It was Sunday night. Marinette was back to sitting on her bed and wondering. Her mind was still on the events of yesterday.

She didn't usually watch the news, but she had made an exception yesterday. She had watched the replay of the firemen taking care of a small fire with the help of Ladybug and Chat Noir. That had been the accident that was the reason for Hawkmoth sending an akuma to the trapped people.

While the superheroes were lending their hands to the firemen, Marinette had been given the task to make sure everyone got safely home. The adults had assured her they knew their way, and Marinette had helped the children call their parents. She had watched the tearful and desperate hugs between family members with a sad smile.

Marinette had walked the elderly woman to her home. Marinette had suggested a taxi, but Clara had insisted she needed fresh air. She was a very friendly woman with a bright smile.

Marinette knew some people would have eagerly wanted to be a part of putting out the fire, but Marinette was oddly satisfied with her role

Her designing stuff was on the desk. They hadn't been touched in a while. And the date outfits were still unfinished.

Marinette stood up and placed her feet into her pink slippers. She made her way to the desk with a small grin. She had many unanswered questions about yesterday, but that didn't feel like it mattered right now.

Just by lifting the fabric up again Marinette felt like she was in her element. Not making random pieces out of necessity for a superhero mission, actually making clothes. Making them out of passion. Wanting someone to wear them, to see them. She stopped for a second. That was a scary thought. But she had already been a lot more brave this weekend than she had been during her whole life.

After a while of sewing, Marinette heard a knock from her window. She had no doubts about who it was.

"It's open," she said without lifting her head. She knew Chat would hear her, she hadn't fully closed the window in order to keep her room a bit cooler.

"Hey, princess," Chat Noir jumped inside and made her way to Marinette. "Did you leave your window open just for me?"

"Mm," Marinette had her mind on the clothings.

"I'm flattered," Chat let out an unnatural laugh.

"Mm."

And then Chat Noir was suddenly right in front of her. He gently held up her chin and fiercely looked into her eyes, forcing Marinette to focus on him. She could feel Chat's warm breath. She wasn't sure when this had happened, but the clothes she had been holding were on the floor now.

"Why aren't you paying attention to me?" Chat asked with a calm and quiet voice.

Marinette opened her mouth but no words came out. She just stared at Chat, who was only a few centimeters away. What was she supposed to say?

Chat snapped out of it and abruptly let go of Marinette's chin. "I don't know w-what that was," Chat clumsily jumped away from Marinette. "I'm sorry, I don't know why I did that, I just..."

"It's fine," Marinette said, still surprised. She tried to cover up her confusion by smiling. "I can take a break from these for a little," she picked up the clothes from the ground.

Chat had turned his face away from Marinette. He was holding his hand in front of him, and Marinette thought he looked a little red.

"So, what's up?" she asked. She was secretly a bit amused by Chat's embarrassment.

"Nothing. Wait, no," Chat glanced at Marinette and then turned away again. "I thought we should talk about yesterday."

"Yeah, I have been thinking about that," Marinette revealed. "You wanna talk in the bakery? We made too many chocolate cupcakes."

o - o - o - o - o

"Letting me eat all these cupcakes is so sweet of you, princess," Chat said before he stuffed another brown cupcake into his mouth.

They were sitting around a table for two with a plate full of cupcakes between them. Marinette was looking at Chat and trying not to smile. There was frosting on his face.

Marinette rolled her eyes. "This is a pun-free zone. And you're not allowed to eat them all," she grabbed one for herself.

"So, about yesterday..." Chat seemed like he remembered that he hadn't come here to eat. "Thanks for getting the people safely home. The police questioned them but they don't remember a lot."

"So no clues as to who Hawkmoth is?" Marinette sighed. They also wouldn't know how exactly everything happened. "Well, what matters is that the people got out."

"Yeah," Chat ate another cupcake. He seemed a little distracted.

Marinette leaned on her hand. "Did you get any answers as to how Hawkmoth was able to use the kindergarten? Or how they were fed?"

"Fred Haprèle told us that they had been getting anonymous boxes that were placed in the storage we saw. The workers had thought they were just filled with toys, and they already had too many of those, but..."

"That's sick," Marinette suddenly felt ill. How were they even able to breathe?

"Apparently some of the packages also had food."

Marinette nodded. She didn't say anything for a little bit, and neither did Chat.

"Also, Marinette... About the akuma," Chat left the cupcakes alone for once. "We didn't know a person could fight them with their mind, and purify them like that..."

"New information for all of us," Marinette gave a weak smile.

"Frankly, I don't think Sabrina could've done it alone. You really helped her get through it. Thanks," Chat said. He looked very sincere. "All we do is fight, and you thought of a completely different way to handle things. It was amazing."

A hot feeling spread on Marinette's face. She knew she was blushing. "Ehe... Well, the problem is that you're never around when someone gets akumatized."

When Chat playfully glared at her for pushing the admiration away, she continued. "It was mostly Sabrina. But I did do my best to help. So thanks," she nervously played with a cupcake.

Chat snorted. "Getting better, but you're still too modest. You're just so..." Chat smiled in a way that made Marinette blush even more. Why? She didn't know. "I don't even know. You do your best even if you feel unsure. It's miraculous. You're miraculous."

"Woah, kitty..." Marinette leaned back. She felt like she didn't have enough air. "You're really taking your promise seriously, huh?" She still remembered what Chat had said in the park a few days back. She hadn't actually thought Chat would drown her in compliments.

