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Martin looked down at the two miraculous he was wearing, giving himself one last chance to chicken out.
One on his wrist.
One around his neck.
The two he’d need to merge to be able to have any conversation he wanted, with no consequences.
He had to do it.
He had to find out.
“Sass, Trixx,” he called. “Dual metamorphosis!”
A hazy white transformation washed over him, leaving a teal-and-orange outfit - a bold colour combination if Martin had ever seen one - in place of his regular clothes.
“Are you sure about this, Martin?” a voice chirped. Tikki, by his side as always.
“Of course not, Teeks,” he chuckled. “That’s what the snake miraculous is for.”
Adrien sat in the classroom alone, picking at his lunch.
He’d been sitting with Nino originally, but his friend had been called away by Alya.
Adrien wasn’t sure what for, per se, but it wasn’t hugely important. He could handle a lunch alone now and then.
Suddenly, Marinette walked in.
“Marinette!” Adrien beamed. “Hey. What’s up?”
Marinette stood quietly in the doorway, staring at him.
“How didn’t I see it before?” she asked quietly, after a moment. “It’s so- you’re so, you.”
Adrien arched an eyebrow.
“Adrien, I- I saw. After the akuma, in the alley. I saw you.”
“Oh,” he said dumbly. “I- then it’s over.”
“What?” Marinette asked, surprised.
“Someone knows who I am,” Adrien explained. “It’s not safe for me to be Chat Noir anymore.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Marinette asked.
Adrien frowned. “You,” he said simply. “Coccinelle said you can’t be on the team again, because I saw your identity. That it was too dangerous if even one person knew who you were.”
“That’s not-” Marinette stammered. “I didn’t mean-”
“It’s okay,” Adrien said softly. “It’s not your fault, it’s mine. I’m the one who got seen.”
Marinette groaned. “You don’t get it, I-”
“I’ll get one last patrol tonight, before I give the ring back,” Adrien said. “It’ll be nice to get out for a rooftop run one last time.”
Somewhere, a miraculous beeped.
Adrien looked down at his ring, confused.
“Fuck,” Marinette whispered. “Just, fuck.”
Adrien looked at her.
She looked at him.
“Second Chance.”
Adrien sat alone, eating his lunch, when Multimouse walked in.
“What the-” he said, dropping his fork.
“Hiya,” Multimouse quipped from the doorway. “I’m back.”
Adrien frowned. “What’s going on?” he asked, dropping into a serious tone.
“Coccinelle revisited what he said about me and identities,” Multimouse said cheerily. “He changed his mind.”
Adrien slowly got to his feet, readying himself. “And why, pray tell, did he give you a miraculous now, of all times?” he asked suspiciously.
Multimouse frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that,” she muttered.
Adrien leaped into action, intent on neutralizing the impostor (and likely akuma).
Multimouse- or whoever, or whatever, it was- yelped.
“Second Chance!”
Adrien sat alone, eating his lunch, when Coccinelle walked in.
“Um, hi,” Adrien offered.
“Hey,” Coccinelle said simply, opting to stand quietly and watch Adrien for a moment.
Adrien, for his part, found this unsettling. “Is there an akuma, or…?”
Coccinelle shrugged. “No,” he answered simply.
“..Can I… help you?” Adrien asked tentatively.
“Probably,” Coccinelle admitted. “I lied about why Multimouse can’t come back on the team.”
“Multi… mouse?” Adrien asked slowly, feeling uncertain. He wasn’t supposed to know that name, not as Adrien.
“See, the real reason, is because I’m Multimouse. Or, I’m Marinette.”
Adrien narrowed his eyes. “Marinette is my classmate, and decidedly a girl,” he pointed out. “You, Coccinelle, are decidedly a boy.”
“About that,” Coccinelle started to explain.
“Nope,” Adrien said simply. “You gotta be an akuma. Coccinelle has no reason to talk to me of all people, not to mention you’re spouting obvious lies. I’m calling the akuma hotline.”
