Work Text:
Ladybug watched Aspik activate his Second Chance ability. Almost immediately, she started up the ladder back to the surface of Paris.
"M'Lady, wait!" Aspik called out.
Ladybug stopped, partway onto the ladder. "What's wrong?" she asked, her tone a mix of confusion and worry.
Aspik took a breath before he replied. "It's been a few loops," he admitted. "I need a breather."
Ladybug smiled, getting off the ladder. She sat down, leaning her back against the wall. Without a word, she patted the ground beside her to indicate Aspik should sit as well.
As he sat, Ladybug noticed the frown on Aspik's face. She waited a brief moment, to see if he would volunteer the information, before she inquired about it. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, putting a hand on Aspik's shoulder.
Aspik just shook his head. "I can't, Ladybug. It's- I can't."
Ladybug frowned. What on earth would Adrien want to keep secret from her? This didn't make much sense. As much as she wanted to pry, Ladybug figured it was better not to.
"I just- I'm no good with this thing," Aspik groaned, gesturing to the snake miraculous. "I don't have what it takes to wield this miraculous."
Ladybug looked at the miraculous, considering how to respond. Adrien had about 4 minutes before he'd need to reactivate it or be transformed back to himself.
"You should've seen my first day," Ladybug eventually said. "I was terrified. Chat managed to get himself captured, and I had no idea what I was doing. I actually tried to refuse the miraculous, and tried to give it to someone else."
Aspik - Adrien - looked at her, dumbfounded. "You tried to give it to someone else?" He managed to ask.
Ladybug nodded. "It's a big responsibility. I wasn't ready to accept it. Especially since Chat couldn't do this without a Ladybug- that was too much pressure. Some days I still feel like I'm not worthy of the job."
"Of course you're worthy!" Adrien almost shouted his interruption. "You've taken down like a hundred villains, between all the akumas and amoks."
Ladybug gave a weak smile. "My power is luck, remember? Without that, I doubt I'd have even survived Stoneheart, let alone everything that came after."
"You're wrong. You manage fine without your power. I know of at least four times you've saved the day without them."
Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "I can't even think of one," she admitted.
Adrien smiled widely. "The first one was Antibug," he said. "You hadn't been able to transform back yet, but you saved m- Chat Noir anyway. Then Sandboy took away your powers, and Miraculer. And four, when M- the Guardian took the miraculous from you and you faced down the akuma without it."
Ladybug couldn't help but blush. Adrien Agreste was going on about how amazing she was! She bit her lip, trying to remain professional. Then something occurred to her. "Wait," she said, narrowing her eyes at Aspik. "The public only knows about one of those, Miraculer. How did...?" she trailed off, searching Aspik's face for any hint of how he knew.
Aspik froze up. Ladybug watched his eyes darting about for ideas, settling on the snake miraculous. "I guess I can always take this back," he said, almost to himself. He looked up to Ladybug, and took a deep breath. "It's me," he said. "I'm Chat Noir."
Ladybug just laughed. Adrien Agreste, her crush, the superhero partner who keeps flirting with her? It was unthinkable.
"I'm serious!" he objected. "I- I- why are you laughing? You hate me, don't you?" Adrien turned away, leaning sideways against the wall and curling himself up.
Ladybug shook herself out of it. "I could never hate you, Adrien. It's just- it's hard to believe." She put an arm around him as she spoke, doing her best to comfort him.
It was a few moments before anyone did anything. Eventually Aspik spoke, his back still to Ladybug. "Plagg," he called out, "if you show yourself, I'll give you extra camembert later."
Ladybug didn't process right away what Adrien had said. By the time she did, a black kwami had appeared and was arguing with Adrien.
"You weren't supposed to tell each other," the kwami was complaining.
"I can use second chance," Adrien said, "so she won't actually remember."
The kwami- Plagg, Ladybug realized- grunted. "Well in that case, I won't remember either, so there's nothing to guarantee you'll actually give me the cheese you're promising."
"It's really you," Ladybug said, not realizing she was talking out loud.
Adrien suddenly turned to face her. "I- yes. It's me, bugaboo."
Ladybug took a breath to steady herself. As she did, she was vaguely aware of Plagg mumbling something and flying away. "Then- You've been using a miraculous for so long! Why didn't you think you deserved the snake miraculous?"
