It was the most breathtaking Parisian evening Adrien had ever seen with the full moon peeking out from behind the Eiffel Tower and its reflection framed perfectly within the calm waters of the Seine River. He had chosen to meet Ladybug on the rooftop garden of a quiet little bistro. Earlier he had seen a sign saying the establishment would be closed for the evening, so he had quickly texted Ladybug the address, knowing it would give them not only the perfect view, but their much needed privacy.
He looked around at the carefully pruned flowers, taking in their many scents and embedding this smell into his memory. He would always associate this fragrance with this moment - the moment in which he and Ladybug revealed their identities.
"Evening, Chaton," Ladybug's soothing voice entered his ears as if he were listening to the first notes of a symphony.
Adrien turned around to see Ladybug placing her yoyo back by her side as a wave of butterflies swarmed throughout his chest.
"Bonjour, M'Lady," he said with a bow.
As he straightened back up, Adrien was amused by Ladybug's quizzical expression. However, it had been nearly six months since he had been given any kind of physical affection, and ever since their last parting, Adrien had been craving to once again feel the warmth of his Lady. His evening with Marinette had been torture - knowing she was the one he wanted to be with and yet being able to do nothing.
It had taken nearly everything within his power to keep himself from jumping across that table and enveloping her in a passionate kiss, especially after she had so masterfully shocked him with her bold declaration of where she was headed that evening.
And now that there were no longer any boundaries to keep them apart, Adrien rushed forward, tenderly wrapping his arms around his lady.
Without saying a word, Ladybug hugged him back as she nuzzled her head against his chest. Marinette smiled as Chat gently pressed a kiss against the top of her head. There was no place better than this, she realized as she was quickly getting addicted to the warmth and comfort of Adrien's arms.
Oh, and how she wished at that moment that she really was being held by just Adrien. No matter how much she loved Chat, she was ready to be with him without the barrier of their suits and masks. She wanted to feel the warmth of his skin. She wanted to be able to peer into his real eyes like she had done earlier that evening.
Marinette lifted her head as she leaned forward, whispering, "Are you ready for this, Chaton?"
Adrien chuckled as he backed up just enough for the two of them to make eye contact. "I think we both know that at this point revealing ourselves is just a formality."
Marinette's stomach nearly leaped out of her throat as she took in Chat's mischievous and yet somehow attractive grin. "I know," she barely managed to squeak as her body longed to get closer to him, "but this changes everything. Are you sure your ready for that?"
Adrien's grin spread so wide that it seemed like it was going to stretch right off his face. "Without a doubt, my Lady," he confidently said while placing his hand on Marinette's cheek. "I have loved you for over eight years as Ladybug and I am beyond ready to openly love the beautiful woman hiding underneath that mask."
Marinette's eyes beamed up at him and Adrien found himself lost in their affection.
"Just so you know," Marinette playfully, yet seriously, added, "the reason I used to always turn you down back in high school was because I had a crush on you - as a civilian."
Even though Adrien had figured this out earlier, hearing it directly from Ladybug's lips was something entirely different. Suddenly, Adrien couldn't wait another second to be with his girlfriend as just him. Completely foregoing his carefully crafted plans for the evening, Adrien decided to just go for it.
"Plagg, claws in!" he eagerly demanded.
Marinette did not hesitate to join Adrien in this perfect moment - quickly calling to her kwami as soon as she had heard him. "Tikki, spots off!"
And as the pink and green swirls of their detransformations surrounded them, Marinette and Adrien both eagerly leaned forward, finding themselves lost in a magical kiss. This had been everything the past eight years had been leading toward. Now they had finally made it to the moment in which they could freely be together as not only as Chat Noir and Ladybug but as Marinette and Adrien. They would never let go of this of this love - just as they had never allowed themselves to let go of their friendship.
_The End_