[Whatever (small) part of her that had been considering the truth immediately shuts down. Through her shock, one thought remains clear, driven by fear: he can't know. If she had feared Chat Noir would be disappointed by her civilian self, it's doubly true for the boy standing in front of her now. Adrien. Who she's been crushing on since he joined their class.

Inwardly, she shrinks away from the rejection--inevitably given if she reveals herself--and slams the walls back in place. Her eyes find a spot on the ground even as her fingers twist together nervously.]

H-hey. Ladybug--she said. She said you were injured in the akuma attack. [Her words tumble out of her mouth, quiet and disjointed. At least that hasn't changed, though a part of her is still reeling from trying to match Adrien to Chat and Chat to Adrien. They're like pieces of a puzzle that aren't fitting together right, and Marinette knows she has a lot of thinking to do tonight. She has to make sense of this somehow. She has to if she's ever going to face Adrien and Chat again.

Marinette breathes in, forcing herself to pretend she's Ladybug talking to Chat (it's technically true, isn't it?) and the words flow a little more easily. It does nothing to erase the bitter taste of the lies on her tongue, though.]

She couldn't stay, but she didn't want to leave you while you were hurt. [Another deep breath.] I...I can help you clean up if you want?