Work Text:
I. Haunted
Ladybug spun her yoyo on her side, grinning wide as her partner landed on top of the building's chimney. "Hey, kitty!" She greeted him brightly, glancing at the akumatized villain who was wreaking havoc in the streets of Paris. "I believe we have another claw-ful situation in our hands."
Pursing his lips tight with a serious expression, Chat Noir simply nodded and took his baton in hand. "Let's just get this over with."
"How are you feeling today, Chat?" She questioned as they rounded around the city for their daily patrol.
Chat Noir kept quiet, doing his job as he searched and made sure there wasn't any series of unfortunate events that was going to happen.
"I'm feline great today if you ask me." Ladybug joked, sending a teasing smile his way yet it slipped from her face when Chat Noir avoided her stare and bounced off to another building, creating distance between them.
"Pound it?"
He weakly forced a smile, lifting his fist to meet hers. "Pound it."
"You know, don't you think we were quite meow-velous today?"
"I... I guess so."
Choosing to ignore the unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach, Ladybug clutched to her yoyo that was on her hips. The sun setting, her parents would be calling her down for dinner soon but she didn't want to leave, not just yet. "Hey, Chaton?"
"Yes, Ladybug?"
It sounded so bitter to her when he said her name. "Not calling me Bugaboo today?"
The gust of the night wind flew past her. Marinette sat on top of a rooftop with her knees up against her chest and her chin tucked right in. "Hey, kitty," She whispered, looking to her side. "Something's been bug-ging me lately."
"What is it, my lady~? You know I'm always cat-tentive and tonight, you look paw-fully sad."
"Well," Swallowing the huge lump down her throat, Marinette felt her eyes sting and acknowledged Tikki's comforting pats on her shoulder. She picked up the stuffed black cat plushie she had given her partner back when she was going to a school trip in New York. "It's been two weeks and you're not yourself anymore."
He watched at the corner of his eye, seeing Ladybug and Rena Furtive wrapping up everything that has happened today. The Lucky Charm fixed everything, putting back all the ruins to how they were and Chat Noir didn’t want to move, not until he finally got rid of the unsettling burn in his chest.
Curling his hand into a fist to take a good look down at his ring, Chat Noir felt like drowning right there and then because he was suffocating from where he simply stood with a burdening weight bringing him down. Lifting his head back up to see that Rena Furtive had departed already, Ladybug turned to him with a smile on her face.
And like always, she raised her fist for him to pound it. He blatantly stared at it then at her. “Can we talk?” He asked forwardly at the same time his ring started to beep.
Ladybug frowned, putting her hand back to her side and met his eyes with concern. “You’re about to transform back, kitty. Let’s talk later during our patrol.”
Shaking his head in disagreement, Chat Noir heaved a deep breath as he tried to find the right words to say to her. “I won’t be able to come to patrol starting today.” He informed her, ignoring the flicker of disbelief and anger that sparked in his lady’s eyes. “We can have this conversation in the sewers. Our kwamis will recharge then we can transform back.”
Without waiting for her reply, he pressed the button on his staff, extending it and exiting the scene ahead to go under the grounds of Paris. He knew she had no choice but to follow him this time. Chat Noir had known that Ladybug noticed his odd change of behavior.
He spotted a manhole quickly, dropping his feet to the ground and taking off the cover as he dived right in under. The presence of his partner was close by, he had sensed it. With less than sixty seconds for him to de-transform, Chat Noir ran to where there were passageways with a wall in between. Jumping to the other side, he hid himself and as if right on cue, the flash of green light washed over him from head to toe.
Adrien was greeted with a tired Plagg and without having the need to ask for it, he slipped out a cube of camembert and handed it to his kwami who gratefully scarfed it down. “Eat up, Plagg.” He muttered quietly, smiling softly as he watched the black cat kwami take his time more than usual. “This will be the last time you’ll ever get a camembert from me.”
Plagg stopped chewing. “What?”
“What?” Her voice echoed loudly down the sewers, Marinette was on the other side of the wall as she fed Tikki while waiting for a word from Chat Noir. “What do you mean by that, Chat? Please don’t tell me you’re doing what I think you’re about to do.”
“I’m going to give up my Miraculous, Bug.” Adrien gazed up to dissipate the liquid that began to form in his eyes. “I don’t want to be your Chat Noir anymore.”
“No, no, no, you can’t do that to me!” Marinette exclaimed madly, looking ahead of her while the two kwamis stayed silent to give the pair spare time to talk.
“You may be the guardian, M’lady, and you may order me to follow you around wherever you want me to. But, I’m also just a civilian underneath and I get to decide if I want to give this whole thing up or not.”
He heard her breath hitched at his words. At that moment, Adrien had hated himself even more for it because it hurt, it hurt him a lot and made him feel sick because to have this conversation with the person he loved and admired most in the world was dreadful enough to be considered a mournful death.
At the beginning, being Chat Noir was fun. He’d spend his nights and days just to be the cat in a costume, saving the lives of Paris constantly while having the fun moments of his life with someone who understands him. Someone he’d seek refuge in. However, it slowly turned into a job. It was never just a job to him but now it was an invisible tab added to his life schedule that he’s forced to play a part in.
True to his word, Adrien did follow Ladybug wherever she went, acting upon her order without a question and accepting her wishes. Especially when she wanted him to stop declaring his love for her shamelessly to the clouds and for everyone to hear.
He was starting to feel ashamed of himself for doing that. For making her uncomfortable. As he took note of Rena Furtive showing up more than usual, the two superheroines having secrets of their own, Adrien felt neglected. A stray cat of a sidekick who doesn’t have a lot of value to anyone and is meant to be kept on the sidelines.
She doesn’t need me anymore. Biting his tongue at the haunted thought that had him going mentally insane for, he brought himself to accept the harsh truth of it. He was no longer the Chat Noir she wanted him to be. Enough with the cat puns and the public display of affection. Playing around less and focusing on the main task at hand.
Feeling a tug on his arm, Adrien glanced at Plagg who had a thousand words to say. “You’ll handle fine without me, anyway.” He added bitterly at the end. He couldn’t see her face right now but he doesn’t want to take a guess of how she was feeling.
“No, that’s not true. I can’t be Ladybug without you.” Marinette’s hands balled into a fist tightly, restraining her emotions from flowing out. “I don’t know what I did to hurt you or make you feel this way, Chat. But tell me. Please, talk to me. We can fix this and go back to how it was. You can’t just leave me.”
