A/N: So I've done some editing and changes to the other chapters. Basic grammar, changed a few details, but nothing huge to change the story. Just realized that some chapters weren't consistent. Like one chapter I said it was Spring and another said it was Fall. It is suppose to be Fall, just so we're clear. I have up to chapter 3 done and uploaded.
I have a ton of progress in terms of planning all these future fics. I'm kinda rotating. I still don't have any titles for my French Revolution fanfic. I feel like I have a huge act to follow from Of Gods and Heroes and I feel like it has to have just as perfect of a title, but I have almost a full year in story planned already and I'm just about to write about the women's march that stormed Versailles. Those Third class women are badass, seriously. Then I get to have the unveiling of The Guillotine, or "The National Razor". I'm super excited.
I have finished planned "Consequences of Falling With You" and its mini series sequel "Consequences of Loving You". I just need to write it up after I'm done this story. The chapters are all gonna be super long. Close to 7000-10000 words per chapter.
I have gotten to about chapter six planned of the rewrite of "Unmasked" and chapter four of "Take My Hand". Chapter nine planned of "A Fractured Porcelain Mask" and another idea I added to the table called "What Was Left Behind". I have up to chapter twelve planned. I have so much going on. But this fic first.
Enjoy!
Please Keep My Secret
Chapter 10
It was the longest drive home Adrien had ever experienced. It was less than a half an hour drive, but it felt unending. Time had slowed to a crawl, and he was left wishing that by some miracle time would speed up. It was a surprise at how much he wanted to get home. Though it was hopefully just a quick stop so he could leave to his real destination: Marinette's balcony.
When he finally did arrive home, he was horrified to find his dinner waiting for him. Adrien tried to make an excuse for why he wasn't hungry, but Nathalie insisted since he skipped lunch. No amount of unrefined table manners helped him eat any faster. And even more infuriating was the homework that was placed beside him after he was done dinner. Nathalie told him that Chloe dropped it off while he was at the shoot, so there was no getting out of doing it. He worked as fast as he could, finishing later than he had hoped. Everything was clearly trying to keep him from getting to Marinette's tonight, but he'd be damned if he didn't make it at all.
With a proper excuse of being tired, Nathalie excused him to bed. Adrien flew up his stairs with a speed he had yet to achieve outside of transforming. Once he was in his room, with a new found burst of energy, he began to stuff clothing under his pulled back bed sheets and formed a human shape underneath. Once he was happy with the shape he pulled the blanket back over top.
Plagg left his shirt and chuckled. "In a hurry, are we?"
"Shut up," Adrien growled as he went to his bedroom window and opened it. "I need to see her."
"Yeah, yeah," Plagg said. "Just say the words."
"Plagg, Claw's Out," Adrien called, as the kwami disappeared inside the ring, and Adrien transformed. He climb out the window, and closed the window behind him, well aware how suspicious it would be to leave it open this late in the season. He then jumped to the roof next door, and run across the roof's in the direction of the bakery.
Having successfully left his room undetected, Chat Noir enjoyed the freedom he felt every time he went out for patrol. It was like an explosion of energy that was bursting from him. When he could just run and jump from roof top to roof top, it was an experience that couldn't be equalled in everyday life, or even when fighting an Akuma. He could just run, burn off energy and not have any expectations of how he should act or feel. He found it, intoxicating.
Tonight, while it was still exhilarating, it wasn't the same. The energy didn't feel like it was oozing out of him, but threatening to burst from his seams at any moment. He had to see Marinette, right away. The superhero wanted to tell her how he felt immediately. And already knowing about her feelings, made his pending confession, all the more exciting. On the other hand though, there was whatever she wanted to talk to him about. There were still too many places his mind went when he wondered what she would say to him. He tried to pass that to the back burner to put his mind at ease, for now. Especially as he approached the bakery. It was five to ten, so he was just a little bit early. He landed on her balcony with all the grace of a cat, even as the dampness on it was frozen. Marinette's window to her room creaked open, and Marinette's head popped up.
"Adrien, you're a little early," she stated.
"I thought it would take longer to get here," he explained.
"Come inside," she said, her hand coming into view and motioned for him to join her in the warm bedroom.
