Chapter Five. Just kiss me already.
Marinette sighed as she placed the last of her designs into her leather folder. The mess was contained in her studio, finally. The only thing she had been able to do was clean to keep her mind off Chat. People usually got married on Saturday which meant today he could be…
She swallowed hard, keeping tears at bay. She would stay strong. She would still be there for him as Ladybug, and if he ever decided that he could be friends with Marinette again, she'd be there, too.
"You did a good thing today, Marinette," Tikki said, flying out of her purse. It was as though the kwami could sense her thoughts sometimes.
"Yeah, you're right, Tikki. I just wish I had taken my own advice a couple of nights ago instead of just pushing Chat Noir out of my window."
"I don't know what advice you're talking about, but stuff that involves not getting rid of me is my favorite kind."
"Chat!" she shouted, running over to the window and hugging him tightly. She let the tears prick her eyes again as she pulled back, and a few of them fell down her cheeks.
Adrien waited until he was sure she would be home. Truth be told, he also had to gather his courage. Once he did though, he transformed and raced across the roofs of Paris towards the apartment of his best friend and his lady.
He watched her through the window for a solid half hour. How didn't he know Marinette was Ladybug? They were so similar! He saw a little red blur that could only be her kwami as it talked to her, and he decided that it was time see her.
He swung into her window sill like he always did, ready to pour his heart out.
"I just wish I had taken my own advice a couple of nights ago instead of just pushing Chat Noir out of my window."
He couldn't resist smiling. "I don't what advice you're talking about, but stuff that involves not getting rid of me is my favorite kind."
"Chat!" she shouted, flying into his arms. He had to readjust his stance so he didn't fall as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. He closed his eyes, returning her embrace whole-heartedly. She smelled like Ladybug. He knew that scent so well; he had fallen in love with it. How couldn't he have known that it was Marinette's scent that he fell in love with?
As she pulled away, there were tears on her cheeks, lit up by the moonlight behind him so they looked like little crystals. He reached forward without a second thought, wiping them away from her cheek. "What's wrong, Purrincess?" he asked softly.
She let out a sound that was half laugh, half sob. "Only you would choose now for a bad joke. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I pushed you out of the window and told you to leave, I just couldn't stand the thought of you marrying someone else, because I-" she stopped, her cheeks growing beet red as she stepped back.
"Because you what?" he asked.
"Never mind. It doesn't matter."
He climbed down from the window sill, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Of course it matters."
"You have to know by now. It's so obvious."
He shook his head. "Enlighten me."
"I love you, Chat."
The words hit him, and he couldn't keep the smile off his face as his heart soared. She turned away. "Mari."
"None of that matters though!" she yelled. "You're getting married."
"Actually, I'm not."
She turned again. "You what?"
"I'm not getting married."
"Why?"
He felt a grin working its way up his face. "I got some great advice from my best friend. She said that we should all marry someone who gives us little butterflies in our stomachs, not someone who chases them away." Marinette's head shot up at the words, realization dawning in her eyes. "And the person who gives me butterflies in my stomach is you, Marinette… actually, it's always been you… m'lady."
She let out a strangled noise. "I… but… how did you know… I'm Ladybug… ADRIEN?" Her breathing became shallow as she reached her hands up to grab her head.
"Plagg, claws in," Adrien ordered quickly. The black cat kwami flew out his ring with a groan, and Adrien, still in his tux from earlier, stepped forwards to grab Marinette.
She slowly removed her hands. "So… you're Chat… and I'm Ladybug," she said slowly.
He nodded, unsure of how she was going to react.
She let out another laugh that was tinged with tears. "We've been ducking each other for years. First you loved Ladybug and I loved you, then you loved me and I loved Chat."
He let out a shaky laugh. "I guess we could have saved each other a lot of heartache if we revealed our identities earlier, but none of that matters now."
She looked him in the eyes. "Do you think you still love Ladybug like you love Marinette?"
"Depends. Do you still love Adrien like you love Chat?"
"I don't think I can ever stop."
"Well then," he said, drawing her closer. "Looks like things are purr-fect, M'lady."
She groaned. "Adrien!"
He silenced her protest with a kiss. Their lips fit together just as well as they did. He pulled away after a moment. "I'm so glad you said something."
"I'm so glad you didn't say your vows."
She was still crying, and it made him frown. "Are you sad?"
She shook her head. "No… I'm just so happy. I love you, Adrien."
"I love you, too, Mari… just remind me not to let you crash any more weddings if you're going to make a habit of kissing the runaway groom."
She laughed. "So try not to be a runaway groom again."
He laughed too. "Just kiss me already," he said, quickly capturing her lips again. I won't, he promised quietly. The next time I'm a groom, she'll be there bringing me butterflies.