All of the air seemed to rush out of Marinette. Her head spun, and her skin felt clammy. What just happened? In a matter of moments, her entire world changed.

     She had woken up when the warmth left, leaving her cold and uncomfortable. As she steadily grew more alert, voices reached her ears. She opened her eyes, although it took a few seconds for the blurriness to leave.

     Marinette's eyes had immediately drifted to the figure standing in her room. At first, she could only make out the shadowy outline; they had their back to her. But as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of her room, she could make the person out.

This is not real, she thought, I am still dreaming. Because there was no way that Adrien Agreste was standing in her room.

     She listened carefully, making out two distinct voices. One was high pitched and sounded whiny, the other definitely belonged to her crush. What was going on?

She snapped her eyes shut again as she saw him turn back, steadying her breathing so it appeared as though she was still asleep. She only opened her eyes when she heard him whisper-shout.

     "Plagg, claws out!"

     The bluenette opened her eyes just in time to see a tiny creature zoom into the ring Adrien always wore; she had never paid much attention to the ring before. She wished she had. In a brief and blinding flash of light Adrien no longer stood there. In his place was Chat Noir. She felt as if someone had sucker punched her in the stomach. Her heart was beating at a thousand miles per hour as she watched him leap to her bed and then disappear out the trap door.

     Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir. Her crush, her classmate, her friend was also her crime fighting, pun making, flirty partner. Her entire world seemed to shatter into a million fragments, all sailing in a thousand different directions.

     She laid on her lounge, mouth open and eyes glassy. Her very core felt rattled.

     "Marinette?" A tinkling voice sounded, soft and comforting.

     "Did you know?" Was the only thing Marinette could manage to ask, even though her mind was flooded with questions.

     "No. Well, not until tonight. I had my suspicions. I could sense the presence of another Kwami in your classroom. But it was always so hard to, er, pin point. It wasn't until Adrien had come over for that gaming tournament that I really started to suspect him. But it wasn't until tonight, when he untransformed, that I confirmed it." Tikki explained.

     "So Adrien Agreste is Chat Noir?" She asked, even though she knew the answer.

     "Yes, Marinette. He is. Adrien's Kwami's name is Plagg. I've known him for forever and he's a good friend. When Adrien untransformed, I saw him. We talked for a while. I gave him some cookies since he was so drained from keeping the transformation up for so long."

     "Did Adrien see you?" Marinette asked, panicked.

     "He was too busy cuddling with you."

     "What?!" Tikki's giggled filled the room as she looked at the bewildered girl's face.

      "You fell asleep watching the film. Chat Noir brought you down here so you could sleep, but you wouldn't let him leave. You grabbed his arm while half asleep and refused to let go. You were actually the one who initiated the cuddling, Marinette. He tried to leave, but in the end, you won. He gave up eventually and just rolled with it. Then he fell asleep, too!" Tikki told her.

     Oh no. She spooned with Chat Noir on her lounge. She spooned with Adrien! She, in the most innocent use of the phrase, slept with Adrien freaking Agreste. This could not be happening. She was torn between feeling elated and keeling over from embarrassment.

     This was almost too much to handle. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out.

     "This must be quite the shock." The ladybug looking Kwami said, landing to sit on Marinette's shoulder.

     "You have no idea, Tikki."

     The two sat without uttering a word. Marinette too lost in thought and Tikki respecting her silence.

     Now that Marinette knew who Chat Noir was, she pondered what to do about it. What could she do about it? She had never suspected her crush of being Chat Noir, but now that she knew she could see the signs. But they had seemed so different! Maybe she didn't know Adrien as well as she thought she did.

     Hadn't Chat once stated that he could be himself as Chat Noir versus his civilian self? Maybe Adrien's life wasn't as pleasant as she thought it was. The more she thought about it, the more she berated herself for not seeing the signs before. His mother leaving at a young age, his negligent father, all of the modeling and pressure to appear perfect. It must have been so stressful! No wonder he had wanted to escape as Chat Noir.

      And in this moment, Marinette vowed to start paying better attention. She had been viewing Adrien with stars in her eyes, but now it was time to see him for the human being he was.

     Another thought struck her. If Adrien was Chat, and Chat loved Ladybug...

     Did Adrien love her?

     Marinette had never taken Chat seriously before, but maybe she should have. She now regretted all of the times she had pushed him away. But she had only done that because she had the massive crush on Adrien. So, in reality, she turned Chat Noir away for Adrien who was actually Chat Noir. She turned him away for himself. This was getting confusing.

     But now back to the original question she'd asked herself. What can I do?

     She yearned so badly to reveal herself to him, but at the same time desperately wished he never found out. Marinette had thought before she knew that since she was Ladybug, maybe one day she'd have a chance with her model crush. She was famous too, after all. But he was Chat Noir, also. He was amazing as a civilian and as a superhero. What if he was disappointed that Ladybug was just plain old Marinette?

     What can I do?

