I call dibs on your heart [Miraculous Ladybug]

Chapter 4: The two sides of the same coin

The very next day, Marinette woke up on a puddle of sweat, making her skin feel sticky, and her hair wet. Quickly, she stood up, grossed out by it. Not much memory of what had happened yesterday, but some weak images crossed her mind reminding her bits and pieces. She wasn't sure if it was all part of a dream, since she was such a vivid dreamer. But could it be? The pictures that ran in her mind were specially about her partner, but it was all so absurd and illogical, she convinced herself it was just another weird dream of hers. Opening her arms to stretch a bit, with a slow rhythm, Marinette made her way towards the little bathroom that was located in that same room. Before she could pass the door frame, a little red kwami appeared right in front of her.

"Tikki!" Marinette was startled by her magical kwami jumping out on her from nowhere. "My gosh, don't appear like that."

Tikki looked at her with her eyes full of suspicion. "Oi ...Mari...Are you okay?" The kwami got closer to Marinette and checked her temperature. Thankfully, she didn't have fever anymore.

Marinette nodded, smiling at her kwami who floated once again in front of her but with a weird behavior. "Well, my head is hurting a bit but it's nothing I can't handle. Are you okay?" She glazed at Tikki's expression to figure out what exactly ran in that little head of hers.

With a nervous laugh, Tikki replied. "Hahaha... Me? I'm alright. Yea yea, I'm just gonna rest up some more. Go ahead with your shower." a little giggle escaped her mouth "You smell a bit."

Why was Tikki so nervous?

Raising an eyebrow from Tikki's awfully awkward reaction, she decided it was best not to keep digging in that hole. Perhaps later Tikki would tell her whatever was that bothered her.

"Well..." Marinette pouted a bit. "Alright"

Closing the door behind her, she started to undress, taking off her pink polka dotted shirt and her light blue shorts with laziness. Still with her bra on, Marinette got close to the sink. Grabbing her pastel pink toothbrush, she carefully applied the toothpaste and began cleaning her teeth. Feeling a weird sensation on her lips, as if they were a bit swollen. That made her think for a bit, as she kept staring at the little mirror. Gazing at herself, she noticed a mark in the area of the collarbone and neck. With her fingers, she tried to rub if off, but noticed that it hurt with touch. After a good shake, Marinette looked more closely, seeing teeth marks in her neck and a little hickey.

"Oh my god no no no!" She gasped, confused, covering herself with her hands.

Then it all came back to her. The way she felt the devouring need to see him last night, to see Chat Noir. The one person who she couldn't keep off her mind for days, but the one person who she'd hurt multiple times. She remembered of how the snow fell in her face as she waited for him. Remembering as well all the naive things that slipped her mouth and how she claimed her love for him. It was all so clear now, her feelings towards him. But the weirdest part was not feeling regret. Marinette was ashamed and terrified, but she certainly didn't regret her actions at all. How her sudden kiss caused his hands to moved across her body to explore it... The memory his lips gently caressing hers made it it harder to stop thinking about him and how it all felt so warm the whole time. Even now, her heart couldn't rest. She sat in the bathroom floor as she kept her mouth covered in shock.

Marinette thought that was a dream, but it was clear it wasn't. And now Chat knew her identity. What was she going to do? She couldn't do much, they already screw it up. Thankfully, Chat didn't took out his transformation, so not everything was lost. Why was she so eager to keep things secret? Would it be because of their safety? Or maybe because she already felt something for Adrien...