The Black Cat (a Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

Adrien: Plagg's Guide to Being a Gentleman

   Today was a really important day. It was Marinette's birthday! Not just any birthday either... it was her 18th birthday, which was even more important. I was already an adult... and I had actually been out of the house by the time that happened... my parents never got to see me become an adult. Maybe that was a good thing, seeing as I'd probably be stuck signing a contract saying I have to model for everything my dad makes, or sign something that forces me to stay with a agency I didn't want to be a part of. But, my 18th birthday was nice. I remember, Marinette made me a small cake, and we split it. That afternoon, Ladybug had taken me out for lunch. But, I wanted to do something extra special for Marinette. I had spent all night trying to find the perfect cake recipe, and I found it. Marinette would be out for a few hours with Alya, so I decided while she was gone, I'd try my hand at making her a cake. I had also been saving up change to buy her something nice. Along with whatever cake I'd be making her, I got her a necklace with a pink flower on it. Making a cake almost led to the kitchen catching on fire. I'm totally kidding, I did a decent job. I read the recipe like it was most important thing on Earth... it was worth it when I opened the oven and found myself staring at what looked like a pretty okay cake. I let it cool, and attempted to wrap the box with the necklace inside. It wasn't too pretty, but it would do, right? I started trying to make pink icing, and most of it made the bowl. The rest of it was all over me. I was able to frost the cake, and I put eighteen candles on it. I cleaned myself up at my sink, and I set it all up. I lit up the candles, and Marinette opened the door.
   "Happy Birthday!" she closed the door, and smiled,
   "Oh, Chat!" she awed, "Did you make the cake?"
   "Yeah... you can tell, huh?" I rubbed the back of my head, and she laughed, 
   "I can smell it. It's beautiful!" she took off her coat, "And, a present? Chat, you didn't have to!"
   "Of course I did, Princess. It's a special occasion." she blushed, 
   "T-Thank you."
   "Open it, come on!" she unwrapped it, and pulled out the necklace.
   "Oh my gosh, I love it!" she held it between her fingers, "Can you clasp it?"
   "Yeah, sure." I took the necklace, and fumbled with it. She held her hair away from the back of her neck, and I blushed a little. We were close. I was able to get it on, and she adjusted it.
   "Thank you!"
   "Now, come on, you gotta blow out the candles!"
   "Okay!" she blew out the candles, and I picked them off and cut the cake. The rest of the afternoon, we celebrated her birthday. Towards the end of the afternoon, I noticed a slight shift in her mood.
   "Everything okay, Princess?" I asked her.
   "Well, kind of?" she sighed, "I don't know. You know, I expected to have my 18th birthday with my parents... have them watch me become an adult and everything. It sucks, that it can't happen. It's incredibly selfish, but I don't know... it's how I envisioned it, you know?"
   "That's not selfish at all. You know, there's been times where all of us have definitely wanted someone there... it's happened to me plenty of times. Today is your day, Mari, you're allowed to be a little selfish." she giggled,
   "I suppose." she looked down, "I miss them, a lot." I looked down, and saw a small frown on her face, "They didn't deserve to be taken like that."
   "You know that it's not your fault, right?" he asked me.
   "Yeah, it's just hard living life, while constantly being reminded of it. Chloe's been using it as leverage against me..." her eyes immediately lit up, as she turned to me, "Do you know what I want for my 18th birthday?"
   "What is that?"
   "One day, where for once, I don't have to worry about her. This is going to sound selfish... but I want to stand out at the masquerade ball, Chat."
   "Stand out?"
   "I mean, all out. I'm talking the perfect matching dress and tux, everybody's going to wear bright colors... I want to change the game. I know, pink and white are my signature colors, but the only way I'm going to make a statement is if I... switch my style."
   "Are you implying you're going to wear a Chat Noir themed dress?" I asked her.
   "Exactly." she answered. "I just want one night where I can truly stand before everyone, and just... be me. I can just move and carry on, and for once not have Chloe stand in the way... that's all I want."
   "I think it's a fantastic idea." she turned to me, and widened her eyes a little, "I'd be more than happy to help you, seriously, with anything to accomplish that. You deserve a night like that... especially after everything's that happened."
