A/N: I signed up for too many fic exchanges and honestly forgot about this little fic that got me writing in this fandom! So, I opened up this document and just had to finish it!

This is un-beta'ed (like the rest of the story) and unedited, so forgive typos. It was always met to be a quick write. It's still a quick write even if I'm updating it months later.

Hope you enjoy!

…

Marinette had been sitting at the table with her friends for thirty minutes. Alya was showing off some footage she had gotten for the Ladyblog, and Adrien was gushing over it. Nino just shared a look with her and shrugged his exasperation at the antics of the two Ladybug obsessed fans. It was chill, which was nice. But Marinette was on edge because she half expected Alya to grab Nino and ditch her and Adrien at any moment as she had every day that week except today and yesterday. But the moment never came. They made it all the way through the lunch hour without incident.

When the boys split away, Marinette turned to her best friend immediately.

"You stopped pushing me to confess," she accused. "Why?"

Alya didn't look at her, and instead stayed focused on gathering the remains of her lunch. "You've seemed stressed lately is all. I thought I was making it worse."

"You don't think I can do it, do you?" Marinette said.

Alya gave her a flat look, all her patience gone. "Girl! I have long since established that I believe in you!"

"Then why? You've always pushed me!"

Alya looked away again. "Adrien may have come to me worried about you."

The answer caused her to freeze, her mind spiraling with so many possibilities. Was his worrying about her a sign that he liked her? Or did he think little of her after she totally spazzed on him at lunch the other day?

"He was worried about me? Why?"

"I guess he talked you through a panic attack the other day."

Marinette wilted. "Yeah, I guess he did see that. He probably thinks I'm a total spaz."

Alya puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "He said no such thing. Like I said, he was just worried about you."

"He loves someone else!" Marinette blurted.

Alya's hazel eyes widened. She stopped walking and her eyes flashed in anger. "What? He told you that?"

Marinette felt her own indignation rise. "You knew?! Is that the real reason you stopped pushing me to confess?"

"I might have known yes, but I wasn't lying when I said that he came to me worried about you. And that I thought you might need a break."

"I need to confess though! Even though I know I'm not going to get the answer I want."

"Why?"

"Because I'm so stuck. I feel like this is the only way to move on. I'm going to do it! And I'm going to do it today!"

"Wait!" Alya grabbed for her. But Marinette dodged easily out of her grasp. Maybe all that practice in her suit was finally transferring over to her civilian self.

...

When their last class of the day ended, Marinette followed Adrien and Nino to their lockers. She ignored the sweat in the palm of her hands and the butterflies in her stomach, and clung to the vestiges of Ladybug courage that she knew had to be in there to face akuma after akuma.

"A-Adrien, can you… I mean… can I talk to you for a minute?" She managed. While it wasn't particularly smooth, under the circumstances she was mostly pleased with how that came out.

Nino offered her a wink from over Adrien's shoulder. "See ya tomorrow, dude!" he said, clapping Adrien on the back before disappearing further down the noisy hall.

Adrien turned to her with a patient smile. "What's up Marinette?"

"C-can we sit down for this?" she asked. And he nodded. They both ducked into an empty classroom. He had pulled out a chair from a desk for her before sitting down at her side. Her hands shook, so she clenched them stubbornly.

"I…" she looked up into his gentle green eyes that waited serenely for whatever she was going to say. And she suddenly felt calm. Whatever he thought of her confession, he wouldn't be cruel. It wasn't who he was. "This may uh… feel like it's out of nowhere, but I wanted you to ah… kn-know…" she glanced away, over his shoulder. She could finish that sentence however she wanted. She could walk away right now. She knew he loved someone else. She almost did it.

But she wanted to move forward. She had to do this.

She turned back to his soft gaze with new resolve. "I wanted you to know that I have a crush on you."

She felt freer with the words out of her mouth, lighter like she could flutter away like an actual ladybug.

"A-and I know you probably don't feel the same," she continued rapidly. "I was hoping that you might… uh… consider us becoming more than friends."

And she ran out of words at that instant. Her hands writhed in her laps like wriggling worms, but she forced herself to look at him again. She had to know his reaction even if it was going to tear her into pieces.

He was smiling, but there was a sadness to it. She felt herself wilt. Even though she expected it, it was hard not to feel disappointed.

"I'm super flattered Marinette," he said, his voice soft with understanding. "I think anyone would be lucky to have you. I wish it could be me honestly," he added. "I'd be lying if I said I've never thought about it before. But my heart belongs to someone else. And I care too much about you to string you along."

"It's okay, Adrien. Thank you for being so kind about this." It was amazing that she could suddenly speak coherently. It was like all that nervous energy had dissipated into the air. She felt shockingly calm. Like sure, her throat felt too tight and her eyes burned; she was totally and definitely going to break down in tears the second she walked away, but for the moment she would keep it together like she always did under fire. She could and would cry later.

"I hope you know that I consider you to be an amazing friend, and I hope that can continue."