“You can’t always fix everything, Ladybug. I couldn’t count the number of times you broke my heart and I let you anyway.” Trailing off in hesitation to continue further due to the unbearable squeeze in his chest, Adrien took a good look at his ring and reminisced back to the full meaning it had to him. “I let you step over my feelings because I love you. And I always will, I believe.”
“If you truly love me, then you won’t easily give us up. You wouldn’t leave me.” She seethed, avoiding eye contact from Tikki to speak her mind.
Laughter bellowed out of him. “I don’t think you have a say in my feelings. You say these things as if we’re a couple when we’re not and you should’ve expected this, M’lady. This was bound to happen at one point, you yourself should’ve seen it coming.”
There was a pregnant pause. Plagg had discarded his camembert, letting it drop on the floors to let it rot. Marinette waited for Tikki to finish her macaroon and once that was done, she looked over her shoulder. “Transform. I need to see your face.” She ordered, reciting the three words needed for her powers.
Adrien followed, stepping off the wall and trudged to the center point of the passageway. He met the eyes of blue, his heart stuttering at it. Opening his mouth to say something, Ladybug reached up and let her palm come in contact with his cheek.
The hard slap was surely going to leave a mark the next morning. Wincing at the hit, Chat Noir’s head was cocked sideways, feeling the anger radiating off Ladybug.
“I should’ve seen it coming?!” She questioned. “You wanted me to expect that was going to happen?! That you’ll give up your Miraculous without telling me why?!”
Putting a hand over his bruised cheek, Chat Noir turned back his gaze to see that Ladybug’s eyes were coated red, as the waterfall of tears spilled out of her and she looked at him with a pained expression. It was truly too much for them both, he can feel his own tears resurfacing and his own eyes watered down with the emotions he wished she wouldn’t witness. He felt stupid on the spot.
“You’re being selfish. You know that? I was worried sick because you’ve been acting weird these past weeks! You wouldn’t talk to me, you wouldn’t even look at me then you’re suddenly throwing all of this on me as if I wouldn’t care!” Ladybug sobbed out, furiously letting her heart take over her senses as she felt the throbbing ache of it wanting to burst because she was confused and lost and didn’t know what to do. “You promised not to do this to me ever again when we were in New York.”
Chat Noir froze, feeling the cold creep up to his feet.
“You promised me, Chat,” Letting that go as a desperate whisper for her partner to hear, her trembling hands held onto his arms.
“I’m tired, Bug.” He finally confessed.
Her shoulders sagged down, Ladybug tried to comprehend it as she tried to get him to look at her. To see her. She wanted to see those eyes that have always bore a lot of emotions. She wanted to know what he’s feeling right now.
Choking on his tumbling words alone, he felt a dam break inside of him. “I wish it was easy to tell you. I wish you knew how much I couldn’t do this anymore. You keep me in the dark, you have secrets that I don’t have a clue about yet you’re wandering off, confiding to someone else. Heck, I’d have to assume Rena knows your true identity because you’ve been relying on her more. As if she’s your partner.”
He felt her fingers on him letting go, that’s when he went back to look at her and see that raw emotion of guilt hanging right in front of her for him to see. Now, she’s the one avoiding his stare as she backed a little away from him.
His eyes widened, heart hardening. “Rena knows who you are? She… she knows who you are?”
“It’s not like I wanted her to. Chat! Please let me explain!”
“I don’t get it… you – you’re the one who's always going by the rules. Saying that it’s too dangerous for us to know who we are under the mask. Yet, Rena knows who you are?”
Ladybug shook her head, “I was tired too, Chat. Being the guardian was too much for me and I had to go to someone. I didn’t have much of choice –”
“You did. Yes, you did. You know that I’ll always be there for you. You had me because I understood you the most. Except, you went to someone else?” Anger building up inside, Chat Noir clawed hands went and grabbed onto her forearm.
“Chat, please let me go –”
“You revealed your identity to Rena Furtive? Why did you even keep this from me? To mock me?! Am I that worthless to you?” Chat Noir asked on and on, tears brimming at the ends of his eyelids while he tried to search for an answer on her face. “Wh – why are you making me feel like I'm no longer significant to you?”
Shoving him off of her, Ladybug frustratingly sighed, covering up the foul mark his claws left on her suit. “If you would just let me talk! I want you to understand why I kept this from you!”
He scoffed, crossing his arms together as he menacingly glared at the woman he trusted a whole lot to have her break down his walls and ruin him. “Well go on then, Ladybug. I wonder what Chat Noir-exclusive reasoning is going to get you out of this.”
“I can’t tell you my identity. We’re not supposed to know each other. Master Fu said –”
“And somehow Alya, who isn’t even a permanent holder of the fox Miraculous, comes in and becomes an exception?”
Ladybug was quiet again, not daring to look at him. Not even close when the gnawing feeling ate her from inside out. Chat Noir observed her silence, “You gave her the fox miraculous for good…” He realized. “That’s why she’s been appearing a whole lot more because she’s…”
“How did you know she’s Alya?” Ladybug asked, the air becoming too uncomfortable for her. “She wasn’t supposed to tell anyone other than…”
“Other than her boyfriend, Nino? Who also happens to be Carapace?”
Her heart skipped a beat as if she was a deer caught in the hunter’s trap. She could feel Chat Noir fuming mad right in front of her but she didn’t know the stinging spark that was starting to develop around his ring.
“You’re not saying anything because I’m right.” He challenged. “I had to find out through Nino but that doesn't matter right now. You don’t tell me anything anymore. I thought it was us against the world?”
“And it always will be!” She yelled back, hoping that he could see she was telling the truth. That she was tired then and tired now, with all that sense of responsibility both her alter egos had to carry out and she thought the boy who she fought alongside with for a long time would at least find it in him to understand and come back to her.
“Just why – why do you keep lying to me?! Ever since you became the Guardian, you’ve been neglecting me! I’m not some minion who’s going to follow you for the rest of his life!” Chat Noir caught her eye for a fast second, immediately recognizing the meaning held behind her tears. And he never felt so disgusted in his entire life.
Wanting to reconcile their relationship, to keep this partnership going on for a long time, Ladybug decided to step forward to search for his hands that were immensely shaking as much as hers. “I’m sorry, okay? It wasn’t my intention to have you feel this way and I’m sorry. But, you also have to understand that I couldn’t keep all of this a secret without having no one else to talk to. It was killing me, Chat.”
