Chapter Text
Friday evening, a night just like any other night, and Marinette was dying.
What if she was just dreaming? After all, it’s not like she just so happened to be thinking about Chat Noir at the exact moment her friends were talking about the school dance they were planning, and then when they asked her who she was going to ask for a date, she was too phased from being pulled out of her daydream to form a coherent answer.
It’s not like she really just answered “Chat Noir!” without fully realizing the implications of what she’d just done and caused an entire uproar at the front steps of school. Nope! And Adrien wasn’t really there, witnessing the whole thing going down. No. Absolutely not. This was all just one big, bad dream and she was going to wake up any minute now with TIkki by her side.
Gah, who was she kidding? This was probably the most dumbest thing she’s ever done ever since she said she said she was going to water her cat! Bring Chat Noir as her date to the school dance? Oh, she could really just scream right now. She would’ve, actually. But then, her parents would ask her what was wrong and she’d have to tell them the whole story too and Marinette was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to do that and still be able to look them in the eye ever again.
And then there it was.
She’d recognize the sound of her partner’s baton from anywhere.
And just like a slingshot being set loose, Marinette bounced up the stairs, and slammed open her trapdoor to see Chat Noir himself, in all his stupid catboy glory smiling so innocently and dumb-ly. “Hello.” he said.
“Leave. Now.”
Chat did not in fact leave, he actually stayed. The audacity of this stupid cat. “I-Is it really true that you want me to go to the dance with you?”
“How did you know?” Marinette stomped towards him and poked him in the chest repeatedly, each one harder than the last. “Were you made aware that I accidentally said your name when my friends asked me who I wanted to take? And that I don’t know how I’m going to get myself out of this mess now? Oh god, what am I going to do? I’ll just have to move out of the city and change my name to Joanne, living my life as a social outcast! Wait, how did you know?!”
She shot him a pointed glare, and Chat averted her gaze. “Uhm, I have connections?”
She was not going to accidentally figure out his identity by trying to deduce who that connection could be. Instead, she was going to solve the problem. Yeah, solve her problem like any other sane person would: by throwing it away and pretending it never existed. Yeah, that sounded like a plan.
Pinching her nose, Marinette groaned. “Please, I’m already dead anyway. Just leave me to my misery.”
Chat tapped her shoulder, and she looked up at him. She withheld the urge to sigh and groan and fall to the floor and maybe melt into a puddle. Maybe even evaporate if she was lucky. “Actually Marinette, I wouldn’t mind going to the dance with you next week.”
She blinked.
He blinked back.
And then for a moment she was going to smack him but then stopped herself before she could raise a hand.
“I’m sorry, what?”
Friday evenings were usually spent playing video games with her parents, but not tonight. Tonight, Marinette had plans to go to a school dance.
She didn’t really know how these kinds of things worked, figured it was more of an american thing. But that didn’t stop her excitement. Not one bit. In fact, she was looking most forward to seeing all of the outfits people would bring. Alya sent her a picture of her dress, and she made sure to keep a mental note of that shade of red that Alya looked just amazing in.
But then, she remembered that she actually had a date.
Chat Noir.
She was fixing herself in the mirror, and as soon as that particular detail came back to memory, she let out a sound that wasn’t exactly a squeal of excitement, nor a groan of embarrassment, but a sort of weird, unholy frankenstein’s monster-esque amalgamation of the two. Strange, but Marinette was sure that with him at her side all night, it wouldn’t be the strangest thing to happen tonight.
What would happen when she showed up and he did too? She couldn’t really tell if it would’ve been better or worse if he didn’t, but she was about to find out either way. She didn’t think Chat would be a bad date, per se, she was just mostly worried what her classmates would think. They’d be surprised, for sure. But what would happen after the initial shock wears off?
Marinette patted her cheeks, grounding herself. No, she was Ladybug for crying out loud! Well, it wasn’t like many people knew that, but that's besides the point! She was with Chat Noir all the time. This wasn’t anything new!
A quick 5 minute picture session with her parents later, she was crossing the street to the front gates of her school.
And came face to face with the one person she did not want to see right now.
“Ah, Dupain-Cheng! Where’s the mangy cat you said you’d bring?”
