Author's Note:

This story might seem like it ends at an odd spot, but if you've read (or decide to read) my story named Spotted, you'll see the overlap from Adrien's viewpoint, and it continues a bit further.

I do not own any of these characters.

As Adrien walked to his car in the rain, leaving Marinette behind him with his umbrella, Marinette said, "U-U-huh... See ya t-tomo-tomorr... Oh! Why am I stammering?"

"Hey! I think I might have an idea!" Marinette looked embarrassed by Tikki's remark, thinking the little kwami was calling out her newfound crush.

In reality... and Tikki certainly couldn't say this to Marinette... Tikki knew the miraculous magic was causing her to stammer in order to protect her identity. The glamour that protected the chosen from being discovered included preventing two holders from getting together in their civilian lives until after a reveal has occurred.

Over the course the next year, it seemed like every time Marinette would try to confess, something went wrong. Her scarf somehow lost its note and Adrien thought it came from his father. Her Valentine's Card was mailed unsigned. She ended up giving him a prescription for constipation instead of her love letter. Countless misspoken words and misunderstandings. Even her confessed recording got deleted.

Self-sabotage also seemed to happen on a regular basis. She stole his phone to erase a voice mail. She declined a car ride home using the word coleslaw instead of rickshaw. She played off the pictures on her wall that were televised live.

It happened on Adrien's side also. Despite the gushing remarks and calling her their Everyday Ladybug, he continued to insist they were just friends. It seemed to culminate with him unknowingly shattering Marinette's heart after the wax museum when he talked about the girl he loves.

Ladybug didn't know why Bunnyx was questioning her about Adrien accidentally figuring out her identity and how it could've gotten back to Cat Noir, but Tikki knew. She knew better than Bunnyx how the one-sided reveal would've broken the magic keeping them apart as civilians. And now... because of that, Ladybug was certain she could never be with Cat Noir without causing the end of the world.

And as much as Tikki felt bad for Marinette about all of this, she was certain Marinette would be so distraught she'd get akumatized after becoming the guardian. After all, Tikki now has to explain everything to Marinette.

As Marinette was sitting down on the floor of her bedroom studying the miracle egg, Tikki floated up to her with a look of apprehension. "Marinette?"

"Yes, Tikki?" Marinette asked without looking up from the miracle egg.

"Since you're the guardian now, there are certain things you need to know."

"Like what?"

"Like Cat Noir's identity."

Marinette looked up at Tikki with wide eyes. "W-What if... I don't want to know?"

"You don't have a choice. As the new guardian, it's your responsibility to know."

"Does that mean Cat Noir gets to learn my identity?"

"Only if you choose."

"I guess I can decide that after I learn his identity, huh?"

"Yes, you can. But... there are other things I'm going to have to explain after you learn his identity."

"Like what?"

"I'll explain after I tell you his identity."

Marinette felt a shiver run up her spine. After taking a deep breath, she nodded. "Okay, Tikki. Who is Cat Noir?"

"Since you are the guardian, I can tell you now. Before, as just Ladybug, I would not have been able to say his name in the context of anything that might reveal or confirm his identity. So, even now, Adrien can't get Plagg to tell him your name."

"His name's Adrien. That's... wow. I mean, it's a popular name, so it shouldn't be very surprising but..."

"No Marinette. It is your Adrien. Adrien Agreste."

Marinette sat there quietly. Thoughts about the past year and her interactions with both Adrien and Cat Noir colliding in her mind, trying feverishly to meld the two personas together into a single person.

Tears flowed silently down her cheeks at the thought of all the times she rejected his feelings. Knowing now that Adrien and Kagami were officially starting to date and that she missed her opportunity to have him by just a single day felt like knives jabbed into her heart.

Remembering Chat Blanc and how he said their love had destroyed the world came rushing back. She finally knew that Adrien hadn't told anyone he'd figured out her identity. He must've approached her as Marinette, which would've meant they certainly would have started dating. And she erased that timeline. She erased their love just as easily as she had erased her name from the package containing the beret.

