The Big Reveal

3 - Balcony Scene

Minutes later Cat Noir was on his way to Marinette's house. Running across the roofs he was thinking about Plagg's words. What did he mean by saying that Adrien was not ready for the truth? What truth? And what emotions could he feel? Some feelings between Marinette and Victor? Maybe Plagg was worrying that if Marinette admitted that she had feelings to Victor, Adrien would break down? No, not knowing was worse than knowing the worst truth!

He stopped suddenly on the neighbour rooftop. Marinette was standing on her balcony, staring at the sunset. The wind was gently blowing her hair and the sun lighted her face with orange glimmers. Why he hadn't noticed before that she was so beautiful? And sensitive... No, he shouldn't ask her about the New Guy. It wasn't his business, no matter what he started thinking about her.

Cat Noir jumped down silently on the balcony. Marinette didn't even move.

"Something's wrong in the city, Cat?" she asked quietly, still staring at the sunset.

"N-no..." he stammered. How did she know he appeared?

"I thought you're running on roofs only when there's an akuma attack." She added, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Eh, yeah..." he smiled, suddenly intimidated. "Actually, I... I had to leave home for a while. Sitting inside was..." he couldn't finish with the words:

"... killing you?" she did it for him, with a sad smile. She turned her face to the sunset. The sun was gone, but there was still the orange-and-pink light above the horizon.

"You know this feeling?" he asked quietly, approaching her and sitting on the railing next to her. He looked at her sideways.

"Sometimes. Then I'm coming here and staring at the city."

"Like today?"

"Like today..." she closed her eyes for a second.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked. Yeah, as if he didn't know...

"Uhm, nothing..." she shrugged her shoulders.

"You can tell me." he smiled.

"Oh... I think Alya would be better. You know... Troubles with boys."

"I'm a boy." He grinned. "I can help you. I can explain you what is happening in these strange boys' heads."

"Sure, Cat!" she laughed.

He realised that she was so cute at that moment. And was surprised that he hadn't noticed that before.

"So, what's the problem, Princess?"

"Oh, you know..." she began, blushing. "Well... I even don't know how to start..."

"Maybe from the beginning?" he encouraged her, trying to stay calm but with so many emotions inside that he thought incidentally it could kill Plagg.

"Well... Something weird happened today." Marinette said after a while. "A new boy came to our school. And..." suddenly she got lost in her thought, unaware that her interlocutor was holding his breath and waited impatiently for the rest of the story. "I think he... I... Well... I think he likes me?" she ended doubtfully and looked at Cat with silent question in her eyes.

Cat Noir felt the overwhelming desire to embrace her. How cute she was in her uncertainty! He burst out laughing. He was completely disarmed with discovering all those now-obvious emotions.

"Cat?" she frowned her eyebrows and looked at him with disapprobation. He thought that only Ladybug looked at him with such eyes.

"Pardon, Princess." He apologised immediately. "I laughed not because someone liked you. On the contrary. I was surprised that you were surprised that someone could like you. Do you understand what I mean?"