It was late when Marinette left Adrien's apartment, her feet not seeming to touch the ground. She briefly thought through all the different ways she could break the news to Alya, her heart sinking. How would her friend react?

Marinette hesitated getting out of the elevator when another thought struck her. There was something she needed to ask Plagg.

"Plagg," Marinette called gently, opening her purse once she was out of Adrien's building, standing in the brisk night air.

The kwami poked his head out questioningly, and Marinette squirmed. "Yes?"

"I just wanted to know what went on with you and Tikki. Specifically, about the accusations she made. She seemed to imply that… well, that I wasn't the one who really wanted reveal myself to Adrien. That it was your idea, somehow."

Plagg sighed heavily and exchanged a look with Pollen. "While it's true that I've been more encouraging of wielder reveals in the past, I promise, I would never have chosen this route for you, Marinette. A reveal makes things more complicated, and I know how stressed you are already. All I did was stay out of your way once you decided it was what you wanted. And to Tikki, that was my crime."

Marinette wanted to feel encouraged, but she wasn't assured yet. "But what did she mean? Was she assuming you had suggested revealing as a solution to me?"

Plagg nodded. "I'm usually the one who tells my wearers that revealing could be a solution to their problems. But as I said, you came up with it all on your own, and Tikki just couldn't comprehend that. She doesn't understand the relationship you have with Adrien, doesn't understand why anyone would ever want that. But don't worry, I set her straight. Hopefully in the future, she'll be less inhospitable."

Marinette let out a breath in relief. She'd been imagining something else — maybe Plagg being able to influence her while she was transformed, or another unsettling theory. She was really glad that wasn't the case. Plagg always had her best interests at heart.

She scratched between Plagg's ears with a smile. "Thank you. I'm really happy Fu paired us together. I'm not sure how well Tikki and I would have got along."

Plagg leaned into her touch. "It's possible — you two are alike in many ways."

But what Plagg didn't need to say was that he was happy to be her kwami, too.

"WHAT?"

"Shh, Alya! Juleka and Mylène are asleep!" Marinette put out her hands to try to calm her friend down.

"Sorry, sorry," Alya's shoulders rose up to her ears. "But seriously, is this a joke?"

Marinette shook her head. This was going worse than she had imagined. "No. I swear, I've been at his apartment all day."

Alya narrowed her eyes. "But I thought that boat left the harbor?" She echoed Marinette's own words on the subject, and Marinette blushed and stiffened defensively.

"It did, but… every boat has to dock eventually," Marinette retorted, growing frustrated.

Her firmness made Alya's shoulders fall. "I just… don't get it. Were you lying when you said you were over him?"

Marinette sighed, hating to upset her closest friend. How was she going to pull this off? "No, I wasn't, I swear. I was completely serious, but that was before I really got to know him."

Alya raised an eyebrow, so Marinette realized she had to elaborate. But how was she going to convince Alya that she was in love with Adrien when she couldn't share anything about their pasts? She racked her brain, cursing herself. Now would be an excellent time for those cover stories she said she'd make up!

Marinette noticed Alya shift, as though Marinette was doing an awful job being convincing. So she sighed and blurted out a story that she hoped would be believable.

"We… bumped into each other at ChiCafé, and… I really didn't want to talk, but I couldn't be rude, and so we chatted and we got onto the subject of… Chloé, and, well, I ended up admitting to him that I used to like him, and he…" Marinette smiled to herself, remembering the look on Adrien's face, allowing that image to relax her. "He was so surprised, and he told me he also used to like me, and that there was never anything between him and Chloé, and it was all just a big misunderstanding," Marinette rushed out, catching a breath at the end, and being unable to hide her smile and the glow on her cheeks.

A slow smile of its own spread itself over Alya's face, as though Marinette's joy was contagious. She sighed, shaking her head. "Something like this could only happen to you two. I guess I'm happy for you."

But Marinette's stomach twisted. "You guess?"

Alya rolled her eyes. "I was sort of ready to hate him for all eternity. But now that I see how happy he makes you, and that all the anger we harbored was undeserved, well, I'm happy for you. I just wish the misunderstandings could have been avoided."

Marinette opened her arms and embraced her friend, relief flooding her veins. "Thank you," she breathed, and it wasn't just for right now, it was for everything. Marinette was overwhelmed with the evidence of Alya's devotion and loyalty.

"Of course," was Alya's equally soft reply as she returned her friend's embrace.

After a moment, Marinette wiped a stray tear from her eye and chuckled. "And now we can finally double date!"

