CHAPTER TWO: Physics Is The Worst

"When will Paris finally be safe?"

"Ladybug, how do you spend your Sunday afternoons?"

"Are there any leads on the identity of Hawkmoth?"

Cameras flashed and journalists tried to push against the barriers, closer to where Ladybug stood. She'd given the vital details of this latest akuma attack, however few there were, but now each pressing question seemed to blur into the next. She glanced over her shoulder, searching for her partner, and found him unsurprisingly a fair distance from the cameras, kneeling in front of the akuma victim – an eleven-year-old boy.

The boy sat in the opened back of the ambulance on site - although no one was ever seriously injured it remained protocol for emergency responders – with a light blanket hugged around him. He wasn't crying but he did look upset. The boy's eyes remained glued to the hero kneeling before him. They were too far away for Ladybug to hear their conversation and with Chat's back to her, she couldn't even try to guess.

"Ladybug, who are you dating?"

Turning back, she held up her hands. "That's enough questions for today," she stated, "Please keep clear and respect our emergency workers until they ensure the area is safe. Thank you."

It didn't seem to take, the crowd erupting with even more buzzing commotion, a common trait of the last few months. She turned away nonetheless, leaving the grumbling and droning media beyond the yellow caution tape.

Marinette didn't know whether she was lucky or unlucky with how today was going so far.

All morning she'd been avoiding everyone, excluding Alya who she apologised to immediately, her best friend brushing it off and agreeing she did get carried away occasionally. Alya was concerned however; asking if she needed to talk but Marinette declined saying she'd gotten most of it out the night before.

And that was the main reason she'd been avoiding everyone.

Everyone being Adrien.

There was no way she'd be able to look him in the face, let alone say two words, without collapsing into a tomato knowing she'd kiss him a few hours ago. She still had trouble coming to terms with it – she kissed Adrien Agreste! Worse, she'd stolen a kiss without him even knowing, she was despicable!

What had she been thinking? The second she arrived home early this morning, she'd crumpled into a distraught mess, Tikki gently patting her cheek as she laid on her bed.

Hence the reason she'd purposely dawdled to school late, not spotting his golden head anywhere. She'd even gone to the library for lunch. In fact, she'd almost made it the entire day.

Until she had Literature, the one class where she sat behind Adrien and could no doubt avoid him.

She had been two steps from the classroom, gaining a glimpse of him somewhat slumped in his seat, when uproar over an akuma began.

For once, Marinette had been lucky.

Ladybug had not.

Why were the press more bothersome than usual today?

The superheroine made her way towards Chat. They'd worked perfectly together during the attack, neither showing any signs of tension, Ladybug purifying the akuma in no time at all. But then again, they didn't exactly have time for a conversation. Ladybug's heart nervously picked up. This time they did.

As she neared her partner, she began to hear what he was saying to the boy.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Chat Noir gently asked, "I get bullied too sometimes."

The boy's eyes widened, "you do?"

"Yep," Chat said as Ladybug's heart twinged. She didn't know about that. "And I know how it can make you feel sometimes, like you're not good enough. It makes me sad too. But you want to know something else? If you stay true to who you are, if do right by you and the people you care about, those bullies' words won't mean anything. Who do you love most? Your mom and dad?"

The boy nodded. "And my brother," he added.

"Well if you do what's right by them, those bullies won't even be able to reach you. Because once you find someone who you really care about and who really knows you, no words, nothing can make you feel any less than what you are. And for you, well, you've already got your mom and your dad and your brother, so you're already there. Do you want to know something else?"

The boy remained silent, but his eyes showed he was listening.

"Bullies are just really dumb."

Ladybug smiled as the boy giggled, the sadness suddenly leaving his face.

"Now, if you ever get sad and want to talk," continued Chat, "and you spot us nearby, just call out 'strawberry pancakes' in your biggest voice, okay?"

"Why 'strawberry pancakes'?" he laughed.

"Well," Chat chuckled, "a lot of people call our name so it tends to get confusing. But if someone shouted, 'strawberry pancakes' at us, we would definitely notice," Chat looked over his shoulder, meeting Ladybug's eyes instantly, "won't we, LB?"

Ladybug, feeling Chat's warm gaze pierce right through her soul, broke eye contact and gave the young boy a small smile, firmly nodding, "We will."

The boy beamed at the two superheroes, "Okay!"

Chat Noir laughed and held up his fist to the boy, "Pound it?"

His eyes lit up as his shoulder jumped with excitement, he then curled his hand into a fist and pumped it against Chat's, crying cheerfully, "Bien Joué!"

