Miraculous Adrien Agreste: MLB from Adrien's POV
Episode 1: The Bubbler-
"Happy Birthday Adrien!," Plagg remarked, lugging a small, disheveled chunk of cheese toward Adrien as he brushed his teeth. The little kwami was trying to be nice but had terrible timing...matched only by his taste in cheese. The overwhelming odor of Camembert mixed with toothpaste created an aroma that reminded him of rotten cabbage and mushrooms.
If it were possible to flavor food with emotion, it would've tasted like disgust.
"Aw, Plagg," retorted Adrien, raising his arms in defense. "Get that filthy piece of Camembert out of my face." Pinching his nose, he tried not to breathe in the noxious fumes.
Plagg didn't quite get the hint.
"Huh...ahhhhh" Plagg mused, oblivious to the issue. He opened his small mouth wide in order to stuff his face. Adrien suspected the kwami felt obligated to get him a gift, but was also too lazy to put much thought into it. Plagg didn't put much thought into anything unless it involved food.
Regardless of his obsession and sometimes thoughtless behavior, Adrien sympathized with him. Like Plagg, he didn't really know how to act around people, though for very different reasons. Maybe Plagg just didn't care all that much what other people thought to a greater degree. Still, on some level, Adrien found he could relate.
Plagg was a lot of other things too. For starters, he was carefree. That alone made Adrien slightly jealous. As Chat Noir he was free to act however he wanted, but at home, everything was different. At home, the walls and doors became a cage, fortified by his father's stubborn resolve and overwhelming expectations.
School was better, but he still caught himself at times struggling to feel completely at ease. Nino was about the only person he felt was an exception to this and even then Adrien would still find himself feeling left behind at times in the face of Nino's confidence.
Chat Noir, however, was confident, witty, strong, and assured- whatever he wanted to be. Adrien wished things could be like that all the time..like how Plagg could act how he wanted all the time.
These thoughts continued to form and spiral around in his brain until they were suddenly interrupted by Natalie. She was calling out in the hall that his breakfast had been prepared.
Pulled away from his thoughts, Adrien began to feel better as he bounded down the stairs with Plagg trying to keep up. His heartbeat quickened from the running but also from the idea that began to form in his mind. Surely today, his father would see him off before school. Even if he didn't get any gifts from his father, a conversation over breakfast would be more than enough. He could picture it in his mind- the smell of his father's favorite black coffee, freshly ordered croissants from the market downtown, and getting the chance to tell him about the friends he had made in class…
His father, however, wasn't at the table when he came into the dining room. No need to worry though, Adrien told himself, he was probably working and would just be a few minutes late. Besides, it wasn't a big deal. He was used to it. He sat down, eager to see his father's outline at the entrance of the dining room and to hear his heavy footsteps on the marble floor. Ignoring the food in front of him, Adrien waited.
Ten minutes passed. The steam had stopped rising from his cup and the pastry smell had dispersed. He still had plenty of time to meet with his father and double check if there was any possibility of being able to have a birthday party.
20 minutes passed. Adrien bounced his leg on the floor as he took his fork and began pushing his food around. Important business meetings often took longer than expected. He just needed to be patient.
45 minutes passed along with any hope Adrien had for a good birthday. Blankly staring at the table, he raised a neglected cup of cold tea to his lips. Noticing Natalie, he put the cup down. He wouldn't have time to eat anything now.
"Your schedule, Adrien," Natalie informed him, holding out the dreaded excel sheet on her iPad.
"Thanks, Natalie," he mumbled, grabbing it from her. Natalie had a good idea of his father's schedule so maybe she could help him. "Hey uh...My father get back about my birthday party?" He inquired of her, raising a hand and attempting to grab her attention.
Natalie's shoulders tensed. "Well uh… he doesn't think it'll be a good idea." She avoided looking at him too directly. She didn't have to see his face to read the resigned disappointment behind his words as he replied to her, saying, "Course not."
Turning towards him she quickly stuttered out, "Happy Birthday Adrien" and then left, walking faster as she went.
