Word Count: 1971

You and Adrien were speechless as soon as they finished watching Lila's video exposing the whole truth, and mocking everyone for believing everything she said.

"Wow, I knew she exaggerated a little, but I didn't imagine she hated everyone." comments Adrien, perplexed, when the video ends.

You felt a chill in your belly, she only published it because you controlled her, when you were akumatized.

"Damn... This is all my fault." You whisper to yourself. She did the same thing to you really, but you felt as short as she did, exposing her that way.

"Don't blame yourself girl! It was Hawk Moth, almost everyone here has already been akumatized." says Alya, Marinette nods.

"It's better for everyone to know the truth. Didn't she do the same thing to you, (Y / n)?" Marinette asked.

"Yes, but if I really wanted to get even, she would get hurt too, and that damn Hawk Moth would take advantage of that. And more people could be hurt." You rest your cheek on your hand and sigh looking at Lila's empty seat. They reflect with you.

"Looking at it that way, you're right. We should forgive Lila." says Alya, following several comments disagreeing with her.

"No way, she lied about her travels and called us stupid naive." Says Mylene, then the students start to argue and only remain silent when the teacher enters the classroom.

God... What a mess... Hawk Moth could just disappear!

*.✧ -Skip Time- *.✧

The months passed, Lila changed schools because she was unable to face others after being exposed. You felt guilty at first, but your mind was focused on something else.

As you suggested before, Chat Noir and you started dinner with your parents at times. The cat couldn't tell his true identity yet, but there were other ways to make it work.

You even ignored a threat letter she sent to you, it seems she still hated you. It would be too easy if she just forgot everything. You only tore the letter up and didn't tell anyone about it. You didn't take it seriously.

Your mother was delighted when she found out that he played piano and spoke Chinese. Your father never believed any word he said for a change, but it wasn't a bad thing. Because of that, that huge piano left your bedroom and was placed in the dining room. Sometimes Chat Noir and you played it together at these meetings, making your father swollow his tongue.

That and Chat Noir's sense of humor was enough to get your mom to agree to the two of you dating. She saw that he really liked you and had good intentions, even though she didn't know his identity, she even made jokes about 'wedding day' to embarrass you. He also joke, you never imagined that your mother and Chat Noir could get along so well.

But you couldn't deny that you've never been happier, these meetings brought you together with your parents again. In the case of your father, he took a while to accept but ended up giving in his way.

...................

"If you hurt my daughter... I will hunt you wherever you're and I won't answer for me. If you're lucky, you'll end up in the hospital instead a cemetery. Do you understand me?" Chat Noir swallows dry and nods frantically.

"Y-yes sir!" Stammered Chat.Your father smirked in response and patted roughly on the Chat Noir' shoulder. "Great."

You roll your eyes, fun. "And you're sure to end up in jail, Dad." You say carefree.

.........................

Before it was just dinner, then all of you started doing other things like playing the piano, board games, guessing. Your parents are still busy, so it only happened at night, once a week.

Chat Noir was as excited as you were when you had these meetings. He did everything to create an excuse to go to bed early and outwit his father and Nathalie. The meetings were a nostalgic time for him, it used to be like that before his mother disappeared. He felt lucky to have you and also a little guilty about having to hide his identity from you. And that guilt was growing with each passing month. There came a time when he felt like a complete liar.

That's because, at school, when he was just Adrien. He noticed your and Alya's attempts to set him up with Marinette. Things like that, making the two of them sit together, making an appointment with all the friends and leaving Marinette alone with him.

He pretended that nothing was happening, not least because Marinette didn't have the courage to confess her feelings for him. He already knew... He couldn't just say he already had a girlfriend, it was going to trigger a series of lies. Either way he'd be lying, he just chose the easiest way, which was to pretend to be clueless.

He wondered every day if... You knew he was the guy you were tirelessly trying to set him up with your friend.

Would she still love me if she knew who I am?

You always told him that no matter who was behind the mask, you wouldn't stop loving him.

But he wasn't confident, he was so afraid that you would hate him for being him... Adrien Agreste. This was ironic, while almost every girl in Paris had a dream of dating him, you were one of few who don't care at all. But he knew how to hide it, you had no idea that he felt it.

Maybe he was overreacting. It's each with their own fears.

✷✷✷

Monday after class, you had time before going to Chinese class. So you used your free time to walk with Marinette and Alya in the park.

It was only a week before summer holidays started, it was almost a year since you moved to Paris. Things didn't happen at all as you imagined, destiny certainly reserved many surprises for you. You thought while looking at your feet, walking beside Marinette and Alya.

