Marinette slumped back down into her bed after pressing the snooze button on her alarm yet again. She hadn't gone to school for the last three days. She was so tired. She just told her parents that she didn't feel good and went back to sleep. She couldn't keep this up for forever, Tikki reminded her often. Soon her parents would get worried and send her to the doctor. And that was the last thing she wanted.

"I need to do something about this, Tikki. I need someone to talk to, but I just… can't," Marinette told Tikki, still lying in bed.

"I have just the idea," Tikki told her, smirking, "go back to sleep, Marinette. I need some time to brainstorm.

Marinette normally would have argued, but she wasn't in the mood. She quickly drifted off to sleep again.

Tikki immediately went to Marinette's desk and pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil, and wrote, "Be home soon. Don't worry." on the paper and tucked it under the pillow. She then rushed out the window towards Adrien's house. If she got there soon enough, she could talk to Plagg and Adrien before he left for school. Tikki rushed right through the window of Adrien's room, barely checking to make sure that no one else was in the room. But, of course, no one else was.

"Chat? Plagg? Adrien? Where are you?" Tikki called out.

The bathroom door slammed open to reveal a shirtless Adrien brushing his teeth.

"What was that?" he called back into the bathroom at the same time as the other said, "Sugarcube?"

"Oh, Adrien, we need to talk. Now."

"Tikki? What are you doing here?" then he gasped."is Ladybug okay? Is something wrong? Is there an akuma attack?"
"JUST SIT DOWN AND I WILL EXPLAIN!"

Adrien and Plagg looked mortified as they went over to the couch and sat down.

"Look, Mar-*hiccup* UGH THIS STUPID CURSE! Look, Ladybug is under way too much pressure. She is way too stressed out and getting behind in school. She can't talk to anyone because she has to keep her identity a secret. She needs someone to cheer her up. She can do it. But she needs motivation. You," she poked him hard in the nose, "are the only person who can help. She hasn't come to you herself because she doesn't want to put her struggles on anyone else."

Adrien rubbed his nose and sighed.

"You're saying that Ladybug needs help, and I'm the only one who can help her?" he was practically jumping in his seat with excitement, "Oh, Tikki, thank you so much for this responsibility. I promise to save her as a knight in shining armor and defeat the dragon for his princess." He was now standing up with his arm raised in the air as if holding a sword. His face was beaming.

Plagg let out a snort of laughter that broke Adrien from his trance. "Adrien, you aren't a medieval knight. Although one of my old owners from a few centuries ago was a real knight. And the ladybug miraculous holder was a princess. But, Elizabeth didn't need poor Raphael at all. She could very much save herself." Plagg laughed until he was shut up by Tikki, who stuffed the entirety of her tiny hand inside of Plagg's mouth, making him gag.

"Oh, would you just shut up and listen!" Tikki again screamed at Plagg.

Adrien had already regained the stars in his eyes.

"Okay, what's the plan?" he asked firmly.

Adrien hurried to school and got there only minutes before the bell rang. But when he went to sit down, he saw Alya and Nino huddled together, talking quietly.

"She doesn't seem super sick, but I've tried everything. She won't even get out of her bed!" Alya told Nino.

Adrien was intrigued.

"Who are you talking about?" he said, making Nino and Alya jump.

"Oh, hey dude! We were just talking about Marinette. She hasn't been to school in days. So yesterday, Alya went over to check on her."

"But, the thing is, she didn't seem too sick. I mean, she didn't have a fever of anything. But she refused to leave her bed and barely even talked to me," Alya said, sounding very concerned.

This sounded strange. Adrien knew that Marinette was not someone to miss school unless absolutely necessary. And even then, they normally had to forcefully send her home. She hates missing school, he thought, well, not being late, that doesn't bother her apparently. Adrien smiled to himself.

"Why are you smiling, Sunshine Boy. You don't know something that we don't, do you?" Alya raised her eyebrow suspiciously.

"Oh no, um, sorry."

Alya looked like she wanted to ask something else, but the bell rang, and she stopped making the face she always did when she wanted to question someone. Adrien let out a sign of relief. Alya's questioning was always crazy scary, and he really didn't want to be scared on a day like this.

Adrien didn't listen to a single bit of his classes that day. He daydreamed about the night ahead of him and smiled at the thought of doing something special for Ladybug. He had a time-by-time schedule, made by Tikki, of what would happen tonight.

"Why do you look so dreamy-eyed today, Agreste. Thinking about someone special?" It was Alya's voice behind him. He was caught.

"Oh, uh- no. Just super excited for a photoshoot tonight!"

"Oh really? Are you sure?" Alya asked raising her interview eye yet again.

"I- uh- I mean- no! Uh-" Adrien was really bad at this.

"Of course he's excited. The photoshoot is with me. Isn't that right, Adrikins?" Chloe said, coming over and wrapping her arms around Adrien and kissing his cheeks.

"Uh yeah!"

"Now, go you two! Don't you have something better to do?

Alya slumped and walked away with Nino supporting her at the waist.

"Chloe? Why did you just lie for me?" Adrien asked puzzled.

"Oh, come one, Adrikins. I think you are the worst liar in history. Like it's not that hard to come up with something. You're like the busiest teenager ever with like fifty different hobbies. You're utterly ridiculous," with this Chloe rolled her eyes and walked away.

"Typical Chloe," Adrien muttered to himself before walking out of the school.

He had already texted Gorilla telling him that he was gonna walk home from school, to which Gorilla reluctantly agreed.

Tikki had told him not to make this "date" romantic.

"It's more of a friendly gathering of two people." Tikki had told him.

But Adrien couldn't let his lady come meet with him, outside of akuma battle or patrol, and not at least get her a gift. Plagg talked him out of a ring the price of most average wedding bands.

"It's too much. Sugarcube would KILL you!"

He reluctantly agreed and decided on a bouquet of purple flowers, a large box of chocolates, and a necklace. This necklace had two pieces, like a best friend necklace, except one of them had a paw print, and the other had a ladybug. This was, according to the jeweler, new merchandise for the Ladybug and Chat Noir franchise.

Though the necklaces were much cheaper than he planned to spend on his lady, he thought they were perfect. And Plagg agreed. Hopefully Tikki wouldn't think he was trying too be romantic. Because he definitely wasn't. This is a friendly gift for his closest friend that he just so happens to also be in love with.

Then before going home, he went to his favorite bakery of all time, The Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. Tikki told him to pick up some food for the night as well. On his way, he paused his daydream to remember that this is also Marinette's parent's bakery. He should probably ask how Marinette is doing while he was in here. He gently put Ladybug's flowers, chocolate, and necklace into his bag before walking in.

"Oh, look, Sabine! It's our favorite customer!" Tom laughed as he opened up a box to put what Adrien wanted into it. "What can I get for you today?"

Adrien stared longingly at the croissants before ordering some macaroons and other treats. Tom put all the treats into a box. After Adrien had paid, Tom quickly grabbed another box and filled it completely full of croissants.

"Here you go, son. Take both boxes with you!" he laughed at Adrien's shocked face.

"But sir! I can't-"

"Call me "sir" again and I'll give you another box."

Adrien quickly debated saying it again before deciding that was not appropriate and thanking Tom for the extra croissants.

"By the way, I also came to ask how Marinette is doing?" Adrien asked.

"Oh, she's doing fine. I'm sure she will feel better soon."

Adrien and Tom talked a bit longer before they bid each other goodbye.

"I'm gonna have to sneak through my window if I plan to bring all these treats home with me," Plagg groaned, saying something about how pointless the treats were because he has cheese, but Adrien cut him off. "PLAGG, CLAWS OUT!"