Just a Friend

Chapter 17

Marinette POV:

"So when are you going to tell him?" Plagg asked.

"Tell him what?" I asked innocently.

"Oh come on! You're not going to tell him?! He deserves to know!!" Plagg snapped angrily.

"I know he deserves to know! I'm just not ready to tell him yet Plagg!" I snapped back.

"So when DO you plan on telling him?! When he's put in the hospital for protecting you?! When he asks you to marry him!?!?! Because you know DAMN WELL that he will!!!! When Marinette?! WHEN are you going to tell him?!" Plagg shouted angrily.

"I DON'T know okay?! Do you understand that he's going to put himself in danger for me MORE if he knew who I was?! DO YOU PLAGG!!" I shouted back. Plagg was about to say something but I stopped him. "No Plagg, don't. I need some air. Tikki, Spots on." I spoke the transformation words and swung out the window. "God that kwami annoys me!"

"He annoys everyone, but he is right you know Marinette." A voice echoes through my head, causing me to gasp. "Relax Marinette, it's me, Tikki."

"You can talk to me while I'm transformed? Since when?" I asked, puzzled.

"Since always Marinette. I'm here to talk to you when you're in a tight spot!" Tikki giggles. "It seems you have conflicting emotions about telling Adrien- errrr- Chat, you're Ladybug."

"You're right Tikki, I don't want him to get hurt by knowing who I am, but I also want to be able to tell him everything. I'm.... scared Tikki. Don't get me wrong! I know Ladybug and I are one in the same, I just, I don't know Tikki. What should I do?" I asked. Tikki giggles again.

"It seems you're going to ask Master Fu for one last piece of advice. We're here!" Tikki exclaims. I looked at the door in front of me and, sure enough, it was Master Fu's.

"Huh, I guess I'm used to asking Master Fu about superhero stuff." I muttered. I opened the door to his room and stepped inside. To my surprise, Cordelia was there with him.

"Hey Marinette!" Cordelia greeted. Master Fu looked up from the mixing bowl and greeted me with a smile.

"Hello Marinette. Is something bothering you?" He asked curiously.

"Actually, yeah. I'm sure Adrien has told you that I figured out his identity." I stated with a sigh. Master Fu nodded. "Well, his kwami thinks that I should tell him who I am since I know who he is." Master Fu chuckles.

"Ahh yes, Plagg can act tough but he cares about every single one of his holders. I assume you said you weren't going to tell him?" Fu asks.

"No! That's not what I said at all! I'm just not ready to tell him yet." I responded quickly.

"Relax Marinette. Is there a reason why you aren't ready to tell him yet?" Master Fu asks.

"I know that if I do tell him that I'm Ladybug, he'll put himself into even MORE danger trying to protect me. He already came back from this akuma attack with a huge cut across his forehead and three cuts across his back and stomach! He's going to put himself in the hospital if he knows who I am!" I explained.

"I understand Marinette, but he's going to protect you no matter what. Just like he'll figure out you're Ladybug sooner or later. But if he knows you're Ladybug, he'll also know that you can protect yourself. Now I have to go back to helping Cordelia with this power-up, but I'll see you soon, okay?" Master Fu said. I nodded.

"Okay, bye Master Fu! Bye Cordelia!" I yelled, running out of the house. I transformed and headed back to the dorm, where Plagg was eating camembert on Adrien's desk.

"Listen Marinette, I didn't know that was why you didn't want to tell him. I thought it was for the same reason as always." Plagg said sadly.

"It's okay Plagg, kwamis can't know everything, right?" I joked, trying to cheer him up. He laughed, but it wasn't a genuine laugh. His laugh was hollow and broken. He looked at me from across the room.

"Just promise me you'll tell him eventually. He's fragile and thinks Ladybug doesn't trust him. Prove him wrong for me okay? I care about him, he's different from all the others and I like that about him. All I ask is that you don't break my kid's heart, can you do that Marinette?" Plagg asked. I nodded.

"I promise I won't hurt him okay? I'll tell him soon, I just don't know when the best time would be. You know Plagg, even though you act tough all the time, you're really just as soft and squishy as your camembert." I teased, causing Plagg to huff and puff.

"I'll have you know that I single handedly destroyed Atlantis, killed the dinosaurs, AND tilted the Leaning Tower if Pisa! I am far from soft and squishy!" Plagg sputtered. I giggled and offered him a piece of cheese bread. "Ooh! Cheese bread!" Plagg answered to my offer.

"Good night Plagg, don't eat everything!" I said, earning an 'I won't' from Plagg who stuffed his mouth with cheese bread.