Our Tale As Old As Time

Chapter 7

            The winter winds blew gently through Chat Noir's bangs as he watched Marinette strolling through the snow with Philippe from one of the castle balconies. The events of last night had left his thoughts racing preventing him from sleeping. He tossed and turned with every thought of Marinette. In order to reach the desired ending of Beauty and the Beast, he would have to get his best friend to fall in love with him. However, that meant that he had to use her. There was no possible way that the girl would turn his head and make him fall in love with her. His eyes were already on Ladybug. It hurt his heart to do this to his friend, but what was he to do? At one point his mind began to confuse the two girls. How was it that they had so many similarities, but yet his head was turned by one and not the other? What made them different? Chat was conflicted and he had no idea what to do about it. Marinette was his friend, not the girl he was in love with. Yet somehow, he found his mind wander back to the girl he considered only a friend. What was wrong with him?

"What am I going to do Plagg?" Chat asked his magical companion as he laid his left hand over his bandaged arm. "I feel so guilty." He sighed as he turned his head away and stared down at the frozen flakes along the metal of the railing.

"I think you already have your answer." Chat turned to the kwami in surprise. What was he getting at? Chat was confused. "You just need to stop running around aimlessly in your head. That's why I think about nothing but cheese. It's not complicated at all. I already know how it makes me feel." Plagg blabbered on as he swung his stubby legs back and forth while they dangled over the other side of railing. That's it! He needed to get to know her better! If he knew her better, his feelings for her, whether friendly or romantically would become clear. Sure, she was his friend, but he didn't know her that well. Every time they had tried to hang out, his father had stopped him or Mari wasn't comfortable around him. At least when he was Adrien. When he was Chat Noir, it was always a brief encounter where he was either saving her or having a short discussion about their current emotional state when he was passing by on a random evening when he just wanted to talk to someone.

"Plagg you genius!" Chat said with words he never thought would come from his mouth. In Beauty and the Beast, the beast had reached this conclusion and given Belle the library, except Chat didn't think Marinette would want the library, she wasn't big on reading. What was she into? It was then that he recalled her interest in the fashion industry. That's what he would do! He would give her the seamstress studio. Marinette had always been expressive when it came to fashion. Thanks to his father's career in fashion and his knowledge as a model, Chat felt that this would be the easiest way to bond with his friend. Why he never thought of this as Adrien, he didn't know. Chat Noir had made up his mind. This was what he was going to do. Excited Chat hit the railing with his fist before turning on his heels and heading inside, his green cape fanning out behind him in the wind as he made his exit. When Marinette came inside twenty minutes later, Chat was already waiting for her in the entry way. "Please come with me Princess. I have something I want to show you." The girl didn't hesitate and followed suit, her flats giving soft pats to the tile flooring as she walked along. His heart began to beat faster as they approached the door to the studio. Would she like it? Who was he kidding, this was Marinette he was talking about. Of course, she'd like it! "Close your eyes." Chat said as he twisted back around to his friend.

"Chat, what's going on?" Mari's voice was sweet and playful, soothing all the butterflies that fluttered in his stomach.

"You'll see."

"How will I see if my eyes are closed?" Mari laughed at her own retort. Chat had to admit he was impressed. He had never seen this side of Marinette, but he found himself liking it. The only one that had ever managed to give him sassy comebacks was Ladybug. Maybe that was why he enjoyed the remark. Nonetheless, she had lightened the mood.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if you had your eyes open though would it?" Chat fired back. Mari shook her head with a smile, before dropping her eyelids over her glittering blue eyes. Had her eyes always been this pretty? Hadn't he already asked himself that before? Chat opened the door with ease before turning back to take her hands in his. Slowly, he guided her into the room.

"Can I open them now?" She questioned as he dropped her hands.

"Not yet." Chat stepped away from Marinette and over to the window to pull back the curtains. The rings made the sound of grinding metal as he drug the fabric along the metal rod to reveal the sunshine outside. Immediately, the room was illuminated brightly to expose every nook and cranny of the studio. No doubt, she would love this. "Alright, you can open your eyes now." Chat watched as Mari's face lit up. The smile she wore an unmistakable sign that she loved it.

"I've never seen a fashion studio as beautiful as this." Her voice was light an airy as she took in the sight.

"Well, it's yours. That is if you want it." Chat wasn't sure how to phrase his sentence as his right hand found its way to the back of his neck. How was it that her joy was flustering him?

"I love it! Thank you." Her hands found his again. They were soft and gentle. Since when had she ever been this way toward him? That afternoon, after lunch they went out in the snow together to feed the birds. Somehow, it seemed as though the two of them were more comfortable together in the fairytale than they had been when the story began. How was it that she was making him feel this way? What was he thinking!? Ladybug was his lady, he needed to ignore these feelings he had toward his friend. Her hand brushed against his as she pushed off his arm with a bird on her finger. Suddenly, the girl disappeared behind a tree. He wanted to assume she was feeling the same way about him, that was how the story went anyway, but he would only disappoint himself if that wasn't the case. He was cut off from his thoughts when her face appeared again from behind the bark. He was mesmerized by the sight. He was so mesmerized he didn't realize her wind up and swing a snowball at him. A smile spread across his face. This would be fun. Jumping to his feet Chat snuck over to the tree, except Marinette was a step ahead of him. She slipped around to another side of the tree. The two went round and round the trunk, this was fun. Regardless, of how many times she hit him with a snowball and how cold he became because of it. As the sky grew dark, they made their way inside to sit by the fire. Marinette rambling on about the fabrics she had found in the studio and what she planned to do with them. Chat Noir listened happily, even if his thoughts were elsewhere. There really was a chance that he was beginning to fall for her. He just hoped she was starting to feel the same.