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“Pound it!” Ladybug and Chat Noir said in unison, their fists meeting above the crouched form of the deakumatized supervillain, who looked around confusedly.
“What happened?” the victim––a maid at Le Grand Paris––asked, dazed.
“You were akumatized,” Ladybug explained kindly, offering a hand and helping her to her feet. “Don’t worry though, Chat Noir and I saved you.”
Chat Noir propped his elbow on Ladybug’s shoulder, grinning at her. “Milady is always here to save the day,” he announced cheekily.
Ladybug grinned, shoving his arm off of her. “I couldn’t do it without you, Chat,” she reminded him, ruffling his messy blond hair. “You’re the best partner a girl could ask for.” Feeling bold, Ladybug threw in a wink.
To her surprise, Chat flushed, his face turning pink underneath the mask. “I––” he began, but was cut off by a beeping sound coming from his ring. Chat sighed, sounding almost frustrated. “I have to go.”
Ladybug smiled at him. “I’ll take her back to Le Grand Paris,” she said, gesturing towards the maid. “I’ll see you later, kitty.”
Chat Noir looked as though he wanted to say something else, but he simply nodded and took off, soaring past the buildings and out of sight.
Ladybug turned to the maid, offering her hand. “Ready?” she asked, and the woman took her hand with a smile.
After she returned the woman to the hotel, Marinette rushed to school, late as per usual. She opened the door to Mme Mendeleiev’s physics class, sneaking as quietly as she could into the classroom and sliding into her seat beside Alya.
“Where were you?” Alya hissed, her eyes trained on their teacher.
“I was––” Marinette stopped, her eyes falling on the empty seat in front of her. Bewildered, she glanced around the classroom. “Where’s Adrien?”
Alya grinned. “Always the distracted one,” she mused. “He’s late too. You two are perfect for each other.”
Marinette giggled. “You think?”
Suddenly, the door to the physics classroom cracked open, and Adrien Agreste slipped through the opening. Unfortunately, he wasn’t as stealthy as Marinette, and Mme Mendeleiev turned around quickly.
“M. Agreste,” Mme Mendeleiev snapped. “Would you mind telling the class why you’re late?”
Adrien jumped, his face turning red. “I’m sorry, I had a photoshoot that ran late,” he said quickly, taking his seat next to Nino.
Marinette frowned. She knew Adrien’s schedule by heart, and he didn’t have any morning photoshoots on Fridays. He was lying. She turned and voiced her thoughts to Alya as quietly as she could, only to get muffled laughter in response.
“Says you,” Alya said, pitching her voice to sound like a poor imitation of Mme Mendeleiev. “Mlle Dupain-Cheng, would you mind telling the class why you’re late?”
Giggling, Marinette opened her mouth to give a fake excuse but was interrupted by the sound of a ruler smacking on a whiteboard.
“Really, Mlle Dupain-Cheng and Mlle Cesaire! Pay attention or you’ll both be sent to the principal’s office!” snapped Mme Mendeleiev. “This is your only warning.”
“Sorry, Madame,” Marinette called, ducking her head. She paid close attention for the rest of the lesson, taking notes and answering questions, feeling guilty for distracting the class earlier.
Finally, the bell rang and dismissed the students for lunch. Marinette was packing up her bag when she heard Alya’s voice from somewhere in front of her.
“Hey Nino, Adrien!” Alya greeted them. “Want to get lunch with Marinette and me?”
Marinette’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, and she dropped her books all over the floor in surprise.
Almost immediately, Adrien was by her side, picking up the books that lay scattered on the floor. He stacked them in a neat pile in his arms, turning to Marinette and handing her the books.
“T-Thank you!” squeaked Marinette, her face bright red.
Adrien smiled at her, his green eyes so kind and so familiar. “Don’t mention it,” he said good-naturedly, and for a brief moment, Marinette was reminded of Chat Noir.
For some reason, the comparison between her partner and the boy she loved sent a shiver down her spine, and Marinette shook her head lightly.
“I’d love to come to lunch with you,” Adrien said, grabbing his own bag and looking directly at Marinette.
With you.
Marinette felt her face heating up even more than it already was, and she smiled as confidently as she could. “Awesome! You’re awesome––I mean! That’s awesome! It’s hot in here––you’re hot––I-I mean I’m hot! Wow! Let’s go outside now!” stammered Marinette, her voice high-pitched and strained.
Her friends laughed, and Marinette could see the exasperation on Alya’s face from where she stood beside Nino. She shot her friend a scowl, before smiling widely at Adrien.
“Alright, let’s go,” Alya said with a grin, and the group left the classroom in search of a good place to eat lunch.
