Chapter Text
“Chat Noir! The akuma—the akuma is hidden in the—”
There was loud static, an unbearable and stressful noise in his ears. Chat Noir blinked once or twice, his eyes sore, as he tried to listen to the feminine voice. As he lifted his head, he could barely see the darkened figure stalking towards them like a predator, bending down and reaching for the girl first. Despite her screams and weak attempts to throw off the figure, they did not budge.
The girl struggled, trying to wrestle out of the figure’s grip, but to no success. “Chat Noir, you need to wake up!” she begged, her voice thick with distraught as she jerked her head away, trying to fight for control. Unshed tears shone in her dark eyes as she pleaded with her partner. “Kitty, please! It’s all a part of her trick; you have to remember! You have to remember!”
He blinked again, trying to make sense of everything that happened. Nothing felt real—everything felt wrong, but for some reason, he couldn’t recall why. He knew he was supposed to be doing something but could not remember. His head pounded, throbbing with an intense, nauseating pain.
“Chat Noir, you have to get up!” she called again as the figure plucked the earrings from her ears. “No—you can’t—Chat Noir, please!” the girl screamed as a red light washed over her. “You have to listen to me, kitty! Her akuma is in her—”
Adrien woke up just before the hero could tell him where this “akuma” was, startled by his blaring alarm. Perspiration stained his clothes and drenched his sheets and pillows as he panted and huffed, clutching his chest and trying to still his racing heart. For the past few days, he had been having a strange dream where he was a superhero called Chat Noir, and he was always accompanied by a girl in a red-and-black suit. He couldn’t recall the details most of the time, but he always remembered a girl screaming at him, begging him to remember and wake up as the world sank into chaos.
It always confused Adrien, leaving him dazed and temporarily stunned. He wondered why she cried and begged him to wake up and remember. That shadow of dread always hung over him. Adrien had never been one to look too deeply into supernatural events, but the dream felt like a bad omen—like a warning from above. Nevertheless, he tried to shake it off and convince himself that it was just the stress from studying for the upcoming finals and his unsteady relationship with his father.
Ugh, that’s not something he wanted to think about right now.
As the sun's golden rays streamed into his room and he turned off his alarm, he sighed quietly, running a hand through his blonde hair before sliding out of bed. “Good morning, Plagg,” he greeted as the fuzzy companion darted out from his little bed, purring and rubbing himself against Adrien’s shins.
He barely got a second before he heard knocking on the door. “Adrien, are you awake?” Nathalie asked.
“Yeah, I’m getting ready to feed Plagg,” Adrien called, picking up Plagg as Nathalie entered and pushed up her glasses. He smiled at her, cradling Plagg against his chest and scratching behind his ear. “Is Father going to join me at breakfast today?”
Nathalie shook her head, checking her tablet. “Unfortunately, your father’s schedule is full today. He will not be able to join you at breakfast today,” she explained, never missing how Adrien’s smile faltered. Of course, he was expecting that answer, but for once, Adrien would like to be proved wrong—would like his father to put him first instead of his fashion line. But that’s wishful thinking; Adrien knew he would never change overnight, but he could still cling to that hope.
No matter how foolish it may seem.
“Speaking of schedules,” Nathalie continued, swiping to the next page and pushing up her glasses. “Your father has you scheduled for a last-minute photoshop after class today,” she explained, handing the tablet to Adrien. “It’s for a charity ball. All the proceeds will fund local hospitals and medical research.”
Adrien exhaled quietly, scanning the list. Immediately after his classes, his bodyguard, Gorilla, would pick him up after school and take him to his Chinese lesson with Fu-jiáoshòu*. Then, he would attend his fencing lessons with M. D’argencourt, and Gorilla would pick him up and take him to the nearby park so he could model his father’s new spring/summer fashion line and the outfits for the charity ball.
Apparently, polka dots were all the rage these days.
“Is this everything?” Adrien asked, returning the tablet to Nathalie and brushing his hair out of his face.
Nathalie nodded. “I have breakfast for you on the table,” she said.
“Is it those awful wheat pancakes again?” Adrien frowned. “They have no flavor.”
“You’re good for you. They’re filled with the nutrients that you need. You know how your father is about high-processed foods and sugars,” Nathalie corrected, turning on her heel and heading out the door. “Please be down in twenty minutes. I would like to have you out the door before traffic hits. The last thing we want is for you to be late for your classes.”
His father had always been strict about his schedule (and every other aspect of his life). It was imperative that Adrien followed the meticulously crafted plan; his father said it was good for a boy his age, especially because he was a model—a popular and upcoming one at that. “You need to look your best at all times. You represent the Agreste company. We can’t settle for anything less than perfection,” was what Gabriel always said when Adrien asked before dismissing him with a vague wave of his hand.
It was quite irksome, but Adrien went along with it as he did not want to fight with his father. Sometimes, it was best for Adrien to keep his opinions to himself and just follow his (packed) schedule.
