"You first." They said, again at the same time.
They laughed nervously and Ladybug felt her cheeks getting warm. They were standing fairly close together, and Cat Noir was a head taller than she was. Suddenly she felt nervous looking up into his green eyes and glanced away trying to muster up the courage to tell him what she needed to tell him.
"You first, Ladybug." He said softly. The sound of his voice brought back her butterflies in full force.
Ladybug looked at him and opened her mouth, but the butterflies wouldn't let her speak. She took a deep breath and tried again.
"Cat Noir, I…" she trailed off.
She'd been thinking about him all afternoon, but each memory she went through earlier paled in comparison to standing in front of him with full acknowledgment of her love for him. It was a beautiful night, once again, which made Ladybug tingle even more. She and Cat Noir were already standing close, and a slight breeze pushed his scent towards her. He smelled so good. In the cool air, she could feel the warmth coming off of his body. He was looking at her so intently, and his eyes glistened in the moonlight. Ladybug closed her eyes and took another deep breath before opening them again.
"Cat Noir. You've been my partner for a long time, and I've always appreciated you and they way you're always there for me. You've never let me down and I know you never will. You always find a way to make me smile, even if you don't know you're doing it. I know I can always count on you for anything. And I'm sorry…" she trailed off again, not meaning to leave him on a cliff hanger, but she needed to gather her courage once more. Taking a final deep breath she readied herself.
"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realize that I love you, Cat Noir." She said delicately.
She felt naked and vulnerable in the long silence that followed. She looked into his eyes and the range of emotions that crossed them as she waited for his response.
He looked at her and took a step closer, reaching up to touch her face. She drank in the moment: The cool air biting at the back of her neck and his sharp green eyes piercing into hers and the way his disheveled hair fell slightly over his eyes.
There was a silence between them that spoke volumes. Cat Noir leaned in to kiss her and she reached up on her toes to meet him halfway.
Everything stopped when he kissed her. She stopped breathing, the cars on the street below stopped moving, the world stopped spinning. She'd never before tonight allowed herself to even think about what it would be like to kiss Cat Noir, and here she was actually kissing him. It was everything she never knew she wanted, and nothing like she could've ever imagined. His kiss was gentle, yet strong and full of the emotion that he had for her, but not hasty or greedy; wanting more, but taking only what was given.
The kiss ended, and Cat Noir pulled back and smiled at Ladybug. Despite the cool air, she felt hot. It was a good feeling, even with the butterflies still fluttering. She wondered if they would ever stop.
"Am I allowed to tell you how beautiful you are now, m'lady?"
More flutters.
"I'll think about it, Kitty," she giggled, feeling a little light headed from all of the emotions, "now what was it that you wanted to tell me?"
Cat Noir tensed, cleared his throat, and stepped back, away from Ladybug.
"It's about Meg."
She frowned. His change in demeanor worried her.
"I don't know what, or how much she told you, but she knows the identity of Hawk Moth."
Ladybug gasped. "Are you sure?"
"Positive, but she wouldn't tell me who it is."
Meg hadn't even hinted at mentioning knowing something like that. Ladybug instantly felt guilty. All evening she'd been absorbed by her feelings for Cat Noir while Meg was somewhere holding valuable information that Ladybug should've been finding out. That was her job: to find out what Meg knows. But instead, she let herself be distracted.
Not this time.
"You first." They said, again at the same time.
They shared a short nervous laugh and Ladybug blushed— something Cat Noir hadn't seen her do often. He'd been waiting all day to tell her his news and it was incredibly important, but something in him wanted to hear what she had to say first. She averted her eyes, redness lingering in her cheeks.
"You first, Ladybug."
Her eyes met his. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Cat Noir tried to ignore the fact that his pulse quickened. Whatever it was, she had to tell him or his brain would come up with all kinds of wild things and it would drive him crazy. He waited, hoping the silence would help her find her words.
"Cat Noir, I…" She started.
He had no idea what she was about to say or whether it would be something good or not, but she was making him nervous, so he remained silent.
"Cat Noir. You've been my partner for a long time, and I've always appreciated you and they way you're always there for me. You've never let me down and I know you never will. You always find a way to make me smile, even if you don't know you're doing it. I know I can always count on you for anything. And I'm sorry…"
He held his breath in anticipation. Sorry? What's she sorry for? His heart began to sink. Whatever Meg thought she knew, she was wrong. And whatever Meg said to Ladybug in her attempts to get her to love him, she'd failed.
"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realize that I love you, Cat Noir." She said her voice shaking ever so slightly.
Wait, WHAT?!
Cat Noir couldn't believe what he'd just heard—words that he'd wanted to hear for so long now. He stood motionless, not knowing what to say or what to do, letting her words sink in to his bones.
She loves me.
He felt lightheaded, like he was dreaming, and he realized he was still holding his breath. He let his lungs fill with air as his mind continued to fill with thoughts.
Meg wasn't wrong, after all.
He looked down at Ladybug and she looked afraid. It was then that he realized there had been about a full minute of silence after her confession, and she was waiting for him to say something.
He took a step forward, closing the already small distance between them, and raised his hand to her cheek. He looked into her deep blue eyes, wanting to take in every detail of this moment: The smell of the air, the freckles on her skin, the warmth of her cheek. He felt his hand tremble slightly realizing how nervous he was. He'd dreamt of this moment for so long, and now it was real. No games necessary.
