classified desire; marichat au

chapter four

(marinette's pov)

Alya apologized for letting Nino invite Luka, but I told her there wasn't a need to apologize. "Alya, I know you meant well." I said, happily.

She looked confused, but let the topic go. Tikki went to sleep, and Alya soon after.

But not me.

I couldn't stop thinking about Cat Noir. Why was he there? Shouldn't he have went home after patrol? All of the same thoughts swarmed around my mind. I couldn't sleep.

I stared at my ceiling, wishing I was at the bakery.

I kept thinking about Cat Noir, and how I could've gave away my identity, what if he thought it was suspicious I called him Cat? Surely I'm not the only person who calls him Cat. Right?

I finally drift off to sleep.

~~
(in marinette's dream?)

I wake up in my bed. I look around, somehow it feels different. I look at the sky, it's still nighttime?

I must've slept for a few minutes. I look at my watch. --??:??--. Great, my watch must be broken. I walk over to the mirror, seeing as the moonlight is shining into my room. I see me, but am I me? I see Ladybug, not Marinette.

But my suit is weird, is this a prank? I stare in the mirror, my image warping. Then, I see him. The man who tormented my dreams for years, I'm dreaming. It's a dream. A reoccurring dream, at least once a week I have this dream.

I hear my door creak, but not my dorm door. Alya and I's closet. I see him. In white.

The white suit, which had traumatized me deeply for months, sometimes I would skip patrol, because this dream feels real. It's like I'm in an alternate universe, like my soul fell into another universe.

I look at him, he's smiling manically. He knows it scares me. His illuminating blue eyes, his image that looks like Cat Noir, but this isn't Cat Noir, this is a monster. He walks towards me, and his eyes have a look in them, a look saying, "Help me.", but I can't help him, it's too late.

He starts to speak, but time stopped. I closed my eyes, begging this nightmare to end.

"Marinette." I hear. A voice from a goddess above, "Marinette. Marinette!"

"Marinette!" I heard once again. I opened my eyes, seeing daylight shining through my windows. I gasp for air, feeling like my lungs were stepped on. I breathe heavily, sweat covers my body.

"He, He was there again, Alya." I say, panicking.

"Shh, Marinette. You know he isn't coming back. Cat Noir will never get akumatized again." Alya reassures me. I feel my breath calming down, I wipe sweat from my forehead.

"Thank god I woke up, he was walking towards me." I say, falling back onto my pillow.

"Girl, you need to fix your sleep schedule. I think this dream happens when you go to bed late." Alya says.

"Anyways, sorry Marinette. I gotta run, morning classes." she says, "Don't forget your afternoon class, byee!"

"Bye!" I say. I see Tikki peacefully asleep in her little bed. I have a soft smile.

I get up, putting my hair in a bun. I grab a little brown dress and some black boots. "Tikki!" I say, she instantly flies out her bed. "Good morning Marinette!"

"Tikki, let's go to the coffee shop." I say, "I'll get you a cookie. Let's go."

She flies in my purse. "Woohoo!" she says, I'm guessing because there's cookies involved. I leave my dorm, locking the door behind me.

I look down on my dress, seeing my signature at the bottom. I walk to the café, I see Adrien reading in one of the booths. I walk up to the counter, and order a coffee, and of course, some cookies.

I smooth down my dress, making sure there were no wrinkles.

I sit down, and throw the cookie into my bag, waiting for my coffee to be done. I hear slight munching in my purse. I laugh to myself.

I look around the cafe, I notice Adrien again. He looks up and we meet eyes. He gives me a soft smile, I wave and smile.

They call my name for my coffee, I get up and grab it off of the counter. I see Adrien put his bookmark in his book and lay his book on the table. He urges me to come over there. I smile and head to his table.

"Hey!" I say, "Hey Marinette! No morning classes today?" he asks.

"Not today, no." I say.

"Take a seat!" he says, pointing to the other seat, across from him.

I nod and sit down. "So, how did you like meeting my other friends?" I ask.

"Well, they were very friendly. I think they are very lovely." he says, smiling wider.

"I'm glad you think so." I say, I take a sip of coffee. "Mm, this coffee is great!"

"Yes, I usually don't drink coffee, but I tried some. I think it tastes phenomenal!" he says. I nod in agreement.

"So, Adrien. This might be a dumb question, but how come you like being a photographer rather than a model?" I ask, curious to why the most successful male model in Paris prefers being behind the camera.

"Well, I would say. My father forced me into becoming a model when I was younger, and it really made me realize, I don't really prefer to model." he says quietly.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry he forced you." I say, "Nobody should ever have to pursue something out of their parents best interest."

"Don't worry, I accepted it. It makes money, but money isn't happiness." he says. I nod, "I agree."

"So, Marinette. What's your major?" he asks me. I smile "Oh, fashion design." I say.

"Oh, cool!" he says. "I actually made this dress." I say, trying to make the conversation more interesting.

"Wow. It's fantastic, it looks like something my father would make." he says, looking at it. "The stitching makes it look so professional."

"Your father is my biggest inspiration, sorry if that sounds weird." I say, awkwardly.

"Oh, it's reasonable. He is well-known." he says. "If you ever want me to put in a good word for you, I can."

"N-no! I feel like it's cheating, because that wouldn't be fair to others." I say.

Suddenly, I hear screams outside.

*BOOM BOOM*

"AKUMA ALERT!"

Oh shoot.

~~~~~