Mme. Bustier had arranged for a new, unofficial holiday-"Student's Day"-for her classes, taking them all to the park in front of the Eiffel Tower, Parc du Champ de Mars. They were having sack lunches together, talking and laughing and enjoying the scenery. Marinette, however, is admiring her view of Adrien, who's sitting across from her, and sputtering nonsense every time she tries to speak to him. But, as is common these days, the peace soon gives way to unrest as another Akuma victim heads their way.
"I am Disposer!" says the former garbage man. "You laugh at me for taking out YOUR trash every day? Now you'll BE the trash!" He laughs maniacally, spewing an inexhaustible supply of waste from a large trash barrel beneath his burly right arm, trapping people in heaps of grime, slime, and stink. The children scatter as their homeroom teacher instructs them to hide anywhere they can. Marinette looks for such a place that is not already taken, where she can transform, as does Adrien. But they each see each other, and realize that the other's safety comes first. However, before Marinette can say anything to Adrien, he has his arm looped through hers, dragging her towards the Tower. "A-Adrien..."
"Hide in here, Marinette!" he says to her, shoving her gently into the elevator at the bottom of the Tower. "He won't find you here!" With that, he's off. But of course, Marinette is fine with this location-it's the perfect place to transform. She thinks how sweet it is of Adrien to see to her safety before his own-and how she has to see to his immediately! She Ladybug's up and sets out to find him before facing the attacker.
Once outside the elevator, Marinette scans the area for Adrien. There are people-piles everywhere, on the lawn and in the streets, but no sign of Adrien. He must have found a place to hide. Good!
Then she turns her attention to Disposer, only to find Cat Noir already at the scene.
One short battle later-this one was easy-the man's Akuma is released, captured, purified, and re-released.
"Pound it!" the duo say simultaneously, bumping fists. Then, "There's a girl hiding in the elevator, Milady. I have to go let her know it's safe to come out now. I'll see you later!"
"W-wait! I'll do that, Kitty! You're about to transform back!"
"So are you, Bugaboo! Besides, I want to make sure she's ok. It'll only take a second. You go de-transform."
"B-but..."
But it's too late, he's off. He finds the elevator empty. Worried, he starts looking around.
Moments later, Marinette pops up out of nowhere, tapping the hero on the shoulder.
"Oh, good, you're safe, Marinette. I'm glad." He smiles at her.
"You were looking for me?"
"Yeah, I thought you were in the elevator, so I got worried when you didn't come out. Where did you go? Why didn't you stay where it was safe?"
"Oh, er, um...I uh...well I heard someone yell that he was heading towards the Tower so I got out and hid behind a car over there instead." She points to the street. Cat seems satsified with that answer.
"Ok, well, as long as you're safe, that's all that matters. I'll see you around!"
"Wait! Have you seen Adrien? I can't seem to find him."
"Oh, I hid him somewhere safe. He'll be back in a few minutes."
"Ok. Thanks, Cat Noir."
"Not a problem, Princess." He smiles at her and she returns the gesture. He gives her a wink before jumping away.
Within a few minutes, most of the class is back in the center of the park where they started out, trying to salvage what is left of their "holiday." Marinette sees Adrien there, and breathes a big sigh of relief.
The girl has a plate of chocolate chip cookies baked at her father's shop. She tries to offer one to Adrien, once again seated opposite her. "A-Adrien," she begins. "Like you would a sweet? You're a cookie! I mean, of course your'e not a cookie! I mean you're sweet! I mean THEY'RE sweet! I mean you BOTH are! I mean...WOULD YOU LIKE A COOKIE?" She shouts the last sentence, holding the plate out towards him with her head bowed, cheeks flushing, as if she were a Japanese person offering a deep and sincere apology-and except for not being Japanese, she basically is. The yelling was just her trying so hard to finally get the right words out!
Adrien giggles at the funny, mixed-up girl. "Sure, Marinette! I'd love one."
He takes a cookie, and Marinette looks up. Adrien is smiling at her, cookie in hand. She sets the plate down with a blushing smile of her own, mission accomplished.
Adrien thoroughly enjoys the cookie, thanking Marinette for it and praising her father's bakery. The rest of the picnic goes fairly smoothly, with Marinette managing to get a few more strangled sentences out to the object of her affections, making small talk. At the end of the outing when everyone heads back to class, she whispers to her best friend. "Alya, I did it! I actually TALKED to Adrien! Albeit in a very broken way. But I did it!"
"Yes you did, Marinette!" Alya whispers back. "There is hope for you yet!" The girl smiles at her best friend and receives the same in return.
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That night, Adrien sits up in his bed and talks to his Kwami.
"Plagg...I've been thinking about something. Don't you think it's just a little odd that Marinette seems to show up a lot right AFTER Ladybug disappears to de-transform?"
"Not really, considering what she told you that night her own father got Akumatized. She confessed to you, remember?"
