Marinette couldn't focus on the class that day. Every word spoken never registered in her mind and every question asked never got more than a few incoherent mumbles in reply.

Her Chat Noir –the boy she'd fallen in love with –was Adrien Agreste, the boy who'd broken her heart and mended it again all on his own. Just like she'd done to him as Ladybug. And to think that all this time they could've been together.

But a part of Marinette knew things wouldn't be the same then. Now, instead of accepting both sides of him, she'd fallen in love with them. She treasured and adored them in ways she never knew she could, but why had he rejected her if he felt the same? Why hadn't he accepted her confession?

The bell rang, signalling the end of school and Marinette hurriedly packed her things, never once taking her eyes off the boy in front of her. She wanted to catch him, talk to him and have him explain to her. But he was already walking out the door with Nino before she could even call out to him.

Her heart pained and for a brief moment she doubted herself. She wondered if she'd been wrong about him, a little too hopeful, but Marinette knew her stitching, remembered the time it took designing the ears and carefully placed paw prints. She hadn't been wrong. Adrien was Chat Noir.

So why wasn't he waiting for her?

She felt Alya's hand on her shoulder, "Hey Marinette, Nino's coming over to my place this afternoon for movies and he says he's bringing Adrien. Wanna meet up there?" she asked.

Marinette smiled uneasily at the thought. "Sure, sounds fun." she replied.

"You okay, Girl?"

Alya placed her hand on her hip and eyed Marinette sceptically, but all she could do was nod and smile bashfully, "N –Never better!" Alya shook her head and walked with Marinette out towards the stairs of the school building.

Rain poured down from the sky in a heavy shower of cold droplets and Marinette reached out to feel them pound against her hand. Nino came up to Alya with an umbrella and they shared it between one another, gazing deeply into each other's eyes.

Marinette didn't miss the way their hands inched closes towards each other as they walked until they finally intertwined around the handle and she tried not to feel too disappointed. Chat always did things his own way. Maybe this was one of those times too.

She raised her head up and glanced around at the passing students, but with everyone holding umbrellas above their heads it was hard to distinguish Adrien's blonde hair.

Then she felt a hand grab hers and blushed when their fingers weaved with hers. His warm breath brushed against her ear and her breath hitched. "You didn't think I'd just leave you here, did you?" he whispered.

Marinette snapped her head around and found Adrien's taunting gaze only inches away from hers. She backed away instinctively and frowned, "Kitty?"

He smirked down at her and pulled the hood of his hoodie back above his head. The cat ears she'd sown on were a cheap imitation, but they helped break the spell of his miraculous and the familiarity in his face made her relax a bit. "The one and only, Purrincess."

"I –I don't understand." she mumbled, "That day I confessed to you, you turned me away. Why?"

Adrien shuffled nervously and scratched the back of his neck, "You see, I thought I was in love with someone else and in a way I guess I still am." He grinned, "I thought I was destined to be with Ladybug. Turns out I was after all."

"So this whole time...you knew and you never told me? When you kissed me as Adrien before I was taken by Hawk Moth did you...were you even thinking about how I felt? Why –,"

"Honestly?" Adrien bit his bottom lip, "I was kinda hoping and dreading that a part of you still loved Adrien more. I thought that if you fell in love with him –this side of me –then the idea of Chat Noir being with anyone but Ladybug would die out. But then you rejected him –me."

Adrien shook his head and laughed dryly, "This ended up being way more complicated than it had to be." Marinette blushed brightly as she watched his eyes darkened and covered her hands with her face as an unpleasant thought emerged.

She groaned, "I've been such an idiot. You knew this whole time about my crush on you. I must've sounded so stupid."

Adrien pried her hands from her face and held them gently in his, "I've been waiting to tell you I was Chat Noir since I first became Chat Blanc, since before the day I first told you I loved you."

Marinette was accustomed to him saying it with the mask on, but now he stood before her unarmoured, unprotected and she couldn't help herself.