"What promise?"

Marinette dropped her cupcake. Did Chat really not remember? Was he saying all this just because? "I... uh... It's nothing. Thank you."

"There's still more I want to talk to you about," Chat said and picked up the fallen pastry. His expression changed, Marinette saw his smile leave his face.

"Go on," she said, a little worried of what was to come.

"I never apologized for calling your crush silly. I'm really sorry." Chat frowned. "I was just pissed off about my own situation and tried to drag you into it. I shouldn't have."

"Apology accepted." Marinette was happy everything had been cleared between them.

"He's a lucky guy. A stupid guy for not asking you out yet, but a lucky guy." And there it was again. The genuine look in his eyes.

Chat stood up without a warning. "Thank you for the cupcakes and the good company, but I better go now. I need to catch Ladybug before she stops patrolling."

The plate on the table had lost most of its sweets. Marinette took it, knowing that this was the end of their eating session. "Catch Ladybug?"

Chat grinned sheepishly. "I'm gonna confess to her."

Marinette's jaw dropped. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get her, tiger! I mean, kitty." She started pushing Chat out the door.

"I'm going, I'm going... I just wanted you to be the first to know." Chat was standing outside the bakery. Marinette only needed to close the door and this meeting would be over.

"Hey," she started. Their mission was over now, and there was no reason left for them to keep in touch. She forced the words out of her. "Are we going to see each other again?"

Chat's eyebrows rose. But he quickly pulled back his usual, playful look. "Why of course. Who else am I going to get royal cupcakes from?"

Marinette laughed out of relief and started to close the door. "Bye, Chat."

"Bye, Mari."

o - o - o - o - o

The stars were out. As Chat Noir, Adrien had jumped over many of the rooftops of Paris before stopping on the most familiar one. He knew almost all of them, but this one in particular was close to his heart. It was their place.

And there he saw her. His lady. Watching over the streets of the city, making sure nothing was out of the ordinary.

His lady, whom he had fallen for over a year ago. When he had been inexperienced and lost, his lady had known exactly how to save the day.

His lady, whom he didn't know the identity of. Wearing the mask was a red-headed, strong young woman, but who was behind it? The same girl, he was sure.

"Hi," Adrien said. He watched as Ladybug turned around. In Adrien's eyes, she was brighter than the moon beside her.

"Hey, chaton. I thought I was patrolling today," she raised her eyebrows.

"You are. I just needed to tell you something," Adrien gulped. There had been a weird distance between them lately, but Adrien wanted to close it. He was ready to talk it out. If Marinette could do the things she was uncertain of, so could he.

Ladybug's odd expression made Adrien back away from the real subject. "I told Marinette about what we found out."

"That's good. Thanks, chaton," she smiled. Her smile was confident, as always.

"That's not why I came here, though," Adrien took a breath. He couldn't get nervous now. He had been able to flirt with ease before, but this was different. This was for real.

Ladybug looked like she was waiting for him to continue, so he did. "I feel like something's been off for a while now. Between us."

The atmosphere turned almost visibly uneasy. "I've noticed."

"Why? Have I done something? Why are you so distant?" Adrien moved closer to the spotted hero. She turned her gaze away.

"I'm truly sorry, Chat Noir. I can't tell you," Ladybug said. She looked like she really was sorry, but that only added to Adrien's despair.

"Aren't we supposed to be partners?" he whispered. Adrien wanted Ladybug to trust him the same way he trusted her.

"We are. It's just..."

"I'm in love with you!" he yelled. He didn't mean to let it out like that. He had planned to be more charming, more captivating. He had planned to get Ladybug's heart with his gentle words, but instead he just spat them out. But he couldn't get them back.

He waited for an answer.

He waited for her to go from pained to surprised. But she didn't.

"Yeah."

Adrien felt like he had been punched in the stomach. 'Yeah'?

"What do you mean?" he asked calmly. Even though everything was a mess inside him right now.

Ladybug faced him directly. "I thought so. I'm sorry."

"So..." Adrien knew what was to come, but had to ask anyway. "How do you feel about me?"

Ladybug looked like she could burst into tears. That didn't happen. "I can't. You think I'm someone I'm not."

"Then who are you!?"

"I've been distant with you because I knew you thought of me in the wrong way. It wasn't the best way to handle the situation, I know. I just wish we could go back to how it was," Ladybug explained without answering the question.

"Who are you?" Adrien asked again. He hadn't pressed for an answer before, but he couldn't help himself anymore. Everything else was broken already.

Ladybug took a shaky breath. "I know I've been wanting to keep our identities secret, for safety reasons and other things, too..." She looked at her partner again. "But I think this is tearing us apart too much, and I can't let our partnership crumble."

"I'll go first, I'm - "

"No," Ladybug placed a finger on Adrien's lips. "That's not necessary."

"What?" Everything was so unclear.

"I'm not human."

Adrien laughed. He didn't know why. Nothing about this was funny. "Well, you're a superhero."

"No."

Everything turned red. Red was all Adrien could see, and red was all that surrounded Ladybug. Adrien had never actually seen someone transform before, he had always been the one transforming. It felt like the moment lasted for forever, but in reality it was only for a few seconds.

Ladybug wasn't the red-headed girl Adrien was used to seeing.

She was small.

And she was floating in the air.

"My name is Tikki. I'm a kwami."