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Chapter 40 - exhausted exchanges

Cover art by: miracle_editz_ on Instagram

Reminder: fan art included in this chapter does not belong to me they are just to help the imagery of the readers whilst reading the story! Please ask me to remove if you are not happy with your art being displayed in my fan fictions and I will do so!

Marinette slowly raised her hand to the gentle boy's face. She brushed her hand along his soft features, frustratingly trying to look for answers. She knew it was so wrong, yet she didn't care. both herself and her super-heroine partner had grown and matured over the years. She was the guardian after all and she had stuck to the 'no identity reveal' rule for so many years now that was it really necessary to upkeep that rule for the sake of not letting go of master fu's rules and teachings?

Maybe it was selfish. Getting lured into her deepest and darkest desires. However her doubts and suspicions were becoming more and more surreal by the second.

Receiving an answer would solve multiple problems and stresses. Endless nights overthinking things would be over. Of course day to day stresses would remain, but at least if she discovered who her Minou really was, her mind could settle and she could potentially befriend him in their civilian forms.

His continuous teases and flirts all encouraged her and made her long even more for answers. She was almost sure there was a hidden motive behind his charm and frequent visits. Maybe he was subtly urging her to see through his movement. Wanting her to see through the foreshadowing of his actions.

Her train of thought was interrupted by a sweet and tender act. His large, gloved hands covered over hers. His glowing eyes meeting with hers.

'Talk' he murmured gently.

Such a simple command yet such a difficult task, which lead to the bluehead's stream of thought to overwhelm her once more.

'I don't know where to even begin' she raised her once downward gaze towards his. Her eyes searching his. Scanning his story. His background. His person.

'Who are you?' She managed to let out a whisper, allowing him to just about hear.

His distant eyes fell back onto hers. She was not afraid nor sad. She was not happy nor excited. The girl looked tired, exhausted and frustrated, yet she wasn't angry. Her mood had taken a different turn from the highly alerted person to a worn out, curious person. Her body was slowly weakening and her gaze was beginning to glaze over. Chat/Adrien never got to see this exhausted side to her.

'I'm someone whose afraid, uncertain and troubled by the littlest of things, yet I'm always at peace when I'm with you.' he replied gently knowing full well she wasn't in the correct mindset to understand or interpret what he was saying.

Although her background was majorly different and she was bought up in an environment in which she was loved profusely and treated with so much care, she still had many similarities to him. Her mind was on the go up until the point she would shatter and collapse. Her moods shifted significantly. Her smiles weren't always real and her loneliness was very much hidden.

That night was a moment of realisation for chat/Adrien. He was able to understand her just a little more, Relate to her just a little more and be there for her just that little more.

He watched her eyes falter and her body relax as she fell into a deep sleep whilst sitting up against her wall.

He leant forwards and stood up. He walked over to her much smaller frame and entangled her in his grasp. Major waves of nostalgia hit him as he remembered the day at the beach where her once again tired, afraid and weakened frame had once lied in his arms.

Chat gently placed her under the covers and sheltered her in multiple fluffy blankets. He smiled warmly as she looked so tranquil when she slept. He was about to make his way to the exit window when a weak tug of his leathered jacket was pulled. Her frail hand had caught onto him.

'Stay' Marinette mumbled sleepily.

Chatnoir gulped, but didn't want to cause her any further discomfort or worry. He decided to de-transform due to the darkness luckily hiding his real identity and also wanted to let plagg have a break.

Adrien respectfully sat at the end of the bed from mari to allow her her own space and not completely crowd her. He concluded he would wait for her to fully fall asleep before he would make his way back into to his room.

Due to the silence and the comfortable presence of the girl he loved and treasured, he too fell into the pits of his own dream world... still remaining by Marinette's side.

Authors note:

Poor Mari is very overwhelmed and confused with school, love life, hidden identities and just being the guardian in all honesty. How do you think tomorrow morning in the story is going to work out?

As always thank you for reading, if we get 5.3k votes on this story I will upload chapter 41 (if you don't know how to vote go through all of my chapters and click on the little star!)

Have a good day/evening <3