"Adrien I don't think you should be messing around with Marinette's bag!" Plagg was frantically flying around his head.

"Shhh Plagg keep your voice down!" he poked the bag again and received another squeak.

"I don't hear anything, Adrien seriously just leave it alone!"

"Plagg her bag just squeaked, you can't tell me you didn't hear it!" He poked it even harder, anticipating another squeak, instead the bag opened up and out flew a small red creature. Adrien jumped off the couch, eyes wide, "WHAT IS THAT?" he turned to Plagg, who was facepalming.

"Why do you keep poking me?" the creature had a sickeningly sweet high pitched voice.

"Oh my god it talks, Plagg what is that?"

"Seriously Sweet-tooth I thought we had an agreement to stay hidden?" Plagg still had his head in his little paws, as he scolded the creature.

"Yeah well you sit in the bag while someone pokes you and see how long you will put up with it. Let's keep it down though Marinette is still sleeping. I guess we should explain shouldn't we? As you might have already guessed Adrien, I am a Kwami."

Something clicked in the back of his mind, Kwami... Plagg is a kwami, Marinette has a Kwami, a Kwami that's red with black spots, just like a... "No freaking way."

"You figured it out didn't you? Congrats stud you are now in on the little secret," Plagg sounded irate, he was shooting daggers at the red kwami.

The red one rolled her eyes and floated over to Adrien, "I am Tikki, Kwami of the Ladybug earrings, but I can guess by your expression you already figured out what that means"

Adrien collapsed on the floor, eyes wide, head in his hands. Marinette is Ladybug, all this time the partner he loved so much sat right behind him in class and spent the night beside him in bed. He couldn't believe that his strong, brave Ladybug was the same girl who was sleeping in his bed right now 'Oh my God, I did it with Ladybug. Ladybug has been sleeping in my bed, Oh my God.'

"Earth to Adrien? Are you still with us kid?" Plagg smacked him on the top of his head with a tiny paw.

"Marinette is Ladybug. Plagg you knew, you watched, how come you didn't say anything? Did you enjoy my suffering?" Adrien was getting angry his fists balled up, knuckles turning white.

"Keep your voice down. Listen, we aren't supposed to interfere with your lives that way. It wasn't my place to out Marinette and Tikki if Marinette wanted you to know who she was she would have told you already. We both vowed to stay out of this part of your lives, and we would still be out of it if a certain red Kwami would have stayed hidden" Plagg actually sounded genuinely sincere.

"What am I supposed to do, who knows how she will act when she finds out I'm Chat."

"Adrien, Marinette is not to know you're Chat Noir." Tikki flew in front of his face.

"I can know who she is, but she can't know who I am? That's not fair, she's right there I could easily tell her!"

"Marinette is not ready to expose herself, she has too many insecurities and she doesn't trust enough. She is nowhere near ready to tell you who she is, or to find out who you are. She would freak out if she knew you were Chat Noir."

This was way too much for Adrien to take in right now, his head was spinning. 'Marinette is Ladybug, I should have realized this myself, as many differences there are between them, there are so many similarities.'

"Adrien listen to me, Marinette will tell you sooner or later until then you just have to go on like nothing has changed. I promise things will work out in the end, for now just continue on like you have been. Don't hint that you know what's going on, just treat Marinette like Marinette and Ladybug like Ladybug." Tikki's eyes were filled with concern, Marinette's Kwami was so much different than Plagg, but it made sense, Plagg and Tikki were polar opposites. Creation and destruction.

"OK Tikki, I get it, I need to be alone for a while ok? Plagg keep an eye on Marinette, from afar, and let me know if she wakes up," he made his way to the bathroom, once inside he slumped to the floor.

"What am I going to do? I wanted to know so badly who Ladybug was, and now that I know it's overwhelming," he knew he saw the similarities between then, but he never suspected them to actually be the same person. His head hurt and his body felt heavy, he never thought he would have this sort of reaction to finding out. He thought back to all the times he professed his love to Ladybug, all the times he made a fool of himself, all the times she kindly rejected him, was it because she was in love with him as Adrien?

