I decided over the last week that Rothan (and I) need a break from the hard plot pushing, and write some raw fluff for all of us. The poor kid has been beat up pretty bad a few times now, after all. So Staffe and his mother have been scheming in the background to get him away, and Staffe knows just how to do it.

With the last bell of the day, students poured out of the Collège Françoise Dupont, discussing weekend plans and projects. Rothan wanted to join in the excitement, but he, personally, was not looking forward to the short respite from classes. Since the Deadbeat attack two days ago, things had only been going downhill, and it had put him in a foul mood. For a start, Lyra had to help her parents at their café all weekend long, which meant they wouldn't be able to hang out like they were accustomed to. Staffe's visit to Lady Lapis had been wildly unsuccessful, but Knutt had promised to look into things and get back to the pair if anything popped up. And to top it all off, both Ladybug and Chat were going to be out of town, which meant that he would be patrolling by himself starting tonight. All in all, it was shaping up to be a quiet, lonely weekend, and he was not looking forward to it. Not that he would admit it to anyone, but he had begun to get used to the idea of hanging out with his newfound friends, and the thought of having to spend the next two and a half days alone did not sound fun. Ss he was taking his sweet time retrieving his things and packing up, much to the annoyance of his partner. "You know, going slower isn't going to make this weekend not happen."

"I realize that. I guess I'm just not ready to go home yet. But I hurt too much to patrol any more than I have to." That was the other thing – in the attack two days ago, Rothan's repeated poundings had turned his body into one dull ache, which was making him exceptionally cranky. "I guess we're just going to take it slow for the next few days, huh?"

"I guess so." There was a hint of amusement in his voice that confused Rothan for a moment, but he shrugged, grabbed the rest of his things, and headed out of the locker room. To his surprise, Alya was waiting just outside with arms crossed. "Hey! I was wondering where you went."

Rothan raised an eyebrow. "Hoy. What's up?"

"Marinette and I were wondering if you wanted to walk home with us."

"Mhm. Is that all?"

"Of course? Why would there be anything else?" Alya tried to look innocent, but failed miserably, and Rothan had to stifle a laugh. "What's so funny?"

"You're terrible at this. So, so bad. Either that or you have a million things planned this weekend, and I'm going to be party to all of them."

"You have no idea, boy. Come on." She grabbed him by the hand and winked, then pulled him out the door and to a waiting Marinette, who had a similar cheesy grin. "Hey, Rothan!"

"Miss Marinette," Rothan gave an exaggerated bow and regretted it when his back popped in five different places. "I've been informed that I have the pleasure of escorting you home this fine Friday evening."

"Is that so?" she raised and eyebrow and giggled. "Well, I would be honored."

Straightening, Rothan fell in between the two girls and forced a grin as his body complained. He could not wait to get home and apply his salve. As they made their way down the street and took in the late September air, he turned his mind to other matters and smiled. "So, how did you enjoy your little adventure with Adrien on Wednesday?"

"Oh my gosh." Marinette turned a bright red and put one hand to her face. "It was great, but it would have been better if I had paid any attention at all."

Alya and Rothan both laughed, and she joined in good-naturedly. After a moment, Rothan caught his breath with a wince. "If only it had lasted longer."

"Yeah, you might have worked up the nerve to hold his hand." Alya teased as she reached around the boy to poke her friend. "If you would just go for it –"

"I know." Marinette sighed and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "It's just that, after this summer while he was dating Kagami and I was dating Luka, I'm not sure where we stand right now. I really do like him, but –"

"You don't want to get burned." Rothan shrugged. "I get that. Don't worry, Mari. Someday he's going to realize he's fallen head-over-heels for you without even realizing it. Just you wait."

"It might be sooner than later if Alya keeps setting us up. But I don't have to worry about that this weekend, since there's no way we'll run into each other."

"Why not?" Rothan glanced at her in curiosity, and she glanced away. "I know there's something going on, you two. What have you been planning?"

"We haven't been planning anything – mostly." Alya gave him another wink that made him wildly uncomfortable, and then pointed ahead. "Oh look, we're almost there!"

Rothan glanced ahead and hummed. "Your parents look awfully busy today. Are you sure I'm not going to bother if I come in for a minute?"

"I'm sure. They'll be glad to see you." Marinette grabbed him by the arm and tugged. "Come on, let's go!"

"What are we so excited for – whoa!" The blunette was much stronger than she looked and nearly pulled him off his feet as she practically ran to the bakery, Alya right behind. As they dashed up, he managed to pull his arm away and give her a mock glare. "That hurt, you know."

"Sorry. I guess I got a little carried away." Marinette poked her head in the door and smiled. "Maman! I'm home!"

"Hello, dear!" Mrs. Cheng came in from the bakery and gave her daughter a quick kiss on the forehead as the other two made their way in. "Why don't you and Alya run upstairs and grab your things? I'll handle this one."

"Right. Rothan, we'll be right back!" The blunette dashed up the stairs with her best friend close behind, leaving a confused and exasperated Rothan with her mother. He sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "How many people have been plotting this week? All of Paris?"

"Not quite that many, dear. Your mother said you might be a bit cranky with all the suspense, though." She smiled and nodded her head. "Why don't you come to the front?"

"My mother?" Rothan paused a beat, then followed. "What has she done?"

On entering the bakery, he could smell fresh cookies and breads warm from the oven, and his own stomach gurgled in complaint. Staffe was right – this superhero business does make a guy hungry. Ignoring the temptation to snatch a snack for now, he instead focused on Mr. Dupane, who was wiping his hands on a towel and approaching far more rapidly than he would have liked. "Hey, Rothan! How are you?"

"Fine!" he managed to squeak as he stuck out a hand that was neatly enveloped by Marinette's father's. Even after all this time, the large presence still intimidated him, and while he did his best not to show it Rothan prayed he would never end up on his bread-kneading side. "It's good to see you too, Mr. Dupane."

"You know Tom is fine." He grinned and bumped Rothan's shoulder. "I'm glad the girls got you here in one piece."

"So am I." A familiar voice piped up from in front of the counter with a cheerful lilt, and Rothan's head nearly exploded. There was his mother, brown hair pulled up into a ponytail, standing with a coffee and chatting with Nino animatedly. As she saw her son, however, she set it own and walked over to swoop him up in a bear-sized hug, then set him back down. "Hey, baby. How was school? And how is –" She tapped the satchel and gave him a conspiratorial wink – "your writing going?"

