One Week Later
"Beetle Bug, have I ever told you how your suit brings out your eyes?" Catastrophe flirts, effortlessly dodging the new villain's attack. "Like two beautiful blue sapphires."
"Not today, Kitty," Ladybug answers, using her yo-yo to pull herself off the ground and flinging herself to her partner. She rests a hand on his cheek and says, "Your eyes are like two emeralds, bright and lovely to stare at."
Catastrophe smiles. "Okay, you win." He steps forward and kisses her. "But I have to warn you, it's not wise to try and out-flirt me. I have compliments that will woo you so hard, you'll dream about me for weeks."
"Aw, Kitty..."
"Are you two going to make out or fight?" Golden Mask shouts at the heroes, impatient. "I don't have all day for this."
Ladybug and Catastrophe share a look. "Why can't we do both?"
Marinette will be the first to admit their dynamic is stronger now that they both know of each other's secret identities. Living a double life as Ladybug is secret is hard, especially with Adrien currently living in her bedroom. Now that he knows, she doesn't have to lie anymore and the kwamis roam freely around him. Even if Adrien, or other identities he currently possesses, is flirting a lot more during their battles, Marinette would be lying if she said she didn't like it. Though they get distracted by each other—a lot—and the new villains try to take advantage of that.
Golden Mask extends her hand to them. "I have an idea. Give me your miraculous and you two can have all the time in the world to kiss?"
"Wow, that is tempting," Catastrophe says, nodding, and looks at Ladybug. "What you think, babe? Sound like a good deal?"
Ladybug smirks and steps forward. "I have a better idea." Standing on her toes, she kisses her partner, and throws her yo-yo out, tying up now-surprised Golden Mask. She looks over and says, "See? We can do both."
"Allow me, Beetle Bug." Catastrophe strides over and grabs the akumatized object, a masquerade mask. "Cataclysm." The mask disintegrates into black ash and the akuma is released.
Ladybug purifies the akuma and restores the damages caused. "Great battle as always, Kitty, but maybe next time don't be so distracted."
"Me, distracted?" Catastrophe asks, shocked. "If anything you're the one who's distracted. You won't stop looking at me!"
"You won't stop kissing me!" Ladybug counters, laughing.
He raises an eyebrow and asks, "I didn't hear any complaints."
She rolls her eyes. "Race ya!"
Ladybug and Catastrophe run across the rooftops of Paris, chasing each other and trying to slow the other down by blowing kisses. The red bug beats him in just seconds and they de-transform as they fall through the sky roof, landing on Marinette's bed.
They raise a fist. "Pound it."
Adrien grins. "I missed saying that."
"I did, too," Marinette whispers.
"We make a great team, Milady. How cool is it now that we're a superhero couple?" He steps down the ladder and grabs some cheese for his kwami out of her desk drawer. "No one can beat us!"
Marinette laughs as she follows him down, feeding Tikki a cookie. "It does make everything easier and stress-free. Not to mention fun." She steps forward and kisses her boyfriend. "In a way, it's like I have two boyfriends."
"Don't you mean four?" Adrien corrects. "There's me, Cat Noir, Catastrophe, and that Colin guy."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot about Colin!" She jokes, smirking. "I forgot you told Alya we were dating. He's pretty cute if you ask me."
Adrien steps forward and grabs her hand. "Oh, you think so, huh? That kind of makes me a little jealous."
"Only you would be jealous of yourself," Marinette teases, rolling her eyes. Her phone beeps with a text.
Alya: Hey, girl! Nino and I are going to the movies. Do you and 'Colin' want to tag along?
"Are you in a mood for a movie?" Marinette asks.
Adrien nods fast. "Yes, a movie sounds great right now. I'm so glad I can hang out with my friends again. Having dyed hair and colored-contacts really helps with my disguise to blend in."
"I think my dad's baking in the kitchen, so we'll have to be very sneaky," She tells him as they head downstairs, quiet. They're almost at the back door when she hears her father's footsteps. "Hide in here!" She whispers, grabbing Adrien's shirt as she opens and shoves him inside a closet. She leans against the door. "Hi, Dad!"
"Good afternoon, my little muffin," He greets, waiting for her to move.
"What are you up to?"
"I'm trying to make bread, but you're blocking the ingredients closet, Marinette. I need the yeast."
Marinette glances at the door and grabs the doorknob. "I'll get it!" She opens the door a crack and slips in, resisting the urge to smack Adrien as he stands there with a smirk and a bag of yeast in his arms. He hands it to her with a wink and she blushes hard. She steps out and kicks the door shut with her foot. "Here you go, Dad."
Tom stares at her. "Is something wrong?"
"Why would something be wrong, Dad?"
"You're being weird."
She laughs. "T-That's just me being myself."
"If you say so." Tom rubs her head and leaves. "Bread will be ready in four hours if you want some!"
"Thanks, Dad!" Marinette shouts as she grabs Adrien and rushes out the back door. They cross the street, on their way to the cinema. Five minutes pass and she looks down and realizes they're still holding hands. She blushes. "You know, I'm really glad there's no more secrets between us. We can finally be happy."
Though lurking at the back of her mind is the memory of Cat Blanc trying to push its way to the surface, to scare her out of this relationship, and she shakes the memory away. That's a conversation for another day.
"Is something wrong, Marinette?" Adrien asks, noticing the questionable look on her face.
"I-It's nothing," She whispers, wiping a tear away.