To prove his point, Adrien got out his phone and started dialing.
“Dammit, minou,” Coccinelle swore. “Second Chance.”
Adrien sat alone, eating his lunch, when Marinette walked in.
“Marinette!” Adrien beamed. “Hey, what’s up?”
Marinette walked confidently over to his desk, resting her hands on it. “There’s something I want to tell you,” she said certainly. “Well, multiple somethings.”
Adrien frowned, puzzled. He reached out to put a hand on Marinette’s comfortingly, when-
The illusion of Marinette disappeared, revealing some imposter wielding both the snake and fox miraculous.
“What the hell is this,” Adrien growled, jumping to his feet. “Does Coccinelle know you have those?”
“Shit,” the stranger said in a tired voice. “Second Chance.”
Adrien sat eating his lunch alone, when Marinette walked in.
“Marinette!” he beamed. “What’s up?”
Marinette walked hesitantly towards him, keeping a few steps away from the desk.
“There’s- there’s some things I wanted to tell you,” she said cautiously. “Things I’ve been keeping to myself for way too long, now.”
Adrien frowned, puzzled, and stood up. “What’s going on?” he asked, stepping around the desk and sitting on it facing his friend.
Marinette took a cautious step back. “I, um. Let’s try this way: Spots on!”
A light washed over Marinette, leaving behind Adrien’s crush and long-time partner in spots, Coccinelle.
Adrien blinked. “W- what?” he asked, dumbfounded. “You- you’re… but… what?”
“Too much at once, huh?” Coccinelle asked, rubbing his neck. “Maybe I shoulda-”
“What happened to the identity rule?” Adrien asked quietly. “Why tell me, of all people?”
Coccinelle shrugged nonchalantly. “I like you, Adrien,” he said softly. “I wanted to see what it was like to show you all of me.”
“Somethings going on,” Adrien said slowly. “Coccinelle wouldn’t just… show me, like that. He’s too smart to do something that could go wrong. What if someone saw?”
“I, uh-” Coccinelle glanced at his empty wrist. “I’m using the snake miraculous.”
“No,” Adrien corrected, “You aren’t. That’s the ladybug miraculous,” he added, pointing to his partner’s earrings.
Coccinelle frowned. “I have it merged with the fox miraculous,” he explained. “I’ve been transformed with both since before I came in.”
Adrien narrowed his eyes. “And why the illusion that you’re Marinette?” he asked suspiciously.
“Because I am,” Coccinelle said simply. “I’m Marinette. Well, technically I prefer Martin, but I’m not out yet.”
“You- this is a lot,” Adrien breathed, pinching his nose.
A miraculous beeped.
“Crap,” Coccinelle muttered. “I gotta- before the loop- Sorry, Adrien. Second Chance.”
Adrien was eating his lunch alone, when Coccinelle walked in.
“Um…” Adrien said slowly. “Hi?”
“Hi, Adrien,” Coccinelle chuckled, sitting on the edge of Mme. Bustier’s desk.
“What are you doing here?” Adrien asked nervously. “Is there an akuma?”
Coccinelle smirked. “Nothing like that,” he said softly. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
Adrien blinked. “Why… me?”
“I saw you, Adrien,” Coccinelle said, frowning. “After the last akuma. I didn’t mean to, but-”
“Shit,” Adrien spat. “I’m sorry, bugaboo,” he said, a thousand emotions running through his brain. “Here,” he said, taking off his ring and holding it out. “I know it’s not safe for me to have this anymore.”
Coccinelle just stared at him. “What?” he asked, dumbfounded. “Why would you think- no! Gods, no, Adrien. Of course you can keep Plagg.”
“But-” Adrien stammered. “But Multimouse, you said-”
“Screw what I said about Multimouse,” Coccinelle said offhandedly. “I was lying through my damn teeth.”
Adrien frowned. “What do you mean?” he asked, concerned. He glanced back at Marinette’s desk, almost without thinking about it.
