Ch13
Adrien sat on a chair in his room holding his miraculous in his hand. In the air in front of him, his kwami Plagg looked at him with an awkward expression. The mood was tense and on the inside various emotions swelled up inside of him. "Well I'm glad you're back," he said calmly. There were a million things he wanted to say and apologize for yet when he thought of the words they couldn't come out.
Plagg nodded. "I'm glad we are partners again Adrien, I really am." The kwami looked at his gaze betraying tears. "They were going to force me to be another person's kwami and I didn't want that."
"It was my fault," he muttered. "If I hadn't overreacted this wouldn't have happened."
"You have every right to be angry with me and the former guardian," Plagg said avoiding his gaze. "We shouldn't have treated you so poorly and kept you out of the loop."
He looked at the kwami not knowing what to say. A part of him was still upset that this guardian never saw him as a worthy enough wielder to get to know him but another part of him just wanted to move forward with his life.
"Well I left you once," he said carefully holding the ring in his hand as if it were about to break. "So long as you wish to be my partner I will gladly work with you."
Plagg looked him in the eyes with firm determination. "I do wish to be your kwami. You are the best Cat Noir I've ever head and I love working with you." The kwami avoided his gaze and scratched his head. "You aren't just a partner to me, you are also a friend."
He smiled at Plagg his heart racing in his chest. "Thanks Plagg that means a lot to me." He put on the ring and could feel its power. "As your partner I think I should talk to you about my cousin Felix."
"The guy who took me?" Plagg asked.
He nodded. Taking a deep breath he looked the kwami in the eyes. "He is my cousin. I went to his place and his aunt and him took care of me and helped me through my depression. He knows I'm Cat Noir."
At first he thought Plagg would be upset at him for telling someone else his identity but to his surprise the kwami nodded. "I understand. Other miraculous holders in the past had secret keepers. Besides you have a lot of things in your life you should have support. If you trust him that is good just make sure not took many people know of me."
"Just him and Kagami, she is another friend," he said. He then went on to explain how they formulated the plan to take him back. Plagg remained silent listening the entire time as he told the story. "And in the end he risked himself to reunite us," he said softly.
His heart ached knowing that his cousin who risked so much for him was now in the hospital because of him. Felix please get better. I promise to make it up to you when you are better. We'll go out and have fun like the old days.
"Well he risked his life for us," Plagg sighed. "I do hope he gets better." The kwami then avoided his gaze. "Adrien I should talk to you about something, about the woman who wielded me."
"Whatever happened to her?" He asked.
Plagg shifted uncomfortably in the air. "You know how I'm the kwami of bad luck? Well when the old guardian tried to force me to recognize her as my new master I cursed my miraculous."
He stared at his kwami dumbfounded. "You cursed it?"
"It should be better now," Plagg said quickly. "It's just that I cursed that whoever takes me from you will be cursed and nothing but misfortune shall follow them." The kwami's ears drooped. "I could feel the curse take effect as she fought your cousin, it slowed her down and she fell down a drain."
"Wow I hope she is ok," he said softly. "Who was she?"
Plagg looked away awkwardly. "The thing is I can say who she is since she wasn't officially my owner." His kwami looked at him. "It was Alya."
His jaw dropped. "Alya?" How did she get a hold of it? A million thoughts ran through his mind as he thought of how she was related to all of this.
Plagg nodded. "I honestly don't know how Ladybug knew or trusted her so well. I personally didn't get to know her well and didn't care to. But it was her."
"Man I feel sorry for her," he said softly. "Thanks for telling me this Plagg I promise to not get her involved anymore."
Oh god what am I going to do with Nino? His friend was probably in tears now over her. A part of him honestly didn't know what to think of the situation, did Ladybug know Alya? Why her of all people was she chosen to wield the cat miraculous?
His kwami nodded his gaze down. "I also cursed the old guardian."
He frowned. "Don't worry about that, it wasn't our fault. We couldn't get to him in time." On the inside he was conflicted, this so called guardian never saw him as worthy enough to meet him yet he didn't think he needed to die. "Well we can't live with our mistakes forever, we can only forward."
"True but I knew him well even if we didn't see eye to eye," Plagg said. "Oh speaking of guardians what will you do now with Ladybug? She is obviously the guardian now. Should we pay our respects?"