Tentatively, she reached out and cupped both sides of his face, marvelling at the feel of his soft, warm skin against her palms. He leaned into her touch and Marinette felt a surge of confidence rush through her body. She slowly traced the line of his cheekbone with her thumb and brushed against his jaw with her fingertips. His eyes fluttered shut and she couldn't help but stare in awe.

"All this time..." she trailed off, "And now seeing you here without the mask..." Her eyes welled with tears and Adrien's own shot wide open at the sound of her sob. He frowned deeply and Marinette felt his arms encircle her waist tightly, mindful of her aching back.

"Marinette? What's wrong? Did I –," She stood on her toes and forced her lips against his, tugging him down by the collar of his over-shirt. He melted against her into the kiss and she took the opportunity to run her hands through his hair, clinging to him.

The last thing she wanted was for this to be a dream. She wouldn't know how to handle waking up without him in her arms, without her kitty bare of the secrets and lies.

Fireworks erupted in his chest when Adrien took over and standing here with him now somehow made everything they'd been through worth it –all the confusion, all the heartache and all the tears. Because those moments led to this and she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to love him more than she did now.

She pulled away slowly and pressed her cheek shyly against his chest, listening to the soothing sound of the rain and his heartbeat drumming rhythmically in his chest. He trailed his hand up her body to her hand and watched as he entwined them. She loved that she could feel his bare skin against her own instead of the leather armour he always wore in the beginning.

Then he stepped back and Marinette's gaze fell from his face to the umbrella leaned up against the wall behind him. Her eyes widened and Adrien laughed, "Okay, now I'm just starting to feel insulted. I'm not that bad of a boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" she breathed.

He picked up the umbrella, opening it, and passed it to her. Their hands brushed against one another as she took it and she felt the atmosphere around them change when their eyes met. Just like the day she fell in love with him for the very first time.

His voice was clear and thick, making her knees quiver, "If you'll have me."

She averted her eyes, mindful of the excessive burning in her cheeks and his arm wrapped around her shoulders as she raised the umbrella above them both beneath the ceiling of the school building.

"I thought it was bad luck to open an umbrella indoors." she mused.

"If you had a problem with bad luck then it's a wonder you ever let me in your room." he replied. He squeezed her hand in his and gestured in front of them, bowing slightly, "After you, Milady."

She walked forward down the steps, Adrien by her side with the hoodie loosely covering whatever the umbrella didn't. She stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to him, looking solemn.

"Adrien," she whispered, "I love you."

He froze in place and turned back to her with wide eyes. A dark blush covered his cheeks and he wordlessly bent down to place a soft, loving kiss against her plump lips.

"I love you too, Ladybug. I always have and I always will." He brought his hands to her face and kissed her again, more deeply than before. "My princess...My Marinette..."

"Hey, Kid, I don't mean to be a bother, but I'm cold and wet so can you two hurry it up a little." Marinette broke away from the kiss and eyed the black cat kwami sticking his head out from Adrien's over-shirt.

Its large eyes were narrowed and its eyes were down, pressed firmly against its head. Adrien sighed heavily and glared down at the kwami, "Plagg..."

Marinette's purse immediately opened and Tikki popped her head outside to stare at the three of them. "Must you ruin everything, Plagg?" she whined, "Come here." He immediately flew out from Adrien's shirt into Marinette's purse and they closed it behind them, leaving Marinette and Adrien to themselves in the rain.

She grinned up at him, laughing, and Adrien rolled his eyes. "Now," his eyes fell back on his and he nudged his hips closer to her, trailing his hand softly up her arm, "Where were we?"

And then they were kissing in the rain again.

There it is guys. The final chapter! It's kinda sad knowing that this is the end to the first fanfiction I've ever actually finished, but I'm glad I got to write it in the first place.

I've posted a little thank you in the next part to really show you guys how much I've appreciated your input. (Especially since I can't believe this story got over 1000 votes!!!) Hopefully my other stories will make you guys feel as happy as you were reading this ;)

Please don't forget to vote or comment if you enjoyed the final chapter.