When Walls Crumble

Chapter 16: The Night Before

The next few months were an exciting blur. Marinette was incredibly busy designing and then making her dress and the bridesmaids' dresses. Almost every day saw at least one of the girls there for some fitting or alteration. Of course, Tikki helped. She hadn't seen a human wedding ceremony since the Egyptian Empire. Marinette had explained how it would be different and Tikki was excited. Marinette even worked a basically invisible pouch into her dress specifically for Tikki.

But between the sewing, trying to book a venue, making invitations, checking out floral arrangements and coordinating color schemes, she had no time for anything else. Thank goodness her parents were bakers and her best friend's mother would cater. There was no stress about the cake at all.

Except for the time her mother got akumatized over buttercream flowers. That was an interesting story for the grandkids.

But with such minimal other distractions, soon everything was ready.

The night before the wedding, Marinette stood on her balcony for what was supposedly the last time. This was her last night before moving out. A lot of her stuff was already packed and in their new house. She and Luka had agreed that given her status as Paris's guardian, they weren't leaving the city until Hawkmoth was captured. Luka promised that the day after Paris was freed from the butterfly's iron grip, he would take her around the world. Marinette was looking forward to it.

"What's wrong, Marinette?" Tikki asked. "Shouldn't you be excited? You look upset."

"I don't know, Tikki," she sighed. "I am excited, but it's also kind of scary. I mean, I've always lived with my parents. This is big. Also, I'm thinking of every possible thing to go wrong. I could trip on the dress..."

"No, you couldn't. The cut of the skirt will prevent it unless you are absolutely trying your hardest to fall."

"Well ok. But I could forget what I'm supposed to say, I could drop the ring, I could sneeze right as Luka lifts my veil, I could have an allergic reaction to the makeup..."

Tikki giggled. "Don't worry, Marinette. Luka already knows you're clumsy and he finds it endearing. He won't suddenly hate you for that."

Marinette smiled at her friend. "Yeah, I guess I'm stressing too much."

"It will all be fine. But you should get some sleep."

"I will, Tikki. But I'm going to enjoy this view for a little longer."

The two of them stood there for a little while longer when suddenly, a voice was heard behind them, causing Marinette to jump and Tikki to hide.

"Wow, you make some good cookies, Marinette."

Sitting on the chimney stack with the box of cookies in hand was Cat Noir.

"Oh, hi, kitty," she sighed, getting over her initial shock.

His brow furrowed. "You seem upset. Is something troubling you?" It was sweet, but hard to take him seriously when crumbs sprayed from his mouth and his words were mumbled through the cookie.

"Well, I'm getting married and moving. I won't be here to feed Paris's number one stray any more."

Cat looked up. "Oh, so I'm a stray now, huh?"

Marinette giggled. "Obviously. You keep coming back to the place where you got food."

He winked. "The quickest way to a man's heart is his stomach. Same with cats. And I am both."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Catman."

"Hey!" he protested.

"I will still feed you if you come by, but I'll be living in a house-boat on the Seine called the Sea Serpent. So, did you come in hope of cookies or did you have a nobler motivation today?"