Hey! It's Friday the 13th! You know what that means!
Welcome to my unofficial Miraculous Ladybug fandom holiday:
Plagg Appreciation Day!
Our poor, precious, sarcastic little agent of chaos deserves more love. So I determined that Friday the 13ths shall be "Plagg Appreciation Day" for me.
Let's shower our boy with some love. Also, please tag me if you decide to participate in my little holiday. I'd love to know others "celebrate", and I can't wait to see how you shower our boy with affection.
This content features a lot of Lila-bashing. Though I’m not sure if bashing=salt so I’m just gonna put bashing in the tags. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
This idea came out of nowhere. It was just a thought that Plagg is the kwami of bad luck and it snowballed into this. I realize this may seem a tad OOC, but what’s fanfiction without indulgence.
Furious at Lila for Onii-Chan, (hey, she nearly caused Ladybug’s death), Adrien decides to avenge his lady. So Plagg is asked to give Lila bad luck.
The kwami is eager to be let loose. Adrien just warns Plagg not to go overboard or Lila will just soak in the pity and take advantage of his classmates. (And yeah, he doesn’t want to feel guilty for requesting Plagg’s help)
Being tiny and intangible has its advantages. So while Lila is paying attention in class, she doesn’t notice Plagg hiding behind her head. Because’s he’s intangible, he doesn’t even mess up her hair...at first. Basically this is how Plagg always curses Lila. He does this several times, even more than Adrien’s request should have caused, as you will soon see.
1. Lila is stuck with Chloe as a project partner for the duration of the class. True to form, Chloe refuses to work her share. And since Sabrina promises that Lila is supposedly a bright student and super friendly/tame, Lila can’t exactly stand up for herself. Everyone else is too busy to notice Lila. So she grits her teeth and completes the assignment, determined to get back at Chloe. However, when she reports on Chloe, everyone else gives her pity but don’t make a big fuss, they’ve all been bullied by Chloe and just share stories. Caline just asks Lila to be the bigger person.
2. Puberty has been kind to Lila. Not anymore. Pimples and body odour make themselves known. People don’t really want to be around Lila. Deodorant doesn’t seem effective and when Lila asks Adrien for advice, he says he can’t help her because his facials use cinnamon. (When Marinette made cinnamon rolls, Lila smacked it out of her hands and claimed to be deathly allergic hence her overreaction)
3. Bad hair day...or should I say days? Plagg also may or may not have thrown spit balls into the back of Lila’s head. Only they weren’t made of paper. Nope. Plagg is a cat and he coughs up hair balls. Yeah...these are easily combed out but they give Lila’s hair an oily texture and make the strands limp (remember Snape?) She thought there were dust bunnies.
Once Lady Noire detransforms, Marinette bribes Plagg with cheese treats from the bakery if he will haunt Lila. Plagg is just so happy people want him to cause chaos. Plagg promises this deal will remain between them, just like he promised Adrien.
1. Lila is haunted at night. Plagg only has to be there once but his power causes it so that whenever Lila is ready for bed, the lights always switch off, it sounds like there are claws on the windows, something scurrying on the floor, her closet door creaking, and why do her feet feel clammy? Lila is plagued with nightmares. She is too tired to even take advantage of her class’ sympathy.
2. While spending time with her Mother (something Lila cherishes), Lila accidentally trips on the stairs and twists her ankle. She is confined to the hospital. She has an incompetent nurse looking after her. So when her friends visit, Lila is too overdosed on anesthetic to take advantage of the situation. When Lila is released, the most logical solution would be to sit in front. But then Chloe would never move. And Lila does not want to be the new Sabrina. Adrien makes it clear he and Nino are a package deal, and Lila hates Marinette. So Lila insists walking will speed her recovery. When Adrien says Plagg was kinda harsh with the broken bone, Plagg rolls his eyes and says the girl exaggerated. Lila threw such a tantrum she got rushed to the hospital over a sprained ankle. Adrien’s response: oh...never mind, keep up the good work. Marinette already suspected Lila faked her injury because she herself had a broken ankle and Lila’s bandaged ankle in a boot should have been a cast.
3. The Césaire twins got gum in Lila’s hair and try to help by snipping it off. Lila can’t stop them in time because her hands are tied with cleaning the dishes. Lila has to go to a real hairdresser who says all her hair has to go. Lila ends up with a pixie cut, and she does not rock it.
When Marinette was nearly akumatized, Tikki asks Plagg for the same favour, bribing him with cheese danishes, guilt tripping him about Kwami Buster, and using the pity plot by confessing she was so scared inside the akuma purse. Plagg falls for it, and also because he doesn’t like Tikki glaring at him. He also doesn’t mention to Tikki that Adrien and Marinette also got him to do this because....well...CAMEMBERT. Yeah...Plagg goes on such a crazy cheese fest that it is a wonder how he hasn’t gained an ounce of fat or gathered Adrien’a notice, though Lila’s body odour has started to remind Adrien of the stinky cheese, not exactly but close enough. Perhaps Lila has developed a liking for blue cheese?
1. Lila’s experience as a model is painful. Not at first, though. She is given hair extensions and lots of makeup. Her appearance is airbrushed. But then Lila gets bad reviews for her first model shoot and Adrien’s fans target her with harsh emails. Adrien has to play nice so he tells her to ignore it, that’s what he usually does. Natalie isn’t sympathetic. “You want to be a model, you need to learn to accept that there will be people who hate you.” When her classmates suggest she filter her email, Lila starts getting hate mail and is bullied at home because Dupont is too protected. Mrs Rossi is concerned and decides to end Lila’s model career since her baby is so distressed. Adrien is thrilled and gives Plagg a gigantic round of Camembert. (Credit for inspiration goes to @coke-and-candy I believe there was a follow up fic about negative critics but I couldn’t find it)
2. Lila claims to have gotten backstage passes to Jagged’s concert. Alya is happy because Marinette got them the same passes for herself, Alya, Adrien and Nino. Lila fake smiles. On the day of the concert, Lila fakes an injury and begs Alya not to tell Jagged because she doesn’t want to worry him. Alya keeps her word but Lila nearly cracked a tooth when the newspapers published a photo of Jagged presenting Marinette as his new personal designer. No matter what lies Lila spins, celebrity or injury-related, people just keep raving about Marinette.
3. Plagg visits her wardrobe and wrecks everything. Lila is flabbergasted but the claw marks suggest a wild animal got in. She isn’t totally wrong. Plagg invited some animals to make a mess of the girl’s room. Lila doesn’t want the class to volunteer to clean up her room, on the off chance her Mother shows up. But she does mentioned how she donated her entire wardrobe to charity. Chloe overheard and decides to be nice in front of Adrien. She dumps designer rejects on Lila. Of course, Lila doesn’t know that. Marinette does tell Alya, but Adrien pretends to care for Chloe’s improvements and comments that Lila seems to like them anyway.
