“Have a nice time you two.” Marinette exclaimed as she watched her parents walk out of the bakery. Her parents had made plans with some old friends, Marinette had given her word that she would close the shop for them so that they could get ready earlier.
The sun had just set over the city, the street lamps had just begun to switch on. It was a surprisingly quiet for a city as vibrant as Paris. The blunette had no problems with the lack of business. She used the time to work on her physics homework.
After half an hour Marinette slammed the book shut, satisfied with her work.
“Done! and not a single customer in sight.” Marinette observed as she looked at the empty bakery, her only companion her red and black spotted kwami who was resting on one of the cookie shelves.
“Do you think I should close up early? It doesn’t look like anyone is coming.” Marinette wondered aloud. He kwami flew from the shelf to her chosen’s face.
“You promised them you would close up at the right time. It isn’t 9:00 yet.” The red kwami pointed out.
“But Tikki, no one is going to come. Besides, it is 8:45. It isn’t like closing now would make a difference. Plus, if I close right now, it guarantees a certain someone extra cookies.” Marinette reasoned, she watched as her kwami considered it, but quickly shook her head.
“Just wait 5 more minutes, then we will close up.” Tikki compromised.
Marinette nodded, agreeing that it was a fair deal.
Five minutes ticked by slowly but sure enough, not a single person was there.
“Its been 5 minutes exactly.” Marinette stated. “I’m closing up.”
Marinette moved from behind the counter and walked to the front door. She was just about to look the door, when there was a knock on the door.
Marinette was annoyed, she was so close to closing early. But she quickly changed her tune when she looked up and saw who was knocking at the door.
“Is the bakery still open?”
Marinette was frozen as she saw the black cat hero of the city in front of her father’s bakery. She could see his emerald green eyes looking right at her as he smiled.
“Is the Bakery still open?” The hero repeated politely.
The blunette quickly shook herself out of the trance and let the cat in. Tikki noticed the door opening and quickly hid behind the shelf.
Marinette watched as the hero looked around the bakery, taking in his surroundings. It felt surreal to see him here without an akuma out on the loose or on patrol with her as Ladybug. Right now it was just her and her hero crush, alone in her father’s bakery.
Chat noir couldn’t believe his luck. To find the Dupain bakery not only open, but with Marinette running the cash register. He was just getting some air running on rooftops when he noticed the bakery lights were on. He had felt hungry and sure enough he found himself outside the door just as his blackish blue haired crush was just about to close up.
“I was surprised to see that this place was still open. With my luck, this place should have been closed.” The blonde hero spoke as he looked around the place. “So how is business tonight princess?”
Marinette was doing everything in her power to try and not stutter in front of her crush. But now he pulled out his nickname for her and she was turning to mush. But by some miracle, she managed to speak.
“I-I-Its been pretty slow. Yo-your my only customer of the night. I w-was just about to close up shop.” Marinette stammered out an explanation. “So-so what brings you here Chat noir?”
Chat noir smiled at the blunette. She was adorable, he also noticed that she was wearing an apron over her normal clothes. He never knew an apron could look so cute on anyone before now.
“I was just patrolling the city, and started having a craving for something sweet. Would you happen to have anything sweet in this bakery? Besides yourself?” Chat noir flirted. He would normally be barely able to hold a conversation with Marinette as his civilian self, but as Chat noir he could finally lay on the charm he so desperately has been trying to.
Marinette felt her face heat up. As Ladybug, she should be use to his playful flirtations. But she was Marinette, she felt so exposed without her mask. How could anyone handle their crush being so flirty with them.
“W-We do have some macaroons and some ch-chocolate chip cookies if you want.” Marinette managed to say through her blush.
“That sounds delicious.” Chat noir replied as he took a seat at one of the small tables. He watches as the girl walks behind the counter and gathers a couple of macaroons and cookies.
“Would that be for here or to go?”
Chat noir pondered it for a second.
“If the princess does not mind, I would like to eat them in her presence.”
Marinette felt her face turn even redder at the comment. She places the sweets on a plate and walks over to table where the cat was sitting.
“Your sweets kitty.” Marinette said as she placed the plate on the table. She walked back to the counter, watching the cat from the cash register.
“Thank you.” Chat noir said as he took a cookie and took a bite. His eyes lit up as the sugary treat graced his mouth. “Did your dad make these?”
“Actually, I baked those cookies. My dad had a custom order that took up most of his time, so I made the cookies and Macaroons on the plate.” Marinette explained without stuttering.
The cat hero stood up from his chair and walked to the counter. His smile beaming like sunshine.
“This is the best cookie I have ever had.” Chat noir exclaimed. “It is so soft and sweet. It is like eating a cloud of chocolate delight.”
Marinette smiled at the cat’s praise.
“I am glad you like them Kitty, but my dad’s are way better then mine. Im sure you would love his cookies.” Marinette stated softly. looking down shyly.
Chat noir placed his gloved hand on her chin, causing her to look up at the black cat.
“I am sure I would like his cookies, but I am sure I would prefer yours. You have a natural sweetness that is impossible to replicate.” Chat noir whispered softly. He mentally slapped himself after he said it. ‘Natural sweetness’ while he wasn’t lying, that was the dumbest line he had ever muttered in his life.
