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The sun was still miles away from meeting the horizon when Marrinette called for an emergency meeting with Cat Noir. Little did he know, it was likely going to be their last. Other than the anxiety currently gnawing at her insides, she felt otherwise calm, cool, and collected. Ready to break the news to him like finally ripping off a bandaid left on a little too long. It’s not like she had time to mentally prepare herself for getting the invitation of a lifetime. And if her palms were sweaty, no one but Tikki would live to know about it. She’d made up her mind. Paris heat wasn't that bad, but she wondered what the summer would feel like in New York City.
She’d always thought about finally proving Chloe wrong, but she never imagined she would feel like the ugly duckling trailing after mother goose.
But she’d earned this opportunity.
And she wasn’t about to second guess herself this time.
From here, the Eiffel Tower looked small enough to pick up and pack away in her carry on. Maybe, she thought, she could find one on a keychain somewhere at the airport and keep it close to her at all times.
The unmistakable clatter of Cat Noirs feet sticking landing was so familiar to her that she didn’t have to peek over her shoulder to know it was him. No one ever bothered them up here. It often felt like they had all of Paris to themselves.
“Sup, milady? You rang?”
She allowed herself to enjoy the playful tilt in his voice while it lasted. He was always teasing, but somehow it hurt today, knowing that she was about to rip the rug right out from underneath him. Even with his cat-like reflexes he couldn’t possibly see this coming. The corner of his lips curled upwards when he casually dropped down beside her, his hair naturally disheveled from the wind.
“Why the long face? Cat got your tongue?” His smirk brightened and she looked back out into the horizon.
Paris.
It would always be theirs.
They chose to protect it and now… she was choosing to leave.
“Have you ever thought about… going somewhere else?” She started, her voice steady. She could do this. It’s not like they really knew each other outside of saving the world. She had no idea what type of guy he was behind the mask.
“Like traveling? Are you proposing a romantic getaway? Because I could have my bags packed faster than you can pick a place, milady!”
She normally would have laughed. She wanted to. Unintentionally, she smiled, but it faded fast. “No. Like leaving Paris for somewhere else.”
He froze, his expression caught between excitement and something else. Confusion maybe. “No, never.” he paused, “Why would I? You’re here.” He smiled tightly, slowly, as if anticipating what was to come. But she knew him well, and if anything, he seemed hopeful that the conversation would swerve and end up somewhere else.
“I’m thinking of leaving France tomorrow.”
“You’re WHAT?” The smile slipped from his face entirely and she didn’t want to turn and catch the betrayal in his eyes, “You’re thinking about it? Why would you even think about that?” His voice went from frantic to very quiet, like he was afraid that if he spoke too loudly she’d be serious.
“Well, I technically have until tomorrow to decide, but I’ve already made up my mind.”
“But—you—wait…” it sounded more like he was the one who needed a moment to think . Like his mind was running too fast for him to catch up, “You’re serious?” His voice wavered.
She held her breath, “Yeah.”
“You can’t be serious…”
“I’ve already packed up most of my things.”
“But—y-you can’t be serious?” He was stuttering, smirking through his obvious discomfort.
She turned to finally look at him, soaking up the way he looked up here on their rooftop, shocked and in disbelief.
“Why? Ladybug, you can’t go.” He whispered, “Please, please tell me you’re joking right now.” He tried and failed to blink away the tears in his eyes.
Was he… crying? “I'm not joking, Cat Noir. I know this is sudden, but I called an emergency meeting because I needed you to know before I left.”
“But… why? Are you in trouble? Is someone after you? Because you can always stay at my place if you—“
“No!” She laughed, leaning back on her palms and laughing into the wind. “Nothing like that, you silly kitty, there’s just this opportunity I don’t want to miss.” Her voice hushed as she officially broke the news.
He ran a hand through his windswept hair when he finally realized she really wasn’t joking, “What opportunity? Is it money related? Because I can help if you need help financially—“
“No, no, it’s…” she paused, “I just think it would be good for me if I went. Career wise.”
“But—we’re heroes. Saving people is kind of our career, don’t you think?”
She was inclined to agree, but it was more complicated than that. “I want to do this...”
He was looking at her funny. Like she was suddenly a stranger in a suit and not his trusted colleague, “But… you can’t leave. Paris needs you.”
“Paris needs us. And you’ll still be here to protect it.” She reached over to take his hand and he clasped it like a lifeline, “I trust you.”
“If your mind's made up then…” his face lit up again, “Let me go with you!” He begged, suddenly beaming again, “Where are we going?”
She shook her head, smiling up at him softly, “You can’t just leave Paris with me. You said it yourself, they need a hero.”
He shook his head, “Paris doesn’t need a hero, they need us… you and me, Ladybug, we’re all they’ve got.”
She wished that was nearly enough to keep her from pursuing her dream. But it wasn’t. She released his hand and stood up. “I’m sorry.”
“Please, milady… I can’t do this without you.” He begged, staring up at her, blinking away his unshed tears.
