"People are so quick to judge what they see at first glance. They end up missing out on the whole picture because of that."

— Forbidden Fruits

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

»»☆««

What awoke most the following morning wasn't a chorus of synchronized birds singing at the top of their lungs, but instead, it was the desert sun barely climbing over the peak of the distant mountain ranges. Even with little light, it still seemed to be plenty for Chat Noir's men to begin packing their belongings. Although it was still dark, they seemed eager to leave, and in fact, the morning itself was relieving for everyone who'd been unfortunate enough to spend the night in the middle of the treacherous bear country. However, it did mean that no grizzly had come lumbering through their camp—which was a good thing!

But for Marinette, waking up hadn't been so relieving.

Soft snores are what slowly awoke her. It was still dark inside the tent, but Marinette's eyes easily adjusted as she took in her surroundings. Kit was already gone, probably already outside helping pack up camp if the low murmurs of the men were anything to go by. Her eyes widened, however, when she caught the sight of Chat Noir sound asleep at her side, his mouth slightly agape as he snored. For once, his brows were relaxed, indicating just how comfortable he was while he slept. His blonde mop-top was poking out all over the place, framing his chiseled jawline.

The first thought that crossed her mind was that he was vulnerable. Sure, he was physically injured, but that wasn't the type of vulnerability she meant. He was letting himself be vulnerable by allowing her to sleep here in his tent with him, knowing fully well that she intended to kill him.

She could do it too. Her eyes drifted over to his belt hung at the entrance of the tent on a hook beside his hat, where the holster of his revolver still hung. All she had to do was grab his pistol and shoot a bullet right through his brain. Sure, the guards would hear it right after, and she might be sentenced to death herself for killing their leader... but...

But... do you actually want to kill him?

Her eyes widened as her subconscious nagged at her. That wasn't supposed to be her thought process. Her next thought was supposed to be: but was her life something she was willing to risk?

But now, it seemed even she wasn't so sure if killing him was what she truly wanted.

After last night, when Marinette thought about taking Chat Noir's life, she thought about how it would hurt Kit—the only woman she'd ever loathed in her entire life. It was ridiculous, and yet, she had sympathy for her. They were siblings; the only family they had left was each other. After hearing Kit's cries from Chat Noir's tent last night, she could only imagine just how devastated the already broken young woman would be if Marinette were to take her brother's life.

She exhaled a defeated sigh, shaking her head in slight frustration. It was then that she came to a single realization.

She couldn't kill Chat Noir. She no longer wanted to kill Chat Noir.

But that didn't mean her dislike for him had dissipated!

She glanced down at him again, simply watching as his chest rose and fell with every labored breath he inhaled and exhaled.

His bare chest.

And suddenly, her cheeks were madly flushed. Why was she blushing? Since when did she ever blush over a criminal, let alone Chat Noir? And now she was hot. Why was she so hot?

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Marinette quickly tried to move away from him. However, sometime during the night, Chat Noir's arm had subconsciously found its way around her waist, so when she tried to hastily withdraw from his side, she ended up forcefully falling back—

—RIGHT INTO HIS DAMN CHEST!

Her clumsiness was surely not a graceful sight, and she was glad no one else was there to see it. With a grunt, the back of her head smashed his collarbone, and the brunt of the impact instantly startled Chat Noir awake. His arms quickly wove around her, as if his first instinct was to catch her from a fall, and then his chin titled downward, his wide, emerald irises blinking owlishly at her in surprise.

Marinette simply swallowed nervously. She could feel the heat of his chest burning into her back. Because he had sat up slightly, their faces were incredibly close, so close that she could feel his warm breath leaving his partly slighted lips as he stared at her in shocked confusion.

Neither of them said a word. Marinette was in shock too. In truth, Marinette had never been more embarrassed in her life. Her cheeks were heated, her heart was racing, and their mouths were so close that she could have sworn she saw the bloody bandit briefly glance down at her lips before his eyes darted back up to hers, searching them unsurely.

Finally, as if snapped out of her stupor, Marinette cleared her throat.

That caused Chat Noir to quickly backpedal. He held her shoulders while he gently pushed her off of him. However, he kept her at arm's length as he continued to search her face, pure concern swirling in his irises.

"Are you alright?" He asked, still seemingly confused.

