Sorry for not updating sooner. I started this chapter, then scrapped it and restarted it.
It didn't make sense.
How had Ladybug known Marinette was the one who figured out his identity? He mulled over it from the time he got up to when he entered the classroom.
During class, his thoughts drifted and became, Why did Marinette call me by the same pet name Ladybug used after she found out I was Cat Noir?
For some reason, his subconsciousness kept nudging the two questions together, even though the latter had already been solved. It made sense that Marinette called him "kitty" because, well, duh, he was a cat. Cat Noir, to be specific.
So why did the two thoughts seem connected? No connection between the two existed other than that they both were related to his identity... but that was just a coincidence.
... Right?
Adrien sighed. Maybe he should list the facts, what he knows to try to figure it out.
Okay. Ladybug calls me (as Cat Noir) "kitty." When Marinette finds out I'm Cat Noir, she calls me "kitty."
Weird.
Anyways, Marinette finds out my identity, and somehow Ladybug finds out that it was her who found out, when I'm 99.99% sure I didn't say her name.
Adrien felt like he was missing a huge piece of the puzzle. But what was it?
So, Ladybug and Marinette both call me "kitty," he summarized. Both Ladybug and Marinette know that Marinette knows who I am.
Adrien's eyes widened as a new theory presented itself to him.
No, no, that can't be right.
It's ridiculous.
Ludicrous.
Absurd.
Impossible.
Way too impossible.
Yet it made sense.
But there's no way Marinette is La-
"Uh, dude? Earth to Adrien? You coming?"
Adrien snapped his head up to look at Nino, who was arching an eyebrow at him. Behind him stood Alya and Marinette, who were both looking concerned.
Marinette was looking at him closely, as if trying to find out what he had been thinking about. She seemed more concerned than Alya and Nino, maybe because she knew he thought she was-
Nope, nope, nope. He was not following that train of thought again.
Adrien realized Nino was still waiting for his answer. "Uh...yeah!" He plastered that perfect-model smile on his face and stood up to collect his things.
• • •
Adrien paced back and forth in his room, muttering nonsense. Plagg wasn't sure what it was about- well, okay, he had an idea that he hoped was true, 'cause these kids had been dancing around each other for too long- but whatever it was, it was starting to get annoying.
"What are you worrying about this time?" Plagg asked.
Adrien stopped pacing and sighed. "I think I'm overthinking things."
"But what things are you ovethinking?"
"I... I think I know who Ladybug is."
Plagg gasped dramatically, holding back a smirk. "Really?! Adrien, who do you think she is?"
Adrien hesitated, as if afraid sharing the idea would make Plagg laugh at him. Or maybe was afraid to think about it because Ladybug had been so strict about the identity thing. Plagg didn't know. Finally, however, Adrien said, "I think... I think Marinette is Ladybug."
Sorry this is so short. My creativity has seemed to have dried up.