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Chapter Text

Marinette couldn’t picture her parents skin without soul marks on them. Whenever they kissed or touched, her father would leave a trail of light blue on her mother’s skin, and her mom’s touch would leave streaks of red on her father. She would watch in awe as her mom drew patterns on her father’s arms, and her dad kissed strategic patterns on her mom’s skin. They reveled in each other’s touch, making Marinette eager to find her own soulmate from a young age.

Adrien’s mother always seemed to be glowing. He couldn’t tell if it was because she was simply a happy person, or if it was the glow of the golden soul marks that always patterned her skin. Adrien rarely saw his parents touch as a child, but he always saw the evidence of it. His mother was never without golden patterns drawn on her arms, neck, and lips. His father’s skin was always streaked with milky white, as well. He knew his parents were affectionate with one another, even if they rarely showed that side of their relationship outside of closed doors. He could tell how in love they were. They were made for each other. It gave Adrien dreams of finding his own soulmate, so that one day, he too could leave that person patterned with soul marks. He wondered what color they would be.

Marinette had dreamed of meeting her soulmate from childhood. Any chance she got, she would hold hands with friends, touch acquaintances, searching restlessly. Her mother told her over and over again that most people didn’t meet their soulmates until college or lycee, but Marinette was determined. Soulmates were never far from one another, so the more people she touched, the faster she would find them.

Adrien wanted to find his soulmate. His parent’s love had inspired him to find that one person who would be his other half. Unfortunately, his opportunities to find them were limited. He didn’t attend school in order to accommodate the traveling they did for his parent’s business, and his social sphere was limited to those who his father deemed worthy. 

Then, during his second year of college, his mother disappeared. Adrien was forced to watch his father crumble as the once brilliant white soul marks on his skin faded away as well. As much as Adrien wanted to find his soulmate, he was afraid. Watching his father loose everything the way he did, not being able to cope with losing his mother was unbareable. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle the same pain of loss. So he stopped hoping to find that person. He pushed his dreams of meeting them aside for the sake of pursuing a semi-normal life.

In her second year of college, Marinette was convinced she had found her soulmate. She and Nathaniel began dating shortly after the start of classes. They had an agreement though. They wouldn’t touch each other until they had been together for a few months, wanting to really get to know each other before jumping head first into what could be a life-long commitment. There was a bead of hope in Marinette’s heart that he was her’s. They had so much in common. Her love for fashion complimented his artistic side. He was quiet, but she understood him even without words. They went well together.  

So they planned to test their connection on their six month anniversary. They met up at a café where they often ate lunch. Marinette’s heart was pounding in her chest as she sat across from her boyfriend. This test would determine their future together, and she was filled with hope. 

She and Nathaniel didn’t waste time. With a nervous smile and pounding heartbeats, they reached across the table and grasped each other’s hands. Both of them sat in silence for a few moments with their eyes closed. They had both grown up watching their friends find their soulmates one after another. After all, most people found them in college or lycee. 

Mylene and Ivan had found each other the year prior. Max found his over the summer. Alix and Kim had been together since childhood. Marinette’s hopes were high that she would be next.

“Are you ready?” Nathaniel’s voice was low and trembled at the end. 

Marinette nodded, but realized that he probably couldn’t see her. “Yes,” she responded.

“On the count of three,” he replied. 

They counted down together. Once they reached one, they released hands and opened their eyes.

Marinette’s heart shattered as she stared at her hand. She had been so sure, so confident that it was Nathaniel. 

When she met his eyes, she knew he was just as disappointed as she was.
They sat quietly for a while, absorbing what had occurred. When they were ready to talk again, they considered their options. Many people dated people who weren’t their soulmate. It wasn’t uncommon. They could have continued with what they had. They were both happy, after all. Unfortunately, they also knew that wouldn’t work. They wanted to find their soulmates, so they knew they had to break up.

