Chapter Text
It’s been a long flight back home for Adrien, sitting all alone in a plane he’s father ordered him to board. And why? He’s done nothing wrong (as usual, said the little voice inside his head that just happen to sound a lot like Plagg) and yet he had to leave New York City with all his friends still there without even having a chance to say goodbye to them.
Nothing wrong? He cringed a little. It’s not like he has done nothing wrong, on the contrary, he’s done a horrible thing - he almost killed someone - but he seriously doubted that’s why he’s been punished by his father.
But it’s not the only thing he’s done wrong. Plagg, he thinks, I owe him lots of camembert for abandoning him like that. He feels so lucky that he’s kwami didn’t say anything yet about what happened. Well, he didn’t have time to actually say anything. After Uncanny Vally has given him back his ring and he had to run to help Ladybug save the day, Plagg was tired, or maybe he just pretended to be tired so they didn’t have to have this awkward conversation - Adrien wasn’t sure.
Anyway, the kwami was calmly sleeping on top of Adrien’s lap and it didn’t look like they were going to talk about it any time soon.
Coming back to the big, cold mansion has come yet too soon for Adrien’s taste. Nathalie nodded her head to greet him to which he replied with the same gesture. He has not seen his father yet but that wasn’t unusual for them.
Only after he closed the door to his room and sighed, Plagg left the pocket in which he had been hiding and looked at his chosen.
- So… How was your trip? - he asked, smirking.
- I’m sorry Plagg. For everything. - Adrien answered lowering his head. - I didn’t know what to do. I was wrong. I’m sorry I hurt you.
- Could you calm down, Kid? - Plagg laughed - I’m not angry or hurt. How could I? I’m a thousand years old god of destruction and you’re just a teenage boy dealing with hormones, stupid ideas, and monsters for parents. I couldn’t care less.
- Thanks, Plagg - said Adrien, not really sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. - I appreciate it. - he added with a sad smile.
Plagg flew right towards a fridge where his camembert was stored and bit a wedge then looked back at a boy still standing by the door with his had low. He sighed.
- But I was serious. - He said - How was your trip? Did you have fun?
- Yeah, I guess. - said Adrien and then started to unpack his suitcase. - I think I did have fun. For a while at least.
- You mean when you were watching the sunset with Pigtails or after when you were dancing with her? - Plagg teased while devouring the rest of the cheese.
- All of it actually. But also the museum and hot dogs and…
- So basically you liked spending time with your just a friend , get it. - smirked Plagg - Funny you didn’t mention Ladybug. She was there as well. Don’t you like spending time with her too? - he added with a shit-eating grin.
Adrien looked at him as if he had grown another head.
- No. I do. It’s just Ladybug is mostly work and little fun and Marinette is lots of fun and litt... Oh, you know what I mean. - he said exasperated - Ladybug was not in New York to have fun. Actually, I don’t really know what she was there for.
- Hmm… - continued Plagg - so you prefer fun to work? At last! - he screamed - Ever since we met it’s like all you do is what others tell you to do. Boring! And now you’ve done what you wanted and you liked it. I’m so proud of you, kid! - he said mockingly.
- Thanks. - answered Adrien, missing sarcasm - You’re right. Kagami and father didn’t want me to go and yet I did have fun.
Plagg saw the opportunity and flew back to his chosen to sit on his shoulder while Adrien put his clean clothes back to the closet.
- So how do you feel about it?
- About what exactly? - asked Adrien without looking at him.
- About doing the thing your girlfriend did not want you to do. - Plagg explained.
- She’s not my girlfriend, Plagg. - He answered. - She’s just a friend.
Plagg sighed exasperatedly. Another “just a friend”, huh?
- Sure, kid. - he said - Looks like you have a type, though.
- Huh? - Adrien turned back from a neat pile of clothes he just put on the shelf and looked at his kwami - What do you mean?
- Oh, you know - he said, pretending to check his nonexistent nails - Ladybug, Pigtails, Kagami. It’s like your whole world turns around the three of them. Your just a friend s /loves of your life . It’s tiring.
Adrien sat down on his bed and thought about it for a while.
- What’s this all about? - he asked at last.
- What do you mean? - said Plagg.
- Why are you teasing me like this? - asked Adrien - What’s your point in all of this?
Plagg sat down on the backrest of the sofa and stared at his chosen for a moment.
- Because I lied. - he finally admitted. - I was angry and hurt.
Adrien gasped.
- Plagg, I meant what I said. I am sorry.
- I know. - He cut in. - I know. It’s just… You’re my kitten and I want you to be happy but I also want to see you happy. You know what I mean? - he added shyly.