He knew better. He saw it coming. He had wanted to think though that maybe, just maybe, with his mom missing his birthday for the first time...that things would be different.
After morning classes, Adrien waited for his bodyguard to arrive for lunch break and was joined by Nino.
"Dude, seriously?" his friend asked, shrugging his shoulders. He raised his brows and blew bubbles as he spoke. "Has your dad always been such a downer? You'd think he'd at least remember what it was like to be young and want to party a little."
If his dad was anything, it was serious. If Adrien hadn't known better he would have guessed that his dad had been born a full-fledged adult, cool-whip hair and all.
"No, I'm pretty sure he was a downer then too... Well, at least I tried," Adrien sighed. There was no arguing with his father. You would always be wrong if you did, even if you weren't.
Before he could think too hard about it, a hand crossed his back and came to rest on his shoulder. "It's your B-day duuuuuude. Insist!" The energy behind Nino's words was infectious even as low as Adrien felt, and for the first time that day, he smiled. It was small, but it was still a smile.
Nino continued, taking the conversation on a rollercoaster ride downhill fast, "You know what? I'm gonna have a little convo with your pops!"
"Don't waste your time. He's not gonna change his mind," Adrien sighed. Nino was trying to be a good friend, but he didn't know his father or how unmoving he could be. Before he could try explaining the situation to Nino, however, a shout caught his attention.
His classmate, Marinette, stumbled into view before him, bent at a 90 degree angle, holding a package out in front of her. She quickly straightened herself, turning to him and Nino, and the package disappeared behind her back before he could make out what it was. Her eyes widened as they met his- though whether in fear or surprise he wasn't altogether confident of.
"Ah...uh...he… hey" she blurted, breathing heavily. He glanced to Nino, unsure how to respond but to no avail. He then shrugged and offered an awkward, "Hey…," waving in return.
Then... silence. He was used to that from his father, but this was much different. With his father, he knew what to expect. He didn't have a lot of experience in school though and Marinette always seemed agitated around him. He began to wonder if maybe he was doing something weird or if that was just the way some girls were.
Breaking the silence, Marinette stammered, "I...uh...wanted to...um...gift you a make. Gift you a give I made," only to be shoved aside by Chloe blurting, "Out of the way" and "Happy Birthday Adrien!"
Maybe some girls were like Marinette, but not all and definitely not Chloe. The way she could change her attitude had given him whiplash as a kid but he had known her long enough that it had at least become familiar...and he knew from reading manga that this wasn't the weirdest thing a person could do.
Before he could turn from her to ask Marinette if she was alright, he was suddenly trapped by two arms and a face that was getting far too close for comfort. He wanted to stop her, but Chole moved fast. She kissed him on the cheek, making a loud noise as she did so. It looked about as uncomfortable as it felt and the spit she left on his cheek didn't help at all.
Too concerned about offending her if he wiped his cheek and not knowing what else to do, he settled on telling her, "Uh, yeah. Thanks Chlo" and he pushed her back to give them some space. That didn't stop her from keeping her hands on his shoulders.
"Did you get the gift I sent you?" she questioned. He tried to think but the only "gift" that came to mind was Plagg's cheese and he would have remembered getting something better than that.
Raising an eyebrow and tilting his head he replied, "uh...no?"
This was evidently not the response she wanted but at least she had stopped squeezing him. Turning away, she made a fist and snapped, "What?! Oh, those delivery guys. It was too heavy so they had to go back and get another guy to help." At this point Adrien was just along for the ride as her volume increased exclaiming, "Those slackers!" With that her arms went back up onto his shoulders, emphasizing her words. "I'll make sure they get it to you by tonight." The end of that sentence came with a second kiss to the cheek, making him begin to prefer, if not appreciate Marinette's awkwardness before Chloe grabbed him. At least that second kiss managed to wipe off the spit from earlier. She walked away, humming to herself.
He couldn't say too much to her though. Chloe could overwhelm him at times, but she had known him longer than anybody at Dupont high school. Apart from his cousin Felix, she was his only friend for a long time. Having her around was much better than being alone and he was grateful for her willingness to befriend him. Besides, he understood how she felt about a lot of things, especially when it came to her parents.
