Ladybug was stunned and internally reeling with Chat Noir's confession about her alter ego ringing in her ears. On the outside she just stared at him wordlessly, making him wonder if he had done the right thing telling her.

"Anyway," he slumped his shoulders self consciously , " I thought you should know."

"Yes...fine...good that I know," she barely responded audibly.

They walked quietly through the portal back to the rooftops of Paris, with palpable tension between them. Ember wisely retreated to his quill.

"Ladybug wait," Chat Noir stopped her with a hesitant paw on her shoulder, before she retreated. "I don't want things to be weird between us...you seem...like you're upset about me telling you about Marinette or something. We're okay right?!"

Ladybug melted against his hand and she offered him a reassuring smile. Here this poor boy had just poured his heart out to her again, putting himself out there...her black kitty just happened to have the bad luck to fall in love with her twice. What would it do to him to get rejected by Marinette as well as Ladybug?! But then again... would she reject him this time? Before she had felt he had tunnel vision when it came to the Ladybug side of her. He himself had unknowingly turned down Marinette for Ladybug before the Waredad akuma. But now they had been through so much more together, on both side of her mask. Even though she didn't know his true name, she felt like she was closer to Chat Noir than anyone...even Adrien. His concerned emerald eyes looked down searching hers.

"Kitty she is so lucky to have you in her life," she finally formed the words. "I guess it was just a surprised...It might take a little getting used to...um...you having another lady in your life."

"Don't worry Bugaboo, you'll always be my lady!" his mood lifted and he flicked her nose playfully.

"Watch it flirty kitty," she said flicking his bell," you mess around on Marinette and both of us are gonna hunt you down," then she grew more serious and added, "but if she breaks your heart, I'll never forgive her."

"I would never hurt her, and Marinette would never do that either! She is so passionate, caring, and thoughtful!" Chat Noir defended.

"I hurt you...those times you told me how you felt. I didn't want to, but I was in love with someone else and thought I was protecting you...and me...by not getting too close...I want you to know how sorry I am for putting you through that..I know it is not easy telling someone how you feel."

"Ladybug, I know you care about me. We share more than anyone could possibly understand. you didn't feel the same way about me...how could I hold that against you?! Maybe the timing wasn't right, or maybe it was Marinette that I was meant to be with all along," Chat Noir said sincerely.

Ladybug sucked in her breath at his last statement sharply, and was afraid she would start hyperventilating when Chat Noir leaned in to hug her goodbye.

"Goodbye M'lady," Chat Noir whispered, sending electrifying thrills down her spine, "I'll see you soon!"

With a loopy grin and a salute he jumped from the roof.

"Sooner than you realize," Ladybug's words drifted away unheard. "...and I better figure out what to do before then."

ooo

With no school scheduled that week Marinette had some extra time to work on her portfolio. The rest of the whole next day she busied herself with intricate sketches, accompanied with fabric swatches. She went through some of her photos, and added some that featured some of her favorite pieces.

Each time she heard a sound outside her balcony, her body tensed, wondering if a particular black cat (who dominated her thoughts) might have chosen to stop by. But her leather clad partner did not appear. Instead Adrien had been texting her through the day wanting to talk.

Marinette realized how much Chat Noir's confession had thrown her, when she considered avoiding Adrien. Alya would have sworn a blue streak if she had found out Marinette hadn't been absolutely over the moon that Adrien was finally showing an interest...maybe even opening up the realm of possibility of dating. Over the last three years she would have swooned and gushed over Adrien wanting to spend time with her one on one. But now...She still didn't know what she was going to do.

"Just give each of them a chance!" Tiki had implored. "At least hear what they have to say! If you are honest with both of them, I'm sure it will work out!"

"How can you say that?!" Marinette had wailed, tossing her sketch book in the air. "This is like the biggest decision of my life! What if I make the wrong choice?!"

"Well...Umm...I don't think there is a 'wrong' choice in this situation," Tiki couldn't help grinning, and seeing Marinette's pained expression added,"after all they are both amazing young men, and you care about both of them."