He thought of all the times Marinette tried to speak to him, only to stutter and stumble over her words. All the times she called him 'awesome' or 'cool' was he really that blind he didn't see how she felt? That was the problem, though, she wasn't in love with Chat Noir, she was in love with Adrien and only Adrien. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't always be Adrien, Ladybug needed her trusty partner, even if she didn't love him per say, he knew there was a mutual respect between them.

All he knew is he had sex with Marinette, which means he did it with Ladybug, and right now he knew his brain couldn't handle sleeping in the same bed with her, he didn't even think he could stand seeing her face. He had no clue how he was going to keep this a secret, but Tikki told him Marinette was not emotionally ready to reveal herself, and he had to respect that.

He opened the door, checking to make sure she was still sleeping. Hearing her quiet snores, he went and laid on the couch. His heart hurt, but he knew what needed to be done, he needed time alone, needed time to think, and he couldn't do that with Marinette around.

She yawned and stretched, her eyes slowly adjusting to the brightness in the room. Sitting up she checked the bed, she was alone, "Adrien?"

"You're awake, good, how are you feeling?" his voice came from across the room.

"Um... Better, much better," she wasn't sure what was going on, but she didn't like it.

"Good, I put your stuff on the table next to the bed. I think it would be best if you went home," his voice was cold, it sent shivers down her back.

"Is something wrong Adrien?"

"I need to think, and I can't do that with you here. You're too much of a distraction, so please, go home. I'm going to be heading to school so anyway."

"Oh... Um... OK... I'll see you at school I guess," she quickly gathered her things, slipped her shoes on and practically ran down the stairs.

What was up with him? She had never seen him so cold and distant before, and what did he need to think about?

She felt a part of heart shatter, he had rejected her.

What did she do? What did she say wrong? A thousand questions whirled through her head, and before she knew it she was sprinting home, hot tears spilling down her cheeks.

She snuck up the back stairs, luckily avoiding her parents who were preoccupied with the bakery. Plopping down on her lounge she grabbed her phone and texted Alya.

Marinette: I'm heading to school in a few.

Her friend was quick to reply.

Alya: You are? Are you OK now?

Marinette: Physically yes. Emotionally, I have no clue.

Alya: Tell me what happened at school, I'll be here in 5.

Alya was already waiting on the steps when Marinette arrived at school, "Whats going on?"

Marinette took a deep breath and shook her head, "I don't know. When I woke up, Adrien was different, he was cold. He told me to go home because he needed to think, and he couldn't do it with me there because I was a distraction. I don't know what I did wrong Alya."

"Awww girl boys are jerks," Alya put her arm around her and smiled, "He's prob just PMSing or something."

Marinette shook her head and frowned, "No, I don't think so. He seemed to different, something had to have happened."

"Well whatever happened, just let him get over it. Give him so space and see if he comes back to you. If all else fails give him the silent treatment, boys hate that!"

Marinette nodded and made her way to class, Alya at her hip. She stopped in the door of the classroom, Adrien was already there, staring at his desk.

Alya leaned close to her, "Say hi to him and if he doesn't reply commence silent treatment."

She made her way to her desk, stopping at the side of his, she waved at him "Hi Adri-" she stopped when he turned to face Nino. Her hand fell to her side and she took her seat.

Alya shook her head and placed her hand on Marinette's shoulder, "Silent treatment girl, I know it will be hard for you, but let him come back to you alright?"

"What if he doesn't?"

"He will, just trust me OK?" Alya grinned and shot her a thumbs up.

Marinette couldn't help but smile, Alya always knew what to do when it came to boys, all she could do now was trust Alya.

Across town, the annual circus was setting up its tent, bursts of fire could be seen from the outside. As the firebreather finished his practice the ringmaster made her way over to him.

"Nice job Seraphin, but I have a bit of bad news."

"What's going on?"

"Well, I hate to say it but we need to cut your performance from the show, people just aren't coming like they used to, and we don't have the budget to have every act in the show," she placed her hand on his shoulder, "I'm sorry."

