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It had been a simple mistake, honestly. A slip of the tounge.
Marinette let out a yawn and she entered the science classroom, desperately wishing for time to make up her recent lack of sleep. As she took her seat, Marinette noticed the words “Science Lab” scrawled across the board. She looked around the class wildly, trying to find if Alya had come in yet, so she wouldn’t wind up partnered with someone she didn’t like.
Even so, she couldn’t help but notice Adrien take his seat, and she sighed. What she wouldn’t give to get up the guts to ask to be partners.
No, scratch that, she shook her head. Even with my good luck, it’d be a disaster, I’m so nervous around him!
Lost in her own thoughts, Marinette nearly fell out of her seat when the teacher cleared his throat, calling the class to attention.
“As is written on the board, we have a lab today. It will be fairly simple, a way to learn how to use our new temperature probe.” The teacher droned on, reading over the instructions as the paper was passed out to each of the students. Marinette was quick to catch Alya’s eye then, with a pleading ‘please partner with me’ look.
“Now, before you all get too excited,” The teacher continued, looking at the students with an intensity in his eyes, “I will have you know you will not be able to pick your partners, I will be assigning you to groups of two.”
The students around the room groaned loudly, protesting at the predicament the teacher had put them in. Marinette herself felt panicked at this announcement. She could only hope that she wasn’t paired with someone like Chloe.
The teacher than begin to list off the pairs (Alya was stuck with Chloe. Marinette felt bad for her, but relieved that she had dodged that bullet). It was only when the teacher got to her name when the horror sunk in.
She was partnered with Adrien.
Not that she wasn’t happy of course, she was delighted! But also nervous. Oh, Marinette didn’t know what to feel.
As the student’s reluctantly collected their papers, Marinette hesitantly approached Adrien.
“Um, hi! So, partners, huh?” Inwardly she cringed at how her words just poured out, the mind to mouth filter absolutely gone when she was around him.
“It seems like it.” He smiled at her. “Why don’t I start gathering the materials, and you could get the temperature probe?”
“Ah, yeah, that sounds like a plan! I’ll do just that!” More stumbling. Oh, how would she ever be able to get through this class period?
The lab was simple, just as the teacher had said. The probe was lowered into a test tube of water, which in turn was lowered into icy salt water, in order to measure the freezing temperature of water, and get familiar with the equipment. As the lab progressed onwards, Marinette’s stuttering fell away as she focused on the task at hand. The salt water was required to be stirred, and Adrien was holding the stirring rod.
“Chat, can you pass me that rod?”
Instantly Adrien froze, looking at her with something akin to horror. Marinette panicked, wondering what had happened, until she recalled her words. She just called her crush Chat Noir.
“Oh, shoot! I meant Adrien, I’m so sorry!” Curse Alya for showing her that photoshopped picture, for planting the idea in her mind. There’s no way her graceful crush could be that flirt of a cat boy, right? “Alya had photoshopped you wearing his costume for some reason- I don’t know- and it just stuck! Sorry!” She was rambling again.
By this time the horror on Adrien’s face had melted, though he still seemed rather shaken.
Well, that was odd. Sure, it was out of the blue, but her slip of the tongue didn’t really warrant that reaction, now did it?
“Uh, Adrien, are you alright? I really am sorry.” She questioned, lowering her voice to not to draw the attention of the classmates. Adrien shook himself out of his state of shock, and handed her the glass stirring rod.
“Uh, yeah, fine. That was just unexpected is all.” He laughed it off with a wave, and handed the equipment to her. Marinette couldn’t help but feel the electricity in her skin as their hands touched for the briefest of moments.
She’d keep a closer eye on him from now on though, in case Ayla’s wild theory had some sort of truth to it. Even if they did promise to keep their identities secret, she had to know if the wild cat boy who had a crush on her was the same as the one in front of her, the one who she couldn’t keep her thoughts straight around.
It was too far fetched though, right?
The cold wind blew through the streets of Paris, sending a chill down Marinette’s spine.
Currently, Ladybug and Chat Choir were standing on a roof overlooking the lit up town, surveying for any signs of danger. There seemed to be none, however, as the night was peacefully quiet.
