A Compromise

Tikki and Plagg's Plan

With Tikki on Plagg's side, this plan was sure to work. The only problem was to get Chat Noir in the right place. The little kwami has to admit- Adrien is very hard to control.

The night came to day and Adrien was awoken from Natalie's tone-deaf voice. The gorilla drove Adrien to school as Plagg tried to plan out how to get Adrien to visit Marinette in a certain black leather suit.

Adrien sighed. He normally wanted to stay at school, but today Adrien felt tired and dragged his feet this way and that. Marinette didn't miss this. She watched as Adrien reluctantly grabbed his pen to write the notes for todays lesson. She noticed as Adrien began to forget things.

"Dude! We still have next period."

She also noticed how he ate nothing. As Ladybug, she would have confronted him and demanded that he answer him. As Marinette, there was only one outcome. Marinette watched and watched. Then she got angry.

Marinette spotted Adrien talking to Nino and Max. She walked up to him and whispered in his ear. "See me after school and tell me what the hell is going on."

Adrien was surprised by this. No one else saw how different he was. Only Marinette could possibly notice something so anonymously shown. Adrien was also shocked at her tone. She normally couldn't form a single sentence and he was fine with that, but she sounded angry with him.

I don't want Mari to be angry with me, Adrien thought to himself, she's too special to lose.

After school, Adrien walked in circles. He was confused, concerned, and mostly conflicted on whether he should go or not. Gorilla was already waiting and he told Alya to tell Marinette that he wouldn't be able to talk. He was in the car and looking out the window. Adrien watched as Mari's face glared at the car while Alya probably explained. She turned on her heel and walked back home. Adrien couldn't see the single tear falling down her face.

After Adrien's Chinese class...

"This makes zero sense, Plagg. Why is she so mad at me?" Adrien thought back through the entire day. Marinette didn't smile. She just stared and watched as he went through stages of heartbreak.

I need to see her, Adrien thought, as Chat Noir and figure out what she wanted to say. This way I can be prepared if she doesn't want to be friends anymore. I can prepare a speech to save our friendship.

Plagg knew he had to speak now because his friend wasn't much of a "stop and listen" guy.

"Kid! I just want to say that if you are going to meet Marinette, then I need to tell you both something. Get ready to detransform and hide your face." Plagg took a piece of cheese and shoved it down before Adrien could protest.

"Why would you need to talk to Marinette?" He grabbed more cheese in his cabinet and placed it in his pockets.

"Reasons... Just transform and go!"

"Plagg, Claws Out!"

5 minutes later...

"Chat Noir? Why are you here?" Marinette pulled herself on top of the balcony next to Chat Noir.

"I just came by to get attention from a usual princess in need," He eyed her. She was wearing her usual white, pink-blossomed shirt and pink jeggings. Chat Noir will come to Marinette's balcony every once in a while and give her gifts. Today she was wearing her kitty choker. It was black leather- like his suit- and had a bell. He reached out and flicked it, which earned a giggle from his princess.

"I wish I could give you stuff!" She pointed to a pile of boxes. It was October and she was already thinking about Christmas. Adrien thought about how cute it was that she always planned ahead because of her inability to get to the locations on time. "But if you wore it as your civilian self, then I would know who you are."

"Honestly, even if you figured out who I was, I wouldn't panic." He knew this was true. Of course, he would have to tell Ladybug... but it's just, "because I know a lot about you and you are trustworthy with something like this." He pointed to himself with a smile. She smiled back. Finally, she smiled!

"Chat?"

"Yes?"

"Is there something else you wanted to talk about?" Marinette didn't want to talk about revealing identities.

"Right... You're friends with Adrien Agreste," he didn't even look to see her nod-he already knew this, "Just like you, I also visit his room-"

"You visit Adrien?" Mariette stared, shocked. Then she thought about this, "You really are an alley cat."

"Ouch! I am trying to do you guys a favor and this is what I get?" He pretends to pout. He needed to pretend that Adrien and Chat Noir were friends and not the same person. "Are you... A-are you mad at him-"

"No!" She practically screams at him, "I am just a concerned friend. He wasn't eating or drinking today. His face was filled with... I don't know! Heartbreak?"

Saying the words outloud made Marinette remember the time when Adrien talked about the girl he loved. He said she didn't laugh at his jokes. Maybe that was the girl he was talking about-the one who probably rejected him.

"How did you know?" Chat Noir stared at her shocked. How did she know that he was in heartbreak?

"I love someone too and they keep on obliviously friendzoning me!" She crossed her arms and pouted. "Turns out that he loves another. I see Adrien and see myself."

This wasn't news to him. "Buttercup." It wasn't a question. He remembers being forced to pretend to be this anonymous "Buttercup" and how she confessed her love to him. He didn't like that Marinette knew he was in pain or that she could relate to it. He did like that she was able to understand.

"How did you get over it?" It was a simple question. Simple, but very personal.

"I still love him... I never got over him."

They stood there in silence and looked out at her amazing view. Adrien had to admit his jealously of her close-up view of the Eiffel Tower. Chat was the first one to break the silence.

"Plagg wanted to talk to us."

"What! Why didn't you say that before?" She rushed down the trapdoor and gestured for him to come in. He went through her window because the door would mean landing on her bed. She grabbed a mask and cloak and gave it to him. He put it on and detransformed.

Plagg came spiraling out and immediately demanded for some camembert which earned a heavy snort from Mari.

"What is it that you needed?" She immediately got to the chase.

"I want to share an idea with the both of you..." Plagg waited for both of them to sit down on the chaise before continuing, "You both know about Ladybug's rejections."

They nodded yes. They most defidentally know.

"...and we know about Marinette and Buttercup."

They, once again, nodded.

"I was thinking that... Maybe... You two should get together to get over your heartbreak." Plagg wasn't the ideal kwami to talk about relationships between humans, but he couldn't have Tikki do it.

Both of them just blinked, looked at each other, looked back at Plagg, and repeat.

Great, Plagg thought, I blew it.

"That does sound reasonable, but how are we going to have a relationship between Chat Noir, a superhero, and me." Marinette mumbled to herself, but loud enough that everyone could hear.

"Just meet up like he did now and occasionally have secret dates." Plagg and Marinette looked at Chat Noir and saw that he was still thinking.

"O-only if your up to it..." Marinette offered.

Chat smiled. "Who wouldn't want to date a princess?"