He pulled away from her touch like it was a hot burning flame. Chat Noir knew he was overreacting and being completely dramatic over something as little as this. Yet, what can he do? This was a choice that he made for himself without having anyone telling him what to do for the first time. Not by the rules his father gave him or the demands Ladybug would throw over him. He wondered if she knew that that had already killed him.
Chat Noir licked his lips, tasting the bitter taste of his tears. “And you still didn’t consider me as an option for you to find solace. You went straight to your –”
Friend. Alya. Nino is Carapace. Alya is Rena Furtive. Ladybug told Alya her identity. Then that would mean –
No. He let out a sigh, cursing at his own damn thoughts because he shouldn’t dwell on who Ladybug is. He knew that all too well himself.
“Chat?”
“I’m still going to give up my Miraculous and resign as Chat Noir.” He firmly stated, brushing off the way she dejectedly looked at him with so much sorrow. “It’s your choice if you want to find out who I am or not. You won’t have to deal with me afterwards.”
Throwing up her hands in the air out of bewilderment, Ladybug wiped off her tears from her cheek to finally act professional and not have her emotions get the best of her. “I won’t accept that. I won’t have you leave for some stupid excuse. So, stop creating a whole twisted narrative on this and talk it out.” She grabbed him by the arms, him seemingly small in her hold. “We can talk it out. We can both fix this.”
“You’re too late.” His voice cracked, a fog going into his head whilst the ring around his finger began to strangle his hands. “I don’t think I can trust you anymore. Not when you don’t even trust me with anything.”
“I trust you.” The superheroine pushed her words. “I trust you with my life.”
“What am I to you?”
“What – what do you mean? Chat, you’re my partner and my friend.”
Chat Noir wasn’t convinced. Not even a little bit. He used to believe in those words of hers as simple as pie. Her friendship meant everything to him, yes. He didn’t want to lose it over something as stupid as this, yes. But then again, he felt replaced. Meaningless.
So when he completely stilled when she went to wrap her arms around him, to embrace him into her warmth, he wanted nothing but to fully dive right into it and get a feel of that paradise of a safe home she gave him whenever.
He didn’t hug back, his own arms remained on his side. She nuzzled right on his chest, sniffing quietly while tightening her grip on him. “I can’t ever let you go. You have to understand that there is stuff that is meant to be kept secret between us. We can’t tell each other everything.”
“Even our identities.” He parroted back, still not over the fact that someone else did know hers before him and she can sense that very well. “And I get it. You needed someone and Alya is your best friend after all, Marinette.”
“Ye –”
Pulling away faster than the lightning, Ladybug staggered back from Chat Noir. Her ears must be playing with her because there is no way. How did he – should I pretend that it’s not true? Should I laugh and say he’s being silly?
“I didn’t want to think hard about it.” His voice drew her out of her thoughts. “I swear I tried not to but I couldn’t help it. It all started making sense to me after I connected it. From Alya and Nino both being superheroes to you telling Alya who you are. There’s only one person I could think of."
Her heart was racing mad when Chat Noir stared at her as if she’s not in her costume right now. He looked at her the way he would look at Marinette. “This isn’t right… you can’t know who I am.” Ladybug gulped, sweat dripping down her temple. “You’re not supposed to figure out my identity!”
Those green eyes narrowed straight at her. “Oh? So me knowing is some kind of disaster, huh? Is that it? You’d think I’d be disappointed after finding out who you are?”
“No! You don’t get it!” Images, thousands of those pictures flashed right before her. “I’m keeping my identity a secret to protect you!”
The cat argued, “Protect me from what?!”
“From becoming him again!” It was like an eruption of her worst nightmare with the memories of her partner in white. White suit, white hair, blue cold-blooded eyes. Colossal pit rage that she had battled against. Her kitty gone.
And for the first time in his life, Chat Noir has never seen his lady snap in the most terrified, traumatic tone with bloodshot eyes along with her lips slightly parted as if she was stabbed by a hundred knives. “M’lady?” It was his turn, finding his clammy hands cupping her face to get her to look directly at him. “What… What do you mean?”
Her heart was setting off insanely, putting her own hands over his while she tried to control her breathing. Ladybug shut her eyes, recalling a memory she had thought she threw out long before only to find it destroying her once again. “I couldn’t tell you.” She breathed out, hiccups following at the end.
The blond’s expression softened, his fingers grazing gently across her cheek. “Tell me what? Is there something else you’ve been hiding from me?” He questioned.
“You – you got – oh God, kitty,” She stammered all too devastatingly, wanting to forget it all because she felt her entire body going numb. “Before, Bunnyx came to me from the future and asked me to fix something. I – I had no idea what she meant and brought me to the time it happened. Everything was gone and you were – you were not yourself and –”
“I – I don’t understand. Bunnyx brought you to the future? Everything was gone?”
“I can’t tell you.” Whimpered Ladybug.
He shook his head, not accepting it so easily as he forced her to maintain eye contact between them. “No more secrets, please.” Chat Noir begged, letting her wipe a fresh tear off his face. “You have to tell me. You can tell me.”
“You won’t understand –”
“Then make me understand! Stop sugarcoating everything, please! Just tell me!”
“You got akumatized! You knew who I was, saying that it was our love that was to blame! You killed everyone! You destroyed everything in Paris! Heck, you nearly triggered the end of the world, Chat!”
What?
Eyes going shallow, Chat Noir’s hands slipped down her face as he stumbled back from Ladybug. Hurriedly, she reached for him in order to not lose him again. She clasped their gloved hands back together for dear life like they were caught in a sinking boat.
“But it’s okay now!” She assured firmly, “I fixed everything. I saved you like you asked me to. There’s nothing to worry about. Nothing’s going to happen to you, I promise.”
Chat Noir wanted to throw up the overflowing bucket of guilt for committing something he never thought he would do. Let alone, kill anyone. By everyone, did she mean her too? No. Oh, please, no. How did I – A broken cry escaped out of his throat, the horrible and cruel sound creating a huge affect to her, to him, to Plagg who wanted to get out of the transformation. There was the pull of it.
He wanted to ask, badly, “How could you –” Chat cut himself off to search for air. “How could you still let me keep this Miraculous? Why did you let me still be Chat Noir after knowing what I’m capable of doing if I get akumatized? Aren’t I dangerous enough? Why? Why, why, why didn’t you take it from me?”
“Because I need you,” She answered faintly. “I don’t care about it anymore. I need you all the time, Chat. You will never be akumatized, I won’t let that ever happen. That’s why we can’t tell each other our secret identities to one another. It’s too risky, I couldn’t bear to imagine the aftermath.”
