Ladybug entered the guest suite via the bathroom window and de-transformed. "Tikki, what on Earth could Kagami have been talking about? Me, break Adrien's heart? As Ladybug? Do you have any idea what she meant by that?"
The red kwami floated in the air, thoughtfully munching a cookie. She opened her mouth to say something, then stopped. She took another bite, hummed, and swallowed. "Marinette, I can safely say that Ladybug has never broken Adrien Agreste's heart." She stuffed more cookie into her mouth in an effort to not have to speak again.
Marinette began pacing the wide space between the bed and the bedroom window. "OK, fine, you were always more observant than me at things like that, anyway. I've always been too blinded by Adrien to really notice how I behaved around him other than babbling with or without the mask! Ladybug's not a heartbreaker, anyway…unless you count Chat, that is. She doesn't have time for romance because Paris needs to be saved, and her alter ego was too boy-crazy to entertain any ideas to the contrary."
Tikki quickly grabbed another cookie and took a bite, shrugging her shoulders.
"But then… Kagami said Ladybug broke Adrien's heart right before Frozer. But Adrien had asked Kagami to the ice rink around that time, anyway! And he came to me, Marinette, for advice on how to ask her out! The nerve of that boy! All in all, it did help me get started with Luka… but… you know what, let's not think about that. Adrien has both himself to thank and himself to blame for me seeing Luka. Not that I had a bad time with Luka, or anything. We just couldn't share everything with each other. And by 'everything', I mean Ladybug." Marinette took a large breath. "It's funny… I've been here not even two days, and already I'm closer to Adrien as Ladybug than I have been to anyone else! If there were anyone I could share my secret with, I'm confident it would be him. But as Marinette, I still get nervous and buh-buh-buh around him, even though he has obviously started to see me as a closer friend! I mean, that fashion show at my house… was that only four days ago?
"I'm pretty sure I've never broken Adrien's heart as Marinette… and if Kagami knew that Marinette is Ladybug, then the conversation this morning would have taken a completely different turn! And she was there yesterday after the bakery burned down, with Adrien! She would have said something then, I'm sure. And speaking of Adrien at the bakery, he took me in, no questions asked. I'm really not sure what to make of that." Marinette nervously twirled one of her pigtails.
Tikki swallowed her cookie and frantically searched for another one. When Marinette looked at her, she mimed having her mouth full and made an mmm sound, rubbing her belly.
"So if Marinette didn't break Adrien's heart, and Ladybug didn't break Adrien's heart, then it stands to… reason… that…" Marinette trailed off as a previously-stuck door in her mind burst open, spilling forth a tidal wave of thoughts and memories that had been waiting behind it, eager to escape.
"You'll see me without my mask, and you wouldn't be able to resist me."
"Black and green are definitely my colors."
"I had this special surprise all planned for Ladybug… but she never showed."
"He acts a certain way with you because he has an idea of what superheroes are supposed to be like."
"He instinctively took to the powers, almost as if he had used a Miraculous before."
"I can't tell you why you can't store the Miracle Box at Chat's house."
"You destroyed Paris repeatedly and almost killed your son in the process!"
"He loves you desperately - almost sickeningly so, in my opinion."
"He told me that his cat was sick!"
"I usually pass the Agreste mansion on my regular route."
"Just… think about it, OK, my Lady? It seems like there's an innocent life we could help save."
The room swam in Marinette's vision. She put one hand out to steady herself against the bed, and another hand slowly covered her mouth. Her breath came in short gasps, and her knees buckled. "Tikki," she whispered. "It's… him, isn't it?"
"You should open that envelope," Sass said, hovering over Adrien's left shoulder.
"Don't open the envelope, kid! She wouldn't do that for you, and you owe her the same courtesy," Plagg countered, sitting on Adrien's right shoulder.
"But she told you that you can figure out who she is."
"You weren't there, how do you even know about that? Kid, I'm telling you… it's a bad idea to open that envelope."
Adrien sat at his desk, pink envelope grasped firmly between his two hands. How did Ladybug even stand being around all the kwamis like this? The constant bickering would have driven me mad! "Enough!" he near-shouted. "Plagg, Sass, I appreciate your opinions. You're right: she told me I could figure out who she is. This envelope… it's like cheating. My Lady wouldn't cheat, and I'm not going to cheat her." He walked over to his bed and flopped down. "Still… you two know who she is, right?"
