From Ashes to a New Beginning: A Miraculous Fanfiction

Chapter 36: A Kiss to Remember

She hesitated but took a step forward. She bit her lip gently, looking at his hand nervously. She followed it up to his arms until she was staring at his green cat eyes. How gentle and comforting they were. How familiar they were. Why did she feel at ease with him? Why did they look so familiar?

She took in a deep breath and curled her fingers around his. Against what her mind told her, she trusted him. She had only two memories of him and they were heartwarming memories. Everything in her heart was telling her to trust him. Though everything else was telling her to run away. She pushed everything away and followed her heart.

She smiled and pulled herself toward him, taking a few steps toward him, letting him know she trusted him. He smiled at her, looking down at her now. His eyes twinkled in the moonlight as she stared up at him.

He leaned down toward her once again, closing his eyes. Marinette took a quick deep breath in and closed her eyes, preparing for impact. Without warning, she felt her hand move and lift with a jolt. Without thinking she had smacked him across the face.

Chat noir opened his eyes and looked down at her. Her face was just as shocked as his. He touched his face to where she had smacked him and started to laugh.

"I-I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-" She apologized.

"It's alright. I remember you did that to lover boy." He teased.

In that instant, another memory swept over her. She was on the rooftop with Adrien. Adrien had leaned in and kissed her. She had smacked Adrien just as she had smacked Chat noir just then.

Marinette's face lit up bright red with embarrassment and Chat noir looked at her puzzled.

"What's the matter?" He asked.

"I had another memory just now." She said with a frown.

"What was it?"

"I smacked Adrien. The boy downstairs. I seem to do a lot of hitting... Am I... mean? Am I a bad person?" She said looking up at him with a saddening expression.

Her words made his heartache. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to tell her that she meant everything to him, but he couldn't as Chat noir. If her memories were coming back slowly... She would eventually... hopefully, find out his identity. She would remember being Ladybug. Then he wouldn't have the entire burden of being the Guardian. He wanted her to love him as Adrien for now, at least it would make things simpler. A civilian loving a civilian. Everyone already thinks that Marinette and Chat noir broke up anyhow.

He needed to convince her that she was dating Adrien. He needed her to spend more time with Adrien, that way she would get more memories of them together and she would trust him like she does Chat noir.

"You're not a bad person at all Marinette. You're the most wonderful, loving, kind, generous person ever. You and Adrien are... perfect together." Chat said, smiling, trying to imply that they were a couple.

Marinette looked at him with a confused look and walked up to him. She put her hands on his cheeks, causing him to blush.

"Why would I date Adrien if I loved you? What happened between us?" Marinette questioned, looking up in his eyes.

Chat blinked and touched her hands.

"Oh, princess. You're a civilian. I'm a superhero. It was like the story of Romeo and Juliet. We could not be together. You were my Juliet, my princess..." He smiled softly.

"Chat..." She said softly.

"I heard you lost your memory. Adrien asked me to come and see if I could... uhm... stir up some... lost, forgotten... emotions. Why don't you see if... you can find anymore with your... lover boy." He said, letting go of her hands that were still resting on his face.