Marinette spent the next year healing. She and Nathaniel remained friends, but as more of her classmates and friends found their soulmates, she was beginning to feel disheartened.

The start of the third year of college came with a number of surprises for Marinette and Adrien both. First, they became superheroes. Ladybug and Cat Noir emerged as the protectors of Paris against Hawkmoth.
Next, Adrien was allowed to attend school. He entered the same college with the mayor’s daughter, Chloe Bourgeois. Then, Marinette and Adrien found best friends. Shy, quiet Marinette was finally coming out of her shell-partially thanks to her new found confidence as Ladybug, and partially thanks to her new spitfire friend, Alya Cesaire. Adrien, with the help of his new right hand man, figured out how to navigate daily school life. Finally, they fell in love. Marinette fell in love with a boy in the rain and a kind smile. Adrien fell in love with a girl in a mask who learned how to be brave when she felt the least worthy. 

Unfortunately, circumstances prevented them from actively pursuing their loves. Marinette was still shaken up about her failure with Nathaniel. As much as she had come into herself the past year, she was still afraid. Her heart was too invested already. She couldn’t bear to have it broken before anything even begins. So she doesn’t touch him.

Adrien watches Ladybug through the eyes of Cat Noir. He fantasizes about running into the girl under the mask, literally, and coming apart with a burst of color. He dreams of touching her skin to skin, even if it is only holding her hand. Unfortunately their suits covered most of their skin, preventing any accidental touches for Adrien to check on any possible connection between them. 

So they went on with their lives as usual, each of them avoiding unnecessary physical contact with other people. As they went on to lycee, they watched more of their friends find their soulmates. Alya and Nino found each other, Julika, Rose, Mirelle, even Chloe found Lila. 

But Marinette and Adrien stayed alone. They kept telling themselves that it was better that way. No way to get their hopes up. No way to get hurt. Staying alone was for the best. 

That didn't stop their emotions, though. Marinette continued to admire Adrien from afar. Adrien continued to watch Ladybug, but as the years went on, he began to lose hope. He understood that they may never know each other in their civilian lives. With this in mind, his burning love cooled to a small flame in the back of his heart, still there but not so overpowering that he couldn't pursue feelings for other people if they arose in his heart. It took him some time to tend to the wounds of his heart, but after some time, he began to take notice of another girl with bluebell eyes and black pigtails. Sure, it may have been her similarities to Ladybug that initially drew him to her, but once he had taken notice of her, he saw how much he had missed while being blinded by Ladybug's light. Her smile. Her laugh. Her courage. Marinette was amazing. He'd known that since they first met, but it took him this long to see just how amazing she really was. He regret that he hadn't seen it sooner. There were even days that he thought having a soulmate would be amazing if his soulmate could be her.

“I wanted you to know first,” Nathaniel said, his palm presented before Marinette, “considering our… history.”
They stood outside of the school. Marinette forced the tears down and plastered a smile on her face. She thanked him for telling her. She was glad he had done so before he told their class. They were still together with many people who knew their history, and would definitely recognize her distress at a sudden announcement like that.
Marinette didn’t return to the school after her lunch break. The violet finger prints on Nathaniel’s palm haunted her. She was happy for him, of course. They had remained good friends even after the break up. Unfortunately, she hadn’t been prepared for him to find his actual soulmate while she was still…

Nathaniel’s announcement had left Adrien worried when Marinette didn’t return to class. Marinette was his friend. After Alya and Nino discovered their soul connection, the four of them had been spending most of their free time together. Marinette never said anything about her history with Nathaniel, but Nino filled Adrien and Alya in one afternoon. It was shortly after Chloe had gotten her soulmate, and Marinette had excused herself from the group for the day. 

“That’s why she gets the way she does sometimes,” Nino told them, “she’s wanted to find her soulmate her whole life, and she and Nathe really thought they were it. Everyone did. When they weren’t, she drew back a little bit. It took them both a long time to get over it. She’s still looking, but I think she’s afraid of being disappointed again. She doesn’t want to make the same mistake twice.”

