(Author's Note: Hi, Sakura here. So this is the first story I've written for the Miraculous Ladybug fandom. But it is not the first one I have posted. This story has gone through a lot of editing. So at this point, it's an aged up AU, where so far the only Miraculous users are Master Fu, Hawk Moth, Marinette, and Adrien. I will at some point bring in the other Miraculous users as shown in Canon.)

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

A reveal fic

(thoughts/sounds) (text/written messages)

The nighttime patrol ended how it began, with Ladybug and Chat Noir standing side by side on the Eiffel Tower, looking out on the horizon. It had been almost three years since they got their Miraculous, and although their identities have remained a secret. Over the last few months, they have started talking about their civilian lives to each other.

It all started six months ago.

A construction worker had been akumatized after Chloe (no surprise there) got him fired on the spot. The battle was extremely long and hard. It required two Cataclysms and three Lucky Charms and Chat had been nearly killed. Even after Ladybug used her Miraculous Cure to fix everything, Chat was still unable to move on his own. So Ladybug, being the kindhearted and caring person she is, picks up Chat and swings her yo-yo towards the rooftops.

Once they were safe and well hidden from prying eyes (cough Alya cough), Ladybug moves Chat so they were back to back against a chimney stack with her supporting most of his weight.

Beep beep beep

"Ladybug your earrings are timing out, you should cough go. I'll be feline better soon."

"Oh Chat, we're partners. I'm not leaving you until I know fur sure you're better. Just promise you won't look."

"Mi'lady! Did you just make a pun?"

"Puurhapes I did. Now Chat do you promise?"

"Of course Mi'lady. Anything for you."

Chat feels the magic dissipating from around Ladybug. He closes his eyes in case her Kwami flew by to double-check.

"Okay, his eyes are closed Ladybug. Now, do you have a cookie for me?"

"Yes, Tikki," Ladybug unclasp her purse and pulls out a cookie, "here." Tikki grabs it and starts eating.

"I'm glad your Kwami is easy to feed. All Plagg wants to eat is Camembert cheese. I'm starting to hate cheese now."

Ladybug's soft sweet laugh fills the quiet air around them. "It seems so. I'm grateful that she's not too picky about her sweet tooth. Though nothing powers her back up faster than chocolate chip cookies. So I try and carry at least four in my bag at all times. She sleeps through most of my classes so the cookies stay untouched for a while."

"You've mentioned being in school before. Can I ask where you go?"

"Sure. You remember Chloe right? Number one reason why someone gets akumatized?"

"sigh Yes, I do, unfurtunately." Chat rolls his eyes with that statement.

"I go to school with her and I'm in the same class as her, again. Ugh."

"gasps M-me too!" Chat almost turns around but he remembers his promise and stays put. "So we must know each other in our civilian lives as well. Mi'lady, would you be willing to rethink on us revealing ourselves to each other? I really want to know who you are under that mask."

"I'll think about it. But I'll tell you now, I'm very different without the mask. I feel like I'll be a disappointment to you, and that I'll lose you." At that moment Chat reached back and grab her hand in his. "Chat." She said sternly.

"I'm not looking, I'm trying to comfort you. Ladybug, I highly doubt you could disappoint me. And you most certainly won't lose me either." I really hope you're Marinette.

Ladybug squeezes Chat's hand. I wish you were Adrien. "Thanks, Chat."

Several minutes later Tikki flies past Chat's face to make sure he still has his eyes closed. "Okay Ladybug, I'm ready for you."

Ladybug nods her head "Okay Tikki. Spots On!" Magic flows from her earrings and covers her back up in her superhero attire. "It's safe to look Chat." They now sit side by side, backs against the chimney stack. Their hands still together.

"So I take it you don't like Chloe?"

"No, I don't Chat. She's bullied me every year for the past seven and a half years. We've always been put in the same class. And every year she would make my life hell. Heck even during summer and winter vacation if she sees me out and about, she would go out of her way to torment me. Since I've become Ladybug, I've stood up to her on several occasions. And during a few of those occasions, I let my Ladybug side show through. And in those times that I felt like I prevented someone from Hawk Moth's akumas."

"I definitely remember the times you're talking about. I really feel like I know who you are, but I'm respecting your decision to keep your identity a secret. At least until you tell me otherwise." She really seems more and more like Marinette.

