"Don't be amused, it's just the news. Protest outside of the Mayor's hotel is getting violent as the Mayor's own bodyguards are threatening to open fire if the crowd doesn't leave. We advise all protesters to leave to prevent loss of life."

Plagg and Tikki

Plagg groaned. Sure he as the kwami of bad luck, but this was ridiculous. Marinette was on the floor, laughing. "Wow, I expected Tikki to pick someone a bit more serious than this."

"Plagg, be nice. You said something that while true, sounds ridiculous."

Before he could retort, Plagg saw Marinette freeze, her eyes opened wide. She slowly got up and stared at Tikki. "What?"

Tikki gave her a blank stare, "What?"

"What did you just say?" Tikki simply looked away, trying to find a way to change the subject. "Did you say that it's true." Marinette steadied herself. Suddenly she was back to the second time Reflecta was akumatized, putting on Chat Noir's ring. The ring that turned silver when she put it on and after she detransformed again. Which was exactly just like the ring Adrien wore. "Oh god." Marinette grabbed her hair, "Adrien is Chat Noir."

She looked at Tikki, her panic radiating in waves. Tikki sighed, "Well shit."

"Language, Sugarcube." Plagg smirked.

Before Tikki could tear off his tail, Marinette fainted. "Marinette! Marinette! Great look at what you did fuzzball!"

Just as Plagg opened his mouth, the trapdoor opened, a concerned Adrien looking around. "Uh, Mari?" Tikki zipped off into hiding while Plagg did a little happy dance over the unconscious guardian. Adrien spotted him, starting to scold his kwami when he saw Marinette laying there. "Marinette!" He was up in front of her in an instant. "Plagg what happened?"

"I told her you were Chat Noir."

"Why? My identity is supposed to be a secret, no one can know! You told me that!"

Marinette stirred, "Adrien? What happened?"

"You fainted, are you ok?"

"Yeah, not sure what happened though."

Adrien sighed in relief, "I just heard you fall. Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yes, I am fine." {No, I am not ok. My crush is my superhero partner. I am not ready to deal with this.}

"Ok, if you're sure." Adrien simply wanted to get Plagg out of there before he gave Marinette a heart attack or who knows what. "Do need anything?"

"No, I am just gonna lay down." She flashed him a shy smile, struggling to keep it together.

"Okay then," a car horn interrupted, a sight panicked on his face at the sound. "Sorry, I gotta go. Text you later?"

"Ye-eah. Bye."

"Bye." The second Adrien left her room, she sagged in relief.

"Tikki, get out here. Now."

Tikki reluctantly came out of her hiding place behind the gramophone. "Marinette, you need to take a deep breath."

"Seriously? I just found out the love of my life is my superhero partner. The same superhero partner who has professed his love to me multiple times. Who gave me roses and set up a romantic candlelit evening. Oh no." Marinette whirled around to face Tikki, her face the definition of panic. "I rejected Adrien Agreste multiple times."

"Seriously, calm down. Use the breathing technique Fu taught you." Marinette forced herself to calm down, breathing steadily. Sensing the young guardian was calmed, or what passed for calm with Marinette, Tikki continued, "So you are ok with Adrien being Chat Noir?"

Marinette tilted her head frowning at the kwami, "Yeah why not? The guy I love more than anyone and the guy I trust with my life is the same guy. Ladybugs are lucky, but this is miraculous." She paused, waiting for Tikki to laugh. Tikki glared at her, "Oh come on, you are always saying I should try to be more relaxed and joking."

"Puns are as horrible as camembert," the kwami stated, sticking her tongue out in disgust. Her expression became serious once again, "You sure about this though?"

"Yeah, though I wish he paid more attention to Marinette rather then Ladybug."

"He was literally just here to visit you."

"True, but he is in love with Ladybug. I want him to love Marinette." Marinette pouted, "He never even noticed me, probably because Ladybug was always outshining me."

"But Marinette, you are Ladybug, in and out of the suit."

"I know, Ladybug is me with a mask. But why her over me?"

"Maybe he likes what he sees." Tikki laughed as Marinette combusted, her mind plowing right into the gutter.

She struggled to speak, heat radiating off her, "Why, why would you say that?"

"Just a theory. I'm kidding. He was clearly in love with you since you took down Stoneheart."

"But how can I get him to notice Marinette? My insecurities demand to find out how he would feel about me before I drop the mask."

"But what about the rule?"

Marinette looked directly into Tikki's eyes, "I lost my mentor, Luka isn't talking to me and Alya is drifting away from me, not to mention the rest of the class. Oh, and did I mention I protect a magical box of jewelry with gods that grant you powers." She sighed, "I just need a win for once and this is that win. He is the only other person who can understand all of this and be able to confide in him without keeping secrets would be a relief."

