Work Text:
It’s an ordinary Friday evening for a regular citizen of Paris. Streets are filled with normal people living a normal life.
But unlike these citizens, every Parisian Hero is on top of a random rooftop after their patrol.
They’re currently having a little down time before the actual reason why they’re here; Ladybug was supposed to have a meeting with everyone in regards to their plan on taking down Hawkmoth.
They don't know the finer details yet, but the spotted heroine has let out that she and Pegasus might have something to locate the paths of the butterflies when they go out and akumatize someone– possibly resulting in them locating where the villain's lair is.
The heroes are currently in different groups, talking amongst themselves while waiting for Ladybug to call them up for the meeting while their leader was busy setting up a laptop and a projector set on the rooftop.
Where the hell did those things come from? They collectively asked her.
None of them have the slightest idea.
And Ladybug just smiled in response.
A smile that says “I have my ways so don't ask about it ever again.”
To be fair to the spotted heroine, she didn't want to be distant, it's just that those things she's using are part of the things she normally bring to school, but she covered all of the obvious details to make it look like it was owned by no one.
She's really careful about her secrets, you see.
Back to the current situation, seeing just Ladybug doing stuff all by herself made everyone offer some help as they landed on the meeting spot post-patrol, but Ladybug insisted that she could set those things up herself.
In a voice that told them there's no need for follow-ups and protests.
So, no one protested afterwards and they all just went back interacting in their own groups like nothing happened.
It doesn't say that most of them who felt camaraderie with the heroine wasn't upset, though.
Yes, Chat Noir, that's your cue.
Seemingly deep in thought, Adrien Agreste, now clad in Chat Noir’s usual leather suit, got reminded of one girl who is also as stubborn as her Lady.
Albeit in a different way.
He noticed that Marinette has been a lot more distant lately.
And no, it's not the same distance she has with him— like hell he would know, that girl probably hates him for the amount of times she stumbled upon her words, or her looking like she does want to get out of a conversation whenever Adrien comes in and joins.
It was a different distance, because this time, almost no one can approach her.
Alya was very lucky she's exempted by this distance game their supposed friend is issuing against them.
And it makes him worried.
If she's like his superheroine partner, she would be stubborn when asked, but silently break down.
And with her bottling up her feelings and a supervillain still out lurking, it's a recipe for a grand disaster.
Maybe I should've went to Marinette's before I ended patrol, Chat thought, unknowingly darting his eyes towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery.
===========
While talking to Carapace, Rena Furtive caught Chat Noir looking at somewhere in the distance and sighing.
Curious about the reason for the leather-clad hero’s melancholy, she followed his gaze and recognized where the cat hero had been directing his gaze to: Marinette’s balcony.
The realization made her smirk.
The fox heroine then nudged Carapace and pointed him in the direction of Marinette’s home, pointer finger being right next to Chat Noir’s body now turned around to the same direction as she wiggled her eyebrows at her boyfriend.
The turtle hero realized what she meant and shared a knowing look and a small conspiratorial grin.
They've then decided to approach Chat Noir themselves.
“Hey, lover boy. Wanting to see your ‘Princess’?”Said hero jumped in surprise and quickly turned his body to Rena and Carapace, both giving him a look.
He doesn't have the slightest idea what that look could even mean, but he knows it's not good, if the resident lovebirds of their group is giving him it.
“What are you two doing here?” Chat asked, which made Rena raise an eyebrow.
“Same reason as you– we have a meeting after patrol, remember?” The fox heroine gestured towards the crowd that’s currently on the roof with them.
“Oh. I forgot.” Chat rubbed the back of his neck.
He genuinely forgot.
He was kind of out of it tonight after seeing Marinette earlier in school so down but couldn't do anything about it as her friend.
In fact, he was so out of it that he didn't realize that he was now sandwiched between the fox and the turtle wielders.
Carapace then placed his right elbow at chat’s shoulder as Rena spoke on his right, “So, your brain seemed to travel quite far. Any chance it flew over to a certain bakery?”
The couple felt Chat’s shoulders slump a little as they sandwich the boy in between each other, “Marinette looks like she’s been out of it recently. I guess I’m just worried that she’s not taking care of herself.”
Since it's obvious she didn't want anyone—espscially me— to take care of her, were the words on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to add.
But he couldn't.
Because he wasn't Adrien right now, and they don't know how important Marinette is to him as his first friend.
Right. He reminded himself. Take care of her as a friend.
As for Rena, the girl’s best friend in fox costume, Alya would know the reason why– but how would Chat know how to read her best friend?
Is he really that observant? She started to question.
Or is it because he knows her outside of the suit?
