I Liked it - I Like You

"You're telling me we transformed literally across the street from each other?"

"Roughly. Where were you?"

"I was just in the alley behind the cinema."

"The one that you can see Cacaolate Cafe?"

"That's it."

Adrien sighed and allowed himself to laugh at the fact that the two of them were blind as bats, apparently. He wondered how many close calls the two of them had had over the past year, and how close they had come to learning who the other one was without ever realizing it. How many close calls there had been. How differently things could have gone down for them. "Yeah, we were barely even ten meters away from each other. That says it all, doesn't it? I feel like an idiot."

Marinette smiled along with Adrien and laughed lightly. The two of them had continued their discussion the next day, after agreeing to meet at their normal patrolling meet up point. after having done a very quick lap around their usual route, during which they were far more distracted with each other than they were with actually looking for any sort of event that required their attention. They were lucky that no such crime was being committed that night. Once they had finished their round, they had de-transformed at sat on top of a building that was away from any prying eyes, and had picked up their discussion.

Marinette in particular had been extraordinarily nervous. The previous night, she had been totally fueled by raw emotion, and had kissed Adrien while she was riding high on that. She hadn't been pushed off, or anything even close to that. Adrien had basically accepted it. He hadn't brought it up tonight though either, which Marinette wasn't sure what to make of.

"I'm still getting over the fact that you're my lady." Adrien said with a grin on his face. A lot of his features were covered up by darkness due to the lack of light, but Marinette was able to make out that smile he had. "It's been over a week, and I'm still reeling from it."

"You had way too much fun this past few weeks..."Marinette responded. She had gone over all the interactions they had had when he was Chat Noir. She had to give him credit, he was a good actor. When he saw the photos of him she had in her room, he hadn't missed a beat. He'd kept going on like he had barely even registered them. It occurred to her that, really, he'd just been stroking his ego.

"Plagg said the same thing." Adrien commented, pointing to the black Kwami hovering behind him.

"And you got punched in the gut because you didn't heed my warning." Plagg reminded him dryly.

"Worth it."

Sighing to herself, Marinette decided to press the conversation forward. There were questions that they had just not answered, and facts they had pretty much just glossed over or totally ignored. She wasn't sure what Adrien felt, but she needed answers. "So... Now what happens?"

Looking at her with his green eyes, Adrien bit his thumb and considered. "Regarding what?"

"Well... Everything. Me... You. Ladybug and Chat Noir..."

"That kiss?" Adrien added with another toothy grin, knowing full well he was adding fuel to the fire. When he got a huge burning crimson blush from Marinette, he had reached his target. "Yeah... I guess we should talk about that sort of thing, huh?"

Nodding silently, Marinette agreed.

"Well, I don't see much reason for anything regarding Ladybug and Chat Noir to change." Adrien told the blunette girl. "Far as the city knows, we're still partners, and as far as I know, we still are?..."

"It's not like I get much of a choice..." Marinette jokingly commented, but was half serious about what she said. Had she the choice to put Adrien out of harms way, she probably would do so, but that wasn't within her power. Her sentence came out as sassy more than it did worried.

"You wound me, Princess." Adrien smirked, using Chat's pet name for Marinette for the first time as Adrien.

It helped hit it home for Marinette that Adrien really was Chat Noir, a fact her brain still hadn't fully processed yet. Of course, Adrien understood that, so of course, he had gone out of his way to make jokes and tease her, just like Chat did. He seemed now to be a bit of a combination of the two of his personas, which Marinette concluded was the real personality he had. But all the same, she still wasn't used to hearing his nicknames, his jokes, hell, even his Kwami being around was weird to the fashion designer.

But simultaneously... It was a perfect combination of the two of them.

"So we're still partners," Adrien continued. "And I doubt you'd like to make a public declaration of out love for one another, would you, Ladybug?" He put on as close to Chat's voice as he could, and bowed grandly.

'He's even acting like Chat does. He's enjoying this way too much.' Marinette smirked herself, and said, "Oh, I don't know. That might be romantic! Imagine seeing everyone's faces as they realize that the heroes of their beloved city are beloved themselves to one another."

Judging by the look on Adrien's face after that sentence, he was imagining that, and had to quickly look after from her before he went dark crimson. "S-So no announcement... Got it..."

"You suddenly became quiet."

"You're enjoying this."

"Very much so. It's like revenge for all those times you flirted and embarrassed me in from of that cameras, "

The blond model couldn't help but notice just how back and forth the two of them seemed to be going. He would be leading and in charge of the conversation, and then Marinette would, and then he would, and before he even got a word out, Marinette would be back in the lead.

She was Ladybug.

"Well, that pretty much answers the majority of my questions." Adrien said, before turning a bit red. "So... That kiss."

Adrien had liked the kiss. He wouldn't lie about that. He had liked it. Enjoyed it. He hadn't expected it from Marinette, of all people, that was for sure. Normally shy, always reserved, especially around him.

And she had kissed him. He didn't know what was going through her head, but he sure as hell wanted it to stay in her head. For a very long time. Which was just a very roundabout way of him admitting he wanted to kiss her again.

On the other hand, Marinette was just being completely silent, crimson red and barely even responding. She was looking at the floor, and had grabbed two small bundles of her hair, and was covering her cheeks with them in an effort to hide her blush.

"U-Um... " Marinette swallowed hard, before she unleashed the floodgates. "I - I don't know why I - I mean, I didn't think - I mean, oh God, I'm really, really sorry, A-Adrien!"

"Sorry? What're you sorry for?" Adrien asked, stifling laughed with his hands. "Did you forget that I was gonna kiss you before I set up my little game with you?"

"That was before I knew it was you though!"

"So kissing me was a thing?"

"No! I - Damn it, stop trying to confuse me!"

"Then stop thinking that you did something wrong." Smiled the blond haired boy. "I didn't hate it at all. I it. I like . I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

Complete.

That was the final message the miraculous gave Adrien that night. The very second he entered his moment and his room, his miraculous glowed a bright, blinding light, and sent the message, projected clearly onto his wall. the single word said everything that Adrien needed to know that night.

The Soul Link between him and Marinette was cemented. Established.

It was real.

"This is real, right Plagg?" Adrien asked with a happy sigh. "I'm not gonna wake up in five minutes and realize this has all been a dream?"

"That would wipe me from existence..." Plagg lamented. "...I hope it is. You two being so lovey dovey all the freakin' time is gonna drive me mad."

"Glad you're so supportive of me and Marinette."

"Against my will."

"You could at least try to act a bit more like you don't care." Adrien smirked, seeing through his Kwami partners acting. "Come on, admit it, you're happy for me."

"Your ego is big enough, kid. I don't need to add to that."

"You couldn't just indulge me for once?"

Plagg joked, but he was genuinely happy that Adrien had finally figured out that Marinette was his Soul Mate. The black Kwami had to admit, he was surprised at the revelation that Marinette was Ladybug. He hadn't expected it to be someone as timid as her. "I indulge you enough as it is."

Adrien let out another chuckle. Marinette is Ladybug. That was still so difficult to get his head around... And she liked him... That was just as difficult.

She had kissed him... He hadn't even fully registered that one.

And then, she had agreed to a date.

The blond model grinned to himself. "Alya and Nino're gonna have fun with this one, aren't they?"