17. Chapter 17

“This is the part where I make another crack about us not being able to keep our hands off each other isn’t it?”

Marinette gave Chat an indulgent smile, climbing the chimney until she was settled somewhat comfortably upon it. Despite his joking tone, she could see the slight concern in her partner’s eye. It had become an unspoken tradition between the two of them that she would only sit in her current position if they had important things to discuss. Things that shouldn’t be interrupted by posturing and stolen kisses. 

He must have caught on to her conflicted demeanor, dropping his pretense of flirting to stand at the base of the structure with an honest expression. “Listen, if I did something to make you uncomfortable…”

Ladybug interrupted him with a shake of her head, silencing his question as she tried to formulate her approach. “No, nothing like that.” She began tentatively. “Actually, I think I’m the one who messed up this time.” Chat gave her a puzzled stare.

Marinette had been mulling it over all day. As she sat in her room scrolling through their little conversation, she could help but feel guilty at the fact their exciting exchange was technically an accident.

Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t regret it at all! In fact her heart still sped a bit as she recalled her own streak of flirtatious confidence, seeming to unravel Chat with just the smallest words and a hint of fabric. But at the same time it almost seemed like cheating that their first hot and heavy interaction was as a result of a mis-sent text.  

By the time the hour of their patrol had rolled around, Marinette had resolved to fessing up to her partner. She suited up, maintaining a solid focus on her mission that fractured the second she had spotted his black-clad form slip up beside her.

‘Focus on the present.’

“Do you remember the first text I sent you today?” Marinette began slowly, shifting atop her perch as he regarded over her question.

“You mean the one where you asked me to help you pick out lingerie?” Chat said with a glint, his lip quirking up in amusement. “Yeah, I think I vaguely recall getting something like that.” 

Seeing his fond reaction only stirred the sense of conflict she felt. ‘Maybe it’s better if I just keep rolling with it’ she deliberated ‘He seems so pleased, and it not like I didn’t enjoy I as well…’

No. He needed to know.

“Chat, I didn’t mean to send the message to you!” She blurted, getting the words out before she had the chance to change her mind.

The rooftop was quieter than it had been when she was alone.

His face immediately crumpled, Marinette’s stomach hitting the ground at about the same time Chat’s smile did. She watched with guilt as his shoulders drooped slightly before stiffening up once again, his entire posture shifting in to one of discomfort as he shook his head.

She tried to speak.

“Listen, I-“

“Who did you mean to send it to?”

Marinette blinked, swallowing hard at how drained he sounded.

They had been partners for long enough that she had seen the full spectrum of emotions from him. Cocky, Smitten, Victorious, Sad, Angry, Teasing, Sincere, Joyful, Free. That was what she had come to expect from Chat Noir, not this.

This was resignation, and it settled across him like an ill-fitted suit, twisting the image of her beloved partner into something Ladybug had never hoped to see from the lively young man.

“What?” she said, voice breathy as she continued to take in his utterly defeated stance with unease.

He looked up at her then, face blank as he ground out the words. “I know I said we didn’t have to label this as anything serious… but I didn’t think you would continue to see other people while we…” here he gestured non-committaly, letting his hands fall back to his sides. “I just…” Chat sighed, the sound hardly reaching her ears through the rush of her heartbeat.

 ‘He didn’t think…’

“I just didn’t think I had to share you…”

‘ Oh my God, he thinks I’m seeing someone else.’

“What? NO!” Ladybug nearly yelled, slipping down onto the rooftop clumsily. “No, no, no Chat! Its nothing like that at all!” He looked at her guardedly, sending another white-hot jolt of guilt down her spine.

Ladybug padded over to him. “That message was meant for my best friend.” She said, putting emphasis on each word. “My very female, very platonic best friend.”

She saw Chat process her remark, his tension easing just a degree before he went on in a small voice.

“So you aren’t dating anyone?”

Marinette let out a breath, resisting the urge to pull him in for a tight hug and instead settling on a compassionate hand to the shoulder. Chat looked at her, really looked at her, with a silent plea that made her heart flutter strangely.

