Reveal Story Gone Wrong. Things to Note: In this one-shot, Alya does not know who Ladybug is. Adrien and Marinette have not dated Luka and Kagami yet. I've also placed them in their last years of middle school, so they'd be fourteen turning fifteen. As I know it says that Juleka and Luka are twins, but why would they go to different schools, but seeing as Mari had never met Luka or at least that's how it presented I'm gonna say he's a year older here. 

Marinette had been the Guardian for just over three months. And what a rotten three months it had been. Lila's lies were working to at least they kind of where. With Marinette being guardian she didn't really have time to stress over lying Lila. Rose after talking to Prince Ali found out Lila had lied about her friendship with him. Jules after finding out that her bother's father was Jagged Stone, learned that Lia had been lying about that too. Mylene had seen Lila playing ball with some kid in the park for "charity". But Lila had said she had some kind of problem with that, so not only did she find out Lila was lying she also apologized to Marinette for thinking bad of her. Ivan believed his girlfriend and soon just believed everything out of Lila's mouth was a lie. And well there was Luka, Luka always trusted and believed Mari he also wasn't in their class so he just found the girl to be annoying, whenever she came around. 

So while Mari had friends in Kitty Section, her oldest friend Nino often found he was stuck between his girlfriend and his oldest friend. Ayla still found the girl to be amazing, and often sided with her over her "best friend". Nino would often give Mari a sad smile and follow Alya, Mari understood, she didn't like it but she didn't hold it against Nino. She'd also seen him goggling some of Lila's stories and bookmarking them, no doubt to try and get his girlfriend to listen to him later. Then there was Adrien, the boy Marinette wished she could forgive and forget about. His years of dealing with bad press told him the best thing to do with lies was to ignore them.  So he often pushed Mari to ignore them too, he didn't know she'd been threatened by Lila, and that the lies were hurting her. Even after Lila tried to get her expelled Adrien still told her to leave it be. Sure he stood up for her, but it wasn't enough. She'd given up standing up to Lila, seeing that if her band friends could see the truth, maybe her classmates would too. 

"Tiki this is all too much I think I need to know who Chat Noir is, just so I can contact him at all times." Mari sat exhausted on her bed. "Summer is only three months away, I would love to take a break and join the band on the small tour they're trying to set up, and that would be easier if I could be in contact with Chat Noir. We saw how well the remote and kitty worked out last time." She giggled.

"Are you sure the break is the only reason you want to go on tour?" Tiki teased. 

"Okay, and maybe spending time with Luka would be really nice. He's been so helpful lately. And he's not pushy about going on a date. Adrien is always gonna be forced to be something he's not, and if I were to be with him, that's another layer of perfect I'd need to be. Even as his friend there's a level of perfection he expects me to be. " 

Tiki knew finding out who Chat Noir was right now wasn't the best idea, she'd just be hurt. But maybe just maybe it's what Adrien needed to finally be free from his box of perfection.  "Alright, Marinette but you need him to understand he still can't know who you are. It's too risky."

"I'll do my best Tiki, and if he won't agree that's okay I won't force him." She and the Kwamis cleaned her room and by the time they were done, it was time for patrol. "Tiki, Spots on!" Soon she was jumping across Paris. She saw Chat Noir sitting waiting for her. "Hiya, Kitty!" 

"Why Hello My Lady!" He kissed her hand and she pushed his nose away. 

"Before we start patrol I need to tell you something. If you want, because I'm now Gardien I can know who you are. I still need to keep my identity a secret, but I one of those texting apps, and created a number different than mine so that we could be in contact when we aren't transformed." She looked at him hopefully. 

"So I still couldn't know who you are, but I could talk to you? If I was ever really down?" She nodded. "Well, that's better than nothing. Would you like to know now?" She nodded again. "Plag Claws in!"

"Adrien?" Marinette couldn't believe it. The boy who fought beside her every day was the same boy who told her to let a girl trick and lie to his friends all the time. And he knew she was lying. "Wow, I'm um, glad you have a way to get out of your dad's controlling house."  that much was true.

"Are you upset that it's me?" Adrien fidgeted with his hands. 

"Upset no, confused yes. Here is the app and the number I created. I'm gonna head home, I'm suddenly feeling lightheaded." 

"Oh, okay, want me to patrol alone tonight?" He quickly gave Plag some cheese. 

"I'd tell you no that you could go home, but that's probably the last place you want to be, so take a night to have fun in Paris. I just need to lay down, honest Kitty, Ah Adrien it's nothing you did I just need a breather that's all. Message me later and maybe we can work out some better scheduling things for both of us. Maybe pick some new heroes to give night patrols too." She leaped away, and after getting a few buildings away she dropped her transformation and decided to go for a walk to clear her head. 

Sadly her peace and quiet didn't last too long Chat found her. "Princess! Let me give you a lift home!"

"Not Chat it's quite alright I was on a way to clear my... Woah!" Chat picked her up in his arms and took her home. At least now she knew why Chat took notice of Marinette it had been Adirens way to get to know her better. He dropped down on her balcony. "Thanks, Chat..." She tried her best not to be annoyed. 

"No problem Princess can't have my perrrfect Princess getting in trouble can I?" He saluted her and leaped away. 

