Heya guys. So I'm back after *checks watch* two years and ten days. Wow.

I got back to my account and I'm planning on finishing some of my old fics and this one is on top of the ones I'm gonna finish.

My idea of where I'm taking this story has improved, and so has my writing style.

I also modified the fic description and I wanna add two things the description length won't let me: it will include a Chloé redemption and an eventual reveal.

You can also find this fic on AO3 under the same title, my account nickname is the same. Link /users/Juliette01/works

So, enjoy the new chapter.

Marinette looked horrified. Truly, honest to God horrified. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was half open and what sounded like a squeake escaped her.

She stepped back from Chat, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she murmured. "I shouldn't- I shouldn't have done that. I'm so sorry, Chat."

"Hey, hey." Chat tried to take her hands in his to calm her but she squeaked and almost ran from him, backing herself into a wall. "Marinette. Listen."

"I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," She nearly cried out before realizing her parents were home and she just kissed Chat and they could've walked in at any time and oh God what would they have thought about her, she couldn't believe what she'd done, she'd kissed Chat when he was supposed to date someone else, she was a bad person, a horrible person, maybe even worse than Hawkmoth and he was a villain-

"Marinette." Chat grabbed her wrists, effectively cutting off her train of thoughts. Well, more like several trains going in several different directions but risking to crash together-

"Marinette, calm down." His voice was gentle and she could faintly register a soft vibration that sounded suspiciously like purring coming from his ribcage. She rested her hands on his chest and holy shit did the akuma fighting pay off with those muscles.

Chat Noir's laugh once again brought her back to the present. "Well, I'm paw-sitively thrilled you think that about me, Marinette, but-"

"You heard that?" She felt her face burning and wanted to scream. This couldn't be happening to her. "I'm sorry," she said again, wanting to just disappear. Yeah, that would probably help her.

"Marinette, you were talking out loud," Chat laughed again and it was such a cute sound, it brought her a memory of a rainy day and thunders and a black umbrella and green eyes watching her and a truly beautiful, happy laugh-

"You're not a bad person, Marinette. You're wonderful and kind and so, so selfless you always think about others, and you deserve to show your feelings and take a break from being the bigger person for once and just, just let yourself feel." He was smiling down at her now, almost panting from his rant, beautiful green eyes sparkling with pride and affection and something else she couldn't name but was sure it was directed at her.

Focus, Marinette, she ordered herself.

"I kissed you, Chaton. When I know you're dating someone else! That's horrible of me!"

"Letting yourself feel isn't a bad thing, Princess." He loosely wrapped his arms around her, letting her the choice of pushing him away if so she wanted.

Her heart was soaring.

"I'm still sorry." She pressed closer to him, allowing him to hug her properly, her own arms going around him. "I'm not... I don't usually do that."

"I know. An it's okay, Mari. You don't have to apologize. Plus, I kinda liked it." He smiled and rested his chin on the top of her head, resisting the urge to kiss her hair.

"Don't say things like that," Marinette groaned, burying her face in his chest. She ignored the way his heart seemed to beat so fast, in tandem to her own. "I don't want you to think I want to come between you and your new girlfriend," she whispered. "I'd hate it if I ended up doing that."

"Hey, it's okay. That won't happen. It was just a little kiss. Friends sometimes do that, right?" Even he knew you didn't just kiss your friends like that. Even he, who had spent most of his life in his house and the only social outings had been his father's meetings or his own photoshoots, knew friends didn't kiss each other like he and Mari had. Lovers, on the other hand...

It just felt right, to kiss her.

"Yeah, on the cheek, not on the lips. You can't be that clueless, Chat," Marinette groaned again, seeming to make herself smaller against him. Though he did notice the way her muscles flexed and meow, his Princess surely hid her strength well. It reminded him of someone else he knew, strong and confident and hopeful and with a will of steel and a body not too different from Marinette's, muscled from all the running and fighting they had been doing in the past months-

"Well, I'm sorry I don't get this kind of treatment everywhere I go. I may flirt but I haven't really kissed anybody," he replied, trying to not let his thoughts wander in that direction. It wasn't fair to compare Marinette to Ladybug. They were so different and yet... kind of familiar, now that he thought about it.

That thought snuck in and sure enough both girls were amazing and smart and didn't take any bullshit and-

"Really?" Marinette's sweet voice interrupted his thoughts and he was grateful for that cause he might have been really close to losing himself in a sea of compliments for both Ladybug and Marinette.

"Uh." He needed a moment to remember what they were talking about and when he did, he nodded a bit too vigorously. "Yeah. I didn't really, you know. I didn't have time. Even before becoming Chat Noir, my civilian life didn't exactly include a girlfriend. Until now, apparently. And uh, now, being a superhero takes a lot of time so..." he trailed off, letting his sentence hang.