"I'm fine." Embarrassed, Marinette cleared her throat again. She was still incredibly flushed, and she was certain it was noticeable, but now she couldn't stop thinking about the heat that radiated from his hands as he held her shoulders.

"What happened?" His eyes briefly left her as they quickly surveyed his tent. Perhaps he thought something had scared her, or perhaps someone had entered his tent attempting to hurt her.

Marinette didn't understand it. How could Chat Noir care for her life so much? Why would he want to protect someone whom he barely knew—someone who had once desired to kill him?

"I-I had a bad dream." She easily offered the lie with a shrug of her shoulders. She wouldn't dare tell him that the real reason was because she thought he was hot. "I didn't mean to wake you.. a-and fall on your face. I'm sorry."

A light-hearted smile pulled at his lips. It seemed all the worry he had for her well-being vanished in seconds as a chuckle shortly followed. "As long as you're alright."

He let go of her shoulders then, and with the heat of his hands gone, so went her anxiety. A moment later, Chat Noir turned away from her as he stood to his feet. Marinette had to turn her eyes away when he started to stretch his limbs because the last thing she needed was to watch his muscles expand.

Chat Noir eventually slipped on a shirt... after he took his time pulling on a pair of denim over his briefs. Marinette had a feeling he was doing it on purpose to antagonize her, even though she had no proof of such. After all, Chat Noir wasn't aware that Marinette thought he was hot.

DAMNIT MARINETTE! Get that thought out of your head!

Chat Noir fastened his belt over his hips next. His holster swayed from side to side with the movement. Marinette's eyes followed it, suddenly mesmerized to see the weapon in action. She wanted to see that revolver clasped in between Chat Noir's leathered fingers—

SHIT! WHAT WAS WRONG WITH HER?!

"Are you sure you're alright?" Chat Noir asked her. His brow was raised in confusion as he watched her. "You seem a bit... out of it."

"I'm fine!" Marinette insisted a bit too loudly. Surprisingly, he didn't reprimand her for her tone, but he was eyeing her oddly—as if she'd grown a second head.

"If you're certain." Was his response, and she was grateful he didn't try to push the matter.

He moved towards the entrance of his tent with an obvious limp in his step. She watched him slightly peel open the tent's opening, sparing a peek of what was happening outside. He closed it a moment later, only to spare her a glance over his shoulder.

And then he asked, "Are you decent?"

Her brows furrowed in confusion at his question. At first, she wondered why he would ask her that. She spared a glance down her body. Of course, she was decent! She wouldn't be standing in front of him if she weren't! But then it occurred to her that he meant if she was decent enough for the eyes that lingered outside his tent, and with that realization, she offered him a nod.

Reciprocating that nod, he turned back around and fully opened his tent. She watched as he pinned it open and then proceeded to stride into the camp as if his ribs weren't severely bruised or as if there wasn't a limp in his step. He greeted those who immediately came over to him with a smile. They all showered him with appreciation and glee. Some of them patted his shoulder or shook his hand. Nino even ruffled his hair, and the infamous bandit let him, even chuckling at the gesture. Needless to say, they were all relieved to see that he was okay. The sight had Marinette smiling ever-so-slightly.

"We are not stayin' here another night." Chat assured them all after their reunion had commenced. "My bruised ribs and limp be damned; we are leavin' this blasted bear country t'day."

A chorus of cheers erupted at that because no one wanted to stay in bear country for another night. After they dispersed, they continued packing camp until they were finished, and the mare Marinette had ridden atop was once again meant to be tied to Chat Noir's belt. For the first time since her capture, she watched as Nino assisted Chat Noir onto his horse. He even advised the bandit that Marinette ride attached to his steed instead, but Chat Noir declined the offer.

Marinette wouldn't admit it, but she was glad he declined.

She would rather ride with him instead of Nino.

After Chat Noir was secured onto his horse, they began their trek once more through the luscious bear country. Because he was without a saddle, the tough terrain was difficult to avoid, and so, his ribs throbbed with every step his horse took. Mariette noticed it right away, even though he was trying his hardest to hide each wince.

Because she was riding beside him, it was also easy to spot the hand that was holding his side as they ventured slower than a low trot.

She couldn't help but voice her concerns. "You can take back your saddle if you wish. I think it would help with... with your ribs... and I think I could manage bareback."

She was somewhat surprised when he smiled, and a chuckle escaped past his lips. "I can manage the pain for now. Besides, you wouldn't last five seconds bareback."

