Chapter Text
Ladybug, the beloved superheroine of Paris, is simultaneously a mystery at once confident, brave, and poised, while secretive, a light without a source in the City of Lights. Her identity eluded even the best of sleuths who pursued it, and the source of her powers was barely understood. And beyond that, many more wondered what and sought after the nature of her relationship with that leather-clad partner of hers, Chat Noir.
What was no secret was what she saw as her role: to save Paris. Yet still, who she was beneath that mask haunted everyone's thoughts, even her partner, though none but the heroes knew that what she did when she wasn't zipping across rooftops and saving the city was a mystery to all but the heroine herself. Even so, Ladybug was Paris' Darling daughter; people and organizations around the city adored the red and black spotted heroine, proudly proclaiming her their Guardian Angel, while others, including the heroine herself, proudly argued she was but one of the pair of Guardians they had been blessed with. No one thought her mask would ever fall and that the world would learn who she was; it was just the way of things.
So imagine their surprise when one Akuma happened to show all of Paris just who their Darling was and that perhaps, there was more to their heroine in red than they could have ever imagined.
“Pound It!” Ladybug and Cat Noir said in unison, their traditional post-victory fist bump marking the end of yet another successful defense of the city. Meanwhile, unseen by the two heroes, the victim, initially in a daze, sharpened his gaze upon seeing Alya a short distance away. This particular recipient of Hawkmoth's brand of non-anger management was an exceedingly annoying competitor of the Ladyblog, and by extension Alya, because of its notoriety and popularity as a mostly factual blog (excepting some minor flak a few years ago when Alya had been younger and more naive) with the occasional post speculating about the heroes or talking about a theory that had piqued Alya's interest. He'd gone so far as to confront her, both in person and online. Initially, Alya was content to shrug off his jealousy and do her own thing, but eventually, the harassment of the other blogger forced her to address it. This drove the boy over the edge and resulted in a public confrontation where he shouted Alya down, and ended in him being akumatized.
During his rampage, he grabbed Alya. He made quite a nuisance of himself for the better part of four hours, which mainly had just been him whining about the Ladyblog's popularity compared to his blog and, at various points, kidnapping any of his competitors just to have them listen. Everyone was so tired of this behavior, especially Alya and Ladybug, the latter of whom had seemed more peeved than usual about an akuma and their attitude, so they were quite pleased to have finally dealt with him.
So, as her earrings beeped out a warning, Ladybug gave a quick smile, waved, and threw her yo-yo to start her retreat back into anonymity, latching it onto a nearby rooftop she pulled and launched herself into the air. As was her habit, Ladybug cast a short, quick look over her shoulder and caught Alya interrogating interviewing, her partner; she rolled her eyes fondly at the scene and silently thanked her lucky stars that Alya and Cat Noir got on so well; it was ironic how they were her best friends on either side of the mask, though even she hoped it wouldn't be that way forever. However much a glance it was meant to be, Ladybug's attention caught on the Akuma victim, a glint of metal in the setting sun... a pocket knife.
‘What the hell,’ Ladybug thought, turning around, her body tensing. The victim stood up, eyes locked on Alya, a glare so intense that if looks could kill, her best friend would have easily been 12 feet under. A sickening feeling took root in her gut, and she coiled, ready to leap into action if no one else reacted, even as her earrings beeped another minute, gone off her time to escape to her anonymity. Precious seconds ticked away as she confirmed the victim's apparent intentions and that no one, not her best friends nor the bystanders, had seen the impending danger.
She made a decision.
Ladybug didn't hesitate; she wouldn't hesitate. Timer. Be. Damned. She ran, throwing her yo-yo with practiced ease, it caught onto a light post, and she jumped once more into danger, to protect her friend. As she swung down, she released the post, setting herself up to tackle Alya away from the threat while launching her yo-yo around the armed victim, incapacitating him and knocking the weapon from his hands. All of this happened in seconds, and the crowd exploded in cheers, their heroine had yet again leapt to defend their city and its citizens. Ladybug gave a small smile, slightly abashed, she was doing her job afterall, but still, she turned to the rival blogger, who, for his part, the boy looked scared out of his wits. Everything was fine, she'd saved the day, and could once again retreat back to being Marinette.
That was until her earrings began to beep loudly and without pause.
She had run out of time.
There was no escape, not a safe one, at least. So she did what she hadn't done in the face of so many akumas. She froze.
