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Adrien stared down at the beret given to him by Ladybug, she'd left it here over two months ago. He'd just been busy, and hadn't sat down to think about it more thoroughly.
Did it really come from a fan of his in Brazil? It seemed like a leap the more he thought about it.
Was it just from her and she didn't want to say that? Hmmmmmm it seemed a little unlikely but not impossible, just very risky.
Risky didn't seem like Ladybug, although he didn't know his Lady behind the mask, so who was he to say? He'd push that thought down though, it was just wishful thinking he told himself.
If not her then who?
Adrien continued to think, not really getting any further to an identity than he was before. His head was hurting a little from trying desperately to figure this out.
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"Adrien, you've been at this a while." Plagg spoke for the first time in the past hour and Adrien turned to his kwami "Why don't you get some fresh air? Y'know since you're free from activities today and all?" He finished.
Hm. He supposed he could take a stroll as Adrien around town, instead of suiting up. Yeah actually that was a great idea! The gears in his head chugged forward.
"Plagg, you're a genius!!"
The kwami looked startled by the outburst "I mean, I know I am but, what about exactly?"
Adrien looked extremely excited "I can walk around with my beret, and try to figure it out that way!"
"If that sounds like a good idea to you, then sure." Plagg didn't know if this was a good idea or not, but he figured it was better than trying to steer him in a different direction and accidentally doing something he shouldn't.
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Adrien, clad in his normal attire plus the addition of the beret, was smiling at everyone who passed him.
He was really wanting to run into whoever made this.
It was probably someone too shy to give it to him personally, but that could be so many people!
He'd just have to go from place to place, seeing if anyone showed any signs of familiarity with the beret.
So go around Adrien did. He went near the Louvre with no luck, same with the Notre-Dame and everywhere else for that matter. He'd run into someone that seemed interested, repeating his line after some conversation "I can't wait to meet the creator of this beret, get to know them better and get closer to them!" to no avail sadly.
No one was responding to his attempts, instead he was drawing attention to himself....as ADRIEN AGRESTE ugh, now he was taking pictures.
Don't get him wrong, he loved taking pictures with fans, but he was feeling tired after walking around Paris the whole day, unsuccessful no one knew where the beret came from. He went on though trying to keep his positivity up regardless.
Adrien scoured the crowd around the Eiffel Tower, talking to probably twenty more people, still no clues.
He ended up at Andre and decided he needed a break to enjoy some Ice cream.
When it was starting to get dark Adrien sighed loudly.
Okay then, time to go home he guessed, feeling a little bummed.
Adrien didn't bother walking home all the way, he just discreetly slid into an alley, transformed, and vaulted towards his house.
He dropped his transformation, not bothering to eat his dinner from the tiredness he felt, plopping on his bed without a second thought and fell asleep.
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Sleep didn't come very easily after the first two hours, he woke then thirsty, and his brain started turning and turning, trying to think how he'd find this mystery person. Finally, too close to his alarm blaring, he fell into a deeper sleep.
"Adrien? It's time for school." Nathalie spoke through the door, louder than normal.
He jolted forwards, startled. His bleary eyes searched the room, finally landing on the clock that was......AHHHH HE WAS GOING TO BE LATE.
Adrien, rushing through his morning, decided last minute to wear the beret to school. Maybe it was a classmate, or maybe one of his friends would know who made it?
He texted Nino quickly letting him know he'd still be coming to school since he was already almost late.
The nerves in his stomach were churning on the ride to school. What if he finally found them? He shook his head,
"Don't get your hopes up!" He chided himself and his brain, the ever running marathon it could be.
The car came to a halt in front of Françoise Dupont.
"Finally!" He thought aloud. Adrien stepped out of the car ready to greet his friends in class but he spotted Nino, still outside.
"Hey Adrien, what's up dude?" Nino appeared to have been waiting on Adrien to get here.
"Hey Nino not too much did you wait on me?"
"Yeah of course!" They bumped their fists together.
"Thanks, Nino." Adrien smiled, then suddenly, his brain remembered
"Oh yeah I actually wanted to ask you something."
"Oh? What is it?" Nino asked, curiously.
"Well, this was left in my room" Adrien pointed to the beret "and I wanted to ask if you maybe knew who would have given it to me?" Adrien would've tagged on to that sentence, but Nino pulled him up the stairs ,sounding excited, before he could do anything else.
"Okay bro, re-ask that question but like, here in class." Nino had a huge grin on his face.
That only made Adrien's nerves come back a little. But this is what he was after. He let a breath out.
Adrien decided to glance around the room first to make sure everyone was here, he skimmed the room over finding everyone present but when his eyes landed on Marinette she was staring at him, a little surprised looking.
He couldn't help but stare back a moment longer than necessary, until Alya coughed loudly.
