Chat paced back and forth anxiously, wondering how she was going to react, and hoping that she wouldn't remember what he was about to tell her when she was cured. Above all else, he was desperately hoping this would work. if he told her who he was, but kissed her as Chat Noir, and it still worked, then Adrien wasn't Ladybugs true love, he was just one half of it, and the other half that ladybug didn't love was the other half, so if he loved him – him being Adrien – than she could love him – Him being Chat Noir – because he was her true love – her being Ladybug- and then she would have no reason not to tell him who she – she being someone else – actually was, since he knew she loved him, and he loved her, despite not knowing who she was which means - this was making his head hurt.

"KITTY!"

Ladybugs familiar voice sent a shudder down his spine like someone poured ice cold water down his throat letting it slosh in his stomach. He barely had time to gasp before she landed expertly and with ease on the rooftop. Before he could speak, she was dashing forward to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tight.

"I missed you!" She lied with a laugh.

Chat hesitated. He wrapped his arms around her, momentarily daring to believe that she loved him. The real him. That this could be them for real, beyond the curse, beyond their masks, they could be real together. Both in love, really in love, together...
But not like this.

He peeled away carefully, "Hey, Ladybug-"

"Bugaboo," she corrected with a dazzling smile that made him gulp.

"Hey bugaboo? I got something I have to tell you," he said, the nerves growing in his stomach.

"You can tell me anything pussycat, I love you!" She beamed.

Chat winced and stepped backwards so his arms slipped away from around her. He turned away from her and cleared his throat nervously.

"I'm... under this mask I'm..."

She slipped back in front of him to draw him back into another hug with a giggle. "The handsomest kitty in the whole world!"

He pulled away from her hug, but she wouldn't let him go, so he ended up holding her hands still. He tried not to feel the butterflies that filled his stomach as he gave a nervous chuckle, but she went smiling on regardless.

"Other than that, I'm-"

"The man of my dreams?"

Ladybug's intoxicating smile melted his heart and he wanted nothing more to be able to say, without a shadow of a doubt, yes, yes I am the man of your dreams.
But he couldn't.

So instead he bowed his head and muttered - more to himself than to her - "I hope so..."

Ladybug wriggled forward so her forehead tapped against his and he was forced to meet her eye. "I know so."

He whined softly and closed his eyes, pained. He couldn't talk to her when her eyes were so full of affection like this. "I love you Ladybug. I really, really do. With all my heart. And I want you to love me too-"

"I do silly!" She giggled.

He felt her finger against his nose, and he had to open his eyes, nervously, and spoke softly because something in him just couldn't speak any louder. "The real you... I want the real you to love the real me... I guess I'll just have to work on showing you that more, and then maybe you will but... but if you don't... at least you'll still be my Lady."

Ladybug gave him a confused laugh and said, "I'll always be your Lady kitty. Lady Noir if you'll let me."

Chat's voice was tight as his heart twinged with nerve. "How about Lady Agreste?"

"Agreste?" She shook her head, confused but still smiling.

God she was cute when she was confused.

"It's me bugaboo..." he whispered, pulling her closer gently, till her forehead was against his again so he could whisper, "I am Adrien Agreste..."

A small smile traced her lips. "Oh! I know Adrien! He's a friend of mine, we met back in -"

Chat shushed her softly, and raised a hand to her cheek to try and get her to stop talking, "Ladybug, bugaboo, buggy, just be quiet for a moment..."

Ladybug fell quiet and waited patiently for him to tell her to talk again. Chat's heart still beat hard and he had to look away from her eyes to prepare himself. He couldn't bear to listen to her tell him how she knew him. He couldn't. She wouldn't want him to know... Chat took a deep breath. His hand gently eased her chin down and leaned forward...
He hesitated when his lips brushed so delicately against hers. They were still pink. Pink like the lipstick marks staining his skin from being covered in kisses. He'd been kissed repeatedly all day, so you'd think they would have lost their charm by now.
Except this was important.
This wasn't just a friend hit by a curse.
This was Ladybug. his Ladybug.
And this was his only chance to prove he could be her true love if he could get her to notice this side of him.

It was a lot of pressure for a first kiss.

Ladybug's hand curled against his shoulder while her other was reaching up towards the back of his neck. Hopelessly, helplessly, his breath begged on his hearts behalf.

"Please love me..."

