(Author's Notes: I usually don't post such short chapters, but I realized that my chapters are getting longer the more I write, so I decided to cut this one a bit short. Also, just a reminder, the chapters that are about Marinette- She knows Adrien is Cat Noir but he doesn't know she's Ladybug. Visa Versa for the Adrien chapters. I know it's a bit confusing, but that's how I roll.)

Revealed (And Switched)

Chapter 10: Marinette Part 5

When their new breakfast arrived via delivery guy, Ladybug and Adrien sat down to eat the sampler of pastries. Just as Ladybug thought, Adrien had ordered from her family's bakery, every taste and texture familiar to her mouth. Once they had eaten their full and cleaned up the after effects of Adrien's burnt croissants, they left the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, but there's not really much to do around here," Adrien apologized. "Both my father and I keep ourselves busy, and we don't entertain guests…at all." He sounded despondent.

"What do you do when you are home?"

"Homework. Reading. Playing the piano. Uh…"

"Let's do that."

"What?"

Ladybug blushed. "I mean, could you play the piano for me? I'd love to hear you play."

Adrien smiled. "Yeah, I can do that."

They returned to Adrien's bedroom, away from the cold, monochrome of the rest of the house to the warmth of his colorful décor. As Adrien sat at the grand piano near the window, Ladybug started to walk over to the couch.

"Why don't you sit next to me?" Adrien said, patting the bench next to him.

Heat radiated from Ladybug's neck. "Uh, I don't want to get in your way," she said, noticing how small the bench was. They would be sitting right next to each other, touching.

"It'll be like playing a duet. I've played several times with my father and piano teacher," Adrien said, moving a fraction of an inch, as if that would give her more room. "You won't be a bother."

Ladybug slid next to him, arranging it so there was an inch between them, which meant half her butt was hanging off the edge. If Adrien noticed, he didn't say anything.

Then Adrien began to play.

Ladybug was glad he insisted she sat on the bench. Listening to Adrien play the piano was nothing like watching his fingers dance across the ivory keys. When he played slow, they floated, soft and sweet. When he played face, they raced with amazing accuracy, finding the right notes. When he played loud, his whole body moved to press down on the keys firmly. When he played quietly, he closed his eyes. He played piece after piece, and Ladybug wished she knew more about classical music to know the names of the songs. They were probably called things like "First Movement" or "Something Sonata." Nothing like the Jagged Stone music she listened to.

"How long are you going to make all that noise?!"

Adrien's music was cut short by a shout from above.

Dropping from the balcony above, Plagg flew and sat on the keys with a loud POINK. "Oh, Ladybug is still here. I thought that you dumped him, and that's why he was playing this depressing music."

"You're such a philistine," Adrien said with a sigh. "You promised to stay out of sight during my date."

"But you woke me from my nap with your lame music," Plagg said, frowning. "And I'm hungry."

"Wow, he's like a real cat only you can understand his complaining and demands," Ladybug said with a smirk.

"Hey, I get enough guff from him. Don't you start on me, too," Plagg said, looking offended. "Come on, Adrien. I'm bored. Let me stay."

Ladybug cupped Plagg, bringing him closer. "Are you sure? We're not doing anything you would find interesting."

"Then perhaps I can make some suggestions," Plagg said, giving her a wink. "I'm sure I can find something more entertaining than watching Adrien bang on the piano."

"Oh, and what is that?"

"Play some video games," Plagg said, his eyes narrowing as he smiled. "Like Ultimate Mega Strike III?"

Ladybug blinked in surprise, her mind making a connection. Plagg knew she was Marinette. Of course he did. He had seen her when Dark Owl forced them to unmask. And he knew that she liked playing that game.

"Plagg, not everyone likes to play games," Adrien said. "I'm sorry, Ladybug, but he's become a gamer junkie despite the fact he can't reach all the buttons."

"I don't mind," Ladybug said, winking back at Plagg. "Although it's only a two player game. You won't be able to play with us, Plagg."

"That's okay. I like to watch," Plagg said, flying out of her hands. "I'll set it up. You two get some snacks. Don't forget my cheese."

Ladybug wasn't surprised that Adrien had his own stock of snacks in his room including a mini-fridge for drinks. She was excited by this except for that a majority of the snacks were healthy: dried fruit, nuts, flavored water, and rice cakes. The sweets he did have were either dark chocolates or hard candies.

With the scent of Camembert on the air, the teens went to the couch with the snacks where the TV was turned on and playing the opening theme song for the fighting game.

