"Where did that come from!?" Alya asked. The bell had rung, and Marinette had been slow to gather her things, dreading the wave of questions her best friend would surely drown her with. It wasn't until Adrien and Nino were out of the room and out of earshot that Alya had turned to bombard her best friend.
"I-I don't really know-it just, you know, came out!" Marinette pulled at her pig tails nervously.
"You do know you just technically invited your crush to spend two weeks with you," Marinette had no idea Alya's grin could stretch that far. Marinette flushed, a nervous squeak leaving her lips.
"Oh, this is going to end badly, I just know it!" Marinette started to pull at her pig tails in a more aggressive manner. "What if he sees my desk top? Oh, what if he finds his schedule? I have a few pictures of him on my wall! What if he finds my DIARY!?" Marinette hopped from foot to foot, pulling at her hair even more. "Oh no, I need to fix my room, too! I need to find a new background photo, and I need to paste something over his schedule – I'll take it off when he's gone – and my parents! Alya, what about my parents!" Alya pursed her lips with crinkled eyes, hoping to hold in her laughter at her friend's overthinking. After taking a deep breath to calm her giggles, Alya spoke.
"What in the world would your parents do, Marinette?" She asked, hands crossed over her chest. "Bake him cookies? Marinette, they're such sweet people." Marinette looked at her with wide eyes.
"I am so sure my mom already saw my desktop, and my dad, do you think he'll turn into those protective dad's when he sees Adrien? Oh, they'll definitely make a game out of teasing me!" Alya laughed. "What?"
The tan-skinned beauty waved her off,"Nothing, I think you're just exaggerating, is all." Marinette frowned, then her face lit up.
"Alya, I just had an idea! What if you stay, too?" Alya was taken aback by her friends suggestion.
"I don't know. . ."
"Please, please, please!" She was on her knees now, and Alya smiled. As fun as it could've been to watch her friend flush in front of her crush, she decided Marinette had to try this on her own. She couldn't always be there for her. Well, scratch that, she could. But, not in person.
"I don't really think I can. My parents have been planning this Christmas trip since last summer, and my siblings wouldn't want me to leave them alone with my cousins." Marinette pouted. Alya smiled, handing Marinette her bag. "But, tell you what, I'll be in contact with you 24/7. Maybe not in person, but I'll be right on the other end of the line, 'kay?" Marinette sighed, then gave her friend a small smile.
"Okay, I guess that works, too."
"Don't you have something to do?"
"What?" Marinette blinked her eyes, completely obvious.
"I don't know, you said something about a schedule and a desktop background and a few specific pictures pinned to a wall. . ." Alya found her teasing sufficient as Marinette turned tomato red and a panicked shriek left her lips. She jumped up, hopping from one foot to the other.
"I have to start now, the pictures won't take themselves down! I have to speak to my parents a-and clear things up before they get any ideas!" And like that, she zipped out of the room. All Ayla could do was laugh at her friends energy. She shook her head. But something caught her eye. Marinette had left her waist bag on the table.
That's odd, she never lets go of this. Ayla picked it up, putting the strap on her shoulder and started going after her, patting the bag. I'll just pass by and return it, I'm craving some chocolate right now, anyway. Something squirmed inside as she exited the school, the cold winter air greeting her. Ayla rose an eyebrow as she tightened her sweater around herself, having stopped her patting. A muffled voice followed closely behind the squirming.
"What. . . ?" Is it coming from the bag? Ayla lifted the bag right next to her ear. Silence.
Then, she poked it. More squirming and what seemed like an agitated sound of protest.
Yep, it was definitely the bag.
The blogger looked around inconspicuously. There were too many eyes. Who knew what her friend had in there. If it was something embarrassing she definitely didn't want everyone to see. She jogged back into the school, and decided the janitors room would be okay. She locked the door behind her, flipping on the switch for light. Her reporter side was curious, the other was weary of what she would find. Had she misjudged her best friend? Had Marinette kidnapped an animal? She gasped softly. Had Marinette gotten a cute baby pet but not shown her? Had she stuffed the poor thing in her bag? She was going to find out. With cautious hands, Alya opened the bag.
"Marinette, what's with all the poking?" Ayla stared at the cute little red kwami with a black spot on her forehead, her own golden eyes wide, mouth agape. She started breathing rapidly until, finally, a scream escaped her lips.
.
"Natalie, may I see my father?" Natalie rose an eyebrow. Adrien hadn't requested to see his father in, well, a long time.
"I can't guarantee you a quick answer, Adrien. Do you prefer for me to send a message?" She was actually genuinely curious about what he wanted to ask. She normally wasn't so interested in his personal affairs but. . . his face was just so hopeful. . . maybe, if she knew what he was doing, she could phrase it in a way that his father would grant his wish. It was a silly little thought, but maybe it could work. He hesitated. She couldn't blame him. They weren't exactly close, but through the few years she had been working there, she had unknowingly nurtured herself to care for her boss's son. His lonely son.
"I, well, it's because. . . Um, I," He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, stuttering a bit more. Plagg almost sighed out loud. He squirmed in his charges school bag until he felt his side. He reached and touched him through the cloth. A burst of confidence shot right through him. "I wanted to ask him for permission to spend Christmas break with a friend."
She's a cute friend, too, eh, Plagg had to stop himself from laughing. Adrien thanked Plagg silently, unaware of his small friends own thoughts. Said friend peeked through an opening in Adrien's schoolbag.
"I see." Natalie nodded, and gave him a a ghost of a smile. "I promise I'll try my best." She turned around, walking away. She missed Adrien's shocked and slightly confused expression. Once she was out of sight, he left to his room. He wouldn't feel sure of talking with Plagg at the staircase. He closed the door behind him, and Plagg quickly got out of his bag.
"That was weird," The kwami voiced. "Since when does she smile?"
Adrien frowned,"That's not nice, Plagg." Plagg shrugged, floating away to his 'secret' stash of Camembert cheese. "It's strange, yes, but I prefer that over past Natalie. She was a lot more distant before, to the point. . . Well, she seems friendlier." He turned to his friend. "It's a change, but a good one, don't you think, Plagg?"
The black kwami shrugged,"It's good, sure. But you know what would be better?" Adrien gave his friend a curious glance.
"And that would be?"
"More cheese!"