"Good!" He yelped, knowing full well that his mother was not talking about his writing at all. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I had to pick you up somewhere." She grinned as a wave of confusion washed over him and squeezed his shoulder. "It's the third weekend of September, remember?"

"Yeah, so –" Rothan stopped and for the first time he realized what day it was. "Oh. Oh."

"There's my bright boy. Turns out my sister has a rental home in Le Havre that's big enough for the two of us and a few friends. And Sabine was saying that her daughter had been needing a weekend away, and, well, things just started falling into place."

"We're going to the coast?" Rothan still was trying to process that bit of information as he steadied against a table. "We're going to the coast today?"

"I know we haven't been in a while, and I know you need a break, so I figured a little salt air would do us good. Honey? Honey, are you alright?"

Rothan was most definitely not alright. Thankfully, Staffe had predicted the waterworks and subtly stuck a handkerchief out of his bag just in time, and Reamie smiled and wrapped her crying son in a fierce hug. After a moment he collected himself and sniffled. "Oh my gosh, mum. I can't – I don't – Thank you."

"Too much emotion for one day?" she teased as she slipped the bottle of salve for his burns in his satchel. "Sorry. I didn't think you would react so strongly."

"It's okay." Rothan blew his nose and grinned sheepishly at her, not caring much who was watching at the moment. "I'm just really tired today."

"All the more reason to get going then. Why don't you go and freshen up while Nino helps the girls with their luggage?"

"M'kay. Mrs. Cheng? Mr. Dupane? Can I run up and use your restroom?"

"Go right ahead, dear." Sabine smiled at the red-eyed boy. "First door on the left."

He nodded and headed out and up the stairs, Nino following. As they went, the two of them passed Alya and Marinette on their way down with the end of their things, the latter of which took one look at Rothan and stopped him to give him a quick hug. "Lyra says she's sorry she missed it," she whispered in his ear, "And hopes we have a great time."

"We're going to. I haven't been to the coast of anywhere in over a year. This is going to be awesome." He grinned and extracted himself and received a hearty slap on the back from Nino. "I got this, dude."

"Thanks, Nino. I'll be right back." Rothan made his way to the bathroom and locked the door, then sat down for a second with a crazy grin on his face. I can't believe this is happening. I'm getting to go to the coast with mom and my closest friends. So much for a boring weekend. With a sudden thought, he extracted Staffe and grinned at the green Kwamii. "This was your idea, wasn't it? After I talked to Lyra about going to the coast every other month?"

"Guilty as charged. Your mother and I agreed that you need to take some time off, especially as injured and tired as you are, and there's no better way to do that than with a trip to the coast. Lady Lapis has agreed to watch the city while we're gone, so you don't have to worry about there not being anyone to keep an eye on Hawkmoth. She's more than capable of putting an Akuma in a jar."

"Than you." Rothan's voice shook, but he was determined to not start crying again. "For thinking of me, and being my partner, and everything. You the absolute best, and I promise I'm going to spend lots of time with you this weekend too, untransformed, just you and me."

"I appreciate that, Rothan. Don't worry about me too much, though. Your mother might have a small friend waiting for me in her bag." Staffe winked at his partner and grinned.

Rothan's eyes bugged. "Edgge is coming?"

"She is. I'm excited to spend a whole weekend with her, just relaxing. We'll try to not get into too much mischief."

"You better not." Rothan growled playfully at his partner and wiggled out of his shirt. "Now lets get this salve on so we can go."

The Kwamii agreed and began to help him rub it into his abdomen, and between the two they were able to apply and rebind his tender chest at top speed. As they exited the bathroom, however, Rothan's jaw dropped as he heard the familiar voice of a model he knew quite well, and realized just how deep Alya's scheming had gone. "Hello, Mr. Cheng, Mr. Dupane. And you must be Rothan's mother. It's nice to finally meet you – I've heard a lot about you."

"You flatter me." His mother's voice floated up the stairs and then paused as something large and heavy clattered to the floor. "Marinette? Are you alright?"

Rothan didn't bother to wait for an answer as he slid down the rail banister and burst out the back door to see The Gorilla lifting a few pieces of luggage into the back of his mother's SUV. Making sure the door was closed, he turned to the reporter standing beside him with a satisfied grin across her face. He was so exasperated that for a moment he forgot his soreness as he pointed an arm and bellowed. "Alya Césaire! What have you talked my mother into?"

Adrien grinned as he relaxed in the back seat. He honestly hadn't been able to believe this was happening, but here he was, driving with his best friends down the highway to Le Havre with no one to worry about — well, that wasn't technically true; he knew the Gorilla was following them only a few cars behind them, but he had promised that he was only going to be in town in case of an emergency so his father didn't have to be called. Otherwise, it was just going to be the six of them for the next few days, while his father was in a business trip in Germany and the rest of the staff took a well-earned weekend off. He was thrilled by this notion of a weekend trip — as a model, he rarely got a vacation, and the days he did get were often filled with socializing with the elite of Paris and catching up on his lessons. So as he had stared out the window and jabbered with his friends for the first half of the trip, he had thanked Mrs. Terresia so many times that she had laughed out loud. "We're glad you have you, Adrien. Rothan tells me lots about you — although maybe not always quite enough." She shot a look at Alya through the mirror that was impossible to read, who squirmed in her seat. "I'm glad to see he has such good friends as this."

"I'm just glad all our parents agreed to let us come." Nino reached out from the middle row and tussled the blonde's hair. "It's not something I expected Mr. Agreste to let you do."

"Yeah, neither did I." Adrenaline blushed a little at the comment but decided not to mention the fact that his father had no idea this was happening. "Isn't it great?"

Now, as the sun started to set on the crew, Adrien had evidently become the unofficial pillow of the trip. Rothan had been siting up and still since the first half-hour of the trip, and while he had worried something had made the brown-haired boy uncomfortable, his mother had just laughed and suggested that he give him a slight nudge. The result had been a tired snort as he had leaned over and put his head on Adrien's shoulder in his sleep, much to their collective amusement. About halfway through the trip Marinette decided to join him but had begun by leaning away from the model. But she had been twitching and growling in her sleep so much that he had felt bad, and he had gently leaned her over, much to Alya's amusement. Now her head was nestled into his neck and her arms had wrapped around him like he was a large teddy bear, and the whole thing was so comfortable he was starting to fight to stay awake. Alya evidently thought this was hilarious for some reason and had taken half a dozen pictures before Mrs. Terresia managed to get her to stop, and now she was quietly discussing something with Nino while the three teens in the back dozed.

