Marinette couldn't wait the end of the classes. Fortunately, Pierre de la Idiot was so affected with his adventure with the supervillain that he forgot to be mean. He even stuttered a kind of praise of Marinette's design – that totally astounded her. Besides, the whole group acted unusual, as if still under the spell – or shock – of Fur Fury. It looked like it had been their first direct contact with an akumatised person, yet considering years of Hawkmoth's activity, that was highly impossible…
Finally, the class was dismissed and they were free to go. Pierre ran away as the first one, as if he was afraid of being asked about his short career as a hog. Marinette took the opportunity to collect her belongings and to go home as quickly as possible. She expected Cat Noir's visit. She decided to leave a note on the windowsill – just in case he wouldn't follow her advice and preferred to keep waiting for a letter. That meant she should get going, so she felt irritation when she heard Véronique asking:
"Are you going already?"
'Obviously!' Marinette wanted to yell in answer, instead she muttered:
"I'm late, actually…"
"Have you talked to Adrien already?"
"I'm going to talk to him today…"
"Oh, I get it… Just go. And good luck!"
"Uhm, thanks…"
Saying it, Marinette left the classroom in a rush. On one hand, Véronique had encouraged her before the talk with Cat Noir. On the other hand – that short conversation had taken a few minutes, when Marinette didn't want to waste any second anymore. Not after that what had happened in the kitchen last night, nor after what Cat Noir had told her on the rooftop this afternoon. Suddenly she realised that she couldn't wait any day longer. So, if Cat Noir checked her windowsill and didn't find a letter from her, he could go into his shell for ever. Or at least until tomorrow…
At first, she was tempted to use Ladybug's superpowers to get home faster, but Tikki persuaded her not to do it:
"You never know who's watching you from the shadows. Just remember that you've had some superhero admirer, who can patrol your way back home."
"You're right! He came here last week, when it was raining…" Marinette recalled. "But… Tikki… I think that after what he said this afternoon, we can be quite safe. He wouldn't come here to walk me home."
"But it doesn't mean he cannot watch you from one of the rooftops…" kwami answered back. "I suggest being careful and going home as a civilian."
"Ugh… OK. You've convinced me. Let's go…" Marinette sighed and made her way towards home.
All her way back home was discreetly observed by a pair of green eyes. Cat Noir stayed hidden on rooftops, just to keep watching if she was safely home. When he saw her room lightened up, he sighed with relief. And with anxiety… He planned to visit her, but he had no idea what was waiting for him there. Yet… He remembered their unexpected meeting in the kitchen last night. He had almost kissed her there! And she didn't act like she didn't want to be kissed…
But… He was there as Adrien, not as Cat Noir…
He shook his head in despair. He'd messed it up. He made her choose between his two identities. Such a moron! He shook off those thoughts. He needed to make a move! Especially, when Marinette seemed to invite him by opening her window – as if she wanted to send him a message that he would be welcome.
He jumped off the rooftop and seconds later he landed on the windowsill.
"Good evening, Purrinces!" he greeted her with a shy smile.
"Oh, good evening…" she replied softly, turning around toward him.
"Ready for our support group meeting?" he asked, as if he was at ease.
"No." she said, looking at him seriously. "Today I've decided to solve the problem of my broken heart once and for all."
"H-How?" he stuttered, suddenly frightened by a thought that she would kick him out and tell him to never come back. He glanced at her uncertain and – just in case – he jumped off the windowsill. Then he risked a question: "Are you going to give up with love forever?"
"No. I've chosen an option of fighting fire with fire." She answered, then approached and just kissed him.
At first, he was too astonished to react properly. That was so unrealistic that everything shaped up so well. At the same time, that was so real – Marinette's lips on his, her hands around his neck. This kiss was surprisingly familiar, or maybe they were just made for each other, so that was why he felt so comfortable?
However, he was so focused on experiencing that moment, that Marinette understood his passiveness totally wrong. Suddenly, she lost her determination and broke the kiss. Her hands left his neck, but she didn't move away from him farther than centimetres, when he murmured barely understandable 'No!' and followed her to kiss her back.
He hugged her tight, and she clung to him in response. They could kiss for the eternity and still didn't have enough. When they broke the kiss for a moment, they looked at each other's eyes, touching with their noses, as if they already missed their lips.
"So… That's the feeling…" Marinette whispered and stroke Cat Noir's cheek. "When your dreams have come true…"
"You've dreamt about kissing me, Princess?" he grinned triumphantly.
"You both, actually."
"Wait, are you comparing me to someone else?" he moved back a bit and looked at her carefully. "You have a rank list or something?"
"Silly Kitty!" she laughed. "I mean you, Adrien. And you." She added pointing him and the wall between their bedrooms.
"You've known?!" he stammered in astonishment.
"I've worked it out, finally. You disappeared as Adrien just before showing up as Cat Noir. You came back home just after Cat Noir left. Then the mug. Oh, and those night visits when I was sick. It wasn't difficult to discover but to believe…"
"So, that's why you kissed me? Because you know I'm him?" he asked disappointed.
Marinette glared at him and crossed her arms.
"You're asking for being kicked out though that window, Cat! What's the difference if I kiss you or Adrien? If only you're not a schizophrenic, you're the same person!" suddenly she stopped and added with a soft smile: "I must admit that I'm relieved that I don't have to choose between you two…"
Then on impulse, she hugged him tight to keep him close – just in case he wanted to run away or to push her away. But he only embraced her and purred happily.
"Just hypothetically…" he murmured with a grin, and she sighed theatrically. "Who would be your choice?"
"To re-populate the Earth?" she spotted, and he laughed quietly in her hair, because they recalled the same conversation. "It depends… I'll have more beautiful children with Adrien. With you there's a risk that kids would have black ears and little black tails…"
"I think I'll be disappointed when they don't have tails…" he muttered and she chuckled.
For a moment they both were giggling, still embraced tightly. And they felt just like in heaven. Suddenly, Marinette pulled away and whispered:
"Oh, that's terrible…"
"What?"
"I've just imagined a perfect design of kids' pyjamas. I have to draw it right now!" She made a move, but Cat Noir caught her immediately and said in a firm tone:
"No. You'll do this later."
"But…"
"No…" he repeated. "Now it time for cuddles. Too many times I've seen my father escaped to work on his designs. I won't let you do the same."
"But the idea!" Marinette tried again. "I'll forget the idea…"
"You won't, purromise…" he assured her. " I still remember what've inspired you…" he added and she giggled and cuddled up to him.
"You know, Cat?" she asked after a moment. "I've just thought that…"
"Yes?" he murmured, content, still lost in thoughts about children in cat-pyjamas.
"It would be better if you detransformed…" she whispered.
"So, Adrien?" he winced.
"Rather a pragmatism."
"I've already told you that my suit can be taken off…" he winked at her meaningfully, reaching the cat bell.
"Caaat… Just try to think about consequences…" she rolled her eyes.
"Considering the fact that I'm thinking about our children with black tails, I must admit that I am thinking about the consequences…"
"Caaat…" she muttered. "I'm serious. Alya has already caught you here. If she came in now, or worse – five minutes ago, when we were kissing, you couldn't date me as Adrien. And bear in mind that we spend more time when you're in a civilian self." She explained.
"You're a very practical person…" he admitted after a while. "I like that. Fine… Plagg, claws in!"
At the next moment there was Adrien, standing in front of her with a shy smile.
