LadyoftheBirds: Ayo readers, It's CanaryBug- I mean LadyoftheBirds. Yup, totally been going by this name since forever! Anywayzz, Claire and I are BACK with our New Years' resolution to this wonderful two-shot! And before you ask, no, we totally didn't forget about this story! Amirite, Claire?

Claire: I mean I didn't but… Btw, Birdie wrote most of this chapter, I helped but she did most of the work. Lol, Love you Bugaboo!

LadyoftheBirds: -REVIEWS!

Claire: LadyoftheBirds: I really hope so seeing as you helped write it

LadyoftheBirds: BlueFire: Well, the wait is over!

Claire: BlueFire: We're ready to hit you hard with fluff!

Claire: miraculous lulubug: Nope, totally not a second chapter… this is uhm… this is the one and a halfth chapter. Yes Perfect!

LadyoftheBirds: miraculous lulubug: Think ya can figure by the fact we just posted!

Claire: ChristiRose13: I like to read stories when I can't sleep as well. Not Birdie's tho… I read her's when I feel like crying. Love you Bugaboo!

LadyoftheBirds: ChristiRose13: Glad we're so attention-provoking we're able to keep you awake! MerryChristmasand/orotherholidayyoumaycelebrate!

Claire: ParisLove15: I most definitely 110% agree #MarichatFoLife!

LadyoftheBirds: ParisLove15: Yup, Marichat is my favorite out of my 4TP!

Claire: DORKALICIOUS Fan997: And Happy Mew Year!

LadyoftheBirds: DORKALICIOUS Fan007: Yep, I'm a telepath! That's how I know you're today-years-old when you realize cereal is a soup!

LadyoftheBirds: Looks like that's all the reviews for now! Happy 2019 and Bug Out!

Claire:And remember! Eat beings, not beans!

LadyoftheBirds: Nothing's worse than CanniBEANlism!

Adrien's POV

I stare at the black hat Marinette gave me on Christmas Eve. Stroking the woven fabric, I sigh as I examine its every feature. She was so kind to give me one of the few gifts I got on Christmas, and she was the company I longed after my father unexpectedly left on a business trip.

Ladybug made it clear since the very beginning that our secret identities must stay a mystery and protect them at any cost. But Marinette was the one person who helped me feel wanted. It didn't seem fair that I have two different friendships with the same girl!

"Are you going to tell her?" Plagg asks, resting on my shoulder.

"I want to," I grip the hat tighter. "but at the same time…" I sigh in annoyance.

"What's holding you back, kid?"

"I mean, what if she doesn't like me? What if she ends up hating me for keeping this secret from her? I mean she's always acting nervous around me… Maybe she doesn't like me as Adrien? Would she be upset to find out that Chat is me and I'm Chat?"

Out of the corner of my eye Plagg rolls his eyes. "Kid I think you'll be fine. I doubt she'll be upset." He grumbles.

"How do you know?" I ask.

"Do you even need to ask? I'm a god for crying out loud. I know these things." Plagg sighs, as if I was an idiot he was trying to educate. "Have you seen how she acts towards Chloe? Kid, if she hates you, she wouldn't be as nice towards you as she is now."

"But what about Ladybug? If she finds out I told a civilian my identity, she'd freak! She would never trust me again, and we'd never live happil–"

"Save it, Adrien. You've already told me your daydreams and fantasies a million times over. True, Ladybug could be a concern, and there's no way she'd think this was a good idea–"

"–Whose side are you on?" I glare.

Plagg shrugs. "What side are you on, Kid? I'm just helping you weigh your options."

Squeezing the black hat for one final time, I mumble "Screw it," and place it on my head. Slinging my gray bag–filled with money and gifts for my friends–across my shoulder, Plagg flies into my jacket as I exit my room, as I hope I didn't make a horrible mistake.

When I make it down to the snowy park I catch sight of Nino waiting by the dormant fountain. When I walk up to to Nino he stands, clasps my hand and pulls me into a bro hug.

"Hey man,"

"Hey Nino."

When he pulls away he laughs.

"Nice hat, dude!"

I fight back a furious blush.

"Y-yeah, not nearly as good as yours though."

We chat for a moment or two before the girls arrive.

I desperately try to quell my anxiety as Marinette passes out our christmas gifts.

When she finally passes me my gift I receive a stylish gray coat that's fitted to exaggerate my features.

"Do-Do you like it?"

My eyes find Marinette's. I break into a wide smile.

"I love it!" I laugh, cheeks turning bright red in comparison to the snowy atmosphere. "Thank you so much, Mari!"

As we both grin like two love-sick dorks, I feel Alya's elbow jab into my chest. "Best Christmas gift ever, right Adrien?"

Before I could nod and say 'yes', my mind travels back to the time I, as Chat, said the exact same compliment to Mari. Sure, I could just pretend Chat and I are two separate entities, but for some reason, I just can't lie. It just wouldn't feel right.

So I did the next best thing: avoid the question entirely.

"Marinette, you are the best gift-maker ever!"

Her eyebrows raise, as if she was examining me and scavenging my mind for some sort of lie, but her overall gaze softens after a few seconds of this. Turning around, I begin to compare coats with Nino before I suddenly feel her warm breath close to me. She was examining me once again, but for a completely different reason.

After a couple seconds of me tensing up in silence, I hear a pterodactyl screech escape from Marinette's lips as she screams, "Wait… Wait, what?!"