Chat Noir didn't waste any time, and walked over to the window and slipped inside. Adrien landed softly on her bed and moved off of it and down her stairs to the lower part of her bedroom. Marinette closed the window and also climbed down and joined him below. She took a seat at her computer, sitting down in the desk chair and turned it to face her lounge chair. A smile was all he needed as an invite to sit down on it across from her.
Adrien was far too excited and nervous. And if he weren't transformed, he was sure he wouldn't be hiding this at all. He sat, but only because he didn't want to be rude. Adrien studied her and could see she had been crying a lot this evening too. It broke his heart to see her like this. She also seemed nervous, which didn't calm his nerves at all.
"How are you holding up?" he asked. "I've been worried about you all day."
Adrien noticed a blush creep on her cheeks when she heard that. "I mean...its been a hard day. I deleted my social media this afternoon, an about an hour ago my parents called our phone providers and we had all our numbers changed. So, that's a whole thing."
"Oh, Mari," Adrien gasped. "I'm so sorry."
She shook her head. "It is, what it is."
"It's my fault," he said, looking down in shame. "I know you said you didn't regret going out with me to the park, but I feel awful. You've had such bad luck since you found out who I am."
"That's not true," she responded. "I have always had the worst luck. And if a photo wasn't taken today, it would have been tomorrow, or another day. This will go away with time."
Adrien's own eyes were stinging with tear and he wanted to weep. Marinette was too kind for this cruel world. Adrien stood and moved over to Marinette and knelt down in front of her and reached for her hand. He was relieves when he let him take her hand, and she placed her free hand on top of his. There was even a small smile painted on her face.
"Mari, I know you wanted to talk to me about something, but I have something to say to you. Can I go first?"
Her blue eyes went wide, and her cheeks noticeably burned. Still she nodded. "Yeah, of course."
Adrien took in a deep breath, but kept eye contact with his princess. "Its been a crazy week. I've gotten to know my classmate in such a short amount of time. And she got to know the real me. Even crazier is accepted all of me. Even with all my bad jokes. And with this week, I realized just how important it was to me that I have someone in my life who see's both sides of me, just like you have. I guess I'm trying to tell you that you're someone I want to protect. And I want you in my life."
Marinette couldn't fin her words, her whole face was now red and she looked so flustered. Her hands were till intertwined with his, and her grip tightened around his hands. She slowly opened her mouth to speak.
"Did you think I was going to tell you I didn't want to be friends anymore?" Marinette asked. Adrien was embarrassed, but he still nodded and Marinette laughed a little and smiled. "Hasn't crossed my mind."
Adrien felt like he was soaring. "I also wanted to tell you...that I really like you," Adrien stated.
Marinette tilted her head to one side. She didn't seem to understand. "Friends typically do, unless you're Chloe and Sabrina."
Adrien shook his head and tried to find his words to explain how he was feeling. He didn't want to immediately jump onto the word love and potentially freak her out. And even though he said he loved her back at the gardens, he didn't really know if it was truly that deep. Not yet anyway. He was certain it wouldn't be long before he fell completely for Marinette, though.
"Not like how I feel about you," he replied.
"How you feel about me?" she asked. It took her a moment, but then when the realization it her, her face looked like it had burst a blood vessel. It was impossibly red now. An adorably shocked face greeted him and it was his turn to laugh a little. She shook her head and finally spoke. "B-but, you like Ladybug."
Adrien should have known that was going to come up, but he knew he'd have to answer that. "I do...but there is one big difference between you two. You're a lot alike but you're also different. The most important part is that you accept me the way I am. You don't expect me to be anything but what you see. You know what my home life is, and know that Chat Noir allows me the freedom to just be a dork. And when that mask is gone you...Mari?"
He stopped when he noticed that Marinette was crying. Adrien reached for her and cupped her cheek, and used his thumb to wipe away a tear as it fell. She was softly sobbing but the sight was too much for him, and he pulled her down to the floor with him. He held her close, but Marinette seemed to be struggling to get free. He loosened his grip and he looked at her, there eyes were level.
"Marinette, why are you crying?" he asked. "Was my speech that bad?"
She quickly shook her head. "N-no it was fine, I just...its just that...you're so sweet."
Adrien grinned at her. "I never would have thought that me being sweet was so worthy of tears."