“The reason I didn’t want Multimouse on the team was because she was never on it,” Coccinelle said.
“Huh?”
Coccinelle sighed. “There was only two people on that rooftop, Adrien. You and me.”
“I saw Marinette with my own two eyes,” Adrien insisted.
“Same way you can see me now?” Coccinelle asked with a smirk. “Reality.”
The illusion of Coccinelle vanished, leaving behind someone wielding both the snake and fox miraculous.
“What-” Adrien spat, jumping to his feet. “Who-”
“It’s me, minou,” the stranger insisted in Coccinelle’s voice. “You just don’t usually see me without spots.”
Adrien frowned. “So why the illusion of Marinette, and of Multimouse?” he asked hesitantly, still unsure if this really was Coccinelle, readying himself for a fight as subtly as he could.
“Because I needed to make sure you wouldn’t figure out my identity, after our kwami got spotted at this very school- which I now realize was entirely Plagg’s fault, because he wasn’t here looking for Tikki like I thought.”
“You’re trying to tell me that you, Coccinelle,” Adrien mused, “are secretly Marinette.”
He wasn’t even sure the person he was talking to was one of those identities, let alone the other.
A miraculous beeped.
“Well, this has been fun,” the stranger quipped sarcastically, “but I think I’ll try this conversation differently next time. Second Chance.”
Adrien sat eating his lunch alone, when Marinette walked in.
“Marinette!” he beamed. “What’s up?”
“Um,” Marinette started. “So there’s kinda something I need to tell you. About Multimouse.”
Adrien hadn’t seen Multimouse- Chat Noir had. Adrien shouldn’t even know the name. “Who?” he asked dumbly.
“Don’t play dumb, minou,” Marinette chuckled.
“...Minou?” Adrien asked, suddenly serious.
“...I really should’ve done this on patrol or something, shouldn’t I?” Marinette muttered to herself.
“Patrol?” Adrien asked, shifting in his seat to a ready position. He wasn’t sure what was going on, exactly, but whatever it was, he wanted to be prepared for anything.
“Do you know what?” Marinette suddenly said. “Fuck it. Adrien, I’m trans. I’d rather you call me Martin, than Marinette. Also, I saw you detransform after the last akuma. I know you’re Chat Noir. And lastly? I’m Coccinelle.”
Adrien blinked. Marine- Martin, had said about 17 things too many there, despite having only said three. Okay, he could handle this- one thing at a time.
“Martin,” he repeated. “I like it.”
Martin smiled.
“...You saw,” he said bluntly. “That means I have to give up the ring.”
“No,” Martin insisted. “You don’t.”
Adrien nodded slowly. “And you get to decide that, because you’re Coccinelle. The Guardian.”
“Exactly,” Martin nodded.
“Which I’m supposed to just, take your word for. Because Coccinelle would definitely respond to seeing my identity by telling me his, rather than by taking the ring.”
Martin nodded, more hesitantly. “Of course I would. Why do you keep expecting me to want the miraculous back?”
“Because I broke the identity rule,” Adrien said dumbly. “You found out who I am.”
“What the hell does that matter?” Martin asked, incredulous. “It’s not like Hawkmoth knows.”
Adrien frowned. “That’s what I said about Multimouse,” he muttered.
“Forget about Multimouse,” Martin practically spat. “There never was a Multimouse. I was Multimouse. It was a ruse, to keep my identity intact.”
“And yet here you are, telling me,” Adrien pointed out. “And I’m supposed to just believe all this?”
Martin sighed, walking out the door. “Forget this,” he muttered. “It’ll be easier to talk to you on patrol.”
Adrien was about to ask what he meant by that, when Martin said something else, on his way out the classroom.
“Second Chance.”
Chat Noir sat alone, humming to himself and enjoying the view across Paris, when Coccinelle landed on the rooftop behind him.
“Hey, bugaboo,” he said over his shoulder. “How’s it hanging?”
