The Importance of a Kwami [Book 1] | Miraculous Fanfiction [#MLWattyAwards]

17: The Bitter Cold

"Yeah," Marinette replied. "Can we go for a walk?"

"Sure!" He said. "It's cold outside, though."

"It doesn't matter," Marinette said. "Come on." The doors opened and they strolled out of the bakery as her father waved goodbye.

"Adrien," she began, as they crossed the road and entered the park, "I've known you for, well, a long time now. And, I ... I need to tell you something."

Adrien nodded, paying full attention to his friend, his emerald green eyes meeting her bluebell eyes. 

"It's about Ladybug ... And Chat Noir."

Adrien stiffened for a moment, but then relaxed, his blue scarf flowing behind him. Marinette looked at her feet as they walked through the empty park. Leaves eddied to the ground, and the wind blew even stronger. Her cheeks reddened because of the cold.

"Adrien, I've been meaning to tell you, for all this time, that, that ... That I'm L-L" she breathed out, closed her eyes. 

"Marinette, I'm your friend. I'll listen to whatever you have to say, alright?" He reassured. Marinette nodded and felt her confidence come back to her. He gestured to an isolated bench and they both took a seat.

She felt her eyes go glassy. Marinette took a deep breath and thought of all the things that they had gone through together. The first time they met, with Stoneheart, and the first time they met at school. When he had given her a black umbrella.

A few droplets of rain fell from the sky. There was no tree to shade them, so Adrien pulled out the same black umbrella to shield them from the rain. It got stronger, fiercer. More confident. That was what Marinette had to be. More confident. She tightly clutched the umbrella handle, closed her eyes. Then, when she opened them again, she was looking directly at Adrien.

"I am Ladybug," she gasped, feeling the breath rush out of her. She felt pink sparkles come down, through her hair, through her clothes, through her purse.

She was Ladybug.

"I am Marinette, and Ladybug," Ladybug said. "And I know that you are Chat Noir."

"L-Ladybug?" Adrien gasped. 

Ladybug felt a tear roll down her cheek, over her mask. She wiped it away. "Ever since I knew," she sniffed, "ever since I found out you were Chat Noir, I knew I had to tell you t-that I was Ladybug. I couldn't hold it back anymore! I - I-"

(A/N *Returns from the bathroom after vomiting* I seriously cannot write romance. I had no intention of writing romance. I hate writing it. I like fantasy and ML fanfiction, and I guess I knew that this scene had to come in sooner or later. Blech ... Apologies)

Adrien put an arm around Ladybug's shoulder.

"I knew there was something about you, Marinette. Ladybug. Something that I couldn't put my finger on. But now I know what it is. It was that courage, that love, that compassion. You were such an amazing friend, you would do anything to help anyone, you knew what was right, what was wrong, and you always tried, Ladybug. You saved Paris. And you will, again. You have this beauty inside you, Marinette, that no-one else does. You need to cherish it. Because you are amazing," he smiled.

(A/N It sounds good when I write it only because I'm listening to epic music, but all of you are not listening to epic music so it will probably look really really stupid right now, sorry)

Ladybug's mask vanished, and her suit. She was Marinette once more. "I t-thought I would disappoint you, being me, being Marinette. I-I'm clumsy, forgetful, and a-always late for class," she whispered.

"That's not what matters, Marinette. Everyone has their flaws. Even me."

They both laughed for a while under the shade of the umbrella. The rain meant nothing anymore, it was as if it wasn't even there. Just the bench, the umbrella, and them.

Marinette leaned onto his shoulder and heard the rain patter on the black umbrella. The moment seemed to last forever, when she felt her phone buzz. Laughing, she pulled it out and saw that she had received a message from her father, telling her to come back to the bakery to help out with some baking, and that Adrien could come too, if he wanted.

"Hey, I, um, gotta go home and help my dad bake. You can come too, if you want," she suggested.

"Sure!" Adrien responded, standing up and raising the umbrella to protect them from the rain. They walked back through the park, across the street, and to the bakery once more.

  🐞 🐞🐞 

Marinette wiped some flour off her hands and gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek. "That's all, thanks for helping," he said.

"Goodbye, Adrien," Marinette smiled.

"Bye, Marinette," he smiled back, and turned his head of blonde hair away from her, his scarf flapping wildly behind him, and he walked out of the bakery.

He turned around and gave her one last smile and a twinkle of the eye, before heading back to his mansion. Marinette climbed into her room and sat on her chair.

"I can't believe it!" Marinette whisper-yelled. "I actually did it! I told him! And he wasn't angry, or disappointed, or upset!"

Tikki flew into sight. "See? I told you! Speak from the heart, and all will be well!"

"Thank you, Tikki," Marinette smiled. "I never thought this day would come."

"Oh, and when I disappeared, I went to Master Fu. I had a meeting with Adrien's kwami and him, and he told us to show you the previous Ladybug, and then to make sure that you found out Chat Noir's true identity."

"That's where you went, all along?" Marinette gasped.

"Yes," Tikki smiled. "Now enjoy your Sunday, Marinette. You definitely deserve it. You've worked so hard."

"I definitely will," Marinette laughed.

  🐾 🐾🐾 

Adrien sat on his bed as Plagg came zooming out.

"I told you the truth would come to you," Plagg pointed out.

"Yeah, it did ..." Adrien muttered.

"What is it? Aren't you happy with Marinette? Disappointed?" He snorted. 

"No, I'm just so ... Surprised," he said. "I can't believe she's Ladybug!"

"I don't think she could believe you were Chat Noir, either," Plagg said. "Oh yeah, and, while I was away, you want to know where I went?"

"Sure," Adrien said, lost in thought.

"I went to Master Fu's. We had a meeting. Firstly I had to show you the past Chat Noir, and then let you discover Ladybug's true identity."

"This was planned? All along?"

"Yep," Plagg replied.

"I guess it's fate for us to know, then," Adrien said. "Have some Camembert," he added.

"Really? You made my day!" Plagg grinned.

"It's on the table," he said. "In the bowl." Adrien realised that all this time, Marinette had a crush on him, yet it was the exact opposite in superhero forms. He laughed quietly. They just needed to know the last piece of the puzzle and slot it in.

Was it true?

Where they really meant to be together?

  🐞 🐞🐞 

I half died writing that chapter, but it's all over now ;). There may be more, :( but I'll try to write romance as best as I possibly can. Because I want to make sure that you guys enjoy my book.

-Hazel🐱