Let's just start with, Adrien is not as dense as you think he is. No, after a few weeks of being with Ladybug and Marinette, he began to realize the similarities, and not just by their looks.

It was around the time Stormy Weather came that it hit him. Hard. Her voice, in the dark, sounded just like his first friend, Marinette's. That's when he finally came to terms with it.

And he stayed true to his word, both on not revealing, and to still love her other side.

God, he loved so many things about her. The way she smiles at everyone, even people who didn't deserve to get to see it, the way she always smells like strawberries and freshly baked bread, how concentrated she gets whenever she works on a new design, and so much more.

But what he loved most, was her heart of gold. Even now, as he was laying in Ladybug's, aka Marinette's, arms, dying, all he could do was think about her.

"Promise me something, LB."

Ladybug shook with tears in her eyes. "Don't say that, if you say that, it sounds like you're dying."

Chat smiled as he placed a clawed hand on her cheek.

"Keep your heart of gold, my Marinette."

Against Plagg's will, the transformation, the only thing that was keeping him alive so far, wore off. The kwami fell to the ground, passed out and completely drained of energy.

"Adrien?! Adrien, stay with me! The ambulance is almost here!" Ladybug cried. She would have to deal with the fact that both loves of her life are the same person later, but right now, keeping him alive is more important.

The last thing Adrien saw, before he was completely consumed by darkness, was his beautiful Lady, his magnificent Princess, crying.

Keep your heart of gold, my sweet Marinette.

•••••

Marinette was sat in a chair next to a sleeping Adrien in the hospital. They had barely saved him. The doctors all said that it was a miracle he even lasted as long a he did with the injuries he had sustained .

They said it was a close call, but they somehow managed to pull through and save him. Word had gotten out, the day after the two went to the hospital, about their secret identities.

As much as everyone wanted to, nobody, except for a few nurse and doctors, dared to step foot into that room.

Her parents were worried and felt the want and need to ask her why she does it, and maybe convince her that it wasn't the best option for their 15 year old to fight crime.

Alya had so many questions. Like how did she get the miraculous? And why didn't she ever tell her?

But they were too scared, to see their friend, family, and superhero, be a broken and disheveled mess.

Marinette hadn't left Adrien's side, even during the surgery. She had managed to threaten her way in to staying with him.

She sighed as she thought back to that. It had been 2 weeks since then. She held his hand tightly in hers as she spoke.

"Why aren't you waking up, kitty? You should've woken up a week ago." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I don't know if you can hear me or not, but, I love you."

She smiled faintly as she said what's been on her chest for weeks.

"It's kind of funny, actually. You loved me as Ladybug, but I loved you as Adrien. Well, at least up to when the Evillustrator came. You acted so different after that akumatized, to Marinette at least. You let me see your flirty, charming, ridiculous side. That's why I fell for Chat." She chuckled wryly at the thought.

"I kind of felt like I was betraying you, Adrien. Kind of funny, now that I know you are the same person."

"I-" she felt the hand she was holding, tighten around hers.

"What-"

"I'm sorry. If I'm going to be honest, I knew you were Ladybug since Stormy Weather." Adrien said, his eyes still closed. His voice was hoarse and quiet from the lack of use, but Mari could still hear it.

"I loved you for both sides, not just Ladybug."

"If you knew, then why did you keep asking me to reveal?" She quietly asked as she met his emerald eyes or the first time in weeks.

"Because I wanted you to show me, and I wanted to show myself to you."

Marinette nodded slowly before he said something.

"Did you keep your heart of gold?"

She looks down at her hands. "I tried, but-"

"It's still there, I can see it." Adrien sighed as he closed his eyes once more.

They could hear the doctors making their way to them before he said one last thing.

"Oh, by the way."

Marinette looked up to a grinning Adrien.

"I love you too."

Yay! Happy one! Phones at 8% so I gotta go!

Until next time, peace!