MiraculElse #19: There's Something You Should Know...
by DFC
(Timeline: Post-Gang of Secrets.)
Plagg hovered in the air over Adrien's bed, staring down at him with worried eyes.
"This really isn't a huge deal," he told his young host. "It kind of makes sense that it happened."
"I know," Adrien murmured. "It doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would."
"Which... explains why you're curled up in a ball right now."
"Trust me, Plagg. This is my muted response."
In his mind, Adrien flashed back...
The night was cold and damp atop the Tour Montparnasse, but Chat Noir barely felt it. His Lady had called him for what she said was an important meeting... so he came running, right to her side. It was as simple as that.
"Chat," she said. "I have something to tell you... and I'm not sure how you're going to take this."
"Go... ahead?" ventured Chat, hesitantly.
"I wanted you to know that I've... told someone my secret identity."
His eyes went huge, but his tight-lipped expression worried her. "Obviously... it wasn't you. So, I need to explain myself," she added.
"Please."
"Okay. So... Being the Guardian of the Miraculous is driving me nuts," she began. "I have sixteen Kwamis to manage. I bought a mini-fridge for my room for all the things that they eat, and all my pocket money is going towards keeping them happy. Do you have any idea how hard it is to come home with live crickets, hay, and Chinese takeaway once a week and not have your parents ask questions about it?"
"Heh. I can kind of empathize. Plagg loves a particular kind of cheese that I don't really care for, but to keep him happy, I have to keep asking for it," Chat smiled. "My father must think that I'm half-nuts."
"But it's so much more than that. When Master Fu gave me this responsibility... I mean, he had to. We both know that," Ladybug said. "But it's fifty times harder than I thought it would be, the more that I learn about it. Like, I'm so worried every time that we go out and fight Akumas now. If something happens to me... who would help the other hosts? Or find another Ladybug? Or even know where to look for the Miracle Box to try to send help?"
"Nothing is going to happen to you," Chat stated, flatly.
"You're sweet... but you can't guarantee that," she smiled. "So... I decided to set up a fail-safe. A confidant that I can talk to about things, who can help me cover when I need to get away. Who can, like... if she sees 'Ladybug just got blasted into a million pieces' on TV, she can go to you and tell you what she knows and help you move forward and save the day."
"So... she'd be the new Guardian?"
"No. YOU would. Of course you would!" Ladybug insisted. "There is no one that I trust more than you, Chat. Not even the person that I'm telling you about."
He smiled at that... but didn't look entirely convinced.
"I know, I know. 'I trust you so much that I told someone else first,'" sighed Ladybug. "You do get why, right? All of those things that Master Fu taught us about our identities, how dangerous it would be for us to know more about each other? They're all still true. They're so much MORE true now! We've talked about this, so many times."
"I know we have," Chat said. "But that doesn't make it easier to think about."
"I did this for a reason," she declared. "And... I would recommend that you do the same. I want to know that if anything ever happens to you... that someone can come to me and say, here's who you need to go and find, so go and save him, he needs you."
"Okay. I get that," smiled Chat, reluctantly. "And you're making sense. Who should I pick? A parent, maybe?"
"I can't tell you who to trust," Ladybug wavered. "Someone that you live with... that might be a little too on-the-nose? They'd know that there was a Miraculous right there in their house, and, well... who knows, they might be tempted to find it and play with it, or something. I don't know. I would say... maybe a close friend? Someone who you know who can keep a secret. Someone that you trust completely."
"...I can do that."
Ladybug stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "That's what I had to say," she whispered. "I don't want any of this to hurt you, Chat. I don't."
"I promise you. It won't," he whispered back, returning the hug.
Slowly, Adrien returned to a sitting position.
"I don't want to sit and think about this," he told Plagg. "I need to just... do this and rip the bandage off, if you know what I mean by that. Before I overthink it."
"That's probably a good idea. You're driving yourself nuts just thinking about it now."
"So... are you up for a little trip, Plagg?" asked Adrien.
"You know who it is that you're going to tell?" Plagg wondered.
"I do. I've run it through my head a thousand times... and there are only a couple of people that I would even consider. But there's one who just keeps jumping out at me... someone who'd be perfect."
"I kind of figured that. I'm pretty sure that he'll be a really good choice."
Adrien blinked... then smiled in Plagg's direction.
"...He?"
Plagg froze at that.
