Originally, this was going to be completely different. It didn't work out that way.

Marinette hates P.E.

Not because she's clumsy, or isn't the most athletic person around - in fact, she probably has the highest grade in her class, aside from Kim. No, she hates the class because although her Miraculous Stones are still safely in her ears, her Kwami is stuck in her locker.

Marinette feels helpless knowing that if an Akuma attacked, she would have to run all the way to the locker room before being able to do anything.

So really, it was just a matter of time. Even Ladybug's luck ran out at some point, and apparently, today is the day.

It started out normal enough; the class had been split in half and placed on teams to play dodge ball. To her delight, Marinette was placed on the same team as Adrien, and to her disappointment, Alya was placed on the opposite team with Nino.

The blogger hadn't stopped sending evil looks to her best friend since.

But the game was going well, until an explosion rocked the school.

The ground shakes, people fall, and every one goes into panic mode. Marinette wastes no time sprinting towards the locker room, but another explosion knocks her off her feet. She skids across the wood floor, and before she knows it, a wall bursts.

A girl steps through the ruble, her skin radiating a radioactive green; her yellow hair is standing on end, and her whole body is blackened with soot. Goggles rest on her nose, only partially hiding her crazed eyes, and a white lab coat flaps open, revealing several pockets filled with test tubes. There's a little pocket protector, with a purple pencil. Each pocket holds a different colored liquid, and Marinette fears what would happen if the Akuma victim would mix them into the beaker clutched tightly between her fingers.

"Ugh," the victim snorts, looking around, "I'm surprised you boys are letting the girls play. This is the gym, isn't it? Girls don't belong in the gym, do they? Because only boys can athletic. Only boys can be smart." Her voice rises with every word, and Marinette scoots away, looking for another exit.

"Well, that's an interesting theory," a voice calls, one that Marinette would recognize anywhere. "Although, I'm afraid I must disagree."

The Akuma glares, swirling the beaker with tense fingers. "Chat Noir," she drawls. "Where's Ladybug? Ditch her already? Decided that she couldn't handle herself? Do you really think you, a boy, could defeat Chemist-She by yourself?"

"Of course not," Chat smirks. "I'm simply here to stall you until my Lady comes to finish you up."

Right, Marinette remembers, they need Ladybug.

She starts to crawl away, slowly, as to not bring attention to herself. She manages to get to the door without being seen, and it's not until she reaches the door that Chat Noir is thrown into the wall next to her.

"Chat!" she screams. "Chat, are you okay?"

The hero groans in response. "Princess?" he asks. "Marinette, are you crazy? What are you still doing here?"

She doesn't answer, realizing for the first time that she's the only student left in the gym. Everyone else must have gotten to a safer location.

"I'm leaving now," she lies, "be safe, okay? Just... watch out for yourself, at least until Ladybug gets here."

Chat smirks. "Awe, Purr-incess," he teases, "are you worried about this old alley cat?"

"Don't ignore me!" Chemist-She shouts, mixing a sickly yellow solution.

"Look out!" Chat yells, tackling Marinette right as the Akuma victim throws the beaker.

They roll to safety as the beaker crashes to the wall, and acidic smoke billows outward, eating away at the walls and floors until it disperses. When she looks, she can see straight out into the street.

Chat is protecting Marinette with his body, and he looks more serious than Marinette has seen in a long time.

"Princess, get out of here," he demands. "It's way too dangerous."

"R-right." She nods, and as soon as Chat lets her up, she sprints back to the door of the locker room.

It's locked.

"No!" she cries, ramming her shoulder into the wooden barrier.

"Marinette!" Chat yells. "I said get out!"

"You can't tell her what to do," Chemist-She sneers. "But..." Her goggles find the French-Asian girl with ease, and Marinette is frozen. "Interesting how some civilian causes so much panic for you, hmm?

Marinette blinks, horrified. She's never had to face an Akuma without Tikki by her side. For the first time in a long time, she feels helpless.

Chat's on the other side of the gym, and Chemist-She already has a pink mixture in hand. Where she got the new beaker is a mystery to all. Marinette doesn't budge in a vain attempt to protect her Kwami.

On second thought, she thinks, maybe she's frozen in fear.

The beaker goes flying, heading straight for her, and as much as she wants to, she can't run, she can't fight. She isn't Ladybug, she's Marinette, she's clumsy and helpless in this situation.

A black figure lands in front of her, and Chat swings his baton like a baseball bat. Miraculously, the beaker doesn't break when it goes sailing back to the Akuma who had to duck to avoid the explosion.