"Yes, but we're not going to tell you," Plagg insisted.
"It's not cheating if you figure it out by reading what's in the envelope..." Sass teasingly sang, then floated over to the desk and started playing with Adrien's computer mouse.
"Go on, kid… talk it out. You'll get there eventually." And not a moment too soon! I'm not in any sort of mood to play Cupid… but at least it beats playing stupid.
"Right. OK. So. Ladybug. Well let's see… what do I know about her? She's brave, smart, honest, helpful… just, fair, clever… beautiful… and she's in love with me? She told me… well, Chat-me… that she was crushing on Adrien! So… someone who's in love with Adrien. But that could be more than a few people, right?"
"Hey, just because everybody sees your face everywhere doesn't mean they're happy about it, kid. Use process of elimination. Who do you know that's in love with you?"
"Well, there's Lila, and Chloe… eww. Thankfully, I know that Ladybug is neither of them. That makes things a lot easier."
"Is there anyone else?"
Adrien fixed his kwami with a blank stare.
"You know, that bit Kagami had about smacking you seems about right," Plagg muttered. He floated up to Adrien and hovered directly in front of his face. "Alright, look. Kid, I tell you, you've got all the pieces put together, you just need to flip over the puzzle and look at the picture. Who's Ladybug?"
"She's my partner…"
"Who's Ladybug, Adrien?"
"The girl of my dreams…"
"Adrien." Plagg's voice was firm. "Who's. Ladybug?"
"She's lucky…"
The word lucky was the key that unlocked the door in Adrien's mind. His eyes opened wide and his jaw slackened as he finally allowed himself to look at the complete picture.
"She's lucky."
"I've got a secret. This is why I win. I'm lucky."
"Wow! We won again… thanks to you."
"That girl has a crush on you so hard it's almost unhealthy."
"Well, Mr. Model… I do appreciate the opportunity for a private show… that outfit *suits* you."
"You're always helping people… you're our everyday Ladybug."
"She's lucky."
"I really love that family…"
"She's lucky."
"Oh my gosh, Plagg, it's really her?" He sat bolt upright and bounced in place, nerves tingling with energy. "It's really her!"
"Tikki?" Marinette said weakly. "How can Adrien be… Chat? How can Chat be Adrien? Oh crap, Tikki! When Adrien was telling me how Chat felt about Ladybug, he was talking about himself!"
"Breathe, Marinette… remember when you were talking with your mother? How did she describe your father when she first met him?"
"Let's see… when he wasn't in his element, he was very shy… almost like he was one person in certain situations and another person in other situations. She had to know which one was the real Tom Dupain before she gave her heart to him. Tikki… which one is the real Adrien?"
"Which one was the real Tom?"
"They both were, Tikki. Dad told me that even though he came off as too showy and over the top, Mom still appreciated him… so he felt comfortable opening up and trusting her with his sensitive side."
"And… do you appreciate Adrien when he's in Chat Noir mode?"
Marinette immediately answered. "Yes - even the dorkiness and the puns. I couldn't ask for a better partner."
"And his sensitive side?"
"Yes, that too… although…" Marinette picked herself off the floor, then looked at Tikki with a mischievous glint in her eye and said, "If that cat thinks he's going to get away with saying that I broke his heart… he's going to have to think again! Spots on!" She leaped out the bathroom window and swung over to Adrien's bedroom window.
Adrien shot off of his bed and charged out of his room. He pushed his way past his bodyguard and ran to the door of the guest suite. He jiggled the handle, only to discover that the door was locked. If I were Chat, I could Cataclysm the door open. No, wait, that wouldn't work… too much explaining to do afterwards. Plagg could Cataclysm the door open, but knowing him, he'd probably knock down the entire mansion. I'd better not risk it. He spun around and ran back to his room.
"Adrien!" Ladybug yelled, sticking her head in Adrien's room. "Where are you?" She scanned his room and, finding nothing or nobody, shook her head and swung back to her room. She heard a commotion at her suite door and ran to it. She opened it and saw nothing. Maybe that was Adrien! She took off running toward his room.
Adrien arrived back in his room to see the bedroom window open. She must have swung by here! "Plagg, CLAWS OUT!" he yelled, and in a green flash, Chat Noir hurtled himself out the window toward the bathroom window of the guest suite.
