Stray ~ A MariChat Love Story (Complete)

Chapter 38: I'm So Into You

It took everything in Adrien to avoid seeing her that week. The effort had taken its toll, disrupting his fencing classes and piano lessons. But today would be different.

He sat by his desk, finishing the final chemistry question and stood up in triumph. "Plagg," he called, "I did it. I'm done." He heard a groan come from his bed and rolled his eyes, "Come on, Plagg. I followed your advice and now it's time to do things my way."

Plagg peered out from beneath his pillow and glared. "Kid, it's one in the morning. If she wants to see you now then she's just as desperate at you are."

Adrien grinned at the thought. He shrugged and reached in his pocket for a wedge of Camembert. "Well, if you don't wanna help me then I guess you don't want –," Plagg had flown across the room and was already clinging to the cheese in his hand, halfway finished.

He smirked, "Plagg, claws out!"

"Oh come on!" Plagg was sucked into the ring and in a flash of green light Adrien had transformed into Chat Noir, sneaking out his bedroom window and into the streets of Paris.

He scaled buildings, walls and ran across the rooftops, vaulting across the roads and completely immersing himself in the feel of the Parisian night. He moved through the shadows, completely unseen and unheard with a foreign freedom he'd come to treasure.

His boots landed on Marinette's balcony a few minutes later with his breathing haggard and his chest heaving. He immediately ran his clawed hand through his unruly hair and swallowed deeply, preparing himself for what he wanted to do. He took a step forward.

"Over here, Chat." said Marinette. Startled, Chat spun his head to the side and found Marinette leaning, her eyes glazing over the city.

"Mari?" he cleared his throat, "What are you doing? It's freezing out here?"

She scoffed, tightening her grip on the dark blanket draped around her shoulders. He set his baton behind him and slowly approached her. "I was wondering when you'd come." she mumbled, "I was surprised it took you this long though...I thought you wanted answers."

Chat pushed himself up, seating himself on the railing beside her with his back to Paris and his body towards her. "My kwami said you needed space. It would've been selfish for me to visit earlier if I thought you didn't want to see me."

Marinette snapped her head to him, locking his gaze with hers. "Chat." she breathed, "Of course I wanted to see you."

A moment of silence passed between them and Chat sighed. He already saw the video from Alya, but he wanted to hear from her. What exactly had he done to Marinette? "When I was Chat Blanc...Did I –,"

"No," she replied, "You didn't really hurt me. But I didn't know if you would or not and somehow that was worse." Her voice cracked, sounding weak and broken, and Chat wanted to wrap his arms around her. So that's exactly what he did.

He jumped off the railing, coming up behind her and trailing his arms around her waist. He pulled her close and couldn't help but smile when his lips brushed against her soft hair. There was just something so peaceful and fulfilling whenever she was near, like she completed a part of him.

"Do you remember that night when I took you to the art museum and we saw the stars together?"

"Yes." she replied, leaning further against him and he tightened his grip around her.

"Well I wasn't looking at the stars when I said they were beautiful, I was looking at you." He heard her chuckle softly and the small gesture made his heart soar.