Adrien was kind of worrying about Marinette today. Like, he knows that she could be rather clumsy, excitable, and a bit scattered but… never to this point?

Like today, she's been dropping a lot of stuff lately. More so than usual. It was a bit alarming how much someone could drop in a day. Maybe she was just having an off day?

Either way, like any good classmate, Adrien rushed to her aid, helping her gather up her things, handing them to her and checking to see if she needed help. And she was always so excited about it? More so than usual. Like, Adrien can get it, it's a great feeling to have a classmate help you, but it's not that thrilling? He doesn't think he's ever seen anyone smile so hugely with the offer of help.

Actually, made him a little concerned.

Was their class president being overworked?

Did a simple offer of help really light up her day that much?

Maybe he should talk to Aly and see if she has been helping Marinette at all, Adrien was starting to get concerned.

Maybe she was considering him taking Alya's place? She did ask him this really odd specific question:

"Hey, Adrien? Would you say you're pretty hardworking and productive?"

"Oh yeah, I definitely am."

And he was. Adrien can admit that he was very hardworking and productive. Juggling his busy schedule and being Chat Noir, he was hardworking and productive. Always something to do. Why, his schedule was more of a chore than heroing, being a hero was loads more fun and more freeing and just secured that he'd have a good time, especially to see his lady.

It made him wonder if she too had a busy life, if she was also juggling a lot. Maybe not, maybe that's why she could be so stiff sometimes in the suit. Personally, Adrien didn't think they needed to be, they had Miraculous Ladybug which could fix anything. And they always won. He thinks she could start relaxing a lot more, goof off with him and have a good time. Miraculouses don't have to be all work.

Either way, if Marinette asked if he could step in, he would have to refuse.

He would love to work with her, but he may not always have the time to spare to help her as needed. Between his schedule and random akumas, it'd be too risky.

Opening his locker, Adrien set his bag down, gathering up his fencing gear. Plagg floated up, going to the shelf above and nestling there to nap.

"I'll be back," Adrien promised.

"Take your time," Plagg said, sighing as he settled down. "I'm in no rush at all."

Rolling his eyes, Adrien went to the bathroom to change, unaware of Marinette lingering close by, watching him go. He didn't see her go to his locker, didn't see the red blur dive out of her purse and phase through the locker, letting it open slowly, allowing her to slip a small box into his bag.

She closed it and hurried away, feeling like she was walking on air.

It was done.

She gave Adrien the miraculous, she was going to work with Adrien, they were going to work with Adrien!

All that was left was for him to find it and for her to give Chat Noir a heads up.

There was a new teammate on the horizon!

"Ah, home sweet home," Plagg sighed aloud, darting out from under Adrien's jacket and rushing off to relax and enjoy his cheese. Before he could, Adrien hurriedly set his bag down and chased the kwami, snatching him up before he could start gorging himself.

"My cheese!" Plagg cried, reaching for it desperately.

"No time, Plagg," Adrien said. "We've got a patrol due right after school. And Ladybug is already out." Just to confirm it, there went Ladybug, zipping by his window, flying away with an eager twirl.

Adrien smiled, how cute. And she was in a good mood today! He had to join her as soon as possible!

"But cheese…" Plagg protested, looking up at Adrien with huge eyes.

"Patrol first," Adrien said, lifting up the ring. Plagg made a face. Ignoring the kwami's pout, Adrien ordered, "Claws out."

Chat hurried out of his room, eager to see his lady and to see what had put her in such a good mood. Plus, a Ladybug in a good mood was a fun Ladybug.

Seeing her stop on a roof, Chat hurried up, jumping high and dropping down behind her, landing with a well-practiced bow. "Afternoon, My Lady!" he greeted, "You're looking very radiant today!"

She turned to him with a grin, teasing, "Only today?"

"Oh, My Lady, you know you look good every day." He drew near, leaning on her shoulder and noting, "But in a great mood, now this I have to admit is a bit of a rarity."

She gave him look. "Really?"

"Gotta tell it as it is," Chat said, then pushed, "so, what brings this good mood?"

Ladybug's pout fell away with a huge, eager smile and she couldn't stop the adorable wiggle that went through her, making Chat's smile grow. "I have some great news!" she gushed.

He leaned on his baton, grinning. "I'm all ears."

"We're going to have a new hero joining us!"

He blinked, staring down at her in surprise. He smiled warily, asking, "Really?"

"Yes! Akumas are getting a little tougher and I've talked it out with my kwami, we could use some help," she said, rushing around him, her arms a blur in her excitement. "We're getting a new hero! Hopefully by tomorrow."

He frowned, asking, "And this won't be a repeat of Volpina?"

She gave him a flat look. She set her hands on her hips, huffing, "First of all, she came with an attitude." When Chat just frowned, Ladybug pressed on, "What were her exact words when she first appeared?"

"...Only hero Paris needs."