"Yeah, I do. But...the two of them seem to know each other, yet I've never once seen them together at the same time. Marinette is always out of sight when Ladybug is around, and she is only ever there after Ladybug disappears to de-transform. Also, Marinette seems to be able to FIND Ladybug when even *I* can't do that, and I'm her partner!"
"Uh...what are you saying, exactly?"
"It's just that there are a lot of coincidences, that's all. I mean, I myself have hidden Marinette at least a couple of times before Ladybug showed up only for Marinette to ignore my command to stay put, and move to some other location only Ladybug knows about. Like when Marinette's Nonna got Akumatized. I put Marinette in a closet at the Tower, but she wasn't there later and Ladybug told me the girl was safe, meaning she knew where Marinette was. Now I did accept Marinette's confession as her explanation of why she's around so much after Akuma battles and Ladybug's exit from the scenes, but there have been even more of these 'coincidences' since then, and it's starting to make me wonder. If Marinette were Ladybug, she'd say ANYTHING to hide that fact from me, ya know?"
"Are you doubting Marinette?"
"I'm just questioning, that's all. Because there's more. There's also the fact that Marinette is frequently late for school, or showing up exhausted-not unlike myself! Plus the traits the two women share in common. They both have blue eyes and dark hair-and even the same hairstyle! Frankly, I don't know how I didn't ever notice that before. They are also both kind and selfless. Marinette is always trying to help people, and saving Paris from Akumas is Ladybug's top priority. Sure, Marinette is clumsy, a bit insecure or shy, and fumbles her words while Ladybug is sure-footed, brave and bold, and speaks her mind. But then *I'm* shy myself as Adrien, and completely different as Cat Noir! I know from my own example how the mask can change your personality. The anonymity gives you that ability to be something more than you can as a regular human-not to mention the confidence boost you get from enhanced abilities due to magic powers. But you KNOW, don't you, Plagg? I know you can't straight out TELL me but...what if I guess it? Can you at least confirm or deny it for me? There will be extra cheese in it for you! Any kind you want, as much of it as you can eat!"
"Oh no, not that again! You're holding my stomach hostage for information! Aargh! Please don't do this to me, Adrien! You KNOW I can't tell you anything!"
"Just tell me if I'm right or wrong! Am I guessing right to say Marinette is Ladybug? Surely you can at least give me a yes or no on that..."
"No I can't! Kwamis are not allowed to tell our holder's names, or each other's! I can't even give you hints that would reveal anything! PLEASE stop asking me, kid."
"Does that mean that the hint I'm asking for WOULD reveal something? Then...Marinette IS Ladybug?"
"Aaaargh! That's not what I said at all! Can we please just drop this now? And you should definitely get me some cheese for torturing me like this!"
"Mm-hm." A devilish smile crosses the boy's face. He's now seriously thinking that Marinette could be Ladybug! He ponders that possibility in his mind, handing Plagg some Camebert cheese. He believes the kitty-Kwami may have just given him the answer he's been searching for, albeit accidentally, and deserves a treat for that.
So...if Marinette is Ladybug...then I'm love with that bashful, clutzy, tongue-tied girl from school! I never would have expected that. But...I can't say I'm disappointed. Marinette is the nicest person I know. Who would have thought that she could be so...Ladybug! Wow, this is amazing. But...I can't say for sure that it's true. There's still a chance that I'm wrong. But if I am, wouldn't Plagg have told me? I mean he says he can't give me hints that would reveal anything, but hints that reveal NOTHING-like telling me it's NOT Marinette-I would think he'd be able to share that without even thinking about it. But then again I could be wrong about that. I'm going to have to find a way to test the theory somehow." He smiles to himself, remembering all the times he's been in Marinette's company, as both Adrien and as Cat Noir.
She gave me her own lucky charm while we played video games together. That was so sweet! Not to mention how much fun I had. She also came with me as Cat Noir on an unofficial date when Ladybug stood me up-which now I realize may have actually been her; that's funny to think about. She also gave me advice about Kagami when I was thinking about shifting my focus to someone new-and came with me on my date so I wouldn't be so self-conscious! And she ran all over Paris with me when I was hiding from my bodyguard and fans. She was the first friend I got to go to the movies with, even though I didn't end up getting to watch it there. But it had to have been embarrassing. I mean she was in her pj's, and wearing a towel on her head! But she did all that for me. Plus, all the nice things she's done for other people, like getting Nathaniel and Marc together on the comic book, or helping Juleka break the photo curse thing she had. Yeah, I think I can totally see Marinette as Ladybug. And it doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, it's fair to say I'm pretty happy about it. I just need to make sure somehow. I think I'll start by getting closer to Marinette as Adrien. I mean if she IS Ladybug, then I need to get to know that side of her anyway, plus she might give away some sort of clue somehow. If she's not, no harm done; we'll just be deepening our friendship. It's a win either way!