"I have to tell you something," Marinette pleaded. Her hands moved to the front of his chest, and her palms rested there. "And I don't know if you'll want to be around me after I tell you."
"What do you mean?"
"I have a secret, but I can't in goo conscious continue this without telling you," she expressed.
The hero could see the heartbreak in her eyes and it was breaking his heart to see her like this. He rested his head against hers. "Nothing you say can change how I feel. Mari, I'm falling for you, and I'm pretty sure with everyday we spend together, I can only fall more."
"I have to tell you," she cried. "I have to tell you."
He felt like he had no choice but to listen, though he was certain that whatever she said, he would still be crazy about her. He did pull away to give her a little bit of space. "Alright, tell me."
Marinette was fidgeting and she was clearly nervous. If it as such a deep secret, he imagined that this was probably very hard for her to say it so openly.
"I'm La-"
Adrien had every intention of listening. His ears were open and listening. Perhaps listening too well, because he heard something outside. Alarm bells weren't off an Adrien tackled Marinette in mid sentence, covering her body protectively as one wall in her room exploded inward. Debris fell on and around him. The chalk from the dry wall caused them to both cough, but luckily it seemed most of the wall hit him, and as Chat Noir it just rolled off and didn't cause as much damage.
Adrien sat up and searched for the source of the destruction and found a form floating in the air just outside. He helped Marinette up, but pulled her behind him, and withdrew his staff. He glared at the Akuma, and studied her appearance.
She was petite, but the hair on her head was easily three feet tall, and was decorated in black roses, while her hair itself was solid white. Her dress looked like it was from a seventeenth century french painting. It was wide and huge. Blue in colour, and trimmed also in black to match the roses. Her face was partly covered with a mask, matching the soft blue of her dress. She held a parasol, and it was open and aimed at them. She was smiling at them.
"You're both together," she stated. "Just perfect. Let me introduce myself. I'm Rose Queen, and I've come for Marinette's head, and your Miraculous. Give it and her to me, and I'll spare your life street cat."
"Marinette! Are you alright?" Marinette's parent's voices were calling from below her trap door. Though they couldn't lift it. Not when a large part of her wall was on top of it blocking them from entering the bedroom. Adrien couldn't protect all of them, and frankly they were cornered here as well and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to protect her and fight the Akuma too. He had to get her and him out of here.
"Stay down there," Marinette called to her parents. "There is an Akuma attack, but I'm fine."
"Not for long," Rose Queen sneered, raising her parasol and pointing it at them.
There was a dark red glow forming around the tip of the parasol and Adrien knew he had to get them out of there right now. He reached around and grabbed Marinette by the waist with one arm, and pulled her close. She let out a gasp, which he ignored as he extended his staff quickly, pointing it at the Akuma, hitting her and knocking her aside, giving him the exit he needed. He ran, taking her with him and burst through the hole, and leapt past the Akuma. In mid air he twisted his body around and as the Akuma recovered, he used his staff to smack her across the body, throwing her a few feet away. This allowed him to land on a nearby roof, where he continued to run and leap to another roof. He shrunk his staff down again but held it at the ready.
Marinette struggled against him. "We have to go back," she shouted.
"Its not after your parents, they'll be fine," Adrien promised.
"Chat Noir, take me back now! I need to get something," Marinette pleaded.
"Not a smart idea," he said. "I'm going to hide you somewhere and when Ladybug shows up we'll take care of the Akuma."
Marinette used her fist to smack him hard in the chest, but it didn't effect him any. He spotted a subway down below and leapt off the roof and landed on the stairs and carried her down. Adrien rounded the corner and put her down. Marinette looked furious.
"We're screwed!" she yelled. She was clearly in a lot of distress and he didn't think he had much time to actual comfort her. He hoped she'd forgive him later, though he was certain her family would be safe.
"We aren't screwed," he assured her. "Just wait here, and Ladybug will show up and I'll come back for you."
"Don't you dare leave me," she shouted. "I need to get back now!"
He didn't have a lot of time. He had to keep the Akuma busy long enough for Ladybug to arrive and he had to get out there now. Marinette was in so much danger and her freaking out like this wouldn't help. Adrien brushed back a piece of hair that was hanging in her face, and leaned in, and pressed his lips against hers. It was a quick peak, and he hoped it would be enough to comfort her for now. When he pulled away he also slipped away, and left the subway, leaving Marinette alone. When she realized what had just happened she became angrier.
