Cat Walker's Secret Is Revealed... Twice. ((Lovesquare)) | Miraculous Fanfic

Cat Walker's Secret Is Revealed... Twice.

Ladynoire landed on her balcony, climbed down into her room and plopped unceremoniously in the bed.

"Claws in." She mumbled out.

"I need cheese!!" Plagg whined.

"You know where to find it."

He flew off to the stash Marinette had hidden for him.

The girl groaned and stretched.

"Sheesh. What's wrong with you, Pigtails?"

"I admit it."

"Admit what?" Plagg gulped down another piece of Camembert.

"He makes it look easy."

"Who makes it look easy?" A wicked grin appeared on his face.

Marinette glared at the kwami. "You know very well what I'm saying."

"Ah, yes, but I do love to hear you admit that my holder is amazing."

"He is." She sat up and smiled. "He really is. We've swapped Miraculous for a week and I'm seeing just how much that is true. I'm exhausted from distracting the villain and protecting him, the way he always has done for me. He's doing a great job with the Ladybug Miraculous. But I'm just tired."

"My holder is incredible. The best I've ever had, in fact." Plagg laughed. "But to be fair, he's a better fit for my Miraculous. Just like you are for Tikki's. The kid is probably just as exhausted as you are."

"Maybe." Marinette pulled her knees into her chest. "I feel like I'm struggling though compared to the other person who I've seen use the cat Miraculous."

Plagg's eyes widened when he realized that Marinette wasn't comparing herself to Chat Noir. She wasn't expecting herself to be as experienced as he was. If the look on her face was any indication, she was upset at herself for not living up to someone she thought was inexperienced.

"You're talking about Cat Walker, right?" Plagg offered.

"Yes!" Her hands became animated as she spoke. "He was perfect. Too perfect! He knew what to do. He asked questions but I just think he was trying to be polite. Here I am, someone who has used so many Miraculous but I'm not even close to as proficient with this Miraculous as he was! What does that say about me? I'm with Chat Noir nearly every day, but this random guy seems to have learned more from him than I have!"

Marinette pouted and looked at the rose gold ring on her finger.

Plagg stared at her for a moment before bursting into laughter.

"Really? You're laughing at me? I'm not feeling particularly good about myself and you're just going to laugh?" Marinette laid back down dramatically and closed her eyes. Plagg was apparently not going to give her the pep talk she could have expected from Tikki.

"I'm laughing because you think that was Cat Walker's first day on the job."

"Well, of COURSE it was no one else has used that Miraculous except..." Marinette's eyes popped open again. "Plagg."

"Yes, oh mighty guardian." He responded, his voice laced with sarcasm.

"Don't you all mighty guardian me!" She sat up again and armed herself with a pillow. "When you told me you were going to find another holder..."

"I lied."

"Tikki helped you lie!" Marinette gasped.

"Yes, and I'm proud of her for it. Listen, I know who my holder is meant to be. So yes, you've figured it out. Cat Walker knew what he was doing from experience. Because I went right back to Chat Noir and convinced him to return."

It was a futile attempt, and Marinette knew it, but she still threw the pillow at the kwami. Plagg phased right through it and gave her a deadpan look. "Feel better?"

"Not really." Marinette grabbed her pigtails in each hand, trying to make sense of it. "So, why didn't he just come back as Chat Noir?"

"Because he didn't feel wanted. He didn't feel needed and he didn't want to waste your time anymore." Plagg's ears drooped. "I convinced him to return, but as a different hero. Someone who was exactly what you wanted in a partner."

"I want Chat Noir as my partner!" Marinette wiped at her eyes as she realized just how hurt her he had been. "He didn't have to try to be someone else to be my partner. I hate that I ever made him feel that way."

"You know that now and he does too. After all, you've swapped Miraculous. You've talked about a lot. He's feeling much more confident by your side. But at that time he was in a bad place. I didn't want to lose him. There's also the fact that I knew it wouldn't work out as Cat Walker."

"You did?"

"Of course I did!" Plagg waved a paw in front of himself. "Chat Noir is meant to be your partner. You are meant to balance each other. I knew you'd miss him."