“Frustrated,” Coccinelle replied. “I keep trying to have this conversation with someone, and it never goes the way I want it to.”
“Want to talk about it?” Chat offered.
Coccinelle shrugged. “I think I’m throwing too much at him at once,” he said forlornly. “But I don’t know how else to do it.”
“It all seems stuck together, huh?” Chat asked, nodding. “Lies and secrets like to tangle themselves together.”
“I’m trans,” Coccinelle dropped suddenly. “As a civilian, everyone still sees me as a girl. I haven’t come out yet.”
Chat just nodded. “Seems helpful. Keeps your identity all the more secret.”
Coccinelle frowned. “You’d think I’d like that, but no. It makes it harder.”
“Harder to do what?” Chat asked, curious.
“I had this brilliant idea a while back, to pretend to recruit myself as backup, and out that identity. To keep the fact that I’m Coccinelle a secret. I just had to make the fake superhero persona a girl, to keep up appearances.”
“Wait, you actually did this?” Chat asked. “I didn’t think any of our backup had their identities outed, other than Chloé. Which, no offense, but…”
Coccinelle actually laughed. “I’m not Chloé, no,” Coccinelle giggled. “Try Multimouse.”
Chat blinked. “But- I’m the only one who knows Multimouse was-” he stopped. “You weren’t worried about the public finding you out,” he realized. “You were worried about me.”
“Yeah,” Coccinelle admitted. “Sorry about that.”
“No, no!” Chat insisted. “That was brilliant!” he was in awe. “But- why throw it away by telling me?”
“Because I need you to know the real reason Multimouse isn’t coming back. That it has nothing to do with another hero knowing who she is.”
Chat frowned. “Sounds like there’s more to it than that,” he pointed out.
Coccinelle sighed. “Yeah,” he said softly. “There is. I’ve tried this conversation a bunch of times, you know. I think I might finally have it right, though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Reality.”
The illusion of Coccinelle vanished. In its place was a hero with a combined colour palette- using the snake miraculous, the fox miraculous, and the ladybug miraculous.
“Trixx, let’s rest,” Coccinelle whispered, and the orange faded away. “Sass, scales rest.” The teal faded as well, leaving Coccinelle in his usual suit.
Chat just stared.
“I had to tell you, minou,” Coccinelle breathed. “I had to tell you that I saw. After the last akuma, when you vaulted away. I saw you detransform.”
“Oh,” Chat said dumbly.
“Every time I’ve tried to tell you, you reacted by giving me the ring back. That’s not what I want- it will never be what I want. But because of what I said about Multimouse, you thought it was.”
Chat rubbed his neck, nodding along.
“I couldn’t explain the truth about Multimouse without telling you who I am. Without telling you I’m trans. It all got caught in this tangled web, and-” Coccinelle stopped, taking deep breaths. “And it’s over now. You know.”
Chat tried to catch his breath, and reached out to take Coccinelle’s hand.
When he did, Coccinelle vanished again, once more replaced by the combination of miraculous.
“Hey,” Cocci-fox-snake said with a chuckle. “You can’t blame a guy for keeping a safety net.”
Chat laughed. “You- you dismissed those, didn’t you?” he asked, incredulous.
“Illusion is a powerful concept,” Cocci-fox-snake said simply. “Remind me never to get on Rena’s bad side.”
“At least I know it’s real this time,” Chat joked. “You know, because I’m touching you.” To prove his point, he poked his partner on the edge of the mask.
“Dammit, Chat,” Coccinelle muttered. “Trixx, let’s rest,” he breathed. “Sass, scales rest.”
“Is it really you under those spots?” Chat asked, fingers running along the edge of the mask.
Coccinelle smiled. “It really is. Tikki?” he called. “Spots off.”
Chat grinned right back. “Claws in,” he replied.
"You know," Martin said playfully, "I really wanted to kiss you, one of those loops."
"What was stopping you?" Adrien teased.
"That touching you would break the illusion."
Adrien smirked. "Well, that's not stopping you anymore, is it?"