"Thank you Chat. I promise I'll think about it. Now how are you feeling?"

"I'm feline puurfect, especially since Mi'lady is sitting so close to me and holding my hand." He gently squeezes her hand and then relaxes the muscles so his hand lies limp under hers.

"Oh," a mild blush graces her cheeks, "I had forgotten you grabbed my hand to comfort me. So tell me true, will you be able to get home safely?"

Chat stands up carefully and stretches this way and that, popping and cracking different joints. A sigh escapes his mouth. "I should be good to go." Chat turns and offers his hand to Ladybug. Which she accepts and lets him pull her to her feet. "Thank you fur the company Mi'lady. Shall I call you to let you know I've made it home?"

"It was my pleasure Chat. And if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd appreciate it."

Chat smiles at her "It's no trouble at all. Au Revoir Bugaboo." With one finally wave Chat press a button on his staff and bounds away. Ladybug stays for a moment to watch him go before turning herself in the direction of her home, throwing her yo-yo and swinging away.

As she gently lands on her balcony, she gets a call from Chat. "Hey kitty, get home safe?"

Chat chuckles softly "Of course Bugaboo. I'd show you more of my room to prove it but then you'd know who I am. And until you tell me otherwise, I'll pawsitively be good. Goodnight Ladybug."

"Goodnight Chat." The call ends and Ladybug once again becomes Marinette. She climbs through her window above her bed and carefully and quietly changes into her pajamas then she crawls into bed.

"Marinette, are you really thinking about revealing who you are to Chat?"

Marinette can barely keep her eyes open "Yes Tikki I am. But I think I'll wait until our three year anniversary of getting our miraculous to give him my answer. yawn Goodnight Tikki. "

"yawn Goodnight Marinette."

(Back in the present)

Ladybug's gaze drifts over the rooftops "Chat?" She says softly.

"Yes, bugaboo?"

"I'm sure you're aware, but you know how the school is throwing a party on our behalf tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I heard about that. Why? Is something wrong?"

Ladybug lets out a small laugh and Chat falls in love with that laugh. "No, nothing at all. It's just that my civilian side made the suggestion that it should be a costume party. And Principle Damocles loved the idea. Now the girls have to dress as Ladybug and the boys have to dress as Chat Noir. I was planning on going as I am now if you'll go with me as my Chat Noir?"

"Furst of all, I would love to, but shouldn't I know who you are beforehand?"

"Silly kitty, don't you see? This is how I'm revealing myself to you. If you can guess who I am by who is missing, then once the party is over we'll meet on the school roof and you'll see if you were right. I am playing too, so I have to figure out who you are as well."

Chat's jaw drops and he stammers his words "Re-really? Bugaboo, you mean it?!"

"Yes, Chat, but we only have until the end of the party. Which is two and a half hours at the end of the school day. So meeting up on the roof isn't a big deal."

"That shouldn't be a problem. I'm pretty sure I know who you are though. So will you be there as Ladybug in personality or just in costume?"

"I'll be there as both Ladybug and my civilian self. That should narrow down the possibilities. Just don't forget how enthusiastic Chloe gets."

Chat groans and covers his face "How could I forget? She'll be all over my civilian side."

"Chat! Stop giving me hints. Especially a big one like that!"

Chat rubs the back of his neck sheepishly "Sorry Mi'lady. I was just lamenting about what a disaster that will be. With her as a Ladybug, she will be all over every Chat Noir there until she finds me. It gives me the shivers. I don't want to wait until the party is over. If Chloe finds me, she'll never let me go. Plus she'll say my super annoying nickname really loud and my sensitive ears can't handle her loud pitch. I know once she starts shouting my name, I won't be able to hide my wince at her voice."

Ladybug places her hand on Chat's shoulder "Oh Chat. I didn't think about that. I'm sorry."

Chat gently pats Ladybug's hand on his shoulder "It's alright Mi'lady. I'm sure we'll figure something out."

Suddenly Ladybug pulls Chat Noir into a bear hug, a hand settling on the back of his head, lightly stroking his hair. A purr rumble from Chat's chest and his face turns blood red from embarrassment. Ladybug just holds him and pets his head.

