Miraculous Marichat (Reverse Crush AU)

Chapter 2

Marinette's POV

I felt horrible. I felt such a guilt weighing on me as I thought about the events earlier in the evening. Adrien was in trouble because of me. No, I didn't force him to join Nino, Alya, and I at the movies, but I didn't help his situation by talking back either. God, I'm such a horrible friend. To continually top my misery, Chat was looking especially depressed earlier as well. Three years...three years I have been under the crushing weight of my feelings for him. Three years I have been fighting along side my partner and best friend all the while he is too utterly blind to see how much I like-no, after three years it's more than "like"-how much I love him. He tried to brush it off but I can tell when something is going on with him. The fact that he doesn't trust me enough to confide in, after everything we've been through, only worsens my mood.

"Marinette, are you okay?" The soft, high pitched voice of my kwami Tikki awakes me from my sulking. I turn towards her big, round, puppy-like eyes full of concern and greet her with a bright, painfully fake grin.

"Of course, Tikki!" I try to convince with a peppy tone. "Just admiring Paris at night. It's very beautiful." Which was true. But the dark, lonely streets only filled my head with overwhelming thoughts of the day and reminders of all my past failures with Chat. Tikki stared at me skeptically, unconvinced of my nonchalant performance. But nonetheless, she let the topic go, knowing it best to let me mope for tonight and awake to a better day in the morning. Maybe then I will have a better attitude as well.

"Okay, but please make sure you get some sleep soon, Mari," she begged quietly. I nodded and smiled at the worrisome kwami. As soon as she was out of sight I let down the painful facade in exchange for a dreary expression to match my horrible mood. I would usually stare into the warm glow of bright city lights to ease my mind, but tonight I lacked the energy to lift my head towards Paris. Instead, I rest my head back against my chair and gaze up at the cloudy night sky. Watching the dark clouds above my head roll past the bright moon washed me with a calming sense. I felt myself nearly dozing off before a loud crash next to me sent me reeling with a pounding heart. Dragging me out of my own little world, my eyes meet a familiar, striking green.

"Chat Noir?!"

The black clad cat stared up at me in horror, obviously stunned by the fall. Oh, God, was he hurt? No. No way. He's gone through a lot worse of falls without so much as a scratch. Don't be stupid, Mari. But if he weren't hurt then why was he just sitting there with that glazed over look in his eye? Wow, his eyes are pretty... Stop it! Focus, dummy!

"Are-are you okay?" I cautiously took a step forward, ready to help him back on his feet, but the question seemed to snap him out of his daze. As quickly as he landed, he bounced back, like a character in a comical cartoon. He stood tall in front of me, his hand nervously roaming to scratch the back of his head. The sudden movement startled me, forcing my steps backward. I noticed how much taller he is than I am: about a head taller. I feel shorter as Marinette than Ladybug though. I have never had the opportunity to notice that before. He continuously fidgeted at the back of his neck, obviously sweating, obviously anxious. What is wrong with him?

"Um yes! Y-yes, I am, I am purrfectly fine! Th-thank you, M-Mari-MISS! Thank you, miss!" Hmm, I thought I was the one with a stuttering problem? I can recall the first time seeing Chat after realizing my feelings for him. It was definitely an embarrassment to women everywhere, in all honesty.

"Chat?"

"Yes?" He sounded strangled saying that, timid to answer.

"Are you okay? Really?" His face lit up red, his cheeks puffing out like he was holding his breath. He looked uncomfortable.

"Um, kind of," his answer was barely above a whisper, I almost missed it. I took a seat on the previously forgotten lounge chair, gently patting the empty spot next to me. Hesitantly, he took the offer, sitting at the edge, as if he were ready to pounce at a moments notice.

"Is something wrong?" I ask softly. For a moment, he sat opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Then, with a sigh and a slump of his shoulders, Chat turned back to me with a newfound resolve.

"Have you-have you ever just been so much in your head?" He asks exasperated. "So much in your head that you just keep screwing up? The more you try to fix it, the more you try not to act like a fool, the world just keeps screwing with you anyway. Do you ever feel like that?" Everyday as Ladybug... I always second guess myself and I have been the cause some akumas as well. I am suppose to be the protector of Paris, yet I have managed to turn my classmates into akumas also. But I can't very well tell him that. Yet he looks at me as if I had all the answers for him, like the answer he was looking for was buried somewhere in my eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I have felt that before," I answer, fiddling with my thumbs. "Is this in relevance to something else, Chat?" He looked down for a moment, a crease of worry apparent even through the black leather mask covering his face.

"Do you think...that no matter how many times a person chickens out of something, they can still find the courage to accomplish something if it means enough to them? Even if they screw it up a lot too?"

"I suppose so," I answer in a bit of confusion. "What is it that is standing in the way of what you want?" He didn't say anything for a while, only staring at his folded hands. He turns to me and in the blink of an eye his face was a few inches from mine.

"Why were you so upset when I saw you?" He asked smoothly, as if his personality suddenly switched into Chat Noir mode. His hand wandered to the loose hair that framed my face, twirling a strand between his fingers.

"Um, I-I just felt guilty for a friend," I muttered.

"Hmm, a friend?" He grimaced, eyes focusing on the task of twirling my hair. "Why so concerned about someone who is just a friend?"

"Why concern ourselves with anyone we're close to?" I question in response, prepared to answer my own query. "Because we care for them and their hurt is our own."

"You care so deeply this way about all your friends?" He asks, snapping his attention away from the lock he'd been focusing on. "This one must be special, yes?"

"I suppose so..." I whisper out of breath. The proximity and his absentminded twiddling of my hair felt all too intimate, all too familiar. "Why do you want to know so badly, Chat?"

"Hmm," He chuckled, "maybe one day I will tell you." With a quick kiss on the cheek Chat Noir left my lonely balcony as quickly as he fell in.

**************          Bonus           *************
*** Brought to you by Adrien's meltdown ***

Adrien's thought process whilst freaking out on his way home:

Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, what the **** is wrong with me?! Why the ******* **** would I kiss her on the cheek and play with her hair?? She's never actually ******* met you-I mean me-as Chat Noir!! Adrien, you ******* creep!! ******* stupid idiot!

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Word Count: 1396

Okay I know I am the worse! It has been a very long time since I have updated and this is also a very short chapter. Hope you all enjoyed it anyway! Let me know what you think! As a busy student your votes, shares, comments, and encouragements are my motivation to keep writing!

Thank you all!

~J