When The Thunder Cracked

chapter 16

Adrien sighed as he slouched against the car seat. "Today was greaaaattt," Adrien groaned with the little energy he had left. "Plagg, how are you holding up?" He opened his book bag, only to his books and school materials. He froze. "P-Plagg?"

Oh no, no, no, no. Did he leave him behind at school? Did he drop him? Oh god, if he had dropped him-

"Stop the car!" He heard himself shout. The car stopped and Gorilla gave him a questioning look. "I...I forgot some of my homework at school! I need it for tomorrow!" He easily made an excuse.

With a nod, the car starting heading back towards the building everyone called school.

He almost ran out but stopped himself when he spotted Marinette talking to her backpack. Wait, her backpack?

Adrien took a few steps closer to see better. "T-Tikk? Who is that?" He heard her ask.

Who's Tiki?

"T-That's P-Plagg. C-Chat N-Noir's k-kwami," he heard a little voice said.

Whose voice does that belong- wait! Plagg? Chat Noir's kwami? Tiki? Plagg!

"What! Tiki! D-Does he know! How did this happen! How long has this been going on? Kwami? How-what-why?! Plagg? Is my identity no longer a secret? Oh my god, does Chat know?!" Marinette exploded with questions. Before he knew it, she looked from side to side, before running off.

"Wait!" He wanted to say. But he didn't. He processed her words.

Secret Identity? Tiki? She knows about kwamis? Plagg?

His heart stopped. There was only one answer to everything.

Marinette....

Marinette was Ladybug.

Adrien gasped, all air leaving his lungs. He stumbled back and suddenly, he wasn't able to breathe. As if his discovery was too much to handle. It all made sense. Her name started with an M, she and Ladybug never appeared at the same time, when one appears, the other suddenly disappears.

No, it can't be. Does this mean this whole time she's been playing with me?! Playing with my feelings? As both Marinette and Ladybug.

Maybe knowing her identity wasn't what he wanted after all...