 Her next words came easily, spilling from her mouth before she even considered their meaning.

“I thought I was dating you.”

…

‘Did I really just say that?’

All at once, it was like the clouds had lifted from over Chat’s head, the boy’s eyes growing comically wide as she felt him relax under her grip. Marinette was certain she had to be sporting a similar expression, feeling the weighty sincerity of her words settle over the pair as she tried to fight down a fit of anxious laughter. Chat had yet to close his gaping mouth, jaw working in wordless wonder as a positively awestruck expression brightened his handsome features.

Boy, could she pick ‘em.

“I, ugh…yeah!” He began, huffing out a breath as he urged the words through his broad smile. “We are definitely dating! This is… and I…” He snapped his mouth shut, cheeks puffing as he gave a low whistle. “Does this mean I get to call you my girlfriend now?”

Marinette let loose an overwhelmed giggle, laying her forehead against his chest to feel the rapidly fluttering pulse behind his suit.‘What a dork.’

“I don’t think there’s that many people you can actually talk to about us.” She said, rolling her head up to face him. ‘Oh goodie, the smirk was back.’

“But…?” Chat prompted, wrapping his arms comfortably around her waist as he gave an expectant eyebrow waggle.

“But I guess if we are dating, I could technically be considered your girlfriend.” She said with a dramatic sigh.

“Really laying it on thick with the romance there, Ladybug.”

“Don’t you push it Chat Noir.”

“Oh, I won’t, Girlfriend.”

“Well would you look at that, it’s time for our patrol to be over!”

Chat gave snort, arms tightening as she playfully tried to break away. “I don’t think so, my lady. We still have a solid hour left by my count and I won’t be letting you get away that easy.”

“Well then what do you propose we do then?” Marinette responded, allowing a hint of flirtation to enter her tone as she drummed her fingers against his collarbone.

‘You just admitted to dating Chat Noir.’

Her head spun lightly, but not unpleasantly.

He made a show of considering his options, tilting his head in mock-concentration before a wicked grin split the bottom half of his face. “Up for a game of 20 questions?”

“Oh hell no!” Marinette drawled, pushing away from him for real before crossing her arms. “I’ve had enough straight, white boys come at me with that very same tactic and I will not have it from you!”

“What tactic?”

“You know how these things go. One minute it’s ‘What’s your favorite color?’ and the next it’s ‘What cup size are you?’.”

“C’mon,” Chat coaxed, stretching his hands out imploringly “No tricks, and I’ll even bump it down to 10 questions.” He leaned in with just a bit of a smirk. “Besides, I already know what cup size you wear.”

‘Well he’s got you there.’

Marinette narrowed her eyes at him, “Five questions and I get to veto any that I don’t like.”

“Deal!” Chat said with a grin, plopping down behind a low eave of the rooftop before patting the space beside him.  Marinette settled next to him, crossing her legs with a guarded expression that didn’t quite cover her smile.

In the past, she had been adamantly against them exchanging any sort of personal information, thinking that the details of their civilian lives would only stand to hinder their business as partners. ‘But you aren’t just partners anymore…’ she thought to herself with a pleasant hum, looking over to admire his handsome green eyes and wily blonde hair ‘In fact you basically just declared him your boyfriend and you don’t even know anything about him.’

The realization struck a strange chord in Marinette, causing a tiny twist of doubt to course through her chest. When she had imagined what it would be like to finally date someone, she had never seen it turning out like this.

 It was never supposed to be Chat Noir, the boy she’d been partners with for years and now the young man she didn’t even have a name for.

‘Shit.’

The sheer absurdity of her life seemed to shift in to focus, causing Marinette to give a bark of laughter that made the figure beside her jump. He gave her a puzzled look. “You ok there Ladybug?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine!” she began, still feeling numb and happy and maybe a bit scared too as she leaned back to brace her hands on the shingles behind her. “I’ve just come to the confusing realization that I do not, in fact, know my own partner in crime-fighting/ boyfriend’s name and somehow it doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it should!”

It was at that point she dissolved into a round of hysterical giggling.

