Work Text:
Adrien sings.
Marinette can't believe she's never discovered this up till this point, having known him for the better part of a year and recently grown closer to him than she ever dreamed she could, and yet, there he is, in the middle of the almost-empty library, mindlessly tapping his pen against the table he sits at, singing with a voice that stops her dead in her tracks. For a moment, anyway. In that moment she's reminded of the very second she began to fall for him, surrounded by pouring rain, the greenest eyes she'd ever seen and unexpected kindness, and it's all she can do to remind herself she's not supposed to stare like that anymore. Besides, he hasn't seen her yet, and the longer she goes unnoticed, she figures, the longer he'll keep singing.
She turns around, making her way back through the aisle of shelves she'd been about to exit when she noticed him, attempting to go about her business as she had been before. But the song sticks with her, and before long she's humming along with him, and then singing.
"I feel my heart beating, I feel my heart beneath my skin, oh I can feel my heart beating, cause you make me feel.."
And then he stops. Marinette peeks out from behind the shelf to find him looking around, confused. She steps out and as he catches sight of her, a faint blush tints his cheeks.
"Sorry. Don't stop on my account!" Adrien smiles shyly, ducking his head.
"Sorry, I didn't- I thought I was alone in here."
"I kinda figured. I tried to go unnoticed but I was humming before I even realised what I was doing!" She makes her way over, sitting beside him at the table. "But what I don't get is why you'd want a voice like that to stay tucked away in empty libraries! It's beautiful!"
Adrien's blush deepens.
"I mean, I don't know- it's okay, I guess?" Marinette raises an eyebrow.
"Okay? Your perception of 'okay' is vastly off, my friend. Did your dad never hear this and think to monetise this talent of yours? I mean- That sounded more rude than it was meant to, I'm sorry."
Adrien laughs. "No, I know what you mean. He used to talk about it, sometimes. When he was a little less successful and a little more happy. When mom was still alive. He says I got it from her, but she wasn't exactly around long enough for me to remember too much of her voice. And I think once she died, and Dad started to close in on himself, he kind of changed. I don't know how, exactly. But suggestions, compliments; they're not exactly common these days. Not as common as orders, anyway." Adrien's demeanour has totally changed by this point, any trace of a smile gone, and Marinette, as usual, can barely stand to see him upset.
"You wanna know a secret?" She asks. He looks up.
"Sure, what is it?"
"I had a conversation with your dad once. He asked me if I thought you were perfect." She laughs. "He wouldn't stop singing your praises, Adrien."
"He-really? Wait, when did this happen?"
A realisation dawns on Marinette. Oh. When I was Ladybug.
"Uh, a while ago, not too sure.. But, anyway." She puts a hand on Adrien's shoulder.
"Adrien, your dad may not be the best at showing it, but he's so proud of you. I know he is. I don't know what it's like to lose a parent or loved one, but I can imagine" -particularly if it were you, she thinks- "that it'd make me pretty closed off, too. But your father loves you, I'm sure of it."
"You really think so?" Adrien raises his eyes to meet Marinette's, and she offers him a reassuring smile.
"Of course." His hopeful smile grows to mirror hers, and he covers the hand on his shoulder, lightly rubbing her knuckles with his thumb.
"You're the best, you know that?" This time, it's Marinette who blushes, looking away with a shy, quiet laugh.
"I mean, I'm okay, I guess."
"Okay? Well your perception of 'okay' is vastly off, my friend", he replies, repeating her earlier words verbatim, a hint of playfulness in his eyes.
"Oh, you shush!"
-----
"Well, m'lady, it's been a pleasure, as always, but I'm about to de-transform, so, I'm sure I'll see you very soon!"
"See you round, Chat." The blonde sends a smile her way as he turns to leave, walking and then all but flying away, disappearing into the Paris skyline as he hops from building to building. As he leaves, however, he starts singing. A song Marinette's hearing for the second time in one day. The sound fades out as he makes his grand exit, but it sticks with her yet again.
Chat Noir also sings.
Marinette's eyes widen in surprise as she puts the pieces together. How on Earth could she not have figured this out before?
She decides to go after him, at least some of the way, to confirm her hunch. Throwing her yoyo out, she launches after Chat Noir, hoping she'll be fast enough to catch up. She reaches a rooftop within mere minutes where she has the perfect vantage point, and manages to catch Chat somersaulting in through Adrien Agreste's bedroom window. Now she has no doubts.
Adrien Agreste, one of her best friends, the guy she's had a crush on for months upon months, is the same guy that flirts with her during every mission, the guy she's always disregarded because he wasn't Adrien (oh what a fool she's been) and the guy- the guy she's KISSED.
