Chat Blanc ✅

Chapter 9

Hues of orange and rouge swirled together in Paris's sky, showering the ground in a light pink. The sun was beginning to set, with it peeking just below the fluffy clouds above.

Marinette sighed, gazing back down at the book in her lap. Scribbled on it were notes in French, that were somewhat rushed and careless. The paper was slightly creased and crumpled, with it hanging on by the edge of the binder keeping it in place.

She ripped it off, placing the notebook to the side, before scanning again through the script.

Beside her, a high-pitched voice called out, "Marinette? What if Chat Noir doesn't turn up?"

Said girl answered, "Well, I can't get mad at him. After all I didn't tell him to visit, or that I needed to interview him for my project."

Tikki only sighed, beginning to munch on her cookie again. She was currently hidden in the shrubbery of a nearby flower pot, that provided enough cover for her if the hero did end up coming.

Feeling a slight vibration emanating from her pocket, Marinette jumped slightly, soon reaching for her phone. There was a message displayed on the screen, from a new number that the girl had added recently.

Chloe: Has that alley cat shown up yet?

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her mouth, as she began to reply to the text. Just as she was about to send it, an unusual sound caught her attention a few yards in front of her.

Glancing up, Marinette's observant eyes managed to catch onto a figure leaping across the rooftops, their onyx suit shining from the lampposts situated about. They pulled out a baton from behind their back, using it to extend and jump higher in the air.

Smiling, she watched as her partner landed on a nearby building, with his emerald eyes glistening like a gem in the dark. Marinette shifted on her chair, standing up and strolling over to the railings of her balcony.

All of a sudden, the chartreuse sclera focused on her form, that was slightly hunched over due to the cold. Chat Noir's bell rung quietly as his pinned ears caught the echo of a shuffle to his left, causing him to look there.

Marinette sent a lopsided grin to the male, indicating for him to come over with a tilt of the head. The dimples on her cheeks creased, whilst the freckles dotted over them were significantly more pronounced in the luminescent glow around.

Pressing the green paw-print button on his staff, he held it out, allowing his body to be brought upwards. He aimed onto Marinette's balcony, with him landing effortlessly on his feet behind the girl.

The end of his belt whipped from the movement, hitting the ground when he stood up.

"Kitty," she greeted, a laugh in her voice.

"Princess."

"I didn't expect to see you two nights in a row," Marinette mused, walking over to the hatch leading to the inside of her home. "I mean, I'm not complaining but its strange."

"Not happy to see me again Princess?" he asked, clawed hand resting against his chest as he followed her in.

She chuckled. "Of course I'm happy, Chat. And, funnily enough, you couldn't have come at a better time. I actually needed to interview you for a project, if that's okay with you. Chloe and me-"

Marinette cut herself off with a breathless chuckle, "-well, I convinced her to settle on doing a presentation on you out of all the Miraculous heroes."

"Me?" Chat Noir mocked. "This mere alley cat is the topic of your project? I'm flattered, my Princess."

Giggling, she added in, "Well, of course! Why wouldn't you be? Don't tell Chloe but-"

Lowering her voice, Marinette whispered, "I find you better than Queen Bee."

"Well...I'm not surprised. It's only fair that this knight's Princess finds him the fairest of them all!"

That caused Marinette to break into a fit of laughter, not noticing a kwami exasperatedly sigh as they zipped behind the folders at her computer desk.

Chat Noir sauntered to the spotted chaise at the side of the room, planting himself on the plush material. The fabric was a soft texture that tickled his skin, sending a cold yet homely shiver down his spine.

Marinette smirked, pulling the chair at her table towards the male. She sat down, facing him as she focused her gaze on the paper in her grasp.

"So," she started. "When did you first begin your role as a superhero?"

Unconsciously, his eyes flickered away, hand placed on his chin. Tapping at his face with a pointed finger, he finally answered, "Well, when Hawk Moth first akumatized someone, Stoneheart, me and Ladybug had to save him. That was when me and her both became heroes, I guess."

Chat shrugged his shoulders, a guilty grin playing on his lips. "Sorry that I don't really remember. I might not be the best Miraculous hero to do your project on."

"Hey, don't say that," Marinette disagreed, placing a small hand on his shoulder. "I think you're the best hero do it on. Everyone always thinks about Ladybug, not you, Chat."

Straining a smile, he offered weakly, "Shouldn't that mean you do it on her, too?"

All of a sudden, her arms had wound their way around his waist as she leaned her head against his chest. She murmured, "Oh, stop undermining yourself, Kitty. You know you're amazing, right?"

Looking up, Marinette caught his gaze that was transfixed on her bluebell eyes - though unknown to her.

"Gosh, this got depressing real fast, didn't it," she muttered, absentmindedly tracing circles on his leather-clad bicep.

"You know what-" she decided, suddenly stepping back and off the chaise. "-movie night, just you and me. How about that?"

He floundered, responding, "W-What? But what about your work?"

"Who caaarres?" Marinette drawled. "You are way more important than that measly thing. Now, c'mon. I've been saving a movie for us to watch for a while now."

Tugging on his arm, she pulled him into a lying position onto the chaise, before grabbing her laptop a few metres away. Stepping back again, she settled herself in the crook of his arm, prompting Adrien to unconsciously wrap it around her.

Marinette flipped open the device's top, switching it on and searching for the correct video.

"You comfortable?" she questioned, sitting up slightly to alleviate her weight from his flushed form.

"U-Uh, well, hold on a moment."

He crawled backwards on the furniture, resting his spine on the raised edge as he held one arm out. Marinette fell into it without hesitation, sighing contentedly whilst finally bringing up the movie.

A blush began to colour his cheeks, with the arm around her shoulders remaining impossibly still as she lay her head on his chest.

"You seem tense," she noted lazily, eyes the slightest bit droopy. "You okay with watching the film? We've already done this a dozen times already."

Chat Noir gulped, silently inhaling. "No, no. I'm just...tired, I guess. Don't worry, Princess. I'd love to see what you've picked out."

The beam that graced her features at his speech made him almost reconsider his answer, if the lingering heat on his face said anything.