I love your art! Can you make fluffy Ladynoir? Please?

45. “Tell me a secret.” Marichat

Thank you! This one was really fun to write - I wanted to try a different style, so I hope it’s ok!

“Tell me a secret,” Chat Noir says, his voice breaking the comfortable silence in Marinette’s room. She looks up from the skirt she’s sewing, patches of material surrounding her like soft pink lily pads on the wooden floorboards. She hums in response, a questioning eyebrow arching up at Chat’s words as she twists her head to face him.

“A secret?” Marinette asks. “What kind of secret, kitty?”

He’s sitting on her bed, legs crossed as he watches her work, the two of them happy in each other’s company. It’s an odd friendship, both would admit, but it works for them. 

But there are moments, small, blink and you’ll miss them moments, when Chat Noir is sure Marinette is hiding something. And while he’d never be presumptuous enough to assume he knows everything about her, he can feel the weight of something pressing on her, can see it in those minutes when she thinks nobody will notice the exhaustion in her eyes.

So he decides to ask. It can’t hurt, after all.

“Your deepest, darkest secret,” he grins, trying to keep the atmosphere light. Marinette blinks, her face unreadable, and Chat Noir’s eyes widen as he worries he’s crossed some unspoken line. He watches as Marinette pushes her needle in the pincushion by her side and places the skirt-in-progress carefully on the floor, standing up with her back to him as she thinks about the request.

I’m Ladybug, I’m Ladybug, I’m Ladybug! her thoughts screech, answering his question in her mind only. Out loud, Marinette lets out a “hmmm”, tapping her chin with her finger as she considers her choices, the other hand placed on her hip. An idea hits her, and she spins around to face Chat.

“Well,” she says, moving towards him, “I guess I do have one secret.” When Marinette reaches the bed she stops, leaning forward so that she and Chat Noir are at eye level, a grin spreading on her face. Chat cocks his head to the side, raising his eyebrows whilst trying to keep himself from leaning forward oh-so-slightly and bridging the gap between their lips, because that’s not why you’re here, Chat, but god she’s beautiful…

“What’s that?” he asks, and he’s appalled at how breathy his voice has become. He’s sure Marinette notices it too, because her grin falters slightly, eyes widening in surprise as his usually smooth words come out in a whisper. She recovers instantly, the smirk back on her face before a heartbeat has passed. Chat Noir stops breathing as Marinette tilts her head to match him.

“I guess my biggest secret is…” Marinette pauses, and Chat’s eyes are locked on hers, not noticing her hand slowly rising up to his chest. “…you,” she giggles, flicking the bell around Chat’s neck and cracking the building intensity with the chimes of her laughter. She pulls back, and Chat lets out the breath he’s been holding.

“Me?” He says, one hand instinctively running through his hair as he smirks at Marinette. She rolls her eyes before placing one finger under his chin and scratching softly.

“Yes, you,” she says, amusement evident in her tone. “Not every girl has one of Paris’ superheroes coming round her house for cookies every other day, you know. It’s quite a big thing to keep secret.”

Chat Noir purrs as she tickles his chin, enjoying the display of affection. He’s not sure she’s told him the truth, but she knows just the spot to tickle and he’s too distracted to care. When her finger moves away his smile drops into a pout, causing Marinette to let out a laugh. The mattress on the bed squeaks as she takes a seat next to him, folding her legs and leaning against the wall, back against the pillows. Chat Noir shuffles to face her, keeping his chin slightly raised on the off-chance of more scratches. Marinette leans her elbows on her knees, and places her chin in her palms.

“Okay then - your turn.” Marinette smiles, and Chat’s eyes widen, hands tightening around the sheet hugging the mattress.

“My turn?”

Marinette nods. “You can’t ask a girl to tell her deepest, darkest secret and not expect to tell your own, Chat.”

His mouth drops open slightly, and thinks of a thousand things that he wants to tell her, but each secret comes with its own set of reasons why telling Marinette is a dangerous idea.

And as he tries to come up with something, anything which he can tell Marinette which won’t put her in harm’s way, his ring begins to beep; a sound he usually hates, because it means it’s time to be Adrien once more, is a melody to his ears. He looks down at the ring, the one toe remaining on the cat’s paw flickering, before meeting Marinette’s gaze. She nods, knowing what the sound means.

“Saved by the beeps.” She rolls her eyes. “You’ll just have to tell me next time.”

Chat Noir nods, moving off the bed towards the entrance to Marinette’s balcony. He winks, saluting to her as he takes the first step up the ladder.

“Will do, Princess. I’ll see you soon!” Goodbyes said, Chat Noir wastes no time in shimmying up the ladder to her balcony and leaping away.

As the buildings of Paris blur around him, Chat Noir thinks about what he’ll tell Marinette. He has to come up with something, because the two things he wants to tell her, he can’t.

I’m Adrien. Surprise!

No, that would put her in danger. He dismisses the thought instantly, as much as he longs to tell her the truth. 

But the other secret, one which he’s trying to keep even from himself, rolls through his mind as he slips into his own bedroom, de-transforming and catching Plagg as he moves to sit by his laptop.

I thought I loved Ladybug.

But when you smile, I’m not so sure anymore.

Send me  a pairing and a number from this list, and I’ll write you a drabble!

Usagi, #45!