(Continued from part 1)

(Mood Music: "Kiss the Rain" - Yiruma)

Ladybug emerged from the balcony hatch, astonished at how dark the sky had become in just a few minutes. It was raining pretty heavily now, so she poked back into her room to fetch an umbrella. Hopping around on rooftops while holding an open umbrella wasn't ideal, not to mention far from aerodynamic; but she didn't want to get soaked while looking for Chat Noir. She opened her yo-yo to find his location on the communicator's GPS, then began her search.

She arrived at the indicated area on her map, and thankfully, since it was raining so hard at this point, there was hardly anyone around, so she didn't have to worry about attracting unwanted attention. She scanned the neighborhood back and forth, but she couldn't see him. The fact that it was pouring pretty hard didn't help visibility at all. She slowed down so she could search more thoroughly, looking in all the nooks and crannies she could find.

Minutes of searching later, she was about to move on from a particular spot when she caught a brief glimpse of two softly glowing, green cat eyes. She saw the rest of him then, taking meager refuge under one of the tall, gothic arches of the nearby basilica. The black of Chat Noir's suit blended in completely with the shadows, so it was no surprise that she hadn't seen him until now.

She gulped nervously, then leaped onto the ledge to join him. He must've seen her approach, since he didn't look alarmed when she sat beside him. She sat close enough so she could cover him with her umbrella and be able to hear him over the rain, but not too close so as to encroach upon his personal space.

"Did Marinette send you?" he asked once she was situated.

Ladybug wasn't sure how to respond. She looked away, unable to hide her guilt.

"Figures," he snorted humorlessly. "I must've looked insane to her. I wouldn't be surprised if she even thought I might get akumatized at this point."

Ladybug suppressed a frown. "She's just worried about you. I am too. I don't know the details but she said you were upset, and I didn't want you to have to be alone."

Chat shrugged. "Sometimes cats need to be alone for a while."

Ladybug studied his face, the damp hood of his cloak darkening his features. Maybe going after him was a mistake after all. An unpleasant twisting feeling settled in her gut.

"Would you like me to leave?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He considered for a moment, then smiled a little. "No. It sounds nicer to be alone with good company," he replied with a small wink.

She gave a small smile back, then scooted closer until their thighs almost touched. They sat in silence for a while, partaking in the sumptuous backdrop of the City of Love engulfed in rain.

When she left the bakery, Ladybug thought she'd had a plan; but she realized now that she hadn't really thought anything through. Even after all these years, she couldn't help but follow her impulses and reckless ideas whenever her emotions were running high. Despite having been so upset with him before, right now she just wanted to be with him. Even though she knew that "Marinette" was probably the last person he'd like to see at this moment. It felt deceitful to use her secret identity to try to talk to him. It left a bitter taste on her tongue.

Chat cleared his throat slightly, breaking the silence, and her attention snapped back to him.

"You know... I used to play the piano whenever it rained," he spoke, his voice soft and contemplative. "I remember one time when I was a kid, I was complaining about not being able to go outside during a rainy day. My mom said to me, 'There is beauty in everything, even if you don't see it at first. And if you don't see it, you can always create it.' Then she walked me up to the piano and asked me to play something for her. I didn't really feel like playing, but I did it anyway. She sang along, smiling the whole time, and by the end, I was smiling too."

Ladybug was stunned yet pleased that Chat was confiding in her about his mother, as he rarely ever talked about her. "Awww, Chaton... that's very sweet."

Chat's smile broadened. "Ever since then, I played the piano whenever it rained, or when I was too sick to play outside. I was sick a lot as a kid and had to spend a lot of time indoors," he explained. "She'd hear the piano from wherever she was in the house and eventually make her way to my room, and we'd spend time together. It was like an invitation, or a beacon. I slowly became healthier as I got older and was able to spend more time outside and in public. But I still played piano whenever it rained, even after she disap– uh... even after she passed away. It made me feel close to her, almost like she was still listening, even from afar." He looked back at her. "Kinda silly, right?"