"I hope so too," she whispered. She started to stand up, but then dropped back down into her seat against her better judgement. "I have no right to ask, but who is this girl?"

He hesitated. His hand rubbed the back of his neck. "She's someone I work with, but I can't tell you her name. It could get us both in trouble."

"I understand. Would you tell me about her?" she asked without thought. What was she doing?! She could picture Alya screaming at her to protect her own heart. But she just had to know. It was like the need to pick at a scab. Except this was a raw and fresh wound. So fresh, she hadn't realized it had happened yet. So, not like picking at a scab at all.

He squirmed at the question, his gaze shifted away from her for the first time since their conversation had started.

"You don't have to!" she quickly corrected. "I imagine it's kind've personal."

"It's not that. It seems really insensitive to your feelings to talk about another girl."

"Please," Marinette begged. "I want to know who could capture your heart."

"If you're sure?"

She nodded again.

His gaze turned distant as he remembered. "Umm... we got caught up in the very first akuma attack together."

"Stoneheart?"

"Yeah, we got tangled... I-I mean trapped together. She was so scared. Completely panicking really."

"And you saved her?" Marinette asked, watching the memories play out on his face with her own sad smile.

He laughed with such genuine delight and her heart ached. "Not even close! I might have said some reassuring words. But she's the one that saved us. Like despite her fear, she stood up when it mattered. I was inspired. And I just looked up to her so much in that moment and I never really stopped."

"I hope she knows how lucky she is to have your affection," she said softly.

He laughed again, deprecatingly. There was no joy here, and her indignation flared on his behalf. "No, not really," he confided. "I think I've confessed too many times. She respects me as a partner on the job, but outside of that, I think I irritate her."

"What?! But you're so genuine!"

He shrugged. "She thinks I don't take our job seriously enough because I crack jokes all the time." Adrien suddenly makes eye contact and his face falls into a frown. "Oh God! I'm sorry! I'm sure you don't want to hear all of this! I'm terrible."

"You're really not. If you were this would be much easier," her throat closed up, and to her horror a few tears slipped passed her best efforts to hold them back.

"Please Mari, don't cry," he begged. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have talked about her. I knew it was a bad idea. I never wanted to hurt you."

"It's not your fault," she choked out. "You can't help the way you feel."

"But you make me wish that I could. I wish I could say yes. I've been in your shoes. I don't want to hurt you. But I can't say yes when I don't feel the same. I don't want to play around with your feelings. It would be the same as lying to you. I don't want to do that. You're more than my classmate, Marinette. You're my friend. And I never want to lie to a friend."

She froze. Those words felt so familiar, but it took her a second to place it. Those were her words.

Her words to Chat Noir.

She couldn't breathe.

"Marinette?" Adrien called, concerned. He placed a hand on her arm. She could picture the black mask over his face easily now. "You okay? Are you having a panic attack?"

She shook her head. "I-I..." She couldn't get the words around the brick in her throat. Maybe she was panicking.

"I-Is that what she said to you?" the question exploded from her like water suddenly rushing past a blockage. "When you confessed to her, is that what she said?" she demanded, not bothering to hide the urgency with which she needed to know.

He blushed. "I… Y-yeah, I'm sorry. I'm not very original. She just did such a good job of letting me down easy. I guess she is my role-model in more than one way."

A girl that he worked with. Whose name he couldn't say. Who didn't like his jokes…

Tears poured unrestrained down her cheeks, but for a wholly different reason.

"Marinette?"

Adrien was Chat Noir. Chat Noir was in love with Ladybug. She was Ladybug.

Adrien was in love with her.

"Y-you love me," she sobbed.

His face went pale. "Marinette," he started. "I just said…"

She pressed a finger to his lips before he could misunderstand.

"It's okay Chaton, I won't tell anyone."

He went rigid, frozen solid as an iceberg. "H-How?" he babbled. "You can't tell anyone! Ladybug is going to be so mad."

"She won't be," Marinette assured.

"You don't know her like I do!" he countered, his hand flying through his perfectly styled hair in his panic. She liked it better wild and free, the way he wore it as Chat Noir. "Keeping our identities is like the most important thing!"

Marinette grabbed his hand and yanked him down to her eye level.

"I'm not mad at you!" she shouted at him. "I only felt that way because I want to protect my family. And my… friends."

She saw the moment when he connected the… spots. (Oh God! Now, he had her punning.) His eyes widened into gaping vats. He breathed in but had yet to exhale.

She poked him gently in the side. "Breathe, Adrien."

"My Lady?" he whispered in shock.

"That's me," she admitted with a smirk.

He stared at her for a full twenty seconds and she just kept grinning. "It's so obvious," he finally said.

"Yeah, I don't know how I couldn't recognize you either," she agreed.

They fell into silence, just staring at one another. Marinette fidgeted, uncertain where they stood with one another, unsure of where to begin, but not being able to take the awkward quiet.

"I…"

"We…"

Then they start talking at the same time, only to immediately stop to let the other speak.