Adrien nodded his head to show that he understands but also to shake off the tears that appeared in his eyes. It’s not every day his kwami shows emotions that are not his love for stinky cheese.
- I really am sorry Plagg. I promise to never let you down again. - said Adrien apologetically.
- I know, kid. I know. - he answered, knowing full well he will never give his chosen a chance to do this again.
Plagg may be a little shit, who only appears to care about his stomach but deep down he grows attached to his black cats. He really cares about Adrien and wants him to be happy. He never jokes about his kittens.
That night Adrien spent lying awake in his bed listening to his kwami’s quiet snoring. He couldn’t decide whether it was jet lag or just overthinking but the truth was his thoughts stayed across the ocean with a certain girl.
Marinette outdid herself to help him. She persuaded his father to let him go on this trip, she talked to him when no one did and she smelled so sweetly when he hugged her on the plane.
Wait. What?
He must have been really tired to think something like this. Sure, Marinette’s nice and warm, and being with her feels like something he hasn’t experienced in a long time and he loves spending time with her, and… Did he say ‘love’? No. He likes it. A lot. But she is just a friend.
But what if Plagg is right, he kept thinking about his kwami’s teasing from a couple of hours before. He said ‘loves of his life’. Adrien doesn’t love Marinette. He would know that. He loves Ladybug.
Also, although Marinette is such a good friend she still tends to be a little awkward around him. He remembered visiting the wax museum and her conversation with ‘the statue of Adrien’.
He smiles at his memories. She was hilarious but also looked hurt when it turned out he was the statue. What is it with him hurting others even when he doesn’t want to?
But, on the other hand, she did seem to enjoy watching the sunset or dancing with him. It was so nice to have her in his arms. Almost as nice as having Ladybug.
What is he thinking about?! He is in love with Ladybug, not Marinette. Besides, there’s Luka.
Not really content with his conclusion he finally fell asleep.
After spending almost 8 hours on a plane, then nearly 2 hours at the airport collecting all the pieces of baggage and on a bus to school Marinette was happy to finally be back home.
Seeing all the damage made by the sentimonster when she was away made her feel sad and sorry. She should have been there to stop all the destruction or at least Chat Noir should have been here to let her know she was needed.
No! It wasn’t Chat’s fault, she thought, it was Mayura’s. If she hadn’t let the sentimonster on the loose, there wouldn’t be any damage to the city. Chat was not the one to blame.
She set her suitcase on the stairs and opened the door to her apartment above her parents’ bakery. Instantly the smell of the freshly baked cookies filled her nose. She was at home.
- Marinette! - screamed her mom while hugging her tightly - You’re finally home!
- Marinette?! - asked her father running out of the kitchen - My sweet little girl! - he added and hugged both of them.
- How was your trip? - her mom wanted to know - Did you meet anyone cool? Have you tried some new food?
- Yes, I’ll set up some tea and you’ll tell us everything. - said dad and disappeared in the kitchen he’s just left.
Marinette brought her suitcase to her room and came back downstairs to talk to her parents. The tea and the cookies were excellent as always and it helped her feel better about what happened with Adrien and Chat Noir in New York or about the damaged city she had seen on her way home. Not that she mentioned any of this to her parents. They bombarded her with questions about America and her flight.
- But please tell me how are you feeling? - she could finally ask - I was so worried about you. I’ve heard about the sentimonster and that none of the heroes were here to help.
- Oh, we’re absolutely fine, darling. - said Sabine - Luckily no one was seriously hurt.
Marinette wasn’t sure it was - in fact - luck. She felt responsible for what happened and guilty that she couldn’t have been there to stop it. She couldn’t even think what would she do if someone got seriously hurt or worse - killed.
That made her think about Chat Noir again and she felt sorry for him. If that was how she felt it means he must be in a much worse condition. She should talk to him soon. Preferably tonight.
Then she realized she drifted away with her thoughts.
- And what about Ladybug and Chat Noir? - she asked.
- What about them, sweetheart? - asked dad.
- Are people angry with them? You know, for not being here? - Marinette explained.
- Of course not. - said Tom, but Marinette could tell he was lying - Ok, maybe some of them are because their houses have been destroyed but the rest of us understand they have an important and responsible job and they cannot be blamed.
- Besides - added her mom - It is not fair to expect them to be in two places at the same time with Mayura being here and Hawkmoth in New York City. We’re actually happy they were there. Who knows what would we do if they hadn’t and something bad had happened to you. - she said sadly.
- Oh, mom, dad! - Marinette hugged them both. - I know. I was so worried about you too. I’m just happy we’re all ok.
Yes, she will talk to her partner tonight. And she’s gonna make sure he does not blame himself. And she may just have an idea.