Adrien went red as he averted his gaze back to Nino, alright he could re say it and add on more this time.
"I said, this was left in my room and I wanted to ask if you maybe knew who gave it to me." He decided to pause and glance around the room, and then continued "You see, I just can't wait to meet the creator of this beret, get to know them and get closer to them!" He let the excitement back into his voice and ended his words with a smile.
After a beat he turns back to the entire class watching them.
Most eyes in the class looked at one another, except Marinette she continues to stare at Adrien and their eyes lock again.
Before anyone decides upon anything however, someone speaks up.
"Oh Adrien, It was me of course." Lila spiels from the back of the class "You know I was just too afraid to give it to you in person, because of Marinette." Lila starts to fake cry.
Marinette's eyes hardened with anger, making a chill run down Adrien's spine it's been a while since she's looked so upset and that being indirectly stared at him, was a bit scary, if he was being honest.
He saw something flash across her face for a moment and then Marinette stood up, palms smacking her desk.
"Oh really Lila?" Marinette started, eyes turning to Lila "How did you get it to Adrien's room then?"
Lila froze, eyes widening Marinette, on the other hand, smirked like she knew something.
Adrien studied Marinette carefully, what could she know?
"I- uhm- well I had Nathalie sneak it in!" She supplied quickly cooling herself and falling back into her normal demeanor, cool and as sly as a fox.
Adrien looked over to Lila he already figured she was lying of course, but that confirmed it, before he could speak Marinette continued.
"Eh wrong, I know Nathalie didn't give it to him." her smirk grew wider "Ladybug did."
The room gasped including Adrien because she did in fact know. Which only meant one thing.
"Ugh Marinette there's no way Ladybug did that! Because I'm Ladybug!" Lila said, annoyed.
Okay, what? That was like, the worst lie ever.
"Pfft hardly, you were akumatized, how in the world were you both akumatized and Ladybug at the same time?" Marinette scoffed.
"GRRRR!" Lila was losing her cool again.
"Besides, look." Marinette suddenly walked down in front of Adrien "Adrien, may I see that beret?" Her voice, with no stutters, sounded like a calming ocean capable of storms.
"Sure!" He replied, taking it off to hand to her. Her voice was very pretty he realized now.
Marinette in all her sneakiness had actually "signed" it, small and unnoticeable but still signed nonetheless.
"See?" She pointed to the fancy embroidery of her name, tucked under a small flap Adrien didn't even know was there.
"I made it, and Ladybug gave it to him because I was too scared to." The girl finished glaring at Lila then, re-settling her face into a smile, she looked back at Adrien blushing at what she'd admitted, her fingers began to fidget with the beret lightly.
"AHH MARINETTE YOU!" Lila Stared but everyone in class was looking at her now. Glaring.
"Lila how could you take credit for Marinette's work?" Rose questioned angry.
"I-" Lila began but was immediately interrupted.
"Yeah, low blow Lila." Alya said looking upset.
Everyone just continued to stare at Lila, saying how she'd lost their trust and she was also losing all credit in her "friendships" with them.
She'd lied right in front of them and wasn't using her usual excuses because she was so thrown off.
Wow. She'd trapped herself.
Adrien was just still staring at Marinette which seemed to intensify her blush, making her curl in on herself a little.
"Settle down class." Miss Bustier said calmly when she entered the room, sensing Lila's tension and the classes glaring.
Lila seethed but sat harshly down.
Marinette handed the beret back to Adrien and both teens found their seats.
Adrien couldn't keep his mind off the girl behind him though.
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He was trying to catch Marinette. His words of wanting to get to know the creator better were true, she'd darted out of class though, too quickly.
"Marinette, wait!" Adrien called throwing his hand out to catch hers "Can I talk to you?"
Marinette froze looking over her shoulder at him, hung her head in embarrassment and nodded.
He didn't necessarily want a crowd of people watching them, which is what their friends were right now, acting like they were witnessing a movie, so he asked if she minded to talk in the park.
He'd have enough time, right? That didn't matter, he'd make enough.
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They sat down on a bench, Marinette a ball of nerves, he could see that much.
"Are you okay?' Adrien asked gently, worried he'd been too forward in asking her here.
"No- I mean yes -just uhmmm- I didn't mean to say all of that in there." She squeaked out.
"Well I'm glad you did! Now I know who made this lovely hat!" He made a show of fake modeling for her, she giggled. Mission accomplished.
"Besides, I wanted to know who made it and I was serious about what I said!"
"Yeah but I said a little too much!" She suddenly blurted then covered her mouth.
"Why?" Adrien looked at her. There was still a puzzle piece missing. He dared to ask "Why did Ladybug bring this to me?"