Her hand came up to meet his on her cheek. They didn't speak a word, but the air between them sent a very clear message. Cat Noir leaned in and Ladybug closed the rest of the distance. Their lips met in a soft, and almost hesitant, tender kiss. The air was charged with electricity and neither of them wanted to move too quickly for fear of shattering the moment.
Cat Noir took in the feel of her soft lips against his, and the sweet cinnamon smell of the girl he loved—the girl who finally loved him back. His heart felt like it would explode with the sheer joy he felt, and he wanted to remain suspended in that moment forever. It was a slow and delicate kiss that was nervous, but eager and curious, but shy.
The kiss ended, and Cat Noir pulled back to look at Ladybug, who was flushed. The corners of his mouth turned up into a smile and his heart pounded.
"Am I allowed to tell you how beautiful you are now, m'lady?" he asked her half joking. She was beautiful, and he didn't want to ever have to look away.
"I'll think about it, Kitty," she giggled, "now what was it that you wanted to tell me?"
Cat Noir's stomach dropped, like the feeling you get on a rollercoaster. He'd been so caught up in Ladybug's confession to him that he'd almost forgotten about Hawk Moth.
He cleared his throat and stepped back, away from Ladybug. This was important and he needed to focus. He couldn't do that as close to her as he was. He ran his fingers through his messy blond hair, a little upset at himself for being so distracted.
"It's about Meg."
He didn't really know how to start on the whole subject. He knew they both knew her and she knew both of them, a little too well, he thought. But he and Ladybug hadn't spoken to each other about knowing her.
She frowned, and he continued.
"I don't know what, or how much she told you, but she knows the identity of Hawk Moth."
Ladybug gasped. "Are you sure?"
"Positive, but she wouldn't tell me who it is."
Cat Noir hadn't known before patrol if this would be news to Ladybug or not, but now it was obvious that it was. Just as he thought, Meg hadn't mentioned it to her, but really that was no surprise considering he had to guess it out of her. He looked at Ladybug and saw a plan form in her mind.
"Wait here. I'll be right back." She said.
Ladybug took her yo-yo and headed off to find a place to detransform so she could call Meg. Please pick up.
The phone rang twice and there was an answer on the other end.
"Hey, Marinette. What's up?" she sounded nervous.
"Meg! I'm glad you answered. Can you meet me somewhere? We need to talk. Privately."
There was a pause on the other end.
"Have you spoken to Cat Noir?"
Marinette hesitated, hearing the caution in Meg's question.
"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about." Marinette replied, avoiding a direct answer.
Marinette knew if she mentioned what Cat Noir had told her that Meg might not meet with her. After all, Meg hadn't told Cat Noir who Hawk Moth was and hadn't even mentioned knowing Hawk Moth's identity at all to Marinette. She needed to be careful.
"Where do you want to meet?" Meg asked.
Ladybug swung back to collect Cat Noir and they headed towards the river and waited for Meg in the same spot where she and Marinette first hung out. The night was quiet, with only a few crickets and the sound of the moving water below them.
"She should be here soon," Ladybug said, checking the time on her yo-yo.
Almost as if on cue, Meg appeared.
"Hey guys, what did I miss?" She said, completely unsurprised to see both of them standing there in costume.
Cat Noir took a step towards her, "Meg, you have to tell us what you know about Hawk Moth."
"Yeah, I figured that's what this was about." She shifted nervously and looked at the heroes in front of her, "Other than that, have you two had a chance to talk yet?"
Ladybug and Cat Noir both blushed and fidgeted slightly.
"Yes," Ladybug gave her a small smile, "Thank you." If it hadn't been for the talk she had with Meg, Ladybug might have never accepted the way she felt. She was grateful that they'd talked.
A huge smile broke out across Meg's face.
"So you mean…like you two…?" she squealed, "Okay, so like…wow!" Meg could hardly contain her excitement, all hints of nervousness gone, and Ladybug and Cat Noir blushed even harder.
"You and I are talking about this tomorrow." She said to Ladybug, still grinning from ear to ear.
Cat Noir cleared his throat, "So, about Hawk Moth?" he said, bringing the conversation back to the reason why they were all there.
"Right!" Ladybug said, grateful for the turn in conversation.
Meg's smile was gone now, replaced with a somber look, and she was wringing her hands. (Her first goal, get Ladybug to confess her love for Cat Noir, had been completed. But she knew that the only way it would ever be safe for them to share their identities with each other, goal two, would be after Hawk Moth was defeated. However, this was going to be a slippery slope, considering who Hawk Moth really was.)
"Listen, guys…" she trailed off and averted her eyes.
"You have to tell us." Said Ladybug gently, placing a hand on Meg's shoulder.
"I know I do. It's just…." Meg fixed her gaze on Ladybug and then on Cat Noir.
"What's wrong?" Ladybug asked her.
Meg took a deep breath.
"It's complicated. There's a lot going on that you don't know yet, and…it's…heavy." She was looking at the ground. "I'll tell you, but not tonight."
"What, why not?" The heroes asked.
"There's something I have to take care of first. Meet me here tomorrow night, and I'll tell you everything I know."