"For the love of all things miraculous!" Plagg whined, his head poking out of Adrien's jacket. "One of you should be rude and go first!" Glaring at Adrien in accusation.

"Plagg!" Tikki scolded, phasing out of Marinette's purse. "Let them figure it out."

"Why do I have to listen to this?" Plagg demanded. "It's always the same! Every single time."

"Don't mind him. I'll take care of him," Tikki promised. She flew up to Adrien's chest, grabbed Plagg, and they both darted completely out of sight.

And then Adrien and Marinette both burst into laughter. When they finally recovered, Marinette glanced over, and felt the heat rush into her face.

"So… uh... does this change things for you, Adrien?" she made herself ask.

"Does it change things for you?" he countered, his frame rigid with sudden tension. "Honestly, Chat Noir is just me without a filter, but you don't seem to care for him as much."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Uh… no?" he offered with a nervous smile, as his hand rubbed the back of his neck. She had seen him make that gesture on both sides of his mask so many times.

"Chaton! I adore you! I always have! I don't know how I would face any of this without you! It's just…"

"Just?" he prompted when she trailed off. His eyes sparkling with hope again.

"Your timing sucks sometimes! If I think about what you're saying in the middle of a battle, I'm going to laugh, and then stumble or trip or something stupid and then we lose! And we can't lose!"

"I make you laugh? You think I'm funny!" he repeated gleefully, rocking backwards into his chair, that insufferable superior smirk bloomed across his face.

"Here, I am catastrophisizing, and that's what you get out of it?" she demanded hotly. "I can't believe I fell in love with such a peacock," she mumbled under her breath.

"I don't mean to make light of your fears, Buginette," he said, making an attempt at a sober expression, but mostly failing. "I don't think you realize how giddy and hysterical I am right now."

"I get it." She felt the same. Everything was awhirl. It was too loud and too bright, but it was also too amazing and beautiful with heady rush of adrenaline to go along with it. She felt like a fireworks show was going off in her chest.

"Wait!" his eyes snapped up to hers. "You said you're in love with me?"

"Where have you been?! That's how this whole conversation started!"

"Right," he added softly. "But I didn't know that you were Ladybug in that moment. Ladybug is in love with me," he squealed.

"I guess she is," Marinette repeated, not minding the blush that bloomed across her face.

He took her hand in his own, and pulled her knuckles up to his lips. "May I kiss you, My Lady?"

"Please!"

His lips were soft and so gentle. And she felt like she was ruining it because she couldn't stop smiling even as he left soft touches on every corner as he kissed her again and again. Until she couldn't contain her joy anymore, and just burst into giggles.

"We need a story!" Adrien interjected, not at all bothered by her hysterically happy display. Their fingers were interlaced, and his firm grip told her he had no intention of letting go anytime soon.

"What's wrong with I got up the nerve to confess, and you finally said yes?" Marinette asked.

"Alya's what's wrong with that story. She knows that I am in love with someone else that I work with."

"That's been me all along…" she whispered in awe. "The story you told about Stoneheart! That was me!"

He laughed. "Yes, I suppose it was! And the other boy you liked, was me! God, I was so jealous of that boy! And so angry with him for being such an idiot! I'm sorry, Marinette."

"I'm sorry too, Chaton for not seeing all of you either."

He leaned in to kiss her again, and this time she relaxed, let her own lips go soft as she pressed them back into his. She felt the butterflies of nerves explode in her stomach again. She was kissing Adrien Agreste! The boy she had a crush on since forever! And she was kissing Chat Noir, her best friend and partner, who had stood between her and peril too many times. She didn't have to hurt him anymore.

Things could not be more perfect.

"So about that story?" Marinette whispered as he pulled away just slightly, a grin lighting his face.

"Uh huh," he mumbled, clearly distracted.

"Maybe you could just say that the girl you were crushing on got into a fight with you. That she wasn't who you thought she was. And that my confession was just so amazing and heartfelt that it swayed you. That you felt seen and understood, and that you had to give us a chance."

"I don't like it."

Marinette giggled. His pout was so cute.

"Why not? It's all true!" she insisted.

"But it's misleading! And makes you look bad!" he objected.

Marinette barreled on as if he hadn't spoken, counting off her points on her fingers. "We get into fights all the time!"

"Together! We get into fights together as allies!"

"And the girl you liked isn't who you thought she was."

"She's so much better!" he growled.

"And I hope that you do feel seen and understood now?"

"Better than ever before."

"So just go with my story."

He sighed. "I have a hard time letting anyone think poorly of any side of you, Buginette."

Marinette blushed. "Ladybug can take it. She's tough. Please? This lets us be together now, in front of Alya without having to compromise our identities or take things frustratingly slow."

He kissed her again. "Whatever you want, Buginette. I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. This day turned out so much better than she ever thought it would. She was so grateful she had found the courage to confess.

…

A/N: Reviews and comments are love!

Thanks for reading!