“Is that why you’ve been by her house every other night?” Chat’s eyes widened– now how did they know about that?
Not like he’s hiding it or wanted to keep it a secret— he’s a hero, after all.
But he’s also not as obvious when he does visit her. He's still a hero and she's still a civilian.
He can't play favorites, knowing that their lives will be in danger once Hawkmoth gets ahold of that information.
As if the heroine is reading his mind, she huffed, “Come on, its not like you’re visiting other houses when you want to— it’s all over the Ladyblog.” Rena pointed out.
Chat pulled out his baton to check the mentioned website about his visits.
Seeing several articles about it, he can confirm that it really was in Ladyblog; Alya even posted a new one a few hours before the patrol.
So it was posted there… Though the frequency had been exaggerated by Alya.
He doesn't visit her that much, does he?
“So… Is someone cat-ching feelings?” She teased as she playfully nudged Chat’s side.
For the record, she didn’t need Marinette to tell her about that scoop because she accidentally saw what she likes calling the “marichat secret rendezvous” one time, and have been secretly going to the bakery late at night to see if there’s a pattern.
Unfortunately for her, there wasn’t– but her best friend’s luck might’ve rubbed off on her because she always happen to see the two of them on Marinette's balcony every time she went outside.
Chat chuckled nervously and shook his head, “C’mon now, you all know how we can’t pursue any close relationship with a civilian!” He pointed out.
“Besides, she’s just a friend, and I don’t think she likes me in a romantic way.” He shrugged at the end of his explanation.
Everyone immediately whipped their heads towards where the three were having their conversation the moment Chat said what they all like to call, “The Magic Words™”.
A slip of the tongue, is what they'd all like to call it. A natural response of someone when talking about their Good Friend, Marinette.
And there was only one person who would describe her in that same exact phrase.
One that is apparently that same girl’s most trusted superhero.
Alya couldn't even afford to get shocked at the realization.
After Marinette revealed the source of all her distress recently, Alya has gone numb to the feeling of realizing the fact that your closest (if not the best) friend you have are also the idols you look up to, and made a website of for updates.
At the point she just virtually shook her head about the way Adrien revealed himself, pretty sure to the entire class by the way every hero on the roof was reacting.
Old habits die hard, even when you're in a leather suit. Alya thought.
Meanwhile, the cat hero couldn’t comprehend why everyone, including Ladybug herself, suddenly whipped their heads toward his direction and is now looking at him like he grew a second head.
Sure, he might’ve said that one a bit louder than he anticipated, but it was not enough reason for everyone to look like this..?
Did I say something wrong? His mind wondered, frantically trying to recall what he said to nitpick anything wrong with it.
Are they really expecting him to tell them that he likes Marinette when they’re completely aware about the fact that he loves Ladybug?
After what felt like forever to him, he saw that Rena Furtive was the first one to recover from whatever trance everyone had.
She turned away while grumbling, “I can’t believe my girl has been friendzoned by Adrien Agreste on both sides of the mask.”
Carapace stared at Rena as she spoke, then nodded solemnly in agreement without even fully comprehending what the hell her superheroine girlfriend just said.
He put a hand on her shoulder to console the fox heroine.
Chat, overseeing what the two just did (and said), had his jaw dropped.
He wouldn’t have been able to get what she said if he didn’t have amplified senses– and he wished he didn't use that power to his advantage a few seconds ago.
She just mentioned his civilian identity (although he was pretty sure everyone on that roof already knows about it for reasons still unknown to him, but hearing them say it was different), and friendzoning her girl in–
Wait a minute. He thought as an imaginary record scratch played in his head.
… did Rena just say ‘her girl’?
They were talking about Marinette earlier. And if Rena says that Marinette is “her girl”, that could only mean…
Realization dawned upon him as quick as lightning.
He pointed an accusatory finger at the fox heroine, despite her being unable to see his gesture, “Alya?!”
This stiffened the shoulders of the two as they froze in place for a millisecond and then turned to him so quickly they almost got dizzy.
“What– you heard that?” Rena– Alya– said as she turned around and grabbed Chat– Adrien– by his shoulders.
===========
While that was happening, Ladybug brought back her mind to the present, finally processing the words Chat had said about her civilian self.
Sighing, she mumbled bitterly to herself, “I can’t believe I’ve been friendzoned by the same guy that’s been pursuing me while we're in a suit.”
She then quickly covered her mouth and looked at Chat to check if he heard what she said.
Thankfully, he didn't.
But it was mainly because the three are currently having a screaming contest as she saw Chat– Adrien– piece together that Nino is Carapace after Alya unknowingly revealed her identity.