Oh! I've been so busy wondering if Marinette could be Ladybug that I overlooked one very important thing about her that Plagg even reminded me of just a short while ago! Marinette confessed her love to me! So...either that was a lie to keep her identity a secret, OR!-Or I've already won half the fight! If Marinette DOES love Cat Noir and IS Ladybug, then Ladybug loves me, and it's simply a matter of getting her to love Adrien too. But then why would Ladybug tell me she's in love with another boy if that is the case? The boy shakes his head. Boy, this stuff is confusing. The sooner I know who she is and how she really feels about me, the better. I'd better come up with some sort of plan to get information, quick! I need answers!
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Meanwhile, Marinette is having thoughts of a similar nature in her bedroom.
"Tikki, how do you suppose Cat Noir knew I was in the elevator today? Adrien put me in there before he even got there. Don't you think that's a bit strange?"
"Strange? Not really."
"Then how did he know?"
"Uh...maybe Adrien told him, or perhaps he got there just as Adrien put you in that elevator and you just didn't see him?"
"Mmmm...those both seem like long-shots to me. Ya know, I've kinda been thinking lately...there are some really strange coincidences surrounding Cat Noir and Adrien. I mean, the idea that Adrien could possibly be Cat Noir is-to use Chloe's favorite phrase-'utterly ridiculous.' I mean the two of them are like night and day! Still...there are things that don't quite add up concerning those two, and I can't help but wonder."
"Um...I'm afraid to ask, but like what? And also, since when do you even care about Cat Noir's true identity? You're the one who insists on keeping both of your secrets secret..."
"Well, I still do believe that we should keep our identities secret, but nonetheless, my mind can't help but wonder about it in light of the coincidences I've recently started to piece together."
"And those would be...?"
"Like the fact that nearly every time Cat Noir has failed to show up, or when he showed up extremely late, I was or had been with Adrien! Like the fact that the time Cat Noir lost his Miraculous, Adrien was a glitter statue! Like the fact that when we fought Simon Says, Cat Noir seemed to know a lot about the Agreste household's security system! And then there's the Collector. When I first told Cat Noir that Gabriel Agreste was a suspect for Hawkmoth, he seemed upset by that, and seemed really happy when that suspect became Akumatized because that meant he wasn't Hawkmoth. And on top of that, when the fight with the Collector was over, instead of our usual 'pound it,' Cat rushed over to Gabriel instead and asked him if he was ok! All that makes perfect sense if Adrien is Cat Noir! Plus, when we fought Horrificator, we were all trapped INSIDE the school. The only way Cat Noir could have shown up there is if he was a student himself! Furthermore, they both have blond hair and green eyes. The only hole in my theory, though-and it's actually a pretty big one-is that when Adrien's bodyguard got Akumatized, I saw Adrien and Cat Noir at the same time. But that still doesn't completely rule him out. It could have been a ruse, ya know."
"Wow, Marinette, just how long have you been contemplating Cat Noir's true identity? I thought you didn't even want to know, and here you have all this 'evidence?'"
"Well, these are just little things that sorta stuck in the back of my mind. I never gave a lot of thought to any one of these things at the time, but after a while, they just started adding up and it got to the point that I just couldn't ignore them anymore, whether or not I actually wanted to know Cat Noir's civilian identity. I mean, I'm still far from convinced, considering how different the two of them are, but at this point I can't help but wonder because of all of those coincidences. I think it's only natural; anyone in my position would start to wonder by now, don't you think?"
"Well...maybe. So...what are you going to do about it?"
"I don't know if I'm going to do anything. Other than possibly paying more attention to the details now. I mean...if my sweet, wonderful, shy Adrien actually IS that brash, bold, flirty Cat Noir-as weird as that would be-then half my battle is already won, considering that Cat Noir is in love with Ladybug! Right, Tikki?"
"Well, I guess I can't argue with that!"
"But you do know Cat's true identity, don't you, Tikki? Surely, you have to, because of that time Cat and I had to fake out Dark Owl. We de-transformed together. He and I kept our eyes shut, but I'm sure you and Plagg didn't."
"Uh..."
Marinette giggles. "Relax, Tikki. I'm not asking you to spill your guts here. You don't even have to tell me if I'm right or wrong; I would never put you in such a position. I know you can't break the rules. But if I find out on my own, well, that's another story. Right?" She smiles at her Kwami.
Tikki smiles back. "Oh, Marinette, you're the best Ladybug ever!" She hugs Marinette's shoulder with her tiny arms.
Then Marinette lays her head down onto her pillow, closing her eyes for sleep, thoughts about Adrien and Cat Noir still rumbling around in her head.