The conversation with Nino rang in Adrien’s head as he stared at Marinette’s empty seat. He considered texting Alya, who was one classroom over, but decided against it. Adrien could figure out well enough why Marinette hadn’t returned. He tried to focus on the lecture, but a bit of worry ate at him. What if she was so heartbroken that Hawkmoth sent an akuma for her? It would be a perfect opportunity, and Marinette was one of the only students at their lycee who hadn’t yet been akumatized. She was always so optimistic, it was hard to imagine her being akumatized.

That concern was what set Adrien over the edge. He hastily excused himself from the classroom and looked for Marinette. His concern grew when he didn’t find her in the building. 

The park, he remembered. She would often go to the park when she needed to be alone. So that’s where he went, stopping by his locker to grab some cheese for his kwami just in case he needed to transform on a moment’s notice.

Fortunately, he found Marinette quickly. She was sitting on a bench near the entrance to the park, her eyes slightly red and swollen. She must have just finished crying. Adrien hesitated. Now that he could see that she was okay, he wondered if he should really be intruding on such a private moment. But before he could turn and leave, she turned to him, eyes wide. 

“Adrien?”

He rubbed the back of his neck and shoved a hand into his pants pocket, suddenly nervous. “Sorry,” he muttered, approaching her, “I didn’t mean to butt in. You just didn’t come back to class, and Nathaniel…” He trailed off, not wanting to pour salt in her wound by voicing what she already knew. 

Marinette gave him a sad smile. She pushed one of her twin tails over her shoulder and ran a hand through her bangs, “I guess I shouldn’t have run away like that. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

“Are you okay?”

Marinette studied Adrien’s features, his grass green eyes drawn with concern. It warmed her heart a bit, and almost made her reach out to touch his cheek, but she stopped herself. They were good friends, but they had never touched. Adrien rarely touched anyone to begin with, but Marinette was afraid of letting her crush go too far. Instead she tugged at her knee-high socks to keep her hands busy. “I will be. It was a long time ago anyway.”

Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder-over her jacket. He wanted to pull her into a hug, but resisted. “It’s alright for you to not be okay, Marinette.”

Marinette felt her cheeks warm at the intensity of his words and his concentrated gaze. “I will be, though. Really. I am happy for him. ”

Adrien knew she was telling the truth. She was so kind, and cared so deeply about her friends. She wouldn’t hold spite for her ex just because he’d found his fated partner. Adrien knew she must be hurting still, though. He had seen the look in her eyes when she thought no one was looking. The one that she gazed at soulmate couples with, with so much longing and almost sadness in her eyes. It made Adrien yearn to reach out and touch her face. To sooth the worry lines forming on her forehead. He wondered what color he would leave on her skin–

He pulled his hand back at that line of thought. He wasn’t going there. He had promised himself he wouldn’t. 

Just as he was about to open his mouth once again, an explosion of purple smoke came from the distance. He and Marinette both shot to their feet.  

“Is it an Akuma?” Marinette asked. She was already tensed to run, or shove Adrien out of the way if need be. Her hand was over her purse, ready to open it and release her kwami so that she could transform.

“I think so,” Adrien responded.

Marinette was about to make an excuse to escape, when she felt a warm hand around her wrist. Her eyes widened and heat flooded her cheeks. 

“We need to get out of here. Follow me.”

He dragged her out of the park and down the street. It took all of her remaining brain power to keep her balance as he tugged her towards a nearby café. Her wrist was hot where he held onto her. Her heart was about to pound out of her chest in a way she hadn’t felt in years, and it had nothing to do with running or the akuma. 

Adrien pulled her into the café and put his hands on her shoulders, “Stay here. I’m going to see if anyone else needs help getting to safety. I’ll be back soon.”

