The Bubbler: Oneshot Reveal Series

A wrong turn reveals things a little too soon.

Hi, everyone who bothers to read the authors' notes!

I'm challenging myself to write a reveal for every episode. They will probably not be in order so I'm publishing them this way and you can read one or all -whatever you'd like. It's just with new episodes, I get new ideas, and I'm not sure I'll finish every single episode by trying to do them in order, so I'm doing them in whatever order I want/as inspired and I hope I get to all of them.

I've got a few in the works, but I'll gladly take requests for what comes next.

I hope you enjoy and thank you for the constant favorites and follows I receive! You're all so awesome and I'm just overwhelmed. It means a lot to me that you like my work enough to do that, and even more when you've sent reviews. Thank you so so much! Read on!

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Cat Noir said in unison.

The hero team wasn't highly experienced, this being one of their first akumas, but they had defeated Bubbler and it had already become apparent that this would be a team effort. The congratulations at the end was quickly becoming a habit.

After helping a weary and confused Nino off the Bubbler's higher perch, Ladybug and Cat Noir's miraculous immediately beeped. They looked at each other with surprised eyes, letting go of their friend.

"Gotta go!" they shouted before running to find a safe place to transform.

Distracted by looking for an alley or private corner to run around, Ladybug and Cat Noir didn't realize they were running in the same direction.

Her feet pounding the pavement, the ringing from her earrings insisted Ladybug hide. Now. She ducked into the first alley she saw and turned to check if the coast was clear. She gasped as Cat Noir nearly ran into her. He let out his own cry upon seeing her.

"Cat Noir! We can't-!" Ladybug started to chastise before the alley filled with pink and green light.

In the following silence, the two teens stared at one another, eyes wide and mouths agape. As they started to process, their cheeks turned pink.

Plagg broke the silence with a whine. "Oh, my poor stomach! Feed me, Adrien!"

Adrien and Marinette blinked as the boy fumbled for a piece of cheese out of his jacket.

Tikki rolled her eyes but had immediately gone to her chosen's purse and ate a cookie from the party earlier.

After the kwami had received his camembert, Adrien looked at Marinette who was watching him closely.

"Hey," he awkwardly greeted.

Marinette continued to stare, making him increasingly uncomfortable. Maybe she wouldn't want to save Paris with him anymore…

Suddenly a high-pitched giggle burst from her throat. "Hi!" she said happily.

Adrien jumped back in surprise. He looked at her skeptically. "You're… okay with this?"

"Well," she thought. "It's not ideal, but… Tikki?"

The little red kwami popped her head farther out of Marinette's purse and looked at her with her giant blue eyes. "Yes, Marinette?"

"Is-is it okay that Cat Noir- Adrien and I know our identities?"

"You'll have to be more careful," Tikki responded kindly. "Don't let Hawkmoth be suspicious."

"Right!" Marinette nodded.

The look of determination on her face sent Adrien's heart racing. As much as he was starting to joke around with Ladybug, trying to let her know he was interested, Marinette, until this point, was a completely different story. She was one of his first friends he had made on his own. They were still awkward around one another, though he wasn't entirely sure why, but he had been so excited to have friends. He hadn't planned on changing that status.

Suddenly a frown crossed Marinette's face. "Oh, you had to fight an akuma on your birthday!"

Adrien blinked at her. She was so caring. "It's okay," he said. "It's been more exciting than any other birthday I've had. And more memorable. And I got the best birthday gift."

Marinette looked at him with wide eyes as he lightly tugged her hands into his. Had he already seen the gift she sent? "Did- did you like it?" He pulled her closer. "I wasn't sure whether to go with blue or green to match your eyes," she started to blabber.

"Huh?" He stopped, placing her right in front of him.

"The gift I made you…?"

"You made me a gift?" A bright smile lit up his face.

She smiled back but it faltered. "You haven't opened it yet," she realized. "What gift are you talking about?"

He chuckled. "I meant knowing our identities. I'm still really happy you made me a gift though. I can't wait to get home and open it. Thank you!"

Marinette blushed. "You're welcome. I hope you like it. I was… I was trying to tell you…" Her eyes avoided his gaze and she started to stare at their interlocked hands.

Adrien waited a moment, tilting his head. "Tell me what?"

"Do you like me?" she suddenly burst out.

His mouth went dry.

"I know you're a jokester," Marinette continued. "That was clear from the beginning with Stoneheart. But you've said a few things…"

"I… well…" Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with one hand while keeping ahold of her other. "Yeah. I mean I haven't known you very long; I haven't really figured all that out."

Marinette was looking away at the ground, thinking over his words.

