Does he remember?

Chapter Seven

"Where's Marinette?" Adrien asked Alya when he saw her.

"I don't know, she just took off", Alya stressed. 

"Took off?" Nino chimed in. "Why?"

"I think Chloe and Lila have something to do with it", Alya glanced back at the two, who were laughing with each other.

Adrien's fist tightened, anger boiling up inside of him that was ready to explode at any given moment. Without a word, he flounced over to where Chloe and Lila were sitting.

"Adrikins!" Chloe screeched, standing up to greet him. 

"Chloe I swear if you call me that again", Adrien growled, pointing in her face.

"Woah, what's gotten into you?" Chloe put her hands up defensively. 

"I could ask you the same thing", Adrien jammed his fists into his pockets, leaning against the wall. "What'd you do to Marinette? I know you had something to do with it. If not, everything to do with it."

"We just asked about her affairs with Chat Noir, that's all", Chloe shoved away the questions, reapplying lipgloss as she looked in her pocket mirror.

Lila giggled. "What she meant to say was that we were just wondering what was going on since we happened to come across their interactions."

Adrien crossed his arms, nodding. His anger was the lava in an active volcano. It was going to explode any minute now. "That's not all. There's more to it that you're hiding."

"I just said she had no talents, no fashion, and nothing going for her. Big deal", Chloe rolled her eyes. "Obviously I can see why she's upset. Nobody likes to hear the truth. I did her a favor. She should be thanking me if anything."

"Damn it, Chloe", Adrien hit the wall he was leaning on. "Stay away from her. Both of you." And in a burst of anger, he twisted around and headed to Marinette's house.

"Adrien, dude, where are you going?" Nino questioned when he caught up with him.

"Tell the teacher Marinette and I aren't feeling well", Adrien flatly requested. 

"Uh..okay", Nino stopped in his tracks, letting Adrien continue on. He could sense Adrien's anger and knew it was best not to interfere considering the fact that he's never this angry. Alya caught up with Nino and they both watched as he walked out of the building.

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Chat Noir tried for the trap door, but she had locked it. "Marinette open this door right now, I don't want to have to cataclysm it."

"What are you doing here?" Marinette asked from the other side. He could tell from her voice she had been crying. It was weak and cracky. 

"Please, Marinette", Chat Noir sighed, placing his forehead against the door. "Please."

He heard a click sound, indicating the door had been unlocked. Quickly, he opened the door and locked it back up once he was in. Chat Noir twisted around to see her. Her face was red and puffy with tear stains. He didn't say a word. He just pulled her in, embracing her and comforting her the best he could. 

"Chat Noir", Marinette breathed out.

"Shhh", Chat Noir rubbed her back. "You don't need to say anything."

"Yes I do", Marinette pulled away, wiping her cheeks. "What are you doing- oh my gosh." Marinette placed a hand on her mouth as if she made a realization. And not a good one.

"What? What's wrong?" Chat Noir moved closer to her.

"If you're here, then that means they posted about us", Marinette's eyes widened.

"Who?"

"Chloe and Lila", Marinette took a deep breath. "They threatened to post about us so all of Paris would know about us."

"What? Why?" Chat Noir clasped his hand around hers.

"Well, they said I had to tell them what was going on between us or they'd tell Paris. I never got to tell them though because my friend found me in the bathroom and they walked out. I'm guessing that the news is already out", Marinette placed her palms on her face.

"I didn't come here because of a post. I didn't see anything", Chat Noir reassured her. "I....um..I had seen you run out of the school."

"You did?" Marinette reneged her hands from her face. "What were you doing by the school?"

"Um...looking after you", Chat Noir placed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Marinette, you are the one person I would do anything for. Please know that. You are so incredibly beautiful, so amazing. I love everything about you."

"My face is probably super puffy and snotty right now", Marinette managed a laugh.

"I really don't care. You still look hot and I'm trying not to kiss you senseless right now."

Marinette laughed but her smile slowly began fading again.

"Talk to me", Chat Noir cupped one side of her face, grazing her cheek with his thumb.

"I don't know how to talk about these kind of things", Marinette began. "I'm just tired. Mentally, physically, you name it." Chat Noir didn't say anything, waiting for her to finish and let her get it out on her own. "Chloe's always treated me horrible. Lila's been doing that the entirety of her visit to Paris. Now they're a couple of besties gaining up on me and threatening me. Chat Noir, they know about us, and that's dangerous. Who knows what they're going to say? They're going to tell people. I could do anything for them and they'd still tell anyone they wanted."

"I know", Chat Noir said softly, hoping his calmness would help her mirror his emotions. "We'll get through it. Together. This isn't something that you have to worry about all on your own, you know. We'll think of something."

"I'm not sure about this time, kitty. This is a big deal. If Monarch finds out, we're done for. He's going after you through me, who knows how? It's going to be a huge mess, and I can't", Marinette pressed her palms to her eyes, unable to calm down her frustrations.

Chat Noir took a deep breath, thinking about saying the one thing he's been wanting to tell her for the longest time. "I love you, Marinette."

Marinette removed her hands from her face, glancing up at him with her bright blue eyes. "What did you just say?"

"I love you. My heart literally beats for only you, nothing else matters and I don't care about anything else. I would fight the whole world for you, I hope you know that. I have so much love for you. I actually never thought I could feel like this, but you proved me wrong. I'm grateful for your existence and I love everything about you, all of you."

"Chat Noir...", Marinette trailed off, unable to find words to respond. The corner of her lips tugged upwards in a grateful smile. She felt full. Full of gratitude and love for someone she had never felt before. No one had ever appreciated her as much as he did, and she had never appreciated someone as much as she appreciated him. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Well, now I do", Chat Noir smiled as his lips pressed hers, pulling her onto him.