Marinette let out a sigh. Ever since she “rescued” Chat Noir with a kiss, her head had been spinning. Day after day she faced him as though nothing had happened. Recently she discovered that she had formed the habit of looking him dead in the eye, previously she would give him mere glances. She also found herself staring at his lips when he spoke. Good thing he hadn’t noticed, otherwise he would become suspicious and eventually find out about the kiss.

She knew that telling him would be a cat astrophe. Great. Now she was making those dumb puns. The painful utterances that always escaped his lips. His paws itively delicious lips. Oh God, what was she thinking? She had to focus.

“Marinette?” Alya gently touched Marinette’s arm as the rest of her classmates began to exit the classroom. Marinette blinked and unconsciously looked at Alya wide-eyed.

“What’s wrong? Adrien just looked at you, and you missed it! Something is definitely wrong,” Alya squinted at Marinette.

“Oh… No no no! It’s nothing, just overwhelmed by all that homework we were just assigned,” Marinette struggled to find excuses for her absent-mindedness.

“Um, there wasn’t any homework,” said Alya, crossing her arms over her chest with just a little bit of sass.

Marinette shut her eyes in distress.  If only she could tell Alya.

“I’m really sorry-” Marinette started when suddenly the ground shook and screams echoed through the hallways. Marinette and Alya ran out of the classroom and tried to figure out what was going on. Suddenly, Mrs. Bustier ran up to them.

“Girls, what are you still doing here? Both of you go home immediately! Some girl is rampaging the school, and she’s doing it in style,” Mrs. Bustier instructed.

As Mrs. Bustier ran into the classroom to make sure no student had been left behind, Marinette and Alya looked at each other.

“How do you rampage in style?” Marinette thought aloud.

“Let’s go find out for ourselves,” Alya replied.

I have to find a place to transform , thought Marinette.

Marinette and Alya ran down the hallways and spotted a gold clad girl turning the white floors to bright pink, and the lockers to solid gold with the wave of her hand. Alya pulled out her phone in awe, and narrated the scene. While Alya was occupied Marinette slipped away into the janitor’s closet.

______________________________________________________________________

Adrien got up to leave the classroom when Chloe approached him.

“Hey Adrien! I was thinking, I have these great fashion designs that I’m sure your dad would love to see,” Chloe yelled loudly enough for everyone to hear.

Adrien glanced sideways at Marinette, who seemed to be lost in thought. He raised his hands defensively, “Uh no… sorry I don’t think my dad is looking for designs from outsiders right now,” he braced himself for the worst.

Chloe was too flustered to give her typical witty comeback. Adrien had just rejected her in front of everyone . She stormed out of the room as soon as the bell rang without another word.

Adrien sighed. He didn’t have the energy to put up with Chloe. He couldn’t stop thinking about Ladybug. She had been acting so strange lately. Maybe it was just him. She seemed so distracted around him. She had never been so out of it. Not that Adrien minded being the hero from time to time, but he was seriously worried.

I hope she’s alright, He thought to himself.  Adrien walked with Nino to the lockers. None of the usual stuttery good-byes from Marinette, how strange. He began to open his locker when he heard someone yell, “Fashion Passion!”. Adrien spun around and found a girl shooting colors and fabrics all around the school. Although she seemed to be focused on him. He ran  around the corner avoiding her enraged shots. As he ran his eyes darted from side to side in search of a place he could have some privacy. Ah, perfect! The janitor’s closet. Without another thought he ran into the closet and shut the door before that insane girl was even around the corner. As he locked the door a pink flash bursted behind him. Adrien turned around carefully.

“Hello?” Adrien whispered into the darkness, “You aren’t a minion for that crazy girl out there, right…?” He continued with uncertainty.

“Chat Noir?” asked a familiar voice.

Adrien froze, “L-Ladybug?” He said hesitantly.

“It’s good to know you’re already here, Chat,” Ladybug said.

Adrien blushed. To think he was that close to finding out who Ladybug really was. What do you know, she really does go to his school, “Of course, I’m always here to  keep you safe, My Lady,” Adrien was playing it cool, when really, he had no idea what to do.

“Alright, well what are we waiting for?” Ladybug asked as she started to unlock the door.

