MIRACULOUS ADRIENETTE - The Christmas Party

Chapter 5

Adrian stood in the classroom, and stared at the piles and piles of perfect party food. His hands itched. His mind itched. In the form of Adrian, nothing felt right.

But, he thought, tossing Plagg a piece of cheese from the buffet – chat noir felt like nothing.

"Adrian, wait! You've... um... Been transforming a lot recently."

"Yes, Plagg. I have." He sneered, perhaps colder than he meant to be – but he wouldn't be taking the words back even when the little kwami's eyes flashed with pain.

"Well..." Plagg landed on his shoulder. "I'm tired! I want some time in the real world, if you get what I mean. Maybe see Tiki..."

"It's not about you!" He practically yelled it; and Plagg immediately flew a metre away, turning anxiously to the door to see if anyone had heard.

There was a pause, and the sound of laughter filtered up from where they were hanging decorations.

They. Not him. Of course, he wasn't involved in all that. He belonged in the dark.

That was why he hadn't turned the light on in the classroom. He actually preferred it; the comfort that came with near blindness, in not having to realise anything in his world. In not having to see himself.

He felt anger when looking at his kwami. Plagg's green eyes glowed, defying the darkness he so craved and reminding him of things buried deep.

"Claws out!" He smashed his fist forward, and didn't look as it turned his kwami into dust.

As Chat, he already felt better. Powerful. Like he could do anything, and be able to run fast enough before they caught him.

The clouds suddenly parted, and bathed him in moonlight again. He didn't know why he hadn't been akumatised yet. He'd been having enough negative emotions for five people.

Maybe, he thought, opening the window – he'd found other ways of dealing with them. Whenever things had got too much in the classroom, he'd run home and fenced for an hour, or transformed into chat and run the rooftops until the treads of his boots burned. He'd helped himself.

Helping – was that the right word? Halfway through the window, he paused, and stared at the moon some more. It fascinated him. People always praised the sun, the gold, the light. And the moon bore it all with such grace.

Really, he thought, clambering out and leaping onto the roof. He was just pushing them all his feelings down further, where he'd find them later, like some unsavoury gift.

And I don't even care. He flung himself of the rooftop, only using his stick until the last moment, so the momentum juddered up his knees and hurt.

-

"Dude." Nino scratched his bare head. "This is epic."

Ms Bustier had turned on the fairy lights, and the courtyard was flooded with golden light. The rafters were strung with gold and silver tinsel, their paperchains and bunting hung across the open roof like the spokes of a snowflake. In the centre sat the plinth, awaiting the ice swan.

Marinette shivered; she'd had her doubts as to whether they'd actually be ready, but here they were. Glancing up at the clock, she saw there was only a single hour left. Her parents would probably be there early, knowing them.

The only thing left was food! The long tables to the sides of the courtyard were dismally empty. Marinette smiled at Alya, then gestured to the stairs. "Want to grab the trays?"

"Sure. I can't take their bickering anymore." Alya rolled her eyes at Kim and Chloe, who were currently having a heated discussion on the best way to hang bunting.