In turning to Nino, with these thoughts in the forefront of his mind, he received a light fist bump to the arm and a smile, which was equally returned before hearing his bodyguard honk the horn of the car. The smile faded and the corners of his mouth and shoulders turned inwards. Waving to Nino, he left explaining, "Gotta go. Photoshoot."
Adrien had never had a fondness for photoshoots, but there were some things he didn't mind like the food and the time he had to sit and think. He had been modeling so long for his father's company that he could pose and follow the photographer's instructions without being mentally present.
Apart from the delicious macaroons they had laid out during a break, what grabbed his thoughts the most were memories of birthdays he had spent with his mom.
"Ah yes. Give me more emotion! That melancholy look is perfect! Really sell how much this perfume means to you!" yelled Vincent snapping his camera away in one hand and using the other to mess with his trimmed goatee.
This got a chuckle out of Adrien, which evidently displeased Vincent who began to rub his goatee harder. Adrien suspected he was part of the reason it looked smaller every time he saw the photographer. He fixed his facial expressions and tried to suppress a smile.
His mom had always thought Vincent was funny. When they drove home after photoshoots, she would make silly faces at him in the mirror and say things like, "Yes! What a fabulous face you're making! I'll make sure it's on every billboard in Paris!" She was joking, but now those faces were all over Paris.
She would've wanted to see it.
Mom…
He remembered one birthday in particular. One that would have been miserable without her.
His father had finally allowed him to have a birthday party. His mom had spent hours decorating the house with him. Colorful streamers lined the marble staircase and balloons covered the ceiling in hues of cherry red, blueberry, emerald green, and sunflower yellow. It was a stark contrast to the usual black, white, and gold accented room. The party time rolled around, and he and his mother sat in the dining room waiting for the guests to arrive. Granted, most of the very few invited were children of business partners his father knew, but maybe they could be his friends anyway.
Ten minutes passed. Adrien eagerly shimmied out of his seat and plopped himself up against a front window. He still had plenty of time to eat cake and open presents, even if the guests were late.
20 minutes passed. Adrien bounced his leg on the floor as he took his finger and started creating fogged faces and party hats on the window with his breath. He knew people showed up late to things all the time.
45 minutes passed along with any hope Adrien had for a good birthday. Blankly staring out the window, he raised a small hand to the glass. Noticing his mom, tears began brimming in his eyes. He wouldn't have any friends at this party. He couldn't even say it was a birthday party. He had never had one and probably wouldn't ever get one.
"I'm so sorry Adrien. Chloe's mom is in town and wanted to see her and your cousin Felix said he would be here, but I'm not sure what happened with him or the other kids..." his mom informed him, taking hold of his small hand.
She sat down in a chair beside the window, scooping up his small, shaking frame in her arms. He rubbed the backs of his hands across his face, wiping away the tears falling much faster now. His mom had told his father about the party. Maybe he would come instead. "Hey uh...Mommy, is father coming?" He inquired of her, raising a hand to her arm and attempting to grab her attention.
Emilie's shoulders tensed. "Well uh… he doesn't think it'll be a good idea. He has a very important business trip this weekend." She avoided looking at him too directly. She didn't have to see his face to read the resigned disappointment behind his words as he replied to her, saying, "Course not."
Turning towards him she used her thumb to wipe the remaining tears and quickly stuttered out, "Adrien we can still have a happy birthday. Let's leave the house. Tell me anything you want to do today." He stopped and gaped at her. He could really pick anything? He wasn't used to hearing that. He thought and hesitantly whispered…."Can we go to the zoo?"
She smiled, standing to twirl him around in the air and laughed, "Why of course we can. It's your birthday."
Adrien remembered the zoo that day in vivid detail. It was a surprise he hadn't seen coming in the face of what seemed to be a terrible day and would always be a memory of his mom he held onto tightly. He had wanted to think though that maybe, just maybe, he could have that kind of birthday again. But how could he without her?
