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After drafting out plans or strategizing for the next akuma rehabilitation project, Ladybug often came to the Watchtower to seek advice from her so-called 'mentor'. The pair would sit in the lounge area, poring over a map of Paris, pages of the Grimoire, and hastily-written notes by the young heroine. Thus, this sight wasn't strange to any of the Leaguers anymore but they were still left to wonder why Batman chose to take Ladybug under his wing.
It was a mystery for everyone aside from the two.
Such a routine was what Ladybug was spending her afternoon on. She had a mug of freshly-made coffee for herself while Batman snacked (discreetly) on a few muffins she brought over. They were going over an emergency protocol for disaster-level type akumas, a much needed project to implement in the city.
"So we have the akuma alert, right." Ladybug tapped the pen on her chin. "But I'm not sure where to put akuma shelters. They seem useless if the akuma wants to target the populace especially."
In that moment, the Flash and Green Lantern strolled into the room, engrossed in their own conversation.
"Come on, you'd totally fuck Bruce Wayne, wouldn't you?" Green Lantern headed towards the refreshments bar. "What's not to like? You have a himbo, a booty call and a sugar daddy all in one."
"Hello, what about commitment?" The Flash went to get his own drink from the fridge.
The two statements made Ladybug freeze, with a record scratch sounding out in her head.
Meanwhile, Batman cleared his throat loudly.
"Whoops, forgot that you hate his guts, Spooks. Or love-hate, whatever," said Hal (and to this, Ladybug didn't even stop herself from gaping), "But that doesn't matter. What about you LB? What do you think of Brucie from Gotham?"
Ladybug felt her face heat up. "He's old enough to be my father!"
"Yeah, but like do you think Batman is actually attracted to him? Did he spill anything to you in one of your sessions, hmm?"
She blinked rapidly, not knowing how to respond. Looking over at Batman, she could see that he was silent—in a calm way, not with a hint of irritation.
"No," she voiced out slowly, "I don't know much about Bruce Wayne anyway."
Barry shook his soda can between two fingers. "Well you should know Ollie—Green Arrow—has this huge crush on him."
"Uuhh . . ."
Before she could formulate an answer that wouldn't fry her brain, the two heroes left, chatting once more about how Bruce Wayne was 'fuckable'—and which would they fuck, marry or kill between Superman, Bruce Wayne and Batman.
When they left, Ladybug refocused on Batman in front of her. "How—how do you deal with that?" She whispered.
A ghost smile appeared on Batman's face, telling her that the coast was clear. He pulled on his cape, revealing a recording device strapped to his suit. "I let them be. Their ignorance will be their downfall."
Ladybug's jaw dropped again. Such an expert Bruce was, a magnificent actor that she couldn't even dream of imitating. The Wayne family will feast on the day Batman reveals his identity to the League while the Watchtower will burn into flames. The members' reactions would be priceless, that she can guarantee. And seeing how Bruce looked proud, giddy, almost evil, she knew he was anticipating that very day.
"Oh my kwamis," she said softly. "How do I do that?"
"What do you mean?"
She let her shoulders sag a little bit, exposing her vulnerability. This time it wasn't Ladybug asking for advice, but rather Marinette. "My friends." She groaned. "They kept saying how they want to bring Multimouse back. I can't do that without revealing my identity!"
It was a major decision—she had allowed her team to reveal their identities to each other. Adrien had divulged his as well, to dispel seeds of doubt coming from him being Hawkmoth's son. Only Ladybug's identity was kept in the dark (though Chat knew) as she was Guardian of the Miraculi.
"Hmm what are they saying about Multimouse?"
"How she's great, talented, skilled—gah they practically gush about me without knowing it's me, it's insane."
"Is this in or out of the suit?" Batman took a bite of his muffin. "Do they not know Multimouse's civilian ID?"
"Both in and out of the suit! Nope, they don't know Multimouse's or Ladybug's. Only Chat knows." She frowned.
"You can definitely take advantage of the situation."
"What do you mean?"
"The fact that they're talking about you in front of you is a weapon in itself, dear."
Ladybug leaned back, deep in thought. He was right—if she was yet again thrown into a conflict of identities she should find a way to turn it around in her favor.
The sweet sweet reward would be Chat or Adrien's reaction.
A smirk crept up on her lips. "That actually gives me an idea. Thank you, Dad."