She growls in frustration and squares her shoulders. "Hit me up when you have a real challenge." She disappears in a cloud of white smoke.

Chat is breathing hard, still on edge, and still stands protectively in front of Marinette.

The girl takes a deep breath, her heart hammering, her legs shaking. She thinks she's going to faint.

"What were you thinking?" Chat asks, his voice trembling with emotion. "Marinette, what we're you thinking?! You could have been hurt. You could have died."

He's still facing away from her, still shaking from rage.

"I-I..." Marinette collapses, her knees hitting the wood floor with enough force to bring a bruise.

Immediately, Chat whirls around and kneels next to her. "Hey, Princess," he coos, bringing a hand up to stroke her hair. "It's alright. Your safe, aren't you?"

He swipes his thumb across her cheek, and she realizes she's crying. She finds comfort in the touch, and nuzzles into his hand, seeking more of his warmth.

"I'm sorry," she blubbers, "I-I should have done something, I should have- I was useless."

Chat shakes his head. "Hey, you're alright, see? It wasn't your responsibility, anyway. Don't feel sorry."

Marinette sobs, and throws her arms around her partner. "But it is my responsibility," she insists. "I should have helped. I distracted you, and now she's out there terrorizing Paris, and we're going to have to chase her all over the city-"

"We?"

Time stops. Marinette falls silent, her vision clouded by tears and her face buried in Chat's toned chest. She tenses, but clutches on to her partner more tightly. "I mean you. And-and Ladybug. When she shows up." She glances at the locker room, where Tikki is probably anxiously waiting.

Chat cups her face with his fingers and stares at her intently. She tries to drop her eyes, but she's caught in his green ones, and her cheeks flush. His grip on her jaw tightens for just a moment before he gasps.

"My Lady?"

And there it is.

"W-what?" she stutters. "O-of course not, you silly kitty- I mean, cat, I mean-"

"Marinette," Chat interrupts, "you're Ladybug?"

She winces, and finally pulls back. "Chat, I-"

"We'll talk about this later," he says, sighing, but unable to hide the excitement gleaming in his eyes. "What we need to talk about is why you didn't get to safety, or at least transform."

Her blue eyes flutter to the locked door. "About that..."

Chat seems to catch on, and chuckles. "And here I thought I was the one with bad luck."

Marinette gives a half hearted glare. "Can you just open the door?"

He gives a small smile and steps to the door. With a single kick, it bursts open, and Marinette runs in.

"Tikki!" she calls. "Tikki, where are you?" She rushes to her locker, and as she starts to enter her combination, the little red Kwami flies through the locker door.

"Marinette!" Tikki squeals. "I was so worried! I didn't know what was going on, I just heard noise and the building shaking, but- oh." The creature stops, finally realizing the boy that accompanies her charge. "Chat Noir. I didn't realize..."

"It's okay, Tikki," Marinette smiles. "I kind of, um, let the cat out of the bag."

Chat lets out a snort, earning an eye roll.

"We can talk about this later," he repeats, "but I think we need to take care of Chemist-She first."

"Right." Marinette nods before turning to Tikki. "Tikki, spots on!"

As she transforms, Marinette swears she hears Chat whisper something along the lines of "that is so cute," but ignores it.

Mission first, talking later.

When Ladybug has taken her place, she turns to her partner with her usual confidence. "Alright," she says, "ready to get this thing?"

The blond blinks, apparently taken back by her change of attitude, and nods.

"Of course, my Lady," he smirks.

Then they're racing through the city, following the path of destruction. Goop covers the streets, the hoods of cars are melting, and in the distance, about three blocks ahead, an explosion rocks the city.

"I'm thinking the Akuma is in her goggles," Chat says, parkouring his way over a flipped bus.

Ladybug nods her agreement, determination etched on her face.

It doesn't take long to catch up to Chemist-She, as she spends more time creating havoc than anything else. The area is clear of civilians, so the super duo don't have to worry as they touch down on the street.

"Well, lookie here," the Akuma sneers. "Ladybug finally came out of hiding, hmm?"

"Give it up, Chemist-She," she glares.

"Seriously," Chat smirks. "No need to be so negative."

Chemist-She growls and quickly mixes a purple and pink test tube together. "All I want is to be taken seriously. Is that too much to ask?" She chucks the mixture, and Ladybug and Chat Noir dodge, the sound of shattering glass and foam licking at their heels.

Ladybug tosses her yo-yo, aiming for the girls wrist. It catches her by surprise, and Ladybug is able to yanked her forward so that she falls to the ground.

Chemist-She jerks back up, taking hold of the string and engaging in an odd game of tug-of-war.