When Lila rifles through Adrien’s locker and throws away the Camembert, Plagg narrows his eyes. “Alright, Liar, no more games, this is WAR!” (I was having trouble imagining what could anger Plagg even further. Credit for inspiration to the fanfiction Camembert Ice Cream by @quicksilversquared )
1. Lila starts to lose her voice and her throat hurts.
2. When Lila tries to communicate by writing, her hands undergo a seizure so she can’t pick up a pencil.
3. For some reason, the only way to cure her throat is to eat a regular diet of healthy but utterly unappetizing food. Lila has to say goodbye to junk food and sodas. Her water now tastes bitter because of the health supplements dissolved in it. Even with her voice returned, Lila can’t talk too much or she will strain her voice. It’s a shame oral presentations are over or Lila could have really used that excuse.
Plagg is satisfied. He got vengeance for 2 heroes, Sugar Cube, and most importantly himself. All this chaos has been nice, but he’s exhausted. Time for a cat nap.
(Note: needless to say, Lila won’t be causing trouble for quite some time. Plagg’s curses have only strengthened each other because...well, like calls to like. By the time Plagg’s curses run out, Marinette and Adrien would be living happily ever after, Tikki would be content, and Plagg would be munching on Camem-...hey....WHO ATE MY CHEESE TART? PLAGG!!!!!)
I know it’s a little early but I decided to draw/create a Plagg Miraculous Ladybug Christmas card. The reason why it is Cheesemas instead of Christmas is a pun on Plagg’s obsession with cheese. I hope that you enjoy it ☺️ and have a very merry Christmas 🎄.
Watched Miraculous: Awakening last night. While I’m not going to take the time to write up a full critique/commentary on the movie, I will shout this:
THEY DID OUR POOR BOY PLAGG SO DIRTY!
The poor kwami had, like, five minutes of screen time (if that) and he was farting during all of it. I get giving him s1 vibes since he hadn’t had the chance to really get to know Adrien yet, but still! No!
(I will admit though, the movie having the kwamis refer to themselves as genies that can’t grant wishes does seem to add validity to my head canon that Plagg was Aladdin’s Lesser Genie of the Ring... so... there’s that...)
I don’t have the time or spoons (or even inspiration... sadly...) to write up a new Plagg appreciation story. But, to help cleanse our pallets, for those in need, I present the Plagg appreciation stories I have already written:
Breaking Monotony
Summary: Plagg's days are all starting to feel exactly the same. As he goes through yet another school day with Adrien, he wonders if he can do something to start shaking up the status quo. At the same time, though, he reflects on how great it is that his life is fairly predictable.
Word Count: 5,789
Rating: General Audience
Forever in Darkness
Summary: Plagg has always been in darkness. It had become all he knew. Then he got a ray of sunshine, and it helped save him. There was a reason he believes Adrien is the best Chat Noir ever.
Word Count: 4,701
Rating: Teen (for depictions of emotional torture and mentions of child executions)
The Truest of Friends
Summary: It's the second day of the new school year, which also means it's been a year since Stoneheart first attacked Paris. Adrien wonders how he could best celebrate the anniversary of becoming Chat Noir, and how to properly showcase how much he cares for someone very special in his life.
Word Count: 3,254
Rating: General Audience
I Need Him Back
**SPOILERS: NY Special** (written before Kuro Neko aired)
Summary: Marinette has no clue what to do without her Chat Noir. All she wants is for her partner back. Plagg is just as distraught without his holder, but maybe he can find a way to get the ring back to Adrien. The trick is doing so without revealing who Chat Noir was to Marinette.
Word Count: 5,689
Rating: General Audience
Cataclysm the Doubt
Summary: Barely three hours into becoming a new father, Adrien is not handling the life change very well. It’s a good thing Plagg is right there to get the twenty-something’s head on right. Being able to cataclysm physical things is certainly easier, but sometimes a metaphorical cataclysm is the best option.
Word Count: 1,677
Rating: General Audience
The next Friday 13th is in October, so feel free to join me in celebrating Plagg Appreciation Day. ^_^
Also, if anyone else has Plagg-centric/Plagg-appreciation stories, please add them and/or tag me. I’d love to read them!
Well, actually, it’s now after midnight, but close enough to Plagg Appreciation Day (aka Friday 13th), right? It just kept me all day to write, edit, format for online publishing, and promote this story. It’s also the 1st thing I’ve written since LAST Friday 13th (back in March), so.. yeah. (This has been a trash year for my creativity along with just about everything else)
I hope I shook off enough of the rust.
You can stay here to read my latest story, or you can find it on these other sites:
on AO3, on FFN, or on DA.
I Need Him Back
**Contains Spoilers For ML NY Special**
Summary: Marinette has no clue what to do without her Chat Noir. All she wants is for her partner back. Plagg is just as distraught without his holder, but maybe he can find a way to get the ring back to Adrien. The trick is doing so without revealing who Chat Noir was to Marinette.
Rating: General Audience
Word Count: 5799
Status: Completed one-shot
**This story is an AU of the ending to the NY special. I wondered what would happen if the magic of the Miraculous transformations blocked enough of Uncanny Valley's scan (much like how she was having issues with Techclonizer) that it prevented her from deducing Ladybug's and Chat Noir's identities.**
“Please forgive me, my friend.”
It kept Plagg a second too long to realize what Adrien was doing. “No!”
“I renounce you, Plagg.”
He couldn't say anything. In a flash, Plagg was gone. Banished to his ring. He had never expected this. Never thought Adrien could ever abandon him like that. He was safe. He was home. Adrien was family.
“Plagg?” Marinette was holding his ring now. The Guardian was once more in possession of the Miraculous. Adrien truly was gone, wasn't he? “Plagg, what happened? Why? Why would he-?” She hid her face in her hands. “This is my fault! I chased him away.”
Plagg wasn't sure what to say. He was in too much shock himself. Tikki drifted over to him, grabbed his arm, and slowly drew him down into Marinette's purse with her so he could rest. At least, while the Guardian held onto his ring, he could be with Tikki. It was a small consolation, but it was all he had to hold onto at that point.
The rain drenched them the moment Marinette climbed out of the sewers. The teen didn't seem to notice, and Plagg certainly didn't care.
“This is all my fault,” he confessed with a quaking croak. “I should have stopped him from leaving.”
“He made his choice,” was Marinette's somber reply, “What were we supposed to do?”
She wandered the city aimlessly for a little while longer before realizing her classmates must be wondering where she was. Reluctantly, she made her way back towards the hotel. Out front, she met up with Adrien, but their reunion was interrupted when a car pulled up beside them.
“Adrien, get in the car at once,” Gabriel demanded through the video in the car.
“Adrien?” Plagg stirred in Marinette's purse, desperate to go to his boy. Tikki held him still.
“You can't,” Tikki whispered.
“But-”
“My owner is the one with the ring now, so you can't stay with him anyway, and you can't reveal that he was Chat Noir to her.”
“Tikki-”
“I wouldn't have minded being stuck here a little longer with a friend like you.” Adrien's voice nearly broke Plagg's heart. The kid had lost so much; gave up so much. He was broken, and it was all Plagg's fault.
“I should have never convinced him that it would be alright to leave Paris.”
Tikki's eyes widened. “You told him to come?”
“His father was sending him anyway, and you know how he has no say in his life when his father's involved. I just wanted him to have fun while he was here, so I came up with the plan to fly back to Paris when an akuma alert happened, and he'd press the communicator button to buzz for Ladybug while he was on-route. By the time Ladybug made it back to Paris she would never know he was gone. I didn't expect a supervillain here stopping him from getting back in time.”
