Disclaimer: Not mine. If it was, season 2 would be much kinder to Marinette's character. I feel like they kind of ruined her. But that's a rant for another day.

Talking to Alya, sharing all the secrets that had been weighing on her, left Marinette feeling lighter and happier than she had felt in a long time. In fact, by the time Sunday night rolled around, she was excited.

"I can do this," she said softly to herself.

"You can," Tikki said. "Just remember to listen, too. Chat Noir seemed really upset the other day."

"I know." The thought seemed to sober her up.

Chat was waiting for her, pacing on the rooftop, when she swung in to land beside him.

"I'm sorry!" they blurted after a moment of awkward silence. Ladybug snuck a glance at her partner, noting that he was doing he same and not liking the tension she saw in his hunched shoulders.

"Please," Chat said, "can I . . . ?"

"Of course," she hastily reassured him.

"I shouldn't have pushed you. I had time to process everything; I should have made sure you had the same." He spoke quickly and with his eyes closed, as if waiting for some horrible reaction. He opened one eye slightly to gauge her mood.

Ladybug smiled at him. "Thank you. And I want you to know that I'm not angry at you. To be honest, I don't think I ever was. I was confused and scared and I took it out on you. That was wrong of me and I'm so, so sorry."

Chat's shoulders lost their stiffness and he smiled.

"And you're not upset I'm Chat Noir?"

"Of course not! But can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Why were you so scared I wouldn't care about you?"

"Because you care so much about Adrien."

She chuckled. "You are Adrien, chaton."

He drew back. "But I'm also Chat Noir."

"And I'm also Ladybug. But taking up the mask and the powers doesn't change who we are."

"You don't get it!" He turned away, wrapping his arms around his waist. "Chat isn't the mask. Adrien is."

"What do you mean?"

"You see Ladybug as a duty, a responsibility. And that's what this is for you, which is fine. But for me, being Chat Noir is a chance to be myself, to be free. The Adrien everyone else sees is all an act. The perfect son, the perfect model, the perfect student."

"But that's not who I fell for." She moved to stand in front of him, placing a hand on his cheek. "I fell for the boy who was desperate to make new friends and made sure I knew he wasn't mean. I fell for the boy who shared his umbrella with me. I fell for the boy who cares so deeply for other people and, despite constant disappointment, manages to have the most genuine and warm smile I've ever seen. That's who I fell for." She winked. "The model looks were just a plus."

He looked at her for a moment, eyes wide, before wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Thank you," he whispered.

They didn't end up patrolling. They sat on the edge of the rooftop, talking for hours.

"We should probably detransform," Ladybug said as it neared midnight.

Chat eyed the long drop to the ground. "Really? Here?" He winked at her. "Missing my handsome face?"

She rolled her eyes. "No. But I know Tikki has been missing Plagg. She's told me all about him the last few days."

Chat brightened. "Oh yeah! Plagg said Tikki was the only thing he loves more than his Camembert." He laughed at the look on her face. "Coming from Plagg, that's high praise. Trust me."

They released their transformations, smiling as the two kwami flew around at a speed almost too fast for their eyes to follow.

"Can I ask a question?" Marinette asked.

"Anything, Purr-incess."

"How did you find out I was Ladybug?"

GUYS, IT'S FINALLY DONE!

Wow. That turned into something I was not expecting. But it's done now! So I can focus on that Fairy Tail Beauty and the Beast AU...or maybe that other Miraculous story about Plagg and Tikki...or the...

As you can see, I have too many ideas and not enough time.

Special thanks, as always, to star-eye for beta-reading and getting my musical references (and continuing them too!). The musical reference wasn't in the story, don't worry, you didn't miss it.

Catch ya later, lovelies!

-FD