"You alright?“ Chat asked his hero partner as she shivered again.
"Yeah, just eager to get home and warm up.” She laughed, holding her hand out to catch the occasional snowflake spitting from the sky. “Aren’t you cold as well?”
Chat thought for a moment and then shrugged. “I think my suit has more padding than yours- Though I am pretty cold as well.” His more serious talk soon dissolved as he grinned at Ladybug. “Though I’d be happy to keep you warm, my lady.”
"I’ll have to pass on that offer this time, kitty cat.“ She laughed.
The playful banter between the two sparked a memory of earlier that day, causing Marinette to groan. She sat down beside Chat and put her face in her hands. "You’re a bad influence, you know that? To think I accidentally called my crush your name today!”
Instead of the expected response of something along the lines of “you must have wanted me there” with a wink, Chat sat in shocked silence before composing himself.
"Oh? You did?“ He asked nonchalantly, trying to ask like he wasn’t interested. Marinette figured that was because she never divulged information about her personal life, or mentioned the fact she had a crush. However, the incident had been gnawing at her mind all day, and she found herself talking about the incident to her akuma fighting partner.
"Yeah.” She said glumly, dangling her feet over the edge of the building. “It was so embarrassing! Adrien probably thinks I’m weird- Oh I probably shouldn’t have said his name please forget I said anything!” She finished quickly, waving her hands around before groaning. What was wrong with her today?
Chat stared at Marinette with a mixture of awe and confusion.
"Marinette?“
"What?” Marinette stared at Chat, mouth hanging open as she stared at him. “How do you know my name??” She demanded.
"Uh, well.“ He scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "Today in my chemistry class, you called me Chat. I panicked because I thought you figured it out.” He laughed. “And I don’t think you’re weird, my lady.”
Marinette was too shocked to say anything at first, then her face turned a hundred shades of scarlet.
“A-Adrien??” She squeaked, her face horrified.
“Yeah, that’d be me.” He laughed, albeit a bit awkwardly.
Oh my gods she just told him she had a crush on him.
“I, um, I gotta go! Yeah I just remembered I left the stove on.” Marinette rambled, scrambling to her feet and prepared to never leave her room ever again.
How could she have known her crush and this cat boy were the same person?
“Hey, wait!” Chat called after her, jumping up and following her.
Marinette’s feet hit had just hit the concrete of the alley way below when Chat- No, Adrien, effortlessly caught up to her and grabbed her wrist.
"If it means anything, I’m glad you turned out to be Marinette.“ He smiled, the smile reaching up to his eyes, showing he really was truly happy. "To think my lady has been sitting behind me in class this whole time."
Marinette’s earring beeped a warning, but she didn’t care. He already knew who she was, and so she let her transformation fall away. She caught the tired Tikki and put her in her purse, where a bag of cookies and a small blanket piece were waiting.
Marinette adjusted the strap of her purse, busying her hands as she looked anywhere but at Chat. "I think some of your unluckiness is starting to rub off on me.” She muttered. “But I’m glad that you’re Adrien, too.” Just then she laughed, causing Chat to look at her in confusion.
"I’m sorry, I just didn’t expect this at all! You act so different when you’re Chat.“ She explained once she stopped laughing, which caused Chat to laugh a little as well before releasing his transformation as well, Plagg going into his shirt pocket, showing he truly was Adrien.
"I can’t exactly always act how I want to, with who my father is and all.” He explained, shrugging. Marinette felt a twinge of sympathy then, and smiled at him sadly.
"But did my ears deceive me, or did my lady say she had a crush on me?“ He continued with a grin, causing Marinette to screech and hide her blushing face in her hands.
"I always knew my lady would come around eventually.” He teased, laughing at her reaction.
Just then a strong gust of wind blew through the alley, causing the duo to shiver in the cold.
"We’re pretty close to my house, why don’t we call it a wrap a get some hot chocolate. Though I hope with your cat like skills, we can avoid waking my parents.“ Marinette grinned, and suddenly felt conflicted. What was she doing, this was Adrien, her crush!
But he was also Chat, her partner who she trusted with her life.
"That sounds wonderful, Marinette.” He smiled. “Though, do you have any cheese?”