“She knew about the akuma in Paris the same time he did. She wouldn't have been able to get away even if he had stayed at home. It's neither of your faults.”
Plagg hung his head. If only he could believe Tikki.
“Adrien!” Marinette bellowed, “Stay!”
Marinette's plea pierced through Plagg. He wanted to scream the same exact thing.
“I've already lost Chat Noir. I can't lose Adrien too.” She did lose him, though. Her mad dash in the rain ended with her wiping out into the street and softly confessing her love to the empty city.
She then wandered in the rain once more, completely lost in what to do next or where to go.
“What are you doing out here?” Uncanny Valley elegantly descended before them, her three eyes darting around to make sure everything was safe.
“I- uh-”
“Hawk Moth is in New York City. It is not safe for you to be outside right now. I will take you back to the hotel.” Uncanny scooped Marinette into a bridal carry and flew off before Marinette could refuse.
“Hawk Moth? He's here?” Marinette choked out.
“Yes. I am searching for Ladybug and Chat Noir to help. Have you seen either of them?”
“N- No. No, I'm sorry. I can't help you.”
“That's alright. I am sure I'll find them in time.” Uncanny landed on the hotel roof and put Marinette down. “Go hide inside until it is safe, okay? Don't worry, we will be victorious. I know it.” Before Marinette could say anything else, Uncanny Valley had flown away, looking for a superhero that no longer existed and one who didn't have the will to fight.
“Marinette! You have to transform! You know you're the only one who can stop Hawk Moth.”
“I- I can't. Not without him.” She opened her palm and looked longingly at the Cat Ring.
“I know this is tough, Marinette, but New York needs you. You can't repair what happened in Paris, but you can help here. Besides, if Uncanny Valley is looking for Ladybug then she's not helping to defeat the akuma. They're going to need as many heroes as they can get.”
Marinette nodded. “Tikki, spots on!”
It was a hard fight without her partner, but she was able to lean on Sparrow and Uncanny Valley for help. They managed to get the Miraculous away from the villain easily enough, but getting to the akuma was a different matter.
Plagg watched on from a distance, making sure Hawk Moth didn't spot him. It kept a little while, but he eventually saw an opening, snuck into the battle, and used his Cataclysm to help trap Techclonizer in the ground by the Statue of Liberty. It was then an easy task for Uncanny to break his handcuffs and for Ladybug to cleanse the akuma.
The rest of the class trip was uneventful. Everything more-or-less went as scheduled, and Plagg stayed cuddled in Tikki's arms. The three of them didn't have a moment alone to talk about Chat Noir or what to do next with the ring. If nothing else, Alya refused to let Marinette out of her sight for a moment.
On the plane, Marinette had debated sneaking away. It was a long flight, but she was also very tired. She ended up silently crying herself to sleep with her back towards her best friend so she'd never know.
Plagg likewise curled around his ring, nuzzling it as he too tried to get some sleep. Both Marinette and Plagg tried to push New York into as distant a pained memory as possible as they flew home.
“Don't worry, Marinette,” Alya gave her best friend a tight hug before letting her off the chartered bus. “You'll see Adrien again in class tomorrow. You can make things right then.”
“Y-yeah,” Marinette forced a smile. “Thanks, Alya. See you tomorrow.”
“Try to get some rest, girl!”
Marinette collected her suitcase and waved Alya goodbye as the bus drove to the next student's home to drop off.
“Marinette!” Sabine burst through the bakery door and flung her arms around her daughter. Tom came sprinting out shortly behind and wrapped both women in his massive hug. “Sweetheart, we're so glad you're safe,” Sabine continued, “We saw that Ladybug had stopped a supervillain in New York City, and we were so worried.”
“But if Ladybug was there, we knew you had to be alright,” Tom interjected, slowly releasing his two favorite ladies from his grip. “Plus, we saw that sign you and your friends held up for that Adrien boy.”
“Still,” Sabine added, “it's such a relief to see for ourselves that you're okay.”
As Marinette's parents ushered her home, Plagg slumped in her purse, tail curled around him.
“Plagg?” Tikki whispered.
“What if Ladybug wasn't okay? What if me convincing my owner to go on the trip instead of finding a way for him to stay here was enough of a distraction that-?” He swallowed hard and pulled his knees in closer. “Tikki, my owner feels horrible about what he did, but it was my power that did it! What if that other superhero didn't step in the way? What if Chat Noir actually did touch Ladybug with my Cataclysm? She might have survived, like how Chat Noir did when Miraculer hit him with the Cataclysm, but what if Ladybug didn't because it was me that was powering it instead of some akuma? What if it somehow damaged your Miraculous? What if it had hurt you?”
“Plagg.” Tikki snuggled close to him, nuzzling her head against his cheek. “Plagg, that's exactly why your owner gave up the ring in the first place, because of all of those 'what ifs' he kept asking. It's not his fault though. It's not yours either. Poor decisions were made, but we've always learned from them in the past, haven't we? I know my owner has made a lot of mistakes as well, but we grow from them and make sure not to make them again.”
“Well, there won't be a chance to grow and learn with him. He gave me up, remember?”
Tikki shifted so she could meet Plagg's eyes; staring intently into them. “Do you honestly think that's what he wants?”
It didn't take long for Plagg to break contact with Tikki. He turned towards the side of Marinette's purse, keeping his back towards his fellow kwami. “Even if he wants to be Chat Noir again, he can't. Marinette doesn't know who he was, and she can't ask Master Fu anymore. I can't name my owner, and you're such a stickler for the rules that I doubt you'll tell her and reveal his identity.”
Tikki puffed and pouted at how Plagg snarled his final sentence at her. Exhaling her anger, she tried once more in a calming tone. “We can figure this out without my owner ever discovering his identity. I know we can. She's very good at solving puzzles like this, and-” Tikki rested a comforting flipper on Plagg's shoulder, “and you're pretty good at coming up with plans yourself.” Plagg shrugged her off him, but she persisted. “Yes, Chat Noir coming to New York City with us didn't work out, but, I must admit, it wasn't the worst plan in the world. I don't know if the AstroCat transformation would have been fast enough to get you back to Paris before anyone got suspicious about the delay. However, my owner also kept forgetting to carry the Horse Glasses with her, so she probably would have used the same tactic. And the plan to contact Nooroo would have worked if he wasn't powering Hawk Moth at the exact moment of hitting his cycle. You have good plans. Just-” She shrugged, “just poor luck?”
Plagg sighed a shaky breath and quickly wiped away his tears before turning back towards Tikki. “How do we fix this though?”
Tikki rested her flippers on each of Plagg's shoulders and her forehead against his. They both closed their eyes and just focused on their connection for a second. “We'll figure something out, Plagg.” She then pulled him closer into a hug.
A couple of hours later, a somber Marinette climbed to her bedroom, excusing herself from her overly doting parents by telling them how jetlagged she was. It wasn't an entirely false statement – something Marinette had grown quite skilled at – but her true exhaustion was due to the loss of her partner, and she still needed proper time to mourn that. The hours in the rain wandering New York City wasn't enough time. The long, nearly sleepless night after defeating Miraclonizer wasn't enough time. The eight-hour flight home wasn't enough time. Marinette was wondering if there would actually ever be enough time.