He wasn't wrong, but Marinette liked a challenge. "Oh yeah? Give me a couple of lessons and we'll see how long I can last bareback."

He turned to look at her at that, his smile still clearly visible. There was a twinkle in his eye. "You want me to give you ridin' lessons? Are you bein' serious?"

Surprisingly, she was.

Marinette nodded. "Sure, why not? It would be handy to know how."

"Consider it a deal then." The hand that was holding his side suddenly fell limp. She was somewhat surprised when he extended that hand out to her a moment later. When he saw that she was confused, he chuckled, "I usually shake on it when I make a deal." He explained.

Smiling somewhat sheepishly, Marinette extended her hand, and they shook hands.

As he released her hand, he added, "Of course, after I'm all healed up." He said that with a chuckle, even though his ribs were throbbing. He masked his pain pretty well, she had to admit. Most wouldn't even recognize it, but she did somehow.

Somehow? No, she knew why. It was because she was slowly growing closer to him. She was starting to understand him. She was learning things about him. She was beginning to actually enjoy his company. She couldn't say whether that was dangerous or not, but she couldn't really silence her curiosity either no matter how hard she tried.

Perhaps Chat Noir wasn't really as bad as her brothers had made him out to be.

"Right right, of course. We wouldn't want you falling off of your horse." She teased.

He turned to look at her, aghast—though she wasn't sure why. Perhaps because this was the first time she had ever teased him, and she found that she wasn't ashamed of it either. He effortlessly masked his shock though when he smirked. "I've never fallen off my horse."

"Never? I'm sure your bruised ribs would say otherwise."

"The bear knocked me off my horse. There's a difference."

Marinette playfully tsked. "Right, of course. Blame the bear for your imbalance."

The sudden crooked, disbelieved smile pulling at Chat Noir's lips caught her off guard for a brief moment. She'd never seen a more light-hearted expression on his face until now.

"Why are you smiling like that?" She accusingly asked, though her own smile did little to make her question seem as if it were intimidating.

He shook his head and chuckled. "Nothin'. I guess I'm... I'm just a bit surprised we are able to talk like this. I prefer banterin' rather than arguin' with you." He admitted.

His confession surprised her... mostly because she was thinking the exact same thing.

"I... I agree." Marinette said slowly, "I'm tired of arguing and fighting with you."

"I'm glad we're both on the same page then."

Suddenly, Plagg stepped over a rather enormous rock. The movement caused another wince to escape past Chat Noir's lips. It was then that she realized that while they'd been bantering, he hadn't winced once, almost as if their conversation had distracted him from the pain.

All of a sudden, she had a grand desire to keep him distracted.

"Could you teach me how to fight too?" She asked suddenly, hoping the change of topic would do just that.

"And why would I do that?" He countered with a question of his own, and although his tone seemed amused, his expression was entirely serious. His smile from earlier had completely vanished too, almost as if it had never been there.

"So I can defend myself?" Marinette answered as if it were obvious. "I'm basically a damsel in distress out in these parts, aren't I? I'd rather not be known as the weakest link."

He hummed idly as if he understood, but his expression didn't change in the slightest. "In normal circumstances, I would say yes, but considerin' I took you, the last thing I need is for you to use those skills against me."

Marinette knew his point was valid. After all, the number of times she had blatantly stated in the past that she wanted to kill him was uncountable. However, that didn't mean that she didn't find his words offensive.

"If I wanted to kill you, I could've done so when you were lying injured in your bed." Marinette said seriously, "I could've taken your revolver, which hung from your belt at the entrance of your tent, and I could've blasted a bullet through your head. Hell, I could've used the damn belt itself to strangle you."

Chat Noir said nothing in response to that. Instead, he kept his eyes forward.

"I could've even left your wounds unattended." She continued on. "After all, I was the only one who knew what to do. Had I done nothing, you could have died from an infection. Shouldn't these three instances be enough proof that I no longer wish to see your head in a noose?"

She watched as he spared her a glance out of the corner of his eye. Chat Noir searched her eyes for what seemed like centuries, but she had no idea what he was searching for. Perhaps he was looking to see if she was actually telling the truth; if every word that came out of her mouth was genuine. After all, it was easy to catch a liar if you watched his eyes. However, if Chat Noir knew her so well as he had once claimed, he should've known that Marinette wasn't a liar.

