Marinette didn't know what to expect when she leaped into Adrien's room via the window.
All the text had said was [Get over here] and nothing else. There wasn't even a second text afterward, so her imagination had started to run wild.
It could have been a sneaky Akuma.
There could be a family emergency.
It could be something concerning one of their friends.
Something could be wrong with his Miraculous - okay, that one was kinda doubtful, but…
"What is it?!" she cried the second her feet touched the ground. Instinctively, she looked around the room, searching for signs of trouble. "What's-"
The question died on her tongue as Adrien - completely unharmed, not-threatened, and actually grinning gleefully - waved her over, one finger over his lips. "Look," he whispered, pointing to his bed.
Panic immediately fading, Ladybug frowned and slowly made her way over. Halfway there, she dropped the transformation, allowing Tikki to hover at her shoulder. "What-"
"Shh!"
"What," she began again, whispering this time, "is it? Why'd you text me like that?"
"Sorry, sorry, I just- Okay, so I did a charity shoot for the animal shelter, for an adoption event that's coming up, and I saw they were selling- And I had to buy some, just as a joke, really, and-" Adrien could barely finish his sentences, biting his fist a bit. It didn't hide the huge smile on his face though, as he gestured to the bedspread again. "And it was only a joke but I didn't actually think - Marinette, look!"
She looked.
Tikki looked.
And suddenly they were torn between laughing and letting out a high-pitched awwwwww.
On the bedspread was a little mound of catnip. At least, it had been a mound, before it was spread out and knocked around.
And in the middle of the catnip...was Plagg.
The tiny god was lying flat on his back, staring at the ceiling with dilated pupils. His paws were curled slightly, resting above his chest, and his feet were slack. Once in a while one of his ears would twitch, or one of his paws would, but that was the extent of movement.
But the best part was the low but steady purr he was emitting.
"He's been frozen like this for about ten minutes," Adrien whispered, leaning in and carefully poking one of Plagg's paws. He smiled wider when the paw twitched a little, bapping at thin air. "I was only kidding when I got it out, I didn't think it would actually work on him!" After a short pause, he and Marinette looked over at Tikki. "Uh, he will be okay, right?"
Tikki sighed affectionately, a look of amusement on her face. "He'll be fine," she said. "After another five minutes. This never lasts long."
"Wait, it's happened before?" Marinette asked.
"Oh, it's the funniest story, I'll have to tell you about the time he was owned by a farmer and-"
"Oh my God, look, look, look!"
Marinette and Tikki swung their gazes back over to Plagg. He hadn't changed position, but his eyes were slowly sliding shut, and…
"Wait…" Marinette whispered gleefully. "Is he…?"
Plagg was purring louder now, eyes nearly closed all the way as if in sleep. And slowly but surely, a tiny sliver of pink was appearing.
"He is," Adrien whispered loudly. "He's blepping. Oh my God, he's blepping."
"Oh my Goooood," Marinette squealed as quietly as she could, bringing her fists to her mouth and bouncing in place. "Oh my God, let me get my camera!" Hurriedly, she dropped to her knees, fished her phone out of her pocket, and in no time was taking several pictures of the catnip'd kwami.
"I'm sending this to Master Fu," she whispered. "This is adorable."
"Text me one later, too."
"Oh my God, do we have time for a video?"
Tikki sighed again as both teens looked imploringly at her. "Three more minutes til he comes down," she said simply.
The two of them squealed again, Marinette switching from 'picture' to 'video.'
Tikki hung back, but couldn't help laughing at the sight herself. It was funny when it actually happened, she thought to herself. And it might be happening a lot more, with the animal shelter selling-
"Oh! Oh, you know what, I just remembered, they also sell bubble solution with catnip so you can blow bubbles and it has the same effect-"
"Oh my God, then we could-!"
Yep. It'd be happening.
