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Marinette glanced up at the clock. She'd been recruited to help with her parents' bakery; it was near closing time, but Ladybug had a patrol with Chat scheduled to start just when the store closed. She was about to call for her mom and make an excuse to run off, when the bell on the door dinged. She looked up and almost let out a panicked yell.
"ADRi—en??"
The blonde boy smiled at her. "Hey, Marinette!"
"Adrien! Hi! I'm just uuuhhh... helping out my parents! Because they own the bakery. This bakery." Marinette smacked her forehead. "Obviously you knew that."
"I did know that." He looked up at the clock. "Oh, it's about closing time, isn't it? You got any croissants left?"
"Oh. Uh," Marinette glanced down at the display case, "we're down to our last two."
"Well then, I'll take two croissants."
Marinette's mouth twisted into a nervous grin. "Two croissants, coming right up."
After Adrien had paid and left the store, she checked the clock again and bit back a curse. Four minutes til patrol. She was about to just close up the shop, when Sabine swept into the shop.
"Thanks for watching the bakery, Marinette."
"Oh. Yeah." She laughed nervously. "Is it okay if I go now, though? I—um—have homework."
"Yeah, I'll close up." Sabine raised an eyebrow. "You'd better get that homework finished, though."
"Thanks, mom, I will!" And with that, Marinette raced up to her room, and from there to the rooftops beyond.
~
Ladybug was only a minute late to patrol, but Chat was already there, fiddling with his baton.
"How purrfectly delightful to see you, milady. But first," at this he held up a bag with Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie printed across it, "croissant?"
Wait. Wait. WAITWAIT— "...croissant?" Ladybug repeated, half-expecting Chat to say something along the lines of "yeah, I stole these from some rich kid! In a dark alley!" But no, of course that's not what he said.
"Yeah, I grabbed them just before patrol. Got the last two, for me and you."
"No—no you didn't." Ladybug said faintly. She felt like she might puke.
"Pardon???"
"Adrien Agreste bought the last two croissants. I mean, I know he did, I was there, and you can't be Adrien Agreste, I mean I love him, so I—I—" She clapped a hand over her mouth, shoving back more babbling. But it was far, far too late for that. Chat stared at her, thunderstruck.
"What do you mean you were THERE?? It was—me and Marinette—you love—this is a catastrophe!"
Well, there was one thing that could snap Ladybug out of it, and that was it. "CHAT! Now is not the time for puns! This is serious! I mean, we're not supposed to know each other's identities. And now—now—" a tear trickled down her cheek.
"Oh, Ladybug." Chat—Adrien— hopped up and pulled her into a hug. "Marinette." He spoke her name softly, wonderously, and sounding as if he was about to start crying, too.
"It's just," Ladybug sniffled, "this isn't at all how I thought this would happen. I mean, our identities! Our most important secrets, spilled over croissants? It's a little ridiculous. I mean what, is my life a tv show? A fanfiction?" She let out a slightly hysterical giggle.
Chat took a deep, calming breath. "I mean personally, I've been wondering that since we first got our Miraculous." He pulled slowly away from Ladybug, his expression carefully composed.
Ladybug rubbed at her eyes. "Is it okay if we just don't talk about it right now? It's a lot to take in. My mind is moving so fast, I don't even know what I'd say."
Chat gave her a warm smile and Marinette shivered slightly—it was one she'd seen on Adrien's face many times. "Yeah, we can sit on it for a bit. And you know where to find me." His smile turned mischievous. "So, is that a no on the croissant?" he waved the bag, which had gotten a bit squished in their hug."
"What? No!" She grabbed at it, but he pulled it away, over his head. "Give it, stupid cat!" She jumped up and snatched it away, pulling one croissant out before tossing the bag back to Chat, who pulled out the other one.
"You know," he said between bites, "These really are the best croissants in Paris."
"Oh?"
"What, are you not a fan of the Dupain-Chengs?"
"No, no, I love their bakery." Ladybug grinned, then popped the last bite of croissant into her mouth. "Reminds me of home."
"Reminds me of friendship."
Chat Noir walked slowly to the edge of the roof, looking contemplatively down at the city. Just when Ladybug thought he was about to say something deep, he tossed the empty bakery bag off the roof. Ladybug darted over and caught sight of it flying through the night air, a second before it hit the edge of a trash can— and bounced to the ground.
"He shoots, he flops." Ladybug teased, eyes shining. "Go pick up your trash. We really need to get patrolling."
"Whatever you say, milady."