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"Truth or dare."
Chat frowned, eyes narrowed and mouth scrunched into a strange expression as he over thought his answer. Multimouse was smirking at him with a look of triumph. He could see her mind working over all the possibilities.
"I'm waiting..."
This was a trick question. Wasn’t it always. He mulled it over, eyeing her suspiciously as he answered and then second guessed himself, "Dare! Wait! No!!! Truth!"
"Are you sure~?" Multimouse’s voice lilted upward in a playful manner more akin to Alya than Marinette, and her buns bouncing slightly as she struggled to contain her mirth.
Why had he thought that Truth or Dare would be fun with Marinette?? He had thought she was sweet and innocent, but so far it seemed that she was a more dangerous villain than even Monarch. He’d played with Ladybug a few times, but her truths and dares seemed more tame than those this little mouse kept offering.
"D-dare!" He felt embarrassed as his voice betrayed him. He did his best to look almost certain of his response, but deep down, he felt as if he had already lost.
There was no right answer. He was in trouble either way.
"Great!” Her arms flew up in the air as she spun around in her seat, giggling uncontrollably. The way she responded confirmed that she was having too much fun with this. “I dare you to get your Kwami to eat healthy food. Don’t just ask him. He has to eat it."
Multimouse was hitting below the belt. Not pulling her punches anymore. This was the final nail on his coffin.
Chat Noir cringed visibly as he imagined Plagg’s face when offered anything other than his grotesque cheese obsession. The thought alone was the stuff of which nightmares were made of. He quickly decided to change the subject to something a little easier to stomach (pun intended). "You… you want me to detransform?"
"...and feed your Kwami the healthiest thing we can find." She didn’t take the bait. Her lips curved into a vicious smile. Multimouse knew full well the consequence of what she was asking.
"But... you'll know my identity." Chat defended, still attempting to get out of the entire situation. The god of destruction was not going to think this ‘game’ was ‘funny’.
"Don't worry, I'll keep my eyes closed." She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out an apple. "I even have a piece of fruit on hand, just for the occasion." Had she been planning this all along?
His eyes narrowed, and he felt like he had walked right into a trap. "I... I..."
"It's just a game, Chat. You can give up and lose. It's not a big deal." She continued to giggle as she spoke, and he knew that she knew that she had him.
"Close your eyes..." He finally said with determination. He could not let her win. It was worth the risk. There was a pause long enough for her to comply, "Plagg... Claws in."
Multimouse laughed aloud as the green light flashed through her eyelids. As Adrien watched with an exasperated sigh, she began spinning in her desk chair and kicking her feet gleefully. This really was getting out of hand.
Truth or Dare had not been the original plans for the evening, but when movie night turned out to be a bust (neither of them could agree on a title), Chat Noir had suggested the game. Marinette had been hesitant at first, but once she agreed, she insisted that it would only be fair if they both were transformed.
It started out as silly questions and dares, nothing too painful. As they became more daring, the game had taken itself outside and to the rooftops as they ran laps around Paris completing all sorts of crazy escapades, finally returning back to Marinette's room with full hearts and endless giggles. It had been the most fun either had experienced in a long time. Multimouse couldn’t help but give credit to her Kitty for all the joy he brought into her life. Chat Noir couldn’t help but hold affection for the girl that kept him on his toes and saw him for who he really was, both with and without the mask on.
Plagg glanced between the laughing mouse and his hesitant holder. "Kid... what's going on?"
Adrien flinched, laughing nervously. Plagg was instantly suspicious. "Just a simple game. I thought you might be h-h-hungry..." (There was a bout of laughter from Multimouse.) "...and I had this... this delicious... apple for you!" Adrien held out the apple to Plagg, stretching his arm as far out as he could to put as much distance between his body and that of the soon to be angry god of destruction.
Plagg glowered at Adrien, recognizing that this was all some sort of prank against him. He turned his nose up, refusing to look at the holder that was currently betraying him to impress his secret crush. "Disgusting! I only eat cheese, and if you don't have any..."