Then she softly speaks into his ear "How about this, we can reveal ourselves now spend a few minutes as our civilian selves then transform and go home. Then before the party starts you come over to my house and we get dressed for the party. Or we meet up on the roof first before we go to the party. We can reveal ourselves there, then go to the party as if we are only civilians. Everyone gets a thirty-minute window to go home and get changed. So we pretend to go home like everyone else but we really just hide somewhere transform and then go to the roof. If there's a Ladybug already hanging off your arm, that should keep Chloe away. Don't you think mon petite chat?"

As she pulls back, Chat can see a smirk on her face and a smile appears on his. "I think that's an excellent plan Mi'lady." Chat's face soften and a vulnerable yet loving look overtakes his face "Ladybug, you have no idea how much this means to me. I would like to do the reveal tonight, but I'd rather do the reveal tomorrow."

Ladybug nods. "Alright, tomorrow then.

"I just hope nobody gets akumatized tomorrow. That would be pawsitively horrific."

"Indeed it would. Well, it's late, we should head home and try and get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, right Chat?"

He takes one of Ladybug's hands and kisses each of her fingers on it. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Do you still want me to call you when I get home?"

A slight blush graces Ladybug's face "Always, silly kitty." They both leap from the Eiffel Tower at the same time heading in different directions. As always Ladybug reaches her balcony moments before Chat calls her. "Safe in your room mon petite chat?"

"Of course Mi'lady. And you are you safe in your room?" Chat had never asked that before.

"I'm just outside my window. I'd show you but our civilian lives are still a secret until tomorrow afternoon that is."

Chat sighs but his voice is still filled with worry "Ok, that's fair. Can you at least let me hear you enter your room? You can cover the camera if you think I'll recognize something. Please? I at least let you see my ceiling."

Ladybug is a bit taken back by his semi forceful request but she understands as she has done it to him herself. "Alright, just a moment kitty." She turns the camera off and slips through her window. She holds the phone close to the window so he can hear her lock it. "Did you hear me lock my window?"

"Yes, Mi'lady."

"Would you like to see my ceiling as well?" Ladybug asks softly.

"Please?" Chat whispers.

"Alright," Ladybug quietly steps down her ladder. She finds a seemingly innocent piece of ceiling and hopes he doesn't recognize it. She turns the camera back on and hangs her head over it slightly so that Chat can see her and her ceiling. "Does this make you feel better Chat?"

A sigh of relief passes through Chat's lips "Yes. Thank you. Goodnight Mi'lady. Sweet Dreams."

"Goodnight Chat. Sweet Dreams to you as well." The call ends and Ladybug says "Tikki Spots Off!" The magic slowly filters away leaving Marinette and Tikki alone in her room.

"Marinette, even though I'm still hesitant. I'm glad you came up with such a brilliant plan all on your own."

"Thank you. I have to admit I've wanted to reveal myself much sooner than I am."

"Really? How long have you felt like this?"

"Since Chat and I pretended to give up our Miraculous to Hawk Moth in the battle against Dark Owl. I know you know who Chat is. Just like I know Plagg knows who I am. I was so tempted to take a peek and I'm sure he was too. I never asked you because I wanted to work up the nerve to do something like this. I'm more certain than anything that Chat Noir is Adrien. He has to be, there's no one else. Especially with that big hint earlier about him and Chloe. The only person Chloe clings to and screams out a nickname for is Adrien." Marinette swiftly changes and gets under the covers.

"Marinette, do you want me to tell who Chat Noir is?"

"No. I'll find out tomorrow. Goodnight Tikki."

"Goodnight Marinette."

(meanwhile over at Adrien's house)

"Adrien buddy. You need to sleep."

"I can't, Plagg. My body is full of energy at the thought of finally seeing who she is under the mask. I really hope it's Marinette." Adrien continues to quietly pace the room.

"Kid, I could just tell you. I've could have told you years ago."

"I know Plagg. But Ladybug trusted me at that moment to keep my eyes closed and to keep our identities a secret. I respect her so much. I love her so much. Hell, I love Marinette so much. I'd feel horrible if Ladybug and Marinette weren't the same person. It's hard enough just hoping they are. I will find out tomorrow. So Plagg please don't tell me."

"Alright, Adrien. But please try and get some sleep. You wouldn't want to be late to your date with Ladybug now do you?"

Adrien's eyes grow wide "A date? Oh my God, it is a date. Your right Plagg. I need to sleep." he quickly changes and slides into bed. Plagg lays down in hidden cubby just behind Adrien's head. The moment their heads hit the pillow, they're out like a light.