Ladybug's heart ached for her partner. She had no idea he'd been sickly as a child. "Not at all. I think it's beautiful," she reassured him. "Do you miss playing?"

Chat sighed with a small shrug. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd miss it that much when I left, because my father was such a hard-ass about practicing. He would forbid me from participating in activities or spending time with my friends if I didn't perform to his standards. But... playing the piano reminds me of my mother too; so, after I left, I realized that I actually did enjoy it. There's something very... empowering about being able to create something out of nothing. Or 'creating beauty', like my mom would say."

Ladybug clenched the hem of her suit's skirt subconsciously, invisible prickles grazing the back of her neck. Piano. Missing mother. Strict, overbearing, well-known father. Prohibited from spending time with friends.

She took a deep breath. No. No, it's not him. It be him.

"Yeah, I can understand that," she forced herself to reply. "Taking comfort in your own creativity is something I'm familiar with as well." She looked away, trying to figure out how to keep the conversation moving. "M-maybe you could play for me sometime?"

Chat Noir chuckled lightly. "Sure, I'd like that. Although I might be a little rusty. Not sure where I could find a piano, either. Maybe Tikki can conjure one up for me? She's created instruments as lucky charms before, so I'm sure a piano will be easy peasy," he joked.

Ladybug exhaled with a strained laugh. "I'll ask, but she's got a pretty tight schedule, bursting at the seams with cookie eating appointments and whatnot," she joked back.

Right. Schedules. There's no way Master Fu would pick such a famous, high profile person for the cat miraculous. His calendar's always been too busy to be Chat Noir. He couldn't possibly have managed it. Impossible.

He chuckled. "Sounds like Tikki's got life all figured out. Mind if I steal her away for a while so she can teach me a thing or two? I promise I'll give her right back," he bantered.

Stealing... The kidnapping. I couldn't get ahold of Chat while Adrien was being kidnapped. And I got that same odd feeling that I get whenever Chat's in trouble. What if it drew me to Adrien because–

Ladybug clenched her fists even tighter, gripping the umbrella almost painfully. NO, Marinette, stop it! You're supposed to be proving that Chat Adrien!! Remember, Chat goes to a different school across town. That's why he leaves the house extra early. He couldn't have been there. Maybe my Ladybug-danger-sense tells me about when my loved ones are in trouble and not just Chat? Could be. It's entirely possible. Right?

It wasn't him.

It wasn't him.

Chat Noir wasn't the young man who disregarded his own well-being after being kidnapped and attempted to run back to the school to make sure Marinette was alright. That was Adrien and definitely not Chat Noir.

The kind, green eyes that never left hers as he tended to her wounds in the school infirmary, those couldn't have been Chat Noir's eyes.

The handsome young man she danced with at the akuma's ball, who confided in her for the first time ever, there's no way that was Adrien.

The two distinct shades of green couldn't possibly be from the same person. They were too different.

Her eyesight became blurred and moisture pricked at the edges when somehow in her mind, their two faces started to blend together despite having looked completely different until now.

Was the glamour weakening because she was getting too close to the truth?

Surely it was all because subconsciously she was still secretly in love with Adrien. If Adrien and Chat were the same person, then she wouldn't have to deal with her conflicting attractions. That had to be it; just a selfish desire for these two near-perfect beings to be one and the same. Just... stupid teenage hormones. Right?

Right...

"Ladybug?" Chat asked, his tone shifting. "What's the matter?"

The heroine tried blinking the moisture away, then looked up at him; his beautiful and kind eyes gazed into hers, always so full of affection and trust. Never judgmental or ill-meaning. With the patience of someone who's endured far more than any young man should.

"Please, tell me what's wrong," he pressed gently.

Ladybug rubbed her arm shyly. "Honestly, I don't even know how to explain. It's all so complicated. There's so many things I want to know about you that I'm not allowed to find out. But I just want to keep you safe and never let anyone or anything hurt you." She quickly wiped at her eyes, then sighed. "Ever since I fell in love with you, things are more confusing than ever. I wish I had a magic crystal ball that would tell me what to do. It's like–"

"W-wait," Chat interrupted. "What did you just say?" he asked, gaping.