"I hope you take Adrien down a notch," Plagg said, holding out a controller to Ladybug. "He thinks he's all that because he qualified for a competition."

"Oh, I'm not sure about that," Ladybug said, enjoying the shared secret she had with Plagg. "I hope he'll give me some time to practice so I can get used to all these buttons."

"Don't worry. I'll take it easy on you," Adrien said, giving a confident wink.

Ladybug didn't realize how much of a practice she had needed. As good as she had been before, it had been a while since she had played with her dad. On top of that, she decided to use a different fighter than she was used to. The red with black polka dot robot had been her go-to fighter, but she wondered if Adrien would remember that was Marinette's favorite character too. Instead, she chose a small, feminine-looking bot with higher speed stats.

They played a few rounds, Adrien winning every time. "You're actually really good at this. You must have played it before." Adrien gave her an impressed look mixed with that he suspected she had played dumb.

"Oh, you know, a girl can have her interests," Ladybug said offhandedly. "Let's try it again."

The next game, she won. Plagg cheered and burped, his breath fragrant with stinky cheese.

"Okay, you had luck on your side," Adrien said, his expression challenging. "But this time, the kid gloves come off."

"Oh, I'm so scared."

She won again.

"What? No way," Adrien said, gesturing at the screen. He turned to Ladybug, suspicion all over his face. "I think I've been hustled."

"How dare you, good sir, to soil my reputation," Ladybug said, using a prim and proper tone. "I challenge you to a duel."

And they played again and again and again. Plagg fell asleep after gorging on more snacks, which was amazing with how much talking and shouting the teens did while they played the fighting game. They were having so much fun that they didn't realize how much time had passed until Adrien's phone vibrated.

"It's just a text," Adrien said, taking a quick glance, the looking again. "Whoa, it's already four."

"What?!" Ladybug exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. "I should be getting home."

"Wait. How about one more game?" Adrien tempted, holding out her controller. "If you win, I'll declare you the universal champ."

Ladybug grinned. "You're on." She could wait a few more minutes before going home. The alibi she had planted, working on a paper at the library, would still hold up. She even carried in Marinette's purse all the notes and most of the paper written.

"Good, game on," Adrien said, choosing his fight. "However, if I win, how about you give me a kiss?"

"W-what? Wait," Ladybug said, but the fight had already started. Flustered, she could barely react as Adrien got in a few good hits before she could get her guard up. He had caught her unawares on purpose, and she would need to pull out all the tricks to win.

But did she want to win? She could pretend to loose just this once. It wouldn't be hard and convincing. And then…

But then again, is that the kind of memory she wanted her first kiss to be, a prize to the winner of a video game. Not very romantic.

But she had envisioned kissing Adrien several times. It would be nice to actually know how it felt.

But…

There were too many buts, and she was feeling too stressed about being put on the spot. Apparently, that stress was channeled into her fighting fingers because before she knew it, she had won the fight.

"Well, it looks like you're the universal champ," Adrien said, putting down his controller and smiling. Was that blush on his cheeks? Had he been hoping to win? Of course he had, or else he wouldn't have said what he said.

"I should get going," Ladybug said, knowing that her cheeks were redder than his. "This was a lot of fun."

Adrien followed her to the window. "When can I see you again? I mean, we'll see each other if there's an akuma attack, but I mean like this. Do you want to go on another date?"

She turned around, her back against the wall. "Yes, that would be nice."

"How about tomorrow?"
She wanted to agree, but then she remembered that she had plans. She was supposed to work on poems with Nino. "No, I have something."

"Monday?"

"Wow, you're persistent."

"Or just eager?" He smiled. "How about it?"

Things were going so fast. Was it normal to have the second date so early? Or was she being too cautious? After all, it hadn't been that long ago that she was pining over Adrien, believing she didn't have any chance with him.

"What do you think of hamsters?"

"Huh?" Adrien tilted his head, confused.

"Hamsters? Yea or nay?"

He smiled. "I think hamsters are adorable."

"And they taste good with ketchup."

"Shut up, Plagg." He swatted at the kwami that had sneaked up on them.

"Okay."

"Okay? Oh, for Monday?" Adrien looked excited. "Great. I'll see you then."

"Here?"

"No. How about on the rooftops? Our usual spot?" He referred to the place where she admitted she loved him not that long ago."

"Okay." And before she lost her courage, she leaned forward and kissed him on the check. That was the bravest thing she could muster. And it's not like he beat her at that last round. "Bye." She threw her yo-yo, let it catch on a building across the street, and shot out of there.