"Ahhh!" Marinette groaned throwing herself across the chase sofa, and drawing her hand over her forehead, "that's part of the problem! They are both incredible and I DO care about both of them. Now I'm going to end up hurting one of them!"

"Well, then you could always comfort the other one as Ladybug!" Tiki teased.

"Tiki that's horrible!" Marinette opened her eyes in shock that the sweet Ladybug kwami would even suggest such a thing.

"You're right, you're right...totally horrible," Tiki blinked her eyes innocently.

"I mean...I guess I could just offer to help them as a friend...not lead them on or anything," Marinette suddenly sat up.

"This is all getting too complex to keep track of," Tiki sighed, "Exactly which one are you planning on pursuing romantically and which presumably devastated boy are you consoling as a " friend?"

"I don't know!" Marinette wailed throwing herself back on the chase again, moaning through her hands covering her face.

ooo

"Do you think I should text her again?" Adrien asked Plagg, as he bent over his phone showing no response to his previous series of questions sent Marrinette's way.

"No," the cat kwami said bluntly, watching TV within the half empty package of a wheel of Chamenbet.

"Maybe she is busy," Adrien told himself out loud, scrolling through his messages. "...Or maybe she doesn't want to see me," he almost whimpered.

"Aaahhh...or maybe she just hasn't read your bazillion texts yet!" Plagg moaned, stuffing the remaining cheese into his mouth, and zipping over to Adrien. "Kid, pull yourself together! You already know the bakergirl likes you. She went with you to the dance didn't she?!" Plagg tried to pacify the distraught teen.

"That's true..." Adrien brightened, but then looked thoughtfully at his ring. "...But she finished off the night dancing with Chat Noir."

"And your point is?!" Plagg asked annoyed that there was more angsty drama with his weilder than his daytime soaps he was missing. "Either way it's still you!"

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that," Adrien said slowly, piecing a plan together in his head.

"I don't like that look Adrien," Plagg's tone grew apprehensive. "What are you planning?!"

"I don't want to screw up a relationship with Marinette like I did with Ladybug. Every time I tried to get close to Ladybug, I came on too strong or ended up pushing her away," Adrien said determinedly. "Mari has always been more comfortable around Chat Noir...heck she even said she loved Chat Noir...I...mean me...that one time. Maybe she still has a thing for The Cat," Adrien once again got that look in his eye.

"No, no, no!" Plagg shook his head vehemently. "Do not bring me into this!your bright plan is to go after her as Adrien AND Chat Noir?!"

"I'm not 'going after her,' just doing a bit of 'undercover investigation," Adrien argued.

"I'm telling you...do not go messing around playing both sides of the fence with this girl!" Plagg warned. "You'll end up confusing her and becoming your own competition!"

"Common' Plagg! Give me some credit! I'm finally trying to move on from Ladybug after all these years." Adrien said, "Didn't you tell me before that you wanted the daughter of the best baker in Paris to be my girlfriend...something about bread and cheese."

Adrien missed seeing Plagg face palm and repeatedly bag his head on the desk. "You are hopeless!" He finally moaned. "Just put us both out of misery and go see her already!"

Adrien couldn't wait a second longer. "Plagg, Claws Out!" He summoned his transformation and leapt to the balcony.

ooo

Chat Noir landed softly on Marinette's balcony and was about to knock on the window hatch to her bedroom, when he was started by her voice. "I was surprised you didn't come by sooner Kitty," she said from behind her sketch pad where she leaned back on her patio chair.

"Mari...Marinette!...Yes...well...I guess it has been a few days since I was here last. I did come by to see you a couple days ago, but I think you were still asleep."Chat Noir rambled, forgetting his well-practiced sauve opening.

"I'm glad you came though," Marinette sat up and laid her sketchbook to the side.

"You are!" Chat Noir's ears perked up. "Me too...I mean...I'm glad to see you again too," he said excitedly, moving to sit next to her on the lounge chair. "I haven't stopped thinking about our dance the last time I was up here," Chat Noir confessed.

"I told you how much I cared about Adrien," Marinette said quietly glancing up to Chat Noir's face.

