow slit of her purse's lock.
"I feel like... like I own Adrien for having thoughts of someone else in my mind... And Adrien, I still like him a lot. It's... confusing," she admitted.
"Like I said, let the time pass and don't even try to solve this. I'm sure the flow will guide you," Tikki smiled at Marinette, though she couldn't see her smile from the depth of the purse.
"Is the flow you are talking about one of those Ladybug and Chat Noir things?" Marinette asked hissing the names out very quietly.
"Yep! They are always drawn towards each other. How many times do I need to assure this to you?" Tikki let out another warm laugh and Marinette made an apologetic face. It was still a bit odd to think that someone was so connected to someone else like that. Marinette wasn't sure did she really understand the depth of that bond Tikki was talking about while she made her way to the cafeteria.
"How many times do I need to repeat this to you?" Plagg's voice was an annoyed groan coming out from the jacket's breath pocket. Adrien tugged his jacket tighter around him, frowning.
"I know, you don't have to repeat this", Adrien muttered. Plagg didn't listen to him.
"There's no need to be hasty, things will work out fine on their own. Don't be lazy but don't try to get there too fast either. You are being impatient because your Chat Noir is reacting strongly to Marinette's Ladybug," the kwami kept nagging.
Adrien wanted to argue back, but he knew he couldn't. He was growing impatient with the whole Adrien-Chat Noir business. If it was Adrien's business only, he would already have revealed himself as Chat Noir to Marinette. He pondered if he should push forward more with the idea, feed it as suggestions to Marinette so long that she would get a way too curious to resist his suggestions. He had played with the scene in his head over and over again but to be honest, Adrien was freaking out by the idea of the revelation – how would Marinette take it? Would she be upset? Angry? Understanding? Would she hug him and say "thank you" or would she whoop him for good? What most important Adrien had no idea how to reveal himself to Marinette and when would be the best time. For now, he returned back to his thoughts of trying to speak Marinette about Chat Noir's private life in his emails and hopefully coax her into the revelation. He knew he was walking on the thin ice but the mere thought of Marinette, her beautiful smile, catchy giggle and warm touch were enough of a reason to Adrien to keep going on.
He opened his umbrella when the first rain drops fell from the sky, making him remember their first kiss in the rain. It had been wonderful. Everything he had dreamed about and a bit more. Adrien didn't deny it; he had been horribly afraid to kiss Marinette back then. It had been worth of his shaking legs and trembling tail, leading later to their snuggling time on Marinette's bed. Adrien had wished she would have been even a bit curious of him if he took his Chat Noir mask off, but of course she wasn't. He had no option but to follow her wishes. Forcing wasn't a word in Adrien's vocabulary nor he was interested in disrespecting woman's wishes.
He made his way into the hallway from the rain and took the stairs up to his apartment. The chill of rain tried to seep in and after hanging his coat and kicking his shoes off Adrien hurried to make some tea for himself.
"Plagg, help me; how should I tell Marinette about myself as Chat Noir?" Adrien asked and earned a long, moaning groan from Plagg.
"Not again, we have talked about this so much! You know my opinion of the matter," the kwami whined and flied to the sofa, snuggling under the decorative pillow for warmth.
"No, no, this is different! I know about the time and the flow and the Chat Noir and Ladybug magnetism – God, Plagg, do I know about that – but when the time comes, how should I do it? I can't just jump out from Chat Noir's outfit, you know," he corrected Plagg while waiting for the tea water to boil.
"Why not? It would make everything clear at once," Plagg joked but wiped his sneer away when he saw the miffed look Adrien shot at him. "Oh the heck, honestly Adrien, you know Marinette better than I do. What do you suggest?" Plagg returned the question and the miffed frown on Adrien face spread deeper.
"That's not helping," he whined, reaching for a tea cup and a tea bag. "If I had the answer already I wouldn't ask you. You have seen this so many times I thought you could drop me at least some hint."
"I wish things were that easy, but as I have explained millions of times all Ladybugs are individuals with personal preferences, styles, thoughts ect. There isn't any universal personality type for the Ladybug, you know," Plagg muffled voice echoed from his one pillow forth.
Adrien sat next to Plagg, sighing deeply.
"This is so complicated," he groaned out loud his feelings. Plagg's head emerged from the pillow forth with a one pop.
"Sorry, but you have to figure this out yourself, because you know Marinette, I don't," he squinted his green cat eyes.