Shortly before they arrived, Rothan began to stir, and managed to rouse himself to a sitting position with a grunt. As his mother chuckled, he shook his head and sniffled as he tried to compose himself and shot him an awkward smile. "Sorry, mate. I guess I'm more tired than I realized."

"I'm fine. I think I was going to end up with someone sleeping on me anyways." He smiled down at Marinette, who stirred and hummed in her sleep. "Poor Mari. I don't think she's been getting nearly enough rest."

"Well, it's a good thing we're going to have a few days to relax."

"I'm looking forward to it. I don't get to do this very often." Looking up, he noticed an amused twinkle in Rothan's eye, and his brow furrowed. "What?"

"Nothing." The brown-haired boy turned away quickly and glanced to the front. "Mum, should we wake Marinette? Or just let her sleep?"

"I'd appreciate it if you'd wake her gently. If everyone is fully conscious when we arrive, it will make getting in much quicker and we can start dinner."

"M'kay." Rothan nodded and glanced at the model. "Why don't I let you handle this?"

"Alright." Adrien used one hand to support the blunette whole the other poked her gently in the nose. "Marinette? Time to wake up."

He couldn't help but grin at the way her face scrunched up in irritation and she grumbled sleepily as she started to come to consciousness. "No. Don't wanna."

"But Mari, we're almost there. You're going to need help bring stuff in."

"Don't care." There was a pause as she snorted and Alya stifled a laugh. "You're warm."

"I'm sure he is, honey. But I think Adrien could use a little personal space for a minute before we get out of the car." Mrs. Terresia smiled as she glanced into the back seat. "There will be plenty of time to nap after dinner."

This seemed to do the trick, though not in the way the blonde model was expecting. "Huh?" Marinette slowly cracked one eye open, then both sprung open in shock as a strangled sound came from her throat. "A-Adrien?"

"You're awake!" He grinned at her as she unwrapped her arms, a furious blush rushing across her face. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine!" Marinette flashed him a smile, and Adrien sighed. Why is it whenever she's really starting to relax, she gets all nervous again? "Sorry. I guess I'm pretty tired. I thought you were Rothan."

"He was not," the brown-haired boy retorted from the other side of Adrien. "And let me tell you, if you tried that with me you wouldn't have slept very long."

Marinette laughed and nodded at him. "Well, I'm sure you wouldn't be comfortable to use as a pillow anyways. Too hard and prickly."

Adrien blushed at the indirect compliment while Rothan sputtered for a reply, and his mother burst out laughing. "Alright, you all. Calm down, and all hands on deck – we've arrived!"

There was a collective cheer as the car pulled into the drive of the small house that awaited them, and the five teens burst out of the car and began to rapidly unpack their things from the car. Mrs. Terresia simply stood back and watched the chaos unfold, and Adrien caught her taking a few photos as well as he lifted his suitcase out and clambered inside the vehicle to hand people luggage. "I think this is Rothan's suitcase, and judging from the Ladybug pattern this one is Alya's –"

"Guilty as charged!" The brunette grinned as she took both of the bags from him. "Here you go – Oh!" Rothan had his arms full of cloth bags and peeked out from behind one with an apologetic grin. "Do you have all that?"

"Yeah, it's just groceries for dinner tonight. I can –" Before he could finish, there was a bustle of activity around him and all of the sacks save one was removed, leaving Adrien to laugh at a very confused Rothan. "Carry it all? I guess I can get my suitcase now though."

Amid giggles and chatter and a few close calls, the party of six managed to move all of their things inside. The girls cooed at the large living area and kitchen, while Nino grinned as he glanced out the back doors. "All right! A pool?"

"It's too cold to swim, silly." Alya elbowed him as she joined him and smiled. "And the beach is less than five minutes away. The yard is large enough to hang out in though. That's nice."

"Are you five going to decide who gets which rooms?" Mrs. Terresia grinned from the door and wheeled her suitcase in and down the hallway. "Or am I going to have to just take the best one for myself?"

"You know I'll sleep anywhere these days, Mum." Rothan was already pulling out an apron in the kitchen and examining the produce his mother had brought. "Let Nino and Adrien choose which the room they want, and I'll set up an air mattress in there."

"Thanks, man." Nino darted off down the hall, followed by Adrien and the girls, and glanced between the rooms. "I like this one."

"But that's the one with the biggest bed!" Alya growled playfully and punched his arm. "Of course you would take that one."

Nino just wiggled his eyebrows at his girlfriend. "Lucky for you there's another person helping me decide. What do you think, Adrien?"

"I kind of like the other one better." Adrien poked his head into the room, which was decorated with shells on a pastel-blue wall and furnished with two twin-sized beds, and shrugged. "Let the girls fight over the bigger bed. Besides, this means we can sleep separate from one another."

"I like that idea. And if we decide to – 'change it up' later on, maybe Rothan and Marinette will be more comfortable with the arrangements." Alya nudged her boyfriend, who blushed. "What do you think about that?"

"I think that it sounds like a wonderful plan." Nino grinned. "What about you, Marinette?"

The blunette had turned light pink for some reason and was glaring at Alya, but she offered a quick smile as Adrien glanced at her. "Of – of course! Sounds like a plan to me." Both of them knew that what this actually meant was that Nino and Alya would be sharing one room and the other three would be sharing the other, but had learned that it was usually better to let these things slide than to talk them into a more reasonable arrangement. Hopefully they could convince Rothan of the same thing. "I'll get my things."

Marinette woke up the next morning feeling better than she had in days. After dinner and a board game that had left them in a fit of giggles, the teens had decided to hit the sack for the night, and she did not regret it. This had been the first night of uninterrupted sleep she'd gotten in a while, and it had left her feeling the most rested she'd been in weeks. There was a faint, wafting scent of warm fruit on the air, and following her nose, she rose from her bed, glanced over to make sure Adrien was still asleep, and peeked out of her room to see Rothan already in the kitchen working the stove and humming. Other than that, the house was silent, and she crept in and sat down at the bar that separated his workspace from the rest of the living room. "You're up early."

Rothan started but didn't turn, instead opting to keep his eyes fixed on the pot he was stirring. "Morning, Mari. I could say the same for you, considering your frequent napping."

"It's not like you don't either."

"Those are scheduled catnaps. You fall asleep in class." Rothan pointed his spoon at the girl, and she stuck a finger out to collect some of the dark red syrup that coated it. "Hey! I don't give out free samples."

