The Chase | Miraculous (complete)

c h a p t e r 3

Marinette sat in her bedroom running a piece of material through her sewing machine when there was a tap at the glass on her window.

Frowning, she got up and opened it as Chat Noir slipped in, soundlessly.

'Chat?' she asked, surprised. 'What are you doing here?'

'I'm sorry.' he said, not looking her in the eye.

'Whatever for?'

'I just wanted some company, that's all.'

Marinette noticed the sadness to his tone and joined him as he stared out of the window.

After about a minute, Marinette quietly asked 'Aren't you supposed to be patrolling tonight?'

He nodded, still not looking at her.
Despite not being in costume and Chat not knowing who she was,  Marinette felt comfortable around Chat. He made her feel... Safe.

She smiled as they stood side by side still by the window looking out at Paris lit up with street lamps that cast an orange glow over the city.

'What are you smiling about?' Chat asked as Marinette turned to look at him.

He was staring at her directly now with those big green eyes. Marinette suddenly felt embarrassed and looked away giving herself a mental slap reminding her that this was just Chat.

'Nothing.' she answered and they both turned back to the window.

'Hey, Princess?' Chat asked suddenly. 'Are you busy right now?'

Marinette blinked twice and checked that she had heard right. 'Busy?' she repeated, confusion filling her head.

Chat didn't wait for her to confirm that she wasn't, he just opened the hatch to her balcony and scooped her up in his arms, jumping out of her room and off into the night.

Marinette didn't bother to ask where they were going, she just hung on tightly to him. Besides, with the wind rushing in their ears he probably wouldn't have heard her anyway.

As Chat leaped from rooftop to rooftop, Marinette looked in at the little golden windows where families were eating dinner and talking and laughing.
They all looked warm, cosy and snug. Not like it was out here with the wind bitting at her cheeks.

Chat must have guessed what she had been thinking because he whispered quietly to her 'Not long now, Princess.'

Marinette clung on tighter as Chat made a huge leap, and she closed her eyes.

'Princess?' Chat asked.

They had stopped.

Marinette opened her eyes and Chat put her down.

The two were standing on the Eiffel tower which was lit up like a golden Christmas tree. She could see what looked like all of Paris from where she was standing and got a sudden sense of deja vu of being Ladybug again.

She and Chat sat down, their legs dangling off the edge.

Marinette looked at him and smiled. 'Thank you, Chat.'

He smiled back when he looked at her. The glow of the tower's lights reflecting in his big green eyes and his blonde hair blowing gently in the wind where they were more sheltered.

They sat in silence for a moment and Marinette was so lost in thought that she forgot that she wasn't Ladybug at the present moment.

Suddenly, Chat sat up, his ears pricked.

Marinette looked at him. 'What's wrong?' She whispered.

Without saying a word, Chat had scooped Marinette back up in his arms again and leaped off the Eiffel tower.