A/N: I really wasn't gonna update today but I watched the Miraculous movie and just HAD TO. (Also is it just me or did Hawkmoth's villain song lowkey slap?)

Anyway... I broke the length rule again. Oopsie. (This chapter's over 6,000 words). Oh and before I forget: I added in an Adrien scene for this chapter because our blonde sunshine boy is lacking some important book-time in this fic. So I added in some sad Adrien (because my boy deserves a damn hug).

Also, a friendly reminder, I am like... WAY behind in Miraculous goings on. I've literally gotten up to like... season 3 or 4. *Spoiler* Most recent event for me was Felix stealing the miraculous from Mari so... some stuff is very outdated in this fic. *spoiler done* I apologise for that my loves. Nevertheless, if it's a consolation, this fic is indeed set in an au. Screw canon, am I right? This fic is REALLY canon divergent lol.

Muzicallyme- They're really cute aren't they?

Anyway, I'll stop chewing your ears off. Till next time,

D.L.D


Chapter Five: Daydreams


After Adrien's departure, Marinette didn't waste too much time daydreaming. No, she had much more important things at hand - like school. So with a head full of daydreams and a mind yearning for true love, she begrudgingly peeled herself away from her window, deciding to get ready for the incoming school day. She was, after all, notorious for being clumsy and behind schedule due to unforeseen mishaps.

So, with a bounce to her step, the usually sleepy Marinette assembled her outfit of the day and got to work on getting ready for school. Too easily she hummed the minutes away in a shower, mindlessly repeating the melody of a song that had recently gone viral online. Then she slipped on a comfy combo of Marinette-designed gear, swapping out her pink polka-dotted pajamas for a pair of grey jeans and a fluffy white sweater.

Within half an hour Marinette was brushing out her hair, blinking at her reflection as Tikki hovered in the background. For some reason she couldn't name, some weird invisible reason, she felt like she was glowing, glittering, today. Maybe it was the air.

"We're oddly on time for once," Tikki stated, frowning at the bow she toyed with on Marinette's vanity. The kwami turned the object in her tiny hands. "Doesn't that feel strange?"

"Not really," Marinette shrugged, setting down her brush as she stretched a trusty rubber band. Right now she was currently drifting away in dreamland, her head filled with the warm fuzziness that came with thoughts of her beloved Adrien. Raising a brow she turned to Tikki, holding her hair in a high ponytail, "What do think Tikki? Should we go for pigtails or a bun? Or maybe even a free hair day?"

"You hate having your hair out," Tikki responded, well-used to Marinette's spouts of almost trance-like happiness. Laughing a little, the kwami shook her head, "I'd say it's best to go with something familiar. You don't want to arouse suspicion because of a drastic change."

"Of course," The girl nodded, already splitting her hair into two equal sections. Pigtails it was!

Still humming, Marinette re-brushed her midnight locks, pulling out the rubber bands before twisting them around their designated pigtail. Having done this so many times over so many mornings, Marinette could split and tie her hair into pigtails in her sleep - no, seriously! So it was no wonder when she had finished the task in less than five minutes, using the remainder of her time to ponder on choosing a hair accessory.

Silently, her phone screen lit up with a picture of Alya, indicating an incoming call.

"Um, Marinette?" Tikki tried to get through to her, but Marinette remained distracted. Sighing, the kwami drifted over to the girl's vibrating phone, gesturing to it. "Alya's calling you."

Only once Alya's name and photo had faded into pitch black did Marinette notice the missed call on her phone - along with the rather urgent text accompanying it. Eyes wide, she picked up the phone, biting her lip as she unlocked the lock screen and read through the texts. From the looks of it Alya was waiting for her, stating something about the Ladyblog and how she'd gotten another big scoop. Nothing new - at least for Alya. Nevertheless the tone of it all had Marinette on edge.

"What's wrong?" Tikki frowned, now hovering over the girl's shoulder.

"It's Alya," She answered, pocketing her phone and grabbing the bag that rested beside her vanity. Now chewing on her lip, the girl grabbed her sketchbook and dumped it into the pit of her bag. "She wants to meet. Something's up."

"Maybe it's about the Ladyblog?" Tikki offered, struggling to catch up with the now rushing Marinette. Speedily, almost frantically, she was scooping things into her bag, pulling on a jacket as she simultaneously shoved on a pair of trusty black flats. In all her panic she nearly knocked over her mannequin and tripped over the still intact pillow fort several times.

"Maybe," Marinette nodded, now ready and waiting at the trapdoor. Carefully, she unclasped her shoulder bag, offering the opening for Tikki's designated free ride. "Now let's go Tikki. Alya said to meet her in ten minutes and she'll kill me if we're late."

