Chapter 13 - A Kiss

Alya stood up and started to pace the room.

It all made sense to her now. Marinette must've gotten a mark for Cat Noir, while Adrien got one for Marinette. It would explain why Marinette was trying to avoid Adrien, so she could try and get together with her soulmate, while Adrien tried to do the opposite. It would explain everything.

She still couldn't believe it. She was actually friends with a superhero! How had she not figured this out before? How had not figured it out before?!

That stupid cat had better give her an exclusive interview once all this soulmate stuff was sorted out.

The next day, when Alya arrived at school, she scanned the yard and found him at once.

She walked straight over to Nino and Adrien, determined to talk to the latter.

"Adrien, can I talk to you? It's important," Alya said.

Nino and Adrien looked at each other before Adrien obliged, a little confused.

"I'll see you in class, Nino," He said. Nino kissed Alya on the cheek briefly and set off for class.

Once Nino had left, Alya pulled Adrien to a shady area behind a huge sycamore tree. Marinette and her used this spot when they wanted to be sure no one would overhear them.

When she looked around and saw no one was near, she whacked Adrien on the head.

"OW! What did you do that for?" Adrien asked, rubbing his forehead.

"You, you stupid cat, hurt my best friend. I don't care if you're a superhero, I will kill you. I don't know what you did, but you made her really upset. So, before I can help you fix this situation, I need to know. How, exactly, did you hurt Marinette?" Alya asked.

"Y-you-"

"Yes, I figured it out. You're Cat Noir, superhero of Paris. But what's more important right now is what you did," Alya said impatiently.

Adrien stared at her, wide-eyed. He couldn't believe that someone knew about his secret identity, but right now he had to explain to Alya. She was clearly furious.

"Um, uh, well, the other night when I was on patrol with Ladybug, I may have confessed I loved her, but I think Marinette overheard me," Adrien mumbled.

This resulted in Alya hitting him on the head again.

"OW! You hit harder than some of the akumas do," Adrien said.

"I don't like you right now, but in order to help my best friend I have to help you fix your relationship. But it's going to be harder than you think. You basically established in Marinette's head that she will never be as good as Ladybug, and it will be hard to undo what's been done."

"I'm ready to do anything to get her to forgive me," Adrien said honestly.

"Good, I'll think up a plan, just you wait. In the meantime, we have to get to class," Alya said.

"Just one thing. How did you figure it out? That I'm - that I'm Cat Noir?" Adrien asked hesitantly.

"Used some common sense. Now come on, let's get to class."

When the two of them arrived at class, Marinette and Nino were sitting in their seats. They both looked at them questioningly, signalling they wanted answers later.

When Alya sat down, Marinette nudged her.

"What were you talking about with Adrien?" she asked.

"Nothing much, I'll tell you later," Alya said quickly.

Alya was determined to come up with a plan to get Marinette and Adrien on the right path. Too bad fate beat her to it.

Later that day, just as school ended, people were running and screaming. They were all wearing masks and costumes. When Marinette looked up there was a girl who had been akumatized who was storming around Paris.

She was wearing a white mask and her eyes had become completely black. She was wearing a short black dress, knee-high black boots and a black cloak with the hood up. She also had a black whip, which she was using to entrap people, who then seemed to glow and then look lifeless. Each time it happened, she laughed with happiness.

Before Marinette could transform, though, she was being swept away by all the people trying to run away.

Adrien saw her too, and was instantly worried for his soulmate's safety. He quickly ran to a hiding spot and said the three words:

"Plagg, claws out!"

Adrien transformed quickly and went to go fight the akuma.

"You know, it really isn't polite to tie people up," he said, leaning casually against a wall, totally unafraid. She turned around and saw him, immediately trying to entrap him with her whip.

"I'm not tying them up! I'm freeing them, freeing them of a lifetime with someone who was chosen for them. I am the Soul Reaper, and I take people's soulmate marks so they can choose their own destiny. Just like I'm going to take yours, after I take your miraculous," she said.

She then kept trying to hit Cat Noir with her whip but kept missing as he dodged expertly out of the way. She sometimes hit other people, after which they would glow and then become lifeless. After each soulmate mark she captured, she seemed to get stronger.

Meanwhile, Marinette had finally gotten free of the crowd. She was running to a safe space to transform, when the Soul Reaper hit a tree. It was about to collapse right onto her, but she had no idea.

"MARINETTE!" Cat Noir cried out. He saw all this in one second and raced to save her. He jumped down and carried Marinette out of the way. He then brought her back to the school and hid her in a janitor's closet he sometimes used to transform in.

"Stay here, Marinette. I won't be able to fight the akuma if I think you're not safe, that you're in danger," Cat Noir said.

"But I-" Marinette started, staring at him, but was cut off.

Cut off by Cat Noir kissing her.

It was quick, but still left her feeling breathless. No matter how mad she was at Cat Noir, the fact was that she'd still dreamed about this moment every day. She'd dreamed about it since she'd realized her feelings for Cat Noir, since that magical day where they'd held hands and Marinette hadn't thought she could like anyone more.

Or maybe love?

All of these thoughts rushed into her head at the same time, and as he pulled away, she realized it was so much better than anything she could have imagined.

He looked at her.

"Please, Marinette. I'll find you after, I promise."

Marinette was still in shock, so she just nodded her head slowly, not able to rip her gaze from his.