All the while, Ladybug couldn't take her eyes off Chat. Even with his back turned, she felt as if his mask covered more of his face than usual. Their friendship was much different than others: they knew what the other was thinking, their next move. In short, they knew everything about each other while consequently knowing nothing about their personal life. Ladybug always thought having that kind of friendship and blind trust was special and lucky. But at that moment she wondered what it would be like to know Chat in her civilian life. Would he hang out with her and her other friends on the weekend? Would they laugh and complain about Hawkmoth over lunch? Would he tell her everything about his day, all his troubles and successes? She really didn't know anything about his everyday life.

And it bothered her, especially when he admits to being a victim of bullying.

"Ladybug?" Chat Noir's voice pulled her from her thoughts, standing before her. It was then she'd notice the young boy had run off towards two adults, who enveloped him in a big hug. "You okay?"

She blinked at him. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Good," he rubbed the back of his neck, "That's good."

An odd silence settled between them.

"About last n–," he began as Ladybug said, "I wanted to–."

They stared at each other wide eyed before breaking into grins.

"Sorry," they said in unison, earning more laughs.

Ladybug took the next second to finally get her words in. "Look, Chat, I wanted to talk to you about last night."

"Actually, so did I. I just–."

"Ladybug! Chat Noir!" A voice called out, its owner appearing next to them in a matter of seconds: Alya Cesaire.

Ladybug sighed inwardly. Of course, her journalist of a best friend was here, completing disregarding the caution tape that lined the perimeter. Even after gifting her a miraculous, Alya still couldn't keep away from the danger of akumas, always right in the middle of it all.

"Care to answer a few questions from your Ladyblog fans?" she enthusiastically asked, holding her phone up and recording every second.

"Miss Cesaire, as much as we wish we could…" Ladybug broke off as a recognisable beeping emitted from Chat Noir's ring.

"As much as we wish we could," Chat Noir continued, lifting his hand to examine his miraculous, "I'm afraid I'm out of time. Gotta split."

As Chat Noir slid his baton from his belt, intending to head off, Ladybug shot out a hand and clutched his arm. "Wait, Chat Noir. Patrol this afternoon?" Ladybug suggested, hoping he understood the look she was giving him, I need to talk with you.

He glanced at Alya who remained filming every second before focusing back on the spotted hero. He nodded, "I'll find you," and then slipped from Ladybug's grasped, vaulting into the air.

She watched him go until he was out of sight.

"So… Ladybug," Alya began with a low suggestive tone, "got something planned for your kitty tonight?"

"Alya!"


As the setting sun cast orange light throughout Paris, Ladybug leant back on her hands, soaking in the warmth from the brick rooftop she currently lounged on. She took a deep relaxing breath to try and calm her jittering nerves. The second Marinette had finished school, she'd hurried home, told her parents she needed some peace to catch up on homework and escaped to her bedroom where she'd swiftly transformed to go meet Chat Noir.

And every minute her kitty failed to show up, her anxiety grew. Perhaps they should've worked out a meeting location. Usually it would've been the Eiffel Tower but the wind was beginning to pick up and Ladybug found herself less thrilled about the cold these days. But maybe she should've gone there anyway, make it easier for Chat to find her. That's what he said, 'I'll find you."

So here she sat, swinging her legs over the top of the building, and trying to ignore those few self-loathing thoughts that said he wasn't coming – that he'd never forgive her.

No, she told them, Chat Noir will come.

Adrien's words from the other night calmed her. They're partners and they trusted each other with everything.

Ladybug sighed at the thought of Adrien.

Marinette had indeed been lucky today. She'd officially made it the full day without seeing him, even after class when her, Alya, Nino and Adrien hung out to chat for a bit. Marinette had sped out of school grounds faster than wind.

Tomorrow should be just as easy.

"Found you!" a sudden cheery voice made Ladybug jump.

She turned to see Chat Noir landing on the roof behind her and she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, he came, she was stupid to even question him.

"Took your time," she offered a smile as he made his way over.

"Turns out," he said, plopping himself down next to her, "trying to find a red spotted girl in all of Paris is harder than I thought. But I managed."

Detecting the hidden meaning that glistened so mischievously in Chat Noir's eyes, Ladybug felt her nerves flare up again. Why did he have to do that? Say something that made it seemed like he'd figured her out, and not just her identity, but everything. She very much did not like this new feeling she was getting from Chat. It made her uneasy yet… hopeful?

Nope.

Not thinking like that right now.

"Listen Chat," Ladybug began, "I wanted to talk about last night."

She considered his wide kitten eyes which blinked at her blankly. Her heart rate picked up and she suddenly felt incredibly exposed. What if he really did reject her apology? What would she do then? Adrien's voice again flashed through her head, giving her comfort. If you explain everything to him, Chat Noir will be there for you. I'm sure of it.

Ladybug trusted Adrien. And she trusted Chat Noir even more.

"I'm sorry for what I said," she exhaled, focusing on her yo-yo in her lap.