She sighed heavily. Adrien really did few all sides of her as perfect, didn't he? It was exhausting. Sure as Ladybug she was a role model and that required some level of professionalism. But as Marinette, she was a normal teen, she was allowed a little imperfection and mistakes. Sure blowing up at Lila was never gonna work. But if Adrien wanted perfect Marinette then Marinette didn't want Adrien. She picked up her phone, "Luka?" 

"Melody?" She loved it when he called her that. 

"Wou... Would you like to go on a date with me this week?" She waited. 

"Wait really? What happened to..." She loved the shock in his voice. 

"He expects perfect Marinette all the time, and Luka I just can't do that anymore. You like me for me and I want to spend more time with you." 

"I thought you'd never ask." They both went to bed with smiles on their faces. 

Over the next two months, Mari felt herself relax more and more, sure her life was still stressful, but she started where headphones listening to whatever the most recent playlist Luka had made for her was. Nino saw her new love of music as a connection to her relaxed state and gave her a really nice set of headphones. She found it easier to ignore Lila's drama when she couldn't hear it. Alya couldn't talk her ear off about getting with Adrien (even if she was dating Luka) if her headphones were on. Mari even found that her more relaxed state and lack of Adrien's oppression made it easier to be friends with Kagami who quickly become one of Mari's best friends. 

Mari kept her normal look for school, trying not to rock the boat too much. But as soon as school was done she'd change into a new trend she was trying out. She had tried out for Luka's arts high school and got into the drawing/design program. All of her Kitty's Section friends except Mylene got into the music program. Mylene however did apply to go to the school as she did have a wide range of talents. 

Marinette found herself more and more getting annoyed at Adrien/Chat Noir. He was always on her case about something, the way she handled the press as Ladybug. Or how she was less social at school now as Marinette. Or commenting on her new look as Chat whenever he stopped by her balcony. One time Chat had seen her and Luka on a walk and he had the nerve to comment that he thought she could do better! People started to notice the distance growing between the two heroes, sure they were an amazing team and trusted each other in what seemed like life or death situations but their "spark" was gone. Soon Ladybug suggested that they let Viperion and Ryuko join the team. She knew that Kagami was interested in Adrien and Adrien at least saw her as someone worth chasing after. That defiantly helped the situation. Luka eventually found out who Ladybug was thanks to his powers, and it only made them stronger. 

At the end of the year the school put on a talent show, Kitty Section took up four slots each showcasing a song they wrote or showed off their talents. Luka as he wasn't a student suggested Mari take his songs slot. She'd been singing with him and had gotten quite good. She chose an older song to prove a point to the boy who let her down. 

The night of the show arrived while Mari was nervous she was very excited. She designed a special outfit for the occasion. She stood side stage until her song. Then Rose who had been learned the piano for moments when she wasn't the lead singer, started playing what reminded everyone of a music box melody. And Mari stepped out, in what looked like her normal clothes and walked to the mic.

I'm caught up in your expectations
You're trying to make me live your dream
But I'm causing you so much frustration
And you only want the best from me

You wanted me to show more interests
To always keep a big bright smile
Be that pinky little perfect princess
But I'm not that type of child

She took the mic off its stand and walked to the edge of the stage.

And the storm is rising inside of me
Don't you feel that our worlds collide?
It's getting harder to breathe
It hurts deep inside

Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away

And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry, but just won't get it out
The silent scream

Luka came up from behind her. Stopped playing his guitar and wrapped his arms around Mari.

Tell me why you're putting pressure on me
And everyday you 'cause me harm
That's the reason why I feel so lonely
Even though you hold me in your arms

As he let go he smoothly unzipped the zipper that no one could see on her back and as her blazer, white floral top and pink pants gave way she stepped out of the clothes and showed off an oversized Kitty Section Shirts that she'd turned into a rather edgy dress.

Wanna put me in a box of glitter
But I'm just trying to get right out
And now you're feeling so, so bitter
Because I've let you down

She pulled her hair out of her pigtails.

And the storm is rising inside of me
Don't you feel that our worlds collide?
It's getting harder to breathe
It hurts deep inside

Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away

And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry, but just won't get it out
The silent scream

Can't you see how I cry for help
'Cause you should love me just for being myself
I'll drown in an ocean
Of pain and emotion
If you don't save me right away

Luka who had gone back to playing stepped forward again and held her close and kissed her cheek. As he walked back, Mari pulled her hair back into pigtails and she stepped back into the pile of clothes.

Just let me be
Who I am
It's what you really need to understand
And I hope so hard for the pain to go away

This she knelt and slid her arms back into the sleeves of her blazer.

And it's torturing me
But I can't break free
So I cry and cry, but just won't get it out
The silent scream

As the music box melody started back up again, Juleka stepped up and help zipped her outfit back up, so she looked like her "normal" self again. She found Adrien who stood with Kagami, suddenly understanding what he'd missed and done.

My silent scream

She bowed with the rest of Kitty Section and the five of them went backstage to change out of show clothes and into their streetwear. Mari rocked her new Kitty section dress, though she had added leggings to avoid the teachers coming after her. It was the last day of school what were they gonna do, but still, she wanted to be allowed to stay and enjoy the party that was sure to follow. Luka also tossed her his sweater knowing she'd get cold. With the earth of his sweater, Mari enjoyed the rest of her night, truly feeling like herself.