Gang of secrets but Marinette told the right person about who she was. Because if Adrien and Marinette communicated properly, strike back would have gone way differently. And it wouldn't have consequences like in the what if episodes.

Reminder that they are 17/18 because I refuse to acknowledge that 14 year olds are allowed to have superhero responsibilities.

I know I said I would try do something lighthearted but I guess it didn't work out.

Chat Noir watched as Marinette hugged her friends with a smile on his face. He knew, from observation, that Marinette had been pretty stressed out recently and that had caused a rift between her and her friends and family. Nino had also told him that he had heard from Alya, that she had heard from her friends who had heard from Juleka, that Marinette and Luka had ended their relationship around the same time he and Kagami did (Nino may have also let it slip that Alya had caught her crying). A lot of people, including himself, had been worried about her so he was glad that she was feeling a lot better now.

He knew she probably felt guilty for causing her friends to be akumatised, however, so he came to see if he could help her in some way or another.

He lifted the trap door to fully open and jumped inside, causing and all of their faces to turn towards him.

"Chat Noir?" Alya questioned, and he could see her hands twitching to reach her pocket- for her phone, probably.

He waved sheepishly and jumped off Of Marinette's bed, landing right next to the girl who was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry to interrupt but I was wanted to stop by to have a chat with Marinette."

"Why?" Rose squeaked.

"It's just something Ladybug and I do. Usually on patrol but I don't this can wait."

Marinette squinted her eyes in his direction. What is he talking about- they don't just chat with random civilians for no reasons. They only do that when they think that- oh.

"Uh, what do you mean?" Juleka mumbled.

Before he could answer, Alix did, "They go round Paris and give therapy sessions for free. I'm surprised you guys don't know."

"I guess, that is essentially what it is."

"Wait!" Alya almost screamed, "So when you came to my house when I was having a bad day last week and you gave me an interview, you were trying to give me a therapy session?"

He lifted his finger up in a eureka motion, but he still looked a bit confused. "Yes. Kind of. I just wanted to prevent you from being akumatised again since you had a bad day."

Alya placed her hands on her hips, "And how did you know that I was having a bad day?"

He looked momentarily shocked before he quickly stuttered out what Marinette knew was an excuse, "Uh-I. I could feel your emotions. So can Ladybug," he was lying and Marinette knew it, "It happens because of our prolonged exposure to the miraculous magic. Yes! That's how."

He seemed to be trying to convince himself, but no one, but Marinette realised.

The girls seemed to believe him though and deduced that he was here to give Marinette a therapy session.

Alya, did seem a little hesitant, knowing that there was something Marinette was still hiding. But she knew her best friend was in good hands. Chat Noir was actually a great person to talk to, so if there was anyone Alya would trust to help her friend, it would be him (or Ladybug, but she wasn't here. Well, she was. But Alya didn't know that.)

Alya glanced at her friend who was now sitting at the chaise, Chat Noir plopping himself on the floor on front of her, and she smiled. I hope you feel better Mari. You deserve it more than any of us.

A few minutes later.

They sat in silence for a bit. Chat Noir's ear was twitching as he made sure all of them were gone, whilst Marinette just stared at her partner.

What did I do to deserve you?

"Okay, they're gone now."

"Are you really here to give me some free therapy?" He pouted and Marinette couldn't help the small smile that displayed on her face when she realised how adorable he looked like that.

"I really just wanted to talk to you. You seem very distraught these days and I would hate having to fight you, princess."

Marinette raised her eyebrows. How did he know I've been sad? She decided not to push the subject, however.

"Yeah I probably would make a pretty difficult akuma."

"Of course you would! You are smart and have plans for everything. You would probably be able to calculate all my moves. And, I've always thought that if there is anyone apart from Ladybug who shouldn't be akumatised, it's you. Paris would be doomed."

"I think that if you got akumatised it would be worse with your powers of destruction and all," she tried to joke, but he could see the sad, knowing glint in her eyes and her smile seemed constricted.

"So," he leapt onto the chaise and placed a hand on her shoulder, "What is going on? You don't have to tell me everything Princess. Just get some stuff off of your mind. You need it as much as Ladybug does," He whispered the last part but, as she was sitting next to him she still heard.

"Ladybug?"

"Yeah," he sighed, "Ever since she's become guardian she has become more and more stressed. She doesn't know it, but I can see how burdened she feels having to be both Ladybug and Guardian and she probably has so many other civilian responsibilities that she is slowly being eaten from the inside. I tried to help her- I kind of tricked her into going to the movies to get her to relax a bit- but it didn't work and I- no. This isn't about me and LB. I want you to tell me about you. Why is the happiest girl I know so sad these days?"