Chat was silent for a few moments before replying, "It's alright, LB."

She shook her head, "No it isn't. I didn't mean what I said. I've been feeling a little stressed lately, but that's no reason to take it out on you. I'm sorry."

Looking out over the streets below, Ladybug watched as Parisians drew their day to a close. Some leisurely walked, enjoyed a late-afternoon coffee and pastry stop or heading home early from work, others marvelled at the sunset; families, friends, couples. She noticed some even pause and point in their direction, their faces lighting up upon realising they'd spotted the two superheroes – a few whipping out their phones and capturing a picture or two. She wondered what would've been if she hadn't been given a miraculous, would she be down there as Marinette, snapping a photo of Paris' infamous heroes? Would Chat Noir be here, sitting next to a different Ladybug?

If neither of them had been given miraculouses, if there was no Hawkmoth, would Marinette and Chat Noir have become friends anyway? That was a question Chat often asked yet Ladybug never really thought about until now.

Would she be on her way to meet him right now? To apologise for similar reasons that she was?

"I'm sorry too," Chat's quiet voice shocked Ladybug.

She turned to meet his eyes to find he too observed the streets below. Opening her mouth to reply, she didn't get a word in before Chat continued, "I didn't notice and I should've. I know how hard it can get, trying to balance this with our normal lives, especially when we can't tell anyone. I should've asked how you are."

"It does get difficult," she agreed. "But you have nothing to be sorry for, I lashed out and said some hurtful things, Chat Noir. It's okay if you didn't notice. And honestly, I didn't even realise how exhausted I was until a few days ago."

When Chat raised an eyebrow at Ladybug, she continued to timidly explain about her failed test, her slipping grades, her current grounding. All the while Chat watched her shoulders slumped lower and lower with each explanation, and even though he'd already known, it still pained him to know his lady was struggling.

Seeing his concerned expression, Ladybug sat back up. "It's alright, though," she said, "I talked with my physics teacher today and she's letting me take a make-up test to earn a bit of extra-credit."

"It was your physics test you failed?"

Chat ignored the fact that he too had taken a test a few days ago, for his physics class. Pure coincidence.

"Oh, don't look so surprised, kitty," Ladybug lounged back on her hands, "physics is the worst."

Chat laughed when she scrunched up her nose. "Speak for yourself, my lady. I excel at physics."

"Really?"

"This cat can be pretty smart," he shrugged, then glanced over to her, "if you ever need a hand, I could help you."

Ladybug let out a small, pondering chuckle, "that'll be something. The press would have a field day, Paris' two superheroes having a study date."

"My lady, I never said anything about a date," he leant extremely close to her with a mischievous smirk.

"Enough, you silly cat," she pushed his face away, but laughed nonetheless.

Chat Noir grinned and leant back on his hands also, gazing at the sky as the sun drifted lower. His eyes stayed focused on the horizon as he asked, "You will tell if you're not okay, won't you?"

Ladybug faced him. He wasn't looking at her, his focus set on the Eiffel Tower a short distance away. She parted her lips, her reply nesting on the tip of her tongue, but her voice remained quiet. A light breeze had picked up, ruffling Chat's blonde locks. His face seemed so relaxed and content as he gazed out over Paris but it was his eyes that held so much emotion – worry. For her. She could see why Chat had so many fangirls floundering over his physique, after all who didn't find a superhero dressed in skin-tight leather attractive, but there was part of Chat Paris didn't know about. Sure, they'd witness Chat save her plenty of times, each moment of his devotion captured on camera as cheeky winks, kisses on the hand, and his lack of hesitation to put himself in harm's way for her.

Everyone saw that.

But no one saw this side of Chat Noir, this pure concern for his partner.

Only Ladybug ever saw this cheerless, tensed Chat. Because it was meant for only her.

Chat turned to meet her gaze and realising she'd been staring, heat instantly began to creep up her face. Her partner didn't seem to notice, his expression unchanged except for the slight furrowing of his eyebrows. "Won't you, Ladybug?"

She sucked in a breath.

"Chat Noir is my partner, my best friend, and he means more to me than I let him know."

Ladybug tentatively reached forward, pausing mid-way, before disregarding any uncertainty and slipping her hand into Chat Noir's, entwining their fingers in a reassuring grip. "I will," she promised.

Chat didn't say anything afterwards. The two sat in silence, hand in hand, surveying the evening sky turn from orange to purple. They watched as the Eiffel Tower slowly began to glow in the darkening sky. The streets shifted into that strange too-early-for-dinner-too-late-for-coffee time, fewer people appearing on the sidewalks below. Ladybug knew she should've headed home by now to gain additional study time, but something held her back. Not the consoling silent presence of her superhero best friend, nor the comfort of holding the other's hand like children afraid in the dark, it was her thoughts from earlier.