Adrien actually smiled. "It's- I've tried thousands of times," he admitted. "Nothing has worked. Besides, I only said I wasn't worthy of *this* miraculous."
"Just like Chat to nitpick that sort of thing," Ladybug said with a smirk. "Listen, worthiness isn't your problem."
"It's not?" Adrien asked, visibly perking up.
"No," Ladybug replied, shaking her head. "My Lucky Charm told me we needed backup. A *third* superhero."
"Plagg was right," Adrien said. "He told me you needed Chat Noir, but- I didn't listen. I just wanted a chance to hang out with you as myself, instead of as Chat." He frowned, gazing off into the distance.
"Kitty, I-" A beep from the snake miraculous interrupted them, causing both heroes to freeze up for a moment.
Ladybug recovered first. "I can't remember your identity. Not without talking to Tikki about it first. You should- you should reset the loop. Tell me that it was my idea that someone else needs to use the snake miraculous." Ladybug swallowed, staring at said miraculous as the time ticked down.
Adrien looked to the snake miraculous, seeing he had only seconds remaining. "You don't want to know who I am?" He asked, not looking up.
"Not like this."
-------------
Ladybug watched Aspik activate his Second Chance ability, giving them 5 minutes. She started up the ladder to the surface of Paris, wanting to make the most of their short time.
"Ladybug, wait!" Aspik called out.
Ladybug stopped, partway onto the ladder. "What's wrong?" she asked, her tone a mix of confusion and worry.
In response, Adrien took off the snake miraculous. He held it out to Ladybug. "I can't use this. I'm sorry," he said. "Find someone else."
"Adrien," Ladybug started to say, as she stepped off the ladder, "Why-"
"Why do I think I can't use it?" Adrien asked, finishing the question for her. "I don't have time to explain now, other than to say it was your idea. We talked about it in the last loop. Come see me at home after the akuma, okay?"
Ladybug nodded, accepting the miraculous.
-------------
Ladybug perched on the wall of the Agreste compound. Adrien's window was open for her, but she was feeling nervous. Tikki had refused to discuss what Adrien might want to talk about, denying Ladybug her usual outlet for her anxiety.
Taking a deep breath, Ladybug threw her yo-yo and swung into Adrien's room. She'd been here before, but only during akuma attacks and the like, so it felt like a new environment. Adrien was nowhere to be seen, but the closed bathroom door and sounds of running water gave away his being in the shower.
Ladybug tried to settle down on the couch, doing her best to relax and wait patiently.
----------
Adrien was hiding in the bathroom. The shower was running to hide any noise he might make, and Adrien was curled up against the bathroom door.
Earlier he'd given Plagg the cheese that he'd promised, and Plagg had demanded an explanation. Adrien told him about what had happened, which Plagg had found hilarious. Thanks to that reaction, Adrien was a nervous wreck. He didn't feel ready to actually talk to Ladybug.
"Pull yourself together, kid. She's here." Plagg said, phasing through the bathroom door.
Adrien didn't respond with anything more than a groan.
"You already know how she'll react, kid. Get out there," Plagg insisted.
"What about Tikki?" Adrien asked, not looking up. "What if she doesn't think Ladybug should know?"
"Then we maintain the status quo," Plagg said. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and go talk to her."
----------
Ladybug was keeping herself busy on her yo-yo phone, trying to figure out if she could install Candy Crush, when Adrien emerged from the bathroom. She didn't actually notice until he sat down beside her.
"Hey," he said, looking away.
Ladybug looked him up and down, trying to figure out what was going on. "Hey," she replied simply.
The silence hung in the air for a few moments, as Ladybug waited for Adrien to speak.
"I, uh- I guess you're wondering about earlier, huh?" he asked.
Ladybug nodded. Then, realizing he still wasn't looking her way, spoke out loud. "Yeah, a bit," she admitted. "But don't feel like you have to explain yourself, if you aren't comfortable sharing."
Adrien shook his head, and Ladybug felt a little mesmerized by the way his golden hair flicked back and forth as he did. "It's fine, I'm just not sure how to say it," he said.
Ladybug smiled, glad to find that Adrien trusted her.
"I guess I should start by thanking you," he said. "For trusting me with a miraculous." As he said this, he finally looked at Ladybug, a sad sort of smile on his face. "I'm sorry I couldn't be the one to use it."
