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This was bad. If Marinette was right about this her whole world threatened to collapse. She wanted to be wrong. Oh how she wanted to be wrong. She was panicking, tikki was being no help at all and she needed help. who could help? Who could help? Who could help? Alya of course but she can't talk to Alya about this. She couldn't talk to anyone about it. Marinette was on the verge of tears, her thumb hovered over alya's picture. Just one tap and she could find her grounding, just one tap and she could spill it all. Just one tap. Marinette shook her head, she could get through this. Alright marinette grab a hold of yourself she thought. She took a breath. It all started with a joke. How could it have all started with a joke.
That day had been a good one, a great one even. After a school day which was only remarkable for its anticipatory feeling which was shared by nearly the entire school, there was to be a concert. Kitty Section was debuting new songs that night at an indie music festival. Marinette had worked sleepless nights on the costumes and was sure the relatively new band was going to stand out. Even Adrien was going to be there, his father surprisingly lenient on this occasion, although the relative freedom allotted was likely motivated by the elder Agreste's desire for his son to be recognized. School let out and the band plus marinette traveled together towards the site of the music festival to begin preparing for the night's concert. It was mid afternoon and the streets of paris emitted heat the way that sidewalks sometimes do in late afternoon. Marinette and Alya walked together talking about the days classes, an upcoming test and Alya's new blog. Marinette gave the conversation her best try, she really did but the mere presence of Adrien was enough to send her entire brain into a nervous wreck that rendered her thought processes incomprehensible. Alya noticed Marinette's scatterbrained-ness and decided to teasingly misattribute it to the upcoming show loud enough for the rest of the band, but specifically Adrien, to hear. Aylya then parted ways, planning on attending a party that Nino was going to DJ.
At the show Marinette diligently helped the band set up. She had no musical talent herself but nino had been teaching her how to set up all the sound equipment and since he had a dj gig that night Marinette was left to her own devices. This turned out to be a blessing, Marinette was good at working no matter what the work was. If she had a purpose she could effectively shut out anything- well almost anything. Marinette was still conscious of Adrien's presence. Marinette plugged in speakers. He'll at least have to think I'm competent at this, even if i do seem to make a fool of myself every time we interact. Marinette set up microphones. I wonder how it is that Adrien is so talented, I wonder if he could sing. Marinette plugged in the bass guitar. The act reminded her of the events surrounding Mylene's akumatization. Specifically how Ladybug had resolved it. In some ways that had almost been the beginning of Kitty section. Marinette had stopped, took a breath and just as she was about to begin working again she felt a hand on her shoulder irrationally expecting Alya, she turned. When she turned and came face to face with Adrien, she became flustered, perhaps she was not as aware of his presence as she had thought. Suddenly aware of how sweaty she was from working, Marinette took a step back and stumbled falling down. Just my luck. Adrien reached out a hand to help her up, Marinette hesitated before taking it. What a gentleman he is! He sure looks good in that outfit… I wonder who designed it. This gave her pleasure, Marinette was proud of her work, her recognition and thankful to adrien. I sure am glad he agreed to model this. Marinette noticed the hand. He really is a gentleman… and how rude i must be for making him wait! Marinette shakily got up, and Adrien feeling bad for startling her attempted to lighten the mood.
"If you ask me, the cat's have got the right idea landing on their feet" Adrien said with a smile.
Marinette saw it before she heard it. The playful smile, the glint in his eyes. Then the joke crashed against her eardrums. Marinette had a guttural reaction and shot Adrien a look, one that was one of utter annoyance. Adrien got the message but attempting to remain cordial delivered the message he had stopped Marinette for in the first place. Adrien told Marinette that he had overheard that she had worries about the concert and told her that he had run the designs of the wardrobe past his father and that the elder Agreste had loved the outfit. Normally this would be great news but Marinette held out a hand. She was sick she had claimed, this was enough for Adrien which he thought explained her peculiar behavior. Although honestly Marinette was always a little peculiar, always friendly and warm but a little peculiar. Adrien helped her find a seat in the audience, front row of course. The concert wasn't due to begin for another ninety minutes but sound-check and a quick rehearsal were due. The next 3 or so hours passed in a blur for Marinette.
She focused on his face. Those blonde locks. Those green eyes. They cut through her and made her sick. Perhaps falling was the greatest mistake of her life so far. That glint of joy, it was unmistakable. Marinette had seen far more of Adrien than she had ever expected. She could see it now. How could she be so dumb. Marinette kicked herself for the 180th time in as many minutes. Then she saw it. His ring. God how could she have been so blind. It hadn't been so long since she literally had worn that ring as her brief stint as LadyNoir. That was the final straw, there must be some rational and feasible explanation for this but she wasn't going to find it at this concert. Finally she got up and left. She had to sort this out. She had to be alone. The music, the crowd, Adrien, it was all too much for her. Marinette hurried home and texted the kitty section Group chat:
I'm Feeling very sick, i think i caught a stomach bug, great show but i need to get home.
