Work Text:
Ladybug takes her responsibility very seriously. The risk of an akumatized victim harming themselves or others has been rapidly increasing in chance. Unfortunately to whoever made the Miraculous and its powers, Ladybug is the only person that can counter Hawkmoth’s evil Akumas. Thus, she uses patrol to examine Paris’ safety.
Chat Noir uses patrol to get closer to Ladybug.
“Do you ever wonder what name fits me?”
Ladybug rolls her eyes frustratingly. “Chat Noir, we can’t know anything related to-
“Our identities. I know, I know.”
The superheroes' partnership isn’t strained by all means, but after fighting against Hawkmoth for a total of 104 days, Ladybug has noticed a weird shift in the previously professional dynamic.
Chat Noir has always made jokes to lighten situations, but recently he’s been extra…flirty.
A part of Ladybug thinks that he’s just a charismatic boy behind the mask, but a recently more worrisome part of her is starting to think that his flirty comments have meaning.
So as a result, Ladybug subconsciously has been a bit unfair and rude, hoping that whatever potential feelings Chat has about her, will disintegrate.
Because how can someone fall in love with a person that they don’t even truly know?
“I didn’t mean to pry on your name, bugaboo. I was just thinking earlier today of how some people’s names fit, while others do not.” He says, while leaning over the rails at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
“How do names not fit someone?”
Chat ponders for a second. “I can’t go further without giving too much away about my personal life, but my father’s first name really does not fit him. I’m not exactly sure what would honestly, but since he has a brand that’s–” He purposely coughs. “Brand of vibe that he brings to his name that doesn't match! Yeah, yeah that’s it.”
Ladybug looks at him as if he swallowed a horse. “What?”
He stammers. “What I’m trying to say is that I think certain names have a certain..aura, to them. Like y’know what name I would give you?”
“What?” She asks cautiously.
“Bridgette.”
She considers his given name for her. “I could see that.”
“Really?”
It’s eerily similar to my name. Ladybug thinks.
He clears his throat. “What about me, what type of name do I give off?”
“Mmm, something simple like, Louis.”
Chat grimaces.
“What, you don’t like the name Louis? That’s my favorite name for a boy.”
“So does that mean I’m your favorite?” He leans towards her with a mischievous grin.
She just playfully pushes him away. “In your dreams kitty cat.”
“You’re a dream.”
Ladybug stammers. “I- what does that even mean?!”
“You know what it means m’lady.” He shoots her a wink “Anyways not Louis, but is there another name?”
“I don’t know, I can't think of a good name for you.” Ladybug shrugs. “You’re just Chat Noir to me.”
“And here I thought you were the creative one out of the two of us.”
She studies him, narrowing her eyes and following the subtle way his jaw clenches and his hair flows in the wind.
“Olivier.” Ladybug decides, and turns away to gaze back at the sunset falling behind the city.
“Olivier?”
“Yeah, I feel like that fits.”
Chat walks closer until he’s right near her ear. “Hmm and why’s that m’lady?””
“I don’t know.” She pushes herself to ignore how his flirty tone and close proximity is making her heart race. “It’s just a soft sounding name, gentle yet stable.”
“You’re one of those people who have their future kids' names written on their notes app, aren’t you?”
She turns a light shade of pink. “Maybe…”
“I guess I have to believe you, since you named me after an olive tree.” Chat moves back, creating a few feet of space between them.
Ladybug lets out the breath she’s been holding. “I didn’t name you. I just tried to match your vibe to a name.”
Chat doesn’t respond. Ladybug curiously searches his face as it morphs into an anxious mess.
“Y’know scratch what I said earlier.”
“What?”
“I don’t think you’re a Bridgette.”
“Okay…? What am I then.”
Chat Noir smirks, then suddenly drops the corners of his lip. He mumbles something but Ladybug can only catch the words “please” “mad” and “me”.
She stares at his mouth as he exhales, his shoulders following the decompressing motion.
“I think you’re a Marinette.”
Ladybug freezes, ignoring the way Chat's eyes somehow occupy both hope and dread at the same time.
If he didn’t suddenly get serious, perhaps she could just muster up the idea that him guessing her name is a coincidence, but Chat’s met her before in her civilian form. She’s not just a random name. He knows her.
And now, she suddenly feels naked because it seems that Chat Noir really knows her.
“Chat Noir-“
“I’m really sorry Marinette! I didn’t mean to figure it out, in fact I’ve been freaking out for the past 48 hours because I accidentally heard you talking to your Kwami at school in the locker room, which at first I thought you were just talking to yourself.”
“But then I heard Tikki’s voice and it all just sorta clicked immediately in my head. Please promise me you understand that as much as I’ve been wishing to know who you are behind the mask, I only want to know when you’re completely comfortable about it.”
“And I've said this so many times before, but I would in a heartbeat reveal myself to you no matter what. But I want your permission to do so since it’s unfair that I found out your identity.”
Regrettably, throughout his rant, Ladybug could only register one thing.
“You go to my school?”
“Yes.”
There is a moment of silence, in which the only sounds up at the top of the Eiffel Tower are their heavy breaths.
“Can I guess?”
Chat stares at her as if she just spoke German. “You want to guess? Really?”
“I dunno, I’m just kinda freaking out internally and so I think if I try to just think a bit logically here it might make me feel less anxious.”
“Okay, yeah of course.” He nods. “You can guess if you want to.”
Ladybug avoids his eyes, because she’s slightly confident that she unfortunately may already have an accurate guess. “Okay…uhm, you’re not Nino, he’s Carapace.”
“What?!”
“Oh I forgot you didn’t know that, well anyways, you can’t be Nathaniel, Ivan, Max, or Kim because you were with me when they were all akumatized.”