"I did miss my him. Even though, I guess he was right there." Marinette wiped at her eyes again. "No wonder he was so good at the hero thing. But he was too perfect. It was distracting!"

Plagg had some mercy to not comment on the blush that spread across her face.

"Cat Walker was carefully curated. We had to plan out a costume and he had to be in a certain mindset and really concentrate to become the hero he was under the impression you wanted."

"That's not what I needed. I need his stupid jokes and puns. I need his insight. I don't want a perfect doll to order around. I want a partner."

"Exactly."

"I didn't even know a Miraculous holder could change so much." Marinette tilted her head. "Could he have gotten stuck as Cat Walker? That doesn't seem like him. What if he would have?"

Plagg laughed again. "He was worried about the same thing."

"What did you tell him?"

"That Chat Noir is a part of him, just like—like his civilian self is a part of him. When he transformed into Cat Walker, it's like I said, it was him trying to portray a specific image. It took some time. Becoming Chat Noir again? Easy. All he had to do was transform. Because that's who he is."

"I'm glad he's back." She relaxed. "Okay, so now I don't feel so bad about not being as good as Cat Walker with your Miraculous."

"Don't sweat it. I'm just hoping you both learned something from it."

"We did Plagg, I really think we did."

————————————————————-

A few weeks passed since the heroes had swapped their Miraculous back. Adrien found himself running in the sewers with Ladybug. An akuma was after them. All he wanted to do was get away from the spotted heroine so he could transform and help in the fight.

"Where is that cat!" She said as she ran. Her Lucky Charm was in hand, a plan was in her mind but she needed her partner's Cataclysm and he was nowhere to be seen.

She pulled Adrien aside and took out her yoyo frantically. First she called her partner again, but it only went to voicemail.

Adrien cringed as Ladybug grew more unnerved by the lack of response.

"I have a plan, but I need Chat Noir to make it work!"

Well, if you'd stop being so overprotective of me maybe I could get away from you and transform and this would be over in a few minutes. Adrien had to keep his mouth shut about that, but he was getting more irritated by the second. The akuma was just getting closer.

"Okay, so I'll have to come up with a new plan." She began while reaching into her yoyo. "Adrien Agreste, this is the Miraculous of the..."

Adrien stopped her. "Ladybug, I'm not sure I'm the right fit for a Miraculous."

"What are you talking about? I know the Snake Miraculous didn't work out but—"

BOOM!!! There was a loud crash in the distance. The akuma wasn't making their approach quietly.

"Ladybug, you should go! I'll just hide!"

"What?! With an akuma headed straight for here? No way am I leaving you! Adrien I'm going to give you a Miraculous so you can—"

"I'll run ahead, you distract it and I'll look for Chat Noir!"

"I don't think Chat Noir is even transformed. Adrien I need your help!" Ladybug couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. The thought that Adrien didn't want to help after the incident with the snake Miraculous hurt.

Adrien's eyes widened. He had a sudden idea to convince her, and it wasn't technically a lie.

"I've tried two Miraculous and neither of the heroes I became were the ones you needed!"

Ladybug huffed. Sure she'd given out a lot of Miraculous, but she hadn't given him one twice. "What are you talking about! It was just the snake, there's probably a Miraculous that suits you better."

"It wasn't just the Snake Miraculous!" Adrien took a deep breath. "I was Cat Walker and that didn't work out either!"

There was a nudge from Plagg under his over shirt but Adrien ignored it.

"What?" Ladybug closed her yoyo and stared at him slack jawed. Her eyes scanned his features. A gloved hand reached up and traced the curve of his cheek.

"Uh, Ladybug? What are you doing?" Adrien asked, blushing a little at the contact.

Another loud crash from the akuma thankfully brought her senses back to the task at hand.

"You were Cat Walker?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I was told that Cat Walker was actually Chat Noir."

A nervous laugh bubbled up from Adrien's throat. "Oh, you had heard he was Chat Noir, huh?"

"Yeah." She realized she had been staring Adrien down and blushed.

"Well, um you see..." Adrien was fully prepared to launch into some long explanation to cover his identity but Ladybug just grabbed his hand and lifted it.