Alya's eyes lit up like two beams and she clapped excitedly. "Oh. My. Goodness! I didn't even think of that! Yes! We have to go to Andre's! You haven't had it yet!"

"Sounds like a date!" Marinette smiled ironically at the fact that she and Adrien had, in fact, been to Andre's, on a different kind of date.

Marinette allowed herself to be happy. As the days went by, everything seemed to fit itself into place for her. Being with Adrien was as natural as breathing, and she could feel herself relax with him both in costume and out. Revealing themselves made everything feel so right. When she looked into his eyes (green or blue), she knew she was looking at her partner, her equal, the only one who understood her completely. And when he would squeeze her hand, or look at her the way he always used to do, a part of her turned soft knowing that he was thinking the same things about her.

The day after the reveal, a Monday, Marinette stood in front of the mirror, fixing her dark hair into pigtails and trying not to blush thinking about how she'd be with Adrien again in so little time. Of course, it would be in class, but still. Pollen giggled at Marinette when she noticed her wielder's sudden attention to her appearance. "You know he loves you, you don't have to pretty yourself up," she teased.

Marinette tied the pigtails with Coccinello-red ribbons, her complexion glowing. "I know. But I want to. The last time I had a boyfriend was…" she hesitated, trying to think back that far. "Before high school, if you can believe that. It's all so new again, and… I want to feel like a girl."

Plagg rolled his eyes affectionately. "Marinette, you've been Coccinello's — AKA Adrien's — girlfriend for what, a few months now?"

But Marinette didn't let his tone affect her buoyancy. "It's different now. Having an anonymous superhero boyfriend feels like," she paused as she pulled out a little makeup bag. "It feels more like some kind of fantastic dream I could wake up from. But this, well, I don't know. He was right. It's all so much realer." Marinette stared into the makeup bag, her eyes unseeing, her thoughts lost in the amazing day she had had yesterday, and the amazing days she would continue to have.

After she had come back to the present, applied a little eyeliner, and finished getting ready, Marinette was delighted to see Adrien loitering near the entrance to their classroom, leaning against the wall, looking so much better than anyone had a right to look at ten in the morning.

Marinette fidgeted with her skirt as she closed the space between them, conscious that he was watching her all the while. When she was near enough to touch him, she made herself look up into his burning eyes. Wordlessly, Adrien lifted up his hand and ran his fingers along her jaw, a gentle caress, that trailed up her neck and into her pigtail. Adrien rubbed the strands between his fingers and finally cracked a crooked smile.

Marinette tried to calm her racing pulse. "Hi," she breathed, unable to come up with a better greeting while her mind was turning to mush.

He snickered, dropping his hand, brushing his fingers against hers during the fall. "I've never seen you with your hair like this."

Marinette just shrugged. She didn't want to tell him that she wanted to look feminine and girly today, just for him, because she knew he'd laugh like Plagg and Pollen had.

"It's really cute," he added, trying to soothe her nerves. She realized this at once. There was nothing to be nervous about. Just because Coccinello's civilian form happened to be a model it was no reason to go to pieces.

So, she set her shoulders, exhaled, and decided to be brave. "I wanted to look girly today."

But Adrien only cocked his head in playful confusion. "You're always girly, my love."

She grinned, anxiety deflating. Of course he wasn't going to laugh. "I suppose you're right," she replied, tucking a loose bang behind her ear.

When her hand fell back to her side, Adrien moved off the wall and grasped it, intertwining their fingers and pulling her toward the lecture hall. He never moved his eyes from hers as he did so.

She colored. There it was again. He was looking at her in that way he always did, in unbridled adoration.

After a moment, Adrien stopped. "Oh. I suppose you might want to go back to your old seat?" he asked, trying to smile, but Marinette heard his dejected tone.

She squeezed his hand once and led him to the seat they had shared many weeks ago, when she had moved up to the front of the classroom to try to confess her feelings. As they sat, and Adrien beamed at her, that memory felt like another world. Another Adrien and Marinette, not the people they were now. She squeezed his hand again, incredibly thankful for the changes they had made.

They chatted lightly for a moment, and then Professor Fu walked up to the podium and began setting his things up for the lecture. He didn't seem to notice Marinette's presence in the front row yet, and she held her breath. She and Adrien were still holding hands; would Fu put it all together?

