Red String | A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

epilogue - .

"happily ever after, or even just together ever after, is not cheesy," wren said. "it's the noblest, like, the most courageous thing two people can shoot for." - rainbow rowell

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     There was so much tension in the air. Ladybug stood there, absolutely frozen and stiff as a board. Adrien uncomfortably shifted under her gaze, wondering what could've been possibly going through the red superhero's mind. It wouldn't be surprising if Ladybug's mentality crumbled away on the spot; who wouldn't be shocked if their crush was their partner? And the fact that she cut the string that connected herself to Adrien... Oh, how Ladybug immediately detested herself in that moment.

     "Y-You..." She stuttered, still in absolute disbelief. "I can't believe it."

     It was him. Adrien Agreste, in the flesh, standing in front of her.

     "I won't apologize to you for revealing myself if that's what you mean," Adrien scratched the back of his head as his face flushed to a light red. "I just wanted you to know who I was; string or no string." He held a hand out to her, and she instantly took a step back in response.

     Any hope left in him seemed to have dissipated in that moment.

     Silence fell over the two before a black being spiraled out of Adrien's silver ring and sprawled onto his shoulder. "Adrien..." The small, cat-like creature moaned as it deflated like a balloon. "I need some Camembert. Stat-, wait a minute!" Its green eyes shot to like and it immediately sat upright. "What did you-, how... Adrien!" The kwami patronized. "Why did you do that?!"

     He looked up at the girl, whose eyes were widening in surprise. "So I can be my true self around her," Adrien said, still unable to give up and stared right into Ladybug's eyes.

     Her grip tightened on her yo-yo. Her pulse quickened. Her heart pounded against her rib cage, wanting to be let out and to jump right out of her chest. "But that's not what I meant-!" She covered her mouth with her hands a second too late. Adrien already caught her words.

     "What you meant?" He squinted. "What does that mean?"

     Ladybug refused to say anything. Another beep was emitted from her earrings; one minute left. Without a moment to lose, she wrapped her arm around the boy's waist, threw her yo-yo as far as she could, and jumped off the roof. She couldn't possibly just leave this there. Adrien clung to her shoulder like a leech, and Plagg barely managed to keep a grip on Adrien's shirt. He stared up at her, only to find that her eyes were glazed over as if something was clouding her thoughts. She seemed lost; unable to comprehend the scene she had just witnessed. He couldn't blame her; revealing himself to her just added to the list of problems she already had. He had the slightest tang of guilt.

     She, on the other hand, was still trying to process the scene that unfolded before her. Adrien was Chat Noir. Chat Noir was Adrien. The two were the same person. Why didn't it seem that way? And how did she never see it before?

     Within moments, they were soon in front of the Agreste Mansion. She let him down carefully; hanging from the yo-yo like Spider-Man. However, Adrien didn't want to let her go. He did eventually, but he didn't want to. "H-Here's your stop..." Her stammering decreased to a mumble as Adrien's feet touched the ground. "I have to go... The transformation is about to end."