For Chat Noir, he already was and it didn’t look pretty. He never considered himself to become a victim to Hawkmoth’s akumas. “You knew and you didn’t tell me about it.”
She felt her mouth go dry. “I hid it from you to protect you.”
“I don’t need protection.” He spatted into her face with a vile tone. “You were scared, that’s why you didn’t ever think of at least telling me. You still think that it’s possible to happen, you didn’t want me as your enemy. You fear that more than anything.”
And he was right. Ladybug still had nightmares of her partner in white, all unrecognizable to her as he tried to get her Miraculous. From time to time, it worried her that they will both cause the same mistake that brought it to the point of him becoming Chat Blanc.
One thing was certain to her, they can never tell each other who they are. Hawkmoth would then take advantage. But would it be alright after they defeat Hawkmoth? That, she didn’t know yet and as much as she hates keeping all these secrets from Chat Noir, she wanted to put an end to all of this burden as much as he does.
“You’re wrong.” She spoke up after they had both cooled down, their tears coming to a halt. “Yes, you’re correct about me being scared of you becoming Chat Blanc again –” Don't let me relive that nightmare once more. “– I ponder over it almost everyday. But what fears me the most, kitty,” Her thumb ran across the edges of his mask, tracing its outline then through his blond locks, tugging gently at them. “Is me losing you.”
Purring suddenly at the stroke, Chat Noir sighed, exhausted from all of this. “I wish there was another way, princess.”
Right, he knew who she was.
“And you may not risk it, but I already know who you are. I have to give up my Miraculous.”
Shaking her head continuously at his words, she glanced at the ground to notice how close they were. “No, we’ll think of something. There must be an alternative. I’m the guardian, I can change the rules. I won’t have to know who you are. As long as we’re both careful we –”
Shushing her quietly, Chat Noir went to grasp her chin in his fingers to get her to look back up. The air got heavy.
When she saw him leaning in, the natural reaction to flutter her eyes close got him chuckling lightly. She felt herself smile a little, too.
Ladybug held her breath at the texture of a pair of soft lips pressed against her forehead. Not saying a word, those lips moved south, hovering over her eyes before leaving a butterfly of pecks right on her dried tears. The action continued, Chat Noir’s lips lingered on her cheek, giving an equal amount of time to both, then he paused.
Eyes still shut as she waited, their hands were now joined together, entangled in between the space of their bodies. He gazed at her lips, Marinette’s lips, and Adrien couldn’t believe it himself when he had the desire to seize them right into his to pour all of the feelings that were pent up inside of him. This was the same girl who sat behind him in class everyday, the same clumsy girl who was always anxious and stuttering around him.
She was also Ladybug, who is consistently saving the lives of Parisians. And if he was to contrast the two girls at that moment, they were not so different after all and it made sense to him. He found it in his heart to love both.
Adrien loves the two versions of one girl.
However, there was that plummeting thought that had him doubting if he even deserved her. She had told him long ago that she was in love with someone else. Was there even a chance for him to begin with, for him to have a one lifetime opportunity to have her be his?
That was a question he started to carry heavy in his heart and he didn’t want to find the answer to it. Not when she had mentioned their love was the sole reason why he ended up being someone he never thought he would be. So he reeled himself back, letting his lips only drop by at the corner of hers.
“I’m sorry,” He said to the girl whose eyes were still closed from his vision.
Just when she was about to say something back, fumbling with her own words as she was still flustered at what happened, he looked away. “Claws in.”
She snapped her eyes back shut, “What? Chat? What are you doing?”
The boy did not say anything in return, opening the palm of her hand and placing his ring on top. “Kid, no. Don’t.” Plagg pleaded, pulling his chosen by the sleeve. “Don’t leave. You can’t just give up everything that easily, Adrien –”
Adrien? Adrien Agreste?
Marinette’s heart pounded loudly in her chest because his kwami had accidentally revealed his secret. She knows who’s under the mask of Chat Noir. She knows, oh my God, she knows and it’s the boy she was irrevocably in love with. It’s him! “Adrien?” The excited tone of hers was obvious, she couldn’t help the joy building up inside of her. All sense of duties as the Guardian and as Ladybug were thrown out the window as she felt herself reacting to the news as Marinette, a normal teenage girl.
But when she opened her eyes, he was already gone, leaving the Miraculous of Destruction in her hand.
II. Delicate
It is an understatement to say that Adrien has been ignoring his friends, especially Nino. He avoided them as much as he could, escaping out of any group conversations that required his opinion or any hangouts that were planned beforehand which he used to, so badly, join in instead of doing his extracurricular activities after school.
Nino was lost at first, thinking his best bud must simply be acting weird over something that happened back home. Yet there’s more to that when there was that atmosphere of self-isolation and deep-deprived depression clouding over the blond. He wouldn’t dare to bat even an eye to their direction, not a single word out of his mouth unless it was for the teacher. Nino was conflicted. Alya grew worried too.
Not only was it Adrien being completely out of the zone but so was the girl who sat behind him in class. The bluenette looked rough around the edges, having that desperate spark in her eyes to try and talk to the model.
Anyone smart enough can tell that there was something off between the two. After a few attempts to ask them what happened, Marinette didn’t have any power in her to tell their friends anything. It had only resulted in her trembling and close to tears. Adrien left as fast as he could as if he wasn’t even there to begin with.
To no avail, they’ve given up and left the pair to deal with it on their own. That didn’t stop Alya from prying, though, not easily going to accept the poor excuses Marinette came up with.
Surely, when Marinette went home after what happened in the sewers, she asked for an explanation from Plagg. She had to understand either way from both perspectives, to see the bigger picture of what went wrong and why it had to lead to this. Calling his phone endlessly didn’t help. Showing up to his house wasn't an option either since it would be obvious the assistant will send her away.
At school? She didn’t have that much of a luck to reach out to him. The more she kept wanting to bring him back to her, it only seemed like he was pulling away further.
They both knew who each other were under the masks now. After that, all hell continuously went crashing down on them both. Marinette had to force her emotions to be intact in order not be manipulated by Hawkmoth. But what about Adrien?
She had the kwamis, her parents, and her friends who were there for her. Adrien was alone, wanting it to stay that way. He never had a family member to care for him anyway but when he let go of Plagg and pushed Nino away, there was no one.
And he shouldn’t feel this way but damn, it was like how his life was before going to school. Except, he had Chloe who he kept distance from as well. Oh, was it too much for him that he couldn’t breathe because he never felt so alone.