After the photoshoot Adrien fully expected to come home to a silent, empty house. But instead...there in the foyer stood Nino with Natalie and... his father!
He heard Nino arguing, "...always does whatever you tell him! Photoshoots, fencing, Chinese, piano…"
Adrien was surprised and warmed by the sight of his friend sticking up for him. Nobody had ever really done that for him before. Adrien put his hand to his friend's shoulder and said, "Nino? You're here."
Nino turned and replied with a reassuring smile, "Anything for my best bud." Looking to Gabriel, he demanded, "show some awesomeness du- I mean, sir! Please!"
Adrien scanned his father's face. He had learned how to pick up on what his father was feeling when he was still small. The words that hadn't come yet were plastered on his hardened expression.
"Forget it, Nino. Really, it's fine."
His father nearly cut him off. "Listen, young man. I decide what's best for my son." Gritting his teeth he continued, "In fact, I've just decided you're a bad influence and you're not welcome in my house ever again. Leave now!"
The space between the two boys and Gabriel at the top of the staircase seemed to stretch and grow to an impossibly helpless distance.
"Father!" Adrien, shouted. "He was just trying to do something cool for me." His words couldn't bridge the looming gap between them. Even before they had come out of his mouth, his father had dismissed him and began to walk farther up the stairs. Natalie stepped in front of them like a door closing in their faces.
Her voice freezing over, he stared down Nino managing a blunt, "Goodbye."
There was nothing else to say.
Nino's jaw clenched and he turned to leave without looking at Adrien who could feel a growing pit in his stomach. He reached out pleading, "Nino, wait… I'm sorry. My father, he's…he's stubborn. It's just best to stay out of his way."
Nino's expression hardened with his words, "It's not fair Adrien. It's harsh and uncool."
Nino left too and didn't hear Adrien say, "Thanks anyway, Nino.
He wasn't sure how much of Nino's anger was directed towards him and how much was directed towards his father. It wouldn't have mattered either way though. He knew it was his fault for not explaining how protective his father was, especially more so since his mother had gone missing.
It wasn't just another birthday after all. It was worse.
He finished lunch quickly, sarcastically remarking, "That was a birthday lunch break to remember" to himself. He followed it in step with a flat, "yaaay" and a raised fist bump to no one.
Walking into the foyer, the air was still. He searched. "Natalie? Father?"
Silence, of course. Accepting these normal circumstances, he headed outside.
Shouts of "Yay" and "Happy Birthday" reached his ears and stopped him in his tracks.
In front of him stood his classmates, cheering….for him. This surprise barely registered as a figure floated above him in the sky standing on a Bubble. The figure called out, "Hey hey hey, birthday boy! Guess what? Daddy's gone! While the cats are away, the mice will play."
Those words surprised Adrien more than the fact that someone was floating on a giant bubble above him. After being a superhero for so long you got used to poorly costumed supervillains with oddly specific powers. Nothing really surprised him at this point. Not even this Michelin man straight out of a 90s commercial. Unfortunately, the way this Michelin mascot looking man talked reminded him of…..
"Nino?" Adrien inquired.
Indirectly answering him, Nino said, "The Bubbler's brought all ya'll homies together for one single sole purpose to CE-LE-BRATE!" With his declaration came loud shouts from the crowd below. He did a flip off the bubble, landing right behind a DJ stand and yelled to them, "Let's get this party started!"
It was amazing how some akumatized villains not only got oddly specific powers, but also the acrobatic prowess of professional circus performers. It was sort of like how wearing their suits gave him and Ladybug increased physical abilities in addition to their individual powers. Despite this unexpected and probably problematic turn of events, however, Adrien was torn. Music and shouts filled the party space. Adrien, hesitant, stepped back and ran into the house. He had to help Nino, and fast.
Closing the door to his room behind him, he leaned on the door for support. Plagg, noticing his hesitancy, retorted, "What's your problem? Relax. You're getting the party you've always wanted." Which wasn't entirely false.
Adrien exclaimed, "But Nino's been akumatized! I have to help him!"