He sighed as various emotions spread inside of him "I honestly don't know. I don't know how to feel about her at the moment. I honestly did love her," he said softly looking down at the ring. "But she never reciprocated and I admit I was too pushy."
"You could say that again," Plagg muttered.
He shook his head as the sorrow filled through his body and turned to determination. "I did a lot of stupid things but I think for the moment I may give her space," he said. A part of him did still like her but at the moment he wanted to rethink his life and responsibilities as a superhero. Maybe Felix was right. Maybe I did have some sort of unhealthy attachment to her.
"Well we can all change and move forward," Plagg said. "If you want space from Ladybug I support that."
He nodded. "Don't get me wrong. I still want to help Paris but I don't think I'll be too friendly with her or pursue a romantic relationship." He looked at the photo of Ladybug he had on his computer. "I was told no means no. I think I should give her space and earn her trust one way or another. If we work together it will be as equals not as how it was." He shook his head pushing down various emotions. "There shouldn't be so much disconnect between us, when we work together again we should do it as equals."
"That sounds good," Plagg said. "No offense but sometimes you should take no for an answer."
"I know that," he sighed. "Frankly I know I have a lot of problems that I need to work out. That's why I want to give her space." It wouldn't be easy but he wanted to figure things out for himself for a while.
"Oh about the Bee miraculous what will you do with it?" Plagg asked.
He sighed and looked at the locked drawer where he kept it. "I'm not sure. Maybe give it back to Ladybug or maybe use it for ourselves. What do you think?"
"Well I think it's up to you," Plagg said. "Personally I would give it back but if you think Ladybug won't treat you right I think you could use it as leverage."
He stared at his kwami in shock. "Wow Plagg I never thought you would say something like that."
Plagg "I know you won't misuse it, besides if things go south between you both it would be good to have backup. She's in charge of the miraculous box and lets be honest she hasn't been that honest with us."
"You make a good point," he said as he went to his drawer and unlocked it. "But lets ask the kwami what he thinks, I don't want to hold him against his will or anything."
Upon taking out the bee miraculous a little yellow kwami came out. "Uh greetings are you my new partner?"
"Uh sort of its complicated," he said. "I'm Adrien Plagg's owner."
"Hey Pollen long time no see," Plagg said.
The kwami nodded. "Noble kwami of Destruction. What's going on?"
He was going to talk but Plagg cut him off. "Don't worry you are safe," his kwami said. "The thing is Adrien came back and we sort of acquired you by accident."
Pollen looked at them both intently as Plagg gave a quick run-through of his situation. Mainly how he was planning on reestablishing himself here and work with Ladybug as an equal.
"Now look Pollen I know you are a good guy," Plagg said. "Ladybug most likely will be establishing herself as the new guardian and if you want you can return to her. Or you could stay with me and Adrien, we won't use you I swear."
The bee kwami scratched his head. "Noble kwami Plagg I really have no objection so long as I am not being used against my will for evil but shouldn't the guardian take priority?"
"Ah Pollen don't worry about that," Plagg said with a carefree grin. "Adrien is a good guy trust me, we won't use you. How about you stay with us a bit to think about it. If you want to return we'll gladly give you back ok?"
Pollen nodded. "Fine sounds good."
He smiled at the kwamis. "Alright sounds good. I'll keep your miraculous in here for the time being ok?"
Pollen nodded. "Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I am at your service." The kwami did a small bow before returning to his miraculous.
"He seems polite," he said putting the bee miraculous back into his drawer.
"Yeah that's Pollen," Plagg said. "So you really want to do this? To be independent from Ladybug?"
"I want to be my own hero," he said softly as he looked down at his miraculous. "I'll team up with Ladybug for the sake of Paris but I won't let her continue to treat me like a spare."
"Understandable," Plagg said. "She really should keep you in the loop more."
He wanted to trust her but at the same time it was maddening how she kept a bunch of secrets from him. "Oh I wanted to ask you one more thing?" He asked shifting where he stood.
"What is it?" Plagg asked curiously.
"Would you be willing to meet Felix? You don't have to if you don't want to but you both mean a lot to me," he said.
Plagg paused but slowly nodded, looking him in the eyes. "Well if you trust him I'll go with it. But try not to let everyone know about us ok?"
He smiled at him. "Got it." A fiery determination boiled up inside of him, he was tired of being cast aside and letting others decide things for him. I'm going to live my own life here and now; starting by being a great hero.