“Okay, okay,” Alya said between fits of laughter. “The real question: Ladybug or Chat Noir?”
“Ladybug,” Nino said decisively, taking a bite of his sandwich. “She’s just so sick. No offense to Chat Noir, he’s really cool too.”
Alya shook her head, grinning. “Obviously you all know my answer. Ladybug for sure! She’s so cool and confident and strong!” She stared up at the sky as if Ladybug were about to soar past the group.
Marinette hid a smile. If only her best friend knew how close her hero was. She snuck a quick glance at Adrien and felt a rush of excitement at the sight of the blond nodding in agreement to Alya’s statement.
“What about you, Agreste?” Alya asked, cocking her head.
“Ladybug,” Adrien responded without a second of hesitation. “She’s just… Ladybug,” he finished almost lamely, his face a soft pink.
“My boy here has a little bit of a crush on a superhero,” Nino interjected, and Adrien blushed even harder.
“That’s not why I like Ladybug more,” Adrien defended, crossing his arms sourly. Nino and Alya exchanged a look, before bursting into laughter at the expression on the blond’s face.
Marinette, on the other hand, felt as though her soul had left her body. Adrien liked Ladybug. She was Ladybug. Which means…
Adrien liked her.
Marinette was in such a state of shock and excitement that she almost missed the next thing Adrien said. Almost.
“I mean who even really likes Chat Noir,” Adrien said, his voice almost bitter. “He doesn’t do anything to actually help Ladybug.”
Marinette felt like she’d been doused in ice water. “W-What?” she blurted. “Yes, he does!”
Adrien sent her a disbelieving look. “She’s perfectly capable of handling it herself. He just gets in her way and makes stupid jokes.”
Marinette frowned, feeling her irritation build. “Ladybug wouldn’t be able to defeat the supervillains without Chat Noir.”
“He’s a sidekick,” Adrien said scornfully.
“He’s her partner,” Marinette shot back loudly, her hands balling into fists. “He’s irreplaceable.”
Chest heaving, she looked over at Alya, who seemed shocked at her outburst. Her gaze dropped to her lap. She thought about Chat Noir and everything that he’d done for her. He’d sacrificed himself for her, multiple times, and even after she rejected him, he still loved her.
Marinette took a deep breath. “She couldn’t do it without him,” she said finally, echoing her words to Chat from earlier. “He’s the best partner a girl could ask for.”
She looked up, meeting Adrien’s gaze. His eyes were so wide and so green, and his cheeks were light pink. He didn’t say anything, but Marinette held his gaze challengingly.
“I––” Adrien stuttered. “You’re––maybe you’re right.” He looked down at his lap, but Marinette could see his eyes darting back and forth as if searching for something.
“So I assume your answer is Chat Noir then,” Alya joked, diffusing the tension.
Marinette nodded. Feeling suddenly emboldened, she added, “He’s also really hot.”
From beside her, Adrien choked on his sandwich.
Ladybug landed on the roof where she and Chat Noir always met for patrol, her blue eyes scanning the horizon. Her partner hadn’t arrived, but she was confident that he was on his way. Sitting down, Ladybug dangled her feet over the ledge, swinging them boredly. Her mind drifted back to her conversation with her friends today, about Chat Noir.
Everything she said had been true, even the part about being hot. Adrien had been out of line, she decided. Everyone knew Chat Noir was irreplaceable. He was so fiercely loyal, so kind and funny. And smart too––incredibly smart. He’d helped her out so many times, and what had she done to show her appreciation? Ladybug was filled with a sense of guilt. Chat Noir probably had no idea how much he meant to her.
“Can you believe Adrien, Tikki?” Ladybug said out loud, unsure if her kwami could hear her. “I don’t care if he’s the love of my life, he can’t say those things about my partner.” Ladybug sighed. “He’s more than my partner, he’s my friend––my best friend.”
Ladybug remembered the harshness of Adrien’s words and frowned. “Maybe,” she mused, almost sadly. “Maybe I was wrong about Adrien.”
Suddenly, someone landed on the roof behind her, and Ladybug straightened. She quickly got to her feet, turning around to see Chat Noir standing on the roof.
“Hi, kitty,” Ladybug said, her smile dropping when she took in the sight of her partner.
Chat’s shoulders were tense and his normally playful eyes were guarded. He looked so unlike the Chat Noir that she knew and loved, and Ladybug was instantly filled with concern.
“Are you okay, Chat Noir?” she asked worriedly, taking a step toward her partner.
“Did you really mean what you said earlier?” Chat Noir blurted, his voice strained. “About me?”