Adrien grabbed Ladybug’s hand, “Wait!” He exclaimed.

Ladybug noticed his hand. Chat Noir had held her hand before, he had claws. This time she didn’t feel any claws, just a normal, bare hand.

“Chat, you're not transformed yet are you?” Ladybug concluded.

“...No, I’m not.” Adrien admitted.

Ladybug became slightly excited. Ever since the kiss, she desperately wanted to know who Chat Noir was. Her fingers were itching to open the door and shine the light on him. If only she had the night vision Chat Noir had.

Before she could open her mouth, a green light shown in her face.

“I’m all set, My Lady,” Chat Noir smirked at Ladybug, even though she couldn’t see him.

Chat Noir and Ladybug burst out of the closet. They were taken aback by the Barbie- Dream-House-like surroundings that used to be their school. They ran out the front door and found most of the streets were the same as the school.

“We’d better hurry if we want to stop this girl,” Ladybug pointed out.

“Yeah, but what does she want?” Chat Noir asked.

“Whatever it is, it’s bad news,” she replied before she dashed down the road, following the bright and stylish path.

                                  *                *                  *

“I am Créatrice de Mode! I am looking for Adrien Agreste! If you don’t want the Eiffel Tower to be a giant accessory, then you’ll bring him to me now!” shouted the so-called ‘Créatrice de Mode’, hovering proudly next to the Eiffel Tower.

“Is there anyone who doesn’t want Adrien?” Ladybug asked without thinking.

“What exactly do you mean by that?” Chat Noir, but mostly Adrien, asked in response.

Ladybug didn’t answer. Instead she went for the attack on Créatrice de Mode. Now that she thought about it, she resembled Chloe, and she had been waiting for an opportunity like this one.

“Don’t tell me you’re in love with another man, My Lady,” Chat Noir laughed, but Adrien listened intently.

“That’s none of your business,” Ladybug answered, more interested in trashing Créatrice de Mode. Much more interested. Although she didn’t quite know the answer herself.

Chat Noir began to lend Ladybug a hand. However, his mind was elsewhere. Could Ladybug really have fallen in love with him- err -Adrien? Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to tell Ladybug who he was… right?

Left and right, Créatrice de Mode ‘fashionized’ Paris, and used her ‘rejection beams’ to tear into things she didn’t want. Ladybug wondered what it would do to a person.

Although Ladybug fought with all of her might, the battle didn’t seem to be going well. Even though she thought she would be confident with all the thrill and revenge in her heart, she suddenly felt intimidated. Even though she had felt as though she could fling her across town. Chloe was one-upping her again. Where was the easy battle? What was up with Chat? He had never fought so clumsily.

Ladybug had had enough, she decided there was only one thing left to do, “Lucky Charm!” She cried out.  Before her lucky charm landed in her hand, Créatrice de Mode zapped a beam at it and threw it out of reach. Ladybug looked behind her and found it was damaged from the attack, useless. No one had ever done that before. Now it had been a waste, and the clock was ticking.

“Oldest trick in the book,” said Créatrice de Mode. 

The dots on her earing went down to two, “Chat! I’m running out of time!” Ladybug declared.

With no response from Chat, she turned to look at him.

“Watch out!” Ladybug screamed.

Chat snapped out of it and barely missed Créatrice de Mode’s attack.

“Pay attention Chat! Where is your mind wandering off to?” Just as Ladybug said this, one of Créatrice de Mode’s beams was headed straight for her.

“Ladybug!” Chat Noir exclaimed. He didn’t waste another second. He lept towards Ladybug and embraced her. Chat took the hit. They fell to the ground.

He grimaced, and then forced a c***y grin, “You should take your own advice, My Lady,” he joked.

Chat Noir held Ladybug tightly. She didn’t seem to respond. Chat looked at her, she was out cold. That’s when he realised he had taken the hit, but she had taken the fall. He had landed on her. If only he had been more careful. Chat struggled to his feet, still holding Ladybug closely, cradling her head on his shoulder. A bright pink light blinded him.

Oh no , thought Chat. He looked down, Ladybug was no longer clad with her red and black polkadotted suit, but instead pink pants and a black shirt. Clothing he felt he recognized. Chat put his right hand over Ladybug’s head, attempting to hide her face from bystanders. Then, picking her up, he made an escape. He heard Créatrice de Mode cackle in the background as if she had won. Hopefully there would still be time to stop her afterwards, but now was not the time.

