Sneak a Peek: Sometimes you have to break the rules

*Author's note*

Bluh bluh! *typical Vampire sound effect*

Sorry it's been so long since an update! _

I've been chipping away at this chapter for a week or so now. I'm not totally thrilled with it; It didn't go in the direction I had initially intended. But I did have a lot of fun getting inside Adrien's head and creating his thought process. Plus, I just really love his interactions with Plagg!

Anyway! Enjoy this shower scene (not THAT kind of shower scene, you dirty!) and morning routine with plenty of near-angst and mood swings.

Oh teenagers… (• ৺ •)

Xoxo,
Bunnie

Chapter 4

Adrien sighed as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, allowing the hot water from the shower to slowly wake him up. Admittedly, he'd been spending far too much time out at night as Chat Noir lately, but even at home, nestled in his bed covers, sleep eluded him.

In the last several weeks, Adrien had developed the habit of sleepy morning showers, followed by one of Nathalie's famous three shot vanilla espresso shooters (typically only meant for his father), and ended with a swift drive to school.

He yawned as he slowly scrubbed shampoo into his hair, allowing his thoughts to scramble and unravel.

Life had a funny way of picking up speed just when he wished it would slow down.

Although Akuma attacks were a normal part of Adrien's life, it seemed like they'd been becoming more and more dangerous. In just the last few weeks, both him and Ladybug had nearly lost their Miraculouses to the Akumatized villains. The monsters were getting bigger, quicker, more devious, and more wiley. Proof that Hawkmoth was becoming more desperate for their Miraculouses.

As if their battles with the monsters wasn't difficult enough, Adrien's lack of concentration only made things worse. Although he enjoyed fighting side by side with his Lady, he was discovering that his curiosity toward her and her identity was quickly becoming an obsession. He struggled to switch his attention from Ladybug to the monsters and had several near misses because of it. He constantly found himself wondering if he knew her in his civilian life. Plagg had hinted that she went to the same school as him, which was simultaneously exhilarating and frustrating. Knowing she was that close everyday made him want to know who she was even more.

'No,' he thought. 'Not want. Need! I need to know.' He turned in the shower and reached for his toothbrush, sighing again, this time in frustration rather than exhaustion.

Not only was his mind befuddled with thoughts of Ladybug, but he still struggled to wrap his head around Plagg's ability to change into different forms and his new "Chinese teacher."

That day they fought Syren had been a dark day for him. It was the first day he had truly given up on Ladybug and given up on Plagg. He'd felt so betrayed and hurt. He trusted Ladybug with his life, but it broke his heart to see that she didn't feel the same way. If she trusted him, she would have told him about Master Fu. She would have told him where she was disappearing to, leaving him stranded in the middle of battle.

Not just Ladybug.

Plagg! He knew Plagg was most likely following The Code, but it didn't calm his feelings of betrayal. The cat Kwami had shared so much with him in the past, that Adrien couldn't comprehend why the existence of a Keeper of the Miraculouses would need to be a secret.

Especially if Ladybug already knew about him.

It just wasn't fair. That's what it boiled down to.

Plagg keeping the Master's existence a secret from him in addition to Ladybug's clandestine meetings with Master Fu made him feel like he was just an extra in Ladybug's hero duties. Like he was her sidekick and not her partner.

Ages ago he would have thought that Ladybug viewed him as her equal, but now he wasn't so sure.

These feelings of betrayal paired with her recent rooftop rejection gave Adrien the drive to remove Ladybug from the pedestal he had placed her on and to keep her at arm's length; To just remain friends.

He had believed that he was okay with unrequited love; Simply waiting until Ladybug loved him back. Despite her rejection, he couldn't help but harbor a deep adoration for the girl. He'd truly tried to move on, but his feelings continued to get in the way.

Zombizou made him realize that.

Regardless of his duty to protect Ladybug and his city, he was secretly on Zombizou's side, if only it meant Ladybug would get kissed and then in turn, kiss him. He knew he was being petulant, but the idea that she had already kissed him while he was being controlled by Dark Cupid drove him crazy. He had felt like Zombizou was his chance to steal a kiss in return, but this idea only made him feel more guilty. He knew that if that had happened, they would have lost the battle. Lost their Miraculouses. Lost their Kwamis. Lost Paris.