Ladybug didn't hear. The movement of his lips brushed against hers, and his hand was on her hip, and it was too much for her to bear. She yanked him forward by the scruff of his neck and plunged them both into a passionate kiss. At first it was hard and uncomfortable and their teeth knocked, but as the power drifted out of her, they eased. Their locked lips became softer, and the hand on her cheek moved into her hair. His fingers tangled in his claws, and his hand on her hip pulled her closer, desperate to make this unforgettable for his own sake.
He wouldn't forget twice.

Naturally, they eased away from each other, and Ladybug pulled back. She leaned against his arms, so he let them slip away. If she wanted to step away he wasn't going to stop her. No one deserved to be trapped.
Ladybug screwed up her eyes and groaned as if she was pained. Chat's heart missed a beat as he worried about whether or not this had worked. It had to work. She had to be her.

He had to be her true love.

His voice shook anxiously, "Ladybug?"

She opened her eyes and blinked in confusion. "Chat? What's... what's going on?"

Chat Noir lit up like a Christmas tree, looking utterly delighted. "I knew it..."

"Knew what?" She asked in confusion.

Chat opened his mouth to start explaining everything, but he wasn't sure where to start, he had no idea how to explain why he and not Adrien had cured her, and there was still an akuma on the loose.

"We gotta go. I've still got no idea where the akuma is hiding," he said.

"Oh, it's the quiver," Ladybug said.

Now it was Chats turn to look confused. "It's the - is it? When did you find out?"

"Before, I... I don't really remember..." her frown returned slowly.

Concern gripped Chat. "What's the last thing you remember?"

She thought for a moment, looking uncertain. "Cupid Stunt was about to hit you, and then I was in a stair well out of uniform, and... and I don't remember much of that either..."

"CHAT!" Nino squealed.

The colour drained from Chats face. He didn't even turn to look at his friend as he finished climbing the fire exit he'd had to fight to get to. Chat's answer came immediately, urgently, and towards Ladybug.

"We gotta go catch that akuma now."

"I put Nino on the roof for his own safety, how comes he's now in love with you?" She asked, voice tinted with accusation.

"Because I'm an idiot," he sighed.

"No arguments here!" She teased.

"But I'm your idiot," he said, hopefully.

She smiled affectionately and scratched him under the chin softly. "No arguments here."

Chat purred warmly, his heart putty in her hand. God, he loved her... Unfortunately though, Nino loved him, and wasn't above throwing stones in Ladybugs direction (with no real intention of hitting or hurting her) to push her away from his love. Chat twirled his baton so fast it became a shield to defend her.

"We should go now," Chat said.

"Catch me if you can!" Ladybug giggled.

She threw her yo-yo as far as she could and took a running leap off of the rooftop. He watched her go like a love-struck idiot. But he was her love-struck idiot. Her one true love-struck idiot.

Chat grinned at Nino. Nino may have been deadly jealous right now, but Adrien knew he'd be elated for him later, so Chat grinned at him. "Looks like I'm going bug hunting!"

Nino stopped throwing stones once Ladybug left, but Chat didn't stop spinning his baton until now. He pounded it against the floor as if that would spring board him further across the rooves. Nino cried in protest, but he was far too slow to catch him.

Chat Noir swung himself around the baton like he was the star of singing in the rain hanging from the lamppost, and called to Cupid Stunt with new found giddiness, "Honey, I'm home!"

Cupid Stunt turned to scowl at him. "You again?! At least I can take your miraculous now."

Chat didn't even flinch as Cupid Stunt closed his wings to streamline straight towards him, because right on cue Ladybug's yo-yo wrapped itself around him tight enough to clamp his wings shut before he could ever reach Chat. she caught him tightly, all wrapped up and unable to escape and smirked at him from on top of the lamppost opposite Chat.

"Wanna bet?" she grinned.

Dangling gracelessly Cupid Stunt scowled at her, demanding, "Ladybug?! How did you break my spell?"

Having no idea wasn't going to stop her smirking at him as if she did. "Let's just say you can't keep a good cat down."

Ladybug smirked at Chat, who beamed back, his heart turning into a brass drum against his ribs. He couldn't believe it. he wouldn't ever believe it. ladybugs love was his. Not just any love, her true love! Whoever said black cats had bad luck?
Cupid Stunt wriggled a little to let the arrow slipping down his back fall into his hand. He caught it, and sliced through the yo-yo string, immediately freeing himself, and coming into land in the middle of the street with a broken wing, and a vicious snarl.
Chat's face fell.
Oh. Right. that bad luck.

"I've got you now!" Cupid Stunt sneered.