"Yes you did," Chat Noir tried hard to not waver and keep a neutral expression.

"Well, I still feel like that...but when I'm with you...well...it is like we're drawn together some how."

"You're saying," Chat Noir gulped, "that you are interested in BOTH of us?"

"I'm horrible! I'm sorry! How can someone be into two people like this!? I don't want to lose either of you, but it's not fair to either of you if I'm indecisive and lead you on!" Marinette lamented.

Chat Noirs eyes shone, and he gently lifted Marinette's chin to look up at him with his paw. "I promise if you choose Adrien you will never loose me." Then he softly chuckled to himself, "and I'm sure Adrien would feel the same about me. You are an incredible person Marinette. One thing I know for sure is that I will always need you in my life."

"How can you say that? How can you be so willing to lay your heart on the line all the time and be so willing to wait on me?!"

Marinette asked.

"It has taken me this long to realize what should have been obvious from the start," Chat Noir answered with a shrug. "I told you years ago I was glad we could be friends after turning you down because I was in love with Ladybug...but now I want there to be more."

"...Do you still wish you were with Ladybug though?" Marinette asked.

Chat Noir paused for a moment, then moved closer to Marinette. "Marinette you are probably the only person in my life who has cared about all of me. Do you know how rare that is?! Of course I still love Ladybug. I trust her with my life and we have been through extraordinary experiences together...nothing will change that. But with you everything is whole. You might not have super powers, but you still amaze me every day."

"I...I...don't know what to say. I didn't know you felt like that," Marinette stammered. "I feel closer to you than anyone too...but there is still so much of you I don't know...I mean I don't even know your name!"

"Of course you do!" Chat Noir corrected with a mischievous grin.

"Wha...what do you mean?!" Marinette's eyes shot up.

"It's Chat Noir of course!" he booped her nose, and stood up, striking a 'heroic pose."

Marinette rolled her eyes, and gave him a playful shove, "you know what I mean!"

Chat Noir looked down more seriously, and dropped his hands to his sides. "I do...and As much as I long to sweep you off your feet Princess, a superhero with a secret identity to keep would probably be a difficult choice for a boyfriend. And as much as it pains me to admit this (he tried his best to act sincerely pained by the thought) you should choose Adrien Agreste."

"You mean you're going to bow out just like that?!" Marinette leaped up toe to toe with him. "I know you...you're too stubborn to just give up!" Then she poked him in the chest, "what if YOU are the one I want, even if it IS difficult...even if YOU'RE difficult!" she demanded.

"Marinette, that's not...I'm trying to make this easier for you!" Chat Noir said back.

"This is not the least bit easy, and you getting all chivalrous and stepping aside so someone else gets to be happy instead of you is not helping either," she argued.

"Ahhh...Plagg warned me this was a bad idea!" Chat Noir threw up his hands. "I don't want to mess things up for you and Adrien okay."

Marinette looked startled at her distraught Kitty, wishing that he could understand how much he deserved too.

"Just promise me you'll give Adrien a call okay," Chat Noir pleaded.

"Chat I..." Marinette started.

"Please," Chat Noir looked at her almost desperate.

"Okay...I promise," Marinette nodded, as Chat Noir jumped to the railing of the balcony. "But Chat!" She grabbed his hand, "just because things aren't always easy doesn't mean I'm not going to fight for what I want."

Chat Noir drew her hand in his up to his lips. "That's why Adrien is lucky to have in his life," he sighed, and leapt off the balcony, springing across the darkened rooftops of Paris.

I love these two! More flirty energy to come in coming chapters as our heroes come closer to the truth;)

Thank you to everyone who is taking the time to read my story! Shout out to autumnwinternight, Alisa, Lecordonbleu28, and another guest for being so positive and encouraging! ...and Alisa, even when this story comes to an end I will always remember what you said about it making you want to write your own fanfiction! That is so cool, and I feel very honoured that you feel that way:) I can't wait to read what you create!

As always, I'm working away at the next chapter and am having lots of fun with the banter and teasing between Ladybug and Chat Noir! Don't forget to favorite or follow so you don't miss it! All the best!