And Ladybug didn't know whether it was their shared contentment, or the calm evening, that compelled the raven-haired hero to ask the question that Chat Noir always did.

"Chat," her quiet voice seemed to echo, "do you think we would've been friends if we weren't given a miraculous?"

Chat remained silent for so long, Ladybug wondered if he really was still sitting beside her. Only the warmth of his palm assured her and that she could feel him looking at her as she kept her gaze straight. She knew what he was thinking – he'd asked that question a countless number of times and never received a real answer. Because Ladybug never took the time to really think about it…

"I think so."

Ladybug met his green cat eyes as he offered a warm smile. "Really?"

He nodded, "Yep."

"What do you think we'd be doing, right now?"

Chat let out a soft pensive laugh, looking up the evening sky. "Well now, let me see…" he trailed off.

Not that he had to fake contemplating, he'd thought about it a million times already. And she knew it. But she didn't tell him that. He was cute when he pretended to wonder.

Wait. What.

"We'd be somewhere warm and cosy," he dared a glance at her, "your house probably."

Ladybug snorted, "okay, you big flirt," and stole her hand back from his grasp, pretending not to see the over-exaggerated hurt in his eyes. He'd deserved that. "I was being serious."

"Hey, so was I," he shot back, crossing his legs and shuffling to face her. "We'd be at your house, and we'd be studying–."

"Studying?"

"Uh," he held up a finger, "let me finish. We'd be studying, well, I'd be helping you study after you cried to me about how horrible you are at physics–."

"Rude."

"–and because we're such good friends and I'm so great at physics, I offered to tutor you… and because that was the only lame way I had successfully managed to ask you on a date all year."

"You're really taking this study date thing seriously, aren't you, Chat?"

He beamed, "Yes, and we'll have coffee to keep our brains going and the best pastries from Tom and Sabine's Bakery."

Ladybug tried not to notice what particular bakery he mentioned. "And strawberry pancakes?"

He threw his hand into the air, laughing, "the biggest!"

She couldn't help but laugh along at her partner's ridiculous antics. Here they both were, no akumas insight, joking about what their lives would be like if they weren't superheroes – the likelihood of them being friends, Chat trying his best to ask her on a date and failing, the two of them hanging out like they were now. No costumes, no looming threat of supervillains. Ladybug decided in that moment she wouldn't mind it. Not one bit.

"It's getting late," she pointed out when their laughter quieted down, "and I have some studying to do. Got to pass a test tomorrow, you know?"

"Are you sure you don't need a tutor?" Chat winked.

"I'll be fine," she said, hopping up from the ledge, sending him an appreciative smile. "See you tomorrow night, Chat."

Ladybug, moving to the other end of the rooftop, untwined her yo-yo from her waist, preparing to head off in the direction of home, when something grasped her throwing arm. "Ladybug, wait!"

"Chat?" she questioned, twisting to face her partner who stood poised behind her. She scanned the area around them, expecting sudden danger. But there was nothing.

"Um," Chat released her arm and rubbed the back of his neck, an anxious habit she was beginning to notice. "I was thinking… if you need time to concentrate on your schoolwork, why don't you skip patrol for the next couple of days?"

"What?"

"I figured, it'll give you more time to relax and catch up on your assignments, you know?"

Ladybug pondered, "But what if there's an akuma?"

Chat shrugged in a nonchalant manner, "then I'll keep them busy until you turn up."

Her lips parted in surprise. For the second time today, Chat left her speechless. Because what could she say? There was her partner who not only listened to her problems, ensured her harsh reaction the other night was completely and totally reasonable, but was gifting her the thing she needed most: recuperation from the past stress-induced weeks. No one else offered her such. Yes, Alya assured Marinette that if she needed anything she just needed to ask. And her parents had dialled down on her chores, even though her grounding remained.

Marinette loved them no matter what. But here was Chat Noir sacrificing his nights to cover patrol for her, alone.

Ladybug acted without thought, she stepped forward and threw her arms around Chat's neck.

At first, the black-suited hero tensed like a string stretched too far, expecting the moment to be over in less than a few short seconds. But when Ladybug refused to pull away immediately, she felt him relax and slowly but surely, place his own arms around her.

"Thank you," she whispered, nestling her head into her partner's shoulder, soaking up his warmth.

It was then that Chat Noir fully understood what his proposal meant for him. Patrol, for who knew how many nights, without Ladybug. Yes, he'd see her if an akuma appeared, and they'd fight together as usual. But it wasn't the same. Patrolling was… different. His lady was more carefree. She joked, and laughed, and talked nonsense – because neither could share any personal information. And today, she opened up. She'd showed him that he meant something to her. She may not love him like he loved her but that didn't matter. Ladybug admitted last night in his room, crying her eyes out, that she needed Chat Noir

And he would always be there for her.

