Cat's Confession, Ladybug's Reveal

The Eiffel Tower

It's been a year since the battle with Desperada, and Cat Noir still had nightmares from that one day. The mere thought of losing his lady was unbearable before, but now even after a year and Hawkmoth's defeat, the memory would still haunt his dreams and invade his daily fears. Ladybug still kept her walls up, refusing any type of reveal between the two of them. It's like she never trusted him even though they've been partners since they were fourteen years old. He sometimes wonders if she cares about him at all. Then his time in New York flashes before his eyes. Her tears, her outcries, and her tight hug proves her love for him; even if it's just platonic.

Too wrapped up in his thoughts, the cool cat didn't notice his spotted partner sneaking her way behind him. "Boo!" she exclaimed while grabbing his shoulders. Just like a cat would react to seeing a cucumber, Cat Noir jumped almost falling off the Eiffel Tower had it not been for Ladybug grabbing his arm. "Careful there, Kitty, don't want you to lose one of your nine lives," she laughed.

"Ha Ha," Cat snarked at her. "So funny, Ladybug."

The fifteen year old girl tilted her head in confusion. Why was he acting like this with her? It's not like she was the happiest today either. Around a year ago, she had to face her own partner when he was Cat Blanc. Seeing as how in one timeline her and Cat Noir were in love and had been happy, until Hawkmoth ruined their happiness using the love they had for each other, she was afraid of revealing her true identity to him. She was afraid of falling for him and ended up losing him because of it. "Which akuma is it?" she asked.

Cat sighed. "How'd you know?"

"Because I know that look. I make that same face when thinking about one akuma that was too close to my personal life." Ladybug leaned her head on his shoulder for comfort. "So, which akuma?"

"Desperada."

Ladybug lifted her head and gave him a raised eyebrow. "How does that one cause you to feel and act like this?"

"Because I wasn't just Cat Noir that day. I was also Aspik."

Ladybug jumped away from him as if she was burned. "What?!" she exclaimed. He just told her his identity. He knew he just told her his identity, that's why he's looking at her as if his heart was ripped out.

"I know the dangers, but I can't take it anymore, Bug. I'm dying slowly from the inside out." He looked so tired and sad, it nearly broke her heart.

'As I have done to him for over a year now,' she thought bitterly.

"Watching Desperada take you over and over again, it was like I was dying every time, and I couldn't save you!" A tear fell down his cheek. "I couldn't keep you safe and I tried for months. And I failed every time." Cat Noir, Adrien, sat down pulling his knees to his chest, curling into himself. He was tired.

And Ladybug, for once, actually knew what to say to her kitty and crush. "Remember that one time I asked you to meet me at the top of Montparnasse Tower?"

"Yeah. You sat next to me and said 'I did it.' That time, right?"

"That's the one. Well, believe it or not, but there was an akuma I fought and defeated that day."

"I didn't hear of any akuma alert that day."

"That's because the akuma came in the future," Ladybug whispered, but she knew he heard her.

"Like Timetagger?"

"More like how I had to save the future from the future akuma in his present time." Ladybug had lost him and he was more confused than ever before.

"Okay, I know I'm not the brightest mind in the world, but that made no sense whatsoever," Cat said, ears flattened to his head.

Ladybug pondered a way to explain to her confused partner. " Okay," she started. ' Something I did that day caused an akuma in the long run. A really bad akuma."

"Okay..."

"And so, I had to go to the future with Bunnix to fix the akuma's damage and fix the timeline."

Cat nodded his head. "Okay, I understand that, but why'd you leave me behind?"

Ladybug wrung out her hands. How was she going to tell him this bombshell? "Well..." Ladybug stuttered. "I- it's j-just... '' Cat tilted his head. "You see..."

"What is it, Ladybug?"

She took a deep, deep breath in before calmly stating the reality of what had happened in that timeline. " The akuma's name was Cat Blanc."

The boy dressed in black froze and went snow white as the blood drained from his face.

"And in that timeline, we were in love, dating, and knew each other's identities."

The look she saw on her partner's face. It was a mixture of horror, shock, and utter confusion. "Wait," he began. "Are you telling me there was a timeline at one point where I not only knew who you were, but we were actually dating, too?" She gave him a nod. "And I somehow became the akuma?"

She nodded again. "Though, I'm pretty sure your father was the reason you were the akuma, but something I did still caused this chain reaction, and it scared me." Ladybug wrapped her arms around herself in a self hug. "Out of everyone in Paris, including myself, I never thought I would have to fight you as an akuma."

"Why?" he asked, intrigued.

"Even when mad, you still have incredible control of your emotions. Both in and out of the mask. I don't know how you do it. I've almost been akumatized three times with Lila." Apparently, Ladybug forgot to mention a piece of important information.

"Do you know me as Adrien?"

Ladybug gazed out at the city below them. The Eiffel Tower became their base in the beginning of their journey. It was like a second home now. She pondered the question and kept her back to him. "I've known you for a while, but I'm shy out of costume. You just walk by or I'd run away. Either way, I still knew you for what you did for others. I noticed many things about you. Like how you'd get when Alya was talking about Ladybug or how you treated Kagami when you two finally escaped' the hold your parents." Ladybug faced Cat again to see his calculating look. "Or in the small moments you let the Cat Noir in you out; I've seen them all. Though, I doubt you can figure out who I am."

"I'd beg a differ. Not only are you the superheroine, Ladybug, but you are also everyone's everyday Ladybug." Her breath caught in her throat. "You're kind and creative, smart, fun, but you're also strong and stick up for people, and kwami knows how many times you've stuck someone back in their place. And everybody knows how special you are, Marinette. And believe or not, but I told you I'd love whoever was behind the mask."

Ladybug let out a breathy laugh before turning around to look him in the eye. "Do you really think now is the time to say 'I told you so'?"

Cat smirked moving closer to his Ladybug. "Well, it's not everyday that I'm right, Bugaboo."

She crossed arms, seeing as the distance between them was decreasing. "Who says you're right about my identity?"

"How can I be wrong?" he asked, placing his hands gently on her hips. "You being Marinette only makes sense. I don't think anyone else could be Ladybug."

She didn't move away. She couldn't. His breath was fanning across her face, and she was already forgetting her own name. "The real question is: do you want me to be Marinette?" Her voice came out as a whisper. The heat from his hands was intoxicating.

"I wouldn't want any other girl in the suit."

Before she even knew it, Ladybug had her hands on his cheeks, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Cat Noir made a startled noise only to follow her lead and kiss back.

"I guess I said all the right things. That kiss was surely one to remember, considering I've forgotten the others."

Ladybug smacked him in the chest only to learn back into his embrace. " You're a pain."

He let out a laugh before burying his nose in her hair. " I love you, Marinette."

"I love you, too, Adrien."

~

Cover Art: by wild_turtle_art on Instagram

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