The two were hidden on the side of the building. Security surrounded the place; they stood hidden in the shadows.
"Here is where I leave you." Chat gave Mari one last look over. The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Mari nodded, going over the plan in her head like a habit. It would work.
It had to.
"Remember, Mari, who we have to be tonight..."
"It's not the real me. It's not the real you. I know, I know." The way he looked at her shook her to her core.
Chat was nervous.
In all the time she'd known him, Mari had never seen him look as he did just now.
She'd seen him mad and upset and enthusiastic and flirtatious and sarcastic, but never nervous. Nervous for the mission? Or for how Mari would see him afterwards?
She didn't know the answer.
And she couldn't explain why she did what she did next.
She hugged him.
She threw her arms around him and didn't let go, she held on tight and hugged him with everything she had. She gave herself over to him, as if to say 'I know you. I've always known you'.
He stood for a moment, puzzled and dazed and most possibly confused. But after a heart beat he met her hug with just as much force.
It wasn't romantic in nature and it wasn't friendly, either.
It was a true partnership. In every sense of the word.
Even if the two participants were ignorant to this fact.
They parted and didn't have time to observe feelings anymore. It was time.
There was no need leave with words; Chat simply nodded and faded into the dark.
Mari smoothed over her dress once more and braced herself to enter.
Show time.
It should be noted that when Marinette entered the room, there was an interruption in time.
The orchestra faltered, like their collective sense of pulse was interrupted. It lasted for only a moment, nearly undetectable from the outside perspective. The waver of the beat was so minor it was like a heart murmur, something unexpected and unnatural.
The men's eyes devoured her like lion eat their prey: without mercy and without conscious.
Women paused in awe and admired such rare natural beauty. Mari was the Sun, the center of the universe and all things.
It was an interruption in time, and it was there and then gone. The music continued as normal, and the men forced themselves to look away, less they be sheepishly caught.
Mari looked the pinnacle of calm, though she supposed her clammy hands would give her away if she couldn't center her nerves soon. The mission, Mari. Focus on the mission.
She stepped further into the ballroom, noting the lighting was dimmer than they had expected; there were candles everywhere, and twinkling lights were hung through the building. This left Mari searching for faces that were hard to discern amongst the shadows.
"Champagne?" A man had two glasses in hand and offered one to her. He had dark curly hair and dark brown eyes. There were no overt warning bells going off in his presence, so Mari decided she'd take the bait.
Gracefully, she took the glass and carefully watched him.
He was watching her, too.
Mari wondered where to start. It was quite daunting to have so many suspects to comb through tonight- how could she know for sure what to look for?
She supposed this man would be a place to start.
"Thanks for the drink..." She treaded these waters carefully, as there was no room to make a mistake.
He gave a slight bow of the head. "Of course, miss..?"
Slightly panicked, Mari deflected. "It's impolite to ask for a name without giving one first, you know."
He chuckled without taking a pause; he was smooth.
It should also be noted that out of a sea of men, he was the first to approach her.
Coincidence?
He stuck out his hand "Wren. Nice to make your acquaintance."
She politely shook hands and realized she had no choice but to give him a name in return.
"My friends call me Kat." She was strategic in choosing her name, knowing that if rumors were making their rounds, Chat would hear her name and know it was her.
It was an added bonus that it'd annoy him too.
Chat. Kat. It was just a bit too perfect not to use.
Wren took a sip of his champagne and unapologetically watched Mari all over.
She tried not to cringe when he reached for her.
"Would you care to dance?"
Mari took one look around the ballroom and knew she had a long list of men to question.
Giving her best doe-eyes, she simply nodded and took his arm as they went to the dance floor.
She intentionally left the champagne- untouched- behind.
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Chat Noir
Fanfic*This is a Mari-Chat fan fiction, but there are occasionally moments amongst other ships. * Marinette and Chat Noir have a system. Every night, Chat Noir visits Marinette's room in secret. There are only two rules: 1. No one can find out 2. No stri...