Ladybug arrived in Adrien's bedroom to see Chat Noir leap from the window. Well, if I needed any more confirmation… She sprinted to the window and flung herself out of it. She yo-yo'ed her way to her bedroom window and made a desperate grab for Chat's tail as it disappeared inside.
"Oof!" Chat Noir's leap into the guest bathroom was suddenly stopped, and he landed with a thud in the large bathtub.
"Hey, Kitty," Ladybug said, eyes twinkling as she twirled his tail in his signature fashion. "Let's… Chat."
Chat Noir looked up at her and smiled. "I can't wait, my Lady."
Adrien and Marinette sat on Adrien's couch, eating cookies. Tikki, Plagg, Wayzz, and Sass had asked Adrien to move the foosball table away from the rock wall, and they were enjoying a game while the teenagers talked.
Marinette sighed, "I have so many questions… but at the same time, so much makes sense now."
"Ask away, my Lady…, uh, Marinette."
"You practically told me you were Chat Noir when you came over to my house the other day. Black and green being your colors? Paws button? Subtle, Kitty." She poked him in the chest and rolled her eyes.
"I was feeling pretty reckless that day. Master Fu had just died and I couldn't go to his funeral as Chat… plus, finding out Father was Hawk Moth… I wasn't in the best place, mentally. It's not that I didn't care who found out that I was Chat… it's that I didn't mind if you did."
"Yeah, but why me? You barely noticed me for how long, now? Suddenly you wanted to spill your secret identity to me?"
"I told you… you're Ladybug, with or without the mask. I felt… comfortable telling you. It felt… natural, almost like I was supposed to."
"OK, I can accept that, I guess. Still, it's not the smartest thing you've ever done." A smile danced at the edges of her lips.
"Wait, wait, wait… my turn. Speaking of not the smartest thing you've ever done, what was up with jumping out the glass door of a burning building without being transformed? You had to have heard Kagami when you were over here as Ladybug… so why not stay Ladybug for that?" He looked at Marinette's elbow and winced.
"You're right, that was pretty dumb. Tikki gave me the third degree about that, actually -"
"Good thing your burns weren't third degree…" he interjected.
"Really?" Marinette shook her head and threw a chocolate chip at Adrien. "Anyway… I panicked. You didn't know that Marinette's parents were out of town. If Ladybug was on the scene first giving the all-clear, you might start asking questions and make the connection that Marinette and Ladybug were going through too similar of a life situation. I didn't want to jeopardize my secret identity… and strangely enough, that was the catalyst for where we are now." She shrugged and smiled.
"Do you regret us knowing?" Adrien asked delicately.
"Adrien, the important part right now is that we stay in balance. We found out at the same time. How did you figure it out? Was it the envelope I gave you?"
"No, actually… I haven't opened the envelope! Even though Sass really wanted me to," he looked over at the kwami.
"Yeah, Sass tried his hardest to get me to see you for who you really were. He succeeded in some ways, too. Glad to see he's not playing favorites," she grinned. "Sorry, continue." She waved her hand.
"Oh! Right. Well… I think the most obvious part of it was that you told me that you had a crush on me. I thought of all the people Ladybug acts flustered around, and that's a pretty short list. But what really sealed the deal was… I just couldn't not see you for you. Remember at the Heroes' Day picnic? I called you everyday Ladybug… little did I know how close to the truth I was. And," he wiggled his eyebrows in a very Chat-like manner, "you kissed me after I said that!"
Marinette began to flush. "Yeah, well, it's not like you did anything after that, Kitty… you told me that you would follow Ladybug to the moon without a space suit… but what I wouldn't have given for you to notice me as more than just a friend. And speaking of… who broke whose heart, now?"
"Uh-uh-uh… It's my turn to ask a question." Adrien had the good sense to look abashed, nevertheless. "So when Serket first showed up, you called for Chat Noir because you knew that Ladybug wasn't going to show up, not because your mind instinctively went to me?" The hope in his voice was a balloon he knew was about to get punctured.
"Exactly. Sorry, Kitty - your dreams of Marinette crushing on you are, well… crushed." She smiled tenderly, then laughed. "Oh, who am I kidding…"
"Ah, yes… I told you on a couple of occasions that if you saw me without my mask, you wouldn't be able to resist me. Was I right?"