But some how, he noticed Marinette’s face light up at his comment.
“T-Thank you. It means a lot that you like my desserts.” Marinette smile was shining so bright that Chat felt his pulse speed up immensely.
“A-anytime princess. Speaking of your dad, is he in the back or something?” Chat noir asked, hoping to regain his cool.
“Actually. He and my mom are at a friend’s place. They wanted me to close up for them.” She confessed.
“I see.” Chat noir said as the realization dawned on him. He was alone with Marinette. There were no parents, no other friends, No relatives. It was just him and Marinette. The thought made the cat feel a sudden jolt of nervousness. Even as adrien, he had never been in a situation like this. The possibilities were racing through his mind. He quickly shook those thoughts out, he was definitely overthinking this. Marinette probably was not even thinking anything of the sort.
Little did the cat hero know that Marinette had felt the same pang of realization. It was definitely something that she had fantasized about. Just the two of them, she desperately wanted to text Alya for advice.
Chat felt himself getting nervous. Perhaps he was overstaying his welcome.
“Well, you are just about to close up, correct? I feel like I might be overstaying my welcome. Purrhaps I can come by another time?” Chat noir stated rigidly.
“Oh. Not at all!” Marinette called out louder then intended, she swiftly corrected her volume. “Though I am about to close up the bakery. If you want, you could come upstairs with me and I could get you some milk to go with your desserts.”
Marinette felt both surprised and impressed with herself by the statement. She was definitely telling Alya about this tomorrow.
Chat noir was surprised by the invitation. He knew he should just decline and politely leave. But this was Marinette, the sweetest girl he ever knew. He was in love with her. Eventually his heart beat out his reasoning.
“As you wish Princess.” Chat noir said with a bow.
Marinette quickly closed the shop, taking care of all the little things she needed to do in order to close. As she wrapped up, she led the blonde teen to the steps and welcomed him into her apartment.
“It is a bit small, but it is home.” Marinette explained as she turned on some lights.
Chat Noir looked around the apartment and smiled. He had been here a few times as Adrien. But the place seemed just as cosy as before, the place radiated with the warmth of a family.
Chat noir was still holding his tray of sweets as he looked around, turning around to notice Marinette walking towards him with a glass of milk.
“Here you go Kitty. M-make yourself comfortable. I’m going to change out of these flour covered clothes. I’ll be back in a bit.”
Chat noir sat himself down on the couch and placed his plate of sweets on the nearby coffee table. He scarfed down some of the sweets and chugged most of the milk. He hoped the sweets would steady his nerves.
‘Keep cool Adrien. This isn’t your first time here. You were invited up her for a bit. You can leave at any time. You will behave and be polite.’
“S-sorry to keep you waiting.”
Chat noir looked up from his plate of sweets to see Marinette in a white t-shirt and pink pajama bottoms. She looked so unbelievable incredible in something so comfy that Chat had to focus in order to keep himself from staring.
“Well don’t you look cozy.” Chat noir teased as he stood up. “I must thank you for the sweets and the milk. How much do I owe you?”
“For one of Paris’ heroes, consider it on the house.” Marinette smiled.
Chat noir felt an idea pop into his head, one he could never pull off as Adrien, but perhaps as chat.
Chat noir walked up to the blunette and smiled.
“I am flattered by you hospitality, but unlike most felines, I am not one to simply take something for free. Is their anyway I could repay your kindness?”
Marinette felt her heart beat like a drum as she looked into his emerald eyes staring into hers.
“W-well I.. I can’t .. I”
“Anything you ask? Consider it done.” Chat noir confidently stated.
Marinette felt her mind racing, thousands of ideas going through her head. But somehow she thought of one.
“Be my model!” she blurted out
“Huh?”
“For my designs. I am a designer, and I am always in need of a model. I usually ask my friends Alya, Nino, or Adrien to model. But I never had a superhero try out one of my designs.”
Chat noir was taken aback for a second. He was honestly not expecting that one, but maybe this could be an opportunity to see her again.
“I accept Princess. I will happily be your modeling cat. I bet you have very Clawsome designs.” Chat noir answered.
Chat noir then opened a window.
“It is getting late princess, and I wouldn’t want your parents to think you have been letting in strays. I shall see you tomorrow night. Will that work for you?”
Marinette nodded.
“Excellent.” Chat noir then took Marinette’s hand and kissed it tenderly. “Until tomorrow, My princess.”
In an instant the Cat was gone.
Marinette had closed her window and squealed with joy. Her kwami appearing from her hiding space to see her chosen happily celebrating.
“I am seeing him again! I can’t believe it Tikki. I think he might like me!” Marinette celebrated.
Tikki couldn’t help but smile as she watched her friend be happy over the events that transpired.
“Isn’t he just the best?”
“I am going to see her again Plagg! She wants to see me again!” Adrien sighed as he laid in his bed.
“Even with your cheesy flirting and awkward teen talk. She somehow wants to see you again. I don’t know whether to be impressed or dumbfounded.” Plagg commented.
“Isn’t she just the best?”
(What do you guys think?
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