“Wait,” Marinette shouted as Adrien ran towards the door again, “Adrien, what about you? You need to take cover, too!”

“I’ll be fine,” He called back over his shoulder, giving her a two finger salute and a confident smile, “just stay here and be safe.”

Marinette watched him jump into the fray. He was too selfless sometimes, always putting himself into dangerous positions to help people. She and Nino scolded him constantly for disappearing during akuma attacks. Of course, she wasn’t much better.

Marinette wrapped her hand around the wrist he had held. She needed to transform, of course. But she couldn’t shake her curiosity, either. Besides, maybe she could finally put this silly crush to rest, after all these years.

Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She was reminded of that day in the café three years prior with Nathaniel. Whatever the outcome this time, she would be okay with it. Adrien was her friend first. Nothing would change that. She lifted her wrist to eye level and silently begged her heart to stop beating so erratically. She counted down, just as she had done last time.

3…

2…

1…

She opened her eyes.

Chapter Text

Marinette felt herself tearing up. This couldn't be real. There was no way. She pinched her own arm to be sure that she wasn't dreaming. 

It was real. 

She turned her wrist over every which way to see the entire mark. 

It was there, in the perfect imprint of Adrien's hand. Her first soul mark. It was a color she had never seen from a soul mark before. Most marks were light in color, often almost pastel, and gave the illusion of translucence. And they were normally only one color. This mark, on the other hand, was the most beautiful she had ever seen. It was three colors at once, mainly a light blue, but it shimmered with a bright pink in the sunlight and had shadows of violet. It seemed to glitter in the light.

This was Adrien's soul mark, the color he left on her skin to show he had been with her.

Marinette felt tears prick at her eyes. She couldn't believe she had found him, and that he'd been with her the entire time. 

A sharp jab hit her in the hip from the inside of her purse, and Marinette was suddenly brought back to reality. There was an akuma out there terrorizing Paris with clouds of purple smoke. She needed to transform and take care of it. She could deal with Adrien and the soulmate issue afterwards.

Cat Noir had managed to hold down the fort while awaiting His Lady's arrival.  When Ladybug did arrive on the scene, she seemed…different. She wasn't off her game or anything. On the contrary, her movements seemed even more fluid than usual, but she seemed…brighter somehow. Like even though they were in the middle of a battle, she couldn't contain her joy. She even built on Cat Noir's puns to make jokes back at him. 

At the end of the battle, as they gave each other their ritual fist bump, Cat Noir saw a new sparkle in her eyes. He wanted to ask her what had her in such a good mood, but she bid him adieu before he could get the words out. Whatever it was, he was glad she was so happy.

Marinette detransformed and snuck into the back of the café. She spotted Adrien running towards the front door, Ladybug's magic having already repaired the damage done by the Akuma. Suddenly, she was struck with a pang of anxiety. Adrien had never shown any sign of wanting a soulmate. He avoided skin to skin contact with people, and he never spoke about looking for his as long as she'd known him. What if he didn't want her?
Marinette shook her head. Even if that was the case, he still needed to know. Besides, it wasn't in her nature to keep something like this to herself.

Adrien returned to the café to find Marinette sitting at a table in the corner. 

"Hey," He approached her, and she lifted her head. She had a strange look in her eyes, similar to the sheen he had just seen in Ladybug's--He stopped his train of thought yet again. He'd be lying if he said he hadn't noticed the similarities between the two over the years, but it wouldn't be fair of him to place expectations like that on his friend. "I'm glad you're okay. "

Marinette nodded, opened her mouth, closed it, and averted her eyes. 

"Are you…okay?"

She bit her lip and nodded. "You..um… you might want to sit down. I need to tell you something. Or show you something I guess?"

Marinette sounded nervous and it instantly put Adrien on edge. The thing with Nathaniel must have bothered her more than she let on. 