"Um, I wish I had a crystal ball?" she offered.

"No, um... before that," Chat asked, a bright red blush poking out from under his mask.

Ladybug's own eyes blew wide open and she stammered, "Oh! Um... th-that I..." Her hands fiddled with the handle of the umbrella as she continued, "Y-you mean when I said that I'm... in love with you?"

Chat let out a small breath, like he couldn't believe his ears. "Do you mean it?"

Ladybug let out a small whine and her hand reached to nervously tug on the bottom of her hair. "Gosh, I'm such a klutz. I meant for it to be special when I told you, not just blurt it out like an idiot." She took another deep breath. "But... Yeah, I really do mean it. That's why this is so hard. I wanna protect you. And I mean all the time, not just when we're together." Her voice quavered slightly as she continued, "It hurts that I can't be there for you all the time. It hurts that you might be suffering alone and I may not even be aware of it. I LOVE you. I just love you so m—"

Chilly lips seized her own and strong muscular arms wrapped around her back and shoulders, pulling her into his chest. Stunned, she squeaked, dropping her umbrella down the side of the building.

Before she could kiss him back, Chat loosened his grip and he released her. "S-sorry, I just kinda—"

Ladybug interrupted, yanking him back by the collar with a small grunt and capturing his lips once again.

Their kisses were rough, desperate, with an almost animal desire that hadn't been present between them before. Ladybug let out a needy whine as she reached up to the back of his head, pulling at his hair, deepening the kisses further. His hands tugged at her in return, a bit clumsily but matching in enthusiasm, exploring her curves eagerly. When they separated, neither set of lips were cold anymore.

Chat gently caressed her cheek, and he gazed at her with so much happiness and adoration, it made her almost lightheaded.

Ladybug stuttered out a small apology about her forwardness, cheeks flushed and breathing hard.

"—N-no, it's okay. Um... I liked it," Chat replied, blushing furiously. "In case you couldn't tell."

Ladybug's blushing intensified, and Chat planted a small, chaste kiss on her lips before peeking out from under the basilica's gothic arch. "Sorry about your umbrella. Looks like Saint Jeanne caught it," he said, pointing to a nearby statue, the umbrella strap hanging from one of its arms. "Want me to retrieve it?"

"Nah, it's not going anywhere. It can wait," she replied, hoping Chat could read in between the lines. Stay with me.

Chat gave her a wry smile, then squeezed her hand as he led them away from the edge. They scooted further back towards the wall of the building to seek better shielding from the rain, and they settled in to wait out the storm.

After they got into a comfortable snuggling position, Chat resumed their conversation from before, "It's not always going to be this difficult, My Lady. I know it's frustrating that we have to be so cautious when it comes to our identities. Believe me, I feel the same way. But someday we're going to beat Hawkmoth and get his miraculous back and then everything will be okay."

Ladybug let out a quizzical hum. "You make it sound so easy."

"Isn't it though?" Chat asked. "Defeat the bad guy, live happily ever after. Maybe some stuff happens in between, I dunno, we'll figure it out."

She giggled. "Truly you are a brilliant strategist, sir."

Chat waved his arm in a fancy flourish. "Merci, mademoiselle. I'm pleased that my genius does not go unnoticed."

Ladybug smiled, then pressed her body even closer into his. She heard him inhale, sounding slightly flustered at first, but then he reciprocated, pulling her further into his chest. He took off his cloak and draped it over both of them like a blanket, assuming she might be chilly, then wrapped his arms around her protectively. She wasn't really cold anymore, but it wouldn't hurt for him to think she needed a little warming up.

"Thanks for coming, Bugaboo," he added quietly. "It means a lot that you're always looking out for me."

"Anytime, Kitty."

Quite some time later, Ladybug noticed that Chat's breathing had slowed and he'd fallen asleep. The rain had almost completely stopped at that point, but she didn't want to leave. And yet, she figured she should probably make an appearance at home. Her parents might be worried that she'd been gone for so long after leaving for her errand.

