I tuned into Alya's Ladyblog because it gives better updates than the news. Even in this universe, the media still only shows what it wants to. Shocker.
"Once again, the city of Paris is saved! By none other than Ladybug and Chat Noir!" I turn off the stream because they all end pretty much the same. I wonder if Alya knows yet, I should see if she's wearing her miraculous, then I can see what timeline I'm in. I don't want to reveal too much too soon. Based on the akuma attack, it was Mr.Pigeon again so it's either very early or it's one of his many attacks, either way it's before Hawk Moth was defeated, I need to see whether or not he's Monarch or Shadow moth that'll tell me everything. So far, the only information I have is Ladybug, aka Marinette, who is still rejecting Chat Noir, so I'm definitely somewhere before or around the end of the show. Perhaps Alya already knows.

As I'm cleaning up from breakfast, Chat makes his way into my apartment. "Hey Princess! Did you watch the fight?" He asks. "Of course I did. Who do you take me for? I see you still haven't thought of a nickname." I jokingly remind him. "Hey! It's kind of hard to when I'm fighting for my life and the city of Paris. Don't think I haven't forgotten, who do you take me for?"
"A boy in a cat suit." I say without thinking. "Ouch," He holds a hand on his chest. "I'm more than just that, M'lady. I'd be more than happy to show you." I blush at the thought but quickly shake it away. "My bad Kitty, how silly of me, I'd love a demonstration." I wink at him. Now it's his turn to blush.

Before any demonstrations can be shown, we're interrupted by his ring beeping. "Right, I almost forgot. I gotta go, Princess. I'll see you tonight?" He asks. "You know where I live." I say playfully. He smiles, bows, and then makes his exit.

I get a text from my mom.

How I didn't even consider that I'd have parents in this universe baffles me, but it's not every day that you wake up and you're literally inside a TV show. If I can even call it that anymore. She says that their business trip is almost over and that they should be home in a couple of days and that it's going well and they both miss me. I text her back and tell her school is going really well and that I'm making friends already. I don't dare tell her about Chole cause I genuinely have no idea how she'll react. I'm gonna ride this perfect little life until the inevitable happens.

Before I can even think of what to do next. I get another text, but from Adrien.

'Good morning! Are you busy? If not, my schedule is clear, and I'm more than ready for that coffee.'

Shit, I almost forgot now I gotta act dumb and pretend that he literally didn't sleep in my bed last night. God, I'm an idiot this is gonna be difficult. I sent a text saying to text me the address to his favorite coffee shop, and I'll meet him there.

I run up to my room to pick out my "date" outfit. "Okay, nothing too extreme it's not actually a date, more like an interrogation, which I'm not complaining if he's my interrogator." I say to myself. I open my closet to find a mix of regular clothes and extravagant pieces and pick out a cute pair of shorts and a shirt with a good pair of sneakers. You never know what might happen knowing how this universe works. I ain't trying to run for my life in heels.

I type the address into my phone and text him I'm on my way. 'It's only a five minute walk? That's crazy, why isn't everything this close, I love walkable cities.' I think to myself.

I lock my door before I leave, and as I'm walking, I hear this agitating grating voice, which is none other than Chloe Bourgeois ripping into Sabrina over god knows what.

"How can you be THIS incompetent?! It's ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!" She snaps. "I-i'm sorry! I just thought--" "WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG! Don't you even know HOW to think? It's like I'm the only one with beauty AND brains!" Yeah right, maybe one of those but money can buy anything...almost anything. Before I'm out of range, Chloe spots me and immediately runs over to me.

"And just WHERE do you think you're going? I still haven't forgotten what you said in class yesterday. Not that anyone could forget since you clearly know everyone's deepest darkest secrets. If ANYTHING I can destroy YOU and not just mentally but socially. Do you even KNOW who I am and what I can do?" She snaps at me. "Yes, in fact, I do. And to clarify, I didn't say I know everyone's secrets, I said just about everyone." I say confidently. "Oh whatever, what matters is you know mine and I. WANT. PROOF." She snaps back. "Proof? I'll give you proof, then you can be sure to tell Mr. Cuddly everything since he seems to be the only constant in your sad and lonely life." I remark. "HOW DO YOU- *ahem* I have no idea who this "Mr. Cuddly" is and even if I did he seems more like something you'd come up with since all you do is make crazy assumptions about people. I bet he's your only constant cause you're the one with the sad, lonely, and PATHETIC life! Come at me again and I'll make sure nobody will want to even be around you, THEN we'll see who really has only one constant in their life!" She huffs and walks away with her nose in the air. Thank god, what have I gotten myself into, I hope her character development happens sooner rather than later.

I finally make it to the café and I see Adrien sitting in one of the outside tables. He waves and I wave back as I get closer and sit down.

"Hey! I hope it wasn't too much trouble finding this place it's one of my best kept secrets, barely any of my fans walk by here. It's one of the only places I can sit outside and relax. Plus, the coffee here is unlike any I've tried in this whole city." He states. "Nah, it's literally five minutes from my house, I'm surprised I didn't discover this place sooner it's so pretty!" I exclaim. "Five minutes? That's crazy! Marinette's parents own a bakery that's also close by. We should go there too sometime they make the best pastries it's also another best kept secret." He laughs. "Speaking of secrets, let's order our drinks and get to talking. I've been non-stop thinking about this since yesterday."

