CHAPTER 27 – YOU SHOW ME YOURS IF I SHOW YOU MINE

Cat Noir's cheeks glowed red.

"What did you call me?" repeated Marinette.

"Ughh … Princess?" tried Cat Noir.

"No, you called me your "Everyday Ladybug". And there's only one person who calls me that …"

"Oh no, everyone calls you that. It's well known how helpful and friendly you are." Cat Noir grinned, running his hand nervously through his hair.

"Kitty, only one person calls me that. The same person who would know that Adrien Agreste has been in a coma for the past few days when nobody else does. The same person who has the same colour hair as you and the same emerald eyes. The same person who mysteriously is never around when Cat Noir is. I'm calling you out … Adrien Agreste."

Cat Noir sighed, bowing his head.

"Plagg, claws out," he said.

There was a green flash and there before Marinette sat Adrien.

"Please don't hate me for not telling you," he said awkwardly.

"It's really you!" said Marinette.

"Yes. Well, for now." Adrien's face reflected the despair in his heart.

"What's wrong Kitty?" asked Marinette, putting her hand on his shoulder.

"Well, nobody is allowed to know our secret identities. It's incredibly dangerous, you can imagine what would happen if Hawk Moth ever found out. And now you found out."

"So?" asked Marinette. "I can keep a secret."

Adrien smiled at her. "I'm sure you can Marinette. But that's not the way it works. I'll have to tell Ladybug now and surrender my miraculous to her. My days of being Cat Noir are over."

"Just don't tell her. What she doesn't know can't hurt her."

Adrien shook his head. "I could never lie to her. Not with so much at stake. Not when I love her."

Tears suddenly ran down Adrien's face.

"Kitty, what's wrong?"

"It hurts. It hurts so bad. Oh Marinette, I love her so much. My time with her is like fresh air in my lungs. And now I'm never going to see her again." Adrien burst into tears. Marinette pulled him against her, stroking his hair. Slowly his sobbing subsided.

"There Kitty".

"Thanks Marinette. You are amazing. My Everyday Ladybug."

Marinette smiled.

Adrien continued between sobs: "I just want you to know. The other girl I considered dating. It was … you. But I couldn't betray Ladybug. Do you understand? If it wasn't for her I would definitely have asked you out, in fact at one stage I considered it but I couldn't bear the thought of hurting you. That's why …"

Marinette looked upwards. Her heart was all aflutter. He was perfect. She breathed in deeply.

"… and I swear I didn't know you liked me else I would never …"

Marinette held her finger against Adrien's lips. "Not a word more kitty. You're going to ruin it."

Adrien looked at Marinette quizzically, his head tilted slightly to one side. Marinette took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. The room was completely silent. Marinette looked Adrien in the eyes and smiled.

"Fair is fair. You've shared your deepest secret with me. I think it's only fair I share my deepest secret with you."

She paused again. "TIKKI, SPOTS ON!"

Pink light bathed Adrien's eyes as Marinette turned into Ladybug before his eyes.

"Llladybug?"

"In the flesh Kitty."

Suddenly she grabbed his head and pulled him towards her. Their lips touched, soft to the touch. Adrien's eyes opened wide with surprise, then he closed them as he enjoyed the kiss. Gently she bit his lower lip. He moaned. Suddenly he felt her tongue brush his lips, seeking entry into his mouth. He opened his mouth slightly, gently flicking her tongue with his own.

It felt as if the very breath was being drawn out of him. Everything slowed down.

He felt his heart beat, then hers. Her lips quivered on his. Her mouth was sweet, like chocolate. After what seemed like an eternity they pulled apart.

"So I was the other boy all along?"

"Since you handed me the umbrella Kitty," she said, smiling at him.

"But why couldn't you speak to me?"

"I suspect the same reason Adrien sometimes struggled to speak to Ladybug?"

Adrien smiled at her. "I love you Bugaboo. I always have."

She kissed him again.

Eventually he pulled away. "Félix hurt a lot of people pretending to be me. I need to sort him out before Hawk Moth strikes again."

Ladybug smiled at him. "WE do need to sort him out."

A minute later the two superheroes were seen leaping across the Paris skyline, heading towards Collège François Dupont.