So operation kiss-mas was a no-go. After rendezvousing with Marinette there was no chance Alya and Nino would never jump back into a relationship the way things were at the moment, and it would be in no way helpful or healthy.
From what Adrien gathered talking to Nino, all his best friend wanted to do was drink his troubles away and hope he would wake up and it was all a dream. Alya had really pulled one on his best friend, even Marinette was finding it hard to support Alya.
Adrien had tried long and hard to reason with him that Alya just made a mistake ... that was until he threw in the question of what Adrien would do if that was Marinette. Suddenly Adrien wasn't too much on Alya's side anymore. Of course he would help both his friends, but Nino had been hit hard. He'd had his heart ripped out and placed on a Luka sized tray.
Marinette had worked into the long hours of Saturday night to persuade Adrien that their best friends needed to talk. Alya deserved to know whether Nino was the father or not, but the way they both felt ... she didn't deserve much more.
Neither slept well that night, from the constant thoughts of their old friends broken relationship to the meet they were having the next day as an alter-ego.
Adrien was excited as he woke up on Sunday morning. He wasn't due to see Ladybug until later that evening. He'd got the message - normal time; ten in the evening, normal place; the rooftop opposite the Eiffel Tower. He needed to make sure he knew what he was going to do. He'd decided he was going to tell her that he thinks he knows her identity, that perhaps it's time for the reveal and they can live happily ever after.
He mentally slapped himself. She's going to kill him. She will grab him there and then, and swing him off the rooftop and into Belguim. He sighed. He needed a plan. So that's what he did. For the whole day he plotted with Plagg.
His scheming little kwami was invested in this as much as he was. The rest of their lives pretty much depended on how Adrien handled this. He knew she hated liars, so he had to come clean about everything ... well almost everything.
Before transforming to go meet his lady he made sure he was dressed well, and pruned. If tonight did end in a reveal there was no way he wasn't looking his best when he declared his undying love to the bluenette who wouldn't escape his thoughts.
As ten was about to strike he called his transformation and left his room. The night was cold, and extremely dark. He thanked the Miraculous that their suits were thermal and kept their temperatures steady. Running around in something similar to spandex wasn't exactly desirable in the winter weather.
Every inch he grew closer to the rooftop his bravado began to falter. Yes he'd seen Marinette but it had been so long since he saw Ladybug he wasn't sure how would be best to react. Should he engulf her into a hug or would that be too much too soon. He knew she'd missed him, the question was how much?
He was one roof over as he slowed his speed, marvelling at the view in front of him. There, with the Eiffel Tower glittering behind her, was his soul mate. His Lady. His love. He couldn't draw his eyes away as he looked over her fine specimen of a body pacing backwards and forwards along the rooftop.
This was it. Chat took a deep breath before extending his staff and making his way over to Ladybug.
"Well, well if it isn't M'lady returning from her training to be the Guardian of all Guardians." He watched as she turned around to face him, and his breath stopped in his throat. She was beautiful, and with the twinkling of lights situated on the tower behind her he honestly thought he'd never see a more beautiful sight in his life.
Her nervous face changed in front of him to a wide grin and he couldn't help but copy the motion. The next seconds would be some of the greatest of his life. He knew it would go down in history as the moment his heart literally exploded.
Ladybug took off at a running pace and dived into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and legs around his waist. He spun around laughing, taking every essence of smell from her hair. He never wanted to let go. This was heaven. Being with her and in her arms was heaven.
"I've missed you so much, Kitty! I really didn't want to leave you, sorry it was only a note and not a proper goodbye." He felt her cheek meet his. What he didn't expect to feel though was the obvious tears streaming down her face. Lifting one of his clawed paws to her head, he began to stroke down the back of her hair. It was only at this moment he realised they weren't in their usual piggy tails but a long sleek ponytail situated high on her head.
"Bugaboo, please don't cry. You had no choice, they were after you for over a year. I'm just glad we managed to get rid of Hawk Moth before you had to leave."
"Have you missed me?" She pulled herself backwards and looked into Chat's beautiful green eyes. How could she ask that question? He thought that he wore his feelings quite well on his sleeve.
"Missed you? I've been going mad without you. You're part of me LB, life sucks when you're not around."
Chat dropped her to her feet and held her by the shoulders. Seriously, she had no idea to the extents of him missing her. He slept with her note for God sake. She nodded at him allowing a small smile to creep over her face. He held her hand and led her to sit down in their normal place.
