Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Chapter 1

"Wǒ ài nǐ."

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"I beg your pardon?" the masked superheroine in spots glanced towards her partner at this odd declaration, only half-concentrating as the two of them ran towards the akuma wreaking havoc a few streets away. "What did you say?"

Panting, her superhero partner observed her with a strange expression on his face, but he chose not to elaborate. "Never mind. It's nothing important," he raised his voice a little louder so as to ensure she heard him.

Ladybug would have liked to question him further, because that certainly didn't sound like nothing, but there was an akuma to defeat. Shrugging off the sudden déjà vu that had come over her at Chat Noir's words, she turned her full attention towards the scene of their latest akuma battle instead.

She could find out what he meant later.

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"Pound it!"

The duo exchanged their trademark fist bump as once again, the akumatized person was freed from Hawkmoth's evil influence. Now that her responsibility was complete, Ladybug turned towards Chat Noir, intending to question him about his cryptic words earlier.

"Chat? What were you trying to say earlier-?

Chat Noir's eyes widened as he, too, recalled what he had been trying to communicate. Sudden bravado gone as the adrenaline of the battle wore off, he was at a loss as to what to actually say.

"Uhh, it's nothing. Really. In fact, I-I've even forgotten about what I was going to say."

"Okay," Ladybug regarded her partner a little sceptically as he attempted to dissuade her from the topic.

"It was just a pun, Milady." He tried that particular ruse, knowing her reactions towards his puns.

"Then I most certainly do not want to know." She smirked.

Chat Noir tried to smile, but the words hung heavy at his heart.

Their miraculous' beeped and the situation was forgotten temporarily.

"Gotta go. Bye, Chat!"

"See you, Milady!" He called out. As he watched her disappear over the skyline, he couldn't help but whisper softly, "What I was trying to say…. was… I love you…"

The rest of the day was relatively normal for Marinette. She grumbled as she did her Physics homework, squealed as she talked about Adrien on the phone with Alya, and even managed to get a little bit of designing work done.

Tikki flew up to Marinette as the latter was humming along to one of Clara Nightingale's songs on her computer. "Marinette?"

"What is it, Tikki?" the girl spun around as the chorus of the song started and Tikki dodged her flailing arms. Don't you stop dancing to the music!

Tikki patiently waited for the song to finish. Normally, she would be dancing along too, but she had to get this off her chest.

"Gosh, I love this song," Marinette sighed happily as she leaned over her computer chair to mute the video. "Now, Tikki, I am all attention." She saluted the little kwami and giggled.

Her giddiness faded a little when Tikki didn't respond, looking strangely serious.

She cupped her hands gently around Tikki, instantly worried. "What's wrong, Tikki? Are you sick? Should I bring you to Master Fu?"

"Marinette, calm down!" Tikki consoled her almost-hyperventilating charge. "I'm fine!"

Marinette exhaled in relief. "Sorry," she said sheepishly.

Tikki shook her head fondly, floating out of her holder's hands. "Marinette, do you remember what Chat Noir said to you before the fight?"

"Yeah, that? I barely remember it," the girl scrunched up her face in confusion. "What about it?"

"Nothing, really," Tikki said thoughtfully. She really doesn't know…

Marinette pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "What is with all the secrecy today?" she huffed, annoyed.

"Marinette! Time for dinner!"

"Okay, Maman! I'm coming!"

She promised to bring Tikki some cookies after dinner, as usual, then headed downstairs.

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After dinner was finished, Marinette grabbed the promised cookies, and wished her parents goodnight. "Good night, Papa! Good night, Maman!"

"Good night, sweetheart."

"Wǒ ài nǐ." Sabine added affectionately.

"Love you too," Marinette replied absently, starting up the stairs.

That's when everything went down.

Marinette suddenly froze and turned around in shock. "Uh, what?" she squeaked. "What did you say, Maman?"

That sounded like- but it couldn't-

Sabine looked at her in confusion. "Wǒ ài nǐ?" When Marinette didn't reply, she added, "I love you? In Chinese?"

Oh my gosh.

Oh. My. gosh.

"That's what he was trying to say…" Marinette realized aloud.

"Who?" Tom looked up at his daughter on the staircase. Confusion and puzzlement were evident on both his and Sabine's faces. "Marinette, dear, are you alright?" both her parents asked, slightly concerned.

And just like that, the secret superheroine snapped back to reality. "Ohh! Yes, I'm fine, I'm fine, don't worry!" She plastered on a fake grin, though her stomach was fluttering. "I just forgot what that meant, that's all."

Before they could question her further, she hurriedly ran up to her room.

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"Tikki!" she squealed as she burst in, startling the reposing kwami. "Chat Noir- he said- he said-" she tried to get the words out and failed.

"I love you?" Tikki supplied helpfully. "I was wondering how you didn't realize it earlier." At Marinette's dumbfounded look, she blinked her eyes. "What? We kwamis know almost all the languages existing in the world. And many that do not exist currently as well."

She paused, then smiled innocently. "Chat Noir is quite the charmer, isn't he?"

"I just- he- er- gah!" Marinette spluttered indignantly, her face a bright red. "He's not! Tikki!" she whined at the giggling kwami.

Suddenly, realization dawned upon her and she sobered down. "What do I do now? I mean, for all he knows, I may not happen to know what that means… so should I act like nothing happened? Should I turn him down? But I don't want to hurt him! Urgh! What do I do?!" she clutched at her hair in frustration.

Tikki's smile vanished from her face. "He'll be heartbroken," she said softly, sadness evident in her voice. "He did confess his love, after all."

Guilt burned in Marinette's chest and she suddenly felt sick to the core. "I know, Tikki, but I can't help it. I don't have a choice," she said quietly. "I'll…..try not to hurt him."

She turned out the lights and lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

Chat's earnest voice, uttering the words Wǒ ài nǐ resounded in her head till she fell asleep.

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I love you.