Knowing Marinette, Tikki knew better than to question her panic-stricken mind. Instead, she silently zipped over to her holder, placing all her trust in the girl as she entered the familiar depths of her purse, filled to the brim with cookies and other sweet treats. But even with all the sweetness around her, Tikki could still sense the agitation, the nerves, that penetrated the very atmosphere around herself and Marinette.

Hopefully, Alya's new lead was just another red herring for the Ladyblog.


In record time, Adrien managed to slip into his room (undetected), detransform and act like he was just slipping into the shower. The previous record had been five minutes; today he changed it to a gob-smacking three.

Instantly after saying goodbye to Marinette and disappearing into Paris' extensive network of streets, Adrien had only one goal in mind: not getting caught. Staying out late had never been a thing his father approved of much - if at all. A serious man with serious problems and serious beliefs, Gabriel Agreste was not one to indulge in the whims and fancies of his sole teenage son. No, he could never be so... understanding.

Instead, Gabriel insisted on routine. Routine, routine, routine. Boys like Adrien, boys missing the structure of a loving mother, needed routine to bridge the gap. So he increased the mandarin lessons, increased the fencing and the piano and all the other time consuming hobbies and distractions that he thought would keep Adrien happy, satisfied, with his life as a home-schooled solitary child. Only, Adrien Agreste had never wanted any of that.

Since the day his mother disappeared, Adrien had only wanted her back.

Releasing a sigh, Adrien couldn't help but stare at the blank ceiling of his room. Yes, that was all he had ever wanted. It was. But something, someone, changed that thought pattern. Someone wonderful and kind and talented. Someone who encouraged his more imperfect side, the side that cracked stupid cat puns and spat flimsy flirts in an attempt to forge connections. Yeah, that was someone great. Extraordinary. It was a shame they weren't here right now.

"Adrien," Nathalie. Cracking open the door, tablet in hand, her piercing stare cut through him as she lingered at the threshold. "The car will be leaving in a few minutes. I suggest you grab some breakfast."

"Ok Nathalie, I'll think about it," He responded, glancing back at the assistant. Nodding, she understood him; he didn't really want to eat right now. Sometimes, most days, he just wasn't in the mood to sit in the cold, empty dining room all by himself.

"Alright," She responded, about to close the door. Only, she hesitated, paused. Her stubborn gaze met his once more, almost appearing conflicted. "But, just in case, I'll have something prepared for you. You might change your mind."

No response was needed. Instead he just let the door close behind her, returning to staring at the ceiling. In these moments of calm, between the crime fighting and drama and school friends, the true loneliness and suffering often kicked in. Solitary in this room, surrounded by cold walls with cold faces and cold people, it was impossible not to miss the warmth of the few people that did truly care: Nino, his mother, Marinette...

Marinette. How was she right now? Was she getting ready for school, rushing around in her usual hurricane of clumsiness and luck? Or was she in the bakery, calmly sneaking her breakfast through the front door as she waved goodbye to her parents?

Any time Adrien thought about Marinette's life, her home, all he could ever think about was warmth. Kindness. Such a feeling, such a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, always exuded from the Dupain-Chengs and everything they touched. Maybe that was why Chat Noir always sought comfort in visiting his princess, hanging around under the stars on her rooftop balcony; maybe that was why Adrien always found excuses to be hanging around that area, eager for a sample of the bakery's newest trial treats.

What he wouldn't give to be there right now...

"Adrien," Nathalie again. Carefully, she passed him a takeout box, two crepes stuffed into the confines of the plastic thing. "Please try to look after yourself. Your health is important."

Yeah, he knows. He knows that his health - not him - is important in this household. Nothing else could ever be expected these days.

Mustering the best possible smile he can, the blonde grinned, "Thanks Nathalie."

"You're welcome Adrien," The assistant smiled back, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Almost warm, he would dare say, but his father wouldn't hire such a person. Frigid, icy people were all that Gabriel was ever used to. Catching her slip up, the assistant pulled away, clearing her throat as she turned promptly on her heel, "Now hurry up, you don't want to be late for school."

A genuine smile this time; it stretched from the corners to the base of his lips, pinching at his almond-shaped eyes. Yeah, Adrien didn't want to be late - not for school. He couldn't wait to see the people he cared about most, the small slithers warmth in his otherwise icy life.


By the time Marinette reached Alya's chosen meeting spot - the front steps of Francoise Dupont College - she was a red and breathless mess, her entire body feeling sweaty from the mindless sprint she'd made from the bakery to the school. Originally, she had been running on time, calmly walking down the stairs to say goodbye to her mother and father; it was after entering the bakery when chaos struck - or rather a malevolent bag of flour. Just typical.

"On time today I see," Alya grinned at the sight of her best friend, almost taken aback by her punctuality. "You must really be eager about my new scoop if you dragged yourself to school this early, Mari."