Not for the first time today, Plagg didn't quite get the hint.
He purred, "You may never get this chance again. C'mon. Let's have a little fun while your father's away. Then we'll save Nino, trap his akuma, and all will be good!"
Unfortunately for Adrien, Plagg's arguing didn't come with selfless intentions. The kwami had to stay with Adrien at all times in case of an akuma attack. Because of this, he was bound to his holder's strict schedule. Even worse, Plagg had to make sure nobody saw him. This meant getting far too familiar with the same dirty corner of Adrien's school bag every day. And if the little cat craved one thing besides cheese, it was chaos.
Plagg wasn't the only one desperate for a break and he knew it.
His hopes soared as Adrien's face fell and then changed expressions. "Okay. You're right. This might be the first day in my life that I actually get to do what I want for once."
Saving the day would have to wait. Adrien had a birthday party to go to.
Adrien had to admit, he didn't mind this akuma. His earlier hesitation faded when the fireworks went off. Seeing the bursts of bold color erupt in the sky was exhilarating. Making his way into the center, Adrien let loose and felt the weight and pressure of the day physically lift from his chest and shoulders. Pumping two fists in the air and shaking his hips to the beat, he shouted, "Yeah!" to no one in particular.
Scooting up to Rose, he smirked, "Hey! Nice party! I guess...since it's my first one." He offered her a smile with a casual shrug of his shoulders. If anybody knew how to find the joy in a party, it would be her.
Hunching her shoulders and pressing her arms tightly against her sides, she lifted two thumbs up to him. She glanced at him, her eyes half open before moving away and continuing to dance. Adrien turned away, looking for an explanation. He observed his classmates as they danced in time with the music.
No one smiled.
Silence filled the room as this realization sunk in only to be replaced with a familiar tune. It should've made him happy. This should've been a good time. This should've been his chance to know what it was like. It felt strange but he didn't understand. Maybe he didn't want to.
Those around him abruptly changed pace and paired off. Chloe sauntered up to him and he voiced his thoughts to her. "Is it me or... does everyone seem a bit weird?" More a statement than a question, he thought more about his observations.
"Forget about them," she demanded, roughly grabbing his arm, "let's go dance." He yelped as she yanked him further into the crowd. For someone who didn't like getting her hands dirty, she still managed to have a grip that rivaled gorilla glue.
She embraced him and leaned in for a kiss. This was wrong. Maybe he would have to talk to her about how uncomfortable it made him feel. He thought about saying something and was saved by an abrupt change in the beat. Relieved to have an excuse to avoid conflict, Adrien gently pulled her arms off his shoulders and put them up to gesture, "Sorry, can't help it."
Chloe just blinked at him, surprised, but quickly steeled her expression and began walking rapidly towards where Bubbler had been blasting the music. It was Adrien's turn to grab Chloe. He lightly pulled on her arm and suggested, "We can still have fun without a slow dance. It's been awhile since we've been able to hang out after all. If you want, I can grab us some punch and cookies?"
Chloe folded one arm over the other and sighed. Accepting the smile he offered she looked at her shoes and retorted, "This is utterly ridiculous...but still...I suppose I wouldn't mind a drink from my Adrikins." Leaning in, her smile returned.
"Okay... sure thing." Adrien replied and made his way towards the snacks. Before he could even see the table they were on, Bubbler pushed him from behind.
"Dude, let's really get this party going!" He began walking faster so that Nino would stop pushing into his back. Adrien thought a minute, ignoring the nagging questions he had.
Why does everyone want to push and pull me today? It's fine, I can still make this work. Plagg is right. I can have fun now that my father isn't here. I'm not going to waste this. No way.
Glancing back at Chloe's expression, she looked about ready to throw hands at the Bubbler. Adrien mustered out a hasty, "Sorry Chloe!" and let himself be dragged further away.
While Adrien noticed her anger, he failed to notice the glare Bubbler sent her way and how she jumped back only to put her hands on her hips. She pouted like a child and watched him guide her Adrikins on stage.