"...I do... I just..." (Another round of laughter from the mouse.) "...I just think you'd like something a little different today. Come on, Plagg! Help me out!" Adrien was desperate to win. "Just a bite? It's just an apple. I'll... I'll give you twice as much cheese for a week."
Plagg bristled, insulted by Adrien’s suggestion. “I cannot believe you would even–”
“--Two weeks!!” Desperation filled Adrien’s voice as he glanced between the cackling girl and the irritated Kwami. If he lost this competition, then he would never live it down!
“A month.” Plagg stated with finality, his little arms crossed and nose still in the air. Adrien could see his tail twitching behind him, a sign of his displeasure.
"Yes! Yes! Thank you! Deal!!” He held out the apple, palm up and open. “Just... eat the apple, and that’s all I need!"
Plagg flew forward, grabbing and somehow stomaching the apple in one bite. His face contorted into a grimace, and Adrien was concerned the Kwami might not be able to keep it down. Then, before Adrien could transform back, Plagg flew towards the window, still gagging slightly. "I'll be back after I find some real food."
"Uh oh..." Adrien deflated, his triumph seeming lackluster now that Plagg had abandoned him. His Kwami was punishing him severely for his transgression, and he had a feeling that his suffering would only escalate over the next month.
Multimouse paused her laughter, eyes still closed and voice filled with disbelief, "Did he just... did he just leave?"
Adrien nodded, and then realized that Multimouse still couldn't see him. "Yes. He's angry with me. I guess that means the game is over."
"What? Just because your Kwami left! I can detransform to make it fair!" She quickly did so, keeping her eyes closed the entire time. Mullo looked between Marinette and Adrien, eyes widening at the sight, then bolted out to a hiding place to watch. "See... now we're both even."
He stared agape at the girl before him. Innocent? Nope. Definitely not. Competitive... most certainly!! "But…you can't play if you have your eyes closed."
"Of course I can, just... hand me the bits of fabric on my table and I'll improvise a blindfold." She spoke confidently, hand out to accept whatever he handed her.
Adrien did as she said, though reluctantly, and a minute later, she was sitting back in her chair, fabric securely wrapped around her eyes and laughing once more.
"Well... are you ready?" She questioned. Adrien knew that he had to come up with something truly embarrassing for her, or Marinette wouldn't stop. He was getting desperate. She had already dealt him a low blow. Was he brave enough to return the favor?
"Truth or dare..." He finally said.
"Truth." She smiled, confident that Chat wouldn't be able to think of anything too embarrassing. She had played the game with him numerous times as Ladybug, and his questions were always innocent in nature.
Adrien stood in silence… Truth. What truth would embarrass her? What could make her quit... ...what was he most curious about? He sat in silence for a minute thinking (too hard). What kind of question would Alya ask?
"Chat? ... I'm waiting."
"Who... Who is Buttercup?"
Marinette froze in her seat, and her face paled at the question. The silence that followed told him that he'd won. Yes. This was it. The question she would never answ--
"Adrien Agreste." Her voice cut his thoughts like a knife.
And suddenly, his entire reality shifted.
"A-Adrien... Agreste? The... the model."
"He's one of my best friends. I still haven’t told him how I feel, and I’m not sure I ever will be able to." Marinette sat in her seat with less enthusiasm than before, and he realized that he was the cause of her sadness. "Truth or dare." She asked.
"... ... Dare." He whispered, and he felt his heart sink as memories of the past year fell into place. Adrien Agreste was Buttercup. He was Buttercup.
"I dare you…to…,” And like a switch flipped, he saw the moment Marinette figured out what to say. “I dare you to send a message to the girl you love telling her how you feel!" She smiled broadly. He'd be unable to message Ladybug with his Kwami gone. He'd lose!
