Marinette couldn't help but feel like something was up with the billboard bombings and Lila's strange behaviour toward Adrien and Luka. Her Ladybug senses were tingling and she could sense danger in the near distance. It was late, but she couldn't sleep. She'd countered all the miraculous to make sure they were all there probably 100 times now, she just knew something was off.

Even if she'd moved on from Adrien and Luka was the one they belonged to, she still cared for her friend. And with how suspicious this situation was she was thinking about giving Luka his miraculous permanently just in case. Luka was with Adrien all the time after all, he could protect them if something happened.

"Sass, what do you think about being with a Luka permanently?" She asked, the tiny snake sitting by her sewing kit as she sat awake.

"I can get behind that. I'd be nice to see him more often" he replied.

"I think he should have his miraculous for safety since he's dating Adri-"

Marinette stopped, her brain processing what she was about to say.

Luka was dating Adrien... but when Cat Noir came out he said he was dating Viperion. And... Luka IS Viperion. How was that happening? She knew Luka wasn't the type to cheat, and she'd heard nothing about an open relationship or any polyamory between the three. So how was he dating Adrien and Cat Noir? Unless...

All of a sudden it came down on her like a ton of bricks. She couldn't believe she didn't realise it sooner but she was so wrapped up in stopping Hawkmoth and her love troubles she completely blanked on it.

Adrien... Adrien was Cat Noir.

They both came out at around the same time too, and always seemed to be available the same hours she was when school was over. Not to mention the green streaks in cat's hair showing up at the exact same time Adrien dyed it.

"Oh my god-" she muttered.

"Uh... is everything ok?" Sass asked.

"HE WAS CAT NIOR THE WHOLE TIME?!"

The kwami stopped everything they were doing and looked over at her, she was flabbergasted she didn't realise it sooner. And that Cat Noir was in love with her... AND SHE TURNED them DOWN! She turned down ADRIEN! Over and over again!

"Oh my god I'm an IDIOT! Even with the identity blindness the miraculous has I should have known when he said he was dating Viperion! Adrien is Cat Noir!" Marinette rambled, mentally slapping herself for not realising sooner.

"Uhh Marinette, you kind of aren't meant to know Cat Noir's identity" Tikki jumped in.

"Well too late now! I just realised the connection. Although since hawkmoth is gone and he's in a relationship with someone else it shouldn't matter right? They don't need to know MY identity"

That rule made sense when hawkmoth was around, since the power to akumatize could have been used against them if they knew. But this Lila situation didn't involve any magic, so what was the harm?

"I mean... yes. But every ladybug and cat noir before hasn't known, there's no telling what could happen if you both knew" Tikki said.

"Well... we can be the first. And bare whatever consequences. Quite frankly I don't think I'm ready to reveal myself, just telling Alya stressed me the hell out, maybe I'll tell them when I'm ready but right now I still want to stay a secret. Although I should tell Adrien I know about them, out of respect, you know?" Marinette explained.

There was no going back, she'd figured it out and she'd know forever now. Unless she gave up being guardian and had her memories wiped which was absolutely not an option after the hawkmoth mess. As apprehensive as Tikki was, she did understand they were both going on 18 and had matured a lot. And that hawkmoth wasn't around as a threat anymore.

"Hmm... ok, but be careful about all of this ok?" She said.

"I will, I always am. Now let's call them to meet up and give Luka his miraculous for good" Marinette replied.

Transforming and taking the snake miraculous from the box, she called Adrien over as Cat Noir. Hoping he'd be awake at this hour. They did patrol this late sometimes so she figured he would be.

When Adrien got the message to meet up, and saw they had to bring Luka he immediately put two and two together. Luka was getting his miraculous back! Excitedly he transformed and hopped the rooftops over to Lila's boat, tapping on his bedroom window.

Half asleep, Luka opened the window in his pyjamas.

"Kitty what are you doing up this late? You come for snuggles?" He asked.

"Yes, but later. Bug just called us, both of us" Adrien replied.

"Me? Why?"

"I think you're getting your miraculous"

Curious and pretty exited, Luka climbed out the window and had Adrien pick him up to hop over the rooftops with him. Usually he was the one carrying Adrien around, this was a fun little change being the one carried. Soon enough they arrived at the meeting point, and sure enough they could see the snake miraculous in Ladybugs hand.

"Evening LB, is this what I think it is? Does my sweet lover boy get his miraculous?" Cat smiled.

"Yes and no. Yes he gets his miraculous but... ok... let me explain" Ladybug replied.

The couple looked at each other confused, there was more to this?

"So uh... because of the billboard bombing and the suspicious motives that seem to be against Adrien, I figured I should give Luka the miraculous so he can protect Adrien if something where to happen. Since you know, they're publicly dating. And then I realised something..." Ladybug began.

It was silent for a moment, and once the dots connected, Cat went white as a ghost.

"Oh... OH. I- wait I can explain- I mean-" they stammered.

"Fuck... I didn't realise you'd be able to figure it out. No one else knows I'm Viperion so to the public they'd not make the connection..." Luka muttered.

"I... I know it's you Adrien" Ladybug confirmed.

Immediately worried they'd have to give up the miraculous or something, Adrien clutched his hand with the ring to their chest and gave Ladybug pleading eyes.

"Ladybug please don't do this..." they muttered.

"Calm down, I'm not taking your miraculous. Hawkmoth... your dad. He's gone now so there's no threat, in fact we'd probably have found out about each other soon enough now it's over" she assured.

Adrien sighed in relief, for a moment there they saw their life flash before their eyes.

"I'm telling you I know because well, you deserve to know. Plus, it'd be a mess if I had to keep it from you while also knowing about Lukadrien and Vipernoir..." Ladybug explained.

"Lukadrien? Vipernoir? That's what they're calling us?" Luka snickered.

"Dude have you not seen the fanart? Ever since you went public as both couples, the internet has been going crazy"

"I'll admit, I'm not online much"

Marinette may be a bit guilty of looking at her own fandom sometimes, she was curious to see what people thought about Ladybug. And obviously where there's Ladybug there's Cat Noir, and where there's Cat Noir, there's Viperion. It was hard to miss.

"In fact... when I'm ready I'll probably tell you who I am. I just don't think I'm quite there yet with everything that's happened" Ladybug explained.

"I understand that, take your time. Although I am very curious" Adrien replied.

Luka stayed quiet. This whole time he'd known, ever since wishmaker. But when hawkmoth was around he stayed silent for safety, now he was staying silent out of respect for Marinette. She wasn't ready, and that was ok. She could reveal it when she was. He was just relieved at least some progress on the identity hiding was being made.

"Alright, now that's out of the way. Luka I still want you to take the miraculous. Even if Adrien can use Cat Noir to defend themselves, if something happens that renders them unable to, you step in. You're the one around them the most" She explained, handing the snake miraculous over to Luka.

He hasn't been able to use it for a while, it was nice to have it back for good.

"I'll take care of it" he assured.

"I know you will, and you can help us patrol now"

"You're gonna join the lack of sleep club hun, or should I call you scales now?" Adrien teased.

"You're just gonna give the fans more to scream about with that nickname... so yes you can call me that" Luka replied.

They all felt like a weight was lifted off their chest. One less secret to keep, an extra layer of protection and progress toward mutual identity reveals. Whatever Lila was planning, she'd have to go through Luka AND Viperion... and Ladybug.