She began to fidget. If hero romances were simply against the rules, identity reveals were probably a criminal offense. Would he take away their miracle stones for insubordination? Why was this the first time this had occurred to her? Suddenly she felt a little unsure that the PDA was the best idea. But then again, Fu would probably figure it out somehow. Maybe someone would accidentally spill the beans in office hours, or during a guardians meeting, or he might walk down the hall and see them together and…

Professor Fu finally looked up, and Marinette's spiraling thoughts screeched to a halt.

He saw them, and was about to turn back to his paperwork when his head whipped up again, eyes narrowed. His gaze zeroed in on the interlocked fingers, on Marinette's sheepish expression and stiff demeanor.

Fu gave her a questioning look; she could read the "is this what I think it is?" in his eyes. She squirmed, unsure what to do. Should she nod, or should she play it off to not concern him? And if she did, would that be lying?

Adrien broke the tension by cheerily calling, "Good morning, professor! How are you doing today?"

Fu swallowed his suspicion and smiled back at Adrien. "I'm doing wonderfully, M. Agreste. Thank you for asking. I trust you and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng are also doing well?" He raised his eyebrows meaningfully at Marinette. Her unoccupied hand flew to the back of her neck, and she couldn't stop a nervous chuckle from escaping.

But Adrien squeezed her hand, turning his gaze on her and giving her his favorite smile, and Marinette felt the tension leave her body. Why was she freaking out? Sure, the worst that could happen would be the end of their days as heroes, which would, of course, be awful. But Marinette reassured herself that Coccinello was here, beside her, and she didn't need to be Kitty Noire to ensure that he would stay there.

"Never been better," he replied to Professor Fu, but his eyes remained on Marinette's. Marinette stayed there a moment, lost in his gaze, unable to control the flood of happiness in her stomach. Adrien was so fearless — as if losing his miracle stone was nothing as long as he had her.

When she ducked her head to look back at Fu, his expression had shifted. He still regarded them with disapproval, but he was fighting a smile. He finally sighed, drawing Adrien's attention. "I'm glad to hear it," he said, but his eyes were telling them they were definitely expected in his office hours later.

Marinette giggled in relief as Professor Fu turned away to start the lesson, shaking his head. Her partner in crime snickered along with her.

Eventually, Professor Fu came around to the prospect of their identities no longer being a secret.

"I suppose it does make things easier," he sighed. But he still lectured them on safety, and it was everything Marinette had already heard from Plagg and Coccinello himself. She knew this was the right choice. She could feel that this was their barrier to growing as a team, and as individuals.

And Marinette had been right to trust her intuition. As the days passed, more challenging sentimonsters appeared all over Paris, and Buzzy Noire could feel herself become more relaxed on the battlefield, and with it, more confident, and thus, more powerful. Wielding two miracle stones almost felt like second nature to her now; she had a hard time imagining fighting with only one, as she had before. It simply wouldn't be enough.

As she had predicted, the fights became easier and easier, and she and Tortunello grew more and more in sync. At the end of a battle against a giant moth-like sentimonster, Tortunello put a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Buzzy? Is it just me, or is it… too easy now?"

She furrowed her brow. "What do you mean?" But she had a sneaking suspicion she knew what he was getting at.

Tortunello raked a hand over his buzz cut. "Like, I like being Tortunello. But I feel like I'm not getting any better. I can't stop thinking about the other miracle stones. They seemed so complicated, like we'd have to be masters before we could wield them, but now… I kind of want to give them a try." He stopped, gauging Buzzy's expression, backtracking when she didn't nod in agreement. "Is that insane? I know we aren't masters or anything, but I just think a new challenge could be good for us, and…" he trailed off.

Buzzy's shoulders fell. She had been feeling the same way for the last few battles. Under other circumstances, it would reassure her. They were finally at the point she had dreamed of getting to (she could use her venom power to paralyze her opponent for as long as five minutes) — they were finally so strong that even the most fearsome sentimonsters were little more than child's play. But if she and Tortunello had both come to this conclusion, it was doubtless that the peacock wielder had also come to this conclusion, and probably much sooner than they had. For all they knew, their enemy could be working on a sentimonster so strong that they wouldn't stand a chance against it, even at the level they had reached. Tortunello brought up a good point; trying out a more powerful miracle stone now, while their adversaries were still weak, was an excellent idea.

So, she gave Tortunello a grin and nodded. "I think we owe Mme. Lenoir a visit," and she raised her eyebrows conspiratorially.

Tortunello wiggled his shoulders in excitement. "I really thought you were going to shoot that idea down." His expression grew serious. "I know how you feel about our safety on the battlefield."