"I... I'm not... I mean... I..." Adrien looked down at his phone, then back to the triumphant girl sitting before him. She may have been laughing, but his entire world was still spinning from the revelations she had dropped on him so abruptly.
"Do you give up?" Marinette didn’t even hide the smug tone as she smirked.
"No. I'll... I'll do it." He answered, and he tried to keep his resignation out of his voice.
Marinette frowned, "No cheating, Chat. I know you don't have Ladybug's number on your phone. You can’t message her unless you are transformed."
Feelings of fear and rejection filled him. “It's... it's not Ladybug."
"... Oh." She sat quietly, surprised by how much it hurt to hear him say it. When had she come to depend so much on him loving her?
"There. I'm... sending it now." In the silence of the room, Marinette could hear his fingers tapping softly across his phone as he typed.
She jumped in her seat as a notification chimed from her phone. And... her heart twisted in her chest. Was it a coincidence? And if he had messaged her, how did he have her number?
"Truth or dare." Adrien said, knowing that it was too late to change his mind. There was no coming back from this reveal. He was committed to this now, and he had to see it through the end.
"... wait. Did you just--"
"--Truth or dare."
Marinette sat in silence, and he waited patiently for her to come to a decision. When she finally answered, her voice trembled slightly. "Dare."
He took a deep breath, stepping closer to her as he issued the dare. "I... dare you to take off the blindfold... and check your phone." The room was heavy and tense. When she didn’t reach for her phone, he began to second guess everything. Was he wrong? Had he made a mistake? Ladybug was going to murder him... but... this was Marinette. His best friend. The girl he'd fallen in love with. His Everyday Ladybug.
Shee was torn in two. The realization that the game was over struck her. He'd won… and there was nothing she could do. The notification was on her phone. Chat Noir’s identity was right there, waiting for her to see. It was just her choice to look... or not look. Did she want to look?
Marinette turned in her seat until her back faced him. She fumbled to remove the blindfold. When had she started to shake? It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the change in light, but once her vision cleared, she looked down at her phone. Numerous messages displayed on her lock screen. Hesitant fingers entered her password.
🥰Adrien🥰: Marinette. I'm in love with you. I have been for a long time. And I'm sorry I didn't realize your feelings before. I love you.
Marinette stared at the message, reading it over and over again. She refused to look at him, and just when Adrien was certain that he had made a huge mistake, she said, “Truth or Dare.”
Adrien watched her carefully. “Truth.”
“Are you Adrien Agreste?” She needed to hear him say it. Something inside her needed to hear it.
He smiled slightly, “Yes.”
“Okay.” Was her response.
He took another step closer, stopping directly behind her. “Truth or Dare?”
“Truth.” She closed her eyes momentarily. So many months of failed love confessions. So many times she’d rejected Chat Noir for Adrien Agreste played through her mind like a broken movie reel.
“Would it be okay if I kissed you?” And her heart skipped a beat.
She nodded before the words could be spoken. “Y-yes. It would…” Marinette stood up and slowly turned towards him. Her eyes fell upon his familiar shoes and shirt, and a soft chuckle escaped her. The irony. “T-truth or D-dare?” She still couldn’t contain the stutter.
“Dare.” His eyes met hers, and he reached up to gently brush a hair out of her face. The blindfold had pulled strands of dark hair loose from her signature pigtails.
“I… I dare you… to… k-k-kiss m-me.” She managed to say, cheeks turning a bright red.
Adrien ran his hand across her cheek and down to her chin. He leaned in, lifting her chin slightly to meet him. Snaking her arms around his neck, she raised onto the tips of her toes, closing the distance between them. As their lips met, he pulled her closer, turning his head to deepen the kiss.
Pulling apart, the pair smiled at each other, and the hardships of the world paled against the hope of their future.
“I love you.” Marinette spoke quietly, finally saying the words she had struggled to say so many times. “I love you… Kitty. Adrien.”
“I love you, Marinette. My Princess.”