Chapter Text
Marinette hummed as she worked. Her pencil traced lightly on the sketchpad, revealing flowing lines of a formal gown, one of her first commissions for her new couture design business. Tikki was slowly munching a macaroon while she surfed channels on the tv. Marinette paid no attention to what Tikki was watching. It was all just background noise to her. That is, until Tikki called her attention to the screen.
“Look, Marinette. It’s Chat,” Tikki said pointing.
“What’s Chat?” Marinette asked, not looking up from her drawing.
“Chat Noir is on the tv.”
“What? Why?” Marinette looked up, refocusing her eyes on the screen. Sure enough, there was Chat, waving at a cheering audience before taking his seat opposite an interviewer. Marinette put down her sketchbook and scooted closer.
“What on earth does he think he’s doing?” she murmured more to herself than anyone else. “He’s doing an interview without me? I didn’t even hear about this one. Turn it up, Tikki.”
“…glad you could make it to the show,” the interview was saying.
“I’m happy to be here,” Chat responded.
“Tell me, how did you feel when you got the call from the producers informing you about the award?” the interviewer asked.
“Honestly, quite surprised,” Chat said. “As a superhero, I don’t seek this kind of attention at all. But I’m not going to deny that I was flattered.”
“What award is he talking about?” Marinette asked Tikki.
“No idea. Maybe they’ll say if we keep watching.”
The interviewer was chuckling. “I should hope so,” he said. “You beat out some top contenders such as Pierre Lamont, Jean Dubois, and even supermodel Adrien Agreste.”
As the interviewer spoke, images of the three runners-up flashed on the screen. All three were extremely attractive young men.
“What can I say?” Chat said with a laugh. “Girls dig the bell.”
“Oh, I don’t think it’s just the bell,” the interviewer said with a sly smile. “We’ve got some pictures here that I think tell a bit of a different story.”
Images of Chat Noir started flashing on the screen. Marinette recognized the context behind some of them, but not all. Some of them were Chat in various fighting stances when he was facing off with akumas. Others were Chat actually striking a pose, usually for dramatic effect with a smirk on his face. Others were more candid shots of Chat walking, running, leaping, or flying through the air. One in particular caught Marinette’s eye. It was a simple picture of Chat winding up to throw his baton at an akuma. His muscle definition could be seen easily through the leather catsuit and his glittering emerald eyes were a perfect picture of fierceness and concentration. Marinette involuntarily caught her breath and turned slightly pink.
“You know,” Chat said to the interviewer as picture after picture flashed across the screen, “I’m really going to have to find some way to thank the Ladyblogger. I assume that most of these came from her?”
“She was the largest contributor by far,” the interviewer confirmed. “Although many others were submitted by loyal fans of yours. Once you were nominated, the pictures came flooding in. It seems you have quite a following out there. What do you think about that?”
“That’s very flattering,” Chat said. “I honestly haven’t spent much time thinking about it. Between my civilian life and my superhero work, I tend to stay pretty busy.”
“That’s certainly one thing you have in common with your fans,” the interviewer said. “While you’ve been busy saving the city, they’ve been busy documenting you.”
“As long as they stay out of the way of the akumas, I really don’t mind.”
“Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind if I had people taking such flattering pictures of me,” the interviewer said with a chuckle. The audience laughed along with him.
“But I could never hope to contend with one of Paris’s famous superheroes,” the interviewer continued. “I’m just glad I get to be the one on the stage with you. And with that, it is my pleasure to officially present to you, Chat Noir, the award for Paris’s Most Eligible Bachelor in 2025!”
The interviewer stood and presented Chat with a large plaque. They shook hands and posed with the plaque for a several minutes while the audience whooped and cheered. Finally, the applause started to die down and they both took their seats again, setting the plaque on the small table in between them where it was facing the audience.
“Along with the award, we have a special prize for you,” the interviewer said. “This year, we’ve partnered with Havas Voyages as the title sponsor for this show. They have generously donated a prize of two tickets good for travel and two weeks of lodging at any destination worldwide. These tickets do not expire and can be used one at a time or together.”
“That is incredibly generous!” Chat said. “Wow! I had no idea this award came with a prize like that.”
“Of course!” the interviewer said. “All you have to do is ask Havas Voyages to book the trip and voila! You’re on your way!”
“Well, thank you!” Chat said. “It sounds like it will be a lot of fun.”
“Do you have any ideas who you might like to take with you on this trip?” the interviewer asked.
“Believe it or not, no,” Chat answered. “I don’t have anyone in my life who I could take with me.”
“Not even a certain spotted superheroine?” the interviewer asked with a sly smile.
Chat’s smile faded for just an instant, but returned quickly. “I’m sure Ladybug would absolutely love to go on a trip like this,” Chat said. “Just…not with me.”
A collective groan could be heard from the audience as everyone empathized with Chat. Ladybug’s refusal to date Chat was legendary.