It's hard to imagine that that self-centered, flamboyant guy could possibly be Adrien in disguise! But then again, I know how the mask and enhanced abilities can make you feel stronger and braver. Plus, with Adrien's dad being so strict and excerising so much control over his son's whole life, there's also the added freedom to factor in. I guess I can kinda see it when I think about it with all that in mind. Plus, on rare occasions, I have seen Cat Noir's more Adrien-like sensitive side. Like the night I stood him up as Ladybug, and he came to see Marinette-me on my balcony, then showed me what he had prepared for Ladybug. He talked about his broken heart with such a sad look in his eyes and an unconfident demeanor. Plus, the beautiful layout he had prepared was quite romantic. I can totally see Adrien in all that. I mean, as a possibility. Though I'm far from accepting any of this as truth, of course, it's just a wild theory. I mean, it's pretty unlikely. But...if it WERE him...that would mean...he's in love with me! Or at least...part of me. If it did turn out to be him...would I be able to make him fall for my normal self too? And would I be able to love Cat Noir him, too, as another side of Adrien? Wow, it sure would be complicated if it turned out to be truth, not merely theory. Oh well, I'm not going to stress it. I mean it's not like I really BELIEVE all this. It's just an interesting theory that popped up into my crazy brain. She laughs at her own ridiculousness, then takes off her thinking cap off for the night.
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After school the next day, Adrien approaches Marinette at her locker. She turns around to face the person who tapped her on the shoulder.
"Adrien!" she exclaims, backing up into her locker as if an invisible force shoved her into it.
"H-hi, Marinette," he says, rubbing the back of his neck. Thinking she might be Ladybug unmasked is making him more nervous than he imagined it would, especially without his own mask.
"Ha! I mean hi! What can I foo door you? I mean, what can I do for you?"
"Actually," Adrien replies with a slight tint to his cheeks, "I was thinking I could do something for you."
"Oh? OH! D-do something...for me?" At least she didn't mispronounce anything. And she got the words in the right order!
"Yeah. I uh...I heard you weren't doing well in physics class. But it's one of my best subjects, so I thought I could tutor you, if you like." He smiles at her.
Those gorgeous eyes, that brilliant smile-just for her. She feels like she's melting, just looking at him! And her heart is pounding at the thought of getting to spend extra time-alone-with him!
"Y-you'd that for me do? I mean you'd do that for me?"
"Sure! I mean, what are friends for, right?" He smiles at her again.
She beams back at him. "That great sounds! I mean that sounds great!"
"When and where would you like to meet?"
"How about after the library, in school tomorrow? I mean in the library, after school tomorrow?"
"You got it, Marinette! See you then!"
Marinette floats home on a cloud. She zombie's through the rest of her day, lost in her own blissful little world. She has a study-date with Adrien!
Adrien is happy about it too. This will give him a chance to talk to Marinette, something he doesn't get to do much-and maybe get to know her a little bit more. Perhaps even uncover something.
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The last bell takes an eternity to ring, in Marinette's mind. In a flash, she's in the library, waiting for her Prince Charming.
"Hey, Marinette," he says with a smile, taking the seat across from her.
"Hey." She's already blushing, but she cannot restrain the smile taking over her face.
They both crack open their books, and Adrien begins to explain some of the concepts that Marinette has the most trouble with. She has a hard time focusing at first because of who she is with, but she really does need the help to bring her grades up. So she "sobers up" and gets down to business. Adrien turns out to be an excellent teacher-no surprise to the blue-eyed girl-and she catches on quickly.
Before long, it's time for both of them to head out.
"So, you want to do this again sometime, Marinette?"
"Y-yeah, of course!"
"Well, then let's meet up again tomorrow. I'll see you at school. Bye!" He waves with a smile.
Waving back, she replies, "Yeah, at school tomorrow. Bug out!" She doesn't catch her verbal miscue at first, she's so lost in Adrien's eyes-which grow wide fast.
"Wh-what did you just say, Marinette?" He has a strange look on his face.
Just then she realizes that she just used her Ladybug farewell by mistake! "D-dugout!" she corrects. "I said dugout! I um...I thought we study could in the dugout of the team baseball, I mean study in the dugout of the baseball team, tomorrow. It's supposed to be out nice! Nice out!" Adrien stares at her for a long few seconds while she edits herself, that indecipherable look on his face. Marinette is in a panic as she speaks, making her words come out worse than usual.
Finally, after her ammended speech, he smiles at her and answers in a chipper tone. "Ok, Marinette, the dugout it is. See you at school."
Whatever that look had been for, it seems to be gone now, and Adrien's being as nice as ever.
"Ok, until then. Bye!" She smiles as she waves him off again.
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Marinette talks to herself in thought as she walks home.
What in the heck was that? I mean I know I screwed up and used my Ladybug good-bye, but Adrien doesn't know that! Unless he DOES...could he have heard me say it before? I don't THINK I've ever said that any of the times I rescued him as Ladybug...but maybe I did and just don't remember. Could he have figured out who I am?! Just by that? OH MY GOD! WHAT IF THOSE COINCIDENCES I'VE BEEN THINKING OF ARE TRUE! If he's really Cat Noir, then I TOTALLY just revealed myself! I might have revealed myself even if he IS just Adrien, if he's heard me say that before as Ladybug! But...why would he give me such a strange look either way? Could that look have been...disappointment?! I couldn't bear that! Not from Adrien!And I was sworn to secrecy, yet I let it out so easily? Oh my God, what have I done?! Marinette stops walking to bend over, hands on her knees, to slow her rapid breathing and calm herself, trying to rationalize through her panic.