"Well, you usually have good hunches," Marinette offered between puffed breaths. Despite her now normally pink face, she was still struggling to breath, her lungs craving more sweet, sweet air.

Usually, a run to school wouldn't wipe Marinette out so much. With all the strenuous activity that came with being a secret superhero and fighting magical akumas, Marinette had built up quite a bit of stamina in her everyday powerless body. Once fragile and willowy limbs had been carved into unassuming powerhouses, masking muscle behind the facade of the thin, lithe arms of a growing teenage girl with a passion for fashion.

Nevertheless, it appeared today was one of those days where being Ladybug had caught up with her body. Those days, the sore days, often consisted of winded lungs, throbbing muscles and aching joints. They occurred most when Marinette deprived herself of well-needed sleep.

"Alright, sit down and I shall share my latest discovery!" Alya beamed, patting the stone step next to her as if it were a comfy, plush pillow. Rolling her eyes at Alya's eagerness, Marinette obliged to her wishes, plonking down beside her on the chilly front steps.

For a good moment they were quiet, watching as the traffic rolled on by. Students came and went, some rushing past them to make the deadline for early morning clubs and others lingering outside the building, sharing snacks or loitering about the street. Most mornings the building's front would be quite busy, the rush of school kids often occupying the pavement. This morning, however, it appeared no-one was here yet.

"I've found out that there's more than two miraculous," Alya abruptly shared, turning to Marinette with a grin that only a true super-fan could hold at such news. Two solid hands planted themselves on Marinette's shoulders, shaking her as Alya continued, "Do you know what this could mean, girl?"

"More heroes?" Marinette squeaked, her brain feeling scrambled from both the panic and the news. No-one was supposed to know about the other miraculous! Not yet. Master Fu had always stressed on the importance of their secrecy, especially since Hawkmoth was out to collect every possible piece of the magical, mystical jewelry.

"Yes, more heroes!" Alya squealed, releasing her friend from her killer grasp. Now unlocking her phone, she revealed a series of pictures, all featuring aged pieces of paper and illustrations of fancy-looking jewelry. "According to this blog there are dozens of these supposed miraculous out there, all boasting wonderful powers and a better shot at defeating Hawkmoth. A museum in London is debuting an archaeological find that looks a lot like a miraculous this month."

Pale and close to quivering, Marinette could only gape at the blog with wide eyes and a hung jaw. Detailed pictures, like those in Master Fu's book, were posted on it; ornate silver jewelry with animal themes were printed all over, presented with statues of heroes that appeared to match different animals. It all seemed legit; it all looked like something Master Fu would show her. Blinking, Marinette could only try to swallow her absolute terror as Alya continued, deep-diving into the topic.

"Apparently, these things are hidden all over the world. Literally anyone could accidentally stumble upon them," Alya chuckled, gushing over the new discovery. Another picture now, showing a group of grinning students showcasing an anklet. "Who knows, maybe we'll find one and manage to help Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Slyly Alya nudged her friend, "I know I wouldn't mind being that close to such hot heroes."

"Alya," Marinette groaned, her cheeks burning crimson from the implications of her words. It didn't help that she was Ladybug herself - oh and that she had kissed Adrien - Chat Noir - no more than twenty four hours ago. Oh no, those facts did not help at all. Marinette could already feel her face burning from the memory of it all.

"Ok, ok, I know that's a stretch," Alya sighed, putting her phone away. "But seriously Mari, the discovery of these things could literally change the world. Ladybug needs to know about this."

"Yes, she does," Marinette swallowed, trying to stop the racing pulse of her heartbeat. Was it just her or was it extremely hot out here? Maybe it was the fluffy sweater...

"That's why I have to post it on the Ladyblog!" Alya announced, looking rather pleased with herself. "That way she'll definitely see it for sure."

'Yes, her and Hawkmoth,' Marinette sighed, shaking her head at the thought of it all. Just when things felt like they were getting simpler for her alter ego, it was as if the universe wanted to revoke that privelege. No longer alone in her secrets, no longer hiding her identity from her partner, Marinette thought that things would better; right now reality was doing a stellar job at proving her silly assumptions very wrong.

Speaking of assumptions, what about Adrien? How would they act today, knowing the truth but unable to show such drastic change? How would they act from here? Redefining one's relation to someone else was no simple task in a normal situation. With their situation, with the extra baggage and awkwardness of secret identities, how much harder would be it? Would they even be able to function normally today?

Already Marinette could feel herself tensing up from the thought of it all. Every just seemed to be getting more and more complex...

"Oh look, the boys are here," Alya stated, nodding toward the duo.

Wrapped up in conversation, both Adrien and Nino wandered toward the school building at a leisurely pace, abandoning Adrien's bodyguard and the shiny silver car he was forever associated with. Between them they shared a decent haul of a pair of earphones, two crepes and a pile of flashcards that had Marinette's gut pinching with anxiety. She had forgotten about the text today! The one that accounted for a hefty chunk of her final grade. Of course she'd forget about that.

