It was the last day.

It was the last day, and Ladybug was shaking. She fidgeted as she waited for Chat, staring at the murky water below Love Lock. Restlessly, Ladybug reached up to fiddle with one of her earrings. She'd become attached to the accessory in the short time she'd had them. Glancing at the time, she sighed. Why did she always agree to meet so late?

Sighing again, Ladybug reached up to rub her face. She regretted skipping the almost all of the party, wishing that she had had a chance to find out if Lady Wifi was indeed Alya. "M'lady." Chat Noir said then, startling the girl from her thoughts.

"Oh!" She said, turning to find Chat bowing.

He reached out to delicately grasp one of Ladybug's hands, brushing his lips against her knuckles while shifting into a kneel. "Hello, Chat Noir." Ladybug said, assisting him to his feet.

"Sorry it took so long, my responsibilities may have kept me in a little longer than intended." Chat explained, thinking back to his stern runway coach, insisting that the model held his fingers a certain way.

"It's not a problem. We still have a few more minutes." Ladybug said, glancing down as her nerves returned.

"So..." Chat began, breaking the silence that had formed.

"So." Ladybug repeated, scuffing her boot lighting on the ground.

"I guess today's the day, then."

"I guess so." Ladybug concurred, falling silent.

A moment later, Ladybug piped up again. "Are you nervous?"

Chat looked up, taken aback. "Y-yeah. I mean, it's scary, 'cause I don't know you are, aside from Ladybug. You could be a terrible person out of mask, and I'd never know." Ladybug's eyes widened.

"Not that you're not a good person! But it's a possibility, y'know?" Chat tacked on.

"I get it. I'm scared, too." Ladybug said, resting her head against Chat's shoulder.

"Well, I think you're pretty great." Chat said, putting an arm around Ladybug.

"And... what about..." Ladybug started, floundering for words.

"What about what?" Chat asked softly.

"Well, us. What are we?" Ladybug asked, an ashamed blush breaking out across her face.

"We're friends, I guess." Chat said, giving Ladybug a reassuring squeeze.

"Friends is good." Ladybug said.

"And how do we go about this?" Chat asked.

"About what? 'Revealing' ourselves?" Ladybug asked.

"Yes."

"Well... I suppose we can do it as the year turns?" Ladybug suggested.

"That's not a bad idea. But then what if one of us sees the other first? I'd rather know that we find out at the same time, if that makes sense." Chat tacked on, letting out a laugh as he nervously rubbed his neck.

"No, no. If it makes you more comfortable that we find out at the same time, I understand. I feel the same way." Ladybug said, reaching into her pocket for her buzzing phone.

"What's that?" Chat asked.

"Timer. Thirty seconds left." Ladybug said, watching the numbers go down.

"So? What's the verdict?" Chat asked.

"For old times' sake." Ladybug started. "You had better do this properly." She tacked on, glancing at the clock again.

Chat furrowed his brow as Ladybug counted down form ten. "You won't be disappointed, right?" Chat asked.

"Of course not. Same for you, right?" 

"Yes."

"Five.... four... three... two..." Ladybug stopped, then, turning to Chat. 

Chat opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped when Ladybug pressed her lips against his.

Do this properly. Chat recalled, realizing what Ladybug had meant. His eyes snapped shut as Ladybug reached up to brush his hair away and take off his mask. "Don't open your eyes." Ladybug said quickly as she pulled back.

Chat nodded. "Okay. Open them... now." Chat blinked, catching sight of the girl in front of him.

"Holy shit." He said.

"Jesus fucking Christ." Ladybug said, hands flying to her mouth in surprise.

But that's incorrect- Adrien blinked, swearing, followed by Marinette as her hands flew to her mouth in shock. Marinette took one step back.

"Marinette?"

"Adrien!?"

"Uh... surprise?"

"Holy fucking shit." Marinette said, taking a few more steps away.

"You said you wouldn't be disappointed." Adrien choked out.

Marinette shook her head roughly. "N-no- that's- oh-" Marinette stuttered, clutching the strands of hair that hung by her ears.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked, setting his jaw.

"Adrien-!" Marinette said, eyes tightening as she stepped back further.

Adrien reached out just as Marinette turned. He watched her pull her hat from her head, hair splayed out behind her like a cape as she fled. Away from Adrien, away from Chat Noir, and away from the last thirty-one days.