Chapter Four

Adrien's chest tightened at Marinette's words. She said she wanted to spend more time with him, but she'd also admitted that she was okay with the idea of going out with Luka. A heavy silence hung between them as he fell into step beside her. He desperately wanted to know what was going on in her head.

If she truly was Ladybug, what motivated her to drop the hints about her miraculous? He swallowed, perhaps she was a decoy, could Hawkmoth be manipulating her? He shook his head to clear his thoughts and drew Marinette's attention.

"Are you okay?"

"Just thinking," he replied, sinking his hands in his pockets. His mind was in a whirl. How could he confirm she was Ladybug? What experience could he bring up that they'd shared alone? He cocked his head to the side. "What did you do with the rose?"

This time it was Marinette's step that faltered. If she was Ladybug she'd know what rose he was referring to, the one he'd given her after Glaciator. She tucked her chin down but it didn't hide the blush on her cheeks. She gnawed on her bottom lip before looking up at him. "I took it home with me."

A Cheshire grin spread across his face and he extended his elbow to her. "I'm glad to hear it, milady."

The dark-haired girl continued to blush but she laid her hand in the crook of his arm and his pulse skyrocketed. She was his lady and she was touching him. To onlookers he was probably grinning as widely as the Joker but he didn't care. As they neared the car he made a concerted effort to tone down his expression.

The group resumed their seating arrangements on the way home, and he wondered if Marinette noticed how tense he was. In attempt to act normal, the model made small talk in the car with his friends. He purposefully directed his driver to drop off Alya and Nino first. He half expected Marinette to slide into the seat vacated by her best friend, keeping her distance as she did as Ladybug. However, she stayed beside him in the middle seat while her gaze darted between him, the window and her hands clenched upon her lap. His own hands were sweating and he rubbed his palms on his jeans.

"Marinette."

"Yes."

He studied her for a long moment, imagining the mask that wasn't currently there. "Is it okay if I talk to you privately? I mean when we get to your place?"

"Sure," she said in a tone mixed with excitement and anxiety.

With a nod he took in her profile, unconsciously leaning into her. When she looked up their faces were close enough that he caught her eyes straying to his lips. Adrien was suddenly jolted towards her as the car turned a tight corner, without thinking he laid a hand on her knee to steady himself and her spine stiffened in surprise.

In the next moment they were pulling up outside the bakery and he realised he was still touching her leg. With a bumbled apology and a blush, the model sat back before exiting the car and holding the door. Where was his Chat Noir confidence when he needed it?

After instructing his driver to wait. Adrien and Marinette made their way to her home. No sooner had they stepped inside the bakery then trouble erupted outside. "Akuma!" A woman shouted as she dashed into the store in hope of avoiding the chaos outside. Adrien eyed Marinette, waiting for a signal. If he ran outside chances were his bodyguard would escort him away and he'd be unable to transform for a while. He could really use her assistance in a stealthy departure.

The cogs in Marinette's mind were turning with so much force she expected steam to escape her ears. Adrien was looking at her with a question in his eyes and this time she knew what it was. More screaming sounded outside and her decision was made. "Come on!" She snatched up her partner's hand and raced upstairs, dragging him along behind her.

Once in her room she threw the trapdoor shut, praying he'd be oblivious to the shrine of pictures on her wall of him. The best distraction was going to be transforming, so she dropped his hand. "Tikki, spots on!" As usual the magic swept over Marinette, but this time she wasn't alone in her change. A look of awe was written on her crush's face as she became Ladybug.

As the flash of her magic dissipated, Adrien followed her lead. "Plagg, claws out!" Now it was her turn to witness his transformation. Part of her wanted to giggle as he threw her a number of poses as he was enveloped in his familiar façade. Chat Noir was suddenly standing opposite her. For a moment they simply smiled at each other. With a wiggle of his masked eyebrows, Chat extended his hand. "Shall we, milady?"

She eagerly took it. "But of course," she smirked as she led him up the stairs to launch out of the skylight. She automatically turned to close the window behind her as Chat stepped forward, and they bumped heads.

"Sorry," they said in unison then grinned.

The sound of screaming tore their attention from each other and they zeroed in on the noise. Ladybug's heart pounded as she came to rest on a wide chimney to scope out the area. Chat Noir landed beside her, closer than even his normal standards. She needed to focus on the job at hand, rather than her partner. As she glanced at him she realised he was pretty pleased with his discovery, he was still grinning at her. It took everything she had not to melt on the spot.

"Looks like the akuma is over there," she pointed.

Chat Noir finally tore his gaze from her and looked in the direction she'd indicated.

A humanoid with lizard features was ranting and waving a wooden staff above her head. "I am the Lizard Queen!" she proclaimed.

"I guess it's time to scale our way over there, milady."