Tikki considered it for a moment, then nodded her agreement. "Okay, I approve."

"Now to get his attention…"

Alya

"What do you mean he was spotted at the Dupain-Cheng Bakery? No, no, I'll talk to her myself. Thanks, Alix." She hung up her phone, groaning. Marinette was going to need a serious talking to. Right after she told her that Lila was the one for Adrien, she invites him over and hogs him all afternoon. What kind of friend does that? And what is Luka's deal? Seriously, was Marinette some kind of unhinged psychopath trying to ruin lives? Dialing up Marinette's number, she was met once again with voicemail. That didn't make sense. If she was with Adrien, she would have called Alya to scream in joy. Something was up and she was going to dig until she had an answer.

Nino sent her a text, stating that Adrien finally texted back. Apparently, Adrien was paying so much attention to Marinette that he never noticed them calling him. Now Alya had two choices: let Adriennette fix themselves and be happy or tear them apart for good and set them on the right paths. "The second one obviously! Marinette just has to make amends with Luka. Besides, Lila has way more connections than her, making her a perfect choice for Adrien to bring to social events." This is the way.

Adrien

He paced around his room, staring at his phone. Marinette had texted him back, assuring him she was ok, but he was not convinced. "Maybe I should visit her as Chat Noir?"

Plagg perked up. Usually, when Adrien went on about a girl it was Ladybug, making him bored in an instant. But now he couldn't stop worrying about Marinette, Plagg saw his chance to finally make his chosen crack and fall for Marinette. "She is probably helpless, unable to call for help."

"Plagg claws out!" Without another thought, he was out into the night. Before he knew it, he was on the rooftop of the Dupin-Cheng bakery. Dropping down onto Marinette's balcony, Chat turned around and jumped. Sitting in her chair wrapped in a blanket, Marinette's eyes were wide before narrowing.

"Chat Noir? What are you doing here?"

He felt heat rising to his face, unsure how to proceed. "I was just running around for patrol, nothing to worry about purricess."

"Really? That's a relief." She could barely keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "So how are you?"

"Me? I'm okay I guess. Hawkmoth has been quiet since Miracle Queen," his voice faded away, no doubt also remembering that awful day everything went wrong. Marinette couldn't stop thinking about it herself.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"There isn't much to talk about. I'm mostly worried about Ladybug. She blames herself for what happened." He paused unsure if he should even be telling a civilian all this.

Marinette used his silence to move up beside him, leaning forward on the railing. "If you can't tell me more, that's okay. I understand." Chat signed in relief. "So how's life?"

"Well, I'm getting nowhere with Ladybug. I tried moving on again, but I only ended up hurting a friend."

"Sounds like my own love life." She didn't mean to say it, not when the love of her life was literally next to her. "It's like he doesn't see me more than just a friend."

"Really? How can any guy not notice you?"

"I have never been able to speak full sentences since the day after I first met him. And right before Loveeater, I had a chance to finally confess. But I messed that up, stepping aside for a girl I just became friends with. I didn't want to lose her over a boy, but it hurt watching them eat that ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Chat gave her a questioning look.

"Andre's ice cream. It's said those whose flavors are combined and eaten together will forever be in love." She could see Chat's eyes widen as he started to put the pieces together. "I guess I was just afraid he would reject me for her if I choose blueberry and mint."

"Who is this guy?" Chat could barely ask the question, but he had to know.

"Adrien Agreste." She smiled at his silence. The flirty hero that was actually her reserved friend never saw it coming. "I know what you are going to say, that he just a celebrity crush but hear me out. When I first met him, I hated him. But then he exposed his flaws to me, showing the real him. Being in the same class as him has allowed me to get to know him better and I only fell harder."

Marinette's voice faded out as Chat sank deeper inside of himself. Marinette has a crush on him? Since the day after they met? The more he thought about it, the more everything made sense. Her stuttering only around him, her shyness, awkward moments. How did he not notice before? "Chat?" Marinette's concerned voice broke him out of his daze.

"Yeah?"

"You okay? You seem distracted."

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a bit… tired? Yes, it is way past this kitten's bedtime. Good night, purrincess!" With that, Chat bolted, leaving a smirking Marinette behind him.

Time for him to feel flustered for once. As she picked up her sketchbook and turned to head back inside, Tikki flew out of the blanket, vibrating violently. "Marinette, please make it stop."

Transforming, she opened her yoyo, fifty-two messages popping up from Chat Noir. Opening one up, it read: Please help! I don't know what to do and Plagg never helps. "Looks like someone is freaking out, this ought to be good." Calling him, she waited until his face appeared. "Chat, this better be good."

"I need to talk, face to face."

"Okay, I'm at the Dupain-Cheng Bakery right now. I'll meet you at the Eiffel Tower."