Chapter Text
Adrien Agreste knew.
He hadn’t meant to figure it out, not really.
It hadn’t been some grand, dramatic reveal or a perfectly aligned set of clues.
It had been an early evening patrol, a Kwami, a twin-tailed girl on a balcony and a secret blown wide open.
And then there had been that day. Marinette—too smooth, too confident, trying on someone else’s skin. Adrien knew who she’d been trying to be.
So now, Adrien Agreste had a plan.
Adrien Agreste’s plan was a good plan.
Adrien Agreste’s plan was definitely going to fail.
He stood outside the classroom door, one hand on the handle, staring at the wood like it could swallow him whole.
“Just… be normal,” he muttered under his breath.
Plagg snorted from inside his shirt pocket. “Ah yes. Your greatest strength.”
Adrien frowned, shaking his head. “I can be normal.”
“You are about to flirt with her like a cat-themed disaster,” Plagg said flatly. “And I don’t even get to watch.”
“I am not—” Adrien cut himself off, exhaling slowly. “I just… need to show her that I—”
“That you what?” Plagg prompted.
Adrien hesitated. Not because he was afraid, but because he didn’t know how to say it, not exactly.
He huffed air and nodded. “I’ll just… be a little more like Chat Noir,” he finished, almost confidently.
Plagg groaned, “Oh no,” as Adrien opened the door.
***
Alya noticed something was wrong immediately. Not because Adrien was acting strange, but because he paused in the doorway.
Adrien Agreste did not pause.
Adrien Agreste entered rooms without thought or care, but today…
He leaned. Lightly. Against the doorframe. Like he’s seen someone else do it a thousand times and just had to put it to practice.
Alya narrowed her eyes as she leaned forward.
“Nino!” she hissed. Nino looked up from his phone glancing back at his girlfriend. “Yeah?”
“Why is Adrien leaning?”
Nino frowned and glanced at the doorway, then back at Alya.
“I don’t know…” he said slowly. “But I don’t trust it.”
***
Marinette, meanwhile, was not looking. Which in hindsight was a mistake, a terrible, horrible mistake.
Finally finding the pencil she had been searching for, Marinette looked up, but the moment she did, she froze.
Adrien was watching her. Not entirely unusual these days, they were seeing each other, so Adrien smiled at her all the time, but this… this was different.
His head tilted slightly, eyes half-lidded, something playful lingering there in a way that made her stomach flip.
Marinette’s brain immediately blue-screened as he walked toward her. Calm. Steady and before she could breathe, he winked.
Marinette sucked in air as Alya screeched next to her, pawing not unkindly at Nino’s jacket in front of her.
***
“Hey, Marinette,” Adrien purred.
It was smooth, too smooth. Adrien moved to push his hair back from nerves, but caught himself. He was Chat Noir. He’d be Chat Noir.
Marinette blinked up at him. “H-hi!”
Adrien leaned one hand on her desk, smirk on his face. Marinette’s eyes moved from his face to his hand and Adrien took a deep breath.
That was a choice. A deliberate one.
His mind screamed abort, but no, he couldn’t. He had to lock in. Chat Noir would commit.
“So,” Adrien started, lowering his voice just slightly, “You’re full of surprises lately.”
Marinette’s eyes went wide, her breath caught. There was a concerned noise from the desk in front as Nino whipped around. Alya’s jaw nearly hit the table.
Adrien bit his lip realizing that sounded better in his head then aloud.
Marinette opened and closed her mouth several times before, “I—What?”
Adrien smiled, painfully large.
“Just… noticing things,” he added.
Oh, that was worse, so much worse. Adrien shifted slightly as Marinette’s eyes refused to stop blinking.
Adrien’s insides had turned to jelly. He hadn’t meant to sound like he knew something, even though he did know something, but he wasn’t supposed to sound like he knew something and the panic across Marinette’s face screamed back at him.
He straightened abruptly. Too abruptly. His hand slipped knocking into Marinette’s pencil sending it crashing to the floor.
Adrien froze. Marinette froze. The pencil rolled, slowly like an unknown force was guiding it and Adrien to a slow demise.
Adrien stared at it.
“Totally meant to do that,” he said shrugging.
Alya choked.
Marinette nodded slowly. “You… did?”
Adrien tilted his head, “Totally.”
Nino leaned back meeting Alya’s frantic gestures. “He did not mean to do that.”
“I know,” Alya whispered. “I’m obsessed.”
Adrien crouched to pick up the pencil.