She pulled out the Cat Ring and rolled it around the tip of her index finger, studying every centimeter of its surface, as if that could give her some clue as to how to get her Chat Noir back.
Tikki and Plagg emerged from Marinette's purse, and exchanged a look. Plagg's eyes widened and he shrunk in on himself a little. Tikki, on the other hand, puffed herself up, squared her shoulders in determination, and gave a subtle nod in Marinette's direction. Plagg curled further into himself. His eyes darted between Marinette's inspection of his ring and Tikki's stern gaze and increasingly overt head nods towards her owner.
Exasperated with the pity-party around her, Tikki huffed before zipping down to Marinette's hand; catching her owner's attention.
“Tikki, I- I don't know what to do. Even if I have help like Uncanny Valley and Sparrow, or even if I find new bearers of the Miraculous here in Paris, it won't be the same. Even when I had Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Viperion helping me, it wasn't the same. No one- no one could ever replace Chat Noir. I can't do this without him, Tikki. I-” Marinette hid her budding tears with the heels of her hands, the Cat Ring dangling from her index finger still.
“Marinette, I think we- I think Plagg might have come up with a way to get Chat Noir back. Get your Chat Noir back.”
Both Tikki and Marinette turned to Plagg. He promptly started shaking his head and waving his arms, trying to get Tikki to abort the plan, but it was too late. The seed was planted.
“You- you do?” Marinette squeaked with a tiny voice.
Tikki gave Plagg an encouraging nod, and he settled. His eyebrows scrunched down in conviction, and then he drifted closer to Marinette.
“I-” he paused, startled a bit that his own voice was so soft and squeaky as well. Clearing his throat, he tried again in a more confident tone. “I want to go to him. I know how to get to his house from here, and he should be there at this time of night. Let me bring the ring back to him. I'll tell him how much you want him back, and how much I want to be his kwami. I'm sure he'll accept-”
“No.” Marinette walked away from the kwamis. “No, I'm sorry, but I can't chance letting the ring out of my sight. If Hawk Moth got it-”
“Then let me at least talk to him. I can still convince him to accept the ring again, and then I'll come back here to let you know where the two of you can meet up.”
“I can't know who he is!” Marinette gasped and slapped her hands over her mouth, praying her parents didn't hear her outburst. The room was silent for a long minute as all three occupants listened for Tom or Sabine. Luckily, her parents seemed to have called it an early night as well. Holding a finger to her lips, Marinette waved for the kwamis to follow her up to her balcony to make sure they weren't caught talking.
Once outside, Marinette hissed again, “How am I supposed to ever give him back his ring? We're not supposed to know who each other is. If any of the other bearers had known then any of them could have told Miracle Queen or Hawk Moth when they were under that spell. I can't chance knowing who he is or him knowing who I am.”
“You've worked together without being powered up before.” Plagg became more animated. For some reason, the more Marinette pushed against his idea the more he believed Tikki that it was actually a good one. “I'm sure he still has his Bananoir costume somewhere. Or he could wear something else to hide his identity, and you can just be Ladybug. It'll be fine.”
“What if Hawk Moth sees you going to him, or coming back to me? I can't have you leading him to either of us.”
“He can do this, Marinette,” Tikki interjected.
“Yeah. I was able to ditch Sandboy easily enough, and Hawk Moth never found out where Chat Noir was. He also never followed me when I want to Master Fu to let him know about Chat Noir losing his ring when Style Queen attacked. Or when I returned to Chat Noir. I'm a cat, remember? I can be sneaky.”
“I dunno. I can't chance it. There's no one else now. If Hawk Moth somehow finds me-”
“He won't! I promise he won't. I can do this. Please. The kid needs me. I know he does. And- Look. Not everyone can handle the power of destroying anything they touch. I've- let's just say not every Chat Noir is as good and kind as yours. He's special. Let me try to get him back. Please.”
Marinette glanced over at Tikki, who wore a proud smile and gave a simple nod.
“Alright.” Marinette flung her arms and began pacing her balcony. “Alright, you can go talk to him. I do want to get his ring back to him as soon as possible, but I also have to be careful about hiding my identity, so try to not have the meet-up when I have classes, okay? You do know when my school hours are, right? Oh, this can turn out so bad-”
“Marinette, it will be fine.” Tikki flew into her bearer's line of sight to try to calm the teen. “Kwamis can only be captured if we allow it, remember? And if Hawk Moth uses magic to try to capture Plagg like he did with Kwamibuster, you still have me and can become Ladybug to stop him. This is probably the best way if you don't want to fight without Chat Noir or have to pick a new one.”
“I can do this,” Plagg pleaded.
Marinette spun the ring around the knuckle of her finger, stopping to stare at the cat paw on the ring face. How could she see it on someone else's hand? How could she battle Hawk Moth alone? She needed him again.
“Okay. Go. Be careful.”
Plagg beamed and started off in a dash, only stopping a few feet from Marinette's balcony as he heard her call out once more.
“Plagg?” It was Marinette's turn to plead. “Bring him back to us.”
He nodded and zipped towards the Notre-Dame. He needed to throw Marinette off too if she were watching him. It was painful to meander around the city to make sure he wasn't being followed instead of racing to Adrien's room, but he promised he'd keep everyone safe. They were only in this predicament because of him. He had to make sure to get it right this time.
Bobbing underground, then popping back up, phasing through darkened buildings, and pausing long enough in trees to double check he wasn't being watched, Plagg wove his way through Paris for about ten minutes before nearing the Agreste mansion.
Home. Even after Adrien renounced him, this place felt like home. Specifically, Adrien felt like home. Checking once more that there was no one around to spot him, Plagg darted around the estate and made his way into Adrien's bathroom.
This was it. This was his chance to talk to Adrien again. This was probably his only chance to get his Chat Noir back. Plagg suddenly wished Tikki was still there to encourage him.
“Get in there, Stinky Sock,” Plagg imitated her in a high pitched voice that didn't remotely resemble Tikki's. “You're the kwami with the brilliant plans. You're our only hope of getting him back.”
“Well,” Plagg responded to himself with his own shaky voice, “When you put it that way, Sugar Cube, how could I disappoint? Right?”
“Now, don't screw this up like you usually do,” he replied in the high pitched voice before clearing his throat and awkwardly laughing.
“Yup,” Plagg said in his usual voice, “that sounds like her. Now to prove her wrong about being a screw up.”
He poked his head through the door to check that Adrien was actually there. He nearly burst into tears when he saw his former holder slumped at his desk. Pulling back into the bathroom, Plagg shifted to the far wall and again poked his head through, scanning for anyone else being in the room with Adrien.
All clear. The kid was alone. It nearly broke Plagg's heart all over again.
“Adrien?” Plagg cautiously floated into the room.
“Plagg?” Adrien jumped out of his chair, wide eyed and slack jawed. “Wh- what are you doing here? How? I gave you up!”
“I know,” Plagg mournfully replied.
“Aww, Plagg. I- I'm so sorry, my friend. I didn't- I just- I'm not the right person to be Chat Noir. I just screw so much up. You and Ladybug are so much better off with a new Chat Noir.” Adrien wouldn't look at the kwami. Instead he slumped back into his computer chair, keeping his eyes locked on his naked right ring finger.