Chat looked at her with concern, the expression eventually morphing in to something else entirely as he began laughing alongside her. For a solid minute, the two heroes just utterly fell apart, letting out all the pent up tension and worry that had been building since the beginning of summer (or even possibly before that).

Eventually they came down from their high though, Marinette wiping tears of hilarity from the corner of her eyes before turning to Chat.

“Alright,” she said, sucking in lung-fulls of air before arranging her face into some semblance of sanity, “Let’s get on with this game of five question, shall we?”

“With pleasure.” He responded, scooting so he facing her head-on as his legs splayed wildly beside her primly folded ones. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Alright smartass.” Ladybug muttered, rolling her eyes at his playful grin. “Pink. And yours?”

“Blue.” He answered without hesitation, seemingly content with her answer. “Ok, now you get to ask one.”

“How old are you?”

It was a question that had been nagging at her for a while, ever since she found out the he had attended the same 18 and up concert she had, just weeks ago. Chat had always seemed to be around her same age, so Marinette just convinced herself that he too must have snuck in, not wanting to consider the fact it was entirely possible she had been kissing someone years older than her.

But she needn’t have worried, as his answer confirmed her suspicions.

“I’m sixteen.” Chat said with a grin. “But I’ve been told I can pass for nineteen, easy.”

“Really now, and here I was thinking you were twelve!”

“That’d be pretty awkward if a twelve year old was taller than you…” He murmured, earning him a rap on the shin. “So how old are you?”

“I’ll be seventeen soon.” Marinette replied, noticing for the first time how fast her birthday was approaching. ‘Was it seriously September already?’

 Chat didn’t miss that extra bit of information.

“How soon we talking here?” He questioned. “Because I’ll need some time to get my Lady a proper gift.”

“No birthdays.” Marinette warned, not liking the gears she saw turning in his head. “Next question.”

“Very well then,” Chat said, his trademark shit-eating grin making it was across his face as he leaned towards her, ”What zodiac sign are you?”

“Oh aren’t you clever?” She scoffed, deciding to humor him. “You’re lucky I’m an astrology fan and my need to know your sign outweighs my annoyance. I’m a Virgo/Libra cusp. And it’s my guess you are either a Leo or a Taurus, so which is it kitty?” Marinette leaned back smugly.

She was met with a laugh.

“Sorry, but your star sense seems to be a bit off there.” He said, pressing a palm to the center of his chest. “What you see before you is a Pisces man, through and through. A sign which, as I’m sure you know, goes quite well with Virgo ladies such as yourself.”

“Damn! Of course you’re a Pisces! All the incessant flirting should have been a dead giveaway...” She grumbled.

“Don’t forget my generosity and raw animal magnetism.”

“Funny.” Marinette noticed for the first time that at some point in their conversation she had uncrossed her legs, and that they were now draped casually across his own. She gave a smile at the comfortable contact, tucking her toes in right above the outside of Chat’s knees as she pondered her next question. 

She wanted to know so much about him, but the fact she also had to answer any question she posed held her back. She couldn’t expect Chat to bare his entire identity while she herself kept him in the dark.

And she sure wasn’t ready to let him see Marinette.

‘Not yet anyways.’

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The question seemed to take him by surprise. Chat gave a considerate huff, tilting his head as if the notion had never occurred to him that he would one day, in fact, have to get a job beyond running around in a black cat suit. Marinette watched him consider, giving him time before he finally opened his mouth.

“I guess I’ve never really given it much thought. I mean I already have a job, so I’ve always just assumed I’d keep doing that but…” he trailed off, an unreadable look momentarily passing over his face before he manually replaced it with one of bravado. “Of course if that falls through, I’m handsome enough to be one hell of a trophy husband!” Chat said with a wink.

Marinette let out a laugh. “Oh I could just see it now! Chat Noir: Housewife Extraordinaire.”

“I was thinking more along the line of stay-at-home-dad.” Chat replied a little wistfully, shaking his head with a wild grin. “But tell me, what do you want to be when you grow up?”

“I want to go in to fashion.” She replied immediately, hoping her answer was focused enough to sate his curiosity but vague enough not to give anything away.