"Let me guess, you didn't revise because of a commission?" Alya chuckled knowingly, already pulling out her pile of flashcards. Smiling, she held them out to her friend, "Here. But next time try to remember, Mari. You have to save time for yourself or you'll overwork and forget the stuff you really have to do."

"Thank you," Blushing, Marinette gratefully accepted the notes. Sometimes Alya truly was a godsend - even if she did tease Marinette half to death. "I'll make it up to you Als."

"Oh I know you will," Alya grinned, just as the teachers began to pour outside, ready to usher the students in for homeroom. Briskly, she yanked Marinette onto her feet, "Now come on. I want to force my favourite pair of idiots to interact with each other!"

"Hey!" Marinette pouted, unable to stop her own giggle. If only Alya knew the truth. "I'm not an idiot."

"Oh I know," Alya sighed, shaking her head as she tutted. "But when it comes to Adrien Agreste, Marinette Dupian-Cheng - my dear friend - you can become the world's biggest airhead."


"So Nino, are you planning to try and win that movie competition?" Keen and perceptive as always, Alya raised a brow as she pointed an accusatory fry at the friend group's resident DJ.

Too quickly the first four periods of the school day had rushed by like a cool summer breeze, dumping the group right in the middle of lunch hour. Currently they were all seated around their usual table, trays decked out with tasty food and school bags dumped under the table. As was traditional for lunch hour, they were rehashing the morning's events, catching up on anything they'd missed during periods one through four.

Often, Alya was the one to kick-start interrogation hour, her keen senses and nonsense attitude always worming out well-hidden secrets. So it came as no surprise when she turned on Nino, placing him into the group's hot seat. He always was the first to squeal under the pressure.

"Yeah," Nino sighed, feeling awkward as he scratched at the back of his neck. A sheepish grin spread on his features, "I'm hoping to win but right now it's really hard to find good actors, you know? Not everyone likes the big screen."

"I know tons of people," Alya shrugged, casually popping a handful of fries into her mouth. As if she already didn't know about his struggles. If anything she was upset by the fact he hadn't approached her first, the duo often collaborating on most of their creative outlets. "You see, if you told me beforehand - made me, you know, an assistant director - you'd have a full cast by now Nino. A stellar cast."

"Yes, but you also despised my script choices last time we worked together," Nino pulled a face, rolling his eyes. Glancing towards his friends, he tried to gain some backup from them. Unfortunately, Marinette and Adrien were unwilling to risk a scorching burn from Alya's rage.

Often, when such things occurred, Adrien and Marinette preferred to watch from the sidelines, only interfering when things grew much more heated than they needed to be. A safe watch and observe approach. A skill that both had learned and honed during their adventures as superheroes, fighting against numerous villains, each differing in power and technique. In real life it was no different, different people requiring different approaches to deescalate their emotions.

"It just needed a little more... life," Alya shrugged, rolling her eyes. "I was simply pointing out a well needed change."

"Mylene's good at acting!" Marinette abruptly offered, eager to stop the back and forth between her friends. Without any shots fired, Marinette could already tell that tensions were rising. Quickly. So she redirected the conversation, placing the spotlight back onto Nino, "I'm sure she'd want to help you out Nino."

"I can help too if you're short on actors," Adrien chimed in, always being one to assist others. Even though acting wasn't exactly his forte - more of something he'd attempt just to help Nino out - he'd give it a shot. Surprisingly, despite his mother's fame on the stage, Adrien didn't think he gained her knack for adopting a character. No, he could never be as great as she was. But he could give it a try - like when their class had entered into another film-making contest.

"Yes! I was looking for the eye-candy bait anyway," Nino whooped, looking genuinely pleased with the idea. Adrien could only blink as he continued, excitedly turning to Marinette. "Oh and Mari could you totally do me a solid and design costumes?"

"Of course," Marinette smiled, shaking head as Nino's grin grew even wider. Soft laughter left her as she spooned a steaming dumpling out of her soup. "Anything for a friend in need."

"Perfect!" Nino nodded. Suddenly, he was a lot more eager and open about his project, determination blazing in his eyes as he turned to Alya. "Oh and Alya..." He trailed off as she raised a brow, looking entirely unamused, "Would you mind helping with script editing?"

A smirk crept onto her face, "Are you sure?"

"Completely."

"Then yes!" Alya cheered, a grin spreading across her face. Smug, she booped Nino's nose, "I told you I always get what I want."

"Yeah, yeah," He rolled his eyes, ignoring the heat that crept up the side of his neck.