Wait, wait, wait, calm down. It was just a strange look, and it only seemed to last a long time because it made you nervous; it was really just a few seconds. And you covered your tracks pretty well. Adrien knows you mix up words all the time; he probably accepted that just fine. I mean, he did act perfectly normal after that. So if he's just Adrien, he didn't figure you out. But what if he's Cat Noir? Well, Cat thinks I follow him and Ladybug everywhere, he probably just thought I was copying her because I'm a fan. I mean that makes sense, right? I mean if he is Cat Noir and he figured me out, wouldn't he have said something? That's right, Marinette, he would have said something. So Adrien is JUST Adrien; he is NOT Cat Noir. And Adrien probably didn't think twice about it. He just didn't understand it and was trying to figure it out. Right? Right. I mean he said he'd meet you again-at the DUGOUT-tomorrow! You are worrying too much over nothing! With that, she relaxes, and heads home with a smile, the happy happening of her day with Adrien the only thing now occupying her mind.
Meanwhile, Adrien is too distracted by his own internal self-talk to concentrate on his Chinese. She said "bug out!" I didn't hear wrong; that is what she said! That's LADYBUG'S farewell! Oh my God, could it really be actually true? But then again...Marinette always misspeaks her words! It's not proof of anything! I mean she did correct herself immediately after, with the proper word that does sound a lot like it. That was just Marinette being Marinette. Don't get ahead of yourself, Adrien. It doesn't necessarily mean anything. But...I was looking at her face. I tried to picture the mask over her eyes and her costume instead of her clothes, and they were a good fit! It still could be her! I don't have enough evidence to be sure yet, I mean that could've been nothing, but it's still something to take note of. I'm glad I decided to tutor her. Who knows what she'll accidentally blurt out next! She might end up saying something undeniable, and I'll have her!" He smiles to himself, almost giddy with newfound hope that he may have truly, finally found his Lady.
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Marinette is glad, now, for her slip-up the preceeding day. The dugout is quite private, and with no game in session or practice going on, there are no baseballers present. It's just her and Adrien, alone in their own private oasis. They quickly begin their studies, sitting side-by-side-each well aware of the other's closeness to them. But Adrien seems to be behaving fairly normally, without mentioning the "bug out" at all, or looking at Marinette with the strange look she had seen on his face the day before. Thus the girl relaxes; the previous day's mistake having been forgotten, as far as she can tell.
However, after a little time goes by during the turoring, Marinette does notice that Adrien seems to be rather nervous, rubbing the back of his neck a lot, his cheeks pinking when he smiles at her every time their eyes meet-and he can't seem to hold her gaze for long without looking down-and even fumbling on his words here and there. Marinette wonders why.
Adrien knows he's behaving strangely, but he can't help himself. He's alone with a pretty girl who could very well be the love of his life, and unlike the library, which had other people hanging out in it, this place is completely secluded. He almost feels like he's on a date with her! Of course he would be nervous. He just wishes he had Cat's courage before he makes a complete fool of himself in front of her. But without the mask...
Marinette worries at first that maybe Adrien figured out her feelings for him and is now uncomfortable and embarrassed to be with her, considering he doesn't return her affections. But since she hasn't told him, and she knows her trusted friends didn't tell him, she thinks there must be another explanation. Then she recalls that painful "double date" day at the ice rink; about how Adrien had said he was too shy to go out with Kagami by himself. She thinks to herself, Maybe the dugout wasn't such a great idea after all. He's uncomfortable being so secluded with a girl; it feels too much like a date. Maybe he even thinks that that's what *I* think it is!
As if she weren't self-conscious enough already, such thoughts make it worse. Marinette feels bad for putting Adrien on the spot like this, making him uncomfortable. She wants to tell him she doesn't consider it a date so that he'll relax the way he did the previous day, but she can't muster enough courage. So she does what she thinks is the next best thing-she yawns and stretches, and tells Adrien that she's tired and needs to end the lesson early. Then she apologizes.
A hurt, disappointed look flashes across the boy's face, confusing the girl and making her feel bad. "That's Ok, Milady-eee boy! My LazyBoy chair is calling my name; I'm pretty tired too!"
Rubbing the back of his neck furiously and blushing intensely, he prays she doesn't notice the slip-up! He is here to try to get Marinette to slip up again, and then he goes and does it himself! But when he dares to look into her eyes, he finds they are wide open, her mouth slightly ajar. Does this mean that she definitely IS Ladybug? Nobody else knows I call her that! But maybe she was just reacting to the weird way I said "LazyBoy" and how shy I've obviously been acting!
"Uh...Okay, Adrien. You...go on ahead then, and I'll home head too. I will see you in class tomorrow, right?" She's surprised she was able to say most all that without stumbling on her words, especially after hearing what she thinks she just heard! She never needed to leave Adrien's side so badly ever before! She's got some serious thinking to do now!
Adrien reluctantly meets Marinette's eyes again, still blushing, and thanks her for coming, to which she replies with a thanks of her own for the short but informative tutoring session. Her cheeks are pink now too, and her eyes are wider than usual, but she's wearing a smile-weak though it is. They exchange good-byes and each head out, going their separate ways.
