Birth

8

Adrien was worried, and he could tell. The past few days he’s been more quiet and when Plagg had eaten all the camembert in just one go, Adrien hadn’t even noticed, scolded him, or bought more cheese, just telling Plagg to use the phone app to do it himself when he’d had to raise the issue himself.  The kwami decided to ask Nathalie instead.

That’s what tipped him off that whatever was on Adrien’s mind was serious stuff, because in Plagg’s Psychology 101, if someone didn’t care about camembert, then something must be really wrong.

So, he decided to take matters into his own hands, after all, now that everyone here knew that Adrien was Chat Noir, Plagg didn’t have to hide anymore. Of course, he still had to be careful that the house staff didn’t see him, but they weren’t into the habit of wandering around the house too much and that left just Andrea as a real concern.

There were only two things, in Plagg’s estimation, that could be making his owner so restless. His family and Ladybug. They were not necessarily mutually exclusive  either. And since Ladybug was out of limits for Plagg, he decided to start with M. Agreste.

Right after Gabriel had surrendered his miraculous to Adrien, Plagg was still very suspicious of the man, that’s why he had started to follow M. Agreste everywhere he went. What surprised Plagg was that despite Hawkmoth’s extravagant akumas and M. Agreste’s own flamboyant looks that started with those eyesore red pants, passed through that candy cane cravat, and ended with  conic hair, Gabriel was actually a very boring person. 

That’s exactly what Plagg'd been thinking when he heard M. Agreste’s voice.

“I know we were never formally introduced to each other, but after all this time, do you still think I will try to steal your miraculous?”

Surprised that the man had initiated a conversation, Plagg answered, “No, I don’t think you would. But Adrien is worried, and I thought you might know why.”

“Adrien has a problem? Why didn’t he come to me?” Gabriel said, in a disbelieving tone that made Plagg want to laugh at the absurdity of the question.

The kwami’s answer came in the form of a facial expression that could easily be read either as “Are you kidding me!” or “weren’t you the worst father of all times just yesterday?” or what Plagg actually answered, which was “I think he must be worried about you.” As incredible as that  was, in his opinion.

“Me? What have I done  to make him worry about me? Does he still think I might  change my mind about being Hawkmoth?”

“No. That’s not it. I don’t think you are the problem this time, just that it has something to do with you”. It was clear from Gabriel’s demeanor that he wasn’t following and that he felt awkward   talking to him, so Plagg decided to just spell it out. Better to end this torture for both of them  sooner rather than later.
“I think the kid is worried about what he’s going to say to Ladybug now that he has both yours and Mayura’s miraculous, without getting both of you in jail.”

An “Oh”, came out of a pout.  Hawkmoth pouted, thought Plagg internally screaming. “I see.” And Candy Cane Man suddenly looked very worried too. “I’ll talk to Adrien about it.” And from  the easy way that he said that Plagg believed he would.

But instead of going back to his socks, Plagg  uncharacteristically chose to roam around the atelier thinking about how the hell he would ask his next question. He had never ever, in his entire life considered engaging in conversation with Gabriel Agreste, let alone asking this.

He went to behind Gabriel while he was working on that big screen of his and blehh, whatever the man was drawing not as good as people said. And that’s when he decided to just rip off  the band-aid in one go. “So, when are you going to ask her to marry you?”

Suddenly, M. Agreste had a coughing fit and lost control of his stylus destroying whatever he was designing completely and Plagg couldn’t help but think that that was really funny and that he should turn scaring the Adrien’s father into a habit.

“If I had known that would be your reaction I would have come and asked sooner.” Said the little god still cackling.

And that seemed to have been the right thing to say because Adrien’s father recovered from the shock and regained his everyday cranky expression and then replied, "I give you free rein to float around this house and do whatever you want because Adrien seems to be fond of you. We can talk about subjects that involve Adrien and Adrien only. My life is not of your concern."

And he was right. Gabriel Agreste’s life wasn’t his business. He didn’t care for Adrien’s father. If Plagg was given the chance to make a wish upon his own miraculous he’d probably want an unlimited supply of camembert, but it also amused him to no end to imagine how Gabriel would look if his hair had the same candy cane pattern as his cravat or maybe just a red streak to match Nathalie’s.

