Chapter Text
Ladybug followed Chat Noir through the night. She had been reluctant to let go of his hand at first, but considering their preferred method of travel, she knew she had to do it. They cleared a few more buildings before she realized that they were headed towards the Agreste mansion.
Chat Noir leapt onto the sill of an open window, turning and beckoning for her to do the same. Once he dropped down into the room, she hooked her yo-yo onto the roof and swung in after him. It was Adrien’s room.
Technically, she knew that this wasn’t the first time she had been in here, but there was something different about zipping into Adrien’s dark room, only for it to light up as Chat Noir detransformed right in front of her.
As the green light subsided, she tried to catch her breath. Adrien turned to look at her, his cheeks a delightful shade of red. He flashed her a shy little smile, then strode across the room to his desk, where a thin glass vase was sitting, the rose from earlier that day happily situated inside. The rose she had given Chat Noir that night was added beside it.
He shyly looked up to meet her eyes, smile on his face, and suddenly she felt like she had to look anywhere else. Her eyes darted around his bedroom, looking for anything to distract her from the feelings swarming through her chest. After a moment, she spotted it: a small black lump leaning against his pillows.
Ladybug crossed the room to investigate. As she got closer, she noticed two green buttons, and pointed triangles at the top. It was a stuffed black sock, meant to look like a cat. She giggled, taking it into her hands.
“Is this Plagg?” she asked, turning back towards Adrien.
Adrien opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get a word out, a black blur flew into her vision.
“Yes, self portrait,” the blur said, and as it came into focus, she realized it was the kwami himself. “Almost as good looking as the real thing, don’t you think?”
She laughed, reaching out a finger to tickle the little cat under his chin. His little body vibrated in a purr as a response.
“Hi, Plagg,” she said. “Yes, very good. Excellent craftsmanship.”
“Thank you!” He crossed his little arms over his chest, tilting his head up proudly. Marinette couldn’t help but smile at how similar he looked to Chat Noir in that moment.
“Okay, okay,” Adrien said, butting in. He held out a wedge of camembert cheese, and the kwami quickly turned to zip towards it. “Here, Plagg, mind giving us a moment alone?”
“Yeah, yeah,” he replied. “Just don’t do anything weird.”
Marinette watched as Adrien’s face darkened just as much as she was sure hers had. “We won’t. Get out of here, please.”
Plagg snickered and flew off, leaving the both of them alone in awkward silence.
Marinette watched Adrien out of the corner of her eye, pretending to examine the sock Plagg doll ever closer. He kept shifting from foot to foot and rubbing at the back of his neck. He was nervous. She still couldn’t get over the fact that he could get like that—that he could be just as shy and awkward in her presence as she was in his.
She decided to bite the bullet and break the silence. “So, you keep this on your bed?” she asked, lifting the little doll up into the air between them.
“Uh, y–yeah,” he said. “I, um, sleep with it, to be honest.”
She giggled. “That’s cute.”
“C–cute?” His green eyes went wide, and she could see the tips of his ears getting red. “I– heh…”
She giggled even more at his reaction. A thrill went up her spine at knowing he was reacting this way to her. Part of her wanted to tease him more, but the other part took pity. Well, there would be plenty of time to see how flustered she could make him in the future.
“What did you want to show me?” she asked. “Probably not this, right?”
“Oh, right,” he said, turning back to his desk, “I, um…”
She watched as he moved a few things across the surface, before he finally seemed to spot what he was looking for and held it behind his back. He moved quickly across the room, bounding over the floor to stand in front of her. He rocked on his feet for a second, a grin on his face.
“I wanted to ask you about this,” he said, and the object behind his back came to the front. A pink, heart-shaped paper. She gasped in recognition. Before she could say anything, he folded it open and started to read, “‘Your hair shines like the sun / Your eyes are gorgeous green, / I look at you and wonder / Your innermost thoughts and dreams. / Yes—’”
“Stop, stop, stop!” Marinette interrupted, her face feeling like it might burst into flames. Why was he reading that? She slapped her hands over her cheeks in a futile attempt to calm the red.
It took her a minute, but she finally ripped her wide eyes away from the valentine in his hand to look up at him. The smirk on his face was that of the cat who got the canary.
“So I’m guessing by your reaction you did write this, Bugaboo?”
Oh, god. Did he know? Had she actually signed it? Was this whole thing ruined by an accidental reveal?
Her panic must have shown on her face, because Adrien’s smile went from teasing to reassuring in an instant. “I compared your handwriting,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to know who sent this to me…” His voice and eyes were wistful. “I got hundreds of valentines, but this one felt so personal, like you knew me. I actually—I don’t know if you knew—but I wrote a poem for you and this… felt like an answer. I… wanted it to be you.”