Although, it’s his fault, isn’t it? It was his choice to give up the Miraculous, to block his best friend from his life and become anti-social in public. Why try to find someone else to blame when it was his doing all alone. He trusted a lot of people, he trusted Ladybug the most. She gave him an escape. Chat Noir gave him the freedom he never thought he’d have.
Adrien wanted to be loved. More than anyone, he wanted to have that feeling of being promised for an eternity. Maybe that’s why he held onto his hopes for Ladybug to reciprocate his feelings. He waited and he was certain to wait forever.
Until she was putting him aside, only needing him for his power and not for the person underneath. Now, when she finally knew who he was, he couldn’t imagine how much the pain would strike his heart when she’ll tell him to his face that there will be no chance for them. They will only remain partners, superheroes of Paris.
Stupidity puts him to shame for loving someone he doesn’t even know personally.
Nonetheless, his emotions didn’t stop him from doing well in class. He can act that everything was fine and fake a smile to block whatever to not cause a problem.
With time, he believed he’ll be okay. Adrien will move on and Ladybug, or rather Marinette, will forget about him fully.
That is prior to an akumatized villain becoming active in the city during the last period of school. Like clockwork, Adrien changed his direction from hiding in the bathroom stalls to transform to now running for safety like the rest of the students. It was the first attack in a while. There were minor ones after the sewers event and through those battles, it was proven enough that he was really no longer needed.
He was ducked under his desk like everyone else, waiting for a clear signal from Mme Bustiere that they could evacuate and go home. Glancing behind him, his eyes caught the way Marinette and Alya exchanged a few nods before standing up to exit the room.
If he were Chat Noir, he’d follow but he was only Adrien and Adrien Agreste needed to get away from the scene.
When their teacher finally dismissed them, unlike hurrying himself, Adrien took his time to pack his things back into his sling bag and was the last person to leave the room. The akumatized person was not a student anyway, surely he’d be back in the limo in no time.
His footsteps trudged down the staircase. Adrien opened his button down flannel with a lazy grin on his face, “Say, Plagg, why don’t we –” He cut himself off when realization dawned over him. He let go of the material, stopping in the middle of the staircase while one of his grip on the railing tightened. “Oh. Right. How idiotic of me.”
Not having Plagg around anymore is something he’ll need time to get used to, he had to admit mentally.
Continuing on his way down, nearly half of the student body had left while some chose to stay to seek shelter for the meantime. Adrien hummed mindlessly to a random song that popped in his head, looking like the man who was carefree. How he wished it was half true.
“Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his lady – WOAH!” Tripping on his own feet at the last two steps after seeking those familiar eyes, he stumbled and fell into Ladybug’s arms. He lifted his head to make sure he was not imagining things and it’s true. He staggered back, flustered to be caught at an embarrassing moment.
It took more than a second for him to look away first from her stare. Clearing his throat, he adjusted the strap on his shoulder and turned to the other way. Why did she have to be here? Isn’t she supposed to be off fighting some bad guy?
“Adrien –”
“I don’t want to hear it.” He grumbled under his breath, loud enough for her to hear. “I should go. Don’t want to distract you from saving the city again.”
Her silence made him pause to check over his shoulder to see Ladybug carrying a heavy sorrowful expression over her face. It’s been weeks and it still hurt him as much as he hated it. And it shouldn’t be, not when she never cared for him that way so why should he still hope that somewhere beneath all of those harsh rejections, she’ll love him back.
He turned around to her direction to acknowledge her to speak. He may be heartbroken but he’s not that rude. “What is it?” He asked, noticing her fingers fiddling nervously.
“Rena is buying me some time.” She informed him and if he were to put effort he’d actually hear the unwavering sob that threatened to escape out of her. “I… I need Chat Noir.”
Adrien quirked an eyebrow. “Then go find someone and give them the Miraculous.” He said it like it was the most obvious answer to whatever problem she had right now.
“I can’t…”
“And why’s that?”
“Because they wouldn’t be you.”
Mouth going dry at that conclusion, Adrien looked to his side and saw a few people starting to notice them both. He couldn’t ignore the words that slipped out of Ladybug’s mouth, not when they made his heart skip a beat.
He walked forward to grab her wrist and pulled her to a secluded area, the same place Nino brought him to when his best friend accused Alya of cheating on him with Chat Noir. When he had shut the door behind them, he felt slim fingers wrapped around his forearm. Not this again. He won’t allow her to act like this.
Removing her touch from him, he created more distance that wouldn’t have him catching the sweet scent she’d always carry. “You need Chat Noir’s power not me. I don’t see how it’s such a big deal for you to ask another person.”
“I don’t trust anyone with your Miraculous.” She confessed, the box already in her hands. “Please. Come back. You’re the only person who I know is capable of using the Black Cat Miraculous.”
“Marinette, I,” This was becoming too much for him. “I already told you and I never go against my word. I don’t want to be Chat Noir. Find someone else.”
“I don’t want anyone Adrien! I want you!”
There was that feeling again creeping discreetly into his chest. He didn’t want to have such high hopes, no, he’ll only make a fool out of himself in the end. Adrien ticked his tongue, balling his fists as he restrained his body from making a foul move. “You can’t just say stuff like that and expect me to not feel anything at all!” He yelled right back to her face. “Don’t take advantage of my feelings for you! That’s not fair!”
Ladybug shook her head, a weary look plastered all over her face. “But it’s the truth. I don’t want to lie to you anymore, Adrien. Please.”
His eye twitched whilst Plagg flew between them and he spun around to face Ladybug with his small paw out. “I’ll handle this, Marinette. Rena can’t distract Moolak for too long.” The kwami motioned to the box in her hand, gesturing to her to give the content inside. “I know my kitten better than you do.”
Hesitating yet quickly moved to not waste any more seconds, she took out the ring and handed it to Plagg. “Thank you,” She whispered, looking past Plagg to Adrien who was in distress. “I hope I’ll see you out there.”
She excused herself before leaving the room, leaving the duo to come to an agreement. Adrien wasn’t up for it, picking up his bag that he had unconsciously dropped on the ground out of rage and was fast to avoid Plagg’s stare.
Planning to simply leave and pretend none of this ever happened, Adrien couldn’t find it in him to walk away. His feet kept him frozen on the spot, a lingering emotion having him feel overly pathetic because this was Plagg who knew him better than anyone else. He just didn’t want to admit that anytime soon to flatter the airhead.