"Um... hang on," he said. "Maybe we should talk about this?"
"No, I'm ready," Adrien declared. "Claws out!"
*TH-BMMP!*
Marinette rolled over in her bed, opening her eyes reluctantly. "You have got to be kidding me," she mumbled, fumbling for her phone to check the time. "I have school tomorrow. I need my sleep!"
She did her best to clear her head, checked that her pajamas covered everything that ought to be covered... then climbed the ladder up to her balcony.
Sitting on one of the lounge chairs on Marinette's balcony, Chat's pulse was a frantic drumbeat even before the hatch opened and a familiar young woman padded up through it. He felt an even greater rush as she approached him... the reason for which, he couldn't entirely pinpoint.
"Hey," Marinette yawned. "This had better be good... what's up?"
"Marinette..." Chat began, "I'm sorry that I woke you up. I didn't mean to."
"Oh, it's nothing. I always get up and go outside after midnight to check the weather," she quipped... then softened when she saw his reaction to that. "I'm teasing you, Kitty. You wouldn't be here at this time of night if it wasn't something important."
"It... is," he said, quietly.
Marinette pulled a chair up across from him, the seriousness of his voice pulling her out of her remaining sleepiness. "Okay, then... I'm here for you, Chat," she told him, in a soothing tone. "What's on your mind?"
"I had a talk with Ladybug tonight," Chat explained. "She told me that she's told someone else her secret identity."
"Ah," she replied. "I'm... sure that she had her reasons? Good ones?"
"Yeah. They are good reasons," he told her. "It stung a little that I wasn't the first to know, you know? But she explained to me what she was thinking, and it's... I'm okay with it. Mostly. I promise."
"Okay... if you're sure," Marinette said, cautiously. "But it's twelve-thirty at night and you're sitting here across from me. You're not okay with something."
"I think that I'm about to be."
"...Come again?"
"Marinette... one of the reasons Ladybug did what she did was that she needed someone whom she trusted completely, who wasn't another Miraculous host. Someone who would have her back in case of emergencies, who could come to me or to the others if something happened to her," he explained. "Not a partner, right? More like a best friend forever."
Marinette felt a chill run through her. "Chat... hold on a second," she stammered.
"Which is why I want to share something with you tonight," said Chat, with a warm smile emerging on his face. "There is no one that I trust more than you, Marinette. You have been my dearest friend... more than you even know... since the day that I met you. So... I have something that I need to show you."
He closed his eyes... and Marinette tried not to scream.
"Claws-"
"WAIT!"
Chat Noir wasn't sure how Marinette was going to feel about his revelation... but at her shriek, he paused before completing it. As he watched her collapse, her face falling down into her outstretched hands, sobbing noises coming from her mouth... he was suddenly very glad that he had.
"...Marinette?" he ventured, reaching a hand in her direction but not daring to touch her.
"No, no, no, NO. This can't be happening," she gasped, more to herself than to Chat. "It just can't be. Damn it!"
"Are you... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean, I don't understand?" Chat babbled. "I wanted this to be a good thing... I wanted to show you how much I... what did I do?"
As words failed her, as her tears fell, Chat moved across and sat next to her, putting his arm over her shoulders. Instinctively, Marinette leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, clinging to her leather-clad lifeline for some time.
"Ch-Chat," Marinette managed, "I'm... touched. I truly am. But I can't let you do this."
"It's a huge responsibility. I didn't mean to just... drop it onto you," apologized Chat. "You have more than enough on your plate already... I'm sorry. But can we talk about this?"
"I can't know this," she replied, quietly.
"You're the only person that should know this," Chat explained. "I think... there are only a couple of people in this world that I'd trust enough for this. One of them is a school friend of mine, a really great guy... but he doesn't really know this side of me. Not like you do. He's my best buddy in my regular life... but as Chat Noir? It's you. It's always been you."
"I don't know how I can explain," whimpered Marinette. "Because I can't explain. I... have reasons that I can't know who you are. I can't tell you what they are... but I need you to trust me, Chat."
She raised her eyes to him, and didn't flinch when, by instinct, a gloved hand brushed some tears aside.
"I need you to trust me when I say that I care so, so much for you... maybe more than you will ever know," she breathed. "And as far as someone that you can turn to... I always want to be here for you, okay? I always want to be someone that you can lean on, that you can vent to, that you can feel close to. I know how much you need that kind of person in your life... and I want to be her. I want to be there for the wonderful boy behind that mask."
