In the Morning

Chapter Nine: Give it Time

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My world seemed to slow as all the colors around me in Adrien's room began to pulse and blend together. I felt my words fall off my lips as it all echoed back at my own ears.

I am staring into a pair of brilliant green eyes and finally seeing them as two different sets but also as one. Answer me. Answer. I think impatiently as I watch Adrien's slow breathing. I don't know what answer I want to heart at this point but I really need him to say something.

I see his mouth moving, forming silent words as he tries to form a sentence. I can already tell by his reaction that I know his answer. I suck in a breath as he finally clears his throat and brushes his hand across the side of his mouth.

"Mar- Marinette, I can't talk abou-"

"So you are." I interrupt him with my statement. That is exactly what Chat Noir would say because he knows he can't talk about it, obviously I know that because I'm under the same restrictions.

He looks slightly shaken at my blunt words as he tries to quickly recover. "I- I really need to go," He says urgently as another loud crash roars from outside. I know I need to get going to but I can't focus on the akuma outside, not with all of this clouding my mind. He starts again, "I need you to stay here, I'll be right back." He looks panicked as he instructs me.

"Adrien, please… just answer me." I beg him with my eyes.

I can see the inner battle behind his dark, large pupils before he softly grabs my hand and looks deep into my eyes. "Yes. Now please," he is begging now, "Stay here." And with a quick squeeze to my hand he was out the door.

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I feel the world caving in on me. Adrien is Chat Noir.

Chat Noir is Adrien.

But, what? How? There is no way that he and Chat are and wait, what!?

The back of my mind also is screaming at me that I turned Adrien down as Chat Noir but I force myself to not focus on that horrible little detail, until I remember not too long ago when I, as Ladybug, told Chat Noir I like someone else. And then the next day Adrien was a mess. I did that to him. I hurt him that much. I didn't mean to though, I hurt him like that but it was because I have liked him as Adrien for so long and but he has liked me as Ladybug for just as long… I am such an idiot

"I can tell what you are thinking Marinette and it's okay. Adrien, well, Chat Noir still likes you and Ladybug, he has been trying to work on his feelings for both sides of you for a while now." Tikki smiles at me from the couch where my bag is sitting.

I make my way to her, "You knew Tikki?"

"Well, of course. I can sense his kwami Plagg, I have always been able to, just like Plagg can sense me and knows that you are Ladybug. But just like I didn't tell you, Plagg can't tell Adrien. That isn't our part." She shrugs her little red shoulders.

"I… I don't even know what to do right now…" I sink down to the couch.

"How about Ladybug goes and saves Paris? Then talks with Adrien? I know it will all be okay."

"Right," I gulp, "Tikki, Spots on!"

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"My Lady, there you are." Chat Noir leaps to my side as I land on the pavement. "The akuma just went- whoa… Are you okay?"

His sudden pause and question shocks me and I stammer to recover, "Yeah, yes, yep. Peachy keen." I give him a thumbs up and a probably very awkward smile.

"Ohhh, kay…" His mask bunches across his eyebrows. He then starts to fill me in in the akuma, I try to focus on his words but I can't seem to do it. I can only hear Adrien's voice talking about something that doesn't sound right coming from him.

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Ladybug and I took out the akuma quickly, what a surprise. She seems slightly off but I can't really focus or worry about that all right now because I just told Marinette I'm Chat Noir and ran off. She has to be sitting in my room freaking out right now. Plagg is probably going to kill me for spilling my secrete. I say a quick "bye" to Ladybug only to realize she is already gone. She never leaves without saying bye first.

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I slip into my bedroom bath and detransform. "Well..." Plagg floats out of my ring and up to my eye level, "have fun with this situation." He crosses his little arms. I let out a sigh and run my hand through my hair, here it goes.

I push open my bathroom door and look around my room. My eyes pause on the dark blue haired girl sitting on my couch. She is perfectly still with her hands folded in her lap. She is gazing out the windows that are now crack free thanks to Ladybug's power. Her eyes full of confusion as she stares. "Marinette," I say softly as I move to sit next to her, I leave about six inches between us, "sorry to run off."

"Adrien, are you really Chat Noir?" She turns to me as she asks her question, I can see tears lining her lashes.

My heart aches, "Why are you crying?" I slide a bit close to her, "Please, don't cry. This doesn't change how I feel about you.

"Adrien, you are Chat Noir, of course it does. This changes everything." Her voice sounds distant.

"What? Why is that? I'm still me, just also Chat Noir, but I have been ever since you've known me." I'm trying to sound confident but my heart is pounding out of my chest.

"Because, I can't be with Chat Noir. He, ah… you, are in love with Ladybug…" Her voice faded to nothing on the last few words. Brushing her tears away from her eyes and cheeks she let out a sigh. "I think I need to go. My head is a mess right now. I know what my heart says but my head is telling me something else and I just can't right now. I- I need to go." She stood up swiftly and brushed off her pants nervously. "I'll see you soon," She quickly walked past me and to the door.

I feel like I'm stuck in this spot. Should I go after her? Just sit here? What have I done? Can I fix this?

"Hey that went better than I thought it would!" Plagg calls zipping into the room. I look to him, my expression must have said it all because he quickly replied with, "Trust me Adrien, it will be okay. Just give it all some time. She just needs to think."

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Sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter out. I just could not get it right and I think this is the best I could get it. I have things planned for the next few chapters but I had to get things set up for those events thus made this chapter a transition ish one and it kinda sucked… I still hope you all enjoyed it though!

But anywhoo, thank you all for sticking with me and reading my story! Let me know how you guys think I am doing! I love to hear from my reads!

xx. Joy