“I think you’re strong enough to handle anything now on your own.”
He shook his head again, “I need you.”
“Cat Noir—I can’t. I need to go.”
“Please…”
“You can do this. You have to. I only came to say goodbye.”
Marinette hadn’t anticipated how difficult it would be to tell her classmates she was leaving. Their homeroom teacher announced it at the beginning of class and Alya already knew, but she subtly wiped at her eyes to keep from crying. Chloé would have been celebrating in her seat if Marinette wasn’t leaving with her mother tomorrow. It was her lifelong dream to be closer to her mother, and yet her mortal enemy was chosen in her stead.
Marinette stared longingly down at Adrien. He’d been off all day, hadn’t spoken a word to anyone, and hadn’t so much as looked up until the news was announced. His head snapped up and for a moment he openly gaped at their teacher.
Why was it suddenly so surprising when he was there when Chloé’s mother asked her to go? He’d even encouraged her to go for it.
After class, right before their lunch period ended, he approached her and asked if they could speak somewhere a little more private. Alya was too sad to be excited for her and left with Nino to give them space.
He led her to the art room, where it smelled like freshly sprayed paint and acrylics. It was completely abandoned at this time, since the room was usually cleared out once the bell was about to ring.
“I—I have to ask you something, but I don’t know how to start.” He scratched at his neck, shifting his weight around uncomfortably.
“Okay.” She was already blushing. Was he about to confess? He looked so handsome today, much like everyday. She wouldn’t miss him the most, since that spot was obviously already taken up by Alya, but she’d certainly miss seeing him around everyday. Still, he’d seemed so excited when Chloé’s mother proposed the idea of taking her to New York that he didn’t give it a second thought before encouraging her. This felt… different somehow.
“Are you Ladybug?”
She froze, her eyes widening a fraction before she forced herself to laugh. It was a little awkward, but she had to at least try and sell it. “Ladybug? Adrien, of course I’m not—she’s not—“ she shook her head through a broken smile, “Of course I’m not ladybug, silly!”
“Marinette…” he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. The motion was familiar enough to catch her attention, “I’m not sure if I believe you. If it’s really you, I need to know. I’d do anything for you to stay.”
Her cheeks went scarlet. “I—uh.” The bell rang and she jumped, “Oh, we—have to go! We’re going to be late!” She turned and left before Adrien could say anything more. But when she glanced back at him, he was staring down at the ground in disbelief.
He really didn’t believe her.
Instead of running straight to class, she ran to the nearest bathroom. How could he possibly know? And why did he look so sad to see her go? It was all too much. She locked herself in a stall and pulled her knees up to her chest to cry.
She was definitely going to miss him more than she’d originally intended.
Their chemistry teacher wasn’t happy when she joined the class in the middle of lecture. She scolded Marinette for being late on her last day and she kept her eyes down to keep from revealing her red rimmed eyes. But when she glanced up to find her seat, Adrien was already watching her, closely, his eyes focused.
He knew.
But how did he find out?
Marinette’s friends took her out for ice cream at Andres after school and she was a little disappointed that Adrien couldn’t skip out on fencing practice, but after the conversation they’d had in the art room, she figured that maybe it was for the best.
They all made promises to keep in touch, and it was a little heart wrenching, but somehow she managed.
Back at home, she was packing up the last of her things when there was suddenly a knock at her window.
Cat Noir?
Her heart began to race, but she quickly reminded herself that he had no idea she was Ladybug. With a heavy heart, she met him out on her balcony.
“Good evening miss.” He smiled down at her tightly, perched up on her ledge like the cat he was.
“Cat Noir, is there trouble in Paris?” What a fitting way to end their semi parasocial relationship. She was glad he came tonight. She was going to miss him too.
“No actually—I came because I... wanted to tell you something.” He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he jumped down from the ledge to approach her. “I know there’s a chance that I’m going to regret this if I’m wrong, but…” he twisted at his ring and she gasped as he slipped it off his finger, transforming back into… Adrien. Her Adrien. Adrien Agrest.
Her jaw dropped slowly in disbelief.
His ring! Of course.
So he had figured it out.
He’d been carefully putting all the pieces together in his head.
“Adrien? ” She whispered. Every single time he’d hit on her. Every playful remark, every offer to take her out and date her properly came slowly flooding back. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of her all at once and she couldn’t possibly lie to him now, knowing he’d just revealed his biggest secret, “How did you know it was me?”
He smiled, his brows pulling together sadly. “You can be honest with me, Marinette. I need to know if it’s really you who’s behind the mask.” He took a step towards her and she took a careful step back.
“I—” she lowered her head, “I… am Ladybug.” Tikki fluttered in looking mortified just to prove her point, peering up at his shocked expression from behind her shoulder. She was leaving tomorrow anyway. And he’d technically figured it all out on his own. There was no point in hiding it anymore. She wasn’t about to make him think he was crazy again because he didn’t deserve that, and she suddenly trusted Adrien more than anybody. Unmasked, she felt like she could relate to him more than anybody else in the entire world.