Ladybug put on her best reassuring smile, and put her hand on Adrien's. "It's okay," she said simply. "Thanks for trying."
Adrien looked away again, facing forwards in his seat. "In the last loop," he started to say, cutting himself off. He paused for a moment, and Ladybug waited patiently for him to find the words. "In the last loop, you found something out about me. It's why you told me to return the miraculous."
Ladybug frowned. She couldn't think of anything that might make her give Adrien that instruction.
"You, um-" Adrien said, "This might sound weird, but can I talk to Tikki?"
Ladybug froze up, trying to figure out what possible reason Adrien might have for that request.
"You can wait in the bathroom so I don't see your identity. The door has a privacy lock if that helps."
Ladybug instinctively reached up and felt her miraculous.
"It's just- well, you mentioned how much you appreciate Tikki's advice, and..."
"Okay." Ladybug hadn't even realized she'd said it out loud, so she was surprised when Adrien turned to face her with a big smile.
---------------------------
Adrien felt- well, he wasn't sure how he felt. Ladybug was in his bathroom, about to transform back to her civilian identity. It was a huge display of trust, which gave Adrien butterflies in his stomach.
Of course, he knew Ladybug trusted him that much as Chat Noir- but to be trusted that much as Adrien as well, when he hadn't done anything to earn that trust, was nothing short of miraculous.
Adrien was interrupted from appreciate his wordplay by a kwami. No, two kwamis.
"What's going on, Adrien?" Tikki asked, her voice as sweet as always. Just hearing it made Adrien smile.
"Hey, Tikki," Adrien said, holding out a hand for her to perch on. "I'm not sure how much you know about earlier, with the snake miraculous?"
Tikki giggled. "Yeah, I tried to think of a reason why she shouldn't give it to you," she said. "I knew you were needed as Chat, but..."
Adrien smirked. "What, can't think of anything bad to say about me?" he quipped. Tikki was much better company than Plagg- to the point that Adrien often felt jealous of Ladybug.
"The smell of stinky cheese is hardly a good enough reason not to trust you with a miraculous," Tikki teased back.
In response to this, Plagg stuck out his tongue. "You don't hear me complaining about your smell, sugarcube," he objected.
"That's because there isn't anything to complain about," Tikki said.
Adrien grinned, enjoying the back and forth.
"Whatever," Plagg grumbled. "You two talk. I'll be in the cheese cupboard."
Tikki rolled her eyes as Plagg floated away. She turned her attention to Adrien. "Something happened in one of the time loops," she said.
"How did you know?" Adrien asked, confused.
He was treated to another eye roll from Tikki. "What else could this possibly be about?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Adrien let out a short chuckle. "Good point. So long story short, she found out I'm Chat Noir."
Tikki's eyes grew wider, which Adrien wouldn't have guessed was possible. "How?"
Adrien looked away. "I sorta, well- I kinda told her."
Tikki sighed. "At least you could take it back," she said. "You didn't find out who she is, did you?" Tikki asked, suddenly concerned.
"No, no," Adrien quickly said, turning back to her. "But Ladybug wanted to remember who I am."
Tikki's expression grew upset, so Adrien quickly corrected himself. "Not like that! She told me to reset the loop. She told me she wanted to know, but not without getting your advice on the matter."
This helped Tikki calm down, but she didn't say anything. She seemed lost in thought.
Adrien didn't want to say anything to interrupt Tikki's thoughts. Plagg, however, had no such qualms. "Pay up," he demanded. Adrien looked over when he spoke, to see Plagg was addressing Tikki. "She found him out first, so I win," Plagg said.
Tikki zipped over the few inches to Plagg. "That hardly counts!" Tikki exclaimed. "He took it back, undid it. She doesn't actually know."
"Perhaps," Plagg admitted, crossing his arms. "But we both know what you're about to tell Adrien to do."
Tikki scowled. "It hasn't happened yet," she objected.
"Are you trying to tell me it won't?" Plagg asked with a smirk.
Adrien looked back and forth between the two kwamis. "What on earth are you arguing about?" he blurted out.
Tikki seemed embarrassed, but Plagg was happy to share. "We had a bet going. I said Ladybug would find you out first, Tikki said you'd find her out first."
Adrien wasn't sure how to react to this. "You bet against me?" He asked Plagg.
