Day 19 - Identity Reveal

Day 18 was posted in Snips & Snails & Kitty Cat Tails

To begin; she should never have disclosed her age.

Alya had her laughing, she wasn't sure when, something about how she has to be some hubby's bedbug who's not afraid to bite. And Ladybug laughed, no way, I'm 14!

Tom and Sabine watched the interview with creased brows.

And that kicked off the spark.

"She's Marinette's age... If I were her mother I'd never let her out of my sight." Sabine wrapped an arm around Marinette, and she tensed.

Said proverbial spark lit the fuse that burned eagerly to its destination.

Tom rested his hand over Sabine's. "I can't believe she's a child, risking her life— and who's letting her do this?" Marinette locked her eyes onto their joined hands at her shoulder. "Irresponsible!"

"But you have to admit, she knows what she's doing," Marinette meekly defended.

"I suppose... but for her to have that type of responsibility while she's still developing?" Sabline met Marinette's eye. "It's already hard enough at your age, could you imagine all of Paris on your shoulders?"

With a tight lipped smile, Marinette shook her head.

A day later her parents dragged her downstairs to watch an akuma attack via the news while Chat Noir, sans Ladybug, 'handled it'.

Three days later they began noticing her distinct talent to disappear every attack, and panicked, "where were you!?" Listing all the atrocities their latest akuma could have brought down upon her when she should have been safely inside.

A week, and she was scarcely ever out of their sight.

Chat Noir dragged along the newsreel. Suddenly having a Miraculous was a job. With each new akuma she watched the news a little closer, spied escapes a little faster, except her excuses were failing. Ladybug's fleeting appearances and Marinette's slip-away's did not go beyond their notice.

It was all a matter of not addressing that elephant upstairs.

And her Chaton prowling the nights like a bat signal only urged her decision along.

Skipping beside shadows in the streets, she kept an eye to the sky. Any mention of some kid rooftop watching, spotting Ladybug and she's never getting free. But a girl wandering past midnight? Maybe like three people would care, none of them here.

Vaulting over the top of a near skyscraper, there! She cupped hands around her lips. "Chat Noir!"

And somehow he heard her. Head whipping down, expression so open before recognition set in.

He's boots clapped the pavement. "Marinette?" He glanced over her head. "Isn't it... late?"

"Yeah- well-" shaking her hands under the reins of stage fright, she hoped a little circle. Say it. It's what she prepared for, what Tikki approved she do.

And then imagination painted a pretty alternate. Life under lock and key. Paris scraping by, waiting for her to simply appear, if only to finish Chat's job. And her parents, more paranoid by the second.

Eye clenched shut, she dove in. "I need you to date me."

He, understandably, checked for fever.

"I get you have a life-" he cupped her cheek. "But I need some type of excuse as to why I'm not home-" clamped a hand around the back of her neck. "My best friend can't be it because she chases akuma herself-" he scratched his chin. "And all of my other friends won't lie for me anymore without a reason."

"Not a fever," he murmured to himself.

"I've had a boyfriend before, and the amount of personal space was a godsend. It only has to be pretend."

"Listen." He turned her around, and pushed forward. "I'm sure there's a good reason."

"Right."

"But I can't entertain you right now."

"What? Why?"

"I'm looking for Ladybug." He wistfully gazed at the sky. "She shows up maybe a second before she has to go, something's up."

"Yeah," Marinette sassed under her breath. "She's becoming rapunzel."

"What?"

"So," she changed the subject. "If I give you Ladybug, will you fake date me?"

"Well... sure."

"Okay," she held up Tikki, who lazily waved a moment before zipping back into her bag for a nap. "Now, I need you to show up to my home at noon."

Face slack, he could only stare.

"Chaton?"

He pointed at her nose. "You're?"

"Yes."

"And your parents?"

She sighed, "yeah."

"B-but you?"

"Words."

He shook himself. "Okay." He ran a hand through his hair. "You... you're Ladybug, we- we're going to skip some very important steps, and get right onto dating?"

"Fake, but yes." She cupped her throat. "They think I'm Ladybug, I just need to... show them I'm not. You don't have to... but it would mean a lot to me."

"So I show up, out of costume, and pretend you're my girlfriend?"

"Yes. Also, try and wear something... odd."

Blinking rapidly, he gave a jerky nod. "Okay"

She clicked her phone on for the time. "Annnd I have to go!" Leaning her weight back, she tripped, turned around, and jogged.

He met her pace close behind.

"What if some guy shows up before I do, and you mistake him for me, tell everyone you two are together, then I show up and ruin everything!?"

"How would that happen!?"

"I dunno! I've seen it happen before!"

"Where!?"

He fell silent. "...romcoms"

"What the hell do you think this is? -don't answer that. You know where I live. Show up anything but early, I have an idea."

The next day, cooking up some brunch, Marinette smiled. Her parents sat around the table, awaiting her surprise.

"Okay." Marinette drooped her shoulders. Nervousness she didn't have to fake, but caution was hard to feign under all her building excitement. In an hour she'd be free of all suspicion! "I've been holding off, but I think you should know."

"Know what?" Sabine asked as Tom took her hand.

"I... have a boyfriend."

They hit the back of their chairs. "You do?"

"Yeah, he's a bit of a rebel, so I wasn't sure you'd approve." She chuckled. "We've been meeting up during akuma attacks so no one would notice but..."

Sabine crossed her arms. "Can we meet this boyfriend?"

"Of course!"

The doorbell rang.

"Hold on."

Marinette dashed to the door, and flung it open with a wide smile. "Hi!"

"Hi!" Adrien reflected her brimming energy.

She slammed it.

Then cracked it opened again.

With a small smile Adrien held up his kwami, who cackled behind his paws.

"Is that your rebel boyfriend?" Sabine called from a room over.

"Rebel?" Adrien questioned. "Is that why you asked me to dress odd?"

His idea of odd was wearing a t-shirt that didn't match his shoes.

Marinette bumped her head into the doorframe. "I'm doomed."