He shook her off, "My performance was spot on, are you seriously going to do this to me?"

"Seraphin, it's not my choice, I'm sorry."

He stomped off, slumping onto a nearby bench, "This isn't fair, the firebreather is one of the best acts in the circus."

"What is this? Rejection? Anger? The perfect fuel for my Akuma," the booming voice laugh as a small white butterfly landed on his hand, "Fly away my little Akuma and evilize him!"

"This just isn't fair, I should be in that show!" Seraphin didn't notice a small black shape fly into his torch until it was too late.

"Hello Inferno, I am Hawk Moth, I will help you set fire to the ones who have wronged you, but in return, all you have to do is get something from Ladybug and Chat Noir for me."

"Yes, Hawk Moth!"

Adrien felt bad ignoring Marinette's greeting but he couldn't talk to her right now. Instead, he found himself face to face with Nino who pulled him into a headlock.

"Bro, what the heck is wrong with you? I seriously did not just see you blow off Mari? Tell me I didn't just see that."

"I did."

"Dude, what is wrong with you? You are never like this, did you pops do something?"

"No it has nothing to do with my dad, I just have a lot of thinking to do and she distracts me."

"Adrien, seriously, you better watch yourself or you will end up getting the silent treatment or something. Especially if she has Alya coaching her through this, trust me that girl is the queen of silent treatment."

Adrien scoffed, "Nino right now I don't care what she does, I need time to figure things out and if she wants to give me the silent treatment then so be it."

Nino released him and sighed, "Bro that's cold."

Maybe it was but what else could he do? If he talked to Marinette now he knew he would slip and bring up her alter ego, and he couldn't do that to her, the only thing he could do is stay away until he knew he could keep his mouth shut about it.

Out of nowhere a blast of fire shot through the windows, shattering the glass.

Mr. Damocles rushed into the room "A villain has been spotted nearby, I need all you to evacuated and go straight home."

Adrien was the first out the door, sprinting into the boys bathroom, "Plagg we need to transform now!"

Plagg squinted his green eyes at him, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Yes, right now I just have to forget about last night, Ladybug is going to need my help. Plagg, claws out!"

Ladybug was already on scene, watching from a nearby rooftop when she heard her leather clad partner behind her.

"What are we dealing with?" he was oddly serious, no puns or playful antics.

"I'm not entirely sure yet, but it looks like he can control bursts of fire," another blast demolished a building across the street.

Chat was perched next to her, he sighed and stood, "So my lady, is it hot up here or is it just you?"

She groaned and facepalmed, how that was the normal Chat she knew, "Chat right now there is no time for your witty remarks, let's capture their Akuma and be done here."

She shot her yo-yo, lassoing it around a pillar, diving off the building she swung toward the villain and slammed hard into them, sending them flying.

Chat landed next to her, and placed a hand on his hip, "Looks like the situation is heating up," he grinned a raised an eyebrow at her.

She groaned and facepalmed, "Chat..."

"What can I say Ladybug, heaters gonna heat. Anyway, where do you think the Akuma is?"

Before she could answer the villain stood, "How dare you interfere, feel my fiery rage!" he shot a burst of fire directly toward Ladybug. She braced for impact, but it never came, her eyes went wide when she saw Chat Noir standing in front of her, small flames coming off his body.

"Chat!"

"Wow, that was... hot," he collapsed in her arms, his suit singed.

"Muahahaha! I am the mighty Inferno, give me your miraculous' or you will be next!"

"Your fiery reign of terror ends now Inferno. Lucky Charm!" She tossed her compact into the air, in a flash of red light, a fire extinguished had taken its place.

He shot another blast toward her, she quickly avoided it, hopping from car to car. As he was about to shoot another, she pulled the lever on the fire extinguisher, coating him in foam.

"Wha... What is this?!"

She flung her yo-yo wrapping it around his ankle, using it send him flying, in the process he lost his grip on the touch, she sprang forward closing her hand around it.

"No!" Inferno screamed.

"Its time for you to cool down Inferno," She slammed the touch down on her knee breaking it in two and tossed it on the ground, "Get out of here you nasty bug!"

