Chapter Text
They didn’t get to play Mecha Strike like he had wanted too caught up in their discussion of her designs and eventually his info on himself that he had promised for her wearing themed clothes. Though they did argue about whether her pants had counted or not.
“They are just black Princess. They aren’t themed like the rest of it. I mean even your boots have paw prints on the bottom!” He argued pointing at said boots on her feet.
“Your costume is black Chaton! So, it counts!” Marinette argued back her arms crossing over her chest as she looked at him.
“Says the one who tried saying no to this game in the first place! What’s it to ya Mari? Secretly hoping you figure this cat out before the week is up?” he asked with a smirk on his face as he leaned forward slightly.
Marinette glared at him before smirking back. “Fine you don’t want to count the pants yeah?”
Adrien’s smirk fell and he looked at her wearily. “Yeah they don’t count.” He said slowly feeling like he was about to regret saying those words.
“Fine, then I’m also wearing Chat Noir themed matching underwear.” She said still with a smirk even as her cheeks heated up with a blush.
Adrien sat back quickly his eyes wide and his own cheeks warming. “Y-Yo--- uh What? They make those?” he said already regretting everything now. Note to self: Let Princess win arguments like this from now on. Avoid this outcome from ever happening again.
“Well I’m sure they do but I made these…” Marinette said looking away from him clearing her throat slightly from embarrassment. “So anyways that puts us up to my shirt, jacket, boots, ribbons, and my matching underwear. That’s six secrets you have to tell me now.”
Chat just nodded at her and cleared his throat. “Okay well… One I am an only child. Two that job I was talking about is for my Father’s company. Three I can speak four languages fluently and two others moderately well. Four uhhh Oh! I play piano! Five I’ve never owned a pet… though I really want a cat… or a hamster… or a dog but I don’t think Plagg would like a dog.”
“You are correct! I would not like a mangy mutt to share a home with!”
They both laughed at Plagg’s reply and Adrien shook his head at his Kwami looking up towards the pixie house for a moment before looking back at Marinette. “Anyways six Hmmmm I was homeschooled for a while when I was younger but obviously, I’m in school now since I said I’d see your outfits.”
- - -
After dinner he made sure to tell Marinette’s parents that he greatly appreciated them before following Marinette back up to her room. “Oh! Hey Mari? I have to go meet with Ladybug tonight okay?” He said looking up from his homework and over at her.
Marinette looked over at him and to the clock. “What time are you planning on leaving?’ she asked looking back at him.
“Probably a little before nine o’clock. That is the time we normally meet up for patrols. Tonight, is supposed to be a just me night but I asked her to meet up to discuss... Well this.” He said gesturing to himself and then to the room. “And the possibility of you figuring out who I am…”
Marinette nodded her head from her spot at her desk. “Okay. Well until then do you want to hurry and finish this homework up and we can watch some videos on my computer?”
He grinned at her and nodded. “That sounds purrfect Princess.” He said chuckling at her eye roll.
Nine o’clock snuck up on them quickly as they watched videos of just whatever on her computer laughing and having fun. “Chat you have to go.” Marinette said when she caught the time on in the corner and Adrien gulped slightly even as he nodded.
“Plagg come on buddy.” He called out as he stood up from Marinette’s second desk chair. He wrung his hands together nervously as he waited for Plagg to fly down to him before transforming. Ladybug isn’t going to be happy with me…
“Wow…”
He turned to Marinette with a smirk forgetting his nervousness for a moment. “Like what you see Purrincess?” he asked.
Marinette rolled her eyes at him. “It’s interesting to watch. When you get back can I watch you transform back? Since you were still wearing the other mask and the hoodie they will be there when you change back right? I’d like to see if I can get it incorporated somehow into a design.”
He smiled at her and nodded. “Of course, anything for you my Princess.” He said before giving her an extravagant bow and jumping up onto her loft reaching for the skylight.
“Oh and Chat?”
He paused be departure and blinked looking down at her seeing her standing where he could easily see her. “Everything will be okay no need to be nervous. Ladybug will understand.” Marinette said smiling up at him gently.
“Thank you, Princess. I appreciate that.” He said before pushing the skylight open and jumping up to the balcony he was quick to bound off towards the Eiffel tower to meet up with Ladybug.
“Heh I beat her here.” He said landing towards the top on what he secretly called their beam. It gave him time to think how he wanted to approach the subject with his lady as he crouched looking out over the city.