"I'll remember that the next time you come to the bakery looking for sweets." She giggled at his exasperated sigh as she licked her fingers. "Cherry?"

"One of our old standards. I have crêpe batter chilling in the fridge while I fix toppings." He bit his lip as he watched the pot. "It's been a while since I've made it, apparently. It isn't supposed to be nearly this runny."

"I'm sure it will be delicious." She watched him step away and begin chopping up a few handfuls of nuts, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "Sorry about Alya and Nino."

"Why are you apologizing? This couldn't be going any better for you."

"Shh!" Marinette turned pink as she glared at him, then glanced at the hallway behind him. "He could be awake."

"Sorry. Still, I don't mind. Better I'm with you two than them anyways. I'm more curious about Mum's reaction."

"Do you think she'll be upset?"

"Not really. She's pretty chill." Rothan tossed the nuts into a pan with some butter and sugar and began to candy them while stirring his fruit compote at the same time. "I'm betting on amused exasperation, with a hint of gentle teasing."

"That's awfully exact."

"I know Mum pretty well."

Marinette got up and came to the other side of the counter, gently taking the spoon from his hand so he could focus on the pan he was holding. He glared, but didn't object and turned his full attention to the browning nuts. "So do you have any plans for this weekend? Or are we just playing it by ear?"

"More of the latter. There are outdoor markets all weekend that might be nice to walk about in, and I want to spend some time on the beach today, but other than that, I figured we'd just go with the flow. That's always how we did it back in Plymouth."

"Sounds like fun. As long as you're having a good time, I'd imagine we'll all be enjoying ourselves too."

"I'd hope so." Mrs. Terresia poked her head in from the hallway in a t-shirt and jeans. "The last thing I need is for you all to go home and tell your parents I'm old and boring."

"Good morning, Mum." Rothan grinned at her from behind the stove and shook his head. "You're in a good mood."

"I think getting back to our old traditions is playing a big role in that." She walked over and kissed his forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright, very stiff. Did you sleep okay?"

His mother just smiled and thumbed her nose, and Marinette watched as some sort of silent conversation flashed between the two. It lasted only a moment before she turned to her and glanced into the pot. "I assume this is supposed to be crêpe topping?"

"It's not thickening properly." Marinette offered her a spoon and watched as she examined the liquid. "Any ideas?"

"He forgot the sour gummy candies again." Rothan facepalmed while his mother chuckled and grabbed a small bag from their groceries, tearing it open and pouring it in. "My mother used to use this syrup for desserts, but we found we liked it a little too well at breakfast. With a little ricotta-cream cheese filling, you end up with something that's a little bit cheesecake, a little bit cannoli, and so good. Most of the credit for that goes to Rothan."

"You make it sound like I just had a flash of inspiration one day. There were at least six batches of failed fillings before I got the ratios just right."

"Still, that's awesome." Marinette grinned at him and he blushed. "I love to cook, but typically I follow a recipe pretty closely."

"Baking is a science – which is why I'm terrible at it." Rothan chuckled as he removed the candied nuts and began to toss some bacon in the same pan. "I've found I'm a bit more freeform in the kitchen."

"And it seems like that's a good thing." Marinette glanced up to see Alya leaning against the wall with a half-smile. "Boy, that smells divine."

"Well, it's almost done. Why don't you get the boys up and join us in here, and I'll get started on the batter for the crepes." Rothan's mother nudged her son and grinned. "And maybe you two should go change before we sit down to eat."

Marinette glanced over and realized for the first time that under his apron he was only wearing a white cotton t-shirt and baggy shorts. "Right. Rothan, why don't you go first and get Adrien, and I'll help your mom in the kitchen?"

"But – The bacon!" Rothan didn't put up too much of a struggle as he was gently shoved out of kitchen, and Marinette smiled as he gave her big, sad eyes. "Nice try."

"Rats." The brown-haired boy darted off, and she giggled at his antics as she returned her attention to the now-thickening syrup in front of her. "Is he always like this in the kitchen?"

"Sometimes he's worse." Mrs. Terresia grinned back at her as she retrieved the batter from the fridge and began to prepare another pan. "Cooking and writing seem to be the two activites that bring out the best in him."

"No wonder he's always got a pen in hand."

"It certainly never seems to be far from his mind, does it? He's a storyteller at heart, that's for certain." His mother hummed to herself, lost in thought, then shook her head. "At any rate, he'll be out shortly, which means we'd better hurry if we want to have any chance of completing this before he gets back."

"No time to waste then. Let's get cooking."

Rothan was returning with the boys just as they were putting the finishing touches on a platter full of the thin, soft pancakes, and Marinette was thankful they waited for her to change before they demolished both them and the bacon and eggs they had made to go with them. Lucky for her there was just enough to set a little aside for Tikki later, and she had a hunch that the little Kwamii would have the same excited reaction to the sweets.

Once they had finished and cleaned up, the teens discussed their plans for rest of the day while Rothan's mother responded to a few emails from colleagues, and agreed that it would be fun to explore the market this morning, rather than waiting until tomorrow and have limited time to enjoy themselves. Once she was ready, they loaded up and made the quick trip across town to the bustling outdoor market, full of people and music and all sorts of wares. Rothan's head poked out of the car in curiosity as he watched the bustling crowds and brightly-colored stalls and tables, then hopped out and clutched at his satchel. Marinette was right behind him, followed by the others, and she put a hand on his shoulder. "You alright?"

He glanced back at her and smiled. "Oh, yeah. I just didn't think about there being so many people."

His mother hopped out and walked over beside him to tousle his unkempt hair. "It's going to be fun, sweetheart. Just wait and see." Then she waved to the other four, who gathered around her. "I realize you all likely brought some spending money with you for the trip. But seeing as you are all our guests, it would be wrong of me to not offer you a little something as well." Then she held up a few bills for them to see and started passing them around. "Twenty euros for each of you, to use how you please. And don't try to tell me you can't accept either." She gave a pointed glare to Adrien, who closed his mouth immediately. "This is my treat."

There was a chorus of "Thank you, Mrs. Terresia" all around, and she grinned. "Alright, I'm going to get some fresh produce for dinner tonight. Let's all meet back here in two hours, and text or call if you need something."

There were nods and murmured agreements as they separated, Marinette and Alya forming one pair and Nino and Adrien another. Rothan remained behind with his mom, but didn't seem to mind much as the others wandered off. Neither did Alya, who elbowed her friend once they got out of earshot. "So, how was last night? Not so bad, right?"

