Scene 8 - Chat Noir at the Eiffel Tower

When the car arrived at his house, Addrien couldn't get up to his room fast enough. He didn't even bother to stop by Nathalie's office to see if his father was available. There was no time.

The 100th collection event had taken much longer than he had expected, and there was simply no way to get away from people so he could transform. He had seen the miracle cure deploy through the glass roof of the Grand Palais, so he knew Ladybug and the team had saved the day, but he also knew she would be wondering why he was a no-show to what seemed to be a pretty tough fight.

"I'm back, I'm going to take a shower!" he called out to Nathalie as he rushed up the stairs to his bedroom.

He threw his bag down in his room and turned on the shower, hoping the noise would be convincing enough that he was still in the house.

"Ladybug must have contacted me," he said to Plagg. He hadn't realized how anxious he had gotten until the event had ended, when all the anxiety and fear of abandoning his partner hit him like a bus.

"Plagg, transforme-moi!" He whispered urgently.

Chat Noir looked down at his batton, flipping through the options to see his communicator.

"14 voicemails? She must be furious!"

He didn't bother to listen to any of them, instead hitting the button to return her call immediately. It was after midnight, would she even still be transformed?

"Ah, finally," Ladybug answered after only one ring.

"I know what you're going to tell me, M'lady," Chat Noir started, trying to get ahead of her anger. He knew he should have been there today. He still couldn't believe himself that he had decided to stay at some stupid fashion show instead of joining her.

"Don't worry, we're all good now." Ladybug said quickly, surprising Chat. "We need to talk," she added.

Chat's stomach dropped. Those were never the words someone wanted to hear from the love of their life.

"Meet me at the top of the eiffel tower," Ladybug instructed.

Chat Noir winced.

"I'm in trouble"


Chat Noir landed on the railing of the top platform on the Eiffel Tour, collapsing his baton as he made his way towards Ladybug. She was standing with her back to him, looking out at the Champ de Mars.

"Sorry, I should have arrived earlier!" He apologized.

Ladybug turned to face him, her kind smile brighter than all the lights in Paris.

"Don't worry," she said. "That's the advantage of having a team, rather than it being just the two of us."

Chat Noir tried not to think about what that could mean. Did she decide that the other heroes were enough, that she didn't need him anymore? Was she going to take his miraculous?

Chat tried to keep his nerve as he continued.

"Of course, but, uh, why did you want me to come here, now?"

"It's related to what happened today. I've been thinking about it since I became the guardian. And I've realized, you were right after all."

Chat's heart sank as he watched Ladybug break her gaze and turn back to face the city below them. A Swirl of memories passed before his eyes. New York. The sewers. All the comments he had made before or since telling Ladybug he wasn't good enough.

She was finally taking his advice.

Chat Noir fiddled with the ring on his finger, the desperation beginning to set in.

"We should know our secret identities."

What? Chat Noir stared at Ladybug in disbelief. Had he heard correctly? This couldn't be real.

"But," he managed to get out. "Isn't keeping it a secret supposed to protect us?"

Ladybug had never wavered in her conviction to keep their secret identities. No matter how much Chat had begged or tried to convince her, she wouldn't budge. What had changed?

"That's what I believed too," Ladybug said, closing the distance between them. She grabbed his hands in hers, squeezing them to comfort him. "But when you have something else going on, we cannot communicate while not transformed. If something happened, and we knew our identities, we could stay informed and defeat Papillombre faster."

Chat looked into her bluebell eyes. She was serious. His heart started beating faster. He would have pinched himself, but if he was dreaming he didn't want to wake up. Would he finally get to see her face? To know her name?

They moved back toward the ledge, resting their forearms on the railing as they gazed out over their city.

When Chat spoke his voice trembled with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

"So, you want to do it, now?"

"Exactly," Ladybug confirmed.

It was happening. It was really happening. What would she think of him? He had met Ladybug as his civilian form before, but none of those times had he been particularly impressive. Would learning his true identity turn her off of him even more?

"Wow," he said, still processing what was happening. "OK, you start m'lady. Guardian's honor"

Ladybug gave him an unreadable look.

"No, you go first," she requested.

"Should we do it together?"

"No, I insist, you first. I am… I am a little intimidated."

And she was. It was rare to see her like this. Nervous and unsure.

"Of course," Chat assured her.

Well, here it goes, he thought to himself.

"In fact I am… I am… Adrien Agrest"

Ladybug audibly gulped. Oh no, he thought. She hated him.

And then she was laughing. Over-the-top, bent over, laughing.

"And I'm Audry Bourgeois!" She exclaimed facetiously. "You? Adrien Agrest? Impossible. You two couldn't be more different!"

Chat Noir wasn't sure how to react. He had so many emotions bubbling to the surface, and this was the last reaction he expected. She didn't believe him.

"Detransformation"

Ladybug's laughter stopped. She stood staring at him, completely silent. Without his suit on, Adrien could feel the cold night air rushing past the tour, and he resisted the urge to shiver.

"You see?" he assured her, bringing his hand to his chest. "It's me, Adrien Agrest."

"And you now?" he prompted.

Ladybug still looked stunned.

"No… wait… not right away..." she stuttered out.

Of course she was nervous. They had spoken about this before. Adrien knew that Ladybug did not expect that they would know each other as civilians. She definitely didn't expect that she would have saved her partner as a civilian, multiple times!

The silence was killing him, so he began to speak, and his emotions all just… poured out.

"Yes, I understand." Adrien assured her. "Evidently it's not easy to reveal who you are… We ask ourselves, what is this person right in front of us thinking at this very moment? It's hard for me too. My heart is beating at 100 bpm. I've waited so long for this moment."

Ladybug still had no response.

"The stories I had to invent, when you used to save me as Adrien, or when you trusted me with a miraculous. It felt terrible to conceal being Chat Noir from you. And I'm happy to not have to lie anymore. I hope you are not too disappointed. But whoever you may be under your mask, you are the most outstanding person in the whole world."

Adrien waited with anticipation. He had failed to win her heart as Chat Noir. But maybe, just maybe, he could convince her to love him as Adrien.

"I am.. I am…" Ladybug began.

"...really uncomfortable, sorry" she finished.

Adrien gave her what he hoped was an understanding look.

"Take all the time you need. I can wait until you're ready. You know who I am, and you know where I live."

He smiled at that last part. Ladybug knows who I am. He was brimming with joy.

"Uh… I have to go, and think." Ladybug spat out, losing her balance and clearly flustered. "See you later!"

And with that she tossed her yo-yo and disappeared into the night.