Marichat Day 18: Rejection
Chat Noir sat in front of the smoldering remains of the billboard. He always found it interesting that his power didn’t leave a burning smell. There was just smoke and nothingness, a blankness where a destructive odor should be.
He glanced down from his perch to see Marinette looking up at him from the street. “What are you doing up there?” she asked. She held a large tote bag in her arms, bolts of fabric sticking out the top.
Chat Noir sighed and dropped down beside her. “Cleaning up Paris, Princess. Would you like a hand?” He reached for the bag before she could answer.
Marinette looked back up at the missing billboard. “Did you Cataclysm the Gabriel ad?”
“What would make you think that?”
“Because the billboard is gone,” she answered simply. “And I remember seeing Adrien’s picture up there on my way to the store.”
“That would certainly be an irresponsible use of my powers,” he replied nonchalantly.
Marinette chewed her bottom lip as they started to walk towards the bakery. “Sometimes I worry about him.”
“Adrien. I wonder if he even likes having his face all over the city.”
“No,” Chat Noir answered. “I don’t think he does.”
Marinette nodded. “I know I wouldn’t like it. Some days it’s hard enough looking in the mirror.”
Chat Noir furrowed his brow. “Are you okay?”
She waved him off. “I’m fine. That sounded more dramatic than I meant. It’s only, everyone has bad days, you know? There are days when I want to forget who I am and I’m sure Adrien is the same way, but that’s got to be hard to do when your face can be seen on every main street.”
The pair walked in silence the rest of the way to the bakery. Chat Noir handed the heavy bag back to Marinette. “You should talk to Adrien more.”
Marinette blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”
Chat Noir shifted uneasily. “Maybe he doesn’t have anyone who understands.”
“I don’t know that I can,” she hesitated. “I have a hard time talking around him.”
“Why?” A loud warning beep rang out from Chat Noir’s ring. He looked down to see one flashing pad left on the paw print. His shoulders slumped. “Guess we’ll have to continue this another time. Have a good day, Marinette.”
“Until next time, Chat.” Marinette watched him vault across the city, realizing he never actually said he didn’t destroy the Gabriel billboard.