"Can ... c-can I a-a-ask you something?" She was looking down at the ground playing with her hands. It was so strange to see Ladybug acting like Marinette. Even though he knew they were the same person it was still bizarre to have Ladybug being so unsure of herself.
"Of course, you can ask me anything. We're partners remember? You and me against the world."
He turned his body to face her and she remained in her nervous disposition. What was she going to ask him? Did she want him to give up his miraculous? Did something happen during her training?
"How have you been? You know, since I've been away."
"I told you, I've missed you. It's hard to be only one half. I completely understand the whole yin and yang thing now ... seriously I felt like I'd lost part of my body. I might also have been stalking you a bit via the Ladyblog. Don't judge me on that."
Ladybug let out a laugh. He could visibly see her relax. She was so different around him in this persona. So quirky and sassy, yet a little bossy but he'll ignore that.
"So have you ... you know ... been seeing anyone? Like dating?"
So that was why she was so nervous. She wanted to know if he had a girlfriend. This he could play with. Cause her to stew a little before he dropped the bombshell that she was a Goddess sent to this earth to love him, and for him to love her.
"Well M'lady, I'm kind of hot property in my civilian form, so yes I have been dating."
"Oh." Her head dropped again and he could tell she was thinking. He remained in silence until she spoke again. "So what is she like? I hope she's treating you well, or she'll have to deal with a superhero!" Ladybug looked up at Chat and attempted to smile as she spoke. His heart broke, he couldn't play with her, not even such intense feelings were involved.
"There is no she. I went on dates and none of them felt right. They weren't you." Chat stretched a hand out and clasped it tightly around one of Ladybugs. He felt her shiver at the contact and turned himself to face her.
"I also went out with that girl from when we were younger, but it didn't work out again. It probably didn't help that I kept calling her your civilian name." He'd put it out there. His heart was beating erratically in his chest waiting for her to comment on what he said.
"You called her my name? Wow! That's ..." pause, eyes opening wider by the second, an angry look on her face, he was a goner. "My c-c-civilian name? But how? There's no way!"
"Before you freak out and run off please just hear me out." After what felt like an eternity she finally nodded, allowing him to continue.
"Last Sunday I bumped into a beautiful girl who happened to have long blue black hair, and a whole load of what I believe are Guardian books." She took an intake of breath and he knew he'd nailed it.
"It was you, wasn't it?" Her eyes were wide as she asked the questions knowing full well what the answer was.
"Yes it was me. So finally we have met in civilian form."
"I doubt crashing into each other and exchanging numbers means we've finally met."
"That is true, M'lady. However, when I put your number into my phone it seemed to clash with another."
Marinette stared in shock. Was he being serious? They knew each other to the point of him having her new number as a civilian. He sat and watched as she screwed her eyebrows together.
"But only my friends have my number, and I only passed it on today." She was confused, he could tell she was completely perplexed. Perhaps he shouldn't have came clean so soon.
"I'm not saying when I got your civilian number I'm just saying that I have it."
"So what does that mean now?"
"Marinette, Ladybug ... I love you both. I love you both so much you have no idea how much of a recluse I've been since you've gone, in both forms. I just want you to give me an opportunity to show myself worthy of your love."
"Ok, so what do you want me to do?"
"We keep texting, but I want you to understand that this -" he signalled himself and his outfit, "is a big part of me. This is the way I usually act, not what you see in your civilian form. I want you to like me for me."
"Who said I liked you kitty?" She smiled and flicked his bell. He turned to mush, black cat mush.
"I suppose I could just date one of my many ..." he began only be be cut off instantly.
"No!" She interrupted his speaking. Stopping whatever was going to be next to leave his mouth. She calmed herself down before she spoke again.
"I mean, no. I want to know you, all of you. Chat I really do love you too but I understand you needing the reassurance, I can't tell you how happy I am that you love my civilian size as much as my superhero form."
She leant over and kissed him on the cheek causing a shockwave of heat to circulate through his body. Adrien was completely and utterly in love.
"I think I love the real-life Ladybug more, if that's possible." He kissed her back before taking her into a hug.
"Christmas Eve is the Bourgeois masquerade gala at their hotel. I will meet you at midnight on the roof. The best Christmas present I could receive would be if you accept me as who I am, all of me. Im not going to lie LB but I feel as though others still hold pieces of your heart."
Ladybug looked slowly into the eyes of the guy she was so sure she loved, hoping that over the next few week she would be bought clarity between Chat and Adrien.
He took her hand placing one more kiss on the back before vaulting into the night sky, happy with the way things went, and excited to see what was about to transpire.