“Don't say that!” Plagg flew closer. “I've already told you that you're the best Chat Noir I've ever had! No one could replace you. Ladybug has told you that before too.”
“There must be someone-”
“No! No one else, Adrien. We want you as Chat Noir. We need you as Chat Noir.”
“I saw the news report. After I gave you up the city was attacked again by that supervillain, and it was so much worse that time. I had abandoned Ladybug when she needed me most, and she still managed to save the day. The whole world could have been destroyed, and that was when I gave up my powers. How could I be a hero after that? How could she possibly need me when she was able to stop that from happening without me? I appreciate the thought, Plagg, but, seriously, you two don't need me. No one does.”
“Shouldn't that be my decision? Or Ladybug's? Or the Guardian's – who happens to also be Ladybug, but nevermind that.”
“Plagg-”
“You made a mistake. I did too. I was the one who told you not to warn Ladybug that you were forced to leave Paris. It was because of me that she got so mad at you. It was because of me that she lost faith in you like that. And it was because I made her lose that faith that you got so distracted with Cataclysm active. You are never that careless! That isn't you as a superhero. That was all me.”
“I don't think it works that way.”
“Either way, you didn't lose her faith permanently. She was just mad and shocked and didn't know how to feel. She does miss you. She needed you in New York, and only managed to win because she had to. She even allowed me to use Cataclysm by myself! You know how bad things have to be for me to bring that baby out!”
“Even if she did forgive me for leaving Paris, and for what I could have done with my Cataclysm if she wasn't there to fix it, how could she forgive me for abandoning her when she needed me most?”
“It was a tough fight. I'll admit that. And it was harder because you weren't there. I can't lie about that either. But that wasn't when she needed you most. Now is. Now that she's back in Paris and has time to think about everything. Now that she has to face Hawk Moth alone and fully understands how alone she is in this. She knows she's going to need a new Chat Noir, but she hates the idea of having anyone besides you. You are special to her. She's told you before that you're irreplaceable. Believe her, Adrien. You have faith in her about everything else, so why not have some faith about this?”
“Has she really forgiven me? Could she really?”
“Why not ask for your ring back and find out?”
“Plagg, I just can't.” Adrien pushed himself away from his desk. He walked over to his wall of windows and leaned against them.
“Why do you think I'm here? Ladybug wants you to ask for the ring back. She wants to meet up with you again. She told me to get you back.”
“How can I-?”
“Pick a time and place where you can sneak out. I'll go back to Ladybug and let her know when to meet up. Then all you have to do is find a way to hide your identity and show up.”
Adrien turned back to his former kwami, his eyes were glossed over with unspilt tears. His eyebrows where knitted as they begged for Plagg to be right about all of this. They stood in a stalemate for a minute or two.
Then Adrien sprinted over to Plagg, scooped him up in his awaiting hands, and pressed the little cat to his chest.
“Plagg, I've missed you so much. I'm so, so sorry for ever renouncing you,” Adrien cried.
“I know. I've kinda missed ya too.”
“Let's make this right.”
Plagg softly purred against Adrien's hands, ignoring the fact that he'd have to leave his home again in a little bit. Right now it was just him and this kid and he could milk this for a little longer, couldn't he?
He hoped the last thirty hours would be the longest he'd ever be away from Adrien. At least, for many, many, many years to come.
“There he is!” Tikki chirped out as Plagg zig-zagged through the terrace houses leading towards Marinette's balcony.
Marinette strained to catch sight of him, and any time she thought she did, he vanished again. “Huh. I guess he can be sneaky enough to lose anyone who could follow him.”
“I told you it would be alright.”
“Psst.” Plagg hissed from between Marinette's feet, startling her has his head poked through the floor boards.
“Plagg!” Marinette caught herself on her balcony railing. After a couple of breaths to try to steady her heartbeat, she waved for everyone to go back inside. Nestled on her bed, she nodded for Plagg to continue. “Did you get to talk to him?”
“He'll sneak out tonight. He can get to the school by one A.M. He figured it was a place the two of you fought akumas at enough that you'd know where it is, but there wouldn't be any lingering tourists, so you should be safe to talk. It would also be easier to single him out that way.”
Marinette glanced at her alarm clock. She had a little less than five hours to kill. She figured she should get some rest, but was terrified of oversleeping and Chat Noir thinking she had Plagg set up the meeting as a cruel joke. It was only with both Plagg and Tikki swearing to wake her up at midnight did she agree to get some sleep.
She tossed and turned nonstop the first two hours, barely getting any rest as she worried about the exchange; about the possibility of him standing her up or them getting captured. She was also nervous about what she was going to say to him. How could she ever apologize to him for being so cruel as to tell him she couldn't trust him anymore? She was upset about Paris being left undefended, but to say something so hurtful to him?
Tikki fussed over Marinette's restless sleep, but couldn't think of anything to help her holder. Plagg hated doing so, but he knew something that might help. It was something he only ever really did for Adrien. And even then, only when Adrien was his most distressed, and when the kid was asleep and couldn't know that Plagg did it at all.
Curling up in Marinette's hairline by her ear, Plagg started purring in a low, nearly inaudible hum. Marinette relaxed almost instantly. Relaxing herself, Tikki snuggled next to Plagg, and whispered, “Thank you.”
Plagg waved her off, and kept doing whatever he could to soothe Marinette. The entire time, he wondered how Adrien managed the night before without him, and if Adrien needed him that night as well.
The hours ticked by quickly, and it became time to rouse Marinette. The trio was tense as she got ready for her meet-up. When the clock neared one, Marinette transformed into Ladybug.
“You ready, Plagg?”
“Let's get my boy back.”
“Plagg. Return.” Ladybug held up the ring, and Plagg gladly allowed himself to be sucked into it; once more locked within his Miraculous until a wielder claimed him. Tucking the ring away, Ladybug jumped up onto her balcony, and scanned the streets. It didn't take long for her to see a mop of blonde hair rush silently down the empty sidewalk between her family's home and the school. She watched him turn towards the front steps, and break into a sprint as he raced towards the school's front doors. The moment he reached them, she swung down, scooped him up, and flung both of them to the roof of the Collège Françoise Dupont. As soon as their feet touched the rooftop, the boy scurried away.
“Ladybug!”
Startled at how shocked he sounded, Ladybug studied the boy. He had the same shaggy blonde hair, and he had dressed entirely in black. Even at such a late hour, he had on thick sunglasses to obscure his face. He had also made a point of heading towards the school entrance at one A.M. precisely. This had to be her Chat Noir! Right?
“Chat Noir?” she whispered, afraid that he was going to tell her no; that she had made another horrible mistake.
“You- you actually came!” The boy's legs shook, and Ladybug was afraid he was going to collapse. “I- Plagg said that-”
Before he could say a syllable more, her arms were around him.
“Is it you?” she sobbed, “Is it really you?”
He held her close, pulling her even closer with every shaky breath she took. “I'm sorry. I am so beyond sorry for everything this weekend.”
She abruptly pulled away, hurriedly wiped her eyes dry, and punched him playfully in the arm. “Yeah, you better be! Don't you ever do something as stupid as giving up your powers like that again! Do you hear me?”
He rubbed where she punched him, but smiled. “Does that mean you really have forgiven me?”
