Chapter Text
Ladybug landed on her bed with a sigh. She had had the most amazing night with Chat Noir. Ever since his visits to Marinette began, she found that he began to grow on her more and more. His teasing and lighthearted flirting grew endearing and his company comforting. She began to notice how his canines would show ever so slightly when he smiled. How his eyes would light up when their fists would touch after each akuma.
She’d never say it aloud, but she adored her partner. She admired him for his optimism, loyalty, and how stupidly brave he could be during battles.
As she de-transformed on her bed her mind also wandered to Adrien. It did that a lot recently, flipping back and forth between both blonde boys. It confused her heart, but still she knew it belonged to Adrien, as it always had, as it always would. With his soft laughs and softer smiles, Marinette couldn’t believe she was lucky enough to have him.
She laid there, staring up dreamily toward the night sky and holding her hands to her heart until a shadow obscured her view.
She heard a small knock and smiled. Did this stray ever go home?
She opened her sky light and stuck her head out.
“To what do I owe the pleasure savior of Paris?”
In the dim moonlight she could see Chat’s eyes crinkle as he smiled.
“I request your company, and perhaps some sustenance?” He said in an overly formal tone as he kneeled before her.
She laughed before inviting him in.
As he climbed down into her room she could see the glow in his eyes. Something about him was different, he seemed happier.
Most of the times that he would come Marinette could see a lonely sad look break through when he thought she wasn’t looking. It’s not that she minded of course, if she could be a form of comfort for Chat like he was for her she’d take it in a heartbeat.
“I have some chocolate pastries here, although they aren’t too fresh.” She offered him as he crossed the room over to her desktop. She didn’t normally make a habit of keeping food in her room, but Tikki had been snacking. Hopefully she wouldn’t mind too much if Chat stole a few.
“Sounds great Marinette.” He called over his shoulder as he sat in her desk chair and sat in front of her computer.
“What do you say we find some two player game on here and- oh.” Chat stopped mid-sentence and Marinette turned around from grabbing a pastry to see what had happened.
Apparently she forgot to close out the folder of Adrien’s ad photos she had saved on her computer.
She turned bright red as she ran over to the computer and quickly closed it out.
“That’s uh... research! Yeah research on some Gabriel designs!” She lied, facing her back towards Chat so he wouldn’t notice the blush now spreading down her neck.
“Right, well if it were research on Gabriel designs, why only have pictures of Adrien? Other models wear Gabriel brand clothes.” She could practically hear the teasing smirk on his face.
She turned to wack him softly on the shoulder. “Keep on this topic and I’ll make you watch me eat the pastries right here!” She threatened.
Chat held his hands up in mock surrender. “Woah so sorry Adrien Agreste fan #1.” He teased again.
In response Marinette took a large bite out of the pastry she had planned to give him. She made sure to make a show of it, with accompanying sound effects and an exaggerated sigh after she finished chewing.
“Marinette you wound me!” Chat whined, crossing his arms in a dramatic childlike fashion.
Marinette stopped to think about how adorable his pout was before she laughed and went to grab the second pastry.
“Test me again and there will be no more sweets when you come over.” She bluffed.
Chat practically snatched the snack from her hands.
“Then I’d have no reason to come back.” He said through a stuffed mouth.
“No, I think you enjoy my company too much.” She gloated before pulling up a chair beside him. “Now what game did you want to play?”
They spent the next two hours playing fireboy and watergirl, where Marinette was shocked to find they made an incredible team.
——————————————
The akuma was hard, there was no denying that. The akuma called itself Obedience. Anyone struck with its ray was forced to do what ever it said, as though playing a game of simon says with dire stakes.
Marinette regretted staying up so late with Chat the night before. How he managed to have the amount of energy he did was astounding.
Chat had already used his cataclysm and Ladybug had used her lucky charm to set up a trap, all they had to do was lead Obedience into it.
Unfortunately, they needed to charge up before that, seeing as the beeping of their miraculous was giving its final warning before it was going to give up.
They landed on a distant building and de-transformed behind opposite sides of a pillar.
“M’lady do you have any extra snacks? Plagg ate up all his cheese before the battle and I didn’t have time to restock.” Chat called from the other side of the stone divider.
Ladybug giggled. “Looks like you need to learn how to control your friend Chaton. Here.” She reached out with a macaroon for Chat to take.