Marinette paled, then began looking around like she was afraid something was going to happen.
"No, I KNEW I said too much!" She bit her nails "I uhm asked her to?"
"Really?" He said skeptical "How?"
"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh."
"Marinette?" Suddenly looking at her, made his heart race a little more than usual.
"No this isn't supposed to happen, not again!" Marinette shuddered.
"What isn't supposed to happen?"
"CHAT BLANC!" She exclaimed scared.
Both teenagers froze at that.
"Chat...Blanc?" Adrien turned completely towards her.
"What? Who?" But he stopped when he saw Marinette's terrified expression.
Then he heard something he was half expecting, and half wasn't.
"Oh no, I wonder if I've already ruined it further with that." she began speeding up, speech running together, "Bunnyxisprobablygonnashowupand-"
"Marinette." Adrien breathed softly, a realization beating in his heart, he pulled her in for a hug.
She froze then hugged back, tears sliding down her cheeks, she was trembling.
"Calm down for me please, breathe."
She did as instructed calming her breath slowly.
"Now you said Bunnyx." He began "If she were to show up don't you think you could handle it, and if she doesn't isn't this meant to be how it is? Regardless I'm here right, to protect you?"
She looked up at him suddenly staring at him, again like she had in class, only this time more calculating.
He saw it, no doubt, the Ladybug in her.
His original theory had been right, he should go with his gut more often.
"Are you?..." She breathed out
Adrien titled his head at her with a small smile pulling at his lips "Am I?"
Marinette drew in a breath, steeling herself "Cat?" She tested timidly, squinting at him slightly.
He sighed relieved it was her, one hundred percent confirmed now.
"In the flesh M'lady." His smile widened as he took her hand, though worry was still in his stomach at her previous words.
"Not to ruin this, but you seem scared about that...." he shuddered at the thought of the implications of the name "Chat Blanc?"
"It's the whole reason I didn't sign my name to that beret, and now I gave it up freely." She replied still looking at him "I'm beginning to see why it led to that, at least, partly."
"So it was me." Adrien felt bad for trying to figure this out. "I'm sorry Marinette." His stomach felt sick. He'd been akumatized in some other timeline it sounded.
"Hey! Don't be! You're right, Bunnyx isn't here, and you." She pointed at him, poking his chest playfully "Don't get akumatized!" She finished.
What. She seemed so calm now, it was a good thing of course but still, it's like she's being strong for me.
"Wha-" Adrien began but couldn't finish before Marinette blurted something out.
"I love you! So don't let anything happen to yourself, don't get akumatized and if you feel like you will call me." Her small smile was enough to melt him completely.
"You love me?" Adrien looked dazed.
"Yes" She now felt embarrassed "I was rejecting you for, uhm, you."
Adrien felt his heart warm up "Woah.......we're so oblivious...... and silly" Adrien covered his face. Embarrassed.
"Yes Kitty, we are." She shook her head patting his back lightly.
He peeked at her through his hands "Hey Marinette, may I kiss you?"
"HUH?" She blurted covering her face now, copying his movement from before.
"I mean, I don't have to if you're uncomfortable, sorry." Adrien should've just kept his mouth shut. Stupid Cat he thought to himself.
"Nonono!" She stuttered out "I mean yes, you may!" She turned a deeper shade of red.
Adrien blushed darker as well "Are you sure, you're looking a bit warm."
"So are you!" She retorted.
They both laughed and, awkwardly but still so perfectly them, shared their not-first kiss.
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Adrien was glad to see nothing bad had happened, no Bunnyx, no Chat Blanc, and his Lady seemed so happy she couldn't contain it.
"Hello-Kitty!" She joked at him, giggling a smile on her face, he would've said it was the widest he'd seen but, as of late, it wasn't.
"Wow, I should not have told you that joke." He laughed alongside her, heart warm. She'd been saying it ever since. He loved it, of course.
"The city is quiet tonight." She murmured sitting close to him, then nestled into his side.
He loved this, he loved her.
He wanted to make sure she never worried, and wanted that smile on her face everyday.
"I'm glad we found out, and I'm so very glad Bunnyx hasn't shown up, truthfully I would never want to go back." She continued
"I agree." He snuggled her closer
He'd protect her, he would!
"I love you." Cat Noir mumbled into her hair as his head was atop hers.
"I love you too, Kitty." She squeezed him into a hug.
"We'll be okay, no doubt, and I'll promise you M'lady, I'll protect you, always."
"I know Kitty-Cat." She buried her head in his neck.
Adrien, against his previous regrets of looking for who could've possibly made that beret, was overjoyed he went on the journey. He loved this girl with his whole heart, and he'd keep loving her, cherishing her and keeping her safe.
Safe to say this was a mission success, in the best ways possible.