She bites her lip. “So I’m guessing that you're not in my class.”
Chat cocks his head to the side, and Ladybug picks up on his sharp movement.
“What?” she asks.
“I know you want to guess, but you’re forgetting someone.”
Ladybug brings out her hand, tapping each finger as she mentally goes down the list of the boy in her class. Before tapping her pinky, she hesitates.
“No, I think I got everyone.”
“Ladybug…”
“I got everyone.”
“Marinette.”
She blinks at him, slightly moving a step back as he approaches her.
“Do you…why..?” Chat opens his mouth but just closes it once more.
Finally he clears his throat, attempting to cover the cracks in his voice and the tears swelling in his eyes. “I’m sorry that you don’t like that, it's me. I know we didn’t exactly get off on the best foot, but you’ve supported me and helped me out so many times that I thought…never mind.”
Chat turns around, preparing to launch himself off the tower, when finally, Ladybug comes to her senses.
“Adrien.”
His head snaps back to look at her.
She takes a shaky breath in, and forces herself to look into his eyes despite her nerves. “I love you.”
Chat’s pupils grow and his mouth drops.
Ladybug continues, staring down at the metal flooring. “I’m not disappointed at all. I think that I’m just really trying to deny it in my head because you and Adrien are such separate people in my life, both who I care so deeply about in different ways.” She sighs. “It’s hard to articulate what I mean.”
“I understand Marinette, I feel the same way-“
“No, I think it’s a little different. I fell for you, Adrien, the moment you gave me the umbrella in the rain. I fell for your kindness of your actions and the tender emotion in your eyes, but, at the same time I placed you on a pedestal. Not because you’re a model or the son of my favorite fashion designer — well used to be favorite, at least — but because you had this nativity that separated you from the rest of us.”
Ladybug looks down at her feet, digging her toes on the ground. “Maybe it’s because you were homeschooled for all your life. You never experienced the social hell that is public school, and that made you into a person who is incredibly perfect and sweet without even trying.”
“I swear you probably don’t have a hateful bone in your body.” She lets out a shaky laugh.
He raises an eyebrow.
“Okay, well now that I know you’re Chat Noir, I know that’s false.” Ladybug smiles.
When he smiles back that damn Chat Noir grin, her heart stutters.
“A-anyways, what I’m trying to say is right now, I feel like…like I thought you, Adrien, would always be out of reach.”
“…but you, Chat Noir, have been by my side for months now, and you’ve never been out of reach. You were - are - always here, and I kept pushing myself away from getting too close to you, because you’re real.”
She nervously gulps. “...and also because I-I think you may be–”
“In love with you?” He offers.
“Yeah.”
The sudden gust of wind sends chills up her body.
“Finally.” He sighs contently.
“Uhm, what?”
Chat Noir walks back up to her and hesitates before awkwardly placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’ve been waiting for you to realize how I feel about you.”
“Wait, so does that mean you actually–”
“Love you? Yes, I love you Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”
Ladybug places her hands on her face. “This is so weird! I mean, not even a few days ago you were telling Nino I’m just a friend.”
He grabs her wrist and gently pulls her hands from her face. “I guess it’s a little bit confusing. My kwami has been pestering me about me being unknowingly in love with you for weeks, but I just pushed it away because I’m in love with…well you.”
“Plus,” He continues. “You may love Adrien Agreste, but you’ve been unknowingly pushing me away.”
She cringes. “You noticed?”
“Yeah.” Chat shrugs.
“I just…I dunno. How can you willingly fall for someone that you don’t really know? How can I have feelings for someone that puts themselves in danger constantly?”
“It’s easier than you think Ladybug, and I do know you! Even before I found out your Marinette, I fell in love with the girl behind the mask. The girl who is incredibly courageous and creative. That both applies to you as Ladybug and you as Marinette.”
Ladybug stares into his passionate eyes. “You didn’t answer my second question.”
He gives her a soft smile. “Unfortunately, I think that just comes with the job, m’lady.”
Chat glances away from her. “...so, now that we know basically everything about each other, do you want to, uhm, date?” Now it’s his turn to look flustered.
“Can we take it slow?” Ladybug asks.
He hugs her out of excitement. “Yes! Of course, a-anything that will make you feel comfortable!”
“Sorry, I just think I need to get to know the true Adrien a bit better.” She slowly wraps her arms around his torso.
“Marinette, don’t apologize.” He pulls away.
“Sorry.”
Chat lifts an eyebrow, and then starts laughing. Ladybug joins in, relishing the relief of the intensity evaporating from her chest.
“As much as I would love to talk for hours with you, my parents are expecting me for dinner.”
Chat hides his sadness on his face, although his cat ears droop slightly. “Can I take you home at least?”
Ladybug grabs his arm. “Wait, I meant that, uhm, we could…ugh someone knock me out.”
“Hey don’t say that, the universe will curse us with another akuma.”
She takes a deep breath in. “Would you like to join me for dinner?”
Chat grin expands. “Yeah, yes! Definitely.”
“I know you’re allergic to feathers, but are you allergic to any other foods?"
“I’m only allergic to you m’lady.”
Ladybug is momentarily taken aback, and then she relaxes into their usual banter. “Are you saying that as a bad thing?”
His eyes widen, comprehending his poor flirty line. “Hold on, I didn’t mean it like that! I was just trying to…to…”
Ladybug raises her tiptoes and presses a brief kiss on his cheek. “I know what you meant.”
Chat stands there in shock, lifting his hand to touch the spot where her lips just been.
“You coming, kitty?” Ladybug asks, holding her yo-yo.
“I– yes, I’m coming!”