     They were told to never reveal their identity. Hawkmoth could do untold damage if he ever found out who Ladybug and Chat Noir were under the mask. Everyone they cared for and loved would be put at risk. That could never happen. But she knew his identity, so would it really matter if she told him hers? It would only be fair. No, she couldn't. It wouldn't be right to place that secret, on top of his own, on him just for the sake of her wanting him to know. Right?

     What can I do?

     She could pretend she never saw this. But she knew in her heart that she wouldn't forget this. She couldn't.

     What can I do?

     Suddenly, the answer seemed clear. She knew that sooner or later, the truth would be bound to come out. She couldn't hold this secret from him forever. If she thought she could, she would be lying to herself. But she could hold off for as long as she could. But until he knew, she could have a little fun. After all, this wasn't just her crush Adrien Agreste anymore. This was also her partner, Chat Noir. And now that the two were the same, how could she not take advantage of it?

     Never before had Marinette felt so confident without her Ladybug suit, especially when it came to Adrien Agreste. But it was easier to manage if she thought of him also as Chat Noir.

     The sun shone through Marinette's windows, lighting her room up. Tikki startled as the human moved, and flew up so she wouldn't fall off her shoulder.

     "Marinette? What's wrong?"

     "Nothing, Tikki. But I need to get dressed and go downstairs. I have a compromise I want to present to my parents."

     "Okay. What kind of compromise?"

     Marinette turned to face Tikki with the biggest smile on her face.

"A fun one."

~

     "Ugh!" Adrien groaned, his hand slapping the nightstand until he found the button to shut his alarm off. He made the safe assumption that Plagg took the liberty of setting it last night.

     The disheveled blond rolled off of the bed, dragging himself to his bathroom to start his daily routine. He worked mechanically, barely aware of his own movements. Staying up late with Marinette and then having to wake up early to come home was taking its toll on him.

     Once he was dressed in a nice pair of jeans, a soft shirt with a sweater over it, and his usual orange converse, he came back into his room to find Plagg.

     "Plagg, I have to go to school. Come out!" He yelled, not worried about anyone hearing him. Even if someone was around the house, his room was basically soundproofed. Adrien had a hunch as to where his Kwami ran off too, but he decided to take the easiest course of action.

     Going over to the mini refrigerator he had in the cabinet of his nightstand, he opened the door and took out a wedge of foul-smelling cheese. Not a minute later, a sleepy Kwami flew into his hands and started eating the cheese.

     "For your information, I can -..."

     "Smell camembert in your sleep, I know." Came Adrien's sarcastic remark.

     Setting both the Kwami and the cheese down, Adrien went back into his bathroom to wash his hands. After two thorough washes and some hand sanitizer, he walked back into the main part of his bedroom. Plagg had already finished the cheese and was waiting by Adrien's backpack.

     "Let's go, kid. You're running behind."

     "No kidding," Adrien remarked as he slung his backpack on and jogged out of the house. The limousine was waiting for him like it did every morning. Adrien gave the driver, or as he liked to call him the gorilla since he didn't know his actual name, a smile, and wave as he entered. And just like every other morning, all he got in return was a small grunt of acknowledgment. 

     Adrien stepped out of the limo, and his attention immediately went to the crowd of people gathered at the top of the stairs. He wondered what all the commotion was about. As he started up, he could hear an oddly familiar voice above all of the others, but with all the other voices jumbled in he couldn't make it out. He couldn't even understand what they were saying.

     Adrien pushed through the crowd, curious. Was there a new student? A fight?

     Once he reached the center he felt shocked at seeing Marinette. She was wearing a red wool sweater, with black reindeer and other designs plastered on it, light blue jeans, and some sturdy black leather combat boots. And to top it off, a red knit scarf and matching beanie. Her beanie covered her hair, which she had once again worn down.

     Adrien thought she looked stunning. It was much different than the pastels she had been wearing a lot. Almost a dangerous look on her. He noted that she had crutches, her left leg held up so that it didn't have to bear any weight.

     Alya stood on Marinette's right, with Nino behind her. And Chloe stood on Marinette's left, with Sabrina behind her. They all seemed to be guarding Marinette against the crowd. It was an interesting group, with only one person to blame for their coming together.

     Marinette spotted Adrien and beckoned for him to come closer. He happily obliged and pushed himself through the remaining bit of crowd to go to her. When he reached her, she smiled at him while trying to say something but he couldn't make out her words. He leaned in so she could talk in his ear.

     "I forgot to give this to you. Here." Marinette said while reaching back into her backpack and pulling out a familiar jacket. She handed Adrien his jacket, the one she had borrowed when she got into the accident. He took it, giving her a small nod and smile of acknowledgment.

     "I didn't know you were going to come to school today. I thought you weren't coming back until next week." He practically yelled, trying to be heard over the people still shouting their questions.

     "I convinced my maman and papa to let me come. I would have gone insane just sitting at home all day long. And I'm only here for half a day, anyway. But it's better than being home all day." Just then the bell rang, everyone scattered to go to class leaving Adrien, Marinette, Alya, Chloe, Nino, and Sabrina alone at the top of the staircase.

