Love Bug

Chapter 11

Ladybug knelt on the roof of a building across the street from the Agreste mansion. She tried to gather all of her courage as she prepared to visit Adrien. She caught a glimpse of him through the window and her heart skipped a beat. How was she supposed to tell him that his father was Hawkmoth?

She swung over to Adrien's window and knocked softly. He came running to let her in.

"Marinette!" He said as he helped her to the ground. Would she ever get used to that? It seemed so unnatural to hear her name while she was transformed. "I'm glad you came. I was starting think you wouldn't make it."

"Oh, uh, I actually had to help my parents close up the bakery." She said hesitantly. "Did you really think I would bail?" Truthfully she had thought about it. She didn't want to mention that she had spent over an hour panicking about having to tell Adrien about his father, but deep down she knew that she had to.

"I was hoping that you wouldn't," Adrien said with a smile. He was so glad to see her. He didn't want to be alone with his thoughts anymore. 

They stood there awkwardly for a minute until Marinette broke the silence. "Do you mind if I de-transform? That way I can let my Kwami out. I guess you already know what a kwami is because you had one." 

"What do you mean?" he looked a little panicked. Did she know who he was?

"You were Aspik. Don't you remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. I tried to burn that from my memory."

"You weren't a bad Aspik."

"You don't remember all of the times I messed up because I reset it. Trust me, I was terrible."

She didn't know what to say to that.

"So, your Kwami?"

"Oh, right." She rubbed her hands on her thighs, then said, "Spots off."

Adrien watched in awe as her transformation disappeared in front of him. A familiar flash of red flew towards him. "Hello Adrien." Tikki said waving at him.

"Hi Tikki." He said without thinking. He threw his hand over his mouth but it was too late.

"How did you know her name?" Marinette asked, clearly confused.

Adrien scratched the back of his head. "We've, uh, actually met before."

"What? When?"

"Remember when you lost your miraculous and you became Ladynoir?"

"Yeah?" She arched her eyebrows.

"Well, Tikki found me and I became Mr. Bug." He watched her face as he waited for her reaction.

"So that means you're..."

"Chat Noir," they both said at the same time.

Marinette's mouth fell open. She blinked a few times then smiled and pulled him into a hug.

Adrien blushed. He wasn't expecting that to be her reaction. Once he got over the shock of it, he rested his cheek on her head.

"I'm glad it's you," she said softly. Then all of a sudden she let go and backed away. "But you shouldn't have told me. The last thing we need is for Hawkmoth to find out your identity too."

"He's my father. Maybe if he knew who I was then he would stop all of this."

"You think?"

"No. He would just force me to give him my miraculous." He sighed as he twisted his ring around his finger.