By then, Marinette had fallen sideways on her floor and curled into the fetal position. What a cruel joke the universe had played on her... on him. To make them love each other and never be able to be together because they were blinded by their respective crushes on each other's opposing personas. Adrien had never seen her love because he was pining for Ladybug, who was rejecting his affections as Cat Noir while pining for Adrien.

"Why?" slipped out her trembling lips as she ugly cried on the floor. Tikki's heart shattered. Even after being around for eons, she hated how the miraculous magic played out sometimes... especially with Master Fu's rule about not sharing identities.

Tikki inhaled deeply before turning her attention back to akuma duty. She was going to make Hawk Moth regret ever being born if he tried to akumatize Marinette today.

Unfortunately for Hawk Moth, Tikki wasn't a being to cross. He, however, didn't know this and felt Marinette's despair. With pure glee at finally being able to get his most prized mark, he sent out an akuma.

Tikki watched as the black butterfly shimmied through the window and into Marinette's room. Hawk Moth could only tell Marinette was still in despair and the that the akuma was almost to her. He couldn't see what the akuma saw until after the psychic link was established.

Tikki touched the akuma, purifying it instantly... and sending a psychic burst of pain straight back to Hawk Moth. He fell to his knees as his head felt like it had split open. He no longer felt the akuma... but he could certainly feel the fillings in his teeth as immense pain surged through his body. Hawk Moth was now the one laying on his floor in the fetal position.

Marinette's eyes were wide as Tikki turned back around to make sure she was okay. Her eyes followed the white butterfly as it flapped around her room. "W-Was that... an akuma?"

Tikki nodded. "I purified it. Hawk Moth won't try again. Not today at least."

"H-How do you know?"

"Well, you know how overpowered Plagg can be when he uses his power outside of the ring?"

"Yeah..."

"I can purify the akumas outside the earrings, but it's a bit overpowered also. I'm sure Hawk Moth is begging for death right about now. If not, he will be shortly after everything is evacuated forcibly from his kidneys, bowels, and stomach as soon as he drops his transformation."

"Tikki!"

"He's the one who tried to take advantage of you today. I wasn't about to stand for that. I don't enjoy causing that much pain... but I needed to send a clear message to him to back off. Besides, I don't think I could've talked you out of being akumatized today like I did in the bathroom stall."

"Okay, Tikki. I understand... just try to minimize doing that. We're trying to catch him, not kill him." Tikki nodded with an embarrassed look on her tiny face.

Marinette huffed a little and rubbed her head. "Okay. I think that broke me out of my spiraling despair. What else did you need to tell me now that I know Cat Noir is Adrien?"

"You're not going to like this."

"I'm already not liking it. But I'm sure it's better to get this all out in the open today instead of spreading it out."

"You're going to find it much easier to talk to Adrien from now on. No more stuttering or accidentally forgetting to sign things. No more slip-ups with notes either."

"That's a bad thing?" Tikki just watched Marinette. She could tell the gears were turning in her head. Marinette's already tear-streaked face began to morph into pure anguish. She buried her head in her hands and mumbled, "It was the miraculous magic, wasn't it? That's why I could never string two sentences together around Adrien!"

"I'm sorry Marinette. I couldn't have told you sooner because it would have given away Cat Noir's identity."

Marinette started pacing around her room... fighting off the urge to throw things while mumbling to herself and cursing the universe. After several minutes, she stopped pacing and looked at Tikki. "What has Adrien been stuck doing that he doesn't realize because of the miraculous magic protecting my identity?"

"He's stuck on believing you're just a friend. Even if he hasn't acted like it, any thoughts past friendship are stolen away from him. And whenever you have gotten too close and the magic makes you play it off, it makes him accept your excuse without questioning it."

"That's not fair to Adrien. That removes his free will to like whoever he wants to like and to question the information he's being given. But... what will happen if he learns my identity? Will that completely implode his new relationship with Kagami?"