"She brushes off my every attempt to coax her into letting me tell who I am," Adrien's sigh was full of frustration. Plagg eyed his master carefully.
"Women can be stubborn, but you are as stubborn as this Ladybug is," he remarked. "Use that. Let's see which one of you gives up first."
"I'm not going to give up, so it's definitely not me," Adrien snorted, proving Plagg's statement of his stubbornness right. He lifted the tea cup up to his lips, sipping the warm oolong while the gears were turning inside his head. Marinette was surely stubborn so coaxing her would be a challenge. Adrien wished the email changing would give him a chance to reveal things of himself as Adrien to Marinette, without spilling any names. He also considered if he could get in touch with Tikki somehow and do that behind Marinette's back. Perhaps the pink kwami would know a trick or a two. Actually, the more Adrien thought about that option, the better it sounded. Crazy indeed, but it could work.
Feeling victorious Adrien finished his tea and lifted gently the edge of the decorative pillow, finding Plagg curled up like a cat from the corner.
"Plagg, I got an idea. I need to talk with Tikki," he said with sparkling eyes.
Plagg inspected Adrien quietly for a moment or two, seemingly not very convinced by his idea.
"And how are you planning to do that?"
"I—I don't know. There needs to be some opening when Marinette is not with Tikki... Maybe when she's busy with work at the bakery? I suspect Tikki would stay in her room then so that no one spots her," Adrien muttered rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
"Very likely, we kwamis like to stay hidden," Plagg gave Adrien his approval.
"So, I just need to ask from Marinette when she's helping her parents at the bakery and somehow break into her house during that time as Chat Noir..." he started to flesh the plan out in his head, reaching to his phone. "I'll send her mail and ask. I need to see her at the same evening, too, so that I'm not too obvious – not that I mind visiting her place twice in a day," he smiled while typing the email.
Plagg wasn't really impressed, "You plan to use your powers to something illegal, like breaking into someone's home..."
"I promise, just this once and it's for the good of everyone," Adrien assured mildly unimpressed looking kwami, sending his email. "Now we just wait," he murmured.
He didn't have to wait for a long. Soon his phone beeped and Marinette's working schedule was revealed.
"Tomorrow!" Adrien breathed out, all the sparkling returning to his eyes. "Tomorrow I can execute this plan. I need to skip one lecture, but's it's OK. I'll make it quick. I don't have any work tomorrow, either."
"How do you plan to get inside?" Plagg was still more or less skeptical, but made no effort to stop Adrien.
"I figure that out when I get there tomorrow," Adrien smiled from ear to ear, ready for tomorrow's plans.
Chat Noir's heart was beating rapidly when he made quietly his way to Marinette's window. He took a sly peek inside to make sure no one would be in before he made his way up to the balcony's hatch with a one bounce. He hoped the hatch's lid would be open like always and for Chat's luck the lid opened without any problems. Carefully he peeked inside, scanning Marinette's room and listening carefully if there were any noise nearby. When Chat Noir didn't pick up anything alarming, he dropped down to Marinette's bed side as quietly as possible. He wished Tikki would indeed be in Marinette's room and that he could find her quick.
He walked cautiously the steps down, hand sliding on the railing, each step as quiet as cat's.
"Tikki?" he whispered when he came down, walking in the middle of the room.
Chat heard some rustling and soon Tikki's face popped out from a tiny lidless jar.
"...Chat Noir?!" her voice was shocked, surprised, as she flied to him. "What are you doing here? Marinette is working right now, so she can't see you. You should come back later today."
"This time I'm here to see you," Chat answered with a quiet voice and Tikki quickly understood something wasn't exactly right. She looked worryingly at Chat.
"Oh?"
"I need your help... No, advice. Please?" he plead, keeping his voice down.
"If I can help, I will," the kwami nodded a promise, smiling slightly.
Chat gestured her closer and Tikki flied right in front of his face.
"It's about Marinette. I really, really, really want to and need to reveal myself to her, but I don't want to force her into it. I've tried to drop her hints, ask about it more or less the last five years, but she's so, so stubborn," Chat cut the chase, hissing his words between his teeth, looking troubled. "Any idea how I could do it? You know Marinette better than I do."
He could see from Tikki's eyes that the kwami hadn't expected to hear anything like that from Chat Noir. She looked boggled for a second, but composed then herself back to normal.
"Well, I'd say you should give Marinette some time, as she's very cautious about the privacy issues," Tikki suggested, but Chat brushed her suggestion off with a hasty wave of his palm.
