No room to swing a Cat?

5 - A support group

"Are you ready for the first meeting of the support group?"

That was a question asked by Cat Noir the next evening, when he appeared on her windowsill surprising Marinette.

She squeaked and grabbed a shawl that Alya had given her this morning to cover herself. She was already in pyjama and felt uncomfortable as if she was half-naked.

"Cat..." she growled. "You'll drive me in anxiety neurosis!"

"Why?"

"I hope you didn't spy on me when I was changing?" she frowned suspiciously.

"That would be dishonourable, Princess!" he replied with reproach.

"Yes, you're right." she nodded. "Nevertheless, you haven't answered yet."

"You wound me! How can you think I could act so disgracefully?" he asked, but seeing her glaring at him he added in a serious tone: "No. I wasn't spying on you."

"Good. I have to remember to curtain off in the future." she muttered under her breath, and Cat Noir laughed. She scowled at him and added: "You can still be thrown down out the window, so be careful!"

"Now it's you who will drive me in anxiety neurosis! You keep threatening me with throwing me down from the fifth floor, so I'll get into anxiety soon."

"Then behave, Cat. Any minute someone can come here!" Marinette hissed.

"Yesterday we checked your wall that you share with the computer programmer. It's not so thin you told me, because he didn't come to ask you who you talked to."

"How do you know that Adrien is a computer programmer?" she asked suddenly, and Cat Noir became speechless for a moment. "You spy on all of us?"

"We already agreed that I wasn't spying on you, Princess." he corrected her. "Why should I observe that guy? Maybe I just know your friends?"

This time Marinette lost her arguments. She was perfectly aware that she shared this apartment with Rena Rouge and Carapace as well as that Cat Noir knew their identity, because a few years ago he had had to hand them their miraculouses – when she, as Ladybug, had been trapped by a supervillain. Nevertheless, he shouldn't suggest that he knew her roommates! He was a superhero and she was a civilian!

"OK, let's assume you know them..." she agreed. "Then you should be more careful not to attract their attention. Alya has already started joking about you and me after you rescued me."

"Joking?" he spotted curiously.

"She even suggested dating, Cat!" Marinette warned him. "If she caught you here, she'll become unbearable! And in that case I'll find you and revenge!"

Cat Noir laughed. He didn't expect that Marinette would tell him about Alya's insinuation. The girl, he used to know at school, would blush and pretend that yesterday talk hadn't taken place. Meanwhile, adult Marinette recalled this conversation herself and even joked about it.

"I'll be good, purromise." He winked at her. "So? Are you ready for the first meeting of our support group?"

"Honestly, I have no idea how the group should work. Should I start like in a group therapy? My name's Marinette and I've just dumped my boyfriend?"

"Good start, Princess. I'll follow your example. My name is..." he began, but Marinette stopped him suddenly by putting her finger on his lips and whispered:

"Cat Noir. For now 'Cat Noir' is enough."

He was staring at her for a moment. This single gesture broke a kind of barrier they had never crossed over the years, even though he'd known her as Adrien and as a superhero. After a moment he managed to call himself to order and returned to their conversation as if nothing special had happened.