He shuddered, emotions pouring through him, as she continued, "But I can't know who you are, underneath. And I can't tell you why not. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."
"Okay," Chat whispered, hesitantly. "I'm pulling that back... I promise. It's all right. Just... be here with me."
The balcony hatch opened... and a leather-clad figure descended the ladder slowly, a dark-haired girl in pajamas cradled in his free arm.
He laid her down on the bed, her head on the pillow, pulling her covers up over her lower body. Her soft smile was perhaps a little bit forced... but still sincere.
"I am so sorry," Chat told her. "The very last thing that I wanted to do tonight was to cause you any pain, or give you more stress."
"I know you didn't, Chat. It's... all complicated. But I meant every word I said," Marinette replied. "Including what you mean to me."
"A feeling that is mutual. And you should always know that."
Gently, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, feather-light.
"Sweet dreams, Marinette," he breathed.
"You, too... whoever you are," Marinette smiled.
Once he'd ascended and the hatch closed... Marinette closed her eyes tightly, feeling something strong about to burst out of her.
Of course he'd come to you. Of course he would, her brain wailed. Why would I think that I could make my life EASIER by doing anything?
Why did it have to be me? The one person who would hurt him by saying 'No?'
...Because he cares about me. He might even... l-love me, in his own way, she admitted. And I...
...I need to think about that.
But not tonight. Tonight, I just need to sleep.
She rolled over, keeping her eyes closed tightly, trying to make her brain shut off for a while. It insisted on replaying her conversation with Chat several times, changing up the camera angles for variety, highlighting certain phrases in her mental closed-captioning...
...and all of a sudden, she sat up with a loud gasp, enough to bring Tikki flying to her side.
"What is it?" asked Tikki. "Are you okay?"
"No, I'm not!" Marinette shuddered. "I just realized what I said to Chat Noir up there! What is wrong with me?"
"I didn't catch all of it. What did I miss?" Tikki worried.
"I was too tired to think up a decent cover story. But 'I can't know your identity, and I can't tell you why not?' What was I thinking?" she wailed. "Could I have possibly spelled out 'I am Ladybug' any clearer for him? Why else would I have been so terrified of knowing, just like what Ladybug keeps telling him?"
Tikki scratched her head. "I'm... not sure about that," she pondered. "Because with the way that he feels about Ladybug... I kind of feel like he would've reacted a lot more. LIke, with lips."
"He did kiss me. Just on the forehead... but that's not normal for us," Marinette sighed. "Wow. He... did, didn't he?"
"Time will tell, okay?" Tikki soothed her, snuggling into her arms like a child's stuffed animal. "Just try to get some rest."
Chat Noir paused on his return trip home, as his brain was spinning fast enough to approach escape velocity.
Well, THAT didn't go like how I'd pictured it, he sighed. I expected her to be surprised, maybe a little bit nervous... not to collapse, crying in my arms!
I mean...
It's not like tucking her into bed felt BAD.
Or hearing her talk about me the way that she did...
...Wow.
This is a girl who told me that she was in love with me once, he marveled, and somehow tonight felt even... better.
I couldn't tell her how stressed I've seen her lately, how worried about her I've been... because Chat Noir hasn't been in class with her, Adrien has... but I'm going to do whatever it takes to help her feel better, in BOTH my identities. I need to do that. Someone like Marinette... she deserves so much better than this. She's too... she's so many things.
But even apart from that... I think that Marinette's just become an even bigger part of my life in another way.
He couldn't help but smile.
"I can't know who you are." Not won't... but CAN'T. That means something... something very important!
Marinette Dupain-Cheng... you have a secret.
A MIRACULOUS secret.
YOU'RE the one to whom Ladybug told her identity!
It makes perfect sense! I know that Ladybug knows you. She's trusted you with a Miraculous once before. And she said that you can't be Multimouse again, because I found out your identity... which, come to think of it, I DO need to talk to Ladybug about that, since it seems like she's relaxing those rules for other people...
...but she would SO want you on our team in some capacity. She would trust you completely. How could anyone not? And if you know HER identity, you can't know mine as well... obviously.
You are a treasure, Marinette. And if you thought that I wanted to take care of you, and protect you, and make your world better before tonight...
...you just wait until tomorrow.
~fin~