"Come with me," he said, knowing the answer would be no.

After a moment, however, she said, "Come with me instead."

His eyes widened as a small gasp caught in his throat. If he was honest with himself, he never expected that to work. Even before he said the words, he'd known that it would take far more than that to convince her. The words kind of popped out after his ring beeped. That she agreed with such ease (well, sort of) was something he didn't imagine.

She smiled at him and swung her yoyo out to catch it on the top of the next building over. Arching over building, she disappeared from sight. Almost not allowing himself to hope, he extended his baton to follow after her. He was half expecting her to be gone already. But she was still there, looking over her shoulder at him from the top of a building.

Chat Noir grinned and leapt after her, increasing his speed. Ladybug flew across the buildings with her yoyo. She was going in the direction Chat Noir more anticipated than expected.

They had to head for the bakery. They had to.

He wanted it to be her so much.

His suspicions came in the small things. It was the fact that they had the same hair. They had the same eyes, and not only in color, but in their kindness and determination when necessary. It was in their shared leadership skills and intelligence. It was that willingness to stand for those that had no other voice. Or in the ton of other ways he could list.

But, most of all, he saw it in the smile he'd seen up close as Chat Noir but only from afar as Adrien.

They stopped on a rooftop. With the familiar sights, it took him less than a moment to recognize where they were at. It was exactly where he hoped they would be. Chat Noir focused on Ladybug as her earrings beeped again. They both knew what that meant. She only had one minute before she turned into her civilian form. And she wasn't leaving.

In that moment, it was all too real. Chat Noir wanted to be positive. He wanted to know for certain that this is what she wanted. "Tell me a reason why we are here," he found himself blurting. Ignoring the minute beep of his own ring, he forged on. "Any reason and I'll believe it. For you." There wasn't any other reason why they would be on this rooftop unless Ladybug was her. But if she changed her mind and wanted an out, Chat Noir would give her an out.

Ladybug shook her head. A lopsided grin appeared on her face as she affirmed, "I'm sure."

A part of him wondered why he was even giving her every opportunity to change her mind. Possibly the part that was far too influenced by Plagg. But he was the gentleman his father drilled him to be. He couldn't help himself. She was his lady. "Why now?" He knew why he was pushing again to reveal their identities. They were on her rooftop. But the more puzzling question was behind the reason why Ladybug was letting him.

"Because I know you." Chat Noir's mouth dropped open in silent shock. There was a double connotation in her words that he almost couldn't help but think of.

A twisted smile curled her lips. There was a lot of emotions to be read in her expression and her eyes. Some he thought he could identify. There was nervousness, anticipation, and a certain self-deprecation that he didn't know the meaning of. But there were others he couldn't. Despite how much he loved her or how often they worked together, he didn't know all the small nuances of her expressions. Yet.

Adrien was looking forward to learning them all.

"I hope you're not disappointed," she added. Comprehension dawned (the self-deprecation made sense) followed by denial. Denial that she thought he could be disappointed. He began to shake his head, the word 'never' at the tip of his tongue. But there was a flash of pink light and Ladybug was gone.

In her place stood Marinette.

Chat Noir couldn't quite stop the sigh of relief or the softening of his expression into what was not quite a smile. Of course, it's Marinette, his mind supplied oh so helpfully. But he understood. It was one thing to be ninety-nine percent sure. It was another thing altogether to know. That one hundred percent was so close, yet such a difference it made. He took little note of the small red creature that appeared from her earrings. It was no doubt Ladybug's kwami, but his eyes focused on the girl in front of him.

Marinette gave him a tentative smile. "Well?" she asked, prompting Chat Noir to realize that he hadn't reacted yet in her point of view. In fact, she might be wondering what was wrong with him, given how silent and punless he'd been for the last few minutes. But in the face of having all his dreams blossom to life in front of him, who could blame him?

Still his body betrayed him when he closed the distance between them in two short strides. He took note of how her eyes widened as his hands cupped her cheeks. Some part of him screamed that he was a gentleman and hadn't he been reminded of that fact not two minutes ago when he was so willing to give his lady an out?

Another part told that part to stuff it because his lady was his princess. He leaned in slowly enough to give her the chance to push him away if she wanted to. And then he kissed her. Not even stopping when light flashed over his closed eyelids, and he could feel that he had transformed back into Adrien. Nor when Plagg's disgusted groan reached his ears or a high-pitched giggle sounded from close by.

Because Ladybug was Marinette. Marinette was Ladybug. And everything was right in his world at that moment.