"I fear that I don't have much time. I really love Marinette and I know she has some feelings for me, as she does also for Adrien," Chat hesitated a bit the name, licking his lips.
"Oh, you are both still young! You have plenty of time, don't worry," Tikki smiled at him with a supportive nod, but yet again Chat brushed her off.
"No, this is... it's complicated..." he sighed, head dropping down. His eyes closed with a sad frown. "I fear that the longer we spend time together – the longer I wait – the riskier this business becomes."
"I... I don't quite follow. Do you mean that Marinette finds out your private personality on her own?" the kwami tapped her chin with her tiny hand, arms crossed.
"Yes."
"And that would be bad?" Tikki continued the wondering out loud, cocking her head with the question.
"Very," Chat sighed out a beaten groan, lifting his head up.
Tikki's eyes narrowed. She kept tapping her chin.
"Is... is there something wrong with you then? As a person I mean. I don't believe in that myself, though, the miraculous hosts are chosen carefully," she offered.
Chat paled few shades down, his shoulder tensing.
"Eh, well, not exactly..." he hesitated, licking his lips again nervously. "I mean, I'm a good guy, that's not a problem. Actually I'm someone many ladies would want to have for themselves," Chat pointed out, making Tikki narrow her eyes as expecting the last statement to be the regular Chat Noir flirt, but when his face staid a stern, Tikki's eyes widened.
"But?" she asked with a concerned tone. It was sinking into Tikki that there was something very off with this and he was happy about her understanding.
Chat Noir turned his head away from Tikki, avoiding her stare as well as he could. His heart was hammering in his chest furiously and Chat could feel how the cold sweat broke onto his forehead.
"This is absolutely confidential information. Don't tell Marinette."
"I can't promise that yet, before I hear what's the problem. After all, I have to take care of my hostess," she pointed out. He couldn't brush that comment off like her previous ones. Chat Noir understood it without any question.
"I'm... I'm Adrien Agreste," he breathed out with the thinnest voice ever, feeling how the walls of the room started to fall towards him, squeezing his chest heavily.
Tikki's mouth opened and her small hands dropped down to her sides. He stared Chat Noir in a disbelief for a second.
"Please, don't tell her. And please, don't hate me. I haven't been leading Marinette on on purpose. I really want her to know but I'm looking for the right opening. Most importantly I need your help to create that opening. Any info will do, as I haven't gotten to known Marinette. She's mysterious around Chat Noir as Ladybug, at school she freaked out around Adrien and now... I don't know... It's been only a few weeks," he sighed again, voice trembling.
A bright smile spread all over Tikki's round face and she made small circles in the air, flying around.
"Oh that's so good news! That makes sense! No wonder Marinette is so drawn both to Adrien and Chat Noir," she rejoiced, breaking the tension lingering in the air. Chat turned to look at her curiously, his shoulders relaxing by the sight of the happy kwami.
"So you're not going to beat me up?" he grinned and Tikki stopped her happy spinning.
"No, but you shouldn't let this show go on too long. You will upset Marinette with it, if you do," Tikki warned. "I told her to take this thing easy and let it flow naturally. If you start to drop small hints about yourself to Marinette, it can coax her into allowing you to tell more about your civilian personality. I can help you with that by keeping suggesting Marinette that she should give thoughts also to the fact that you aren't just Chat Noir and the relationship can bloom even if Ladybug and Chat Noir know each other behind the masks. There have been many cases like that in the past – actually it's more common that Chat Noir and Ladybug learn about themselves than not even learning who they truly are," Tikki kept explaining.
Chat's eyes started to shine hopefully.
"I promise, I do whatever I can to create a perfect time for me to tell her who I am. I will do my best to get eve more closer to Marinette," he assured with a determined nod. Tikki accepted his promise with a happy hum.
"Let's work together! We share the same goal; Marinette's happiness."
"Any ideas what I should do next?" Chat scratched the back of his head. "If you also have any Adrien tips I'd be very happy to hear them."
"Hmm... Perhaps Adrien could work as advocate to Chat Noir? If Adrien also keeps telling Marinette she should get to known Chat Noir as a man, not as a superhero, perhaps she listens better?"
"That's a great idea!" Chat slammed his fist into his open palm with bright eyes, grinning from ear to ear. "Let's make Adrien the wingman for Chat Noir."