“Chat Noir,” she pulled him right back into the hug, “Of course I forgive you. You know I can't do this without you. I can't be Ladybug if you aren't by my side.”
“I'll never abandon you like that again. I promise.”
“You better.”
The two gave one last, tight squeeze, before releasing. Ladybug then took a couple of steps back and unlatched her yo-yo from her hip. Opening up the magical pocket, she pulled out the black Cat Ring, and held it in her outstretched palm for her companion.
“Chat Noir? I believe this is yours.”
Timidly, he reached out for his ring. His hand hovered above it, but he didn't take it back.
“Chat Noir?”
“I'll do better. I promise I'll do better. I'll be the partner you deserve.”
Ladybug's face fell, and she took a step closer. “Don't you realize you already are?” Her eyes drifted to the ring, then back up to him. “It's yours. It always was and always will be. I don't want anyone but you by my side. Please know that.” She snatched up his right hand before he could react, and she gave it a squeeze. “I'm sorry I told you I couldn't trust you. I was hurt, and I just wanted to hurt you back. I didn't mean it, and I never should have said it. I know I can always trust you.” Turning his hand over, she placed his ring on his palm. “This weekend showed us things we need to work on, but it doesn't have to mean our partnership is over, right?”
He stared at the ring for a long while before picking it up and sliding it back on his right ring finger. The moment he did, the ring turned silver as it camouflaged itself, and spat Plagg back out.
“Plagg! Welcome back, buddy!” Chat Noir reached up to scratch his kwami on the back of his head.
“Yeah, well, welcome back to you, too.” Plagg leaned into the scratches, his eyes closing as he enjoyed the great feeling of being pet by his holder again.
“How about we make this official then? Plagg, claws out!” Plagg was once more sucked into the ring, and the black clad boy was transformed into a proper Chat Noir.
Ladybug wiped new tears from the corners of her eyes. “It's definitely a good look for you. Don't lose it again, okay?” She held up her fist.
“Never again. I promised, didn't I?” Chat Noir bumped her fist with his own.
The two spent the next hour coming to terms with what happened over the weekend. How were they going to help repair Paris? The citizens knew why Ladybug wasn't there to protect them, but what were they going to say about Chat Noir? How were they going to keep Paris safe the next time one – or both – of them needed to leave the city again? They also swore to never again keep secrets from each other, as long as it didn't involve their identities.
Completely wiped and borderline passing out against each other's shoulders, Ladybug and Chat Noir parted ways and headed to their respective homes.
“Plagg, claws in.” Adrien grinned madly - albeit sleepily – as the kwami drifted into his awaiting hand. “Welcome home, buddy. I'm glad I couldn't bear to get rid of any of this yet.” He walked Plagg over to the fully stocked mini-fridge of Camembert. The magical being greedily gobbled up a wheel before returning to Adrien. The teen had already changed for bed and slid under the sheets.
“Adrien?”
“Yeah, Plagg?”
“I'm glad you're my Chat Noir again.”
“Thank you for making it happen.”
Plagg curled up on Adrien's head and began lulling his friend to sleep with his purring. He didn't care that Adrien knew about it anymore.
A few blocks away, Marinette tried falling asleep as she wondered why Chat Noir's silver ring looked familiar.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Did you enjoy this? Check out my other Plagg Appreciation Day stories.
Breaking Monotony
Summary: Plagg’s days are all starting to feel exactly the same. As he goes through yet another school day with Adrien, he wonders if he can do something to start shaking up the status quo. At the same time, though, he reflects on how great it is that his life is fairly predictable.
Forever in Darkness
Summary: Plagg has always been in darkness. It had become all he knew. Then he got a ray of sunshine, and it helped save him. There was a reason he believes Adrien is the best Chat Noir ever.
The Truest of Friends
Summary: It's the second day of the new school year, which also means it's been a year since Stoneheart first attacked Paris. Adrien wonders how he could best celebrate the anniversary of becoming Chat Noir, and how to properly showcase how much he cares for someone very special in his life.
Alternatively, I JUST started up a series (I still don’t quite understand the collections set-up) on AO3 that will also house all of my Plagg Appreciation Day stories.
The next Friday 13th isn’t until August 2021. Here’s hoping that’s plenty of time to get a story done earlier than midnight... Anyway, who wants to join me in showing Plagg some love? Did you post any Plagg appreciation today? Please send me a tag! I’d love to see what you did. :D
I’m not sure why it was such a strain for me to get this written this go, but I managed! This story is largely inspired by two things:
1. This picture prompt that @chibisunnie sent me.
2. The song “Thank You for Being a Friend” by Andrew Gold on repeat for about 3hrs straight. @_@
You can stay here to read my latest story, or you can find it on these other sites:
on AO3, on FFN, or on DA.
The Truest of Friends
Summary: It's the second day of the new school year, which also means it's been a year since Stoneheart first attacked Paris. Adrien wonders how he could best celebrate the anniversary of becoming Chat Noir, and how to properly showcase how much he cares for someone very special in his life.
Rating: General Audience
Word Count: 3307
Status: Completed one-shot
“Kitty? Chat Noir, you with me?”
“Hmm?” Chat Noir blinked a couple of times to catch his bearings before looking over at Ladybug.
She was still lounged across the rooftop, basking in the setting sun. However, while the rest of her body seemed relaxed, her face was tight in concern: her eyebrows stitched together and her mouth a thin line. Tilting her head to the side slightly, she reached out for him. “You okay? You kind of drifted off there.”
“Oh, yeah, no. Sorry. I was- I'm just a bit distracted. What did you want?”
Her expression softened. Sitting up, she shifted so she could playfully bump Chat Noir in the shoulder with her own. “We can head out if you have something you need to do. I was just commenting on how much I'm going to miss these summer sunsets.”
“Yeah.” Chat Noir's voice was soft; distant. “Me too.”
“You sure you're okay? You don't quite seem yourself tonight.”
He gave her a sweet little smile and gently shoulder bumped her back. “Nah. Don't worry about it. I was just thinking that with the end of summer it's also the end of something else.”
“It is? What?”
“Our first year as superheroes.” He playfully winked at her, but quickly shifted his gaze to the cityscape stretched out before them. “At least, our first year as partners, right? Tomorrow is the anniversary of Hawk Moth akumatizing his first victim; which is also the first time we met.”
“Yeah, I guess it is. I've gotten so caught up in everything, I- how did I forget that?”
“It's fine. It's probably not something most people want to immortalize, especially the poor kid who got akumatized.”
“I dunno. It's also when he started dating that girl, remember?” Ladybug winked at Chat Noir, making his smile deepen. “I mean, technically that's the day after tomorrow,” Ladybug clarified, her face tightening again as she mini-rambled, “but they got together because of the whole Stoneheart thing and Ivan finally letting Mylène know how he truly felt about her-”
“Thanks to you, if I recall correctly.” Ladybug relaxed, and the two shared a light chuckle. Then Chat Noir glanced down at his ring. “You already know I was new when we met. I don't know if I should also tell you this, but that was actually my first day as a superhero.”