How did the two of them— three if she includes Adrien— screw up badly in less than 10 minutes?
She had no idea.
The other heroes managed to recover from the shock of discovering Chat’s identity on their own.
Maybe the screaming contest Rena and Chat has been doing helped a little bit more than they’d all like to admit.
But with the newfound knowledge, they all started realizing why the resident oblivious boy couldn’t see the fact that he likes Marinette– he was too locked in on his superhero partner.
Now the obliviousness kind of made sense…
… kind of.
Most of them mentally groaned at that realization.
Really, Adrien? Most of them are probably thinking, If you only just looked in front of your seat every day, you would've seen your Ladybug.
Hell, Juleka, wearing her Purple Tigress suit, thought… (this time is an actual thought), he called her our Everyday Ladybug despite calling her a friend…
And everyone and their ancestors know how much Chat loves Ladybug.
Everyone— except Ladybug who is trying so hard to ignore whatever chaos is happening on this rooftop tonight— then proceeded to continue being an audience to the now intense staring contest between Chat and Rena with Carapace standing behind her girlfriend not knowing what he should do– the fact that another bombshell was said during the screaming contest didn't faze them anymore.
But the fact that the superhero couple is Alya and Nino still is not properly sinking in their minds.
After having an intense staring contest with Chat Noir, Rena finally released her grasp on him as she crossed her arms.
“Well, you caught us, Sunshine.. At least you’re not as oblivious as you usually are right now.” Rena dramatically rolled her eyes as she landed her gaze to where Ladybug is, sending an apologetic look over to their leader.
Carapace placed his right hand on Rena’s shoulder as he backed her girlfriend up about the accidental reveal. “Sorry, Ladydude. I would’ve stopped her from speaking if we realized that he’d still hear it.”
So that’s how it happened. Ladybug sighed as she pointedly looked at everyone else in the roof who are all intently looking alternately between the three heroes making a scene in front of them— with a look that says “no one will ever speak of this incident to anyone. ever.”
The rest of them looked away from her now glare as Viperion lifted his right arm, showing his bracelet, “Would you like me to-”
Ladybug lifted a hand to stop him, “There’s no use, Luka.” Her voice sounded so resigned.
“Besides, you haven’t activated it earlier so there won’t be a point where we can return.”
Purple Tigress’ eyes almost popped out of its socket upon hearing Ladybug blurt out a familiar name.
A name that is similar-sounding to her brother's.
She then pointed at Viperion while mumbling what most certainly is her twin brother’s name.
Viperion on the other hand saw this in the corner of his eye and instantly realized who the tiger heroine was. “Jules?”
Pigella, who’s in front of the twins, quickly turned her head around to make sure she heard it right, “Juleka?”
Purple Tigress— Juleka— now sat frozen with eyes wide as saucers as she looked at both her brother and apparently her girlfriend, Rose, as the holder of the Miraculous of the Pig.
Meanwhile, King Monkey finally let out the laughter he’d been trying to hold since Alya and Adrien were having their screaming contest.
“I can’t believe we actually know each other as civilians!” He remarked while wiping tears on his eyes.
The monkey hero was fully unaware of the looks of confusion the rest of them were giving him and only saw it after wiping his eyes.
He decided that it's the perfect time to reveal himself, as well as his friend.
Well, he hopes he guessed right, but all “signs” point to him, apparently.
“I’m Kim, by the way.” He pointed at himself, and then at Pegasus, “And that’s Max.”
The horse hero, despite being surprised, just shrugged as a response.
He doesn't know how the hell Kim discovered it was him.
But since everyone's discovering each other's identities, there's no point in questioning it.
For the record, Max knew that King Monkey is Kim, he just didn't speak a word of it even to the wielder of the Monkey Miraculous himself.
Pegasus then adjusted his glasses and added, “If we follow the pattern, that would mean that the other heroes are also within the class, or someone associated with the people within our class– by the body structure and the students left, that would make Ivan be Minotaurox, Mylene as Polymouse, Nathaniel as Caprikid and Marc being Rooster Bold.”
The mentioned heroes confirmed their identities by either nodding or humming in response.
Polymouse— Mylene— raised her hand to add on. “I’m pretty sure Sabrina is Miss Hound, and since Chloe was Queen Bee, Zoe is definitely Vesperia.” She said, stroking her chin while she recalled some details.
“She first appeared during Queen Banana, right?”
Polymouse gestured over to where Vesperia was sitting as she looked for confirmation, and Vesperia– Zoe– gave her a thumbs up.
The former, sitting beside the bee heroine, also nodded at her.
No one noticed that Ryuko walked over to where Ladybug is currently standing, the latter looking like she's about to break down with how much the accidental reveal snowballed into… this.
