I might keep writing more for the Miraculous Ladybug archive? And for anyone who might be reading this that follows me, I am not ditching the KWMS fics don't worry! I've just suddenly come up with so many ideas I want to write for this fandom as well.

Let's call this a testing the waters one-shot, if you will!

-o-

"Achoo!"

Ladybug sneezed for the hundredth time that night. She and Chat Noir were currently on patrol, however it would seem that she'd caught a cold. Well, it's not like it was unexpected. She did just waltz out of her home in a skintight suit in the middle of winter. And now she was sitting on top of the Eiffel Tower where the chilling winds would have no problem hitting her. She inwardly cursed herself for her awful decision making skills.

"Cold?" her partner queried, slipping off his cozy jacket and draping it on her shoulders. He kneeled beside her.

"Just a bit," she admitted, tugging at the sleeves and holding it out for him to take. "But I don't want you to freeze out here."

Chat Noir took the jacket from her hands and wrapped it around the girl again. "My home is closer. And besides, purr-trol is already over," he reasoned with a playful wink. She crinkled her nose in feigned distaste.

"That one was iffy."

He chuckled, glad to see his cat puns eased the mood. "Just return the coat tomorrow. Goodnight, m'lady."

Leaving no room for protests, he hopped away along the building tops until the black cat was completely out of view. Sighing, Ladybug gratefully zipped up the jacket, deciding to return home as well.

-o-

"Tikki?" Marinette called, still awake even though it was nearly midnight. She was tired, but some things were bugging her. Like that damn jacket. God, why was she easily affected by guys?

"Yes?" a sleepy voice asked. Marinette bit her lip, wondering if this was an appropriate question to ask.

"Is...Is it weird that Chat Noir's jacket smells familiar?" she inquired curiously, before realizing how much of a creep she sounded like. Sitting up in her bed, she began awkwardly blabbering. "N-Not that I was intentionally sniffing it! I just noticed while I had it on!"

"Maybe he wears a popular cologne." Tikki suggested, hoping she'd be satisfied with that answer. Marinette was a spirited girl always full of questions—and while she admired that, she did wish the girl would ask them at more godly hours.

"I guess so…" she murmured, not being able to rub off the uneasy feeling.

-o-

"Chat…is this what I think it is?"

The alley cat looked up at her wish a grin. "If you're thinking this is a purr-posal," he started, getting down on one knee and opening the velvety box that contained a gleaming ring inside, "then you are paw-sitively correct."

Marinette cupped her hands over her mouth, tears of joy threatening to spill from her bright blue eyes. She jumped into his strong arms, startling her partner for a moment, although he quickly recovered and hugged her back. "Really...those silly puns even at such a moment…"

Laughing heartily, he called her name. "Marinette."

Pulling away and looking into his shining green eyes questioningly, the only answer she received was him calling her name again. "Marinette…"

"What is it, chaton?"

"Marinette," a small voice called. The girl was suddenly pulled out of her dream world, as she rolled over in her bed, shoving her face into the pillows as if that would get rid of whoever was calling her name.

"MARINETTE!" they yelled this time, annoyed at this daily occurrence. "Adrien is here!"

This certainly woke her up. As if a puppet controlled by strings, she flew up out of the bed faster than humanly possible. Rushing to get dressed in some appropriate clothing, she asked, "Is he downstairs?!"

Her kwami grinned sheepishly. She did feel a bit guilty, but what other choice did she have? At the rate that Marinette was piling up her tardies, she was bound to not even graduate from high school. "No, but you're going to be late for school."

The blue haired girl groaned, but knew that it was for her own good. On top of it, she turned bright red upon remembering her weird dream about Chat Noir. How could she even think about Adrien after having such thoughts?! Marinette somehow felt like she was two-timing men she wasn't even dating. Now more dejectedly, she continued dressing herself. She threw on a plain white tee-shirt, pairing it with some light blue skinny jeans. Tying her hair into her signature pigtails, she decided this would have to do for today.

Just as she slipped on some winter boots and was ready to rush out the door, her kwami stopped her.

"Marinette, you're going to freeze. Wear a jacket," she reminded the girl, dragging a puffy black jacket over to her.

"Oh, I knew I was forgetting something!" she laughed, taking the jacket from Tikki and putting it on. Noting that it was very comfortable, she tried to remember where she could've bought such a jacket, but just couldn't put her finger on it.

Dropping the question, she finished zipping it up, before grabbing her backpack—making sure her kwami was able to sneak in, first—and heading off to school.

-o-

"Girl, you're just in time!" Alya exclaimed, beckoning for the shorter girl to hurry up and get in her seat. She rushed up to get seated before their teacher arrived. On her way up the staircase, she waved to Adrien who happened to be seated just in front of her. Although she felt guilty again about the whole two-timing scenario, she reminded herself that her brain subconsciously thought of Chat Noir in her sleep without her permission. It didn't even have to be a called a dream. What if it was a nightmare?

"G-Good morning," she greeted, cheering internally that she was beginning losing her stutter when talking to him.

Cutting his conversation with Nino short, he turned to face his classmate.

"Good mor—" he paused. Something about her appearance was a bit off today. Well, not off, but just...kind of familiar? That doesn't make sense, though. Of course she looks familiar, I see her everyday. But just something...

"Nice jacket, Marinette," Nino complimented. "It looks kind of like Adrien's."

Luckily, the teacher seemed to be running a few minutes late today. It gave the model more time to think.