"We need to talk about this later." She looked directly at his silver ring, before rubbing her thumb over it. "Right now, I need you, Chaton."

Plagg no longer felt the need to hide and flew up beside Adrien's head.
"Yeah, so maybe I should have told you that I told her Chat Noir was Cat Walker." Plagg shrugged.

"This is too much, we can talk later!" Ladybug said.

The blond gulped, a certain fear crossing his mind, but then shook his head and nodded.

At this point the ground was shaking and the akumatized person, who looked very much like a humanoid alligator, was right around the corner.

Ladybug held up her Lucky Charm frisbee and looking around them. Her Ladybug vision highlighted Adrien this time.

"This is a good spot. I can bounce the frisbee off the walls and into their face."

"And I'll slide underneath, jump up and Cataclysm the backpack where the akuma is. A purrfect plan M'lady." Adrien nodded immediately knowing what to do.

This threw Ladybug for a loop. Her partner was good at practically reading her mind when it came to plans, but seeing Adrien do it made her blink a couple of times. She felt her cheeks heat up as well, and hoped he didn't notice the blush.

Adrien's head tilted at her response. His response wasn't anything out of the ordinary, for Chat Noir. Then he touched the collar of his shirt and chuckled. "Right, time for a wardrobe change. Plagg, Claws out!"

Right before her eyes, Adrien became Ladybug's partner.

She couldn't help the gasp that escaped her.

"Ready!" He offered snapping her back into the plan.

Ladybug nodded.

————————————————-

They defeated the akuma according to plan. Ladybug asked Chat Noir to meet her on a rooftop after she recharged to transform again. After a nervous talk with Tikki, she finally swung up to meet him.

"I'm sorry." Chat Noir said as soon as she landed, his voice full of emotion. "I didn't mean to reveal my identity like that. I didn't know Plagg had told you that Cat Walker was me... I mean Chat Noir me. If I have to give up the ring, I don't know what I'll do. Plagg and I just, I don't want to lose him. I know I messed up before and gave it up but I shouldn't have, it would be such a big mistake. Now I'm here and you know my identity and I know you didn't want to know. But you're the Guardian and—"

"Woah, Kitty." She held up both hands. "I am NOT losing you as a partner. That ring belongs with you."

"Oh. Well, I mean you said you wanted to talk and I just assumed." Chat fidgeted with the ring on his finger.

"You keeping your Miraculous is a part of this talk. You're the one I want by my side."

"Even now? Knowing who I am?"

Ladybug paced away from him. She was trying to walk off some nervous energy, but she was also trying to hide the blush on her cheeks. When she paced back towards him she could barely take his nervous kitten eyes. The movement to hug him was automatic.

He tensed in her arms in surprise, before returning the hug.

"Especially now that I know." She reassured him.

His body relaxed in her arms and she felt some tension leave her own shoulders. She released him and sat down on the roof, in no hurry to rush this conversation. She gestured to the spot directly in front of him and he sat down on the secluded rooftop.

"Since Plagg was a big part of this reveal, I think he should be part of the conversation."

"Yeah?" Chat smiled. "Claws in."

"Now, how was I supposed to know that he would tell you that his civilian self was Cat Walker?" Plagg began.

"It's crazy how things worked out." Adrien laughed.

Adrien's laugh.

Chat Noir's laugh.

Ladybug's mind was putting together these two pieces of a whole person. Slowly things clicked into place.

"I'm sorry I ever made you feel isolated."

Adrien lifted an eyebrow at that. "Ladybug, it's okay. We've become closer as partners. We've swapped Miraculous for a week. We talk a lot more now. I don't feel that way anymore. Every relationship has its ups and downs. I know my place is by your side."

She blushed more at that.

"I-I mean as your partner of course!" He felt the need to clarify.

"It's okay I mean what you know!" Ladybug pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know what you mean. It's just that I feel really bad for making you feel that way. Especially since I know you deal with being isolated and pushed away in real life. That sort of feeling never should have come from me as your partner."