Plagg smirked. "No offense, kid, but you're a disaster."
Adrien turned to Tikki. "You bet against Ladybug?"
Tikki giggled. "When you find out who she is, you'll understand."
Adrien shook his head, trying not to think about the clue Tikki dropped. "If you've got a bet riding on this," he muttered, "You can't exactly give impartial advice."
Adrien felt Tikki perch on his shoulder. "Don't tell Plagg," she whispered, "But I think he already won." Louder, she continued. "If Ladybug hadn't thought of it, would you have reset the loop?"
"Probably not," he admitted.
"What were her exact words?" Tikki asked.
"She told me to reset time. I asked, 'Don't you want to know who I am?' and she said, 'Not like this.'"
"What has she said before, when you brought up revealing your identities?"
Adrien thought back, searching for the words. "That nobody can know who we are, not even us."
"Do you see the difference?" Tikki asked.
"I think so," Adrien said. He looked to Tikki, who was smiling. "But why did she change her mind? Was it because of who I am?"
"I really should be getting back to M-" Tikki began to say, cut off by some bubbles emerging from her mouth.
Plagg laughed, reminding everyone he was there. "You tried to let it slip!" He exclaimed. "Oh my gods, Tikki."
"I did not!" Tikki shouted. "That was an accident!"
Before Adrien or Plagg could say anything more, Tikki was zipping back towards Adrien's bathroom, where Ladybug was waiting.
-----------------
Marinette sat in Adrien's bathroom, trying not to freak out. She had her phone out, and was playing Candy Crush while she waited for Tikki. She tried not to think about the raised voices she was starting to hear in the other room.
Just as she was about to barge back into Adrien's room to defend her kwami, identity be damned, Tikki returned.
"Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed. "What's going on? I heard shouting."
Tikki paused, before explaining. "Adrien has a secret. When he was Aspik, in one of the loops, you found out. He told me what it was, and was a little surprised to find out I already knew."
Marinette considered this. It was plausible enough, she decided, to take as true. "How did you find out?" She asked.
"Sorry, Marinette, I can't tell you that. Not without giving away the secret."
Marinette nodded, accepting the information. "So why did he want to talk to you?" she asked.
Tikki considered this for a moment. "Like he said, he wanted some advice. More accurately, he wanted to know if I thought the time was right to share his secret with someone."
"I can hardly blame him," Marinette said with a smile. "You do give really good advice."
"It comes with experience," Tikki said shyly.
Marinette thought for a few moments. "I'm curious," she said eventually. "What did you tell him to do?"
Tikki smirked. "I just asked a few questions," she said. "I didn't tell him to do anything."
Marinette rolled her eyes. "You know what I meant, Tikki." When the kwami just smiled innocently, Marinette continued. "Should I go talk to him?"
"Definitely."
--------------------
Ladybug stepped back out into Adrien's bedroom. She was more than a little surprised to see Chat Noir lounging about, and Adrien nowhere to be seen.
"Chat?" she asked, getting his attention. "What are you doing here? Where's Adrien?"
Chat looked up, smirking. "Adrien... wanted me to be the one to ask you."
Ladybug raised an eyebrow. "Ask me what?"
"You've told me there's a boy you like," Chat ventured.
Ladybug nodded, not wanting to say anything that might give her away.
"Adrien thinks it's him," Chat said, his tone even and measured. "Is he right?"
Ladybug swallowed, unsure how to respond.
"You risked him discovering your identity, and let him talk to your kwami. Even after he proved he was unworthy of the snake miraculous."
Ladybug paused briefly, considering her words. "Just because he gave up the miraculous, doesn't make him unworthy."
Chat crossed his arms, standing up to face Ladybug head-on. "You said he was the perfect person for the mission, and he let you down. But you still trust him."
Ladybug felt almost offended. "What do you have against Adrien?" she accused.
Chat actually laughed. Not maliciously, but in genuine amusement. "I don't have anything against Adrien. In fact, I trust him as much as I trust myself." Chat chuckled.
Ladybug shook her head. "Then why the interrogation?" she asked.
"I already know how he earned my trust," Chat said, "But I'm trying to figure out how he earned yours. All I could come up with is that you have a celebrity crush or something."
