"Are you Chat Noir?"

Adrien's heart stopped as he whirled around to see Ladybug standing in his window, a shadow backlit by traffic and moonlight.

"W-what?"

She didn't blink or laugh or even try or backtrack. She just said,

"Are you Chat Noir?"

His heart tripped over his tongue on its way to his ears and all he could do was stammer and stare as his partner upturned his life with a single sentence.

"You– how– why?"

She never wanted to know before so why was she asking now.

"Because if you are then I am really worried about you. And I guess I would need to know. And if you're not then you should know you have friends who love you very much."

"How do you-"

But she kept going.

"Adrien Agreste doesn't have a lot of support at home. It never occurred to me that Chat could be just as alone. And if he has them and Chat has me-" her eyes sharpened. "Then I need to know."

She was looking at him and to him and through him so earnestly that he hardly knew himself let alone his name. His hands trembled and he curled them into fists to keep from reaching out for her and discovering a dream.

"Adrien," she said softly. "Please."

He found his words anyway.

"It's me."

All at once the bravado seemed to rush out of her. "Oh."

And then even softer, "Oh."

Adrien rushed forward as she swayed, looking almost ready to faint.

"Ladybug?"

"I need a minute." She said, eyes galaxy wide.

He stood ready just in case.

Not ready enough, however.

Not ready enough to be prepared when she surged forward and threw her arms around his neck, practically knocking him to the floor as she hugged him tightly.

"I've got you," She said, burying her face in his chest. "I've got you."