"Pound it!"

"Another day, another akuma defeated, M'Lady. I don't know how we do it." Chat dramatically blew on his knuckles then wiped them across his chest.

"It's easy when I have a partner like you." Ladybug praised, subconsciously reaching up to mess up his hair. "You're the best kitty cat a bug could ask for."

"What's with the flattery, Bugaboo?" He teased, suddenly thrown off guard as Ladybug threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

"I love you, Chat Noir. You're the best partner and I'm sorry people don't see the work you do."

Chat Noir stumbled back, wrapping his arms around her. She loved him? Ladybug loved him. Ladybug loved him! But Ladybug was Marinette…the same Marinette that had had Adrien in her bed not too long ago and the same Marinette that didn't know he was Chat. Was this considered her cheating on him with himself? He couldn't tell. All he knew was that Ladybug..Marinette…had just told him she loved him and now she was hugging him, her head on his shoulder and her fists dug firmly into the fabric of his suit. He held her for what seemed like forever until a quiet beeping sound interrupted the silence.

"M'lady, your earrings. You should go, or I might just see who's hiding under that mask of yours." He had meant it to be teasing but suddenly Ladybug looked up, meeting his eyes, and whispered.

"I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing." She kissed his cheek then tossed her yo-yo, disappearing off into the skyline as Chat stood there, frozen in shock.

~•••••~

"Absolutely not, Marinette! I won't let you do it!" Tikki proclaimed the second they were safely back in Matinette's room later that day.

"I love him, Tikki. And not just the love I had for him before. Not the superficial love for Adrien. Not the platonic, yet adrenaline filled love for Chat Noir. But love for both of them, all of him. He deserves to know. That I'm ladybug. That I know he's Chat. He deserves to know all of it."

"We've already revealed too much by telling Alya. Marinette, I know it's hard, but we can't risk another reveal."

"Exactly! We've already told Alya and she's mostly a civilian. Adrien is my partner. Please, Tikki. Please." Marinette watched as her kwami deliberated.

"If I may," Wayzz began, coming to sit on Marinette's desk. "Adrien and Marinette would not be the first holders to know each other's identities."

"Yeah!" Marinette chimed in. "Alya and Nino were given their miraculous at the same time."

"Marinette, the other kwamis are wonderful. But they aren't the ladybug and black cat. Plagg and I are stronger and there's a much bigger risk involved."

"Excuse me, but I wasn't talking about Nino and Alya. I was speaking of past Ladybug and Black Cat holders. Your last holders for example." Wayzz nodded to Tikki who sighed.

"Yes, that is a good argument, Wayzz. But I remain undecided."

"Wait. The past holders knew each other's identities?"

"From the start, yes. It was a bold choice. But it was a very different situation then. Plagg and I were given to a brother-sister duo. It would be very hard for two kwamis to be held in the same household and neither holder notice. They'd have to outright ignore and avoid each other for that to happen. So our Master at the time made the decision to give us to Wang and Xia."

"Wang and..No."

"Yes. We were never used publicly. We were a secret to the world. But I'm sure you've noticed your mother has been particularly lenient with you since Ladybug arrived in Paris..it's no coincidence. Wang and Xia used us in private, taking down criminals behind the scenes. All done under the cover of darkness. It was much different than you and Adrien."

"Tikki..what are the chances that my mom and uncle held miraculous and that the next holder was me? That can't be a coincidence."

"Tikki." Wayzz interrupted. "This may be too much too soon."

"It's okay, Wayzz. I can handle it." Marinette waved him away and Wayzz nodded, watching silently as Tikki hovered nervously.

"You're right in thinking that. It isn't a coincidence. The day you and Adrien were chosen..Master Fu was on his way to find your mother. To return me to her. He bumped into you and felt greatness within you..and your connection to the miraculous. So he changed his mind."

"So wait..my clumsiness made me ladybug?"

"In a way, yes." Tikki laughed at the thought, but decided it was true enough.

"But Adrien..if Master Fu wanted to return you and Plagg to your previous holders..why Adrien? My uncle obviously isn't available, living in China…was Adrien just random?"

"I'm not sure." Tikki bowed her head. "I was with you by the time Plagg was given to Adrien. Master Fu had planned to talk Xia into convincing Wang to come to Paris. But that all changed when you became my holder."

"I can fill in those gaps." Wayzz began. "If I may."

"Of course, Wayzz." Marinette turned to the little god who quickly began telling his side of the story.

"When Master gave Tikki to you, he immediately realized the original plan was not going to work. So, he sought a holder with familial ties to the miraculous, much like yourself."

"How would Adrien be tied to the miraculous? Who in his family would-"

"We don't know. Master Fu can only feel the tie to the miraculous. He can't magically tell who it was. We only knew Wang and Xia from our time near them previously. Whichever kwami was held in Adrien's family before, it wasn't one of us."

"One of us meaning.."

"Not any of us who were with Master Fu at the time of your choosing."

"Wait a second." Marinette popped up. "If it wasn't..no. That just leaves…"

"Yes. Nooroo and Duusu."