Moving On?

Cat Naps

*Updated 3/5/24*

Laying in her bed, Adrien could hear Marinette's quiet footsteps as they approached the door into her bedroom. Chat quickly put the phone back before she could've even seen it was gone.

"I got some ice, I'll need to bandage it around your ribs to help with the bruising" Marinette said, peeking her head through the trapdoor. She made it back up into the bed and had some more supplies ready.

Chat was doubting his decision to silence the notifications, but after seeing Marinette again, he was completely fine with it. Her hands grazed his skin as she wrapped the ice pack against his chest. "Could you sit up so I can reach around your back?" Marinette said, trying to keep her cool. 

"Yeah, sure thing" Chat said, although it was hard holding back the groans coming from the pain in his Chest.

But now that pain was forgotten when he had to lean into Marinette to sit up, and she was practically hugging him, trying to get the wrap around his back. Unknown to either, both of them were bright red, sparks flying. Marinette took her time, not wanting to do more damage, and not wanting to pull away, which inevitably had to happen.

Instantly, Chat missed the warmth coming from Marinette, and was left with the coolness of the ice pack now around his chest. He had to admit, if felt really good. Knowing his time in Marinette care was coming close to an end, Chat suggested, "Hey, it's really nice outside. Would you want to talk?" while scratching the back of his neck.

Marinette giggled seeing Chat like this. She's so used to seeing him so cocky and full of himself, that seeing him a bit flustered was almost flattering. Although she didn't understand why he was being like this. She thought it might be because he's embarrassed from his injury.

"Of course Chat. Are you able to get up there yourself? I want to go grab some blankets" Marinette told him. 

"Don't worry, I'll be alright". Chat crawled his way up onto the balcony, already feeling better from Marinette care.

... 

Meanwhile, little to their knowledge, Plagg and Tikki were chatting it away in the kitchen. 

"Hey sugarcube, has life been so bland without me?". 

Tikki just rolled her eyes at Plagg's excuse of a pickup line, "The only thing bland around here is the taste of your cheese" she said back.

"How dare you! What did cheese ever do to you?!" Plagg yelled back at Tikki. "Cheese will never abandon you, it's not complicated, and there's no love squares or whatever you call them" Plagg continued saying. 

Tikki did have to agree with him on that one. It was ridiculous seeing their owners tiptoe around their feelings for one another for so long. And now their feelings remain, but it's just directed at the alternate version of themself. The two that can't even go out in public together.

... 

Back to the Balcony, Chat was able to slowly make his way up, not wanting to cause the bandages to come off. Although that would give him another excuse for Marinette to redo them. Shaking those thoughts from his head, he moved over leaving space on the lounge chair for both him and Mari.

She came outside, instantly shivering from the cold. "Here, sit down" Chat said patting to the spot he had left open for her. 

"Thanks" she said, sweetly smiling down at him. As she sat down, she pulled out the blanket she had gotten and put it over the two of them. "Is this ok?" Mari asked, feeling stupid that Chat might not feel comfortable like this.

Chat couldn't believe she would think he wouldn't be ok with this. Sending her his most sincere smile, he just had to lace it with, "It's pawsitively purrrfect Purrrincess". Even though he didn't really realize what he had said after the fact, mentally blaming it on having brain fog from the incident.