Miraculous Ladybug reveal stories (oneshots)

Cat fight

Marinette entered her classroom, surprisingly early this time. Everyone was huddled around Chloe, clearly bragging about something. Marinette set her bags on her table and made her way to listen to what Chloe was boasting about this time.

"And then Ladybug swooped in to save my life, as always," she said, referring to the last akuma attack that she caused. "We're besties, of course she doesn't need me to tell her when I'm in trouble. She just knows! She's amazing like that. She's probably the only person who can even come close to how awesome I am."

Marinette inwardly groaned. "You know," she said, "Chat Noir seemed to do most of the 'saving your life' thing that moment. Did you even at least thank him?"

Chloe looked at Marinette as if trying to remember who this 'Chat Noir' could be. "Oh," Chloe said dismissively, "yes, that alley cat. Well, Ladybug still purified that akuma and I'm pretty sure she could handle anything without that silly black cat. I mean, he just shows off. Puh-lease, I'm pretty sure he can't even take on an akuma by himself."

Adrien frowned at this, though no one seemed to notice. Marinette thought it was just because he was disappointed in his childhood friend.

"I'll have you know that Chat Noir singlehandedly saved me from an akumatized person without Ladybug, so yes, he can take on an akuma all by himself," Marinette defended.

Chloe smirked at her smugly. "And who purified the akuma afterwards? Oh, that's right, Ladybug when she showed up. And who was the villain? Your father. Didn't he get akumatized because that dumb cat broke your heart?"

Everyone gasped at this, even Marinette. How can she know about that? Well, it doesn't matter now. She knew it wasn't his fault.

"Whatever happened wasn't his fault," Marinette said back. "He has the right to feel whatever he feels and love who he wants to love. And we accept that. At least he was honest with us. Unlike you who causes akumas all the time because you're rude to people. And wasn't that last akuma attack that you're bragging so much about was caused by you?"

Chloe was obviously really angry at this point. She stood up and wagged a finger in Marinette's face.

"At least I don't cause destruction directly! Isn't that his only power? Isn't that all he's good for? Causing cataclysms and destroying things? At least Ladybug can create lucky charms, fix everything, and purify akumas! What else does that stupid cat have to offer?"

Marinette inhaled. Her face was very red. Her classmates were looking at her curiously. Why was Marinette defending Chat Noir so much, they thought.

Marinette was about to go on a long rant about how loyal and protective and caring Chat Noir is when she noticed Adrien slip out of the door.

"Adrien?" she whispered. As if on instinct, she rushed out of the classroom and tried to find Adrien, ignoring Chloe's screaming. She looked everywhere until she found  him in the locker room. He sat on one of the benches with his back turned to her. She couldn't quite see his face but based on his body language, she could see that he was crying.

"Adrien?" Marinette whispered as she approached him. She saw him wipe away his tears quickly before he turned to her and faked a smile.

"Oh hey," he said. "Sorry, it was getting a little heated up there."

"Sorry about that," Marinette said sheepishly. "I didn't mean to upset you. I just hate it when people always forget about Chat Noir."

She saw Adrien genuinely smile for a while, then it disappeared again. "It's alright. I just hate it when, um... Chloe gets really defensive to the point that it's insulting. I just don't know what else to do and I feel like I'm failing her as a friend." Adrien took a deep breath and sighed. "Just, forget about Chat Noir for a while, alright? I know Chloe, there's no changing her mind. Besides, Chloe has a point. Maybe Chat is meant to be just a sidekick after all."

Marinette knew Adrien was upset, but she couldn't help her defensiveness kick in. She faced him abruptly and started the long rant she was supposed to tell Chloe earlier.

"Chat Noir isn't a sidekick," she said, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Chat is loyal and caring and protective. He has so much respect for Ladybug. Sure he can get really annoying with all the flirting at times, but he treats her with so much respect. He knows that keeping their identities a secret is so important to Ladybug and he's had so many opportunities to find out who she was but he didn't. He's always there for her when she needs him.

"And Ladybug can't handle everything by herself. She and Chat are yin and yang. They're destruction and creation. Together they create this balance and they just work so well. Sometimes, you need to destroy something, make sacrifices, if you need to get something that. There's always compromise, balance. Chat's power isn't destruction. His power is being caring and loyal to the point that he takes the sacrifices himself. He's always willing to give his life for Ladybug. He's sacrificed himself so much and he trusts Ladybug so much even though she broke his heart multiple times now and he definitely has no reason to trust her—and yet he does.

"Chat Noir isn't my sidekick and he never was a sidekick. He and I are a team—a duo—and I can't even imagine doing all of this without him. I know you're upset, Adrien. I'm sorry, but I won't let anyone talk trash about my partner. And—"

Marinette's eyes widened as she realized she hasn't been referring to herself in her alter ego in her last few sentences. What surprised her more is how happy and lovingly Adrien is looking at her.

"Umm," she said, trying to do some damage control. "I am so sorry. Please forget everything I just said. I didn't mean—um... Chat and I are, uh... What I really meant to say was—" Marinette gave up and sighed in defeat. "Please don't tell anyone."

Adrien was too stunned to speak. Could it be that Marinette was his lady? He's been denying it all this time, but deep down, he knows Marinette is NOT just a friend to him.

"Marinette... You're..." Marinette looked like she was about to cry. She closed her eyes and started to overthink. She didn't know what to do, the damage has been done, until Adrien said, "M'lady."

She looked up at him in surprise. "What did you just say?"

Adrien was too happy for words. Instead, he hugged Marinette tightly. He felt tears fall down his face for the second time that day, only this time they were tears of joy. They pulled away a few seconds later, both blushing.

"Sorry," Adrien said, still smiling the same way he smiles at Marinette every time (aka not just as a friend you dense child of sunshine). "I get it now, why you're so defensive of me."

Marinette looked at him with wide eyes. "Adrien... You're... Chat Noir?"

"And you're my bugaboo."

Marinette smiled and hugged him again. No matter how many times she also denied her feelings, she wanted Adrien to be Chat Noir.

"I take that means you don't mind me calling you bugaboo from now on?" Adrien smirked.

"Whatever you say, kitty," she said. "Just don't call me bugaboo in front of anyone else. We don't want anyone else knowing, do we?"

Adrien stood up and offered to help Marinette up.

Suddenly, a black figure whizzed out of Adrien's shirt. "Finally," Plagg said, "the sexual tension is over. Now give me cheese as a reward for my self control."

"You smell terrible enough, Plagg," Tikki said as she flew out of Marinette's bag.

"SUGARCUUUUBE!" Plagg moved to embrace Tikki while she attempted to fly away. Marinette and Adrien laughed at their kwamis just as the bell rang.

"Well, we better get going."

"Agreed."

Marinette and Adrien had a lot of explaining to do at lunch time when they asked Alya to swap seats so the two of them can sit together. Chloe's mouth dropped wide when she saw this and threatened to call her father, but they all knew that there was nothing she could do.

Of course, Chloe got akumatized. Ladybug and Chat Noir transformed and detransformed together for the first time that day, and it couldn't have been any cuter. Let's just say patrol nights and school days have been more bearable from then on.