Beside them, Marinette and Adrien laughed, well-used to the pair's interactions. Even though they insisted that not much was going on between them, just casual, easy-going, spontaneous dates and meet-ups, the pair knew better. Between Alya and Nino, weaved into the seams of every single interaction they shared, was an unmistakable chemistry that no-one could ever confuse for anything other than true love. A true connection forged between two souls.

Only, none of them would ever dare tell them that. No. Alya would skin them alive for even insinuating as much.

Peaceful calm washed over their table for the first time since lunch, the group of teens enjoying the rare spout of silence between them. Only, of course, it could never last long. Not when they always had more and more things to talk about, more and questions to ask and prod about. Oh no, that would be impossible.

"So Nino," Adrien began, dragging out his words as he tried to phrase his question in the most unassuming way possible. especially since Alya, observant as she was, would no doubt pick up on his probing. "What exactly is the movie about?"

"Glad you asked my friend," Nino responded, a lopsided grin spreading across his pearly whites. Taking a quick swig of a drink, he winked at the group. "It's a movie based in an alternate world, Paris of course."

"Of course it is," Alya groaned, rolling his eyes.

Nothing new. Not with Nino. Delving into alternate realities, worlds ravaged by zombies, or places in history that had been warped by a time-traveler were the sorts of topics his work often delved into. Last time they had worked together, deciding on a movie set in a post-apocalyptic Paris, they had fallen out over some of Nino's more outlandish ideas. Things that just wouldn't make sense, like dinosaurs and jetpacks, had wormed their way into the plot.

When left unchecked, Nino's imagination could run like the wind. So it was no wonder that, even now, Nino still had his heart set on telling stories set in impossible, distant worlds.

"It follows two superheroes inspired by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Successors, if you want to think of it that way," Nino continued, ignoring the obvious begrudging comment from Alya. "The world has been taken over by the Industrial Revolution - only it's been expanded to make a kind of steampunk society. And this important governor guy, well he wants to control the people through this tech. A lot of the story's not set in stone yet but I've shown a couple people and they think it's a pretty cool concept..."

Acting in a movie with a hero inspired by himself? Adrien couldn't help but slip into thought, panic, at the very idea of it all. Him, himself, dressed up as his alter-ego, acting like his alter-ego in front of a camera, possibly going to be seen by dozens of people if Nino did win the contest. Oh, that wasn't a comforting thought. At all. If anything, it verged on the possibility of Chat Noir's secret identity being exposed, right on film, for everyone to see.

Uncomfortable, a shudder passed down the blonde's spine. Yeah, the thought of being discovered wasn't an extremely pleasant one. But how could Adrien back out of this now without appearing suspicious?

"Hey dude," Nino snapped Adrien out of it with two taps on his shoulder. Again, all Adrien could do was blink as Nino peered at him anxiously, "Everything ok?"

"Um... yeah," Adrien shook his head, trying to get rid of the panic on his face. In that moment he realised that Marinette had grabbed his hand under the table, a soothing smile on her face as she traced soothing circles on the back of his hand. Forming a convincing smile had never been easier, "I just... I zoned out a little."

"Really?" Alya probed, her voice a low hum of skepticism. Already her reporter senses were tingling, making her seem all the more intimidating as she stared at the blonde. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're secretly Chat Noir and you're worried that we'll catch on because of the movie."

A side glance to Marinette. Still there she looked back at him, lips pressed into a thin line as she shook her head. No chancing it. At all. Alya and Nino could not find out the truth - it would put them into too much danger. Knowing who Ladybug and Chat Noir was placed large, prominent targets on people's backs. Being associated with the heroes, even through a simple interaction, could result in Hawkmoth preying on them in hopes of luring the superhero duo out.

So, like always, Adrien brushed aside the accusations with a joke. When all else failed, humour could always change the subject.

"Me? Chat Noir?" Adrien scoffed, a chuckle that sounded quite a bit forced escaping from his system. "That would be crazy."

For a moment, nothing happened. Brow raised, gaze intense, Alya looked as if she were ready to hound him for a real response; Nino was different, also appearing curious as he glanced at Adrien quizzically. Only Marinette, who maintained a face that was probably as pale as his own, looked a little unnerved, her hand tight against his own as she gave it him what was probably a comforting squeeze.

One moment. One moment too long. For that moment, Adrien held a breath he never knew he could hold, waiting for the ball to drop and for everyone to start laughter at the ridiculous notion of him being Paris' favourite cat-themed hero.

Reprieve came with a snort from Alya as she shook her head, taking a solid bite from her burger, "Oh yeah. You being Chat Noir would definitely shatter the world in two."

"You guys are like each others' complete opposite," Nino joined her, also chortling at the thought of it. Now he was tucking into his lunch wholeheartedly, also enjoying a pretty beefy burger from the school's cafeteria. "That's like saying that Chloe is really a kind person in secret. Totally unrealistic."

