Chapter Text
“I love Chat Noir.”
She didn’t even mean to say it out loud. It was just a natural conclusion of the stream of thoughts and feelings that haunted Marinette in the last weeks. Maybe months.
She didn’t know when and how exactly it happened. Probably it was inevitable.
When that strong and kind person stays close to you as long as Chat did. When his warm and protective nature is so obvious. When his brave and fearless habits are so irresistible. When he declares his love to you and calls you the lady of his dreams...
“I knew there was something different in the way you were with Adrien last time.” Alya nodded with an understanding smile. “Like really. From the moment I got to know your identity, I was expecting one of my ships to sail any moment!”
“I mean. It feels so natural. I can’t even remember the moment when it wasn’t there.” Marinette sighed. “With him I feel safe, even fighting for my life. He knows all my weaknesses and is still there for me. And he loves me.” She looked at her friend with eyes full of tears. “And I didn’t believe he could love me without knowing who I am, but his mask didn’t stop me either.”
“Hey, hey.” Alya patted her on the shoulder. “This is good news, girl. You both deserve it, you know?”
“We can’t be together though.” Marinette was looking through the window with an unseeing gaze. “I can’t even tell him, because of how dangerous it would be...”
“Why would it be dangerous?” Alya turned Marinette’s head to face her again. “He loves you and it only helps him to fight for you better. Why do you think it should be different for you?”
“That’s exactly the point, Alya.” Marinette sighed. “He fights for me. I fight for the city.” She shook her head. “The moment I let my feelings take a hold of me during a fight, I’ll forget about people. I’ll only think about his safety. And Shadow Moth will win.”
“I don’t think it’s all so one-sided.” Alya offered. “He is a part of the city. Of the people.” She hugged her friend tight. “Just give yourself some time to process it. You just realized your feelings, right? I’m sure it can’t be a bad thing. It will only make you stronger, once you’re ready to fully accept them.”
“I don’t know, Alya. I don’t feel like lying to myself about my feelings, but Chat... He doesn’t know about the bad things that may happen... And then there’s Adrien. I feel more like a friend to him right now, but I’d prefer to be completely over him before even thinking of starting something with the most important person in my life...”
“As much as I love our Sunshine-boy and all, let’s be real: Chat is a much better fit for you. Adrien is too nice, too soft to handle you.”
“I don’t know. I still think Adrien is perfect. But now I can see that Chat is perfect too...” Marinette’s eyes lit up with adoration. “His sense of humor, his courage, he is able to give me hope in the darkest moments. He never stops believing. In me. And in us too... I think, at some point I just believed in it as well...”
“You guys are so sweet.” Alya rolled dreamy eyes. “I mean, like Adrinette is nice and all, but Ladynoir... it’s deep, it’s hot, it’s powerful. I can feel the energy of your bond so vivid, like you two are just meant to be.”
Marinette sighed a hundred times that day.
“Let’s go back to school.” She called. “The lunch is nearly over.”
*
Adrien was upset.
Instead of being transformed and getting ready for the fight within the first sounds of the akuma alarm, he was following his classmate in his civilian form.
Marinette, smart and caring, the class president, of all people, should have known to stay far from the danger, instead of getting closer to where an akumatized villain was tearing the walls apart.
Maybe Alya convinced her to get some footage for the Ladyblog? But where was the crazy journalist herself then? And no, Marinette was first to try and convince her friend to abandon the dangerous path..
Adrien’s train of thought was suddenly cut off when he turned the corner after following Marinette and instead saw Ladybug (LADYBUG!!) zipping up the building at the end of the alley.
Adrien stopped.
For the first few moments his brain refused functioning.
He stared blankly at the end of the alley, from which his fighting partner had just zipped to the roof.
Exact sciences have always been easy for Adrien. And yet, the task his brain was trying to solve at the moment did not give in to him.
Task conditions: One cute classmate, let’s call her M, enters the alley with a dead end, and one superhero, let’s call her L, leaves the alley a few seconds after that.
Question: what is the likelihood of character M and character L to be the same character?
Note: cute? Since when did he think Marinette was cute?
Answer:
The loud sound of crashing walls brought Adrien from his thoughts, or rather, the absence of them.
“Akuma!” He exclaimed, in an attempt to wake himself up from whatever state the last few minutes brought him. “Plagg, claws out!”
*
“Chat!” Her yoyo was already rubbed around his body, and Ladybug pulled her partner fast from the akuma’s attack. “What is wrong with you today?!” She yelled at him, when she caught him and put at his feet.
But there was no usual anger in her voice. All Chat Noir could hear was concern and care. Was she always soft and deep like this? Or does he feel it only now that he knows it’s the sweet Marinette who wears the mask?
“I uh...” Chat Noir felt his cheeks warming. “I was distracted... Sorry, LB.” He swallowed, preparing to hear the lecture about being concentrated while on duty.
But it didn’t follow.
Instead, Ladybug’s face softened even more. She placed her palm on his shoulder in support and nodded.
“It’s ok, Chat.” She gave him a short encouraging smile. “We all have our moments. Just stay behind me until you’re able to collect yourself.”
And Ladybug zipped away towards the akuma, leaving Chat Noir even more confused and blushed under his mask.