He glanced at his kwami and then back to her. "So, you know how my father is? I didn't think it was all that public. At least, not how he keeps me locked away most of the time, unless it's for a company thing. Thankfully he does let me go to school. Although, I think Nathalie had more to do with that decision."

"Oh...I mean I'm sure the public doesn't know that so much. I would imagine it would be pretty bad if everyone knew just how intense your father was with you when it comes to having control over your schedule. I guess." She laughed, while pointedly avoiding eye contact with him. Ladybug knew she was rambling but her nervous energy bubbled up. "Not that I'd be all that familiar with things like that, something so personal. It's just I know a lot about you because you're kind of famous and as a hero I do try to check up on people who have been targeted by akumas, yeah, targeted by akumas! And you are also a public figure so it's more likely for you to be targeted and you know that's the reason I know about you feeling isolated because I've checked up on you and I—-"

"Ladybug." He said quietly, but it put a stop to her rambling. "You know me. Don't you? I mean Adrien me?"

"Who? Me? How would I? I mean I'm just a superhero doing her job." She kept looking everywhere but at him.

"Please, look at me." He grabbed her hand softly.

When her eyes met his she blushed. This is your partner. Silly. Goofy. Chat Noir. Calm down. But you've been feeling different things towards him lately and now you've realized he's Adrien Agreste. Ladybug's heart was beating fast inside her chest. She was sure if her partner was transformed he'd be able to hear it from where he sat.

"I won't ask you to reveal your identity to me if you aren't ready." He assured her. "I mean you are the Guardian. It makes sense for you to know mine. Are things going to be okay between us?"

"Sure!" She said way too loudly.

He let go of her hand gently, but his expression was downcast like he didn't quite believe her.

"I-I mean it! It will be okay with us! I'm sure it will! You are such a good partner and a great person!"

The signals she was giving off really weren't helping Adrien understand the situation. She was flustered and nervous and rambling. He wasn't sure what that meant for their partnership. They were friends. Sure he had a crush on her, but their relationship was more than that. He felt comfortable with her. Now that his identity had been revealed she was acting nervous and frazzled.

"Oh boy." Plagg rolled his eyes. "You're going to be fighting alongside each other every day. Haven't you already seen what happens when you are too smitten and distracted?"

"Plagg!" Adrien scolded. "Leave her alone! ...Wait. Smitten?"

Ladybug's shoulder's sagged. "Yes, okay. When you were Cat Walker, you were so perfect! Too perfect! And I-It was distracting and I couldn't even get my plans together."

Adrien sighed. "I'm nowhere near that perfect. Cat Walker is just me when I'm trying to live up to unrealistic expectations. It took a lot of planning to become that as a hero. Cat Walker doesn't come naturally to me."

"But look at you!" She blurted out. "You-you're gorgeous!"

"What?" Adrien's eyes widened.

"But-but not just that. With you being a rich and famous gorgeous model, it would be easy to assume you're conceited and superficial. But when people really get to know you they'd see someone sweet, sincere, and generous."

"You... that sounds familiar."

"What? Why would that sound familiar? It's a perfectly normal thing to say! Just talking about how people shouldn't just judge! You know! Exactly! People like to assume things but they are just not true and it's hard to see until you know them. I mean get to know them. I mean if I got to know you better as Adrien. Because I totally know you don't. I mean I don't know you! Eep!"

Inside his head, Adrien's thoughts were swirling. He sat across from her and she had her head in her hands. She'd been rambling and might have revealed too much.

"Please, just forget all of that... I-I'm just not sure how to process all of this." He heard the words muffled by her hands.

"Kid, if you've figured it out just put the poor girl our of her misery. I'm tired of watching you two run around in circles." Plagg whined.

"I'm Buttercup?" Adrien's voice was barely a whisper.

A squeak came from behind Ladybug's fingers. She peaked through them cautiously. "I-I think I said too much."

Adrien stood, clearly having too much energy from the revelation to remain where he was and started pacing.

"So, if I'm Buttercup. That means that you're Marinette. If Marinette is Ladybug, that means I'm the other boy. Which means, Ladybug has been turning me down for another boy who was ME. All this time?" He pointed to himself as if he couldn't believe what he was saying. "Me? Really?!"

