“It’s impossible,” said Adrien to no one in particular. He was currently watching the Ladyblog, as Alya had just updated it with Ladybug and Chat Noir latest battle.
Plagg, curios as ever, floated towards Adrien. “What’s impossible?”
“Huh? Ah, well, I’m watching the video of the fight and… Chat Noir… he used his cheerleader baton as a sword. He was fencing. “
“Yeah, that guy is weird”
“No… I mean, yes. What I mean is that is impossible because that particular movement…” Adrien paused the video and showed Plagg what movement he meant. “Is my signature. I made that up! And only in class. He shouldn’t know it, much less be able to perform it… unless”
Plagg hoped with all his being that this meant Adrien will finally realize he was Chat Noir. Ever after that akuma that affected memories, he somehow was unaware of him and Chat being the same person, even with Plagg present. But that would be tolerable if not for another little thing…
“Unless our connection goes beyond just being a simple crush. We are harmonized in ways I can’t even comprehend”
Plagg’s eye twitched. He looked at his cheese, then at Adrien still gushing about Chat Noir, then at his cheese again. He decided to raid Mr. Agreste Alcohol cabinet.
After all, just like cheese was controlled destruction, Alcohol was technically the same. Either way he needed a drink.
Adrien lost track of time as he sat there and stared at the photo Ladybug had sent him, accompanied by the sassiest text he’d ever seen. He was so preoccupied that he completely missed Plagg emerging from his bag until Plagg flicked him in the ear. Adrien yelped and jerked away.
“You really need to pull yourself together,” Plagg said, rolling his eyes.
Adrien shot him a scowl. “Can you blame me? She sent me a picture of -”
“I don’t want to know!” Plagg yelped, clasping his paws over his ears. He glared at Adrien. “But you do realize you’re late for class, right?”
“Wh-what?!” Adrien looked down at his phone - really looked this time, not just at the picture Ladybug had sent him, and squeaked in panic when he realized that class had started three minutes ago.
He quickly closed the app and finished straightening out his clothing, then grabbed his bag and ushered a snickering Plagg back inside. The hallway was empty when he slipped out of the closet, much to his relief: the last thing he needed was someone seeing him and wondering why he’d been spending time in the janitor’s closet - or worse, someone seeing him and assuming he’d been in there with a girl.
Which, technically, he had been. But no one else needed to know that.
Mere seconds from the classroom, his hand literally outstretched to twist the knob, his phone rang. Adrien’s heart stuttered and he scrambled to pull out his phone again, but of course it wasn’t Ladybug. It was Nathalie. He sighed and backed away from the door, reluctantly hitting the answer button.
“Adrien, your father has scheduled you a last minute photo session. I’m sending your bodyguard to pick you up,” Nathalie said without preamble.
Adrien’s shoulders slumped. “Now? But I have -”
“We need to make up for that disastrous shoot,” Nathalie interrupted. “Don’t argue; I’ve already notified your teacher that you’ll be out this afternoon. Get here quickly.”
“Yeah, okay,” Adrien said quietly, disappointment welling up in him. “I’ll be right there.”
He didn’t get an answer, not that he expected one. Nathalie just hung up. Adrien sighed again and headed back down the hall. The Gorilla was already outside waiting for him. He walked slowly over to the car and got in the back, closing the door behind him. The warm, happy feelings that his call with Ladybug had generated were gone now, replaced by dread and resignation.
“Chin up, Kid. It won’t be that bad,” Plagg whispered from inside Adrien’s shirt pocket.
“It sure won’t be great,” Adrien said glumly.
“Maybe you can convince Nathalie to let you see your friends after. You could say you’re getting your homework and notes from them,” Plagg suggested.
Adrien looked down at him, frowning. “That’s... not a bad idea. Why are you being helpful?”
“Let’s just say I’m going to lose my mind if you don’t see Marinette today,” Plagg replied.
“Marinette? What? Why?” Adrien said, blinking in confusion.
But Plagg merely curled back up in Adrien’s pocket and refused to say another word no matter how much Adrien poked and prodded at him. Adrien was baffled. Plagg didn’t even know Marinette. Sure he’d heard Adrien talk about her, and he often teased Adrien about Marientte being his girlfriend because he knew how much it bugged Adrien, but why was it so important that he see Marinette today?
All those thoughts were wiped from his mind when he arrived at the venue and was immediately hustled into hair and make-up and then the changing room. The hours ticked by quickly, but that made him no less exhausted by the time it was over and he emerged in his own clothing again to find Nathalie waiting for him.
"You did well,” Nathalie said with her typical wooden smile. “Make sure you do your homework tonight.”
“About that... can I go out and see my friends -”
“No,” Nathalie said.
“But I need to get my homework! Please, I can drop by really quickly and get what I need. It’ll only take like ten minutes,” Adrien pleaded. But as soon as he said it, he knew she wasn’t going to go for it. She didn’t even look at him, instead keeping her focus on her ever-present tablet.
Sure enough, Nathalie shook her head. “Your father wants you to go straight home.”
Adrien opened his mouth to protest and then shut it, recognizing the inevitability of the situation. No matter what he said, he was going to get the same sternly worded answer - and if he pushed it too far, he would be confined to the house for the foreseeable future. He didn’t want that either.
“Okay,” he mumbled, disappointed.
“Do you hear that?” Nathalie said suddenly. “It sounds like... like someone screaming?”
“No, I don’t hear anything,” Adrien lied, clapping a hand to his shirt pocket to help muffle Plagg’s screams of rage. He had no idea what was going on with the kwami today.
Nathalie squinted at him suspiciously. “Right, well. Come on then.”
She escorted him out to the car. Adrien climbed into the backseat, staring out the window as the Gorilla pulled the car away from the curb. He unhappily leaned his head against the window, listening to Plagg mutter and curse. He couldn’t figure out why Plagg was so upset, but Plagg’s mood was only worsening Adrien’s.
At least he had Ladybug to think about. He took his phone out and opened the messaging app to see the picture she’d sent him again. Now wasn’t the time to slow it down; he wanted more from her. And he was pretty sure she wanted the same thing from him. He quickly sent her a message.
CN: Let’s meet tonight, Bugaboo, and I’ll follow through on that promise.