Adrien sat down across from her slowly. He was trying to decide if he should confront Nathaniel about this. He knew it was an irrational urge. She and Nathaniel were friends, and they didn't harbor any negative feelings towards one another. He just hated seeing Marinette still hurt over him.  After all, they broke up before she and Adrien had even met.

"I just--" Marinette began, but she closed her mouth again. "I guess--"

"What is it, Marinette?"

"Okay, don't freak out."

Adrien stared at her. His brow scrunched in confusion and he nodded.

Marinette took a breath. She couldn't find the words to tell him. This was not the way she ever pictured this happening, by far. She supposed she was just going to have to jump right into this. 

She brought her arm up to the table, her hand still covering her wrist where the mark was. Slowly, she released her fingers from her wrist, exposing the shimmering soul mark. 

She closed her eyes, nervous about seeing Adrien's reaction. 

It took him a moment to realize what he was looking at. His brain must have come to a halt, because he wasn't processing things properly. As the gears began to turn again, and his heart sped up in his chest, he raised his own hand.

Where there was normally smooth tanned skin, his palm was tinted a rosy pink, with silver sparkles scattered about. He ran a finger from his free hand across the skin, just to be sure it was what he thought it was. 

It didn't smudge. The shimmer didn't come loose. It was real.

Adrien's eyes shot up to Marinette. Her eyes were scrunched closed. Before he could even think, he grabbed her wrist again, pulled it forward, and used the index finger of his free hand to do what he had seen his father do on his mother's arms a million times when he was young. He did what he had only dreamed of doing with a person he had never expected to meet. He drew small swirling patterns on her arm. He marveled at the way his fingers left an almost metallic blue trail in their path.

It was Marinette. It had always been Marinette. All the time he had spent ignoring his feelings, his connection to her, trying to fit her into the image of Ladybug, it was the universe trying to bring them together. 

Adrien didn't even notice the tears filling his eyes until they were streaming down his cheeks. 

"A-Adrien?"

His eyes shot up to meet hers again. 

Marinette's cheeks were tinted pink, and she wore a concerned expression. She tried to draw her wrist back from his, but he grasped her hand before she could pull away. 

"Wait," He said, using his free hand to wipe his tears. "I'm sorry, it isn't…I'm not…"

"Are you okay with this," Marinette asked quietly, "I mean, we're friends. I know you never really considered…us…that way. So, please, tell me what you're thinking." 

Adrien let out a small laugh. Was she expecting him to reject her? It was a ridiculous notion, but Adrien marveled at her calm demeanor, even in the face of that possibility. Even as she expected him to turn her down, she spoke with confidence and sought to look after his feelings before her own. "You're amazing, Marinette. How could I not have seen you like that? I'm sorry, I must look ridiculous. I …" He took a breath before continuing, "I never thought I would find my soulmate, because I wasn't looking right in front of me. After my mom disappeared, I thought not having someone in my life would save me the pain if they vanished, too. I was afraid, so I closed myself off."

Marinette nodded, finally relaxing her hand to grasp his as well. "Are you still afraid?"

"Of course I am. I'm more afraid now than I ever have been. But I'm afraid because my soulmate is the most amazing person I've ever met. How could the universe put me together with someone as smart, and creative, and kind as you? I'm afraid of what might happen to me if I fall any more in love with you."

If Marinette's face got any redder, Adrien was afraid she might pass out. "You--I---me--l-l-love--but--wha--"

"Marinette?"

She slapped a hand over her mouth and fell back into her seat. 

Adrien leaned back in his own seat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I, um…I'm sorry. That may have been a little bit much." He felt his own face redden as the weight of his confession suddenly hit him. He hadn't even realized the heat behind his own feelings until the words were tumbling out of his mouth. "I guess I should have asked how you feel about this situation first. Are you…okay…with me?"

"Okay?! With you? Adrien, I've l-l-l-loved you since college. I couldn't even talk to you because I would get so tongue tied! I just never thought that we would be--that you would be--" Marinette couldn't even finish her sentence. If she did, she didn't think she would survive. 

