I Knew It Was You [COMPLETE]

17. Ice Cream

"M-Marinette?!" Adrien said, staring at the blue-nette in front of him. He almost fainted because he didn't know what came over him: happiness? Acceptance? There was definitely shock but he started processing everything: Marinette was Ladybug. Ladybug was Marinette. Marinette...

The midnight blue hair, the light blue eyes and positive attitude. It was all piecing together.
His memories of Kwamibuster came into picture, both Marinette and Ladybug in one place but Ladybug was smart. She knew how to make the most out of her powers.

"Adrien," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. He focused on his breathing as he let it all in.

Marinette is Ladybug.

He had been admiring the same girl for nearly four years.

Marinette.

Clumsy, talented, adorable Marinette.

Tikki and Plagg went to their respective owners and looked at them. Tikki was telling Marinette something but she looked like her wind pipe closed. Plagg looked at Adrien and said, "What did I tell you about Pigtails?" Adrien looked at the kwami

Suddenly, he chuckled. It grew into a laugh, a wholehearted laugh and he looked at the girl blushing wildly at him. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng," he said to her. He watched as her lips curved into a nervous smile, obviously she was still processing it. He hoped she wasn't disappointed to know that the boy she once loved was also the pesky partner she used to ward off.

"I-I don't know what to say," she said, "It's just that you liked me - as Ladybug - for so long and I j-just hope that I-I don't disappoint you as Marinette." His jaw dropped. 
"Disappointed?" he asked. He felt the heat rush into his cheeks as he worded out his thoughts, "You never disappoint me, M'Lady."
She looked up at him, her cheeks turning beet-red. "Y-You mean y-you like me, a-as in M-M-Marinette?" she asked. He nodded his head. 
"Wow, okay. Everything is happening so fast," she said. 

He just wanted to pull her into a hug and tell her that he's always loved her, with and without the mask. He couldn't be so forward about it so he stepped towards her and touched her hand, lacing her fingers with his. She looked up at him and smiled, accepting his hand and sending a wave of relief over him.
"How about we get some ice cream?"

-x-x-x-

Marinette stood behind him as he took the ice-creams from Andre, still kinda hazy from the information. He handed her the ice-cream, scoops of dark-Belgian chocolate and pistachio. He looked puzzled as he looked at hers and then his: raspberry, lychee and blue-moon. 
She shrugged and descended down the stairs, settling down on the last step.

She dreaded the silence and finally said, "So...you said you wanted to talk to me?"
"Yeah, I did...over a week ago," he said.
She smiled and looked down, "Uh, yeah sorry. I was just really nervous about meeting Cat Noir. Didn't expect you guys to be the same person."
"Well, I didn't expect Ladybug and you..." he trailed off. He shook his head and looked at her intently and said, "Okay, I have a simple question to ask you. A-Are you disappointed? Th-That Cat Noir turned out to be me?"

She almost choked on her ice-cream but instead, she swallowed and said, "Oh gosh, no! Wow, I-I wasn't disappointed! Did I look like that because trust me, I was actually just...."
"Just?" he prodded on.
"Relieved, I guess. I'm happy that the partner I trusted for so long turned out to be...you."
He let out a sigh of relief and said, "Okay good because I just wanted to tell you that um, I uh...wow there's no easy way to say this. and I've been wanting to say this for a while now actually and uh-" He scratched the back of his head and looked up at her, "I may...have...a crushonyou."
Marinette blinked, wondering if she heard that right. Crush on you....crush on you....
"A CRUSH ON ME?" she shrieked.
Adrien jumped, almost dropping his ice-cream and looked at her in shock. "Uh yeah, I-I've had a crush on you for quite a while now...NOT-NOT as Ladybug b-but as Marinette and oh wow, this is so weird to think of and okay, yeah even as Ladybug. So basically I've had a crush on you for like, um, four years, now? A-And I totally understand if you-"

Soon his voice muffled as Marinette pulled him to her face and placed her lips on his. She didn't know where she got the sudden confidence but within moments he responded and started kissing her back. His hand moved to her waist and her hand touched his face, the same face she's been wanting to hold for four years.
She pulled away, her hand removing her clutch on his shirt and giggled, looking up at him. The nervousness left his face and he relaxed as he smiled at her."I have a crush on you too, Kitty," she said.
"What?" he asked, mostly out of disbelief.

Suddenly he beamed, his eyes widening and he jumped up, pumping his fist in the air. He climbed up a few stairs and jumped off, a goofy grin taking over his face. He covered his face with his hands and looked at her, unable to contain his smile. She laughed at his his reaction and covered her mouth, suddenly turning shy from his excitement. 
"You're not joking right? You like me? Like, you have have feelings for me? With and without the mask?" he asked. She nodded and watched as the boy smiled, completely shocked by his reaction. He looked at her, smiling and said, "Nino was wrong."

She was puzzled and he went on to explain that he thought she didn't like him. Soon both of them were going on and on about who had a crush on who and what happened and who was involved. They talked about the day where he gave her the umbrella and how they defeated Stone Heart. They reminisced their old battles and victories.

"Oh remember Frozer?" Adrien said and suddenly tension filled the air. Two unspoken names clouded their conversation: Kagami and Luka. 
"Um Marinette?" he said looking at her, "I-I'm sorry about Kagami. I wish I knew you that-"
"No, not now. I-I don't care about all that. It was the past," she said. He had already talked about Kagami and she knew then that his true feelings were never for her. 

"What do you think is so important that Bunnix made us tell each other?" he asked. Her stomach churned at the question and said, "I honestly don't know but I think Hawk Moth will come back...maybe stronger this time. Whatever it is, I don't think Bunnix would do it for no reason." He nodded and said, "I just hope it isn't too bad. I-I..." He smiled and looked at her sheepishly, "Excuse me for being so happy but, I really wanna spend time with you. Like this," he said, sliding his hand into hers. Her cheeks hurt from smiling and blushing the whole time but she couldn't stop from smiling one more time.

"Wow wow, I can't believe this is happening, like how did I get so lucky? I- wow I must sound so creepy and I'm so sorry if I'm doing this too qui-"
Marinette muffled his words with another kiss and soon both of them fell trap into each other's lips. He snaked a hand around her waist and pulled her closer, his other hand on her cheek. They pulled away, slightly breathless and he said, "Next time you want me to shut up, just tell me."
"Yeah...but this is more fun," she said. He was taken back by her confident response, his large grin returned taking of his face as he looked at her.
"I'm never gonna shut up," he said.

She giggled and leaned into him, his lips enveloping hers.