Why is my version of Plagg nicer than he actually is?


"Waking up with the love of his life in his arms" was in the Top 10 of Adrien Agreste + Ladybug fantasies, just slightly above "true love's kiss" and just below "happily ever after". So to say that waking up in the middle of her very pink bedroom in an awkward position of her arm planted on his nose and a leg hanging across his torso was a fantasy come true - well, that would be close. Except for the fact that he was still in his superhero suit, Marinette didn't know that he knew she was Ladybug, and that the reason why he woke up was due to her tossing and turning with a frown marring her face.

Chat Noir sat up, blindly searching for her phone, turning it on to check the time. 4:08am. Sensing a groan, he returned his attention to her.

"Marinette?" Chat Noir asked tentatively, gently shaking her shoulder. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead as she clenched the sheets. She whimpered and he realized that she was having a nightmare. "Marinette, wake up."

Chat

Chat Noir perked up. Was she dreaming about him? He shook her a little more. "Marinette."

Her eyes opened and she gasped, bolting upright. She breathed in short gasps as her whole frame trembled.

"Marinette, are you okay?" Chat Noir asked in concern, only to falter when she landed her gaze at him and her expression turned into terror. Unnerved, he asked, "Marinette, what's wrong?"

Recognition lit in her eyes. "Chat...Noir?"

"It's me." He nodded. "I'm here."

"You're...you." Chat frowned, confused at her cryptic words. The inside of his stomach fluttered as she reached out to touch the edge of his mask. "You're Noir."

And with a sleepy smile, she closed her eyes and laid back down, oblivious to the wreck she left inside a certain tomcat's heart and mind. Chat could only take deep breaths, willing himself to calm down lest he does something his mother would not approve of.

As both his heartbeat and his breathing slowed, he gazed back at the girl beside him. Her words left him befuddled. As much as he loved being dreamt about by his crush, he wasn't keen on the idea of being in a nightmare, although he could understand where she was coming from. They were superheroes. Moments like their partners sacrificing themselves for the other was inevitable, him the most. It wouldn't be odd for Ladybug to not have nightmares of him jumping in front of her to save from an Akuma attack.

He felt guilty, but he wasn't sorry. He'd do anything to keep her safe.

"Even if I will be called a supervillain. If it's for you…" If it's for her, he'd do it. Because she was lady luck. If anything happened to him, he knew she could bring him back. She would bring order back. So until then, he'd take the blame.

His words were lost in her slumber. Tugging off her hearties, he gently laid them on the floor and covered her up with the blanket. As he got up, he glanced over at her work desk. The portrait had always bugged him. Glancing her way to make sure she was still sleeping, he padded over with a cheeky grin on his face.

He flipped the portrait.

He saw himself.

Adrien Agreste.

The silence was heavy. The trees outside rustled in the early dawn as the thin rays of sunlight peeked out from the horizon. And in the room of a certain bakery shop, he turned down the picture. Without a backward glance, he climbed out of the window and journeyed back to his marbled palace.

"She likes me." Adrien breathed out.

Here it comes again. Plagg swallowed down a slice as he readied himself for another bout of monologuing.

"Why me?" Adrien buried his face in his hands, body shaking from either happiness or sorrow, Plagg didn't know. "Why me?"

Plagg blinked. "Isn't that a good thing? I thought you'd be happy. The girl of your dreams finally fell in love with you. The feeling's mutual and you can finally ask her out."

"You don't understand! She loves the Adrien me!" Adrien cried.

"That is you."

Adrien rose to his feet, balling up his fists. "No. What is me, is the guy who watches anime and loves puns and likes to sneak out of the house. What she likes is the picture-perfect model just like every-"

"Slow down." Plagg flew up to his face. "You really think that Marinette girl is that shallow?"

Adrien opened his mouth and then closed it. "No..."

From all the time he knew her, Marinette was extremely shy and awkward around him, but she wasn't like his other fangirls. When she had calmed down, she treated him like his status and wealth didn't matter. She treated him like a genuine friend.

With Chat Noir, she was easygoing. She bantered with him just as easily as she does as her Ladybug self. "I'm sorry Plagg. My emotions got the better of me."

Plagg shrugged. "All part of the package. You may be the Chat Noir that yowls the most to the moon, but it's not a bad thing."

"I don't yowl." Adrien flushed but grinned as he grabbed his kwami and hugged him.

"Ow - watch the whiskers - the - ugh fine." Plagg grumped, but the purring gave him away. "So what are you gonna do now?"

Adrien was about to reveal his masterplan of wooing the socks off his Buginette as Chat Noir when a knock came on his door. Plagg whizzed out of view.

"Adrien." It was Nathalie. She walked inside and handed him two invitation cards. Emerald cards embezzled in gold. He gave her a questioning gaze. She replied curtly, "Your sponsor is hosting this two-day event. You are requested to attend the opening ceremony."

"Who am I going with?" Adrien asked although he had already an idea of who he wanted to take-

"Chloe Bourgeois."

"Ah." Of course. He didn't hide the disdain in his voice. Nathalie cracked a smile before swiftly putting on a poker face.

"If you wish to attend the second day," Nathalie gave him another set of invitations. "I trust you will not be causing any misunderstandings with the press."