Ladybug couldn't help but laugh at his dramatics and it eased her nervousness. "Yes, really. That's why I always trip over my words with you."

"Wow." He ran his hand through his hair, which just made it messy as he continued to walk around the rooftop. "I thought it might have been because you didn't like me."

"No! It was the opposite." Ladybug's nerves continued to calm down looking at Adrien's now messy hair and also the blush she noticed on his face. "I know you have a crush on Ladybug me, but Marinette me is so different and clumsy——"

He cut her off and walked closer to where she was sitting. "And creative, and kind, and intelligent and incredible. Ladybug is you and so is Marinette."

"Where'd you get that bit from." Plagg jeered.

"Plagg helped me realize that, as Adrien and as Chat. In and out of the mask, I'm still me." Adrien gestured towards his kwami. "It's true for you too. You're amazing Marinette."

"You really think so?"

"I do." He tilted his head back to the sky and groaned. "I've been hopeless from the start."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when you told me to try to get over Ladybug you, I began to notice Marinette you more." Adrien laughed at his situation. "I had thought about asking Ladybug for advice on how to talk to Marinette, but I always chickened out."

His laugh was contagious and Marinette couldn't help but join in. Then she stopped suddenly. "You wanted to ask me out? Marinette me?"

"Yes! But I was afraid of what it would do to our friendship!"

"You two are pathetic." Plagg happily nibbled on some cheese Adrien had brought, but there was no bite in his words.

"Maybe, but I'm glad we've sorted through so much." Adrien rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, if you still want me to back off I mean I can. I don't want to ask you out if you're not interested."

"What? No, I thought we just established that we have figured things out?"

"But you like Adrien me? On the other hand, you've turned down Chat Noir a lot..."

Ladybug cringed at the fact, she'd never live it down. "The only reason I turned Chat Noir down was because of Adrien! In fact lately it's been harder and harder to convince myself that I didn't have a crush on my partner."

"So, do you have a crush on your partner?" He fidgeted with his ring.

In a burst of confidence, Ladybug stood. They had overcomplicated everything for so long. Adrien had reassured her, but now it was his turn to be reassured. "I do. But it's not just a crush. There's no one in this world I trust more than you. I'm sorry that the identity rule got in the way of that. Adrien you mean the world to me, but so does Chat Noir. Knowing you are the same person just feels like my heart was never torn in the first place. I fell for Adrien when you gave me that umbrella, but I fell for Chat Noir slowly. With a trust and a companionship that blossomed more and more the better I got to know you. You're incredible. I love you."

His cheeks burned and his eyes felt misty. "I love you too, M'lady. So, so much. Even more now that I see the whole picture."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him and he returned her embrace.

"M'lady, I love you. I love you. I love you! I'll say it as many times as I need to. You are incredible in AND out of the mask."

With her whole heart, she believed he meant it. "Spots off." Her transformation fell and she loosened their hug. Tikki watched quietly trying to stay silent in her excitement at seeing the two finally together.

"And you should know that I love you." She looked at his lips. "Cat puns and all."

He noticed her gaze and laughed as his eyes darted to her lips. "I'm wondering if you have the same a-meow-zing idea as I do."

"Ha! Maybe, but I know my partner has two kisses from me he doesn't remember. I'd like to start making up for that."

"I'm still your partner, you know." Adrien said.

"You are, but I want you to be paws-itive that I mean it when I say I love you in and out of the mask."

"She puns for me!" Adrien brought one hand to his heart dramatically.

"Kitty, just let me kiss you!"

She reached for his collar as he uttered his transformation phrase. The magic passed over him.

Her hand grasped onto his bell and she pulled on it to bring him closer to her height. Then she kissed him like her life depended on it, her other hand reaching up into his hair. He pulled her closer by the waist and returned the kiss with just as much passion. Eventually, they both parted.

"Wow." Chat Noir mused after he caught his breath. He touched his forehead to Marinette's "I think I might finally be able to remember a kiss from you!"

"You'd better." Ladybug flicked his bell. "But I hope we can make many more memories like that one."

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