"The Reveal"

Marinette blushed and froze for a moment. Cat Noir didn't catch what she had just said. He was absorbing the information slowly and reluctantly. Suddenly, he felt the happiness filling him. At the same second Marinette moved to escape from the balcony and to hide in her bedroom. The cat's instinct helped him to catch her wrist at the last moment before she managed to leave. He needed her to stay. He needed to know more.

"Let me go…" she whispered, not looking at him.

"I can't."

"Don't tell anyone, please… He cannot get known."

"Why?"

"No… I can't… I will die… It's so embarrassing…"

"Why it's embarrassing?"

"Cat… please… Let me go…"

"Tell me, Marinette."

"I won't risk the friendship." She answered firmly turning to him.

"It's a little late for that…" he said, smiling.

"You're really going to tell him?" she asked with disbelief and disappointment in her eyes.

"I don't have to. He's already known, Marinette." He smiled widely.

He knew what he had to do. He couldn't lose her. He had to risk the friendship to save something at least equally valuable. Something he wanted the most. Her love.

"Plagg, claws in…"

Marinette's eyes widened with astonishment. There was Adrien standing next to her, still holding her hand.

"I wouldn't forgive myself knowing that you think I betrayed your trust." He whispered. "I wouldn't tell anyone your secret. But you had to know that I know from you, not from Cat Noir."

"Oh…" she froze for a moment. "But… But if you're Cat Noir… that means… that means…" suddenly, she realised that she had already kissed Adrien Agreste… And she blushed immediately. "But I don't understand… Cat Noir… he loves Ladybug…" she whispered.

"No." Adrien answered. "I love you."

"And Ladybug?"

"I don't know… I've been fascinated with her for so many months. I thought it was love. But today I finally realised what love actually is. And who's the person I love… A friend of mine asked me today a question what Ladybug had that you didn't." they heard muted you're welcome, kid from Adrien's chest and he blushed. "And I realised that… there's no such thing. Uhm, it's complicated…" he sighed.

"See? I told you…" she laughed suddenly. "But I think I can dispel at least that one doubt…"

"Can you do that for two doubts?"

"Two?"

"Uhm, I don't know what is the one you're talking about… But I'd appreciate, if you tell me… something the most important."

"The most important?"

"Well… Actually, I figured it out a little, and you made a slip of a tongue a little. But… I really need to hear it. Do you… Do you love me?" He asked, and both his face and ears made red.

"Oh, Adrien Agreste… Yes. I love you." She said smiling at him and feeling a relief that these words were not a secret of her heart anymore.

"That's great. Because I love you too, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." He answered with a laugh and embraced her.

He stared at her eyes. How didn't he notice before that they are so beautiful? How didn't he notice the shape of her lips, just made to be kissed. Yes. To be kissed.

He leaned and kissed her for the first time. And the second. And the next one. Happiness was buzzing in his head. She hugged him firmly, plunged her hands into his hair, and they continued kissing for a wonderful long moment.

Suddenly Marinette pulled him away. They looked dazed at each other.

"Wait, one more thing." She said.

"One more thing?" he didn't understand.

"I promised you something."

"To dispel a doubt." He remembered. "But I already know everything."

"Not quite… There's something I need to tell you…" she turned to her bedroom. "Tikki?"

Adrien felt his heart stopped, when he saw a little red pellet coming to Marinette. He didn't have to ask what that was. Even if he had any doubts left, Plagg answered to all unasked questions.

"Hi, Tikki. It's been a while…" Plagg welcomed Tikki.

"I think that if I've known, you should know as well." Marinette whispered.

Adrien stared at her in shock, trying to absorb all information. A miraculous evening!

"You do realise that we are bonded with this secret for the rest of our lives?" he whispered grinned. "Only you and I know that I'm Cat Noir and you're Ladybug. So, you can see we have to be together forever…" he hugged her and leaned for kissing her again.

"Uhm… There is Master Fu as well. Who knows." She said the only thing she could formulate in a sentence.

"Who?" he froze millimetres from her lips.

"Master Fu. The Miraculous Guardian." She explained with a smile, that he could feel on his lips.

"Mhmm… I don't think I see him anywhere in our relationship…" he joked, and she laughed.

"You do have something of Cat Noir in you! How could I miss that before?"

"I am Cat Noir. He's all me."

"No. You are completely different!" she denied. "Cat Noir is not serious, he's irritating and flirting all the time!"

"That's not true! I have flirted only with you and Ladybug. So, still only with you. But… I think you're right. It seems that I'm a little shyer without the mask…"

"Uhm… Shy? Where did your shyness go?" she smiled, plunging her hands into his hair.

"Yep, gone." He muttered, leaning to kiss her.

"So sweet…" Tikki whispered.

"Yeah…" Plagg murmured. "I'll be sick of this sweetness, that's sure. Oh, I would kill for a piece of camembert. Just for the balance."

Marinette stopped a kiss immediately and turned to Plagg.

"You're hungry?" she asked with concern.

"Hello!" Adrien tried to draw her attention back, but a second later he smiled with comprehension. That was all of her. Feed those, who was hungry.

"I'll bring you something." She left in a hurry.

"You should be happy that I like you…" Adrien muttered to Plagg. "Otherwise I would kill you now."

"Oh, come on, kid. Sorry for interrupting you this romantic moment, but you have the rest of your lives for that. And my life would end soon if I didn't get my camembert…"

"Sure, it would…" Adrien answered with a smile. He couldn't be angry with Plagg.