“Get lost, Chloe.”
The girl in question only ‘tsk’ed her. “Oh I’m sorry, ” she said, with the energy of someone who really wasn’t. “You must be so upset that you got stood up by your imaginary date!”
The sound of a baton hitting the ground rang through the air from, and Marinette followed her ears to look behind her. There, Chat cleared his throat. “Excuse me, are you done?”
He was obviously transformed, but somehow he had a nicely-tailored suit over his leather, as if the transformation underneath wasn’t really there. The proportions of his outfit really did his lean figure justice, outlining his frame well enough. Even without that, Chat held his posture perfectly. Maybe even perfectly. Besides that, if it wasn’t for the mask, cat eyes, and ears, she would’ve thought he was another student. He fit right in.
“Wow.” He said, looking her up and down. “You look awesome.”
“Hi.” Marinette took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “Y-you look nice, too!” Her eyes fell down to his neck, where he wore a matching green necktie, and… “Is that your bell?”
“Yep!” He said proudly, popping the ‘p’. He pointed both fingers at his collar. “I think it looks great when resting on top of the tie.”
Marinette scoffed. “Who knew that the savior or Paris had an acquired taste in fashion?”
“Hey, you took the idiot to the school dance.”
“If it counts, I don’t think you’re an idiot.”
Chat smiled. “Thank you!”
Marinette looked back to Chloe. Or at least, where she was. Funny how she went missing as soon as Chat showed up.
“Well then!” Chat chimed in, seemingly oblivious to the attention he drew unto himself, and in turn, to Marinette. There were hush whispers of students around her, almost as if she’d grown a head. “Shall we go inside, fair maiden?”
“Right… let’s um, let’s go!”
With her hand tucked into his elbow, they walked into the decorated school courtyard. It wasn’t much, but in the moment they were there, it was definitely something to behold. There were lights, food on the tables, music booming through the sound system Nino and Max set up, and colorful decorations that were littered all throughout. As if every single detail that could be thought of was meticulously planned and taken care of to the nth degree. She’d have to congratulate the rest of the class for doing such an awesome job. Because dang, it looked great! She only felt bad that she couldn’t have contributed more than what she did. She was the class president, after all. But she was Ladybug first. She had Alya to thank for both being so understanding and practical.
“Wow.” Chat says, “It sure does look lively.”
“Took the words right out of my mouth.”
“Honestly, I’m just looking to stuff myself with some food.”
Marinette snorted. “Is that all you ever think about?”
He only shrugged without shame. “Hey, if nothing else, I’m here for the food.”
“You’re supposed to be my date!”
“Kidding, kidding.” He assured her, “You know I’ll be a purrfect gentleman tonight for you tonight.”
Chat reached down to grab her hand, placing a gentle kiss there. Dumb cat. The heat in her cheeks was probably just the warmth coming from all the lights and people in the room. But besides that point, she pulled her hand away and poked his nose. “I know you will.”
Alya’s voice came from behind her. “No. Freaking. Way. You actually did it.”
“Alya?!” Marinette spun around, almost so fast that she hit Chat’s nose in the process. He yelped in pain. “Oh my god Chat, are you okay?”
Chat hunched over, holding his head up by pinching his nose. “I’m okay, just a little shocked.” His voice was very, very, nasal from the way he held his nose, and it would’ve been funny if Marinette wasn’t busy trying not to die of embarrassment. In fact, she was pretty sure that she was about to break right then and there. Yep. This was how Marinette Dupain-Cheng, multiple time savior of Paris was going to conclude her epic story, by smacking her cat partner right in the sniffer and proceeding to spontaneously combust.
“Anyway.” Chat said, effectively pulling her out of her epic tale of loss and tragedy, “Alya Cesaire, right? Pleasure to meet you again.”
Alya smirked, quirking a brow. “Oh-ho no, pleased to meet you. ” She gave a quick curtsy; more for show than greeting. “So you really are Marinette’s date, huh?”
Chat beamed, nose all but forgotten. “That I am!” And, as if to taunt Marinette right in her face, he actually bowed. As he did, Alya shot her a look that meant ‘I am so going to hold this over you and you’re going to loathe every single second of it.’