He wrapped his arms completely round her waist, pulling her into a tighter embrace, barely any space between them. He breathed her in, committing every one of her scents he could to memory.

Perhaps he was being dramatic. But if he wasn't going to see the love of his life for at least a couple of days, he was going to be as dramatic as he liked.

They eventually pulled away, yet only slightly, neither of them finding to courage to let go. Chat was so close all he had to do was lean forward and capture her lips with his. Though he found that he couldn't. He dreamed about something like this for years – where they share a tender moment and he would lean towards her, or she to him, and he'd finally know what it's like to kiss his Ladybug. But Chat rejected those thoughts. If anything, it would ruin this.

He risked opening his eyes and almost gasped at how closer Ladybug was than he originally thought, foreheads almost touching. Her eyes were also open, glued to the ground at the feet, and as Chat remarked every detail of each feature in his mind he remained eternally grateful that Ladybug didn't meet his gaze because nothing would've stopped him from kissing her that moment. Hell, he could kiss her right now and claim it as an accident! She was so close its plausible!

But no.

Instead, he decisively inhaled a deep breath of air.

It seemed to wake Ladybug from her stupor because she moved away in seconds. Feeling her sudden absence, Chat thought perhaps he'd made a mistake, he wanted her back in his arms. But then Ladybug, tossing her yo-yo into the distance, glanced back over her shoulder. "Sweet dreams, Chaton."

He barely had time to register the flush on her cheeks before she spiralled away through the city.

"B… Bye," he waved despite his lady being long gone.

A sigh escaped his lips. He already missed her warmth and… what did she smell like? Strawberries and vanilla and freshly baked pastries.

Chat laughed, flopping back down onto the rooftop, his limbs sprawled out, to watch the stars appear over Paris. He imagined his lady returning home to bake some sweet treats. "Wouldn't that be a dream?"

Plagg internally screamed from his place inside the miraculous.


Much later that night, completing all the study she could managed without exertion, Marinette found herself browsing the latest Ladyblog posts. More specifically, she found herself sitting stunned motionless at her desk, hugging one knee to her chest, as she stared at the cover photo from Alya's recent upload, titled 'Paris Saved Again: Chat Noir shows his Softer Side.'

Gradually dragging the mouse over and clicking the article, Marinette held her breath as she glazed over the opening details she already knew to be true. She paused strolling when confronted with the image that peaked her interest and deduced that it was certainly an odd feeling to see her memories captured from an outside point of view.

Yet there she stood beside Chat Noir, who knelt on the cobblestone pavement fist-pumping the young akuma victim from earlier that day. The boy's face was alight with joy, his teeth sparkling through his beaming cheer, no evidence of the recent turmoil he'd endured. And with what really, though she'd never admit, snagged her attention: Chat, his eyes crinkled as he grinned with genuine pleasure knowing he helped someone. The photograph seriously encapsulated the article's heading.

Then there was Ladybug, hands on her hips and posture straight. The perfect pose for a superhero; poised, fearless, triumphant. But it wasn't her stature that had the photo igniting Alya's article. It was her expression. Corner of her lips titled upwards in a barely contained smile. Cheekbones slightly lifted. And her eyes, filled with total admiration and affection, trained directly on her partner.

A perfectly captured photo.

Marinette didn't even realise she'd been looking at Chat like that, like she wanted to bend down, wrapped her arms round his shoulders, stamp a quick peck on his cheek and tell him how much she appreciated him. Like she had merely a few hours ago.

Marinette chuckled at her desk. Alya would've flipped if that happened.

She read the caption. Ladybug watches proudly as Chat comforts latest akuma victim. Photography: Alya Cesaire.

She supposed that was quite accurate.

Compelled by the warm feeling in her chest, Marinette swiftly made a few selective clicks and the image zipped out from the nearby printer. Leaving her seat and snatching a nearby pair of scissors, Marinette sliced off the left half of the photo. She had enough pictures of her with her friends, she didn't need one of her as a superhero, that would be egotistical to say the least. As the paper Ladybug fluttered to the ground, neglected, the raven-haired girl observed the collage on her wall – an array of sticky notes serving as reminders, rough sketches of designs, inspiration cut-outs, and layers on layers of pictures of her friends, particularly of Adrien. His model shots, casual shots Alya sneakily snapped, images of the whole group hanging out. To say there was quite a bit of Adrien would be a drastic understatement.

Marinette pursed her lips. She wasn't going to pin this new addition just anywhere.

She reached out, finding herself hesitating when she deduced the right spot. There was one problem. Centred in the collage was Adrien, a soft sense of contentment etched onto his features as he smiled directly at her, convincing her to leave that photograph be.

It is a good photo, her brain persuaded.

But no.

