So she's Marinette. Chat thought, scrutinizing his partner. What do I do now? He wondered. "What are you staring at, Chat?" Ladybug snapped playfully.

With a jolt, Chat put a hand to back of his neck, rubbing it. "N-nothing!" He laughed nervously.

"What does nothing mean?" Ladybug asked.

"I know you're Marinette." Chat blurted.

"Wh-what? ME? M-Marinette? As in Dupain-Ch-Cheng?" Ladybug asked, jumping up.

"Marinette, I know you didn't want us to-"

"How could I have been so stupid?" Marinette mumbled to herself.

"Ladybug...?" Chat asked, inching closer to the girl.

She had dropped onto the rooftop, clutching her knees to her chest and gently rocking. "Be careful, and don't let stupid. Little. Things. Slip!" Marinette scolded.

"Marinette, it's alright." Chat promised.

"Is it? I don't think it is. It really isn't, Chat." Ladybug forced out, shaking.

"Ladybug- Marinette- it doesn't matter! You're still you!" Chat insisted.

"No, Chat, I'm not! In the suit, I'm this smart, quick, clever, and, dare I say, brave adult. When I'm... me... I'm a clumsy, stupid, ugly, weird kid!" Ladybug said, voice inching up octaves. 

"Ladybu-"

"Don't use that tone! You know it's true! You've met Marinette! Hell, you might even know her - me - in real life! You know what Marinette's like! She's-"

"She's perfect! She's you! You're Marinette! And Ladybug! Of course you have flaws! For everything about yourself you hate, there's ten things I love about you! So don't you dare put yourself down!" Chat said, anger seeping into his voice.

He'd no idea Marinette thought of herself as that. Worst of all, he'd had never thought of it that way. Breathing heavily, the mock-feline dropped to the roof beside his partner, staring straight ahead at the light of a breaking dawn. He was knocked over when a spotted suit shoved him in a hug. "Are you even allowed to be this understanding?" Marinette asked, head buried in the crook of her partner's neck.

"Don't put yourself down like that. Never again." Chat said, clutching his other half's back.

In response, and much to Chat's surprise and glee, Ladybug pressed her lips to his in a promise.