Before she could even collect herself, she felt herself being pulled out of her seat. Adrien pulled her in close to him, her nose pressing into his shoulder (When did he get so much taller than her?), and wrapped his arms around her back. She felt his warmth surround her. 

His forehead met her shoulder as he curled into her. "Is this okay?"

"It's more than okay," Marinette whispered, her arms snaking up his back. She clutched his shirt in her hands, pressing even closer to him. 

Adrien smiled. "I'm so glad it's you."

Marinette felt tears prickling her own eyes. She was glad it was him, too.

Chapter Text

Marinette and Adrien didn't return to school that day. Instead, they spent the afternoon visiting each other's parents, formally breaking the news. Marinette's parents were thrilled, having loved Adrien from the first time he entered their home. Adrien had expected a cool reaction from his father. Soulmates had been a touchy subject with him for years. Instead of the calm, cold reaction he had expected, Gabriel Agreste looked at the soul marks on Marinette's arms and broke down in tears.
Adrien had never seen his father cry. There had been a few tender moments between the two, ensuring that Adrien never doubted that his father loved him, but tears were not at all what Adrien would have ever expected. Gabriel welcomed Marinette into their family. He showed Marinette the paintings they kept of Adrien's mother, and told Adrien to treasure their connection. For Adrien and Marinette, it should have been happily ever after.
Unfortunately, nothing could ever be that easy.

"I don't want to put him in danger, but what am I supposed to do?" Marinette spun around in her wheelie chair for the fifth time and wheeled back up to her desk. "This is the fourth time we've been separated for an Akuma attack."

"Marinette," Tikki said, placing her half-eaten macaron on the plate next to her. "You have to follow your instincts. What is going to do the most to protect Adrien?”

Marinette stared at her computer screen, which now featured an image of herself and Adrien, each of them covered in their respective soul marks. "I don't know what to do, Tikki. I know that if I tell him I'm Ladybug it could put both of us at risk. Adrien is strong, and capable, and he can fence, but how can he defend himself against Hawkmoth? But I can tell he's worried when I disappear. Telling him would keep him from looking for me in the heat of the battle."

Marinette couldn't decide what to do. She'd hidden the fact that she was Ladybug for so long from everyone. Not even Cat Noir knew who she was. It was the safest thing for everyone. She had never questioned her own pledge to secrecy, until now.

Adrien wasn't much better off, and Plagg was no help, of course. Marinette kept running off during attacks, and Adrien couldn't seem to keep her in his sights. A couple of times, Cat Noir managed to get her out of the way, but he couldn't help but worry about her when she vanished. 

He was about on the verge of telling Marinette who he was if only it would convince her to stay safe. It wasn't the best strategy, but he couldn't figure out what else to do. It was hard enough keeping track of Alya. He didn't want to be distracted worrying about his soulmate during battle as well.

Adrien had enjoyed school since he started attending. Even more so since being officially united with Marinette as soulmates. They had many of the same classes. With his busy schedule, Adrien relished the time he could spend with Marinette. So it was especially disheartening when their time together was ruined by an Akuma attack.

"Why another one?" Adrien groaned as he turned off his Bunsen burner.

The Akuma was shooting beams from his hands, covering buildings with vines and leaves and shouting about environmentalism. The windows suddenly went dark as the sunlight was blocked by foliage. The class, long used to these attacks, set aside their  lab materials and filed out of the classroom. 

Marinette put aside her lab goggles and grabbed Adrien's hand. "We need to get out of here."

She dragged Adrien out of the classroom and down the hallway. Finding an empty closet, Marinette shoved Adrien inside, much the same way he had a habit of throwing her into cafes to get her out of the way.

"Stay here. I'm going to go check on Alya and keep her out of the battle."

"Marinette, wait!" Adrien reached out for her.

"I'll be right back!"

