Stray ~ A MariChat Love Story (Complete)

Chapter 21: Leveling the Playing Field

"Wow, Marinette." said Tikki, stifling her giggles. "Who'd have thought Nathaniel still cared so much about you after all these years."

Marinette sat down on her bed and cuddled her cat pillow against her chest. "I know, Tikki. It's insane." She smiled at the kwami, "It's like this whole time he's been looking at me the same way I've been looking at Adrien."

"But this makes everything so much better." added the kwami, "Now you have someone who understand what you're going through. You can talk it out and, who knows, maybe you'll be over Adrien in no time."

The thought of Adrien's perfect smile, sun-kissed skin and sparkling eyes sent a physical pain through her body.

The further she stayed away from him, the less it hurt. And with rampaging akumas around it was probably better if she started avoiding him.

She heard soft knocks echo off the trap door above her and Tikki flew towards Marinette's shelf, hiding out of sight. Marinette couldn't help the smile that stretched across her lips. That silly cat. She stood up on the bed and opened up the hatch.

Chat peered down at her, sitting crossed legged on the balcony with a Cheshire cat like grin on his face. She hoisted herself up and sat on the edge of the ledge beside him. "Hey, Kitty. What are you doing here?"

Chat Noir looked up at the stars and tapped his chin with his clawed hand. He hummed to himself, "Well, it is a beautiful night out."

Marinette glanced up at the night sky, filled with only a few stars overlooking the busy city. A pleasant breeze wafted through the air and the full moon added a fantastical feel to the atmosphere.

"It sure is." she breathed. But she still didn't know what he was getting out.

Chat snapped his head back to her and shot to his feet, extending his arm out to her. "I want to show you something."

"Now?" she asked, "But it's so late and I've got school tomorrow." Chat withdrew his hand and knelt down in front of her, his face barely inches away from hers. His eyes were sullen and his breath ragged.

"I -," his voice was a whisper in the wind, "I know you've been down lately and I wanted to do something special to cheer you up."

Marinette frowned, "This isn't because you're feeling guilty is it?" Chat Noir visibly flinched back and his eyes went wide.

"What?" he rasped.

She rolled her eyes and pressed her palm to her forehead, "Chat, you've got other responsibilities. Just because you saw Nathaniel trying to cheer me up doesn't mean I'll think any less of you if you don't have the time."

"But I do." he replied, his ears pressed back against his head and his eyes narrowed. "I'll show you." He wrapped his arms around her waist before Marinette could protest and vaulted them off onto another building.

"Chat!" she gasped. Marinette wrapped her arms around his neck and clung tightly onto him. Her stomach dropped every time she felt them leap across the street onto another rooftop and shut her eyes.

It was different when she was Ladybug. Ladybug had powers, reflexes and the co-ordination Marinette could only dream of. But up here, with Chat, she was completely at his mercy.

His warm breath brushed against her ear and a soft, soothing chuckle filled her ears. "Don't worry, Princess. I won't drop you."

Marinette felt the wind whip against her face and blow through her blazer, "Wh -Where are you taking me?"

He chuckled again and Marinette held her breath as he vaulted them higher. She pressed her head harder against his chest and tried to focus on the sound of his rapid heartbeat. "That's a surprise, Mari." Finally she felt Chat's body anchor and the wind died down.