Miraculous | Meant To Be

Chapter 7

After Alya had stopped laughing, she continued to interrogate me.

"So how long have you been collecting Ladybug merch?"

"Ever since it hit the stores. Actually a bit before that. I ordered a Ladybug fanart online that someone had done, even before stores picked up on the idea."

"What made you start collecting?"

"You remember that moment when she de-evilized all those akumas at the same time and stood up directly to Hawkmoth? When she made that speech about her and Chat Noir always being there to protect the city?"

"Of course I do. I was there filming."

"Yeah. Well at that moment I swore to myself that I-" I cut myself off before I could add on 'would always be there to protect her'.

"That you would swear to always be her biggest fan or some sappy thing like that, right?"

"Something like that" I sighed.

"Well, before I go, I have a few more questions."

"A few more? A few more questions and my head might explode."

Alya glared at me.

"Sorry. Go ahead." I replied, avoiding her glare.

"Do you have cameras in your bedroom?"

"NOOO no no no. Not even my dad is that creepy." I shuddered.

"Good. Question two: Why don't you have very much Chat Noir merch? You only have the one doll that came in the duo set that I have. Don't you think he's cool too?"

I didn't know what to say. I'm Chat Noir, so that'd be kind of narcissistic. I don't buy my merch, cause that'd be weird. Like, 'Yeah, I'm Chat Noir. Look at all my Chat Noir merch!'  Of course, no one knows I'm Chat, soooo . . . . but Plagg would tease me endlessly about it. I didn't need any more teasing from him. He always was teasing me about something or other.

"Hello, Adrien? You in there? Mari does this to me too. It gets a little lonely out here by myself you know."

"Sorry."

"Ehh, I'm used to it. Anyways, you never answered my question! Why don't you have as much Chat merch?"

"Uhhh . . . ." I wracked my brain for an acceptable answer. "I . . . . I'm not sure? I guess, I just hadn't thought about it?"

"Don't you like Chat Noir?"

It was a little weird, getting asked if I liked myself, but I answered anyways.

"I mean, yeah, Chat's great but, Ladybug does purify the akuma in the end. I don't know. Sometimes I feel like, she doesn't need m- him."

"Man, Adrien, If Marinette was here, she'd rant your ear off about how much Ladybug needs Chat Noir."

I looked at Alya curiously as she continued.

"We were walking in the park one day, and someone who passed us mentioned the same thing you just did, and Marinette took off like a bullet after them. She whipped them around and ranted for a good 15 minutes at least, nonstop, about how crucial Chat Noir is to Ladybug. She hates that anyone thinks he's not as important to the super duo as Ladybug is."

I blinked. Marinette thought that of me? Well, of Chat Noir, which she doesn't know is me, but still. I sat there on my couch, with my mouth wide open.

Alya chuckled at my bewildered face.

"That was the day Marinette and I were about 15-20 minutes late to meeting up with you guys. When we were going to go to the Jagged Stone concert? Normally if we are going anywhere y- uh, she wants to go, she won't stop for anything. But that girl, man she was scaring me. Probably be best not bring it up to her that you don't think he's much needed."

I blushed. When she said it like that, it did sound kinda mean. I tried to redeem myself.

"I didn't mean it like that!! It's just, uh, Ladybug does cleanse the akuma . . . . But Chat's powers are awesome too!!"

Alya nodded at me with a sceptical look on her face. She then pulled out her phone to check the time.

"Oh look at that. I'd best be getting home."

"Alright." I said awkwardly. This conversation has made me a bit confused.

Alya stood up to walk towards the door. Before she opened it, she looked over at me one more time with a smirk on her face.

"Bye Chat." She said, then opened the door and left.

"Bye Alya" I said, my brain not yet registering what she'd just said.

It took me about 10 seconds for it to finally register, and then my eyes widened and I sprinted out the door after her.

"Alya wait!!" I yelled hoping she was still here.

As soon as I walked out my bedroom door I saw her just reaching the bottom of the grand staircase.

She turned around as I basically flew down the stairs to stop her from leaving.

"Alya!! How--" I stopped myself from continuing as I noticed Nathalie standing next to her. I also suddenly remembered that there were cameras in the main hall.

I struggled to find an excuse in front of Nathalie to get Alya to come back upstairs so I could ask her how on earth she managed to find out my biggest secret.

"Alya!! Umm... uh... would you... uh... I gotta... um... you forgot your..."

Alya smirked at me, but seemed to understand. She looked over at Natalie,

"Sorry, I think Adrien wants some more help with the assignment. It won't take very long."

Nathalie nodded, and I followed Alya back to my room.

The door closed and we sat down on the couch again.

"How did you figure me out?" I asked slightly panicking.

"I have resources. And good ones at that."

"What resources?"

"I can't tell you. It's highly confidential."

"Alya. Seriously. How.... how did you find out?"

She eyed me curiously, then sighed, still smirking.

"Ladybug" She replied calmly.

And with that, my brain exploded.

"WHAT?!?! Does Ladybug know who I am? Did she tell you? Why would she tell you?!?! I thought our identities were of utmost importance to her!! WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!?!"

Alya laughed and then began her explanation.

"No, no, she doesn't know. It's more of... I figured it out by something she said, and something she showed me."

"What did she say? What did she show you?"

"She showed me a certain green paw print on her ear."

My eyes narrowed. I did not have all the details, and I could tell. There's no way she could figure me out just by the soulmate mark.

"But what did she tell you?"

"That is confidential."

I groaned. Alya was definitely not giving me all the details.

"Actually," she admitted, "I didn't know it was you. I just had a hunch."

"And I just confirmed your hunch didn't I?" I asked, almost rhetorically.

"Correctamundo." she winked.

I groaned again.