Ladybug blinked, thinking back to their conversation that morning. She couldn’t quite remember the words she used, but she knew that anything she said about him was true. Ladybug nodded. “Of course, kitty.”
Chat Noir didn’t seem to look very reassured. “You think that I’m a good partner?”
“The best partner a girl could ask for,” repeated Ladybug, remembering that sentence from both her conversation with Chat and her argument with Adrien.
“And that––” Chat paused, taking a deep breath. “––that I’m irreplaceable?”
“Yes,” Ladybug replied immediately, that word ringing a bell in her mind as well. “Everything that I said about you was true.”
Chat Noir took a step closer to her. “I––” he started, before hesitating. “I know you’re tired of hearing this but I have to say it.” Ladybug watched, confused, as Chat took a deep breath. “I love you, Marinette.”
Marinette.
Ladybug stumbled back, her heart pounding. “Wh––What?” she stammered, mind racing. “I’m not––How’d you––”
That word––irreplaceable––stuck out in her mind. She recalled her conversation with Chat that morning, realizing that she hadn’t said anything about him being irreplaceable. So when did I say that , Ladybug wondered anxiously, and to whom?
Suddenly, Adrien Agreste’s surprised face shot through her mind.
‘He’s her partner, he’s irreplaceable!’, her own voice echoed through her mind.
The look on Adrien’s face when she defended Chat, the bitterness in his voice, the way he sputtered after hearing her call her partner hot.
Oh my god.
“A––Adrien?” whispered Ladybug, her eyes widening in surprise and horror.
Chat Noir––Adrien Agreste––smiled at her, but it was strained. “Chat’s out of the bag, Milady.”
Ladybug took a deep breath, processing this. Her heart was pounding so loudly that she could hear it in her ears. The rooftop swayed underneath her feet, and she felt suddenly very lightheaded. Ladybug stumbled but was immediately caught by a pair of strong, leather-clad arms.
“Are you okay, Marinette?” Chat asked worriedly, holding her tightly. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to find out.”
Ladybug looked up, meeting his concerned green eyes. The eyes. They were so similar, how had she not noticed? All the times she stared at those eyes, all of the posters in her room. “You’re Adrien Agreste. Chat Noir is Adrien Agreste,” she said, in a daze.
A different expression crossed Chat’s face, and his hold of her loosened a little bit. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “You must be so disappointed.”
“Wh-What?” Ladybug stuttered. “What do you mean?”
“I know you don’t like me all that much, I know you only hang around me because Alya and Nino invite me to things,” Chat said despondently. “I-It’s okay, Marinette. I just wanted you to know who I was because I figured it out.”
“Chat––Adrien,” Ladybug interrupted, standing up properly and grabbing his shoulders. “You’re my best friend. With or without the suit. Of course, I like you.”
Chat’s head lifted, and he looked surprised. “R-Really?” he said hopefully, and Ladybug suddenly erupted into giggles.
“Oh my god,” she whispered. “I’m in love with Chat Noir.”
Chat’s eyes widened. “What?” he exclaimed.
Ladybug kept laughing. “You stupid, stupid cat, I’ve been in love with Adrien Agreste for years, and I’ve started having feelings for Chat and I was so confused but it makes so much sense now!”
Chat Noir let out a soft breath that tickled Ladybug’s face. She didn’t realize how close they had gotten. “Really?”
Ladybug had stopped laughing now, staring up into Chat’s eyes. “You’re so beautiful,” she murmured. Ladybug closed her eyes. “Tikki, spots off.”
There was a flash of pink light, and Marinette was standing in her civilian form on the rooftops of Paris, in Chat Noir’s embrace.
“Do you want me to detransform too?” Chat asked nervously. “You said you liked Adrien longer.”
Marinette shook her head. “I love them both, but you’re more you as Chat Noir, aren’t you, kitty?” Marinette could see Chat’s eyes filling with tears, and continued, “Chat Noir brought you freedom––the freedom to be yourself without anyone judging you or expecting you to be perfect. How could I love either one of you less? Chat Noir, Adrien Agreste, I love––”
Marinette didn’t get to finish her sentence because Chat Noir cupped her face and pulled her up into a deep kiss, their mouths moving together in perfect synchronization. Marinette felt as though her heart was about to explode, threading her hands through his hair and pulling him closer to her. She lifted onto her tiptoes, kissing him harder, and she felt Chat Noir almost purr against her lips.
After a few seconds that felt like years, they pulled away, staring at each other with wide eyes and red faces.
“I love you,” Chat said again. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I love you so so much.”
Marinette smiled, leaning forward and flicking the bell around his neck. “Come on, my kitty. Let’s start patrol.”