"It's different for you," she spits. "The all powerful Ladybug, hero of Paris. How is that you can just show up and showered in praise, while I work just to be recognized?"

A baton slams into the ground, inches before Chemist-She's face, and she lets out a yelp before dropping the yo-yo.

"If it makes you feel better, I've got ion you." Chat winks before jumping down to grab his baton face the Akuma victim.

She doesn't have a weapon, exactly, but she uses her brain, and she dodges each attack with an air of ease. Chat waits until he thinks he has her cornered, and feints an attack before reaching with his hand to the goggles.

Chemist-She swipes her foot out, catching him in the back of the knees, and his legs give out. But the stumble pushes him closer to the villain, and snatches the goggles off her face.

"Hey!" she shouts. "I can't see!"

"Ladybug!" Chat calls, tossing the goggles with ease.

The spotted heroine has to leap to catch them, and on her way back down, she smashes one of the lenses.

Nothing.

No dark butterfly comes flying out, no victim suddenly losing their power.

"Oh no."

"Did you just break my glasses?" Chemist-She demands. "Seriously?!"

"Uh, Ladybug?" Chat Noir calls, braving himself for another round with the blonde girl. "Maybe Lucky Charm will help?"

"Right," she nods, and while she uses her lucky magic, Chat begins his dance.

Chemist-She is clumsy without her goggles, and she stumbles around, but she still manages to cook up a solution and chuck it.

She misses by a mile, but the explosion had enough force that the after wave nearly knocked them all their feet.

Ladybug catches a flashlight. A small one, something that Alya would keep tucked away in her purse for emergencies. Immediately, Ladybug looks down at the goggles, but ultimately having no clue.

The goggles blink polka dots, and then the light, and Ladybug searches for any other clues. The beaker in Chemist-She's hand, the pencil in her pocket protector. Oh.

Oh.

"Chat, look out!" she shouts, not bothering to wait for him to comply before she shines the small light through the unbroken lense of the goggles.

It isn't very strong, so she has to angle them in order to receive help from the sun, and when the light catches, it burns straight into the now pinkish liquid in Chemist-She's beaker. The small amount of heat is enough to make the solution bubble, and in her surprise, Chemist-She drops it. The glass splinters into millions of pieces, and foam begins to climb it's way up her legs, and to her chest. Her arms become trapped, and she screams in furry.

It doesn't take long to snap the pencil in two, and purity the butterfly that comes out.

"Mission accomplished," the two chime, fist bumping their victory.

There's hesitation in place of their usual departure, and Ladybug glances around as people start to come out of hiding.

"Can we talk?" she asks.

"I would like that," Chat answers, smirking, but it's not normal. It's forced, and worried.

Ladybug's earring beeps, and she slings her yo-yo to a nearby building for a quick escape. Except, she realizes, she really doesn't have to escape. It's not like Chat Noir doesn't know where she lives.

Surprisingly, Chat is the one to leave the scene first, leaving Ladybug to chase after him in a weird reversal of their usual game of cat and mouse. Ladybug follows her partner to the building where they usually start patrols. It tall enough where the people of Paris can't see the top, and it's discreet enough where they don't have to worry about security cameras.

She lands a mere second after the leather clad hero, and she can't help but feel the shift in the air. She's down to her last dot, and she can't suppress the feeling of panic despite knowing that Chat knows, and it doesn't matter anymore.

"Ladybug-"

Her last dot beeps, and with a flash of pink, her red suit is gone, replaced by pink pants, a white, floral top, and a dark jacket.

"Marinette," Chat corrects himself, looking at her with eyes that scream confusion, beg for explanation.

"Are you disappointed?" she asks. "I mean, I know you only met Marinette - I mean, me - once, with the Evillustrator , but... I'm not what you expected, am I?"

He chuckles. "No, not exactly," he agrees. "But then again, I'm probably not what you would expect either."

Marinette giggles. "I don't know, Kitty, I'd say I know you pretty well. There isn't much you could do to surprise me."

"Could I try?"

"W-what?" Marinette's mind trips over itself, and she looks at Chat Noir.

Her little kitty, who's wanted to know her for so long, but respected her wishes of secrecy. But he knew her know, and she realizes how much she actually did want him to know. The playful teasing in his eyes is not completely gone, but it's dulled, into something nervous and unsure. Who is she to stop him from telling her his biggest kept secret? Who is she to deny him of this one thing?

"I-I don't mind. I mean, if you want me to know who you are, I won't stop you," she tells him. "I won't force you to do it, though. It was my own stupidity that revealed me anyway; this is up to you."