"Only because we didn't share one bed like you two." Marinette gave her a fake glare, then giggled at Alya's mock offense, a faint rose spreading across her cheeks. "I thought I was going to die of embarrassment in the car."

"It's not my fault you need to cuddle with everything when you sleep."

"It's not mine either!" The two of them bantered as they walked and examined the small shops they passed, full of all kinds of fresh fall fruits and vegetables, fish, and home crafted goods. Marinette ended up seeing some high-quality yarn that she liked, and Alya purchased a small carved cat to go with the crocheted ladybug she had received as a gift last Christmas. "I guess if this Mantis fellow is going to be sticking around, I should keep an eye out for a mantis figurine for my desk too."

"You're obsessed." Marinette poked her in the ribs and grinned. "Only you would think about Ladybug and Chat Noir on a weekend away from Paris."

"I'm not obsessed! A good reporter is just always watching for an excellent opportunity." Alya retorted with a playful shove. "Besides, my poor lonely ladybug needs a partner, don't you think?"

The amusement in Alya's voice suggested a lot more than a partner, and Marinette rolled her eyes. Her best friend would never know why her insistence that she and Chat were a couple exasperated her, but she took no end of pleasure in teasing her about it. "You know they're not like that."

"But they could be. You never know."

The blunette decided to drop that line of conversation and move to something that had less to do with revealing her secret identity. "Do you want to get something to drink? I think I saw some hot cider a minute ago."

"A warm drink sounds great. Let's go." The two of them retraced their steps and found the booth, hopped in line, and were just retrieving their cups when Alya pointed across the space with a grin. "Look who's all by himself."

Marinette glanced over and squeaked. Adrien was examining some handcrafted bread and discussing it with the man behind the counter, who obviously took great pride in his work and was thrilled to talk his ear off. The model, on the other hand, only knew what he did about baking from Marinette and was beginning to look a little lost and uncomfortable. "Oh, no, Alya. Not today."

"But your prince looks like he could use a rescue. Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Don't even go there." Marinette gave her a glare and rolled her eyes at Alya's pleading look. "You're not going to let me say no, are you?"

"Nope." The brunette was already pushing her friend over to the stall and grinning. "Relax. I'm going to be right next to you the whole time. Just think of it as a friendly conversation."

"A friendly conversation where I won't be able to get two words out and I'm going to completely embarrass myself in front of the whole world, and then he'll laugh at me and never like me and – Eep!" Marinette stopped talking just in time to nearly run right into Adrien, who turned around in surprise. "Hey! Almost didn't see you there."

"Hey Mari, Alya. I thought I might run into you here." Adrien grinned at them and waved a hand at the stall. "I was just telling this gentleman about you and your baking skills."

"Yes! You must be Marinette." The baker stuck out a hand in greeting, which she shyly took. "You must be a fine baker indeed – to believe your young friend here, the finest baker in all of Paris."

"Really?" She smiled and blushed at the compliment. "I appreciate that, but I'm certainly not the best. That title goes to my parents."

"So humble, and such great respect for your elders. Well, miss Marinette, you must tell me if my bread matches up to your parents, eh?" Before she could respond, he retrieved three small pieces of baguette, each with a dollop of some sort of preserve on the top, and handed it to the three teens. "Here, have a free sample."

Marinette obliged and bit into the crusty piece of bread. "This is excellent!"

"You think so? I'm glad you like it. The jam is my wife's recipe."

"Is it for sale too?" Adrien gave the baker an eager look, and Marinette grinned at his excitement. With his strict modeling diet at home, I guess something as simple as homemade bread and jam must seem pretty extraordinary. Well, he'll have plenty of that to look forward to in the future. While she daydreamed about all the wonderful things she was going to make for Adrien, he purchased some of the man's wares and thanked him profusely. "As long as you are happy, I am happy, mon jeune ami. I hope your friends enjoy it as well!"

"I'm sure they will. Thanks again!" The three of them headed off, Marinette making conversation the best she could but happy to let Alya and Adrien do most of the talking – he still made her so tongue-tied that when she did try to talk, it came out all stuttering and confused. Still, he always had the kindest smile, and Alya's encouraging grin made her own clumsiness more bearable. "So, where's Nino?"

"He stopped with Rothan to watch some live music for a moment. I'm not sure where they are now though."

"I'm sure they're fine. Those two boys can certainly take care of themselves." Alya bumped Marinette's shoulder with her own and smiled. "Though I wouldn't say no if you wanted to go find them."

The blunette rolled her eyes and grinned back. "If we must. I'm sure they can't be far."

They were, in fact, exactly where Adrien had left them, sitting on a bench and watching an older woman playing guitar. Nino was nodding along while Rothan slowly wrote in one of his notebooks, but put it away once he saw the rest of them arrive and nodded to the group. Marinette returned it with a smile and wave. "There you two are. Where's Mrs. Terresia?"

"Getting some local honey. Mum always likes to have some on hand for tea and things, and she's picky." Rothan shrugged with a small smile. "There are some things I've learned it's better to let her purchase."

The other three joined them on and around the bench, Alya with her boyfriend and Marinette sitting between the couple and Rothan with Adrien hovering right behind. She was keenly aware of his presence, but tried not to make that too obvious. "Did you find anything you like?" Nino showed her a coffee mug that was covered in musical script, while Rothan revealed a small bookmark in one hand. "Those will make nice things to remember today by."

"I hope so." Nino grinned back and slipped the cup back into its bag. "Where did you two get the hot drinks?"

Alya pointed out the stand to him while Marinette watched Rothan's face. He seemed strangely distant and jumpy, and she raised an eyebrow. Apparently Adrien noticed the same thing and slid over to start rubbing his shoulders. There was a brief moment of tension before the brunette relaxed. "You alright, man?"

"I'm good." He shot them both a quick smile that belayed something else and turned away. "You know me, just lost in thought."

"Is that all?" Adrien pressed, but shrugged when Rothan shook his head. "Alright. If you need to talk about something, don't forget we're right here."

Marinette turned a light pink as she watched the model rub his shoulders and wished desperately that she was the one receiving the massage instead of Rothan. He's so sweet, always thinking about others first. Insanely perfect, that's what he is. How he makes me fall in love with him all over again so easily, I'll never know. I wish – She was interrupted from her reprieve by Alya's giggle, and she blinked as she refocused. Rothan had managed to drift off in the minute or two she had been thinking, and was now snoring softly as Adrien continued to rub soothing circles into his shoulders with a surprised smile. "He's asleep again? I think I caught him dozing in the car today too – does he ever stop sleeping?"