Plagg rolled the black ring within his two paws, eyeing it then looking up at his owner with a serious expression. He extended his arm, the ring coming into a clearer view for them both. “You’re going to put this on, transform, and help your partner.”
The blond scoffed, “Did you guys not understand a word I told you? I quit. I’m not going to be doing this for the rest of my life.”
Quirking an eyebrow, Plagg was nothing but annoyed and amused. “Quitting? More like giving up like a total weakling to me.” He shamelessly insulted, flying down to level with Adrien’s eyesight. “That’s not the Adrien I know. He’s always been persistent.”
“Well, people change.” He shrugged one shoulder, turning his gaze to somewhere else other than the accessory that’s starting to burn his insides.
“For the better,” Plagg pointed out. “And who said you’ll be doing this for the rest of your life? Just keep being Chat Noir until you and Ladybug defeat Hawkmoth. That’s it.”
“I stick to my word. I’m not doing this anymore.” Adrien knew he was being completely immature and harsh but it was already hard enough for him to let go of the being who knew him from both sides, when he was at his best and worst. Not to mention, when he’d often forget to ask Nathalie to stop adding Camembert to his food menu.
Lowering the ring, Adrien caught that at the corner of his eye and turned back to Plagg who’s expression softened into something more melancholy. “You didn’t even fully discuss it to me that you were going to renounce your Miraculous.” Plagg said, “Imagine how I felt.”
Guilt choked him up. Adrien blinked the set of fresh tears. “I’m sorry. You would have tried to convince me not to anyway. There was no benefit in telling you about it.”
“That’s just bull.” Plagg swore, glaring at Adrien. “I would’ve tried to understand and you wouldn't have had to deal with it on your own. I know you, Adrien. I know for a fact that you hate being alone despite it clouding you for a long time. I was the only one who’s been by your side 24/7. I’m not stupid. I would’ve understood and we both would have tried to find a solution to fix it.”
“Yeah? Like what? Ordering ten wheels of Camembert to succumb into complete despair?”
“Now, you’re just being selfish.”
Adrien frowned. Marinette said the same thing before.
Sighing, the kwami put out the ring again. “If you’re really sorry for making me feel a whole ton of negative emotions I’ve never felt in my whole kwami life, put on the ring.”
Stepping away a bit to not have Plagg entirely in his space, Adrien bit the inside of his cheek before shaking his head. “No, I won’t.” He concluded firmly. “I am sorry for not telling you a thing about it and I’m sorry for what Ladybug had to put up with. That’s all.”
“Who said I was asking you?” Plagg swarmed down to Adrien’s right hand, lifting it up effortlessly to have it raised chest level. He flopped the ring right on the palm of Adrien’s hand, “Give her one last chance. Give me one last chance. Like what Ladybug said earlier, she needs you and she needs Chat Noir to defeat Moolak. It’d be a mess to summon around nine Miraculous holders when she only needs you, kitten.”
The ring weighed a lot right on his hand, it was soaking him up with the feeling he had when he first found the Miraculous in his room, the nostalgia of having a new life other than being the son of a famous fashion designer. And with time, his other half was bringing him down to a hole that felt all too familiar.
“Plagg, I already said I won’t –”
“I’m not asking you. I’m begging you.”
Eyes widening at those words, Adrien finally looked at Plagg properly. Finally seeing for the first time in a while the care Plagg carried for him deep inside. He let himself slip a small smile, inserting the ring into his finger. “You’re that desperate, huh?”
Plagg groaned, embarrassed to have his soft side be on display. “Don’t tell Marinette or Tikki about this.”
Moolak had the ability to turn people into coins while being protected inside a giant golden safe. It made sense to Adrien why Chat Noir’s power was required as they both easily defeated the villain, Bob Roth dropped down on the ground as Ladybug de-akumatized him and had her Lucky Charm fix everything once again.
They both had less than five minutes before they transformed back per usual and when he was about to bid his goodbyes to her as a final position to let go of the superhero life, he felt her gentle grip around his wrist. She pulled his side close to her front with her head hung low.
Chat Noir’s breath hitched as he glanced down at her. “Ladybug, is something wrong?” He questioned, quick to notice her petite figure beginning to tremble.
When she lifted her head, revealing those bloodshot eyes and moisture falling out of them, he swore to life that his heart had never been so broken at such a devastating sight. “Can we talk?” Her voice breaking lightly, Ladybug only reeled him closer as if he'd disappear any moment.
And cursing at his dumb and weak heart, he nodded at her words. “Sure. The sewers?”
“Just follow me.”
He didn’t think of any protest and like nature, Adrien found himself extending his baton to the same rooftop Ladybug swung her yoyo towards. They both pounced off the ground and into the air, hopping from one rooftop to another until she dipped down into a lone alley that barely had good lighting.
Heart racing, Chat Noir landed behind with her back facing him. Words were heard to describe to him how she stood in front of him. His fingers were itching to touch her, bring her into his arms to stop and console her shaking body. A tsunami of apologies, tears, regrets, there was so much to unbottle.
Then he felt the scene was familiar. This was the part when he gives back the Miraculous. Like every other holder does when they have finished the job. When they’re no longer needed. The boy behind the black mask felt like throwing up.
Because this was new to him. After it being a while since he was Chat Noir, it felt like coming home. When he saw Ladybug right on the scene, setting up her plan with her Lucky Charm, it seemed like she knew he was going to show up.
Plagg was great at persuading, that was expected.
With slumped shoulders, Chat Noir breathed heavily along as he shut his eyes. “Claws in.” Adrien whispered, loud enough for both of them to hear and the magic washed over him, Plagg coming into view with a proud smile. “I guess this is really the last time?” Adrien got a cube of camembert from his flannel and gave it to Plagg.
As Plagg wordlessly munched on it, Adrien looked over at Ladybug who had turned around already. There were so many unsaid things left to be talked about. They both knew that but neither of them found it easy to find the right statement to say without having to hurt each other again.
“I suppose you’ll be needing this back,” Adrien spoke up when Plagg was finished and took off the ring from his finger.
She didn’t say anything in response.
Adrien pressed his lips into a thin line. Why won’t she meet his eyes? Was she that mad at him? “A goodbye would suffice.” He thought out loud, “Thanks for trusting me with –”
Like a flash, air knocked out of his lungs when Ladybug collided into him quickly before he could comprehend it. A pair of slim arms around his waist made its way as she muttered three words under her breath, pink pigment removing her from her suit and the girl in front of him was only Marinette, burying her face into the crook of his neck.