When Nino placed the microphone in his hands, he felt like a rock star. He pictured a Jagged Stone concert he had watched online and let out a "Hey Paris! How ya' doing?" He tried to pull the coolest move he could think of and pumped a fist into the air, half expecting flames to erupt from behind him on stage.
No response. Okay, maybe I didn't pump up my fist high enough? Or maybe that works better for Jagged when he's got an alligator onstage.
After a brief hesitation, the crowd of students broke into shouts. He jumped into the crowd. He readied himself to try and surf it if he could manage when the one person who could make everything better appeared before his eyes.
"Ladybug?" Now he had to be dreaming. She was at his party. This was too good to be true.
And in fact, it was.
She whipped her yo-yo around and unplugged the speakers with it. "Sorry Bubbler but the party's over!"
The Bubbler seethed. He challenged her, "Why ya gotta be like that?"
"You made all the adults disappear and now you're imprisoning anyone that's not having fun."
Adrien couldn't watch anymore. All sense of forced immersion faded with Ladybugs words. The feeling of an almost physical weight on his chest and shoulders returned.
He pushed Chloe aside. Running into the house, he fidgeted with his hands, shifting around as he opened the bedroom door. Closing it behind him, he opened his shirt wider and Plagg flew out.
"I think I've been a complete idiot... Plagg, Claws out!"
He wouldn't selfishly hesitate anymore, not when he had to face the fact that his best friend and all the adults, including his father, were in danger.
He joined Ladybug outside. "Looks I made it just in time," he jested, deciding to push down the guilt. That could come later. He had a beautiful lady at his side and a villain to fight.
"I had it under control." She remarked, allowing her yo-yo to bop him on the head. "But thanks."
I guess that's what I get for making it "just in time."
They fought together side by side to push back the hordes of bubbles thrown at them. He felt pretty confident when the assault ended and they were both still standing. That is until Bubbler made the bubbles spin faster and they began attaching to their suits.
Green looks great on me, but not styled like this.
Ladybug and Bubbler exchanged some typical villain vs. Hero banter, but that's not what really got Adrien's attention. He was trapped inside a bubble with Ladybug and she was pretty close to him.
Adrien realized it then. He was trapped inside a bubble... with LADYBUG!
Turning to smile at her, he was hit with her yelling back at Bubbler, "But adults keep children safe and protected. They care for their kids! They love them!"
They're supposed to but sometimes they don't. This wouldn't have happed if... No. This one is my fault….. Never mind. I said I would deal with this later.
"Most adults do anyhow. You must bring the adults back!"
The Bubbler yelled at them, charging. The quick ride into the sky felt like a backwards roller coaster. He bit his cheek hard and kicked at the Bubble encasing them.
Ladybug suggested he use his cataclysm on it. He snapped his head at her, "Couldn't you have said that 500 feet ago?"
She pleaded, "We can't stay stuck in this Bubble forever!"
That caught his attention. Maybe this was a silver lining- and a very pretty one at that. Being with her was one way his birthday could be better. He raised his eyebrows at her and held his chin. He was hoping his intentional flirting would at least earn him a smile but the headshake was fine for now too. Besides, she was right of course. He couldn't hesitate and make the same mistake again.
The freefall made his stomach lurch. He wasn't afraid of heights, but there was something unique about plummeting face first towards concrete with the love of your life.
Really gives a whole new meaning to falling in love.
Ladybug's voice was hard to hear over the air rushing around them as they fell. "SHOULD WE SEE IF YOU LAND ON YOUR FEET THIS TIME?"
He could feel the skin on his cheek being pushed back by the force of the air and felt his face flap around like a cartoon character when he tried to smile. He shouted back, "NO THANKS."
She yelled to him and gestured toward the Eiffel Tower. He chucked the stick as hard as he could and she grabbed him hard. Using her yo-yo to propel them forward, Adrien felt himself being yeeted close to the ground and then back into the air so their fall could be slowed and they could regain control.
Quickly fixing himself and puffing out his chest he smirked, "Good thing cats aren't afraid of heights."