"He told me once he takes lots of short naps." Nino shook his head and began to rub Alya's shoulders in a similar way. "I don't think he sleeps much at night. In fact, I'm pretty sure I heard him get up once or twice last night, really late."

"I wonder why. He's obviously able to get to sleep."

"He has a reason, I'm sure." Adrien grinned and shook his head, then removed his hands to watch the musician. Almost immediately there was a snuffle and Rothan blinked awake. "Well, that was fast."

"Light sleeper." The brunette flexed his neck, sending a wave of pops up it, and smiled, a bit embarrassed. "Sorry."

"You're fine, Rothan." Marinette nudged him with a smile. "Though maybe we should get moving before you fall asleep again."

"Perhaps." Rothan stood and stretched, glanced around, and slipped over to the woman playing guitar to put a few euros in her case. As he returned, he glanced around with an eye of curiosity, scanning the crowd behind them. "I'd like to figure out where Mum is, honestly. I'm surprised she's taking this long, and it might be good to give her a hand."

Adrien nodded and fell into step beside him. "Alright. She can't be far, I'm sure." The two of them slipped into the crowd, with Nino right behind. Alya grinned at the retreating trio. "Looks like you might have a problem, Marinette. You were awfully jealous of Rothan just now."

The blunette blushed and fought to keep a telling smile off her face. "I was not!"

"You're in denial." Her best friend winked and began to follow the boys, glancing over her shoulder to talk. "Are you just going to stand there and stare at me like a fish, or are you coming to keep that brown-haired boy from sweeping him off his feet?"

"He's not – I wasn't – That's not fair! I am not jealous of Rothan!" Marinette glowered at Alya, who just laughed and speed-walked away. It took a brief second for Marinette to realize that her best friend was teasing her and turned bright scarlet. The blunette composed herself, shook her head, and took off after her, exasperated and laughing all at the same time. "Alya! Wait for me!"

Rothan stared at the ceiling and hummed quietly to himself, deep in thought. He wasn't asleep yet, and likely wouldn't be for another few hours. He could hear the soft breathing of Marinette on one side of him, and Adrien's gentle snoring on the other from his air mattress – both teens were wiped and had fallen asleep nearly as they had gotten into bed. And yet he was strangely awake and full of energy, with stories and training maneuvers and the day's events rolling through his mind like a whirlwind of thoughts and impressions, demanding his attention. After a moment he sighed and sat up. No point in staying in bed if I can't sleep.

Crawling out from underneath the covers, he groped in the darkness for his suitcase, which he had left unzipped for situations like this, and retrieved a pair of track pants. Quickly changing out of his sleeping shorts, he crept out of the room and shut the door behind him, then over to his mother's sleeping quarters and knocked on the door. "Hey, are you still up?"

"Yeah, baby. Come on in." He poked in to see his mother examining the notes for a case she was working on from her laptop, half a cup of hot tea sitting on the bedside table. She looked up at him and smiled. "I'm not surprised you're still up. Do you want to sit and write with me for a bit?"

"Actually, I was thinking about heading out to the beach for a little while. Some night air might be what I need to wind down."

She nodded, understanding. "You're missing patrol tonight. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to go by yourself though."

Rothan nodded. "If you don't think so, I don't mind –"

"However, if you were to take our little friends with you, I'd appreciate that." His mother gave him a quick wink and watched the gears turn in his head for a second before he chuckled. Staffe poked his head up from the dresser in confusion. "How would you two like to go for a night walk?"

"Oh, darling!" Edgge bolted out of the little nest his mother had made for them and twirled happily. "I just love getting out in the evenings. I'd be glad to accompany Rothan. Would you be coming too, Staffe?"

"It looks like I don't have much choice in the matter." The green Kwamii hummed to himself in mild amusement. "Yes, I would come too, dear."

"Thanks, Mum." Rothan came over and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "I won't be very long I don't think, maybe half an hour tops? If you're still awake I'll come write with you then."

"That sounds good to me. Have fun you three, and do try to stay out of trouble."

"We will do our best." Staffe grinned and slipped into his usual place on Rothan's shoulder, Edgge joining him after a moment of consideration. "Relax, Mrs. Terresia. With the two of us with him there's only so much trouble he can get into, and I don't think that was what he had on his mind anyways."

Rothan just shook his head with a grin. "You are all insufferable. I'll be back in a bit." He slipped out the door and through the house, grabbing his satchel as he went then headed out the front door and walked down toward the beach. Being only a few minutes away, it took no time at all and he was quickly able to find the tucked-away, shadowy spot that he had noted earlier. Staffe and Edgge both began to glow softly, each a different shade of green, as they hummed and moved from his shoulder to the sand below. Edgge beamed at the half-moon above. "Oh, it's lovely tonight."

"Isn't it? This is one of my favorite parts of morning patrol. Quiet, peaceful, and there's something beautiful about dark skies and sleepy Paris mornings. This isn't the same but wonderful none the less."

Edgge nodded and smiled back at him. "I can imagine. Staffe tells me that you have a particular fondness for the nighttime."

"I'm not very outgoing. People, especially large groups of people, can make me anxious and cranky. So I like to experience the world when a lot of those folks aren't out." Rothan shrugged. "It's sort of freeing, in a way."

"I see. Did being at the market today cause such a reaction?" Staffe tapped his partner's thumb with his hand. "I was worried that it might have been too much, too fast."

"Maybe at first. But once I relaxed a little bit I really did have a good time. We used to do that too, you know – Dad always loved those markets back home."

Staffe just nodded and lay back to watch the night sky. All three of them were quiet for a bit, until Edgge spoke again. "How are you feeling physically?"

"Not great still. Definitely better – not transforming has made it easier for my body to recover, but I still have a week or two more before I'm going to be fully healed, and there's a good chance there will be another fight before then – maybe even a couple of them. It's going to be a while."

"Is the salve not helping, darling?"

"It is, but there's only so much it can do." Rothan sighed and shook his head. "To be honest, I'm wondering if it would be smart to set down the Black Mantis persona for a while. Not permanently, mind you, but long enough to get to the point where I'm feeling better and can fight effectively. A month, maybe two."

"Rothan, you do fight effectively." Staffe sat up and gave his partner a glare. "You don't have the reaction time and instincts of Chat and Ladybug yet, but that's expected. They've been doing this for three years, and you've had about a month to learn on the job."

"And that's why I think stepping back is important. I got tossed into all of this at a point where Hawkmoth and the Miraculous team is far above my skill level. I'm barely holding my own out here, and one of these days it's not going to be enough."