"Oh." Marinette looked at up him, and he was struck when he realized he found her breathtaking. "I didn't know."

He just shrugged in response.

Silence.

Marinette disentangled herself from him and went to sit down at her computer. Chat followed her but chose to sit on the floor instead, making her giggle.

"Silly cat," she said and reached over, running her hands through his hair. He clawed at her hand playfully, careful enough not to scratch her.

"I'm not silly. I'm a superhero."

"Right now you're my silly cat," she laughed. Until she realized what she'd said and how it sounded. "I-I uh, I mean, you know. You're not, I mean, you're not my cat but, but you were acting silly and, well, you're wearing a leather cat suit and, and I should shut up now."

He laughed again, the same rich sound from earlier. "It's okay, Marinette." He tapped one claw against his chin in thought. "I'm your silly cat so that might make you... my clumsy Princess." He grinned at the nickname and looked expectantly at her for her opinion.

"Don't be silly, kitty. You're only saying that so I'll kiss you again and break some spell."

"Why of course, Princess. That way the spell will be broken and I'll turn back into a handsome prince," Chat played along, snickering.

"I don't know what to say, chaton. The spell could backfire and turn me into a cat. Or even worse, a frog."

"In that case, Purr-incess," Chat all but purred, leaning towards her, "I'll find a way to break that spell and we'll work together against the witch who cursed us." His smile was contagious and Marinette found herself nodding.

"And we'll defeat the evil witch and save the kingdom from an era of darkness and suffering."

"And us working against the evil witch will make people realize that only working together will save them," Chat added.

"And they'll help us defeat the witch once and for all and we'll be an unstoppable force of good, helping those in need."

"And we'll become a legend among other people, and when we're done we'll ride off into sunset together and live happily ever after." Chat's voice became softer as he started at Marinette with dreamy eyes. She blinked in surprise, not expecting to hear that from him. And not expecting the way her heart seemed to speed up at the thought.

"I-I..."

"Sorry. I took it too far." He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Just got caught up in the story, you know."

"Yeah, no, I get it." Marinette laughed. "I guess that's how you want things to happen with Ladybug? For the two of you to take down Hawkmoth and live happily ever after?" She ignored the way her stomach was flipping in excitement at hearing what he wished would be their happy ending.

"I guess. I mean, I did at the beginning. I still do, in a way. I guess. I'm just not sure what I want now. It's... complicated."

It wasn't the answer she was expecting. And she didn't know how to feel about this answer. "I don't know what to say."

Chat Noir shrugged. "You don't have to say anything." He glanced around the room, acutely aware of the lack of pictures on the walls. The room felt naked without them.

Silence.

"I... I guess I should go now," he said one minute later when none of them seemed to know what else to say. "I got school tomorrow and I know you do too and I wouldn't want you to be too tired so yeah." He cleared his throat and went to the skylight leading outside, opening it. She was right behind him, a steady presence that helped him remain composed.

He almost wanted to cry. He didn't want to leave just yet but he also didn't want to stay in the wake what he'd said. There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted what he'd said, from defeating Hawkmoth to spending his life with his love. The problem was, he wasn't sure who he meant. Sure, he loved Ladybug but he also cared deeply for Marinette, she was his classmate, and more importantly she was his friend, in and out of the suit. There was also the new addition in his love life, while he didn't love Chloé in that way, he cared for her as a friend, as his first friend ever, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings, he wanted to let her know in a gentle way so she wouldn't hate him.

And he should probably leave before he ended up blurting out something else to Marinette.

"Goodnight, Marinette," he said as he climbed out onto her balcony and she only poked her head outside. "I'll see you tomorrow..." he stopped suddenly, realizing she didn't know he was Adrien. "After my patrol," he added. "I might drop off after my patrol."

"See you then, chaton."

His brow furrowed. "I shout give you my phone number. So we can talk more often. In case I can't come."

"Chat, there's the risk of finding out who you are if you do that."

"I know that. Maybe I could buy a burner phone, with a new SIM. Yeah, that could work."

"I still don't think it's a good idea." Marinette bit her lip. "Someone could find out."

"I'll be careful. Besides, we're friends. There's nothing wrong with two friends texting each other. I text my friends all the time. Well, as my civilian self that is but still. Even the girl I'm supposed to date, we've been friends since forever and we text a lot." He made sure to look extra cute, widening his eyes and pouting just a little to help his case. "I'll be careful, I promise."

"Okay, chaton. Once you get a new phone I'll give you my number."

"Great. You're awesome, Mari." He leaned down enough to kiss her cheek. "A kiss on the cheek is normal between friends," he said with a shrug. "Goodnight, Princess." He bowed before leaping away.

