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Marinette groaned as she headed to the girl’s locker room. Today was a gym day, which would be indoors due to the snowfall. She dreaded these days, as she always had to reign herself in, so no one figured out her secret. However, her competitive streak hated doing it. Once everyone had changed into their gym clothes, they met the boys in the gymnasium.
“Alright, today we will be playing dodgeball, boys versus girls. We need two girls to sit out. How about Rose and Marinette today?” Marinette internally leapt for joy as she walked over to the bench with Rose.
As everyone got to the starting line, Chloe mysteriously hurt her ankle and needed Sabrina to help her to the nurse, so both Rose and Marinette were called back in. ‘Alright, Marinette,’ she told herself as she walked over, ‘you can’t go overboard. You are Marinette, not Ladybug.’
The whistle blew and chaos reigned as balls went flying across the room. Max, Nathaniel, Rose, Juleka, Mylene, and Ivan were quickly eliminated. Alex was focused on taking Kim out while the four friends playfully bantered as they dodged each other’s throws. Alya was able to get Kim right after he knocked Alex out while Marinette got Nino and Adrien nailed Alya leaving just Adrien and Marinette. As they dodged and weaved around each other’s throws, Marinette noticed that, while agile, Adrien broadcast his moves before he made them. He was also not as good at throwing as she was, as she had years of experience with her yo-yo.
When the five-minute warning rang out, the battle of the two teens intensified. Marinette watched for her opportunity and saw it as he spun to pick up a ball. She quickly threw the one she had been holding and hit him square in the back, ending the game. They met in the middle of the court to congratulate each other.
“Wow, Mari. I didn’t know you could move like that. Those were some amazing evasion skills you have. Not to mention that throwing arm.” Adrien complimented causing her to blush.
“You weren’t too bad yourself.” She winked at him and walked away toward the bench where the girls were celebrating their win.
As Ladybug made her way to their pre-patrol spot, she saw the silhouette of her partner. She decided she would make today’s patrol a bit more fun, so she quietly landed one rooftop over and gathered up some snow. She knew he would hear her if she moved, which is why she launched her snowball from where she was. It hit him square in the back, almost exactly where she had hit Adrien earlier in the day. He spun around in surprise to the assault, weapon at the ready. He relaxed when he saw his Lady doubled over in glee at the fact that she finally got the drop on him. After the loss from this afternoon, he was ready for a rematch.
“Careful what you start, m’lady. I’m feline purrty competitive this evening.”
She rolled her eyes as she stood back up. “I don’t think I could lose tonight. What do you say? Snowball fight to the tower? Person who gets hit the most loses.”
“You’re on.”
They watched as the tower lit up in the distance and launched into an epic snowball fight. They jumped and swung from building to building, laughing as they dodged snowballs and waved at passing citizens. Ladybug was sure neither of them had had this much fun in a while. She knew that Chat’s home life wasn’t the best and this time of year he was always a little sadder, so she tried to do things to cheer him up. She couldn’t help but get this feeling of déjà vu. Chat’s movements were so familiar to her, like she had seen them recently. She saw a park in the distance and decided she might as well confirm or deny the growing feeling in her. She swung down and landed behind a tree, waiting for him to follow. He got the drop on her, landing in the tree above her and dumping snow down on her. She squealed as she ran, hiding behind a bench.
“That was cheating, Chat!” She screamed from her barricade.
“You never said it was strictly snowballs, you just said who gets hit least. At this point, I would say you are losing, Bugaboo.” He purred from his position in the tree. He had her there.
“Fine. New game, right here. First person to get hit loses and you can only use snowballs.”
“Your pretty frisky tonight, especially since you are going to lose again.” He teased as he slinked down out of the tree.
“I won once today against a boy, I think I can do it again.” She retorted. She looked at the clock on her yo-yo and saw it was about to be 10pm. “We go when the bells sound. It ends when one of us gets hit or the bells sound again.”
A few minutes later the bells sounded, and snow was launched. They were as evenly matched on the ground as they were on the rooftops, though Ladybug was getting a little most sluggish as it got colder. Chat tried to use this to his advantage, but even sluggish, she was still quick. The longer they fought, the more her feelings of déjà vu grew. It was just too familiar. His movements, though more fluid now, were the same. She was able to stay a step or two ahead of him because of his inability to hide what he was about to do. She suddenly had the image of Adrien across the park from her instead of Chat and it all clicked. She stood stunned for a second before barely dodging his throw. With that, she lobbed another ball right into the center of his chest, ending her second game of dodgeball with a win.
“Looks like you lose again, Chaton.” She said as she walked over to him.
“I do believe that makes us tied, LB.” He countered as he dusted the snow off.
“Ah, no. You may have won the rooftop fight, but I won earlier today. Sorry, Sunshine, but you’ve been bested twice by a girl.”
She took off to the tower while he stood stunned at the nickname. Only Alya had ever called him Sunshine, and never in front of Ladybug, so how? He shot off after her as his mind tried to connect the spots. She figured out who he is and knew him as a civilian, that was the only explanation. He landed behind her on the tower and walked to her side.
“So, have you figured it out yet?” She whispered to the wind. He was taken back by her sudden change in demeanor. When she left, she was bold and feisty. Now he saw she was hunched in on herself and looking anywhere but him.
“I think I have. I mean, you pretty much gave yourself away back there.”
“Is it okay? You aren’t disappointed or mad that perfect Ladybug is clumsy, plain Marinette?” Her back was still to him, her voice beginning to crack a little as the tears began to fall.
“How can you think that?” He asked as he slowly reached out to her. “I’m thrilled that my best friend has been beside me this whole time. The woman I fell in love with at 14 right here at the tower is the same woman I fell over on a balcony at 16. You are my Lady and my princess. You are the one who has cared about the lonely, socially awkward boy without asking for anything in return. The care you show for others is limitless, like the time you made me a scarf for my birthday but allowed me to think it was from my father because you saw it made me happy. Marinette, you are Ladybug, whether you have a mask or not.”
She listened as she looked into his green eyes, seeing the sincerity in them at his words. He wasn’t disappointed, but happy. She pulled him into a tight hug as she continued to cry. He held her close and rubbed her back. Once her sobbing was more controlled, she tried speaking again. “Hey, um, do you want to go back to my house and get warm before heading home? We have some hot cocoa and I think I remember seeing some Pain Au Chocolate left over.” She played with her pigtail and watched as her foot shifted.
“I would love that, but do you also have some cheese? I didn't bring any for Plagg.” He smiled as she glanced at him and she responded with a shy smile of her own.
“I believe there may have been some cheese danishes as well. Let’s head out and I’ll check.” She unhooked her yo-yo from her belt and looked over her shoulder before casting it. “Race ya.”
“You got it, princess.” He launched himself into the night, knowing she would win, but not caring one bit. Tonight, he had won the lottery and he was never letting his prize go.