“So, what now— are we supposed to say who we are to each other, then?” Ryuko asked, looking at Ladybug– who jumped upon hearing her voice right next to her.
The heroine then went back into looking in utter disbelief of what’s currently happening.
“I don’t know, Kagami!” She whisper–shouted (read: she tried— her voice still came out louder than a supposed whisper), exasperated by the situation at hand.
“It’s just too late to say anything when everyone’s just revealed themselves, isn’t it?” The heroine cradled her face with her hands and knelt down.
It's obvious that she's really frustrated about the fact that she was unable to do anything to prevent the reveal of the three heroes earlier into snowballing to this catastrophe.
No other words could describe whatever the hell is going on with her chosen protectors of Paris at the moment except for the words she thought of.
The other heroes nearby who have overheard their conversation looked at Ryuko– Kagami with a look that’s asking her "You won’t even point out the fact that Ladybug called you by your civilian name?” The dragon hero just shook her head at them.
What’s the harm when everyone already knows who she is? Ryuko thought to herself. Besides, I do not mind it.
Ladybug, however, was unable to see the silent exchange as her head was still in her hands.
To say that she’s distraught about the turn of events is an understatement of the day. The month, even.
This was supposed to be a meeting after their patrol, not an identity reveal session, for crying out loud!
Who would’ve expected that while they’re on their downtime before the meeting, Chat– Adrien— would impulsively reveal who he is?
And by friendzoning her for the nth time?
What would happen to them now? If Hawkmoth gets his hands on one of them, everything they’ve all worked for will crumble down as everyone already knows each other!
She couldn't even enjoy the fact that her crush and her superhero partner are one and the same because of how bad things after his accidental revelation.
Not aware about their leader slowly descending in a breakdown, Minotaurox’s voice broke through the sudden … uh… tense? glum? atmosphere.
“Wait, if we’re all classmates/adjacently related to our class, does that mean that Ladybug is also in our class?”
That got everyone’s attention.
Everyone started to think of who their possible candidate might be and got absorbed in their own minds trying to piece things together.
Rena heard what her fellow hero just said and quickly checked on where her best friend is, only to see her hands still covering her face as she's still knelt down.
She quietly walked over to where the spotted heroine was and knelt down alongside her.
Kagami left the two as soon as she saw Rena approach Ladybug. She then joined Vesperia and Miss Hound, sitting beside them and enjoying the show.
In the middle of the chaos, Chat Noir still stood by himself in the middle of the chaos in the meantime, still hung up on asking himself what he said that gave his identity away.
Yes, he heard every reveal that happened around him, but he's got to be honest.
After he discovered Nino’s identity, nothing could faze him anymore.
Besides, this can't get any worse, can it?
Yeah, all he have to do is to approach Ladybug and ask what he said wrong to make everyone immediately know that he's Adrien.
He took everyone’s silence as a cue to approach his partner and ask, “My Lady, I still don’t get it– how did you even discover my identity through what I said?”
The still buried-in-her-hands Ladybug finally raised her head to look at him incredulously and he tilted his head in confusion as a response.
This gesture made Rena facepalm and Carapace to shake his head behind him.
A reaction that was also shared by everyone else watching his confusion.
Ladybug sighed and rolled her eyes before giving Chat the final piece of the puzzle,
“You’ve been using the same phrase whenever someone asks you about how you feel about me, Adrien.” Ladybug then looks away, feeling a bit hurt.
“How the hell wouldn’t we know when you’re the only one who talks about me like that?”
Silence filled the roof once again, as everyone who was still half-aware have overheard what their leader just said.
They were about to ask Ladybug what do they mean by “we”, but then she dropped a bigger bombshell they couldn't even prepare for.
All of their widened eyes are now fixed on the spotted heroine as the gears in their minds started working.
After a minute, they happened to get back to reality at the same time and scream different words, most of which are “‘ME’?” and “MARINETTE?”
Rena Furtive and Ryuko were exceptions in the crowd.
Because despite having the same reaction as the other heroes, Rena was screaming “Are you kidding me?!” instead of her best friend’s name while Kagami just looked over to Ladybug and sighed like she knew who the heroine was all this time.
The rest of the heroes did not even realize that Rena was screaming in exasperation since her best friend just outed herself in almost the same way as Adrien did a few minutes ago.
It’s now Ladybug’s turn to widen her eyes in shock as she realized that she just outed her own identity, and slowly put her hand in her head once again.
If Chat is in his right mind right now, he would probably describe it as being as theatrical as his usual gestures.