He orders a caramel macchiato, and I order (drink).

"So, I'm just gonna be blunt here. What all do you know about me?" He asks genuinely. "Well, for starters and to put it lightly. I know your father can do a better job at raising you."

"You're telling me."

I chuckle. "I think you know what I mean. To clarify, I don't just mean granting you more freedom. He needs to realize that not all your time spent should be business related. He needs to stop obsessing over the past and realize his future, which is you. What's going to happen when he's not around anymore, and all the memories you have left are his fashion line? Do you even know what your father likes to do outside of his fashion industry?"

He stays silent for a moment before answering. "Now that I think about it, the only good memories I have with him are also with my mother, I'm gonna assume you know what happened to my mother. After that, it's like talking to a wall or an Alexa with my daily schedule."

"HA! *ahem* Sorry, I just wish I thought of that, it's very accurate and I do know what happened to your mother, then again that information wasn't really much of a secret to begin with aside from the details."

"True, do you by chance know the details?" He asks anxiously.

"It's complicated. Let me explain, I do know some details outside of official sorces, but when it comes to your mother I don't feel that it's my place to share because I don't want to fill your head with any more conspiracies. I know your father refuses to talk to you about her, and I hate that for you. It's not right to keep any memories from you. I think we should wait for a more private setting to get into heavy topics. I also believe your father will come around, and you two can bond over the memory of her, I don't want to take that away from you." I say as honestly as I can, I know exactly what happened to his mom but considering that Hawk Moth is still around, I'm gonna assume he doesn't know shit, even after he still doesn't know, and I don't want to be the person to tell him.

"I understand, I also feel like my father will come around eventually. We watched a movie with her in it together one day and it was really special, the first good memory I've had with him in a long time so I don't want to think it'll be our last."

"Maybe we should turn to other topics, or we could take our drinks to go and head somewhere else to talk that way your secrets aren't being heard all throughout Paris. Wouldn't want the Adrien Agreste to have his deepest, darkest secrets shared on the news. I say half jokingly.

"I'd appreciate that." He laughs.

"My parents aren't home they're on a business trip, so we could go to my place if you're okay with that." I offer.

"I'd be more than happy to! Plus, I don't know any private places in Paris without it being taken to a rooftop where Ladybug would take me to discuss mission details the few times I've helped." He states.

As if the universe heard us, we get our drinks delivered and ask for to-go cups, then head over to my place shortly after.

After arriving, I tell him to make himself at home, and we sit in the living room on the sofa and just talk about life.

"Waitwaitwait, so, let me get this straight. You're in love with Ladybug, but you're starting to have feelings for someone else? Actually, I've been there. I get it, but seriously? I thought- hang on, just tell me who it is you're starting to get feelings for before I continue." I ask.

"I think it's more like I'm just now realizing these feelings, It's been building up over time like I always thought she was cute and funny and kind, but I never put words to these feelings. Also, it's Marinette." He states.

"Mmm, mhm, okay." I try to hold back my laughter, but I also saw this coming. "So if one of them confesses, what are you going to do?"

"That's the thing, I don't know. Now that I know you've been there, did either of them ever confess to you?" He asks.

"No, in fact, they never knew that I liked them. I only told one crush in my life that I had feelings for him, and he told me he wasn't looking to date right now. Then, a week later, I see him dating this other girl, and since then, I just had my doubts whenever I caught feelings for someone else. So I turned to things like music and art to distract me and to release all these emotions and feelings inside of me since I didn't have many friends to talk about this with I needed something more, something that wouldn't give me hope or try to make me feel better but instead just let me feel without judgment or advice." I confess.

"I never considered doing that. I get lost playing the piano sometimes, but since I take lessons, it feels like it's just another part of my schedule. I try to find things that don't make it feel like I have to schedule it in, but in the end, I have to schedule it in any way. Otherwise I'd be rebelling against my father's wishes and the last time I did that I got taken out of school and my life was back to the way it was and I don't want that happening again or worse. Marinette is actually the one who helped convince my father to let me back into school and another moment where my feelings for her grew deeper."

"Awe, that's so sweet of her, I'm glad Marinette has the courage to do that for you." I mention.

"Right? She's so cool. I'm sure Nino would do the same, but he doesn't always have the right words in those kinds of situations, and I don't think my father likes him very much. He doesn't like most people, if I'm being honest. He tolerates them for the most part, especially if it's a collaboration." He laughs.

"You got that right." I laugh with him.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Do you know my actual secret? You seem to know more than you're leading on and that you're holding back."

"Do you really want to know? I don't know what would happen if I told you the truth."

"If I asked you blatantly, it would just be me confessing my secret, and it would be pointless to even ask. It does seem like you know something, though, or at least suspect it." He sits up and gets a little closer.

I shift my gaze away and contemplate whether or not it'd risk anything telling him that I know. I guess considering I'm not Ladybug or a miraculous user, there's no real risk in getting caught. Either way, if I were to be captured and forced to reveal what I know, it wouldn't matter if he knew as well. It might actually help, in fact.

"I-" I hesitate. Why am I even hesitating? We just went through this. Okay. I close my eyes, and before I can even think, I just say it.

"I know that you're Chat Noir."