"It's not-" Ladybug started to say. "Chat, I know you go on 'patrols' to hang out with civilians. How do you know I don't do the same? Didn't you consider that might be how I came to trust Adrien?"
Chat just smirked at her. "Now how would you know I do that?" he asked playfully.
Ladybug froze briefly, hoping she hadn't given herself away. "One of your 'friends' mentioned your visits," she said quickly. "I'll be honest, I thought at first it was irresponsible, but-"
"But what?" Chat asked calmly. "What changed your mind?"
"She only told me because she was worried about you," Ladybug tried to explain, not wanting Chat to think Marinette had betrayed his trust. "But I know you have a rough home life."
Chat actually smiled, which Ladybug hoped was a good sign. He started to wander around Adrien's room. "How much did she tell you?" He asked.
"Everything."
"Tell me," Chat said. "Tell me what you know, in case it isn't really everything."
Ladybug took a breath, wondering how to say it. "I know your dad is always away for work. Your mom has been out of the picture for a while. I know you spend a lot of time at home alone. I know your dad has put you to work doing something you hate."
Chat was nodding along, now looking out the window.
Ladybug swallowed. "She told me- she told me that if you hadn't become Chat, that- that you were going to..." she let herself trail off, not wanting to say it out loud.
"So, everything," Chat said simply.
There was a long pause before anything happened. It could have been a minute, or an hour.
"Remind you of anyone?" Chat asked suddenly. He continued to look away, out the window.
Ladybug jumped, startled from the sudden noise. "I'm sorry?"
"What you know about me," he said. "Maybe not the last detail, but the rest of it. Does it seem familiar?"
Ladybug looked around the room, trying to figure out what Chat might mean. Her eyes settled on the computer. The screen was on, displaying the desktop. It was a photo of Adrien with his mom, taken before- "Oh."
Chat turned around to look at Ladybug. "Do you see?" he asked.
"I never realized," Ladybug whispered. "Is he... safe?"
Chat nodded. "He's safe."
Ladybug nodded back. "I wonder if that's what he was talking to Tikki about," she said, mostly to herself.
"Actually, it isn't," Chat said.
Ladybug turned her attention to him. "You know what that was about?" she asked.
"I do," Chat replied. "It's why I'm here." He looked away from Ladybug, turning his attention to the photo on Adrien's computer screen. "I have his permission to tell you about it, but only if you answer the question."
"What question?"
"Do you like him?"
Ladybug considered this for a moment. "Yes," Ladybug answered, surprising herself before having thought it through. In the past, she hadn't told Chat who her crush was, since it might be a clue to her identity.
Chat seemed to approve of this answer, nodding thoughtfully. "Even with what you learned today?" he asked.
"Why would that change anything?" Ladybug asked genuinely. "Other than making me worry about him. Are you sure he's safe? Where is he?"
Chat turned back to Ladybug. "Somewhere he can hear you," he replied with a smirk. "Thank you."
Ladybug's eyes darted around the room, trying to figure out where Adrien might be. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked harshly. "Where is he? And thank you for what?"
"Thank you for being honest about your feelings," Chat said warmly. "And for worrying about me."
Ladybug paused. For worrying about *Chat*? When did she say she'd worried about *Chat*? She had told him that she'd found out because Marinette was worried about him. Did he know who she was? More importantly- "Enough about you. Where's Adrien? How can you be sure he's safe?"
Chat smiled. "I'm as certain of his safety as I am of my own. For the same reason that I trust him as much as I trust myself. For the same reason that he and I have so much in common."
What was Chat saying? It was total nonsense, Ladybug was certain. The poor kitty had gone bananas or something.
"Claws in."
Oh.
"Ladybug, I believe you've met Plagg."
That's why Adrien couldn't be Aspik. We needed all three miraculouses in play.
"Thanks, kid, now I definitely win."
Hey, he did know it was a high school! Damn, he’s good.
"I did win, right? She didn't tell you first?"
Oh my gods, he had brunch with my parents. AND they thought we were dating.
"Ladybug?"
Wait a minute, Adrien voiced Chat Noir in that movie.
"Ladybug, please say something. I thought you'd want to know, I'm sorry!"
He never lost his miraculous, did he? Plagg only said that because Style Queen got to him.
"Please don't be upset!"
We auditioned for Clara Nightingale’s music video. We almost got cast as ourselves!
With that, Ladybug started laughing.