Their Closure

sixteen

"W-what??" 

"You heard me." Alya winked.

"H...how did you know?" Marinette stared at her best friend with wide eyes.

"Remember my interview with Ladybug?" 

Marinette nodded.

"Well, the day after, Adrien and Nino were having 'bro time'. They got to talking, and since Nino can't keep a secret to save his life, he came over to my house and told me how Adrien practically went on a whole mission to find you and he told me the exact time he found you. I found it odd that he found you a couple minutes after our meeting ended. I mean, it would only take Ladybug a few minutes to get to her destination considering she has super-agility and a swinging yo-yo, right?

"After Nino left I started thinking. When there's an akuma around, all of a sudden your dad had a new macaroon recipe or you'd say you had homework when we never got any. Then, I Googled Ladybug and I looked at her closely. She looked a lot like you, but her personality and yours were so different that it threw me off. But I remembered being under a mask encourages a person to be themselves because no one would ever know, and I remember this from experience. I put a photo of you and Ladybug side-by-side and I figured it out."

Marinette looked at her best friend with an open mouth.

"Alya..please don't tell anyone. I'm the guardian now, it's more of a necessity that my identity stays hidden." Marinette pleaded. "Please promise me."

"Marinette." Alya crouched to Marinette's level and put her hands on her shoulders. "I would never tell a soul. Ever. I promise you. I love you so much."

"I love you so much." Marinette hugged Alya.

After their hug, Marinette playfully shoved Alya. "Now go! You don't wanna be late for your lunch date with Mister Turtle, do you?"

Alya laughed and waved goodbye to her friend before leaving her room.

"Marinette, you know you're the guardian, right?" Tikki flew to Marinette's eye level.

"Of course I know I'm the guardian!" Marinette giggled.

"Well.." Tikki hesitated. Then she said, "Have you ever considered giving anyone a miraculous?"

"I already have given miraculouses to people." Marinette replied. "Alya, Nino, Max, Adrien but then I gave it to Luka, I even gave Chlo-"

"No, you let them borrow one." Tikki interrupted. "You didn't really give it to them."

"Yeah..you're right." Marinette tapped her chin. "But what's up with the thought?"

"Well..I..I don't want you or Chat Noir to get hurt." Tikki mumbled. "Hawk Moth is growing stronger and stronger by the day. I fear that one day he'll be too strong for the both of you and-"

"Hey, hey, hey.." Marinette noticed Tikki started to cry and she hugged her. "Everything will be okay, Tikki. I think you're right, I should start giving people miraculouses, but don't worry. The most important thing is that I'm with you now, and I'll always be with you. I love you to the moon and back, Tikki."

Tikki smiled and hugged Marinette. "Thank you, Marinette."

"No, thank you." Marinette beamed. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"What about Adrien?" Tikki teased. Marinette's eyes went wide. "Lunch isn't over for another hour, why don't you ask him to go on a lunch date?"

"Should I really?" Marinette asked. Tikki nodded.