Unfortunately for her, he's still catatonic beside her
Hah. She's so out of it that she's starting to pun like Chat. Marinette just have to laugh at the irony of it all.
“Ugh.” Ladybug grumbled, voice muffled by her own hands. “I can’t believe this–” she gestured towards everyone, “ –just happened!” She then lifted her head and pulled her pigtails out of frustration.
Rena offered her some comfort via patting her back lightly while the former rested her head on her hands once again.
Carapace stood by the two girls while the rest of the heroes scrambled to circle around the four.
“How are you not surprised?” the turtle hero asked his girlfriend, who’s still consoling their leader.
“I already know– she told me herself.”
Polymouse’s voice pierced through the murmurs around them from the distance, “You knew?” Rena just shrugged.
Chat, at this point, has recovered, but refused to butt in the ongoing conversation, lest he casually drops (or get dropped) another life changing information bomb.
He really wanted to be the one comforting his Lady right now, but he knows that she needed Rena and Carapace right by her side more.
Especially because he's one of the reasons why she's currently distraught.
King Monkey tried lightening up the atmosphere by jokingly teasing Ladybug– Marinette, “You know it wasn’t really ideal to give everyone in the class a miraculous, right?”
Everyone saw how Ladybug’s body froze at what Kim— King Monkey— just said.
A sharp glare from literally everyone else told him that it wasn’t the right words to say at the moment.
The poor boy shrunk in on himself while looking apologetic towards everyone, one could say he looked like a lost puppy at the time.
“I know!” Marinette says as she sat down, now burying her head on her knees.
“I just didn’t know who to trust except for you guys!”
Even though everyone didn't believe me when it came to Lila. She bitterly thought.
“Wait– this is how you knew about Lila lying, then?” Someone from the crowd asked.
Ladybug nodded while keeping her face buried.
Rena is now rubbing her palms across her back while everyone else started raining apologies to Marinette for not believing her during the Lila fiasco.
She had to put her right hand up to stop everyone doing an applogy barrage before she took a deep breath and looked up again.
… and laughed loudly.
So loud, in fact, that everyone looked at her confused.
In her defense, everything that happened wasn't in her control, and that includes on what people would say while they're within each other's vicinity.
It was no one's fault, but it's still a very disastrous moment.
But because Bunnyx is still not appearing from her rabbit hole yet, she decided that maybe it's time for everyone to know each other's secrets.
To better support each other.
To function more as one team.
Fighting crimes, Hawkmoth and his allies, and maybe to make a huge study group together…
She needs help in her Physics homework due next Monday, anyways.
She laughed alone for what felt like forever before saying, “This is a mistake.” and detransformed in front of the crowd.
If anyone within them were having any doubts about her being the best superheroine in Paris, all of those doubts were cleared up now.
They're all looking at her in awe when she looked at Rena with wavering eyes. “Alya, is this a mistake?”
Rena also detransformed and came out Alya with a dopey smile on her face as she replied. “Ha! A mistake we're going to laugh about one day.”
Marinette giggled as the rest of her comrades started following suit in detransforming, until it was only Chat Noir left. “One day, but not today.”
Alya was about to reply when Adrien broke through the atmosphere, still shining with some light left from his detransformation. “Oh, no. Today's a mess. A huge mess that I have to clean up.”
He said as he sent Marinette a meaningful look, causing the girl to raise her eyebrows.
The rest of the class looked back and forth at what it looked like the two having a silent conversation with such serious faces.
The heroes were a bit worried that the two might end up having a silent fight but it stopped when Chat said, “Fine, do it your way then, milady.” aloud while wagging his eyebrows.
Ladybug, now detransformed, only rolled her eyes in the classic Ladybug way.
Alya then jumped to hug her and urged Nino to follow as well.
By the end of the hug, everyone has been included, and Marinette has told them that she forgives them, but has to earn their trust back as their civilian selves.
Marinette then looked over to her classmates and her superhero comrades.
“I'm sorry you all have to see me like the disaster I really was. I hope you're not disappointed that Ladybug is just plain old Marinette and will continue in protecting Paris with me.”
The entire Akumaclass then went on and sang her praises, trying their best to reassure her that they weren't disappointed, and is in fact, extremely happy that it was her.
To put it in their best words, Max perfectly described what they mean, “If anything else, it wouldn't make sense if she's not you, Marinette.”
Mylene even added, “You've always been fighting for us and trying to save us, even when you're not Ladybug. You've always been her, Marinette.”
At this point, Marinette is getting teary-eyed but her eyes caught a glimpse of the laptop and projector that was left open and wiped her tears off.
“Now then, let's start Operation: Hawkmoth Takedown Strategy Meeting now, shall we?”