Staffe paused and considered this, and Rothan sighed. I know this probably sounds harsh and thoughtless to them, But I'm trying to come at this from a logical standpoint, not an emotional one. If I get seriously injured, or worse, while we're fighting, it's going to be really bad.

Edgge was the first to speak. "Rothan, love, do you want to give up your powers and role as the Black Mantis?"

"No. I enjoy helping people, and making a difference. I love to see the faces of civilians as I pass by, especially the kids. And I really, really want to take down this Hawkmoth dude. As far as I'm concerned, he's a douchebag who needs to go away for a very long time."

"Then don't give them up just yet. You can do lots of training with Staffe, and you'll rapidly improve if you put your mind to it. There is a reason he is the Kwamii of Willpower, after all. And look for other opportunities to train and learn as well."

"Many of my partners practiced martial arts or fencing, or some other sport that strengthened the upper body and hand-eye coordination," Staffe agreed with a nod. "You might give one of those a try."

"Perhaps." Rothan mused on this for a moment, while Edgge floated up to his ear and smiled. "Will it be enough, though?"

"I am confident it will be. You forget, darling, that I've seen many Mantises of all colors come and go. You are always stronger than you first believe yourselves to be – your sheer willpower makes you strong in ways that other Miraculous holders are not."

"You mean the psychic abilities I'm supposed to have? They haven't exactly started working yet." Rothan chuckled dryly. "I assume that's one of these things that need more time?"

"And practice." Staffe gave him a small smile, and Rothan sighed. "Lots and lots of practice."

"Darling, I know you are feeling very conflicted about this. I can sense it as part of my skillset." Edgge tapped his nose and grinned at him, and he smiled back. "But give it a bit more time before you make any big decisions. You've already done such good, and there is plenty more of that for you to do. Even if it is only little things, you have great potential."

Rothan nodded. "I appreciate that. I guess – I don't know. We'll keep up the regular schedule for a little while longer, at least until we make some headway into these weird happenings with the Akuma."

"I think that is a good idea." Edgge grinned and settled back on his shoulder. "Anything else on the mind?"

"Not a whole lot." Rothan grinned at the sky as he leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "Old times, mostly. The days when we would go out on the sea, just the three of us."

"Is it hard for you to be out here?" Staffe floated up and joined Edgge, who had shifted from his shoulder to his chest. "I had rather hoped it would heal old memories rather than make them more painful."

"You can't heal without a little pain. But it is helping. I'm glad to be making new memories with my closest friends and family, especially Mum and you two."

"Good." Staffe laid back and Rothan smiled into the darkness. This is how it's supposed to be. They all lay there for a few minutes, each contemplating the events of the past month in their own way, before Rothan shifted. He could feel Staffe start at the movement. "Is everything all right, Rothan?"

"I was just thinking, since we're alone out here, and you said yourself I need to get some practice in, would you want to run some forms and moves before we head back?"

"Actually, that sounds lovely. I need to stretch my muscles anyways. Edgge, do you care to join us?"

"I think I will just watch tonight, but thank you." The pale green Kwamii looked at her partner lovingly and planted a small kiss on his cheek, drawing a blush. "You two boys go have fun, and I'll snuggle into the shadows."

"If you're sure." Rothan smiled back at her and put a gloved hand out to Staffe. "Let's try to keep the light show down tonight, all right? Staffe, Scythes Out."

Reaime smiled as she watched her son sleep peacefully in her bed, Staffe curled up next to him, and ruffled his hair. On returning last night, he had joined her for some writing but had drifted off to sleep rather quickly, tiredness from his impromptu training taking over, and she hadn't the heart to put him back in with Adrien and Marinette. Edgge had explained to her his worry about his capabilities after he had fallen asleep, and she had just shook her head. That sounds exactly like him – always worrying about what he is able to do for others, that he's not strong enough to do what needs to be done. He's a good kid.

Watching him hum in his sleep, she was brought back to another memory, of a young boy crawling in bed with her and her husband late at night, and released a sad sigh before catching herself. He's grown up so fast, but I still forget there is so much child in him still. I wish that he didn't have to carry this responsibility on his shoulders. But I suppose the only thing I can do is help him bear it the best I can.

She stretched and rose, then went through her regular routine of starting her day. As she changed she listened to the gentle patter of the rain on the roof. A storm had blown in late last night, but Rothan had somehow managed to sleep through it. She could already hear the others starting to stir and bemoan the weather, but as she left the bathroom and went over to the bed, Edgge diving into her purse, she could see Rothan shift and grunt as he began to wake. With a grin she decided to help the process along and poked his stomach. "Hey, kiddo. Rise and shine."

"Hrm. It's a Sunday, right? No patrol." Rothan rolled over and nearly squished Staffe, who woke just in time to dart away in alarm. "Can I have a little bit longer?"

"We do have guests. And you don't want to spend your last day on the coast lying in bed, do you?"

"Of course not." Her son grinned sleepily and sat up to rub his face with one hand. "Is it raining?"

"Mhm. Looks like it's going to be a bit of quiet morning before we hit the road. I think that would be good for you anyways."

"Yesterday was a lot more excitement than I was used to." Rothan hopped out of bed and set Staffe on his shoulder, who grumbled good naturedly. "Good morning, Staffe. I'm going to go get changed and start breakfast."

"Marinette may beat you to it, but you're welcome to try. I'll see you in a minute." He darted out of the room in his regular fashion, and Reamie just shook her head and smiled. Some things never change. Following, she headed into the living room and kitchen, where Alya and Marinette were indeed working on breakfast and Adrien and Nino were watching and conversing among themselves. "Hello, you all. Did you sleep well?"

"Very." Marinette grinned back at her over the stovetop. "I think this has been the best I've slept in a while. I guess getting away from everything for a weekend really helped."

"I'm glad to hear that. It seems to have done Rothan a world of good too – he hasn't relaxed this well in a while."

"Where was he last night?" Adrien gave her a questioning glance, and Reamie blinked for a moment. "I noticed he got up really late and went out for a bit."

"Oh!" How do I cover for this? I can't exactly tell them that he was training with two tiny, powerful beings. "Well, you see, Rothan often –"

"I take late night walks sometimes, to clear my head. I'm something of a night owl." He poked his head in, dressed in his regular black jacket and jeans, and gave a small smile. "Sorry about that. I hope I didn't worry anyone."

