Hey everyone!
As I promised, here it is the next part! I'm not going to lie, new fandoms have dragged me away from MLB, but here it is the new chapter.
Also, thank you guys for your comments encouraging me to continue this story! That means the world to me!

As always, english isn't my first language, and this piece was unbeta'ed.
Find me on tumblr as miitzwrites
Enjoy!


The days passed, and the young heroes didn't fix their relationship. And, when Marinette had a serious talk with Mister Fu for the first time, his doubts complicated her feelings.

If Gabriel Agreste had the ancient book that kept the secrets of the miraculouses, could he be Hawkmoth?

They weren't so sure, but in the stress of the moment, fighting against the Collector, he told her Chat her doubts.

She shouldn't have done that.

The usual green lime color of his eyes turned into an acidic shade, giving him a wilder look. She wanted to apologize, but it was late.

Later, when the fight ended, and she purified the akuma, she was relieved to see Gabriel hugging his son.

But her mind didn't leave her alone. So, she made the "most reasonable" thing to do in their situation.

She visited Adrien late at night.

The window was opened, and with a swing of her yo-yo, she let herself in, watching as the blonde boy do something on his computer, and a small, black figure hanged on his shoulder.

"Kid, you have visits." The small creature, who she knew was Plagg, his kwami, said. He flew over to her, bowing slightly. "My, Tikki's protégé is pretty. I'm Plagg, Chat's kwami. Pleased to meet ya, LB."

"Likewise, Plagg," Ladybug answered, shifting her attention to Adrien, who seemed unfazed by her presence. "Could you give us a minute alone?"

"Sure thing. Tell Tikki I wanna see her, soon! She promised she'd give me one of the delicatessens that her girl makes for her." With that, Plagg disappeared in the shadows of the room, giving both teens some privacy.

"Can we talk, Adrien?"

"Why? So, you can keep implying that my dad is the worst person in Paris?" His bitterness was accentuated by the hard look he threw at her over his shoulders. "I've heard enough."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, taking a step closer to him, "It's just… he had this book, and it's important to us. In the wrong hands, it could mean our end."

That peeked Adrien' curiosity. "You mean the book with Hawkmoth and the others? Why is it so important?"

"I can't tell you, yet but. -" Adrien threw his hands up in the air, dramatically, not that he cared at the moment that he looked like a fifteen spoiled boy. But he was tired of lies and half-truths.

"Another thing you can't tell me. Is it too bad to have me as your partner? I thought I deserved a little bit more of your trust."

"No, Adrien, don't say that. You're the best partner."

"Then what it is?"

"I promised not to tell you anything until it's time for you to know," Ladybug replied, admiring the serious frown in Adrien's face. "And I don't think I'm ready to tell you who I am."

Adrien looked up at her. Her cheeks had a pretty pink blush, making her eyes look bigger and bluer if that was even possible. He got up from his seat, and walked up to her, stopping right in front of her. How did her cheeks look even redder?

"Why do you like Adrien?" he asked, voice suddenly soft and uncertain.

"Because he's one of the kindest people I know," she replied, trying extra hard to keep her eyes on him and not to stutter as she spoke.

"And why don't you like Chat?" he was getting bolder, lifting his hand to touch the strands of one of her pigtails.

"I always thought, if you wouldn't exist, I would give Chat a chance," she said, holding her breath for a moment.

"Being Chat has given me more freedom that I have ever had, but you just like so many others, prefers me as Adrien."

She took his hand, and his eyes widened. "Without Adrien, I wouldn't have my partner and best friend."

"I wanna know you better," he murmured, soft, taking a small step closer to Ladybug, observing her small freckles on her cheeks and nose. "And I want you to know me more. Can you do that for me?"

"I'm not sure," she answered with all honesty. With this closeness, it was easy to spot the small scar on his right eye. Did he fall down as a child? She wanted to know more of him in that instant, but, "But it wouldn't be fair for you. I have my reservations to reveal myself to you, not only because it may be dangerous to know each other's identity, but also because I'm afraid you might see me and be disappointed."

"Just like you are with me?"

"The guy I like, and my best friend are the same person. I'm definitely the luckiest," a small, nervous laugh slipped from her lips, and Adrien couldn't help but smile a little. "When this is over, and Hawkmoth is incarcerated, I promise you, you will be the first to know my identity. Until then, let me have my best friend back, please."

Adrien couldn't say no to that face, to those eyes that shone under the soft light of his bedroom, and in an impulse, he leaned down, kissing her forehead. "We're a team, aren't we?"

"An invincible team," she nodded, and a single tear rolled down her cheeks. "I have to go, but let's do patrol sometime this week, right?"

Adrien nodded, stepping back to bow down and kiss her hand, "See you later, my lady."

A small giggle erupted for Ladybug's lips, "See you later, kitty." Using her yo-yo, she jumped out Adrien's window, back into the night.

"You have it bad, boy," Plagg said out of nowhere, munching a piece of cheese, watching how his holder hadn't moved for a solid minute.

"You had no idea Plagg," Adrien replied, sign in softly. "Hey Plagg, did you know who she is?"

The little god almost choked on his cheese, "Why would you think that?"

"I'm curious. If you keep in touch with her kwamii, then you have to know something."

"I'm not telling you anything, kid," the little black god crossed his tinny arms over his chest. "Just trust this girl. Tikki always has the best holders, and this one is smart and skilled."

"But Plagg.-"

"No, no. Listen to me for once. We, the cats, work better in the shadows, so we can launch an attack that no one expects. But the ladybugs are supposed to fly and interest people, so they are in the front. You think I don't know Tikk's hiding something from me? Of course, I do! She's a little monster, you see, the wisest of the kwamiis, and so I trust her because, without her, I wouldn't exist." The firm and confident voice of his kwamii surprised Adrien. When he nodded, Plagg added, "and don't push her. Everyone deals differently when they have a miraculous. She was scared, and you were a little idiot who didn't let me finish the instructions."

"Hey! Don't be mean!"

"Okay, okay. You got my point, alright? Don't push her or you'll lose her. And, if you wanna know something, we and the ladybugs are meant to be, though that doesn't mean a life of happiness. Sometimes, it means tragedy. Give her and yourself some time. And if everything works out well, you will be with your little girlfriend, and I'll be back with my Tikk."

"So, you and LB's kwamii are. -"

"End of the kwamii-protégé talk!" Plagg yelled, and flew to Adrien's bed, hiding under the covers.

A smile formed on his lips, and, although things didn't work out as planned, he didn't feel as disappointed as before.