Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

A Step at a Time	By : Cat_Eyes Category: +M through R > Miraculous LadyBug Views: 4022 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. Miraculous Ladybug is the intellectual property of Thomas Astruc and released by Zag studios. No profit was made writing this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Chat Noir pogoed through the city, thinking about what he was going to say to Ladybug. He promised himself he'd be honest and that he would tell her tonight, nerves notwithstanding. He knew she wouldn't be pleased, but Plagg had raised a good point when he said she would be more mad if he kept this from her. Dread and anticipation warred within him. Even knowing she was about to be upset with him, Chat Noir still felt cautiously optimistic.
He saw her waiting for him atop City Hall. Not an ideal place to have this conversation, but hopefully he could lead her somewhere they were less likely to be overheard.
'Good evening, Chaton,' she said when he landed before her.
Chat Noir's foot snagged on his staff, the flirtatious greeting he prepared lost as he tried to prevent himself from shrieking and falling over.
Smiling, Ladybug asked, 'got your own tongue, Kitty?'
A shrill whine escaped him as she raised an eyebrow and cocked her hip, still smiling.
Suddenly, guilt slammed the wind out of him. This was the woman he loved, no matter what side of the mask she was on. She was his partner and his dearest friend; she trusted him in a way she would never be able to with anyone else, and vice versa. He had to say it now.
'Know you are, so I who really I'm sorry,' he blurted with his eyes shut tight.
The following silence dragged on too long. He squinted at her with his shoulders drawn up and tense, fists curled in front of his chest as he tried to gauge her reaction. She was staring at him, head tilted and one brow raised inquisitively.
'I'm sorry. What was that?'
Chat Noir thought back on what he'd said. Realising it had come out thoroughly garbled, he blushed and took a deep breath.
Slowly, he said, 'I'm so sorry, Milady. I accidentally found out who you are.'
He cringed through another drawn out silence, heart racing.
Finally, she asked quietly, 'how?'
Chat Noir gulped. 'I saw you detransform after the last akuma.'
Nodding, she then asked, 'did anyone else?' she trailed off.
'No,' Chat Noir shook his head. 'There was no one else around. No one saw.'
Ladybug nodded again. 'We still have patrol,' she said before turning around and running off.
Chat Noir moaned despairingly before running after her.
Patrol was tense. Ladybug stayed just far enough away he would have to raise his voice to talk to her. He didn't press her, though, knowing she could react badly if he pressured her to talk before she was ready.
After two hours of running, Ladybug halted on top of a business building and waited for him. He landed far enough away to give her an out if she needed it, then slowly approached her.
Ladybug took a deep breath and shook her arms. With a calm detachment, she said, 'you know who I am.'
'Yes.'
'have you told anyone?'
'No.'
'Do you plan on telling anyone?'
'Of course not. Come on, LB. Give me some credit.'
Turning away, she mumbled an apology.
Chat Noir sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. 'I know this isn't what you wanted, and I am so sorry. I know you just want us to be safe, and I promise we will be. I won't come and bother you at home and I won't use your real name when we're in uniform.'
When she continued to look unconvinced, he offered, 'if you want to level the playing field, I can tell you who I am.'
'No,' she interrupted, firmly. 'This is a big enough risk.'
'You can trust me, Ladybug,' he told her plaintively.
'I know that, but what if you forget and call my name in the heat of a battle? What if you're hit by a mind-reading akuma, or one who makes you speak only the truth? What if you're overtaken by Papillon and he hears your thoughts?'
Ladybug's earrings beeped, loud and insistent, before her transformation fell.
'Tikki,' Marinette gasped, sounding equal parts worried and reprimanding.
'Sorry, Marinette,' Tikki apologised as she settled in Marinette's hands. 'But you seem to be working under the misconception that Papillon is telepathic.'
'You mean he's not?' Chat Noir asked as he stared at Tikki. 'You're adorable,' he added.
'What do you mean, not telepathic?' Marinette asked as Tikki waved a greeting to Chat Noir.
'When Papillon finds a new victim, he doesn't hear their thoughts. He finds them by feeling their emotions and following that wavelength - he's an empath, not a telepath,' she explained. 'Even while controlling them, he can't access their thoughts. Haven't you ever thought it was weird how his akumas spoke aloud when communicating with him? Papillon can only know what they see, speak and hear. Their thoughts are still their own.'
'That actually makes a lot of sense,' Chat Noir said, thoughtfully.
'That's no reason to be complacent,' Marinette argued,
'It's not,' Tikki agreed, 'but you need to be aware of Papillon's limitations, too. Remember Jackady, Princess Fragrance, and Puppeteer? They could control their victims, but Papillon, himself, could not. If an akuma controls one of you again, you would only do what the akuma told you to. It would take very specific instructions for you to reveal anything under those conditions.'
'But,' Marinette began.
Tikki held up an arm. 'Even if Papillon did create a telepathic akuma, he would still have to hear the akuma say your name out loud. Anyway, the chances of him making such an akuma is slim to nil. I don't think you need to worry about that.'
'But what about a truth akuma, or if Chat or I were overtaken directly?' Marinette insisted.
'The odds of a truth akuma are slim, and even if one were created, there's no guarantee it will ask about your identities. Papillon is not that subtle. There are also ways to avoid being possessed, but since you're naturally optimistic, you're at no risk, Marinette. Chat Noir also needn't worry, as he is too used to disappointment to show up on Papillon's radar.'
Marinette and Chat Noir both spluttered in disbelief.
'Do you know who I am?' Chat Noir asked in amazement.
Letting out a tiny snort, Tikki replied, 'of course. I can sense it.'
Clearly waving that topic aside for later, Marinette said, 'I still don't think we should let our guard down.'
'No one's saying we should, Buginette,' he grinned at his word play. 'We'll still be as careful as possible. I'll only call you Ladybug when we're in costume, and I'll use your real name as a civilian,' he winked at her.
Marinette sighed and rolled her eyes. 'I'm still not happy about this. I hope you know that if you let anything slip, I'll use you for cat gut.'
'I know, I promise I won't let anything happen,' Chat Noir replied as he swept into a bow.
Marinette looked at him from the corner of her eye. 'Ok, Tikki. Transform me.'
'Ladybug,' Chat Noir called as she moved away.
Turning back, she raised an eyebrow in silent question.
'I'm glad it's you,' he told her, suddenly feeling shy.
She looked surprised for a moment, before a smile slowly spread across her face. 'Thanks, Kitty.'
They separated and went home, Adrien dropping his transformation as soon as his feet touched the floor.
'That could have gone a lot worse,' Plagg said.
Adrien hummed a response, too emotionally drained for actual speech.
He prepared for bed, sighing happily to himself. It had been a tense evening, but he was sure things were going to be fine.
'Wait a second! You've known who she is this whole time!'
Plagg snickered in the darkness.
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

A Step at a Time