Chapter Text
He knows. The thought haunted Marinette for the next few weeks. However, he seemed to be making no moves to confront her about it, and that made her very uncertain about whether he did in fact figure out that she was Ladybug. If he did, he seemed to be completely nonplussed. He was behaving perfectly normally - that ought to be a relief, but she found herself incapable of relaxing. He had noticed and would often ask her what was wrong, but she would hide behind the vague excuses of stress from school. The uncertainty made her rather anxious - although she couldn't help but feel a forbidden thrill. A thrill that Tikki, no doubt, would have disapproved of if she ever confided to her about it. Someone who could (pardon the pun) connect the dots and make sense of her as a whole - a complete, unfractured entity. See and recognize her as Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Fashion designer extraordinaire, lover of rock music, talented baker, superhero, and undefeatable Ultimate Mecha Strike III Queen. She could almost picture it - she was like Spiderman, and he was Mary Jane. She giggled as she recalled his momentary panic at being swung to the hospital, shirtless and in shorts. His hair was an absolute mess and he looked so silly but she was as smitten as ever, and she had to fight to hide it. They haven't met each other in weeks, and she secretly revelled in their brief intimacy as he clung to her. Even through her suit, she got to bask in his warmth and his scent - the faintest spicy whiff of the Jagged Stone cologne he likes to wear, the sandalwood in his overpriced aftershave, and the sweet scent of the snickerdoodle cookies that he would eat almost compulsively, particularly when they were busy and saw each other less.
("Oh my god, how are you not fat from eating all of these?"
"I love them! And, they remind me of you."
"Me, or the Dupain-Cheng bakery?"
He laughed. "You told me that was when you fell for me!"
"You're such a sap!" She moved to kiss him on the forehead so that he wouldn't see her smiling and blushing like a lovesick idiot.
"If I had known I'd capture your heart like that, I'd have turned up in a shower cap and rubber gloves on the first day I met you.")
"He's my boyfriend. Of all people, he would most likely be the one that figured me out, right?" she often wondered. He had always been more observant and perceptive than most. While she had been expressly forbidden to reveal herself, there was nothing she could do if Fate decided to dance to the tune of Luka's guitar. Even if she was Lady Luck, she couldn't always help it if the odds were against her.
"We meet once again, huh?"
Luka was being carried princess-style by Ladybug, once again, away from the ensuing chaos of a theatre. The violins were melodramatically shrieking the tune of El Tango de Roxanne as Le Directeur wreaked havoc upon the stage, swearing to turn every theatre critic into a violin that would play the song that spoke to his very soul.
WHYYYYYYY DOOES MY HEAAAAART CRYYYY
FEEEEEEEEEELIIIIINGS I CAAAN'T HIIIDE
So apparently, the Moulin Rouge remake wasn't very well-received and the director, Giacometti, had been more than miffed. A certain natural redhead had been absolutely delighted.
Luka had on the same look that Chat always did whenever he dished out a pun that he thought was ingenious. Should she be annoyed that this kinda felt like mild flirting? But it wouldn't be cheating if he knew it was her, would it? Argh, this was confusing. Ladybug rolled her eyes. "I suppose that neither of us should be surprised. A music school is bound to be filled with all sorts of divas."
He shrugged. "It's just unfair that supportive older brothers have to be dragged into it." Before she could put him down, he quickly added, "Can I ask for a favour, after you're done? Please?"
Ladybug knew she ought to say no, but the desperation in his tone softened her. "I can't promise you anything. What is it?"
"After you've purified the Akuma, could you please give me a lift?"
"Huh?! Where??"
"I-"
There was a loud boom, and Ladybug swore she heard Chat Noir yelling "CATACLYYYYSM!" from somewhere behind.
"I gotta go!" She interrupted him, but before she could see his disappointed expression, she quickly added an "I'll think about it!" before swinging away.
I'll say no. Goddammit, I'll say no. I'm sorry, but I can't. I'm about to de-transform and whatnot. It's too risky. She could mentally sense Tikki's assent as she dropped down in front of Luka, after the fight was over.
"May I ask, where do you want to go?"
He leaned over and whispered the address, and her eyes widened. Her dormitory?? He seemed to mistake her shock as disapproval, and quickly explained, "There's someone I really need to see! She's been really wound up and tense lately, and we haven't met each other in weeks. I've been meaning to take a trip down but I haven't been able to find the time. She's far away and I miss her."
Ladybug fought to suppress the sappy expression from her face. "O-okay. Just this once. Never again." His beam was positively angelic, and it singed away some of the guilt she felt at agreeing.
"Thank you!"
Goddammit she was supposed to say no! Though...it was literally where she was going back to anyway, what could hurt? There it was again. That thrill. Her heart was hammering.
Ladybug tried to play it casual as they Spiderman-ed their way across the city. "So...uh, relationship issues?"
He flashed a wistful smile. "Nah. I guess I'm just a little...homesick."
"Aaaw, you must love her a lot."
He looked at her right then. His ocean blue eyes were unreadable and she almost lost her grip on her yo-yo. "I do, very much."
Marinette swore like a sailor in her head. He was too fucking close. She cursed at their physical intimacy, even while she enjoyed it. Goddammit he HAS to know, there's nooooo way. She felt Tikki's reassurance in her mind. Marinette, we don't know for sure yet. Please calm down. He seemed to sense the change in the air between them, and quickly asked, "and what about you? Do you have someone you love?"
Her smile was just as wistful as his as she replied, "I do."
"What's he like?"
If she ever found out that he knew it was her, she was going to kill him. "He's...an absolute charmer. But he's also very sweet and understanding and thoughtful. One of those artistic, sentimental types. I couldn't have asked for someone better."
He smiled. "Is he a devoted fan of my band, just as you are?"
"I suppose you could say that we do share the same taste in music." Seriously. Strangle him with those damn guitar strings of his. "And what about your girlfriend? This...Marinette Dupain-Cheng, was it?"
He laughed, and she didn't miss the amused quirk of his lips as he thought for a second. Just you wait, Marinette thought. The minute I see you as Marinette, I'm wiping that smug smile of yours off your plush pink lips.
"Yeap. She's absolutely magical. She's beautiful, kind, insanely talented and intelligent...and very brave. Just like you, I couldn't have asked for anyone better."
Guitar strings. She was never someone that could do a good job of masking her feelings, and this was getting dangerous. A blush, or a giggle and she was done for he would automatically figure it out, if he hadn't already. Ladybug decided to drop him there and then. It was a six minute walk to her dormitory, so that's not so bad. She needed a break to sort herself out before she met him as her non-hero persona. She needed time to recollect her thoughts.
"I'm afraid your Uber ride stops here. I can't go any further." She jokingly bowed, and he bowed back.
"You've already saved me so much time, and this was a huge favour. I couldn't be more grateful."
"Enjoy your time with your girlfriend!"
"Oh, I will." ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
"Shall I dedicate my next concert to you?" he asked, "Consider that an expression of my gratitude."
Ladybug's reply seemed almost provocative. "If you so wish."
With that, she swung away.