“Okay. I’ll be down in fifteen minutes,” was all Adrien could muster up, shutting the door behind Nathalie and pressing his head against the cold exterior. Some days, Adrien wished that his father would be the one to greet him in the morning instead of his assistant. Of course, Adrien loved Nathalie and thought of her as family—something akin to a mother, but it still hurt that his father had closed himself off and left almost everything to Nathalie. He knew losing his mother was still taking a toll on him, but Adrien needed him, too.
Sighing, Adrien scratched under Plagg’s chin and reached under his bed for a can of wet cat food. His feline companion meowed in approval, nosing his bowl closer. “You’re so impatient,” he laughed, mixing the wet food with the dry food and moving Plaggs’s bowl closer. When the feline started to eat, Adrien scratched behind his ears and headed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
Adrien couldn’t help but think about his dream as hot water pelted him. The details were fuzzy, but the pain always felt so real, like he was there in the moment. The way the girl called out his name left his stomach twisting and turning. She kept saying that he needed to wake up and remember.
But what? What did she want him to remember?
Maybe the dream was nothing, conjured up from stress from upcoming finals, his father’s outrageous demands, and the anniversary of his mother’s passing. This time of the month was never good for the Agreste family, Adrien especially. While he and his father weren’t particularly close, Adrien adored his mother and loved being around her, hanging onto the end of her sleeves with a bright smile on his face.
Like his father, he mourned her when she passed. Even at such a young age, he knew there was a possibility that his mother would never recover from her illness, but it still hurt.
Shaking off the depressing thoughts, Adrien turned off the shower and stepped out. He quickly styled his hair back and slipped into his school uniform, smoothing the wrinkles in his brown blazer and blue slacks. Once done, he stepped out and grabbed his bag before heading downstairs to have a quick breakfast.
There was a good chance he wouldn’t touch the pancakes his father prepared.
The kitchen and dining hall, as expected, were empty. The only sign that anyone even touched a stove was the small platter of flat pancakes and sliced fruit. Adrien weakly smiled at Nathalie, sitting down and prodding his breakfast. He wasn’t allowed to add anything to the pancakes as his father feared it would ruin his diet and because he “didn’t need the extra sugar.” Still, Adrien attempted to choke them down, only managing to get through four bites before pushing away his plate of pancakes and settling for the sliced oranges.
Nathalie frowned. “Are you not hungry?” she asked.
“Um, I’m still full from dinner last night,” Adrien lied as he finished the last of his orange slices.
“I see,” she murmured before checking her watch. “It’s time for you to leave for school. Your bodyguard has your lunch and is waiting outside.”
Adrien nodded, pushing in his seat. “Thank you, Nathalie. I’ll see you after my photo shoot,” he said. Without another word, he headed to the car, smiling as his bodyguard opened the door. He slid into his seat, getting comfortable, and took the bagged lunch from Gorilla.
“Check inside the bag,” Gorilla signed in the mirror.
Inside the bag was a small brown bag with golden cursive writing. Adrien smiled, knowing it was a pastry from the Dupain-Cheng bakery. “Thank you,” he said softly, taking the pain au chocolat from the brown wrapping paper, feeling how warm it was. The first bite was like heaven. Chocolate oozed into his mouth, rich and decadent with each bite.
It was so much better than the pancakes.
Just as he finished the last piece, they arrived, and Gorilla gave Adrien a curt nod. “Thank you again. You’re the best,” Adrien smiled before shutting the door. As Gorilla drove off, he prepared himself for the day. He knew that Mrs. Bustier planned for a study period and allowed them to ask any final questions before the test.
“Adrikins!” came Chloe’s voice from the entrance. Adrien barely had a chance to brace himself as she flung herself into his arms and kissed his cheek. She pulled back and wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling and batting her lashes. “I heard that you were coming to the charity ball.”
“It was last minute, but yes, I’ll be attending tonight,” Adrien said.
“Perfect! Oh, I’ll have to see if Uncle Gabriel will let us come together. After all, a Princess needs her Prince,” she cooed, kissing his cheek and sashaying up the stairs with Sabrina in tow. Adrien touched his cheek, feeling the sticky residue of her gloss and nude lipstick.
Nino stood beside Adrien, leaning on his shoulder while giving him a look. “Your old man really needs to let you breathe once in a while,” he said. “Also, going to a charity ball with Chloe? Good luck, dude. You’re going to need it.”
Adrien frowned. “She’s not that bad,” he argued.
“Sure, sure. Whatever you say, dude,” Nino said, dropping the subject. “Are you ready for the finals? I heard Mrs. Bustier will let us go over our notes before the test.”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Adrien breathed out. He was fairly certain that he would pass just fine, but his insides were still jittery.
“I was thinking maybe we could do a study party after school. I’m sure your old man can’t say no to that,” Nino said, heading up the stairs and taking off his hat and headphones. “It’ll be me, Alya, and Marinette. We’ll meet at Marinette’s place after her club lets out.”
“I’ll have to ask my father. I mean, it’s not hanging out.”
Nino nudged his shoulder, grinning. “Call him during lunch. If he says no, we can always work something else out.”
As they headed up the stairs and towards their lockers, Adrien smiled and waved at Marinette, who blushed hard and waved back. “Good morning, Marinette,” he greeted. “Are you ready for our finals?”
