The rain falls and sticks like salt on skin. The allure of the twinkles of Paris against a brush of dark blues and indigo gave Marinette the sudden urge to design a whole clothing line called 'Starry Parisian Nights,' but she supposed that had probably been done before.

She had wanted to stay on her balcony for a while to relieve some stress, but found herself with the itching urge to confess all her secrets to the rain. They would evaporate into the clouds by mid-afternoon tomorrow anyhow.

There were the obvious secrets:

-Marinette is in love with Adrien Agreste.

-Marinette is Ladybug and the guardian of the miraculous.

But then there was also the best kept hidden secrets. Secrets that nobody knew.

Well, actually there was really only one. Marinette had the feeling lately that the secret might die with her. The thought saddened her, filled her soul with a deep mourning period. She didn't even want Alya to know, and Alya knows everything.

The secret was so loud within her heart that in the moments she felt it, she wanted to scream how she felt out on all the rooftops of Paris.

However, if she did, Chat would hear, and that just wouldn't do. So instead, on the nights where they patrolled, after her Chaton would leave, she resorted to crying instead.

It's not that she wanted to reject him, quite the opposite actually. She loves him. All that talk about her wanting to keep their identities a secret is utter bullshit. She wants to reveal herself to him as much as he does, maybe even more. But as Ladybug and now the guardian, she has the responsibility to do and say what needs to be done or said.

Sometimes, the responsibility is so heavy, the only thing that pulls her through is his smile and sense of humor. But she would never tell him that. She couldn't, because then she wouldn't be able to keep everything else in. Feigning disinterest is the only way she can go on.

Admittedly, she thought herself a bit selfish. She knew she couldn't have Chat Noir right now, that it was only fair he move on and be happy. Still, that dark secret part of her wants him to wait. To be patient. Maybe, if he waits long enough, eventually she can meet him halfway.

Marinette shakes the thought out of her head. It's selfish, she knows it is, but she can't help it. The ache of wanting him has only been growing since the day she met him. She was only blinded by the sight of a kind boy, and the shroud of his umbrella in the rain.

She still loves Adrien, obviously, but her love for her Chaton was much different as it was the same.

Her love for Adrien is simple, pure, idealistic, and ethereal. The perfect love with a perfect boy.

Her love for Chat Noir however, is passionate, intense, honest. It's a love based in trust and flirtatious lines of dutiful partners and romance.

That scared her more.

She can herself around him, something she couldn't manage to do around Adrien, as much as she wanted to. She's just loved him for so long yet nothing has ever come from it, not even friendship. Maybe aquaintence-ship, but that's all.

It's amazing really, how a great wall, greater than any historical wall she's ever known, could be mounted between her and Chat Noir, yet a trusting and true love could still cross from side to side.

Currently however, she was feeling the weight of those secrets. So, not being able to keep it in, she decided to scream out into the rain during a loud clap of thunder so nobody would hear. She saw a flash of brilliant purple lightning streak across the sky and counted, smelling the cool air and distant scent of watered grass and dewy flowers from below.

1...

2...

3...

"I'm in love with Chat Noir!" She screamed into a loud clap of thunder.

Marinette still felt the weight of well kept feelings being hidden, but she felt a little lighter now.

Maybe someday, if her luck holds up, she could reveal all of her secrets to him, and vise versa. Maybe someday he'll know that with her, can just be the truest form of himself, but for now, Marinette still has a secret. Well, more than one actually.

There's the obvious secrets:

-Marinette is in love with Adrien Agreste

-Marinette is Ladybug and the guardian of the miraculous

And the darkest, well kept secret:

- Ladybug is in love with Chat Noir.