With a hood covering your head so you wouldn't be recognized, you became a kind of celebrity after that video about you and Chat Noir. You gave an interview once and lied that it's nothing serious, but they still didn't leave you alone.

"Marinette! There's only a week to go before the summer holidays and you haven't managed to get ahead with Adrien. (Y / n) and I are working hard." Alya's voice brought you out of your thoughts, you nod while Marinette rubs her head in shame.

"I'm really sorry girls... Maybe it's not the right time." You and Alya snort at her excuse.

"You need to make the right time, Marinette. Next year, we'll only have two years to complete high school." You say, looking at the blue sky with few clouds. You wondered what to do after high school.

"(Y / n)'s right, we don't even know if we'll be in the same class next year. Adrien is always busy, You can't put it off forever." Says Alya., Marinette sighs.

"Yes... I've a serious troubles" Says Marinette looking down.

"I can't understand what you see in him. He may be handsome and kind, but let's agree that he's very clueless. Unlike Luka, who's totally attentive and doesn't hide the fact that he likes you." You say, Alya laugh when Marinette covers her face with her hands, blushing.

"You're the song that has been playing in my mind since I met you." Alya plays imitating Luka's voice. You laugh.

"Enough!! I can't say anything to you two." Marinette says, red as a pepper, crossing her arms.

"Why don't you give him a chance? I don't see you stutter when you're talking to him." You ask after finishing your fits of laughter.

"I can't just forget about Adrien." Marinette says. You roll your eyes.

"At first I thought it was cute, now I just want to punch him in the face for being so clueless." You say, squinting for a second.

Alya laugh and nod. "If I hadn't held you back that day, you really would have." You three laugh at the memory.

✷✷✷

The next day... During the break in school...

You were starting to lose patience with both Adrien and Marinette.

If talking to Marinette didn't work, you decided to talk to Adrien.

When Alya and Marinette went to buy a snack, you turned around and said you were going to the bathroom.

As you walk through the corridors, you finally see Adrien talking to Nino. You run up to them and take Adrien's hand, when he sees it's you, he tries to contain a blush on his cheeks and arches eyebrows.

"(Y-y/n)? Wha-" You interrupt him.

"Come with me, I need to talk to you." You don't even wait for his answer and pull him. He stumbles following you, totally confused. Nino watches the two of you walk away.

"Did I miss anything?" He shrugs, puts on his headphones and goes to buy a snack.

You let go of his hand when they're both away in a corner away from the other students.

"So-something's wrong?" Adrien stutters with a racing heart. He was praying mentally that you didn't find out he was Chat Noir.

You had both hands on your hips, your head held up to look him in the eye, he was pressing hid back against the wall, you hadn't noticed that you were really close. The blush on his face was noticeable now and he was holding his breath.

"No one can be that clueless. Haven't you noticed that Marinette likes you a lot?" You say it bluntly, Adrien's eyes widen, but he's relieved to be only that.

"I did..." He looks away, you shake your head and take a step back, confused.

"Really? So why did you pretend to be an clueless?" You arch an eyebrow, he swallows dry and looks at you.

"I'm already in love with another girl." You wide your eyes and your jaw drops, it never crossed your mind.

"Shit... Why did you hide that? Who is? No, don't speak. I better not know." You look away and bring your hand up to your forehead. You would rather not have known... Marinette needs to know, but it's not you who should tell her.

"I couldn't think of a way to say it without hurting her." You clench your fists and grit your teeth in anger, Adrien jumps in fright.

"So did you prefer to pretend you didn't know and give her false hope?!" You speak up, holding on to the urge to hit him. He shakes his head and raises his hands in defense.

He tried to be serious, but seeing you mad like that... He was holding back a chuckle.

She's serious... Don't smirk Adrien, Don't smirk...

How do I get serious if she gets so cute angry?

"N-no no no, it's not like that, I j-just didn't know how to say it." He stutters, for a moment he thought you were going to strangle him.

"You better find a way to tell her soon, or something very bad is gonna happen." He nods quickly and is relieved when the dark expression leaves your face. But you kick his leg and he bends down with a high-pitched scream.

"Sorry you deserved this, we are still friends, right?" You ask smiling innocently, he nods and you turn to go.

He lifts his head and watches you walk away almost bouncing. His lips curl in a smile.

"God, I love that girl too much..." He whispers rubbing his leg where he was hit.

✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯

I'm very grateful for everyone who has followed the story so far.
Feel free to comment on your opinion, whether criticism or praise.
Until the next chapter! 💗