Tikki had to laugh out loud at Chat Noir's idea. It was clear he truly loved Marinette. Had always loved. In her mind Tikki made an oath to help Chat Noir and Adrien out as much as she could.
"I must go now. I'll figure out something. I have to try to balance this whole thing well. I will hate myself forever if I upset Marinette. I wish only the best for her," he cleared his throat after a short pause. "Oh and I will come here again later this evening. I already planned that with Marinette."
"Alright, see you later then. I keep my kwami mouth sealed", Tikki made a zipping movement over her mouth.
"My Lady..." Chat Noir purred his way to Marinette's side and Marinette couldn't push away the small smile that appeared on her lips when she saw her companion arriving on the balcony at the time they had agreed on.
"Your ride is here," Chat bowed at Marinette, his hand over his chest.
Marinette's eye brow cocked slowly. "Oh? Are you taking me somewhere?"
"Yes, my macaron, if that's alright with you. Please dress up something warm," he rose up his head, eyes locked with Marinette's. She felt how the blush crept over her face quietly by the intensity of his stare.
"Alright. I'll be back soon. Wait here."
"Yes, my Lady."
"Good kitty," Marinette complimented Chat, disappearing from the balcony and returning back in five minutes. She had a small backpack with her, which Chat eyed curiously. Marinette offered her hand to Chat, who took it and pulled her close to his side, wrapping his arm around Marinette's waist.
While standing next to Chat Noir Marinette had yet again admire how tall he had grown. One really didn't see it while fighting, but standing side by side like that made it clear that Chat was around a head taller than Marinette. Her chest felt warm when she thought about Chat Noir, feeling his warmth radiating from his side.
Chat took his baton and swung them both up in the air. Marinette hold him tight around his neck, allowing Chat to take them to whichever place he had in his mind. After a few minutes they arrived to a big park, from which Chat found an isolated spot – beautiful, hidden from views and a bit higher than the rest of the area. The tree branches near the water fell down in a beautiful arch, shielding them from views, and the already darkened evening gave them more privacy to enjoy their time together without any extra witnesses.
Marinette watched how the dim park lights illuminated the area with warm light, which shine together with the small fire flies.
"How romantic," she sighed out loud while taking her backpack off and sitting down in the still dry grass. Chat followed her gesture and sat next to her, as close as possible.
"I thought you'd like this," he purred softly with a tender tone, following Marinette as she rummaged through the pink-black backpack, pulling a thermos bottle out from it.
"Hot chocolate," she smiled shyly, offering the thermos for Chat Noir. He took it and Marinette fished out two tiny plastic cups from the backpack. "I did it just a moment before you arrived, so it should still be quite hot. I haven't made hot chocolate in a long time, so I hope it tastes good."
"Anything you do will taste marvelous, I'm sure of it," Chat's voice complemented Marinette with a dreamy sigh. He opened the bottle and poured the warm hot chocolate for both of them, while Marinette pulled another treat from her bag.
"These are some mixed leftover cookies from today. Not too many, but some," she told him opening the plastic lid. Stunning scent of vanilla, sugar and cinnamon filled the air. Chat gladly accepted the offered box and chose the ones which smelled the best to him.
"I hope this kind of evening picnic is okay to you. I didn't ask if you had any specific plans for today," Marinette placed the cookie box near her legs, between them so they both could eat them freely. Chat handled Marinette's mug to her.
"This is perfect, as I just wanted to spend time with you. Actually, this is my first hot chocolate and cookie picnic like this. Perhaps I had one when I was a little, but it's been forever. 15 years or something similar. I can't really remember," he spoke honestly, watching how Marinette's lips captured the cookie in her hand. He munched his own cookies hastily to cover up his blushing cheeks.
"Oh wow, that's really long time. Don't you like picnics then?" she inquired between munching the cookie.
Chat's face darkened slightly, but he wasn't sure would Marinette see it.
"My mother... she took me to picnics when I was little. When our life wasn't so busy as it's now".
"You don't go to picnics anymore?" Marinette finished her cookie.
"No. My mom... She's not here. She just disappeared one day. No one knows what happened," he spoke with sincerity, his eyes casted over the hot chocolate mug between his palms.
Marinette's mouth opened with a sting shooting through her heart.
"I'm sorry..." she whispered, placing her hand over Chat's shoulder. He turned his face to Marinette's side, smiling.