“Fashion…huh.” She watched Chat regard her answer, flashing her an ironic smile before nodding.

There was a beat of silence, one Marinette didn’t feel the need to break as she just allowed herself to enjoy the night.

‘This is nice’ she thought, shifting comfortably next to Chat as he thought up his last question, ‘Sitting under the moon, engaging in a little idle chatter. No fighting, no akuma, just me and-‘

“So if that first text was an accident, what does that make the other messages you sent me afterwards?”

Marinette snapped from her reverie, unable to help the hint of blush that she felt cropping up on her cheeks. Chat didn’t miss her reaction it would seem, as he let a slow smile creep across his face while claw-tipped hands began to absently toy with her ankles. “You could have told me the truth in the beginning.” He said softly.

“I know.”

“I would have understood, wouldn’t have been upset.”

“I know.”

“So…why did you keep it up?”

Marinette stood suddenly, needing to be on her feet or maybe needing to stop the very distracting circles he had begun to rub up her shins, but either way feeling much better as she towered over the still-seated Chat Noir.

“Two eyes are better than one?” She tried casually, knowing instantly that he didn’t buy it. The boy pushed himself up, giving a smiling shake of his head.

“Try again.”

Marinette’s mouth quirked up, arms crossing her chest as he began circling her again. “I needed your expert Pisces opinion?”

“Not buying it!” He crooned, leaning an arm on her shoulder. “Just tell me what that was and the game will be over.”

“No fair, you asked three questions and I only got two!”

“Alright, you answer this question, and I’ll let you ask another.”

Marinette deliberated, tilting her head before giving a satisfied nod. “Alright.” She said, turning to glance up at his eager face. “You want to know what that was?”

“I do.” He said, licking his lips and leaning down invitingly.

‘You want to play ball? Oh, I can play ball.’

Marinette took his invitation, laying a hand on the side of his jaw before meeting him in a short but scorching kiss. After a few seconds, she pulled back slightly, just enough to give him a good view of her smirk before she whispered into the space between their lips.

“That was playtime…”

She gave a laugh at the way he visibly swallowed, feeling that now-familiar thrill in the pit of her stomach flare up again as she turned to saunter away. He seemed to have other idea however, because with a quick grab at her hand Chat had her pinned against him, his thumb rubbing aching circles into the sensitive inside of her wrist as he peered down at her.

“Oh yeah?” He began, voice taking on that low pitch that made her heart speed up deliciously. “Then you should know I’m always available whenever you’d like to play again.”

This time it was Marinette’s turn to gulp, barely having the time to notice his glowing green eyes had turned to slits before he was on her.

The kiss was dizzying, Chat turning his head occasionally to go at her from all angles. The want was there in full force, permeating each twitch and pulse of their lips as the two slid heatedly together. Ladybug returned his affection with equal fervor, holding in a moan as his fingers never ceased their motion along her wrists. ‘Never knew I had a sweet spot there.’ She thought absently, loving the way she could feel his hypnotic strokes even through the fabric of her suit.

It was great, obviously. All of their kisses had been great by her standards, by Marinette ached for something more, something deeper and more intense and-

Practically unaware of her own actions, she let her mouth part with a sigh, tongue flicking out to dance along the seam of his lips. Chat jumped as if she’d shocked him, jaw dropping more out of surprise than anything else as Marinette slowly probed further.

That. That’s what she wanted.

 His hands slowed their ministrations, eventually dropping hers completely as his arms fell dead between them. She noticed with no small amount of disappointment that his lips had all but ceased their movement, the boy standing still as she tried to will him back in to the rhythm of their embrace with a tiny nip to the corner of his mouth.

That was what seemed to break him.

Chat pulled back stiffly, eyes blown wide and mouth slightly ajar as he looked down at her. Any irritation she felt fled instantly at his deer-in-the-headlights expression, and suddenly Marinette feared that perhaps she had overstepped his boundaries.

“I’m sorry!” She blurted, hands fluttering lamely. “Sorry if that was too much or I pushed you too far. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable or anything but you just felt so good and-oh gosh I really shouldn’t have done that…”

Marinette buried her face in her hands, wanting to take a quick trip to the bottom of the ocean so she could maybe cool off for a few decades.

