Reunited (A Miraculous Ladybug Romance)

Who am I?

"I can see now that the boy I had known had been only a fraction of who you are. Please don't keep the rest of yourself hidden. I want to know that Adrien Agreste. The one who has been hiding behind the mask of the perfect model son. I don't think I can truly fall in love with someone that I don't know completely. This is what's holding us back; I just know it."

Those words echoed through my mind as I washed my hands in the bathroom sink. We had just finished eating our food and Adrien had gone to purchase some ride tickets. I decided to take a restroom break so that I could have a moment to think for myself. I looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of my fraudulent face. How could I ask Adrien to open himself up completely to me when I wasn't even willing to do that myself. Adrien may have had a hidden personality, but I was hiding behind a secret identity.

"This is what's holding us back; I just know it."

I knew that those words were directed more at me than him when I had said them. How could I ever expect Adrien to fall in love with me if he didn't know me wholeheartedly? I dried my hands with a rough paper towel and then turned towards the exit. In front of me, a full sized mirror reflected back my image with absolutely no remorse. My heart sunk as I saw the girl standing before me. She was a lie. She was only a fraction of who I truly was. Tears began to form as I studied this meek looking facade. Why couldn't I act more like Ladybug? Why did I keep my two personas so separated?

After so many years of only being Marinette, I didn't even know how to be Ladybug anymore. Even when I had transformed that past few days, I didn't feel like I actually deserved to be in the suit. What had happened to the bold and brave heroine that I once was? Where had she gone?

Honestly, no matter which version of myself I caught in the mirror, I felt as if I was looking at a lie. I felt like an actress who was expected to fulfill a certain role. Even though I was able to do that, it didn't seem as if I was portraying myself. I always knew that I was someone else underneath it all, and that fact was tearing me up inside. What was wrong with me? How could I expect Adrien to get to know me if I didn't even know myself? Would it be better if I just told him who I was? No, I knew that wouldn't work because I wasn't even sure who Ladybug was any more. If he knew that I was her, then he would expect me to be brave and fearless. However, I just didn't know if I had that in me anymore. I had to keep that part of me a secret. At least until I could figure myself out a little bit more.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and exited the restroom. The crowds seemed to have multiplied in the time that I had been gone making it hard for me to make my way back to our meeting place. Suddenly, a pair of firm arms wrapped around my waist from behind making the hairs on my arms stand. I shrieked and jumped at the same time only to find that I couldn't break free from his grasp. I placed my hands upon his which were oh so smooth and gentle. I knew those comforting hands anywhere.

"It's okay, Mari," Adrien breathed into my ear, "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just trying to be cute." Adrenaline from the scare pumped through my veins as I shifted around to face Adrien, still tightly locked within his arms. My knees became weak with the surge of emotions that were running through my body. Adrien held me tighter as he felt my balance waver. I reached my arms around his neck to help support myself becoming entirely lost in his gentle gaze.

"Uh, Not that you two aren't cute and all," Nino muttered, "but like... can we actually go and have some fun now?" Nino's voice startled me even more. For moment, I felt as if Adrien and I were the only two people in the world. I looked over to see Nino and Alya staring directly at us. Apparently, Alya was still broken, because she only watched in awestruck silence.