Chapter Text
“I love you,” he whispers his heartfelt confession, “and I needed to tell you that because you mean everything to me.”
Ba-dump.
Marinette’s heart skips a beat, and she silently begs for the traitorous thumping in her chest to stop. His words pierce straight through her soul, and they sound so genuine that she feels like crying.
The boy standing in front of her seems to notice the tears that prickle at the corners of her eyes, and a look of concern washes over his face.
“Marinette, are you alright?”
She nods a little too quickly, her palms wiping furiously at her eyes before he can see just how watery they are.
”That one was r-really g-good, Chat,” Marinette says, giving him an awkward thumbs up.
Chat’s face lights up almost immediately, his smile stretching so wide that Marinette has to smile too.
”You really think so?”
”Of course,” her words are shaky, “you’re really getting better at, uh, confessing.”
Then, he pulls her into a hug, his arms pulling her flush against his chest in a tight embrace. This was a bad idea, she thinks, when she hugs him back and realizes just how much she enjoys it.
“You’re the best, Princess,” Chat tells her, squeezing a little bit tighter. “Thank you for helping me.”
Marinette feels the heat rising in her cheeks, so she pulls away before she gets too warm. She notices he’s blushing too, adorably scratching the back of his head.
Ba-dump.
It started out innocently enough, as it always does, and Marinette was only trying to help out a friend. When Chat Noir had told her that he was in love with Ladybug, she couldn’t believe her ears. That had been during his first balcony visit of course, right before Glaciator interrupted them. And then days later, he’d come back, with a little spring in his step. His happy mood was a large shift from the dismal mood he’d been in the first time.
Chat gushed to Marinette about how he kissed Ladybug on the cheek and handed her a rose, while she tried her best to act like this was news to her. She couldn’t help giggling at how animated he got when talking about her superhero alter-ego.
And then he’d whirled around and asked if she could help him with figuring out how to confess his true feelings. That part had taken her by surprise. He seemed so convinced that a sincere admission would get Ladybug to change her mind. Marinette wanted to say no, she needed to say no. But, he looked up at her with an expression so fragile that she didn’t want to be the one to crush his hope, even though she knew Ladybug was not going to accept any confession (no matter how well-rehearsed) from Chat at all.
But she’d told him yes, and since then, Chat had been coming back to her balcony with a different confession every time. And now here she was, remembering yet again that she should’ve said no.
Weeks later, and Marinette feels trapped. She’s never actually realized just how sweet Chat Noir is, and her heart is telling her things she’d never expected to hear.
”I really hope things work out for you, Chat,” Marinette says, and of course she means it. But, guilt pools in her stomach because she’s setting him up to fail.
”You too,” Chat winks.
”Me?”
”You told me a while ago that you’ve had your heart broken too, and if anyone in this world deserves happiness, it’s you,” he tells her.
Ba-dump.
Marinette knows he’s got a way with words, and she realizes that he’s slowly finding himself a place in her heart, whether or not he means to. She thinks about Adrien, and how hopeless her pining seems to be. He’s such a kind person, but she can’t seem to get him past the friend zone she’s been stuck in since they first met.
And here Chat is, saying she deserves all the happiness in the world.
She takes a step forward, standing up on her tip-toes to press a kiss against his cheek. But, he turns his head when she leans forward, and their lips brush against each other for a brief second, before Marinette yanks herself back.
“Oh my god, sorry!” Marinette shouts, slowly shrinking further and further away from him.
”No,” Chat says, “that was my fault, since I shouldn’t have turned and-“
”I was trying to kiss your cheek-“
They both stop talking, abruptly. Their natural awkwardness shining though as they stare slack-jawed at each other.
“I should probably go,” Chat points behind his shoulder.
“Yeah, it’s kinda late isn’t it?” Marinette chuckles nervously.
He looks at her like he wants to say something, needs to say something, but he decides against it and gives her a two-finger salute before high-tailing out of there.
“What have I done?” Marinette groans, alone on her balcony.
Ba-dump.
She’s reluctant to go on patrol the next night, knowing how awkward she’ll be around her partner. Marinette had gotten no sleep, the memory of his lips brushing against hers stuck in her brain.
It was true she had kissed him as Ladybug once before, but this felt different. No akumas had been involved this time. And during the accidental kiss she was really Marinette.
She isn’t sure how long she’s been waiting on their familiar rooftop when she spots Chat Noir in the air, on his way to land. But, then his foot slips when he touches the roof, and he tumbles across the surface until he reaches her.
Ladybug bends down to inspect him, his body was still. “Chat, are you alright?”
Quickly he hops up. “I’m feline great M’lady.”
She rolls her eyes at him. “You’re obviously not hurt if you still have that bad sense of humor of yours.”
But he doesn’t respond, and she notices that he has a faraway look in his eyes. Almost as if he isn’t really there. Ladybug follows his line of sight, seeing that he’s staring at her parent’s bakery, specifically at the balcony on top.
”Something on your mind, Kitty?”
”No. Yes. Maybe?”
Ladybug reaches her hand out to touch his forearm soothingly, and to her surprise he flinches like she’s burned him.
She frowns. “Does it have to do with Marinette?”
Chat’s gaze snaps up, an expression of shock spreading across his features.
“How did you know?”
”Uh,” Ladybug stalls, “I saw you staring at her balcony, and she told me you guys have been talking about. . . Stuff.”
