#first thing I've drawn in like a week. augh

[headslikekites]

this one goes out to all my pain and/or fever havers

[miraculousficsarchive]

Blueberry Sugar

Chapter 4: Totally Platonic

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Marinette looked at her phone for the millionth time that day. She kept using the excuse that she didn't know what time it was, but in reality she was just looking at her wallpaper over and over. Alya kept trying to look over her shoulder to see what she as looking at but Marinette was quick to lock it. They were going shopping for fabric, which is usually Marinette's favorite thing to do, but today she was distracted.

Alya threw her head back and groaned.

"Augh! Marinette! Stop keeping things from me! What could possibly be so important that you keep checking your phone when the only person you text is right next to you?"

Mari gasped dramatically.

"First of all, rude. I text people."

Alya just looked at her with an unimpressed expression.

"Who?"

"Uh, Luka?"

"Okay. That's it. Let me see what you're hiding."

Pulling her friend to the side of the sidewalk they were on, Alya held out her hand. Marinette hugged her phone.

"Wait, I don't want you to make fun of me!"

Alya wrestled it out of her grip.

"It's nothing that bad, I'm sure."

She tapped the screen and it lit up, as did her face. She let out a large drawn out gasp that caused the passerby's to turn and stare. Marinette hid her face behind her hands in embarrassment.

"You took a picture together?! And set it as your LOCK SCREEN?!"

"Alya, people are staring. Oh my god."

Alya squealed.

"This is so cute! Oh, you're so adorable together!"

Marinette snatched her phone back.

"There is no 'together'. We're still just friends. He just doesn't know that it's me."

"Oh come on, girl. A nighttime selfie that you have set as your lock screen? The cute smiles and how his head is resting on yours? The way you're looking at it? Don't lie."

Mari groaned and started down the street again. Her friend just laughed and followed.

"Adorable."

"Friends."

"So sweet."

"Strictly platonic."

"Are you gonna tell him who you really are?"

Marinette ducked into the fabric store. She waved at the workers that greeted her and went straight to the back of the shop. She pulled Alya close and whispered.

"I don't know. This whole thing is kinda making me feel guilty. He talked to me about Ladybug last night. He seems so hurt that we can't share civilian info and here I am rubbing my job and hobbies in his face. Yeah, he doesn't know it's me, but if he finds out, will he be upset with me for how long I've led him on?"

Alya held her hand.

"Do you like that he knows you as Marinette?"

She thought for a moment.

"It's been such a weight off my chest, honestly."

"Then I don't really see a problem with it. You two have known each other for years. Since we were kids. But you've both grown so much in that time. You don't have to detransform after using your powers, you're stronger, and you've both matured a lot. He's always been in love with you. And now it seems like he likes you for you. I think you can handle sharing identities. If you want to, of course."

Marinette took in her words and looked through the fabric surrounding her. She thought on it for a long time.

"Maybe."

---

Chat went to DC's every night for a week straight.

Every night he learned something new about Marinette and every night she seemed more and more nervous around him.

Her favorite color is pink. She stuttered tonight.

Her favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry. She didn't look at him in the eyes.

She loves music. She dropped his fork when she tried to give him his pie.

Usually you get relaxed the more you're around someone, so Chat was a little confused. He thought about what Plagg said and started to worry that he was bothering her at work. Tonight he decided he would try to fix that.

"Hi, Kitty," Marinette called up to the sign above her. Chat was perched on his usual waiting spot right above the diner doors.

He jumped down and grabbed her hand before she opened the door for him.

"Marinette."

She looked at his hand and then met his eyes.

"You okay?" she asked, visibly confused.

"Yeah, I just wanted to ask you something before we went in. Would you rather hang out somewhere else tonight?"

She raised her eyebrows.

"Oh. Uh, like where?"

"It might be a little cheesy, but how about the Eiffel Tower? You ever been to the top?"

She pushed her loose hair behind her ear and looked around before smiling at him.

"Sure. We could do that. Are we walking?"

Chat beamed and held out his hand to her.

She took it and he gently pulled her close. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled out his staff with the other.

"Hold on tight, okay? I won't let you fall."

She blushed in his arms, but nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. He squeezed a bit tighter and placed his foot against the bottom of his staff. As he fully extended it, he raised them higher and higher into the air. Marinette held him tighter, and Chat laughed. They fell forward and she let out a sound that he couldn't tell if it was a scream or a laugh.

With leaps and bounds and launches from his staff, they made it to the top of the tower. By now, Marinette was definitely laughing.

He set her down and she hugged him. He froze for a moment and she was already stepping back from him.

"That's so exciting when you're not-" She stopped and her smile faltered. "I mean, when you've never been this high before."

She flashed another smile at him and he laughed along with her.

"Yeah, it's pretty amazing. And so is the view." He examined her face as she looked around at the city below them.

She was all smiles. He thought she was beautiful in the moonlight.

When she caught him staring, they both turned from each other nervously.

They spoke at the same time.

"Marinette-"

"Chat-"

"Oh, my bad. Go ahead."

"Heh, sorry. I just wanted to ask something."

Chat leaned on the railing.

"Shoot."

Marinette paced a bit.

