The next morning after scarfing down a huge brunch the four friends quickly packed up to make it to the train station back to Paris. The unsettling news about the newly emerged butterfly weilder had them all on edge.

Nino and Alya had privately discussed getting back to the city as quick as possible, just in case Ladybug needed to call on them.

Marinette had secretly left a message for Chat Noir late the night before about it, but she wanted to hear back from him to make sure he had seen the footage.

Adrien wasn't quite sure how to reassure Marinette that she wasn't alone. He knew the foreboding arrival of a new villain would be weighing heavily on her shoulders. He felt responsible and guilty for letting the butterfly miraculous get away from them. If he had been able to recognize the threat in his own home sooner, they wouldn't have a new unknown threat running around loose.

After hugging each other goodbye, and thanking Marinette again for the weekend getaway, Adrien finally made it back to the hotel in Paris. He found Chloe pouting because she hadn't heard from her Italian boyfriend in 24hrs, and had left him a million phone messages of varying levels of Chloe-like tirades. Adrien gave her a hug, and offered to be a sounding board if she wanted to talk. Chloe nodded, still glued to her phone as if trying to will a text message to pop up.

"See you at supper then Chlo?" Adrien asked, swinging his bag over his shoulder.

She briefly smiled up and him, and sighed, "sure, I'm ordering sushi again tonight. Mom has a late meeting going over portfolios for potential interns, and Dad is on a conference call with the mayor in Rome."

"Okay, I'll be back down in an hour. Just gonna get cleaned up first. Could you order extra spicy tuna rolls?" Adrien asked.

Again she nodded, and said "sounds good," before she returned once more to her phone.

Adrien was sorry they hadn't spent much time together over that last few couple weeks. They each had their own stuff, but as his oldest friend...and someone who knew better than most others how lonely things could be when your parents didn't always make the time for family stuff...he wanted to make sure he was still there for her. When everyone had found out Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth, he could never forget how Chloe had vehemently defending him and insisted he come stay with her family.

Dropping his bag heavily inside the door to his room, Plagg zipped out of his pocket and quickly made himself at home digging into his stash of cheese horded in the mini fridge. Adrien dug through his bag and found a travel size coconut scented shampoo bottle. Holding the hotel shampoo to his nose he breathed in and sighed. Even though they had just seen each other, he couldn't wait to see Marinette again. There was a new sense of urgency within him that he had to tell her who he was. It was so hard to resist kissing Marinette when he was around her as Adrien.

"So Are you gonna tell her or what?"

Plagg asked lazily hammocked in his perfect wheel of cheese.

"Of course...but it has to be perfect," Adrien paced the room.

"How about this," Plagg held a wedge of Camembert cheese in his arms, "Right there in the grocery store aisle you take her in your arms and say "I can be your Camembert Le Châtelain. You've only seen my delectable hard bloomy rind...but I'm all gooey inside for you! Won't you be my Beaujolais!"

I'm not saying that," Adrien rolled his eyes at Plagg.

"Sorry, what were we talking about again?" asked Plagg, who already had his mouth full, and was still searching for crumbs left in the package.

"Plagg!" Adrien groaned

"Well, I thought it'd be romantic," Plagg muttered. "What's YOUR grand plan then Mr Cats-anova?" Plagg rolled over, waving a paw.

"After we get back from our next Miraculous Trial in South Africa I'll take her to the Eiffel Tower where I first realized I was in love with her. It will be late into the evening...maybe just a little before dusk actually...right at magic hour! Right before sunset!" Adrien spoke dreamily. "I'll have Roses scattered everywhere, and the lights of the city surrounding us. I'll tell her she outshines even the stars, and then ask her to dance..."

"Where's the music coming from?" Plagg interrupted.

"We won't even need music!" Adrien tried to move on with his dream date, but Plagg lazily interrupted again.

"It's gonna be pretty stupid twirling around without music," Plagg drawled.

"Fine, fine, there will be some kind of music," Adrien conceded, "...then I'll ask her to dance, I'll spin her out,and then pull her in towards me..."

"With music," grinned Plagg.

"Yes, yes, just listen," Adrien waved his hand. "I'll take her in my arms and tell her..."

"Sandwiches!" Plagg called out.

"What?!" Adrien said.

"Sandwiches," plagg repeated, "maybe some other food...oh and drinks too...a night isn't complete without snacks."

"Alright, there will be...snacks," Adrien glowered at Plagg.

Plagg grinned up at him.

"... I'll say," Adrien started again, getting a faraway look in his eyes, "Marinette, I love you completely, and I want to give all of myself to you. I am, and will always love you in every form...both as Chat Noir, and Adrien!" Then in a dramatic burst of miraculous light, I will drop my transformation and she will see Adrien standing in front of her. She'll leap into my arms and declare that she has always loved me, and then we'll kiss..."

"Eww gross!" Plagg made a gagging sound. "You've watched too many romcoms kid! That is more sickenly sweet than Tiki's macaroons!"

"It is not! It's romantic!" Adrien argued, "and anyway...I've seen you polish off the occasional macaroon before!"

"In emergencies!" Plagg enunciated every syllable. "Kid, you do what you like! I'm just going to be glad all this lovey teen angst will be shelved for a while...Just remember not to complicate it. You like her, she likes you. Just let her know!"

000

Finally! Marinette is going to find out who Chat Noir is before the end of their next Miraculous Trial! ...but the reveal is going to be much different from how Adrien planned! Please favorite/follow so you don't miss it!

Life is up in the air even more than usual right now. As a result I don't get consistent opportunities to write, and don't have a set release schedule...but this story is a labor of love! As much as I can I will craft more chapters for you:) Thank you for taking the time to read my ideas and for the encouragement! All the very best:)

Fun fact:Beaujolais tends to be a very light-bodied, sweet red wine, which Plagg feels pairs well with Camembert..although he'd just as soon hold the wine altogether, in favor of Camembert pairing with Camembert.