Then, as if possessed by something, Créatrice de Mode was chasing after them. One second she was happy to see them run in fear, the next she is determined to keep them from escaping. He couldn’t afford to try and face her alone. He was wounded, and Ladybug’s identity would be revealed if he didn’t hide.

Chat turned around and extended his staff towards Créatrice de Mode so that it would knock her in the face. Créatrice de Mode yelped as the head of the staff drove into her nose. Being the perfect little princess she was, she covered her face in agony and flew away crying. Chat let out a sigh of relief and ran off with Ladybug in his arms.

         *                    *                       *

Chat stood motionless in front of his bed. Ladybug still sat in his arms. All the time he spent searching and digging for her secret identity, this was the moment. It was now as simple as laying her down and looking at her face. But he couldn’t bring himself to it. Ladybug began to move, she was waking up.

Chat shut his eyes, “Here goes…” he let her down gently.

Chat kept his eyes for a few seconds longer. He shivered a little. Then couldn’t keep back the dumbest smile he had ever given.

“Chat?” Ladybug croaked.

Chat’s face twitched. He slowly began to open his eyes.

“Marinette?!” Chat’s eyes slowly widened.

Chat almost choked. Marinette felt her face for her mask.

Shocked, Marinette shot up, “What happened?! How did this… you know who I am?” The answer was obvious but she hadn’t really taken the time to think.

Chat looked at Marinette, “Yeah, you’re transformation came undone while you were out.”

Chat knew it was only fair, he let Plagg know it was time to undo the transformation. The green light flashed. Chat maintained eye-contact. Marinette gasped.

      *                *               * 

As the reality of the whole situation sunk in, Marinette nearly drove herself mad at the thought that Adrien really was  Chat Noir.  No amount of time waiting was going to change that. She wasn’t going to wake up and realize it was all a dream. Adrien was Chat Noir. She felt so embarrassed. All those times shyly flirting with Adrien, trying desperately to tell him how she felt, yet simultaneously rejecting him bluntly as Chat Noir. What could Adrien be thinking of her now?

“Don’t worry, I’m kinda embarrassed too,” Adrien said, noticing her distraught expression, “It’s not like either of us knew… besides this is good isn’t it?  Sure it looks as though we have been keeping our distances from each other because we thought we were in love with someone else. But in reality, this whole time, we’ve had our eyes set with each other,”

Marinette knew Adrien was right. They really had fallen for each other without even knowing it. Just like they had always wanted it to be. Marinette looked at Adrien, when it occurred to her, she was on Adrien’s bed! Marinette’s face turned as red as her earrings.

Adrien chuckled and  sat next to her. He looked at Marinette reassuringly and gave her a hug. Marinette wrapped her arms around Adrien. He flinched and cried in pain.

“W-what’s wrong?” Marinette asked, concerned and confused.

“I got hit by one of Créatrice de Mode’s attacks. Don’t worry, it’s really not that big of a deal,” Adrien lied as he stood up.

Marinette didn’t think twice, “Shut up and come here, Cha- uh, Adrien,” she said, pretending to ignore her screw-up, when really she was kicking herself for talking to him like he was dumb, flirty Chat. Well he was. But he wasn't. Which one was the real Adrien?

“You'd better get used to calling me by the right name at the right time or else my secret identity will be in trouble,” Adrien said, half-jokingly.

“Please, just- sit down,” Marinette ordered.  

                                                   *         *          *

Marinette blushed as she watched Adrien take off his button-up white shirt and black t-shirt. She stared intensely at the slow unveiling of his abs.  It wasn't the 8-pack she expected, but glorious nonetheless. After all, she was seeing Adrien shirtless! She could die happy now.

Then Adrien turned around and Marinette’s face dropped. She thought Adrien’s back would have a burn, but his back looked like it had been ripped into. Thankfully, it wouldn’t scar, but it was ugly. There was a large circle traced around his back, as though someone had cut out the skin with a pair of scissors. Or as if his skin had been disintegrated. But it wouldn’t scar. Right? It just couldn’t possibly scar, it wasn’t that deep.  It had hardly passed the second layer of skin. She knew this because instead of seeing ripped flesh and fatty tissues, she saw a layer of bright pink. Anatomy and Physiology class had finally come in useful.

