Marinette locked eyes with Cat Noir for a moment after making her declaration, neither one speaking a word, still holding that look of confidence. Then the moment passed, her shoulders slumped, and she looked away, dejected. As if getting akumatized wasn't bad enough, now she had allowed her identity to be revealed, too. I must be the worst Ladybug, she told herself.
"You're probably disappointed by me, huh?" she said, not quite looking up at Cat Noir, "You were probably expecting someone brave, and pretty, and smart… but it's just… me." She chanced a glance up at Cat Noir's eyes, surprised to see adoration on his face.
"How could I be disappointed in my lady?" he asked, his voice filled with emotion, "You're all of those things… and more."
"But you don't even know me," Marinette replied with surprise, looking up at him now, "You only know me as Ladybug."
"I know you better than you think," Cat Noir replied, smiling at some unknown secret of his. Is he someone I actually know? she wondered. The possibility had never occurred to her before. Paris was a huge city, the chances of Cat Noir being anyone she had even bumped into casually were slim to none, let alone someone she knew personally. "And I know that you're also kind, and helpful, and creative, and funny, and…"
Marinette blushed at the list of compliments. He sounded like he really did know her. Who could he be? She was almost tempted to ask him, but she didn't want him to feel like he had to expose his identity. Just because hers was known, didn't mean he should reveal his, too.
"You're an amazing girl, Marinette," he concluded, jumping down from the bed and stepping closer to her, "You always were, even without being Ladybug."
Now her cheeks were growing warm. Cat Noir was standing a little too close for comfort and she took a step back. He really does know me, she realized, could he attend the same school as me? Looking into his eyes, she saw in them the desire to say more, the desire to break down the only barrier that still existed between them and to reveal himself. Don't do it, she tried to will at him, I shouldn't know. Please don't do it.
His intense expression softened and he stepped back again, giving her an easy smile. "Well, now that we've gotten that out in the open," Cat Noir said casually, "I think I should get you to Master Fu's. Tikki's waiting for you."
Marinette is Ladybug!
This was the only thought going through Cat Noir's mind, and he kept repeating it over and over again, as though it somehow made it more real. How could he not see it before? It was so obvious now that he knew. Her constant absences from school, her lame excuses, and of course, why he never saw her around when Ladybug was.
He took a good look at her now, realizing who she really was. Despite her hair that was mussed from jumping across the city and her dress that was wrinkled and dirty from sitting on the rooftop, she was still the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
After a moment of silence, she looked away in embarrassment, speaking in a low voice. "You're probably disappointed by me, huh?" she said, not meeting his eyes, "You were probably expecting some brave, and pretty, and smart… but it's just… me."
Cat Noir gasped at the thought. Disappointed? In Marinette? How could she think such a thing?
"How could I be disappointed in my lady?" he asked, trying to convey his excitement and love through his words, "You're all of those things… and more."
"But you don't even know me," Marinette protested, meeting his eyes again, "You only know me as Ladybug."
"I know you better than you think," Cat Noir replied, A lot better than you think. "And I know that you're also kind, and helpful, and creative, and funny, and…"
He watched as her blush deepened, embarrassed by the praise he was showering on her. He wanted her to understand that he didn't just love Ladybug, and he didn't just love Marinette because she was Ladybug, but he loved Marinette because she was her. Those feelings had developed over time, without him even realizing it, but he had been too blinded by his love for Ladybug to see. Now he could see it clearly. Marinette had always been the girl of his dreams.
"You're an amazing girl, Marinette," he concluded, leaping casually down from the bed and moving closer to her, "You always were, even without being Ladybug."
At that moment, he felt he had to show her who he was. If she knew his identity, then nothing would keep them apart anymore. He could finally be with his lady and be with Marinette. But something in her eyes told him he shouldn't. Keeping their identities secret was always very important to Ladybug. She was probably upset at herself for letting it slip, but she would still expect him to keep his a secret. He was on the verge of saying "Claws in", finally showing her who he really was, but he held back, sensing that this wasn't the time.
Instead, he tried to give her a reassuring smile, taking a step back and giving her some room. "Well, now that we've gotten that out in the open," he said, trying to get back to business, "I think I should get you to Master Fu's. Tikki's waiting for you."