   "You will?"
   "Of course. Besides, you'll have a superhero as your date... better make it special." I winked. Marinette smirked,
   "I suppose you've got a point there, Kitty. Well, I'd better finish the requests, that way I can get started on our formal wear. I'm going to need a lot more fabric... for the stuff then. I'll do it later." Marinette put aside her birthday celebration and began working on the thing she wanted the most; The Perfect Night. It was a crazy idea, but she wanted it to be big, and the excitement on her face was just so persuading. Then I realized something. I told her that I was her... date.
   "You caught on, in less than 10 minutes? I thought it would take you a while." Plagg chuckled, "Maybe you're starting to see the same things I'm seeing."
   "Shut up, it's probably because you've been in my head for so long."
   "You're not wrong." Plagg sighed, "But... let's not discuss that while you're in the presence of someone... how are you holding up?"
   "You know, you're not as annoying as I thought you'd be." I answered.
   "I'll take that as a compliment. But seriously,  are you okay with doing this? Sounds like a lot of work for one dance."
   "Have you ever been to a school dance?"
   "Of course not... but now I'm being forced to."
   "It's really important to Marinette, and it's her last year of high school... so it's importantly to make these last dances and special events as special as possible. If you've been seeing what I've been seeing, a lot has changed... and I feel like Marinette's being isolated from everybody, for the exception of a handful of people. I think if anyone deserves to be treated like a princess, it's her. She works so hard."
   "You seem to call her one, everyday."
   "I've been calling her Princess since the first time I met her as Chat Noir."
   "You're a good boy, kid. And while I haven't been to a "school" dance, I've been to a handful of celebrations myself."
   "What do you know about them?"
   "Chivalry... it's important to be respectful."
   "I know that."
   "Do you, though?" he asked me.
   "Tell me what you know."
   "Escorting her, opening doors, dancing with her... as her date, you have to stay with her. You can't drift away."
   "You know I'll end up clinging next to her the whole time."
   "Learn a special dance with her, and then request the song at the dance. Tell her it's the best way to get people to watch the two of you. Chivalry makes the ladies swoon, and the men jealous of you."
   "You're pranking me, aren't you?"
   "Come on, Adrien! I'm being serious. Besides, I can't really "prank" you... I'm sort of stuck to you."
   "What else?"
   "Instead of holding her hand when the two of you walk around, link arms with her, allow her to move a little in front of you. It allows the skirt of whatever dress she has to breathe, and it lets her know you have her back. It's called body language, ever heard of it?"
   "Come on, Plagg! Tell me more advice, not sarcasm... I hear enough of it everyday." Plagg laughed, 
   "Okay, okay! I mean... the rest of it is self-explanatory. You make her feel special by telling her she looks good, and that she's going to be okay. Offer her food, drink, the usual."
   "How do you know so much about chivalry?"
   "I've been alive since... the beginning of time. I've watched millions of people live their lives, and through that I've picked up a lot."
   "Well, thank you for the advice."
   "Do I get camembert for this?"
   "Sure, why not?" I didn't think I'd ever say this, or anything related to it, but Plagg ended up giving me a lot of advice. I didn't know Plagg's past, nor did I expect him to tall me about it, but something tells me the "Chat Noirs" of the past... were also gentlemen, thanks to Plagg. He was a charmer... maybe that's where it comes from.

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   Ooh la la~! Things are getting spicier! I believe that a story takes time, and the more you put into the development of characters, the better the story is. You know, some of the best love stories took a million chapters before the "love" part ever came to be... take Ron and Hermione for example. The Sorcerer's Stone, no one even considered them a couple.  By the end of Deathly Hollows Part 2, we see them married, and sending their children to Hogwart's. It's really difficult writing the "unexpected" couples, but it makes it all worth it for me when I see the result... and maybe it will be worth it for you, too. Thank you so much for reading, and I will see you all in the next chapter!