She slid her finger across her compact, "No more evil doing for you little Akuma. Time to devilize!" She swung her yo-yo catching the Akuma inside, "Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly."

She tossed the extinguisher into the air, "Miraculous Ladybug!" In a flash of red, the city was restored, and the villain returned to his civilian form.

Chat was still on the ground, "Chat? Chat can you hear me?"

He groaned, his eye fluttering open, "Ladybug?" she was holding him in her arms, "Wow that Akuma sure had a hot temper huh?" She dropped him onto the ground with a thud.

"Glad to see you are back to your normal self Chat, but I need to bug out!" she shot her yo-yo to a nearby building, just as she was going to propel over, a hand grabbed her arm.

"Wait Ladybug, can we patrol tonight? I need to talk to you about something?"

She smiled and nodded, "Sure Chat, I'll see you tonight. Bug out!"

Chat paced the roof of the hotel, impatiently waiting for her to call. His finger was on the button, and he was ready when the beep came, her picture popping up on the screen of his staff, "Hey."

"Hey, where are we starting tonight?"

"The roof of the Grand Paris Hotel, I'm already here."

"OK, I'll be there in 5."

His heart sank when she hung up, what was he going to say? He wanted advice that's it, but advice on what? His thoughts were cut short when he heard a zip and feet padding across the rooftop.

"Ok Chat, I'm ready when you ar-" she stopped when he turned to face her, "What's wrong?"

"I need to talk to you, I need some advice."

"Aright, I'm all ears."

"OK, I have a friend..."

"Do I know this friend?"

"Probably not since we have no clue if we even know each other when we are in civilian clothes."

"OK good point, continue Chat."

"Well, I recently found out she is keeping a huge secret from me. I mean we are pretty good friends, but she never told me. Right now I'm not sure what to think, I feel like she lied to me by not telling me herself."

"Do you like this girl?" Ladybug cocked an eye at him.

"No! I only have eyes for you, My Lady, she's just a really good friend. Right now I'm not sure how I feel about everything. I honestly have no clue what I'm asking you or anything, but I guess what would you do in this situation?" Chat sat down on a ledge and sighed, this wasn't going as planned.

Ladybug sat next to him, "Hmmm... What would I do? I guess I would remember that my friend is my friend no matter what they hid from me, and they must have had a good reason to hide it. I wouldn't hold it against them, or be angry, I would just go on like normal. Do they know you know their secret?"

Chat shook his head, "No."

"OK, then I would just keep being their friend, and not change how I treat them. No matter what happens, my friends will always be my friends."

"You are right Ladybug, thank you. I knew I could come to you. I appreciate everything you do, you are pawsitively purrfect!" He nuzzled against her and grinned.

"Um, yeah OK. Should we start patrol?

"Yeah!" he said with a nod, and dove headfirst off the building, Ladybug at his heels.

School the next day was almost completely normal except for the fact Adrien was still ignoring her. By now she had given up even trying to get his attention and opted to be nothing but a quiet bundle of nerves behind him. She knew Alya tried her best to get Nino to crack Adrien, but it was all in vain, and much to Marinette's chagrin, she had to wait out whatever funk Adrien was in. Sure she may or may not have cried to Alya on the phone the night before, but as far as they were concerned that never happened.

It wasn't until the end of the day, that things started to turn around. She was a couple feet from her locked when she noticed something was taped to it. Upon closer expectation it was actually a note from Adrien.

Marinette,

Please come over tonight, we need to talk.

I'm out front waiting for you, I understand if you decline.

Yours,

Adrien.

Her heart was in her throat, and she was having a hard time breathing.

'Calm down Marinette, it cant be anything bad if he wants you to come over. Just breathe and calm down, it's not like you haven't been to his place before.'

She quickly gathered her things and headed toward the entrance, she could see Adrien leaning against a railing, arms crossed. Swallowing hard, she walked up to him, but she couldn't find her voice, so she settled for a pathetic wave.

"Let's go," his voice, his expression, everything about his demeanor was cold, maybe she was making a huge mistake going to his place, but she couldn't think about that right now, this had to be important.

