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Ladybug watched as Chat Noir leapt out of Adrien's room. She had been on a patrol, but was now hiding with her back pressed into a chimney. She wasn't sure why she hid, but her instincts told her to, so she did. Her heart hammered in her chest, the reason unknown, as she crept toward the open window Chat vaulted out of. She gasped at the sight in front of her.
Adrien was gone.
She panicked, breaths short and ragged. Adrien was gone. Adrien was gone. The last person she'd seen leaving his room was Chat Noir, did he go look for Adrien? No, he looked too relaxed. Adrien was gone and Chat was leaving his room, but that didn't make any sense unless--
Unless Adrien was Chat Noir.
She thought of his green eyes and blonde hair, the few soft smiles she'd gotten from Chat and how they were exactly like Adrien's frequent ones, the way Chat like he knew Marinette, and the way Adrien looked at Ladybug. It didn't seem outrageous, in fact, it seemed to make perfect sense. Of course it was him.
Her mind switched out Adrien with Chat Noir, reaching out with his umbrella and a soft smile, then a laugh that was as sweet as the smell of the rain. Then Adrien instead of Chat Noir, hair windswept after leaping across rooftops during patrol. She shook her head, snapping back to reality before her brain could have her picture Adrien risking his life for her constantly.
Gathering her bearings, she swung across rooftops until she found her balcony, a few rooftops away, but stopped. There he was, her Kitty, crouching on her balcony, knocking on her trapdoor. She watched as he cocked his head to the side, his face scrunched up in confusion when she didn't let him in. His lips moved, probably calling her name, and frowned when he got no response.
Ladybug found herself on her balcony, landing behind Chat, whose ears twitched before he turned around. "Oh, hi, m'lady."
He looked almost guilty, like he'd been caught, but it might've been her imagination. "She's not there, you know." Had she just said that?
"She's...not?" Chat was confused, standing up and patting the non-existent dust from his suit.
Too late to back down now.
"Nope."
"How do you know? Did you visit Marinette earlier?"
She almost said she did. Almost. "No, I know because," her heartbeat when into hyperdrive, "well, Adrien, I know because I'm her."
"Adri--you--wow." He whistled, a smile making its way up his face, shaking his head slightly. He then looked into her eyes, his expression so soft, so Adrien, that she wondered why she hadn't figured it out sooner as he whispered, "Of course it's you."
She hadn't noticed how close he'd gotten, his body heat radiating off of him, unless that was just the sudden warmth she felt. He was so close, towering over her, the softest smile he'd ever worn on his lips, breath fanning over her face. She would later blame that for what she did next.
She yanked him by the collar, expression determined, and pressed her lips against his, hard. He yelped a little, but didn't hesitate before wrapping his arms around her a gentle hand caressing her cheek as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Kissing him was like a soft breeze on a clear day, like drinking hot chocolate on a cold day, and like ice cream on a hot day.
In other words, it felt amazing. But most of all, it felt right.
They pulled apart breathless, flushed, and smiling. A giggle escaped Ladybug before she could stop it, which lead to both of them laughing, until the laughing died off into two content sighs.
"I know it's probably not the time but, how'd you find out? When did you find out?" Chat asked.
"Well, it was tonight, as you left your room as, well, yourself." She realized too late that he'd take that in a way to tease her.
"Oh, so does that mean you were going to stop by, m'lady? Come to my home and chat? Or perhaps something more... Scandalous?" He wiggled his eyebrows, earning himself a blush and a nose boop.
"I was on a patrol. Well, it was more like a walk to clear my head, and I happened to see you." Saying it out loud wasn't convincing.
"Whatever you say, Bugaboo," he winked.
With a mischievous smile, she kissed him again, just to see how he'd react. It was a short peck, but it was enough to leave him in a daze. She giggled, but she couldn't deny the rush of butterflies in her stomach at the feeling of her lips on his. Sure, she was the one who initiated the contact, but it left her warm.
"I love you," she blurted.
His eyebrows raised, it was an unexpected comment for both of them. He quickly composed himself, smirking, "Already? I knew I was irresistible, but this is new."
She blinked at him, unable to say anything. Before he could ask if she was okay, however, she decided it was then or never. "Actually, I've kinda been in love with Adrien for a while," she let out a shaky breath, "but I knew I had feelings for Chat too. I just tucked them into the deepest, darkest pits of my heart because i couldn't risk becoming a stuttering, blushing mess in front of my partner too! We have lives to save, and I didn't want to mess it up, but knowing now that my feelings were for one person alone, and finally sharing them... I feel free."
"Oh." He stood in front of her, his arms still around her, a dark shade of crimson peeking from underneath his mask. She'd never seen him so flustered before, to the point that he was rendered speechless. It didn't take too long before his expression softened again, and he murmured, "I love you too, Marinette."
He said her name. It wasn't like he hadn't before, but the way he said it, so tenderly, like she was the most important person in the world, make her knees weak. If it weren't for his strong arms around her, she may have collapsed. He leaned down, placing one last gentle kiss on her lips, "I have to go now."
"O-ok."
"Bye, Marinette." There he was again, saying her name like that.
"Bye, Adrien."