"And what did she do when she came to meet us?" Before Chat could answer, Ladybug continued, "Give orders. Told us what to do, no explanation on how she was involved against Hawk Moth, nothing on where she's been and why she didn't contact us sooner or why we should trust her judgment over ours when we haven't seen or heard anything about her. And Hawk Moth suddenly about and out in the open? It was all very suspicious."

Chat pursed his lips.

Ladybug shook her head, letting it go. "Anyway, that won't be happening this time. This hero is expected, for sure won't be working with Hawk Moth, and won't come at us with an attitude."

He raised a brow. "You have a lot of faith in this hero."

Ladybug grinned, gushing, "He's going to be amazing!"

Chat gave a start, tensing slightly. "Him?"

Ladybug nodded. "A bee hero. He's perfect, Chat!" Ladybug gushed. "He's hardworking, as sweet as honey, loyal, good with others… it's going to be amazing." Ladybug sighed, hands clasped together, leaning her cheek on them as her body rocked in a tender sway.

Behind her, Chat scowled, tail swishing in agitation. "So, you know who this newbee will be?"

"Yeah, I chose him," Ladybug said. "I know he'd be a great addition to the team."

"Why do you get to choose and decide?" he wondered, "Shouldn't you have talked this out with me? Do we really need another teammate?"

"Yeah, we do," Ladybug said, setting her hands on her hips as she turned to him. "Akumas are getting tougher, Chat. We're struggling—"

"We're not struggling—"

"We're struggling. We're getting close calls and I'm getting spread thin. My kwami and I discussed it and came to an agreement. We're getting a new bee hero, hopefully by tomorrow at the earliest."

He crossed his arms, frowning. "I should've been included," he said.

She sighed, body sagging. She agreed, "Yes, I should have. I'm sorry, but, have faith in my choice, Chat. I know this will work out and this is what we need… do you trust my choice?" she wondered, thinking back to Volpina, how Chat was sooner trusting a hero that came out of nowhere over her. They haven't really talked about it, had just let it slide, but she couldn't deny that a small part of her was bothered by that. It had hurt that he had brushed off her concerns, had more faith in a hero that had suddenly appeared and pushed them around.

"I trust you," Chat promised, though his tail gave another angry swish.

Her shoulders sagged a little, she murmured, "He's great, Chat, trust me. He'll be a great addition."

"Yeah. Let's just patrol." He didn't wait for her response before tearing off, having a hard time ignoring the angry burn in his chest, bothered by this and how much Ladybug seems to adore this guy. Why is he so great? Why didn't she talk it out with him? What makes this guy so worthy? There were so many others Chat could think that would be a good bee hero than this random kid that Ladybug seemed to like. Like… Chat trailed a little when he saw the bakery.

Marinette.

She'd be a good hero, a little clumsy sure, but good. Plus she was friends with them both, why not have her join the team?

And Nino! He was a good friend.

Chlo… well, she needed a little more work.

But all of them were better options than this kid, whoever he was. And that thought Chat clung to for the rest of the patrol, all he focused on till he got home. And his transformation dropped, he told Plagg, "What is she thinking? It's silly. We don't need help, not from this kid. And if we did, why not someone I know would be better?"

"You don't even know this kid," Plagg pointed out, heading for his cheese, sighing contently as he started to nibble on it. This was long awaited.

"I know better kids," Adrien insisted, dropping into his chair.

Plagg snorted. "The only kids you know is Nino, Princess, and the brat. The last one I wouldn't count as a better kid than who Ladybug is considering."

Adrien made a face. "Still, she should've talked with me."

"She should have," Plagg agreed, "but this is more her mission, one she's more involved with, so her choice can matter more."

Adrien frowned, pointing out, "I'm involved."

"Not as involved," Plagg pointed out. "You don't exactly care as much as she does."

"What?" Adrien drew near, looming over the kwami. "I care. I help her all the time!"

Plagg gave him a dry look and rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he grumbled, not in the mood for this. "Either way, there's going to be a newbee, try not to be too jealous and actually give this kid a chance, huh?"

Petty and annoyed, Adrien turned and gave his back a slight kick, making it topple over and sending a little black rolling out of his bag and across the floor.

Adrien and Plagg froze, watching it go.

It hit his couch and popped open. He had a second to see a bee comb before a bright yellow light shined out, rising up to hover in the middle of the room. It faded to reveal a bee kwami stretching out, paw covering its mouth as it yawned.

It relaxed with a sigh, turning its gaze to Adrien and offering him a sweet smile. "Hello, Honey."

Adrien's mind flew as he stared at it.

...I chose him.

He's perfect, Chat!

He's hardworking, as sweet as honey, loyal, good with others… it's going to be amazing.

I know he'd be a great addition to the team.

...great addition to the team…

"Honey?" the bee kwami called, drawing near and stiffening when she saw Plagg frowning on the desk, whiskers twitching with his wide green eyes locked on her. "Plagg?!"

"Ladybug thinks I'm great, that I'm amazing and worth being on the team," Adrien whispered, eyes going huge with glee and wonder, slouching back in his chair as the awe filled him.

Next to him, Plagg released a loud, tired groan.

He was going to need a lot more cheese for this.