In her room Marinette was freaking out. She had torn down and thrown away all of the pictures of Adrien in the room. All except one. Her Adrien agreste calendar. She had decided to test her theory, shakily holding a sharpie she attempted to draw a mask onto Adrien. On January's page she had a solid start but her shaking hands let the sharpie slip straight through his eyes. I better try again. The same happened with february, march, april.. All the way through the months until december. Marinette couldn't bring herself to try again. Marinette whispered to Tikki asking if she knew who Chat Noir is. Tikki responded that she knew who he was but that of course she couldn't tell Marinette who it was. Marinette nodded in response, and silence hung in the air.
Of all the people. Of all the people. Of all the people. Of all the people. Marinette felt as though someone had hit her with a car on the way back from the concert. How rude had she been to chat noir? How many times had she turned down her crush in order to pursue him in another form. She felt so embarrassed. Of course she could be wrong, but everything made too much sense. She'd never really seen Adrien and Chat at the same time. Chat and Adrien had the same bodies, the same hair, similar eyes (chat's had a green filter of sorts). Even Chat's unwillingness to believe that Gabriel was hawkmoth. Marinette sat in her chair and stared out of her window, looking, seeing and hearing nothing. What was she thinking? Perhaps this could be a good thing but. Adrien and her could never be together, not like this. Not with one of them knowing the secret and the other not. The secret. How could she have betrayed her own principles. Would Chat forgive her? Could he? Could she forgive herself? This was a mess. Her life was a mess. Who could help. Who could help. Marinette got out her phone and at the last minute before calling set it aside.
Sabine's voice cut through the hurried silence. A friend was here to help, a friend who had heard Marinette was sick and brought some fever medicine and some mint. Alya! It was a sign, the universe was giving her the okay to spill the beans. Alya could make sense of this. Alya would make sense of this. Marinette sprinted down the stairs like a kid on christmas, with all the hope and sense of wonder that might be expected of an exceedingly naive kid. What waited at down those stairs made Marinette hurl directly into the trashcan at the foot of the stairs. Worry made its home on Adrien's face. He had brought her some medicine. Luckily for Marinette the vomit was relatively clean so she could save as much face as possible when puking in front of your crush in your pajamas.
Adrien looked towards sabine and tom, "she really should be laying down, I can give her the medicine if you'd like or-" Adrien offered the boxes of medicine.
The parents looked at each other and then looked at adrien, "why don't you help her upstairs give her the medicine and we'll be up after closing shop."
Adrien nodded and gestured towards Marinette to lead the way. Marinette had missed the entire conversation out of a combination of mortification, stress, and panic. Marinette quickly assessed the situation however and decided to go up the stairs quickly, almost running, on the verge of tears. Adrien walked slowly, deliberately giving marinette time to collect herself. Once in her room Marinette quickly jumped in her bed and practically hid under the covers.
Adrien knocked gently and entered Marinette's room, something seemed off about it but he couldn't tell what it was. Perhaps the dark. Adrien stood next to Marinette's bed and set his box of medicine down. He opened a window and asked to check Marinette's temperature with his hand and check her heartbeat. Adrien placed his hand against Marinette's forehead noted she seemed to be running a fever. Adrien also seemed to notice her recoil from his touch, perhaps she doesn't like to be touched. Adrien made a note of that and quickly checked her heartbeat by taking her hand and feeling her pulse through her wrist Her heartbeat was quickened. Adrien thought it appropriate to administer the fever reducer first. Then giving her a mint adrien said he was off to get some water.
Marinette reached out and croaked out a request to wait and stay. Adrien dutifully pulled up a chair and sat next to marinette's bed. After a moment of silence Marinette touched his shoulder. Marinette took a deep breath, what she was about to do was risky. Very risky. Marinette counted down… 3….2….1….
"Are you him" she croaked out.
"Am i who?" Adrien reacted in genuine confusal.
Marinette's hand drifted to on top of Adrien's and began to slightly move his ring.
"Chat noir"
The accusation hung in the air for a moment before adrien could react. He quickly stood up and withdrew his hand. Adrien's mind was racing, who could be after him? After marinette? Had she tried to take his miraculous?
"Mayura?" adrien asked "i thought you were taller"
Marinette gave a chuckle, his response had sealed it, this was chat noir. "Not quite kitty"
Marinette closed her eyes. "Tikki, Spots on"
Marinette didn't dare open her eyes. "Tikki spots off"
Adrien stared wide eyed. Marinette didn't take open her eyes.
A moment of silence passed.
"Well was i right?" Marinette nervously asked in a whisper.
"M'lady i've never known you to be wrong"
Marinette sat up. "Thank you for coming adrien"
Marinette smiled. There were some things to talk about. There were some things to work through. But things were going to be okay.