MARINETTE HAS KISSED ADRIEN.
As Ladybug, kissing Chat Noir.
And he doesn't even remember it, as luck would have it.
With a sigh, Marinette heads home, recalling every single encounter she's ever had with her best friend and his superhero counterpart. The sun slowly setting just beside her, on most days, is a sight she really hopes she can manage to catch. Today, she barely notices it.
-----
Marinette lies awake in bed that night, piecing events together, noticing things she's never noticed before. The hours pass at a snail's pace as Marinette tries to clear her mind, but it's no use. Now that she knows Chat Noir's real identity, she feels as though she owes it to him to let him in on her secret. So, when she finds herself at his balcony in that red suit, it doesn't really occur to her that it's about 1 in the morning until after the pebble hits his window.
It also only just occurs to her then that in revealing her identity to him she may be doing the honourable thing, but she could very will diminish all chances of Adrien/Chat ever acting on his feelings for Ladybug. He may not even have feelings for Ladybug once he finds out who's behind the mask. The worry and fear creep in and fester in the pit of her stomach, building up until she almost considers leav-
"Ladybug?"
Well, too late now. Marinette manages a small smile.
"H-hi Adrien, sorry to wake you, I just- well.. Can I come inside for a sec?"
"Yeah, of course." Adrien looks pretty confused, but to his credit, doesn't hesitate to let Ladybug into his room. He looks into her eyes, his own full of concern, and for the billionth time that night Marinette can't believe it's taken her so long to realise her two closest guy friends share those eyes, because they're not two people at all.
"Is everything alright?"
"I can't believe I never saw it before", she breathes, amazed.
"Saw what?"
"There were so many signs- that poem on Valentine's day; the way you acted with Volpina; everything makes sense now!"
"Ladybug, what are you-"
"I know, Chat."
Adrien freezes. His eyes, round as saucers, shift back and forth between hers and every other object in the room, the struggle evident on his face as he tries to piece everything together.
"H-how di-"
"You wanna know how I know. Well, that's only fair, I guess. Honestly, if it weren't for today I probably never would have figured it out, we've both been just as blind as each other, and all the things that make sense now never even crossed my mind before."
"Before what, exactly?"
"Before I heard you sing." Adrien inhales sharply. "Then it was pretty much crystal clear. I mean, the same song? As both Adrien and Chat? Not that you knew you were singing in front of the same person, of course." Marinette stops, watching calmly as Adrien looks up, realisation written on his face.
"Marinette", he breathes.
A smile settles on his face as he looks back up at her. "So, one of my best friends, someone I could probably trust with anything, also happens to be my favourite superhero, who I fight crime alongside practically every day?"
"Well there are only two superheroes in Paris as far as I know, so I don't know if being your favourite counts for much, but.." She shrugs, her smile growing.
"Pretty cool, huh?"
"Yeah", he agrees. He practically glows in the dim moonlight.
"Pretty cool." Then, out of nowhere, his face falls.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, uh, it's just.." His hand reaches up to scratch the back of his neck. "You know I liked Ladybug- both as Chat Noir and myself. Now that-"
"-Now that you know who's under the mask, the allure's gone." Marinette ducks her head, unable to meet Adrien's eyes as a lump forms in her throat. Don't cry, dammit.
"No! No, that's not it at all! No, the other way around!" Marinette raises her eyes, a mix of confusion, hurt, and a little hope swirling through deep blue.
"Everyone has this picture of Adrien Agreste, this image that can't be tainted. I mean, I'm Chat Noir and Adrien, not one or the other, but as Chat, I'm so much more free to honestly be myself. And a part of me kinda knew that you- Marinette, or Ladybug, really- would be one of the few people who'd never treat me any differently if you found out, because that's just who you are. You're gracious, and never judgemental. But, as far as actual feelings went.. Well, you know, you've just found out this guy you knew that everyone seems to think is perfect, is just.. an awkward guy who tries to flirt with you by way of puns that probably aren't even funny. If I had any chance, I figure that's probably over now."
Marinette actually raises her head this time, incredulous as she stares at him. "Adrien, are you kidding me? You.."
She trails off, a dazed kind of happiness attempting to settle on her face as she wars with her head and heart. "So, you're not disappointed, then?" The nervous hope in her voice is all he needs.
"Disappointed? Never."
His hesitant hands just barely trace her jawline as he leans down to kiss her; a short, nervous, but wonderful thing. He pulls away slowly, resting his forehead against hers. "And.. and you're not?"
Marinette beams, all traces of fear gone, and stands on her toes to kiss him in response.
"Couldn't be happier."