Message sent 00.02am

Adrien: So, hey! I guess that just happened and I really think we need to talk about it.

Marinette: Nothing to talk about. You're fine. I'm fine. Everything is perfectly fine. I mean why wouldn't it be? Just another normal day, nothing to be worried about.

Adrien: Mari, you're not fine and this isn't fine. Can I call you please? We need to talk!

Marinette: Sorry, can't at the moment. Need to go walk my cat.

Adrien: I'm the only cat you have M'lady! Marinette, you can't run from this! It's happened and we need to talk about it.

Marinette: I own a tiger actually!

Adrien: Leave Roaar out of this! You promised you'd talk, remember game night last week? You said you wouldn't bottle everything up, that you'd talk about it! So here's your chance ... talk to me about this! I'm not going to lie, this is a huge deal! I'm barely keeping it together myself.

Marinette: I never promised, and I'm struggling ok! This is a lot to take in!

Adrien: I know but we're best friends Mari! Just because you now know I'm Adrien shouldn't make any difference to everything we've been through as the other part of us.

Marinette: You're nothing like him!

Adrien: I beg to differ! We're the same person Marinette.

Marinette: Getting my head round it is hard. I honestly didn't expect to know you. I thought he'd be someone who I'd never seen before, I'm just ...

Adrien: Overwhelmed?

Marinette: Extremely!!!!!

Adrien: I feel the same way. I'd guessed it was you a couple of times only for you to pull a stunt and take away that idea. Multimouse?

Marinette: Trixx. Gorizilla?

Adrien: Wayhem.

Marinette: You've been there this whole time and yet I didn't know. How could I not know?

Adrien: It's the masking. Don't take it out on yourself, it got me too.

Message sent 6.43am

Adrien: You still alive?

Message sent 7am

Adrien: Mari!! Come on! I hardly slept, at least reply to me so I know nothing has happened to you.

Message sent 7.39am

Adrien: Fine. I'll give you space, but just so you know we will talk about this. See you in home room.

Message sent 8.56am

Marinette: I'm running late. Please make an excuse for me to Ms Bustier. I'll be there ASAP.

Marinette: Sorry about last night. Emotionally exhausted and collapsed.

Message sent 5.34pm

Marinette: How was your shoot? Thank you for covering for me this morning.

Adrien: No problems. I've got your back. The shoot was crazy long. How was Kitty Section practise?

Marinette: I didn't make it. Need to create more cheese and macaroons. Did you know you can colour them so you know what they are?

Adrien: I hear the blue one can give off a cold kick.

Marinette: It can be a slippery one to make.

Adrien: XD of course.

Marinette: I'm so sorry about yesterday I flipped! It wasn't how I expected it to go, or how I wanted it to go, and you know the control freak in me just couldn't cope.

Adrien: I've been planning the moment for the past year ... roses, candles, music - not a dumpster, a rat who I want to call Steve and rain. So much rain!!

Marinette: What's wrong pussy cat? Scared of a bit of water?

Adrien: You have no idea! Could you not hear the sneezes during class?

Marinette: They're cute sneezes though.

Adrien: Of course! What else would you expect?

Adrien: My dads calling me for dinner. I'll message you once I'm back in my room.

Marinette placed her phone down not wanting to admit she would wait a lifetime for the next message to arrive.

Message sent 7.06pm

Adrien: That was the longest meal of my life.

Marinette: What's wrong kitty?

Adrien: My father wanted to talk "business".

Marinette: What's wrong with you? That sounds amazing!

Adrien: Maybe for you! I hated every minute.

Adrien: Btw - what's the difference between a derby hat and a bowler hat?

Marinette: If you could see me now you'd see my head banging against my office desk. Adrien, do you know anything about fashion?

Adrien: That's the first time you've used my name in conversation. Like, my real name.

Adrien: I'm beginning to see more of my fierce Ladybug.

Marinette: Ladybug is a mask, a hope, a disguise. I'm Marinette, nothing like the one you used to drool over?

Adrien: Drool over? Someone's thinking high and mighty of themselves. Plus my feelings stretch out to Marinette too. My cool, quiet and calm classmate, who looks out for the little people and sticks it to the authorities.

Marinette: I sound like I'm secretly on the mafia.

Adrien: Plagg's just attacked me for laughing too loud. There's no way you'd be able to fight on the mafia. You're like five foot one.

Marinette: Five foot two actually! That inch makes ALL the difference. Whoever said size doesn't count was obviously lying!

Adrien: Really now?

Marinette: Tikki got me to re-read the message and now I am embarrassed.

Adrien: It's only me Bugaboo! You never need to shy away!

Adrien: There is something I need to talk to you about though, and it's quite serious. Do you want me to message you with it, or do you want me to come over?

Marinette: Message please, I can't talk about all this face-to-face with you yet. I'm sorry, I'm being such a coward.

Adrien: No it's fine, I understand.

Adrien: Ok, so I was thinking about where we can go from here. You're the greatest friend I've ever had; as Marinette and as Ladybug and I don't want to cause you any discomfort.

Adrien: We know our relationship isn't as strong as Adrien and Marinette and I was thinking perhaps we can work on that. I'm quite sure once we're more comfortable around each other that our partnership will only get stronger.

Marinette: That sounds very smart Chat.

Adrien: I think you forget I'm the smartest in our class. I'm not always the cat idiot you spend time with.

Marinette: Thats questionable ;)

Adrien: I would argue that point but I'm scared you'll throw me off a building again.

Marinette: Don't! That was such a bad day.

Adrien: You're not the one who face-planted into a window on the 200th floor. They were going to charge me for the smashed glass you know. Imagine what my dad would have said?

Marinette: LOL! Sorry Chaton.

Adrien: Don't you think it's quite nice to talk about this kinda stuff without having to hide everything? It's refreshing.

Marinette: You're right.

Marinette: So we work on building up our friendship as Adrien and Marinette?

Adrien: Does that sound ok?

Marinette: It sounds like a plan. But I don't want our working relationship to change. We still have a job to do and we can't let this effect us.

Adrien: 100% agree.

Marinette: So friends?

Adrien: Best friends :D

Marinette: :D

Adrien: I'll see you at the shoot tomorrow then?

Marinette: Sure, perhaps I can buy my best friend a drink or two once we've finished to say thank you for everything?

Adrien: I think he'll let you.

Adrien: Goodnight Bugaboo.

Marinette: Goodnight my kitty.

Adrien placed his phone on the bedside table next to his bed, rubbing his eyes and ruffling his hair up. So much had changed. He loved his Lady for sure but what did he feel for Marinette? Also how did she feel about him? In that moment he decided he was going to be the best friend he could be and hopefully, just this once, luck might be on his side.