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I could just KICK myself! Adrien thinks to himself. How could I have screwed up so badly? If she caught that, and she IS Ladybug, she's gonna know I'm Cat Noir now, AND that I know her true identity! This isn't how I wanted this to go! I just wanted more information before I confessed who I am or told her I knew who she was. Once I was sure, I was going to tell her myself, to her face! I didn't want her to find out like THIS! Geez, I sure do hope she bought the LazyBoy thing! Unless, of course, she's not Ladybug, in which case she was just reacting to the weird speech and nervous behavior. I wish I had some kind of definitive proof! I can't approach her with the truth without it!
Meanwhile, Marinette's head is swimming. He called me Milady! That's what Cat Noir calls me! He turned it into LazyBoy, but...is that truly what he meant to say? If I didn't suspect that perhaps Adrien IS Cat Noir, I would've completely bought that as a slip of the tongue, but since I do, that was hard to ignore! If he really is Cat Noir, then, that means that he also knows who *I* am! What am I going to do?
But wait...there's still room for doubt here. It could be simply a nervous Adrien stumbling on his words; he did that a few times during the study session. He was really anxious because I made it feel too much like a date. Oh, I wish I knew. I mean I never used to want to know Cat's true identity before, but now that I think he might be Adrien, I do. I mean, I just want to know for sure if he's Adrien or not. This is more possible "evidence" to add to the pile, but I can't take it as solid proof. But if Adrien is Cat Noir, and he does know who I am...then he asked the other me, Marinette me, to tutor with him on purpose! What does that mean, exactly? Does it mean he has feelings for both of my personalities? And how do I feel about his alter ego? I've never seen him romantically before, but now...
She lets out an exhasperated sigh. Well, without the brass ring, I guess the best thing to do for now is just to forget about it. There's no way to be sure without straight up asking him, and I'm not brave enough to do that. Besides, even if I did ask him, if they are not one and the same, then Adrien would think I'm freaking crazy! I can't take that chance. Let's just see what happens. The truth is bound to present itself sooner or later. Right?
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The next day is Saturday, and there is no school. However, Marinette gets an alert on her phone-there's been an Akumatization. A little old lady was harrassed in the park by a couple of rude teenagers while she was crocheting and turned into Crochette. She holds a giant crochet hook in one hand and a giant ball of yarn in the other. She swings her crochet needle like a machette, sending out an invisible force toward her targets, temporarily paralyzing her victims, then slings her yarn out and quickly crochets them into giant "socks" from which they cannot escape.
Marinette is, for the first time since her first time out as Ladybug, nervous about fighting the Akuma victim-not because of the victim's power, but because she'll have to see Cat Noir. And with her confusion about her partner-being unsure if he's Adrien or not, wondering if he truly knows her secret or not, not knowing whether or not he has feelings for her Marinette self, being unsure of her feelings toward him as Cat Noir-it makes her reluctant to head to the scene this time. But alas, discomfort or no, she knows she must go. So she heads out anyway.
Adrien gets the alert too-and feels just as uncertain about meeting up with Ladybug. He doesn't know for sure whether or not she now knows who he is or how she now feels about him if she does know the truth, or what she now thinks about the feelings he has let on to her that he has for her as Ladybug if she is Marinette, or about how he's now feeling for her as Marinette if his suspicions are correct. Confusion and doubt lead to fear and apprehension. But he can't very well stay home and let Ladybug handle the threat alone. He has to go, his disquiet notwithstanding.
The pair meet up behind behind the bench the old woman had been sitting on when she became Akumatized. They see trapped, crocheted-in people everywhere, but now Crochette is walking down the street trolling for victims who are running down the sidewalks and roads.
The pair look at each other, both blushing, and quickly both look down. "Well, Mi-Bugaboo..." Adrien doesn't want to use "Milady" after his slip-up the previous day and make her think of it again if she is Marinette; he wants her to forget that-so he uses his other frequently-used term of endearment for her. "How do you want to approach her?" he says, turning his eyes to her again, and she lifts hers to his. Business before shame, they are both thinking. But they both also notice the other's nervousness, not usally present at an Akuma battle. Telling, in both cases.
"I'm not sure, give me a second," she answers. He can see the wheels turning. She, for the moment, has forgotten any suspicions she may have had about his true identity, if she is indeed Marinette, and is now in full-on battle mode. That takes away some of the pressure Adrien is feeling, so he too discards his unrest to focus on the task at hand.
Ladybug does not disappoint, and comes up with a plan. The two work together as smoothly as always, and de-Akumatize Crochette fairly quickly. Then Cat Noir asks Ladybug to meet him on top of the Eiffel Tower to talk to her, stammering his speech a little, though the words seem to come out of his mouth from nowhere-he did not consciously bid them to do so-and now he has no idea what to say to her when they get there. But he figures he'll think of something, because they both used their special powers so they won't be up there for long.