She shifted her weight slightly, which made Chat Noir stir a little. She quirked her mouth to the side, weighing her options. She didn't want to wake him up; he looked so adorable and comfortable, and he needed the rest. But on the other hand, he might become concerned if he woke up and she'd left without notice.

"Wakey wakey, my Kitty-cat," she whispered, gently rubbing his shoulder.

Chat mumbled, still asleep, muttering about how he needed five more minutes.

"If you get up, I'll give you a dozen croissants," she said with a lilting voice to try to entice him.

Chat inhaled deeply, then with a wide grin he replied dreamily, his words slurred together, "Dun't need pastrees... M'Lady luvs me... Bes' birthday ever..."

Time seemed to stop as Ladybug's brain short-circuited. His tone was gentle, but the truth struck her violently like lightning. Trying to deny it now would be like trying to claim that the sun didn't exist, or that the Earth was macaron-shaped.

The glamour was broken. Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste.

But did Chat Noir have to be Adrien Agreste?!

The boy who was raised to be her enemy, now matured into a young man that had gradually become her dearest and most loyal friend, who had somehow turned out kind and wonderful despite his cruel circumstances. Her partner, who protected her in and out of battle on a daily basis. It had been Adrien all along. Which also meant... the legendary Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth.

Please, no...

It was Adrien who had begged for her forgiveness after he defied his father and saved her from the akuma that got so close to slaying her. Adrien was the one she brought to Fu on the verge of death. The one she'd nursed back to health. The one that had been living under her very own roof for the past few months, and had spent every day with ever since. All those hangouts and sleepovers and movie nights and videogames. The horrifying daily nightmares. It was Adrien who had almost been akumatized.

It was Chat Noir who got drugged and kidnapped. Chat Noir's eyes that grew terrified when she offered to give him a ride home as Ladybug. Oh, God... She almost took him back to Hawkmoth herself.

Chat was the one who always pretended he was okay for everyone else's sake, who acted so friendly and sweet at school. Her school. It was Chat who she fell in love with years ago, and Adrien who she'd fallen in love with all over again.

She choked back a sob. Why, why, why?! Why did it have to be him who suffered so much in both sides of his life?! It wasn't fair!

A thought came to her. Would he look at her differently once he found out that she knew? How could she tell him that she'd figured him out?

No. She couldn't. She had to pretend everything was the same. At least until she was sure there would be no repercussions for her finding out his identity. Was that even possible? Now she had not only her own secret, but his to keep as well?

I can't do this... I can't do this... I can't...

A determined glint appeared in her eye, and she steeled her resolve.

Yes, I can. Because I have to.

Marinette, Ladybug, had managed the impossible before. Maybe this could work out. She could be his invisible protector. He wouldn't have to know. He could still be kept safe. She'd wanted to know his identity all along for this reason, after all. This was fine. Everything was going to be fine.

She closed her eyes and focused on slowing down her breathing, so she wouldn't spiral into a panicked breakdown. This would be the dumbest way to be akumatized, after all. There's no way she'd give Hawkmoth the satisfaction.

She laid her head back down on Chat Noir's chest, finding comfort from the simple act of being near him. Chat (ADRIEN!!) let out a tiny sleepy moan, then wrapped his arms around her again as he continued to snore softly.

Adrien is holding me in his arms. Adrien has confessed his love to me. Adrien has me. MANY, MANY TIMES.

She struggled to hold in a flustered squeak. How would she manage to avoid acting like a tongue-tied moron in front of Chat from now on? How was she going to keep all the mortifying moments that had happened in front of Adrien out of her mind during future conversations? Like the incident at the pool, or every time she tripped on top of him, or...

Oh my god. I made a joke to Adrien about wearing leather when we went on our movie date. LEATHER.

She took a shaky breath. This was going to be harder than she thought.

~*~*~*~

* WARNING: "EPHEMERAL" SPOILERS! *

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In regards to "Ephemeral", I SWEAR the Jeanne d'Arc mini cameo in this chapter was a complete coincidence, as was the identity reveal. You can imagine my surprise when I was watching the episode earlier this week 😅