The walk there was filled with silent tension, and before she knew it they were climbing the stairs to his room. Once inside she set her bags down and stook awkwardly in the middle of the large room, arms planted firmly at her sides.

He took his top off and tossed it onto the bed then turned to face her. They stood there, for what seemed like centuries, it was like they were meeting each other again after being apart for years. She studied his face. Perfectly styled blond hair, lush lashes, chiseled jaw, and his eyes, bright green with a wildness he only let her see. Normally he would have struck her as gorgeous, but right now, as he stood in front of her, fists clenched, shoulders shaking slighting, the only word she could use to describe him was sad.

He closed the gap between them, and gripped her shoulders, his face a cocktail of emotions. He embraced her with such a sudden harshness it left her breathless. His face was crushed against the nape of her neck, his arms were a vice grip around her waist as if she might slip away from him at any moment. She didn't know what to do, so she just stood there letting him embrace her, totally at a loss.

When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, and the words came out slowly, "I'm so sorry."

She was surprised at his words, it wasn't what she expected to hear at all. Gently she returned his embraced, and placed one hand on his head, comfortingly stroking his hair.

He pulled back slightly, turning his face away from hers, "I'm so sorry."

She pulled back a little more, placing a hand on his cheek and turned his face so she could look into his eyes, "Adrien, it's OK."

"No it's not!" he pushed away from her, turning his back to her, "You have no clue why I'm even apologizing."

She took a step toward him, "Then explain it to me."

He scoffed, "What am I apologizing? Well, I don't know, maybe because I have been a giant asshole for the past two days."

"I cant disagree with that," she mumbled.

"See? I've been nothing but a jerk, but I did a lot of thinking," he turned and faced her again, "Marinette, I don't care who or what you are, I don't care about anything that happened prior to this moment, all I know is I want you, I want all of you."

His smile made her breath hitch, and those green eyes held her captive, "So, what exactly are you trying to say, Adrien?"

"I want you, I love you Marinette. I'm sorry it took this long for me to sort my feelings out, sadly I've been very conflicted since our first night together, but I know now how I feel." he grabbed both of her hands and held them in his.

That was the moment when Marinette's brain malfunctioned, "I... U-umm... I w-well..."

"Marinette I understand if you don't feel the same way, I just needed you to know how I feel."

"N-no God no, that's not it, its j-just you are so amazing and awesome and I'm just s-some normal person and there is nothing special about me. I never thought this would be happening, especially with you, with me, this is amazing, and I'm rambling... I'm sorry."

He doubled over in helpless laughter, "This is why I love you, I cant help but laugh at your antics."

She crossed her arms and stuck up her nose in mock displeasure, "Ha ha, so funny. Keep it up and I won't tell you how I feel."

"Come on Marinette don't leave me in the dark," he smiled trying to compose himself.

A smirk crossed her face, "Close you eyes and Ill show you."

He did as he was told standing still with his eyes tightly closed, she moved forward placing her hands on his cheeks and gently touched their lips. It was a simple peck, lasting just seconds, but before he had a chance to open his eyes, she shoved him onto the bed and straddled his lap.

"Marinette?"

She leaned down and kissed him deeply, her fingers combing through his hair, he deepened the kiss their tongues colliding, but she had to tell him. She broke away from his mouth and pressed her forehead against his, "Adrien, I love you too. I always have and always will. You mean more to me than anything, I'm so happy right now."

He grinned, capturing her mouth with his again, she let it happen, reveling in his taste and the way he made her feel at home. She knew that she started something that there was no stopping, and at this point she didn't care.

It was gentle this time, full of love and compassion, with every kiss she knew his words were sincere, and she was his. She knew she would be spending the night with him again, and didn't even bother to call her mom or even think up an excuse as to where she was, all she cared about was the boy in her arms. Sure tomorrow would be hell, Alya and Nino would be questioning to no end, but she didn't care, she would worry about that tomorrow, Paris could burn down around them and she wouldn't care, tonight was about Adrien and only Adrien.