Marinette burst out into tears and attacked Chat into a hug. Both of them fell to the floor and they ended up lying there, Chat stroking her hair and Marinette holding him, as if he woul disappear if she let go. She kept on mumbling words but as her head was buried in his chest all he could hear were snippets of sentences that didn't make much sense.

Minutes later, she sat up and grabbed his hand to pull him up. She leaned her back onto the chaise and put her head into her hands.

"I've been lying to everyone. Lying to Alya. Lying to Maman and Papa. To my friends. To Luka. Do you know why I broke up with him?"

"Why?" He asked softly, moving his hands away from her face and clasping her small hands securely into his.

She looked at him, "It's not that I don't like him. I do. Luka is amazing. But I'm not the right person for him. I would always have to lie to him and I couldn't do that to him."

He hesitated to say what he was thinking, but he ignored the way his chest tightened (in jealousy- Plagg be quiet) at her words and spoke up anyways, "Why aren't you the right person for him mouse? Anyone would be lucky to have you. And I'm sure whatever you are keeping to yourself is being kept for a good reason."

"But I've lied so much. I've hurt him. And I don't want to do that again. He deserves better. And so does Adrien."

His body became rigid at his name, but only for a second. Why was she talking about him now?

Unless...

"Adrien? Is that the boy you- you liked? I thought it was Luka."

"No- It's not- Luka- I do like him but I don't love him. Not like- like I love..." She trailed off.

"Like you love Adrien," he ended her sentence.

His heart was beginning to beat faster at the revelation that Marinette was in love with him. Marinette- the girl he may or may have not had developed a small (more like huge- shut up plagg!) crush on. The girl who he admired and cared for as much as he did Ladybug. The girl he realised he would have fallen in love with completely, if ladybug didn't already have his heart- no matter how much he tried to get over her. Maybe... maybe he could if... if...

"I love him. I love him so much but I can't tell him. I can't."

"Why not? I don't think he would reject you," it wasn't like he was lying. He wouldn't reject her. In fact, he would be happy to go on a date with her. She was probably that most amazing girl he knew. And he was flattered that someone he admired more than he could admit, loved him despite his flaws.

"No. It's not that. I just can't. Maybe before everything happened, I would have. But now. I can't. I really can't tell him."

You just did.

He didn't mean to pry, really he didn't. But there was something in the back of his mind that told him to ask (and it, suspiciously, sounded like Plagg's scratchy voice).

"Why?" Despite herself, her brow rose in a very Ladybug- like manner. He shrugged, "Curiousity killed the cat. You are an amazing person, Marinette. Anyone would be happy if the Marinette Dupain-Cheng confessed to them. And I'm sure that even if I- uh- Adrien knows that you are keeping a secret from him, he wouldn't hold it against you."

Her face dropped so she was no longer looking at him but he could still see her eyes beginning to fill with tears again.

"I know he won't. I do. But I can't afford to be in love. To be loved. I don't deservfff-" he cut her off, placing his hand firmly on her mouth, immediately shutting her up.

He stared her down in a dangerous glare (that made him look hot as hell- Marinette this is not what you should be thinking of right now) and almost growled out, "Don't you dare. You deserve to love and to be loved and more. You, who has always put people's interest above your own. Who, even when crumbling under pressure, doesn't hesitate when someone else needs help. Juleka had her photo curse, yet you tried to make sure she was included in the picture no matter what. And that's just one thing! You've done so much for everyone around you. You always bring snacks for the class when you don't have to. You stand up for what is right. You try to make sure everyone is happy. I mean- you became class president because you didnt want our classmates to have to deal with Chloe when you didn't have to. You helped me with my father more times than I probably even know. I mean, New York? You made sure I didn't feel left out. You are always there for everyone. But you need to know that I'm here for you. You deserve to be happy too. There is no one that deserves happiness more than you- and Ladybug but that isn't the point."

Marinette smiled under his hand, though her brain felt a bit muddled as she put together the pieces based on what she said. Specifically how he had referred to her classmates as his as well and how she had been involved with helping him with his father. And New York.

She looked at him. Really looked at him. At his blond hair and his green eyes and she knew from mister bug that they really were green. The same green as Adrien's eyes- a fact she had chosen to ignore the day they had swapped miraculous. And that day his hair had looked more like Adrien's usual tidy look instead of the wild hair he (she was pretty sure Chat Noir was Adrien by now) sported along with a tight leather cat suit.

The look she gave him made him feel so warm inside. He removed his hand and moved back a bit, embarrassed at his ranting and for sounding a bit too harsh. He didn't even realise that he had revealed more than he should have. That he had practically told her in all but the words I am Adrien and I'm not going to stand for you hating on yourself when you deserve to be loved.