Ladybug, ignoring the comment, tossed his stick to him. "We've got to get to his bubble sword. That's gotta be where the akuma is!"
The sound of his ring flashing urged them to hurry. They found Bubbler and ladybug stood tall, speaking down to him, "Sorry to burst your bubble." He snorted. She did have a sense of humor sometimes after all; although, with lines like that it really did amaze him how averse she was to his puns sometimes.
The crowd cheered her name and their banter continued. In exasperation, Bubbler hurled Bubble prisons towards the cheering students, and they were lifted into the sky. A moment later he and the superhero duo were racing across the rooftops back towards the Eiffel Tower.
They parkoured to the top and Adrien was met again with the reminder that he didn't have long. The ring flashed again. "I'm gonna switch back soon! Hurry!"
Ladybug called on her lucky charm and a giant wrench fell into her open arms. Most of the time it struck Adrien as comical when the lucky charm produced something ridiculous like this. This was one of the more normal items he had seen. When they first started getting used to their powers, there were times he had laughed and got distracted in the middle of a battle because of what she got from her lucky charm. A serious glance or two from Ladybug stopped him after a while. She had told him it was probably best not to laugh at something that would end up saving their lives. Still, when she got items like this, he sometimes noticed her biting back a smile.
"Are plumbing skills gonna help us out?" He teased.
Apparently Bubbler didn't think that joke was as funny as he did. Jumping up farther, he narrowly dodged several Bubbles hurled his way.
Ladybug doesn't like my jokes either, but at least she doesn't try to hit me... Most of the time. Adrien remembered a familiar yo-yo hitting his head earlier at the house. At least the kwami's magic gave him a much higher pain tolerance than normal. That thing was heavier than you'd expect.
"Is that all you got?" He taunted at Bubbler.
Ladybug rushed forward and used the wrench to loosen a large hose connected to piece of machinery. It flailed in the air.
"Chat Noir! Cover me!" She instructed.
He grabbed the hose and dropped down, controlling its movements and the direction of its airflow to keep several bubbles at bay. Ladybug took advantage of this opportunity to use her yo-yo to knock the bubble sword into the air. Using it again, she snatched the sword up and broke it over her knee. The rest was business as usual. Those imprisoned in bubbles were safely returned and Nino, albeit a little confused, was no worse for wear.
"Pound it!" Cat Noir and Ladybug said together, bumping their fists. It was a small and familiar habit they had formed, and it brought a sense of consistency and lighter feeling to this otherwise ridiculous day. He felt a little bit better, having someone like ladybug in his life. He was glad to see her and sad to watch her go in the end. That too was consistent.
The party had disbanded after the akuma attack. Everything went back to the way it was before and even the yard decorations, the last remaining proof he had had a birthday party, disappeared thanks to Ladybug's power. His classmates genuinely, but awkwardly wished him a happy birthday before quickly leaving to go home. They felt bad about his birthday, but were nervous being in the house without his father's permission, knowing he could return any second. It was suggested they go to a park to hangout, but Adrien knew better than to leave with them. Instead, he just thanked them for being there and turned to head back inside.
Nino, catching up to him, lingered as the others walked home. "Uh… hey dude," he said fiddling awkwardly with his headphones, "That was super uncool of me. I ended up ruining your birthday because I was mad at your old man. I should'a thought about your feelings instead of getting so angry that I ended up listening to Hawkmoth. I can't remember anything else after that but I'm sorry man."
Adrien couldn't apologize for failing to save him right away as Chat Noir, but he could try to make Nino feel better.
"Don't sweat it. I mean, you stood up to my father. That's not something even I've been able to do. My father… well, you've seen how he can be. It's not your fault. Thanks for what you did man."
Nino's shoulders relaxed and he gave Adrien a fist bump before leaving. "See you tomorrow dude!"
Adrien smiled at his friend and then turned to go back inside the house.
I hope if it ever comes down to it, I can return the favor in some way.