One busy school day later, most of the class decided to head to the Dupain-Cheng bakery to grab snacks and drinks. Ergo, in attendance were mostly those wielding a Miraculous—Marinette's circle of friends. They pushed together two circular tables: on one end was Marinette, cradling her own cup of coffee; on the other end was Adrien, sipping on a fruit soda with a curly straw; and on either side were their other classmates.
" Ugh." Chloe dropped her head on the table, whining, after seemingly having read something from her phone. "Multimouse again!"
Alya reached over to the sharing plate for a cookie. "What's up?"
"Another article about her!" Chloe quickly turned her phone to show the screen. "I just—I don't understand what's with Ladybug refusing to make her a hero again!"
Adrien and Marinette made brief eye contact. A telling glint in the boy's eye told her that he was already channeling the depths of chaos from his black kwami.
He stopped sipping. "Oh? And why do you think that, Chloe?"
"It's Multimouse!" Alya answered for the blonde girl. "Multimouse who wielded multiple Miraculi at once, saved Ladybug's identity's ass and defeated Kwamibuster! Who wouldn't be a more competent hero?"
Adrien released an overdramatic sigh that made Marinette want to roll her eyes. "I do share the same sentiments, but it doesn't look like that will make Miss Spots budge."
A muscle in Marinette's jaw twitched. I see the game you're playing, chaton. She dug into her pocket quietly and tapped on her phone.
"You don't think Ladybug's . . . jealous, do you?" said Alix.
To this, Nino frowned. "She doesn't seem like the type."
"Really now?" All heads whipped towards Adrien. They knew, of course, that he was Chat and would have the most information on the heroine but they didn't know Marinette knew all of it.
Adrien cleared his throat. "Well, this is just what I heard somewhere but that might not be far from the truth. See, apparently Ladybug trusts her instincts very well so she was pretty solid on her decision about Multimouse."
"What did make her lose Miraculous privileges in the first place?" Rose wondered out loud.
"She revealed her identity accidentally to Chat Noir," Chloe answered.
"But it's only Chat Noir."
"Exactly!"
Marinette put her mug down, propped her elbows on top of the table, and put her chin on top of her folded hands. "But I heard something else." All attention turned to her this time. "About how Multimouse apparently turned down the Miraculous on her own."
She noted how Adrien's eyes widened only a fraction, nearly breaking his character. Marinette never said anything whenever Multimouse came up—she was too anxious about spilling too much from her nervous rambling. But this time she spoke, and that alone she knew would instill fear in Adrien.
"But that's the thing!" Alya's voice raised a little. "Had Multimouse and Ladybug actually met after Kwamibuster? How does Ladybug know what Multimouse wants to do?"
"Perhaps they know each other in civilian form," Kagami suggested.
"But no one knows Ladybug's identity," Juleka mumbled.
Marinette hid a small smile. Sometimes the simplest answers are the least obvious ones.
" I think Ladybug probably has the better judgment in this case and knows more than we do." Marinette paused to drink from her cup. "I'd trust whatever she thinks is best for the Miraculi."
Hints of guilt flickered in Alya and Chloe's faces. A brief pout crossed Adrien's meanwhile.
"Anyway, I'll go grab a new plate of croissants." Marinette stood up, deeming her work finished whilst she turned off the recording function in her phone.
Adrien cleared his throat. "I'll help you."
As soon as they were in the kitchen of the bakery, out of earshot, Adrien wound his arm around her waist and put his lips close to her ear. "I don't know what game you're playing M'lady but I am fearing for my life right now."
"You'll have eight more to spare." She smirked, kissing his cheek. His jaw dropped in mock offense. "So are you going to back down?"
Adrien huffed softly, a new mischievous light igniting in his eyes. One that Plagg would be proud of. "No, of course not."
The next time Marinette caught her friends talking about one of her alter egos was during a chilly Thursday night. Only Chat, Bee, and Viperion had been assigned for patrol, but when she checked her yoyo, the entire team had their locations active and clustered together one of the rooftops.
Ladybug decided to investigate.
She leapt to the place, hiding amongst the shadows to spy on her friends. They were all sitting on the concrete, some lying down, some cross-legged, a pair leaning against each other. The heroine decided to remain in place but decided to use a recorder again.
"Come on, A, who is she?" Alix's voice pierced through the soft chatter. "We already know each other's identities, how's hers any different?"
"But it was by accident." Chat leaned back and stretched. "If I tell you guys she's for sure not going to be a hero again. Ladybug will flip."
"But . . . but that's unreasonable! Ladybug should know how cool she was!" Bee protested. "She wielded multiple Miraculi! Came up with that genius plan!"