The rest of us concernedly turn to her, confused as to the reason of this sudden shriek. As Alya and Nino question her sanity, my genuine grin is replaced with a fake one when I realize Mari might've already pieced together the carefully-set pieces I had so lovingly laid out for her. If I could sweat in this freezing weather, I would've out of sheer nervousness.

"Marinette? What's wrong?" Alya shakes her friend by the shoulders for what seems to be the tenth time in the past minute.

"Adrien…" Marinette points to me, before her eyes widen and she frantically turns back to Alya. "I, uh, saw a… pigeon! Yeah, a pigeon! And I got worried because, um, Adrien's allergic to them and I didn't want him to get sick because it's really cold out here, it's allergy season and I don't think that'll do his modeling career-"

"-Marinette?"

"Yes?"

"You do realize we're in the freezing cold and there are no pigeons out here, right?"

She squeaks. "Well, um, of course there isn't anymore! My screaming must've scared it off! Adrien pretty- I mean, it could be kitty- I MEAN it could've ended pretty bad for Adrien if I didn't scare him away…" she turns to her friends, still as lost as before. "And also there was a, uh, loose thread on Adrien's coat and it could get caught so Imma just-"

Marinette quickly got closer to me, ripped the shortest piece of thread I have ever seen, and threw it to the snow. "See? Problem solved."

Alya and Nino turn their focus to me as I scratch my head and laugh nervously. "Ah ha, thanks, Mari! That string could've caught on to a pole and your wonderful coat would've been ruined! And you're right, those darn pigeons could've made me lose my mind!"

The two were silent before Alya inhaled, most likely contemplating and regretting asking in the first place, as she finally says, "You know what? You do you. Nino and I are going to grab a coffee and try to cleanse our minds from the pure cringe that was this conversation. Right, Nino?"

Nino nods, laughing nervously, as Alya grabs him by the coat collar and hauls him away.

I look at Marinette.

"So I'm guessing you know?"

Mari silently nods, looking away. "Was that intentional?"

I shrug. "Honestly, yeah. It kinda was."

Instead of the laugh or remark I expected, Marinette sighed. "I can't believe you'd just go against Ladybug like that." And with that, she walked away.

Marinette's POV

It's been a week since Adrien or even his alter ego has spoken to me. There were no Akumas to speak of and his absence is slowly crushing me. Not having my best friends around is like my arm having been cut off. You can still feel the pain, but the reason isn't there anymore.

"I really screwed up, didn't I Tikki?" I mumble as I stare out at the Parisian skyline.

"I'm sure he'll come around. Just because your last conversation might have been a little rough doesn't mean he doesn't care, you know?"

"What if he doesn't ever talk to me again? What if I never get to tell him how much I love him and need him? What if he's mad at me? What do I do?" I ask as hot tears stream down my freezing cheeks.

"Have patience, Marinette. If anything he's the most Loyal Chat Noir there has ever been. I'm sure he'll come around at some point."

I smile. "Yeah, hopefully you're right."

"I've been around for more than 5000 years. I know how you humans work and how your minds function. He probably can't stand the thought of not seeing you."

"I got mad at him for not following the rule Master Fu told us to heed. Should I follow in Adrien's footsteps and reveal myself to him?"

"It's your choice, Marinette. With you knowing who he is, you're already at risk in case Hawkmoth figures out what you know. You hid your identity for your loved ones' safety. Maybe you two could have each others' backs in and out of costume?"

Before I can respond, I hear a loud thump from behind me. Turning around, I see Chat Noir weakly smiling at me as he rests perched on the railing.

"Hey, Marinette."

After what feels like an eternity of silence, I finally reply, "Hey, Adrien."

"I have something to tel–"

"–I'm sorry."

I stare at Chat and he stares back at me.

Tears slip down my cheeks. I throw my arms around my best friend and bury my face in his shoulder.

"Don't ever disappear like that again, Minou." His strong and warm arms pull me close.

"Sorry, Princess." He sighs and holds me, neither of us let go and we stay in each other's arms admittedly too long for just friends.

When we finally pull away Chat wipes away my tears.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought you were upset with me and wouldn't want to see me."

"Granted, I was a bit shocked when it finally dawned on me you broke the number one rule we're supposed to follow…"

"We?"

"But I understand why you did it. You did it because your heart told you to." I grab Chat's hand and place it to my heart. "All those times I stutter and run away, it wasn't because I was scared or mad at you, Adrien, it was because I fell in love with you! The second you gave me your umbrella, it finally clicked that you were the one. And as much as it hurt to not tell the man I love the biggest secret I had, I kept my mouth shut in order to protect you."

"Mari-"

"It's me. I'm Ladybug."

Adrien blinks, as if a wave of information suddenly comes crashing over him. "My… lady?"

I bite my lip as I wipe the tears swimming in my eyes. "I love you, Chat. Both sides of you."

By this time, the fireworks begin to flash before us as the city begins to count down the final moments of the year. Before I can react, Chat Noir pulls me into a kiss. And for minutes, everything disappears except the fireworks going off inside my head. As clocks and calendars finally leap one year forward, he pulls back as we both smile.

"Why'd you do that?" I whisper, fireworks still echoing wherever I look, it's bright lights coloring the sky in a variety of colors.

"Because I wanted to end this year off with a bang, and start the new one right."