"You've got to learn quite a bit about me. Do you think I could learn about you? I know that would be a lot of trust to put into a person that you haven't known for very long. I just noticed we only ever talk about me."

Chat's eyes went wide.

She wants to know about me? What should I tell her? What am I allowed to tell her?

"Well, we could start small. I don't know how much I'm allowed to tell you. Then again, I don’t really have anyone else I can talk to. And I have a good feeling about you."

Ladybug might not approve, but who's to say she hasn't shared her secrets with anyone? It's not like he's sharing his identity. What harm could a couple questions do?

He looked around the city one last time and then lightly smacked his hands on the rail that he was leaning against.

"Fuck it. What do you want to know?"

She blanked.

"Hmm, didn't think I'd get this far."

They both laughed again.

She walked past him and spun around.

"Are your eyes really green?"

He smiled.

"Sure are."

"How about your hair? Natural blonde?"

"Why? You looking to match the shade?"

Marinette paced a few seconds more.

"What's your favorite hobby?"

Chat thought on that.

"I guess it would be fencing. I was forced to do it when I was younger, but I've grown to love it. It's a great stress reliever, believe it or not. And I also love music. Listening to music is probably the fastest way to soothe my soul."

"That's cool. You mentioned you have a friend that is a designer. Are you interested in fashion?"

Chat checked nervously.

"You could say that."

She stepped closer to him. He could see the stars reflecting in her eyes.

"Do you get to pick the suit or are you forced to wear this?"

"Hey, what's wrong with the suit?"

She giggled and it sounded like music to his ears. He could get lost in it. She put a soft hand on his arm.

"Don’t worry, I like it. Are you in this much leather when you're not super-powered up?"

Chat felt a shiver run up his spine.

"Uh, not exactly. I- I actually like a more relaxed look."

She stood next to him and they looked at the city. Slowly, they gravitated to brushing shoulders. Marinette's cheeks were pink again.

"Do- do you have a girlfriend?"

Chat's heart skipped.

"No."

She waited a long time before talking again. After a few minutes of them looking at Paris in silence, she touched their hands together. He reciprocated and pushed back against hers. She tentatively intertwined their fingers. He gently squeezed her hand.

Neither of them looked at each other.

Marinette rested her head on his shoulder and he put his head on top of hers.

She broke the silence.

"Do you feel like being a superhero holds you back from making genuine connections with people?"

"Sometimes. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about whether you'd like the person behind the mask or not."

She squeezed his hand.

"I like him."

Chat smiled.

"If I, umm," she started, "if I wanted to kiss you, do you think the person behind the mask would be okay with that?"

He looked down at her. Marinette looked at him earnestly. He nodded.

They both smiled at each other and Chat used his free hand to cup her jaw. He leaned down and placed a small, soft kiss on her lips. She smelled like strawberry cake. Marinette grabbed him by the bell and pulled him back in for a longer one, and they both snaked arms around each other.

After a few more kisses, they broke apart and giggled at each other.

"I feel like I've known you forever," Chat said.

Marinette nodded and gave him a hug.

He embraced her back this time.

It was a long hug and he didn't want to let her go. He wasn't entirely sure why, but it just felt so right. She was the perfect height and her arms just felt so right around his waist. He ran his fingers through her long hair and they gently swayed back and forth.

"Wanna dance?"

Marinette chuckled.

"We need music for that."

"Wanna play some?"

She smiled and pulled out her phone. After some soft slow sounds started, she set it on the tower behind them and they started slow dancing. Chat had to admit, she was a little clumsy and stepped on his foot a few times, but it was adorable. He just laughed when she apologized and told her it was okay. Soon she got the hang of it, and he held her close so she could follow his lead. They didn't know how long they danced, but it felt like forever. Like everything else below them faded away and they existed alone with the stars and the street light below.

Eventually, they sat and talked more.

Chat told her that his father had passed away when he was just barely an adult and he had been entrusted with a lot of stuff that was left behind for him. That he knew it's what his father would have wanted so he continues keeping up with things. He didn't say what those things were, but it didn't seem like Marinette needed the words to know how much of a burden they were on him.

She held his hand tight and he had never felt so comfortable.

"Kitty, I really like doing this with you. And I love learning about you. Thank you for sharing."

After more lighthearted conversation, they decided it was getting late and Chat took Marinette home.

"You can come inside if you want."

Chat's heart jumped up into his throat.

"I'm sorry Marinette, as paw-sitively enticing as that invitation is, I am a gentleman. I will have to leave you here."

She giggled and dug through her purse. She pulled out a pen and scribbled on a scratch piece of paper.

"Then take this."

He looked at the string of numbers and grinned from ear to ear.

"Text me. Or call. Whatever you prefer. I'm pretty busy, but I always try to answer. Just- yeah. Text me." She smiled shyly.

"Got it. Goodnight, Marinette."

"Oh, and you can call me Mari. That's what my friends call me."

"Goodnight, Mari."

"Goodnight, Chat."

She shut her door and Chat took to her roof. He had never gotten home so fast. The second he made it into his room, he called off Plagg and texted her a single smiley face.

"How cheesy," Plagg said.

"Oh hush."

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