Adrien doesn't press further. He can see whatever's on her mind is uncomfortable to talk about, and he didn't want to push over her boundaries. When Marinette's ready, she'll tell him, and he can live with that. "Okay."
They reach the cinema and find their friends waiting.
"Hey, Mari!" Alya greets, hugging her best friend. "I'm excited for this movie. It's anticipated to be the best movie of the year."
"I know, I've watched the trailer of hundred times," Marinette admits, laughing. "Colin and I are excited to watch, too."
'Colin' resists the urge to do his signature handshake with his best friend and instead offers his hand. "It's nice to see you again, Nino."
Nino smiles and shakes his head. "Hey, what's up, dude?" He's glad his best bud wasn't really kidnapped, but he had to keep it on the downlow. He wasn't allowed to know, but that didn't stop Alya from telling him everything. They're boyfriend and girlfriend, though. They trust each other with everything.
How could Alya not tell Nino?
"We should head in before the movie starts," Marinette says, leading her friends inside and paying for everyone's tickets and drinks. "I bet this movie is going to rock!"
***
"Well, that was as exciting as cleaning my kitchen," Marinette mutters as they walk out of the cinema.
"Yeah, the movie did not live up to the trailer," Alya admits, laughing. "But at least we all had a good time."
Marinette hands Alya her drink. "I've had to pee for the past two hours! Be right back!" She runs off.
Alya turns to Nino and 'Colin' talking and really getting along. She hopes Nino didn't slip up yet and expose them. She didn't need—or want—Marinette being mad at her. As she watches Colin, she couldn't help but remember that night she found Ladybug and Catastrophe kissing.
Had Marinette finally confessed her love to Adrien, or even better, her secret identity?
She walks over and says, "It looks like you two are getting along."
"Yeah, it's like we've always been best buds," Nino jokes, wrapping an arm around Colin's shoulder, and his girlfriend glares at him silently telling him not to slip up. "Guess I'm just a people-person."
"I'm going to use the restroom," Colin suddenly says, stepping away. "Excuse me."
Just as he leaves, Marinette comes running over. She sees Alya and Nino standing alone. "Uh, where did Col—"
"Adrien's in the bathroom," Nino answers before she can finish, and Marinette and Alya's eyes widen in sync. His girlfriend shakes her head fast. "Uh... I mean Colin! Colin's in the bathroom. Colin and Adrien look so alike, I got them mixed up."
Marinette faces Alya. "You told him?!"
Alya looks back and forth between her friends and sighs. "I... I did. I'm sorry, Marinette, but I couldn't lie to Nino anymore."
"What?!" Marinette shouts, hoping Nino was really just confused and her best friend hadn't lied to her.
"Nino was so depressed about Adrien being gone and I couldn't bear to see him cry anymore," She explains, scratching her arm. "I had to tell him."
"No, you didn't, Alya." Marinette's eyes water and she screams, "You didn't have to tell Nino anything!"
Adrien comes walking over and looks at his girlfriend, asking, "What's going on, guys?"
Marinette doesn't know how to explain the situation without revealing everything. Adrien still had no idea Alya is Rena Rouge/Furtive, so technically she shouldn't know Adrien's kidnapping is fake. But Marinette's angry and she doesn't think twice before speaking.
"Alya told Nino about the fake kidnapping." Marinette turns and glares at her best friend. "You know, the one we had to pull off to get Shadowmoth off Adrien's back to protect him?!"
"W-What? But... how does Alya even know? The only people who know are me, Ladybug, and..." Adrien's eyes widen. "Alya, you're Rena Furtive?!"
Not for long, Marinette thinks to herself.
Alya doesn't deny it. "Look, you know I wouldn't have told Nino if it wasn't important, Marinette!"
"Keeping Adrien safe is what's important, Alya!" She shouts back. "Not your boyfriend's stupid feelings."
Nino looks around as people start staring. "Okay, guys, you're making a scene."
Alya snorts. "Oh really, Marinette? What if it were the other way around? What if Nino was kidnapped and Adrien became depressed because of it? What if it were Adrien crying all the time because he didn't know if he'd ever see his best friend again? Wouldn't you tell him?"
Marinette glares at her best friend, ignoring the questions, and mutters, "That is not the point, Alya. By even just telling one person puts Adrien in danger! What if Nino gets akumatized? What if someone overhears you two talking in school?"
"I'm your best friend! Do you even trust me?"
"You promised, Alya! You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone!"
Adrien rests a hand on Marinette's shoulder. "People are looking."
"I never should have trusted you with this," Marinette whispers, shaking her head. "I should have known better."
Alya's eyes widen. "Mari—"
She extends her hand. "Give me your miraculous, Alya."
"Marinette, you can't be serious!" Nino shouts, stepping forward. "That's not fair!"
"Not fair?" Marinette repeats, laughing. "You want to know what's not fair? Having kids when you're a shitty father. Lying to the people you care about to protect them." She stares at Alya. "Breaking promises you're supposed to keep."
"Marinette, please..." Alya whispers, hoping to get through to her best friend. "Can't we talk about this?"
Marinette lifts her hand. "This isn't the first time you made a mistake, Alya. Remember Senti-Nino?"
Alya looks away and frowns. She reaches up and takes off her necklace. "Trixx, I renounce you." She drops the necklace in Marinette's hand. "I hope you can forgive me one day."
"Fat chance." Marinette grabs Adrien's hand and storms off, and as they turn the corner, she breaks down and starts crying.
"Hey, hey. It's okay." Adrien hugs her tight. "Everything will be okay. I promise."