Pound It!
Ladybug and Cat Noir did their usual celebration as Lila was sent off to jail for voluntarily working with a terrorist. However, Cat Noir didn't put much energy into it.
"A- Kitty, what's wrong?" Ladybug asks
"Nothing." Cat Noir just stared away from Ladybug blankly.
"Chat, I can see that something is bothering you. Please, tell me what's wrong."
"No… you tell me!" Chat Noir just snaps at Ladybug.
"What?" Ladybug asks confused
"Tell me who you are!" He says blankly
"Chat, you know that we can't k.."
"Know each other's identity? Yeah, like you follow this rule." Chat interrupts Ladybug
"Wait, what are you talking about?" Ladybug asks
"I found out that Rena Rouge or Furtive and Carapace know each other's identity." Chat says blankly
"What?!" Ladybug can't believe what she's hearing
"And you know what's worse?! That you are okay with it! Moreover, during Hack-San, logic goes that you know who replaced you and trusted her with your miraculous. I guess I'm the only one you can't trust."
"And what really hurt me, is that I lost my girlfriend because I couldn't tell her my identity. I have known that's a rule and you enforced it with me to the point that I lost her, and then I figured out that you didn't do that with Rena and Carapace. You broke my trust."
"A- Chat, I'm so sorry that you lost your girlfriend. It's part of being a hero, but it's not what…"
"What it seems? Well, to me it is! You don't trust me! After all this time you still… you still don't see me as your partner!"
"Chat, you know that's not true!"
"Then tell me who you are! Please…"
Ladybug freezes, having flashes back to Chat Blanc.
Little Kitty on a roof, all alone without his lady
Now you're breaking more than my heart Marinette!
It was our love that did this to the world.
I'm not Chat Noir anymore, I'm Chat Blanc
"I can't tell you! I'm so sorry kitty!"
"I see. You keep hiding it from me. You don't trust me."
"No A- Chat, that's not t…"
"NO! Not this again! Stop saying that you trust me, when it's very clear that you DON'T! Just… let me go, please. I don't want to be your partner anymore."
"What!?"
"I'm sorry M'lady, but I don't want you to get hurt. You need a partner who you can fully trust. And it's clear that it's not me." Chat goes to remove his ring until Ladybug holds his hand
"You can't mean that. *she gets really mad now* You really think that I don't trust you?! Really?! Well, you know why I can't tell my identity to you? Because I'm trying to protect you!" Cat Noir is back to mad.
"From what?!"
"From YOU!" Chat Noir is now shocked and confused.
"What?!"
"Not here. I'll talk, but someplace more private." They evacuate to their favorite rooftop. The one where Cat Noir's surprise and the revelation about another boy took place.
"Chat I… didn't want to tell you this, but. You were akumatized, some months ago. Somehow, you found out my identity and I don't know how but… this was the reason you became Chat Blanc."
"C-Chat Blanc? How come, I don't remember this? I don't remember ever being de-akumatized."
"Bunnyx came and sent me to deal with your future self, who was Chat Blanc. Your hair and your costume were white. You were pale and…"
"... and?"
"And your beautiful green eyes turned into blue and terrifying. Kitty, I don't want to cause you any more pain by telling you this. I… can't hurt you!"
"Hey, hey M'lady, it's okay. Please continue, I can take it."
"Chat… after you became Chat Blanc, you… you destroyed everything. Including me." Cat Noir fell down on his but and cried. Cried for what seemed like forever. Ladybug sat down, hugging and comforting him. Her earrings beeped along with Chat's ring.
"If it's any consolation, I will show you my identity."
"You… told me the reason I can't know your identity, don't you want to avoid Chat Blanc?"
"I do… but I know what happened, we can do everything we can to stop it. It's us against the world. Remember?" Marinette's earrings beeped their final beep and Ladybug transformed into Marinette.
"M-Marinette?! You're M'lady! Oh I'm so glad my two favorite girls are the same person."
"I'm sorry! DOn't ever do this to me again! I don't know what I'd do without you! You're irreplaceable Adrien." At that point, Adrien transformed back into Adrien.
"You… knew my identity? How long?"
"From the akuma right before the whole Lila thing happened today. Alya and I saw you transform into Chat Noir."
"Guess Alya knows both our identities now."
"Wait… you know Rena Furtive's identity?"
"Yeah, I guess I should have told you. Before you get mad at Nino, just know he was emotionally hurt at that point."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, remember Rocketear?"
"Yeah, Alya and I found Nino's little lair in the boiler room."
"Well... when trying to convince me that Alya had fallen for me as Chat Noir, Nino revealed his and Alya's identities to me, while… trash talking Chat Noir."