The thing was, Adrien loved Nathalie, Nathalie loved Gabriel and Plagg was fond of the boy and of the woman. A long time ago Adrien had even tried to play cupid between her and his father, but at the time, the man in question had shot his hopes down. 

“You really are something you know that Mr. Ice Cream Cone? Do you really think I care about you or what happens in your life apart from the fact that what you do affects my kid? The only reason your sorry boring life interests me is that I see how worried Adrien is because of you and your stupidity!”

“How dare you.”

“How dare I? It’s obvious the kid loves his brother and Miss  Ice Queen isn’t living here anymore.” Just then Plagg put his little paw under his chin in a thoughtful manner and very matter of factly added “Hummm, Mr. Ice Cream Cone and Mrs. Ice Queen. A combination made in heaven.” And then switching back to the topic, “And it’s obvious to the kid that you’ve fallen for the lady, so he worries because he knows how stupid you can be and that you are going to end up losing her.” 

“Oh, shut up! You know nothing about my life.” Gabriel said indignantly.

“Oh, don’t I? How about this? Even if you aren’t doing anything wrong, you aren’t doing anything right either because it’s obvious that the Great Gabriel Agreste is in love with his assistant with whom he already has a child, and that you are a) still oblivious to this fact, because, as stated before, you are stupid, and I don’t mean to repeat myself” hand on the chin again “even though I really really like calling you that. Or b) You’re in denial, what I think is also possible, and lastly c) you’re just a coward, afraid to tell her because you know that you really hurt the girl and now are too scared to man up and be rejected. Anyway, is it going to take  losing  her again for you to do something about it?”

The stone cold Gabriel was back when he said, “Get out.”

And just like that, Plagg phazed through the wall. And the man was probably right. Nathalie probably would reject him. 

---

Now Nathalie. 

His first contact with her was as soon as she’d discovered Adrien was Chat Noir. Plagg knew Nathalie was not a threat to Adrien. In the beginning, because she was too weak. Then, she was the villain that had quit first and now, with a baby to care for, it was obvious that she had no reason nor the energy and much less time to be Mayura again.

So, much like wild animal’s photographer hides in the bushes studies and tries to capture how that animal behaves in its natural habitat, Plagg had hidden in a corner, trying to gather what that particular animal was about.

At the time, she looked just like most female felines feeding and protecting their kittens and it made Plagg wonder how humans had become the dominant species on earth because human kittens were so dumb and frankly useless. Even if this one was chubbier and cutter every day, cuteness wasn’t a prerequisite for survival.

Plagg had never cared about other species, but he was around for a long time now and since he now had the internet at his disposal he had a lot of useless knowledge and fun facts about everything. For example, he knew when a baby giraffe, a dumb animal in Plagg’s estimation, was born he’d suffer a 6 feet high fall right on his head then it stood by itself on its feet, walked to the mother, and feed himself.  

Human babies don't see, don't walk alone, don’t feed themselves. So, how could human babies have survived and managed to dominate the most powerful animals of the food chain? A mystery Plagg would never understand.

This human, Nathalie, makes him think of a… her voice interrupted his thoughts as he heard her talk to him for the        first time.

“Aren’t you tired of looking at me doing nothing? I mean, I’m here because I can’t be anywhere else.” 

It wasn’t that he disliked her. It was just that she was too smart for his own good and that he couldn’t read her as easily as he could with the other humans. Even if she wasn’t a villain any longer, she never let her guard down. Not even with M. Agreste. Especially with him. And she was not one to think out loud as some humans he’d known.  

If she was an animal, she would most certainly be a feline. Very sly.

Also, she got him. 

“You’re Mayura. I don’t trust you.”

“Correction. I was Mayura. And you know that’s it’s been some time that I’ve not been her.”  She paused and continued to clean the baby that had done some very stinky stuff in his diaper and without looking at him asked, “May I ask you what exactly is it about me that you don’t trust?” She said it too calmly and matter of fact for Plagg’s liking.

He squeezed one eye and raised the opposite brow. “I don’t know yet.”

She’d just made a sound and left it at that.