They’d always been in this together.
It was always them against the world.
“I know.” He took another careful step forward, “I don’t know how I didn’t see it sooner, milady. The signs were all there. You’re kind, and selfless, and you do whatever you can to help others, even if it means putting yourself in difficult situations.” His expression was pained as he spoke and it felt as if her two worlds were finally colliding, “I can’t—stress to you enough how badly I wish I’d seen it sooner. Marinette, if I hadn’t been so in love with ladybug all this time, I think… I definitely would’ve fallen in love with you .”
Her breath caught. It felt like for a moment she couldn’t breath, tears welling up in her wide eyes and blurring her vision. This couldn’t be real. It was them, both of them, saving the world together all this time . “Adrian…” before now, she’d dreamt of this moment a thousand times before. Not with Cat Noir, but with Adrien. She wondered what his confession would be like, and fantasized about them finally being together, but this time it was real, and so much better, and she was leaving.
“Marinette I still can’t believe it’s really you, but at the same time it makes perfect sense. I wish—“ he took another step forward, “I wish we had more time. I wish there was something I could say to… to make you stay.” He paused. They were so close now that their noses were practically brushing and she’d allowed it this time. She hadn’t moved away. “Can I kiss you?”
She nodded.
He reached up, cupping her cheek in his palm and running the pad of his thumb over her skin.
Adrien was really about to kiss her!
Tikki fluttered away to give them privacy and Plagg quickly followed. A chill ran down her spine. Then goosebumps rose up everywhere . He was leaning in closer, closing the distance between them, pausing just before their lips met. “It’s always been you, milady.” He smiled and finally pressed their lips together.
She had never properly kissed anyone before.
Well… actually, they had kissed before, but it had been a clumsy press of lips in order to save his life, and this felt nothing like that.
This was Adrien.
And Cat Noir too.
She got up onto the tips of her toes to kiss him back, wrapping her free hand delicately around his wrist to keep him there.
She wondered if Adrien had ever kissed anyone, since it was Adrien, but neither of them seemed particularly good at it. They pulled away laughing, their foreheads bumping together lightly. He was grinning, his cheeks still flushed and his green eyes surprisingly watery.
“That was kind of embarrassing, can I—try that again?”
She swallowed through another nod. She could kiss him all night if he let her, and if he took her up on that offer, she just might.
“I’ll get better at this if you give me the chance.” He promised, leaning in to capture her lips once more. This time it felt significantly better than the first time. He pulled at her bottom lip tenderly and she wrapped a hand behind his neck to keep him from pulling away again, her fingers curling into the blonde hair at the nape of his neck.
How could she leave now that she had this? It wasn’t just Cat Noir begging her to stay, it was Adrien. The love of her life and her partner in… good? She smiled at the thought against his lips. There was nothing he could say to make her stay, but actions typically spoke a lot louder than words.
“You’re not going?” Her mother looked surprised and maybe even a little relieved to hear her say so. “But… it’s your dream.”
Marinette’s father eyed her sympathetically at her mother’s side.
She shook her head, “I think I can do anything if I just set my mind to it. You guys taught me that, remember?”
Her mother smiled, holding back tears as she extended her arms out for a hug.
She practically ran into her embrace, and her father rubbed her back lovingly.
“We support you no matter what you decide to do.”
Everyone at school was excited to hear that she’d decided to stay. Even Chloé was back to her usually hateful self now that her mother had finally chosen her over New York City. Adrien kept on smiling at her too. It was subtle at first. He would blush every time their eyes met and he was already looking at her. The way his cheeks would flush and his brows would raise up in embarrassment made her fall in love with him just a little bit more every time.
After a particularly crushing victory against Hawk Moth, they both stopped by Andre’s to get some ice cream together. He knew immediately that something was different between the two. He was officially the first to know that they were together.
Ladybug and Cat Noir on an actual date?
She blushed through her smile, licking at her ice cream.
“Remember when—“ she paused in embarrassment to cover her mouth, her face lighting up at the memory, “You set up that really romantic date with Ladybug and then you took me? As Marinette?”
He cringed, facepalming himself a little too hard, “Now that you mention it, it’s all that I can think about, milady…” he groaned.
She laughed, putting a gentle hand on his arm, “I thought it was really romantic of you to do all that for me. And earlier that day… I was actually hoping you’d come out to get ice cream with us at Andres and I was so disappointed when you didn’t show.”
He paused, his eyes going wide, “Wait, really?! I remember that now!” He laughed, rubbing at the nape of his neck, “That’s… actually kind of tragic, now that I think about it.”
“We could… always try that again sometime.” She blushed, “I mean—! Only if you want to, of course.”
He beamed, “Are you kitty-ing me?” She laughed at his shitty play on words, that one was worse than a lot of his usual puns but she’d give it to him, because he was cute, “Of course I want to! Pick a day, milady, any day!”