After seeming to have considered her words, his eyes finally averted from hers. Then, he asked, "What made you change your mind?"

There were many factors that played into that decision. The first had been Kit's despair when her brother almost died. The second had been Nino, who considered Chat Noir to be his friend and his savior. The third was all of Chat Noir's followers who loved him and depended on him. The fourth was that she simply no longer hated him.

"I..." Marinette glanced off to the side, suddenly too embarrassed to look at his face, even if all he offered her was his side profile. "I realized there are too many people who would be devastated if you died, and I simply just don't want to kill you anymore. Perhaps that's because I no longer hate you."

There was a long pause. The only sounds that could be heard were the click-clack of their horses' hoofs, along with the murmurs of the men who traveled nearby beside them. Finally, Chat Noir broke that pause of silence.

"...you don't hate me?"

Marinette turned to look at him again, only to find that he was already looking at her. The look he offered her was skeptical as if he were still unsure if her words were true.

"No, I don't." She admitted truthfully, "But you do frustrate me. I wish you would just be honest and tell me why you took me."

Her words earned her a half-smile, followed by a soft chuckle. "You'll know eventually," he said earnestly, "But only when it's time for you to know why."

"Why does there have to be a specific time? Can't you just tell me now?"

"There is a time and a place for everythin'. Now is not that time."

Although that answer frustrated her, Marinette supposed it was better than nothing. At least it seemed as if Chat Noir was willing to tell her someday. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to wait too long for the truth.

For now, though, she would drop it. They were already growing closer anyway, perhaps even crossing the line between acquaintanceship and friendship (if she was even willing to admit that yet.) Sure, she no longer hated him and could admit that she enjoyed his company, but could she call him a friend?

Friendship required trust, and although Marinette trusted Chat Noir when her life was concerned, that was only to an extent. She didn't quite trust him with other things, especially when he was so vague about his plans with her; like what he planned to do with her in the end, or just how far he was willing to go in order to get what he wanted. Was she even a factor in what he wanted? Or was she just an end to a mean? Chat Noir claimed he would protect her life at all costs, but for how long? If she was no longer any use to him, would he disregard her?

She wanted to ask these things, but something held her back from voicing her doubts. Perhaps it was because they were already growing closer, and little by little, Chat Noir was allowing her into his world. He was opening up slightly, somewhat revealing who he was on the inside. She had a feeling that if she brought up these skepticisms, Chat Noir would shut her out again, and she would be back to square one.

After all, if he had to give her a reason to trust him, she had to give him one too.

Soon, Chat Noir would reveal the truth to her. There was even a possibility of him revealing who he really was behind that black mask of his if he trusted her enough.

It would take time for them to gain each other's trust, and if Marinette wanted to know the reasoning behind her kidnapping, she would have to earn his trust... and be patient.

To lighten the mood, Marinette leaned over to nudge his shoulder. The gesture must've caught him off guard because Chat Noir almost slid off the side of his horse. A girlish yelp escaped his lips as his grip ungracefully latched onto Plagg's mane. The back of the black stallion's ears fell back as he whinnied uncomfortably, roughly shaking his head. Marinette couldn't help the fits of laughter that escaped past her lips as he struggled to straighten himself.

"I didn't even hit you that hard!" She exclaimed behind amused gasps.

Chat Noir was pouting like a child who hadn't gotten his way when their eyes met, and that was enough to send her into another fit of giggles. Thankfully, her laughter seemed to be contagious as he shortly followed her laughing spree with a few chuckles of his own.

"And here I thought I was the damsel in distress who could rely on you if I fell." He was grinning widely at her now, a wink even following behind that black mask of his.

She couldn't help but double over her mare, her laughter once again filling the air.

Unbeknownst to them both, however, a pair of eyes closely watched their interaction. As Chat Noir and Marinette bantered and even touched one another, the bandit's sister couldn't help but frown, a nasty sneer pulling at the corner of her lips as she watched her brother be blinded by the woman he was infatuated with.

_______________________________

Did Chat Noir and Marinette just have ANOTHER moment?? More than that, my friends.

Their relationship is ✨blossoming✨

Hope everyone had a fairly good week! Mine was... eh. I had to take my car to the shop so my wallet is currently crying.

Anyway, thank you once again for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you again in the next update on 8/12/2022!

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