Chapter Text
"Marinette you-you are L-Ladybug?"
Oh no no no, this was so bad he wasn't supposed to know.
All the color of Marinette's face drained for the second time that day. Her mind screamed 'DANGER' and her heart was hammering in her chest. Every time she thought this day can't get any worse, she would be proofed wrong.
What if he became a target to Hawk Moth? What if this was the way he got akumatized? Now one of them have to give up on their miraculous. Or maybe they both should? No she she can't take that away from Chat--
"...rinette, Marinette." Chat Noir's voice startled her.
Was she shaking? No, it was not her. He was shaking her back and forth, roaghly.
"Breath." He demanded.
She wasn't breathing?
"Come on, breath in. Breath out." Marinette resembled his breathing for one, three, ten times until she calmed down completely.
"Sorry, I panicked. But I couldn't help it Chat. This is so bad. Now I have to find a new Ladybug, and you have to match dynamics with each other--"
"What? Why?"
"Because it's so dangerous for us to know each other's identities, one of us have to give up on their miraculous. And I think that should be me."
"Marinette do you really want to give up being Ladybug?" He asked in a serious tone.
"No l don't." Marinette answered in a small voice.
"Then you don't have to." He said it like it was the easiest thing in the world.
"But the rules--"
"What rules?" He cut her off "you are the guardian now, for God's sake Marinette. You are making the rules."
"That is not an excuse Chat." Marinette said a little vaxed of Chat Noir thinking that way.
"I know, but listen," He looked at her with a serious expression. "Marinette you are Ladybug , my partner , my other half. If you gave up being Ladybug, then I won't be Chat Noir too."
Marinette felt a little light headed at the intensity of his speech "Chat..."
He raised a hand up as a sign that he wasn't finished yet. " Think about how much time you need to find new holders for the Ladybug and Black cat's miraculous. And even if you did. Wouldn't Hawk Moth be suspicious about the sudden change of the heroes?"
Marinette wanted to tell him that he was wrong and her choice was final, but she couldn't.
She could find a new Ladybug without worrying if Chat was with her. But if he wanted to give up being Chat Noir with her, then she couldn't stop him, meaning that she needed to find two new people for the most powerful miraculouses.
And let's not forget about Hawk Moth. Just like her and Chat, Hawk Moth was growing stronger and more experienced with each day. So new holders with zero skills and knowledge wouldn't be able to fight the villain.
It was not something impossible per se but it was laborious and risky.
"You have a point." She gave in.
"Meaning?" He looked at her hopefully.
Marinette rolled her eyes "meaning that I won't give up being Ladybug, and that I will stay as your crime-fighting partner."
"YES!" He threw his hands in the air in victory.
Then he pulled her in a bear hug. His arms were around her head, and he buried his nose in her hair, her cheeks rested on his leather clad chest, he was squeezing her head so hard that she couldn't breath.
"Chat, you are squeezing me." She said, her voice muffled.
"Sorry," he apologized and pulled away. But their knees were still touching.
Chat Noir rubbed the back of his head in a nervous manner while looking at her from the corner of his eyes.
The gusture seemed familiar but that didn't mean anything, after all there were so many people doing the same thing when they were nervous.
"There is one more thing though," he said. Marinette was curious about what he had to say. It's not every day that you can see the nervous but sweet and sincere side of Chat Noir.
Chat took both of her hands in his and gazed at her with a sober expression.
Marinette's breath caught in her throat he looked directly at her eyes as if he could see her soul. Those grassy green feline eyes that were full of passion. Since when his eyes were so green?
"I have noticed how tired you've been lately because of the whole 'being a guardian' thing and I hate it." He took a deep breath "so I want you to share the burden with me. I want to help you, in and out of the suit."
"You m-mean like you want to-to..?" She asked in a tiny voice.
"I won't if you don't want me to. But yes, I want you to know my identity. Please let me help you Marinette." He all but begged the last part "besides it is hard to be around you without giving myself away at some point." He said sheepishly.
Marinette knew that she must say no without even thinking about it. It was bad enough that she was exposed to him. And her knowing his identity too? It was like playing with fier, absolutely unsafe.
But he was willing to help her, and she was tired of doing it alon, being a super hero was a full time job, with the gardien duties. And she had to keep balance between that and her civilian life. Like school and studying, helping in the bakary, trying to look like a normal human being.
Marinettewas strong and all, but she had her limits too. She only put two or three years for her to stay without a mental health problem or having a down fall from tiredness. Having a person to help her and support her would save her from all of those. But did he really knew what was he getting himself into?
"Are you sure Chat? You know how huge this responsibility is?"