The magic of the mask was quickly becoming undone and now she could see Adrien and Chat Noir as one. Surprisingly, she didn't feel like stuttering. Then again, he was her partner and her other half. So it really wasn't too surprising. She had always felt comfortable around him. Chat Noir being Adrien didn't change much. It just made her love him more.

And, somehow, she knew that it made things easier.

Still embarrassed at his outburst, he looked away and bit his lip, trying to avoid her beautiful eyes, swirling with emotion. It didn't help that he was so obviously blushing under her gaze, so he tried to turn his body a bit so she wouldn't see his face at all.

But she shuffled closer towards him, cupping his face, so they were both looking at each other. She wanted to giggle at his confused smushed face between her fingers and she used her thumb to rub a few circles on his cheek. She felt a new sense of delight as his face became redder than usual.

"Marinette?"

"My kitty. My beautiful, soft little kitty." (And now I'm singing the song from BBT)

"Uh, Princess?"

"I should have known it was you."

"Known what?"

She took a deep breath, "You want to know what I was lying about. What broke me so much that I pushed everyone I've ever cared about away."

He nodded, his face still in between her hands, "I do, but you don't need to tell-"

One of her hands left his cheek to shut him up like his had done to her just moments before.

"I do need to tell you. You're the only person that needs to know. And even if that means I have to face the consequences, I won't regret it. I need you Chaton. More than ever," her smile faltered as she remembered Chat Blanc. But she shook her head, "Besides, I've figured you out. It's only right that you know who I am as well, Adrien."

His eyes widened and she felt his mouth open against her hand. She could almost hear the thoughts going through his mind as he panicked silently and tried to find a logical way to get out of this.

"Its me," Another breath, "I'm Ladybug. I'm the guardian of the miraculous and I've been slowly drowning under the weight of my responsibility as Ladybug, as guardian. Even just as Marinette. I've been lying to everyone and I was so close to giving everything and everyone up. If you weren't here I- I don't- I don't know what I would-"

This time he was on top of her, hugging the life out of her. She felt his hot breath against her neck and gasped as he placed soft kisses on the skin that was exposed to him.

"Adrien!" She finally let out a giggle,causing him to press more kisses against her, if only to hear the melody that left her lips more.

"It's you... It's really you... Of course it is... who else..." he spoke lightly in between the kisses and Marinette felt like swooning as they trailed upwards to her jaw.

He stopped before he could reach her lips and turned serious, "From now on, I will be here for you no matter what. If you need someone to talk to, to lean on, to even just call or text, I will try my best to protect you and be there for you. If you need help with being guardian, I'm here. I am your partner. You don't have to hide anything from me. You don't have to push me away."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For pushing you. For being a bad partner these days. I've taken you for granted so many times but you're still here."

"I always will be, m'lady."

"There's something else I need to tell you. If I'm going to stop hiding for you, I need to tell you."

He felt her shaking a bit from underneath him, even if her face gave no indication of how scared she was to tell him.

"You don't need to-"

"No! I've been keeping it to myself for too long. You need to know."

"Okay," he breathed on her lips and Marinette was once again reminded of how close they were, "Okay."

All too soon, however, he lifted himself off of her and sat up again. She followed suit.

"I don't know the whole story but we can probably piece together what happened. Maybe even get Bunnix to tell us dome stuff," she looked thoughtful but then remembered she had to actually tell him what happened, "It started with a beret that I made for you on fifth names day..."

As she continued her story, Tikki sighed outside, hovering on the balcony, and waiting.

She watched as another black and purple butterfly came towards the Dupain-Cheng bakery and flew towards it.

She touched the butterfly, engulfing it with the power to make them white again.

She didn't mind, really.

Protecting her holder was something she would do, even in sleep.

If that meant she had to purify the seventh butterfly that had come towards the bakery, so be it.

There. We have supportive Alya though we don't see too much of it and Tikki and protective Adrien. I like feely stuff like this. It's fun to write. The neck kisses were more platonic instead of romantic. Adrien was just really happy that Marinette is Ladybug and got carried away a bit. Not that she minds. And a few days later, Marinette tells Alya the truth along with Adrien. They also recruit her as Rena furtive and whilst risk does still happen, they don't lose the miraculous because Marinette never recruited felix under the belief that he was Adrien. Instead she used Sabrina to help her defeat risk and Gabriel, who didn't get the miraculous, gave up. Marinette and Adrien, who had been holding off their relationship until after defeating Hawkmoth, finally got together and everyone except Lila and Gabriel lived happily ever after the end.

P.s Marinette definitely freaked out once she realised she had confessed to Adrien and, though they couldn't immediately date, he had returned the sentiment but both agreed to wait.

Have a nice day or night.

Bug out lovelies 😘.