Too stunned to speak, he carefully held the ring between his fingers as he stood frozen in place. Adrien’s heartbeat was surely overwhelmingly fast, his feelings resurfacing too immediately while a faint scarlet dusted over his cheeks.
“Mari –”
“Please! Please! Don’t go! Don’t leave me again! Don’t- don’t pretend that everything is okay. Talk to me. I’ll do anything, just tell me. Anything to make you stay, please!” She wailed against his skin, letting tears prickle at the juncture of where his shoulder and neck meet. “I’ve been going insane without you. Nothing’s the same anymore. I don’t like it at all. What… what can I do? Adrien, what should I do?”
Oh God, Adrien felt his entire world beginning to crumble into shreds as the person he loved most broke in his arms. This is not what he wanted. He hated the fact that he was the cause of her pain. His pulse went mad, his throat clogged up with all the horrible thoughts that haunted him for a long time, his heart painfully tearing him apart.
Not knowing what to exactly do next, afraid of making the wrong choice again, he allowed her to cry. He listened to every helpless plea that stumbled out of her mouth. As it also worsened him more and more of the kind of person he is.
Marinette didn’t deserve this. He knew that very well and he wanted to get away, to have every burden he marked on her from the start to disappear so she can be happy. But just like earlier in the room with Plagg, he didn’t find it in him to step away from the girl. He wanted to be right where he was forever. More than anything.
Would that be selfish of him too?
Adrien mentally slapped himself, composing his state of mind to not say anything stupid. “We can’t keep doing this, Marinette. Not when it’s hurting both of us.” He murmured, averting his eyes to where her head laid.
She choked on a sob. “Then come back to me.” Marinette begged him, clutching tightly around his waist. “You can’t lose hope in this already. Not when you didn’t give it a try.”
Fogged up completely, Adrien licked his lips. “What- what are you saying? You think I didn’t think this through? You think I wanted this to happen?” He found the courage to detach himself from her, creating a small distance. “You should know more than anyone that it ruined me when I had to give up my life as Chat Noir. To accept whatever we’ve become because that new ‘us’ made you not need me as much.”
Marinette furiously eyed him straight, “And how many times do I have to tell you that you are needed,” She wanted to hit him in the head, to put some sense into it for him to see that she just as much needed him more than anything in the world. “Do I have to do something to prove it to you?”
“You don’t have to do anything.” He responded. “You’re more than enough and I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Hope flickered in her eyes at the sincerity of his words. “Do you still love me?”
“I do,” There was no point in lying when the way he looked at her showed it all. “I’m sorry. I did try to put an end to how I felt about you. I really did try. I’m sorry. I even deleted all the Ladybug pictures I had in my gallery but I recovered them back a few hours later. It’s hard to not love you. Especially when you’re this amazing, beautiful, special girl in the world, my heart felt the need to commit to what I started to have for you for a lifetime.”
Every word held a special emotion that resonated from him to her. Marinette has never felt this way before and she was definitely not going to waste it. When Adrien poured out his heart and sewed it into a poem, he was everything she ever wanted.
Cautiously, she attempted to hold his hand into hers. He noticed that and let her. “Then let me ask you why – Why weren’t those enough for you to stay?”
Skin on skin, Adrien watched Marinette play with their hands together and the sight of it was almost the definition of perfect when they molded together beautifully. “Because I was afraid,” He met her gaze and this time, he didn’t want to look away. “I was scared when you told me about Chat Blanc. I was scared you’ll get sick of me.”
“Get sick of you?” She repeated with eyes wide. “Why would you think that? I’ll never get sick of you, Adrien. I don’t… I’m so sorry.”
He hummed gently in disagreement, placing the ring on her palm. “Don’t be.” Adrien can tell Plagg was about to interfere. “Honestly? I was being a coward. I was scared but only because I didn’t want to ever hurt you or anyone. When you told me that there was a possibility of me getting akumatized, I wanted to eliminate that chance completely.”
“So you thought it was best to renounce your Miraculous to me.” Marinette finished for him, looking now at the black ring situated between them.
“All I ever want in my life is for you to be happy, Marinette. And I’m afraid that I’ll be the person to take that away from you,” He bit his bottom lip to stop himself from going weak, to not be the next one to break down next. “I’ve suffocated you with my confessions as Chat Noir and you weren’t fond of me as Adrien and that’s why I –”
“Hold – wait, hold on,” Marinette frowned, “You think I’d get sick of you after knowing who you are underneath the mask because you think I despise you?”
Shifting uncomfortably on his feet, he nodded like a child.
Marinette scoffed in disbelief. Staring at the blond who now wavered away from her eyes, she was quick to cup his face and bring him back to look at her and have those emerald green eyes reflect the blue. “You listen to me, Agreste,” She started sternly. “Chat Noir is the best partner I’ve ever had in my whole life. I’ll proudly admit that everyday. When I said you’re irreplaceable, I mean it with my whole heart. You may annoy me often but that’s okay because that’s you, I like that part of you.”
He didn’t seem to believe her. Not one bit and Marinette felt like going on top of the roofs of Paris to scream at the top of her lungs how much he means to her. “And you’ve always been wrong about something; I don’t need you just for your powers. I’ve always needed you as my friend and partner too. You’re who I trust. You understand me the most. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you when things were hard, I didn’t want to put any more weight on what you’re going through. But please know that – no matter what happens, at the end of the day, I’ll always go back to you.”
And he was crying freely. Tears were gracefully rolling down his cheek and collecting at the edges of her hands. Marinette awed, wiping them away with her thumb. To her, it was the first time she’s ever seen Adrien look so vulnerable and she had the urge to protect him. From all the pain that’s ceased into him.
Chest coming up heavily, his eyes glimmered with moisture. “You… you mean it? You mean every word? What about Adrien? I thought you’ve –”
She confessed, “I fell in love with Adrien on the first day I met him.”
“What?” Adrien furrowed his eyebrows deeply, trying to process what she had just said and made sure that he was not hallucinating anything because wait a second – did the love of his life tell him the words he wanted to hear from her for a long time? Was that true? Is this really happening or am I just hearing things?
When he wasn’t noticing it, she had put the ring back onto his finger right where it belonged. She saw the approving smile Tikki and Plagg sent her. Marinette reached up to rub softly at his jawline, “If your love for me isn’t enough for you to stay,” She caressed along the back of his ear to the ends of his hair. “Will my love for you will?”
“You what?"
“I love you.”
“No, wait wait wait, wait! You what?!”