Taking a short, deep breath, Marinette ripped the photo from the wall, discarding it before she could rethink her decision, and pinned up the one of Chat Noir and the young boy.

I have enough photos of Adrien, one less won't hurt.


"Okay, Mari, I'm calling it, are you suddenly in love with Chat Noir or something?"

Adrien immediately perked up at the mention of his superhero alter-ego.

"W-what? No?" Marinette stammered from her seat behind him. "That's absurd, w-what makes you say that?"

He didn't mean to eavesdropping, he really didn't. But copying notes from the chalkboard wasn't exactly exhilarating for Adrien and his mind was entirely elsewhere.

You know that feeling you get after dreaming about someone in a certain way and it's impossible to look at them the same way ever again? Well, that's what had bothered Adrien for the past day and a half. It was even worse at this moment. Because the person-in-question was sitting directly behind him. So close he could probably stretch his arms back and graze her own notebook. That would invoke some kind of reaction from the sweet girl, considering she'd evaded even looking at him all day. And Adrien was convinced she'd been absent from school yesterday until Alya mentioned otherwise. Was he safe to presume she was avoiding him or just busy? Either way, he missed her presence.

Not that it should've worried him in the slightest. Marinette didn't know he dreamt of her the other morning. Her gentle face leaning over him, a hair or two tickling his forehead. Her sky-blue eyes as she moved closer. And her lips. Don't get him started on her lips.

Nope.

Nope.

You can't be thinking about Marinette like that.

You love Ladybug.

That night you were with Ladybug.

Last night you were with Ladybug.

Memories of the previous day resurfaced against his will, memories of Ladybug – of her embrace, her perfume, her aura and everything she was. How alluring she looked in the evening light, how close she was to him.

Then there was Marinette's face, comforting yet entirely enticing Marinette. Adrien remembered those sparing moments before he woke that other morning; how real is felt, how he wanted it to be real, his subconscious praying to make the dream last a few minutes more.

Adrien released a quiet groan and ran a hand over his hand, prompting Nino to shoot him a look that asked, 'You okay, bro?' in which Adrien silently answered with a thumb up, the furthest indication from the truth.

His brain was going to have a meltdown over two enchanting women.

"Oh really?" Adrien could hear Alya's eyebrow rising, "because you've been looking at that picture for the last hour."

What picture?

"It's a good picture," Marinette mumbled in response.

Was she looking at a picture of Chat Noir?

Lord, his delicate confused little heart couldn't function if Marinette had been admiring a picture of Chat Noir for the past hour. Adrien bit the inside of his cheek.

"Oh my god!" Alya gasped, almost making Adrien jump. Almost. He didn't want to give away his unintentional eavesdropping. "I totally forgot!" she proclaimed, "you are not going to believe the scoop I got for the Ladyblog."

"You mean the one you posted last night?" Marinette questioned.

"About Chat Noir being a huge softie? No, not that. And don't think I'm forgetting about your new little crush," Adrien's eyes widened slightly, "but this is more important."

Alya withdrew her phone from her pocket. "I was going to call you last night because I was so excited, but I knew you were studying. And then you were late again this morning. And then Mr Despises-the-slightest-bit-of-noise-Andrew was in a worse mood than usual through our double of math. And then at lunch you were studying for your test this afternoon," the girl continued to ramble. "But you are not going to believe this."

When she handed the phone across to Marinette, shock and unease hammered through her like someone holding an assault rifle to her chest, consequently triggering her to brace the edge of her desk and completing knocking her writing utensils to the floor.

Ms. Bustier barely noticed the minor commotion as she aided a student on the other side of the class.

But Adrien certainly did, bending over the back of his seat to collect his friend's pens and pencils whilst her stare remained glue to the smartphone, eyes wide.

He wondered what could've possibly caused a reaction like that.

"I know right," Alya said, oblivious to her friend's turmoil, "how great is it?"

Meanwhile, Adrien placed her utensils back on her desk, "Are you okay, Marinette?"

That seemed to break her out of whatever trance she was stuck in, her blue eyes meeting his green ones with a blink. "U-um, y-yeah, I'm pine–no, kind," her face began to turn red, "Fine! I meant to say fine!" She took a breath, composing her features, and offered him a smile while ignoring her pounding heart, "Thank you, Adrien."

She really is kind, a voice in Adrien's head said to him, making his own heart skip a beat. But before he could even think of conjuring up some sort of response, Marinette had turned to Alya. "W-where did you get this?"

"Someone messaged me through the Ladyblog last night," she scowled, "I had to pay the ass fifty dollars to keep it exclusive."

"How do you know they won't just give it to another news group or something?" Nino piped up, joining the conversation, his gaze glued fascinatingly on the journalist.

Alya shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye, "I may have threatened to drop hints on the Ladyblog that he was Hawkmoth."