"You're all good. I was just curious." Adrien returned the smile, and Reamie breathed a sigh of relief. "Why don't you come join us? Marinette and Alya are making eggs and bacon."

Rothan nodded and sat down, and Reamie grinned. "I'm going to pop into the bedroom and get my things ready. I'll be right back, okay?" The teens nodded and began conversing, and she slipped back the way she came to pack her few things for the trip home. As she did so, she felt a familiar presence land on her shoulder. "Good morning, dear. Lovely weather, isn't it?"

"If you're Rothan, perhaps. I'm not so partial to the rain myself."

"Fair enough. Would you like a hand?"

"That would be lovely, thank you." Edgge nodded and began to collect the smaller toiletries and set them in her bag, and Reamie paused in the middle of folding a shirt. "So I've been giving what you said some thought."

"Oh? I thought you might." Edgge glanced up with a smile. "And?"

"I appreciate the offer. I really do. But I don't think I'm the right person to bear the Luna Moth Miraculous. Not that I don't think I'd be a good fit," she soothed as she held up a hand to the Kwamii, who had opened her mouth to protest. "I will agree on the point that my history and temperament would likely make me a fine candidate. And I've enjoyed the limited time that I've spent with you, and hope we might be able to have more in the future."

"Then why, darling?" Edgge cocked her head in slight confusion as she watched the woman's face for answers. "What is your concern?"

"Rothan."

There was a brief pause as Edgge considered this. "Oh," she hummed in surprise. "I didn't think of that."

"He worries about me so much already, you know. And I think having me with him would only serve to increase his anxiety even more. You said last night you had to talk him out of giving up his Miraculous once already – if I had offered to join him, do you think that would have made his decision any easier?"

"I suppose not. That thoughtfulness is exactly why I'd be honored to have you as my partner, but you're almost certainly right. There are so many times that he radiates calmness and relaxation that I forget it is such a struggle for him to stay that way."

"And as his mother, I need to make sure he gets as many of those moments as he can right now. There's a long road ahead of both of us still, and this weekend was only a very small step in that." Retrieving a small, light-green moth pendant from her suitcase, she examined it with a small smile. "So for the time being, I think it would be best if this would return to Lady Lapis."

"And I will make sure it gets back into her hands. Thank you for being honest with me, dear. And if you need anything, you can contact me and any of the Swarm will be glad to help. We've grown quite attached to you two, you know."

"I can tell. Staffe is like another father to him, or perhaps a brother. And you've been a great friend to me as well, Edgge. I hope this means you will still visit in the future?"

"Of course. I love to see you and Staffe and Rothan, and these visits won't be stopping for the foreseeable future." Edgge flew over and gave her a quick pat on the cheek. "Thank you, darling."

"Of course. We'd better get this finished so we can eat. I'm famished."

The rest of the morning passed in a blur, as they so often did, and Reamie found herself on the road again far quicker than she would have liked. But she had promised to have all the teens home by no later than four, and she was a woman of her word. So after a quick lunch, they packed up and headed home. The car was filled with laughter, teasing, and conversation, most of which even Rothan managed to stay awake for – though she did catch him getting some shut-eye closer to the end of trip. As they pulled up to the bakery, and a small grey sedan pulled up behind – I didn't realize Adrien's bodyguard had joined us on our little trip. I ought to have him over for tea later this week and ensure he enjoyed himself as well – she gave the teens a sad smile. "And like that, our adventure comes to an end."

There was a chorus of groans from the car, and the crew of teenagers despondently clambered out and got their things. "At least we have school tomorrow," Alya pointed out. "We'll be able to see each other and talk about the awesome weekend we had then."

"That's true." Reamie watched as her son hopped out of the back seat and headed around to help the others with their things. "And maybe there will be more of these types of trips?"

"Of course, kiddo. If Adrien will tell me when he can get away, and the rest of your parents will allow you to come, I'd be glad to have you all again. Speaking of parents, here comes your mother now, Marinette."

Sabine came around and up to the window and explained that Nino's parents would be coming to get him and Alya in a bit and they were going to stay here until they arrived. The two mothers, and after a moment, Adrien's bodyguard, stood and swapped stories from the weekend while the kids unloaded, and she did manage to convince the large man to come over when he had a little time. Once everything was finished, Rothan popped into the front seat and grinned. "We should be good to go now."

"I guess that means that we should get going. Thank you for letting us do this, Sabine. And you as well, Mr.…"

"You can call me Gorilla, if you like. Everyone does." The large man gave Rothan a quick smile, which the boy returned shyly. "Or, if you prefer, Christopher is my given name."

"Christopher it is then. Well, we appreciate it greatly, and hopefully we'll be able to do it again soon."

"Of course." Sabine stuck out a hand, and Reamie gave it a quick squeeze before starting the car. "You two had better get going. I'll see you soon!"

Reamie waved as they drove off, and once they had made some distance, Rothan leaned his head back as Staffe whirled out of his satchel. He and his mother both grinned at each other, and she nudged his shoulder with one hand. "You had a good weekend?"

"The best ever. I can hardly wait for the next one." He watched the street for a minute as Staffe zipped into the back to see his partner. "Thank you so much, for all of this. I didn't realize how badly I needed this break."

"We look out for each other. It's how we've always been." Reamie squeezed her son's hand as she navigated the quiet Sunday streets of Paris. "We'll go again soon, I promise. A trip just the four of us, maybe."

"That sounds nice." They both let a quiet settle over the car, content to just share each other's company. "Love you, Mum."

"I love you too, sweetheart." She gave his hand one more gentle squeeze. More than you know. You've taken so much on your shoulders in the past year, and I couldn't be more proud of the man you're growing up to be. Ladybug and Chat Noir are lucky to have you as an ally, eve if they don't fully know it yet. I can't wait to see what you become.

She glanced over to see that her son had once again dozed off and chuckled. Of course, you have years ahead of you for that, my little Mantis. For now, I'm just glad to be here, with you, headed home.

It looks like that break did everyone some good. Rothan likely feels much better after having some time for his body to mend. And maybe now Marinette's strange nightmares might be coming to an end.

Or maybe not, you never know.

We've definitely reached the turning point in this arc, with only four episodes to go before the epic two-part event I have planned. I can't wait! But as for next episode, a babysitting trip with Manon ends up starting a chain of events that spirals wildly out of control (This is not Puppeteer part 3 I swear). I can promise you this next villain is one who absolutely pops.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, you can reach me on my Tumblr at james-brafin or my Twitter handle, which is jamesthedabbler. Until next time!