Buzzy Noire couldn't disagree. A part of her did think it was a little insane to make themselves intentionally weaker. But she took a breath and told him, and herself, "Yes, but it's for the best in the long run."

After answering some of Nadja's pestering questions, the heroes disappeared and landed in an obscured alley, detransforming together. Marinette really enjoyed getting to walk away from a battle and continuing to hang out with Coccinello. Usually they would meander around town, unless one of them had to be somewhere, in which case they walked together until they had to part ways, joking around and holding hands.

Today, however, Adrien was all business. "We should probably do the switch as soon as possible. There are never multiple sentimonsters in one day, so we have the rest of the afternoon to both return these stones, and contact M. Ramier to collect his." Adrien's shoulders slumped a little. Marinette was a little intimidated herself, but they both agreed that it would be foolish to wait too long. They wouldn't want to be caught in a battle before they managed to get the new stones.

"I guess I'll call Fu," Marinette offered, pulling out her phone. She didn't know where he'd be, but she hoped he wasn't busy.

When Marinette moved to unlock her phone, her heart sank to see that her mother had called her while she had been fighting the sentimonster. The last time they had spoken was nearly a month ago…

But Marinette didn't have time right now. At least that's what she told herself, as she shook her head in an attempt to clear it before focusing on calling Fu.

Adrien watched over her shoulder as she scrolled through her contacts, tapping the number under their professor's name. She put the phone to her ear as it began dialing, and Adrien put his head against the other side so he could hear as well.

Fu picked up on the second ring. "Yes?"

"I need a meeting," she told him, trying to give as little information as possible.

"Oh. About your term paper?"

Marinette's brows pulled together. Making up code phrases on the fly was harder than she'd anticipated. "Um… yes. I need you to help both me and Adrien… revise our papers. We feel a particular…" Marinette wracked her brain for a good metaphor. "…element of them could be stronger, but we need your help to, um, exchange the weaker element of the paper for a stronger one." She exhaled and looked to Adrien for approval. He nodded eagerly, giving her a thumbs up.

They were walking beside the Seine now, and Marinette paused to listen to Fu and to admire the way the river sparkled in the sunlight. She hadn't come here to clear her head in a long while, and so she breathed in the harmonious atmosphere to give herself a boost now.

"Hmm, I see," Fu responded. "Let me call you back," and the line went dead before Marinette could open her mouth.

She put the phone in her pocket and shrugged at Adrien, who laughed. After a beat, he gestured to a bench and they both took a seat, watching the water, leaning against each other, waiting for Fu to return their call.

Marinette relaxed beside him and let her mind wander. What would their new miracle stones be like? Marinette was pretty sure she knew which one she wanted to use. How hard would it be to control? Marinette wondered absently if she and Adrien would practice together between sentimonster attacks. They had never done that before and it sounded fun…

Marinette's phone buzzing pulled her out of her thoughts, and she launched off of Adrien's shoulder with a jolt. His arm around her tightened in an automatic response to danger, but he relaxed it when she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

It was just a text message, reading, "15:30, Place de la Concorde. 20:00, Louvre Museum."

Adrien checked his watch. "Looks like we'll just make it if we head over now."

They got up from the bench, Marinette putting her phone away, confused. "Aren't those places a bit public?"

Adrien shook his head. "We're probably just meeting up there. I'm sure Fu didn't want to give us Mme. Lenoir's address over the phone."

Marinette considered that. "Do you think all his security precautions are really necessary? I mean, no one's wiring our phones."

Adrien merely shrugged. "He's been a guardian for a long time. Who knows what he's seen in the past. I won't begrudge him his secrecy if it keeps us all safer."

They arrived at La Place de la Concorde right on time, and sure enough, Mme. Lenoir was seated near the fountain, soaking up the afternoon sun and looking very content, not at all tense like Marinette felt she might be if she had been on a mission of the utmost secrecy.

Mme. Lenoir smiled when she saw them, and a chill ran down Marinette's spine. They had only ever met while she and Adrien had been in costume. How did she possibly recognize them? Were their disguises so transparent?

Mme. Lenoir stood and joined them. "Hello. I assume you're here to see me."

Marinette relaxed. No, Mme. Lenoir didn't recognize them. Their identities were safe. Fu had probably told her what to look for.

Adrien spoke up, "Yes we are. We were told you could help us with our term paper."

Mme. Lenoir nodded. "Absolutely, you've come to the right place. Come with me."

They walked with Mme. Lenoir out of the square and to a nearby apartment building. She led them to her flat and welcomed them inside, offering them tea and cookies.