"Damnit! You dumb cat! Tikki is back at my place," she said to the now empty subway station.
She paced the subway station for a few moments, and swore under her breath again. Tikki had probably left her ruined bedroom by now and was probably searching for her. And she had to get up there and search for her before the Akuma or Chat Noir found Tikki. Even if Chat Noir found her it would be pointless as she'd be unable to tell him who to look for so Ladybug could appear.
This Akuma was out for blood, and Marinette realized it was probably an admirer of Adrien. She was safer down here. For now. She had to leave at some point to get Tikki, but what was she suppose to do? Go outside and scream for Tikki? Bring attention from fleeing citizens trying to evacuate? Announce her location to Rose Queen?
She truly had the worst luck. The pacing continued as Marinette tried to figure out a plan. There was explosions heard above and she figured that Chat Noir was probably beginning to draw her away. It was a risk she would have to find Tikki. Some luck had to be on her side right now.
She climbed the stairs to the street, careful to duck down and look around before she fully exposed herself. The sight looked clear, but there was the glow of another explosion that looked to be a few blocks over. And luck would have it, in the opposite direction of the bakery. It would be a start.
Taking another glance around, she saw no Akuma, and she she burst from her hiding spot, and took off down the street. Keeping her body as close to the buildings as possible for some cover, she ran, and searched around for a tiny speck of red.
"Tikki," she called out, while still keeping her voice low as to not draw the wrong kind of attention her way. No trace of Tikki.
Another explosion, this one much closer than the last. Marinette let out a yelp and ducked into an alley and jumped behind the garbage bin, and did her best to stay silent, though she was shaking. The Akuma's voice was heard.
"Where did you hide her?!" Rose Queen demanded. It was frighteningly nearby.
Chat Noir's voice was heard too. "What? Am I that boring? And here I thought we really hit it off!"
Marinette heard a crash, and saw Rose Queen fly over the roofs above her. Despite the scary situation she was in, she still had to smile. Of course he made that joke and then smacked the Akuma across the street. She would have expected nothing less of her partner.
Still, she waited. Marinette didn't see or hear anything, and she slowly rose to her feet, and moved slowly to the exit of the alley, heading back to the main street. She peeked out, and saw nothing, so she shifted to leave, but she felt a hand reach out, and it grabbed her, surrounding her throat and began to choke her.
Marinette reacted by trying to claw at the hand and struggled to breath. Rose Queen held her up and held her and giggled as she watched Marinette's face turn purple slowly as she gasped for air. "Sneaky, sneaky," Rose Queen snickered. "Little nobody who thinks she deserves any man she wants. While she hasn't realized that she's the bottom of the barrel quality. Girls like you need to know their place."
"I think you need to realize that the best wines age in barrels," Chat Noir's voice said. Marinette's eyes were heavy and she could barely keep her eyes open as her body began to shut down. Her entire face burned and her lungs felt like they would burst. She couldn't see what happened, but she felt herself falling and then like she sudden stopped. Marinette didn't know what followed as the world around her went black and silent.
8 8 8
Adrien had thrown Rose Queen into the building beside them, and before she could show her face again, he carried Marinette's limp body in his arms. Everywhere was too in the open, and clearly he needed somewhere Marinette would have a hard time escaping from since she felt like she had to get to her house to see her parents so badly. Clearly the fear of losing her parents was clouding her judgment and he'd have to protect her anyway possible. First he had to make sure she'd wake up.
His eyes caught sight of a construction sign, and an empty building under going renovations. That would have to do, and he jumped inside, taking her into a space away from the windows, to hide them a little better. Adrien laid her down on the floor and stared at her still form. He had only caught her seconds earlier, and acted quickly. Adrien didn't know what to do. Was he suppose to give her mouth to mouth to breath oxygen into her body? Wait, was there even a heartbeat. Adrien was panicking. He reached for her wrist and prayed he'd find a pulse. The digits of his gloved hand only caressed her wrist before Marinette's eyes went wide and with a gasp she took in a deep breath. Coughing began and she struggle to catch her breath. Adrien had jumped back in surprise and relief when he saw her wake up suddenly.
