Home Is Where The Heart Is

Chapter 1

"Adrien! ADRIEN!" Plagg shouted, phasing through the shower curtain.

"Plagg!" Adrien yelped, dropping his soap. "What did I tell you about privacy!"

"He's here!" Plagg squeaked.

"What do you mean he's here?" Adrien asked.

"He's downstairs," Plagg told him. "I saw him open the door, and flew straight up here to warn you."

Adrien's eyes widened in panic. "Oh shit," Adrien cursed, immediately turning off the shower, and grabbing his clothes to put on. Plagg flew away, while Adrien silently opened the bathroom, and tippy toed his way across the hallway to the bedroom he used to sneak into the house. In the room lay his backpack for school which he wore, as Plagg flew back to him with an apple.

"This was all I could find up here," Plagg sighed. "I don't want to risk going to the kitchen downstairs and showing myself."

Adrien petted his Kwami in gratitude, before putting the apple into his backpack. "Thanks Plagg." They both heard someone creaking up the stairs, causing Adrien to silently curse. "Plagg, Claws Out," Adrien whispered, before the transformation washed over him. He quickly left through the bedroom window, carefully closing it behind him. He leapt through the city, coming to a stop on the rooftop across his school and de-transforming.

"That was a close one Plagg," Adrien worried. "Why did he come home so early?" Adrien knew the man who lived in that house had a night job, his shift ending around 9, right when school started. This made it perfect for Adrien to sneak in for a warm shower and grab some breakfast to eat, before heading off to school. Now, Adrien just hoped he hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary. After all, what would everyone say if they found out Chat Noir, hero of Paris, was sneaking into people's homes and stealing their food and using their bathroom.

"Maybe he got fired?" Plagg shrugged, as Adrien gave him a piece of cheddar cheese from his backpack. It was no Camembert, but the Kwami didn't complain, given the circumstances.

"Why are you always so negative Plagg?" Adrien huffed, as he bit down on the apple Plagg had managed to acquire for him.

"Um hello? Kwami of Chaos and Destruction?" Plagg joked, earning a chuckle from Adrien as he finished his apple. Adrien searched through his backpack, hoping to find something more to eat. He came across a granola bar from yesterday, which Adrien gobbled down in a heartbeat. Other than cheese for Plagg, there was nothing else and Adrien saddened. It was going to be another day where he would have to starve, at least until school was over.

Plagg frowned at his chosen, zipping across to nuzzle against Adrien's check, putting a smile on Adrien's face. "You can survive," Plagg assured him. "You're the strongest human I've ever met."

"Come on Plagg, we don't want to be late for school," Adrien smiled at him, calling his transformation. He could always count on Plagg to cheer him up when things looked bad. Ladybug too of course.

Chat landed a block away from school, de-transforming in an alleyway and hiding Plagg, before walking out and joining the herd of students making their way to school. He got lost in thoughts about his Lady. How he desperately wished she was here with him. She was his best friend. Well only friend. But he knew what they had was something special. Other than fighting Akumas, they would meet up every day for patrol. Which would always end in them cuddled together at the top of the Eiffel tower. It could be argued that what they did was romantic, but for him it wasn't. It was just soothing to him, and made him feel welcome. He was comfortable with her, more than he ever thought possible. He desperately desired her human touch. And he knew she did too. He didn't know if she loved him romantically, or as a friend like he did. But it didn't matter, he could sort through all that later. Right now he was just glad to have her and Plagg to keep him grounded. To keep him going with life.