Her curiosity got the best of her and she couldn’t help but admire his hand as he reached over to take the sweet.
Soft and flawless, other than the messy blue nail polish that glowed in the sunlight. At first she didn’t think anything of it.
“Going for a new look kitty?” She asked lightheartedly as Tikki refueled.
“What? Oh you mean my nails. Well, I had someone paint them for me yesterday and I guess I distracted them too much and they made a mess.” He replied absentmindedly.
Wheels began to turn in Marinette’s brain, but unsure as to why, she didn’t try to make them stop.
“Oh, someone painted them? They look cute, did someone finally take in this alley cat?”
“For someone who hates puns, you really do use a lot of cat related metaphors toward me bug. And as a matter of fact I do, and she’s my girlfriend.” He bragged. “Plagg claws out!”
Ladybug transformed as well and was going to make a joke before a few dot connected before her. Messy blue nails. A girlfriend who painted them the day before. That nail polish looked all too familiar. She tried to push it down, but the dots were already connected.
Suddenly she flashed back to Chat Noir seeing her folder of Adrien photos last night and she felt sick to her stomach.
“Hey bug? You ready to kick this akuma Chat style?”
Ladybug snapped out of her trance. Even if everything that she just thought of was true, there was still an enemy to defeat. She could fully panic later.
“I think you mean Ladybug style. Now let’s go.”
They only just managed to get to the Eiffel Tower before they heard her again.
“Where are you Ladybug and Chat Noir? Don’t you know good children come when they’re called?” Obedience sang from a few streets over.
Chat strode over to lure her to the trap.
“Well maybe this kitty needs to be put in time out.” He replied leaning on his baton juvenilely.
“Oh no sweet boy, bad children must be taught better!” She pointed cane at him and an array of vegetables began to shoot out at him.
“Oh no! I’m afraid already perfectly healthy ma’am!” He leapt and dodged as he lead her straight to Ladybug.
As he turned the corner, there she stood, hands defiantly on her hips a couple of feet away. He scampered around a very large pool of a certain substance that was hardly noticeable unless you knew what you were looking for.
He took his side beside his lady as Obedience followed behind him.
“I’ve got you now tomcat!” Obedience turned the corner too fast and slipped straight into the street filled with a ridiculous amount of oil.
She screamed as she slid, and in her fall her cane flew from her fingers. It’s momentum led it straight toward them. Ladybug stopped it with the bottom of her shoe, and stomped on it with a satisfied grin.
Once she let the akuma go and threw the now empty bottle of oil to reverse the effects of the akuma, she turned to Chat.
“Pound it!” She said it with her usual confidence, but Chat could see something else lingering in her eyes.
But he was supposed to be practicing piano at the moment so he didn’t exactly have too much time to question her about it.
“Pound it.” He replied, touching his fist to hers.
————————-
“Tikki spots off.”
Ladybug de-transformed in her room and immediately began pacing.
“Crap crap crap crap! Tikki I accidentally figured out his identity! How could I be so careless as to look at his hands? Why did I care that much.”
Tikki sighed as she sat on Marinette’s desk. Sometimes it was best to let her get it all out.
“Well obviously I cared that much because Chat Noir is my recently established boyfriend! God he’s going to get such an ego boost when he finds out we’re dating.” Marinette threw herself face first into her chaise.
“So you’re going to tell him?” Tikki zipped over to hove beside her holder’s head.
There was a muffled response from the chair.
“What was that Marinette?”
“No, not yet. First I want to see how much he knows, if he knows anything at all.” Marinette rolled over on the chaise, laying as though she were at a therapists appointment.
“Tikki do you think this will effect our relationship? Will it put us in danger?”
Tikki’s little heart warmed.
“Marinette, you guys will be fine. If anything I think this would bring you closer together. If it puts you in any more danger you’ll handle it together, like you always do.” Tikki flew closer to hug Marinette’s cheek and Marinette let out a deep sigh as she brought a hand up to hug Tikki back.
“Thanks Tikki. You’re the best kwamii anyone could ask for.” Marinette said as the stress melted off of her.
“And you’re the best Ladybug I’ve ever known.” She replied warmly.
Of course things would work out. This was Chat she was talking about, Adrien. There wasn’t a problem he couldn’t help her solve, with or without the masks.
————————-
After going over Tikki’s advice for what felt like hours, Marinette came to a conclusion.