"It's alright. We all have our hardships", he said gently, eyes soft and forlorn. Then a smile appeared suddenly on his lips, the old Chat Noir returning back. "Is there anything else you'd like to know about me? I'd be happy to tell you something, anything."
Marinette's lips pressed together into a thin line, eyes scanning Chat's face with an unsure frown.
"Perhaps I could ask something..." she gave in, sighing eyes closed. "You know things of me, but I don't know much anything of you."
"That's the spirit," Chat cheered Marinette and scooped her under his arm so quickly Marinette yelped and almost spilled her hot chocolate on her legs. Hastily he apologized his sudden movement with a soft peck on top of her head.
"Ask me anything you feel comfortable with," he encouraged Marinette, enjoying the scent of cookies, cocoa and her shampoo mixing together. She felt warm and small under his arm, and Chat's chest filled with soft, fuzzy feelings.
"Do you have siblings?"
"Nope, I'm the only one," he answered, taking a sip from his hot drink.
"Same as me, then!" she smiled out loud, leaning to Chat's shoulder.
"What color your eyes are, when they're not kitty eyes?"
"Green. I suspect Chat Noir's eyes might always be near the same eye color shade the man behind the mask has got naturally," he offered, not really being sure was that the case or not. It was fun to speculate things like these at times.
"Hmm, sounds legit," Marinette approved his suggestion, drinking her hot chocolate.
Chat Noir urged Marinette to hold his mug for the moment he reached out to collect a new cookie, stuffing it completely into his mouth and taking then his mug back, trying to grin with a mouthful of cookie crumble. It earned a warm laugher from Marinette.
"It nice you invited me out again. Thank you," she patted his thigh.
"I always have time for you."
"You were so upset the last time we saw, but here we are. We got to meet a bit faster than I anticipated."
Chat couldn't let Marinette know that his pleas of wanting to stay at Marinette's side, snuggling, had been only half true last time. It was true he was busy, but it was also true he could have visited Marinette quickly for the last days, even for a kiss if nothing else. He couldn't let Marinette know he had hoped she'd get curious if he took his transformation off while being near her.
"I was upset. I want to spend every single day with you," he murmured to Marinette, placing his hot chocolate mug on the ground next to him, slowly. He took a gentle hold from Marinette's chin, guiding her to look up at his face. "Isn't it obvious how much I love you, is it?" Chat Noir asked huskily, running his thump over Marinette's parted lips.
Her gaze dropped down to his lips on its own, but she couldn't find any words.
"Or didn't you want to meet me up this quick?" he continued with a low purring rising from his chest. "Maybe I should make you yearn the meetings with me, so much that you count the minutes to when you can see me, the same way I count the minutes to the moment I can see you again."
"I- Of course I wanted to meet you," Marinette defended herself with a tottering sigh, leaning closer to Chat.
She let Chat claim her lips gently into a kiss. The kiss was soft and tender, deepening slightly when Chat tilted his head to grant better access to Marinette to kiss him deeper if she wanted to – which she did. He enjoyed how her soft mouth traveled on his, a small hum rising from his chest and coming out from his nose as a sign of approval. He broke the kiss after a moment, taking a hold of Marinette's mug despite of her surprised look, and placed the mug next to his, returning then to kiss Marinette again. He wrapped his arms around her waist, letting his palms roam slowly over her back. She replied to his moves by snaking her arms around Chat's shoulders and neck, pressing her lips tighter against Chat Noir's lips.
He was loving every moment of their secret make out in a romantic spot, in a dark corner of a quiet park.
Marinette was very good at kissing. The longer their lips kept touching and tasting each other, the hotter Chat could feel his skin becoming underneath his leather suit. It was intoxicating, this beautiful woman in his lap, sighing softly into his mouth whenever he tilted his head slightly.
The heat in Chat's chest was rising up, pulsing through his veins, heating up his body. He pressed himself closer to Marinette, his hand sliding up to her upper back, laying the woman down slowly on the grass while his hand traveled down to her waist and over her hip to her leg and back up. Marinette's fingers brushed through Chat's blond hair and he couldn't suppress down the tiny pleased growl from his throat. Curiously Chat tested it Marinette would allow him to give her a proper French kiss and when she didn't show any signs of resistance, Chat slipped his tongue against Marinette's tongue, tasting her hungrily, his small tomcat engine starting to purr loudly inside his chest with the rapid beating of his heart. She was all he had ever wanted, ever.