      Marinette went first, the click of her crutches moving towards the classroom. Everyone followed her, and only stopped when she did as she came to the bottom of the staircase leading to the classrooms. Biting her lip, she turned to her best friend. Alya shot Chloe a look, who nodded. Adrien thought that their truce was one of the strangest he had ever seen.

     "Adrien, why don't you carry Marinette up the stairs? That way she can't fall." Alya suggested. And as if they practiced, both the blonde and auburn girls grabbed a crutch and took off running up the staircase, the ginger and brunet following them closely and leaving the blond boy and bluenette girl alone. Marinette balanced on one foot, giving Adrien a curious look. As if she wasn't sure if he would.

     "Are you okay with this, Mari?" He asked her.

     "Sure." She replied casually as if he asked if she wanted a glass of milk. Adrien realized that maybe it wasn't just her clothes that had changed. She seemed more confident and much more comfortable. She reminded him of Ladybug. And she didn't even stutter around him anymore.

     Adrien awkwardly shuffled to her, unsure of what to do. Marinette gave him a gentle smile before directing him to stand in front of her and to turn around. Once he was there, she pressed down on his shoulders so he was in a crouching position. She moved her arms so they were laced over his shoulders and clasped in front of his chest. Understanding what she was doing he grabbed her legs, one on either side and stood.

     Although he was nervous about possibly dropping her, he made it up the staircase with no incidents. Relieved, he expected to find the group waiting on the top of the stairs. They weren't there. Adrien only hesitated a moment before carrying on all the way to the classroom. Marinette didn't comment on it as if she had expected it. Maybe she had. Adrien probably should have expected it, too.

     Adrien entered the classroom, with Marinette on his back, and made a point to look each of his friend's in the eyes as they all giggled and laughed. Setting the bluenette down, he went to sit at his desk but realized there was someone in his spot now. Alya sat where Adrien normally did, an innocent expression on her face.

     "Is it okay if I sit here today? I wanted to talk to Nino about something. You can sit with Marinette." Alya asked, her hands clasped under her chin in a pleading way.

     Turning to Marinette, he asked, "Is it okay if I sit with you today?"

     "I don't mind."

     Adrien moved to the other side of the desk, sliding into the desk. He gave Marinette a tentative smile, and she grinned back at him. Adrien was relieved that she seemed comfortable around him.

     "Good morning, class." Miss Bustier, their teacher, announced as she entered the classroom. Everyone responded in various greetings. The red-headed woman scanned the room, counting students. Her eyes widened when she spotted Marinette. "I didn't know you were joining us so soon, Miss Dupain-Cheng. Welcome back."

     "Thank you. But I'm only here for half a day. I leave at lunch."

     Nodding, Miss Bustier started the lesson.

     Adrien was caught by surprise by how quickly class went by. Before he knew it, it was already time for lunch.

     The bell rang and everyone practically ran out of the classroom, not wanting to waste a second of their lunch break.

     Adrien, Alya, and Marinette all sat together at a picnic table in the foyer. Adrien had carried Marinette down when Alya and Nino had taken off with her crutches. But Nino had gone to pick up food for everyone from a nearby restaurant, and the three friends chatted as they waited.

     As soon as Nino arrived with the food, they all tore into it. Alya and Nino laughed at Marinette and Adrien, who both had sauce from their chicken running down their chins. Both of the teens blushed as they wiped their faces off, although they each snuck a grin at each other.

     A scream tore through the courtyard. Everyone turned just in time to see a huge truck sail through the air and pummel a tree.

     "Akuma!" Someone yelled, and the whole place turned into chaos. Everyone stood and attempted to run, but only managed to shove into each other. All four of the friends stood as another vehicle demolished a picnic table next to theirs. More people started screaming and the pushing intensified.

     "Adrien!" He heard Marinette cry as the crowd enveloped her. Adrien started shoving through the people but didn't find any sign of her in the thick of the crowd.

     Adrien gave a growl of frustration. He needed to transform into Chat Noir. Now. He pushed through the crowd, only stopping once he reached the tail end and could run freely into a nearby empty classroom.

     He wasted no time in yelling, "Plagg, claws out!"

     A flash of green light later, and Chat Noir was sprinting out of the classroom and to the area that the commotion was coming from.

     He kept an eye out for Marinette but didn't spot her. He hoped she got somewhere safe. He reached the Akuma and saw that Ladybug was already there. The akumatized victim was moderately sized but had muscles that bulged as he grabbed cars and hurled them through the air. He saw Ladybug trying to keep up with the Akuma, but she seemed a little slow. A little off in her reaction time. As Chat Noir moved to help her, he saw too many close calls for his liking.

     "Watch out!" Ladybug warned, and Chat had just enough time to duck as a car sailed over his head.

     "Got a plan?" The suited boy asked as he dodged another car.

     "Follow my lead."

          A/N; Hey guys! Thank you for reading, and also thanks a million to fandomsfeelsandcrap  for all of the votes and encouragements they have given me. Honestly, your comments are the reason I keep updating. And also a shoutout to oceanbeatz , who is the amazing author of Jail Break (you should totally check it out), and also check out her Instagram @amandafran.s .

The song for this chapter is Secrets by One Republic.

Word Count; 3,200