After Nathalie was done with changing the baby’s diapers Plagg went very close to Raphael’s face and studying him and making appraising sounds. Then he flew and stopped in front of Nathalie’s face and concentrated  as if searching for something there. 

Finally, he said “This kid is very lucky to have taken more after you than his lemon-sucking-faced father.

And that made Nathalie laugh. Really laugh. And even after she had stopped, she had an amused sparkle in her eyes Plagg had never seen before.

“There’s still time. His face will change.” She said looking fondly from Plagg to her son and then to Plagg again.”

“So, you’re Plagg, Adrien’s kwami.” She finally said. And that took him by surprise for the second time, this human. He was beginning to like her. She was smart at least and appreciated his sense of humor.

“I read your name in the grimoire if that’s what you’re asking yourself.”  she said.

“And you are Mrs. Ice Queen.” He tried to provoke her 

She just smirked. “I’ve been called worse.” And shrugged. She was good. She knew how to take a goading without letting it get a rise out of her. Maybe if things were different, she could have been a good black cat owner, because its bearer could never use it impetuously or in a headlong manner.   The power of destruction had to be held under a very tight leash.

“See ya.” He appraised her from head to toe and left. He could see why Adrien liked her. She was like an igloo. Made of ice and warm inside.

---

Sometimes Plagg just watched her, sometimes he’d help her with Raphael, sometimes they’d talk. She was easy to talk to. Never pushy. 

“I don’t know why people say babies stink,” Plagg said while sitting on the baby’s chest and making funny faces to him. Raphael quite liked him. 

Plagg had just turned, and saw that she was  looking  at him with half-smile on her lips and a full one on her eyes as she  responded, “People don’t say that.”

“Adrien did every time he changed this kitten’s diapers.”

“He did?” He heard amusement in her voice.

“I say the stinkier the better.”

She laughed hard. But then, suddenly she had a wistful look about herself when she said, “I miss Duusu.” And Plagg looked at her very seriously, so she added, “Not like that. I really miss her. She was so...”

“Vibrant,” she said at the same time Plagg said “A pain in the butt.” And then it was his time to ask “Did you two get along?”

“Looking back, it’s hard to tell. Duusu was always so energetic and wanted to help us, but after Gabriel fixed her miraculous, she was less so. And after that I was ill, and Gabriel started to use both miraculous and hide the peacock from me. So, what I mean is that I miss her, but I have no idea if she’d miss me.”

“That’s sad.” And it really was, so he added, “I do think she’d have liked to meet your son, though.”

She nodded, her eyes sad and her smile weak.

Plagg was feeling more and more relaxed around the ex-villainess every day, so it came as a surprise when he’d learnt that her baby was the real danger to him because as Plagg was floating above his face as he often did Raphael wrapped his little fingers around the kwami and shoved him right inside his mouth.

“PLAGG.” Screeched Nathalie as she hurried to save the little god, but Raphael’s grasp was so tight she was afraid to hurt him.

But Plagg freed himself anyway, by fazing through the baby's chubby cheek.

“Blehhh, kid! Don’t do that anymore!” 

And as he was about to phase out of the nursery, he heard her say in a babyish voice, “Are your little teeth coming out?

And went to find his owner.

---

So, back to the business of trying to help Adrien have his family all together. After all, if Adrien talked to Ladybug and  had to return his miraculous to her, Plagg  wanted to make sure the boy would be well cared for.

Today was one of those days when Nathalie stayed with them for  dinner. Right now, the three humans of this house were eating together, and  nowadays they’d all sit at just one end of that ridiculously gigantic table and as they were all finishing their meals Plagg looked at Nathalie and asked.

“May I sleep at your house tonight?”

All three heads looked at him at once. Good, at least once he was receiving the attention he deserved, he thought with a smirk.

The Agrestes gasped. Thank goodness there was no food in their mouths anymore. Nathalie did too, but she recovered faster and as soon as she saw their astonished faces she smiled and answered looking at his holder.

“If Adrien allows it, yes.”

To which  Plagg reacted by shifting his gaze to Adrien, “Well, do you?” He said floating over the dinner table.