"I think you're amazing," he decided to continue. She met his eyes immediately. "No one else has made me a real birthday gift in years. And Ladybug might have been paired up with Cat Noir, but Marinette chose to do that for Adrien. Because she chose to be his friend. It means more to me than you could ever know."

"What about Ladybug? Am I… underwhelming as some hero of Paris?"

He chuckled. "Of course not. You forget I was there on the first day. When you didn't want to jump into the fight in the stadium. When you questioned yourself at the Eiffel Tower. It's not like I think you're perfect by any means."

Marinette finally smiled. "Thanks."

"I mean it. You're amazing. I know why you stepped in. Alya was in trouble. It's no wonder why you were chosen; your heart is big enough for all of Paris."

The girl stared at him.

Looking into her big blue eyes, Adrien knew he was a goner. She was as pretty as he ever thought she'd be, because he had thought that from day one. Maybe he hadn't decided if he wanted more than Ladybug's partnership until this moment, but he knew now. Plagg was right. He wanted Marinette to be more than a friend.

"Marinette?" Adrien breathed, pulling her even closer. "Do you like me?" he whispered.

He swallowed his nerves, hearing her quiet inhale.

She took a deep breath and matched his soft tone. "That's what I was trying to tell you. With my gift. I've been… since the day you apologized, when we became friends…"

Excitement flooded Adrien's veins. "Friends," he repeated with an annoyed chuckle. "Do you want to be more than friends?"

Marinette's eyes were wide as she looked up into his soft, green eyes. He wasn't joking now.

"I'd love to," she giggled.

They smiled and basked in each other's warmth, standing close but only their hands touching.

Suddenly Marinette's face looked annoyed. "Unless you mean superhero partners. That's not what I meant."

Adrien laughed. "That's not what I meant either. I meant, do you want to go out sometime, Marinette?" His face subconsciously moved closer to hers.

She giggled. "Yes," she beamed.

"Good." He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you at school later." His hands slipped from hers and he was headed back to the street.

Marinette sighed with a smile. Tikki floated out of her purse to be eye level with her chosen. The hero turned to her kwami. "I can't believe Adrien is Cat Noir!"

Marinette tried to control her nerves as she and Alya walked back to school. She had no idea what to tell her best friend about getting a date with her crush. Distracted by Chloe's tantrum at the top of the stairs, she didn't see Adrien's limo pull up or prepare herself.

"Hey, girls!"

Both Alya and Marinette turned at the greeting. Adrien was getting out of the white limo, a blue scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. Marinette was sure he was modeling as he went, his eyes on her.

"Hey, that's your scarf!" Alya whispered to her excitedly, nudging her arm. "He's wearing your scarf!"

Marinette beamed as Adrien and Nino greeted each other.

"Yo nice scarf, Adrien! Off the chain!" Her friend called, setting Marinette's heart a flutter with nerves again. Seeing him now though, in their usual routine, the girl was more excited than nervous.

Marinette raised her hand to silently wave.

Walking towards them, Nino following behind, Adrien responded to Alya's compliment. "Yeah, can you believe Marinette made this for me? It's so awesome."

"No way," Nino commented, choosing to ignore that Adrien was sliding his hand into Marinette's. "Way cool, Marinette."

The pig-tailed girl started to blush. "Th-thanks."

Alya watched them with raised eyebrows, but some semblance of pride in her eyes. "Did your dad get you anything?" she asked, Adrien's words from earlier playing through her mind.

"No." He shrugged.

"Seriously?"

"It's all good. He's given me the same lame pen for three years in a row. Nathalie tried to tell me this was from him, but I knew," he said, gesturing to the blue knit. "I'd rather have nothing from him than something that means nothing."

"Still, dude. Not cool," Nino commented, his eyebrows furrowed. Alya and Marinette felt the same.

"Speaking of which," Adrien spoke in a softer voice to his best friend. "My father said you were a bad influence, but…"

"Don't sweat it," Nino interrupted, cheerily. "We're buds, always and forever."

"Thanks, man."

"No prob. Come on, let's go in so you can show off your new Marinette original." Nino grinned and turned, leading them into the school.

"Yeah!" Alya agreed, saddling up to the dark-skinned boy. "My girl's amazing!"

Marinette smiled at all the love she was receiving from her friends.

Then Adrien squeezed her hand, moving them to walk side by side behind their friends. His green eyes practically glowed. "Yeah, I know."

I feel like the obvious idea for this episode was when they were trapped in the bubble, however, I felt like because this is more of an establishing episode, most of what happened needed to stay how it was. There just aren't as many almost reveals or reveal opportunities in these beginning episodes.

If you're interested in future reveal aus, you can follow me. And if you have any episodes in mind that you'd like, I'd be happy to hear from you!

Thank you for reading!