Marinette turned a deep crimson. "You can't ask two questions in a row, either," she mumbled. "OK! So… who broke whose heart, again?"
"I thought you did, my Lady… remember the balcony surprise I made for you? Where you didn't show up?"
"Oh, right, that one… the one where Ladybug didn't show up because Marinette was waiting for Adrien to join everyone at André's. And I thought it was because your dad wouldn't let you out of the house!" She jabbed her finger in his direction. "I felt bad for you and pushed my feelings aside for you even though I was heartbroken that you didn't show up. Did you know I was so upset that André wound up getting akumatized? I lashed out at him over nothing… and then you had the nerve to get snotty with me when we were fighting him!"
Adrien backed up slightly on the couch to escape Marinette's ire. "I'm sorry," he pleaded. "I had no idea. If things were different…"
She put her hand up and smiled tenderly. "If things were different, you never would have poured out your heart to Marinette on that balcony… that's how I found out that Chat Noir was sincere about Ladybug, you know."
"Oh my gosh, you're right! I told you I was in love with you! If that's not super-cringey, I don't know what is."
"It was actually very sweet, Kitty. If you hadn't said that, I would probably still think you were a - how did you put it? - a cartoon character one hundred percent of the time. But, getting back to that night, if things were different, you would have found out that my André's flavor was 'peach pink like his lips and mint like his eyes'..."
"Really? I would think that lime would go much better with peach than mint would. Did you know I went to André's the next day?"
"Are you kidding me? So did I; we must have just missed each other. What was your flavor?"
"Strawberry with black chocolate chips. 'Blackberries for her hair, and blueberry ice cream just like her sky-blue stare!'"
"See, you at least got all berries." She paused for a beat. "Wait a minute… you got Ladybug-themed ice cream?"
"I'm kind of glad that nobody else was around to see that. I'm not sure Nino ever would have let me live that down. And… sorry again. I guess I had too much Ladybug on my mind to ever really notice you, Marinette. Even though I clearly saw you as someone on the same level as Ladybug… she just got my heart first. And no matter how many times you rejected me as Chat, I still carried that torch for you." He looked away and blinked rapidly. "I've never had friends before. Then all in one day, I got an amazing friend and an equally amazing partner… and super-powers." He chuckled bitterly. "I got everything I ever wanted that day: freedom, someone to share everything with, and someone to actually give me a gift that came from their heart instead of from a secretary. Who would have thought I'd be lucky enough that all of this would come from the same person?"
Marinette scooted forward to close the gap between herself and Adrien and reached out to hold his face in her hands, wiping his tears with her thumbs. "Kitty… Adrien… what are you talking about? I didn't give you any of that."
"Ladybug gave me the freedom to be Chat Noir. I told you… without Ladybug, there would be no Chat Noir. Marinette gave me the opportunity to be friends with someone because of who I am, not for what I look like or what I do."
"...And the gift?" Marinette whispered.
"You gave me a second chance. You didn't have to be my friend after that first day of school, especially with how everything went down. But you chose to be my friend. And that has made all the difference in the world. In my world." He looked at her, passion burning in his eyes.
"Oh, Kitty… you gave me a second chance, too. Did you know I almost quit being Ladybug after the first battle? I didn't feel like I was any good… but you lifted me up. And you lifted me up again and again when I thought I couldn't do it. You're just as good as me at giving second chances. Probably better, since you keep doing it."
"You kept giving Adrien second chances to notice you, though… but I'd say that won't be necessary anymore. And I'll always be there to pick you up, my Lady."
Marinette dipped her head for a moment, then slowly looked up before saying in a quiet voice, "I think you need to give me one more chance, Adrien. Can you do that for me?"
Adrien took her hand in his. "Anything."
"I constantly rejected you for your secret identity, and neither side of you knew that. Granted, Chat wasn't my type to start with… but you've definitely grown on me, Kitty." She reached down to flick his bell, only to quickly drop her hand to her lap when she realized he wasn't in costume.
"I should ask you for the same mercy, Marinette. I didn't see you for who you were because I was busy, um, looking at you for who you are. Do you forgive me?"
Marinette leaned forward and tenderly kissed Adrien on the cheek. "Of course I do, Adrien."
Adrien smiled and stroked Marinette's face. "Speaking of second chances… your kiss was off-target by a bit."
Marinette smiled impishly. "Oh, was it now?"
"Yeah… let me show you."
He did.