"Jesus, Mari. Not everything had to be so goddamn intense. Cant you just enjoy a nice kiss without trying to molest his mouth, you horny-'

“What? No!” Chat squawked, removing her hands so he could catch her gaze.

He looked terrified, face flushed and eyes panicked as the words flew from his mouth. “No, no, no, no, no! That was…that was incredible Ladybug! I’m not…I mean you. Listen, I have literally no physical boundaries for you to overstep! I’m just a loser who doesn’t know how to kiss pretty girls but oh God I really liked that a lot and you shouldn’t feel sorry, h-holy shit.”

Chat pushed a hand roughly through his hair, making the blonde locks stand up impossible wilder as he stared dazedly towards her. “Sorry if I’m a bit…new to all of this. You are…and I’m just?” he gestured lostly, trying to formulate the words. “You’re my first and I really don’t want my bad luck to mess this up too.” He ended with a wince, looking into her eyes sheepishly.

“You…seriously?” Marinette said incredulously. He nodded. “Never kissed anyone else?”

“Pretty lame right?” Chat said with an embarrassed shrug.

‘With all his flirting and fawning I would have sworn…’

“It…no, not at all!” She rushed to assure him, heart beating ridiculously at the thought that her suave Chat Noir was just as woefully inexperienced as she was when it came to these sorts of things. “I mean, you were my first as well.”

“Wait, so on Notre Dame?” He questioned, looking at her with more than a touch of awe. Marinette tilted her head, considering.

“Not exactly…” she began, a hint of playfulness creeping its way back in as she placed her hands atop her hip. “That wasn’t our first kiss, Chaton. But I doubt you remember that one.”

Chat’s eyes widened before being overtaken with a smirk. “I think I would have remembered if my Lady had granted me one of her sweet kisses.” He purred, bending to peck at her newly captured hand. At the last second however, he flipped it in his grasp, instead pressing his lips to the inside of her wrist in a gesture that made Marinette squirm with pleasure.

‘Quite the fast learner this one is.’ She thought, allowing herself to enjoy the sensation for just a brief moment pulling away. “Then I’m sure you remember what happened the Valentine’s day before last?”

She continued before he could even respond. “How you were hit by that Dark Cupid’s arrow and the only way for me to snap you out of it was with a kiss? Remember that?”

Of course he didn’t, she knew that for a fact, which only made his disbelief all the more sweet. Chat furrowed his brow, trying to reassemble his memories of the day before slotting them in with what she had just told him. In a moment, the pieces seemed to click for him, Chat smacking is forehead with a groan.

Marinette just grinned.

“Oh you’re kidding me!” He caterwauled, stomping like a child as his head rolled back onto his neck. “You first kissed me two years ago and I couldn’t even remember it happening??? I’ve missed out on so many opportunities to tease you!”  

“And for that, I’m grateful!”

“Oh the wasted years…”

“Now you’re just being dramatic.” She chided playfully, walking absently along the edge of the rooftop as she toyed with her yo-yo. Chat must have noticed the glint in her eye, as he suddenly lunged forward, looping an arm around her waist to prevent her from swinging off.

“Oh no you don’t!” He lectured, pulling the giggling Ladybug into his side with a shake of his claw. “No rooftop chases across Paris tonight, Mi Amore! I remember you distinctly saying, and I quote, ‘There will be plenty of time for you to not stop kissing me on patrol.’ So pucker up…”

“You sure you’re comfortable with that?” Marinette confirmed, stomping down her own flood of anticipation so look him dead in the eye. She didn’t want to run the risk of spooking him again. Chat just gave an enthusiastic nod, letting his hot gaze trail down to her lips before looking back up with a smirk.

“Absolutely. I may have a lack of experience, but plenty of drive to make up for it.” he finished with a wink, tightening his grip on her waist. Marinette bit her lip, drawing his attention once more before leaning in with a sultry rasp.

“Well then, we’d better get to practicing...”

He couldn’t agree more.