“Mine too.” Ladybug placed a hand on Chat Noir's shoulder, and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Chat Noir stole a quick glance over at Ladybug before again studying his ring. “Is it wrong that part of me is slightly thankful for Hawk Moth? I mean, I know he's terrorizing the city and exploiting people's lowest moments, and he absolutely needs to be stopped. I'm not excusing anything he's doing, but-” He shifted slightly away from Ladybug so he could get a better angle of looking her in the eye. “If it weren't for him attacking Paris, I never would have received the Cat Ring. I wouldn't have the freedom to be Chat Noir. I wouldn't be able to help people the way I can as a superhero. I don't know if I'd ever meet you, M'lady. And-” He played with his ring, looking back down at it. “-and I wouldn't have ever met my kwami.”
Ladybug briefly bit her lip, her own eyes downcast before scooping Chat Noir's left hand in both of hers. “It's okay. I understand. I feel the same way.”
“You do?”
She nodded. “I'm- I'm nothing like, well, like this when I'm out of costume. Being Ladybug is a lot to burden, if I'm honest, but it also gives me confidence I didn't know I had. I also can't really imagine life without my kwami now that I know how amazing her companionship is.” Ladybug then cupped Chat Noir's left jaw. “Hawk Moth also allowed me to meet one of my best friends.”
"One of?” Chat Noir teased. Ladybug lightly elbowed him in the ribs, and they shared another chuckle. “I know what you mean about your kwami, though. I don't know if I could bare ever being without him again. He's more than my kwami or even a friend to me. He's- well, he's-”
“Family,” Ladybug finished.
“Yeah.”
“Yeah, mine too.” She sidled beside him, and rested her head on his shoulder. Her left hand reached up to her earrings, brushing them lovingly.
Chat Noir leaned his head against hers, and played with his ring a little more. “It feels like I've known him for more than just a year. Is that crazy?”
“No.”
“No offense, M'lady, you're amazing, but Plagg- he's the only one who truly knows me. All of me, ya know?”
“Yup. Same with Tikki.”
“I love him. I don't know what I'd do without him. Even if I was never Chat Noir again, I'd still need him. Do you think he knows that?”
“Considering how much you tell me how much you love me?” she teased, “I find it hard to believe anyone you know doesn't know exactly how you feel.”
Chat Noir stiffened with a sharp inhale.
“Kitty?”
“Sorry. I have to go. I have something I need to do after all.” Before Ladybug could protest, Chat Noir scooped up her hand and placed a quick peck on the back of it. “Thank you for listening, L.B.” He rolled away from her, and onto his feet. “Can we meet up again tomorrow? For our... anniversary?” He gave her an exaggerated and suave wink.
She giggled even while giving him a dismissive shake of the head. “Sure, but it's a purely professional anniversary. I'm still in love with someone else, in case you forgot.”
“How could I?” he teased, a smile still on his lips. “Same place, same time?”
“I'll be here.”
Chat Noir presented her with an elaborate bow before leaping off into the city. He raced across the rooftops, hooting gleefully into the night air.
Landing in his bedroom a few minutes later, Chat Noir released his transformation; once more becoming Adrien.
“Boy, weren't you getting sappy up there on that rooftop.” Plagg hovered where the Miraculous spat him back out. His demeanor was as dismissively aloof as always, but his eyes were softer than usual.
“Yeah, sorry about that, Plagg.” Adrien tossed his kwami a slice of Camembert before jogging over to his desk.
“What are you doing?” Plagg gobbled down the cheese before floating over to Adrien and glancing over the teen's shoulder.
“Making plans for tomorrow,” Adrien replied excitedly. He started grabbing papers and a pencil, then hurriedly typed away on his phone.
“Blech.” Plagg made a face, zipped into the cheese cabinet beside the desk, and floated back out with the rest of the Camembert wheel held over his head. With a kick of his little flipper-foot, Plagg closed the cabinet door behind him. “You're going to get all sappy again. Aren't you?”
“Yup.” Adrien didn't hesitate a second as he replied and began scribbling notes onto a sheet of paper.
“No thank you. I'm going to take a catnap.” Plagg brought the cheese over to Adrien's bed, and started nibbling on it as he snuggled onto one of the pillows.
Adrien didn't mind. He welcomed the space as he discreetly scrolled through a cheese selection on his phone, and writing some ideas down on a piece of paper.
That night he hid the list inside his treasured unsigned valentine. In the morning, while Plagg continued to lay about, Adrien rushed the list to his bodyguard.
“I was wondering if you could get this for me for lunch? And let Nathalie know to not bother prepping anything for me. I want to do that myself, if I could.”
The Gorilla looked over the simple list, and grunted acknowledgment of the request. The easy part done, Adrien hurried back to his room to finish getting ready for school.
The morning crawled by. It was only the second day of classes, so the lessons were mostly renewal to help the students recall what they were taught the previous year. It granted Adrien plenty of time to plot out the next bits of his plan, and scribble down the words he wanted to make sure he said, hoping he didn't get too emotional.
Finally, the bell rang for lunch, and he had to keep himself from sprinting to his father's town car. The Gorilla handed Adrien a large grocery bag, then started for home.
“What's that?” Plagg loudly whispered; inching closer to inspect the bag, threatening to just phase through it.
“It's for my anniversary surprise.” Adrien replied with a sweetness and excitement that made Plagg mime a foul taste in his mouth before scurrying back to Adrien's shirt.
“Nevermind,” Plagg murmured, “I don't need to know what crazy scheme you're coming up with this time. Just let me know when it's about to blow up in your face, Romeo.”
Plagg's poor attitude wasn't about to soak into Adrien. He welcomed the peace. Once home, Adrien bee-lined to his bedroom. He tossed his bag onto his desk chair, scooped up a wheel of Camembert he kept in his room, and scurried back to the kitchen; Plagg begrudgingly in tow.
Leaving the Camembert open on the far counter, his phone next to Plagg to keep the kwami entertained, Adrien untucked another note he scribbled down the night before. Checking that Plagg wasn't watching him, Adrien unpacked his bodyguard's shopping.
A container of sprinkles. A bottle of honey. A bag of dried cranberries. A pomegranate. Adrien then riffled through the pantry for a bag of sugar, a bag of flour, and ground Cayenne pepper. He lined his work station with all of the sweets, then checked in with Plagg to make sure his kwami was properly distracted.
Carefully, he finished unpacking the rest of the shopping: another wheel of Camembert, a block of cream cheese, and a small packet of rice flour. Another glance at Plagg to make sure he didn't smell the Camembert and try to steal it, and then Adrien grabbed milk, an egg, and a stick of butter from the refrigerator.
Like a parent leaving his young toddler mildly unattended for the first time, Adrien glanced over at Plagg every couple of minutes, making sure he hadn't moved. Once or twice the magical being did look over to see what Adrien was doing, but upon seeing the wall of sweet ingredients, he turned back to the phone and left Adrien alone.
The most trying bits were plucking the pomegranate arils out, and thickening his treat over a fire without drawing more of Plagg's attention. By the time he was done with his surprise, Adrien only had the time to quickly grab an apple and a handful of almonds for lunch before heading back to school; his treat hidden inside the refrigerator.
Another agonizingly slow second half of the school day ticked by, but it again gave Adrien time to prep his speech for later. Ladybug had told him that she couldn't imagine anyone not knowing exactly how he felt, and he was determined to make sure that was true. He needed to rush when he got home, though, to make sure everything was perfect before he had to head out to meet up with Ladybug. It was a small window, but luckily it was one of the few days he didn't have an after school activity, and the homework was still fairly light.
