This idea hit me last night and I just had to write it.

AU set up where only Ladybug was awakened, no cat miraculous released out and she's been fighting on her own. Adrien longs to help the heroine, and finds something helpful in his father's safe...

Just going to add this to my possible future fic lists.

"Alright," Adrien murmured, tugging at his clothes, straightening his posture, and securing that he had a good hold on his backpack. He was so jittery and nervous and excited. "I'm going to make it," he declared, determined and sure.

"You'll make it!" Juuno echoed, the little blue god beaming in pride, eyes already getting misty.

"I'm going to go to school today!"

"You will!"

"I will make friends!"

"Yes!"

"And then," Adrien continued, entirely pumped as he headed out of his room, "we'll get Ladybug to accept Paon!" And then he could help her! He could finally help the heroine in her fight with Hawk Moth! That is if he could get her to accept him. The first time he tried to help the lady in red, she had kicked his feet out from under him and searched him, and wound up utterly baffled when she couldn't find a possessed item on him.

He tried to make it clear that he wasn't an akuma, that he did want to help her; but she had stomped it down, rushing away as her earrings beeped.

He knew he could help her; Juuno wasn't sure about in terms of fighting, but they still could help her. Juuno offered that they could be her shield.

They just had to get the leery bug to listen.

"We will," Juuno reassured, resting on Adrien's shoulder. "Ladybug will listen."

"...She will?" he asked after a moment, sparing a glance to the peacock like being.

Juuno nodded, floating up to nuzzle Adrien's cheek. "No matter what, I see you helping her. You just have to patient. Ladybug will trust Paon. Just got to keep at it."

Right. He'll make it. He just had to keep at it. He'll get to help her one day.

Just as he's going to go to school toda-

"Oh my tail is curling!" Juuno voiced, fretful. Adrien stopped, watching the kwami float up and grimace at the blue tail in the mirror. Then tried to straighten the tail feathers, tilting it to and fro and fretting over any curls that were founded.

"Juuno!" Adrien hissed, waving to the door that was right there!

They were so close!

"But my tail!" Juuno cried.

Scoffing, he came by the kwami. "There's nothing wrong with your tail..." Adrien trailed, catching sight of his reflection in the mirror. What was that? That little red dot on his hairline... Was that a zit? Was that the unholy monstrosity that his father and Nathalie warned him about? Why was that there?!

"I can't go like this!" Adrien bemoaned, stepping closer and poking at the ugly red bump.

It was so big and hideous...

"My tail," Juuno echoes, then squints at the antennas at the back of the head. Those were supposed to be straight...

"Adrien?"

Both jumped. Adrien whipped towards the bedroom door while Juuno ducked out of sight. "N-Nathalie?" Adrien greeted, giving her a stiff, sheepish smile.

She raised a brow at him. "What are you doing?"

"Uuuuh, making sure I'm ready for modelling today!"

"And the backpack?"

"Water!" he said quickly. "Get's hot out there!"

Nathalie hummed at that, eyeing him oddly.

Adrien just smiled, stiff and sweating.

"Ok," she said slowly. "We'll be departing in twenty minutes."

"Ok!"

Eyeing him for another moment, she left the blond alone. Once he was sure that she was gone, Adrien fell to the floor, bemoaning. "We lost our chance!" Not only was he caught but he discovered a zit!

"We'll get another chance," Juuno reassured, floating up back to the mirror, grimacing. "Besides, we can't go looking like this!"

Adrien flopped to his side, moaning.

He made a mental note to get rid of that mirror. They could not afford such distractions. Sitting up with a sigh, Adrien was about to get up and set his bag down for another try tomorrow, only to pause when he saw Ladybug dash by. He caught sight of a tired smile on her lips, her eyes closed as she took in the rush of air against her face. He started after her, wishful.

"Soon!" Juuno called from across the room, "Very soon!"

"Just got to be patient," he murmured.

He'll be working with Ladybug soon.