"Goodnight, kitty," Marinette whispered though he was already gone. She stayed only a few seconds longer before going back inside and locking the skylight.

"What am I going to do, Tikki?" She asked as her kwami flew to her from her hiding place.

"Don't worry, Marinette. You'll figure it out like you always do."

Marinette shook her head. "How can I? I kissed Chat and I'd do it again without regretting but at the same time I wouldn't do it. Ugh, why is everything so hard, Tikki?"

The little kwami found her way on the shoulder of her chosen. "You worry about Adrien, don't you?"

"Yeah. And Chat too. They're both dating someone else and I... I don't know what I'm supposed to feel."

"Oh Marinette, you're not supposed to know how to feel anything. You just do So you still love Adrien, that's not a problem. You're allowed to still have feelings for him. It's when you'd start trying to break them up that it'd be a problem."

"What about Chat?" Marinette whispered, climbing in her bed. "He's also dating someone else. Maybe he doesn't love her that way but it doesn't mean he won't. If they're friends then he cares about her and those feelings might deepen if they date and then... and then I don't know." She was nearly tearful by now, sniffling. "Is it selfish of me to, to wish things were different?"

"No. It's okay to want things, Marinette. You're not selfish for wanting it, and you're certainly not selfish for having feelings. You always put everyone before you, so much that you almost forget about your own needs. You can want things for yourself. You're Ladybug, and wanting something doesn't make you any less of a good person." Tikki frowned before laughing. "And it surely doesn't make you worse than Hawkmoth."

"Tikki!" Marinette exclaimed. "I didn't, I don't... I mean, you know what I meant."

The little goddess of creation giggled. "I know what you meant." She nuzzled into her Chosen's cheek. "Don't worry about it, Marinette. I'm sure things will work out eventually. And I know you'll get through this like you always do, and with a happy ending as well."

"You have a lot of faith in me, Tikki."

"Of course I do. You're Marinette, my friend and one of the best Ladybugs I've had. That's why I know it will be okay."

"Thank you, Tikki." Marinette smiled. "I hope you're right."

Tikki nodded but didn't say anything else on the matter. Instead, she flew back in front of her Chosen. "Now c'mon, it's been a long day and you have school early tomorrow."

"And a Chloé Bourgeois to deal with," Marinette said with a groan. "And she's even worse now that she's dating..." she didn't finish the sentence so she just shook her head instead. "I need energy for that."

Once she was sure Marinette had fallen asleep, Tikki flew over to her usual spot to ponder over what happened over the past few days. She knew from Plagg why Adrien and Chloé were dating - she had before Marinette found out in class but hadn't told her Chosen in case she put two and two together and figured out who Chat was.

Now that was a bigger problem, Tikki mused. She knew who Chat Noir was, had known ever since he and Marinette met again after receiving their Miraculous. She and Plagg had even spent time together in Adrien's bag during class when there was no akuma attack.

Tikki knew how much Chat Noir loved Ladybug, and how much Marinette loved Adrien, and after tonight she realized they started to see their other identity in another light. While she may have had her hunches before, now she was sure their feelings for the other ran deeply than just friends.

They were soulmates, made from each other in every way possible, be it romantic or just platonic.

Some of her past ladybugs and some of Plagg's kittens had remained friends, feeling only platonic love for the other, but with a strong bond between them.

Others had ended up together one way or another, either when they still had their Miraculous or long after they'd stopped using it, and the latter were her favorites. It was when they had faced hardship, both together and separately, and they had always remembered each other so being together was only natural.

There were also cases when they loved each other but couldn't be together, be it because they married someone else or one or both of them either died and they never got a chance to be together, and some didn't even get to confess their feelings.

With the current holders, their love for each other was so strong, both in and out of the suit and she was sure they were among those who would end up together one day, but they were so oblivious sometimes it hurt. She and Plagg had had many instances like the current one, she recognized the signs of romantic soulmates. Even more so, they started to love the other part of them, and it happened a lot sooner than she expected but maybe it was a good thing.

And maybe it was time for them to know who they were.

While revealing their identities was dangerous, it was clear by now they would never do something to intentionally hurt the other, and maybe, just maybe, knowing who the other was under the mask might make them stronger and help them defeat Hawkmoth.

Or maybe that was just wishful thinking...

No. Well, in a way it might have been but revealing their identities might come in handy, during fights and even wheb making excuses about where they were or why they were late...

Tikki sighed. She couldn't tell Marinette all of this, not right now anyway. She needed to wait until things calmed down a bit, when they weren't so heartbroken and miserable. When Marinette learned to put herself first sometimes and when Adrien learned to be more assertive about what he wanted.

She sighed again. That might take a while.

So I hope you like it.

Expect weekly updates and stay tuned for more

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