"Actually, it's unverified if it was Multi who actually came up with the plan," said Rena.
"Chat, who came up with the plan?"
"Umm, Multi did."
"See!"
Ryuko, on the other hand, seemed to be on Ladybug's side. "But did Ladybug not allow her to be a user to protect identities? Since she revealed hers so carelessly?"
"It was only to me though," Chat piped up, stoking the flames.
"True, if it was only to Chat, it shouldn't matter now." Pigella shifted a bit to let Tigress adjust to a more comfortable position on her lap.
"And after that slip-up, she'd be more careful about identities, right?" Carapace added.
"What about Mendeleiev?" asked Viperion.
"She was a bit out of it after the akumatization so she never saw," Chat answered.
"This means Ladybug doesn't have a strong reason not to let Multimouse become a hero again," Bee concluded, and then paused. "Unless . . . it's actually a personal grudge against her?"
When Ladybug took a closer peek, she saw the air of secrecy around Chat, like he was obviously hiding an unknown fact. She rolled her eyes as the others began to throw their questions.
"She does!" Carapace's eyes widened beneath his mask. "It's all over your face!"
"Damn, what's the tea?" Tigress sat up.
"More importantly, who the hell is Multimouse?!" Bunnyx cried out.
"Calm down, calm down." Chat Noir waved a gloved hand to pacify the group. "I guess . . . now it doesn't matter if you know her identity or not."
Bated breaths awaited, silence ruled, and tension thickened as Chat let his pause drag out. A shimmering gleam in his kitty cat eyes emerged and Ladybug wanted to drag him down from his high throne.
"She's Marinette."
Several reactions were received by the night sky. " Marinette this whole time?!" "Holy shit!" "My bi awakening was Multimouse?!" "No wonder I found Multimouse attractive." "It makes a lot of sense actually when you think about it." "That accidental reveal is s-ooo Marinette-coded."
While Chat Noir basked in the shock, Ladybug made her grand entrance. Everyone froze when they saw her.
She let out a big sigh. "I knew this was going to happen."
"But why? " Bee looked up at her. "Why not let her wield the Mouse again? She's our friend, she fits right in!"
Ladybug pursed her lips, channeling a subtle but powerful aura of disappointment. She tried to think about how her father would 'act' in this particular scene. "Look, Marinette herself told me in person that she didn't want to be part of the hero life again. She already has a lot going on for her; shouldn't you all know that?"
A little guilt shone in the others' faces.
And once again, Chat Noir wouldn't back down in their secret war. "No, but Mari and I talked about it. She does want to try but she just thinks she can't live up to your standards anymore."
"You want to burden your girlfriend with more responsibilities, is that what you're saying?" Ladybug narrowed her eyes. Heads were turning back and forth as if it were an intense tennis match.
Chat gaped at her, perhaps not expecting the retaliation. She saw the corner of his lips twitch but he composed himself quickly. "I was thinking of helping her if she ever got to wield a Miraculous again." He sat up straighter. "You're turning this on me, but we both know you actually have a problem with Marinette."
No one dared interrupt them.
She arched an eyebrow. "And what problem is that?"
"That you're jealous of her."
Gasps escaped Bee and Rena's lips.
Ladybug scoffed. A real scoff. "Sorry? Why would I be?"
"Marinette's a genius," Chat listed off, "She actually came up with the plan to defeat Kwamibuster despite only wearing the Mouse for the first time, she wore multiple Miraculi even if—as you said—that would normally kill a person, she did manage to keep her identity secret and inconspicuous until she got the job done and . . ."
He paused again. ". . . and she has me."
The others looked like they were getting major whiplash from the onslaught of revelations. Kwamis, Adrien, what kind of dramas are you watching?! Ladybug didn't know if she should feel flattered from the compliments or offended from the more direct 'insult'.
Okay Mari, think. How do you recover from that? She was speechless herself but at the same time in the middle of forming her rebuttal. One that Chat couldn't possibly use to mess with her again.
Ladybug let her shoulders sag, her lower lip tremble, and her head lower a little. "Fine . . . you're right," she uttered in a soft voice. "I . . . you . . . you've been always telling me how much you like me but then you started dating her. Just when I was starting to realize my feelings for you."
And now to sell the performance.