Chat broke the kiss, his cheeks flushed and he took a look at Marinette. Her eyes were half closed, cheeks rosy as the setting sun, parted lips moist from his kisses. She watched Chat with alluring gaze, her arms still around Chat's neck, fingers playing with the hair on his back of a head.
"My macaron," he murmured lovingly while dropping his head down to Marinette's ear, kissing the earlobe gently, completely forgetting he was supposed to coax Marinette into asking more questions about him. He couldn't care the less about it now, her warmness driving him mad.
Chat made his way down to her neck with his lips, roaming over the soft skin, enjoying the surprised gasps coming out from Marinette's lips. It was getting hot. Too hot for Chat's comfort, but he couldn't stop himself. There was a sudden desire running in his veins, so strong and deep it made his spine tingle. Marinette's small sighs didn't help the cause the slightest. His hand trembled when he caressed her side, lying half on top of her chest, her scent filling his brain with hazy lust. He kissed, nipped, licked her neck, murmuring words of endearment onto her skin.
Marinette's hands suddenly fell down from his neck and her fingers curled around his jiggle bell. Chat lifted his head up, leaning against his elbows.
"...Yes?" he asked, slightly out of breath. He feared he had missed something Marinette had said for having his heart drumming in his ears like a war drum.
"I... I can't stop thinking of your warm hand... Back when you took the transformation off," Marinette tottered slightly, averting her shy eyes from Chat's view, "I'd like to touch your skin. Is... is that okay?"
This wasn't the Marinette Chat Noir had used to see. This was more like Marinette around Adrien, except without freaking out. It excited Chat, to know that he was most likely the first man seeing this side of Marinette and the fact this woman was no one else but also the Ladybug herself made Chat scream happily inside his head.
"Please, I'm yours to touch freely," he smirked widely winking his eye, letting some of the steam die for his own good. He was very aware of the fact that his suit was very generous and wouldn't hide anything from anyone if he got too excited.
Marinette fidgeted herself free from underneath Chat, earning a boggled look from him as he gave Marinette space to sit up. A mischievous grin flashed on Marinette's face when she turned to Chat, her hands placing on his chest. She urged him to lay down, sitting on top of him still smiling.
Chat's eyes sparked when he saw Marinette on top of him.
"My lady, you should have proposed this pawsition earlier," he smirked, keeping his hands on the ground, palms against the cool grass.
Marinette narrowed her eyes playfully, blushing up to her ears. Chat wondered had he hit the jackpot with that comment. Had Marinette wished to do this earlier? How badly she actually wanted to touch him?
The desire in his core started to rose up, its whirling getting stronger as he watched how Marinette took gently hold of his jingle bell, and pulled the zipper open, slowly.
His breath got caught in his throat with a short moan, his eyes fixated on the jingle bell distancing from his neck down to his chest, revealing his bare skin. The cool air seeping in from the zipper's opening gave shivers to Chat's spine. He knew his cheeks were flushed, the redness clearly visible underneath the black mask. He kept his attention focused on Marinette's hands, shivering with anticipation as her both palms descended lower, finally pressing against his skin.
Her palms were so delicate and warm. Chat hummed approvingly at her touch, letting his head sink down to the grass when Marinette's palms brushed underneath his suit over his chest. His eyes closed with a smile.
"What's this? Kitty is all smooth?" he could hear Marinette smiling the way she spoke the words while caressing his chest. He wondered if she was really teasing him or just hiding her own nervousness behind the teasing.
"I shave."
"Why? Has the zipper given you problems?" she teased him again, sounding as mischievous as Chat himself did at times. He huffed through his nostrils, trying to sound hurt.
"For work. I'm expected to be all smooth. Completely hairless cat," he answered with all honestly, focusing on the shy movements of Marinette's fingers with closed eyes.
"Oh..." Marinette pondered shortly out loud, leaning closer to Chat, her hands staying underneath his suit. She lied her upper body down, making him to open his eyes quickly when her giggle washed over his chin.
"Is a hairless cat much of a cat then?" she kept smiling at his groomed body, kissing his skin under the chin. Chat tilted his head backwards, chuckling.
"My lady, you have just insulted all the hairless cats, like Sphynxes," he snorted between his chuckles. His chuckle died into a short gasp when Marinette sealed her lips on his crook of a neck, kissing the soft spot teasingly.