Marinette knew she needed to stop obsessing over scaring and stop the bleeding. She noticed that the back of Adrien’s white shirt was soaked bright red and there was a circular hole.

“Oh my God, Adrien why didn’t you say anything?” Marinette exclaimed.

“Because he’s a dumbass,”  said a third voice. Adrien ducked sheepishly.

“ Plagg!” he whispered desperately. Marinette peeked over Adrien’s shoulder.

“What was that?” she asked.

“N-nothing!” Adrien shouted,clearly hiding something. Suddenly a black blur flew in front of Marinette. A small black cat, similar in size to Tikki.

“How rude, I’m far from nothing! Plagg, at your service… or maybe not,” Plagg bowed sarcastically.

“Are you Adrien’s kwami?” Marinette guessed aloud.

“Who else would I be? His fairy god parent?” Plagg responded, rolling his eyes.

“Plagg, don’t be rude!” Adrien snapped. He turned around to look at Plagg and cringed, as every movement was excruciating.  Marinette turned her attention away from Plagg. She was always watching Adrien, whether it was directly and painfully obvious, or if it was from the corner of her eye. Every action, every subtle expression, she analyzed. It was an obsession. Was it possible to care too deeply for someone? Her fingers curled like the ends of her black pigtails that rested low on her shoulders. They dug into the fabric of her pink capris as she pondered about the pure fantasy of reality she was currently experiencing. She had spent all of her high-school days thus far silently loving Adrien. She had studied him like a textbook. Watched him more than her own reflection, but perhaps that was because she had a picture of him taped to her bathroom mirror.

Maybe her ignorance of the person that is herself was the reason she dismissed the hidden feelings she had for Chat Noir. The reason she hadn’t noticed how his smile made her heart jump. The reason she had almost purposely forgotten her artistic ability to connect the dots and see that clearly Chat Noir was Adrien.

Now she saw that Adrien and Chat Noir were one. Therefore they were both sitting in front of her. As she stared at the back of his head, she could see the resemblance. But the thought. The memory of the polar opposites that their personalities are, or were, disturbed her so much. They weren’t opposites anymore, they were united as something new. Something she never knew, or never thought she knew. She had known a different side of Adrien this whole time. She knew him. She no longer watched him, but she knew him. And now she was with him, alone in his room! How was this real? It just wasn’t possible.

Adrien noticed Marinette had been quiet for a while. He glanced back slightly in attempt to give her his attention without feeling pain.

“Look, I’m really sorry to worry you like this, I just couldn’t stand there and watch you get hit. And I didn’t want you to know I was hurt either.”

“No, it’s not that. I-I just tend over think things. It’s still kind of weird to me, you know?” she murmured.

“By ‘it’ you mean me, don’t you?” Adrien held his tongue as he turned all the way around to face Marinette. Beads of sweat escaped his forehead as he refrained from letting out a scream. Marinette noticed.

“I mean… maybe,” she looked down nervously, then looked back up to check on him.

“Well, I’m sorry that who I turned out to be disappointed you, but if I mean anything to you it means accepting me. All of me,” Adrien’s gaze burned into Marinette’s. This was the first time Marinette had heard such a serious, almost distant tone in his voice. It was as though he was very sensitive to anything considering himself, particularly when it comes to Marinette’s opinion. It was strange, since he was a model, always having attention on him. Wasn’t everything about him already in the open? Well… except for the fact that he was Chat Noir.

“No! You aren’t a disappointment. I’m just really confused, and a little embarrassed about that sorry excuse for a confession,” Marinette blushed.

Adrien leaned back trying to recall any confessions. Then he realized she was talking about earlier that day during the battle. He laughed.

“Don’t worry about it. It actually made me really excited, I had no idea you liked me,”

Marinette grinned shyly, “But everyone likes you, Adrien,”

Adrien ran his fingers through his hair, “I guess, but that’s different. You’re different,”

In that moment the room fell silent. Marinette and Adrien sat staring at each other. Adrien leaned in closer.

