Red Strings And Markers

s i x t e e n

Adrien lost many hours of sleep that night. Better yet, it's much more easier to say that Adrien didn't sleep at all. He kept staring out the window or to the ceiling.

"What's up kid?" Plagg said, settling on the pillow next to Adrien.

"I know who she is." Plagg's ears perked up, letting out a chuckle.

"So you finally figured it out." Adrien blinked, before turning in his bed to look at the cat with disbelief.

"You mean to tell me you knew? This whole time?" Plagg sat up, lifting his two little hands.

"Now, now, don't get your fur rumpled." Plagg said, trying to settle the boy. "I haven't known the whole time. I just recently found out that Marinette was Ladybug."

"When?" Plagg hummed.

"The train ride."

"The train ride?" Adrien asked exasperatedly.

"I've always been able to sense Tikki's magical presence around me. I just never knew exactly who and where it was. You know, you should consider yourself lucky. Often times more than others, Chat never ends up with Ladybug. You should go and tell her that you're Chat and you can both live happily ever-"

"Whoa, whoa, hold the phone." Adrien interrupted the small cat. "How am I supposed to tell her?" Adrien asked. Plagg blinked.

"You just show up as Chat and adopt that flirty manner you have and just detransform and poof, problem solved?"

"I can't just do that!" Plagg stared at him.

"Why not?"

"We've had these secret identities this whole time and to suddenly go 'Hey, by the way, I know you're Ladybug. Oh! And I'm also Chat Noir'!" Plagg remained in silence, staring at Adrien at disbelief.

"It's that easy Adrien."

"It's not that easy Plagg." Adrien argued.

"If you don't do it, I'm going to go over there and tell her myself." Plagg started to get out of the bed and began going towards the door, when Adrien got up and grabbed him, looking at the kwami with narrowed eyes.

"Don't. You. Dare. Plagg, I want to find a time and place where I can do this on my own. I don't need your help. Just... Don't let Marinette see you." The black kwami stared at the boy. "Please."

Plagg had seen many things through his years. As a kwami, he was centuries old. He's seen Chat Noir go from a witch familiar, to a standing human, to being partners with Ladybug. He's seen all the previous Chats, the ones who simply saw partnerships, others who's love was left unrequited as they watched their Ladybug go with someone else. Plagg had seen his boys suffer from love and Adrien who was suffering already out of love, didn't want him to have the same fate as the others.

Yet as the boy pleaded him to not interfere, Plagg bit his tongue and his ears flattened against his skull. "Fine, but on one condition." Plagg spoke, Adrien letting go of his small form.

"Yes?"

Plagg floated before Adrien's face, pointing a single paw at him. "You will tell her."

Adrien was surprised by his tone of voice and how serious his usually goofy cat was. "I will." He nodded.

That morning, Adrien woke up feeling like death, but he woke with a pep in step to see Marinette. He took a quick shower and slipped some clothes on and headed into the kitchen. He left the sleeping kwami two extra chunks of Camembert for the talk they had last night, as thanks.