Then, as if summoned, the bell rang - signalling the end of lunch. Somehow the entire time had passed in that one time frame, consumed within the chatter of the group. However, Adrien didn't feel dismayed about it. No, if anything the damned bell had just saved him from being interrogated even further, pinned under the intense flare of Alya's supernatural knack for observation and Nino's inconvenient skill of calling out the obvious.

"Well, we'd better get going," Nino sighed, picking up his tray as he swallowed the remnants of his lunch in one large gulp. Beside him Alya always stood, now flicking through her phone as she balanced her tray in one hand.

Unlike the glasses duo, Marinette and Adrien lingered behind. Carefully, Marinette was resealing the soup her mother had prepped for her lunch, making sure that the liquid couldn't seep into her bag as it had done before on multiple occasions. Content to just remain by her side, Adrien watched, his tray pretty much empty aside from the untouched cheese that Chloe had given to him - something he just couldn't stomach after dealing with Plagg for so long.

"That was really close," Marinette finally spoke, zipping her bag back up after placing her lunch within it. They stood in unison, a rather comfortable pair as they tucked in their chairs and made their way toward the bins.

"Too close," Adrien agreed as they headed to the cafeteria's exit, dumping his tray along the way.

"Are you two lovebirds coming to class or what?" Alya yelled at them, brows furrowed as she held up her phone's camera. "Or do I need to blackmail you both with some photographic evidence?"

"Alya!" Marinette groaned, her face filling with pink. Already she was stomping toward her friend, leaving Adrien behind in the dust as she tried to reach for Alya's phone. "We're not..."

"I know, I know," Alya giggled, rolling her eyes as she still held her phone beyond Marinette's grasp. Endearingly, she pat Marinette's head, shaking her own. "You're just two good friends who sometimes do couple things."

"Alya!"

Fuming, Marinette sprinted after her friend who took off down the halls at a speedy pace, brandishing her phone all the way as she went. Alarmed students ducked out of the way, flattening against walls or ducking into doorways as the two girls passed, wide-eyed or laughing at the entire spectacle. Adrien himself was chuckling at it all, already knowing that by the time they got to class, Marinette would be laughing with Alya about it all - sharing a cookie split into two.

"Do you think she'll ever stop teasing Mari?" Adrien mused, turning to his equally amused best buddy.

"Nope. I think part of the fun for Alya is the teasing," Nino sighed, a smile on his face. Arm slung over Adrien's shoulder, he turned to his friend and wiggled his brows, "But seriously bro, you and Mari are super close today, like you're in sync. What happened yesterday?"

"Not you too, Nino..." Adrien groaned, a smile in place despite himself.

"What? I'm just saying," Nino held his arms up, showing that he was innocent - well as innocent as one could be in this type of situation. Shrugging, he continued in a light tone, "Plus, a lot of people are sensing the chemistry. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you're with her."

Ha, if only they all knew! If Adrien exposed it all now, laid down the entire truth before Nino's eyes, he would fall and over and die from the sheer shock of it all. From his super-secret identity all the way to the reveal last night, everything was so perfectly complex around the topic of him and Marinette. Everyone else from the outside - they only saw the easy parts. To them, on the inside, it was all so much more than that. So much more complicated than simple shared chemistry.

"Well what if I told you that we might be a thing?" Adrien shrugged, a little of his Chat Noir showing as he jibed his friend.

Nino's jaw dropped open, "No way..."

Nothing verbal leaves the model. Not a single word. Instead a single tiny nod, paired with a matching Cheshire grin, was his answer.

"Alya's gonna freak!" Nino cried out, two hands planted on the side of his face. Right now his eyes are blown wide, like saucers, and his mouth was still hung open like a mouth of a cave. "She's like the hardest adrienette shipper ever."

"Adrienette?" Adrien blinked, confused but not entirely surprised by the term. What exactly was that? What was it used for?

"It's a long story dude," Nino sighed as they walked into class. "A really long story..."


After school hit the entire building like a full-force tidal wave as students poured out of the building, rushing to make it home or to get to the best hang-out spots before they became filled with students from other schools in their district. One by one, the classrooms emptied, teachers shaking heads as students whooped and cheered and hastily threw bags over the shoulders. All too soon, the stragglers were left behind, slowly spilling in the aftermath of the after school rush, meandering their way through the empty corridors.

Today, rather unusual for them, Alya and Nino were a pair of these stragglers. Lingering in the locker room, watching as others passed or searched the room, they hung about Alya's locker, striking casual conversation as she pulled out a few textbooks.

"I told you Andre's ice-cream would work," Alya stuck her tongue out at Nino as she stuffed a few history books into her backpack. They were replacing the math textbooks with dogeared corners and countless post-its serving as bookmarks. "That ice-cream works miracles and Adrien and Marinette were no exception to its wonders."