And with that, Marinette stomped over to her and grabbed her by the arm before she could do anything else that would mentally scar her for life. She shot Chat a quick “Sorry but I need to talk to Alya, bye!” and then they were off.
Once they were away from earshot, she whisper-screamed, “Alya, he actually came. What am I supposed to do?!”
“What’s the hold up? You actually got him to go with you! Just let it happen, Marinette! You’ve got a freaking superhero as your date. Own it!”
“I am a superhero.”
Alya put her hand on her shoulder. “That’s besides the point. Anyways,” she continued, signalling to Nino, who was at the ready on his setup onstage. “I actually had a little something planned if he did show up. And since he’s here…”
The first few notes began playing, and as soon as Marinette recognized what tune it was, she could’ve sworn that her feet literally went cold. “You did not. ”
Alya looked away and shrugged. “Hey, I’m making Ladynoir a thing one way or another.” She put her hands behind her and started pushing her right towards Chat, who just so happened to be next to the dance floor, oh god why did he have to be right there? “Now get out there and dance, baby!”
Marinette bumped with her head against his chest. Gulping, she looked up at Chat, who gave her a shy laugh that was so stupidly Chat that she was just about ready to smack him silly. She turned back to Alya, who winked and gave her a thumbs up. She couldn’t tell if she wanted to either yell at her or thank her for doing something both fiercely loyal and gratingly embarrassing.
“Is this your way of asking me to dance?”
“No!” Marinette yelped, “I mean, yes I’m asking you to dance… erm, do you want to dance?”
Chat smiled. “It would be my pleasure, your highness.”
With her hand held up in his, and with his other hand on her hip, they began swaying to the music. It probably didn’t help that she was thinking of Adrien because of the song, but she’d worry about that later. For now, her date was with Chat.
“Hey Marinette.”
“Hmm?” Marinette looked up at him from their shoes. She was just trying to make sure she wasn’t stepping on his shoes…
“No offense or anything, but you’re… kind of bad at this.”
“Wh-” Marinette spluttered, trying to find a proper response to whatever that was. Insult? Criticism? Feedback? What the heck?!
Chat laughed, his chest rising and falling against her as she was dumbfounded, staring. “Don’t worry. It’s alright. I think it’s kind of cute, actually.”
Marinette shook her head, pulling herself out of her daze. This was just Chat. She could act normal around him. Why did she have to be so weird, anyway? This didn’t have to be any different. It was just him and her, but a different angle, if she had to describe it. “I bet you’d want to be dancing with Ladybug right now.” Which he was, technically. Just not in the way he probably thought he’d be. Either way, same thing.
She just hated the little ways she had to lie to him sometimes. Really, she trusted him more than anyone. She did before, and she still does now.
“Are you kidding? It’s always been a dream of mine to dance with her.”
“Really?” Marinette asked.
“Really.”
Marinette hummed. “Okay.” She grabbed his other hand and put it around her waist, so that he’d be holding her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pretty much holding herself against him. At the sudden contact, Chat visibly froze. Though she felt it more than saw. Marinette cocked her chin in challenge. “Do it then.”
Chat’s brow fell. “What?”
“Next time you see her, ask her to dance.”
“I don’t know…”
“No.” Marinette gasped, hiding her mouth behind a hand. “Don’t tell me… the great, charming Chat Noir is shy in front of the girl he-” Marinette put on a scandalized tone of voice, “ loves? ”
His cheeks went pink. “Shut up!”
Marinette laughed, playfully hitting him in the chest.
Eventually, they decided to take a break from dancing for now. She didn’t step on his feet once during that whole ordeal, so Marinette was counting that as a win in her books. Hey, the bar was on the floor and she didn’t bring a shovel this time.
“Thanks for inviting me tonight.”
Marinette smiled at him, nudging him by the elbow. “When I say don’t mention it, I genuinely mean it.”
They were on the top floor of the school now, looking over the railway down below, listening to the music that was quiet enough that they could still speak without being overpowered by the blasting music that the students below were dancing to now. It was a sort of calm that only ever came with events like this one, as if the high energy that dissipated throughout the night made the stillness of the evening even more calm than it would’ve been without.