Chat hissed out a pleased sigh, keeping his hands on the ground. Somehow he was sure that Marinette was actually as nervous as he was and touching her would give the poor young lady a wrong signal. Well, not exactly a wrong signal, Chat corrected himself when Marinette's lips ghosted a moist trail around his neck, as he was more than willing to make out with her till the sun came up again the next morning. Take her breath away and let her moan out his name into his ear, his hot skin against hers in a tight embrace of two, entwined bodies.
He wanted to please Marinette. Wrap himself around her, squeeze her tight, drive them both into a deep excitement.
"Ah..." a moan escaped from his lips on its own and Chat shot his eyes open, ashamed, face red up to his ears. He got scared of his own heat and how fast it was rising. He had taken Marinette here to spend time together with her. Not to try to get into her pants like a brute idiot controlled by his animal side without no consideration of a woman's needs.
Marinette, however, seemed not to mind about Chat's vocalization. Her body was still resting on Chat's, her legs straddling his narrow waist, bottom pressing against his lower stomach. Her hands felt hot on Chat's bare chest on the spot where they had glued on. She was stilling caressing him with soft kisses here and there around his neck, but when she stopped at one spot and gave him a deep, sucking kiss, Chat shot his hands up to her shoulders.
"My lady!" he breathed out hastily, bolting his head up. "No hickeys, not even small red spots. They will get me into a trouble," he babbled hastily. Marinette stared at him curiously, eyes wide.
"Oh... OH! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..." the blush rushed up to cover her face completely and she sat up, hands still on Chat's chest. "I'm sorry! I got carried away..." she admitted turning her head away shyly, her eyes timid and lips pressed together into a thin line. She looked like a dear in headlights.
Chat's heart skipped a beat by the sight, by the knowledge she desired him in some level, perhaps as much as he desired her.
"I don't want you to get into a trouble because of me. I'm already enough of a trouble with these injuries..." Marinette continued when Chat didn't say anything. Hastily he sat up, Marinette sliding to sit on his legs.
"Silly girl, you aren't trouble to me," he smiled giving her a reassuring hug.
"You know, I'm really clumsy in real life..." she stated with a sad sigh from his hold, the mood changing completely. "I would have definitely accidentally given you a huge bruise and then got you into a trouble later if you hadn't stopped me. I'm sorry."
"Good thing I told you, right? I want to be honest," Chat took a look at her eyes with a smile, but internally he winced at his own words. Truth was far away from his current play. But he was going there, if he just kept himself in check and wouldn't use all their meeting to make outs only.
God, how much did he just want to let his Chat Noir disappear and appear as Adrien to Marinette.
He wondered would she kiss him like that, would she caress his bare skin with those lovely hands the same way if he was Adrien.
His ring beeped, startling them both for good. Marinette withdrew her hands and zipped Chat's zipper with a one sharp yank all the way up, grinning.
"The bell is ringing for the cat," she smiled tapping the jingle bell, looking then Chat deep into his green eyes. "You better take me home. It's heck of a walk from here."
"As you wish, my lady," he nodded, standing up and knocking accidentally their hot chocolate mugs over, the now cold liquid spilling on the ground for the grass to drink it instead of them.
She didn't tell Tikki what had happened. She couldn't tell anyone that she, Marinette, had made out passionately with Chat Noir, his leather covered body resting between her thighs as she straddled his waistline. The whole Paris would laugh at her for sure and most likely they would laugh at Chat Noir for letting someone as clumsy as Marinette to spend such intimate moments with him. She wrote what had happened into her journal, asking Tikki to give her some privacy.
The events of the late night evening staid in Marinette's head for a long time, for days. It was hard to concentrate and the longer she kept thinking Chat Noir – and herself at his side – the moodier and sadder she became. She was able to keep the facade for her parents, as those where the least persons Marinette wanted to tell her kitty adventures to, but she couldn't hide her mood from Tikki.
"Marinette, what is wrong? You have looked rather down for a long time... Did something happen with Chat Noir?" she finally asked when Marinette was covering herself with a duvet, ready to head bed early, as she was too tired to do anything. Thinking made her exhausted.
"...Tikki... Can I be honest with you?" she looked for the right words, looking at her lap sadly.
"Always, Marinette! You are my best friend," Tikki assured with a bright tone.
"I... You were right. About Chat Noir. I can feel it. I'm... very drawn to him. God, Tikki, I can't stop thinking of him...!" she whined with a groan, looking even more troubled.
"But isn't that a good thing?" Tikki didn't quite follow Marinette's thoughts.
Marinette shook her head fiercely, her bangs whipping side to side.
