Serendipity (MariChat)

Chapter 2: The Beginning

P.O.V. Chat Noir

   There were so many more things I wanted to say to Marinette. This side of her, the confident, funny, practically glowing side of her, was positively intoxicating. I lost my mind not being able to stay with her, to bask in the warmth she radiated. I missed it most as I landed on the cold marble floor of the Agreste mansion.

"You definitely owe me for that one" pouted a more-than-annoyed Plagg.

   I couldn't reply. I had nothing to say. My mind was filled with the shy girl that lived above the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. My Lady. I couldn't betray my love for the masked heroine. She was my world. But I didn't feel the warmth I felt from Marinette around her. All I felt was a protective forcefield of rejection, the steel knife that cut down the hearts of men and women alike. I sighed.

I'll visit again tomorrow.

>The next day <

   It was Sunday. Morning. 2:37am to be exact. At exactly 2:45, Nathalie would slide a schedule under my door, which, for the past 8 years of my life, would read: 3am-11pm Photoshoots. And normally, I would plaster the same, signature "Agreste-smile" and do what I was told. But not today. Today, I had plans. Plans to see a certain navy-blue haired girl who wore a real, wide-eyed smile everytime I saw her. Nonetheless, I would obey my father until 3 o'clock. He was strict and demanding, but he was my father, and I looked up to him. 

3 o'clock.

   Running the Paris rooftops, I headed towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery, tapping on a certain balcony door. I peered in to darkness, the lights were off. I don't know what I expected. It was Sunday afternoon anyway, it's not like all Marinette did was wait around in her room. She had a life of her own to live. I couldn't help but sulk around on the abandoned rooftops. Lost in thought, I didn't notice where I was going and wandered into the slums of Paris. It was carefully hidden, even natives couldn't find it let alone know it existed. And yet, somehow, I had wandered into it. The side of the roof I was standing on crumbled, dust and dirt a flurry around me. With a soft oof, I landed on a semi-stable lampost, upside down. Hanging, I peered into the building I had just fallen off of. 

   "Princess?"

   She didn't hear me, focusing on the thump. thump. thump. of her hits on an old boxing bag. It was an abandoned gymnasium, a forgotten luxury in the slums. She wore navy blue sweats and a black tank top with red seams that matched her black boxing gloves. Her hair had ditched the usual pigtails and was pulled up into a ponytail, two blood-red ribbons streaming from the tie, accentuating her fluid movements as she glided around the bag. Beads of sweat rolled down her temples, dripping onto the floor with a quiet plip-plip. How long has she been at this? 

   I was about to call out to her again to keep her from over-exerting herself when she stopped and pulled off the gloves, breathing hard. Her slender hand pulled up the hem of her tank top to wipe off the sweat. She has abs. Sweet, fragile Marinette has abs. I couldn't tear my eyes off of her. Then, I noticed them. Faded white lines of various sizes criss-crossed across her stomach, legs, and arms, accentuated from the sweat that glistened off them. Scars. I felt my heart drop. Who would want to hurt Marinette? Some of them weren't recent. They looked as if she had had them for years.

   Marinette walked across the mat, wincing as she leaned against the graffiti-covered wall, squirting water into her mouth from a black bottle with a pink "M" printed in the middle. Despite being worried, I plastered the same "Agreste-smile" I wore to hide my emotions.

   "'afternoon, Princess. What brings you here?"

Her eyes shot open like a deer caught in headlights.

"Ch-ch-chat! How did you- Why are you- Did you see-"

"I was wondering what you did on Sundays is all. I didn't expect this. I can say I'm quite impressed." I added a smirk to the play.

Her eyes searched me, accusing. 

"Lose it, Chat."

I looked at her, confused. "Lose what?"

"What's wrong? You're wearing a fake smile, the Agreste-smile."

My eyes widened in shock. Does she know who I am?

"In my dictionary, it means a fake smile that's plastered over pain and regret. The person who uses it most is a classmate of mine, Adrien Agreste, hence the name, Agreste-smile. I didn't expect you to use it too." She continued.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I lost the mask, and the true expression of worry splayed across my face.

I stepped towards her, holding her upper arms. "You're a Princess, Marinette. Why do you need this when you have knights like me to protect you?"

She gave me a sad smile. "Forgive me for assuming, but I feel as if you're from a well-off family, are you not?"

I looked away. I wasn't proud of the wealth I obtained from my father's success. It made me feel like a failure.

"I thought so," she said in a way that expressed pity instead of the cocky nature the phrase usually withheld. 

She continued. "Then this is probably your first time here, in the slums. Look around, these people need someone to stand up for them, and the people that do, are broken down and beaten by the wealthy men with too much dirty power in their hands."

"What about Ladybug and me? We can protect Paris; you don't have to get hurt like this."

"You two are doing a great job, don't get me wrong, but you protect the people of Sunny-side Paris from monsters, and in doing so, sometimes forget to protect the citizens here from the monsters living inside the souls of the cruel."

   Her eyes flickered up to meet mine, confidence burning in them, challenging me, yet at the same time caring and open.

   I don't think there was anyone I respected more in that moment than the girl that stood before me. Sure, I got injured while fighting alongside Ladybug, but as soon as a battle was finished, everything was fixed, and we were both healed. I had no reminders of the pain, but Marinette, sweet, beautiful Marinette had scars from people hired to kill her because even though she could do anything she wanted with her skills, become a celebrity with her looks alone, decided to throw it all away to give others who were less fortunate a better chance to live the life she could have lived. She was more brave than I ever was, ever could be. She was even braver than Ladybug herself.

   Without thinking, I drew Marinette into a tight hug, wishing I had even half of the courage she held in her slender body. She tensed, and I looked down to see purpling bruises practically covering the part of her back that was exposed, like someone had slammed her repeatedly against a wall. I let her go, eyebrows knit together, and lost myself in her bluebell eyes.

   "Marinette." I breathed. I must have lost all sense of mind then, because the gap closed between us and I gently brushed my lips against hers. I didn't expect anything from her, not even to kiss me back. I was a lowly alley cat, and with this humble kiss, I wanted nothing more than to attempt to remind her that she didn't have to face this bitter world alone, to try to shoulder some of the pain she felt in every scar on her body. She really was a Princess. Not one that had maids to tend to her every want and need, but a Princess who fought for her kingdom where the soldiers had failed, a Princess that would give up her life for a peasant she'd never met before. And when her cherry-blossom lips collided with mine, moving in unison, I couldn't help but smile against them.

She was a Princess.

And this Pauper had fallen for her.

Yay! Chapter 2! Sorry it's pretty long and that it took so long to update, this week hasn't been so great :/ Anyway, thank you so much again for sticking with me until the end of the chapter, I hope it wasn't too grueling to sit through :) Please tell me what you think! Until next time!

Lots and lots and lots of love,

Aly Wynn :)