Before I arrived I texted chloe to keep watch above me in case anything went wrong.
the ambient noise was enough to cover a conversation. Adrien was already there when I arrived, leaning against the stone balustrade in his civvies with his hands in his jacket pockets.
He looked easy. And if my eyes weren't deceiving me, definitely aura farming. Adrien Agreste seemed to have no pressure on his shoulders.
"Yo!" I called out.
He glanced my direction with a big smile "Hey I missed you man, New York treated you well," he said as I stopped beside him.
"Well enough." I dapped him up.
"You look different."
"Same ol me."
"Heavier," he said. In what I assume wasn't criticism, I did gain muscle over in new york but not much.
I leaned on the railing beside him and watched a pair of tourists try to photograph the columns without getting other people in the frame, which was impossible in a space like this and always had been.
"I need to tell you something, Adrien" I said.
Adrien turned his head to look at me. His expression didn't change yet, but his attention did.
"How long have you known me," I said.
"Since — almost the start of school, its been a while."
"And what do you think of me. Honestly."
He frowned, not offended, just thinking. "Honest answer?"
"Please."
"I think you're one of the most bravest people I've ever met. And I've never once seen you do something without having thought it through first." He paused. "I mean that as a compliment. Mostly."
"Good," I said. "Because this has been thought through."
I straightened from the railing and turned to face him.
"My name is Luka Couffaine. I play with Kitty Section and I live on a barge and all of that is true." I looked at him directly. 'Follow"
He nodded.
"No I meant follow me."
He got up from the railing quickly and trailed by my side. I glanced at him. His face seemed serious, it seems he can tell when I'm not messing around. I almost want to chuckle, I used the same voice with cat noir and ladybug all the way back when, I've come a long way.
Adrien and I where now a full block away tucked into an alley where no passerby, unless they worked in construction, would come to disturb us.
Stopping my footstep, I didn't turn around to face him yet. To build the dramatic effect up to its peak.
"I'm also.. Viperion."
The word landed and sat there between us.
Adrien was still, I only heard a moan like noise from him before I didn't here anything else. I could feel his eyes roam over my back and whatever he was looking for, he found it, because after about four seconds he exhaled once through his nose.
"Okay," he said.
"That's it?" I turned.
"I mean—" He turned to look at the alley opening, then back. "I have about forty follow-up questions. But—" He stopped. "Okay. Yeah. Okay."
"You believe me."
"Of course I believe you. You literally just told me it was thought through." He ran a hand over his jaw. "How long?"
"I don't remember the exact day I came to the public, but not to long ago"
"You're the snake Miraculous."
"Yes."
He nodded slowly, processing, putting things in order. I watched him work through it and didn't rush him.
"Why didn't ladybug—" he sighed.
"Why now?" he said finally.
"Because I needed to know if I could trust you with it before anything got worse." I met his eyes. "And I do."
Adrien was quiet for another few seconds. Then: "Can I tell you something back?"
"Yes."
He looked around once more out of reflex — tourists no were in sight, pigeons flocking above, the distant sound of the fountain — and then he looked at me and I watched the decision happen behind his eyes.
"I'm Chat Noir."
I let that settle in, holding back a smirk. I really didn't expect him to reveal his identity in exchange. I was merely trying to carry favor, and my our bond closer to ladybugs and his own.
But this. This was to perfect.
"I see.."
He made a sound that was half laugh and half exasperated exhale and turned away from me for a second with his hand over his face.
"Okay. We're even. We're completely even."
"We were never competing."
"No but — " He dropped his hand. He was almost smiling, which surprised me, given the size of what we'd just exchanged. "This is, honestly this is a relief. Do you know how long I've wanted to just—" He shook his head. "Never mind. It's a relief. That's what I'm saying."
I put out my hand.
He took it and pulled me into a hug. a strange gesture for the moment but also exactly right.
"We have a lot to talk about," he said.
"We do," I agreed.
"lets —"
A cracking sound ripped through the air and a blinding white burst of light came to our side.
She stepped out of the air.