Inside, all was quiet and still. His footsteps echoed on the hard floors and reverberated around the room. Evidently, his father still wasn't home. It still left him disappointed to be alone, so he tried to think about Nino and the surprise of the party and how nice it was to see his friends there, even if it had been under terrible circumstances. He thought for a moment and smiled. His mom would've really liked Nino.
At first, Adrien had gone to his room to take a nap and then finish up some homework. Plagg, occupied by Camembert cheese and knowing that he hadn't exactly been helpful this afternoon, was surprisingly quiet. Thinking about eating now, Adrien called out to Plagg to let him know he was going to get some dinner and he found the little kwami asleep on top of his piano, curled around a piece of cheese. Sometimes Adrien was tempted to pet him around the ears or on the cheek like a normal cat but he wasn't sure if Plagg would appreciate that or not. He resisted the urge.
I probably wouldn't like it if someone more than double my size tried to pet my cheek. Aunt Amelie was bad enough when she did that to me as a kid.
Reaching the dining room to sit and eat, it wasn't long before he heard the fast click-clack of high heels on the floor.
Natalie is running. That can't be good.
She slowed, nearly faceplanting by the door and gasping before regaining her composure. Holding out a large, purple and rectangular package she said, "A birthday present. From your father."
That's not a pen.
"Thank you!" He told her, amazed and bewildered. She stiffly walked away, leaving the package with him. He reached out his arm and started, "I mean, please say thank you to my father for me!"
This gift was precious. And it wasn't a pen this year, he could tell. It was something new. His father loved him enough to take the time to get something different. He had remembered.
Opening the package, Adrien felt thankful. He hadn't been forgotten after all.
The day was beautiful. That was all there was to it. He was at school with his friends and his dad had given him something special yesterday.
Plagg tilted his head at Adrien before they had left the house asking, "Why are you wearing a scarf when its not cold outside? That's kind of strange. And why does it have a pink "M" on the back?"
Adrien had wiped off some of the sweat beads between his skin and scarf. "You've been around how long and don't know clothing sizes?"
Plagg Stared. Adrien stared back. He blinked and Plagg rolled his eyes.
Oh right. Plagg is perpetually naked…. But he's an animal? Well not technically an animal, a kwami but…. You know what? Nevermind.
Changing the subject, "I'm wearing it now because my father gave this to me. If I get to see him today, I want him to know how much it means to me. Maybe since Mom wasn't here this year, he's trying harder."
Plagg shoved a large piece of cheese into his mouth while trying to reply. Adrien couldn't catch what any of the resulting gibberish meant but it didn't matter. Nothing was going to ruin today.
That same thought echoed in his mind when the car stopped in front of school.
Walking to the entrance, he spotted Marinette, Alya, and Nino. He offered a "Hey girls!" before going to greet Nino. "Hey dude." Nino grinned and returned his greeting with a fist bump.
Alya, shouted over to them, "Yo! Nice scarf Adrien! It's super cool."
He turned, feeling a smile cross his face. He proudly exclaimed, "Yeah! Can you believe my dad got this for me?" Touching the soft fabric around his neck and being able to tell his friends his dad got it brought back the seriousness of what it meant for him. It was warm. It was the warmth his father never showed expressed in a way he could see and feel.
He continued, "It's so awesome! He gave me the same lame pen for three years in a row."
Raising his eyebrows, Nino retorted, "Wow, I guess anyone can change. Maybe even your dad can be cool when you least expect it."
Adrien hesitated. He and Nino had talked some things out, but he had never apologized for the way his father had acted yesterday.
"Speaking of my dad…." He mentioned, his shoulders turning inward, "I know my father said you were a bad influence but…"
He was interrupted by a friendly hand grasping his shoulder. Nino rallied, "We're good Adrien! Don't sweat it. We're buds. Always."
He smiled and walked beside Nino into class, thankful and happy he had a friend in him. He admired the confidence Nino had even when saying cheesy stuff like that. It made him feel more comfortable saying ridiculous stuff. Maybe not as confident as he felt behind the mask but it was still reassuring. Besides that, it gave him hope. His mom wasn't around anymore and nobody could ever take her place, but there were good things, and good people who would be there.