Adrien crossed his arms as she shut the door on him. He didn't miss the fact that she had just thrown his own dismissive words back into his face from when he'd left her in that café. He couldn't find it in himself to be mad, though. He had always been weak to the demands of strong women. 

Adrien took the opportunity to transform.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug shouted, tossing the lucky charm into the air. She sighed in relief as she watched the magic restore her city to its former glory.

"Bien joué," Cat Noir said, holding out his fist. 

"Bien joué," Marinette pounded her fist to his.  

As soon as they had defeated the Akuma, the press started to appear. Alya was among them, and Adrien groaned. She must have gotten away from Marinette somehow. 

"Oh no," Ladybug said. "I have to go."

"Late for a hot date, LB?" Cat Noir teased.

"Something like that," she smirked.  "I may have shoved my soulmate into a closet to get away. I should probably get him out of there." 

Cat Noir's grin grew even wider. At one time it may have hurt him to know that Ladybug had a soulmate, but now that he had found Marinette, he was excited that Ladybug could have that same kind of connection. "Ladybug, you finally found your soulmate?" 

Ladybug's face reddened, "Yeah. It's still new, but I don't want him to worry about me. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. I know we agreed to keep our identities a secret, but I think I should tell him. I…wanted to check with you first."

Adrien would be lying if he weren't a bit jealous. He'd always wanted to know who Ladybug was, but he understood the need for secrecy. It kept both of them safe. "I've been in a bit of a similar situation myself, My Lady. It seems my soulmate , as incredible as she is, is a bit head strong. She's been disappearing during attacks, and I haven't been able to keep track of her. If I tell her who I am, I'm hoping maybe she'll stay safe."

Ladybug smiled at him. "So then were on the same page then."

"I believe we are."

Ladybug ignored the press clamoring for their attention on the street below and gave Cat Noir a one armed hug. "Thanks for understanding, Chaton. Good luck with your soulmate."

"Same to you, Bug."

Ladybug gave a two finger salute and vaulted off the roof. 

Cat Noir glanced at the reporters, considering talking to them, but thought better of it. He needed to get back before Marinette wondered where he went.

Adrien walked Marinette home from school that day, his driver trailing behind them under his father's orders.

Marinette drew a small heart on the back of Adrien's hand, her fingers leaving pink soul marks in their path. "Are you free this weekend?"

Adrien watched her fingers work and his heart warmed. "Hmm… Tomorrow I have to fly to Nice for a photo shoot, but I'll be back Sunday morning. Why? Want to go on a date?" He couldn't help the quirk of his lips at the thought. Despite being together for a few weeks, they had yet to go on an official date.

"Something like that. I have something I want to talk to you about, and I want it to be a special moment."

Adrien clutched his chest with his free hand, "You have me in suspense, Mari! How will I ever survive the wait?"

Marinette giggled. "You're ridiculous. You'll survive just fine."

"Well, I have some things to talk about with you as well, so this will be perfect."

"Great. So it's a date then," Marinette gave a small skip as they came to the entrance of the bakery. 

Adrien laughed as she gave another small bounce. "It's a date." 

He released her hand only to wrap her into a warm hug. When they pulled apart, he booped her on the nose with his index finger, pleased when it left a light blue shimmer on the tip. "I'll see you Sunday."

Marinette waved him off as he got into his driver's car.

Waiting for Sunday was difficult for both of them. Adrien mechanically followed the instructions through his shoot, thinking of what Marinette could have to say to him. She said she wanted it to be special. Neither of them had officially said the L-word since they confessed. Maybe she was going to tell him on their first official date. 

Adrien had something else in mind for their date. He knew Marinette was a fan of Cat Noir. She had helped him and Ladybug on a number of occasions since college. He wondered how she would react to his reveal. He was giddy with the thought.

