Control (Miraculous Ladybug)

Power of Love

Adrien Agreste.

The boy waiting inside for her, sitting on a table with a confused expression, hand on his neck, was Adrien. Her huge crush for who-knew-how-long. Before she'd realized that even though she had a high opinion of him and greatly respected his kindness and seeming perfection, Chat Noir was her true love. The one who, apparently as a superhero, had taught her to truly love someone, flaws and all.

It was Adrien.

Adrien Agreste.

A, D, R, I . . .

She was standing there dumbfounded, her jaw hanging open, staring blankly at him. She didn't know how long she had, but millions of questions were spinning through her head, almost making her dizzy. How were they the same person? Adrien wasn't flirty, or cocky, or nearly the same as Chat, but somehow, he was . . .

When she finally came back down to earth, she realized he'd seen her and was smiling widely. The sight of it made her insides flop, a feeling she'd grown used to. He raised a hand and said softly, "Hey, m'lady."

"Adrien . . . ?" she choked out, her eyes impossibly wide, and finally composed herself, trying to remind herself how to breathe. "How on earth . . . It's you?"

His smile grew slightly concerned, unless that was actually a hint of worry. "That's okay, right . . . ?"

"Of course it is!" her uncontrolled response burst out. "This is actually absolutely perfect because I may or may not have had an enormous crush on you for the last school year and a half and I thought you actually knew that so I was getting really scared but then you got akumatized and scared me even more but then I thought you died but then just found out you didn't and then now that I've realized I actually love Chat afterward and then there's this happening and so it won't feel awkward anymore because it turns out that this amazing boy under the mask is someone that I've maybe devoted my entire life to in two different ways!" She finally broke off panting, and slapped her hand over her mouth, clueless on where that had come from.

Oh, no . . . would he change his mind about her once he found out her identity?!

But then, he already knew . . . and still accepted her as her. No one else.

So he actually did love this clumsy, awkward, dorky baker girl who forgot how to talk on a normal basis? That was, after all, what he'd seen of Marinette. Or maybe he'd seen something else in her that she didn't.

Back in the present, he was laughing quietly in amusement. She felt like shrinking down into a tiny corner at first, before realizing his laughter was friendly. Of course it was. This was Adrien she was thinking about. This was Chat Noir she was thinking about. He would never laugh at someone; he only laughed with them.

"That explains some things," he said at last, his voice showing his happiness even more. "In some really good ways."

That was about when she lost control of herself. All those miserable days of solitude and sadness had been too much to bear, and now that she finally had him back, why was she just standing there babbling like a machine? With a little laugh, she flung herself into his arms, so forcefully that she knocked him off the table. Half as part of their embrace, and half to protect her, he wrapped his arms around her as they crashed to the floor, which was fortunately carpeted. "Sorry," she said quickly, helping him to his feet, then hugging him again, this time less forcefully. He returned it, his embrace wrapping her in a contentment that she couldn't put into words. To be back in his arms, sheltered under his tender care and love . . . was an unbelievably incredible sense. And when he spoke again, his gentle tone and words made her want to just die right then and there.

"Have I ever told you that I love you?"

She pulled back a little and gazed up into his warm emerald gaze, smiling so broadly her cheeks hurt. "All the time you were with me. Every day. And now it's my turn." She kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "I love you."