Chat panics. “Did she tell you what we’ve been talking about?!”
”No,” she replies nonchalantly.
He lets out a sigh of relief, his breath blowing strands of hair out of his face.
”So, it is about Marinette?” Ladybug asks again, batting her eyelashes innocently at her partner.
Pink blooms in his cheeks, and the color stands out against the black of his mask and the tan of his skin. Ladybug takes his silence and blushing as a yes.
“Marinette and I,” Chat starts, tracing circles on his hand with his claws, “we sort of kissed.”
Ladybug feigns a look of surprise, obviously because she’d been the one to kiss him in the first place.
”It was an accident though,” Chat explains, “and now I feel terrible.”
Her mouth twists into a frown. “The kiss was that bad, huh?”
Chat groans, and Marinette feels like curling up in a hole and dying. She knows she doesn’t have too much experience, but to hear him react so poorly is more than enough to permanately wound her ego.
“It was amazing,” her partner whimpers, burying his face in his gloved hands.
She does a double take. “What?”
”It wasn’t bad,” he murmurs into the leather, “I even liked it.”
”So,” she drawls, “what’s the problem?”
”I wasn’t supposed to like it!” He shouts, pacing around frantically. “She was helping me out, she’s just a friend, she’s just a. . . Really good kisser.”
Marinette blushes, only feeling slightly guilty for hearing his thoughts on her lip-locking abilities.
“It’s clearly messing with your head,” the spotted super heroine says, trying to hold back her smile. “Maybe you should talk to her.”
”I don’t even know if I can face her,” he scoffs.
“Well,” Ladybug gulps, “do you like her?”
The leather clad hero freezes, hands periodically clenching and unclenching.
”Aw, Kitty’s got a crush,” Ladybug sing-songs, giggling behind her hand.
“On Marinette?” Chat asks. “No way, never, that’s not- I mean what?”
”Never, huh?”
“Yeah,” he responds.
“Well, why not?” Ladybug asks, and she’s not really sure why she feels such a strong urge to know. “Is there something wrong with Marinette?”
Chat blanches. “What? No, she’s amazing!” Ladybug raises an eyebrow, encouraging him to continue.
“Marinette is so sweet, and smart, and talented. She’s brave and always stands up for her friends too, and when she’s really focused she does this cute thing where she sticks her tongue out,” Chat rambles, a small smile working its way onto his features.
Marinette decides to take advantage of his vulnerable state.
“Is she pretty?”
”Oh beautiful!” Chat corrects. “She’s just got these big blue eyes that make you feel like you’re the only person that matters. And, her smile just lights up your whole day because she just feels like. . . Like home.”
Marinette stills, because for once this confession is for her and not for Ladybug. And everything he says makes her feel like she’s the only woman in the world.
”But,” Chat mutters, “she’s just a friend.”
”Based on what you just said I think she’s more than just a-“
”I can’t!” Chat yells, pulling at his hair in frustration. “I’m not supposed to be in love with her, I’m supposed to be in love with. . . With someone else!”
”Chat-“
”I’m sorry,” he cuts her off, “You’re right, I just need to talk to her.”
”Wait,” Ladybug panics, “talk to who?”
”Marinette!” Chat calls, already jumping away.
“Crap.”
Marinette had never been more out of breath in her life. She had sprinted across rooftops, and around the side of her parent’s bakery, careful that Chat didn’t see her.
She ran up the stairs to her bedroom, quiet enough not to wake her sleeping parents. And when she threw open her trapdoor, she could hear the soft tapping on her skylight.
Feigning surprise, Marinette slips up to her balcony.
“Hi Chat!”
He gives her a stone cold look, and a low growl. Marinette feels her insides turning around in a way that makes her too uneasy for comfort.
“One last confession,” he grits out.
“For Ladybug?”
The feline hero shakes his head. Marinette furrows her brow at him, waiting for more.
“It’s all your fault!” Chat shouts, pointing an accusing finger at the very confused girl. “You had to go and be sweet and cute and just way too good to me!”
Marinette winces, but opens one eye to look up at the cat-themed superhero.
“And I’m supposed to be in love with Ladybug! But, now I might be in love with you and I don’t know what to do with myself because you’re amazing Marinette,” his words come out breathy and desperate.
“Y-You’re in love with me?” Marinette splutters, shocked and happy and a little bit scared.
Chat lets out another growl, before grabbing both sides of her face and pressing his lips square against hers. Her squeak of surprise goes ignored by Chat, as he moves his mouth gently over hers. Marinette takes a moment before she melts into him, responding with some slight pressure of her own. Their teeth clack together periodically, but Marinette can’t help smiling against his lips because she never realized how much she really wants this.
When they pull away, breathless and excited, Marinette tackles him with a hug. Her arms snake around his neck and she laughs with so much relief.
“I didn’t want to say it before, because I was confused and scared,” Marinette begins, “but I’m in love with you too, dumb cat.”
”Really?” Chat asks, sounding so happy that the feeling is infectious.
And then she pulls him in for another searing kiss.
Marinette’s stuttering around Adrien disappears, and Chat’s flirting with Ladybug becomes non-existent.
Neither one of them notice the longing glances that Adrien gives Marinette or the flirty remarks Ladybug gives Chat.
Because in Paris there’s a girl on her balcony that’s in love, and there’s a boy coming to see her, who loves her back.
FIN.