My Valentine

2: A Silent Goodnight

Chat Noir liked to patrol the 21st arrondissement. It covered a good portion of Paris including his school. The area seemed to always have something happening: rushing cars, bustling Parisians, exotic art students. But in the middle of the night, everything was quiet and calm.

The 21st was his favorite spot to sit atop the roofs, and at night it became his haven. Chat felt mellow and relaxed as he breathed in the clean, cool air of February.

Another reason why Chat Noir preferred it here was a specific building. A bakery. Her bakery. The finest vendors in all of Paris were Marinette's parents, Tom and Sabine. The place was always packed with people coming in and out getting the best products. They served the freshest bread and the most decadent desserts. Chat's mouth watered just thinking about their croissants.

Only now the lively pastry shop was closed and dark. He imagined the family snug tight in their beds dreaming the night away.

Chat Noir wished he was dreaming too. Though most nights he found it hard to fall asleep. Adrien would toss and turn, get too hot then too cold, drink some water, use the bathroom, rinse, and repeat until he gave up. Transforming into his alias and escaping into the night.

This time of year was still pretty cold in Europe. The leather bodysuit wasn't helping. Chat rubbed his hands together, trying to get warm. A cold superhero? What a joke. He thought, cursing himself for ever complaining about the summer heat in the suit.

A chime went off from his staff. He opened it, hoping to see a message from Ladybug. It was only his timer. They could never stay in one area for too long when out on patrol or go to the same places too often.

"What if Hawkmoth tried to track us? We would be too venerable if we stayed in one place too long." Ladybug once said.

Chat stretched his arms, arching his back. His muscles ached from sitting in the cold too long. He got up, deciding it was time to go home and try to get some sleep. As he left he looked back at the bakery.

There was a light coming from one of the upstairs windows. One that he wouldn't have seen from where he was perched.

Huh? Chat Noir focused on the window. He could faintly make out a sleeping Marinette hunched over her desk, hiding behind her sewing machine.

Curiosity got to the cat as he made his way closer to her window. She had left it open. Chat rolled his eyes and smiled, knowing how forgetful Marinette could be. She'll catch a cold with that window open. He thought.

Chat Noir then did something he'd soon realize was probably not the smartest thing. He hopped over to the roof of her home, landing on his feet and then checking the landscape for anyone who might see. The coast was clear so he bent down to open the trap door that latch had been unlocked. He made a mental note to lock it before leaving.

He carefully landed on her soft loft bed and then quietly down the little ladder. Adrien had been in Marinette's room once before to practice for the video game tournament. It was almost the same as that afternoon except for the mess of scrap fabrics and ribbons across the hardwood floor. In the center of the room was a pink plastic bin containing more craft material, the source of the mess.

That's when he saw it. In the corner of her room, the dress form displayed the most beautiful dress he'd ever seen. Nothing his father, the great Gabriel Agrest, could ever hope to design. The dress was a soft pink pillow of fabric. Just by looking at it, he could tell it was special. It was pinned to the form with pink sewing pins. Of course, they were pink.

"Woah." The interjection was involuntary as he stiffened his body and covered his mouth, praying Marinette didn't wake. He watched her intently. Her shoulders moved up and down slowly. Her head was buried in her arms on top of the desk, her hair dangerously close to the sewing machine. Chat looked down at the outlet and unplugged the machine.

He scanned the room for the light switch and found it on the other side. The floor was too messy to walk through and his heavy boots would make too much noise on the wooden boards. He took a deep breath.

"Plagg, Claws In." He whispered through him exhale. A soft green light illuminated him revealing the boy behind the mask.

Plagg, the black cat Kwamii, flew from Adrien's ring. "Adrien, this not a good idea!"

"Shh!" The boy started, "Just go flip the lights."

Plagg did as he was told, flying over to the light switch and turning them off. The darkness brings comfort to the room. He returns to Adrien who was leaning over Marinette, avoiding touching her, trying to pull the window shut. Plagg helps him and Adrien latches it.

"We done now?" Plagg asks impatiently. He knew the risk of the situation. If they were to wait any longer the girl would wake and their secret would be discovered.

Adrien pulled a blanket down from the loft bed and gently draped it across Marinette's shoulders. Her mouth was partly open, exposing just how soft and pink her lips were when relaxed.

He watched her for a few seconds, knowing the longer he waited the more he risked. He left her a kiss on the head silently saying good night and turned to leave through the trap door, remembering to lock it, before transforming back and heading home.