This was salvageable. This was fine. Adrien would be cool. He handed it back to her and as their fingers brushed, Adrien, seeing an opportunity to recover leaned down into her space.
“Guess I should drop things more often,” he said lightly, “if it means getting a little closer to you.”
Nino choked while Alya slapped her hand over her mouth.
Marinette blinked, staring at him like he had grown a second head.
Adrien immediately regretted every life choice that had led him to this moment.
Winking one more time for good measure, Adrien took his seat in front of her wincing towards the front as he did.
“Dude.” Nino whispered leaning into him.
“I know.”
“You winked,” Nino added.
“I know.”
Adrien turned one last time back towards Marinette who immediately looked away, cheeks pink.
“Okay,” he murmured, maybe it hadn’t been a complete disaster.
***
No, that was what lunchtime was for.
Adrien Agreste had learned nothing.
Adrien Agreste was also, apparently, incapable of stopping.
He slid into the seat next to Marinette like usual, offering her a quick smile as she glanced up at him.
Good. Normal. Safe. Everything was fine. He could do fine.
He lasted approximately five seconds.
“So,” Adrien said, a little too casually, leaning back in his chair, “you miss me?”
Marinette blinked, for what seemed like the millionth time today.
“I… just saw you,” she said.
Adrien nodded, giving her a half shrug. “Yes,” he agreed.
Oh, no. Adrien’s eyes went wide. Why had he agreed. He could fix this. He would be smooth and, “But that’s not what I asked.”
Then he winked again. Again.
Alya made a choking noise and turned into Nino’s shoulder. Nino could only stare at the disaster in front of them.
Marinette’s entire face went pink.
“I—no—I mean—what?”
Adrien leaned towards her, still smirking.
He didn’t know why.
“I feel like you did,” he said, nudging her shoulder with his own.
(He immediately wanted to die, but he would not give up.)
Marinette stared at him like he had insulted her cat.
“I didn’t—I mean—maybe—no–It’s–I—”
Adrien nodded slowly before tilting his head and smirking at her, “Good.”
Marinette made a small helpless noise as Adrien leaned forward away from her towards his drink. He missed it.
Then knocked into it.
Then caught it, barely.
“Meant to do that…” he muttered.
Alya lost it completely. Nino’s head met the table, but Marinette only smiled.
That helped, a little as Adrien exhaled quietly, some of the tension easing from his shoulders, but she was already back watching him. Her cheeks tinged red as she quickly glanced away.
Adrien titled his head, okay, he could work with that.
Before he could stop himself. “You’re really easy to fluster, you know that?”
Marinette froze.
“I am not,” she muttered, too quickly.
Adrien smiled. This was too easy.
“Yeah,” he said, tilting his head just slightly, “you are.”
Alya made a noise as Nino whispered, “Dude.”
Adrien knew he should stop. His brain, plus a tiny God was telling him too, but he didn’t.
“Kind of makes me curious,” he added, tapping his fingers lightly against the table, “how long I can keep you like that.”
The table went silent. Complete. Utter. Silent.
Marinette’s mouth hung open, eyes wide.
“I—what—keep—” she stammered, words completely abandoning her.
Alya choked as Nino wheezed into the table. Adrien felt his soul leave his body.
Too Far.
That was too far.
Adrien knew it, but for some reason, his mouth didn’t.
“Don’t worry,” he added with another wink. “I’ll keep it under control… promise I won’t get catty, Purrincess.”
Alya lost it completely.
Nino made a noise somewhere between laugh and concern.
Marinette buried her face in her hands.
“I can’t—” she mumbled through her fingers. “I can’t do this today.”
Adrien froze. That was not the reaction he wanted.
“I—wait—” he started quickly, leaning back towards her, “Mari, I didn’t mean—”
Marinette peeked at him through her fingers, still flushed, but with a small smile.
Before Adrien could move, there was a loud scraping noise against the floor as Alya stood.
“Nope!” she said, grabbing her bag.
Marinette startled. “Alya?”
Alya shook her head and pointed at Adrien.
“You,” she said, frowning.
Adrien looked up sheepishly.
“Me?”
“Walk, now.” She growled. Adrien hesitated as he glanced between his friends. Nino looked at the table and wouldn’t meet his eyes. Turning to Marinette he laughed, a little uncomfortable. “I’ll, uh, be right back.”
Marinette nodded quickly. “Uh, yes. Um, take you time. No rush. Ever.”
Nino snorted as Alya scampered off Adrien following close behind, very aware of the fact that something had just gone very, very wrong… or very right, he couldn’t be sure.
