Connected Skies

Part Seven

"The day is coming up soon?" An unfamiliar voice asked.

Adrien nodded as the voice continued, "Don't worry. So what if you mess up, they're not gonna abandon you. After all you're not Superman. And of course, you're not Batman either." "I know that." "Well then, who are you?" A black cat walked into his view.

Adrien woke up from his dream, sweating and out of breath.

**

Marinette ran to the nurse's office after she heard Adrien was there. She burst through the door, "Adrien!" He looked at her and smiled, "Yes?" "Yes? That's all you have to say!" She huffed, "Let's go, school's over."

They walked together Marinette slightly ahead of him with her arms crossed, "I can't believe you! Skipping meals, not drinking! Your body is important!" She looked at him as he laughed softly, taking a sip of the water he was holding. "I'm trying my best."

They stopped walking, "Hey kitty!" She called out to the black cat in front of them. The cat stared at Adrien as he got a memory of his dream, then... who are you? His eyes widened as he dropped the water bottle and fell onto his knees, dry heaving. Marinette turned around quickly and knelt down, holding onto his arms, "Hey, hey! Are you all right? There's a park over there. Let's sit down."

They walked over to the park as he told her about the dream he had. She stared at him with big eyes and worry. He held his arms together and gripped at them. "I don't know who I am." She looked up at the sky before closing her eyes, "You like croissants, you love playing the piano despite what you say, you're allergic to feathers, your favorite artist is Jagged Stone. You're a bit jealous of the relationship Alya and Nino have." She turned to look at him, "I think you know exactly who you are. You're you. No matter if you're Chat Noir or Adrien. You're just you. You don't have fur, and you're so perfectly human, you're not a cat at all." She stands up and smiles.

"You really have a way with words sometimes." She giggled in response before crossing her arms, "Only sometimes?" He put his shaking hand out remembering his dream. She pressed her hand against his, kneeling in front of him. "When you're depressed, it always helps to lean your head in your arms, arms like to feel useful. Your big knobby hand, perfect to hold a cataclysm. I knew it. Your hand is happy to be touching mine." His mouth dropped when he said that and he blushed.

The answer had been so painstakingly simple, I am just me.

**

Adrien fell back into his dream with the black cat, but wasn't scared this time.

"So you figured it out?" "Yeah, I did." He answers staring at the ground. "Tomorrow's the big day, you're still scared?" He nods. "Will you be okay?" Adrien sighs, "I don't know. But, there's this girl, and she believes in me. And I mean like crazy. So I'll try to believe in me too." "That's not an answer." "I guess not." "You seem ready."

**

"Just one cataclysm is all you need." Marinette brushed her fingers over the now gloved hand that was sitting in his lap. "Just one—" She presses her finger to his lips, "If you say it, you activate it. Don't tell me you've forgotten!" He took the hand that was on his lips and held it sweetly. "Thank you." It came out as a whisper. She pressed her other hand to his cheek as he leaned into it, "Don't you ever thank me for this kitty." "Back to our old nicknames bugaboo." "Might not wanna give away my cover." She laughs as they sit in the alleyway where he first transformed in front of her. "My apologies, Princess."

"You can do this." She said standing up holding onto his hand for as long as she could until they no longer reached. "I'll be hiding in the bathrooms. Protect me kitty." She smiled and ran off.

Chat Noir sunk his head into his hands. I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared. He pictured his mother on the hospital bed once more. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He shook his head as Marinette's old words played in his ears, You're still afraid. There you go, looking down again. You know, all superheroes are afraid. Maybe you'll mess up. Maybe they'll totally reject you.

He stood up hearing that there was now a sentimonster in Paris.