Nino's comment stuck in Adrien's mind, and that's when gears in the blonde's head started turning, before finally it clicked. "Hey, isn't that my jacket?" But how did she get a hold of it? The only person I lent it to last night was Ladybu—oh, shit.

"Huh?" she asked, confused. She obviously hadn't pieced it together, yet. Marinette was panicking a bit, remembering the scenario when Chloe was accusing her of stealing something out of her bag. Does he think I stole it from him? Oh, no. "No, um, I think this is mine…?" Wow, way to sound like you're telling the truth, Marinette. Let's have a round of applause for your top-notch IDIOCY!

Marinette began to think about where she got the jacket from. Maybe her parents bought it for her? She surely didn't make it, or else she would've remembered easily. Jackets take time to design and create—

That's when she remembered freezing on top of the Eiffel Tower yesterday.

"Oh, wait! That's right! I got this from Ch—" she cut herself off, "a friend."

Just then, the teacher walked into the classroom. Adrien groaned. What perfect timing.

Quickly, he said to her, "stay behind at lunch. We have to talk."

She nodded, not even registering what he asked of her before she took a seat beside Alya. Wait. Did Adrien just ask me to stay with him during lunch to talk? Like, alone?! The love of my life wants to be stuck in an empty classroom with just me? Oh my god, does this count as a date? It totally does. Maybe he's going to propose to me…

...like in my dream about Chat Noir.

Wanting to cry in frustration, she tucked her head in her arms and pressed her nose against the cold desk.

"Hey, Marinette?"

She snapped out of her pity party and rose her head, turning to her whispering friend. To her confusion, the girl looked…guilty? "Huh?" Marinette inquired.

Alya seemed a bit hesitant for a moment, but she finally put her hands over the other girl's. "Listen...um, I know you may get mad at me for suggesting this, but I'm your best friend and you can tell me anything…"

"I'm listening," she beckoned.

Alya bit her bottom lip. "Did you steal that coat from Adrien?"

Marinette seemed startled by this. Did her own best friend even think she stole the jacket? "What?! No! Even I'm not that crazy!" she whispered loudly. This attracted a few glares, which the two girls ignored.

She shrugged. "I mean, it's just—"

"Listen, I might have posters of him plastered all over my room, his schedule may or may not be written on a whiteboard on my wall, and I did steal his phone once…b-but that doesn't mean…" she paused, letting out an audible sigh. "Okay, I do see where you're coming from. But no, I didn't."

"Alya and Marinette, stop chit-chatting back there and copy down these notes!"

"Oh, uh, yes ma'am!"

-o-

"...and that's how you solve for x using this equation. I suggest using it in your college years as well, for I find it's the easiest method to understand, and takes the least amount of steps. You are now dismissed for lunch."

Everyone flooded out of the classroom like a herd of sheep. Marinette was about to stand up and leave with Alya, until she remembered Adrien's words before class. Her face turned red at the thought of spending her entire lunchtime with him.

"Uh, Alya," she called, causing her friend to turn around. "I think I'll be staying here...to make up on some assignments. You know, I also forgot to do last night's homework for the next period."

Her best friend looked her up and down, obviously suspicious. The redhead then stared her dead in the eye, making Marinette rather even more nervous than she already was.

"...Okay," she replied, before leaning in right beside her friend's ear. "But don't think I haven't noticed the fact that Adrien is still sitting, too," Alya snickered, causing the blue haired girl's cheeks to take on a pinkish hue. "I want all the deets," she added.

As if nothing ever happened, Alya hummed a tune and rushed out of the classroom to catch up with Nino.

An awkward silence filled the classroom as the door closed with a small click. As soon as it did, Adrien got up out of his seat, emitting a startled squeak from Marinette. She was anticipating the conversation, but didn't think he would get to it this fast.

He leaned against her desk, eyeing the jacket she wore. Marinette could tell he was. "So…should I just cut right to the chase?"

Thinking he would interrogate her about who it actually belonged to, Marinette shot into explanation. "This really isn't yours! My friend gave it to me last night because I got cold, and I just happened to wear it today. It can't even be yours because how would I have gotten a hold of it?! Even if I managed to, I promise I wouldn't lie about it. I know this jacket looks and feels really expensive, but it really isn't—"

"Woah, relax, Marinette," he laughed, quirking an eyebrow up at her ramble. "I know you didn't steal it…but it is mine."

"It isn't!" she protested. Sensing another rant, he placed a finger over her lips, causing her face to resemble a tomato at their contact.

"Did Chat Noir give you that jacket?" he asked. Her eyes widened, and he could sense the panic in them. Did he figure out my identity?!

"H-How did you…"

"He did, didn't he?" Adrien pressed. Marinette glanced at his face carefully, dying to know what was going through his mind at this moment. After a moment of hesitation, she slowly nodded. He smirked. "Then that jacket is mine."

Marinette froze. Everything started making sense. "Y-You're Chat Noir?!"

Another chuckle erupted from his throat as he took a deep bow. "A purr-leasure to make your acquaintance, My Lady."

Her emotions were currently a jumbled mess. Out of all the weird sensations she felt, she could make out one distinct one—and that was happiness. She wanted to laugh at the irony of the situation—Chat Noir liked Ladybug, but Ladybug didn't like him because she liked Adrien in her civilian form, but Adrien didn't like Marinette because he liked Ladybug.

And then they turned out to be the same people. What were the odds?

They knew there would be a lot of questions to be asked and a lot of talking to be done, but she decided that could all wait as a familiar answer escaped her lips as though this were completely natural. Which, it really was. Her lips curled up into a smile.

"That one was iffy."