"It could." Marinette returned to pacing, mumbling, and cursing. After another minute of watching Marinette, Tikki decided to speak up on a potential solution. "You know Marinette, if you reinforce to Adrien that he's a really good friend, it might keep him from breaking up with Kagami."

"Okay. I think I at least owe it to Adrien to let him know I know his identity. I'll play it by ear from there. If I decide to let him know my identity, then I'll try the really good friend idea."

Ladybug swung over to the Agreste Mansion. She could hear Gabriel yelling at Nathalie in his office and figured it was work-related and that they'd be occupied for a while... at least long enough for her conversation with Adrien. She swung over to his window and knocked on the glass.

Adrien hopped off of the sofa he was sitting on and opened the window for Ladybug.

"L-Ladybug! W-What brings you by?"

"Official business, I'm afraid."

"Oh."

Ladybug tapped her fingers together wondering how best to broach the subject. She decided straightforward was the best. "You know that I became the guardian today. And, part of that new responsibility included learning your identity. I'm sorry if this ruins any hopes you had about how the reveal might happen."

"N-No. Not really, at least. Any plans I had kind of already got ruined."

Ladybug was shocked at that statement. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. Ladybug waited patiently while he appeared to be trying to find the right words. "I-I'm sorry, Marinette. I really didn't expect to see you at the train station with Master Fu today."

Ladybug's legs gave out from under her and she sat straight down on the sofa, placing her head in her hands and shaking it back and forth. "I've been guardian for less than a day and I've already blown it. How am I going to do this? Hawk Moth is going to win for sure now. I just... can't."

Adrien sat down beside her and placed his arm around her, pulling her into an embrace. "If anyone can do this... you can, My Lady! I know you didn't ask for this. I know you expected to have more time to get used to the idea of becoming the guardian. I'm sure you expected to have at least some more time being trained. But regardless of all that, no one else is better suited for the challenge."

"Thanks, Adrien. You're a..." Ladybug decided it was time to try to save his burgeoning relationship with Kagami and finished with, "really good friend." Ladybug swallowed hard at that. It didn't sit well in her stomach or her throat. Adrien noticeably winced.

Adrien took a few seconds longer than Ladybug expected, but then said, "And I'm always going to be your friend." Ladybug stiffened a little, but then relaxed. "Even if you have to take Plagg away because I learned your identity, you can always count on me."

"W-What?" Ladybug pulled back and looked at Adrien. His eyes widened at seeing her face again. Ladybug worried about how she looked but needed to answer Adrien's unasked question. "I'm not taking Plagg away. I'd never do that to you Adrien. I need you as my Cat Noir."

Adrien let out a breath. "Even after I screwed up as Aspik?"

"We both learned that day that Ladybug and Cat Noir are both needed. You in a different role or me in a different role just won't work."

"What about KwamiBuster?"

"She had captured Tikki and Plagg. I had to come back as MultiMouse in order to get Tikki and Plagg back. I had to use Trixx to trick you into thinking I wasn't Marinette because Master Fu would have taken away both our miraculouses. But now... Now I'm the guardian and I can decide who gets what miraculouses regardless of knowing identities or not."

Adrien pulled Ladybug back into an embrace. "Thank you! I was so scared I'd have to give up Plagg!"

Ladybug stayed in Adrien's arms for what seemed like hours, but was probably just a few minutes. "I think it's time we expanded the core team. Do you agree?"

"Who were you thinking?"

"Rena Rouge and Carapace for sure. Then I was thinking Viperion?"

"I think Viperion would be great. So would Ryuko, don't you think?"

Ladybug almost smirked at the suggestion. Apparently, he already knew Ryuko was Kagami. "I agree. A core team of 6 permanent holders will give us a much stronger core." Ladybug stood up and headed for the window. "Well, I guess I'll see you in a little bit to get ice cream with the group before school starts back up."

"Yeah... I'll see you there."

As Ladybug swung away from the mansion, she could still hear Gabriel yelling at Nathalie.