Work Text:
"I know who you are, Chatton."
Ladybug paused, gauging Chat's reaction. Naturally, he looked worried- but Ladybug couldn't help a giggle.
"Calm down, kitty. I don't know your name, or what you look like. But I know you.
"You're my partner- my best friend. You're a goofball, a nerd, and loyal to the ends of the earth. You're there for me when I doubt myself, when I need a friend. Just like I'm there for you.
"Chat, I know you. And I know you know me, too, in just the same way. We've known each other for so long, and you've seen every side of me. The good, the bad, the ugly.
"I want us to be able to share our identities, but I don't know if it's safe. It's not like we can take it back- we need to be sure. But until then- we know each other."
Ladybug waited for Chat to respond.
"You really do know me," he finally said. "More than most people in my life, even."
Ladybug turned to look at him. It hadn't occurred to her, but the same was true the other way.
Sure, she could name several people who knew a lot about her, but there were things she kept from all of them.
She didn't keep anything from Chat- other than her name.
And the same was true of him- he kept nothing from her.
She knew he had lost a parent.
She knew he loved learning science, physics, maths- all that nerdy stuff.
She knew what TV shows he liked, what music he listened to.
She knew... well, she knew him.
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Adrien smiled. He'd had a wonderful heart-to-heart with Ladybug.
"You really don't care about knowing anymore?" Plagg asked, between bites of camembert.
"I really don't," Adrien confirmed. "We know each other so well. I guess I got fixated on the small detail we hadn't shared."
Plagg snickered. "Well, if that's sorted- you need to order more cheese."
Adrien rolled his eyes. "There's already some on the way, Plagg. I need to get this homework done."
"Right, that project you're working on with Pigtails."
"You know Ladybug doesn't like you calling her that," Adrien said automatically.
Plagg fell unusually silent.
Adrien turned from the computer to look at what Plagg was doing- which was, just looking at Adrien curiously.
"What?!" Adrien finally demanded.
Plagg paused a moment, watching Adrien intently. "Nothing," he said finally. "Nothing at all."
Adrien sighed, deciding to drop it, as he turned back to his homework.
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Marinette pulled out her phone to text her partner on the homework project.
- Hey, just need to confirm which parts I agreed to do.
- Lost track of the paper I wrote it down on.
- I'm doing the first half, you're doing the second.
- Then we swap to proofread.
- Thanks, Minou
- Anytime
"Marinette?" Tikki asked, distracting her holder from the work.
It took Marinette a moment to respond, wanting to make sure she wouldn't lose her place.
"What's up, Tikki?"
"Does anything about these texts seem off?" Tikki asked, gesturing to Marinette's phone.
Marinette reread the exchange, and shook her head. "No. Why?"
Tikki hummed for a moment. "I'm sure it's nothing," she said finally.
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Adrien groaned out loud when Plagg floated in front of his computer screen.
"What do you want, Plagg? I'm trying to get work done!"
"Are you sure you're all in on Baker Girl?" Plagg asked suspiciously. "I keep telling you to try having two pots on the stove."
"Gods, Plagg, I tell you a thousand times a day I love her. You won't get me to give up on that."
"I thought it was Ladybug you loved," Plagg said snarkily.
Adrien paused. "Isn't that what I just said?"
Plagg's laughter wasn't helpful.
"Nope!" Plagg teased, between laughs. "Well, it kinda was. Technically."
Somehow, even less helpful.
"I've told you to try keeping two pots on the stove, right? Your girlfriend and your partner?"
Adrien paused, realizing something.
He had no idea whether Plagg was calling Ladybug his girlfriend and Marinette his homework partner, or calling Marinette his girlfriend and Ladybug his superhero partner.
Either way, the response was the same. "She's not my girlfriend, Plagg."
"Yet."
"Ever! She doesn't like me that way."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes! She's told me she doesn't!"
"Then why haven't you given up on her?"
"She's the love of my life, Plagg."
"Prove it. Answer one question for me."
Adrien rolled his eyes. "Fine."
"Are we talking about Ladybug, or Marinette?"
Adrien's silence said more than words ever could.
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Marinette heard thumps on her balcony, and went to investigate.
"Chat?" she asked as she climbed out and saw him. "What are you doing here?"
Chat Noir was sitting on the railing of her balcony, facing away from her.
He pushed a button on his baton, which started playing a music track.
"When we know something is true, beyond question or doubt," he began, singing along.
Marinette blinked.
"There's no particular point in pointing it out," he crooned, turning to face her and hop down to his feet.
"Blue is the colour of sky,
"Mothers all worry, and old people die.
"The phone rings, the bee stings.
"It's something you don't need to hear."
"It's just clear!" Chat sang as he stepped up to Marinette, running a thumb along the spotted fabric lining the inside of her jacket.
"Why go stating the obvious?" he sang, tracing a hand around her ear to move a stray hair out the way- but lingering on her miraculous briefly.
Marinette's hand went instinctively to her ears, covering her miraculous, as he continued. "It's so painfully obvious."
"How could you miss something that's this plain to see?" he asked along with the song, climbing back onto the railing of the balcony.
"When it's glaring and staring right at you-" Chat extended his baton, vaulting away as he sang "-so obviously."
Marinette didn't speak for a long time, the tune ringing in her ears.
"Tikki," she said finally, "that boy is a dork. Did he really tell me he figured me out with a song?"
The kwami giggles from Marinette's purse were answer enough.
Marinette climbed back down into her room, planning to get back to her homework.
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Adrien sat at his desk, trying not to think about the fact that she hadn't texted, or called, or dropped by.
Nothing to tell him that she had figured it out too.
Eventually, though, he managed to put his attention back on the homework.
It was an hour later when he realized he needed to ask Marinette a question about the project.
When he pulled up their text thread, he saw it.
Marinette had called him 'Minou'.
- Mari?
- What's up?
- Well, I'm kinda wondering why you haven't chewed me out for that stunt yet.
- I thought it was cute, actually
- Really?
- I would've placed money you'd call it immature.
- I mean, I'm not saying it isn't.
- So, what are the odds I get to find out who you are in return?
- ...
- Mari...
- What?
- You're not texting Chat Noir...
- Um
- I
- What
- Did you seriously not notice?
- You even called me Minou earlier, and we were talking about our homework at the time.
- Chat
- Adrien
- Whoever
- How did I miss something this plain to see
- When its glaring and staring right at you
- Zip it, kitty cat
- You wound me.
- Speaking of the homework...