"Yes I know, and this choice is from the little things that I'm sure about it in my life." He said still holding her hands.
Oh, she could never say no when he was looking at her like that and saying those things to her.
"Okay, I won't stop you as long as you are sure."
Chat Noir froze for two good seconds.
Then a big grin bloomed on his lips, his eyes sparkling "on three?" He asked.
"On three." She confirmed.
"One," Chat counted.
"Two," this time it was her.
"Three." They said in unison. Then she heard Chat say a soft "Claws in."
A green light blinded her vision. She closed her eyes Shut from the brightness of the light. Then she raised her hands to her face, covering her eyes.
She could feel that the light had dissolved, but she was too afraid to open her eyes and look.
"Marinette?" Civilian Chat called.
Then he touched the back of her hands. Instead of cold leather gloved hands. She could feel the warmth and softness of his fingers tracing the back of her hand.
"Marinette, please open your eyes." Civilian Chat pleaded.
you are not making it easy when you are so gentle and nice like that idiot.
Ever so gently he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face.
Marinette opened her eyes slowly. They were a bit misty from how tide she had closed them, so she blinked rapidly to see clearer.
Now that her eyes were open, she could see that his cat-ears, his black leather suit and the tale like belt had disappeared.
Instead he was wearing a white over shirt, a black tee with colorful stripes, blue jeans, and orange sneakers.
His hair was less messy, and his eyes were not feline any more. they were perfectly human eyes, but still shining like emeralds.
Adrien. Marinette realized.
"Hey." Adrien said.
Marinette tried to reply him, but all what escaped from her mouth was a squeak.
Adrien? As in her friend Adrien? The boy who was sitting in front of her in class? The kind boy who gave her an umbrella and apologized for something that he hadn't done? The one she had a crush on since that fateful day in the rain? The person who she helplessly tried to move on from lately but couldn't?
Yes, it was him. And he was knee-to-knee with her right now.
And he was also her goofy partner who was fighting crime with her in a cat suit. The guy who she had crashed to in the first day of being a super hero. The one she had called her self 'madly clumsy' in front of. The cat super hero who would always take the hit for her in battles. He was the boy who had confessed his love for her hundreds of times, but she had always rejected him. The person that she had kissed twice (one time to save him, and the other time...well, she can't remember the reason --wich made sense now-- but thanks to Alya that kiss didn't go forgotten.)
Emotion after emotion twirled around Marinette's head until her mind got slack.
Nothing was making sense any more.
Ladybug--who was her--, had always rejected Chat Noir--who was Adrien--, because she was in love with Adrien. And Adrien--who was Chat Noir--on the other hand had never considered Marinette--who was Ladybug--romantically because he was in love with Ladybug.
Ugh, my headache would appear again if I continue thinking like that.
A through clearing sound interrupted Marinette's thoughts "I should probably go." Said Adrien.
He was already down the steps of the bed, standing besides the trapdoor that leaded to the apartment below. He was facing away from her. But she could still see that he was not smiling any more and his eyes were downcast.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed." He apologized.
No no, now he was thinking that she wasn't happy about him being Chat. She probably had stayed silent for too long. Great job Dupain-Cheng, great job.
He was about to open the trapdoor when she called "Adrien wait!"
She quickly ran up to him " Marinette it's okay, I understand--"
Marinette hugged him tightly,cutting his sentence, and burying her face in the crook of his neck "I'm so glad it's you."
"Really?" He asked in disbelief.
She chuckled "Yes, silly. I didn't even know that I'm that lucky."
Adrien finally hugged her back. He warped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head "believe me, I'm the lucky one."
"Sorry to interpret your precious moment, but you are SQUASHING ME."
The grouchy voice made them break away. Then a black cat like figure with glowing green eyes came out of Adrien's over shirt.
"Hey to you too Plagg." Marinette greeted.
"Nice to see you again pigtails." He replied surprisingly politely. "Where is Sugarcube?"
"You mean..." Where were they? She didn't see them since the akuma came. "Tikki? Wayzz? " she called the kwamis.
A red and a green bulbs appeared in front of her.
"Marinette!"
"Miss Marinette!"
"Guys!" She hugged both kwamis to her cheek. And they nuzzled her.
She giggled "I hope that I didn't cause much trouble."
"You better ask Adrien about that." Tikki said "Wayzz, Plagg come on, let's give them some privacy." They flew away.
"Awww, have you missed me Sugarcube?"
"Shut up stinky sock."
Adrien gave a hearty laugh at that "I guess that's where our playful banter came from."
Marinette smiled too. she looked down, only then she realized that they were holding hands.
She quickly let go and placed her hands behind her back as the same time as him, but he rubbed the back of his head instead.