***
The hallway had mostly cleared by the time Alya stopped. Adrien nearly walked past her before realizing she wasn’t moving.
“Alya?” he winced, turning back.
She crossed her eyes, watching him. Really watching him, her lips pinched.
“Chat Noir?”
Adrien’s plan had gone from bad to worse.
“Yes?”
He froze. Alya froze.
“Oh,” he muttered. “Um…I mean—”
He stopped because Alya wasn’t moving. Just starting and Adrien felt his face flush.
“That’s not what I…” he started again, too quickly. “I didn’t—I mean, you said—I thought—”
His brain told him to stop talk, but he did not stop.
“I wasn’t—I didn’t think you meant—”
He cut himself off, huffing slightly as Alya finally blinked, her expression shifting from confusion to disbelief.
“Wow.”
Adrien closed his eyes briefly as he muttered, “Yeah.”
Alya let out a short, disbelieving laugh, dragging a hand down her face.
“I was asking why you’re acting like him.”
“I figured that out… after…”
“You just…”
“I know.”
“We will be diving into that one later, but first… why are you acting like him?”
Adrien hesitated. He couldn’t out Marinette too. He needed to shut his brain off for three seconds, so he could think..
“I just…” he started, then stopped and tried again.
“I thought, maybe, if I…” he gestured vaguely, clearly learning that words were hard, “acted a little more like… that… then she might…”
Alya raised an eyebrow.
“Might what? Combust?”
Adrien whined, full on whined.
“Um, figure it out… my, um, identity?” he admitted with a nervous laugh.
“Wow. You… you completely failed.”
“I realize that.” Adrien rubbed his hands over his forehead.
“Instead of her… figuring it out… you told me.”
Adrien dropped his head forward.
“Yes. Yes I did.”
Alya let out a sharp laugh, shaking her head.
“Oh my god. That’s… classic.”
Adrien groaned. “I’m really bad at this.”
“Yes,” Alya said immediately, nodding. “You are.”
Adrien groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
“You would think being Chat Noir this would be easier.”
“You would think…” Alya snorted. “You winked…”
“I know.”
“You leaned.”
“I KNOW!”
Alya shook her head desperately trying not to laugh.
“So…” she said, crossing her arms again, “are you going to keep doing this?”
Adrien hesitated. He knew he should say no. He should absolutely say no.
“Probably,” he winced.
Alya stared at him for a long second then laughed.
“Of course you are.”
Adrien shrugged. “It’s a plan.”
“It’s a terrible plan.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Alya trapped her fingers against her arm, thinking, then nodded, “Okay, if you’re going for stupid… at least let me help.”
Adrien straighten slightly. “Help?”
“Yes, help,” she said. “Because right now? You’re one bad line away from her passing out.”
Adrien frowned. “But… you aren’t going to tell her?”
Alya gave him a look.
“Please,” she said. “Do you think I’d ruin this… when you’re already doing such a good job yourself?”
Adrien sighed. ‘That’s not reassuring.”
“It shouldn’t be,” Alya laughed as she turned starting back toward the cafeteria. She had gotten about five feet because she turned back with a smirk, “Come on, Chat Noir… let’s see if we can make you slightly less embarrassing.”
Adrien winced. “I’m never living that down, am I?”
“Absolutely not.” Alya called before continuing.
Adrien huffed and followed anyway because at this point, it couldn’t get worse.
***
Marinette was not okay.
Marinette had accepted that she was not going to be okay.
Somehow, Adrien had somehow picked up cat tendencies, and now he was walking back toward her with Alya like nothing had happened.
Marinette dropped her head into her hands.
“I can’t do this,” she muttered.
“You’re doing great,” Alya said, entirely unhelpful, sliding back into her seat.
Marinette looked up and instantly regretted it. Adrien was beaming. Positivity beaming.
“Hey,” he said, like everything about today had been completely normal.
Marinette nodded, smiling slightly. “Hi.”
Alya kicked her lightly under the table, but Marinette ignored her, watching Adrien’s next move.
Adrien hovered for half a second before glancing across the table.
“Oh! You’re finished, I’ll grab your tray,” he said suddenly, nodding too much.
Marinette frowned. “Oh, you don’t have to—”
“I’ve got it,” he said quickly as he was already moving, reaching for Marinette’s tray.
His sleeve caught and Alya closed her eyes.
“Oh no,” she whispered.
The cup tipped. The entire tray shifted and then everything went wrong.
Water splashed, food slid and napkins flew.
And in one terrible, unstoppable motion… it all landed on Marinette.
Adrien froze.
Marinette froze.
Alya gaped.