Thanks to the now empty space around them and the mob of students, it was chillier up here much more than it was down at the dance floor, and it felt much better against her skin than the perspiration that was building. Maybe it was the dancing atmosphere, or the boy she was with, or maybe even the stars she couldn’t see, but she could feel herself unwinding for the first time in a while; she could breathe just a little more air without having to worry about looking over her shoulder.
“No, seriously.” Chat smiled at the students below them. “I never get to go to these things with people my age.”
Marinette scooched closer gently, careful not to push him. “People your… age?”
“Yeah.”
It was only when he sniffed and wiped his eyes with the heel of his palm did she notice he was starting to tear up. “Hey, Chat…”
“Sorry.” He said, voice low. “I didn’t mean to bring the mood down for you…”
“No, it’s okay.” She put her arm around his shoulders. “It’s my first time at a school dance too, y’know. So in a way, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here like this either. So, thank you for being my date tonight, Chat.”
“Really?”
Marinette smiled at him, rubbing his arm comfortingly. “Really. I mean, the guy I would’ve asked probably wouldn’t have been able to come anyway.”
Really, that was just half of the reason why. She couldn’t really have a relationship right now anyway. The kind of secrecy couldn't justify romance. She was slowly coming to terms with that, and maybe sooner or later she might fall in love and really do live out that happy ever after that she’d wanted for so long. But right now, at fourteen years old, she was protecting an entire city.
And she couldn’t afford to do something as silly as fall in love.
He laughed sadly. “Tell me about it.”
Marinette’s gaze fell to the floor. “Is this about Ladybug?”
A breeze flew by. “Yeah.”
“I’m… sorry.”
“No, don’t be. It’s not your fault.” Chat took a deep breath. “It’s not anyone’s, really.”
“What?”
Chat didn’t speak for a moment, and she found herself fascinated by the way his bangs caught the breeze. “It’s not my fault I fell for her, and it’s not her fault that she can’t see me the same way either. Heh, can’t really blame her for that.” Chat sniffed. “And it isn’t her fault that she’s really busy nowadays either. I don’t really… see her that often anymore” Chat’s eyes widened, and he corrected himself. “At least, outside of akuma attacks! Other than that, she’s just been… kind of closed off? And I want to help, but I can’t. What else can I do other than say I’m there for her?”
It was difficult to know what to say, because there was precisely so much she could’ve said.
Maybe it was her fault that there was always this small distance between them. Like a door that could easily be opened if one of them turned the handle. She had the key, but she never used it. So Chat always waited on the other side, asking to be let in. And like a well-mannered kitty always would, he’d respected her wishes when she asked him not to.
But what could’ve been if they unlocked that part of themselves? What happened in the other reality she saw through the looking glass? Were they happy before it all went wrong? What could she do to stop that from happening?
What would it be like to be in love with him?
“She’s very lucky.”
Chat looked back at her. “Is that a joke?”
“Yeah…” Marinette said wistfully, and then upon realizing what she said, her back went stiff. “I mean! No, it wasn’t. I was just saying how she’s lucky to have you because you’re always by her side, and-”
“Pfft-” Chat started laughing gently, hiding his mouth behind a gloved hand. Those claws always looked so sharp to her. She’d seen them tear through concrete, and yet he carried them with such grace, as if he couldn’t hurt a fly. “Don’t worry about it. I really needed that, actually.”
He stepped closer to her, closing the distance between them with a clack each time his shoes touched the decking. From this close, she could see the steady rise and fall of his breathing. Chat pulled her in for a hug, nuzzling his nose into her hair. She froze.
“Thank you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
And with that single sentence, she wrapped her arms around his torso into a tight embrace. She felt so safe in his hold, as if he was a protection around her against the world and maybe she was allowed to think that everything could be okay if she believed hard enough. Her face found its way hiding into the depths of his neck. And if she caught a whiff of his scent by accident, that was only for her to know.
Eventually when they broke away, he locked eyes with her.
“What’re you thinking about, Chat Noir?”
Chat’s gaze left her as if to look for something over the school’s roof, a hidden star, maybe. He looked back at her, and she remembered she was still in his arms.
“Do you want to go somewhere?”