"Run Chat! if you cured me he can't get me again, but he can still get you so go!" Ladybug called.

"No, he can't, I'm immune!" Chat called back.

Ladybug sighed with relief. "Thank God for that stroke of luck!"

Chat smirked to himself, a little smugger that he'd care to admit. He wasn't sure God had anything to do with this.

An arrow flying dangerously close to his face brought Chat's attention back to Cupid Stunt down below. Without the silver of his wings they could all look straight at him, unaffected by the light. they could see the break that bent the tip of one wing. He couldn't fly. He couldn't escape.

"LUCKY CHARM!"

Chat looked up with interest. He didn't even glance at whatever polka dot prize that fell into her hands. instead he focused on her face. the baffled expression that wrinkled her nose and made her eyes shine made her look so utterly adorable that it melted his heart again. then she glanced around, searching for something, and a light flicked into her eyes. the little smirk at the corner of her mouth let him know she had a plan. He grinned. she was so smart. So pretty. So in love with him.

Meanwhile Ladybug paid no attention to her partner staring at her so adoringly. She was far too busy searching for whatever this megaphone was supposed to be used for. Her attention turned to the ground. Nothing. Cupid? Nothing. chat? nothing. the kettles at each end of the street?
Oh…
The police. The road blocks. The love-struck idiots.
Of course!

Chat blinked in surprise to see the megaphone reach Ladybug's mouth, but it all seemed to fall into place as she called out to the police to let in the tidal wave of loved up victims on the other side. Baffled, the police stepped back and allowed the crowd through. Ladybug threw her yo-yo over to Chat to yank him safely to her side. An unmounted baton wouldn't be safe with that crowd about to spill down like a river towards them. it was much safer here. There were no arguments for Chat since it meant she had to hold him close so neither of them would fall.

besides, it was easier to see everyone running this way from here.

Chloe, out for blood since her crush liked someone else, was in the front clawing to get through. Nathanael was behind her, showing her the comic he'd drawn. Nino wasn't far off, desperately searching for Chat. Alya was helping him, while keeping an eye out for wherever Marinette had gone off to. She was hoping Chat could tell her, since he'd run off with her.
if not, punching a hero could be pretty satisfactory.
Cupid Stunt's eyes widened. He had seen the fights. There was blood on the streets, drawn out over unrequited love, and injuries caused by him. that was enough to make him fearful. Ladybug calling about special prizes for whoever broke his quiver first to rile the crowd, didn't help.
the crowd ingulfed him, muting his panicked screams.
Within seconds a black and purple akuma was floating over their heads. Ladybug threw her yo-yo and realised a white butterfly with a warm smile.

"Bye-bye little butterfly."

A flood of light and ladybugs swarmed the city, cleaning and repairing the damaged caused by this latest akuma. Those little bugs fixed everything that butterfly had destroyed and cleared the minds of the crowd swarming over André. For a while, everyone was bewildered about what had happened, but the police stepped aside, and let them go without pressing charges against anyone. None could be held responsible for their actions, due to mind control. All minds turned to the Lady blog. Alya would surely have some footage to explain things.
Oh how interesting that would be!

Ladybug turned to Chat Noir and smiled at him warmly. Their fists met automatically. "Pound it!"

He laughed brightly. Today had changed everything and he was so very excited about it. but he had no idea what to say to her right now. he had no idea how to broach the topic of knowing he was her true love, when she clearly believed he – he being Adrien – was her real love, even though he was Adrien, because she was blissfully unaware – his head was hurting again.

"Hey Chat, how did you break this spell?" Ladybug asked.

Chat's mouth opened and closed as he realised he didn't have a clear-cut answer. Instead, he shrugged and grinned, "Come on bugaboo, you're not the only one with miraculous powers!"

She laughed, but her smile vanished as her hand covered her ear. "My earrings are beeping. I'll see you soon kitty."

For some reason that she had absolutely no idea where it had come from, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek without thinking. It wasn't until she was swinging away that she'd realised what she'd done, and her own cheeks turned scarlet. For some reason though, she couldn't bring herself to regret it.

Chat Noir's scarlet cheeks were a prize to him. his fingers brushed the spot she'd kissed with absolute delight. That wasn't an akuma. That was a challenge. Find the girl behind the mask. Find the girl who loved him so deeply he could kiss a curse out of her.
Find her, and marry her.

A smile grew across his lips as he embraced the new challenge before him and turned to the last spot he'd seen Ladybug vanish to.

"Bye buggy. See you soon."