She squirmed under his gaze, but at least one secret was safe for now. “It was,” she answered. “I… I saw you writing in class, and I kinda… well… I kinda dug your poem out of the trash,” she said, sheepish.
“The trash?” His smirk returned. “Oh, so you really like me, huh, little bug?”
Well, yeah, but he didn’t need to be so smug about it. Marinette narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “And you like me,” she said. “Your poem? Fan behavior.”
He laughed, and her stomach fluttered pleasantly. “Wait,” he said after a beat, “you said ‘in class’?”
She ran through her previous words in her head. Oh. Oops.
She chuckled nervously. “I– uh, yeah, I did say that, didn’t I?”
“So, we’re in the same class?”
“Maybe,” she said, biting her lip.
His eyes lit up at the new information. Then, he was laughing, and he looked like a little kid in a toy store, the way he was practically vibrating on his feet in front of her. “This is so cool,” he said. “No, not cool, it’s amazing! We know each other, we really know each other!”
Marinette’s cheeks were hurting from how wide she was smiling. She was so happy. It was easy. Her Chaton and her Adrien, all one amazing boy. Somehow it felt like meeting someone new, and knowing someone for ages all at the same time. She wanted to keep talking to him, to pull all these new reactions and emotions from him, learning and loving and just being with him. What other little things would make him beam like that? What would make him blush? She was so excited to see what would come next.
“So, not that I want to make you feel pressured or anything,” Adrien said, breaking her out of her thoughts, “but… When can I take you out on a date?”
Marinette blinked up at him through her mask, her face pleasantly warm and her heart backflipping through her chest. “A–a date?”
He took her hands in his. Marinette felt like every atom of her body was coming alive. “A date.” He nodded. “If… If you’re interested, that is…”
“I’m interested!” she yelped, her voice coming out faster and louder than she intended.
A blush blossomed across Adrien’s face. “Good,” he said with a smile. His thumb rubbed across her knuckles, sending tingles across her skin even through her super suit. “And while I don’t mind the spots… It would be nice if, maybe… possibly… this date could be with the you who isn’t always wearing a mask?”
It felt as if her breath was trying to escape out her lungs, but she still managed to whisper out a quiet “yes.”
“I–I’d love that…” she breathed.
His smile was brilliant. Wide, happy, and just like a boy in the rain after he offered her his umbrella. Her heart stuttered in her chest as he pulled her hands up to his mouth, gently brushing his lips over her knuckles.
“I can’t wait,” he said, his warm breath fanning across her fingers.
It took a minute for her to get her dry mouth to work. “Soon,” she promised.
X
Marinette was exhausted the next day when she dragged herself to school. She had admittedly stayed a bit too late at Adrien’s, but who could blame her? They had spent hours just talking and laughing and being normal and she hadn’t been able to pull herself away. The only reason she did end up leaving was because he had made her once she started yawning.
Still, she had forced herself to get up early enough to hide another rose in his locker, just so he would know she was thinking of him. She let out a happy sigh as she remembered his face yesterday. Bliss.
“Hmm, so what are we doing here?”
Marinette clamped a hand over her own mouth to muffle her surprised screech. Her eyes darted to her left, where Alya stood, peeking into Adrien’s locker.
“Alya!” she moaned, slamming the door shut. “Please stop doing that.”
Alya just laughed. “It’s not my fault you’ve been stuck on Planet Marinette lately,” she said. “How did you get here so early? I can count on one hand the number of times you’ve gotten to school before me.”
“I…” Marinette’s eyes drifted back towards Adrien’s locker. “I just had some very important things to do this morning.”
“Mmhmm,” Alya hummed. “So, what were you doing in Golden Boy’s locker?”
Marinette haughtily stuck her nose up in the air. “That is between me and Adrien.”
“What’s between you and me, Marinette?”
For the second time that morning, Marinette screeched. God, what was up with everyone today?
She whipped around to meet Adrien’s inquisitive green eyes. For a moment, she thought she had been caught, but he just continued to stare at her, that patient-Adrien-smile still on his face. Shit, she still had to respond, though.
Her mind scrambled for an excuse, hoping he would just be polite as usual and play along. “Uh… The science project! Yeah, the science project! I was talking to the teacher and she was thinking maybe you and I could work together, because, honestly, Alya and I have been distracting each other lately and Ms. Mendeliev said you had good grades and I could really use the help and, uh, yeah!” She winced.
“Oh-kay…” he said slowly. “I don’t remember hearing about a science project, but sure, Marinette, I’d love to work with you.”
“Great!” she squeaked. “Thank you! Um, it, uh, hasn’t been assigned, yet.”
He shot her a confused smile, then moved around her to get to his locker. Marinette had to ignore the searing gaze she could feel Alya leveling towards her. She probably should have left the area after that word salad, but she really wanted to see that happy smile on his face again.