"Alya!" Marinette scolded her friend, "You can't do that!"

She crossed her arms. "Well, that's what happens when you make me agree to pay fifty dollars for a photo without showing me first."

"Would people even believe it?" Nino asked.

"Who knows. Either way, it was so worth it, I would've paid one hundred dollars for that photo."

"What's the photo of?" Adrien finally asked. His curiousity had been building ever since Marinette's response. Was it bad? It was a Ladyblog scoop, so did that mean it involved Ladybug? Or him? What if someone got a shot of Ladybug in his room?

No, Alya would've lost her mind at him.

What if someone snapped a shot of them de-transforming!?

No. It would've had the same result: one crazy Alya.

Adrien's worry slightly intensified when he saw Marinette clench the phone tighter in her hand, reluctant to reveal the image. When it appeared she wasn't going to be the one to show him, Alya pried the device from her grip and handed it to Adrien, teasing, "What? Jealous, Mari?"

Marinette spluttered like a fish out of water, "N-no, not exactly, I mean… Ugh, whatever."

Adrien felt the corner of his mouth twinge. She was cute when she was flustered.

Damn. He had to stop…

He almost dropped Alya's phone.

… thinking like that.

There Adrien was, in fact, captured on the miniscule screen. Not as himself, of course, but as Chat Noir. With Ladybug. On a rooftop. Yesterday evening.

And embracing.

During these last few years, Adrien had witnessed at least a million photographs of himself; billboards, magazines, televisions and even printed on shirts of a few excessive fans. He'd grown used to seeing himself in countless poses, encapsulating every feature and emotion written across his face and body. His job as a model – all a façade for the camera.

So, imagine his shock, and internal burst of delight, when he stared at such a genuine, pure and extremely intimate moment between himself and his Lady.

Someone must have seen them from the next-door building and snapped the shot. Because there was no denying that it was in fact Chat Noir and Ladybug as they had been last night. After they'd barely broken apart, when Adrien's mind was clouded with thoughts of her lips, of those striking eyes hidden behind her lids. It was evident on Chat Noir's face what he wanted to do. Even from the distance, his eyes drooped with love and lust as he watched content etch across Ladybug's features.

Adrien's felt his stomach drop.

Ladybug was going to see this picture.

She knew how he felt, he was sure. But this was something else, like someone had carved out his heart and placed it into a display case, exposed, with every emotion engraved into it.

God, they looked so close to kissing.

They looked like they already had.

Oh, the media was going to have a frenzy.

Adrien hadn't even realised Nino had slipped the device from his hand, until he let out a low whistle, "Looks like the cat finally caught the bug."

Marinette suddenly choked, masking a cough behind her hand as her face turned red.

"This is the news of the century," Alya gushed, "this is going to make the Ladyblog explode!"

"You're posting it!?" Marinette roughly shrieked, still recovering from her coughing fit.

All three of them blinked questionably at the flushed girl.

"I mean," she cleared her throat and glanced at each of them, especially Alya, "it looks kind of private. Do you really think they'd really want that posted all over the internet?"

Her eyes met Adrien's and he felt his own face lighting up with appreciation. Was Marinette so caring that she seriously considered the privacy of Paris' superheroes? Adrien knew, obviously more than anyone, how much that respect meant.

Marinette really was making him more confused than ever.

"Now, is this French Literature or Lunch?" Ms Bustier abruptly appeared before them. Disapproval danced across her face as she placed her hands on her hips. "Because last I checked, we're all in a classroom with work that needs completing. Phone away Miss Cesaire, or I'll have to confiscate it for the day, again."

The four slumped their shoulders simultaneously, Nino and Adrien swivelling back around in their seat. They all murmured apologies and picked up their pens, returning attention to the notes. Ms Bustier, satisfied, returned to her desk. All the while, Marinette internally groaned, Alya's unquestioningly giving a gentle pat on her back as her red, flustered face collapsed onto the desk. Thoughts of Chat Noir's hooded gaze and Adrien's kind, comforting smile both somersaulted through her mind for the remainder of the class.

How would she face Chat again, knowing he'd been looking at her like that, and not because of his flirtatious gimmicks?

How could she continue to act somewhat normal around Adrien, knowing she kissed him, not because she'd been caught up in a daydream?

Marinette was in trouble.


Eventually classes ended for the day and students filed out of their classrooms, heading to their locker or straight for home. Nino and Adrien, who already collected their belongings, hung outside the locker room. Adrien knew his car would be waiting, but he could buy a few extra minutes to chat with his friends.

"We could make it a study date, tell your dad you're helping this delinquent with work," Nino was saying, planning a hang out this afternoon, "I'll see if Alya and Marinette want to come to."

Adrien raised a quizzical brow, "You just want to hang out with Alya, don't you?"