So that's why it seemed so familiar!
Marinette walked to her longue chais and sat down, patting the space beside her. Silently asking him to sit there. And he obliged.
"So--" They both said at the same time.
Then they laughed awkwardly and faced away from each.
What was wrong with them? If they continue acting like that, someone would suspect that something was going on with them.
No, that wouldn't happen. She would make sure of it.
"Sorry, you go first." Marinette said
"No, you go first."
"I just wanted to ask the same question I asked Tikki, did cause so much trouble?"
"No, you actually told me where the akuma was yourself." Adrien replied.
"Did I hurt anyone?"
"Not exactly, the worst thing you did was that you turned people, and my house into sweets. But don't worry about that, now everything is back to normal. " Adrien comfortedher.
Marinette smiled "I'll try."
And a comfortable silence fell between them.
If she hadreally told him where was the akumatized item, then that means that she tried to resist the akuma. That set her at ease, Maybe they were safe after all.
"Um..." Adrien spoke, breaking the silence "do you want to talk about it?" He shifted his position to face her "the reason you got akumatized I mean."
"Well, I..." she tried to organize her words, should she tell him that she had heard Chloe this morning? Or Lila's plans? Would he believe her?
"Marinette look," she did and she saw that serious face again "I think we shouldn't keep secrets from each other, now that the biggest one is out. Unless it's something really personal. Besides it will help us understand each other better." He extended his pinky finger to her "So what do you think? No more secrets?"
He was right, if they had someone to talk to without worrying about identities and secrets and a shoulder to cry on whenever they needed, then they would be far from Hawk Moth's reach. And who was better than your trusty partner for the job?
"You are right," She hooked her pinky finger with his "no more secrets."
"So tell me, what happened that made the lady so upset? if you want to that is."
And she told him everything that happened that morning, first about Lila and then Chloe. (Without making an eye contact the whole time) The latter was a little hard, because she had to admit her feelings for Adrien for the first time. But the fact that he already knew and that he was Chat Noir made it easier.
"Are you sure that Lila was saying the truth?" Adrien asked.
"Yes, she knows that I don't fall for her lies so she doesn't bother lying to me. Instead she is trying to threat me with what I have."
"And it wasn't her first time to threat you. was it?" He asked already knowing the answer.
"No it wasn't, she did that before. And it almost worked, remember?" A chill ran down Marinette's spine at the memories of that day.
"I'm sorry." He apologized in a small voice.
"It's okay, it's not your fault." Marinette assured.
"But Marinette," he griped her chin between his thumb and his index finger lightly, forcing her to look at him "you know that I'll never leave your side, right."
There was mere inches between their faces, when did they even get that close?
But Marinette couldn't care less about it. she was hypnotized by the way he looked at her, and the way his emerald eyes searched hers. Trying to find an answer.
An answer! She stayed silent for too long, AGAIN.
Alas her voice was lost and her tongue was glued in her mouth ( like old times ) so she just nodded her head instead.
But he continued to stare at her "And about what Chloe said....I...I'm--"
A ring tone interrupted Adrien's sentence, and breaking the spell between them.
Adrien pulled his phone out from his pocket and looked at it, he mouthed 'it's Nino' to her. Then he answered the call.
"Hey Nino."
"Hey dude, you okay? We are worried sick about you."
"I'm all right, no need to worry."
"And how is Marinette? Alya is panicking over here."
"She is fine too. I'm with her right now."
"you are with her? That is cool man. You heard him babe?" Nino's voice was a little faint at the last sentence. She assumed that he was talking to Alya "Oh and dude, I think you better head back to school, you've already missed a class. I don't think your old man would be happy if you skipped the whole thing."
Marinette nodded in agreement.
Adrien looked uncertain but he answered anyway "okay, I'm on my way. And thanks for the call."
"you are welcome dude, see you in a few." Nino hang up.
Adrien looked at her "are you sure?"
"Yes. And I already excused myself from school so I think I'll stay home to rest." She replied.
"Good idea." He said. Then he cupped her cheeks with both hands and put a lovely light kiss on her forehead.
Marinette froze. Red blush spreading on her cheeks.
He pulled away and smiled at her softly "take care." Adrien whispered.
"Plagg?" He called his Kwami.
"I'm coming." Plagg shouted back. And flew towards his owner.
Then Adrien called for his transformation and pulled out his baton "good bye princess." With that he was out of the room.
Marinette stirred back to life "Bye." She said softly, well aware that he couldn't hear her.
She grinned widely as she lay down on the longue chais, she sighed just like a lovesick person.
And a girlish giggled escaped her. Now she knew why people called her 'lady luck' .