Everyone around her watched in shock as a never before seen pink light slowly began to make its way from the heroine's feet up, only the two heroes and Alya knew that this was not the normal instant transformation typical of the miraculous. Marinette silently thanked Tikki for allowing her seconds more of anonymity, but it would only be that, seconds, seconds to prepare herself for what was about to happen. Only a moment ago, seconds had saved her best friend; now they ticked down to the end of her safety, at no fault of her or Tikki's. Marinette steeled herself for what was about to happen, and looked up to face the numerous cameras now pointed directly at her, she would hold her head high even as her whole world came crashing down in a flash of pink light. She would face this head-on, she was Ladybug, after all, and it had been a long time since she'd let the pressure of being a superhero get to her.
‘Your Mask,' Tikki whispered comfortingly through their mental bond, ‘will be the last thing to go.’
Marinette smiled a Ladybug smile as the magic finally reached her neck and hair, replacing her red Ladybug ribbons with her normal red hair ties. She spared a glance at Alya and made eye contact right as the magic reached her face. She breathed in and closed her eyes to let the magic run across her eyes. There was a collective gasp from those around her, and Marinette knew that everyone across Paris did the same as they watched their darling superheroine become an ordinary teenage girl. She waited a moment before opening her eyes, though she already knew Alya was staring at and silently approaching her. When, at last, she did open them, her expression was calm. Alya had tears in her eyes, and there were so many emotions conveyed in the look her best friend was giving her: gratitude, pride, awe, and the list goes on. Marinette, not her superheroine persona, smiles now.
Alya overcame enough of her shock to rush the rest of the way and embrace Marinette, who happily returned the gesture, relieved that Alya had accepted the reveal and was there when it happened. The embrace, however comforting, was short-lived. Alya knew better than most that Marinette needed time to process, and with a nod of her head and push in the direction of her home, Marinette smiled, and with Tikki proudly and reassuringly on her shoulder, she made a dash for home like the superheroine she had just been revealed to be.
The crowd watched her go, watched as she disappeared down the street. When she was finally out of sight, they turned their attention to Cat Noir, Ladybug's, Marinette's partner of three years. Alya took a few steps toward him and quietly, nearly imperceptible to the cameras, asked, “Did you know?”
Cat Noir could only shake his head in shock, and it was a moment before he responded aloud, shocked that his partner had been revealed to be so close to him for so long, not that anyone else realized that, “No, she never wanted me to know, or even to know herself. She always said it was too dangerous.”
The reporters around him appeared shocked at the idea that their heroes had lived such lives of isolation regarding their duties as Paris' Guardians, especially as it became apparent that they were just teenagers. Alya, for her part, felt terrible that her best friend had put up with years of secrecy without ever complaining or cracking in her vigil of confidentiality. There had been times when those duties had cut into Marinette's free time when Alya had just become so frustrated with Marinette's record of tardiness to and absence from everything, that they had had fights about it. Yet, her friend had taken it all in stride, knowing that should Alya ever learn the truth, that she would understand. And on the occasions that she had been Rena Rouge, Alya certainly had come to realize the mantel of responsibility that came with being a superhero, and Marinette had shouldered an even greater burden, having to be present for every akuma attack, regardless of what she was doing at the time.
"Can I get your attention, please?" Cat Noir called out to the surrounding crowd, which had seemed to fall into self-reflective contemplation. He was visibly steeling himself for what he had to say, standing straighter and schooling his expression to one of calm seriousness, something seldom seen on the feline-themed hero's face, “Ladybug once told me, a long time ago, that no one must know who we are, not even each other. She's always kept her identity a secret from everyone. She also told me once that her civilian identity isn’t Ladybug; it's an escape from her duties as our superheroine, a mantle she upholds wonderfully, but not without some struggle. I know it's a lot to ask, but I am asking you to respect her privacy and give her time to process this; she has always upheld that as much as she loves being Ladybug, she loves the times when she can forget that responsibility.”
The crowd nodded in silence, gaining a deeper understanding of their heroine than most had ever thought possible. Cat Noir remained silent for a few more minutes before continuing his plea, carefully thinking over what he wanted to say. “She probably never intended to reveal herself, and though it sometimes made her life harder, she always maintained that separation. So please let Ladybug be; after all, it's not every day you go from normal person to center of attention, and she hates being the center of attention." With that, Cat Noir extended his baton and leaped away as he began his own retreat to anonymity. Fortunately, he didn't need to turn back as the akuma victim had been restrained by police who had been nearby.
And so, the heroes departed, leaving Paris to come to terms with all that had been brought to light that Friday afternoon.