"No. It's not."
"Why?"
"... It's... I feel that I'm not really... fitting for him? Like... There's Ladybug. She's not clumsy or anything ordinary. She's an idol. And I'm just Marinette. No one barely knows me," she fidgeted, playing with the edge of her duvet.
"Marinette, you are being delusional," Tikki couldn't help her small laughter. "You are Ladybug, of course you are."
"Chat Noir knows that, too. Perhaps... perhaps he's after me just because I'm Ladybug. I'm sure he wouldn't even pay any attention to me if I wasn't," Marinette continued her inner reasoning, letting her fears come out. Her eyes got a sad hint in them, "I'm sorry. It's probably silly thinking, but that thought just popped out of a blue into my head and I couldn't get rid off it. This is all very new to me," she smiled sadly, not feeling like telling to Tikki that she almost accidentally sucked a red spot on Chat Noir's neck and that small thing had gotten her thinking her personality more.
"Hmm, I kind of understand what you are thinking," Tikki agreed with a thoughtful nod. "But I think Chat Noir wouldn't have kept coming to see you if he didn't like you as you. He got to meet you because you have Ladybug's miraculous. It's hard to say if he would have found you otherwise," Tikki explained, keeping her secret with Adrien about his Chat Noir personality, but not really lying, as it was true; the miraculouses had brought Marinette and Adrien closer to each other's lives.
Marinette kept weighting Tikki's words, staring in front of her. Tikki flied closer to her.
"What do you think of Chat Noir as a man he is? Would you love him also behind his mask?"
Marinette's eyes shot open, her lips parting.
"I... I don't know. I don't know him."
"Aren't you even a bit curious of him?" Tikki offered a wink, making Marinette blush slightly.
"I... I guess I am, but I don't want to know about his personality. I fear it would affect out work."
"And being in love with your co-worker doesn't?" Tikki winked again knowingly and the blush on Marinette's face just grew stronger.
"I-I want to keep him as Chat Noir. At least for now," she tottered.
A bright smile appeared on Tikki's face, eyes sparkling.
"So you would want to get to know him as a man he is some day?"
"Perhaps..." she tottered a reply to her kwami, crossing arms with puffing her cheeks.
"Think about it; you could hang around him more freely. You could invite him here, show him to your parents. Do all kind of things couples do, without any fear of getting caught. You both could be more free."
"...I think I'm a bit worried of him. I mean, what he's like underneath that mask. Adrien said he's not the way he is when he's Chat Noir, so I really don't know how Chat Noir is when he's not Chat Noir. Is he completely opposite? If I'm clumsy as Marinette, will the ladykiller be a very shy and awkward boy?" Marinette kept pondering her worries out loud to Tikki, who listened to her motherly.
"Maybe you should talk with Adrien? He knows Chat Noir. I think he could help," the kwami suggested a solution.
Marinette blinked a few times, shivering visibly.
"I don't want to mix Adrien in this...!" she gasped loudly. "Besides I would need to tell him in a way or another that I really like Chat Noir and what if he asks details and I will freak out and shame myself and Chat Noir before Adrien...!"
Tikki laughed again, "Marinette! Adrien knows Chat Noir. I'm sure he's aware of the cat's quirks. Besides, Adrien is your friend. Friends are there for the help. It won't kill you if you ask. Would you rather want to spend your time in sad thoughts? Or, would you rather ask these from Chat Noir himself? That's an option, too."
"No, no! I'm already troubling Chat Noir enough! I'm so happy Hawkmoth has been silent, but I fear every day that he strikes suddenly and Chat gets into a real trouble because of me. Maybe he gets injured and what worse, killed! And that would be my fault! No, I don't want to trouble him with this and make him worry, give him any negative emotions and worries, which would affect his work. Paris needs him as a sharp superhero," Marinette was firm with her words, keeping her head.
"I understand, Marinette. Love makes you worry like that, it's normal. So, maybe you contact Adrien? Ask if he has time?" Tikki returned to her earlier suggestion.
Marinette eyed Tikki for a long time, before sighing out her surrender.
"Alright, I'll ask Adrien to meet me. But I'll do that tomorrow, now I need to sleep. All this worry is making my injured guts hurt," she frowned, tugging herself into the bed, wishing good night for Tikki, who made herself a bed on Marinette's pillow.
She didn't tell Tikki that Chat Noir's kissed were still burning her skin, days after their last meeting, making her ache so much it was hard to sleep.