Marinette, on the other hand, was nervous out of her mind. She wasn't afraid of Adrien's reaction. He was a well-known Ladybug fan. Nino constantly teased him over it. She wasn't even nervous about her date. It was all planned. They would have a picnic in a secluded park  at sunset. She had all of the recipes ready and the basket pulled out of storage. What she was worried about was what on earth she was going to wear. 

She'd imagined this moment for years, with countless different outfits, but now that it was actually happening, she had no idea. 

She stood in front of her chaise staring at the top three contenders, and Alya at her desk. 

"Girl, you know Adrien will love anything you wear."

"That's not the point, Alya. Everything has to be perfect." Marinette put her hand on her chin. She couldn't help but wonder…

"I can see where your mind is going, Mari, and no you are not about to make a new outfit for this. Your date is tomorrow."

"Alya--"

"No way, Marinette. Let's just look one more time."

Marinette groaned and threw open her closet one more time.

Twenty four hours later, Adrien waited in Marinette's living room as she finished packing the picnic basket. He chatted with her parents and watched as she folded up the blanket for the basket. Her hair was tied up in her usual pig tails, but they were held back with yellow ribbons which matched her brightly colored A-line dress. She was brighter than the sun itself. 

Once their dinner was packed, Adrien draped his arm over Marinette's shoulder and they walked to the park. They chatted, held hands, ate, and laughed as they watched the sun begin to set. 

Finally, when the sky was a beautiful blend of oranges and violets, Marinette decided it was time. 

"Okay, so, what I wanted to talk to you about," Marinette began.

"I'm all ears, Marinette." Adrien had to stop himself from calling her "princess".  The cat would be out of the bag soon enough, pun fully intended. 

"Well, it may be easier to show you. Please don't freak out."

Adrien's face could have been replaced with a huge question mark. 

"Just--close your eyes, and please don't freak out."

"You keep saying that, and it's starting to freak me out," Adrien said. 

"You'll understand in a moment," she said, "Please?"

Adrien sighed good naturedly. "Alright." He obliged Marinette's strange request and closed his eyes.

Marinette took a deep breath and whispered to her kwami to transform her. A flash of pink light shone as the transformation overtook her. Once her spots were on, and her mask was in place, she told Adrien to open his eyes. "This is what I wanted to tell you. I know you've been worried during the Akuma attacks, and I didn't want to keep lying to you. But no one else knows, not even Cat Noir, so you have to promise to keep it a secret."

Adrien didn't respond. He didn't even move.  He just stared at her for a moment, eyes wide. 

"Adrien," Marinette said cautiously. She hadn't expected this reaction from him. "Please say something."

Adrien seemed to come back into himself in that moment. He met her eyes and a smirk came across his face. "Ladybug, oh my goodness!" He lept to his feet, mirth in his eyes. "Thank goodness you're here! Have you seen my soulmate? She was just right here and she's totally disappeared!"

Marinette fought the grin that threatened to rise and forced a pout. "Adrien, that's not fair. I was really worried for a minute."

Adrien wrapped his arms around her, picked her up, spun her around, and laughed. "I'm sorry, Bugaboo, I just can't believe I never put it together before! I mean, I had my suspicions, but I always just shoved them down as wishful thinking."

Ladybug held onto Adrien's shoulders to keep her balance. "A-adrien, what are you talking about? What did you just call me? What's happening?"

He placed her on her feet, still laughing. "Ahh, Ladybug, we've really been so close to each other this whole time. I just wish we'd made the connection sooner."

Under her mask, Marinette gave him an incredulous look. 

Adrien took a step back and called out for his kwami. "Plagg, transform me."
Ladybug's hands came to cover her mouth as a green light engulfed her soulmate. When the light faded, she was staring at Cat Noir.

"No way," she said. "You have to be kidding. I can't believe this." She understood why Cat--Adrien--had laughed so much when she revealed herself, because she couldn't help the laughter that spilled out of her. "We really were oblivious, weren't we?"

"Embarrassingly so."

"I love you, Chaton."

"I love you, too, My Lady."