"Thank you very much," Marinette smiled, quite famished after their sentimonster battle.

"Of course," Mme. Lenoir busied herself in the kitchen. "Make yourselves at home!"

Once Marinette and Adrien had seated themselves on the sofa, their kwamis felt safe enough to phase into the room. Plagg and Tikki were excited to be in a place they seemed to know well, but Pollen and Wayzz were less energetic than usual.

"What's wrong?" Marinette asked her kwami.

Pollen did her best to smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Oh, nothing, don't worry yourself, Marinette!"

Marinette tried not to let on that she was disappointed by that answer. Wayzz spoke up to reassure her. "I believe I'm not the only one a bit saddened to part with my current wielder."

Marinette's heart sank. "Oh…" She hadn't had a chance to think that far ahead. Getting a new miracle stone was such an exciting prospect, she had forgotten that a new kwami was coming with it — and that her old one was being returned.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Marinette put out her hands and scooped Pollen up to nuzzle her against her cheek. "I'm so sorry we have to say goodbye. It's been so much fun having you as my kwami, Pollen. I hope this isn't the last time we get to fight together," although as she said it, she couldn't think of a reason it could be true. They were exchanging miracle stones because they needed to be stronger. There was no reason to go back to a weaker stone.

Pollen knew it as well, but she was still touched by the sentiment. "I hope so, too. It was lovely fighting by your side, majesty."

Mme. Lenoir returned with the tea and sat across from the wielders. "It's so nice to finally meet you two." She set a teacup in front of each of them and smiled to herself. "Of course, I'm not entirely surprised that you revealed your identities to each other. I could feel that your bond was very strong."

Marinette tried not to color and failed. Adrien brushed his hand against hers.

Mme. Lenoir grinned at their reactions and then turned to her kwamis. "I know you two must be sad to come back home to me," she teased.

Wayzz and Pollen immediately perked up to reassure their guardian, flying onto her shoulders and into her hair to show their affection. Mme. Lenoir laughed, and it was a joyful sound, yet dainty and refined. "Oh, don't be silly, now. I was only joking!"

Her kwamis rested themselves on the coffee table, their eyes bright. Marinette heard Tikki chuckle from her place on Adrien's knee.

Mme. Lenoir offered them the plate of cookies. "So, you feel you need more power?"

Marinette took a shortbread cookie from the plate and nodded. "We think it would be best to challenge ourselves in case our opponents get stronger. Adrien and I both feel as though we've mastered the miracle stones you've lent us."

Mme. Lenoir nodded in accordance, her facial expression letting them know that this was not news to her. "You've mastered these stones in exceptional timing, although that is no surprise. I knew you two had it in you."

Marinette looked down at her cookie, a little abashed. How did Mme. Lenoir seem to know so much about them?

After about an hour, during which Mme. Lenoir was very hospitable, Adrien and Marinette took their borrowed rings off and returned them to their proper owner. Mme. Lenoir placed them in the case she always carried them in, their powers dormant while their kwamis rested inside them.

"I hope Pollen and Wayzz don't get too bored," Marinette commented sadly as Mme. Lenoir closed the case.

"Oh, don't worry about that, dear. I let them out to stretch their legs every so often. Did Pollen act as though she was being neglected?" Mme. Lenoir rolled her eyes.

Marinette chuckled. "She might have."

Mme. Lenoir clucked her tongue teasingly. "What a drama queen," she winked. Then she showed them to the door and gave them both a light embrace. "Stay safe for us, you two. And give my regards to M. Ramier."

They promised her they would, and waved as they left, following the hallway and exiting out into the early evening light. As it was closer now to winter than it was to autumn, the sun was already beginning to set and the cold night breeze was picking up. Adrien wrapped an arm around Marinette to keep her warm.

"I like Mme. Lenoir a lot," Marinette mentioned, still thinking of the nice time she'd had. Something about the guardian was so comforting, as if Mme. Lenoir had the unfathomable knowledge of a kwami, perhaps just by spending so much time with them.

The walk back to their apartments was quiet and reflective, and Marinette enjoyed that they could share a comfortable silence together.

Adrien broke it when they were almost home. "Do you really think we might see Wayzz and Pollen again?"

Marinette thought about that, pushing down the sad "no" that wanted to emerge from her lips. Maybe once they defeated this enemy, there might be another one, years down the line. Maybe Pollen's and Wayzz's powers would be the best fit for the job. "It's entirely possible," was the answer she settled on.