“Since when are you and Nathalie friends?” Asked Gabriel, obviously still recovering from his shock after their talk that very same day when the kwami had made it very clear that he didn’t like him. Plagg was going to show him what he did know about the man’s life, because he was friends with Nathalie and in Plagg’s estimation that meant he had influence and information, the older Agreste would kill to have.

“Since about a week after I was released from the hospital.” It was Nathalie that responded to that.

“And how did neither of us know that?” Gabriel again, flabbergasted.

“It never occurred to me to tell you that we talked. Do I have to tell you everything?”

“No, but…”

Adrien chose that precise moment to finally join the conversation, “And why do you want to go to Nathalie’s?” he said looking at Plagg.

“Oh, she lets me watch “The Simpsons” on her streaming.”

Adrien seemed speechless for a moment but then, “And can’t you watch it here?”

“Yes. But can I do it there? She gives me cheese, we talk, I help her with Raphael. I am really good with kids, you know.” He said the last part proudly.

Plagg could see that his holder was half-amused when he answered, “Yes, Plagg. You can go. Just behave and don’t eat all Nathalie’s food.”

Before he left with her, he looked back at the older Agreste and stuck his    tongue out at him.

---

Nathalie’s apartment was very well organized since she spent most of her time at the Agrestes’ house anyway.  But first, they had to stop at the market since she didn’t have any cheese for him.

They wouldn’t actually do anything more than what Plagg had said. But he really was starting to like Nathalie and she could be the mother that his holder needed. He knew Adrien was alone and had secrets he couldn’t tell anyone. His whole family had.

And Nathalie was in on everything, she was part of them, and she actually loved Adrien. She was cold and detached, but she was less so now. Especially now that she had her own child, she probably knew how she wanted her son to be treated.

Add to that that even if Adrien’s father was acrid and sour, she still managed to not only bear the man but to love him. So, obviously, she had her flaws, but at least this one could be useful to help his owner. With that in mind, after eating half of his cheese on her sofa and in the middle of the third episode, Plagg asked, “When are you going to forgive Adrien’s father?”

“I’ve noticed that you’re developing quite the habit of saying things out of the blue.”

“That house gets boring and it’s fun to see your faces.”

“Hum” she said and just continued to watch the episode as if he hadn’t asked anything. But Plagg saw through her tactic and insisted.

“So, are you?”

He saw her take a deep breath without ever taking the eyes from the TV and then she said. “I’m not angry with Gabriel.”

“So why aren’t you with him?”

“What?” Oh, now he got her attention. But she recovered quick and said, “What does that to do with anything? And how is this your business anyway?”

“It’s not. I just thought that now that there’s no bad blood   between you two, you’d want to be with the father of your child.”

Wistfully, she replied, “It takes more than that for a man and a woman to be together Plagg. You should know that by now. How old are you, by the way? Because I feel I shouldn’t need to explain this to you.”

“Oh, I don’t know how old I am. And no, you don’t need to explain that to me. But just so you know, we kwamis are very old but we’ve only spent a very small fraction of that time outside the miracle box.”

“That’s interesting and... also sad to be honest.” She said, but then she continued, “So your age doesn't exactly translate to experience.” She turned her entire body in his direction to look down at his sprawled form on her sofa cushions. “And considering that customs change depending on the century and place you were…yeah, I can see that it may be difficult for you to get used to the world all over again.”

“Yes. But this is the first time my owner doesn't have to hide me from everyone.”

“And you don’t want it to change if Gabriel finds himself another wife.”

“That’s correct but very unlikely. I don’t know how that man got himself one wife, much less how a woman like you fell for him.”

She laughed at that and then “Thanks. But convenience is not a good reason for us to be together.” She said in a resigned manner. “Gabriel doesn’t love me. I’m just his only friend with whom he happens to have  a child.” Then a pause and “Gabriel feels guilty for how he behaved with me and that’s it. That’s all there  is.”

“I don’t think it is.”

“But as you said. You don’t know much about life and relationships so just leave this one alone.” She said sternly and then turned back to the TV pressing play again. Then after a moment when Plagg could see her restlessness she jumped from the sofa and asked, “Has Adrien ever given you any popcorn to try?”

“Blehhh!”

“Your loss.” And she disappeared inside the kitchen.