Now the couple are standing on the top floor of the Tower where tourists are not allowed to visit, having difficulty looking at each other now that the battle is over.
Nervously, Ladybug says to him, "W-well, I-or, uh, we-don't have much t-time, Cat. Wh-what did you want to talk about?"
Cat can't help but notice Ladybug's change in demeanor, suddenly behaving shyly and stammering her speech-just like Marinette. He finds it hard to hold on to any doubt now that that is her beneath the mask. And he doesn't mind a bit. He has pretty much reconciled his feelings for her, as both people, he now realizes.
This is also the second time today that Marinette has seen Cat Noir behaving shyly. She too is finding it hard to hold on to doubt about his true identity. That same feeling was even present during their battle today, and for the first time ever, she didn't find his antics annoying.
With difficulty, Cat meets Ladybug's eyes, her face as flushed as his own. "I uh..." he starts, "I wanted to ask you something, but uh...not right now, ok? Can we...can we meet up somewhere later and talk when we have more time?"
"Oh, s-sure, kitty!" Ladybug answers, a little over-enthusiastically. "Wh-where and when?"
"Uh...how about here, after eleven. Everyone will be in bed by then, right? So no one will miss us."
"R-right. Ok, sure." She smiles at the Cat, seeing Adrien in his bashful face whether she wants to or not.
He returns her smile, also seeing Marinette in her face, whether he wants to or not. "Well ok then. It's a date!" Crap! I didn't mean to call it a date!
Ladybug blinks at him, her eyes wider than usual. "Y-yeah, sure! I'll uh...I'll s-see you then! I g-guess we should really be going now. S-see you later!" She smiles again and waves, then yoyo's off.
"Phew!" says Cat as he turns back into Adrien. Though he quickly realizes that he just made a date with Ladybug for later tonight! What in the heck was I thinking? What exactly am I gonna ask her? Why didn't I think this through? My mouth keeps going off without consent! I don't know what I'm supposed to say to her! I'll have to come up with something, and fast!
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After they get home, the duo consider their day together from separate rooms in separate homes.
What am I going to ask her? Adrien thinks. Maybe...maybe the right time has finally come. Maybe I should just go for it and ask her straight out if she's Marinette. If she says no, I'll have to drop it, even if I think she's lying. I mean if she is Marinette but doesn't want to tell me, then she's obviously not ready to reveal to each other yet. Or maybe...perhaps a different approach would work better. Maybe *I* should reveal to her first! I mean she may already know who I am anyway. But then...if she is Marinette, that might make her mad for breaking the rules she's always reminding me of. He sighs. I just don't know. Maybe I'll just...play it by ear. Try to read the atmosphere, figure out what to do or say when I get there. I mean thinking about it now, I just keep going in circles. I'm not getting anywhere. I need to put this out of my mind for a while, to refresh myself for tonight. With that, he leaves the pondering behind to focus on his piano practice before bedtime-Ladybug time.
At the same time, Marinette is struggling for answers too. During the battle, he was as Cat Noir as always-being overconfident and over-the-top, showing off, making cat puns, the whole nine yards. But I actually thought it was cute! Since when? And before and after the battle, when it was just the two of us, I could totally see Adrien behind that mask! He was acting so shy! I'm almost convinced of it now! I mean that's not at all like Cat Noir! Which is further evidence supporting my theory-I mean, if he's not Adrien, then...why in the world is he suddenly acting so shy out of the blue like this? It doesn't make sense; it makes a lot more sense that he is indeed Adrien! But...I still can't be positively sure. Maybe it's time to be braver than ever before and just outright ask him! Oh, man, I don't think I can be that brave! Well what about...showing him my true identity? I mean if he's Adrien then I'm pretty sure he knows already anyway. But...what if I'm wrong? Then I'd be revealing my true identity, breaking my promise to the Master and my Kwami, for a Cat Noir that's a complete stranger to me in real life! And for what? Nothing! Is it worth that risk? I mean...if I did that, Cat would surely de-transform for me too; he's always wanted to. But if he's not Adrien then...I still don't want to know who he is! Oh man, what am I going to do? Well, he did say he wanted to ask me something. Maybe neither one of us has to do any revealing tonight. I'll just answer his question, and it will be over. At least, for now. That will give me more time to gather more clues and see if I can determine once and for all whether or not Adrien is Cat Noir. Ok, so I can quit worrying about this for now then. She lets out a long sigh, releasing some of the tension in her body. She picks up the book she's been reading to kill some time and relax a bit before having to sneak out to meet up with her partner.
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Ladybug shows up at just after eleven pm at the Eiffel Tower. Cat Noir is already there. They exchange pink-faced greetings.
"Well, here I am!" Ladybug says. "Wh-what did you want to ask me?"
Adrien stares at her blankly, furiously trying to come up with a question. What could be so important that he had to make a special date to ask her? Come on, brain! Just one question!
"Uh...you know Marinette, right?" What?! Why did I ask her that? I thought I decided to wait til I was sure! What's wrong with my mouth today?