“Um, excuse me! Plagg still exists! Heellloooooo!” Plagg placed himself in between Adrien and Marinette. Adrien made a sound resembling a hiss, but maybe it was just an angry sigh.

“Plagg! You little brat!” Adrien swung in Plagg’s direction, not really intending to hit him. Plagg laughed and stuck his tongue out.

“What can I say? You were ignoring me,” Plagg crossed his tiny arms, “That’s unacceptable. Besides, you should be apologising to me!”

Adrien made a face, “Apologising?!”

“Yeah, I mean I knew it was Marinette this whole time. You never actually stopped to listen to me though. You guys sure are slow. You make a perfect match, isn’t that right, Tikki?”  Plagg looked confidently in the direction of Marinette’s purse.

Adrien watched as a red figure peered out of the small pink bag.

“Except that you were never supposed to say anything in the first place,” said the red being, apparently named Tikki.

“Yeah, yeah… quit acting as if I did say anything,” Plagg laid down in mid-air.

Adrien leaned back and sighed. As he did so he remembered there was a large hole cut out of his back.

He ignored the pain, “How could we be a perfect match if we couldn’t even figure out we were together almost constantly. It just looks to me like only parts of us are good for each other.” Plagg and Tikki exchanged concerned looks.

Marinette looked at Adrien, completely ignoring the statement he had made, because seriously? Adrien is great, but he’s still a man- well- boy. Boys can be so stupid, you tell them something and they think it’s some sort of code. Marinette wasn’t trying to confuse him, she told him he wasn’t a disappointment! Well, maybe that wasn’t terribly direct. She needed to tell him exactly what she meant. Whether she liked to admit it or not, she had fallen for Chat. Now it was a lot easier to understand why. She didn’t have to worry about staying “loyal” to Adrien anymore. Marinette shoved that thought to the back of her mind.

“Alright, where do you keep your medkits?” Marinette asked, ready to put even more of her Anatomy and Physiology and First Aid training studies to the test. She had chosen to take those classes knowing someone would wind up getting hurt eventually, and she needed to know her stuff.

Adrien blinked back into reality, he too had been lost in thought, “Oh, well that’d be in the medicine closet,” but he was very good at jumping right back into a conversation.

“Medicine closet?” Marinette arched an eyebrow, had she heard that right?

“Sure, all the prescription medicines, remedies, ointments, bandages, you name it. They’re all in there,” Adrien made a small gesture as if to show the variety contained in the closet, yet he was not impressed at what was coming out of his mouth.

“I mean, most people have a medicine cabinet . A closet?! That’s- that’s awesome! I’m sure I’ll find what I need there, so where is it?” Marinette began to stand up, but Adrien raised his hands to stop her.

“Uh, woahwoahwoah. You can’t leave my room and go running around my house!”

“ Uh, whywhywhy not?” Marinette said mockingly…accidentally.

Adrien paused for a moment, taken aback from the mockery. Sure, this was the everyday Ladybug attitude, but seeing it come out of Marinette’s mouth made him uncomfortable. It was still her, why couldn’t he get over himself? He was starting to understand where Marinette was coming from, being confused, and feeling embarrassed. This only put him deeper into a depressing hole of “we’ll-never-work”.

Just as Marinette began to regret going all Ladybug on him, Adrien laughed,

“There’s My Lady,” Adrien said with an uneasy smile, “ anyway, you can’t go out because Nathalie could catch you. Then we’d both be in trouble. I’ll go out instead.”

“What?! No way! Not like that. I’m not gonna let you go bleeding your heart out all over the house,” Marinette crossed her arms the way Alya always did when she was being a total idiot.

Adrien shrugged, “Actually, my heart is in my chest, not my back.”

Marinette was ready to burst, “Chat! I mean-”

“No, you can call me that. It excites me,” Adrien smirked.

How could Marinette’s hormones not go completely insane? It was so completely mentally paralyzing to see Adrien, with that stupid smirk, that goddamn smirk Chat always has.

With that, Marinette snapped, “I’ll get it! And I know just how to do it!”

The sternness in Marinette’s voice and the look in her eye let Adrien know it was time to back down. He nodded.

