Miraculous Ladybug Oneshots

Reveal #2 ~ Not Anymore ~

Marinette sighed as she shoved the Miracle Box back into it's locker. Between school, being Ladybug, becoming the new Guardian of the Miraculous and helping out in her parent's bakery, she was absolutely exhausted. She had already had to leave class three times this week to be Ladybug which meant her grades were dropping. Her parents weren't happy about that, and to appease them she had to do her homework late at night, which meant less sleep, which meant an endless cycle of 'why me's.

Chat Noir had been trying (key word trying) to help her, but there was only so much he could do. Work even harder than usual during akuma attacks, sure. Not bother her with flirting or puns, appreciated but missed a little as well. Since he didn't know her secret identity, however, she couldn't rant to him about her problems, or ask for help with them. She also couldn't ask him to take Miraculous back to the box, something that would have been very helpful today. If she did tell him he might see Master Fu's letter to her, and it was too risky to move that anywhere else.

The whole secret identity thing had really been bothering Marinette recently. Sure, Hawkmoth learning their real names and families would be terrifying, but telling Chat wouldn't risk that. It would just mean she and Chat would get to know each other better outside of their masks, which would lead to a deeper partnership. That couldn't be a bad thing, right? Alya and Nino had known each others identities for months, and nothing bad happened with them!

"Why can't I know Chat Noir's identity?" she finally asked Tikki one day.

"Master Fu decided it would be safer that way," Tikki shrugged. "And besides Marinette, the consequences could be huge!"

Marinette stood up and started pacing. "I know, I know. But if Master Fu was the only thing stopping us, and I'm the Guardian now, then shouldn't I get to decide? Imagine how much better we'd work together if we knew each other personally!"

"It's your choice, Marinette," Tikki replied with a sigh. "But please be careful and don't just decide because you're tired! Please think it all the way through!"

"I will," Marinette laughed. But her mind was made up. It had been for a long time. And now that she knew Master Fu had been the only authority behind the rule, nothing could stop her. She was the Guardian of the Miraculous, she was the leader of her team. This was what she was deciding was best for everyone.

*~*~*

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Chat Noir shouted, bumping fists. They had just defeated Wisper, someone who was angry about their fate or something, and had fallen prey to Hawkmoth's evil butterfly.

"Kitty," Ladybug called, catching her partners attention before he could run off.

"Yes, M'Lady?" Chat turned back, obviously surprised. She couldn't blame him. Usually she was the one rushing off after attacks. Not anymore.

"Can I talk to you somewhere private?" she asked.

Now Chat looked concerned, but gave her a puzzled smile. "Sure, but, uh, you're about to change back."

"That's okay," she rubbed her earring absentmindedly.

If she hadn't had Chat's attention before, she definitely had it now. She was never this casual about running out of time. Her personal life was usually her most guarded secret. The reason she never responded to Chat Noir's questions about her, or lingered places after she'd saved the day. She was scared of Master Fu taking her Miraculous, or, worse, Hawkmoth targeting her loved ones.

Master Fu wasn't a problem anymore, though Ladybug did feel a little guilty about throwing all his rules away as soon as he left. Hawkmoth still posed a threat, but she trusted that Chat Noir wouldn't tell, and that if they did it quietly it wouldn't cause too much of a stir.

"Is everything okay?" Chat asked once they were alone in an alley.

"Yes," Ladybug took a deep breath before she began her monologue. "I've just been thinking a lot about our identities. I know Master Fu said we shouldn't reveal them, but now that I'm Guardian I decided it was actually a good idea. I get it if you don't want to or something, but it would probably help us in battle, so..."

Chat blinked three times, very slowly, after she trailed off, which made her very nervous.

"Are you sure you aren't akumatized?" he laughed nervously, like he really was considering it. "You really want to know who I am?"

Ladybug nodded anxiously, suddenly realizing how insane this sounded. Maybe she was just making this decision because she was tired and wanted Chat Noir to help with her Guardian duties a bit. Maybe she should back out, before it was too late. She opened her mouth to say something along those lines, but didn't have time.

"Plagg, claws in," Chat said, closing his eyes as green light whirled around him.

Ladybug was almost afraid to look, and she gasped as soon as she saw who was standing in front of her. No, no, no. No way. This was not possible. Chat Noir must be pranking her. Maybe he had disappeared and this boy had shown up in his place? Anything was more believable than the truth. Chat Noir was Adrien. Adrien was Chat Noir. ADRIEN AND CHAT NOIR WERE THE SAME PERSON WHAT THE ACTUAL HECK?!

Adrien laughed nervously again. "Don't react all at once, now."

She was saved from any reaction at all by her earrings beeping a final time and her disguise falling. Uh-oh...

Adrien stared at her.

She stared at Adrien.

They stared at each other.

"Uh...I think they're broken," a nasally voice commented. "Do you think I can still find cheese?"

"You're ridiculous," Tikki's soft voice scolded. "They were having a moment!"

"A moment of idiocy, maybe," Plagg replied. "They should have put this together on their own!"

Tikki huffed and pulled Plagg elsewhere, leaving Marinette and Adrien in silence.

"So," Adrien attempted to start a conversation again. "You...you're Ladybug."

"And you're Chat Noir," Marinette nodded, her head spinning. "I can't believe it."

"And I can't believe I didn't figure it out sooner," Adrien put a hand behind his neck and grinned. "Plagg's right, I really should have put the pieces together it's just..."

"You're very different out of costume," they both said at the same time.

Blinking, the two couldn't help themselves. It was too funny, with the tension and then the way they were both thinking the same thing. They started laughing; really, deeply, laughing. At themselves, at each other, at their situation, at everything.

When they were done, Marinette felt much better. She still couldn't comprehend that Adrien was Chat Noir, or the crazy spin that put on both sides of their romance, but that was okay. She'd worry about that later. She couldn't think of anyone she would rather had by her side.

"Hi," she decided to say, taking a deep breath and sticking out her hand. "I'm Marinette, and Ladybug."

"Hi," Adrien replied shyly, returning the hand shake. "I'm Adrien, and Chat Noir."

That was good enough for now.

~~~~~

Word count: 1202

Picture: https://aminoapps.com/c/ladybugoficial/page/blog/pose/YLpr_8JTbu0KpEaoBmzXnnD0Q2RWxVp8Wl
This is basically a mirror of the first oneshot, but from Ladybug's perspective.  I hope you like it!  I'm wishing you all health and safety while COVID-19 still spreading.
Feel free to leave constructive criticism, and requests!
Thank you for reading! :D <3