Ladybug's eyes widen and her cheeks flush. Is he testing me? If he's Adrien then...he's not sure? If he's not, then...he has another reason to ask...
Cat Noir notices how long it's taking her to answer, not to mention the surprise and trepidation on her face. It's GOT to be her! Right?
"Uh...y-you could...say that...why?"
Cat stares at her, studying her face. He sees Marinette DuPain-Cheng behind that mask. "Is that...is that your real name?" WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING?! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO WAIT ON THIS?! WHAT IF SHE'S NOT READY, STUPID!
It's Ladybug's turn to stare at Cat Noir. She has a thoughtful, but unafraid, look on her face.
"Is...is that...you, Adrien?" she asks, taking them both by surprise.
Cat Noir smiles, settling down. She seems to be ready, after all. She already figured out who he is, too. He couldn't ask for a better time than now. "Plagg...claws in."
Right before Ladybug's eyes, Cat Noir becomes Adrien Agreste-the love of her life.
She smiles. "It is you!" she replies. "Tikki...spots off."
Ladybug quickly morphs into Marinette.
They stare into each other's eyes, smiling at one another with tinted cheeks.
"Marinette," Adrien breaks the silence. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course you can, Adrien," she says, forgetting to be nervous and stammer like usual.
"Were you...I mean..." he looks down for a moment; then back up. "Were you lying when you confessed to me as Cat Noir? To protect your identity? I mean you told me as Ladybug that you were in love with another boy. They obviously can't both be true..." He awaits her answer with great interest, as well as a little trepidation.
"Y-yes, that was a lie to proctect my identity. I'm sorry."
Adrien looks disappointed, but simultaneously unsurprised. He tilts his head down slightly.
"B-but that's not all!" adds Marinette upon seeing his reaction. "When I told you I was in love with another boy, that was before I knew Cat Noir was you. The 'other boy' I was talking about...is Adrien Agreste! I was talking about you!"
The young man's head pops up fast. He looks at her with wide eyes, mouth ajar, quite surprised at that revelation.
Marinette smiles at Adrien, feeling both embarrassed and relieved at having told him the truth, finally, after all this time. But his silence is making her nervous. Have his feelings for me changed since he found out who I really was?
The corners of Adrien's mouth begin to tug upward slowly as the truth sinks in-that his Ladybug is actually in love with him-into the widest smile he can physically make.
Marinette relaxes. The look on his face says it all. She is thrilled.
Adrien pulls Marinette into his arms, squeezing gently. She buries her head into his shoulder, breathing in his scent. At long last...they think simultaneously.
They finally seperate, backing up just a short distance from each other. "Marinette," says Adrien.
"Adrien," she replies.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He titlts his head forward, applying gentle pressure to her lips. All the love and longing he has ever felt for her is in this kiss. It fills him to the brim with joy, and makes him finally feel whole.
Marinette soars, her heart beating furiously. She feels like she's in a dream, yet it is oh so real. She is, at long last, tasting Adrien's sweet lips. Her heart is full. She now has the only thing in the world that she was lacking in her life. She couldn't be happier.
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It's Monday morning, and in to school come walking Adrien and Marinette, hand in hand, collecting stares and whispers as they go, oblivious though they both are to the attention they are attracting.
"Marinette! What...is...THIS?!" A grinning Alya runs straight up to her best friend.
Marinette grins back. "Well..."
Adrien interrupts to cover for his girlfriend. "We uh...we met at the Eiffel Tower on Friday, and I asked on her a date. Things sorta grew from there."
That's...pretty close to the truth! she thinks, inwardly thanking him for coming up with a get-together story they could actually tell people on the fly like that. She hadn't thought of it, and would certainly be stuttering by now trying.
"That's wonderful!" Alya beams. She throws her arms around Marinette. "You finally got your man, Marinette! Congratulations!" Then she folds her arms in front of her and wrinkles her brow. "Wait a minute...why am I only hearing about this now, Marinette?"
"I'm sorry, Alya," the blue-eyed girl replies, "I spent the whole weekend with him and just sorta forgot to call you. Can you forgive me?" She gives her best friend her best puppy-dog eyes.
"Alright, this time. But in the future, big news like this comes to me immediately, do you understand?"
"I understand!" The young ladies smile at one another.
By this time, Nino has joined the group, and is fist-pounding his own congrats to his own best friend.
There's only one person in the whole school who isn't happy about this. A glaring Chloe stares down the new couple. She's hurt, she's disappointed, and most of all, she's angry. She walks brusquely up to the pair.
"Congratulations, Adrien, " she says mockingly, "you manged to bag the worst...girlfriend...possible!" Then she deliberately rams her shoulder into Marinette's as she stomps by, not sticking around long enough for Adrien to give her a reply.
Marinette looks up at Adrien, concern on her face. "Don't worry about her, Marinette," he says. "She's pretty tough. And it's not like she lost me as a friend, ya know." He gives his new girlfriend a comforting smile, and she relaxes, smiling back. All is right in the world now. She has her Prince Charming, and he has his Lady.