                                              *            *           *

Adrien’s bedroom door opened without a sound.  A hooded figure poked it’s head out. Coast was clear. A pair of green clad legs slowly revealed themselves as the figure slid out of the doorway.

Marinette had to refrain from screaming in pure joy as she snuck around Adrien’s house in, get this, Adrien’s clothes! She knew he had worn this particular outfit before too, as she had seen him wearing it on the cover of a magazine as he strolled leisurely with his eyes closed.

Carefully replaying Adrien’s instructions in her head, she walked down the hall. Down the hall on the right, then a left, first door on the right. She opened the door to reveal what could’ve passed as a small pharmacy. Marinette went looking for any first-aid kit she could find. Got it.

“Adrien?” S***.

Marinette faked a cough, “Oh…” she said in a raspy voice, “Nathalie?” Of course it was Nathalie, who else would it be? Marinette didn’t turn around to confirm it.

“Yes. What are you doing in there? Are you feeling alright? You sound horrible,” said Nathalie.

Marinette wiped the sweat off her hands on the front of the dark brown hoodie, “Yeah, I’m feeling kinda under the weather. Just grabbing some medicine to hold me over.”

“Well that first-aid kit won’t do you any good,” Nathalie said, looking at the white box under Marinette’s arm.

Marinette quickly brought the box to her chest, “Oh, uh… I also cut my finger while doing my homework.”

Nathalie took a step forward, “Really? Let me have a look.”

Marinette panicked, “Actually, uh, I’ve got lots and lots of homework. I’d better get back to work!” With that, Marinette turned around quickly, ducked past Nathalie and dashed towards Adrien’s bedroom.

                                           *           *           *    

“Wow, you did it,” Adrien looked up at a wheezing hump of Marinette, who was laying down on the floor.

Marinette shot up and walked up to Adrien, triumphantly presenting the first-aid kit.

Adrien scratched the back of his head nervously, “Sorry I ever doubted you Bugaboo-”

“Now turn around!” Marinette ordered, opening the first-aid kit.

Obediently, Adrien turned around, revealing the horrible wound once again. Marinette immediately got to work. She cleansed the wound with a wet towel from Adrien’s bathroom, disinfected it, and began wrapping bandages around Adrien’s torso.

Adrien kept quiet. His face was bright red. He stood still, other than the backward glances at Marinette. What could be going through her mind? All this time together, he had realized that he had gotten used to Marinette being Ladybug. Besides, it was 10x hotter when Marinette was scolding him. It was hot that Marinette was Ladybug. He decided he wasn’t uncomfortable, he was just overwhelmed. I mean, could it get any better than this? Finally some alone time with Ladybug,and she was in his room. Bonus, turns out she was also Marinette? God is good. He always wondered what it was about Marinette. Now she was sitting behind him, tending to his injury. Now it was up to her how things would be between them.

“Adrien,” Marinette started, Adrien held his breath, “I need to clear something out with you.”

“Yeah?”

Marinette tightened the bandages around Adrien’s back, “I was thinking about how I feel when I’m around Chat… and how he’s you. It drove me crazy, but when I really thought about it, I knew it was a lot more serious than crushing on you at school,” she finished winding and taped the end down.

“I thought I was crushing on someone I didn’t even know that well. But I do know you. I’ve been fighting alongside you this whole time. It’s been amazing, I couldn’t ask for a better partner. But I always ignored your feelings and saw you as a friend because, well, I had a crush on Adrien. Now I see the whole picture. That’s why I know, that I don’t like you,” Adrien’s jaw clenched shut.

“I love you,” Marinette finally let herself say. 

Adrien’s tear-filled, green eyes shot up. Marinette stood up and walked around to look at him, “Tail and all…” she finished. Adrien wouldn’t wait any longer, he grabbed Marinette by the wrists and pulled her towards him. Their lips met. Marinette tried not to cry. Adrien held her tightly, as if he were holding the moment. Keeping the moment for just a little longer. Their mouths made a soft suction noise as they separated. They stood still, leaning on each others foreheads, time stood still.

Adrien broke the silence, “Ha, if Chloe could see you now.” Marinette giggled.

A couple seconds passed, with stiffness in the atmosphere. They slowly looked up at each other, wide-eyed, as reality hit them like a shovel to the face.

“Chloe!” They shouted in unison.