True Love?

Chapter 7

That night around 9 Marinette walks into her room after helping her parents close up the bakery. They weren't kidding when they said they needed help. She was running the counter while both her parents baked in the back. The line had been out the door. She collapses into her desk chair. Tikki floats up beside her.

"That was a busy afternoon you had," Tikki comments. Marinette nods.

"That was the busiest I have seen it this year, Tikki," Marinette responds. "I can only imagine what it will look like around Christmas time." Tikki's eyes widen.

"Oh yeah!" Tikki says. "That will be a rough time indeed." Marinette looks at the time on her computer. It reads 9:03pm.

"Crap!" Marinette shouts. "I'm late for patrol!" Tikki giggles at her chosen. "Tikki, spots on!" One flash of pink light later and Ladybug leaps out of Marinette's trap door to her balcony. She uses her yo-yo and flies across Paris to the Eiffel Tower where Cat Noir is waiting for her. She reaches the meeting spot her and Cat arranged when they first started out 3 years ago. She lands softly and bends over to catch her breath. Cat Noir looks up from his perch and smiles.

"Hey, M'lady!" he greets her. Ladybug stands upright and smiles back.

"Hey yourself, Kitty," she sasses back. Cat Noir just grins at her. "Where do you want to patrol tonight?"

"I was kinda wanting to talk about earlier some more if that's okay," Cat Noir replies nervously. He shifts his weight from one foot to another. Ladybug giggles and takes a seat at the edge of the platform hanging her legs over the edge. She pats the floor beside her.

"Okay, Kitty," Ladybug says with a smile. Cat Noir immediately relaxes and takes his spot beside her. "What's on your mind?"

"Well," Cat begins. "What happens now?" Ladybug frowns.

"What do you mean?" she asks back, confused.

"I mean, we know our identities now," Cat explains. "What happens now? Do we have to give our miraculouses back?" Ladybug leans back on her hands and thinks for a moment.

"I don't think that we have to give our miraculouses up now that we know who we are," Ladybug says. "I can always ask Master Fu about it but I am sure that we should be fine." She places a hand over Cat Noir's heart. "We just have to be careful about what happens in our civilian lives. Hawk Moth is still out there and we need to be vigilant." Cat Noir smiles at her. The amount of love in his eyes nearly overwhelms her as she looks deep into them. He covers her hand with his.

"So does this mean we can... um... I mean.... What I'm trying to say is..." Cat stutters and runs his hand through his hair nervously. Ladybug giggles lovingly and takes his hand in hers and intertwines their fingers.

"Yes, Cat?" she asks innocently. She manages to keep a smirk off her face as her Kitty continues.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" he finally says.

"Who is talking to who?" she asks mischievously. "Adrien to Marinette or Cat Noir to Ladybug?" He blinks.

"Claws in," he calls to Plagg. A green light flashes before Adrien appears where Cat Noir was. He looks at Ladybug and she calls for her detransformation.

"Spots off," she calls to Tikki. "We should get away from the ledge in case anyone can see us." Marinette starts to stand up but Adrien beats her and offers her his hand. She takes it and stands with Adrien's help. They both move towards the center of the tower and out of sight.

"Marinette, will you be my girlfriend," Adrien asks her. She smiles back at him and kisses his cheek.

"Of course, silly Kitty," she answers. Adrien grins. He picks her up and spins her around. He sets her down and puts his forehead against hers. They stay like that for a while lost in each other's eyes. Adrien leans down and kisses Marinette. Their first as a couple. The kiss evolves into a second and third. They separate breathless and hug each other. The new couple embraces for a time before screams of panic are heard in the distance. They pull apart and call their transformations.

"Tikki, spots on!" Marinette calls.

"Plagg, claw out!" Adrien calls. The flashes of pink and green light up the sky as Ladybug and Cat Noir replace Marinette and Adrien. They make their way towards the sounds of panicked people and stop once they see the sight of a super tiny Akuma. Ladybug and Cat Noir look at each other and head into battle. It's over quickly and Ladybug releases the purified butterfly. Her earrings beep.

"Cat Noir, can you take this little fella home?" Ladybug asks.

"Sure thing, Bugaboo," he responds.

"Thanks, Kitty," she tells him. "Bug out!" She swings away back to her house and detransforms outside on her balcony. Marinette climbs down into her room and settles into her bed for the night. She immediately drifts off to sleep dreaming about her new relationship. Unbenounced to her, there is a dark figure waiting for their moment to strike.