His friend tried to laugh inconspicuously, "Pfft, no…?"

"Uh huh, sure," Adrien said with obvious scepticism. "Nino, if you like her then just ask her on a date."

Nino laughed, "Maybe you should follow your own advice first."

"What does that mean?" the model questioned.

Before he could gain an answer, something caught Nino's attention from the other side of the hall. "Oh look, there's Alya… and Marinette now," he waved in their direction. Adrien didn't notice the way he accentuated one particular friends name because he finally turned to see Alya and Marinette chatting as they made their way over. Chuckling at something Alya said, Marinette's gaze drifted up. And met Adrien's.

Time seemed to slow down for a moment and he almost – key word being almost – wished Marinette really intended to completely avoid him because something about those blue eyes of hers made him feel lost and out of place like he didn't understand the meaning of, well, anything, except Marinette. He felt utterly adrift, wanting her to continue to look at him like that for hours.

He seriously jinxed himself though.

Adrien watched from the short distance as the raven girl squeaked at their eye contact, jumping on the spot as if a mouse suddenly ran straight in front of her. She quickly murmured a few words to Alya before flurrying off in the opposite direction.

The boy deflated at the sight. Maybe she was avoiding him. What had he done to upset Marinette?

"Hey guys," Alya greeted when she reached them.

"Hey," Nino replied, "we were going to see if you two wanted to hang out this afternoon, but it looks like Marinette's busy?"

Adrien was glad he wasn't the only one that noticed her quick departure.

"Oh, yeah," Alya said, glancing worriedly to the ground. "Marinette's um… I don't know whether I should be saying this, but you're her friends and I know Mari trusts you…"

Alarm started to build inside Adrien. "What is it? Is she okay?"

Alya sighed, "She's fine, she's just got a make-up test this afternoon. You guys don't know, hell, I didn't even know until she told me. It looks like she's pulled herself together these last two days… But she almost missed a few due dates for assignments, and she failed her physics test.

Adrien's heart stopped. "H-Her… Her physics test?"

With a solemn nod, Alya continued, "She's been struggling these past few weeks… I don't know, maybe you could tutor her Adrien? You're great with physics."

Adrien couldn't hear a word she was saying, he couldn't hear anything over the blood rushing behind his ears.

Marinette failed her physics test.

"Oh, don't look so surprised, kitty… physics is the worst."

Marinette was retaking her physics test.

"I talked with my physics teacher today and she's letting me take a make-up test to earn a bit of extra-credit."

Marinette was taking the test today.

"Got to pass a test tomorrow, you know?"

Marinette's been struggling these past few weeks.

"I haven't been doing so well in school recently."

No.

It couldn't be.

It's not possible.

Adrien's heart started pounding.

No, he would've noticed.

He should've noticed.

It couldn't be that easy.

Adrien's eyes instantly found Marinette on the other side of the school, heading towards the science buildings, her dark-haired pig-tails gracefully bouncing with her. It was at the last minute she looked over she shoulder, her crystal sky-blue eyes piercing through his own, before she disappeared around the corner. He'd seen those eyes numerous times, both behind a spotted mask and not.

"Adrien? Are you okay?"

He wasn't. He couldn't breathe.

Marinette was Ladybug. Ladybug was Marinette.

Marinette was his fierce, brave and incredibly witty partner. Ladybug was his sweet, caring and amazingly talented friend. Both cute. Both beautiful. The same person!

"Bro?"

It was Marinette in his room that night, crying because she'd hurt Chat Noir. It was Marinette who pulled him close simply because he offered to help. It was Marinette who he'd fallen asleep next too, who he'd gazed at longingly when she'd been so close – who he wanted to kiss!

And it was Ladybug who sat behind him in class, who squeaked and blushed when he smiled or complimented her. It was Ladybug who choke on nothing but air when Alya showed the photo of them together. It was Ladybug who had been avoiding him these last few days.

Of course, Marinette had been avoiding him. She'd broken down crying to him when she'd been transformed as a protector of Paris, he'd be embarrassed too.

And no wonder he'd dreamed of Marinette when he fell asleep with Ladybug.

Marinette was the love of his…

Oh, no.

"Adrien!?"

Adrien's vision became blurry. He tried to breathe but he just couldn't. His brain couldn't handle this sudden revelation, so his body did the only thing it could:

He fainted.


So that happened! I like to think Adrien wouldn't be completely oblivious to clues like that

Thank you to everyone that reviewed/fav/followed this story, it means so much! Hope you enjoyed part 2, let me know what you think!

DELETED SCENE:

LB: "Seriously, Chat, why strawberry pancakes?"

CN: "There's only so many different types of croissants, I can't have people shouting the same thing at me."

- because Chat Noir is a sweetheart who does what he can when a child gets akumatised.