The Miraculous Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir

Stalker

Adrien stares at the back of his retreating classmate, wondering why she's so nervous around him. Am I intimidating? Shaking his head, he decides to visit the blunette as Chat, just to see if this is her normally or if she's just scared of him.

Later, at about 9 pm, he lands on the roof silently, behind where Marinette is conveniently sitting on her balcony talking to Alya on the phone.

"Y'know what? I should just shut up when he comes near. That'll stop my annoying stuttering." His princess rolls her sapphire eyes, taking a sip from her mug. "Yes, Alya, I realise that will decrease my chances of being with him. I've almost given up. I mean, the whole class has probably figured out I have a crush on him EXCEPT HIM! He's so oblivious! Seriously! I act perfectly normal, just good old clumsy Marinette who isn't afraid to tell Chloe to move seats or stand up for Sabrina, but around him I'm a stuttering, even MORE clumsy mess!"

Chat smiles, watching her get worked up, but can't help wondering who she has a crush on. Is it Nathan? Unknowingly, the hero growls possessively when that thought crosses his mind. MY princess... wait what?!

"Alya, stop teasing me about Nino, it's not my fault. Anyway, it turned out good for you!" she whines, dragging the vowels out on her friend's names. "Yeah, I get it, two guys had a crush on me, I'm so likeable and adorable." Her voice drips with sarcasm. "Oh yeah? How would that go? H-he-hey A-A-A-Adrien I, uh, w-w-w- Cue Chloe pushing me away and cue disappointed failure."

Chat's iridescent eyes widen. She likes me?! Well, Adrien, but me?! How, when... actually it's pretty obvious now that I'm thinking about it... She's right, I am oblivious.

"I don't want to risk being akumatised by heartbreak or whatever! Maybe it's better I move on... I don't care if you and Nino want to attend our 'wedding', it's not happening!" Marinette gets up and starts pacing across her balcony before sitting again with an exasperated sigh. "Get real. Why have Marinette when you could have any girl in Paris?" She looks up at the twinkling stars. "Why have the the dullest star when you could have the brightest?" Her voice noticeably softens, as well as her posture. "Thanks Nino, but I shouldn't have let myself fall for him so easily. All because of that stupid umbrella and those stupid green eyes and that stupid laugh..." 

Chat smiles, remembering that day when he offered her the umbrella and she accidentally closed it on herself. WAIT. I COULD GET HER AKUMATISED?!

"What? You haven't heard him laugh, ever?" Bluebell eyes widen in shock. "He only laughed wh-when I..." A faint scream can be heard from the phone, and Marinette pulls back wincing. "Alya, that could mean nothing. He was probably just laughing at my clumsiness." She mumbles. Chat frowns suddenly, realising he hasn't laughed since that day, and before that... he could only remember laughing with his mother...

"That poem was about Ladybug, Als. I figured that out now." She sighs and looks up at the stars again. "I know, but that's a different side of me... with that mask on I can do anything, without it I'm just clumsy, shy Marinette."

Huh? Is she...?

"If you say that every time you bring it up, I'll regret having shown you two." She smiles softly. "I know, I know, I had to because you saw me de-transform and you saw Tikki. By the way, thanks again for not posting that on your Ladyblog."

SHE'S LADYBUG?! 

Heh. Took you long enough, hot shot. 

Plagg? YOU KNEW?!

"Yeah, but then he'd love me for Ladybug... that brave, graceful, smart girl that isn't me." Chat's ears flick in annoyance at watching his lady put herself down, but decided to keep listening a little longer. "Most of it is Tikki. She shows me what I need to do, and helps me land all those crazy flips."