Adrien had already opened his locker, and she didn’t need to wait long before he was pulling out the rose. It was already a bit wilted, since she had admittedly taken a bit too long to put the rest of the bouquet in water, but he didn’t seem to mind. She could see him trying to bite back a smile, the rosiness of his cheeks giving him away.
“Oh, wow,” Alya said, and Marinette had almost forgotten her friend was there, “who gave you that, Agreste?”
Adrien jolted in place, clearly having been lost in a daydream. His eyes scanned Alya’s and Marinette’s faces, for what, she wasn’t sure. After a moment, he let the smile onto his face in full force.
“Secret,” he replied.
“Boo,” Alya cried. “You’re no fun.”
“I’ll let my admirer come forward on their own, before I expose them.”
“‘Before you expose them’?” Alya raised her eyebrows, looking at him over her glasses. “You mean you know who left that for you? Was there a note?”
“No,” Adrien said, “but I have a pretty good idea.”
“Really!” Marinette recognized the cunning grin on Alya’s face instantly. “And would you say the feelings are mutual with this potential admirer?”
She may have imagined it, but it seemed like Adrien’s eyes lingered on hers for just a moment.
“Oh, yes, very mew-tual.”
Hot, hot, hot.
Marinette’s could feel the flush run across her cheeks and down her neck. She just hoped and prayed it wasn’t too noticeable. How did he do that even with a pun?
Alya blew out a low whistle. “Wow, well, good for you! Hope it works out.”
Adrien seemed completely nonplussed, unaware of the scalding temperatures Marinette was currently experiencing. He just smiled back at Alya. “Thanks, well, see you both in class,” he said, waving as walked out of the locker room and towards the stairs.
Marinette was left glued to the floor where she stood. She honestly thought she must have generated enough heat for her rubber soles to have melted into the ground.
Alya nudged her with an elbow. “You gonna live?”
Marinette could only manage a low whine in response.
X
It was a mystery to Marinette how she managed to get through the school day without combusting. All day, she had felt like she was being watched, like she would turn and Adrien would be there, that Cheshire grin wrapped across his face. And yet, every time she did turn around, he was talking to Nino, or watching the board, or scrolling through his phone. She had to believe it was all in her head, but…
She didn’t want it to be in her head.
A part of her was thrilled at the thought of Chat Noir figuring her out. That even through all the magic and secrets, that he would look at her and just know.
But she knew that was impossible.
Right?
Either way, she focused on building up her confidence. She knew Adrien had told her she could take her time, but quite frankly she did not want to. Marinette wanted to tell him now. Unfortunately, she just didn’t know how to get that message from her brain to her mouth.
Every waking moment—and even part of her dreams—was dedicated to planning, visualizing, and practicing.
She almost went out that night as Ladybug. Just hoping she might casually run into Chat Noir, or drop in on Adrien Agreste to see how his studies were going, but ultimately, she managed to hold herself back. They had planned a patrol for the next night, and she was determined to use her full 24 hours to devise the perfect speech.
Or at least, that was what she had wanted to do.
The next day at study break, Marinette sat as she normally did with Alya, who wanted to sit with Nino, who of course sat with Adrien.
Marinette felt absolutely electric. Chat Noir, who just the other night, asked her out on a date, was right there, studying English. He borrowed her pencil. It sent a buzz through her entire nervous system.
While Adrien was studying, Marinette was trying not to watch Adrien study, and Nino and Alya were having some sort of conversation about their siblings.
“Well, yeah, Ella and Etta still sleep with dolls sometimes, but I don’t think they care,” Alya said. “Of course, the second you threaten to take them away, they’ll scream their heads off.”
“Chris is kinda the same lately,” Nino responded. “He didn’t use to be until—I don’t know—last month? He got a new dinosaur stuffed animal and now he acts like he can’t live without it.”
Marinette watched as Adrien’s eraser scrubbed against the page. His long fingers brushed the shavings across the table, and all she could think about was that night when he held her hands with those same fingers. Shame she was wearing her suit though… She wondered what it would feel like to hold his hand and feel his skin against hers.
“The problem is, he took it to school with him the other day and lost it,” Nino said, sighing. “We haven’t been able to get him to go to sleep without tears ever since.”
Adrien looked up from his page to glance at Nino. “Couldn’t you buy another for him?” he asked.
“Nah, man.” Nino took his cap off his head, to run a hand through his hair. “It’s gotta be that one, you know?”
Alya nodded. “Yeah, kids are like that. The sentimental value is more important than the actual toy.”
Marinette spoke without thinking, her eyes still glued to Adrien. “Like yours, on your bed.”
Adrien’s eyebrows rose just slightly at her, before dropping back down into a neutral position. An almost imperceptible movement—or it would be to anyone other than her. His face softened into a gentle smile.
“Excuse me?” Alya interjected.