She would tell Chat Noir (Adrien?) who she was. It was only fair, considering she knew his identity. She wouldn’t have came to this on her own, so for the millionth time in her life she thanked Tikki.
But first, she needed to have a little fun. She noticed how Adrien would tease her lately for how flustered she got around him, so she figured the least she could do was use this moment to get revenge.
Too excited to sit still, she transformed to confront her boyfriend.
———————
Adrien was laying in bed reading manga when he heard a tapping at his window. He looked over in shock to see his lady waiting outside.
“Ladybug?” He nearly stuttered out.
She was glowing in the moonlight, backlit in all her glory. She had a playful grin in her lips that made Adrien uneasy.
“Hey pretty boy, mind if I pop in?” She asked casually, as if it were totally normal for Adrien Agreste to have a spotted heroine outside of his window.
He calmed his heart, remembering this was his dorky girlfriend and invited her in. He had to remember to act friendly, not like he would with Marinette, nor like he would as Chat Noir. This wouldn’t be easy.
“Your nails look cute.” She offered casually as she sauntered over to sit in his desk chair.
Adrien froze. Ladybug had noticed Chat Noir’s earlier too.
He quickly pushed that thought away. Marinette had been oblivious of his identity up until this point, even after the thousands of clues he’d managed to drop. He wasn’t exactly concerned anymore.
He decided to take advantage of the chance to compliment his girlfriend without her being able to completely reject it.
“Yeah my girlfriend painted them! She’s so cute and sweet and pretty.” He replied dreamily.
He could see Ladybug’s eyes widen and her blush grow. This was going great.
“Did you need something?” He asked innocently.
“I- uh-“ Adrien laughed, his girlfriend really wasn’t too different outside of the suit. Flustered and flushed, she was still Marinette.
Suddenly something in her eyes changed. One second they were wide and almost panicked, the next they were full of suspicion.
“You know don’t you!” She accused more than asked. She stalked over and jabbed a finger lightly into his chest.
Now it was Adrien’s turn to panic.
“Know what?” He asked, hoping to play dumb.
“You do!”
So much for feigning innocence. Instead he opted for begging for forgiveness.
“Marinette, i’m so sorry! It’s just I knew you’d panic if I told you when I found out and it’s not like I tried to figure out your identity! It’s just that you put so much effort into the whole kwamiibuster scheme-“
“You’ve known since kwamiibuster?!” She practically shouted.
“-and you looked so cute.” Adrien added still trying to lighten the blow. “I didn’t tell anyone and I’ve known for a while and nothing bad happened so I figured-“
Ladybug cut off his rambling with a kiss.
Adrien was stunned at first but then ultimately sighed into the kiss as he leaned into her touch. His arms looped around her waist as he pulled her close, hands tracing patterns into her spandex covered back.
He pulled pack slightly, noses still touching. He could feel her breath ghost his lips.
“So we’re okay?” He asked hopefully, eyes looking deep into hers as they caught their breath.
“Of course, minou. I just wish you would’ve told me before you saw that embarrassing folder on my computer.” She blushed.
“Oh? But then I wouldn’t be able to tease you about it. Tell me, which one was your favorite? Do you think the greens really brought out my eyes?”
“You’re the worst!” She exclaimed, attempting to pull from his embrace. Adrien’s arms held her fast in place.
“You love me!” He announced proudly as he pulled her into a tight hug. “Ladybug is dating Chat Noir!”
“Would you be quiet! I don’t want to have to explain to Nathalie why Paris’ superhero is standing in your room.” She giggled into Adrien’s shoulder.
“Ladybug is dating Chat Noir” He whispered, this time softer as he nuzzled her neck.
“Yes she is.” Ladybug sighed, resigning to Adrien’s touch.
“Now,” He released the girl as he turned and clasped his hands together. “de-transform. We’ve had plenty of date night in your room-“
“Those weren’t technically dates” She interjected.
“-And not enough in mine.” He gave her a pointed look as he continued. “Of course, since it’s my room, I have full say in what we watch.” He could hear Marinette’s pout as she de-transformed. “But I’ll take suggestions.”
Marinette crossed over to where Adrien was pacing in anticipation and threw her arms around his shoulders from behind. She placed a quick kiss on the base of his neck.
“New Girl again!” She said excitedly.
“No.”