Basically lie low. Don another mask, was it. Adrien grinned. "Thanks, Nathalie."

She gave a nod and left.

"ADRIKINS!"

He heard her squeal before he saw her. Bracing himself, he barely managed to not topple over at the velocity of her hugs.

"Chloe, do you have to do this every morning?" Adrien asked, gently pushing her away.

Chloe stepped back and flipped her ponytail. She held out a hand and said coyly, "I heard you have an invitation for me."

Adrien sighed and took out the card. Chloe snatched it from his hands and squealed. "Aw Adrikins! How thoughtful of you to invite me to this exclusive party! Of course, as the mayor's daughter, I will be the belle of the ball."

Adrien spotted Marinette from afar, looking at him and Chloé with a troubled look. Squaring her shoulders, she marched inside the school before he could get a word in the edgewise. Chloé sniggered. He sighed. "You know, you don't have to put on a show all the time."

"Of course I do." Chloé sniffed as she tucked the card in her purse. "People are watching."

And by people, she meant Marinette. Shaking his head, Adrien walked away from his childhood friend and into the school.

"She's insufferable," Marinette growled as she dumped her bag on the table.

Alya set hers down as she took her seat. "What'd the witch do this time?"

"Apparently, she was invited to this party with Adrien." Marinette rolled her eyes and sat down before resting her chin on the palms of her hands, pouting. "What a show-off."

"So nothing new." Alya mused, scrolling through her phone. "It looks like it'll be held in a new hotel that was built downtown."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "It's probably some lame party that isn't worth going to."

Chat Noir invited her to a ball. A real ball. Complete with fancy invitation cards and a dress code. And it was to be held in the new hotel that was built downtown.

"You want me?" Marinette said in disbelief. "Are you sure? Why aren't you asking Ladybug?"

"Ah, she may be my lady, but you are my princess." Chat Noir bowed. "So mew I have her highness's purrmission to bring her to the ball?"

Marinette giggled as she did a mock curtsy. "If this kind knight stops his puns, then I might consider going."

"How pawful! You wound me, princess." Chat Noir exclaimed, swooning and falling on a heap on her sofa chair. Marinette laughed as she took the invitation and turned in her hands, not quite believing what she was holding. Chat Noir watched her quietly, and then said, "It's a two-day event. This invitation is on the second day."

Marinette jumped and then turned red. "Oh really? I see."

"Are you disappointed?" Chat Noir asked, his eyes gleaming strangely. "I heard that Adrien Agreste would be attending on the first day."

"Disappointed? Me?" Marinette fanned her face as she chuckled nervously. "I don't really care much about Adrien going on the first day – not that it's insignificant – I mean, it's a pretty big deal and he's going with Chloé – not that I'm jealous or anything. I mean, we're just friends -" She sees with a cheeky grin and sighed, "- I'm digging myself into a hole, aren't I?"

"Yeup." Chat Noir nodded. "Correct me if I'm wrong but, do you have a crush on Adrien?"

Marinette squeaked. "Me? A crush? On Adrien? What makes you think that?"

Chat Noir gestured a thumb on her wall. Apparently, not anticipating that the tomcat would visit her this afternoon, she had plastered back her wall of fame. The color drained from her face. Shrieking, she tried covering it, only to end up scattering the pictures around the floor. In a flurry, she hastily picked them up while Chat Noir took one of the photos and twirled it in his hand. It was one of the winter collection two years ago. "So, Adrien Agreste, huh?"

Marinette stuffed the photos in her drawer. "So what?"

"Tell me again why you're so obsessed with him?"

She snatched the picture from his hand and shoved it in with the others in the pile. "Why are you so obsessed with me being obsessed with him?"

"I get it – he's handsome and charming and a model." Chat Noir shrugged, "He's the total boyfriend material. In terms of looks that is. He's not that great of a guy though."

"You don't know that." Chat Noir startled at the snap of her voice. She was glaring at him. "Adrien isn't just a model. He's my friend. He's nice and always helps me out with my physics homework. Sure, he has great looks, but he's more than his outward appearance. You don't know him because you've only met him a handful of times, but Adrien is a great person."

Chat Noir stared at her. He had never thought that she would think this way towards him – towards Adrien. The only thing he could say was, "You're really protective of your friends."

"Of course," Marinette said matter-of-factly. "I would still be alone if it weren't for Alya, Nino, and Adrien. And of course, you as well."

He gave her a look of contemplation. With two strides, Chat Noir drew close to her and clasped her hand. He said sincerely, "You're my best friend."

"I thought Ladybug was your best friend." Marinette pointed out with a giggle.

Chat Noir smiled knowingly. "You're my best friend."

Marinette searched his eyes as she replied affectionately, "I know."


Actually, the beginning was so very different from what I had originally written out. The thing was that the original was kinda hard to write that I was muscling through it, which turned into a 5 month hiatus. And then I was like, 'y'know what, imma scrap that' and I did and this thing was written out within two days. So my advice is, don't be hung up on scenes that you're gonna muscle through cuz that's not how it works.

ANYWAY

Thanks for reading! And thank you for waiting patiently for this chapter! See ya'll next time!