“Well, all I can say is that Ladybug is certainly missing out and not just on the vacation,” the interviewer said. “As voted by the young women of Paris, you are the top cat-ch out of every bachelor in the city.”
“Well, then maybe I can find someone else who would want to go with me,” Chat said with a wry smile. “Isn’t that part of the point of this show? After all, it really wouldn’t be fair to Adrien Agreste and the others if I kept winning Most Eligible Bachelor for multiple years in a row.”
Whoops and catcalls were heard from the crowd in the studio. Marinette felt hot. Something in that statement didn’t sit right with her. The catcalling was even worse.
“Are you saying that you’re open to finding love?” the interviewer asked eagerly. “Are you putting yourself out there for young ladies to express their interest?”
“You know what? Why not?” Chat said with a shrug. “I haven’t really focused on that part of life before, minus trying to woo Ladybug. I held off on dating in the hope that eventually she would see me as more than just a nuisance, but that doesn’t seem like it’s ever going to happen. So I’m going to say yes. I’m eligible, I’m available, and I’m ready to start dating.”
Marinette felt her heart catch in her chest as she heard Chat declare his openness to dating. It was an unfamiliar sensation and she wasn’t quite sure what she was feeling. She had never thought of him as a nuisance. Had she been giving him the feeling that he wasn’t her equal? Just because she focused on their job instead of silly puns and flirting?
“I’m sure there are a lot of young women who are excited that you’ve decided that you are, in fact, open to dating,” the interviewer said. “On that note, what are you looking for in a partner?”
Marinette felt a flash of annoyance at the interviewer’s use of the word. “I’m his partner,” she said irritably to the screen.
“The biggest thing is that I want someone who loves me for who I am,” Chat answered. “These pictures are all very flattering, but they don’t tell the whole story. I fight out of necessity, but I’m not really a warrior at heart. I’m a goofy kid who likes to make puns and jokes. I like playing games and I sometimes make a game out of the akuma fights. And I’m kind of over the top when I love someone, as Ladybug would confirm. I want someone who likes that kind of energy and who wants to love an overgrown catboy who just wants to cuddle all of the time.”
Although Chat kept his tone light and carefree, Marinette knew him well enough that she could hear the slight plea in his voice. It pricked her heart yet again. She leaned forward toward the screen.
“An overgrown catboy, huh?” the interviewer said. “Surely you won’t stay in your mask all of the time. Aren’t you going to let your lucky lady discover who you are at some point?”
“At some point, yes, of course,” Chat agreed. “I’ve long felt like someone would have to know both sides of me in order to truly love me and that means taking off the mask. But that would be down the road quite a way. I would really have to trust someone to let her take off my mask.”
“And what about Hawk Moth?” the interviewer asked. “Are you afraid of him targeting the girl you choose?”
“That is, of course, always on my mind,” Chat replied. “He is the reason why Ladybug always refused to allow us to reveal our identities to one another. My stance is that I can’t stop living my life just because one guy wants to be a prick. Is it risky? Yes, it is. Will anyone who wants to date me have to accept that risk? Yes, she will. And that’s no small thing. Even Ladybug herself, who is one of the bravest women I know, couldn’t stomach that kind of risk, so it will take an exceptionally strong woman to do so.”
“Did he just backhand compliment me?” Marinette muttered to herself, her eyebrows knitting together.
“That is certainly going to make it harder, isn’t it?” the interviewer said. “But it won’t be forever, right? Someday, you and Ladybug will defeat Hawk Moth and everyone will be safe. After that’s all over, what are you hoping to do with your life?”
“Are you asking me what I want to be when I grow up?” Chat asked, eliciting a laugh from the audience. “If you asked Ladybug, she would tell you that I’ll never grow up. ‘Nine years we’ve been fighting Hawk Moth and you still act like a child, Chat Noir.’” Chat mimicked Ladybug’s voice for the last part.
Marinette’s face burned red with embarrassment. She had said that, recently in fact, but it sounded so much worse when he said it. She hadn’t meant it unkindly. Just…you know, she was annoyed. Chat was being careless, taking stupid risks. She hadn’t mean to offend him.
“But in all seriousness, there is a lot I want to do with my life,” Chat was continuing on the tv. “I’ve always loved kids and I’ve always enjoyed when I’ve been able to do charity work. I’m hoping that someday I’ll be able to focus on that, maybe do something like Doctors Without Borders where I help kids specifically. Or maybe build schools.” This elicited a bunch of aww’s from the audience.
“I never knew he wanted to do charity work,” Marinette murmured to herself. “Kids, though. That was obvious. He always helps the kids first after an akuma attack. And he’s always so sweet to them.” A faint smile plied her lips.
“That’s a very ambitious life plan,” the interviewer said. “So, you need a partner who will stand with you until Hawk Moth is defeated and then work alongside you as you do charity work across the world. And be as affectionate as a catboy needs. Did I get that correct?”
“Sounds about right to me,” Chat affirmed. “I can’t say that life with me would always be easy, especially at the outset. But I can promise that whoever becomes my life partner will always be deeply loved.”