Adrien turned to Alya without missing a beat. “I have a little stuffed animal a friend gave me. It’s handmade, so I took a picture and sent it to Marinette to show her,” he said.
Wait.
“Huh, interesting.” Alya seemed to accept the answer and went back to her conversation with Nino.
Adrien turned back to his work, but not before his eyes met Marinette’s once more. He seemed to linger for longer than necessary, short-circuiting her brain. It took a moment before her words caught up to her.
Marinette’s heart stuttered, then started again at three times the speed.
The only thing on her mind was a repeated mantra of He knows.
He knows, he knows, he knows.
He knew and he wasn’t telling her.
That stinking cat…
At that moment, Marinette pivoted all her plans. She no longer needed a speech, or a five hundred word essay, or a love letter. She was going to make that cat spill it on his own.
The day seemed to drag on from there. Every class was boring, every conversation was too long, and every meal was tasteless. The only thing she could think about was patrol tonight and seeing Chat Noir.
After far too many hours, it was time to meet.
Marinette bid her parents an early good night, then Ladybug was zipping out of her skylight. A few leaps, many bounds, and she arrived at their usual meeting spot. Chat Noir was already there, sitting at the rooftop’s edge and kicking his feet in the air. He scrambled to his feet when she touched down.
“Evening, my Lady,” he crooned, bending down into a dramatic bow. He took her hand and brushed a kiss against the back of her palm, looking up at her through his mask. “You look beautiful, as always.”
Ladybug was determined not to let him distract her. But if her heart skipped a beat, that was completely out of her control.
“Hi, kitty.”
He stood back up to his full height, letting go of her hand. “No rose tonight?” He stuck his lip out in a cute little pout.
“You know,” she stated, cutting him off.
He blinked green kitty eyes at her, and she almost lost her resolve. “Know what?” he asked.
“You know who I am.”
His face remained the picture of innocence. “Do I?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Yes, I’m quite certain you do.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, my Lady,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I told you I would wait for you to tell me and I meant it.”
“Sure.”
“Well,” he continued, “if you’re so certain I already know, maybe you could give me a hint?”
“I think—” She pressed her finger to his nose, smirking when his eyes crossed to look at it. “—you’ve had enough hints.”
“Then… maybe your name?” Chat took the hand at his nose, pulling it against his chest and rubbing small circles into her palm, and she could feel herself turning to goo. His smile was bright, but gentle.
And just like that, her heart melted. She bit her lip as she met his eyes, feeling those familiar butterflies fluttering all across her stomach and her ribcage, and maybe they would have flown straight up her throat if she let them. She took one last deep breath.
“Marinette,” she said, finally. “I-it’s me, Marinette.”
He was smiling at her with all his teeth, a gleeful laugh bubbling up through his throat. Before she knew it, she was wrapped up in his arms, crushed against his sternum.
“Marinette,” he sighed into her ear. The sensation sent chills up her spine. “Thank you…”
She wrapped her own arms around his waist, squeezing him just as tightly as he was her. They stood there, just holding each other, for she didn’t know how long. Breathing and syncing their heartbeats together. It wasn’t until she heard a small sniff that she pulled away.
“Chaton,” she gasped when she saw his face. His eyes were wet, tears trickling down over his mask. “Why are you crying?” she asked, as she grabbed his face to wipe away the tears with her thumbs.
His lips trembled even as he pulled them into a shaky smile. “I’m so happy, my Lady,” he said. “Marinette.”
Her heart flipped at the way he whispered her name, like it was something precious. She wanted to box that whisper up and seal it away to keep with her forever and ever.
“You’re gonna make me cry,” she said, a wet giggle escaping out her mouth. “How do I get you to stop?”
His eyes searched hers for a moment, before a shy smile crossed his lips. “A kiss might make it better.”
Marinette ignored the feeling of heat rising on her cheeks at his request. “Oh, yeah?” she said, a teasing lilt slipping into her tone.
Chat nodded almost solemnly, and she giggled at the sight.
“How’s this?”
Her hands still gripping his face, she rolled up onto her toes, gently pecking the spot under his right eye. She thrilled at the sound of his gasp, proud she could surprise him even when he was the one who asked.
It took him a moment to get his voice, but then all his swagger was back in full swing. “That was nice, but I think I could use a little more.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “Hmm, well, it seems like you’re not crying anymore, so I actually think we’re good here.”
“Oh, no, Buginette. I’m crying so much. I’m distraught.”
He wasn’t.
She just rolled her eyes, moving back up onto her tiptoes. All it took was a gentle press of her lips on his, and she felt ready to run a marathon. Their faces were red, and they couldn’t stop smiling, their teeth bumping together, but it was perfect and all she ever wanted. After a few attempts to meld their lips together for more than a few seconds, they finally pulled away.
“So, how about that date?” he asked, grinning.
She grinned right back.