Marinette felt bad she had ignored him for so long.  She knew he never deserved such treatment from anyone. Least of all, her.

    "Chat, I am sorry. It is just I got sidetracked."

    "Sidetracked?  I am hurt."

     Marinette saw the tears as they spilled from Chat's face. She knew she messed up then.

     "Chat, I am sorry."

    "I know. I should have known not to expect much from you. It is not like we are dating or anything."

    Chat stepped closer to her. He saw a look he had not seen in years. It scared him. His princess was in pain. He did not know how to help her.

     "Marinette, you can tell me."

   "Tell you, what?"

   "What is it that troubles you so much you feel you have to drown yourself in your work?" 

   "My sister is dead, and there is nothing I can do to bring her back."   

    Chat reached over and embraced her. Despite his pain, he hugged her.

       Marinette let herself feel comfort in his arms. She closed her eyes. She did not understand how, but somehow she knew then things would be different from then on out.

       The landlady entered the apartment unannounced. She was about to ask for the rent. She sensed she came at a  bad time and slowly backed away from the room. She mouthed the word "Sorry" as she closed the door behind her.

        Chat pulled away from Marinette.  He took a look at an object Marinette was working on and blushed. He thought, Whoa, what does she plan to do with it?  He dropped it from his fingers.

         Marinette saw him try to grab up her sketchbook. The same one Alya scanned through earlier. The one no one was meant to see but especially not Alya or Chat Noir.  It contained a few secrets she preferred no one to view.  It was the one she drew in after she cried alone. The same one she wrote in when she was depressed. Lately, she was more depressed than happy.

         It had been six months since her sister's death.  It was a freak accident that took Tikki from her, but she could not seem to find it in her heart to forgive the man who killed her. To do so, she reasoned, would mean she would have to face him. She could not. Not when it meant some memories would come to the surface. Memories she hated. Memories that she felt ruined her life.

       Chat did not know about the burden Marinette carried with her. He could not possibly understand.  He did know that she needed a friend. A shoulder to cry on, and he knew as much as it pained him that he would do it even if it meant she never returned his love for her. 

     "I uh, never meant to make you cry, Chat."

     "I know. I will be okay."

     Chat kissed her forehead. He stepped away.

        "Princess, I will grab you some cocoa from the cafe around the corner."

   Marinette watched him leave. She felt a blush return to her face. She could still feel the warmth that remained from his kiss. She dared not speak of it to anyone.

     A few minutes later, Chat returned true to his word with the hot chocolate.

    "Thanks, Chat!"

    "You are welcome, Mari."

Find out more in What is all This? part 3  (Marichat)

  bye, bye little owlets!

-Summer out!