The final bell was a sweet sound, and he nearly bolted out of the classroom. Adrien only managed to contain himself long enough to say goodbye to Nino and wave to the girls; keeping himself as perceptively calm as possible to not rouse suspicion.
“Finally!” Adrien sighed as he got back to his bedroom. He jogged up his spiral steps to the mezzanine where he kept his DVDs, books, and video games. Scooping up the one he knew to be Plagg's favorite, he rushed back to his TV and popped the game in. “Here ya go, buddy.” He placed the controller on the sofa and gestured for Plagg to take his spot beside it. “I just need to finish up that surprise. Mind entertaining yourself a bit more?”
“Pfft. Fine! I get it. I guess I don't need any love today,” Plagg grumbled, but he still accepted the offered controller and started up his game.
Adrien slowly backed away, making sure to finish whatever prep-work he could manage in his room so that Plagg saw that he was nearby. Once he was confident his kwami was too distracted to notice him sneaking out, Adrien raced to the kitchen. Pulling his surprise out of the refrigerator, he placed it on a dish, and pulled out the final item he had asked his bodyguard to get: a box of club crackers.
~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~
“Plagg?” Adrien creaked his door open, slid inside, and carefully closed it behind him. A little metal food dome rested on top of a plate in his left hand. Adrien's eyes darted between the domed plate and the video game still playing on the TV. Raising his voice slightly, Adrien called out for his kwami again.
“Ha! Take that!” Plagg finished up his battle in the game, then paused it. “Adrien? Is it time to meet up with Ladybug already? I was hoping to get some dinner in.” He pouted as he floated over to his holder.
Adrien shook his head, and struggled against the smile fighting to spread across his face. “I have something else I needed to make sure to do before meeting up with L.B. tonight.” He held the plate out for Plagg. “I hope this works for dinner. Go ahead, lift the dome.”
Plagg quirked an eyebrow, but complied. The metal dome then crashed to the floor.
Sitting on the plate was a kind of sloppily, but lovingly, made cheese ball. It was a little lumpy across the top, and it looked a bit softer than it probably should. The sides were decorated with panels of club crackers, and pomegranate arils were sprinkled across the top, along with crushed walnuts, and a honey drizzle. More crackers, some grapes Adrien had found sitting out in the fruit bowl, and a couple of slices of brie lined the plate like a moat around the cheese ball.
“I know it's a bit sweeter than what you normally like, but-”
Plagg's eyes watered up. “It's beautiful, Adrien. The most magnificent thing I've ever seen!”
Adrien blushed slightly, then placed the plate down on the coffee table in front of his sofa. He peeled one of the club crackers off the side of the cheese ball, and used it to cut into his masterpiece. The inside of the ball was stained red from the chopped up dried cranberries hidden throughout the cheese mixture. He offered the coated cracker to Plagg.
“Happy anniversary, Plagg. A year ago today I opened that jewelry box and found you and my Miraculous, and, well, I wanted to make sure I celebrated with you before I celebrated with Ladybug. Especially since I only met her because of you.”
Plagg greedily devoured the cheese covered cracker, then went for another bite.
“When did you do this?”
“Over lunch. I tried to throw you off with the sprinkles and sugar and stuff.” Adrien peeled another cracker off the cheese ball and tried some of his concoction. It didn't look pretty, but it did taste fairly good. The recipe he found online was thankfully simple enough for him to follow. He'd have to remember to leave a kind review on it later.
“You did this for me? Today?”
“Of course. I- wait, hold on a second.” Adrien dug his notes from earlier out of his pocket. Unfolding his speech, Adrien cleared his throat.
“Plagg, I should make more of a point of making sure you know this, but especially today, I wanted to prove to you how much you mean to me. You aren't just my kwami. You're not even just my friend. You're my family, and there are days where you feel like the only one I have.”
Plagg hovered over his cheese ball present, a cracker dangling from his little flipper-hands as he gaped at Adrien.
“I can truly be myself around you, Plagg. I can follow the rules. I can be a little rebellious. I can be mellow and reserved. I can be free-spirited and playfully over-the-top. I can be stupidly lovesick, and I can be confused as to what love even is. I can be on the top of the world, loving life. I can even be freely sad. I know you accept me and love me for who I am, and you do so much to try to make sure I feel that love.”
“Hey now,” Plagg sniffled, swallowing the cheese-dipped cracker whole before wiping tears away. “Don't go all cheesy on me! I- I just- I was-”
“Being a great friend,” Adrien replied. “You try all the time to cheer me up and make sure I know I have someone in my corner. You may tease me, but it's all good-natured, and to my benefit, actually. You even root for me and Ladybug to get together, even after complaining about how much I talk about her. You try to be your best self around me, and you encourage me to do the same. When it looks like my heart will be broken, you also help me figure out my next move, or how I might be able to move on.”
Adrien tucked his speech away, and scooped Plagg up in the palms of his hands. “You always have my back, and are there for me even when I fear that Ladybug isn't. You cheer me up when I miss my mom, or I'm sad about my father. You help me remember to have fun. I can talk to you about anything, and- and even if I could never be Chat Noir again – if I could never feel that level of freedom again – I would still want you by my side. I need you, Plagg, as my brother. As my truest friend. I would never want to give our friendship up.”
Adrien pulled Plagg close to his chest, cradling the small being near his heart. “I love you, Plagg. You mean so much to me, and I hope you know that.”
Plagg again sniffled back some tears as he wrapped Adrien in as tight of a hug as his tiny body would allow.
“You truly are the best Chat Noir I've ever had, Adrien. I love you too. Thank you, for everything.”
“Same.”
They hugged for another couple of seconds before Plagg pushed back against Adrien's chest, batting him away. “Okay, okay, okay. This is getting way too sappy! Let me go!”
Laughing, Adrien complied.
“Alright, we can't let this cheese go to waste now, can we? Let's go, otherwise I'm just eating it all myself.” Plagg scraped more cheese off with a cracker, then popped it in his mouth, shortly followed by a grape.
“Yeah. Okay.” Adrien tossed a grape into his own mouth. “Happy anniversary, buddy.”
“Yeah. You too.” Plagg did the closest thing to a blush that Adrien ever saw. Then the two quietly munched away at more of the cheese ball Adrien made, enjoying the time they had together before Chat Noir was due to meet up with Ladybug.
Did you enjoy this? Check out my other Plagg Appreciation Day stories.
Breaking Monotony
Summary: Plagg’s days are all starting to feel exactly the same. As he goes through yet another school day with Adrien, he wonders if he can do something to start shaking up the status quo. At the same time, though, he reflects on how great it is that his life is fairly predictable.
Forever in Darkness
Summary: Plagg has always been in darkness. It had become all he knew. Then he got a ray of sunshine, and it helped save him. There was a reason he believes Adrien is the best Chat Noir ever.
Alternatively, I JUST started up a series (I still don’t quite understand the collections set-up) on AO3 that will also house all of my Plagg Appreciation Day stories.
The next Friday 13th is in November. Who wants to join me in showing Plagg some love? Did you post any Plagg appreciation today? Please send me a tag! I’d love to see what you did. :D