Marinette searched around and her eyes stopped on Chat Noir's form. She still coughed, but she slowly sat up. His green eyes watched her, his expression stern. "Mind explaining why you left the subway?"
"I have to get back to my house and find her," Marinette stated.
"Who? You're mom?" Adrien asked. "She's probably safe with your father."
Marinette shook her head, her hand tracing the dark red bruises forming on her neck. "No. I have to find her. She can fix this."
"Ladybug?" Adrien gasped. "You left to find Ladybug? That's not your job to worry about."
Marinette moved over to Adrien's place and she climbed into him, which silenced him. She moved her hand up over his mouth in case he decided to speak any further. "Adrien, I consider myself to be a pretty nice person. I think you'd consider me a good person, but I need you please stop talking, and just listen to me. I have to tell you my secret now. No arguing-"
Adrien tried to protest and his mumbled against her hands, and Marinette glared at him, and removed her hand for a moment. He continued to try and speak, but she grabbed the bell on the front of his costume and pulled him in, crushing her lips against his. She didn't give him a moment to realize what was going on, and she moved her lips across his. Just as his lips started to move across hers she pulled away.
"Every time you open your mouth before I'm done, I'm gonna do that. Which really could keep us unguarded and isn't worth trying. Now listen," Marinette lectured. The express on his face showed how badly he wanted to protest, but he listened, though his glared. She could hardly take him seriously as she noticed the flush just below his mask. "I'm Ladybug! Okay! There I said it! And I NEED to find my kwami, who was left in my bedroom! I have no clue where she is, and if we don't find her-"
Adrien could have overpowered her at any time and he did at this moment. He shifted his weight and grabbed her by either side of her shoulders and pulled her closer, their faces just millimetres away from the other. His warm breath was on her face, and it made her realize how close they were in this situation, but she tried to stay focused.
"So you're saying, you're my lady?"
Marinette's cheeks burned and she sighed before she quickly nodded but then turned serious again. "It's really not the time. More searching and then fighting. We can talk about this after, I promise."
She could see some disappointment in his eyes, but he agreed. "That's something My Lady would say."
"I'm just really scared," she explained. She crawled off of him and stood up. Marinette listened to the sounds outside. Explosions were around them, but sounded far enough away. "Can you distract her while I search for Tikki?"
"I mean, yeah I could," Adrien said. "But isn't there a safer way? She has lasers in her parasol that are like laser beams, and then the roses in her hair shoot out and explode on impact."
"I have no better idea's," Marinette said, but stopped when the sound of her cellphone began to ring. She suspected that it was her parents, but she still looked. A photo of a turtle lit up the screen.
Adrien stared. "Who is that?"
"It's Master Fu," Marinette said, pressing the call button and answered. "Master?"
"Good evening, Marinette. I have a very concerned Kwami here desperately searching for her Ladybug," Master Fu explained, getting straight to the point.
"She's with you? Is she safe?" Marinette asked.
"She is fine, but the story she told me has me having to ask you the question, are you safe?" he asked.
"Y-yes," Marinette explained. "I was attacked twice, but Chat Noir saved me."
"Can you make it here?" Master Fu asked.
"Yes, I should be able too," Marinette stated.
"Then come quickly and stop this Akuma," Master Fu said, and hung up, wasted no more time for Marinette. She put her phone away and looked at Adrien.
"I need to get to the Master's shop. Its located in the neighbourhood to the right of the Seine," Marinette explained. "Can you get me there?"
Chat Noir glanced to the glassless window and listened with his super hearing. After a few seconds he glanced back at her. "She's disappeared for now. I should be able to get you there, but I will need to move fast and you will need to give me exact directions to get you there as soon as possible."
"Well, then let's go," Marinette stated. "We got a kwami to recover."
A/N: It was getting far too long to continue and the toddler is giving me a run for my money, so I can't write anymore. I will make sure the next chapter is longer to fill what was suppose to be the last chapter plus the second half of this chapter.
Let's hope I can get it all done before my big move. It would be really helpful to have it done before the move. Fingers crossed.
Also i added a discord code to my profile if any of you would like to join my discord. For updates, previews and just general chatting. Thought it might be fun.