She summoned fake tears that she made visible to the others, baring a kind of vulnerability that she'd never show her team in different circumstances. "But you told me, Chat, you told that day before you started seeing her . . . that you'll always love me because I was your first. I didn't want us to drift apart if she ever took on an alter ego. I know you knew how I felt but you never acted on it! You promised it'd be only just us. You said you'd leave her someday."
Chat was absolutely floored. Gobsmacked. Pale beyond measure.
Meanwhile, it was taking all of Ladybug's power not to laugh.
It was Rena who broke through the prolonged silence. "Oh my god . . . A, what the hell? Are you playing with my best friend?!"
"I—I don't—I'm not—"
"How can you be so dishonest with your feelings? You are hurting both Ladybug and Marinette!" Ryuko scolded.
"That's not—"
"Dude . . . I expected better from you." Bunnyx shook her head.
"Wait—"
"They both don't deserve you!" Bee glowered.
Chat blinked rapidly, running his hands through his hair. He's out of options, Ladybug smirked inwardly. He looked straight at her, fear swimming in his irises, screaming 'help me!'
That was when she let her act crumble. Ladybug began laughing and elevated into hysterics, clutching her middle. She laughed some more when she saw Chat cross his arms, muttering 'meanie' over and over again.
". . . Ladybug, are you okay?" Viperion looked over to her with concern.
She wiped a tear from her eye. "Yeah, sorry, give me a sec."
"You are cruel, M'lady," Chat pouted.
"And so are you, my chaton," she sighed, looking at them intently. "Look you guys, you should stop talking about people behind their back."
"Hmpf, mean. So mean."
Ladybug broke out into a wide grin. "Spots off."
With those two words, all hell broke loose once again.
"How did you deal with your little dilemma, sweetheart?"
A week after the reveal, Ladybug was once again amongst the stars in the Watchtower to finalize the akuma shelter project with her father. Instead of the lounge, they were staying in the main meeting room since the League was scheduled for reports immediately afterwards.
"Oh, I told them my identity." Ladybug looked up from the papers. "Both Multimouse and Ladybug."
Batman wasn't using his vigilante voice now but his soft dad-voice. "Isn't it risky to do that?"
"Nope, I thought that if keeping the secret causes these inconveniences right now there might be a time when it actually leads to a full-blown miscommunication issue." She shrugged. "Plus, when it was just Chat and I, we had to learn the guardian's identity at some point. Now it's their turn."
"Hmm, that is a good idea."
"But of course, I messed with them first." She grinned devilishly. "I'll share the recordings to the family group chat later."
"I wouldn't expect any less from you." Batman nodded before glancing at the time. "By the way, would you like to sit in the Justice League meeting?"
"Really? Am I allowed?"
"I think another opinion is useful to have around."
"Uhh, okay." Ladybug figured he must have some ulterior motive but regardless, she found a seat near the central table and waited for all the members to file into the room. Superman and Wonderwoman came in together chatting, while Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman strolled in next. The last ones to come in were Green Arrow and Black Canary.
"What's spots doing here?" Barry asked when Ladybug waved at him.
"I invited her here," Batman said. As soon as everyone settled down, he stood up, cleared his throat, and uttered, "I have an announcement to make."
Ladybug stared at him in disbelief. Oh no. She fished out her yoyo immediately.
"One of our missions has a certain person of interest," her father began. "And I would like to gauge your opinions first before we assign anyone to this mission. I'll have to ask everyone what they think about Bruce Wayne."
Murmurs spread around. One by one the Leaguers went, stating their pure unfiltered thoughts.
"Is it a security detail? Sign me up now!"
"He's a himbo. A big himbo."
"He's actually not that air-headed like tabloids write him to be. Pretty generous with his funding around Gotham."
"He looks yummy."
"We're actually pretty close, we go way back. He's a theater kid, let me tell you."
". . . No comment."
"A DILF if I ever saw one."
"What on earth did he do this time to get under a villain's radar?!"
"Hey, don't you hate the guy, Spooky?"
Batman cleared his throat. "I appreciate all your comments. Ladybug did you get all that?"
Ladybug nodded dumbfoundedly, feeling both fear and excitement surging in her veins. Dear kwamis, what's he going to do? No, don't tell me . . .
"Good." In one swoop, Batman pulled his cowl away and revealed his face to the Justice League for the very first time. And in that moment, Ladybug felt deja vu as faces paled in horror, blinked in confusion, went through a myriad of emotions consecutively, or entered a state of existential crisis.
And Bruce— Batman —had a smug little smirk on his face, holding a tiny pinch of pride as he took a page from his daughter's book.