All for a stupid kiss.

That was why, after her rejection, he had tried to move on.

Tried.

He shook his head under the stream of water, trying not to think about it. He turned the tap off and began drying himself with his towel before sleepily styling his hair.

His resolve to move on from Ladybug crumbled when Plagg had inferred that he most likely knew Ladybug outside of the suit.

'What if,' he thought.

He remembered the flickering candlelight that reflected in her troubled eyes. "Because there's a boy…" she had said.

"But who is he?" Adrien grumbled to himself.

"Who's who?" Plagg asked through a yawn. The Kwami slowly crawled out from under the pile of blankets on the bed.

Adrien waved him off and continued to get ready for school. "It's not a big deal, Plagg. I'm just thinking out loud."

"Was it a bad dream?" Plagg pressed, smoothing his sleep wrinkled whiskers with his tongue and paw.

"Not really," he said as he tied his shoes. "I just keep thinking about all the stuff I don't understand."

The black cat Kwami raised an eyebrow, "So everything then?"

"Ha ha," Adrien rolled his eyes. "Very funny. You know what I mean."

"Look," Plagg said as he checked himself over in the mirror. "If you're really driving yourself that crazy over it, then why don't you just try to find Ladybug yourself."

Adrien looked up from his shoes and blinked in shock. "But... " he wavered, "What good would that do?"

"Well," Plagg said sternly, "I can't help you, but I can't stop you either."

They both had an understanding that Plagg knew who Ladybug was; That he had seen her in the storage container when fighting Dark Owl. They had had a long talk afterward about why he couldn't tell Adrien who she was.

So what was the point of Plagg egging him on to find her now? Was he just as fed up with Ladybug's - and by extension, Tikki's - actions?

"No," Adrien shook his head. He grabbed Plagg and quickly, albeit gently, pushed him into his messenger bag. "I'm over it, Plagg. If she's going to keep these secrets from me, then I'll just play along and move past it."

Plagg hissed lightly from inside the bag, "If you were over it, then you wouldn't be talking to yourself like a crazy person."

"Well what do you expect me to do?" He asked in frustration, peering at Plagg's glinting green eyes. "We have to follow the stupid Code."

"You have enough information to go on!" The Kwami snapped back. "I've told you she's at your school! You've seen her shoes! Start there!"

Her voice came back to him, "There's a boy…"

'What if…' he thought again.

He quickly shook his head to clear her voice from his mind. No. Sure, maybe they know each other, but the chances that he's this "boy" was slim to none.

But still.

He could try.

Plagg's right. It couldn't be that difficult.

"Plagg," Adrien began.

The cat Kwami interrupted hotly, "No, I'm not talking to stupid humans anymo-"

"I think you're right."

"-rewhat?" his mouth fell open in shock.

"I think you're right," Adrien repeated, getting excited. "I will find her! If I find her without your help, like by accident," he emphasized accident with finger quotes, "then we won't be breaking The Code and or get in trouble with Master Fu! Right?"

The black Kwami smiled a big, toothy grin. "That's what I've been trying to tell you!"

Adrien laughed softly, feeling lighter than he had in awhile. His new purpose to find Ladybug, whoever she may be, recharged him with excited energy.

He quickly grabbed a small wheel of camembert, sliding it into his bag for Plagg, and rushed out of his room with a bounce in his step.

He said a fast, "G'morning!" to Nathalie when he met her outside, next to the towncar. He threw back the espresso shooter that she had waiting for him and slipped into the empty backseat.

'I will find her,' he thought with resolve. He watched as the suburbs of Paris flashed by, his determined grin growing as they raced closer to his school.

To be continued…

*Endnote*

Next up:

Adrien and Plagg are on the hunt!

Not too many chapters left! Maybe two or three! Don't worry, I have a sequel planned that will follow our two Heroes as adults! WoooOOOooo!

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Xoxo,
Bunnie

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