Marinette nodded, hurriedly shoving her bag and books into her locker. “Uh, yeah, I-I, us was studying all night,” she said, her cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes darted from her shoes to Adrien’s eyes a few times before she audibly swallowed. “Did you have any issue with the packet Mrs. Bustier assigned? The questions were a bit.. uh…”
“Difficult?” Adrien finished.
“Y-Yeah. But I’m confident I’ll—I mean, we’ll pass,” Marinette corrected, her cheeks only turning a darker shade of red. “Um, are you going to come over for the study group? Nino said he would talk to you for me—I mean, he would invite you over and tell me,” she corrected, her cheeks flaring red as she shut her locker, turning to properly face Adrien. “Unless you can’t come. I understand if you can’t. Your father is very… strict.”
“I’ll see if my father will allow it. I would really like to come. After your club, right?” he asked. “Maybe I can go to your club with you, and we can walk home together?”
Marinette nodded, holding her books to her chest. “Y-yeah, that would be great! I would love to walk home with you,” she smiled. She flinched when the bell rang, and Adrien couldn’t help but chuckle, his lips stretched out in a smile.
“We should probably head to class before Mrs. Bustier marks us as tardy,” Adrien suggested, setting his bag in his respective locker and grabbing his tablet and textbooks. They both hurried along, nearly sprinting down the hall and slipping into class when their teacher’s back was turned. Adrien sat beside Nino, thankful that no one decided to rat them out.
“Now, please,” Mrs. Bustier said once she finished writing the lesson plan on the chalkboard. “I want you to study your notes, so feel free to ask any questions. This would also be a good time to finish your packets if you have not.”
“Father, please,” Adrien pleaded over the phone, pacing in the bathroom and chewing his bottom lip. “I can still attend the charity ball tonight. It’s just a quick study session with my friends. I-I’ll even have my bodyguard come with me—
“The answer is no, Adrien,” Gabriel firmly stated. “You are to come straight to your photoshoot after school. Those were my terms when I enrolled you in school.”
Adrien swallowed hard. “Can’t you make an exception this once? It’s for my finals. I need all the help I can get,” he begged in a small voice.
“Nathalie can tutor you tonight. I will see you at the charity ball, Adrien.” The line went dead, and Adrien stood there, unsure how to react. Deep down, he expected this outcome, but he hoped he would be proved wrong and get a chance to see his friends outside of school.
Sighing deeply, Adrien begrudgingly entered the school and dragged himself down the nearly empty corridors. He passed students, listening to them talk about their afterschool plans or how they couldn’t wait for finals to be over. He passed colorful banners, listened to club members go over their planned events, and watched as they pinned more posters to the walls and doors. They were all so lucky to have a normal social life.
He would do anything for that—to be treated normally.
“Adrikins!” Chloe squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close. She giggled, leaning her head on his shoulder and batting her lashes. “You never stay after school. I thought Uncle Gabriel had you on a tight leash,” she teased, standing to his side and holding onto his arm. She then gasped dramatically, her eyes twinkling with a sly glint, and her lips curled into a mischievous grin. “Are you finally rebelling against Uncle Gabriel? I knew you would do it one day! Oh, you should come to my club! Well, not my club, but I am pretty important,” she started, dragging Adrien down the halls and to her club.
Adrien could hardly get a word in, rendered speechless and at Chloe’s complete mercy. She pushed Adrien in and smiled, clinging onto her best friend. “Well, I brought someone of equal importance,” Chloe beamed, resting her head on his shoulder. “You’re welcome, everyone. No need to thank me,” she hummed.
“You’re not that important,” a voice quietly argued from behind. Adrien whipped his head around, waving at Marinette. She blushed and sputtered, her cheeks flaring a bright red. “A-Adrien!? What are you doing at Literature Club?” Marinette questioned.
“Literature club?” Adrien questioned with a raised brow. He then looked at Chloe. “I didn’t know you liked…”
“Writing? I don’t,” Chloe answered bluntly, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder. “Daddy made me get an afterschool hobby, or else he would take away my allowance. He said I can’t spend all my time online and shopping. It’s just cruel, I tell you,” she huffed, escorting Adrien to a desk in front of the class. “Well, you already met half of the club already. The other two are Tsurugi and Rossi—Rossi is our club leader, but it should have been me because my daddy helps us with funding and—”
“Oh, I didn’t think you would ever join a club,” Lila chimed in, shutting the door behind her as she waltzed in with a stack of paper, various aged books, and a plastic container of sugary, gooey treats. She circled around Adrien and placed the items on one of the empty desks before waltzing in front of him with a giggle. “Did M. Agreste finally let you join a club?” she questioned.
“It doesn’t matter,” Chloe said, holding Adrien’s arm possessively, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t you have treats to pass out?”
“Would it be alright if I just sit in for a session and decide from there? I mean… I might as well stay since I’m here,” Adrien said.
Lila hummed, sitting on the adjacent desk with her legs crossed. “It would be nice to have more members,” she said. “We just have to wait for Kagami, and then we can get started.”