She couldn't help shaking her head and rolling her eyes. Not bothering to answer, Ladybug swung her way into the action. The Lizard Queen was busy shooting magic bolts from her staff which turned people into a pile of skittering lizards. "Don't get hit this time, Chat."

"Hey, I don't always get hit." He countered.

"Just mostly."

"Bah, it's only when I'm protecting you."

Ladybug may have been busy avoiding the barrage of fire, but inwardly she was basking in the glow left by Chat Noir's banter. Adrien had been protecting her all along. And while she thought it would be weird fighting along side him after discovering his identity, the familiarity of the situation made her more comfortable than she would have considered. If anything, she trusted her partner on an even deeper level than before.

It seemed the feeling was mutual. The pair worked with such coordination that they managed to purify the akuma in record time. Then they were dancing across the rooftops and back into Marinette's bedroom. Ladybug was the first to drop onto her bed, she was still in a crouch when Chat Noir landed behind her. "Geez, what would your parents think if they knew there were a couple of superheroes on your bed?"

She gave him a playful shove and he toppled onto his butt. "Shush already."

He grabbed her arm and pulled so she sprawled on top of him. "How's this for compromising?"

Ladybug chuckled as his miraculous chirped. "I never would have pegged you as such a flirt, Agreste."

"Wow, it sounds weird hearing you use my real name while suited up, Dupain-Cheng."

"Right back at you." Ladybug replied as she pushed herself up using his chest for leverage. He didn't seem to mind.

The tip of Chat Noir's tail flicked. "Speaking of identities, how did you work it out?"

"You dropped into the same alleyway I transformed back in. I didn't even have time to warn you."

Masked eyes widened and his cat ears swivelled back. "You saw me!"

"Yeah you weren't nearly as discreet as you thought."

"Damn. But then again, it's nice to have things out in the open."

"I never would have guessed who was under that mask."

Chat Noir sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck in a move that was so Adrien, Ladybug had to wonder how she hadn't noticed before. "Same here. Is the whole clumsy thing an act?"

Ladybug snorted as her miraculous gave its final warning as her transformation dropped. "Nope, that's genuine." Tikki hovered to the side, barely glanced at by Chat Noir.

"How can that be?"

"My head is often in the clouds when I'm being creative. Or it comes on when I'm nervous."

Feline eyes narrowed shortly before they reverted to the human eyes that captivated her. "Are you nervous around me?"

Plagg cut him off. "Where's my cheese?"

Adrien groaned and pulled a wedge from his shirt pocket and tossed it at the black kwami.

"He likes camembert?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"Oh well, I guess Tikki's cookie stash is safe."

The red kwami smiled, snagged her counterpart's arm and disappeared.

Marinette watched but her attention turned at the caress of Adrien's soft voice. "You didn't answer my question. Do I make you nervous?"

"Um, well… yeah."

The model's brow creased with confusion. "Why?"

The dark-haired girl tapped her fingertips together. "Because I like you," she said glancing up at him warily through her bangs.

Adrien sat straighter. "That doesn't make any sense. We're friends, it would be weird if you didn't like me."

Marinette slapped her own forehead, then cradled her head in her hands. "I like you more than a friend, Adrien."

She felt his hands on her wrists and looked up. His head was cocked to the side and he wore a lopsided grin. "Isn't it a good thing that it's not unrequited." Then his expression turned sour. "But you said there was a boy."

"I did, didn't I."

"Yeah, you did." He winced as he asked, "Is it Luka?"

"Come with me," she said as she laced her fingers through his. When they reached the floor of her bedroom she gingerly turned him around to face her wall of magazine clippings. She rested her chin on his shoulder as they both examined it together. "The boy I like is right there."

Adrien's head turned sharply to hers. "It's me!"

"Have I shocked you?"

"Um, yeah."

Marinette suddenly felt edgy. Had she misread him? "Are you okay with it?"

Adrien's face suddenly closed the distance as he spun around, capturing her mouth with his own. All remaining doubt was forgotten as her partner showed her just how okay he was with the whole situation. When they eventually parted, he grinned down at her. "Did you know I have a scrapbook filled with Ladybug pictures?"

"No way! And here I was, thoroughly embarrassed that you'd be appalled by my wall of Adrien."

"It seems we're both as smitten as each other."

"Really?"

"Do I need to prove it to you again?"

"Yes, I think you need to prove it to me right now."

And without further encouragement he lowered his lips to hers and did just that.

The End

Once again thank you for reading and supporting my story. I hope you enjoyed it. And yes for those Simpson fans, the Lizard Queen was inspired from Lisa's ramblings "I am the Lizard Queen!" ;)

With this story completed, I'm off to finish polishing the next chapter of "Trapped in the Friend Zone" - until next time :)