It was like the fogged up, frosty breath on cold mornings that lit up glass with a light dusting over and blew miserably from her mouth.
Marinette wasn't the sort of person to be like this, to behave like this; she loved the little joys of holding Adrien's hand, of playfully doing something completely fun, and at times making themselves seem like dorks.
There was an element to their relationship here that Adrien had never really had; the radiant joy of unadulterated fun.
Marinette smiled at just the thought of that before the guilt came sinking in; she hadn't only been trying to flirt with Adrien anymore despite being newly weds, something had changed.
She'd went from the kind new wife to her lovely husband who was still a well known model and became a woman not even worthy of that title.
Marinette stared at their bed, perfectly made, and wondered what it must feel like to be blissfully unaware of the aching of her heart, of the bittersweet pain of what had transpired.
She curled in on herself like a simple ball, knowing that Tikki wasn't even around right now to talk to; she'd spent her days casually slipping by, sometimes discovering that there was someone else close that was like her.
Tikki loved this and trying to determine who that other Kwami was and even speculated that it could be Cat Noir's.
Marinette winced at just remembering that name before she saw Tikki come back to her, alarm written on her face, and Marinette was off, transforming and heading out to save the day and ultimately meet her guilt first hand.
She stepped closer towards Cat Noir once she saw him and worked by his side, trying to ignore the funny tingling that ran from her toes upward lately when she spent time with him; she hated the little craving that sent sparks through her belly even as she stepped closer to him after they'd won, hating the way it made her lean closer, not just punching his fist.
Marinette leant into him, balancing precariously against Cat Noir and kissed him like her life depended on it.
They could only afford a solid thirty seconds before their identities were to be revealed and before they'd have to rush off to try to fight back the crushing guilt and go back to their normal lives or at least it would be for Marinette that longed to stay in his arms forever.
Cat Noir had flirted with her all evening again which both irritated her and made her long to press closer to him in a kiss.
These quiet moments, just out of the world's sight, meant more to them than they ever would have realized or wanted to admit.
"Adrien?" Marinette pulled towards him, honesty on the tip of her tongue, and she could see it there on his tongue as well.
"Yes?" He took a deep breath, exhaustion clear on his features like he'd had a particularly long photo shoot today.
"I have to tell you something." She took a deep breath, steadying herself, "I've been kissing Cat Noir and I'm sorry." She wasn't sure if that had even came out coherent as she spoke.
"I've been kissing Ladybug." Adrien quickly admitted without seeming to process the words that Marinette had just spoken.
"Are you...?" Marinette wasn't sure what to say; was this the man that she'd fallen head over heels for twice in a row without knowing it?
"I'm Cat Noir." He sighed like he knew that he wasn't supposed to reveal his secret but was too tired to care anymore.
"I'm Ladybug." Marinette sighed in relief, hugging him closer; guilt still delicately clung to her as she carefully kissed him.
The kiss was like nothing before; it was the deep revealing of two very different people that had fallen in love with each other twice though unknowingly; it was like a sweet admittance to everything that they were.
Why couldn't they have had this before?
"I love you." Adrien sighed into her lips, sounding relieved from the aching pain of potential heartbreak.
"I love you too." Marinette felt relieved though spending time around Cat Noir next time will feel like nothing else; it will feel ten times more beautiful and amazing.
She wished that they'd have revealed all of this sooner or at the very least let each other know when they get married or when they accidentally started kissing while still superheroes.
Marinette clutched closer, knowing that though she'd only been kissing her husband this whole time that the guilt would not easily go away; the lack of knowledge of who he was when it had began would haunt her.
Was it really so easy to cheat when she loved him so completely?
She knew that she'd only ever fallen in love with her husband now, that mask or not, she loved him, but the guilt of not realizing that sooner would surely haunt her worst nightmares despite everything.
Adrien held her closer, and for another moment, she felt safe and warm and utterly committed to her husband; Marinette felt loved.
They'd make it through this slight bump in the road surely now that they knew that they'd only ever loved each other.