Nino slowly lowered his fork.
“Wow,” he muttered.
Marinette blinked down at herself then back up at Adrien.
“I...”
Adrien let out an undignified squeak as he moved, too fast.
“I’m so sorry—I didn’t—I’ve got it—” he grabbed napkins, immediately stepping into her space, “hold on—”
“Adrien, it’s—” Marinette started, but he didn’t hear her.
He was in full panic mode.
He reached for her sleeve, trying to blot the water, then her shoulder, then her arm, and her hair.
“Oh no—it go in your hair—wait—” he said, gently, but completely unnecessarily trying to fix a stand that absolutely did not need fixing.
Marinette had stopped breathing.
“Adrien…” Alya cut in, but Adrien was far too gone.
“I’m so sorry—I didn’t mean to—I just thought—” he was talking too fast now, one hand still hovering near her shoulder, the other clutching napkin like they might save him,” I can fix it, I can—”
“Adrien! You’re not helping,” Alya said flatly, eyeing him.
“I’m helping,” Adrien insisted.
He was not helping, at all.
He reached again, this time brushing at her sleeve, then her wrist, then across her chest…
Marinette made a small, strangled noise.
Adrien froze, hands exactly where they shouldn’t be.
“Oh. Oh.” Adrien muttered as he looked down. He was touching her. A lot. Way, way too much.
He pulled back like he’d been burned.
“I—sorry—I shouldn’t—I didn’t—” he gestured wildly, words abandoning him entirely.
Marinette entire face was red.
“It’s okay,” she said, quickly. “It’s fine… really.”
“It’s not fine!” Adrien shouted, much too loud, too intense, before his eyes went wide and he looked around the table in horror.
“I was so, so wrong.” Alya whispered.
Adrien stepped back, and then back again.
At this point, staying felt like a mistake, everything felt like a mistake.
“I’m going to…” he gestured vaguely toward absolutely nothing, “space… give you space. A lot of space.”
Marinette nodded, unable to form words as Adrien nodded. He turned, running into a nearby table as the rest of them watched him go.
“That was so much worse,” Marinette whispered.
Alya stared after Adrien for a long moment then sighed, “yeah… that was… and I may have helped in that.”
Marinette frowned. “What?”
Alya grinned, and shrugged, “Oh, nothing.”
***
Adrien had avoided Marinette for the rest of the day.
It wasn’t subtle, either.
He didn’t look at her in class, didn’t walk with her between periods.
Didn’t so much as exist in her direction unless absolutely necessary, which somehow made it worse.
Marinette noticed. She noticed the absence just as much as she noticed the…whatever that had been this morning and at lunch.
By the time the final bell rang, she didn’t know which version of him was worse. The one who wouldn’t stop or the one who wouldn't even look at her.
Leaving the school ground, bag slung over her shoulder, steps a little faster than usual, like maybe if she got home quickly enough, her brain would finally—
“Marinette?”
She stopped, closing her eyes briefly, then turned.
Adrien stood a few steps behind her, not to close, hand already rubbing the back of his neck.
“Hey,” he said, shrugging slightly.
Marinette shifted her bag on her shoulder. “Hi.”
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck again, glancing away.
I, um…” he started, then looked back at her. “I’m sorry.”
Marinette furrowed her eyebrows.
“For earlier,” he added quickly. “This morning… and lunch, oh god, lunch. I didn’t mean to…” he gestured vaguely again, clearly searching for the right wood, “do all of that.”
Marinette huffed a small laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”
Adrien winced. “I deserved that.”
They stood awkwardly for a moment before Adrien sighed, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
Marinette’s expression softened. He seemed so distraught.
“I wasn’t uncomfortable,” she smiled, “Just… surprised.”
Adrien nodded slowly, holding back a nervous laugh. “That’s fair.”
“I mean it,” she added, stepping closer to him. “You didn’t—it wasn’t bad, it was just—”
She waved her hand vaguely.
“A lot?”
Adrien let out a soft chuckle. “Yeah,” he admitted. “I got that impression.”
Marinette bit her lip, watching him.
“You kind of disappeared after, though,” she said, bumping into his arm.
Adrien glanced away, cheeks tinged pink.
“I thought that might be better.”
“For who?” she asked, eyebrows raised.
He sighed, hesitating. “Both of us?”
Marinette frowned, shaking her head. “Adrien, I didn’t ask you to disappear.”
Adrien glanced back at her, his expression shifting. “Okay,”
Marinette exhaled quietly, smiling at him.
“You were just… different,” she admitted then laughed, “I don’t think I even hated it.”