Chat Noir smiles at her, and begins to run his fingers through his hair. "I want to tell you," he says. "I've wanted to tell you for so long, and now... Well, I'm not sure how you would take it."

Marinette giggles. "Don't tell you have insecurities, too?"

He rubs the back of his neck, and Marinette puts on a serious face. "Hey," she says, stepping forward and taking his hand in hers. "We're partners. You're my best friend, Chat. Nothing will change that; I promise."

The blond meets her eyes, and he seems to steel himself before there's a flash of green. Marinette has to shield her eyes but when the light dies down, she quickly opens them. She's met with a startling green gaze. Slowly, she tears her eyes away to take in Chat Noir without the mask, without the leather.

"A-Adrien!" she gasps, dropping his hand. "Oh my- wow. Um, I-"

"Marinette?" he asks. "Are you okay? Is... is this okay?" He motions down to himself, and there so much doubt in his eyes that it hurts.

"Idiot," a voice sighs, and Marinette looks to see a tiny black Kwami sitting on her crush's - Adrien's - Chat Noirs - shoulder. "She doesn't hate you, kid," the Kwami reassures.

"Hate you?" she repeats. "You thought I hated you?"

Adrien is glaring at his Kwami, but blushes at Marinette's words. "Well, it's just, you never talked when I was around. And one time you literally ran away when I said 'hi.'"

The French-Asian turns are red as her suit and pushes back her bangs. "That-that wasn't because I hated you, Kitty - I mean, Adrien. It was... Well, it's because I li-like you."

Marinette can see the wires in Adrien's brain short circuit. The Kwami laughs, and that's when Tikki emerges from her hiding spot in Marinette's pigtails.

"Stop laughing, Plagg," she scolds. "You're supposed to care for your charge, you know."

Plagg glares and crosses his arms. "Whatever, Tikki. Anyway, where's that cheese you promised? Adrien was the one to figure it out first."

"You made a bet?" Adrien asks, finally coming out of his stupor.

"All the time," Plagg shrugs. "I've won the past three generations, you know."

"Because you cheated," Tikki accused.

"Tikki," Marinette says, and the Kwami looks up at her. "Do you think you could give us a minute?"

Both Kwami's nod, and fly off to the other side of the roof. Marinette can hear their chatter, and see them buzzing around, but she focuses on Adrien, the boy who she can barely speak to, her best friend.

"I'm sorry," she starts. "I was nervous. I didn't know what to do with myself around you, so I kind of tended to avoid you. I didn't realize, but I guess that did come off rude."

Adrien chuckles. "It explains why Nino would always give me funny looks whenever I brought it up."

They fall silent, avoiding eye contact, but constantly catching the other staring.

"Can I ask you something?" the blond asks.

"Anything," Marinette says, maybe a bit too quickly.

"Was that really the only reason you wanted to keep our identities a secret?" Adrien takes her hand again, almost unconsciously, stares down at their entwined hands. "Where you really that worried that I would be disappointed?"

"Part of it," Marinette says. "But I was also worried about Hawk Moth. We don't even know who the guy is; I didn't want to risk anything."

Adrien smiles, more tame, but just as mischievous as the one he wears when he's Chat Noir. "Ah, my Lady. Thinking ahead, as usual."

"One of us has to," she teases, and ducks her head to hide the blush.

"Marinette," Adrien starts, but his voice comes out horse, so he clears his throat and tries again. "Marinette, would you maybe want to go out sometime? I mean, we could just go to the movies, or, or go to dinner, or-"

"I'd love to," she squeaks. "That would be great."

He grins, and it lights up his whole face. Gaining some confidence back, he takes a deep bow, sweeping in to kiss her hand. "If that's the case, then may I have the honor of walking you home?"

Marinette rolls her eyes this time, but her cheeks are still dusted with pink as she sighs. "Oh, I suppose, Kitty. But I'll have you know, my parents won't be happy when I bring home a stray."

Tikki and Plagg appear next to them, smiling at the teenagers. "Don't forget, Tikki owes me cheese. Lot's of it. Although, she told me about these cheese danishes your parents make?"

"Plagg," Adrien groans. "You can't expect her to become your new cheese dealer."

Marinette giggles and pokes the cat like Kwami. "When we get to the bakery, I'll sneak you a piece, okay?"

Plagg smirks up at Adrien, and, in a stage whisper, says, "Oh, I like this one. Definitely a keeper."

The superheros of Paris freeze, staring at each other. Tikki smacks Plagg, who nearly falls off of Adrien's shoulder from laughing too hard.