"God, what?! That was so dumb."
"Mari, he was grieving."
"...Did you tell him? That you are Chat?"
"No M'lady. I didn't… but don't you think we should?"
"Why?"
"Princess, he's the only one in our friend group that doesn't know our identities. If we continue, he will feel left in the dark. I don't want to make the same mistake."
"...alright. We'll tell him."
"I'm glad you agreed, Marinette." Marinette laid on Adrien's lap.
"You didn't expect me to be Ladybug did you?"
"It was a great surprise."
"I want cheese!" Plagg buts in
"Plagg! You're such a floating stomach." Adrien grabs a piece of camembert and gives it to Plagg.
"So, you two gonna kiss or what?" Plagg simply asks
"PLAGG!" Adrien, Marinette and Tikki all scold him. Tikki nudges Plagg away
"We'll stay out of your way." Tikki helps the heroes
"Oh come on! I want to hear the gossip!" Plagg sulks in mellow
" *sigh* "
"Marinette?"
"There's still something wrong between us."
"What?"
"I'm pretty sure, I'm more Marinette than Ladybug."
"What do you mean?"
"Did you ever think… of me as more than a friend?"
"I...I…"
"I get it."
"I...I… don't understand, you and Ladybug are the same."
"Yes, but. You only love that part of me… what about the rest of me? What will happen when I stop being Ladybug and you only see the real me?" Adrien, now finally figuring out what she's getting at stops to think.
"What about Chat Noir then? You never accepted his love. And he's more part of me than Adrien is. Do you like him? Or is it just because I am Adrien?"
"I...I… Chat Noir. He was always there for me when I needed him."
"But you don't love him. I...I… always risked my life for you, because I love you! I love you very much! I would do whatever for you! But, that is not enough."
"I...I'm sorry."
"I know."
"I always knew you were amazing, I'm sorry I couldn't see you the way you wanted… and if I accepted you now, it would be very bad… because we have hurt us so much. I… I'm bad for you!"
"I know you're not."
"You don't know me, and I don't know you."
"You already know me… I'm your silly cat! The one who was madly in love with you. And I know you too, and you are marinette: The strongest and most beautiful girl in the world. You're the only one who can make Ladybug amazing."
The two kiss for what feels like an eternity.
"Finally, a kiss my kitty remembers." Mari chuckles
"Oh don't even get me started." Adrien chuckles
They hear clapping above them
"Finally you goofballs worked everything out." Alya says leaping onto the roof
"Alya! Did you listen in on everything?!" Marinette askes flushed.
"Yes, and Marinette. Chat Blanc doesn't exist anymore, and you worked things out with Adrien. He won't be coming back." Alya says, consoling her
Marinette didn't realise that until now. "Yes! Nightmare over!"
"Great job Marinette." Adrien says
"How is the Solitude mystery going along? I didn't actually hear what you figured out, thanks to all this Lila nonsense." Marinette asks him
"Oh yeah! So, I figured out from my father that your parents actually delivered food to the set." Adrien says
"Wait, really?!" Mari asks, incredulous
"Yeah! And remember that night when you checked in on my mental issues?"
"Yeah."
"After the akuma attack, I went to your place to talk to your parents and... I figured something out that is a bit disturbing."
"huh?"
"Apparently your mom overheard a conversation between Audrey and my father. They were talking about someone they gave birth to which was an accident."
"WHAT?!" Mari and Alya almost scream
"The sad thing is, I think I know who they were talking about." Marinette nodded. They said in unison
"Zoe." They say in unison
"No way. But wait, isn't Zoe's last name Lee?" Alya asks
"Audrey probably married another person in New York, giving Zoe the last name Lee. But that's speculation." Mari says
"I… don't have the heart to tell her though. I want to tell her, but I don't have the heart to do it."
"Imagine Chloe's reaction to all of this." Alya says
"Heh, she'll probably go crazy again." Adrien speculates
"Yeah. *remembers something* Wait, I think Chloe knows my identity." Mari says
"Why do you say that?" "huh?" Adrien asks her but Alya exclaims a huh.
"Remember the recording she had? I transformed there shortly after the recording ended." Mari explained
"If that's true, then why didn't she reveal your identity during the Miracle Queen incident?" Alya asks
"I don't know… I'll talk to her about that later."
"Well if we wanna get back to school in time, we're gonna have to go now." Adrien points out
Marinette sees the time
"Oh shoot, you're right."
They transform and almost start heading to school before a pause and look between them
"I'm so glad that you don't have to dance around each other now." Rena says
"I'm glad as well." Chat says
"Me too." Ladybug says