Unfortunately for him he heard her yo-yo string zing nearby not long after he landed so he didn’t get long to think things over. His cat ear swiveled towards the sound before he heard her land behind him.
“Hey Chat. What is it you needed to talk about Kitty?”
“Hey my Lady.” He replied as he tilted his head back to look at her and patted the spot beside him. “Take a seat please.” He moved how he was sitting slightly so he wasn’t in a crouch any longer and allowed one leg to daggle off the edge of the beam the other bend up close to him.
Ladybug did as ask settling herself next to him as she looked at him curiously. “What’s going on in that head of yours, Kitty?” she asked.
Chat looked back at the city a slight frown on his face. “Okay… I know you might be mad at me… but just know this is something I want to do and that I trust this person wholly.” He said and looked over at his partner seeing her frown. “You know my home-life is less then stellar… and obviously it isn’t the worst but…” he said and frowned slightly as he looked back out to the city. “I ran away from home last night…”
“Oh Chat… Are you okay?”
He nodded and sent her a quick smile to calm her worries. “Yeah I’m fine. He didn’t do anything more than he normally does but I sorta lost my temper for a moment at him.” He said and chuckled softly. “I do plan on going back probably Saturday or Sunday but that’s not what I really wanted to talk about.” He said his tail starting to twitch with his nervousness and his eyes darted around quickly as it he was looking for an escape route. “Everything will be okay no need to be nervous. Ladybug will understand.” He remembered Marinette’s words before leaving and let out a long breath. It will be okay… he thought to himself.
“Then what is it Chat?” Ladybug asked leaning into his side slightly as if trying to offer some sort of comfort for his anxiety ridden mind.
“The person I’m staying with… I am staying with them as Chat.” He said slowly as he turned his head to look at her.
Ladybug stropped leaning on him and looked at him with a frown. “How is that going to work?” she said after a moment or two of silence.
“Well… so far its okay. She made me this mask so that I can wear it around her house and whatnot, and she made this Chat Noir hoodie she’s letting me wear. It’s Marinette Dupain-Cheng… You remember her right My Lady? She’s really talented.” He said with a smile before looking back at her. “But even that isn’t what I wanted to talk about. What I wanted to talk about is my identity… Look I trust Marinette. Wholly and irrefutably. With my life even if it came down to it. My identity is nothing to me when it comes to her... or you one day when you’re ready… and well I proposed a game to her. I said she was really talented, right? Because she has this sketchbook full…” he splayed his fingers out as if trying to mimic how full the book was. “of designs themed after all of us heroes. So… Well what’s a cat to do?” he said looking between her and the city trying to get himself to just say the words instead of rambling off like he was. “I asked her to make and wear them to our school… in exchange for secrets that could lead her to my identity.”
Ladybug sighed beside him and stayed quiet as she looked from him to the city scape.
Chat’s anxiety ramped up the longer she stayed quiet and he started fidgeting with his tail. Twirling the leather strip around his fingers and untwirling it then repeat. He swung his leg out under the beam and oh man he wanted to be moving so bad right now. A good run always calmed his nerves. He couldn’t watch her any longer and allowed his eyes to dart around again. She’s going to yell at me… oh I don’t think I can take that… oh no… I shouldn’t have done this… This was a bad idea. A bad idea. Ba--
“Chat. Look at me.”
Chat blinked and looked back at her. “Yes, my Lady?” he said after swallowing down his anxiety a bit to be able to speak.
“Hey its okay Kitty. I’m not mad… I’m just worried about you okay? Just worried.” She said reaching over to pet at his hair.
He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch letting out a soft purr. “Promise?” he asked after a moment needing her to say it.
“Oh, Kitty, I could never be mad you.” She said still petting his hair. “I just want you to be safe. You really trust this girl that much?” she asked as he pulled back to look at her.
“Of course, I do.” He said nodding his head at her with a smile.
Ladybug nodded and went to stand up. “Okay well as long at its just her figuring your identity out and you trust her as much as you say then I don’t see a problem with it. Now how about we get to patrol? Race you back here?”
Chat smiled and got up quickly. “Yeah let’s go.” He said as he got his baton off his back and extended it slightly. “Oh, my Lady? I don’t know if you’ll listen to this… And I know you chose Rena, Carapace, and Queenie … But if I had to choose someone to use a miraculous it would be her.” He said getting her attention before leaping off to start patrol.
“Oh Kitty…”