Adrien blinked, then his eyes lit up.
“No?”
Marinette shook her head, giggling, “No… just… don’t dump lunch on me again.”
Adrien laughed, this time relief flooded it.
“I will do my best.” He bowed slightly, before standing straight as they started walking.
It was comfortable, close. They moved side by side and for a few steps it was easy. Normal.
Then, Marinette’s foot caught and she stumbled forward. Adrien moved on instinct, one hand catching her arm as he spun her to him, steadying her against him, pulling her close before she could fall.
“Careful, My Lady. I wouldn’t want you to fall.”
Marinette’s eyes went wide as her mouth dropped.
Adrien’s eyes mirrored hers as his own words caught up to him.
“I…” he started, but it was too late. Marinette didn’t blink, didn’t pull away as she whispered, “What… what did you just call me?”
Adrien swallowed.
There were a hundred ways to fix it, but he didn’t use any of them.
“I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” he admitted.
Marinette’s breath caught because… that wasn’t a denial and it wasn’t…
Her eyes searched his face, really searched and suddenly everything from that day settled into place.
“Adrien?” she said softly.
He held her gaze. He didn’t look away, didn’t joke, couldn’t breathe as she breathed against him.
“That’s why…?”
She left the words hanging as Adrien exhaled, standing them both up.
“Yeah…”
Marinette let out a small, disbelieving laugh, dropping her head for a second.
“Of course,” she muttered, “of course.”
Adrien winced. “That bad?”
Marinette looked up at him, tilting her head.
“No,” she said, “It just explains why you were insufferable all day!”
Adrien blinked, then laughed. Really laughed as Marinette shook her head at him.
“Hey,” he said, “I was trying.”
“I know,” she grinned. “And you were terrible.”
He laughed again, “It worked though.”
Marinette rolled her eyes. “It absolutely did not.”
Adrien snorted as they stepped forward again, the walk seemed too long and too short. Marinette bit her lip as she glanced at him and then back to the sidewalk in front of them. Neither of them seemed to know how to break the silence until Marinette huffed.
“So… how did you find out?”
“Oh, um…” Adrien winced again, “I was patrolling past your balcony and seen you talking to Tikki… it was kind of…”
Marinette nodded, laughing. “Of course… that just… makes sense.”
Adrien shrugged, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to find out that way, it just kind of happened.”
“It’s okay. I should have been more careful.”
Marinette glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.
“I can’t believe Chat Noir dumped my lunch on me trying to flirt.”
Adrien groaned. “Please don’t say it like that.”
“How should I say it then?” she asked, grinning at him.
He clicked his tongue. “Heroically?”
Marinette laughed, full and bright.
“Sure,” she giggled, “Very heroic. That tray was so dangerous.”
Adrien bumped her shoulder lightly.
“Hey, I did save you from falling just now.”
Marinette raised an eyebrow smirking, “And called me ‘My Lady’”
Adrien snorted, “Right.”
Marinette laughed again as they walked a few more steps.
“You know, you don’t have to try so hard… not as Adrien, or as Chat Noir.”
“I know,” he admitted.
“Good.” Marinette let out a small breath, glancing down at her hands for a second before carefully reaching over, letting her fingers brush his. Adrien stilled, then grinned, lacing their fingers together.
Like it had always been that simple.
Marinette smiled lightly, eyes still on their hands when Adrien grunted.
Marinette looked up, meeting his eyes.
“Yeah?”
“So… does this mean,” he started, glancing at her, a little uncertain now in a way he hadn’t been all day, “that if Marinette and Adrien are… together, that Ladybug and Chat Noir can…”
He trailed off, gesturing between them.
Marinette pinched her lips, thinking and then grinned, “yeah, I think it does.”
Adrien laughed, then grinned and bounced on his toes.
Marinette rolled her eyes, but her hand tightened in his.
They walked a few more steps, before Adrien slowed, his eyes going wide.
“You okay?”
Adrien winced slightly, “Oh, um, right. So, Alya kind of knows my identity.”
Marinette stopped, eyes wide watching him.
“What?”
Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with his other hand.
“While I was trying to get you to figure it out, she and I—well…” he winced, “I may have panicked.”
Marinette stared at him for a moment, then laughed, shaking her head.
“You’re unbelievable,” she groaned.
“So I’ve been told,” Adrien said, grinning.
Marinette shook her head again, still laughing as she tugged him forward.
“Come on, Chat Noir,” she said. “We’ll deal with Alya later.”
Adrien smirked as they stepped forward.
“After you, My Lady.”