"Well for once your crazy conclusions have proven me wrong," Nino agreed, leaning against the lockers beside Alya's. Behind them a student was fiddling with their jacket, trying to unstuck the zipper from their pocket. "Ice-cream really was what they needed."

"Like I said, I'm always right," Alya grinned, winking as she playfully nudged his shoulder. Her locker door was then slammed shut, all books swapped out and placed into their correct storage unit for the night. "Next time I tell you something, take it as gospel."

"I know," Nino sighed, rolling his eyes as he pushed off the lockers and adjusted his cap. Nevertheless, he still shook his head. "I still don't believe it completely, though. It all seems too good to be true."

"It does kinda feel surreal," Alya nodded, holding open the door as they exited the locker room. "Mari got an ice-cream that obviously represented Adrien. But then, Adrien got an ice-cream representing Ladybug. That just doesn't make sense if they're supposedly secretly dating now."

"Well," Nino hummed, his brows furrowing as they headed toward the main building's exit. "Maybe she's not his soulmate. Unless..."

"Mari's Ladybug!" Like a train hitting an emergency stop, they both came to the same abrupt conclusion as it all clicked into place. It was the only thing that made sense. The only thing that explained everything, every little inconsistency, about Marinette and Adrien's ice-cream problem.

Eyes wide, jaws agape, they both turned to each other. Nino's hands rested on Alya's shoulders. Her own hands were on his. Neither of them broke the eye contact, the shared moment of epiphany - even when one of their phone's began to ring, shattering the deafening silence between them. Marinette was Ladybug. She was Paris' famed heroine, the woman in red saving the day in a polka-dotted spandex suit, using a yo-yo to clobber her enemies. Somehow that made sense.

"So she's the one who's captured Paris' attention," Alya finally murmured, removing her hands from Nino.

Dazed, he followed suit, "That would explain a lot actually. Like why she's always late, forgets things and even disappears for a while."

"Yep," Alya nodded, slowly regaining the normal functionality of her brain. Shaking her head, she pulled out her phone, frantically scrolling through her gallery, "But if Mari's Ladybug then that means Chat Noir isn't someone too outlandish from her in age. So it has to be... Ah ha!"

Curious, Nino peeped over her shoulder, peering at the image Alya was proudly pointing towards. In it was someone their age, in their year, kitted out in all black - or rather doodled over in all black - with matching cat ears and a cheeky grin. Even with the scribbles, the attempt to draw a likeness, Nino could see what Alya was alluding to; there was an uncanny resemblance between Chat Noir and this boy in the picture.

"No way..." Nino breathed, shaking his head. "No freaking way is he Chat! How would he even..."

"There's no other explanation," Alya corrected, pocketing her phone. Ecstatic, a large grin framed her features, lighting up her hazel eyes with excitement, "I've just gotten the biggest scoop ever in all the history of the Ladyblog! It's way bigger than the one time we found out about the Ancient Egyptian Ladybug."

"But what if you're wrong?" Nino interjected, more flabbergasted than excited by the discovery. "What if it's not them?"

"That's why I'm gonna ask, silly," Alya rolled her eyes, poking Nino on the chest playfully. "Plus it would explain a lot of their recent behaviour. Remember lunch?"

"Yes but- " Nino bit his tongue, urging back the argument. Instead he decided to rework his response, fiddling with his headphones, "I thought Ladybug and Chat Noir didn't reveal their identities to each other?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out for sure!" Alya grinned, grabbing Nino by the arm and firmly pulling him outside and down the stone steps. Together they were going to grill their friends and get some well-needed answers.


Never before would Marinette believe that she would be here, placed under the intense spotlight of Alya and Nino's pressing interrogation skills. If you had told her about this a day ago, Marinette Dupain-Cheng would have laughed in your face - she would have snorted with amusement. Alya and Nino? Teaming up on her? God, that was something highly unlikely if not impossible. The pair wouldn't ever make her feel like criminal, playing good cop and bad cop as they trapped her in her room. Right?

Presently, in this moment, Marinette could not help but feel the exact opposite. Pushed into a corner, a picture being her incriminating evidence, she could only blink with wide blue eyes as the pair looked at her, awaiting her response.

"How did you figure it out?" Was her first verbal reaction. With a hefty sigh, a hand running down her tired face, Marinette glanced helplessly at her interrogators. "How did you both discover that I was really Ladybug?"

"Ice-cream," Alya answered, a triumphant smirk on sitting on her smug lips. Two arms folded across her chest. "Who'd have thought that an ice-cream would be the only proof you needed to find out who Ladybug is."

"I knew going to get ice-cream was going to be a mistake," Marinette groaned, burying her face within her pile of cushions and pillows. 'But then, I wouldn't have found out who Chat Noir is - or that Adrien had been crushing on me...' Her brain echoed, taking on a singsong tone. Immediately, she frowned, correcting its silly words, 'No, bad Marinette! I shouldn't be thinking such things. Everything is going wrong because of that stupid ice-cream!'