Marinette bristled again at his use of the word ‘partner’. “I’m your partner, Chat!” she exclaimed toward the screen.
“Only for akuma battles,” Tikki said.
“That’s not true,” Marinette disagreed. “We’re partners in lots of things. We don’t just fight akumas. We’ve attended a lot of events over the years. We see each other multiple times a week for patrol. It’s not just fighting.”
Tikki shrugged. “Maybe so,” she said. “But it’s not like you’ve ever shown any romantic interest in Chat. Remember what you said to him?”
“I know what I said, Tikki,” Marinette replied, her tone sharp.
“Then why are you so upset about Chat dating?” Tikki asked. “If you don’t want him, then it’s only fair that he finds someone who does.”
“He’s…because…I…I don’t know,” Marinette admitted. “If you asked me yesterday, I would have said it’s totally fine. But them calling someone else his partner…and thinking about him going on a romantic trip with someone else…I don’t like that thought.”
“Why not?” Tikki asked curiously.
“I don’t know, Tikki. I really don’t know. I feel like…I don’t know. Like their words woke up something angry inside of me. Something that wants to latch onto Chat and hiss at anyone who comes close.”
“Are you jealous?”
“…maybe? I’ve never felt like this before. Chat was always just a goofy kitty who was as annoying as he was competent. I’ve never even considered seeing him in a romantic light.”
“But…”
“But…I don’t know. I guess seeing him there on the show made me see him differently,” Marinette said slowly. On the screen, the interview was wrapping up.
“So, for any ladies who would be interested in dating Paris’s favorite cat, please reach out to the Ladyblogger, who will be coordinating everything. If you succeed, not only will you cat-ch an amazing young man, but you’ll have a wonderful vacation courtesy of our studio. Who knows? Perhaps it could be your honeymoon!” the interviewer threw in that last part with a huge wink.
“Thank you for having me and for the award,” Chat said. “I look forward to meeting some incredible young ladies very soon.”
“Thank you, everyone!” the interviewer concluded to cheers and applause, and the show went to the ending screen.
Marinette slumped back in her chair. She felt oddly emotionally drained. Why did she feel this way? She’d never cared if Chat dated anyone in the past. Once he stopped trying to earn her affections, the topic just never came up again. She never bothered to ask him about his love life and he respected her boundaries by never asking about hers.
Truth be told, Marinette had never really been romantically interested in anyone. Sure, she had been on a few dates during lycée and university, but she had never cared to pursue it any further. She found most guys to be pretty dull, especially in comparison to her life as a superheroine. None of them could understand the feeling of running on the rooftops, or throwing yourself off the Eiffel Tower, or battling an akuma. Being Ladybug was wild and exciting, and it made everything else feel dull by comparison. There wasn’t a single guy on earth who could relate to that. … Except maybe Chat Noir.
But Chat Noir was just a silly cat. He had a bell on his suit, for heaven’s sake. He was always making puns and jokes at the worst times and he always tried to turn everything into a game. He never seemed to take anything seriously, even akuma battles. He loved to tease her, pushing her buttons until she started chasing him up and down the Eiffel Tower. He drove her crazy and sometimes she was more than happy when patrol ended and she could get away from him.
So why was she suddenly feeling so possessive?
Maybe it was just because they had been working together for nine years. That was quite a while (nearly half her life!). It was natural that she would feel uncomfortable with having someone else taking up his time. Yes, that was all. It was a simple case of proximity. She was used to having him around. They had a pattern and it would be weird for that pattern to change. Yes, that was it.
But as Marinette turned away from the tv and tried to concentrate, she struggled. The harder she tried to focus on her work, the more Chat’s face came into her view, making it difficult to see what she was doing. Frustrated, she threw her work down with a growl.
“What’s wrong, Marinette?” Tikki asked.
“It’s that stupid cat!” Marinette exclaimed. “Of course he has to go on the tv and get an interview and look all hot and everything and now I can’t focus.”
“Are you sure that’s his fault?”
“Of course it is! He didn’t have to accept the interview or the award.”
“That’s not what I was talking about and you know it.”
“What else would you be talking about?”
“Didn’t you just admit out loud that Chat looked hot?”
Marinette growled again, sounding very much like the cat she was trying to forget. “Those pictures were just…flattering angles, that’s all.”
“Marinette, there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to your partner.”
“I’m not attracted to my partner,” Marinette said, feeling heat in her cheeks. “It’s just…he’s my partner.”
Without really thinking about it, Marinette packed up a large box of pastries into her backpack. What exactly her intention was, even she wasn’t completely certain. She was jealous even though she didn’t want to admit it. It wasn’t a good feeling and she felt compelled to do something about it. Maybe…maybe there was more to their relationship than she herself had realized.
Either way, she was determined that no one else would get Chat Noir. He was her partner and he would stay that way. It is said that all is fair in love and war. Marinette felt like her relationship with her partner was under attack. She just wasn’t quite sure by whom or why she felt that way.