“I said I love you…”
“Say it again,”
“Kid, pigtails is high over the heels for you! You take her breath away! She’s crazy about you! You’re her dream come true! Her heart calls out for you! Where art thou –!” A camembert struck Plagg’s face, cutting him off. He grumbled under his breath while silently thankful for his cheese.
Tikki giggled beside him, loving eyes watching the pair. “You never learn when is the best timing for you to jump in someone else’s conversation, do you?”
The black kwami rolled his eyes, tossing the camembert into the air and catching it into his mouth, chewing rather loudly. “Someone had to make him realize it.” He commented on Adrien’s obliviousness. “I had enough of him looking stupid. That was my last straw.”
Blushing ridiculously, Adrien cleared his throat and took one hand of Marinette’s that was still on his hair and laced them to his fingers. “You love me.” He breathed out.
It was overly adorable to see Adrien shy but without dropping her guard down and wanting her words to get to him clear as crystal, she brought their hands close to her face and she nuzzled lovingly at it. “With everything in me and all that I have. Forever and always.”
He pursed his lips, “I never thought you did. I really thought you only saw me as someone you had to tolerate. But of course, I should’ve known better. It’s you. Marinette. The sweetest girl to ever walk this planet.”
Sighing lightly, Marinette sniffed at her stuffy nose. “I get it. I’ve always been a klutz and anxious around you because I was nervous. Extremely, at that.” She heard him chuckle and that made her come to conclude that everything will be close to being okay again. “But I do, I love you so much. There is so much love I want to give you.”
Adrien suddenly remembered their current situation. The roles they both held and how it would be irresponsible of them to do whatever they want now. It wasn’t right. He promised himself to make the right decisions, not mess things up. The direction this talk between them was obviously going to a direction he might regret later on.
Regret, regret, he was tired of that. How can he walk away from this when she had confirmed her feelings to him, that she was the person keeping him grounded?
“You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now,” He said, his eyes flickering from hers to her lips.
“Then why won’t you –"
“We know each other’s identities. It will be dangerous.”
Marinette bitterly laughed, knowing that he was right. She was still the Guardian, she couldn't recklessly make such decisions that could risk them being manipulated by Hawkmoth against one another. It felt so unfair, she sensed a new set of tears welling up because the opportunity to be the boy who she wishes to dedicate her life to was now in front of her, fully ready to commit to her as well, but God dammit why does it have to be like this?
She envied normal couples who didn’t have to worry about any of this. Of all the responsibilities that she never expected to have at such a young age. Of course! They’re both young, they are bound to make mistakes and learn from them. “So why don’t we just risk it?” She said, shamelessly loving the idea.
That was the temptation that made Adrien run the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip. It was indescribably soft. “You know we can’t, Marinette. We shouldn’t be –”
“But we should.” She stated with determination, “Let’s be selfish for once. Let’s be together, either as Ladybug and Chat Noir or as Marinette and Adrien. Be selfish all you want. Please. I love you and I want to be with you.”
Who knew such words were to ever come from her. She surprised him everyday, having it become a new part of the list of reasons as to why he fell in love with her in the first place.
He brushed her bangs to the side, getting a better view of those bright blue eyes that were exceedingly beautiful to him. Adrien’s lips turned upside down. “We might regret it,” There was that word again. “If one of us gets akumatized –”
“I’ll tell you everyday if I have to. You won’t be akumatized. You won’t become Chat Blanc. I won’t allow it. You have to trust me, Minou.” Marinette assured him, moving to grip the side of his arms gently and comfort him.
“Always,” He told her, leaning into her touch that he missed so much. “I trust you with my life.”
Marinette began to be emotional at the mirrored words, thinking back to the last time they had a proper conversation like this and how she dreadfully hated how it ended. “Then tell me what you want. Don’t think of anyone or anything, what do you want for yourself?”
The answer was already there.
“You.” Muttered Adrien, “I want all of you. Both sides of you.”
Smiling, she let him snake his arms around her waist this time, having hers rest on his shoulders. “You’re in for luck ‘cause you already have me.” Marinette lifted her head to look at him, struck by the overflowing love his stare alone had. “We’ll be careful so don’t worry. We won’t have to tell anyone. I won’t tell Alya about you being Chat Noir.”
He was still hesitant about it all. “We can’t do this…”
“I love you, Adrien.”
Hearing that still felt like a pipe dream to him.
“And I’ve been wanting to tell you how I feel ever since I knew it myself.” The sun was already setting, the alley getting dimmer as time went on. “And truth be told, I’ve imagined spending my whole life with no one else but you. I hope you feel the same way as well –”
“I do. I really do.”
“– then why does our superhero life have to stop us from doing what we want?” A question that was long hidden beneath everything, the answer still unclear to them both so there should be nothing holding them back anymore. “We’ve always been careful and we still are. We’d have to make sure we keep our alter egos apart so no one would have to suspect anything.”
Pausing, Marinette let her words sink in not just for him but for her, for Tikki, and for Plagg. She hoped the kwamis understood what she’s trying to ask for and rebel against, she hoped to herself as well that this is what she wanted. It wasn’t the right choice, but when did life have a rule to only make the correct decisions.
Conflicted with the new phase that was slowly starting to open up to them, Adrien rolled with his ring, a wave of relief washing over him. “Do you really want to do this?”
She nodded, her own thumb soothing his hand that was on their side. “As long as you’re fine with it too then yes, more than anything.”
His eyebrows creased in a positive way, “So does that mean I’ll get to kiss you whenever? I get to take you out on dates and brag about you to Nino? I get to hold your hand?”
Grinning wide, her heart warmed at the new side of Adrien that she had just witnessed. Two of her unoccupied fingers went up to press down the folds between his eyebrows to have it no longer furrow. There was that gaze of his again that had her knees go weak. “You’re already holding it, idiot.”
And he kissed her. Adrien surged forward to capture her lips into his, letting their first kiss as a couple leave a memory that was unforgettable. Marinette melted at the very second, letting him take control as he held her delicately by the waist whilst pulling her close.
The kiss painted over a million words, Adrien kissed her fervently, making up for the weeks lost. In the middle of a narrow alley, he kissed her like it was his last chance, like it was their wedding day (Marinette wouldn’t mind that over anything). With their bodies pressed together, getting rid of every space unnecessary to them both, Marinette sighed, running her fingers through the blond locks.
"I love you,” He mumbled against her lips, “I love you with all that I am.” What Adrien got in return was another kiss that simply sealed off the three words in meaning and that, to him, was all he needed.