Aware of the war that was destroying Marinette's brain, Alya sat down beside her, gently pushing aside the suffocating pillows, "No Mari, ice-cream wasn't a mistake," A supportive hand squeezed at Marinette's shoulder. "I know how important is it to you that no-one knows who you truly are. So I won't be posting it on the Ladyblog. Plus Nino and I will help cover up your slip-ups, right Nino?"

"Huh?" Nino blinked, not entirely paying attention. No he was mystified by the lock-box on Marinette's desk - the one that had her diary within it. However, Alya's dark glare soon whipped him back into shape, sending a shiver down his spine, "I mean yes! Yes. We'll help cover everything up for you and Chat Noir."

"And you'll ask Adrien if he's Chat Noir," Alya nodded, adding it on as if it were nothing major. Not that it was for Marinette - or Nino. Everyone in this room already knew. Nevertheless, it still felt like a surreal statement, an unproven fact, and it made all three occupants feel as if they'd muttered something taboo, secret.

"Yep," Nino nodded once more, swallowing the lump within his throat. Adjusting his cap, he nodded toward the two girls. "Speaking of, I gotta go. I told Adrien I'd meet him soon to... well, you guys already know."

With that, Nino dashed off, making sure to escape before Alya could become even more terrifying and demanding. Alya on a rampage was definitely a force to be reckoned with - a true menace to society and all peace that could thrive within it. Everyone - even Chloe Bourgeois - was aware of the fact; as a result, no-one liked to mess with an already ticked of Alya. Anyone who did was a certified dead man walking.

"So..." Alya trailed off, clicking her tongue as silence settled into the room. A sly grin was on her face, cluing into her cheeky question, "Now that I know the truth, does it mean we can discuss super important matters? Like super-secret Ladybug intel and insider tips for the Ladyblog?"

"Yes Alya," Marinette rolled her eyes, a smile edging onto her face despite her intense feelings of frustration. Still grinning, she held out a hand for her best friend to shake, "Glad to officially welcome you to the team, Alya Cesaire."

Both girls laughed as they shook hands, all of the previous tension and frustration evaporated like water from a boiling pot. Instead they basked in the warm comfort of knowing that they were now open and honest about everything, being able to talk face-to-face, girl-to-girl, without having to hide anything or omit important truths that could lead to the end of the world. Between them they could share the world; they could share everything.

"I do have one question left though, Mari," Alya sighed, pushing her glasses back onto her face. Taking in a deep breath to dispel any stray giggles, the girl raised a brow, "You and Adrien are super close at the moment. What happened between yesterday and today?"

"Not much," Marinette shrugged, a teasing smile spreading on her face. "All you need to know is that it happened last night and I'm not giving all the deets."

"Typical," Alya huffed jokingly, shaking her head. Laughing she folded her arms across her chest. "Well as long as you two didn't do anything stupid I'm all for it. We don't need mini Ladybugs and Chat Noirs running about the place."

"Alyaaa!" Marinette groaned, her face feeling like it was burning up with a nasty fever. Pink climbed along her throat, bleeding onto her pale cheeks. "We only kissed! Jeez. The most we did was share some long awaited truths with each other."

"Uh huh," Alya nodded, seeming entirely skeptical. "These truths didn't involve each other's pants right?"

"Alya, I'm being serious!" Marinette groused, pouting at her now chortling friend. "Ask Adrien if you don't believe me."

"Oh don't worry, Nino's doing that for me," Alya wiggled her brows, pulling a face. "Speaking of, what was that big truth Adrien told you about? I wanna know."

Now it was Marinette's turn to smile, to tease, as Alya jabbed her with a rather sharp elbow, "Oh I don't know. Maybe you should ask Adrien himself tomorrow."

Gobsmacked, Alya could only gape at her friend in complete disbelief. How long had she been keeping secrets like these? How long had she been oblivious to Marinette's skills at juggling a secret double life? Clearly, it was too long because Marinette was too good at playing the evading game. If Alya had a guess, Marinette had been hiding little things like these for a very long time; perhaps even for months.

"Alright, I will."

For the rest of the evening, the pair fell into conversation about the miraculous - Marinette rehashing Alya on everything she had learned ever since Master Fu had handed her the Ladybug miraculous. All too soon it was hitting curfew and Alya had to go, packing up her gear and promising to get more answers from Marinette the follow day. Laughing, Marinette had agreed it was a date - hugging her before closing the front door and returning to her room.

Only when the calm settled, moments later, did Marinette realise: things were finally settling. Everything, everyone, was readjusting to the bombshell that was last night's unexpected identity reveal and nothing was going wrong. At least, so she thought...