Alya is vibrating with excitement when Marinette meets her at the school gates.

"Girl! Where you been? Why've you not been answering my calls?"

Back pressed against a chimney, Chat's warmth and scent filling her world, fingers in his hair, his claws just pricking the small of her back as he gasps. The brick scrapes pleasantly against her shoulder blades, reminding her that it's real and happening.

"Never mind! Have you heard?"

He sighs her name into her neck, her real name, and she shivers and replies with his. He smiles brighter than she's ever seen him smile. She feels light and bright and alive; she's made of stars, fizzing like champagne bubbles.

"I have the story of the year!"

Marinette blinks.

"No. What happened?"

"Ladynoir! It's finally happened! Look! I've had pictures coming in all morning. Ladybug and Chat Noir are finally together!" She flicks her thumb carelessly against her phone so Marinette can glimpse a reel of photos of Ladybug and Chat Noir, kissing on the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc du Triomphe, on a balcony at the Louvre… They had not been subtle.

The Eiffel Tower had always been their favourite spot. At the very tip, they can see almost the whole of Paris spread out before them. He takes her hand and her stomach jumps and flutters, like her hair in the cold night air. She used to tell herself that it was just the buzz of being so for above the ground, a residual fear. But now she knows better.

She blushes and tries to be annoyed, despite the warmth pooling in her chest.

Alya doesn't seem to notice. She seems to have forgotten all about Marinette and hugs her phone with an expression of bliss. "My babies! I'm so happy!"

"Wow, Alya!" Marinette finally remembers to respond. "That's great! And it must be great for the Ladyblog!"

"Yes! It's a Ladyblog exclusive! See, I took this one at the Centre Pompidou last night, but the others were all sent in by my followers. It's breaking news! And I broke it! This is so huge!" She's practically dancing on the spot.

"That's so great, Alya!"

Alya screams and envelops her in a hug, only breaking away when the bell rings for class.

"Oops, sorry!" She doesn't look remotely sorry. "Come on! Let's go!"

They run to class, breathlessly laughing (Alya's excitement is contagious), before slowing to a walk just outside the door. Mme Bustier hadn't arrived, but everyone else seems to be present.

Marinette feels her breath catch for an entirely different reason.

He is sitting in his usual place, straight backed, plainly not listening to Nino. His eyes slide to her as she enters and the Cheshire Chat smile curls his lips.

She waits until she's at her seat behind him before, with a thrill of daring, leaning right over her desk until her mouth is level with his ear.

"Chat," she breathes.

It's easy to imagine his cat ears twitching. The smile turns into a grin.

"My lady," he purrs back.

He turns in his seat and catches her cheek before she can even think of moving away.

She meets his eye, confident and smiling, despite the blush dusting her face. His eyes burn as he strokes her cheek for a second, before sliding his hand into her hair and leaning into her.

His lips are soft and warm, gently moving against hers, but not enough. She presses closer, opening her mouth with a sigh to let him in.

She feels his tongue touch hers and it tingles, sending a jolt all the way down to her stomach. His fingers tighten in her hair and his breath hitches as he pulls her even closer. Her toes barely brush the ground. She smiles against his lips, completely lost in him.

Unfortunately, breathing is still a requirement of living.

Breaking apart, she beams up at him, a little embarrassed, but ridiculously happy.

Up close his eyes are huge, as big as Chat's, even crinkled up with warmth. Her busy fingers had taken it upon themselves to muss up his hair, so he looks a little rumpled and dazed and more Chat than ever.

Then, Marinette becomes aware of a strange chocking noise in the background. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Alya and Nino, staring at them both, open-mouthed.

Glancing the other way, she can see her other classmates, frozen with expressions of varying degrees of astonishment and (in Chloe's case) fury.

She should be embarrassed, a detached corner of her brain notes. Marinette would be embarrassed. But with Adrien looking at her like that, out of Chat's eyes, she's never felt more Ladybug.

A smirk tugs at her lips, and she can't resist reaching up to boop Adrien on the nose.

"Down, chaton," she whispers, so only he can hear. "Mme Bustier will be here soon."

That seems to wake him up.

He grins at the familiar gesture and takes his seat as she does, just as their teacher walks in and begins issuing instructions. Marinette barely hears her.

Something is welling in her chest, something warm and bright that threatens to spill out of her, out of her face, her mouth, hell, even out of her fingertips. She's sure her face is glowing, but she can't bring herself to care.

She had kissed Adrien! He had kissed her! Adrien was Chat! Chat was Adrien! She had kissed him! He had kissed her!

She giggles before she can stop herself and Adrien twitches. He'd heard her, and now the back of his neck and ears are turning rosy.

The bubble expands and she can't help wriggling in her seat, like a puppy.

Surely, she's going to float away, any second now.

Alya seems to have gotten over some of her shock and, being the good friend she is, leans over to squeeze her wrist.

"Keep it together, girl," she whispers, barely audible.

Marinette nods and bites down on the next giggle, managing to turn it into a sappy smile.

Alya scribbles something as Mme Bustier starts to say something about Marcel Pagnol. A note lands on Marinette's knee.

Later, girl! You totally owe me all the deets!

In front of them, she can see Nino nudging Adrien, so she knows he's having the same problem.

It's the best problem she's ever had.